His Darling

His Darling | 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

"You mean God of the Underworld," said Christian.

Xander looked at him. His stare was frightening. "Christian," he said, "not now."

I wanted to run. I wanted to run out of that house and never look back. Run till my lungs burned. Run till my legs gave out. Run and run and keep running until I found home.

My body wanted to collapse on the ground. "Hades?" I asked, "Cole is Hades?" This couldn't be possible.

"Should I kill her now?" Asked one of the twins. The one I saw on the balcony. Her sister giggled.

My head snapped to her direction. "I dare you," I challenged her.

"Clyma," Xander's voice was low. There was something else also. Recognition. They'd known each other--for years probably.

Clyma smiled, but then turned serious. Her eyes roamed Xander's face. "You must know by now, Raven's anger and stubbornness will get the best of her."

"So will her mouth," said her sister absentmindedly. That was the first time she spoke since I'd arrived. She played with her hair.

I began to protest, but Henry chimed in, looking at me the whole time. "We must discuss the plan. Time is ticking."

This was actually happening. I felt nothing but utterly powerless.

I sat down. My legs were weak and my injured arm throbbed. Xander's eyes never left me, but I didn't want to look at him anymore. I hated him. I always had.

" the meeting place where we agreed at?" Henry asked.

I saw Xander nod from the corner of my eye. "The fúcker has no idea it's us,"

"He'd want Raven in a dress," Said Clyma's sister, twisting on her strands of hair and looking at my outfit.

"Why?" Was all I cared to ask.

She shrugged and briefly glanced over to Xander before looking back at me. "You're pretty. He'd like you in a dress."

"Well, I'm not wearing one."

"You are," Xander said, his tone final.

I looked at him. A million retaliative comments and insults conjured up in my head, all ready to burst out. Instead, I welcomed the dull pang in my chest and said nothing.

"Raven, you need to gain his trust." Henry suddenly said.

"A dress won't do that."

"He will test it," he continued. "You've got to be prepared."

His words slowly began eating at my brain.

"Trust builds up in time. Not suddenly," the words tumbled out of my mouth in an anxious rush,"how long do you plan on leaving me with him?"

"Just long enough so you can kill him," Xander answered. He stared at my hands. I looked down. They were shaking.

"Why does he need me?" I asked.

Henry shifted in his seat. "It's hard to explain--"

"Having a female companion makes him powerful. Even more so if she's pure and untouched." Clyma's sister cut in, her bright, green eyes latched on me. "You're both. You're also full of raging emotions," She said, then her features changed. My stomach churned. "But you will not be the same when you come back,"

"What do you mean?"

"He will drain you. You will become submissive, and in the process, fall for him,"

"This defies the whole purpose," I looked at Xander, "of protecting me,"

"Don't you think I know that?" he said, and his voice was low and frigid. It frightened me. "But Cole has an army of thousands ready to slaughter all of us. This is much more than just your protection," he said, "The whole fúcking world is at stake,"

"But--"

Suddenly, I heard loud banging coming from the front door. Everyone stood. Their eyes were at the door.

"Are you expecting visitors?" Christian whispered, looking at his watch. The tension rising like smoke. "It's one in the morning,"

"No," Clyma said. "But I'm always getting visitors," she then looked at me. "Hide,"

I nodded and quickly walked into the dark kitchen, crouching behind the counter. I could hear the others moving, scattering around the room to hide too. After it felt like forever, I heard the front door open.

"Clyma," a female's voice greeted.

"Amera? What do you want?" Clyma's voice was lower than usual. And she yawned softly.

"I am good, thank you for asking, and you?"

"Thrilled." Clyma dead-panned. "Now, why are you here, dear?"

She went right into it, "Xander was seen a few miles away from your place with the girl. We thought you'd--"

"You thought wrong." Clyma's serious voice carried out. "I haven't been in contact with Xander in years."

Amera laughed. Loud and ugly. "I thought you'd be married to him today."

There was a pause. Amera had hit a nerve. "He is nothing but trouble."

"You wouldn't mind if we come in, right?" Clyma hesitated, but there was some shuffling. Then several footsteps entered the house.

The girl wasn't alone.

My heart hammered in my chest. I exhaled. Slowly and without a sound, I peeked from the corner of the counter and saw a tall girl with hair the color of metal, dark eyes staring straight into Clyma's. She was surrounded by men, whose tentative eyes were looking all over the house. I quickly shift back when a guy looked back toward my direction.

"Amera, for God's sake," Clyma said. "If Xander was here, do you really think he would hide?"

"Don't," Amera grounded out. "Things are different now."

I peeked back out and saw her an inch away from Clyma's face. Something shone in her hand as she brought it up to her neck.

Clyma winced but stayed in place. Amera smiled. "You better be telling the truth. I'd hate to know you're going through such troubles for Xander and the pest he carries."

I wanted to run out and punch Amera in the face.

She gave the place one last glance, then backed up, along with her group.

Then they vanished.

I didn't move a muscle. I couldn't.

"Raven," someone whispered in my ear. I gasped, but soon enough recognized the voice.

"Xander," I said, not knowing why.

"You can come out now," he was standing in front of me. I could see the outline of his extended arm.

I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up. My feet took me back to the living room without a second thought.

Clyma was grabbing her neck. She wasn't moving. I went to her, then touched her arm. "Clyma?"

"Don't touch me,"

She was shaking.

I stepped back, quickly retreating my hand. Her sister came out, and so did Henry and Christian.

Xander walked past me and stood in front of Clyma, looking big and tall compared to her small frame. He looked into her eyes and tenderly removed her hand from her neck. Her palm was trembling and covered in blood.

I suddenly felt like an intruder.

"First aid kit," Clyma's sister blurted out, disappearing into another room.

"We have to go," Clyma breathed, turning to look at me. "Cole needs to have her. Now,"