Dark Shadows (#1 of Dark Shadows Series) |Old Version|

Chapter 18: The Truth

He never said anything as to why: he just sat there, looking out at the dark cavern, holding her hand like she might slip through his fingers.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as they held hands. It strangely felt natural, like they did this a million times before.

"I'm sorry."

Katherine looked at Hades. "For what?"

"I called you Persephone back in when we danced." He sighed, the weight on his chest getting heavier. "You look so much like her, Katherine. I know you've heard everyone talk. And it's no secret that her death keeps me up. She was my world. Sure, it was awkward at first; I was a few centuries old when me and her married, she was barely nineteen. But we eventually grew to love each other."

Katherine felt Hades squeeze her hand.

"The myth of me kidnapping her is wrong; the marriage was arranged. Her mother, Demeter, thought that the marriage would give Persephone some responsibility. It was hard at first; I was use to having my own way and ruling my kingdom on my own and Persephone had never left earth. But after a while, we got to know each other and became friends."

Hades couldn't help but smile, though he felt pained. He never talked about his feelings about his wife's death, it wasn't normal for him. But with his feelings for Katherine growing, and after tonight, he knew that Katherine deserved to know. He didn't want her to think she was a replacement in the eyes of the servants and nymphs.

"Strangely, we worked well together. She taught me to listen to each soul and guide them through the confusion, especially if they believed in a religion. She often visited some of the souls in their after lives to see how they were; they loved her.

"Over time, I slowly found myself falling in love with her. I was infatuated with everything about her: her smile, her laugh, everything. She was a breath a fresh air. She brought life into the castle. She expanded the garden and helped Hecate take care of the hell-hounds. Cerberus was extremely fond of her. No one really played with him besides me, so he was happy to have a playmate."

"She sounds wonderful."

"Sounded. She died less than five years ago years ago."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. At the time, she was unhappy. Even though I told her her life on earth would be completely separate from her life down here, she fell in love with a mortal."

"Who was it?"

Hades shrugged. "I'm not sure. I tried to stay out of her other life. But it was awkward to see him step up while she was here. The moment I saw her look at that man with such love and devastation when he died, I knew.

"She pleaded for me for weeks to bring him back to life, but I'm ruler over the dead; I can only take life, not give it. There, she wanted me to take her life so she could go to the afterlife with him. I absolutely refused.

"When I refused to take her life, she was furious. She moved out of our room and into a separate chamber on the other side of castle. She stopped playing with Cerberus, stopped interacting with the souls. Everyone knew something was wrong; the woman they saw was not the queen they knew."

Katherine's heart began to break. Not just for Hades, but for Persephone. She always believed that you if love two people, you always go to the second person; because if you were really in love with the first, you wouldn't have a second. Katherine couldn't imagine the emotions Hades felt when his own wife asked him to kill her. But Persephone obvisiously loved the human too. She might of loved Hades before, but people do fall out of love.

What made Persephone stop loving Hades?

"After a few years," Hades continued, his hand tightening around Katherines, "I decided to do it. I realized that no matter how much I hated it, Persephone no longer loved me. She might have before, but not then.

"It was hard, seeing her own life draining out of her body. My family, The Counsil, stayed and watch. Demeter was furious with both me and her daughter. She thought I didn't try hard enough and that Persephone was selfish to fall for a mortal. I haven't spoken to her since.

"After her death, my reign over the Underworld started slipping. In today's age, too many people are once; it's overwhelming. My family wants me to find a wife before Persephone's anniversary, or else I fade and someone else takes over."

He looked over at Katherine, his eyes glossy. "It's scary to feel the things I feel now. Before, I felt cold and moved through the days without much consciousness. Now, with you here, I feel things I haven't felt in a long time. You brighten my day with just a simple smile. Everyone adores you, even my family thinks you might save me."

Taking her hand, he brought it to his chest, right over his heart. Katherine blushed with her fingers touched his chest, the coolness tickling the tips of her fingers. She felt his heart beating at a rapid pace, almost like her heart was beating right now; hammering in her ribcage.

"My heart hasn't beat in over ten years years. Since you came, it started beating again. Ever since the ball, I can't get you out of my head. Having you close to me, I felt alive. Sleeping next to you; I finally have peaceful dreams. You do something to me that no one besides Persephone has done."

Hades moved closer to Katherine, his body flushed against hers. Katherine held her breath as she felt his breath against her neck. "I know that I can't get over her in a single night, and you don't deserve to be second to her. But you are not a replacement to her, and you never will be."

Katherine's heart skipped a few beats. Hades had feelings for her! She had only hoped before that he felt something; now, his words confirmed it.

"I really want to kiss you," he whispered, his voice thick and husky.

Before she could even think, Katherine whispered "Then do it."

Suddenly, she felt his lips against hers.