Hades

Chapter 39

I darted to the garage. I would take one of his cars. I wouldn't take anything that had been tainted by this place with me, just my wallet and a set of keys. I would drive until this feeling of uncontrollable violence left me. I would sleep in the car or a cheap motel, find a new job, and start a new life.

But when I flung open the garage door I was faced with a choice. I had two vehicles that I could take. The sleek sedan that was funded by the royals, the ones who supported his missions. It was the car his beloved side kick drove to pick him up after he had slaughtered someone. Bile rose in my throat at the thought of sitting in his victory wagon for hours.

Then there was the ancient yellow Nissan. Not funded by anyone and not for his tasks. But it was his favorite. It was the car that he had taken me to the royals in. It was the car that we went hiking together in. It was completely and utterly his. The thought made me feel so repulsed, so sickly that I began scratching at my skin, wondering if I could scratch hard enough to take my skin off entirely. Skin he had touched.

With a frustrated shriek, I slammed the garage door shut and raced through the house. 

Working out didn't help. I sprinted on the treadmill, running until I was pouring sweat and felt like my heart was going to explode in my chest. After that I peeled of my jeans that I hadn't bothered to change out of and pulled my shirt over my head. A hot shower did nothing to calm me down. I kept grabbing at my hair and pulling as I repressed the urge to scream at the top of my lungs.

Once I was dressed in fresh clothes I tried painting, but just ended up staring at the blank canvas as my brush trembled in my hand. I tried to tell myself that this wasn't me. I knew Sebastian, I knew what he was doing and it no longer bothered me because he had explained everything to me already.

It didn't matter. 

In that moment I hated him. I loathed him.

I wanted him dead.

And every second I stared at the canvas the feeling only grew stronger. When the feelings became so strong that I was tempted to stab my brush through the canvas I decided that I needed to do something else and the only thing that helped me last time was cooking.

I spent twenty minutes in the kitchen, chopping up vegetables for a stew. The knife moved so quickly in my hand and slammed down on the cutting board so hard it was like the vegetables had personally wronged me. I was so focused I didn't hear someone coming into the house until it was too late.

"Man, what did those carrots do to you?" Ethel teased as she entered the kitchen. 

I didn't think. I raised my eyes to hers. I saw the curly hair and the kind eyes. The woman who had driven the getaway car, taking me away from my parents and from my pack. 

She took me away from Tabitha.

She brought me here, straight into his arms where he had held me captive.

A strangled scream tore through my lips and the knife that had been used to cut the vegetables was suddenly raised in my hand, behind my head. I flung it forward, throwing it as if I were a viking and it was a battle ax. And it sailed through the air, twirling and spinning as it neared Ethel.

"Ethel!" Hades screamed, seeming to appear out of thin air.

My knife missed my target. Ethel dove to the side, diving to the floor as the knife embedded itself in the wall.

But Ethel was no longer a concern.

"Kill him," a soft, womanly voice encouraged. I didn't see the body it belonged to, but I didn't care. I knew that voice as well as I knew my own. It offered comfort and love. Safety. She would never lead me astray. My eyes narrowed in on Hades and the soft whisper turned into a shriek. "He killed Caleb! He's killed hundreds! He ruined you! Kill him! Even the blood debt!"

"Hades," Ethel warned as I lunged towards my mate.

"I've got her," he grunted. "Just stay down."

There was a violent clash as my body met Hades's. I flung myself at him with all my might, fighting unlike I ever have before. My hands clawed at his face. I tried to kick and stomp on his feet and shins. I used my elbows and the heels of my hands to slam against his chest. I wanted to stun him and go for this throat because I knew I couldn't beat him in a feat of strength. He was too powerful, but I had tricks he didn't know, tricks I felt like I didn't know, like my movements and limbs were not my own. 

But Hades was faster. With one quick swing of his leg I was unbalanced. All he had to do was apply some subtle pressure with his hips and I was spun around, facing away from him, staring down at Ethel while he twisted my arms behind my back.

"I hate you! I hate you! I'm going to kill you!" I shrieked, my voice booming louder than it even had before. "I will even the blood debt!"

"Charlotte, what has happened to you?" Hades panted in my ear. Then, his breath caught in his throat. "What is happening to your hair? It's like it's holding an electrical charge."

"Hades, her eyes, they changed colour," Ethel whimpered.

Then, with a maniac smile on my lips, I collapsed into Hades's arms. My violent world faded away to one of comfort and love and blackness.

~~~Distraction Section~~~

So now we are officially done with the constant updates. Thankfully, you only have to make it until next Tuesday which isn't that far away, right? I know some of you totally want to cut me and I completely understand and am enjoying all the tension.

Question of the Day: If you had a tourist in your care where would you take them in your city or town or province/state?

I live in Alberta so I'm very blessed. Banff is where I think everyone would want to go to, but I find that Drumheller is much cooler. It's a small city with an incredible museum about the fossils found there and nearby. All sand, hoodoos, and dinosaur bones. I've never seen anywhere like it.