Hearts of Greek Fire - A Hades/Meg Love Story

Chapter 8 - A Mortal's Beauty

Poof.

I appeared in my bedroom.

Another day, another schmuck duped back into the Underworld from my feminine wiles, followed by Hades literally scaring them to death. It'd become a weekly ritual.

I suppose he could be asking me to do worse things. At least he always showed up before any of the guys tried to touch me—always in the nick of time.

I flopped onto the bed with a deep sigh.

In a swirl of blue smoke, Panic dipped the bed near my arm. He tapped his fingertips together frantically.

"What's wrong, Meg?"

"Oh, bud, isn't it fairly obvious?"

When he didn't answer, I lifted my head to see him nervously shifting his eyes, attempting to formulate a response.

My head slammed into the pillow again. "I'm a mortal woman trapped in a deal with the god of the Underworld. I saw my life going differently. I really did."

Pain showed up amidst red swirls, tripping over an imaginary rock, and somersaulting into my hip with a yelp.

I raised a brow. "Where were you? You two normally show up as a package deal."

"Uh..." Pain said, scratching his head. "Torturing someone."

I narrowed my eyes and sat up on my elbows. "Who?"

"Adonis," Panic added before his eyes went wide as if he let it slip and didn't mean to.

"Adonis." I tapped my finger against my lips. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

Pain uncomfortably groaned before he nuzzled against my arm. "Hey, I noticed your door is unlocked now. That's new."

I sighed and sat up, idly scratching the top of Pain's head. "A lot of good it does me. What's there to do around here except roast marshmallows on one of a dozen bursting flames?"

"You could..." Panic scurried from one end of the bed to the other with a finger up in the air. "Read a book?"

"Bor-ing." Pain stuck his tongue out and rolled his eyes.

I'd only half heard them, lost in thought, staring at the orange flames flickering in the fireplace. "He still plans to attack Olympus, doesn't he?"

Hades had been mum about it since our little...disagreement.

Panic frowned, curling his tail around him, and sitting against me on the opposite side from Pain.

"Yes," Panic whispered.

My chest tightened. "And there's nothing I can do. Just sit back and watch it happen."

Pain gave me his puppy dog eyes, resting his chin on my lap.

"You could try talking to him?" Panic shrugged.

I half-smiled. "I appreciate the suggestion, little guy, but I've already tried that, remember?"

"I mean really talk to him." Panic rubbed his toes together.

Pain lifted his head, glaring at Panic. "What are you going on about?"

"Look, when it boils down, the boss isn't that bad," Panic added, his left eye twitching.

"Are we talking about the same guy?" Pain asked.

I eyed Panic quizzically. "Go on."

"He won't say it, but I've seen it before. There are times where all he wants...is to feel normal."