Fire and Trials

Tangled Love

Later that night, Delilah decided to put it out of her mind what Haden had told her. She figured it was probably unimportant, and if it were he would tell her in time. She couldn't wait to start seeing him more, and especially couldn't wait to see him at school tomorrow. 

The next day at school, she continuously would look for him, but he was nowhere to be seen. This made her stomach drop and a sick feeling stuck with her all day. 

All she could think about was maybe she did something to make him not want to see her, maybe he got food poisoning, or maybe he's just sick. Every reason she came up with only made her worry that much more, and she couldn't wait for the final bell. 

As she finally arrived home, there was Haden leaning against his nice black sportscar looking even better than he did yesterday. His charming smile showed off his pearly white teeth, creating little wrinkles around his bright blue eyes, the only lines he seemed to have on his perfect body. 

"Where were you today? I didn't see you at school." Delilah asked, trying her best to not seem like she was as worried as she knew she was. 

"Miss me?" Haden retorted with a chuckle. "Let's get out of here and go for a walk, I've had a long day."

"Oh, okay...?" Delilah replied, unsure of why he didn't show up for school but is here now. She put her backpack inside the house and returned by his side, hopping into the passenger side where he was standing with the door open for her. 

They pull up to the park where they seemed to talk about everything but what Delilah wanted to know. What was he going to say last night and what he was doing instead of being at school today? Every time she tried to get any answers out of him, he would find a way to seamlessly change the subject. He was so good at this that she eventually forgot what she even wanted to know, and dropped the subjects. 

As weeks passed by, Haden was for the most part at school, occasionally missing for no apparent reason, but never revealing why. They began spending a lot of time together and she wished only to spend more time with him. What she really wanted was to be his girlfriend, especially as the fall continued to get closer, the best time of year for having a date to go to things like pumpkin patches with. 

Delilah couldn't believe how much she was enjoying spending time with Hades. He was charming, funny, and always knew how to make her laugh. She had never felt this way about anyone before, and she was starting to wonder if this was what love felt like.

As they walked through the park, a typical date for them, Hades suddenly stopped and turned to her. "Delilah, there's something I need to tell you."

She looked up at him, her heart racing. Was he going to confess his love for her?

"I'm not exactly who you think I am," he said, his voice serious.

Delilah frowned. "What do you mean?", fear ran cold through her blood as she thought back to their first date and those same words he spoke. 

Hades hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I'm not a normal high school boy, Delilah. I'm actually a god."

Delilah's jaw dropped. "A god? What are you talking about?" she whispered, seeming to lose any ability to speak. 

Hades sighed. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. My name isn't really Haden, I'm Hades, the god of the Underworld. I know, not very creative."

Delilah's mind was reeling. She had always been interested in Greek mythology, but she never thought she would actually meet a god in real life.

Hades looked at her anxiously. "I understand if this is too much for you to handle. I just had to be honest with you. But I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me."

Delilah stared at him for a moment, not sure what to say or think. "Why are you here then?" she questioned, tears at the brink of her eyes from the suddenness of it all. 

"I had a job to do." He replied. "I can't go into a lot of detail, but I was supposed to collect a soul that day but got distracted when I saw you." His pale self seemed even paler, and his eyes would dart back and forth between her eyes searching for any tell as to what she might do or say next. 

Delilah then blew out a shaky breath, thinking carefully over her feelings and next words. "This doesn't necessarily change the way I feel about you... I still care about you, Haden, I mean Hades, no matter what you are. I'm obviously still in shock, but I don't think I could go back to my life before you were in it."

Hades smiled, relief flooding through him. "Thank you, Delilah. You have no idea how much that means to me." He immediately pulled her close to him, her petite body seeming to perfectly fit into his. 

Over the next few weeks, Hades and Delilah grew even closer. They went on more dates, exploring the city and discovering new things about each other. Delilah loved the way Hades always knew how to make her feel special, and how he was always there for her when she needed him.

But not everyone was happy about their relationship, her parents didn't like any guy Delilah talked about and her friends at school were jealous. They didn't let it bother them, they seemed to be in a world of their own when they were together, and Delilah really was pulled away from reality when they weren't, only able to think about him.

One day at school, a guy named Jake, a popular football quarterback that has always tried to get with Delilah, tried to hit on her while Hades was not at school. Delilah didn't know this, but Hades was always keeping track of her with a necklace he gave her on their third date. 

Seeing this, he immediately transported to the school to stop whatever it was this guy thought he was doing. He stormed through the hallway, with a predatory look in his now icy blue eyes, until he found Jake. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled, his fists clenched.

Jake sneered at him. "I'm just talking to my friend here. What's it to you?"

Hades stepped closer, his eyes flashing dangerously. "She's not interested in you. And she's with me, in case you haven't noticed."

Jake shrugged. "So what? You're not the only guy in town, buddy. She's fair game."

Hades lunged forward, grabbing Jake by the collar of his shirt. "Not to you, she's not."

The two of them grappled for a moment, exchanging punches and kicks. But in the end, Hades emerged victorious, with Jake lying on the ground in a bloody heap crying.

Delilah rushed over to him, her eyes wide with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Hades smiled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, leaving a little blood in her wild curls. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I just had to take care of business, that's all."

Delilah looked up at him, feeling a rush of admiration and fear at the sheer strength and his animal side. She realized then that she was falling for him, hard and fast, but she needed to be very careful. 

It was that night Hades asked her to be his and his alone. She agreed happily, dismissing any fear she may have felt towards him after the bloody fight in the hallway. 

It was with that acceptance that led to a passionate kiss between the two. Hades' hands had cupped her face, bringing her closer to him. Her hands roamed over his body, her timidness leaving the deeper he kissed her. As his lips began to travel away from her lips down to her neck, his hands began to freely explore her body. 

Wanting to be closer than they were and ever have been, he desperately tore off his clothes, as if they were hellfire themself. She shyly looked up at him, trying her best to catch her breath. 

"You're mine, but I will never make you do something you don't want to do." He said with a hunger in his voice seeming to be the opposite of his words. 

She slowly sat up on her bed, inching closer to his face and lips, their eyes locked on each other. 

She kissed him sweetly, and sweet kisses turned deeper. 

He ripped off her clothes next, ultimately leading to the two becoming one that night.