mastermind | the hunger games

CHAPTER II

"Well, aren't you a pretty thing?" a voice spoke from behind from where Persephone was, standing in a tight white dress that hugged her body until it flared at the bottom. The young Victor immediately turned around from where she stood in the corner of her Victor Gala, seeing an older man with a lustful gleam in his eye, eyeing her down.

"Oh, um, thank you," Persephone said politely, even though she was very uncomfortable. She tried looking for Cashmere or Gloss in the crowd, hoping that one of them would be able to step in and save her, but immediately cowered back a bit when she noticed they were both stuck in deep conversations.

"A lot of men here, including me, would pay a pretty penny for you. Some say you're the most desirable one in history, too bad we have to wait two years," the man muttered as he leaned in closer to the girl, an inaudible whimper leaving her lips as he neared her.

"I've been looking for you, Persephone," a dark voice smoothly said behind the man in front of her. The man immediately cowered in fear, a horrified look crossing over his gaze before he turned around, seeing a taller and more muscular man glaring down at him.

"Mr. Grace. It's lovely to see you," the man stuttered out, looking at the intimidating man in front of him.

Persephone looked up to see who this "Mr. Grace" was, only to be slightly shocked to see the man who had calmed her in the audience of her interviews, only hours before.

"Why are you bothering my girl?" her savior said to the man who still stood in front of her. The man immediately stepped away from Persephone, shaking.

"I had no clue that you two were together, my apologies," the old man cowardly said, moving away from the two Victors.

"If I see you near her again, I will rip your throat out," the taller man said again casually, making the old man nod furiously before walking away quickly.

Persephone stared up nervously at the man who helped her, wondering who he was and why he would even step in.

"Hades," is all he said, his black clothing contrasting greatly against her white dress.

"Sorry?" Persephone said confused, fiddling with her bracelets nervously.

"My name. It's Hades," he said, glancing down at the girl, eyes softening slightly.

"Oh! It's nice to meet you, Hades. Thank you for um," Persephone smiled softly, pointing in the direction the old man ran to, trying to thank him for stepping in.

"Don't mention it. A lot of people here like to prey on the new Victors," Hades said, a dark look crossing his eyes as he skimmed over the crowd around them, seemingly looking for any more signs of danger.

"You're one too, right? A Victor?" Persephone asked softly, looking up at the taller man, remembering that she saw him in the front row of her interviews, where the Victors usually sat.

"Yeah, won three years ago," Hades said, bringing his attention back to the smaller girl.

Persephone nodded, about to say something before a hand clapped onto his shoulder.

"Kid, where'd you run off to? Got worried you were trying to leave early again," another voice asked lightly, a laugh following. A man, Persephone assumed to be in his late thirties, asked Hades.

"Just had to deal with a problem," Hades said to the man. The man, shorter than Hades, nodded before finally looking at the girl in front of them.

"Persephone Chase! Nice to finally meet you. Been hearing a lot about you from Cashmere and Gloss, they haven't shut up about you since you won," the man added lightly, seeing the obvious anxiety on the newest Victors face.