Aftermath [malexmale]

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

I teleported from Akin's apartment to whoever was calling me, and I prayed to all the gods in existence that it wasn't Callias.

And much to my relief, it wasn't.

It was ten times worse.

The smoke column around me dissipated to reveal that I was standing in Hades's throne room, surrounded by flowers and trees and beautiful plants. The whole room seemed to look quite charming, except Hades, who stood a couple feet from me, his blue eyes snapping more fire than the Phlegethon. Decked out in his ever shiny and ever present sleek black armor hugging a muscular physique, he looked about as friendly as a porcupine in a balloon factory.

"Something's wrong." He greeted me in a dangerous tone. I frowned, hands stuffed into the pockets of my jacket.

"Yeah, there's always something wrong, but in this case, I have no idea what you're talking about." I replied dryly. It didn't help that, anticipating my arrival, Hades had put up a barrier around himself, pushing me out of his head so I couldn't read his thoughts to figure out what he wanted.

And it pissed me off.

Now I knew how Adrian felt when I locked him out.

"The baby, Ambrosius," Hades snapped, making me frown further, "Blaine says he's coming. As in, two days from now." I arched a brow at that, perplexed at the horrible timing and the fact that Blaine was so in tune with the child growing inside him that he knew the time of the baby's birth. But it didn't surprise me anyway. We were creatures of another world, not humans, who needed electronics and toys to show when the baby was coming. We just knew.

"How is that my problem? Your kid, not mine." I responded flatly. Hades glowered.

"It's your problem because he's making a big deal about it. He won't let anyone near him and has barricaded himself in his room and Cerberus won't let me into the house."

"Still wondering where this becomes my problem." I drawled. Hades approached me, completely invading my personal bubble, causing me to bristle, not that it mattered as he met my eyes with a deadly glare.

"I have a deal for you," He sneered, "Get me to my fucking child or I'm going to go to Kateria, and not only will I take that imp back, but I'll sell him into slavery to a not so friendly buyer. Do you hear me?" Anger exploded through my veins and I shoved Hades back, but he barely budged. He only moved because he wanted to. I glared at him hatefully.

"Touch him and I swear to the gods--"

"Then get me my child!" Hades snarled. I twitched angrily.

"How do you expect me to do that?! I'm not going to get involved in anymore of your shenanigans!"

"Then I'm taking the imp back!"

"No!" I roared, sending out a blast of power that rippled the air, blowing our clothes back and causing the trees and plants around us to tremble and shrink back. My breathing was ragged, heart pounding into my throat at the very thought of someone like Hades taking Dorean away. The fact that Hades even had a method to get into Kateria left me horrified. That realm was my realm.

"Then come to the baby shower tomorrow," Hades seethed past clenched teeth, "It's at noon here in the throne room. Persephone and Blaine will be in her room. It's the only time Blaine will leave his room."

"And what do you want me to do? Tell him to hand over the kid? He'll probably kick me in the groin."

"I don't care how you do it," Hades seethed, his eyes flashing angrily, "Just make sure that when that child is born, he is in my hands."