Awakening (Book One of the Eklektos Series)

Chapter Twenty Six

As she forced herself to remain still, Kali couldn't quite get over how Hades looked. His hair was long and black, like the shadows he blended into. If she had tried to imagine what he looked like, she would have guessed that correctly. The broad shoulders and muscular arms were a delicious surprise. He was much less bulky than Ares or Heracles, but his tight black t-shirt showed off his physique exquisitely. He looked refined, but there was something rugged and intense lurking just beneath the surface.

She bit her lip, hard, to keep her eyes from roaming. Instead, she pulled her gaze back to his unfathomable eyes to see them fixed on her face. Hades stood in front of her, silently waiting. Suddenly, she dropped her gaze and managed to murmur "Your eyes really are blue."

A long finger touched her chin and she shivered. Whenever he had touched her before, it had felt like there was a fine layer of something between them. The contact, out of the shadows, was electric. He lifted her face back up to look at him, letting his hand linger. "You doubted me?"

She shook her head weakly, but she couldn't find the words to answer him. Instead, she just watched his face as his lips curved up into half a smile. She didn't realise she had stopped breathing until air rushed back into her lungs. That smile. His bone structure was captivating, the arched brow and the high cheekbones and the strong jaw, dusted with stubble. The sensation of his smile had always haunted her, but to see it.

Kali flinched when Achilles cleared his throat pointedly from behind her. With the surprise of seeing him, really seeing him, she had forgotten that they weren't alone. She glanced around to see the two Heroes looking thoroughly entertained. Kali lowered her face again to hide her blooming cheeks behind a curtain of hair.

Heracles and Achilles exchanged a look before Achilles muttered "Well...I think that's our cue to skedaddle back downstairs...you kids have fun...get him back before curfew."

Hades sighed at the joke and banished them with a wave of his hand. He bowed slowly, stealing her gaze with his striking eyes, and held out a hand to her. "Shall we?"

The eye contact was doing something strange to her. Her heart hummed. Biting her lip, Kali nodded and took his hand, savouring the feeling of him entwining their fingers. She knew her face was glowing like the sun, so she kept it down as he led her away from the Colosseum. Deep breaths.

She was pulled out of her cascading thoughts when Hades asked, "Is my appearance so unpleasant that you cannot bring yourself to look at me?"

Her eyes locked on his, shocked. "No! You're...that is to say, I..." She blushed when she saw his teeth flashing in his grin. Hades' lips curved slowly into a grin, all too aware of Kali's fluttering heart. A deep throaty chuckle escaped him when the blush returned to her cheeks. At the sound, Kali whispered "You are too cruel, Lord Hades."

"I certainly have my moments." He chuckled quietly, pulling her towards the fountain to sit with him. His blue eyes glinted in the glimmering moonlight as he teased "You blush so easily. Is that the effect I have on you, I wonder?"

Her blush deepened, her eyes dropping to his mouth. She scolded herself for her honesty before she even got the words out as she breathlessly replied, "You know what effect you have on me."

"Hmm...do I?" He stood quickly and dragged her to him. He pressed her body against his and held her there, looking down into her eyes. His hand cupped her cheek to keep her from shying away again. His expression was suddenly serious as he quietly suggested "Perhaps you should enlighten me as to exactly what effect I have on you, Kali."

"Why?" His lips were so close, distracting her. Before her good sense could get in the way, she whispered in a rush "You said to ask if I still wanted to know. Why do you care?"