Chapter 45

Nicki could feel Stefan's muscles contract, as if her words had turned him to stone. Could that possibly be a thing? She didn't know, but at this point, she decided that anything was possible with these people, in this place.

She was in freaking Hell—or the Underworld, whatever that meant, but she was pretty sure it served as a proxy for freaking Hell—and Stefan was talking to Hades! Hades, who'd just threatened to rip her beautiful demigod's tongue out and replace it with one made of lead. Like that wouldn't be a crime against humanity. She really liked Stefan's tongue. She really liked every last inch of him.

"No, Nicki," Stefan said, his grip still a vice around her. "That"s exactly what he wants. If you set foot in his realm, you"re his."

"She"s mine anyway," Hades put in. He seemed to be pitching his voice a notch louder to make sure they heard him. "I'm only granting her the illusion of talking to you because I can. Surely, you have to know that."

Nicki would have smiled at the almost petulant comment except for the way Stefan"s expression changed. He went pale, his skin turning almost ghostly, his eyes haggard. He believed what this asshole god said, believed that she was dead or on the brink of it.

Screw that.She knew she wasn"t dead. She had too much to live for, too much to do. But seeing Stefan stare fixedly at Hades, his jaw clenched, fear and loathing mixing together in a potent stew of emotions, tugged at her in a way she'd never felt before.

"You have a bargain you'd like me to drive, Hades, you have only to say the word," Stefan said, his words dripping ice.

"And again, bargaining with an acolyte of Hermes is a fool's game," Hades retorted. "You don't have anything I want."

Nicki rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I do." She craned her head to the side, and peered at the hulking man—god—whatever he was, who stood maybe thirty feet away. "Will you grant me permission to stand up on my own two feet without turning my request into some sort of weird Greek riddle where I can"t leave if I do it? Will you give your word and not cheat me on this?" She wriggled a little in Stefan's grasp.

"Nicki…"

Nicki glanced up toward Stefan again, but he wasn't looking at her. His glare was still solidly on Hades. Still, she turned her face in time to flinch at the single drop of water that splashed onto her cheek. Her eyes widened. Was Stefan crying? Over her?

Hades grunted, then waved a hand. "You may stand. It will not be the reason why you'll stay here."

If anything, the cryptic response made Stefan's arms tighten further.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Nicki wriggled harder. "So that we're clear, I decree that you won't be a dick about me leaving footprints on your precious underworld carpet, and no matter what, you won't keep me if it's not my time. Stefan—please."

Looking like he'd sooner trade his tongue in as Hades had suggested rather than give in to her request, Stefan nevertheless let her stand.

Nicki planted her feet on the solid surface, grateful that the swirling mist seemed to cover something that felt like actual ground. A wave of dizziness stole over her, and she steeled herself. She sure as hell wasn't going to show weakness now.

"Thank you," she murmured, turning and lifting up a hand to Stefan's cheek. He grabbed it and held it tight, then turned his mouth into the palm, kissing it hard.

When he pulled away, he stared at her with eyes gone flat and hard. "He's a god, Nicki. An actual god. He doesn't have power on Earth anymore, but this is his home. He could kill you here."

"I could kill her anywhere," Hades observed, again sounding bored, and this time she did smile.

"I like him," she told Stefan, and then—before she could think too much about it—she lifted up on her toes and brushed her lips against his. "And I love you, my beautiful, fearless man. As far as I'm concerned, you're an actual god, too."

She turned away before she lost her nerve, and faced Hades squarely.

The man—god—whatever was a veritable beast of a guy, big and deeply tanned, with a thick mane of dark hair that was tied back with a heavy leather strap. He wore a cloak over a black tunic and pants and heavy boots, and he folded his arms over his chest as she took him in.

"You said Hephaestus could make you a tongue?" she prompted, reveling in the long steady beats of her heart. She could almost feel her blood rushing through her veins in this place, feel the energy of her prickling nerves, the spark of her synapses snapping. She felt alive, vibrant, real. "Like, smite one up in his forge or whatever?

"He can make anything." Hades glowered at her. "And anything would be an improvement over listening to a demigod of Hermes prattle on."

"Okay, fine." She drew in a quick breath, released it. "Can he make me a new heart?"

Stefan, to his credit, didn't fully gasp behind her. It was more of a furious hiss of air that he choked off before it could make a sound.

"A new heart." Hades echoed, but she could tell the god was as surprised as Stefan.

"That's what I said." She took a few steps forward, if only to keep Stefan from clutching her back to him, though she certainly didn't mind the impulse behind that move. How had she gone from feeling so alone in that stateroom shower, to blacking out under the pounding water, to waking up in the arms of a man who was defying a god to keep her safe? Whose life was she even living?

She didn"t know, but she was in no mood for it to end anytime soon.

"The way I see it, your magical kingdom needs people to defend it. People like Stefan here, who are willing to go the extra distance. I could be one of those people. I could serve. Even if I can"t be a full-on demigod because I wasn't born with the right blood, I could serve fierce and strong. If you"ve been watching me at all, you know I"m telling you the truth."

"Nicki…" Her name sounded strangled on Stefan's lips, but Hades merely stared at her.

"You'd pledge yourself in service to me for a new heart?" he rumbled.

"I mean, as long as you're not an ass about it, sure." She winked. "But more to the point, I"d pledge myself to O?ros, to the gatekeepers, and I'd absolutely be willing to serve as your ambassador there. I understand from Stefan that you scare the shit out of most all your descendants, and that"s really too bad, because people should face their fears, not run away from them. I don"t run away. But I can"t solve this heart thing on my own. And maybe you can"t either, and that"s okay. I don"t think healing is one of your fancy powers, but I wanted to try."

"I also don't bring back people from the dead," Hades growled, showing some teeth. "That's the domain of the demigod Asclepius, more the fool he."

"And yet, I'm not dead." Nicki lifted a hand. "No, no, don't try to deny it. We wouldn't be having this conversation if I was dead. We're having it because you're getting impatient to liven this place up a bit, pardon the pun, and because you want my awesomeness on your team already. And I get it—I'm amazing."

Behind her, Stefan coughed a half-swallowed laugh.

"But I'm not ready to die yet, so I think my offer is a solid one. I help keep O?ros safe, get plenty of windsurfing in, and have a heart that isn't quite so tricky—assuming Hephaestus knows what he's doing. As a bonus, I serve as your ambassador—doing whatever it is that your demigods do, as long as it isn't anything too squicky. Stefan here can enter your realm at will, and he can pop me over for a chat whenever it's convenient, so the communication channel between us will remain open. Far as I can see, it"s a win-win."

"And when you do pass on, mortal?" Hades asked, his words a rumble. "Nothing I can do can fully stop the passage of time. The lives of mortals are short and fierce."

She shrugged. "Only when we do it right. But I need your help, I think, to stay the course. I've done about all I can on my own, and I just need things to break my way on this one."

Hades shifted his attention to Stefan. "Step forward, demigod," he rumbled.

Stefan did, his body ramrod straight, and the god of the Underworld looked between the two of them. "You agree to teach her to serve?"

"No."

"Stefan!" Nicki protested. Without thinking, she turned and punched him in the arm, hard. The sudden strike made him flinch and Hades' booming laugh rolled back the mists, revealing a wide, verdant patch of green grass beneath him, with peeks of light breaking through the swirling clouds high above.

A second later, the mists swept back, and Nicki put her fists on her hips, scowling at the intractable demigod. "Oh, come on, Stefan! I can't believe you're not willing to?—"

"Enough." Hades cut her off, suddenly sounding happy enough that she glanced his way. To her surprise, he grinned at her. "But it is the demigod's choice as to when and how you will begin your service to the gods. You, fiery comet, will not remember this conversation until that time. There is no other way."

"Right." She snorted. "Pretty sure I'm not gonna forget this."

"Hades…" To her surprise, Stefan sounded choked up again, but the god merely crossed one fist over his chest, tapping his heart.

"You honor me by bringing her here to plead for her life, demigod. She honors me by offering to pledge it to me. I honor you both for your steadfast hearts. Begone before I change my mind."

Everything went black.