Chapter 35

35

“Orpheus seemed desperate,” Persephone told Hecate early the next morning, as they were taking inventory at the shelter’s store. Hecate had initially asked about how things were with Hades?—

But Persephone just couldn’t. Last night… Last night was… She’d thought if she finally got it all out and stopped pretending to be the good little wife…

But her rebellious actions and words had seemed to fire Hades up even more, if that was possible. She wouldn’t have thought so. But that race up the stairwell, and when he caught her— Her entire body flushed hot.

Last night had only proved that nothing had changed. She was just as far under Hades’s thrall as ever.

She’d loved every single thing he did…but that had always been the problem, hadn’t it? She loved… Whereas Hades only…what? Amused himself with her? Enjoyed taking his possession out to play with?

And when he tires of you?

No, it was far better to think about other people and their problems if she wanted to stay sane. Hence throwing herself into the Eurydice mystery as soon as she’d gotten to the shelter this morning.

Plus, Orpheus and Eurydice really did need her help. And Hades was wrong. Real love did exist. These two proved it was still possible, even in this corrupt, ugly world. It didn’t matter that that kind of love would never be Persephone’s.

“I didn’t know what to say when he asked me for help, though. But the more I think about it, the more I know I have to do something.”

“A lot of people would say it’s not your problem.” Hecate swung her red hair over her shoulder, out of the way of her clipboard.

Persephone moved down the aisle, counting the bags of dog food and the chic chew toys the shelter sold to raise money for their non-profit. She looked forward to her volunteer time even though it was only two days a week. Though the dogs barked in the back, to her the place seemed peaceful. But any bit of peace was a mirage in the city. She was starting to see that. Hades had always talked about how this city was barely held back chaos…

Hecate let her work in silence until she came to the end of the aisle and faced Hecate again. Persephone thought of the photo booth picture that even now she had in her pocket. Their bright smiles, full of such hope. And love.

“Orpheus is right. I’m in a position to help. If I don’t do it, who else will?” Persephone said with sudden certainty.

This city was a bad place to be friendless. And even though Orpheus was worshiped and adored, Orpheus, the man behind the persona, didn’t have any true friends. No one else who could help him. He didn’t have anyone else in the world on his side, other than the woman he loved.

Hecate didn’t look surprised. “So where do you start looking?”

Persephone bit her lip as she thought about it. But she always came back to the same conclusion, no matter how distasteful it might be. “The club where Eurydice worked. I think I’ll drop by there today.”

Hecate raised an eyebrow. “And what does Hades say about all of this?”

“I can’t tell him.” Persephone looked away. She was pretty sure Hades would just tell her to stay out of it and that it was none of her concern. And there was a possibility that… “It’s complicated. And anyway, he’s busy.”

She looked at Hecate for validation. “I was just going to slip away and check around. See if anyone’s heard anything. Maybe no one but us needs to know.”

Hecate reached out and tugged away Persephone’s clipboard. “You’re done here. Get going, but be safe.”

Persephone nodded, feeling scared and relieved at the same time. She couldn’t even fully explain to herself why she had to do this. Maybe because after last night, she had to show herself Hades hadn’t swallowed up all of her yet—that there would be something left of her once he tired of her. She hoped her motives were better than that. She genuinely did want to help Eurydice and Orpheus.

Either way, she was doing this. She pulled her apron off over her head and strode toward the back of the shop.

Besides, what Hades didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Persephone slipped out the back door of the animal shelter, pulling her hair up in a ponytail and tugging a knit hat over it. She never went out this way. The dumpster was out in the parking lot off to the side, so she never had need to use this door.

Still, before she stepped onto the street, she glanced this way and that to make sure Hades’s men weren’t around. Usually they dropped her off at the shelter and left, with the unspoken understanding that she stay in the building.

Even if they were hanging around—which they likely were with how twitchy Hades had been lately—they’d probably be out front. As long as she was back before they came inside to get her at the end of the day, she’d never be missed.

As she loped down the alleyway, she felt a private triumph. This would be her first excursion out in the city all on her own since…she couldn’t even remember when. Since before Hades and that seemed like an eternity now, like a different life.

She cut across to a side street, then took the bus part of the way and walked the last bit down a street lined with shops. Finally she came to a nice covered entryway with black pillars. “The Orchid House” was inscribed in purple letters over the door. It looked like a restaurant.

She bit her lip and glanced around. The chances of her running into Ajax were high. He owned the club. But if she stood here for much longer, she’d definitely look out of place. But she’d forgotten—until now—that Ajax had told her to attend auditions at eleven.

A glance at her phone showed that it was around ten now.

She took a deep breath. It would be fine. She’d be in and out before anyone noticed. Well, she hoped she would be.

Or she could be smart and get the hell out of here right now.

She pulled the old picture out of her pocket. Eurydice smiled back at her, so innocent and carefree.

“This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done,” she hissed under her breath to Eurydice’s picture before pocketing it and pushing into the club.

A dark narrow hallway led to a coat check area. From there the room opened up into a lushly decorated restaurant, with a bar on one side and leather armchairs facing a stage. And she couldn’t miss the two poles going from ceiling to floor on the stage.

She gulped, hard. If she was caught, how exactly was she going to explain to Hades why she had showed up to a strip club at ten in the morning on a Tuesday?

She almost turned around and left. At least she’d tried.

“Hey, honey,” a friendly voice called.

Busted, Persephone peered into the gloom.

A young man stood behind the bar, wiping glasses dry. “You’re too early. Auditions don’t start until eleven.”

“Sorry. Um, I’m looking for someone who works here?” Persephone called.

The man leaned against the bar. He was gangly but good-looking, with longish blond hair ending in curls around his face. “What’s your friend’s name, honey?”

“Eurydice.”

“Is that her real name or stage name?”

Uhhhhh…good question? Persephone’s mouth was suddenly as dry as dirt. She swallowed several times. The young man cocked his head and gave her a dazzling smile. He seemed amused by her discomfort.

Fumbling inside her pockets, Persephone approached and laid the picture of Eurydice and Orpheus down on the polished surface.

The young man studied it, then shook his head. “I don’t know her. You sure she used to work here?”

Persephone tried to recall what Orpheus had said. “I think so. She’s missing and I’m looking for her, for a friend.” She stopped abruptly, wondering how much to share.

“If you wait a minute, Aphrodite might be able to help you. She’s worked here longer. She might recognize your friend.”

Persephone nodded her gratitude.

“You can sit if you want. Aphrodite should be right out.”

“Uh, I don’t know.” Persephone turned and stopped, distracted by the posters on the far wall. Most were of women in provocative poses, poorly disguised as gaudy art. “I don’t have much time.”

“You sure you’re not going to audition?” The bar boy was still smiling at her, now overtly appraising her body. When Persephone caught his eye again, he winked.

“Don’t be shy, sugar. Everyone’s nervous their first time.” He nodded towards the stage and Persephone turned back, walking slowly to one of the chairs to sit.

She saw smoke curling out from the corner of the stage.

“Um.” She glanced over at the bartender. He was watching it too and seemed unconcerned. For a second Persephone listened hard, until she could hear the click of a fog machine in the background. She relaxed and turned back to face front.

The mist kept creeping over the black stage, thickening until it was at least a foot deep.

Then a song started playing, violins plucking on beat.

A figure slowly appeared in the mist. The arms appeared first and then the face of a young woman, her big brown eyes staring right into Persephone’s. She was petite and curvy, her figure clad only in black hot pants and a white skintight top. She came out of the fog, moving swiftly to grab a pole.

She twirled slowly, her feet swishing through the smoke. She landed and twisted, spinning gracefully and then soaring around the pole again, somehow hooking her legs so her hands were free.

She peeled the white shirt off provocatively, baring a sexy midriff. Then she smiled at her audience of two. She turned her back to them, then glanced back over one sexy shoulder as her booty swayed wildly. She reached up and loosened her long, glossy hair, letting it pour over her.

The song ended and wow. Just…wow. Persephone had never seen anybody move like that, so unconsciously raw and feminine and sexy. A clapping sound from the left caught her attention; the bar boy was grinning as he gave a standing ovation.

The dancer disappeared and the smoke machines sputtered to a stop. In a minute the woman reappeared, hair tied back again, shirt tucked into wide legged black pants. She looked perfectly normal, like the girl next door.

“Bravo,” the youth at the bar clapped his approval. “Looks great, Aphrodite.”

“Thanks, Paul.” The woman had a high-pitched, breathy voice. “Everything’s working perfectly. This is going to be my best show ever.” She giggled, a gorgeous, delighted sound.

“Hey, this lady’s here to see you.” Paul waved to Persephone.

Aphrodite kept her sweet smile as she approached Persephone. “Can I help you?”

As she came closer, Persephone caught her breath. Aphrodite was beautiful. Wide brown eyes surrounded by thick black lashes and perfectly bronzed skin—the woman wasn’t wearing a touch of makeup and she was lovelier than any model Persephone had ever seen.

“Are you here to apply for a job?” Aphrodite asked, smiling broadly. She was several inches shorter than Persephone, if more curvy. Even her plain clothes couldn’t hide her sexy figure.

Persephone realized she’d been staring. “Um, no, sorry.” She shook herself. “I’m looking for a friend who works here. Her name is Eurydice.”

Aphrodite’s smile switched off. Her dark brown eyes became assessing. She obviously knew something about Eurydice.

“I just need to talk to her,” Persephone pleaded, lowering her voice. “She’s missing and her fiancé is worried.”

“I haven’t seen Eurydice in a while,” Aphrodite said. “She used to work here but I think she left when she got engaged.” She hesitated, glancing at the bar hand as if she didn’t want to say more in front of him. “Paul? I’m going to head out for a bit and then I’ll be back.”

“You’re on at two. Though I might need a dance or two before because the others are always late.”

“I’m sure it will all work out.” Aphrodite smiled enchantingly.

“Did you get everything you needed?” Paul asked Persephone.

Persephone blinked and nodded. “Um, I need to go actually.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Aphrodite added in her breathy voice. “Just let me grab my purse.”

The petite woman ran behind the bar and grabbed her things. She came back, sliding on large dark sunglasses that swallowed up her face. The hoodie pulled over her hair took care of hiding the rest.

“Come on.” Aphrodite grabbed Persephone’s hand and pulled her out of the club.

They ended up on the street. Which was where Aphrodite rounded on her, her voice sounding more normally pitched and less sex kitten.

“Look, I’m going to ask this once,” Aphrodite demanded, “and I want the truth. Are you one of Ajax’s girls?”

Persephone blinked in the bright light, surprised by this turn of events. “Um, no.”

Aphrodite put her sunglasses up so she could gaze straight into Persephone’s eyes. “Are you working for him?”

“N-no,” Persephone blurted as the shorter woman got in her face.

“Then how do you know Eurydice?”

“I know her fiancé. Orpheus. He’s a singer and doing a show at—” She stopped when she realized she shouldn’t say ‘My husband’s club.’

“I know who Orpheus is. Everybody does.”

Faced with those striking brown eyes, Persephone wanted to tell the truth. “I met him backstage and then later at a party. Eurydice is his fiancée and she’s been missing since yesterday. He wanted me to help ask around until the police can get involved.”

Aphrodite’s eyes narrowed, weighing Persephone in the balance.

“Orpheus asked me to come look for her. He’s not allowed to leave to look himself. Something about his contract. The guys he’s working with aren’t the best types…” Persephone trailed off.

She couldn’t imagine how that sounded. Right, a famous guy she’d met a couple times at a party had asked her to look into his missing fiancée. She probably sounded nuts.

For a moment Aphrodite just studied her face. Persephone shifted from foot to foot, ducking her head nervously when someone drove past. Ajax could walk up at any moment. They were still far too close to the club for Persephone’s comfort. But crazy or not, she couldn’t just let this go. Aphrodite obviously knew something about Eurydice.

“Look, I’m not here to pry. Or cause trouble. I can give you my number, and if you find anything out, just call me, ok?” Persephone fumbled in her pocket and took out the little notebook she carried. She handed Aphrodite a slip with her number scribbled on it.

Aphrodite took it, and Persephone started to walk away. If the woman didn’t trust her enough to talk to her, there was nothing Persephone could do.

“Wait,” Aphrodite called. Persephone stopped and looked back.

Huddled in the hoodie and sunglasses too large for her face, Aphrodite seemed almost childlike. “Why would you help Eurydice?”

Persephone took a deep breath. She’d wondered that herself, all the way from the shelter to The Orchid House.

You and me against the world, Orpheus had said. The lovers in the green room, gazing into each other’s eyes like they were the only people alive.

“She and Orpheus were going to elope.” Persephone took out the picture again and held it up so Aphrodite could see it. “I want to help them. It means something, to have a love like they have. It’s special and precious. But it’s not…” Persephone shook her head as she tried to find the words. “It’s not just that. It’s… I could be her.”

She met Aphrodite’s eyes, trying to be as honest as possible. “When I first came to the city, I needed someone to watch out for me.” She paused again. Hades’s face flashed in her mind but she shook it away. He’d been her savior all right. With a vengeance. “Right now, I think Eurydice needs help, too. Sometimes that’s all it takes, one person willing to help. It can change everything.” Not always for the better, but that was neither here nor there.

The dancer’s eyes bored into her, piercing her skin. Persephone wished she hadn’t said so much, so awkwardly. She was ready to bolt, leave the area and find another way, when Aphrodite spoke.

“I can tell you about Eurydice,” Aphrodite said. “But not here.”