2. Hades

P yro and his love for the Halloween holiday hypes me up. I didn't know what I was getting into. The last time I was up top, it was called All Hallow's Eve, and the only people that celebrated it were called witches—and they burned alive. Those were some fun times. From the way he was talking, they didn't do that anymore, so I'm excited to see how the day had changed.

"Lainie!" I call. The clack of my heels on the marble floors echo along with my voice. "Lainie! Come out, come out wherever you are!"

A giggle from the kitchen catches my attention, and I head towards the sound. A thought washes over me, do I announce my presence or do I surprise Lainie? Deciding on the latter, I push the little door open and I'm the one surprised. She's in the arms of Seph.

"What in the Underworld is going on here?" I shout as I enter the kitchen.

"Lady Hades, I'm sorry. Did you need something?"

I ignore her question and glare at Seph. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit my girlfriend." He shrugs.

Bile rises up in my throat. "I don't care if you and Lainie are an item. But you aren't welcome in my house. I thought I made that clear the last time you were here."

"Don't be mad at him, my lady. It's my fault. I asked him to come. It will not happen again," Lainie states as she shoos him towards the back entrance.

Before he reaches it, I loudly state, "If you break her heart, I will rip yours, still beating, from your chest and feed it to Cerberus with no second thought."

He gulps as he leaves my house.

"I'm so sorry, mistress?—"

I wave a hand and cut her off. "No reason to be sorry. I'm glad you have found a companion in addition to Cerberus. Although, I'm more fond of my puppy. What you do on your own time is none of my business, but I don't want him here. I will also give you some more time off if you seek that, too. But I came in here to tell you that I am going topside. You good to run things here? Pyro wants me to go to a Halloween party."

"Whatever you need, boss, I won't bring Seph here again, and I'm glad you're not mad. What's Halloween?" she asks, her face is full of curiosity, almost as a kid would look stepping into a candy store.

"If I had someone else I trusted to run this place as I do, I'd take you with me. Pyro says it's a day that the mortals dress up and party. That I can go with my skin blue and no one would bat an eye. Maybe I can go this year, and we can plan a Halloween party here next year?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"That sounds like a great plan. I've told you we need to do more to liven up this place." She laughs .

"You'd think these souls were a little rowdier, but nope, not in a place full of dead people."

"So, are you okay with me leaving now?" I ask, and her face morphs to panic.

"Lady, I don't have anything ready for you. I have a million things that I have to do."

I place a palm on her shoulder. "I'll be fine. This isn't my first time, and I have my men to rely on. Is there anything you need me to do before Pyro and I leave?" I ask.

Cerberus comes into the kitchen, his nails clicking with every step, each head smiling up at me as I reach down and pat each of the heads. "Who's mommy's big boys?"

One of the heads extends up and licks the whole side of my face.

Lainie snickers and hands me a towel. "I think he's going to miss you. You're going topside more and him not having a companion here has been hard on him."

"I know, I'm grateful that you care for him as much as I do. Maybe we can find him a playmate since you have one." I wink at her.

Bending down, I look into all six of Cerberus's eyes. "You will always be my favorite guy around here. Don't let the others tell you any different."

"I'm hurt," Pyro's voice fills the small room. "I thought I was the favorite."

Glancing back at him, I just smile. "Always the dramatic one, huh?"

This gets a smirk from him. "You ready?"

"Yep, Lainie and Cerberus said they will handle the Underworld, so I can party with you and the others. Let's go, I'm excited to help you plan this shindig."