19. Hades

" D revi, this is taking too long. I want to get back to the Underworld," I tell him as I tap my foot on the concrete floor of the burger joint.

"I promise it will be worth the wait. We should have our food any minute. If Ares was stupid enough to tell us he is coming for the throne, I'm betting he will attack at dawn like he did last time. He has a flair for the dramatic," Drevi says.

"That is true, but we left my niece that I just met in the Underworld and Seph is still hanging around. He may really like Lainie but I think he has another plan in mind," I say, picking at my nails.

"Oh wow, you're blue, lady. Who are you dressed as?" a drunk man asks, a little too close to my face. I get a whiff of pumpkin and alcohol as he breathes in my face.

"I am Hades and you've had too much to drink. Why don't you go home?" I ask.

"Nah, with hotties out like you, can I really deny them all of this?" he questions, running his hands up and down in front of his body.

"Oh no, you can't. Don't look now but that table of girls in the left corner are eyeing you," I whisper a little loudly.

He grins and heads off towards the table.

"You handled that like a pro," Drevi states, grinning at me.

"Well, I can't have Death draining him of his life force before we get our food." I wink.

"Order 777, order 777," a muffled voice calls over the loudspeaker.

"That's us," Drevi says holding up his receipt.

We have to push our way to the counter and Drevi shows his little white paper then the worker starts loading paper bags on the white marble. Once there are six sitting there, here comes the drinks.

"How much did you order?" I ask.

"Well, I wasn't sure what Harper and the guys would want." He shrugs.

"Good thing we don't have to take this too far." I wink.

We both load up our arms, slipping the bags' handles onto them before picking up the drinks in the carrier.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Let me text Ashley to come get the car," he pulls out his phone and when he's done he nods.

We walk around the back of the restaurant and once we verify that no one is in sight, I transport us and the food back to the Underworld.

We arrive in the living room and it's too quiet. Harper is sitting next to Stone and Phoenix. Nile is on the other side of the room, staring into the fire.

My guys rush to help with bags as does Stone.

"Fuck, Drevi. Did you buy the whole menu?" Pyro asks.

"If you don't want it, give it back," I tell him .

He winks and takes the bags after setting the drinks on the table.

"I'll go get some plates, napkins, and such and then we can eat and talk battle strategies," I say.

"I can help you," Harper chimes in.

"Follow me," I say, giving the remaining bags to War and Frank.

Once we are in the hall, then I speak, "How are my men treating you?"

"Perfect gentleman. Who knew the four horsemen of the apocalypse were so great? You'd think it was all doom and gloom, blood and gore, but they seem just the opposite," she comments.

"You should see them in battle, they are anything but. So, how is it that we both have multi-soul mates?" I ask.

"Lucky, I guess. I bet it drives my father crazy that we are so fortunate, but at the same time he couldn't whore himself out like he does."

"I don't think that would stop him." I laugh.

"You know you're right," Harper agrees.

"I'm surprised that Hera hasn't made a trophy out of his parts yet. If he were mine, I would find a way to stop him from sleeping around. Or I'd like to think I could."

Before she comments back, we arrive at the kitchen.

"The plates are in the far cabinet on the left and napkins are in the drawer just under them," I say as I head to the fridge.

"Lady Hades, do you need some assistance?" Lainie chimes in.

"Oh, Lainie, yes, please. Help me gather what one would need for hamburgers and pizza. I'll gather the silverware."

Lainie tries to hold in a giggle.

"What?" I ask .

"You really don't need a fork or anything to enjoy those. Here take the ketchup and I'll meet you in the living room with all the fixings."

I huff as I take the cold, plastic bottle from her. I exit the room and Harper follows, but is silent on the way back to where our men wait.

Harper and her men joke and share a bit here and there. Well, all but Nile. He has a sour expression that doesn't change even when he is chewing.

"What is wrong with you, Nile?" I ask.

The room goes silent as all eyes are on me.

"What? Does he normally have a resting bitch face? Or is he upset? Emotions bottled up can be harmful on the battlefield. Best to get it resolved before bed," I say.

"It's plain and simple, I'm a greedy asshole and Harper still hasn't forgiven me. It's hard to see her happy with those two asshats when she's pissed at me," he offers up.

"Well, after dinner, maybe the four of you can resolve some of it. Our lives and the souls I protect will depend on us to win," I remind them.

"This will not affect us in battle. I promise you that," Stone says.

"You want to meet all the souls that are in the fields of Mourning that thought the same?" I retort with an eyebrow raised.

"That's really a place here?" Phoenix asks.

"Yes, finish up your dinner and I will give you a little tour if you' d like," I tell them.

"I've always wondered what the Underworld looked like," Stone chimes in.

"Why is that?" War asks.

"All movies or books paint it as dark and like where the devil would reside. I want to see if it is just that." Stone shrugs.

That's interesting, I have never seen a movie about me or my domain. The closest I ever came was to a weirdo in the mouse's kingdom that the guys took me to in Florida.

"Please don't tell me you are basing it off that nut we saw at the place they worship the mouse," I say, with a huff.

Harper and her men give each other some confusing looks.

"Disney, she means Disney," Drevi jumps in.

"Yes, Disney. Their Hades was a horrible representation of me. I blame your father, Harper. He decreed that the history books were not to be changed. I'm not a man and never have I been. Yet, everyone believes it's so. You should've seen him trying to change that when the mortals started writing that in their history books that he was a male whore. But I was there to remind him of the rule he set. I mean he already had me in the Underworld, what more could he do to me?"

I push the plate from my lap, stuffed and regretting those last few bites, when my baby bounds into the living room.

"Cerberus, there you are. I wondered when you'd come to see me," I utter in a baby talk voice, petting each head.

"That was my fault, Lady Hades." Lainie says as she appears in the room. "I knew that Cerberus would either steal food or beg until you gave in. I kept him at bay as long as I could."

I laugh as each of the heads take turns licking my cheek. "You've done well. He is a spoiled boy, isn't he? Cerberus, down. Go and lay down. Once our visitors are finished with their dinner, you can have some leftovers," I command as all his faces morph to a sad face. "Don't you pout at me. They will be done soon enough."

He walks to his bed that lay in the corner of the room, near the fireplace, and he plops down with a whine.

"Now that is a dog," Nile exclaims.

"Yes, besides Lainie, he was my only companion down here for too many years." I sigh.

"Even with all those souls out there?" Nile asks.

I nod, "Once the souls are judged, they normally stay where they are determined to live their afterlife. Sometimes, they get lost and I have to reap them. Which will return them home. And no, before you ask, the reaping doesn't hurt them. I had a few souls at the Halloween party tonight, just for a spooky factor, but usually when they reach the Underworld they don't leave."

"How are they judged?" Nile asks.

"That I will tell you on our little tour. For now, we have to discuss if we have any allies we can call on for aid. Do any of you have brothers or sisters that will fight? If you prefer not to put them in harm's way, I get it."

"Do I get cell service here? I'm sure I have a few that would like a crack at dear ol' dad."

"Lainie can help with that, she will know where the best spot here is for that. I hate mortal technology. Too many years underground, I suppose."

"Your palace is pretty up to date," Stone comments.

"That's only because I begged her for years," Lainie says as she takes a seat next to me.

"Ah, here, I saved you some mortal goodies." I smile and hand a bag to her.

"Thank you, Lady Hades. The smell had floated down the halls to tease me."

"You really think that I would be so cruel and not let you enjoy with us? I was just about to come find you. Don't want it to get too cold."

She nods as she takes the bag. It seems as if she isn't going to sit, but leave.

"Sit," it comes out as more of a command than I meant. "There is no need for you to leave. You are my dearest friend, that happens to work for me. That doesn't change because we have guests, silly."

Lainie smiles and takes the open seat next to me.