Chapter Thirty-Eight

My vest is gone. That was the first thought I had when I woke up. The next was, Where the hell am I?

I knew one thing for certain; it wasn't Hell. Not even the Underworld. Ironically, I think I would have been safe there. Here, wherever here was, not so much.

The only good news was that the magic-sucking manacle was gone. I felt like myself again. The bad news—and there was more of it than good—was that the manacle had been replaced by silk ties that stretched me out across a bed and with it had gone most of my clothes as well. I was down to my underwear.

It took only seconds for me to add this up and come up with a disgusting total.

“Ah, there you are,” Silas said as he sat down on the bed beside me. “Just in time too. I've got everything prepared.”

“For what?” I glanced down to see that he was in his underwear too. A pair of thin cotton boxers. Too thin. I jerked my gaze back to his face. “You might as well tell me now that you have me here. And where is here, anyway?”

“You are one of the few lucky mortals to enter the Realm of the Gods alive,” he said. “This is my home. My bed. Which I believe makes you even luckier.” He grinned at me. “I've thought a lot about what to do with you. I considered killing you, as Michael wants, and taking your power. But that would be foolish. I'd get a single burst of energy. It would be like chopping down an orange tree to harvest the fruit. Why cut it down when I could just pick the oranges and savor the juice forever?” He lowered his tone to something wicked with the last words.

“Gross,” I said. “You're not getting my juice.”

“Oh, yes, I am.” Silas grinned wider. Then he cocked his head at me. “I assume you know a bit about the Greek Gods and the myths humans wrote about us.”

“Yeah. And?”

“Some of those myths are true. Some only partially. And some are completely false.”

“Uh-huh.” I was wriggling my wrists subtly as he spoke, but the bastard had really done a number on those ties. And although I had my magic back, there was nothing I could cast without alerting Silas. Not with me tied up like that.

“You, of course, know the myth about Hades and Persephone.”

“Who doesn't?” I drawled.

“Yes indeed.” He grimaced. “Hades is a popular god. Even today, they write stories about him, drawing on his myths to create more.”

“His myth basically says he's a kidnapping rapist.”

“And yet humans love him,” Silas snarled. “They make art in his image. They glorify his deeds and romanticize Persephone's rape.”

“Was she raped?”

“No,” he admitted. “That myth is false. It was spread by one of Hades's enemies to hurt his image. But it didn't work! All of you fools still loved him. You think it's sexy that he craved Persephone so much that he abducted her and took her to his dark palace to wed?”

“I don't think that. I mean, you just said it isn't true, but if it was, I wouldn't find anything sexy about it. More monstrous.”

“What a pity.” Silas grinned menacingly. “Because I've decided to follow in his mythical footsteps. There's a sort of cosmic justice in it. An irony that I am the man to make truth out of his myth.”

“First of all, you wouldn't be making his myth true. You'd be making yourself a rapist. Second, that's not irony. Third, where is the justice for me, asshole?”

Silas sat back and contemplated me. “You're right. You are an unfortunate pawn in the Game of the Gods. A lot of mortals have paid such a price. Believe me, I know. But that is the way of things. And you will be rewarded for your suffering. Hades's hounds can make you immortal, but I can make you a goddess, Amélie. When I wed you, we will be bound with an ancient spell that will unite our magic. I will have access to your power, but you will also have access to mine. You'll be able to do great things and help many people. I promise. In exchange, you will give me what I need to stand against Hades.”

“Wow,” I whispered. “Are all god marriages like that?”

“No. Only those who desire to bind themselves.” Silas shrugged. “Not many do.”

“Gee, I wonder why,” I drawled.

“It's worth the bond to get the power.”

“Do you really think that I'd marry you to gain power?”

“It will make you a goddess.”

“I don't wanna be a goddess.”

Silas blinked. “What? Why not? It's better than being a princess, and every woman on Earth has wanted to be that at one time or another.”

“Yeah, but then I grew up and realized that it's better to be a witch. Witches can do whatever they want, while princesses have to marry fuckers like you. I don't have to marry you because I'm a witch. My dreams are already fulfilled.”

“Your dreams are small. But I can help you craft bigger ones.” He leaned over me, his chest brushing the crests of my breasts. “I can give you so much, Amélie. Power and pleasure and immortality.”

A wave of sexual pleasure shot down my body, sending me into an instant orgasm. I screamed and writhed as my sex went wet and my nipples hardened. But as good as it felt, when it subsided, I wanted to throw up.

“You motherfucker!” I screamed as I thrashed against him. “You do not have my consent. Do you understand me? What you just did is tantamount to rape.”

Silas jerked back and stared at me with rounded eyes and an open mouth.

I yanked against the ties, making my wrists ache, but I was so furious that I barely felt it. “I will fucking cut your dick off! You hear me? Touch me like that again, and I will unman you permanently. I'll use my fucking teeth if I have to. And if you heal, I'll take it off again. Maybe not right away, but you'll eventually lower your guard around me and when you do, I will—”

“Enough!” Silas roared, the command going through my body and doing something odd to me.

This time it wasn't pleasure, but it wasn't pain either. Honestly, I'd been expecting torture after what I had done to him. But instead, Silas used his magic to calm me. My heart rate slowed and my breathing deepened. Two results he was after. But my mind also cleared, and I didn't think he had intended to sharpen my wits.

“That's better,” Silas said and leaned onto one hand. “Now, our wedding ceremony will be a little unusual since we don't have to bother with guests and the like. And since we don't have to worry about guests, we can initiate the bond in the easiest way—sex.” He chuckled. “I've heard that the Hounds set their mating bonds through sex too. So, again, it's fitting.”

“My threat remains.” I kept my stare locked on him.

“Once we are bonded, you'll feel differently. You'll know me intimately, and you will love me. You will never want to hurt me again.”

I snorted a laugh. “There's no magic powerful enough to do that.”

“We'll see.” He stood up and took off his shorts.

There went my calm. My heart raced as Silas settled himself between my legs. I tried to struggle, but although his calming magic had abandoned my emotions, it still held my body in thrall. My muscles were limp with relaxation. I didn't move when he snapped the side of my panties. Then the other.

I shivered as he settled himself between my legs. My breath caught. I was going to cry, and I hated myself for it. But then a chiming came, and Silas flinched back from me.

“Son of a bitch!” He shot out of bed.

I stared at him, still hovering over a screaming chasm of fear and disgust. What was happening?

Silas pulled on his shorts and flicked a sheet over me. “I'll be right back, my sweet.” He grinned and added, “Don't go anywhere.” And then he strode out of the room.

I watched him leave, finally registering the magnitude and magnificence of the room I was in. A lot of marble and gold. The ceiling was painted with a realistic scene of dancing nymphs around a round skylight. A clear blue sky filled the glass even though it had been night when Silas took me. But then, I wasn't in Washington anymore. Wasn't even on the planet. The time difference was probably huge. If time even existed there. Holy shit! Was I somewhere out of time?

Yes, I was on the verge of hysterics. I'd been seconds away from being raped—the very fate I had believed Jackie had suffered—and then I was saved by the bell. Or the chimes, rather. Whatever it was, it wouldn't keep Silas away for—

A male voice filtered through the door, “I thought you might like to know that the Hounds are currently demolishing that little house you tucked your toys in and are killing everyone. By morning, your project will be over.”

“The humans can't be killed. I've given them—”

“They are dying,” the other man interrupted. “Their souls are leaving Earth. You may have strengthened them, but these are the fucking Hounds of Hades we're talking about. Your pathetic army doesn't stand a chance.”

A pause, then, “It doesn't matter. I have their mate. And so I will have my revenge.”

“You what?!”

“I have the mate of the Spokane Cerberus,” Silas said smugly. “ And she's a witch.”

“Say that again,” the voice went deadly.

“I took her, just as the myths say Hades took Persephone. Isn't that just perfect? And I will wed her too. Once I bind us in the marriage spell, her power will magnify mine. Can you imagine it? A pure soul blended with that of a god. I shall be unstoppable.”

“You will be dead, you fool! Hades is already within his rights to kill you. And as soon as you make yourself known, that's exactly what he will do.”

“He won't be able to kill me. Not with her magic magnifying—”

“Oh, fuck off! I warned you in the beginning that this was a bad idea. I told you to stay hidden if you went through with it. You want vengeance? Then you must be patient. You must be careful. You can't storm down there and let everyone know that you're in charge, you fucking moron! Do you really believe the magic of a human—a fucking human—will make you greater than the Lord of the Underworld? We're talking about an Olympian. One of the original gods. He's older and more powerful than you know.”

“I thought you were on my side?”

“I am. And that's why I'm doing this.”

There was a scuffling sound, then a thud.

I froze, staring at the door. It blasted open, the frame filled with light. I squinted against the glare, but all I could make out was a tall form. It came to me, moving quickly. As it did, the ties around my wrists and ankles fell away. The form became a little clearer as the god drew abreast of the bed. He leaned over me to gather me up, wrapping me in the sheet. I caught a glimpse of golden eyes, but that could have been a trick of the light. Everything else, all the man's features, were lost to the dazzling illumination.

“It's going to be all right, Amélie,” the man said. “I'll take you back to them. I'm so sorry for what Silas has done, but you're safe with me. Rest now. Close your eyes. Close them and forget about me.”

I closed my eyes and forgot.