After Midnight Read online

  “They agreed to six months in Portland. I’m allowed to see you for exactly one week during your time on Earth and I’m sorry if that makes you unhappy, but it’s the best I could do, given how...livid...they are with us at the moment.”

  Gabriel entered the room, running an agitated hand across his chin stubble, piercing me with a heated glance so intense, it knocked me back several paces.

  I bit my lip as I tried not to jump in joy, knowing that would probably make him angrier than he was already. “And, when do these six months home begin?”

  “You are home.”

  I waited, pursing my lips impatiently.

  He sighed. “Tomorrow.”

  Sooner than I thought...awesome.

  He scowled. “I don’t need to read your thoughts to know how you feel right now, and I should be bone-crushingly mad at you, but—”

  “You want me to be happy.”

  “At the expense of my own happiness, of course.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud, Gabriel! You had–what–two thousand years with me here in the Underworld and two years turns you into a little whiny baby. Get over yourself.”

  I didn’t see him move, but one second, I was standing in place, picking at my fingernails and the next I was fifteen feet across the room, sprawled out on the massive, four-poster bed, Gabriel hovering above me.

  He shifted, pinning my arms above my head, just like he had in the park.

  The park...Maddy...

  “I have to call someone.” I struggled, but he held me in place.

  “It can wait.” He kissed a line down my jaw, suckling my skin, and I shivered as I twisted out of his grip, rolling out from under him.

  “No, it can’t. Where did Nicholas put my cell?” I dug through the pile of clothes next to the bed, crowing when I saw a familiar flash of silver.

  “Sweetheart, get back here. There’s no one you need to call at this hour. Not to mention that the Underworld isn’t exactly known for its reliable cell service.”

  I held the phone up to the ceiling, cursing him when I realized that he was right.

  Well, damn.

  “Did you forget that Nicholas and his men kidnapped me before I could find a pet sitter for Maddy? She’s probably scared half to death, poor thing.”

  He sighed, pulling a tablet from his nightstand. “The things I do for you...”

  He walked over to the bedroom door, opening it for a young man who entered, sending me a questioning glance before looking to his master.

  “Samuel, I need you to go to Amy’s apartment, feed her dog, and let her out for a walk. After that...” Gabriel gestured to me and I stepped forward.

  “Lock her in her kennel with one of my shirts from the floor, please. It’ll smell like me and make her feel better until tomorrow. But, if you look through any of my things, I’ll hurt you.”

  “You won’t have to, because I’ll do it for you,” Gabriel said.

  Samuel swallowed. “Anything else?”

  “Discretion, if you’d please. We can’t let the Furies know you did this for us ahead of schedule.”

  Samuel nodded and left as I wandered into the bathroom, undoing the clips in my hair.

  “I don’t suppose you kept a toothbrush here for me?”

  He smiled and pointed to a closet next to the double sinks, and I opened it, eyes widening at the assortment of hair products, beauty products, and even a generous supply of feminine pads, all situated next to a Costco-sized pack of condoms.

  Of course.

  I grabbed what I needed and slammed the door shut.

  “About tomorrow...” He said, but I held up a hand to stop him

  “Gabriel, right now I’m just trying to get through the night without smothering you in your sleep for what you’ve put me through; don’t push it.”

  “Do me a favor, and stay away from Max. I can’t have my wife running into the arms of another man as soon as I’m out of the picture.”

  “As if I wanted to see that skinny white ass again. You have nothing to worry about, but thanks for the super jealous piece of advice. I’ll keep it in mind.”

  “And don’t tell Sarah anything about this place, for security reasons.”

  I rolled my eyes sideways at him, stepping behind the partition to change, sliding the cotton shift over my head. “Yeah, that’s a good idea; alienate one of the only friends I’ve managed to make and keep in the city.”

  “Don’t stay out after dark.”

  “That’s weirdly specific, Gabriel. I like walking at night. It’s comforting to me and now, of course, I know why.”

  “Furies hunt at dusk. If they’re coming for you, I’d rather you were somewhere safe...like inside your apartment...with the door bolted shut.”

  “Anything else, dad?”

  “Amy, I’m serious.”

  “Except you’re forgetting that I’ve lived in Portland for the past two years. I know a thing or two about staying safe.”

  “You weren’t in danger from unhappy spirits, who turned into furies because of my attachment to you. This is different.”

  “Fine! No stories, men, or nighttime walks. Can I sleep now, or do I need to ask your permission to do that, too?”

  “Is no sleep an option?”

  I glared at him as he smiled ruefully. “It was worth a shot.”

  “No sex,” I said as I slid between the cotton sheets and he draped an arm around my waist.

  “I won’t see you for four months, sweetheart. The least you could do is give me something to remember you by.”

  “I’m trying to sleep,” I said as I turned to my side, and he came with me, resting my chin on my shoulder.

  “Nothing? Not even a kiss goodbye?”

  “One – just one...that’s it.” I craned my neck towards him and he braced himself on either side of me, pressing me down into the oblivion of the mattress as his lips covered mine, tongue exploring the contours of my mouth as one hand wandered south, tickling a path along the inside of my thigh, and I stopped him, pulling away.

  “Relax, sweetheart. I heard you the first time.”

  “Then, what are you doing?”

  “Memorizing your scent. Hold still.”

  “Gabriel, that sounds sweet and all, but I need to sleep. It’s...” I looked around for a clock, frowning a little when I couldn’t find one. “How do you know what time it is?”

  He shrugged, running his nose up and down my throat. “I never pay attention; I wake up with the sun, and sleep when it sets. Perfume?” He inhaled deeply, tucking some hair behind my ear.

  “I’m sorry if I offend your delicate senses. That’s what you get for ‘memorizing my scent’.”

  “On the contrary, it’s very pleasing. Like roses on a hot summer’s day. Speaking of which, please promise me that you’ll continue to practice your gifts.”

  “Sure, if I want to turn my apartment into a floral shop.”

  “Amy...”

  “You are so bossy. Yes, I promise. Goodnight.”

  He turned me towards him, tangling his legs with mine as he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. I heard the crackle of the fire, and gentle whoosh of wind through the open windows, and closed my eyes, tucking the blankets up under my chin.

  If I forgot about where I was, and who lay next to me, it might be easier to get a decent amount of sleep, but my mind whirled and spun, never settling on any thought long enough to ponder the meaning of it, and I fidgeted as Gabriel’s breathing deepened. The way he clung to me, like I was going to drift away from him, seemed familiar, which both infuriated and scared me at the same time.

  Max never made me feel that way; safe and cared for, even when I didn’t want it, which I still fought. He smelled of citrus and sage and I snuggled closer, needing the reassurance that I was alright, as I willed myself into a deep and dreamless sleep.

  “Carry this with you at all times,” Gabriel said as he pushed my hair aside, clasping a silver chain around my neck. The heavy diamond on th
e end sat neatly between my breasts, as white and pure as snow.

  “This is gorgeous, but why would you give this to me now?”

  “Do I really need a reason to treat my wife?”

  I waited, eyebrow arched.

  “The stone turns black whenever Furies are nearby. Since you won’t let me keep you safe, this will have to suffice.”

  “There’s a big difference between not letting you and not needing you to, so come down off that high horse so I can leave already.”

  “I’ll see you in four months, which should be enough alone time to satisfy this irrational need you have to get away from me. That’s not a normal married couple’s thing to do, by the way.”

  I looked at him in disbelief, unplugging my phone from the wall. The fact that he could magically will modern technology – like a cell phone charger – to the Underworld was more than a little impressive, a skill I hoped he would teach me someday.

  “Nothing about our relationship is normal in any way. I still don’t know what I’m going to do about Sarah; there’s no way I can tell her that I’m married to you – an immortal god – and have been for the past two thousand years, which brings me to the other problem that apparently I, too, am immortal and goddess of spring.”

  “If you stayed with me in the Underworld like I wanted you to, none of this would be an issue in the first place.”

  “Don’t pull that macho crap on me, Gabriel. You know why I need this, and guilt-tripping me about it won’t work.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry, love. If I knew that you’d be okay and safe in my absence, it might make me feel better, but I can’t check on you like I have been...keep people away when they express interest in you...”

  “Whoa, wait just a damn second,” I said, whirling on him. “What do you mean ‘keeping people away’? Who?”

  He looked uncomfortable for a minute, shifting from one foot to the other. “It’s not important.”

  “I highly doubt that.”

  “Just some moronic boys lusting after you.”

  “Kyle? Shane?”

  “Matthew and Blake, too.”

  “Gabriel!”

  “None of them were good enough for you, and I’m not going to apologize for it.”

  “Don’t you think that I should’ve decided that for myself? So, you were the one who started those rumors?”

  “They were so gullible it was almost too easy. Prompt someone to see the worst in others, and nine times out of ten, they’ll do it.”

  “You’re unbelievable. Goodbye, Gabriel. Try not to kill anyone in my neighborhood and if you come within a five-mile radius of me between now and December, I’ll...hunt you down and blind you with my laser-pointer.”

  “That’s a pathetic weapon, love. Stun-gun would be more appropriate for someone like you.”

  “Oh, for the love of – how many times do I need to tell you that I’m perfectly safe where I am? The only danger to my health and overall well-being is you.”

  “I would never dream of hurting you, sweetheart. You know this.”

  “You could hurt people I care about, which is the same thing.”

  “What makes you think that I’d do that?”

  “If I decided that I didn’t want to be with you.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. “If I didn’t want to return to the Underworld after my six months in Portland are done, or if I wanted to be with someone else who I wasn’t forced to marry, you could retaliate, which I doubt would end well for my friends.”

  “You’ll never know what might happen because I’ll never give you that chance.” His jaw was set in a stubborn line, eyes glittering in the pre-dawn light. “This moronic belief that you can live a life separate from me is based on a lie – a byproduct of a curse that you don’t want to break because you’re happy being ignorant about who you are, where you come from, and what your role in my life is. Enjoy your bit of alone time, Amy, because when you’re back with me, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

  He shoved me roughly towards the wooden archway, and I closed a hand around the knob, twisted it gently. It hissed open, revealing a curved staircase that led downwards through a torch-lit passageway and I clutched my purse to my chest, took a deep breath, and descended.

  Chapter Ten

  The Underworld, two thousand years ago

  “Please don’t emasculate Oscar,” Hades said as I held a paring knife to the former’s nether region.

  “He sent Elizabeth Octavius to Tartarus because she talked back to him. She was twelve, Hades. Twelve. Since when do we punish children for having an attitude?”

  “We don’t.” He gazed over at Oscar, who was doing an impressive rendition of a statue, then back to me. “Rectify this.”

  “Milord, it’s going to take time. the Fates don’t -”

  “Not you – Persephone.”

  “Me? But...why? You never let me handle issues with the souls, no matter how many times I’ve begged you.”

  “This wasn’t your mess to clean up, but I trust you to do what’s right.”

  “She can’t – she doesn’t have the proper clearance,” Oscar said, seething. Hades took my hand in his, kissing each of my knuckles, finally lingering on the copper and ruby ring adorning my third finger.

  “Do you know what this is?”

  I saw Oscar swallow hard, beady little eyes never leaving Hades. “The Oracle ring.”

  “Given to my wife on our wedding night, it signifies that she has full authority to act on my behalf. I trust that this addresses your concerns?”

  He nodded unhappily, walking away and I sighed as Hades handed me a bit of parchment.

  “I wish you hadn’t done that. He barely liked me as it was and now he might actually hate me.”

  “He needs to show you the same level of respect afforded to me – they all do. Have coffee with me after you’ve sorted Elizabeth out. You know where I’ll be.” He kissed me on the forehead before fading from view and I frowned, pushing some hair out of my eyes as I surveyed the list of names.

  “Thanks for showing me how! Not all of us are death gods,” I mumbled, scanning each column. “Oberdan, Oceats, Octavius...gotcha. But, you shouldn’t be in the Tartarus group at all, so how...” I clenched the quill between my teeth, drumming my fingertips against my temples. “If I were Hades – which I’m obviously not – what would I do?”

  I gazed out across the black ocean waves, trying to clear a little space in my brain to think...really think about what I wanted to do – not just because it would make Hades happy, but because I needed to show everyone else that I was more than a queen sitting quietly on a throne, hosting lavish dinner parties. I was smart and resourceful, and people were going to see that, dang it.

  The idea came to me so quickly, I didn’t have much time to think it through as I spun around, racing down the palace halls at breakneck speed. Servants stopped to bow as I scuttled past, grinding to a halt in front of six identical wooden doors, brass handles gleaming in the light.

  “Spirit realm, Elysium...Tartarus. Okay, Persephone, it’s now or never...you’ve got this...it’s just like last time...” I rocked back and forth in front of the doorway, working up the courage to open it, knowing full well what was on the other side, and... who... “You’re not with Hades, and you’ve never been on a diplomatic mission, but that shouldn’t matter, right? Right? You’re the freaking queen of the Underworld. Just do it...just do it...why haven’t you moved yet?”

  “Miss?”

  I squealed and spun around, a ball of fire erupting from my palm, which I quickly extinguished when I saw the servant standing right behind me, a tray of food balanced on her hip.

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “You don’t want to go through that door.”

  “No, it’s alright; I have business there, see?” I held up the scroll and her lips pursed together into a flat line.

  “That doesn’t matter. It’s still not a place for you.”

  �
�I realize that the Lord of Tartarus doesn’t win grandfather of the year, but I have to do this. It’s a favor for Hades.”

  “Who doesn’t know you’re here, stepping right into his enemies’ hands.”

  My back stiffened, and I looked at her, letting loose some of my power. It lashed into her and she flinched but didn’t back down.

  “I wasn’t aware that the happiness and safety of the souls mattered less than my own.”

  “He could kill you, milady and that would enrage milord...enough to start a war, one that he might not survive, either.”

  I smiled, though I really, really wanted to smite her. I hadn’t done so in a good long while. I was due.

  “He and I have danced before, and I won. That’s not something he’s likely to forget anytime soon. So, thanks for the concern, but it’s not needed.”

  She stared at me for a minute before shrugging, adjusting her load. “If you go to Tartarus, I’m obligated to inform milord.”

  “He’ll understand why I did it.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  Nope...not even close.

  “Of course. He trusts me. So, here I go...into no man’s land...”

  “You haven’t moved yet.”

  “I know – it’s just a little freaky thinking about all those tortured souls...never able to escape...all that despair and violence. Right, well, wish me luck.”

  “May the seven Fates have mercy on you.”

  “No, that’s not – oh, never mind. Tell him if you have to; it won’t matter anyway.”

  She inclined her head in acknowledgment as I twisted the knob, stepping straight into thick, choking fog.

  Shapes and shadows materialized at the edges of my vision and I clutched the list to my chest, taking short, hesitant steps.

  “Elizabeth? Elizabeth Octavius? Oh, crap on a biscuit I’m so sorry,” I said as I stumbled into a wispy bit of ghoul, which dissipated like hot water over rocks. “You’re not supposed to be here; there was a mix-up at the docks. But, if you come back with me, I’ll send you where you belong.”

  “I killed him.” A young girl knelt on the ground ahead of me, head bent over a deathly still body. She glanced up, tears staining her cheeks, and I joined her.