Scarlett's Letter (Touched by a God #1) (7 page)

Two hours had passed and plans with her friends were made.  To say that her friends were looking forward to getting her out of the house would be putting it lightly.

“Damn, bitch, I thought you were dead.  If I had to hear one more time about R. J. wanting to visit with her Auntie Scar, I was going to pull my fucking hair out,” Qui screamed into the phone.  “Drop off the face of the earth again and see what happens!”

“Well, ‘hello’ to you too.  Oh and by the way, I love you,” was her quick fire response.

“Bull. Shit!” Qui’s laughter rang out loudly from her end of the phone.

“Yeah, Triflin’ Mother of the Year, your daughter screamed that little wonderful word when I took her to the park yesterday,” she heard Chels call out.  “Imagine my surprise that not only did she use the word but she used it correctly and was adamant that at least part of the word was actually not a curse word.”

“Whatever, slut.  I’m not saying that I’m “Little Miss Perfect,” but I do know that I’m not the only one that has had a bad influence on
my
child.  We were in the store yesterday and she announces that her “cooch” is hot and she needs to hurry home to get it all clean,” Qui fired back.  “I wonder where she got that little precious word.”

Scarlett heard laughter from the background then she heard Qui’s laughter join in.  She couldn’t help but join in. It took them a minute, but they finally got themselves under control and finalized their plans.  The call had to end, in spite of her enjoying Chelsea and Qui arguing over what R. J. was going to wear to her first boy-girl dance.  She’d wanted to hear the end of that conversation, but her doorbell rang.  On the other side had been her mother.  Actually, it had been her mother and her mother’s new husband.  The young chucklehead she’d married just over two months ago had tried to hit on her with her mother standing just outside the car, about three feet from where they stood.  Just as he was gearing up to ask her out (yes, the imbecile was just that stupid) a piece of the gargoyle that sat over her front door, next to her balcony, fell and bonked him on the head.  With that incident, she was saved from an indecent proposal and a visit with her otherworldly mother.

As she thought about her mother and the fact that her boy toys kept getting younger and younger with every passing year, she thought about how similar she and her mother looked.  A horrible thought crossed her mind.  What if Hades had been with her mother? What if being with a “man” with the virility of a god was too much for her and she couldn’t deal with her understated husband anymore? Oh, it would answer so many unanswered questions with one name: Hades.  It would also cause her to lose what little she held in her stomach from lunch.  Yeah, she needed out of her duplex.  She needed out as soon as possible.  Eight that evening just wasn’t getting there fast enough.

Scarlett knew what she really needed was time in the dance studio.  She needed the freedom of movement to release the tension that had been built up from the past few days with Aides.  Some of it would be relieved when she hung out with her friends, it was true.  The rest she would get out of her system when she paid the studio a visit the next day.  She was going to get the center of her calm back by losing herself in her choreography.  The simple tones and way the violin’s strings were worked in the piece of music that she was thinking of made her heart soar just thinking about it.  As she thought it over, she realized that her most recent piece as about him.  It was unsettling but she was determined to not dwell on that part of it.  She was going to focus on the fact that she was going to be creating and living in the moment of that piece of music.  Thinking about the relief that would come from allowing the music to move through her made her want to sprint to the studio right then.  Her plans couldn’t be changed.  She needed this time with her friends just about as much as she needed the studio time.   

No one knew that Aides was the one that had been her inspiration for some of her more, well received pieces.  The adoration that she felt for him had spilled over into some of her more moving and emotional choreography.  Tomorrow, she would go to the studio and lose herself in the movements of the piece of music she’d recently chosen.  Tomorrow, she would focus on the problem and allow her creative process to sooth her mind, her heart, her spirit.  Tomorrow, she would determine just how she felt about all that she had learned.  Today, she would focus on her friends and nothing, absolutely nothing more.

Trust None (6)

ΨΨΨΨΨΨ

Present day, a cliff: Hades

Hades stood before a cliff with one of the Judges looking into his eyes as he dangled the man off the edge.  He held him by his throat and was just about ready to drop the pompous pipsqueak that he had a tight grip upon.  The fall and cracking of his skull wouldn’t kill the idiot.  Hades would feel a twisted yet morbid kind of satisfaction knowing that it was going to take the lesser powered deity time to reconnect and grow the bones and tissue back.  He’d actually wanted to gut the self important being before him, but Hermes wouldn’t allow it.  The other god said something about Minos enjoying the gutting versus suffering the way that Hades wanted him to suffer. 

He’d just been informed by one of his underlings that Minos was the reason behind Rouge being able to leave his side early.  Hence the ass kicking the god received and the reason he was dangling from Hades outstretched arm.  The simpleton actually looked like he was enjoying the thrashing that he received. 

“If you’re wondering why I’m suddenly giddy, I’ll fill you in.  Your brother put out a decree that effective immediately, if you were to attack another god then you were to be brought before him.  He stated that he was tired of having to deal with your temper and your antics.  You are set to be judged by a jury of your peers and I get to be ringleader.”

The pitiful little god actually believed that he had a one up on him.  Did no one understand how things worked with the three siblings?  No. No one did.  Poor little gods sitting on Mount Olympus just didn’t get that the three brothers had actually chosen their lot.  They were the three most powerful entities out of all of their brethren.  None compared to them.  When they drew the lot that they would govern, the realm he ruled was the one that was chosen.  The three tended not to interfere in the other’s inner workings of their realm.  If Zeus said that he would “punish” Hades then it would involve coming down from his lofty perch and hounding Hades for a day or two.  The gift of Zeus’ company would irk him to no end.  Zeus would do that every decade or so.  The timing of the decree fit right in with the standard visit.

“Oh, you sad, embarrassing little bootlicker with an ass for a face, I’ll allow you another moment or two of gloating before I send you to the depths of Tarturus,” Hades lifted the man so that his face was inches away from his own and allowed his eyes to go black then fill with the flames of his ability. Minos’ eyes widened with fear.  “I will enjoy every moment of your screams.  I do believe it is Cerberus’ meal time.  Philenon and Carnus will take pleasure in performing the duties to complete the plans that I have for you.  I believe that judgment day in question will be the perfect time for you to be released.  All of your peers will look upon your countenance and see that I have NO FEAR OF MY BROTHER!”

With that statement, he hurled Minos off the cliff and toward the spikiest ridge where the god was sure to be impaled in several different parts of his body. 

“Don’t know if he is going to enjoy having his balls splintered by that rock but at least now he can’t say that his asshole has never been breached,” he heard Hermes say from his left.

When he looked at the jovial features of his nephew and one of the few gods that he enjoyed spending time with, he couldn’t help but feel some of his anger subside.  He admitted to himself that the thought of Minos being split open from the rear was an added bonus and was going to bring him a modicum of contentment every time it floated through his mind. 

“When all is said and done, Minos won’t be able to claim that he hasn’t experienced a bunch of shit.  Some days I really love being depraved.  Today it’s a bittersweet feeling.  I look forward to the reports on how his torture is coming along, but I now know for sure that she can’t come back to me unless she is willing.  He and his band of cock blockers actually did something to block my call.  What did I do to them to get this kind of unwarranted attention?” Hades began the trek from the cliff to the tunnels that would lead to his dungeons and an office he kept there.

Yes, he could’ve gotten there faster by using his ability, but he just didn’t see the point of getting there faster.  What was waiting for him there was just another empty office and a reminder that he still didn’t have what he wanted.  He’d been looking forward to persuading Rouge to stay by his side.  He’d had her right where he wanted her.  A part of him wanted to find Kaleo and junk punch him so that he could rid himself of some of his frustration.  Her smell permeated every surface of the house.  He could smell her everywhere.  The fault was all his own and he knew, owned up to it.  The need that Hades had for his Rouge caused him to want her on every possible surface, in every possible way and in every possible position imaginable.  Even walking towards his “fortress of solitude” had his pants growing uncomfortably snug with just the thought of her, her scent slammed into his nostrils and had all of the blood heading south toward his groin. 

Hades had thought about having the crew scrub every surface in an attempt to remove her scent from all the places that he spent most of his time.  He decided against it almost immediately.  He needed to get used to her scent being in that space because it was where they were going to spend the rest of their days, except for the occasions when they travelled.  Also, the sterility of the finely cleaned area would make the situation worse not better.  He didn’t appreciate the feeling that he had when he thought of an existence without her…in his bed.  After having Rouge there, he found that no one else could or would be able to satisfy him the way she always did.  Even in the satisfaction, he found the nature of his beast was insatiable when it came to her.  How could a god, much less a man be so enraptured by a woman that the process of taking her long and hard or fast and steady or a combination of both wasn’t enough?  How could watching someone move to a piece of music cause a reaction in a man’s very spirit when he thought that was lost to him eons ago?  Yet, she did. 

The way that she snuggled against him when she was in a deep sleep always made him feel as if she felt safe with him.  Watching her as she moved through the kitchen, baking, of all things, was like watching an artist paint a portrait.  She didn’t work in the kitchen unless there was music playing.  He found himself searching for similar songs when she was away from him so that his playlist was always filled with music that she loved.  He had never been one to enjoy the arts, but being around her gave them new meaning.

“Hey, Unc! As much as I enjoy hearing my own voice, I really do need an answer to my question.  I mean, really. I’m not Narcissus.  I actually enjoy conversation with other people.”

“What do you want? I thought you left.”

Hades kept his forward stride.  He was a little pissed that his nephew was still there with him, interrupting his thoughts of her.  He didn’t want to think of the possibility that more likely than not that was all he was going to have of her.  He needed to find out how to get to her.  Just like that, the light bulb went off and the idea formed instantaneously.

“Unc, I’m starting to get a complex over here.  I wanted to know if you needed anything else.  I have a couple things that I need to take care of at the company.  Touched by Us Inc. is taking off and I really want to touch basis with the marketing firm that we just procured…,” Hermes stopped talking and smiled wryly at Hades.  “All right, what diabolical plan do you have working and why do I have a feeling that Brock is going to be making an appearance soon?”

“Either you’ve been hanging around your good old uncle for far too long or I’ve become far too predictable in my several centuries long existence,” Hades paused for a moment, then quickly began to speak again. “If you even attempt to speak any of those witty or smart ass remarks that you have going through that young mind of yours, I’ll rip out your entrails and feed them to Cerberus.  I’ll do it while you are still awake so that you can feel every last pull and tug as they’re removed.”

Hermes just shook his head at Hades.  “Yeah, that sounds really painful and I might be interested a little later.  Right now, I have something moist waiting for me to quickly sink into, then I want to stop by the offices. Hit me with your plan so I know what you need.”

“I should have known a son of Zeus’ couldn’t bring a woman to completion.  All about yourself, huh?” Hades teased.  When Hermes went to try and explain, Hades quickly interrupted him.  “No, no, there is no need to try and talk your way out of the truth.  I can see the truth in your eyes. Besides, I have more important things to do than deal with your limp piece.  I need you to set some things up for me.  I have a girl to convince she belongs to me and me alone.”

“By way of your alter ego, Brock ‘Mr. Too Hot with the big cock’ Jenson?  Nice.  What do you need for me to do,” Hermes asked. 

Yet, another reason why Hermes was his favorite nephew, he was always willing and ready to do whatever Hades needed him to do.  Hermes always said that Hades was the one that gave him a reason to get it together and work off the nervous energy he had.  Hades was the only one that listened long enough to find out that the reason the boy, he’d been, kept getting into trouble or causing issues was because he wanted some attention.  At first, he just put his nephew to work doing odds and end jobs around the grounds, then he noticed the boys proclivity for numbers and fashion.  Hades had been looking for a good cover for his alter ego at the time.  He watched as his nephew came up with an entire look for handsomely rich surfer god, Brock Jenson.  Yeah, he planned on using the surfer competitions as the cover, but he liked the idea of killing two birds with one stone. 

So he started Touched by Us Menswear with Hermes.  The clothing couldn’t be made fast enough.  They were barely keeping the shelves stocked and were getting complaints from women about there not being anything for them.  Hermes was given the okay to create a clothing line for the women with the “Grecian Goddess” in mind.  Touched by Us Menswear became Touched by Us Inc. and Hermes was beyond content.  It was a complete 180 from his previous behavior.  Hermes often stated that he felt indebted to Hades, in spite of the fact that Hades told him repeatedly that they both benefited from the business and there was no debt to be paid. 

Brock Jenson came to be for so many different reasons and had proven to be a very useful tool for Hades.  Brock gave Hades the much needed cover to get out of the Underworld and live a little without all of the heated history trailing behind him.  Being Brock gave Hades anonymity and freedom.  The Brock persona also allowed him to enjoy one of the things that he loved the most, the oceans and beaches.  He and Poseidon had always enjoyed the water.  He made sure that he spent as much time near it as possible when he was in the land of the humans.  It would be the perfect time for him to make a visit to the surface to put into place what he needed to make himself look like the hero. 

“We need to update Brock’s wardrobe to include some things that he can wear for a few nights out in the city and some lounge wear.  He needs to look as if he actually lives in the house that’s in the Nether Realm.  The car that’s there stays. He needs an everyday ride that’s enough flash to get attention, but doesn’t get the wrong kind of attention.”

“The Bugatti’s not good enough for him…you anymore.  I can take the Red Demon off your hands, Unc.”

“The Red Demon better be just where I left it, H.  She hasn’t had enough of my handling to be passed down to the next best thing.  She just needs a friend to allow her some time to rest,” Hades waggled his eyebrows as the double meaning of his words sunk in.

“I always have two ready and waiting.  Usually, there’s another in the wings if I’m feeling really fired up for the night.  Let’s get back to the task at hand.  Are you looking for a speedy little mark or what?”

“Convo still too much for you to handle?”

Hades knew the question was going to irk Hermes, but he couldn’t help it.  There was no way he was going to let the opportunity pass to give his nephew shit about his overactive sex life.  He knew the boy was searching for someone and it was frustrating for him not to be able to get exactly what he needed from the many women that he bedded. 

“Unc, come on.  You have never heard one of them complaining to the gods after.  It’s me that’s left wanting.  Fast car or practical?”

Hades couldn’t resist one more poke.  “What lefty won’t do, righty can?”

“Done.”

Hermes made to leave, but Hades grabbed hold to his collar before he could.  This was something that he knew his nephew hated.  Since Hermes could move through the realms freely as messenger for the gods, whenever he came to this Realm Hades had command over whether he could leave or not.  It was rare that Hades called forth that ability, but today his nephew seemed to need reminding with whom he was dealing with.  Yes, he was Uncle Hades, but first and foremost he was Hades, Lord of the fucking Underworld. 

“Where you going, Kid?  I did not call you to just shoot the breeze.  I had a purpose.  Purpose fulfilled? Yes, but now there is another.  Until you have my message, then you can’t leave the realm.  The other thing you seem to have forgotten is you will have people giving you shit all of your life, if you allow them to get under your skin, then you give them control over you.  However slight that may be, you don’t want anyone having that type of command over your psyche.  So, swallow the fucking attitude and pull your big girl panties on because you have a job to do.  I will not have this conversation with you again.  Clear?”