Her Forever

Gwen’s POV

My mouth couldn’t move. I’m Hades’ soulmate? What is a soul mate? It sounded serious, but I wasn’t sure what it could all entail. I haven’t been taught about love, just the world of men pawing all over women in a strip club. There was no love involved at all. Just the mindless touching, watching, and sometimes the s*x.

Hades’ knuckles brushed my cheeks again, something he really liked to do, which I didn’t mind because I felt the sparks fly through my cheeks. “Do you feel that?” He mumbled while I tilted my head into his palm. “The sparks, do you feel them?” I nodded my head in understanding while he continued.

“Every soul that is created is not complete; it is missing something. It is missing a vital part that could make them whole. I never really understood what all that meant, and I didn’t care about it at all until you.” Warmth surged through my body that he would think of me this way. Was I his missing piece? I was just the extra help and disposable for most of my life, and he was this god that could control everything in the underworld. I couldn’t be that special.

I was mortal, I was meant to die in time, and he would live on forever. Does this mean he would have to live on without his soul mate?

“You will live with me, forever,” his voice was stern as he lifted my chin. His eyes were dark as he bore into me. “Once we complete our bond to one another, you will stay with me, and we will forever be together.”

This was some fairy tale stuff going on right here. Is he pulling my leg? Do guys do that? Boyfriends, I mean? Make these promises and then not deliver? I’ve only seen a couple movies, and so far, there is always a guy making promises he doesn’t keep. My throat felt constricted as I felt the weight of my questions pounding me lower into the ground.

“Hades?” I gazed into his eyes while he held me to him close. “This all seems so… unreal.” He hummed, “it does, doesn’t it?” His hand ran through my now thickening hair and held the back of my neck. “I know you have questions and a lot of them. Let’s leave the soul mate part out of it right now and get used to where we live, hm?”

That sounded like a good plan, one step at a time.

Hades’ POV

Gwen’s beautiful eyes held so much confusion, questions, and doubt. I wanted to tell her everything, every last detail that led me to her, but we would get to all that information in time. Gwen is my soul mate, and that brief explanation left her speechless, she doesn’t have a full grasp on love, and I was forcing her to accept a bond she would have no clue about.

f*****g idiot.

“How about we start with the beginning?” Gwen nodded as I gently picked her up, make sure not to touch her bandages. The physician was able to stitch her up nicely, repeating that it would hardly scar. He had already noticed that they had begun to heal, which he found strange but then again, he wasn’t used to dealing with humans much. My mate was a fighter.

Taking Gwen to the living room, we walked past the large portrait of me on that damn throne. Gwen’s eyes sat on the portrait as we walked by.

“Hades that wasn’t a joke gift, was it?” she inquired.

“No, it wasn’t,” I sighed as I held her close.

“So, have you always been grumpy then?” she giggled and while I gave a chuckle. Her laugh was addicting.

“Yes, I suppose I have. For most of my life. Wouldn’t you be grumpy too if your own father ate you?” Gwen gasped as she gripped my shirt.

“It’s true then? He ate you and the rest of the gods?” I nodded while I came to the living room and sat on the couch. Several servants brought in a variety of dishes ranging from kinds of pasta, hamburgers, steak, fries, salads, and fruits. I made a small plate for Gwen to munch on as Vulcan came into view.

Vulcan had been extremely upset over Gwen’s kidnapping; I felt terrible for the poor mate he will have one day. He would worry his a*s off, making sure she was always comfortable. Gwen’s eyes lit up as she saw Vulcan; he was still in his human form as he sat in the chair across from us to grab a hamburger.

“You are THE Vulcan, I mean, Hephaestus?” Vulcan smiled as she said his real name.

“Excellent pronunciation. Not many humans can pronounce it.” Gwen beamed as she held her hands together. I nudged her to continue her eating, but she quickly started the conversation.

“Not to be rude, but can I see your true form? That isn’t rude to ask, is it?” We both laughed, “yes, of course. I actually prefer my true form. I stayed this way to carry on our façade until you were ready to accept us. Good thing you took it well from the looks of it.”

“I find it all fascinating!” I stuffed a strawberry into her mouth while she gave me, ‘are you kidding,’ look. Vulcan threw his head back and laughed.

“It’s the bond; you are ready to accept your mate for who he is, and so you will with his friends,” I shook my head, letting him know not to bring it up. His eyebrows went up in understanding as he stood. Straightening his shirt and running his hand through his hair, it instantly grew. Instead of looking like a Greek descendent, he was now sporting shoulder-length brown hair and a burly beard that reached the top of his chest. His muscles were significant and veiny for having to wield so many weapons for the gods.

“Woah,” she breathed. “You’re big.” Vulcan was large and could be quite intimidating, but he was as gentle as a mouse. He never wished to hurt anyone and had one of the kindest hearts. I still couldn’t understand what Zeus had planned when he paired him with Aphrodite, she could be a straight-up b***h, and no one could handle her.

Vulcan let out a hardy laugh as he sat back down to throw more food on his plate. Gwen continued to ask him questions animatedly. She wanted to know the types of things he welded and if he still continued his trade. Vulcan stayed away from the topic of the Helm, a smart move on his part because I didn’t need Gwen having another breakdown anytime soon. She was taking all of this like a true queen could have with this much information.

We heard the front door slam, and I immediately knew it was Ares, Kronos; he better had hosed off the b***d before he came waltzing in here. Gwen perked up at the sight of Ares; he was clean thankfully and showed no signs of any pent-up anger and frustration. Ares had his release.

“f**k, I’m starving.” Ares sat down and pulled a giant steak and a few twice-baked potatoes to his plate; Gwen sat at the edge of my lap, leaning forward, looking at Ares like he was a damn unicorn. Ares’s jaw slacked as he was chewing with his mouth half open and saw Gwen bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Sitting back, Ares chewed slowly as he glanced across the room, seeing Vulcan smirking and me with an unamused face. “What?”

“Can I see!!” Gwen wailed, about ready to fall to the floor. I scooped her back up and sat her on my lap again, but her eyes were on Ares. Jealousy was welding inside me as I gripped her a bit tighter. She didn’t budge and continued to look at Ares.

“I don’t think Hades would like that….” Ares spoke on the side of caution. “You probably need to see Hades’ first.” Gwen gave her puppy dog face of confusion while I growled at Ares.

“Your true form, you bastard,” I snapped. “Not your damn d**k! And she will never see THAT!” Gwen turned around and scowled.

“Hades, that wasn’t nice.” Vulcan snickered again in the corner while Gwen patted my cheek. “I was talking about what you really look like!” Gwen snubbed her nose, “and not anything else. Yuck.”

“I’ll have you know-,” Ares started before I cut him off.

“Show her your form,” I spoke lowly before Ares finally stood up. He did one massive shake like a dog and burst into his casual god-like form into his battle pelt. Ares’s muscles were large, enough to make all the human girls squeal, but Gwen shrunk back into my chest. Ares’ hair was pulled around tight in a Viking braid that hung over his shoulder. He kept his face clean-shaven and didn’t pull out his weapons to show. Damn good thing, too, because if he was going to peacock his way into my Gwen’s heart, he had another thing coming.

“You are kinda scary,” Gwen whispered.

“Yeah, you should see what the women say about my-“

“ARES!” Vulcan finally spoke up. “My man, give the girl a break. Besides, Hades could toast you now; he’s only getting stronger by the day.” Ares finally kept his mouth shut and shoved food in his mouth.

Gwen stopped eating and yawned and cuddled closer to my body. She still couldn’t hold a full plate in her stomach, but she was doing well otherwise. The bruises left by the i***t John Oliver had faded. The doctor even said her bones were getting stronger, almost at an alarming rate. The bond was working for both of us, and I was ready for her to be well.

Niko came out of the office with a briefcase in hand, no doubt to let me know what else he had heard from his assistant friend that worked with Zeus. It was time to get to the bottom of this Nero business which I had a bad feeling about.

“Gwen, you look well!” His smile brightened. Gwen saw him as her friend and trusted him more than the rest; he found her, so letting them be friends was a given. I still didn’t have to like it.

“Yes! Much better! And, I know…” she winked while Niko’s eyes darted around the room.

“You know what?”

“What everyone is, so I can I see what you really look like?” Her eyes fluttered at him. My body stiffened as she looked at him; I only wanted her to look at me, damn it. I curved her legs back around to me and tried to give her a sip of milkshake, but she shook her head. “I’m so full, Hades. I couldn’t eat anymore!” The whine had my heartstrings pulled, I’ve heard other humans use the whiny voice, and I hated it, but I loved it when she did it. It made her sound needy, and I really did need her.

Niko perked up when Gwen started to lean in to k**s me and threw his shirt on the couch beside us. I growled as his smell wafted near my nose. “Sure, Gwen, I’ll show you.” This is not good; he f*****g has a crush on her. His heart was racing, palms sweaty, I could smell his want.

“Show me, show me!” Gwen was absolutely oblivious.

Niko didn’t look like the rest of my demons, he was indeed red-skinned but had no hooves, and his horns were not as large. Some demonesses called him the “tamed one,” but he had more power than the rest of them. He could seduce, destroy and sniff out the things I desired, which were traditor deities and supernaturals.

Niko’s hair was tossed to the side in short waves, and his body’s torso and lean with still a good bit of muscle.

Nothing compared to me.

I should have made him fat.

“What do you think?” Niko turned around like a damn model to show off, holding his arms out like he was some demon god.

“Awesome!” she stared. “You can go back and forth between human and demon form then?” I’m going to rot one day in Tartarus for this, but I’m doing it anyway. “All you change just like that?” We all nodded while Niko looked at her longingly.

“Gwen,” my index finger glid across the tip of her jawline. My lips parted, and I tried to give her the most seductive look that I could. Her eyes looked into my dark ones as she smiled. “Who do you think looks the best?”

Me Damnit.

“Oh, that is easy!” She declared while looking around the room. “Cerberus! That’s who!” she cooed as she petted him under his chin.

“f**k yes, I am; I’m a damn good boy,” he purred in my head.

Gwen started laughing hysterically as my mouth dropped. Her hands came on either side of my head as she pecked my lips. “You are, the most handsome, my silly devil.” My smile brightened as Niko grabbed his shirt, obviously trying to ruin the moment. I could feel Ares’ eyes glare at Niko as he walked out of the room.

“But I looked the best,” Cerebrus whined again while I gripped my mate around her waist a little harder.