Her Forever

Niko’s POV

Hades knows how to make a statement.

Hades engulfed the room in flames, setting couches, furniture, and even the drapes ablaze as Hera starts ordering Celestial fairies and Angels to come to douse the room with water. Rubbing my forehead, I step towards Zeus, who looked like he pissed himself.

Zeus could be completely oblivious of Hades’ power. It is only by Hades’ good graces Zeus is in the position he is holding. I knew that Hades didn’t trust Zeus. Still, with the political advancements and knowledge he had regarding the whereabouts of gods and their businesses, I had to take the opportunity to discuss the helm and the situation at hand.

Was I going against Hades’ wishes? Yeah, sure, I was. Only a fool would think that Zeus could devise a plan of this magnitude to take away Hades’ mate and steal a bunch of gods to do it. He isn’t that, what could you say, tactful? Why do you think Athena has to hang around him in his war room all the damn time? Zeus is just dense. What sweet justice it would be if Athena ended up being his mate. Her being asexual, he wouldn’t be able to do a thing.

Laughing internally, I walked up to the King and Queen of the celestial kingdom, both still in shock of Hades’ outburst. I’ve seen explosions like these before, this one is a bit more on the extreme side, and I was dying to know why.

“Your highnesses,” I bowed while my tail caught a falling vase. Hera looked me up and down and scowled as she crossed her arms.

“Niko, what are you doing here? Trying to play both sides?” Zeus started choking on his own spit, staring at Hera like she had lost her head.

“Hera,” he went to help retract her statement, but she just held her hand up at him. I smirked as Zeus backed down immediately. He was still in deep s**t from when he went on a power trip so many years ago. Zeus is still in the dog house. Everyone in the damn palace knew he hadn’t gotten anything in well over 300 years once he realized no one could compare to Hera. She should have been the goddess of beauty, her elegance, grace, and poise. Hell, her bravery standing up to a pathetic god that cheated on her and didn’t bat an eyelash as she walked out of his bed chambers, never to look back.

She got herself a good angel, Michael. I would bet my soul that he was her mate. “Well,” she drawled. “What is the meaning of this? Playing both sides will get you nowhere. You better not be trying to double-cross someone.” I held my hands up in defense.

“Hey now, I’m the one that helped rescue Parisa from the very beginning! Even before Zeus executed the order to have her brought here! Which he forgot about, by the way.” Bam, threw him under the bus just like he did me. Zeus’ eyebrows narrowed as he whispered some profanities under his breath.

“Now, I don’t like Parisa in the way,” I defended. “She’s the first person that showed interest in friendship to me since the first day I was created.” Hera rolled her eyes as she flicked some rubble from her shoulder.

“Not buying it.” Zeus was nodding his head, agreeing with me until Hera denounced my confession. Now he is back to deciding with Hera. Really Hades? You gave this guy the head job?

“It’s true. Hades is my creator and master. His friends are gods who hold closer status to him. I’m his damn errand boy and private investigator. He nor his friends would call me a friend. I am beneath them, but Parisa doesn’t see me that way! So what I want to be close to her. Gain a little attention. I was friends with her first! It isn’t any of your business anyway.”

“Watch your language. You are speaking with the high gods, you know.” I backed up and bowed my head.

“I apologize. I am being true to you with my words and intentions. I am very concerned about Parisa’s safety.” Hera’s face softened, and Zeus looked at her as if what to do.

Gods, Zeus is such a suck-up or. How can the gods not see through this bullshit?

“What has happened that has him all in a fuss?” I asked. Hera turned to Zeus, and he nodded for confirmation.

“Hermes has been taken, and there was a note on the door of his home threatening Hades and his mate.” Anger pulled into me as my powers sizzled. Hades was more lenient when he created me, giving me powers more than of an ordinary demon. I felt my horns grow longer at the thought of Parisa being stolen. This time they had been far too careful to hide themselves. They almost got away with it the first time.

“Niko, Nero is the one that left the note.” I scoffed as I rubbed my chin. He’s an i***t too, he couldn’t have possibly come up with a plan like this. Could it be Persephone herself? Getting revenge from staying down in the Underworld too long? She always enjoyed herself when she received gifts from Hades but not once displayed any affection towards him. She had grown quite hostile to the end of her stay but was always compliant staying in the Underworld.

Persephone could have planned this, gotten revenge on Hades by stealing his mate. But why? She was saved by Gabriel in the end. She should be head over heels in love and not want to get revenge. And why the hell is Nero involved?! f**k, my head began to hurt.

“They have gone to the Night Crawlers Pack in the Earth Realm,” Athena walked into the catastrophic scene. Bits of fire were still being put out while some fairies were ordering new furniture to be brought in. “I suggest you go in your human form. Wolves are superstitious creatures, and finding out that a demon and two gods entering their territory undetected would cause problems. Not only that, they will be helping the God of the Underworld with his mate. Tread lightly, gentleman.”

Ares and Vulcan looked at me with disappointed faces. They were angry that I had divulged such information to Zeus, but I had no choice. I knew he wasn’t involved. If he was, he would have been more assertive checking on Parisa’s status of her being retrieved. Now that Zeus knows, he can find some high raking witches to make a potion to help find the invisible perpetrator. The angry gods walked towards me, changing into their human appearance, and I did the same.

Ares grabbed hold, “you’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” he gruffed. “You broke his trust, don’t expect to live for long. Parisa can’t even save you from this.” Vulcan nodded to his mother and held on to me as well.

“Let’s go.”

Parisa’s POV

The wind rushed around us and my hair tangled into the wind. It was a large cyclone being thrust into a void of nothing as Hades held me close. This was far worse than when he transported me from room to room in his palace. This was long-distance and definitely made me sick. Clutching tightly to his cloak, I could still feel the anger rolling off of him in waves.

Sure, I’d be tick too, he took our friend! Hermes had played some jokes, sure, but he was always loyal to Hades. Hermes stuck around even after Hades PMSed for a thousand some years. We had to find the Sphere of Souls and fast. I wanted to bang my head up against a brick wall to shake any sort of memories that might be lodged in my brain, but it would be useless.

Talking to Elea to see if she could break open some doors in my head would be useless. She would probably suggest we go, mate, and everything would wake me up. It wasn’t a bad idea, but how horny she is, I wasn’t sure if she would stop and make sweet love to him all night.

I guess it wouldn’t be so bad.

Holding my breath so I wouldn’t breathe in the stagnant air, we dropped to the ground, and I put all my weight on Hades. The cloak was still engulfed around me, Hades’ head out the top looking around before he let go for me to gain my balance. The ground was littered with leaves, and the forest around us was naked of any type of vegetation. We must be in the middle of fall. There was a crisp chill in the air as I rubbed my arm. Being still donned in a white tunic dress with robes wrapped around my body to keep it in place. This wasn’t the best idea for the weather.

Hades pulled me back in and wrapped his cloak around me. “We will have to wait for them,” he gruffed. “I’ve sent word to their Sorceress that we are here.” Hades still had his original form, and he closed his eyes, and I saw the dark hair envelope his hair.

“Please no,” I whispered as I pulled his face to mine. “Just be with me, stay with me. The real Hades.” Hades sighed deeply as the black hair receded.

“I thought we promised when we are alone.”

“You are still the god of the Underworld, no matter what your hair color is, but I do love seeing this face rather than the other one,” I kissed his nose as his shoulders slumped.

“You know how to vex me, woman.” I put my arms around his torso and breathed in his scent.

“Mmhm, you always smell so good to me,” Hades laughed.

“You always smell good to me too, Parisa.” We waited only a few moments before he heard the rustling of the leaves and heavy pants. Three wolves came to our tiny spot in the woods as they looked us over. Two were deep grey, while one was a sandy color. He was more significant than the two grey ones and stood at the front of the group. His head c****d to the side and barked.

Elea started barking in my head, but I was confused. “Elea is barking, and I have no idea what’s going on,” whispered to Hades. Elea stopped barking and finally spoke. “He wants us to follow them back. He’s acting strange.”

I nodded my head and told Hades what we were to do. “The Alpha and Luna couldn’t come to greet us? What a shame,” Hades tisked as we walked. Elea relayed another message that their youngest child fell out of a treehouse at the last minute, and Luna was detained. She would be with us in a moment. Hades ran his hands through his hair. “Maybe we should find another pack if this one is going to give us trouble.”

I shook my head no, “Elea seems excited she’s all jumpy. Maybe things will be fine,” I rubbed his arms as we walked towards the light in the distance. We made it through the last line of trees. A giant treehouse, two stories with a rope, that went up stood before us. I stopped while everyone kept walking and stared at it. It looked so familiar to me, and I couldn’t place it where I had seen it before.

“This, treehouse,” I touched the tree as flashes of light went through my vision. “I’ve seen it before,” I squinted my eyes to get a better look. It had a few letters that had been rubbed out. The treehouse didn’t look like it had been used in ages. Boards were falling down, and the P R S Club House was on the side.

I gasped involuntarily. “My dream,” I whispered to Hades. I think I think I saw this in my dream. My heart started to pound a group of men and women began to gather. Some looked afraid. Others were curious about the God of the Underworld present in their territory.

Hades grabbed my hand tightly and held me back as a large man with blonde hair and green eyes approached. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and the woman beside him had strawberry blonde hair just like me. She was considerably shorter than him, maybe my own height.

“Gods,” the woman whispered as she cupped both hands to her face. Immediately tears ran down her face. I felt joy, sadness, guilt all into one, and her emotions kept changing, so I had to block her out. Hades stood dumbfounded, not sure what was going on.

The large man stood stoically still as he grabbed his wife.

The entire crowd stood still as I held onto Hades for dear life.

“Parisa?” The woman squeaked. The tone, the way my name hit my ear, was like a train hitting a wall at 100 miles an hour. Flashes of light went through my eyes as my knees grew weak.

Visions of this woman singing me lullabies in bed while the storm raged on outside. Kissing me goodnight and to make sure the sprites don’t bite. The large man shifted right before my eyes, becoming a sizeable sandy wolf beckoning me to ride on his back. We ran through the trees while the pine needles entangled in my hair, and I screamed for joy watching my brother on my mother’s back.

“You are going to make a great Alpha one day,” my Father spoke while we sat by the lake. Every Sunday, he would take me to the lake and give me words of wisdom. He told me great alpha stories about how to protect a pack, the pack comes first, and it isn’t always strength that takes care of a complete whole. Honesty, integrity, grit was what made a great pack, what made our pack the greatest in all North America. “You will always have your grandfather and me. Once you turn 25, you will have it all. The greatest responsibility a wolf could have.” The lake water rippled, and another scene fell before me.

“I would make a great Beta!” The boy said as he held up a stick. “I’ll be the master of the weaponry while I stay by your side if you have me, great Alpha,” Michael bowed as he held onto his widdled weapon.

“But of course!” I chided back as I stood next to him. Our heights were the same, me being just a year older than him. “And Thomas will be our Gamma!” We both laughed as we wrestled with each other on the ground. The pool ripped one more time, and a baby was put in my arms.

“This is Steffan,” I sat beside my mother in a hospital. He was so small, but his grip was firm as he held onto my finger. “See, he likes you already.”

“At least this one likes me. The others didn’t like me that much.” Mother laughed as she petted my hair.

“That’s because you weren’t too happy to see them either. Babies can sense fear and intimidation, you know.” I tilted my head at her.

“They can?” Mother nodded while kissing Steffan’s forehead.

“How can you know they can feel that?” My heart skipped a beat as Steffan nuzzled closer to me.

“It’s a feeling, something you can feel with your heart. When they are born, babies have this intuition, and then it fades because no one tries to listen. If you pay attention to those around you, you can unlock how people feel not just by their actions but by their aura. That’s something I learned from a few Fae back in Bergarian.”

The white light pulled back to me as we all still stood between the tree and the clearing. The small town had already gathered in a large group, it was massive as Hades, and I looked on. Blazed chittered in my ear, but I couldn’t pay attention because I was too transfixed on my Father and Mother before me.

My Father, my mother. Oh my gods, my family. My heartbeat is quick as I let go of Hades’ hand. He felt my excitement through the bond and nodded. I took one giant step forward and held my dress with my fists until finally, I dared to call out to the two people I’d missed the most while being gone.

“Mama? Daddy?”