Her Forever

Third Person’s POV

The stagnant air hit Selene’s nostrils; it was a smell she had grown used to. The fire that barely reached the tops of the logs was almost down to a smolder. It kept the room scarcely warm enough to feel her fingers. Normal humans would have frozen to death; thankfully, she was no human. The two others that huddled in the corner for warmth rubbed their hands together. Their faces were a bit brighter than hers.

Selene continued to lay by the fire, the flicker of the flames made her wish she could one day feel the warmth of the blaze and heat of a significant other, but that wasn’t in the cards for her. To feel the firey touches of the warmth of a soul mate that she had granted to so many, yet she could not give herself of that.

Hermes held Hecate close; there was no glow between their touches; they were not mates. Selene sighed as she tried to recall her Sphere, the one that helped her match souls from afar. She wondered what their mates were like; the two gods were closer to her than any other.

Hecate was able to help wield such a device, helping distance souls connect to each other while she stayed in the solace of her home. Had Parisa found it yet? Many were looking for it, for the Sphere and Parisa. The evils knew of her mission; the one dream she had sent to Parisa had been infiltrated for information. Now Parisa was in just as much danger as her. Selene huffed, causing the fire to hiccup and blowing the smoke back to the edge of the chimney wall.

“Selene, come here,” Hecate’s voice beckoned her. The three gods had one large blanket to share between them. Their captures were not merciful, especially since they dared not cooperate fully. Only when the evils started abusing the gods in different ways caused them to crack under pressure. The dragon shifter b***d was enough to keep their powers at bay and trap them in this hovel of a prison.

Hecate was forced to calm her compelling powers among the magic deemed too strong for its time. The shifter dragon b***d had reached its full potential, able to significantly hurt the gods even among the original twelve. Especially the second generation. Hermes was one of those gods, he could be killed, but neither Selene nor Hectate would allow it. However, with Hecate calming, her powers of suppression made the dragon b***d strong enough to maim even the original twelve.

“Parisa has to find it soon,” Selene spoke solemnly. “So many souls to match. Selene crawled to the other two; they quickly engulfed her inside their blanket. Hecate’s own powers, suppressed with the dragon’s b***d, was now helpless as the others, especially the binding spell cast on the hovel.

“She will find it,” Hermes spoke. “Parisa is a strong one; if she could calm the storm in Hades, she can do anything,” he chuckled.

Selene hummed as she buried herself closer. The yells and roars outside invaded their tender ears. Vampires, witches, warlocks, and sorcerers had been dancing by the fire. Their victory would soon be theirs and rise from the ashes from where they came all because of a promise that had been granted to them.

The damp, musky room was breeding nothing but mold with the barely-there fire. Shivering against each other, they heard a click on the large wooden door. It creaked and whined as it opened. A figure, ever so graceful, walked through. Green and light brown robes of tulle floated inward as she closed the door. Her wheat-colored hair and those green eyes scanned the room until they landed in the corner of shivering, starving gods.

“Demeter,” Hermes hissed. Demeter all but smiled as she approached the table and sat down in front of the shivering trio.

“I’ve come to ask for today’s request,” she purred as her chin rested on her thumb, and her index finger ran up the side of her face. Leaning on the table, one would think she was the confident, alluring god of harvest and grain. One with grace, poise that enhances the beauty of the Earth and of Bergarian. That had all but changed. The area surrounding them was now dank, dark, and desolate. No sun to beckon the crops and no green to soothe the soul.

“You won’t get it,” Hecate shrilled. “You hurt your own kind and beg to hurt others, and for what? Just so your daughter won’t ever leave your side? You need to learn to let go.”

Demeter’s mannerisms changed in the blink of an eye, her eyes narrowed, and her hand slammed on the table. “Don’t tell me how to treat my daughter.” Vines from the outside of the window slithered through the cracked window; its tendrils slithered through and round tables and chairs. Finally reaching its intended target, its grip wrapped around Hecate. “Don’t forget your powers are substantially weakened with the dragon’s b***d. I could choke you now, and you would fade into nothingness.”

“Enough,” Selene pleaded. “What do you want?” The vines retracted, and Demeter’s face became softened.

“Good girl,” Demeter purred. “I need Hecate to strengthen the bond between Nero and Persephone one more time.”

“You are playing with fire!” Selene yelled. “You cannot force a bond with magic! It won’t last, and your daughter will suffer!” Demeter stood up and sauntered over to the group on the floor. Bending low and pulling Selene’s jaw tight.

“It is only for a while until I find the Sphere,” she sang. “Then I will force you to bind Persephone’s soul with Nero. They will then live on Earth with me, and I will never have to be without her. Always living in my home while she helps me tend to the seasons.” Demeter bit her cheek to withhold a smile.

“Then I will have you sever Hades and Parisa’s bond, killing them both,” she let go of her cheek and began to laugh maniacally. Holding her stomach in, she glared at Hecate. “Now get up, or Hermes will get a good dose of poison, and this time he won’t wake up.”

Hermes grabbed Hecate, “Don’t, I’ll be fine.” Hecate shook her head. “No, it’s not. Let’s just hope help is on the way.” Hermes’ grip tightened as his head lowered, and Hecate walked out the door with Demeter.

“What do we do?” Selene almost sobbed. Her head rested on Hermes, who continued to console Selene. His hands rubbed up and down her arms as he stared at the door.

“The fates are in control now, Selene. All we could do is wait and hope that Parisa will find it soon.” Selene nodded silently as she gripped Hermes’ cloak. The moon that sat in the middle of Selene’s forehead began to glow; the light blue lit up the dark blanket that covered them. Hermes pulled Selene back, mouth agape.

“What happened? It’s glowing brighter?” Selene touched her forehead.

“Kronos,” she whispered as she felt the tingle in her forehead. “A match, a match has been made.” Hermes shook his head.

“How can that be possible?” Selene sat back on the wall as she continued to massage her forehead.

“She found it; she found the sphere.” Hermes let out a chuckled sigh as he grabbed Selene to hug her. They held each other’s embrace for a few moments until she pulled back. “Not only that, but she can match souls.”

Hermes let out a single laugh. “What does that mean?”

“She, she can pair them like I can.” Selene’s heart jumped inside her chest. Taking her hand and rubbing her chest, tears pricked her eyes. Could it be? Could Parisa match souls as well as her? Split between the two, they could help more supernaturals and gods be matched more quickly.

And maybe, Parisa could find a match for her.

Parisa’s POV

I stared at the couple in my mind. Their hands were joined together, a bright glow in between their intertwined fingers. Both my fingers twitched as I continued to touch the two figures on the Sphere.

“Now what?” I muttered again. Elea c****d her head to the side, letting me know of her confusion. My index fingers had a mind of their own, and they traveled together, coming to meet in the middle. A bright glow came from the Sphere, as bright as the night before. It was blinding but silent as I closed my eyes. Opening them, the room was still quiet, and Hade’s soft snores were still heard from his side of the bed. The ball no longer held their figures, but two more were in their place. Touching the ball again, I see Ares in my mind’s eye, and the other figure came together, Mariah. I pulled my fingers together, doing the same I did with Vulcan and Tamera, but I kept my eyes open this time.

The bright light around the room grew white while my eyes fixated on Ares and Mariah in my mind. Their hands intertwined, their bodies merged together as their souls molded with one another. I felt the love, their passion and desires, the moment that their bodies collided, joy, happiness, and eternal gratefulness as they held each other’s embrace.

As quick as the soul collision appeared, it was gone in an instant. The Sphere was blank; no figures or souls appeared. Getting ready to close the box, another bit of grey matter floated to the side of the darkened orb. “They just keep coming, don’t they?”

“Touch it again,” Elea whispered; all her jest was gone, and curiosity had now taken over. My finger brushed the side of the Sphere, and another soul stood in my mind. A she-wolf, the one that asked the demon to dance. The first she-wolf dared break the species barrier and caused a domino effect of others following her lead. Could the demon she danced with be her mate? Their hands glowed, and so far, my suspicions had been correct. My finger was about to touch the grey figure until I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, “Parisa?” My finger left the Sphere and closed the box with a slam as my heartbeat rapidly.

“Parisa, what are you doing? Are you alright?” Hades stood above me, squeezing my shoulder. “What were you doing?”

That was the real question, what exactly had I been doing? “I was curious and wanted to look?” Hades laughed and sat in the chair next to me.

“I don’t think you will break it; I’m not going to scold you for looking,” chuckled.

“W-what if I was more than looking?” Hades narrowed his eyes as he glanced back at the box. “I might have paired some people together?” My voice became high-pitched while his eyes widened.

“You did what?” The sexy grumble in his voice didn’t sound sexy at all right now; he sounded mad. Hades had never been mad at me; my heart clenched as his hands gripped the table.

“What do you mean? What did you do? Do you know the consequences of pairing the wrong people, Parisa?!” Hades pulled the box from me and looked inside, not that he would know exactly what was happening. If Hades couldn’t see when two people glowed when they touched, then he wouldn’t understand any of this, would he?

“Show me,” he demanded. “What did you do?” he snapped. I ground my teeth together and let out a growl. Elea was not liking this attitude. Hades leaned back in his chair as he took in my stance. I was pissed; I didn’t break anything and for him to get mad at me was unreasonable.

Hades’ sighed, “I’m sorry, Parisa,” he rubbed as he pinched his nose. “Selene just entrusted us with her Sphere. It is powerful, able to combine souls to one if accepted on a physical level, like us,” He smiled as he caressed my knuckles. “Powerful enough to break a soul-bonding once the physical bond is in place.” My breath hitched as I covered my mouth.

“Can you please show me what you have done?”

Pulling the Sphere entirely out of the box, I gently put it on the table. “What do you see?” I asked. Hades looked at it; from afar, it looked like a giant marble with grey swirls around it, but if you looked close, the swirls became figures. Hades folded his arms, looking at it.

“I see nothing but the fog that spreads thick and thin all over it.” I tutted at his response. He couldn’t see.

“You see no figures, the outlines of people?” I waved my hand over the Sphere. He shook his head.

“Well, I do,” staring into his eyes, his complexion softened. “There are two, here and here. When I press my finger here,” I demonstrated and looked into my mind. I felt Hade’s hand wave in front of my face, but I no longer saw him.

“Your eyes are white,” Hades muttered contemplatively.

I saw the she-wolf. Her hand was reaching out, begging for the other figure. Taking my other finger, I touched the other floating fog, and immediately, the demon appeared.

“I see both of them, the she-wolf and one of your demons.”

“s**t,” Hades’ bare arm brushed with mine, and his body went still. “I see them,” he whispered. His touch was recognized by my body, and his hand went over my arm. “He is one of my older demons.” His body went still. “They are glowing,” he sat amazed.

“I’ve seen those glow before, during the bonfire that you thought was all silly.” I joked. “Now watch, I can pair them,” I moved my fingers together, guiding the two souls. Their bodies tangled with one another, forming into one perfect soul. The bright light flashed, and they were gone in an instant. More and more started to appear; Hades watched me guide nine more souls together with his hand on my arm. The longer I paired, the more tired I became until Hades told me to stop.

My hands shook as I opened my eyes. From inside the Sphere, I had paired them together. Does that mean they are officially mates here in the ‘real world?’

The adoring look as Hades glanced at me sent my heart flying. His emotions were gentle, filled with awe. Hades took his hand and guided my head into his chest. My legs found their way into Hades’ lap as he cradled me. “I’m sorry I doubted,” he kissed the top of my head.

“This,…this is unheard of,” Hades mumbled into my hair. “You must have gained god-like qualities or have become a god and are now able to wield for Selene.” I tightened my hold around his torso.

“I just wanted you, that’s all.” Hades laughed. “And all I wanted was you.” Indeed this was a dream. All I wanted was to live in Hades’ arms and help him with his duties in Hell, maybe assist demons tracking down s*x-trafficking victims and set them free. Now, I was not only a queen of the Underworld, but my god-like powers granted me a responsibility I would have never fathomed. Every god had an influence. Every god had a job. Being a queen at Hades’ side wasn’t enough; now, I was Selene’s apprentice.

A thrum went through our bodies as we relaxed. The content moment we shared, the joy that others will be coupled and paired gave light at the end of the tunnel. Once Selene was found, she would hopefully tell me what all of this could mean.

“So this means,” Hades lifted his head from atop of mine. His statement was cut short as a thunderous growl ripped through the woods to our cabin. It echoed with such ferocity the dead leaves began to fall from the top of the highest trees.

“Ares,” I whispered.