Daughter of Hades

Chapter 8

"Nicholas's father bakes the best cookies ever" Fiona praised as she popped another cookie into her mouth and munched it loudly, closing her eyes as she savored the taste, "I wonder how he gets it right every single time" She sighed, taking another cookie.

I nodded my head and took a cookie for myself, "It is a mystery to me as well" I said, popping the cookie in, "I haven't seen you for two days. Where you vanished?" I asked when I was done munching the cookie.

It has been two uneventful days since I got back from the earth and thankfully, I haven't seen Archie yet. I didn't try to look for him and continued to do my daily activities normally as I would any other day. I did hear my father complaining about Archie a few times while I was having my tea with him.

It seemed like that man brought trouble behind him like a tail.

"Jetlag," Fiona said, snapping me out from my reveries, "Or should I say space lag?"She grinned, sending a wink my way.

"I know. It is the real thing" I agreed with a nod of my head, massaging the back of my next."I was feeling so exhausted the day I got back from the earth" I said and then I remembered that it was the day I met Archie and it was also one of the worst days in my life. Well, for obvious reasons.

"There is more," Fiona said, sitting up straighter.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

Fiona narrowed her eyes on me, "There is more for you to say" She said, dusting away the nibs of those cookies, "I saw the face you made. Something happened on that day?" She asked when continued to look at her blankly.

How did she know? Well, considering she has been my best friend for early two decades now, I shouldn't be surprised," Nothing much" I raised my shoulders to shrug, "The Moon Goddess visited the Underworld and she brought a new slave to Tartarus" I trailed.

Fiona's eyes lighted up in interest now, "A new slave?" She asked me excitedly but then the smile faltered a little, "Is it a male or female? Please say, male. I've had enough female slaves" She complained, waiting for me to say something.

Well, this shouldn't surprise me as well. Fiona has always been a flirt.

She raised her eyebrows at me when I remained silent, "It is a male" I unwillingly admitted. Will she flirt with Archie as well? Even if she did, I am sure it wouldn't bother me in the least. Even if I get bothered, I am sure it will be for Fiona. Archie isn't a good person anyway.

"Did you meet him yet?" Fiona asked excitedly.

Ugh, how I wish I can forget meeting a man like him?"Yep, and I discovered that he is a rude, lying demon" I shook my head in disapproval, "You better stay away from him, Fiona. You don't know the things he did" I added before she deepens her interest in him.

"A demon?" She asked, completely ignoring what I said, "I heard demons are beautiful" A smile curved at the corners of her lips and I could already see the gears in her head turning.

"Everyone is beautiful, Fiona," I said, "It doesn't matter if they are mortal or immortal. Everyone is beautiful in their own way" It is only after saying that out loud, that I realized I sounded a little defensive. I just hoped Fiona wouldn't probe about it further.

No one can know that Archie is my soulmate. Not even Fiona.

"I was just saying" She frowned at me, "So where he is now?" She asked smiling now.

I rolled my eyes at my best friend, "Don't know. Don't care" I grumbled under my breath, getting up from the seat.

"Did you bully the new slave, Prosepene?" Fiona asked me in a disapproving tone.

I looked at her as if she spoke foreign words, "Please, I don't have time for that" I said, shaking my head as I went to the mirror to brush my hair, "I still can't stop thinking about our visit to earth though" I tried to change the subject.

It seemed like that worked, "Yeah me too" She sighed wistfully now, "Especially the human male that I met. He is definitely a keeper. I bet the one fated to him is lucky" She added, propping a hand under her cheek, "I wish I spent more time with him though"

I brushed my hair as I spoke, "Yeah, yeah. He probably forgot about you" I said, pinning my loose hair so it would be away from my face, "I still don't understand why you like to flirt with humans. They are clearly not meant for us to date" I continued under my breath, too low for her to hear.

"But one man will remember us for sure," She said, standing up and coming to stand behind me to look at my reflection in the mirror.

My stomach knotted uncomfortably, "Rafael" I sighed, getting on the same page with her.

"Yup," Fiona confirmed, "I just hope he is not mad anymore. Though, he would still look hot when he is mad" She added, playfully, "Have you heard anything from Harold yet?" She asked coolly but the curiosity behind her simple question was evident to me.

"Nothing yet and I think that is already good news" I put down the brush and turned around to look at her face to face, "I just hope he is still on Earth. If he leaves earth then we will never know what he is up to. We can't plant our moles everywhere"

No one can enter Ares's place except his trusted companions and not forget, that all of his companions and comrades are loyal to him. They wouldn't give out any information, it doesn't matter how trivial that matter is.

"I think you should phone Harold then" Fiona suggested, "Ask him if Rafael is still there"

I was planning to do that anyway."I will have to do it later" I said, strutting past her to pick up the empty plate with cookie crumbs, "Come on, we have to get this back to the kitchen," I said, gripping the plate gingerly as I scanned that area, "You have to get every crumb off my floor once we come back" I added, glancing back at Fiona.

"Ugh, it's just little crumbs" She complained under her breath but one glare from me shut her up, "Fine, I will grab a broom when we come back" She slumped her shoulders and crossed the distance between us.

I smiled at her in approval and made my way out of the room with Fiona closely following behind me. We walked through the hallways, passing by several people before finally coming face to face with my longtime crush who was stepping out of the kitchen.

"Alexandros!" Fiona called out loud before I could greet him, "You're still here?" She asked him, grinning widely.

Alexandros smiled at her politely, "Yes I am" He said and then his eyes flickered towards me, "You went missing for more than a week. I was actually hoping I can spend some time with you when I arrived here" He said, making my heart flutter faster than it should.

That surely made my cheeks turn crimson.

"Only with her?" Fiona asked, sounding offended.

Alexandros glanced at Fiona with wide eyes before chuckling nervously, scratching the back of his neck, "Oh, you can join as well, Fiona" He said half-heartedly, "I haven't caught up with you two for a long time now" He smiled, "Where did you guys go anyway?" He asked, looking at the both of us now.

"We actually went away for a vacation," I said, smiling at him.

Alexandros nodded his head, "Yeah, I have been told. I am asking where specifically" He chuckled softly again.

"Earth, of course" Fiona answered, "New York if we are getting specific"

Alexandros nodded his head thoughtfully at her answer, "Hope you girls had fun there then" He said to keep the conversation going, "I heard there is a new diner in the town. Maybe we can check it out later for dinner?" He asked, his eyes going back to me and Fiona. I didn't know if I am imagining things but I swear I saw his eyes stay on me more than a few seconds before going to Fiona's.

Fiona groaned, "Ah, then I wouldn't make it then" She let out a sigh, her face scrunched up in disappointment, "I have to accompany my father to meet the lord of the North to discuss a few matters" She explained when both Alexandros and I looked at her in question.

Alexandros's eyes flickered towards me and I saw a strange mixture of relief and joy in those beautiful irises, "Then I guess it is only me and you then" He said, smiling softly at me.

My heart fluttered again, "Me and you?" I asked, imagining going out with him. Just the both of us.

Alexandros nodded his head, "Yeah. It will be fun" He said with a charming smile on his lips.

Haven't I been waiting for this moment for a very long time? I pretended to think for a moment so I wouldn't look so desperate, "I guess, I will go with you then" I said, keeping my face vacant of any emotion but on the inside, I was jumping up and down in excitement.

The smile on Alexandros's eyes widened, "Great. I will see you by the gate at seven?" He trailed, watching my facial expressions.

I nodded my head, "Sounds good" I smiled. I would have plenty of time to get ready then. Ah, I have to go through my wardrobe to look for something nice to wear.

Alexandros nodded his head, the smile never left his lips, "Sorry you can't make it, Fiona. We can go out some other time then" He said, looking at my side at Fiona who appeared to be unhappy, "See you around" He added and walked away from there but not before glancing my way again.

I smiled to myself. This is a dream come true."I am going to grab a broom from the cleaners" I heard Fiona say begrudgingly before walking away from there as well.

I sighed and looked down at the empty plate that I was still holding in my hands and started to make my way towards the kitchen again but a voice from behind me stopped me dead in my tracks.

"I see you are already interested in someone else"

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for an argument, "It is none of your business, Archie" I said without looking back at him, gripping the plate tighter, "Didn't anyone teach you that eavesdropping is bad?"

I heard his light footsteps approaching me and my whole frame went stiff when I felt him standing just a few feet away from me, "Of course, it matters to me" He hissed through his teeth, "You're my soulmate" He added, his voice was barely above a whisper.

I spun around quickly to face him and staggered a step back when I realized he was closer than I thought. Ugh, doesn't he know anything about personal space?"I thought we agreed to move on with our lives looking past that" I said with a sickly sweet smile on my face, "And can you not say that word again? You don't want anyone to know about this remember?" I snapped.

It seemed like he only heard selective words that I was saying, "Yeah, I didn't think you would move on this early, though" He said, his mouth going hard, "Were you always going out with any man like this?"

The way he asked that question made rage flare inside of me, "Whether I was going out before or now, it is not your business and I have no obligation to answer your obnoxious questions" I spat, wishing I can smash the plate that I was holding against his thick skull.

Archie stood there, unaffected by my burst, "So you like him, huh?" He asked, his eyes gone cold.

"Well, Alexandros is a great man, so why not?" I exhaled, narrowing my eyes on him.

Archie scoffed at that, "Great? In what terms?" He chuckled darkly, "I don't see anything appealing about him" He mused.

I gritted my teeth as anger rushed in me, "You don't have to" I responded, "It is enough if I see it. Now move, I have a date to get to" I said, turning around to leave him there before I do anything stupid and face the wrath of my father for killing his slaves.

That never happened before but at the rate, Archie was going, I wouldn't surprised if I kill him in cold blood.

I barely took a few steps away from him when he spoke again, "You can't go on that date" He said.

Rage nearly overtook me, "Excuse me, what did you just say?" I growled, turning around to face him again.

Archie stood there with an unfathomable expression on his face," I said you can't go on that date" He repeated.

"And who are you to say that? My father?" I snapped, "You don't get to make decisions for me"

"You're soulmate"

"Goddammit, you will never say that word ever again" I growled, glaring at him so hard that my eyeballs started to hurt, "You made it clear two days ago that you are not interested in me. Now you are trying to restrain me from going on a date?" By now I was seething at him, "Did you hit your head, Archie?" I scorned.

"No, I didn't" He casually replied.

I felt like hitting my head on the wall for arguing with a fool like him, "You know what? If I continue to talk with you another second, I am the fool here" I grumbled, turning away to leave him there for real this time, "Go and clean something already"

"I will make sure you will regret it if you go out with him" Archie warned but I shook my head without looking back at him, picking up my pace with every step I take.

For this reason alone, I will make sure that I have one of the best nights tonight.