Hel's Huntsman

3 - So close

Hel

Demons, spirits, and whoever else I have working here gasp and bow. They’re all shocked to see me awake. I’m amazed that no one tried to leave this place while I was in Revival Sleep. It wouldn’t be the first time. Though I would have found and dragged them back for punishment as soon as I woke. However, it seems everyone has stayed true, and for that, I will reward them. Not yet; they’re not important to me. Kayson is the only one I give a damn about right now.

Hades and I walk toward the gates, and I tip my head at the gatekeeper. Gatekeepers change often, and I don’t know his name. I’m in no need to find out. The gatekeeper drops to his knees and says something, but I don’t hear him, nor do I care.

Hades takes my arm when I fail to walk forward. “Are you okay?”

“What if Kayson isn’t happy to see me? I don’t know why I feel that way, but I have a churning in my gut, Hades. I’ve been gone so long.”

Hades smiles and pulls me into his arms. No one else has ever held me aside from Kayson. But Hades is a caring person, and I got used to him trying to comfort me whenever I was upset. I wrap my arms around his back and lay my head on his shoulder. I don’t know why I feel so vulnerable, but I do.

“Kayson will be ecstatic to see you, Hel. All these years, he has waited for you. He became stronger and an even better huntsman, also training Viggo to hunt. By the way, your nephew now looks the same age as your mate.” Hades chuckles as I pull away from him.

I’m not surprised Viggo has grown so much. It was evident that he wouldn’t be a child for long. I won’t recognize him when I see him.

“What else have I missed these past six years?”

“Let’s see. Jörmungandr now has four sons.” Two more than the last time I saw him. “Nile,”

“As in the river?” I didn’t mean to cut Hades off, but I’m curious.

He nods. “Something to do with Kitty’s Egyptian heritage.”

It makes sense. They already have Rigo and Leif. Nile fits, but it’s different—well, in my opinion—because I’ve never heard it as a name before.

“And the other one?”

“Cairo.”

I shake my head. “Wow. Okay, so Cairo as in Egypt?” Hades nods, and I chuckle.

“Sleipnir has another daughter, Astrid, and Fenrir has twin boys, Rune and Raidar.”

I blow out a breath. “Wow, I really have been away too long. Is there anything else?”

“I found my mate.” Hades shrugs.

My mouth drops in a shocked-like smile. “When did this happen?”

“The day you fell into Revival Sleep.”

I grab his arm and shake it excitedly. “Tell me everything! What’s she like? What’s her name? Do you have children?”

“Calm down. I’ve never even spoken to the girl. She doesn’t even know I exist.”

I furrow my brow. “What? Why?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter!” I take a deep breath because I know part of the reason Hades hasn’t claimed his mate is me. “Hades…” I groan. “Why can’t you be selfish just once? You are my best friend, and I love you like a brother, but you cannot keep putting yourself last.”

“Do you even love your brothers?” I slap his arm, making him laugh. “I love you, too. You are not the reason I haven’t claimed my mate, Hel. Okay, it was part of it, to begin with, but there was more to it. There was so much going on, and by the time I went to her, my mate was with someone else. I won’t hurt her if she loves him.”

I sigh. “There you go again. Why can you not just take what is yours? How do you even know your mate loves another, Hades? Have you even spoken to her and asked?”

He nods. “I disguise myself as a visitor of the King and hide my true scent from her. She doesn’t know we’re mates, though Thane Knight does. I wanted to get to know her before springing that we’re mates on her. She works with children at Knight Orphanage. She’s beautiful, Hel, with bright blue eyes and long blonde hair. She doesn’t see her own beauty, and… she’s everything.”

It’s my turn to chuckle. Hades has longed for a mate for more than I can remember. Now, he has one and will not reveal himself, but it’s time for him to put her first.

“What are you waiting for, my friend? Because you and I both know the girl belongs with you. It could be nothing serious with this other guy, but the longer you wait, the more it could become so.”

“I know you’re right. I just hope she can forgive me for being such a coward.”

“You’re not a coward, Hades. Don’t think about anything else right now other than your mate. Go to her.”

Hades wraps his arms around me again, and we fall into the portal. I lose Hades at some point in the portal that divides my Realm from Kayson’s. I’ll see Hades again soon, and I’ll thank him properly. But for now, I need my mate.

I stand in the forest, looking beyond the trees at the cabin homes of my mate’s family. I wave my hand over myself, changing my appearance. Children are playing, and I don’t wish to scare them with my true face. I keep my brown hair, though. Kayson prefers me not to be blonde.

I take a deep breath and step forward but stop when something sharp pokes me in the back.

“Now, what do we have here? Got a little lost, did we?”

I turn to face the man poking me in the back with a spear. He’s handsome, I’ll give him that. His almond eyes sparkle with mischief, and that chiseled jawline would make any woman fall at his feet. Not that I will. There is only one man for me, but I’m not blind. I can see beauty when it stares me in the face.

“Is that how you treat visitors?”

“And who might you be visiting, little lady?”

Little lady?

Patronizing bastard!

Of course, this man would believe a woman is weaker than him. Most men do because they are fools! I could wipe this man off the face of the Earth with a snap of my fingers! However, I won’t do that because it’s undeniable that he’s part of Kayson’s pack. If the super long hair didn’t give it away, the tattoos, muscles, and lack of shirt did.

“I’m here to see Kayson.”

“Kayson, huh? And what do you want with my cousin?”

So, this man is Kayson’s cousin. I would never have guessed; they look nothing alike.

Do cousins even look alike?

“What I want with Kayson is none of your concern.”

The man chuckles. “Then I guess you aren’t getting to Kayson. What you are getting is arrested.”

I can’t stop the laughter from breaking out of my throat. “That’s a good one.”

“What’s so funny?” The man grits his teeth.

I pull my lips between my teeth and shake my head. “You. You can’t arrest me for wanting to see Kayson. I haven’t committed a crime. Who even are you?”

“Who am I?” He squints. “Who the hell are you?!”

“Kit?” Another man comes into the forest from behind me, and I sigh. I do not want to hurt anyone, but I will if they push me hard enough. I will not be threatened by anyone! “What’s going on? Who’s this?”

Kit, as the other man called him, doesn’t take his eyes off me when he answers. “This woman wandered onto our territory, asking for Kayson. She’s not a member of Starr’s side of the family, and she hasn’t given her name.”

I slide my eyes to the side when the other man walks around me. I look at his face, and the air leaves my lungs. I was wrong; I do recognize him.

“Viggo?”

It is him, my nephew. From his shoulder-length hair to his handsome features, he is the image of Fenrir.

Viggo squints his eyes momentarily. “Auntie?” I smile and nod. Viggo’s face lights up. “Auntie!” I gasp as he drops his weapon to the ground and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his big, strong arms.

I smile when he kisses my head as I wrap my arms around him. Hades was right; Viggo is a man now, a very strong man.

“Auntie?”

Viggo lets go of me and turns to Kit. “Yes, this is Hel.”

Kit's eyes bug out of his head, and his mouth drops. “But she looks nothing like all those portraits Kayson drew, nor the tattoo on his chest!”

I furrow my brow in confusion.

Kayson drew my portrait?

He tattooed my portrait on his body?

I don’t know if I’m flattered or freaked out. Perhaps Kayson has become obsessed with me.

But can I really blame him for that?

For ten years, he has waited for me to claim him. Not once did he complain, and he never tried to stop me from doing what I needed so we could finally be together. I just want to be in his arms.

After all this time, don’t we deserve to hold one another?

I wave my hand over my face, reverting to my true form. Kit’s eyes widen again, and I sigh.

“Erm, yeah, I stand corrected. Wow,” He leans his head to the side, trying to look at the blue side of my face. It’s deeply scarred, especially from the corner of my mouth to my ear. I’m not bothered by the way he’s looking at me; many do when they see me like this for the first time. I won’t stay this way because I don’t want to frighten the children of the pack.

“Stop looking at her like that!”

I take Viggo’s arm when he steps forward. He hasn’t seen me since he was a little boy, but he’s already protective. I don’t need protection, but knowing he cares about me is nice.

“He’s just curious, Viggo.” I wave my hand over my face and again become someone else.

“She’s my aunt, Kit. She’s Kayson’s mate, and he’ll kill you if you upset her.”

Kit shakes his head. “Please do not tell Kayson about this. I meant no offense.”

“It’s okay.” I smile because it is okay. There was no harm done. Curiosity is not a sin.

“I won’t tell Kayson,” Viggo grumbles.

“Whose child, are you?” I ask.

“Zane is my father, Ameris is my mother.”

I nod. “That would explain why you have an Asian look about you. Though, you seem more so than your mother does.”

“Yeah,” Kit chuckles. “I hear that a lot. Look, I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you. But it’s my job to keep the pack safe, and with Kayson not here, I’m in charge.”

“Kayson’s not here?”

Viggo offers me a smile. “He’ll be back soon. He’s just running an errand.”

“Oh.”

What was I expecting?

That Kayson would be sitting around twiddling his thumbs until I turned up?

Of course, he’d be living his life—that’s what I hoped for. I can wait for him to return. I will wait because I’m not going anywhere until I see the man I love—nowhere!

“Come on,” Viggo throws his arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go see the family while we wait for your mate to return.”

I smile. “Okay.”