Drowning in Hades

Chapter 10

Dola POV

Once I have made some ramen, I sit on the kitchen counter and look over at Hades. “So, I have some questions.”

“I have some answers.”

“Can you explain to me why you thought you were never going to be blessed with a mate? And, how are you so close to my Pa?”

Hades leans back against the counter as he watches me take a bite of my food. “When my mom was pregnant with me, a witch poisoned her. So, my mom went to an old friend, Asmodeus’s dad. He injected her with some of his blood, which healed my mom but affected me. His blood mingled with my vampire DNA, turning me into what I am today. Because of this, the Moon Goddess visited my mother to tell her that the gods decided that I was an abomination who didn’t deserve a mate. The Moon Goddess didn’t like the decision and promised that she would try to change it… but I never had hope until my eyes laid upon you.” I can hear it in Hades voice that he doesn’t really want to go into detail, which is fine with me. I can see the hurt in his voice and hear how his voice is about to crack. I go to speak when he cuts me off. “I don’t really talk about any of it. I will try to be more open about it in the future, and I hope that is okay with you.”

Smiling, I say, “That is more than okay.”

“Good.” Seeing the smile on Hades face brings a sense of peace over me. “Now, after I was born, my mom raised me by bringing me to Hell any chance she could get. She wanted Asmodeus and I to be close while also giving me a father figure, I guess. Asmodeus and I were raised as if we were brothers, and it has stuck with us. Nothing can break our bond. He is my brother, no matter if we are blood or not.”

“Which makes me happy. I am extremely close with my family, so I would need you to be close to them as well.”

Hades smiles as he just nods with understanding. I want to ask him if his mom is still alive but I think better of it. He would have waited for months until I was ready to speak to him, so I will give him any amount of time that he would need. Once I finish my ramen, I wash off the bowl before setting it in the sink. Looking at Hades, I hold out my hand for him to take it. I love that he lets me decide if I want to be touched or not. I know he is doing it for my benefit, but it still means the world to me. I quickly make it back to my room, where I drag him inside.

“Want to watch a movie with me?” I ask shyly, as I am not ready for him to leave me yet. The more I am around him, the more I feel at ease.

“I would love to, Tesoro mio.”

The next few minutes pass by in a blur because the next thing I know, my head is lying on Hades chest while he runs his hand through my hair. We are lying in my bed as the TV is basically at the foot of the bed. And, strangely enough…I couldn’t feel more calm. It is a feeling that I never knew if I would ever feel again, but here I am…laying in a bed with my mate as we watch a movie together. Smiling, I let my eyes close to bask in the feeling of his hand running through my hair while hearing his heartbeat pumping in his chest. And for once, I don’t feel the whispers of the ghost hands that used to plague me.

Is this what it is like to have a mate? Is this what everyone talks about? The feeling of having someone come into your life that takes away any pain? The feeling of having someone who you know deep down in your gut is willing to do anything for you to make sure you never have to worry? To have someone fully protect you?...even from your own demons that might plague you? I have always heard of stories of women who were once ab*sed meeting their mate for the first time. How it would feel like all of their pain would melt whenever that one person was around because they felt safe for the first time in their lives.

I’ve told Hades everything that has happened to me, and instead of looking at me with pity in his eyes…he… looked at me as if I was everything to him. As if he was ready to fight those demons right alongside me. To bat away the feeling of their ghost hands, to go into my dreams to fight them away, and to make me feel stable. My whole world was crashing down around me, and now…now I feel something like hope.