“Hello, my darling pixie,” Hades said, but the man before Pandora wasn’t him. At least not in appearance.       Black and white hair had turned rain cloud purple, falling into unfamiliar heterochromia irises. One glowed electric blue, and the other sparkled emerald green. There were pupils in the irises, too. His sharply angled features reminded her of someone she’d forgotten. Leather ...

Upperworld, Twenty Years Later   Pandora had forgotten Hades’s visage. The fine details of his face were a blur. Two decades without him did that. Thoughts of him brought immeasurable pain, but she knew this path was inevitable. His fingers ghosted across the markings, reminding her that he was always with her. Then bitterness tainted the ache when the uncomfortable tingling traveled along ...

Life doesn’t stop for death. It is only halted for a moment. Death makes a mockery of life while life continues— strong, unwavering, like a runaway train— while those left behind pick up the pieces. Life doesn’t stop for death. Morning dawns, a brand-new day. There is much to be done and bills to pay. ...

Pandora was limp in his arms, and blood seeped from unsealed wounds. He stumbled out of the nightmare. Hypnos caught him as his knees buckled and guided him to the ground. His friend’s lips were moving, but the world spun. All that registered was sharp feedback.     “Hades,” Hypnos’ voice cut through the noise, and he moved to look at ...

I do not have the words to say. How I wish that you could stay. I wish I could tell you about my day. I wish I could tell you everything. Life will never be the same. This loss is taking  all the fight from my game. I didn’t get to say goodbye on the last day you were alive. Now I’m here to pick up the pieces, as I am ...

Pandora would taste sweet, like aged whiskey and fresh honey. The thought tantalized him, and he shifted on his makeshift throne to readjust himself. His plan unfolded smoothly. He had secured the bargains, and they were about to blame the wrong person for everything. The next phase would begin after she fell. A savage smile pulled back his lips, sharp with the promise of ...

The cave’s opening, a portal from the Upperworld, provided entry to the River Styx. It shone so brightly that Persephone shielded her eyes. The illumination was an illusion, meant to soothe souls into thinking they’d found the light. Without enough coins, it morphed into the end of their journey. Kharon was serious about collecting the ...

Someone was in Hades’ dreamscape. He sensed their presence when they entered. A tired excitement filled him. Whoever arrived could distract the demons and grant him the opportunity to find the rip between dimensions. He’d sealed Hypnos’; he would seal his own. Unfortunately, he couldn’t move from where they’d cornered him. His luminescence dimmed again and ...

Searing pain ripped her from sleep. Pandora shot upright in bed and clutched her throat as a scream died on her lips. Metallic blood tainted her tongue; her chest convulsed as panic tightened and clawed under her skin.     She stumbled into the adjoining bathing chamber and flicked on the light. Her nightshirt hit the ...

Athena’s Golden Champion did not scare her. She wouldn’t flinch at a pathetic mortal woman. So, why did her fingers tremble as she clenched her fist? Her nails bit into flesh and grounded her.  “She’s impassioned,” Hestia chuckled, oblivious to Persephone’s quaking. “I remember when Athena brought her to Olympus. Her spirited nature persists; not much difference exists today.”   Stop talking. Stop talking. Stop. Talking.    Persephone wanted ...