Kelly Hashway - Face of Death

“I can’t read your mind anymore. We aren’t connected, but I know you are thinking about saving some of the others you originally banished here.” She was good. “We’ll get to that in time. For now, let’s focus on joining together.” She reached for my hand and led me into the Fields of Asphodel, closing the gate behind us. “Alex, guard that gate. Don’t let anyone in. And no matter what happens, don’t touch Jodi.” That meant I was going to be in pain, enough pain that Alex would want to help me.

I gave him a brave smile. “I’ll be okay. It’s not going to be comfortable, but we both know Medusa won’t intentionally hurt me.”

He nodded, but the fear was written all over his face. He reached for my free hand through an opening in the gate. “I love you, and I’ll be right here.”

I squeezed his hand before letting go and turning back to Medusa. “Okay, let’s do this.”

She took both my hands in hers. “If we have a connection to start, it should make this easier. And just remember that, once I’m inside you, it won’t hurt anymore. It’s only the initial forcing of my soul into an unfamiliar body that will be painful for us both.”

I gathered all my strength as I mixed my blood. This was it. I couldn’t put it off any longer, or Hades would find Medusa’s soul and stop us. I reached forward with the power surging through my veins. “Come to me. Join me, and we will work as one.” I said the words in my mind and aloud, hoping they would be more powerful that way. Commanding a soul as powerful as Medusa’s was going to take major strength.

Even though she wanted to do this as much as I did, her soul fought me. I remembered how painful it was to enter Liz’s body. This was ten times worse. Having another soul invade your own body while you were still using it felt like trying to shove a sumo wrestler into your skin with you. I fell to my knees the second her soul entered my body. My screams were loud enough to…well, wake the dead. Hades would no doubt be here soon. My arms and legs shook uncontrollably, and my blood made my skin bubble. I must have looked like I was possessed, which I sort of was.

Alex screamed—not the scream of someone who was watching his girlfriend writhe in pain. It was the scream of someone being tortured. Despite the torment I was in, I forced my eyes to him. Hades had him by his neck, and his hands were aglow with flames. He was burning Alex to get my attention.

“I’d stop right now before he dies.”

Medusa would want me to keep going, but I couldn’t sacrifice Alex. Not Alex. I gathered all my strength and pushed Medusa’s soul back out of me. She appeared on the ground next to me, staring at me in horror, her snakes biting at the air.

“Jodi, what have you done?”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t let him die.”

Hades released Alex, who slumped to the ground. His neck was burned and peeling.

“Alex? Are you okay?”

He choked in response. He’d be all right.

Hades waved his hand, and the gates to the Fields burst open. “Medusa, my dear, how lovely to see you.” His voice was laced with hatred. The kind that sounded sweet enough to kill. “I’ve waited a long time for you.” He turned to me. “I guess I owe you some thanks, Jodi Marshall. You’ve brought me the one thing I’ve wanted more than anything else. The origin of the Ophi line.”

“Don’t touch her!” I blocked Medusa’s soul with my body, but Hades waved his arm, sending me flying into a row of asphodels. He advanced on Medusa. “I’m going to enjoy stripping you of your powers and torturing your soul for eternity.”

“No!” God, I’d screwed up. I’d ruined everything. By saving Alex, I’d sentenced Medusa to eternal hell.

“What are you waiting for, Hades?” Medusa’s voice was strong, not intimidated in the least. How did she manage that?

“I like to enjoy my triumphs, savor every moment.”

“Hades, you can’t touch her. The Ophi sacrificed so much to protect her soul from you. You swore to it.”

He turned to me, glaring like I was a pesky little bug that wouldn’t stop buzzing around him. “That deal is over.” He stepped toward Medusa, towering above her. “You broke it the moment you stepped out of that statue.”

“No. Our deal was that I remain inside the statue as long as it was there to hold me. It broke, and my soul could no longer be held inside. I didn’t break any part of our deal.”

“And that means you can’t touch her, Hades.”

A smile crept across Hades’ lips. It didn’t look like it was ever going to stop widening. “You’d think that, wouldn’t you? But the way I see it, the deal was contingent upon your soul being trapped inside that statue. Look where you are. Even your soul recognizes that this is where it belongs. You came right to me.”

“No, she came to me.” I stood up, finding courage I didn’t know I had.

“That’s laughable.” Hades crossed his arms. “How do you think you can protect her?”

I wasn’t going to tell him. I’d show him instead. I willed my blood to mix, but he knocked me down again with a flick of his finger. “I don’t think so. You aren’t putting her soul inside you. Though I see you’ve managed to restore your human soul to its former place.” He glared at me, like he was looking deep inside me. I felt violated by the stare.

Alex was still trapped on the other side of the gate. He looked better now, but he couldn’t get to us. He pulled on the gate, but Hades had it locked firmly. Alex wasn’t even a threat to him. Hell, I wasn’t a threat, either. Medusa was the only one strong enough to fight him—maybe, and if I hadn’t thrown away the entire plan to protect Alex, we might be on our way back to the school right now.

“Rethinking things?” Hades asked, enjoying the moment. “If you’ve found a way to defeat me, please do tell. I’m very interested to hear what you’ve come up with.” He laughed like it was the most absurd notion. Maybe it was.

“What are you planning to do with her?” I had to keep him talking. Maybe he’d get overly confident and say more than he should.

He tapped his finger against his elbow as he stood there with his arms crossed. “You would like to know my plans, wouldn’t you?”

“What I’d like is for you to leave us all alone.” I said it before I had time to even think about the words coming out of my mouth. Medusa was in trouble, and it was my fault. Anger was fueling my actions. Of course, it might get us all killed, too.

Hades laughed. “See, that’s the thing about the underworld. I rule. I get what I want. Everyone else, well, let’s just say if you aren’t in the Elysian Fields…” He waited for me to fill in my own ending. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

“What do you want? Enlighten us.” I stood up again, tempting him to put me back on my ass for the third time.

“You have spunk. I have to give you that. If we weren’t enemies, I might actually like you.”

I doubted that. “No, I think Chase was always more your style.” Chase. Was he still out there? I doubted he’d be of any help if he was. He was petrified of Hades, even more than the rest of us were. I was sure it had to do with Hades taking his mom. That, and the fact that Chase was a power-crazed idiot.

“I bet there’s something you didn’t know about Chase.”

Great. More surprises. “What’s that?”

“I have access to all his thoughts.”

“What?” How could that be possible?

“You and Chase have more in common than you think. You were both missing part of your souls at one point. I’ve had a piece of his since he got here. I took it. It allows me to see what he sees.”

No wonder Chase was terrified. He was a spy for Hades, and he knew it. That also meant he didn’t want to be. Damn it. When was I going to stop feeling sorry for that creep?