Souls Unfractured (Hades Hangmen, #3)(99)

I smiled at my sister. “You will make a fantastic mother, Mae.”

Mae’s smile faltered, and her head dropped slightly. “Do you think so?” she asked nervously. “We never had one, Maddie. How am I to know how to be a good mother?”

I squeezed Mae’s hand. “You may not have had a mother, but I have.”

Mae frowned. “You did not, Maddie. You were like me, and Bella. We never knew our parents.”

“I did,” I countered. Mae shook her head in protest. But I cut in and pronounced, “I had you.”

Mae’s lips parted in shock, and she whispered, “Maddie.”

“You will be the best of mothers, Mae. Because you and Bella showered me with an abundance of love. I did not know how to express my emotions back then, nor could I tell or show you how much you meant to me. But I see it now.”

A tear fell slowly down Mae’s cheek, and she asked, “But you have found your path now?”

“Yes,” I replied, seeing Flame walking toward me, Asher by his side. “I absolutely have.”

Flame reached where we were sitting. I stood up and stretched out my hand. He gladly took it, and I could see the tension at being away from me, disappear instantly.

Asher stood awkwardly at his side, and I cast him a smile. “Hello, Asher.”

“It’s Little Ash,” Flame corrected abruptly. As I viewed his face, I understood why.

“My apologies. Little Ash,” I corrected.

“I’m good, thank you,” Little Ash shyly replied.

Flame’s head then snapped up at a young Hangman passing by. “You!” he shouted. The young man froze on the spot. His brown eyes bulged as they caught sight of Flame. “Get the f*ck here,” Flame ordered.

Smiler rose from his chair across the yard and came over. “Yo, Flame. What you want with my cousin?”

Flame stared down at the young man and he demanded, “Name?”

“Slash. I’m the new prospect,” the young man replied rather nervously.

“How f*cking old are you?”

The young man rocked on his feet. “Eighteen.”

Flame pointed at Little Ash. “This is Little Ash. You’re gonna show him around. You’re gonna f*cking look out for him. You’re both the youngest here, and that’s how it’s gonna be.”

Slash turned to Little Ash and nodded his head. “You wanna come with, man? I can show you around.”

Little Ash nodded his head in reply, and began to follow Slash, hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. Smiler shook his head at Flame and went back to the other men. Then Flame shouted. “Slash?”

Slash turned and Flame pointed straight at Little Ash. “He’s my little brother. Hurt him and I’ll slit your f*cking throat.”

Slash paled, nodded his head and scurried away. As Little Ash turned his head to follow, I caught a ghost of a smile gracing his lips.

I pressed myself into Flame’s chest just as Lilah entered the yard. Seeing me standing with Mae, she came straight over and hugged me to her chest, then kissed Mae on her cheek.

Behind us, Ky approached.

“Sweet Cheeks,” he said smiling, winking at his wife. As soon as he reached Lilah’s side, he threw his arm over her shoulder and tipped her back for a kiss. Lilah laughed against his mouth.

It was not long before Styx appeared next to Mae, his arm protectively threading around her waist, his hand laying flat over her stomach.

Styx reluctantly moved his hand and began to sign, my sisters and Ky joining in the conversation. But I did not pay them attention, instead I glanced around the yard, at this new strange family I had found myself amongst, feeling safe under Flame’s arms now draped around my shoulders. Then my eyes fell upon the window of Styx’s apartment. The apartment above the compound in which I used to reside. And I remembered those early nights after leaving the commune; I would sit at the window, staring down at the men I was convinced were evil.

All except one… the man with the dark eyes, who paced the ground outside my window; eyes fixed on me, as my hand pressed to the glass, wishing I had the strength to talk to him.

Pressing a kiss to Flame’s arm, feeling his chin rest upon my head, I decided I liked being down here, living my life, melded to Flame’s heart, and wrapped in his embrace.

I liked it much better.

Much better indeed.





Chapter Thirty


Prophet Cain



White tunic.

White pants.

My long hair down.

I was ready.

But as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, all I felt was nausea. And wrong. Everything about this place screamed to me that it was so f*cking wrong.

A light knock sounded on the door that led to the altar. “Come in,” I called. Phebe entered the room, now freed from her seclusion.

“It is time, my Lord,” she announced and waited at the door.

I frowned. “You are not joining Judah tonight?”

Phebe looked down at the floor. “He has chosen Sarai in my stead. She has now been awarded the role of Judah’s first consort.” Her head dropped further. “As his only consort.”

My stomach rolled as I thought of my brother taking that child. I felt sick. Phebe looked up at me as music began to drift into the room. “My Lord, it is beginning. We must go.”