TWENTY-FOUR

The chamber was cold. Of perhaps she was just nervous. She lost the ability to determine. The clothes that were brought in by Henrietta the other day were the usual thing: It left almost nothing for the imagination.

There was no window in her chamber but the room's brightness changed according to the time of the day. She was still not very acquainted with the underworld but so far, she knew there was a certain place that looked peaceful. And then the rest of the underworld is the gloomy castle and the gloomy environment around it. What was she expecting?

She swallowed hard as her hand found the thin fabric of her dress and straightened it. She lost count of how many times she had reprimanded herself for making that offer. It was stupid and reckless and dangerous. Making a deal with the god of the underworld is not something that's advisable. Her parents' deal with Hades was what literally got her into this situation.

But what can she do?

She was what they call the potential curse breaker. The curse being Hades to lose his immortality and die together with this place unless he finds a mortal who will love him and he will love in return. However, it is impossible to break. If Hades does happen to love her, she will die. Her freedom from him is the only thing she wants and she will do anything. Including being his slave and she will convince her that she is not the one he is looking for.

The door opened and Henrietta stood there. Her expression was unreadable and she couldn't help but wonder if Henrietta knew what she is about to do. If she knew or not, she did not show it. Henrietta remained silent as she walked her to Hades' chamber.

Henrietta merely nodded in her direction before she left and she was left alone in front of his chamber to knock. She was about to knock on the door when someone else beat her to it. That's when she felt the presence of someone behind her. She whirled all too suddenly and she almost tripped when she realized it was Cerberus who was standing a little too close to her.

He looked down at her and the way his eyes traveled from her face to her exposed cleavage did not escape her eyes. Swallowing hard she brought her hands to cover her chest and she saw how his eyes narrowed.

"If you're not sure about doing this then best you scuttle back to your chamber," he said and her eyes widened.

"N—no."

"Then why do you look like a scared rabbit?" He leaned closer to her with his arm still braced on the door. Behind her was the door and as much as she wanted to step back, she couldn't. Cerberus is warm and with her thin fabric clothes, she could feel his warmth very well.

"I...I'm just nervous."

He looked at her for a good long minute before he leaned back and let out a scoff.

"Other than 'thou shall not disobey the god of the underworld', there are no other rules in this place, Guinevere," he said and he tilted his head as though he was about to say something that he knows too well. "Besides, Hades won't indulge you in something you don't desire."

Her eyes widened at what he said and before she could say something, he pushed the door open and in an instant, she was inside Hades' chamber.

She turned to look inside only to find that the chamber is empty. When she looked at Cerberus, he was smirking at her as he was closing the door.

"Wait—"

Slam.

She was all alone.

Her hands went to rub her bare arms as she walked inside. When she turned to the side, she saw the chair and her face heated instantly. The image of that naked woman humping on Hades flooded inside her head once again and she had to shake it. She considered that image cursed. Not only it made her fluster so much, but it also made her feel things she shouldn't be feeling.

She spotted the bottle of wine on the side and a glass. Realizing she never tasted wine in the underworld, she decided to pour herself some. For every meal Hades and Cerberus would have them. She chose not to. People would often say not to eat or drink anything if they get transported to another place. It was more like a myth but when she was offered her first meal in the underworld, she knew she shouldn't eat it. Especially when she wanted freedom.

Now, she could say it was all bullshit. Her freedom would depend on how well she does in pleasing Hades. Not of the food she eats or the drink she drinks. She put the rim of the glass in her mouth and tasted the wine. At the first sip, the sharp taste made her squirm but there was a tang of sweetness too. She took another sip and another, and another until she finished the whole glass.

"Enjoying yourself?"

She almost dropped the glass when she heard Hades' voice from behind her. She whirled only to see him standing near the door and he was wearing his signature all-black coat and pants. When she looked at his devilishly handsome face, her eyes focused on the horns on his forehead that were slowly retracting.

Perhaps Hades noticed her staring as he said, "Scared?"

She immediately shook her head and realized she did it too quickly and it doesn't look sincere. So she said, "It's fascinating."

His brows rose at that and she cursed herself for saying it. The last thing she would ever want to do is offend him. She can't do it now especially when her freedom depends on him.

He pushed himself away from where he was leaning earlier and walked towards her. She braced herself for whatever he was going to do but then he walked past her and into the table where the wine was placed. He poured himself a glass and she looked as he swirled the contents inside the glass.

"How does it taste, Guinevere?" he asked while his eyes were on her. She suddenly forgot how to speak when those eyes met hers. His dark eyes had always been intimidating for her especially when she looks too close. Now is even more intimidating as she knew what exactly they were about to do.

"It's...it's different."

The corners of his mouth quirked up and he took a sip without taking his eyes off of her. She couldn't help but wonder if he was mad that she tasted the wine without his permission.

"It's different because this wine is made from magic. While it only affects me like how a normal wine affects a normal person, it certainly doesn't have the same effect on a mortal."

Suddenly, she's feeling the waves of instant regret. Will she die after tasting that wine?

Hades placed the glass of wine on the table and smirked at her. "Now, don't be nervous," he said. "It's not going to kill you. It will just make you drunker than you should."

The moment he said it, she felt her head spin and her vision was sharper. No wonder his eyes looked darker than they should be.

"While we may have agreed on a deal, I would like to make things clear..." she heard Hades say but she stopped listening. Not because she was drunk but because she was too focused on him moving to the chair to sit. The same chair where he fucked that woman.

Her knees buckled and she almost fell to the floor but she kept herself upright.

Her body feels hot. Perhaps what Cerberus said earlier about her desiring this was true. Or maybe it was the alcohol. Or perhaps the alcohol intensified her desire. She doesn't know and she doesn't have the time to analyze it. Especially when Hades was signaling her to come closer.

And as if her feet had a mind of their own, she walked closer to him. She felt his finger tracing her arm and she shuddered. Her anticipation was building up and she doesn't want to acknowledge it. But she knew it would only be a matter of time before she would give in.

Just like before.

The next time she realized, her knees were on the cold floor and when she looked up, Hades was looking down on her. Something about the way his eyes look made her feel hotter.

"It's alright, love," she heard him say and his voice sounded like honey in her ears. She looked at his face—his insanely handsome face—and wondered if somehow it had some spell on it because she couldn't stop staring. And then the image of his face contorting in pleasure flooded her head and right then, she decided she wanted to see it again.

Maybe Hades read what was on her mind because he leaned back on the chair and placed his arms on the armrest. As if telling her to do what she wants to do.

And what came out of her mouth was something she never expected to say.

"Keep the horns, my lord," she muttered before her hands started fumbling with his pants.