Hecate's Spell (Monsters and Gargoyles #7) - Lacey Carter Andersen Page 0,12

I follow him down a quiet hallway. Skeletal guards line the walls, as do flickering torches that burn red. Otherwise, my boots softly striking the wood is the only sound. Several times, Andros chances a look back and me. Neither of us react in any way. There are just too many eyes here. But his gaze burns into me, and I feel the overwhelming sense that I’m loved, even if the man I love is leading me to gods only know where.

Even though I have a good idea of the location.

Eventually, we come to two massive doors. At our approach, the skeletal guards open the doors, and the sounds of music and laughter come pouring out of the room. A shiver rolls down my spine and my ears seem to perk up. I’ve missed music. I’ve missed laughter and conversation.

I just wish it didn’t come with the devil himself.

“Come on then,” Andros says, his words clipped.

I stiffen my spine and remember that Andros and I can never show an ounce of affection toward each other even again, or Hades will find new and awful ways to torture us. Following him into the room, I see that the throne room has been covered with massive pillows. Blood-red fabric spills from all the pillars in the room, and easily a dozen servants move about, dressed in see-through white tunics, with platters of food in their hands.

The guests smoke from hookah pipes, but they’re definitely not smoking tobacco. The sweet scent in the air is a special kind of drug that makes them act like giggly idiots. I hate “entertaining” his guests in general, but throw in some drugs, and it’s just plain miserable. My enjoyment over my new clothes and bath diminish.

Hades is lying back on a pillow. He strokes one man’s cock, while a woman sucks his. Like usual, his wife is nowhere to be found. But I know she enjoys both men and women too, like most of the gods. She just prefers the same lovers...lovers she’d formed real bonds with. For her, it’s not about the sex. It’s about having someone special in this dark place.

Hades’s dark eyes, ringed by red, connect with mine as he reaches forward to grab the pipe that’s handed to him with his free hand. “And here she is folks, the first witch, Hecate herself!”

All gazes are suddenly on me, and the din of the laughter and conversation dies down. Hades has seven guests, five males and two females. All of them are gods of some kind, and yet, I don’t recognize any of them.

A man with golden hair swept back from a chiseled face says, “She looks the part, but is she such a great and powerful witch?” His pale brow raises in an arrogant way.

“You look the part of an asshole god, but are you one?” I counter back.

Hades’s mouth twists with anger, and he starts to rise.

But the golden-haired man surprises us both by throwing back his head and laughing, a booming sound. “She certainly has the attitude of a great and powerful witch.”

Hades gives me another look that promises revenge. “It’s lucky that Priapus tolerates your fucking tongue.”

Priapus. I know that name. My gaze moves down and I see the massive erection tenting his toga. Uh, yes, the god of enormous, powerful erections, or some shit like that. Hades always has the best company.

Geez. My lucky day.

“So then, witch,” another man shouts. “Show us what you can do.”

“What do you want me to do?” I ask, but my gaze is glued to Hades.

He puffs out smoke from his pipe. “Give us a premonition, witch.”

This is easy. I move to the fire burning in the center of the pillows. The flames dance as I gaze down at them, and I will myself to open up to the magic around me. I spread my arms and close my eyes. The magic seems to dance over my flesh, and I hear a few gasps from the gods.

No, I don’t need to make this whole show of my premonitions, but I’m also not a fool. I don’t need Hades even more pissed at me, so I figure a good show might make up for the fact that I can’t be demure and respectful if my life depends upon it.

I spread my arms wider. “Great and powerful magic, bring forth to me your second-sight!”

It’s hard not to laugh, but I feel the flames jump in front of me. And I don’t kid myself that the