Revealing the Monster (Playing with Monsters #4) by Amelia Hutchins

“Don’t do that,” he said softly. “You don’t get to tell me goodbye. I am not letting you go, ever.”

I laughed at the balls of his statement. Of course, Lucian Blackstone was bossing me around on my deathbed. He was willing to fight Death himself for me and commanding that I don’t die. Only something like Lucian would be stubborn and make that demand.

My lashes dusted my cheeks as the pain lanced through me, and a scream bubbled up from my lungs. Lucian grabbed my hand, holding it while he chanted softly, igniting candles within the large, opulent chamber where he’d brought me.

He watched me shout and struggle to get air into my lungs while the dagger pushed deeper into my chest. Midnight-blue eyes held mine captive, swallowing me whole while I fought to get through the piercing fire burning itself into me. My back arched and buckled as I thrashed around.

“Help me, Spyder.” Lucian grabbed one arm, intertwining his fingers through mine, while Spyder did the same to the other hand. “Breathe, Lena. Just breathe, sweet witch. You’re going to be okay. You hear me? I will fix this.”

The pain was debilitating. It started in my chest and shot through my body like spider webs through glass. I was losing my grip on remaining coherent.

I was fading into nothingness that I’d willingly agreed to in order to protect my son from becoming a tool used to hurt his father. I didn’t get a chance to move into the fade or be reborn. I’d sealed my fate by fighting my destiny, which had been to hurt the man in which I’d fallen hopelessly in love.

“Stay with us, Kitty,” Spyder ordered, his ice-blue stare locking with mine.

“Be good to Lucian and help him after I’m gone.”

“Fuck that noise. You don’t get to leave us. You’re stuck with us forever, Kitty cat. You hear me? Just fucking hold on, they’re coming,” Spyder snapped, his eyes slowly glowing as the air in the room grew thick with unease.

Lucian’s voice was rough, dripping with emotion as he spoke to the others that stood near the altar. The earthy scent of sage filled my nostrils, burning as Erie and Synthia lit copious amounts of it, chanting a protection spell for the magic being readied.

The moment the candles were set alight, they shot into the air. Shadows swayed on the walls, moving without being cast. It was as if the light called them here, drawing them to us.

A shiver of unease rushed through me as a familiar scent of magic drifted over my exposed flesh. Blinking, I tried to see past the blurring of my vision. Panic crawled up my spine, clawing its way into my mind as I remained alert but unable to communicate coherently.

“Just breathe, Lena. In and out, you’re not leaving me now,” Lucian stated firmly, his tone holding the authority and calmness of his position. “Hades is here,” he announced, and as I watched, a blinding blue light ignited in the room, swallowing the shadows.

“You rang?” Hades asked, his violet-blue gaze sliding over me before his chest rose and fell with a labored breath. “Lucian, no, no fucking way. You can’t do this. You know it is forbidden.”

“What will they do, Hades? Fight me? They can fucking try. I have never asked for anything from any of them. I am asking for this. I am demanding this one thing be done. I will not lose her again. They can do this one thing for me.”

“They’ll have to fight me too, Hades,” Spyder said, and then more voices echoed his words.

Hades’ stare held mine, his dark head shaking before he scrubbed his hand over his mouth. “Have you asked her if she wants this?”

“Don’t fucking do that,” Lucian warned, his anger palpable in his tone. “Lena doesn’t get to die here. You understand? She’s going to accept what is about to happen.”

“I didn’t ask if you wanted this, Lucian. I asked if she did, or if you’ve talked to her, and if this is what she wants,” Hades returned, unbothered by the tone of Lucian’s voice.

“I want to live,” I whispered weakly, fighting to remain coherent enough to understand what was happening around me.

Hades’s eyes remained locked with mine, watching for any sign that I wasn’t able to decide my fate. He slowly blew the air from his lungs, fighting whatever war was happening inside his mind.

Prying his gaze from mine, he looked over my prone form to where Lucian stood, glaring murderously at him.

Pain assaulted me, rendering my mind useless with how thickly it wrapped around me, consuming my thoughts. I slid my attention to Lucian, who watched me with anguish burning in his stare. His hair was messy, sticking up every which way from running his fingers through it, pulling on it while he waited for Hades and the others.

“You heard her,” Lucian interrupted, sliding between Hades and me, obstructing my view. “Call them, now. Call her, now.”

“Persephone doesn’t come for me, pun intended,” he snorted. “I’ll call for them, and they will reach out to her. What is it you intend to offer them for Lena, Lucian?” His words held a grim undertone. “Their price will be steep, and I’m not sure you’re prepared to pay it.”

“I will deal with that when the time comes to give them what they want. Call them, now, Hades. I cannot hold her here indefinitely from Death,” Lucian growled.

A deep, soothing chuckle sounded in the room, and everyone turned toward Thanatos, who leaned against the wall, holding his scythe over his shoulder.