Poof.

I appeared in my bedroom.

Another day, another schmuck duped back into the Underworld from my feminine wiles, followed by Hades literally scaring them to death. It'd become a weekly ritual.

I suppose he could be asking me to do worse things. At least he always showed up before any of the guys tried to touch me—always in the nick of time.

I flopped onto the bed with a deep sigh.

In a swirl of blue smoke, Panic dipped the bed near my arm. He tapped his fingertips together frantically.

"What's wrong, Meg?"

"Oh, bud, isn't it fairly obvious?"

When he didn't answer, I lifted my head to see him nervously shifting his eyes, attempting to formulate a response.

My head slammed into the pillow again. "I'm a mortal woman trapped in a deal with the god of the Underworld. I saw my life going differently. I really did."

Pain showed up amidst red swirls, tripping over an imaginary rock, and somersaulting into my hip with a yelp.

I raised a brow. "Where were you? You two normally show up as a package deal."

"Uh..." Pain said, scratching his head. "Torturing someone."

I narrowed my eyes and sat up on my elbows. "Who?"

"Adonis," Panic added before his eyes went wide as if he let it slip and didn't mean to.

"Adonis." I tapped my finger against my lips. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

Pain uncomfortably groaned before he nuzzled against my arm. "Hey, I noticed your door is unlocked now. That's new."

I sighed and sat up, idly scratching the top of Pain's head. "A lot of good it does me. What's there to do around here except roast marshmallows on one of a dozen bursting flames?"

"You could..." Panic scurried from one end of the bed to the other with a finger up in the air. "Read a book?"

"Bor-ing." Pain stuck his tongue out and rolled his eyes.

I'd only half heard them, lost in thought, staring at the orange flames flickering in the fireplace. "He still plans to attack Olympus, doesn't he?"

Hades had been mum about it since our little...disagreement.

Panic frowned, curling his tail around him, and sitting against me on the opposite side from Pain.

"Yes," Panic whispered.

My chest tightened. "And there's nothing I can do. Just sit back and watch it happen."

Pain gave me his puppy dog eyes, resting his chin on my lap.

"You could try talking to him?" Panic shrugged.

I half-smiled. "I appreciate the suggestion, little guy, but I've already tried that, remember?"

"I mean really talk to him." Panic rubbed his toes together.

Pain lifted his head, glaring at Panic. "What are you going on about?"

"Look, when it boils down, the boss isn't that bad," Panic added, his left eye twitching.

"Are we talking about the same guy?" Pain asked.

I eyed Panic quizzically. "Go on."

"He won't say it, but I've seen it before. There are times where all he wants...is to feel normal."

My stomach did a strange flutter.

"We're just two minion demons, but you, Meg—" He looked up at me with a toothy grin. "You're mortal. Talk to him."

I blinked several times, mulling over his words. "That...actually...makes a lot of sense."

"Really?" Panic's tail wagged. "Why, thank you."

I patted both their heads before sliding off the bed. "No time like the present, right? Is he here?"

They both nodded enthusiastically in unison.

"Right." I gave a curt nod. "I'll just...go over there."

My hand folded over the doorknob.

"Hey Meg," Pain said.

I glanced over my shoulder. They bunched the blanket up to their chins.

"Can we stay here?"

A warm smile tugged at my lips. "Knock yourself out."

As I slipped out into the hallway, I heard a thud behind me, followed by Panic, saying, "She didn't mean literally."

I wrapped my arms around myself, going through my head exactly what I planned to say to him.

Normal. Be normal. What was normal anymore? What was normal to a god-king?

A deep voice hummed a song I didn't recognize from a nearby room. I pressed a hand against the ajar door, slowly pushing it open, hoping it didn't creak.

Hades sat in an armchair, rubbing his temples and...humming.

My stomach did that weird flip again.

With my heart racing, I leaned against the doorway and folded my arms. "Hey."

Hades froze and slowly turned in his chair. His expression melted once his eyes landed on me. "Uh...hey."

I kept a neutral face, trying to mask the nerves bubbling. "I was in the hallway. Thought I'd...swing by, and I don't know...chat?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Chat?" A smirk tugged at his lips. "Because we have so much to talk about."

"Don't sell yourself short." I moved by the chair, sitting on the arm. "I'm sure the strong, powerful, King of the Underworld, has plenty of stories hidden in his toga." I tugged on the collar of his dark robes.

His gaze dropped to my hand and then shot back to my face. "Are you...using your sex kitten routine on me?"

I gave a mock gasp, clapping a hand over my chest. "Me? I would never."

His eyes grew heavy, and his lip curled. "Continue."

"A gal can get lonely down here, you know?" I leaned forward, trailing my hand through the blue flame of his hair, somehow knowing it wouldn't hurt me. "Talking to two little demons day in day out can get boring. I crave...adult...conversation."

He moved forward until his nose almost brushed against mine. His smile faded. "I'm still releasing the Titans, Meg."

A breath hitched in my throat. I growled and pushed away, standing with a hand on my hip. "Why, Hades? Why?"

He pressed his back into the chair, tracing the contour on the armrest I'd left behind. "We've talked about this."

I let out a deep sigh.

He appeared behind me, his hands lightly gripping my arms. It sent an electric shock all the way down to my toes.

"We could, of course...come to sort kind of...agreement?" He said, lowering his mouth to my ear.

I turned around to face him, pointing a finger. "No. No more deals."

"Worth a shot." He chuckled, removing one of his hands, but strangely keeping one resting on my shoulder.

I gazed up at him, my throat tightening. "And there's nothing I can do stop you, is there? I'm powerless."

"No..." He started trailing off as he peered down at me, his eyebrows cinching together in confusion. "There's...not." His words hadn't convinced me, and judging from the bewildered look on his face, he hadn't even convinced himself.

My lips parted, and I gulped. "It's settled then. Good—good night." I brushed past him, making a beeline for the door.

"Good...night," he replied before I left, his voice distant and flittering.

I pressed my back against the hallway wall, dropping my face in my hands.

This couldn't be possible...could it?