The Betrayal

 Part IV of Short Story: A Deception

📷credit: Thank you, Darkmoon_Art

Hades

 Part III of Short Story: A Deception

📷credit: Thank you, ArtTower

Hades

“Honey, come here,” Naribelle was on her feet with open arms, closing the space between them, “Let’s think about this. Hades is the Lord of the Underworld, and he has that dog, and well, he’s very busy at the moment…”

Janus grabbed her by the shoulders, “What do you know of Underworld business?”

Her eyes widened, and she tried to take a step back, “I…ah…well…I mean … I do eat the flesh of the newest Underworld Residents, and there have been a lot…more than usual…in fact,” she relaxed into him and licked her lips. Her voice came out like honey as she swayed from side to side with a seductive grin, “Haven’t you noticed I’m a bit softer and more padded than usual? Come on. Forget Hades. Let’s focus on us.”

Janus almost smiled at her. She was enthralling, but he narrowed his eyes. She was also deceptive by nature. And he knew two faces better than anyone. “Naribelle,” he said. His voice was tight, “Anything you want to tell me?”

She flashed her most sensual smile and purred, “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I mean, it’s so nice here, and it was just for a little while longer…”

“Nari, darling,” Janus said, “What have you done?”

 “Jan, it was just for a bit…Hades…he said…” Nari wiggled free and inched backward, “Well, when he showed up last week to tell us it was over, I panicked. I wasn’t ready to go, and I knew you’d be out of here lickety-split, so I … made a deal…”

“You WHAT?” Janus ran a hand through his hair. His composed systematic face swirled, nearing madness, and he paced the room, “You made a deal with the God of the Underworld?!?!” 

“Jan,” she was at his side, pulling at his lapel, “please, it…I…I…just…”

“Let me be,” He pulled her hands loose and walked away to gather his thoughts. What had she done? A deal with the devil? Was this his existence from here on out? His face toiled and turned as his insides shifted and the anger mounted. Control was slipping.  

As he spun around, rage surged through him. Fire and eruption filled his vision, except for the center.  And there, at the heart of it all, was her. Shrouded and cloaked in lies and deception. All of it was surrounded by cold and nothingness. Good gods, the fucking cold.

He snapped.

He stumbled toward her, bleary-eyed and irrational, with his arms outstretched. If he just strangled her, closed off her windpipe, silenced her, shut her up, then this would all be over. “Oh Nari…what have you done?” He cried, “Why???”

“Janny, you…you don’t know what you’re doing. You’re… you’re…this isn’t you,” she stumbled backward as he closed in, “Hades! Heeellllp…Haaades! NOW!”

A swirling dark cloud erupted in the center of the room. As Hades landed in front of them with his three-headed dog in tow, a coolness blanketed the air, calming the fury. For a brief moment.

Janus stood, stilled to his core, and gulped.

Nari squealed and took cover.

“Hey … guys…looks like I’m interrupting a lovers’ spat, but you did call,” Hades grinned at Naribelle, taking a slurp of his margarita. He pushed his sunglasses atop his head, looked around, and cleared his throat, “The place looks good. Glad to see you’re settling in.”

“Settling in?” Fury swirled within Janus again, and he ran a rough hand through his hair. Disheveled and wild-eyed, his body hummed, and he teetered on the edge of an explosion.

Hades raised a questioning eyebrow and patted the middle head of his three-headed dog.

Janus paused, taking in the scene before him. He sighed, “Um, were you at the Tiki Hut in Florida? My hut?”

“Indeed, I was. Thank you for the introduction. Great place and you’re right, the best margaritas,” Hades smiled, “So what’s up?”

To Be Continued