Lexi's Fate

~4~

Melinoe was shrouded from head to toe in black, her usual attire. It made her look sinister, like she should be holding a scythe, but Lexi knew Melinoe was beautiful beneath the gothic wardrobe. All gods possessed attractive qualities, and these were apparent even through Melinoe's veil. 

The glow of her ivory skin, her lustrous black hair, the dark eyes heavily lined with kohl. The goddess of nightmares captivated all who looked upon her. Yet, as far as Lexi knew, beauty was the only trait Melinoe shared with her mother, Persephone. While her moodiness had surely come from Zeus, the father who refused to claim her.

"You two seem to be enjoying each other's company," Melinoe said as she stepped onto the bridge. Her veil failed to hide her scowl as she approached, and Lexi felt the air crackle with negative energy, lifting the hairs on her arms. Proof that the goddess had seen what they were up to. "Please, don't let me interrupt."

Making no attempt to slow her pace, Melinoe swept past, treating them like annoying apparitions, and Hades shook his head as if he had expected her bad behavior. Lexi was starting to expect it, too. Even Cerberus offered a look of distaste from one of his heads. Blythe, on the other hand, hurried to greet Melinoe with an animated wave. The nymphs, being perpetually happy, never seemed to notice Melinoe's depressing personality, or at least they never talked about it.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the table had been staged to impress. Lexi knew this was the nymphs' attempt to make her feel at home, and she loved them for it. They had set out a wicker cornucopia spilling over with pomegranates, the wine goblets were diamond cut glass trimmed in silver, and maple leaves decorated the plates.

On both ends of the table, two wrought iron candelabras stood like gnarled trees, topped with black candles across the limbs. They were beautiful in a macabre sort of way, but Lexi blanched when she noticed the red tablecloth, which featured centaurs and minotaurs engaged in a bloodthirsty battle. This was surely done to appease Melinoe's morbid taste, although she seemed unimpressed as she reached, single-mindedly, for a carafe of wine and dropped into her chair.

"I suppose you two are excited about your visit to the land of the mortals," she said as she filled her glass. "Who's invited? I might have to join you if Ares is planning to attend."

"It is not that kind of a visit, Melinoe," Hades said. "Thanksgiving is a family holiday celebrated in a specific region. I doubt Ares would find an interest in it, although I am certain Z will be there. So, if you want to see a fight..."

Lexi slapped Hades's arm playfully, avoiding Blythe as she ladled soup into their bowls.

"I have no interest in family gatherings," Melinoe said. "If anything of importance happens, I will have Kade fill me in." Her black eyes darted across the table, forcing Lexi to quickly recall the information she knew about Kade, the son Hades shared with Melinoe.

Lexi had not been introduced to any of Hades's offspring yet, but she knew Melinoe had given birth to two of them, a boy and a girl. The girl, Kylie, hated her mother and had escaped to Olympus to get away from her. The boy, Kade, was your typical cocky god who moved away to find more goddesses to screw. This was Hecate's rendition of the story, so Lexi took it with a grain of salt.

"Kade will be at my parent's house for Thanksgiving?" Lexi said. "When were you planning to tell me this, Hades?" She attempted to look more inquisitive than accusatory. She knew Hades didn't like sharing his long and polygamous history with her.

"Today?" Hades's golden eyes sparkled as he blinked them innocently. The rogue.

Melinoe abandoned the wine in her goblet to chuckle. "I am sorry if I spoiled the surprise. Hades thought it would be best to introduce you to our delinquent son on your own turf, so to speak."