Shaping Fate by Kayla Payeur Read Free Book Online Page B

her, but I didn’t think you’d go and mate with the girl.”  Hypnos, younger twin of Thane, God of Sleep and father of Dreams walked out of the crowd. The only difference between the brothers was a thick, ragged scar that ran from Hypnos’s hairline down to his chin.
    “ When I stopped Helios’s beating of her, I figured the only safe place to send her would be where the sun couldn’t reach. Of course, those dreams I sent her on behalf of the Fates may have had something to do with you two being destined to be together, but you’ll have to ask Atty about that one.” Hypnos grinned as he divulged the truth about the last missing fact in Ria’s life.
    “ Ria, Love?” Thane asked, realizing that sometime in the last few minutes they’d both returned to their humanoid forms.
    “ Hmmm?” Ria asked absently, refusing to look at him.
    Knowing he’d have to get it out fast if he was going to say it in front of so many people, many of whom he’d never given a thought to knowing, he let the words crushing his heart tumble from his lips, “I love you. Will you…marry me?”  He had to force the last words out of his mouth because he’d caught a glare from Hades.
    “ Of course I will. It’s about time you asked me. I’d been wondering how to ask you the same question, actually.”  She smiled softly, joy shining from her eyes, “I love you, my Lord Death, and I don’t want to be anywhere else but in your arms.”

Epilogue
     
    Thane tugged nervously at his tie. The damned thing was choking the life out of him. Cursed sisters and their twisted ideas of propriety , he thought with a scowl. A stinging hand smacked his shoulder and he met Atty’s glare with one of his own.
    “ Stop it. You’re making the walls shake. If one single decoration is ruined after all our hard work, I’m going to start weaving an army of fire ants into your ass’ future,” she said with a teasing glint in her serious eyes.
    “ Do that and the décor will get ruined more quickly. What the hell happened to the simple little wedding Ria and I wanted?” Thane asked, wincing at the whine in his voice. He sounded like a churlish kid being forced to do something against his will by nagging parents. Nothing could be further from the truth.
    “ I happened,” Hades stepped forward from leading his wife to her seat. “You’re taking my little girl from me. The least you can do is let me spoil her on her wedding day. Now, for a bit of friendly advice: hurt her, and the deepest, darkest, most torture filled cell in Tartaros will become your new home.”
    “ That was advice?”  Thane asked with a shudder. He knew exactly the things that went on in those cells.
    “ Advice. Warning. Promise. What’s the difference? Just don’t hurt my little girl,” Hades snapped as he moved away.
    Thanatos studied the temple he was being married in . It was his mother’s, The Halls of Night. Everything was in shades of black and starlight. The ceiling looked like a clear night sky with no moon to block the magnificence of the stars. The floor was polish onyx and the walls were obsidian mirrors. All to reflect the stars’ brightness.
    The room was filling up with guests , denizens of the Underworld mixed with Olympians and ambassadors from other Pantheons. This was a high profile wedding, what with Ria being a princess and Thane one of the oldest Gods in existence.
    Various Goddesses from the Pantheons stood around the corners of the room, each awaiting her turn to give the happy couple her blessing . Not that Thane needed or wanted them. They probably wouldn’t stick to his old and powerful ass anyway, but Hades had insisted.
    Chaos stood beside him to preside over the ceremony, she smiled at him warmly; her loving eyes eased his nervousness that threatened to shake the obsidian rafters.
    Music started playing and Hades returned to the room, a nervous Ria on his arm . Her black silk gown set off the various colors in her hair. She was so