The Dark King by Jordan Summers Read Free Book Online Page B

water on his face and gazed into the image reflector. Water dripped from his permanently broken nose to his chin, down the side of his scarred jaw. His blue eyes seemed to glow with a red ring surrounding them, despite the fact that he'd shackled his beast. He gripped the side of the basin and sneered. The action twisted the scar, making him appear even more menacing.
    He grinned at his reflection and noticed that his teeth seemed sharper than normal. Hades ran his tongue over his incisors, nicking it on the deadly tips. Blood filled his mouth. He spit it out and shoved away from the basin in disgust.
    Despite the temptation Taylor presented, he didn't have time for distractions. If Opal was correct, and he had no doubt that she was, Perseus wouldn't wait much longer to make his move. Hades snarled in frustration. He hadn't had many challenges for his throne, but the number seemed to be growing lately even though he was a fair ruler and took good care of his people.
    He scrubbed a hand through his tawny hair. Phantoms were different from the genteel Atlanteans. Their beasts rode them hard to establish supremacy. They were alpha by nature, but there could be only one ruler. His father had ruled for years over the Phantom people. He was well respected and had established a treaty bond with the previous Atlantean King. That bond had kept peace within their kingdoms and remained until both rulers were killed during the last war.
    Hades hadn't bothered to establish a treaty with the old King's son in New Atlantis. Forging a new treaty bond was on a very long list of things he needed to get done. If he were honest with himself, Hades might acknowledge that he'd put the treaty off. Not because he intended to start a war with the Atlanteans, far from it, but because he didn't like how the Atlantean people treated him when he began his reign.
    His mixed blood had caused more than a few whispers among the royal lines. None attributed directly to King Eros, but dissension was dissension. Whether the Atlanteans and the Phantoms liked it or not, he was his parents' only child, only heir. That meant Half-being or not, sooner or later everyone had to deal with the Dark King.
    The severed bond with the Atlanteans was the main reason Hades was having so much trouble now, but it wasn't the only reason. There was the little matter of him having no mate. Phantoms didn't trust mateless leaders. He understood that better than most, but he wasn't going to change his mind. Taylor was right about that, too. He was stubborn.
    Hades was determined to remain unattached. He didn't want any child to have to go through what he'd gone through growing up. The constant ridicule and fights had nearly destroyed him. Any child of his would be subjected to the same things or worse. He would not, could not in good conscience do that to his heir, to his child.
    Despite his perceived 'handicaps', Hades was a capable Phantom Warrior. Only two things betrayed him from passing for anything other than a Phantom: The fact that he didn't heal as quickly and his mother's blue eyes. That same Atlantean blue stared back at him every time he looked into the image reflector.
    Hades walked back into his chamber and pressed a button on the wall. His wardrobe shot opened. He gazed at his clothing, trying to decide what to wear. Normally on Pit nights, he dressed for combat, but for some reason tonight was different.
    His mind wandered to Taylor. Had she bathed yet? The thought of her naked body, splashing in the water caused him to tense. Had she danced that way? Dripping, gliding through the water like a Zaronian Goddess. Or had she always performed on dry land? Both would be stunning to see.
    He'd had a very special wardrobe put in her room after they'd been introduced. Would she wear the revealing outfit tonight? Or would she balk at the Phantom attire? Given what she did for a living, he hoped she would think nothing of the choice of clothing.
    Hades could almost picture