Inescapably Hellbound Read online

  INESCAPABLY

  HELLBOUND

  A Spells That Bind novel by

  Cassandra Lawson

  Copyright ©2018 Cassandra Lawson

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover designed by J.N. Sheats

  Proofreading by Kendra’s Editing and Book Services

  This book is a work of fiction. All characters and events are creations of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental.

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by federal law enforcement agencies and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Also by Cassandra Lawson

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Chapter 85

  Chapter 86

  Chapter 87

  Chapter 88

  Chapter 89

  Chapter 90

  Chapter 91

  Chapter 92

  Chapter 93

  Chapter 94

  Chapter 95

  Chapter 96

  Chapter 97

  Chapter 98

  Chapter 99

  Chapter 100

  Chapter 101

  Chapter 102

  Chapter 103

  Author’s Note

  About the Author

  Also by Cassandra Lawson

  Love Without Batteries Series

  Dirty at 30

  Naughty at 30

  Sultry at 30

  Moon Virus Series

  Raven’s Blood

  Embrace the Heat

  Seducing Death

  Shattered Restraint

  Impulsive Destiny

  Untamed Winter

  Psy-Vamp Series

  Vampires and Vixens

  Safe Hex With a Vampire

  Vampires Prefer Blondes

  The Vampire Will See You Now

  Wanton with a Vampire

  Vampire in Geek’s Clothing

  Wicked Crazy Vampire Love

  Reckless Release Series

  Rocking Standby

  Rock & Regrets

  Spells That Bind Series

  Sinfully Spellbound

  Shamelessly Spellbound

  Seductively Spellbound

  Undeniably Hellbound

  Acknowledgments

  As always, I could not do this without my wonderful beta readers, April, Kari, Ria, and Yvonne. I also want to thank my daughters, Seramina and Jilliana for their faith in me and their patience when the characters from my books are demanding my attention. Finally, I want to thank Levenia for her constant support. Though her role with each book may not always be the same, she always has my back.

  Chapter 1

  Hades

  Stalking gets a bad name.

  That thought came to me as I stood on the balcony directly across from Persephone’s apartment. Most would accuse me of stalking her, which sounded bad. In my opinion, the word was the problem, not my actions. If I were to say I was admiring Persephone from afar, it wouldn’t sound nearly as bad. There was something poetic about admiring a beautiful woman from afar.

  That was it!

  If accused of stalking Persephone, I’d simply argue that I was admiring her from afar. Call it rebranding. It had worked when we’d started using the term demon realm instead of Hell. The tourist business had picked up with the new name. By rebranding stalking, I could make it sound much more acceptable.

  “What are you doing here?” Rainer demanded as he approached from the courtyard of the apartment complex.

  “Care to join me?” I asked. “Or should I shout my response?”

  With an exasperated sigh, he climbed up to the balcony to join me. It was an impressive climb in his fitted black suit. His brown hair was slicked back, bringing attention to his harsh features. Rainer always looked in need of a shave. There was a glint of silver in his brown eyes, letting me know his fallen angel power was close to the surface.

  “Well?” he prompted.

  Since he’d asked, I decided to test out my rebranding theory. “I’m admiring Persephone from afar.” It definitely sounded better than stalking. Poetic. Romantic. It didn’t sound at all crazy or obsessive.

  Based on Rainer’s exasperated sigh, he wasn’t nearly as impressed. “It’s called stalking.”

  I shook my head. “I’ve rebranded the activity. Now, it’s romantic.”

  A bark of laughter escaped Rainer’s lips before he could stop himself. “There’s nothing romantic about lurking in the shadows and trying to catch a glimpse of a woman through her window. What you’re doing is stalking, my friend.”

  I frowned because it always caught me off-guard when Rainer referred to me as his friend. My own siblings rarely associated with me, feeling they were superior. Very few fallen angels accepted me as one of them.

  “Fine,” I relented. “It’s stalking. You should try it with your witch.”

  “You might be right,” he muttered. “So, why are you standing on the balcony of someone’s apartment, watching Persephone’s window? I expected you to kidnap her as soon as you were released from your promise to Lucifer. Actually, I’m shocked you didn’t break your promise to Lucifer and abduct her before.”

  When I’d first met Persephone, that had been my intention. Like every other woman by that name, I’d wanted nothing more than to drag her off to Hell. I’m not proud of my
past actions, but I’d be lying if I said I felt any guilt about them. My curse hadn’t made me crazy in the beginning, but it doesn’t take a man long to lose his mind when he can’t find sexual release. The curse didn’t prevent me from getting it up. I’ve often wished that was my problem. I could get an erection, but I couldn’t come until I found the Persephone I was destined to fall in love with. No man can remain sane when he’s had blue balls for centuries.

  “Some days, it’s a struggle,” I admitted.

  He nodded his understanding. “I admire you, Hades.”

  “Admire me?” I scoffed. “I’m the last person anyone should admire. When I suggested you start stalking your witch, I was joking.” Not really, but it was a bad idea for Rainer to take my advice on relationships. “You don’t want to end up crazy like me.”

  Rainer opened his mouth to respond before shaking his head and laughing. “I was about to tell you that you aren’t crazy, but that’s not quite true. While I think you’re saner than you were six months ago, you’re still more than a little crazy. No sane person stands on a balcony, staring at an empty apartment.”

  “What makes you think it’s empty?” I asked. “I could have watched Persephone undress through the window before you got here.”

  “You’ve been too much of a gentleman lately for that,” Rainer teased, only he wasn’t joking.

  “A gentleman? No one has ever called me that.”

  “I’ve never seen you exercise this much restraint around a woman named Persephone,” Rainer told me.

  My eyes moved to her window. “She’s different from the others. Hell, she’s different from anyone I’ve ever known.”

  “I’ve never met anyone quite like Persephone,” Rainer agreed.

  “I didn’t watch her undress,” I admitted. “She’s not home yet. I generally watch to make sure she gets into her apartment safely. I can see her kitchen through that window, so some nights, I watch her eat dinner. Sometimes, I leave a bag of zellafruit on the front porch. She loves those.”

  I frowned when I realized how bad that sounded.

  Rainer placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. “This isn’t healthy. You need to spend some time with her. Find out if she’s the one for you. Watching her eat dinner through her window won’t help you. It’s also more than a little creepy.”

  “What are you doing up there?” Persephone demanded.

  Damn Rainer! He’d distracted me so I hadn’t noticed Persephone’s arrival. Usually, I slipped further into the shadows before she saw me. She stood below us, her beautiful red hair covered by the hood of her long blue jacket. Her green eyes were narrowed as she waited for a response.

  “Hades is making sure you’re safe,” Rainer answered for me with a smile. It was a good answer, better than anything I could have come up with.

  Persephone blew out a frustrated breath and muttered something about fallen angels being morons before she continued. “I wasn’t asking what Hades is doing here. He’s often here when I get home from work. What are you doing here, Rainer? It’s bad enough I have one fallen angel lurking on my neighbor’s balcony. I don’t need two of you up there. I’m sure the reason no one has complained yet is that Hades is quiet. Now, I have you up there chatting away. There will be no stalking parties. Am I making myself clear?”

  I didn’t smile often—I never had—but around Persephone, I was a different man. My face split into a wide grin. She amazed me, aroused me, and made me feel young.

  “I have no control over what Rainer does,” I insisted. “He’s stalking me.”

  Chapter 2

  Persephone

  Encouraging Hades’s behavior was a bad idea, but he was being incredibly adorable. Most wouldn’t consider him adorable, standing on the balcony, shirtless, with his large black wings out. He was a huge man, a few inches over six-feet tall with a powerful build. His long black hair was pulled back from his face, and his golden eyes were locked with mine as he regarded me with full, twitching lips. The giggle was past my lips before I could stop myself.

  “You seem to be the expert on stalking,” I replied. “I suppose you are the most qualified to tell me if Rainer is stalking you.”

  This wasn’t the first conversation I’d had with Hades while he watched me from the balcony. It seemed he would prefer that I pretend I didn’t notice him, but I’d often try to engage him in conversation. His responses were generally curt, so his playfulness surprised me. I was even more surprised when he leaped from the balcony, gracefully landing at my feet with his wings spread out.

  “Oh, my,” I uttered. His bare chest was close enough that I could reach out and run my hands along it. Hades was a very dangerous man—dangerously sexy.

  “I’m not stalking you,” Hades assured me in a voice that glided along my skin like a caress.

  “What are you doing?” If my voice was breathy when I asked that question, it was only to be expected.

  “Admiring you from afar,” he replied. “Doesn’t that sound better?”

  It sounded better than stalking, but I wasn’t happy about being admired from afar when I wanted Hades to admire me from much closer. Naked and closer would be my preference. It wasn’t easy biting back my moan. I needed to focus on something other than Hades naked or I’d end up giving my neighbors quite a show.

  “So, you’ve decided to rebrand stalking?” I asked, focusing on his choice of words. That seemed like a safe topic.

  “Exactly!” Hades agreed, looking pleased with my question.

  Rainer jumped down to join us. “Since it seems Hades isn’t about to toss you over his shoulder and kidnap you, I’ll go.”

  “The night’s still young,” Hades told him. “Maybe you should stick around in case my instincts kick in.”

  Rainer regarded him curiously while I regarded him with annoyance. It seemed Hades was determined to make sure we had a chaperone. I wanted to be alone with him. I missed him. We texted, but he rarely even spoke to me on the phone. The only times I saw him were when I caught him watching me from my neighbor’s balcony or when he stopped by to see Lucifer while I was visiting Beatrice. Those interactions were brief by his choosing.

  “Good night, Rainer,” I said with a bright smile. “Thank you for stopping by to check on Hades. I’m sure he appreciates your concern.”

  Hades snorted in response.

  Rainer chuckled. “I can tell I’m not wanted here. It was good seeing you, Persephone.”

  Normally, I’d worry about being rude, but not this time.

  When we were alone, I asked, “Would you like to come up for a drink? I’m about to fix dinner. I could make enough for two if you’re hungry.”

  Based on the longing look he cast at my apartment, I knew he wanted to say yes, but what he said was, “That’s probably a bad idea.”

  “Actually, it’s a good idea,” I argued. “It’s a very good idea. I’ve been reading up on fallen angels, and you need to eat and drink daily.”

  “You don’t say,” he replied with a laugh. “How do you do this?”

  “Do what?” I wasn’t sure what he was asking.

  “How do you make me feel so much joy just by being near me?” he clarified.

  “I don’t know. I have a question for you.” When he quirked an eyebrow, I continued, “If I bring you so much joy, why do you avoid me?”

  It was the wrong question. His features became guarded. At least, he didn’t lie and pretend he wasn’t avoiding me. He took a step back, like he was getting ready to leave, but I wasn’t having it. Taking a step forward, I grabbed two of his belt loops. He looked down at my fingers and then back up at me.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “I deserve an answer,” I replied. “You’re already thinking about running, and I’m not about to let that happen. Now, answer me.”

  “It’s safer,” was his quiet reply.

  “We are going to have to spend time together,” I insisted.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.
” He stepped closer, and our gazes locked. One large hand moved to my cheek, and I leaned into it. His touch made me shudder with desire. “You have no idea how dangerous I am.”

  “Yes,” I whispered, releasing his belt loops to slide my hands up to his shoulders. “I’m well aware of how dangerous you are. Please, stay.”

  He wanted to. I could see the longing in his eyes as he continued to stare down at me. His gaze moved to my mouth, and he leaned in closer. My eyes drifted shut as his lips hovered just above mine. I couldn’t believe he was finally going to kiss me. At least, that’s what I thought until I felt him pull away.

  “I can’t,” he told me. “You deserve more.”

  On those words, Hades took flight.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I grumbled as I stomped toward my apartment, so turned on I could feel my body pulsing with need. “If he doesn’t make a move soon, I may be the first Persephone to abduct Hades.”

  Chapter 3

  The Strategist

  “Now, this is interesting,” I remarked from my spot on the rooftop. I’d heard the rumors of Hades’s unusual behavior, but I hadn’t believed them. Hades actually appeared to care about the witch.

  I’d been on my way to visit Hades when I’d caught sight of him leaving Hell. Since he rarely went to the human realm, I’d been intrigued, so I’d decided to follow him. As I’d watched him hanging around a witch community, I’d come to the conclusion that he was waiting for the witch to return so he could kidnap her. I hadn’t expected his restraint or the strange way he watched the witch.

  “Why is he leaving?”

  Looking over at the idiot who’d spoken, I struggled with my self-control. I loathed involving Zeus in my plan, and I didn’t want to discuss Hades’s reasons with Zeus. I didn’t want to discuss anything with the addled old bastard, but I needed him. The situation seemed like a perfect opportunity to let Zeus believe he was contributing to the planning. He’d noticed Hades’s strange behavior, so it shouldn’t be hard to steer his thoughts in the right direction.

  “He seems to like her,” I stated. “Do you think we can use this to our advantage?” I pretended to ponder the idea as I waited for Zeus to see the obvious possibility.

  I waited.

  And waited some more.