Hades: Frozen Origins, #3

Frozen Origin 1

Zeus

Origin is the best in the field of DNA research, and they have finely tuned their craft. They started out with a line of supermen pulling all the best traits from the millions of human DNA samples they had available to them. These supermen were the smartest, fastest, strongest, and most adaptable the human race had to offer, but Origin wasn’t satisfied. When they expanded their facility in Antarctica, they discovered something that made the next level reachable. These were the gods, so far beyond the abilities of man that even with some of their gifts still undiscovered, they put the supermen to shame.

Origin managed to get by with enslaving the products of their research for years until they rented the talents of those products to terrorists that used them against the US and her allies. A team was sent to free them, and they were allowed to be an independent entity, free to rule themselves. They had much to overcome, and Origin wasn’t ready to give them up yet. Origin fought hard to recover their losses, but the gods fought harder to remain free especially once they realized that they could have a mate and children when they find the right woman.

Frozen Origin 2

Hermes

Hermes is captured by rogue Origin agents and meets his future mate under the worst possible conditions. He had hoped to mate a fierce warrior like Zeus did but is drawn to the timid mousy girl despite his wishes to the contrary. When she helps him escape, he begins to discover she isn’t anything like he thought her to be.

Origin continues to try to bring the gods back under their control and rogue agents with their own plans are added to the mix. The gods deal with the US military, spies in their midst, and are offered another captured Origin lab to use for their own needs. Zeus offers this to the demons, but Lu wants to think about it.

Several of the other gods suspect they’ve found their mates, but they aren’t sure yet. Some of them wonder if they’ll ever be truly free of Origin and if they’ll ever have the things that other people take for granted.

Prologue

The gods, those who a company named Origin had developed from the DNA of the best humans had to offer, combined with the DNA of a creature found in a cave in Antarctica that had special powers even the Origin scientists weren’t completely knowledgeable about, were now free and trying to find their place in a human world.

Zeus, Hermes, and even Darius had found mates, now the rest would follow. Hades had what might be the biggest struggle with his mate, but was it really a case of simple stupidity on his part? How had he overcome the drive to claim only his one true mate to bed another? Nioma, Doc’s lab assistant, was driven to find out. Doc refused to allow her to do so, but Doc was far away right now and in no position to interfere. Nioma wondered if she would discover that there was no sign of the changes mating caused in the male in Hades’ tests, or if someone had managed to use drugs to overrule the changes, which was Nioma’s theory.

Her scientist mind demanded to know, and she needed to know as a friend also since she cared for Doc as a sister might. Before Doc and Hades returned from their mission, she would have the answers that were needed, and she would answer the questions once and for all. Were Doc and Hades soul mates? If they were, why had he strayed when he was beginning to make progress in their relationship? Nioma put on her lab coat and pulled the samples she had drawn from Hades the day she had found out about the video of him with a female that was not his mate. If anything was funky, she would find it. She was that good.

Hades

Chapter 1

Welcome to the Jungle

A slap sounded echoing through the jungle causing animals to run and a silence to descend on them broken only by the buzzing of the mosquitos who refused to leave the bounteous source of blood they had found. Hades turned shooting the human soldiers who accompanied them on their mission a look that would freeze the blood of even his fellow gods. Doc shot him an irritated look from where she stood beside the handsome young Darven.

Hades pretended not to notice though it pained him that his mate so obviously preferred the young LT to him. He couldn’t blame her, when he fucked up, he did it all the way. Although he still expected her to act differently now that she was affianced to Marlin. He didn’t know if he was happy or sad that she seemed to show no loyalty to the man she planned to marry, but he was definitely surprised. Hades had expected more of her.

Her eyes bored into Hades back while he continued hacking a path for the others to follow, as if she wished them to burn holes there. She didn’t really know what she expected from him, the damage was done, and it couldn’t be undone. Doc couldn’t look at him without images from the video of him with that bitch Dee, flashing into her head. Oh, she tried to forget it, she wanted nothing more than to wipe it from her mind. She tried sleeping it away, drinking it away, and even fucking it away with other men, but it always returned, and she thought it always would.

She knew why she was here, or at least what they had told her. Origin ran a club where they whored out the gods, they kept there for whatever money they could make. Rumor was the club was quite successful. The gods kept in the club, the club which catered to rich lonely women, might be in need of medical help.

No one else was willing to go and Doc had been a soldier long before she’d become a doctor. She’d been breaking bones long before she’d been setting them, even as a medic, which she was before becoming a doctor. Thirty years old and so disillusioned by life she felt fifty. If they made it through this mission without her and Hades killing each other, she was taking a long vacation somewhere without the infernal heat and mosquitos.

Something buzzed past her and Darven, but it wasn’t a mosquito. It took her mind a second to catch up and she pushed Darven to the ground as another buzzed by. Someone was shooting at them and by now, Hades had everyone on the ground while he scanned the surroundings as well as anyone could under the circumstances. There were no sounds besides her breathing and that of the men around her. Even the insects seemed to be taking a break, that was when it hit her, the smell of burning wood. It was barely there, like a campfire put out some time ago. Somehow, they had run upon the camp of someone that didn’t want them around. Origin or not, she didn’t know, but right now they had declared themselves their enemy by shooting at them.

She watched him, she couldn’t help herself. He moved with the grace and strength of a predator, his body hard and muscled. Every move he made telegraphed the danger he represented to the enemy that had dared to challenge him. In seconds, he disappeared in the direction the shots continued to come from. She was pinned down for now and unable to do anymore than hunker down with the rest of the squad. With Hades stalking the enemy that threatened them, it would be foolish to take risks to try to run for cover. Unfortunately, one of the humans the military sent with them didn’t realize that. He broke for cover and was hit by a bullet.

Her training kicked in as she assessed what she could from where she was. The bullet had entered his lower back. The bleeding wasn’t bad, yet, but could get worse quickly. If it missed all the vital organs, it wouldn’t be serious, if it hit one, he might be dead before she got to him. Her mind made up, she began a slow crawl toward the bleeding soldier. No bullet whizzed through the air, had Hades stopped them? She moved faster getting to him then accessing her med kit from her pack. Doc gently rolled him over, thankfully it was a through and through. She wouldn’t have to dig for a bullet.

It looked like a minor nick to his liver, it would probably stop bleeding on its own, so she concentrated on stopping the wound itself from bleeding, disinfecting it, and the area around it. She first gave him a shot for pain and ended by packing and bandaging the wound. The biggest problem would be what to do with him now. They couldn’t get him out, so he had to go with them. He shouldn’t walk because that would stress the wound, so he had to be carried. That was going to slow them down once Hades took out the enemy now pinning them down and was ready to move on. She had no doubt Hades would do just that. If only she could have the same faith in him when it came to them.

When she was through, she noticed it was still quiet. Either the shooter had run, or Hades had taken him out. She looked up seeing Hades strutting back to her, the long stride and confident walk could be described no other way.

How is Driver? Hades asked.

Most of the military men were called by nicknames, his was the job he did the best. He was a top-notch driver. I can’t guarantee the wound isn’t worse than it appears without any equipment, but I feel confident saying with no straining, he should recover. He can’t walk without hurting his wound. Hades nodded walking away. Next, he sent two men over and who stood near her waiting for her instructions.

We need to make a stretcher to carry him on.

The two men found two long, thick wooden sticks, some vines, and she had a durable blanket in the med kit used for patients in shock, or those that needed warmed up for any reason. They used vines then fastened the blanket across the top using rope they carried in their packs to attach it. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

Hades called a brief meeting to inform all of them about what was going on. I took out two men that were shooting at us. I think we’re getting close to the club, and they are guards that work the perimeter. If they radioed in about us, I don’t know, but they will be alerted before long, so this is what we’ll do. He took a moment to look each person in the eye before he continued. Driver is out of commission and there’s no point in moving him forward. Dewey and Kicker will carry him back to the landing zone, if they arrive before we do, they’ll wait for us. The rest of us will continue on to the club as fast as we can.

Dewey and Kicker moaned, but they were the two slowest on the team. The team would move faster without the two of them. Hades had also considered that Kicker was a sniper so if they got pinned, he’d be able to protect them. Dewey had medic training and both he and Kicker had extreme survival training which also helped. Both were strong enough to carry a heavy load and make it back slow, but steady. He had made good choices, but now they had all better move out quickly if they wanted any hope of completing the mission.

The club, called the Lonely Woman’s Club officially, had to be close now. They needed to push hard to get there as soon as possible, or they might find it packed up and empty once they arrived. This heat was stifling, but they pushed on with their clothing wet from sweat. Doc wasn’t a complainer, she sucked it up and moved on trying to keep an eye out for any more attacks as she moved. She tried not to, but her eyes moved to Hades’ back and yes, to his ass, constantly. Was he her one true soul mate? He certainly had the looks that could drive any woman to distraction. Hades was the tallest and strongest male in this group of tough soldiers.

They stopped for a brief break so they could grab a trail bar, take a drink, and they all watched Hades consult a map and recheck the Intel he had for the mission. He waved his hand letting them know break was over. She hoped the club was nearby, not just because she was tired, which she was, but the quicker they got to it, the more likely they would free the gods held captive. Right now, they were trekking through a jungle that didn’t look like modern man had ever stepped foot here. She knew that was just an illusion, but it was a damn good one. It didn’t daunt them since they knew the club was a self-contained facility unreachable by any roads. Clients were flown in to visit for however long they chose to stay.

No one really knew exactly how the facility was kept up, they assumed a water treatment plant was on site and other needs were met by flying in the products needed. Origin needed locations that weren’t easily accessible, the more remote the better since most of their leaders were being hunted. Unfortunately, Origin going to ground made it harder for the gods to find their missing brothers or the demons still unaccounted for.

A particularly large mosquito landed on her arm causing her to shake it then finally to use her hand to push it off. She looked where Hades was just turning away, she would have sworn he was smiling. He didn’t look as miserable as the rest of them, he was probably enjoying the fact that the mosquitos who were feeding off the rest of them didn’t seem to enjoy the taste of his blood. Damn him to hell, anyway. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him and looking his way?

Two more hours of trudging through the forest before Hades called a halt. She knew they were close, he would send a couple scouts ahead to see what they were heading into. Doc was there to help with medical needs, he also had a computer specialist, and some personnel that had little training in fighting that he needed to protect. They would be held back until the facility was taken, then he would bring them in to do what they needed done.

Monroe and Heftner slipped out of camp in the direction they had all been heading after they spoke to Hades. Doc figured they would scout everything out and come back with recommendations. Accomplishing this mission wouldn’t come a moment too soon. This had to be one of the most miserable places on Earth which was why Origin had chosen it. Olympus was too cold, this place was too hot, and maybe they could find where their facilities were just by finding the places people didn’t want to go. It was something to think about. Doc would bet they had a desert location and maybe an overwhelmingly wet location like a swamp. A shudder ran through her as she thought about swamps which were even worse in her mind than jungles, even if barely so.

Guards were on duty, so she pulled out her mat, a convenience most of the soldiers had decided to forego. She picked a level area in the middle of the group since the noise they made was easier to put up with than a snake or a bug crawling on her. Doc put her head on her hands and was asleep in seconds. A low insistent voice woke her what seemed like seconds later. It was Hades, he was rubbing her shoulder sending delicious tingles down her arm that settled lower in that needy place between her thighs. How could this man, this god, still make her heart flutter and her panties get damp after all that had happened between them?

She looked up into his olive colored eyes, they glowed with the strong emotions he felt. Doc knew it was the need to mate that was reflected there. The need to mate with him she felt as well, but it wasn’t as strong as it had been before she had felt betrayed. It was a case of her mind overruling the needs of her body and the pull of her heart. As a woman, she felt like such a sap, her heart wanted to give him another chance while her body just wanted him. If not for her clear-thinking mind that refused to be overwhelmed by emotions or needs, she would be in his arms right now, drawn by the mindless desire. Her brain refused to submit no matter how much she wanted, needed to. Sometimes having such a strong will was hard to live with. This was one of those times.

We’re moving out, Doc. Let me help you pack back up, Hades said as he took her arm and helped her up. He grabbed her mat rolling it effortlessly then handing it to her so she could attach it to the top of her backpack.

The others were still scrambling about packing up, drinking, and finishing off their meal as she moved into position to follow the path to their destination. She was strong and she would stand firm no matter how unfulfilling it felt. Doc took a deep breath, damn, he’d been out in the jungle with them, but still he had a musky masculine scent that drew her in. The rest of the men just smelled of sweat and jungle which made her keep her distance. Nothing seemed to make him less attractive to her regardless of the circumstances.

Hades put them in line, fighters first, support teams last. He had her at the very end of the line where she would be protected more than anyone. She looked at him, he had removed his shirt and sweat slicked his hard muscles making her hand itch to touch him. He looked wicked, made just to draw her into a hot, wet dream of utter fulfillment. Her eyes traveled up where they were caught and held by his glowing olive ones. Her lips parted in a pant as heat shot throughout her body. Her eyes broke free and moved down to the steely length that seemed to grow until it stretched upward to his belly. He couldn’t hide his desire, it was there for all to see.

OMG! That thing is huge. Would it even fit? Her mind kicked in telling her she would never know. He wasn’t the one for her, not