Atrum Votum

[Hades Styx]

The dusk lay over New Zealand like a blanket onto a child, soothing it in warmth and comforting it so that no dark presences could disturb the young soul while it slept soundly through the night. However, this was not so when a creature that lurked around in the shadows, someone that was as dark and disturbed as Hades Lutrov. He had put his children that he had retrieved from Hollace and the others safe as they were sleeping soundly in the Zhefarovich Manor while he was on his own missions to obtain and claim Anastasia Katsaros. Since their last encounters, things have been going quite well. That silver band around his left index finger had never left, as a reminder of when he had taken her while she was walking down the street and 'married' them in a false marriage. He would have never done that to someone, because someone had done that to him, but it would not hurt to see how it felt to be in control. Hades liked it, but it was not real, and something inside him wanted to feel what it was like to be in a dark marriage, and with someone like Anastasia. No, Hades did not love her, but he wanted to experiment with feelings and emotions, tie them together and see what it would be like. Would it be a murderous marriage where they would attempt to kill each other, a lustful marriage where they could barely be apart, or a boring marriage that seemed to be in most people's minds now? Hades did not believe in a true love marriage, even if his father had managed to find it.

The Death Eater had every intention to have Anastasia be his somehow, in one way or another. If he could not have her, no one would. He would kill any man that would dare lay a finger on her, and he would slaughter her in the end. Hades was beyond obsessed. He had never felt like this to anyone, and he would not stop until he was laid to rest or she became his. Hades thought that he was like this to Hollace but all he wanted to do was destroy her after she forced them into a marriage. The fun was over after that, and now, Hades had found a new vessel, a new woman that could handle the darkness and embrace it. If he could get her to fully embrace the evil that he could offer her, then there was no turning back. It was either be his or die. Hades would travel far and wide, and keep an eye on her. Maybe that was why he was jumping from Asia to Europe to New Zealand, being nothing but a shadow to everyone he had come across just to keep an eye on Anastasia. Anastasia held something that no other being could hold that was not Kalif or Asparuh Zhefarovich III, and that was the power to control him through a touch. The electricity that flowing into his skin from where her fingers rested was enough to bring him down on his knees, and he was taught to conquer the weakness. However, he always thought that conquering the weakness was destroying it, but he was thinking outside of the box tonight. He was seeing things for the first time. He needed to have his weakness be apart of him, and gain control over it, rather than to simply destroy it.

Could Hades ever kill Anastasia? If she had made him blind with rage, perhaps. He would have her, and he was determined for that. He had actually gone on a date with her once, and that was enjoyable. A decapitation of a muggle was the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae. That was a while back, and it was time for another visit. Only this was a little different than just leaving notes in her store saying things like "I am watching you" or "Check on our daughter". Anastasia was five months pregnant now, and Hades was enjoying every second of watching her, and seeing her with his spawn. Surely she could feel the power and the darkness from holding a spawn such as his. A pure-blood daughter, one that would be born to greatness. Surely his ancestors were smiling down upon them now. If there were to be a new law where the Head of the Zhefarovich family and the Patriarch should approve of a marriage in the family, Hades was positive that there would be definitely approval of Hades taking Anastasia in. This was why he was here at the dusk of time, in New Zealand, keeping to the shadows where his body was concealed by the sunlight that flowed into the bedroom belonging to the woman that held the electricity that could tame a wild man such as himself. Hades waited in silence, something he was used to being nowadays, as the sun slowly said its goodbyes to the world and sank below the horizon.

Under the blankets of the large bed that rested in the bedroom was the outline of Anastasia Katsaros. Her hair flowed and her eyes were closed. Her breathing seemed a little shallow, but it was normal for someone sleeping, was it not? Hades stepped out of the shadows, his trenchcoat flowing against his legs and encasing his own body in a dark figure that would normally creep out someone that was not used to seeing someone like Hades in his or her bedroom. He slowly approached her sleeping figure, and stood by her bed. She had been sleeping for some time now. He had been in the shadows of her shop for hours, only popping out to ensure that his own children were safely tucked in for the night. He had been watching her the entire time while she slept, and it was eerie to say the least. Hades had done this on more than one occasion, of course. His fingers traced the barrier between her skin and his own, and the body part he was touching was her thighs. It was hard to tell what sort of relationship they had. Hades was to the point of obsessing over her to slaughtering any male that would stare at her, and would not stop pursuing her until she was his, but how did she feel about him? This was something interesting, and he wanted to find out. Perhaps when she awakens, she could inform him, so that he could predict how to treat the next few months. Nothing would stop him from pursuing her, no. But he might be interesting in a few heads rolling if she wanted to get out and date a few men. They would not be calling her back unless they held onto life and became a ghost. Anastasia might be expecting his arrival tonight. He had not warned her precisely, but maybe she knew that he was always...watching her. Hades' white lips curled into a smirk as he thought of this. All that was left now was to see her reaction when she woke up.

 

[Anastasia Katsaros]

Anastasia had never been one to be up with the sun and it would seem her daughter took this to even more of an extreme. While the little girl wasn’t even ready to leave the depths of her mothers womb yet the little leech was already keeping her up at night, even when she wanted to sleep. Though granted most of her business wasn’t until the later hours of the evening anyways. Her store had no set closing hours as she opened it whenever she pleased and closed it when she couldn’t be arsed to deal with customers anymore. On that day the little girl inside of her was aching to sleep around noon and Anastasia had long since quit trying to fight the little devil on her schedule. Unlike that of her pale lover stalker, Anastasia had not kept the delicate silver ring on her finger. It was tucked away securely in a jewelry box though she always knew when Hades had been there, even without a note because it had always returned to her olive ring finger. So when the sun was still high in the sky, casting it’s balmy summer rays down onto the people of Auckland Anastasia was slipping out of her clothing into a small nightgown, so light as to not smother her with heat while she slumbered before crawling under the thick comforter and slowly dozing off into a dreamless sleep, completely unaware as to what... or who would be in her room a mere few hours later, watching and waiting for her to rouse from sleep with the rising of the moon, the only sounds heard were the ticking of the clock and incomprehensible mumbling from the sleeping murderess.

The next few hours passed without much activity. Nobody came to the closed store looking for products of an extremely dark nature, the child in her womb had not woken her up for any of the hellish side effects that came along with hosting a parasite for nine or so months and though there were a few small drops of sweat on her forehead, the charm put on the room to regulate it to her needs was soon kicking in properly again, letting her sleep peacefully through the afternoon, suspended in a black cloud of nothingness, the slow steady beating of her heart pounding in her eardrums. Though she would not remember a bit of it when she awoke that evening, as the sun began to sink behind the horizon another vision came into her mind. The sharp contrast of white on black and two eyes piercing into her very soul. There was the loud call of a raven, the sharp wail of an infants crying and a vision of the wedding ring Hades had forced upon her finger striking her like lightening, causing her to wince slightly in reality though she did remain completely unconscious. While even she knew it wasn’t Hades that made her fear her situation so, she hated the fact that despite her steadfast decision to live life alone she had managed to get herself so entangled with this man, the man who had tried to claim her as his own. A decision she was actually quite offended by, she was not property to anybody but for now she kept quiet, he was for the most part letting her be, which was how she liked it.

Anastasia honestly had nothing against Hades, really she enjoyed his company when she had been in it willingly and the two had a surprisingly had a fair bit in common, even if both of them seemed a bit off tilt at times. He had the same blood thirst she did, despite her wishes her heart beat just a bit faster every time she took in that amazing form of his, he was an absolute god between the sheets, and a pureblood to boot. If anything Anastasia had managed to stumbled into a guy almost tailor made for her personally, if only he hadn’t wanted a child from her she would be a bit more willing to go along with his mock marriage but the idea of marriage in general was one that Anastasia did not want to delve into. She barely knew of the word commitment and this time with Hades was the longest time she had stayed with one man. Despite Hades’s almost constant watch on her she had managed to lure two other men into her bed, concealing her stomach with a charm. But they seemed to go ‘missing’ not even hours later. She stopped trying after the second one, not because she feared for their safety but because it was almost as if the only man who could truly satisfy her from that point on was the demon in the dark, eyes always on her. But these visions faded out of her sight and out of her memory as she slipped back into the world of the living, her eyes opening to a nearly pitch black room.

Her chocolate eyes fluttered frantically for a few moments as her vision tried to adjust itself the best it could to its new darkened environment. Letting out a small yawn she lifted herself up from the bed, quilt sliding off of her torso to reveal the full extent of her rather large baby bump. She stretched a bit before she noticed something was off, her senses weren’t as keen when she was waking up but she felt something on her thigh and immediately looked down at the source, it was a hand. Ghostly white, arm swathed in a raven black sleeve, a hand she knew too well. The hand of the man who stalked and wooed(?) her over the past few months, ever since that November night that had changed her life forever. Her eyes grazed over the hand, following the arm, up to her lovers face, only to find his eyes boring directly into hers. Her pupils dilated in surprise for a moment before she regained her composure. “So we meet again Hades.” She told him, a cold edge to her voice as she laid her hand near his.

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades was never a good man to start with when it came to relationships. This was a first one that he had been seeking out rather than vise versa. She would not force him under any life time changing situations, and he would not do that very thing to her. She meant too much. Even before, having her as a vessel, he would have taken the child away and she would have pretended that it would have never happened again. However, things change, and somehow, the whole ‘vessel’ connive fell through like a bridge in a hurricane. Hades was thankful that she had no set hours on her store, yet it had always confused him on when it was going to open or close, and when he should and should not be here to check on his own young ones. They were in a place that his ex-wife could not reach, and where she had gone, he did not know. Heather and Holden were safe from her, and she could not come around them until she slay her own brother and became a Death Eater. The mark would give them one thing in common other than the children they had together. However, he kept his vows, saying that he would live her alone and let her live a happy life without the burden of him any longer. And that he had. It was the least he could do after all. Hades was a compassionate man, in a sick, twisted and dark manner that only someone like him could see it and act upon it. Maybe that was how linked he and his half-sister of non-Zhefarovich blood were bonded, but he had yet to seek her out. He was too busy with Anastasia, and keeping those men from her.

The task was exuberance, killing those two men and watching the blood seep from their bodies. Hades had the first man by the throat when he had departed from Anastasia, and he had apparated him to Russia, and literally had the man’s body parts in as many districts of Russia that he could cover in a few hours time. There was no possible way to identify him, as Hades has kept the skull, cleaned and polished for his own warped enjoyment. The second man was the funniest however. Hades could remember him screaming in fear as Hades pursued him until the man collapsed from exhaustion. Hades had taken from the sidewalks, and did a long round of tortures upon the man. He had taken him to the Zhefarovich Manor, where his unidentifiable corpse would lay in rest on the bones and bodies of others over the past three centuries. Hades made sure to run background checks on them later, and neither was of importance to the world. They would not be missed, and he was almost hoping for a third victim to play with but Anastasia had gotten smarter, and stopped. Hades was well-pleased with the woman that haunted his mind constantly. He was pleased that he had chosen such a good vessel for his child. Hades was very pleased with the fact that she was like him. A woman made perfectly for him. It was far too good to ignore. Hades had to have it, and he could not stop once he was interested in something. Hades needed to treat her like a human and not a valuable, but she was both. Hades was simply…insane.

She had awakened, and he stared down into her opened eyes. Slowly, he took her hand into his, doing his best to ignore the sensual touch from flesh to flesh contact. He bowed his head to her, and he softly kissed the back of her hand, as if she were a goddess. Hades purred, “Face to face, once again.” It was not often that Hades decided to emerge from the shadows and approach such a fine specimen like Anastasia Katsaros. However, when he did, there was some reason behind it. This time, he had no reason. He wanted to hear her voice, to touch her, to distract him from wanting to do the improbable and the madness of marriage. Why was this always in his mind? Seeing them at the altar, drinking the blood of the other, and having the dark marriage that would remain in the minds of the Zhefarovich’s for all of eternity? It would not be as memorable as Asparuh and Danielle’s wedding, or quite as large, but he could still see it. These thoughts were secret however. Gently, he set her hand back upon the bed, and he allowed his eyes to gaze over her figure once before he stared at her once more. He had not gone the extreme and binding her once again, and he had not taken her against her will to his own place. Hades had been a well-behaved stalker, so to speak. “I do hope you are not expecting company,” Hades stated, yet he had a subtle smirk on his lips. If she had, he did not mind. Just another victim to experiment and play with.

Hades still remained fixed on the fact that if he could not have her, no one else would. Hades had yet to research on her family, or even come across them. That was something to do in the future, look into her family and see how they are and if they possess that touch that she had on him. If so, it was a family trait, and he might let Anastasia live in a life where it did not contain Hades. However, he was not fond of that idea when it crossed his mind. He wanted to be there, whether or not it was in person or watching her every second of every day. Hades inquired, “How is our daughter coming along?” Five months now, and just had four more to go. What would become of the two Death Eaters? The little girl, Hades was looking forward to meeting. After watching Anastasia after some time, Hades admired the glow she had about her while she was pregnant. She looked just as murderous as before, and she looked feral almost, and it was attractive still. Some men were repulsed by a pregnant lady, but Hades was the opposite. He admired them, admired that they could hold the next generation of greatness. That is what Anastasia held right now, another baby destined for greatness. A pure-blood at that, one that reigned with powerful blood. A beautiful combination indeed. Hades was almost honored to have fathered that child, but he was more or less going to be even more contented when he could have Anastasia to himself, and never to let anyone else have her except him. He had chosen her, and that mystified him.

 

[Anastasia Katsaros]

While Hades may have not been a good man in relationships Anastasia was far from a good woman within them. She did not believe in chasing a man and any man truly worth her time would come after her and if they chose not to, well then their loss. She had not really any serious relationships. More flings of different lengths, the longest being about three years in her mid twenties, not too long before all of this had occurred. Though both had had numerous lovers on the side in the mean time, merely fun. He was a mixed blood and as such had she been impregnated and it last to term the child would have been killed. Mixed bloods were generally fine but she wanted any of her own genes passed down to be completely free of the tainted muggle blood that cursed this earth. Some would say her lifestyle was empty and unsatisfying but Anastasia had always felt exactly the opposite, living alone left her free to do whatever, whenever… within reason. Her brother lived much the same way, still alone at 30, though if he was as… active as his little sister she did not, and would prefer not to know. All of that nearly carefree lifestyle came crashing down around her the second she found out she was pregnant, even more so when it seemed this one would be sticking around, though as the complications like pains arose it was clear it was a miracle she did. Her bump was rather small for five months but compared to her once nearly concave stomach it was a large change. Though this made it clear that it was only one, thank lord. Hades once told her multiples ran in his blood, and she herself had had a pair of twin brothers. One was bad enough; two would have been murder.

Anastasias experiences with other men over the past few months had been far from satisfying. She had went out on a couple dates and brought two of the men home with her. Both times the men had seemed like promising prospects; tall, muscular, the skin of a golden god, and as she had found out later on as the evenings ticked by; very well endowed. But despite all of this and any spark they had had, it was absolutely nothing to her and she was always left extremely frustrated. She honestly didn’t care what had happened to either after though from some clues in the notes she found constantly from her ghostly stalker, she had a pretty good idea of how their lives were about now; nonexistent. But no matter, neither of them had been anything to her anyways other than a failed attempt at pleasure. Something only the man in black known as Hades Lutrov seemed to be able to give her anymore. She was actually more disappointed at the fact that she couldn’t have been there to witness the murders herself. Something about the way Hades killed was mesmerizing, it was liking watching an amazing show. When they killed together it was almost as good as sex, they made an excellent pair and their child would be one mighty force to reckon with as she aged. The pair really would be perfect if not for a few fatal flaws, One of the biggest ones being Hades’ odd obsession with marriage, something Anastasia wanted to stay far away from.

Her chocolate orbs locked into the piercing chunks of Onyx Hades called his eyes, the feeling of having her mind probed into was once again prominent as he stared down at her, moving to take her hand in his before raising the olive appendage to his own nearly white lips. The contrast was nothing short of beautiful, in a strange sort of way. Though she hated the little leech she would soon call her daughter, in that moment she couldn’t help but wonder which of them the young one would look like. Would she have the startling grace, silence, and mystique of her father or the vibrant, Greek seductress look of her mother? Either way there was one thing that was certain, this child; if it made it into the world, would be death on legs as she grew and learned. That was the first moment Anastasia didn’t feel complete dread from this situation, Hades had agreed to care for it and Anastasia wouldn’t mind having an heir or heiress to pass on the line. She just didn’t want the responsibility of a child now or ever. She followed his eyes as they trailed up and down her body. Scanning what his eyes had already feasted upon multiple times in the past. As her hand was once again on the blanket she moved it closer to her body, letting her fingers glide over the soft blanket as she did so. Anastasia looked out of the window for a moment and raised an eyebrow at the moon high in the sky, what time was it?

But what was at the forefront of her mind was the nearly unbearable tingling sensations running through her body with just a touch of Hades’ hand on her own. She had no idea what caused this phenomena but she liked it immensely and it was a great deal of the reason that no matter how brief the meeting between the pair was they usually wound up consummating their… whatever you would call the relationship between the pair of death Eaters, a one night stand turned Father of her child turned stalker turned part time boyfriend? Anastasia honestly didn’t know and she couldn’t truly be bothered to try to figure it out, for the meantime she was just letting her life play out. After this child was out of her she hoped this would get easier. She could not stand being pregnant at all. At that moment she rested her hand on the small bump protruding from her abdomen, “ As usual, a small pain here and there but otherwise swimmingly.” She told him, as if the pains were not an alarming sign. They had been a constant but she had yet to show any other signs of losing the child, though this pregnancy was definitely considered high risk, probably another reason Hades had been keeping his eye on her. One muscle in her abdominal region stretched too far could end it for this child. “Over halfway through…” she told him, though he already knew. A small hint of relief ringing through her voice.

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades allowed his hand to travel over to Anastasia's as she felt her protruding stomach. It was hard enough to keep his hand upon hers as the electricity ran beneath his skin and into his blood. He wondered just what was the little girl doing. She was developing, but he wanted to know what part would she be working on right this second. He had given the world four children, one of pure-blood which was named after him and already proved to be just like him, and three mixed-blood children. The twins had yet to really prove themselves but Vritra is an interesting daughter indeed. She rarely spoke, but what she wanted was a family. Something that she may never receive with the way Hades behaved. Then again, he needed a mother, and he has one beneath his fingertips. All he needed to do was commit, and maybe he could start a little at a time. He glanced down at his trenchcoat as he removed his hand from hers, tired of feeling that feeling of electricity that could bring him down and she could manipulate him. Hades would hate for Anastasia to have multiples. It ran through his great-grandmother's side of the family, and he had one set of twins already. He did not need another set. If he wanted anymore children, he wanted them from one person, and that was Anastasia. He wanted to become something with her, and he wanted to bring her to the family. They would approve, and they would cherish his choice in this woman. A Death Eater, a pure-blood, and someone who was not inbred as far as he knew. Katsaros, it was a powerful name. He admired the family from afar, and now he was intertwining them into his own. He wanted nothing more but to share his blood with the Death Eater of the family.

Hades had watched the child develop, but it seemed a little off. She should be a little larger now. Perhaps she would be a small child. It had him worried, but he had faith in this child. She had their blood, both strong. She would live. Anastasia reminded him remarkably of Raisa Zhefarovich, hating the child inside her, but Anastasia had not gone to the extremes of attempting to have a miscarriage. Hades took a seat next to her on the bed, and he leaned over her, his arm supporting him on the other side of her body. He made sure not to apply too much pressure. He whispered, "What do you propose we name her? Considering I have given you this burden, I'll allow you the first pick." Hades' pale lips curled into a wicked smirk as he stared into her facial expressions. They were unique, and they haunted his mind from the moment he explored her body with his hands, with his eyes. He wondered if it was normal for her to feel pains this early. It concerned him a bit. Hades glanced down at her stomach and he glanced back into her eyes and the wheels started to turn. He wanted to take her somewhere, and he just thought of where. However, there would be one issue, he needed to introduce her as something to him. He needed to think of something he would say to them for her to him. He would not do the whole 'marriage' thing as that was just for his own sick amusement. I would not dare introduce her as my child's mother, thought Hades in his mind. Hades could introduce her as his new obsession to his parents, but not to the higher up legends of his family.

His onyx eyes searched her pools of brown, and he spoke, "I would like us to become more than a fling. There is something about you that I cannot ever let go. I will give you as much space as required, however, I do request that you no longer bring males into this home. Though it is not like they could satisfy you like I could. Whenever your needs arise, I will be there to satisfy you." Hades was practically asking Anastasia to be his lover. One could say a girlfriend, but this has surpassed that in maturity. Hades smirked and he continued, "Though if you want a kill and have a man come into your home, I will show you how to really kill a man. You might enjoy the tale of the first male you brought into this house. A body part, every five hundred square miles in Russia. His skull remains in my house." Hades chuckled darkly, yet it was also music as well. Dark, enchanting music. He had many talents with his voice. He could purr, he could speak and make it sound like the gods were singing, and he could use it to seduce a woman. However, he had not seduced a woman since he became so obsessed with Anastasia, there was no use to it. Hades could only have one woman, and that was her. Though he would not care if she could not have him. He was go as far as killing his own brother to ensure that she could seek out no male. He would dare Jaken however to seek out someone like Anastasia, just to give him more of a reason to make sure that he could not walk; with a limp or not. However, he had nothing against Jaken anymore. He had done the job.

Hades glanced down at her hands once more. He knew where they were, and he could keep up with her movements. She has not tried to fight him, but she seemed a little too tame to attempt to. Hades enjoyed that, a lot. He liked it when a woman like herself knew about the consequences. Yet, Hades would not harm her, for she was holding his daughter. Hades inquired, "How would you like to meet one of the original Death Eaters, face to face? Someone who has been around in the group since before we were born, someone who knew and spoke with the Dark Lord himself. As you are holding my child, he has every right to see if the child is worthy, or if it needs to be dealt with. I am sure that he will approve." Hades wondered if Asparuh would like her more than Hollace. Considering the circumstances, he would not have to sling her around like a rag doll. Hades had changed a lot since his time with Hollace. He was not nearly as insane, but he was also not as intelligent to see the damage that she was inflicting on him. Making him softer, and now he had nothing left of her except for the children that were no longer hers, but his. "I would like you to meet them, my family," Hades intoned, his voice purring, "Not many have had the honor of doing so. But that is only if you are willing, and if you are able." His eyes went from her stomach to her own once more. Hades wanted to show her off, like a valuable, but it would be much more than that. A true experience. He had taken her out on a date once, where they talked and such, but this was something bigger. And it would be something to see if Hades would need to dispose of his obsession - if it were possible - or carry it out. Hades wondered if she would be up for the new experience. A trip, to the Zhefarovich Manor.