The Fall of Gods (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 2)

  The Fa

  ll of Gods

  A Welcome to the Underworld Novel

  Book 2

  Con Template

  Copyright © 2013 Con Template

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 1484054814

  ISBN-13: 978-1484054819

  Cover Illustration Design by: Dorothy Duong

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the Author.

  Dedicated to my Mom and Dad, and the seekers of “Paris.”

  Thank you for the once-in-a-lifetime inspiration.

  Acknowledgements

  Firstly, the publishing of this book couldn’t have been done without the love and support from my family and friends. Thank you to my parents for being my biggest cheerleaders and my inspiration everyday. Thank you to my wonderful sister for not only being my best friend and advisor, but also the biggest advocate of my story. I count my blessings everyday that I have you as my older sister. Thank you to the close circle of friends who I decided to share in my secret pastime. Your support has meant the world to me and I will forever be grateful. Kevin N., there is not a day that goes by where I don’t think of you. I’m overjoyed that you enjoyed the first book and I hope you enjoy this one too. Stay strong, stay safe and come home soon, little cousin.

  Secondly, thank you to my beta readers: Anita Law, Anna C., Annie Park, Ghetty Hilaire, Jamie Lee, Kim Tong, My-Trinh Nguyen, and Vivian T. Hoang. None of this would’ve been possible without your dedication and help. Thank you for giving so much time and love to this story. It was an honor to work with all of you. I also want to thank one of my incredible friends, Jocelyn H., for helping to look over the story despite her busy schedule. It’s friends like you that makes me wish I shared in my secret pastime sooner. Thank you for everything.

  Thirdly, thank you to my graphic artist, Dorothy Duong. There will never be enough words to summarize the appreciation I have for you. You are a gift to have in my life and I thank you for being my rock during this entire journey. Your talent and creativity is simply awe-insirping and I thank you for gifting the Welcome to the Underworld novels with your talent.

  Last and never least, thank you to all my incredible readers for your outpouring of support. I could’ve never anticipated the first book to garner such love from all of you. It’s been an amazing ride so far and you make it so much more worth it everyday. I hope you enjoy this next level of the journey.

  CONTENTS

  Acknowledgments

  0

  Illusionist

  7

  1

  The Disappearance of Gods

  9

  2

  To Find Paris

  17

  3

  Boomerangs

  25

  4

  Never Have I Ever

  40

  5

  Finding Paris

  50

  6

  Friends and Lovers

  58

  7

  Denial

  71

  8

  The Epiphany of a God

  82

  9

  The Thing About Boomerangs

  90

  10

  The Morning After

  111

  11

  Training of Royals

  119

  12

  Fallen Kings

  130

  13

  10:48 P.M.

  142

  14

  The Story of Boomerangs

  149

  15

  Human Again

  160

  16

  Paris Pact

  172

  17

  Winter Wonderland

  185

  18

  Borrowed Time

  201

  19

  Confessions of a King

  213

  20

  Morning Seduction

  234

  21

  Lord of the Underworld

  255

  22

  Dinner Party

  264

  23

  Birthday Cake

  284

  24

  Paris Is Worth It

  291

  25

  Killing Demons

  313

  26

  Wrath of the Queen

  322

  27

  Revenge

  331

  28

  Betrayal of Gods

  335

  29

  30

  The Separation of Gods

  The Return of Gods

  344

  355

  “My Illusionist. . .”

  00: Illusionist

  “How is she?”

  “We dropped her off at the hospital. Dr. Han treated her. From what he told us, she should be fine. Jun is getting ready to drop her off at your apartment now.”

  “Good,” Tae Hyun said quietly. His eyes skimmed over the bodyguards patrolling the garden as he stood above the balcony of Ju Won’s mansion. “You and Jae Won get your rest as well. Thank you for all that you’ve done today and thank you for helping me take care of her.”

  “It was my pleasure, boss,” Kang Min replied. “Have a good night.”

  As Tae Hyun tucked the phone in his pocket, a whisper came from behind him.

  “What you did tonight…was unwise.”

  Tae Hyun didn’t need to take his focus off the view to discern that it was his Advisor, Shin Dong Min, who spoke those words to him.

  “I know,” he said without taking his eyes off a particular red rose in the garden.

  Dong Min came and stood beside him. His voice grew sterner. “It is unlike you.”

  “I know.”

  “There is a whole society waiting for you to be crowned Lord of the Underworld. You are too close to becoming a true God in this world to make mistakes now.”

  Again, Tae Hyun did not shift his sight from the red rose. “I am aware of that.”

  “She cannot be your mistake.”

  Tae Hyun laughed. He finally withdrew his gaze from the world below and settled his full attention on his Advisor. He smiled at Dong Min in amusement. “You think I fought for all these years only to fall from the throne because of a girl?”

  “Did you not learn anything from the meeting room?” Dong Min asked firmly. “She is not just a girl. She – ”

  “I will not fall from grace because of her,” Tae Hyun interrupted coolly. His voice did not waver when he stated this. “I have fought for too long to lose my throne now.”

  “What is your plan with her then?”

  He kept his gaze leveled on his Advisor. “She is not leaving my side any time soon if that’s what you’re asking.”

  Dong Min shook his head, irritation seeping into his eyes. Despite his bloody appearance from the recent initiation of Choi Yoori, he still exuded nothing short of power as he chastised Tae Hyun. “You really have heard nothing.”

  “She is not a threat to me.”

  “Not yet.”

  Tae Hyun laughed again. It was evident he wasn’t taking the concern his Advisor was expressing to heart. “She will not be my downfall.”

  Dong Min smirked, accepting this reply. “You told me that there was a reason why you
brought her into this world – why you chose her. The Underworld is waiting with bated breath. Whatever your plan with her is…make sure to be careful and make sure that it all goes according to plan.”

  “Of course.” Tae Hyun smiled before moving away from the balcony. He gave Dong Min a respectful nod. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to her.”

  “Tae Hyun,” Dong Min called after him.

  Tae Hyun turned just before he stepped off the balcony and back into Ju Won’s mansion.

  “She is not a threat now,” Dong Min ominously forewarned, the icy wind billowing around him. “But what if she becomes a threat in the future? What would be your ingenious plan then?”

  “If that’s the case, then she will be taken care of,” Tae Hyun said without thought, without hesitation. “No one threatens my throne – no one threatens my power over this world. I brought her into this world…I can easily take her out of it.”

  “Will you take me into a world filled with timeless magic?”

  01: The Disappearance of Gods

  “Choi Yoori…”

  Ignoring the call of the soothing voice, a sleeping Yoori just mumbled incoherently as she nuzzled her left cheek into her pillow.

  She was too comfortable.

  She didn’t want to wake up.

  She smacked her lips together. Yoori was ready to drift back into the land of dreams when the warmth of the soothing voice glided over her senses again. This time, it tickled along her right ear, gently pulling her out of her slumber.

  “Choi Yoori…”

  Awakened by the butterflies that had begun to flutter in her stomach, Yoori gradually lifted her eyelids. Although blurry at first, her vision soon cleared once it acclimated with the morning light.

  “What time is it?” she whispered sluggishly.

  Her eyes snagged on Kwon Tae Hyun, the crime lord boss who was also the notorious King of Serpents, one of the country’s most powerful men. She had met him while working as a waitress at Lee’s Diner. Through a spell of bad luck, she not only spilled coffee on him but because of this infraction, he had also blackmailed her into being his personal assistant. Needless to say, she was far from being a respectful assistant with all the constant bickering between them, but the only deal was that she would be his assistant – not necessarily a compliant one.

  Tae Hyun was sitting across from her, dressed in a white half-buttoned up shirt topped off with a black jacket and black jeans. With one leg propped up, left hand resting on his knee and his back leaning against the bed frame, Tae Hyun couldn’t have appeared more like an enticing aphrodisiac as he sat there with the glory of the morning sun shining down on him.

  Did she also mention that her boss, as insufferably hotheaded as he may be, was also one of the most gorgeous men she had ever laid eyes on? Not that she liked him that way or anything.

  Though it was early, Yoori surmised that he must’ve looked a bit more alluring than usual because the rays of the morning sun had touched him at the perfect angle.

  It’s just the special effects, Yoori reminded herself, wanting to justify why she found Tae Hyun to be so sexy this fine morning. It was the special effects and the simple fact that she was assaulted the night prior during her five-minute initiation with the Advisors, the Underworld’s most influential and feared mentors. She probably got hit too hard in the head and was still reeling from the aftereffects of it.

  That must be why she was so enthralled by Tae Hyun. It was definitely not because she had a small crush on him, and it was definitely not because she wanted to pounce on him. She was just sleepy and confused.

  While she contemplated to herself, Tae Hyun began to smile amusingly at Yoori. He took note that her lethargic eyes were checking him out. Feigning ignorance to that little detail, he chose to merely answer her question instead.

  “Time for Sleeping Beauty to wake up.” He sounded innocent enough, but Yoori knew better. She knew that Tae Hyun was saying it to taunt her. Who in their right mind would call her a “Sleeping Beauty”?

  “Oh God…” Yoori replied in dread.

  Sexy Tae Hyun had transformed into teasing Tae Hyun. She rolled her eyes at his mocking statement. The butterflies in her stomach vanished into oblivion. She didn’t need a mirror to tell her that she was anything but a “Sleeping Beauty.” Her bruised face and swollen eyes were anything but attractive. When taking into account that her hair resembled that of a bird’s nest, it was more than enough to convince her that Tae Hyun was purposely trying to make her feel bad about herself.

  “Very funny,” she muttered bitterly, instinctively burying her face a little further into the pillow so Tae Hyun wouldn’t be able to get a good look at her swollen eyes. She didn’t want him to know that she had been crying after her “initiation” into the Underworld.

  Tae Hyun scrunched his brows together. “What? You think I was joking when I said that?”

  Yoori continued to roll her eyes, burying herself a little bit deeper into the pillow. “Whatever,” she grumbled dismissively.

  Tae Hyun shook his head, disapproving of her assumption that he was taunting her. He said no more of the subject and detoured onto another topic – a seemingly more pleasant one that brought playful warmth to his eyes.

  “I have a surprise for you,” he announced enthusiastically, reaching his hand out to help tuck her loose bangs behind her ear. His smile was uncontainable as he said this. He looked just like a kid who was excited to go to a candy shop.

  “What is it?” she mumbled suspiciously. Though she instinctively stilled after his fingers grazed her skin, Yoori’s eyes were still on him.

  He withdrew his hand. “We’re going to go on a company retreat.”

  Tae Hyun’s alluring smile grew just a bit more when he shared this spontaneous information with Yoori.

  It was probably because the rays of the morning sun were hitting him at the right angle but for Yoori, Tae Hyun couldn’t look more genuine with his eagerness while he sat there like a damn angel. He was acting especially odd this morning and she couldn’t put her finger on why he was acting so strangely. Whatever the case, she was intrigued.

  “Company retreat?” Her lips were already lifting away from the pillow in interest. “Like us and the entire gang?”

  Tae Hyun gave her a “what-the-hell-have-you-been-smoking” look and shook his head. He inched closer to her. “Just us.”

  She gaped at him, unable to hide her bewilderment. This was all so sudden. Did he just decide all of this last night or something?

  “Why?”

  He shrugged indifferently. “I think it’ll be good if I took you away from here for a couple of days. It’ll be a good distraction.” His eyes trailed subtly onto her face when he said this. She knew then that he was staring at the cut and bruise near her lips.

  Quickly catching on to his motives for wanting to take her away, Yoori called him out on it. “You know, you don’t have to feel guilty about what happened. I mean…it was my own fault for insisting on seeing the Advisors when you told me not to.”

  Jae Won and Kang Min, the two bodyguards Tae Hyun assigned to her, were held captive by the eldest Advisor, Seo Ju Won. Ju Won had essentially told Tae Hyun that the only way he would release Jae Won and Kang Min was if he met Yoori. Against Tae Hyun’s wishes, Yoori insisted on going because she wanted to save them. She had her bruises to show for her decision. The Advisors, being the sadistic people that they were, decided to give her a five-minute initiation to “welcome” her into the Underworld. She was still reeling from their warm welcoming.

  “It has nothing to do with that,” he assured, though his eyes told a different story. He sighed with dramatic boredom and craned his neck upward. He stared at the ceiling with tired eyes. “I’m just a little bit sick of Seoul right now. I just want to get out of here and go breathe some fresh air.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “I have a lake house. It’s about five hours out of the city. It’s secluded and very scenic
. I haven’t been there in awhile and I feel like going again. It’ll be nice. You’ll like it there,” he said confidently before quickly adding, “Plus, there’s ducks.”

  Yoori furrowed her brows. “Why would that be a deciding factor for me?”

  He scoffed defensively, taken aback by her less than graceful reaction to the breadwinner he was using as his persuasion. “I don’t know. Don’t girls like ducks?”

  Yoori scoffed at his generalizing assumption. “I like to eat them.”

  He frowned. “Well, there’s ducks frolicking around my lake house and I think that should be the final deciding factor to make you jump out of bed. I thought you’d be one of those girls who actually adore the cuteness of ducks. Either way, you can ‘ooh and ah’ at them or chase after them with my gun. I could care less. All I care is that you go. ”

  His voice was so decided with bitterness that Yoori couldn’t help but laugh in amusement. She shook her head in between laughs. “Um…I don’t know,” she answered honestly. She was already beginning to feel the aches in her body now that she was awake again. “I’m really tired. I kinda just want to lay in bed all day.”

  “You don’t want to get away from the Underworld for a couple of days?”

  She paused when she heard something she liked. Get away from the Underworld for a couple of days? Well, that actually sounded really appealing…

  An impatient Tae Hyun took her silence as a response. “You can sleep in the car. Now hurry up and get ready.” He pulled the comforter off of her to get her moving faster. “I want to get there by sunset.”