Nico's POV

   "We're going out to eat as a family," Hades announced.

    It was a Friday evening and Hades was home early from work. He wore his dark suit and tie and looked as deathly pale as ever, but his lips were slightly turned upwards. Persephone was reading a book about the evolution of flowers, while Hazel and I were comparing notes for an English exam.

     "Why are we doing that?" I asked.

     Once in a while, Persephone would cook dinner or Hades (I refused to think of him as my dad) would take us out to eat ice cream, but those moments are rare. More often than not, Hazel and I would cook gumbo or microwave Hot Pockets for dinner.

     "I want us to spend a night together as a family," Hades replied. "Do you think I have ulterior motives?"

      His eyebrows were raised and his gaze was as intense as ever. Hazel has told me the first time she saw him, he reminded her of Hitler and I didn't disagree. "I can entertain the notion that you have multiple motives."

    Hades frowned. "My children, I know you've gone through a lot. I fear that my kids are usually sad; I want you two to be the exceptions."

    Hazel and I exchanged glances. He only had three kids; why was he acting like he was some immortal deity?

     "Kids, get changed and we'll leave," Persephone said primly.

     It was fall, so Persephone's hair was dark and skin pallor. In the springtime, the sun warmed up her skin and lightened her hair to a honey brown. She wore an elegant black dress and looked as immaculate as ever. Seeing her beside my father made me miss my mother; she had died of a fever when I was nine.

     I shook away those thoughts and went upstairs. I kept on my black skinny jeans, but traded my old t-shirt for a newer one and my favorite jacket. It was black with a white skull embroidered on the back. I wore my skull ring, a gift from Bianca, as always.

    I met my family downstairs. Hazel had changed into a purple skater skirt and a black blouse. We hopped into the beck of my father's car and he drive us to McDonalds.

      Now most families might not think that going to McDonalds was a treat, but it was for my family. I swear, their food was good enough to raise the dead. We ordered and sat didn't at a booth. The smell of fried potatoes, cooked meat, and melted cheese danced in the air.

    Hazel and I had both ordered Happy Meals and I was glad to get a new Mythomagic card. I had played Mythomagic since I was little. We are as a family. Persephone ate with practiced, prim bites like she was eating with the queen of England. The rest of us are like regular human beings, thank the gods. I didn't want someone to think we were vampire royalty.

       "How is school going for you two?" My father asked.

     I had just swallowed a chicken nugget and it lodged itself in my throat. My father hardly asked us about school. I took a big gulp of water and the pressure in my throat eased. I could breathe again.

     "It's going well for both of us," Hazel said.

      Thank the gods for my sister. We finished and cleaned up. We were leaving the restaurant when we ran into Frank. He was accompanied by an older woman who looked to be his grandmother. His ears were as pink as s flamingo as he said, "Hi guys."

    "See you later, Frank," Hazel said, waving at him.

    As we left, I heard Frank's grandmother say something about him needing to be with a strong woman. We got into our car. As we buckled our seat belts, Hades asked, "If he is your boyfriend, he better be treating your right or I'll drag him to the Underworld."

    Since when did my dad care who we were dating? Hazel looked as shocked as I was as she fanned herself. "Dad, I'm not dating him. I haven't been with anyone since Sammy."

    His name hung in the air. Sammy was her first boyfriend from Louisiana. None of us had met him, but Hazel missed him dearly. She had told me recently that a boy at school named Leo looked a lot like him and she had accidentally called him Sammy when they first met. It seemed we were both doomed to like boys we could never be with.