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Chapter 16
Orion's fluid strides covered the distance from the entrance to the Underworld to Hades' palace in what seemed like minutes. Even the ferry ride was faster and easier with the big horse beside her. As the palace came into view Orion slowed his pace to a gentle canter. Without having to be guided, the stal ion carried her around the side of the palace and directly to the stables. A uniformed stableman jumped to attention at their appearance, catching Orion's bridle and holding him steady while Lina dismounted.
"Thank you," she whispered to the stal ion, kissing his silky muzzle. Orion nuzzled her affectionately. "It was a wonderful ride." Before she gave a final pat to his sleek neck, Lina reached up and pulled the narcissus from his bridle. She hesitated just a second, then tucked it behind her right ear before she turned to the stableman. "Do you know where Hades is?"
"Yes, Goddess. He is at the forge. You may fol ow that pathway. It wil take you to Hades." Lina smiled her thanks to him and started down the path. She knew Eurydice would be waiting inside with her meal, and she was hungry, but first she wanted to thank Hades for sending Orion to her. She thought that she also might ask him if he would mind if she rode the horse occasional y. The stal ion was definitely a horse-lovers dream come true.
The path curled around the stables. It was lined with a hedge of roses the color of cream. She took deep, even breaths, enjoying their fragrance as it mixed with the tangy sweetness of the narcissus behind her ear. The little path angled to her left, and Lina could see that it led toward a smal building that sat a little way from the main stable. From it a rhythmic clanging drifted to her on the wind. It was metal pounding on metal, proclaiming that she was heading in the right direction. The door to the building was slightly ajar, just enough so that Lina could slip silently into the dimly lighted interior. She blinked, trying to adjust her vision from the brightness of outside. She heard a strange whooshing noise, which was fol owed by more clanking. In the far corner of the building flames from an enormous, openmouthed furnace flared, licking the air and adding sudden bursts of light to the darkness.
A man stood before the furnace, magnificently silhouetted against the orange fire. His back was to Lina. He was almost naked, covered only by a loincloth-like wrap that fit snugly around his hard buttocks. With long, powerful strokes he hammered a flat metal object held firmly in place by an ancient looking pair of tongs. With each fluid movement his muscles tensed and released. His body was slick with a glossy sheen of sweat, highlighting the strong ridges of his wel -shaped form. His hair was tied back in a thick, dark queue.
Lina felt a jolt of recognition. It was Hades. Of course she'd already thought of him as handsome, and she had definitely been attracted to him... but... but... merda! She'd had no idea just how scrumptious he was. Until then he had always been so... fully dressed. Her mouth felt dry. He was so... so... not dressed. And muscular. And absolutely the sexiest thing she had ever seen. Apol o had been almost as scantily clad, but seeing Hades nearly naked was different. The God of Light was handsome, but his beauty was a tame kitten compared to Hades' wild and feral masculinity. Seeing him so gloriously sweaty and under-clothed cal ed awake fantasies within Lina that she thought she had permanently put to sleep.
Fantasies... charmed like a cobra, Lina stared at the God. Fantasies... she felt an ache deep within her body. It had been so long. Her thoughts flew free. If only Hades would stroke her with the same intensity with which he was working metal against metal. He looked so incredibly powerful. Lina shivered and imagined hot, sweaty flesh against hot, sweaty flesh. If only...
When she was younger Lina had dreamed about being passionate and unrestrained in bed; she had longed for it. Instead of finding a partner who matched her desires, she had married a man who thought quantity in bed equated to quality. So they "did it" a lot, quickly, and with boring regularity. Her husband didn't have the imagination or the inclination to experiment with passion. At some point in her marriage Lina's fantasies had died in a bed of boredom, and by that time she had hardly noticed their passing. Of course she had had lovers before and after her husband, not many - but enough. Long ago she had resigned herself to the fact that she seemed only to attract men who were more cerebral than sensuous. Her love life had been a bust. So it was with unexpected intensity that Hades' body resurrected her youthful fantasies. Not realizing he was being watched, Hades wiped his dripping face with the back of one hand and straightened, stretching his back to first flex and then release his massive shoulders. A little aching sound slipped from Lina's throat.
His head snapped around, and he saw her. She was standing near the doorway with a peculiar look on her beautiful face. Pleasure flushed his already heated body; she was wearing his narcissus in her hair.
Lina licked her lips and cleared her throat. "Um, I didn't mean to disturb you."
"You haven't." He set aside the tongs and wiped his hands on a piece of cloth. Her voice sounded odd, like she was having trouble breathing. Perhaps the return ride from the World of the Living had taxed her strength. Concerned and wishing to put her at ease, he made a welcoming gesture with his hand. "Please, come in."
Lina walked toward him, trying to keep from staring at his chest. His bronzed skin was slick and inviting. Muscles... she wanted to moan with pleasure and run her hands up and down his sweaty torso. Act your age! she mental y scolded herself.
"I wanted to thank you for sending Orion after me."
She seemed breathless and maybe even a little jittery, which he found strange. What was bothering the Goddess? "He was happy to be of service to you." Lina's hormones shouted that they wished Hades would service her, but her voice was better behaved. "If you wouldn't mind, I would love to ride Orion again."
"I would not mind." Hades hesitated. Keep talking, don't stand there like a mute fool, his mind commanded. "I am quite sure that Orion would be pleased. Of course, there are three other steeds who wil be clamoring jealously for your attention, too," he said, wiping the back of his hand across his brow again.
His movement caused a single bead of sweat to slide from his neck. Lina watched as it traveled with agonizing slowness down his chest and over the wel -defined ridges of his abdomen to disappear enticingly under his loincloth.
Her mind refused to formulate a response. Al she could do was stand there, speechless, and stare at the damp path the drop left on his glistening skin, wishing with X-rated intensity that she could fol ow it with her tongue.
"Persephone? I only meant to jest with you. Of course you may ride Orion," Hades assured her. Why was she not speaking? It was certainly not like her to be silent.
"Th-thank you." Lina's eyes snapped up to his face. "I'm sorry. I guess my thoughts are elsewhere." Hades nodded with sudden understanding. "Of course, it has been a difficult day." He looked down at her sheepishly. "I asked Iapis to report to me if Aeneas had entered Elysia."
"Real y?" Hades' words pul ed her interest from his body. "And what did he say?"
"I appear to owe you a crystal chandelier. The warrior's soul is, indeed, resting in the Elysian Fields. And, just as you predicted, he has only recently entered the Underworld." Concern wrinkled her smooth brow. "What are you going to do about Dido?" The God sighed and wiped another trail of sweat from his cheek. "I wil not rescind my decision. I suppose I must have Iapis keep watch on her and..." he broke off. The Goddess's instincts about Dido had been correct. Why not get her input? He gave her an appraising look. "What would you suggest I do, Persephone?"
Lina felt a little flutter of pleasure; Hades valued her opinion. "Wel , I don't think it's wise to leave them in Elysia together. Dido wil never get over him like that." Absently, she tugged at one long lock of hair as she considered what to do with the spirit. "I'm assuming that you don't want to send Aeneas out of Elysia?"
"No. The warrior has earned his paradise."
"And you already said you won't send her back to that lamentation place, so I think the only reasonable answer is to let her drink from," she hesitated, making sure she had the right name,
"the River Lethe. You said that when they drink from Lethe, souls forget their lives, but remain essential y the same type of people. So send her back for another lifetime. Maybe she real y did learn something during her lamentation, something that Aeneas' presence would overshadow, but without any memory of him - " Lina gestured abstractly with her hands. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe she'l do better the second time around."
Hades' smile made his eyes dance. He wanted to throw his arms around her and shout for joy.
"Persephone, how is it that a goddess who is so young is also so wise?" Lina's heart thudded at the warmth of his expression. "You shouldn't judge me by how I look. There's a lot more to me than just a pretty young face."
