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In the back of her mind, she felt a slight tingle, an itch almost that she had never felt before. It baffled her, and as much as she tried to access whatever it was, it seemed out of reach. Turning, she tried to take in the room with a Goddess’ eyes, seeing if there were someone here human eyes could not see.
Nothing but a sense of something being off. The knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.
She opened it to Devon on the other side looking absolutely dashing in a black tuxedo, with a black button-down shirt, and black tie. His hair was slicked back, showing more of the face that was usually hidden beneath his messy dark blonde hair. Dark eyebrows, his piercing green eyes, nose a little broader than all the nobles she had been around in the past. She noticed he was clean shaven for the first time since he became an Underworld resident.
He looked amazing like this, but she found herself wishing he was back to his normal self — hair mussed up from him running his hands through it constantly and the shadow of a beard.
Regardless, when she saw him, her heart missed one of its beats. She stopped herself before she could do something out of irrational lust, like drag him into her room, and pulled herself together with a smile.
“Ready?” she asked, trying to keep an unfazed look on her face. Devon, looking somewhat
dumbfounded in that moment, simply nodded.
She realized he had not said a word since she opened the door and that helped to cement the smile she was struggling to keep up. Perhaps he was speechless because of her? She dared to hope.
After a little shake of his head, he put his arm out for her to hold.
“You look amazing, Persephone,” he whispered as she took his arm.
Returning an appreciative smile to him, and maybe a blush, they left her room to move to the stairs. As they began their descent down them, she pulled them into a shadow jump.
They ended up across the road from a venue where doors were being opened and guests milled about.
Attendants for the evening greeted the arriving guests at the large doors built to look like her gates in a way. The building had the look of a large Greek pavilion on the outside, but Persephone knew this place had a grand ballroom and plenty of rooms to meet in secret. Something she knew her sisters were probably meaning to take advantage of tonight.
Though she loved her sisters dearly, she did on more than one occasion feel jealous of their ability to do as they pleased in regard to having trysts.
Something she never felt comfortable doing.
It would take months for her to commit to taking a lover and even then, it was kept completely without attachment or strings. She would only allow attraction but not passion. It was easier for her to not have to focus on controlling herself, releasing her powers in a moment of desire that could cause problems in the future. Something she knew all too well could happen with consequences that could not be undone. A soul could detach from their body, leaving a shade, or her fire could cause a mortal’s death.
“Stay near me for the evening, no matter what. I can act as an anchor for your powers if you are in close proximity.” She didn’t look at him while she said this, instead watching the guests move out of their way as they walked towards the entrance. The instrumental music from inside the building carried to them as they approached.
“Of course,” Devon replied with absolutely zero inflection. She kept from glancing at him to
see if his expression matched.
She felt a lot better having him next to her and not across the room where anyone could sense he was not mortal. She had worried that something could trigger a response from him that she could not intercept fast enough.
Liar, she thought to herself.
She would keep repeating this half-truth that it was the only reason she wanted him near her until she believed it. She was sure by this point they both knew the real reason, or at least part of the real reason.
She pulled on the cool exterior she had perfected as they approached the mass of people milling about in the foyer.
Show time.
***
“Tell me about this event,” he asked as they walked up the stairs to where an attendant was
waiting to take their items.
“This is one of the charities that my sisters and I are financial backers for.” She nodded to the
attendant who took her purse and jacket before showing them the way to the ball room.
Devon’s hand moved to her lower back as his other hand took the return ticket for their items, tucking it into the inside pocket of his jacket.
