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“Persephone is not a plaything, Aphrodite. You do not get to fuck with this.”
Her lips thinned, and her sea green eyes darkened.
“There are no rules to the bargain, Hades. I can challenge your choice as much as I wish.”
“Let me be clear, Aphrodite. This bargain has no bearing on whether or not Persephone will be my queen, as that is a future woven by the Fates. If you fuck with her, you fuck with me.”
“If she does not love you, you cannot prevent her eye from wandering.”
“Is that what you were attempting to prove last night? Because all I saw was my future wife in distress. A crime that will not go unpunished.”
“Unless?”
Her question made Hades chuckle, and the sound stole Aphrodite’s smug expression.
“Oh, there is no bargaining when it comes to my queen,” Hades replied.“Adonis’ existence in the Underworld will be horror.”
As he spoke, the Goddess of Love’s eyes widened, and anger clouded her face.
“Hades—” His name slipped from between her lips like a warning.
“Nothingwill keep me from shredding Adonis’soul. Rest well in the knowledge that you have decided his fate, Aphrodite.”
The last thing he heard before he left was Aphrodite screaming his name.
***
Hades returned to his office in the Underworld. It overlooked Asphodel, and he watched his people’s merrymaking from afar, illuminated by lantern light. From this distance, he could not see Persephone, but he knew she was here. Her presence unearthed more memories from the previous night, and along with it, the guilt of leaving her on his bed, naked, skin flushed with desire. At least he had proven one thing to himself—she wanted him sober.
He sighed and downed a glass of whiskey before loosening his tie and heading for the baths. He needed a shower. He felt unclean, the stench of dark magic and Vasilis’shop clinging to his skin.
He paused at the entry to his private baths where he could hear the splash of water and smell Persephone’s scent. The thought of seeing her naked again filled him with lust, his cock thickening at the thought of being inside her.
But would she reject him? Or invite him to explore every facet of her body?
He was about to find out.
He stepped out of the shadow, making his way down the steps, ensuring he made enough noise so that he would not startle her. When he came into view, he found her at the center of the oval pool, flanked on either side by marble columns. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed, her hair was wet and suctioned to her body like vines curling around porcelain. The water lapped at her breasts, coming just to her rosy nipples, and it was so clear, he could make out the curve of her hips and the dark curls at the apex of her thighs. His thoughts turned to how it would feel to part that satin flesh and explore the evidence of her desire for him. He was sure she would be slick and hot, ready for his fingers and his mouth, and he would drink from her until she came apart in his arms.
Then his eyes fell to his feet, where her clothes were piled. On top, sat a beautiful gold crown. He recognized the craftsmanship as Ian Kovac’s, a talented blacksmith who had resided in the Underworld for centuries.
Hades bent and picked it up for a closer examination. It was a beautiful gem and floral crown, a perfect balance of flora that represented him and Persephone alike.
“This is beautiful.”
She stared, her eyes burning like a forge. Hades wondered what thoughts accompanied that gaze. Were they just as salacious as his own? Was she wondering what his cock would feel like in her hands, how he would taste in her mouth, the sound he would make as he came?
She cleared her throat, breaking his thoughts.“It is. Ian made it for me.”
“He is a talented craftsman. It is what led to his death.”
Her brows drew together over her forehead.“What do you mean?”
“He was favored by Artemis, and she blessed him with the ability to create weapons that ensured their wearer could not be defeated in battle. He was killed for it.”
Favor could be a dangerous thing to bestow. It made targets of mortals in antiquity and today. Sometimes, the results were positive and the receiver was granted celebrity and status, then other times, they were killed.
Hades stared at the crown a moment longer. It was significant that she had accepted such an ornament from his people, even if she had done so to please them. It was a sign of her dedication to them, a quality in a true queen. He set it down atop her clothes and then rose to his feet, meeting Persephone’s gaze again. It was also significant that she had not moved to hide herself from him.
