My Lord Hades (13 page)

“I find myself intrigued by you. Sometimes you’re like an innocent child, and yet there are times when I see wisdom beyond your years is reflected in your eyes.” She grabbed her arm, taking Persephone’s full attention. “You were never tempted by the riches or glory. Physical beauty or strength of arm were never your weaknesses. You see into the soul, don’t you? You see us for what we are, not what we pretend to be?”

The image in her mind shifted. Aphrodite sat before a mirror of polished copper, tears

streaking her face. She mourned the loss of something precious to her.

“Yes.”

“What do you see?” Aphrodite asked, her intent eyes locked onto Persephone’s face.

“Sadness. You fill the emptiness inside with distractions. But it will never be enough until you look at what you have and love him for who he is.”

“There’s my friend, honest to the core,” Aphrodite said softly.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

PEEKING THROUGH the crack between the two ivory doors, Hades glanced around the

large oval room. It was vacant. He opened the doors far enough to slip through, and softly closed them. Walking on the rugs, he wrapped his ebony wool cloak around his body. With his helmet on, no one could see him, but he wasn’t ready to give away his presence yet.

He moved through the palace gathering information on the current events. The entire palace was abuzz with the news of Persephone and Hermes. Gossip had it that Zeus had decided upon the best catch for his daughter, her half-brother, Hermes. Hades hoped it wasn’t true.

Muffled voices drew him toward the door on the far room, and as he came closer, he

recognized those of a man’s and a woman’s raised in anger.

He was about to turn and leave when the doors burst open and Demeter stomped out. “I

won’t allow it, Zeus! She’d be safer in the Underworld!”

Hades raised an eyebrow, backing out of Demeter’s way.

“She’s a goddess and must take her place among the gods--”

“You’ll not marry her off to one of those immoral leaches!” Demeter screeched. “I won’t

allow it!”

So the rumor was false; Zeus hadn’t chosen Persephone’s husband yet. The thought of sweet, innocent Persephone marrying Apollo, Hermes, or Ares made him sick.

“She needs to find her own way in this world,” Zeus said.

“She needs to heal! Give her more time!”

“Three years is long enough. Whoever she desires can be hers. She’ll have the choice,

Demeter.”

“She’s a child—”

“She’s six-hundred-years-old!”

Six-hundred. Hades was shocked. Persephone must have come into her full power young to

look as if she couldn’t be a day over twenty.

“A child! And eternity is a long time to regret a choice forced upon you.”

Zeus took one of Demeter’s hands in his. “I’m not forcing it upon her. I’m giving her the choice. Until she marries, her status among the gods is precarious. Besides, it matters not if she remains faithful. Plenty of goddesses take gods and mortals to their beds.”

Demeter jerked her hand out of his, wiping it on the skirt of her dress as if she had touched something utterly disgusting. “So why marry at all?”

“To form political alliances and boost ones power base. The benefit of marrying Persephone to the right god is the alliance gained. They are tied to me and will not betray me. However, because of Coronus, I’ll give her the choice.”

What did Coronus have to do with any of this?

“It won’t happen, brother,” Demeter spat.

She turned on her heel and stalked out of the chamber. Zeus watched her leave with a strange look on his face. For a moment, Hades pitied the god, but the emotion passed. It was time to put his plan into action. Since Persephone was safe from forced marriage, it was time for Hades to seal his place on the throne of the Underworld.

Zeus closed the doors.

“She didn’t sound happy about her daughter marrying.”

Zeus threw himself into the door jab and bounced off. His frantic, wide eyes searching the chamber for Hades’ disembodied voice. Hades removed his helmet, a satisfied smile on his face.

The more he kept Zeus off his guard, the better. He wouldn’t dare cross Hades twice.

“I’ve come for my bride.”

Zeus dodged past him so he could storm up to the table holding the nectar in the crystal

goblets. “You can’t ask anything of me.”

He reached under the table and pulled out an earthen jug which he proceeded to gulp down, then washed the bitter wine down with a swig of nectar.

Sitting on the settee, Hades threw his legs over the arm and leaned back against the cushions.

“Do you want to sit or stand while we negotiate?”

Zeus shifted from one foot to another, glanced around the circular room, and muttered under his breath before he sat in the chair as far from Hades as he could get and remain in the room. “I don’t owe you anything!”

“I don’t bite, you know. There’s no need to be so distant.”

“I happen to like this chair.”

Despite his words, Zeus looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight as if he could find a better position.

Hades settled into a comfortable position, laying the helmet on his chest, and giving the appearance of uncaring. He allowed the deafening silence to create further unease in the other god before he spoke. “You owe me a bride. And I won’t leave until I’ve secured one of your daughters as my betrothed.”

Zeus laughed. “Then go find one. You don’t need my help.”

In a dead calm, he replied, “If I want a politically blessed alliance with your family, I do. One of your beautiful daughters should do nicely. I prefer a goddess.”

Zeus groaned. “Why do you have to be so difficult to deal with? One woman is as good as

another. They pretty much look the same. Lovemaking is basically the same. They all nag you if you stay with them long enough. Marriage to a goddess is like asking for a perpetual headache.

You should marry a mortal. By the time you’re done with them, they die.”

“I married a mortal once.” Which wasn’t true. He’d never gotten far enough in his

relationship to actually marry Menthe. But Zeus didn’t know that. No one living knew that. “She died. I want a goddess. I want someone who will never die.”

“You’re impossible.”

“An alliance with me can only enhance your power base. And if my wife pleases me, then if anyone challenges you, I’ll be honor bound to protect your claim.”

He paled. “I have many fine daughters. Athena is wise-”

“Skinny. Warlike. Cold. Hates me. Pass.”

“Very well. There’s Artemis. She often takes wood nymphs with her on the hunt, so you can be assured that any time she spends away from you will be hunting animals, rather than men.”

“Round faced. Frizzy haired. True she’s friendly and gracious but she has more muscle than softness. I rather fancy breasts. Pass.”

Zeus fidgeted in the chair. “There is Flora. She tends the gardens here—”

“Pass.”

“The three graces are my daughters. Splendor, Mirth and Good Cheer are agreeable.”

“I need someone who isn’t tied to this world. She must be able to remain in the Underworld.”

Zeus glanced at the ceiling and sighed. “I suppose you’ll find something wrong with

nymphs?”

“Other than the fact that you and the other gods are in constant pursuit of ravishing them, they can’t live in the Underworld.”

“The Muses?”

“Incomplete unless they’re together.”

He threw his hands up in the air. “I don’t know what to tell you then.”

A breeze wafted in through the open doors, and Hades took a deep, fortifying breath. “Is

there no one else?”

“No.”

Swinging his legs to the ground, he sat up. “Then I offer you a respite. Give me the previous ruler of the Underworld for wife. The goddess known as the Iron Queen.”

Zeus blinked. He stared at Hades as if he had become a hydra. Hades stood, causing Zeus to jerk back in his seat. “I can’t. She’ll never agree to marry a…”

He didn’t have to finish the sentence. Hades could fill in the blank. A bastard? A killer? A daemon?

“When has the consideration of others ever mattered to you?” Hades snarled. “Athena and

Artemis were both promised their eternal virginity by you and you just tried to pawn them off on me. The Muses can’t function without each other. The nymphs need nature to survive. And Flora, if I remember correctly, is in love with Apollo.”

Zeus paled. Hades took a step closer and Zeus held his hands up in a gesture of peace. “Fine!

You can have the Iron Queen as your wife!”

Hades crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at Zeus. Doubts swept through him

like a bitter chill. This wasn’t right. He wanted Persephone. He should be asking for her, not some unknown Queen. But he refused to relinquish his chance at life. If Persephone was his mate, the Fates could not be so cruel as to keep them apart. There would be a way for them to be together without making a mockery of the marriage he was about to become a part of.

“You need to find another intimidation tactic. That one’s getting old,” Zeus grumbled.

“But it’s effective. As is removing limbs. Should I try that one next?”

Zeus’ smile vanished and he took a deep, shaky breath. “No need for violence.”

Hades waited, gaze fixed on the trembling god who said nothing. “Well? When do I meet

her?”

Zeus winced. “I should never have rescued a daemon.”

“I warned you not to cross me, son of Coronus.” Hades leaned forward, staring Zeus in the eye. “Do it again, and when a child of yours comes for your throne, don’t ask for my aid, for I will help them take your kingdom from you.”

“All right! I’ll arrange for you to meet her tomorrow. If she meets your approval, I’ll

announce your intent to marry at the party.”

“I’ll return tomorrow at noon.”

Hades placed the helmet on his head just as the doorknob turned. He drew the cloak close

about him and moved away from Zeus. Hera entered the room, followed by a grandly plumed

peacock. She strode into the room and came to a stop. Her posture was relaxed, though her expression was one of suspicion.

“What’s wrong?”

Zeus’ eyes shifted and he ran his shaky hand through his beard. Finally, he tilted his head in the direction of the front door. “Do you hear anything?”

She snorted. “Besides you whimpering? No.” Hades headed out of the room. “You haven’t

been fooling around, have you?”

PERSEPHONE LAY on the creeping thyme, looking up at the shifting clouds above the

walled garden. She was ready to leave this place and return to the villa by the sea.

“Persephone!”

Sitting up, Persephone looked around the garden. She spotted Apollo a second before he saw her. He headed her way and she realized it would be rude to attempt to hide from him.

Apollo stopped in the shadows of the garden walls, motioning for her to come to him. She

cringed, not wanting him to be here. She stood, smoothing the wrinkles from her pale pink dress and checking the sea green cord knotted around her waist. Everything was as it should be. She walked toward him, the smell of mint rising around her.

“What are you doing here?” she called, worried that something might be wrong

“I was looking for you.”

She halted a couple feet from him. “Is something wrong?”

He leered at her and lunged. She didn’t have time to react before he jerked her against his chest. His lips crushing hers, and his fingers digging into her arms. His hand painfully grasped her breast, squeezing hard, while his other hand held her against him as she struggled

ineffectively against his strength.

Persephone’s world constricted around her, the lines between memory and reality blurring, until only one thought was foremost, this couldn’t be happening again.

Apollo threw her on the ground, his weight holding her legs down as his hand groped her

chest. She opened her mouth to scream and he clamped his hand over her mouth.

“Don’t you dare!” he growled.

Skin touched skin, and she knew what he was going to do to her. She experienced every

touch, every terrifying thought, and every disgusting image as if he already started to ravish her.

And she knew that this that this had happened once before. The memory pressed down upon her, threatening to reveal the devastating truth of her past.

One image had her retreating from the hint of sweet power rising from the darkness of her mind to meet her. A man she couldn’t remember shrieking in pain as flames licked over his body, fed by a goddess that was Persephone, but not her. His skin boiled and blackened and burned away, until all that was left was a black lump.

She clawed his face, not wanting to see it again. “No!”

Apollo punched her. Pain bloomed across her jaw. Cloth tore. Cold air poured over her bared her breasts.

She could see it in his mind. Every woman he had ever lain with played out in living color.

Her mind screamed for Hades.

She felt the shimmer of energy caressing her flesh, a fiery heat that threatened to consume her as her awakening power rose to meet Hades.

Apollo flew backward. He slammed into the stone wall with a bone crunching thud. Plaster

cracking and Apollo dropped to the ground. She saw the fear in his face as he scramble away from the furious Hades.

Hades wrapped his hands around Apollo’s neck, hauling him off his feet and slamming him

against the wall. It shuddered with the force. Apollo’s mouth opened and closed several times as he tried to speak, his hands clawing at Hades’ arms, his face turning a light shade of blue.

There was no escaping Hades’ iron grip. His focus was on killing the god or at least getting as close as he could. Apollo’s face began to turn purple. Hades’ hand tightened.

“Touch her again and I’ll rip you limb from limb for eternity.”

Persephone wondered if he could possibly do as he threatened and a small voice assured her he could. She curled in upon herself, rocking, her sobs silent. Persephone wished she could do something to comfort herself, to ease the pain of betrayal and hurt. But nothing would do.