That Fatal Kiss (16 page)

“Castrating Cronus, I’ve done it again.”

Persephone stared up at his face, which exhibited both anxiety for her and exasperation with himself, and a giggle escaped her.

As if heartened by that, Hades added, “Please don’t turn away from me now.”

“I wasn’t, not really. I was turning away from myself. Only how can I, when everything you’ve said is true?”

“Then you’re not…you don’t hate me for it?”

“Hestia help me if I hated every male for the awful things he said.” Persephone smiled then. “You only voiced my own fears, the ones I’d tried to deny. I can’t fault you for your keen perception. You were right to speak your mind.”

“You’re very gracious,” he acknowledged as he led her back to the stone bench, “since I could easily have spoken my mind with more kindness. And I can’t fault your mother for wanting to keep you.”

Once they’d sat down, Persephone felt a wave of weariness and unconsciously leaned into Hades, who put an arm around her shoulders to support her.

“You’re tired?”

“A bit,” she admitted, though the feel of his stout arm about her had energized areas of her body she didn’t dare dwell upon for too long. “You know, I’m not sure I understand why Eros did not intervene sooner. Loving the girl as he does, why did he let Aphrodite’s stratagem advance as far as it did?”

“Perhaps he felt Psyche needed to learn a lesson in trust,” Hades suggested. “Had she not broken faith with him to begin with, she would not have fallen victim to Aphrodite’s schemes.”

“But if Eros had been aboveboard in his initial dealing with her, he would surely have had her trust without question. Instead, he let Psyche think he was some sort of monster who would devour her once she had borne him a child. He had to know her mind would easily fall prey to the provocative words of her spiteful sisters. Once he spirited her away to his home, he should have told her the full truth and let her know she was wed to the God of Love, and not a hideously deformed creature, as she was made to believe.”

“He probably hoped that she would come to that conclusion on her own, in time.”

The goddess scoffed at that. “He would have been waiting an eon for that ninny to come to any intelligent conclusion on her own.”

Hades suddenly brought her chin up with his free hand and disarmed Persephone with the warmth of his gaze. “You know better than anyone that wisdom resides not only in the mind but also in the heart.”

“But…the heart can prove resistant to revelation,” she breathed, captivated by the look in his eyes.

He tilted his head, and his mouth was now at such a suggestive angle that Persephone’s pulse jumped in anticipation. “Would yours oppose being led to enlightenment?”

Her heart skipped. She should put him off, she knew it. But Persephone just didn’t want to anymore. She needed him, as much as he needed her. “Not if I could be sure of my guide. Assuming he’s skillful enough to lead me.”

His mouth just a breath away, Hades said, “Challenge accepted.”

His lips touched hers gently, placing the lightest of pressures upon them before drawing back. Hades waited for her reaction to this advance. She did not spurn him; her eyelids were low and her lips still tantalizingly close. Then Persephone raised her eyes to his and when her tongue slipped out to lick her upper lip, Hades needed no further invitation.

Now more daring in his approach, he allowed his tongue to stroke where hers had moments before. Persephone’s breath caught in the back of her throat and her tongue soon met his, brushing against its underside as she returned his kiss. His free arm gathered her close as he began to probe her mouth more deeply. Hades drank of her very essence, brought the palm of his hand to the small of her back to draw her into him.

Persephone ran her hands up his muscular arms, thrilling in the feel of his immortal flesh, and her arms twined about his shoulders. She cupped the back of his head, inviting further intimacy by pulling it to her and caressing his smoothly shaven face with hungry tenderness.

Hades’ hand slid up her torso to settle on one pert breast over the deep-red gown she wore. Persephone let out a low groan and ceased her movements. Her chest swelled with a deep inhalation, which forced her nipple to press against his thumb.

“Hades…” Persephone sighed against his cheek. Her hands slid down to his shoulders and delicately kneaded them once. Then again.

Hades said carefully, “You…want me to stop.”

The goddess pulled back just enough so she could meet his gaze. “I want to…understand you. And myself…”

His throat convulsed as he swallowed, hard. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

She looked down at his hand, which had fallen away from her breast. Then her eyes drifted to the brooch that held the top of her dress in place. Finally, Persephone met his stare. She squeezed his shoulders a third time, slowly. “I want you to do…
more
.”

Hades raised his hand to the brooch.

Persephone let out a long, lush breath.

He unfastened the jeweled clasp. The gown slithered down her breasts until they were bared to him.

“More,” she commanded softly.

Hades cupped one reverently. “Like this?”

“…more…” Persephone repeated, her head falling back.

Hades’ thumb gave her exposed nipple a deliberate stroke.

She shivered and then reached for his face to reclaim his lips. “
More
,” the goddess breathed into his mouth.

The Lord of the Underworld made haste to obey.

Persephone surrendered to the fire Hades kindled inside her. Where his lips demanded, she yielded gratefully. When he pressed her down upon the bench, raining kisses down her throat, her shoulders, her chest, her fingernails scraped along his arms, urging him on. And when he arrived at her heaving breasts, his tongue flickering over her taut nipple, Persephone gave a shuddering gasp. Sharply craving the taste of him, she brought him back up, raising her head to kiss him.

Hades ran his hands down her flanks, reaching underneath her to align her melting heat with the hard planes of his body. Persephone reached for his robes and whisked them off, tugging violently at the clothes until they tore. Her trembling fingers closed around him, and a feral growl arose from his chest. She met this with a euphoric cry. Then a vociferous cough cut through the air unexpectedly, startling them both.

They looked up in astonishment at the smirking features of Hecate, who bore the now infamous box in one hand while making a show of shading her eyes with the other. “I would ask how your courtship was progressing if the answer was not…apparent.”

Hades pulled Persephone onto his lap, so that her front was up against his. He pressed her close to his chest, that her partial nudity and his erection might not be detected. “Hecate, how good of you to return to us the repellant vessel,” he said. He met Persephone’s eyes at her incredulous gasp and patted her bottom reassuringly. Clearing his throat, he went on, “I trust you have safely disposed of its dangerous content?”

Seemingly disappointed by his aplomb, the Witch nodded. Then she brightened. “Would you like me to take my leave so you may dispose of yours?”

Persephone could not help her startled titter, which prompted Hades to tap her backside once more, firmly. “That would be obliging of you, yes.”

“Wait,” Persephone said, squirming in Hades’ lap. She looked up in surprise when he squeezed her, only to read the warning look in his eyes. Feeling his hardness against her thigh, she took the hint and held still. “Hecate, if you will await me within, I would like a word with you before you leave. I’ll just be a moment.” The other goddess nodded her agreement and left the couple alone in the courtyard.

“Persephone?” Hades whispered, “I cannot have misread your delight in our enterprise.”

Coloring violently, Persephone said, “By Zeus’ beard, you did not!” This prompted a hearty chuckle from Hades, and she added, “Why do you not have one of your own?”

If the change in subject threw Hades, he gave no sign of it. “If you wonder why I am beardless in comparison to my brothers, well…it is mainly because I hope to set myself apart from them.”

“That, you have.”

“But if you are not disinterested or displeased,” Hades said, “why do you rush to abandon our undertaking? For, I assure you, I am most eager to pursue its…completion.”

Feeling the heat rising in her stomach, Persephone raised her hands to either side of his face, saying, “I cannot say that modesty prevents me from seeking fulfillment, but I…well, I would be thankful for the chance to defer it for just a bit longer. Perhaps we could take up where we left off tomorrow. I was going to ask you if you would accompany me to the Elysium Fields, as I have not yet seen them.”

Their eyes held for a moment before Hades nodded. “As you like,” he said, covering one of her hands with his to return her caress. “What is it you wish to discuss with Hecate?”

“Well,” Persephone said, looking down at their joined hands, “I hoped to forestall further awkwardness for you, so I thought up some silly thing or other to ask her about. I wouldn’t want to trouble you with it. You should thank me, really, as the moment she sees me, she is sure to mock me in earnest.”

Hades mirrored her smile, though his seemed forced. “You have an ally in the Witch Goddess, I see.”

Persephone shivered at the coolness of his tone. “Yes. We get on very well.”

“I thought we were getting on. Very well indeed.”

She blushed again. “Well, yes, but—”

“And yet, you would rather leave off for the chance of a chat with the Witch. Do I have it aright?”

There was no mistaking it—he was put out with her. “Hades, I assure you, I thought only of sparing you further discomfort.”

“I could think of better ways to do so,” she heard him mumble. Louder, he said, “Then you wish to postpone our pleasure?”

“I wouldn’t say “wish,” precisely—”

“But that’s what it amounts to, is it not?”

“Not in so many words—”

“I need but one word.”

“That being?”

“The answer to this question: will you stay with me now or abandon my embrace to go for a word with the Witch?”

Persephone sighed. “Go.”

“Very well, then.” He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and then rose to his feet, which caused Persephone to tumble to the ground. He stepped over her and gathered his robes around him. “I hope you enjoy your chat.” And with a grin, he gave her a very formal bow and took his leave.

Persephone stuck her tongue out at his retreating back and took great care in adjusting her garments. With a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and prepared to bear Hecate’s mockery.

The Witch did not disappoint. Hecate awaited Persephone in her bedchamber, reclining regally upon the bed, tapping the box with her fingernails. Her eyes lit up when Persephone entered the room, and she launched right in. “Well, well, my dear! It seems you have not wasted any time in ascending your husband’s throne!”

Persephone rolled her eyes at the vulgar implication. “Why do you not find some poor male to marry and torment instead, Hecate? Surely a steady diet of mating and berating would do wonders for your disposition, such as it is?” she suggested, kicking off her sandals and sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Aha, so you two have not yet consummated your marriage.”

“And how do you arrive at that impudent conclusion?”

“You would not snipe at me if it were otherwise.”

“Aye, if it were otherwise, I’d be engaged in a much more agreeable occupation than tolerating your insolence, I can assure you,” Persephone observed, shooting the Witch a glare that would have curled every hair on her head, had she any shame.

But Hecate truly had none. “Then you and your groom have come to an accord, have you?” the Witch purred.

“Very nearly,” Persephone said, then turned the tide of the conversation. “By the way, Hecate, is your hair naturally that color or do you do something witchy to make it white?”

Hecate blinked several times. “It’s naturally white, of course, but why ask such an inane question?”

“I told Hades I’d contrived some ridiculous trifle to distract you from your lascivious taunts. As it happens, you
were
distracted, and I’ve not told Hades a lie, so now we can get down to business.”

“What business?”

“What news do you bring me?”

“What makes you think I have any news?”

“Cease your nonsense,” the younger goddess said. “You would not have come only to return that insignificant box.” Her anger with Hecate subsided abruptly. “Have you news of my mother?”

Hecate nodded, matching the other’s sober look. “She’s sick with worry for you. She has been hunting high and low for a clue as to your whereabouts, but can find nothing nor anyone of assistance.”

“How do you come by this intelligence?”

“I made myself a Viewing Mirror like the one I made for Hades,” Hecate said, sitting up on the bed. She eyed Persephone sympathetically. “Would you like me to go above ground and tell her that you’re safe, to ease her mind?”

Persephone got up from the bed and began pacing. “I do not think that would endear you to my Lord Aidoneus.”

“How would this act of kindness adversely affect him?”

“Hecate, once my mother learns how I fare, she will wonder how you could possibly know, and will then proceed to question, interrogate, and otherwise harass you until you’ve told her where I am,” Persephone said. “No, it will not do to have Demeter seek my release just yet.”

“Just yet?” Hecate repeated.

“If she comes for me now, I won’t have had the opportunity to determine whether I wish to remain with Hades or not.”

“Then you think you could willingly make Erebus your home for love of Hades?”

“That is my quandary; I do not yet know,” Persephone said, pulling at a loose strand of hair. “I need more time with him, to see if we are well suited. But I cannot bear the thought of my mother’s distress.”

“I see your dilemma. But it must bode well for Hades that it exists at all.”

Persephone flopped back down on the bed, rolling onto her back and covering her eyes with her forearm. “It most certainly does. I vow, I have never been so aroused by a male as I am by Hades.” Persephone rolled back onto her stomach before adding, “But it is his character that remains an enigma to me, and I won’t allow passion to bind me to a being, Immortal or not, if I cannot respect him.”