Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2)(104)

"Do not weep, beloved."

"You turned away from me," she whispered through broken sobs. "When you saw who I real y was, you didn't want me."

"No!" He pulled her into his arms and crushed her against him. "It was never you I turned from. It was pride that goaded my words and actions."

"Because you didn't want to love a middle-aged mortal," she said into his chest. His laugh came out as a sob. "No, because I was terrified that I had lost my soul to a woman who wanted nothing more than a dal iance with an inexperienced god about which to brag." Lina looked up at him. "I only told Demeter about you not being with any other goddess because I was trying to convince her that you were different."

"I know, beloved. Forgive the pride of an old, solitary god." His lips were final y able to form a smile. "And please come home."

In answer, Lina pulled him down to her.

"Carolina," Hades breathed her name against her lips. "My soul has ached for you, my eternal beloved."

Before he could kiss her again, Orion bumped him from behind. The short, stout dog was sniffing around his feet. Hades glanced down to see streams of saliva on his boots.

"Orion, stop that," Lina said, pushing the big, black head aside. "Oh, Edith Anne, don't do that. You're messing up his boots."

Hades threw back his head and laughed. He swept his queen off her feet, tossed her up onto Orion's back, and then he swung up behind her with a strength that clearly said he was no mortal man.

"Hades! What are you doing?"

"Taking you out of the reach of those beasts." He wrapped his arms around Carolina and pul ed her firmly back against him.

"But, Edith Anne - "

"Do not fret. Orion wil go slowly. We wil not lose your dog." Holding her securely, he clucked at the stal ion. Orion turned his head and snorted, but he began walking, slowly, so that the bulldog had no trouble trotting by his side. Then the God returned his attention to Carolina.

"We have a short time before spring returns to your world. Perhaps you would like to show me some of this kingdom you cal Tulsa," Hades said, stroking the soft brown curls that formed at the nape of her neck. He was having a difficult time restraining himself from ravishing her right there. He thought the new body she wore was seductive and womanly. She was soft and fragrant and delectably inviting.

Lina twisted around and smiled at him. "You know about Persephone's plan?"

"Who does not?" he said good-naturedly.

"I'm beginning to think that it could work," she said.

"As am I." He bent to claim her lips.

Lina pushed back from him. "Wait, you shouldn't be here; you certainly can't stay very long. You don't have anyone taking your place in the Underworld."

"No, I do not." He smiled at his queen and his soul felt light and young. "But sometimes even Death must take a holiday."

As their lips met the sun touched the bank of the river. It paused there and shone one brief, winking beam on the lovers before fal ing from the sky.

*****

Today Tulsa mourns the passing of a local matriarch, Carolina Francesca Santoro. Ms. Santoro was a restaurateur, philanthropist and renowned animal lover. Ms. Santoro is not survived by any biological children, but she wil be greatly missed by many who felt they were her family. For decades her chain of Pani Del Goddess bakeries have been a vital part of many Oklahoma communities. The bakeries are best known for their specialty, ambrosia cream cheese. The recipe for this delectable cheese has been a closely guarded secret for more than half a century. But do not fear, loyal Pani Del Goddess patrons. Before her death, Ms. Santoro shared the recipe with an Italian relative, her great-niece, Persephone Libera Santoro, who wil be assuming the position of major stockholder of the Pani Del Goddess Corporation. The new Miss Santoro has announced that she wil be dividing her time between Oklahoma and Italy. As is only appropriate considering her name, she wil spend each spring and summer with us in Tulsa. To honor the memory of her great aunt, let us give her a warm Oklahoma hel o!

- The Tulsa World,

21 March

Epilogue

Lina was feeling a little breathless and displaced, which was truly ironic. She was, after al , final y wearing her own skin.

"It probably has something to do with being one of the newly dead," she muttered, holding out her arms and looking in amazement at her glowing body. She was more substantial than the dead she was so used to seeing, and she was pleased that it appeared that her body had taken on a form that was much younger than she had been at her death. With a start, Lina realized that she had materialized within her forty-three-year-old body. She laughed. "The exact age I was when I met him," she said.

The tunnel stretched before her, black and unending, but its darkness didn't intimidate her. Lina walked forward with confidence without once looking back at the last light she would ever glimpse from the mortal world.

Suddenly, a little bal of bril iance burst into being at her shoulder, and she laughed in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" The globe bobbled around, wiggling like a puppy. But she didn't real y need to ask - she knew who had sent the light. "Thank you, Persephone," she cal ed to the listening air.

She walked quickly through the cluster of beautiful ghost trees that had come to be known as Persephone's Grove. As always, she enjoyed the sparkling facets that were their leaves. Lina left the grove, and blinked in surprise. Before her, the onyx road that led to her lover's palace stretched as usual to the gates of pearl, but this time the gates had been flung wide open, and behind them were multitudes of glowing, semi-substantial shapes. At the head of the teeming mass stood Hades, flanked on one side by Orion and on the other by Eurydice and Iapis. As the stal ion caught sight of her he screamed a shril neigh of joyous welcome. Eurydice clamped one hand against her pale mouth, and with the other she waved gaily at her mistress while tears of happiness streamed down her cheeks.