Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2)(61)

"You said the stars are Hyades. I don't understand," she final y managed. Hades lifted his eyes from hers to gaze at the night sky.

"You don't understand because you know them only as the bright nymphs they are in the world above. What most immortals do not know is that a group of forest Hyades tired of their earthly duties. They begged Zeus to al ow them to become mortal so that they could die and be relieved of the burden of immortality."

His voice was as deep and as hypnotic as his eyes. Entranced, Lina stared at him as he wove the tale. He was a dark flame that drew her soul inexorably to him. Batman. Definitely Batman. And, ambrosia or no ambrosia, what sane woman would not be into Batman fantasies?

"Zeus granted the Hyades their wish and that same night they entered my realm. I was so moved by the iridescence of their souls that I proclaimed that their great beauty could light al of Elysia. The nymphs were intrigued by the idea and they came as one to petition me. As Zeus before me, I, too, granted their wish, and they have il uminated the night sky of the Underworld ever since." Lina forced her eyes from the magnetic God to look up at the stars that were real y the spirit of nymphs.

"What are you doing here, Persephone?"

The raw emotion in the God's voice stopped Lina's breath, and her gaze flew back to his. What had happened to him tonight? And how could he be so powerful and yet look so vulnerable at the same time? She shook her head and gave him the only answer she could.

"I drank too much ambrosia and I thought a walk in the garden would help sober me up." Hades stared at her a moment longer, then he blinked, raked one hand through his hair and expel ed one long breath. Slowly, the tense lines of his face began to relax. "Too much ambrosia? I understand that feeling al too well . It makes your head cloudy and your knees weak." Relieved that he seemed more normal, Lina smiled. "Glad to hear I'm not the only one it's happened to."

"A walk does help." He returned her smile, and bowed gal antly to her. "I would be honored if you al owed me to escort you."

He was her dashing Hades again, and she grinned, curtsied and realized that she was wearing nothing but a thin silk nightgown. She cleared her throat.

"I, uh, seem to be underdressed for an evening strol ."

Hades' eyes glinted darkly as they roamed from her flushed face down to her silk-draped body. In one graceful movement he unclasped his cape, and with a swirling motion that reminded her of a matador, wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Better?"

Encased in his warmth and scent, she could only nod.

"Then I may escort you?"

"Absolutely," she said.

He smiled and pulled her arm through his. Hades led her slowly into the night-shrouded grounds. They didn't speak; they just accustomed themselves to the feel of one another. Hades chose a wide path that bisected the gardens. Lina gazed around her in awe. The unusual gentleness of the Underworld's night cast a magical glow over the sleeping flowers and hedges, so that even though many of the blossoms had closed, the flowers stil dotted the landscape with splashes of snowy color.

"I can't decide whether I think they're more beautiful during the day while they're in ful bloom, or like this, looking like sleepy children," Lina said, reaching out to trail one finger gently over the closed blossom of a milk-colored day lily. At her touch, the folded flower burst into ful bloom. Lina bit back a startled cry. She had to remember that she was Goddess of Spring. Obviously, she shouldn't be surprised when she made a flower bloom.

"Now you can have both beauties together," Hades said.

Lina's brow furrowed. "No, I don't want to wear them out." She thought for a moment before waving her fingers at the flower. "Go back to sleep," she told it. With a sound that was very much like a sigh, the lily closed.

She turned back to Hades to find him watching her with an expression she couldn't read. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he took her hand, the one that had touched the flower, and turned it so that it rested, palm up, in his own, then he raised the tips of her fingers to his mouth. The touch of his lips made her stomach shiver. She wanted him to kiss much more than her hands. Too soon, he released her hand and said, "You are a very kind goddess." She wasn't real y Persephone, but Hades made her feel like she truly was a goddess. Instead of wrapping her arm through his again, Lina slid her fingers down his arm so that she could hold his hand. His lips quivered, then turned up in a pleased smile. He squeezed her hand, and they resumed their walk.

"I would like to show you something," Hades said suddenly. "Something that is very important to me."

Lina glanced up at him and their eyes met briefly. Then he looked away, and Lina could see the tense line of his jaw.

"If it's important to you I would love to see it."

His jaw unclenched and he squeezed her hand again. "It is this way." The first tier ended and Hades led her down the stairs to the second level. Earlier that day when she had been col ecting nectar she real y hadn't been able to pay attention to anything except cal ing forth the sticky liquid, and Lina would have liked to have stopped to take a closer look at the fountains and statuary, but the God's pace quickened. Obviously, he was anxious to get to whatever he wanted to show her. Curiosity piqued, she lengthened her stride to match his. On the third level Hades chose a path that branched to their right. It wound in little S curves down the side of that tier. Gradual y, the well -tended gardens gave way to large pine trees. Their sharp scent reminded Lina of holidays and home.