Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2)(71)

"Don't tel Orion," Hades said. "He believes that he is your favorite." Lina pushed her shoulder against his before she reached across the water to tickle the otter's bel y.

"Orion is my favorite horse. This little guy can be my favorite otter." At her touch, the otter went into a frenzy of puppyish yips and snuffling sounds, wriggling so much that he sprayed water al over before swimming to the ledge and disappearing down the little waterfal .

"I didn't mean to scare him."

Hades smiled at the Goddess's disappointed expression and wiped beads of water from her cheek.

"You did not scare him, sweet one. The otters of Elysia are notoriously shy. Even I have never before seen one this dose. I certainly have never touched one."

Lina looked wistfully after the cute creature. "Can't you get him to come back? You are a God." Hades laughed. "As a wise God I know when it is best not to tamper with the natural order of things. And you would have more luck than I at charming the little beast. You are the animal sorceress, not I."

"I'm not real y a sorceress," Lina said. "I just like animals, and they like me, too."

"Mammals," Hades corrected her, brushing a long strand of hair back from her face. Lina tilted her head so that her cheek nuzzled his hand.

"Perhaps it is only me you have bespel ed, sorceress." Hades rubbed his thumb across her full bottom lip.

"There's no one I'd rather work magic on," Lina heard herself say as she leaned forward to meet his kiss.

When something butted her in the back she didn't jerk around in surprise or scream. She simply reached up and patted Orion's muzzle.

"You know, the uninformed would believe that the Underworld would be the perfect place to find peace and quiet."

Hades scowled at the stal ion. "They would be incorrect."

Orion snorted and tossed his head at the God, then he nuzzled Lina again, breathing warm, horsy breath on her neck and making her giggle. Lina grabbed a handful of silky mane, and Orion raised his head, pulling her to her feet.

Lina looked down at the God, who was stil glaring at the horse. She bent down and took his hand and tugged at him until he rose reluctantly to his feet.

"Would you like to see more of Elysia?" Hades asked.

Lina raised up on her tiptoes and brushed his cheek with a kiss. "I would love to see more of your realm."

Her words brought Hades a surge of happiness and he bent to kiss her swiftly and possessively before he lifted her to Orion's back.

Chapter 20

The day passed delightful y. Elysia was an endless adventure where beauty and harmony had been melded perfectly together. And everywhere they went, souls of the dead responded to Persephone's presence. She was moved beyond words by the happiness that she saw on the faces of the spirits as word passed throughout the Underworld that there was a Goddess abiding among them.

Hades stayed close to her side, often guiding Dorado close enough so that he could touch her. The reaction of the spirits to Persephone's presence fil ed him with a bittersweet pleasure. The dead respected and feared him. Some were even intensely loyal to him, but he had never evoked within them the love and joy Persephone's presence did. He did not feel envious of the Goddess's effect on his realm. He understood it. How could he not? She had awakened the same feelings within him. Again, he wondered how he had existed so long without her. He could not bear to think what would happen to him or to his realm if she chose not to remain.

Daylight had faded and the night sky was beginning to twinkle with the souls of the Hyades when they final y neared the rear grounds of the palace. Hades nudged Dorado close to Orion and reached over to take Persephone's hand. She smiled at him. Hades' hand felt warm and strong, and she was content to lace her fingers through his and daydream about the wonders of the day as they entered the familiar pine forest. When they reached the bottom tier of the gardens, Hades pulled Dorado to a halt, causing Orion to snort and stop short.

"There is one last thing that I would like to show you today, if you are wil ing."

"Of course," she said.

"We must walk," he pretended to whisper.

Lina dropped her voice to a conspirator's level. "What wil we do with" - she waggled her fingers at the two stal ions who had their ears cocked back, obviously listening -  "them."

"Leave them to me."

He dropped athletical y from Dorado's back and then held his arms out to help her dismount Orion. She slid against his body, loving the erotic feel of having muscular horseflesh on one side of her, and a hard, hot God pressing against the other. Hades leaned down and nibbled the sensitive lobe of her ear before whispering, "I believe it is time to be rid of our chaperones." Then he straightened and barked the command for them to return to the stables in a voice so powerful that the leaves on the trees surrounding them whipped wildly in response. Orion and Dorado reacted instantly by plunging into the palace grounds.

Lina raised her brows at him. "I'm impressed. I didn't think they'd go so easily." Hades lips twisted. "They were just surprised. I rarely command them to do anything. Actual y, they are rather spoiled."

"Then they'l be mad at you later."

"Probably." He laughed and linked his fingers with hers.

"What I want to show you is this way." He led her to a path that skirted the edge of the gardens. They walked beside rows of ornamental hedges trimmed into curling cones. Sleeping flowers shadowed the hedges, and Lina was careful not to let her fingers pass too close to any of the closed blossoms. When Hades stepped from the path and entered the line of cypress trees that ringed that side of the gardens, she couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.