A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone #1)(73)

Confused because her feelings for the god were all tangled up—she was angry with him, mostly because of the contract, but otherwise intrigued and the way he’d made her feel last night—well, nothing compared. He had worshipped her. He had laid himself bare, admitting his desire for her. Together, they had been vulnerable and senseless and savage. She didn’t need to look in the mirror to know that her skin was discolored in all the places Hades had bit and sucked and gripped. He had explored parts of her no one else had.

And that was where the fear came in.

She was losing herself in this god, in this world beneath her own. Before, when all they’d shared was a moment of weakness in the baths, she might have sworn to stay away and meant it, but if she said it now, it would just be a lie.

Whatever was between them, it was powerful. She had felt it the moment she laid eyes on the god. Knew it deep in her soul. Every interaction since then had been a desperate attempt to ignore their truth—that they were meant to come together—and Sybil had confirmed that last night.

It was destiny, woven by the Fates.

But Persephone knew there were many such alliances, and being meant for each other didn’t mean perfection or even happiness. Sometimes it was chaos and strife—and given how tumultuous her life had been since she met Hades, nothing good would come from their love.

Why was she thinking about love?

She pushed those thoughts away. This wasn’t about love. It was about satisfying the electric attraction that had been building between them since that first night in Nevernight. Now it was done. She wouldn’t let herself regret it. Instead, she would embrace it. Hades had made her feel powerful. He had made her feel like the goddess she was supposed to be—and she had enjoyed every bit of it.

She took another breath as heat rose from the bottom of her stomach. As she inhaled the crisp Underworld air, she felt something...different.

It was warm. It was a pulse. It was life.

It felt distant like a memory she knew existed but couldn’t quite recall and when it started to fade, she tried to chase it. Descended the steps into the garden, she halted on the black stone. Her heart was racing and her breath came harshly. She tried to calm herself again, holding her breath until her chest grew tight.

Just when she thought she’d lost it, she felt the feather-light pulse at the edges of her senses.

Magic.

It was magic. Her magic!

She stepped off the path and wandered into the gardens. Surrounded by roses and peonies, she closed her eyes and breathed deep. The calmer she became, the more life she felt around her. It warmed her skin, soaked deep into her veins. It was as heady as the lust she felt for Hades.

“Are you well?”

Persephone’s eyes flew open, and she turned to face the God of the Dead. He was a few paces behind her. She’d stood beside him often enough, but this morning, in the garden surrounded by flowers and wearing only a wrap around his waist and still in his Divine form, he seemed to swallow her vision. Her eyes fell from his face to his chest and down, tracing all the planes of his body she’d touched and tasted last night.

“Persephone?” he asked, his voice took on a lustful tone, and when she met his gaze again, she knew he was restraining himself. She managed a smile.

“I am well,” she said.

Hades took a breath, and then approached her, clasping her chin between his fingers. She thought he would kiss her, but instead, he asked, “You are not regretting our night together?”

“No!” Her eyes lowered, and she repeated herself quietly. “No.”

Hades’ thumb passed over her bottom lip. “I don’t think I could handle your regret.”

He kissed her, his fingers threaded through her hair, and he cupped the back of her head, holding her to him. It wasn’t long before her robe was parted, and her creamy skin exposed to the morning. Hades hands trailed down her body, gripping her thighs. He lifted and speared her. She gasped and held him tightly, moving against him harder and faster, feeling wave after wave of pleasure rush through her body while life fluttered around her.

It was intoxicating.

Persephone buried her face in the crook of Hades’ neck biting down hard as she shattered in his arms. A growl tore through his throat, and he pumped into her harder until she felt him pulse inside her. He held her a moment while they breathed hard against each other before he withdrew and helped her to the ground. She held onto him, legs shaky, fearing she might fall. Hades seemed to notice and picked her up, cradling her against him.

Persephone closed her eyes. She didn’t want him to see what was in her eyes. It was true she didn’t regret last night or this morning, but she had questions—not only for him but for herself. What were they doing? What did this night mean for them? Their future? Her contract? What would she do the next time things started to go too far?

They returned to Hades room where they showered and when Persephone went to pick up her discarded dress, she frowned. It was far too dressy to wear around the Underworld, and she planned to stay a while.

“Do you…having something I can wear?

Hades gave her an appraising look. “What you have on will be just fine.”

She gave him a pointed look. “You’d rather I wander your palace naked? In front of Hermes and Charon—”

Hades jaw tightened. “On second thought—”

He disappeared and returned in an instant, carrying a length of fabric. It was a beautiful shade of green.