A Touch of Ruin (Hades x Persephone #2)(99)

“Why do you wish to be married?”

Hades’ brow rose, clearly the question amused him. “Haven’t you always dreamed of marriage?”

“No,” she said, and she was being honest. She had never really considered marrying someone as a possibility before. Her mother made sure she never met anyone for the first eighteen years of her life, and once she was free, she was so focused on college and landing a job, she hadn’t thought much about relationships. “You didn’t answer my question. Why is marriage important to you?”

“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. “It became important to me when I met you.”

Persephone held his gaze, and drew her legs apart, wrapping them around his waist. She could feel the head of his cock pressing against her entrance. Hades sank into her with a grown. She gasped, gripping his arms. There was something sweet about the beginning—Hades bent to kiss her, letting his forehead rest against hers, and breathed her breath. Then everything changed. Hades’ thrusts became urgent, and his head fell into the crook of her neck, his teeth grazing and biting her skin.

“So fucking sweet,” Hades hissed, looking into her eyes. “Take me deeper, darling.”

She wasn’t sure it was possible; she could already feel him in the bottom of her stomach. Hades’ arms looped under her knees, and he lifted her slightly. Pleasure ripped through her, and she dragged her nails along his skin.

“Harder!” she commanded.

He drove into her, pumping his hips. She clenched around him, her orgasm building inside, clawing its way to the surface.

“Come, darling.”

With his permission, she climaxed and as she came down from her high, Hades groaned, throwing his head back and shuttering.

In the aftermath they lay together, kissing and touching and breathing.

“Gods, I missed you,” Persephone said, resting against Hades, her head on his chest.

Hades chuckled, and they glanced at one another. After a beat of silence, Persephone spoke in a low voice. “You were going to tell me about Leuce.”

“Hmm. Yes,” he said, and after a moment, he pulled her on top of him. “I had a meeting with Ilias at my restaurant. I didn’t know Leuce was there. She hurried after me as I was leaving and grabbed my hand. Old habit.”

Persephone glared, and Hades pressed a finger to her pouting lips. “I jerked away and kept walking. She was asking for a new job.”

“That’s it?”

“Afraid so.”

She collapsed on him. “I feel like an idiot.”

Hades wrapped his arms around her.

“We all get jealous. I like when you’re jealous...except when I think you might actually leave me.”

She rose again, straddling him now.

“I was angry, yes, but...leaving you never occurred to me.”

After a moment, Hades followed her into a sitting position.

“I love you. Even if the Fates unraveled our destiny, I would find a way back to you.”

Persephone twined her arms around Hades neck.

“Do you think they can hear you?” she teased.

“If so, they should take that as a threat.”

Persephone laughed and they came together again. Later, as she dozed off, she couldn’t help wondering about the Fates.

Would they really unravel their destiny?

***

Hades’ absence drew Persephone from sleep.

She sat up, holding his sheets to her chest. The fire blazed, and it was still dark in the Underworld.

Something isn’t right, she thought.

She got out of bed, slipped on her robe, and made her way into the garden. Hades had a habit of wandering into the night just to sit beneath the stars and wisteria. She walked the length of the garden, coming to the edge where it emptied into a field of floral. From here, she could see the lights of Asphodel and the muted fire of Tartarus.

Perhaps he’s gone there, she thought.

She wandered into the field. A warm breeze carried the smell of ash and made the grass rustle around her. It was almost loud enough to drown out the sound of Cerberus, Typhon, and Orthrus’ footsteps, but Persephone heard their panting and turned in time to see the three Doberman’s burst through the grass.

“Oh, my sweet boys,” she patted each one on the head. “Have you seen your papa?”

The three whined. She assumed that was a yes.

“Will you take me to him?”

The three led Persephone through the field and into a tangled wood. She had never been here before and guessed this was a newer edition to the Underworld. Hades’ realm was ever-changing, and she suspected that was to make it harder for people to enter and escape.

The woods seemed to go on forever—deep and dark. Tree limbs were interlaced, creating an archway overhead, and though they were bare, lampades rested there, lighting the path as if it were a starry sky.

The dogs kept their noses to the ground, and surprised Persephone when they bolted from the path, into the forest beyond—would Hades really be so deep in these woods?

She followed, her way lit by the nymphs, until she lost sight and sound of Cerberus, Typhon, and Orthrus.

It was a breathy moan that drew her attention. It came from behind her and grew in frequency.

Persephone moved toward the sound. Her heart hammered in her chest, and the air around her suddenly felt heavy and solid. It wasn’t long before she saw them in a clearing—Hades and Leuce tangled together just as tightly as the branches overhead, the nymphs’ light illuminating their lovemaking.