his realm. Sometimes, Hecate recruited them for various punishments, commanding them to feast upon innards or maul a deserving soul.
Hades preferred playtime.
“How are my boys, huh?” he asked, roughing up their ears. Their demeanor changed from fierce to playful. The dogs’ tails wagged, and their tongues lolled out of their mouths. “Punished a lot of souls today?”
He took some time to scratch behind their ears.
“Good boys, good, good boys.”
He summoned a red ball from thin air. When the dogs saw it, they sat straight, panting with anticipation. Hades grinned, tossing the ball into the air, once, twice, the dogs eyes following with rapt attention.
“Which one of you is fastest, huh? Cerberus? Typhon? Orthrus?”
As he called each Doberman’s name, they offered a growling bark, impatient for the chase.
Hades smirked, feeling a little devilish.
“Stay,” he commanded, and then threw the ball.
Fetch with Cerberus, Typhon, and Orthrus was not like fetch with normal dogs. Hades’ strength was great, and when he threw the ball, it went on for miles, but his Dobermans were unnaturally fast, able to travel across the Underworld in minutes.
Hades waited until the ball disappeared, before turning to the dogs. “Fetch.”
At his order, the dogs took off, muscles working powerfully. Hades laughed as the three raced to find the ball. They returned in no time, running in sync, the red ball clutched in Cerberus’ mouth, who brought it obediently to Hades and dropped it at his feet. He continued playing with his dogs, running in circles through the meadow, working off his frustration and lust until he felt breathless and sweaty.
He tossed the ball once more, free from the burden of his feelings, when he turned and found Persephone standing in the clearing, watching him with wide eyes.
Fuck.
She was beautiful, and his eyes traveled the length of her, unashamed. She had flowers in her hair—camellia, if he had to guess—and they threaded through long strands of curly blonde locks. She wore a blue tank that was cut in a low V at the neck, drawing attention to her breasts. Her shorts were white, revealing her long legs—legs he had fastened around his waist just days ago. As his eyes traveled back up her body, he found that her gaze had made the same descent, and he smirked.
He might have challenged her to deny her attraction, except the Goddess of Witchcraft was here and marching straight for him.
“You know they never behave for me after you spoil them!” she was saying, casting her arms out in the direction where Cerberus, Typhon, and Orthrus had disappeared. Her complaint was playful, mostly because the three were quick to listen, especially if instructed to return to their work.
He grinned. “They grow lazy under your care, Hecate.”
And fat. She liked to feed them.
Hades’ eyes slid to Persephone. “I see you have met the Goddess of Spring.”
He did not miss how she stiffened at the title.
“Yes, and she is quite lucky I did,” Hecate said, eyes flashing. “How dare you not warn her to stay away from the Lethe!”
His eyes snapped to Persephone, who was trying hard not to smile. It seemed she enjoyed hearing Hecate scold him, but Hecate was right, he should have warned her not to approach any of the rivers in the Underworld. The Lethe, in particular, was powerful, drawing memories from souls like air.
What would he have done if she had touched it? Drank from it? He shoved the thoughts away.
“It seems I owe you an apology, Lady Persephone.”
She was surprised. Perhaps she had not expected him to apologize, but she stared at him with those fiery emerald eyes and parted lips, and he found his desire for her renewed.
Then, the Horn of Tartarus sounded, and he and Hecate turned in its direction.
“I am being summoned,” Hecate said.
“Summoned?” Persephone asked.
“The judges are in need of my advice.”
The Judges, Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus, often summoned Hecate to sentence certain souls to eternal punishment, mostly those who had committed crimes against women.
“My dear,” Hecate said to Persephone, “call the next time you are in the Underworld. We’ll return to Asphodel.”
“I would love that,” Persephone said with a smile, and it made Hades’ heart beat harder.
She enjoyed her time with the souls. Good.
When they were alone, Persephone turned to Hades. “Why would the judges need Hecate’s advice?”
He cocked his head to the side, curious at her demanding tone, and answered, “Hecate is the Lady of Tartarus and particularly good at deciding punishments for the wicked.”