for a long moment. Hades wondered what he was thinking. Perhaps, Who would marry you? Or something even more cynical. Do not do it, it isn’t worth it.
Still, even Hades knew Hephaestus did not believe that. He knew that now more than ever, after the god had used the Chains of Truth to ask Hades if he was sleeping with Aphrodite.
“Do you have a design?”
Hades felt the unfamiliar rush of embarrassment as he withdrew a piece of paper upon which he had sketched an image. It was similar to the crown Ian had made for Persephone, only he had chosen fewer flowers and gems—tourmaline and dioptase.
He handed the drawing to Hephaestus.
“When are you planning to propose?”
“I cannot say,” Hades said. He had not thought of a date or time when he would ask Persephone to be his wife. He had just felt that asking for the ring, creating the ring, was important. “There is no rush, if that is what you are asking.”
“Very well,” Hephaestus said. “I will summon you when it is complete.”
Hades nodded and left the forge, only to find his way blocked by Hermes.
“No,” Hades said immediately.
Hermes mouth opened in offense. “You don’t even know what I was going to say!”
“I know why you’re here. You only have two purposes, Hermes, and since you are not guiding souls to the Underworld, you must be here to tell me something I don’t want to hear.”
Hades pushed past him, and Hermes followed.
“I’ll have you know I am offended,” Hermes said. “I am not just a guide or a messenger; I’m also a thief.”
“Forgive the oversight,” Hades said.
“I thought you’d be in a better mood,” Hermes said. “Having finally buried the weasel, got your bone honed, launched the meat missile…”
“Enough!” Hades snapped, turning to the god whose eyes sparkled with amusement. “Why are you here?”
He grinned. “We’ve been summoned to council in Olympia. Someone’s getting in trouble for stealing Helios’ cows, and guess what? It’s not me this time!”
CHAPTER XXIII – OLYMPIA
Hades was not looking forward to council. He hated his fellow Olympians, and he hated the pageantry and the drama. He would much rather spend his evening with Persephone, buried inside her, exploring her body again, discovering new ways to fuck her that pleasured them both. Instead, he would be forced to sit through council, to hear his brothers argue, to hear Athena attempt peace, to hear Ares demand war, and he would have to face Demeter, knowing he’d fucked her daughter.
He sighed and materialized in the Garden of the Gods on the campus of New Athens University, using his magic to locate Persephone.
He found her faster this time, and he thought it might have something to do with the faint echo of power inside her. His darkness was drawn to that light, wanting to embrace it and foster it.
He teleported her to him. As soon as she appeared, he gripped her by the neck and kissed her. She made a sound in the back of her throat that encouraged him to part her lips and bury his tongue in her mouth. He wanted the taste of her upon his lips when he arrived in Olympia; it would be a wicked secret he would take with him.
He pulled away reluctantly, nipping at her bottom lip.
“Are you well?”
“Yes,” she answered, breathless. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled, almost sad, eyes falling to her lips again. He should answer with the whole truth, even the part where he’d been thinking about fucking her in this garden.
“I came to say goodbye.”
“What?” Her voice was sharp. Clearly, she had not expected that, but her surprise made him chuckle. He liked the idea that she would be disappointed in his absence. Perhaps that would mean a passionate reunion.
“I must go to Olympia for council.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “How long?”
“If I have anything to say about it, a day and no more.”
He was not like the other Olympians, who would stay for parties and revelry.
“Why wouldn’t you have a say?” she asked.
“It depends on how much Zeus and Poseidon argue,” Hades replied, rolling his eyes. As he did, he caught sight of what she was holding. A copy of the Delphi Divine with a bold, black title that read, “God of the Underworld Credits Journalist for The Halcyon Project.” Hades snatched it from her arms, where it was stacked atop her books, skimming the first few lines.
Hades, God of the Dead, astounded everyone Saturday night when he announced a new initiative, The Halcyon Project, a rehabilitation