The Iron Queen (Daughters of Zeus) - By Kaitlin Bevis Page 0,36
to them but the horror of what they’d gone through.
I wanted to follow her example. Escape the horror of the situation though a kiss. But I had to know.
May I?
She hesitated, then I felt her tentative agreement. Her thoughts flooded mine, and I saw all the things Zeus had put her through. The memory of his voice slithered into my thoughts.
“Maybe I should tell you about some of the things he’s done. Better yet—” a curved blade appeared in Zeus’ hand “—how about I just show you?”
The images of what came next, the shallow slashes separating each layer of skin as she cried out for the torment to end, for me to help her, assaulted my mind like blows. My hands tightened around her, and I broke off our kiss. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“It wasn’t you.” Her soft lips whispered against mine. Teasing me with their proximity.
I took the bait. I’m only a god after all. Even guilt couldn’t stop me from enjoying the way the kiss deepened, or the feel of her body tight against mine. No. I’d sooner slit my throat than hurt her. But I’d given Zeus ideas, methods to use to torture her. That was almost as bad.
Teeth grazing my bottom lip, Persephone teased images of her mom, Melissa, and the other priestesses from my mind. Her relief coursed through me with the realization that her people were safe.
When Persephone came up for air, she tilted her head. “Where is everything?”
The dreamscape had gone blank. My face heated. I’d been so wrapped up in her, so focused, that for a moment nothing else existed. Drawing on a modicum of power, I formed an image of our library in my mind. Just a general impression of warm colors, rich browns, and earthy reds with bookshelves and big comfortable furniture. I never put much detail into my dreamscapes. Why waste the power? Still, I was careful not to leave out the touches of her influence that were scattered throughout the library. Bright splashes of colors, flowers in vases on the wooden tables.
Persephone smiled. Moving to one of the small wooden tables that lined the walls between shelves, she touched one of the flowers, a bright yellow daffodil. Suddenly, that flower was the brightest, crispest thing in the room. “What’s a sympathetic bond?”
I led her to one of the indistinct chairs in the library. “I always thought sympathetic bonds were a myth. Apparently, upon reaching equilibrium, we can feel what the other feels.”
Her thoughts flashed to…what was that, a pearl? “So if you hurt one of us you hurt both of us?”
“To a diminished degree. I doubt I would have been walking around these last few weeks if I’d felt the full extent of what you experienced.”
She considered that. “If I die, what happens to you?”
My heart seized in my chest, not from fear of my own death, but hers. “I’m not going to let that happen.”
“But if it did?” she persisted. “If something Zeus does can kill me because I haven’t come into my powers, or if my powers burn through me…?”
I shook my head. “It won’t kill me.” Her mind flashed back to that pearl again. “Persephone, what is this about?”
“Could we maybe talk about that later?” She looked up, green eyes pleading. “I’ll explain, I promise, but I just don’t want to dwell on any of this right now. I won’t ask about your plan or whatever that—” she waved in the direction of the bedroom and I coughed “—was.”
“That was you.”
She turned pink. “I’m not that flexible. Look, I really don’t want to spend this time rehashing everything that’s happened to me. I know that’s probably not wise, but can we just—”
I kissed her. She was right. We didn’t know how much time we had left. She needed time to regroup. To brace herself for whatever was next to come. And me, I just needed to hold her.
A while later I felt her fading beneath my touch.
I’m waking up! Fear saturated her thoughts.
I’ll find you.
Chapter XXV
Persephone
I think it was my ribs breaking that woke me up. Gasping, my eyes flew open as a sharp pain ripped through my chest. Hades!
I’m here. His thoughts felt distracted, and I got the distinct impression he was talking to someone. My vision blurred then focused on a kid’s face hovering right above mine. He lifted his head and put his hands to my chest.
Suddenly I had Hades’ full attention. His presence flooded my mind so fast I got