The Iron Queen (Daughters of Zeus) - By Kaitlin Bevis Page 0,68

to torch his soul the moment it entered the Underworld, but I had questions that needed answers. The missing demigods were not in the Underworld. We needed to locate them and find out how he’d gotten ahold of Olympian Steele.

Plus, torturing Zeus was kind of fun.

“So, how’s the wife?”

I stiffened, but said nothing.

Zeus grinned. “I’m sure she’s adjusting well. She’s quite the trooper. Fastest recovery times I’ve ever seen. Did I tell you about the time I ripped out one of her lungs?” He laughed. “You should have seen her flopping around like—”

My fist hit his face with a satisfying crunch.

“Enjoy that?” Blood and spittle drooled from Zeus’ mouth. Tartaran souls could bleed, otherwise where would the fun be?

“A little.”

He smirked. “I wonder about you sometimes, Hades. You’ve got that hot piece of ass warming your bed, and instead of enjoying it, you’re here beating the daylights out of me. Unless…” He paused dramatically. “You’ve figured it out.”

I didn’t rise to the bait. Instead I laid the knives out on the table.

Zeus waited for me to ask, but when it became clear I wasn’t going to, he continued on as if I’d spoken. “You know she doesn’t love you as much as you love her, right? I’ve been in her head. There’s not much going on up there, but when she thinks of you there’s always a caveat.”

“Where are the demigods?” I examined one of the knives in the light.

“You should have seen her face when she thought I was you. She was so happy, so certain you had come to rescue her.” He smiled. “She pressed that hot little body against me.” He studied my face for a long moment as if calculating how far he could push me before I snapped. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve been kissed like that. She’s got so much…spirit. I took great pleasure in watching that spirit drain out of her while I hacked her to pieces.”

Persephone’s face flashed into my mind, eyes wide with fear. Screw the demigods. I summoned the Olympian Steele. “There’s something I’ve wondered for quite some time.”

Zeus’ grin faltered. “You won’t do anything permanent. You need me. You want to know where I got that Steele, and you want to know about those demigods.”

“What would happen if I used this on a soul?” I approached Zeus.

“You need me.”

“No, I don’t.” Zeus was never going to tell me what I wanted to know. He knew it was the only thing keeping his soul intact. Maybe she would sleep better if I torched his soul. I touched the Steele to his skin.

“I didn’t touch the demigods.” Zeus’ eyes darted from the Steele to me. I applied more pressure.

“Then I really don’t need you.”

“Yes, you do. You need me more than ever. You think you saved the world by killing me, but you’ve doomed it. What’s coming is worse. And Hades—” he inclined his head to the Steele “—they’re armed.”

I considered for a moment.

“You need me,” Zeus insisted. “You want to be prepared for what’s to come.”

If Zeus wasn’t responsible for the demigods, then who was?

Did it matter?

I was probably going to regret this. But I was done. I was done being manipulated by Zeus.

“You need me.” He locked eyes with me. “You know you do.”

“Like hell.”

I wiped the blood from my hands as I exited the torture chamber. In the blink of an eye I was in my restroom in fresh clothes reaching for a washcloth.

“Can’t sleep?”

I turned to find Persephone standing behind me, bathed in light. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I don’t mind.” She reached for the now pristine washcloth I held in my left hand, the movement sending one of the thin straps of her white nightgown slipping down her arm. “Are you okay? I thought I saw—”

“I’m fine.” I dropped the washcloth in the sink.

Persephone’s green eyes searched my face and I smiled at the worry I found there. All she’d been through, and she was worried about me.

“Nothing to worry about.” My fingers trailed over her smooth skin as I pushed the strap of her nightgown back into place. She tilted her head, leaning into my touch. Abandoning the strap I caressed her face, leaning down to touch my lips to hers.

“I love you,” she whispered, arms twining around my neck.

“I love you, too.” I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms around her, then froze.

Small smears of blood traced the paths my hands had taken. Garish against her honey colored skin, vibrant