the truth?
'After I lost you, I couldn't deal with the darkness,' I said quietly. 'You brought light and life to this place, and I became obsessed with replacing it.'
'So you made new life? Out of nothing?' She was staring at me now like I was crazy.
'Well, yeah. I didn't know if I could actually do it, and I had to have a lot of help from Hecate, but she's a Titan and much stronger than she lets on and-' I stopped talking as I realized I was babbling. Not a great trait in a king. I straightened, trying to reassert some dignity, but when I looked into Persephone's eyes they were filled with emotion.
'You literally created life to replace me?' she whispered.
'Yes. The hole you left in my heart was impossible to fill with anything less.'
'Did it work? Did it fill the hole?'
'No.'
She was in my arms in a heartbeat, her lips on mine with fervent desperation. Electricity sparked through my body, the mass of power I was permanently tempering deep inside me flaring to life. I pushed my hands into her hair, pulling her as close to me as was physically possible, every ounce of willpower deserting me completely as her desire swept through me.
'I need you,' she murmured onto my lips, lifting her hand to my jaw and pushing me back slightly, to look into my eyes. Hers were shining and intense, her pupils dilated. I moved one hand to the small of her back, pressing her against my hard body, and she tensed as she felt my arousal.
'I need you more,' I breathed, and a wicked gleam crossed her face.
'Is that right?' she whispered, and dropped her hand to her skirt. I was so hard I was beginning to worry that I wouldn't be able to contain myself.
Inch by tortuous inch, she began hitching up the long flowing material of her skirt. I took a deep breath as I watched more and more of her beautiful thighs being revealed, inhaling her divine scent. Just before she reached the top of the skirt she stopped, and moved her hand between her legs, out of view.
Oh gods, I was going to explode. I had to touch her. And this was the wrong place. She was too special, this was too special.
'You deserve to be worshiped,' I breathed. 'And I can't do that here. When I finally touch you I want to hear you scream my name, watch you come over and over.'
Her face flushed deeper red, her lips parting further. I ran my fingers along her jaw, drawing her face close to mine and kissed her again, deep and slow. She moaned softly as she kissed me back, and pleasure pounded through me. Or I could just take her here and now...
'You're right,' she said breathlessly, stepping back from me, her skirt dropping to the floor. 'We're supposed to be at a party.'
Thirteen
Persephone
I tried to concentrate on what people were saying to me, but it was almost impossible. I nodded absently as a wood-nymph told me for the fifth time that she thought it was super unfair that there had been a fake gem in my last trial. My mind was firmly stuck on Hades. He was like a freaking magnet to me, my rational thoughts turning to mush whenever I saw him. Although to be fair, I reckoned most girls would kiss a guy who created an entire world, life and all, to try to replace them. There was no question he had loved me. And there was zero doubt in my mind that any sexual chemistry we may have once had was still there.
'Persy!'
The voice was in my mind, and other than Hades' it was the one I had been most desperate to hear all evening.
'Skop!' I turned quickly, startling the girl who had been talking to me, and dropped to my knees as the little dog bounded towards me through the crowd. He skidded to a halt and wagged his tail furiously.
'Stop nearly dying! You're fucking killing me!'
I laughed loudly.
'I think you'll find I'm killing me,' I told him.
'They're total dicks for not giving you any tokens, you know. Total fucking dicks.'
'I agree. But at least I'm still alive.'
'You know, you really should eat another seed. Maybe with more power you'd be able to-'
'Slow down, hotstuff,' I said, standing again. 'My power was strong enough to break both my damn wrists. I don't need any more of that shit just now, thank you very much.'
'If you