The Passion of Hades - Eliza Raine Page 0,41

one of the super-gods isn't he?'

'Hades is the most volatile of them all. We can never know what might happen in the future. That's like weighing up my desire for a good time against the possible destruction of the whole of Olympus,' she said, looking disdainfully at me. 'Not really a risk worth taking.'

I blew out a sigh.

'Well, I hope Olympus knows what you're giving up for them,' I said. Hecate snorted.

'Do they fuck. I'm Titan scum as far as they're concerned.'

'Then why do you do it?'

'Persy, I may have an attitude problem, but I'm not going to risk watching the world fall to the undead when I could have stopped it. I told you, Titans aren't genocidal anymore.' She gave me a wry smile. 'Besides, there's no-one I want to screw that much anyway.'

By the time Hecate flashed me back to my own room, I was hammered. Like properly, well and truly, drunk. After her big revelation, and my admitting my confused feelings for Hades, the conversation had turned to lighter topics. Hecate had demanded to hear every awful and embarrassing encounter I'd ever had with a man, and Skop had provided a number of highly entertaining anecdotes too. We'd talked about what dicks Zeus and Poseidon were, and the bitching had felt good.

'You know what, Skop,' I called, as I pulled off my leather trousers in my washroom.

'You've changed your mind and want to try out gnome knob?' he answered hopefully.

'No. I was just thinking that maybe I need to see Hades.' I pulled on the silk nightwear that always appeared clean in my wardrobe every evening, stumbling as I stepped into the little shorts.

'That's because you're drunk and randy,' he said.

'Well, some people don't get to have sex at all. I should be grateful. I should make the most of it.' In my inebriated state, this seemed like the most sensible statement I'd ever made. Why deny myself when I didn't have to? Especially to a freaking god. 'Now, how do I make him come here?'

Nineteen

Hades

'You know what you are?' I bellowed, power bursting from the end of my pointed finger. Zeus smiled lazily back at me as he flicked his hand up and blocked it. He needn't have. He was easily strong enough to absorb my outbursts.

'What am I, Hades?'

'You're a colossal fucking prick, just as she said you were!'

Danger danced in my brother’s eyes.

'I had no idea she was going to provide this much entertainment when I brought her back,' he said, strolling to the edge of my throne room and peering down at the endless flames. Rage was thundering through my body, that dark well of power desperate to expend itself.

'Zeus, without me, Olympus will fall. Do you really think putting me in my place is worth that risk?' I hissed, trying to calm myself.

'Is that a threat?' he said, raising his eyebrows as he turned to me. He was in his true form, as was I. Ancient and glowing with the barely containable power of the sky, his face was lined with as much fury as I felt. 'You caused this, Hades. You broke the laws. You deliberately defied me. Did you expect me to let you humiliate me and belittle my rules in front of the world?' Lethal rage dripped from his words, and I felt the smoke pouring from my skin as I glared back at him.

'You killed them all. An entire innocent realm, save one. Was that not punishment enough? Did you really need to risk bringing her back just to see me suffer?'

His eyes narrowed.

'So you share Poseidon's belief that she is still dangerous?'

'She can't stay here.'

'I'm well aware of that.'

'So now you are forcing her into a Trial where my own realm will kill her? Do you despise me that much?' The smoke rolling off me was starting to burn, flames dripping like liquid from my body onto the marble floor.

'She's stronger than you think, Hades.'

'That's what your wife said,' I snarled. Zeus didn't deserve Hera. He never had. His eyes flashed with purple lightning, and the roar of thunder rumbled through the floating throne room.

'We're not talking about my wife, brother, we are talking about yours.'

'You need me, Zeus. Remember that. Sky, Sea and Underworld. If any of those three fall, Olympus falls. And then who will you have to rule over?'

'You, dear brother, are immortal. Where the fuck do you think you could go that I wouldn't find you?' He flashed and reappeared inches from my