Chapter Eighteen
My eyelids fluttered open and a wave of nausea washed over me. I tried to open my mouth and take a deep breath, but I found I couldn’t. The world was spinning and voices came from all around me. Head pounding, I tried to focus on the ceiling above me—distant, painted with gods and monsters. I tried to speak, but only a muffled sound came out. With a flash of panic, I realised I was gagged. I couldn”t speak, and I couldn”t scream. I looked around me, my eyes widening as my vision cleared and I took in my new situation.
I was no longer in Blackvellyn Hall. This room was dark, its black marble Greek style columns disappearing into darkness near the roof. The floor was black marble too, polished and cold beneath my bare feet. Long tables lined the halls, with benches that ran their length filled with figures clad in long black robes. Reapers ate and drank and laughed, masks discarded. I sat between the two long tables, my wrists bound behind me, the gag concealed beneath the mask I had worn to the ball.
”Please...” I tried again, words lost behind the gag. Useless. A couple of Reapers looked my way, but no one reacted to my sound. The air was heavy, charged. I felt it, a current of unease that made my stomach churn. I shivered, the drug still coursing through me, making me weak, dizzy. I tried again.
”Help me.”
More turned to look, but no one moved, and a hush fell gradually over the hall, each turning to look at me. I felt naked under their stares. My cheeks heated and I looked ahead, trying to ignore them. Before me, wide black steps rose up to bear three black carved wooden chairs. Well, thrones really. The central one was bigger and more ornate, and my eyes were instantly drawn to the man sitting upright in it who slowly rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on me. Silence fell across the hall at his movement and I shivered.
A mask covered his face, but his eyes bore into mine, their intensity making my heart pound in fear. This man emanated power and command. He was tall, his body radiating strength beneath the black cloak he wore. Slowly, he descended the steps, each step echoing through the silence that had fallen over the hall.
”I see our guest has finally awakened.” His voice was deep and sent a chill down my spine. Panic rose within me as I realised who he was. The man who had danced with me, who’d touched me. The man who had drugged me. Fear settled on me like ice in my veins as he moved closer.
”Welcome,” he called out across the hall in a tone that echoed off the stone walls. His voice was smooth like velvet but sent shivers down my spine. He paused, relishing in the power he held over this room full of men, before continuing. ”Today, we add a new member to our celebrated club. As per club tradition, your DeathKnights have found their Persephone for this year. Her identity will remain concealed, and any attempt to discover it shall be punishable by the three of us. Any disrespect of her shall be punishable, and any attempt to claim what”s ours shall meet with strong retribution. This woman belongs to me.”
My mouth went dry at his words. What the hell was going on? Kate had warned me about the Reapers being dangerous, but this… kidnapping someone, was beyond anything I could have imagined. I wished I”d taken her seriously. I”d never have agreed to dance with him. Even David was feeling like the better option now. My head spun as the man moved towards me, leaning down to face me. My breath caught at how close he was, but the attraction from before was now simply a growing fear of what he was going to do to me.
”Welcome to the Underworld, Persephone,” he said, voice dripping with dark amusement. ”I am Hades, and these,” he gestured to the men behind him. ”Are my DeathKnights. You have been taken from the world of the living and brought here to my kingdom of death, and here you shall remain at our service.”
I tried to plead with him, but the gag muffled my cries. The Reapers watched, their silence unnerving. Not a single whisper broke the tension that hung in the air like a shroud. I struggled against the bindings, but it was useless.
Panic spread like wildfire in my body, and I bit down hard on the gag. The taste of leather filled my mouth. Tears welled up in my eyes. The man - Hades - straightened, and outstretched his arm towards me, presenting me to the room.
”The trials of Persephone begins now,” he announced, his voice resonating throughout the hall. A cheer erupted from the crowd, their voices echoing in the vast room as they raised their glasses. I whimpered in fear, my heart racing.
Hades turned back to the thrones and gestured for two men standing beside them to come forward. They obeyed without question, descending down the steps with a predatory grace that only made me more afraid to stand beside him. Hades reached up and removed his mask revealing devilishly handsome features hardened by authority and power. His dark eyes bore into mine, a silent warning in their depths. Cheekbones to die for and dark hair cut short at the sides and longer on top. My heart flipped at his dark beauty and suddenly I found myself wishing I was back in his arms on the dancefloor.
The two men approached, both removing their masks and I froze. Tristan stood there, his cheeky smile nowhere to be seen, his face serious. He didn”t meet my eyes, and I felt a surge of fury at him. He knew. He”d been setting me up for this the whole time. Was he the one sending me black roses and red envelopes with creepy notes too? Pain filled me as I realised none of it had been real, and tears threatened to spill down my face. I blinked them away, determined not to show him how much he”d hurt me.
Next to him stood Nate, his face impassive as he stepped forward, his eyes scanning me analytically from head to toe. He didn”t flinch under my scrutiny. His emotionless gaze chilled me more than the cold marble beneath my feet.
”Persephone, meet Nate and Tristan, my DeathKnights. They will ensure your compliance and well-being during your time here, and you are to serve them as you would serve me.”
Serve them? What the hell was he talking about? This all felt so surreal, like some kind of nightmare. Maybe I was dreaming, and it was the effect of the alcohol. That would explain why the world was spinning and why his voice, soothing in its rhythm, was the only grounding thing keeping me from getting lost in the sea of blurred faces. I couldn”t tear my eyes away from him.
Hades moved with a deadly grace, a panther in human form. He prowled around me, studying me with an intensity that unnerved me greatly. He raised his hand, a simple gesture from him causing immediate silence.
”Persephone,” he began. ”You will soon learn that there are three forms of corruption we all endure in our lives.” His voice echoed off the stone walls of the hall. ”Physical corruption, mental corruption, and emotional corruption.”
My heart pounded against my rib cage as I strained against my restraints.
”Tonight,” he continued, dragging out his words for effect. ”We begin with your physical corruption.”
A gasp echoed around the room followed by the sickening sound of laughter.
”No!” I cried out, but my plea was muffled by the gag.
”Let us begin,” Hades commanded, stepping back. Tristan and Nate moved forward, slipping their hands under my arms and lifting me to my feet. I considered trying to pull free and run for it, but as soon as my weight rested on my own legs, they crumpled under me. The men’s hands caught me, supporting me as they guided me towards the thrones. Other Reapers moved in front of us, pulling the thrones to the side, and I gasped, trying to yank myself away from my captors as I saw the black marble clad wall ahead of us, it’s flawless surface only marred by the metal and leather restraints fixed into it.
”Welcome to your trials,” Hades said, his voice dropping to a tone that sent shivers down my spine. Something snapped inside me, the fear that had tried to get me to run had accepted that there was no way I was escaping this hellhole and instead had left me numb inside. The watchers were silent now, anticipation hanging heavy in the air as I was led towards my fate. The wall was solid, made of the same black marble that dominated the rest of the hall. My heart pounded in fear as they positioned me against it, and terror welled within me as Tristan and Nate worked to unbind my wrists and then to secure me to the wall.
”Easy,” Nate murmured softly as I tried to pull my freed hands away from his large grip.
”Please,” I tried to say, but the gag turned my plea into a muffled whimper. He didn”t listen, or maybe he couldn”t hear me over the cacophony of the hall.
”I”m so sorry, Paige,” Tristan added gruffly, taking my other arm. His grip was steel, brooking no argument, no plea.
My wrists were pulled up over my head, my legs pulled apart by the shackles on my ankles, and tears fell unseen beneath my mask as I cried for them to stop.
Hades moved forward, tipping my head up, his dark eyes fixed on mine. ”Remember your place here, Paige,” he said, his voice low and threatening. ”As Persephone, you belong to us now. You are here to do our bidding. This is just the first trial.”
He moved away and Tristan leaned in closer to me, his lips brushing over my ear. “Just go with it, sunshine. It won’t take too long and you might even enjoy it.”
I tried to take a deep breath. There wasn’t much I could do about my predicament now, and panicking was not going to help matters. These societies, they were all pomp and circumstance, I was sure of it. This was some horrible rich boy prank and when I was out of here, I was going straight to the fucking police to out them all. I didn’t care who their families were, no one should be able to get away with doing this to people.
Hades stood in front of me, facing the watchful crowd. ”Persephone is among us. The season of the Deadmen”s Club is now open!” he declared, his tone a dark melody of power and command.
A chill coursed through me, my name on his lips like a death knell. The Reapers erupted into cheers, their excitement a cacophony that twisted my stomach. I am Persephone. Their Persephone. Fear clawed at my insides, insistent and sharp.
”Look at me,” Nate said softly, as Hades continued to address the crowd. It wasn”t a question. It was a demand.
I lifted my gaze, meeting his. There was something like an apology there, a fleeting moment of humanity amidst the darkness. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, snuffed out by the grim resolve settling over his features.
”Be strong,” he whispered, almost imperceptible over the din of the crowd.
Then he stepped back, leaving me alone and exposed in my binds. The noise of the crowd seemed to fade as I locked eyes with Hades. He wore a look of satisfaction that made my blood run cold. Power hummed around him, dark and intoxicating, pulling me in despite the fear crawling up my spine.
”The first trial begins,” he announced, his voice thundering off the marble walls. The audience watched in anticipation, their faces hidden behind their masks. Tristan and Nate moved to each side of me, their faces impassive like carved statues, and Hades turned from the crowd, walking towards me. Fear surged through me, but there was something else there, excitement maybe, or anticipation.
”Look at her,” Tristan murmured as Hades drew nearer. ”Our Persephone, ripe for the underworld. For us.”
Memories suddenly flooded back into my mind — the warnings from Kate about girls vanishing without a trace. My breath hitched. Was I one of them? One of the girls who would disappear without a trace? Were they going to kill me?
”Scared, Persephone?” Hades”s voice cut through the din, closer now.
I nodded, my eyes fixed on his, unable to look away as he drew close, like a predator closing in on his prey.
”Good.” His tone was almost gentle, but it chilled me to the bone. “This is what you signed up for. Too late to back out now.”
His words stilled me for a moment. I hadn’t signed up for this. What the fuck was he talking about?
”Hear her, Deadmen,” he shouted, turning back towards the spectators. ”Hear our Persephone”s desperate pleas for mercy as we begin her trials.”
He turned back to face me, his eyes gleaming with malicious delight as the crowd erupted again. A sea of masks stared back at me and I felt sick. Hades approached me, his gaze cold and calculating. He lifted a hand to my hair, stroking down behind my ear, his fingertips trailing down the side of my neck. A shiver ran through me, but I wasn”t sure it was entirely from fear this time. My heart hammered against my ribs as his fingers trailed along my collarbone and along the edge of my neckline, dipping down over the curve of my breast.
His touch was tender, an odd contrast to the hardness in his eyes.
“Time to play, Persephone,” he whispered, the corners of his mouth curling into a cruel smirk. He raised his other hand, and gently pulled open the folds of fabric, revealing my bare breasts to the whole room. I struggled, but he simply smiled, his dark eyes fixed on my flesh.
“Beautiful,” he murmured.
My heart pounded in my chest and shame washed over me as I heard the lustful cheers and whistles. They were enjoying this. My humiliation. My degradation. The tears came again, hot and heavy as I closed my eyes.
The situation was spiralling out of control but I knew there was no escape. I was their plaything now, meant for nothing more than their perverse entertainment. My eyes flew open in shock as his lips settled around my nipple and he sucked, flicking his tongue over the tip. Heat flooded through me at his caress, and I swallowed back a moan, embarrassment burning in my cheeks. The Reapers were still watching me, all of them, their eyes drinking in every inch of my exposed flesh. I was bare before them. Vulnerable. A sacrifice to their dark appetites. The hall fell into a hush, the anticipation palpable. Fear gripped me, but there was also something else... an odd sense of arousal that only heightened my sense of vulnerability.
Hades’ hand returned to my other breast, his thumb brushing over my nipple with a gentle stroke as his tongue caressed the other. His touch was both firm and gentle at the same time. It brought sensations that I wished I could deny, but my body was reacting to him despite my fear. My nipples hardened under his attention, an embarrassing betrayal of my own arousal.
”See how our Persephone reacts,” he said, pulling away from my breast so his voice could reach the silent crowd.
There were murmurs of agreement from them, their faces staring at my exposed body with a morbid fascination that only fed my terror. Hades gave me a twisted smile, satisfaction glinting in his eyes.
”Does our Persephone please you?” Hades asked, his voice booming through the hall. The crowd roared in affirmation. My cheeks flushed with humiliation.
”Ready for more?” Hades asked but it wasn”t truly a question. His thumb slipped lower, skimming over my taut stomach before dipping into my navel. A gasp ripped from my throat at the unexpected touch, more heat pooling low in my body.
Their laughter echoed in my ears but I couldn”t bring myself to look at them. I kept my gaze on him, those dark eyes promising more torment to come.
The whispers got louder, the anticipation thicker. Hades hand moved lower still, sliding into the folds of my dress, his fingertips brushing over the top of my mound. My body shuddered involuntarily, heat spreading through me at an alarming rate. I clenched my teeth against the leather ball in my mouth trying to ignore it but it was harder than I thought. Hades withdrew his hand, and I sighed in relief, closing my eyes and leaning my head back against the cold marble wall. Then I felt his hands on my ankle, sliding slowly up my calf and then my thigh.
I opened my eyes and looked down, horrified as I saw Hades on his knees from front of me, his hand gripping the front piece of my skirt as he dragged it slowly up my body. My heart pounded against my ribs, echoing loudly in my ears. His hand reached the top of my leg, and looking up, he passed the fabric of my skirt to Nate, who still stood at my side, close enough for me to feel his breath on my neck.
I strained against my bindings once more, as I watched Hades take out a knife from his robes. He slid the flat of the blade up my thigh, the cold metal sending a shiver through me. With a sudden flick, he cut through the side of my underwear, moving my skirt to slide them down my other leg. My face burned and I gasped as I realised that not only could he now see me completely exposed, but if he moved his head the entire hall would see me too. A cheer rose up from the crowd at my reaction, stripping away what little dignity I had left. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard against the heat rushing over me in waves. This wasn”t what I wanted.
”Beautiful,” he said again, a whisper meant only for me. It was hardly a compliment, more like an appraisal. Each word from him made my skin crawl, even as my body responded to his touch in ways I couldn”t understand. Hades leaned forward, pressing his lips to the inside of my thigh, and a moan escaped me before I could swallow it down.
”Now our little flower is truly blooming,” Tristan said, his voice barely audible over the crowd.
Hades let out a low laugh as he continued to move upwards, his tongue flicking over my sensitive skin. Tristan leaned closer, his lips finding the skin of my neck and I stiffened as he cupped my breast as Hades had done before. Nate”s mouth found my other nipple, sucking harder than Hades and desire shot through me despite my audience. Hades moved higher, his hands pushing my legs further apart and I whimpered as his tongue flicked over my pussy before pushing between my lips.
I tried to squirm away, but the restraints held me fast. The crowd roared in approval. Their eyes, hungry and leering, were watching me. The thought sickened me, even as my body betrayed me with its reactions. Hades’ tongue was hot and insistent, tracing the sensitive folds before plunging deeper. My body jolted and a moan slipped past my lips as he feasted on me. His expert touch spiralled a wave of intensity that made my breath hitch. I gasped, pulling at the restraints, trying to hold on as much as trying to pull away. His fingers dug into my thighs, holding me open as his mouth devoured me. The pleasure was too much, ripping through my body like wildfire. I tried to fight it, the humiliation burning hot in my cheeks. But the more I fought it, the stronger the pleasure became, overpowering everything else.
Tristan and Nate continued kissing and touching me, their lips and hands creating an onslaught of sensations that were too much and not enough all at once. The hall filled with hushed whispers and muffled laughter. Their eyes were on me, drinking in every moment of my vulnerability. I could feel both Nate and Tristan at my sides, their cocks hard as they pressed against my hips. Tristan sucked hard on my neck, his hand wrapped around my throat, and I could feel Nate pushing my breasts together as he moved his mouth to my other nipple, sucking hard, the caress almost painful, but incredible. My moans came quickly now, as Hades continued his assault, sucking on my clit and driving me higher.
The room spun around me in a heady mixture of fear and want. The pleasure built quickly, rising higher and higher until it felt like my entire body was on the verge of exploding.
My body was close to succumbing, I could feel the pressure building, but I couldn”t let go. Not now, not like this. I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut trying to control the overwhelming sensations coursing through me.
But it was all too much.
The roar of the crowd faded, the room seemed to blur as waves of pleasure washed over me. My body convulsed violently against the restraints as waves of pleasure coursed through me over and over again until I was nothing but a trembling mess. I gasped for breath, my heart pounding as I hung limply on the wall, utterly spent. The cheers around me were muffled in my ears, replaced with the loud drumming of my own heartbeat.
Hades stood slowly and wiped his mouth on the back of his arm before turning to face the crowd with a triumphant smirk. ”Our Persephone is sweet indeed,” he declared loudly. Laughter and applause echoed in response, filling the room. Tears dripped down my cheeks as the shame and humiliation filled me, my heart still pounding as I came down from my release. Hades turned back to me, and pressed his lips to my hair.
“Well done, Persephone. Now, it is time for my Knights to pass their own trials.” He stepped away and my head snapped up in shock as Tristan moved around to the front of me, his blue eyes fixed on mine.
“Glow for me, sunshine,” he murmured, smiling as he dropped to his knees between my legs.