Chapter 16
Hades
I brush a strand of Serapina’s hair behind her ear and place a kiss on her forehead.
She sighs in response, then nuzzles my chest in her sleep. The action makes me wish I were shirtless like Maliki or in a robe like Morpheus.
Alas, I chose to wear a button-down shirt and slacks.
“Do you think it’s possible that she’s currently in heat?” Morpheus asks, his gaze on Serapina.
I frown at him. “If she were in heat, my knot would currently be inside her.”
Assuming she accepted me as a mate, anyway. But that part isn’t entirely relevant to our current discussion.
“She just ate about five meals’ worth of food and passed out in your lap,” Morpheus says.
“She was also quite demanding in the shower. And that was after whatever Maliki did to her earlier, plus what happened overnight between the four of us. I realize she’s an Omega, but she’s still mortal. However…”
He leaves that final word to dangle between us while I gaze down at the sleeping beauty in my lap. I did notice her voracious appetite both for food and sex today. It was very heat-like. And she was about to go into estrus before whatever Demeter did to her.
“Do you think she’s in heat and just isn’t emitting a signal?” Maliki asks, causing me to glance up at him because that exact question was forming in my mind.
Well, not exactly the same. “It’s not a signal but a scent,” I tell him. “One that acts as a beacon.”
He looks at me. “You knew what I meant.”
“I did,” I admit. “But correcting you entertains me.”
He rolls his eyes and reaches for a bottle just as it manifests on the table. Apparently, he’s figured out that the magic that exists in the kitchen actually permeates the entire cabin. Knowing Maliki, he’s also likely aware that it fuels every inch of this maze, too.
Though, if that were true, he wouldn’t have asked me to manifest those jeans in the cave; he would have just done it himself.
So maybe he doesn’t know.
Or he was playing with me.
Typical Maliki, I think, watching as he pours himself a healthy serving of red wine.
Holding my gaze, he leans back and takes a long sip, his expression unreadable.
“You really do fancy human inventions,” Morpheus muses. “I myself am more drawn to ambrosia.” He creates a glass that’s filled with something pink, the scent of it hitting me almost instantly and drawing a growl from my throat.
Because it’s slick.
And not just any slick—it’s from our mate. “Morpheus.”
He shrugs and brings the glass to his mouth, his gaze daring me to do something about it as he makes a show of swallowing some of the divine liquid.
“Was knotting her first not enough?” I demand. “Now you want to flaunt your knowledge of how she tastes?”
“I actually haven’t experienced that for myself yet,” he murmurs. “I believe Maliki is the only one who has feasted between her thighs, yes?”
“Yeah, and she’s fucking delicious.” He grabs Morpheus’s cup to steal a sip, causing his gold irises to glitter. “That’s very close, but not quite right.”
“Hmm.” Morpheus takes the glass back and causes it to vanish with a quick move of his hand. “Maybe I’ll find out the true taste while she dreams.” His eyes are on Serapina now. “She gave me permission to knot her while she sleeps.”
“You will not be doing that while she’s asleep in my lap,” I tell him flatly.
He chuckles. “No, I imagine not.” He looks at me again. “Is that what’s keeping you calm, Cousin? Holding our mate?”
My jaw ticks. “I’m not sure calm is the correct term to describe how I’m feeling right now, Morpheus.”
One of his silver brows lifts. “Then what term would you use?”
“Jealous,” I admit, not afraid to voice the emotion. “Very. Fucking. Jealous.”
Morpheus doesn’t respond the way I expect him to—with an amused expression. Instead, he seems to sober as he replies with a simple “I understand.”
I wince. Because of course he understands. How many times did he feel me knot Persephone, all while knowing he could never have her?
I’ve only endured a hint of what I forced him to experience. And there is a huge difference in our situations as well—he’s willing to share, whereas I was not.
“You’re my absolutely amazing Alpha.”
Serapina’s comment plays through my mind, the emotion beneath it making my heart ache. Because she meant every word.
It hurt to hear, even though I knew she was right. Morpheus is a good Alpha. While I still have a lot to prove to her.
However, I will show her that I can be good to her, too.
“I want to apologize, but I can’t,” Morpheus adds, surprising me again.
“It would be a betrayal to our mate to feel sorry about what’s happened.
Which is why I can’t entirely fault you for taking care of Persephone the way you did for all those years.
You were doing what you felt was right for her. ”
“I was being selfish,” I mutter.
“That, too,” he agrees. “Alas, we can’t change the past.” He gives me a long, serious look, then says, “Fortunately for you, I’m much more focused on the present and our future.”
“Cheers to that,” Maliki drawls, lifting his glass of wine in the air. “The first item on our future agenda involves Hades doing the dishes.”
I stare at him, then wish away all the items on the table—and include the glass in his hand.
His eyes narrow, and he manifests another drink, this time a glass filled with spider ale. I’m about to cause it to vanish as well, but a pint of blood ale appears in front of me.
Maliki arches a brow, daring me to make my move.
“Hmm,” I hum, reaching carefully for the goblet. Serapina snuggles into my chest as I move, then sighs when I settle back into the chair, the glass in one hand as I cradle her with my opposite arm. “Cheers,” I say, purposely mimicking Maliki.
Then I take a drink and nearly groan as an unexpected sweetness bursts across my tongue.
“This is not blood ale.” The words come out choked, my cock suddenly throbbing between my legs. Because that sinfully decadent flavor can only belong to one female. My mate.
“Oh, it’s blood ale,” Maliki drawls. “I just added an ingredient.”
Morpheus snorts beside him, obviously amused.
I do not share the sentiment. “You’re taunting me.”
“No, I’m introducing you to the future, my lord,” Maliki murmurs. “And trust me when I say it’s fucking exquisite.”
I close my eyes and inhale, striving for patience.
But it’s the wrong response.
Because Serapina’s delicious fragrance is all I can smell.
I set the glass down with a low growl, one that has my Omega whimpering in response. That small sound forces me to find patience—for her—and morphs my deep rumble into a purr.
She snuggles deeper into my chest on a sigh, instantly at ease once more.
“It is not wise to torture me with a taste when I’ve been abstinent for over two thousand years, Maliki.” The words are smooth. Clear. Utterly calm. Yet inside, a storm is raging. My beast is hungry. Demanding. Yearning. And I ensure Maliki can feel every ounce of that weight.
By the time I open my eyes, he’s no longer smiling.
“I’m not trying to torture you, Hades,” he says. “But I won’t deny that you deserve to feel a little tormented after how you treated Sera.”
I stare at him. “Do you think I’m unaware of how I’ve wronged her?”
“No, I think you’re very aware. Which is why I’m letting you hold her right now,” he informs me. “If I thought you were going to hurt her again, I wouldn’t let you touch her.”
I arch a brow, the irony of our situation playing through my mind. “Just a week ago, she was my mate, and only my mate. Now you’re the one telling me what to do. Does that make you the boss of our mate-circle?”
He smirks. “Would you kneel if I demanded it?”
I cock my head, considering the question. “Depends on why I’m being told to kneel.”
His gold eyes glitter with amusement as he enjoys his spider ale. “Hear that, Morpheus?” he drawls as he sets down the now-empty glass. “The God of Death is saying he’ll kneel under the right circumstances.”
“I imagine the right circumstances involve the Omega in his lap,” Morpheus murmurs. “I would kneel for her, too.”
Rather than comment, I just stroke Serapina’s arm again, enjoying her nearness and the soft little sighs she releases when I touch her. She’s very clearly seeking safety and warmth right now.
As Omegas do when in heat, I think, my brow furrowing a little as I reconsider what Morpheus said a few minutes ago about her estrus.
My gaze drifts down to her delicate features, taking in the flush of her cheeks. She’s still mortal, just like Morpheus mentioned. And only an Omega can go into a true heat.
But maybe… maybe that has something to do with whatever Demeter has done to her.
Is Serapina experiencing a cycle right now? I wonder, studying her even more intently. As a… human?
“She took your knot,” I say slowly, interrupting whatever Maliki just said to Morpheus. I wasn’t paying attention. If it was important, he’ll repeat it after I finish questioning my cousin. “Did it hurt her at all?”
His blue-green eyes meet mine, a hint of challenge in his depths. “You think I would have allowed myself to harm her?”
“That’s not my question,” I reply. “I’m asking if she even flinched.
She’s mortal. Taking a knot should have been impossible.
But she took your knot. So did she even flinch?
Because a human…” I trail off, not wanting to think about what a knot could do to a true human.
It would rip one apart in the most excruciating of ways.
That’s why Mythos Fae playing with mortals was frowned upon eons ago.
Does it still happen? Yes.
But not for knotting purposes.
Just sex.
“Your knot attached to her,” I press, no longer questioning him but processing what I already know. “And she… enjoyed it.”
“You’re wondering about her heat now,” Morpheus says, clearly following my train of thought. “Realizing I might be right.”