Chapter 7 #2
‘No being is so powerful it cannot be weakened, Persephone.’ He turned away and carried on cooking, leaving my mind in a whirl.
When he served lunch, I ate slowly, my stomach in knots, and we sat in silence.
The grilled cheese sandwich was divine, but with the god of the dead sitting before me, I struggled to swallow.
He has freaking fangs. Gods have fangs. My mind couldn’t keep up with this insane world.
But, I needed to ask about things—about Persephone.
When I met his gaze again, they swirled with golden flecks, like angel fire.
‘Why do your eyes sometimes swirl with gold?’ I asked, taking another bite of my sandwich.
‘It’s the aether in my body. Heightened emotions affect it. In my true form, my eyes are pure gold.’
‘Your true form? Like in the alley? When I was fighting the Lamia?’ He nodded in response. ‘You’re made of shadows,’ I said, almost to myself.
‘My shadows are my aether too.’
‘I prefer your human form,’ I muttered, causing his lips to twitch. Damn it—I really preferred it. Too much. Warmth surged between my legs.
Seriously? I needed to bleach my brain because there was no way I should be having indecent thoughts about his stacked body and reacting to him like this.
I set my sandwich down, furious at my traitorous, tingling nipples.
‘Why did the gods start the war ?’ I asked as calmly as I could, raising my eyes to his. ‘Why banish magic?’
He stopped eating, his gaze meeting mine again. ‘That’s a conversation we need at another time.’
‘No!’ I raised my voice, causing him to flinch.
‘Tell me. Tell me why your twisted little pantheon slaughtered so many—so many witches and mages. My kin!’ My voice rose with every word, pitch climbing like the storm building in my chest..
‘And what became of the real Persephone?’ I felt my temper prickling as the darkness within me fought for release.
He slid off the stool and sighed, turning away from me.
He raked both hands through his hair as he stared out of a towering window.
Anger rose swiftly, and the last little tether on my temper snapped.
I cursed under my breath, jumped down from the stool, and stalked toward him.
My steps echoed like a war drum across polished marble.
He turned—slowly, deliberately—as I drew my dagger, and he eyed the movement.
‘Dangerous things can be kept in the prettiest of places,’ he murmured, voice like smoke. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t move.
I raised the divine blade to his throat. Pressed.
A sharp breath. A trickle of blood bloomed—deep violet laced with gold—trailing down his neck, catching at the hollow of his collarbone before slipping beneath the V of his black shirt.
He looked down at me. Not angry. Not scared.
Resigned… and something else. Something that scared me more than the shadows ever could.
My mouth went dry.
‘Do it,’ he said hoarsely, an angry frown marring his flawless face.
My eyes met his, and my resolve faltered.
I saw something new flash in his eyes, and my breath caught.
Desperation filled me as I gazed into those bewitching eyes and that beautiful face.
Slowly, I lowered the dagger, and it clattered to the floor as I lifted my hand to touch his stubbled jaw.
He closed his eyes, and the sensation of his skin sent electricity firing through every nerve ending. Yearning skittered through my core.
‘I know you,’ I whispered. I felt as if I truly knew him—as though I’d known him for a lifetime. It seemed absurd.
He opened his golden eyes. ‘And I know you.’ I could hear the love in his broken voice.
‘You’re beautiful,’ I murmured, inhaling his earthy and spicy scent. My hand journeyed down, resting on his solid chest, and his eyes flashed with hunger… lust.
‘I’ll always want you.’ He stepped closer, pushing me backwards, then pressing me against the wall, his hands resting on either side of my head. For the love of every baby kitten on the planet, I was pretty sure my panties were close to combusting.
His voice dropped to a low rasp. ‘You were the brightest star in an endless night,’ he murmured as he lowered his mouth to mine.
As his stubble brushed against my cheek, I contemplated the other kinds of friction I’d like to create with him, and an avalanche of shivers cascaded down my spine.
‘Simply being able to touch you again…’ His breath caressed my lips, and as he uttered the word ‘touch’ like a sin, like a promise, it sucker-punched me straight in the lady parts.
I wanted him. I wanted to grab his face and kiss the ever-loving darkness out of him. And that terrified me.
At the very last second—heart pounding, skin buzzing—I gasped and ducked under his arm. No. Absolutely not. I was not going to be one more conquest carved into the stone of his throne.
I wasn’t going to kiss the goddamn fanged king of the Underworld.
I staggered back, shaking my head hard like it could fling out the desire. When I looked up… He was gone. Just—gone. Shadows and silence where his warmth had been. My stomach dropped.
You were the brightest star in an endless night.
His words echoed, wrapping around my ribs like a chain. My chest tightened, and traitorous tears blurred my vision.
Because I hated him. And I wanted him.
And that combination was lethal.
I stumbled down the maze of hallways, wiping the tears from my face.
I had no idea where I was going. My mind was a sea of confusion.
I recognised the god of the Underworld; I knew him.
Was it because I was Persephone? I couldn’t fathom that ridiculous notion or my inexplicable feelings for him.
He was absurdly hot, and I was definitely drawn to him, but it was more than that—more than mere attraction.
I needed to get out of this place; I was suffocating.
I came to a large wooden door that I opened cautiously.
It led outside to wide steps, the colour and texture reminiscent of polished obsidian.
I glanced towards the sky, which glowed an ethereal amethyst and silver hues—there was no sun.
Panic surged within my chest, and my hand flew to my mouth.
I needed to get out of here and return home.
The landscape was desolate—no greenery or flowers thrived in this godsforsaken place.
I couldn’t bear to be trapped here for three months. I’d wither. Die.
Far in the distance, I could see a river; as I stared at it, I wondered if it was the river Styx.
Descending the steps, I knelt and picked up a handful of dirt; the inky, sand-like soil trickled through my fingers.
Life… I felt the residual embers of life in the dirt, and I smiled.
Wiping my hands on my trousers, I surveyed my surroundings.
It was like a black desert with no oasis in sight, and something unexplainable pulled in my gut—a feeling of loss and sadness—emotions I couldn’t understand at all.
My flora magic hummed beneath my skin, deep into muscle and bone, desperate to revive the life that had once thrived.
I bent down and placed my hands in the soil.
My magic cascaded through every nerve ending, every synapse.
Grasses sprouted, flowers bloomed, and a myriad of narcissi appeared interspersed with various vibrant flora as the bare trees changed colour and broad leaves unfurled on the branches.
‘That’s better,’ I muttered as I stood and scanned the landscape as far as my eyes could see.
Turning back, I glanced at the structure behind me.
It resembled a crystal fortress—immense and oddly beautiful, crafted from the same mineral as the steps, but imbued with star-kissed sparkles.
Aristocratic and imposing, the castle featured tall round towers capped with conical roofs, grand arched doorways, vast windows, and cantilevered balconies. The place was absolutely breathtaking.
As I walked towards the flowing river, more flowers and grass sprouted in my wake. The sight of this began to calm my pounding heart until an almighty woof almost made my ears bleed. Coming towards me as fast as a speeding freight train was Cerberus, Hades’ demon hound.
‘Oh, crap,’ I screeched as I reached for my dagger. My sheath was empty—I’d left my blade on the kitchen floor. Rooted to the spot, my knees trembled, and my heart galloped as the hound drew closer and closer. ‘He won’t hurt me. He won’t hurt me,’ I whispered to myself.
Cerberus came to an emergency stop in front of me.
He crouched on his front paws, ass in the air, and all three heads whining, tongues lolling as his six red eyes fixed on me.
One head nudged me, and I toppled onto my butt.
He immediately seized the opportunity, and the next moment, three long tongues were lavishing me with affection, making me screech with laughter.
‘Well, hello, boy,’ I said as I managed to sit up and pat each head.
‘You’re delightful. You’re not scary at all.
’ I ran my fingers through the black fur on his muzzles.
‘Sephy!’ Tee’s stern voice shattered the moment. ‘What are you doing out here?’
I struggled to my feet. ‘Walking,’ I uttered without meeting her gaze.
‘I see.’ She glanced around at the meadow ablaze with colour, and a small smile played on her lips. ‘Let’s get you back. Come on.’
‘See you soon, boy.’ I kissed each of Cerberus’s noses, and he nudged me towards Tee.
She took my hand, and with a pop and a flash of bright white light, I found myself back in my room, my stomach lurching.
‘Ugh, I wish you’d stop freaking doing that.
’ I walked over to the bed, flopped down on my back, and closed my eyes.
‘I take it lunch was a bust?’ I felt the mattress shift as Tee settled beside me.
‘You could say that.’
‘What happened?’ She nudged my arm.
‘I think he might be pissed off with me.’
‘Why?’