by Jamie Begley
In the blink of an eye, she found herself flat on her back, lying on the black marble floor with Hades on top of her, holding her hands in his and preventing her from striking him again.
“I haven’t had so much fun in decades.” He laughed down at her, mocking her attempts to hurt him. “You’re going to stay and keep me company for a while. At least until you begin to bore me.”
Zerina lifted her head until her mouth came close to his shoulder. Before he could guess her intention, she latched on, biting down … hard.
“Dammit.” Hades tried to push her mouth away from his shoulder, but she refused to relinquish the flesh that was starting to tear. One of her hands became free when he tried to push her away from his shoulder, and she raked it down his cheek, leaving bloody gouges.
Hades swore as he pried her jaw open and away from his flesh. Lifting himself to his feet, he then waved a hand to close the gaping wound.
“Are you bored yet?” She spat the blood from her mouth at his feet, spraying the shiny shoes.
His voice became deadly. “Grimm, take Zerina to her new bedroom.”
Zerina screamed out in protest when Grimm lifted her to her feet. She pounded her fists against his chest and face, forcing him to drop his cloak as she tried to break away.
Zerina didn’t see the fist coming until it struck her cheek. A blinding wave of darkness overwhelmed her, and she slipped once again into unconsciousness.
Hades watched as Grimm slung the beautiful woman over his shoulder without remorse then headed toward the large doorway that would lead his servant through his palace to the room he had picked out for her.
“Be gentle with her,” Hades ordered.
Grimm nodded, gliding over the floor.
“Oh, and Grimm, don’t ever dare touch her again. That spitfire is mine.”
Grimm’s face paled in fear. Nodding, he escaped before Hades could reconsider and give him a punishment it would take a century to recover from. The only thing stopping Hades from doing so was that Grimm had brought him his new plaything that he had plans to enjoy to the very depths of his greedy soul.
Deciding to wear something different than she normally would have worn, she put on a pair of jeans and a form-fitting sweater that ended at her hips. The humans she had seen when gifting a child a soul had changed through the centuries. These were so thick she didn’t understand why humans found them so comfortable. However, she didn’t want to give Hades another opportunity to examine her body through the thin gowns she usually wore.
From her mother’s stories, she had imagined Hades’ domain, but it was nothing like she thought. Instead, his castle was cold, which was another thing she missed from home.
“Why so sad?”
“Jinx! Where have you been?” Zerina went to the fairy, who was suddenly sitting on her bed, trying to touch her.
“What are you doing?” Jinx asked with interest when Zerina’s hand passed through her.
Sighing, she sat down next to her. “I was seeing if you were really here or still outside.”
“You could have saved the trouble and asked. It tickled when you did that.”
“Where did you go?”
“I went home. I was hungry. Unlike you, I don’t have anyone concerned if I am hungry.”
Zerina didn’t look at the table of food that she had ignored when it had appeared after she had dressed.
She felt bad for the woman who spent much of her time alone, ostracized by both her magic and fairy kin. Neither of her kind wanted to accept Jinx, so they didn’t. Her homeland had rules that magic and fairies weren’t allowed to mate. Mother had made the rule to prevent them from conceiving a child. A child like Jinx who had the power of both worlds. Merlin and her mother had broken the rule, and they both had been punished by losing their powers until Mother had relented when Chronos had intervened. Merlin and Chronos were confidants, as her own mother was to Mother. Mother embraced Jinx when she was born, but it didn’t prevent her from being shunned by both families.
“I would if I could. It’s hard to feed someone who’s not really here.”
“It’s all good. I ate. I went to your mother’s castle and told her I was still looking for you.” Jinx made herself more comfortable on the bed.
“You didn’t tell her where I was?”
Jinx rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I told you I wouldn’t.”
“I know you did. I just don’t want my mother and father hurt because they are afraid for my safety. Did she look well?”
“Fate always looks beautiful. Destiny was there, and so was Valentine.”
“My father was there?” Maybe her, Cara, and Broni’s disappearance would draw them back together. She had never lost hope that her parents would reunite.
“Cara was there.”
“Cara was there? At my home?” Zerina asked excitedly.
“Yes, her and her husband Jericho.”
“Cara is married?” Zerina’s eyes filled with tears. She had always dreamed of being by her sisters’ sides when they wed.
“Yes, and he’s hot.” She made a sizzling sound, placing a thumb on the palm of her other hand.
“Who is he? Which god did she marry? Was it he who returned her home?”
“Aren’t you going to eat your breakfast?” She hopped off the bed, going to the table to stare down longingly at the bounty that Hades had sent her.
“No, I’m not hungry, and you’re not either—you just ate. Tell me about Cara!” she demanded.
Sitting down at the table, Jinx tried to grasp a piece of bacon. “I’ve always wanted to taste human food. What does it taste like?”
“Jinx!”
“Okay, okay!” She finally turned her attention back to her. “Cara married a human. She met Jericho Hawk when she was stranded on earth. Fate said they fell in love when she stayed with him while trying to find her way back home. Morgana tried to kill them, but your brother stopped her.”
“Thor?”
“You have more than one brother?”
“You know I don’t,” she snapped, wanting to shake the fairy silly for drawing out her explanation.
“You have no sense of humor.” Jinx gave a long, drawn-out sigh. “Yes, it was Thor who carried them home. Cara had been made mortal, so he killed them both, making Cara Moirai when he returned her and Jericho to Fate’s castle.”
“As a god, Thor had the power to return Cara’s power, but how did he carry Jericho?”
“You want me to explain or not?” Jinx made a face at her interruption.
“Please.” Zerina went to the table, taking a piece of bacon and chewing it in enjoyment, just to irritate her.
Jinx narrowed her eyes at her. “You’re not worried that, if you eat something from earth, you won’t be able to return home?”
“That’s an old wives’ tale.” Taking another bite of bacon, she sat down at the table. “Tell me about Jericho, or I’m going to eat the waffles.”
Jinx appeared at the table, staring down at it longingly. “It’s a good thing you’re my friend, or I would put a spell on you to make those waffles go to your hips.”
When Zerina reached for the waffles, Jinx started talking again.
“Jericho is a demigod. Of course, Cara didn’t know that until Thor carried them home and Fate told her.”
Zerina wanted to cry in relief at her sister being home and finding a mate worthy of her.
“Fate also told me that Broni has been found and is living on earth with her new husband. She won’t be able to return until Mother allows her punishment to end. Seems like she’s been going back and forth in time with Chronos’ help.”
“Is she safe?”
She shrugged. “Depends on what you consider safe. I wouldn’t want to be mortal and face the challenges she has. But Broni has always enjoyed fighting battles, so I’m sure she feels right at home. I’m sure the handsome man she married is keeping her warm,” she joked.
Zerina didn’t think anything that Jinx had told h
er was a joking matter, but she could no longer control her emotions, knowing her sisters had been found and were safe.
“Why are you crying?” Hades materialized beside her chair.
Zerina quickly brushed her tears away, debating to tell him what Jinx had told her. When his eyes turned toward Jinx, she decided to tell him.
“Jinx just told me that Cara and Broni have been found.”
“Ah … so they are tears of happiness.”
“Yes. You could have told me if you wanted to,” she said accusingly.
Hades sat elegantly down at the table, placing a napkin neatly over his dark pants. “I would have, but I wanted to save you the heartache of searching for a way out of my domain to find Broni.”
The idea had already occurred to her, but it would be impossible without his help. Even if she found a way out of his domain, she would need to find which time period Broni was living in. Again, she would need Hades’ help if Jinx wasn’t able to create a spell to transport her to Broni.
Being mortal had its limitations; one of them being distance. If Broni was on earth, the distance might be too far to travel on foot. Jinx might be able to help on earth, but she wouldn’t be able to help her return home. Only Hades or another god could.
A thought occurred to her, one that she tried to push back, trying to block Hades from reading her mind.
When he sent her a sardonic look as he made himself a plate from the serving dishes, she knew he already had.
“You wouldn’t want me and Thor to get in a battle over you.” Hades placed a waffle on her plate, covering it with syrup, before serving himself. Waving his hand over the food that was left, it disappeared, and so did Jinx.
“Where did she go?” Zerina asked, worried about her safety.
“Eating. It was rude to eat it in front of her without letting her join us.”
“Let me go. I won’t tell Fate or Mother you kept me imprisoned.”
“You don’t really believe Mother doesn’t know where you are, do you?” Hades took a bite of his food, chewing it thoughtfully as he waited for her answer.
“She doesn’t know. Mother doesn’t have the power to see inside your castle.”
“No, but she does have the power to have seen that you were taken by Grimm, and she knows that you haven’t left.”
Zerina didn’t try to eat the food that Hades had placed before her. She had hoped Mother would intervene.
“She won’t.”
“Quit reading my mind,” she snapped. “You’re just as irritating as Jinx.” Looking up from her plate, she saw that Jinx had reappeared, her face filled with hurt. She disappeared again as Zerina glared at Hades.
“Don’t blame me. You’re the one who said it.” He finished his food without sympathy.
“She won’t come back.” She rose from the table, going to the window and giving Hades her back.
“She’ll get over it and come back. She’s used to being hurt by those she cares about.”
He made her feel even worse.
Refusing to beg him to let her leave, she then realized she just had when she had thought of it. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to block her thoughts from him.
She then felt him behind her before he touched her, taking her wrists and pulling her hands away from her hair.
“There is no way to block your thoughts from me.”
Being so close to him, and his touch on her wrists, had her biting back a moan.
Jerking away, she went to sit on her bed, then decided that was the last place she wanted to be with Hades so close. She went back to the table, placing it between them. “If you’re not going to let me go, then you can go.”
She didn’t have time to react before he transported himself to her side, jerking her to him.
The heat of his body had her nipples pebbling under her sweater as her breasts were crushed against his chest. She refused to look away from his furious expression.
“I can bring you to your knees with a single thought. Don’t tempt me to prove it to you by allowing yourself to continue your charade that I don’t affect you. I can make you do anything I want. Things your virgin body hasn’t even dreamed are possible.”
“You can force me to do many things.” She made herself stand still, ignoring the growing wetness between her thighs. “But even a god can be hurt,” she cooed, licking her bottom lip suggestively as she jerked her knee upward, forcing Hades to release her as he doubled over in pain.
She didn’t run, knowing her door was locked. Bravely, she simply waited for Hades to straighten, staring at him defiantly as he took a limping step toward her.
“You just made a mistake you’re going to regret.” With a wave of his hand, Zerina found herself being transported. She closed her eyes to combat the feeling of vertigo as his power surrounded her. When she felt ground under her once again, she opened her eyes.
Even Mother heard the screams that came from the bowels of the earth, causing the heavens to weep along with her.
Chapter 3
From upon a small ledge, the sound of her scream reverberated around the large pit that she was looking down at. Staring down at the fire below her, she felt the heat that was rising toward her. Her fingernails dug into the rock wall behind her as a rock fell into the pit, making the flames flare.
Maintaining her balance, she looked upward, seeing if there was a way out. Then she gingerly turned to face the rock wall, nearly falling backward before she could find a grip to stabilize herself.
She bit down on her lips to prevent herself from sobbing. She was determined not to give Hades the satisfaction of making her cry.
“You bastard! When Mother finds out what you are doing, she will condemn you to your own hell!” Zerina yelled out, resting her cheek on the rock wall.
“You struck a god; it is within my rights to punish you.”
Looking upward at the sound of Hades’ voice, she wished he was closer so she could hit him again.
“When I get home, my family will make the poor souls you watch over dance on your mangled body.”
“Where’s the sweet, loving woman your mother told me about?” He sat down on the edge of the cliff over her, dangling his legs. Zerina raised a hand, trying to reach his feet. Hades laughed when she discovered he was out of her reach. “I’m immortal; there won’t be a body,” he told her sardonically.
“My sisters were made mortal, so you can be, too, with the right spell.”
“You threatening me with Jinx or Merlin? Neither one of them could turn me mortal. Merlin would be too afraid, and Jinx can’t even find a way inside my domain. Morgana is one of my guests; maybe you could convince her,” he taunted.
She carefully bent her knees, searching along the ledge with her hands for something. When she found one, she gripped it in her hand and stood up again.
“What are you doing?” His face was shrouded in darkness, occasionally illuminated by the fire as he leaned over, trying to see what she was doing.
She didn’t answer.
When he tried to lean over farther, she threw the small rock she had managed to find at his smirking face.
He shook his head down at her, tsking. “I’ve been very gentle with you, and how do repay my generosity? By throwing stones at me.” Hades scooted to the edge then effortlessly lowered himself to stand next to her. “Do you know where we are?”
“I’m not an idiot. You put me in Tartarus.”
“My dungeon.”
Giving her a hard push, she went flying backward, screaming all the way down and seeing him watch her as she fell.
Expecting to feel the scorching heat of the fire, she found herself sprawled on the dirt floor of his dungeon.
She jumped to her feet, looking for a way out, as he effortlessly lowered himself to stand in front of her.
“Save yourself the trouble. There is no escape.”
Defiantly, she turned around to face him when she found no door. He had cast her in a dirt pit. There wasn’
t even a place to sit, other than the dirt floor. With the fire gone, she no longer heard crackling and popping. Instead, there were moans of pain and suffering from the neighboring cells.
She held her fear at bay, knowing that was what he wanted. She was a Moirai; they didn’t fear. Others feared them.
“Let me go. So far, you haven’t done anything that you won’t have to ask forgiveness for.”
“Then I need to rectify that oversight.” With a wave of his hand, she felt her clothes disappear.
It took sheer determination and stubbornness not to cover her body with her hands, standing proudly before him.
“You looked hot. Do you feel more comfortable now?”
“You know I don’t,” she said from between clenched teeth.
He took a step nearer, brushing his knuckles against the creamy skin on her cheek. “Beautiful Zerina, I am not a cruel master. Apologize to me, and I will return you to your room.”
“I will not apologize.”
At her answer, he dropped his hand to his side as she felt heat erupted in her loins. The passion was so sudden she dropped to her knees.
“When you’re ready to apologize, call out. I will hear.”
“Can you hear me say I hate you!” She glanced away regally, unable to bear the sight of him while her body begged her to crawl toward him, beg him to assuage the lust that was making her squirm to alleviate the desire he had created as her punishment.
Hades went to his haunches as he studied her. “Do you smell that?”
Zerina knew the sweet fragrance was coming from between her thighs. Tensing, she squeezed her thighs together tighter, embarrassed when his nostrils flared and he caught another whiff of her arousal.
When he stood, she could see the huge outline of his cock behind his black trousers that was level with her mouth. She clenched her fingers to keep herself from reaching out and unbuttoning his slacks, from lowering the zipper to get to what she instinctively knew was the only thing that would relieve the ache that was escalating to a fever pitch.