by Bella Klaus
“Demeter’s reaction told him everything he needed to know,” Hades replied.
Samael gazed at Mother with sick wonder, his slitted mouth parted, revealing the blood-red contents of his mouth.
“Shit,” I whispered.
“A fair assessment of our predicament,” Hades said through our connection. “Now we need to watch out for assassins bearing blood-soaked blades.”
When Aunt Minerva stepped forward from the gaggle of goddesses and pricked her finger with a dagger, the edges of my vision turned red.
With a roar of fury, I flung the needles across the room, letting them hit Samael, Mother, and my aunts.
“Will electricity kill Samael?” I asked.
“Don’t attack him or your mother,” Hades said, his voice laced with panic.
“You said earlier that we shouldn’t kill each other. This is my best shot at knocking them all unconscious.”
“The rules,” he snarled. “If the deity punishes you for attacking a fellow monarch, the effects might be permanent.”
I curled my index fingers and withdrew the needles from Samael and Mother. “Fine, but nothing will happen if I lash out at the coven.”
“Not unless they’ve taken control of the other Factions,” he replied.
“Good.” I flared out my wings, letting the full extent of my magic, my fury, and my determination travel across those strings. Instead of it manifesting as tiny threads of electricity, the bolts of lightning became as thick as my wing bones.
My four aunts flapped about like caught fish.
“Keep on the pressure,” Hades said. “These goddesses will survive any amount of damage.”
“Right.”
Mother rose from her seat, her face pale. She glanced from one side of the booth to the other, where her coven sisters jerked and shuddered under the weight of my power.
“Kora,” she said, her words breathy. “Stop this at once.”
I curled my lip. “Why don’t you come over here and make me?”
Samael took Mother’s hand and pulled her back to her seat. He pressed his lips on her knuckles, leaving more black marks, before leaning to her side and whispering into her blonde curls.
Suppressing a shudder, I pushed more and more of my power into the attack on Mother’s coven. Even if I only incapacitated them for a few days, Mother would be without allies—enough time for us to work out a way to defeat her.
“Kora,” Aunt Minerva said through clenched teeth, her features contorting into a rictus of agony. “Stop. Please.”
“You didn’t show me any mercy while I was Mother’s prisoner,” I snarled.
The goddess fell to the side of the booth, but she didn’t roll to the floor. Aunt Juno, who stood beside her, dropped to her knees.
“They’re tough,” I said out loud.
“Their magic is repairing the damage you’re doing to their insides,” Hades said. “It won’t last. Those lightning attacks were always brutal enough to subdue every other Olympian, even when Zeus attacked all of us at one time.”
“Seize her,” Mother shrieked.
Another group of demons appeared behind us. They were gray-skinned creatures with ridged foreheads and glowing red eyes. One of them lurched toward me, its rags billowing as it moved.
I spread out my wings, making their insides glow an incandescent silver. The surface of the demon’s flesh popped and sizzled and steamed, before it exploded like a kernel of popcorn and stained its surroundings with soot.
All the other demons skittered a wide circle around my electricity and rushed at Hades, and he tore their souls from their bodies, releasing clouds of red smoke. My stomach twisted, although this time it wasn’t from dread. Ignoring the sensation, I focused my efforts on finishing off the coven.
Samael clapped his hands together. “You didn’t tell me your daughter was so entertaining.”
Mother bared her teeth, her entire body expanding and contracting with her furious breaths. “Kora, this is your last warning… If you don’t stop embarrassing me this instant—”
“I’m not the same young woman you kept ignorant and frightened,” I snapped. “Nothing you could possibly do or say would make me return to your side.”
“We’ll see about that.” Mother rose to her feet and reached into the bodice of her dress, where she usually kept a stash of weapons.
My gaze darted to the first demon who had fallen—the one Hades had thrown into the trajectory of Aunt Diana’s blood-soaked spear. Focusing on the weapon, I raised it out of the dead demon and rotated its point toward Mother.
“Kora,” she said, her voice breathy and scandalized. “You wouldn’t possibly attack your own mother.”
“Don’t do it,” Hades snarled. “Killing her will only backfire.”
“I’m only going to give her a fright,” I replied. During all the years of self-defense classes Mother had made me endure, I had never once managed to land a hit on the blasted woman. She couldn’t help but dodge.
He harrumphed. “You’d better.”
With a flick of the hand, the spear flew across the room. As it approached the booth, a soap-bubble dome materialized around its perimeter. It slowed as it pierced the ward, and I held my breath, wondering if I could land a hit. Just before its metallic head reached Mother’s chest, she disappeared with a scream.
The blade lodged itself into the booth’s white cushioned backrest. Samael examined the spear’s carved handle, his red tongue running across his bottom lips.
“This was the same weapon Lady Diana used to attack Hades?” he asked.
I clamped my mouth shut, giving Samael my fiercest glower.
“Bloody hell,” Hades growled through our link. “If Demeter hadn’t disappeared at the last minute, you would have killed her, and incited Heaven’s wrath.”
“I knew she wouldn’t stay around to get hit,” I said.
Hades shook his head. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Dinner would be nice,” I muttered. “The red bonbon is starting to lose its effectiveness, and my stomach feels like a howling abyss.”
As Hades finished off the remaining demons, I pushed more power into the needles until smoke and lightning seeped from the unconscious goddesses’s mouths. The old me might have stopped my attack the moment they’d fallen to the floor, but they had traumatized Dami, and I needed to teach them a lesson.
Samael continued staring at the spear, his thin fingers massaging his chin.
“I’ve got a theory about him,” I said into my link with Hades.
“What is it?”
“Samael isn’t really here because he’s a massive coward. He probably left the same time Mother disappeared and what we’re looking at is an avatar.”
“It smells as foul as him,” Hades said with a snort.
“He probably left a piece of rotten meat under the table to fool our noses.”
Hades threw his head back and laughed.
I reached into his sword belt, pulled out a dagger and hurled it across the room and into the booth. Its point drove straight through Samael’s throat without making a single cut.
My chest inflated with triumph. He may as well have just posted on social media that his physical body couldn’t withstand a battle.
The gash in his mouth widened into an inhuman grin. “You are a dangerous and deadly goddess, Persephone. When I have finished with your mother, you will be mine.”
Before I could launch myself across the room, the image flickered out with a pop.
Hades grabbed my arm. “Never do that again.”
I whirled on him, my eyes flashing. “What are you talking about? I knew what I was doing.”
He placed both hands on my shoulders, giving me a gentle shake. “If those daggers had hit your mother or Samael—”
“But they didn’t,” I said.
His face twisted into a snarl, and his eyes flared with hellfire.
My stomach plummeted to the floor, and my breath froze in my lungs.
I’d seen Hades in a variety of moods, ranging from seductive to annoyed, but never this level of anger. Never directed at me.
“What’s…” I gulped. “What’s wrong?”
“I almost lost the woman I love,” he said, each syllable as furious as it was frantic. “If Samael wasn’t such a bloody coward, he would have let that dagger land, and then the power of Heaven would have struck you down for breaking their rules.”
My lips parted, an explanation rolling on my tongue, but his words trickled into my skull. Had Hades just admitted to loving me?
The pulse in my throat fluttered, and I whispered, “What did you say?”
His nostrils flared. “Varaha gave those bastards two thousand and twenty-one years of faithful service, yet they executed him for taking a bite of meat. What do you think they would do to someone who broke a long-standing rule?”
“No,” I said, my words trembling. “Before that.”
Hades’ brows drew together in a frown. “I was telling you that Samael was a coward, and—”
“Not that.”
He growled. “Kora, will you listen to me?”
“You called me the woman you love.”
All the anger drained from his features, and he drew back, blinking rapidly as though to clear his thoughts. “Aren’t my feelings for you obvious?”
“No,” I said.
“Of course I love you. I love your bravery and strength. I love how you can burn me from the inside out. I even love how you’re unreasonably unforgiving.”
“No, I’m not—”
“Kora.” He tightened his grip on my shoulders. “Right now, you’re the most powerful Demon Monarch in Hell, but if you pull a reckless stunt like that again, I’ll…”
“What will you do? Spank me?” I raised my chin, giving him my most defiant stare.
“You’d probably enjoy that a little too much,” he said with a snarl. “Endanger yourself one more time, and I’ll place you somewhere you’ll never escape.”
All feelings of goodwill toward Hades drained away in an instant. “No one will ever imprison me again,” I said with bite. “Never.”
“Then think before you strike out against a Demon Monarch.” Hades tapped the side of my head. “Samael was already thinking ahead today when he set up this ambush.”
I swallowed. “Do you really think he wants to kill Mother?”
Hades inclined his head. “He now runs the Second and could have brought demons under his jurisdiction, but he brought those from the Third, which he handed to Demeter. Heaven would have punished her for any injuries we sustained during this attack.”
“Even if he was the one who gave the orders?” I asked.
“They were Demeter’s demons,” he replied. “They couldn’t have acted without her consent.”
I bowed my head, resting it on Hades’ broad chest. “There’s so much about politics in Hell I don’t understand.”
He wrapped his arms around my back, pulling our bodies close. “This is why I’m here to guide you. Samael has had an eternity working under the angels’ ruler and even more time to understand how their rules work. Don’t let him goad you into following any action that will get you hurt.”
“I’ll be more careful,” I murmured.
He drew back, placing his fingers under my chin and tilting my head up. The fire in his eyes dimmed, leaving his irises smoldering. “Despite my complaints, I was proud of how quickly you worked out what he was doing. And the way you adjusted your attack toward Demeter’s coven was impressive.”
My chest swelled. “Am I getting better?”
He inclined his head. “I’ll soon make a warrior goddess out of you.”
I pulled my shoulders back and basked in his admiration, but the intensity of his gaze made me pause. All his previous anger had faded, leaving behind a longing that bordered on hunger.
“Hades?” I whispered.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he murmured. “Are there any objections?”
“You don’t seem the type to ask permission before you make a pass,” I said.
His lips met mine in a soft kiss that made me feel like I was being caressed by petals. It was tentative at first, and conveyed both love and respect. Then he drew back and stroked his fingers down one side of my face, his gaze reaching into my soul.
“Every time I see a new side to you, I become even more smitten,” he said, making my heart soar.
I flung my arms around his neck and kissed back, my mind drifting away from the dead demons, charred goddesses, and the aftermath from our little battle, and back to the Kensington Palace bedroom suite.
Hades’ kiss was more urgent than it had been then, with a passion that made me feel like he finally wasn’t holding back. I surrendered to his ministrations, my lips parting to allow his tongue entrance.
With a groan, he reached down my back and cupped my ass cheeks, bringing our bodies flush. His hardness pressed into my belly, and my core pulsed in response.
“You’re intoxicating,” he moaned into the kiss. “And utterly beguiling.”
I melted against his hard body and surrendered to the kiss. If we didn’t move location fast, we might forget ourselves and end up having sex among the fallen demons.
Chapter Fourteen
A knock sounded on the other side of the restaurant, making us both jump apart. Standing at a white door was a tall waiter with sandy hair and a face as pale as diluted milk.
He cleared his throat. “Excuse me, Monsieur, Madame.”
The man’s gaze darted about the space, lingering on the charred remains of the demons I had attacked with my lightning. Mother had left behind her four coven sisters, who still spasmed and twitched from the small amount of electricity I’d left channeling into them during our kiss.
“Yes,” Hades hissed.
“The food is ready,” the waiter said. “Would you like us to serve the first course?”
“No, thanks,” I said.
Hades grinned. “We’ll take our food to the pinnacle.”
The waiter bowed. “Yes, sir.”
My mouth dropped open. “Why on earth would we eat their food?” I whispered to Hades. “For all you know, Samael could have ordered worms or the hearts of newborns.”
Hades wrapped an arm around my middle and pulled me into his side. “I promised you a meal, and now you’re going to get fed. Besides, Gustave’s is one of the best restaurants in Paris. Their chef served each of the Holy Roman Emperors.”
Before I could reply, Hades transported us to what I could only describe as a transparent dome the size of my bathroom. Its only furniture was a circular table set for two, complete with four glasses, four forks, three spoons, and two knives. In the middle of the setting stood a candelabra that looked like it was made from the same material as the tower.
I turned in a slow circle, taking in our surroundings. We were about a quarter of a mile up in the air with three-hundred-and-sixty-degree views of Paris.
The sky was clear and starry, highlighting spectacular views of our surroundings, all illuminated by streetlights, headlights, and floodlights to highlight the historical architecture. On one side was a beautiful field arranged with geometric paths around a man made pool. On the other was the river.
Hades stood so close, the warmth of his body radiated through his armor. I placed a hand over my chest, trying to catch my breath. “Paris is even more beautiful than what I’ve seen on TV.”
“Yes,” he said, his deep voice resonating across my skin. “I’m rather enjoying the view.”
Hades stared at me with a hunger that made my heart flip. I thought he would kiss me again and press me against the transparent dome, but he stepped back toward the table and pulled out my chair like a gentleman.
“Thank you.” I lowered myself into the seat, letting him push it back in. “What is this place?”
“The pinnacle is an exclusive enclosure at the very top of the Eiffel Tower.” He swept his arm out, bringing up an image of the ent
ire structure.
At its narrowest level was an observation deck, and on top of that, a needlelike structure that resembled a satellite tower. A red circle hovered a few inches above that point, indicating our current location.
I glanced down to the transparent floor, finally noticing that we were floating several feet above the metallic building, and snatched my gaze away.
“Do we have time to sit around eating when there are so many enemies trying to destroy us?” I asked.
“There’s always rest for the wicked.” He waved away my concern and lowered himself into his seat. “If anyone so much as scratches at the wards, I will transport us back.”
I leaned across the table, my eyes wide. “You’re that sensitive to the goings-on at the Fifth?”
“The magic we absorbed at the Devil’s Ball works to preserve the integrity of the Factions. Any attempts at eroding it will at least alert us that there’s trouble.”
My brows rose. “Why did it allow those demons you killed in the throne room to work for Samael?”
Hades tightened his lips and sat back in his seat. “Unfortunately, our angel overseers don’t provide us with the wherewithal to suppress demonic uprisings.”
“Azriel should try doing your job for a day,” I said. “He’d rust his armor after the first ten minutes.”
Light flared from the candles on our table, adding to the atmosphere of sophistication and romance. The corner of Hades’ full lips curved up into a knowing smile that made my cheeks heat.
This was the type of scenario I’d always dreamed of one day experiencing with a handsome prince, except I was with a king, a god, a beautiful being who had lived thousands of years, yet he looked at me as though I was the only woman in existence.
My heart soared. The only thing ruining the situation was the impending doom.
All thoughts of romance evaporated into the ether as images of Samael and Mother assaulted my mind. They had twice as many demons at their disposal, where the Fifth was being depleted by soulkins, Persephone, and traitors.
I leaned forward, my brows creased. “What if someone tampers with the wards and makes sure you can’t feel them?”