“Their story has not played out yet.” Looking into her sad green eyes he continued gently, “Perhaps they will.”
Persephone averted her gaze from his, it felt too intimate to meet his black eyes in the dim light of the dining hall. A large red fruit caught her eye and she reached for it curiously. She had never seen this variety before and she cracked it open, watching in delight as many soft ruby colored seeds poured out. It was lovely. Picking up a seed, she placed it to her lips when suddenly Hades was before her, ripping it from her grasp. He took a cloth and wiped her lips and hands roughly.
“Wh-what are you doing?” she asked, and when she looked up at him, his face was filled with hot rage. She had only seen him this angry once before, in his throne room right before he had ripped out the heart of a man. She shrunk back in her chair watching him with wide, terrified eyes.
He snapped his fingers and one of the servers appeared. He placed the fruit and all its seeds into the hands of the servant.
“Find out who placed these here and bring them to my throne room.” His back was to her and it was several moments before he turned around. When he did, his black eyes still blazed. “That is the fruit of the pomegranate tree. I told you it was the tree of the Underworld. If you consume its flesh, you can never leave.”
Persephone sucked in a breath feeling fear clamp down on her heart. She had been only moments away from putting the seed in her mouth. She opened her mouth to offer her profuse gratitude when a thought occurred to her and she narrowed her eyes at him. “I thought I was already trapped down here! You said I could not leave, that the curse would not let me leave.”
The anger in his face had been replaced by the distant look that she had come to associate with him. “Ah, my discerning wife, your suspicious nature surprises me. I never said you were bound to the Underworld, I said you were bound to me. I will not let you leave, I cannot let you leave. It is our fates that are linked, and only by association are you required to reside here.”
“It does not sound that different to me,” she retorted.
“Then allow me to be clearer,” he replied. “If you consume those seeds, by the Law of the Gods, you can never set one foot outside the Underworld. You would no longer be a guest, but an eternal prisoner here.”
“Then I suppose I should thank you for keeping me an imprisoned guest,” she said bitterly.
“Yes,” he said quietly, “ perhaps you should. How would you like to start?”
She blinked at him blankly for a moment. “What?”
He walked slowly towards her, “You made the offer, tell me, how do you wish to thank me? There are so many ways you can show me your gratitude.”
He stood over her chair now and she held out a hand. “Do not come any closer,” she said, her voice trembling.
“You claim you do not desire me?” he questioned.
“I do not! I do not want you to touch me!” she spat out.
He smiled at her slyly, “I think you lie to me, or maybe you lie to yourself. I saw you by my room today. I felt your desire. What a shocking turn of events that was -- my privacy being violated.”
She tried to rise from her chair, but he pushed her back down, keeping his hand on her shoulder. She tried desperately to shrug him off, but he remained firmly in place. She stared at the table, feeling her face turn painfully hot. “I--I only watched you because I was concerned about your wound. If you succumb to that injury no one else here would have the means to return me above ground.” The explanation sounded ridiculously feeble even to her own ears.
“Oh, Persephone,” he replied softly. “What lies you tell; I am surprised Aletheia does not strike you down. I saw you stay long after you saw my wound, I saw you watch as my cock pulsed with need for you, and still you stayed.”
“No,” she said, but her voice was a fragmented. “I do - do not wish to discuss this. I do not trust you. For all I know you could have shot yourself with that arrow to get a wife to join you here, to make her a prisoner! Let me retire to my chambers.”
His grasp tightened on her shoulder, “No, not this time, Persephone. You will stay until we have an honest discussion.”
“An honest discussion!” she angrily retorted, her green eyes snapping to his. “You treat me like a pawn in your game of chess against some unknown enemy you either cannot or will not name. You do not trust me, and I will never trust you.”
He swept the goblets from the table and they shattered to the floor. His right hand was filled with shards of glass as he went to his knees before her chair. “Persephone,” he whispered, his eyes tortured, grabbing her hand with his uninjured one. “I do not use you, I, I...”
But she was too angry to allow him to speak, not noticing that his black eyes were alight with an emotion she had never seen in them. She pushed at his hand and stood, the chair toppling behind her to the floor. Her hands were fisted at her sides. “Today I saw you rip a man’s heart from his chest and you express no regret about it and offer no excuses.”
He ran his hands through his thick hair holding his head tightly as though it pained him. When he looked at her again, his eyes were cold and dead, all the spark extinguished. Hades watched her a moment, still on his knees, and then stood slowly. “I told you, he committed unpardonable crimes.”
“And you feel no remorse?” she countered.
His black eyes glared into hers. “None whatsoever! I would do it again a thousand times over.”
“You are depraved!” she cried.
“You do not know the half of it. And moreover, while we are being frank” he replied, thrusting his face into hers, “I enjoyed it. I relished removing this piece of vermin from the world.”
She jerked her head back. “You disgust me, I cannot stay in this sadistic place!” She whirled quickly and ran from the hall hearing a thunderous roar behind her, fear clogging her throat. When she reached her room, she bolted the door behind her and slid to the floor. Rough hands pulled her to her feet, and she let out a gasp of shock as she was pushed against the door.
Hades laughed at her startled expression and dug his fingers into her arms. “You think a locked door can keep me out? We were not finished with our conversation. You…,” he hissed, “You and your little seeds of doubt. Your preconceived notions that I am the monster. I find it interesting that my beloved should assume the best of all others and the worst of her own husband. Let me tell you of that man you defend so nobly. He murdered women and children by cutting their hearts out. He reveled in it, bathed in their blood and desecrated their bodies. The little girl from the parade, Cora, ask her how she died, what he did to her. His soul is blacker than the deepest pits in hell. Now he will be forced to feel the crimes he committed every day in Tartarus. He is the monster, he is the sadist.”
“Stop,” she cried, “I do not want to hear anymore!”
“But you wanted the truth from me, Goddess. While we are being honest,” he grasped her hand and pressed it against his bloody wound, letting out a moan. “I would be lying to say I did not want your hands on me.” He brought her hand down over his stomach, all the way to his aching cock, his black eyes blazing wildly. “The truth… is often… wicked,” he whispered against her ear. She could feel his long length beneath her palm and the intelligent thing would have been to remove her hand, to have given him a strong tongue lashing and send him on his way. She should not be touching him, she had no right to touch him. All that was between them was a curse and anger. But almost against her will, her fingers tightened just slightly around him and a flicker of surprise crossed his face. She felt him swell in her grasp as he pushed himself more tightly into her palm, while there was an answering dampness between her thighs. And she hated it, hated the depravity of it, the slip on her own control. But, a small part of her, the dark part she hid inside of herself, lifted its head and burst free and relished it, rejoicing in the loss of her restraint. She felt his hot mouth at her neck and closed her eyes against the sensation, even while she sought it. He we
dged his thigh between her legs, and he seemed to rub at some sensitive part of her that caused her to gasp as little white lights danced behind her eyes. He pushed her more tightly against the door and it shuddered loudly at the combined force of their bodies. The rational part of her brain blushed at the noise, but then his mouth moved to the wide expanse of her exposed chest and all thoughts fled. He bit down with enough force that she felt a delicious tingle begin at the center of her body and she pushed the aching part of herself against his hard thigh. His hands tugged at her skirts and she felt one hand inch slowly up her leg. As his mouth moved up against her neck again, he grasped her wrist tightly and fear uncurled like a sleeping beast in her mind.
Panic welled in her throat and she pushed at him wildly, but it was not until she let out a whimper of fear that he finally drew his head back to look at her. He still held her one wrist in his hand, the other up her skirts, and he slowly released her even as she felt his bulging erection pressed tightly against her stomach. He studied her for a moment and finally stepped away, turning his back to her, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Was he angry, she wondered? She opened her mouth and then closed it abruptly. There was nothing she could say to make this situation better and it just so happened that she was beyond the power of speech at the moment. She closed her eyes tightly, nauseated by the conflicting emotions tearing at her, the lust and fear warring with each other until she wanted to scream her frustration.
“I would tell you to lock the door behind me,” she heard him say, “but we both know that would not keep me out. Goodnight, Persephone.”
She felt the softest caress against her cheek and when she opened her eyes, she was alone. She looked down and gave a gasp. Going to her knees, she gently touched the withered brown leaves of her plant, feeling a tear run slowly down her cheek. It had died while she had filled her stomach at Hades’ table. She pulled her knees to her chest, letting out a desperate sob for the life she had left behind and the future she would never have.
Hades strode back to his chamber in the blackest mood he could recall having in a very long time. She had been terrified and he had been so overcome with desire he almost had not noticed. He had been preparing to take her against the wall when he finally heard her whimper and had seen the fear in her eyes. The curse, the damned curse! He turned suddenly and punched the wall, feeling satisfaction as the marble made contact against his fist. He needed answers posthaste and he could only think of one immortal who might be able to provide them. Brushing at the blood dripping from his hand, he ignored the startled gasp of a passing maid. One way or another, he would find the culprit.
Chapter 7 - Escape
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When Persephone awoke, she was somehow laying in her bed. She had finally fallen into an exhausted sleep before the fire, but must have crawled into her bed and not remembered. She needed to look reality in the face. Hades was ruthless and he showed no remorse for the cruelty he dealt out. He was cold and callous and unforgiving. But in spite of all the horrific things she knew about him, things she had seen firsthand, she desired him and had been a willing participant in his carnal desires. She had felt her unwelcome but heady response between her legs, and even now her womb clenched with need at the memory. If she remained here, what would she become? If she gave into the dark desires that pulled at her, he would rule her, consume her, and she would lose herself in his darkness. She had felt the answering call in her soul, but she was the Goddess of the Forest, a creature of the light. It was time to leave this place once and for all, or there would be nothing left of herself to save. Turning the doorknob, she let out an exasperated breath--it was locked, and the key had been removed. It seemed Hades trust had been temporary. Placing her hand over the keyhole, she pressed small vines into the chamber, twisting and turning them until she felt the lock give way beneath their force. She could not make a mistake this time. Hades seemed to discount her powers and that had suited her needs. Her powers may not be suitable for combat, but they could serve her in other ways. True, she did not have the strength that she had above ground, but she was still a powerful Goddess and the Earth would assist her in escape. He would know she had used her magic to flee and she would not get a second chance to best him. He would not underestimate her twice.
Glancing down the hall she saw it was once again deserted and she picked up her skirts and ran. This time she let her feet guide her, and saying a prayer to her mother, kept her mind quiet. Fear had made her memory hazy, but if she just let herself be, she knew she would remember the way to the river. She recited the incantations of her mother’s temple, not letting doubt cross her thoughts. She remembered the feeling of sunshine on her face, the smell after a gentle summer rain, and the sweet cries of a fox cub. Peace settled in her heart and she walked on and on. When she grew tired, she recalled the spells she had learned before she had come here. She recited them over and over again until her fingers sizzled with magic and still, she walked. Triumph filled her when she finally heard the rumbling of water ahead. The river Styx, she thought with elation, staring at its rapidly flowing waters. She knew that Cerberus guarded the gate at the end of the river, but if she travelled against the current, she would avoid her furry friend. She had no doubt Cerberus would return her to his master.
She must be swift now. Luck was on her side for the moment, but she could not trust it to endure. So, she ran and ran until her lungs ached, until the skin began to tear from her feet and blood trailed behind her like a stream of tiny rubies. She only hoped she would not accidentally plunge to her death in this darkness. Exhaustion began to pull at her, but she could feel she was heading up an incline and that surely was promising. She stopped suddenly, gasping for air as she saw a light behind a waterfall opposite the river -- a cave perhaps? Did it lead to an exit outside of the Underworld? She looked at the path ahead and still saw only darkness. It was worth a moment of her time to see if this was a shortcut out. She had been afraid of the shadows of the Underworld, but that was, after all, how she had met Cerberus and she could not keep up this furious pace, she had to rest. Hesitating only a moment, she stepped determinedly from the trail next to the river and approached the small opening.
The sound of the waterfall diminished behind the thick walls of the cave, and only the gentle drip of water broke the silence. The sudden stillness made Persephone take a step back towards the doorway, but then she stopped herself. This could be the exit she had been seeking, she could not be a coward now, not when she felt the sweet taste of freedom in the air. Stepping further inside, she glanced around. Stalactites hung like ice crystals from the ceiling, their tips razor sharp. They could easily impale a man, or even a Goddess, she considered as an afterthought. Suppressing a small shiver, she quietly advanced deeper into the cave, and as the light became brighter, so did the heat. Sweat began to pool on her skin and once again she seemed to be climbing steadily upward. So engrossed was she in her hike that she almost gave a shout of fear when she suddenly came upon an enormous sleeping lion. She held her hands tightly over her mouth, afraid that even her ragged breathing might awaken the beast. Small flames blew from his mouth with each gentle snore and a stream of smoke blew steadily from his nostrils. Thank the Gods it was asleep. A friendly Cerberus was one thing, but she doubted that she would receive the same friendly reception from this creature. She began to back away slowly, when a second head shot up abruptly in the shape of a goat, it’s horns mangled against the back of his black head. Did every animal down here have at least two heads, she wondered desperately. Persephone gasped as the head twisted in a complete circle to look at her with gleaming yellow eyes, the dark vertical pupils staring into her own. It would have been almost comical, if it had not been so… terrifying. For a moment, the only sound was the goat’s thick lashes fluttering in the silence, like the wings of a dying moth, and the noise sickened her. A dark red stain covered its mouth and she looked down at the lion to see dried blood matting its fur. No, not like Cerberus at all, she thought
, feeling bile rise in her throat. She took one step back, then another. Inching slowly away, she kept her eyes on the goat and he seemed mesmerized by her gaze. Her eyes began to water because she knew instinctively that if she blinked, if she looked away for a second, the goat would attack. She began to feel relief as she had almost passed the doorway, when she felt her foot slide on the wet ground beneath. The sound echoed loudly in the chamber as rocks scattered noisily. Her eyes leapt to the lion and she let out a breath of relief to see his eyes remained closed. Her joy was short lived, however, as the damned goat emitted one very loud, very angry bleat. The lion’s black eyes shot open with a deafening roar and this time she broke into an all-out run.
The way down was treacherous as the rocks slipped underneath her feet and she could feel the thundering on the ground behind her. Desperately she waved her hands and a wall of thorns grew between her and the beast. The lion gave a cry of rage, but the thorns would not keep him long. She glanced back to see fire flaming from the lion’s mouth, and she turned to face her foe, thrusting her hand palm out towards him. Simultaneously, vines wrapped tightly around its mouth and gnarled trees spread up, blocking the path of the beast. The lion gave an impotent roar and one giant paw escaped from its prison and it ripped the flesh of her arm down to the bone. She gave a cry of pain as blood arced across the room landing on the wall of the cave. The goat had watched her silently, its eyes moved to study the bright red blood dripping slowly down the wall and she shuddered as he licked his blood-stained teeth. She turned her back on the lethal pair, one hand clutching her ravaged arm and she continued her descent. She drew an aloe plant from her hand and squeezed its precious juice into the gaping hole, pressing a healing warmth into it. The bleeding abated but the pain continued to pound at her. No matter, she thought with false bravado, she could deal with the wound, but she must not stop. She needed to find the river and continue her path along it. It had been a mistake to leave its safety and venture into the treacherous shadows of this desolate and dangerous world.
Hades And Persephone: Curse Of The Golden Arrow Page 10
