Dark Desires (Dark Romance Boxed Set)

by Cerys du Lys

  “You don’t have a choice.” Pirithous crossed his arms and smiled at her. “Besides, he seems eager enough to let you go.”

  The words made her heart lurch and she glanced again toward the door where Aidon had disappeared. It stood open now, the hallway empty. Does he really mean to let them take me? I can’t believe it. “You know I don’t want to go with you! I never begged you to be rescued!”

  Theseus leaned his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand, giving her a puzzled look. “Why would you want to stay in this dismal place, goddess? You were meant for much brighter surroundings than these!”

  “Looks can be deceiving.” As she said the words, she glanced again toward the door, thinking of Aidon. Looks can be deceiving. Surely that’s the case here, she reasoned. Aidon’s planning something. He has to be. If she trusted him, if she loved him…

  Pirithous let out a yelp of laughter. “Please! You can’t tell me you have feelings for… that…that…monster?” He waved his hand toward the door where Aidon had disappeared.

  “I love him.” She spoke the words in soft realization. Tears stung her eyes and she willed them not to fall. She knew how it must look. To the rest of the world, Aidon was the man who had kidnapped her, punished her, stolen her innocence and forced her to bend to his will. To her, he was the man who had taken her, opened her, ravished her, and exposed her to a whole new world of pleasurable pain beyond any sweetness or light she had ever experienced.

  “You are naïve, aren’t you?” Pirithous whistled and hooked his thumbs together, flapping his fingers like wings. “Look, Theseus, the little bird’s fallen in love with her captor.”

  “You should be thanking us, goddess.” Theseus nudged his friend quiet. “Your mother will be very grateful to have you home. Don’t you miss her?”

  “I am home.” Persephone stood, leveling her eyes at them, her voice clear and strong. “And I will thank you to leave it. Now.” She pointed toward the open door and waited.

  Pirithous leaned back on the bench, draping his arm over his friend’s shoulders. “I’m afraid we’re not going anywhere, princess. Not without you.”

  Theseus, frowning, leaned over to speak to his friend. “Piri, maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

  “Don’t you back down on me, now, you coward!” Pirithous growled. “You agreed you would help me if I got the girl for you!”

  “I know…” Theseus swallowed. “But maybe that wasn’t such a good idea, either. We were pretty drunk the night we made these plans…”

  Pirithous glowered at him. “Well, maybe you’re getting cold feet, but I’m not going to give up my prize!”

  “I’m not your prize!” Persephone cried. “Aidon will never let you take me!”

  “You are a foolish girl,” Pirithous laughed. “Do you think the God of the Underworld is going to listen to you? Do you really think he’s going to believe a woman over a king—a hero?” He snorted and finished his wine. “He doesn’t deserve my prize! I’m better than he is!”

  Theseus’ eyes widened. “Piri, maybe we shouldn’t—”

  “Oh shut up, you coward!” Pirithous shoved his friend. “I deserve her and you know it! I should be a god—I’m better than a god! I’m going to steal this bright beauty right out from under the God of the Underworld’s nose, and the whole of Greece will talk about how Pirithous cheated Hell itself!”

  “I’m afraid not.” Aidon’s voice came out of thin air and they all turned their heads at once in the direction it seemed to be coming from. His image shimmered before them for a moment and Persephone saw him taking off the golden helmet he had been wearing. “Your dreams of grandeur have just been cancelled.”

  Both Theseus and Pirithous reacted as warriors, reaching for their swords and moving to stand, but neither of them budged from the bench they sat on. The startled look that passed between them was almost comical. If Persephone hadn’t been so surprised by their ineffectual attempt at rising, she would have laughed out loud. It wasn’t until she moved closer to Aidon that she saw the flexible arms of the Keres wrapped securely around and around their ankles and calves, tethering them to the legs of the bench.

  “Swords won’t do you any good.” Aidon stepped forward and quickly disarmed both heroes, tossing the heavy blades on the long obsidian table. “The Keres are immortal and their limbs are regenerative. You can’t escape their grip.”

  “I can’t feel my legs!” Theseus gasped, struggling in Miseria’s grasp. The Ker licked her lips and salivated at the sight of his twisting body. He attempted to pry her coiled arms off to no avail.

  “What do you mean to do to us?” Pirithous’ face turned waxy under his salt and pepper beard, his eyes on Aidon.

  “You came here thinking to steal what belongs here.” Aidon slipped his arm around Persephone’s waist, pulling her close. “No one leaves with the riches of the Underworld.” Aidon’s eyes met hers and his face softened. “This is the most precious jewel in my kingdom.”

  “Aidon…” She leaned her head against him, feeling tears welling up again. Her words felt caught in her throat. He kissed the top of her head and held her to him with one arm.

  “Tisi!” He called for the Fury and she appeared, almost as if she had been waiting just outside the door. When Tisi winked in her direction, Persephone realized waiting outside the door was exactly what the Fury had been doing. “You’ve been itching to tear someone limb from limb?”

  Tisi grinned, her sharp fangs flashing. “Oh please, can’t I have them both?”

  Aidon shook his head. “Just this one.” He waved his hand at Pirithous and then met Tisi’s glowing, red eyes. “I don’t care what you do to him…just do it slowly.”

  The Fury smiled. “Your wish is my command.”

  “But Master…” Petulantia turned her lustful eyes up to Aidon. “Can’t we have him?”

  “Not this time.” His smile twisted cruelly. “You are too quick to give a soul to me in order to feast on the body.”

  Pirithous’ eyes widened as he looked between the Fury and the Keres. He looked at Persephone, pleading. “Please…Queen Persephone…please don’t let them do this. I beg you.”

  “Mortals who aspire to be gods deserve a Fury’s justice,” Persephone said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”

  “However…” Aidon smiled, squatting down by the Keres. “When Tisi is through with the torture, you may have what is left of him.” They all seemed to hum in appreciation at once, and to Persephone, they sounded like kittens mewing in pleasure.

  “Meg! Alec!” Tisi’s voice brought her sisters sailing into the room. They both tucked their wings in behind them as they landed. Tisi winked at Persephone. “I can’t have all the fun!”

  “Let him go, Pet.” Aidon nudged Petulantia, and the Ker sighed and slowly withdrew her long limbs. Pirithous sprang up quickly, reaching for his sword, but Tisi’s clawed hand was too quick. Her sharp talons dug into the man’s shoulder and he screamed, the sound piercing in the huge room.

  “Not yet, little mouse.” Tisi nodded to her sisters and they dug in as well, grabbing onto the man’s flesh with their claws. Persephone looked away at the sight of his blood, but the Keres licked their lips. “We’re going to go play!” With that, the Furies all spread their wings. They carried the wailing and sobbing Pirithous between them as they flew together out of the Great Hall.

  Theseus hung his head, looking defeated. “What is to be my fate, then?”

  Aidon, still squatting down by the Keres, met the hero’s eyes. “I should probably have you killed as well. Taking and keeping a ten-year-old girl to be your future bride?” He shook his dark head, his eyes glowing with anger. “Pet, would you do me a favor?” Petulantia’s long limbs began to wrap themselves around him. “Would you send Hecate to me? Then you can go on and find the Furies and watch the fun.”

  “Yes, Master!” The Ker scurried quickly off, leaving her sisters still clinging to Theseus’ legs without a second glance. />
  “I’m afraid you won’t be going anywhere, either, friend.” Aidon stood, speaking to Theseus, and then called over his shoulder. “Hypnos!”

  Persephone gasped as the God of Sleep came out of the shadows. She had only ever seen him twice—that first night, and again at her wedding. His gaunt, pale cheeks and red, smiling mouth contrasted with the huge, deep pools of his eyes as he glided forward, almost as if walking on air.

  “Put him to sleep.” Aidon glared at Theseus.

  “For how long?” Hypnos’ spoke in a hushed tone, barely a whisper, yet somehow melodic.

  Aidon considered this. “Can you give him the sleep of forgetfulness?”

  “Yes…but he must not be removed from his place of slumber, or he will wake and remember.” Hypnos approached the frightened hero, his voice soft and hypnotic. “Do not be afraid…it’s just sleep…sink into it…there…that’s very good…”

  Persephone watched, amazed, as Theseus’ lids grew heavy and the God of Sleep slipped a few crystals from a vial under the man’s tongue. It wasn’t long before Theseus was motionless, head thrown back, arms resting on the back of the bench, his breathing deep and even.

  “I am here!” Hecate appeared out of nowhere and Persephone gasped out loud.

  “I wish people would stop doing that!” She jumped back, her hand going to the ruby at her throat.

  “Sorry.” Hecate apologized, flashing her a matronly smile. A rounded, mother figure today, her cheeks glowed full and rosy, her hips broad and full.

  “Hecate, I need a favor.” Aidon nodded at Theseus. “See that?”

  The triple goddess raised her eyebrows. “The young hero Theseus. What has he done to gain your disfavor?”

  “Among other things, not the least of which was attempting to kidnap my wife…” Aidon’s eyes met Persephone’s. “He has also taken Leda’s young Helen and has hidden her away at his mother’s.”

  “For what purpose?”

  Persephone grimaced. “He was going to keep her until she was of marriageable age.”

  “Poor girl!” Hecate gasped, her motherly instincts in full swing. “Where is she? I’ll go get her right now!”

  Aidon sighed. “Hecate, calm down. Just go tell Helen’s brother, Polydeuces, and her half-brother, Castor, where she is. They’ll go get her, I promise you.”

  “Oh, all right.” The goddess blinked out of sight entirely.

  “Either I need to learn how to do that,” Persephone sighed, “or people need to just stop it!”

  Aidon grinned. “Maybe I’ll let you borrow my invisibility helmet again.”

  “That was sneaky!” She nudged him with a laugh. “How long were you standing there?”

  He pulled her into his arms, nuzzling his face against her hair. “Long enough to hear you say you loved me.”

  “You heard that?” She smiled up at him, blushing.

  “Yes.” He cupped her face in his hands, his eyes searching hers. “I love you, too, you know. Did you really believe I would let him take you?” He kissed her, not even giving her time to answer the question. Her body melted into his, her mouth seeking more of him, their tongues touching, making her moan softly. She stretched up on tiptoe, slipping her arm around his neck, begging for more with every inch of her body.

  “Master?” The voice startled them both and Persephone looked guiltily toward the Keres, Miseria and Discordia, their arms still wrapped around the sleeping Theseus, holding him fast to the bench.

  “Oh right.” Aidon sighed, letting Persephone go and walking over toward them. “Girls, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is…I kind of need you to hang onto him…for all eternity.” Miseria’s eyes welled up with tears. “The good news is…all I need is your arms.” The look of realization dawned on Discordia’s face and Aidon winced. “They’ll grow back in a few days, right?”

  Miseria looked up as if expecting nothing else as Aidon brought a sword down, severing her arms. He did the same to Discordia, and both Keres moved away from the bench as the arms still wrapped around Theseus bled for a moment and then stopped.

  “I’m sorry.” Aidon patted Miseria on the head as she licked at her stump. “But I’m sure Tisi will toss you lots of good scraps!” At that, both Keres scurried after the Furies, forgetting all about their missing limbs.

  Aidon turned to Persephone, holding up the locket. “I believe this belongs to you?”

  She took it from him, shaking her head and touching the ruby at her throat. “I have another now.”

  “So you did not beg to be rescued?” Aidon asked. “You do not want to go home to your mother?”

  “Come with me.” Persephone led him out of the Great Hall and into the Chamber of Judgment. She stood over the Pool of Lethe, dangling her mother’s necklace for a moment before letting it drop into the depths. “Actions speak louder than words.”

  “Yes, they do.” Aidon pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply. “Now let me take you to bed and show you some more action.” She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck as he swept her up, carrying her off to their bed chamber.

  Chapter Eleven

  “What—?” The question died on her lips as he slipped a smooth, round object inside of her, pressing it deep with his finger. Persephone wiggled on the bed as he slid another in, the balls sliding together inside of her.

  “Hold them there.” He removed his finger slowly, and she tightened her muscles, feeling the balls inside of her shift and move as they settled. Aidon watched her face as his finger traced between her lips, moving toward the top of her cleft and circling the little nub of flesh there. He rubbed her little omi until she flushed, breathing fast, her eyes half-closed in pleasure.

  “Stand up.” Stopping abruptly, he backed away from the bed. Persephone bit her lip and squirmed, sitting up on the bed. She felt the rounded objects inside of her slipping downward and she gasped, tightening her muscles. Aidon nodded, smiling. “Don’t let them fall.”

  She took his hand and let him help her from the bed, her eyes wide as she began to follow him. The two balls rubbed together as she walked, giving her a feeling of fullness. Keeping the muscles there tight, she pressed close to him and he kissed her, grabbing her hair and pulling it back in his fist.

  “Stand up on the bed.” Aidon walked over to the cabinet in the corner, not even turning to check if she would follow his instruction.

  She looked back at the huge piece of furniture. Persephone had never seen a bed like theirs before. Black metal posts sunk into the floor and ran straight up into the ceiling to make for the bed’s frame. Chains hung from the top and bottom of each post. She worked to get up on the high mattress without letting go of the objects between her legs. Turning backwards, she slid her bottom up on the edge, wiggling back.

  “Stand up.” Aidon stood at the foot of the bed and waited for her to struggle to standing, the weighted balls inside of her shifting as she used one of the bedposts for balance.

  “Face me.” He slipped a leather strap around one of her wrists. Lined with soft fleece, it created a very different sensation from the shackles and chains she had been in earlier. She stood taller than him now at the edge of the mattress as he clasped a matching leather bracelet around her other wrist, buckling it closed. Hooking each wrist to one of the chains on the bedposts, Aidon adjusted the length so her arms opened wide.

  “Spread your legs.” He waited while she opened her thighs, slowly sliding her feet apart. She felt the heavy spheres inside of her beginning to slip downward and she bit her lip, tightening her muscles and stopping their motion. One of them slipped to the opening of her lips, and she felt it bulging outward slightly. Looking down, she saw Aidon’s eyes focused between her legs.

  “Don’t let them fall,” he warned as he buckled a matching set of padded leather straps around her ankles and chained her feet apart as well. Persephone’s lower belly fluttered as she tensed all of her muscles to hold onto the orbs he had placed inside of her sex. The feeling of fullness g
rew incredible, focusing all of her attention in her pelvis, although she became acutely aware of how exposed and vulnerable she felt, standing naked and chained to the bedposts.

  An oversized chair sat in the corner, upholstered in a soft, dark material. Aidon pulled it over and placed it directly in front of her. Persephone whimpered as he sat in it and leaned back, his eyes moving slowly over her nude form, top to bottom. He seemed to be in no hurry as he studied her, watching her strain to keep the orbs tucked up inside of her.

  “Hephaestus is a good friend of mine,” Aidon told her, seemingly apropos of nothing. His hand moved over the dark loincloth he wore, and Persephone saw the growing bulge beneath it. He was clearly exciting by her predicament. She watched as he pulled something out of a pocket in the side, a small rectangle. “He made those golden orbs I put inside of you.”

  Persephone’s eyes widened just slightly. She remembered the golden phallus Athena had shown her in the field. Now the reference to Hephaestus made a great deal of sense, and before she had time to wonder if these metal balls held the same magic, they began to hum.

  “Ohhhhh, great merciful Zeus!” she moaned as the orbs vibrated faster, controlled by the rectangle in Aidon’s hand.

  “Great…merciful…who?”

  “Aidon!” Persephone cried as the buzzing increased a little further.

  He chuckled. “That’s better.” Resting the controls on the arm of the chair, Aidon slid his hand beneath the dark loincloth, and she saw him touching himself through the material. The memory of him moving inside of her brought a flush to her cheeks, and she was ashamed at how much she found herself wanting it again. An incredible heat grew between her legs, and although the steady hum inside of her sex felt good, it served more to drive her to distraction than anything else.

  “It will get even more difficult.” Aidon’s hand shuttled faster up and down his length, and she couldn’t take her eyes off the motion. She found herself wanting to see him and wished he would take the loincloth off completely. “As you get wetter, those golden orbs will get harder to hold.”