Descent into Desire

by Marie Medina

  “I know. I’m still not sure how I feel though.” She shrugged. “People throughout history have died for treason. Do we have treason here?”

  “Of course we do. The problem is, those who have committed treason have usually won, so punishing rebels is a bit new.”

  Persephone wanted to go home. She wanted to walk in her mother’s garden, and then she wanted to go home with Hades. And tonight, she wasn’t going to let him deposit her in her own bed while he camped out on her couch. “Whatever they decide, we’ll all be safe?”

  “Don’t you trust them?”

  “Yes, but I’m still scared.”

  “So you think he should die?”

  She sighed. “No. It’s like what my mother said. Destroying life, to me, is the ultimate crime. It’s unforgivable.”

  The doors opened before Hypnos could say anything else. They all took their places again, and the Fates drifted back across the room. They sat down in the same order. Persephone still couldn’t tell them apart through the veils, but the woman in the blue dress still sat in front of the ones in the green and yellow ones. She hadn’t expected them to change places, but it would have been interesting if they had.

  Zeus clapped once, and the room shook a little. Thanatos was brought back in.

  “Are you ready for your sentence?” Zeus asked.

  “Sure,” Thanatos said. “It won’t matter.”

  Zeus paused, but then he stood and said, “Your powers will stay in your brother’s keeping. You are no longer bound to the Underworld in anyway. In fact, you are now forbidden to go there, like everyone else.”

  “You, Hermes and Iris go there,” Thanatos pointed out.

  “I am the king of the gods, and Hermes and Iris are our messengers. It is needed, at times. You are being denied free access because it was the source of your temptation. You will still have all of our basic powers, but the special powers you were created with are now gone forever. They were what made you a threat. Otherwise, you are free to do as you like.”

  Persephone finally let out the breath she’d been holding. It wasn’t perfect, but if he could no longer kill with his touch, he would be far less likely to start any trouble. In the Underworld, she and Hades would be safe from him.

  Thanatos shook his head.

  Hera said, “We’ve been more than generous. You have complete liberty. You’ll endure no pain or imprisonment. What more could you want?”

  “Everything. And I can have it.” He turned to Ares. “Bring us weapons. I challenge the verdict and therefore Zeus. I will fight to keep my powers.”

  “If you are sure,” Zeus said. “You will only have your strength and skills to rely on. All other abilities are bound in this room.”

  “That’s fine. I don’t need them.”

  Zeus held up his hand. “Before you absolutely decide, I need to warn you that you can die. These are weapons forged by Hephaestus, and Apollo will not be allowed to step in and heal either of us.”

  Persephone held her breath. She had no idea if Thanatos would believe Zeus or not. She held Hypnos’ hand. No matter what he’d done, they were brothers, and that meant something to her. She knew she could never turn from her brother, no matter what.

  Hypnos squeezed her hand. It’s going to be okay.

  How can you know?

  Simply believe that I do.

  Thanatos turned to Ares again. “I won’t relent. Bring them.”

  Ares looked to Zeus, who nodded, and then he walked to the back of the room. He brought back two swords wrapped individually in black velvet. He handed one to Zeus. “This sword will be new to most of you. It was made from the sword of Perseus, which was used to slay the gorgon Medusa, and the sickle which Cronus used to castrate and thus overthrow his father Uranus.”

  Zeus uncovered the sword, the adamant shining darkly. The handle was dark copper, and a thunderbolt was engraved on it.

  Thanatos laughed. “Well, you aren’t going to unman or overthrow me.” He turned to Ares. “Well? What do you have for me?”

  Ares paused for a long moment, but then reluctantly handed the man preparing to fight his father the other sword. “This sword will be very familiar to everyone. It’s yours. The sword of Death. It can kill anyone simply by cutting a lock of their hair.”

  Thanatos smiled as he hefted the dark gray sword in his hand.

  Persephone stared from Ares to Zeus.

  Ares said, “And I wish for it to be known that I am returning it to you against my will. Zeus commanded that these be the swords brought here today.”

  Persephone turned to Hypnos. “What is it?” She could certainly understand why Ares looked so angry as well as why Hera watched Thanatos so closely, but she wasn’t sure of the greater significance.

  “It was taken from him by Zeus when he rebelled before. It has been with Ares ever since then.”

  “Why is Zeus doing this? He has nothing to prove.”

  “Perhaps he wants everyone to know justice has been served.”

  “By making it easier for him to die?”

  Zeus and Thanatos had begun to circle each other. Zeus struck first, but Thanatos blocked him. He countered and Zeus did the same. Persephone turned her head away. She heard the swords clashing together, but she didn’t want to watch. Yet somehow only hearing it made the experience so much worse. When she looked back up, the Fates were standing.

  The woman in the blue dress stepped forward slowly, raising her veil. Persephone had only seen the Fates once, but her mother had told her their story hundreds of times. In the story, the three women sat at a spinning wheel. Clotho spun the thread and gave life, Lachesis measured that life out, and then Atropos cut the thread to bring death. All three women were blonde, so when her veil was pushed back, Persephone still did not know which one of them was about to intervene. And who would she act on, Zeus or Thanatos? Was she going to save Thanatos or kill him? At the same time, she couldn’t stop thinking that the death of Zeus would logically be something the Fates would have a hand in.

  “Who is it?” she whispered to Hypnos.

  “Atropos. She has blue eyes.”

  Persephone moved closer to him, but she turned back to the scene when she heard the gasps. Atropos held the sword of Death in her hand. She had plunged it through Thanatos’ heart. His hands grasped the sword, and his face very clearly reflected how shocked he was.

  Atropos spoke softly, but her voice still echoed throughout the room. “You will destroy us all if we let you. We cannot let it be so.”

  Thanatos fell backwards onto the ground, and his body dissolved into black smoke. Atropos stepped past Zeus and walked to Hypnos. Persephone held to him tighter as the woman approached. Atropos knelt and offered the sword to him. “You are now the god of death once more. Your once divided soul is now whole again, all its evil purged.”

  He accepted the sword, and in that moment his hair changed. It darkened and turned deep silver. Atropos walked away.

  Persephone looked at Hypnos, her hands still gripping his upper arm. “What does she mean?”

  He looked down, and then met her gaze. “My brother and I were once close, very close. We were inseparable.”

  She felt the truth deep her in soul and finally understood. “You were one man. Not twins. You were one man,” she whispered.

  He looked away. “Yes. I was the god of both, but when I corrupted the dreams of men on purpose and tried to take power that was not mine, Zeus split me in two. With a thunderbolt.”

  “Painful?” she asked softly.

  “Yes.”

  “And the ‘evil purged’?”

  “What was corrupt in me became Thanatos. His desires were mostly satisfied by the use of his powers, but not always.” He touched her hand. “I knew all of his darkness, which is why I didn’t want you near him. I could easily imagine all he was capable of.”

  Persephone felt fear rolling off him in waves, and he kept his gaze averted. “Hypnos?”

  “Yes?”

  “Y
ou are my friend. I’m not afraid of you. This all seems very strange, but I know you. There is no evil in you.”

  “If I had told you, perhaps you’d have been safe. Death is part of me again though. How will it affect me?”

  “You don’t have to worry about that, Hypnos,” Zeus said.

  They both looked up at the king of the gods. Persephone asked, “You know this?”

  Zeus nodded. “The Fates and I knew the split could not last forever. We simply did not know how it would end.”

  Persephone couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Did everyone else know about this but me?”

  “No. Only the Fates and I. Hypnos knew, but Thanatos had no idea. In the minds of the others, Hypnos and Thanatos had always been twins, two aspects of one concept. Only we knew they were in fact two sides of the same coin in a more literal way. Thanatos was the bad one, the rebel who tried to overthrow Hades. No one else remembered the days before Thanatos existed.”

  Hades walked to Persephone quickly, and she gladly went into his arms.

  “I would have told you, but I was sworn to secrecy, even from Hades,” Hypnos said. “I couldn’t take that risk.”

  “So I didn’t have to be afraid of anyone dying because no one has died,” she said.

  “Not really, no.” Hades held her close. “I learned the truth only moments ago. Thanatos had no conscience. Only fear kept him in line. He had no idea he and Hypnos were the same person. Once he began to believe he was so special he couldn’t die, he became hard to control.”

  Lachesis walked up to the group, and Persephone looked at her. “You were meant for many things, my dear, and one of them is to love Hades. Another was to heal the Underworld. Hypnos learned much over the years as he watched Thanatos, and now that he is whole again, the light will always overcome the darkness within him. He is better and wiser for what has happened. Though unpleasant, your ordeal has brought redemption.”

  She extended her hand, and Persephone took it. Lachesis kissed her on the forehead, and then vanished. The other Fates vanished as well.

  Persephone looked up at Hades. “Take me to the garden. I want to walk in the sun for a while.”

  “And then?”

  “Take me home,” she whispered.

  He kissed her gently, but she felt the fire beginning to blaze deep within him. He could object all he wanted. She had no intention of waiting for their wedding night.

  Chapter Eleven

  Persephone let Cerberus go out into the hall, and then she shut the door behind Hades and locked it.

  Hades turned around and raised his eyebrows. “What are you doing?”

  “Keeping you from getting away.” She ran her hands up his chest and locked them behind his neck. “I don’t want to wait until our wedding night. I want you right now.”

  He stroked her cheek, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Please don’t say no. We only waited because you wanted to be sure I’d marry you. You wanted us to make love after I’d fallen in love with you.” When he continued to just look at her and caress her face, she asked, “I mean, you’ve had sex before. We don’t have to wait, do we?”

  He laughed. “I wasn’t objecting, sweetheart. I was only savoring the moment.”

  She tugged his hair playfully. “Don’t do that to me!”

  He twined his fingers into her hair and tugged back. “What do you want me to do to you?”

  “Everything.” She pulled his face down so she could kiss him. As their tongues danced against each other and he pressed his body close, she thought about how it would feel when he took her. She kissed him more urgently. When Thanatos had attacked her, she’d only partly been afraid of the pain or humiliation. She’d been angry that it would mean Hades would not be the first and only man to be inside her and touch her that way. But the Fates had been looking out for her. They had known, deep down, that she could get over being assaulted or injured far better than she could get over the emotional anguish of Hades being robbed of this night. Her dark thoughts were soon replaced by joyous ones as she gave in to his embrace.

  He pulled away and ran his hands down her arms. “This is how I pictured you our first time.”

  She felt cool silk on her skin. She looked down at the simple white silk nightgown. She smiled suggestively. “Want to know how I pictured you?”

  He laughed as he massaged her shoulders. “I’m not sure if I do.”

  She touched his face and looked down. He wore nothing but black leather pants.

  He laughed more heartily. “Ah, I was a stereotype. I see.” He toyed with the straps of her gown. “You may have to pay for this.”

  She turned around and pressed her back against him. His chest felt hot, and she rubbed her ass against the bulge in his pants. “Make me pay for it then.”

  He groaned and began kissing her neck. “I may have trouble reining myself in if you go on like this, my dear.”

  “Then don’t. Give me everything. Please.” She slumped against his body as his hands moved up and cupped her breasts.

  He rolled her nipples between his fingers. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She tilted her head back to look into his eyes. “You could never hurt me.” She turned and began leading him to the bed. “Come make love to me.”

  The fire in his eyes made her entire body tingle. She felt her own need building deep inside. When they reached the bed, he turned her to face it and gently bent her over it. He pushed her hair aside and ran his fingers over her back, tracing her spine and then swirling his fingers in patterns over her skin. A sweet, hot ache curled deep inside her belly. His touch tortured her. She liked his gentleness, but she wanted so much more.

  As if he’d read her thoughts, he took the straps of the gown in his hands and ripped it in half. She gasped as the air hit her skin. He placed his hand firmly on her shoulder and leaned forward. His hot breath on her neck sent a ripple of pure lust through her.

  “I can feel your need, my love. It’s practically filling the room,” he whispered in her ear. He nibbled on her neck and moved to her left to begin kissing her back. He held her firmly as his tongue drew circles on her hot skin. His hand inched lower and lower until his fingers played back and forth between her butt cheeks. He slid one finger down, growling deep in his throat when he felt her wetness. He bent down farther and sank his teeth playfully into her left buttock.

  She gasped as he spread her open, inserting one finger, then two. He knelt down behind her and found her sensitive nub. He brought his hand down and toyed with it as his other hand continued to explore her hot, wet pussy. She gasped again when his lips latched onto her clit. He sucked gently before slowly circling it with his rough tongue.

  She found it hard to support herself on the bed. She relaxed her arms and sank onto the sheets. He slid his fingers out of her and began lapping at her pussy. Her blood surged hotly as his tongue teased her sensitive skin, surging into her with a maddening rhythm. When she moaned, he pulled away and ran his hands up her body. He lifted her up and turned her around.

  “My love,” he whispered as he kissed her.

  She melted into his arms. “I love you.”

  He kissed her deeply, and then reluctantly pulled away. “I love you so much. All I am is yours, my heart.” He swept her into his arms and placed her on the bed. He climbed onto her slowly, never taking his gaze from hers.

  “Please, Hades, I want to feel you now,” she pleaded.

  He smiled and kissed her neck before rubbing his cheek against hers and whispering, “I will always be yours to command.”

  She spread her legs, and he settled between them. He sat back and looked at her, exploring with his fingers again. His gentle touch and hot gaze were driving her mad. She arched her hips upwards when he ran one finger over her wet slit. He smiled down at her and got up to remove his pants. His cock stood out hard and thick when he threw his pants aside. He rubbed it as he looked into her eyes and moved back onto the bed. She felt the heat of desire cour
sing through her even more. He repositioned her hips and moved back on top of her, resting his arms on each side of her head. He moved to her entrance and pushed in slowly. She was so wet he slid in several inches before there was any resistance. He paused and kissed her.

  “Take me, please,” she said against his lips.

  He pushed into her slowly. She wrapped her arms around his chest and kissed him as he moved deeper. His cock was thick and long, so she shifted upwards. It was uncomfortable, but it didn’t hurt.

  He broke the kiss, gasping for breath. “You feel so perfect.” He pushed deeper. “Gods, you’re so wet.” He pushed farther, and then began to move in and out slowly. He kissed her cheek. “Are you all right?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Love me.”

  He moved faster, and she held him tighter as it began to feel different. She felt a very pleasing friction that got even better when she arched up more. She moaned.

  “Yes,” he said as he kissed her neck. “Show me how to please you. Teach me what you like.”

  She shifted more and wrapped one leg around him, trying to push him deeper. She gasped as the head of his cock rubbed a very sensitive spot. After a few thrusts, it began to feel very good. The throbbing desire deep in her core curled tighter.

  “Hades, I think I’m going to come.”

  He tilted her head so she looked into his eyes. “I can feel it. It’s amazing.” His voice was low and husky. “I want to feel you trembling and shattering around me.”

  She dug her nails into his back as he moved faster. She held his gaze. “I’m so close. I’m yours now. Completely yours.” She brought her lips to his as she began to tremble. A few more seconds and she felt her orgasm begin. Slow ripples of pleasure came and then another thrust from him made it truly break. Its intensity made her cling to him more. The all-consuming rapture burning through her was even better than the day he’d made her come in the garden. The feel of his hot shaft inside her was intoxicating. As she writhed in pleasure, he continued the exquisite rhythm. Her pussy pulsed sweetly, and she was even more sensitive to his attentions. He thrust deeper, and she climaxed again. She whimpered against his mouth. “Yes, oh yes.” He began to move more slowly as she milked his cock. Their lips finally parted, and she took in the pleasure on his face with great satisfaction.