by Melody Rose
Hades and Persephone
Melody Rose
Contents
1. Hades
2. Hades
3. Persephone
4. Hades
5. Eros
6. Persephone
7. Hades
8. Persephone
9. Hades
10. Aphrodite
11. Persephone
12. Hades
13. Hades
14. Persephone
15. Hades
16. Persephone
17. Hades
18. Apollo
19. Persephone
20. Hades
21. Artemis
22. Demeter
23. Hades
24. Persephone
25. Zeus
26. Hades
27. Demeter
28. Poseidon
29. Hades
30. Hades
31. Persephone
32. Hades
33. Persephone
Epilogue
A Note from the Author
1
Hades
Regardless of how many millennia I spent in Tartarus, I could never get used to the overwhelming feeling of loneliness that accompanied every passing day. I sighed deeply and tried to shrug off the feeling. I was an introvert by nature, but lately, I had found myself craving company more than usual. I glanced past the thick, black marble columns of my temple and out at my domain.
While there were far more dreary and deadly areas of the underworld, this particular area was lovely. The grass that grew here was as black as obsidian, with colorful flowers that glowed in a vast array of colors. The sky was a combination of blue and lilac, and the water that flowed in the five rivers that ran around my temple were thick and dark like oil.
Normally this view wouldn’t bother me. I quite enjoyed looking out at the scenery. But for some reason today, I couldn’t stand it. I furrowed my brow as my mind started to wander. On the rare occasions that I had left my home, I recalled watching my brothers. They, unlike myself, had never had an issue with being alone. The two of them were playboys. For them, every night was a party or a cause for celebration.
I envied them for that.
All I had ever wanted was to have what they had. I wanted to be able to enjoy my life without feeling empty, jealous, or lonely. I wanted someone to hold and to love, to call my own. Was that too much to ask?
I sighed once more, lowering my gaze to the floor. Even if I had been more like my younger brothers, I had never found what I was looking for in a woman. Those who had pursued me were gorgeous, of course. But they all felt the same. They wanted nothing more from life than to be beautiful, to be worshipped, and to have as much fun as they could. None of them had just enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, and none of them had ever been able to light the spark in my crystalline heart.
I shook my head, feeling ridiculous for wallowing in my own self-pity. It had been a slow day. And when the days around here were slow, I would always get lost in my own thoughts. I lifted my gaze at the sound of approaching footsteps to see Hephaestus entering the temple. He smiled broadly and held his arms out at either side to gesture the room.
“Hades, brother, the air in here is thick with melancholy and woe. You should do something about that,” he said with a wide-toothed grin. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.
“You do realize what state the underworld is in, right?” I replied as I scratched at my five o’clock shadow, struggling to contain my laughter.
“Don’t say it,” Hephaestus pleaded as he came to stand beside me.
“A constant state of depression.” I snickered.
Hephaestus rolled his eyes and smacked the back of my head with a groan, clearly not as amused as I was. “At least you didn’t say ‘a constant state of misery’ like you did last time.”
I stood from my throne, stretching my arms and legs. Sitting on that thing all day made my body cramp something awful. In times like these, having someone to help work out the kinks would have been so wonderful. I waved the thoughts away with my hand and rubbed the sore spot on my head.
“If I have to say the same joke more than once, it’s not funny anymore. What are you doing down here? Did I forget we were doing something?” I asked, turning to face Hephaestus.
Hephaestus was one of my very few friends. We had become close shortly after I came to the underworld. To help me acclimate to the land, he had forged and gifted me a helmet out of pure silver that was able to grant invisibility. He had also forged a gorgeous bident, and its two deadly prongs glowed red and orange like live embers.
He stood two inches taller than me at six-foot-four. His chestnut-colored hair, which was laced with highlights of blonde and red, was loose today, framing his perfectly chiseled face. His eyes were a piercing shade of green that brought out the rich olive tone of his skin. Beneath his fitted white t-shirt, his muscles rippled with every breath. The master forger was built like a tank.
Hephaestus grinned from ear to ear now as he shook his head. I raised a brow. In the pit of my stomach, I started to get a bad feeling. Not the kind of feeling that danger was lurking nearby, but the kind of feeling one gets when their best friend is about to do something stupid and probably illegal.
“Okay? So…?” I shook my head lightly to gesture for him to go on.
“We’re going out tonight, man. You need to get the hell out of here, no pun intended,” Hephaestus said, shaking his hands as if to say, “ta-da!” I rolled my eyes, turned my back to him, and started walking in the opposite direction.
“Hard pass,” I replied. Behind me, I could hear as Hephaestus jogged behind me to keep up.
“Hades, you’ve locked yourself down here for the last sixteen hundred years. You need some sun, dude. You’re starting to look a little--”
I spun on my heels and held up a finger in warning, stopping Hephaestus dead in his tracks. “Don’t you dare finish that fucking sentence, Hephaestus. I swear.”
“Dead.” Hephaestus finished with a cheeky grin. I threw a punch in his direction and stumbled as Hephaestus dodged me with ease. As I regained my balance, Hephaestus laughed and shoved at my shoulder playfully. “Come on, Hades. Let’s go have some fun for once. I love you, man. But this whole ‘lonely hermit’ bit is getting a little old now. You need to get laid. When was the last time that happened?”
I continued towards my room, avoiding the question entirely. Truthfully, it had been… more than a little while. Most women tended to avoid me because of who I was. Once they realized they were talking to the God of the dead, they made a brisk exit for the door. And those who didn’t run from me, well, you already know…
“I’d rather not go out tonight,” I replied as we arrived at my chambers, and I threw open the doors. Once inside, I threw myself onto a crimson velvet couch. Laying on my back, I swung my legs up onto the armrest and laced both hands under my head. Hephaestus sat in the armchair opposite me and placed both elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together.
“Give me one good reason why you won’t come out,” he said, his tone serious.
I rolled my eyes and shifted my gaze towards the ceiling. “I’m tired, Hephaestus. Besides, we both know that every time we’ve gone out, I’ve ended up disappointed.”
“No.” Hephaestus shook his head in irritation. “That’s not good enough for me. Look, you don’t need to look for a woman, okay? But you seriously need to get out of this dismal little hole of yours already. You need to come to experience the mortal world. A lot has changed up there while you’ve been down here acting like some sort of gothic turtle.”
I sighed and chewed the inside of my cheek. Hephaestus was right. It had been a long time since I’d left the sanctity of
the underworld. But was I really ready to do that? I mentally groaned at my conflicting emotions. I knew I couldn’t hide forever. And it would be nice to see how the humans had changed and adapted after all this time. Feeling the sting of defeat, I closed my eyes and drew in a breath.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“I knew you’d see things my way!” Hephaestus said as he whooped and clapped his large hands together. “Get dressed, Hades. We’re going to New York.”
2
Hades
For the first time in nearly two thousand years, I felt the balmy midsummer heat of the mortal world. I took a deep breath and held it for a moment, letting the new scents permeate my senses. The air was thick with the smell of cigarettes, perfume, and something sweet that I couldn’t identify. When I exhaled, I could feel the electric sensation of excitement creeping beneath my skin. Despite enjoying the comfort of my own home, part of me was thrilled to be in an unfamiliar environment.
The human realm had changed greatly from the last time I had visited. It was incredible. While I had been able to see glimpses of the mortal realm through the memories of the souls that passed through the underworld, it was nothing compared to being able to see it in person.
The New York City streets were packed in wall to wall traffic. Over the music emanating from the club, the sound of car horns blared. Hephaestus and I made our way towards the entrance of the club dressed in our Sunday best. While Hephaestus had opted for a golden Dolce and Gabbana suit, I had donned a black three-piece Prada suit. I had slicked my brown hair away from my face and trimmed my beard so I could look a little less homeless, something Hephaestus had demanded before we left the underworld.
As we passed the humans waiting in line to enter the club, I couldn’t help but appreciate how much they had changed. When I had last been on Earth, women had been slightly more conservative. Back then, women had opted for long gowns that concealed most of their skin and seldom, if ever, showed more than some cleavage. But now, women wore tight dresses that revealed long tanned legs and overflowing bosoms. While I felt no emotional connection to any of these women, my body roared to life. Calm down, tiger.
At the door of the club, Hephaestus pulled me to his side and patted my shoulder. Standing before us, dressed in a tight black t-shirt and black jeans with thick dark sunglasses, stood a man with his arms crossed over his chest. I raised a brow. The man was heavily glamoured to appear human. But underneath the façade, I could see his true form. The man was an Arabian Djinn. His dark skin glittered under the gleaming neon sign above him, the golden tattoos that adorned his face constantly shifting.
“Maymun! How are you this evening?” Hephaestus asked with a smile.
“My friend! It’s been months! I was starting to fear the worst. Where have you been?” Maymun replied as he smiled broadly and lowered his arms. Smiling, Maymun looked much less intimidating as a human. In his true form, however, his smile was close to that of a shark. Maymun’s countless rows of bright yellow teeth clacked as he spoke.
“Just a little busy these days. Forging shackles for the damned keeps one busy. But I figured I could use a little R and R and decided to take a day off. I even brought a friend!” Hephaestus grinned in my direction, but I kept my eyes on Maymun. Maymun tilted his head forward to peer at me over the rim of his sunglasses, raking his blood-red gaze over me in a quick once over.
“You seem familiar,” Maymun said after a moment.
“Hades,” I replied curtly. At this, Maymun did a double-take. I had a feeling I was going to be getting this reaction a lot throughout the evening.
“Hades?” Maymun asked incredulously. “As in ‘Lord of the Underworld’ Hades?”
“Mmhm,” I nodded, keeping my expression blank.
Maymun threw his head back and guffawed. “Well, well, well. I’ve only heard rumors of the great lord. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance at last.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” I replied as Maymun extended a clawed hand towards me. I took his hand in mine, the right corner of my lip upturned in a small smile as we shook.
“We’re here to party hard, Maymun. How is it looking inside?” Hephaestus asked excitedly as he slapped a hard pat on my back.
“It’s looking quite promising. I have no doubt the two of you will enjoy yourselves tonight. Please proceed.” Maymun replied as he gestured to the entrance and stepped aside for us to pass.
“Thank you, my good man.” Hephaestus fished a small pouch from his pocket and tossed it to Maymun, who caught it in his hand and bowed his head in thanks. Hephaestus then placed a hand on my shoulder and led us inside. As I passed Maymun, I nodded a farewell. Maymun returned the nod, and the doors closed behind us.
“So,” I said, breaking the silence as we stepped into the club, “How do you know the Djinn?”
“Maymun?” he replied. “I met him ages ago in Macedonia. He was tormenting humans at the time. Real nasty piece of work back then. Zeus had sent me to retrieve him and lock him in a special casket I had forged so that he would cease his rampage. But when I met him, we ended up becoming friends. Just like the two of us.”
I snorted through my nose and rolled my eyes. “I’ve never gone on a killing spree.”
“Oh? I recall you unleashing the Kraken once. Tried to kill an entire city of mostly innocents, didn’t you? Does this not ring a bell?” I scrunched my face in feigned concentration, provoking a laugh from Hephaestus.
“This sounds like fake news.” I laughed as we ambled towards the bar.
The bar, intricately carved from mahogany, was large enough to host twenty people sitting side-by-side. But as we got closer to the bar, I could see that it was crowded with roughly thirty humans, all talking so quickly it was hard to understand most of what was said. Along the wall, impeccably clear glass shelves lined the walls covered with hundreds of bottles of expensive liquor. Gleaming white track lights ran along the ceiling and shone down upon the highest shelf, highlighting the top brands of alcohol the bar had to offer.
Behind the bar, two men were serving drinks as quickly as they could manage. So far, apart from Maymun, the rest of the staff was human. I wondered as to why a Djinn would be working amongst them but shrugged it off. Perhaps working here was his way of living a somewhat normal existence.
Or maybe it was the best answer to an easy meal ticket.
When the bartenders finally got to us, we ordered six shots of whiskey. The bartender lined the empty shot glasses before us and expertly filled each glass without spilling a single drop. As Hephaestus reached for a glass, someone cleared their throat behind us.
Hephaestus and I turned in unison, and I groaned internally. Zeus and his wife Hera stood arm in arm behind us, a smug smile stretching over my little brother’s obnoxious face. Hera smiled warmly, her plump red lips glistening from an overabundance of lip gloss. She was breathtaking.
Hera was nearly two feet shorter than me. Her strawberry blond curls were pulled into a small bun at the top of her head with a ribbon that matched her lips. Her red gown hugged her curves deliciously, the bustline of her dress dipping down low between her full breasts. Hephaestus whistled appreciatively beside me.
“Brother. Hera,” I muttered, nudging him in the ribs hard.
Zeus chuckled, his shoulders heaving exaggeratedly with the motion. Zeus had pulled his white hair into a topknot which complemented his undercut, and his silver suit matched his swirling silver gaze. Unlike myself, my brother was clean-shaven, which made him look much younger than he really was. He looked me over and furrowed his brow, still smiling.
“Has the underworld frozen over, big brother?” Though my brother was smiling, I could see the repugnance in his eyes. I stiffened slightly, struggling to keep my composure.
“Zeus, stop that,” Hera warned before stepping towards me and wrapping her arms around me in a friendly embrace. “We’ve missed you, Hades. How have you been, darling?”
I dipped my nose down to Hera’s hair and
glared up at my brother as I wrapped my arms around Hera’s slender waist. I smiled wickedly as I squeezed her lightly against me. Zeus’ eyes flashed briefly with anger before he chuckled and looked out at the crowd.
“I’ve missed you too, Hera. How’s Olympus treating you? With privilege, no doubt?” I asked, snapping my eyes at my brother.
Hera pulled back and giggled, slapping a hand on my chest playfully. “Will you two ever grow up and just let bygones be bygones? Or are you both going to keep acting like babies forever?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s the latter of the two,” Hephaestus answered as he stepped in and gave Hera a quick peck on the cheek.
“I’m afraid you're right,” Hera sighed wistfully.
Zeus took Hera by the elbow and pulled her back into him. Before she could protest, he shot me a dirty look and kissed Hera deeply, his hands gripping her ass firmly. Hephaestus groaned loudly and turned back to the bar to take a shot. I ran my tongue along the inside of my cheek. I was close to losing my temper now. My brother, unsurprisingly, had always been one to gloat about absolutely everything. So, it came as no surprise to me that he would be putting on such a public display of affection for his miserable bachelor brother to see.
“Well, this has been fun,” I sneered, my tone dripping with sarcasm. Hephaestus whipped around again with a shot glass in hand and shoved it into my twitching palm.
“Drink,” he ordered under his breath.
