by Cate Masters
“Then it’s true? Persephone is actually that Persephone, of Greek mythology? And Hades is her husband? These are the people who want to call me family?”
The longer she spoke, the more Zev seethed. Only one person could have leaked the information. Bastard Bodie. Playing against the rules now, was he? So the mighty one wasn’t all purity and light.
Zev summoned all the calm he could stand. “Yes, Lily. Because they are your family. Your bloodline.”
“No.” She shook her head, a continuous action signaling her deep-rooted disbelief.
He reached for her hand. “Lily.” Had Bodiel not shared her paternal lineage, too? Did she not know her father had once been like Bodiel?
She snatched her hand from the table. “No.” Her adamant tone left no doubt about her conviction.
Still, he had no clue about what. “I understand it’s somewhat of a shock, but it’s true, Lily.”
“Stop Lilying me,” she said through clenched teeth.
Ah, showing her hellish side. “It’s your name.”
“You don’t know me. And if you’re here to talk me into going back so they can introduce you as my future husband, forget it. I have no plans to marry.”
Sonofabitch. His hands clenched against his legs. “It’s your destiny. Our destiny.”
“I make my own, thanks anyway.” She straightened her back.
Literally biting his tongue, he shifted. If only she knew what a pitiful, meaningless show of independence she made. “Here’s the thing, Lily. I hated to bring this up, but either you fulfill your destiny, or Hades will demonstrate his disapproval in terrible ways.”
“Are you threatening me?”
Ah, he’d enjoy breaking her. “Of course not. Merely stating the facts. Hades has access to many innocents, in this world and the Underworld. They will suffer unspeakable tortures if you fail to comply. Your refusal will offend your grandfather, not to mention me. It could drive me to mount an attack against those who try to influence you against me.” Like Bodiel. Perhaps even Persephone, though that would require subtlety. Delicacy.
Her beautiful lips twisted. “I was told you’d try something underhanded like this.”
“May I ask,” he said in a wondrous show of control, “who gave you this information?”
“You’re not denying it, I see.”
Did the illustrious Angel of Light prompt her to answer so ungraciously as well? “It’s not for me to deny or confirm.”
She spat a laugh. “What are you, their public relations person?”
He leaned dangerously close. “I’m not in PR. Nor am I a person. And if you think I will simply give up, then consider what might happen. Those you care about on Earth could meet untimely ends.”
She sunk back, eyeing him with new respect, and new fear.
At least he’d managed to shut her the hell up. Oh, she was scrumptious to look at, but he’d already grown tired of her arguments. And now, she stared at him as if he’d morphed into his true self. He leaned closer to speak to her. Only then did he notice the necklace clamped in her hands. The chain appeared thin, almost too delicate to hold the hefty gem she cradled. Something about its classic cut gave it a timeless look, as if crafted in ancient times.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
The longer she held the pendant, the more her hand shook. From her glazed, wild-eyed look, she either joined the ranks of the zombies or some deep truth had just hit home.
Her lip quivered. “You’re… a….”
He sighed, then slammed back his martini. Oh yeah. Definitely the latter.
***
Please let this be a nightmare. Lily clasped the pendant like a life line. The moment she touched it, Zeveriah morphed into something unrecognizable. Unnamable.
Ruddy complexion? More like scaly. An instant earlier, full black hair had covered his head, but now held only wisps of hair, and two horns curled up from his protruding forehead. Teeth, formerly white and even, grew gnarled, with canines extending over the bottom. Still in the same fashionable suit, but hair covered his hands, and ended in claws rather than fingers.
Something foul seared her nostrils. “What’s that…” Oh geez, it’s him. Sulphur, decay and mold, not the best choice of cologne.
She risked a look around. The sight robbed her of what little breath she had.
At nearby tables, similar creatures sat in place of the people who’d earlier occupied the seats.
“Where the hell are we?” she whispered.
“Now that you mention it, it’s a portal to home.”
His voice, once smooth and low, sounded like pebbles scraping along metal. The sound made her snap her focus back to him. At the grotesque sight, she pressed back against her chair.
Not my home.
“Lily, please.” He reached across the table for her.
All she saw were claws, sharp and thick, sliding toward her.
“No!” Her knee snagged the tablecloth, and upset her drink, oozing red across the ratty fabric. The waiter had poured water!
Thank goodness she hadn’t tasted it.
The server appeared beside the table, crusted lips curled in a ragged smile, revealing rotted teeth. “Here, I’ll pour you another.”
She jerked backward, and found nowhere left to go. Except out of here. A shove freed her, provided the momentum she needed to run. Still clutching the pendant, she grabbed her handbag, and strained every muscle toward the exit.
***
I should never have let her go with him. Bodie gripped the handles of the Harley and watched Lily disappear with Zev into the old factory building. Abandoned for decades, the site drew the lowliest humans – drug dealers, murderers, addicts. In their altered state of consciousness, some occasionally glimpsed the activity within El Diablo, and denied them as hellish hallucinations; actually, the scenes provided a sneak peek at their futures, if they didn’t correct their current paths.
Bodie took a chance coming here. If any of Zev’s peons spotted him, a battle would take place. Bodie crossed the line, literally. Not the first one today, either. No point counting now. Stooping to their level left him wanting to scrub the grime from his skin, even if the situation warranted such tactics.
Saving Lily. His top priority.
How long would it take Zev to bend the truth? Or bend her to his will? Bodie pressed forward, wanting to peer inside. Make sure Lily was all right. Hiding in darkness went against all he stood for. He, Bodiel, Ruling Angel of the Sixth Heaven. The embodiment of enlightenment.
Stay put. He’d wait, as long as it took. And when she emerged – running, hopefully – he’d be right here, ready to sweep by so she wouldn’t twist her pretty little ankle in those heels.
Her ankle wasn’t nearly as pretty as the rest of her. Lithe and graceful, radiating more light than a seraphim. Her father’s legacy to her.
Snap out of it. You have a mission.
Unfortunately, the subject of the mission beguiled him. Emotions he shouldn’t have strained against their confines, ready to burst forth whenever Lily was near.
Lost in thoughts of her, Bodie stared at the heavens for strength. A flash of red drew his focus down again. A figure ran from the old building, hair flowing.
Lily. His senses snapped to the present, and he blasted the bike in her direction.
A taller figure emerged, calling her. Zeveriah. No mistaking his arrogant stance. Or his distinctly unpleasant odor. Obviously he’d cloaked himself in glamour for Lily’s sake, or she’d never have graced him with one moment in her presence.
Bodie sharply turned the bike, sending a spray of dirt and gravel toward the demon.
Arms flailing, Zeveriah jumped back, and yelled a curse in an ancient tongue.
Not enough of a diversion to keep the demon from rushing to the sports car parked nearby.
Halting the bike beside Lily, Bodie yelled, “Get on.”
She glanced backward. “He’s coming.”
“Eventually.” He tried to re
press the thrill of her body fitting against his. Her arms circling his waist.
Her chin pressed into his shoulder. “What do you mean?”
“I bought us some time.” A few clipped wires, and that expensive sports car became no more than an overpriced lawn ornament.
“Then let’s get out of here.”
“Hold tight,” he called over his shoulder, and crouched into the increasing force of air as he pushed the Harley to its limit.
Following suit, she pressed into him, her long legs clenched aside his own, her arms thin yet strong as a steel link, her limbs full of sinewy strength. A benefit of dancing, no doubt. If she knew how her skill also posed a risk, would she stop? Zeveriah wouldn’t. Hades had promised Lily to the archduke; a bonus for work well done, and Bodie sensed the demon’s determination, yet also something more. Zeveriah’s odor fouled the air with sweat of desperation, mingled disgustingly with the musk of desire. More than a mere prize, Zeveriah actually wanted Lily as his mate. Bodie had to convince her what a mistake she’d be making if she accepted the demon. If she accepted the Underworld as her home.
Zeveriah would find a way to catch up. Time to stray from the path of least resistance.
Lined by tall trees arching over it like a shield, the road wound up the mountain, a steep climb for the bike but Bodie kept its speed constant. Until they reached the top, they wouldn’t be safe.
“Are we lost?” she asked.
As if he needed directions. He hunkered down further and sped toward what would appear to her as a black pit, a tear in the fabric of darkness.
“Bodie.” Her breathless calling of his name signaled fear, and equal trust. She didn’t scream for him to turn away. Instead, she sank her head onto his back, every muscle attuned to his body.
Wild exhilaration filled him. It shouldn’t. He dreaded what lay ahead for her. Yet the weight of her against him felt like finding the one molded to his being. His soul.
I can never let that happen.
Chapter Five
“Damn the girl.” Hades pitched his glass at the fireplace. Sparkling shards bloomed in the light like tiny fireworks.
“She is extremely hardheaded.” Persephone hated to admit it. Hated to say it to her husband. She came up behind him and rested her cheek against his back. “A little like you.” She tensed; such a comment invited a slap.
He breathed out hard, a cross between a sigh and a growl, and twisted his arm back to pull her into his embrace. “She cannot be the one. It’s too soon.”
“All will be fine. You’ll see.” If only Persephone believed her own words.
The prophecy foretold of one who’d resist. Lily’s behavior went beyond resistance. She’d absolutely refused.
The girl should be grateful for the opportunity; not every young woman had the chance to be wooed by a prestigious archduke, a darkly delicious taste of Hell who would fulfill Lily’s wildest desires, beyond any she’d dreamed. Persephone knew from experience. Even after all this time, a mere touch from her husband could titillate her, the anticipation igniting her desire.
What if Lily ruined everything? To deny her role as The Destined One could very well send Hades into a rage the likes of which the Underworld, or any world, had ever seen. It could also threaten their marriage, a success because Persephone had worked so damn hard at it. Hades’ relentless insistence had convinced her they would be good together. Oh, and he’d been so right. The mere thought of him set her insides aflame. She loved her mother, but Demeter could never convince her to return, not after Hades’ touch torched her senses to depths that drove her wild. Deviousness had its place, after all. He taught her to unleash her dark side in ways harming no one, and gave immeasurable pleasure.
Being so near him always tantalized her. She breathed in his scent, burnt incense and spices making her mouth water. She caressed the rock-hard muscles of his back, the result of millennia of stress and yes, labor. Hades preferred hands-on work, though Persephone chose not to think about what kind. Others knew his monstrous, evil side; only she knew how deeply he loved. Yes, he loved his kingdom, and he loved her.
She pressed into him, her softness against his steely exterior a perfect complement. As she stroked the back of his neck, she murmured, “My darling.”
He buried his face in her shoulder and inhaled, then drew back to study her. His ebony eyes searched her face, his long fingers traced her cheek bone to her jaw. “What would I do without you?”
“You’ll never find out.” She squeezed his rear, lingering to explore the contours.
Heat shone in his eyes, and he bent to kiss her, his soft, warm lips always a wondrous surprise in contrast to the brittle façade he exhibited. His embrace tightened.
“Persephone,” he whispered against her cheek.
“My heart’s everlasting desire.” She grazed his mouth with hers. “I am yours.”
His erection pressed against her thigh, signaling he understood.
“Come, let me soothe you.” She stroked his cheek, his chest, his hips.
Hades gestured for the guard to step outside. At the soft click of the latch, he slipped the gown off her shoulders. Cupping her breast, he bent to suckle, his hot tongue searing her insides.
In one writhing motion, they lowered to the rug, Persephone’s practiced fingers swiftly freeing his erection. He rolled onto his back and spread his arms and legs.
You won’t play dead for long. She shed her gown and let it fall to the floor, knowing how exquisite her naked body was. Centuries hadn’t aged her; muscles as lean and strong as ever, she stepped astride him and lowered slowly to all fours until her nipples teased his.
“What would you like today, my love?” She dragged herself along his hardening length.
In an instant, his face loomed in hers, his body taut with need. “Ready yourself for me.”
Ah yes. He loved to watch her pleasure herself. Tweak her nipples, circle her clit, buck against her fingers.
He ran his fingers across hers as they played, then his tongue, tasting her pleasure. “Take me inside you. Now.”
First stroking his erection with wet fingers, she guided its head and inched him in.
In defiance of gravity, he lifted his hips from the floor, each thrust driving deeper. With a roar, he whooshed her against the ceiling, his pistonlike movement pinning her there.
“Hades!” Her cry pierced the air as her climax consumed her. She rode his relentless pumping until finally he gripped her tight, shuddered, and they plummeted down, the rush of air lifting up her hair. An exercise of trust, she knew not to cry out, or show fear; he’d take it as a sign of disloyalty. They literally crashed to the sofa, and he cradled her to his side.
She closed her eyes and nestled against him.
He broke away, sat up and glared at nothing. “Damn Lily. I cannot tolerate her ungratefulness. Her ignorance. Her rudeness.”
So much for the afterglow. Persephone rubbed his back. “I’ll go see her. Talk to her.” She didn’t promise out loud, but she’d convince Lily, before her husband found another way to do it.
***
Lily braced against Bodie’s back as the motorcycle hurled toward the side of the mountain. The thick black opening had to be a cave, yet the black hole in the side of the mountain stretched into a well-lit cavern. How did such a huge place exist? The mountain didn’t appear this large, definitely not this deep. An entire city street could fit inside the opening.
Bodie stopped outside a beautiful place, resembling a castle in its Gothic design, reaching upward to incredible heights.
She climbed off. “Where are we?”
“We’ll be safe here.”
Not what she asked, but good enough. For now. “It’s beautiful.” In a surreal sort of way. She kept hoping she’d wake up and find her birthday hadn’t yet taken place.
He flashed a smile, likewise beautiful. And dangerous, the way it melted her fears. He might be as loony as Zeveriah, for all she knew. If only Bodie didn’t have the sam
e effect as the other one. A chill pebbled the skin on her arms, and rubbing didn’t help. She dug her heel into the stone walkway, ridiculously white, and waited for him to lead the way.
“Are you all right?” His glance went to her hands, still smoothing her goose bumps.
“Fine.”
“It’s understandable if you’re somewhat in shock. Anyone in your place would be.”
“I’m not in shock.” Denial, maybe, but not shock. She looked away, a hint to drop it.
He made a soft sound, like a grunt of acknowledgement; coming from him, it was the sexiest sound she’d ever heard. An intimate sound between lovers, a wordless communication. It made her want to nestle into him, let his warmth penetrate her. Erase the rest of the world looking into those dark eyes at close range.
Of course, he’d already done the last part. Not another soul here in this cavern of light. A soft laugh escaped.
He turned. “What?”
Wow, so attuned to her. Something she might have trouble getting used to. Or something she might grow to like too much. “Nothing.” She trudged past him.
At the top of the steps, a wide landing led to an equally wide entrance divided by no less than four tall pillars. “Did we travel back in time to ancient Greece?”
His laugh sounded nervous.
She walked inside. “This is amazing.” Glancing back at him, she couldn’t tell if he was pleased or wanted to bolt. “What is this place, Bodie? Really?”
He pressed his lips together, scanning the tall ceiling as if seeing it for the first time himself. “Sanctuary.”
Could he be more cryptic? “Zeveriah can’t come here?” A shudder passed through her. She didn’t want to see him for a long time. She’d opt for never, but had a feeling her family would push him on her again.
“No.”
Interesting. When she tried to imagine Zeveriah here, it even seemed wrong. A violation, of some sort. “We’re not in…” She couldn’t bring herself to say ‘heaven’. It seemed too ridiculous. She’d never decided whether she believed in the traditional versions of heaven and hell anyway. Angels and demons, forever quarantined in separate quarters.
