Eternal Night (Skeleton Key)

by Marian Tee

  Hecate cackled. “But of course, milady. Only ghosts live in the Fields of Asphodels, don’t you remember?”

  Ever ran away with a shriek.

  Hecate beamed. Ever Carlisle was so fun to be with, she thought. She dearly hoped that the mortal would prove to be the prophesied queen.

  Glancing up at the sky, Hecate used the length of the silver sun’s rays to tell the time. It was just ten in the morning, the goddess thought with a yawn. She was just going to lie here for a moment and wait until Ever came back.

  Nothing bad could happen to the prophesied queen, anyway. This was the Underworld, and whomever Hades cared for, all his subjects would protect with their life.

  Ever didn’t know how much time had passed by the time she stopped running. What she did know, however, was that she had come to yet another part of the Underworld she hadn’t been to.

  Bloody hell, I’m lost.

  Like the rest of the Underworld, almost everything she saw was black. It was also deadly silent except for the faint cries coming from a distance. She followed the sound with a madly beating heart, telling herself that anyone was okay as long as the other person – creature – was alive and breathing.

  Once in a while, she would bump into something and realize too late that she had walked into a tree or a boulder. The sound of cries had become more distinct as she continued walking, but so did the sound of rushing water.

  Ever started to slow down.

  The Underworld, she recalled uneasily, had five main rivers.

  One of it was Acheron – the river of woe – and on which Charon, the Ferryman, carried the recently deceased into the Underworld.

  Ever stumbled into a stop.

  Did I just escape older ghosts…only to run into newborn ghosts?

  Ever took a step back.

  From the distance, she heard an ancient voice croak out, “We have reached our destination, milady. I can row you no further than this.”

  Bloody, bloody, bloody Charon!

  That was Charon!

  The fangirling part of her wanted to rush towards where the voice was coming from so she could shake hands with one of the Underworld’s most famous residents.

  But the sensible part of her was already screaming and begging for her to run away.

  Wherever the Ferryman was, the ghosts went.

  She took another step back, her sensible part winning. It was nice almost meeting you, Ferry Man. She was still a fan, but she was a greater fan of continuing her life without encountering any ghost.

  Ever was about to turn around when she heard a female voice answer Charon, “This is more than enough, Charon. I may no longer be with your lord, but I am still the prophesied queen.”

  After patting her pocket to make sure that she still had her coin to get Charon to ferry her back, Persephone began the long trek to the Underworld. It would have been so much easier if she could get one of those centaurs to ride, she thought with a sigh. But since Hades had a strange affection for those creatures, it would be safer if she feigned having a change of heart about them.

  If need be, she could probably even bear pretending to make friends with some of the female centaurs.

  From a short distance, Persephone heard pebbles crunching as if someone had stepped on them, and she asked sharply, “Who’s there? Show yourself to your queen!” Anyone would be fine, Persephone thought, as long as it was not Thanatos. That stupid demon just hated her guts, and there was no reasoning with him.

  More pebbles crunched, and Persephone scowled at the continued silence. How disrespectful of this creature! It was all Hades’ fault for being so lenient with his subjects.

  Finally, an outline started to form in the dark as it came nearer. Persephone waited impatiently, and when the figure emerged in the faint light provided by the fiery waters of Acheron, Persephone was stunned.

  Why, it was none other but the mortal herself!

  Even though Persephone hadn’t bothered to ask for a photo or description from her guests, she was sure that the young girl with plaited blonde hair and blue eyes in front of her was the one that had the world of immortals in an uproar.

  Everything about the girl screamed human, and as this was the Underworld, only a usurper such as this girl could have entered the kingdom in spite of her still-beating heart.

  The likes of you shall not steal what rightfully belongs to me, Persephone thought malevolently.

  It didn’t matter that she had been the one to throw away the crown, the one who had turned her back on her vows. She, Persephone, a goddess and daughter of an Olympian, was the rightful Queen of the Underworld and she would make sure it stayed that way – no matter what it took.

  Ever found it impossible not to gape at Hades’ first love. So this was Persephone. The daughter of Demeter was stunningly ethereal, stunningly slender---

  Stunningly everything, actually, she thought and tried unsuccessfully to not let the fact distress her. The goddess had a wreath of pink flowers on her head while her gown, cinched tightly with a golden cord around her tiny waist, had a long flowing skirt of iridescent hues and which seemed to dance around her body with the tiniest movement.

  “You startled me, child,” the goddess exclaimed. As she turned to face Ever, her skirt swirled to the side, baring one endlessly long leg.

  The sight of it crushed what little confidence as a woman Ever had left, and she couldn’t even bear to feel insulted at being called a child. Next to the goddess, she was one. Or at least her curves would look like baby fats she hadn’t ever outgrown.

  When the mortal remained silent, Persephone feigned a look of uncertainty. “Do you know who I am?” At the mortal’s nod, she said in relief, “I’m glad. And please, I hope you do not think I have come here to quarrel with you.”

  As the former queen spoke, she pressed the back of her hand on her forehead, picture perfect in her feminine upset, and all Ever could do was stare in sincere fascination. Was this how all goddesses were? Every gesture Persephone made was like an ideal pose for a portrait artist.

  Turning her faraway gaze to the river of woe, Persephone let out a long, melancholic sigh. “I have never thought to come back here, but when news reached me about the god of the Underworld’s new queen---”

  She turned once more to Ever, her big blue eyes filled with tears. “I knew I had to come.”

  Ever couldn’t help being moved. This was Persephone, the goddess whose journey to love she had cheered for her whole life. That the two of them had fallen for the same man surely shouldn’t mean she had to dislike Persephone.

  “May I ask you to hear me out, child?” The goddess took hold of her hands as she made her request, and Ever couldn’t help comparing her rough and callused palms to Persephone’s soft and tender ones. The thought that Hades had most likely noticed the same thing made Ever’s heart squeeze painfully.

  Oh, Hades. No wonder the god couldn’t love her. How could he like someone ordinary when he once had perfection in his arms?

  Persephone drew Ever’s attention back to her as she said entreatingly, “May I?”

  Ever nodded jerkily. She knew she should say something, but it was as if Persephone’s flawlessness had rendered her dumbstruck. And the longer she looked at Persephone, she more she thought she was dumb.

  Persephone was a natural-born beauty, a goddess of her own right, and most of all – she was Hades’ first love.

  How can I even think of competing, Ever thought hysterically.

  Letting go of the mortal’s hands, Persephone asked shakily, “Do you know of the prophecy?”

  Ever shook her head, even more determined not to speak now. In spite of her visible despair, the goddess’ voice still sounded like a musical masterpiece. If I speak now, Ever thought, I’m just going to sound like a frog following that.

  Persephone drew her breath before reciting the prophecy in a tremulous voice.

  The lord would fall because of her.

  The lady would disappear because of him.
/>
  And when these two came to be,

  The Underworld would have made its choice.

  When she finished, she glanced at the mortal with feigned fearfulness, saying haltingly, “Do you understand it?”

  Ever wished she hadn’t, but she did, and she whispered, “Yes.” The prophecy decreed that the prophesied queen could only be someone the god of the Underworld had fallen in love with.

  And after last night---

  Ever knew now that the prophesied queen couldn’t be her.

  The look of devastation on the mortal’s face made Persephone quickly lower her head so she could hide her smile. Poor disgusting mortal, she was just no match for a goddess like Persephone.

  Deciding it was time to drive the dagger to the mortal’s heart and tear it into irreparable pieces, Persephone slowly lifted her head and waited for the girl to look at her again. When their eyes met, she pretended to hesitate to make it seem like she was struggling with her next words.

  The mortal fell for the bait. “What is it?”

  The girl’s voice was beautifully numb, and a venomous sense of pleasure coursed through the goddess at the sound of the mortal’s pain. She wanted more of it, and so she said in a choking voice, “Hades and I have our differences, but…I would never wish him harm, and I’m afraid---” She choked back a pretend sob. “I’m terrified that’s exactly what’s going to happen if he persists in going against what the Fates have decreed.” Gesturing to their surroundings, she said despairingly, “The kingdom…the people…all of it will be destroyed if someone else other than the prophesied queen is crowned.”

  Ever was in the middle of her bath when she heard the door to the dressing chamber open. She didn’t turn around, only sinking deeper in the bubbly scented water and wishing she had gills instead of lungs. It would be really nice, she thought wistfully, if she could just hide underwater and avoid facing reality.

  A moment later, she felt and heard the water move and splash, and she turned in surprise to see the god of the Underworld stepping inside the marble bath.

  Oh!

  For a moment, all she could do was stare, Hades’ nude physique making her body tremble as it remembered the sensual pleasure Hades’ touch alone could evoke.

  Before she knew it, Hades was already next to her and he was reaching for her underwater, his hands curving around her waist.

  When he drew Ever to her knees, the new position leaving her breasts completely exposed, and she squeaked in embarrassed protest. “Hades!”

  He didn’t look up, his admiring gaze fixed on the pale globes. As he continued to stare, her nipples started to harden, and Ever’s embarrassment deepened. “Stop staring, please.” She tried to cross her arms over her chest, but the god moved too fast for her, and her hands were suddenly imprisoned behind her back.

  “I love looking at you,” Hades murmured huskily.

  “Well, I don’t.”

  Hades smirked. “I don’t even need Apollo with me to know your words are untrue.” With his free hand, he reached for one breast, gently kneading it, before his fingers moved to pinch her already-erect nipple. “This strawberry tip is proof of your desire for me, milady.”

  His words made her shudder, and she could feel her resistance weakening as he continued to play with her nipple, tweaking and pinching it alternately, before moving to the other to do the same thing.

  By the time the god looked up, Ever could only think of one thing.

  She wanted more.

  “May I suck on it, milady?”

  She moaned.

  “May I?”

  Ever choked out, “Yes.”

  “If I free your hands, will you feed them to me?”

  Her eyes widened at the request.

  A second later, her hands were free and a tauntingly beautiful smile formed on the god’s lips. If you want it, you know what to do.

  “Are you really a sadist,” she asked helplessly, “or you’re only like this with me?”

  The god laughed, and his voice was coated with dark temptation as he said, “You’ll be thrilled to know…it’s just you.”

  Oh!

  The words made Ever dizzy with pleasure, and as Hades continued to stare at her with ebony eyes that gleamed with mocking amusement, she slowly dropped to her fours---

  Hades’ lips curved.

  ---and began to crawl towards him.

  The god of the Underworld was enthralled, and lust blazed through his blood as he watched Ever move towards him with exquisite slowness. Her bountiful breasts swayed with her every move, and his cock began to throb. By the time she reached him, he was aching with the need to possess her.

  “You little tease.” The god’s voice was raw with need, but his ebony eyes were gleaming with approval. “I hope you always try to seduce me like this.”

  A nervous giggle escaped her. “I’ll t-try.” Rising to her knees, she cupped her breasts, and with their eyes still locked on each other, she bent forward to feed him.

  Her eyelids drifted shut the moment his mouth closed on one nipple, and her entire body rocked with a delirious sense of pleasure as Hades began to suck.

  When he moved to her other nipple, she summoned the effort needed to open her eyes and slowly looked down. Seeing Hades’ head on her breast was so excruciatingly erotic she couldn’t help letting go of her breasts to reach for his head---

  Hades groaned against her breasts as he felt her fingers drive through his hair. When her grip suddenly tightened just before pushing her nipple deep into her mouth, he groaned again and gave them both what they wanted.

  He sucked on her nipple hard, and as she shuddered, he scraped the protruded tip with his teeth. She jerked against him with a moan, but he continued tormenting her, nipping and biting her nipple.

  “Hades…”

  The sound of her desire made his cock throb violently, and he finally let go of her breast, knowing he would die if he didn’t sink his cock into her in the next five seconds. He pulled away, but as he took hold of her waist, he was stunned to see Ever shake her head.

  Biting her lip, Ever stammered, “I w-want to pleasure you.”

  Ah. The words took him by surprise – in all the time he had spent with Persephone, the goddess hadn’t once expressed a desire to do the same thing.

  But now---

  The thought alone of having his cock inside Ever’s lovely mouth was enough to twist him up, and Hades had to draw a deep breath to control the urge to haul her to him and give it to her.

  Rising from the water, Hades perched himself on the edge of the bath and when he looked at Ever, he saw her staring wide-eyed at the sight of his engorged cock.

  Ever was beginning to doubt the wisdom of her words. Hades’ cock seemed larger, thicker, and longer than she had anticipated. Could all of it really fit her mouth?

  When she looked up, the god of the Underworld purred, “I’m all yours.”

  She gulped, wondering how such words could sound both threatening and turn her on at the same time.

  You asked for this, Ever reminded herself determinedly. So now go and just…do it.

  Taking a deep breath, she reached for Hades’ engorged erection with trembling hands. It felt strangely smooth and impossibly hard, and for a moment all she could do was just grip his cock in her fingers, her mind turning completely blank.

  “Scared?” Hades asked above her.

  She whispered, “Yes.”

  “Shall I help you?”

  She nodded jerkily.

  The god took hold of her hands. “Start by stroking it like this.” Following his instructions, she began to stroke his cock.

  “Think of it as your pet, milady,” Hades said lazily.

  She choked and laughed at the same time. A pet, he said. It made sense in a way, but oh, how embarrassing it was, too! Even so, the thought worked, and she could no longer stop thinking of his cock as a pet to spoil and cherish.

  What it wanted, it would get.

  And so she tightened her
grip and stroked him faster. Looking up, she saw Hades throw his head back as his jaw clenched, agonized pleasure on his face. The sight had her own body clenching, and moisture started pooling between her thighs once more.

  When he reached for her head, her heart began to hammer against her chest, Ever knowing what he would do next.

  And oh, how she wanted it!

  His fingers drove into her hair.

  The inner folds of her womanhood began to swell.

  He slowly pulled her head close, making her bow towards his cock, and all she could do was follow him, a thrilling mix of fear, desire, and excitement washing over her.

  The head of his cock began to tease her lips, soft, wet, and just a bit salty, and her throat tightened. As his cock nudged her mouth once more, she heard Hades say in a guttural voice, “Take my cock into your mouth, milady.”

  Ooooooh.

  Her lips slowly parted, and the swollen head of his cock slid in just as slowly. It was bigger than she expected, forcing her mouth to open wider. Inch by inch, his cock moved deeper and when it was halfway in, Hades’ fingers in her hair started guiding her head to move.

  Her head began to bob up and down as his cock slid in and out of her mouth. The cycle was slow but steady, and Hades seemed to know exactly when her throat started to relax, with his cock moving deeper at the same time.

  Deeper and deeper until he was all the way in, and she closed her eyes at the unexpected pleasure of it.

  Holding on to him to keep her balance, she did her best to pleasure him, sucking on his cock hard, and when he groaned, she tried to imitate him, laving the head of his cock the way his tongue had played with her nipple.

  His fingers tightened, and then he was thrusting hard into her mouth. It should have scared her, but Ever could actually feel herself getting sweeter.

  “Touch yourself, milady,” Hades gritted out as he could feel his own pleasure building. “I want us to come at the same time.”

  Feeling like a puppet that lived for its master’s commands, Ever reached for her swollen flesh with trembling fingers. As she started to stroke herself, Hades’ grip on her hair tightened, and this time he was thrusting so hard into her mouth his cock was reaching the back of her throat.