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He knew that would bring her to him.

~*~

Sure enough, the double doors to the courtyard gardens opened a short time later, and Persephone swept in behind the servant, her pale green chiton making her tanned skin glow with health. Her curling hair had been twisted into a knot at the base of her skull, and the strange, pale leaves that grew in the soft, muted light of the underworld were twined in her hair.

Even underground in his kingdom, she was very much the goddess of spring. This pleased him.

When she raised an expectant eyebrow at him, he extended his arm to her. “Come. I wish to show you something.”

Intrigued, she took his arm and looked curiously at the helmet tucked under his arm. “Why are you bringing that with you? Are we going somewhere dangerous?”

Had her eyes just gleamed at the thought?

“Nothing like that,” he said with a hint of a smile. “And its use will become apparent soon enough.”

He took her on the ferry barge he had for the River Lethe. Mortals that touched the water would instantly have their memories drained from them. He wasn’t sure how it would affect Persephone, so he kept her hand clasped against his arm at all times, lest she be splashed. As lord of this realm, none of the magic affected him. With Persephone at his side, it would not affect her either.

Hades watched her, though, as the barque moved down the river. Her gaze flitted around, soaking everything in. The spirits rising from the water, the three-headed dog on the far shore, the fields in the distance. The skeletal ferryman behind them who steered the craft. He did not see fear in her eyes. As a goddess, Persephone was no doubt used to strange and magical things, though his kingdom might intimidate even the stoutest heart. But she did not seem cowed. Only curious.

He felt his chest puff with pride. She would be a fine bride, if only she would accept him.

And she was the only one for him, ever. No other woman would suit him quite like Persephone.

The barque pulled up to a small dock on the edge of a copse filled with trees. They

disembarked there, and he noticed Persephone’s pleasure at the sight of the greenery.

“Trees grow here?”

“The Elysian Fields are a magical place,” he told her. “Come. Let me show you.”

Souls that had lived a good, pure life came to the Elysian Fields. It was the place that all souls dreamed of coming to when they came to the underworld. Green meadows full of tall, waving grasses rolled out endlessly before their eyes. The fields were lit as if from brilliant sunlight, but it was magic that made it so. To a soul looking up at the sky, they would see the sun and a cloudless day. To the gods, they saw the rocky cavern ceiling of the underworld through the magic. But it was still a beautiful place, and Persephone left his arm to laughingly run through the fields as if enchanted.

He let her go, watching her enjoy herself. She danced and frolicked amidst the waving green grasses, smiling at the souls that passed by. The touch of her bare feet upon the field made plants spring up behind her, adding a delicate beauty to the already pleasant meadows.

Eventually, she danced back toward him, all smiles. “I had no idea such a wonderful place existed here.”

“You make it more beautiful.”

Her laughing smile faded just a little, turning to seriousness, and he saw that spark of desire flash in her eyes as she looked up at him. It was the same spark she likely saw in his own gaze when he stared at her.

“You know I cannot stay, Hades. A goddess of spring doesn’t belong here.”

“I do not ask you to remain as my captive, Persephone.” He took her hand in his and pressed it over his heart. “I ask you to remain at my side, as my queen. I would give you the underworld and everything in it. Only stay with me.”

At my side. In my bed.
The words hung between them, unspoken.

The soft flush returned to her cheeks and her gaze went to his hand, holding hers over his heart. In the distance, he heard the soft murmur of voices heading to a familiar spot.

“Come,” he told her, changing tactics. “I will show you something else.”

“Something else?” She asked playfully. “Is there something better than this place?”

“I do not know if it is better, but I think you will like it, all the same.” He gave her a look filled with desire, wanting nothing more than to pluck the leaves from her hair and wrap his fingers in the lush curls. To drag her down to the grasses with him and make love to her.

But he would go slowly.

Instead, he pulled his helmet out from under his arm and showed it to her. “Do you know what this does?”

Intrigued, she looked at it, then at him. “It’s a helmet?”

“Watch.” He put it over his head and waited for her response as his figure faded from sight.

She gasped, her eyes going wide with surprise. “Hades?”

He was pleased at her response and reached out and brushed his fingers over her cheek. So beautiful.

Persephone laughed nervously, her gaze flicking back and forth as if not entirely sure where he was. One hand reached out and brushed over his clothing. “You’re still there?”

“Still here,” he said softly and captured her hand, brushing a kiss on her palm. “The helmet makes the wearer invisible. It was my greatest prize… before I stole you.”

She bit her lip, the soft, melting look coming over her face again. She did not pull her hand from his but instead moved the other to his chest, stroking over his invisible form. Then the naughty goddess let it trail lower, until she cupped his hard cock.

“It’s definitely you,” she said in a low purr.

He wanted to kiss her, but the helmet would scratch her delicate face if he leaned in. He only kissed her palm again, ever conscious of that hand that gripped his shaft. “Do you wish to see something else, delicious Persephone?” His voice was a hard rasp of desire.

She nodded, eager.

“Then keep your hand in mine,” he told her, taking her other hand in his. “At all times.”

“I will.”

With her hands in his, he led her forward through the trees until they reached a nearby flat rock, perfect for sitting on. Hades sat down and pulled Persephone into his lap, her ass cradled against his cock.

She gave a soft gasp, her body stiffening in surprise, but she didn’t get up. Instead, she looked around at the field before them.

A couple was walking toward them, hand in hand, talking with low voices.

He ran a hand up the skirt of her chiton, hiking it up and brushing a hand over her thigh, enjoying the whimper that escaped her throat.

“They’ll see us,” she whispered to him, tugging at her skirt again.

“They will not,” he said, voice low and tickling at her ear. “We are both invisible as long as you are touching me.”

“We are?”

“Indeed,” he said, laying the flat of his palm on the inside of her thigh in a possessive manner. “Watch and see.”

Her gaze was riveted to the couple that continued to walk forward. They swung their joined hands as if simply content to be with each other, and after a moment, glanced around, gazes moving over the empty field and past Persephone and Hades where they sat on the rock.

Satisfied they were alone, the two embraced and began to kiss.

“They truly cannot see us,” Persephone whispered back to him.

He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. “No.”

“How marvelous,” she breathed, leaning back against him. Her gaze remained focused on the couple.

The feel of her pressed against him was driving him wild. Hades wrapped an arm around her waist, pleased when her hand moved to cover his. He continued to press light kisses on her shoulder, enjoying the feel of her soft skin. He wished he could kiss her, but his helmet covered almost all of his face.

She gasped.

He glanced up and grinned to himself. The couple had, as he’d suspected, stopped in the grass a short distance away and begun to disrobe, still kissing.

“We should go,” Persephone said in a low, hushed voice. But she wasn’t moving from his lap. Her fascinated gaze was riveted to the couple nearby.

His hand kneaded her thigh gently. “Why should we go, love? Are you not curious?”

He felt her tremble in his lap, and her hand clutched his at her waist. “Are we… going to stay and watch?”

“That is up to you.”

Persephone was quiet for a long moment, so quiet that he wondered if she would choose to leave after all. And then her other hand pressed on his over her thigh. She laced her fingers with his, her gaze riveted to the couple.

And this was what he loved about her. She did want to stay and watch. Not everyone was interested in being a voyeur, but his curious, wicked Persephone was fascinated. And as she watched them, she reached for him.

It made his cock even harder with need.

The couple ahead of them stripped off the last of their clothing and descended to the grass.

The woman had small breasts with large, dark nipples and wide hips. The man was slim, too, his build wiry and lean. Not perfect, but human. As he watched, the man pulled the woman close to him and bent to suck on one of her nipples as she wrapped her arms around him.

Persephone gasped again, the sound low, as if she didn’t want the others to hear it. “He’s licking her breasts.”

“As I would love to lick yours,” he murmured low in her ear. His hand slid from her waist and cupped one of her breasts, brushing over the stiff nipple with his thumb. “I would suck on your nipples for hours until they were stiff and aching, and you were damp with need.”

Her hips rocked and she pressed back against him, harder, a soft whimper in her throat. “I’m already damp with need.”

Hades groaned. He wanted to press his hand there and feel for himself, but that would distract her from the unfolding scene, and he knew she wanted to watch. That was part of the naughty appeal. He’d mimic his motions to the human man’s—a game of sorts.

“You play with your own nipples, do you not?” Hades murmured to Persephone, tweaking

the stiff peak with his fingers. “Because it gives you pleasure?”

She nodded against his shoulder, her breast pressing against his fingers. “It feels… lovely.

Your hands on me feel lovely.”

His hand was touching her through the fabric of her chiton. He lifted his hand and slipped it through the neckline of her gown, seeking warm flesh underneath, and cupped her bare breast with his hand.

She cried out, then immediately clapped a hand to her mouth.

“They are not listening, love,” he murmured to her. “Watch them. Look.”

The couple was twined around each other, the woman moaning loudly as the man teased and played with her small breasts, biting and sucking at her nipples. Her hands moved all over the man as if she wanted to somehow give him the same intense pleasure she was clearly feeling.

Persephone’s breathing became shallow, almost panting, and her hips rocked again as Hades continued to stimulate her stiff little nipple.

“Would you like my mouth on you like he does to her?” he asked Persephone. “Biting and sucking at these?” He brushed his fingers over the tight peaks.

She bit her lip, her gaze riveted to the couple. Then after a moment, she nodded, her hand tight over his hand on her slim thigh.

“Once I have you in my bed, I’ll do that to you,” he murmured. “I’ll lick and suck on them until you scream with pleasure.”

She shuddered against him, as if overcome by the thought.

“Keep watching,” he advised her, still stroking his thumb over her nipple in an almost idle fashion. “See what they do next.”

The man was bearing the woman to the ground and the two sank to the grass. Hades felt Persephone lean forward, her fascinated gaze moving with them. As they watched, the man placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder, tilting her onto her back. The man knelt between the woman’s spread thighs and pushed them wider and then buried his face there.

Ah, good man. Hades wanted to thank him for that bold move. Persephone’s sharp inhalation told him that she had not missed a thing. The woman on the ground was moaning loudly, her fingers going to the man’s hair, her hips rocking.

“What… what is he doing?” Persephone asked, and Hades felt her hips shift, ever so slightly, back against his cock. She was affected by the sight greatly.

“He’s eating her pussy,” Hades told her. “His tongue is playing with that little bud between her thighs that gives so much pleasure.”

“Oh,” she said, the sound drawn out and slow with wonder.

The man’s head bobbed against the woman’s flesh, and Hades continued his explanation, because Persephone was quivering against him, and her hand was pressing on his over her thigh as if she wanted to move it herself. But he remained still, only teasing that nipple with his other hand. “She’s probably dripping wet with need. A woman’s nectar tastes delicious. He’s lapping at her with his tongue, determined to get every last drop. His tongue is flicking over the entrance to her core, thrusting there like his cock will soon be thrusting there. And then he’ll move back up to slide his tongue over her pearl, making her shudder with need.”

As if on cue, the woman cried out, her hips gyrating, legs in the air as the man continued to fiercely tongue her sex.

Persephone’s hips ground against his lap again, and Hades moved his hand from her thigh, skimming up through her skirts to cup her between her legs.

She was soaked, her flesh hot and slick with need.

She gasped but didn’t pull away. Instead, her arm twined around his neck and she pressed back against him harder. “Oh, Hades—”

“Shh, love. Just watch them. I’ll stroke you as you watch them.” His finger dipped between the damp, hot folds of her flesh and he rubbed along her clitoris. Her entire body quivered in response and he repeated the motion.

Persephone began to pant against him, her hips moving rhythmically. He could feel her small breast thrusting against his fingers as if she were unable to sit still.

Her pussy was incredibly wet. He stroked his fingers up and down the slick folds, exploring her now that she would let him. He wasn’t paying attention to the couple any longer, his attention on the woman in his arms, but judging from Persephone’s panting breaths and small moans, what they were doing continued to be exciting to her. Hades stroked his fingertip over her clit, doing a small circle, and then moved all the way down to the opening of her core and gently pushed his middle finger inside.