Hades and Kassandra

Chapter Three

~Temple of Hades~

Kassandra told herself firmly that she was not nervous. She had been praying for this honor, after all. So why should she be nervous?



She had bathed with special soaps and fragrant oils, her hair had been braided, and she was wearing a diaphanous linen shift that did little to conceal her body in the soft lamplight.



And now she was waiting. It was nearly midnight. Kassandra found herself glancing in the burnished silver mirror hanging on the wall. She knew that as a mortal, she was fairly attractive. But would Hades, a god, find her so? Now that she looked more closely, her nose was a bit too upturned...and her eyes were too pale a shade of gray...and her hair too thick...and her skin too pale...



"Oh gods...I don't deserve this honor...Why am I here?" she muttered to herself.



"Because I chose you, Kassandra," a voice said from behind her. Kassandra turned to see a tall pale man standing at the foot of the large bed. He had jet black hair that fell to just below his shoulders, and pale gray eyes much like her own. Kassandra felt her mouth go dry. He was unspeakably handsome.



"H...Hades?" she managed to ask, finally overcoming her initial shock. He nodded, a smile warming the cold features of his handsome face. "I..." Kassandra could not speak. All her time in the temple had led up to this one moment, and now she could not even speak.



Hades walked around the bed and sat beside her. He was torn. Here was a beautiful mortal, by all rights his for the taking. He wanted her...had wanted her for weeks... But taking her would mean changing her forever. Did he want to take that risk?



Kassandra's breath quickened at Hades' nearness. He was watching her, as if studying her. She flushed under his intense scrutiny. Was she somehow lacking?



Hades fought with himself...and lost. He wanted Kassandra more than anything. And she had prayed night and day for this. But she could not know what it entailed. This was no ordinary union...to be loved by the Dark God... Hades shook his head slightly, trying to clear it. Then he chose his course.



And kissed Kassandra.

Sorry it's so short.... more later...I promise...