Warning:
The following chapter contains explicit content. If you don't like it, don't read it.
6. When The Sun Shines In Hell
He wasn't there when she woke.
Persephone sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest. As she leaned back against the pillows, she found herself wincing. She'd slept through the night, but she still felt a little tender. She didn't mind so much as it was a deliciously satisfying kind of ache, though the glamour was slowly fading away. The empty bed was thoroughly disheartening, and for the first time she wondered if it had been good for him the night before. He'd seemed to enjoy it, and he'd been so gentle with her.
The goddess was in the middle of a sigh, pulling the blanket up to her throat, when she realized that she wasn't cuddling up to a blanket at all. He'd taken the blanket they'd had sex on and given her back her robe—No, no wait, that wasn't it. He'd taken the blanket, yes, but she suddenly realized that she wasn't covered in the robe he'd lent her. This one smelled like him; it was the one he'd worn the day before. A soft, dreamy smile spread across her face as she inhaled that now familiar scent, taking it deep within her body. Suddenly, it became much harder to be upset about the empty bed.
She was just about to fall asleep again when a sudden weight on the bed made her turn. An instant smile claimed her lips as she saw Hades sitting beside her. Her reaction seemed to make him pause, but then he was smiling back at her too, dipping his head down to kiss her. Just as he began to pull away, though, she reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair. A moment later he mirrored the motion, his tongue stroking against hers until they were both gasping too hard to go on any longer.
"Good morning to you too." He chuckled, stretching himself out beside her. He lay down sideways against her, his head propped up on one arm while the other draped over her body, stroking up and down her side. "Feeling okay?"
Her smile widened. He was so sweet, so good to her. "You left the bed this morning, but as you can probably see, I forgive you." She informed him, slipping her hand beneath his robe to let her fingers play over his bare chest. Mnn, she was still feeling as bold as before, perhaps even more so. "Have you finished your work?"
"No." Hades closed his eyes, and she was sure he was savoring the touch of skin against skin. He made the smallest things seem so sensual. How could she not feel like a temptress when his eyes slipped closed at her touch, and soft groans fell from his lips when she kissed him in particularly sensitive places? "I wanted to come back to you. I want you again."
She paused, her hips shifting slightly. There was still discomfort in that now very sensitive area of her body. No matter how gently he'd treated her, he'd hurt her, and she wasn't quite ready for another go yet. She needed more time to rest. "Hades, I…"
He smiled, silencing her with her finger over her lips. "No, just talk with me, Persephone. Let me hold you, let me kiss you, let me be with you. I'd never planned on asking that of—"
His words broke off in a hiss as she parted her lips, lifting her head to take his entire finger into her mouth at once. The small noise of discomfort he made she assumed stemmed from choked-back arousal, and she had to force herself not to smile at him as she licked and sucked on his pointer.
"Persephone." He sounded irritated, but his voice had the undertone of a moan. He was so cute sometimes.
She swirled her tongue around his finger one last time before she released him, turning to snuggle up against his chest. "I liked waking up to your scent surrounding me." She knew he was smiling because of the way he tucked her head against his chest, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Does this make us lovers?"
He paused, and she held her breath. After a long moment, though, she sighed as she felt his arms wrap around her. That must have been the right question, because she found herself rolled beneath him, the softest of kisses being offered to her lips. "Hades…"
"Yes." He breathed. He pulled away then, resting his forehead against hers. "Yes, Persephone."
She smiled. "I am very happy to have picked that flower, Hades. And I am very glad I made a fool of myself before you at that party."
He smiled, stroking her cheek. "And I am glad I let my brother talk me into attending that party."
Persephone lifted her head, kissing his lips. "And I'm glad you have such an invisible presence, my lord, else I may never have made such a spectacle of myself." Oh, she loved his smile. "Do you smile for everyone the way you smile for me, Hades?"
His smile disappeared, but his frown was thoughtful. "Do you dislike my smile?"
"No!" She shook her head furiously, pushing him back up into a sitting position. She cupped his face between her palms, pressing an emphatic kiss to his lips. "No, I love your smile."
He didn't seem to know what to say to that. Oh, he really was cute, Lord of the Underworld or not. He didn't smile, but he tugged his robe aside and pulled her sideways into his lap, leaning against the wall behind the bed. Then, in one of those sweet gestures that made her heart flutter, he took his robe and draped it over her body for warmth.
Persephone laid her hand on his chest, tilting her head up to place a kiss to his neck. "You're so good to me Hades. But I'm not cold. You can look… that is, if you want to." She offered tentatively, shutting herself up again by pressing her lips to his skin one more time.
Hades took a deep breath before answering tightly, "No, that's alright."
She looked back up at him, frowning. Why was he taking that tone with her? Had she said something wrong? Did he not want to look at her body? Not for the first time, she wondered how it had been on his side the night before. He was still being so soft and tender with her, had said they were lovers (oh, her heart pounded at that word) now, but his refusal made her wonder. Was he simply being nice? Trying not to incur the wrath of a goddess? That was it, wasn't it? He was just trying to make her feel better.
She pushed away from his chest, looking straight at him. He cocked a brow at her, slightly confused. The faintest trace of a smile touched at his lips, telling her he was unsure of what she wanted but willing to give it to her, making it difficult to hold his gaze. He was so beautiful, but then again, he was a god.
"Last night... it was so wonderful for me. You were amazing. You knew just how and where to touch, and kiss, and…" Her eyes flickered down between his legs, and she blushed. "…and you were…" She flushed further at the cocky smile he now wore, and suddenly she lost her nerve, leaning forward to hide her face in the hollow of his neck. Suddenly her concern seemed silly, but she had to know. She wouldn't know until she asked. She had to ask.
"How was it for you, Hades?" She whispered. Fearing his response as he paused, not breathing for a moment, she began to babble. "I'm not experienced, I don't pretend to be. I knew how things happened in theory, but I'd never even been kissed before, and I… You were just so… I forgot to be nervous and I stopped thinking about what I was doing, so you don't have—You don't have to… pretend… that you—"
A sound akin to a growl made her pause as she found herself being pinned to the bed. She gasped, but he swallowed the sound as he took her lips with his in a fierce kiss. He straddled her hips, one of his hands slipping down her body to hold her torso to the bed as his tongue slid into her mouth, demanding for her to kiss him back just as fiercely, to touch his skin, to bury her hands in his hair. And she did, her hands tugging his robe off his shoulders and arms so she could explore the muscles of his back and chest, one settling in his hair as the other traipsed over his vertebrae. Finally, when she was so dizzy from the passion and the lack of air that she thought she might lose consciousness, he pulled away, those dark blue eyes challenging. He hovered there, and when she did nothing but gasp for breath (what else could she do?), he lowered his lips to her ear.
His tongue slid around the outside of her ear, making her shudder as his breath whispered over her skin. "Do you honestly believe me to be faking this?" He demanded quietly, his voice low in her ear. He was upset with her, she realized, eyes widening. She was a being of divine power as well, but his tone of voice made her want to quake. This was the Lord of the Underworld. She'd bedded the Lord of the Underworld, she realized. How could she not have forgotten who he was, though, with the gentle way he treated her? "Do you doubt my intentions, too?"
"No, It's just… You left this morning, and you don't want to look at my body, and you're… you're you, Hades." She whispered, imploring her to understand.
"I'm me?"
"You're perfect, and I'm—"
"Beautiful?" His voice was softer now, and made her want to shake for a different reason. "Passionate. Tenacious. Witty. Bold." He dipped his head for a gentle, lingering kiss. "Delicious."
She shuddered, eyes closing as her back arched ever so slightly. His hand that had previously been anchored on her hip was now stroking up and down her thigh. The heat of his palm was so distracting, and his fingers brushed her skin so lightly it tingled. Her breathing, which had more or less calmed, kicked up a notch.
"Then why did you—Oh!" He'd lowered his body onto hers, and suddenly she felt him hard and hot against her body. "Oh." She repeated simply as understanding dawned. Heat lit in her eyes. "Oh my. Is that… Is that because of me? But I didn't even touch you… down there."
"I broke you. You were a virgin, and I broke you. Your body needs rest." He leaned down to nuzzle her neck. "Mine does not. Mine wants to take you again, and again, and again, because I seem to have none of my infamous self-control when it comes to you. So believe me when I say, you were wonderful last night too, Persephone."
A blush stained her cheeks. "You're no fair, Hades." She mumbled, shaking her head as she drew him closer. "You're not fair at all."
He wrapped his arms around her too, rolling so that she was the one on top. "Would you have it any other way?" He challenged, stroking her hair.
"No." She muttered against his chest, hiding her face. She moved to drag herself higher up his body, but he squirmed underneath her, the faintest of blushes tinting his pale cheeks as his hips pushed against hers, and she was suddenly reminded of how aroused he was. Because of her.
"Sorry." He muttered, glancing away. "It'll go away eventually."
Persephone paused, then sat up, undoing his sash. She ignored his protests, which surprised her really (although the thought itself that he was trying to slow down for her was sweet), and parted his robe, reaching down and gripping him. The way he gasped and squirmed a little more made her confidence swell again. "You stopped your work because you wanted me. Now let me satisfy you, Hades."
She didn't wait for him to give her permission. She was his lover now, damn it, and she was going to make sure it wasn't just an empty title. As she began to stroke him, his hips arched against her hands and her name left his lips on a moan, making her grin. If that kind of reaction couldn't give her confidence, nothing would. "Go ahead, Hades. Just try and stop me."
Damn her, but how could he stop her? How dare she make a wager against him she knew she would not lose! And it didn't matter what he did or wanted to do, because after she'd brought him to his first climax, he'd begged—Curse her, that skinny little whelp of an imp—for her to do it one more time. And she had.
With her mouth.
And she'd swallowed.
The memory made his mouth dry, and Hades found himself swallowing as he stroked her arm up and down. She was sleeping. His determined little lover was sleeping, and she looked just as delectable as she had between his legs. He was tempted to leave her again, only prepare a bath and food, but he found he enjoyed watching her sleep. She was so beautiful. And she'd called him perfect. More than that, she'd forced him to admit that he wasn't at all perfect, that he was completely out-of-control with her. Lord of the Underworld indeed.
"This was what I wanted." He muttered to himself, brushing a kiss across her lips. She mumbled something in her sleep, and he smiled, snuggling closer. Curious to see what would happen, he kissed her a little more fully. Her reaction made him stiffen, and in more than one way.
"Hades."
His name. She was dreaming of him, and by the moan in her voice, the dream wasn't entirely innocent in nature. "Persephone." He growled, leaning in for another kiss as she drowsily wound her arms and legs around him, cuddling up to his warmth. She was sleeping. She was sleeping, and she had no idea that he was the tiniest spark of friction away from… molesting her. Oh, he had to get out of this bed, this bed with its sheets and pillow that smelled like her, this bed with this blatantly aroused and sleeping (sleeping, hah!) temptress with his scent all over her skin.
It took all his courage to slide out of her arms and roll out of bed, leaving the bed chamber to find the adjoining bath. The room above his held a pot of boiling water, which were rigged to a pipe that used the earth's natural force to pull water down into the large basin carved into the marble floor. The water drained at an equal rate at which it was poured into the tub by a hole in the opposite corner, so fresh water was constantly filtered through the always filled tub, keeping it warm. An ingenious invention, if he did say so himself.
After poking his head in through the sheer white curtain that served as a door to ensure the bath was clean and ready to be seen by the perfect little morsel on his bed, he returned to her. He wanted to impress her, he realized, and snorted at he thought. He was the Lord of the Underworld. He was the very definition of impressive. Sure, he was an outcast among the gods, not even deigned one of the twelve Olympians, but he was master of his own domain, ruler over death. He bowed to no man, not even his little brother, Zeus, king of he damned gods or not. But he wanted so dearly to impress Persephone.
He tugged the service chord, the one that would have food be brought down to his chambers. He wanted her fed and comfortable. She would like that, would she not?
Deciding that she had slept long enough, Hades gathered her into his arms, sitting up with her in his lap. He stroked her cheek, his lips touching hers. It was so easy to be tender with her. He'd had women before. Well, he'd had nymphs. They'd been very good for momentary satisfaction to take the edge off. They expected nothing. Sometimes they would rest for some time after their romps, and sometimes he would purposefully make an effort to have the same on more than one occasion, but that had been different. That was mindless sex.
Persephone was different; Persephone had expectations. She wanted a lover, she wanted someone who would care for her afterward, who would rest in the same bed and make all the effort to have her on more than one occasion, and to have only her. And he wanted that too, to have the same person who would care for him, who would care for him so much that even the power of the gods could not stop her. Desperately, he wanted to have that with someone. Hell was lonely. Hell was cold.
Persephone was so damn warm.
Hades shook her gently, patting her cheek. "Wake, Persephone." He cooed, kissing her again. "Wake to me."
She stirred and turned her face and body into his chest. Not an easy riser, then. Her stubbornness made him smile. He'd really come to like this woman. He didn't just crave her body, didn't just crave her heat, he really did find himself drawn to the passionate young woman within the skin. He hoped that she would one day be able to not only wield that passion against him, but for him as well. She was the kind of woman who would be able to give him that sell-your-soul kind of connection that he yearned for, although he never wished for the circumstance that would put either of them in a position that would require such a desperate measure.
"Persephone." He repeated, tilting her head back to give himself access to her neck. He teased her skin with nibbles and kisses before he closed his mouth around the skin at the hollow of her neck and sucked. He knew she came awake then, because her hand found a loose hold in his hair, and the breathy little flutter of a moan in his ear was echoed again when she realized what he was doing.
"Hades." She murmured as he pulled back to look at her, kissing the mark he'd left on her skin. The sleepy smile on her lips made his heart thump irregularly as she reached up to cup his cheek. "I like to be woken up like this." She informed him drowsily.
"Really?" He replied. The way she looked at him, all content and innocent, made him blush ever so slightly. This was what he wanted. This was exactly what he wanted. The thought made him smile, and her smile widened. "I've a bath waiting for you. Let's get you into the bath. If you're good, we can have more sex. I promise I'll be gentle with you."
She turned her head to kiss his chest. "You're always so gentle with me." She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck as he swept her off to the bath. Carefully, he walked her into the basin, which was wide enough swim in, and deep enough on one end, but still shallow enough in places to recline in.
"That sound reminds me of other noises you made for me last night." He teased as she gasped at the water. He liked the shy way she turned into his chest, liked even more the fact that she pressed a kiss over his heart, which was suddenly beating a lot faster.
"It is a beautiful room, Hades." She commented as he brought her deeper into the water, sitting on the bench that extended halfway along the wall on the deep end of the basin.
He gave her a faint smile. "You are such a beautiful woman." He responded, but he froze abruptly as a servant came in with a platter of fruits, nuts, cheese, olives, and wine. He growled at the intrusion, even if he'd called for it, shifting her in his lap so her back was to the other man. She was a goddess, she was his goddess, and no other man would see her naked like this, smiling at him so intimately as she snuggled against him.
"Oh Hades, relax." She pushed his shoulder gently, bringing his lips to hers for a kiss. "Now feed me."
He was quite happy to do so, and he reached out, picking up an olive, feeding it to her. She leaned against his shoulder as she ate, smiling contentedly as her fingers stroked gently over his chest. It was a quiet moment, but it wasn't the kind of silence he ever wanted to break. It was such a cozy moment and he fed her a few more olives. He brought his fingers to his lips to lick the oil from them, but paused when she stopped him by grabbing his hand.
To his surprise, she licked the pad of his fingers before sucking one into her mouth. He bit his lip as she licked, sucked, and—Gods above—nibbled on his fingers.
"Take me again, Hades." She whispered. He hadn't even realized she'd stopped sucking, so lost he'd been in that heady sensation. Her touch inebriated him faster than any wine. "I've never wanted a man the way I do you. Remind me why."
He kissed her lips, and found himself refusing her despite the suddenly acute ache between his legs. "No, sunshine, I—"
"Sunshine?"
Hades paused, wishing for a moment he could take back his words. He was growing very attached to her. It was showing in the way he spoke, in the way he held her, in the way he found himself becoming so very protective and possessive of her. Was it really so bad that she knew he was coming to be more than merely fond of her, though? She was filling the emptiness, warming him with her very presence. Was that really so bad?
This was what he wanted.
"Sunshine." He finally repeated, finality in his tone as he brushed his lips over hers again. She must have liked the name, because she promptly deepened the kiss. It was in that moment that the Lord of the Underworld decided that he would do anything and everything to keep his little ray of sunshine at his side. He would woo her, make her never want to leave him for the surface world.
"Take me, Hades. Please?" She pleaded against his lips, shifting so that her legs could wrap around him. "I dreamed of you. I've dreamed of you before, but not like this, not in a way that made me ache."
As if her words hadn't already succeeded in convincing him, the way her final word lingered on a moan sent a tingle down his spine. "I would say Eros had infected us, but the little bastard's never been fond of hell." He murmured as he picked her up, finding his way along the ledge until sitting her on the lip of the basin put her at the perfect height for him to spread her legs, step between them, and penetrate her. He waited on the last step, though, rubbing himself up against her instead.
"I like this." She informed him as her arms wound around his waist, sliding down to cup his ass and pull him closer to where she wanted him to be. "Don't blame Eros. This is just you and me, lover. You make me feel like a woman instead of mommy's little girl."
"You are a woman," he growled against her lips as she tentatively rubbed herself against him in return. "I do not sleep with children."
She laughed at that, legs wrapping around his waist again to keep him near. "Silly Hades, we've been doing more than sleeping."
"Are you sure you were a virgin before this?" He teased her back, dipping his head to kiss her neck as one of his hands wandered up her body to cup one of her breasts. "You've effectively ensnared me, and I believe you've seduced me on more than one occasion already. I even begged for you."
His last words were said in a whisper against her ear as the hand at her breast slid down her body and into the triangle of curls between her legs. The pleading whimper she could not seem to hold back brought a grin to his lips, a grin that only widened when she spread her legs and angled her body to offer him more of herself. Of course, he had to oblige that blatant request, and he sank a finger into the damp opening of her body. The gasp that escaped her filled him with such satisfaction.
He pumped his finger in and out, soon adding a second as his thumb sought out that ridge of sensitive flesh between her legs, and he could almost feel her spikes of pleasure as if they were his own. He let his lips and tongue wander her upper body, tracing her collarbone, toying with her ear, his hand finding her breast again as he kissed her, swallowing her sounds of pleasure.
"No more!" She finally pleaded, shaking her head. "No more. Let me have you."
He chuckled at that, rubbing at her a little harder and a little faster until she gasped, shaking her head a little more desperately. "Not without you."
Her words made his breath catch in his throat. Not without him. She wanted to share this with him; she wanted this only because it was him. Anything to keep her here with me. He reminded himself again. This is what I wanted. This really is what I craved.
Pulling her closer so she sat just on the edge of the basin, he shifted closer to her, poising himself at the entrance to her body. He intended to tease her a little more, to draw out the pleasure a little longer, but as he slid the head of himself into her delicious heat, he couldn't help but bury himself all the way to the hilt. They both gasped in unison, her nails pricking his back as he filled her.
"So much." She gasped again, lowering her head to his neck kissing him there.
He laughed, his hand going into her hair and around her waist as he began to move within her. The moan that echoed through her chest made him react in turn, the water sloshing and lapping at his legs as he buried himself inside of her again and again, faster and faster. Nothing was going to stop him, nothing was going to tear him away from this moment. Soon, the slippery friction brought him close, so close to the edge, and he reached between them to again find that ridge of flesh between her legs. He stroked her there, and her hips snapped up to his, her moan disappearing into him as she took his lips in a desperate kiss. Ah, so she was close too.
He was so lost in the sensation of her he wouldn't have noticed the low, appreciative whistle that echoed through the bathing chamber if the slow clapping that began first hadn't echoed over the walls. He froze and she whimpered in response, but Hades turned his murderous gaze to the side to find his little brother standing just far enough away to be out of reach.
"Really, don't stop on my account." Zeus waved a hand at them dismissively before adding, "This can wait until you're done. I don't mind watching."
Author's Note:
I really am cruel to them, aren't I? Anywho, this chapter ended up becoming much longer than I expected. Thank you for reading all the way through that whole mess where the plot more or less progressed about half a step. I'm also very sorry for the delay. School picked up and I got a little swept away. Hopefully, the updates will be coming a little more often. Also, thank you all very much for the comments you leave me. Next time, we'll see if Hades can convince an irate Persephone to stay with him.
xxDusty