“You look uncomfortable.” With a commanding wave of his hand, a majestic bed appeared, taking up most of the room. “Make yourself at home. You’ll be here until I hear your apology.”
“Then leave me in peace. You want revenge, you got it. You don’t have to stand here and gloat.”
“Your wish is my command.” Angered sparks flew from his eyes. “Every day you remain stubborn, your desire will increase tenfold. I’ll see you soon.”
She was left with his mocking smile as he disappeared from her sight.
Zerina managed to rise from her knees and stumble to the bed, sinking down on the cool covering. Dry-eyed, she thought of anything and everything to cool the fire in her body, thirstily licking her lips.
A bottle of water landed by her side. She looked up at the opening of the pit. All she could see was darkness. Had Hades dropped the bottle of water down to her, or had someone else taken pity on her?
The hours passing seemed interminable. Without her window, she had no sense of time. It was only when the ache in her groin increased did she realize she had been there for twenty-four hours.
Writhing on the bed, her body throbbed, needing release. She was soaked in sweat at the battle she was going through, not giving herself relief. Hades expected her to, and she was determined not to give him that satisfaction.
She made herself get off the bed and walk around the small area available, hoping to give her a small respite from the torture. She realized her mistake when her thighs brushed together as she walked. It was a match to the fuse that Hades had started the moment she had seen him.
When she returned to the bed, she moaned when sitting down. Tremors rolled through her core, sending pulses that she instinctively knew was her first orgasm.
She cried at the brief respite she had been given, but before she could manage to lie down, the ache was already beginning again.
Zerina lay still, curling her hands into the soft sheets, afraid to move again and bring another release.
She started counting the souls’ births she had witnessed, one by one, trying to remove herself from the turmoil that was taking place in her body. It didn’t help, but it did make the time pass.
When she turned on the mattress, she saw a small table had appeared with a candle, showing food and a pitcher of water. To reach the tempting food and water, though, would involve her having to get off the bed. She had made that mistake before. Then her stomach growled, adding insult to the humiliation she was suffering.
As a Moirai, she could go without food and water. They ate and drank to give themselves pleasure, but human bodies needed it to survive.
By the third day, she stopped counting souls, switching to cursing Morgana and Hades. She cursed the fiery depths she was suffering and cursed Hades with her mother’s and father’s wraths. Her insults filled the pit, mingling with the other moans and cries of Hades’ other prisoners.
“You’ll never know a woman’s loving touch again. My father will make sure the only women who want you are the sluts and whores that have no choice but to let you have them! Persephone is lucky you divorced her! I bet she isn’t missing your tiny dick in Zeus’ bed!”
Chapter 4
Grimm withdrew from the shadows above, walking through the underground chambers that led toward the palace above.
He nodded toward Tartarus, who opened the door to Hades’ office. The god was sitting behind his desk with serious eyes, watching six television screens that were suspended in mid-air.
Grimm sat down on the edge of his desk, studying the screens in front of them. “Why do you watch these?”
“So I can watch the human’s reactions.” Hades pointed to one lanky young man sitting without remorse as a victim’s relative cried about how her death had changed their lives. “If the families are forgiving, sometimes it will ease my punishments. Usually it doesn’t, but it makes more fun when they don’t.”
Grimm picked up a glass ball, seeing the transparent glass swirl with a mist that parted to reveal a man trapped inside. His face was a mask of horror when he saw him staring down at him. Grimm couldn’t hear his yells of help, but he could read his lips as he begged to be released. “Are you having fun watching Zerina?”
Hades took the ball away from him. “No.”
“You don’t think you’re making a mistake by punishing her?”
“I am king in my domain; I don’t make mistakes.”
Hades aloofly regarded his servant, who he also considered a friend. His presumptuous attitude could be excused because of Grimm’s responsibility for Zerina being brought to his domain.
“I brought her so you could help her.”
“Don’t lie,” Hades said. “You brought her here because you were pissed off, because Cara and Jericho angered you.”
“I was,” Grimm admitted. “But I thought you would return her home, not keep her.”
“Then you underestimated me. I’m not ready to let her go.”
“You have many beautiful women down here at your disposal. Persephone would come back if you will her to.”
“I do not want her back. I warned her when she left to visit her mother again that, if she fucked Zeus again, I was done. Like you said, I can have any whore down here as my concubine; why should I cater to her whims and desires when she prefers to share Zeus’ bed?”
“Because he can give her what you cannot.”
“Children.”
Having a confidant had its disadvantages. One was having them pry into matters that didn’t concern them.
“A heart.” Grimm shook his head pointing at one of the screens that showed a man crying about his wife’s tragic death. “You watch these, not to decide on punishments, but to watch the emotions you no longer have.”
Hades’ face grew impassive. “Don’t believe that our friendship allows you to disrespect me. If you’re here to make me feel guilty about Zerina’s punishment, you can leave.”
Grimm bowed his head respectfully, getting off the desk to bow to the god. “I did not mean to offend you. My apologies. Her screams are getting to me.”
“Do you think I cannot hear them?” Hades’ jaw clenched. “I hear every sound my prisoners make … even in my sleep. Hers have kept me awake, but I won’t relent until she apologizes. She’s too stubborn to find the relief that she could give herself. She’s been cursing me for the last four hours.
“Zerina’s family and Mother have spoiled her. She would already have been home if she had given me the respect I deserved. She threw my hospitality in my face. What do you think Zeus would have done if she had struck him? Even Poseidon would have fed her to his pet sharks.”
“She’s a little higher strung than I anticipated,” Grimm agreed.
“You think? What was the first clue? When you tried to explain that you were trying to help her? Or when she bit me?”
“I should have explained before I took her life. She was frightened.”
“Do not excuse her!” Hades crashed his hand down on his desk, making the glass balls roll. He waved his hand, settling them back into place. “Fate should have taught her the protocol for meeting a god. She will apologize to me, or she can stay in the pit,” he snarled unrepentantly.
Wisely, Grimm decided to leave. “I’ll go check if Morgana is ready to confess who helped her.”
“I’ll handle Morgana. I want you to make sure Cerberus doesn’t let anyone get by him. I don’t trust Jinx or Zerina’s aunt Destiny. Both are rebellious enough to try to sneak inside if they can find the entrance.”
“They are both near. Would you like me to distract them?”
“No, if Jinx manages to get inside, no one will be upset when she becomes my prisoner, and she’ll keep Zerina company.”
“How about Destiny?”
“Rocque has claimed her. Everyone knows, but Destiny and Fate refuse to acknowledge it. I don’t want to start a war with the lord, but I have faith Rocque will prevent her from interfering between me and Zerina.”
&
nbsp; Hades stared at the television screens as his friend made his leave. When the door shut, he lowered his head into his hands. The ceaseless screams in his mind forced him to suffer along with his prisoners. Usually, he could turn down the volume of their screams like a human could turn down the volume on their television sets, though he could never entirely mute them, nor did he want to. As warden of the souls that inhabited his prison, he could even identify who was crying out. None gave him satisfaction.
They had reaped what they had sowed. It was pure and simple justice. His justice. Sometimes he would let the judges he had appointed take care of the mundane punishments. The more grave the offense, he dealt with them.
He swung his chair to stare out the window, seeing the fake bright sunlight slip into darkness, hearing Zerina’s screams escalate. He wanted to transport himself to her side and spank her ass for suffering needlessly.
Remaining in his chair, he picked up one of the balls and shook it. The man inside was so tiny that the moustache on his lip was barely visible.
Hades shook the ball again. Adolf was one of his prisoners he didn’t mind tormenting.
He was about to toss it in the air again when her heard Zerina’s apology.
“Hades, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
The apology wasn’t heartfelt. Taking what he could get, though, he transported himself to her bedroom, appearing at the same time she did.
She stood in front of him, fully clothed, running a hand over the gossamer thin gown the Moirai preferred, giving tantalizing glimpses of her breasts and the V between her thighs.
“You have something to say to me?” He expected her to recant her apology, watching as she struggled to compose her expression. It failed. He could easily see the hatred shining from her eyes.
“I’m sorry that I struck out at you.” Her regal pride had taken a hit, but the proud beauty had finally managed to sound sincere.
“Are you hungry?” he asked solicitously, waving a hand to a small table that appeared by her side.
“Thank you.”
Sitting down at the table with the small feast laid before her, Zerina filled a goblet with the chilled wine, drinking it in one gulp, then pouring herself another.
“Allow me.” Hades gave her a small serving from each of the dishes, then sat down across from her, taking one of the rolls. Buttering it, he glanced at her to see her staring at him with flushed cheeks.
“What?”
“Did you watch me?”
“No,” he answered her truthfully, taking a bite of his roll. “I’m afraid it would have been too tempting for me.”
Zerina’s blush deepened. “I would have thought that temptation would be one of your vices.”
Hades raised an inquiring brow. Was she flirting with him?
“I’m afraid that, while I enjoy tempting others, I do not like the same methods used on me,” he warned. “Despite your belief, I have never taken one of my female prisoners against their will, nor one incapable of making the decision of sharing my bed.”
“If you tell me you have never had sex with any of the women down here, I wouldn’t believe it.”
“I didn’t say that. I am a god, and the gods are notorious for their voracious appetites. Even your father grew bored with Fate and took a mistress, and he was a saint. I’m no saint.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“I appreciate beautiful women. I’m not embarrassed to admit it. Do some of the women who beg for my favor have ulterior motives? Possibly. But I don’t hold it against them. I can be very magnanimous when I get what I want.”
He read her thoughts with a wry twist of his lips.
“Call me bastard as much as you want, but I prefer opportunist.” Before he could be angered by further thoughts, Hades finished his bread as she ate, pouring himself a glass of the wine. He didn’t seek punishments for thoughts unspoken out loud. Those that were stupidly spoken were what he retaliated against.
“When you’re done, would you like me to show you my home? That way you won’t have to be trapped in your room. I can show you the areas to which you will be given access.”
“Will Grimm guard me?” She continued eating unenthusiastically.
Hades almost grinned. Her inability to hide her emotions was refreshing.
“No, you will be given your freedom as long as you stay in the designated areas. Grimm or myself will only appear if you try to breach those boundaries.”
She dropped her fork onto her plate. “Then I’m done. Can we go now?”
“Zerina, do not make me regret giving you the freedom of the castle. I can make what you suffered in the pit feel like a pat on your hand.”
“That experience wasn’t a pat on the hand. It was a—”
“I would be careful about what you’re about to say. I will never punish you for your thoughts, but I won’t be berated for what you deserved. You and your family have no respect for authority. Mother may think it’s cute how you all behave. I do not.”
Hades arose, holding the door open for her and allowing her to go first. He saw her hands curl into fists, knowing she wanted to strike out at him again.
“You would do well to remember your lesson and hope it won’t be repeated. Let’s put this behind us, say it was a learning experience, and start over.”
With amusement, he read her furious thoughts, seeing his advice had been in vain.
Hades lead her down the long hallway, explaining as they walked, “These rooms on this floor are private. Don’t worry; each of the doors are locked, so you won’t be able to enter another room by mistake.” The doors were not locked by a key, but by him not allowing entry to anyone other than the occupant of the room, himself, Grimm, or his servants.
Hades stopped at the stairway that led downstairs, motioning to the hallway that continued to the left.
“Those are my private rooms. Feel free to enter any time you want company.”
“It’s not that cold down here,” she snapped, going down the stairs next to him.
Hades laughed. “So, it has to be a cold day in hell for you to seek me out?”
“Yes.”
Hades paused when they reached the bottom of the stairs. “Do you know how many women have said that to me?”
“I don’t want to know. And I’m not most women.”
“How so? You’re flesh and blood now. I have Morgana to thank for that.” He provocatively touched a fingertip to the swell of her breast. “What was special about you is gone. Don’t delude yourself; you’re no less or more than any other prisoner within my domain. When you get to know me better, maybe my company won’t be so repugnant to you.”
“You’re not repugnant.”
“Ah, now I know you’re trying to play me.” Hades bent his head so his lips hovered over hers. Her mouth tempted him as no other woman’s had. He would have to watch her carefully to make sure she didn’t slip under his guard. “Play away, sweet Zerina. I enjoy a good game of cat and mouse.”
Chapter 5
The grand entrance to Hades was spectacular. That he had been gifted with the Underworld palace showed Mother’s love. The great room was filled with white furniture and more portraits were along the walls. She had expected red furniture that would have sultry women relaxing on it.
Zerina ran a hand over the white velvet, feeling the soft texture. Her mother had white furnishings, but they were hard and cold.
“This way.” Hades directed her toward an open doorway.
Curious, she followed him inside, gasping when she saw what it contained.
“It’s a library.”
“You’re welcome to come here. If I don’t have a book you want to read, inform Grimm and he will get it for you.”
The library was massive, filled from floor to ceiling two stories high with books. Every nook and cranny was filled. Each wall had a tall ladder that could be slid to reach the higher shelves.
Walking across the floor, she went to one of the shelves, reading the titles. Then
she moved to another bookcase. When one title caught her eye, she gingerly pulled it out of its resting place.
“Don Quixote.” Zerina had thought she would never smile down there, but the first edition book from 1605 had her unable to hold one back. “I didn’t expect this book in your library.”
Hades’ lips curled in amusement. “Why?”
“I don’t know. I just imagined you reading more serious books.”
“I collect things I find beautiful, whether they are on a page of a book or standing in front of me.”
Zerina blushed at his compliment. Turning back to the book, she refrained herself from staring at his masculine beauty for too long.
His black hair was smoothed back, and his olive skin glowed with health, despite being underground for centuries. His body was elegant in a suit that she had thought was black, but when she had passed him as she entered the library, she saw it was a dark grey. It lay perfectly over his broad shoulders, yet it managed to show the muscles that bulged out from underneath the suit as he reached above her head, grabbing a book that was bound differently than the one in her hand.
“The Codex of Leicester? You can’t have this manuscript. There is only one in existence.”
“Actually, there are two.”
“How did you get it?”
“Don’t ask.” Taking the books from her, he dropped them casually down on a bright blue oversized couch. “You can read them later. There’s more to keep you occupied than books.”
She regretfully left the books behind, following Hades as he strode through the castle. He pushed one door open, showing a game room.
Zerina walked around the large room, seeing a small sitting area where there was a chessboard. Zerina leaned down to pick one of the chess pieces up, drawing in a shocked gasp at the lovely piece. Setting the king piece down, she started to pick up another one when she looked over and saw Hades throwing darts at a dartboard.
She tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at the board. Another dart hit the same spot as the first.