Seeds (36 page)

     His hands rubbed her sides, and she groaned contentedly, wiggling around.

     “Have you any idea how beautiful you are?” Hades whispered as he placed kisses along her stomach.

     “You have told me before, but I like hearing it anyway.”

     “Cheeky little vixen.”

     “And you love it.”

     “I do indeed.” Hades lifted his head to regard her fondly, noting the pleased flush in her cheeks and the relaxed yet aroused half-lidded expression of her eyes. She shifted, pressing her leg against his arousal and purposefully rubbing her thigh against it.

     “Are you going to...?” She was so aroused at that moment that in her haze of lust, she was almost completely willing to give up her maidenhead. Who better to give it than him? The fog of pleasure she was lost in demanded it of her.

     “Do you want me to?” Hades asked as he nibbled along her ear. It was so tempting to just slide it in when she was pliant and comfortable. He wanted to feel that heated tightness engulf him, to have her claim his body with hers. He could feel his cock weeping with impatience, its juices rubbing along her flesh.

    
Want? Yes. Oh gods, I want him to
. She imagined this powerful and handsome god buried deep within her, lost in his need for her, and her pulse quickened. But the more logical part of her – the part that had been pretty much ignored since he had swept her up in his arms in the garden – protested gently, reminding her that she was aroused and would agree to just about anything he proposed, just so she could sate the burning within her flesh. Burning that
could
be soothed away if he pleasured her again. It wasn't that she cared for her maidenhead in the way that society – particularly the male half – did. It had no deep personal value to her, even though she had some understanding of it from what she now called her 'mortal' life.

     She remembered her father's gentle admonitions to not let boys touch her, and her grandmother and aunt's talk of womanly virtue. Good girls
might
kiss a boy here and there, but they were to remain chaste until their wedding night. Too bad the same didn't go for boys, which she thought was supremely unfair. Giving up her maidenhead would be pleasurable – she knew that Hades would make sure of it – even if having her hymen torn asunder might hurt at first. It was one thing Mother had impressed upon her as a scare tactic, that it would hurt, that she would bleed, but the nymphs told of an entirely different experience...

     No, what held her back were the implications of such an act. She would be giving herself to him. Once her maidenhead was lost, there was no getting it back, and that was what made it so important. She would never be able to change it, take it back, and decide to give it to another person. Yes, Hades was a very good candidate to deflower her, but he was still the man who had kidnapped her. During her thought process, she had stared off at the ceiling while he waited patiently, caressing her body lightly. But as she made her decision, she stared up into his eyes. Would he be angry or disappointed?

     “No,” she murmured, her body protesting silently – but not weakly – at that.

     “Very well.” He did not move away, but his movements stilled.

     “It's not that... I don't desire you. It's just... I do not feel like tonight is the right time, you know?” Persephone didn't know why she felt as if she had to explain herself. He had accepted her decision without protest.

     “I am not angry or offended. But I realize that it is an important... event.” He sounded so loving and patient, and she took a slow breath. Sometimes she wished he were more... asshole-ish, so she could resist him more easily.

     “Event. Sounds so impersonal.” She was smiling faintly, and he relaxed, seeing that she hadn't changed her attitude after saying no.

     “Maybe, but it's still an important decision, and I would be sorely remiss if I were to pressure you into it,” Hades replied, inwardly relieved that she had said no. Like her, he had the niggling sensation that tonight wasn't the right time. She hadn't accepted her situation yet, and he didn't want her to think that she could just have sex with him to make herself feel good and then still try to escape to the upper world.

     “Thank you.” She touched his face.

     “We do still have needs that should be attended to,” Persephone reminded Hades as she looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips.

     “That we do.” He pressed his lips to her neck, feeling her fingers trail down his stomach.

     “Mmm. Yes.”

Chapter XIX

o0o

     For nine days Demeter wandered Hellas, seeking out information of her daughter's whereabouts. Cyane, condemned to muteness, could not tell the Harvest Goddess that Kora had been taken by the God of Death himself. Demeter used her Gift to try to track down her daughter's distinct life-energy, but the trail ran cold, no matter how she tried to employ her magic.

     Demeter had very few close friends and was loath to go to the Olympians for aid. She commanded the nymphs of the island to expand their search and spread the word among those on the mainland. Nymphs heard many things, for mortals and gods alike were often unmindful of the Dryads who saw and overheard their trysts in the groves. The Naiads heard the talk of fishermen, hunters, and wives who did their laundry in the streams and lakes. The Leimoneides listened to the voices of the herders and farmers who worked in their pastures and fields, or the women who would traverse the meadows to collect flowers and herbs. The wispy Aurai could pluck the words of mortals out of the air. If Kora was held in a rocky place, one of the Oreades would know, but they had no more information to offer Demeter than any of their sisters.

     Anything worthwhile was quickly passed from nymph to nymph, even to the distant Nereids who frolicked in the oceans and could hear the sailors who plied the Mediterranean.

     Word often traveled ahead of Demeter, and the nymphs were eager to please her. Because of her mighty Gift, the nymphs lived comfortable lives, their forests and fields fertile, their streams and ponds clean, their habitats vibrant with life. Most of them preferred the rich and warm earth of Hellas to the cool and deep oceans they were born from. Demeter sunk into despair as day after day went by with no result to the nymphs' efforts or her own. If her daughter could not be found in Nature, then where on earth could she be? Though nymphs had eyes and ears in many places, there were still a few venues they could not pursue. If Kora was prisoner in the palace of a king or the temple of a god... well, Demeter didn't want to think that, but as day by day passed with no result, she knew she would have to explore other options.

     Who would want to kidnap this innocent maiden and hold her hostage? What kind of person would do such a thing? She imagined her daughter scared, lonely, captive. And other things too terrifying for her to name.

o0o

     After the pleasurable time they had the night before, she lay there loosely curled up on the soft spread of blankets. He had unbraided her hair as she slept, luxuriating in the feel of her thick locks as he ran his fingers through them. He had every opportunity to molest her as she slept, but kept his touches chaste despite her nakedness.

     The Lord of the Underworld was rather pleased with his self-control. He wanted to take her right now, and wake her up in a most rousing way.  At moments like this he found himself almost overwhelmed by the passion he felt and the mental images that his desire stirred in his imaginative mind.

     Persephone stirred as he stroked his arm, and he smiled to himself as his fingers traveled to the inside of her elbow. After several more touches she moved again, rolling over onto her back and opening her eyes, gazing up at him. She regarded him quietly, and he continued smiling, his fingers trailing down to her wrist and petting her there. He was pleased to note that she did not pull her arm away, nor did she make any haste to wiggle from under his form.

     He felt her palm land on his side before it wound up to his back. Hades leaned down, pressing his lips to her forehead. She tilted up her pretty face, her lips seeking out his own. He obliged her happily, capturing her lips and rewarding her silent request with a deep kiss. Her other arm found its way around him, and he relaxed into her embrace. When the kiss broke, she buried her face against his throat, feeling his beard against her forehead. Despite the warm succulence of her body, Hades was content to simply lie there and hold her.

     “What are you going to show me today?” Persephone asked, feeling him rub her back.

     “What are you in the mood for?”

     “Hmm, I do not know. I had a lot of fun in the library yesterday.”

     “I would hope so,” Hades replied dryly. She giggled softly.

     “When do you intend for me to meet the other Underworld gods? You have spoken of their importance a couple of times.”

     “I am glad you brought that up. We will be having a banquet tonight. You can meet some of your fellow deities.”

     “What?” She stiffened in shock. She had never been at a banquet of the gods before. With her mortal family, meals were casual affairs and on the island, it had just been her and Mother and the nymphs. Suddenly she felt rather intimidated by such a prospect. She had imagined that she could meet them one by one and get a distinct impression of each one. With annoyance, she started to wiggle free of his embrace.

     “What is the matter, Persephone? I thought you were curious to meet the other gods of Dis.”

     “Not all at once!” she huffed, starting to climb off the bed. He reached out and pulled her back, hooking an arm around her middle.

     “It is just a simple dinner. Nobody will be putting on airs. It is simply a... meet and greet, for you to get a glimpse of your subjects, and for them to get to see their Queen. You can get your impressions from them while they are not doing their duties.” He nuzzled the side of her neck. She remained tense.

     “I would not be having this banquet if I did not think it was a good way for you to meet the others. You can simply listen to the others, if you like. Or ask them questions. They are really not a bad group of gods, like the mortals think.”

     “So they are fearsome, but friendly? Like you?”

     “If you want to put it that way, sure. I think you will like Hekate. She will be glad to have you as a companion.”

     “Companion to what?”

     “A peer. A goddess she can talk to. Hekate has a lot of knowledge to offer. And even if I might be your lover, I am unable to provide the kind of companionship that a woman can get only from others of her kind.”

     “...Quite thoughtful of you,” she dryly commented.

     “I really think you will like each other.” His voice was earnest. Hekate was a longtime friend of his. Most would not see their relationship as a friendship, because they did not spend much time together, but there had always been an easy rapport between them. Like Hades, Hekate did not enjoy the atmosphere on Mount Olympus. She had wandered into Hades's realm, and recognizing that she had a dark kind of Gift like his, he had welcomed her to his realm. Like Hades, she could travel freely between the two worlds but spent much of her time in solitude. She would offer Persephone a woman's wisdom.

     “If you say so,” she replied neutrally. “But do not expect me to touch any food just because we have guests.”

     “Come now, do you really intend to continue denying the food I offer?” he asked. She looked away, her cheek pressed against his shoulder.

     “One bite of the food here ties me to this realm forever,” Persephone replied, looking down at her pale shoulder. Her light tan was slowly fading away, and she was unable to use her Gift down here. She ached to feel the sunlight on her skin, to frolic with the animals, to take joy in the earth's bounty. As caring as Hades was, he could not provide for her every need.

     Hades knew that, but he chose to not acknowledge it. After all, he reasoned to himself that she was growing used to things down here. All he had to do was show her more things and let her enjoy this place.

     “Is it such a terrible fate?” he asked gently, fingers trailing up to the underside of her breast, stroking her lovingly. She groaned softly and tried to wiggle free, but his embrace was firm. Her struggles quickly died down as she felt him nuzzle the side of her face.

     “I cannot bear the thought of cutting my ties to the other world.”

     “I cut myself off from the Olympians and have never regretted that decision.”

     “It was a decision that you made. I was offered no such choice,” she countered.

     “We will speak no more of this matter,” Hades growled, nuzzling her fiercely to divert her attention. She whimpered in frustration, lightly batting his arms with her fists.

     “I alone will be master of my fate,” she replied staunchly, managing to break free, climbing off the bed before he could grab hold of her.

     “Fight it all you want, but you are destined to rule at my side.” Hades's tone was imperious and self-confident.

     “How do you know that?”

     “I just do. I have lived long enough to trust my wisdom in these matters.”

     “And I suppose that as I am only a quarter of a century old, my wisdom is not as great?”

     “You said it, not me,” Hades teased, seeing her cheeks turn pink as she glared at him. His lips widened in a grin, baring his neat and white teeth. “Come now, I do not enjoy arguing this matter with you.”

     “Then let me go home.”

     “This is your home.” His expression hardened, “Stop fighting it. I enjoy your spirit, but your stubbornness over this matter is frustrating both of us.”

     “But-”

     “No.” His voice was hard and strong. She was about to protest again, but the edge of his tone unsettled her. Why did she continue to argue with him when she knew he was not about to change his mind? It was hard to not feel defiant when he was so confident about her fate. And she
did
take a perverted sort of pleasure in defying him.

     “I am getting dressed,” she declared, turning away from him.

o0o

     Despite the rich and hot scent of the food set on Hades's table, Persephone again refused to partake of the meal. She kept her face steadfastly turned from the smorgasbord before her, making no move to accept a plate Hades had made up for her with things he thought she would find pleasing or tempting. He could see her inner torment by the way her hands shook slightly as they remained rolled up in fists on her lap, and shook his head in consternation. She scowled at him.

     “Just stop offering me food. I will not eat.”

     “I know you are almost out of that ambrosia I gave you. I can assure you, there will be no more. Are you going to go hungry for eternity?”

     Persephone did not answer, and fixed her eyes upon the soft carpet under the divan she was reclined on. She would have left him to eat alone, but like before, the doors were sealed for the duration of the meal to keep her from escaping his tantalizing offers. She tried to ignore the warm and welcoming aroma, resolute as she turned away the plate that had been filled with a variety of appetizing morsels.

     Seeing her stubborn silence, he let the matter drop, and ate his fill as she ignored him, staring off in meditation. After the meal, everything was cleared away and the all the shades but one disappeared. It spoke in an eerie and almost inaudible voice – no mortal would have been able to hear it – and Hades raised his eyebrow.

     “What is it?” Persephone asked as she observed his expression.

     “The Fates have invited you to meet them,” he informed her. Despite his casual tone, she suspected that when it came to the Fates, it was unwise to turn down a summons.

o0o

     The splashing of the River Styx was a whisper in the distance as Persephone meandered along the cavern path, Hades at her side in silence. She wondered what mysteries the Fates might reveal to her. Who knows, they might reveal a way out of here if she asked them nicely.

     The path widened a bit, and Hades stopped at the opening that looked more like a hungry maw.

     “The Fates await. Listen to their words.” He gestured for her to go forward. She was to go alone? As she looked into the opening, she saw a glow at the end of the tunnel. She gave a brief nod and strode forward, feeling a wave of vertigo at the dimensions of the cavern and how it changed, no longer having the appearance of rock. The floor was polished and smooth like marble, but instead of veins, she saw tiny glowing points of almost imperceptibly different sizes, and looking down felt as if she were standing on top of the very universe itself, the stars below her feet. The cavern walls themselves didn't look solid either, and contained myriad glittering points also that looked like stars. The ceiling was no different. If she hadn't been able to see the plane of the floor and feel it under her own feet, she would have sworn that she was floating inside the night sky. And she wasn't sure if the walls really
were
walls.

     The feeling of vertigo almost overwhelmed her, but she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, walking along the floor and approaching the figures that regarded her silently.

     When she was able to discern a step in front of her, she stopped, for she was already little more than a body's length away from the Fates. She knew of them well enough to be able to identify them easily. The young maiden clad in a light yellow ankle-length chiton and a matching cloak that was woven with poppies and other festively colored flowers was obviously Klotho. Her slender fingers were deftly pulling tufts of glowing substance and twisting and spinning it into thread, her skein in one hand. Shimmering threads hung in the air, plucked out and measured or tied by a tall middle-aged woman, her hair streaked with gray. Covering her body was a dark, muted green chiton and mantle. The green was a color that Demeter would have chosen for her own clothing, and Persephone felt a pang of homesickness as she gazed at Lakhesis's clothing and the grapes and light green leaves along the hem.