King's Queen ✔

Chapter 31: Forbidden

Persephone took a moment alone to catch her breath, she didn't reignite the candle flame or go back inside. She rested with her hands on her lap and her shoulders slouched, the surge of dread she woke up with this morning had vanished and it was replaced with ease. Kore wasn't her enemy, she was her protector.

"Seph," a voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned to find her husband dressed only in a pair of dark silk slacks, his strong chest was bare and his hair was rakishly tousled, his eyes were heavy from sleep as he approached her with lazy relaxed strides reminding her of a feline. She loved seeing him like this; it was quite adorable and undeniably sexy.

"Good morning," she said as he joined her on the balcony floor. He sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. "Did I wake you?" She asked.

"No," he said. "But when I reached over for you in bed, you weren't there. What were you doing out here so early?"

Persephone leaned into his embrace. "I prayed to Kore," she told him.

"Oh," he replied groggily. "How'd that go?"

"Better than I thought it would," she admitted. "It was just like you said."

Hades smiled. "I'm never wrong," he boldly praised himself. "Speaking of Kore, do you remember what happened last night?"

Persephone shook her head. "No," she looked at his gleaming eyes as deep as ruby stones, then she recalled the burning red marks on his back. "Is this about your back?" She asked eagerly. "What happened? I don't remember getting that rough with you."

Hades released his arms from around her and leaned back on his hands. "You almost transformed into Kore," he said. "I stopped you but my back got the repercussions of trying to do so."

"Oh no," she grimaced. "I'm sorry, I didn't have any control."

Hades smirked. "I don't mind," he said huskily. "I was more worried about what would happen if I ended up transforming into my devilish form."

"Would you have? Transformed, I mean," she asked.

Hades raked his dark silk hair away from his face. "If you challenged me," he said, "then I definitely would have."

"Oh," Persephone blushed terribly. "We should reframe from taking it to such extremes."

Hades chuckled. "Why, are you embarrassed?" He teased her.

"No," she scoffed. "Imagine what would come of our home if both of us took on our devil forms."

Realization shined across Hades face. "You're probably right," he agreed and then got to his feet, he pulled her up with him. "Did you already take a bath?"

"Yes," she answered and he gave her a sullied pout.

"That's too bad," he said as his eyes darkened over her face. "I thought we'd take it together."

Persephone giggled. "How about you go take a bath alone and I'll get dressed," she offered smartly.

Hades froze in his tracks. "Is there somewhere you need to be?" he asked.

Persephone let out a weary sigh. "I was going to have a word with my mother," she told her husband.

Hades playful face grew stern and cold. "When do we leave?"