Elysian Fields

CHAPTER 28

Persephone sat in the center of her bed, letting Hades's confession linger in the air between them. There was a huge part of her that wanted to play up the anger and frustration at finding out the information. Let out all the rage once more that had filled her as the Fates divulged her future to her somewhere between death and life. Instead, she let the silence hang longer than necessary before nodding once.

"So the Fates said," she muttered, an eyebrow raising in defiance. She wasn't quite sure what she was defying - probably allowing him the satisfaction of dropping a bombshell on her. "And when were you planning to tell me? When I was your obedient little pet?"

"When I could trust you," Hades said, staring back at her in opposition. If she was going to play blame games, he would match her as a worthy opponent.

"When you could trust me?! That you even have the audacity to imply that I am the one to be mistrusted is inexplicably infuriating! If one of us is to distrust the other, it's me!"

"And what makes you think you have that honor?"

"The Fates. I remember everything. Every waking moment that I confided in you, and spent time with you, and loved you, without ever even knowing you. I'd say that makes me a pretty damn good candidate to feel betrayed by you," Persephone spat, her eyes narrowed in a glare, nose flaring. Her lips pursed together so hard, she was certain they'd bruise. "And yet you want me to be your queen. How incredibly predictable."

"One," Hades held up a finger, stepping towards her bed. "You've always known me. You just didn't know my true name or nature. Granted, that's a lot of information not to know about a person, but you've always known my heart. You've always known who I am inside." He kicked off his shoes and climbed on the bed, crawling on all fours towards the woman in the center of the mattress. A sly smirk snaked across his face, an eyebrow raising. "And two, of course I want you to be my queen. I love you, too, you know," he leaned in, cinnamon breath puffing against her face in a delicious assault, whispering his final word. "Persephone."

"Loved. Past tense."

Hades laid out across the length of the bed, legs crossed and head propped on one hand as he gazed up at Persephone. "I warned you about this. A long time ago."

"Oh, really? You warned me that I was spending every day with Hades?"

"No. I warned you that I would one day have to leave Elv, and you swore that you would come with me."

Persephone scoffed, shaking her head, "Yeah, I assumed we'd find somewhere a few miles up the path, maybe a day or two's travel away. Not to the Underworld forever!" Tears began to build, spilling over and racing down her cheeks. "You knew. You knew I would be reckoned and you never told me. I could have spent some time with my mother. We could have said our goodbyes. You took that from me. The God of Greed, right? That's what the mortals say of you?"

"I'm sorry I took your goodbye away. I never thought of it like that. I simply thought of--"

"Yourself?!"

"No," Hades sat up, taking Persephone's hands in his own, surprised when she didn't rip them away. "I was thinking of how beautiful the Underworld could be with you in it. You light up a room, imagine how you could light up a realm."

Persephone rolled her eyes, pursing her lips.

"Are there endless numbers of women in the Underworld? Yes. Could I have chosen one of them to get the Reckoning over with? Yes. But would any of them hold a candle to you? Impossible." Hades let out a quiet chuckle. "My realm and my people deserved better than me picking the first woman offered up by my father and my brother. They deserve a queen that I know. A queen that I love and respect. A queen who is just and good to counteract the injustice and bleak nature of this place. A queen who is not afraid to put me in my place. A queen who will fight for them. They deserve you, Persephone, my beautiful Destroyer."

Persephone gazed down at their hands, soaking up the words he spoke, sniffling. "I understand why you did what you did, but it doesn't make your methods right." She glanced at him through damp eyelashes. Hades removed one of his hands from hers, reaching up to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed away the tears that clung to her cheeks and his heart fluttered at the feeling of Persephone pressing her face into his touch.

"Everything I did, " he whispered, thumb still caressing her cheeks, "I did to make this world a better place. It was never to hurt or to spite you."

"Because I'd destroy you," Kore joked quietly, closing her eyes as the pad of his thumb continued across her skin.

Hades released the quietest of laughs, "Yes, that's exactly why." Leaning in, he brushed the tip of his nose against hers, her skin cold and soft. "Persephone."

"Mm?" The question was noise in her chest.

"Present tense," he breathed, brushing his lips against hers.

"Present tense," she confirmed, leaning into his touch further, nodding.

Hades pulled away from Persephone, gazing at her until she opened his eyes, "I'm sorry." The two words felt heavy, full of meaning that words couldn't fully convey.

"I know."

They sat in silence, gazes locked onto one another. There was a lightness in the room that hadn't been there previously, and though the anger lingered, it was fading. Slowly, Hades lifted himself onto his knees, scooting closer to Persephone. When they were nearly knee to knee, he reached out hesitantly, cupping Persephone's face in his hands. He began to lean in, his eyes questioning whether it was okay. The confidence in Persephone's eyes told him that he was not overstepping as he pressed his lips to hers for the first time since they were in the mortal realm.

Persephone responded without hesitation, pressing herself into the embrace. Her chest against his, she slid her arms around his waist, holding herself flush against him. His lips moved against hers, warm and welcoming. He ran his tongue along her lower lip and she parted her lips, welcoming the extra layer of contact. Gripping his shirt in her fingers, Persephone began moving to lay against the pillows at the head of the bed and Hades followed, one arm snaking around her waist while the other hand slid from her cheek into her hair, gripping a fistful of the auburn locks and giving them a gentle tug.

Persephone gasped at the tug, laughing into Hades's mouth. Her fingers found their way to the front of his shirt, making deft work of unbuttoning the fabric. She ran her fingers down his chest, her nails causing his flesh to erupt in goosebumps as he shivered beneath her touch. Lifting up to rid himself of his shirt, he made quick work of pulling Persephone's nightie over her head. He tossed them both to the side, hearing the fabric quietly fall into a puddle beside the bed. Hades shifted, moving to hover over Persephone, dark hair falling in his eyes. Her eyes sparkled, looking up at him, and he was thrown back to moments in the mortal world when they spent hours together. Her beauty never ceased to take his breath away.

Persephone gazed up at him, running a tongue over her lower lip. Reaching up, she gripped the back of his neck, pulling him down to her once again. She hitched a leg up over Hades's waist, each of their kisses growing more passionate as he reached down and unbuttoned his pants, quickly shoving them down to his ankles. Persephone trailed a hand down to his erect penis, wrapping her fingers around him.

Hades sucked in a breath above her, his forehead pressing against hers. "Persephone," he breathed, rocking his hips against her hand.

"You want a queen?" Persephone asked, her leg tightening around his waist, pressing his hardened length against her burning core.

"Yes," Hades breathed. "I want you to be my queen."

She bucked her hips up against his, "Then prove it. Make me want it as badly as you do."

With that, Hades captured Persephone's lips in a searing kiss, claiming her body as his own, proving himself worthy of conquest.