Page 89 of Spring's Descent
She must have seen the earnest need swirling in my gaze because the worry knitting her brows together over Larkspur’s fate softened.
“Okay,” she breathed.
Not wasting another moment, I allowed my shadows to transport us to my room. I left her side only long enough to turn the shower on, before holding her to me once again.
Persephone was alive. She was safe—hadsaved every soul in The Realm of the Living and The Underworld… but it had been too close. Far too close.
“I missed you,” she whispered, unbuttoning my tunic.
My heart raced under her touch, her thrumming pulse beating in time with mine. Gods below, had I missed the brush of her fingers, the spark of life that zapped between us. I gathered her hand in mine, pressing her palm flat against my chest as I leaned into her touch and just… breathed, allowing the sweet scent of vanilla and wildflowers to fill my lungs, easing the worry that had terrorized me these past hours.
“It’s okay,” she said, her lips moving against my ear. “We did it.”
“Wedidn’t do anything,” I amended, tilting her chin up and pressing a kiss to the healed cut along her cheek, before allowing my lips to brush against the trickle of blood along her temple. “You, little witch.Youdefied the odds and upheld the Fates’ will.”
I dragged my nose down the slope of her neck, my tongue lashing out over the tender place where her pulse hummed. “My queen. My goddess.”
Her breathing hitched as I tasted her skin. The unimaginable had almost happened. I’d almost lost her. But my little witch had been strong enough to save us all.
“I know I don’t deserve you,” I breathed. “But I will spend every moment of my immortal life striving to be worthy.”
I tookmy time worshiping her, marveling at the way her skin pebbled under the stream of the hot water, at how her cheeks took on a rosy glow after her first orgasm, her eyes growing hooded with satiated desire.
Down on my knees, I buried my face between her thighs, ravaging her once more. This incredible creature was mine—mine—forever. I would be able to hold her in my arms whenever I pleased. To lick and taste, to ring those sweet little moans from her lips every day.
Her fingers dug into my hair, one hand gripping a ram horn while the other braced herself against the shower wall. I looked up at her as my tongue swirled, loving the way her breasts heaved, the nipples hard and peeking out beneath her wet, red curls.
I had washed every inch of her body, erasing all traces of the pain she’d suffered. There were other wounds, ones that I couldn’t scrub away, but I’d be there to help repair those too, when she was ready.
“Hades,” she moaned, her back arching as her thighs trembled. I felt the coiling desire through our bond, scraping the edge of my teeth over her clit just when she needed me to. Her legs tightened around my face, her hips undulating as I lapped at her core as she detonated, delighting in the taste. I would never have enough of this.
Before the orgasm ended, I was standing, capturing her lips with mine while I slid my fingers into her.
“Two down,” I breathed, nowhere near finished with her. “Let’s see how many more you can stand.”
59
PERSEPHONE
I’d lostcount how many times Hades had made me come. All I knew was that my body was sore in places I’d never thought possible. He’d taken me in the shower, in the sitting couch, against the window overlooking our kingdom. We’d eventually made it to the bed, but I’d been floating by that point, so lost to the ecstasy he’d coaxed from me that I’d even enjoyed when he used his shadows to fuck me.
“We could still turn back,” Hades murmured in my ear, the heat of his breath sparking that delicious coil low in my belly.
My cheeks flared with his whispered promise, but as much as I’d like to remain tucked away and tangled in his embrace, I needed answers.
“We’re already late,” I chided, but my voice was breathy, my body recalling how good it felt under his touch. I’d somehow managed to shower and get dressed without giving into Hades’s temptations, which was a miracle in itself. I knew he would make good on his promises, that he would keep the others waiting forever if I asked him to.
Tearing my gaze from his, I fixed the edge of my dress before looping my arm through his. “We need to know if Thanatos has discovered anything further on Hypnos’s whereabouts.”
“And see how Lark is fairing under Hecate’s watch?” Hades asked, lifting a knowing brow in my direction.
I shrugged but knew he felt my pulse quicken as we entered the throne room. Lark had lured me to the Earth Coven, throwing me at Demeter’s feet even after knowing it might cost me my life, but she’d freed me in the end. Had foughtwithme against Demeter and Cyrus. And that was worth something, wasn’t it?
“Oh good,” Morpheus said as Thanatos, Hecate, and Lark turned toward us. “You two are finally done fucking. I thought for a moment you’d forgotten about us.”
My cheeks blazed, but Hades strolled forward, guiding us toward the massive throne the others had gathered around.
“Priorities,” Hades said with a smug smile. He led me up the dais and into a second throne next to his, one crafted from oak and embedded with precious stones. One just for me. “My queen.”