Page 3 of Tempted By Hades

A loud crash interrupted his thoughts, followed by a sharp cry.

“My lord, please, no!”

Hades’s head snapped toward the ruckus. One of the serving girls had dropped a tray of drinks, if the broken glass and spilled ambrosia was any indication. When she tried to kneel down to clean up the mess, the large, hulking man beside her seized her arm.

“Come on now, no need to play coy,” the man said, pulling her roughly to him. “Why don’t we go find a nice spot where we can be alone.”

Hades clenched his teeth. Of course it was him causing the disturbance. Ponos, son of the goddess of discord. He had a certain reputation amongst the gods and goddesses in Olympus, and from the way everyone ignored him dragging away the poor servant girl, it was obvious this was just another normal occurrence in this indulgent realm.

Cutting across the room, he stepped in front of the brute. “And where do you think you’re going?”

Dark eyebrows slashed down. “None of your business,” Ponos slurred. “Now get out of my way.”

The servant girl winced as Ponos gripped her tighter. She shot Hades a pleading look, but remained silent.

“Let go of her.” Hades’s voice turned as cold as his realm. “Now.”

Hades was not a small man, but Ponos was much wider, with arms the size of tree trunks. Pulling the girl behind him, he stretched up to full height, his chest puffing like a rooster’s. “Oh really? And who do you think you are, telling me what to do?”

“Tsk, tsk, Ponos, you must really be drunk on ambrosia if you don’t recognize our dear Hades.”

Hades frowned, recognizing the voice. Swinging his head around, he saw that Apollo, the god of the sun, had somehow appeared right behind him, casually sipping from a glass as he leaned against the wall. While Hades had fought alongside the other god during the war, he had not seen Apollo in ten thousand years. He was a good combatant, from what Hades recalled, but he did not appreciate the other god’s glib, easygoing attitude during wartime, so he actively avoided him.

With a lazy stride, Apollo ambled toward them, stepping around Hades to face Ponos.

“Well?” His golden eyes twinkled as he smiled brilliantly at Ponos. “Does that name ring a bell?”

Ponos blinked, then his eyes refocused as he stared at Hades. “M-my Lord Hades.”

“God of the Underworld,” Apollo continued, seemingly gleeful at the way the other man’s face paled. “Who just secured the world from the threat of the Titans for another ten thousand years.”

“Apologies for the disrespect, my lord.” Ponos shoulders dropped as he bowed his head. “It won’t happen again.”

“It is not I whom you owe an apology to—” Hades sneered, then cocked his head toward the frightened servant girl—“but to the young woman you tried to abscond with.”

Ponos’s nostrils flared. “I beg your pardon? Apologize? To a servant girl?”

“Yes.”

“Absurd.” Ponos’s head snapped up to meet Hades’s gaze. “You know how these dromeis are. Why do you think they take these jobs at the palace if not to spread their legs for gods like us? I do not apologize to those beneath me.”

Hades restrained the urge to turn the man into dust. “There are very few things beneath a worm like you.”

Rage burned in Ponos’s eyes, and he lunged toward Hades. “Why you?—”

“Hey now!” Apollo’s arms snaked around Ponos’s middle before he could reach Hades. Though Ponos looked physically stronger, as one of the higher-ranking gods, Apollo easily pulled him away. “Go home, Ponos.” For a brief moment, the easy-going god of the sun was gone as Apollo’s voice turned deadly. “And you better not let me catch you trying to corner unsuspecting maidens again.” Releasing him, he shoved Ponos back.

Face red with rage, Ponos said nothing, but clenched his fists and backed away before turning and running out of the palace.

“Run along, dear,” Apollo said to the servant girl, who continued to tremble like a leaf. She nodded and scampered off.

“Your assistance was not required,” Hades stated flatly once they were alone.

Turning back to face him, Apollo flashed him a bright smile. “You’re welcome.”

Hades narrowed his eyes. “I did not think you as a defender of defenseless women.” Apollo had a reputation with women, after all. And then there was that whole Daphne business…

For a moment, Apollo’s carefree mask slipped, replaced by a stony expression. “Stories are sometimes exaggerated. I did not think you as a gossip monger.”

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