Page 13 of The Dread Queen's Bargain

“You don’t have to call me that,” Persephone sighed happily. She blinked her eyes open and smiled pleasantly at the sight of a naked, aroused Hades at the bedside.

“I don’t have to call you by your name?” Hades crossed his arms over his chest. He was undeniably pleased to have found her in his bed, but something about how she’d snuck into his bedroom and made friends with Cerberus was bizarre.

“How did you get in here?” Hades pressed again. “And who are you? The truth, this time. The doors to my private chambers are locked by magic, and Cerberus should tear apart strangers who aren’t with me.” Hades’s voice dropped low, and he found himself using the strict tone he used with courtiers.

Persephone blushed, now fully awake, and sat up in bed. Hades’s eyes dropped to her chest again, and she smiled, convincing him she knew exactly what she was doing.

“My name isn’t Despoina.” She breathed deeply. “My name is Persephone.”

All the words came out at the same time, rushed and blurring together. Hades still heard every syllable.

“Okay?” Hades’s brow furrowed as he looked at her. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to—Persephone?” Hades froze as what she’d said dawned on him. He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes going wide as he stared at her. Neither moved for a full minute, Hades forcing himself to stay calm. His voice was steady and commanding when he spoke.

“Please do not. Tell. Me. You. Are. Demeter’s. Daughter.” Hades punctuated each word, his hands tightening into fists.

Persephone had the decency to blush, smiling bashfully as she shrugged.

“I could tell you that if it helps. I’d be lying, however.”

Hades paled, suddenly feeling lightheaded.

“Oh no, oh no, no, no…” Hades started repeating it over and over again. He sat on the edge of his bed, burying his head in his hands. Despite his size, Cerberus chose that moment to wake up fully, attempting to climb into Hades’s lap.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Hades snapped, looking over at Persephone. “Do you know what your mother will accuse me of?”

“Let me handle my mother,” Persephone pleaded. She reached across the bed and put a hand on Hades’s shoulder. “I wasn’t trying to deceive you, honestly.”

“You used a fake name, Persephone.” Hades sounded tense enough that Cerberus jumped off the bed and ran out of the bedroom.

“Okay, yes,” Persephone rolled her eyes, “but only because I knew everyone in the Underworld would react this way.”

“I’m not reacting to your presence in the Underworld,” Hades groaned. “I’m reacting to the fact that I fucked Demeter’s daughter. Oh, fuck.” Hades started swearing. “Doesn’t she refer to you as ‘Kore’?” He turned around and gently grabbed Persephone’s shoulders, his face full of concern. “Were you a…”

“Oh, fuck off, you’re acting like a teenager.” Persephone hissed, shoving his hands off her. “No, I was not a virgin when I rode your dick to the gates of Tartarus and back last night. My name is not Kore, but Persephone. If my mother refuses to see me as an adult, that’s one thing, but I will not let you fucking old gods pretend that I’m a child.”

Hades’s eyes went wide at Persephone’s outburst. He held up his hands in a gentle signal of surrender. “Persephone,” he repeated softly, watching as Persephone’s agitation abided slightly. “Your name is Persephone. I apologize if I tried to take your agency from you. It was not my intention.”

It was Persephone’s turn to look surprised when Hades apologized. They were silent again for another minute before she nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t come down here with the intent to seduce you or anything. Not that I’m complaining.”

Hades smirked. “I can’t say I have any regrets about it.” Persephone smiled, reaching her hand across the sheets and grabbing hold of Hades’s fingers.

“I needed to escape. I got in another fight with Demeter, and before I knew it, I had been hiking my way down into the Underworld. It would be the last place she looked for me, so I kept going.”

“I didn’t know your relationship with Demeter was so tumultuous.” Hades offered diplomatically, carefully assessing how Persephone felt about the goddess. She scoffed and ran her hands through her hair, detangling the ends.

“Are you kidding? That would be putting it mildly. I can’t stand the woman.” Persephone quieted. A haunted look in her eyes suddenly filled Hades with anger—Persephone looked hurt, betrayed, even. It was not the look he had expected when someone discussed their mother.

“Okay.” Hades didn’t press the issue. “We need to talk about your presence in the Underworld. Demeter is not going to like it. If you’ve been gone for a full day, I imagine she already is raising hell in Olympus.”

“I know she is.” Persephone rolled her eyes.

“It’s probably best if you go back to see her,” Hades started slowly. “It’s really…for the best.” His chest tightened at the admission, and he felt his power rise in protest, which surprised him the most. His power was directly tied to the Underworld—which was almost conscious in its own way, and the Underworld wanted Persephone to stay.

Persephone sighed heavily, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin atop them. She looked at Hades with a perfect pout, which made his cock twitch.

“I can’t go back. At least, not yet.” Persephone sighed. “You don’t understand. It’s not only that Demeter infantilizes me. I have power that she doesn’t understand and refuses to teach me anything. It’s starting to eat me up inside.”

Her voice sounded pained, and Hades was immediately on full alert. Hades reached out and tucked some of Persephone’s hair behind her ear.

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