Page 14 of The Dread Queen's Bargain

“What do you mean you have ‘power she doesn’t understand?’”

“I don’t know if I can conjure it on command,” Persephone sighed, looking at her fingers. “It manifests at will.”

“Why don’t you try?” Hades encouraged.

Persephone nodded, sitting up straighter and rolling her shoulders. She closed her eyes and focused. Hades momentarily got lost at seeing her in his bed, something he hadn’t fully reckoned with but enjoyed immensely.

Without warning, black wisps of magic erupted over Persephone’s skin—like veins. It moved across her fingers and her arms as if they were underwater. Hades couldn’t keep the shock off his face. Everything he’d heard about Persephone was her role as a spring and fertility goddess. He only knew bits and pieces of the Fates prediction. Still, until he saw it before him, he’d been skeptical that Demeter’s daughter would ever manifest with powers of the Underworld.

“By the Fates.” Hades let out a low whistle. It broke Persephone’s concentration, and she snapped out of it, the magic disappearing.

“Do you know what it means?” Persephone whispered, still sounding unsure.

Hades nodded.

“It’s the power of the Underworld, Persephone,” he murmured, unable to keep a smirk off his face. “That means part of you belongs here. The Underworld has been calling for you to come home.”

Persephone’s jaw dropped. For a moment, Hades thought she was furious. Then she launched herself at him and hugged his shoulders, laughing.

“Oh, that’s the best thing you could’ve said!” Persephone stopped hugging him, grabbed his face, and kissed him soundly. “Really! This is such good news.”

Hades kissed her back—he couldn’t help himself—but raised a brow as he studied Persephone’s elated expression.

“You think this is good news?”

“Of course.” Persephone rolled her eyes. “It means I can stay here.”

Hades opened and closed his mouth a few times, debating what to say.

“I don’t think that’s necessarily true,” Hades said gently, cupping Persephone’s cheek, “Demeter is still one of the strongest Olympians. She is not going to like the fact that you want to stay here. You need training, but Hecate can provide that for you without requiring you to stay in the Underworld—”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Persephone’s lip curled as she stared at Hades incredulously. “I certainly didn’t think the mighty lord of the dead would be so precious about sleeping with someone.”

“Now, wait a minute,” Hades growled, pointing his finger in Persephone’s face. “Don’t put words in my mouth, goddess. I don’t think you’re a child like your mother does, but I am older than you.”

“I notice you didn’t say shit about being wiser.”

“It was implied.”

“I must have missed it.” Persephone countered.

Hades grunted and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew Demeter would’ve never told Persephone about the prophecy regarding her powers and her fated position as queen of the Underworld. There would be time to sort all of that out. They were gods. They had all the time in the world. Hades wouldn’t give up Persephone so easily now that he’d had her in his arms, but he wanted to ensure they didn’t act rashly.

“I don’t want to see you go, but these things must be considered carefully. There are things at work that you don’t understand.”

“Now you sound like my mother,” Persephone sassed him, “which is rather unbecoming for a god such as yourself. You could let me stay in the Underworld if you wanted to.”

“Such as myself?” Hades growled. “You’re the one acting like a brat right now.”

“Am I?” Persephone blinked her eyelashes at him. “That’s a shame. If you wanted to teach me proper manners, you must let me stay.” Persephone crawled across the bed towards him, her hips shimmying.

Hades was frozen to the spot as Persephone slipped past him, getting on her knees in front of the bedside as gracefully as a cat. He was hardly breathing when she placed her hands on his thighs and pushed his legs apart, settling between them.

“Please?” Persephone purred again, leaning forward. She stuck her tongue out and licked up the underside of Hades’s cock from root to tip.

“Fuck,” Hades cursed. He was hard as a rock in seconds, falling back on his elbows. “Is this how you plan to convince me?”

Persephone’s breath was hot as she pressed a small, teasing kiss to the tip of his dick. Hades shuddered.

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