Page 39 of The Queen & the King

“I am so truly sorry,” Margaritte says, her voice breaking. She nudges me again. “Go.”

I nod, still confused about why she is sorry, but I hurry out the door into the soft greys of twilight.

The storm grows louder as I run through the gardens. No sooner am I past the perimeter of my mother’s property when a hand grasps mine from the shadows. The touch sends a spark of electricity through me that has nothing to do with the raging storm. I gasp but make no move to pull away. On the contrary, my whole body begs me to move deeper into the shadows.

“It’s me.” His deep voice makes my stomach twist in such a delicious way, and then he emerges from the darkness. His face is even more heartbreaking in real life. It seems the dream not only dulled the feeling of his touch but also the effect his presence has on me. My heart flutters, my knees feel weak, and I have a near -undeniable urge to be naked and beneath him.

I lift a shaky hand and brush my fingers over his cheek. His skin feels like the most luxurious of silk. “You’re… real.”

“You thought I was fake?” he quips, arching an eyebrow.

“Well, you…” My eyes roam over his face greedily, drinking in his presence. It is almost overwhelming. “You were a dream.”

Another loud crash from the direction of the house pulls me from my trance, and my head snaps toward it.

“We have to run,” Hades says. Heavy rain starts to fall, focused primarily over my mother’s house and garden.

He pulls me away from the house into a large wooded area. The thunder grows louder and angrier the further away we get.I glance over my shoulder, the house almost completely out of view as we run deeper into the trees.

Hades’ deep laugh rumbles in his chest, and the sound brushes over my skin seductively. He directs me, and we turn to the left, running to a cliff edge. Two glorious pegasi wait for us at the top of the cliff, huffing and stomping impatiently, longing to fly.

Hades and I come to a stop. He cups my cheeks and looks down at me. I look up at him, barely breathing, every part of my body anticipating his next move. My breaths are shallow as he stares hungrily at my lips, and I can’t help but lick them, desperate for a taste of him.

He’s going to kiss me. He’s going to kiss me.

The storm above my mother’s house feels like a spark compared to the electricity I feel right now. Slowly, Hades lowers his face as if giving me plenty of time to back out, but how could I? How could I deny him this? How could I deny myself this?

The second his lips brush mine, I can’t stop myself from deepening the kiss. Feeling this fully for the first time is not something I could have prepared for. His lips are soft but firm, his tongue teasing mine with small flicks. The second I get that small taste of him, a wave of desire washes through me, and I moan into the kiss. The ache deep in my core now permeates every nerve and cell.

Hades pulls back way before I am ready. He presses his forehead to mine, his breathing fast, and I can nearly hear his heart pounding. I place my hands on his arms and close my eyes, the ache nearly unbearable.

“I missed you.” Hades’ words are breathless and filled with desire. He grazes my cheeks with his thumbs before pulling back, his piercing sapphire eyes searching my face. “Are you ready for our date, Persephone?”

I nod, unable to form any sort of coherent words.

Hades slowly drops his hands, his fingertips gliding down my arms. He slides his hand into mine and leads me to the pegasi. Gripping my waist, he lifts me easily onto the back of one of the beasts. He glances at the other pegasus before climbing onto the back of mine. He loops his arms around my waist and pulls me close. My breath hitches when my ass presses against his groin, his strong thighs pressing against mine. There is no doubt this man wants me. The evidence of his desire is undeniable.

Hades tuts at the other pegusus. It whinnies in answer and nuzzles the one we are on before launching himself off the cliff. He spreads his wings and soars into the distance. I feel Hades’ legs flex as he squeezes the pegasus’ sides. The pegasus moves forward, smoothly shifting into a trot. Each step pushes me back into Hades, my ass rubbing against him. He tightens his arms on me, and I feel his lips against my ear.

“Ready?” he growls in my ear, a shiver running down my spine. I nod, and I can practically feel Hades’ smug smirk as the pegasus leaps off the cliff’s edge. My stomach drops as it always does when I do a dive like this, and fuck, have I missed it. I lean my head back, rolling it against Hades’ shoulder. I savor the exhilaration of plummeting, the exhilaration of feeling his arms around me. The only thing better is the feeling of him hard against me. When was the last time I felt this alive?

We continue to fall, and at the last moment, the pegasus throws open her wings, shifting into a glide. Her hoof drags through the salty sea water, spraying Hades and me with the mist. I laugh and throw my arms out, feeling the air slide over me as we soar. The pegasus ascends, and I lean heavily against Hades, trusting him to keep us both safe.

“Open your eyes, my spring. Let go,” Hades whispers in my ear.

I open my eyes, gasping at the surge of emotion I feel at being in the air. How long has it been since I last flew? Since I last spread my wings?

Hades presses a soft kiss to my neck, and I tilt my head, opening for him.

I am soaring through the clouds on a pegasus with Hades behind me.

Alive! I am alive.

Twenty-Five

Persephone

IHOLD MY HAND OUT, THE CLOUDS FILTERING THROUGH MY FINGERS, and can’t help but laugh in delight as the cotton-like pillowy fluff slips through my fingers.

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