Page 37 of Queen of Shadows and Roses
He was ‘entertaining’ two nymphs, and the sight almost made me heave. One was on her knees in front of him, his dick in her mouth.
‘Brother!’ He grinned when his eyes met mine.
‘I’m dissolving the binding to Persephone. She is free to return to the mortal realm,’ I said through clenched teeth.
With a click of his fingers, the nymphs disappeared, and jeans now covered his modesty.
‘Well, that’s you out of the running, then,’ he said, offering a smug smile as he approached me.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, Persephone’s rightful place is in Olympus, preferably by my side. The other gods won’t stand a chance in the battle for her heart and body. I’ll bring her here instead; she can stay asmyguest while we woo her. I’m salivating, thinking about getting my cock into her hot, wet pussy.’
My shadows enveloped the room, and anger became a living, breathing entity. ‘I’ll rip your fucking throat out,’ I roared.
Zeus bellowed with laughter, wrapping himself in a bubble of clouds and lightning.
‘Well, up your game, Brother, and stop behaving like a spurned teenager, you dozy bastard.’ Then he vanished, leaving me and my shadows in silence.
What in Olympus’s name is he playing at?
I stormedinto my office and kicked a chair. What a fucking mess—Zeus took assholery to an epic level.
Persephone was still caught in the male intrasexual competition for her body, and the thought made me want to destroy them all. The gods vying for her would employ an array of tactics to best their rivals—they were all scum.She is my fucking wife…Or had been. If this competition continued, Ihadto win her back. I couldn’t allow one of the other gods to have her.
I exhaled a ragged breath as rage swirled within me, mingled with heartbreaking sorrow and a myriad of different emotions that twisted my guts and turned me inside out. Shadows ran rampant around my office, but I couldn’t lose control. It wasn’t fair to my people. I’d done that once—when Persephone was taken from me—and had killed countless innocents. I was no longer that god.
‘Hecate!’I yelled in my mind. No response. Where in the gods was she?‘Thanatos!’He appeared within a second.
‘Highness.’ He bowed deeply.
I waved my hand for him to rise. ‘Where’s Hecate?’
He gave a lazy shrug. ‘No idea. Is there a problem?’
‘Oh, yes, you could say that. When you see her, tell her to get her ass to me, pronto.’
He bowed and disappeared, leaving me stewing in self-doubt and disquiet—would Persephone choose me in this ridiculous competition for her betrothal? It seemed unlikely. She refused to even acknowledge the bond. The thought of her not loving mecaused my heart to ache and my anger to resurface. I took a long, slow breath.
Would she be wooed by another of the rival gods, like Zeus, who had a beautiful realm to offer her, only to be taken from me… again? My heart would be shredded a second time. If that were to happen, I’d likely destroy Olympus and every god within it.
Struggling to rein in my fury, I poured myself a whisky and brooded, with nothing on my mind but my exasperating wife. I needed to see her. She wasmine.
I called for Morpheus.
CHAPTER 13
PERSEPHONE
Iwas back in the garden and I sighed happily.
The sight of this place elevated my sprits; this was exactly what I needed. I cast aside thoughts of Hades. He was such a cockwomble. He certainly wouldn’t be my dream man this time. I willed my dream man as a young Ryan Reynolds during his role inThe Proposal—one of my favourite romcoms. Plus, he was totally delicious.
‘Come on, Ryan,’ I muttered as I contentedly settled at the edge of the pond.
‘Sorry to disappoint you, Persephone.’
At the sound of his voice, my anger ratcheted to boiling point. ‘You? Holy crap, you’ve got to be joking?’
