She looked at Hades, who didn’t look enthralled by the idea of them having children. He looked rather unsettled by it. His gaze slid to her and heated, and she suddenly wasn’t so sure that he didn’t want children. Did he like the sound of a family with her?
She liked the sound of a family with him.
“I am young.” She glanced at Zeus. “While I do not wish to leave my husband’s side for even a moment, I would like to have him to myself for say… a few centuries?”
Hades growled, slid his arm around her waist and tugged her to him, telling her without words that he liked the sound of that.
A few centuries of just enjoying each other’s company, savouring the moments they had together and falling deeper in love each day, and then maybe they would be ready for a family. Maybe. She couldn’t imagine what their children would be like, but she knew they would have his courage and strength, and would be fierce warriors worthy of his name.
Zeus waved the gathered people away and then dipped his head to Persephone. “I shall expect your return in the spring.”
“Spring?” She blinked and shook her head. “But it is only late summer now. If I return in the spring—”
“Your mother will not chill the mortal world while you are enjoying your honeymoon with your new husband, will you, Demeter?” Zeus levelled an expectant look at her.
Her mother’s lips flattened, her look mulish, but then she huffed and muttered, “I will not.”
Persephone had expected she would have to let Hades go back to the Underworld without her, but now she had seven months with him instead, and by the gods, she couldn’t wait to get started.
She seized Hades’s hand and pulled him towards the gate before Zeus could change his mind or her mother found the courage to protest. Hades must have been as surprised as she was by his brother’s decision to allow them to be together until spring, because he stumbled along behind her, a blank look on his face.
But then it sank in.
Hades growled and swept her into his arms, and teleported with her, landing close to the gate. He cradled her in his arms as he carried her across the threshold between Olympus and the Underworld.
Taking her back to his realm.
To her home.
“Home,” she breathed as the dark realm appeared around them, the sight of it no longer grim and frightening, but a comfort to her. She had come to love this realm almost as much as she loved its ruler.
Hades swept her into another teleport and landed with her in their chambers.
He gazed down at her, his pale blue eyes fierce and his deep voice laced with tender emotion. “I love you, Persephone.”
“I love you, Hades.” She slipped her hand around his nape and drew him down for a kiss, one she couldn’t get enough of as he held her to him, warming her right down to her soul to chase all her fears away. “Nothing will part us again.”
He opened his mouth, his look telling her he was going to contradict her by bringing up the terms of his agreement with his brother.
She pressed her finger to his lips to silence him and murmured, “Even when I am in Olympus, you will still be in here,” she touched her chest over her heart and then shifted that hand to his, “and I shall still be in here.”
He kissed her again, harder this time, stealing her breath and her heart with it.
And when he broke away this time, she smiled wickedly.
“And Zeus never said you could not visit me in Olympus.” She toyed with his lips, feathering her fingers over them. “We could steal moments with each other.”
He growled, evidently liking the sound of that, and captured her lips again, his kiss fierce and beautiful, and then rested his forehead to hers as he breathed against her lips, “Then expect me to steal a moment each day, for I do not want to be without you, my love. I never want to be without you. I meant what I said.”
He pulled back and gazed down at her, his look pure adoration.
“You are my heart, Persephone.”
She smiled and stroked his cheek, holding his gaze and sure her look was as soft and filled with love as his.
“As you are mine, Hades.”
He peppered her lips with kisses as he carried her towards the bed, ones that slowly heated her blood and made her shiver and ache, and her mind leaped forwards to all the things she wanted to do to him—wicked things.
“My king,” she murmured, meaning to tease him but it came out breathless and her heart added, “My forever.”
Hades growled and reared back, his gaze searing and filled with love she knew would be eternal and unwavering, and happiness she knew she had caused, because he was no longer alone. She was no longer alone. He was right. The Fates had made them for each other—light and darkness—two hearts that balanced each other, and now they had found each other.
And nothing would tear them apart.
“My forever,” Hades husked.
Lowered his mouth to hers again and breathed against her lips before he claimed them.
“My queen of the Underworld.”
