She signals to the guards to free Eros from his shackles.
Hesitantly, I rise and move toward him, reaching out to offer him my hand. He takes it, his hand uncharacteristically cold as it slips into mine, and I instantly feel the pull of energy as it seeps out of me and into him.
Eros grimaces as he gets to his feet and allows me to lead him over to the bed of moss and vines. Italmostlooks welcoming as I shift the curtain of flowers out of the way. I sit down on the bed and gently pull Eros down next to me, my heart pounding so hard that I swear I can feel it in my throat.
Turning toward Eros, I study his face, taking in the pain and torture now etched into his features. Bruises and cuts mar his otherwise perfect skin, and my heart breaks at the thought of what he has endured for my sake.
That he has been tortured because ofme.
I reach up to tenderly cup his cheek in my hand, before leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his lips. Eros responds, his lips moving against mine as his arms wrap around me, pulling me closer.
He deepens our kiss, and I try my best to give in to the moment as I move to straddle his lap. His own hand cupping my face as the other roams lower over my body, tracing every curve as if he's desperate to memorize me.
My own hands slip lower, and I can feel his arousal growing beneath me as my own urgency builds. Desperation starts to rise within me as my heart wars with my body, reminders of Death flickering through my mind with ever-increasing frequency.
Suddenly, Eros stills at my touch.
Breaking our kiss, he pulls back, his eyes filled with a mixture of desire and pain, and I can feel the weight of Persephone's gaze on us.
“I cannot do this,” he says, lifting me off of him as he rises from the bed.
“What?” I ask, confused.
“I can hardly believe I am saying this, but I cannot claim you when your heart still so clearly cries out for another,” Eros says, with a sharp snort. “You love him, mortal, no matter how much you try to deny it. I can feel nothing but your desire for him ... and I will not take you when it is notmethat you want.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I can feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
“Eros …” I murmur, my voice barely more than a whisper as he reaches for the vines.
He pauses as he glances back at me, his face filled with a mixture of pain and sorrow.
“Mortal,” he says, his voice suddenly so soft that I can barely hear him. “What I am trying to say is that … I love you.”
I open my mouth to reply, but before I can say anything, there’s a heavy thud and Eros’ eyes roll back in his head. I let out a startled scream as I watch Eros collapse to the floor, a guard standing just beyond the curtain of vines.
I watch in stunned horror for a moment as another guard steps up to help him drag Eros from the room.
“Wait, no! Stop,” I cry as I scramble from the bed, but my words fall on deaf ears.
The guards don’t so much as glance back at me as they drag the god’s unconscious form past Persephone and the other women.
Tears stream down my cheeks as worry fills me, and I almost don’t see Persephone turning to stare at me. Pain and rage flash within her gaze as she moves closer. Betrayal making her features sharp.
“Guards, remove her from my presence, at once,” she demands.
Quickly trying to overcome the stunned shock that hits me, I realize what’s happening.
Persephone is already moving away from me, though, as her guards step in to obey her orders.
“No, Persephone, please.”
But she doesn’t so much as turn to look back at me.
“I am sorry. I should have told you,” I tell her, my voice catching on to the last word.
“Silence,mortal.”
I flinch at the way she spits out the word, as if what I am now disgusts her. It doesn’t matter that Eros was talking about my love for Death, not her husband, Hades.
