“Good morning, Maxi.” Zerina paused on her way from swimming to see the progress he had made since she had past him to go for her swim. Unfortunately for him, it was the same. Since being in Hades, he was still digging in the same spot. She had asked Hades repeatedly since they had become lovers why he didn’t stop him.

“He’s been digging for centuries; why not give him another punishment?”

Hades had shrugged. “I will when he stops digging.”

“You’re not forcing him to?”

“No. Maxi is a victim of his own stubbornness.”

Staring down at the man, she wished some words from her would convince him to stop, but she knew there weren’t. Zerina would have been driven mad from the simple chore, yet the man’s eyes weren’t insane. They were keen and perceptive.

“He’s using you.”

Zerina tensed when he stopped digging to pin her in place with his perceptive gaze.

“Hades doesn’t care about you any more than the other women who traipse by me to swim in the same pool you do. Doesn’t it bother you that you are swimming in the same pool as them?”

She wanted to leave, affronted by his blunt comment.

“Yes, it bothers me, but not as much as knowing that he shares his bed with them.”

“At least you’re honest. I felt sorry for you. Now I see I don’t have to.”

“You felt sorry for me?”

“Yes, you’re the only one of his women who talks to me. Why?”

“I felt sorry for you.”

“For me? Why? You know what I did to deserve to be here.”

“Yes, but it’s still hard to watch you doing the same task every day. How do you keep yourself sane?”

“By reminding myself that I deserve to be here. Every man, woman, and child who lost their life because of me lost the ability to live their full life. Even if each of them lived a hundred years, I still haven’t fulfilled the time I stole away from them.”

“You feel regret?”

“At the time, I didn’t. It took at least two centuries for me to realize what I had stolen from them. I was a ruler with great power. I used it to torture and kill them to earn my people’s respect. Hades earned his respect by being what I should have been—a strong leader.”

“Do the souls not fear him?”

“They fear his punishments, not him.”

“What’s the difference?”

“We make our own punishments that were forged in our lifetime. Hades didn’t just pick us out and decide to carry us down here. We’re here of our own doing. We may pretend our deeds weren’t evil, but there’s no arguing with the facts when Hades can show us the crimes we committed.”

“There’s no denying that the steps we take in life lead us down a road that ends with Mother’s reward or Hades’ justice.”

“That may be true about me and the rest of the souls down here, but you being here wasn’t by your own doing.”

“Wasn’t it? I knew when Cara asked my permission to escort a soul to her afterlife that I was disobeying my mother. I did it anyway. There’s a saying about the road to Hell being paved with good intentions.”

“At least you have that excuse. I did not.”

She started to lay a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. However, seeing what she was about to do, Maxi shrugged away from her touch.

“Don’t pity me. Are you in love with Hades?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Then save your pity for yourself. You’re going to need it, not I.”

Wounded at his caustic gaze, she turned, leaving him alone to his interminable chore.

Opening the door into Hades’ castle, she stared at her feet as she started past Hades’ office. Tartarus opened the door, thinking she wanted to go inside. She usually left Hades alone during the mornings. However, deciding to see if she could talk him into a game of chess, she went inside to see him staring out the window behind his desk.

Slipping her arms around his waist, she felt him give a start of surprise.

“No one has ever been able to accomplish that feat.”

She laid her cheek against his suit-covered back, clasping her hands around his lean waist. “I surprised you?”

“Yes.”

“That must mean you trust me.”

“Or I’m getting old.”

“You, old?” She tightened her arms around him. “I don’t think so.”

“What do I owe the pleasure of your company? You never seek me out in my office.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m reassuring myself that I’m not being a fool like Maxi said I am.”

“He said that?”

“Practically. Don’t be angry with him. He didn’t say anything that I haven’t said to myself. He asked if I was in love with you.”

He turned around to face her, bringing his arms around her. “What did you say?” Hades’ eyes bore into hers as Maxi’s had.

“Nothing I haven’t said before. You may not be an easy man to love, but I love you.”

“I am not a man.”

“Yes, you are. You’re part god, monster, demon, saint, and lover. But above all of those, you are a man.”

“If I am, it is the smallest part of me.”

Zerina covered his lips with her fingertips. “It is definitely the best part of you. It’s your only weakness.” She grinned at him impishly.

Hades grinned back. “Why is that?” He lifted her until her breasts were plastered against his chest.

Zerina rolled her eyes. “I think that is pretty self-explanatory.”

“You think so?”

Zerina felt a dizzying rush. Closing her eyes, she thought that Hades was transporting her to his bedroom, but when she felt her feet once again on firm ground, she stared around her in awe.

“It’s beautiful. I thought I had been everywhere in the universe.”

“Shambhala.”

“Shangri-La.”

“Among other names for it. I noticed you reading Lost Horizon.”

“Did you pay as much attention to the other women as you do me?”

“Yes.”

A stabbing pain not only struck her head, but her heart. She couldn’t hide the hurt he had inflicted in her mind, but she could prevent him from seeing it. Stepping away from him, she bent down to take her shoes off so she could step on the tender blades of grass.

“Zerina … I didn’t mean it.”

“Yes, you did.”

The pleasure she had received from him bringing her here was swamped with feelings of wanting to flee. He had ruined the magical moment of her first experience in this kingdom, just as he had her first experience of making love.

She had never seen grass or trees so green. The mountains so tall that they disappeared into the clouds. It had a mystical appearance, yet the grass under her feet was real, and so was Hades as he came up behind her, turning her to face him.

He lifted a hand to brush away the tear that was coursing a path down her cheek. “I didn’t mean it.” He stared down at her. “It’s not easy for a god to admit he’s vulnerable.”

“It’s hard for a woman, too,” she said, giving him a painful smile.

“I’m not like the characters in your books or Valentine. I’m never going to give you roses or poetry, or give you hope that one day I will fall in love with you. Even when I married Persephone, I didn’t give her a wedding ceremony. I just spoke the words to bind us together.”

“Then your marriage was defeated before it began. Jinx told me that my father married both of my sisters while I was away.”

“Maybe so.” He shrugged. “But I doubt it. Most marriages don’t last long in the heavens or earth.”

“You are so jaded. How can you stand here and not realize that beauty exists not physically, but in the soul?” Zerina moved to a tree to wind her arm around the slim trunk that was still a sampling. Taking a deep breath, she let the fresh air fill her lungs. “Can’t you feel it?” she whispered reverently. “It’s so peaceful here. It has to be the most beautiful place I have ever seen or heard about on Heaven or earth.”

“Or is it just a figment of my imagination?”

“Why is it when I feel joy in something you have to crush it?”

He angrily pulled her away from the tree before bearing her down on the grass. She beat at his chest to make him move, but Hades just pinned her hands above her head.

“Maybe it’s because you sneaked up behind me. Maybe it was because you keep telling me you love me. Or maybe because the demon inside me just doesn’t want to feel what you arouse in me.”

“I do?”

“A few.”

Zerina gave a broken laugh. “I’ll take that. I’ll take anything you give me.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.” Her lips turned seductive. “My dark king, my body and heart is at your disposal.”

Hades groaned, burying his face in her midnight-black hair. “Are you trying to tempt me to show my dark side?”

She lowered her lashes, staring at him as she licked her bottom lip. “Is there ever a dark side when you make love to a woman?”

“Oh yes …” He slid the sleeves of her gown down her shoulders. He could have waved his hand to make it disappear, but he wanted to undress her slowly, suggestively.

Removing it, he positioned her in a suggestive pose that had her arms curling above her head and her thighs parted with one leg bent upward. No part of her body was hidden from his ravishing gaze.

“Show me, my dark king.”

Hades’ face sharpened into a taut mask as his body became hard and demanding. Impatiently, he removed his own clothes as he lifted her and turned her until she was on her knees before him. His chest pressed against her back as he brought his mouth to her neck.

Zerina trembled with desire when he opened his mouth to suck on her flesh. She bit back her whimper, her body already on the verge of climax before he even started to make love to her.

Hades ran a commanding hand over her buttocks, cupping it. He released her neck, trailing kisses to her shoulder then down her back, grazing his teeth along her buttocks before she felt him sliding down between her thighs.

With his tongue, he parted the flesh of her pussy, as she gripped the grass she knelt on.

“Open your legs wider.”

Zerina immediately did as he wanted, feeling the warm wetness slip out of her as his tongue found the mark he was searching for.

He circled her hips with his hands to move to the front of her body so he could part the lips of her pussy even farther, giving him more access to her. He clamped down on his hold of her, keeping her steady when she wanted to push back on him.

Gasping, she reminded herself to take deep breaths. Each stroke of his tongue had fire blazing a path inside the sheath she wanted filled.

“What do you want?”

The bastard had read her mind.

“You.”

“What part of me.”

“You know what part I want.” She quivered when he blew a puff of air on her clit.

“Say it.” He twirled his tongue around her clit, nearly making her see stars in the bright blue sky.

“Your cock. I want your cock.”

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

She could feel his laughter against her flesh. That he could find it amusing while they were making love started a spark inside of her that had nothing to do with desire.

Before he could react, she raised up, knocking him back, then spun around on her knees as she pushed him to the ground.

“Who’s laughing now?” she snarled, pasting a mock smile on her lips. She planted her hands on his chest, keeping him from rising.

“You know you only wanted to be on top.” Hades raised his hands over his head, mimicking her earlier pose.

His cock was already hard, his length gouging into her belly. Being given access to his body was as heady as his strongest wine.

Delicately tracing the length of his cock, she marveled how warm it was to her touch.

Bending her head, she parted her lips to take the tip into her mouth. Hades groaned as she then slipped farther down on him, enclosing his head within her sucking mouth.

Feeling exploratory, she lowered her hand down his length to the heavy sac that was growing tighter as she lowered her head even more.

Hades tugged her down by her hair until she was afraid she would gag. Calming her fears, though, she relaxed, following his mute instructions without experience. Lifting and lowering her head at the pull of her hair, she was soon rhythmically moving her mouth on him.

His plunges took over the rhythm as he arched to reach the back of her throat. Hades was a dominant lover who couldn’t allow her control for long.

Lifting her mouth, she ignored the tugging on her hair, placing kisses on one of his hips.

“Which are your favorite concubines, Hades? The ones who are completely docile?” She kissed the sensitive underside of his cock. “Or assertive?” She didn’t give him time to answer, swallowing his cock to the back of her throat while squeezing the heavy sac in her caressing fingers.

He bunched his fists in her hair, not letting her pull away again as he used his hips to fuck her.

The first time he had plunged his cock in her mouth, he had taken her inexperience into account. Now he made no such concessions, wanting to use her until she lost consciousness.

Jerking her head back as soon as the thought formed in his mind, Hades bit back a grunt as he levered himself up to position her once again on her knees.

He parted her as he poised his cock over her entrance. “I don’t haven’t a preference. I just enjoying fucking.”

Zerina silently screamed in her head, climaxing at his first plunge inside of her. She didn’t want him to have that power over her. She had already been too easy of a conquest. He had already branded his name on her heart and soul; what else could he take?

“I … want … it … all.” He punctuated each word with a hard thrust.

In her mind, she saw the vision he was giving her of him pounding his cock into her wet slit. The erotic sight of watching him fuck her had her moans escalating to shrieks of pleasure.

He brought his hands to her thighs, pulling her farther back on his cock. “I will tell you one thing. None of them feel as good as you.” His raspy voice had her twitching in another climax.

She wanted to sink down onto the grass, but Hades held her upright as he moved harder within her. He used his strength to pound inside of her.

The now familiar sensation of an approaching climax had her pleading, “I can’t come again!”

She heard teeth clenching as he sped up his strokes. He was merciless, driving the sensations into spiraling knots that twisted tighter and tighter.

“You haven’t given in to me yet,” he grated out.

“What do you want!”

“I want what you want. What you keep denying me. Tell me!”

“I’m yours!” she sobbed. “I’m yours!”

“Forever?”

“Forever.”

She knew she was damned by her admission.

Hades strokes didn’t stop, but they did ease, growing slower as he angled his cock to hit another spot in her spasming pussy.

Her orgasm wasn’t as intense as her other ones, but it was more fulfilling, finally giving her the satisfaction he had been denying her as he stroked his climax alongside hers.

When he pulled out, Zerina collapsed onto the grass, and Hades sat down next to her, running a calming hand over her body, every touch claiming every part of her.

He thumbed a pink nipple. “This is mine.”

“Yes.” She didn’t have the strength to argue.

His placed his hand over her pussy. “This is mine.”

“Yes.”

Satisfied, he started to lie down next to her.

Reaching out, she took his hand before he could pull it away, placing it over her heart. “This is yours, too. This is a part of me, too.”

He pulled away to stand up. “You just won’t stop, will you?” He waved his hand, dressing himself, then reached for her.

“You wanted me to admit I was yours. Does that mean I’m only yours when you’re fucking me?”

“Don’t press me, Zerina.”

She bravely reached out, shoving him. “Does it mean I’m only yours when you’re fucking me?” she yelled.

“No! Your mine all the time!”

“That’s what I thought.” Zerina bent down to grab her gown, pulling it over her head. Giving him a triumphant look, she ran a hand through her hair to untangle the tumbled mess. “I’m ready to go now.”

“Do you know how close you are to receiving a spanking?”

Interest sparkled in her eyes. “Maybe later. I’m a little sore right now.”

At the sight of Hades’ desire rekindling, Zerina warily took a step back.

“Don’t you come near me.”

He held out his hand. “You don’t want to explore? I don’t know when we’ll be able to come back.”

At his cajoling expression, she reached out and took his hand. They didn’t talk as they walked through the sacred valley.

When they grew tired, they rested underneath large trees on a carpet of grass. Hades leaned back on a tree and pulled her head to lie on his lap as they sat and contemplated the exquisite beauty surrounding them.

“I don’t want to go back,” Zerina whispered, not wanting to break the peacefulness of the moment.

“I think that every time I visit here.”

She wondered how many women he had shared this same expression with, then broke off the thought, not wanting the beauty of their time together spoiled.

“I’ve never brought anyone here but you. It’s my retreat.”

She stared up at him, trying to gauge if he was telling the truth and seeing he was. “Thank you.”

“We have to go.” His melancholy showed he didn’t want to leave any more than she did. “I’ll bring you back another time. Close your eyes.”

Trusting him, she closed her eyes after she imprinted the beauty around her to memory. She believed that he would bring her back, but nothing would compare to seeing it for the first time.

“Zerina.”

She started to lift her eyelids at the achingly tender way he had said her name. Before she could, though, she felt the dizzying rush of Hades transporting them.

Once she was on firm ground again, she opened her eyes, expecting to see her bedroom or Hades’. What she didn’t expect was to see a room full of people staring at her in shock.

“Zerina?”