Chapter 32

Persephone

I was surprised that it took Beatrice so long to stop by my room. My mom had headed off to her own room to call my dad and read a book, so she hadn’t seen me storm up after Hades left. Beatrice and Lucifer had seen me, but I’d hurried past them.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Beatrice blocked the door.

“Why do you look like you’re guarding the exit?” I asked.

“I am guarding the exit,” she replied. “You are not leaving this room until you tell me what happened with Hades. First, did he hurt you?”

“Hurt me?” I asked with a laugh. “Why does everyone keep assuming Hades is going to hurt me? I keep telling you he won’t.”

Beatrice stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. “I’m not even going to answer that question. Granted, he has been much nicer with you.”

I let out a sigh and took a seat on the edge of the bed. “He hasn’t kidnapped me.” I laughed when I heard my own words. “Never would I have imagined that I’d be praising a man for not kidnapping me.”

Beatrice took a seat beside me on the bed. “It sounds crazy, but we’ve all been saying the same thing. It almost seems like he tries to avoid being around you at times.”

“He is a very frustrating fallen angel,” I grumbled. “That stupid man kissed me senseless earlier.” I decided to keep the part about me orgasming as I rode his thigh to myself.

Beatrice giggled at my complaint. “I don’t usually get this upset when Lucifer kisses me senseless.”

“You did when you first started spending time with him,” I reminded her. “You used to complain about being horny all the time. It’s annoying when you’re more than ready to take the next step with your man, but he’s determined to be a gentleman. Mostly a gentleman. They’re fallen angels for pity’s sake! Why is Hades trying to be a gentleman?”

Beatrice shrugged. “I’m sure he’d tell you it’s because he’s afraid of hurting you, but I doubt that’s the whole reason. Fallen angels are a major pain in the ass. It’s like living longer makes them overthink every little detail.”

I cocked my head to the side and considered what she’d said. “I suppose, when one is truly immortal, they have a lot more time to think things through. Still, they’re fallen angels. Shouldn’t they be indulging in hedonistic pursuits? Seducing virgins? Hosting orgies?”

“You want Hades to host an orgy?” she asked.

I opened my mouth to tell her no, but then decided I needed to give the matter more thought. “I wonder what happens at orgies.”

“Sex,” was Beatrice’s dry response.

“I know, but is it like a pile of writhing bodies where you can’t tell whose hand is on you?” I asked. “Or is it just a lot of people having sex in the same room? Does it have to be group sex to be an orgy? Do you suppose people show up and strip naked as soon as they walk in the door?”

Beatrice’s lips twitched as she fought back her laughter enough to continue the conversation. “Why does the orgy need to be inside? I’ve spent time in the sex demon areas, and they have orgies in lots of different places. I’ve heard rumors of witches having orgies in the forest at one point in witch history.”

“From what I read when I was studying for my witch test, they only did that because it was supposed to make them more powerful,” I added. “I wonder how the witches who claim celibacy makes them stronger felt about that.”

Beatrice snorted. “Witches are crazy.”

“Uh, Bea, do I need to remind you that we’re witches?”

“Not full witches,” she argued.

Beatrice hated most witches, not that I blamed her. As a shapeshifting witch, the Council of Witches considered her among the lowest ranking witches. Rank matters a lot with witches. Many dislike the hierarchy of the council, but not enough to make a change. I was glad I hadn’t grown up under the eye of the council. Had I been exposed to them earlier, I might be just as judgmental.

“Fine, we aren’t full witches, but neither of us realized that until recently,” I reminded her. “Most people would also say I’m crazy.”

“They would be right,” Beatrice replied.

I pushed against her side. “You’re supposed to take my side.”

“We both know you’re crazy,” Beatrice said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Don’t get me wrong. I like your brand of crazy. I wouldn’t have tried unicorn blood were it not for you.”

Beatrice often referred to the sparkly drinks at The Cauldron as unicorn blood. I loved them. They were pretty and delicious. While Beatrice insisted she didn’t like them, she’d never stopped me from ordering one for her. That gave me an idea.

“I know what we should do tonight!”

Beatrice knew me so well, she didn’t even ask what I had in mind; she shook her head. “If Hades is worried about you still being in danger, he’ll lose it if you go to The Cauldron.”

She was right, and it was part of the reason I wanted to go.

“All the more reason for us to go there. I’m tired of Hades trying to act all calm and controlled,” I grumbled.

“It has kept him from kidnapping you,” Beatrice reminded me.

“And made me want to kidnap him.”

Beatrice laughed at my response. “This is the second time you’ve mentioned kidnapping Hades. I’m not sure how you’d pull it off, but it would be hilarious.”

“We’re going to The Cauldron.” My decision was made.

Beatrice let out a long-suffering sigh before responding. “Fine, but we’ll need to clear it with Lucifer first. I’m not sure he’s going to want to deal with the meltdown Hades will have.”

I stood and crossed my arms in front of my chest, immediately realizing how childish I looked. Of course, I was committed to the pose by that point, so I continued. “Lucifer is not the boss of me.” And, yes, I was also able to recognize how childish I sounded.

“In Hell, Lucifer is the boss of everyone, except for me,” Beatrice reminded me.

“Good point,” I relented. “Still, I really want to go, Bea. We haven’t gone out since you moved to the demon realm.”

“We just went for lunch,” she argued.

I waved off her answer. “That doesn’t count. I want to go dancing and have pretty drinks.”

Beatrice nodded. She understood my need for stimulation surprisingly well. Beatrice was more of a homebody and preferred an uneventful evening at home to an adventure.

With a nod, she said, “I’ll talk to Lucifer.”