Debauched (Hades and Persephone Book 3) Page 12

  He clenched his teeth and snarled, “Fuck. I’m going to cum.”

  “I’m going to watch.”

  With a roar, he climaxed, spurting jet after jet of milky white fluid on his tight abs. I licked my lips, wishing I’d taken him in my mouth and spoken to him through our mental link. A laugh bubbled up in my chest. Now that I had this immortal body, we had all the time in existence.

  Hades slumped back to the mattress, still panting hard. “That was very therapeutic. Four of these rigorous treatments a day will chase away what’s left of the parasites.”

  “I’ll produce the perfect panacea for you.” I raised my hand to his cheek and pressed a soft kiss on his lips.

  The scent of copper filled my nostrils, reminding me of how much blood he was losing with every breath. Even though this was better than the condition I’d originally found him in, it still hurt my heart to see him so injured.

  “That may not be possible,” Hades said.

  “What are you talking about?”

  He gazed down at me, his brows knitted into a frown. “Persephone took a century to develop panacea to mend her broken heart.”

  I gulped. “Why was she unhappy?”

  “After I tricked her into eating pomegranate seeds, part of her always belonged to the underworld. Like I told you before, it took an entire century for our relationship to revert back to what it had been before my deception.”

  I rubbed a circle over his chest. “Was that because of the panacea?”

  “It’s hard to tell,” he replied.

  “Persephone wasn’t battling to save someone she loved. That’s what’s motivating me to perfect the panacea.”

  Hades turned to me, his eyes wide. “What did you say?”

  “I love you.” My voice shook with the conviction of my words. “I love the way we work together, fight together, laugh together. But I wish our relationship wasn’t complicated by your history with Persephone.”

  “Kora.” He cupped the side of my face. “No matter how I felt about you, Persephone was always a large part of my life. She’s everywhere, from the etchings on the wall to the face of my daughter.”

  I lowered my lashes. “It’s my fault for being so possessive. I can’t imagine being with someone for centuries, let alone tens of thousands of years.”

  He pressed a kiss on my forehead. “I only ran to Persephone’s aid because I care for her. By then, I’d already moved on to you.”

  “And now I’m her,” I said with a long sigh.

  “You’re still my Kora.” He pulled me to his chest. “The lightning-wielding, Demeter-hating, Demon Queen who I want by my side for the rest of time.”

  “Even if I no longer have that body?” I burrowed my face into his pecs, filling my nostrils with the scent of musk, cypress, and mint.

  “Have you forgotten what I said about the elderly goat?” He ran his hand down my back.

  A laugh filled my chest, and I relaxed against his side. At least we had worked out our differences and both knew how much we loved and accepted each other. If only we could get over the threat of Mother and Samael, we might be able to rule our realm together in peace.

  The urge to sleep pulled on my eyelids, which I let flutter close. Hades’ breathing deepened, and we both fell into a peaceful slumber. As far as hospital visits went, this one had been successful.

  Hours later, Healer Iaso’s bustling jolted me awake. My eyes snapped open, and I stared up at Hades, who slept with a bubble over his head.

  “What’s wrong with him?” I scrambled off him and pulled the covers to my chest.

  “When I came to check on His Majesty, he was exhaling clouds of red.” Her gaze dropped down to his arm, where she had attached a cannula to a tube that led to an intravenous bag of green liquid.

  My brows drew together. “Is that—”

  “Your panacea?” she said. “Unfortunately, it’s not strong enough to counter the flesh-eating pollen, but at least His Majesty is no longer bleeding profusely from his lungs.”

  I gulped. “Maybe it’s time to try another batch.”

  She shook her head. “Practice your plant magic first. Learn to harness it better before risking another of those seeds.”

  “Right.” I gave her a sharp nod. Even if aloe-panacea or the weaker version I made the day before could flower, any seeds they produced would result in the same ineffective plant.

  “I’ll put His Majesty to sleep again for several more hours while the panacea does its job.” The healer hung another bag of green liquid on the stand.

  “Is there enough?” I asked.

  “For forty-eight hours.” She pulled out a cloth from her cloak and dabbed the sweat off Hades’ brow. “In the meantime, try not to excite him.”

  My stomach tightened, and guilt filled my chest. Last night’s hand job had probably added to his health condition. I leaned across the other side of the mattress and pressed a kiss on his temple.

  “See you later, Hades. You’ll be safe here, but I’m going to improve my abilities with plants before producing another batch of aloe.”

  “I’ve inoculated two more prisoners with the pollen,” the healer said. “When you’re ready, we can practice separating them from living tissue.”

  Nausea rose to the back of my throat, threatening to engulf my senses.

  “Were they condemned to death?” I asked.

  Healer Iaso paused to stare at me with a frown. “I would never experiment on those who had a chance of leaving.”

  I tore my gaze away from her and tried not to grimace. This was Hell, and things worked differently here than in the living world. After slipping on my pajama top and then the bottoms, I slid my feet in the slippers, gave Hades a final kiss goodbye, and made my way to the exit.

  After passing through the void and down the hallways, I bumped into one of the water nymphs, who offered me a bath and a change of clothes. Since I was keen to practice my plant magic, I chose to have a shower.

  As I dried off and headed for the ensuite dressing room, I passed a mirror, and a shock of red hair caught my attention. Pausing, I examined my reflection. Persephone’s face looked different from when Mother had possessed this body. It was more heart-shaped, much like the one that belonged to my original body, and with a slightly narrower mouth.

  I tilted my head to the side and examined the green eyes gazing back. Every shade of spring reflected in those irises, from the vibrant green of shoots pushing their way through cold soil to the soft white of the first blossoms unfurling from the trees.

  “So, this is the face of a goddess,” I said, my voice breathy with awe.

  Stepping back, I swept my gaze down my taller body, which resembled the captain’s, except she concealed most of her form with padded armor. My breasts were an entire cup size larger, with larger nipples that looked like they would protrude through any garment, no matter how thick.

  I placed my hands on a narrower waist and over a more curvaceous belly, wondering if this was Hades’ idea of perfection. Her pubes were as red and as vibrant as her hair, making my cheeks heat. This body made my old one feel mousy.

  “Your Majesty?” a soft voice said into my head.

  My head snapped up. “Namara?”

  “Sorry to interrupt, but I have an urgent message from Dr. Atallus.”

  A breath caught in the back of my throat. “What is it?”

  “Damisa and Macavity have awoken—”

  “How are they?”

  “He wants to keep them under observation for a little longer, but they’re complaining about the conditions in his clinic.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “The doctor would like you to speak to them yourself.”

  “All right.” I turned to the closet of clothes and frowned at the selection. The water nymphs had brought the kinds of semi-opaque flowing gowns they would wear.

  Squeezing my eyes shut, I used the same technique I employed for summoning the bident. Instead of demanding the weapon, I pictur
ed one of the dresses hanging in the penthouse closet and willed it to appear in my hand. As the weight of the fabric settled on my palm, I stared down at a green-and-white wrap dress that Hades had purchased for me at the fashion show he’d set up in my living room.

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” I murmured.

  Namara didn’t reply, but I turned around and said, “Elevator?”

  The brass device slid down from the ceiling, lowered itself to the floor of the dressing room’s floor, and hissed open.

  I placed a hand on my chest and gaped. Hades had told me I could control it, but I hadn’t quite believed him until now.

  After stepping inside, I pressed one of its many buttons and was about to ask it to send me to the doctor’s office, but I had no idea where he worked and where he was keeping the Hellcats. Instead, I said, “Take me to Namara.”

  The doors slid shut, and the elevator surged upward. I placed a palm on its wall and snarled, “Slow down.”

  It obeyed, and as it ascended at a more sedate pace, I glanced at the etchings on the walls. All three heads of the dog tilted to the side and frowned. Perhaps they were trying to work out if I was really Persephone. Perhaps they wondered why I had disappeared for so long. Whatever they were thinking, it wasn’t hostile.

  I leaned against the wall, taking in the swirls and curls of the elevator’s designs. Images of the other Greek gods lay among the intricate patterns, mirroring what I’d seen on Hades’ huge tapestry. Minutes passed, and the elevator continued at a gentle pace. After what felt like half an hour, I prodded it to accelerate.

  The device lurched up, forcing me to brace both hands against the wall.

  “That will teach me to tinker with its natural speed,” I muttered under my breath.

  The doors opened, and I staggered into the mezzanine of Hades’ office and stared down at the lower level. A fire crackled in the hearth beneath the huge painting of him and the three-headed dog.

  “What is the meaning of this?” hissed a male voice.

  I whirled around, my eyes widening at the sight of a blond angel rising from the circular bed. He was naked, save for the sheet he held over his crotch, but his white feathers ruffled with annoyance.

  My jaw dropped. “Azriel?”

  He turned to Namara. “Explain yourself.”

  She sat up in her imp form and turned to me with a frown. “How did you get through security?”

  “Is this blackmail?” the angel said with a sneer. “How typical of demons. Did Hades order you to lift your tail and catch me in a honey trap?”

  An incredulous huff escaped my throat. What a complete and utter dick. How dare he come to this conclusion, even though it was correct?

  “No,” she blurted. “I wanted to do it myself.”

  I gulped at her ambiguous answer. Now, she sounded like she wanted to blackmail him herself… Which was also the truth.

  His lips twisted, and he magicked on a long white tunic that came with a silver belt. “They told me never to consort with demons. The moment I succumbed to temptation and sullied myself—”

  “Who do you think you are?” I snapped.

  Azriel reared back and raked his gaze down my new body. “And what manner of demon are you? A succubus who has come to feed on angelic magic?”

  “Someone who thinks you should treat Namara with more respect,” I snarled. “I didn’t mean to walk in on you, but I told the elevator to bring me to her and didn’t specify that I wanted to go to her office.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Your Majesty?”

  “Sorry to have walked in on you.”

  Azriel strode forward, pointing his finger between my eyes. “If you so much as mention that I’ve been consorting with a demon, I’ll—”

  “You’ll what?” I snapped. “Get punished?”

  He curled his lip. “What do you want?”

  “From you?” I swept my gaze down his muscular form, making sure to wrinkle my nose. “Absolutely nothing.”

  His wings flared out, and he filled the room with light bright enough to burn my retinas. I stepped back and squinted at what looked to be an angelic tantrum.

  “Do not make an enemy of Azriel,” he snarled.

  I gave him my best withering glare. “Why are you still hanging around and parading yourself half-naked if you find us so offensive?”

  With a sniff, he turned on his heel and stomped across the room toward the stairs, making sure to smack me on the arm with his wing.

  “I’ve had bigger and better,” I muttered.

  He made a noise that was half-snarl, half-choking, and all outrage. Ignoring him, I made my way toward Namara, who remained on the bed and stared out at him through wide eyes.

  “I’m sorry for walking in on you,” I murmured.

  “Are you Queen Hades’ new body?” she asked.

  I swept my arms down my form. “What do you think?”

  “You’re exactly his type.”

  My chest filled with a chuckle. “I thought he had a variety of women.”

  She shook her head. “The ones he really wanted had red hair. Like yours.”

  And like her glamor. I kept that thought to myself. Whatever Hades did during the twenty-one years after he had decided to stop waiting for Persephone and before we met was his business.

  I flicked my head in the direction of the stairs. “Have I ruined things for you with Azriel?”

  Her shoulders sagged. “It would have gone bad anyway. Angels aren’t supposed to consort with demons, but I liked him so much.”

  “Really?” I wrinkled my nose. “But he’s so uptight.”

  “But we had so much in common.”

  My eyes bulged. “Like what?”

  “We’re both administrators,” she said. “I do the paperwork for the Fifth, and I manage His Majesty’s affairs in the world of the living. Azriel is a bureaucrat in Heaven who manages the Department of Demonic Affairs.”

  “That sounds…” I scrambled for something to say. “Okay, your jobs are similar.”

  “And he was honest,” she said. “Azriel never played games with me like other men did. He was gentle, eager to learn, and always so generous in bed.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Do you think he’ll calm down and return?”

  Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and she swallowed back a sob. “I knew he was too good for me, but he was so radiant and pure—”

  “Namara,” Azriel said as he bounded to the top of the stairs. “Forgive me, but I remained quiet to eavesdrop on your girl talk. I heard what you said.”

  “About what?” Her bottom lip trembled.

  “You thought I was too good for you.”

  I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Namara had got it all wrong. She was too good for him.

  She folded her arms over her chest. “That accusation you made really hurt. I didn’t set you up today for blackmail.”

  Nodding, Azriel took a step toward her, his arms outstretched. “I see that now.”

  “Do you?” she said, her voice sharp.

  “Please forgive what I said about demons,” he murmured. “None of what I said applies to you.”

  Namara swung her legs off the bed and rushed across the room, clad in her red armor. I backed toward the other set of stairs, wondering if that was actually her skin and all the time I’d seen her she’d been walking around naked.

  As I descended the stairs, Azriel swept her into his arms and peppered her face with kisses. I hurried down to the lower level. This was one reunion I didn’t want to watch.

  I stood at the bottom of the stairs, my mind whirling at what I’d seen in the mezzanine of Hades’ office. “What on earth brought me into this bizarre situation?”

  My shoulders sagged. I needed to see Namara because I had no idea where to find Dami and Macavity. I walked to the door and stepped out of Hades’ office into the space his assistant occupied, only to find a kindly looking old woman with long, gray pigtails sitting on one of the
sofas.

  “Excuse me,” I said. “Do you know how I might find Dr. Atallus?”

  She offered me a warm smile. “The cat doctor?”

  I nodded.

  “If you like, I can set the mirror to his coordinates.”

  “Thank you.” I sighed my relief as she rose from her seat and walked to the enchanted mirror.

  She placed a hand on its frame, making it glow, and stepped aside. “It’s my pleasure.”

  As I stepped in through the mirror, she bobbed into a deep curtsey. My feet landed on a concrete floor, and I found myself in a windowless room of gray walls.

  “Wait a minute.” I turned back to the mirror, which had now turned opaque. “How did she know my identity?”

  “Because Calla is one of my spies,” said a voice that grated across my nerves.

  Footsteps echoed toward me, making my skin tighten. I’d just walked into a trap, and now the mirror had gone dead.

  “Why have you not commenced your mission?” Samael asked.

  “You didn’t give me a timeframe,” I said from between clenched teeth.

  “Look at me,” he snapped.

  I turned around, locking gazes with his Dr. Samael form. Instead of the usual pinstriped suit, he wore a white safari outfit with a pair of matching gloves. His two-piece made him look even more emaciated, but I made an effort to keep my eyes well above his chest.

  “I expected you to have sent me confirmation of a successful coupling.” He clucked his tongue.

  I spluttered. “That’s impossible. No man is going to jump in bed with me after a few minutes.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.” He raised a hand, and out of the shadows stepped a pair of seven-foot-tall two demons, one with green skin and the other blue. “Tothguar, Ragnar. If given the chance, would you fuck Queen Hades until she conceived a litter of your spawn?”

  “Of course,” said Tothguar.

  Ragnar held his silence.

  “Well?” Samael asked the green demon.

  “My apologies, Sire,” Ragnar swept into a low bow. “But I would not presume to picture myself with a female as noble as His Majesty’s daughter.”

  Samael gave him a gentle pat on the arm. “That’s quite all right.” He whirled at Tothguar and stuck a knife in his gut. “You, on the other hand, have insulted my sweet Kora.”