Vowed to Hades (Romancing the Seas #4)

30. Hades

HADES

T he world shifted again, the warm glow of the sun giving way to the cool, mysterious light of the moon.

Hades and Persephone found her past self walking toward the small house they had seen earlier, the one nestled quietly at the edge of the village. Her past self moved with an almost ethereal grace, her Grecian gown flowing softly around her ankles, the night air cool against her skin.

Present-day Persephone trailed behind, her heart pounding as she followed the echo of her past. Everything about this scene felt familiar, yet wrong, as if a dark shadow loomed just out of sight.

And then she saw him.

A man approached her past self from behind, his footsteps silent but purposeful. Past Persephone paused, sensing his presence, and turned to face him.

The man stepped into the moonlight, his features suddenly illuminated, and present-day Persephone's stomach knotted in dread.

Adonis.

Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him approach her past self, his expression charming, yet there was an undercurrent of something darker.

He started speaking, his words too soft for Hades to hear, but there was a discomfort in Persephone’s past self’s eyes, the way she tried to politely distance herself from him.

"Please, leave me be," past Persephone said, her voice firm, yet tinged with anxiety.

But Adonis didn’t listen. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to her, insisting she come with him.

The moonlight cast a harsh glow on his face, revealing a predatory gleam in his eyes that sent a shiver down present-day Persephone's spine.

The struggle began swiftly, Adonis grabbing her past self's arm with a force that made Persephone wince.

She watched in horror as past Persephone struggled, trying to break free, her fear growing with every second.

And then, from the shadows, Hades emerged.

He moved with a quiet, lethal grace; his eyes locked on Adonis with a fury that burned like the fires of the Underworld.

Without a word, he intervened, prying Adonis away from Persephone and tossing him to the ground .

The two men clashed in the moonlight, a flurry of fists and curses.

Hades fought with a controlled, terrifying power; each strike calculated to wound. Adonis, despite his charm, was no match for the god of the Underworld.

After a particularly brutal blow, Adonis stumbled back, clutching his side, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He didn’t stay to fight.

“This is not over. You will regret this,” Adonis spat before he limped away, the darkness swallowing him whole.

Past Persephone had fallen to the ground during the struggle, and Hades rushed to her side, his expression softening.

He extended a hand and helped her to her feet.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice low, concern etched into his features.

Past Persephone looked up at him, her eyes wide with both fear and gratitude. “Thank you for saving me,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “But I have to go.”

“Of course,” Hades affirmed. “I only wanted to be sure you are unharmed.”

She ran into the house, and Hades watched her from afar, a mix of longing and sorrow in his gaze.

Present-day Persephone stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. “Adonis…” she whispered; her voice barely audible.

“Is a leech. A stain on humanity,” Hades finished for her, his voice steady, despite the storm brewing inside of him. “He’s wanted you for a long time, Persephone.”

Persephone sat and slumped back against an olive tree. “Tell me what happened. How did he…”

Hades dragged a hand over his face as a fresh wave of guilt washed over him.

He knew that he’d have to relive the worst day of his existence, but until then, he’d blocked it out. Too focused on reclaiming his queen. Too distracted by war, and alliances. And making things right again.

But now, he was forced to face the ugly truth.

“I vowed to protect you,” he began, staring at the grass, unable to meet her gaze. He sucked in a breath, stealing courage. “And I did. Until… you didn’t need me to protect you anymore.”

His lips twitched as a rush of memories flooded his mind. “You became deliciously dark as your powers grew. And with them, so did your confidence.”

Hades paced, rubbing small circles in his left palm with his thumb. The pressure was soothing as his mind began to access forbidden memories.

“Adonis was using magic to prolong his life. He should have died. Persephone, you… you wanted to torture him. And when one thousand years passed, and he still did not come to the Underworld… You made a choice.”

Hades glanced at Persephone. Her mouth was open .

“Why would I care, after so long? He is just one man. Surely…”

Hades laughed. “You, my dear, have the remarkable ability to hold a grudge far longer than anyone I know. Perhaps, even Hera.”

Persephone sighed, and her expression turned thoughtful. “Then what happened?”

Hades sighed. “Well. Over time, we had sent people to drag him to the Underworld. Knights, hunters, pirates, even gladiators. But they all failed.”

Hades ruffled his hair as a prickle of emotion rippled through him. “You insisted on going yourself. I joined you, of course. When we reached the outside of the palace, and saw the vast statues of men…”

His eyes stung, and the words got stuck in his throat. Hades swallowed. “You connected the dots before I did. You said that he had used magic to curse the land. No man could step on his grounds without succumbing to it.”

“So, I went in alone,” Persephone said, her voice faraway and soft.

She blinked several times, as though the memory was filtering into her mind. “You begged me not to go. You said, ‘I cannot protect you in there,’ and I laughed.”

Slowly, she rose to her feet and reached for Hades's face. “I kissed you… here.” She planted a kiss on his right cheek. “And I said that I didn’t need your protection anymore. ”

Hades's shoulders sagged, and he looked down. “You remember.”

Of all of the memories, he wished she never recalled that one.

Persephone dropped her hand and grew thoughtful as she began to pace. “I figured out the curse wouldn’t affect me. I walked with a stride that was so confident. Arrogant, even. I truly thought there was nothing this pitiful human could do to me.”

The world shifted and suddenly, Hades and Persephone were standing in Adonis's palace.

The sunlight streamed in through the tall windows like broad strokes of glittering magic. The air shimmered. And past Persephone entered the hall, slamming the double oak doors open. She was a vision of black leather. Her long hair radiated with power, glowing like fire.

“Adonis.” Her voice thundered, making the floor tremble.

Hades was spellbound as he watched his beloved.

Several guards rushed out from the halls; their weapons raised to meet the intruder.

But Persephone curled her fingers and snapped her wrist to the right. Cracking bones flooded the air as the guards fell. Their limbs twisted in unnatural ways until Persephone clenched her fists, and their eyes exploded in their sockets. Pools of blood soaked the mosaic tile floor.

More guards came .

And Persephone unleashed her powers. She was relentless.

Her blood-red lips curved upward, and her eyes darkened with fury as she wielded her magic.

She raised her palms, and four guards lifted from the ground.

They shouted to each other; their cries desperate.

Then she thrust her hands down, ramming their bodies to the floor with such force that they splattered like bugs.

Hades watched her in awe.

She was magnificent. Beautifully deadly.

It reminded him why he let her go in the first place.

She was not afraid. Nor should she have been.

For she was not just his Dark Queen.

She was death.

Then, a tall man strode into the room. A bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.

The air shifted, and Persephone stopped killing to take a good look at him.

“You came back for me,” the man said, as though he could not believe it.

Persephone’s brows knitted together. “I am here to drag you to the fires of the Underworld. And if you think that one arrow can stop me…” She gave a derisive laugh, her palms falling by her sides.

But Adonis did not hesitate. He nocked the arrow, pulled it back, and let it fly .

Time slowed down, as the arrow sailed across the room.

Hades caught a flash of something in the light, the arrow was drenched in shimmering liquid.

“No!” he cried, despite it being no use. He and present-day Persephone were merely spectators for this.

When the arrow buried itself in Persephone’s bosom, his heart shattered.

“What is this? What did you do?” past Persephone stammered, clawing at her neck.

A purple trail formed, blanching her usually pale skin. It stretched out her arms and neck, and when it reached her eyes, she slumped down.

Adonis was at her side in an instant, cradling her. “It’s all right, my love. I’m here.”

Slowly, the purple sank into her skin, and Persephone’s eyes clouded. She blinked several times, looking at Adonis with confusion. “Who are you? What happened? I…”

She glanced at the destruction around them and gasped.

Adonis held her more tightly.

Hades circled them, rage seething through his body.

Present-day Persephone seemed frozen as she watched in silence.

Then Adonis kissed past Persephone. “I am your husband, my love. Your beloved Adonis. And you are mine forever more, Persephone. ”

Persephone had her fingers pressed to her temples as she screwed her eyes shut.

Hades watched with concern as she dry heaved, it was apparent that the truth was settling deep within.

The man she had once believed to be her protector was nothing but a predator.

Suddenly, the world shifted again, but this time, it wasn’t Hades that caused the change.

He frowned, looking around them, wondering where or when they were now.

They stood in the field, outside the little house on the hill. A tiny strand of smoke coiled from the chimney, stretching toward the sky.

Persephone’s past self ran out of the house. “Hades!” she called out, her voice echoing through the night. “Hades, please show yourself!”

His past self appeared before her, and without hesitation, she ran into his arms.

“I will be your wife. Just take me away from this wretched place,” she pleaded, her voice trembling. “I want you to teach me to be strong. To be brave. I can’t take this any longer. I can’t live in a world where women are nothing but dogs to men. I want to rule. I want to be respected. I need to feel power, because here, I am powerless.”

Hades held her close, his brow furrowed with concern. “Are you sure, Persephone? You need to understand what you are asking. If you come with me, you will never be the same. Yes, I will awaken your powers, I will help you become the most feared queen in all of the realms. But I confess, you will lose your innocence, your sweet nature will forever be tainted. I do not wish to corrupt you.”

But past Persephone rose on her tiptoes and kissed him hard with her hands on his cheeks. When she pulled away, her eyes burned with a steely resolve.

“Well, I do,” she said, her voice steady and strong.

“The heavens shall be my witness, I, Persephone, vow to be your wife, Hades of the Underworld. For as long as I breathe, I shall serve you. I shall belong to you, and no one else will touch me.”

Hades knelt before her. “Nay, you shall not merely be my wife. You shall be my Dark Queen, and just as you shall belong to me, I will be yours for all eternity, and together, we shall rule.”

The vision faded just as the two lovers shared a kiss under the moonlight.

Hades's heart ached, but the memory had soothed him from the pains that came with the previous one.

He remembered that night like it was yesterday. The way her hands trembled in his, and her lips moved with urgency over his mouth.

He watched present-day Persephone with keen interest.

“Are you… starting to remember?” he asked, hesitant.

Persephone’s gaze dipped to Hades's lips, and the world shifted again .

This time, they were in a remote field, with a lake in the center. The moon was out in full, its light was like a giant orb across the glassy surface of the water.

Persephone watched her past self walking side by side with past Hades.

Then in a flash, he had her pinned to a tree. The two lovers were bathed in silver moonlight as their hands roamed each other’s bodies, and moaning shattered the silence.

Persephone grew hot as she watched, fascinated.

She edged closer, to get a better look at her face. When the lovers broke apart, past Persephone’s face was shiny with perspiration.

She gave Hades a hungry look, then her lips curved upward. Without breaking eye contact, she slid her hand under the waistband of his trousers.

Present-day Persephone gasped, clamping her hands over her mouth as she watched her past self fondling Hades in a way that made her blush.

“Slow down,” past Hades growled, but his face had broken into a smile.

When past Persephone refused, he clamped a hand over her neck, pinning her to the tree.

“Behave yourself…”

Past Persephone’s eyes sparkled, and she laughed.

Despite Hades's hand firmly holding her by the neck, she appeared delighted.

Then her eyes turned to slits, and she said one word that made present-day Persephone hold her breath.

“Harder.”

When the vision ended, present-day Hades and Persephone were standing in a quiet garden.

Persephone stood very still, staring at the place where their past selves had been only moments before.

“Take me out of here,” she said finally. “Take me back to the Underworld. I’ve seen enough.”

Hades didn’t hesitate. He opened a portal, and they stepped through, leaving the past behind.

They reappeared in the darkened garden, the quiet, eerie beauty of the Underworld was a refreshing change to the traumas they left behind.

Persephone’s chest rose and fell in quick succession.

“You’re hyperventilating,” Hades said gently, guiding her to sit on a stone bench. He knelt in front of her.

“Slow breaths, my love,” he whispered. “Hold, one, two, three.”

He rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles and talked her through a panic attack. “That’s it. Steady. Slow exhale. I’ve got you.”

Persephone’s face was shining with sweat, as she sucked in slow breaths and worked to match her breathing to Hades.

He held her gaze and squeezed her hands, waiting for the moment to pass.

When it finally did, her shoulders settled, and she took one deep breath of relief. Then her eyes grew misty, and a wave of emotion crossed her features.

“I see you now,” she whispered.

She swept his hair across his brow and rested a hand on his cheek. “Adonis is the true villain here. Not you, Hades. He stole me from you. He cursed me. But you… you brought me home. And you stayed with me, even after all the cruel things I said to you.”

A tear rolled down Persephone’s face, Hades swiped it away with his thumb.

“I would never leave you,” Hades said, giving her a stern look. “Even if you tried to kill me a thousand times. Even if you spent the rest of our existence hating me and cursing my soul. I would never stop loving you.”

Persephone leaned in, her lips brushing against his in a tender kiss. When she pulled away, her eyes burned with the same resolve he had seen in the past. “Take me to our room,” she demanded.

Hades's heart warmed at the determined look on her face.