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I melted into him, my hands instinctively reaching up to grasp his shoulders, pulling him closer. The warmth of his body, the roughness of his hand against my neck, the heat of his lips on mine—it was overwhelming, consuming, and I didn’t want it to end.
Hades deepened the kiss, his other arm wrapping around my waist and pulling me tightly against him. I could feel the strength in his embrace, the raw power that had just brought a kingdom to its knees, but there was something more—something that spoke of his vulnerability and his need.
When he finally pulled back, his eyes were filled with a mix of emotions that left me breathless.
“Your arm,” he exclaimed.
I glanced down at the gash on my arm. Blood had soaked through the fabric of my sleeve, and the pain, now that the adrenaline was fading, was beginning to throb with a dull intensity.
Before I could say anything, Hades reached out, his fingers hovering just above the injury. I watched, mesmerized, as shadows began to swirl around his hand. They moved toward my arm, wrapping around the wound like a living bandage.
The cool darkness seeped into my skin, and I felt the pain begin to ebb away, replaced by a soothing warmth. The shadows knitted the flesh back together, leaving no trace of the injury, not even a scar.
“You put yourself in danger, little thief. Don’t think for a moment that I’m going to let you get away with that,” he said, his voice low and menacing, but there was a hint of something else—something that made my pulse quicken.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” I replied, trying to sound confident even as I felt my backside clench nervously under his scrutiny.
“When I get you back to my bedroom, I’m going to tear these leathers off of you and then I’m going to teach you what it means to truly belong to your king,” he growled.
A thrill shot through me at his words, a mix of fear and excitement that left me breathless. I tilted my chin up, refusing to back down, even as the promise in his voice sent a wave of heat through me.
“Is that a threat, Hades, or a promise?”
His lips curled into a dark smile, one that made my stomach flutter with both anticipation and dread.
“Oh, it’s a promise, little thief. One I fully intend to keep.”
“We’ll see about that,” I replied, unable to keep the slight tremble from my voice.
His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as he leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear. “Oh, we will, little thief. And when I’m done with you, there won’t be a doubt in your mind who you belong to.”
I felt the heat of his words coil in my belly, a potent mix of fear and desire that left me trembling.
“You talk a big game, Hades,” I whispered, my voice wavering just slightly. “But you might find I’m not so easily tamed.”
His fingers tightened around my neck, not enough to hurt, but enough to make his point.
“You underestimate me, my sweet, powerful Aria. And that’s a mistake you won’t make twice.”
I stared into his eyes, daring him to make good on his promise, even as my heart raced with anticipation.
“I’m not afraid of you,” I lied, though the truth was much more complicated.
“Good,” he whispered, his voice a dark caress against my skin. “Because I don’t want your fear, Aria. I want your surrender.”
CHAPTER 20
Helheim
Hades
The castle was silent as we walked through the halls together, the only sound our footsteps echoing off the stone walls all around us. I was acutely aware of every breath she took, of every step she made, of the faint scent of her sweat mingling with the metallic smell of blood.
She could have died out there.
I couldn’t shake the image of her standing alone against the Sun King’s commander, her slight frame so vulnerable yet defiant compared to his. From the sky during the midst of my own battle against the Sun King, I’d watched her with a fear I hadn’t felt in centuries. I hadn’t realized I could feel that sort of terror.
She meant something to me.
