Page 24

WHERE THE EMPRESS FINDS HERSELF BACKED AGAINST A WALL (AND PEAK SATISFACTION IS REACHED…)

The bell rang, and Hera all but ran. When she nearly barreled over the shortest bear in her haste to the door, she stopped dead in her tracks.

What on earth was she doing?

“Mistress?”

The bear looked at her, a very obvious question in his eyes. Yeah, she did not know what the hell—forgive me, Hades—she was doing.

“Can you… Hmmm…” She knew she sounded strange. His raised eyebrows told her as much. The bell rang again. He did not move. She laid her palm over her eyes. She was mucking this up.

“Take the evening off. All of you.” When he gaped at her, she quietly added in a whisper, “Please?” He made himself scarce in the blink of an eye.

Hera steadied herself and opened the door.

Nemesis was holding a bridle of all things. Hera blinked. Nemesis raised an eyebrow.

“Am I to expect a horse?”

“Would you want me to bring a few? My Furies own an entire stable upstate.”

Hera knew her face betrayed her confusion.

Nemesis dropped the bridle.

“Legend has it the Goddess of Vengeance carries scales, a whip, and a bridle. I had to remind a few mortals and deities today why I carry any of those.”

Hera knew about the scales. The whip was understandable. But the bridle?

Nemesis smirked.

“To restrain the culprits, to curb their pride, to put them in their place. Literally.”

Images flooded Hera’s mind.

Restrained, spread, consumed… Punished…

She shivered. Vengeance noticed, and the sharp jaw hardened, muscles working under pale skin. Hera shivered harder.

“I wonder if you’d enjoy it.” Nemesis took a step into the living room. Hera took a step back.

“I wonder if you’d enjoy being laid down…” Another step. “Your clothes removed slowly, piece by piece, till there is nothing to hide behind…” Another step. “Your hands lifted up above your head…” Another step. “Leather restraints holding them in place, till you grasp at them for purchase, not to free yourself, because you are spread, your legs, your cunt⁠—”

“Nemesis…” Hera’s back hit a hard surface. How had she even gotten this close to the wall in the massive living room? Her breath was coming out in shallow bursts.

The leather snapped quietly against Nemesis’s high boots. Hera tried to think.

“Tell me, Your Majesty.” Nemesis took the final step, and they were face-to-face. “Tell me.”

Hera could not have uttered a word if her life depended on it. Maybe it did? Wouldn’t that be a beautiful death? At the mercy of those eyes? Those hands?

She shook her head. Cold fingers immobilized Hera’s chin, keeping her still. Keeping her steady.

“Tell me.”

It was no longer a request. Not a plea. It was a demand, and Hera whimpered. She wanted… She wanted. She wanted those damn fingers inside her, taking her apart, fucking her. She wanted those damn fingers breaking her damn bed, ruining her.

Damn it all!