TWENTY-ONE

"My, my. What a pretty little thing," said a voice behind her. Zeus' voice was like a dangerous caress. It was smooth and soft, like a feather down her skin but she has to be wary as it could turn into a knife any second.

His fingers wrapped around her neck and his other arm snaked around her waist, ensuring she doesn't get away.

Her heart thundered and her mind was clouded but she could see Hades and Cerberus in front of them. Hades' face was bland of any emotion but Cerberus didn't bother to hide his disdain.

"Are you perhaps scared, brother?" said Hades and the calmness in his voice did not match the thundering of her heart.

"She's a mortal. Is it really alright for you to go around and choke mortals?"

Zeus' hand tightened around her throat and she gasped. She was terrified and she had the feeling Zeus won't hesitate to snap her throat if he wants to. She hates how she's so powerless everywhere she goes.

She could feel his breath on the side of her cheek.

"Oh, it is alright for me. I wonder if it would be alright for you too," Zeus taunted and she could feel herself trembling.

Zeus' cold fingers traced her cheeks and she let out a shuddering breath. Why is she involved in this kind of situation?

"Poor thing is trembling too," he said as his hand went to rest on my shoulder. "I was lying. I am not allowed and it is not alright for me to kill mortals."

His hands let go of her throat. Both of his hands now are on her shoulder, squeezing them slightly as though reminding her of something she doesn't know.

"But I am allowed to take them too," he added. She could feel him grinning from saying those words and it added more to her nervousness. What does he mean? What is he trying to say?

Gently, he made her turn to her, and now she was facing another impossibly handsome man. Is there an unwritten law somewhere in the universe that gods and other similar beings should be insanely gorgeous? Because as she was looking a Zeus, she couldn't help but gasp at the sight of him.

"Tell me honestly, my dear," he said, and at the same time, his finger tipped her chin making her snap out of her senses. When she did really look at his face, she could see he was smiling at her. And if she hadn't known better, she would think the man has the kindest smile she has ever seen.

As she was staring at his face, she reminded herself how he's a god and that he could literally snap her like a twig if he wants to.

"If I offer you a chance...a way out, would you take it?"

Her heart thundered. A way out. A way out is what she was looking for. And Zeus is basically offering it to her.

He's strong. He can do anything. He remembered Hades saying it to her one time.

Could he really grant her that freedom?

From her experience, the last time she was granted that freedom, it didn't go exactly well for her. And besides, she barely knew the man. It was too good to be true and felt more like a trap than a way out. A huge part of her wanted to take the offer, grab it and never let it go. But something inside her screams for her to run in the other direction and never look back.

"I..." She couldn't manage to form the words in her mouth. "I want..."

Before she could even complete the sentence, she heard Hades' voice behind her.

"She's not going anywhere with you, brother," he said, and the way he said it was so full of confidence and conviction. "She stays here. She stays with me."

Zeus' bright smile dulled as he traced her face. "You're all the same," he said as he was still looking at her shocked face. He said it as though it was meant only for her and she knew what he was talking about. He was talking about that woman whom Hades took from him.

"We're not the same," she said, her voice quivering. "Me and that woman you once loved, we are not the same."

His brows furrowed but she went on.

"We are not the same person. So I don't want to take your offer. I am staying here and find my own way out."

She felt stupid for revealing that she had a plan to escape but it doesn't matter now. She's more focused on escaping Zeus. Something behind his bright smile doesn't sit right with her.

Zeus looked at her for a moment, as if looking for something in her face. And then a wicked grin escaped his lips that made her shiver.

"You're one brave woman for talking to me like that," he said and she did not say anything. The last thing she ever wanted is to add fuel to the fire. She knows she has somehow made him angry. She doesn't want to get him angrier.

He removed his hands from her shoulder and took a step back. The bright smile on his face is back and he looked at where Hades and Cerberus were standing

"You're not going to win against me," he said and at the same time, the sound of thunder echoed in the distance. "You will be cursed for the rest of your eternal life."

And then in an instant, he was gone.

***

"Didn't I tell you to go back to your chamber? But what did you do? You came back. How stupid could you be?" Hades yelled at her face the moment she was in her chamber.

She only sat on her bed and then he appeared out of nowhere and grabbed both her arms to force her to stand. Now, she's wincing at how hard he was gripping her arms.

Hades must have noticed it and muttered a curse before he pushed her back to the bed. She whimpered as she lay on the bed. She got no strength to fight back so she stayed on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Her encounter with Zeus was not good. She could still feel herself trembling at what happened earlier and she could feel her eyes getting hot with tears. She was scared for her life and at that moment, she thought Zeus was going to do something to her.

She was indeed stupid. Hades gave her a clear warning and yet she let her curiosity get the better of her. She eavesdropped and Zeus saw her. Of course, he would see her! He's not the most powerful god for nothing.

Closing her eyes, she let the tears fall. She doesn't care if Hades was still in her chamber or if he has gone out. It would be better if it was the latter but she knows he's still there. Quiet for some reason. Warm tears trickled down her cheeks as she let them flow.

She placed her arm over her eyes just to cover her face. Hades already sees her as someone weak. She hates it. And her encounter with Zeus earlier had shaken her up.

"Get up," she heard Hades order, and even though she didn't want to, she forced herself to get up. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and was surprised to see Hades already sitting on the bed.

"What—"

She wasn't able to finish what she was about to say when suddenly, she was lying on the bed with him on top of her.

"Hades—"

"I'm the god of the underworld," he said as he leaned closer to her. "Call me appropriately."

"I—I don't know—" her sentence was cut by a gasp as she felt his warm breath on her neck.

"Sire—"

She let out a whimper when she felt him bite the base of her neck. Her eyes went shut as she clamped her lips, stifling the moan that threatened to come out.

"That's right. Call me 'my lord', 'my king', call me that other than my name."

In an instant, she felt the cold air on her skin. She doesn't know how he did it but she was already naked under him.

"Hades—my lord—"

"Shh." His finger stopped her lips. "Allow me."

And then his lips hovered over the length of her neck that she couldn't stop herself from letting out a little moan.

"You're trembling," he said and it was true. She was trembling. "Is this because you're scared? Or is this because you're anticipating this?"

Which one was it? She's not scared at the moment. She was nervous. What she felt earlier with Zeus was so much different. At the moment, she felt ... hot. She felt like she wanted to achieve something but can't seem to get it. She was squirming underneath him.

"Answer me, Guinevere. Which one is it? Why are you trembling, hmm?"

She bit her lip as she felt his teeth grazing her skin, teasing her and making her submit. She knows why she was trembling. She just doesn't want to admit it. But with what Hades was doing, she doubts she would last long with her conviction.

A gasp escaped her mouth when she felt his hand just on the underside of her breast. Warmth pooled at the center of her thighs and she clenched her legs together. Then she felt his fingers tracing her skin downward, straight to the part where she was clenching her legs.

She wanted to have him touch her down there but he was taking his time.

"Tell me what you want," he whispered, his voice like a lover's caress. "Tell me what you want and I will give it to you right now."

"I want it," she said, not able to stop herself. Then she heard him let out a soft laugh before she felt him lick the side of her neck. It was dangerous. He was dangerous and yet here she is, letting him do things to him she never expected she'd ever experience.

"Then prepare yourself," he said and she could have sworn she saw stars when she opened her eyes.