It shouldn't have surprised Lexi that she was able to enjoy Zeus's company. Despite his tendency to show off, he had been one of her favorite people for most of her life. He introduced her to horseback riding, accompanied her to the Beijing Olympics, and he had never missed visiting on her birthday. 

Then she found out he was actually an immortal god and planned to keep her as a servant in her own home. Oh, and he happened to be her birth father. After that, their relationship went to hell, and she had less patience for his tyrannical antics. At least, now she knew where they stemmed from.

"I was twenty-one when my powers started to manifest," Zeus explained as he thumbed through the book on his lap. "I remember how tough it was to control them at first. I had a terrible habit of setting my bedsheets alight. For several years, I slept on the balcony outside my bedroom."

Lexi had no interest in finding out what Zeus was doing to set his sheets on fire, but she chuckled at the image of the father of the gods curled in the fetal position on the floor. "How old were you when you stopped aging?"

"My powers reached full strength in my thirty-sixth year. My brother, Poseidon, had celebrated his thirty-second birthday before his powers came to fruition. Our sisters had all cultivated their gifts near the age of thirty. Hades was the youngest sibling to mature into his powers. The consensus around Olympus was that his powers did not warrant the additional time because his job as curator of the underworld did not require it."

Lexi's body tensed as she scowled. Did Zeus think she wouldn't take offense at him badmouthing the man she loved? "Is that why you don't treat him with respect, because you believe his godly powers aren't as great as yours?"

"What makes you think I don't respect Hades?"

"Gee, let me think. Because you never say a civil word to him, for starters."

"That is not true. Hades and I have an amicable relationship. It is only you who has not heard me say a civil word to him, and that is because he has taken you to the underworld without my consent."

"Hades didn't take me, I went of my own accord."

"And I still believe it was a foolish move on your part, but it is not too late to change your mind. I am willing to forget it ever happened if you will agree to..."

"Save your speech, Zeus. I love Hades and I would be miserable without him. End of story."

The pinched expression Zeus offered was one she had seen many times. He hated to be contradicted. "We will see how your story progresses once Persephone returns this winter. You have a strong will, Lexi, and I know you will make a great and powerful goddess someday. But you have yet to learn that pinning your hopes for happiness on a single being, god or man, will only bring disappointment. Even Hades will tell you that."

"Thanks for the lecture on codependency, but I'm perfectly capable of making my own happiness, thank you. If you will excuse me, we're done here."

Lexi left Zeus sitting under a pile of books and escaped to the kitchen, depositing her water bottle on the counter. She needed something stronger to silence the thoughts in her head, and the wine humidor held just the thing. Grabbing a bottle of Shiraz, a wine glass, and a corkscrew, Lexi slipped out of the house through the laundry room door. She carried her hoard to the stable, hoping for a bit of private time with Jackie O, since their previous visit had been cut short by a pair of horny gods. 

Her chest heaved at the memory of those few tense moments. If the thought of catching Hades and Clary in the act of passionate love making had her blowing up the horizon, what would it feel like knowing he and Persephone were pounding each other in the same damn castle? Lexi knew what she was getting herself into when she agreed to be Hades's consort, but now that Persephone's arrival was only two days away, she could hardly bear the thought. How did the gods handle it?

Jackie O greeted Lexi with an enthusiastic snort as she stopped in front of the stall. "Hello, my friend. I came back to keep you company, although I'm not sure what kind of company I'll be. It has been a strange day." Lexi opened the wine bottle, filled her glass, and took a long drink, savoring the bite of fermented grapes as she leaned against the gate. "Why do relationships have to be so complicated? Maybe that's why my parents tried to keep me naïve until I turned eighteen. They were trying to save me the pain of heartache. Or, more likely, Zeus was behind it all. If so, I hope he's regretting it. If I'd had a bit more experience, maybe I wouldn't have made the hasty decision to hop on the back of a magical horse and escape to..."

The sound of footsteps stopped Lexi in the middle of her monologue. Hades had a keen sense of knowing where to find her, and she bit her lip when she realized he may have overheard her spilling her guts. She didn't want him to think she held regrets. But it wasn't Hades who rounded the corner into the stable. It was Kade, and he was wearing a conspiratorial grin. The one she decided was his favorite. He waltzed up to Lexi, his eyes roving around the stable.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said. 

"Actually, I was hoping to get a few minutes of privacy, which has proven to be a difficult task this weekend."

"Are you saying, if I had been Hades you would have sent me away?" His grin widened as he took a step toward her, prompting her to take a step back.

"No. I would make an exception for him."

Kade didn't appear one bit interested in giving her privacy as he tried to pin her with a godly stare. "I want to apologize for what happened earlier, Lexi. When Clary and I came to the stable, we did not expect anyone to find us."

"Oh." Lexi swallowed hard. Why did Kade have to bring that shit up? "You don't have to apologize for that. It's not my business what you do to each other."

"Good. I thought, perhaps, you had been upset by it. You seemed a little distraught when we met on the path."

"I suppose I was a little distraught. I thought it was Hades in the loft with Clary, before I realized it was you. Your voices sound similar."

He bobbed his head, looking far too amused. "What did you see that convinced you I wasn't Hades?"

"Your hair, mostly. It's longer."

"Mostly? What else tipped you off?" Kade bridged the gap between them and Lexi nearly spilled her wine as he backed her into the gate. She knew what he was fishing for, and she wasn't going to play his wicked game.

"I didn't take pictures. Do you mind backing off? I feel like a sardine."

"Of course." Kade took a step back, but he still wore the expression of a god with lust in his heart. "You seem to have a strong connection with your horse. I expect you will miss each other when you return to the underworld."

Grateful for the subject change, she nodded as she let go of a sigh. "I've been wishing there was a way she could come with me, but I know that's impossible."

His lips curved thoughtfully, and he rubbed his chin, as if he was considering her impossible wish. "Actually, there might be a way. Aristaeus is the god of animal husbandry. He helped Hades breed the horses that lead his chariot. He should be able to tell you if your horse could tolerate the change."

"Really? What would it take?"

"I believe she would have to mate with an immortal horse, but there might be other complications. I could get a message to Aristaeus and ask him to bring one of his stallions down."

"Uh... I don't know. Jackie O has never been around a stallion. She might have trouble accepting him."

Kade chuckled. "That's where I can help. I have yet to meet anyone, animal or otherwise, who has not responded favorably to my godly powers. I am the god of temptation, remember? If you  need convincing, I would be happy to give you a personal demonstration."

He leaned against the gate, offering another mischievous grin, and Lexi's heart rate sped up. She tried to focus on her wine, bringing the glass to her mouth, but she lowered it again when she noticed her hand trembling. Kade was incredibly handsome, there was no doubt about that, and he appeared to be close in age to Hades. But she was not attracted to him. He was cocky, smug, and pushy; three traits she loathed in men. 

Physical attributes aside, Hades and his son were polar opposites, and Lexi didn't care what kind of tempting tricks Kade had up his sleeve, she had no intention of falling for them.