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Prepare

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Chapter 13: Prepare (Persephone's POV)

I walked over to the couch in his office and plopped down, kicking my slides off and lying down. I can't believe I toured the underworld in pajamas like this. I rested my head on the armrest and then closed my eyes, resting my hand on my stomach and thinking, really thinking. 

About what the hell I'm actually doing. I'm marrying a Greek God. Who I don't even like. But we're out here promising to love each other. And I know, I know I told Cronus that I could easily force myself to love someone if I had to, but I don't know if that's actually true. If I end up loving Hades, it has to be because I wanted to. Because I couldn't help myself. Because I really, genuinely— 

"Fell in love with me." 

I looked over, rolling my eyes. "You really don't know what the word 'privacy' means, do you, Hades?" 

"Not when it comes to you," he smirked, looking at me. "You should be glad I have this ability. You know, in a little while, when you're head over heels in love with me... Even before that, actually. You'll never have to tell me what it is that you want. I could just read your thoughts." He winked. 

"Yeah," I said slowly. "No, that's not going to make me fall in love with you. I want to see you trying to woo me and mean it. Not just reading my thoughts and doing whatever I wish for blindly." 

"No?" He stood up slowly and started walking over to me, rounding his desk. 

"Nope," I replied, still lying down. I faced the ceiling again and draped one arm over my eyes. "I want to see how far you're willing to go. Without your powers. I'm a human, remember? I like human habits," I chuckled softly. 

"Do you?" 

I pulled my arm down and turned to look at him, my breath getting caught in my throat when I realized he was kneeling beside the couch, his face only inches away from mine. 

"Does this count then?" he whispered softly. 

"Does what count?" I mumbled, staring at his eyes. Why the hell is my heart... pounding? 

"You're right," he nodded. "Your heart is pounding," he smirked. 

I rolled my eyes, letting out a groan, and then shoved him away but he grabbed my wrist, keeping my hand pressed firmly against his chest. 

"You can admit it, my love." 

"Admit what?" I turned my head to look at him again. 

"You can admit you like me." 

"As if," I laughed. "I don't like you, I don't even know you." 

"You don't have to know me to like me. You like me more than you want to, that's for sure." 

"Like isn't the right word," I said pointedly. 

"No? Then what do you call it?" 

"I call it..." I trailed off, propping myself up on my elbows and leaning in, closer to him. "Attraction," I smirked, pushing him hard enough to make him fall back and sit on the floor. 

"Attraction, you said?" He scooted closer, crossing his legs under him and remaining seated on the floor while he stared at me as I lay back down. 

"Yes," I answered honestly. "Because you're..." 

"I am?" He prodded. 

"Pretty," I whispered. "You're very pretty." 

He frowned a little. "Not that I mind 'pretty' but can't you say handsome?" 

"That's sexist." 

"Absolutely not. There's no problem with what you said, men can be pretty. I am. But handsome makes me happier than pretty." 

"Well." I rolled onto my side, propping up my elbow and holding my head in my hand. "Good thing I'm not trying to make you happy, isn't it?" 

He smiled, knocking my hand out from under me. 

I laughed softly, resting my head and staring at him. "Don't read my thoughts, Hades." 

He nodded slowly. "I won't. For now." 

He's not half as bad as I thought he was initially. He's sweet, at least he acts like it. He's protective of me, which means he takes care of me. I saw how worried he got when I nearly fell into the Lethe and even when we got back to his castle and I complained about my body aching. He seemed genuinely concerned. But that's not because he likes me or because he's genuinely worried about me. 

No. 

He's worried about his queen, the one who boosts his powers and keeps him on the throne. He's not worried about me because he likes me, he's only worried because I'm useful. He kept staring at me, trying to figure out what I was really thinking without using his powers. I noticed him doing it at his palace when I jumped into the conversation with Cronus and he's doing it now too. He gets this little crease between his eyebrows and his lips form into a pout. It's quite cute, actually. Quite cute. 

But fuck if he isn't handsome. He is. He's really handsome. 

His lips slowly formed into a smile. "You thought I was handsome," he smirked. 

"You said you wouldn't read them!" I turned and stared at the ceiling, covering my eyes with my arm again. 

"I was trying not to but curiosity was killing me. You kept staring at me, I wanted to know what you were thinking about me." 

"Be fair about this." I blinked at him. "If you're reading my thoughts, you should be honest with me about your thoughts at that exact moment. That's equality." 

He chuckled softly, "Well, darling, then there'd be no difference. My power wouldn't be a power. So, no thank you." 

"You're a dick," I said, emphasizing my words. 

"A little bit," he nodded softly, smiling. 

I laughed, rolling my eyes. I could feel his eyes still on the side of my face as I faced him. "What?" I whispered. 

"Can I kiss you, Persephone?" 

"No," I sang, shaking my head. 

"Why not?" he mumbled. 

"Because I don't think you really want to. I think you want me to think you do so that I fall in love with you." 

"But I do. You're beautiful and kissable too. Why not?" 

"Because as of today, I don't like you," I answered. 

He processed that for a short minute. "But I like you," he argued. 

"That's not what I meant and you know it." 

"You know what I meant, don't you? I like you, really." 

"Why?" I rolled my eyes. "Because I'm useful to you?" 

"No, because you're stunning and everything I could have ever wanted." 

"Liar," I snorted. "There is no way I was the Persephone you had in mind. You probably expected me to be somebody submissive and sweet and delicate." 

"You are none of those things. And you might not believe me, but I'm very glad about that. If you were submissive, sweet, and delicate, my father would be able to manipulate you with ease. Not just him, anybody." 

"Even you?" 

He nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to my lips. "Even me," he said softly. 

"Then why do I feel like you'll still try your hand at manipulating me?" I asked, lifting a brow. 

"Because I am a manipulator," he admitted. "But I swear on my entire world, Persephone. On everything in it, on my whole existence. I would never manipulate you." 

"Intentionally," I added knowingly. 

"Or unintentionally, sweetheart. I don't think you understand how long I've spent looking for you. You have no idea what it feels like to be alive for centuries, looking for something so desperately. When you finally find it, you don't take risks with it, Persephone. You keep it close." 

"How close?" I mumbled. 

He grabbed my hand that was resting on the couch, by my thigh, and brought it to his chest. "This close." He brought it to his lips, kissing the back of my hand. "Sometimes this close." He tugged on my hand and I fell off the couch since I was lying along the edge anyway and into his lap, sitting up. 

I rolled my eyes, trying not to smile. 

"But... preferably this close." 

"You're full of shit, asshole." 

"Arsehole? Ouch," he scoffed. 

I laughed, hearing him say 'arsehole' because I forget he's British. I got used to the accent quickly. "Let me go," I requested. 

He shook his head. "Not a chance. Not now that I finally caught you." 

I stared at him for a while wondering if I could really do this. Love him and mean it. Be his queen and like it. Be his wife and accept it. I think if we tried. Together. I could work with it. 

"Persephone, you need to prepare." 

"Prepare for what?" I asked in confusion. 

He licked his lips, sighing and looking away. 

"Hades," I mumbled warily. "Prepare for what?" 

He looked back down at me. "The first year after marriage, you have to live in the underworld." 

"What?" 

"Just for one year. To fully ascend to the throne as my queen and get used to your powers. You can't be let back into this realm until you have full control over your powers and until you understand your duties as queen." 

"And that will take an entire year?" 

He nodded hesitantly. "A year with me in the underworld," he stated. "How bad could it be?" 

"Horrible," I said it like it was obvious. 

"Really?" He narrowed his eyes at me, his fingers digging into my waist as he poked and tickled me. 

I squirmed, grabbing his hands. "Don't," I warned. "You have that huge castle, by the way. Does anybody live in it besides you, Dashiell, the staff, and Cerberus?" 

He leaned in by my ear. "Ghosts," he whispered. He pulled back to look at me as my eyes widened. 

"Really?" 

He nodded confidently. "You can meet them soon." 

"No, thanks," I laughed awkwardly. 

He chuckled at my reaction. 

Ghosts are cool and all but... I don't want to meet them, no thanks. Hard pass. 

"Persephone." 

"Hmm?" 

"Would you like to live in the underworld with me?" 

"Starting when?" 

"Now. Tonight." 

I blinked once. Then twice. "You... want me to move to the underworld with you... tonight?" 

"Yes. I want you to be familiar with the castle and the realm before you become queen. It'll make things much easier. And you'll feel safer there. You'll be more familiar with the area and—" 

"Yes," I cut him off. Why? I have no idea. But I felt drawn to agreeing. I'm about to do everything for him for no actual reason. It doesn't benefit me in any way. I'd be fine if I said no, Cronus wouldn't kill me then. But Hades, his entire world, all the souls in it... they'd all stop existing. And I don't want that. I actually want him close. Close to me. He makes me feel safe, whether I like it or not. I talked back to his dad today only because he was right there with me. Maybe it's true. 

"It is," he smiled. He's never going to stop reading my thoughts. "That's right, I won't, so get used to it." 

I chuckled, shaking my head. 

"But it's true, Persephone. We really do power each other. I bring you up, you bring me up. That's why we exist." 

"To bring each other up?" 

"Mm-hmm," he nodded. "Precisely."

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Chapter 13

I've already decided to make this story a little shorter than usual because it's supernatural. I don't write supernatural a lot and I feel like supernatural stories become a shitshow if they're dragged on for too long. so this book may not be 40+ chapters like most of my books are, but I'm trying to make it as good as possible, I promise

also, just reconfirming, when I finish this I WILL go back to the Chicago Sinner Series, don't worry about that please <3

next chapter: hide