Hades could barely contain his emotions. Had he finally found a goddess who would agree to be more than a consort? To share his home and keep him from his tortured thoughts. After so many rejections, it was something he rarely dwelled on. While Persephone had always been understanding, offering her arms as solace and sharing her adventures in Olympus to cheer him, she would never reveal her true concerns - that he might not find another to fill the empty space in his heart. The space she could not fill.
"So, what's our first move?" Lexi said, pulling Hades away from his thoughts. "I need to know more about the underworld before I make my final decision. Can we exchange letters? There's always Boston. I may be able to sneak away there."
Hades smiled. Something about Lexi's determined spirit told him she was going to give everything she had to the effort. She was thinking with her heart rather than her head, which was definitely encouraging. "My visits to the mortal world are limited and need approval from the council of the gods, but if you're able to break away from your parents while you're in Boston, perhaps we could meet for dinner next month. I hear the clam chowder is excellent."
"Like hell you will!" Z's voice boomed as his burly shoulders filled the space between the door frame.
Lexi immediately balled her hands into fists as they met her hips. "Honestly, Zeus. If you don't want to be the cause of my misery, you're going about it all wrong."
"You have no idea what you're considering, Lexi. I am saving you from a life of unhappiness. Remember, you will have eternity to regret your decisions."
"And you should know by now that I never make snap decisions. I plan to find out everything I can about the underworld before I..."
"I said, I forbid it!" Z slammed his hand against the wall, causing a picture of Lexi and her family to rattle loose from the nail. On impact, the glass shattered, spreading shards across the tile.
"You're an arrogant prick!" Lexi's eyes went wide as soon as she made her announcement, and she backed into the French door. Z promptly pursued her, but Hades stepped between them.
"Let's talk about this like rational gods," Hades said, knowing damn well Z was not interested in being rational.
"Out of my way, brother." Z pushed Hades aside, but Lexi had already escaped through the door and was sprinting for the rose garden.
The Maxwell's garden had been designed to mimic the labyrinth Daedalus built for King Minos of Crete, done on a smaller scale and without the added threat of a monstrous minotaur. While the towering hedgerows appeared intimidating, Lexi hurried into it without reservation, and Z stomped after her, cursing as he went.
"Dammit, Lexi! Stop this foolishness!"
Hades followed them in, pausing at the entrance to assess his options. He was no stranger to mazes, having navigated the labyrinth in Crete several times. He had three directions to choose; left, right, or straight ahead. It didn't take him long to pick up Lexi's scent, which lured him to the left.
He chased the trail of lemon verbena, hopingwith each turn he would spy the fiery goddess. Finally, he saw her as she slipped around acorner, and he shot forward, using his godlike speed to catch up. Once she was within his grasp, he grabbed her by the shirt and dragged her backwards into his chest.
Lexi's heart pounded like a blacksmith's hammer, and her eyes were wet with tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but Hades covered it with his hand as they listened for Z's heavy footfalls. Tugging on his arm, Lexi led him to the end of the path. Two turns later, they came to the exit on the far side of the estate. But Lexi was not done running. She hauled Hades onto the trail leading to the sea, keeping up a frantic pace as they maneuvered around roots and branches, stopping only when they had reached the beach.
"What's his fucking problem? It's like he's possessed," Lexi said as she bent over to catch her breath.
"I'm afraid I have very stubborn brothers. Poseidon is just as bad. You might as well give yourself up, Lexi. Z will not let you out of his sight now that he knows your intentions. We will just have to take what we can get and be happy with it."
"Hell, no! I will never bend to his will. If he thinks he can take over my life just because he's my father, he's got another think coming."
Lexi's erratic breathing had calmed, but her face remained flushed as she let her temper flare. Hades couldn't help admiring her tenacity.
"I think that's his point. As far as Z is concerned, you would not have a life if it weren't for him. Honestly, I suggest you take what he has offered before he takes it all." Hades hated to deliver harsh truths, but he had been delivering them for many turns of the hourglass. Yet, Lexi's situation felt different, since the truth impacted him personally.
With her fists clenched at her sides, Lexi paced across the sand, digging a trench into it. Her mind was racing. Hades could see it in her furrowed brows and pinched lips as she mumbled complaints under her breath. When he heard her say Is this love? his heart stuttered. That one word held so much sway over mortals. Even he was no stranger to the pangs of love and the desire to feel loved by someone he cared for. Of all the regrets he'd heard spoken by the souls who passed through his world, many lamented not spending enough time in love.
Hades stepped into Lexi's path, forcing her to stop, and he lifted her chin to face him. She needed to know how he felt before it was too late. "Look at me, Lexi. I want you to see how serious I am when I tell you this." She nodded, biting her lip to keep it from trembling. "I know a lot about mortals, and I know the importance they put on emotions. Contrary to what you may have read about us, gods feel intense emotions, too. And, like mortals, we have the power to destroy out of hate, or jealousy, or even love. Only we can wield that destructive power with our hands. It's a dangerous and often sobering responsibility.
"This is speculation on my part, but I expect you have been living your life like a god without realizing it. Your enthusiasm and energy are boundless. And your passion rivals that of any goddess I know. I can see you wielding your power with mercy and reserve. Our paths may have just crossed, but I already feel a deep connection with you. And I want you to know that I love you. Interpret that however you wish, but I swear it's the truth."
In a show of submission, he knelt before her and kissed her hand just as Z burst through the trees, pounding the sand toward them. He grabbed Lexi's arm, snatching it out of Hades's grasp, his face flushed violet as he roared.
"I have had enough of your games, Lexi! You are coming to Olympus now! And do not attempt to argue with me. It will only increase the severity of your punishment."
Lexi tried to wiggle out of Z's grasp, but to no avail, and a look of fear and helplessness spread across her face. Likewise, the air left Hades's lungs as his hopes evaporated like water on flames. To fight Z now would only end in pain for both of them, but his damnable brother could not be allowed to run around like a tyrant without facing some kind of resistance. Hades had to do something to prove he had genuine feelings for Lexi.
"I really must protest," Hades said as he assumed a bold stance beside Lexi. "You have not given Lexi time to digest everything that has been thrust on her these past few days. She deserves the respect that is due every god."
Z scowled. "Extract yourself, Hades, before I make your life infinitely harder."
"Not this time. There is nothing you can do to make my life harder."
Hades knew the storm was coming as he watched Z's eyes flash like lightning, and Z released Lexi's arm to give his full attention to Hades. "Do not taunt me. I will hurt you in ways you cannot imagine."
Hades waved his hand over his palm, conjuring an orange flame. He knew it would not impress Z, but Lexi's jaw dropped as she stared in wonder. "I am prepared to fight you in defense of Lexi's freedom."
A laugh burst from Z's throat, and he mocked Hades with an arrogant shake of his head. "Your paltry tricks do not intimidate me. But, if you are that confident in your abilities, how would it be if we raised the stakes? You strike first, and if I am subdued, you can court Lexi like the gentleman you claim to be. However, if I crush you in your attempt to defend Lexi's freedom, I will not only take Lexi home with me, I will keep your precious Persephone, forcing you to return to the underworld with no consort at all."
Hades willed his legs to hold him, but the blow Z delivered caused the fire in his hand to waver and shrink. While Hades's powers were effective in the underworld, Z's mastery of the elements could crush even the strongest god. Z knew this, and the smirk he wore proved the battle was over before it had begun. How could Hades show his competence when the stakes were so high? What was he thinking?
"Stop!" Lexi growled. "No one has to defend me. And I'm damned sure not going to come between Hades and Persephone. Why are you so worried about me anyway, Zeus? I'm only a demigod. I'll never possess the gifts of a true god."
"That is where you are wrong, young one," Z said, his voice softening as he spoke to her. "Dionysus had a mortal mother, as did Perseus and Heracles. And they all play an important role in Olympus. I expect you to be no less divine than they are. That is why I will do anything to protect you."
"How does keeping me from someone I love translate to protection?" Lexi's eyes flared with emotion, making them look like sapphire stars, and the fire in Hades's hand blazed up in response to her admission of love.
"You do not love Hades," Z argued. "You are confusing love with lust. I promise, Lexi, you will find your mate someday, and you will realize that lust is a luxury that does not always equate with love."
"Can you stop being a self-absorbed ass for one second and see things from my perspective? I may be a goddess, but I have lived my life as a mortal for eighteen years. I don't feel invincible or powerful or full of myself. But I do know what love feels like, and, thanks to Hades, I know what lust feels like. And I want both from my mate."
Z's jaw went rigid, but he maintained a non-threatening stance as he continued to speak over Lexi's head. "Then I will find you a mate who will provide you with both. In spite of what you may think of me, I want you to be happy."
"So, suddenly you're an expert on my happiness? You really are impossible!" Lexi huffed and stomped towards the sea, leaving Z and Hades standing in the sand.
Hades shrugged at his brother as they watched Lexi wade into the water and kick at it violently. "Looks like you have your hands full, Z. When you're ready to throw in the towel, you know where to find me."