Calypso

His eyes were full of mystery as they turned toward me. I wished I knew what he was thinking.

“What are you thinking?” I asked, too impatient to play guessing games.

He spread his arms. “You act as though you care.”

I might have been offended by his words, but his tone seemed more thoughtful than accusatory. So instead I shrugged.

“I do care. I love my children. And they love me, too, don’t you, Bruce.” I smushed my face against my favorite great white’s cartilaged nose. Bruce had been with me as a pup. I’d found him half starved and gored through the side by the rapier edge of a swordfish’s snout. I’d nursed him back to health, and now my baby was a fully grown twenty-foot monster with teeth the size of my fist.

Bruce head butted Hades in the center of his back.

“Is he tasting me?” he asked when Bruce’s tail snapped his thigh.

“No. What would give you that idea?” I smiled, slapping at Bruce’s head when he opened his massive jaws to take a bite out of Hades’ delectable ass.

That was my ass, thank you very much.

“Go find your own ass, Bruce. Now go.” I flicked my wrist at him.

His look was grumpy, but Bruce always wore a grumpy look. He took an angry swipe at a passing red horned devil octopus, slurping it down in one mighty gulp.

I grimaced. Okay, so maybe he had been tasting Hades.

Moments later, we arrived at my home. It wasn’t much, just a simple temple composed entirely of gold, mother of pearl, marble, and coral. The temple stretched a good four hundred feet or so in either direction, with pillars that supported the heavy beams. Every brick of gold gleamed, resplendent in the early-morning wash of light. I was rather fond of my humble abode, if I must say so. As Queen of the Sea, I could have chosen any place in the waters to call home, but this cozy house suited me just fine.

With a thought, I pushed the massive gates open and was immediately greeted by Linx.

But her horsey smile vanished almost instantly the moment her gaze alighted upon my captive.

Why is he here? She demanded. Miniature bolts of lightning sparked off her hooves as she struck the gold-veined marble floor.

I’d still not released Hades’ hand. Or maybe he hadn’t released mine. I tried to disentangle my fingers and couldn’t.

Oh, that was interesting indeed. I grinned.

“I do hear you, you know.” His voice was a deep, almost seductive purr, and it made me frown.

“Are you seducing my hippocampus?” I twirled on him, shoving him back with a wall of water.

But Hades was no mere man, and my show of theatrics did not impress him. He brushed off his black coat without answering me and turned to address Linx once more.

“I have nothing but the highest respect for you, dear hippocampus. Your people have always been good to mine. I hope we can remain cordial during my stay here.”

“Incarceration,” I was quick to correct, noting that his honeyed words had turned my mule of a companion into a puddle of goo.

She now wore a sleepy-eyed, dreamy look. Zeus had once lain with a swan, so it wasn’t hard for me to believe there could be some hippocampus-and-Death Boy love a-brewin’.

“My ass,” I snipped and slapped my palm to his rock-hard cheek—the one down there—and squeezed.

Hades rose on his toes, glowered at me, and then swatted at my hand. “My ass. Where is my room, Calypso?”

“Fine.” I flicked my fingers, sending him away and locking him in my room.

It was the most comfortable room in the temple anyway. With the biggest bed and the softest bedding. He’d quite appreciate it, I was certain.

Linx turned on me immediately, neighing in the soft, wuffly kind of way she did when she was confused.

“Hades has probably killed Persephone or done something to her body. The pantheon has sentenced him to purgatory of a sort.” I lifted my hand. “I offered to keep him safe until they finished their inquiry into her disappearance.”

To be honest, I wasn’t quite certain Hades hadn’t done it. Even I knew of the animosity between him and ‘Sephone.

Did he do it?

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

Then why did you bring him here? I thought you were simply supposed to fix our dead problem.

Giving her wide eyes, I thinned my lips. “I did fix our dead problem, Linx. I opened the gates.”

She frowned prettily, causing her scales to glimmer like dusted emeralds in flame. I ask you again, Calypso, why is he here? You did not need to bring him to fix our problem.

At the time, it’d seemed like the thing to do. Especially with Dite whispering in my ear. Not to mention my sudden interest in intercourse and my fascination with Hades’ broad shoulders and delicious rear.

“I want him. That is why.”

You were pawing at him.

“I was claiming him. There’s a difference.” I sniffed.

I don’t want him. She shook her head.

And I could only lift a brow, because it hadn’t looked that way to me. “Well, I’m merely making sure he understands how things are going to work between us during his stay. He is my prisoner. I will sex him and then return him when his two weeks are up. I really do not see what the problem is here.”

Linx’s velvety nostrils flexed, and I could tell, after a lifetime together, that she had more to say but wasn’t quite sure how to say it.

“Just tell me,” I snapped, crossing my arms and beginning to get cross with her.

Only that I’m not sure that is the best way to engage his affections, Dear One.

“Oh,” I laughed and batted a wrist, “is that all? I don’t want his love, I just want his body.”

Her frown grew deep. Maybe you should go visit Nimue this evening. Speak to her about this situation and see what she has to say.

Hm. Not a bad thought at all. Nimue was wise in the arts of men. I hadn’t really thought to involve her in any of this, but now it seemed like a good idea.

“Yes, that is just what I shall do. But first, I’ll eat a bite of lunch.”

Nodding happily, Linx swam off to her stables, while I turned toward the kitchens in search of a quick bite.

I was just hugging a bowl of crab apples under my arm to go sit and eat them (I’d “borrowed” a few from Hades’ orchard) when the water before me swirled a tinted pink color that sparkled with veins of glittering gold.

Knowing immediately who was reaching out to me, I took a bite of one crabby apple and blurted, “Proceed.”

The water formed into the image of Dite. She was much prettier down here than in the Above. Her curves were no longer built of flesh but of water, and she shone like a pale-blue beacon.

The temple suddenly buzzed with life as glowworms crawled from out of their hiding holes to come and witness the rarely seen spectacle.

Aphrodite smiled, and I couldn’t help but return it.

“What?” I asked around a mouthful. I wanted to visit with Nimue as soon as could be, and as much as I enjoyed Love’s company, I had places to be.

“How goes the seduction, Caly?”

I shrugged. “Is that all you think about?”

Giving me wide eyes that clearly read “What do you think?” she nodded. “Of course.”

“Fabulous.” I swallowed my bite of apple, took another, swallowed that one too, and then grinned. “He sports quite an erection when around me. I think I should have my wicked way with him this evening.”

She giggled, and I frowned.

“Oh, this should be fun, I’ve been waiting for the day that Hades was forced to yank the stick out of his ass.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what that had to do with me, but I said, “Mmhmm.” Then, quickly switching subjects, I asked, “Any news regarding Persephone?”

“None yet.” She shook her head. “It is like she and Cerberus vanished from the face of the earth. Apollo is scouring the grounds of Elysia as we speak. After that, he’ll head into the Above while he still dominates the skies of Olympia.”

“Hm, well, let us know.”

“Will do.” She seemed as though she meant to vanish, but with a small shake of her head, the Goddess of Love turned back to me. “Calypso, I’m well versed in matters of the heart. You should know that while Hades appears coarse and even at times cruel, he is lonely. More lonely than any one of us. Treat him kindly.”

I’d had no intention of not treating him kindly. “I would think having sex every night would be a boon and not punishment, Dite.”

“He is a man, darling. But that is not of what I speak. Be yourself with him. Do no other, beneath the hard exterior beats the heart of a man. Remember that.”

That literally made no sense to me. But I nodded anyway.

“May I come and visit again?” she asked.

“Of course. But no other, I find the lot of you Olympians to be thoroughly disreputable.”

Her tinkling laughter rolled through the waters, casting a dizzying spell on all that heard it.

With a gentle pop, Aphrodite vanished.

Smiling from ear to ear at this point, I downed three more apples, washed them down with a jar of honeyed mead, and drew a hand down my body., twisting my form yet again into the one Nimue was now familiar with, that of a scullery maiden who also happened to be one of Nim’s very best friends.

Humming happily to myself, I made a mental note to ask Nim which position men liked best before our visit ended.