Atlantis, twenty-nine years ago…

He was leaning on the balcony of his rooms, which ran around the entire tower and sat at the highest point of his palace, something he had created to enjoy a view of the entire city and kingdom whenever he wanted. He adored his city, his world. The sense of serenity and tranquility this place instilled in him was unlike anything else he’d experienced.

The soft breeze that brushed across his face as he sensed the presence behind him caused him to close his eyes. He frowned as he inhaled the delicious, enticing scent of cherries, lemons, and blooming water lilies. It could only come from one woman, but it couldn’t be. That woman had been exiled to spend the remainder of her days on Earth.

His scowl grew as he peered over his shoulder and saw Hera approaching him like a tigress hunting prey. The sight of his wife made the corner of his mouth twitch with disgust at the notion that she would fall so low as to imitate the scent of a woman she detested more than his illegitimate children, which said volumes about her desperation.

Their marriage had been purely for political reasons, to strengthen his position as the new king. He required a bride since being of the same lineage ensured that power and strength would be handed down to their offspring, and the bloodline would continue. It had nothing to do with love. He had only ever loved one woman.

He returned his gaze to the kingdom, wanting nothing more than to ignore the aggravating woman, flinching when she wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m not in the mood, Hera,” he snapped, hating that he shivered under the touch of her hands on his bare chest, which could only mean one thing.

“Hera, what did I tell you about using Aphrodite’s belt!” he groused, wanting to pull away from her, but knowing if she was indeed wearing the belt, there was little he could do.

Aphrodite’s belt had the power to inspire desire and caused both human men and Atlanteans to hopelessly fall for whoever wore it. She had worn it every time she wanted to be with child. The last time she had done so was during the Trojan War as a way to distract him. He had been furious when he discovered Aphrodite’s duplicity in lending her belt to Hera and had forbidden its use against Olympians. Zeus had sworn the consequences would be severe if they chose to defy him.

“Zeus, my love,” Hera murmured as she circled him, her hands caressing the chiseled lines of his burly chest.

Her lips grazed his skin, and the voice she used made the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end, forcing him to close his eyes again. He knew that voice. It caused a mist to appear, swirling around them as it transformed him into his younger self, the figure she loved.

“The—”

“Shhh,” she hushed as she pulled down on his neck to kiss him.

He didn’t know how this was even possible. The moment her lips touched his and her tongue slid against his own, it didn’t matter anymore. He lost any semblance of control he had. Gripping the hair at the back of her head and squeezing her ass with the other, he yanked her body against him, his mouth now devouring hers. He pushed her back into the room, twisting to push her against the marble wall as her hands slipped casually under his pteruge and settled comfortably on his ass. Zeus ripped his hands from her body and slammed his hands on each side of her head.

“Does that mean I win then?” she asked as he trailed his lips to her neck, biting on her earlobe as she tangled her fingers in the curls of his hair. He didn’t see the smile but heard it in her melodic voice. She could entrance any man with it, her voice like an irresistible song, but then again, she was the queen of the fifty Nereids, sea nymphs who were the most beautiful creatures to exist.

“I don’t know which game you’re playing Hera, but I’m not interested in playing along.” He slid his hands down her body, then under the hem of her lightweight sea-green toga. He gripped her thighs and lifted her into his arms, turning to walk across the room to his raised bed. Hera, or the women who had taken her form, wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs snugly around his trim waist.

As he reached the end of the bed, he stopped and pulled away from their kiss.

“We don’t have much time,” Hera mumbled after a few moments of staring at each other silently. The pained look in her eyes stabbed him through the heart as she pushed a lock of hair away from his face.

Panting, he nodded as he carefully laid her down on the bed. His hands fell to the golden belt around her waist and he moved to unbuckle it but she stopped him.

“We need no such thing, my love,” he grinned, sparkles of golden lightning flashing his eyes, waiting for her to let go of his wrist even if he could overpower her at any time. He would never do so with her, he didn’t have too.

She let go of him then and he slowly unbuckled the belt, letting it fall to the ground. His eyes never left hers, letting her drown him in the depths of their ocean, not knowing if or when he would ever get to see them again.