The Pomegranate Society

Ten: Professor Aleksander Morozova

Ten:

Professor Aleksander Morozova

The necklace was custom made at a jewelry store the society kept on retainer. He was paid a small stipend for being the head of the society. As far as the University knew, he talked about myths and legends with students. No one really knew the true purpose of The Society, connecting the powerful and the powerful while letting them embrace their most depraved fantasies.

He bought one hundred of the Persephone necklaces a year. Stirling silver, held together by a delicate hand, reaching out to catch the pomegranate seeds left by Hades. He had not seriously intended on giving Alina one. Not until he watched her get out of his car, into the dark rainy night by herself.

She had wanted him in the car. He had felt it when he kissed her. He'd had the taste of her, now he was insatiable, and wanted to devour her. He kept the Persephone necklaces in a safe in the study of his apartment hidden behind a DeKappel painting that he'd bought with his first check from The Society.

The necklaces were kept in velvet, black boxes. Aleksander opened up the safe that he kept them in and took one out. It was delicate, beautiful, just like Alina. It would look lovely around her neck. He couldn't wait to place it on there himself. Smiling, he pocketed the necklace.

Then he went to his desk. From the top drawer, he pulled out thick, black stationary he kept. Then the delicate calligraphy set that had been gifted to him from his mother. He wrote the following in silver ink:

Dear Initiate,
You are cordially invited to The Pomegranate Society. Meet us at Midnight by the statue of Saint Juris. If you pass our trials, we will induct you into a world where all of your deepest, darkest fantasies will be made available to you. And you will be paid handsomely for indulging. All you have to do is take the seeds.
Sincerely,
Hades

Then, he took out his cell phone and called the numbers of one of The Society's young recruits.

"Professor Morozova?" Ivan Kaminsky said sleepily into the phone. "What is it?"

"Ivan, are you still serious about The Society?"

There was a pause. "Yes, of course I am. My family are all legacies. You know that."

"Good. Then I need you to come to my apartment in the University District. I've an invitation for a new initiate that I need you to deliver. Alina Starkov. She's a freshman and is friends with Genya Safin. Do you know her?"

"Know her, sir? Haven't you seen the news?"

It was his turn to pause. "What about it?"

"Well, it's all over the place. There's rumors Alina Starkov is dating Prince Nikolai, and that she's seriously being considered as his future fiancé. They say the palace is having her sign a non-disclosure agreement and everything today, to make it official."

"Interesting.... which is why it is very important you get this invitation to her as soon as possible."

"For The Pomegranate Society?" he said. "Land of debauchery and blackmail? Sir, are you certain that's a good idea? Even you didn't recruit Nikolai because you were worried about the attention that it would bring if you did even though it would pay to have a King in our pocket."

"She's not the future leader of Ravka," said Aleksander, "but she is the future Queen, and the girl that the Prince is apparently in love with. She could be useful to us."

Ivan sighed. "Alright. I'll be there as soon as I possibly can."

"Make sure you aren't seen," he said.

There was a pause. "I think that's going to be a little difficult, sir," he said.

"Why?"

"Because since the pictures were shown on Celebrity Ravka News this morning, there have been reporters and paparazzi camped outside of her door. I don't even know if anyone can get out, much less get in. It's a zoo. Haven't you seen any of this?"

"I don't exactly make it my past time to watch Celebrity Ravka News, Mr. Kaminsky," he told him.

Still, that didn't stop him from pulling out his cell phone and doing a quick search for Alina's name to see what he was talking about. There was footage of Alina trying to leave, surrounded by press, and Genya Safin had been helping her push through the crowd of vultures. One of the paparazzi tried to make a grab for Alina and she let out a scream. Aleksander clenched his fists. He was going to kill all of them if they so much as hurt a single hair on her head. What was the Prince thinking, letting her deal with something like that on her own? He was a fool, that was certain.

And definitely not good enough for Alina.

"Well," said Ivan, "it's a right mess, that whole thing is. But I can still try and come to deliver the necklace, if you really want me to."

He hesitated. If the wrong person caught wind that The Pomegranate Society was sniffing after the Princes possible, future fiancé it could create trouble for Alina. That was the very last thing he wanted. But, at the same time, he wanted to taste all of her again. This time, not only her lips. He wanted all of her.

"Yes," he said, "try to be as indiscreet as you possibly can but make the delivery. I'll be here waiting for you to come get it."

"Alright," he said, "I'll be there as fast as I possibly can."

He was a fool. He knew that. But if he were Hades, she was Persephone, and he'd pull her down right to the darkest depths with him. Because he'd be damned if he were going to sit in his darkness alone. At the very least, he reasoned, he would have someone lovely to keep him company in the dark.