Lords of the Underworld [malexmale]

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The celebration of our victory against the Titans in the Titanomachy was loud and festive on Olympus.

Creatures of all kinds had gathered to sing and dance, sharing drinks and stories, chattering and sneaking off to make love in the woods. It was almost like a celebration of Beltane. I'd passed by Poseidon, who was covered in nymphs, who kissed and cooed at him for his bravery. No one seemed to remember that he'd been severely injured. He waved to me before returning to his duty of suckling a nymph's throat.

I passed by Hestia, who was politely enjoying her meal while conversing with minor gods. She gave me a nod, held her glass to me, before taking a drink of her wine. Demeter did the same from her spot at the other end of the same table.

"Hades?" I turned to see Hera approaching me. She held her head high and seemed to always look down her nose at the rest of us as if we were mere dirt beneath her feet, but I'd only assumed she thought herself above us because Zeus had chosen her as his wife and consort, the queen of the gods, while he took the throne as king. And no one argued with it because Zeus had been a good leader.

"Hera." I greeted her with a nod. She just scanned me up and down snidely, making me frown at her. She reached up to twirl her finger around a fat curl, her eyes drifting away from me as if disinterested.

"Zeus calls for you. He says he wishes to celebrate with the god who saved his life." She replied. I gave her a nod and walked past her toward Zeus's temple at the top of Olympus. A gigantic villa made of sleek white marble and large columns. I climbed the flight of stairs to the front entrance and came inside. I didn't see him in the main corridor, so I entered the throne room. A long room with more columns running the length and several seats on each side of his large white throne, indicating the gods chosen as the Twelve Olympians he'd cast after Hera and he had children.

Zeus stood off to the side, dressed in a royal white and purple bordered chiton, a gold crown in his dark hair as he sipped from a goblet of wine. The moment he saw me, a smile spread across his lips.

"Hades, my brother. Are you enjoying the celebration?" He asked, nudging his head for me to come with him. I followed him down the length of the throne room to a door behind his throne that led to a long open hallway that passed by his private gardens.

"Yes." I answered him briefly. He conjured a goblet of wine and passed it to me. I nodded my thanks before taking a sip. Zeus chuckled.

"Have you taken a woman yet?"

"I'm afraid not. None of them seem intriguing."

"Then a man suits your tastes?"

"I haven't paid attention," I admitted with a frown, peering into my goblet at the deep purple-red shade of wine inside, "I'm a bit preoccupied about the Titans still." Zeus's smile faltered at that as we paused at the end of the hall to face each other.

"And why is that?" He asked. I shook my head.

"It's probably nothing. I'm still reeling from the battle. I'm just glad we're alive." I answered. Zeus smiled again at that and clapped me on the back, almost making me stumble. He was so rough sometimes that I swore my back would snap in half if he smacked me again. I said nothing, however, as Zeus opened the door at the end of the hallway and opened it up to a small shed. A frown creased my brow and a strange sensation crept up my spine.

Get out of here. My instincts were practically chewing at my ankles to leave, but I couldn't. Zeus was right behind me, practically herding me into the room before he shut the door behind him and I heard the lock fall shut. I turned to ask what he was doing, but he grabbed me by the hair and slammed my face first into the wall across from the door. I hissed in pain, instantly feeling blood in my mouth as he pressed my face against the wall, our goblets of wine clattering to the floor.