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“We will,” I vow it on a sharp moan.

“Fuck, yes,” Hercules growls growing hard once again. I watch in excitement as Demeter hikes up her dress, lowering herself on Hercules’ cock. She gives him her back as she faces me, pushing me back onto the bed between his legs and pumping me as she’s always known I like with her fingers. All while she rides him in reverse.

We come together, and in the aftermath, we lay in a mess of limbs on our bed.

Demeter tells us, “I saw Ares before I came to you.”

I hiss. “You went to him first?”

“He loved her.” There is delicious malice that curls her lips. “I never expected such a thing, considering the fucking Moirai curated her soul specifically for Hades, but Ares was drawn to her deeply.”

“I know. It is why I tried to sway her to our side.”

Demeter rolls her eyes. “I told you she would not be swayed. She’s always been a stupid girl.”

“I even offered her Hercules.”

“I was more than willing to fuck her for you.” Hercules grins, pressing his lips to my shoulder.

I ignore him. “What was my useless son doing?”

“Drowning in his sorrows.” Demeter laughs a wicked, evil laugh. It is utterly delightful. “Everything she left behind is in his room. He even has that hideous painting she brought hung above his bed.”

I feel my lip curl. “I don’t know how I birthed such a shame.”

Demeter flips onto her belly. “That shame has been feeding Olympus for centuries. But she’s growing hungry for more than blood. I can feel it.”

I laugh, delighted by the memory of the horror that had struck the innocent little human at the nightly revelries in the arena. Of course, she could have fed the realm. And of course I’d wanted her for that power. But to lose the high that came with a sacrifice, I would never allow such a thing no matter how sated Olympus was.

There will always be room for dessert.

“Now that Zeus is gone, we no longer have to abide by his rules. We no longer have to hide our existence to the humans. We no longer have to suffer being discrete when we were always intended for worship.”

Hercules rolls onto his back again. “But we still don’t have the Crown of Souls.”

“No.” Demeter shakes her head. “But we might have something better.”

“What?” both me and Hercules ask.

Demeter smiles a dark smile that ignites another swell of need inside me. Clearly, Hercules feels the same, because I can’t ignore the way he grips his cock.

“A little bird told me a tale.”

“A little bird?”

“Oh, yes. Someone who is very, very exhausted with taking Hades’ orders.” She snorts. “And we all know how easily men of all species are swayed by matters of the cock, now, don’t we?”

“Hey.” Hercules pouts.

I rise onto my knees. “What are you saying?”

“The reason you sensed such massive power within Persephone was not because she is powerful. It wasn’t her that Ares was drawn to. It was the child inside her. The daughter,” Demeter grins wickedly. “One of the daughters.”

“She is pregnant?”

“Was.” Demeter smiles that cat-like smile again. “They’ve been born.”

A trill of anticipation surges my spine. Understanding settles inside the core of me as my gifts alight. “One of them is meant for Ares.”