“Don’t you want to know what I want first?”
His bitter, low chuckle rolled through me and messed with my insides.
“I already know what you want. Anything that is not me,” he said.
Why did my heart ache for him at that? Trying to push the feeling aside, I closed the distance between us.
“I want another chance to convince you of the truth so that, no matter what happens, we both know I tried. And while I’m trying, I want three things: your promise that I, Ashlyn the human, won’t die or be hurt in any way; your promise that, if I’m able to convince you, you won’t kill me but will return me alive and unharmed to my home back on Earth, no matter what; and finally, that you won’t hold me responsible for whatever happened to Persephone. Now, what do you want for all of that?”
He considered me.
“You wish for more time to convince me you are human?”
“I do.”
He made a disgusted sound. “What scrap of non-existent affection do you wish to trade this time to stay my desire for a few more days? Your mouth to use as I please again?”
My face flushed.
“I’d rather not.”
“No. Naturally not.”
“What about a kiss? Your lips on my lips,” I clarified just in case he had any other ideas.
“No.Yourlips onmine. And for each minute they remain, I will grant you one additional day to convince me.”
Not heartbeats like the last kiss, but minutes. I swallowed hard. It had taken days to find my uncle, and I had no idea how I was going to convince Hades that I was human.
To buy myself the time I needed, this was going to need to be one hell of a kiss. His appeal and the effect he had on me worried me. Would I even remember why I was kissing him after five minutes? Probably not.
“The price is too steep when you’re already getting my undivided attention out of the deal.”
His devastating smile caught me off guard.
“Exactly what my goddess would say.”
He had me there. I scrambled to think of something he would want, but Persephone wouldn’t want to give, that I would be willing to give.
“You can hold my hand whenever you like, without permission.” I’d caught on to how he’d always offered his hand instead of just reaching for mine. “And I will continue being nice to you. No knives or bleeding,” I added to sweeten the deal.
“The ability to touch your hands based on my whims instead of a willing kiss for a measured length of time?” He shook his head. “I think not. You will stall indefinitely without a limit.”
“Okay. You can hold my hands whenever you want, for as long as you want; I’ll continue being nice; and I’ll kiss you for a measured length of time. But each fifth heartbeat gets me a day.”
“Ninth.”
“Seventh. Final offer,” I said, hiding my excitement and relief that we were actually making progress.
“So be it. What are the consequences for breaking our pact?”
“If I’m hurt in any way, you send me home.”
“No, Goddess. One scraped knee by your own deliberate negligence would see you back in the sun you so desperately crave. If you are hurt by my hand, or by another’s hand at my direction, then I will return you home without collecting my due.
“And if you fail to prove your humanity to me by the end of the allotted time, you will come to me willingly with sweet words upon your lips and adoration in your gaze. You will open yourself to me and touch me as reverently as I touch you. Are we in agreement?”
The room felt ten times warmer after that explanation, and it took a moment before I could nod.
