Persephone’s Fall – Page 20
I’ve always known that I’m a good looking girl.
Some women legitimately don’t realize it, or don’t believe. Others know it, but pretend they’re not, either to fish for compliments or because they’re too modest. And there are plenty of girls who know they look good, and use that to gain all sorts of presents and favors from men.
I never needed presents and favors from anyone, so that was never me. I don’t normally flaunt it. But the way Hades’ eyes light up when I walk into the room makes the temptation to strike a bit of a pose too much to resist. Old habits… used to be, when I did this, I was teasing him with something he couldn’t have. Now he’s got it. He just has to be patient.
“It’s a bit revealing…” Hades’ voice is tight, but not because he’s really concerned about how low the skirt sits on my hips.
Demeter finally let us escape down to my floor, after haranguing Hades for a while about his choice of an Episocpalean priest. Not that Demeter’s particularly religious, mind you. Hades could have chosen a Rabbi, and he’d have gotten the same reaction. He’s used to dealing with Demeter. Just apologize in the right places, look pentitent, and wait to be let go.
We’re going out to dinner. Not that either of us really want to, but part of the deal with Demeter letting us go so quickly was that we agreed to drop by the gathering she and Zeus are having at her social club. Some up-and-comers are being inducted. Hades hates it, of course, but even I’m not at all fond of it. It’s basically a bunch of rich people patronizing a bunch of fawning, not-yet-rich people who may be rich some day. As a child of a member, I’ve been a member since I was born. Hades became one the second I let him put the ring on my finger.
It’s strange… knowing you’re going to be proposed to, knowing what your answer is, and having to force your mouth to say something else. It’s like a sketch comedy gone horribly awry… the sort of thing that’s funny when it happens to someone else. To give Hades a little credit, his expression when he got down on one knee was pretty apologetic. That’s something, at least.
