A Game of Gods (Hades Saga, #3)

by Scarlett St. Clair

Dionysus felt his body tense at the mention of Ariadne. “She’s a woman, not a girl. What about her?”

“If I am such a burden, then let me go,” she said. “I never said you were a burden.”

She turned her head and seemed to relax as her gaze fell on him, and he suddenly did not feel so useless.

whipped.

Hades brushed his thumb along her cheek, and her eyes fluttered closed, as if his touch brought her a sense of comfort. The thought made his heart beat erratically. There was power in how she made him feel, and she was the only one who had ever possessed it.

Sorry. That word burrowed beneath Hades’s skin, calling to the darkness that lived just beneath the surface. It made him feel… “Violent,” Persephone said,

“No one is deserving of my presence,” she said. “I am a plague upon men.”

icon

“I’d rather have my dick bitten off,” said Hades. “Try having it gummed.” Hades and Thanatos gave Hermes a horrified look. “I told you not everyone has teeth,” Hermes said with a shrug.

so-

“See you soon, Daddy Death!” He vanished, and when he was gone, Hades looked at Thanatos, who asked in a very serious tone, “Which one of us do you think he was calling Daddy Death?”

“What’s the game?” Helen asked. “Poker?” “No!” The reply came from almost everyone in the room—even Persephone. Hades glowered.

lmao

“Never have I ever had sex in public,” Sybil said. Another drink.

i mean persephone could’ve drank, they be fucking in fields

“I…do not know what we’re talking about anymore, Apollo, but I think you need therapy.”

lol

“While it is true you annoy the ever living fuck out of me,” Hades said, “and I could murder you for the bargain you struck with Persephone…I would miss this.” “Miss what?” Apollo asked, confused. “This,” Hades said, waving a hand at the whole of Apollo, “pathetic…” “Pathetic?” “…pitiable…” “Pitiable?” “…miserable…” “Miserable?” “…thing you have going on. It really exudes God of Light.” “Fuck you,” Apollo said.

lowkey bffs

“I never thought I’d thank the Fates for anything they gave me, but you—you were worth all of it.” “All of what?” “The suffering.”

THESEUS

yuck.

Prior to her pregnancy, he would have silenced her with a kiss or even sex, but since, he’d had no interest in fucking her. It did not matter anyway. He’d used sex to keep her, and now the baby would do that for him.

you’re a fucking weirdo freak

“I have kept my promise to you,” he said. “I have kept track of your sister, and despite my attempted interventions, she’s turned to prostitution. Just tonight, she was spotted in the pleasure district with the god Dionysus.”

DIIIEEEEEE

His arousal pressed into her ass. The only thing keeping it erect was her pain,

i will actually murder you with my bare hands

“Fuck me,” he said. “Totally would,” said Hermes, appearing in a flourish of cloudy magic.

“Did you just compare my wife to cattle?” “Wife?” Hermes asked, waggling his brows. “Already practicing?”

hehe

“Do I have to have a reason to visit my best friend?” “I thought I was your best friend,” Hades said dryly. “Listen, there’s plenty of me to go around,” Hermes said. “You don’t have to fight.”

The smoke began to dissipate, and Hades came face-to-face with Hermes, who wore a bedazzled, light-blue leotard with the center cut out, exposing part of his chest and stomach. Perhaps the worst part was how it stuck to his privates, outlining his balls and semihard dick. “Why are you like this?” Hades asked. “What?” Hermes asked, looking down at his outfit. “You don’t like it?”

he’s so pookie

“Drop your glamour,” Hermes said. Hades lifted a brow and met Hermes’s stare in the mirror. It wasn’t that he minded his true form. It was the order from Hermes that bothered him. “It’s hotter,” Hermes added.

minus the eyes

“Lady Persephone, please play!” They collided with her and pulled at her hands, and a smile broke out across her face. Hades never really considered that beauty would be the weapon to stop his heart, but here he was, barely breathing.

WHIPPPPPEEEDDDDDD

The Fates agreed to grant Semele divinity, but in exchange, Hades had to give up his ability to have children. He hadn’t even had to think about the trade then. It was the easiest decision he had ever made. He had no great love, only lovers. This, he thought, was a true blessing. But the Fates had known better. He should have known better.

:(

Now his head rested in the lap of his truest love, and he couldn’t make her a mother.

puking

Poseidon leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped. “Tell me you knew. They say she can turn men to stone, but only after her head is separated from her body.” He paused and offered a horrible smirk. “Just like a woman, isn’t it?” he continued. “To be useful only after she’s dead.”

i need a gun!!!!!!

Hecate smiled. “That’s a good boy.” Hades didn’t even honor her response with a glare and vanished.

need her

“We play by my rules,” Persephone said. Hades raised a brow as he sat across from her at the table in their bedroom. “Your rules? How do they differ from the established rules?” “There are no established rules,” she explained. “That’s what makes this game so fun.” This sounded like his worst nightmare.

“Black is not your color.” Hermes arched a brow. “Since when did you become the fashion police?” “I had a…decent teacher,” Hades replied. “Decent?” Hermes scoffed, but whatever he was going to say next was cut off by a knock at the door.

He had no power here, save one, and the only thing he could think to say before his magic hit her was, “Forgive me.” He knew when the madness struck her because her eyes changed.

noooo i forgot about this

Dionysus studied her, and after a moment, he asked, “And what do you deserve?” She was quiet. “Ari?”

i remember when i used to not give a fuck about them…. yeah no i’m insane actually

None of them were lucky enough to escape her magic—Persephone included. Her body was torn. It was the only way to describe it. It was the same horror he had witnessed the night she’d mistaken him for Pirithous. She was bent slightly, and as she breathed, her chest rattled.

my baby

But you—you did not beg for life. You were not even desperate for it. You were at peace.” “Because I was thinking about you,” she seethed, and Hades went cold. “I wasn’t thinking about life or death or anything but how much I loved you, and I wanted to say it, but I couldn’t…”

He drew her against him and buried his head in the crook of her neck, hiding his face as he shook and shed tears.

i’m fucking sick

“An old man pulled us from the sea and led me to this cottage. In exchange, I agreed to kill a cyclops.” He was pretty sure the old man was a god, but who exactly he did not know. Ariadne’s eyes widened. “Why?” He answered honestly. “Because I was willing to do anything to keep you alive.”

“I’ll carry you,” Dionysus said. “No. What if you fall?” “I’m not going to fall. I’m a fucking god,” he said, annoyed. “As if that’s somehow impressive,” she snapped.

they’re so

This was more than he’d ever imagined. A sudden, sharp bleating tore them apart. Dionysus wasn’t sure what it was about the sound, but it had sent his heart into a complete panic, and when he looked up from Ariadne, he saw a sheep at the entrance of the cave, its narrow pupils unnervingly focused on them. Ariadne giggled. “Go away,” Dionysus said, throwing a small pebble in its direction. The sheep offered another wavering cry.

lol

When he finally came to a stop and managed to climb out of the hole his body had made, Ariadne and the cyclops were gone.

can’t have shit in this house

“I knew this day would come. You will be mine. Forever.” “But the Fates—” “Have unraveled your destiny.” Hades’s stomach twisted. It was one of his greatest fears too.

They whirled to find Theseus standing a few paces from them with two men, who had restrained the ophiotaurus.

FAWK YOUUUU

“I thought interrupting now was probably better than a few minutes ago,” Hermes explained. “You were watching?” Persephone asked, cringing noticeably. “To be fair,” said Hermes, “you were having sex in the middle of the Underworld.”

“Marry me.” She gave a breathless laugh. “I already said yes.” “You have, so marry me. Tonight.” She just stared, so he explained, “I do not trust Zeus or Poseidon or Hera, but I trust us. Marry me tonight, and they cannot take it away.”

Hermes leaned forward and half whispered, half yelled, “Don’t lock your knees, or you’ll pass out.” “I’m not locking my knees,” Hades whispered back, though he wasn’t sure why. “Why would you tell me that?” “I’m not saying you are. I’m saying don’t.” Well, now he was worried. What if he passed out? He practiced bending his knees just to make sure he knew the difference between bent and locked knees. “You look like an idiot,” said Hermes.

lmao

“You are thinking Zeus will try to separate us?” “Yes,” he said, tipping her head back farther. “But you are mine and I intend to keep you forever.”

“You would betray me for her?” Zeus said between his teeth. “I would betray you for a lot less,” Hades hissed.

real

Hades started to move, to fight his brother, but then he noticed something strange about Persephone. The magic did not seem to be harming her anymore. Her body no longer shook beneath Zeus’s power. It glowed with it. She was harnessing it. Oh, fuck. She sent the bolt back to Zeus, and the God of the Skies fell to the earth.

AAAAAATTTTEEEEEE

She was prepared to fight him. He liked that. It made his mouth water, it made his dick twitch.

kill him.

“Oh no, he is long dead. This is my creation.” “Your creation?” Theseus said nothing; he did not need to explain himself. Minotaurs were created as they always had been—from the coupling of a bull and a woman.

ugh