Sorry for the late update. Things happened and took nearly my time away. I do know that I have upset you by deleting the chapters. I need to insert Hades' point of view somewhere in the very beginning of the chapters. Unless I deleted it, there's no way I can do it. For that I apologize.

Anyway, the story is still the same, but with more detail from Hades, such as the marriage that would never be revealed in the last story and how Hades actually met Persephone in the first place. It's not in the party that they met each other, to be honest, and I just realized that I had forgotten to write about it somehow. Sorry!

To new readers, I have something to tell you in this story:

This fic is slow-paced, meaning that the story progress slowly because I want to explore characters' emotions and their dilemmas, especially Hades' terrible past. Also, you won't read the lovey-dovey act so early.

The heroine, Persephone, is a sheltered girl. You know what it means—she is shy, afraid of strangers and will always cower in Hades' presence. I want Persephone to mature to a queen she should be without rushing things. If you feel that her growing is somewhat so slow, please refer to the point above.

This fic is a dark, twisted romance of Hades and Persephone (and you'll know why). If you prefer the beautiful, cute romantic stuff then I'm so sorry this fic is not for you.

This fic contains violence and gore (this one doesn't occur as much), but it will get better.

This fic is also contains incest (between uncle and niece). It is common for the gods to marry their siblings. This is in order to preserve their godhood. If you are uncomfortable by it, you can momentarily delete 'incest' from your mind as you read.

This fic contains crappy grammars and (often) wrong dictions. If you feel like something doesn't seem right, feel free to PM. I'll be happy to change it, provided that you explain it to me. I got C in grammar class.

Well, I guess that's all I could tell you. I have several chapters already rewritten. If I don't upload them, then you can bet one hundred percent that I don't have internet connection or have used up my internet packet. Living here means disaster. All internet packets have… uh, like best-before date. If you haven't used all the data (say 5gb for 2 months) within the specified date/months, then the remaining will be lost and you have to buy a new one. It's sucks, really.

~-0o-o0-~

Chapter 1

~The Fascination~

H/P/H/P

This story happened in Ancient Greece, where the mortals offered their tribute to the gods and where gods were much more than a symbolism. The land of Greece was a prosperous area; the soil was fertile and rich in vegetation and animals. Dry and rainy seasons made the mortals contented, but a certain incident amongst the gods changed everything.

Three realms. Three realms divided Greece into three—the sky and the earth, the sea, and the underground. Each was ruled by its respective god. The youngest god, Zeus, the supreme ruler of all gods, resided atop Mount Olympus, which was the highest mountain in Greece, along with other deities. Poseidon ruled over ocean. As much as he loved Olympus, Poseidon would rather spend his time in his underwater domain with his wife, a Nereid (in some sources an Oceanid) called Amphitrite.

The last realm was rather a very unpleasant one. It was beyond the horizon's boundaries, separating life from death. It was known as the Underworld and was ruled by a merciless god. He was feared across all Greece and was scorned by the other Olympians. Mortals trembled in fear by just saying his name aloud. The Unseen One, they called him.

Hades.

Despite the popular belief, Hades' appearance was not as dreadful or decrepit, as most of his representations made him seem. In fact, he was quite the opposite. He was tall and strong, muscles perfectly sculpted and defined over his pale skin. Dark, long hair fell across his back in messy locks, and his chiseled face revealed youth despite his millenary age. His strong and piercing midnight-blue eyes reflected his ruthless and cold demeanor.

The Underworld itself was located deep within the bowels of the earth. With five rivers snaked within, its vast areas and a very strict king, it was a place where the souls found it impossible to flee from. Hades rarely ventured outside of his domain, favoring the Underworld's dark and brooding beauty rather than the grandiose halls of Olympus. His only interest was to keep the souls from fleeing.

Past the River Styx and a formidable gate, his palace stood majestically in the dark. It was made of stone and other strong materials. Representing the depressing atmosphere below ground, the castle's black luster reminded the deceased of the fate that awaited them. Suffocating, depressing, never-ending.

Despite what other people might think, Hades' palace was not filled with skeletons or blood. Rather, precious gems adorned every inch of the palace—as if it was made of entirely gems—for Hades was known as the Rich One. Precious metals and gems were abundant in his domain and he used the unlimited wealth for his selfish intentions. Myriad of gems were transported to Olympus on the little brother's demand, but Hades perfectly knew that he had gained the upper hand. He was successfully made Zeus one of his pawns.

The palace of Hades' was always full of lives. The dead mostly populated the Underworld, followed by Underworld nymphs and deities. There were many gods besides Hades who lived in the Underworld. Differences in status—minor gods, titans—didn't seem to matter to them. They respected each other, especially the king who had reformed the desolate Underworld to be what it was now.

Hades sat on his throne in the Judgment Hall, clad in full armor. On each lap his elbows stood, fingers linked, and he was leaning against them. A pair of wings on the each side of his throne he sat on made him looked like an angel of death. On this very throne Hades did his duty as an overseer, and spoke unless he found the verdict was against his judgment.

Today it was rather quiet and the souls were not as strenuous as they usually would. Reigning over the Underworld meant one thing—Hades was the one who had to clean up his family's mess. Ares the God of War, with his petty personality and greed, was the one who always caused him much stress. When he declared war, there'd be hundreds or thousands of souls near the River Styx, waiting to be ferried, waiting to be judged. Sometimes it was Demeter, who intentionally made a certain region barren because of a mortal's insolence, or even Hera who—in her jealousy—cursed a mortal unlucky enough to attract Zeus' lust into nothingness.

When the dead stopped coming, Hades excused himself from the Judgment Hall and walked to his private chambers. Shoulders broad and posture stiff, his strode was filled with confidence and power. Servants bowed their head in fear, in awe, as he passed them. No sound escaped his lips when he took a momentarily glance.

Opening the door to the antechamber, it didn't surprise him that someone had already been inside. His eyes, hidden behind his helmet, moved from her dark-green hair to her abundant breasts, and down to her white legs. She was one of his many concubines resided within the palace and, to be honest, was his favorite. Spending hundred years alone, he used some of his free time to quench his lust. But no matter how often they pleased him, he didn't feel anything inside. They were just his puppets, something to throw away when he was bored. Worthless whores who had nothing inside their empty heads but sex and petty, glittering trinkets. Hades was willing to give them anything, mainly because they were… easily manipulated that way.

He wasn't married yet, but he hated the idea of having wife mostly because he did not believe in love. The Titanomachy didn't teach him well enough about love. Instead, war taught him how to kill, to manipulate others, to live alone and die alone. True, he—along with his brother and sisters—won the war, but he had lost something in the process.

His heart.

The woman opened the door leading to his bedchamber and smiled. There was a dimple on her right cheek, making her already beautiful face looked divine, "How was your day, my lord?"

"Usual," he stepped inside and took off his helmet, letting his messy, long, black mane fell carelessly on his shoulders. Her light steps took her behind him and she ran her dainty fingers on his hair, in an attempt to straighten it to no avail.

She sighed, "I can't seem to make it looks neat."

He handed her his helmet, "…do not bother yourself with it."

His woman placed his helmet on an armor stand near a mirror and helped him with his armor. "There is an invitation—"

"Zeus? I told you to burn it," he quickly interrupted.

This was the hundred times Zeus sent him a party invitation. Knowing what kind of man his little brother was, Hades assumed that the party would soon turn into an orgy. He loathed to go outside and wasted his precious time attending such a useless party. He'd prefer to spend his time being pampered by his women instead.

She nodded slowly, "Yes, Your Majesty. It was from Lord Zeus, but I thought you might want to—"

Hades ordered, finality in his voice, "Burn it."

She bowed her head and whispered, her voice shaking, "As Your Majesty wishes."

Finally free from the metallic armor and linked chains underneath, Hades regarded his concubine for a moment. She was aesthetically pleasing, yet stupid to realize that she was nothing but a sex toy to him.

"Undress, Minthe," he ordered, "let me see all of you."

With a swift motion of her hand, her clothes fell on the ground. Minthe dropped the brooch that held her clothes together, where it landed atop the disheveled clothes. Eyes half-closed, Hades let his eyes freely wander to every inch of her body, savoring her fragrant smell and wolfing down her delightful body.

Minthe kept her eyes glued on the ground until Hades ordered her otherwise. She felt butterflies dancing inside her stomach as her lord ran his fingers across her smooth, flat stomach. She gasped when his hand found her sex, but moaned breathlessly afterwards. Looking down, he hadn't even aroused yet, but she was already wet for him, from his touch, from the way he skillfully moved his fingers, and from his dangerously sexy stare.

She bit her lower lip and brought her hands over his hand to encourage him. Minthe shuddered when Hades pushed a finger inside and helplessly surrendered herself. She tried to balance herself by reaching out for his shoulders, but he lifted his hand, telling her to stand straight while he tortured her. When he inserted another finger, she moaned so heatedly as if she was possessed and Hades arched his right brow, thinking that her reaction was somewhat amusing.

He noticed Minthe's obvious disappointment on her face when he withdrew his hand, yet he made no move to savor her anymore and collapsed on the huge bed instead. He let his back facing her, unguarded, exposed to any kinds of attack, but Hades was one hundred percent sure Minthe was incapable of harming him. He knew what kind of woman she was. She saw him as a tool to obtain wealth and Hades let himself be regarded as such. Minthe didn't even know that she was already lost from the beginning.

Slowly hands flew from his back to his shoulders. A small sigh left his mouth when Minthe massaged him, but it didn't calm him. It made his mind wander.

Would his days keep revolving so monotonously like this?

He had many women to accompany him, yet he felt a foreign and troubling feeling deep inside. Hades didn't want to tell Minthe, let alone told this to his trusted subjects. He trusted no one and would always be like that.

~-0o-o0-~

Another invitation showed up. This time it was Thanatos who carried it. The Death God pulled down his hood to reveal a young god in his early twenties, with short, dark hair and hazel eyes. His expression was unreadable as he handed the letter to his king.

"Again?" Hades jerked up in annoyance, slamming the book he had been reading to the table. "Why won't you people just leave me alone?!"

"That winged rat insisted, Lord Hades." He referred to Hermes, the messenger of the gods. "He wouldn't stop pestering me unless I brought this to you."

Taking a deep sigh, Hades tried to compose himself. Nothing good would come if he chose to do nothing. That bastard little brother would surely send another blasted invitation. It seemed that Hades had no choice but to pay his dear brother a visit. He could feel the excitement of punching Zeus in the face burning in his mind.

~-0o-o0-~

The entrance to the Underworld was camouflaged and heavily enchanted. It was located deep within a foggy forest located far from civilization of men. One might enter it, but no one would make it out alive to tell the tale. Only selected mortals with exceptional will and strength could find it. Such protection was to ward off unwanted mortal from begging Hades to bring their loved ones back.

Slowly the ground cracked and opened wide, giving birth to a black chariot with equally big, black horses with flaming manes. In this shining world nurtured by Helios, Hades stuck out like a sore thumb. His dark demeanor was in contrast to the surrounding, but he paid no attention and rode towards the sky, to Mount Olympus. His horse neighed happily as wind caressed their manes, and Hades was more than happy to let them taste the enjoyable moment for a while before speeding up.

…but something caught his attention.

It was a girl sitting in the middle of flowers meadow. Her auburn hair caught his attention really well, but he didn't want anything to do with mortals who rarely prayed to him. But what she did made his eyes widened in surprise.

She grew flowers in her hands.

Hades frowned in suspicion and carefully maneuvered his chariot towards her. Descending silently and swiftly, he calmed down the beasts and observed her carefully, hidden by the many shadows of trees. She was rather short and petite, maybe around her fifteen or sixteen. The girl was dressed in a beautiful pale-yellow silk dress. Her auburn hair cascaded down her back in long curls, contrasting with her white-creamy skin and big eyes. They eyes were the greenest of green, sparkling with innocent curiosity and Hades couldn't help but snort in disgust, as the world had ceased to offer him beauty.

She was pretty for a girl her age, but nothing Hades found interesting about her. Perhaps she might be another boring and annoying goddess living in the upperworld. Hades spun on his heels and was about to leave before her cry alarmed him. Hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes darted around to find any sign of hostile beings.

He was always ready to slice anything to pieces.

Hades sheathed his black sword when he caught sight of the goddess and… a hurt deer.

It was limping and bleeding, possibly from being bitten by a predator. Hades was adept in the matter of live and death, thus he knew that the animal hadn't much time. He pitied neither of them, having seen death more than Zeus' sickening affairs.

The girl was hesitant at first, but she approached the animal slowly, hands reaching out to stroke its head. The deer let her pet it but it collapsed on the ground, making the girl screamed. She turned her head frantically, trying to find help but there was no one, except Hades who deliberately was hiding in the shadow.

"No, no…" she whimpered, extending her palms to the deer's injured leg in an attempt to cure it. "Don't go! Please pull yourself together! I will heal you!"

Yellowish light begun to envelop her hands as she healed the animal. Her eyes were shut forcefully, a clear sign that panic had taken control of her mind and she was yet to control her power. Hades snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. She wouldn't make it.

She didn't.

Then it came, the all-time annoying sob. The deer lay dying within the girl's embrace. Hades couldn't quite understand why she cried over an animal she had just met.

Were women all quick to tears?

Hades wanted to leave but he couldn't, finding his feet firmly planted on the ground. Mouth slightly opened, he brought his hand to where his heart was located. It was beating normally as it should, yet he felt warmer all of a sudden. This warmth… he was certain that it was not from Helios, but from looking at the weeping goddess instead.

He was afraid of this unknown feeling, yet he yearned for it.

Hades lifted the hand inside his line of sight. The palm was big, long, and strong—a hand fit for a warrior. Slowly he rolled his fist in determination.

He had found another suitable reason to see Zeus.