Hades grinned knowingly, then leaned forward and latched onto one pink nipple. His sharp teeth caused a delicious pleasure-pain each time he sucked.

Taylor arched her back encouragingly. She didn"t want him to stop. He hadn"t touched her where she needed it most, but she already felt her body going molten. Her fingers threaded through his silken hair, then brushed over his shoulders. It wasn"t until she reached his waist and Hades flinched that she remembered that he was injured. She tried to pull back, but his hands tightened.

"You"re hurt," she said. The man required bed rest. He might think he was invincible, but he wasn"t. He bled like everyone else. The last thing he needed was to make love.

It"s just s.e.x. Don"t ever forget that, she chastised, but it was far too late to walk away unscathed.

Hades looked up, his handsome face harsh with desire. Somehow he managed to do so without releasing her nipple. His cat"s eyes were almost solid red now with only a single circle of blue around the outer ring. Without a word, he let her know that he wasn"t about to stop.

Hades spun Taylor until she was lying flat on her back. He hadn"t released her breast, couldn"t release her. She tasted too delicious. He inhaled. She was in heat. If he marked her now, she"d carry his heir. His beast clawed at his insides, demanding to be released. Hades shackled it and kept sucking. Her sweet scent filled his nostrils, making him even harder. He was still amazed he"d kept his hands to himself for as long as he did. Her dance alone nearly unmanned him.

He reluctantly released her nipple in order to feast upon the other. Her puckered flesh was flushed with blood and hard as Zaronian pebbles. With a thought, Hades willed his clothes away. From the moans coming from Taylor"s throat, he didn"t think she"d noticed.

Her lush thighs parted, leaving her s.e.x open and ready for him. The rich musk called to his beast. He would taste her there before he impaled her upon his c.o.c.k. Hades released her. Taylor immediately grabbed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and pressed them together, offering herself to him. Hades fought the urge to return for another taste. He had richer valleys to explore.

He slid down her body, kissing and laving her navel before nipping at her hipbones. She jumped and her hips rocked up to greet him. Hades closed his eyes and inhaled. Definitely in heat. In the past, he"d always avoided bedding women, when they were in heat. Their scent was far too tempting, but with Taylor it was almost too much to ignore.

Hades growled in frustration. He parted her nether lips quickly and latched onto her c.l.i.t. The tender bud swelled with blood as he gently bit down. Taylor shuddered.

"Not yet!" he snapped. Hades wanted to lap up her juices, wanted them running down his chin before he allowed her to come. His rough tongue went to work licking and swirling, flicking and flitting.

Taylor"s back arched and she moaned.

Hades kissed her inner thighs, then sucked her c.l.i.t even harder. Taylor"s body quaked and she gripped the furs in tight fists.

"Please Hades," she pleaded.

Her juices pooled. Hades licked them up and went back to feasting. He wasn"t nearly finished with her. He"d never be finished with her. For the first time in his life, that thought wasn"t frightening. Hades refused to examine why.

He licked her, swirling his tongue around her entrance, until Taylor cried out. Hades felt the ripples from her release, but he refused to stop. He wanted her to beg, to never forget who"d brought her so much pleasure. He wanted Taylor to remember...him.

Hades plunged his tongue inside her spasming channel and purred, long and loud. Taylor screamed his name and her body bucked. He held onto her until her heart-rate calmed, then Hades slowly slid his body over hers, settling his hips between her boneless thighs.

He positioned his c.o.c.k at her dripping entrance. "Taylor look at me."

Her lashes fluttered, but didn"t open.

"Taylor!" She would be with him. She would know who possessed her.

Her eyes snapped open at his tone, but remained unfocused.

"No one will ever make you feel the way that I do. The way that I have," he ground out, as if his words could will it so.

She didn"t say anything. She simply stared at him, but Hades read her thoughts easily. Taylor didn"t want what he said to be true, but she believed that it was. And for Hades that was enough for now.

He surged forward, burying his c.o.c.k deep within her body.

Mark her, an insidious little voice whispered.

Hades shook his head to clear it. He couldn"t. Wouldn"t. His wants and needs didn"t matter beyond the physical. But even as the thought trickled through his mind, he knew it was a lie.

Hades pulled back and thrust forward hard. He needed to be closer. Needed to bury himself inside her until they became one being, their two halves making a whole. His mouth latched onto Taylor"s. He poured every bit of his frustration, his anger, his pa.s.sion into the kiss as he f.u.c.ked her with the power of his beast.

Taylor whimpered and clung to Hades. She wrapped her long legs around his hips and hung on as he f.u.c.ked her. Each stroke, each thrust bound her to him, until she knew there was no escaping the Dark King. Taylor felt his anger. Felt his frustration. And worst of all, she felt his love. The one thing she could never have. The one thing he would never give her.

It wasn"t fair.

Hades was inside her body, inside her head, and had a permanent place in her heart. Each thrust solidified his position. She"d never get him out. Never.

Taylor surrendered to the inevitable. If all she"d ever be was a mistress to the Dark King, then so be it. She"d settle for that, if it meant having Hades in her life.

Her body relaxed, cradling him close. His grunts of pa.s.sion turned to sighs as he did his best to lose himself inside of her. Taylor ran her hands over his back, careful to avoid his injuries. She held him as tight as she dared, encouraging him to let go. Hades shuddered and reached between their bodies. He strummed her c.l.i.t and Taylor shattered again.

She gulped in air as the o.r.g.a.s.m rocked her.

Hades" body lost rhythm as she clamped down on his thick shaft.

"Let go," she whispered.

"Not yet," he grit out.

"Now," Taylor murmured.

Hades trembled and his hips jerked. "No!" he bellowed, but it was too late. He spilled his warm essence inside of her. The Dark King collapsed, gasping for breath.

Taylor bore his weight easily, willingly. She continued to gently stroke him. His eyes were closed and his face was now lax. The tension that had been there earlier was gone for the time being.

He rose just enough to look down at her face. "What am I to do with you?"

"You know, I"ve been asking myself the very same question," Taylor said.

Hades slid off her body. "Let me clean you."

Taylor expected him to go into the bathroom and get a towel. So when he slid down her body and settled between her thighs, she was confused. "What are you doing?"

He didn"t answer. Instead, Hades gently licked her l.a.b.i.a. Taylor fell back on the bed. She supposed that was one way to clean down there. He neared her over-sensitive c.l.i.t, taking his time to thoroughly cleanse the area. She"d never think about bathing in the same way again.

She quivered as a gentle o.r.g.a.s.m rippled through her. "I think you"ve got everything," she gasped.

"Sorry, I hadn"t intended to bring you to release. I only wanted to clean you, but your scent is distracting," he said.

Taylor flushed. "Do I smell bad? Let me take a quick shower."

"No." Hades held her down on the bed. "You misunderstand. Your scent is richer now, sweeter, riper because of your heat."

She sat up. "My what?"

"You"re in heat," he said, licking her once more. His eyes fluttered shut in ecstasy.

Taylor gaped at him. "What do you mean I"m in heat?" She wasn"t due for another week and a half.

"I believe the term that you use on Earth is ovulating. You are fertile." Hades stuck his nose into the thin line of curls covering her s.e.x and inhaled.

Taylor felt the color drain from her face. "Are you telling me that I might be pregnant?" Her heart slammed against her ribs and panic set in. A wave of calm washed over her a second later. She knew it had come from Hades.

"Would that be so bad?" he asked.

She stared at him, preparing to give a flippant answer, but he looked so serious. Taylor sighed. "No." She shook her head. "It wouldn"t be bad, but it would be a surprise. To be honest, I haven"t given children much thought." She had no choice but to lie. Hades" opinion on the subject was clear. Taylor didn"t want him to think that she was trying to trap him somehow.

Like most women, Taylor had considered having children, but she"d never felt emotionally safe enough to bring the subject up with any of her ex"s. Taylor had been diligent about her use of birth control. She never slept with any of her boyfriends without a condom unless they"d been tested, and even then she made them wear one.

Did Phantoms even have condoms?

She looked at Hades. He would protect his child, even if the child were initially unwanted. Taylor might not be able to trust him with her heart, but she would trust him implicitly with their child"s safety.

He took one last lick, then slid onto the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. "Do not worry. You cannot have a child with me or any other warrior without being bound."

His words should"ve been a relief, but all Taylor felt was disappointment.

Hades gathered her close and nuzzled her. His tongue unerringly found the spot where her shoulder met her neck and he lapped at her skin.

"You"re going to wear a hole in that spot if you"re not careful." Taylor kept her voice light, but thanks to Perseus, she knew that particular spot had significance to the Phantom people and to Hades.

He stopped immediately and kissed the spot. "Get some rest," he said, but she noticed that his tension had returned.

Taylor shouldn"t have said anything. She should"ve just kept her mouth shut. "I"m glad that you"re okay," she whispered.

Hades kissed the side of her head. "Sleep, little one. I will protect you through the night," he said. And she believed every word.

The heat from his skin made covering herself in furs unnecessary. Despite wanting to stay awake and talk about what had just happened, it wasn"t long before Taylor drifted off. She dreamed of tawny-haired boys and blue-eyed girls, snuggling on Hades" lap while he sat on his hard metal throne.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

Taylor awoke at dawn. She wasn"t sure what had disturbed her sleep, until she saw Hades by the door.

He grinned. "I was trying not to wake you."

She yawned. "I"ve always been a light sleeper. What time is it?"

Hades gave her an odd look.

"Sorry, I forgot you guys don"t have watches."

His brow furrowed.

"Never mind. I need to get up anyway," she said.

"Why?" he asked.

Taylor hesitated. "Um, Opal and I are meeting up this morning. I don"t want to be late."

Hades" frown deepened. "Make sure if you go anywhere to take an escort. I still haven"t captured the Slavers."

She brightened. "I will."

He continued to stare, regarding her quizzically.

"I promise."

Hades nodded hesitantly. "I will see you later?" He made it a question, even though it wasn"t one.

"Sure, we"ll catch up, when I return...from seeing Opal."

Hades looked like he wanted to say something more, but seemed to change his mind. "Until then." He slipped out of the room.

Taylor stretched and couldn"t keep the grin from spreading across her face. Her body felt deliciously spent. Hades had woken her during the night and they"d made love again. Had s.e.x, she told herself quickly, but it was a lie. A lie she"d concocted to protect her heart.

Love was the only way to describe the slow joining she"d experienced with Hades. He"d been so thorough, so caring, and tender that her heart had nearly swelled with the giddy emotion. He had murmured things in another tongue that she had no doubt were endearments.

Taylor hadn"t asked what he"d said because part of her didn"t want to know in case she was wrong. She had not wanted to destroy the precious moment. She wasn"t naive enough to believe that making love would make a difference outside of the bedroom. Taylor was the definition of a realist. She"d stopped believing in happily-ever-after long ago, but that didn"t mean she wouldn"t hold the memory in her heart forever.

A knock sounded on her door.

Taylor jumped out of bed, grabbing a fur as she did so to wrap around her. Had Hades returned? What would that mean if he had? She opened the door to find Opal standing in the doorway. The King"s Righthand was frowning.

"I thought you"d be ready by now," Opal said.

"Uh." Her gaze shot to Kon. She blushed, when he smiled. "I just woke up," Taylor said. She wasn"t about to mention that the only reason she had was because of Hades. If she hadn"t heard him leave, she"d still be out cold.

"I can see that." Opal crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "How long will it take you to get ready?"

"Can you give me forty-five minutes?" Taylor asked.

Opal"s frown deepened.