Lexi's Fate

~25~

Word spread quickly, and before long, everyone had assembled in the billiard room. Lexi queued up a lively playlist of music and was working on her third drink by the time she pulled Hades toward the billiard table.

"C'mon, handsome. Let's shee how well you can shink these balls." She racked up the balls on the table, chalked her cue stick, and delivered the opening break shot. Despite her deteriorating articulation, Hades noticed her motor skills were not suffering as she successfully landed her first three balls into a pocket before gesturing for him to make his move.

Hades made good use of his turn, leaving only two of his balls on the table when he relinquished it to Lexi. She grinned as she strolled past him, dragging her hand across his buttocks on her way by. Clary swiped Lexi's empty glass and replaced it with a full one, winking at Hades as she did so. Lexi downed the drink and continued her march across the billiard table, securing her win by landing the eight ball in the corner pocket and shouting her victory. Hades didn't mind getting beaten. He was looking forward to whatever reward Lexi deemed suitable to compensate her achievement.

"You are most skilled, Lady Lexi." Hades whispered in her ear as she racked up the balls again. "I look forward to awarding your compensation."

She smiled as she abandoned the billiard balls and slipped her arms around his neck. "If we were alone, I would demand you award me right now on thish table, but I'll accept a dance in the meantime."

Hades took her hands in his and swung her into the center of the room. Still light on her feet, Lexi defied the alcohol saturating her veins and dipped, swayed, and shimmied, keeping perfect synchronicity with his movements. He remembered the last dance they shared in the Maxwell's billiard room and howhis thoughts had drifted to Persephone. Now, Lexi was all he could think of. When the song ended, he embraced her, counting her heartbeats as they pounded against his chest. She responded with a kiss, luring his tongue into her mouth with no regard for the audience that had gathered around them. Clearly, her inhibitions had been lowered by the alcohol, but he knew she tended to express herself without reservation. Before he realized what was happening, he felt a tear prick the corner of his eye. He blinked it away and took a step back, allowing Lexi to meet his gaze.

"You're a shenti...mental fool, you know that," she said. "And, it makesh me love you even more."

"And you are positively drunk, my love. How would it be if I escorted you to your room?"

A wicked smile twisted her lips. "Is this a pro...po...si...shun?" She hiccuped then laughed at herself, which caused her to stumble backward. Hades grabbed her around the waist, sweeping her off her feet and into his arms.

"Carry on, everyone," he called over the music. "It appears Lexi is in need of a few hours respite."

Z puffed up his chest as he walked over, and Lexi smiled up at her domineering father. "Don't worry 'bout me, Zeush. I'm in good hands...and arms...and mouth..."

Z snorted as he pressed his finger to Lexi's lips, stopping her drunken oration. "Get some rest, young one. We'll see you at dinner."

As Hades carried Lexi to her room, she continued her rant. "Where doesh Zeush come off calling me a young one...hic? I'm having shex with the god of the under...world, for pity's shake."

"You are young compared to the rest of us, and Z still sees you as his little girl."

"Sho, you don't think he'll try to have shex with me anytime shoon? That'sh a relief. He sheems to think he can lay claim to any goddessh he sets hish sights on...hic."

"He'll never claim you as long as I have a breath left in me." Hades felt his pulse race as his foot met with Lexi's door, opening it with more force than he intended. He laid Lexi on her bed, pulled off her shoes, and folded the comforter over her.

"I hope you're not worried about me falling for an...other god," she said, as she blinked up at him. "I don't care how big Kade'sh dick is or how awesome Posheidon's trident is. It's not the shize of the sword that mattersh, it's the inten...shun of the man ushing it."

Hades leaned over and kissed her forehead as he let himself laugh. "I am going to remind you of that in a hundred years when you have tired of me."

With her eyelids at half-mast, Lexi managed to reach up and touch his cheek. "I will never tire of you, my valiant...hic...knight. I only wish you had kidnapped me firsht."

As she closed her eyes and drifted into a painless sleep, Hades sat with her, feeling the agony of her words like a thousand swords tearing his heart to shreds.