Flowers for the Dead Ch. 06

"I am willing to take that risk."

Hades' grey eyes flashed dangerously. "I will not have it," he said sternly. Thin wisps of smoke began to rise from his dark waves.

"I am not asking for your permission," Daphne said coolly. She crossed into the room to stand before Hades.

"I will not allow you to wander the mortal realm indefinitely. Especially, while you are still coming into your power as Goddess. You are mine," he ground out.

"I am my own and I shall do as I please! You owe me!"

Hades scoffed and stood from the bed. At his full height, he towered over his raging consort. Not one to be outdone, his own temper had begun to brew.

"I owe you? Yes, my Queen. For gifting you with immortality and dominion over burgeoning life, I am forever in your debt," his rumbling voice dripped with sarcasm. "What do I owe you as payment?"

Daphne ignored the swirling smoke from Hades' head. She did not acknowledge the pulsing vein in his muscled throat has he stared her down. She fumed. She would not rest until he heard her, and she got her way.

"Everything!" she cried as she closed the space between them. "The time I lost, my job, my body, my mind, my future! You stole it from me!"

White tendrils of smoke quickly grew into blue tongues of flame atop Hades' head. "You would be dead if not for me! I have given you the world and you want to throw it away for mortal trifles! Tell me, how well was the mortal realm treating you, hm? Surely, it was not better than what I gave to you," he growled lasciviously. It was clear from his thoughts that he referred to more than an Underworld garden and endless gold adornments.

Daphne's face clouded as Hades' memories crashed with hers. Images of rope, tousled hair, and love-bitten skin whorled through her mind.

"Get. Out," she seethed.

Hades raised a brow, flames yet alight. "As you wish. You are Queen. You may do as you please."

He sidestepped her without a backwards glance. In a beat, he was out the front door, leaving a trail of smoke in his wake.

As the door slammed, Daphne collapsed into a fit of angry sobs. Melinda was by her side in a flash. Still, Daphne had never felt so alone.

Her first week as an immortal in the mortal realm, Daphne learned just how incredible her friends and family were. Since her "abduction", as she was now calling it, her loved ones had rallied for information. They were constantly searching for answers. The city's police force had scoured the entire metro area for evidence and information. Surveillance footage had been reviewed, her apartment staked off, and even the botanical garden had been thoroughly investigated. The mystery of her ordeal had captured national attention. So, when Daphne had reappeared, she felt obligated to tell them something mostly true and believable. She had settled on a vague story of waking up in a strange place (true), being tied up by a strange man (also true), and having no understanding of how she was returned home (true-ish). Her story, in addition to some very convincing tears, had proven sufficient for the police. No suspects had been taking into custody and the case was closed. The city could rest easy.

After the five months of her afflictive ordeal in the Underworld and the investigation that had followed, Daphne decided to spend some time at home with her parents. Her small hometown and some family time would be a welcome change of pace and scenery. Melinda had helped her procure a modest wardrobe (nearly all of her old clothes were now too small) and a one-way flight to the small town where she grew up.

After the plane touched down, Daphne breathed a sigh of relief. She felt far away from Hades, and safe. She hurriedly collected her luggage and made her way outdoors. As the automatic doors parted, she was nearly knocked off her feet by the springtime breeze. The microscopic droplets of early morning dew carried in them the intoxicating scents of newly blooming and pollinating flora. Despite the increasing sunlight, Daphne's pupils dilated. Back in the city, there had been plants. But here in her practically rural hometown, they were everywhere. As she stood waiting, her ears were filled with the hum unfurling plant life. She could hear seeds sprouting, roots forming, and pollen landing on sticky flower stigmas. She could hear the skittering of insects and pulsing heartbeats of animals and people. For the first time, she could sense every organism around her. Her power was at its peak.

I can feel...everything.

Daphne's thoughts were interrupted has her taxi arrived. Her driver greeted her and loaded her luggage into the large SUV. Daphne clambered into the backseat, hoping the ride would be a little more quiet.

Her driver was not on the same accord. "Hey, you're that missing girl! Or, you were missing. Everyone in this town was worried sick about you! Glad to see you safe and sound." The driver's time-worn brown eyes crinkled as he smiled at her from the rear-view mirror.

Daphne returned the smile with a polite one of her own. She did not think she could ever grow accustomed to being recognized by strangers on the street. She felt guilty. Sure, she had been kidnapped. But not by some crazed criminal. She didn't feel she deserved everyone's concern. She had never been in danger, she thought. The rest of the car ride was quiet—for the most part. The insulation of the car was not enough to drown out vibrations of all the life buzzing outside. Pulling into the driveway of her childhood home, Daphne felt her chest tighten. She hadn't seen her parents in months. She was ecstatic and apprehensive. She did not wish to be dishonest with them, but she could hardly expect they would believe her story.

Daphne's gentle knocks rang through the foyer of the spacious farmhouse. Her mother, Caroline, hurried to the door. She hadn't looked through the peephole first and Daphne hadn't told them when she was coming home. A sob tore from Caroline's throat as she registered the figure before her. Her only child stood before her, healthy and whole. Glowing, even. Her clothes were new, a yellow sundress with a daisy print. She looked as if she had been taking care of herself and getting some sun. Her brown skin appeared sun-kissed and tanned.

"Ph-Philip!" Her mother cried, eyes never leaving her daughter's. "Philip, she's—oh, my baby girl!" She pulled Daphne into a tight embrace, burying her face into her daughter's shoulder as they both cried. Daphne breathed in deeply as she took in her mother's familiar scent: lilac and homemade soap. She was home.

"Caroline, what's all the fuss?" Her father rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks. His eyes watered, but his face was overcome in a bright smile. His little girl was home—and safe.

For the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, Daphne readjusted to human existence. While her mother finished making breakfast and her father finished the small farm chores, Daphne unpacked her luggage. Her parents thought it best to give her some quiet moments to herself. Daphne's childhood room was more or less as she had left it before she had gone to university. Popsicle stick picture frames still decorated the walls. She opened an old Nancy Drew book; wildflowers were still pressed between the pages.

It will never be the same. I will never be the same.

Daphne swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat. This didn't feel like her life anymore. There was no one, no one except him that understood what she was going through. There was no way she could tell anyone else the whole truth. She felt like an imposter.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she decided to experiment with her power. She didn't know how else to pass her time. Her few articles of clothing had already been folded and put away. Flexing her fingers gently, she concentrated on the honeysuckle growing outside her window. She focused of the stamen of each blossom. Daphne inhaled deeply, puffing the air out through her lips. As her breath filled the air, the view outside the window was obscured with clouds of jonquil-tinted pollen. Daphne flicked her fingers once more, willing the seeds of nearby trees to burgeon. She closed her eyes and felt for the pulse of the plants around her. She noted, with concern, that some plants were struggling this spring. Miles away, she felt invasive plants choking out the foundation of the environment around her. With a series of both sharp and fluid movements, she danced around her room. Her motions bringing about a stable balance to the ecosystem she now reigned. She continued to push her limits until a knock on her bedroom door interrupted her curiosity.

"Breakfast is ready," her mother hummed, through the cracked door. She had heard her daughter's staccato footsteps on the creaking farmhouse floors, but said nothing. She would not be surprised to discover that her daughter may have picked up a few peculiar habits after her ordeal.

Daphne stared at the food before her. Her mother had really gone all out to welcome her home. She had baked biscuits, made fried apples, and prepared eggs sunny-side up, among other delights. It all smelled delicious. She had been away from her parents for so long; she couldn't imagine how worried they must have been. She had disappeared without a trace. Now, here she was, unable to give them a decent explanation.

The three of them sat quietly for a while. Her parents only heard the chirping of birds and scraping of forks. Daphne heard that, too, and the buzzing of every living thing around her. She clenched and unclenched her jaw between bites. The mortal world seemed so loud now. Silence would mean destroying life around her. She couldn't do that. She would have to learn to drown out the slithering vines, the bursting flower buds, the crashing of seeds and—

"Sweetie, whatever happened to you when you were taken," her mother began carefully as she squeezed her daughter's hand, "You don't need to tell us a thing. We're just glad that you're safe and healthy."

"As long has you didn't do anything illegal," her father added with a feigned seriousness.

"Nothing illegal, Dad," Daphne replied with a gentle smile.

Days rolled into weeks; weeks spun into months. Daphne was hesitant to return to her apartment in the city. She felt, somehow, safer in her parents' home. Her job at the botanical garden was always available. She was good at what she did. Her bosses would welcome her back whenever she felt ready. While she coalesced at home, she got a part-time job at a bookstore. Daphne did so less for the money, and more so as a way to fill her time. Even with the job at the bookstore and getting back in touch with other family and friends, she felt the days were too long. She never slept. As a deity, she no longer needed to. Instead, she slipped out of the house in the dead of night to experiment with her powers. In fact, she had been so enthusiastic about her new role as goddess of growth and new life, that local environmentalists noticed. Dwindling species had been seen in larger numbers. Waterways were cleaner. Air quality had improved. Experts were stumped. No one could find cause for the dramatic change.

As Spring shifted into Summer, the loud buzz of the world around her quieted little by little. Daphne felt her frenzied need to create begin to calm. Rather than birth new life, she focused on maintaining it. She spent nights keeping flora thriving in the hot months. The plants called to her, and she answered them.

While no longer so fixated her plant offspring, her mind began to drift back to her consort. In the mortal realm, she was entirely unable to sense Hades' thoughts and emotions. At first, she had felt freed from the shackles of the Bond. But has time went on, she began to feel...empty. Her heart and mind felt as though they were missing something—like a void had opened. She tried to fill it with work, friends, even a few random dates. The ache would not leave her. There had been a time when flicking her fingers to make flowers dance was enough. Now, she used her fingers in other pursuits.

Daphne lay in bed, writhing in the sheets. Despite the cool of the air around her, Daphne was feverish. Her brown skin was covered in a sheen of sweat. The scarf around her hair had long been abandoned by the pillow as she fought for a climax. One hand pinched her nipple through the thin cotton of her pajama top. The other rubbed her clitoris in fervent ministrations. She had orgasmed already four times that night, but the ache in her core would not subside. After the fifth orgasm washed over her, she curled into a ball beneath the blanket. She had a sneaking suspicion that only a certain tempestuous god's touch would sate her.

The next morning at breakfast, Caroline eyed her daughter with worry. When she had first returned home, she had been glowing. She smiled at the littlest things. Even the sight of a dandelion flowering was enough to make her laugh. These last few months, she watched Daphne become more and more withdrawn. On some nights, she had even spotted her outside in nothing but a nightgown, waving her hands around the trees. She was deeply concerned that whatever misfortune had befallen was catching up to her.

"Dear," Caroline began softly, "Your father and I are worried about you. We think you should go see the pastor, or a therapist."

"Both might be a good idea," added her father, coffee in hand.

Daphne bit her lip. Her parents were trying to help. But she knew there was nothing they could do for her. Prayer and pills were not what she needed.

"I'll figure something out," she mumbled, busying herself with the day's crossword puzzle.

12:01 a.m. The first day of autumn

Daphne jerked awake. She didn't even realize she had fallen asleep. The heat no longer felt like it was coming from the air around her. She burned from within. She gasped as her chest tightened hotly. Simultaneously, her insides felt as if they were knotting on themselves. Her palms were sweating, and her temple pulsated. Even in the pain, her core throbbed in time with her thundering heart. She grit her teeth to keep from crying aloud.

"Divinity takes time to adjust to. Being apart from me will not ease your suffering, it will likely increase it." Hades' words rang in her aching head.

So this was what he meant? She scoffed at the irony of it all. The Lord of the Underworld had given her the power to give life, but in this moment, she felt as if she might lose hers. She resolved to stare at the ceiling fan as she breathed deeply and slowly. She could return to the Underworld instantly, but she could not disappear from her parents again. They were already worried about her.

When her parents awoke for the day, Daphne wasted no time giving them an excuse for an abrupt departure.

"I'm going to go back to my place and start my job again," she lied, "I can't keep hiding from my life anymore." That much was true. Her parents seemed understanding. They were just glad that she was trying to take better care of herself. She had begun to lose weight as the days grew shorter.

As soon as her parent's car disappeared from view, Daphne stepped into the airport bathroom and let out a strangled groan. She couldn't let her parents see the pain she was in. They surely would have taken her to the Emergency Room. Not caring what happened to her luggage, Daphne returned to the Underworld.

---

Hades sensed her presence as soon as she returned. His nostrils were filled with not the scent of flowers, but that of decaying leaves. He abandoned his post at the river Styx and rushed to the Underworld gate. He was overcome with the racket of Cerberus' whining and his lover's hurricane of thoughts. He could sense that she was in indescribable pain. When she finally came into his sight, he realized why.

She stood clutching the gate, her knuckles nearly white from the strain. She was covered in sweat. The short curls that framed her face were stuck to her skin with perspiration. Her cheeks were sunken. Her collarbone appeared sharp beneath the tshirt that hung off her shoulders

She had been away for too long.

"Hades, please," she choked as tears spilled down her face.

He was at her side in an instant. She winced as he gathered her into his arms. Any anger he had been holding onto dissipated as he felt her ribs so pronounced under her skin.

"Dear one—"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry," she sobbed into his chest as Cerberus howled above them.

She continued to chant her apology as they made their way to the bedchambers. Hades laid her gently atop the bed. He removed her sweaty clothing while racking his brain for a solution to her suffering. Their Bond was still present. It could never be destroyed. But it was weaker. Hades had remained whole and well, as he had never left the Underworld. His consort had overstayed her time in the mortal realm. Her power peaked in the Spring and slowly dwindled as the seasons changed. He shuddered at what could have happened if she had stayed into the Winter.

Though dazed and exhausted, Daphne was able to clearly interpret Hades' thoughts. Their Bond needed to be strengthened.

"Persephone, I do not think you are strong enough now. You will heal slowly as you remain here in the Underworld," he cautioned, a hand gently caressing her cheek.

She clutched his wrist, staring at him fiercely. "I need you. I can't stand to feel this way any longer. Please."

Hades hesitated. He had been craving her nearly every second she was away. Even now, he was growing hard having her so near. But seeing her like this—

Daphne reached down between the folds of his robe and grabbed his hardness in both hands. Hades grunted as she stroked his length. Her pain made her impatient. She wrapped her legs around Hades' waist, pulling him nearly flush against her.

"I am begging you, Hades," she winced as the throbbing in her center intensified. She felt as if her whole body was aflame.

Throwing caution to the wind, Hades slid into her weeping pussy. He nearly bottomed out in one thrust. She was so ready for him. Daphne clutched his shoulders desperately, rocking her hips to hurry both their orgasms. Collecting himself, Hades lifted one of Daphne's legs over his shoulder. He ground his pelvis into her clit. The sooner she came, the sooner she would heal. As his thrusts quickened, he could sense her pain lessening slightly. She still grimaced at the pain coursing through her body, but now it was mixed with pleasure.

Hades leant down to plant firm kisses along her throat. He cupped her breasts firmly, running his thumbs across her nipples. In a moment, her walls clenched around him in her first orgasm. Her mouth fell open in a silent cry as her legs began to shake. Hades, as inhuman as he was, persisted. He was determined not to finish until she was fully well and spent on his cock.

Without withdrawing, he flipped her over. He laced his fingers through hers, holding her hands above her head. He undulated his hips steadily, careful to caress her G-spot with each stroke. Daphne whimpered beneath him. Her head spun with their shared thoughts and passionate fucking that she had missed. Her thighs clenched as the bunching sheets rubbed against her swollen clit.

"Every day, I wanted for you, love," Hades breathed into her ear. When his cool tongue laved her heated throat, she unraveled again. Her body trembled beneath him. He groaned, struggling to contain his own release.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, "I'm so sorry."

Hades shook his head as he turned her to her side. He hooked her thigh over her shoulder. His thumb stroked her clit rhythmically as their bodies collided. Before his eyes, his lover began to return to her former self. As the veil of pain was finally lifted, Daphne came for the third time. As her pussy clutched and squeezed Hades' cock, Daphne pulled him into a kiss. She rocked her hips into his, eager for his release to follow hers.