As Kal was speaking, Persephone noticed something black glimmering at the man’s feet—snakes. They wound their way around his feet and his wrists. Kal only noticed when the serpents scaly body curled over his neck. He screamed, but froze when the creatures tightened their hold, hissing near his ear.

Hades materialized out of the darkness, surprising Persephone. She hadn’t felt him at all.

His voice sounded calm and collected, but she felt his rage.

“Are you threatening me, Kal?” he asked.

“No…never!” The pitch of Kal’s voice changed, rising with his fear.

Persephone turned to look at Hades. He was angry—it was present in his eyes and the press of his lips against hers as he bent to kiss her. His tongue demanded entrance, twining with her own. One of his hands cupped her neck and chin, the other knotting into her hair, tightening around the strands. He forced her mouth open wider, lapping at the back of her throat. When he pulled away, it was with her bottom lip between his teeth.

“Are you well?” His voice was rough.

She nodded, dazed.

Hades turned his attention to Kal and stalked toward him. The mortal began defending himself, still frozen beneath the white light. His hands dug into the arms of the chair, his body rigid as the snakes hissed and slithered over his body.

“I-I was following your rules! She summoned me!”

“My rules? Are you insinuating I would approve of a contract between you and my lover?”

“That would be making an exception,” Kal replied. “There are no exceptions in Iniquity.”

“Let me be clear,” Hades said, and black spikes sprouted from his fingertips. He grasped Kal’s face. The man cried out as blood bubbled beneath the spears digging into his skin. “Anyone who belongs to me is an exception to the rules of this club.”

Hades lifted Kal out of the chair and tossed him to the ground. He landed with a loud thud, and the snakes went with him. They lashed out, their fangs sinking deep into his skin. Kal screamed and Persephone watched, unflinching, as the man who had threatened her was tortured by her lover.

“You bastard!” he groaned, lying in a fetal position, his hands shook as he attempted to cover his wounds.

“Careful, mortal,” Hades moved like smoke and came to stand beside Kal.

“I followed the rules,” the man groaned. “I followed your rules.”

Persephone looked at Hades’ face—it was shadowed, his cheekbones, eyes, and forehead alight.

“I know the rules well, mortal. You don’t fuck with me or my lover, understand?”

Kal rolled onto his hands and knees. He struggled to lift his head, but when he did, he met Persephone’s gaze.

“Help me,” he shouted.

“Do not speak to her, mortal.”