And maybe they built their love on reasons that are absurd and inconsequential, but right now, I think they are absolutely perfect.
They want to fill my womb with their seed and I will let them.
This is what I was made for.
My body was made for this night.
Gaia might think it's crazy to go from zero to one hundred in such a short time, but I think it's crazy to walk away from the very thing you've always wanted. The very thing that, right this minute, is mine for the taking.
As the Goddess of the Harvest, there are a few things I know about tending to crops: If you don't water them, they die.
The same is true for this moment. If I don't nurture these gods, they won't stay. And right now, all I want is for them to surround me, for now and forever.
I follow them with an open heart; I follow them with desire coursing through my veins. I follow them with a tingling between my thighs. My womb, it is opening.
Other goddesses might not understand something so primal, but they are not me. I was made for this. I was made to carry their babies.
And so, when Poseidon pushes open a door and leads me up a massive staircase, I don't doubt for a minute that I am exactly where I was meant to be.
When I reach the rooftop, I gasp. "Beautiful," I say with a whisper.
My heart beats so hard. I'm getting exactly what I want, something I've never had before.
Absolute devotion from four gods.
It's overwhelming in the most delicious way. And it's beautiful. So, so beautiful.
We're on top of the building, and above us the dark night sky is filled with trillions of sparkling stars. On the tiled floor, pillows and blankets are spread out for people to lie on as they gaze at the sky. I smile, warming with the knowledge of what will come next.
I will be undone.
There is enough room for all of us here, no one will be sent away or left out.
Though I don't want anyone else to join us. This group of five is plenty.
As if reading my mind, Ares locks the door. I close my eyes, overwhelmed with anticipation and exhilaration.
"Don't close your eyes," Zeus says. "You'll miss the show."
I blink, opening them again, and follow his finger towards the sky. His sky. "It's for you," he says.
Above us there is a burst of light. But it isn't a fireworks show. There's a shower of shooting stars. Beautiful and breathtaking and made for me.
"Did you do that?" I ask, already knowing the answer, my body awake as he steps closer. He is so strong and sure of himself and it makes me feel safe and absolutely protected.
He wraps his arms around me and I breathe him in, feeling infinite in this moment. "You like it?" he asks, lifting my chin with the crook of his finger.
"I love it," I say as a smile breaks across my face, as joy ripples over my skin.
With his eyes locked on mine, he asks, "Are you nervous?"
I shake my head. "Not at all."
"Have you done this before? Ares asks, stepping closer. The edge in his voice tells me he doesn’t like the idea of me having been with any other gods before him.
"No," I say, looking over at the jealous god. "I'm a virgin."
"Yet you're not nervous at all?" Zeus asks.
I shake my head. "No."
"And why is that, love?" Hades asks.
"Because this is exactly where I am meant to be."
The gods surround me, and I feel so vulnerable, but not in a nervous way. Vulnerable in a soft and beautiful way.
Vulnerable in a way that makes me feel brave. I feel seen and known. Is it possible, to feel this way with gods I hardly know?
But even then, the answer is simple. Of course, it is possible. All things are possible. Because, right now, I do feel known and seen and loved.
"You're wrong about that," Zeus says, commanding my attention. I turn to look at him and my eyebrows raise.
"No, I mean it. This is meant to be. Me, here, with all of you."
Zeus lifts his eyebrows and I see I must have misunderstood his words. I thought he was angry, but in truth he's bursting with joy, the same as I am.
"No, love, you're wrong about being exactly where you're meant to be."
"How's that?" I ask.
"Because, Persephone," he says with a smile, "you shouldn't be standing here. You should be on your back."
7
Ares
Persephone is not like other goddesses. So many are bigger than life, projecting intensity and power in a way that turns me off. They are cunning and deceitful and pull themselves up by putting others down. I've seen it for ages and I've never been attracted to goddesses like that.
But she is different. One night in her presence and my lot has been cast. There's no going back. I only have eyes for her.