Oh, yes, please. Satisfy anything you want.
She swallowed about a million times to keep her mouth from opening and those exact words from falling out.
Hades didn’t seem to notice the lustful distress he’d caused, continuing his demonic reincarnation lesson as if he hadn’t just teased her with sexual undertones. “Demons here are generally reborn as a member of a species that fits within their soul’s Ufelskala, but every once in a while a level one will be reincarnated as a species that rates a five, or vice versa. It’s why you’ll sometimes encounter a Soulshredder that wants to help others, or a Slogthu that likes to kill.”
That made sense, she supposed. Anomalies happened in every species on Earth, so why not in Sheoul? “So how does all of this work? How do you keep everyone in line?”
“That’s the reason the Rings are all based on the Ufelskala. No matter your score, you can travel to any level that is higher on the scale, but never lower. So an Ufelskala Tier Two demon can travel between the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Rings, but they can’t go to the 1st Ring. And no one from any Ring can come here.”
She considered that for a moment. “But as you said, the Ufelskala scale is based on a species’ level of evil as a whole, and not every individual is representative of their breed.”
“Which is why Azagoth and my team review every person who comes through the gate.” Hades bent over and yanked off his boots. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to clean up.”
She scooped up another bite of gravy-soaked bread. “Go for it.” Oh, wait...was he going to use the open––very open––bathroom? He strode over there, his fingers working at the ties on his pants. Oh, boy, he was going to––
He dropped his pants, and she nearly swallowed her tongue along with the bread. With every silent step, the muscles in his legs and ass flexed, making her fingers curl with the desire to dig into his hard flesh.
Hades hit a lever, and water streamed from a wide slot in the stone wall. He stepped beneath the steaming waterfall, closing his eyes and dipping his head back. He was a living, breathing work of art. Angel and demon all wrapped up in a package of physical perfection. Her mouth watered, but now it had nothing to do with the food. She wanted something much more tasty.
Wanted it desperately. And the thing was, lust had driven her wants before, but something had changed. Yes, when she looked at him, lust was a writhing, burning entity inside her, but there was also a flutter of attraction to the male inside that magnificent body.
But did he want her? He’d spent months avoiding her––or, at least, it seemed that way. And back at his crypt, he’d taken off just when things had gotten hot. But things had gotten hot. And he’d sort of flirted a couple times, the way he had a moment ago when he talked about satisfying her…curiosity. So there was something there. Right?
She needed to know for sure. Her curiosity had always driven her, even when she should have minded her own business, but a wereleopard couldn’t change its spots, could it?
Gathering all her courage, she stood, letting the blanket fall to the floor. His back was turned to her, so he didn’t see her moving toward him, her pulse picking up speed with every step.
“Need help washing your back?”
He whirled around, eyes wide, his lips parted in surprise. A blush crept up his neck and into his face as his gaze traveled the length of her body. Between his legs, his sex stirred, swelling and lengthening as he took her in. Between her legs, she went wet, and she hadn’t even stepped under the water yet.
“I...ah...I’m doing fine by myself...” It was adorable how flustered he was. Big bad Hades was completely off balance. She was so taking advantage of that.
“You missed a few spots.” Stepping into him, she gripped his biceps and forced him back around. The tingly, whiskey heat of him immediately sparked on her skin, giving her that contact high that had been so incredibly seductive back at his crypt.
She soaked up the sensation as she palmed the hard bar of handmade soap and began to wash him, starting on the back of his neck and working her way down. Damn, his body was firm, his skin smooth. She’d never touched a male like this, and she made a mental note to do it again. Hopefully with Hades.
Intrigued by this new experience, she committed everything to memory, like the way his muscles leaped under her touch. Like the way the water and suds sluiced over hard flesh that rolled with every one of his rapid breaths. Like the way his fingers dug into the stone wall as if he was trying desperately to hold himself upright.
“Cataclysm,” he said roughly. “This might not be the best idea.”
Pulse fluttering in her veins, she dropped her hands lower, skimming his buttocks as she scrubbed in wide circles.