Lexi had seen her share of grandiose architecture; from the castle in Bavaria, to the Sagrada Familia in Spain, to the Palace of Versailles, but nothing compared to the sheer enormity and decadence of the home of the gods. Not even Hades' castle could top it. Once she and Kade had been given prompt and friendly admittance through the gates, she was swept up into the lively mood of the palace. Satyrs pruned hedges and scrubbed statues, while nymphs flitted in and out of pillars, their voices tinkling like wind chimes as they carried baskets from place to place. They wore even less than the nymphs at home, only a transparent swath of fabric tied at the shoulder like a toga. One quick tug on the knot and they would be completely nude, which probably happened frequently, based on her knowledge of the gods' lusty habits.

As expected, everything was detailed in gold, with the main structures appearing to be carved from white marble. Pops of color came in the form of vibrant purple wisteria hanging from trellises, to the red carpeting that lined the halls, to the green topiaries framing every doorway. If it weren't for the snow, she would have sworn it was spring.

Kade waved down a nymph and asked her to take Lexi's bag to her room. The nymph smiled sweetly, looking eager to accommodate them in spite of the basket tucked under her arm overflowing with linens. As the nymph hurried away, she stopped to bow to a golden-haired goddess walking determinedly toward Lexi and Kade. Lexi immediately recognized the goddess's radiant smile, regal stature, and elegant dress. This was Aphrodite, and Lexi was quickly pulled into her arms, receiving a kiss on each cheek.

"Buon pomeriggio, Signorina Lexi. You look even more beautiful than when we last met. Something has happened to color your complexion, and I believe I know what it is."

The knowing grin Aphrodite offered triggered a flush that definitely colored Lexi's cheeks, and she curtsied in deference to Aphrodite's nobility. "Your flattery could be the cause, or perhaps the cold."

"I doubt it is either. Have you found happiness with your choice of consort?"

Aphrodite's question caught Lexi by surprise. She hadn't expected an interrogation about her relationship with Hades, at least not by anyone other than Zeus. "Very much. He is deeply caring and attentive. More than I could have asked for in a mate."

Aphrodite studied Lexi for a moment, as if looking for a hint of insincerity. "It pleases me to hear that. How long do you plan to stay in Olympus? I would love to show you some of my favorite places. The orchards are bursting, and if we do not pick the fruit soon, we will lose them to the frost."

"I promised Hades I would not stay long, only a couple of days, but I would love to accompany you to the orchards if there's time."

"Lovely." Aphrodite finally acknowledged Kade, proffering a subtle nod while her eyes roved over his bare chest. "I expect you have been assigned to protect Lexi from marauding gods. Are you sure you can handle the task without succumbing to the temptation yourself?"

The tone in Aphrodite's voice had an edge to it, but Kade brushed it off with a shrug. "There is no honor in weakness. Could you tell us where we might find Zeus? I want him to know Lexi is here."

Aphrodite seemed unperturbed by Kade's brusque manner, and pointed down a wide hallway bustling with nymphs. "He and Poseidon are in the trophy room discussing the location for the orgy."

"Orgy?" The word choked out of Lexi's mouth, making her sound like a virgin without a clue. That was so three months ago.

"Yes. Zeus made the announcement this morning at breakfast," Aphrodite explained. "It is set to occur tomorrow. I hope you will join us, Lexi. There is much more to an orgy than what you might think. It is an orgy for all the senses. There will be food, drink, music, dancing."

Although Aphrodite's description sounded better than the one Lexi had conjured, there was no way in hell she was going to get sucked into a wild drunken party with naked people fucking all over the place. "I'll give it some thought," was the only reply Lexi could come up with before Kade nudged her away.

"Follow me, Lexi. I'll show you to the trophy room."

As they left Aphrodite to do whatever privileged goddesses do, Lexi felt the warmth of Kade's hand as he gave her wrist a squeeze. "You are under no obligation to participate in the orgy. For someone just realizing they are a god, I expect it would be an overwhelming experience."

"Will you attend?" Lexi asked, allowing herself to meet his gaze in spite of the embarrassment that must have been obvious on her face.

"Not if you don't want me to. Hades instructed me not to leave your side if I can help it, so I'm willing to forego a palace orgy to fulfill my promise."

Lexi smiled at him, wondering at what point he turned into a gentleman. "Thanks, but you don't have to sacrifice everything on my behalf. I don't want to be in a position to owe you anything."

Kade chuckled. "Cleverness is definitely your strength. I think you'll do fine when you're presenting your argument to the council."

They stopped in front of a door, and she noticed the heavy wood had been carved to reveal a scene. Done by a proficient hand, the scene depicted minotaurs dodging an onslaught of arrows. The prophetic message was not lost to her.

How do you feel about it?" she said. "My argument to the council, that is."

"I hold with tradition, but I respect your fondness for all living beings. You have a fiercely passionate nature, in more ways than one, I have heard." He offered a covert grin, reminding Lexi that Hades had bragged to Kade about their sexploits. The gods were more like mortal men than they probably wanted to admit.

He pushed open the door, forcing Lexi to redirect her thoughts. She needed to be on her game if she was to going convince Zeus she was not just another goddess he could push around, but her fortitude flew out the window when her eyes rested upon the unfortunate minotaurs who had met their end at the hands of the gods. She swallowed hard and nearly stumbled over her feet as she surveyed the collection of horned heads mounted on the walls, each face staring blankly through glassy, dead eyes.

Lexi gritted her teeth and stepped forward as she caught sight of Zeus, the fiercely domineering god who had turned out to be her father. She expected to see the proud grin on his face when she walked in. What she hadn't expected was to be caught in the gaze of an equally intimidating god. The tall blonde stood next to Zeus, staring at her with the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

"Lexi! I'm glad you found us." Zeus strode toward her, covering the large expanse of room effortlessly and pulling her into his barrel chest. He was wearing a thick, cream-colored robe with gold embroidery that made him look like a Catholic priest, although she knew he was far from celibate. "Poseidon and I were just bashing out the details of the party we're throwing tomorrow. Come. Let me introduce you to my brother." Lexi forced a knot down her throat as she was ushered toward the man with the sea-colored eyes. "Lexi, this is Poseidon. God of the sea and all the creatures that dwell within it. Poseidon, may I introduce my lovely daughter, Lexi."

To say the smile that graced Poseidon's face was sensual would be an understatement. He smiled at Lexi with every rippled fiber of his being, lighting up an immaculately sculpted face. Like Zeus, he wore a robe, but his boasted a vibrant shade of aqua, matching the lake she had seen on her trip over, and the cleft of his tanned pecs were clearly visible beneath the v-neck of his robe. It was physically impossible for her not to stare.

"I am so pleased you and I are finally able to meet, Lexi," he said, the words tumbling from his lips like water over rocks. "Zeus tells me you are already coming into your powers. That is very encouraging, and I heard tales of your valiant rescue of a mortal horse you brought into the underworld. That took a great deal of courage and compassion. I, too, am quite fond of horses."

Lexi nodded, recalling the stories she had read about Poseidon, specifically of his trickery with Demeter. She had spurned his advances by turning into a mare, but he had his way with her after disguising himself as a stallion, which led to the birth of Arion, the immortal, talking horse. Did he still have that horse?

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Lexi lowered her eyes in a show of respect but also as an excuse to drag her gaze away from his handsome features. Why did the gods have to be so damn beautiful? No wonder everyone was fucking each other.

Mercifully, the door opened and a nymph bustled in carrying a tray filled with food. Behind her, another goddess walked into the room. Lexi recognized her as Artemis, also known as Diana. She wore a robe similar to Zeus', only shorter, exposing a good amount of leg. A leather strap crossed her shoulder, which connected to a quiver stuffed with arrows. A bow hung from her belt.

"Artemis, what brings you?" Zeus called as he followed the nymph to the table where she was setting up a small feast.

"I heard Lexi had arrived and I came to greet her." Artemis walked up to Lexi, wearing a smile that looked conspiratorial. "I thought we could spend some time together, just us girls. I was heading out to the archery range. Are you interested in joining me, Lexi?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Zeus popped a pastry into his mouth before walking over to Lexi and handing her one. "Try this. Spinach puffs with Swiss cheese. They're delicious."

Lexi accepted his gift and took a bite. All the while, Poseidon watched her, having made no effort to move from his spot or feign interest in the feast being set on the table. She tried to ignore his gaze and focused on not dripping cheese onto her chin as the pastry melted in her mouth. Fiona made a similar delicacy using asiago cheese, and while the Swiss added a bite that paired expertly with the spinach, Lexi convinced herself that Fiona's were better.

Making sure she had swallowed it fully, Lexi offered her opinion. "You're right, they are delicious,"

Zeus beamed as if he had prepared them himself. "There is more where that came from. The palace of the gods is at your service."

Lexi couldn't help remembering the speech he gave just three months prior, how he expected Lexi to remain at her parent's estate and cater to the gods until she was forty. That was before she found out she was a god herself, and everything changed faster than thunder follows lightning. "I will keep that in mind."

There was a lull in conversation, wherein Artemis appeared to shoot Poseidon a warning glance, but the moment was over in a split second and Artemis tugged on Lexi's sleeve. "Join me, Lexi. Kade is welcome, too. Maybe we can talk him into acting as a moving target."

She grinned at Kade and his eyebrows arched beneath the swoop of hair hanging over his forehead. "Only if I am allowed to be armed as well."

"I will be sure to warn the local minotaur herd. We all know what a superb shot you are." Artemis chuckled as she nudged Lexi out of the room, leaving the weight of awkward silence in the wake of her slam. Kade, in his effort to fulfill his duties, was forced to follow, although he looked like he would rather do anything but.