Tour Hosted by Bewitching Book Tours
For the Love of Hades
Loves of Olympus, Book 2
Sasha Summers
Genre: Romantic Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
ISBN: 978-1-937254-83-4
ASIN: 978-1-937254-84-1
Number of pages: 309
Word Count: 78,500
Cover Artist: Jeannie Ruesch
Hades, God of Death, has no heart. Persephone is determined to prove otherwise…Loves of Olympus, Book 2
Sasha Summers
Genre: Romantic Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
ISBN: 978-1-937254-83-4
ASIN: 978-1-937254-84-1
Number of pages: 309
Word Count: 78,500
Cover Artist: Jeannie Ruesch
Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, has no patience for living things or his Olympian brethren. His purpose is order, administering justice to those who enter his realm, and keeping the balance decreed by the Fates. Meeting Persephone sways his focus, her gentle sweetness threatening his control. But he will not be tempted.
Poseidon’s scheming wreaks havoc upon Persephone. Hades has no choice - he must rescue her.
Hades awakens something within the Goddess Persephone. She feels no fear from his brooding presence. In truth, she’s never felt so alive. Every stolen moment together only confirms her instinct: he is meant to be hers. Such a powerful union suit will face opposition – from Olympus, her troubled betrothed, the Fates, even Hades himself – but she is determined to win his heart.
Short Excerpt from For the Love of Hades
Hades
glanced at the lily propped atop the mantle. The blossom was bright white
against the black silk to which it was pinned, light against the darkness. He
reached up, tracing one petal with an unsteady finger. He saw the tremor,
cursed it, and clenched his hand, drawing back from the flower as if it had
burned him.
Turning
abruptly from the fire, he made his way to his chair and sat heavily. There was
a sweetness to his burden, but it was no less a burden.
He leaned
forward, rested his elbows on his knees and covered his face with his hands.
What had he
done? How could he make amends now that his heinous act had been hidden so
long? Using his powers to aid a mortal would seem trivial in comparison with
the offense he’d committed against Demeter. Against Olympus.
And yet, he
felt whole.
The raw
emptiness that he’d held at bay, for nigh on an eternity, no longer threatened
to consume him. Having her here, with her constant laughter and endless
conversation, had changed his world irrevocably.
If not for
her, he would have remained bitter and angry. He would not have interfered at
Cyprus. He would never have thought to champion the mortal, Ariston…
“My lord.”
Her soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
He lifted
his head from his hands, surprised.
Persephone
stood, beauty to behold, watching him with wide green eyes. In the blazing
firelight her hair glowed copper, warm and rich. Her face, normally alight with
smiles and laughter, was drawn. Was she not fully recovered? Or did the tension
between them tire her as well?
His voice
revealed nothing. “Persephone.”
Her steps
were cautious, but she made her way to him. “Aphrodite?”
So she had
seen Aphrodite. “Has gone.” And she should have gone with her fellow Olympian.
He should have insisted she do so. He swallowed against the lump in his throat,
ignoring the tightening in his chest.
“I thought
as much.” She stood so close he could see the front of her tunic. The fabric
trembled, thundering in time with the rapid beat of her heart.
Was she
disappointed? Was she ready to leave him… his realm?
She should
go. She should have gone weeks ago. He knew it was right. Yet knowing it did
nothing to soothe his agitation. He clutched the arms of his throne, clinging
to control.
“I’ve not
asked you for anything in my time here.” She paused. “Have I?”
He shook
his head once. No, she’d seemed happy, though he had little knowledge of true
happiness, he supposed. His gaze found shadows beneath her eyes and a tightness
about her mouth. He was a blind fool.
Have you
been miserable? He could not ask the words aloud, fearing her answer.
Her voice
was no steadier than her pulse. “Nor would I trouble you now, if my need were
not so great.”
“What is
it?” he asked. His voice sounded harsh to his own ears.
She sank to
her knees, glancing at him with an almost timid gaze. Her hands lifted,
wavered, and covered his hands. He stiffened, stunned by her actions. She
touched him… He swallowed. The feel of her hands upon him squeezed the air from
his lungs.
“Show me
mercy. Show me the same mercy you’ve bestowed upon the mortal… the soldier
Ariston.” Her hands clasped his tightly.
He would
not reach for her, he could not. No matter how he might want to.
“Have I
been cruel, that you feel the need to beg for anything from me?” His words were
a harsh whisper. She shook her head and he continued, “Then why do you kneel
before me?”
“It is a
selfish request, one that may turn you from solicitous to,” she paused, her
cheeks growing red, “… sickened.”
Was it
possible for him to feel so towards her?
He stared at her hands,
wrapped about his. He would not meet her gaze. He would not reveal his damnable
weakness to her. He could not risk losing himself in the fathomless depths of
her green eyes. “Ask me,” he murmured as his traitorous eyes sought hers.
She drew in a wavering breath, ragged and labored.
Her whispered words were thick.
“My lover… Release him. Release the man who loves me,
please.” Her eyes sparkled, mesmerizing him while his heart, so newly
discovered, seemed to shudder to a stop once more.
About this Author:
She's been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she's doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.
Sasha is an active member of RWA and several Texas Chapters. A self-proclaimed movie-addict, she is full of all sorts of useless movie tidbits and trivia.
Author Links:
http://sashasummers.com/
http://twitter.com/sashawrites
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5759214.Sasha_Summers
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sasha-Summers-Author/213036208773108
http://sashasummers.com/?page_id=927
http://pinterest.com/sashasummers/
Guest Post by Sasha Summers:
Visual Inspiration – For the Love of Hades Setting
As I
mentioned in my last post, I’m a visual person. I like having a feel for what
I’m writing – which can be hard when you’re working with mythology. After all,
even I know it’s not exactly real life… *SIGH* And while I love creating
worlds, I recognize that using actual places lend authenticity. So even though
mythology might not be real *SIGH* I can do my part to make it feel as real as
possible as I can, right? Right.
I think
setting a tone is important for these books. And tone is often established through
vivid settings.
When I
started working on the series, I started a fantastic collection of images and
places that I could see playing a pivotal part of these stories.
I’m
attaching a few of them below.
 |
| Elysium |
 |
| Persephone's Tree |
 |
| Cave into Hades' Realm |
 |
| Temples (2) |
 |
| Gardens of Olympus |
 |
| Temples (1) |
There were so many images out there to help create this
world, that’s it’s very easy to go ‘there’. If you’d like to see more, you can
visit Hades Pinterest board here.
I hope you enjoy the journey
through Hades and Persephone’s tale. Happy Reading!
GIVEAWAY:
