Hades worked swiftly and expertly, commanding the boulders away from the shore and into the water with a wave of his hands. The ground beneath his feet shifted as rocks uprooted from eons-old mud, but he was sure Gaia would forgive him. The safety of a goddess was at stake.

Hades only had seconds, which he used to create a shallow dam, enough to get a foothold. But Lexi would have to maneuver just right, or she could hit the rocks head-on. He caught sight of her rounding the bend, clinging to her branch as she bobbed down the river like a basket on the Nile. She had seen his make-shift bulwark and stretched her legs in front of her, preparing for impact.

Hades was just questioning the integrity of the dam when Lexi's feet made contact, and he held his breath as she shoved the branch away, caught the rocks in a squat, and scrambled over the dam like a true Olympian. As soon as her outstretched arms were within his reach, he pulled her onto the riverbank and tucked her into his chest.

Pressing his face to her head, Hades breathed in the heady scents of river and sweat. Despite Lexi's drenched state, he was never so glad to have her in his arms. "Gods, Lexi. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking," she panted. "If you hadn't helped me... I might have..."

"Shh. I don't want to think of that. I just want to feel your heart beating."

Hades offered his thanks to Gaia as Lexi quivered against him. There was no turning back now. Immortal or not, the thought of losing her hit him like an avalanche, and he was determined to keep her close, come hell or high water.

A loud snort had Lexi lifting her head. "What the hell is that? I thought it was a bear. Then the bear turned out to be you."

"It's not a bear. It's your horse. I had a feeling she would know where to find you."

"Oh. Does anyone else..."

He put his finger to her trembling lips. "I can answer all your questions later. Right now, I need to dismantle the dam."

The boulders that had aided in Lexi's rescue submitted to Hades once again, lifting out of the water and returning, one by one, to their earthly resting place. Lexi appeared properly impressed as she watched the display with an open mouth.

"That was amazing. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?" Lexi's teeth chattered as she spoke, and Hades wrapped his arms around her, calling upon his powers to raise his body temperature. It wasn't long before she relaxed into his warm embrace.

"How is that?" he asked.

"Much better than an electric blanket. I take it that's another one of your tricks?"

He smiled against her head. "It is one of my gifts, yes. I can command the elements of earth and fire." Another snort interrupted them, followed by a sharp crack that sounded like a hoof impatiently kicking a rock. "I think Jackie O is worried about you," he said. "We better let her know you're okay before she yanks her hitching post out by the roots."

They arrived at the tree Hades used to tie up Jackie O and found a very nervous mare. Lexi attempted to calm her friend, but something had the animal spooked. A few seconds later, three figures burst through the trees: Z, Lilith, and Dion. He was surprised they hadn't come sooner. He alerted the Maxwells of Lexi's hasty exit before he and Jackie O made for the gorge.

"It looks like the cavalry has arrived," he said, making no attempt to unwrap his arm from Lexi's waist as she stood shivering.

"Oh gods, Lexi! Are you okay? We were so worried." Lilith called out to her daughter as she stumbled over the rough terrain. Z offered his arm, but she refused his help with a brusque wave. She appeared angry with him, and a little tipsy.

"I'm fine, Mom." Lexi continued to soothe her jittery horse, looking a little angry herself.

"Why did you run away? You abandoned your birthday guests." Lilith continued her questioning, and when she reached them, she finally noticed Lexi's drenched state. "Lexi, you're soaking wet. You didn't fall into the river, did you?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But Luke rescued me before I made it to the ocean."

Lilith gasped, pressing her palm to her chest as she looked at Hades. "Thank you for saving my baby. I don't know what I would do if... if anything..." Lilith threw her arms around his neck in a smothering hug. She smelled heavily of merlot.

"Your thanks are appreciated but not necessary," he said. "To Lexi's credit, I believe she would have saved herself if I had not found her. I merely facilitated it."

"Regardless of Lexi's aptitudes, it was very irresponsible of her to run away," Z put in as he narrowed his gaze at Lexi. "Like your mother said, you had us worried. It was Dion who guessed you had come here. Your vehicle was our only clue."

Hades felt Lexi stiffen next to him as she glared at Z, and the air suddenly took on the tang of electricity. Whatever Lexi had overheard at the beach caused her to flee her home. She probably had plenty to say, and Hades resisted the urge to stop her. She deserved to speak her mind.

"Are you sure you were worried about me, Zeus, or about the possibility you might lose your servant?" she said sharply.

For a moment, Z appeared taken aback. Was it because Lexi had used his real name? She was still using Hades's pseudonym. "I will never see you as a servant, Lexi, and I wish you would stop throwing that in my face. Do you think I have no feelings for my own goddaughter?"

Lexi's laughter sounded as frigid as the winter wind, and Hades felt the tension ramp up. "Goddaughter, huh? Excuse me if I'm not amused by the irony. I thought the term was demigod? Please, correct me if I'm wrong."

Hades's suspicions had been right. Lexi overheard Z's proclamation on the beach. It would have been hard not to, the way he was ranting. Lilith slapped her hand over her mouth and threw a furtive glance at Z, while he maintained the calm demeanor of the ruler of Olympus. Dion appeared utterly confused.

"What are you talking about, Lexi?" Dion asked.

Lexi bit her lip, an indication she had not meant to drag her brother into the matter. "Nothing, Dion. It's a private joke. Can we just go home now? I'm freezing."

Hades pulled off his shirt and handed it to Lexi. "Change into this while I untie Jackie O."

"Lexi, why don't you let Dion drive your car home?" said Lilith. "Then you can ride with me and Zeus. I don't want to worry about you a second longer."

"Thanks, Mom, but I would rather stay with Jackie O and Luke. We'll ride back together."

"But you're wet. You could catch a cold."

"I'll be fine once I change into this dry shirt. The car key is under the floor mat, Dion. I'll meet everyone at the house in half an hour. I promise."

The trio stared at Lexi like she was asking for the world on a gold platter, but Lilith finally relented with a heavy sigh. "It's against my better judgment, but it is your birthday, and you're entitled to have things your way." She leaned in to kiss Lexi on the cheek and whispered something into her ear. Lexi responded by wrapping her arms around her mother.

Lexi disappeared behind a shrub to change while Hades watched the others make their way to the woods. He kept expecting Z to turn around and insist Lexi accompany them home, but he never did. Why was his brother yielding on this when he had been such an ass all weekend? Did Lilith hold sway over him? After a few moments of quiet, Hades relaxed his stiff shoulders and untied Jackie O. She nudged him appreciatively, and he returned the gesture with a scratch on her cheek.

"Jackie O likes you. And she has discriminating taste." Lexi walked up with her wet sweater and bra bunched in her hand. Then she slipped her arm around Hades's waist in a manner that was comfortable and familiar. Her affectionate gesture had his body humming, and he noticed her puckered nipples beneath the fabric of his shirt. He knew her body was reacting to the cold, but they beckoned him to warm them with his mouth.

"We need to get you home and resting in front of a fire," he said, distracting his manhood before his lusty intentions outed him. "How would you prefer we ride? You might be warmer behind me, and the weight would be better distributed for the horse."

"Jackie O is an Arabian. She can handle the weight. The best way to accommodate us is for me to sit in the saddle with you sitting behind it, holding onto the cantle for balance. Of course, you can hold onto my waist if you'd like, but if you fall, please don't take me with you. I've had enough fun falling this weekend."

"I think I can manage that."

Hades couldn't keep the grin off his face, and not just because he enjoyed Lexi's humor. The command she held over her faculties, particularly under duress, proved she had begun to tap into her godly nature. He knew there were still more discoveries to be made, and he looked forward to being part of them.

PLAYLIST SONG: Do You Realize by The Flaming Lips

https://youtu.be/5zYOKFjpm9s