Ruined Goddess: Persephone Trilogy, #1

By Carly Fall

When the goddess of the Underworld meets a mythical monster, all hell breaks loose.

Persephone used to be a goddess and a queen until she tried to take revenge on Hades for abducting her all those eons ago. Stripped of her magic, she's just a lonely human, living in the small town of Saint's Grove, trusting no one, and hiding her true identity. But at least she's able to live on her own terms.

Jack, Ian and Grizzy make up the band Rowdy South. They've spent centuries in their human forms traveling the world and playing their soulful music. However, Jack is certain no one could ever love a monster like him.

In one night, the goddess and the monster ignite a passion that could burn forever… or take them both down in flames when they discover each other's deception. As danger closes in around the band and Hades returns for unknown reasons, Jack realizes their love could be the stuff of legends… If only he can convince Persephone to trust again and leave the past behind her.

Ruined Goddess is Book 1 in the #WhyChoose Paranormal Romance Persephone Trilogy

• Language: English
• Publisher: Westward Publishing
• Release date: Mar 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393497868

Book preview

Prologue

Persephone

As I stood in the middle of the circle of flames reaching at least six feet high, I stared at Hades, my hatred for him so strong, it almost crippled me.

I tried to kill the human woman Hades loved, and I’d failed. I’d known that if I hadn’t been successful, Hades would find out, and I’d have to pay dearly.

What happens now? I asked, glancing around the living room where Hades resided with his human and two other Greek gods.

Now, you be quiet. In a few hours, I’ll release you and you’ll be on your way.

I crossed my arms over my chest. I don’t believe you.

Hades moved through the flames so we stood face-to-face. I tried to back away from him, but the fire held me in place.

He’d trapped me once, and now he’d done it again. I had nowhere to go.

Here’s the deal, he said, his voice calm. What I did to you all those thousands and thousands of years ago was wrong. However, for you to try to exact your revenge by using Ana is reprehensible. You remain silent for the next few hours. Then, I cut you lose. It’s that simple. There’s no other way this can go.

Hades turned away from me and moved back through the flames.

What about you? I yelled. How have you paid for what you did to me?

Glancing over his shoulder, his face fell as his shoulders sagged. Sadness washed over his features.

Oh, Persephone, he said with a sigh. I paid dearly. I lost my first love. In fact, I’m pretty sure I never even had her. In my selfishness, I ruined the good I had so desperately wanted in my life. I made you into a monster, and that hurts worse than anything.

1

Persephone

Another night when I had proven to myself tequila was not my friend.

My head pounded and my mouth tasted like someone had taken a crap on my tongue, then stuffed my cheeks with cotton balls. The sun streamed into my bedroom through one small, slightly out of place slat in the blinds and hit me in the face like a bright light direct from the heavens.

With a groan, I rolled over and bumped into something hard, yet warm. I pried my eyes open to find a man lying next to me on his back, one of his wrists still cuffed to my headboard.

Shit.

Who was he and what had happened?

I gently lifted the forest-green duvet and discovered we were both naked. He had long legs, thick thighs, tight abs and a nice cock that hardened as I stared at it. As I struggled to remember the events that had brought him to my bed, I pushed his shoulder.

Get up, I said, my voice hoarse.

He moaned and attempted to turn away from me, but the cuff didn’t allow him to. Where had I put that key?

I threw back the duvet and stood, then ran a hand through my hair. My hips and groin ached, so the sex must have been pretty good—or I’d just put a lot of effort into it. I couldn’t recall any mind-shattering orgasms.

Wake up! I yelled, holding my head in my hands as it thrummed like a jackhammer. I want you out of my house!

What the fuck was his name?

Glancing over my shoulder, I noted his eyes fluttering open. Black hair, a piercing blue gaze, and a bit of scruff on his cheeks and chin. His bare chest was covered in a smattering of black hair. I figured him to be around thirty. At least I hadn’t lost my good taste in my tequila haze. Those baby blues sent a little shiver down my spine despite my desire for him to vacate my apartment.

Are you going to uncuff me? he asked.

I stood and looked around the room for the key once again, kicking the clothes strewn about the carpet out of the way. A glint of silver caught my eye in the corner by the closet. A brief vision of me straddling him, locking his hand in place, then tossing the key over my shoulder with a laugh filled my mind. At least the night hadn’t been a total blackout.

Yes, I said. Then you’re going to leave.

I picked up the key and hurried back to the bed. As I bent over him, he gently cupped my breast with his free hand.

You’re amazing, he murmured.

Yes, I know. Thank you, I said with a sigh and unlocked him.

He slowly sat up in bed as he massaged his shoulder. I like a woman who wants to be in charge.

Honestly, he didn’t have a choice. I’d never not be in charge of a situation again. I’d spent eons letting others rule me. But I was a fucking goddess. I deserved respect and would be in control from here on out with whoever came into my life.

I grinned, wishing he’d hurry the hell up and get out of my space. After grabbing my robe from the closet, I put it on and cinched the belt tightly around my waist.

No morning fun? he asked.

I shook my head. You need to leave.

Are you sure? He got to his feet. His cock jutted out from his hips and he made no attempt to hide it. I stared at it for a moment trying to decide if I wanted another ride.

Definitely no. I just wanted some peace and coffee. Yes. I’m sure.

I turned and marched out to the kitchen to make the damn brew. The sooner he left, the better off I’d be.

The sounds of running water filtered into the kitchen from the bathroom as I watched the black goodness drip into the pot. He emerged from the hallway a few moments later wearing jeans, a black T-shirt, and boots. He’d wet his hair down and it shone under the daylight streaming through the windows.

Can I call you later? he asked, leaning against the corner with a slight smile turning his lips.

Another brief moment of lucidity came to me.

He was a tourist to my little town, only staying a night or two. At least I’d had the forethought not to bed a local.

Go back to Roanoke, I said with a sigh. You and I are done. His grin faded and I pointed to the door. Now please leave.

Are you always this bitchy in the morning? he asked as he pushed off the wall.

Only when I wake to a mistake, I snapped.

Before I could move, he had me pinned against the counter, his hand caressing my throat. His gaze seemed to darken and became threatening. Be careful of your smart mouth, he whispered. It will only get you into trouble.

I laid my hands on his biceps and pushed, but he didn’t budge. For a brief second, fear clenched my chest as my breath caught. I wasn’t used to being manhandled, questioned, or disrespected.

Remove your hands from me, I said through gritted teeth. I’ll make you very sorry if you don’t.

An empty threat, but I hoped he didn’t see it that way. As a goddess stripped of my power, I was no stronger than a human woman and I didn’t think I could overpower the Tequila Tourist. Yet, I’d found over my long existence that threats voiced with the right tone and a proper glare could be very effective.

He stared at me a beat, then stepped away. A slow grin curled his lips. The friendliness came back into his gaze as he chuckled. I hope your day gets better. It’s got to be hard to start out in such a horrible mood. He opened the front door. Maybe I’ll see you around later.

Trust me, there won’t be a later.

Mumbling something under his breath, he stepped out and shut the door.

I sighed and my shoulders sagged when I heard it click.

Alone.

I quickly flipped the lock, then poured my cup of coffee and reveled in the silence. The hot brew burned my lips and throat as I shut my eyes for a brief moment to simply enjoy the bitter taste. No one would ever convince me that coffee should be drunk any way but black.

With a sigh, I grabbed some ibuprofen, took my cup to my little living room and sat down in my favorite recliner—green velvet with dark blue trim. I’d found it at a garage sale a couple of months back and immediately fell in love with it. Perhaps it was the colors, or maybe the way it supported my weight with so much comfort. After tossing the pills into my mouth, I slugged down a few gulps of coffee, then leaned my head back and closed my eyes.

The noises from the town square wafted inside. I lived above one of the stores in a small apartment in the mountaintop town called Saint’s Grove. I liked being in the center of the small city, yet, I felt secluded in my little space in the world… the operative words being my space.

In my long existence, I’d never had anything I could call my own. I had never been in charge of my own life. Now, I bathed in the power. I ruled no one but myself, and that was fine.

However, I did have to do something about my tequila consumption. It led me to make poor decisions. The Tequila Tourist had seemed a little unhinged for a few moments, and it bothered me that I’d allowed him into my apartment and body. I didn’t appreciate his veiled threats. I could only hope he’d been bluffing and he’d quickly return to his hometown.

I pushed my toes against the floor and gently rocked myself. Every couple of minutes I took another sip of coffee. As the time passed, I believed I’d be feeling normal soon, so I picked up my word search book.

A simple game, but I did love puzzles. I often timed myself to see how quickly I could finish one, or I took it at a slow pace and just enjoyed the steps of finding the words.

When the caffeine fully kicked in, I set aside my pen and book, then rose from the chair and tended to my windowsill herb garden where parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme grew. I’d picked the herbs specifically because I liked the Simon and Garfunkel song. Call me old-fashioned, but I’d been around forever, and the tune had stuck with me as one of my favorites.

As I fingered the small leaves, I hummed the tune. The thyme didn’t seem to be doing as well as the others, so I dug my finger into the dirt and gave the little plant a brief jolt of my magic. Its wilted and browned leaves uncurled and became green before my eyes. My mother had been a goddess of agriculture, so I had a little power within me that hadn’t been stripped to give the little greenling.

I sauntered down the hallway to the bathroom, preparing myself for what I would see in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, I met my own stare. I had wilted far worse than the thyme.

Blond hair sat in tattered curls around my shoulders. Black mascara smeared under my eyes. My lips seemed a little swollen, which I attributed to tall, dark, and scary who had just walked out of my apartment. The scruff around his mouth would have caused a lot of friction against mine.

I leaned my palms on the sink and continued to study myself.

You need to get a grip, Persephone, I whispered. You need to be more cautious."

Not only for my personal safety, but because I was a goddess banned from Mount Olympus and living as a human. I should be having a quiet life and not drawing attention to myself.

But tequila made me do things I’d never, ever done before… like bringing home strange men.

What the hell was his name?

Bits and pieces from the previous night filtered in as I stared at my reflection. I had been at the Mountaintop Bar and Grill. A band had been playing, and they were really good—soulful, almost magical music. My new friend had showed up with another guy… a blond. They’d bought me shots. And… I’d asked both of them to come home with me. The blond had declined when Tequila Tourist had said yes.

Peony, what am I going to do with you? I whispered. No more tequila. It makes you a whore.

I couldn’t help but giggle. After my span of celibacy, I had a lot sex to make up for, but picking up strangers in a bar probably wasn’t the best way to go about it.

The nickname, Peony, had come from Hades, god of the Underworld, when he’d kidnapped me from a field so very long ago. I detested that I thought of him each time it was used, but I couldn’t very well go about town calling myself my real name and expect anyone to take me seriously. I’d been responding to Peony for eons, so I used it to make my life easier.

I wanted to be free. I wanted to live my life on my own terms. My whole existence had been dictated by someone else. First my mother, then Hades. I was done being ruled over. I was in charge now.

As I made my way through the rest of my day, my mind kept returning to the band from the previous night. Their music could be described as sultry and smooth, and there’d been something interesting about the members themselves, although I couldn’t remember what it had been because of, well, tequila.

By the time the sun had descended, stir-craziness had set in, as well as my greatest nemesis: loneliness. I had vacuumed, done what little dishes remained in the sink, and folded the laundry. Now, I had nothing to distract me from my own thoughts. The quiet I had appreciated hours earlier smothered me.

People. I needed to be around others or I would sit and stew about how miserable my life had become.

I walked a very fine line. After so many thousands of years of ruling the Underworld alone, I craved the interaction with others. Yet, I’d learned the very hard lesson that people who say they love me, those closest to me, will trap me. Imprison me. Hurt me. My mother had done it by not letting me leave her side, then Hades had done it by abducting me and forcing me to be tied to the Underworld. And my father, Zeus… he’d loved me so much he’d raped me.

I’d spent my entire existence ensnared in the torturous wishes of those who claimed their love for me.

Never. Again.

So yes, I needed to be around others, to talk to humans, to laugh, to enjoy their company. However, I could never actually get close to someone. They’d never know me, they’d never understand me. I trusted no one.

The Mountaintop Bar and Grill seemed to be calling to me. Since it was Saturday, I assumed the band would play again. I could go, have a glass of wine,