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Loki," Jac said.
    Ares' expression grew serious, but Rachel noted the sparkle in his green eyes. "Why did you hit Loki? Did he hit you first?"
    Titus shook his head, sending his long black hair into his face. Ares gently brushed it back from his forehead. "No, but Persephone did."
    "She hit Loki?" Ares asked, his confusion clear.
    "No." This time Titus’ headshake was more definitive. "She hit me. You told me never to hit a girl, so I hit Loki instead," he said as if it made complete and total sense. And to a four year old, it probably did.
    Rachel turned to her daughter. "Persephone Ann is that true?" she asked, shocked that her little girl had reverted to violence.
    Her daughter looked up and smiled at her. One finger slipped into her mouth and she grinned wider. "I like him, Momma. He's pretty."
    Her gaze shot to Titus, who looked as if he'd swallowed a bug. It was everything she had not to laugh. Apparently, Ares didn't feel the same.
    He roared with laughter. "I see your daughter has taken after your best friend." His gaze slid to Jac and heated.
    Jac flushed as Ares approached. He shifted Titus to his other hip and wrapped one strong arm around his wife. His big hand settled lovingly over her flat belly as he nuzzled her neck. "Come, let's go home before our son is forced to defend his honor."
    The women giggled.
    Orion reached for Brigit's hand and squeezed it gently. "Are you feeling well today?"
    "Super!" She looked into his face, her love glowing brightly for all to see. "Better now, since I get to wear my dragon costume," she said, cheerfully.
    His brow furrowed. "Dragon costume?"
    "I'll explain everything once we get home. Can we stop by the market on the way? I'm starving!" she said.
    "Didn't you eat?" Orion glanced at the remains of the food on the table, then gently cradled her stomach in his palm.
    Brigit shrugged. "Yeah, but that was like ten minutes ago."
    Ares clapped him on the back. "Get used to it, little brother. Cravings are only the beginning." His gaze slipped to Jac's. "Your life is about to change in ways you never imagined."
    Orion smiled. "Can't wait." There was no doubt that he meant every word, as he led his pregnant petite wife away.
    "You say that now," Ares said, obviously teasing Jac.
    "What do you mean by that?" Jac asked. Her tone left no doubt that she was gearing for a fight.
    Before she could get too wound up, Ares kissed her. Jac appeared to melt before Rachel's eyes.
    Jac's gaze moved down her husband's rock hard body, settling on the loincloth hugging his slim hips. He'd refused to change his style when they arrived at New Atlantis because he knew how much she loved it. "Something's come up," Jac said. "Got to go. I'll see you later, Rach." She was already dragging Ares across the room.
    Rachel stifled another giggle. This was going to be the best Christmas party Zaron had ever seen.
     
    ***
     
     

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Taylor's heart pounded so hard she was pretty sure it was about to burst through her double D's and splat onto the floor. She had never heard anything so terrifying as the roar that had come out of Hades.
    When he'd told her to run, part of her...a teeny, tiny part of her that deserved a swift kick in the pants, had actually been excited. But her excitement quickly waned once her commonsense kicked in and she got a quick glimpse of him. Self-preservation made her run. She was still running, but she didn't know where to.
    She still couldn't believe that she'd managed to escape. Hades had moved so fast. If she had blinked, she would've missed him coming off his throne. When she'd looked back all semblance of the man had been gone, replaced by a monster of a cat with fangs that would shame a saber-tooth.
    He’d looked like a liger, but he was so much bigger than those huge cats. What kind of prehistoric beast was he?
    The scratches and screeches coming from the other side of the door were even more frightening than the ear-splitting roar. Her ears were still ringing. At