Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“Enough!” Another booming voice sounds as someone walks into the cave. He’s also wearing armor, more red than black, and he’s holding a giant sword.
Kratos.
He waves a hand in front of his face. His helmet disappears. “Leave her alone, you don’t want to piss off Cyrus.”
“He told me to cook.” Enki shrugs. “So, I cooked for her and brought her a snack.” He winks at me. Clearly, he’s also part of the snack.
I recoil more toward the back of the bed pulling blankets over me.
Kratos curses as he grabs Enki by the cape and simply jerks him backwards. I don’t realize what’s happening until Enki makes a tiny splash in the sea by the island.
“Apologies,” says Kratos. “He’s an idiot.”
I almost laugh, maybe in another life I would, but right now I’m just…too stunned to speak.
Kratos quickly moves to his knees and bows. “Thank you for your sacrifice, Cleo. I’m sorry it has to be this way, but it’s the only way.”
“Sacrificing humans?” I ask tersely.
He says nothing then quickly stands. “If you need anything, please let us know. Cyrus should be here soon to start your training.”
“Training?” I scramble out of bed, assuming I’m getting trained for some sort of weird war. “What training?”
Kratos says nothing and looks away like he’s embarrassed. “For your reward.”
“Reward?”
The sound of footsteps hits me as Cyrus comes up behind Kratos in nothing but a red bathrobe. “I’ll take it from here.”
Kratos casts one more sad gaze at me, and then he gives me his back and leaves me alone with Cyrus.
“What training?” I ask again.
Cyrus looks too beautiful to be real; his hair’s glossy, his eyes glowing. He steps toward me and then grabs me by the back of the neck and kisses me on the lips. Frowning, he wipes them clean with the back of his hand. “Sorry, I didn’t want to taste Enki on you. He’s an idiot.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Cyrus abruptly releases me, and I stumble backwards until I’m nearly one with the bed, bouncing up and down.
We’re completely alone; even Bast has left. Cyrus looks massive, standing over me, bracing his arms against his chest, his smile cruel.
“Training?” I ask again, licking my lips and tasting honey there like I’d just licked a hive.
Cyrus takes a step back and simply unties his robe. It drops to the dirty ground, and I’m left staring at an actual god.
My eyes roam his perfect body.
He doesn’t smile in appreciation. He barely flinches. Instead, he grabs me by the wrist and shoves me back on the mattress, whispering “Lie. Down.”
CHAPTER 25
CYRUS
“A beautiful thing is never perfect.” – Egyptian Proverb
Cleo’s eyes bulge. I can imagine she’s thinking I’m going to force her into something. Instead, She scrambles back against the headboard, her lower lip trembling.
“Don’t worry.” I cross my arms. “I just do better when I’m naked.”
“Do better with what?”
“Nine questions, an impossible number of answers.” I grin at her then lower my body onto the bed. “Every right answer gets you a reward, every wrong answer gets you a punishment, but know that the gods enjoy both.”
“And why would I care about the gods?”
His smile is cruel. “Because I’ll allow you to pick one before I slit your throat. Isn’t that generous?”
“What!” she shrieks. “I don’t want a god!”
“Believe me, you will. It’s a gift, for your sacrifice.” I grab her by the hair and wrap it around my fist then pull slightly. “Each of them is different, each of them has preferences, and we do want this to be a very enjoyable experience before your blood is spilled. We have mere days before the last eclipse, where you’ll choose. Maybe you’ll even choose Apep, since you seemed so mesmerized by the fact that he gave you a small amount of his expensive time.”
“He’s a stranger. You’re a stranger.”
“None of us are actually strangers to you, Cleo.” I don’t know why, but my hand trembles as it runs down the side of her jaw. She looks ready to bite me.
I think I would probably welcome it.
“So now what?” she asks, her voice bitter. “You rape me? Get me ready?”
I don’t answer her. Instead, I grip her by the wrists and pin her to the bed then lower my mouth to her neck and suck. Tasting her dirty skin is so erotic, I feel like moving my hips.
Strange.
I pull back and lock eyes with her. “Inti likes to chase,” is how I start. “So if you pick him…” I quickly flip her onto her stomach and run my hand down her back until I grip her ass tightly. “…he’ll tell you to run, and you will literally be running through the forest, hiding until he can find you. And once he does, he’ll want to use every single sense he has except for sight. Everything will be by feel.” I run my hands farther down her legs and then shove one hand between her legs ripping her jeans completely from her body along with her underwear. “He won’t be gentle, and he won’t look at you, but he’ll use his mouth in ways that some have said sends people straight to heaven as if you’ve just done battle with his tongue. Many pass out during the experience only to wake up and feel him…” I lean in close and whisper against her neck. “…feasting.”