22
ENEMIES WHO CRAWL FOR YOU
ALEXIS
Nyx rose higher, opal fangs distended and glistening with venom.
“Is this … enough of a weapon for you?” I asked sarcastically.
“Husbands.”
A single droplet of blood spilled from the corner of Augustus’s eye, tracking down his scarred cheek. “Put the venomous beast down,” he said slowly. “And step away.”
I brought Nyx up to my lips and kissed her head.
“No.”
Kharon lunged forward like he was going to dive across the table, but Augustus grabbed the back of his collar and yanked him away.
“We need to save her!” Kharon said.
Augustus glared at me like he didn’t know what to make of the situation.
“How long have you had a … pet echidna?” He choked over the last word like it physically pained him to say it aloud.
I shrugged. “Forever.”
Augustus inhaled deeply. “Of course you fucking did.”
Kharon pulled away from Augustus, straightening his cloak and crown,
serrated hunting knife still in his hand; a raised patch of scar tissue where his ear used to be.
“That’s a class seven dangerous beast.” Kharon’s voice was so deep it was barely more than an animalistic growl. “It’s ranked as dangerous as Titans.”
He slashed his knife through the air.
Whatever he saw on my face made his eyes narrow. “Do you even know —” Kharon overenunciated each word “—what class seven means?”
I shook my head no, curious to see how he’d mansplain Nyx to me.
Kharon glared at Nyx with pure disgust. “Class seven beasts are designated kill on sight—it’s a crime to harbor one in Sparta, a threat to the safety and well-being of all sentient life, penalized with a lifetime of imprisonment in
the Underworld.”
Augustus’s scowl deepened.
“Echidnas are uncontrollably dangerous,” Kharon continued mercilessly.
“Their toxin can kill full-grown Spartan children and put adults into comas … forever.”
Spartan boys screamed as they fell away from me, dying in the sand of a gladiator stadium.
Nyx’s head lowered, her eyes not meeting mine as she gently squeezed my arm. Black scales disappeared as she went invisible.
“I’m so sorry, kid,” Nyx hissed quietly. “I should have told you. I just … You could talk to me and my kind is almost extinct. I was … lonely.”
I tried to remember what she’d said about being bonded. I’d assumed she’d meant she was someone’s protector. What if it was something else? Was she bound by a Spartan oath? Was it something more sinister?
“Put the echidna down,” Kharon said. “Just put it down and we’ll handle it.
No questions asked.”
Nyx made a wounded sound.
Head spinning, I sat down in the chair and leaned back with a shaky exhale.
“That’s it,” Kharon said. “Now just take the echidna off your arm and put
it on the table. You’re doing great.”
“No questions asked?” I whispered.
Kharon nodded. “No questions asked.”
Dragging my hand over Nyx’s scales, I pulled my forearm to my chest, my left arm positioned in front of her protectively.
“No questions asked.” I chose my words carefully. “It’s a good thing then
—” I leveled a glare at all the men across the table. “That none of you saw anything.”
Kharon slapped his hand on the table. “Alexis—give me the monster.”
Covering her with my arms, I said, “Never. Drop it … Or else.”
“Are you threatening me?” Kharon seemed flabbergasted.
I arched an eyebrow mockingly. “Obviously, Karen.”
He clenched his jaw, looking equally impressed and furious.
Nyx sniffled.
Augustus met my gaze, his face stony. “Is that what you want? Are you
sure, Alexis?”
I nodded.
Lightning flashed.
Augustus took a deep steadying breath. “Fine—it’s settled.” He paused pointedly. “We will respect her wishes. None of us saw anything. If anyone dares say differently—” he glanced down at Patro and Achilles “—I’ll gut you myself.”
“But it’s not fucking safe,” Kharon argued.
Augustus glared at him. “We didn’t see anything.”
Warmth filled my chest.
Deeds, not words.
Kharon tipped his head back and closed his eyes. “Fine.”
“Let’s move on to the purpose of this meeting.” Augustus straightened and pulled a familiar vial of blood out of his pocket. “They want you to murder us—wife?”
Lightning flashed again and shadows flickered through the dark dining room, as Patro and Achilles struggled in their chairs.
Augustus held the vial up—blood sloshed back and forth. My blood.
Kharon pointed his knife at me, looking betrayed.
“So it’s come to this,” Augustus said, his words clipped as he glared at my mentors. “They want you to use your power to free yourself from the marriage bond … from us.”
I opened my mouth to deny it, to explain that I was never going to do it, then clicked my jaw shut. How dare they act like I’m the one at fault. It was
Patro and Achilles’s plan, not mine.
I was done apologizing to men.
They could beg for my forgiveness or go fuck themselves.
Kharon smiled cruelly as he stepped back from the table—Hell and Hound
left my side and sauntered over to Kharon, flanking him—crimson filled his glowing eyes.
His protectors’ turquoise gazes also changed—their flame eyes flickered a vibrant red.
Kharon straightened, his face unnaturally slack—he opened his mouth, and so did his beasts.
“I am my hellhounds.” His words echoed strangely around the room as all three of them spoke at the same time in a growling cadence. “What they see
—I see.”
Ringing increased in my left ear.
His stalking was even worse than I’d thought.
Kharon bared his teeth and nodded, so did his hounds; a puppet master and his puppets.
“I heard your discussion with Patro,” Kharon’s garbled deep voice projected eerily around the room. “I saw your longing for what they were
offering—wife.”
Fluffy Jr. growled next to me.
The blood slowly receded from Kharon’s eyes and his hellhounds looked back and forth between the two of us like they didn’t know who to choose— after a long moment, they slunk away and lay in the corner of the room.
Kharon lazily twirled his hunting knife, waiting for my reaction.
Dark emotions churned in my gut, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of showing that I was afraid.
“So … are you going to kill me?” I asked softly.
Augustus’s smile was sinister. “Oh no—wife. You’ve got it all wrong.” He turned, revealing a drink cart. He picked up two empty whiskey glasses and placed them gently on the table.
Kharon held my gaze and he stuck out his tongue.
Wait.
He brought the sharp edge of the hunting knife up to his open mouth.
I shouted as he violently slashed it across his cheeks, lips, and tongue.
Scarlet poured down his chin.
Augustus uncorked the vial with a pop and dumped my blood into the two
crystal glasses.
They wouldn’t.
“Don’t worry,” Augustus said silkily, his midnight eyes predatory. “We’re going to give you exactly what you wanted, my carus.”
Kharon handed the knife over and picked up the glass of my blood.
“Cheers, Alexis.”
Kharon threw back my blood and swallowed. Augustus stuck out his tongue, cut himself with the knife, then drank from the second cup. They both smiled—revealing my blood mixing with theirs, covering their teeth.
They did.
“Fuck you,” I whispered with horror, gripping the arms of my chair. My sternum ached as my power reacted.
“Well, wife.” Kharon arched a brow, licking his mutilated lips wickedly.
“Go for it. Break the bond—free yourself from us. I fucking dare you.”
I shook my head and gritted my teeth, chest heaving as I fought to try to calm myself.
Patro jerked and I met his panicked gaze. He was trying to tell me something with his eyes.
What did he say to me back in the gladiator sands? Calm my breathing?
I gasped for air.
Excruciating pain burned inside my chest. For the past weeks I’d been trying to access my power in the shower, and now it wanted out.
Kharon and Augustus sauntered around the table.
Wood scraped against marble as I turned my chair to keep them in my line
of sight.
My vision blurred.
They stopped in front of the hearth, and the orange haze behind them created the illusion that they were standing in front of the gates of Hell.
Cheeks flushed, their eyes were unfocused, and glazing over with agony.
They’re feeling my pain.
There was fifteen feet of open space between us.
Too far to touch; close enough to kill.
All three of us gasped for air like we were suffocating.
They swayed slightly as they also fought an invisible battle.
Patro shouted something louder behind his gag and the table shook as he
kicked it.
None of us looked over.
“Do it, carissima.” Kharon’s voice dropped an octave, eyes hooded as he spit blood onto the floor. “Take your revenge—I know you want to. I saw your face. Just go for it … Man up, sweetheart, and pull the trigger. For once, hit your fucking target.”
His words were fire, and I was the oxygen.
Pain exploded in my chest.
Lightning flashed as I reared back in my chair.
“After all … isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” Augustus arched a dark brow, his scar an angry slash. “Don’t tell me you’re backing out now. Not when we’re giving you exactly what you want. Take the offering. Have your divorce … MURDER US!”
“Or were you waiting for the men to handle it?” Kharon pointed across the table at my mentors. “And now you’re too afraid to do it yourself?”
There was nothing left of the man who’d knelt beside me in the pouring
rain.
He was heartless. Brutal.
“I guess,” Kharon taunted wickedly, “you really are just another pathetic girl who’s never had to do anything herself. It’s a real shame—the House of Hades lineage was wasted on the likes of you.” He pursed his lips and mimed rubbing away fake tears. “Poor little Alexis needs Patro and Achilles, the big, bad Spartan men to save her because she can’t do it herself and—”
A scream ripped from my throat.
Kharon and Augustus fell to their knees, shoulders shaking, foam dripping from their parted lips.
Even as they convulsed, they held my gaze, their smiles sad.
White stars danced as my vision tunneled, their pain mixed with mine, and
I felt it all.
I was killing them.
And myself.
“That’s my woman,” Augustus praised softly, tears glimmering as he crawled forward. “We’re so—” he groaned “—fucking sorry for trapping you … in this marriage … Take your revenge,” he gasped. “Please.”
No.
Kharon gazed up at me with resignation. “I’m so sorry—” the tendons in his neck stood out as he also crawled “—I wasn’t good enough—” he coughed “—for you … wasn’t strong enough, or … what you wanted. You
deserve … better.”
A tear streaked down my face.
The devils were on their knees—coming straight to me.
Groveling at my feet.
“I don’t deserve you,” Kharon mouthed as foam dripped from his
quivering lips.
“You can be with them.” Augustus’s voice cracked as he collapsed onto
his stomach. “Now.”
The agony receded.
Kharon face-planted next to Augustus and curled into the fetal position, gurgles and moans falling from his lips.
I breathed easier.
For the first time in months, my headache completely disappeared and the
throbbing in my knee was gone.
Our bond was breaking.
They were dying.
Because of me.
Augustus cradled me against his chest as he carried me through the Roman streets. Kharon hovered over me, his left ear missing.
A broken sob ripped from my throat.
No.
I didn’t want this. I wanted to feel.
I wanted to know when Kharon was pushing himself too hard, and I needed to live inside Augustus’s broken mind; I wanted them to talk to me; I wanted to know where the three of us were heading.
“Breathe, Alexis,” Nyx hissed into my ear as she slithered around my neck.
“You can control this—you’re in the driver’s seat. It doesn’t control you.”
Kharon and Augustus inhaled shakily, their fingers stilling.
I held my breath.
“Stop fighting against yourself.” Nyx tightened. “Some of us are lethal, and that’s okay.”
Just like when Patro had coached me with Theros—the pain in my chest receded as I calmed myself down—I gathered control, and the poisoning stopped.
I don’t want to hurt them anymore; they’ve been hurt enough.
Tingles climbed up my fingers to my palms.
I was in command of my powers.
A strange white light emitted from my fingers—my hands glowed brightly; the skin lit from within.
I don’t want to kill them. I want the three of us to figure this out.
A loud wheeze echoed.
“Alexis,” Kharon said hoarsely as he pushed up from his chest onto his
knees, and wiped at the cut on his face.
My right knee spasmed.
Eyes still glossy with the remnants of pain, he slowly crawled across the floor toward me.
He bowed his crowned head—I gripped my chair—he kissed the tops of my feet. “Angel,” he whispered.
I reached down for him with glowing hands, gently touching his head.
He stared up at me like I was his deliverance.
The brilliant light intensified until it hurt my eyes, and a strange feeling washed over me.
Nyx hissed something, but I couldn’t hear her.
The warmth flared brighter, light becoming pain.
I was boiling alive.
Kharon shouted something and pulled away, breaking our connection.
The light under my tingling fingers faded, as stars receded from my vision.
Kharon sat back on his haunches, still looking up at me with awe.
Augustus laid weakly on the floor, his chin lifted. “Are you … okay?” he whispered to me.
I wasn’t sure. Long seconds passed as I struggled to process what had
happened.
“Did … you … see that?”
Both men nodded.
In high school, we’d watched a historical early 2000s documentary about deep-sea anglerfish—A hideous creature, it lures prey in with its glowing bioluminescent antenna light, then eats them. It also exhibits extreme sexual
dimorphism.
Dread sank its talons into my chest.
My blood was poisonous. Maybe this was how it worked. I attracted people with my light—then violently slaughtered them.
I also had no idea what sexual dimorphism meant, but from how awkward things had always been for me, I probably had it. I stared at my shaking hands (antennas?).
“Breathe, carissima,” Kharon said hoarsely. “Don’t panic. You’re going to
figure out what it means.”
I already have—I’m a hideous fish.
As I stared down at the floor in shock, the full weight of what had just transpired crashed over me.
Strange, dangerous glow aside, I hadn’t killed Kharon or Augustus.
I’d done it.
For the second time in my life, I’d controlled my power.
We were still bonded.
Tears mixed with my chuckles as I leaned back into the chair with exhaustion.
“Wait? I can still feel—” Kharon’s eyes widened.
He tried to stand up but collapsed back onto his knees.
Augustus panted, still splayed on the floor. “Why?” he asked. “It doesn’t make any sense … We gave you an out.”
“We gave you the divorce that you wanted.” Kharon frowned. “But you stopped. Why?”
Rubbing my face tiredly, I looked anywhere but at them.
“Alexis,” Augustus said, his voice tight. “Why?”
“I want to … give us a chance,” I whispered, feeling lightheaded. “It’s just physical now, but … maybe we can be … more … some day?”
A muffled shout echoed, and the table rattled.
Augustus held his side as he sat up, and Kharon shifted at my feet.
The air crackled with tension.
Wait, what is happening?
“Carissima,” Kharon purred, eyes half-lidded and smoldering, as he wiped at his bloody face, revealing smooth unmarred skin. He grabbed on to the table. It creaked against his weight as he hoisted himself to his feet. “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done to hurt you—you deserve better than me.”
I gripped my chair for dear life.
Kharon loomed over me, blocking out the rest of the room as his breath fanned against the shell of my right ear.
“If what we have was just physical,” he said quietly, “I’d lay you out on this table and kiss your lips. Then I’d stroke myself as Augustus did the same.”
My nails dug into the arms of the chair.
Kharon breathed heavily. “And while Augustus was busy with your lips, I’d kiss your mouth.”
I jerked, face heating as I realized what he’d meant.
“Then … Augustus and I would sit down in two chairs across from each other—we’d pass you back and forth, fucking you on our laps, for hours.”
Kharon paused as he smirked down at me. “We’d fuck you until you
couldn’t walk, and they couldn’t look you in the eyes without picturing us
thrusting deep inside of you.”
I shivered.
Abruptly Kharon pulled back.
He flexed his fingers, then fisted them as he cleared his throat. “That’s what I’d do—if this was just physical. But that’s … not what this is. This is
me apologizing.”
He stepped to the side.
Augustus got to his feet and walked toward me with awe like I was his benediction. Crimson dripped from the side of his mouth, the cut on his tongue still bleeding.
He reached for my face, cupping my cheek.
“My carus.” He leaned forward until his warm lips hovered over mine.
The kiss was featherlight; I felt it in my soul.
He pulled away.
I touched my tingling lips.
A gagged bellow echoed, chains clanking. Patro’s emerald eyes were wide and pleading, his expression distraught as he struggled harder, desperate to
free himself.
Achilles sat still and watched us.
“We are devoted to you,” Augustus said solemnly.
Kharon rested his hand on my shoulder, as if bestowing a blessing. “There is nothing in the world we wouldn’t do for you, Alexis.”
Their promises hung heavy in the air, depraved in their vehemence.
They meant exactly what they said.
That’s the problem.
