Page 71 of A Sword of Shadow and Deceit

All over, I feel the tiniest bites of pain. As if all of my limbs have fallen asleep only to be woken up in the most visceral of ways. I shudder through my own orgasm, tears pricking my eyes and slipping free of the corners. With a growl, Theos slides his arm completely under the leg against his chest and shoulder and locks his hands together behind my neck. His hips never stop thrusting through my release and it goes higher and higher than I ever thought possible until the whole world explodes and all I see is white and darkness colliding into one another.

I come to an unknown amount of time later and find myself flat on my back with Theos at my side, our chests rising and falling as we try to catch our breaths. The both of us are spent. A wince comes to me as I reach down, gingerly feeling around my pussy’s opening. Wetness leaks from my insides and when I lift my fingers back to my face, I find the white cloudy substance of his cum is the cause. Turning my head towards him, I try to tamp down my newfound panic. It hadn’t occurred to me earlier, but…

His chuckle halts my thoughts. “Don’t look at me like that, Dea,” he murmurs. “You’ve wrung me dry. I couldn’t try again right now even if I wanted to.”

“That is not what I was thinking,” I say.

“Then why the stare?” he asks, turning his head to meet it.

I hold my hand up dripping with his cum. “We forgot something.”

He shakes his head and stretches against the mattress. “No, we didn’t,” he says.

I scowl. “This is serious,” I snap. “I have no intention of bringing another Mortal God into this world. You and I both know that Mortal Gods don’t stay with their parents.” And even if that wasn’t the case, I’m an assassin—and a blood servant at that. Ophelia would never allow this. It’s bad enough that I don’t have complete control over myself, but the idea of bringing a child into this world, forsaken and tyrannized by the Gods … I can’t bear it.

His once calm expression darkens before he shuts his eyes. “Their mortal parents,” he corrects me. “But it doesn’t matter regardless, Mortal Gods are infertile.”

“Don’t lie to me,” I snap. “I know for a fact that there are Mortal Gods of quarter descent or less.”

“There were,” he agrees, emphasizing the past tense of his statement. “Thirty years ago, the laws of Mortal Gods changed. The Gods no longer wanted to dilute their bloodlines. All Mortal Gods in the Academy underwent infertility herb treatment. Thankfully, it doesn’t affect our abilities to actually fuck and find release.” He opens his eyes once more and peers at me. “We’re all animals,” he reminds me. “Mortals and Mortal Gods alike. Fucking is what we do. Didn’t you ever find it strange that no one ever got pregnant? Even if we, as a whole, are careful, there are still accidents.”

I’d never truly thought about it, but at least his explanation has given me relief. I sag back into the bed. “Thank fuck.”

He chuckles at that and the worry is forgotten. I know I should get up, clean myself, and leave, but exhaustion has worn me thin. For his part, Theos doesn’t demand that I leave either. I promise myself after each minute that I’ll do so, but as the time stretches on, I find myself teetering on the precipice of consciousness and eventually, I lose the battle.

Chapter 31

Kalix

The morning sun rises early and as it does, I watch our little mortal servant dash across a courtyard, heading for the front gates. Curiouser and curiouser. Where could she be going? Turning my head, I call up one of my little familiars and send him after her. Wherever she plans on running to, I’ll make sure to keep my eyes out. I find that the creature we’ve been keeping as our very own Terra is by far unlike the others we’ve had previously. Even if that makes me want to break her open to see what lies inside her bones, there’s another overpowering part of me that reminds me if I kill her just to dissect her insides then she won’t be bringing me any more entertainment, and I can’t have that. So few things keep my attention and interest these days anyway. I’d hate to have to lose her for the momentary pleasure of seeing if there’s anything physically within her that makes her so different.

Once I’m sure one of my serpents is on her path, I turn back the way I’d been walking and head towards the north tower. After several minutes, when I make it to the top and open the door to my brothers’ and my chambers, I find them awake and standing across from one another in our shared rooms with scowls on their faces. Tension is thick and it merely makes me giddy at the prospect of more outbursts.

A tingle of awareness creeps along my spine as I let the door behind me swing shut. The familiar scent of sex hovers in the room. I turn my head, noting that several pieces of furniture and artwork have been completely removed. I don’t have to have been here the night before to know that it’s because Theos destroyed them.

“Morning, brothers,” I say, announcing my presence, since neither of them has turned to greet me.

Ruen sighs and scrubs a hand down his haggard-looking face. Unlike me, he seems as if he hasn’t slept in the last several hours. I do wonder where he chose to spend his night since neither of us wanted to come back here knowing what Theos would be like. If the scent on the air is anything to go by, however, it’s clear Theos didn’t spend it alone.

With a curse, Theos turns away from Ruen and stalks across the room to the windows. He props himself against the glass and crosses his arms over his chest. I hum in the back of my throat. “Did you not enjoy your dalliance last night?” I ask. “If you’d only asked me, I could have sent someone to distract you.”

Theos slowly pivots to face me and glares. “Shut. Up.”

I grin at the venom in his tone. Holding my hands up in mock surrender, I give him a pitiful look. “I don’t know why you’re so angry with me,” I say. “I was merely trying to help.”

“You’re never trying to help, Kalix,” Theos snaps. “So, keep your fucking trap shut and don’t bother. I don’t want to hear it.”

So vicious. Whoever the girl was, she obviously hadn’t done her job correctly if he’s still this uptight. “Is this about Darius?” I inquire. “I know you cared for the man, but what’s done is done now.”

“Don’t, Kalix.” The warning comes from Ruen this time. “You antagonize him.”

I do, but only because he’s so easy to rile. It’s not my fault he’s got a short temper. I don’t know why the two of them insist on caring so much for others. It always ends up this way. They all end up fighting in the ring and they either survive or they die. It’s better to not care in the first place if you already know that they’re likely to meet their demise at the hand of someone’s power or blade.

My hands drop back to my sides. How boring. “Do either of you know where our little Terra is running off to this morning?” I ask, swapping subjects as quickly and as easily as it takes to lose interest in one thing and move on.

Theos’ head jerks, but he turns away and focuses on the horizon brightening the sky outside of the arching window. Interesting response from him.

“Going?” Ruen repeats, both his tone and face darkening. Intriguing response. “What do you mean? Terra aren’t allowed to leave the grounds without permission.”

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