Page 38 of The Blood of Gods and Monsters

Golden eyes glitter brightly. “Is that a challenge I hear, Dea?”

I move closer to him, lifting my hand to his chest. Sparks dance beneath my fingertips and something sharp and painful jumps beneath the touch. Yellow glowing tendrils of lightning waft off the edges of Theos’ hair. Dangerous. Oh, so fucking dangerous. And addictive.

“That’s exactly what it is,” I tell him honestly. “I want to see what you can do, pretty boy.”

His head dips towards my own and his tongue comes out to swipe across his full lower lip. My eyes lock onto that little action, my throat going dry. “What do I get if I win?” His question is whispered so low that I almost don’t hear it despite how close we’re standing.

It takes me a moment to respond. “What do you want?”

Cool air slides over my shoulder from behind, lifting one strand of my hair and fluttering it towards my face. Theos reaches up and captures it between two fingers. Instead of tucking it back over my shoulder or ear as I expect, though, he lifts it to his lips, pressing the silvery lock against his mouth. Memories of that mouth on other parts of my body attack my mind. My muscles ache deliciously at the reminder.

“A boon,” he finally says.

I blink. “A boon?” I repeat.

He grins and releases my hair. “Yes,” he affirms. “You win and I will offer you a boon and if I win, you offer me one.”

“And I assume this boon will be like a favor or…” I drift off as he begins to shake his head. “Then what do you?—”

“It can be a favor,” Theos states. “Or it can be a benefit. Perhaps that boon will be to have you in my bed instead of Ruen’s.”

I roll my eyes and take a step away from him, turning to go. “Sure, then,” I toss my answer over my shoulder. “I don’t expect that to happen, but if that’s what you wish—it makes no difference to me.”

I stride towards the end of the now nearly empty corridor—all of the students having moved on to their next courses—and pause to look back. “I’m going to get changed and I’ll meet you at battle practice soon, boys,” I announce before offering them a grin. “I look forward to wiping the sand with your asses.”

When I turn to leave this time, the responding burst of laughter at my back carries a twisted sort of promise with it. Whether this challenge is our way of forgetting the other issues plaguing us or inciting a closer connection, I have a feeling that now that I’m officially a Mortal God, my relationship with the Darkhaven brothers has taken a new course through uncharted waters.

No matter what happens in the future, we are bound together on this ship. If it goes down, we all do.

Chapter 16

Kiera

“This is going to be fun.”

“I think our definitions of fun are two very different things.”

Those comments from first Kalix and then Theos have me biting my lip as I—along with the Darkhavens—line up in the sand of the battle arena for practice. Fun does seem to have an obnoxiously large number of varying definitions when it comes to these men. Unfortunately for Theos, I have to agree with Kalix. Now that I’m no longer hiding my powers, being able to unleash some of this pent-up energy in a violent way will certainly be … fun.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Tilting my head down and to the side, I meet Ruen’s eyes and smirk. “Why? Are you scared I’ll beat the shit out of your brothers?”

Midnight eyes widen and one corner of his mouth lifts ever so slightly. He doesn’t answer my question but turns his attention back to the front where Axlan strides with two Terra struggling to keep up with his pace.

I scowl at the big brawny God as he stalks toward the front of the current class of Mortal Gods we’re surrounded by. Despite the struggling mortal Terra stumbling behind him, their arms filled with spears and swords and all other manner of materials, Axlan’s hands are completely free and hang loosely at his sides.

Turning my head, I scan the exterior wall, going down the line of other Terra until I come across a familiar brown haired male. Niall spots me looking his way but when I offer him a smile, he ducks his head and stares at the ground beneath his feet. My smile falls away abruptly and I stare at him a moment more, wondering if I’ve done something to upset him.

It isn’t until Ruen nudges my side that I realize the class has started. I jerk and whip back around as Axlan begins to speak.

“Today, we will continue with sparring practice,” the God of Victory announces. “Find a partner and get into your circles. We will mimic the same rules of a tournament. Winners of each round will go on to fight another and another until…” He pauses and grins. “The final winner left will have to battle me.”

I stare at the God of Victory with no small amount of disgust. No doubt this little exercise of his doubles as a way for him to find a high of his own abilities. Vain, greedy, fucking Gods. I shake my head and blow out a breath.

Axlan claps his hands together before gesturing to the Terra who finally stop at his side, panting and sweating though they are. “You may choose any weapon we have available or you may choose to fight without,” he states. “It matters not to me, but I shall be coming around to watch the rounds. Don’t disappoint me.”

The moment Axlan releases us to our own devices, Kalix’s hand reaches out and snags my wrist. Before he can open his mouth, Ruen growls out a denial. “Don’t even fucking think about it, Kalix,” he snaps.

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