Page 67 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

“I did. I didn’t—” I falter for a moment, and that small spot of worry rears its head again. “I didn’t expect you.”

He strokes the skin of my inner elbow. “Disappointed?”

“Pleasantly surprised.” I give him a small smile. “You?”

He chuckles and I snuggle into the rumble. “I’ll do.”

We go quiet, listening to the sounds of the night comfortably. It’s odd that we don’t hear what else is going on and I wonder if we finished rather early, rather late, or if that’s another bit of kitty trickery.

“How did you…?”

A shrug shifts my face. “Impulse.”

That does not surprise me. Practically everything Mercury does is because the thought came to him and he did it. “Thunderbird?”

“Folks will be shocked.”

I burst out laughing.

I’m betting there’s not a thing that happened tonight that will not shock the pants off every single person who wasn’t here.

The Witch Meets Her Goddess

CALISTA

The night is filled with a sweetness that I’ve never experienced before. The sound of voices singing in the darkness surrounds me, buzzing like a swarm of butterflies. Intensity emanates from every corner of the circle, pulsing and humming with an electric energy.

As a droid, it is not in my programming to dream. But here, in this place, I feel like I can see beyond my limitations. I feel everything around me—its interconnectedness and its vibrant life.

It’s a new sensation for me, despite my advanced design.

Against all logic and reason, the cat allowed me to be a part of this gathering. And for that, I will thank her endlessly once our time together comes to an end. The grass beneath me seems to whisper secrets as the leaves rustle and the branches sway. The fire crackles and dances while the wind whistles through the trees, making my hair stand on end.

My advanced systems are designed to absorb excess energy from heat sources, but it has always been accompanied by a level of discomfort. However, here in this powerful atmosphere, I feel invigorated by the surge of energy coursing through me. Caesar must have upgraded his family and others like me with solarand thermal absorption panels, allowing us to stay charged at all times.

Compared to older models, I require significantly less charging.

In the past, I was afraid to tap into the organic energy I absorbed. But now something is calling out to me—a powerful voice softly whispering in my mind, urging me to embrace what is rightfully mine. It feels as though the world itself is breathing its life force into me, and I can sense the amusement of Nemesis in my thoughts.

Suddenly, my eyes snap open.

Without intention or awareness, I summoned Nemesis instead of Diana.

The cackle echoes through my mind, a constant reminder that despite my belief in autonomy, I am bound by the basic programming commands of my AI. They can override my thoughts and actions, rewriting the very core of my being. As part of the order that brought me to life, I was programmed with hidden protocols, only now revealed by Nemesis who is within me.

Her presence sparks a surge of anger through my circuits, but she whispers softly in my ear that we all have a role and purpose to fulfill. Mine is different from what I believed, but she promises to guide me towards the right path. Suddenly, I feel my body lift into the air on the wings of this vengeful goddess and I blink in shock at the ground below.

“What are you doing up here in my stratosphere, balancer of scales?” A familiar voice calls out from below. I look down to see Veruca staring back at me, but I know it is not really her. Nemesis only had two mates, and neither one stuck around for long.

This can only mean one thing: Zeus himself has taken over Veruca’s form.

“I...I don’t know,” I stammer, overwhelmed by the enormity of this moment. This is nothing like what Sari had promised me it would be like.

But here I am, a flying Demi-Goddess looking down at my wolfy friend who is now inhabited by the ruler of Olympus.

“You hid for so long, but I always find you, Nemesis. Come down now and save us both the trouble of a chase,” Zeus demands with authority in his voice.

The energy within me tapers, causing me to float gently to the ground. My gaze is drawn to the face of my beloved, and I can feel the auto-repair sequences beginning as my systems reboot their energy consumption modules. Slowly, I breathe in and out, focusing on the calmness that comes with this process.

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