Page 8 of Immortal Sun

Besides, desire for a human, especially one like her, is a line even I do not cross. Ever.

The minute she finds out the truth she’ll open those pretty little eyes after a deep sleep and realize that the nightmare is her reality—reality will always be more terrifying than even your most evil dreams. I used to wonder why people couldn’t grasp concept—that when you’re sleeping, you’re safe.

When you’re awake?

Chaos thrives.

Apep chooses that perfectly calculated moment to walk by my door. I can smell him before I can see him. He’s like a damp spring night with a slight chill in the air, where he walks goosebumps of trepidation follow.

I loathe him, but we’re connected and right now I can’t kill him, so I tolerate him as much as I can and when the time comes, I’ll pick up my spear and strike.

It’s what we always did, until now. At least while he’s stuck here for an eternity, I get to give him his final resting place and leave. I think I’ll wear white to his funeral.

Everything he does has a purpose—to irritate, to demand, to make me crack, and push me past my realm of control only to bring me back again. He wants me trapped like he is.

It’s been that way since the beginning. One day he knows I’ll kill him, drown him in the sea and beg the gods to steal his soul and carry it into the darkest depths of the Nile.

That day, sadly, is not today.

The door to the bar opens. He walks in and goes to his usual table and tosses back a shot, one I always keep ready for him so he doesn’t come in further. Silver-blond hair and bright green eyes that never seem to blink, stare back at me—soulless and empty. He never ages, and nobody ever seems to care. They look right past the wrongs in all of us; it’s always been that way, and it always will be.

His fists clench at his sides, his long blue leather coat wraps around him tightly, his black scarf nearly chokes him, I wish it would. His jaw flinches, and without even being close to him I can sense him grinding his teeth in both annoyance and excitement. He inclines his head and walks out. As quickly as he arrives, he leaves. Probably just wanting to see her, the last daughter of Chaos.

“So,” I clear my throat. “Your apartment is just upstairs, shall we?” I notice her attention on my face, as if she’s been watching me during my short inner monologue. Perceptive, this one.

“Oh.” She nods. “Crazy, okay, I thought I was staying at a hotel until I could find an apartment.”

“Things change.” I say through clenched teeth. I don’t understand why she feels different. The rest of them were irritating, this one feels strangely normal. She feels…human. “Here, I’ll take that.” I grasp her luggage, not wanting to risk touching her again, and lead on.

She follows me through the bar and up the stairs to where we house several apartments above the bar, one of them belonging to her allegedly missing brother.

I remind myself, one last boring walk up the stairs before descending to the basement., to the end waiting for her in the river Styx. Wonderful. I almost sound bored about it. The last time I mentioned boredom Enki dropped off materials for knitting so maybe I’ll just keep it to myself this time.

She quietly walks behind me until we reach her room. I type in the code, the beep follows unlocking the door, but when I turn around she looks half asleep and anything but impressed. She walks in and takes a look around. “It’s bigger than I thought it would be, and you can’t even hear the noise downstairs.”

I snort out a laugh. “Yeah well, you’ve never celebrated St. Patrick’s Day here, don’t worry I’ll get you some noise canceling headphones.”

She licks her lips and offers me a small smile. “Well, I’ll probably be working anyway so I don’t mind.”

I force a cruel smile of my own.No. You’ll be dead.And why would anyone be excited about serving loud drunk customers who rarely tip and get angrier the drunker they get?

“I’m excited, and I appreciate it.” She holds out her hand. I know I shouldn’t just stare at it but she’s just so agreeable, I have to keep reminding myself she has no idea.

My purpose isn’t to save her.

Eventually, she’ll understand.

Eventually, she’ll know suffering.

Eventually, then, maybe I’ll know the peace of finally being home where I belong.

The two often go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other, just like good and evil, one must survive—thrive even—for the other to live.

She yawns and stretches her arms out a bit, revealing part of her stomach. Her breasts strain against her tight black sweatshirt. I tell my eyes to look away, but I’m suddenly fucking starving for a taste.

It’s been an eternity since I’ve had a small tempting taste.

My body responds instantly with images of taking her against the bed, the wall, against this leather seat, in every room in my home, screams of pleasure erupting from her lips.

---