Page 81 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

Warmth against warmth.

Ever since I’ve been stripped of my powers, I’ve found it hard to regulate my body temperature as I did before. In fact, it’s rather disconcerting how easily I can get cold and shivery. But his skin is hot to the touch—pleasantly so. It radiates pure heat, and though I am an ice deity, I prefer to roll around in warmth rather than in cold.

And seeing how the weather recently has taken a turn for the worse, I wouldn’t mind having some additional heat at night when it is the most chilly. Of course I can’t demand him to shed his skin so I can cover myself with it, though the idea does have merit.

Ah, if only he knew I am a goddess, one on a mission to defend his kind, too, he would probably offer me his skin himself, after prostrating himself at my feet and asking for forgiveness for all the instances in which he insulted me.

Mine clears his throat.

“I am not hurt,” he repeats. “You can let go.”

Although I did not pull his trousers all the way down, I can see the band of his underwear and a line of dark hair that goes down his lower belly until it hides within the confines of his underpants.

I flatten my palm against his skin, surprised to see how soft that hair is.

Males are interesting creatures. I wonder if male deities are built the same. Although… Seeing how the original mortals were created in the image of the Primordials, I assume most are rather similarly built.

As I contemplate the details of the male body, I note something shifting a bit lower. It’s a small twitch against the back of my forearm that is pressing against Mine’s trousers, but I cannot tell what it is.

I frown as I lean in to take a better look.

“Mine?”

“What, Minnie?” His voice is tense, harsh.

“Are you sure you’re not hurt?”

“Quite,” he answers in a ragged voice.

“But…” I gulp down as my eyes take in the swollen lump at the front of his trousers. “You’re swollen. Did you hit yourself here?” I ask as I move my hand and point to the growing bulge.

Oh my! It’s growing so fast. I’ve never seen an injury swell up so rapidly.

My body tenses.

This must be it! There must be an infection somewhere in his trousers, and if I don’t drain the liquid, he might die of septic shock. I’ve read as much in that damn nursing book.

He’s staring at me wide-eyed. His mouth is ajar, and he’s at a loss for words.

I’m pretty sure it’s the pain.

“Don’t worry about it, Mine. I will take care of you,” I tell him resolutely. “I will tend to your injury and you’ll be as good as new. You’re not dying under my watch.” I nod to myself, proud of the coherent words that came out of my mouth when everything inside of me is a mass of uncertainty.

Grabbing onto the edge of his underpants, I pull them down to reveal more of that dark hair and the base of the lump.

My hands freeze.

That is…much bigger than I thought.

“Don’t worry, Mine,” I tell him again, wishing to assure him, thoughIam not in the least assured. “I can fix you.”

“Minnie,” he groans aloud. His hands are dangling at his sides, almost as if he has no more strength to move.

Poor Mine.

He cut his stomach and now he has a huge lump between his legs.

The base of the lump springs up from a thatch of black hair. Surprisingly, the skin is not red or yellow as I would have expected. It’s the same golden hue as the rest of him.

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