Page 123 of Thanatos' Craving

Juniper took in a breath and shoved the bounds of Medusa’s body away from her, stumbling away from the tail.

My wings beat forcefully and created a rush of air that propelled Medusa backwards. As Loki transformed into a raven, the sound of his feathers rustling filled the room. His sharp claws extended, gripping tightly around Medusa’s neck. Medusa’s body reacted, her body coiling around Loki to crush him. This triggered Ember’s maternal instincts.

I ran to Juniper to get her out of the line of the fight. She willingly fell into my arms and I pulled her across the room. Ember’s snarling, her fangs ripping into the meat of Medusa’s body, made Juniper flinch and she buried her face into my cloak.

Hades sighed, pinching his nose as he watched his mate and son rip into Medusa. “This is going to make a bloody mess.” A crack echoed into the room from a broken desk and a blood-curdling scream came from Medusa.

The coil let go of Loki, and he hopped away in his large raven form and stood beside his father. Ember snarled again, her white fur soaked with blood as she stalked away from the wound she inflicted on Medusa’s side.

“Where is the stone, Medusa?” Hades stood over her.

Her snakes in her hair were lifeless on the floor. “I won’t tell,” she rasped. “Not unless you spare my life.”

Hades tsked and squatted down in front of her. “That really isn’t up to me now, is it? You were the one that fucked with his mate, so beg him.”

Her head turned to me. There was no pleading in her eyes.

“I won’t tell you where it is unless you spare me,” she repeated.

My wings rose in warning, my scythe flickered from a nearby lamp.

Hades chuckled darkly. “Trial it is, then. Hope you have heard what happened to Demeter, because that is going to end up with you.”

Medusa’s eyes widened for a moment until Hades' demons arrived in the doorway. “Have her locked up until she’s judged.”

Juniper clutched hold of me and when I looked down to see her gaze, she wasn’t looking up at me. I could feel the heat of her face and the wetness pooling on her cheeks.

“As for you,” Hades nodded to Loki who had turned back into his human form. “You’re grounded until you are at least two hundred.”

Ember who had shifted back into her human-like form, ran to her son and gripped him. “You should have come to us. We would have helped. Why didn’t you come to us?” She cried out. Loki, trying to hold back his tears, choked.

“I was going to!” Loki defended himself. “I thought she was going to be put in a strip club again and I was going to rescue her and bring her back, but then the thought of someone hurting her, touching her–shit, it pissed me off. I didn’t mean for all this shit to happen. I’m so fucking sorry.” He shook his head. “Then I was going to tell you what Medusa was doing. I swear it.”

Hades frowned and put his hand on Loki’s shoulder. “We help each other. We don’t do things alone, Loki. Have you ever seen me do missions like this by myself? It was foolish. It proves to me you are still not ready to run around Earth by yourself. Just because you look older means nothing.” Hades growled.

Juniper’s cheeks went crimson and nodded. “I’m so sorry too,” she said. “I just wanted to prove–”

“Shh, it's alright,” I said. “We will talk about this later. I’m glad you are safe. But you will not do this again, will you? You will never leave my side.”

Juniper’s eyes grew wide and nodded. “Never again. I learned my lesson.” She throws her two fingers up. “Scouts honor.”

“I do not know this meaning.” I shook my head.

“I’m swearing I won’t leave your side anymore. I won’t jump portals or follow anyone anywhere.”

I hummed and nodded. I still wouldn’t let her out of my sight. I would bond with her–and soon.

Loki cleared his throat, interrupting us. “Juniper, Thanatos, I’m really sorry. I–really was planning on rescuing you. I never wanted any harm to come to you. I couldn’t let my future mate not be born. And then--she pissed me off, saying someone else could hurt you. I just snapped, thinking about mom and you going back to that place. I just–I couldn’t go through with it. I couldn’t let you go there, even after all my planning.”

My fingers dug into my mate’s waist to keep her to me, but she pried my fingers away from her waist. She patted my chest and walked forward, but I pulled her back.

“Mine. Stay away from her,” I snarled.

I could feel Juniper’s eyes roll even being behind her, but I didn’t care.

“It's okay, Loki. You are still young, you didn’t know. But–your parents are older, wiser. They are there to help. And, even if you told me the real reason you were taking me here, I would have come anyway.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“You would have?” Loki's eyes filled with unshed tears.

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