Page 2 of Thanatos' Craving

“Your Majesty—”

“Ew, don’t call me that.” She made a face. “Come on, Thanatos, please sit.” Ember walked over to the couch and sat primly upon it. She flared her tea-length crimson dress and poured herself a healthy portion of ambrosia.

The shadows and smoke seemed to cling to me, reluctant to let go as I sat on the couch. They slowly dissipated into thin tendrils, my large black feather wings making room as I sat. Ember observed this with a curious expression. Her eye traced the movements of the shadows and smoke.

“I’d offer you something to eat, but I’m guessing you won’t?” She raised her eyebrows and grabbed a piece of toast. She buttered it and then added honey from a jar.

I watched her, her dainty hands working quickly, and she shoved it into her mouth. For being part werewolf, part god, she had an enormous appetite.

I only nodded in confirmation and held my scythe.

“While I eat, why don’t you tell me about the stats for this month?”

I held on to my scythe a little tighter. My bone fingers scraped against the magical bound wood with anger. Once Ember had become Hades’ mate many years ago, she also became Selene’s apprentice and second wielder of the Sphere of Souls to bind soulmates together. Ember’s time was precious.

She had many goals, and one of those was to protect humans from trafficking and, unfortunately, she couldn’t put her hand in it as much as she wanted. Instead, Hades allowed her to put together a demon team to hunt out evil souls, both human, supernatural, and deities that dared put humans in harm’s way.

After being in a human sex trafficking ring herself, it was important to her.

When it came time to find someone to head the demons, someone suggested my name. Why I wasn’t so sure. I was the bringer of death. I brought souls to the Underworld. Either for their last resting place or to the torture chambers. Well, I suppose my reapers did those jobs now. I was just the overseer.

Over time, I came to understand why they had chosen me, as my reapers and demon scouts uncovered the abhorrent living conditions of women, men, and children in certain areas. These humans were subjected to cruelty, with no access to food or water, lived in squalor, and were being forcibly sold.

By the time we rescued many, their bodies and minds were beyond repair, so I took their souls to provide them with relief in death to ease their mind and bodies. It was a harsh reality, one taken with special consideration, but the Fates deemed it so.

Ember once asked to accompany me on a rescue and retrieval in front of her mate. Hades pursed lips and the crease between his forehead was enough for me to know he wouldn’t allow for such a thing.

I’ve learned my king’s body language over the millennia, and I would not cross him.

I felt him enter my mind, and when he had seen past rescues, he forbad his queen for ever going with me.

“My scouts found two areas. One in Russia. They were luring female tourists to Hungary and shipping them to Russia’s capital. It was a small division and run by humans. My reapers are in the process of taking care of that one as we speak. Reapers and your demon army will bring those guilty of the trafficking to your son’s ward for their punishment.”

Ember pursed her lips and took a drink of ambrosia. “And the women?”

“All accounted for and alive. We will send them home, provide information to therapists, and give them the money you have graciously given to help them get back on their feet.” I bowed my head.

Ember nodded and put down her glass. “That’s wonderful,” Ember sighed. “I’m glad you found that one so quickly. Excellent work. What about the other one?”

“This one is deemed more complicated," I said, gripping my scythe tighter. ,"It's located in Ohio and disguised as a strip club."

Ember shivered. “That sounds all too familiar.”

Of course it did. She spent years locked up in a strip club as a damn maid and a server, and watched countless women strip for money and then be auctioned off like cattle when they were done with them.

I gripped my scythe until I heard it crack.

Ember smiled and patted my boned knee. “Thanatos, it was a long time ago. Everything is fine now. I was the lucky one. I just worry about the other girls. I’m happy you have taken on this duty and are doing this for me, even if Hades won’t let me do much more.” She narrowed her eyes and gazed at their painted portrait on an easel she kept in her garden.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve you and His Majesty.” I bowed my head and my hood lowered, obstructing my view of her.

I knew she was smiling, a signal of joy and happiness. I didn’t understand it. I was just doing a job. Nothing more.

“Any other information on this club? How did you come to know about it?” Ember asked as she grabbed a thick roast beef sandwich.

I looked on, watching her as she took a big bite with her tiny mouth.

“An investor invited an alpha wolf shifter to the strip club called Fuzzy Bunnies for drinks and to conduct business. The alpha was wealthy, worked in lofty ranks in the human world. He thought it was just the average human strip club, but felt the magic immediately radiating once inside. Once he looked around, he could sense the fear in the women on stage, knew the bodyguards had glamours, and immediately called your home pack.”

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