Page 93 of Thanatos' Craving

“I told Mariah a little about it last night.” I swallowed. “But, my parents had me when they were young. It was a mistake that I was born, Thanatos. It was not intended for me to be here. All my life I was nothing but an annoyance, a waste of space. Pawned on one parent to another until I was old enough to take care of myself.”

As Thanatos’ shadows swirled menacingly, I felt the weight of his mounting anger. The room grew darker, the air thick with tension. Sinister whispers echoed in my ears. The scent of bitterness filled the atmosphere, intensifying the foreboding sense of doom.

“Excuse me?” he said.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s okay.” I nuzzled into his neck. “It's over now. I just–when I got older, they still invited me home to Christmas dinner, I think they tried to maneuver who got me at holidays the year after I turned eighteen. I was just a reminder, of the mistake that happened so long ago. They had me when they were fifteen. Who wants to remember a mistake?” I sniffed.

Thanatos held me tighter, his wings wrapping around us.

“I’d still get calls on my birthdays, sometimes.” My voice trailed. It was fewer and farther between the older I got. And the Christmas and holiday invitations were even more so.

Secretly, I hoped they would invite me, and sometimes I would even call to see if they would instantly remember that I needed to be invited.

I picked at the blanket on the bed and pulled it closer to me to hide my nakedness. Now I felt all exposed talking about my past. But he had to know if this whole mate thing was going to work.

Hell, we just had sex, and we didn’t use protection.

Thanatos sighed, his wings deflating. “Have no fear, my treasure, you won’t become pregnant with a child unless I will itto be so.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “I am also clean. Gods do not get coitus sickness.”

I let out a low, frustrated groan as I nestled my face into his chest, feeling the slight tickle of his slightly hairy skin against my cheek.

“Now your parents,” his voice grew dark. “They are the ones that should be worried.”

I shook my head and grabbed his arm. “No, it isn’t their fault. They had me so young, they didn’t know.”

“Yes, but they are adults now. They knew what they were doing. Booting you out of their lives to create new families, I presume? Juniper, they are assholes they will pay for hurting you the way they did. They have made you closed off, making you feel as if you are a mistake, making me work harder to earn your affection.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Either way, you would have to earn it, Bone Daddy.”

Thanatos grunted.

“You think you can just take what you want?”

“For the things that are truly important.”

As barbaric as it sounded, my heart fluttered anyway. I’ve never had someone fight for me. Wanted me the way he does.

Thanatos gently cradled my face in his hands, his touch cool against my skin. He drew me nearer to him, his eyes locked with mine, as if delving into the depths of my soul. The dimly lit room accentuated the soft glow emanating from my skin, casting an ethereal aura around us. The silence enveloped us, allowing the weight of the moment to settle upon us, as I became acutely aware of every breath and heartbeat.

“You are no mistake,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. The sunrise peeked further into the room, casting a warm golden glow on his face as he spoke. “Humans do not know fate,” he continued, his words laced with determination, “and that eachsoul is deliberate. Your parents were meant to have you,” he said, his eyes never wavering from mine. “Your soul was meant to be here, to be born.” His words seemed to carry a weight of certainty, as if he held knowledge beyond what was visible.

Thanatos fingers tangled into my hair, cupping the back of my head. I sighed, feeling the grasp he had a hold of me. Not just physical touch, but his words. It felt like this man was going to fucking kill me, resurrect me, then fuck me all at once. It was like the damn universe was whispering its agreement, affirming the truth in his words.

He said, his voice filled with a mix of passion and tenderness, "It was always intended for you to be mine, and our souls will complete each other."

As his words settled in, a profound sense of belonging washed over me. The feeling was almost tangible, like a warm embrace enveloping my entire being. The world around us seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the two of us, connected by an invisible thread.

“You will never be alone ever again,” he vowed, his voice steady and unwavering. “And once I bind our souls, you will always have me—for eternity.”

In that moment, time stood still. The weight of his words hung in the air. It was a promise etched into the fabric of our souls, a bond that transcended the limitations of mortal existence.

Gods, he was so smooth.

My heart thrummed in my chest as loud as the knock at the door.

“Meeting in Hades' office in an hour.” A voice that wasn’t familiar said and stomped off down the hallway.

Thanatos growled and pressed a long kiss to my lips.

---