Page 53 of Thanatos' Craving

“You are immortal in my presence; the concept of death does not exist for you.”

She sucked in a breath and let me squeeze her hand far too tight. No fear trickled from her soul. Instead, she raised an eyebrow.

I tucked my wings behind me, letting the torches and candlelight surround her.

I bowed my head and gave her space, even if it killed me to do so. I did not want to push her, even if she did not fear me at that moment. I let my shadows engulf her waist. I would let all of me be away from her. She didn’t seem to mind. She let her fingers play with the shadows, let them weave between the tips of her knuckles.

Hypnos stayed quiet in the corner, and I turned to him, nodding for him to approach. “Please watch Fluffy for the rest of the day. Please, do not feed him.”

Hypnos chuckled nervously and nodded. I stood, lending my hand to my mate who took it quietly.

“Would you like to take a stroll?” My voice cracked nervously.

That’s it, get to know her. Show her you aren’t a complete overbearing asshole.

My mate blinked at me several times. “A stroll? Through the Underworld? Isn’t it mostly on fire?”

Hypnos barked in laughter in the corner.

“Not the whole Underworld. There are some parts that are quite beautiful.” My lip twitched beneath my hood.

“So I’ve been told,” she muttered.

She bit her lip, and I could see the curiosity swirling beneath those beautiful orbs.

“Um, alright. Let me grab some shoes to wear then, I guess.”

She released her grip on my arm, and in that instant, a wave of coldness washed over me as I watched her retreat into the depths of her bedroom. The absence of her warmth was palpable, leaving me with a sense of emptiness and longing.

When we walked through the passageway leading to the outside, the torches were dim and the further we traveled, less light floated through the pathways. Her body came closer to mine, and I wanted to smile in triumph, thinking she wanted to be closer.

Of course that was not the case. Her mortal eyes could not see anything and were relying upon my own.

As we emerged from the cave, the air grew alive with the gentle patter of tiny insect wings and the nocturnal symphony of creatures with no eyes. No animal dared to draw near, sensing my dominance. In a mere moment, I could claim their essence, for I stood unchallenged at the pinnacle of the natural hierarchy.

“T-Thanatos?” My mate stuttered, and for once since arriving in the Underworld, I felt the fear roll off of her soul in waves.

I took my wing and wrapped her close around me. Despite the warmth that surrounded us, being in the Underworld, she shivered and a gasp left her lips at the contact of my wing. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s so dark, I can't even see my hand in front of my face.”

That was the case. I suppose she might have thought there would be light.

“My apologies, we are in the furthest corner of the Underworld. A place of shadows. Let’s rectify that.”

Her fingers wrapped around my robes when my arm left her shoulder, yet my wing stayed around her shoulders.

“Where are you going?” She panicked and my head tilted in confusion as I saw her eyes widened, dilated to adjust for lack of light.

She was terrified.

“I will never leave you, nor let any harm come to you, my little treasure.”

She swallowed and nodded, appeased by my answer, when my other wing wrapped around her.

“I’m going to lay my hand just below your collarbone. You will feel heat, but not enough to burn.”

Juniper closed her eyes, and I gently pressed my hand against her chest, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. As the seconds passed, the warmth intensified, enveloping her. A soft hum filled the air, accompanied by a faint scent of her sunshine and wind. I watched in awe as a brilliant light emanated from the depths of her chest, illuminating her delicate freckled face and casting a radiant glow through her flowing hair. The light expanded, encircling her entire body, transforming her into a luminous being.

---