Page 74 of Thanatos' Craving

He laughed with me, rolling on top of me. “No, my brother was right. I lose all emotion when I am nothing but bones. I feel now. I like feeling when you are with me. I can’t say that I can control my emotions and what they all mean, but I’m definitely willing to explore.” He gave me a smirk.

“I’d be happy to help you with your emotions still, then.” I wrapped my finger around the string of his hood. “If you promise we can do more of what we just did.”

Thanatos showed off his bright white teeth with a huge smile and I fell deeper into an emotion I dare not say, nor think out loud.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Thanatos

Inever anticipated the swift progression of physical intimacy with my treasure. The way she eagerly embraced my touch, seeking connection in the most intimate of places, ignited a primal longing within me. The desire to intertwine our souls grew stronger, as if begging to be fulfilled.

I forgot to announce to Ember that I had not told Juniper she was my mate, however. An important detail that had ruined my plans. I was too elated with the strengthening bond between us to tell my mate more, a mistake I truly regretted. I feared that Juniper would believe I was keeping things from her—which I did not want her to think.

I needed to mend my mistake by explaining to my treasure exactly what a mate was before I left to take care of Samael, so she had time to ponder and ask Uriel more harboring questions.

Uriel was intelligent, despite her childish ways. She would calm my mate's concerns and explain in a reassuring manner what this bond was while I was away.

Once everyone dispersed from the tables to say their goodbyes, I knew it was my chance to explain what it meant to bind our souls together, and that she too would become a goddess and become one like all of us at the table. Unfortunately, my mate turned the conversation so quickly my body succumbed to her desires.

To her lust.

I cannot deny her, especially if she wanted to please me.

And tasting that glorious cunt of hers was not bad in the slightest. I craved more of her, I craved to be buried deep inside of her body, but time was fleeting, and I knew we were late.

What worried me more were the fleeting words I would get bored with her. That I would not want her in time. It was preposterous, and I would find out where these thoughts came from and destroy them.

How could she ever be boring? She brought the most laughter into my domain in centuries.

I would destroy so many in her honor.

Once we left the bedchambers, I promised her time to ourselves, that I wanted to take her on anotherdate. Aproper one and get to know one another. There was no denying that she was mine, but human customs were still important. I wanted to know more about her past, why she thinks she is—unworthy to keep forever.

I will crush those fears.

My treasure once said that we hardly knew each other. If we need to spend more time together, getting to know one another is what she wanted, I would give her all the time she needed.

Once Ares and Mariah arrived, we all said our goodbyes. It took a great deal for me to turn my back and take my journeyaway from the palace, but we had work to do, and that was to get revenge for Juniper and to save those women.

As soon as my mate slipped out of my sight, a heavy cloud of gloom enveloped my mood. Hypnos and I trudged back to our domain, nestled at the foot of the mountain, descending swiftly into the hot depths of the caverns. The musty scent of earth and rock filled the air, while the sound of dripping, steamed water echoed through the narrow passageways.

Azrael stood patiently at the dimly lit end of the narrow hallway, his grip firm on the cold, steel hilt of his gleaming sword. The piercing screams reverberated through the cavern, intertwining with the metallic clanging of chains, creating a haunting symphony of despair. The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of fear and desperation, as if it permeated every crevice of the stone walls. Inside the cell, a fiery and volatile Samael relentlessly pounded against the unyielding wall, his frustration palpable, his magic contained and suffocated within the chains around his wrists.

“I said, set me free!” He rattled his chains as my brother and I entered.

With my scythe in my hand, I entered his cell. Samael grew silent when he saw me approaching.

“Grim Reaper, I demand to know what I have done! Your demon fetched me, not giving me any reason!”

Samael, adorned in a jalabiyas, a modern Egyptian attire, was disheveled by Azrael’s beatings. His body was grimy, coated in a layer of sand and soot. A slight bulge protruded from his belly, likely a consequence of excessive indulgence in drink. As I entered the dungeon, the pungent stench of alcohol assaulted my nostrils.

I walked forward, my scythe clicking onto the cave floor. Samael pushed his back against the wall, a small grunt coming from his throat.

“There are procedures for this, you know,” he began. “If I have committed a crime against magic, I am to go to the council. Why am I brought here? And to you? What crime have I even committed?”

Out of my peripheral, I saw Hypnos lean on the cave wall. He looked down at his claws and picks at the imaginary dirt.

“You have committed a crime. A crime that slipped through the cracks of your warlock and witchery council of earth, or whatever the fuck it is. Your crime filtered to me, and now I must deal with it. It interfered with the gods, and now you are in more trouble than you realize.”

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