Page 144 of Blood of Hercules
He’s going to eat your brain. Run. Run. Run.
“Patro and Achilles,” Kharon said softly. “Why don’t you go get Alexis’s room ready for her? I want to have a... chat with her. Alone.”
Ohmygod.
“Of course,” Patro said with a smile as he offered his arm to Achilles. He turned his head to look back at me as they left the room, and the message in his green eyes was clear.He’s going to eat your brain now.
Kharon leaned closer, and his breath wafted against the back of my neck.
I swallowed a scream.
His sinister voice was a noose that spiraled around my throat. “You mutilated your fellow initiates,” he rasped. “You pretended to be weak, but then... youtorethem to pieces, easily. It would almost be impressive, if you weren’t so far below your potential.”
He pounded his fist.
What potential?
Shadows stretched across the table. Something growled.
A scream bubbled up in the back of my throat.
“You’re a filthy little liar.” Kharon’s breath was icy against the side of my cheek, a sharp contrast to his intense body heat. “How dare you put yourself at risk, while bringing dishonor to us all with your little charade?”
He caged me against the table—his stomach muscles bunched and pressed into my back.
“I warned you what would happen. Do you want to be my mortal enemy?”
Sweat streaked down the side of my face as I breathed shallowly.
“I’m not l-lying about anything,” I whispered, too terrified to speak loudly. “I had it all under control.”
He didn’t move.
A sarcastic chuckle burst from his lips.
He doesn’t believe me.
“Kharon . . . I swear it on my life.”
The heat dissipated as he abruptly pulled away. “What did you just call me?”
Gasping for air, it took me a second to process what he had asked. “Kharon?” I repeated his name with confusion.
Is he playing mind games?
“My name is notKaren,” he spat with vitriol, like I’d gravely insulted him. “It’s pronounced Ch-ar-on.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Okay, but it’s spelled with aK.”
“Say my name,” he ordered. “Now, Alexis.”
“Kharon?” I muttered.
“Did you just say Karen again?”
“What? No...” I squinted. “Wait, can you pronounce it again?”
Long fingers dug into my scalp, then he yanked my head back. He towered above me, torso close to my face, cruel ice-blue eyes full of violent promises.
