Page 181 of Bonds of Hercules
“You’re not ready for us,” Kharon said harshly, and it didn’t sound like he was just talking about sex.
Augustus’s stubble scraped against the side of my face as he leaned close. “You’ll also be sober when we make love to you.”
“Uh—I saidfuck.” I winked.
Neither of them smiled at the joke.
Tough crowd.
Augustus’s hand lingered on my thigh, his fingers hovering closer to my core. He was sending mixed messages.
Kharon leaned in. “When you’re sober, we’re going to dominate you sothoroughly… that you won’t remember your own name.”
“So much talk.” I clicked my tongue. “No action.”
Kharon’s smile was all teeth. “Don’t worry, darling. Iwillpunish you. For hours.”
I grabbed at the edge of the table as the room started to spin. “Blah, blah, blah. All Karen does is make promises he can’t keep.”
He muttered something about sadomasochism and bondage.
Boring.
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my calculator—I clicked the side.
“Dear Diary,” I whispered into it. “Karen is saying weird, perverted things, but he refuses to have sex with me. I think he’s a creep. Also, I need to find a Spartan man who is willing to—”
Kharon snatched it out of my hand. “Dear Diary, if Alexis touches another man, I will disembowel him in front of her and—”
I grabbed it back. “Dear Diary, fine then. I will find a Spartanwomanto have sex with. Also, I think—”
“Dear Diary,” Kharon yelled into the speaker as he tried to wrestle it out of my hands. “If Alexis touchesanyonewho is not me or Augustus, I will kill—”
“Dear Diary, don’t listen to that rat bastard! This isnothis diary—”
“Dear Diary, it is now. I’m commandeering it because Alexis is the mostinfuriating, stubborn woman I’ve ever—”
Augustus snatched the calculator away. “You’re both cut off.”
I opened my mouth to retort, but a male siren came by with a tray and placed glasses on the table with a clank.
“Thanks, baby girl,” I said to him, then I threw back another shot of ambrosia.
The siren hurried away looking disturbed.
“Be careful. You don’t want to drink too much,” Augustus warned.
I wiggled my fingers in the air. “They’reantennas.”
Augustus pressed the back of his hand to my forehead like he was checking to see if I had a fever.
“I’m ananglerfish.” I pushed his hand away. “I’ve lured you both in with my glow. My blood—ityearnsto poison you and … I’m hideous.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Kharon snapped.
Augustus hit his arm but tilted his head as he stared at me. “Do you have some type of … aquatic obsession? Weren’t you going on about a …whale, or something equally ridiculous, during the crucible?”
I scoffed. “Next time I have apersonalrealization, you will not hear about it.”
