Page 219 of Bonds of Hercules
“I’m afraid.”
Kharon arched his brow as he stared down at me. His skeleton tattoos were a stark reminder—the sheer depth of his depravation.
“This is who we are,” Kharon said coldly. “Whoyouare.”
“You’re not good men,” I whispered.
Kharon’s lips curled up, canines flashing. “No—we’re not … but you already knew that.”
Augustus studied me silently.
They offered no platitudes, no promise that they would be gentle, normal lovers.
Kharon tilted his head to the side—there was a puckered scar where his ear used to be.
Terror receded.
Augustus held my gaze, unblinking. “We were fashioned by Kronos to be your husbands—we’re one soul, torn into three pieces. Don’t be afraid of our love.”
I recoiled, porcelain digging into my back. “You …loveme?”
Augustus breathed shallowly, his eyes hypnotizing pools of ink, an unfathomable shade of sin. “I knew it when I watched you battle a Titan, your face determined—at peace—as yousacrificedyourself to help some pathetic humans who you didn’t even know.”
Air sputtered from my lips.
“I knew it—” Kharon said. “When I woke up the day after our wedding. You were gone, the world was colorless, and my heart was missing, ripped clean from my bloody chest.”
A rushing echoed in my ears.
Feel the fear, and act despite it.
I released my knees. “I’m ready.” I straightened my spine, hoping if I said it, it would become true. “To fuck.”
Kharon stood taller. “We … won’t bemaking love,” he said in a low voice. “Until you survive your rounds in the arena.”
Augustus wet his lower lip.
“But,” Kharon said, seeing the dejection on my face. “We’ll give you atasteof what’s to come after you successfully defeat your labors.”
“Do you trust us?” Augustus asked softly.
I shouldn’t.
“Yes.”
“Stand up,” Kharon ordered. “Now.”
The air became charged with depravity.
I planted my feet and rose to my full height, tilting my head back, daring him to act.
Slowly, with only centimeters between us, I pulled off the straps of my exercise toga. Cool air blew against my bare back, skin pebbling—the material fluttered to the floor.
Kharon made a raspy, hungry sound.
With lowered lashes, Augustus pulled down his toga, revealing endless planes of rigid bronze—I looked down—his thick cock bobbed against his lower stomach, metal glinting on the tip.
Augustus held out his hand for me to take.
