Page 217 of Bonds of Hercules
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Nyx hissed as she coiled around my shoulders. “It’s just mating—it’s not that deep. This is so embarrassing to watch … I’ll meet you in the stands tomorrow.” Scales slid down my legs as she slithered away.
“Wait?” I stared down at the empty space where she’d disappeared. “You can’t just leave me?”
“Uh—yes, I can,” Nyx called back. “Bye, bitch.”
There was a commotion a few feet away as an Olympian tripped mid-spin and threw his male partner to the ground—the two men crashed onto the dance floor.
People screamed as they fell over them.
Nyx laughed maniacally as she slithered invisibly through the symposium.
A siren tripped, tossing a tray of ambrosia into the air.
I sighed and turned back to the men—Augustus was staring at my mouth, his eyes half-lidded. Pure want was written across his face.
He was temptation incarnate, and suddenly, I was a sinner.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Augustus asked slowly, hardness pressing against my stomach where he leaned into me.
Kharon shifted his hips against the small of my back, pushing into the curve of my spine. “Oh, princess,” he said with a vicious bite. “Thedepravedthings I’m going to introduce you to.”
“Do it,” I taunted.
Augustus grabbed my hand—he pulled me off the dance floor; we were heading toward the exit.
Kharon gripped the back of my neck tightly.
I glanced up at him—his eyes were a sharp, steel blue—he wore the same expression he did before he hunted Titans, before he went to battle.
Augustus snapped his fingers at some Olympian guards who were slumped by the door.
“We’re going back to our room,” he said. “Escort us.”
The guards jumped to attention. One got the door for us and held it open, the rest hurried after obediently.
My husbands didn’t release me as we moved swiftly through the maze that sprawled beneath the ancient coliseum.
We stopped in front of our room.
A guard fumbled with the key, struggling to open the door.
“Hurry.” Augustus’s deep voice echoed ominously through the narrow stone tunnel.
The guard paled as he desperately jiggled the key in the lock.
“We have to do everything these days.” Augustus stepped forward and took the key, jamming it into the lock, and turning it with sheer brute force.
Hinges groaned as he yanked the heavy door open.
“Lock it up behind us,” Augustus ordered as he pointed at the chain hanging on the stone wall.
“Of course—sir,” the guards chorused in unison, then bowed deeply.
Who’s really captive?
Suddenly, it wasn’t so clear.
Augustus held the door open, escorting me into the dim room, lit only by a single copper sconce, burning low on the far wall.
