Page 25 of Bonds of Hercules
Poco didn’t care that I was the eldest Chthonic heir.
Strangely, he was one of the few animals I’d ever met that wasn’t afraid of me.
He just wanted to cuddle and play with my hair.
Years ago, when it all got burned off from Colchian dragon fire, Poco had cried and refused to leave my bed for a week as he scratched at my skull, in what I’m pretty sure was Earth’s first case of raccoon depression.
I’d grown my hair out ever since; I kept it long for him.
He was everything to me.
I’d slaughteranyonewho dared try to hurt him.
Poco chirped and tugged at my hand.
I staggered to a stop in front of a familiar metal door with a dagger carved into it. Before I could reach for the handle, the hall once again plunged into darkness.
Silence descended.
The hair on the back of my neck prickled.
When the generator surged it usually made noises, but there were none.
Poco let out a nervous screech.
Sirens erupted. “Emergency … Emergency … Emergency.”A monotone voice crackled over the hall speakers as it repeated the warning.
Piercing pain stabbed my skull. I doubled over at the onslaught.
Poco climbed up my body, his fur pressed against the back of my head as he hugged me from behind—I blinked with confusion.
It took me a second.
Poco was covering both of my ears with his little hands and trying to protect me from the piercing sounds.
The generator whirred and the overhead lights turned back on, but they weren’t green.
They were neon red.
Vibrant crimson lights flashed as the sirens continued to blare.
With Poco still covering my ears, I shoved my shoulder into the heavy metal door and staggered straight into a body.
“Did you see her?” Kharon asked frantically as he steadied me. “Is she okay? What happened? Did the leaders catch you? Why’s the emergency system going off?”
“No,” I whispered as I pushed him away.
Kharon followed me. “No—to what?” he asked. His hellhounds watched us from the corner, their bony bodies flickering into existence, then disappearing.
Kharon’s powers were also getting stronger because of our marriage bond.
“You’re bad for Alexis,” Patro taunted. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. “All you two do is hurt her.”
Kharon turned to him with a growl; Patro met his anger with a smirk.
I threw myself headfirst onto the worn couch and groaned with misery.
In my peripheral vision, Drex sat on the other side with wide eyes. An ugly bird flew above his head in small circles.
