Page 92 of Hooked on a Witch
“Not sure.” He dropped the cuffs on the dock. His gaze met that of the water god who he’d spoken with after the Athena encounter.
The god smiled at her, his eerie, pale eyes swirling. “I’m Bythos.” He took her hand and kissed it. “You’re more beautiful than the ocean at sunset in the spring.”
Merck knocked his hand away. “Stop hitting on her. You’re not her type. Besides, that was pathetic.”
“I thought it was nice imagery.” She caught Merck’s glower. “Maybe a bit cheesy.”
Bythos shot Merck a smug smirk. “I told you I could be her type.”
“Push it and I’ll castrate you,” Merck warned.
Bythos shrugged. “You passed their test. Means they granted you your full status.”
“A full god?” Merck asked.
“Yes and Poseidon unlocked all your powers. You still have responsibilities, though.”
“What am I the god of? I know there has to be balance between all the gods.”
Bythos shot him ayou’re an idiotglare. “What are you best at when it comes to the ocean?”
“Fixing its issues.”
“There you go. God of water healing. Able to heal it and use it to heal others, but your primary duty is as protector to the Pleiades.”
“And be Enforcer? Triple duty?”
“Never said it’d be easy, although being a god might make the Enforcer business easier now that you’re resistant to black magic. I hear the Pleiades descendants are a handful.” He smiled again at Shannon. “Their bloodline must persist. If they all die, their ability to bridge dimensions will crack and fracture reality as we know it.” Bythos clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m proud of you, kid. Now I’m out of here. I’ll be back, but fair warning, it’s far more interesting to attack you at random than deal with this type of minutia.” He granted Shannon a slow, sexy smile. “If he cannot satisfy you, I’m available.” He leaned in and touched her cheek. “I love all sea nymph descendants.”
Merck pulled her away from him. “Watch it, asshole. I’ve got a pretty kick-ass sword now. I know how to use it.”
“I don’t see it on you.” Bythos winked at her as he dove into the ocean, shifting to merman form seconds before hitting the water.
“I think he likes you,” Shannon said.
“He’s a total pain in the ass.”
“He’s sweet. You’re a full-blood god? As in Mom’s a goddess and Father’s a god? Is that why your face is fixed? No more scars.” She brushed her hand over his now-smooth cheek.
He touched his face. “Seems I’m not a bastard. I just had to pass some asinine test, no thanks to Danny.” He tossed his chin at Danny, who stood at the entrance to the dock, silent and shocked.
“Now that it doesn’t look like either of us are going to die...” Wickedly, Shannon pressed her body against his, her hand sliding provocatively over the ridge in his pants. “Maybe you can use your new godly powers to grant us a little privacy from Danny?”
“I heard that,” Danny yelled from the entrance edge of the dock. “Yeah, yeah. I’m outta here. Later, Merck.” He waved and stalked out of the yard.
Merck made a sound somewhere between a groan and a sigh. He slammed his mouth against hers. She moaned at the contact of his tongue, kissing deeper and deeper until she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. He ducked his head and rested his forehead against hers. “I can’t do that again.”
“Merck?”
“I can’t watch you almost die.”
She twined her arms around his neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“It would shatter me.”
“Look at me. You’re not going to die today or tomorrow.” She cupped his face and encouraged him to look into her eyes. “There’s an us. For as long as we both exist there will be an us. You as a god means you might live longer than me. I don’t know how that’ll go.”
She closed the distance and kissed him softly.
