Syx chuckled and kissed his lips. “You can’t, baby, not this time. I’m not going to fail you again, though. Just trust me.”
“I do trust you, I just don’t like surprises. I’d rather be prepared.” Echo huffed and drew in the dirt between his legs with his index finger. “Just tell me if I can do something, okay?”
“I promise.”
“Can you just give me a little hint?” Echo looked up at Syx with his best puppy dog eyes. They almost always worked, especially when he slid his bottom lip out and made it tremble like he was now.
Syx didn’t go for it this time, though. He laughed harder and shook his head. “You’re adorable, but it won’t work this time. I’m doing this for your own good.” He released Echo’s shoulders and pushed to his feet. “Behave yourself.” Then he winked and sauntered to the other side of the cave where Craze, Hex, and Fiero were sitting together.
“I bet you money that Hex knows what the hell is going on.”
Myst nodded his agreement. “Yeah, and Craze, too. They’re planning something, and the best we can do is trust them. Hex and Syx would never do anything to put us in danger. Craze, well, I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think he would, either.”
Craze’s attitude had seemed to take a complete one-eighty after their first night together in the cave. Echo still caught him watching the warriors from time to time, though. He didn’t know how he felt about the guy, and until he figured it out, he didn’t trust him. “If you say so,” he mumbled. “I just wish I could help like I did with Fiero and Vapre.”
“You never did tell us about the dream you had before you sent us off after Hex.” Vapre moved closer and bumped his shoulder against Echo’s. “So, spill it.”
Echo knew his lover was only trying to distract him from his thoughts, but he was grateful and grabbed onto the topic. He outlined the dream, the dream within a dream, and the words the Oracle had spoken to him. “She said Syx’s test would be one of endurance. That a warrior does not always fight with a shield and sword. I just don’t really know what that means.”
Vapre thought it over for a while, his eyebrows scrunched together and his brow creased. “I might have an idea, but nothing really concrete. I wish I knew what he was fighting. I mean the sun can’t really fall from the sky.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Echo sighed and pushed his dirty hair over his shoulder. “I’d kill for a shower right now.”
“Same here,” Onyx agreed as he scrubbed both hands over his face. “A hot shower, some good sex, a warm bed, and I could sleep for a week.”
“Believe me,” Echo said shrewdly, “it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
* * * *
“It’s almost sunset,” Syx announced the next evening. “No matter what happens, I need you to all stay calm, okay?” He and Craze had put their heads together, and though it rubbed him the wrong way to accept the man’s help, he couldn’t deny that Craze had some damn good ideas.
“Tell me what’s going to happen,” Echo demanded. He’d been more and more vocal over the last few hours, and Syx knew his little mate was terrified.
“The lights are going to go out, baby.” There was no point in keeping it from him any longer. In about ten minutes, Echo would find out for himself. It was better if he began preparing for it now.
“But what about the fire?”
“I don’t think we can count on that, sweetheart. Just remember that we’re all here, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure we get home as soon as possible.”
“You’re not going to do anything stupid, right?”
“Define stupid.” Syx laughed when Echo glared at him. “No, I won’t do anything stupid. Just stick close to the others and try to keep your mind calm.” Syx met each of his lovers’ eyes as he went around the group. “That goes for all of you. I need to concentrate, and you have no idea how difficult that is when I have eight different voices yelling inside my head.”
“We’ll do our best,” Onyx swore immediately. “I might have an idea of how to help with that.”
Syx read the plan inside Onyx’s head and smiled in appreciation. “Perfect. Hold on to that until we need it, okay?”
All at once, the wind outside the cave stopped, just stopped, and Syx took a deep breath. “Here we go.” He’d no more gotten the words out of his mouth when the entire cave was plunged into total darkness.
Echo didn’t exactly scream, but his yelp pierced Syx’s eardrums just the same. “I’m blind!”
“No,” Syx said, trying to soothe his mate. “You’re not blind. Whatever we’re facing is consuming all the light. That’s all, baby. I promise.” Syx paused for a moment and sighed. “Onyx.”
“On it,” Onyx answered from somewhere in the darkness.
Syx could still feel the warmth from the fire, but he couldn’t see it. Hell, he couldn’t even see his hand right in front of his face. He waved it back and forth a few times and ended up whacking himself in the nose before he gave up on it. He knew if he turned left and walked straight ahead, he’d reach the mouth of the cave, but when he looked in the direction, he could see nothing but black.
It wasn’t even varying degrees of darkness, no shadows or vague shapes. It was just a complete and utter void of any light. “Craze,” he called calmly.
“Right here,” Craze answered from his right. A body bumped against his shoulder, and Syx nodded, though no one could see him.
Slipping into Echo’s mind to make sure his mate was calm and occupied, Syx bit his lip to keep from laughing. Echo’s entire world revolved around the lips working up and down his cock, the hands roaming his body, the mouth sucking on his tongue, and the fingers sliding in and out of his hole. Onyx had the perfect plan to keep them all happy, and the other warriors were jumping right in to do their part.
Yes, what a sacrifice, Syx thought to himself with an indulgent shake of his head. “Let’s go.” Moving slowly, he led them to the opposite wall away from his lovers and followed it further into the cave toward the doorway he’d found before they’d been trapped. “Can you see anything?”
“Not really. I can see your outline, but that’s about it. Whatever this is, it’s really powerful. I’ve been trying to lift the shadows since it started.”
Syx knew it had been a long shot, but with Craze’s ability to manipulate light, he’d hoped the Addonexus could have helped more. Still, if things worked out the way they planned it, he’d be forever in debt to the guy—which kind of pissed him off. Still, he’d take whatever help he could get if it meant saving the men he loved.
“I feel it,” Craze whispered. “Can you feel that?”
“We’re close.” Syx hadn’t shared his dream with anyone but Craze and Hex. He hadn’t wanted to worry his men any more than they already were. He’d known the minute they’d rushed into the cave during the storm that this would be where he faced down his enemy. His conversation with the Oracle only strengthened his conviction.
He felt the coldness push against him and ebb, like the beating of a heart. It crawled over his skin and seeped into his bones, causing him to shiver as he inched further along the wall.
“Do you really think it’s Erebus?” Craze sounded uneasy.
“A trial from the Underworld that can fill every nook and cranny with darkness,” Syx mumbled. “What else do you think it could be?”
“Man, Erebus is a god, though.”
“Yes, a god from the Underworld.”
“I don’t like this.”
“We talked about this. As much as it makes me want to vomit to admit it, I need your help. Don’t flake out on me now, fucker!”
“Okay, okay, but damn! I really don’t like this, Syx. I’m strong, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough to take on a freakin’ god.”
“That’s why we’re doing this together.” Syx growled at having to explain the plan yet again. “Just do what we talked about, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
When Syx’s hand en
countered the upward curve of the archway, he took a deep breath to steel his courage and stepped through it with Craze right at his back. He didn’t venture any further inside, for he could already feel the presence of the man they sought. Though the Greeks had believed Erebus to be only a personification of darkness, the god was very much real, and very much a physical being. Syx had only encountered him once in the Underworld, and he hoped this would be their last meeting.
“Erebus,” he said with much more calm than he felt. “Why have you come?”
He didn’t receive an answer, but he hadn’t expected one. Dropping his shields, he probed into the darkness, searching out the swirling thought waves of the god. It didn’t take much effort to find them directly in front of him, maybe only eight feet away at the most. Syx resisted the urge to take a step in retreat.
“Can you see?” he whispered.
“Can I lie and say no?”
Syx didn’t waste his energy on a response. Gathering all of his strength, he pushed out with his mind, boring his way into the god’s thoughts like a drill. It was like being plunged into a pit of snakes then doused in ice water.
With a shiver, Syx continued to prod, forcing his way further into Erebus’s mind, searching out the meaning of his appearance in the cave. It wasn’t an easy task. Erebus pushed back at him, repelling Syx’s power and forcing his own suggestions into Syx’s head.
Murder, fire, screaming children, plague—over and over the images whirled inside Syx’s brain. His muscles began to quiver, his legs shaking to the point he thought he’d fall to the ground, but he didn’t stop.
Back and forth they struggled, a constant game of tug-of-war, each vying for dominance. Syx didn’t know how long it went on. It could have been minutes or maybe even hours, but eventually he locked into Erebus’s mind and kept a firm hold.
“Now,” he whispered.
With Erebus focused on Syx, Craze took a tentative step forward and cast out his own power, tossing a mental net over Erebus and neutralizing his own elemental powers. That finally got a reaction from the irate god.
Erebus roared loud enough to shake the walls of the cavern and send dirt and pebbles falling over Syx’s head. “Addonexus,” he snarled.
“Holy fuck, I can’t believe that worked,” Craze whispered in awe.
“It’s your freakin’ gift,” Syx argued. “What do you mean you can’t believe it worked?”
“Well, he’s a god!”
“Release me!” Erebus snarled.
Syx snapped his attention back to the task at hand. “Release the light,” he countered. As he spoke, he flipped through the god’s mind, frantically searching for anything they could use against him. “Hypnos.”
“The god of sleep?” Craze sounded confused.
“What happened to Hypnos?” Syx asked, ignoring Craze.
When Erebus didn’t answer, Syx gathered his waning strength and pushed harder, desperate to find an answer. “Hades tricked him.”
“Yes,” Erebus growled. “He turned Hypnos’s powers against him.”
“And if you helped him, he would release your son.”
“Dude, you’re a freakin’ god. Can’t you just smite him or something?”
Syx echoed Erebus’s growl. “Craze, would you shut the fuck up?” Returning his attention to the god, Syx took a deep breath. “We can help him.”
“You lie.” Erebus didn’t sound quite as snarly anymore, though. “No one can help him but me.”
“Release the light, and we can help you. Where is Hypnos?”
“He is here,” Erebus answered and managed to sound almost human. “Release him from his slumber, and I will grant you back the light.”
“We have to be able to see,” Syx argued.
“No.”
Fuck! Syx had no desire to be alone with the angry god, but he also didn’t have a choice. “Craze, go get Echo and only Echo. Don’t let the others follow.”
“I really hate this,” Craze mumbled under his breath, but Syx felt him move away and heard his feet shuffling across the dirt floor until the sound disappeared completely.
Neither Syx nor Erebus spoke. Craze’s power had gone with him, but Erebus didn’t even try to fight back. His thoughts were tinted with sadness and focused solely on his son. Whoever said gods and goddesses didn’t love their children was full of crap.
Several long minutes passed before the sounds of footsteps reached Syx’s ears once more. Another minute, and he felt small, slim fingers wrap around his wrist. “Syx? Please tell me that’s you,” Echo whispered.
“It’s me, sweetheart. I need your help.”
“You kept your promise.” Echo sounded disbelieving.
Syx frowned into the darkness. “Don’t I always?”
“Okay, so what am I supposed to do?”
“We’re going to heal a god.”
Echo gasped and started coughing. “Are you serious?” he choked. “Here? Now? I can’t freakin’ see anything. Damn, I hate the dark.”
“Return my son to me, and I will release the light,” Erebus said quietly.
“Holy shit!” Echo yelped. “Who is that?”
“That would be Erebus, god of darkness and shadow. Hades used his son’s power against him, and Hypnos is trapped in eternal sleep. We’re going to try to wake him up.”
“And you’ll take away the dark?” Echo asked cautiously.
“You have my word.” Erebus spoke almost kindly, and Syx had to smile. It was true. No one could resist Echo.
“Okay, where is he? I’ll do my best.”
“Come forward three steps,” Erebus instructed.
Syx took Echo’s hand and did as he was told, holding his other hand out in front of him until it connected with a stone dais or table. Exploring further, his fingers encountered the warm, yielding flesh of a man. “Here, baby.” Syx moved Echo’s hand so that his rested over Hypnos’s chest and placed his on top of it. “You ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Syx felt Echo’s power flow into him, a redoubling of his own, and it gripped his body like an electric shock. He’d never felt his mate’s force with such sudden intensity, and it caused his spine to stiffen and his stomach to churn.
Pushing away the nausea, Syx focused on the man before them. He’d never tried to wake anyone up before, but he thought maybe if he applied the same principle he used to put them to sleep, but in reverse, it just might work.
After half an hour of tunneling through Hypnos’s subconscious, Syx finally began to understand what the Oracle had meant about his test being one of endurance. Even with Echo’s help and added strength, Syx felt his power began to ebb, his mind and body growing weaker.
Still, he persisted, forcing back the fatigue and calling to Hypnos with his mind, trying to lure the god from his place of slumber. “Hold on,” Echo whispered, and a blast of power hit Syx so hard he actually stumbled backward half a step.
The shock cleared his mind, and Syx redirected the energy toward Hypnos. A second later, the god groaned and his hand came up to cover Syx’s where it still rested on top of Echo’s. “Zeus almighty, that fucking hurt.”
Syx eased his hand off of Hypnos’s chest, taking Echo’s with him. “He’s awake,” he said to Erebus.
Instantly, the cavern lightened, though only marginally. “It is still night time,” Erebus said almost in apology. “I’m afraid you’ll have to take that up with my wife.”
Syx found himself chuckling before he could stop it. “How is Nyx?”
“As high maintenance as ever,” Erebus answered.
“Wow, you sound kind of nice when you’re not roaring at everyone,” Echo observed.
Syx groaned, but Erebus actually chuckled as he moved to help his son into a sitting position. “The darkness has a bad reputation, I’m afraid. I can’t help what I am, little one.”
“No, I guess you can’t. I’m glad you got your son back.”
“Thank you,” Hypnos said. “We are indebted t
o you.”
Syx immediately began to refuse, but Echo squeezed his hand tightly. “We would appreciate your help,” he said solemnly. “The war is coming, and we cannot afford to turn away willing allies.”
“We will be by your side on the autumnal equinox,” Erebus vowed. “You are not the only ones with a debt to settle with Hades.”
“Thank you,” Syx said with a slight bow of his head.
When he looked up again, the gods had vanished.
Chapter Fourteen
Echo pressed both hands over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Jinx and Syn circled Craze, sniffing at him and rubbing themselves against him. The look on Craze’s face said he didn’t know whether to be offended or rub right back.
“You smell amazing,” Syn breathed.
“Bloody fantastic,” Jinx agreed.
“Oh, fuck me running.” Craze groaned and closed his eyes.
“We’ll fuck you any way you’ll have us,” Syn purred.
Echo finally lost it and threw his head back and roared with laughter. Oh, this was too perfect. “They’re your mates!”
“Yes, thank you, Captain Obvious.” Craze turned and growled at him, but his attention was quickly returned to the men pressed against him. “What the hell am I going to do with two vampires?”
“Love us,” Syn whispered.
“Feed us,” Jinx added.
“We can think of a few things.” Syn grabbed Craze’s hand and began pulling him toward the stairs. “We should get started right away, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, yes.” Jinx pressed at Craze’s back, urging him to hurry. “And we should practice quite often.”
“They have accents,” Craze whimpered as he went willingly with them up the stairs.
Echo laughed until he couldn’t breathe. “He’s not going to know what hit him.”
They’d arrived home that morning, but, of course, Craze hadn’t met the vampires until the sun set. It had been well worth the wait as far as Echo was concerned. And while it had been a good laugh to see the normally cocky asshole looking so thunderstruck, Echo had more important things to attend to just then.
Evans, Gabrielle - Shades of Black [Fatefully Yours 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) Page 12
