by Haley Weir
Balor leaned away from her long enough to pull his shirt over his head. Her fingers encircled his aching member, and he let out a guttural moan. But it wasn’t long before memories of Olivia Knight infested his lust-addled mind. Balor clenched his jaw and prayed to whatever gods were listening that the pain would keep him grounded in the moment. Hecate’s toned curves morphed into soft, supple flesh. Her dark hair lightened to the copper hues of Olivia’s curls. Balor rolled off of Hecate and cursed under his breath. “I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?”
“There was someone else,” he explained. “Someone I was with after Hermes caught us together. I wronged her more than I ever wronged you, Hecate. She didn’t deserve the way I treated her last. I can’t stay here with you in this fog of desire...I can’t.”
“But you love me.”
“I do.” Balor stood and pulled his pants back up. He didn’t know how much time had passed since he was in the mortal realm, but not even the promise of sex with Hecate convinced him that staying was a good idea. “I think I’ll always love you.”
She floated up to his height and wrapped her legs around his hips. “Then stop fighting what we have, Basilius. Do you think you’ll find something better with a human?”
He shook his head and set her on her feet. “No, I don’t. But I can’t let myself be mated to someone else until I make things right with Olivia. Even if she hates me and never wishes to speak to me again, I need to tell her that I’m sorry.”
“She is not your mate, then?”
Balor picked up his shirt from the ground. “That isn’t the point.”
Hecate stopped him from walking away with one touch of her finger to his arm. “You belong to me, Basilius. Your soul and your body are mine until I decide that I’ve had my fill of you,” she hissed possessively. “And I want you to uphold your oath. Two hundred years of service as my concubine.”
“Or?”
“Or I take back the power I have given you. No more visits to your father in The Unknown. No more portals, runes, healing, or prophesies…just you and the voices in your head.” Hecate grabbed his chin and yanked him down to her level. Balor’s back ached as he was forced to accommodate her much shorter height. “Is she worth it? Is the possibility of a mate worth losing everything you’ve worked for, Basilius? Without me, you are nothing more than a glorified secretary of the gods. Just another bear in a sea of shifters.”
Balor jerked his head back. “You can’t do this. I’m not some slave you can push around.”
“That’s exactly what you are. I can do whatever I want,” she snickered evilly. “I’m a goddess, not some worthless human you can barter with. Two hundred years of servitude, Basilius, or I take back what is mine.”
Chapter Twelve
Uninhabited, Canada
Olivia stood outside of a building without windows as she contemplated whether her date was an ax murderer. Nearly an hour went by, and Eros hadn't shown up. She checked her phone, but there were no messages either. "You look amazing," someone said behind her. Olivia turned around, ready to punch the stranger, but she stopped when she saw Eros. Her knees went a little weak when he smiled. The guy was so tall she had to crane her neck just to meet his stare. Olivia wanted to climb him like a tree. "Did I keep you waiting for long? I'm still trying to figure out how time works down here."
"N-no. Not at all," she stammered embarrassingly. "Where are we, anyway?"
"You'll see." Eros took her hand and pulled her inside the building. Slow, sensual music drifted to her ears while a guy with a manbun served drinks behind a bar. A group of people played billiards in the corner, friends laughed in the booths, and bodies writhed on the dance floor. Olivia felt too warm for her sweater as the temperature inside seemed unnaturally hot. "Welcome to Lush."
"It...is that a satyre?"
"It is," Eros chuckled. "Asmodeus owns the club. As the demon of lust, he knows how to throw a decent party. This is a neutral zone. No war, no rank, no magic. Just the supernatural being the heathens that we were born to be."
"Really?" Olivia smirked and reached for the hem of her sweater. Eros watched with brazen interest as she lifted the garment over her head. The black tank top she had worn beneath the sweater fit snug to her body. "Sounds like my kind of crowd."
"I was under the impression that you were more…conservative," he said.
"If you knew me, you'd realize just how ridiculous that sounds." Olivia wandered over to the bar and held up two fingers. The bartender slid two shots across the counter. Unidentified red liquid sloshed in the glasses. Olivia tipped her head back and tossed them down her throat. "I'm on the run from mercenaries, I've been tortured by your fellow Olympians, my most recent lover can turn into a bear, and I never stay in one place long enough to fall in love with someone even though all I've ever wanted is for someone to fight for me. Does that sound conservative to you?"
"Sounds like a mess. I'm into it." Eros saddled up to the bar and ordered a drink of his own. The bartender gave a cheeky little grin as he popped a glittery pink cocktail umbrella into the glass along with a heart-shaped cherry. Eros shot the server a rude gesture even as he chuckled. "I get a lot of shit for the whole Cupid thing. It's not my fault humans totally screwed up my lore. I'm all about carnal desire and lust, not the sappy chick-flick stuff. They got the wrong guy."
Olivia laughed along with him. They finished their drinks and headed towards the dance floor. Eros tossed aside his leather jacket, showing off a white t-shirt that hugged his sculpted body like a second skin. Olivia moved in closer as she swayed to the beat. "I might be a little tipsy already," she giggled. "But you smell amazing."
"It's one of my super powers. My pheromones change depending on what you desire most. For you, that would be parchment, Belladonna, and five-hundred-dollar custom cologne. Does he know?"
"Does who know?"
"Basilius," Eros replied. "Balor Blackheart. Does he know how you feel about him?"
"If he did, I wouldn't be here. To be honest, I'm not even sure how I feel about him. I'd rather just move on and have fun. I can't spend my life wondering if the person I'm with is going to turn their back on me each time I make a mistake."
"He turned his back on you?"
Olivia snorted bitterly and placed her hands on Eros's shoulders. "I'll be honest...the sex is phenomenal. It's when we talk that things go wrong."
"Then he's a fool." Eros spun Olivia and dipped her low. His strong hands made her feel as if she was the safest person on the planet. They danced circles around the other patrons, grinding their bodies to the rhythm of the music. Olivia's skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat. Eros's eyes snapped with fire, and she gasped. He was beautiful and frightening all at once. "There's something about you that makes men lose control, Olivia...look around. Watch how they stare. Feel their eyes as they feast upon your glory."
She glanced around the room as he instructed. Every male—and a few females—watched her with an intensity that made her hands clench into the fabric of Eros's shirt. Satyres, nymphs, incubus, demons, and creatures of all walks of life yearned for her. She felt it like vibrations beneath her skin. Olivia gave in to her urges and bent forward, licking a stripe along Eros's jaw until she nipped at his skin. "You taste good…"
The God of Desire lifted her off her feet. Olivia's back hit the wall in record time. Her hands gripped the muscles of his back that flexed as he sucked love bites into her skin. She rolled her hips and groaned when she felt the impressive length of his erection against her thigh. Eros wrapped her legs around his waist. "I've never felt so powerless, Olivia. You have a hold on me that is as sweet as it is frightening. I'm not in control...but gods, I do not want to resist," he whispered into her ear.
She grabbed his muscular bottom and rocked him against her. "Do you want me to stop? We don't have to go any further."
Eros trembled against her. "I want to tear your clothes from your body and have you right here, but I would slaughter t
hese males for having seen you in such a way." He lowered her gently and put some much-needed distance between them.
~*~
Castle Black
Destiny Falls, Alaska
Balor returned to the palace in the early hours of the morning. The first sign of dawn touched the stone walls of the castle. Pale light filtered through the frosted windows as Balor made his way into his sanctuary. He pushed open the door, surprised to find Giddeon and Caleb asleep among the stacks of books. Balor stepped over the king of their sleuth. He nearly stepped on Seth in the process. It appeared as if they had spent the night sifting through his archives. Balor shook his head and placed his hand upon the wall. A hidden door opened at his command.
"Woah…" Sam, Giddeon and Casey's firstborn son, popped his head out of a pile of scrolls. He toddled over to Balor and gave him a toothy grin. A tiny hand fisted in his sleeve as Balor stepped inside of his vault. The walls were lined with royal blue velvet and gilded shelves that held priceless artifacts. Sam's eyes widened as they delved deeper into Balor's treasures. At the far end of the room, Hermes’ sandals flapped their wings within the glass case that kept them from returning to their master.
Balor looked down at his nephew and pointed to the sandals. “This family has made countless mistakes, and I’m sure there are more yet to come. If you learn anything from us, Sam, learn to take responsibility for your actions and know when you must make amends.” He rustled the boy’s hair affectionately. “One day, this palace will be yours.”
“Crown!”
“That’s right,” Balor chuckled. “The crown will be yours. But it comes with a promise.” He bent down and picked up the child. “You’ll have to take care of the sleuth and put their needs before your own. Your father is a great king and a fierce alpha, but it takes a good person—someone with compassion and empathy—to lead a people. Can you do that?”
Sam’s little head bobbed before his face scrunched up in confusion. “Why shoes?” the boy asked as he made grabby hands at the glass.
“I took them without asking, and it was wrong of me to do so. Now I have to return them to their rightful owner and hope he will offer his forgiveness.” Balor removed the sandals from their case and tucked them inside of a black satin bag while balancing Sam on his hip. They returned to the sanctuary together just as Giddeon and the others awakened. Sam dove into his father’s lap with a fit of giggles that touched Balor’s heart. He had always yearned for a family of his own, even when he didn’t think he was worthy of such a gift.
Seth rolled over on the floor, checking his phone for a text message. “Styx said Olivia is on a date with Eros. It’s been almost three weeks since I heard from him. He must not think it’s a good idea,” his brother announced. “Maybe we should check it out?”
Giddeon and Caleb shared a look that made Balor roll his eyes.
“Olivia isn’t my responsibility. I’ll talk to her when I figure out how I’m going to apologize. Until then, she can date whomever she pleases. It’s none of my business,” he replied—perhaps a touch too defensively. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to meet with Hermes to return his sandals. The four of you continue ransacking my room until you find something of use.”
Giddeon jumped up and followed Balor out the door. “You don’t find it even a bit suspicious that Eros registered with my agency a day ago and he already has a date with Olivia? He’s after the sword, Balor. You have to protect her.”
“I have to return these to Hermes.”
“Why? I thought we were going to use them in the war,” Giddeon replied. “If something is going on with you, Balor, I need to know. I’m responsible for this family and our sleuth.”
“I can handle it.”
“Like you handled getting Olivia off of Olympus without consulting us first?” His brother didn’t often use his Alpha voice with them, but the force of his words shook the walls of the corridor. “The two of you were captured. If not for Hera standing in front of Apollo, you’d be dead right now, and all hope of us winning this war would be lost. This is not a time for you to be reckless! Tell me what’s going on with you.”
“Are you asking as my king or my alpha?”
“I’m asking as your brother.”
Balor scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “Back when I was Thanatos’s pupil, I became a Magi. We did...terrible things in the name of magic that I can never justify.” He turned and faced his brother, meeting his stare unflinchingly. “I declared myself to Hecate. In soul and body, I belonged to her. In exchange for unmatched divine power, I was to serve three hundred years as her male concubine.”
“Balor…”
“I don’t need your pity, Giddeon. I loved her,” he confessed. “And I think she loved me too. Eighty years passed, and I grew stronger than any spellcaster in history. I was more than just a Sage, more than just a tool for gods’ amusement. She made me who I am. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t just your little brother. I mattered.”
“And now?”
“The last night I was with Hecate, we were interrupted by Hermes. He nearly killed me. If I hadn’t taken the sandals and flown down from Olympus, I would have been gutted.” Balor ran a hand through his hair nervously. “I went to her when I left here. Hecate refuses to release me from my oath until I serve the time I promised. I’m hoping if I give Hermes his sandals back, he’ll be able to convince her to let me go.”
“That’s quite a gamble, Balor,” Giddeon said hesitantly. “Hermes is more likely to make things worse for you.”
“Then, what do you suggest I do? I can’t...be with her without seeing Olivia’s face.”
“The answer to your problem lies in the problem itself, brother. Hades told me that when Olivia was taken by Zeus, she swore her soul to you, hoping you would find her. She wanted to make you strong enough to ascend, but it didn’t work the way she planned.”
“What happened?”
“If Olivia really is a Titan, then she bound herself to you as your mate...not your disciple. Tell her your situation with Hecate and have her challenge the goddess for—”
“No! I’m not going to be Olivia’s concubine!”
Giddeon shook his head. “Then complete the bond and be her mate. Claim Olivia, Balor. Before someone else does.”
Chapter Thirteen
Uninhabited, Canada
Olivia followed Eros through the backdoor of the club. She wrapped her coat around her shoulders and stayed close to her date. He laughed impishly as he led her through a labyrinth of narrow passages. Her boots splashed through puddles of melted snow that covered the ground. Eros tapped on the side of a nondescript building. Silver symbols flickered before a hidden gateway opened. He offered his hand and asked, "Want to take a leap of faith with me?"
"My experience with Olympians is limited but unpleasant." Olivia looked down at his hand and accepted it. Though Zeus and Apollo had hurt her, Olivia wanted to hold on to hope that not all of the gods were prone to such cruelty. She followed him through the gate. Her vision filled with flashes of white before she saw Eros touching the clouds. "Where are we?"
"A place in Olympus that the others have forgotten," he explained. "No one will harm you here, Olivia."
She heard something in his tone that made her nervous. Olivia was surrounded by radiant light. Clouds moved beneath her feet and floated in the air. A warm, pleasant breeze kissed her chilled cheeks. "Why would you bring me here? It isn't safe…"
"I brought you here to warn you." Eros smiled sadly and brushed his thumb along his plump bottom lip as if he was deciding whether to continue. "Zeus sent me here to get close to you. He wants his sword, but not as much as he desires you. Trust me, Olivia, what he feels when he looks at you isn't just carnal need...it's destructive."
Olivia turned around, ready to run back through the gate, but it had disappeared. "Let me go, Eros," she begged. "I can't go back to that place."
He rushed over, taking her hand before he pressed it against his ches
t. "I'm many things, but I'm not mad like my brother. I would never give you to him. So long as I exist, Zeus will never touch you again. I promise."
She relaxed a bit and rested her head against his shoulder. "Why would you help me? You don't even know me."
"I know my family. The Olympians have ruled for far too long," he whispered. "It's time that we step aside. I think you'll find that Giddeon and the shifters have more allies on Olympus than they realize."
Olivia exhaled slowly as she tried to regain her composure. "What do you know about Titans?"
"They were before my time, but I know enough. Why do you ask?"
"Have you heard of a thirteenth Titan?" Olivia asked quietly, still uneasy about being back on the mountain. Eros shook his head with a frown.
"It's possible, but I know nothing about it."
"What if I told you that I'm the thirteenth?" Her eyes searched his gaze for any hint of malice or anger like his brother, but Eros seemed genuinely surprised by her revelation. Olivia swallowed past the lump in her throat and continued. "I'm not supposed to exist, but I do. No one knows how or what sort of Titan I am, but it's clear I'm not just some succubus."
"Maybe not a succubus, but your powers of seduction are more than just physical," Eros chuckled. "And yet it is more than mere lust that attracts a room of supernatural entities to you. If I had to caution a guess...I would think you are a manifestation of the most powerful force ever created."
"Which is?"
He tilted her head back and stroked her cheek. Eros's eyes glistened as he stared down at her lips. "Love, Olivia." She felt the pull of Eros like steel to a magnet. He kissed her with a hunger that took her breath away. Olivia struggled within herself, fighting the voice in her head that told her kissing Eros was wrong. The God of Desire must have sensed the change in her, for he broke the kiss with a heaving gasp. "I'm...I'm sorry."
