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“You deserved to get thrown in Tartarus with all the other fucking monsters,” I said with disgust.
“They betrayed me. Just goes to show you that you really can’t ever trust someone.” Abyssian said with a sigh, and I could not figure out if he was being serious. “Caius and the other primordials made a bargain. Caius, sap as always, took Abraxia as a lover. A witch.A no one. He meant to make her his bride. That didn’t sit well with Pious at all. Most of them thought it gave the mortals delusions of grandeur. That mortals would use them for an elevation of status. My brother, being the arrogant prick he is, thought otherwise. Caius was so sure Abraxia would never betray him, they struck a deal where they set out to prove if she could be trusted. He agreed, and the idiot was willing to tell her his secret. His weak spot. You see, when primordials take a body, they also have to take on a singular liability. Like Achilles and his blasted heel.”
I thought back to the first dream-memory when she cut his braid and a sadness consumed me. The level of betrayal was so multifaceted, it was remarkable.
“He’d picked the weakest part of the body to be his, and he told Abraxia that if she cut his hair, she’d sever his soul. Some of the primordials and I had made a deal as well. They weren’t willing to lose. Pious, especially. If I corrupted Abraxia and persuaded her to betray him, I’d receive the half she stole and be elevated to their status.”
It all came together to form a sickening picture. How did someone throw away their family that way? Did he feelnothing? I couldn’t grasp it because I’d do anything for mine, even die.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
“Except they threw you in Tartarus alongside him.” I pressed my eyes together, trying to focus my vision. “I can’t believe they abandoned you,” I said, but I was certain he missed the sarcasm. He was too busy listening to himself. And he cursedCaiusfor arrogance.
“I know, right? Fucking pricks.” He came up to me and cupped my cheek, running his thumb over my chapped lips. “You know, it really is a shame you’ll die from this. I liked you; you know? You’re not Caius’s type, but you’re mine. Maybe if things had been different, it could have been you and me ... I so wanted a taste of you.”
“Oh gods,” I said, my stomach roiling with nausea. I was so thankful I managed to get out of the dream before he fucked Abraxia in the woods.
“I’m a god of many talents,” he said, his voice low. He leaned in, holding my face tight as he kissed me. With his thumb pressed into my jaw, I couldn’t bite. With my arms strung above me, pressing to the sides of my head, I couldn’t even pull away. I was stuck as he licked the inside of my mouth with his serpent tongue.
Please throw up. Please throw up. My stomach heaved once, but nothing came. He released the kiss, but still held my jaw with one hand.
My eyes watered with the overwhelming emotions swirling inside me.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered, using his fingertips to wipe my tears away. “Your death will be quick.”
“Promise?” I asked, reaching for Eres. I felt her presence coursing through me. The drug was becoming less in my system, but it was getting harder to focus as I continued to lose blood. All she needed to do was take over, kill him, and we could get the hell out of this dump.
“I promise.”
Just past him, Clara sat wide-eyed watching the exchange. When our eyes locked, hers narrowed in question.
“Eres, I really need you to shift right about now!”
“I can’t shift yet!”
His hand dropped away from my face. Thinking quickly, I asked, “What will happen to Clara after ... you know?”
Abyssian paused. “That depends on her.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “I’m certainly not above killing her, but what purpose would it serve? So much talent would go to waste.”
Glancing out the window, I couldn’t guess the hour. There was no clock on the walls of the old hotel. All I knew was we didn’t have time. The longer I waited, the weaker I would become.
I struck.
Swinging my legs forward and up, my core muscles clenched tight as I rocked. I caught him around the neck and brought my thighs together, squeezing, trying to crush his windpipe. I wasn’t sure if he healed like Caius, but I couldn’t just sit back and wait for him to kill me.
“Anytime would be great.”
“I can’t! Give me control!”
“You have it, just do it, I am literally handing you the keys, so fucking shift already!”
Using every ounce of strength I possessed, I brought my legs together even tighter. Abyssian choked, but he still managed to call me a bitch.
“Oh don’t be surprised,” I ground out. He thrashed, trying, and failing to escape my grip.
