“Miranda, now!”
In that moment of distraction, Miranda found her opening. She leapt forward again, the Blade of Bane flashing in the dark purple light of Serqet’s energy.
Miranda let out a fierce cry as she plunged the blade into Serqet's back. The blade cut through until the metal tip emerged out the front of her chest, dripping with thick, black blood. The goddess's scream echoed through the lobby, a sound of defeat and disbelief. Her form shuddered, then began to dissolve into shadows, her power ebbing away as her skin turned gray and flaked away into ash. The scorpions still scuttling on the edges followed suit.
Exhausted, Miranda stumbled back, her breath coming in ragged gasps. I rushed to her side, my own body aching from the fight.
“That's one less god causing havoc,” Miranda said, her voice laced with fatigue but victorious.
I couldn't contain my admiration. “You are incredible,” I breathed, my emotions raw and unguarded.
In a surge of impulse, I grabbed her and crushed her lips to mine in a fierce, fiery kiss. She tasted like adrenaline, citrus, and victory. She smiled into my mouth and the perfect moment imprinted on my ravaged and damned essence.
The remnants of Serqet's followers began to stir, their trance breaking.
Just as quickly as the passion flared, reality crashed back into focus.
“We need to wake Fallon,” Miranda said. “He'll calm everyone down and use his power to wipe their minds, so they won't remember what happened here.”
I didn't want to wake Fallon.
I wanted to throw Miranda over my shoulder and take her to my lair like a caveman with only carnal desires in mind. She was glorious, and the bastard I was, I wanted to drag her away and keep her all to myself.
Instead of saying any of that aloud, I only nodded.
Fallon wokeup cranky as fuck. Not only because Serqet got the drop on him, but he now had a passel of people to brain wipe.
Then Bianca flew in on the scene in a particularly binding pink dress, her hair falling in beautiful, curled waves. Despite her looking put together, Bianca was practically frantic. She fussed over him like he was a baby.
Fallon’s glower remained, but it softened as she tended to him, asking him if he felt dizzy or needed to lie down, or if she should use some of her healing powers on him. The imposing god only requested a stiff drink and a quiet place to relax after he dealt with wiping the minds of the human witnesses.
Miranda and I snuck out even as Bianca was trying to convince him it would do him good to let her run a healing bubble bath for him, using some of her tinctures.
Last I saw those two together, which was when we all lived among the pyramids in Egypt, they were at each other’sthroats over something stupid, like a differing interpretation of a prophecy or vision they both experienced. Now, the moon-eyed god could barely contain his raging affection for one of the most kind-hearted goddesses among us.
Heh, sucker.
My blood still rushed with adrenaline and I wasn’t ready to call it a night. Judging by the glassy sparkle in Miranda’s dark, cat-shaped eyes, she was of the same mind.
“We should celebrate,” I pitched, practically bouncing on the balls of my feet.
Her grin spread wide. “I don’t hate that idea.” The smile faltered. “Though it might be wise to keep hunting. There are more threats on these streets.”
I turned her shoulders to me. “You’ve killed not one, but two gods this week. At what point do you take a damn break, so you can celebrate your victory?”
“Our victory,” she corrected quietly. Looking into her eyes, I expected resentment to swim there. She was so staunchly independent, and she made it clear on countless occasions that she didn’t want my help. Instead, I found begrudging gratitude. We’d worked as a team.
“Fine,” she consented.
It was like fireworks went off inside my chest. “I know the perfect place.”
We started off toward my secret destination, but we’d only been walking for ten minutes when Miranda grabbed my hand, squeezing it hard as she tugged me in a different direction.
“Let’s, uh, take a quick detour.”
I raised an eyebrow at her. Miranda’s eyes were wide, glassy, and she couldn’t stop licking her lips.
Electricity zipped and danced along my skin as I felt her arousal, a palpable energy in the air.
