Only a short time passed before the sound of ruffling feathers startled me back to attention. Beneath the entrance archway, Thanatos fluffed out his wings, and for the briefest moment I could see the little violet lights that flitted around them. “Hello,” he said, his eyes twinkling in the lamplight. He performed his weird teleporting flutter and appeared seated at my side.
“Hi,” I said cheerily as I turned to face him. “How do things go in the realm of death?”
“Mmm, same as always.” He arranged his wings a few different ways before settling into a satisfied position. He met my eyes and licked his lips, then paused, his brows drawing together. “You look…oh, shit.”
“What’s the matter?” I asked in alarm.
He dropped his face into his hands, then glanced back at me timidly, a touch of color warming his cheeks. “I am sorry. Somehow I forgot about sleep. How you need to do it. You have been putting it off to see me, haven’t you?”
“Are you saying I look tired?” I protested. “Because you’re not supposed to say that to ladies.”
He laughed. “You look…fatigued? In a very attractive way?”
“Hmm.” I considered him, and concluded that all of the attractiveness in this room had to be his: lovely expressive eyes, lovely light blond hair, lovely teasing grin. Perfect fucking cheekbones. Damn it, he was always going to win me over. “Ugh, I suppose I’ll allow that. Are you saying youdon’tsleep?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do I seem like the type of god who would sleep?”
Right, silly question. “Point taken.”
He flicked his wings and gave me a lopsided smile. “Not many in the Underworld care for it,” he explained. “I suppose I probablycouldif I wanted to, but I have never had the desire without my brother around. Oh, and I rarely eat, as well…but I did remember that one!” he added defensively.
I giggled. “Don’t worry. I’m ‘fatigued’ because of work just as much as this. And only one of those things is enjoyable.”
“Well, you should sleep, regardless,” he advised. “You have to do…priestess things soon, do you not?”
I scoffed. “Don’t you tell me when to sleep! You clearly know nothing about it. And I have a whole day before I have to do ‘priestess things.’”
“But I am going to feel bad about it now.”
“Stop it, then!” I retorted, laughing. “I want to see you!”
He shook his head and attempted to hide his smile behind a dissatisfied sigh. “Stubborn mortal,” he grumbled. But then a sudden playfulness lit his features. “Lie here with me, then, if you feel so strongly about staying.”
I prepared to argue, but stopped when I processed what he’d said. “I—what, seriously?” A wave of heat flashed through my body, and I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Sleep here. Everyone gets what they want.” His tone was innocent, but mischief was written on his face. The corners of his lips curved upward, teasing.
“Oh. I mean, fuck,” I stammered, my face turning crimson. He grinned at my embarrassment, and I surrendered. “Fine, then. I will!”
I wasn’t sure if he’d expected me to actually do it, but too late! I closed the distance between us before my nerves could catch up. And that was how I ended up cuddled in some fucking scholar’s hut, wrapped in a nobleman’s stolen blanket, with my head resting in Death’s lap. Tension spiked, then eased, and I relaxed against his warmth.
“Much better,” Thanatos murmured. He rested his hand on my shoulder and softly traced some pattern against my skin with his thumb. I snuggled against him, heartbeat pounding in my ears, wishing I could see his face so I could try to guess at his thoughts.
“You’re going to get bored of me now,” I mumbled.
“I doubt it,” he retorted quietly, his gossamer touch drifting down my arm. “Is this alright?” he added. “I can stop.”
“Don’t stop,” I breathed.
My mind had never been so conflicted. Sleep, of course, beckoned my exhausted body. Meanwhile, my heartbeat raced at the reality of my lying in his fuckinglap, stirring up all sorts of flutters in my insides and prickly tingles across my skin. I kept my eyes closed and tried to focus on the gentle drift of his fingers. It was soothing, almost reverent, and I sighed contentedly. Sleep was winning. He always got what he wanted, didn’t he? I would curse him for it if he wasn’t so sweet.
I slipped into dreams, not stirring for what must have been hours. Deep in the night, I woke only to the low murmur of his voice and the soft stroke of his fingers in my hair.
“Cyrie?” he whispered.
“Mmhmm?” I didn’t want to open my eyes.
“I have to go,” he said softly. “I am going to put you in bed, okay?”
