He sat up a little straighter, ripping the chlamys off and sending the brooch that pinned it at his shoulder flying across the room. Nyx was on him in a second, straddling him and holding herself right above Erebus. It was his turn to growl in frustration, as he could practically feel the heat radiating off her. Nyx threw her arms around his neck and leaned forward, kissing him hard. Erebus’s hands went to her hips to steady her, letting Nyx take charge of the embrace. It was filthy, all tongues and teeth, and she pulled back, biting his lower lip until she drew blood. He was covered in sweat and dirt from the battle, and the overwhelming scent ofmalewas driving her to her base instincts.
Erebus wasn’t faring much better. He couldn’t keep his hips from thrusting up, teasing Nyx across her folds as deep sounds came from somewhere in his chest. She was nearly glowing, a stark contrast to her raven hair, every inch of her dipped and curved like she was designed for him.
“Please.” Erebus’s voice turned into a whimper as he looked at her. “Nyx…”
She only nodded, unable to keep herself off him for another second. Nyx’s hand dropped down, and she gripped him, guiding him into her as she sat down fully. Erebus nearly shouted at the feeling of her around him, hot and wet. Nyx’s head fell back as she reveled in the sensation of him. As soon as she was seated, starlight began shooting off her skin and shadows started licking up their bodies. Their powers danced over their skin like hands, caressing, pulling, and licking, sending them into a delicious sensory overload.
“Nýchta,” Erebus crooned, licking up her jaw until he was whispering in her ear. “Fuck me on this throne.” Nyx moaned and started to move her hips, rolling on top of him until they were both a mess. She set a merciless pace, her thighs burning as she rode him until she started to feel pleasure building somewhere deep in her belly. She was so desperate for him, falling out of the rhythm that she had set for herself.
“Use me.” Erebus wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her even tighter to him. “Fuck me, Nyx. Take whatever you want from me.” His words were like gasoline, and Nyx ground down on him, picking up her pace until they were both shouting. Erebus knew that she was close from the way she tightened around him, his hand slipping from her waist as it pulled back, delivering a sharp slap to her ass.
The sudden sensation sent Nyx over the edge, her sudden release sending her body into spasms. She collapsed on top of Erebus, putting her head on his shoulder. Erebus held her with one arm around her waist, fucking up into her through her orgasm as he chased his. Nyx moaned and turned her head, biting down on his neck. It had the same effect on Erebus as he thrust up into her, shaking her whole body as she came with a shout.
They both sank back down, breathing heavy and unable to move. Erebus didn’t know how long he sat there, but even the events of that day wouldn’t have been enough to move him in that moment. He finally slid out of Nyx, kissing her face when she whimpered at the sensation. She resettled, moving her legs so she was sitting in his lap instead of straddling him. Her head fell to his chest, and Erebus occupied himself by running his hands through her hair. Nyx breathed him in deeply, everything about this feelingright.There was nothing that would ever feel more complete to her than Erebus. When they had both caught their breath, Nyx looked up at him.
“I know that you had your motivations.” Her voice was quiet, and Erebus looked down at her in surprise. “I didn’t… agree with them. I felt rejected.” There was a tone in her voice that Erebus had never heard before. He squeezed her tighter as she continued. “It took me a while to see that fighting with you was like fighting with myself. I know that you weren’t rejecting me.”
“If anything, I was rejecting how I felt the world was treating you.”
“It feels like it was forever ago. So much has changed.” Nyx was right. It seemed like eons ago that they had their first disagreement about Erebus joining Zeus; how he had been so consumed with the idea of being in the light, of bringing her honor. The war had unfurled so many different motivations, plots, and schemes. They never would have guessed that it would have ended with a fratricide plot and Zeus’s scheme to lock both Erebus and Nyx away forever.
“It has.” Erebus bit his lip, taking a deep breath before he continued. “What about us, Nyx? Have we…changed?” The silence was deafening for a few moments, and Erebus was preparing to cut his heart out and leave it at Nyx’s feet.
“No.” Nyx shook her head, looking up at him with a soft smile on his face. “We haven’t changed, Erebus. I might change. You might change. Butus, we…we will always be better together.”
Erebus leaned down, pulling her into a kiss. When they finally broke apart, the glint in Erebus’s eye was infectious.
“Do you think we should tell Zeus what happened in here or let him figure it out?”
39
The next day, the gods gathered in Zeus’s great hall and immediately devolved into chaos. Kronos was gone, but they had to deal with the fallout of Zeus’s deliberate attack on Erebus and the shambles that the mortal world was in. Erebus wanted to exile Hermes. Poseidon and Hades were desperate to determine if anyone had discovered their failed plot, and Nyx really wanted to go back to the Underworld.
They were all standing together in a circle, shouting, with the throne sitting empty behind them. Some of the deities hadn’t returned, deciding to return to their responsibilities without any care for how they worked out the politics of it. One of these was Hecate, who had simply slipped back into the Underworld and decided she would have no part of this. Between those who didn’t choose to return and those that they had lost, there were only twelve gods in the room.
And they were all talking at once.
“I don’t see why it matters…”
“Someone needs to be in charge—”
“Not you.”
“Certainly not—”
“Stop talking.” Nyx’s voice cut through the din. She raised a hand up in silence, and all the gods quieted down. They had seen what she had done the day before, and no one was going to challenge her. “I am correct in assuming that you are the only gods left—”
“There are more, but they’ve chosen to not be a part of this…council,” Hermes interrupted Nyx and stumbled over the word choice.
Erebus felt his temper flare as he stared at the god, a murderous look in his eye. Hermes looked sheepish, and Erebus didn’t know if it was out of guilt or fear.
“Do not interrupt me,” Nyx said evenly, and Hermes nodded exuberantly as if it was an impulse that he was trying to contain. She took a deep breath and continued. “Then I am correct. You are the gods who have remained to sort out this mess you’ve found yourself in.”
There were nods all around. Even Zeus nodded his head, keeping his eyes downcast. He had the air of a whipped dog about him, and Erebus took special glee in it. Even if he couldn’t stop flicking his eyes over to the dais, feeling hot all over again at the memories of what they had done atop it the night before. Nyx took in everyone’s agreeable expressions and resumed, her voice sounding bored.
“Zeus, step forward.”
The God of lightning stepped forward, a few paces into the center of the circle that they found themselves in.
