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And then there it was—a figure standing at the edge of our invisible circle. But it wasn't the one we summoned.
Theodore appeared without warning or sound—he just materialized before us like a ghostly spectre. The skull that glowed across his striking face had my heart leaping into my throat. My body tingled as if his gaze was a physical touch.
Liam gasped beside me while Theodore just stood there silently observing us with unreadable eyes and an inscrutable expression on his face. It was then that I noticed another figure standing just behind him.
This man was as familiar to me as my own reflection, though I'd never seen him in the flesh—or the spirit, I guess. He had paler skin than me, though still brownish-tan, and green eyes. He had greying dreadlocked hair and clothing that resembled an old sea captain. Shells dangled from his dreads, entangled with bits of seaweed.
Agwé.
Holy shit. Holy shit shit shit...
I didn't know what the hell I'd expected to happen, but havingAgwéshow up in the literal sense wasn't it. I was no stranger to theLwa, but this was getting insane.
"Impressive," Theodore said slowly, as if weighing each word carefully before continuing further, "but you do know that summoning others into my domain without my permission is strictly forbidden."
Fuck, he was right. How could I be such an idiot? I let myself forget that Theodore was actually Met Kalfou, and that came with a certain set of rules. The first was that he had complete control over who came and went from his domain. Even his brother, Papa Legba was only permitted under specific circumstances.
I stood, pulling a shaking Liam up with me. "Forgive me, Kalfou," I said in a whisper, letting my eyes fall away from his. "I should have known better."
Theodore's silence was deafening. He stood there for a moment longer, regarding us both with an intensity that made the hairs on my arms stand up. I knew he had complete control over our fate in this moment, and my heart pounded with fear and anticipation.
But I couldn't hold it any any longer. A slow smile played across my lips as I peered back up at him through my lashes. There was no way to explain why I felt the need to laugh, but it bubbled up in my chest and took everything inside me to stifle it. Maybe I could blame it on the Euphoria that the old woman convinced me to drink.
I should have been quaking in terror under the intense scrutiny of Met Kalfou. Any sane person would be, and yet the longer I stayed here with him and Bael, the more comfortable his presence felt. My eyes flickered to his lips, and my body tingled with the memory of his kiss.
Kissing him was a stupid idea, but there wasn't a single molecule in my whole body that regretted it. I wanted to kiss him again. I wanted to do much more than that.
Theodore must have seen something shift in my eyes, because the lips I'd been studying so closely suddenly tilted up into a wicked grin. My stomach flipped, and my chest filled with buzzing vibrations.
"You're lucky thatAgwéis not unwelcome in these parts," he said slowly. TheLwaof the water simply nodded behind him respectfully but didn't speak. My eyes met Theodore's as he stepped into the violet glow. "And you've shown respect by apologizing for your overreach. I accept your apology, Mori."
I loosed a breath, staring into his eyes that were as black as the room around us, only reflecting a violet version of myself within their depths. It was hard to contain the pleasurable shiver that rolled through me at the sound of my nickname on Theodore's lips. I wanted to hear him moaning it instead.
Fuck...What the hell was happening to me? Where were these insane cravings coming from?
I tried to push aside my inappropriate thoughts as Theodore moved closer, his ring-clad hand reaching up to trace the curve of my cheek. My breath hitched in my throat at the feel of his rough fingertips against my skin. The Euphoria was making it hard for me to think straight, but I knew what I wanted deep down inside.
Theodore leaned in and captured my lips with a fierce hunger that took me completely by surprise. His tongue danced along mine, sending shivers down every inch of me. In this moment, I didn't care that we were being watched. I didn't care about anything except the dark god in front of me.
I moaned into his mouth as he pulled back too soon for my liking. "If you keep pushing me, I'll gladly take it all," he whispered huskily. His breath was as cold as mist as it caressed my lips. He smelled like sweet wine.
Feeling unusually bold, I took a step closer, pushing myself against him. His skin felt smooth and taut beneath my fingers as I placed my hand on his bare chest. "You say that like it's a warning," I said, trying to keep my voice from trembling, "but all I'm hearing are promises."
Theodore smiled, a mix of surprise and desire in his eyes. He leaned down to press one more kiss against my lips before pulling away. "Maybe you're right. But I do keep my promises." He stepped out of my reach and pivoted to faceAgwé."You are free to answer the summons if you wish. My realm is yours for the night."
Agwébowed slightly with a grin that was all too devious, and it made me wonder if these two were friends. Obviously, Theodore had some kind of trust in the sea spirit, or else he wouldn't have allowed this to continue. I let out a relieved sigh on Liam's behalf as well.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the dark room asAgwéapproached Liam. The shells and beads that dangled from his locks clinked together, and the smell of brine and sand filled the room as if he brought the sea wherever he went.
"So it was you who summoned me," he said to Liam, coming to an abrupt stop five feet away from the teenager.
Liam's blue eyes were wide as he stared up at the towering deity, and yet he stood tall and held his shoulders back with confidence. He just nodded.
Agwé'srough laugh filled the room. "You have guts, little human," he said with a sly grin. "What is it that you seek?"
Liam didn't flinch underAgwé'sintimidating gaze. He stood his ground and spoke clearly. "I want to receive your wisdom and blessings." His eyes flickered at me for reassurance, and I just nodded.
It was a dangerous game to ask a spirit for something selfish or foolish. You never knew how they would respond, or whether or not they would find you worthy. I'd never come face-to-face with one of theLwa, but I prayed to them every day. Grandma Anne was trained to interact directly as a sort of liaison between us and them. Since allowing Austin to take over my life, I sort of let that part of my training slip away from me, and I regretted that now.
