Chapter 50 Corruption
CORRUPTION
ALEXIS
As I leapt away from the federation meeting, waves of relief washed over me.
Candlelight cast ambient shadows along the villa’s decorative amphoras and olive trees.
I’d chosen this exact hall because I liked the marble sculpture in the corner—a naked man leaned against a wooden club, covered in a lion skin. His eyes were downcast, conveying exhaustion, and behind his back, he held two golden apples.
I met the man’s weary gaze with my own.
He’s tired, but he’s still standing.
The last few weeks had been a blur of worrying over Medusa. I hadn’t had much time to focus on anything or anyone else.
She was finally free.
We did it.
I was so grateful for how it all played out, I could curl into a fetal position and never move again.
Outside the hall windows, Lake Como reflected the Milky Way. I’d heard a ridiculous rumor that before the apocalypse, humans had lost the stars. A world without them was unfathomable.
Tonight, the lawn was serene under moonlight, and the electric fence had been taken down—the threat level was once again low.
When I left hours ago, Nyx and Fluffy Jr. had decided to stay back with Helen and Drex in her room. My throat felt bare without scales around it.
Crack.
Two shadows stretched across the marble at the end of the hall.
I’d just been with them, but we’d been surrounded by people; this was different.
We were alone.
“My sweet honey—I’m home,” Kharon rasped in a mocking, singsong voice. Augustus stood beside him, eyes sparkling.
Of all the places in the villa they could have leapt to.
They’d come straight to me.
It reminded me of the nightmares that I was having again—ever since the SGC, the grim reaper stood above me at night, watching me sleep.
Dress shoes echoed across the marble as they headed toward me.
Kharon sauntered; Augustus walked with clipped precision.
The real headline of The Falcon Chronicles should have read: “Two Deviant Chthonic Royals Seduce Unsuspecting Prudish Woman.”
I could have told them all about it.
Spiky ruby crowns sparkled.
Kharon wore a tattered black cloak, Augustus an air of heavy responsibility.
Both looked divine in white button-down shirts, sleeves rolled up to their elbows. Leg holsters stretched across their thighs, loaded with weapons.
Augustus’s tie was loose, like he’d been pulling at it, a sliver of his bronze chest visible.
Red was splattered across Kharon’s shirt.
“Hello, husbands.”
My voice was hoarse from disuse, because in my stress, I hadn’t spoken much lately. Medusa did all the talking.
“Wife.” Augustus’s lips twitched like he was trying not to smile.
“Carissima.” Kharon arched a dark brow, his face chiseled marble, blue veins almost glowing beneath his skin. “I believe we made a promise to you before your labors. Are you … ready to collect your reward?”
I gathered my courage.
“Yes.”
Kharon blinked, his composure slipping. “Are you … sure?” His voice deepened.
I nodded.
They both sauntered closer, stopping inside my personal space.
“I might just devour you yet.” Kharon’s breath tickled the shell of my right ear.
Augustus held my gaze, then dragged his eyes down to my lips. “Pardon our insatiability,” his voice rang indecently through my skull. “My carus.”
Augustus didn’t speak aloud, just stared at my lips as I gasped at the intimacy of having him inside my mind.
Kharon reached up with black painted nails—he gripped the back of my neck—nails digging into my skin.
A gothic romantic melody played inside my head.
Reaching out, I ran my hands down their silk-covered chests.
A flush stained the top of Kharon’s sharp cheekbones; Augustus clenched his jaw.
Individually they were intense.
Together, they were as complex as the elliptical curves and modular forms of Fermat’s last theorem, the hardest math problem ever solved.
My hands traveled lower, fingers dancing over their straining zippers—I squeezed.
“Careful, darling.” Kharon dug his nails into my sensitive skin in warning, his expression feral.
Augustus’s hand shot out in a blur. He grabbed my forearm as it flexed, squeezing him harder.
They’d fallen straight into my trap.
I smiled. “Domus.”
Crack.
Smoke rose around us—we were once again standing in the empty, dark dining room—the blinds were drawn, and a fire burned low in the hearth.
We were back at the scene of the crime.
I’d meant to leap us to the bedroom, but something inside me must have wanted differently.
“You … just …” Kharon trailed off as he gaped at me, like he genuinely couldn’t believe my audacity.
Augustus wet his lower lip.
Laughter bubbled up my throat as I pulled my hands away from them.
Kharon looked incredulous as he found his voice. “Don’t tell me you just leapt with two people a dangerously short distance—after you just leapt back from the federation meeting.”
I rolled my eyes; we were all fine.
“Okay, I won’t tell you,” I said.
Kharon looked around at his surroundings. Awareness lighting in his eyes, he tipped his head back and chuckled, a deep throaty sound.
Augustus joined him, his dimple flashing.
“Do you trust me, carissima?” Kharon’s amused voice dropped an octave, dark lashes fanning.
I stared at the scar on the side of his head. “Yes.”
Kharon brushed a curl off my neck. “You really shouldn’t, darling.” He gently took my crown off and placed it on the table.
Augustus glanced between us with hooded eyes.
Beethoven tipped his head back at his piano. Partially deaf, he felt the vibrations in his soul.
So did I.
Kharon walked over to the table and yanked a chair out—Augustus did the same next to him.
They turned the chairs, so they were facing each other, about an arm’s distance apart.
My face flamed as I remembered what Kharon had said weeks ago.
Then … Augustus and I would sit down in two chairs across from each other—we’d pass you back and forth, fucking you on our laps, for hours.
Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.
They sauntered toward me.
Kharon grabbed the back of my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair—he yanked me flush against him, his mouth claiming mine with a desperate groan.
I kissed back just as hard.
Augustus moved behind me, his nails biting my skin as he grabbed the back of my dress toga with both hands.
Rippppp.
The silk material fluttered to my feet, cool air blowing against my exposed body.
I was naked beneath it.
Augustus grabbed my ass, kneading both globes with his strong fingers, nails pricking as he kissed down my spine.
“So gorgeous … so perfect … so divine,” purred deep inside my mind, in rhythm with every brush of his lips.
The taste of a rainstorm on my tongue, I grabbed at Kharon’s short silky hair, deepening our kiss.
His crown fell to the floor with a metallic ring. No one moved to get it.
Kharon tipped my head back, tongue plunging with more fervor down my throat. His hands cupped my breasts, thumbs teasing across my nipples until they were hard, every brush sending pleasure to my core.
They were everywhere.
Mouths and hands devoured me—a total corruption.
I grabbed at Kharon’s shirt, tugging, needing to explore his skin, but the stupid buttons wouldn’t budge.
Kharon yanked back from me. I stumbled, but Augustus held my hips, steadying me as he continued kissing down my spine like a man possessed.
Kharon grabbed both sides of his shirt and yanked it apart.
Diamond buttons flew off, rolling all around the room, and he threw the ruined cloth to the floor, flexing as he fucked me with his eyes.
Thick brands covered his chest—the pale skin was a network of fresh pink scars and old white lines—the newest of all sat smack-dab in the middle and he rubbed his hand over it, face full of pride.
I’d never seen anything more beautiful in my life.
I reached for him, while Augustus dragged his nails down my spine, and followed it with his tongue.
Kharon shook his head no.
Stepping back until his legs knocked against the chair he’d positioned earlier, he settled into it, legs spreading wide, his branded chest drenched in firelight.
Tattooed fingers flexed as he slowly unzipped the fly of his pants, and Kharon palmed his hard, pale shaft. Blue veins wrapped around it, the tip glistening pink in the moonlight.
“Come—sit, wife,” Kharon ordered wickedly. “Now.”
Augustus’s hands trailed up to my neck in a gentle caress.
Chills followed his path.
“Go to him,” Augustus’s voice scratched deliciously through my mind.
Entranced by them, I walked toward Kharon.
Augustus went with me, kissing the back of my neck with each step.
The devil spread his legs wider in the chair, lips swollen.
Weapons holsters stretched across his thighs, splattered with blood.
“I love you both so much,” I said abruptly, suddenly needing to say it.
Augustus chuckled as he kissed the back of my shoulder, then bit down lightly, and lapped at the mark.
“We know, carissima …” Kharon’s eyes were bright in the dark. “Because we feel it too.”
I stopped in front of him, and Augustus halted with me—his fingers trailed across my rib cage, lingering on my scar—he cupped my breasts, holding them with his calloused palms, so they were raised to Kharon’s face.
“Lean forward,” Kharon ordered, his voice hoarse.
Augustus pressed a leg between my thighs and spread them wide. His stomach clenched against my back, buttons digging into my spine, as he pushed me forward with his weight toward Kharon.
I grabbed the arms of Kharon’s chair to steady myself.
Kharon smirked, my chest even with his face.
He opened his mouth and stuck out his glistening tongue.
Augustus palmed my breasts harder, dragging my swollen nipples across Kharon’s unmoving tongue, as he pushed his thigh up harder between my legs. The hilts of his daggers pressed against my core.
I gasped with pleasure.
“I can feel your cunt dripping through my pants, sweetheart,” Augustus whispered inside my mind. “Good girl.”
My arms trembled where I leaned against the chair.
Kharon closed his mouth around my nipple and sucked. I whimpered.