Chapter 10
Sera
Mmm. Something smells really good. Like leather and man. Yet underlain with the sweet aroma of roses on a wintry morning.
And silk, I think, rolling in the soft texture. Yes.
I’m in a pillowy heaven.
Surrounded by the most alluring aromas.
Warmed by a masculine wall of energy.
I turn toward that presence and bury my nose against his chest. Yawn. And lose myself to my dreams.
Or I assume I do, anyway, because when I finally open my eyes, I’m alone in the massive bed. The cool sheets beside me suggest the man I was cuddled into left some time ago.
Maliki, I think, warm all over.
My lips seem to tingle at the memory of his kiss, my tongue suddenly craving another taste. Only, I feel like I’ve been asleep for years.
And I really want to take another shower as a result.
A strange desire, considering I just took one before falling asleep, but I give in to the need and roll out of the bed to go freshen myself up.
It’s not until I’m standing in a towel post-shower—which, thankfully, worked as expected this time—that I realize I only have the button-down shirt to wear.
Twisting my lips to the side, I leave the bathroom and go to search for Maliki. Maybe he can help me find proper clothes.
Although, he’s the one who gave me that shirt to wear. So maybe not.
I’ll ask for Alina instead, I decide. It’ll give me an excuse to check in with my sister, too.
Hades said she’s here somewhere with her mates. Now that I’m less exhausted and thinking clearly, I realize I should probably have requested proof of—
I freeze in the kitchen when I find Maliki wagging a finger at Pip. “I told you not to touch that.”
My little friend deflates, his shoulders curving down and causing his cloak to droop.
“Look, I know you mean well, but you can’t handle these items without the gloves Morpheus manifested for you. So stop taking them off.”
Pip’s head bobs from side to side in a way that doesn’t signify agreement, but something else.
“Don’t mock me,” Maliki chastises. “You know I’m right.”
The little soul huffs.
“Yeah, gloves suck. But you can’t make Sera breakfast without them. So do you want to learn or not?”
“He’s teaching Pip how to properly make pancakes,” a deep voice murmurs into my ear.
I spin around at the unexpected presence and come face-to-face with Morpheus’s chiseled chest.
I blink a dozen or so times, my brain seeming to malfunction at the display of masculine beauty.
He’s always wearing suits.
Yet right now, he’s in a pair of gray sweatpants and nothing else.
“You have a tattoo,” I sputter out, aware that I sound a little shrill. And maybe a tad bit ridiculous, too. Because obviously he knows he has a tattoo. It’s a snake design in the center of his chest. “Is it moving?” I ask in the next breath, clearly unable to filter my words this morning.
Or evening.
Or today.
Or whenever it is.
I don’t know.
But yeah, that snake is definitely moving. Kind of like Maliki’s tattoos. “Oh, you have more on your arms,” I realize aloud, my gaze dancing all over his flawless physique.
“What do you see when you look at them?” Morpheus asks softly.
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“What shape do they take on?” he rephrases.
“Uh, well, that one is a snake. Obviously.” I clear my throat as I take in the adornments around it on his chest, as well as the decorations down his arms. “And flowers.” My fingers lift of their own accord to trace one. “This looks like a rose.”
Heat bathes my back as Maliki grabs my hip from behind. “A rose?” he repeats.
I nod, still caressing the intricate pattern. “Yes. And it feels alive.”
A purr ignites in Morpheus’s chest, drawing my focus back to the writhing snake. My fingers track the movement as I gently touch the slithering creature.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
“The rose?” Morpheus asks.
“Yes. And the snake,” I say, following the coiling path with my nail. “Snakes are useful guardians for the garden.”
“And what do you see, Maliki?” Morpheus asks, causing my brow to crinkle.
“A suicidal Alpha attempting to seduce another God’s Omega,” Maliki drawls.
Morpheus smiles. “I love it when you flirt with me, Enforcer. But I’m trying to prove a point to our Serapina about my tattoos.”
“What point?” I ask, mostly to distract myself from everything else they just said to one another.
Yet our Serapina echoes in my mind, which makes me shiver. A foreign part of me likes the sound of that. Perhaps a little too much.
“That my tattoos look different to everyone who sees them. So how do they appear to you, Ghost?” he asks, a taunting lilt in his tone.
“Like flames and skulls,” Maliki answers. “No flowers or snakes for me. Just death and destruction.”
“Hmm,” Morpheus hums. “Should I take that as a threat or a promise of a good time?”
“Time will tell, I suppose,” Maliki replies before brushing a kiss against my neck. “However, speaking of deadly objects, I have some pancakes to remake.”
He gives my hip a squeeze and releases me.
Morpheus leans against the door frame, his blue-green eyes flickering with interest as he stares down at me. “Do you have any tattoos, little dreamer?”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “No. Pretty sure those are not a thing where I come from.”
“Perhaps from your part of that world, no. But your universe is larger than you realize.” He reaches out to tuck a damp strand of hair behind my ear. “Do you want some coffee?”
The abrupt topic change makes me frown. “Coffee?”
“Or clothes?” he offers, his gaze dipping down and reminding me that all I’m wearing is a towel.
“Oh. I, uh, yes. That’s why I came out here.” Then I was distracted by the shirtless men.
One is making breakfast with Pip.
The other is standing far too close to me now.
Yep.
I clear my throat. “Where can I find something to wear?”
“Is there a specific outfit you have in mind?” he asks.
“Maybe something from Alina?” I suggest. “Assuming she’s here.”
“She’s here,” he tells me. “But I can help you find your own clothes. Just tell me what you want to wear, and I’ll make all your wishes come true.”
I stare at him. “Why does that sound like a wicked promise?”
“Because you know I’ll make those dreams come true, too,” he murmurs, his lips curling into a sensual smile. “We can start there instead, if you like. I don’t have to clothe you. I could simply”—his gaze skates down to where the towel is knitted against my chest—“disrobe you instead.”
I swallow. “I really just want a tank top and some cotton pants.”
His flirtatious amusement remains as he says, “All right. Follow me.”
I’m about to when something crashes in the kitchen. “Pip!” Maliki shouts.
My ghost friend flies past me with a flaming sleeve, then disappears through the wall.
Maliki pinches the bridge of his nose and releases a curse, while Morpheus chuckles. “You’re the one who wanted to teach him how to cook. I was merely trying to assist with those gloves.”
“Yes,” Maliki grinds out. “Thank you for that.”
I glance around. “Is he going to be all right?”
“He’ll be fine,” Morpheus promises. “He might need a new cloak, though.” He waves his hand through the air, causing one to appear in his hand, the blue fabric the same color as Pip’s eyes.
Wandering into the kitchen, he passes Maliki and heads into an adjoining dining area that’s set for a party of three.
I frown at it.
Pip doesn’t eat.
So either the three males in my life were planning to eat without me, or… “Where’s Hades?” I ask.
Morpheus lays the new cloak over a chair that doesn’t have a place setting in front of it. “It’s only been thirty-six hours, so he’s probably still in the death world.”
I blink at him. “What?”
“Closer to thirty-seven now,” Maliki says as he flips a pancake. “I’m still shocked you slept that long.”
“Wait, what?” I repeat.
“It’s normal for an Omega on the verge of a first heat.
I mean, not all rest like that, but I’m not surprised your soul demanded sleep.
That just means your estrus is going to be even more enjoyable.
And hopefully go on for a while, too.” Morpheus grins sensually again.
“I can only imagine how insatiable you’ll be. ”
I… I don’t know how to respond to that last part. So I focus on how long I apparently slept. And also what Morpheus said about Hades.
“Hades is in the death world?” I repeat. “Why? Is he okay?”
“As far as I know,” Maliki responds and faces me. “If he weren’t, Fleur would let me know.”
I stare at him. “Fleur?” That name sounds feminine. Maybe because of the way he voiced it. “And who is Fleur?”
Maliki’s lips curl. “She’s the love of my life.”
I gape at him. The love of his life? “And does the love of your life often let you sleep in other women’s beds?” I demand, unable to hold back the question.
Because what in the thorns is going on here?
He kissed me for what felt like hours. Plus the other stuff we did.
And he has… a love of his life?
I want to scream.
Moments ago I was thinking about Morpheus’s word choice. Our Serapina.
Sounds like I’m not Maliki’s anything.
Because he has a Fleur.
Love of my life.
Ugh!
Maliki sets something down and gives me his full attention, his steps silent as he saunters toward me. “Fleur doesn’t care who I play with so long as I eventually come home to her.”
Play with, I repeat in my head as my eyes narrow at the too-sinful male. “Wow. What an amazing mate you are.”
He palms my cheek, and I yank myself away from him.
Only to come up against a hard, masculine wall behind me. Morpheus.
“I’m not her mate,” Maliki tells me.
“Oh. So just the love of her life, then?” I guess, torn between laughing and crying.
Fae, why does this hurt so much?
Maliki wasn’t really mine either, right?
I belong to Hades. Or my soul does, anyway. I can’t exactly be upset with Maliki for having another woman in his life.
But still. If she’s the love—
“Yes,” he says, interrupting my mental battle. “Similar, I imagine, to how Pip will feel about you, or perhaps already does.”
My lashes flutter. “I… What?” I’m not following what he means.
“Fleur is my familiar,” he murmurs, his lips curling again. “She’s a cat. Well, she’s more like a sphinx, I guess. But the size of a house cat.”
I’m pretty sure my jaw is on the floor. “The love of your life is… your familiar.”
“Yes.” He cocks his head and gives me an innocent look. One that’s far too forced to be genuine. “Why? Who did you think I meant?”
“I think what our enforcer is trying to say is that jealousy looks good on you, little dreamer,” Morpheus whispers against my ear, his palm on my hip. “Now, do you still want some clothes, or do you prefer eating pancakes in a towel?”
“Jealousy?” I repeat. “I was not jealous.”
Maliki smiles at me and leans in to brush his lips against mine. “You were and it was adorable,” he says softly. “But you don’t need to worry, trouble. I may like the concept of sharing you with Hades or Morpheus, but I’m not interested in anyone other than you.”
He kisses me again before I can even respond to that.
Part of me wants to bite him, though. But the desire is chased away by his tongue.
I moan as he pulls me into him, then shiver when I realize Morpheus is still right behind me.
His hand is a brand against my hip just as Maliki’s is a claim against my throat. I’m not even sure when he grabbed me there, but it reminds me of last night. Or… or I guess two nights ago?
I slept for a day and a half?
Oh, it doesn’t matter. Because Maliki is kissing me.
I wrap my arms around his neck and lose myself to his mouth. Only for a crashing sound to interrupt the moment.
Maliki releases me to investigate the sound. When Pip appears in the fresh cloak Morpheus created for him, I realize it was him knocking over a chair.
He gives me an apologetic look. Then bows at Morpheus, like he’s thanking him.
“I don’t think being a chef is in your future,” Maliki informs my little soul.
Pip’s eyes take on a big, sad quality.
“But I’ll keep trying to teach you,” Maliki rushes on to say. “Just promise you’ll wear the gloves.”
Pip bobs.
“And promise you won’t touch the open flame on the stove,” Maliki adds.
Another nod from Pip.
“Okay. Then you can help me take the food over to the table while Sera gets dressed.”
Pip rushes forward.
“Wear your gloves,” Maliki growls, causing Pip to freeze right before almost touching a plate. He slowly retracts his bony hand and scurries back to the table, where a pair of gloves is already waiting for him.
“Come on, little dreamer. Maliki and Pip will put the finishing touches on breakfast while I manifest a new wardrobe for you.” He uses the hand on my hip to turn me around, then wraps his arm around my waist to pull me from the kitchen and down the hall.
When we enter a room that’s different from the one I slept in, I realize he’s taken me somewhere new. It’s a smaller space with a single bed, presumably meant for a guest. “Is this where you slept?” I ask.
“No,” he replies, releasing me and wandering off toward what I assume is a bathroom area. “I didn’t sleep. I kept guard with Pip and the three-headed beast outside.”
He disappears from view after crossing the threshold.
When he calls for me to follow, I do so cautiously.
Then startle when I find him in a closet full of tank tops and soft pants. No jeans. No dresses. Just comfortable clothes.
“I added some undergarments to the wardrobe there.” He gestures to a dresser. “And shoes in boxes on the back wall.” He looks at me. “If I’ve missed anything you desire, let me know and I’ll manifest it.”
He goes to leave me, and I echo, “Manifest it?” I’m sort of familiar with Alpha abilities because of Orcus. But I’ve never really asked how it works.
“Yes. My power tends to be a little extreme since I’m a natural dreamer, which makes me more fantasy focused. Just as Hades tends to be a little more lethal, given his penchant for death.” He shrugs. “In the end, we’re all similar. But I like to think my imagination affords me an edge.”
“Oh.” I’m not sure what else to say to that other than to agree that he might be right.
He smiles. “I’ll be in the bedroom, waiting for you. Just yell if you need me.” His gaze runs over me once more, then he walks away.
I’m left with a dizzy feeling that has me longing to follow him and learn more.
He’s always teaching me. So patient and understanding.
And interested, I think, recalling the way he held me. The way he’s spoken to me. The way he’s simply been there for me.
What does it all mean? I want to ask him.
Maybe I will.
After breakfast.
Also after I have a chance to see my sister. Because she has to be worried about me. I need to tell her I’m okay. And maybe ask her some questions about Omega estrous cycles…