Chapter 22 Enemies Who Crawl for You #2
I was killing them.
And myself.
“That’s my woman,” Augustus praised softly, tears glimmering as he crawled forward. “We’re so—” he groaned “—fucking sorry for trapping you … in this marriage … Take your revenge,” he gasped. “Please.”
No.
Kharon gazed up at me with resignation. “I’m so sorry—” the tendons in his neck stood out as he also crawled “—I wasn’t good enough—” he coughed “—for you … wasn’t strong enough, or … what you wanted. You deserve … better.”
A tear streaked down my face.
The devils were on their knees—coming straight to me.
Groveling at my feet.
“I don’t deserve you,” Kharon mouthed as foam dripped from his quivering lips.
“You can be with them.” Augustus’s voice cracked as he collapsed onto his stomach. “Now.”
The agony receded.
Kharon face-planted next to Augustus and curled into the fetal position, gurgles and moans falling from his lips.
I breathed easier.
For the first time in months, my headache completely disappeared and the throbbing in my knee was gone.
Our bond was breaking.
They were dying.
Because of me.
Augustus cradled me against his chest as he carried me through the Roman streets. Kharon hovered over me, his left ear missing.
A broken sob ripped from my throat.
No.
I didn’t want this. I wanted to feel.
I wanted to know when Kharon was pushing himself too hard, and I needed to live inside Augustus’s broken mind; I wanted them to talk to me; I wanted to know where the three of us were heading.
“Breathe, Alexis,” Nyx hissed into my ear as she slithered around my neck. “You can control this—you’re in the driver’s seat. It doesn’t control you.”
Kharon and Augustus inhaled shakily, their fingers stilling.
I held my breath.
“Stop fighting against yourself.” Nyx tightened. “Some of us are lethal, and that’s okay.”
Just like when Patro had coached me with Theros—the pain in my chest receded as I calmed myself down—I gathered control, and the poisoning stopped.
I don’t want to hurt them anymore; they’ve been hurt enough.
Tingles climbed up my fingers to my palms.
I was in command of my powers.
A strange white light emitted from my fingers—my hands glowed brightly; the skin lit from within.
I don’t want to kill them. I want the three of us to figure this out.
A loud wheeze echoed.
“Alexis,” Kharon said hoarsely as he pushed up from his chest onto his knees, and wiped at the cut on his face.
My right knee spasmed.
Eyes still glossy with the remnants of pain, he slowly crawled across the floor toward me.
He bowed his crowned head—I gripped my chair—he kissed the tops of my feet. “Angel,” he whispered.
I reached down for him with glowing hands, gently touching his head.
He stared up at me like I was his deliverance.
The brilliant light intensified until it hurt my eyes, and a strange feeling washed over me.
Nyx hissed something, but I couldn’t hear her.
The warmth flared brighter, light becoming pain.
I was boiling alive.
Kharon shouted something and pulled away, breaking our connection.
The light under my tingling fingers faded, as stars receded from my vision.
Kharon sat back on his haunches, still looking up at me with awe.
Augustus laid weakly on the floor, his chin lifted. “Are you … okay?” he whispered to me.
I wasn’t sure. Long seconds passed as I struggled to process what had happened.
“Did … you … see that?”
Both men nodded.
In high school, we’d watched a historical early 2000s documentary about deep-sea anglerfish—A hideous creature, it lures prey in with its glowing bioluminescent antenna light, then eats them. It also exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism.
Dread sank its talons into my chest.
My blood was poisonous. Maybe this was how it worked. I attracted people with my light—then violently slaughtered them.
I also had no idea what sexual dimorphism meant, but from how awkward things had always been for me, I probably had it. I stared at my shaking hands (antennas?).
“Breathe, carissima,” Kharon said hoarsely. “Don’t panic. You’re going to figure out what it means.”
I already have—I’m a hideous fish.
As I stared down at the floor in shock, the full weight of what had just transpired crashed over me.
Strange, dangerous glow aside, I hadn’t killed Kharon or Augustus.
I’d done it.
For the second time in my life, I’d controlled my power.
We were still bonded.
Tears mixed with my chuckles as I leaned back into the chair with exhaustion.
“Wait? I can still feel—” Kharon’s eyes widened.
He tried to stand up but collapsed back onto his knees.
Augustus panted, still splayed on the floor. “Why?” he asked. “It doesn’t make any sense … We gave you an out.”
“We gave you the divorce that you wanted.” Kharon frowned. “But you stopped. Why?”
Rubbing my face tiredly, I looked anywhere but at them.
“Alexis,” Augustus said, his voice tight. “Why?”
“I want to … give us a chance,” I whispered, feeling lightheaded. “It’s just physical now, but … maybe we can be … more … some day?”
A muffled shout echoed, and the table rattled.
Augustus held his side as he sat up, and Kharon shifted at my feet.
The air crackled with tension.
Wait, what is happening?
“Carissima,” Kharon purred, eyes half-lidded and smoldering, as he wiped at his bloody face, revealing smooth unmarred skin. He grabbed on to the table. It creaked against his weight as he hoisted himself to his feet. “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done to hurt you—you deserve better than me.”
I gripped my chair for dear life.
Kharon loomed over me, blocking out the rest of the room as his breath fanned against the shell of my right ear.
“If what we have was just physical,” he said quietly, “I’d lay you out on this table and kiss your lips. Then I’d stroke myself as Augustus did the same.”
My nails dug into the arms of the chair.
Kharon breathed heavily. “And while Augustus was busy with your lips, I’d kiss your mouth.”
I jerked, face heating as I realized what he’d meant.
“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.”
Kharon paused as he smirked down at me. “We’d fuck you until you couldn’t walk, and they couldn’t look you in the eyes without picturing us thrusting deep inside of you.”
I shivered.
Abruptly Kharon pulled back.
He flexed his fingers, then fisted them as he cleared his throat. “That’s what I’d do—if this was just physical. But that’s … not what this is. This is me apologizing.”
He stepped to the side.
Augustus got to his feet and walked toward me with awe like I was his benediction. Crimson dripped from the side of his mouth, the cut on his tongue still bleeding.
He reached for my face, cupping my cheek.
“My carus.” He leaned forward until his warm lips hovered over mine.
The kiss was featherlight; I felt it in my soul.
He pulled away.
I touched my tingling lips.
A gagged bellow echoed, chains clanking. Patro’s emerald eyes were wide and pleading, his expression distraught as he struggled harder, desperate to free himself.
Achilles sat still and watched us.
“We are devoted to you,” Augustus said solemnly.
Kharon rested his hand on my shoulder, as if bestowing a blessing. “There is nothing in the world we wouldn’t do for you, Alexis.”
Their promises hung heavy in the air, depraved in their vehemence.
They meant exactly what they said.
That’s the problem.