Chapter 32 Electric Energy #2
Lights flashed in quick succession as the reporters backed away. “Are you aware that the video of you slicing off your ear and giving it to Hercules has gone viral with the humans?” one asked provocatively. “Are you concerned humans will view us as barbaric because of your … extreme action?”
Kharon clenched his jaw. “No. I don’t give a fuck what they think. I’ll do much worse for my wife … Nothing is off-limits.”
The reporters stepped back. Lights flashed.
“Do you want to make a statement?” the other asked.
“Yes,” Kharon said icily. “I’d cut off my fucking head and give it to Alexis if that’s what she needed. I’d also cut off yours if that’s what she wanted.” He chuckled darkly.
The reporters visibly paled, but they kept their cameras held high.
“Did you have something to do with Medusa’s escape? She’s your sister,” the female reporter taunted, refusing to be intimidated. “We heard a rumor that the Chthonics broke her out of the Underworld, and you all are harboring her—”
“That’s false.” Augustus rolled his shoulders back. “You should know how … dangerous rumors can be.”
Kharon cracked his knuckles.
“We got all we need,” the one reporter said with a glare. They turned their cameras to the Olympian table.
I sagged with relief, still kneeling beside my protector.
Sparta was exhausting. Everyone was so hostile.
Augustus offered me his hand.
I laid my fingers in his and our marriage bond sparked inside my sternum.
All three of us gasped.
Calluses scraped against my skin, and for a second, he did nothing but flex his much warmer hand around mine as he stared down at me.
Augustus yanked me up to my feet.
“Uh … wow,” I said eloquently.
Their expressions didn’t change.
If you ever need to make an awkward situation more uncomfortable, I’m your girl.
I leaned across Kharon to grab a glass from a tray—he rested his hand on my lower back, and my skin prickled with awareness—I threw the ambrosia back.
Once again, the liquid burned my throat deliciously and I let out a moan of enjoyment.
Augustus swore under his breath, and I peered over at him in confusion; his eyes smoldered, jaw tensed.
Why is he so worked up?
Kharon pressed against my back and led me to a booth—the three of us slid in—they scooted in on either side of me.
Under the table, both their hands settled on my upper thighs.
Shadows concealed us.
My breath quickened as Kharon’s fingers slowly pulled back the fabric of my toga, tracing a circle on the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. Augustus just palmed the top of my left thigh, his nails digging deep into my flesh.
They were so warm it was overwhelming; my thoughts turned hazy.
The ambrosia made it hard to think.
It was nice.
Augustus dragged his nails up my leg, until his fingers lingered dangerously close to the fabric at the juncture of my thighs. Both their hands touched as they stroked me like they were playing an instrument.
Augustus pressed a soft kiss to my temple, then pulled away with a groan like I’d scalded him.
Skeleton-tattooed fingers grabbed my chin harshly and pulled my face close. “You’re playing with fire, carissima,” Kharon whispered, his voice gritty.
The ambrosia settled into my stomach, bringing the heat to a fever pitch.
If I’m going to die in this tournament, I might as well live.
Music played.
The room buzzed with energy.
We were hidden in the shadows where no one could see us.
A horrible, brilliant, disastrous idea struck me.
“I want you both to fuck me,” I blurted out eloquently.
Kharon’s long lashes fluttered, cheekbones sharpening, as his fingers tightened around my chin.
“Excuse me?” Augustus straightened, his pupils expanding, as he searched my face for answers. “What did you … just say?”
“Fuck me,” I repeated, louder with the confidence only a drunkard could muster.
Kharon’s grip became painful. “Why?”
My peril is imminent and I’m horny.
Since saying the truth would most likely not go over well, I settled with a casual “We might as well.”
Kharon searched my face, disappointment flashing in his eyes.
“No.” He dropped my chin.
I almost fell over.
Augustus’s hands studied me.
Whoa. Everything was spinning.
“Why not?” I giggled into my palm as both men glared at me.
“You’re not ready for us,” Kharon said harshly, and it didn’t sound like he was just talking about sex.
Augustus’s stubble scraped against the side of my face as he leaned close. “You’ll also be sober when we make love to you.”
“Uh—I said fuck.” I winked.
Neither of them smiled at the joke.
Tough crowd.
Augustus’s hand lingered on my thigh, his fingers hovering closer to my core. He was sending mixed messages.
Kharon leaned in. “When you’re sober, we’re going to dominate you so thoroughly … that you won’t remember your own name.”
“So much talk.” I clicked my tongue. “No action.”
Kharon’s smile was all teeth. “Don’t worry, darling. I will punish you. For hours.”
I grabbed at the edge of the table as the room started to spin. “Blah, blah, blah. All Karen does is make promises he can’t keep.”
He muttered something about sadomasochism and bondage.
Boring.
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my calculator—I clicked the side.
“Dear Diary,” I whispered into it. “Karen is saying weird, perverted things, but he refuses to have sex with me. I think he’s a creep. Also, I need to find a Spartan man who is willing to—”
Kharon snatched it out of my hand. “Dear Diary, if Alexis touches another man, I will disembowel him in front of her and—”
I grabbed it back. “Dear Diary, fine then. I will find a Spartan woman to have sex with. Also, I think—”
“Dear Diary,” Kharon yelled into the speaker as he tried to wrestle it out of my hands. “If Alexis touches anyone who is not me or Augustus, I will kill—”
“Dear Diary, don’t listen to that rat bastard! This is not his diary—”
“Dear Diary, it is now. I’m commandeering it because Alexis is the most infuriating, stubborn woman I’ve ever—”
Augustus snatched the calculator away. “You’re both cut off.”
I opened my mouth to retort, but a male siren came by with a tray and placed glasses on the table with a clank.
“Thanks, baby girl,” I said to him, then I threw back another shot of ambrosia.
The siren hurried away looking disturbed.
“Be careful. You don’t want to drink too much,” Augustus warned.
I wiggled my fingers in the air. “They’re antennas.”
Augustus pressed the back of his hand to my forehead like he was checking to see if I had a fever.
“I’m an anglerfish.” I pushed his hand away. “I’ve lured you both in with my glow. My blood—it yearns to poison you and … I’m hideous.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Kharon snapped.
Augustus hit his arm but tilted his head as he stared at me. “Do you have some type of … aquatic obsession? Weren’t you going on about a … whale, or something equally ridiculous, during the crucible?”
I scoffed. “Next time I have a personal realization, you will not hear about it.”
“Thank Kronos,” Kharon muttered.
“Shut up, Karen,” I said.
“Alexis, if you call me Karen one more time …” He stared down at me with frightening intensity, his alabaster features sculpted from ice. “I will throw this table at you.”
There was a long pause.
“Sure you will … Karen.”
His eye twitched like he was having an aneurysm, and I waited for him to make good on his promise.
I smirked. “I knew you wouldn’t do it.”
He grabbed the edge of the table and lifted slowly.
Augustus reached across me and slapped him. “Get control of yourself. What the heck are you doing?”
Kharon tried to shove him away and the two of them grappled across me.
I smacked my hands at them (yay, we’re fighting).
“Theoretically,” I said in the chaos. “If I was selling my kidney, how much would you give me for it?”
They stopped fighting and turned to me.
I kept hitting them (very fun).
“For the last time, you’re not selling your organs for money!” Kharon banged his fist on the table and the empty shot glasses fell over. “Alexis, what is actually wrong with you?”
My jaw dropped at his audacity. “Wow—I’m just trying to have a little financial independence in the middle of an apocalypse.”
“You’re wearing a three-hundred-million-dollar necklace.” Kharon pointed at my neck. “You’re financially independent.”
“Fine,” I said calmly. “I’ll sell you the necklace and my toe. How much do you want? Onetime offer.”
Kharon’s face turned red as I arched my brow and waited.
“No deal,” he spat, then muttered under his breath, “Obviously.”
“And you run a business?” I said. “More like into the ground.”
Augustus laughed, then hid his expression behind his hand as Kharon shot him a death glare.
He refused to talk to either of us the rest of the night.
Nyx was right.
Men should be seen, not heard.
I enjoyed his silence.