Chapter 21
Chapter twenty-one
THANATOS
Thanatos rolled his eyes at the nickname. He’d been called Angel of Death, Reaper, Daemon of Mortality.
Somehow, Birdman felt like it might stick. To his surprise, he didn’t hate it.
He felt calm sitting by the fire with her in the makeshift shelter. The flames hissed and popped, but the only warmth that he noticed was her, tucked against him as if she belonged there.
Iliana stared into the fire, the flames bathing her in radiant light. She wasn’t filling the quiet with nervous chatter. She just existed, completely at ease.
How many moments like this did she have left?
He shut the thought down hard.
Most humans he’d encountered either feared him or tried too hard to please him. Even his past lovers, goddesses, had either been uncomfortable or flinched when they remembered what he was.
Iliana had done neither.
At first, he’d suspected she might be trying to use him to speak with her parents. She’d taken their refusal with quiet grief, accepting what they couldn’t change. She hadn’t pulled away from him. From them. Even Hypnos, who had been the cruelest to her, had earned small, hesitant smiles.
Anubis—that was a different story.
She liked him. Thanatos had seen how she looked at Anubis during dinner. How they’d worked together cleaning up afterward, standing close, touching hands. His teeth ground together. He needed to talk to his friend about her to gauge Anubis’ intentions.
Iliana sensed his gaze on her, and she turned to look at him, lifting an eyebrow. “What?”
Thanatos didn’t stop himself. He didn’t even bother trying. He lifted his hand, his fingers gentle against her jaw as he angled her face up.
Her eyes widened slightly, her lips parting on an exhale.
He bent down slowly and brushed his lips tenderly against hers. They were soft, warm despite the cold, and tasted like spice and sweetness. He kept the kiss light. A question more than a demand.
Iliana didn’t retreat. Her soft lips parted, her tongue seeking out his own. Tasting him.
He groaned, wanting more. He wanted to run his hands through her hair. Kiss her harder until there was no distance between them, but he held back. This was her choice—her pace.
She started carefully. Then, after only a few moments, her kiss grew confident.
When she pulled away, her breath was uneven, her cheeks flushed, and her lips slightly swollen. His own breathing was heavier than he liked, but he forced himself to calm down. To ease back.
He pulled her against his chest once again, content to hold her. To let her process whatever this was, and she sighed softly, nestling into his heat. Maybe while they searched for a way to break her curse, they could explore this thing between them. That idea both delighted and alarmed him.
A familiar mental nudge pulled him away from his thoughts. Thanatos lowered his walls, allowing Anubis’ voice into his mind. “Is she all right?”
He rolled his eyes. “Of course. We went on a flight.”
“In this weather? She was not dressed for the cold.”
“She’s fine. We are sitting in front of a fire as we speak.” He looked down again to see she’d gone back to staring into the fire. “What’s wrong?”
“Hypnos returned a little while ago. Hermes is still here, and he refuses to share the message until we are all present. He is getting impatient.”
Thanatos frowned. “We will be back soon,” he assured him. “Could we talk later, after Hermes leaves?”
“Of course,” Anubis said hesitantly.
He waited for his friend to say something else, but Anubis broke the connection.
Thanatos pressed a kiss to the top of Iliana’s head. “We need to head back. Hermes has a message for us.”
Iliana stiffened. “Do we have to?”
He chuckled before releasing her. “Unfortunately, yes.” He stood and held out a hand. “Come.”
She placed her hand in his without hesitation.
“We will not be flying this time.” He smirked when she pouted. “I promise I’ll take you flying again. As often as you would like.”
Her expression softened, and she nodded. “Okay.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a tentative hug.
He wanted nothing more than to stay out there longer, but they couldn’t. With a thought, he extinguished the fire and wiped away any trace of them, plunging them into darkness. Before she could shiver, he transported them back.
Three sets of eyes focused on them, and a sense of inevitability filled him, similar to when Athena had called him to Olympus. Whatever Hermes was going to tell them could change everything. His mission. His plans. Her safety.
Anubis stood behind the couch, with his arms crossed.
Hermes lounged on the armrest, wearing an expression of exaggerated boredom, but the creased brow gave him away.
Hypnos pretended to sleep in the chair, as if being out of his cave didn’t bother him.
Their moods only worsened his own trepidation.
“Sweet girl,” Hermes drawled, standing. “What happened to you? You look a mess.”
Iliana tensed, touching her tangled hair. “Wow. Thanks for the compliment,” she said dryly.
Thanatos’ lips curled in amusement at her sarcasm, despite his unease.
Before Iliana could step away from him, Hermes closed in. Thanatos stiffened. Anubis growled, prepared to intervene. But she held her ground, squaring her shoulders as the mischievous god approached.
A wicked gleam lit Hermes’ eyes, clearly enjoying riling them up, though something softer twinkled beneath it as he placed a hand on top of her head.
He smoothed the knots with a touch of power.
His hand trailed down the strands, leaving her hair soft and shining—lingering at the ends as if he didn’t want to let go.
“Thank you,” she said. As soon as the god released her, she moved away from Thanatos’ side, skirting past Hermes.
“You are most welcome,” he said, his eyes following her as she walked away, joining Anubis, who’d taken up the center of the couch once more.
Thanatos pinched the bridge of his nose. “Hermes, the message.”
“Oh yes, that.” Hermes sat on the coffee table and leaned toward Iliana, his face growing serious. “The Fates request your presence.”
Iliana stared at him. “The Fates want to see me?”