Chapter 17 #2
“I am sorry!” he blurted to fill the silence.
“I know you did not ask for an eternity, least of all with me. But I had to do it, I had to! Only the blood of Zeus and his brothers can grant it, and you were meant to die, and I saw my only chance to beg Hades—I begged him for you! It was selfish, I know…”
He was so clearly upset, and I wanted to comfort him, but my mind and emotions were so scrambled that I had no idea how to even begin.
So I climbed into his lap and laid my head on his shoulder.
I felt his arms around me then, holding me so tightly it almost hurt.
I clutched to him too for stability, focusing on the constancy of his familiar warmth.
“I…you…I…” I tried again. “I don’t understand. Why the fuck would you be sorry for making me immortal?”
“Oh, thank gods.” He rocked me back and forth, still clutching me against his chest with raw desperation. “I thought you might hate me…”
“What? I—Thanatos, you’re squishing me.”
“Right, sorry.” He relaxed just a little.
I leaned back to look into his eyes, still brimming with nervous uncertainty. “Why would you think that?” I accused. “I told you I’d spend as long as I could with you. I mean, I wasn’t really expecting this to happen…but I did mean it.”
“Well…that timeline has been extended,” he said tentatively, “to…forever. I want so badly for you to be mine, but I will also understand if what I have done is too much. I am sorry that I could not give you a choice in your fate.”
Tears swam in my eyes. Oh, Thanatos. He was so excessively moral, and always so shy when it came to my love. I sniffled. “You want me forever?”
“Of course I do,” he whispered, his voice like a plea.
The pooling tears spilled down my cheeks. “Well, are you going to spoil me forever?” I teased.
“I—yes!”
His response was so instant that I couldn’t suppress a teary chuckle.
I cupped his face in my hands and pressed a kiss to his lips.
My thoughts were still a jumbled mess, heavy with the implications of my death and rebirth.
His sacrifice. My immortality. But of one thing, at least, I was absolutely certain. I wanted him forever, too.
“I’m yours, Thanatos. I always will be.”
“Hades fair,” he groaned, in what I assumed was relief.
He kissed me aggressively, tightening his embrace again, and I accepted that he couldn’t help his smothering.
His grip on me only intensified when he broke our kiss.
“Fuck, Cyrie. You terrified me! Please, do not ever do that to me again! I think I would have actually shattered reality’s balance if I lost you.
I could not find you when the fighting began, and then it was too late! ”
I pecked his lips sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen! But I got separated from everyone, so I took a chance to help Leon.”
“I know,” he confessed. “I saw your memories when I held your soul.”
Now that was something I hadn’t considered.
“Oh, right,” I realized aloud. I found myself blushing with embarrassment—this was an entirely new level of intimacy, even for us.
How many awkward moments had I unwittingly shared with him?
Could he remember ones that I couldn’t? Oh, I didn’t want to know.
Thanatos noticed my hesitation. “Do not worry, my love. You have a beautiful soul.”
“I’m glad you think so,” I said weakly, “but I still wish I could have dusted off my life before you watched all my stupidity.”
He brushed his thumb across my cheek, catching a stray tear. “Everyone has scars. It was an honor to carry yours, if only for a moment. I carried also your poise and your tenacity. Your curiosity and honor. Your love for your family…and your love for me. It is a love I do not deserve.”
I twined my fingers in his hair. “Yes, you do,” I breathed. “But you don’t have to believe me yet. It looks like I have an eternity to convince you.”
Thanatos smiled, warm and bittersweet. Silent tears spilled over with a flutter of his blond lashes. “You could start now.”
I kissed him in answer, gently stroking the nape of his neck, and he responded with such ardor that I couldn’t help but sigh.
My lovely, precious Thanatos. He felt so, so wonderful, even more so now that I’d languished in semi–death thinking I’d never get to kiss him again.
I craved more of him with every touch, but he held back nervously when he gathered my intent. How very unlike him.
I raised an eyebrow. “You’ve stolen me. Your forbidden priestess is yours forever. Are you telling me you don’t want celebration sex?”
“I—you need to rest!” he stammered. “Your soul has been through a lot today!”
“What, and you think your dick is going to magic it out of me again?”
Thanatos laughed at that, blushing softly. “No! Stubborn…immortal. I—fuck. You will be properly cared for before I have my way with you.”
He had a point, of course. I definitely needed a bath, but this observation was overshadowed by the lump that had formed in my throat. It was that ridiculous word. Immortal. I blinked a few times to shoo away my incredulity. “You will get used to it,” he added quietly, sensing my discomfort.
Oh, there was a lot I’d have to get used to—a whole new existence, even.
But the more I considered it, the more relieved I felt.
Somehow we were together, with an eternity of possibilities stretching out before us.
To live freely, endlessly, with Thanatos by my side? It was all I could ever dream of.
So, where did our forever begin? I looked around at the unfamiliar room.
“This is my place,” he said, guessing the question on the tip of my tongue.
“Then we’re…” Oh, man.
“Right, I forgot.” He offered me a timid smile. “Welcome to the Underworld.”