Chapter 10
Maliki
Death’s Cabin
Sera snuggles into my chest as I shadow us back to the cabin, her eyes closed. “You look so well used,” I tell her. “So properly fucked.” I press my lips to her forehead. “But now I need to make sure you’re fed.”
She mumbles something incoherent in response. Probably another comment about how I’m always trying to make her eat.
However, in this case, she needs sustenance.
“I worked you hard, Sera.” I lay her on the bed. “And now it’s my job to take care of you.”
Forget that my own legs are still shaking from the intensity of our mating or that my cock is already at half-mast and ready to fuck again.
Sera is still mortal.
Her libido, though, is definitely inhuman.
She came over a dozen times for me, which is exceptionally fae-like. It gives me hope that her Mythos side will rise soon and convert her into the Goddess she’s meant to be.
Not Persephone.
But Goddess Sera.
My mate.
I kiss her temple, my lips twitching upward at the soft little mewl she releases in response. Then her body goes completely limp as sleep steals over her.
“That’s fine,” I decide aloud. “You rest. I’ll cook.”
Because I’m in the mood to make something from scratch. Not manifest it. Not magic it into existence. But put my hands to work and create something special for my sweet mystery.
Drawing my knuckles down her cheek, I step back and admire her bare skin. There are some bruises. My crescent marks. Streaks of arousal. Sweat. And a little bit of blood.
Definitely a mess, I muse. Just like she desired.
Normally, I would bathe her.
But that’s not what she requested.
So I’ll let her scent these sheets with our intense fucking while I work in the kitchen.
With one more lingering look, I turn and find Pip hovering in the doorway with an uncertain expression. “She’s fine,” I promise him. “More than fine, actually.”
He doesn’t look convinced.
“How about you help me make something for her to eat, yeah? Then you can see for yourself that she’s okay, just needs a little rest and an energy boost.”
His blue robes sway along the floor, his gaze suspicious.
“Hey, remember that I’m the one who tried to help you out with Fleur. We’re a team, right?” I press.
He considers me, then looks around me as Sera sighs on the bed, her body curling up in the silky sheets.
“See?” I murmur. “She’s taking a nap.”
I move around him and down the hall to where my sphinx is resting on the couch.
“Similar to Fleur,” I muse.
My cat peeks at me with one bright blue eye. Then goes right back to sleep.
“You must be on guard duty.” Not that there’s much to protect against right now.
Except Demeter…
With that thought in mind, I ensure I’m connected to Sera—something that’s as simple as breathing now that we’re fully mated—and monitor her mental state.
When I find her dreaming about me, I grin.
That grin only grows when Morpheus makes an appearance.
Sera spins toward him, her eyes widening. “Oh,” she breathes. “Hi.”
“Hi, little dreamer,” he murmurs, his voice oddly loud in my head. “I see Maliki did his job, hmm? Pleasured you so hard that you’ve fallen unconscious?”
My brow furrows, my eyes opening to find the God of Dreams leaning against the wall in the hallway that leads to the bedroom. His gaze is unfocused, confirming he’s lost to the dream world, yet physically present in the labyrinth.
I feel Sera blush, my connection to her so visceral that I’m nearly pulled back into her dream.
I’ve never been linked to anyone like this, the mental bond new and very welcome. However, it’s a bit strange when her arousal hums through my blood.
A quick glance into her mind tells me Morpheus is now kissing her. “When you wake up, I want to discuss consensual non-consent activities with you,” I hear him say.
“What?” she breathes, making my lips twitch.
“I want permission to knot you while you sleep,” he says bluntly. “But I can feel your exhaustion, sweetheart. So rest. We’ll talk when you rise again.”
Her mind goes quiet, her dream melting into blissful silence.
It’s strange but comforting. I can sense that she’s here and present, just sleeping. Very different from the times Demeter has taken her.
However, I don’t allow that to lull me into a false state of confidence. Instead, I remain firmly anchored in her mind while also paying attention to my surroundings.
Surroundings that are now shifting as Morpheus saunters toward me. Behind him, Pip wanders off back down the hallway, likely to check on Sera again. Or maybe he’s chosen to play guard while she sleeps.
It seems Hades’s pet—the sentry usually stationed near Sera in this place—has wandered off outside. Perhaps with Morpheus’s familiar, Athena.
“I assume you’re planning to feed our mate something other than cum now?” Morpheus asks, drawing my focus back to him.
I cant my head, considering my options. “Maybe” is all I say on the topic before turning toward the kitchen, the God of Dreams on my heels. “Did you and Hades have a nice meeting with Demeter?”
“No,” he answers. “It seems she’s no longer a resident of Pandora’s Box, or perhaps never was a resident to begin with.”
I freeze near the counter, then slowly face him again. “What?”
“Yes, that seems to be everyone’s reaction.” He opens the fridge and pulls out a bottle of what looks like sparkling water, which I assume he just manifested, and pops the top before taking a long drink.
“Elaborate, Morpheus.”
“Careful, Maliki,” he returns. “Our Omega might enjoy commands, but I do not.”
“You can’t mist in here and drop that sort of verbal bomb without further explanation,” I bite out. “Tell me what I need to know so I can properly protect my mate.”
His silver eyebrow lifts. “Your mate?” This time he cants his head. “I do believe you mean our mate.”
I fold my arms across my bare chest. I didn’t bother with putting on clothes, something that doesn’t seem to faze Morpheus at all.
Just like he doesn’t appear to be bothered by the scent of ecstasy permeating my skin.
Because he doesn’t mind sharing.
I know that.
It’s Hades who has always been possessive of his Omega, not Morpheus.
But that does lead me to wonder… “Where’s Hades?” I voice the query aloud, curious as to why Morpheus has returned without the other Alpha. “Is he hunting down Demeter?”
“No, he’s securing the wards to his labyrinth again, and also altering some of the parameters to allow Orcus’s mate-circle to enter.
” He stares me down. “But on that topic, you do understand the purpose of a mate-circle, yes? That we all have equal claim on our Omega, regardless of who may have secured a bond first?”
“I think it depends on whether everyone in the circle has the same intentions regarding the heart of the circle. That heart being Sera,” I return, my gaze narrowing. “Now cut the cryptic bullshit and talk to me about Demeter.”
He sets the glass bottle down. “I have. We don’t know anything else yet, aside from Orcus’s recounting of the day she was captured. Which, unfortunately, only confirms what we already knew—she’s adept at crafting mirages.”
Morpheus goes on to tell me about the scene Demeter created just today that depicted a bloodbath in the Human Realm—one that caused Orcus to momentarily panic until Alina intervened and shattered the image.
Only, it was apparently at the expense of their mental link, too.
Which sent him into another spiral of worry when he couldn’t feel his mates.
“Long story short, it was decided that we should all reside here, where Hades maintains control of the wards,” Morpheus concludes.
“Except Demeter has been able to reach Sera here a few times already,” I point out.
“Yes, and both times you were able to bring her back. That’s partly due to your bond, but aided by Hades’s wards,” Morpheus replies. “Or that’s my suspicion, anyway. Regardless, we all have the same goal in mind—to protect Serapina.”
I consider that as I begin manifesting ingredients for the pasta dish I’ve decided to make.
The items appear along the counter, all in the precise order of my thoughts. Fortunately, the onions and peppers remain whole, thus granting me the opportunity to chop them. Same with the garlic and basil.
Good.
I need something for my hands to do.
And I really like that it involves playing with a knife.
Going to the sink, I wash up, then begin my preparations while Morpheus sips his bubbling liquid.
I assume it’s not actually sparkling water but some sort of alcohol or Mythos Fae drink I’ve never seen before. Maybe it’s the mythical ambrosia.
I nearly snort at the thought.
“Can we address the my mate comment now?” Morpheus asks as he settles on a stool at the counter. “I’m all for sharing, Maliki. But I won’t take lightly to you staking a permanent solo claim on our Omega.”
Rather than reply, I focus on my blade.
Slicing and dicing.
Such a beautiful sound.
“Maliki.” Morpheus is standing beside me now, his Alpha energy wrapping around me in warning. “I sense your claim, which means you can also sense mine.”
“Do you know why she asked me to fuck her today?” I voice the question conversationally, my attention moving to the garlic as I begin to mince it with sharp motions. “She said it was because she wanted to defy Hades—to be the opposite of fed and clean, like he originally requested.”
Morpheus remains silent for a beat. “Irritating Hades is an enjoyable pastime, so I can see the allure.”
“As did I,” I agree. “But her request went much deeper than a need to rebel.” I push all the garlic to one side with my blade, then set the instrument down and face the God of Dreams. “She wanted an experience with me that she could remember, one that will keep her company when she ends up in that state of nonexistence again.”
I overheard that fact after she bit me, the memory of her thoughts drifting in and out of my mind as though those cravings belonged to me, too.