Chapter 9 Thayla #2
That makes it ten times worse, and I pull my arm out of his grasp. He tries to grab me once again, although my feet keep pace with his.
“Don’t. I’m not saying that to give you attitude, but I’m about to lose control. You’re just going to have to hold on to my soul. I don’t want whatever’s about to come out to distract you.”
Or Valories forbid hurt him. I could turn some shit to ash right now.
“You’ve got to hold it in until we find him.”
“I know that, asshole. I’m trying to focus.”
His nosy little soul goes to work feeling mine up, and I know by the grunt that comes out of him, he’s realizing how truly close to the edge I am.
It’s no longer just my Seduction vying for my attention.
It’s my Chaos and at least two other powers as well, fighting to seep from my skin. I was trying as hard as I could to blame the tingling and vibration on my anger, but I can’t be ignorant or na?ve right now.
Especially as we turn another corner, and instead of a door or even a staircase looming in front of us, it’s a silk black curtain.
My fingers tighten on the handle of my sword as the sultry music and array of noises drifting from behind that thin sheet tease my power.
Fuck.
The curtains flow gently, and beneath them, the lights strobe in multiple colors and unpredictable patterns. My breath falls fast, uneven, as I watch that wall of black make waves.
I can’t tear my eyes away from it.
“Thayla.”
“What?” I jerk my head toward Creed’s bark.
“Stay behind me. We’re going to stay in the shadows until one of us spots him. Hold back until we figure out how to get to him.”
I nod.
Bile races up my throat as we slip through the curtain and he pulls me to the side to give Yemi and Sevryn room.
A slip of noise comes out of her, and Sevryn curses beneath his breath. I can’t spin to check on her, though.
My eyes can’t tear away from the sights I’m witnessing.
I don’t know where or what to focus on.
There isn’t a shred of clothing to be found in this room. Even the people walking around serving drinks and whatever else are naked from head to toe.
There are both women and men spread out in positions I’ve never even thought of being put in before.
I…I don’t know who’s really enjoying what’s happening to them and who isn’t.
Sighs, soft chuckles, and low—well, also loud—hums of pleasure are the only kinds of conversations being held.
Some bodies move with such urgency, it feels like someone is punching me in the chest each time their flesh slams together. They’re frantic as they pounce from one being to the next like they won’t stop until they’re satisfied.
Others move with an intentional slowness. Their touches linger, and their mouths brush skin like it’s a delicacy.
Yet, beneath the heat of it, something cold creeps across my senses.
Some of the tension brings with it a quiet wrongness. There’s silence behind a few pairs of eyes that lock onto mine.
I can’t tell if it’s lust drunk, normal drunk, or something darker.
The tears sliding down cheeks could be from extreme pleasure or not.
Desire is everywhere, thick as honey. It makes me question what I’m seeing, but the firm voice in the back of my mind refuses to let me fully believe every individual here wants to experience this sensation.
“Creed…what the fu—”
The blood in my veins turns to ice as a noise I know—my soul knows—rings across the entire room.
My mind moves in slow motion as if it’s trying to prepare and protect me against what I might find.
It was. It definitely was.
Everything within me rebels with the force of the stars as my gaze roams all over Riven.
His head is thrown back as his laugh fades from his lips. His neck snaps forward far too fast for my liking, and a gasp rips from my throat.
I can’t see his eyes because of the hunched bow position he’s in, but they trace down his glistening chest. He’s drenched in sweat, and the fucking shiny silver chains are holding his arms out so he can’t even wipe his gods damn face.
That bitch has him on his knees, showing him off like he’s her sacrifice.
I’ll fucking kill her.
My power swells within me, and there’s no stopping it.
I wouldn’t if I could.
In a single blink, my starshoot leaves me kneeling before him.
My hands cradle his cheeks, but he thrashes wildly from my touch.
“Riven, open your eyes. It’s me.”
“Rule breaker! Rule breaker!” he bellows, and I startle back for a second before I grip his face once again.
“It’s—”
“No one touches the Empowerer. That’s against the rules. Only one can touch me. She’s going to kill you.”
His manic cackle stabs me in my heart, and my grip tightens.
“She won’t kill me or touch you. She’ll never do whatever the fuck she’s done again. The Goddess of Seduction will be lucky to live once I’m done with her.”
He tosses his head back, ripping out of my fingers.
My breath catches in my throat when swirling blue peers back at me. There’s only a faint hint of burgundy mixed in.
This isn’t his Chaos…what is going on?
“Not ol’ mother dearest.” he chuckles with a deranged smirk on his face. “My angel is going to fly in and kill them all. She’s coming for me. She will come. She will come. She will come.”
The laugh that belts out of him is tortured, and air rushes out of me as he sings at the top of his lungs. The tremors in my fingers are uncontrollable as I hold them away from him. All I can do is stare as something inside of him breaks right before me.
No.
I won’t lose him.
Even to himself.
“Your angel is here, my little psycho.”
“No.”
His head jerks chaotically as though he’s fighting to hear my voice but won’t allow himself to believe it’s me.
“I’m right here—”
Creed’s sword falls from my grip as my body becomes wrapped up in pure, hungry power. A moan slips from my lips as my gaze follows the rope of a stunning, glowing green back to its owner.
“What a glorious surprise.”
Sabelline strolls closer to me with a sultry smile on her face, and sourness spills through my belly. My power tries with all its might to fight her off, but there’s no pushing this level of Seduction away.
If she keeps squeezing me this tight, she’s going to break whatever the hell may be in Riven’s backpack or waist bags, and we’re all going to go boom.
I’m going to go boom in a different, very vile, embarrassing way.
“Thayla, I am so pleased—”
Her rope of power snaps from around me as Creed slices his sword through it as though it’s nothing more than softened butter. The vicious sound that belts out of him makes my soul shiver.
My knees hit the ground, and I fall to all fours as I attempt to shake her power from my mind and body.
“Stay the fuck away from her, Sabelline.”
She chuckles as she glares at his weapon pointed at her, then she meets his cold stare with one of her own.
“Creed, now you know better than to play where you aren’t permitted. Seductions is off-limits to your power.”
“Like I need your fucking permission anymore.”
He raises his sword and charges ahead.
Every drop of Seduction floating in the room gets sucked out of the air.
“No!”
My scream ricochets around us as her power sends him flying off the raised platform. His body hits the floor and slides feet back.
All the surrounding Dark Gods shake their heads as if they’re trying to come back to reality.
“Seize the God of Death and bring him to me!”
My wide eyes meet Sabelline’s for a split second before I dive for my discarded sword.
My fingers only graze the handle.
Fuck.
“V, we’ve found him. Tell the others we need them in the Chamber now!”
My internal bellow vibrates my brain, and the responding hoot mingles in with the haunting melody.
My attention bounces from side to side as her power lifts me from the ground. I don’t know whether to focus on Riven’s loud singing or the mob forming around Sevryn and Creed.
Where the fuck is Yemi?
“As I was saying. Thayla, I’m so pleased you came. I had grand plans for you and was a touch disappointed it wasn’t you who tampered with my Binding. My lover seemed incredibly confident you would, but alas, I got Riven home in the exchange.”
My nostrils curl at her as she takes a step toward me. I attempt to burst free from her restraints, but they’re hanging on to me for dear life. Pressure grows in my throat as I swallow the moan trying to burst free.
My neck snaps toward Riven as his singing thunders around us. He bobs his head in circles to the beat of his song with his eyes closed.
Come on, Riven. Come back to me.
“The Empowerer’s in Seductions,
The Empowerer’s in Seductions.
Hey-he, Harmony,
The Empowerer’s in Seductions.
He calls to his angel,
He calls to his angel,
Hey-he, Harmony,
He calls to his angel.
His angel—”
The commotion bursting through the other side of the room has my attention jerking in that direction. A premature breath of relief escapes me as my gaze falls on Kyzen and Amick. Gladian and the others are a step behind them.
A sigh of annoyance falls from Sabelline’s lips, and her eyes glow as she waves her hand through the air.
Bloodied, beaten, and honestly, looking a little worse for wear, Dark Gods fall out of starshoots with swords and sneers at the ready.
Her brows crease momentarily before her features smooth back out.
“Bring me all the sons of Obliteration,” she commands, and a sickly sweet smile crosses her face. “Well, well, well. And the son of Pain.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I never should’ve starshot away from the others.
“What a treat this is going to be for my lover. Granted, he’s going to work off his lies before I’ll give him his sons.”
I’m sure his lies are a mile long.
The desperation to check on the guys is overwhelming, given the ever-growing, painful noises echoing through this room. I refuse to let Sabelline out of my sight, though.
She looks so out of place, yet exactly where she should be.
She oozes sex appeal.