Chapter 25
The sound of Aster's hooves striking the packed earth made me bob my head to the beat, but as his eyes locked on me, their intensity made me stop.
His face was tense with panic, his jaw clenched so hard I could see the strain in the muscle.
He looked as though he had woken from sleep and gone straight into war.
The moment he saw me safe, his expression changed, and his shoulders sagged ever so slightly.
The tension in his body gave way to relief.
In a blink, he shrank, bones and muscles reshaping, skin smoothing, until his Minotaur form gave way to human Aster.
His hair was tousled, and his chest bare.
Wow, he was hot too. Jesus, there was no way I was making it through this night without self-combusting.
Of course. This fear of self-combusting significantly increased as I looked down to realize that Aster was now completely naked!
And of course, my eyes were glued to the sight as it swung freely, making my eyes widen in what was no doubt a comical way.
I wondered if I looked like a cartoon, and my eyes actually stretched out toward the appendage, making me question if it was an extra limb.
“Holy shit balls… is that a weapon! What are you planning on doing with that thing? Bludgeoning someone to death?!” I stammered in shock horror, and I must admit, a great ton of curiosity.
I even found myself turning my head before looking down at my forearm, lifting it slightly as if that would help with the comparison.
As for Aster, I had never seen anyone turn so red.
Before he uttered a single word, he turned back and disappeared inside his tent.
I then looked up at Theron, got close to his ear and whispered, “I just saw his cock. Did you see it?”
I watched as his lips rolled inward as if he was trying not to laugh before agreeing, “I did.”
“It was impressive,” I added, and the sound he made was definitely of the non-committal kind. Which was precious when that curiosity monster sprang up again and had me whispering my next question.
“Is your cock that impressive?” I pulled back to see him smirking at me, and his only answer was the bad boy wink I got which nearly made my panties weep and beg for mercy.
Seconds later, Aster reemerged, his weapon now safely concealed, making me ask, “Do you have a permit for it?”
He ignored me and, well, I couldn’t really blame him, seeing as he had other things on his mind.
“Alex,” he growled, voice rough with fury and fear that he wasn’t even trying to hide.
“What happened to you? Where were you?!”
I blinked at him, then grinned.
“Aster, my good man, how the devil are you?” I chirped brightly, ignoring the whole ‘massive cock’ thing. I was also unsure where the posh English accent came from, and from the looks of things, he had no clue either.
His eyes widened just slightly, confusion slicing through panic.
“Why are you smiling?”
I held up a finger as if delivering a very important announcement.
“Because,” I said, drawing the word out, “there is another handsome man.”
Aster froze.
Theron’s shoulders shook once, the hint of amusement he was trying very hard to smother. Aster’s gaze flicked to him, then back to me, then to Theron again as if his brain couldn’t decide which part of this situation was the most wrong.
He got a bit closer, and I told him, “And it’s you, Boop.” I booped my finger to his nose.
He jerked back like he had been stung and asked, “Is she drunk?”
I waved my hand. “Noooo, I am not drunk. Sheesh, get a load of this guy,” I said, jerking my thumb, but doing it the wrong way, indicating to Theron, not Aster, which I then tried to rectify by twisting in his hold.
Theron didn’t express that this wasn’t helpful, he just adjusted his hold and secured me to him tighter so I wouldn’t fall.
“What… is wrong with her?” Aster asked, as if he were trying to comprehend what he was seeing.
“Nothing,” I replied cheerfully, then leaned forward and reached for Aster’s face, patting his cheek with the kind of affection reserved for toddlers and beloved pets. His head jerked back instinctively, and I gasped as if he had offended me.
“Don’t be rude,” I scolded. “I’m complimenting you.”
“A compliment,” Aster repeated, voice strangled.
I nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes. You’re very handsome. And Tiffany is one lucky lady, and you love her,” I said, winking… but then again, I could have just been blinking both eyes in rapid movement.
Aster made a sound like he had been stabbed.
Theron, to his credit, did not laugh out loud, but I felt the tremor of it in his chest. Felt the way his breath hitched, like he was holding back something that wanted to break free.
“I don’t… I mean, she doesn’t…” Aster began, teeth grinding, “I do not love her,” he stated as if his teeth were about to shatter.
“Yes, you do,” I insisted warmly. “And she’s beautiful. And I think she loves you back.”
Aster’s ears went red.
“May I suggest we take this somewhere more private?” Theron finally spoke.
Aster’s eyes snapped to him.
“You will tell me what happened,” he demanded, making the King’s eyes glow, reminding him silently who was boss here.
“I will,” Theron replied, and there was something in his tone that made Aster pause, made him swallow whatever he was about to say next. “But not in front of an audience.”
I looked around, startled to find at least six soldiers pretending very hard not to listen while clearly listening with their whole souls.
“Oh,” I whispered. “They’re nosey.”
Theron adjusted his grip on me, then began walking again, forcing Aster to move with him or be left behind. Aster fell into step immediately, his broad shoulders tight with tension, his gaze darting over me like he was checking for wounds.
I watched him for a moment, then threw my head back with a dramatic sigh.
“Aster,” I said sadly.
“What?” he snapped, then softened instantly as if remembering that snapping at me was not going to help. “What is it?”
“You need a hug,” I informed him.
He blinked.
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do,” I insisted, then wiggled in Theron’s hold like I was going to launch myself at Aster right there. Theron tightened his arms, not roughly, but with enough firmness that I felt the boundary.
“No,” he said.
I pouted at him, then reached up and poked his cheek.
“You’re bossy.”
“I am king,” he replied as if that was enough and, well, yeah, I guess it was. I considered that answer a beat longer, then smiled like it was the best answer I’d ever heard.
Aster’s voice dropped, urgent now.
“Alex, you disappeared. I woke up, and you were gone.”
I frowned, suddenly guilty, the feeling blooming hot and heavy in my chest in a way that made my eyes sting.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Aster’s expression softened despite himself, fear flickering behind his anger.
“Why did you leave?”
“Not here,” Theron bit out again.
“Here, give her to me, and I will take her back to my tent.”
The king nearly blazed with fury as I could feel it practically vibrating off him. So, I started to stroke his face and coo at him, “Ssshh… it’s okay, you’re okay… we are all A-O-Kay.”
I hoped this would help because he was giving Aster a death stare.
Then he ignored him and continued walking to his own tent.
Which I was secretly happy about because I wondered how much bigger it was than mine.
It was like staying at a hotel and wondering what the penthouse suite looked like compared to the smallest crappy room you could afford.
Wow, bitter much, Alex. Oh, but wait, Atlas had put me up in one of his fancy penthouse suites, which had been nice.
I swallowed hard, the giddiness wobbling, slipping into something tender and sad.
“I thought Atlas was there,” I admitted to his earlier question, and my voice came out smaller than it had been. “I thought he needed me.”
Theron let out a sigh of frustration, muttering, “Well done, asshole, you made her sad.”
Aster’s face tightened again, fury returning, this time aimed outward.
“It wasn’t intentional,” he gritted out.
“Aww, don’t fight, you two, try to remember how much you like each other,” I suggested, making them both scoff at the same time. So much for that then… jeez.
We finally reached Theron’s tent, which was larger than the rest. The guards at its entrance moved instantly, pulling back the heavy flap, and Theron stepped inside without hesitation.
The space within was warmer, dimly lit by lanterns that cast golden light across the fabric.
There was a bed that looked far too expensive for a camp, the sort of bed that made you forget soldiers and weapons and the constant threat of death surrounded you.
Aster followed, ducking inside with barely restrained violence, his eyes moving rapidly between Theron and me as if he expected to find blood on the floor.
“What happened?” he demanded again, voice tight. “What did they do to her?”
“He was a meanie,” I said, making Aster frown.
“You mentioned Atlas. Did someone lure you away from camp?”
“Yes,” I said, nodding solemnly. “He lied. It was mean,” I said again, just in case he didn’t get the meanie memo.
Theron’s jaw clenched. “It was,” he agreed with me again quietly.
He set me down carefully on my feet, keeping one hand at my waist as I swayed, and the second his grip loosened, my body tried to tip forward like a drunk bird.
Theron turned slightly, and in the lantern light I could see the faint shimmer beneath his skin again, the residue of unleashed power still humming through him like aftershock.
“She was taken,” he said evenly. “By someone who has been watching you both from the beginning.”
Aster’s hands curled into fists.
“And you let her leave camp alone?”
Theron’s gaze slid to him, as sharp as glass.
“She left camp alone,” he corrected. “And I found her.”