Page 8 of Chaos Demons

Melinoe kept that savage grin and shrugged. She knew she’d won.

I went to Ana, finding her in the kitchen, glaring at the kettle, waiting for it to boil.

“Get her out of my house,” Ana hissed at me before I could say anything.

“You don’t know how much I’d like to do that,” I replied.

She turned her glare at me, probably sensing my hesitation. “But…?”

“But as much as I hate to admit it, Melinoe is right. I’m weaker now. Being close to you is wonderful, I don’t feel my void at all, I can finally be happy,” I said, hoping she’d understand just how significant that was. “But without my void, I’m vulnerable. I believe I can learn to control my void with Melinoe’s help.Ifshe stays. But you have the final word on that.”

“Good.”

“If she stays,” I continued, “she’s agreed to keep to herself and help me develop my power. She’s also agreed to be… reasonable and genial with you.”

Ana raised an eyebrow at me.

Yeah, I wasn’t sure I believed that either, but I had to hope because I didn’t want to have a fight with Melinoe right now. “If she isn’t, then you can tell her to leave.”

Ana gave a grim smile at that. “Fine. As long as she remains civil and helps you, she can stay. But anything beyond that and she’s out. She can have the back room on the top floor and she’s to remain in her room unless it’s time for a meal. At meals, she’s not to speak at all. You can do whatever work you need with her up in her room. Those are my rules.”

I nodded. Seemed fair.

I went back to Melinoe and explained the terms.

She shrugged. “Agreed.” Then she seemed to soften a little. “Iamworried about you, brother, truly.”

I didn’t doubt that. Melinoe had always been just a bittoofriendly with me and overly concerned for my well-being. It wasn’t uncommon for Greek daemons to mate with their siblings. Horny uncle Zeus had tried to fuck pretty much everyone… and everything. But that wasnevergoing to happen between me and Melinoe. Still… the way she laid a hand on my chest and looked up at me, all demure and yielding, made me think she was still trying.

She could try all she wanted. It wouldn’t change how I felt.

I sighed.

Things were about to get a lot more complicated around here.

My fears were confirmed that night. Melinoe’s aspects were madness and nightmares, and despite that she was on the top floor and I was in the basement, she still somehow got into my dreams. I dreamt of Ana yelling at me, furious. She said she hated me, that I was nothing to her, beneath her, worthless and that she had tired of me. Every word was like an arrow to my heart. She told me to leave and never return, that she couldn’t stand the sight of me. She slapped me and pushed me out the door and I crumpled into a heap as my void writhed to life within me.

I woke in a cold sweat.

I needed to get my void under control and get Melinoe out of here… now!

Rising, I made my way up the many flights of stairs. There was no time like the present to begin. I suspected I wouldn’t be getting a lot of sleep in the days to come, and if I wasn’t, then neither was my sister.

FEN

“Gods,it’ssogood to be out of that house!” Ana breathed as we walked through Central Park.

The air had just a hint of bite to it, but the sun was still warm on my skin, and with the leaves in their autumn glory, it was a perfect October day.

I couldn’t have gotten luckier with the weather when I’d suggested I meet her at her house and we walk across town to my restaurant for lunch, which was good because she desperately needed the time away.

“Between Eva and Melinoe, that house is a warzone. Everyone’s walking on eggshells, but even the sound of cracking shells seems to set people off.” She sighed. “But… I’m going to forget about all of that and focus on you.” She looped her arm around mine, leaning into me in a wonderful way that made my cock sit up and take notice and my heart thunder. “Now… tell me something, anything to get my mind off of all that.”

Where to begin.

“You’re stunningly beautiful today,” I whispered.

She wore a long-sleeved, body-hugging black turtleneck above a flirty, flared, bright red mini-skirt, and black, soft-suede, knee-length boots. It was a casual but sexy outfit, exemplifying everything that was Ana.

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