Page 75 of Scion of Chaos

Nemea

Aheavy arm is draped over me when I wake, the hand attached to it lightly cupping my breast. It takes only a moment for the events from earlier to filter back through my memory, and I smile, thinking of the last conversation I had with Vesh. He’s risking the wrath ofChaosto have me here.

But even more astounding is the fact that he stayed. Mr. I-Don’t-Sleepactually stayed andsleptwith me. He even spooned me, which I could definitely not have predicted. His dark and broody demeanor did not suggest he’d be inclined to such tenderness. But it feelsreallygood. I sigh and just enjoy it for a few more moments before taking stock.

I have no way to gauge time in this place, but I feel rested. It’s dark in the room, but faint light rises from an unknown source. A tickling awareness in the back of my mind suggests it isn’t just any light; Erebus has been here watching and senses I’m awake.

“Were you here the whole time we slept?”I ask, reaching out for the now familiar entity who’s turned darkness into a comfort, not just a cold and lonely place to wallow in while longing for a different life.

“Yes. I admit I was more concerned about my brother, though. He hasn’t slept in a few thousand years. This is highly irregular.”

Vesh’s breathing is still deep and even, his arm limp and heavy across my side. I carefully roll over to face him, pushing up onto one elbow. The once severe, intimidating face is smoothed and peaceful, not a line in sight besides a faint dimple in one cheek. The indentation makes it look like he’s smirking about something, and it gives him a playful demeanor he doesn’t have when awake.

“Can you read his thoughts? See his dreams?”

“No, but you could, if you bonded fully with him. You could have the same with Typhon too. And Asterius. All you need to do is drink that.”

I crane my neck to look as a silent swirl of darkness spirals around my head toward the night stand, clearing away to reveal the dark goblet resting there, filled to the brim with milky liquid.

“I’ve already swallowed your semen. Is that why I can speak with you like this so easily? I thought our first kiss did that.”

“It did. Then a deeper bond was formed when you tasted me for the first time. You’ve tasted Pan too, but he’s too chastened to try to reach out to you. We are yours now, Nemea, and you are ours. Fate brought us together for some reason we still can’t discern, but the bond will make us all stronger and will help you control and understand your powers. Drink.”

I wrinkle my nose. How long has that been there? But I’m curious, so I carefully roll over again and sit up, swinging my legs off the edge of the bed. I remember several hushed conversations with Rachel, Simon, and Audra, relaying rumors about how dragon jizz tastes like ambrosia. Audra mentioned that she’dheardursa semen tasted like honey butter, and in retrospect, I’m pretty sure she was speaking from experience. Does god spunk taste good too?

“I know you’re there,” I whisper. “Judging me for hesitating.”

Silent laughter filters through my mind.“Take your time. I can’t speak to the flavor myself, but the prison naturally preserves anything perishable. Not that it would go bad; blood and the fertile essences of gods and demigods keeps forever.”

I suppose that’s a relief. At least this stuff is shelf stable.

I reach for the goblet and lift it to my nose, taking a careful whiff. It smells faintly like licorice, but the aroma shifts to berries on the second sniff, then something else enticingly herbal. I dip a fingertip in and lick it. The flavor of strawberry ice cream floods my tongue, and my stomach rumbles at the sweetness.

I suddenly get the sense I’m being observed by more than just Erebus lingering in the darkness.

“Who is there?”I ask, reaching out with my mind to whomever is listening.

“I am here,”comes the voice of Typhon first. Then a lewd flash of the void glass dildo gives away Pan’s presence. A more cautious, respectful impression sinks into my mind and Asterius says,“I am here too.”

“And drinking this will strengthen the bond between us? Is this how you bonded with Vesh the first time?”

A mix of horror and laughter reverberates through my mind. Then Pan’s deep, melodic voice says,“Live inside a man long enough, and you will be bonded to him whether you like it or not. We will not be inside you in quite the same way, Nemea. This is a very different sort of bond—a mate bond.”

I take a deep breath, having sensed that’s what this means, but needing to hear it to know for sure.

A mate bond.

Simply being drawn together by Fate wasn’t enough on its own. But I can already sense my power reaching out to them all, even the ones I haven’t been intimate with yet. It reached for them before I even knew what it was—my sketchbook is testament to that.

Butninemates? Is that even humanly possible?

“You aren’t strictly human,”Asterius reminds me.“You never were.”

“I know. I’m Bloodline, but it’s never been completely clear what that means.”

“Drink, and then you can come down to the library for a history lesson,”Asterius says.

“Any chance that can include actually getting to know all of you with my clothes on?”

---