Page 49 of Becoming Monsterous

Looking at the young girl in front of her, she declared, "I hope you're made of stronger stuff than most."

In that moment, power flared to life within Aphrodite. It passed from the old woman to her, golden and bright. As it sunk beneath her skin, it made her the goddess of love. And she rejoiced in it.

A smile graced her lips.

Bending down, she kissed the body of the dead goddess at her feet.

Then she set out to make her little corner of the world a better place, by spreading the same selfless love that she'd felt for the horrid woman in the woods.

Blinking, I come out of the dream to find myself standing in front of Morpheus with tears running down my cheeks.

"Why are you crying?" He holds me gingerly. "Tell me, Ellie. I didn't see what you saw."

I shake my head, unable to form words. So he simply wipes my tears away and waits patiently.

I know he thinks I'm trying to figure out how I feel. But that isn't it.

I know why I'm crying. Young Aphrodite was a good person. Before the power corrupted her, she knew how to love freely and without expecting anything in return.

She even loved a terrible woman who threatened to hit her with a stick. It's hard to imagine how the bitter old creature I met, obsessed with being worshipped, was ever that bright young girl.

She loved so easily.

I don't know if I can love that way. But I know that I can try.

So I turn to Morpheus and place a hand on his chest.

"Show me a story this time, instead of telling me." I look up into his eyes, wearing all the vulnerability I can muster. "I want to know what it's like to feel my own life again."

Chapter33

Ellie

"Ithought you'd never ask."

Morpheus gently guides me to the floor, pulling the velvet curtain down to throw beneath me. His plush, clever lips find mine, and coax lightning from my skin.

The touch of him. The taste of him. It's everything I've ever imagined and more.

The King of Dreams is methodical. Slow. Careful.

And exhilarating.

"You are beautiful, my Ellie." He trails his fingers down the side of my neck, hunger in his monstrous eyes. "I can't wait to show you everything I have in store for you."

"Show me now." I dig my fingernails into his back and draw him down against me. "No more teasing."

He chuckles. "Tease? Me?"

"Yes. You." Groaning, I wrap my legs around him and arch beneath his body. "Always teasing, always promising..."

"Well. No more promises. This is a time for action."

Clever hands pull my clothes off, delicately peeling them from my body. I reach for his clothes as well and get batted away. Grabbing onto my hands, he carefully draws my arms above my head and pins them down.

Then he does everything in his power to drive me to the brink of madness.

He takes my nipples in his mouth and sucks on them until I gasp and arch at his touch. Mewling and begging, I twist out of his grip and manage to strip his shirt off this time. My fingers reach for his white tattoos and brush against them, loving the way they buck and swirl beneath my touch.

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