Page 26 of Touch of Death
Then, strange sounds make their way to my ears. Soft moans fill the air and drift lazily to us. Again, my cheeks flush as their intensity grows.
Just ahead of us, Persephone seems to hesitate, her cheery bounce all but disappearing as she comes to a large set of double doors.
She pushes them open before I can question whether or not we should, and I hesitantly follow her and Death inside.
My steps falter as I take in the scene before us. As soon as I realize what we’ve walked in on, I quickly train my eyes on the floor once more. It’s still not enough of an escape as the sounds fill my ears to match the writhing of bodies at the edges of my vision.
My entire body burns with heat, and I wonder if it’s too late to turn and flee away from the room. And yet, I can’t help but peek at the scene unfolding around us as Death leads me further into the room.
There are strange and wonderful creatures everywhere I look. There are beings floating lazily in the air, others that slither or crawl about, and even some that look almost human.
Nearly all of them are fully engaged in intense lovemaking, some with more than one partner, while still others simply watch on from a distance as they work to satisfy themselves.
The way their bodies almost seem to move in rhythm with one another makes it look as if they’re participating in some erotic dance. It doesn’t seem to matter where I look; there’s no escaping what I see.
I chew my bottom lip as the flame within me only seems to burn hotter and hotter with each passing second. Death pulls me closer, shifting to stand before me as if to protect me from the sight, the chill of his shadows helping to calm the fire within me.
“Anteros,” Persephone calls out uncertainly, her voice barely rising above the noise of the room.
“Anteros?” comes a silken voice that’s quickly followed by a soft laugh unlike anything I’ve ever heard before.
This laugh, this voice is intoxicating and somehow manages to ignite a new hunger within me. I feel drawn to it, unable to stop myself from wanting more.
Without realizing it, I find myself stepping out from behind Death, suddenly needing nothing more than to hear the voice again.
Death must understand what’s happening before I do. He holds out a hand to stop me, his touch grounding me and allowing me to momentarily regain control of myself.
Still, I can’t help peeking out around him as I look for the source of the voice.
In the center of the room, I find a throne of golden feathers beneath a domed canopy through which soft light filters, and sitting upon it, is one of the most striking beings I have ever lain eyes on. And I find it almost impossiblenotto stare at him.
The man’s hair and skin are so white he almost seems to lack any color at all, and yet, his features are as intensely beautiful as almost anyone I’ve seen. Perhaps even more so, given the nearly palpable aura of his confidence.
If I wasn’t sure that I had already heard him speak, I might think he was a marble statue carved by the gods themselves.
His gaze travels slowly over the room, taking in the creatures as they seek their pleasure from one another. The light pouring in from above frames him in a golden glow as he lounges there, content simply to watch.
A grin tugs at the corner of his mouth as he revels in the intimate chaos that fills the room before his eyes finally settle on us.
Slowly, he sits up before leaning forward to brace his forearms on his knees, his head cocking slightly to one side. His brow arches as he takes in Persephone before his eyes shift to me.
I suddenly feel naked, a blush rising to my cheeks as he almost seems to see straight into the very depths of my being.
“There is no Anteros here,” he says, his voice melting over me. Again, despite my best efforts, I find myself leaning forward as I hang off of every word he says.
He grins rakishly, his eyes never leaving me. I wait with bated breath to hear what he’ll say next, despite the embarrassment that floods through me at this.
“It is only I,Eros, God of Lust and Desire.”
12
Death
Iglance down at Persephone, furious at her for this, only to realize from her own reaction that she did not mean for this encounter. She seems just as disturbed to find Eros here as I am.
“Eros, what are you doing here?” she asks. “Where is your brother?”
Eros grins, and I hate how even I am not completely immune to his charm.
