Page 28 of Right Hand Of The Reaper
“Dude, you can’t creep up on a person like that.”
Helios grinned at me. “Sorry.”
He didn’t look apologetic at all. His smile was wide and cheeky, a dimple making him look younger than he was. His hair was the colour of the sun, and his eyes were the same hue as a cloudless summer sky.
“Where is everyone?” I asked.
His smile faltered a little, but he recovered it quickly. “Big meeting up at Zeus’ place.”
“Oh. And you’re not invited because…?”
“Someone has to keep watch,” he replied quickly, a little too quickly if you asked me.
He leant his lean frame against the pearly white gates which, as a Reaper, I could do but it would feel very uncomfortable. We ferried the damned and we didn’t belong in a place of the pure, and Zeus had made it so we wouldn’t forget. No wonder Hades hated being here. Fuck, I wanted to claw my skin off.
“Why are you here, Roux?”
“Fate,” I replied simply.
“Ah, and how are the triplets? Still as morbid as ever?”
I chuckled. “Yep, but I’m trying to find Thane, so I had to see them.”
“Of course, he’s got himself into quite the pickle, hasn’t he?” Helios tilted his head to the side, his eyes a little wild as he watched me. I’d always thought he was a little mad, but he was the God of the sun and he saw all. I imagine that would drive you a little insane.
“What do you know about Thane’s disappearance?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. “Not going to offer me a favour in exchange?”
I sighed. Why did everything have a price? “What do you want?”
His eyes darkened and wait, was the sky darkening? This all suddenly felt ominous. “A kiss.”
“What?” I spluttered.
His face brightened, as did the sky — which was weird. It was strange seeing the world affected by the presence of just one man. I knew he was a God, but seeing it so viscerally was mind boggling.
“It’s just a kiss, Roux.”
“But why?” The guy was gorgeous! I couldn’t imagine him struggling to find a willing bed partner.
“Because I want to feel loved. I want you to kiss me as if you loved me.”
There was a sadness in his voice that had my heart aching for him a little. How could he have lived so long and never loved?
He must have sensed my question because he rubbed the back of his neck and bit the inside of his cheek.
“Do you know how impossible it is to fall in love when you know everything about someone’s past? Every mistake they’ve made? Every error of judgement? Every sin? Every lie they’ve told?”
“Well, when you put it like that…”
“So, for a moment, even if it’s a lie, I want to know what it feels like. I want you to kiss me as if you were kissing one of your Hounds.”
I swallowed. “Know about that then?”
He laughed softly. “Yes, I see everything Roux.”
I looked away, shame creeping up my throat and causing my skin to flush.
