Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
“You gonna eat that?” He points at it with his drumstick.
To keep from screaming, I shove more in my mouth and look around at the rest of the gods laughing and eating as if this isn’t a completely horrific thing. It doesn’t matter if they don’t think that way because they’re spoiled gods, but I do. And yes, I know Enki slept with family members back in the day, and so did Kratos probably, Apep, and well the more I think about it, almost all of them inbred to create more gods.
And they’re doing it again with immortals.
“Oh, all but Cyrus,” Kratos adds.
I whip around so fast some grapes fall off my plate. “What do you mean all but Cyrus?”
I vaguely remember a conversation with him about this, about the reasons he doesn’t participate now, but I assumed back in his early days he did.
Kratos grins. “Why would he? The last thing he needs is to create an immortal, get attached, and not fulfill his duty before ascending to Olympus. He’s a virgin deity.”
My plate drops completely out of my hands. Judging by Kratos’s annoyed look, I’m wasting food. I truly thought he was kidding earlier, or just trying to make me talk, but the fact that it’s actually true that in his entire existence he has never slept with a human woman, while still touching me… I don’t even know how to process it.
He snaps his fingers and all my food is fine, back on my plate, ready for consuming. “How did you…”
“Each sacrifice before he ascends strengthens our magic. It was easy. Don’t get any ideas, though. Many have tried, all have failed, plus you’re the final one. Cyrus isn’t made that way. He doesn’t feel lust the way the other immortals do, or the way you are right now with all the stars covering your body.” He lowers his eyes. “Almost time to choose.”
I stuff my mouth with food and turn around right into Enki, who’s leering at me like he’s about to get chosen. “Hungry?”
I pull my plate away. “Starving.”
“Pity they wouldn’t let me bake some cookies for the table. They always say ‘no’.”
“I wonder why,” Kratos says in a dry tone, going for his, third—fourth?—turkey leg.
Inti walks up and holds his silver goblet to his lips peering at me over it then brings it back down. “You know, you could break protocol and just have all of us at once.”
I start choking again.
“What? Something I said?” He winks.
“Leave her alone, she’s nervous enough.” Dag comes to my rescue followed by Tyrell, who steals a piece of beef off my plate with his fingers.
I imagine any girl surrounded by real gods that are all this gorgeous would be clapping her hands and running circles around the trees, screaming at them to take her.
I don’t feel that way.
While my body is still dying to apparently be held and get laid, my soul feels heavy and sad.
When I glance up, Cyrus is leaning against one of the trees, arms crossed, staring at our interaction, jaw clenched, full lips pressed together in a frown.
His mask is beautiful, the sun of his mask would burn me. I would welcome it.
Apep takes my plate from my hands. “Why don’t I hold this for you?”
“Yeah.” I blink away visions of charging toward Cyrus and begging him to kiss me. “Sorry, I don’t know where I went.”
“A word of advice.” Apep’s white hair is down by his face; he looks like he belongs in Lord of the Rings. His smirk is so not welcome, even it’s a pretty one, for the first time since meeting him, he looks dangerous. “Don’t go for the bad guy. They always hurt you in the end, and Cyrus has one job, one job only, to get to Olympus.”
“Is there a way to break free from the trials?”
Apep is silent and then, “Would you want that for him? To lose his life’s purpose?”
“Pretty crappy life’s purpose,” I grumble.
He laughs. “Trust me, I wish I could grant all of us that, it’s not like he enjoys killing over and over again, the sun is meant to grow, to create…and he’s lived with nothing but death for hundreds of years since his trials started, how depressing.”
My stomach sinks. My sacrifice would give him peace.
He lifts the silver platter. “Eat, Cleo. You’ll need your strength.”
“It’s just sex,” I argue, grabbing another roll.
The immortals around me start laughing as if that’s funny.
Enki grabs a pitcher of wine and a goblet. “I think I’ll just bring this over to Cyrus, he looks pissed, and might I say a little bit jealous.”
“Impossible, he doesn’t get jealous.” Apep eyes Inti then holds the plate higher toward me. “Come on, pretty soon you’ll be on your back and starving for energy.”
My stomach flips when I glance over at Cyrus, but when I look at Tyrell?