Once most of the people in the room are dismissed, I turn to Sy and Arrow. “I have two questions. Now that you know everything that’s happened, how quickly can we get Bronx out of the Beyond? He’s not safe there. Also, what do we do about Milo?”“For Milo Stone, Delilah and I can create a potion to keep his head clear while the Goddess Psyche can figure out a more permanent solution for him.” Lady Camille nods her head slowly. “Delilah has told me there is a corner of the greenhouse dedicated to herbs and spices she needs, so it should be easy enough to create in two days’ time.” “Alright, Reggie, who has Codi since Milo has been in the hospital?” I open my binder and start taking notes, so I don’t forget any details of everything we’ve just discussed.“She is staying with Ashley and me.” Reggie puts his hands on his hips and smiles. “She’s been a good helper with Katie.”“Great. What have the doctors said? Can he go home yet?”“Should be this afternoon, yeah.” Ashley reads something
Bronx’s POVIt’s easy to lose track of time when you’re confined to infinite darkness. Of all the things that I never want to do again, is experience complete sensory deprivation like this. It’s easy to lose your mind. I try counting to one hundred over and over even though time doesn’t seem to exist. I don’t get tired or hungry in this place.I try repeating the names of everyone I know and people they know. Anything to keep my mind occupied and not letting it slide into the abyss. Keeping my eyes open does nothing, so I close them and imagine places I’ve been. I swear I can hear things moving in the darkness, but that’s impossible.One thing I’m sure of is that I asked for this. I didn’t have a choice. I hope Saint blocked me in time. If I killed the Doc, I don’t know what I’m going to do. If the Gods don’t kill me, I’ll probably ask to be put in prison. It would be what I deserve. I’ve caused too much death in my lifetime. The only thing I can do is wait and find out. The other th
“Bronx, all we’re saying is you need to be careful. Kas is going to be happy to see you, but this whole thing with Aphrodite could be dangerous.” Reggie tries to keep up while I take the stairs two at a time.“I’ll be careful. I just need to see her. Just once.” I get to the fifth floor and look down at my clothes. I’m wearing a blue and white striped polo shirt with green gym shorts and brown leather loafers.“Saint. What the fuck? You’ve watched me get dressed every day for over thirteen years.” I rub my hands over my face. “I look like an asshole. I can’t go see Kas like this.”“First of all, you are an asshole, so congratulations, you’re dressing the part.” He growls at me. “Second, I’m a colorblind wolf. Just be glad you’re wearing shoes and a shirt. Next, you’re going to be mad that I let you get your musk back.”“Musk?” I instinctively sniff the air, then grab the front of my shirt and smell. The stench instantly makes me gag and my eyes water. I hold my fist to my mouth to sto
“Kas, it’s going to be okay. I’m sure of it.” I let Saint sharpen my sight and look at her through the darkness. “You know, one thing Doctor Khe taught me about myself is that I’m a demigod. She helped me remember information about some of my previous lives.” “Sh-she told you?” Kas looks in my direction, confused. “Yeah. She told me about- wait. You already knew?” I watch her struggle to get her bearings in the dark, then I remember Lex isn’t with her to help enhance her senses. I reach over and turn on the lamp on the other nightstand to help ease her anxiety. “Yeah, but I never really found a good time to tell you.” Her voice still wavers, but sounds better than it did. “I wasn’t intentionally trying to keep it a secret. I swear.” “It’s okay, Kas.” I take her free hand in mine and kiss her fingers. I give it a moment to look around, but everything is still. “What I was going to say is I remember a few things from a life in the seventeen hundreds. Things were so different back th
“Hey Kas.” I knock on her suite door and open it. Diane is in the armchair feeding Dre. Maya is sleeping in the bouncer seat Mom insisted we needed. I notice Diane is using her foot to keep it moving. “She’s freshening up. She should be ready any minute.” Diane mindlinks so she won’t wake Maya up. I go over and sit on the loveseat and watch her. “How do you do it, Diane?” I lean forward and take Dre from her arms to give her a break. “You are here all day with our kids, then you go home to two of your own.” “I don’t know. It just… doesn’t bother me.” She smiles. “Honestly, I always assumed I would never have any of my own children, Alpha. I had dated men before I came to Blood River, but I had no serious relationships. I assumed I didn’t have a mate, and I wouldn’t have a baby. Then I met Carly, and I knew I would never have children unless we adopted. Then when we both felt sick, I thought we had food poisoning. Who would have ever known we were both pregnant at the same time?”
Kas’s POVWe pull up to the middle of a block where an old stone building is lined with quaint stores. I’m not familiar with this part of town, but it looks inviting with antique stores, coffee shops, and clothing boutiques. I wonder if Delilah and I should see about marketing the bakery in this part of town. Before I left, we had talked about opening a second location. Maybe when I’m healthy, it could still be an option.Bronx gets out and opens the door for me. I feel myself smile when I place my hand on his. There is no mate bond, but having him close makes me feel more secure.“I can’t wait for you to see this.” He rubs his thumb on the top of my hand as he leads me to a store. It’s rare Bronx gets so excited about surprising me. We approach a bookstore with a dusty, old window display. In gold paint, there is a picture of a pan flute and a goat. The images are peeling and sundried as if they’ve been there forever. Over the pictures are the words ‘The Barded Goat Used & Collectib
“I just scare the shit out of anyone who gets suspicious. Being able to produce panic is a Hell of an ability.” Pan winks at me. “Would you like to see your book now, your Majesty?” “Yes, but, um, please just call me Kas.” I give him a grateful smile. “Blech. What an unfitting sobriquet for such an accomplished Goddess.” He gives me a rude look. “If you insist, I won’t call you ‘your Majesty’, but I will continue to call you Iokaste. I refuse to lower myself to refer to you with an unfitting moniker.” “O-okay.” I furrow my brows at his complex way of speaking, as well as his refusal to call me Kas. Other than Lady Camille and Delilah, no one has ever refused to call me Kas. Not in this lifetime, anyway. If Lex was here, I’m sure she’d have a snappy comeback, but I’ll let this slide. I did him a favor, he did one for me. He gives his head a quick nod and clomps to one of the wooden panels. The engraving has a wolf’s head with five, ten pointed stars above it. I look more closely an
“Dear Iokaste, fear not. Bronx loves you. I feel it. Everyone can see it. The way he holds himself when he’s near you, the way he admires you when you’re not looking. He will accept his fate and find forgiveness because he will see there was no malice in your intentions. Love will conquer.” I nod my head, but I can’t answer him. If I try, all the emotions will fall out. I can feel it. He must understand because he lets silence fill the room. In the silence, my thoughts race. How could I do this to Bronx? Tie him to such an evil object. How can I fix this? What can I do? I silently swing between panic and formulating a nonexistent plan, all while staying as still as a statue, until I hear the door open again. I take my hands off of my eyes and look the ancient attempt at creating a binder.“Eros?” Pan stands from his chair. “Pan? I-I thought you were dead?” Arrow sounds shocked at the sight of the half goat God.“Alive and well, thanks to Iokaste.” I see him motion to me from the cor