Bonds of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #2)(47)

ALEXIS

“Maybe,” I said, “you two don’t know me at all—and you never will.”

Kharon’s eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. “Is that a threat?” A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Princess.”

“I don’t know.” I glared up at him. “Is it? You tell me.”

The moment stretched.

“I’m too tired for this,” Augustus said, raking his hand through his long hair. “It’s been long enough since I last leapt—I’m going to deliver the Titans.” He turned and wrenched open a narrow door. “Try not to kill each other before I return.”

He stomped down the stairs.

Chains rattled and there was a muffled screech.

A crack echoed as he leapt away.

Shivering, I climbed out of the bed. My back throbbed with pain as I quickly pulled on a sweat suit that Augustus had laid out on the bedside table.

Nyx hissed as she slithered around my ankles, climbing up my body, and wrapping herself around my stomach.

I pulled the sweatshirt down on top of her.

Crack.

Augustus reappeared in a cloud of smoke. “Are you strong enough to leap the three of us back to the villa?” he asked as he stared at Kharon’s missing ear.

Kharon scoffed. “Clearly.”

I could leap us back.

No one bothered to ask me.

Kharon held out his skeleton-tattooed hand, waiting for both of us to take his arm.

Augustus and I obeyed as the hellhounds stood, their bones clattering as they sat at Kharon’s feet. Fluffy Jr. pushed his muzzle into Kharon’s stomach and looked up at him with wide trusting eyes. Poco climbed up onto Fluffy Jr.’s back for purchase and he laid his little black hand on top of Kharon’s finger.

Crack.

The safe house disappeared.

Smoke filled the villa’s atrium, the muted morning light dancing off gilded walls and decorative olive trees.

I pulled my hand away like his touch was toxic (it was).

The sacrifice Kharon made for me was heinous—it was the most generous, worst thing anyone had ever done for me.

“My carus,” Augustus whispered.

Both of them stepped toward me.

I was drowning in them. Again.

“I’d do it a million times over.” Kharon gestured at the side of my face. “Stop overthinking.”

We weren’t good without words, and we weren’t good with them, or maybe I just wasn’t right for them.

They called me princess. They wanted a good Chthonic girl to coddle and protect. To obey.

“I don’t think we work,” I said, cradling my arms in front of my stomach, a subconscious instinct. “This thing between us … isn’t … healthy.”

The tension stretched to a breaking point.

“Alexis—” Augustus’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet, and the golden rays softened the sharp angles of his face. “I don’t think you understand—there’s no going back. We’re trying to be better … for you.”

There was a strange pressure around my heart.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but a sharp zap coursed through our marriage bond.

Both Augustus and Kharon straightened to their full height, shoulders pulled back as they spread their legs wide—faces cruel.

Dread washed over me.

“You’re … okay, thank Kronos—we were so fucking worried, we were about to go get …” Patro’s voice sounded behind me, his words echoing off the marble atrium.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as understanding coursed through me. I froze, rooted to the spot. I didn’t turn around.

Augustus stared over my shoulder at the newcomers, his mask of civility disappearing; Kharon never wore one to begin with.

They were both ready for war.

Hell and Hound bristled. Poco stood up on Fluffy Jr.’s back, flashing a mouth of razor-sharp teeth, and chittered viciously.

Poppae hissed behind me, and Nero growled.

Patro cleared his throat. “Alexis—I’m so sorry. I told Achilles he shouldn’t have left you. I can’t believe—” His voice lowered. “It’s my fault.”

I wanted to turn around.

If Patro was here, then so was Achilles.

I wanted to confront him, but right now, my mentors were the lesser threat.

DANGER DETECTED.

Sirens wailed inside my skull.

The House of Artemis and the House of Ares had never looked so volatile.

The heartless Chthonics were back.

The killers.

I held up both my hands pleadingly to my husbands. “Wait—let’s talk about this. There’s no need to overreact.”

Neither acted like they’d heard me.

Their gazes were laser focused on the men standing behind me.

“Oh shit … it’s about to go down,” Nyx hissed with excitement, nudging against my chin as she poked her head out the top of my sweatshirt to get a better view.

I wanted to glance behind, but I was certain if I took my eyes off my husbands for even a split second, there would be unholy carnage.

My mind raced. I needed to defuse the tension.

“I f-forgive them.” I looked at Kharon imploringly. It wasn’t true. Not really. But I needed to do something. “It’s okay—I’m fine. It all worked out in the end.”