That makes her the enemy.
An enemy that’s not walking into my trap tonight. I sigh. Not that this is much of a trap, exactly. It’s more that I’ve been tasked with attempting to coax her over to our side. If that’s not possible, then I suspect someone will just flat out take her, but I’m the carrot in this situation.
Not that anyone knows it.
I look around, my guilt flaring for a completely different reason. I’ve been in my brother-in-law’s sex club half a dozen times in the last couple months. I have no doubts that Hades is aware of it, though I’m careful to only show up when I know he and Persephone won’t be presiding over the activities.
This is the first time I’ve come alone.
It feels weird not to have Charon as my ever-present shadow. He wouldn’t have approved of tonight’s activities, so I snuck out without telling anyone where I was going. The club manager, Hypnos, has seen me around enough now that the bouncers didn’t stop me when I walked through the door. Zir doesn’t know my arrangement with Charon, which works well enough for me. Charon initially allowed me access to the club, with one caveat: I’m only allowed to watch. He’s loosened up the rules a bit, but it’s hard to be comfortable indulging when he’s looking over my shoulder.
But Charon isn’t here right now.
The room is a true den of iniquity, all artfully designed to seduce the senses. The lights are always low when the club is open, but a cleverly hidden waterway around the edge of the room throws dizzying reflections onto the ceiling, giving the impression of us being underground. I’ve seen the furniture arranged in a dozen different ways, but tonight it’s the traditional layout with couches and chairs and cushions situated to allow plenty of space for conversation and, well, fucking.
I inhale the scent of sex and smooth my hands down my tight mini dress. My body thrums in response. It’s been…so long. I haven’t been with anyone since the events of last December, and somehow nine months have gone by. For a long time, I was focused on putting one foot in front of the other and not letting the pain of Orpheus’s betrayal break me.
But now?
I look around the room. Every other time I’ve come here has been with Charon babysitting me. I don’t know if Hades put him up to it, or if he’s taken it upon himself to be my guide to the lower city, but I was hardly going to indulge with him looking over my shoulder. He’s made comments more than once about how I could if I wanted to, but it felt too strange. I still haven’t decided if it was a good strange or a bad strange, though. Either way…he’s not here tonight.
“I’ve seen you around, always watching, never participating.”
I jolt and turn to find a man has taken up a spot against the wall next to me. He’s a very attractive South Asian man who’s about my height with a slim build and smiling eyes. He also looks incredibly familiar, and not just because I’m sure I’ve seen him a few times during my visits here.
He holds out a hand. “Thanatos.”
Recognition clicks as I slip my hand into his. “You’re Hypnos’s brother.” Now that I say it, I see the similarities between him and zir. Same medium-brown skin tone, thick dark hair, and refined features. They also both have incredibly sensual lips. Not that I’ve noticed. Except I have.
“Guilty as charged.” Instead of shaking my hand, he raises it to press a light kiss to my knuckles. It should be cheesy, but his dark eyes invite me to indulge him.
I find myself smiling as heat stirs to life low in my stomach. It’s been so long since I’ve even wanted to indulge… No, that’s a lie. But it’s been a very long time since I’ve encountered someone who was safe to indulge with. Someone who I could spend a fun night with and not worry about shattering a relationship I value in the process.
One-night stands aren’t usually the way I operate—I get attached very quickly once sex enters the picture—but perhaps it’s time to make an exception. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Thanatos lifts his head, but doesn’t release my hand. He holds me in a light grip I could break at any moment, heat licking into his dark eyes. “It strikes me that you haven’t had a proper introduction to the delights of the club.”
He’s flirting with me. I don’t know why that surprises me so much. I suppose I’ve become so used to blending into the background that I expect it to be the default. It certainly is with Charon. The man treats me kindly, but it’s clear he’s never felt the same flicker of desire that plagues me in his presence.