35. Candy

They lay on the mattress with their arms wrapped around me—just like we had after our first time, and before I was kidnapped. But this time we were in my nest, with it covered in their scent, and their bites connecting us in a perfect circle. No bad memories, nothing to attack us, just my heat and our scents and love pulsing between us.

"We still need to talk about it," Odin's voice was low, and I knew he was trying not to wake me again, but I didn't have to pretend anymore.

"About what?" I said, my eyes fluttering open, looking at him over Apollo's shoulder. Zeus clutched me from behind, snoring gently, his face buried in my neck. He took a drag of me with every rumbling breath, and peace flowed from him.

Apollo snuggled closer to me, his forehead nearly touching mine, with Odin curled around him from behind.

"How are we going to approach Michael?" Odin said. "We can't offer him money. We know he won't go for that."

A heavy silence settled over us. I wanted our time in my nest to be light and happy, but we had to have this conversation. I just wished we could have it once we'd all had some rest. Our meeting with Michael was in five hours, and I didn't know how he expected me to attend it when I was in heat.

I could already imagine his annoying smile, tilting his head and saying, "Well, you're a resourceful girl; I'm sure you'll figure it out."

I grit my jaw as the words echoed in my ears.

"Maybe I just have to keep working?" I asked, knowing it was the worst suggestion I could have made. "Or we could ask him to cut my hours? Let me have my heats with you?"

"Not a chance. Never." Apollo bit back instantly, and he shook his head. "We're going all the way this time. No compromises. We've already bitten you, so we've broken our contracts. Maybe Michael will see his ‘performance' as enough of a payment?" But I knew he doubted his own words.

"No host has ever left the club unharmed. It doesn't happen," Odin replied softly, pressing his cheek against Apollo's. "We have to find a way to guarantee our safety."

"Can we talk about it when Zeus is awake?" I asked. "My heat isn't over, and I want to sleep before my pussy wakes up and demands breakfast."

Apollo snorted as Odin threw me a grin. "You know I'm right," I said, biting my lip. "Besides, he had no problem nodding off."

Silence snapped between them, both of them freezing as their attention shifted to our mate.

A pitch-black shadow shuddered from them both, and I froze. The only time I'd seen them look like that was in the mansion.

"What is it?" I asked quietly. "What's wrong?"

"There's a lot of things you don't know about us, and the same goes for us about you," Apollo said, his chest tight.

He took in a breath, about to say more, when Zeus jerked in shock, pulling in a gasp, panic welling up inside him. "Wait!" he shouted right next to my ear. I flinched, quickly turning my head to see what was happening with him.

Zeus's eyes were closed, his brow furrowed so hard a river of sweat ran down to his nose, and his whole body buckled, dragging me with him.

I cried out, my hand grasping his arms. "Zeus? What's wrong?"

"Candy," Apollo said carefully, nerves beating out of him as if he was talking to a dangerous animal. "I need you to come here."

"What? Why? What's happening?"

Odin reached out over me, clutching Zeus's arm. A growl ripped from Zeus, and Odin and Apollo shot into action.

Odin yanked on Zeus's arm, trying to pull him off me as Apollo tried to extract me, but Zeus's grip tightened.

I choked as his squeeze became rougher, fear and desperation spiralling through Zeus, reflected in Apollo and Odin as they struggled against him.

But my alpha needed me. He was moaning and shaking, his whimpers muffled as he pressed into my neck.

I instinctively sent him all my love. Whatever was happening, as his omega, I was here to help him.

Odin winced as he rose on all fours, crawling in behind his brother, clutching Zeus's shoulders.

"What are you doing!?" I hissed, still trying to send my energy to Zeus. He rocked with every wave I sent him, and despite Odin and Apollo panicking, I just focused on him.

I matched my breaths to Zeus's, sinking into the love we had for each other.

"Zeus has nightmares. He can't control himself when he's like this." Odin glared down at his brother.

"No…" Zeus said softly, pulling me tighter, the force of his hug crushing me, but I carried on. "Don't go!" He jolted, his cries breaking my heart. I focused myself inward, perfuming, wrapping him in my scent and aura, trying to purge whatever was plaguing him.

It took five minutes of us helping each other; me sending Zeus all my love, Apollo holding onto me and caressing Zeus's arm while Odin massaged his brother's shoulders.

Zeus returned to us with another growl, his presence in the bond suddenly expanding, anguish pulsing from him.

"Candy?" he croaked, dipping his nose to my hair, taking a deep inhale. "Oh, fuck." His whole body shuddered as wave after wave of relief poured from him. "Oh, fucking hell, sugar. I'm so glad…" His voice was so tender as Apollo and Odin eased their grasps. Apollo looked at us with wide eyes, and I could feel Odin's surprise as well. Zeus pressed his lips to my shoulder, finding his bite, licking me and moaning against me. "Thank fuck you're here," Zeus groaned. "I'm so, so sorry, sugar. Did I hurt you?"

I twisted my neck to meet his eyes. He looked sharp and focused, nothing like before.

"No," I lied. "You didn't, but what's going on?"

Apollo sat back, his ass on his heels and wonder on his face. "Zeus's nightmares… It was one of the reasons we agreed to leave." He said the words easily, though I could feel the weight of it crashing through him and Odin.

"They're not just nightmares," Zeus murmured. "They're fucking demons. I haven't been able to escape for years."

Apollo adjusted himself, the mattress creaking as he lay beside us, his hand on my hip. Odin crawled back to his original position and wrapped himself around Apollo from behind.

"I've never been so relaxed." Zeus stretched his legs, his back bowing as he cuddled in close. "I can't remember the last time I woke up like that."

"It's been so long," Odin said softly, the three of them nestling in closely around me. Apollo stretched forward to nuzzle my bruised cheek as Zeus buried me in his arms.

"Thank you," Zeus replied hoarsely. I was going to turn and kiss him, but he was still shaking, his head pressed hard into my neck, and I didn't want him to feel like he had to let go.

"I'll always be here," I said, looking firmly up at Odin and Apollo. "I'm not going anywhere. Whatever it is, however we do it, we're going to be together. We'll work it out together. Agreed?"

Apollo's gave a wide grin, lighting my heart with hope as he nodded, and Odin's firm stare confirmed the same.

Zeus's laugh blew across the bottom of my neck, and he sighed against me. "Agreed."