7. Kotos

CHAPTER SEVEN

KOTOS

M y phone’s insistent buzzing dragged me from sleep. I groaned, fumbling for it on the nightstand. Laramie stirred beside me, mumbling something unintelligible as she burrowed deeper into the pillows. I smiled, drinking in the sight of her sleep-tousled hair and the curve of her shoulder peeking out from beneath the sheets.

My mate. My perfect, brilliant mate.

The phone buzzed again. With a growl of annoyance, I extracted myself from Laramie’s embrace and padded to the privacy of the balcony.

Devlin’s name flashed across the screen. My stomach dropped.

“What do you want?” I snarled, keeping my voice low to avoid waking Laramie.

Devlin’s laugh cackled through the speaker. “Good morning to you too, sunshine. Did you enjoy the party last night?”

Ice flooded my veins. “Cut the bullshit, Devlin. What do you want?”

“Oh, Kotos.” Her voice dripped with false sympathy. “You wound me. Can’t an old friend check in?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting back a headache. “We’re not friends.”

“No,” Devlin agreed, her tone hardening. “We’re not. Which is why I thought you might be interested in seeing some candid photos from last night’s festivities.”

Fuck.

“What photos?” I growled, even as dread pooled in my gut.

“Let’s see...” Devlin’s voice took on a theatrical quality. “There’s a lovely series of you with your hand up your little human’s dress. Oh, and this one’s my favorite—her with just a ludicrous amount of cock stuffed down her throat, your hands helping her gobble down even more. I bet the tabloids would have a field day with these.”

Rage boiled within me. She threatened my mate? I wanted nothing more than to reach through the phone and strangle her with my bare hands. “If you dare?—”

“Now, now. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Devlin’s smirk was audible. “I’m willing to make a deal. After all, we wouldn’t want your little human to become the next Monica Lewinsky, would we? Think of her career. Her reputation. All that ambition, crushed in an instant.”

I clenched my fist so hard my knuckles turned white. “Tell me what you want.”

“Smart boy,” Devlin cooed. “I want you to sabotage the deal with Andreas and Elysia. Make sure it goes to Shadow Daddies instead.”

My blood ran cold. The deal with Elysia was worth millions. It would solidify MythMatch’s position as the premier supernatural dating app. Years had gone into fine tuning the algorithms and schmoozing with investors. We were ready to launch into an entirely new realm of success.

“And if I refuse?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“Then your little human’s career goes up in flames,” Devlin said sweetly. “Along with MythMatch’s reputation. I’m sure your board would love to see their CEO fucking an employee at a competitor’s event.”

I glanced back inside where Laramie still slept peacefully. The sight of her filled me with a fierce protectiveness.

She’d worked hard to land an interview with my company, and then worked even harder to carve out her spot in the ranks. Her accomplishments had been why I dragged her along to Elysia with me.

And more than that, Laramie’s career was important to her . She wanted something to call her own, without interference from anyone else. She wanted to keep her fate firmly in her hands.

The thought of shattering that, of watching the light drain from her eyes as her reputation was dragged through the mud...

I couldn’t let Devlin hurt her, all because I couldn’t keep my hands to myself.

“Fine,” I spat. “I’ll do it. Just... leave Laramie out of this.”

“Oh, Kotos,” Devlin sighed. “When will you learn? Love makes you weak. Makes you vulnerable.” There was a pause, and when she spoke again, her voice dripped with venom. “I look forward to watching you squirm.”

The line went dead, leaving me with nothing but the sound of my own ragged breathing.

The negotiations with Andreas loomed before me like an executioner’s ax. My stomach churned as I entered the conference room, Laramie close behind. Her scent—vanilla and jasmine with a hint of sex—enveloped me, a bittersweet reminder of what I stood to lose.

Andreas greeted us with his usual exuberance, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. “Kotos, my friend! And the lovely Ms. Scanlon! I trust you both enjoyed last night’s festivities?”

The scent of brine irritated my nostrils. Fucking Devlin.

I forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as strained as it felt. “It was... enlightening.”

Laramie’s eyes narrowed slightly at my tone, but she quickly covered it with a dazzling smile of her own. “It certainly gave us some interesting insights into the competition.”

As we settled around the table, I caught myself staring at Laramie. The way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The determined set of her jaw as she reviewed her notes. Gods, how could I do this to her?

But Devlin’s threat echoed in my mind. If I didn’t sabotage this deal, Laramie would pay the heaviest price. And it would be my fault.

“Shall we begin?” Andreas’ booming voice snapped me back to the present. He gestured for us to join his team already seated around the conference table. “I must say, I’m quite excited about the possibilities of this partnership.”

I nodded, my mouth dry. “Yes, let’s... let’s get started.”

As Andreas launched into his vision for integrating MythMatch into Elysia’s offerings, I found myself searching for ways to undermine the deal. It felt like betraying a piece of my soul.

“While I appreciate your enthusiasm,” I heard myself saying, “I have some concerns about the logistics of implementation.”

Laramie’s head snapped up, surprise evident in her eyes. We’d gone over every detail of this proposal. She knew as well as I did that the logistics were airtight.

I forged ahead, grasping at straws. “The, uh, the server load during peak season could be problematic. We might need to consider scaling back some of the more ambitious features.”

Andreas’ bushy eyebrows shot together. “But surely your infrastructure can handle?—”

“It’s not just about infrastructure,” I interrupted, hating myself with every word. “It’s about user experience. We don’t want to overwhelm guests with too many options.”

Laramie’s eyes narrowed, a mix of confusion and suspicion clouding her features. I could practically see the gears turning in that brilliant mind of hers, trying to make sense of my sudden change in attitude.

“With all due respect, Mr. Mavridis,” Laramie interjected, her voice steady and professional, “I believe you’re underestimating our capabilities.” She turned to Andreas with a winning smile. “If I may?”

I nodded, relief and dread warring within me as Laramie took control of the conversation. She launched into a detailed explanation of our server capacity and load-balancing capabilities, complete with charts and projections to account for user acquisition from her planned marketing campaigns.

As Laramie spoke, I caught a flash of movement from the corner of my eye. One of Andreas’ team—a severe-looking woman with steel-gray hair—smirked at me. There was something unsettlingly familiar about that expression...

“You see,” Laramie concluded, “not only can we handle the increased traffic, but we’ve actually built in room for surges for holidays and special events. This partnership has the potential to revolutionize both our businesses.”

Pride swelled within me, tempered by the sickening knowledge of what I was trying to do.

Andreas clapped his hands together, beaming. “Marvelous! Simply marvelous. Kotos, my friend, you’ve found yourself quite the gem in this one.”

I managed a weak smile. “She certainly is... something.”

And I was royally fucked.

Laramie shot me a look that was equal parts confusion and hurt. Fuck. How could I explain this to her? How could I tell her I’d betrayed everything we’d worked so hard for—everything she deserved—in order to spare her from Devlin’s wrath?

By the time Andreas called for a short recess, my head was pounding. I excused myself, claiming a need for fresh air, and stumbled out onto the balcony.

“What the hell is going on with you?”

I turned to find Laramie standing in the doorway, arms crossed and eyes blazing. Even furious, she was breathtaking.

“Nothing,” I lied. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit.” She stepped closer, jabbing a finger into my chest. “You’ve been acting strange all morning. And in there, it’s like you’re trying to sabotage this deal. A deal you wanted, by the way. What gives?”

I opened my mouth to respond, to offer some flimsy excuse, when a familiar scent hit me like a freight train. Brine and decay masked beneath expensive perfume.

“Oh, I couldn’t agree more,” a silky voice purred from behind Laramie. “What gives, Kotos?”

Devlin rounded the corner, a predatory grin stretching across her face. She wore a suit identical to one of Andreas’ team members, warm olive skin and steel-gray hair melting back into her true purple baldness. The sight of her made my blood boil.

“What are you doing here?” I snarled, instinctively moving to place myself between her and Laramie.

Devlin’s laugh was like nails on a chalkboard. “Did you really think I’d miss the show? I must say, I’m disappointed with your performance so far. I expected better from the great Kotos Mavridis.”

Realization dawned, horror flooding through me. She’d shapeshifted. Taken on the appearance of one of Andreas’ people. How long had she been watching? How much did she know?

“And you,” Devlin continued, her gaze sliding to Laramie, “You’re quite the little problem solver, aren’t you? No wonder Kotos is so fond of you.”

I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to throttle her then and there. “Leave her out of this.”

Her eyes snapped to me, and every ounce of pleasantness disappeared. “Then honor our arrangement.”

“Arrangement?” Laramie’s voice was sharp. “What arrangement?”

Devlin’s eyes gleamed with malicious glee. “Oh, you mean he didn’t tell you? About our little chat this morning? About the delightful photos I have of you two from last night’s party?”

The color drained from Laramie’s face. “What?”

“Devlin, don’t—” I started, but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.

“You see, Ms. Scanlon, your dear boss here made a deal. He was supposed to sabotage these negotiations in exchange for me keeping those naughty photos to myself.” Devlin’s gaze raked over Laramie’s form, making my blood boil. “Though I must say, they’re quite erotic. The way your lips stretch around his?—”

“Enough!” I roared, taking a step toward her. “You’ve made your point.”

Laramie sagged against the railing. “Is it true?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. “Did you really...?”

I nodded, shame burning through me. “I was trying to protect you.”

Her eyes met mine, emotions storming across her face. Hurt, betrayal, anger... and something else. Something that looked dangerously like understanding.

She turned to Devlin, chin raised defiantly. “So, what now? You didn’t get what you wanted, so you’re here to follow through on your threats?”

Devlin’s smile turned cruel. “Oh, I’m here for so much more than that, little human.”

With lightning speed, she reached into her pocket and withdrew a small pouch. Before I could react, she blew a shimmering powder directly into my face.

I staggered back, coughing and sputtering. The world began to spin, colors bleeding together in a dizzying kaleidoscope. Heat flooded my veins, setting every nerve ending on fire.

“What did you do to him?” Laramie’s voice sounded distant, muffled, as if coming from underwater.

Devlin’s laughter echoed through my skull. “Just a little inhibition powder. Brings out one’s baser instincts. In this one’s case... Well, let’s just say his more monstrous side is about to make an appearance.”

Everything felt too bright, too loud. But one thing remained crystal clear—the overwhelming need to protect Laramie. To keep her safe, no matter the cost.

“Now,” Devlin’s voice cut through the haze. “Be a good boy and hand over that pretty little medallion of yours.”

My hand flew to my chest, clutching the Medallion of Minos. Some distant part of my mind screamed that this was wrong, that I couldn’t give up my ancestral birthright.

With trembling hands, I lifted the chain over my head and held out the medallion. Devlin snatched it from my grasp, her triumphant laugh grating against my heightened senses.

I struggled against the haze enveloping me, fought to cling to reason. I watched helplessly as Devlin pressed the medallion against the wall. The precious metal caught the light, its blue opal center glittering ominously.

Cracks spiderwebbed across the wall. The ground shuddered beneath my feet. Ancient magic flowed through the air, calling to the blood that coursed through my veins.

The wall split open with a deafening crack. Stone groaned and complained as reality itself seemed to tear apart, revealing a dark passageway beyond.

The labyrinth. Devlin had summoned the entrance to the fucking labyrinth.

My labyrinth.

“Kotos?” Laramie’s voice cut through the fog in my mind. She stood at the edge of the chasm, fear and concern warring in her eyes. “Kotos, what’s happening?”

I tried to answer, but another wave of heat crashed over me. My horns felt heavier, my muscles coiled with barely contained energy. Every sound, every scent, was amplified tenfold.

I gripped the railing, my knuckles turning white as I struggled against the rising tide of animal instinct threatening to overwhelm me.

Protect the labyrinth. Slay all who enter uninvited.

“Oh, this is even better than I’d hoped,” Devlin cackled. With a flick of her wrist, she sent Laramie tumbling into the labyrinth’s maw. “Let’s see how long your little human lasts against the real minotaur.”

“No!” I bellowed, my voice barely recognizable. I lunged for Laramie, desperate to?—

The last vestiges of my humanity burned away as I crossed the threshold.

Laughter echoed off the stones as the wall sealed shut. My labyrinth stretched out before me, a maze of twisting corridors and shadowed alcoves.

A heartbeat. The scent of fear and anger.

I whirled. A tiny human held her hands up. Her mouth made soothing sounds.

Part of me wanted to gather her in my arms. Lick her. Taste her. Take my pleasure until we couldn’t move.

But another part, a darker, more primitive part, saw her as an intruder. A trespasser in my domain. And I...

I was the monster tasked with her destruction.