Chapter Eighteen

Satisfaction flooded through my veins as I felt her blood heat beneath my hand. Her pupils dilated wide, and my cock strained against my leg.

I would need to wear under garments if this was going to be a common occurrence. My reaction to her was new. I could usually contain my desires when it came to a woman, but obviously for Juniper, I had no restraint or control.

“I don’t understand,” she finally whispered. “Why me? You could pick a god or goddess to have, I was just a dying human. I’ll grow old and—”

As my wings unfurled, they swept outward with a powerful gust, sending a cascade of tomes and trinkets tumbling from the shelves. The clatter of bottles and glass echoed through the room as my wings hovered protectively above us. A faint scent of dust and old parchment filled the surrounding air, while the gentle brush of feathers against my skin sent a shiver of fury down my spine.

“You are immortal in my presence; the concept of death does not exist for you.”

She sucked in a breath and let me squeeze her hand far too tight. No fear trickled from her soul. Instead, she raised an eyebrow.

I tucked my wings behind me, letting the torches and candlelight surround her.

I bowed my head and gave her space, even if it killed me to do so. I did not want to push her, even if she did not fear me at that moment. I let my shadows engulf her waist. I would let all of me be away from her. She didn’t seem to mind. She let her fingers play with the shadows, let them weave between the tips of her knuckles.

Hypnos stayed quiet in the corner, and I turned to him, nodding for him to approach. “Please watch Fluffy for the rest of the day. Please, do not feed him.”

Hypnos chuckled nervously and nodded. I stood, lending my hand to my mate who took it quietly.

“Would you like to take a stroll?” My voice cracked nervously.

That’s it, get to know her. Show her you aren’t a complete overbearing asshole.

My mate blinked at me several times. “A stroll? Through the Underworld? Isn’t it mostly on fire?”

Hypnos barked in laughter in the corner.

“Not the whole Underworld. There are some parts that are quite beautiful.” My lip twitched beneath my hood.

“So I’ve been told,” she muttered.

She bit her lip, and I could see the curiosity swirling beneath those beautiful orbs.

“Um, alright. Let me grab some shoes to wear then, I guess.”

She released her grip on my arm, and in that instant, a wave of coldness washed over me as I watched her retreat into the depths of her bedroom. The absence of her warmth was palpable, leaving me with a sense of emptiness and longing.

When we walked through the passageway leading to the outside, the torches were dim and the further we traveled, less light floated through the pathways. Her body came closer to mine, and I wanted to smile in triumph, thinking she wanted to be closer.

Of course that was not the case. Her mortal eyes could not see anything and were relying upon my own.

As we emerged from the cave, the air grew alive with the gentle patter of tiny insect wings and the nocturnal symphony of creatures with no eyes. No animal dared to draw near, sensing my dominance. In a mere moment, I could claim their essence, for I stood unchallenged at the pinnacle of the natural hierarchy.

“T-Thanatos?” My mate stuttered, and for once since arriving in the Underworld, I felt the fear roll off of her soul in waves.

I took my wing and wrapped her close around me. Despite the warmth that surrounded us, being in the Underworld, she shivered and a gasp left her lips at the contact of my wing. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s so dark, I can”t even see my hand in front of my face.”

That was the case. I suppose she might have thought there would be light.

“My apologies, we are in the furthest corner of the Underworld. A place of shadows. Let’s rectify that.”

Her fingers wrapped around my robes when my arm left her shoulder, yet my wing stayed around her shoulders.

“Where are you going?” She panicked and my head tilted in confusion as I saw her eyes widened, dilated to adjust for lack of light.

She was terrified.

“I will never leave you, nor let any harm come to you, my little treasure.”

She swallowed and nodded, appeased by my answer, when my other wing wrapped around her.

“I’m going to lay my hand just below your collarbone. You will feel heat, but not enough to burn.”

Juniper closed her eyes, and I gently pressed my hand against her chest, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. As the seconds passed, the warmth intensified, enveloping her. A soft hum filled the air, accompanied by a faint scent of her sunshine and wind. I watched in awe as a brilliant light emanated from the depths of her chest, illuminating her delicate freckled face and casting a radiant glow through her flowing hair. The light expanded, encircling her entire body, transforming her into a luminous being.

She whimpered, not daring to open her eyes. Her hands shook as she continued to hold on to my robes.

My work was done. She was her own walking light. She wasn’t so bright that it would blind me, the animals, the flora, or the scenery around her so she could witness nature in its true form.

She was the moon of the darkness.

I grasped her curvy waist, feeling the softness of her skin beneath my fingertips. With a swift motion, I lift my wings, causing a gentle rush of air around us. The sound of a small gasp escaped her lips, encouraging me to hold her waist even tighter. As I admire the elegant curl of her hair, the flush in her cheeks deepens, adding a touch of warmth for both of us. My thumb delicately glides along her waist, creating a tingling sensation, and that is when I graze the lower part of her bust.

Fuck, what was I doing?

“Juniper, open your eyes,” I commanded.

She squinted, gradually opening her eyes, and as her vision cleared, her mouth fell open in awe. The brilliant light emanating from her body bathed the surroundings, casting a warm glow that revealed every detail. The air hummed with a gentle energy.

“W-what? Why is my skin glowing? Why is it doing this?” She held onto my robes, still with one hand while she gazed at her other arm. “This is amazing!” She laughed. “But I thought you were death; wouldn’t that mean you cannot create light?”

I hummed in an agreement. “That would be correct. I cannot create light, but I can mirror souls.”

She looked at me in curiosity.

“I have mirrored the soul in your body. Meaning I can create a reflection of your soul to the outside of your body. When I saw you for the first time, I dove into your eyes, and this is what I saw. It wasn’t the brightest, it wasn’t dark, it was the perfect shade of light for me. Perfect to thrive in the darkest of night.”

I traced her arm and watched the tiny hints of color running across her skin. The light was a golden hue of her soul. Wisps of green followed tiny gold sparkles. “These green boughs of color are part of your aura. What makes you, you.”

“And what does green mean, then?” She tries to catch them with her fingertips, but since it’s just a reflection, it runs right through them.

“I am only a reader of souls, not auras.” I chuckled. “There is one male that is quite good at it, but I will never let you meet him.” My voice grew low.

“Really? Who? And why?” When she turned her head, her red hair flew back into my face, and she indeed smelled of bright sunshine.

“He is a king, King Osirus. He is a fae that lives in Bergarian. A land far from here, and I don’t trust him.” I growled.

The corners of her mouth turned up as she gave me a playful grin. She looked at her glowing arm again, and then back at me.

“Alright, Thanatos. It seems I have a bit more to learn about you, doesn’t it?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her comment. “Indeed, you do, my treasure.”

She put her hand on my chest, I felt her heat upon my body and my heart raced in my chest. “I guess I should be more open-minded then, right?” she said with a chuckle.

I wasn’t sure if I should lean closer, to smell her hair, to nuzzle into her shoulder. Instead, I remained straight as a board and kept my hand around her waist.

“Absolutely. It’s better to embrace the unknown than to live in fear of it.”

And yet here I am, not living by my own words.

“Well then,” she said, her eyes shining with curiosity, “let’s see what else you have in store for me.”