Chapter Thirty

Thanatos enveloped me in a cocoon of his wings, their ebony feathers cascaded around me like a shroud. Unlike Lucifer’s fire tipped wings that vanish, Thanatos’ wings remain steadfast, a constant presence. I find solace in their unchanging nature, for they are a testament of his feelings toward me since I’ve arrived here.

His wings were there when I first met him in the dark alley, bleeding and dying. They were there when I woke in his strange home, in the fourposter bed filled with candles and ominous light. They were here now, while he sleeps, draped across me like a blanket as he lightly snored with his face in my hair.

Shortly after taking me on the dance floor of the studio, his shadows surrounded us, making us vanish and appearing in the bed. The bed was enormous enough to house his massive wings and our bodies and again he had his way with me until my throat was sore and sweat dripped down our skin.

I wanted to sleep after I don’t know how many rounds of his thick cock sliding in and out of my body. Like the gentleman Thanatos was, he carried me to the ensuite bathroom, which the Lord of the Underworld did not skimp on the slightest. This was a massive shower, heads coming out in every direction soothing the muscles I didn’t know I had and Thanatos washed every inch of my body.

If I wasn’t so exhausted, I think I would have gotten on my knees and inspected his cock with both my eyes and my mouth. I was very interested in the appendage he was sporting; it was nothing I have ever seen, and it was the star of the show for most of the night.

It was damn ribbed.

Who has ribbed cocks, seriously?

I chuckled softly, feeling the softness of his feathers beneath my hand. As I ran my fingers over them, their stunning beauty captivated me. They weren’t just onyx black; they shimmered with a mesmerizing, deep purple and blue iridescence. Each delicate feather seemed to have a magically infused rainbow within them.

As I fiddled with the feathers over my naked body, Thanatos tightened his hold over me. His possessive strength nearly choked me over my chest, and it constricted my heart in more of an emotional way.

As I continued to fiddle with the feathers, my skin prickled with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. The soft, delicate plumes brushed against my bare flesh, sending shivers down my spine. It’s as if they were extensions of Thanatos’ possessive touch, intensifying the sensation of his hold on me.

A heaviness settles over me, as if the weight of his possessive strength is pulling me deeper into his grasp. The feathers became a physical manifestation of the emotional entanglement, a constant reminder of the power he held over me. It was both exhilarating and suffocating, like dancing on the edge of a bladed sword, unsure whether to surrender or resist.

We had sex–that’s all it should have been, but it felt so damn more I didn’t know how to feel.

It was deeper, stronger. A connection between us and I’ve felt it all along even before we became physical. It was this bond. This mating thing that Uriel and Mariah told me. I knew there was something different about him and now that we have gone and done something as extreme as having sex, it was all complicated now.

But was it? Was it really that complicated?

I liked him, more than I should.

I pushed a heaving breath out of my nose.

Why should I be scared? If everything they said was true, I should be happy. This was soul mates. This was a little girl”s dream to find your destined one.

I rolled over to face him. He loosened just enough so I could press my naked body into his. For a god that says he doesn’t get the luxury to sleep, he certainly sleeps like the dead.

Ha.

And what a beautiful sleeper he was.

His long, lustrous lashes fluttered delicately, framing his chiseled cheekbones that seemed as sharp as shards of glass. I can still recall the prickly sensation of his stubble grazing against my inner thighs, accentuating his ruggedness. Oh and his voice—the velvety timbre that comes from beneath his hood can make any woman melt with desire.

I reached out and pushed away a strand of his messy hair. His face automatically leaned into my touch. His bright blue eyes fluttered open to stare back at me. “Mortals need more sleep,” his voice rasped. “You should be sleeping.”

“And I thought gods didn’t need as much.”

His arm reached over and pulled me tighter around his naked body, his face burying into my hair. “I enjoy laying in your arms. I now see its appeal.”

I snorted, and took my nails and reached between his wings, running down the base lightly. He shivered and nibbled on my shoulder. “Yes, my treasure, please continue doing that.”

I chuckled and continued to explore his back and feathers while we lay there. The sun, or at least, I thought it is the beginning of a sunrise, shone through the stained-glass window above the bed and warmed the room.

My fingers traced from the base where his wings connect to his back outward, and I spread them apart. He stretched his wings so I could thread my fingers through each one and chills ran down his arms.

“So you do like to be preened, huh?” I mused.

Thanatos took a deep breath of my tangled hair and ran his hands down my back, cupping my backside. “As long as you are doing it, then yes.”

We lay there longer in silence. It wasn’t awkward in the slightest. It was comforting just being around someone, touching, feeling, and letting the warmth from his body sink into mine.

I enjoyed this, relishing someone else’s touch. Not being alone. I didn’t want to let it go, and the thought of leaving him broke my heart.

Would he even let me go if I tried to leave?

A low, primal growl reverberated through his chest. With a sudden surge of strength, he sat up, his naked chest glistening with sweat, each muscle rippling beneath the surface. As he drew me close, I could feel the heat of his body, our skin pressed together, igniting a fiery sensation. “You will never leave me, Juniper. I have taken your choice.

I tilted my head up, my hair tickling my bare back. I wasn’t planning on leaving, not when I haven’t been happy most of my life and finally finding it with Thanatos. And with Uriel and Mariah—the first real friends I’ve ever really made.

“Is that so?” I raise an eyebrow. “If I want to leave and not see you again, then I can’t?”

Thanatos’ brows lowered, his eyes shining that brilliant blue.

“Absolutely not. You are mine as I am yours and you will never leave my side. I will give you anything you want. Name it and I’ll give it to you.”

We were nose to nose and with his seriousness and bravado he was trying to exude, I couldn’t help but let my lip curl into a smile. “Really? What of the sun? I think I will miss it.”

I don’t think I really cared too much about the sun any longer. Thanatos, with his dark aura, the light I gave off and the flowers, trees and bushes that still grew around his home, I think I would survive. Besides, there was more to explore. I mean, there was a lake of fire, plus Hades’ palace had a garden. I’m sure I could find other things to occupy my time than complain about feeling the sun on my skin.

“Then I’ll make you one,” Thanatos said. “I’ll put it right over our home if you wish. It will kill the plants, the animals will run away. But if you want it, I’ll give it to you.”

My eyes widened. “Don’t do that to the little demon rabbits, that’s mean!”

“Your happiness means more, my treasure, and if that means roasting the little beasts out of my garden, then I think having a sun will be fine.”

I shook my head vigorously, and he gripped my chin.

“I’m not letting you go, Juniper. You are mine. You fight it–but I know you know this to be true.”

I knew it. There was no use in fighting it. I still had the thoughts in the back of my mind that this was too good to be true. Thoughts that he would tire of me, leave me, because I wasn’t meant to be here.

Thanatos leaned forward and captured me in a kiss, pushing my back against the mattress. He was already hard, his length pushing up against my pussy and I groaned, feeling him cupping my breast.

“You are my mate, Juniper. Do you know what that means?” He rasped.

Ah yes, the mate thing again.

“Ahh, yeah.” My hands raked down his hips and my fingers scratched down his perfectly toned ass.

He stopped kissing me and his head popped up. “Wait, you do?”

I kept my hands on his ass and squeezed again. “Yes, I might have coerced Uriel into telling me. Mariah got into more details about it, but yes. I know what mates are.”

Thanatos tilted his head. His dark hair falling into his face. “And you are not–how you say, freaking out?” He eyed me warily.

“I mean, I was at first. I just don’t–understand why me. Are you going to keep kissing me, or are we done?” I squeezed his butt again.

Thanatos chuckled and rose above me with those strong arms.

Blast, no more hanky panky.

Thanatos reached for me and pulled me into his lap. I still couldn’t get used to seeing his face. I never wanted to see him hide it under the hood, but I got it. He wanted to continue his persona of who he was–death. Supposed to be some big scary god to everyone else.

“Why wouldn’t it be you?” He pushed my hair behind my ear. “Out of all the souls in the universe, I would want it to be you.” His finger trailed down my shoulder and arm. My skin rose with pretty prickles of bumps.

“I told Mariah a little about it last night.” I swallowed. “But, my parents had me when they were young. It was a mistake that I was born, Thanatos. It was not intended for me to be here. All my life I was nothing but an annoyance, a waste of space. Pawned on one parent to another until I was old enough to take care of myself.”

As Thanatos’ shadows swirled menacingly, I felt the weight of his mounting anger. The room grew darker, the air thick with tension. Sinister whispers echoed in my ears. The scent of bitterness filled the atmosphere, intensifying the foreboding sense of doom.

“Excuse me?” he said.

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s okay.” I nuzzled into his neck. “It”s over now. I just–when I got older, they still invited me home to Christmas dinner, I think they tried to maneuver who got me at holidays the year after I turned eighteen. I was just a reminder, of the mistake that happened so long ago. They had me when they were fifteen. Who wants to remember a mistake?” I sniffed.

Thanatos held me tighter, his wings wrapping around us.

“I’d still get calls on my birthdays, sometimes.” My voice trailed. It was fewer and farther between the older I got. And the Christmas and holiday invitations were even more so.

Secretly, I hoped they would invite me, and sometimes I would even call to see if they would instantly remember that I needed to be invited.

I picked at the blanket on the bed and pulled it closer to me to hide my nakedness. Now I felt all exposed talking about my past. But he had to know if this whole mate thing was going to work.

Hell, we just had sex, and we didn’t use protection.

Thanatos sighed, his wings deflating. “Have no fear, my treasure, you won’t become pregnant with a child unless I will it to be so.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “I am also clean. Gods do not get coitus sickness.”

I let out a low, frustrated groan as I nestled my face into his chest, feeling the slight tickle of his slightly hairy skin against my cheek.

“Now your parents,” his voice grew dark. “They are the ones that should be worried.”

I shook my head and grabbed his arm. “No, it isn’t their fault. They had me so young, they didn’t know.”

“Yes, but they are adults now. They knew what they were doing. Booting you out of their lives to create new families, I presume? Juniper, they are assholes they will pay for hurting you the way they did. They have made you closed off, making you feel as if you are a mistake, making me work harder to earn your affection.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Either way, you would have to earn it, Bone Daddy.”

Thanatos grunted.

“You think you can just take what you want?”

“For the things that are truly important.”

As barbaric as it sounded, my heart fluttered anyway. I’ve never had someone fight for me. Wanted me the way he does.

Thanatos gently cradled my face in his hands, his touch cool against my skin. He drew me nearer to him, his eyes locked with mine, as if delving into the depths of my soul. The dimly lit room accentuated the soft glow emanating from my skin, casting an ethereal aura around us. The silence enveloped us, allowing the weight of the moment to settle upon us, as I became acutely aware of every breath and heartbeat.

“You are no mistake,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. The sunrise peeked further into the room, casting a warm golden glow on his face as he spoke. “Humans do not know fate,” he continued, his words laced with determination, “and that each soul is deliberate. Your parents were meant to have you,” he said, his eyes never wavering from mine. “Your soul was meant to be here, to be born.” His words seemed to carry a weight of certainty, as if he held knowledge beyond what was visible.

Thanatos fingers tangled into my hair, cupping the back of my head. I sighed, feeling the grasp he had a hold of me. Not just physical touch, but his words. It felt like this man was going to fucking kill me, resurrect me, then fuck me all at once. It was like the damn universe was whispering its agreement, affirming the truth in his words.

He said, his voice filled with a mix of passion and tenderness, ”It was always intended for you to be mine, and our souls will complete each other.”

As his words settled in, a profound sense of belonging washed over me. The feeling was almost tangible, like a warm embrace enveloping my entire being. The world around us seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the two of us, connected by an invisible thread.

“You will never be alone ever again,” he vowed, his voice steady and unwavering. “And once I bind our souls, you will always have me—for eternity.”

In that moment, time stood still. The weight of his words hung in the air. It was a promise etched into the fabric of our souls, a bond that transcended the limitations of mortal existence.

Gods, he was so smooth.

My heart thrummed in my chest as loud as the knock at the door.

“Meeting in Hades” office in an hour.” A voice that wasn’t familiar said and stomped off down the hallway.

Thanatos growled and pressed a long kiss to my lips.

“I will not rush you. When you are ready to be bound to me, I will do it. In that fucking moment.” His cock twitched beneath my leg.

“What does it entail?” My pussy fluttered when his hand reached around my waist and slowly crept up my side.

He leaned into my cheek, whispered into my ear, “Fucking you, of course, but pulling your soul from within your body and fucking it as well. I’m told it’s quite erotic to be able to watch your souls fucking each other.” He laughed darkly into my ear.

I was all hot and bothered now. My pussy was crying, and I was ready to pounce him now.

“Unfortunately,” he palmed my heavy breast, “we must question the demon that Hades and Ember have acquired. Are you wanting to stay here or take part?”

“Take part!” I blurted. “I want to help in any way I can.”

Thanatos smiled and patted my ass. “I have the strongest mate. Let’s get you dressed and prepared. Just know it may get bloody in there. Are you able to handle that?” He looked at me fairly as he helped me climb out of the bed.

“Yes, I just couldn’t handle it when you had skin hands. That was gross. You aren’t skinning anyone, are you?”

Thanatos” appalled expression was enough of an answer.

“Oh good, you never know with that Lucifer guy. He looks like he would filet something, then eat it.”

Thanatos shook his head, his smile reaching from ear to ear when he turned away from me, showing off that toned ass. He reached in the wardrobe, pulling a deep purple dress for me to wear.

Man, Bone Daddy had a nice ass.