Chapter Forty-Four

The room bathed in a warm, golden glow, reminiscent of an autumn sunset just after the sun disappeared below the horizon. It cast a soft, orange hue across the bedroom walls. The walls seemed to come alive, adorned with shades of gold, yellow, and orange, as if they were dancing with swirls of glitter, creating a mesmerizing firelight effect. As I looked toward the fireplace, I noticed the absence of crackling logs and the flickering glow of candles that usually filled the room.

With my furrowed brow, I tried to sit up, but the hold around my waist tightened. I smiled and turned over to see a sleeping God of Death beside me. His dark hair covered his eyes, shadows that I once saw over his face and body now come to light with the golden hue in the room. When I held my hand out to brush the hair from his face, I saw that my skin, once filled with mirrored light from my soul, as now filled with tiny particles of glitter more vibrant, more beautiful than I had ever seen.

I blinked several times and ignored it and moved the hair from his face.

“It’s always been that way,” Thanatos mumbled, running his finger across my skin. “It’s just now you have better eyesight, the sight of a goddess.”

A goddess?

“Good, you haven’t lost your ability to tell me what you are thinking,” he hummed.

I pulled the sheets of the bed lower to see the rest of my body, to check for differences.

Thanatos continued, ”However, your soul doesn”t mirror itself anymore. Your soul is radiating on the outside of your body now. You bare your soul for all.”

I touched my neck with my fingers then ran it between my breasts. A symbol laid imbedded in my skin.

“Ah, and this is your brand. Each mated pair has one. This is a poppy, my brother’s is a poppy as well.” Thanatos traced the poppy on my chest. “I’m guessing it is because we are twins. My poppy is slightly wilted, while his is more vibrant.

I reached out and pulled down the sheet covering his chest, too eager to see what his symbol holds that represented me. And on his chest were two clouds parted, hiding a moon, burned into his skin with gold.

“What goddess am I then?” I whispered, tracing the lines of his skin.

He groaned and grabbed my wrists. “Careful, treasure, not unless you are ready for round fifteen?”

Gods, we did not do it fifteen times.

I squeezed my thighs together, and he pulls me closer and leaves a lingering kiss on my forehead.

“I’ve believed, for a time now, that you are the light of the darkness. Not just metaphorically, but physically and also spiritually.”

I blinked up at him, bury my nose into his neck.

“My treasure, you brought the best in me forward. You have shown me love. You have brought light in Hypnos, made him laugh and find himself again. You have also given Hera truth, even when she was not looking for it. Hera was blinded but with your urge to no longer be the wallflower—” Thanatos eyed me, “you helped unveil the darkest of secrets from Medusa. It will result in a new friendship and understanding between Zeus and Hera. Most of all, Zeus might get the closure he needs.”

I frowned and held onto Thanatos tighter.

“And then, instead of judging Hera for ignoring the signs of Zeus being drugged, and ignoring his pleas, you comforted her. You gave her compassion. You are the light, the bringer of truth and dark secrets. It’s been there all along. Even when you were human, you never did like to keep your thoughts to yourself,” he chuckled.

I pursed my lips together. “I kept some things.”

Thanatos hummed into my hair. “Yes, I know you did. That is neither here nor there. I know those things now. Now that we are one, we share the same memories. If you dug deep enough, you could pull all of my memories and I can pull from yours, my treasure. Unless you tell me, I will not do so, but I know how you were captured.

That was what I wanted kept hidden the most. It was my darkest secret. I never received an invitation on Christmas day to spend time with either family almost four years ago. It was heart breaking, I remember looking at my phone and I promised myself I wouldn’t call to ask if it was a mistake.

Instead, I took four different buses to get to my mother’s home. I always felt closer to her, even if she never thought much of me. It was a wintry mix of snow, ice, and rain. I bundled myself up the best I could, a few presents in a large bag I had with me.

I should have called, I should have warned them. Instead, I walked up the icy steps and knocked on the door on Christmas night, wanting to just be a part of the Christmas day tradition and partake in the evening meal.

My stepbrother and sister opened the door, shock written on their faces. They called for my mom and when she answered, she frowned.

It was then I knew I wasn’t welcome anymore. They really didn’t forget; they just didn’t want me. I left the bag of presents on the doorstep without exchanging any words, and then I turned and walked away.

Once I heard the door shut, I snuck to the window and watched them open the presents I’d given them. They didn’t mind keeping what was there for them, but my presence was too much of a reminder for my mom. The mistake she made from so long ago.

I cried outside that window, thinking what a waste of space I was. I remember asking the universe why I was even born, why did I have to suffer when no one wanted me. How pathetic I must have looked on that street in the cold, looking in at a family that was happy and warm.

Tears filled my eyes, and one escaped, rolling down my cheek.

“Shh now,” Thanatos cooed. “Never again will you deal with that dreadful family. She was but a vessel to bring your body into this world. You were always meant to be mine, the gods are your family. Your life givers will pay for leaving you in the cold.”

I shook my head. “You can’t kill off everyone that makes me upset. That isn’t right. People are allowed to make choices.” I brushed away my tears.

“Anyone who hurts my mate deserves to rot in the bowels of the beast, and they will pay when the Fates cut their threads, mark my words, Juniper.”

I giggled. “But not before then. We can’t get you in trouble.”

Thanatos huffed. “I can’t help it if they accidentally get pushed into oncoming traffic.”

Before I could argue, Fluffy whined at the end of the bed, two front paws lifted, and an enormous nose resembling a black truffle followed. He whined again and huffed, slapping his paw on the bed.

“What does he want?” Thanatos pulled me impossibly closer and growled at him.

Oh my gosh, you banged me into oblivion. Does he still need to establish some dominance?

I nipped at his neck and let my gold fingernails run down his chest. “Fluffy is lonely. We’ve ignored him for days. He just wants cuddles, too.”

Fluffy’s ears perked up, and he took it as an invitation to jump on the bed. I burst out laughing and quickly pulled the sheets up over my body to avoid being attacked while naked. Thanatos’ eyes widened, and he jumped on top of me. Both bodies lying kisses of either tongue or lips and instead of a lazy morning—or afternoon—I was smothered with more love that I’d ever had in my human life.

Hera, Athena, and Zeus walked out of Hades’ office. Zeus was definably the most uncomfortable one out of the three. His shirt was untucked, his hair an obvious mess, and his face was bright red.

Athena adjusted her glasses and whispered to Zeus. “I wish you had told me this earlier Zeus. We could have discussed this for years.”

Zeus didn’t look at her. He ran his fingers through his messy hair. “Not that anyone would have believed me anyway,” he muttered. “But thanks.”

Zeus met my eyes and gave me a side smile and walked toward me. He left the other women behind, but Hera called out to him again. Her hand reached for him but didn’t touch him. “Zeus?” He turned, but his eyes didn’t reach hers. “I’m truly sorry I didn’t believe you.”

Zeus nodded.

“It was for the best. You were to be with Michael all along. It was best it worked out the way it did.”

“Not–not the way you were—” Hera swallowed heavily, her fingers pulling at her robes.

Zeus held up his hand to stop her. “No–I deserved it. For treating you the way I did years ago. It was my punishment.”

Athena stepped forward. “It still is punishment.”

“And you never,” Hera swallowed. “You haven’t been with anyone?”

Zeus looked away. “Not since I swore to you, I would not be with another. Twenty years before the Medusa incident and thereafter. I’m a flirt, but I haven’t felt the heat of another man or woman since.”

A tear slid down Hera’s face.

“How does his dick not fall off?” Loki whispered to me.

“I’m sure he masturbates,” Lucifer whispered behind him. “His balls would explode.”

I rolled my eyes and walked toward Zeus. I could still feel his power radiating in the hallway, but not nearly as powerful as when I was a human. I had felt a beckoning call from across the room and when I stood in front of him, he gave me a smirk and nodded.

“You are getting the hang of the goddess thing. Great job,” he said.

Thanatos’ hand wrapped around my waist, my glowing skin brightening his ebony feathers. “What can we do for you, Zeus?”

Zeus shook his head. “Nothing, I’m here to thank Juniper. Thanks to your help, I no longer have to carry the burden. You brought forth a hidden secret that makes me not look as terrible,” he chuckled. “You don’t need to be spreading it around, though. It’s for Hera and the family of the Underworld.”

“Don’t you want people to know you didn’t cheat on Hera after you promised her you wouldn’t?” I asked.

Zeus casually slipped his large, calloused hands into the deep pockets of his worn-out dress slacks. “I could. But where is the fun in that?” he winked. “Congrats on your bonding, I’ll see you at the party. I heard Dionysus has big plans for the God of Death and The Goddess of Revelations. Something about Truth Tonics for the adults and Life or Death games for the kiddies.” He smiled.

And with that he strode down the hallway without a backwards glance and slowly disappeared into nothingness like he was never here.

Thanatos’ wings surrounded me as we gazed down the hallway. We had a silent conversation between ourselves. It was strange we could communicate with each other without even talking, but we both knew why he didn’t want people to know that Medusa had taken advantage of him.

It wasn”t common for a male to be overpowered by a female, or at least it wasn”t reported as often—or believed. Look what happens when someone reports it. No one believed him, and even someone that he trusted. How many others, even humans, has this happened to? Been drugged? Taken advantage of? Coerced? An icy shiver ran down my spine at that and it made me hurt more for him.

“He will be okay,” Thanatos whispered. “Fate is humbling him. Zeus used to be hotheaded, and even though he has suffered much more than any of us could have imagined, he will heal and come back to be the king of the gods we all need.”

“Do you really believe that?” I leaned on Thanatos.

I’ve heard the guards and demons over the past two weeks. They make fun of him. They call him brash, not to be taken seriously. Even Hera helps run the Celestial Kingdom from time to time when he is in over his head, but he’s been doing more than of late from what I’m told. It’s all because of a certain human female that is supposedly his mate that ran from him.

“I do,” Thanatos said with certainty. “For the longest time, I didn’t think I needed a mate.”

I eyed him and poked his cheek. “Oh, really now? Mr. I-can’t-be-out-of-your-cunt-for-more-than-two-hours?”

Thanatos’ face turned bright red beneath his hood as Uriel giggles from the corner of the room.

“I’ve never said such a thing.” He cleared his throat.

“You don’t have to say it, I can feel it here.” I cupped between my legs. “Even for a goddess, I thought I’d heal faster, but I’m still wobbling around like a penguin with ice cubes between its legs.”

“Nooo,” Uriel interrupts. “It’s an egg. Penguins walk around with an egg between their legs. Oh, are you going to have babies now!?” She jumps up and down, clapping her hands.

Thanatos and I both shake our heads quickly.

“No, I don’t want to share yet!” Thanatos wraps a wing around me. “A baby will require sustenance and I do not want to have to–you know.”

“Ah, the boobies.” Uriel nods. “Luci doesn’t want to share the boobies either. They are his human pacis he says. He loves to suck on them to go to sleep. In fact, I don’t think he can go to sleep without them. Sometimes he kneaded them like a kitten like this.” Uriel massages her breasts in front of us, I can’t stop watching while Thanatos looks everywhere but Uriel.

“Uriel!” Lucifer roared from across the room.

She has fantastic boobs.

“See? He doesn’t even like me playing with them and they are on my body!”