Chapter 19

19

Nemea

I blink my eyes open in the pre-dawn light, the soft sheets beneath me and a strong arm draped over my waist hauling me back to reality. Alcides’ steady breathing tickles the back of my neck, and for a moment, I just let myself enjoy the warmth and safety his presence offers. It’s strange waking up in his bed, feeling well-rested, when the last thing I remember is drifting off from near-exhaustion beside Cerberus in my sanctuary.

Turning in his embrace, I face Alcides. His features are relaxed in sleep, a rare sight for someone who always seems to be carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. His hair is tousled, making him look less like a demigod and more like... just a man. A very attractive man, but still.

I should feel weird about this whole setup, but honestly? The weirdness train left the station a long time ago. Now I’m just rolling with whatever bizarre situation life—or fate—throws at me.

Alcides stirs, his eyelids fluttering open to reveal those deep eyes that seem to see all the way to my soul. He tightens his hold for a second before letting go and propping himself up on one elbow.

“Morning,” he grumbles, voice thick with sleep. He’s not much of a morning person either, I guess.

“Hey,” I reply, pushing myself up to sit. “Where’s Campe?”

He rubs a hand over his face before answering. “She had to take care of something for Vesh. Said she’d meet you on the training grounds later.”

My mind flashes to last night—the second round of crazy-intense sex with Campe, and her reluctant departure when Cerberus came for another taste. I hope whatever business she has with Vesh doesn’t ruin the afterglow for her.

Alcides is watching me now with a curious tilt to his head, as if he can tell I’m thinking about Campe and not him. Which is awkward, though I know it shouldn’t be. None of them were under any illusions about what we meant to each other last night when they were taking turns fucking me. I think a few of them were fucking each other too.

“So…” I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand up. “We’re back in training mode today?”

“Yeah.” He gets up too, moving with that grace that seems innate to beings like him—like gravity has a different hold on them or something. Even his thick, flaccid cock seems oddly graceful when he pulls on his trousers. My cheeks heat when he catches me staring. In an amused tone, he adds, “Mel has organized some combat drills that’ll test your agility and hand-eye coordination. Fighting practice, basically.”

I nod while hunting for my clothes, which are thankfully laid out neatly on a chair. No awkward post-coital scavenger hunts here—a perk of being bonded to creatures whose jobs are as strict as the military, I guess.

Dressed in a similar training uniform to yesterday, I follow Alcides out of the small cottage. By the time we reach the training grounds, the sun is barely peeking over the horizon, burning off the mist that settled over the compound during the night.

I can’t help but feel a twinge of anticipation mixed with anxiety as we walk down the foggy path. There’s so much riding on my shoulders now; it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. But then I think about last night—the bonds formed and strengthened, and the depth of my well of power now, lying dormant but ready for me to call on at a whim—and something inside me settles.

But when we reach the far end of the training field, it’s eerily silent. The stillness prickles at my skin, the fog hanging heavier around us. I can’t shake the feeling of being watched. Alcides stands beside me, his club always in hand—a silent, comforting presence.

Two shadows move through the mist like wraiths, darting just outside my field of vision. I barely have time to register their presence before they’re on us. Instinct kicks in, and I duck as Mel swings at me with a huge sword. A real fucking sword.

The horned shadow from the other side darts in, already swinging another sword. Campe’s iridescent eyes flash with fire when I manage to dodge her attack too, my body already flush with adrenaline though my power remains banked for now.

Alcides steps aside, leaving me weaponless and facing two of the most formidable fighters I know.

“Seriously?” I spit out, dodging another swing by the skin of my teeth. Anger flares inside me at Alcides for backing off and throwing me into this alone.

“You’re the one in training, Nemea, not me!” he calls from well out of the danger zone. I feel like I’m dancing inside a Cuisinart.

Mel is relentless, her strikes precise and forceful. I fail to dodge one, and I’m forced to raise my forearm to protect my head. The sword strikes home. I expect pain, but at the last second a surge of violet energy pulses out through my arm, shielding me from the blow.

I’m just as surprised as Mel by the flash of magic, but it’s enough to distract her, and I manage to grab her wrist with my other hand, wrenching the sword from her grip and tossing it aside—it’s not like I know how to use it properly, anyway.

But Campe is another story. She barrels toward me, a whirlwind of power and precision, her movements as fluid and unstoppable as a raging river. I dodge her strike and try to disarm her like I did Mel, but she only laughs, dropping her sword and grappling with me as if weapons are only an afterthought.

With a sweep of her leg, my feet fly out from under me and I hit the grassy ground. Her hands, callused and unyielding, nearly pin me, the weight of her strength pressing down like a tidal wave. My heart races, pounding against my ribcage like a trapped bird, and frustration simmers into a desperate need to prove myself.

Her scent, a mix of leather and something distinctly draconic, fills my nostrils, mingling with the metallic tang of sweat and the verdant aroma of disturbed grass. The world narrows to the ferocious gleam in her eyes, and the taste of adrenaline sharpens on my tongue. She’s fucking magnificent, even if her ferocity and grace in battle makes me feel inadequate, but it’s some small ego boost that I’ve kept up with her so far.

I finally manage to throw her off and leap back up, only to have both women circling me, weaponless, but clearly ready for round two.

“Use your powers!” Alcides yells from the sidelines, his voice urgent.

I hesitate, not sure where that first reflexive show of power came from and fearing I’ll lose control and hurt them. But Campe charges me again with a roar, her dragon eyes flashing and her horns glinting in the glow of the rising sun. With a grunt, I shove her back with one hand while deliberately calling up my magic.

It’s clumsy and raw—nothing like Vesh’s refined displays—but it does the job. A bolt of chaotic energy surges from my palm, slamming into Campe and knocking her back several steps.

“Tickles,” she taunts as she makes her way toward me again, pausing as Mel swings a roundhouse kick at my head. I pivot instinctively, shooting another bolt from my hand. It feels more focused this time and hits Mel squarely in the chest, making her fly back several yards before she falls to the ground, unmoving.

Guilt stabs at me; I never wanted to hurt anyone. I drop my hands to run to her, but Campe’s in my path almost instantly.

“Don’t let your guard down!” Campe barks as she charges again.

“But she’s hurt!” I yell, frantic to check on Mel. Alcides is at her side, kneeling and peering down at her. She still doesn’t move at first, then bends one knee and raises a hand to her head. She says something to Alcides, waving her hand, but doesn’t rise immediately. He doesn’t look worried when he joins the fray a moment later.

“She’s fine, just dazed,” he reports, even as he swings his club in sync with Campe’s reclaimed sword. It’s like they’re one entity—two nearly invincible forces pressing in on me from all sides.

They’re even more perfectly coordinated than Mel and Campe were, which stands to reason since they’ve fought together for eons. I’m dodging and weaving between them, throwing punches laced with chaos magic that barely connect, but somehow get better with every strike. The fight is charged with an electric current that’s about more than just winning—it’s about connection, and proving myself worthy of their companionship.

The power charging through my veins isn’t just coming from me, I realize. It’s feeding off them too, flowing from them to me.

Campe’s raw power is mesmerizing; every move she makes is a testament to her strength and beauty. And Alcides—he’s a pillar of strength, his power almost tangible in the air between us. But both their skills are reflected back at them as if they’re a part of me.

As we clash together again and again in our deadly dance, memories from last night flood my senses—the feel of their skin against mine, the taste of their lips. The distraction costs me as I falter under the weight of their combined assault. My arms both come up to block their dual attacks, my skin shimmering with purple light that captures their weapons in a tight hold a millimeter from my flesh.

Locked in a stalemate between Alcides’ club and Campe’s sword, our breaths mingling in the charged air, something shifts. Alcides’ eyes darken with something other than battle lust; he leans in close and captures my lips with his own—a fierce kiss that speaks volumes.

Campe follows suit without hesitation when Alcides releases my mouth, her lips pressing against mine with an urgency that matches my own growing need.

In that moment of heated desire, there’s only one place I want to be. With a thought and a pulse of energy, we’re enveloped in a swirl of magic and teleported away from the training field, back to my secret dimension where no one can disturb us.