for them there, tucked safely away and protected.
She wanted to show them that just as they had grown into strong, capable warriors, she had too.
“Hypnos came by to visit,” she said.
“I know,” he grumbled and his expression must have blackened because a little crease formed between her fair eyebrows. “Mother mentioned he has been visiting you.”
“Visiting me?” She frowned properly now and then something lit her eyes and she sighed. “Your mother is trouble. She teases you too much, putting thoughts into your head that are harmful. Hypnos came to see you and left as soon as he realised you had not returned yet. We barely exchanged pleasantries… and besides… why would I want him when I have you? I mean no offence to your twin, but you, my handsome god of death, are the only one for me.”
“What if something happened to me?” He flinched as he let that slip out.
Her look darkened, a flicker of red chasing around her pupils. “Then I would go into the veil and bring you back. I want no other. You are not Hypnos, and Hypnos is not you… and you are the only one for me.”
She put more force behind those words this time, driving them home, making him believe them.
He dipped his head and captured her lips again, kissing her softly this time, relishing every light brush of her mouth over his and how she sank against him, melting in his embrace. A shiver rolled down his spine as she feathered her fingers across his nape, heat blooming in its wake, and he tightened one arm around her back and dropped his other hand to her bottom. She gasped into his mouth as he clutched it, kissed him harder and gripped his nape, holding him to her.
His possessive little goddess.
She had shown him more than once that there was a darker, more dominant side to her just as there was to her brothers and her father. A wickedly possessive side. It had come out around her brothers’ females too, whenever any of them dared to gaze upon him or say anything kind about him. His little goddess didn’t like to share.
He didn’t like to share either.
He wrapped his wings around her, concealing her from view even though there wasn’t a soul for miles, keeping her to himself.
When he focused to teleport, to whisk her to their bedroom, she tensed and pushed back.
“Wait.” Her blue eyes were hooded, hazy with desire that said she didn’t want to wait, that she needed him as fiercely as he needed her, but there was a spark in them too, a light that shone like a beacon to him, drawing him towards her.
Making him curious.
She pushed from his arms and he growled and unfurled his wings, tried to grab hold of her but she pirouetted around his hand, evading him. Her smile was teasing, tempting, luring him into following her as she bounded away from him. If she wanted him to chase her, then he would.
And he would win.
He beat his wings and shot after her, swept around her and landed before her and she gasped, her blue eyes widening and a horrified look crossing her face. Not because he had startled her.
Her gaze fell to his feet and relief washed across her delicate features. “Oh, thank the gods. I thought I was going to have to kill you there for a moment.”
Thanatos looked down at the pointed toes of his metal boots.
Blinked.
Calindria crouched and reached her hands forwards, carefully ghosted them over the small bush he had almost crushed in his haste to capture her, and then looked up at him. Her smile was dazzling.
He smiled back at her as he eased to his knees before the thorny black bush and saw why she was so happy.
It bore an onyx rose.
Her first bloom.
She had been trying so hard to make something other than bushes, brambles and vines over the last few weeks, wanting to be able to use her powers over nature to make the things her mother could. Flowers had been at the top of her list, and whenever she had failed, she had grown quiet and withdrawn, and he’d had his work cut out for him. Making her believe she would manage it one day had been growing harder and harder, and gods, he was glad she had finally produced her first flower.
He hated seeing her depressed.
Wanted her to always smile like this.
“It is beautiful,” he murmured and she glanced at him, and