by A. K. Koonce
Suddenly, he didn’t seem nearly as sweet and innocent as I’d thought. It was Zavier’s cock I was settled over.
…Then where was Ashton?
Calloused palms pushed over my shoulder blades, kneading lightly against my shoulders before sweeping my hair back. His lips were gentle against my skin. Warm breaths fanned across my neck. Slow kisses tormented my skin as his lips trailed slowly along the curve of my lower neck before sweeping his tongue across my throat and sucking lightly.
A sigh parted my lips and the moment it did Zavier’s mouth covered mine. His tongue met mine with rolling strokes that had me moaning into him.
His nails dug into my flesh and he rocked my hips against his. My clit pressed hard against his jeans. Darkness surrounded my vision, and my lashes fluttered closed against it.
Part of me wondered if either of them would have the courage to do this if I wasn’t blind folded. Does it make it easier that it was a sort of sexy surprise? Or did they keep secrets just like I did? Was this something they both wanted?
I pushed all the thoughts aside.
My hands skimmed down his hard chest until my fingertips met the button of his jeans. Rough palms pushed beneath my dress, cupping my breasts. His palms covered them completely as he pushed hard enough for my back to hit his smooth chest.
Every single touch was intensified. Heavy breaths fanned against my spine, sending tingles across my flesh. Their demanding hands were gentle and caressing, but painful and controlling all at the same time.
My hand slipped beneath his thin boxers. A groan shook from Zavier’s chest as my palm pushed across the smooth head of his dick.
The moment my fingers wrapped around his hard length, a knock came pounding against the door.
The three of us stilled against each other. Only the sounds of our heavy breaths filled the silence for a moment.
“Go the fuck away.” Ashton called out as his palm skimmed down the span of my stomach. The cotton of my dress was smooth against my skin as his hand trailed down my body. His long fingers pushed over my underwear, cupping my sex until I rocked against his hand. The moan that tore from my throat was shaking and weak.
We need to talk.
Alex’s stern voice inside my head cleared away the lusty haze within my mind. My spine stiffened. My body halted against theirs.
“Are you okay, Pan--Hope?” Zavier’s hold on me became more gentle. His palms pushed down my thighs to an almost platonic position on my knees.
Pandora, it’s important.
It wasn’t irrational anger like I’d heard a thousand times in Alex’s voice.
It was worry.
The worry in his tone was enough to make fear crawl through my stomach.
Silence was heavy in the room. No one spoke for so long I forgot they were even waiting on me to reply.
With anxiety shaking through me, I pushed from between their bodies. Ashton’s fingers laced with mine for only a second before I pulled away from him.
“Hope, I’m sorry. Wait.” Ashton’s voice trailed after me. I threw the dark cloth covering my eyes to the floor just as I slammed the door behind me.
Alex wasn’t there. The hall was empty. Gray walls were all that greeted me.
I waited for his voice to return to me. To whisper through my thoughts.
But he wasn’t there.
And then I ran.
I ran to the god who I wanted so badly to avoid before.
Chapter Seventeen
This corridor was starting to look familiar and I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Wait. Yes, I could. I just didn't want to accept the truth.
Grinding to a halt, I stood in front of a battered wooden door with a small hole covered in bars for a window.
I knew it almost as well as I knew my own hand. Probably better if I thought about it. The only difference was that I knew it from the other side.
"Want to take a peek, my dear?"
I shivered as Zeus' voice rang through my ears.
"I'll pass, thank you," I replied as politely as possible. I might have been defying a god, but I hadn't lost all of my senses.
"I really suggest you do." His voice was sweet but I could hear the menacing edge. He almost wanted me to disobey so he could do something about it.
Dread unfurled in my stomach. I wasn't quite sure what I'd find when I looked inside the room that served as the inside of my box, but I knew it wouldn't be good. Zeus wouldn't be here if it was.
Lifting myself up on my toes, I peered through the small window.
Sorry. Alex's single word filled my mind.
I tried to keep a straight face but really, I wanted to cry. What was he doing in there? We didn't see eye to eye on things all the time, sure, but I'd never wish my box on anyone.
"How long has he been in there?" I whispered.
"Long enough." Zeus clicked his fingers and the corridor transformed into his throne room before I could even blink.
I clutched my stomach, the sudden movements appearing to have made me sick.
"Why?" My voice cracked as I asked. Damn Zeus and his meddling. What had I ever done to him? Opening the box in the first place had been a trap. I might not have had a clue about what would happen when I did, but I wasn't naive enough to think the gods hadn't been well aware.
"You weren't doing your job, Pandora." There was more menace in his voice. "And as much as I like watching you make men squirm, that's not what I sent you to Earth for."
"Then why did you send me there?"
His wording played on my mind. He sent me there. Not the gods in general. Which probably meant they'd been overruled by the father of all. That was right on character to be fair.
"Maybe I just want to watch you squirm."
"Right this second, yes, but I doubt that's why you sent me to Earth." I folded my arms under my breasts and stared at him. Maybe I shouldn't have been so bold, but realistically, I didn't have anything to lose.
Zeus clicked his fingers again, and one of his guards appeared. I didn't recognize him, which meant he was one of the minor gods, like Alex. Or maybe even a demi-god. I was very out of the loop in god culture, so had no idea where anyone stood.
"Bring him," Zeus demanded.
Ah, shit. I wasn't sure I could face Alex right now. How could I when it was my fault he'd been locked in my box?
The lesser god disappeared, only to pop up mere seconds later with a bedraggled looking Alex in tow. His hands were in manacles, his face smeared with dirt. Was that how I'd looked when the gods brought me before them?
"How long have you had him?" I demanded of Zeus.
Not too long, dear. The voice sounding in my mind definitely belonged to my god, but somehow, I knew it was actually Zeus speaking. The bastard.
"How long?" I repeated, gritting my teeth.
"Only last night," Zeus replied, studying his nails.
"Then how..."
"Have you forgotten the magic of your box so easily?" Zeus raised an eyebrow and gave me a bored look.
I wasn't sure why he was bothering with me if he didn't find me interesting enough to play with.
"No."
"If I recall correctly, it took you minutes to look this way. Hours to stop sniveling and crying. And what was it? Three days until you stopped the shouting?"
I glared at the king of the gods. The last thing I wanted to do was remember the mess I'd been when I was first locked away.
"I was disappointed when you decided to just accept your fate," he mused.
"My apologies," I bit out.
"That's okay, my dear."
"Why do I get the feeling it's not?" I didn't even try to hide the sarcasm in my tone. He didn't deserve niceties anymore.
"Because I just subjected dear Alexius to the same torment."
This was bad. Very bad.
"But just for a day?" I clarified. How the Hades had I gone from hot and heavy with two sexy humans to being mentally toyed with by the gods?
Oh, yes. I was Pan
dora, bringer of miseries. This was just my life.
"To you, yes. To him...not so much."
Shit.
"How long?" I crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping he wasn't going to say centuries. I was a prime example of what that could do to a person.
"Just a couple of years. I'm gracious enough to offer you a choice."
A couple of years? Alex had gone through a couple of years’ worth of being in my box? I was so caught up on that thought I almost didn't consider it could mean I'd spent less physical time in the box than I thought. Then again, after the first week, I didn't think it really mattered.
"What's the choice?" I asked, already dreading his answer. There was no way this could end well for all the parties involved.
"I'm glad you asked." Zeus clicked his fingers again and a young goddess appeared, holding a dish of figs.
The look Zeus gave her left no doubt in my mind he'd not brought her here for the food.
Why wasn't I surprised.
"No," I blurted out. Not if it was the only way of living.
"Oh, Pandora. If you think I'd lower myself to that, you have another thing coming."
"You'd take anything with a hole," I threw back. Even the humans seemed to be aware of that little tidbit.
"But not you," Zeus countered. "You're dismissed. Wait for me in my chambers," he said to the goddess. She disappeared seconds later.
I barely refrained from rolling my eyes. I knew what he was doing. This was all about power and intimidation.
"So, what do you want?"
"An extra misery."
No. He couldn't do that. Could he?
"In return, I'll give Alex back to you."
Indecision warred within me. I should save Alex. I really should. But could I condemn another person for that?
Saying that, I didn’t really intend on catching the first three, so agreeing to the fourth wouldn’t be too bad, right?
No. I couldn’t do it. When I’d agreed to trap the original three miseries, I didn’t actually know what I was getting myself into. This time I really would be selling someone’s soul.
“Don’t do it,” Alex croaked, making me jump slightly.
I wasn’t sure why, but I hadn’t expected him to say anything.
“I didn’t invite you to speak,” Zeus said, sounding more bored than anything. Apparently, anger was beyond him at this point.
“Can I talk to Alexius alone?” I requested.
Zeus raised an eyebrow. “Very well. I have a goddess to see to.”
He disappeared before I could reply. I rolled my eyes.
“I’m surprised he left us.” Alex sounded in pain, and I longed to give him something to drink. Unfortunately, Zeus hadn’t provided anything. Probably on purpose. He’d done the same when the gods had first talked to me.
“He’ll still be listening,” I replied.
“Of course. He has ears everywhere.”
“Apparently, in my head too,” I added, a little forlorn over the circumstances. It was bad enough knowing Alex had a shortcut into my head. Zeus being able to use that pathway… I shuddered. That wasn’t the most pleasant of realizations.
“I’m sorry,” blurted Alex.
“For what?” I cocked my head to the side and studied him intently.
“Everything.”
“How specific.” The sarcasm that crept into my voice was completely unintentional, but it did kind of fit.
“I just mean for being so cruel to you before. If I’d realized…”
“Ah, I see. You went through a fraction of what I did, and now you think you understand it.” I flared my nostrils, and my palms itched.
“That’s not what…”
“Isn’t it?” I demanded, the volume of my voice rising a few notches as I spoke.
“No.” He sounded a little dejected, and I sighed in response.
“I’m sorry for shouting.”
“You don’t need to be sorry,” he countered. “You’re right. I thought I understood already. But I can’t possibly.”
“Besides, you’re a god, you can’t understand the cruelty of your kind.” While my words should have been cutting, they actually came out a lot softer than anticipated. More miserable than anything else. Which I supposed did make at least a little sense.
“I’d say that, as a god, I have the best understanding of my kind’s cruelty,” he muttered. “We have no respect for friendship or family ties. Nor even for lovers. We’ll betray, and use, and belittle at will because, in a few centuries, all will be forgiven.”
“But this time, you bore the brunt of it.” I was bitter, I wouldn’t deny it. But I did think it was well placed.
“Yes, this time I bore the brunt of it. But this time is different for another reason,” he stated. “This time, I know someone trying to break free of the gods’ hold.”
His eyes bored into mine and I found myself getting lost in them without even meaning to. It wasn’t my intention to fall for Alex, but the sincerity in his eyes was hard to ignore. As was the lingering emotion there I didn’t want to name. It was too scary to.
“And that means leaving you here?” I lifted an eyebrow as I whispered.
“Yes. Don’t force this on anyone you don’t have to.”
I snorted. “So, it’s martyr time? I hate to break it to you, but the legends have changed. Doing something heroic no longer gets your name in the history books. But you should know that. You were on Earth with me.”
He hung his head, looking a little ashamed of himself. Good. He should be.
“Zeus!” I called out. “I’ve made my decision.”
Within seconds there was a crackle through the air, and the king of the gods appeared back on his throne. Unfortunately for me, he seemed to have lost clothing while he was gone.
“And?”
“A misery in return for Alex,” I said loudly, ignoring the god’s gasp from behind me.
“Very good.”
“But on my own terms. There’s no time limit to collect.”
Zeus’ eyes narrowed. “No.”
I didn’t answer and just waited for him to say more.
“A human month,” Zeus said eventually. “No more.”
“Fine.” I scowled. This wasn’t exactly what I had planned.
Zeus waved his hand and a corresponding clank sounded. That would be Alex’s manacles then. At least he’d be free. We could work on the rest after we were back on Earth.
I turned away from Zeus, hoping that if I headed toward the exit, I’d magically be transported back to Earth. It was a pretty safe bet.
“Oh, and Pandora?”
I turned around, meeting his gaze dead on and trying not to recoil. “Yes?”
“Don’t even think about crossing me. If you do, the time you spent in your box will seem like child’s play.”
“Duly noted.” I nodded once.
Noted. But also ignored. There was no fucking way I was doing what Zeus wanted. He wouldn’t be getting four miseries. He wouldn’t even be getting one. Not if I had anything to do with it. If it was the last thing I did, I’d ensure he couldn’t continue his reign of torture.
Chapter Eighteen
The hard tile of the hotel hall hit my knees. The gods threw us back down with more force than the first time. I gasped as the pain slammed through my body. But my breath was quickly forgotten as my eyes landed on the glossy box placed precisely between Alex and me.
My fingers trembled as my hand lifted. Anger shot through my body, and I couldn’t contain it as my shaking hand skimmed across the top of the pretty little memento.
That was what it was; a moment of my shitty life.
The hall light glinted across Alex’s eyes as he lifted them to watch me with interest. He didn’t speak one word as I ran my palm across the sharp angles of the box between us.
My jaw clenched tightly together. Before I could think better of it, my fingers gripped around the edge and I threw the box against the wall with as much forc
e as I possessed. It hit hard. The force of it shattered the delicate object. Pieces of my little box sliced through the air, clattering along the floor in sparkling slices of alluring beauty.
Alex never flinched away from my outburst.
My lips pursed with satisfaction. But it was short-lived.
In an instant the pieces quivered, trembling against the floor until they flew perfectly into place.
Once again, the daunting little box sat before me.
Sharp nails dug into my palm as anger ripped through my chest.
With more force, I gripped the edge and threw it into the wall. Another shattering display of my anger rained down to the floor.
A single second passed before the box scurried back together again.
Again, and again, and again, I destroyed the gift from the gods.
And again, and again, and again, it pulled itself together to torment me with the immortality of my imprisonment.
Irrationally I gripped the edge and slammed my hand against the wall. The pain of the destruction cut through my palm until warm blood crawled down my arm. The pieces pulled right from my skin just to seal themselves back together with my own flesh and blood.
“Pandora, stop.” His echoing words drifted up the open space, rumbling through the room and into my chest.
My gaze lifted until I was looking up at Zavier.
His frame filled the doorway. Dark and worried eyes searched my fallen face. He studied me so intently it was hard for me to even notice I had a larger audience.
Ashton peered questioningly around his friend, his gaze flickering over the blood dripping from my palm.
I was crazy. He must have thought I was fucking crazy.
He had no idea just how crazy I was. Mentally insane would have been a more accurate phrase.
Zavier kneeled low, his big palms pushed across my knuckles. His fingers swept over my shaking hands and warm blood.
“Come back inside.” His whisper quieted the rage crashing down within me.
I didn’t nod, but he didn’t wait for me to, either.