Page 67 of Releasing the Gods
Cronus slipped his hand behind my lower back and pressed my entire body against his. “Done.”
There was blackness for a moment and then sunlight blasted into the space. I looked up and saw that we were on the beach, right in front of a ginormous luxury hotel.
I peered at the sign. Ritz Carlton Bali.
A contented sigh escaped me. “You know me so well.”
He chuckled and handed me a wad of cash. “Our bond is thinning. I don’t know why, but we should be able to be apart for a bit. Find us food. I need meat, none of that tofu crap. I’ll grab us a room.”
Room. Meat. My mind went totally in the gutter. I hadn’t forgotten my promise. I was going to make this giant god beg for it. Only then would my wounded ego be healed. Cronus stepped up to the welcome desk and I pushed our bond as far as it would go, walking ten yards to the restaurant. Part of me didn’t want to acknowledge that our bond was thinning; it made me fucking sad. Were the Fates doing it? I absentmindedly ordered him four steaks with mashed potatoes and me some steamed veggies with truffle mac and cheese to go.
I knew the world was ending and this was a very tiny pit stop to recharge, but I was really hoping I could at least take a small dip in the ocean before we had to save the world. Earth was so beautiful, and I’d traveled some of it by now so I could say that.
When I had the food, I waited on a lounge chair for Cronus to show up. I’d powered up my new phone and shook my head at the twenty thousand followers I’d amassed. Normally I’d be jumping for joy—this was a literal dream coming to life—but the memory of that town … of what Sickness did to it. I couldn’t find the same joy in that achievement.
It all just seemed so empty now.
“Ready?” Cronus’ voice pulled me from my daze
“Ready.” I stowed my phone, jumping up to follow him away from the rooms and toward the water.
“Where are we going?”
He just kept walking, not saying a word. As we turned the corner, I saw that there were three exclusive huts on the water, like on stiltsoverthe water.
“Oh my God, are we staying there?”
Please say yes.
Cronus grunted. “The rooms were all booked. These are…” he mumbled something I couldn’t hear.
“What? Speak up, dude.” I ran to get closer to him.
He stopped and sighed. “Honeymoon suites. I told them we were newlyweds so they would sell us the honeymoon suite.”
Laughter bubbled out of me. “Oh, baby, you shouldn’t have.”
A smile twitched at the corner of his lips. “Come on,” he said, leading me toward the floating cabana.
Please, God, don’t let Hyperion find the other sins for like three days, minimum.
Excitement thrummed through me as I walked over the bamboo bridge that led to our hut. This was my first time in Bali, and staying in a honeymoon cabana with this bronze god was perfect.
#LetsMakeBabyGods #BegForIt
As I stepped into the hut, the scent of jasmine lingered on the breeze, then my eyes fell on Cronus, who was aggressively wiping flower petals away from the bed sheets and onto the clear Plexiglas floor.
I snorted. “Wow, this is incredible!”
The blue crisp water beneath us was vibrant and called to me.
“Who puts petals on a bed? Honestly?” Cronus looked annoyed.
I was loving every minute of it.
“Food,” I sang, holding up the bag. Someone was hangry.
Cronus’ gaze snapped to mine. The way to this man’s heart was through his stomach.
