Page 169 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
That fucking rug.
My mind reels at all his reflections, but I am all too familiar with just how swiftly someone can alter course given the right opportunity.
“And what if we paid her a visit on our way? You said you know where she is…”
Azrael’s eyes roll in the back of his head as he gives a dramatic groan, grinning as his tone remains light. Playful. Free of the venom that might suggest he harbors any resentment. “And risk death by boredom at the hands of her and herothermate?”
“Other mate?”
“Persephone has twosoulbound.The other is yet another god of death. Mors.”
His jaw works as though he has more to say, but refrains. I remain silent with surprise for a few moments.
The question tumbles from my lips before I can stop it.
“Why did she reject you in the first place? Is it because she was already with Mors?”
Azrael turns away, pacing the length of the room and stopping to stare out of the window. “No. She didn’t meet him until much, much later.”
Frustration brews in my chest.
“Azrael... I need to know. Before I open myself up to you any further.”
Azrael’s voice takes on a cold, harsh tone I’ve never heard from him.
“You are bound by theaetherto complete those rites with me.”
My spine goes rigid as my temper flares. “That may be so, but I am not boundby anything to give my heart to you.”
Azrael’s broad shoulders slump in defeat. His words are barely above a whisper.
“Because of our child.”
My blood turns cold. “Pardon?”
Azrael finally turns to face me, and I don’t miss the glistening in his bright, hazel eyes.
“The child that we would have, if we were to ever be together.”
My face is no doubt lined with tension, silently urging him to explain.
“I am the God of Death and Endings, Violette. The child destined to be the fruit of our union,ifwe were to be together, would be the destroyer of worlds.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “But how could you even know? Even if you could scry such a possibility, there areinfinitevariables. You couldn’t possibly?—”
“Be that as it may, there are inevitables. And if Persephone and I were to be together, ourspawnwould mean the death of the worlds as we know them.”
Heaving a sigh, I shake my head. “I just... don’t understand how you could possibly know such a thing.”
“You are familiar with the three aspects of Time?”
I narrow my eyes, looking entirely uncertain. “Yes?”
Azrael smirks knowingly, and I relent. “No.”
“Tempus is the god of chronological, forward-moving time. Kairos—the god of opportune moments, chance, and life-altering events. And Aion is the goddess of cyclical, cosmic timing; the goddess of aeons and eras.”
“And why don’t I know of them?”
