Page 319 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
The outline of his large, flaccid cock can clearly be discerned beneath the swimming trunks plastered to his body. Persephone may as well be salivating in response with how openly she wears her desire.
Mors bends to collect the fish and speargun. Upon straightening, he catches theneedin Persephone’s eyes. The look he gives her is downright devilish. “Is my queen hungry?”
Sacred fuck, you could the sexual tension in the air with a butter knife.
Before Persephone can reply, I interject. “I’m going for a swim.”
All the way back to shore.
Persephone and Mors’ features tighten with concern, earlier lust dissipating.
“Are you sure that’s safe? What if you get carried off on a current?”
I huff a laugh. “There’s nary a breeze, darling. What current?” I toss a glance towards their house. “Besides, we’re within swimming distance of the shore.”
Before they can argue any further, I dive into the water.
Something in my chest eases the moment the cool water embraces me, and I feel that much closer to whatever—whoever—it is I sense is missing.
AZRAEL
LATER THAT NIGHT
After a long day in the sun, sleep finds me easily. I’m in the half-waking, half-sleeping state when I feel the air pressure in the room change. My skin prickles against a foreign magic, and awareness drags me away from encroaching slumber. The bedside lamp flicks on at the same moment my eyes pop open to find...
Mareina?
Unease has my muscles tensing as I sit up in bed.
Arms folded across her chest, she’s perched with a hip on the edge of the writing desk, one leg swinging lazily off the edge. Though she’s still dressed in fighting leathers, only two daggers are sheathed at her thighs.
Her expression is calm, but unreadable. “I have something for you.”
Intuition tells me it isn’t anything pleasant. I mask my discomfort with humor, arching an eyebrow and feigning surprise.
“A gift? Por moi?”
She huffs a laugh, though no smile accompanies it.
“Indeed. But I need to show you something first.”
Alarm rings in the back of my mind.
She straightens and takes measured steps towards me. “Something from your... past life. Before your little swim in the river.”
My past?
Despite everything inside me screaming against it, my curiosity is too great.
Standing beside the bed, she offers me her hand, and I look down to find the tattoo-like visage of a dark red serpent slithering down her arm. Sentient eyes watch me. Waiting. “To bridge our minds.”
Before I can think better of it, my hand engulfs hers. Goosebumps erupt as the serpent travels from her hand to mine, coiling its way around my arm until it reaches my neck, my head, and suddenly, I’m no longer sitting in one of Mors and Persephone’s guest bedrooms.
Five red suns hang in the sky, casting unsettling light over an arid battlefield.
Horror fills me as I watchmyselfslaughtering soldiers in droves.
Akash almighty.
