Page 42 of Summer's Seduction
Morpheus’s hand was in his chest before he could finish. There was a wet tearing sound, like meat ripped from the bone, and then a red, still-pumping lump fell to the floor.
The Dark Prince flitted through the rest of the crowd, ripping apart a handful of others that I had no doubt earned their deaths. It was like every thought I’d ever had about destroying those who’d hurt me had come true–And Morpheus, my Dark Prince, was the one who made it happen.
“To be silent is to be complicit,” he said, panting, towering over the trembling crowd with his black wings stretched wide as drops of blood linked together, dripping off of him in torrents. The waxing moon was rising, sitting low in the sky, and acting as the perfect backdrop for my righteous prince. Morpheus’s low voice was lethal, the bright ring of scarlet around his irises unnerving. “You’ve been warned.”
With that, the haunted crowd scurried into the trees, kicking up the scent of pine in the early evening air.
I waited until they had all left, leaving just the five of us before I spoke. “That looked personal.”
Camilla and Megara were discussing something with Artemis, but Morpheus held my gaze. His face was guarded as if I’d be anything other than proud—than honored—at what had just transpired. He stalked toward me, a vision in red, fangs gleaming in the growing moonlight.
“This is who I am, Larkspur.” His gentle words were spoken as if in a plea, begging me to see him and understand, willing me to stay.
“I see you,” I breathed, because I did. Maybe—just maybe—Morpheus was as deranged as I was, and fuck if that didn’t lessen my fear of rejection.
“And?” he purred, taking another measured step, looking as if he’d give chase if I ran.
At that moment, I wanted to. Running would turn it into a game, triggering the beast before me to hunt. My eyes dropped to his blood-splattered lips, thinking of the wicked bite of his fangs, of all the places he would mark.
A deep growl rasped in his throat as he closed the distance between us, moving quicker than I thought possible. His fingers tangled in my hair, jerking my neck back and causing my lips to open on a gasp. Morpheus halted inches from my mouth. I breathed him in as he exhaled, cheeks flaming as heat pooled between my thighs. “Careful, little monster. Or I might just eat you up.”
“Promise?” I whispered, leaning into him.
“Eww, gross,” Artemis huffed, her subtle scent of moonflowers swirling around us.
I blinked, drawing away from Morpheus. The goddess stood outside the ring of bodies, arms crossed and looking like she wasseriously contemplating putting a dagger into our chests just to be done with us. Her gaze settled on Morpheus first.
“You did well in avenging her. Asking for her blessing before making such an offering was truly inspired, but I don’t need to see all of…this. We have important matters to discuss.”
“My apologies, Lady Artemis.”
“Matters?” I asked at the same time. “Is this about Hypnos?”
She nodded slowly as Morpheus and I picked our way over slabs of meat, tendons, and bits of bone. Camilla was near Artemis, looking as if she’s seen worse than the massacre that just occurred, but Megara was further behind, shifting uneasily in the darkening shadows.
“Should I send for men to dig graves?” she asked nervously, looking to where the last of the southern faction disappeared into the trees.
“No,” Morpheus cut in, causing Artemis to quirk a brow in his direction. “Leave their bodies unburied and cursed to wander without rest. They don’t deserve peace.”
“I agree with Lord Morpheus.” Artemis grinned at his anger, linking her arm with Camilla’s as they turn toward the west, away from the cavern. “Besides, the night is short, and we have far to travel before my brother wakes.”
Sparing a questioning glance toward Morpheus and me, Megara led the way after them, pressing through thick pine branches. The stiff needles scratched my arms, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t prefer being in the woods with the cool, crisp air around me than being stuck in a palace.
Inhaling deeply, I let the fresh aroma of the forest fill me, banishing all of the heaviness that had dug itself beneath my skin in the last few weeks. I had Morpheus beside me—a dark one who’d just proved he may be even crazier than I was—and we had a goddess helping us track Hypnos, which meant we were that much closer to finding my sister.
I wasn’t sure when my thinking had switched from ‘me’ to ‘we’, but I realized I didn’t mind the change. For the first time in a long time, it felt like I could finally breathe.
Twigs snapped beneath Morpheus’s boots as he followed behind, and I looked ahead, wondering where Artemis was taking us.
The witch in me worried this could be a trap, but Artemis was entirely focused on Camilla. They weren’t overt about it, but the silver-haired goddess needed to be near her huntress—touching her hair, stroking her back, weaving her fingers with hers. And Camilla… her face lit up. She was glowing, that soft, warm love that builds you up from the inside out.
I wondered if I would ever feel something like that. Sparing a glance over my shoulder, I wondered if Morpheus would ever look at me the way Artemis looked at Camilla—like the stars and heavens failed compared to her beauty.
“This is why we needed to hurry.”
Artemis’s voice drew my attention forward as we followed her through branches and into a field before a small freshwater pond. And there, at the water's edge was Hecate with a herd of shimmering white pegasi.
MORPHEUS