the appeal. Still…” He returned his attention to Styxx. “Your last chance, dearest. Who would you rather have play with this luscious body of yours? Me or the priests?”
Styxx glared at him and answered without hesitation. “The priests.”
“Very well. You have chosen.” He handed the cloth to the other god. “Troo to peridromo.” Eat a bellyful.…
Then he vanished.
Apollo bit his lip again as he ran his gaze down the length of the prince’s bare body. He let it linger at the hipbone … one of his favorite things to nibble. “You would really rather be tortured than spend a day in my bed?”
The prince nodded vigorously.
Offended, Apollo sighed. “I should warn you. Bad things happen to those who deny me.” He pressed his body against the full length of the prince then buried his lips against his neck.
Styxx fought him like a lion.
Too bad. “Fine then, human. If I can’t toy with you one way, I’ll have you another.”
Styxx’s eyes widened as he saw the god’s canine teeth elongate into a set of sharp fangs. The god lowered his head so that he could bite Styxx’s jugular. Pain tore through him like fire. He would have cried out, but no sound came as the god drank from his blood. The room spun as wave after wave of dizziness consumed him.
Time hung still as Styxx felt his willpower drain out.
After a few minutes, he was so weak from blood loss that he could barely hold his head up. The bite left him panting and in excruciating pain. Smiling down at him, the god cupped his cheek and angled his head until their gazes locked. The god licked Styxx’s blood from his lips then leaned in to lick the remnants from Styxx’s neck.
He nipped Styxx’s chin. “I own you now, little human. You are forever bound to me.” He brushed his hand over Styxx’s chest. “I could make you beg me to take you. But I think as punishment for your rejection, I’ll let the priests do it for me. I shall leave you to their tender care, and when you tire of it, call to me for rescue and I’ll grant it.” He kissed him again, only this time it was rough and extremely painful. “Just remember what the payment is for your release. You will willingly come to my bed for a week. And you will gladly take my cock wherever it is I wish to put it.”
Sucking his breath in sharply between his fangs, he gave Styxx’s body one last once-over. “I’ll be waiting, little prince. But don’t make me wait too long. Otherwise, you will regret it. I promise you.” Then he was gone.
Even more horrified than he’d been before, Styxx hung by his arms, hating everyone, and everything about his life. So, the Olympian gods had answered him with something far worse than what he was facing.
I can’t believe it .
Either way, he was going to have a rod shoved up his ass.…
If he was smart, he’d accept the god’s offer and be done with this place. Surely being a god’s concubine would be better than the torture they’d been putting him through.
Then again, given his father’s careless disregard for his lovers.…
Styxx definitely didn’t want to be one of those. While the priests would scar his body, they did have fear of his father’s wrath should they deform him too much.
The god would fear nothing. And while the Olympian wouldn’t leave physical scars, he’d leave them on Styxx’s heart and in his soul. Something he knew would never heal.
So be it.
Like everything else in my life, I can suffer this in silence .
He had no choice.
August 26, 9535 BC
Mentally numb and cold, Styxx stared at the wall before him while he lay on his side, aching all over. It even hurt to blink his eyes. He had no idea how long he’d been undergoing his “treatments” for madness. The torture sessions had long ago blurred together as the priests sought to drive the demons from him.
In the end, it had done nothing except scar his body and make his headaches even more severe than they’d been before. Most of all, it made
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