Chapter 56 - Hecate

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The world intruded with a knock at the door

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The world intruded with a knock at the door. Reluctantly, I pulled myself from Elatha's arms, rolled to my feet, dragged on my leather pants, and strode to the entrance. When I dragged the heavy wooden door open, an empusa stood on the other side. Although she looked like a beautiful woman with bright red curls down to her waist, the hint of fangs on her ruby lips and the dark crimson depths to her eyes gave her away.

"If you are healed and recovered, the Goddess Hecate would like to see you now," she said.

Her tone was seductive, as were the veiled eyes she gave me, but they left me unmoved. No woman, no empusa, would ever capture my interest. My Shannon was dead and that part of my soul had died with her. It was a pit in my chest, an emptiness that even the warmth of Elatha couldn't replace. The agony of it had me battling back tears, blinking against the heat behind my eyes.

I swallowed, my throat tight. "We'll be out momentarily," I told her with an unnatural huskiness to my voice, then shut the door to rouse Elatha.

He rubbed his eyes and blinked at me, already sitting on the side of the bed and pulling on his skinsuit. "Hecate? She is the woman that healed you?"

"Yes, I imagine so. She's the Goddess of Witchcraft, Poisons, and Necromancy, so she'd have the skills for healing if she was so inclined." I tugged my tunic over my head and pulled on my boots, swiping at my eyes.

Elatha's low voice was muffled as he bent to pull on his own boots. "What could she want with us? I already gave her the power module."

What more would they take from us? Tension filled my muscles. They wouldn't take Elatha from me. Recharged and healed, I wasn't as easy of prey as I'd been out on that frozen wasteland. I'd fucking kill them all first.

"I don't know. Nothing good, I expect." As I strapped on my armour and saw Elatha do the same, it surprised me we still had all our weapons. Why had they not taken them? Were we not prisoners?

Handing him his sword after sliding my own into its sheath, I griped his cheeks and kissed him, holding his silver gaze. "Don't go offering your life up again, okay?"

A small smile flirted at the edge of his lips and his eyes challenged me. "I won't as long as you don't."

I huffed, a growl of annoyance escaping, and glared back at him. "Fine." I would protect him regardless, damn it.

"Fine," he agreed in a tone that told me he didn't believe my capitulation and was going to do whatever he the thought was right. It had my fists clenching. I wanted to tie him to the bed and keep him here as he led the way to the door. He opened it with a flourish, bowing to me, eyebrow raised.

I rolled my eyes and snorted, but walked through. Elatha was going to be far more of a handful that even Shannon as a consort. The empousa waited for us, her eyes lingering as she took us in.

"You are wasting your time," Elatha told her with a growl. "Neither of us are interested in you."

Her dark eyes narrowed and she scowled, but turned with a flounce to lead us down the hall.

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