Blood Flows Deep in the Empire (11 page)

Eve grimaced. “Okay. Now I’m scared. What game?”

“Me, too. Seriously, which game are we talking about?” Ismini asked.

“Pin the tail—”

“Oh, hell no. We aren’t five, Cyake.”

He crossed his arms. “Do you honestly think I have small mortals running around, willing to play this game with me? And these fidiots agreed that they might play if you guys do. It’s on my bucket list.”

“You’re immortal,” Eve shot back.

“Not completely. What if existence comes to a halt tomorrow?”

Ismini set her plate aside. “Okay. Okay. I
might
be down to do this—”

“See, Iss? That’s why I love you!”

“You just met me. Now shut it, I’m still debating the risks of this decision.”

Cyake scoffed. “What risks?”

She ignored him and stared at Sil. “He’s a cheater, isn’t he? No, wait. Don’t answer that, I know he is. Is there some kind of way to keep him from cheating?”

“Make him vow it,” Sil said smirking.

“You’re both full of shit.”

Ismini raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “Take it or leave it, but I’m not playing this stupid game without your vow.”

“You’re serious? You’re gonna play pin the tail on the donkey?” Eve asked.

“
We’re
gonna play, Eve. Now vow it, Cy.”

“I vow it.” Cy’s golden aura flared around him for a few seconds before appearing to slide back into his skin. “There? Now can we play?”

“You’ve both lost your damned minds. But I’m in.” Eve got up and placed her plate on the table.

Ismini didn’t miss the sly smirk on Cy’s face. Somehow, she was sure Zeniel had been talked into this game, as well. “This is really going to be interesting.”

“Remember, you agreed to this first,” Eve said as Cy walked up to them, a blindfold in his hands and a large smile on his face. “And I’m going to kill you myself if this mofo manages to cop a feel of me while I’m blind.”

Chapter 9

Eight days later.

-Enzyria. Lower level, living room area and sparring quarter.

“Look who’s back. Where you been, D-Man?”

Dyletri rolled his eyes as he walked into one of the living rooms on the lower level of the compound.

Cyake was sitting on the massive, black sectional in front of the 108-inch LCD. He had a bowl of popcorn in his hand.

“Seriously, Cy. I sometimes wish you’d act more like the ancient being you are.”

“Ugh. Don’t tell me you’re gonna be all moody just like Zen’s been. ’Cause if I have to handle another god on PMS—”

“Fuck you, asshole.” Dyletri walked up to Cy and ripped the bowl of popcorn out of his hands.

“Hey!”

“Sharing is caring.” He shoved a handful into his mouth and turned his attention back to the television.

That’s right, he was pretending like everything was just peachy fucking keen. Like he hadn’t just spent the last seven days making sure the Fates knew their sacrifice was coming and hating himself because of it. Like there wasn’t something eating him alive ever since.

As if pretending would make this ache go away.

Even now, standing two feet behind Cyake, Dyletri’s cock was rock hard and begging him to palm it, at the very least. Or better yet, give in and find the luscious girl he intended to sacrifice so he could feel every sweet inch of her body.

He wondered if she had listened to him. Had she used her toy, moaning his name and arching her back as she came? Imagining it was him? Fuck, had she?

By the Gods, you’re an asshole, Dyletri. Weren’t you in love with someone else?

That was the crux of the matter. He had been in love with Dimithinia, hadn’t he? So why the hell was he having these insane and violent reactions for another woman? For the very one he’d sentenced to die?

Scared. He was actually scared. His control was on a razor’s edge, and he was starting to doubt his will to see the sacrifice through. Even though didn’t have a choice.

“You’re seriously watching this shit? Are you trying to rot your brain? This is what we waste all the valuable energy it takes to get the signal in here for?”

Most of the gods were obsessed with the human world and all the little nuances of it. Everything humanity had accomplished without having higher powers thrilled them. It was why they kept human technology in other realms. It was why they’d learned to dress and talk the way the humans did. There was something to be said for immersion.

But in all seriousness, it did take a shitload of energy to get the television and Internet signals into their realm, and Cy was wasting it watching garbage.

Reality TV, you are possibly the lowest humanity has fallen in a long time. I mean this.

Cy reached up and managed to take the bowl back before Dyletri could stop him. “Yup. Just as bad as Zen. Bitching already.”

“Why’s Zen bitching anyway?” Dyletri was hoping to keep Cy’s focus on Zen’s problem and away
from his own. Especially because he couldn’t even begin to understand what the hell was wrong with him.

Liar.

What was that?

Cy shoved more popcorn in his mouth. “ ’Cause he’s in denial, that’s why.”

Dyletri’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Cy. “In denial?”

“Mm-hmm.
I mean, I don’t even know why he’s trying. Chick’s hot.”

“Who—” Dyletri began to ask, but then it hit him. “Oh fuck.” He rubbed a hand over his face.

“So is that Ismini girl. Any chance you’d be okay with me getting to know her before you decide to offer her up like a pig for the slaughter?”

Dyletri jerked back and saw red. Sheer red. Violent, throbbing, thumping, pulsating, shrieking
red
. Red mixed with visions of Cy’s head being torn right off his body. And Cy was one of Dyletri’s closest friends and allies. Someone he’d known for thousands of Earth years.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

“By the way, we threw her an awesome belated birthday party. You missed out, man!”

Dyletri didn’t trust himself to answer Cy. He was afraid of what might come out of his mouth, so he just turned and rushed out of the living room, ignoring the fucker when Cy called out to him.

He forced himself to keep going.

He heard the sound of someone sparring outside. Deciding that he needed someone to punch—and wishing it was Cy for some reason—he made his way out to the sparring range. It wasn’t until he got out there that he realized what a mistake he’d made.

For some fucked-up reason, Ismini and Evesse were the ones facing off in the middle of the sandy arena.

Even worse. He could see skin.

Too. Much. Fucking. Skin.

What the hell is she wearing?

Oh, but Dyletri knew. He knew. And he knew who was responsible, too. Sil looked over at him and waved oh so cheerfully.
Fucking shit . . .

Most of his friends were there. If he could even consider those traitors such a thing. Dyletri glared at Liz and Sil who seemed to have just finished a round.

He turned his head and saw Ian waving and heading his way. “There he is. Dy!”

Dyletri wanted to ask him if there’d been any sightings of Enteax and Lisrn but couldn’t speak. His eyes were locked on Ismini. She was in tight-as-fuck leather pants, fighting boots, and what had to be a corset top that belonged to one of the twins. Oh, and her hair. Shiny, dark brown and black hair that fell down her back in thick waves.

“Ah! Zen. You’re here, too.”

That caught Dyletri’s attention. And only because he heard Zen walk into a stone pillar behind him.

“
Ow!
Son of a bitch!”

The thing rattled, almost breaking apart before re-forming itself.

“You okay?” Ian came to a stop next to them. “Come to think of it, Dy, you’re not looking so good, either.”

Thank you, Mr. Fucking Obvious.

“What are they doing?” Dyletri asked, his voice hard.

It wasn’t as if he didn’t have an idea what was going on. He’d seen that Ismini had taken self-defense classes with her friend when he’d seen into her memories.

Still, that didn’t mean he had to be happy with what was about to take place in front of him.

“They took up martial arts together. Taekwondo and kickboxing, I think. About to go one-on-one.” Ian shrugged like it was no big deal. And for him, it wasn’t. But for Dyletri?

Was Ian fucking staring at Ismini’s ass?

“What are you looking at?”

Ian’s response was eloquent. “Huh?”

Dyletri barely held in his growl. “Listen here—”

“Seriously, Ian. I know you’re the God of the Hunt, but must you hunt down every female in your presence?”

Ianthen’s twin, the Goddess of the Wild, walked into the sparring area, her long, midnight blue hair flashing in the sun. The feminine version of her brother, Ianythi shared his exact coloring.

Ianythi’s delicate voice sounded amused as she stared at the arena. “Hello, gentlemen. What have we here? You found yourselves two worthy humans?”

“Seems so. That one right there—the really, really hot brunette—is Dyletri’s sacrifice.”

Dyletri was a mere second away from wrapping his hands around Ian’s neck as, heart thundering, he forced himself to step back. He clenched his fists and shoved them in his pockets but decided right then that he was sparring with
Ian
next.

“And the other is Zen’s new torment. Also very, very, very,
very
hot.”

The slap to the back of his head caught Ian by surprise as much as it did everyone else. Hell, even the one who had dealt it was standing there staring at his hand with the most perplexed expression Dyletri had ever seen.

Ian growled as his sister laughed. “Zen, what the fuck?”

Zen was still staring at his hand like he thought it was possessed. Obviously, he had no idea what the fuck had just happened. Dyletri cringed, feeling sorry for the guy.

“All right, ladies!” Liz called out. “Show me what you got!”

Ismini and Evesse began circling each other.

Ian whistled under his breath. “Holy shit.”

“You will remain quiet throughout the entirety of this. Got it?” Dyletri growled the warning under his breath.

Ian eyebrows shot into his hairline. “Oh. You, too, huh?”

Me, too?
What the flying fuck did that mean?

Dyletri didn’t have another second to ponder that because next thing he knew, Evesse ran at Ismini. His attention was riveted as Ismini moved and the two went at each other with equal fury.

Evesse slid low on the ground as she got close to Ismini. Ismini jumped high, avoiding the leg Evesse kicked out by twirling in the air in a move that made him proud. She landed, then advanced on Evesse while her back was turned.

Evesse ducked and threw a well-executed punch at Ismini in return. Blocking it with her forearm, Ismini retaliated and almost caught Evesse with a left uppercut.

Evesse darted out of the way, but Ismini came after her, aiming punch after punch, ducking, swinging. She grabbed Evesse’s wrist as her fist came close and kicked a leg out, aiming at Evesse’s ribs. Evesse managed to evade her, grunting when Ismini’s leg connected hard with her arm instead.

Both girls rushed forward, and the resulting collision sent their bodies back and away from each other. That didn’t stop them. They stared each other down, panting while their eyes moved over each other, both of them looking for an opening.

They didn’t linger for long, both seeming to know that any further delay could prove a weakness.

Ian whistled through his teeth as they went at it again. Dyletri wanted to smack Ian himself this time, except he couldn’t force his eyes away from the way Ismini’s ass looked in those pants as she moved.

Holy . . .

She flipped back onto her hands as Evesse threw a roundhouse kick at her head. Ismini cartwheeled twice to get away. When she stopped, for the split second her arms were still above her head, the corset was raised high on her midsection.