Claimed by the Order (S-Gods, #1) (23 page)

M
arduk gazed out at the city of Uruk on the horizon. The sun blazed off the expanse of sparsely vegetated desert between the temple and the city.

“Don’t worry, Marduk. He’ll be back soon enough,” Shala said from behind him. Marduk turned to behold Shala, Nanya, and Aya seated at a long table. They were on the second-level terrace of Akad’s mud-brick ziggurat, and every wall was lined with potted plants and flowers.

Marduk sighed and returned to the table, taking a seat beside Aya, across from the goddesses.

“You know, Marduk,” Nanya said, a sly smile on her lips, “you don’t have to sit so far away. We’re not going to bite you.”

Marduk smiled.

“By the way, I never thanked you for inviting us,” Shala said, twirling the stem of her golden chalice. “After your fight with our instructors, the school shut down. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I imagine you’ll tell us when you’re ready. I’m just glad that Anu wasn’t the cause of your suffering as I originally suspected.”

“Thanks, Shala. I wish I could tell you everything, but it’s a council matter now. We have to wait for their resolution.”

Just then, Akad appeared in the doorway to his bedchamber and stepped out on the terrace. Marduk smiled and rose.

“Akad.”

Nanya and Shala turned to see Akad walk in.

“Greetings,” Akad said, his gaze never leaving Marduk. It had only been three days since their arrival at the temple, but Akad had been away for half that time. After shaking hands with the goddesses and Aya, Akad set his sights back on Marduk and closed the distance between them. Then Akad’s hands were on Marduk, pulling him in. Akad’s touch aroused him, making him hard; and when their lips met, the vibrant heat of Akad’s powers engulfed him. A rush of pleasure filled Marduk’s body, and he gasped, breaking their embrace as his cock betrayed him and shot hot cum in his clothing.

Marduk buried his face in Akad’s chest, hoping what had just happened wasn’t obvious to everyone. Akad smiled, took his hand, and led him away from the table, rescuing him from the prying eyes upon him. When they were on the other end of the terrace, Akad took him in his arms once more.

“I don’t know how much more I can take,” Akad said. “I’ve come with news, but I can’t even think straight with you in my arms. I’ve been dying to be with you, but you’ve been avoiding my attentions ever since I took you from the temple.”

“I’m sorry,” Marduk said, unable to meet his gaze. “It’s just that every time you touch me, I lose control. I don’t know how I’ll manage being joined with you when one kiss from your lips is enough to dismantle me. I don’t know how to handle losing myself like that. Your powers are too intense.”

Akad smiled, running his fingers lightly over Marduk’s cheek. “I love driving you crazy. If kissing is all you’ll allow me, I’ll kiss you all night and every night. I’ll kiss every part of you until you cannot bear to deny me any longer.”

Marduk caught his breath and gazed into Akad’s eyes. Akad was too much for him, was going to make him lose it with words alone. “What news do you bring?” he asked, wishing to change the subject.

“I heard from my father. He met with the council, and Siren abolished the Order. Shamash is denying the Order’s existence, but Siren doesn’t believe him. Since the council is split on the issue, there will be a hearing with witnesses, and if all goes well, a trial will follow.”

“That’s great news.”

Akad smiled warmly, pulled him close, and claimed his lips. Extreme heat invaded Marduk’s body as Akad’s tongue probed deep inside him. He tried to keep it together, but Akad’s powers penetrated him, filling him with pulsing, vibrating pleasure. Marduk came again, groaning into Akad’s mouth, his traitorous cock saturating his already drenched clothing.

As he struggled to catch his breath, a loud explosion shook the foundation beneath their feet. Marduk looked up just as a ball of fire flew toward them. He dived for the ground, dragging Akad down with him. The fireball flew over the table and crashed into the wall next to the door to Akad’s room. Nanya and Shala screamed, falling to the ground as another ball of fire hit the terrace. Marduk scrambled across the terrace, grabbed Shala, and led her through the door to Akad’s room. Aya followed him, leading Nanya to safety. Before they could close the door, a blast hit the doorway, setting the white curtain on fire. Marduk tore down the curtain and ran back out onto the terrace. Flames leapt out of the black smoke; the table lay on its side; shards from clay pots and mangled plants littered the terrace. Akad was nowhere in sight.

Then, in the sky, Marduk saw Akad pursuing five fleeing figures. He immediately rose into the air to follow Akad, but the second he hit the clouds, fire streaked toward him. He dodged the attack and caught sight of three masked gods coming at him. Spinning around, Marduk shot bolts of lightning from both hands, striking two of the gods from the sky. The remaining god sent a ball of fire straight at him. Marduk reacted quickly, throwing up a shield of ice just before the fire hit him. Then he struck the god in the chest with lightning, causing him to fall from the sky.

With the last of his assailants thwarted, Marduk scanned the skies for Akad until a flash from below caught his eyes. A battle was raging on the upper terrace of Sin’s ziggurat. Heart racing, Marduk flew down, landing where he had seen the fight. He jogged past the bodies of five masked gods strewn out on the deck, but when he came to the end of the terrace, he stopped. He could see the east mountain in the distance, but the terrace was vacant. Where was Akad? Just then, a cry answered his question. He turned and looked up to behold Akad and Shamash on the temple’s highest level. Akad had stripped Shamash down and bent him over the ledge with his arms forced behind his back. Akad rammed his pelvis into Shamash, and the god screamed. Marduk’s stomach flipped, and he stumbled backward, unable to believe his eyes.
Was Akad fucking him?
After several violent thrusts, the earth began to rumble. Akad released his arms, pulling his head up by the hair, and forced him to look upon the rumbling mountain on the horizon. Then the east mountain, Shamash’s spiritual home, crumbled and broke apart. Shamash’s pleading was lost in the sound of crashing slabs of earth.

Marduk watched the mountain fall, and his breath left him. Then his eyes drifted back to Akad. His beautiful, timid lover was destroying his master and tormentor before his eyes. Marduk took another step back, unsure of what to think. He couldn’t pity Shamash, but he wished he had never witnessed Akad’s violence. He wanted to be far away from this place, yet he couldn’t remove his eyes from Akad. No matter how desperate Shamash’s cries became, Akad continued to slam into him until the mountain had completely collapsed, leaving nothing but a pile of rocks within a cloud of smoke. When Shamash fell slack on the wall, Akad pulled him off the ledge and stepped out of view.

Marduk stood stunned. Then he snapped out of his daze, ran down the terrace, and climbed the flight of stairs. Once the top level was in sight, Marduk stopped on the steps. Both Sin and Shamash knelt naked before Akad with their heads bowed low and their hands behind their backs. Sin appeared just as broken as Shamash, as if he too had been fucked into submission. When Akad turned toward him, the color drained from Marduk’s face.

“Marduk,” Akad said, his eyes cold and distant. “I need you to return to the temple and inform Anshar that my time has come. Tell him I will return to the temple in two days.

Without waiting for a reply, Akad rose into the sky, leaving Marduk alone with the two defeated gods. Marduk stared at them for a moment before turning his back on them and returning to the temple to deliver Akad’s message. That night, he went to bed, tormented by visions of Akad’s violence. Though he had always refused to admit it, Marduk had known about and experienced the rage in Akad’s nature. Akad had torn him up the first two times they were together and had made him feel helpless and lost on many occasions afterward. Marduk always blamed it on Akad’s powers, but he wondered if there was something darker within him.

The next day, as Marduk stepped out on the terrace, he heard a rumble in the distance, followed by a crash. A small cloud of smoke mushroomed up on the horizon. Marduk counted similar clouds of smoke around the city. Then a strange sight caught his eye. Mortals were camping all around the ziggurat. Long processions of men and women were moving toward the temple in all directions. More crashing and explosions rang out in the distance throughout the day, and mortals continued to arrive, setting up camp around the temple. By nightfall, the encampments stretched out halfway across the desert in all directions. Marduk’s stomach hollowed as he closed the doors to Akad’s room and lay down in his bed. Everyone was saying that Akad was succeeding his father—that he was taking over as the supreme god. Marduk tried to wrap his head around the idea, but no matter what he did, he could not imagine it possible.

By noon the next day, the entire desert was filled with mortals, leaving no ground bare between the city and the temple. Never before had he seen so many people in one place. What was this all about? Was this great crowd of people for Akad? Marduk tried to clear his mind of what was happening, but the sea of mortals made so much noise that it was impossible to ignore. This was the day that Akad would return.

Several hours past noon, the crowd began to roar. Marduk ran out onto the terrace to find Aya, Nanya, and Shala standing by the terrace wall, gazing out over the ledge. Then he saw Akad descend from the sky, dropping down into the middle of the crowd. His arms were stretched high above him, and the way he held the ends of his shawl gave him the appearance of having wings. The people cleared a path for him to land, and when his feet touched the ground, the crowd went crazy. The crowd compressed, creating a wide path, and mortals cried, throwing themselves at his feet as he passed them on his way to the temple.

Akad reached the bottom of the ziggurat and started to climb the long slope of stairs leading up to the terrace. Mortal priests followed him, spreading petals before his feet. Marduk’s heart raced as Akad grew closer. Akad’s long hair was cut just past his shoulders, and his white skirt brushed the steps as he walked. He had never appeared as majestic as he did in that moment. Marduk struggled to come to terms with what he was witnessing. Akad had just unleashed his fury all over the land, bringing every god in the east under his rule, and now he was the supreme god. Marduk always knew who Anu was. He knew about his power and that he stood to inherit Anshar’s title. He should have known it would happen, but he had not accepted it as reality until this moment.

Once Akad reached the terrace, everyone around Marduk dropped to their knees including Aya, Nanya, and Shala. Marduk swallowed and dropped to his knees as well, but he could not bear to remove his gaze from his lover. When the great god Anu-Akad turned toward him, their eyes met, and in that instant his heart stopped. Marduk imagined a twinkle in his eyes, but Akad’s expression remained composed. Then Akad broke their stare and disappeared into the temple, followed by a throng of priests dressed in white robes. Marduk released his breath and pressed his forehead to the floor.
This is Akad. This is still my lover.
He tried to reconcile the great god he saw before him with the beautiful virgin who had blushed so sweetly the first time he saw him. How could his lover be the supreme god? He tried telling himself that it was just a title, but he could feel in his bones that it was much more.

Heart pounding, he rose to his feet and followed Akad and the priests through the dark corridor into the temple. He wanted this ceremony to be over. He longed for nightfall—to be in Akad’s bed, to taste his kiss. He needed Akad in his arms. Only his touch could assure him that nothing had changed. Even as the thought entered his mind, he knew it wasn’t true. Marduk could no longer pretend to be Akad’s equal. His past struggle to dominate Akad seemed ridiculous now. He could imagine nothing more than serving him. He recalled the feeling of Akad’s powers pulsing through him—how one kiss was enough to unravel him. The thought of crawling to him on hands and knees—of Akad fucking him with his powers intact—sent a shiver up Marduk’s spine. If he was going to be any god’s slave, he wanted to belong to Anu-Akad. Akad would drive him out of his mind, but he was ready to submit to him and give him anything he desired. From this point forward, his rightful place was on his knees before his god.

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hank you for reading
Claimed by the Order
. I hope you enjoyed this book, and I would love feedback about your experience. Please take a moment to leave a review at your favorite retailer. Thanks.

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—
J. Johanis

C
laimed by the Order
takes place around 2800 BC at the site of present-day Delphi, Greece. The ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece believed the gods resided on earth among mortals. Mesopotamian gods resided in the royal palace alongside the royal family, and before each meal, priests set out plates of food for them. A god was expected to marry and have children, and when he ascended to the heavens, his heir took rule on earth. In Egypt, mortal priests and priestesses attended temples dedicated to the most powerful gods and were charged with their care and feeding.

During the classical period, beliefs about the gods and their relationships with mortals changed. The gods became less accessible and resided, in the clouds, in the sky, or on mountaintops. A god who wished to intervene in mortal affairs had to come down from the sky in order to do so.

Claimed by the Order
incorporates both pre-classical and classical ideas: The gods reside among mortals and, at times, retreat to the Temple of Power, a remote mountain resort for the gods, far from mortal settlements.

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T
oy Soldier Series

Drago Star
is the first novella in the “Toy Soldier Trilogy,” and was conceived from a prompt by Optimist in the Bring Out Your Kink writing event on the
Goodreads BDSM Group
.