Titans of Chaos

"Echidna's attack occurred in the dreamland waters, not the seas of Earth, and Mulciber's abilityto hide evidence, repair damage to man-made things, and erase human memories and records, onthis world, at least, is somewhat less limited. Men forget dreams. I insist on your discretion."

I said, "I will not say any words like 'I agree,' because you know how much trouble that causes.

But I will remind you that my self-interest is bound up in living as discreetly as possible; I do notwant either Olympos or Chaos tracking me down."

He nodded. "Very well; then we have an agreement."

I said, "Not as such. I have dictated terms to you; you have acknowledged that I can carry out thethreat I said. And you know it is in our best interest to help you maintain the fiction that you areour emissary and go-between. It is not a deal, not a promise. You have no hold over me."

The look in his eye changed. The chess player's wariness was replaced by a brimming lustiness, alook of confidence and power.

It was like seeing the eyes of a hawk. I started to flinch back. But, naked, dressed in nothing but amemory of cold water, there was nowhere to go.

Boreas strode hugely forward, seized me roughly by the shoulders, lowered his head, and, before Icould protest, bruised my lips with a savage and forceful kiss. I was crushed up against his widechest, and the embrace pushed the breath out of my lungs.

A sensation of warmth and weakness traveled up my spine and spread to my limbs, making themfeel tingly and heavy. I am sure I tried to say something, but it just came out as Mmf-mm,Mm-mml I could smell the scent from his body.

Wow. He was a good kisser."

He drew his head back and looked quickly to his right and left. There was moisture on his chestwhere I had been pushed up against him, little moist droplets.

"Well, your beau is a man of greater self-control than I had given him credit for." He looked leftand right again, calling out loudly, "Come out, come out, wherever you are, or I shall surely kissher again!"

"Don't kiss me again."

He kissed me again.

When he was done, Boreas set me down on the edge of the bathtub, and he stepped back, stilllooking slightly puzzled that he had not been attacked.

He stepped over to the window and had one foot on the sill, his wide red wings to me.

I put my hands to either side of me on the bathtub rim and pushed myself upright. My feet wereflat on the floor, knees together. My wet hair lay heavily along my spine.