“I am as new to this as you are, Elsie. I will read up when the chores are done, though.”
Frustrated, I cross my arms over my chest and stare at the walls of the monastery. I’m not going to be able to get anything done today. Not with Kalos being…cuddly. Lusty.
And me being attracted to it.
Perhaps that’s the part that insults me the most—that it’s one sided. That he’ll flirt and snuggle and make it obvious that he wants to do more…but it’s only because of what’s happened. It was never his decision in the first place.
I head back inside, wary. Kalos sits in bed, holding my pillow against his front as if it’s a lover. He smiles when I enter and pats the blankets in welcome.
I drag a wooden stool over and park it a few feet away from the bed. “We need to talk.”
“Talk,” he purrs. “I’m listening.”
Uh huh. This feels a bit like a trap of some kind. I clasp my hands in my lap and put on my best “serious business” expression. I’m not sure how he’s going to take the news, but I hope it doesn’t upset him too much. “I think one of your Aspects has died.”
He lifts one shoulder in the most careless shrug. “I noticed.”
That takes me aback. “You knew?”
“For the first time since I arrived on this hellish mortal landscape, I am not filled with yawning despair and fatigue. Instead, I am now randyandfull of despair. It’s an improvement.” He gives me a dazzling smile.
Me, I just feel like the biggest ass in the world. Apathy musttruly be the worst of the curses to have, and here I am lecturing him that he’s been a little overly randy this morning. “I’m sorry every day is so difficult for you. I wish I could help.”
“You do help. In fact, you’re the only bright spot.”
“You’re just saying that.”
He cocks one silvery eyebrow. “Am I? Or is it just easier to say now? That doesn’t make it untrue. Just…easier.”
Kalos gives me a wolfish grin that I don’t entirely trust. I’m not sure what to think of this and his new attitude. Part of me loves that he’s feeling better than he usually does, and part of me is sad for him because what a fucking nightmare the last few months must have been. But I worry that things are getting a little more drastic. If two of his Aspects are gone, only one other one remains. If Hedonism and Arrogance are gone, Lies is bound to come after us. “So…what now? What do we do?”
He looks me up and down with slow, thorough pleasure. “I nibble on all your pretty parts until you scream.”
My face floods with heat. “I didn’t mean sex! I meant?—”
“I don’t see why not. Are you saving yourself for someone? I can assure you that I am not.”
“That is not the point! I meant what are we going to do about your other Aspect?”
But Kalos eyes me with consideration. “Are you a virgin?”
I sputter. “What? No! That doesn’t have anything to do with anything?—”
“Not a virgin, not saving yourself for marriage…why wouldn’t you want to have sex with me? I assure you I’ll make it good. Better than good. I have centuries upon centuries of experience.”
“We’re not having sex.”
“It’s not a big deal. Sex is just two bodies grunting against one another until both feel delicious. Why so uptight over it?”
Uptight? “Because it’ll change things between us.”
“Will it? Is that such a bad thing?” Kalos traces his finger on the blankets. It’s an obvious invitation, and my skin prickles in response. “Were you completely satisfied with where we were? You haven’t wanted more?”
My protest dies in my throat. Haven’t I been wondering what he thinks? Why he’s never made a move? After he rescued me from Seth, it was like a switch got flipped between us. “You…you never kissed me again. After that time.”
This time, his smile is apologetic. “I’m Apathy, my darling dearest. It’s hard for me to do anything I want to do. It’s hard for me to make it through every day.” He glances down at his cock and gives me a coy grin. “And now I’m just hard.”
“So…now that you’re feeling better, we just have loads of crazy sex?”
