“Harder. Fuck me harder,” Fanny commanded.

  She was snarling with her inner Demon, nipping his neck with her blunt teeth. She did not want sweet and sentimental. Fanny wanted hard and fast.

  No emotion.

  Don’t get emotional, she scolded herself.

  She bit him harder, careful not to break the skin, and that was all it took for the sweet Bull to turn savage. Fanny had never been fucked quite so well.

  He rolled them both onto their sides, his endurance fucking astounding. To her delight, he’d found the right angle and managed to hit it every time he moved. She was completely exhausted and sated from the amount of times he’d made her come. Ignoring the ache in her chest that threatened to wreck her every time she thought about tomorrow, Fanny burrowed closer to him.

  Live for the moment.

  It was a good saying, and that’s what she was doing. Should Asterion find his fated mate tomorrow, she would be happy for him. For them. They would have each other, and she would be alone. Again.

  Always alone.

  A tear threatened to roll down her cheek, but she stopped that shit immediately. She would not ruin this boinkfest with a pity-party.

  No.

  Fuck that.

  So, what if the truth was that Fanny would not be happy for either of them?

  Did that make her shitty?

  Maybe.

  But it was honest.

  Fanny might be a lot of things, but she was no hypocrite. If he found his mate tomorrow, it would be all she could do not to hex the slutty little beyotch.

  Shit.

  That wasn’t fair.

  She knew it wasn’t, but she could not help herself. A small spark of something dangerous had started inside of her, and Fanny did not know how to make it stop.

  It was hope.

  For a half-Demon Witch like her, that was perhaps the scariest thing of all.

  “What are you thinking about, sweet Fanny?” he murmured.

  She looked up at him, relishing that sexy half-crooked smile on his almost too handsome face. He looked happy and satisfied, and the wicked gleam shining in his dark eyes did things to her on the inside that she never knew were possible. Her inner Demon growled, more like purred, as she scooted closer at his fingers insistence.

  Fuck, she loved his hands.

  So big and strong.

  Fanny had never felt anything like this before. Every time he touched her, she went mindless with need. She felt safe and treasured, protected, and wanted. It was confusing and wonderful, and she did not want it to stop. Greedy little Witch that she was, she wanted more. She wanted all of him, but he was not hers.

  Not really.

  Just for tonight.

  “I’m hungry,” he grumbled against her lips.

  “Mmm,” she replied. “Want me to grab us some snacks from the kitchen?”

  “No,” he replied, grinning wickedly. “I mean, I am hungry, sweet Fanny.”

  Asterion slid down her body and she sighed as his mouth closed over her sex. Fuck, it felt so good. He felt so good, lapping at her like she was something delicious. Feminine power filled her as he placed long, lingering kisses on her sex. She loved the way he felt between her thighs, and gave herself to the moment, allowing every swipe and nibble to drive her closer to the edge.

  When she fell off this time, she knew she was giving him more than her body. Silly sentimental fool, she told herself, but it could not be helped. Fanny had fallen for the Bull, knowing that tomorrow she would lose him forever.

  But we still have tonight.

  It has to be enough.

  The next day dawned with orange and red streaks across the sky. Asterion was already awake, but he was not working on the barn. She found him in his shifted form, dragging a heavy plow through the hard, packed earth of the lot next to the store. She frowned, balancing a tray she’d loaded with half a dozen pieces of avocado toast and a bowl of crunchy spinach salad.

  “Good morning,” he said, switching back to his human form so fast she almost dropped the food.

  Now who was clumsy?

  Grinning, he righted the tray and chugged the glass of water. Wiping his mouth with his arm, before smiling at her expectantly.

  “Um, what are you doing?”

  “It is a surprise for you,” he said, his eyes laughing.

  But Fanny frowned hard. She did not want his surprises.

  Didn’t he know how much this would hurt her?

  Having a reminder of him when he was leaving soon to be with his mate.

  “I told you I have no use for this lot, and there won’t be anyone to tend to it after you’re done doing whatever you are doing. Just stop,” she said angrily.

  “But Fanny, I was thinking and last night—”

  “Last night was a once off, Asterion. It didn’t mean anything—”

  “That’s not true—”

  “Just stop it. You asked for help, and I helped you. You are fully capable of making your mate happy in the bedroom. But this lot is mine and I want it left alone. Excuse me, I have classes,” she muttered and walked away.

  She knew he was hurt by the pained expression on his face at her words, and she felt awful.

  But what choice did she have?

  The words had rushed out before she could stop herself. Call it a form of self-preservation, but fuck, she did not know if she was going to survive having him finish the barn, much less whatever project he started in her lot.

  Fanny did her best to ignore him throughout the day. It was not that hard, between her classes and keeping the kilns working. She snuck away to her private workroom and looked at the statue she had started. The two foot tall study of Asterion’s Bull looked back at her with blank eyes.

  She’d pulled it from the ovens this morning and was about ready to paint. This would be all she had of him after he left to be with his mate. She had gotten everything right, knew every inch of his beast from the top of his horns to the bottom of his cloven feet.

  He was monstrous and beautiful, the perfect blend of power and refinement. He had the blood of the gods flowing through his veins, and he was every inch the Greek Prince from his cocksure grin to his perfect body. Yes, he could be clumsy and boorish, but it only added to his charm. The man was lethal to hearts everywhere.

  And fucking hell, she was going to burn every pair of gray sweatpants Arachne had sent him before he left, she thought with a wobbly grin. Fuck, she was crying, and she hadn’t even realized it.

  A knock sounded on her door. It was hesitant, and she gasped, closing her hand over her mouth to stop her ridiculous crying. It was him, she could simply tell, like she was now attuned to him or something. Her inner Demon growled, but she ignored it.

  “Yes?”

  “A package came from Metamorphosis. Shall I leave it outside the door?”

  “From Metamorphosis? That’s yours from Arachne—”

  “There are two. One has my name, the other has yours.”

  Confused, she wiped her face and opened the door, closing it quickly so he could not see what she’d been working on. Fanny looked at the card on the package.

  Wear this tonight.

  -Ari

  “This also arrived,” Asterion said, frowning as he held out what looked like an invitation.

  “Dear Fanny, So glad you finally signed up! See you tonight and don’t be late, Aphrodite,” she read.

  “Did you sign up for Speed Dating too?” he asked, head cocked to the side.

  “Me? No. I mean no, I am a Witch—”

  “And Demon,” he added.

  “Yeah, but even so, I don’t have a fated mate.”

  “Oh. I did not think about that. Are you sure?”

  “Of course, I am sure,” she muttered.

  “Well, perhaps this is a mistake then,” he said, pointing to the envelope. “But since you depend on word of mouth for recommendations to your shop, it might be best to go. So as not to offend Aphrodite or Eve.” Asterion shrugged casually, and she had to hand it to him, he made a good point.

  “You might be right about that,” she muttered and took the box.

  She’d never been one to get butterflies in her stomach, but right then, she had about a zillion of them flapping around. Her fingers brushed his when she took the box from his hand, and zap, a magical current flowed from his body right through hers. Their eyes met, but she could not hold his gaze. Not when she felt so confused.

  Not yours.

  He’s not yours.

  But if he wasn’t hers, why was her heart breaking at the prospect of him finding his mate tonight?

  She shook her head, walking past him and adopting an air of nonchalance.

  “I guess we should get dressed,” she said, and left him to follow when he was ready.

  There was no point in fighting this.

  Fanny had an outfit and an invite, and who knew?

  Speed dating might be fun, after all.

  CHAPTER 8

  The Underworld Café had red velvet curtains hanging on the walls, while the rest of the place seemed decorated in the usual dark colors that went with the whole Underworld theme, he supposed. The place was hopping, or so the bartender had said when he entered. Apparently, it was always like this during Speed Dating nights.

  Wall to wall people milled about. Well, not humans—though there were one or two—mostly, they were all supernatural creatures. Many there were beings Asterion had never seen in real life. He had not had many visitors when he was stuck in the Labyrinth.

  Anyway, there were more supernaturals in one place than he had ever seen.

  How did they expect to control them all?

  Surely, it was not a good idea to have gods, goddesses, Shifters, Vampires, Demons, and more, all in one tiny little bar—even if it was owned by Lucifer himself.

  Asterion shrugged and picked up his complimentary shot. The bartender had thrust it at him when he walked inside, apparently everyone was having one this evening. The sweet pink liquid burned his throat as it slid down the wrong way, and he damn near choked. A few onlookers stopped and offered aid, but he waved them away.

  Ignoring the mob, he found a seat at a table against the wall, that way he did not feel so encumbered by people. This felt wrong. He did not want to be there. He only wanted Fanny. He wished he was back in her cottage, eating her delicious food, wrapped in her body, basking in one of her thousand-watt smiles.

  There were too many people there.

  Too many smells.

  Too much noise.

  He was not interested in any of the sleek females who tried to catch his eyes. Asterion did not want any of them. His horns itched to protrude through his skin, and his Bull stomped the ground impatiently.

  Where was she?

  The event was about to start, and the little half-Demon Witch was nowhere to be found. He loved that she was a hybrid creature, born of love, with two parts of her supernatural nature making her who she was. Silly female thought she was mild and mute, but he saw her inner fire, even if she tried to deny it. One day, she would own that part of her, and it was going to be fantastic. He only hoped he would be there to see it.

  Too many people, the Bull snarled.

  Despite his wardrobe, Asterion felt hot, and the beast inside him was losing patience. Suddenly, the crowds, the noise, everything faded as she walked in.

  Thud, thud, thud.

  “Hi, handsome. What’s your name?” a stranger asked, but he ignored her.

  She walked away with a nasty snarl, but he could not care any less about the nameless blonde. He only had eyes for one woman.

  Fanny.

  Asterion had never been rendered speechless before, but he was now. Her name whispered through him like a cool breeze over his too warm skin. He’d been curious why she had asked him to go ahead without her, even refused her request at first, but she had insisted.

  And really, how could he deny her anything?

  Easy.

  He could not.

  His heartstrings pulled at the sight of her in a long red dress that clung to her curves. The beast inside him went mad with lust, and if he was not mistaken, the creature was feeling a little proprietary.

  She strolled forward, beautiful, elegant, and handed her card to Eve, the same female who had taken his.

  Asterion waited for her to acknowledge him, which she did with a slight nod of her head. She was giving him space, he realized. Space to find his mate, but the beast in him stomped and growled. He did not want space from her.

  He only wanted her.

  A stranger in a black suit approached her, a drink in his hand.

  The fucker offered it to Fanny, but the brilliant little half-Demon Witch shook her head and walked away, leaving the asshole baffled. His Bull sneered, wanting to trample the male into dust.

  He could use the fertilizer—even though she had told him not to finish with his surprise.

  The land where he’d used the plow to turn the soil adjoined hers, but Asterion had done some digging, and technically, it was not part of her lease. After their terse reunion this morning, Fanny had gone to work, and Asterion had formed a plan. He’d used the phone in the cottage and called Artemis, who ran the only Underworld Bank.

  After a brief discussion, Artemis sent some paperwork via magical courier, and Asterion had signed the necessary documents, setting his plans into motion. In a few short hours, he had managed to get his accounts moved over from Greece to the Underworld.

  His first order of business—acquiring that land—was now finished. Fanny could fight him about it later—if she was still talking to him. He hoped like fuck she was, because life without her was no longer something he could envision.

  A bell sounded, and a beautiful female—the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, herself—commanded the attention of everyone in the establishment. If crickets lived in the Purgatory, no doubt, they would be silent as well. Her power rang through the room, and all eyes were on her. He could feel the adoration flowing to the Goddess, which she undoubtedly took as her due, but his Bull only had eyes for one female in the room.

  “Welcome to our weekly Speed Dating event! Now, due to some unnecessary bloodletting last week, I am going to enforce my zero-tolerance policy on violence for tonight. Any unnecessary biting, scratching, punching, or goring will end with the violator being banned from ALL future events. Do not make me get angry, people. I am a lover, not a fighter,” she joked, but Asterion saw the truth in her eyes.

  “Ready?” Aphrodite asked, and he could feel the nervous tension in the air as all the supernaturals in the room got amped up to start. “BEGIN!”

  This was it. The moment he had been waiting for ever since he stepped outside of his Labyrinth, and yet, Asterion could not give a flying fuck. His first encounter was over before the bell sounded. The tiny, carnivorous Flaying Demon was not for him. Nor was the Green-tailed Sprite, the Gray Wolf Shifter, nor the Angel.

  Fuck, this was impossible.

  He rubbed a hand over his face. Keeping tabs on Fanny throughout the evening had been exhausting, but his Bull would not relent his watch.

  She was sitting with a small, coy smile on her face as she talked with a tall, thin Vampire, dressed in a ridiculous purple suit that appeared more costume than his actual clothing.

  Looking down, Asterion supposed he was one to talk. He missed his sweatpants.

  True, Arachne had created what he had asked for. Something that was uniquely him, and representative of his life and position. He was quite comfortable in it, even if he felt a little exposed.

  The burgundy chlamys was clasped over his right shoulder, a nod to his days in the military. The cloak flowed down his back, stopping just past the hem of his chiton. The Spider Shifter did a fine job, and he admired the silver and burgundy thread woven throughout the tunic, almost as much as he did the feel of the cool armor against his hot skin.

  This was the traditional warrior clothing of his people, and for whatever reason, Arachne had felt it fitting for this night. He was there to find his mate, but no one seemed to fit the bill. The buzzer rang time and again, but all Asterion could see was her.

  No one else in the room mattered.

  “Are you even listening?” a purple haired Fairy asked.

  “No,” he ground out. “Excuse me.”

  He stomped across the room, ignoring gasps and whispers as he passed, accidentally knocking a Troll off his chair in his haste. He did not stop until he stood right beside her.

  Fanny tilted her head back as she looked at him, shock in her then steel-colored gaze.

  “Asterion, um, did you need something?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he nodded, eyes flashing to her not-so-speedy date. “The rules of Speed Dating state you must move on when the bell chimes,” he said, nodding at the Vampire who was watching him, appearing almost bored at the interruption.

  “Oh, are you the rules police? Well, Officer Beef Stick, we were not finished talking—”

  “Do you want to talk to this male, Fanny?” he asked, addressing the Witch only. If he looked at that idiot Vampire another second, he was afraid he might do something foolish.

  “We’re fine, Asterion,” she said, smiling tightly.

  “Hey, stay for a minute,” the male said, smiling widely. His gaze kept roaming over her ample bosoms, and Asterion was barely hanging on to his control. He tried to walk away, but the moron kept on talking.

  Grrrr.

  “I was about to tell Fanny a joke. Rumor is, you love them,” the Vampire said, winking at her.

  Asterion snorted a cloud of smoke from his nostrils, but the idiot male did not heed his warning.

  “Okay, here we go. Did you hear how Loki saved Thor’s butt? No—with an Ass-gard!” the Vampire chortled loudly. Supernatural hearing, being what it was, meant others around them began snorting with laughter as well.

  Asterion’s gaze locked on Fanny, and he saw her discomfort. She hated those jokes. He knew she did.

  “What? You’re not laughing? Fanny? I thought you enjoyed butt jokes—”

 

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