The Fighter (Book 1)

Chapter 27

There was no battle that day. I fell asleep in the tiny bed of mine and Zack’s tent with him behind me and Eros in front of me. I made sure to fall asleep after Eros.

Zack’s hands ran up and down my sides, and I turned as quietly as possible onto my back so I could kiss Zack and still hold Eros. The god curled up on my chest, burying his face in my neck. Tears slipped from his eyes onto my skin, and I waited for him to wake up.

He squirmed in his sleep until I kissed his forehead. His purple eyes fluttered open and he rested his head on my chest again, “I’m keeping you awake.”

“I’m not that tired,” I lied. I was exhausted from a day of preparing for battle only to have it not happen. And then the feelings. And the crying. And being dead. “Do you want to talk?”

“Do you want snuggles?” Zack rubbed my shoulder, propping himself up on his elbow to look at the god. “You know I love to snuggle the shit out of you. And Treble’s even better at snuggles.”

“It’s true,” I shrugged, earning a laugh from the god followed by a barely noticeable nod. Zack crawled over us, pressing in as close to Eros as physically possible and wrapping his arms around the god’s thin hips. He kissed a range of Eros’s skin, stretching from his shoulder to just under his ear.

Eros turned me onto my other side, pulling me flat against his chest. He wrapped one arm around my shoulders and the other around my waist. I kissed his arm, holding onto it with both hands as if I would drift away if I hadn’t. Eros kissed my ear, “Thank you.” I fell asleep before him.

In a half-dream, half-awake state, I could feel my lips saying Zack’s name. Saying his name brought my eyes open, and the dream dissolved away from me. No remnants left.

“Good dream?” he chuckled. I turned over, and Eros stirred in his sleep. I shrugged my shoulders, not able to remember any of it. “Sounded like one. You sure did say my name a lot last night.”

“Sorry,” I whispered so as not to wake the god between us.

“What happened to our midnight rendezvous?”

“I was tired, and Eros was lonely.”

“He could’ve gone with us,” Zack’s hand patted the god’s waist.

The tent shuffled and Gen stepped in, “Hey, the Elders wanna see you.”

“Why?” Zack’s voice was loud, waking Eros up. I kissed his nose, rubbing his cheekbone.

“What’s wrong?” Eros’s voice was laced with sleep. Pressing my mouth to his, I shook my head.

“Nothing’s wrong, baby. I’ll be right back. Savior shit,” I shrugged out of bed into the cold morning air. I pulled on my uniform, grabbing my sword out of my armor.

“T, if nothing’s wrong,” Eros said before I left, “why do you have your sword?”

“I always have my sword, Eros. Just in case. I swear nothing’s wrong. Make out with Zack or something, and I’ll be back before you can even get your eyes open.”

He nodded, and I left with Genesis. “They didn’t bring weapons. Not that we can see. Do you want backup?”

I shook my head, “I’ll be fine. Do we know what they want?” The Elders came into view in front of the woods. They knew where our camp was, and they hadn’t destroyed anything. Maybe they wanted to give up, but I wasn’t going to let them leave in one piece.

“No. Treble, are you sure you don’t want someone with you? What if they kidnap you?” Gen tugged me to a stop.

“Do we have someone on the plateau?” He nodded. “Tell them to keep their eyes on us. No matter what, don’t look away. Figure out where they take me if they do. But I don’t think they will. They didn’t destroy our camp.”