Despite the amused banter going back and forth between Shannon and Elatha—even if I only heard Shannon's comments—a coldness seeped into my soul. Hela's anger was the bitter blast of Jotunheim's wintery peaks. And like the relentless weight of a glacier, we were liable to be crushed beneath it. A harsh contrast to the continued fiery spike of pain drumming into my brain.
It hadn't occurred to me that Hela would be angry we weren't renewing our intimacy.
Before I'd left after we'd finished forging Laevateinn, I'd helped her reconcile with her consorts, mediating the grievances between them. That she'd expect... that she wanted... it hadn't entered my thoughts at all. I'd completely underestimated her pride and need for ego stroking. Stupid. Such a stupid mistake that could cost us everything.
Or was it this lingering head injury that didn't have me thinking straight?
Norns. I'd endangered my consorts, and they had no idea how volatile Hela could be. Although I was immune to her fire, my consorts weren't. Not even Shannon, with her ability to manipulate fire, would be able to withstand the full force of Hela's rage. Especially not here in Helheim, when Shannon couldn't recharge her energy easily or quickly.
And Hela wouldn't hesitate to kill them to make me pay.
When she'd accepted they were my soulmates and shifted to Hades, I let out a quiet exhale. Too soon to be relieved, but I hoped it meant the worst of the danger was past. Giving him the power module seemed to take away most of his anger, as the negotiation went pretty much as I'd anticipated. I'd known he'd bluster and yell. That, I'd expected.
After all, it was a fair deal that gave him what he really wanted without a pesky soul to deal with.
Yet he got his revenge by refusing to give us his token.
Those final parting words told me how deeply I'd screwed up. My heart sank deeper into the icy pit within me as I paid my respects by rote, then let the servant lead us back through the long, dark halls to our chambers.
Stomach knotted and churning, my feet were leaden bricks.
I'd doomed us.
There was no way I'd be able to get all of us past the guardians of the bridges and gates, through either the Demon Gate or Ghost Gate and past the massive hellhound. It didn't even matter which hellhound. Both were equally deadly.
Shannon closed the door on the servant and after shedding my armour and weapons, I laid face-first down on the bed, rubbing my temples and trying to think past the pain. If we were completely recharged, we'd have the energy to fight. Working together, we could defeat the giant guardians of the bridge and gate entrance. That much I had confidence in.
"What are we going to do?" asked Shannon as she joined me on the bed.
Elatha sat on the other side of me. "Can we fight our way out of Helheim?"
Baldur joined us in our room, pacing and rubbing his chin. "It's doable as long as we avoid Hecate's creatures if we try for the Ghost Gate. If we attempt the Demon Gate, we'd have to get past the serpent Nidhogg. It lives on Nastrond, the Shore of Corpses, and eats those who try to pass."
"Which gate should we be trying for, Loki?" Shannon asked, running her hand down my back.
I turned my face from bedding I'd buried my aching head in. "Hecate's Cŵn Annwn hellhounds, vrykolakas, and empousai are formidable, but not always out on the frozen plateau. It is possible to sneak past without notice. On the other hand, Nidhogg is always curled up by the Demon Gate. Attempting to get past him is more fraught. Without a token, getting by would be difficult, if not impossible."
"So it sounds like attempting the Ghost Gate is the better option, if we are stealthy," Elatha said.
"As long as I have the energy, I can help with that. Scota taught me some useful skills in moving silently, and I should be able to muffle the sound of our passing," Shannon added.
"We're going to have to fight our way past Garm if we take the Ghost Gate," Baldur said. "The twin giants at the gate entrance won't be nearly the challenge that the hellhound is."
"That's the hellhound that guards the final bridge and Naihe Chasm?" Elatha asked. "Cerberus was huge. Is Garm as big?"
"Yes," I answered, rolling onto my back, then sitting up so I could face both my consorts and brother. There really was only one answer to this, and I needed to see it through. My fists griped my thighs, squeezing.
Surely the Norns would favour us getting as far as the Naihe Chasm and the final bridge?
The only way we'd be successful was if I shapeshifted to a hellhound to attack Garm. His senses were too keen to sneak by. Instead, he'd be busy killing me, ignoring them, and it would give time for my consorts and brother to get over the bridge and out of Helheim.
It was my mistake, after all. My misjudgment. It'd be right for me to pay and my soulmates to live.
My son to live.
Perhaps this was the Norns' plan all along. My life for Baldur's, to correct my centuries-old mistake.
"Shells. That's going to be a challenge," Elatha said.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault Hades didn't give us a token. I'm..." I swallowed, looking down at my bloodless white fingertips digging into my legs. Yggdrasil's roots, I didn't want to admit my weakness, but I knew I needed to be honest with my consorts. Now, more than ever. "I'm still having difficulty from Ao Guang's attack. It seems to have left me with a concussion. My ability to anticipate, to think clearly, isn't what it should be. I should have anticipated Hades' reaction." A lump grew in my throat and I squeezed harder with my hands. "I'm sorry... I failed you."
No one spoke, and the seconds grew to a minute before I raised my face to look up.
Baldur had his hands outstretched, silencing my consorts as he met my eyes. "Loki, you might not be my brother in blood, but you have always been my brother in truth. You have never failed me or disappointed me. That I'm getting this chance to spend more time with you, to help you save your son, to meet your consorts and see the fierce god you've become... it means more to me that I can even express. I love you, little brother. We are going to fight, and we are going to escape Helheim."
I blinked, eyes heating at Baldur's expression. He really did forgive me for killing him.
Baldur smiled and patted me on the leg. "I'm going to go get some rest and let the three of you screw each other senseless. There had better be lots of moans, groans, and screams of satisfaction coming from this room, because you all need to be full of energy when we leave in the morning." He winked at us, grin widening, and sauntered out of the bedroom, closing the door.
"You haven't failed us, Loki." Shannon hugged me, cuddling into my left side. "You are doing the best you can, as we all are."
Elatha also put an arm around me, watching my face like he wasn't sure he'd be allowed.
That was my fault, too. But, since I wasn't going to make it out of Helheim, I wouldn't bind him even closer to me. I couldn't do that to him. It was horrible enough that Shannon would feel the agony of my death, even if I restricted the bond beforehand. It seemed the Norns had been wise to bind Shannon and Elatha before Elatha and I had met. They'd have each other when I died and was forced to stay behind.
Still, I smiled encouragingly at him, wrapping my right arm around him. For the brief time that I'd have them both, I'd love them as much as I could.
"Thank you, both of you," I said quietly, then I moved my hand up into Elatha's hair to grip his nape. Silver eyes met mine, widening as I drew his lips to mine. It was a deliberate choice to kiss Elatha first, and Shannon's pleasure hummed through the bond when our lips met. Either she'd also recognized Elatha didn't feel secure in my affections, or she just enjoyed seeing us kiss. My two consorts, both tasting of the sea, yet still so different. I reveled in his flavour and the groan I drew from him.
Scraping my teeth along his neck, I nipped his ear, then growled, "I warned Shannon that the two of you would be paying for your disrespectful comments in Hela's throne room. You are first."
With no more warning, I yanked him over my lap, face down.
Elatha gave a startled yelp of surprise and I slapped his ass. Hard. He sucked in a breath, but didn't protest.
"Shannon, do help Elatha with these clothes. They are in the way of his punishment," I purred, allowing my hand to roam while she rose and tugged his skinsuit off. Like me, he'd removed his armour, weapons, and boots before joining us on the bed, so it didn't take her long to bare his gorgeous midnight and ivory body. One butt cheek was entirely dark, and the other mostly light. Such beautiful contrasts in every ripple of defined muscle.
Yet he quivered under my touch, goosebumps on his flesh, and his cock a hard ridge pressing into my thighs.
It seemed my misbehaving consort enjoyed the thought of his punishment.
With a smile, I let my hand descend again in a hard crack of sound that echoed off the stone walls, ceiling, and floor of the bedroom. Unlike Shannon with her softer curves, Elatha was solid muscle, so I didn't hold back my strength. Elatha grunted at the impact, and I let my fingers glide over his balls, feeling the skin contract in a wave of sensation.
Again, I let my hand crack, this time several in a row, until the light cheek turned a lovely rose colour. As my fingers explored, he groaned, shifting and the first wet drops coated my thigh.
Shannon watched, eyes eager, chest panting as I repeated the strikes and teasing until Elatha writhed on my lap with my fingers teasing more sensitive flesh in-between.
"Please, Loki," Elatha finally said, when I again withdrew to smack his heated cheeks.
"What do you want, Elatha?" I asked, letting two fingers start to thrust inside his ass as it clung and quivered.
"Please fuck me," he groaned, shifted to raise his ass toward me while trying to grind his cock on my thigh.
Norns, he was beautiful begging, as I knew he would be. I smiled and Shannon sucked in a breath. "I am fucking you, Elatha," I purred.
"Please fuck me harder."
My eyebrow rose. "Do you think you deserve it? What do you think, Shannon? Has Elatha been good or did you and he have fun making comments about me?" I narrowed my gaze at her, and when she met my eyes, she squirmed.
"We... we made comments," she admitted breathlessly.
Her chest heaved in quick breaths as she watched Elatha writhe on my lap, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed.
"You did. Both of you. Hmm... clearly, I need to give your mouths something better to do. Get on your knees on the floor, Elatha. You too, Shannon. Get naked and on your knees," I growled, with a final plunge of my fingers, then a smack that drew a long groan from Elatha.
He crawled off my lap, and I had him upright on his knees, Shannon beside him as I moved to stand in front of them. Damn, I wanted them both with a fierceness that shook me. Shannon's lush curves and Elatha's firm, muscular perfection. Fucking beautiful.
"Since I'm an awesome god, I'm going to fuck your bratty mouth. Now, the next time you start to make fun of me while I'm busy with politics, you can think of my cock down your throat," I growled, grabbing Elatha's hair. He had his mouth open before my grip even tightened to tug his hair. Despite his lack of experience, he enthusiastically swallowed me deep, and it took all my control to not lose it right then.
"What do you want me to do, Loki?" Shannon asked, eyes watching every thrust of my hips as I began ravaging Elatha's mouth.
"Take those clever fingers of yours and fuck his ass. Let's see if you can make him cum," I said, even as I gritted my teeth to hold on longer. I wanted to feel him groan around my cock when he came, and Shannon didn't hesitate to dive in.
His mouth sucked harder, and he widened his legs, pushing back against her hand. When his hand went to reach for that gorgeous midnight and silver cock, weeping pearly drops, I yanked his hair.
"Touch your cock, Elatha, and you don't get to cum for hours. Do you really want that lesson in delayed gratification tonight?" I growled.
He groaned, and the vibration surrounded my cock, making me curl my toes at the intensity of heat surging from my abdomen. Instead, his hands gripped my hips as he rocked against Shannon's fingers and groaned around my cock.
His silver lust-glazed eyes met mine, and I read the desperation. "Faster Shannon. He needs you to fuck him harder and faster with those little fingers of yours."
"When I figure out my earth powers better, I'm going to learn to give myself a cock when I want one," Shannon panted.
My lips quirked. So my Shannon wanted to be gender fluid, did she? My lovely goddess was feminine to her sexy, wet little core, but she'd figure it out if she wanted to try it bad enough. I just wished I'd be there... clenching my jaw, I shoved the thought violently from my mind. Now was not the time to be thinking about it.
Don't fucking waste the time you have left with them, you bloody git.
Shannon squirmed in place, rubbing her thighs together even as her hand smacked against Elatha's ass with every stroke. Yggdrasil's roots, I loved the look of the two of them writhing in passion, submitting to my demands. A roar of possessiveness exploded from my centre.
Mine. They were mine.
Elatha's spine turned rigid, and he shouted around my cock as pearly jets fountained from his. I snarled and released my control, the orgasm boiling up instantly to flood his throat. The tight bands of muscles contracted around me again and again as he swallowed, sending waves of pleasure washing through my body.
I pulled out of his mouth and left him gasping.
Instead, I turned to Shannon. "Your turn, darling." Leaning down, I kissed her, then gripped her hair in a ruthless hold and shoved my cock down her throat. I held her eyes. "I'm not going to spank you. No, you don't get that warm up, my little instigator. Instead, Elatha is going to fuck our sassy little goddess' ass with only the cum he just released. And not with his fingers, so you better hope he can gather enough. He does have a gloriously big, thick cock, darling."
Her hazel eyes widened as Elatha scooped up the fluid and moved behind her. I opened the bond as much as she allowed, diving into her mind. While I wanted to ensure she got that little bite of pain I knew she enjoyed, I also needed to make sure it wasn't too much for her.
But I needn't have worried. Elatha made sure she was able to take him.
After the first few winces as he thrust deep, she moaned around my cock and pushed back against his.
Yet both Elatha and I held off as Shannon reached her first orgasm. Pinned between us, she shook, and his eyes looked up to meet mine. With a circular 'keep going' gesture of my hand, his smile broadened, and we continued to fuck her right through it, then through her second and third. Finally, with her fourth and the sensation that she was as full of energy as she was going to get, I gave him a nod to finish.
He climaxed immediately, that big muscular body clinging to her curvaceous one. Shannon's moan vibrated her throat around my cock and waves of gooseflesh rippled over my skin. Not holding back, I shouted my own orgasm, tightening my fingers in her hair as the blastwave geysered up my nerve endings, to my extremities and out my cock while she swallowed me down.
Carefully, I withdrew, letting her finally recover her breath.
Sated, at least for the moment, I pulled my two consorts to their feet and putting Shannon between us on the bed, I wrapped my arm around them both and tugged the blankets over us.