Zagreus and Gwenyr went inside, up to the top floor, to the royal chambers. The bed was the size of his room. It had tall, thick, dark wooden posts and fine linen.

He shut the door and turned.

She stood with her arms crossed. “You are also dating the Goddess of Death?”

“She’s been my lover for years.” He said.

She glanced around. “Is she still listening?”

“No. It’s just you and me tonight, and I am willing.”

“Willing to do what?”

“Whatever you want. I just ask that you be gentle. You can mark me, if that is what you want.”

“Why?”

“I’m tired of everyone forcing me to do stuff. Now I’m making my own choices. I’m doing it on my terms. I choose to let you do this.”

She smiled at him. “Can you help me out of my dress?”

“I can god magic you out of your dress.” He stood back and gently put his hand around her throat. He focused his energy around her. Her skin glowed aqua and she was softly giggling from the sensation.

“This is so…” All her clothes vanished.

“Yes it is.” He looked her over. It was nice not having to avert his eyes.

Her soft green flesh was inviting. She was slender, like a remnant. Thick nipples tipped her small breasts. Her tail was thin, black and ended with a sharp arrow like point. Her wings sprung out of her back, as she licked her lips and looked at him like prey. He held out his other hand and her dress reappeared, in the air, still worn by a now non-existent body. It fell into a pile.

She teased. “Not much for foreplay are you?”

“Different people have different foreplay.” He lit up every one of her nerves with a moment of pleasurable caresses.

She gasped and trembled softly. “I see why you are so popular.” She moaned.

The room got hazy.

The next thing he knew he was lying on the bed. Gwenyr was beside him rubbing his face with a wet rag. “I looks like your beauty is overwhelm me again, my Queen.”

“Are you all right?”

“Yea. Over did it with an hours long sex session with Karimere yesterday. Still recovering.”

“Karimere? Death? Cinderella? You carry the name Shadowbane. Is this bragging or are you just trying to show me how worthless I am?” Her voice was calm but he could feel the hurt.

“It’s the truth. That is all. I don’t want to hide it from you. If you don’t like it, don’t bite me. Though, I will not be repeating that insanity with Karimere.”

“Are there any others?”

“Not currently, but there may be one more before this is done. It had just been Lilithana until recently then everything just… sort of… happened.”

“It looks like your god-life has my Queen-life beat for crazy.” She ran her fingers over Cinder’s love mark. “I can’t believe this is the mark of the Queen of Hearts. It’s so rough. So rushed. It screams of deep emotions and inexperience.”

“The funny thing is. I had no idea about infernal traditions until afterwards. She’s still mad at me about not accepting it immediately.”

“You rejected the Queen of Hearts? I’m tempted to mark you just so you are around to tell me all these stories.”

“How about we make some stories of our own? Lilithana still wants her threesome. Would you like to join us in a few days?”

“We have not even mated and you are already inviting others.”

“Technically you invited her. I am just going along if you still want to.”

She chuckled, “I will consider it.”

“I am feeling a bit better. If you help me out of these overly layered pants we can complete your deal.”

“Are you going to take this seriously? A lady likes to be romanced a bit. And you are so tired. I’m worried if you will be able to perform.”

“Chocolate works wonders for remnants sex drive. Oh. Right. You are going to have to watch that with your… our daughter. Also hotspice gets remnants drunk. But we can drink hard liquor like water. We actually need a little bit of alcohol each day to stay healthy. I will get you specifics on amounts.”

She stared at him unblinking for what felt like forever. Then it finally hit her. “Oh my god, I’m a parent.”

“That’s what happens when you get pregnant.”

“No. I mean. Me. You. We. Pregnant. I. Am. A. Parent.” She buried her face in his chest and groaned. “This is all your fault.” She was lightly pounding his chest with her fist. “Why did you have to show up and do all that to me? You were so rough and sexy and confident. A god! I am just a lonely slave girl. What did you think was going to happen?!”

He cupped her cheek in his hand.

She leaned into it and put her hand on top of his. “I’m sorry. I’m telling you to be romantic, then I go and cascade on you.”

“I’ve been where you are. You will make a fine mother.”

“You have other children?”

“I raised Jade, but she showed up at ten years old, basically feral. It was, interesting.”

She didn’t notice or didn’t acknowledge his omission. “Jade was so adorable and sweet. That silly girl about choked me with cheese. I would like to see her again.”

“That should be doable. But be warned, they grow up fast.”

She nodded, “Ok.” then sighed and ran her fingers softly up and down his arm.

He could feel her fear and her desire, “Are you ok?”

“I… Well… Um…” She took a deep breath. “I got made queen, now I’m going to mark a god. It… doesn’t feel real. It’s like, I’m going to wake up at any moment.”

“You are smart, beautiful, and strong. Anyone would be lucky to be marked by you.”

She smiled and crawled on top of him, tracing kisses up his chest and neck. Her touch was soft and tender. After everything he had been though lately he just wanted to melt under that caress. She kissed up his chin stopping just short of his lips. She rose up on her hands and knees. Her eyes went black as the void, her body glowed with lavender arcane, her wings spread out above them, her canines grew and sharpened, her voice deepened with power and lust. “Both of us have made a mockery of tradition. I will accept your show of strength and conviction. I will accept the gift of your offspring. I will accept you for who you are, and all that entails. I will make you fully mine tonight. If you accept my offer, then touch my flesh.”

How can I say ‘no’ to that?  She trembled as he caressed her. One hand slid up her side onto her breast, rolling her nipple in his fingers. Slowly, deliberately, teasingly his other hand moved up her inner thigh. The instant he touched her sex she buried him in a kiss and her wings pulled in tight around him.

His fingers intertwined with her tender, wet flesh.

She moaned into his mouth.

He explored her depths as they enjoyed each other.

She snatched his arms away and held them against the bed.

“Did I do wrong?”

She panted, “You have accepted. I will mark you. I am second. It must be perfect.” She held him in place as she willed her breathing and body under control. She finally raised his arms to her back and lay her warm body on him.

He considered using god magic on his pants but he didn’t want to risk sleeping through this. He held her tight.

She kissed his neck and an impossibly long tongue sent tingling sensation everywhere it touched.

He felt her tense, then pressure on his shoulder, just below his neck. There was no pain. Her claws pressed into his sides, barely enough to draw blood. Her body trembled and she moaned into his neck. Waves of hot and cold coursed through him.

She sat up, let out a satisfied moan and stared nowhere as she absent mindedly ground her hips against him. “You are a fine mate. Delicious. You are my betrothed… I… I never thought I would be able to say that.” Hints of crimson stained her lips. She slowly licked them clean with a thin tongue.

His heart pounded. Her flesh was the only thing his eyes could focus on. It felt like he had eaten a mountain of chocolate. “What did you do to me?”

She looked down at him. Seeming to just have realized he was there. Her eyes and teeth were returning to normal. She smiled, “That is what a real love mark feels like.” She ground her hips slowly, intentionally, “Do you like it?”

“Yes…mmmm.” He said to the fleshy mass of his desire. He would do anything to please her. His hands explored her with wanton lust.

She pressed his arms back and kissed him softly. “I wish my betrothed was not so weary. Relax and I will give you a gift, then we will join in Love Eternal.”

He agreed. Her voice, her scent, her everything…

She kissed down his chest stripping him as she continued down his to his feet. She slowly kissed and massaged back up his legs.

He wanted this be his existence, every minute, of every day, for all time. His eyes rolled back as she sucked him using her long tongue to make his whole body tremble. He gripped her horns as she moaned onto him. It was incredible. He writhed in ecstasy.

She sat up and swallowed. “Did you like my gift?”

He nodded repeatedly, “Mmmmm.”

She continued her intimate massage up his body as he caught his breath. When he was ready, she lay on him and whispered. “You have given me two things I never thought I would have. A caring mate and an offspring with man I am honored to call the father. If I gave you my entire kingdom it would not begin to pay for what I owe you.”

He could hear the words and understand them but his body was not in his control. His hands would not stop their passionate explorations.

She yielded to his advances and they made soft, tender, love. His body wanted more, faster, harder. She pinned his arms and forced him to go slow. “I can feel your weariness. I will do this for you. Relax and enjoy my body.”

He felt like he was moving in water. Why do I have to be so weary? Damn Karimere.

She sensed his frustrations and kissed him slowly, consuming his attention. She soon sat up, riding him hard as her eyes went dark. She let out a primal moan of ecstasy so loud the whole castle must have heard. She collapsed on him trembling.

He was spent and felt dead. Whatever she had done to him was quickly wearing off.

With effort she raised herself off his chest. “Love Eternal.” She kissed the thick muscle on the side if his neck, above her love mark. Searing pain exploded through his body.

He screamed. Everything went black.

***

Zagreus woke to a darkened room. It was a couple hours before dawn. The Queen was curled up against his left shoulder, the shoulder on her side, with her mark. It was dark outside. Gwenyr’s kingdom was half a day off. It was mid-day lab time. He was a bit groggy.

Someone snapped their fingers. He looked up to see Rezu standing stiff, and gesturing emphatically for him to come closer. He nudged Gwenyr off him, crawled off the bed and walked over.

Rezu activated a ball of silence around them. Then he put the muscles of a millennia old craftsman to work trying to dislodge Zagreus’ nipple from his chest.

“What the fuck?!” Zagreus said.

“THAT IS MY QUESTION!” Rezu pinched harder, drawing blood.

“What did I do?!”

Rezu released his grip then slapped him hard on the neck. The pain sent spots through his vision. “What the fuck is that?”

“It’s a love mark.” Zagreus groaned.

Rezu slapped lower, on the shoulder, just below his neck. More pain. More spots. “THAT is a love mark.”

“Yea.”

He slapped the top one again. Seeing was getting quite difficult. “THAT is Love Eternal. She bit you twice. You are married. Do you want to die?”

“Married? Die?” His brain was still shaking off sleep.

“Yes! You dumbass! I have been trying to get Cinder to give you a chance. She had to have expected a love mark as part of her punishment. But she could at least excuse it away. Cinder is a Goddess, why would she fear competition from a mortal?  But Love Eternal is not competition, it’s not rejection. It’s replacement. She will kill you both. She might kill me just for being here when it happened.”

Zageus groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“We can void the marriage, get that mark off you, and hopefully we can smooth things over with the Queen.”

“No.” Flat, firm.

“What do you mean, no? Are you seriously going to tell Cinder you replaced her?”

“No.” Flat, firm, again.

Rezu stared at him, gears turning furiously. “You crazy son of a bitch. I can’t leave now. I will risk death to watch this play out.”

“Have you told anyone?”

“Lilithana knows. Karimere is still healing. Jade and Cinder are out on a mission and will probably be gone for another day. I can give you something to wear that will hide the mark so rumors won’t spread.”

Zagreus shrugged. “Well, then there is nothing I can safely do until Cinder returns to the lab. And I might die the next time I see her. So I’m going to go fuck my hot infernal wife. Can you wait outside?”

“Are you ok? You are disturbingly calm about this.”

He shrugged, “There is only so long you can exist in a state of existential dread before it just feels, normal. The most unsettling thing in this conversation is that I used the word ‘wife’.” He turned in the general direction of the bed. “Are we done?”

Rezu deactivated the ball of silence and vanished in a flash.

He crawled back into the room-sized bed and eventually got to Gwenyr. He kissed and caressed up her the back of legs. Slowly, tenderly. She made pleasant noises. He bit down on her round ass flesh eliciting a startled jump.

She groggily tried to roll over.

He held her down softly. “Stay like this.”

“As you wis…” She cut off the automatic response, looked back at him and blinked.

“Are you ok?”

“Yes… um.”

“Old habits.”

She nodded.

“You want me to keep going?”

She smiled at him then lay back down.

He kissed up her back then lay down and let her curl up against his shoulder again. “So we are married?”

She softly ran her claws back and forth across his chest. “Yes my love. Did you not understand ‘Love Eternal’?”

“No… Yes… I don’t know. That bite made everything fuzzy.”

“Are you upset with me?”

“No. I agreed to it and I would have let you do it even if I understood. I’m just an idiot.”

“This has to do with Cinderella, doesn’t it? I have shamed her by taking you when you hold her mark.”

“Yea.”

“I am a fool too. I should have thought it through. All I could see was my chance to get you. I couldn’t pass it up.”

“It’s good to feel wanted.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“Don’t worry. I understand. I can sense your feelings. It’s part of my powers.”

“I can feel yours too. Infernal mating rituals are arcane powered and intense, but that was legendary.”

Hes smiled. “You did bed a god. Legendary is expected.”

She laughed.

“I am curious, were you a virgin?”

“Did you see any whip marks on my body? There is only one type of slave that gets to keep their skin intact.”

“I don’t care about that. I am asking if I am the first person you chose to be with?”

She nodded timidly. “Yes.”

“I would have married you anyway. Part of my remnant traditions. I will deal with Cinder, and hopefully everyone lives.”

She got quiet and started caressing him slowly.

He kissed her softly and teased het body.

Her fingers found something stiff to play with. “Seems like you are feeling a bit better now.” She teased.

“A bit.”

She turned and got on her knees and her sharp black tail waved seductively in the air, “I want to give myself to you completely. Do you like anal?”

“Really?”

“You have set me in competition with the entire pantheon, I can’t be timid.” She flicked her tail. “I want you to. I like it. Please. My love.”

The way her little teases puled at him made him almost stop and check to see if he had been bitten again. He got behind her and smiled as her amazingly flexible tail wrapped around him teasingly. He gripped her wings edge as they made love. He emptied into her then dropped onto the bed beside her.

“Sorry that was so quick.” He said as she smiled at him.

“It was a first.” She kissed him, “I can feel your weariness. I will let you rest tonight.” She got up and put on a robe, then handed him one. “Put this on.”

“It feels plenty warm to me.”

“I have another gift for you.” She smiled and guided him through a thick side door onto a half circle balcony edged with crenulated stone. In the middle was a mat of blankets and pillows. This was a place designed for survival, not comfort. Even in this intimate moment the threat of the swarms was ever present.

He put on the robe to protect from the chill night air. He spoke quietly. “We won’t have privacy out here.”

She nodded. “Everything was planned without my knowledge. I wanted to do something special for you. I had my servants set this up before you arrived. I have always wanted to watch the stars with someone special.” She lay on the mattress and wrapped him in her wings as they watched the stars.

“I have been so focused on my training that I haven’t taken time to really live. I mean I am finally on the surface and I didn’t even stop to absorb that fact.” He said as she stroked his hair.

“I know the feeling.” She sighed, “I have been constantly trying to fix my countries problems since I took power. I have taken no time for myself.”

The sky eventually brightened and the sun peaked over the horizon. She pulled him tighter, “I want to thank you for tonight. You have shown me more tenderness than I ever thought I would have.”

“You are an amazing woman.”

She whispered in his ear, “I love you.”

He swallowed.

She kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry. I know things have moved fast. Say it, when you are ready.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t know what love is myself. But I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since we first met. It all still feels like a dream to me.”

He sighed to himself. I live a crazy life.