I gave a small smile and drew closer to him. I felt his warmth as I listened to his heartbeat. Its beat created such a melodic rhythm quickly settling my own. I shifted my head and placed a light kiss there. I heard a gasp from my mate as I leaned back slowly.

 

”You did well,” I said with a smile.

 

”But I-”

 

”You did well” I repeat this time firmly.

 

Hypnos gave me a tense smile. He leaned in close, placing a kiss to my lips. A soft but firm set of lips lingered on my own. When he drew back onyx eyes bore at me. I could feel his sincerity through his gaze.

 

”Thank you” he smiled kissing me again.

 

”After we wiped your memory I selfishly regretted it.” Hypnos sighed. ”I knew it was for the best but, I wanted you, no, I needed you by my side.”

 

I gave a small smile feeling my body tingle. I was living my dreams at this moment right here in Hypnos’ arms.

 

Suddenly, bronzed and toned hands grasped my shoulders. ”But after all that we’ve done the horror of what Phanes has done managed to bleed through,” his eyes studied me with worry.

 

My elation slowly trickled away as he spoke. I froze; feeling my core chill. I didn't want to remember I wanted to NOT remember. My body started to shake violently as I began to cry.  In a panic, I felt Hypnos pull me close.

 

”I don't know why the horrid images of that day resurfaced after you drank from the river. I don't know why it was even able to. What I do know is that I WILL protect you!”

 

His large palm rubbed long strokes up and down my back. He whispered promise after promise of security and devotion next to my ear.

 

”Take slow deep breaths for me love”

 

”I promise I'll protect you”

 

”That bastard will never get close enough to harm you”

 

”We will always be ok because you will always have me and I will always have you”

 

I stilled at his last sentence and melted into his hold. The memory of that pinkish-orange sky replayed. Us holding hands, kissing underneath that sky. The sleep God making this promise and me experiencing his pure love.

 

”We will always be ok” I repeat with a soft sniffle.

 

Silence took over as we laid in each other arms. I closed my eyes and listened to my mates breathing. The breaths were settled and calmed. My tears slowed and eventually ended. I wipe away the remnants and sigh.

 

”Christos?...Baby?”

 

I hummed in as my answer to his call.

 

”I have no right to ask you but..”

 

”You did nothing wrong” I responded. I rubbed his chest slowly, lightly trailing my fingers down his core. ”I have nothing to forgive you for because you did nothing wrong.” My fingers stopped where his essence resided. ”If you want to make it up to me though, maybe, you can understand why I don't want you to release our cores?”

 

Hypnos furrowed his brows at my request eyeing me intently. I was taken aback when his expression slowly changed. He gave me a knowing smile with a small nod.

 

”I understand my love, it's to inhibit Phanes from finding out about us”

 

My nodding hastened as he explained my exact thoughts. ”Yes! Exactly!”

 

I would love nothing more than to feel our cores meld into one, but, not yet. We can't let Phanes know that I have all of my memories back. If we want to end this it has to be well thought out, I thought to myself.

 

 Suddenly, I felt a tap at the center of my forehead. My trail of thoughts ended returning to the God before me.

 

”What is that pretty little mind of yours imagining?”

 

A twinge of a blush threatened to envelop me as a whole very quickly. In hopes to hide my feverish appearance, I bowed my head slightly.

 

”Its nothing really, I was just thinking how important it is to keep us a secret for a while.”

 

Hypnos sighed after my answer causing me to raise my head. I gazed in awe at his pitch-black eyes viewing the golden specks twinkle. It was like fireflies floating amongst an ink-stained sky. I watched as his eyebrows furrowed with intense worry. He leaned down pressing his forehead to mine. The tip of his nose brushed lightly against my own.

 

”It has been eleven years since I’ve had the chance to hold you like this.” he spoke in a whisper. ”Eleven difficult and lonely year's not being able to stare into your beautiful eyes.” his gaze deepened as he spoke.

 

”Im so sorry” I mumbled.

 

He smiled dazzlingly releasing a low chuckle. Soon full and plush lips left butterfly kisses on both my nose and lips. ”You have nothing to apologize for because you did nothing wrong” he echoed my own words to me.

 

I smiled at him brightly leaning in to place a kiss to his lips. ”Thank you”

 

”I just hate having to keep you a secret but, to keep you safe until I can stop that bastard that's what I'll do,” Hypnos said with conviction. ”But that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun with it right?” he asked with a smirk.

 

I gasped at his inference giving him a giggle in my shock. I raised my hand and gave him a small nudge breaking us apart.

Hypnos laughed loudly at my shy behavior as he reached out to pat my head.

 

”So where do we go from here?” I asked as the realization of what just happened hits me.

 

”Now we just pick up where we left off eleven years ago.” Hypnos replied. He turned his body facing away from me. His muscular torso leaned back allowing him to lay his head on my lap. ”We just have to be careful” his hand reached forward and caressed my cheek.

 

I rested my hand on his and smiled. I turned my head pressing my lips to his palm. The large and rough appendage felt warm there. He slid his hand down my face resting it in his lap.

 

”And we will because I won't lose you again,” I said in a timid whisper. ”So until everything is over I’ll keep my not so well hidden crush and you’ll keep pretending to tolerate my existence” My amethyst eyes study his expression as my fingers run through his black tresses unhurriedly. 

 

Hypnos closed his eyes nodding at my answer. He hummed in satisfaction when the tips of my fingers massaged his scalp. His eyes shot open in an instance and narrowed sharply. ”What do you mean tolerating your existence? He asked.

 

” It's just that sometimes the looks you would give me was of total indifference,” I said with a sigh. ” As if you wanted, no needed to be anywhere but with me”

 

The sleep gods' tense facial muscles relaxed when he sighed in defeat. ”All an act with years of practice it took all I had to not ravish you where you stood” he announced casually as he closed his eyes. ” I needed Phanes to see that we no longer had anything to do with each other,” he said in a snarl. His body turned towards my torso. Hypnos buried his face into my stomach as he wrapped his arms around me. ”I would have given anything to hold you” he mumbled. ”Didn’t you notice just how close I came in my office?”

 

My mouth dropped in shock. I looked down at the bronzed god in my lap. His onyx eyes now peeking up at me I stilled. He turned his body around again laying flat once more.

 

His hand reached up brushing against my cheek hooking itself behind my head. Strong fingers kneaded the tense muscles under his hold. He added a bit more strength as he tugged me towards him. Our eyes met as I drew closer and closer. Suddenly, soft plump lips pressed against my own desperately wanting to express his love.

 

Our lips moved in sync with a fervent effort. His tongue moved smoothly against my bottom lip prompting me to open. A rough and lithe muscle tongued the inside of my mouth. It wrapped around my own creating a sensual dance of will. I moaned into the kiss loving it's arousing sensation.

 

The kiss only lasted for a few seconds but felt like hours. We separated from each other while never breaking eye contact.

 

”That was-” I giggle slightly.

 

Hypnos drops his arm and sits up turning to stand. ” That was a small incentive” he announced with a flirtatious smile.

 

”An incentive for what?” I asked as I stood as well.

 

Hypnos took a single step forward, which brought him directly against me. His sable colored eyes were fixated causing the golden flecks to reflect the flames of the fire. Warm short breaths feathered across my cheek as he leaned in.  ”To motivate you to stay here tonight”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fates POV

 

”Why won't the call go through!” Jonas spoke loudly as he stamped his foot.

 

Thanatos chuckled at his mate's cute behavior as he walked up behind him. He wrapped his arms around the demon's waist pulling him close.

 

”Calm down my sweet he’s probably just busy,” Thanatos said as he placed a kiss to Jonas’ neck.

 

”Too busy to answer his best friend's phone call?” The water demon asked in outrage paying no attention to the feathered nudge.

 

Thanatos planted kiss after kiss trailing towards Jonas’ ear. ”If I were you I'd be more worried about myself” he whispered darkly.