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Delphinos thought he’d felt perfect bliss before, every time Halie came apart in his arms, but as he spilled inside her now, their flesh slapping together and their bodies contorted in ecstasy, he realized he’d been wrong.
This was happiness.
This was heaven.
This was abruptly over, as Halie faded, and then vanished. He fell forward, but before he crashed face-first into the sand, he dissolved too. Such an odd sensation, losing control of his limbs, and then having them disappear altogether. Odder still, when his brain was still muddled with the force of his release.
He needed to find a new superlative for odd, because oddest wasn’t adequate to describe how he felt when he rematerialized on top of Halie’s naked body on the cold marble floor of Circe’s great hall.
Of course. He’d challenged the witch, and now she’d demand restitution.
He begrudgingly withdrew from Halie’s warm body and stood defiantly in front of the witch, who looked as ancient as ever, the dry skin of her face plastered to her skull, her milky eyes sunken, and her hair floating around her head in wild white tufts. She was dressed this time, thankfully.
“What...?” Halie sounded dazed.
Not that he blamed her—he was surprised his legs didn’t give out.
His body still tingled with his orgasm. “I told the witch I’d kill to be with you. Now she wants to test that.” He didn’t look back. If the witch snuffed out his candle, his last memory of Halie would be the love shining in her eyes, not her worry over his fate. “Do I get a weapon, witch, or must I use my bare hands?”
Halie gasped. In a split second, she was between Circe and him, facing the witch. “You can’t fight him,” she said. “Your prophecy was wrong. I could never love a human, when I already love Delphinos. Can’t you let him go, to make up for your mistake?”
“My love—” He put a hand on her shoulder and tried to move her out of the way.
Halie slapped his touch away and rounded on him. “And you.” She poked his chest with her index finger. “What did you think would happen to me, if she killed you?”
“I thought you’d find another mate in a century or two.”
“You’re the only one for me, you giant ocean sunfish.” She fisted her hands and pounded at his chest, while he tried to hold her still.
“Can you make her forget if I lose?” he asked the witch.
She arched a thin eyebrow. “I do not meddle with people’s free will.”
Delphinos threw his hands in the air. “Now you have principles? You lied about the prophecy and tried to separate us. I ought to turn into a giant scorpion and use my last breath to pierce your blackened heart.”
“So dramatic.” Circe rolled her eyes, and for a long second, Delphinos feared they’d drop into her skull. “You are lucky I enjoy insolence,” she said, “but do not overdo it, lest I change my mind.”
He opened his mouth to tell her he couldn’t care less about what she enjoyed, when she roared, “Silence.”
Invisible binds wrapped around his head and covered his mouth. He tried to transform into a man-sized octopus, fully planning to choke the life out of the witch before he perished, but he couldn’t move.
Halie wasn’t faring much better, judging by her indignant grunts and stiff posture.
“I never lied, nor was I mistaken.” The years slid off Circe, until she was the voluptuous blue-eyed brunette once more. “I am not to blame for your miscomprehension of my words. I said your Nereid would give her heart to a man who would love her upon dry land. Never did I say that man would be a mortal.”
Did she mean... Was Delphinos Halie’s prophesied mate? Had they lost all this time together the past century because of a misunderstanding?
He glared daggers at the witch.
She threw her head back and laughed. “I’d better tell you the rest of it, before you work yourself into a frenzy. I’m not going to fight you, daimon. Again you twisted what I said, to fit your narrow-minded perception of me. The reason I said you should do your best to be with her, was that you are fated to be together for eternity.”
Delphinos tried to think of a witty comeback, but really, he should kneel, apologize, and grovel. He was willing to, when the witch flicked her wrist. “Go. Enjoy the rest of forever together.”
Halie collapsed back into him, and he picked her up and carried her out of the palace, through the forest, and into the water.
Under the sea.
Home.
Where they could just be.