Page 126 of Fallen Gods

The rest of his words are lost when his tongue touches me, cool and devastating, each stroke unraveling me further.

“Gods—” I choke out.

He laughs against my skin, the vibration shattering me. “Don’t you know? The Gods are sleeping. They won’t hear you.” His voice is a promise, hungry and sure. “You’re stuck with me.”

I almost laugh, but it turns into a gasp. “No place I’d rather be.”

His head lifts just long enough for his dark eyes to cut into me, sharp and raw. “Same.”

And then I’m gone again—lost in the way he tastes me, claims me, makes me forget about heroes and fairy tales. Who needs a savior on a white horse when the storm itself is in your bed?

I clench the sheets in my fists as I lose control. It’s lightning. Chaos. Ruin. I see stars, and in that moment, I know: If this is what love is, then let me fall for the monster. Even if he hasn’tbeen fully unleashed yet.

I have high hopes.

He slides his body back up mine and stares me down, mouth swollen, eyes turning white.

“What happened to no man left behind?” I whisper.

He grins.

Then I push him on his back and sink on top of him.

Chapter Sixty-Four

Aric

The next morning, after a night of rumpled sheets and very little sleep—in a good way, for once—I ask the question that’s been burning through me.

“I know it wasn’t me,” I whisper. “So who moved the statue?”

She looks deep in thought. “Rowen? One of my father’s goons? Could be whoever saw us at the oak tree, unlocking rune number three.”

“That would make sense. Since they knew specifically which rune to plant in my game room.” She nods, silently acknowledging that we’re both in the dark.

“We just need to be more careful.” I look down at her, hair rumpled, lips swollen from my kisses, and my heart clenches. “Youneed to be careful, to stay safe.”

“Teamwork.”

I can’t help but smirk. “That’s all it took for you to be Team Giant?”

“Are we back to that team stuff again?” She rests her head on my chest. “Maybe.”

“Speaking of teamwork…” I feel her shift against me. “I bet you already know where the last rune is. Want to share?”

She sighs. “I do know. But it’s so public. Right out in the open. I’m… Well, I’m—”

“Scared,” I finish for her. “You’re afraid that when I’m fully awakened, I’ll go berserk and tear down Endir and Everett and everyone in it.”

“Or maybe just a building or two,” she admits, and I can hear that she’s smiling. “We’ll need to find a time there aren’t people around. Not too easy during orientation.”

My heart sinks as I think. “Actually, orientation is the perfect time. Everyone is going to be in one place tonight. It’s the Hunt. The perfect time to do something without people around, because they’ll all be getting drunk in the stadium or running through the forest, away from campus. It’s just…”Shit. Sigurd is going to hate this. “The runes will be down,” I admit.

“Oh,” she whispers. She’s silent. “So campus will be unprotected. From everyone. If we awaken you tonight during the Hunt and find Mjölnir, there’s nothing stopping my father from taking it.”

“Right,” I say.

“We can’t do it tonight,” she declares at the same time I say, “Let’s do it tonight.”