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The first mortal woman in Greek mythology,

A pawn of Zeus.

She was molded by Hephaestus,

And endowed with gifts from other Olympian gods.

Pandora.

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Deep into the darkness
We all got lost
Caught out in the rainstorm
Bullets falling fast

Calling to the afterlife
Can you hear us when we cry?
It's all gone wrong
Heaven hold us...

A honeyed voice broke through my foggy consciousness; a melody so thick and smooth that it brought a calm tang with it. The deep vocals of a male.

I lay on my side. The soft silk of a duvet rubbed against the bare skin of my arms and thighs, creating a relaxing effect that nearly coerced me back into another dream state.

With a hint of effort, I twitched my eyelids open. Henry sat on a low stool beside the bed. He propped his elbows on the quilt with his chin in one hand.

He smiled, teeth oddly human. Which means he hasn't partially shifted. "You're finally awake. Took you long enough."

I tried to sit up but my movements were restricted. I fell back against the bed and glanced at my wrists. Thick ropes secured my hands firmly to the headboard. I tugged at it. The huge knot never budged.

"I didn't plan on restraining you," Henry said, reflexively scratching his nose. It reminded me of the first time I met him. "I mean, I could leave you immobilized, but I prefer your feisty side."

He glanced at my clothes; Pedro's shirt had ridden up my waist, showing a hint of my lower abdomen. Henry's nose flared as he stole a good whiff of me. I instinctively coiled away.

"You reek of a male. Definitely not Liam. It smells familiar though? Have I met this mysterious boyfriend?"

Obviously.

Henry had ordered his crocottas to hurt the Petersons when he attacked at the beach.

But Pedro isn't my boyfriend. Why do people keep assuming that?

At this point, I hoped the tiny shorts covered the better part of my legs. With my hands held to the headboard, I felt completely vulnerable. I took a deep breath and spoke out. "You were singing."

The lyrics seemed more like a prayer for redemption.

Henry's eyes flashed green then orange. "Surprised?"

When I didn't answer, he leaned forward. I tried not to cringe away when he spoke with a completely different but familiar tone. "You wanna hear more, Gem?"

Liam's voice.

He had used it in the past to lure me out. That's when I learned crocottas could mimic a person's speech. The beautiful voice wasn't his.

I buried my face in my inner arm while trying to calm my speeding heartbeat. I jumped when he pulled a strand of hair from between my lips.

He withdrew his hand and tilted his head. "You're scared of me?"

I stared at him with wide eyes, my tongue completely frozen. If Henry had his way, he would've killed me by now.

Henry's finger glided down my jaw to my chin. He propped my head up to meet my gaze. "Good."

He moved to his feet and I tried creating as much distance between us, fighting the ropes as he leaned towards me.

Surprisingly, he reached for my wrist and turned it, displaying the greek marks. His skin was cold to the touch.

He murmured under his breath. "Like it or not, your emotions work in my favor. That way, I can get a direct message to Liam." His eyes shifted from the mark to me. "Waiting for the bond's third manifestation was worth it."

Third manifestation?

All this time, he was waiting for the third mark to appear.

A hint of anger broke through. "You forced a bond on me just so you'd get a message to Liam? That's sick."

How is that even scientifically possible?

Henry watched me for a second before bursting into a fit. He laughed until it turned into dry coughs. He cleared his throat and wiped tears from his eyes, composing himself.

He focused on me with a mirth-filled gaze. "You think I'm the one forcing the bond?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "The second mark appeared when you invaded my dreams. Why wouldn't it be you?"

According to Liam, the bond can only be strengthened through dreams and physical contact. It also gives the benefactor the ability to track Pandora. I always thought it was Henry. But why am I doubting it now?

The crocotta placed his hands on the bed and smiled. "I wasn't the only one in that dream."

I tensed, seeing where he was going. "The red-eyed demon."

But it didn't make any sense. I've only seen and touched the creature once. It couldn't be--

"What if I told you Liam was the red-eyed demon?"

I focused on him, waiting for the punch line, but Henry was dead serious. I shook my head. "He can't. Liam told me to stay away from the creature."

"And this is where it gets interesting." He sat on the bed and leaned against the headboard, legs outstretched. I noticed his black-fitting attire and sneakers. The light grey shoes looked totally out of place. I remembered Alex had mentioned Henry's favorite color was grey.

The crocotta continued, unaware of my observation. "Liam displays what humans call 'a personality disorder.' Meaning someone with split personalities. But it's more than that. Liam is many beings merged into one." He turned to me, hoping I connect the dots.

I decided to play his little game. "You mean...Liam's demon personality is different from his godly one."

I was still trying to process his demonic reveal; how he inadvertently said 'I'm part god, part demon.' But he can't be the creature from my dreams. As far as I know, Liam had green cat-eyes while the abomination had completely red eyeballs.

"He isn't exactly a demon," Henry said, folding his arms over his chest while staring straight ahead. "Liam is a haphazard combination of more than two portraits."

When I didn't respond, he carried on. "Ever heard of Pandora's story?"

I nodded. Anybody familiar with greek knows Pandora's tale. At least the basics. "She was made by Hephaestus and given a box containing the seven deadly sins."

Henry smiled. "What do you think happened with the sins?"

"They plagued mankind, causing destruction."

He nodded in agreement. "True. But what are they?"

"Emotions."

The statement earned a wolfish grin. "Exactly. But that's the problem, Sweetie. Turns out, the person who brought greek gods, Pandora, and other monsters, not only ruined my mundane life, but he or she managed to turn emotions into beings."

"You mean..." I paused in thought. "...but Liam is Eros's brother."

"Indeed. But you don't see him with white wings. Do you?" He propped his knee up and tightened his shoelace. "That's because his sinful transformation has taken over. What I said about the painting is a precise description of Liam. Creating a living thing out of nothing requires an amalgamation of more than one living entity."

He paused for a while, letting it sink in. "Liam is a god, human, emotion, and an animalistic creature all in one. And you've only seen the godly side of his consciousness. That, plus a hint of his human soul. But that doesn't make him like you. He might act human but he's far from it. He's a creature of weird sorts. One that shouldn't exist."

My breath hitched when I recognized the exact words of the rider and his dark horse.

"You're saying he is one of the seven sins and he's forcing a bond on me? But why will he do that if it works in your favor? How does it help you send a message to him."

Henry smirked and ran a hand through my hair, exposing one side of my neck. My limbs froze in place, hands clenched. I expected him to lash out and cut out my throat with his claws.

Instead, he smoothly stroked my hair. "The bond, in general, helps Pandora ascend. As one of the seven deadly sins. It's his sole purpose. But there are other benefits. When the third mark was formed, a deeper connection glowed to life. He'll be able to sense your emotions. If he senses fear, he might get a good picture about what's happening."

He wants to rattle Liam.

I shook my head. Henry's accusation didn't match. Liam said he would never try to hurt me. That he prefers Pandora never ascended.

If he's forcing the bond, it confirms Hypnos' statement. The connection grows stronger whenever Liam touches, heals, or kisses me. I wanted to doubt those warnings but my voice came out fragile. "I don't believe you. Either way, he's more human than you'll ever be. You wanted to control Magaret but he intervened."

At the name, Henry's eyes flashed from red to orange. "And that's another big lie." He snarled, simmering with rage.

I silently cursed. Knowing it's never good to enrage a crocotta. Especially this one.

Sensing my fear, he assumed a calm demeanor in less than two seconds. His fingers trailed over my hickey as he murmured breathlessly. "Perhaps it's time you hear my side of the story."

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And for those who missed my announcement, I drew Pedro (even though it took a while) and posted it on my Instagram account.

Some of you may not have the app so I pasted it here. Be reminded that you can still picture him any way you want. This is just my version.🙂

Please note; If you're below 15 years of age, skip over. You've been warned😇.

Here it is:

More edited versions on Instagram. Link at the bottom of my bio page😆.

Lots of Love💜