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Phobos, the god of fear.

The personification of panic in Greek mythology.

He was the son of Ares and Aphrodite.

He does not have a distinct role,

Except for being his father's attendant.

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Gwen poked her head out from Alex's side. Her jaw went slack and her eyes widened in absolute disbelief. "Penny?"

A red-stained bandage was plastered on her shoulder, concealing the bite mark. At first glance, the wound had me worried but it morphed into hurt and betrayal. She made a step forward but Alex held her back with an arm.

I shoveled up all my current emotions, masking them with anger. This better be a dream. "Are you the spy?" I asked. "Because it's hard to believe you'll betray Pedro."

Did she report our every move to Henry?

Her eyes widened at Pedro's name. Emotions I couldn't quite catch scuttled past. She nervously fidgeted with her fingers. "I--"

"She was never the spy," Henry stated with an air of calmness like he wanted this misunderstanding done with. "Yes, she helped me distract the Petersons so I could find you but it was a recent betrayal. Call her a..." He glanced at her in thought, "...new recruit. Minutes before we stormed star-crossed inc., she sorted us out. Apparently, she was bitten by Alex, making him, her sire, and I, her leader. Unless she's somehow a built-in top dog like me. But that will lead to a fight for power, wouldn't it? Besides, she thinks I can save her from her transformation."

He smirked at Gwen but she turned away, her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. After a few seconds, she mumbled. "I heard that possessing two mythological beings is a death sentence because they aren't compatible. Being an oracle sealed my fate and only a crocotta leader can fix that."

"That's bullshit," Henry said. "But I'll be willing to help if you do your part, Girlie."

Gwen shifted her glasses and half-nodded.

Henry wrinkled his nose and huffed. He held out a hand to Alex. "Where are the items I ordered?"

Alex quickly towed a box from his huge coat. It was a first aid kit wrapped in a green scarf. He dutifully walked to Henry and held out the parcel with a waist-deep bow.

Henry placed it on the soft comforter by me. I reflexively shifted away. The lesser crocotta walked back to his spot and melted into a statue.

"Why will you need that?" Gwen asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"You're in no position to talk, Fledgling," Henry replied and she visibly cringed at the word. The crocotta leader unhitched the scarf and with careful fingers, gathered and tied my hair into a ponytail before rolling it into a bun.

I watched him in half-puzzlement. He caught me staring and made a quick plastic smile.

That's not good.

Alex rose a finger. "With all due respect, Sir. I'd like to know the reason behind all this...stuff."

Henry stared blankly ahead. "Don't make me repeat my statement. Now make yourself useful and complete the tasks assigned to you." He opened the kit and brought out a pack of bandages while tracing a clawed digit down my neck, repeating circles around the hickey.

Gwen scrutinized the finger when fear and realization zapped through her facial features. She shook her head in disbelief. "No. Henry..." She moved towards us but Alex held her back with an arm around her waist. She fought against him and he grunted at the surprising strength. "You promised you wouldn't hurt her! Liam is already pissed. There's no need to make this worse!"

Henry made a sharp turn. "This is not my doing but the Mistress'. Now for once in your life, obey a simple instruction and leave."

Alex nodded in obedience and dragged Gwen out of the room but she fought with every step. Her fingers clawed at the door before it closed shut. "No. Pedro will never forgive me. Please..." Her voice faded away as they drew farther.

The room grew dead silent as I was left with Henry once more. His fingers kept tracing my hickey but paused when our eyes met. I didn't know what Gwen tried to avoid and I didn't have a clue, but one answer kept blaring through my memory. "You're going to bite me."

Henry kept his stare but didn't answer. My throat bobbed as I swallowed, recalling everything Gwen said about a crocotta's bite.

Possessing two mythological beings is a death sentence because they aren't compatible.

And not just that, If Henry bites me, I'll be connected to him in more ways than one. I tried reigning in my fears. "You're making a big mistake. Liam and the other six sins will hunt you down in revenge. I've met two and they don't seem like the kind to take bullshit from anyone."

Henry tilted his head, not the least bothered by the threat. "They'll certainly have my head. but my hands are tied at this point."

"It wouldn't be just them--"

"I know," Henry said. "There's Zion, Pedro, and Eros." He sighed and sat back. "Among these three, Eros is the one I fear the most. Not only because of his power but the way he displays his emotions. He always hides behind a fake smile and does what benefits him. It makes it hard to know what side he's on."

"You've met Eros?"

"We've exchanged 'hellos' -- back when I hanged out with Liam. He keeps observing the nightclub, hoping to find -- who I'm guessing is -- Psyche. And you should know that Eros and Liam are similar but different. A mirrored image of Lust and love."

Hypnos had said similar words.

I shook my head and hit straight to the point. "Don't do this."

"I wish I didn't, Sweetie. But orders are orders." He said dejectedly and tugged the collar of my shirt over one shoulder. His illuminated irises shifted from my exposed skin to my frightened expression.

Like a caged animal, I acted.

The next movement was instant; I wrapped my legs around his neck and tilted my hips. The vigor hurled him to the bed. I brought my knees to my chest -- and with one final move -- kicked his jaw. A loud satisfying snap echoed through the room as Henry lolled off the bed and face planted on the ground.

I sat up and struggled with the ropes around my wrist. The rough texture bit into my skin, tethering me to the headboard.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

The rope never loosened. I screamed in frustration and shook the bed in anger.

I let out a surprised scream when a clawed arm grabbed my ankle and dragged. My shirt rode up from the harsh movement. I was jerked unto my back, my hands stretched over my head. I looked at my feet just in time to see Henry's hunched form at the edge of my bed.

I kicked against him as he brutally crawled over me. My eyes widened at his partial form. His ears had tapered at the apex with a tuft of hair outlining the edge. His forearm was shrouded in a thin layer of hair that resembled much of a hyena.

Long sharp claws ripped through the comforter beside my head and his eyes flashed wildly between red, pink, purple, and orange that it was hard to decipher. He smiled, the sharp dentine of a predator blinked into view.

"That's one powerful kick." He said and massaged his jaw. "But you're preventing the inevitable."

My heart raced loudly beneath my ribcage. "This isn't right. Your Mistress--"

"Is my Mistress and you can't change that." He leaned down and lightly sniffed over my shoulder. "I'll try to alleviate the pain but I can't make any promises."

"Don't." I panicked.

He paused for a moment then murmured in a strangely low tone. "It's the only way I can make it convincing." He whispered even lower. "You'll thank me later."

Without warning, he stretched his lips and bit down.

Pain exploded in my head as a hoarse cry tore out from my throat. His teeth sank deep, a hand pressed against my bare waist to keep me still. I felt my vocal cords rip apart as my consciousness faded. The agony seemed to go on forever. With a satisfying growl, he roughly tore his canines out, removing a small chunk of flesh.

I arched from the bed as the sharp pain skyrocketed before free-falling into a throbbing ache. I whimpered, my breathing erratic as I slumped against the bed.

Henry rubbed the corners of his lips with a fist. They came out bloody. I flinched when he leaned forward and brushed something wet from my cheek with a finger.

Tears.

He glanced at my disfigured shoulder and grabbed the first-aid kit, opening the lid. "Liam will surely sense your pain and he won't waste a second getting here. I can assure you."

I winced when he dipped a wet cloth around the wound. It came out soaked in blood. After applying a few antibiotics, he fixed a bandage over the bite mark. I tightly shut my eyes as he dressed the wound, not wanting to look at him.

"We'll be seeing the Mistress soon." The bed moved as he rose and diced the ropes restricting me to the bed. My wrists were still bound but I hardly felt it. He slipped an arm beneath my back and knees before holding my lethargic body to his chest.

My dizzy state left me disoriented. And he tried not to jostle me. "Stay awake. We aren't done yet."

His command awakened my body like gasoline to fire, reminding me that I was still vulnerable to his ability. Without any control, my eyes shot wide and my heartbeat sped a bit.

That's when I got a good look at the room. It was a carved cave with smooth walls. Nothing like the roughened ones in movies. It was empty except for the bed, a lantern, and a table holding up a picture frame of a boy and girl.

Henry and his sister.

The room disappeared as he walked down a carved hallway lined with bright bulbs. After a few turns, we stepped into an open area. It matched the size of a theatre with rough tall walls, stalactites, and a dusty but smooth floor. Moss-covered boulders and a few vegetation littered the corners of the cavern. A lake stretched to the left, filling the rest of the cave.

At the far end was a podium illuminated by a ray of light filtering through a tiny crack in the wall. Two huge pillars stood majestically and between them knelt an anonymous person.

His head had lolled forward and his arms were stretched wide -- chained to the pillars. Fear pricked down my spine when I recognized the dark hair, broad chest, and grey button shirt.

My breathing picked up as I tried to decipher what I was seeing.

Hello everyone. My wifi has been running around like a frightened child (whatever that means) so I couldn't update at the time I wanted to.

Things have also been really hard and busy these past few months. And my regular college studies and personal life haven't made it any easier.

I'll try to keep my updates frequent so you won't have to wait long for subsequent chapters. We're in the last phase of the book and I'm trying as much as I can to wrap things up.

Thank you all for your support. Pandora's Successor wouldn't be here without you.

Please don't forget to vote, follow and share.

Any hints about the anonymous person? Please let me know by leaving a comment.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.💜💜