Forbidden Love's Curse: Mythos Untold Series

Contents Publication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Extra Forbidden Love’s Curse Copyright 2020 by Delcesca Newby. Cover art is done by rebecacovers. You can find her at https://www.fiverr.com/rebecacovers. Her covers are amazing! If you love what you see and want her to create a remarkable piece for you, don’t hesitate to contact her. Of course, this is a work of fiction. If any events or people somehow resemble reality, it’s a complete coincident. Please don’t purchase, distribute, or duplicate this work without my permission. Your respect for me and my craft is much appreciated. If you want to get updates, exclusive content, early cover reveals, exclusive giveaways, and anything else I can think of, join my mailing list at: http://www.delcescanewby.com/sign-up-form Chapter One Eros waved for the bartender. The stout man with a face that could frighten a harpy frowned. Eros had already drunk enough to kill a man, but the bartender didn’t know that this customer was unlike any that had visited his establishment in the past. None of his mortal drinks could affect the god. So why did Eros drink? He couldn’t say it was because he liked the burn of alcohol, and it didn’t distract from his troubles. Nor was the company great, and the pub offered no pleasing ambiance. Yet he was some place his mother wouldn’t look for him. To have a reprieve from her constant gloating and condescension was a haven all until itself. That alone was more than enough of a reason to consume so much whiskey it dripped from his pores if that was the price to pay to remain in his seat. To ease the bartender’s concern and suspicion, Eros set a ludicrous amount of money (more than the bartender had ever seen, judging by how his perpetually squinting eyes widened) on the counter. “Whatever will suffice,” he said. The hard glint didn’t leave the bartender’s too alert gaze, but he reached for a bottle of gin. He glanced at a shot glass, shook his head, and slid the full bottle in front of Eros. Eros took the bottle with a wide grin. “Many blessings on to you and your kin!” The bartender snorted and turned his attention to another waiting bar fly. Eros opened the gin and took a long drag from the bottle. He avoided looking to his left, but that didn’t mean he didn’t sense the evil eye locked on him. In time, he’d have to address the issue, but he hoped it could wait until he finished his gin. Eutychia was not smiling on him, though that didn’t surprise Eros. She’d vowed to hate him until the end of his days, and Eutychia wasn’t a goddess that took vows lightly. Argura, the water nymph that had been Eros’ constant companion since his troubles began, pulled the gin bottle from Eros’ hands. Her skin, magicked to hide its deep blue hue, was an amusing shade of red. She breathed through her nose so hard and fast Eros would have thought she was the Minotaur resurrected if he was blind. Eros laughed. “I’ll get you your own. No need to steal mine.” Argura poured the gin on the floor. The bartender’s back was turned, and no one alerted him to the mess, but Eros was half-tempted to tattle. All it would do is get Argura kicked out of the pub and she’d wait outside for him to resume the fight, but the prospect of momentary peace was alluring. “You’re so wasteful,” Eris chided instead. Argura shoved the bottle away. “You’re being obnoxious, and we’re getting dirty looks.” Eros glanced around the gloomy room. Sure enough, at least half a dozen patrons were eyed the god and his nymph. Eros wondered when it had started. After he’d downed enough alcohol to get the Kraken tipsy or when he’d flashed too much money? Regardless, Eros didn’t care. His limbs itched for action, and though no mortal could best him, plenty in the room could give him a bit of fun. “Oh, let me be,” Eros said once his focus returned to Argura. He sounded like a young godling being denied his favorite toy. It was the tone he’d often used on his mother to great prevail. It didn’t cajole Argura to do his bidding. Her wide mouth puckered as if she’d just bitten into a spoiled olive. “Is this how you will spend your time then?” Eros wiggled his eyebrows. He ran his hands up Argura’s right thigh. “What should I be doing?” The over-the-top flirtatious attitude was all a put-on. For one, he’d never considered Argura a romantic interest. Not that she was unattractive (when was a nymph not tempting?), but they’d been friends for so long that he no longer considered her a romantic prospect. Besides that, his heart had been so thoroughly stolen over two millennia ago that he craved only his love. Argura, or any attractive female, could stand in front of him naked and beg for his attention, and he’d turn away without even considering their assets. Argura kicked him in the shin. Eros yelped, but not from the pain. He hadn’t expected the nymph to resort to violence. “This won’t break the curse.” That he knew, but Eros had tried everything. And for his troubles, all he’d received were too many examples of how the mortal he loved could die. Even if he stayed away, she still perished. What was the point? If he was smart, he’d abandon hope. “What if I don’t that anymore?” The words scalded as he said them, but he wouldn’t take them back. Maybe if he repeated them enough, he’d believe them. Argura’s too light and stormy green eyes narrowed. “You’re giving up?” “What else can