"The gods misbehaved," he tells me. "We did not fulfill our duties as the High Father intended. So he expelled us from the heavenly aether and exiled us to the mortal realms. There, he split us into the four aspects of our worst sins—lies, apathy, arrogance, and hedonism. To return, we must defeat these flaws. Only then will we be allowed to return to our home." He pulls me back against him and presses a gentler kiss to the side of my neck. "But I defeated all of mine long ago. I defeated Apathy and Arrogance. Lies was the most difficult but I tracked him down and destroyed him. All that was left was for me to ascend once more, but I was betrayed. That is why I am still amongst mortals, even after all this." Kassam looks thoughtful. "Or perhaps the High Father does not want me back at all. I cannot know."
"Sounds fucked up," I wheeze. I run a hand over my breasts, because my nipples are still far too alert.
"Very."
"What…what are you going to do?" I try to straighten, to pull myself together.
"I am going to return to my world. Somehow." He gives me a seductive smile. "There will surely be a way. And until I figure it out, I will have rather pleasant company, I think."
Lucky, lucky me. "What if I want to call this off? What if I'm not interested in being your anchor?"
"It has already been decided," Kassam says. "You cannot leave my side." He gestures at the door to the bathroom. "If you try it, you will be filled with intense pain until you return."
"That's fucked." I don't try it, though. I like a pain-free existence. "Let's say you get back to your world…what happens to me? If we're tied together?"
Kassam traces a finger along my jaw. "Ah, sweet one. Do not ask me that."
I jerk away from him, chilled by his response. "Too late. I already asked it."
He sighs. Licks his fingertips one more time, as if he can't get enough of the taste of me, and then shrugs. "I cannot ascend while tied to my anchor. Our bond must be severed. Once it is, I'm free to return."
"You mean…."
"Death, yes."
I stare at him in shock. "What the fuck, Kassam? I don't want to die!"
"Well, I have no wish for you to die either, so we need to figure something out." He smiles at me.
I’m utterly aghast. I want to rail against everything. I want to call him a liar, and a fake, and say that he's not exactly who he says he is. That he's not a god. That he's not Hedonism. Except…I can't explain all the people spontaneously orgasming in the cafe. I can't explain why he can command squirrels and pigeons, and why my nearly dead plant doubled in size overnight. I can't explain why my brain fogs whenever he's near me and makes me want to do bad, dirty, naughty things.
Unless he really is cursed with hedonism, and a god.
"Wait right here," I tell him, lifting a finger. "Stay put."
He leans against one of the sinks, crosses his arms, and watches me. "You're going to test things, aren't you? My poor Carly. I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you wanted. If it's any consolation, I'm going to make however long we have together the best time you've ever had." He inclines his head with a mocking little smile. "Courtesy of hedonism, of course."
"You can stuff your hedonism," I say. "I'll be right back." And I march out of the bathroom. People are clustered near the door—ugh, ugh, ugh—and are no doubt waiting for Kassam to come out. He's like the pied piper of pussy, this man. I push through them, making my way through the tables and to the front door. I head out, and then I start running.
I'm not running anywhere in particular—I just want to get away. Away from a man who's given me more orgasms in twenty-four hours than I've had in the last year, and away from the fact that he's very sorry, but I'm going to die. So I run.
And as I run, pain begins.
I'm maybe one block away before the crushing pain begins in my chest. I slow my run to a brisk walk, and from there, I slow down even more. I'm on my feet all day at work, and I'm reasonably fit, but with every step I take, it feels as if my legs are getting heavier and heavier. Tightness radiates through my limbs, and it feels as if I can't breathe. Like my lungs are shriveling up even as I struggle to gulp down each breath. I turn around and look behind me. A block and a half from the cafe.
I need to rule out that this isn't just a cramp. My hand on my chest, I take another step forward, and it feels as if I'm swimming upstream. It's downright difficult, and every bit of my body feels terrible. It's like the worst flu I've ever had, even as I wheeze for breath. I pause, no longer pushing ahead, and then turn and walk back a few steps, toward the cafe and toward Kassam.
Immediately, the crushing feeling eases.
I pause, turn around, and walk a step away from Kassam. The pain returns, hard and heavy and awful.
Whatever it is that's going on, it isn't my imagination. I stagger backward a few steps, and when immediate relief hits, I walk back to the cafe. With every step I cover, the pain ebbs, but my anxiety increases. How do I fight this? How do I break free from a man that's suddenly trapped me to his side with good sex and a disarming smile? A man that has said, quite pointedly, that for him to go home, I have to die?
Suddenly the entire last day is taking on a sinister tinge. I think of Kassam in the alley, his hand extended out to me. I think of the constant mental fog I have around him. Of how he can make me come just with the blink of an eye.
How he can get whatever he wants from me with just a few touches and a gentle word. I've been playing right along with him, too, dazzled by his attractive face and gorgeous body and the sex appeal that oozes off of him. He's the pied piper of pussy all right, and I've been dancing to his tune.
No longer. Hearing that Kassam needs me dead is a real eye-opener. I have to figure a way out of this, somehow, because I am not about to give my life up for a pretty smile and a man that doesn't know how to wash his own hands.
Determined, I march back to the cafe and pause in the doorway. Kassam is seated atop the counter, his bare feet dangling as he eats cookies straight from the case. The barista watches him with an adoring expression, and the others sip their coffees and look on as if he's some sort of celebrity…or messiah. At least they're no longer diddling themselves. Or each other. I step inside, heading for the counter, and behind it, I see a few bodies writhing in what can only be an orgy.
Spoke too soon.
Kassam smiles at me, his expression utterly delighted. "You are back, my light. Did you…get what you needed?" His expression is both apologetic and casual, as if he knows it sucks, but he doesn't care all that much. As if to make up for this, he holds a cookie out to me. "Cookie?"
I…need more crystals, I realize. Lots more. I gesture toward the door. "Come on, Kassam. We're leaving."
"Where are we going?" he asks, as if he knows the streets of Chicago himself.
"Does it matter? This is all new to you." I put another twenty on the counter, hoping that covers at least a few of the cookies he's scarfed down, and then grab him by the arm. "If you must know, we're heading to my mom's shop."
"Her shop?" His face brightens. "Your mother is nearby? I should enjoy meeting her. Is she as beautiful as you?"