Calliope - In The Arms Of Morpheus

Chapter 30

Morpheus exhaled. It had been pure vanity, thinking he had won the contest fair and square. His sibling was affecting Calliope immediately, he could see it in her wide eyes, staring at him, a silent scream for help in her face. Abbadon retracted, his silvery body sliding across the bed towards the floor, and towards his sibling to resume his rightful place at Desire's wrist. Calliope was now unprotected to her own body's intense needs.
Barely able to remain standing, Morpeus' body screaming with pain from the flesh wound in his shoulder, he watched her fold her arms tightly in front of her chest, squeezing, her face squinted, her lip bitten until she drew blood, tears running down her cheeks.
"Do you desire to be helped, beloved wife?" Desire asked sweetly, as Morpheus stumbled up the stairs.
"No. Not from you, Monster!" She hissed across her bloodied lip. "I would rather die, than letting you touch me another time!"
Morpheus landed on his knees right before her feet, bracing himself against the bed frame, panting, trying to keep the physical pain and the blackness from the loss of blood at bay.
"Oh no, dear Muse. You do not get to die." Desire knelt and picked up something golden form the steps to the throne. "You get to keep this precious feeling of wantonness, for the rest of your life. Half-married and never to be released, unless my brother agrees to do so. That is your punishment for defying me."
"I accept this." She grunted. "If that is, what it takes, I am ready to bear it."
Morpheus' heart squeezed. "No." He finally allowed himself to look up, into her eyes. "You do not have to do this."
"I can spare your life, Oneiros." Her large eyes held his, glinting.
"I know." Morpheus grabbed her hand, anchoring himself in the here and now to keep his body from fainting. "But I will not let that happen." Then he summoned all his strength and rose to his knees, laced his fingers around her neck and kissed her deeply, taking the painful burning of her desires from her and ease her, until she relaxed a little in his arms.
When Morpheus had to break the kiss, she sighed, her eyes closed, softy swaying.
He turned and looked at his sibling. "I will take her with me."
Desire smiled. "Oh, but she's mine. You agreed to the bargain."
"I do not care to uphold it, if that is how you choose to use your powers, Sibling."
"Sure." Desire stepped closer. "But what can you do, sweet Dream? You're now just a mere mortal, after what she does to you. You are weak!"
"Right." Morpheus looked into Desire's eyes. "But we are in my realm." He snapped his fingers, and the sky of his throne room dawned, bathing the marble throne on the other side of the room in rose-golden light. "You do not get to make the rules here."
Calliope opened her eyes, a soft smile on her lips.
"Desire of the Endless," Morpheus announced, "I hereby rescind your invitation to my realm."
Morpheus waited until Desire had fully vanished, then he turned towards Adamu and Hava. "Go back to their dreams and take care that the dreamers wake up." He gestured towards the vanishing shadows. The nighdreams bowed and vanished into the remaining darkness.
Only then, he allowed his body to slump against Calliope's knees and the blackness from the loss of blood to fully engulf him.

(Sorry for the tiny chapter. I promise I'll be back with more, tomorrow, when you please vote.)