Waking the Goddess

by Clara Hartley

  I sniffed. “Life’s happening, that’s what. There are dangers all around, and sometimes your clothes decide to attack you. Can you help me with this?” I wiggled my arms to indicate the shirt.

  “What on Haven happened with you?” Hansel asked. “I thought you were taking a shower.”

  “Me too.”

  Hansel sighed and shook his head, even though he continued to smile. He hooked his fingers around the fabric. The light touch sent my pulse racing. He stood in front of me as he undressed me. Slowly, he attempted to un-bunch the fabric, but I’d messed up and tightened it so much that it wouldn’t budge from my torso. “Wow, this is bad,” he said.

  “Here,” Devon said, standing at the entrance of the washroom. “Use this.” He tossed a pair of scissors to Hansel. They shouldn’t be throwing sharp objects around so carelessly, but Hansel caught the scissors casually without a blink. He turned to me.

  “I’ll have to cut it off,” Hansel said.

  “Um, sure,” I replied, trying to ignore how his voice sounded like liquid. “Do your thing. Just help me take off my clothes so my hands can rest.”

  Hansel nodded. “You’re cute when you’re struggling. Reminds me that you still need me to take care of you, and it’s nice to feel needed.”

  “To this extent?” I’d consider myself pretty pathetic if I needed Hansel’s assistance to take a shower every time. Because I wanted to feign competence, I said, “What if this was my ploy all along? I just wanted to make you feel better about yourself, so I did um, this.” Whatever this was, anyway.

  “It’s not every day I see a girl so desperate to take her clothes off,” Hansel teased.

  “You don’t get many chances with girls,” Devon added. “You’re always so devoted to Cara.”

  “That I am.”

  Hansel worked at the fabric, snipping off parts of it methodically. It took him about a minute before he fully got it off me. When he finished, I stood half-naked before them in only my bra. I met Devon’s gaze and saw that he was raking his eyes over me with a hunger I wasn’t used to seeing from him. My stomach tensed, and a blush crept to my cheeks. Devon wanted me. The way he looked at me spelled that out clearly. I hooked my fingers beneath the bottom of my bra and pulled it down to fully cover my breasts, but Hansel caught my wrist before I completely covered them.

  “Maybe it’s time,” Hansel said. “I’ve discussed with the others, and we’ve agreed that we should all be able to take you.”

  “Even Liam?” I swallowed nervously.

  Hansel chuckled. “He was outvoted.”

  Briefly, I caught his gaze. It was filled with passion and lust. The intensity sent little shock waves of excitement through me. My breath hitched in my throat as trickles of lust crawled down my spine.

  Hansel leaned forward. He hugged his arms around me and blew against my ear. The cool air sent tingles across my skin. I bit the inside of my cheek and let Hansel rake his hands down my bare back. My insides tensed from need. Hansel began kissing me. First my cheek, then my jaw. He began sending kisses down the curve of my neck while kneading small circles into my back. He lowered his hand to the hem of my pants.

  The burning inside me grew hotter. The temperature of the washroom increased to unbearable levels as I grabbed Hansel’s arm to steady the giddiness that took over me. Why was I feeling this tempted? Hansel had barely done anything, and yet the little touches he gave me here and there were enough to drive me insane. I imagined myself hooking a leg around his hip and kissing his face off, but would that make me look too desperate and needy?

  Over Hansel’s shoulder, I spotted Devon watching us with his yellow eyes. A lump formed in my throat. Devon’s eyes smoldered. I could almost see the sinful thoughts running through his mind.

  Hansel unzipped my pants and pulled it from my waist. He’d dragged my underwear along with it. I suddenly felt too exposed, but I embraced my nudity and stood straighter with confidence. I was supposed to be their goddess and shouldn’t shun their attention.

  “Are you trying to have her to yourself, Hansel?” Devon asked. His tone was hard, his words carrying a certain stiffness that told me he held himself back. I got the impression that if he’d just let himself relax slightly, he’d be ripping Hansel away before ravaging me.

  “Maybe,” Hansel replied. “The thought of sharing Cara bothers me. It’s strange. I’m not usually the greedy type.”

  I quavered at Hansel’s admission.

  Hansel hadn’t stopped assaulting me with his kisses. He backed me against the basin and ran his kisses lightly across my collarbone. Using his hips, he spread my legs apart and situated himself between me. I moaned softly, ignoring how his actions caused my pulse to race. I heard the thrumming of my heartbeat against my eardrums. It wasn’t just lust that I felt, but a bond that I’d never experienced before. Was it because he’d treated me so well? When had I begun experiencing these feelings for Hansel? Maybe I’d had them all along. Maybe they’d begun at the beginning, when I met him in front of the convenience store. He’d found me at my low point and cheered me up.

  I glanced up at Hansel and searched his eyes, and when I saw the same emotions I felt for him, I moaned softly. Hansel took the sound as permission to continue pleasuring me. He placed his hand at my center and began kneading the nub there. My hips bucked at the pleasure, and I threw my head back, gasping.

  Devon pried my attention away from Hansel. I sensed his jealousy as he lowered his lips on mine. He took my mouth aggressively, pressing his lips against mine with a fervor I’d never experienced with any other man. He parted my lips with his tongue. The kiss started off languidly, almost lazily. The hunger rose from Devon soon after. He growled lightly, and the kiss grew more intense. Devon tasted like a mixture of smoke and mint. Intoxicating. I shouldn’t have let him kiss me. He was addictive, and after tasting him, I might not be able to stop myself from having more.

  I pulled away from Devon, gasping for air. My heart was beating too hard and fast. Hansel sank two fingers into my center and found my sensitive spot. He bit my shoulder as he pressed his fingers against my core.

  I wasn’t going to live through this.

  Hansel pushed against me, then, using his free hand, lifted me so I sat on the edge of the basin. Devon pushed my bra from my breasts and cupped one of them. He pinched my nipple, which was already taut from desire.

  “You’re beautiful, Cara,” Devon said.

  “Stop treating me so nicely,” I replied, gripping the back of his neck. “It’s not like you.” Hansel rested his mouth on my collarbone and began sucking. He was going to leave me a hickey. I should be more concerned about that, but I was feeling too much pleasure to care.

  “You changed me,” Devon said. “I don’t think I’m giving you enough as your vassal. Aren’t I supposed to be your good servant?” He ran his hand down my belly and rested at my lower abdomen, spreading his palm out. With his other hand, he unclasped my bra. He helped me pull it off, leaving me naked.

  My cheeks heated from how exposed they’d made me. It wasn’t fair for me to have all the pleasure. So, with shaking fingers, I reached for Devon’s pants and fiddled with his belt buckle. Silence fell as the three of us got caught in the fog of desire. My mind blanked, replacing the all-consuming need to have them fill me.

  Hansel backed away before pulling his shirt off, revealing his chiseled form. With a gaze clouded with lust, I studied him. He was the leanest of the guys, but his physique still looked strong, every inch of him sinewy muscle. His dimpled smile made his face look friendly, but his body belonged to a warrior. From two steps away, Hansel studied me, just as I was assaulting him with my gaze. The desire spiking between us was mutual. My center tightened from need, and I pushed my thighs together in an attempt to abate the tension, but Devon grabbed the inside of my thighs and kept my legs spread open.

  “Don’t try to hide,” he whispered against my ear. “We want to see all of you.”

  “Perverts,” I said, trying t
o hold on to my spunk by offering an insult. My rejection didn’t sound convincing, so Devon and Hansel continued punishing me with their attention. I gave in. “Hurry up and just fuck me already.”

  Devon chuckled. He ran his finger across my center, which was already glistening wet for them. He brought his hand to his lip and, with a teasing smirk, flicked his tongue out to taste me. His small hum made my throat dry.

  I swallowed thickly. “I’m usually the one doing the licking.”

  “Which part of me do you want to lick, then?” Devon asked. He, too, took his shirt off. He dropped it onto the side of the basin.

  “Uh…” I ran my eyes over him. “Everywhere.” I turned my attention to Hansel once I heard him taking his pants off. His arousal stood hard and eager for my attention.

  “You can start here,” Devon said, gently pulling my eyes from Hansel and redirecting them to himself. He pointed at the base of his neck, an erogenous zone. The command in his tone sent unease through me, but it also made me want to listen. I only hesitated briefly before following his order. I lowered my lips to where he pointed. Devon pried my legs open for Hansel, and Hansel used that opportunity to plunge his length into me.

  The abruptness of it sent shock through my center. I moaned, biting Devon’s neck, then bucked my hips. Devon gripped my waist and fastened me in place as Hansel began rocking himself into me. By the time he entered me, I was already dripping wet and ready for him to take. He slid against me, his movements smooth but controlled.

  I cried out his name and clutched Devon tightly.

  “Steady,” Devon said with a calming tone.

  “I’m fucking dying,” I replied. “Fuck, fuck…” I stifled another moan and buried my face into the curve of Devon’s neck.

  Hansel and I moved in tandem. Hansel’s length was already sufficient to drive me crazy, but Devon didn’t seem satisfied by that. He reached for my center and played with my clit. The pleasure shook through my being as stars flared in my vision. I muttered Devon’s name too, this time as a curse. This much pleasure couldn’t be real. I was going to wake up from this dream soon.

  I held on to the tension that formed in my lower belly, but it grew so intense, so quickly, that I couldn’t keep a tight grip on it. “I’m…”

  “Come for us, Cara,” Hansel said through a breathy pant. “Come for us.”

  He didn’t need to tell me. My control over the knot unraveled. “Fuck you,” I said. I clenched my thighs around Hansel as the orgasm shook me. Hansel grabbed my neck, squeezing lightly before latching his mouth on to mine.

  “Crap,” Hansel said. “I can feel you pulsing—” His speech halted as he came together with me. He stopped talking, instead kissing me, and our tongues danced together as my climax subsided. I’d been stimulated too much and didn’t think I could go for another round.

  The vassals didn’t give me an option, however. Once Hansel finished, he stepped aside, leaving Devon room to adjust himself between my legs. He pressed his erection against my center.

  I grabbed Devon’s thigh. “Wait—”

  He pushed himself into me and sent my emotions reeling. My hands balled into fists as I rested them at the sides of his waist. I haven’t had time to recover from Hansel.

  Devon groaned. “Holy fuck. You’re clamping down on me.”

  Devon was so large that my center ached from the pressure. The sudden pleasure numbed out the pain. The flashing through my vision sent my mind spiraling out of control. It wasn’t fair the effect they had on me. I ground my hips against Devon’s, wanting more of him despite what I’d already gotten. The two of them were like drugs. One taste, and I was addicted. All I could think was more.

  “Make her come again,” Hansel said, pulling a strand of hair away from my face.

  Devon grunted in response. He hooked his hands behind my knees, forcing me to spread even more for him. Their touches turned me to jelly and the sensations made me completely vulnerable. I leaned back limply. Hansel noticed me caving, so he stood behind me and supported me. I felt the hard thumping of his heartbeat as my back pressed against his chest.

  “I… I’m… I’m coming again.” The next orgasm that shook through me was weaker, but still intense enough to heighten the numbness that took over my thoughts. I panted softly as Devon finished inside me. I studied the light crinkling of his face as he continued to pump his cock against my walls. I felt his seed pour through me, filling me as my center pulsed around him.

  Aftershocks of pleasure continued to quiver through my body as Devon pulled away. When we were done, I had trouble keeping my eyes open. The assault on my senses had drained me of my energy, and I wanted nothing more than to lie down. I looked at the offensive top that Hansel had cut from my chest. It had started this all, and the sight of it reminded me why I’d been in the bathroom in the first place—I was supposed to take a shower. Damn it. I’d been too distracted by the hot boys to care for myself. Attractive people had a way of making people lose their senses.

  Hansel brushed his lips across my forehead. “I’ll help you out with the shower.”

  “You could both join me.”

  “Haven’t you had enough?” Devon asked with a twinkle in his eye.

  “I’ve had plenty, thank you.” I sighed out of satisfaction and relief. I didn’t think my center could take any more of them.

  Hansel tugged me away from Devon and cradled me like a princess. He ran the tap and placed me into bathtub. Warm water poured from the showerhead and flowed over my skin, providing a soothing sensation that washed away the sweaty aftermath of our rutting.

  I shouldn’t be lazy. I knew I could still walk and stand, but I basked in the pampering and the heady sensation of having just had sex.

  “That was amazing,” I said as Hansel squirted soap onto his hand. He lathered it onto my back.

  “The pleasure is mine, my goddess,” Hansel said, even though I hadn’t graduated yet. The sincere smile that danced across his lips was making me fall in love too hard.

  Chapter Eleven

  Devon had been acting strangely ever since what happened last night. His personality went even farther in the “nice” direction. I wasn’t complaining. He treated me like a princess, sometimes rivaling the attention Hansel and Theo gave me. The thoughts of our lovemaking wouldn’t stop whirring through my mind.

  Devon and Hansel now stood five feet away from me as they walked me to the Chysaorsi cave.

  I’d never heard of the place before, but Devon insisted on bringing me there. After hearing what had happened during goddess etiquette, he thought something at the cave might be of use to me.

  Theo and Liam had come along, too. Classes had ended, and we had another two hours before we reached curfew.

  Despite their distance, the memory of Devon and Hansel’s hands exploring my body wouldn’t stop playing on repeat. I shouldn’t have had them like that. Now, I couldn’t get enough.

  Liam strode next to us, wearing his usual scowl. “You know that the Chysaorsi is one of the most dangerous places in the Sanctuary, yes?” he asked. “We shouldn’t be anywhere near it. Why are we going there, anyway?” Liam carried Fenrir, not caring that Fenrir gazed up at him with glistening, loving eyes.

  “To get something for Cara,” Devon said, quickening his steps.

  “Why is there somewhere this dangerous in the school, anyway?” I asked. “Shouldn’t the professors want to keep the students safe?”

  Liam turned to me and raised a brow. “You’re still asking this after what you saw at the morgue? I think safety isn’t a priority for them. They just want the girls to be strong so that they can have adept goddesses in their council.”

  I pressed my lips together. Liam spoke the truth, and it bothered me how he could talk about our deaths with so much certainty. “So,” I said. “What exactly is the Chysaorsi?”

  Devon turned to me. “It’s where Medusa’s children are kept.”

  My brow crinkled. “Medusa’s children,” I echoed, not quite
believing my ears. His answer had struck me so hard that I nearly tripped over my ankles. Devon caught me before I broke my nose on the pavement. He hooked his hand around my arm, then pulled me toward his broad chest. I took in his minty scent. “And this is exactly why we’re going to the Chysaorsi. They guard a special bracelet that is said to be one of Medusa’s many treasured items. It improves dexterity and strength.” His eyes twinkled as he gazed down at me. “Maybe you won’t keep tripping over yourself after we get it for you.”

  “Sounds a lot to risk just to avoid a bruise here and there,” I said.

  Devon straightened his shoulders, then cracked his knuckles. “Don’t worry about it. I can get the bracelet for you just fine. All you’ll have to do is watch.”

  Liam rolled his eyes. “You just want to show off to get on Cara’s good side.”

  “Nonsense,” Devon said.

  “Then why does Cara have to come with? She’d be safer staying in the dorms.”

  “I thought she might get bored.”

  “Sounds like a sorry excuse to me,” Liam said.

  Devon chuckled. He continued walking with his cocky confidence. He seemed a bit too eager to face Medusa’s children. Wasn’t Medusa feared by most men?

  Hansel closed the distance between us and walked beside me. The Chysaorsi was far off in the outskirts of the Sanctuary, so the walk took longer than expected. I asked, “So what do her children do? Are they like their mother, turning people to stone?”

  “More or less,” Hansel said.

  I didn’t have to look into one of the monster’s eyes to freeze on the spot. “Can I, um, not go?” Sue me for being cowardly, but I’d rather trip too often than die for some stupid bracelet. An expedition like this seemed like just the thing for Danna. She’d no doubt dive headfirst into danger and probably cheer us on each time we almost got skewered alive.