She had a hard time looking away from the snowballing fallout. At one point, Icarus blocked all incoming internet and phone signals, and forced her to go outside to enjoy the sunshine.
Lexi couldn’t do it. She spent the next few hours pacing the sand.
Actaeon assured her the world had survived with people in it for thousands of years. It wasn’t going to crumble in the next sixty minutes.
Icarus finally relented and let her have access again.
Less than a week later, the protests began. Peaceful in those cities where Aphrodite and her family ruled. Small but fierce in those cities where Poseidon once reigned.
Then in Berlin. Las Vegas. Perth.
She sat at the dining room table, watching one shaky phone-video after another, of a protest-turned-riot on Long Island. Half the signs people carried had her photo. Some were taken from the broadcast she’d done. Others had drawn horns on her, circles with a line through them over her face, or her bound by Zeus.
The slogans were catchy.
Nothingness is better than Death
Feed her to the gargoyles
Death... how do you like it, bitch?
Some of them, she didn’t know if they were for or against her.
“How long have you been staring at it this time?” Cerberus took the seat next to her.
He already had his answer. He’d been nudging her thoughts for the last several hours.
She couldn’t tear her gaze from the screen. “Zeus won’t stand for this. Why hasn’t he struck them down already?”
Flames licked at a building in the background. A temple of Poseidon. She’d turned the sound down already, and the silent fire was a new kind of disturbing.
“And send people who support you straight to their grave?” Cerberus covered her hand. The soothing that flowed from him was pleasant.
Icarus stepped behind her, and rested his hands on her shoulders.
Actaeon joined them too, taking the chair on her other side. “There are ways to destroy the soul, so they don’t go to the afterlife.”
Like what had happened to Dad and Persephone. She glared at Actaeon. “The reminder isn’t helpful.”
“It’s true.” He shrugged.
She couldn’t argue that. “So, they’ll cease to exist, just to make a stand?”
“You were willing to,” Icarus said. He traced tiny circles along her neck with his thumb. “We all are. This is their choice, and they grew up in the same world you did. They know the consequences.”
“So I should ignore it?” She couldn’t do that. “They’re dying in my name.”
Icarus sighed. “You should be happy about that. But I know why you’re not. And that’s not all they’re doing. They’re taking their lives back. You’ve given them permission to do that.”
“Being a god doesn’t give you any more of a right to make decisions for them than you had before,” Actaeon said.
She shut the lid on the laptop and leaned back into Icarus. Why did they have to make sense? “People are going to die. Cities will crumble. We started this.”
Cerberus shook his head. “No. Zeus started it. Thousands of years ago. What he set into motion isn’t going to be easy to undo. We knew that. All of those people, they want the same thing you’ve wanted your entire life. A chance to be themselves, outside the rule of the gods.”
This shouldn’t be comforting. Lexi supposed it wasn’t. Not in an it will be all right kind of way. But it made sense. She understood why they protested. She wouldn’t want that taken from her, and she wouldn’t stop them.
“This is the opening salvo in a long war.” Icarus kissed the top of her head. Love and security flowed through all four of them. “We have allies. Those protestors out there have gods on their side. We won a battle, and as long as we’re here to fight the rest, those people aren’t protesting in vain.”
“You’re right,” she admitted. Whatever happened next, humanity didn’t have to face it alone. She didn’t have to face it alone. That made it better. Still terrifying, but it left a light at the end of the tunnel, and she was going to focus on that for all she was worth.
EPILOGUE
Actaeon straightened the collar on his white button-down and smoothed an invisible crease on the leg of his trousers.
“I’m not used to seeing you nervous.” Icarus’ voice came from behind. The mirror showed him standing in the doorway to Actaeon’s bedroom.
Actaeon gave their reflections a dry smile. “I’m not nervous.” His pulse raced faster than normal, and his skin was hot, but that was anticipation of the best sort.
“Sure you’re not. Tapping your thumb and forefinger together isn’t a twitch at all.”
Actaeon clenched his fist, but he didn’t mind the teasing. “Nope. Not at all.” Perhaps he was a teensy bit nervous.
Icarus crossed the room, grabbed a suit jacket from where it lay on the bed, and handed it over. “She’s going to love it.”
“Of course she will.” Actaeon had been to hell and back with Lexi. Twice. This was a date. There was nothing to get worked up over tonight.
This was different. The fate of humanity didn’t hang in the balance, but he wanted her to have an incredible evening. Seeing Lexi happy, regardless of where that joy came from, lit up his world.
He draped the jacket over his arm and pushed away the flutters in his chest.
“See you in a few... days?” Icarus said.
“I think that’s safe to assume.”
Icarus brushed his lips over Actaeon’s. “Have fun.”
It felt wonderful, to have an exchange like this with love instead of antagonism behind it.
Actaeon walked across the hall to Lexi’s room. That wasn’t quite an accurate name. She didn’t sleep much, but when she did, it tended to be in whichever bed was convenient. This room was more like Cerberus’ at this point.
She kept her clothes in here, though. And the door was rarely closed, so he was surprised to see that tonight.
He knocked.
“Come in,” Lexi called.
If it was that easy, it defeated the purpose of shutting the door in the first place. His curiosity was piqued.
He pushed into the room, to find Lexi sitting on the bed, her hair falling in a damp curtain around her shoulders. She was wearing a towel. Interesting choice, given they’d purchased her a closet-full of clothes. She’d protested at having the money spent on her.
Actaeon suspected it was years of habit—always needing to travel light—as much as anything. He hoped that instinct would fade as time passed.
Cerberus sat in a nearby chair, his faint frown not hiding his underlying amusement.
“What’s wrong?” Actaeon asked.
“The woman who insisted on wearing jeans and a T-shirt to speak to the entire world on camera can’t figure out what to wear.” Cerberus’ tone was playful.
“I feel special,” Actaeon teased. “You care more what I think than what the rest of the world does.”
The furrow of Lexi’s brow said she wasn’t as amused as they were. “You doubted that?”
Not for a second. “I don’t care what you wear. It can be the towel, if you want, and I’m fine with that.”
She raked her fingers through her hair and puffed out a sigh. “I know you don’t, and that makes this even tougher. Two months ago, the choice was simple—put on the outfit that was clean and wash the one that wasn’t. I can’t believe I’m letting a closet full of clothes trip me up, but it is.”
“You’re overthinking things.” Cerberus stood to join them, and tugged Lexi to her feet. He moved behind her.
Actaeon didn’t have the connection with Lexi that let them talk mentally, and he didn’t suspect they’d ever share that. But his skin hummed when she was sharing thoughts with Cerberus or Icarus.
They’d cut back on it when he was around, and there was none of that now.
Cerberus glided his hands up Lexi’s arms, leaving goosebumps in his wake. The parting of her li
ps was alluring. There was also an emotional energy loop that sent a wave of sensation through his veins.
The feeling was its own flavor of intoxicating.
“You could go naked, and no one would complain.” Cerberus brushed his lips along the edge of her ear.
Lexi gave a half-sigh, half-whimper. “You wouldn’t mind. Athena might.”
“I doubt Athena cares what you wear. It doesn’t matter. The library is your last stop, anyway.” Cerberus kissed up the side of Lexi’s neck.
Actaeon enjoyed watching, but he wanted a little hands-on time, too. He tugged the corner of the towel wrapped around her and let it fall to the ground. She stood naked between them. Her chest heaved, and pink flushed her smooth skin. The scent of desire filled the room.
Actaeon dragged his finger up her breastbone. “He’s right. I’m prepared to spend weeks or months there, just letting you explore the books, if you want.”
“Mmm... You say the sexiest things.” Lexi licked her bottom lip.
Actaeon dipped his head, to nip along the same path her tongue took.
Everything about this was incredible. Not just the physical or the ethereal heat that wrapped around all three of them, but also the emotion. The intensity of the love flowing through the room.
He looked forward to an eternity of this.
LEXI PRESSED INTO ACTAEON’S kiss and Cerberus pressed into her back. The only thing wrong with this moment was that she wasn’t dressed and they were. She needed to be closer. To feel skin on skin.
She trailed her fingers down the front of Actaeon’s shirt, undoing buttons as she went. “I need to feel more of you.” She said the words aloud and thought them at the same time, shoving Actaeon’s shirt off his shoulders.
He wrapped an arm around her waist, and her body molded to his. Searing need flooded her. He tangled his fingers in her hair and found her mouth with his again.
Cerberus’ chest heated her back. He glided his hand along the curve of her ass and between her legs.
There were times when a slow buildup and casual lovemaking that lasted an afternoon was exactly what she wanted. Tonight, fast and frantic suited her fine.
Cerberus teased her labia but didn’t dip deeper.
Actaeon dragged a thumb over her nipple, then lowered his head to suck on the hard nub.
Fuck, this was incredible.
“You three make it hard to get anything done,” Icarus said in her head.
She dropped the mental barrier, so he and Cerberus could hear each other. “I won’t apologize.”
“I can’t hear you.” Actaeon bit her breast hard enough to leave a tantalizing sting.
She pulled his head up, to devour his mouth. When they broke apart with hungry gasps, she said, “Your boyfriend’s a voyeur and a pervert.”
“I know.” Actaeon smirked.
Icarus didn’t say anything else, but he treated her to images of him stroking himself while he watched and felt this through her.
Cerberus slid two fingers inside her, and she moaned at the penetration combined with the mental teasing.
“You don’t have a problem with him sitting in the next room jerking off?” Lexi’s question was breathless.
Actaeon dropped his hand, and desire sparked between them before skin met skin and he found her clit. “Nope.” He pressed his lips to her collarbone. “I like the idea.”
She fumbled with his zipper, but his touch made it difficult to focus. The wash of desire-filled auras surged inside. Cerberus’ mouth on her shoulder and Actaeon’s mouth on hers stole her thoughts.
Actaeon pressed harder against her sex, coaxing and coercing. Cerberus fucked her with his fingers. Icarus’ building climax mingled with her own overloaded senses.
She spilled into orgasm, gasping and grinding and losing herself in the feeling.
Before she could slide back from the edge, Actaeon shoved his slacks to the ground, glided his hands over her ass, and lifted her to wrap her legs around his waist.
Fuck, she loved being in love with implausibly strong men.
Cerberus pulled his fingers out of her but stayed pressed against her back, acting as a support.
Actaeon adjusted her enough to slide inside her. Goddess, that felt amazing—being stretched out and impaled by his shaft.
She was surprised when Cerberus nudged her back opening with his cock. She should have felt the warning in his thoughts, but she was too lost in everything.
Lexi wasn’t a stranger to anal sex, but nothing about this position was typical.
Cerberus used her juices as lube, then penetrated her from behind, easing in slowly, an inch at a time, until he and Actaeon were both buried inside her.
Being filled from two sides... Being held up by two men... Feeling their need combine with hers and Icarus’, as it spilled inside... Lexi tumbled into all of it. It was easier to let it run together in a single cloud of incredible sensation, than to try to process individual pieces.
She knew when Icarus came. The waves of pleasure that buoyed him filled her as well, tingling inside and sending her rushing toward a second climax of her own.
Cerberus and Actaeon built to a fast pace, slamming inside her. Friction sharpened her senses.
Cerberus tightened his grip on her hips. His grunts and free-flowing thoughts indicated he was close to orgasm. When he peaked, he didn’t slow, but his ecstasy was another layer on top of hers.
The energy, adoration, and euphoria overwhelmed her, until orgasm engulfed her. She was wrapped in the waves when Cerberus slid out of her.
He didn’t let her go, gripping her pelvis tight.
She clenched around Actaeon, until he spilled inside her. He pouded hard against her until he was spent.
He slowed to a breathless stop, and with Cerberus, helped Lexi stand on wobbly legs. Being pressed between them was the only thing holding her upright.
Cerberus brushed her hair aside, to lick along the back of her neck. The light touch tickled and enticed.
Actaeon hovered his lips over hers. “I think I made us late.”
A grin spread across her face, goofy and unbreakable. “I’m willing to skip dinner in favor of this.”
“But not the books part of the night,” Cerberus said.
“Hmm... Books, or hot, sweaty sex with the men I love. You don’t want to make me pick.” Lexi scrunched her up face in thought.
Cerberus playfully slapped her ass. “I already know your answer. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose.”
She couldn’t have said it better herself.
LEXI ENDED UP GRABBING something comfortable from her closet. A sweater and new dark jeans ensured she didn’t feel out of place next to Actaeon.
He offered to take her someplace better than he’d ever taken Cassandra, like he’d promised weeks ago.
Lexi opted for familiar and low-key, and Statesman’s Deli was still there.
After, Athena met them in front of the deli. “Hold out your hand,” she said to Lexi.
Lexi did. Athena pressed her thumb into the fleshy bit of Lexi’s palm. A current sped through Lexi, sharp and high-energy, before fading.
Athena let go and took a step back. “That’s the key. You’re welcome to come and go whenever you’d like.”
“Are you serious?” She couldn’t be. There was no way Lexi had just been granted unlimited access to the library.
Athena smiled and nodded. “I am. It needs more than one god who will look after it, and I get the impression from Actaeon that you will.”
“Thank you.” Lexi wanted to gush, but she didn’t want to make a fool of herself. So many books. Her mind was already running rampant at the idea.
Actaeon chuckled. “You realize that now we’re never going to see her.”
“I’ll come out sometimes,” Lexi said.
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Athena held out her hand, and a book appeared in it. The cover was painted like a children’s book, but the spine was bound with leather strips. The book
looked ancient. She handed it to Lexi. “Feel free, always, to look at whatever you’d like. I ask you don’t remove any of it from the grounds. And read this before you return it. You’ll find others here.” She handed Lexi a card with a row and shelf number written in neat script.
“I will.” Lexi didn’t see a reason to argue. It all sounded reasonable and wonderful. “Thank you again.”
Athena vanished.
Lexi took Actaeon’s hand and thought Library. She wasn’t sure how she knew to do that, but it worked. Their surroundings vanished and were replaced with the most incredible sight she’d ever seen.
Several-story-high shelves of books surrounded them and stretched in all directions, spanning rows.
Lexi and Actaeon stood on a patch of marble covered with a throw rug. There were several padded seats, some of them as big as beds.
“What did she give you?” Actaeon asked.
Lexi held out the book. The artwork was delicate and abstract, hand-brushed on smooth leather. She wasn’t certain, but the picture almost looked like her. That was ridiculous. It was a woman with dark hair. It looked like a large portion of the population.
The title was in Greek, so it took Lexi a moment to translate. “The Story of Truth?”
“Do you want me to read it to you?”
She handed Actaeon the book. “You did promise me a story. Do you know this one?”
“If I have, it didn’t have this title.” He grasped her fingers and led her to one of the larger seats.
She sat next to him, her legs dangling over the edge.
He opened the book to the first page. The artwork inside was even more detailed than the cover. Stunning scenes, recreated with vibrant colors.
“There was once a girl, strong, smart, and defiant,” Actaeon read. “She was born to powerful parents but taken from them as a baby.” He turned the page. “She grew up poor and shunned, never daring to tell anyone the truth of her heritage. There was always the fear she’d meet the same fate as her parents.”
Lexi wasn’t sure she liked this story. A chill raced down her spine.
Apathy's Hero: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy (Truth's Harem Book 3) Page 22