“I understand.” He wished he didn’t. Not about her specifically, but when it came to dealing with loss, it wasn’t easy to toss it aside and forget it. That didn’t make him feel any for her.
“I figured you would. Another thing we’ve always had in common. When did you fall out of love with me?”
“I can’t pin it to a specific moment. I looked for you after you died. I would have, even if you hadn’t told me about the vision. I couldn’t find you, and I mourned for years. Decades even. Until I realized I was doing it out of habit, and not because I felt it anymore.”
“I see.” Her hands fell limply to her sides.
He was surprised she didn’t drop her drink. “I’m sorry. You wanted the truth. That’s it.”
“And then you replaced me.” Her gaze was turned toward her feet and the foaming surf.
“That’s not the right way to describe it.”
“It’s okay.” She sank to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest.
He crouched next to her, at a loss for words. He wasn’t going to apologize for the way he felt, and they’d covered most everything else. Except entire reason he was here—that touchy subject of Hades. If Actaeon broached the topic, which Cassandra would he get? This sad woman? The cold one? The vapid one from the other day?
She glanced sideways. “You told me the truth, and I promised you answers in return. What do you want to know?”
“You’re on speaking terms with Hades?” Actaeon was hesitant to ask.
She nodded. “And I can travel back and forth between here and the underworld. He’s given me an all-access pass. I can take you to see him at any time.”
“I don’t intend to come face to face with Hades again until I’m ready to destroy him.”
“I know. But I’m going to show you why he’s the winning side.”
His laugh slipped out before he could stop it. “Not likely.”
“You say that now.” She set her drink between her feet, locking it in the sand. “You also swore after I died that you wouldn’t take sides ever again. Four decades is nothing in our world, yet you fight for Artemis now.”
“She shares my values.”
Cassandra picked up a rock and rolled it over in her hand. The waning sunlight glinted off the smooth surface. “Artemis is a means to an end for you. Hades can be too. Besides, I want you back. I’m not going to force it on you, and I’m done badmouthing Lexi. It’s fair to warn you I remember why you and I fell in love, and you’ll remember too, once you’ve spent some time with me.”
She’d shown him so many faces since she showed up, he had no idea who Cassandra was anymore. “If I tell you right now that none of that is going to happen, do you give up and walk away, or do you keep answering my questions?”
“I appreciate the honesty. It’s good that you’re up-front about your intent to use me. And I’m not going to stop trying.”
That sounded like a bad thing. He wanted information, but the pit in his gut said this wouldn’t end well.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lexi followed Icarus upstairs, to a floor above his shop. He’d been quiet since she pushed him away. Polite but removed.
Up here was like a different world from the rest of the place. Unlike his workshop, it felt like it was still on this plane. Polished hardwood stretched down a long hallway in one direction, and stopped abruptly at stonework in the other. A small kitchen lay on that side, filled with granite counter tops and stainless steel. The look and feel was a combination of cramped and high-end.
It worked.
“You can sleep in here.” Icarus’ comment drew her attention. He was already at the other end of the hall, in front of an open door.
She joined him. The bedroom had the same feeling to it. Dark furniture that held a bright shine, minimal decoration, and no color. She had a feeling he didn’t spend a lot of time up here. Nothing radiated his energy or inspiration.
“Thanks.” Lexi gave him a tiny smile. If she hadn’t fallen asleep in front of the computer, she might be able to argue that she wasn’t tired.
“I’ll grab you something to wear, so you don’t have to sleep in the nymph clothes.”
She watched Icarus vanish into a different room. She’d offered to go home. He explained there wasn’t an open gate near home and she wasn’t imposing by staying here until her friends got back.
Lexi didn’t care for the words he put weight on. The gesture was kind, though. She wanted to be angry at him for shutting her out over a kiss, but that wasn’t what he was doing.
He knew she wasn’t telling him everything, and he hated the lies as much as she did.
Icarus returned and handed her some clothes. “Here. Come back downstairs after your nap.”
“When does it get easier?” She frowned as the question crossed her lips, not sure what she meant.
“Which part? Watching people die, naturally or otherwise? Witnessing the selfish games those who live for centuries play? Or not having to get regular sleep?”
Lexi met his gaze, and turned away at the hurt that stared back. “All of the above.”
“Try to get some more rest. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
She closed the door after he left, and sank onto the bed. What was she doing? It was a vague question, but she couldn’t grasp any thought long enough to make it more specific.
She stripped down to her panties, set the borrowed suit aside, and picked out a T-shirt from what Icarus provided. As she unfolded it, a faint but familiar scent greeted her. Ozone and bodywash, masked by fabric softener.
Lexi couldn’t wear this. It smelled like Icarus. How did Actaeon and Cerberus put up with that kind of sensory input all the time? It would drive her nuts.
A yawn threatened to split her jaw. Sleep called. At least the sheets only smelled like fabric softener.
She slid under the covers and closed her eyes. The sleep that caught her off guard downstairs hovered out of reach now.
Instead, an odd sensation tickled the edge of her mind. A voice.
“—she didn’t—”
Then another
“—want her back in—”
Then several more.
“—time he didn’t—”
“—know she didn’t have a—”
“—good night at all—”
None of it made sense, but the chorus grew, more voices chiming in with each breath she took, until her skull ached.
She refused to lose her shit. Especially here. She tried to focus. If she dove into the noise instead of pushing it aside, she could hear complete sentences. Pleading for help. Offering comfort. Threatening.
A gentle touch brushed across her cheek, startling her. “Hey. Where are you right now?” Cerberus asked.
Lexi forced her eyes open and focused on him. “Where did you come from?”
“I had a pause in searching, and I came back to make sure you were all right.” His touch, the concern in his eyes, his presence—it all helped ground her. “Are you?”
The chatter in her head didn’t vanish, but with him here, it was easier to ignore. “The voices are back.” She didn’t have the same sense of distress as the previous two times. It was what it was.
“Come here.” He tugged her fingers.
She sat up, and the blanket fell away. When the cool air brushed her bare skin, she remembered she was mostly naked.
The way Cerberus trailed his gaze up her torso, eyebrows raised, erased any awkwardness that tried to surface.
“You lost your clothes.” Heat mingled with his teasing.
“I wasn’t comfortable, sleeping in what was loaned to me.”
He climbed into bed next to her. “You need rest.”
Lexi lay with her back pressed to his chest. “I’m not sure that’s happening. But we’re not expected anywhere for a few hours, right? We can stay here?” It was a selfish request, given all that was going on in the world.
“I vote yes. I can even offer a distraction if you’d like.�
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Snippets accompanied the suggestion, of Cerberus making her moan in pleasure. Exploring each other’s bodies... “I like your idea of a distraction.”
Lust and desire spilled between them, his amplifying hers and vice versa. She yanked his shirt over his head, to trail her fingers along his chest. Heat and need flowed through their bond. She traced along his scars, following the fractured path of faint white lines down to his stomach, then dragging her fingers up his spine to pull him close.
He pressed his weight into her, pinning her to the mattress. He lay kisses along her neck, her collarbone, and her breasts. When he caught a nipple between his teeth and tugged, she moaned and ground into him.
The sting of his bite lingered on her skin and hummed in her thoughts.
“You like that?” he asked. His satisfaction mingled with her delight.
“I’m not a fragile doll. You can be a little rough.”
His uncertainty flowed through their bond, but they had time for him to figure it out.
Cerberus wedged her legs apart with his knee. The rough fabric of his trousers was tantalizing against the inside of her thighs. She held his head captive as he licked and sucked her nipples.
She pressed into his mouth, riding the feedback loop of arousal, until she was squirming and on the edge of climax.
“I’m burned out on rough,” he thought. “But I can do fun.”
“Fun how...” Her question trailed off when he kissed down her stomach. Her core was slick with desire, but he skipped over it, and continued to lick light trails along her legs.
She twisted to get closer to his mouth. He pressed a hand into her hip, applying enough pressure to keep her from moving too much.
“Not fair,” there was no weight in her protest.
His chuckle vibrated against her skin. “I disagree.”
He finally moved back up, drawing his tongue along her outer labia before licking deeper. She arched her back into his mouth. He drove his tongue inside her, and she clenched around it.
“Better?” he asked.
Getting there. So, so close to climax. He was enjoying this as much as she was—seeing her squirm with anticipation. He finally moved to her clit, nipping lightly. The bite rocked inside, and she tasted herself through his tongue.
Her moans turned him on as much as his touch did her. He sucked on her swollen sex, coaxing as she ground into his face. She knotted her fingers in his hair, clenching her fists when she came. The euphoria of orgasm engulfed her, but it wasn’t enough.
“I need more.”
She didn’t know which of them thought it. Both, probably.
Lexi tugged Cerberus back up as he undid his jeans. She hooked her feet at his waist, and helped push the rest of his clothes to the ground. Skin met skin, and her heart sighed with contentment.
The rest of her body needed to be closer still.
He rolled onto his back, pulling her on top with zero exertion. He lifted her like he would a pillow.
Maybe she should be a little terrified he could break her, but there was only ever safety and desire with Cerberus.
She straddled his legs and hovered over him, teasing. His need and amused frustration carried through her veins.
He wrapped a fist around his shaft and thrust up, driving inside her. The penetration filled her body and mind, and she tumbled the rest of the way into their connection. As he rocked against her, she lost herself in him. In them.
With his hands on her hips, he set a steady pace, building to a fast, frantic pounding. The intensity pushed her close to orgasm again, but not over the edge.
When he came, spilling inside her, their energy mingled and blurred until they were one. His climax pushed her into another of her own.
She rode the pleasure until the edge faded away. It didn’t vanish, though.
“Favorite thing ever? Fucking you,” Cerberus said.
She rolled to the side, to lay her head on his shoulder. “Making love.”
“Call it what you want. It’s still my favorite.”
“Even better than the second season of Firefly?”
He laughed. “Even better than.”
They lay there, hearts beating in unison, letting the air conditioner provide the background noise.
“How’d it go? Your contact-list hopping?” Lexi finally asked.
“Are you sure you want to know? This isn’t exactly relaxing conversation.” Despite the words, amusement and self-satisfaction flowed from him. He was pleased by what he’d discovered, and knew she would be too.
She let out an exaggerated sigh. “I have to find out, sooner or later.”
He chuckled and pulled her closer. “I found something, but I think you're the best person to pursue it.”
“You’re not just saying that?” She could feel his sincerity, but her inability to help so far made her need the reassurance.
“I’m not. According to Eros, Aphrodite may have the information we need. She’s something of a scholar when it comes to death and Hades.”
Lexi hadn’t expected that. She thought he’d say something about needing to be disguised or hidden, to get into some place. “Why? If no one knows much about him, what makes her different?”
“Her favorite son, Adonis, died thousands of years ago. She was heartbroken and sought out everything she could to use as a bargaining chip. Things were different back then. The information about the gods was newer—less muddled by time and interpretation. They felt more invincible in those days, too, so they held less back. Aphrodite is persuasive, so if anyone uncovered anything, it was her.”
Lexi felt bad for the goddess, even though it happened long ago. “If she did learn anything, she never used it, since Hades is still here.”
“You'd have to ask her for details.”
Of course. “I don't know how to get a hold of her. Do you have a phone number?”
“Actaeon or Icarus can probably get you one. Eros didn’t offer, and I didn’t ask. It’s probably easiest to go to one of her temples and pray.”
“That makes sense.” It also churned her gut. The last time she was in one of Aphrodite’s temples, the goddess wove her influence around Lexi and Cerberus in a not-so-subtle nudge, to get them to sleep together. It wasn’t that Lexi had been unwilling, but she didn’t appreciate having the choice taken away.
Cerberus kissed the back of her head. “I understand. You’ll be going in alone, if that helps.”
“As long as she hasn’t decided I need to screw someone new.” The comment almost died in her throat, and she was surprised she kept her tone even.
“You know that night didn’t change how I feel about you. I loved you before.”
Lexi smiled at the reassurance. “I do. I’ll never get tired of hearing it, though.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to sleep?”
“I won’t be able to.”
Cerberus sat up. She rolled onto her back, to watch him. Cords of muscle ran down his neck to his arms, and tattoos snaked up a chiseled chest. She did enjoy looking at him.
“Come on. We’ll shower. You need some clothes that are actually yours, and then we’ll find the closest temple.”
Lexi didn’t like the small, dark pit inside that ached at the thought of seeking out Aphrodite. The goddess had been good to her when Lexi was little, and sent followers to help her a couple of times since. But Aphrodite had just as many black marks in her Fuck with Things column, and Lexi wasn’t looking forward to seeing which square this encounter would land her on.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Lexi and Cerberus approached the plain shop front Icarus had pointed them to. It was buried in the middle of several others on the street, but sure enough, the lettering on the window said The House of Our Lady Aphrodite. All Are Welcome.
It turned out the place was only a few blocks from Icarus’ shop. Which struck Lexi as eerily convenient, but if she kept drawing assumptions about everything and never found real answers, she was going to drive herself
insane.
For instance, Icarus had been perfectly polite and kind when she and Cerberus came back downstairs. He kept his distance. He wasn’t flirting.
She wasn’t going to think about that until later. She needed to speak with Aphrodite first.
Cerberus wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed his body to hers. He tangled his fingers in her hair and kissed her hard. The passion that spilled through him filled her veins and helped soothe her.
“Is this for show, for Our Lady?” she asked.
“No. It’s because I like kissing you.” Cerberus drew his mouth along her jaw and down to where her shoulder met her neck. He bit her hard enough to sting, drawing a gasp, then licked along the fresh mark. “That’s for her. And you. See you back at the shop?”
Lexi smiled and squeezed his hand. “Yup.”
As he walked away, she stepped through the front door. On the outside, it was nothing like the temple from her childhood town. But the moment she cleared the foyer, it was all the same. An open floor, circled by stone benches, with cushions decorating the ground. The wall was painted frescoes of Aphrodite and her priestesses acting out pretty much every sexual position Lexi was familiar with.
She tilted her head to the side, to decipher one of the images.
And some she couldn’t comprehend participating in unless she could turn her bones to rubber.
Was she supposed to call out? Cerberus said to pray, but that felt superfluous. Aphrodite was aware the moment anyone stepped into one of her temples, and a hero’s faith didn’t bolster a god’s power, so it wasn’t as though Lexi’s prayer mattered.
She sat on one of the padded seats, tucked one foot under the other knee, and kicked her free leg back and forth. If she looked behind the dais at the front of the room, would there be books tucked away, like when she was a child? Unlikely, but she enjoyed the memory.
Seconds turned into minutes. How long was she supposed to wait?
Shadows crept across the floor as the sun moved through the sky. Maybe she should ask Actaeon if he had Aphrodite’s phone number.
Innovation's Muse (Truth's Harem) Page 13