Hunting Medusa

by Elizabeth Andrews

  She hadn’t thought of that when they started this flight from Kallan’s cousin.

  Just about the time she’d emptied her cup, Kallan was pulling her to her feet. “I’ll get our bags, sweetheart,” he murmured, “if you want to head to the room.”

  She met his gaze. The walk on the shore could definitely wait. “All right.” She stretched up on tiptoe to brush his mouth with hers, feeling a surge of satisfaction when his eyes darkened rapidly with need. He released her hand slowly, then hurried outside.

  “So Laura, what do you want to see most?” Gert went back to the counter with the papers she’d had Kallan fill out.

  “I’m not sure. I told him I want to see everything.” She smiled self-consciously.

  The old woman smiled again. “I like that idea myself. I don’t think I’ve seen it all yet, and I’ve lived here my whole life.” She pulled a key from a hook behind her. “There you are, dear. All the way at the end of the long hallway there, on the left.”

  “Thank you.” Andi took the key. “Can I help with the tray?”

  Gert waved her off. “You’re nearly asleep on your feet. I’ll get it. You get some sleep so you can properly appreciate all this beauty around you.”

  Slowly, Andi walked back down the hallway until she reached the end. The door was glossy, dark wood, and she touched it lightly before putting the key into the lock. It took a little effort to get it to turn, and then she swung the door open onto a big, bright room dominated by an enormous bed.

  She blushed.

  “Hey.” Kallan’s greeting was soft, but still made her jump. “Nice.”

  She stepped aside so he could carry in their suitcase and backpacks.

  He dropped them in front of the open closet and pushed the room door shut, then latched it and fastened the chain. “Now, let’s see.” He turned back to her, his eyes bright with intent.

  Andi stood on the spot, part of her wanting to run from the overwhelming need rushing through her, and the other part wanting to let him have his way with her.

  She’d been reading too many of the older, early romance novels, if she was having thoughts like that, she mused, hearing her pulse pound in her ears. No one said things like “have his way with her”.

  But she thought she might like it if he did.

  “Are you tired?”

  She thought about it. “Yes. And no.”

  His lips curved slightly. “Really?”

  “Thank you.” Before her brain was useless, she needed to remind herself of one more thing.

  He tilted his head. “For what?”

  “For reminding me who I am here.”

  His expression cleared. “It would have been really hard to explain to that lovely old lady why the name on your passport doesn’t match the name you gave her.” He smiled, squaring his shoulders. “Did you want to take that walk on the shore now?”

  She shook her head. “No. Let’s go to bed.” Her tone was husky, even to her own ears, and his eyes darkened in response.

  “So you are tired, after all.” He tugged his shirt free of his jeans, whipped it over his head and took a step toward her.

  Her gaze slid down over his chest, lingering, then back up to his face. “Not exactly.” She yanked off her own shirt, gratified to see his stunned expression when the garment went flying across the room. She took a step toward him then, and it was his turn to swallow, hard.

  She put her hands on his chest, skimmed lightly over the muscles there, before detouring to his sides, then up to his shoulders.

  “Andrea.”

  She smiled. “Yes, Kallan?”

  His throat worked, and she heard his breath catch when she rubbed her palms down over his hard little nipples. “What are you doing?”

  “Touching.” She stretched up to drift a kiss on his parted lips, then dragged her open mouth along his stubbled jaw to his throat. Under her hands, his heart pounded faster. “Tasting.” She nipped at his shoulder next, then flicked her tongue over the same spot.

  His breathing went ragged.

  “Are you tired, Kallan?” She leaned closer to press her aching breasts against his chest, and stifled a sigh of relief.

  He captured her waist and lifted her to him, his mouth demanding when it caught hers. Along her belly, she felt his arousal, hard and hot. Her own body echoed the latter, dampening her panties.

  She slid one arm around his neck, tangling her fingers in his loose hair while the kiss went on and on.

  “Agaph,” he rasped against her lips.

  In reply, she wrapped her legs around his waist, making him groan when she rocked into him. “Tell me what that means,” she breathed.

  “Love.” One of his hands slid down under her, holding her more securely. Temptingly close to where she wanted him to touch, but not near enough.

  Andi nipped at his lower lip, which got his attention. He reared back just a little, so she could see the flush riding his cheekbones and how his green eyes looked like rich velvet. “Let’s go to bed,” she whispered. She punctuated that with a roll of her hips that rubbed her clit against his erection, teasing them both.

  He apparently didn’t disagree, turning to carry her in that direction.

  She didn’t want to release him when he eased her onto her back, but he muttered along her lips that they needed to lose their shoes. Reluctantly, she unwrapped her legs from around his waist, and he rewarded her by sliding his hand higher, pressing hard just where she most wanted it. She arched up into the caress, a rough sound escaping her with the pleasure coursing along her veins.

  He made her forget.

  He made her forget he’d brought danger to her home. Made her forget they were on the run so she could stay alive.

  Mostly, he made her forget that their families were enemies and she shouldn’t want him. Should never have touched him except in battle.

  And right now, she didn’t care about any of that. She just wanted him to keep doing what he was doing.

  Kallan finally lifted his head reluctantly, releasing her mouth and dropping to his heels on the floor beside the bed, between her open legs. She didn’t move, her breath coming fast, lifting her breasts. Her lace and silk bra didn’t cover nearly as much as it revealed, which was good and bad for him.

  Good because it was a hell of a view.

  Bad because it made him even more desperate to get her naked, and he really wanted to slow down.

  He took a quick breath, then another, and shifted his focus to the laces on her sneakers. His fingers were clumsy, shaking, and it took him several tries to get the first one undone. The second was easier, and he peeled away her socks next, smiling when she flinched as he hit a ticklish spot. He dropped back onto his ass and ripped his own sneakers off, ignoring the laces, then his socks.

  Then he got to his feet, the wood floor cool under his toes, but that was no distraction from the lovely view before him. The pretty, useless scrap of bra revealed her tight, dark nipples, making his mouth water. Lower, her thighs were still parted, tempting him.

  He gave in to the temptation, unbuttoning her jeans. “Lift up.” He unzipped them too, and when she lifted her hips, tugged them down, leaving her with only panties that matched the bra, the lacy front revealing crisp black curls and damp silk lower. He dropped to his knees again in front of her and leaned in, inhaling the spicy scent of her arousal.

  “Kallan.” She touched the top of his head.

  “Right here.” He pushed her thighs wider and licked the inside of one.

  A soft puff of breath escaped her, and her belly quivered.

  He smiled and slid his fingers higher, stroking her through the panties. “I haven’t got to do this yet,” he murmured. “Have to correct that.” He eased inside the silk to her wet folds, making her hips jerk toward him. “Mm, yes.” He nibbled along her inner thigh, closer. Closer.

  Pressed his fingers into her liquid heat and heard her moan.

  His cock ached unbearably inside his jeans.

  Not yet.


  He stroked her until she writhed on the bed, then he tugged the wet silk aside to put his mouth on her, and she cried out.

  The release startled him, it rushed through her so quickly, almost before he was ready for it. Certainly before she was ready for it. Her pleas for more, for him to stop, for him to come inside her, made his pulse beat harder in his head—in his groin. But he still teased them both, tasting her desire with his tongue, sliding his fingers deep to stroke over a spot that made her shudder anew.

  When she was on the verge of coming again, he took a final lick of her clit, then sat back on his heels. His gaze slid over her, from her wet, flushed sex up to her swollen breasts—the taut peaks he desperately wanted to taste still encased in silk and lace—to her face, pink with pleasure.

  She was beautiful.

  She was his.

  He unfastened his jeans and shucked them as he rose so he could step out of them, freeing his erection.

  Andrea opened her eyes, dark as night, and smiled up at him, her lower lip trembling.

  “You’re not naked yet,” he said unnecessarily, tugging at her panties.

  “Don’t rip them. We didn’t bring that many.” Her smile widened.

  “You don’t need them.” Still, he didn’t tear them as his first instinct demanded, but eased them off her, then pushed her thighs wider. “Come.” He tugged her upright so he could undo the back clasp of her bra and slide it off her as well. Then he dropped her flat on her back again, making her laugh, and shifted her further onto the bed so he could crawl over her.

  He stretched over her, stifling a groan at the feel of her wet sex so close to his cock, hyper-aware of the slide of her silky skin under him—thighs, belly, breasts soft along his muscles—until he’d pressed her into the mattress. “Are you ready for me?”

  Her eyes lit with challenge. “Are you ready for me?” Her hands came up to his shoulders, gripping him tightly as her legs rose to wrap around his waist.

  The move brought his erection lower, into full contact with her wet folds.

  He took a shaky breath.

  Her smile turned sly, and she shifted her hips so the tip of him slid into her.

  He groaned. She felt so damned good, he needed to sink deep. But he wanted to tease her a little more, to show her how much she meant to him.

  Andrea caught his face between her hands. “Come inside me, Kallan. Please.” Her playful smile was gone, replaced by something else. Something he couldn’t identify.

  He eased a little deeper, feeling her inner muscles grip him tight before relaxing enough for him to slide further, until he was fully seated. His breath left him in a rush, and he felt her shudder around him.

  He bent to kiss her lightly, and her eyes shut for a second before fluttering open. “I love you, meli.”

  She smiled, and something sparked in her eyes before she closed them, arching beneath him. “You feel so good.” Her fingers slid back into his hair. “Kiss me.”

  He obliged her, kissing her over and over, lightly and deeply, until they shared their breath, until he realized their hips were rocking together steadily, until he couldn’t stop the impending explosion of orgasm rushing to meet him. Meet them.

  And when it broke, it left them both limp and gasping for breath.

  Kallan recovered himself enough after a few minutes to roll to his side, keeping her tight in his arms. He was slick with sweat, and her head was damp too. Sliding his fingers along her nape, he realized her hair was already longer than it had been several days ago after she’d chopped it off.

  Andrea kissed his shoulder, still panting for breath. “Wow.”

  He smiled at the wall on the other side of the bed, distinctly pleased with himself.

  She eased back far enough to look up into his face, and she shook her head.

  “What?” He slid his other hand down along her spine, feeling goosebumps dance over her skin.

  “Men.” But she said it with a smile as she burrowed closer.

  “Agaph.” He caught her chin, tilting her face toward his.

  Her smile softened. “What?”

  “You’re cold. We should get under these covers and actually take a nap.”

  She winked at him as she clenched her inner muscles around him, and his body came roaring back to life. “I’m not tired yet.”

  Kallan swallowed. “Is that so?”

  “Yes.” She pushed at his shoulders so he rolled onto his back.

  The view was very nice from this angle. He pulled her lower so he could nuzzle his way to one of her nipples, making her breath come in irregular gasps again. “We’ll have to fix that.”

  “Oh, please do,” she murmured, arching into his mouth while her hips circled over his.

  This time when they tumbled over the edge, she dozed almost immediately.

  Leaving Kallan to wonder just what he’d seen in her eyes earlier.

  He didn’t want to hope, but he couldn’t help it.

  Clearly, she trusted him enough to keep her safe. And she trusted him with her body.

  Maybe she’d trust him with her heart as well. Eventually.

  He shut his eyes for a moment, his pulse skipping a few beats.

  It wouldn’t solve their biggest problem, though.

  His eyes opened again and frowned at the wall. No way were any of his cousins getting their hands on his Medusa.

  The problem was he couldn’t see any way of stopping them.

  Andi woke much later, feeling better than she had in days. Rested. Secure. Warm.

  The latter was probably due to the very large man wrapped around her beneath the blankets.

  Okay, so the first two were also probably due to him.

  She inhaled deeply, enjoying the spicy scent of him. Of them.

  She shouldn’t feel safe in the arms of the man who’d come to kill her.

  She opened her eyes slowly, her gaze landing on the curtained windows. The drapes weren’t closed the whole way, so the afternoon sun peeked into the room.

  She wished she could talk to one of her cousins. Even her mother might have some insight if she got desperate enough for an outside perspective.

  Kallan’s big hand closed on her nape, drawing her nearer. “You awake?”

  She smiled into his shoulder. “No.”

  “Hm. Too bad.” His other hand slid lower, and curled around her hip before easing between her thighs.

  A rush of heat burst in her middle, distracting her from her current worries.

  “Are you sure you’re not awake?” His fingertip inched inside her.

  “Mm. I’m not sure.” She kissed his shoulder.

  His chest moved with a silent laugh. “I guess I’ll have to wake you up then.” He withdrew his finger, and she bit her lip to keep from protesting. Then he shifted closer, replacing his finger with his scalding erection.

  She moaned as he pressed inside her, dropping her head back against the pillow.

  “Yes?”

  “Definitely.”

  He nuzzled her throat as he slid deeper, and she lifted one leg to wrap it around his waist, easing his way. “Waking up yet?” he murmured.

  She laughed, arching into the hand cupping her breast. “Possibly.”

  His stubbled cheek rasped along her collarbone as he bent to her nipple. “Let me know when you’re really awake.” His teeth scraped over the sensitive bit of flesh, and he proceeded to rouse her to a fever pitch. Then he began all over again. This time, when the wave broke, she wept.

  Kallan rolled onto his back and gathered her closer. To try to calm her, he rubbed one hand along her spine, and the other cupped her head against his chest. “Agaph, what is it?”

  She shook her head, crying harder. “I don’t know.” It was a little frightening, this surge of emotion, and she fought it.

  He kissed the top of her head, murmuring to her again.

  Eventually, she managed to stop crying, and lay spent atop him.

  Andi put her head up a little, trying to
make her bleary eyes focus. He grabbed the tissue box from the nightstand without a word, for which she was extremely grateful. She pulled out a handful and dried her face, and his chest.

  “Shall we shower and take that walk on the shore now?” he asked after a few minutes.

  She nodded, a damned lump clogging her throat.

  He eased to a sitting position, with her still straddling his hips, and cupped her face.

  “I’m a mess.” And with a rusty-sounding voice, she realized, trying to lower her face.

  He smiled, holding her in place. “You’re still my beautiful Medusa.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “But if we go to dinner with you all red-nosed this way, Gert is likely to think our honeymoon is over already.”

  She smiled at his teasing, but her pulse raced faster with fear.

  And she realized what must be wrong with her. Her hormones were still out of whack. That had to be it.

  Uncertain, she eased off him and got to her feet, sliding her hand over the top of her head, where her hair was mussed and damp with sweat. It was probably sticking up everywhere, she mused, avoiding the mirror on the dresser.

  Just residual hormones.

  “Aristotle Tassos.”

  The elderly man started, jumping from his chair so the papers he held fluttered to the floor beside his desk.

  Athena remained standing in the doorway to his office, watching his olive skin pale before he dropped to his knees, bowing his head.

  “My Lady.” His voice shook.

  “Your nephew has taken the Medusa away, Aristotle. How could a Tassos do that?” She glared, noting his silver hair was thinning far more than the last time She’d deigned to visit him.

  “My Lady?” He straightened slightly, though not far enough to actually look directly at Her. “My nephews burn to kill the Medusa.”

  “Not Kallan.” She watched his mouth drop open. “He has helped her escape.” She narrowed Her gaze on his stunned face. “How could you not know this about him?”

  Her Harvester shook his head slowly. “I am so sorry, My Lady. I assure You I will find him. And her.”