"Definitely."
The embrace broke. Jade stepped back to stand at Karl’s side. Adriene waved and headed for her car.
It was over. This was goodbye.
And it was also hello.
Jade looked up at Karl to find him grinning. "What’s so funny?"
"You and her. I don’t know who rubbed off on who."
"I definitely rubbed off on her." Jade blinked and then shook her head. "In a completely non-sexual way, that is. I mean, regarding personality. Adriene is as straight as a ruler."
"Even rulers can be bent."
"Don’t go all philosophical on me. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us, and the last thing I want to discuss is how flexible my roommate’s sexuality is." Jade wagged a finger at Karl.
"Here comes Nic to save me."
"Nothing can save you."
Nic walked up to Jade and without a word gave her one of his kisses that always took her breath away. Maybe they should have left time for a session in her room before they set off because these guys had transformed her into an ever-damp horn-dog.
"Get in the car, and you can tell me about your urgent last minute shopping on the way."
Karl snickered. He kissed Jade’s temple, opened the door to the back seats.
Nic made his way around to the passenger side. "It's just stuff we might need for the journey, candy and soda."
Jade closed the trunk and swung down into the driver’s seat. She fit the keys in the ignition and started the car.
"And other essentials, condoms and lube."
"Essentials for the journey, huh? You guys will be the death of me."
"I'm willing to try most pervy things, Jade, but death isn't one of them." Nic snapped his seatbelt into place.
Jade laughed and cranked up the AC.
"Are you the kind who prefers it to be an arctic tundra in the car?" Karl asked from the rear.
"No, but I approve of making the most of our last chance to enjoy AC for the foreseeable future. I intend to milk it for all it’s worth."
"Great."
"Just like, you better believe I’m stopping to get some fast food on the way back home. I need to bid adieu to fries."
"So much for watching your figure," Karl joked.
"Watch your mouth, mister." Jade shifted into reverse. "Don’t forget I could leave your ass stranded if I wanted to."
"But you don’t want to. I happen to know you like this ass too much."
"That’s beside the point." Jade eased out of her parking spot and took to the road. "What’s important is that the threat is there, so you’d better be on your best behavior."
Karl leaned against the windowsill. "And you might find you prefer my naughty behavior."
Jade saw from the corner of her eye how Karl’s whole face lit up with humor. He was happy, and it showed.
"Why should you count on me to behave?"
"God." Jade rolled her eyes. "This is going to be a really long journey, isn’t it?"
Nic chuckled beside her. "Yup. You better believe it."
"I liked you, Karl, better when you were dour and uptight." It was a lie, of course, and Jade let her voice belie her words. "What happened to that guy?"
"I sold him when I sold the company," Karl replied. "And quite frankly, just being around you is doing a damn good job of keeping him at bay."
Jade couldn’t be unhappy about that. She smiled. "If you don’t watch your mouth, I’m going to want to steal those sugary words right from your lips."
"That’s what I was hoping for." Karl slid a hand over Jade’s shoulder. The butterflies were back, and Jade let them lift her up and up until she didn’t think she could get any higher. All it took was one touch to change her mood. "I adore you, Jade. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us on our adventures."
"Hey, please don't distract the driver," Nic snapped playfully.
The drive to Beaumont passed quickly, and the company made it the best trip she’d ever had on these roads.
They weren’t even halfway when they stopped so that Jade could gorge herself on fries and soda. The guys didn’t let her do it alone. The journey took longer than it should have with so much distraction for the driver. Later in the day, they checked in to the Beaumont Inn.
They planned on nothing too adventurous that night but a walk after a light meal. And more time getting to know each other better.
Chapter Twenty-One
Before plunging into a new adventure, they planned to hang around Beaumont and relax for a few days. They went for walks and spent time getting to know each other better. At the hotel, in between feeding their physical needs for rest, sex, and nutritional sustenance, they shared their knowledge about the world they planned to enter. It became apparent they possessed scant information and hoped to learn on the way.
They talked about their families.
Jade thought demigods were the children born to a god mating with an ordinary mortal, though unsure where she'd heard that. It had been almost a year since Lauren and Brenna introduced Jade to the other worlds. She gained a little experience of traveling to other dimensions, and she'd done a little reading about Greek mythology, but she wasn't sure how much truth was in books.
It turned out Nic couldn't confirm his parentage. He'd been adopted as a baby, and it had never occurred to him to try to find out the identity of his biological parents. As far as he was concerned the people who raised him were the important people in his life.
The recent turn of events made him curious. However, finishing work and preparing for a new life hadn’t left time for him to investigate the past.
Karl insisted his parents were ordinary mortals. They'd brought him up and couldn't be more human if they'd tried. He told Jade that Philip had explained sometimes demigods inherited their powers from a more distant ancestor.
Philip had given the guys scant information about demigods.
After their first night, when they were sitting eating breakfast, which they’d ordered as room service so that they could talk and behave freely, they took up the conversation again.
"What Philip actually said went like this." Nic stood and started to do an impersonation of Philip with excitement in his tone of voice and overly exaggerated hand gestures. "I’m not an expert on how demigods are made. I usually make things out of stone. Ask me something easier, like how the pyramids were built, no problem. Or what happened to the cyclops after we'd finished constructing the great walls of Mycenae. Those are things I can answer. I can tell you all about how the Labyrinth was built."
"He doesn’t talk like that. You’re mean." Jade protested.
"I’m not being mean. I like the guy."
"I’ve already told you, Nic’s got a crush on him," Karl muttered.
Blushing, Nic sat back down. "He’s cute. It’s just, it's weird to think of him as a builder. When we got back home, I looked up what he'd talked about, and even today we'd have huge construction challenges to building those places. It's said Cyclops built Mycenae something like four thousand years ago, and a couple of months ago I would've laughed at that story. Now, I don't have an alternative explanation."
"I think Philip’s cute too," Jade confessed. "It’s weird to think of him as a God."
"It’s certainly weird to think about his age," Karl conceded.
Later that day, Karl and Nic met Jade’s parents for the first time. Inevitably, she was excited and nervous. She introduced the men as friends in the hope her parents wouldn't worry about the fact that the guys were much older than her.
Jade hoped her parents didn't guess there was more to the relationship because she didn't want them to worry about the fact that there were two of them either. "Hi mom and dad, these two older men in their thirties are my lovers." No, she couldn’t envisage that conversation.
She couldn't imagine introducing two or more people at once to her parents as romantic partners. She wanted to discuss it with Lauren and Brenna and find out how they handled things like that.
Anyway, Jade wasn't sure what else she could tell her parents. The relationship was in its infancy, and ill-defined. It was a sort of an open relationship. Nic wanted to date her, Karl was vague about what he wanted and seemed scared of commitment.
And Jade was definitely one hundred percent certain that she was also scared of commitment. She had a lot in common with Karl.
When they met with Jade’s family, it went without a hiccup. Jade knew her folks would be polite. It seemed they genuinely liked the guys, and the feeling was mutual.
Her parents also completely accepted the story that they were going traveling together as part of a bigger group. Possessions were stored, lunch was eaten, and best wishes were expressed along with goodbyes.
Accepting that the world wasn't what they thought it was, well, it took a huge mental leap for all three of them.
If Nic and Karl possessed special demigod powers, they hadn’t discovered them yet.
Jade wondered if their powers were sexual because she’d never been as turned on or had so many orgasms in such a short amount of time while they stayed in that one large hotel room in Beaumont. She kept that thought to herself as the three of them got to know each other better.
They did so with hands and mouths all over each other.
Nothing new, nothing they hadn't done before.
Jade didn't mention another thing on her mind. She’d packed condoms, but never had a reason to get them out.
When the guys took turns making her come so many times with their tongues and fingers, she became easily distracted from her longing for their cocks inside her. They were relentless in their attention. Continuing to press her until she was exhausted but still wound up tight when the lightest of caresses and tenderest of kisses sent her body into a blissful state, the like of which she'd never known before.
Their touches became too much for her.
She doubted she could ever return the favor in equal measure. It didn't seem they wanted that, or they'd have given her more opportunity.
And they'd also touch each other. If a man's mouth or hands weren't on Jade, then they'd be on the other guy.
Jade found that being a part of such a ménage was even hotter than she could've imagined. Seeing the guys give each other pleasure and enjoy each other's bodies, as well as hers, heightened the erotic experience to something even better than if they’d both only been interested in her.
"I won't be able to walk tomorrow if you keep on and don’t let me rest." She said that night but wasn’t really complaining.
"We don’t have to leave the hotel room until you are ready and recovered," Nic reassured her.
"But I’m never going to recover as long as you two are with me on a bed. I don’t think you’ll let me."
Karl gave her a crooked smile. "I’m going to take Nic to the bar so you get a clear hour of undisturbed sleep. If you want, we can check into another room."
Nic looked at Karl like he’d grown two heads. "Um, much as I like you, Karl, if I have to choose, I’d rather spend the night with Jade."
Karl rolled his eyes. "I won't keep you awake all night, Nic. We can get separate rooms, if you like. I’m just offering Jade a bit of space on her own, if she wants it."
"She does not," she said. "I don’t want the two of you going anywhere without me. This bed is big enough for three. I’m just saying you two are overwhelming me. I’m totally understanding now what it feels like to be weak at the knees."
Chapter Twenty-Two
"Walking in these woods with you is a very pleasant way to pass the time," Nic said the day after meeting Jade’s parents. "Even though we always head in the same direction, it looks different every day. We seem to see new stuff as if it all changes."
Nic walked alongside Jade while Karl was just a few feet ahead.
Karl looked back over his shoulder. "I’d wondered if I was the only one who'd noticed that."
"You know, we might be passing through other dimensions without being aware of it, that happens," Jade replied. She recalled it had happened to Brenna. "I like that we know where we're going this time and that we've come prepared."
They'd checked out of the hotel that morning, and each of them carried backpacks. Today was the day they'd start a new life, for real, in another dimension. Wherever the Labyrinth took them or wherever Philip directed them once they found him.
"I don’t mind. I’m enjoying it. Just spending time alone with you is great even without an adventure," said Nic.
Warm sunlight permeated the canopy, dappling the fauna and flora with bright spots and making all of nature look magical. Birds chirped, and insects buzzed. It was one of those days filled with optimism, which made Jade feel glad to be alive.
"I hope you don’t mind that we haven’t jumped into any mysterious holes already. I may have learned a lesson after the last time about not being impulsive. The Spartans and Lauren always told me going alone could be dangerous."
"You're not going to be impulsive? Seriously, Karl why did we bring this girl?" Nic called out.
"Going back to the hotel in Beaumont every night felt very safe." Up ahead, Karl sounded a little nervous, which was understandable given they had little idea of what to expect.
"At least we know where we're going and to watch out for giant guard cats. I don’t mind not being attacked by huge animals," Jade said. "But if you want to check into the hotel again for a few more nights, I wouldn't be disappointed."
Nic reached out a hand and clasped Jade's arm. "Something tells me that's because you've rather enjoyed staying in the room. But I'm not sure they'd take us back so soon while they are still receiving complaints about the noisy threesome from the other guests."
Jade blushed and looked across at Nic who was grinning.
In front, Karl slowed to step over a fallen branch and turned to offer Jade a hand as she climbed over it too.
Jade didn't need help, but she took his hand, anyway. The exciting sparks of electricity still played over her skin whenever they touched. She guessed it might be something to do with his mysterious demigod powers, whatever they were.
"It seems that as long as you carry that brooch, you'll be safe. It's your pass through the tunnels and into the hall where we've been before."
"And you guys will always go there because you're demigods."
"It seems as if destiny guided us here. Any company could have been given the task of looking after that land. We weren't local. And that day, you were only taking me into the forest. It was pure chance that we ran into Nic and I asked him to come along," Karl mused. He seemed to be talking aloud to himself.
"You two were destined to come here. I was just lucky enough to be born here. You guys have both met my parents; they're very ordinary humans."
Nic chuckled. "I liked your parents, very down to earth and a lot like mine."
They arrived at a familiar place amidst more ancient gnarled trees.
"I'm impressed. You remembered the way, Karl," Jade said.
"I don't know why you would ever doubt me and my leadership skills," he replied.
There before him on the side of a tree trunk was the same concealed black space, visible from a certain angle and only if you knew it was there. The passage Jade had taken before.
"So you did know the way, Jade."
"From here I do. I went first last time, so you guys can lead the way this time."
"I don't know about that." Karl looked from Jade to Nic a serious and uncertain expression on his face.
Jade dug into her pocket and pulled out the brooch and held it out in front of her. "You don't need me with my magical first class pass to the Palace of Minos. You guys go on ahead, so you don't come crashing down on my head."
"We could make sure the path is clear," Nic said thoughtfully. He climbed in without hesitation. "I'll see you on the other side." And he was gone.
Karl climbed in after him and sat on the edge. "I'll just give him a chance to get up or roll out of the way. This is a time w
hen he doesn't want me on top of him." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.
As her mind was never far from thoughts of sex while she was with these guys, Jade's mind instantly went there. The big, tough, rugged construction worker underneath the cocky guy in the suit. "I'd like to see that sometime." If he could dole out innuendo, Jade could throw some right back at him. "Seriously, do you guys actually fuck? Only asking, actually, because we haven't." She waved her hand between them.
Karl waved his hand between the two of them and said, "We will. You can be sure of that."
Cocky bastard.
He smirked. "If you wanna know about me and Nic, then you'll have to come and find out."
With that, he was gone before she even had the opportunity to ask if she could watch.
Jade seriously felt like she loved these guys and at the same time still had so much to find out about them. She swung her legs over the edge of the hole and reran the last snippet of conversation over again in her mind while she gave Karl time to move out of the way for her landing.
The men might not do that sort of thing. And if they did, she wondered, did they both pitch and catch? Her temperature raised a little as she thought about it. At least they weren't able to see her blush, or read her mind.
A couple of minutes passed. She picked the brooch back out of her pocket and looked at it. For months she'd had it without being aware of its significance. She could so easily have lost it or not have carried it with her on her last trip into the woods. Where would they have ended up without it?
Philip should have told her about the magical jewelry, when he'd given it to her, and perhaps he intended to.
She pushed off from the edge eager to get going down the sloping tunnel and reunite with her guys.
She slipped away from the forest into the dark helter-skelter-like tunnel. Mentally she prepared to whiz through as she did last time.
Abruptly, her transit came to a halt when it had barely begun.
Her arms felt like they were being pulled from the shoulder sockets as hands clamped around her biceps and hoisted her upward.
Architects_Sons of Olympus Page 17