Medusa's Desire (The Fate of Eros #1) (The Fate of Eros Series)

by E. B. Black

  Danae wasn't making things any easier because she kept elbowing Perseus in the side and winking at him whenever Andromeda made advances towards him. She thought that the two of them would make a lovely match.

  Medusa rubbed her belly. She had begun to feel the baby moving. Would Danae really push Perseus like this if he knew another woman-even though she was a monster-was pregnant with his child? She wanted to tell Perseus about it, but froze every time she tried to bring the subject up. She was afraid if she told him the truth that he would abandon her. Isn't that what most men do when they find out the woman they are sleeping with was pregnant? It brought so many complications with it that they weren't ready for.

  Could they reveal the child to the kingdom once it was born? How would they explain its existence? Who would they say was the mother? Would it turn everyone into stone that stared at it? How would they hide a crying child if this was the case? All those were great reasons to get rid of her.

  Andromeda wore a bright red gown to the party. Her ringlets framed her dark face. Her full lips had been dyed red with berries and her brown eyes were large and seductive. The men of the party openly admired her, even the ones with wives. Why couldn't Andromeda like one of them instead?

  A few men played the flute, the lyre, and the harp in the corner. Everyone danced and laughed until they were exhausted before sitting and being served dinner at the table that had been set on one side of the room.

  Perseus smiled at Andromeda and the two of them exchanged a knowing look as everyone dove into their venison and pork. The wonderful feast even included some butter for the sweet rolls that had been baked.

  Medusa stood in the corner, glaring at the two of them. Her arms were crossed. What did that look mean? The two of them knew something she didn't know and it made her feel nauseous contemplating what it was.

  Perseus tapped his fork against one of the glasses to get everyone's attention. The smiling guests all turned to him.

  "I must admit," Perseus said. "I didn't tell any of you the whole story of why I have invited you here. We have more to celebrate than just the completed construction of this castle."

  Andromeda giggled and squeezed Perseus' shoulder. Danae looked on with pride, her eyes tearing up. Medusa's heart pounded. He couldn't be about to say what it sounded like he was going to announce, could he?

  Perseus looked into Andromeda's eyes and smiled. "Andromeda and I have decided that we will be getting married. The ceremony will take place in a few weeks."

  The world beneath Medusa disappeared as her body numbed. She was so shocked by this news that she couldn't process what was happening at first. Was he really breaking up with her like this? She had thought the two of them were happy.

  She ran from the room, barely containing her sobs with deep breaths. People were already standing to congratulate the two of them and it was difficult to weave between their bodies. She didn't stop running until she was in the vast courtyard, alone enough that she could cry without being discovered.

  Roses grew in front of her. Once, she had found them to be romantic. She plucked one of them and devoured it, thorns and all. She enjoyed the way it cut apart her throat.

  She stared at the trees. She knew this day would come; now she had to plan her escape. Where would she go now?

  After a short time had passed, strong arms wrapped around her body. She would have screamed, but a hand pressed itself against her mouth. She turned around and saw Perseus standing there.

  "Get off me!" She shoved him and he fell over easily. She might have cracked one of his ribs or bruised him from that push. Usually she held back her super strength, but she couldn't control it when she felt this emotional.

  He crawled over on both knees and grasped her by the hands. "I need you to listen to me, please. What happened in there wasn't what it looked like."

  Medusa laughed. "So then you're not marrying Andromeda and you lied to all those people?"

  Perseus was quiet for a moment. "The engagement is real."

  Medusa slapped him in the face. He grabbed his jaw and flexed it. A part of her hoped she'd broken a bone.

  Rage deepened her voice. "Maybe you should leave me alone then. How did you find me back here, anyway?"

  "I could hear your crying." Perseus searched her invisible eyes. How did he know where to look? "I'm always aware of you and where you are standing, even though you're physically invisible to me. I don't know how everyone else can't hear your breathing or your movements. Maybe they choose to block it out or shrug the noises off as belonging to other things."

  "Don't try to talk your way out of this with poetic words," Medusa said. "I'm leaving by tomorrow morning."

  "Please don't," Perseus said. "I don't blame you for being mad. There were so many times I wanted to tell you the truth, but I knew it was going to hurt you so I couldn't."

  Medusa rubbed her belly. She hated to admit it, but she had secrets she was keeping from him, too. "How long have you been having an affair with Andromeda?"

  "I haven't." Perseus' expression was sincere. "You've got to believe me. This whole marriage is going to be a sham, a cover-up for the truth. The one I still love is you, but ever since I've been made king, it means that there's a lot of pressure on me to take a wife. They want a queen beside me."

  Medusa pulled away from him and clenched her fists. "Weren't you the one who told me you hated kings? We had this discussion when we first met. Power corrupts and I think this power has gone to your head. Remember how those other men in power hurt your mother without a second thought to her well-being? Now you're hurting me. Do you really want to be like them?" Tears were pouring down her cheeks.

  Perseus flinched and then sighed. "I never wanted to be king, you're right. I still don't. If my ambitions were for power, then I could have been king of Seriphos, rather than appointing Dictys to the position.

  "I didn't ask any of these people to follow me-they just did and now they are counting on me. I must come through for them. Besides, wealth is kind of nice for a change."

  Medusa scoffed. "You really have changed, haven't you? The old Perseus wouldn't care for any of that stuff. All that he would care about is being with the people he loves."

  He shook the hand he grasped. "I'm doing this for you, though, too! Being in this position helps me fight the gods. I can build an army to stand against them.

  "I can provide for you and my mother now. I want to make sure nothing happens to you two.

  "People will pester me until I find a wife. Even if I reject Andromeda, it will have to be someone else. Her reputation is already ruined because of the time she's spent with me. No one believes she's a virgin anymore. This will allow her to live a good life and no one will bother us so we can be together. I'll have a queen for the people and the woman I love beside me. Everyone will gain something from this."

  Medusa knew she was going to regret asking her next question. "Why can't you just marry me, then? Why does it have to be her? I'll be your queen, if you'll have me."

  Perseus stood and pulled her close. He stroked her cheek as sadness filled his eyes. "You know I would do that if I could, but I can't. I love you. I'm proud of your strength and your beauty, but you're not the type of woman who could be a queen to humans. Andromeda is. She was born into the role. And you, you were-"

  "Made into a monster," Medusa finished for him.

  Perseus shook. He kissed her all over her face and she shuddered as he caressed her body. She didn't want to desire him still, but she did. Every fiber of her body screamed at her to stay and let him make love to her over and over again.

  "No," Perseus said. "That wasn't what I was going to say at all. You're a secret that I have to keep. If the gods knew you were still alive, I and potentially everyone in this village could be killed. The gods will think they conspired with me. Before, it was just you and me facing the consequences, but all these people are depending on me now.

  "They need a queen that they can see-someone who can be approached
without turning them into stone."

  Medusa sobbed. The noise humiliated her. She was trying to hold in the full extent of how much she was upset, even though he probably tasted her salty tears when he had kissed her. "You're ashamed of me and want to keep me your dirty little secret! I'm a monster and you know other people won't understand. How do you think that makes me feel? It's already bad enough being invisible all the time. You're the only person I can speak to and now you're betraying me."

  Perseus grabbed her by the face. He kissed her so hard that her knees grew weak. Their tongues tackled each other as waves of emotions thickened the air between them. Tears streamed down Perseus' cheeks and mingled with her own. "I wish I wasn't hurting you so much. More than anything, I desire to take you as my wife and shout to the world that I love you, but you knew before you came with me that this situation is way too complicated for that.

  "I promise you that I will never touch Andromeda. The only woman I will be with is you. Everyone will think she's my wife, but my marriage to her will not extend beyond the law."

  "I wished that you killed me the day you met me." Medusa's stomach was twisting into knots. "I hate how much this woman has taken from our lives."

  "I'm sorry," Perseus whispered. "If I come up with something better later, then we'll do that, but this is the plan for now."

  Medusa tried to tell herself that at least she hadn't lost Perseus yet, but she could feel him slipping away. "Fine."

  "Then will you stay here with me? I can't do all this without you."

  The way he spoke with tenderness in his voice and desire in his eyes hit Medusa straight in the heart. She hated being so easily affected by him. "I'll stay here for now."

  "That's all that I ask."

  The two locked lips. Their arms wrapped around each other as heat from their bodies took over. Medusa ran her hands up and down Perseus' muscular chest. The feel of his skin against her hands was irresistible.

  Medusa wondered how Perseus would handle it once he found out about the baby. Hiding it was challenging enough and getting more difficult all the time.

  He must have thought it was possible for her to get pregnant. Why hadn't he even asked about it? The truth was, he was probably so frightened by the idea that he blocked the possibility from his mind.

  The two of them had a lot to get used to over the next few weeks.

  Chapter 20

  A few weeks passed and nothing improved.

  Perseus and Andromeda were unable to have a traditional Greek wedding because her parents weren't there. While Andromeda complained about how the whole thing was ruined, Medusa struggled to endure one of the most painful events of her life, contemplating once again whether or not she should run away. Why couldn't Andromeda just be happy with the fact that she was getting to be with the man of her dreams?

  A young girl's arms shook as she lugged a vase filled with water. She tripped and dumped it all over Andromeda before she had finished undressing.

  "I'm so sorry." The little girl used a cloth napkin to wipe the water up.

  Andromeda's face turned red and her eyes flashed. Medusa suppressed a laugh-so much for the custom bridal bath!

  Unfortunately, Andromeda still looked stunning. Her legendary beauty was why everyone adored her. Instead of her dripping hair and making her look like a wet dog, the droplets glistened on her dark skin as if she were a fairy. Her black hair fell down her shoulders in bouncy curls.

  She'd make a lovely queen, the kind that could make a man never leave home. But Medusa still needed Perseus' help to fight the gods. She narrowed her eyes. Ever since they had rescued Andromeda, they had done nothing for the cause.

  Medusa found Perseus greeting guests in the courtyard, which was filled with more flowers than usual. The scent made Medusa feel light-headed, but the rainbow of colors was pleasing to her eyes. Tables had been set out as servants ran back and forth, preparing a great feast. Everyone brought gifts of fruit and nuts to assist fertility, while Varicia built a makeshift altar where she burned incense, grain, and animal parts. It smelled like ash and smoke.

  Medusa stood in front of Perseus, shaking as she held in her emotions. She was tempted to throw off her helmet and turn the whole party into stone to stop all the revelry. The dancing and music gave her a headache.

  Ever since she had heard about the engagement, the monster inside her had grown stronger. When she heard two women chatting about the wedding and how lovely their future queen was, she stole one of their goats and turned it into stone, crushing it into tiny pieces. One of the men congratulated Perseus on such a sexy choice for a bride. "Much better than the one I made," he said with a wink. He had disappeared when he ventured into the woods to hunt for some game for his family. Everyone thought he had been eaten by the wolf that had been attacking the cattle.

  It made her feel powerful. She could suffocate and destroy any human that she wished. She needed a release to balance her life spinning out of control, but knew she had to be secretive about it or face Perseus' wrath. He had been so angry when she attacked Andromeda and she knew he'd feel even worse about her hurting his "innocent" subjects. He expected her to endure everything with a smile.

  She was also afraid that if she didn't crush the bodies and destroy the evidence that the villagers would find the statues and try to kill Perseus. He was the only person that they knew of who could turn people into stone. He had kept the knowledge of Medusa's continued existence a secret.

  Medusa was changing. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she had looked in the mirror recently and been confronted directly with the snake skin of her body. She screamed in disgust and turned away. Once she dared to look back, her reflection had become that of the blonde human she had once been. Denial flitted across her blue eyes. She wanted to believe that her true form hadn't manifested itself there. That she could be what Perseus wanted and not a monster.

  Andromeda had finished getting dressed inside. She wore a long flowing white gown with her long hair braided and flung over one shoulder. Her entire body was decorated with flowers, in hopes that their marriage would produce many children.

  Medusa rolled her eyes. Everyone cheered and Perseus grasped her hand. They looked like the perfect couple.

  In the mean-time, Medusa knew her relationship with Perseus was crumbling. It was only a matter of time before he realized how out of control she was becoming. Couples throughout history had kept secrets and affairs from their spouses, thinking that the truth would never come out. Sometimes they succeeded for a long time, but everything would be revealed eventually. You can't be close to someone and keep a secret from them forever.

  Facing that made her want to run away. Maybe she should destroy the relationship now rather than wait for it to boil over later, but something kept her there: the promise Perseus gave her that he would never touch Andromeda. A naïve part of her still had hope.

  She knew that having a sham marriage could only last so long: either Andromeda would leave or Perseus would give in, but she wanted to be with Perseus as long as possible-even though it meant watching him touch Andromeda on his wedding day and break his promise already. The two of them would kiss in front of everyone and although Perseus insisted that it would be their only kiss, she knew they would have to exchange more in order to keep up appearances. Too late for her to escape the pain of leaving Perseus, she would torture herself by watching it all. This marriage complicated everything.

  Andromeda and Perseus began their wedding march. The priests blessed them and the crowd threw flowers. When they made it to the front door and Danae grasped the bride in her arms, the transfer would be official. They'd be husband and wife. Crossing the threshold of her husband's house and being accepted by the mother of her new family represented the changes her new life brought. It meant leaving her father's home and being welcomed into a new one. They'd celebrate with a giant feast in the courtyard.

  She wore a white veil over her head, representing her virginity. Medusa laughed at th
at. Andromeda acted like such a slut around Perseus that she was certain that it wasn't her first time. Perseus lifted the veil from her face and kissed her on the lips. Tears of joy streamed down Andromeda's cheeks.

  Medusa flinched and turned away. Her stomach twisted.

  They were taking their time walking up to the front door, waving and greeting everyone along the way. Medusa wished they'd hurry up.

  Medusa used to think that she hadn't given Andromeda a fair chance. It wasn't her fault that she was in love with Medusa's boyfriend or had helped kill her mother. The whole thing had been an accident, but Medusa felt differently ever since Andromeda had started commenting on the statues of Medusa that decorated the castle. She said they were hideous and asked Perseus why he wanted something so ugly decorating his castle. He'd remind her that they would never have come this far without Medusa's help and she'd roll her eyes and shrug, saying, "I just don't get it."

  Unfortunately, Medusa was the only thing Andromeda didn't seem to love. She had her stuck-up moments still, but she seemed to have humbled. The town was being built and she got her hands dirty assisting in the construction of it. She wasn't very strong, so mostly she helped form clay bricks that she'd bake in the sun. She'd watch the children for the mothers busy assisting their husbands constructing their new houses, and even let a few children sleep in her room overnight. She'd probably make a great mother, given the opportunity.

  She didn't know why Perseus wanted to be with her. Sometimes she'd look down at her body with her helmet off and compare it with the statues. The real her was hideous, just as she thought, but Perseus kept insisting Fortus' replications didn't begin to capture her beauty. He was delusional.

  He made sure to tell everyone that they were all here and alive thanks to Medusa. It made her feel good to know that even though he couldn't tell everyone that she still existed, he made sure to give her credit for many of the adventures on their journey.