Secret Husband

by Normandie Alleman

  Psyche gasped indignantly. “But I didn’t do anything . . .”

  “I know. But she gave me the job of making you fall in love with a monster. Venus wanted you to marry a monster as punishment for having the audacity to be born too beautiful.” He made a face to show how ridiculous he thought this was. “I was supposed to prick you with my arrow to make you fall for the monster, but when I snuck into your bedroom to cast the spell, I tripped and I nicked my own ankle instead.”

  “So wait, what happened?” she asked.

  He gave her a lovesick grin. “I got myself with my own arrow, and I fell in love with you.”

  “What?” Psyche frowned. “So, the only reason you are in love with me is because of your stupid arrow?”

  He smiled. “Sure, that’s how it started, but I love you more every day. Everything you do, everything you say makes me fall more and more under your spell. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, both inside and out. Just ask my mother.”

  Still skeptical, Psyche frowned.

  He continued. “My darling Psyche, we are destined. Ours is the truest of loves. My mother has powers way greater than mine and even she could not make me lose you. But you can. If you don’t trust in our love, then what good is it?”

  She took his hand and touched her lips to his palm. “I’m sorry. I do trust our love. Even when I was in the underworld, I knew somehow you would save me.”

  “I will always save you, my love. I am utterly enchanted by you. And yes, I guess the magic started it off, but I can’t help it. That’s what happened, and now I’m coming clean and being honest with you about it.”

  “So, is our marriage something that came from your mother’s plan?”

  “Yes, it was arranged by my mother for your parents to receive compensation for marrying a monster. That part is all her, but once I fell in love with you, I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let anyone else, human, monster, or god marry you. I had to be the one to make you my wife.”

  “So that’s why all the secrets?”

  “Exactly. I didn’t want my mother to find out I had gone behind her back and made you my bride. Having Venus for an enemy is going to be difficult. You’ve already seen that, and I’ve done my best to protect you from her, but I’m afraid we will need to do more.”

  “Couldn’t I just get a bad haircut, stop wearing makeup, maybe get some ugly, baggy clothes—make myself less attractive?”

  “I wish it were that simple. Your beauty is legendary and even if no one ever saw you again, they’d be talking about you. Probably even more than they do now.”

  “Now do you understand why I felt the need to conceal myself from you? I felt like if you didn’t know who I was—Cupid, son of Venus—it would keep you safer. As long as no one knew it was me you were married to, my mother could believe that you had married the monster as she planned and you would be protected. And the fact that you could get to know me for me, and not my pedigree . . . well, I thought that would make our relationship stronger.”

  Psyche reached up and caressed the face of her handsome husband. “Can we please put all that behind us now? Can I see you during the daytime from now on? Your mother might be beautiful, but she passed along some of those good looks to her son, and I’d like to be able to gaze upon your gorgeous face every day.”

  He leaned over and kissed her. “You bet. But we’ve got to do one more thing to keep you safe from my mother.”

  “Really? What are we going to do?”

  “The only thing we can do. We’re going to ask for Jupiter’s help.”

  Chapter Eleven

  ON THE WAY TO MOUNT Olympus, Psyche’s stomach roiled. Twice that morning she thought she was going to be sick. But by taking some deep breaths and staying really still, she was able to control her nausea. “I can’t believe how nervous I am at meeting your grandfather.”

  “Well, Jupiter is the god of pretty much everything. He does have that effect on people.” Cupid laughed.

  “That’s true.”

  Cupid had told her the only person who could make her immortal was Jupiter, the father of his father Mars, so they were on their way to plead their case with him.

  “Are you sure he’s going to go along with this?”

  “I think so. I told him what Venus did, and he was angry. She really makes him furious with her selfishness, and he likes finding ways to get back at her. If he makes you immortal she’s not gonna like it, which in turn will make him very happy.”

  Grateful her family didn’t engage in internal wars like that, Psyche let out a deep breath.

  Things were definitely different in the world of the immortal gods. She was just beginning to realize how different.

  When they arrived at Jupiter’s palace, Psyche couldn’t believe how gorgeous everything was. She had thought that Venus’ place was nice, but Jupiter’s dwelling was on another level of grandeur. Everything was colossal in size—the stone columns were as big as skyscrapers. The place glittered with diamonds. Beautiful music played in the background, and the delightful smell of orange blossoms wafted through the air.

  And while she expected Jupiter to look like a grandfatherly old white-bearded man wearing a bunch of robes, he actually looked like a slightly older version of Cupid with attractive features and a hard body that sent the message you didn’t want to mess with him. He had those same sparkling blue eyes as her husband, and she liked him immediately.

  “So, this is the lovely Psyche I’ve heard so much about,” Jupiter said, taking her hand in his and giving it a squeeze.

  Psyche chewed her lip and her eyes darted to the surrounding heavens. “I’m not so sure that’s a good thing. I feel like I’ve been causing a lot of trouble lately.”

  “Nonsense,” Jupiter said, enveloping Cupid in a bear hug. “You haven’t done anything. It is not your fault you were born looking the way you do. It’s just too bad his mother is so envious. One would think she would have more self-confidence than that, but with her everything’s a competition.”

  “It is not fair to Psyche for my mother to take out her own insecurities on my wife. She tried to sell her into sex slavery.”

  Jupiter shook his head. “I agree. She’s gone too far this time, which is why I’m willing to do something I rarely do.”

  “What’s that?” Cupid asked.

  “I’m going to make Psyche immortal,” Jupiter said.

  Then he added, “If that’s what you want, child.”

  He looked at her with those blazing blue eyes, and Psyche couldn’t help but nod her head. Everlasting life with her beloved husband Cupid? Nothing could be more perfect than that. “Yes, I would like that very much.”

  “Well, it’s settled then.”

  A spritely young woman dressed in yellow appeared out of thin air and handed Jupiter what looked like a champagne glass.

  “Thank you, Miriam,” Jupiter said, and with a quick curtsy she disappeared just as quickly.

  “Psyche, why don’t you take a seat?” He led them over to a table groaning with meats, cheeses, and fruits and pulled out a chair for her.

  “Thank you,” she said, sitting down. Part of her expected to be nervous, but instead she was more excited than anything else. She considered asking if it would hurt, but it didn’t really make any difference. She’d go ahead with the plan even if it did hurt.

  “What you will experience will be rather intense. Do not be alarmed. That is the eternal life force entering your body. There will be another force inside you, the death force, if you will, that will resist. But what’s in this ambrosia I’m going to give you to drink. It will be too strong and the life force will win over the death force. Do not be afraid. In the end, you will be bestowed with everlasting life.”

  Psyche looked at Cupid who was smiling nervously. It was obvious he was concerned about her, but this had been his idea, and they were convinced it was going to work. As soon as this was over they would be together forever.

  “I’m ready,” s
he said.

  “Drink this and close your eyes.” Jupiter handed her the glass.

  Psyche tasted the liquid nectar. It went down sweet and smooth. Then she closed her eyes.

  First, she heard a soft buzzing sound and through her closed lids she saw a flash of white light. A warm sensation like the kind you get when sunbathing consumed her, and a strong vibration shook her body from her head down into her extremities.

  Panicked, she clenched the arms of her chair as the opposing forces in her body fought for dominance. Determined to hang on and come out the other side victorious, she held on tighter and focused on her breathing until it finally stopped.

  When everything stilled, she opened her eyes, and Cupid scooped her up into his arms. “It’s over. You’re a goddess now.”

  Jupiter wiped his brow and it occurred to Psyche her transformation might have been somewhat taxing on him too. She had no idea what it meant to be a god or a goddess, and how these things worked, but she was about to find out.

  “How do you feel?” Cupid asked.

  She blinked a few times before answering. “Pretty much the same.”

  “That’s to be expected. Cupid why don’t you take her for a nap and come back later to discuss her new powers.”

  “Powers? I’m going to have powers?” Psyche asked, surprised.

  Jupiter and Cupid laughed.

  “That’s being a goddess, part of being immortal,” her husband explained.

  After a luxurious nap in one of the most comfortable beds she’d ever slept in, Psyche and Cupid joined Jupiter and many of the other gods and goddesses for a huge feast to celebrate their marriage.

  A lavish table was set with every kind of food Psyche could imagine and while she was very hungry she didn’t eat very much, as her appetite had been off recently.

  The wine flowed and a good time was had by all. But by the end of the night Psyche couldn’t wait any longer so she found Jupiter and asked, “What powers will I have?”

  “You, dear Psyche, are the goddess of the soul. You now have the power to see into people’s hearts. It is a power that can help you do much good in the world, and from what I observe going on down there, mortals can use all the help they can get.”

  Psyche smiled, while Cupid puffed his chest with pride and joy.

  “Thank you, Jupiter,” Cupid said as he embraced the hulking god.

  “You’re welcome, son. Having Venus for a mother can’t be easy. I don’t like to intervene in my grandchildren’s lives, but sometimes it is necessary, and this was one of those times.”

  “We’re very grateful,” Psyche said.

  Jupiter put an arm around her. “Before you go, I have one more question.”

  “What’s that?” she asked.

  “What are you going to name the baby?” he asked with a wink.

  Epilogue

  DURING THE NEXT FEW years Psyche kept herself busy taking care of her daughter and creating art in which she captured people’s souls on canvas. She also started an advice column on her social channel in an attempt to help heal people’s broken hearts. The newly minted goddess of the soul was a hit and helped so many people she had to start writing self-help books to reach more people. Since she already had everything she could want, she gave all of the proceeds to a charity—one dedicated to helping rescue girls from slavery in the underworld.

  Not only did their daughter Hedone steal the hearts of both her parents, she also captivated Pierce, and soon she had him down on all fours riding him around like he was her pretend Pegasus.

  “Giddyup!” Hedone would cry, and Pierce would make noises like a pony and crawl around the floor with the little girl on his back. Cupid and Psyche never tired of seeing the formal butler frolicking with their daughter.

  As for Cupid, he stopped traveling as much to help people find love with the prick of his arrow, and instead developed a matchmaking service that involved teleporting. To date he has been responsible for hundreds of marriages and thousands of love connections.

  “I’m so happy you’re home more,” Psyche told him one day. “To think, we almost lost each other. If you hadn’t come rescue me, who knows where I’d be today.”

  Cupid shook his head. “That would never happen, my love. I would have searched to the ends of the universe to get you back.”

  “You know, I believe you would,” she said and touched her lips to his in a kiss that cemented their eternal love.

  About Normandie Alleman

  THE USA TODAY BESTSELLING author of more than twenty-five titles, Normandie Alleman is a former psychologist who has always been fascinated by human behavior. She loves writing quirky characters that are all too human. "I'm interested in the kind of relationships people have in real life. So I write about my characters' messy, unpredictable, and inexplicable journeys to love."

  Normandie is a shameless basketball mom who lives with a houseful of teenagers, her own personal hero, and a pet pig who's crazy for Red Bull. When she's not writing or cheering for her favorite team, Normandie can be found listening to an audiobook or a podcast.

  To learn about Normandie’s other books and to sign up to receive email notifications about her new releases you can sign up here.