by Kaye Draper
Pontus took her glass and went to rinse it out in the massive stainless-steel sink. "Don't you think it's time you stopped toying with my daughter?"
Grey's cheeks burned, but she pretended to be unaffected. "I’m working on it. That's not why you were glaring at me all night."
Pontus huffed and set about wiping down the already immaculate countertop. "Mouthy little shit. But you're right. I suppose there's nothing I can do about your fickle nature, anyway."
Grey narrowed her eyes at the back of his head. "More diversion. You know I'm not my mother. I don't toy with anyone. Especially the people I care about. Out with it."
Pontus turned to her then, draping the dishcloth over the edge of the sink. "I was only thinking," he said calmly. "Observing."
Grey crossed her arms, realized the move was putting a massive strain on the buttons of her shirt and uncrossed them, putting her palms on the counter behind her. Gods this body was embarrassing. Pontus watched her with a raised eyebrow. "Just what were you observing?" Grey asked, raising her own eyebrow in mocking imitation. She wasn’t the biggest fan of gods and their stupid riddles at the moment.
Pontus chuckled. "I’m observing someone who is still trying to figure out what she is." After a pointed look from Grey, he continued. "I was just wondering," he said casually. "If you had much experience with Greek mythology?"
Grey tilted her head. "A bit. Not much." You would think she would have taken some time to research it lately, but she had been a little distracted with Luca and the band. And, she admitted to herself, I just don't want to know any more.
Pontus compressed his lips for a moment. Then, as if reaching a decision, he leaned back against the sink opposite her. "Did you know that the words Etna and Teras are Greek words?"
Grey shook her head. "No."
Pontus pushed away from his post at the sink and paced over to her. Grey froze as the God reached out a hand and slipped his thick fingers into the neck of her blouse. For one horrified moment, she thought the old man was putting the moves on her. Then his fingers slipped between her skin and the warm links of the necklace she wore under her shirt. He lifted the geode from its resting place in her cleavage. His stormy eyes swirled as they met hers.
"Teras means monster." His blunt fingers traced the rough surface of the kleidí. "In Greek mythology, Etna is a mountain where one of the most terrifying monsters ever to roam the earth was imprisoned."
Grey stared into those swirling eyes, finding it hard to breathe. For once, she was absolutely convinced that this man was a God. And that he could snuff out her life as easy as blinking. "Scary," she quipped, attempting to break the tension in the room.
Pontus let the necklace slip from his fingers to lie against her chest once more. "Hmm... very," he said, once again his usual calm, obtuse self. He started to leave the room but turned and glanced back at Grey over his shoulder. "You have a strange taste about you," he said, as if contemplating a choice of candy flavors. "It took me a while, but I finally recognize it. It’s the flavor of terror and darkness. The same flavor as the earth this island was built on."
Grey drew a breath to make some snarky comment, but Pontus' eyes had gone as dark as the ocean depths. "You are powerful, woman. But you are young, still developing. If anything strange should happen—if you were to manifest some odd new power, say. You would be wise to bring it to my attention. Oh, and ignore the other gods, if they show up. They’re a bunch of overinflated windbags." Then he glided from the room.
As if he had room to talk about overinflated windbags.
Grey stood still for a moment, trying to figure out what the hell that had all meant. Then she blew out a loud breath and straightened her spine. It didn't matter. If Pontus really wanted to tell her something, he could damned well get to the point. Until then, she was done dealing with the supernatural freak show.
She had more important things to do tonight.
Chapter 10
The cool vegetation of the dunes was alternately soft and bristly beneath Grey’s bare feet as she slipped down the hillside and across the rocky outcropping that led to the shore. Pontus’ seaside mansion was a soft glow behind her, growing more distant with every step she took, until at last she stood on the silky sand, bleached white in the moonlight. The house was nothing more than a far-off source of comfort, like being watched over by a protective, sleepy gargoyle lurking up on the hill.
Grey scanned the shore, immediately finding what she was looking for. Luca sat on a log by the water’s edge. The tree that had given birth to the giant piece of driftwood must have been truly ancient to leave behind such a remnant. Luca's long black hair was free, and it lifted and shimmered in the sea breeze, painted with silver highlights in the bright moonlight. Some sort of billowy white peasant top ghosted around her and the water lapped at her long legs, which were bare except for her swimsuit bottoms.
Grey came to a halt behind her perch and Luca spoke, not turning to look at her, clearly sensing her using less than human means. “The moon on the water is haunting, isn’t it?”
Grey wondered how many nights Luca had spent here, trapped in a body that wasn’t her own, sketching Lucifer’s ethereal lyrics from her secret emotions.
“It’s beautiful,” Grey said. She was at a loss, not used to feeling so helpless. She stepped over the log and stood looking down at Luca. The sharp planes of Luca’s face were kissed by silvery moonlight. How could Grey find a woman so attractive? But she really was beautiful, as ethereal as a sea sprite in the moonlight should be.
Luca finally lifted her gaze to meet Grey’s. “Did you need something?”
Some of the spark had gone out of Luca. She was tired. It was all Grey’s fault, and the realization was like a punch in the gut. Grey took a deep breath and grasped the strength of character she had worked so hard for during the last four years. She wasn’t a shy, wilting wallflower anymore. She lifted her hand and caressed Luca’s cheek, brushing the silky black hair away from her smooth skin. “Feel like a swim?” The water was still chilly around Etna island in the spring, but here near Pontus’s home—and if you were part sea creature—it was tolerable.
Luca looked up at her with an unreadable expression. “Grey....”
Grey shook her head and pulled Luca to her feet. “Come on.”
Luca stood there looking down at her, her wide mouth a grim line, as Grey pulled off her own clothes and stood before her, completely exposed. She felt so awkward she could die, standing there in her wobbly, round new body. But she did her best to hide her nervousness.
Grey raised an eyebrow at Luca, but she knew Luca’s serious expression was just masking some strong emotion. Luca, the old Luca, had looked that way sometimes. Usually, it was on the rare occasions when he was utterly confused about what he should do.
Finally, Luca sighed and lifted a trembling hand to the hem of her shirt. “I know this is just going to end badly,” she muttered.
Grey rolled her eyes and took the fabric from Luca’s hands. Now or never.
She pulled the shirt over Luca’s head, leaving her standing there in her bathing suit bottoms. Small, high breasts gleamed in the moonlight, and bits of sliver glittered on either side of her dark nipples. Grey lifted her eyes and found Luca watching her with a wary, if somewhat humorous expression. “Grossed out?”
Grey gave her a look. Luca really had no faith in her. She grinned and stepped forward, slipping her hands over that beautiful skin, from her narrow waist and up along her long, lean, supple torso. Grey stared into Luca's eyes, daring a response as her thumbs drew lazy circles over Luca’s nipples, felt them draw up hard as pebbles under her touch. “Absolutely disgusted.”
Luca snorted, and the old lopsided smile finally tilted her full mouth. “I thought we were going for a swim.”
Grey tilted her chin impatiently, running her hands upward to cup the back of Luca’s head and pull her down to Grey’s level. Luca's soft, full lips covered Grey’s and she fitted herself to Luca's lean body. L
ong, slender arms wrapped around Grey and she sighed against Luca's mouth. A thrill lit through Grey, and she shivered. If there was ever any question whether she could respond to Luca in her current form, it was dispelled in an instant.
Luca smiled against her lips as she broke the kiss and drew Grey into the dark, lapping water. Moonlight glinted on the tops of the gentle waves, but the depths stayed hidden from view, mysterious. It beckoned to that restless feeling inside Grey. She dove beneath the water, testing her abilities, drawing the ocean into her lungs. It was like breathing in heaven.
Her eyes struggled to adjust to the dark. She spun in the water to see a glowing form approaching. Luca’s shoulder-length black hair floated around her in a dark halo. One hand held a glowing orb that shimmered in the depths, her magic lighting the way. The other hand reached for Grey, and their fingers twined together.
They swam until Grey’s muscles ached. Fish and various sea creatures flitted by them as if to say hello, or maybe to say their thanks to them for bringing the seasons back to the island. Grey trailed her hand along the back of a giant ray the likes of which she had never seen in this area, reveling in the feel of its velvety skin.
Finally, the water grew shallow, and sand rose up beneath their feet. Grey lifted her head above the water, readjusting to breathing the cool night air. They stood before a small island—no more than a dot, really. The waves lapped about Grey’s waist, tugging her toward shore, then playfully pulling her away. Luca let the glow fade from her hands as she slipped behind Grey. She dropped tender kisses along the side of Grey’s cheek, across her jaw, and lower, her tongue flicking out to touch the sensitive skin of her throat. One arm held Grey from behind, pushing her full breasts upward. The other hand caressed and teased, Luca’s artful touch turning Grey’s guts to liquid heat.
“You are so beautiful,” Luca whispered, stroking over Grey's full breasts, then lower, her hand gliding over Grey’s wet, slippery skin. “Like a goddess.”
Grey laughed. If anyone was beautiful, it was Luca. Her long fingers stroked lower, stroking through damp curls, and Grey’s belly tensed in anticipation. There was a hesitancy in Luca’s touch, as if she still expected Grey to pull away. Grey leaned back into her, her back pressing against Luca's high, round breasts as she let herself float in Luca’s arms. Luca's stroking fingers found Grey’s center and she moaned in pleasure. Heat curled inside her as Luca nibbled at her earlobe, her clever hand circling Grey’s clit, bringing Grey to the brink. She shifted Grey higher, then slid two long fingers inside. Grey arched her back and groaned at the sensation.
“Don’t stop,” Grey pleaded, the pleasure quickly overriding any lingering fear or doubt. She lifted her hips and urged Luca on.
Luca laughed against Grey's throat and turned her in the water, so they were facing. Grey moaned as Luca’s hot mouth found one engorged nipple, her tongue circling and teasing. Grey tangled her hands in Luca’s hair and cried her name as everything contracted to one gasping breath and pleasure washed over her. Luca kept going, wringing every last ounce of pleasure from her until Grey collapsed against her, weak and boneless.
They stumbled, giggling and panting, onto the shore and collapsed onto the sand at the water’s edge. The surf splashed up to their knees as they lay in a tangle of pale limbs in the moonlight. Grey rose up over Luca and peered down into her dark, limpid eyes, lost in their depths.
She claimed Luca’s soft lips again, pausing to suck on her lip piercing, pressing herself to Luca's long, lean body. Then she slid lower to lick the salty water from Luca’s skin. Luca moaned softly as Grey cupped her breast, mimicking Luca's earlier motions as she suckled and licked. Grey lifted her head to look at Luca, to gauge her reactions, feeling unsure. Luca smiled down at her, stroking her long fingers through Grey's damp, tangled hair. “You’re so beautiful,” she said softly.
Grey laughed. “Clearly you haven’t looked in a mirror lately. Gods, Luca, you’re...perfect.”
The glint of silver at Luca’s nipple caught her eye. “Those are new,” she said slowly. “They seem like they’re still tender....”
Luca stroked a hand up Grey’s thigh, tickling and teasing. One shoulder lifted in a shrug. “When I changed back, they were gone. All my piercings were. I had them re-done because....”
Grey smiled. “Because?”
She sighed. “Because I like them. And...because I wanted to remind you of him...the old me.”
Grey laughed. Luca had accused Grey of cutting her hair for the very same reason, the hypocrite. “You’re an idiot.”
Luca nodded, her hand still caressing. “I know.” She tilted her head, and her eyes were hooded, though Grey could feel Luca studying her in the moonlight. “You know, everything was gone. Even old scars I got when I was a kid. It’s like my whole body was re-set.”
Grey nodded. She’d noticed the same thing herself. “Too bad it didn’t shave a few pounds off my ass.”
Luca laughed, a shy, sultry sound. “Mmm...I like it just how it is.” Her hands moved up to grip Grey’s ass, squeezing, urging her down. Grey kissed her deeply, and Luca pressed close, drawing Grey’s hand downward. Grey’s hand shook, but she got a hold of herself. She had never done this before, but at the same time...at least she knew a woman’s body. And...her body seemed to know instinctively what to do. She thrilled at her ability to affect the beautiful creature beneath her as she writhed and moaned at Grey’s touch, nearing her own release, her cool blue energy twining with Grey’s own aura.
“Grey,” she panted, her breath tickling Grey’s ear. “God, I wish....” Grey pulled back slightly and swore Luca was blushing, though it was hard to tell in the moonlight. She arched her hips against Grey’s hand. “I want to be yours. I wish I could have you fuck me the way you let me take you. I...never wanted that before. But for you.... I would have wanted it.”
Grey strained upward to cover Luca’s lips with her own. Oh god, it was so strange to have Luca in such a vulnerable position. Grey almost felt...male. And yeah, if she was still a guy right now, she’d definitely want to give Luca what she had dreamed about. She grinned at the thought as she slipped her fingers inside Luca, pausing when she found resistance. Holy fuck...had everything in Luca’s body reset? Luca moaned, squeezing Grey's fingers as she convulsed. “Grey! Please. I don’t care, just...I want you inside me, even just this.”
That’s when Grey realized something was definitely different. She felt the power flowing under her skin, strengthened by her contact with Luca and begging to be called on. “Luca,” she whispered into her ear, nuzzling the long, graceful line of her neck, feeling slightly dizzy at the knowledge she suddenly held. “You thought about it? You wanted me... him ...you wanted to know what it would be like with him...if you were a girl.”
Luca turned her head away and laughed uncomfortably, her body still flushed and lingering at the brink of completion. “How can you ask me that now ? Fuck, Grey.”
Grey chuckled against her hair. “Luca, this is going to be really freaky, but trust me, okay?” She turned Luca’s face back toward her and kissed her deeply. “I would do anything for you, remember that. Close your eyes.”
Luca frowned at Grey in confusion, but did as she asked. Grey trailed kisses to her breasts, her hand once more stroking Luca's clit, driving her back toward that desperate breathlessness. Luca’s hands caressed Grey’s back, then dug into her skin, begging to bring them closer. Grey shifted over her and called to her power, amazed that she could even think of something so odd. But she knew, somehow she just knew it was possible.
It worked. She felt the power shimmer over her, like slipping into another skin. Luca gasped as the feeling of Grey’s touch altered. “Shh....” Grey muttered, her voice several registers lower. “It’s taking every bit of concentration I have.”
Grey stared into Luca’s wide moonlit eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked, suddenly unsure what the hell he was doing, only that somehow, it felt right.
Luca stared
at him in shocked fascination. Then she shuddered beneath him and the silky flesh of her thighs caressed him as she wrapped her long legs around his hips and drew him closer. She seemed so much smaller now, even though Grey wasn’t a big guy. The Cosmic Joke was a pulsing heat that almost hurt to endure. Grey shifted himself and fumbled for a second before he eased into her.
Luca cried out and arched against him. If her body really had reset itself after the Swap Back, it had to hurt. And on top of that, Grey’s dick was huge . He tried not to move, simply kissing her until her body relaxed beneath his. But she was impatient, lifting her hips and urging him on, digging her nails into his back. “Oh, God!” she gasped, her rich alto rough and cracked. Grey moved his hips, slowly at first, then faster, following her wild rhythm, losing himself in the heat of her.
Grey felt her convulse beneath him, squeezing around him. He gasped and the moment broke, his control on the magic sliding out of his grip. His body shifted and he groaned at the sensation of changing at that particular moment. Luca slipped a leg between Grey’s and guided Grey's hips with her hands. Grey buried her face in Luca’s chest and moaned as the friction of her core against Luca’s skin sent her over the edge.
They lay tangled and gasping a few moments later, sticky with sand and sweat and salty sea water. “Why didn’t you tell me you could do that!” Luca panted, slapping Grey weakly on the arm.
Grey laughed. “Because I had no idea I could . That was...freaky.” She shook her head. Her mother. The devious ass had promised to ensure that when the curse broke, those who wanted to stay male would. She had also yammered on about giving Grey a gift. And now that Grey thought back on it, she could see the mischief that had lurked in Arianna’s eyes.
She could see into people’s hearts, she’d said. So maybe she knew how torn Grey was about reverting back to female. Just when she thought life couldn’t get any weirder... .
Luca put an arm over her eyes and shook with laughter. Grey rolled toward her and Luca obligingly put out her other arm in invitation. Grey snuggled into her and Luca held her while they gazed up at the stars.