Curses of Olympus (The Olympus Trilogy #2)

25. Medusa

25

MEDUSA

T he sheets stick to Medusa as she wakes up desperate to catch her breath. It takes several seconds in the dark to remember where she is: the Under Temple. Not the Sea Temple, and not with Poseidon or the Twins.

Yet the remnants of the nightmare cling to her, refusing to let go. On either side of her, Cadmus and Psyche still sleep soundly, a beacon in this dark abyss.

As she lays awake, her eyes adjust to the shadowy room. Waiting for her breathing to even, one word circles in her mind.

Justice.

It was always there, only drowned out by the cacophony of everything that she has experienced. But now, justice beats in her like a drum.

As gently as she is capable, Medusa slides out of the bed and throws on a simple pair of slacks and a tunic. She struggles to slip into the sandals in the blackness of the room, but after a second, they slide on perfectly.

Absentmindedly, she makes several turns and finds herself in a long hallway. Walking through it, she sees there are no doors as she is passing, just elaborate carvings she cannot decipher.

Padded footsteps sound behind her, and Medusa’s heart blossoms when Cerberus runs up alongside her. She reaches down and threads her fingers through his thick dark fur, smiling into the three sets of green eyes staring at her.

Medusa has never seen his kind of canine before, and she wonders if that part of him is as unique to the Olympic Isles as his three heads.

At the end of the hallway, they come upon a ledge with a stone guardrail. Just below it is a river. The surface of it is smooth as glass, even though it sounds like it has a strong current.

Standing at the ledge, looking out, she finds Yiorgos in a black cloak with the hood down. She comes to a stop abruptly and turns to leave, not wanting to interrupt his train of thought or make him uncomfortable. He has kept his distance from her since day one and honestly, she cannot blame him. She still carried guilt for knocking him unconscious on his own ship.

But at least he is not a statue, right?

“There is no need to leave.” Yiorgos does not turn around, his voice barely audible over the water.

She pauses. “I do not wish to bother you. I will find somewhere else to wander.”

Yiorgos turns and when his eyes meet Medusa’s, she finds none of the prior reservation and hesitation there, only warmth.

A smile spreads across her face. “Thank you. What is this place?”

Gesturing to the water, Yiorgos answers, “This is the River Styx. You saw it after coming through the Mysts, but did you know that it flows throughout the Underworld?”

Medusa’s eyes widen, and she shakes her head.

“Accessing the different parts of the Underworld is a delicate game, and one that the river has a voice in. Even Hades himself must pay his coin and await the river’s fate.” Yiorgos points to the small boat tied to the edge of the riverbank. To the right of the balcony, Medusa can now see a set of narrow stone steps going down to the waterline.

“You sure seem to know a lot about all of this,” Medusa remarks, raising an eyebrow.

Yiorgos waves a hand. “I get around. Besides,”—he gives her a pointed look—“I see much more than many would assume, and I learn from my observations.”

Cerberus plops down on the stone floor and rolls onto his back with his feet in the air, a tongue hanging out of all three mouths.

Chuckling at the large canine, Yiorgos crouches down and scratches the beast’s belly.

Medusa lowers and sits with the two of them while Yiorgos continues gently petting Cerberus.

“I am glad you are with us again,” Yiorgos says after a moment, catching Medusa off guard. In this interaction, it has become clear that he does not resent her nor dislike her, but it still surprised her when people want her around.

“Th-Thank you,” Medusa says, fighting the tear stinging in the corner of her eye.

Yiorgos continues, “This world has not been kind to you, yet you choose to still be kind to those around you. People like you are the true heart of this world, and the Pantheon knows that is a threat.”

Standing up, Yiorgos walks over to the stairs, stopping at the top of them and turning back to face Medusa. “I can feel the stars moving, all turning their eyes on us, on our world. They know what is coming. I just hope we are ready.”

He turns once more, and his figure shrinks as he retreats down the stairs, pulling his hood up over his head.

T he room is silent when Medusa returns. She pulls the door gently to close it, but the old wood creaks loudly.

The sheets rustle, and the room fills with light from the small lantern on the bedside table next to Psyche.

“I’m sorry for waking you,” Medusa whispers.

A loud yawn comes from under the sheets, and Cadmus says, “You didn’t.”

Psyche laughs and gestures for Medusa to join them again.

As she slides into bed between these two people who love her, Medusa decides she is done being held back by the past. She finally feels strong enough to take control of her own destiny. Reaching down and intertwining her fingers with Psyche’s, she pulls Cadmus to her with her other hand.

He pauses, looking into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

Medusa has never been more sure of anything in her life. “Absolutely.”

Cadmus brings his lips to hers, and the stubble of his chin brushes against her scaly skin. His hand comes up to the back of her head, the hood separating him and her serpents who seem calm beneath it.

Psyche slips her hand around Medusa’s waist, pulling her back into Psyche’s body while Cadmus deepens their kiss. His hands travel up Medusa’s arms, over her collarbone, hovering just above her breasts.

He pauses as if waiting for any sign of distress, and when one does not come, he gently cups her breasts over her tunic.

Medusa gasps, the difference between his large hands and Psyche’s small ones is quite noticeable. He breaks free from the kiss and guides her to a sitting position and removes her tunic.

Psyche positions herself sitting up at the head of the bed, back against the wall. When Medusa’s pants fall to the floor and she is naked, Psyche pulls her backward against her. Psyche’s nipples press into Medusa’s lower shoulder blades, and the sensation sends heat straight to her core.

Cadmus watches Medusa, laid out before him, as he removes his own clothes. She sucks in a deep breath when he is naked, taking in the impressiveness of his hard muscles. The firmness of his erection leaves little room for doubt that he loves her body.

He climbs into the bed, positioning himself between her thighs as he leans down and kisses her once more. She curls her fingers into his hair, and she moans into his mouth. Psyche’s feather-light kisses pepper Medusa’s back and shoulders until Cadmus breaks his kiss with Medusa and leans around to kiss Psyche.

His lips return to Medusa’s, and as they travel down her neck, she can almost swear they are leaving fire in their path. Desire burns inside her, and she wants this more than anything.

Cupping her breasts in both hands, Cadmus runs his thumbs over her nipples. The sensation nearly causes Medusa to jump off the bed.

Psyche’s voice is soft in her ear. “Does it feel good when he touches you?”

“Yes.” Medusa’s reply is so breathless it is almost inaudible.

Psyche kisses Medusa’s neck again, while Cadmus’s thumbs stroke her nipples. “Do you want him to touch you other places as well?” she asks.

Medusa moans, “Yes.”

His hands roam wildly across her body as if he is worried there is not enough time to touch all of her. Psyche reaches around and cups Medusa’s breasts, taking the space Cadmus no longer occupies as his own hands go higher and higher up her thighs, getting ever so close to her already wet center.

Cadmus and Medusa lock eyes, and heat floods through, her entire body flushing under the intensity of his gaze.

He does not look away as he slowly inserts a finger inside her. Medusa’s eyes flutter closed, and she gasps, needing more. Cadmus slips another finger in, and the added pressure has her almost ready to explode from ecstasy.

Psyche lightly pinches Medusa’s nipples while Cadmus gently strokes her clit with his thumb while still driving her to the brink of destruction with his fingers.

“I think she’s ready, don’t you?” Psyche purrs, the heat of her breath tantalizingly close to Medusa’s ear.

Cadmus quirks a grin. “More than ready.”

Medusa’s body trembles with anticipation as Cadmus centers himself in between her thighs.

“Are you certain? We can stop anytime, I promise.” The sincerity in Cadmus’s voice would melt away any remaining doubts if she had any, but Medusa is ready.

Not wanting to risk anything, she does another quick mental check with her serpents. To her delight, they are still as calm and docile as before, enjoying their slumber beneath her hood.

Medusa nods. “I’m positive.”

With Psyche behind, cradling her, Medusa feels like this is exactly where she is supposed to be.

Cadmus brings the head of his manhood to her entrance, sliding it along her slickness before slowly entering her inch by glorious inch. Medusa moans, and Psyche’s feather-light kisses on her back shoulders get more heated, her teeth scraping across Medusa’s skin.

Once Cadmus fully inside, he stays there for a moment, pausing to visibly check in with Medusa. She nods her confirmation, and he withdraws almost entirely before thrusting his hips and plummeting into her.

Stars bloom in her vision as bliss washes over her with every thrust.

“Cadmus,” Medusa cries out, his name spilling from her lips as her breath hitches. “I'm so close.”

“Yes, that’s it,” Psyche’s croons in her ear.

His pace increases as he drives Medusa toward the cliffs of her own oblivion. When she cannot withstand it any longer, she fully succumbs as her orgasm rocks through her.

Cadmus groans as he reaches his own climax, her walls clenching around him as they both shatter.

As he slides out of her, Cadmus leans forward and kisses Medusa, then Psyche. They get cleaned up, and return to the bed in an attempt to sleep.

The first to doze off is Cadmus, leaving Medusa and Psyche to chuckle over him tiring himself out. As her body still sings in every place he touched it, she is certainly grateful for his efforts. Psyche nods off next, and she knows she is not far behind.

Despite how wonderful it is to be intimate with the two people she loves, anger and vengeance still seep their way into her thoughts. Because of the Pantheon and gods such as Poseidon, Medusa came so close to never knowing what it feels like to be loved.

Now that she knows what if feels like, it makes her even more angry that they tried to steal it from her.