A Goddess Unraveled

~48~

Lexi knew she had lost herself. At least, a part of herself. But she didn't need that part anymore. In fact, she never felt more whole as Hades's golden eyes warmed her like a pair of neon suns. And while he cradled her head in his hands and pressed gentle kisses to her lips, the rhythmic cadence of their breathing filled the quiet, giving Lexi's mind a chance to wander. 

First, she thought about the slowly retreating throb in her groin, and how it trumped every feeling she'd had before it. Then she thought about her declaration. Had it confused him? Could he tell the very fabric of her world had ripped down the middle, changing her perception of life? Of everything? Was that the seduction of sex? To find the meaning of life while satisfying an irresistible urge?

"Are you okay?" he whispered into the darkness.

"Never better," she offered back as she trailed her fingers along the grooves of his arms, admiring the musculature.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Should we? Is that normal?"

"It's your first time. I want you to know it's an option."

Lexi attempted a wicked grin. "Can we skip the sex talk and just do it again?"

Hades swooped down to claim her lips, slipping his hand under her bottom to force their bodies closer. A breathy gasp escaped her at the fullness she felt down below. "I would like nothing more than to make love to you until the sun rises, but we have a manic god stomping around the estate. I think we should take what we've been granted and leave with our skins intact."

Lexi was hoping for something a bit more poetic, or more erotic, but she had to agree with Hades. The risk of being discovered was dangerously high. So, they gathered their clothes and climbed out of the limo to dress in the dim of the garage. Lexi watched Hades step into his pants, continuing her admiration of his sculpted assets. Gods, how she wanted to feel him inside her again, even as she quivered in the aftermath.

Pulling the garage door open a crack, Hades peered outside. "Everything looks clear from here." As he reached for her, his eyes twinkled like the northern lights. "You are amazing, you know that? I can't remember the last time I felt this way."

She took his outstretched hand, offering her dazed reply. "Neither can I."

They walked hand-in-hand to the balcony where the boat ladder waited, but when they drew closer, Lexi realized something else waited for them; a barrel-chested god wearing an enormous scowl.

"Oh, shit." The exclamation was out of her mouth before she could stop it, and Zeus stomped across the courtyard to hover over her.

"If you mean Oh shit, I have some explaining to do, then your sentiment fits the situation perfectly." Zeus's mustache bristled as he spoke, broadcasting his stifled temper, but Lexi refused to let him bully her, and she squeezed Hades's hand for added reassurance.

"I don't have to explain anything," she said, meeting Zeus's stormy gaze. "I'm eighteen and a legal adult."

"Maybe you're considered an adult in this world, but your age holds no credence with me. I am your father, and I expressly forbade you to consort with Hades. Clearly, my words went unheeded." He glared at Hades with those same turbulent eyes, but Hades seemed unimpressed by Zeus's threatening stance. "You have flaunted my position since the day our fates were handed to us, brother, and I have maintained my station as a fair and righteous ruler of the gods in spite of this."

Lexi felt Hades's hand go rigid as he stiffened beside her. "You keep forgetting, Z, that I am forbidden from entering your domain. Therefore, I do not fall under your rule, as such. In spite of this, you have consistently blocked my attempts to court goddesses, which does not make you a fair ruler."

"Horseshit! You can court any goddess who will agree to have you, but not with the intent they follow you to the underworld, especially none of my own flesh and blood. You fooled me once. It will not happen again."

"Wait a minute here," Lexi interrupted. "You and I already had this discussion, Zeus. I have a say in who I consort with."

"Of course, you do, and I give you permission to consort to your heart's content. Just know that you will be sought by other gods now. With your grace, beauty, and unyielding spirit, even I will take possession of you when the time is right. It's an ideal method for strengthening the gene pool."

Lexi felt pressure build behind her eyes, and she imagined them bulging from their sockets. This was where things got weird with the gods. No way was she consorting with her father who was also her godfather who she grew up calling uncle. "But I'm half mortal, and mortals don't do things that way. I can't have...I can't have sex with you. You're Uncle Z, the surly loud mouth who never plays sissy games and gives wild horses to five-year-olds."

Hades chuckled, but he was the only one enjoying the joke. Zeus wore the face of a judge, and Lexi was trying to keep her dinner down.

"Don't worry, Lexi. I will not lay a hand on you until you've embraced your life as a goddess," Zeus said as if his explanation solved everything. "But I don't want Hades laying any part of himself on you again. Now that you're aware of your godly nature, you will have stricter guidelines to follow. Certainly, as long as you reside here."

Lexi released Hades's hand to put it on her hip. "What kind of guidelines?"

"Not consorting with Hades, for one. And I will assign you a guardian to make sure my wishes are upheld. You will begin by learning the bylaws of Olympus. I can have Hermes get you a set. You need to know the truth about the gods and your future home."

"Future home? But this is my home. Not this estate, per se, but this planet. I'm not ready to leave my family and the world I've known all my life."

"You don't have to leave now, but you need to start thinking about your future as a goddess. You are an immortal being, and you will be revered in Olympus as the daughter of Zeus. Your gifts are sure to manifest as something splendid."

Zeus relaxed his stiff-armed pose, making a subtle move toward her. Did he want a hug? Was he looking for forgiveness for acting like a prick? Lexi moved closer to Hades, taking his hand again.

"I need to call it a night," she said, although she knew she couldn't sleep now if she stood in the path of a sledgehammer. "I have to head back to Boston tomorrow, and I've got laundry and homework. I just want my life to feel normal again, even if it's for one more day."

Although Zeus looked unhappy as he glanced at Lexiand Hades's entwined fingers, he put on his supportive Uncle Z face. "Of course, Lexi. Take all the time you need to embrace your new life. I am sure your mother will want to help you through the transition. She has been anticipating the day you finally ascend with the gods, and her heart weighs heavy with the loss even now."

Lexi sighed, thinking of the secret her mother carried around all these years. Zeus probably had her swear on a stack of bibles not to tell. Okay, maybe not bibles. And her dad... What would his reaction be to the truth? Would she have to start calling him Charles? That would never happen. As Lexi felt the weight of her weekend revelations come crashing around her, she turned to Hades, hoping she looked brave.

"Goodnight, Hades. I had an unforgettable evening. Will I see you tomorrow?"

He gave her hand an affectionate tug, and she could tell he wanted to kiss her in the way he looked at her lips. "If I am not struck by lightning before then, I will make sure there is a horizon for you to rise above."

PLAYLIST SONG: Crush by Natalie Walker