Lexi's Fate (Book 2 of A Goddess Unraveled)

~58~

Lexi was grateful to see Kade waiting at Poseidon's palace when the chariot delivered her and Zeus to the beach. Based on Kade's exuberant behavior as he stood at the bridge, he was excited to be there, rubbing his hands together like a child contemplating a prank.

"I don't know about you, but I'm psyched about this orgy," he said as he gestured to a trio of goddesses standing at the palace entrance. "Some of my favorites are here."

Lexi cleared her throat, adding a sharp eyebrow lift for impact. "This is where I remind you of your promise to act as my chaperone, even if it means you miss out on some of the 'activities'. I don't want to be left alone with these horny gods." She glanced at Zeus, daring him to argue. He merely shrugged as he waved them on.

Once inside the palace, Zeus waded into the sea of mingling guests, letting Kade handle the duties he was assigned. At the moment, Kade's duty appeared to be ogling goddesses. Some were dressed to impress, while others only bothered with a basic toga, something that could be easily removed. A nymph greeted her with a tray of ambrosia, and Lexi knew it would be the first of many temptations placed before her. Of course, she took a glass. It was the polite thing to do.

With full intentions of pacing herself, Lexi sipped at the decadent nectar as she scanned the crowd, relishing in the moment of standing in a palace among the gods. Forget boarding school dinner parties. This was the shit. Somehow, she had finished her drink within a few minutes, and the same nymph reappeared, swiping the empty glass from her hand and replacing it with a full one.

"Oh, I really shouldn't," Lexi said as she clutched the glass to her chest. The nymph only smiled and continued making her rounds.

Kade was shaking his head when Lexi glanced at him. "If your plan is to keep that dress on all night, I suggest you make that your last glass. Poseidon's nymphs brew a much stronger version of ambrosia than the one you had at dinner last night. Try the wine if you want something to relax you." He said this as he downed his second glass of ambrosia.

"My plan is to eat a smorgasbord of delicious food and call it an early night."

Kade wasn't convinced, based on the eye roll he thought she didn't see. "So, Lexi, since this is your first orgy, you get to make the calls. What would you like to do to start things off?" He wiggled his eyebrows as if to entice her, but it only made her want to slap him.

"Eros said we could ride horses. I'd love to visit the stables."

"No one wants to ride horses at an orgy."

"I do."

Kade sighed dramatically, reminding her of that child again. "Fine. We'll take a quick jaunt up the beach on horseback then come back here and mingle. By then there might be a few goddesses playing kiss or tell."

Lexi didn't bother asking how kiss or tell was played. She could infer from context.

Kade led her past a long glass wall, and they slipped out a side door onto a path lined with blooming trellises and marble statuary. As Lexi breathed in the scents of the sea accented with whatever white flower hung in braids overhead, she wished Hades could be the one walking the path with her. She already missed the smell of him.

The stable had been built in textbook Olympian style, with twenty full-sized stalls on either side and pillars lining the center walkway. A pair of gods were saddling up for a ride, but the place was empty save for a satyr helping them with their gear. That's when Lexi realized she wasn't exactly dressed for a jaunt up the beach on the back of a horse.

"Damn. I'm not going to be able to straddle a horse in this," she said, grabbing a handful of satin.

Kade shrugged apologetically. "That's too bad. I guess we'll have to head back to the palace. Maybe tomorrow." He did a terrible job of suppressing a grin, and Lexi made sure he saw her eye roll.