Architects
Sons of Olympus
Reverse Harem Romance
by
Helen J Perry
Architects: Sons of Olympus Reverse Harem Romance © Helen J Perry 2018
Cover: Silver Heart Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the copyright holder, except in the case of brief quotations embodied within critical reviews and articles.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
The author has asserted his/her rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book.
This book contains sexually explicit content which is suitable only for mature readers.
Written in American English.
Author's website: HelenJPerry.com
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PHILIP
PROLOGUE
"For a while, I won't be here when you visit the Spartans and Lauren. I'll miss you. Even though we’ve only known each other a short time, I think we've become good friends." Philip took Jade's hand and tucked her arm through his as they left the courtyard and walked in the direction of the olive grove.
"I thought you lived here in Sparta as you're always here when I visit."
"I'm in Sparta because you've been visiting your friends here." He wondered if she understood his meaning.
"Well, I'll miss you too. I haven't laughed so much in forever as I have with you these last few days. I can't believe we've only known each other days. And I never thought I'd be friends with a god. It's amazing how Lauren's move to live in Sparta has changed my life."
"You think this is amazing; you should visit Olympus, home of the gods."
"Is that where you're going?"
Philip held up his perfectly manicured fingers, decorated with shimmering blue nail polish. "Sadly no. When I'm not hanging around Sparta and looking pretty, I'm an architect, a chief builder. I'm working on a grand construction project and just taking a little break right now."
"You don't look like a builder." Jade giggled. "Be careful you don't break a nail."
He laughed because she did, but he didn't understand her humor. He took pride in his appearance as did most of the gods. Why not? They had infinite time to sort out hair, makeup, and clothes. He wasn't sure what architects looked like where Jade came from, but among Olympian gods, they looked much like him.
Philip could barely take his eyes off her. Jade was as beautiful as Queen Helen herself and as lovely as Aphrodite, but he didn't want to frighten her with his attention. Humans were different to the gods. They didn't fall in love as fast, which was strange considering their lives were so short. And they were so much more fragile.
"I'm a builder. I've heard that in your world people talk of moving mountains. In my world we actually do move mountains, it's not so hard. But the destruction and upheaval involved is a heavy price to pay. Mostly, these days, we let the mountains stay where they are." He sensed Jade didn't understand what he was trying to say; he'd change the world for her.
"You aren't moving a mountain, are you? If there are any earthquakes in the news, I'll blame you."
"No. Earthquakes are down to Poseidon, we call him the Earth-shaker, and volcanoes are my grandfather's domain. There'll be no acts of god bringing destruction to your world that you can blame me for."
Philip turned to face the Spartan settlement. "Those three warriors have been unbelievably loyal to Lauren over the centuries while she was missing. Many women have tried to entice them, and each has failed."
Jade turned to look in the same direction. Her unnaturally white hair blowing in the breeze and swinging about her face. Her flawless complexion glowing. Her eyes sparkled as they always did. "I can understand why they'd try. They are three hot guys to look at and incredibly sweet when you get to know them."
He laughed and sat down. There was no sense wandering further into the olive grove when they'd already reached a place sufficiently distant from the others. He didn't want Jade to feel uneasy in his company, which she might if they ventured too far away. "Still, through all that time at least they had each other. I asked if they'd like me to join them for a foursome on more than one occasion." He sighed. "It's a good thing I can handle rejection."
"Really?" She sat down beside him. Their bare knees knocked together. Her short cotton dress rose up high, completely exposing her thighs. She looked him in the eye. Her beautiful, flawless face only inches from his. "So hunky Spartan warriors are your type are they?"
Philip huffed. "I wouldn't say no, but they did, so there's not much to that story."
Understandably, Jade raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Jade, they are perfect specimens of Greek male beauty, with shaved heads and you've seen those bodies. Don't you agree?" He worked a finger through his long black hair that hung loosely over his shoulders. He may be a god, and thousands of years old, but he still felt nervous when so close to Jade. He had the feeling that he'd taken the conversation in the wrong direction. He wanted to tell Jade he had romantic feelings for her but found himself confessing his secret fantasies about her friends. Oh, well, perhaps it was for the best that she knew that about him first.
"They are gorgeous. Lauren's lucky. I just never suspected you were gay. I suppose I should've guessed," Jade said.
For a moment Philip couldn't follow what Jade was saying. Modern English was far from his first language, and some of the concepts within the phrases were strange too. He recalled the word gay as a modern idea. Most things were modern to the gods. The time known as antiquity and the start of the Roman empire, that was modern in Philip's life. Some of the gods were straight, no doubt about it. Mostly they loved freely, with no judgment, and it didn't need a label.
She continued. "It's fine by me; I'm into girls too. And I should have guessed it about you, perhaps, as you're quite feminine. In a very attractive way, I must add. I like the neutral, gender non-conformist look on you. I love the crop top, tummy button piercing, and leather skirt. They all suit you." She paused and looked at him with concern. "Philip, are you all right? Did I say the wrong thing?"
"Oh, yes. Sorry, I had to concentrate so hard it may have shown on my face. I don't want to argue with you Jade, but this isn't a skirt. I have it on good authority that this type of kilt is worn by men in your world. And I don't think our definitions of femininity are quite the same." With a sudden urge to put some distance between them, Philip soon up in front of Jade.
In his attempt to not come on too strong he seemed to have given all the wrong messages. He rubbed his palms over the leather of his kilt. "I'm not gay, Jade. I positively love women. And I have something I want to give you." He unhooked a small pouch from the waistband of his kilt. "You're my type, and that's why I want to give you this brooch woven from fine threads of adamantos by my grandfather, he was a great metal worker and jewelry maker."
Rising to her feet as well, Jade stood immediately in front of him. "Oh. It's beautiful. I'm sorry. It's just after what you said about the Spartans, I thought they were your type."
Standing so close, she smelled wonderful, and he could barely raise his eyes from her red lips as she spoke. "For fun, they're my type. For a relationship, not so much. I prefer beautiful, intelligent, blonde women with an appetite for adventure."
"Oh."
; From the expression on her face, it seemed she might have grasped his meaning. Her lips remained parted, her pupils dilated, and his inhuman hearing heard her heartbeat increase its rhythm. He had only to move a short distance in order to brush his lips against hers.
He spoke in a whisper. "You know I'm older than Christianity, much older. And in all my time I've me few women as enticing as you, Jade."
She moaned as their mouths met. A sound that spoke directly to his cock, which sprung forward, and as at it rose it pushed against the soft leather of his kilt.
He placed his hands on her hips. The taste of her mouth excited his hunger. The mental image of her bare thighs forced its way to the forefront of his mind.
He'd only intended to explain how much he liked her. Not much more. That he'd like to romance her in the future. That she should visit him in Olympus and consider whether they might date. But he'd said none of it.
Philip was reluctant to move too fast. He didn't know how she would take his interest. Humans could be very skittish around gods, and for good reason.
It appeared, Jade, never got the memo warning about the perils of amorous Greek gods.
Her hand slipped under his kilt, okay, he'd call it a skirt, and wrapped around his cock.
"Mmm, no underwear," she said. It sounded as if she approved.
Nine Months Later
NIC
PROLOGUE
With shut eyes, Nic snuggled into the fresh smelling pillow as the mattress to one side of him dipped and bounced. "You don't want to stay the night?"
He didn't need to watch his lover get out of bed. They'd gone through this countless times over the years. Different hotels but the same routine. Always separate rooms. They never spent the night together.
"There's a line, and we both know it," came the predictable reply.
"Friends and fuck buddies don't actually sleep together," Nic mumbled with a smile. "Not if they can afford separate rooms. I know."
"I don't want you getting too attached to me, Nic. I'm not the sort of person to settle down. I won't be marrying you."
That feeling was mutual. Marriage! No way. They didn't have that kind of relationship. Friends? Yes. Fuck buddies? Fuck yeah. Love? Sure, there was plenty of that too. But romance? No romance.
"Don't for one minute think I'd dream of asking you." With his eyes still closed, Nic chuckled. "Just sayin' you don't need to get dressed and leave. I ain't gonna jump you in the middle of the night; I'm too tired."
"No can do Nic; it wouldn't seem right. It'd feel too much like a relationship. And I've got an early morning meeting I need to be ready for."
"Wouldn't want to ruin our friendship." Nic turned on to his back and opened his eyes. It wouldn't hurt to gaze once again at the man about to leave his room.
Almost decent, Karl fastened the buttons on his shirt ready for the short walk back to his own room on the lower floor of the hotel. "Wouldn't want to give the ladies the wrong impression. They'd be upset if they thought they didn't stand a chance with me."
"You're one cocky, arrogant bastard, Karl." Nic smiled as he recalled the many one-night stands, and the many women they'd shared.
Many of those ladies didn't realize the two men weren’t just work-colleagues, and they shared more than just women. They didn't know the guys were just as likely to come together whether they had a woman with them or not.
"Go on. Fuck off and leave me with the wet sheets and sore ass, and I'll see you at work tomorrow."
Karl leaned over and kissed Nic on the forehead, which was an unusual move for him. Kisses, along with all signs of affection, were usually reserved for during sex or in the immediate run up to it. He didn’t linger, he strode across the room, making for the exit.
"Hey, Karl. You know tomorrow when we're at work."
Karl stopped at the door and turned toward Nic. "What?"
"I'll try not to picture you with my calves on your shoulders."
Karl grinned. "Fuck off, Nic."
KARL
PROLOGUE
"There’s someone who wants to talk to you, boss." Nic, the site foreman, turned his head and glanced over his shoulder.
Karl followed the gaze. At the far end of Beaumont High School parking lot, a scrawny young woman stood near the open gate.
"Any idea what it’s about?" She didn’t appear old enough to be a concerned resident. She looked more like the young barely legal kids who’d try acting grown up on their first time in a bar. The sort who wouldn’t invite you home because they still lived with Mom and Dad.
With her hazel brown hair flying wild in the breeze and her casual shorts and ripped T-shirt, she also looked like the sort of young woman who'd be wild in his hotel room. So far he hadn't hooked up with anyone in this small town and a man had to think about these things.
Nic was probably thinking the same thing.
They could both do with an adventurous woman.
"She wants to know what you plan to do with the forest." Nic shrugged. "I didn’t tell her anything. Said I’d get you to talk to her."
There were always people turning up to the site with many questions whenever land developers first show up in any town. After more than a decade in the business, Karl knew these queries had to be handled sensitively. Otherwise, there was a danger of one person’s concerns turning in to an avalanche of protest, resulting in delays and costing the company money if fear and misinformation spread among the locals.
"I’ll go and talk to the girl. First and foremost, we want to get the fencing off the truck," Karl pointed to the far end of the schoolyard where it butted up to the trees beyond. "Somewhere over there as all of that has to be replaced."
Nic nodded and went to round up the men and get them started. They’d spend all day standing around if someone didn’t keep shepherding them.
Assessing the situation, Karl walked across the parking lot. The woman took that as an invitation to move toward him.
Karl didn’t feel defensive about the woman trespassing on his property as this wasn’t his property at all. For a small fee, he had permission to use the school grounds during the vacation time.
His work offered a clear benefit to the school as he intended to replace the perimeter fence and rectify any damage to the grounds; which would involve new turf at the very least.
"Hello, I’m Karl Smyth. What can I do for you?" he asked when they reached speaking distance but were still too far apart to shake hands.
"I want to know what your men are doing in the woods?" No greeting. No introduction. With feet shuffling and fists clenched, the young woman looked agitated.
Instinct told Karl this kid would be trouble. She looked skinny but not undernourished. Most young people wanted their towns to prosper, bringing work and better prospects, so Karl decided to play that card. "We own that land, so I’m here to make good the fences. We’ve planned for development in the area, creating jobs and building houses."
The girl’s face didn’t relax or smile. Her every muscle seemed to clench tighter with emotion. "You can’t. You must stop."
"Why’s that?" Karl tempered his voice, hoping he sounded sincere. He wanted to laugh in the kid’s face. There was no logical reason to stop his work because someone barely out of school requested it.
"It’s dangerous. That’s all. Just keep away. Build your houses, or factories, or whatever on the other side of town." The woman looked like she only just restrained herself from stamping her feet and having a full-blown meltdown.
Karl couldn’t understand how he’d so badly miscalculated the situation. He hadn’t expected this outburst and wished he could start again. For now, it was just fencing and felling a few trees, they hadn’t planned anything more. Eventually, a housing estate or an industrial park, but that might be months or years away.
"All right. I want to understand the issue here. I didn’t catch your name."
"I’m Lauren."
"All right then. If you explain to me exactly why you’re worried we’ll see
what we can sort out. I presume you live around here?"
JADE
Chapter One
Spring break papers sucked. Having three of them sucked even more. Jade had three pay-wall databases opened in three tabs and five physical books strewn across her bed—including on her chest. The smell of dusty, ancient textbooks filled her nostrils. The bottom of her computer burned hot against her legs.
She sat on her bed, knowing she should be working, but unable to find the will to put fingers to keys. Her mind wandered across the question, the subject matter, and onto thinking about alternative fun things she could be doing. Why did she need to know how to write essays?
Because they’re going to teach me the skills I need to present my research effectively.
Jade scowled at the thought and pushed the laptop aside.
It all felt a bit grown up. As if.
Spring break was never going to be much fun, anyway, so Jade might as well study. She picked up the textbook on her chest and leafed through it absentmindedly. While other kids had taken off for Florida beaches, she stayed in Riverside with papers to write and not enough money to do anything else.
Jade kicked out her legs and rolled over. The edge of Ferguson’s Psychoanalysis in Motion bit into her ribs. Jade sank down on top of it, feeling very much like a tranquilized sloth.
Spring break.
Hurray.
With a snort, she reached for her bedside table and snagged her phone from where it was charging. Maybe a few dozen games of sudoku would help.
Before Jade navigated to the app, Lauren’s name appeared on the screen to announce her call. Under normal circumstances, receiving a phone call from her best friend wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary—but over the last few years, their lives had taken a turn for the bizarre.
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