by A C Warneke
“I’m sure a little nausea would be worth it to experience Apollo’s kiss.”
Medusa snorted, “This is techni-color vomiting, heads exploding, stomachs erupting sick. No, until Melanie, poor Apollo believed no human would be able to get close enough to touch.”
Jenna scowled slightly as she finally put Medusa’s words together, “But I thought Omari….”
Medusa smiled as realization dawned in Jenna’s head and her jaw dropped, “No.”
“Yes.”
“Holy crap,” Jenna breathed, still unable to believe it. They had stopped in a room that was amassed with soft, luxurious pillows and Jenna’s legs simply gave out. It was perfect timing as the cloud of pillows cushioned her fall.
“It has always been Omari’s intention to give you and Rhys time to get to know one another,” Medusa murmured, lounging back against another mound of pillows. “He had procured the ambrosia for Melanie days before he sent the two of you off on this little quest. It’s very romantic if you think about it and one of the reasons I fell in love with the scoundrel.”
“Deus ex machina kind of takes on new meaning when you actually have a god that interferes,” Jenna muttered.
“He doesn’t solve any insurmountable problems without exacting a high price,” Medusa corrected. “And his interference can sometimes be worse than had he left it alone. It can be a double-edged sword, you know. Taking anything from a god is always a risky proposition.”
Jenna nodded her head in agreement as Medusa sank further into the pillows, a soft smile on her lips, “He has given me some of the happiest years of my life but also so much misery and I will miss him when I am finally able to leave this accursed island.”
“Won’t you be able to see him?” Jenna asked, disconcerted by the sad smile curving Medusa’s lips. “I mean, once the curse is lifted and you’re able to travel?”
Medusa shrugged her delicate shoulders and simply smiled.
Moments later, the room was invaded by three raucous children and Rhys, the noise animated and exuberant. Raphe curled up next to his mother as the older two stayed by Rhys’s side as he sat down next to Jenna, pulling her into his arms and kissing the top of the head. Jenna had to smile as Michael and Leo continued talking to Rhys, as Medusa wrapped her arms around Raphe and hugged him to her, a gentle, motherly, smile on her face as she held her youngest son.
Leaning against Rhys, Jenna asked, “I take it the gargoyles age at a normal rate?”
Medusa’s lips curled up in a smile as she kissed the top of Raphe’s head, “Yes. They age as humans until they reach the age of twenty-five, or so, and then they remain beautiful young men forever after.”
“Your mother is right,” Jenna breathed later that night as she lay in Rhys arms. Trailing kisses along the strong column of his throat, she purred, “You are a beautiful young man. You’re also a beautiful gargoyle and right now I am torn.”
“Why is that?” he asked, his hands moving leisurely over her body, stroking the curve of her waist, the flare of her hip.
“I never want to leave this haven,” she said, punctuating the words with light kisses across his collar bone. “But I’m eager to return home and see my daughter, to hold her in my arms and hug her until my memories of never having her are erased.”
“Soon enough,” he assured her, pushing the soft material of her gown off her shoulder and kissing the naked skin beneath.
Pushing herself up until she straddled his waist, she looked down at him, “What’s going to happen when we return to reality?”
He gently traced the line of her jaw, the length of her throat. His finger hooked into the gown and gently pulled the fabric down further, exposing her breast though his eyes never left hers. Lightly, he brushed his thumb over her sensitive nipple, gazing at her as if she were the sun and the stars, “What do you want to happen?”
She covered his hand with hers so that they were both cupping her breast, “I never want this to end.”
He smiled slightly, “But that doesn’t answer my question. Would you consider moving into the castle with me?”
Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she asked, “What about Ferris?”
He chuckled, “There is plenty of room for her, even with three additional gargoyles.”
Her grip on his hand loosened and he resumed gently torturing her nipple. “I’d have to think about it before I made any decisions.”
“Of course.” He raised his head and captured her nipple between his lips, plying it with his tongue until pleasure spiraled outwards, pooling in her lower belly with the need to be filled. He released the hard nub with a soft pop before placing a reverent kiss over her heart.
Suddenly, she was flying through the air, landing with a soft whoomf on a pile of pillows as Rhys’s hard body covered hers. He gazed down at her with burning chocolate eyes, passion and possession making the brown depths glow. His skin was burnished as he growled, “Put your arms above your head, Jenna.”
With a sultry smile, she slowly raised her arms until they were stretched out above her. Her eyes widened in surprise as vines twined around her wrists, binding her arms in place. Excitement pulsed in her groin, knowing what was to come. Breathlessly, she murmured, “Don’t blindfold me this time, Rhys, I want to see everything.”
Rhys’s smile darkened as he slowly drew his fingers up and then down the soft skin of her underarm, “Everything?”
Uncertain, she nodded slowly and every hard surface became a mirror, reflecting the image of Rhys’s body covering hers into infinity. The warm candle light made Rhys’s skin gleam, made her skin glow, and it was beautiful and erotic and perfect. She wished she could capture the beauty but she knew that her artistic skills were not up to the task and for that she was sorry.
Tilting her head back, giving Rhys easier access to her sensitive throat, she caught the reflection of his muscled bottom overhead. She followed the sinuous curve of his butt as he flexed and the muscles contracted. In that moment she was grateful that he had cut off his long hair; she wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the perfection of his body had he kept his hair long.
His movement was slow, fluid, as he kissed and nipped along her shoulders, her ribs, her navel, pulling the dress down as he went. Her breasts were thrust upwards, her nipples pointing towards the reflection, and she swallowed. In that moment she was beautiful. The contrast between Rhys’s auburn hair against her sun-kissed skin was almost too much as he kissed her softly and she felt his love in each brush of his lips.
Bending her knees on either side of Rhys’s hard body, she opened her body up to him, trusting him completely. He reached down and grabbed the hem of her dress, leisurely dragging it up her legs. Lifting off her body just a bit, he slid the material upwards until it was gathered around her waist, until she was exposed on top and below. His fingers continued moving along her thigh, lightly drawing circles on her skin and making goose bumps break out over her flesh, making her shiver.
His head moved between her legs and she held her breath, unable to tear her eyes from the sensual reflection overhead. Everything had a dreamlike quality to it and when Rhys drew his tongue along the swollen folds of her sex she shivered again. She was stretched out and bared to him, naked and vulnerable, and she had never felt safer or more cherished.
Warm fingers wrapped around her thighs, holding her in place as Rhys feasted on her sex, torturing her with fingers and tongue. His head moved and his hair brushed against her inner thighs and she couldn’t look away. His large hand slid up her body, his fingers long and elegant as they covered her breast and pulled at her nipple. She was a voyeur in her own seduction.
Lifting her eyes she caught her own gaze and had to catch her breath: who was that exotic creature whose face was flushed with love and desire? Blue eyes stared back, a knowing look in the liquid depths. Her lips were parted, her skin dewy and blushing and she was fully alive, completely at peace in her own skin and reveling in her sexuality.
Her body wa
s lost as Rhys found the most exquisite nerve and played it until she broke. Her eyes slid closed as her body tightened and her back arched, as she came with Rhys’s mouth on her sex. As she lay trembling, he smoothly moved up her body, entering her in one powerful thrust, setting off another, deeper orgasm.
He buried his lips against her next, breathing raggedly as he moved within her, “I love you, Jenna. I’ve always loved you.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks as his words wrapped around her and entered her soul. She was meant to be with Rhys. Forever.
Chapter 20
The plane landed at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport a few days later at one in the morning, plenty of time for Jenna to get home and have Rhys return to the castle with his brothers in tow. Jenna could not believe how much she had lived in just a few short weeks. It was already April, Ferris’s birthday was quickly approaching, and in her time away she had lived a lifetime. Literally, in the case of her trip to the alternate reality.
She had such an amazing time as she delved deeper into the mythological world, as she got to know Medusa. It was painful to say goodbye to the beautiful woman, to leave her behind as her last three sons left home. Medusa had stood beneath the stars with a smile pasted on her lips even as her eyes swam with tears. Watching her hug her sons, Jenna felt an ache in her chest, a pang of sympathy for the woman who had no choice but to let her children go. Medusa had waved madly as the small group picked their way along the rocks to the harbor that held a dinghy that would take them out to their boat.
Since they didn’t make a stop at any of the islands, they made it back to the mainland before the sun rose, arriving at the villa with a few minutes to spare. Leander, Eryx and Orion were passed out, their bodies entwined with the naked bodies of several nymphs. Sleepily, they had come awake and welcomed the newest gargoyles into their fold.
That evening, they took off from the airport around eight in the evening but because they were travelling westward they had a lot more time to spare and they were able to take a direct flight to the cities, something that Rhys hated but suffered through all the same.
With the extra passengers the plane ride home had been less sexy but no less exciting. Michael, Leo and Raphe had loved flying as much as Rhys loathed it. They asked a million questions and kept their eyes glued to the window as the plane took off and landed. While their enthusiasm was contagious, Jenna was more concerned with Rhys, who was only able to handle the flight if his head was in her lap. It wasn’t a hardship.
But coming home was bittersweet and as she unlocked the door to the dark and silent house she felt as if she were returning from a fantasy that she wasn’t sure had even been real. The abrupt change back to normalcy was a weight that settled so easily on her shoulders. She tried to shake off the depressing feeling but it was just… there, as oppressive as a cold, dead weight. It was as if the previous weeks hadn’t happened and nothing had changed. As if it had all been a marvelous dream, one that she had never wanted to waken from but then the alarm sounded and when she tried to recapture the fantasy it was just out of reach.
Pasting a smile on her face, she turned to face Rhys, determined to remain cheerful until he left. He had three boys to deal with so he didn’t need to deal with her strange mood, too. “Thank you, Rhys, so much. This trip has been incredible.”
“Jenna,” he breathed, his eyes searching her face, seeing more than she wanted him to see. But that was Rhys: he saw so much because he loved her. “Are you okay?”
“Of course,” she said brightly, feeling the darkness seeping in through the cracks and fighting desperately to keep it from spreading further. “I’m just tired.”
His nostrils flared but he didn’t refute her. Brushing his thumb over her lips, he looked at her with regret, “I hate to leave you.”
“I know,” she said, the smile not quite as false but still brittle. She glanced at the car where three sets of eager young eyes watched in fascination. “But you have to go.”
“Jenna.” Longing filled his chocolate eyes but now was not the time.
Motioning towards the car with her head, she held his gaze and murmured, “You have to get your brothers home.”
“I want you to come with us.”
“You know I can’t. I have to go to work tomorrow and make up all of the work I missed,” she sighed, letting the smile fall from her face. This was Rhys and he knew her. “I plan on coming over on the weekend with Ferris. She will love having kids her age to play with and I am looking forward to seeing Melanie.”
“Jenna,” he murmured, bending his head. His lips touched hers in a light kiss and anything she might have said became tangled in her throat. “Dream of me tonight.”
“Always,” she promised, opening the door to her house and disappearing inside before he could see the tears fall. Leaning against the closed door, she listened until she heard the car drive off and just like that her adventure was over. She was home.
“Mommy?” Ferris’s small voice whispered through the darkness and Jenna opened her eyes. There was just enough illumination from the nightlights to let her see her daughter standing in the entry staring at her with wide eyes. Memories crashed through Jenna as she looked at Ferris and more than anything she had to hold her daughter, to make sure she was real.
“Ferris,” she breathed, dropping her bags and falling to her knees in front of her daughter. Taking Ferris by the shoulders she simply drank in the sight of her daughter for a long moment before enfolding Ferris in her arms and hugging the child until she thought her heart might break. “Oh, Ferris, I missed you.”
Little hands patted her back as Ferris returned the hug, “I missed you, too, mommy. But I had so much fun with Aunt Mellie and Vaughn and Mr. Armand. And I got to go to Florida….”
Ferris chattered on, making Jenna laugh even as tears slipped down her cheeks. They sat in the hallway for a long time because Jenna was afraid that if she moved she would wake up to discover that everything was wrong, that this life had all been a dream and the other life was the one she had chosen.
Leaning back, pushing Ferris’s dark hair out of her face, Jenna asked, “What are you doing awake? It’s so late?”
“One of the imps told me you were home,” she said as if having imps informing her of her mother’s whereabouts was a normal, everyday event. Shrugging her slender shoulders, she smiled, “This time they were telling me the truth.”
Jenna scowled at the thought of the imps lying to her daughter. Touching the amulet Melanie had given Ferris a lifetime ago, she asked, “Have they tried to hurt you?”
Ferris shook her head no, “Of course not, they are my friends. They have even pinky-swore never to try to injure me.”
“But you said they lie,” Jenna murmured.
“Not when they pinky swear,” Ferris countered. She looked over Jenna’s shoulder and grinned broadly, “There’s Ajreis. He’s my best friend. The others are okay but they like to fade away; Ajreis never disappears on me.”
Jenna glanced over her shoulder and saw the gray-green fellow standing there with its wide mouth full of sharp teeth and its large pointy ears twitching. It was the same type of creature that had handed her a phone a few days prior. As he looked at her with large, muddy gray eyes that pleaded for her acceptance she found that he was so ugly he was almost cute. Almost.
“We’d never hurt Ferris,” the little creature said, his voice scratchy and a little eerie. “My brothers and I regret what happened with Melanie and our brother Vaughn.”
“Mmm hm.” Jenna wasn’t sure what else to say. Her brows pulled together as the imp just continued to stand there watching her with those muddy eyes. Standing up with Ferris in her arms, keeping an eye on the unpredictable imp, she made her way up the stairs to her old room. The creature followed, keeping close to Ferris as if she were precious to him. It was a scary thought.
Laying her daughter on the bed, she kissed Ferris on the forehead, “Good night, sweetheart.”
“Good night, mo
mmy,” Ferris whispered, her eyelids heavy and a sleepy smile on her lips. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“I’m glad I’m home, too,” she whispered, brushing the dark hair from her daughter’s face.
“Love you.”
“Love you, too, baby,” Jenna whispered, sitting on the bed until Ferris fell asleep. After kissing her daughter’s forehead one more time she turned to the imp and sighed wearily. The imp obviously wasn’t going to go anywhere and had probably been standing guard over Ferris as she slept for several weeks. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to move into the castle with Rhys. At least then she knew the gargoyles would keep the imps in line, just in case. “What’s the deal?”
The imp’s long tongue slithered out and licked his lips in an oddly nervous gesture, his eyes darting to the sleeping girl on the bed. “Omari was very angry with us after the fiasco and he threatened to banish us if we did not straighten out. We have no desire to be banished. He also ordered us to protect young Ferris with our lives and we are most eager to do so for she has become most important to us.”
Strangely, that wasn’t very reassuring. “Why?”
He shrugged his scrawny shoulders, his long fingers twisting together as he glanced at Ferris again, “She is the daughter of Rhys’s mate and the niece of Vaughn’s mate.”
Jenna thought that there was probably more to it than that but she doubted she would get anything more than the imp wanted to give. Ajreis turned his head and met Jenna’s eyes, “Besides, we like Ferris very much and even if Omari had not demanded it we would protect her.”
“Uh huh.” Out of all of the strange and wonderful things Jenna had experienced these past couple of weeks this conversation with an imp was perhaps the strangest. And she wasn’t quite comfortable leaving her daughter while the imp stood guard.
Sighing, she took her jacket off and let it fall to the floor. Keeping an eye on the imp, she slid onto the bed behind Ferris, wrapping her arms around her little girl and closing her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she breathed in the familiar wind-fresh scent of her daughter, painfully reminded of another little girl who smelled as sweet. Tears leaked from her eyes as she buried her nose in Ferris’s hair, needing to hold onto her daughter while memoires of another life replayed themselves in her head.
