The vassals still hadn’t finished what they’d started back in the Otherside. Theo’s kisses reminded me of that. Theo’s weight pushed me onto the bed. He was almost too heavy for me. I felt like a caged bird—in a good way, of course. I could feel safe in the arms of my captor.
Liam slipped his hand underneath my shirt. He reached up, then grabbed my waist. “If you want us to leave, we will. Just say the word.”
Theo bit my collarbone. An animalistic groan came from his throat as he reached for my center. He pressed his fingers against my folds, using just the right amount of force to get my toes to curl. He hadn’t even entered me yet, but stars blinded me, and shock waves of pleasure shook my body.
“Just say the word,” Liam repeated, voice breathy. He played with the edges of my underwear, taunting me with the promise of more sex. “You don’t want us around, do you? Something about space.”
“You’re giving me none of it now,” I replied, tugging at Liam’s hair and pulling him away. My resistance merely egged him on. He pushed my shirt off my belly and ran a tongue across my hip.
“So?” he asked. “Do you want us to leave? Or should we continue?”
Once Liam finished his question, Theo stopped. He pulled his head back and propped one arm at my side, his large frame caging me in. His hair fell over his face, and gorgeous green eyes met mine, boring into me.
“Wh-what?” I said. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’re a sight to behold,” Theo said. “And we want to make sure that whatever we’re about to do to you… you want it. That we’re not stepping across any boundaries.”
A lump lodged in my throat. I wished they’d just take me without drawing out the tension. The fucking assholes were making me beg, and that infuriated me. “You’re not,” I said.
Theo raised a brow. “Not what?”
“Stepping across any boundaries.”
He smirked. “Are you certain? It’s not too late for us to leave. I’m sure you’re tired, sweetheart.”
I bared my teeth at him and hooked an arm around his neck. “Are you seriously trying to stretch this out?”
He dragged his finger across my aching folds. My thighs had tensed. I was resisting the urge to jump Theo and ravage him.
“We like seeing you desperate and wanting,” Theo said.
I tried pushing myself up. As soon as I tried to fight back, Theo grabbed my wrists and pinned them against the bed. Glancing to the side, I saw the same passion in Liam’s eyes. They both wanted me. To fuck me senseless. And the fire in me was ready to take them both.
“Fuck me,” I said in a soft whisper. I’d lost our short mental battle. I needed them too much.
“That was all the confirmation we needed,” Theo replied.
As soon as I gave my consent, Theo ripped my clothes off. I yelped, shocked by the sudden force. He flipped me around and pressed the spot between my shoulder blades, pushing me toward the bed. I planted my cheek onto the satin sheets as my whole body quivered. Anticipation fogged my mind as ripples of desire danced down my back.
I heard Theo unzipping his pants, then the ruffling of fabric as he undressed himself.
“I’m not sure if I’m wet enough,” I said.
A finger dug into my pussy right after. “You are,” Theo replied.
He plunged his cock inside me.
One forceful motion, and he’d filled me up.
I groaned as my eyes rolled toward the back of my head. I clamped my thighs together. A tight sensation gathered at my center, driving my mind to numbness.
“I’m going to fuck you senseless,” Theo said. “Tell me if it hurts too much.”
He punished me with the movement of his hips. Theo held nothing back. He was a force I struggled to keep up with. My walls clamped around his length, as if begging him to slow down, but his movements were too quick and rough and primal for me to control. His hands dug into the sides of my waist, and he gripped me so hard that I thought he might leave bruises.
I didn’t think that Theo would take me this roughly. He was the gentle giant. The lover who loved to baby me.
But this careless fucking lit the fiery side of me.
I thrust my hips backward, trying to match his movements. A soft sting crept up my belly, but I enjoyed the hurt, wanting more of it. I could already feel the building of my climax.
“I love you,” I said. “I love you so fucking much.” My emotions swelled with my desire. All I wanted to do was hug Theo and my vassals so tightly that I’d never be able to let go.
“Me too, Cara,” Theo replied. “I fucking love you too.” He reached over to my nub and pressed against it, starting a circling motion. I couldn’t contain the moan that came soon after, even though I did my best to stifle it.
“Fuck!” I screamed, trying to hold back my orgasm. It had built far too quickly.
I’d almost forgotten about Liam, but he was watching the entire time. His raven hair covered half his face, and he’d taken off his shirt. I could not help but trail my gaze down his muscular perfection. The thrill of him watching me, feeling his turquoise eyes on my skin, sent shock waves across my fingertips.
Liam neared us. He positioned himself right next to me, then grabbed my hand to put it against his chest. Our gazes locked, electricity bouncing back and forth as I dragged my hand down his torso. He smelled different today. More flowery. The scent might have come from the soap the goddesses provided. I heard the pounding of my own heart in my ears as I reached for his length. I wrapped my fingers around it and began to pump.
A sensual sound escaped Liam’s lips. “Goddesses damn me,” Liam said. “Don’t stop.”
I stroked him as hard as I could, wanting to give him as much pleasure as possible. Theo continued to pound into me. He slapped my ass, and a sharp pain sliced up my spine.
The knot inside my belly grew and tightened.
And it loosened.
My orgasm came all at once, pulsing through my thighs. I cried out a slew of vulgarities as my legs quivered. I let go of Liam, and he took over from me, pumping his own cock while looking at where Theo was rocking his hips into me.
“Open wide,” Liam said.
I did as he commanded, taking his length into his mouth as my pussy continued to pulse. He sprayed his seed into the back of my throat, just as Theo came inside me.
His cum tasted bitter, but I swallowed it all anyway, eager to please Liam.
Fuck.
They were supposed to serve me, but somewhere along the way, the exchange became mutual, and I wanted to serve them, too. To see them happy. To have their needs met.
Perhaps this arrangement had never been one-sided.
I hummed softly as Theo pulled out of me. The fog that swirled around my head left me in a daze. Liam bent down and hugged me toward his chest. Stroking the back of my head, he asked, “Do you still want us to leave?”
“No,” I said, wrapping my hands around his torso. I slumped onto the bed, and Liam lay next to me. Theo did too. Our limbs twined together in a sweaty, spent, satiated mess. “Stay with me. I’m going to enjoy this while it lasts.”
Why did I think that the bliss we were experiencing now was going to end?
It was just a gut feeling.
But that unexplained inkling bothered me to no end.
Ten
The goddesses took their rituals seriously. They’d dressed me in a flowing robe, similar to the one Clotho wore. I didn’t have the beauty to make the robe look as awesome as she did. As one of the most powerful goddesses, she had mystical powers that constantly whirled around her. How the hell was I supposed to rival that?
“Am I too heavy?” I asked my vassals. “It’s been a long walk.”
They carried me on a palanquin, each of them holding a side. It didn’t feel right for me to sit in comfort, surrounded by plush pillows, while they had to haul me through Haven. The inside of the vehicle smelled like pine. The smell did little to abate the worry that bubbled inside
me. The angry little girl that I kept hidden away was growing impatient. I’d told Clotho of her presence. I wanted to warn her that turning me into a goddess was a horrible idea. The girl inside me grew too excited at that prospect. But Clotho had cast aside my observations as me overthinking, and Hera demanded that the ritual continue.
My vassals were in elaborate outfits too—vests, mostly. The thin leather revealed most of their torsos. I thought they looked handsome. Then again, my vassals looked gorgeous wearing anything. I wasn’t sure whether it was love that blinded me to their appearance, but I appreciated their company nevertheless.
The goddesses accompanying us traveled in palanquins too. There were only three—the council didn’t see it necessary that they all join me. Two of them, Hera and Agness, were carried by their vassals, while Clotho’s palanquin floated across the rocky pavement, lifted by her own powers. I noticed that she was the only goddess I’d met who didn’t have a team of vassals catering to her every need. She was so powerful that she didn’t need the aid of anybody else.
I pushed aside the drapes that covered the windows of the palanquin before looking upward and into the sky. The moons of Haven were hidden today, behind a thick fog of clouds. I noticed that the clouds seemed blacker than usual. The chiasma was spreading, expanding into Haven and eating up the colors of the world.
“Halt!” a man with a gruff voice said. It was one of Hera’s vassals. I thought he looked old. He had a bald head and wore a long earring on one side. He was just as ripped as the rest of my vassals, but far hairier. His open vest revealed a full chest of brown hair. I wondered why a man like him could have so much hair on his body, but none where it mattered.
Agness was accompanied by Devon’s father, Maxwell. He was no longer in the regal clothes I’d seen him in back at his compound when we visited, now dressed in the open-vest uniform, just like the rest of the vassals. Devon and he were related, but they didn’t look it.
I found myself back at the familiar entrance of the chiasma. This was where we first met Clotho, but this time, I had permission to be here. Similarly to last time, the entrance was flanked by two serpents and pillars. It looked just as ominous as before.
The vassals lowered the palanquin to the ground as delicately as they could. “Please,” Hansel said, eyes twinkling.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have fed me so much,” I teased. “Would have made your trip far easier.”
“I like being of service.”
Liam massaged his shoulders. “I’m not sure if I’m as willing as you are. I’m going to take a nap after this.”
I stuck my tongue out. Liam smirked and blew a kiss my way. He liked acting distant, but I’d seen through his facade. There was love behind his pretense, and I knew that, just like the rest of my vassals, he’d do anything to keep me safe.
Clotho set her own palanquin on the ground and stepped out of her vehicle gracefully. Her feathery robes were gold today. She’d dressed fancy, perhaps to bless this momentous occasion. I thought that black might be a better color. It matched the sky.
I turned to her. I often took things too lightly, but this time I couldn’t. Not when I sensed that everything dangled by a thin thread, and this was one of the worst decisions I could make.
“Nervous?” Clotho asked.
“Rainbows and butterflies,” I replied. “Mostly butterflies. Smacking against the walls of my belly.” I wanted to throw up. I doubted they’d give me a pass if I did, however, so to avoid a mess, I hid my fear. I looked up at the chiasma again. There were more little orbs of power floating around it than usual. The giant entity vibrated with more vigor. I sensed its anger. It felt just like the energy inside me.
Hansel placed a hand on my back and stroked it. “You should be happier about this,” he said. “Why the sour face?”
“I don’t want to be a goddess. I mean, it sounds awesome, but… it just doesn’t feel right.”
“You’re overthinking things. What’s so bad about being all-powerful?”
“I feel like I might lose myself to that power. You know, like one of those baddies in the movies. They’re all nice and stuff until they find great amounts of power and it corrupts them.”
“That isn’t going to happen with you.”
“And why not?”
Hansel kissed me on the cheek. “Because you have us. You won’t hurt us.”
“That’s what makes it more frightening.” I glanced at Devon. He was facing away, hands on his hips and staring at the cave we were supposed to enter soon. I’d hurt him before. What if that happened again?
“You’ll be fine,” Hansel said. “Stop worrying.”
Clotho and Hera looked over their shoulders. Both of them were already at the entrance. Hera turned to me with an impatient look. Her features looked more angular under the glow of the moons. “Hurry up. The fates of the realms are counting on this.”
Fates of the realms, huh? No pressure.
We entered the cave that led to the lake. There were no signs of the basilisk this time. During our last visit, we’d had to face the basilisk, and in our bid to escape, I’d made it fall in love with Fenrir. I once again met the crystalline waters. The currents that rippled its surface seemed more violent today.
“How does this all work?” I asked.
“Just follow their leads,” Devon replied.
Clotho began humming a gentle tune. Her velvety voice held echoes, and some sounds that came from her throat didn’t seem human at all. The tune meandered around us.
I hadn’t realized that Clotho was holding a candle. Hera and the Agness followed closely behind her. The three of them filed into a straight line, starting a slow march. I took my place behind them, and the vassals—mine and the goddesses—walked behind me.
This seemed like a funeral march.
Did they really have to make the procedure so disturbing?
We were led toward a side of the cave I hadn’t explored before. There was a thin bridge that connected one rocky end to the other.
“We… we have to cross that?”
The bridge was so thin that it barely had space for both my feet. A steep drop stretched below it. I quivered at the sight. The drop didn’t look like it had an end to it. Where did it stop?
“Just the ritual,” Liam said from behind me. “You have wings, don’t you?”
“Ah, yes.”
I summoned them from my back, then considered keeping them there. I still wasn’t good at balancing the weight of my wings. What if that made me more prone to falling? I kept them out as a safety measure anyway.
“If any of you fall,” I said, hoping my vassals could hear me, “I’m going to have you guys slaughtered.”
“Sure,” Liam replied with a chuckle.
We reached the end of the bridge in no time at all. Nobody slipped, fortunately. The entire time we traveled, Clotho didn’t stop humming. The tune grew chillier as we neared the end.
There, I spotted a small puddle. It was pink and glittered softly. A stream of water ran from the ceiling and into the puddle. It started blue and gradually shifted into pink.
“Is that part of the lake?” I asked.
Nobody answered.
Hera, Agness, and Clotho stood in a circle around the puddle. Clotho’s humming grew and climbed in pitch. Higher and higher it went. Right when I thought the humming couldn’t grow any louder, the sound stopped.
“Caramel Valencia,” Hera said. “Will you accept the duties of goddess-hood? Do you swear to be one of the caretakers of the realm? Will you dedicate your life to seeing that all beings of Haven are happy and well and fed?”
I dragged my feet stiffly toward them and halted in front of the puddle.
I glanced at my vassals. I had not been prepared for this. Liam nudged me lightly. “Say yes.”
I cleared my throat. “Um, yes.” Was it normal to want to run and hide when being gifted extraordinary powers?
Clotho clapped her hands together. The three of them raised their han
ds over the puddle and began chanting. They looked like crazy witch ladies, brewing magic over a cauldron. I didn’t recognize the language they chanted in, which added to the creepiness of this situation.
I flipped my hair over my shoulder. Flipping my hair always helped me feel badass. It gave me an extra boost of confidence.
Not this time.
When they finished, they clapped once more, this time together.
The puddle was just as pink and glittery as it’d been before.
“Was something supposed to happen?” I asked.
Agness blew out a soft breath out. “It was part of the ritual.”
“So it was just to add to the creepy factor?”
She ignored me. Hera bent down, a chalice in her hand. It looked an awful lot like the chalice that Aphrodite used to hold my blood. I hated the reminder. After what happened in the Otherside, I’d grown to associate chalices with bad news.
Hera knelt toward the puddle. She dipped the chalice into it and filled it to the brim with water.
Then she spat in it.
What the holy hell?
“Did you just spit in that chalice?” I asked.
“Drink,” she said, utterly serious.
I waved my hands in front of me. “I’m not going to drink water that you just spat in. It was bad enough that you took it from the ground. And its color makes me worry that I might get food poisoning. I mean, who the hell drinks glitter?”
Hera grew impatient. “Drink!” She shoved the chalice into my hand, forcing me to hold it. I took it from her grudgingly, muttering a curse.
“Do I really have to?”
“It is the only way to become a goddess. I have to share my essence with you, as a way to invite you into our council.”
“It’s disgusting.”
“Do you want to be a goddess or not?”
Goddess Academy: The Complete Reverse Harem Collection Page 50
