Medusa's Desire (The Fate of Eros #1) (The Fate of Eros Series) (25 page)

"I promise you that I will never touch Andromeda. The only woman I will be with is you. Everyone will think she's my wife, but my marriage to her will not extend beyond the law."

"I wished that you killed me the day you met me." Medusa's stomach was twisting into knots. "I hate how much this woman has taken from our lives."

"I'm sorry," Perseus whispered. "If I come up with something better later, then we'll do that, but this is the plan for now."

Medusa tried to tell herself that at least she hadn't lost Perseus yet, but she could feel him slipping away. "Fine."

"Then will you stay here with me? I can't do all this without you."

The way he spoke with tenderness in his voice and desire in his eyes hit Medusa straight in the heart. She hated being so easily affected by him. "I'll stay here for now."

"That's all that I ask."

The two locked lips. Their arms wrapped around each other as heat from their bodies took over. Medusa ran her hands up and down Perseus' muscular chest. The feel of his skin against her hands was irresistible.

Medusa wondered how Perseus would handle it once he found out about the baby. Hiding it was challenging enough and getting more difficult all the time.

He must have thought it was possible for her to get pregnant. Why hadn't he even asked about it? The truth was, he was probably so frightened by the idea that he blocked the possibility from his mind.

The two of them had a lot to get used to over the next few weeks.

A few weeks passed and nothing improved.

Perseus and Andromeda were unable to have a traditional Greek wedding because her parents weren't there. While Andromeda complained about how the whole thing was ruined, Medusa struggled to endure one of the most painful events of her life, contemplating once again whether or not she should run away. Why couldn't Andromeda just be happy with the fact that she was getting to be with the man of her dreams?

A young girl's arms shook as she lugged a vase filled with water. She tripped and dumped it all over Andromeda before she had finished undressing.

"I'm so sorry." The little girl used a cloth napkin to wipe the water up.

Andromeda's face turned red and her eyes flashed. Medusa suppressed a laugh-so much for the custom bridal bath!

Unfortunately, Andromeda still looked stunning. Her legendary beauty was why everyone adored her. Instead of her dripping hair and making her look like a wet dog, the droplets glistened on her dark skin as if she were a fairy. Her black hair fell down her shoulders in bouncy curls.

She'd make a lovely queen, the kind that could make a man never leave home. But Medusa still needed Perseus' help to fight the gods. She narrowed her eyes. Ever since they had rescued Andromeda, they had done nothing for the cause.

Medusa found Perseus greeting guests in the courtyard, which was filled with more flowers than usual. The scent made Medusa feel light-headed, but the rainbow of colors was pleasing to her eyes. Tables had been set out as servants ran back and forth, preparing a great feast. Everyone brought gifts of fruit and nuts to assist fertility, while Varicia built a makeshift altar where she burned incense, grain, and animal parts. It smelled like ash and smoke.

Medusa stood in front of Perseus, shaking as she held in her emotions. She was tempted to throw off her helmet and turn the whole party into stone to stop all the revelry. The dancing and music gave her a headache.

Ever since she had heard about the engagement, the monster inside her had grown stronger. When she heard two women chatting about the wedding and how lovely their future queen was, she stole one of their goats and turned it into stone, crushing it into tiny pieces. One of the men congratulated Perseus on such a sexy choice for a bride. "Much better than the one I made," he said with a wink. He had disappeared when he ventured into the woods to hunt for some game for his family. Everyone thought he had been eaten by the wolf that had been attacking the cattle.

It made her feel powerful. She could suffocate and destroy any human that she wished. She needed a release to balance her life spinning out of control, but knew she had to be secretive about it or face Perseus' wrath. He had been so angry when she attacked Andromeda and she knew he'd feel even worse about her hurting his "innocent" subjects. He expected her to endure everything with a smile.

She was also afraid that if she didn't crush the bodies and destroy the evidence that the villagers would find the statues and try to kill Perseus. He was the only person that they knew of who could turn people into stone. He had kept the knowledge of Medusa's continued existence a secret.

Medusa was changing. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she had looked in the mirror recently and been confronted directly with the snake skin of her body. She screamed in disgust and turned away. Once she dared to look back, her reflection had become that of the blonde human she had once been. Denial flitted across her blue eyes. She wanted to believe that her true form hadn't manifested itself there. That she could be what Perseus wanted and not a monster.

Andromeda had finished getting dressed inside. She wore a long flowing white gown with her long hair braided and flung over one shoulder. Her entire body was decorated with flowers, in hopes that their marriage would produce many children.

Medusa rolled her eyes. Everyone cheered and Perseus grasped her hand. They looked like the perfect couple.

In the mean-time, Medusa knew her relationship with Perseus was crumbling. It was only a matter of time before he realized how out of control she was becoming. Couples throughout history had kept secrets and affairs from their spouses, thinking that the truth would never come out. Sometimes they succeeded for a long time, but everything would be revealed eventually. You can't be close to someone and keep a secret from them forever.

Facing that made her want to run away. Maybe she should destroy the relationship now rather than wait for it to boil over later, but something kept her there: the promise Perseus gave her that he would never touch Andromeda. A naïve part of her still had hope.

She knew that having a sham marriage could only last so long: either Andromeda would leave or Perseus would give in, but she wanted to be with Perseus as long as possible-even though it meant watching him touch Andromeda on his wedding day and break his promise already. The two of them would kiss in front of everyone and although Perseus insisted that it would be their only kiss, she knew they would have to exchange more in order to keep up appearances. Too late for her to escape the pain of leaving Perseus, she would torture herself by watching it all. This marriage complicated everything.

Andromeda and Perseus began their wedding march. The priests blessed them and the crowd threw flowers. When they made it to the front door and Danae grasped the bride in her arms, the transfer would be official. They'd be husband and wife. Crossing the threshold of her husband's house and being accepted by the mother of her new family represented the changes her new life brought. It meant leaving her father's home and being welcomed into a new one. They'd celebrate with a giant feast in the courtyard.

She wore a white veil over her head, representing her virginity. Medusa laughed at that. Andromeda acted like such a slut around Perseus that she was certain that it wasn't her first time. Perseus lifted the veil from her face and kissed her on the lips. Tears of joy streamed down Andromeda's cheeks.

Medusa flinched and turned away. Her stomach twisted.

They were taking their time walking up to the front door, waving and greeting everyone along the way. Medusa wished they'd hurry up.

Medusa used to think that she hadn't given Andromeda a fair chance. It wasn't her fault that she was in love with Medusa's boyfriend or had helped kill her mother. The whole thing had been an accident, but Medusa felt differently ever since Andromeda had started commenting on the statues of Medusa that decorated the castle. She said they were hideous and asked Perseus why he wanted something so ugly decorating his castle. He'd remind her that they would never have come this far without Medusa's help and she'd roll her eyes and shrug, saying, "I just don't get it."

Unfortunately, Medusa was the only thing Andromeda didn't seem to love. She had her stuck-up moments still, but she seemed to have humbled. The town was being built and she got her hands dirty assisting in the construction of it. She wasn't very strong, so mostly she helped form clay bricks that she'd bake in the sun. She'd watch the children for the mothers busy assisting their husbands constructing their new houses, and even let a few children sleep in her room overnight. She'd probably make a great mother, given the opportunity.

She didn't know why Perseus wanted to be with her. Sometimes she'd look down at her body with her helmet off and compare it with the statues. The real her was hideous, just as she thought, but Perseus kept insisting Fortus' replications didn't begin to capture her beauty. He was delusional.

He made sure to tell everyone that they were all here and alive thanks to Medusa. It made her feel good to know that even though he couldn't tell everyone that she still existed, he made sure to give her credit for many of the adventures on their journey.

Her heart clenched as Andromeda and Perseus touched noses and gazed into each other's eyes. They looked so happy as they crossed the threshold. Maybe it wasn't Andromeda ruining everything-maybe it was Medusa. He'd be so happy and in a normal relationship if it wasn't for her. A less selfish person would have run away by now.

She dug her claws into the palm of her hand until she was bleeding. She didn't want to think about how the two of them deserved happiness and how she stood in the way of everything. She had to hurt someone, even if it was herself, to make the pain go away.

She looked at the ground where the red liquid dripped down. Bugs and grass grew around her feet; roses, tulips, and daffodils sprung up.

She walked as close to the couple as she dared. They crossed the threshold and pressed their lips together. Blood spurted from her and vines grew up the walls and bloomed. Everyone thought the colorful flowers were some kind of party trick. It made the whole scene glow, as if their love had the power to color the world.

Medusa's heart felt as if it was exploding from her chest.

That night, after the last guest left, Andromeda grasped Perseus' hand and steered him in the direction of her room. Medusa closed her eyes sadly and leaned her head back against the wall. This was it, the moment she lost Perseus completely. The servants watched, nudging one another and thrusting their hips as they joked about what would happen behind those closed doors. Medusa considered knocking several of them over the head. If there were fewer witnesses, maybe she would have.

Perseus shoved Andromeda when they reached her bedroom door. Her arms wiggled helplessly in his direction. The laughter silenced. Perseus turned and walked towards his old bed. Stares followed him.

Hurt passed over Andromeda's face. "Where are you going? Did I do something wrong?"

His response was slamming the door behind him.

Medusa had followed him. She stood next to him when he stopped moving. She didn't know what to say.

She didn't have to speak. He reached for her, sensing where she stood and pressing his lips passionately against hers. She responded in kind, heat flooding the air between them.

If there was ever a time for Perseus to make an excuse to leave her, it had been that moment. He was married to someone else and it was expected of him, but he had stubbornly stuck by her side.

Perseus pulled away and stroked her shoulder. "I was thinking about you the whole day. I hated it all."

Medusa pecked him on the lips. "If that line had come from anyone else, I wouldn't have believed it."

He picked her up and carried her to the bed. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

Medusa shuddered in anticipation of what they would do next.

*** *** ***

The following day, after Medusa was ravished by Perseus several times on the night of his and Andromeda's wedding, they awoke to Andromeda staring down at her breakfast and frowning. She brightened a bit when Perseus sat next to her. She leaned in to peck him on the lips, but he turned his head. Her lips landed on his cheek.

She frowned. "You're my husband. It's your duty to consummate our marriage, so I can produce an heir for you."

Perseus' face was hard. "I'm also your king and it's your duty to respect and obey my wishes."

Andromeda burst into tears. Her sobs were so loud that they traveled down the hallway. "Am I really that repulsive to you? You can't even touch me for one night?"

Perseus met her eyes. "Why are you ungrateful? Your reputation was ruined because of your travels with me. You would have lived on the streets, working as a prostitute or beggar without this marriage."

Her slap across his face echoed in the room. "Money was never what mattered to me. I wouldn't have left my family if that was all I cared about. I wanted a husband, someone to love me, but you're just as cold as my parents always were." She got up and stormed out of the room.

Medusa should have felt sorry for her, but she didn't. It was Andromeda's fault for trying to force Perseus into a relationship that he didn't want. She should have pursued other men.

Separate bedrooms and loud arguments kept the servants gossiping for the next week. Because Medusa was invisible, she heard it all, but repeated nothing to Perseus. She didn't want him to regret choosing her.

Eventually, the rumors reached Danae's ears. Perseus' mother grew concerned and asked to speak to him privately.

"First of all, I want you to know that I love you no matter what," Danae said.

His eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead. "I love you, too. What is this about?"

"It's about your wife," Danae said. "And the fact that you refuse to have sex with her."

Perseus rolled his eyes. "I don't love her. She'll make a great queen, but she means little more to me."