~6~

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height


Lexi loved the smell of the stable. The earthy scents reminded her of home and of her horse, Jackie O. They had never been apart for more than a month, and Lexi hand't realized how much she depended on Jackie O for companionship. Misty listened, but she didn't know the inside jokes.

"Are you ready to tell me what wild scheme you've concocted?" she asked Hades as they stood at Misty's stall. The horse had been so excited to see them, she wouldn't stop anointing Lexi's face with wet kisses. "It's dark, so I assume you're planning to ravage me in the stable. I hope you brought a blanket."

Hades smiled coyly as he unlatched the gate, sharing a wicked grin, but only with Misty. "You aren't afraid of the dark, are you?"

"No, but we have never left the castle after dark because of the beasties."

"You have never left the castle after dark. I have done so many times, and I know how to handle the beasties."

Hades led Misty through the stable, still grinning and still tight-lipped about his surprise. He didn't bother with a saddle, so Lexi assumed they weren't going far, and after a brief walk into the open grass behind the palace, Hades helped Lexi onto Misty's back. When he climbed up behind her, he finally divulged.

"I'm taking you to the Styx River. It's time you were blessed properly." He urged Misty into the air with a "Giddyap," and Lexi's questioning had to wait until the butterflies settled in her stomach. She was not totally on-board with flying horses yet.

"Is there really a sea nymph named Styx who occupies the river?" she asked when they had leveled off.

"Yes."

"Is she the one who holds the powers of protection, or does the water have the power?"

"Maybe we will see her and you can question her yourself." Hades held tightly to Lexi's waist, and she felt him harden against her bottom. Hopefully, he wasn't planning to ravage her in the river. How much privacy would they have? She was still getting used to submitting to him in public places...like the bridge, for instance. "To the cave of Hypnos, Misty," he called out. "Let's show Lexi how spectacular the falls are after dark."

"Hypnos? As in Thanatos's brother?"

"The very same."

"Oh. Shouldn't we give him a heads-up first? Maybe he and Styx are occupied."

Hades chuckled. "If you're worried about being discovered, you can stop. Hypnos works nights, and Styx has many places to be. We should have the cave to ourselves...apart from the dragons."

"Dragons?" Lexi turned around to find Hades smirking. "You said the underworld didn't have dragons."

"They're not technically dragons, and they're very small. They're more like bats, really."

"Bats! If you think I'm going to get naked in a cave filled with bat shit, you've got another think coming."

Hades amused himself with a booming laugh that shook Lexi and had her gripping Misty's mane. "I assure you, we will not see bat shit. The waters of the river constantly flow across the cave floor, keeping it clean. You're going to enjoy yourself. I promise."

Although Lexi had her doubts about this bat cave, she was distracted by a twinkling ahead. As the gorge narrowed, the river swelled, and Misty dipped between the rock walls as a waterfall came into view. It was then the distinctive scent of patchouli hit Lexi's sinuses. Did it grow nearby? Was it just coincidence that it reminded her of Hades, the god she left home for?

Before Lexi got distracted with thoughts of her impulsive choices, she saw the cave. It took the shape of a yawning mouth, with a long, smooth boulder protruding through the waterfall like a tongue. Multicolored lights illuminated the water from behind, flashing against the walls like a disco ball.

"What's causing the rainbow? Did Hypnos forget to turn off his lights?"

"That would be the dragons. We call them lesser hydras. They are descendants of the Lernaean hydra slayed by Heracles."

"Lovely. You know your explanations are making me less excited about this spelunking expedition."

Misty's hooves made a racket as she touched down on a shelf of rock, and she threw her head back when the waterfall's spray greeted them. The taste of salt was unexpected when Lexi licked her lips, until she remembered the Styx River connected to Oceanus. By the time she climbed off Misty's back, her silk blouse clung to her skin like soggy rice paper, and she tried not to blame Hades for letting her wear it on their cave dive.

"I'm not complaining about these beautiful accommodations, but I would hate to ruin this shirt after Blythe put so much work into it."

"Then, by all means, you should take it off." Hades adopted a boyish smile, the one he wore when she got naked, letting her navigate the slippery buttons of her blouse on her own and making no move to help until she started struggling with the damp sleeves.

"Allow me," he said, his voice dropping into that baritone and igniting fireworks inside her belly. As he tugged the fabric over her shoulders, his lips quickly found her neck. "You are like ambrosia to the gods. Like the fountain of youth to a dying man. I want to drink you in until I can't see straight."

He absently tossed her shirt over a rock and continued divesting Lexi of clothing, piece by piece, trailing his tongue over the droplets of water on her skin as he went. When she was fully naked, he undressed himself, and although Lexi tried to focus on the way he touched her, and how his eyes never left her face, she couldn't ignore the unsettling thought of hydras watching them from the cave. She didn't care how small they were. Small things could still bite. Surely, Hypnos wouldn't share his home with dangerous creatures. Who knew what kind of...

"Lexi, are you all right?" Hades's voice echoed soft in her ear, and she realized with a shudder that his naked body was pressed against her.

"I'm fine. Never better. Please, continue."

Hades smiled as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and took her by the hand. "Come with me, my lady. I will put your fears to rest, then I will make you feel like a goddess."

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net