Destiny.
I bent down to kiss him softly, but I should have known that would be a futile effort. He latched onto me with an urgency that was mirrored in my own movements. Instantly on top of him, the feel of his body beneath me sent a surge of longing that could not be silenced no matter how close I was to him. Somehow I managed to pull his shirt off and couldn’t resist kissing every inch of warm skin I could get to. He rolled us over so that I was now beneath his weight, causing every cell in my body to explode with need. As he buried his mouth into the crook of my neck he simultaneously thread his fingers through mine and pulled my hands above my head, securing me where I was. It was all I could do to not wrestle out from under his grip and continue touching him.
Knees on either side of me, he sat up and tugged off the t-shirt I had been wearing in a split second; tossing it on the floor as I fumbled with the button of his shorts. Surprising myself with my own boldness, I unzipped them and practically ripped them off of him. He did the same with the already loose gym shorts I was wearing, and I watched as his breath visibly caught in his throat when he looked down at me. Watching me carefully as if I might disappear into thin air, he wrapped an arm around me; picking me up enough to pull back the covers beneath me. I scrambled under them and he slid in beside me; pulling the covers over us and bathing us with soft fabric and security.
My hands, seemingly of their own volition, unclasped my bra and tossed it somewhere, leaving me completely bare and vulnerable. Finn’s body instantly stilled as he met my gaze; his eyes shining with astonishment and shock. Lying very still, I watched in anticipation as his now shaking hands cupped me softly and a low moan escaped his throat. The feel of his hands on me sent waves of pleasure down to my feet and enveloped my every thought. Craving those lips, I pulled him back down on top of me. His hands were everywhere at once and I felt helpless to fill the intense crushing need that had taken over my body. At the same time that my hands grasped the waistband of his boxers; fully intending on pulling them off, he hooked his thumb on the strap of my underwear and we both froze. Breathing hard and filled with something neither of us could seem to control, he gazed into my eyes with restraint and I smiled warmly back at him. When I let go of his boxers and instead rubbed his cheek, he did the same and simply wrapped his arms around me. We lay that way for a long time, allowing the fire we were consumed in to simmer and cool.
Eventually, he propped himself up on his elbow and regarded me with a big lopsided grin on his face.
“You’re amazing,” he murmured with adoration, and then glanced down almost shyly. “You know, I’ve never had a girl in my bed before.”
Honestly surprised at his admission, I couldn’t help grinning back, “Well no worries, your track record is still spotless; I’m not a girl, I’m a Goddess.” The second I said it, we both collapsed into a fit of laughter. Albeit true, it sounded like a cheesy pick up line from a movie. After several minutes, Finn was able to quit laughing long enough to flash me a wicked look.
“And that, Pasha, is the understatement of the century.”
Chapter 24
Thursday: October 30th
“Where do they take him?”
“Phoebs, she already told you she doesn’t know,” Carmen answered for me with annoyance.
“I know, but what if it’s somewhere awful? Like a dungeon or a cave? Or what if it’s somewhere really amazing like a Spanish castle or The Hilton?”
I snickered at Phoebe’s imagination, (along with her belief that a Spanish castle and The Hilton were remotely on the same level) as I placed my valise on the coffee table in our living room; surrounded by my roommates. After the fastest two days known to mankind, I was awaiting Finn’s text message to tell me he was home so that I could head over to Rostrum and stay with him until midnight.
“I seriously doubt it’s a Spanish castle or The Hilton. He said himself he was just hoping it had a bed, so I don’t think he has any idea either,” I responded absentmindedly. As I carefully lifted the valise lid, I took a deep breath; inhaling the leftover lavender scent from The House of Thetis, or I guess technically, my house. The fact that I had a house was still beyond my comprehension.
“I just don’t know if I could go two days without eating,” she professed in horror.
“They give him water, right?” Willow asked; concerned.
“I’m pretty sure he can have all the water he wants, just no solid food,” I explained.
“And then he has to fight for his life…” Carmen thought out loud, shaking her head in disgust. I was ready to talk about something else. Thinking about Finn starving and then fighting for his life was quickly bringing on an anxiety attack.
“Okay you guys,” I surveyed my roommates, “Here’s everything she left me.” I cautiously pulled out each item from the valise and laid it on the table for them to see. We had inspected the items before, but never from the perspective of what, if anything, I should take with me on my journey to the Underworld.
“Hello?” A deep voice from the kitchen called out, making us all jump except for Phoebe.
“Come on in, baby!” she called to him. Ian continued into the suite as Phoebe jumped up and hugged him.
“What is it with Sons and their inability to knock on a door?” Carmen hissed under her breath. He just flashed a smile at her and sat down across from her on the loveseat with Phoebe. He was wearing snug gray jeans and a bright orange shirt that matched his black and orange wayfarer sunglasses. Somehow the orange of his shirt outshined his diamond studded earrings.
“Did ya’ll go on a treasure hunt?” he asked, squinting at the items spread out on the table.
“We’re trying to figure out what Stasia should take on her journey with her,” Phoebe informed him happily. “This is all of the stuff Thetis left her.”
As everyone began to pick up objects and investigate them, I stared at each one, trying to figure out why in the world my mother would have left them for me: three skeleton keys, a dark stone, a piece of rope, a conch shell, and a beautiful aquamarine, diamond, and pearl encrusted dagger. I had also been keeping my jewelry and the moonstone I had found at the shipwreck in the valise as well.
Ian, of course, was instantly drawn to the dagger.
“You should definitely take this,” he suggested, looking it over.
“Definitely,” I agreed, “I just hope I don’t have to use it.”
“I don’t think I could stab anyone,” Willow doubted.
“I bet you could if they were trying to kill you,” Carmen speculated.
“Aren’t you supposed to be able to hear the ocean in conch shells?” Phoebe held the large shell up to her ear and listened intently. She gave up and handed it to Carmen; already moving on to the piece of rope.
“I think this stone is a hematite,” Willow told us from behind her laptop. She held up the stone and examined it further, “Yep, definitely hematite.”
Carmen got up and peeked over her shoulder at the screen, “Does it say what it’s used for?”
“It says that it absorbs negativity. Gives optimism and courage. Calms the emotions, and treats hysteria,” Willow read out loud.
“Hysteria?” Carmen nodded her head in consent, “I could see that being a strong possibility in an Underworld filled with evil queens and rivers of fire.” I fought the urge to heave.
“Oh and it helps maintain the balance between body, mind, and spirit!” Willow added. “I definitely think you should make sure you have this with you for the journey.”