Welcome to the fantastical side of romance with magic and myth, ,
I'm back to finishing up Breaking Fate, now that Her Alien Insurgent is all wrapped up! Get READY!
The golden crab claws behind my ears were supposed to let me communicate with Poseidon, no matter where he was. But I wasn't sure that counted for wherever this was. Did they work in the Underworld? I didn't have to reach Hades to let someone know that Cerberus was taken if the crown let me speak with him, right? My legs still carried underneath me as I closed my eyes and concentrated. There was nothing around me for what seemed like miles, and I was beginning to feel like a hamster circling a desert wheel. My hand reached up to cup over one of the crab shells, it warmed under my skin.
"Are you there?" I whispered, feeling foolish.
Nothing.
Of course, there was nothing, what was I thinking?
"Fucking Hades," I cursed the invisibility crown that was probably messing with whatever power the sea crown of Amphitrite had.
Then it felt like I was drowning in water, and my whole body grew hot. My ears were ringing, before a voice entered my mind, "You figured it out…" a deep male voice resonated around me.
"I didn't think I had to focus so much to get ahold of you," I replied with snark, recalling how the crown simply worked without knowing what I was doing before. Getting a hold of Poseidon when I was in the water felt like reliving a memory.
But here, in the desert of the Underworld… it felt different. There was a warmth that unfurled within my gut and spread out to the tips of my fingers and toes as I heard his voice that echoed like he commanded my very soul.
"Some part of you didn't want to talk with me," he stated simply, a bit of curiosity in his lilt. Was he amused by this?
"What? No," I had to refocus, "There isn't time, I need to tell you—"
He cut me off, but his voice was not judgmental, but almost bored, as he explained, "There are times I wish to do things on my own. Rarely, do I seek out help from others, but when I do… it is extremely difficult to contact them."
Was he trying to make me feel better about not being able to do anything right? Understanding dawned on me. Was that why I couldn't contact him before? I wanted to do this on my own and I was working against myself? Could it be that simple? Accepting that I needed the help was all it took? Whatever the reason, I didn't have time to waste thinking on it more. I had him with me now, even if he sounded different than when he was Dion, and I needed to tell him what happened.
"Cerberus was taken by Zeus," I rushed out, my breath coming out in heaves, still recouping from running through the dips of my feet sinking into unforgiving sand.
There was a pregnant pause before he asked, "And you saw this?"
"I wouldn't be telling you if I didn't," I snarked with frustration. The desert that I ran through seemed unending, and I could have sworn I saw a small village in the distance the last time I traveled along the river towards where the cave was. By now, I should have been close enough to see it somewhere, but no matter what direction I scanned, there was nothing but the river's smoke, umber-red hills of dirt, and the occasional barren tree that helped remind me that I wasn't running in place.
"Did he see you?" he clipped in my head. A low rumble building up in his throat while he waited for my answer. I wasn't used to him talking to me so abruptly, but there was a recognition that Poseidon used to passionate, and quick to temper in the back of my mind. Some subconsciouses from my past life told me that I had loved him, and his growl wasn't meant for me, but for Zeus' secretive plans that involved taking Cerberus. I needed to redirect the conversation back to what was important, what we would do next.
"How will we get him back? Are you with Hades? Maybe he will help?" I tried to reroute our conversation to what really mattered. Freeing Cerberus.
"Did. He. See. You?" he gritted in an unearthly rumble, each word pointed and restrained.
My feet stopped running at the intensity of his tone, and I sputtered, "N-no," I paused and added, "I don't think so?"
There was a time that I thought he might have, and then I offered myself to him in exchange for Cerberus, only for him to ignore me. Dion wasn't acting normal, I thought to myself. He was usually so controlled, even when he was sacrificing himself to save his son, he appeared so resolved and focused. Even when I saw him in the Underworld throne room, he was so composed for the most part.
But then, when I asked for his help through the crab shells, he got upset with me for putting other people ahead of my own wellbeing. That must be what this was, he was worried about me again. When I reassured him that I was safe, then maybe he'd return to asking the right questions like when we problem solved before. He'd say something like, it isn't about 'how', but with 'who', or something like that. I smiled to myself thinking about how he was calculating what I would do before I even thought of what I would do. He liked to prompt me to think for myself, and I liked that about him.
"I tried to offer myself in Cerberus' place, and he didn't even acknowledge me. He didn't see me, I swear," I assured him.
A low growl rumbled in my head, before I could even hear him breathe deeply as if calming himself.
"Listen to me closely," he said strained through a hiss between his teeth. "You are not to trade yourself for anything or anyone. Russ can take care of himself, and if I find that you attempt such a foolish act again, the blood of any who stand in my path to retrieve you will be on your soul. For I have none, Little Bird. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" The threat in his tone was frightening, and my throat bobbed as I swallowed back any defiance that I might have felt from being told I was foolish. My cheeks heated at the realization that he was right, and I stood no chance at defending against Zeus as I was. If Zeus had heard my plea to trade spots with Cerberus, or Russ, there was nothing stopping him from simply taking us both. What I had done was reckless, and impulsive.
I nodded my understanding, not having words for him, but then realizing that he couldn't see me, I forced myself to say with irritation more with myself than him, "Perfectly."
Pre-order Breaking Fate and help support the universe!
https://books.steviemarie.com/breakingfate
Oh goodness, have you read Taking Medusa to get ready for Breaking Fate?
Hurries off to read book one, Taking Medusa in KU: https://books.steviemarie.com/takingmedusa
Breaking Fate Progress! 53,258 / 90,000 word goal (59% completed)
If you haven't checked out book one, this is a series, these are not standalones, and I highly recommend reading Taking Medusa first, even though I do write my books to be easily read regardless of having read a previous book, there are plot reveals and spoilers if you start with book 2 instead of reading book 1 first.
Convincing you to read Taking Medusa in KU and reach 50 reviews on Amazon!
Mermaids! Medusa is kidnapped to Atlantis for killing the last daughter of King Triton with her poisonous blood. To be fair.. she was trying to kill her first, and she has no idea how she survived it. She has no memory of being Medusa at all!
This is modern day and she believes that she's a normal mortal after her sister (a gorgon) stole her stone body from the watery depths and reunited her head after stealing it from Athena's shield, conveniently left in a museum instead of guarded by gods.
Enter DION! An Atlantis sentinel, who has some strange connection to her, and TRITON, who is apparently a glutton for falling for nymphs and collecting brides that don't survive long past their marriage vows.
There are mysteries, and romance, and adventure as Medusa (Aless) is lured back into the chaos and schemes of the gods. She's destined to protect them all, but fate has a funny way of trying to repeat itself. Can she keep her head this time around or will she sacrifice herself all over again?
This is a slow-burn romance fantasy adventure, so there is no clapping the cloisters, tickling the tentacles, or fishing for fins in book one, but this is a fated mates romance that will keep you turning the pages, and twisting your expectations of myth and legend. <3 Read Taking Medusa in KU!
https://books.steviemarie.com/takingmedusa
Already read Taking Medusa? Did you know Breaking Fate is available for preorder.... I'll just leave this here... (sparkles) https://books.steviemarie.com/breakingfate
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xoxo
Stevie
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