I bit my lip, slowly guiding his vibrating hand toward the area between my legs where the arousal was pooling. Unfurling one of his fingers, I pressed it into the space, whimpering immediately as its quivering magic pulsed into my flesh.
“That’s it, bella, use me,” he breathed.
I thrust his vibrating hand deeper, writhing and moaning with his touch. I’d never felt anything like this; the sensations traveled through my body in waves as I thrashed on the spongy bed, under his spell. I lost all my inhibitions, shoving his hand lower and letting his webbed fingers enter me as my hips rocked with the pleasure.
Heat surged from the space below my navel, wrapping around me, snaking up my back to culminate in the space above my shoulder blades.
My wings.
Tears bled from my eyes as I screwed them shut, forcing those monstrous things away.
“Are you okay?” Alexandros’s voice was etched with concern.
I nodded through clenched teeth, pushing his hand further into me as the burn of skin stretching faded and my wings retreated.
My breathing steadied as I focused on Alexandros’s touch and the pleasure coursing through me.
I pushed his fingers deeper and deeper still, until a gasp escaped my lips. I cried out, more tears streaming down my cheeks as the sensations compounded into a burst ofoblivion.
Chest heaving, I opened my eyes to find Alexandros floating over me, his lavender hair drifting in the swell. He pulled his webbed fingers from inside me and sucked on them, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“And that,” he said, “is how it’s done in Thálassa.”
32
Morgana
The rising sun was decorating the Mediterranean in pink and lilac hues as we picked our way over the arid grasses and scattered terracotta bricks to the crumbling church.
The old man lifted his head as we approached, his eyes alight. “You freed Poseidon’s most prized possessions. Well done—you have proved your cunning and strength. Many before you have failed, assuming he wanted riches.”
“Yes, well, I’m not many men.” Finn gave a hard laugh, adjusting his stance.
I rolled my eyes. Something about this old man seemed to bring out the prince in him.
“But can you prove the strength of your mind?” The man rubbed his leathery hands together, looking between us, and my stomach hollowed out. If the dream ceremony had taught me anything, it was that I had no control over my own mind.
“There’s a cave carved into the stone at the caldera’s edge. Enter andbring me what lies within the chest to determine if you are truly a descendant of the god.”
I pulled myself upright, chin high. “Do youhaveto be related to Poseidon to claim this box?”
The old man’s eyes darted between us. “Yes, my dear, that is correct.”
Great. Just great.
I crossed my arms, eyes flicking to Finn, who was watching me with a smug grin. Gods, I wanted to smack him.
Stavros’s touch still clung to my skin as we wove through the crush of tourists back toward the villa, but so did the memory of Finn’s lightning forking through the club as chaos ensued. I glanced sideways at him, and my insides tangled.
“We’ll need to wait until sundown to look for the cave so you can use your Selkie coat.” Finn shaded his eyes, gazing past the whitewashed houses to the glistening aquamarine sea beyond. “What do you want to do until then?”
My jaw flexed, words caught behind my teeth. “I’d prefer to do something on my own. I’ll meet you at the villa before sundown.”
Finn observed me for a moment, brows drawn. He was wearing a tank top and jeans but still had the leather cuff on one wrist. Then he shrugged. “Suit yourself, shifter. Just try not to get into trouble.”
I left him by the stone path that wound down to our villa from Oia’s bustling shop-lined strip and set off alone, the winter sun still blazing against the back of my neck.
I clenched my fists as anxiety seeped through me. Two tasks remained, and I was trapped working with this man who’d done unspeakable things. I hated how his smirk made my body run hot and cold, those stupid cuffs he’d taken to wearing everywhere, the way he called me shifter. I didn’ttrust him. I needed to clear my head, shake off the anger of my foiled plans, and refocus on the task ahead.
