Poseidon (Contemporary Mythos Book 5)

I’d barricaded myself in my apartment, missed my usual streaming night on Glitch, fed my fish but barely fed myself, and answered with vague one-word answers whenever Meg texted me. The knock on my door came as no surprise because it could only be one of two people. Considering Poseidon told me to let him know when, and if, I was ready to talk. Considering we were on thin ice prepared to crack—it could only be one other.

Sighing, I paused the movie Fool’s Gold playing on Fox and slumped to the door.

“Open the hell up, Cor. You have some serious explaining to do,” Meg’s voice boomed from the other side of the door.

Bracing for impact, I said a silent prayer to my fish before greeting her with a forced smile. “Hey, Meg.”

“Hey, Meg? Oh, can it, sister.” She pushed past me, turning circles and all but sniffing the air of my apartment. Snapping her fingers, she pointed at the TV. “Uh-huh. Kate Hudson movies.”

As she stormed past me for the kitchen, I was too weak to protest and leaned on the doorframe with crossed arms.

She yanked the fridge open. “You’ve been surviving on expired milk and olives for the past few days.”

I canted my head to the side, noting how cute she looked in only her jeans, boots, and brown vest. I’d never say the word “cute” to her, though.

“Your hair is greasy, and your clothes have more wrinkles than a shar-pei puppy.” She lifted my lifeless hair and let it drop with a huff. “What happened with Simon?”

I groaned and walked past her. Without turning, she reached behind her, grabbed my shirt, and dragged me back in front of her.

“Sit.” She pointed at my lounge chair. After I obliged, she sat across from me. “Talk.”

“It’s tough to explain.” I slouched until my chin met my chest.

“Try me.” She spread her legs and leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees. “You know I’ve been through the seven dating circles of hell.”

She had. I could attest to it.

I flicked the air and let my hand drop at my side. How the Tartarus did you explain to your best friend a godly past that not only she didn’t know existed but would make you sound two seas short of a horse? “We—both have things we’ve done in our past that we’re not sure we can accept.”

“You? What have you done he has such an issue with? Your one unpaid parking ticket? Running a yellow light?”

Or feeling neglected millennia ago, and rather than talking to my husband, I consumed myself with aquatic life?

“You know how much I love the ocean and fish, right?” I sat up, wiping my hair from my face.

“I have a vague idea, yes.”

“In some of my past—relationships—I cared more about the seas more than humans, i.e., the men I dated.” I squinted, knowing the odds were slim she’d feed into this.

She steepled her fingers between her knees and glared at me.

Dammit. She was not buying it.

“And Simon kind of has the same deal, I mean, he’s been extremely consumed with his career.” I shot to my feet. “If we were to date—we wouldn’t be each other’s number one.”

Meg clucked her tongue against her cheek, stormed from her seat, and yanked me back to the lounger, sitting on the armrest. “Do you remember Cassandra?”

“Yes.”

Meg hiked one knee on the armrest and moved her gaze to stare at the carpet. “Do you remember how she had a gambling problem in her past? We’re talking, she was still in debt when I met her, kind of problem?”

This relationship ended in heartbreak, so I wasn’t entirely sure where she was trying to go with it.

“I do.”

“It bothered me in the beginning. Really bothered me. At any moment, she could’ve fed into temptation, asked me for money I would’ve had a hard time refusing. There was also the thought of: What else could she get addicted to?” Meg wrung her hands in her lap.

“But she didn’t.” I nudged her hip with my shoulder. “You broke up with her because she didn’t want to commit.”

“That’s exactly my point, Cor.” She turned and smiled down at me. “That relationship lasted for three years. And it was a happy one until it wasn’t, but it had nothing to do with her past.”

“You’re slick, Megara. Very slick.” I beamed up at her.

She slapped her hands on her thighs and stood, swiveling on her booted heel. “So. What is the moral of this story?”

“Uh, something about not letting the past ruin the possibilities of a future?” I bobbed my brow.

She blinked once. “Damn. That’s better than what I had brewing in my head, but yeah.”

“I get what you’re trying to say, I do, but—it’s more complicated than simply looking beyond it.” I pushed to my feet, images of Poseidon’s smile swirling in my brain. He’d changed so much, but the crippling anxiety I’d felt of all those times spent alone night after night, not even knowing where he’d gone, dug into my skin.

“It’s really not.” She grabbed each of my shoulders, squeezing them. “Do you want to give him a shot? A real chance?”

The first year after our arranged marriage had been the happiest. We couldn’t get enough of each other—kissing, making love, swimming together. I wanted those exact moments forever.

“Yes,” I answered, my voice garbled.

“Then text him right now. Ask him to come over and to his face, ask him on another date. If he fucks up, he fucks up, but at least you gave it a chance, Cor.”

Slipping my phone from my pocket, I puckered my lips at her. “Have I told you lately I love you?”

“I believe you just did.” She slapped my shoulder.

I opened Poseidon’s text window and paused with my thumb over the screen. “Wait. This is just as much his decision as it is mine. Even if I convince myself I can deal with his baggage, who’s to say he wants or can deal with mine?”

Meg rolled her eyes and walked to my fish tank. “Was he still giving you that dopey but handsome smile last night?”

“Maybe.” I clutched the phone to my chest.

“Something tells me he’ll be willing to give it a try.” Meg waved at one fish, but unlike me, they only responded by opening and closing their mouths. “I don’t hear those thumbs flying on your phone screen.”

We could be a family again. Poseidon, Triton—Rhode. They were children when I disappeared. How did they look full grown? Would they recognize me?

I tapped the phone against my forehead, forcing the tears down, knowing there was no possible way to explain that to Meg. Not right now. But both she and Poseidon were right. This could be the Fates willing us another chance. There had to be a reason for my continuous reincarnations. Had to be a reason we inexplicably ran into each other on the same beach at precisely the right moment.

I started typing.

Me: Can you come over ASAP?

Simon: On my way.

“Good. I’m gonna use the head, and then I’ll be out of your hair before he gets here.” As Meg walked down the hallway to the restroom, she backpedaled and pointed at me. “Proud of you.”

My damn palms clammed up again, and I peered into the fish tank with a deep sigh. “Think we can do this, guys?”

Their fins waved in unison.

“Always so supportive.” A small smile tugged at my lips.

Ding dong.

I stood straight with widened eyes before bolting across the room and whipping open the door.

“Hey, Starfish.” Poseidon stood there in a white shirt hugging at all the right places of his arms and chest, distressed jeans, and that long wavy hair hanging over one eye.

“What are you doing here already?” I whispered, snapping my head over my shoulder to check for Meg.

His eyes narrowed. “You said ASAP. I figured I’d port over.” He pushed past me, lazily pointing a finger around the apartment. “Is someone here?”

His tone sounded borderline jealous.

“Don’t even go there.” I raised onto my toes to poke him in the chest. “It’s Meg. Care to tell me how you’re going to—”

“You sure got here fast.” Meg stood in the hallway with her hands on her hips.

“I was at the gas station across the street when she texted. Came right over.” Poseidon turned at me and winked.

“Convenient.” Meg squinted at us before moving forward.

“They are, indeed. Gas stations, I mean.” Poseidon clasped his hands behind his back.

I rubbed the skin between my eyes with an exasperated sigh.

“Right. Well, I’ll go so you two can talk but first, Cor, can I borrow a book? I have lifeguard duty tomorrow.” She stuck her tongue out.

“Of course. You know where my shelf is in the bedroom. Pick whatever you like.” I gave as warm a grin as I could. “Just don’t bend the spine or so help me—”

“I know, I know.” Meg held her palms up in defense before disappearing into my room.

“How are you doing, Cordelia?” Poseidon folded his arms like he didn’t know what to do with them.

Hearing him call me Cordelia instead of Amphitrite gave almost as many bubbles in my stomach as Starfish.

“Better. Open-minded. You?”

“Apologetic. I thought back on it. And I was a dick to you. I honestly have no idea how I could let a ‘job’ take me away from someone like you.” He ruffled his hair, making it bunch on the crown of his head before falling in seaweed-like tendrils.

“All things we can talk over. But not right now.” I shifted my eyes toward my room.

“Right. After she leaves?”

“I was kind of hoping we could go on another date?” I one-arm shrugged.

“You know I can’t turn you down.” His eyes brightened. “Have somewhere in mind?”

“The Quarter? They have dueling pianos on Wednesday nights and quarter beers. Between the loud music and cheap alcohol, I figured we’d be pretty free to talk but also be on a real date?”

He chuckled and bowed his head. “Clever. I like it.”

The door whooshed open. “I finally left him.”

A tall, slender woman with waves of dark brown hair down to her hips, full lips, sharp jawline, and pale, perfectly almond-shaped eyes stood at the doorway. Her peacock feather necklace swung as she stopped short, looking between Poseidon and me.

“Hera?” I whispered.

“Amphitrite?” She whispered back.

“I ended up with something called Then a Hero Comes Along? I assume it’s a—” Meg stopped short with the paperback held in mid-air, shifting her gaze from us to Hera. Her throat bobbed at the sight of her, lips parting before she licked them and forced her eyes away.

“Meg, hey. Yeah, that’s a great choice.”

Please, Hera, do not call me by my godly name.

“Okay, but what’s going on?” Meg used the book to point at each of us, avoiding eye contact with Hera.

Poseidon wrapped his arm around Hera’s shoulder, wrinkling the jacket of her black and white pinstriped pantsuit.

“My sister decided to make a surprise visit. Isn’t that right, sis?” He squeezed her with a wide grin.

Hera’s mouth opened, not saying anything at first, staring at Meg before finally blurting, “That’s right.”

Meg scanned Hera from head to toe before turning her gaze on me. “Do you know her?”

The hole grew deeper and deeper with each passing lie.

“I tracked him,” Hera said.

“My phone, she means,” Poseidon added.

“I’ve got to go, but, Cory, everything alright here?” Meg raised her brows at me, staring me down.

I nodded emphatically. “Absolutely. Thanks for everything, Meg. I’ll call you tomorrow?”

She shimmied past us, but Hera broke away from Poseidon, turning to face Meg with grace only a goddess could exude. She extended her thin hand, the gold chain hanging from it catching the glint from the sun peeking through the curtains.

“I’m Hera.”

Meg stiffened before shaking her hand. “Her-Hera? Like Queen of the Greek Gods?” A shaky laugh floated from Meg’s belly.

She was nervous. I’d never seen her nervous around anyone.

Hera held onto her hand for another beat longer before tracing her thumb over a knuckle and letting go. “That’s right. But also…a goddess to the life of womankind.” Hera smiled, bright and sultry, revealing her perfect snow-white teeth.

A breath pushed from Meg’s nose as she traced the spot on her hand Hera had caressed. “Sorry. Guess I’ve forgotten a lot of mythology since high school.”

“No need to apologize, my dear.” Hera stepped forward, her black stiletto heel clicking against the hardwood floor. “You, yourself—” She ran a finger over her bottom lip with a sultry smile. “Are a goddess.”

Meg’s chest heaved, extenuating her bosom beneath the vest. “Th-thank you. I really do need to get going, but Hera, it was genuinely nice to meet you.” She smiled and scanned Hera’s face one last time before leaving.

Hera bit her knuckle, smiling as she watched Meg leave and shut the door behind her. She pressed her back to the door, still grinning. “She is an absolute treasure. Mentally. Physically. Who is she?”

“Meg. My best friend.”

“Meg,” Hera whispered, running a fingernail over her collarbone.

“Care to explain what the Tartarus you’re doing here?” Poseidon’s voice boomed.

Hera shook her head as if awoken from a daydream. “As I said, I left Zeus.”

Poseidon and I exchanged perplexed glances.

“You just—” I flicked my wrist. “Left?”

“I at least wrote him a note, if that’s what you mean.” Hera pushed off the door and sauntered past us, moving to the fish tank.

“I’d love to say, ‘About damn time,’ but he let you? Just like that?” Poseidon threw his arms out at his sides.

Hera eyed me. “Didn’t Zeus banish you to the stars?”

Tunnel-vision took over my sight, warping me to that pivotal moment in time with Zeus looming over me, shouting at me, announcing my punishment. I’d not only slacked on my duties but ignored both warnings Zeus had given me before finally drawing the line. How could I have been such a fool? The King of the Gods had given me chances, and I hadn’t taken them.

Closing my eyes to will the memory away, I gave a curt nod. “Yes. And now I’m back—” I crossed my arms in a huff. “And don’t know how, but let’s not change the subject from the fact you left the King of the Gods Queenless?”

Hera bent forward, waving one finger at my fish, who followed it back and forth. “Not my problem anymore. I’m sure he will have no issue finding another. The man can be rather convincing, as we all know.”

“You were willing to give up the throne? A portion of your power?” Poseidon sat on the armrest of my lounger.

Hera sighed and stood straight, facing us. “You both know we were an arranged marriage—”

“So were we,” I interrupted with a frown.

Hera held a hand up at me. “But, unlike you two, we never loved each other. We tried. But in the end, we led different lives, had countless lovers, and upheld our duties.”

I spied Poseidon over my shoulder. He’d been staring at my hair and gave me one of his warmest smiles—like light rays pulsing beneath the surface of the water.

We had loved each other. So how did we drift so far apart?

“You asked if I was willing to give up my crown and part of my power? The answer is yes. I’d rather be completely powerless than unloved. I’m tired of it. I want something real.” Hera dragged a finger under her chin.

“Wow.” I rested a reassuring hand on her forearm. “I fully support it. But Zeus isn’t going to have some outlandish backlash over this, is he? I remember how well he took it the last time you betrayed him.”

“It’s not like that this time. I told him it was happening, he called my bullshit as he usually did, but this time—I really did it.” She patted my hand. “It’s been three days. I’ve been laying low, and he hasn’t tried to stop me. Believe what you all want, but he and I have both changed since we met. I think we both would be happier with other people. I just hope he isn’t so pigheaded to not simply settle for the first pretty mortal who bats her eyelashes at him but truly finds someone suited for him.”

“He has changed. But I’d lie if I said he still wasn’t pigheaded.” Poseidon snorted.

“Besides, I can finally be the goddess of women and marriage alone. It’s grown tiring being known only for the goddess married to Zeus and people thinking I repeatedly let him fool around on me.” She rolled her shoulders back. “It’s time I make a name for myself.”

It’d been so long since I’d seen my sister-in-law. As queens to kingly brothers, we had always gotten along, vented to each other.

I raised to the balls of my feet to hug her. “This is amazing.”

She returned the embrace. “I’m happy you’re back.”

“Do you need a place to say?” I peeled away, dabbing the tears collecting on my lashes.

“I do still have most of my power, Amphitrite.” She smiled and bumped her knuckle on my shoulder. “But you—” Her lips tilted downward. “Don’t? You’re mortal. I don’t understand.”

“In all her lives, she’s been a mortal. She has to accept queenhood again with Zeus’s approval.” Poseidon patted the tops of his thighs. “If she desires it.”

I peered at him from across the room. The memories we shared, both good and bad, had my heart swelling like a tidal wave. We’d be fools not to explore it. Not only had we been a strong alliance in both love and power, but we were an unstoppable force protecting the oceans—defending Atlantis. And now creatures of the deep threatened Atlantis.

“Ah,” Hera said, slowly making her way to the door. “Sounds like you two have a lot to talk about. I shared my news, so I’ll be on my way, but Amphitrite—”

I turned to look at her with raised brows.

“Would you mind telling me a bit more about Meg at some point? I’d like to get to know more about her.”

“If you like her, then why not ask her yourself?”

Hera pressed a hand to her chest. “I don’t—I mean, how would that work?”

It tickled me to no end to see my sister and best friend show vulnerability at the thought of each other.

“Why not?” Poseidon added, catching my gaze.

Hera grinned, chewing on her thumbnail. “I’ll—think about it. You two makeup and pay my ex-husband a visit.” With a swoosh of her arm around herself, she disappeared in swirls of dark purple haze.

“Well, this has been an eventful day.” Poseidon chuckled as he slid from the lounger, crossing the room to stand in front of me.

“I still can’t believe Hera isn’t Queen anymore. It’s been eons.”

“I know. And I’m insanely curious to see how my little bro handles this. Twenty bucks says he demands her back after day five.”

My fish danced in circles through the water, making me grin. “No deal.”

“Really?”

“If my return has proved anything to me, it’s that we live in an entirely different universe than before. And here—anything is possible.” I turned to him, running my hands down his muscular forearm. “Even Zeus listening to something else besides his dick.”

Poseidon barked with laughter, cupping a hand over his mouth. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say ‘dick’ before, Amph.”

“We’ve all changed.”

“Wait a minute. You said Wednesdays are dueling pianos. That’s today.” He pointed at the floor with a quirked brow.

“Yes. I want to go tonight. It’s been long enough, Seid. Time to clear the air. Tonight.