And thank goodness I'm the only one who got sick.
Enjoy this treat--food poisoning free.
In her hand she clutched the cursed object that got her into this mess, as much afraid to let go, as she was to hold it. It may be her only salvation, her only way out of the nightmare she’d dropped into. Everything seemed to have stemmed from it. She glanced back and tripped, going down hard on her knees. A cry tore from her throat.
Up. Run. Now.
She scrambled to her feet, leaving blood and flesh on what may have once been a wall, now only the old foundation of King Minos’s palace. She sprinted in her shorts and T-shirt for the Jeep that waited, praying she’d reach it before he got to her.
A fucking dare. Yes, she’d thought the whole story a myth. Greece was full of them. Then somehow on the last night of her class trip to Crete, she’d managed to wake the Minotaur on All Hallows Eve. Greek myth her ass. And how foolish to believe Halloween magic didn’t exist—even under a boot in another part of the world where they didn’t even mark the night on their calendars as anything special.
That thing certainly wasn’t a myth, and only magic could have brought it to life. She rounded the corner of the ruins, heart quickening as the main road came into view Her head snapped right and left.
Where was the jeep? Oh, hell. They’d left her.
Another bellow. Closer.
Dianthe bolted down the road. A pebble lodged in her sandal and she limped, doing her best not to let it affect her, unable to stop and remove it. They’d told her the Minotaur’s maze could be found here on the night the walls between the living and dead thinned. That the entrance to the fabled labyrinth would be revealed, and anyone stupid enough to sneak into Knossos on this night, would never to be seen again.
She’d pointed out that they’d probably been arrested and thrown into jail. The locals took their antiquities seriously, and breaking into a historical site could result in a life sentence. Her classmates claimed the locals said otherwise.
Sure. Right. Whatever.
A few hard shots later, and a lot of woo-woo stories told between them, she’d laughed it off and told them to put their money where their mouths were. She wasn’t scared of some Grecian boogieman. She’d go to Minos’s palace. In fact, she’d watch the sun rise from it—a thousand Benjamins richer.
So, they’d scraped the cash together and dropped her off at the ruins, telling her they’d wait until sunrise.
Jerks.
Everything had been fine until she’d seen the necklace lying on the steps and picked it up. From that moment on, nothing was normal. The world started to shake and the Earth cracked open at her feet.
Once the shaking stopped and the dust cleared, she’d seen what the quake uncovered. A gold thread hung from the crevice at her toes—the same thread that led… Nah. She’d dismissed it, sure some kind of gas had escaped the fissure and now played tricks with her brain.
Dianthe had leaned forward and peered into the fracture. Steps opened up, leading down into the darkness, beckoning her to see what lay beyond. Having heard the myth a time or two, she decided it might not be in her best interest to ascend said stairs.
The decision proved to be a concrete one when she’d heard the snort from the darkness, followed by red glowing eyes. Two plus two equaled monster. And she’d hauled ass away from it. Now, she was stuck where she had no business being at this hour, without an explanation for the police. Not as if she could actually call them on the cell phone that had up and died. Her friends had left her—probably laughing their asses off, thinking they’d taught her a lesson. Little did they know, Minos’s Minotaur wanted to make a light snack of her.
Outstanding.
The beast, Pasiphae’s son, stepped onto the road and into the moonlight. Her mouth went dry and her first reaction was to freeze like a scared rabbit. Yeah, that often worked well for the rabbit.
He snorted, moving closer. Muscles bulged everywhere, and veins popped up across skin stretched tight over hard flesh. He wore only a loin cloth, was barefoot, and would give any professional bodybuilder a case of envy.
Minus the face that only a mother could love.
He turned his head from side to side, lifting his nose in the air to sniff, until his gaze landed on her.
“Damn.” Translation: Big fucking monster. At least seven feet tall, with a body of solid muscle and the head of the ugliest bull she’d ever seen, Dianthe came face to face with the legendary Minotaur, and certainly not by choice.
It’s so not my night.
“You’re a big boy.” She said as she held her hands out to stall him. “I see you eat your vegetables.”
He snorted and gave her a bullish smile, licking his chops as he stared at her. Oh that’s right, the Minotaur ate meat—people. Dianthe swallowed and backed toward a stand of trees. “There’s a tastier snack down the road. Full of students marinated in wine and fattened on American fast food. Yum, yum.” She pointed off in the distance as she continued to retreat. “I promise you, I’m not tasty.”
He cocked his head, as though contemplating her words.
A hand clamped onto her arm and yanked her into some bushes. “Get back, woman.”
Dianthe turned toward the male voice and froze, dumbstruck. Oh hell. She had to be dreaming. Relief washed over her. For a moment she’d thought all this real, but men like that just didn’t exist, proof she was having one honey of a nightmare.
A tall Grecian warrior in a tunic stood next to her, holding a sword, but not wearing a helmet or carrying a shield. His dark hair brushed his shoulders, framing a strong face with a very angry mouth. His eyes traveled over her and his features softened.
“You are one of the sacrifices?”
“Oh, God, no. I came here on a dare.” She raised a trembling hand to swipe the hair out of her eyes. His eyes narrowed on the necklace clutched in her fist. She dropped her hand and his gaze shot back up to her face. “Let me guess. You’re Theseus,” she said. “A Prince from Athens.”
He nodded, confirming her suspicions. Holy shit. Theseus was a total hotty—a fine piece of Greek myth with his strong arms, broad shoulders and impressive display of near-naked male muscle. Boy, could she cook up a wet dream! Hell, she could work with this. In the myth, he’d slayed the beast. So, as long as she stuck with him, she should be okay—at least in theory.
From the way he looked at her—he didn’t think she was half bad either. He made no secret about checking her out, letting his gaze sweep her from head to toe. “And you are…?”
“About to be Minotaur munchies.”
He raised a brow. “What?”
“He wants to eat me.” She pointed at the monster who stepped stealthily closer. “Kill him. You got the sword of Aegeus, the brawn, the legend behind you.” She gave him a shove toward the Minotaur. “Get to it.”
He spun around and glared, his face two inches from hers. Fingers circled her wrist as he lifted the hand holding the necklace. “Why should I protect a thief and fool? Did you go into the Labyrinth to take this?”
“No.” She stomped her foot. “I didn’t steal it. I found it.”
“That belonged to his mother. I’m sure he didn’t leave it lying around for any fool to pick up.”
“I told you…”
The Minotaur roared.
Dianthe swallowed and yanked her hand free. “Can we discuss this later?”
“I promise you, we will.”
“Yes, now start doing whatever it is you do, and I’ll stand back here.” She cocked her thumb toward the trees.
“Don’t move.” He pointed his sword at her. “Not one step.”
She nodded and crossed her heart. “Not one step.”
Theseus turned and charged the Minotaur, who’d lowered his head, threatening to skewer him on his horns. Dianthe shoved her knuckles in her mouth to stop the scream. As Theseus swung the blade, the Minotaur blocked it with a brace-covered forearm. He struck Theseus with a back fist, sending him flying ten feet back, where he hit the road with a thud, shoulders first.
The Minotaur didn’t allow him a chance to recover. It rushed forward to attack the prone Greek. Theseus rolled to the side and onto his feet, spinning around with sword in hand.
A lumbering giant, and not nearly as smooth on his feet, the Minotaur’s fists came down at the same time, right in the spot the Theseus had just occupied. It roared and whirled around to face Theseus, swinging in rage.
“Your left,” Dianthe yelled out. “Um, no right. Watch ouch...” She cringed as the Minotaur’s fist connected with the side of Theseus’s head. The studly Greek staggered sideways and shot her a glare. “Sorry. I’ll shut up now.”
Another roar and Theseus’s sword slid between the Minotaur’s ribs with a sick gurgling sound that made her stomach lurch. The half-bull, half-man dropped to his knees. With a tug, the warrior freed his weapon and lopped the head from the creature’s shoulders. Blood shot from the Minotaur’s stub-neck like a fountain, painting the road and victor red.
Dianthe covered her eyes and turned her head. Okay, she so hadn’t needed to see that. Gross. Bile rose in her throat. Bad dream. Bad, bad dream. She gagged, but managed to keep her dinner and booze down.
His hand seized her arm and he pulled her down the road. “Come with me.”
She jerked away. “Ewh, no. You’re covered with…gore, and this is my dream. I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to.”
He grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder, and carted her down the hill toward a fountain fed by a stone aqueduct. She hadn’t noticed it before. Where had it come from? Water sluiced through the limestone channel and into the deep basin, before spilling over the side into another channel. “What do you think you’re doing?” Dianthe screamed and thumped his back with her fists.
“I need you to wash my back. I saved you, therefore you belong to me, and you will do as you’re told.”
“Fuck off.” Even if it was a dream, the Greek was pushing it. Women had come a long way, baby, and she wasn’t about to take his macho, chest-thumping declarations lying down, er, being carried off. She huffed a breath out, blowing her bangs off her forehead. “Put me down.”
“As you wish.”
Wait. What did he mean, wash his back? She turned her head. “Oh shit.”
He tossed her in the fountain, buttocks first, splashing water everywhere like she was a whale and not a one-hundred and thirty, um, twenty pound, woman. Theseus dropped his sword and stepped over the rim, wading toward her as he stripped off his tunic. Buck-ass naked. And hung. She eyed his semi-erect cock. Really hung. She squeaked and scrambled back, knocking her head on the statue in the center. Birdies flew before her eyes. “Let’s talk about this whole slave-master thing.”
He knelt down next to her to splash water over himself. Rivulets ran down his hard chest. She shifted where she sat, and her jaw dropped open. Well hello there. That image would forever be burned into her brain. Omigod. Did he have any idea how hot he made wet look?
Theseus turned toward her, clean of blood, and grasped her under the chin to tilt her face up to his. “There’s nothing to talk about.” Lips crushed hers, sucking away any remaining resistance down to the marrow in her bones.
His hand slid up her T-shirt pushing the fabric up and stopping on her bra. “What bindings are these? Are you injured?” His other hand came up to exam her.
Dianthe blinked. Bindings? “Oh no. That’s a bra.”
“A bra?”
“Yes. Where I come from we wear them to keep…” Why the hell did women wear them? They were damned uncomfortable, and females had survived for thousands of years without. “Never mind. The clasp is in the back.”
His fingers skimmed along the hooks, the tips brushing her skin as he freed it like a pro. He didn’t wait for her permission to pull her top and brazier off. With one deft movement, they sunk to the bottom of the fountain. His hands came up and cupped her breasts, his thumbs tracing circles around her nipples. “Beautiful.” He ran his hand up her body to her hair, fingering it. “It’s gold.”
“Blonde.”
“And your eyes are like the sky.”
“Blue.” A strapping young buck like him didn’t need to wax all poetic to get her naked, uh, naked-er. Besides, there were tons of women with… Wait. Not in ancient Greece. Wax away, big guy.
“Yes.” His fingers laced into her wet strands. “Hair of honey, eyes like the sea. Are you a goddess, then?”
Dianthe snorted. “Plea…”
His lips took custody of her mouth. He pulled her into his lap until she straddled him, and her thighs sat on either side of his hips. A fully erect cock now pressed against the soaked cotton shorts. His lips traveled down her neck while his hand slipped to the small of her back, pulling her hips in tight to his. She arched back, letting him feast on her breasts.
“Oh, God. I want you,” she gasped. Since this was all a dream, she might as well indulge.
“I’m only half-god.”
“Whatever.” She reached down and pushed the fabric off her hips, rising to her knees as she shimmied her panties down with them. Unable to go further, she stood and he tugged them past her knees, letting her step out.
A moment later, and without warning, his face was buried in her muff. Dianthe grabbed his shoulders to steady herself, while tongue, teeth and lips went for a full frontal assault. He lifted one leg over his shoulder and dove in deeper, thrusting his tongue inside her. Licking, tasting and sucking her clit. The night sky whirled around her. In and out. Hard and fast. Her muscles clenched and the orgasm exploded through her. The cry tore from her throat and her nails dug in.
“Ride me.”
He didn’t need to ask—not that he had. Dianthe didn’t plan on objecting. She dropped down, placing that gorgeous cock at the entrance to her pussy, slowly lowering herself as he stretched her as far as she could go. Theseus sucked in a breath when her pelvis met his and he’d seated to the root of his shaft. His hand gripped her bottom, and he moved her. “Harder.”
She worked her pussy up and down, fucking him hard. Every time she dropped, he thrust up to meet her.
“Beautiful. So beautiful. My goddess.”
And in that moment she was his goddess. Water sloshed everywhere around them. Wet flesh slapped against wet flesh. Her bouncing breasts rubbed his chest, the friction one of the most erotic things she’d felt. Harder. Faster. Tighter she wound.
He closed his eyes and groaned, biting her shoulder. That nip was her undoing. The orgasm tore through her, grabbing his rigid cock and squeezing him, bringing him to climax along with her.
His shaft pulsed inside her, filling her pussy with hot jets of come at each throb. Hands tightened their grip, holding her immobile. A growl rolled from his throat and he captured her mouth, kissing her as though he’d die without the taste of her lips. His tongue plunged inside her mouth, reaching for more.
She came again. It slammed into her so fast she hadn’t expected it. Dianthe tore her mouth away and arched back, burying him deeper, riding out the orgasm until she was dizzy with pleasure. “My, God,” she gasped. “I’ve never come like that before.”
He cocked his head and a smile crept onto his face. “Then I think you should have some more.” His hand cupped her cheek. “When the sun rises, I must go. You can come with me, or you can stay.” He lifted the necklace from the fountain and fastened around her throat. “The spoils go to the victor. It’s yours now.”
She reached up and fingered the intricate gold setting that overlaid large ruby stones. “If I come with you?”
“No, yours to keep regardless. This is what you get if you come with me.” He rocked his hips up as his cock started to harden inside her again.
She reached over and checked her watch. Six hours of mind-blowing sex, or a lifetime with a Greek hero.
Oh the choices…
****
A rooster crowed in the distance and Dianthe startled awake. The sun drifted across the steps of the palace and onto her face, warming her flesh. She blinked and shaded her eyes.
A dream—nothing more. She stretched and sat up. A heavy weight sat around her neck. Shit! Her hand flew to her throat where the necklace still rested. She blinked again and turned her head to survey the area. Ruins everywhere. No cracks in the Earth, no monster body, no Greek warriors who rocked her world.
Okay, maybe she’d found the necklace when she’d slept-walked. With a deep breath, she stood and faced the sunrise. “You’re nuts,” she said and snickered. Of course she wasn’t chased by a Minotaur, or carried to a fountain by a hunky Greek hero who fucked her senseless.
Brain check, babe—you need to lay off the spicy food before bed.
A hand grabbed her arm. “You’re not supposed to be here when Knossos is closed.”
She spun around and faced a security guard, who looked remarkably like her Greek Warrior. Her hand went to her throat, her pulse jumped under her fingertips. “I’m one of the students…I left something in the excavation.” Her heart pounded in her chest. Would she rot in jail forever?
He eyed the necklace. “That?”
“Um, no. Uh, I mean yes.” She took it off and handed it to him with a sigh.
He shook his head and pushed it back at her. “The gift shop is full of those trinkets. You should have come back when we were open. Come on, I’ll escort you to the gates. I’m supposed to call the police, but I’ll give you a free pass if you promise not to do it again.”
“I promise.” She walked alongside him. So, he wasn’t going to throw her in the slammer? Lucky her. Dianthe bit her lip and glanced sideways at him. “Why won’t you call them?”
“Not sure. I feel like we’ve met before.” he said.
She stopped in her tracks. Question answered. “Have we?”
“I get the feeling…” He shrugged. “Never mind. I had the strangest dream last night. I’ll tell you about it over breakfast.”
“Breakfast?”
He smiled. “They have a great restaurant called the Labyrinth. Ever been there?”
“No—only in my dreams.”
Have a great weekend!
D L
1 comment:
That has to be one of THE BEST shorts I've ever read. There's so much I liked about it, I don't know where to start. Emotion, tension, fantasy, etc. Awesome job.
BTW, if you had to categorize this into a genre, where would you place it?
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