Page 5 of A Contemporary Mythos Summer
With how many people were on the beach, I was honestly surprised it’d taken this long for someone to notice him.
We sat up, and Poseidon draped an arm over my shoulders to emphasize we were, in fact, together. And I loved it.
“That I am, my man. How can I help you?”
The man was young—roughly lowish twenties, by my guess. His mouth fell open as he stared at Poseidon, an ice cream cone in his grasp melting over his knuckles. “I’m so sorry to bother you but my little cousin started surfing lessons and he’d absolutely freak out if he got to meet you.”
Poseidon shrugged and looked around. “Sure. Where is he?”
“Oh. He’s uh—up on the boardwalk. I can show you where if you’re willing?” The man jumped, noticing the ice cream leaking over his hand, and feverishly licked it.
Poseidon’s jaw tightened as he peered down at me, not answering the young man straight away.
I elbowed him in the side. “I’ll be fine. Go make that kid’s week.”
“You’re a jewel.” He kissed the side of my head and hopped to his feet. “I’ll be right back. Oh, you want one of those plantslapper drink things?”
The skin between my eyes crinkled. “The what?”
“That frozen drink deal. Chocolate-y?”
“Are you talking about aBushwhacker?”
He snapped his fingers and slapped on that dopey grin. “That’s the one.”
Laughing, I leaned back on my hands. “Sure.”
After a nod, Poseidon walked off with the young man leading the way. I lay on my back, preparing to soak in the sun, and letting the sounds of the gulf water lull me. That was until a familiar voice forced my eyes back open.
“This is your deal, darlin,’ so tell me what you’d like to do. You know I’m no fan of the water,” the man with dark blonde hair falling to his collarbone, light beard, and matching black tank top and board shorts said to the brunette at his side.
“And yet you still humor me.” The brunette grinned up at him.
As they passed by, I sat up straight. “Hades?”
* * *
C O R D E L I A
Hades froze and peeled his sunglasses from his nose, his eyes wide. “Amph—”
With a smile, I held up a hand and stood, interrupting him. “Cordelia.”
“Right. I thought I heard you were back, but I honestly didn’t believe it.” He continued to stare at me, the light wind fluttering his hair over one eye.
“Babe, are you going to just stare slack-jawed, or are you going to introduce us?” The brunette waved a hand in front of the Underworld King’s face, grinning.
Hades cleared his throat and slipped the sunglasses back on after raking a hand through his hair. “Stephanie, this is Cordelia, Poseidon’s wife. Cordelia, this is my wife, Steph.”
Stephanie waved and let out a nervous chuckle as two girls walked past with scrunched faces, having obviously heard Hades mention Poseidon.
“We’re in public, love. You may have meant,Simon?” Stephanie tugged on the hem of his tank.
“People don’t bat an eyelash any longer at the mention of Hades, but Poseidon? They look at you like a canine withfourheads,” Hades grumbled.
“Pleasure to meet another sister.” Stephanie extended her hand with a warm smile.
The strap of her cranberry bikini top slid down one shoulder, and without looking, Hades used a single finger to secure it back into place.
