Cerberus

 

The river waited, making soft noises against the rocks. A little boat waited, bobbing gently in its black stream. There was no smell of water or rock or even moist air. The stillness was profound and unease settled into my stomach as I approached, squinting in the darkness to the hulking figure staining by the boat. 

He sat, blank eyes watching the water with a look of estranged calmness. I had expected him to be haggard, exhausted, or skeletal. Instead, he was much flesh as I was, even handsome in the low light of his hanging lantern. An eerie blue-green glow emanated from the lantern, flickering over the water and bouncing around the cave walls.

As I approached, he turned his head and then sighed. With what seemed like strained effort, he stood, pulling his hat back on his head. A long oar rested in his hand, knocked into a wooden resting place on the boat. The ferryman moved his hand out in quiet expectation. 

I tilted my head and raised a brow. “How much for your services?”

He smiled, long grey beard glinting in the low light. “You’re alive.”

“Sometimes,” I shrugged. My fingers pulled two coins from my bag and place them in his rough palm.

Calloused fingers closed around the coins and rolled them, feeling what they were made of. “Are you from the South?”

“I’m not from anywhere,” I finally replied after pausing to look at the way he touched the coins. He saw with his fingers as much as, if not more, than his eyes.

“Convenient. Me either.” A knowing grin touched his lips. Hee turned, moving gracefully into the small boat before gesturing for me to follow.

“That’s it?” I asked, climbing in behind him and sitting on the boat. It was rough wood beneath me, aged and somehow timeless. There was nothing for comfort or pleasantness. 

The spartan boat rocked as he pushed off and began to slowly paddle our way down the narrow underground river. I peered into its depths yet only saw the puddling darkness of infinity. It seemed almost to stare back, unabashed. I bit my bottom lip in thought and looked back at the ferryman.

“She sees you,” he replied steadily. 

I raised a brow. “Seems strange to cross a living river to go where we’re headed.”

“Pah. She is where oaths are sworn, an infinite witness to life and death. New beginnings and necessary endings.” He waved a dismissive hand. “But you are not dead. So where am I taking you? To see his majesty, king of all this grandness?”

The ferryman gestured around the cave. In the distance screams echoed, finally breaking the silence. Low grumbles rumbled around the cave, followed by shouts of agony and remorse. Moaning sadness came from the darkness before us, promising a world of suffering that lingered ahead.

“No,” I said softly, ignoring the feeling of unnerved panic creeping into my gut. “His pet.”

Charon raised his brow and chuckled. “A living woman walks into Hades and wants to see his dog? With money from another time?”

“Is there a question in there, Ferryman?” I smirked. 

The growling grew louder, thundering in the rocks. 

“One would wonder if you’re looking to stay. He’s a beast, the one you seek. Terrifying. Son of monsters.”

I shook my head. “Aren’t we all.”

“Sure, girl. But most of us do not need to be beaten by a demigod and bound in chains. Just to be subdued.”

“I wouldn’t complain if that needed to be done to me.”

The man scoffed, laughed, and then smirked. 

“But,” I said before he could speak, “I don’t think the dog needs that either.”

“Ah, maybe at one point the sweet queen could temper him, but not any longer. He’s wild now. Feral. Too many teeth.”

I sighed. “That’s what happens when you beat someone. They need sharp teeth to protect themselves.”

“He had the teeth before.” The boat pulled up to a small dock. 

I climbed out. “It was pain that taught him how to use them.”

Charon looked at me and sucked in a breath. “The beast stays in chains.” Then he pushed off and left me standing there, the sound of snarls coming from further in the giant cave.

I walked, listening to the rumbling growing closer as the darkness swallowed me. Nothing could be seen, but I kept moving forward, hearing the sound of tormented souls. Chains rattled, along with the sound of large snapping teeth as I rounded a corner where another set of lanterns waited outside a great door.

Standing before the door was a great, black canine. Three heads sprouted from the body, with a long snake tail flailing behind it, fangs bared. Three collars wrapped around his necks, attached to great chains that were too big for a mortal to move. Yet the dog moved it with ease as he lunged, teeth snapping shut, as he tried to bite at the shadows.

A grimace touched my lips as I approached, walking slowly, hands out but not raised. As soon as I was within scent distance, the heads turned, looking at me. Ears flattened and teeth barred as I took a step.

“It’s okay,” I replied softly, taking another step forward. “No one’s going to hurt you.”

I glanced at the chain, seeing where it was locked to secure him. The dog growled, stepping forward to intimidate me. 

“You’re alright,” I murmured, watching his face. The heads lowered and his body tensed with every movement I made. As I took another step forward, his back arched, claws scraping against the stone, necks straining against the chain.

I sat just out of his reach and rested my palms on my knees. My lips parted to pull in a few deep breaths, calming the sense of fear that sat within me as the dog snarled just a foot away. I closed my eyes, tuning out the sound of his anger, and took one more breath.

When my eyes opened, teeth were snapping in my face from three large heads. His six eyes were wild and angry, a frightening fury brewing within them. I shifted, taking another long breath in. My sleeve was tugged own over my arm as I looked at his eyes.

“I’m not going to hurt you. You are not a beast. I’m sorry for what they did to you,” I said softly and scooted myself just slightly closer. “I know you’re scared.”

“I see you,” I finally whispered and moved just a touch closer, just beyond his reach. He moved back, teeth showing and lips curled. “You’re okay.” I shifted closer, sideways so my arm was close enough he could smell me.

A gasp escaped my lips as teeth dug into my arm, grabbing onto the limb and holding. I groaned and held still, turning my head to look at the guardian. Our eyes met. He stared at me, watching my face as I sat, not fighting back against his bite.

Blood stained the shirt as we waited for the other to move, staring at one another. I finally glanced down, looking at his massive paws. My breathing slowed, calming myself. His nose flared, pulling in my scent as his mouth held steady, keeping my arm in an iron grip.

Another long moment passed. I glanced up and shifted, moving just a touch closer. “You okay,” I whispered again. “See? I’m not going to hurt you.”

The massive dog paused. One of his heads sniffed me then licked my hand. Slowly the middle head released my arm. The three giant heads rested beside me, hovering over me as I shifted closer again. A soft growl emanated from the beast, causing me to stop. I raised my head just enough to look at him.

A great wet tongue touched my arm, lapping at the wound he had just given me. Ears drooped and the eyes held a touch of sadness. I gave a hint of a smile and moved my hand to pet him, moving slow and steady.

He growled seeing the hand, third head sniffing thee palm. When I didn’t move, he licked my hand and I finally brought it to his skin, touching the smooth hair on his broad middle head. “There you go,” I murmured to him, and began to gently stroke. 

The dog leaned into my hand, making a groaning noise, as though he hadn’t been touched in a long time. I shifted, moving to my knees to face him, reaching my other hand to the collar on his neck. 

“Are you done with this? Hm?” 

There was a keen intelligence in his eyes as he looked at me. I scooted closer, under his massive head before unfastening the collars and letting them drop. Heavy chains fell away. Cerberus ran, bolting away from me to lope around the open cave. He moved with the speed of a hunter, dangerous and agile, each movement causing the ground to quake beneath his form.

He thundered towards me, snake tail flicking behind him. I stood, hands out. “Easy…”

The beast slammed into me, knocking me to the ground. Teeth nipped my neck, playful and painful at one time. I moaned, hands moving up his legs and shoulders. Another pet of teeth pulled at my shirt, tearing the fabric with terrifying ease. One heavy tongue lapped at my face, smearing saliva all over my neck.

I opened my mouth, moaning as the canine tore my clothes asunder. Fabric shredded in his teeth, leaving me exposed beneath him. My nails dug into his skin, pulling his head against me. Teeth bit my skin and my shoulder, holding me down. A great wet tongue slid up my neck, another licked my breast, his heads beginning to go lower.

“Good boy,” I whimpered as his tongue lapped at my skin, exploring my inner thighs with sudden hunger. My back arched, pushing my center up to meet one of his heads. His thick tongue pushed inside, tasting my wetness and mixing his drool in. 

Fingers tugged on his heads, pulling them against my skin. Moans slipped out of my mouth, echoing around the cave. Heat spread through me with each wet kiss from his maw. I rolled over and rose onto all fours, rising beneath him. 

Three tongues played at my openings, covering me in pools of saliva that dripped off of me and onto the cave floor below. I trembled, whimpering beneath the dog as each tongue slid inside or over top, sending thrills through my core.

My hips rocked, rising to meet each tongue that explored my depths. His heavy panting wetting my skin as we moved together. I cried out, pleasure rising within me with each lick, driving me into a frenzy. I shuddered, gasping, as the pressure boiled over, making me writhe as I exploded, nails scraping on the rock below us.

Trembling, I sagged, hips still raised but head resting on the rock. Cerberus growled, low and dangerous, from all three heads. I nodded but said nothing, the tongues still driving me wild. The heads moved away, cold hai rushing over my exposed and wet body. 

With a snort, the dog rose, forelegs wrapping about my hips. I whimpered, feeling a thick ropey length push against my soaking entrance. With a jerk, the dog thrust inward, sliding his length into my waiting opening. 

A shudder of ecstasy moved through me as he thrust home, hips rocking rapidly to slide in and out. Teeth bit into my shoulders, holding me pinned beneath him as he worked my body. Snarls and growls filled my ears as he filled my body, engorged length plowing into me in rapid succession, sending jolts of pleasure into me.

Within me, he shuddered, suddenly becoming thicker. Teeth bit harder, breaking my skin. I whimpered and then cried out as the beast stilled, length twitching inside as release flooded my opening and began to drip out, mixing with his puddle of saliva. 

Panting mouths released my skin, tongues lapping where blood had been. I moaned and smiled as he clambered off of me, moving to lay down beside my fluid covered body. I shifted, curling up against his side as he nuzzled me, three heads resting against my thigh. My hand pet his right head, scritching the perky ears.

“I’ll never let them chain you again,” I murmured softly. The snake tail thudded against the cave floor before he licked my thigh in wordless affection.