Goddess of the Sea

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 
Okay, I'll admit it—authors have favorite books. I know, I know, books are like children and we don't always want to admit to liking one better than another, but it's true. The Goddess Summoning books are my favorite children.

Delving into mythology and reworking ancient myths is fun! In
Goddess of the Sea
I retell the story of the mermaid Undine—who switches places with a female U.S. Air Force sergeant who needs to do some escaping of her own. In
Goddess of Spring,
I turn my attention to the Persephone/Hades myth and send a modern woman to hell! Who knew hell and its brooding god could be hot in so many wonderful, seductive ways?

From there we take a lovely vacation in Las Vegas with the divine twins, Apollo and Artemis, in
Goddess of Light.
Finally we come to what is my favorite of all fairy tales, “Beauty and the Beast.” In
Goddess of the Rose
I created my own version of this beloved tale, building a magical realm from whence dreams originate—good and bad—and bringing to life a beast who absolutely took my breath away.

 
P. C. Cast

Praise for
Goddess of the Sea

“Suspense, fantasy, time travel, all topped off with a very healthy dollop of romance . . . The good news is that this is just the beginning.”

 
“Captivating—poignant, funny, erotic! Lovely characters, wonderful romance, constant action and a truly whimsical fantasy . . . Delightful. A great read.”
—The Best Reviews

 
“A fun combination of myth, girl power and sweet romance [with] a bit of suspense. A must-read . . . A romance that celebrates the magic of being a woman.”
—Affaire de Coeur

 
“[An] adult fairy tale . . . the audience will cherish.”

 
“Vivid and colorful . . . Splendid blend of fantasy, history, intrigue and passion . . . Outstanding. Watch out for this author.”
—Rendezvous

 
“Most innovative . . . From beginning to end, the surprises in P. C. Cast's new page-turner never stopped. Its poignancy resonates with both whimsy and fantasy . . . I loved it!”
—New York Times
bestselling author Sharon Sala

 
“Sweet and funny.”
—Huntress Reviews

 
Goddess of Spring

“One of the top romantic fantasy mythologists today.”

 
“As always, there's a dash of humor and lots of meltingly hot sex.”

 
“Enchanting . . . Lovely.”
—The Romance Readers Connection

 
“A veritable feast for readers who just can't get enough fantasy dished up with their romance. Mythology has never been so fun!”

“A charmer . . . Cast continues her unique brand of delightfully mixing a modern-day romance with a mythological legend . . . Creative.”

 
“Pure enjoyment . . . Anything can [happen] when gods and mortals mix.”

 
“A fanciful mix of mythology and romance with a dash of humor for good measure . . . Engages and entertains . . . Lovely.”
—Romance Reviews Today

 
Goddess of the Rose

“P. C. Cast [is] well-known for her blending of mythological tales and romance . . . [A] beautiful adult fairy tale . . . Readers will be enchanted.”

 
“Outstanding . . . Magic, myth and romance with a decidedly modern twist. Her imagination and storytelling abilities are true gifts to the genre.”

 
Goddess of Love

“Sexy, charming and fun,
Goddess of Love
is the fantasy romance of the year! You will fall in love with this book. (I did!)”

 
“Touching, clever, and an excellent heiress to the Goddess Summoning series. Cast's ability to subvert misogynistic mythology . . . and reaffirm what makes women wonderful, is always worth celebrating . . . I bestow my snarky blessings on this book.”
—Smart Bitches Trashy Books

 
“Scorchingly sensual, utterly delicious! P. C. Cast is a true master of her craft.”

 
GODDESS OF THE SEA
GODDESS OF SPRING
GODDESS OF LIGHT
GODDESS OF THE ROSE
GODDESS OF LOVE
WARRIOR RISING

 
Anthologies

 
MYSTERIA
(with MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, and Gena Showalter)

MYSTERIA LANE
(with MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, and Gena Showalter)

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

 
Copyright © 2003 by P. C. Cast.

 
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form
without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation
of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
BERKLEY SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

eISBN : 978-0-425-22688-9

 
PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / October 2003
Berkley Sensation trade paperback edition / October 2008 
The Library of Congress has cataloged a prior edition under LCCN: 2004572953. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you, Meredith Bernstein, for being a wonderful agent. Your support and belief in me are priceless.

 
Christine Zika, you are a pleasure to work with. Your insight is invaluable; you truly are the Goddess Editor.

 
Thanks, Mom, for letting me borrow your maiden name.

 
Rachael Ryan, thank you for your enthusiasm, you're a great first reader.

 
And a special thank-you to the students in my second-hour Creative Writing II class for the helpful brainstorming. Hope you like your cameos!

 
FROM THE TAO TE CHING

Part One

CHAPTER ONE

ARMS filled with groceries, CC struggled to pull her key from the lock and push the door shut behind her with her foot. Automatically, she glanced up at the clock in the foyer of her spacious apartment. Seven thirty already. It had taken her an eternity to finish things up at the Communication Center and then stop by the package store and the commissary. After that, fighting the traffic from Tinker Air Force Base had been like driving through axle-deep mud. To add to her frustration, she had tried to take a shortcut home and had ended up taking a wrong turn. Soon she was hopelessly lost. A kind soul at a Quick Trip had given her directions, and she had felt compelled to explain to him that she was lost only because she had been stationed at Tinker for just three months, and she hadn't had time to learn her way around yet.

The man had patted her shoulder like she was a puppy and asked, “What is a young little thing like you doing in the air force?” CC had treated the question rhetorically, thanked him and driven away, face hot with embarrassment.

Understandably, her already harried nerves jumped at the insistent sound of her ringing phone.

“Hang on! I'm coming!” she yelled and rushed into the kitchen, plopping the bags unceremoniously onto the spotless counter and lunging for the phone.

“Hello,” she panted into the dead sound of a dial tone that was broken only by the rhythmic bleat of her answering machine. “Well, at least they left a message.” CC sighed and carried the phone with her back to the kitchen, punching in her message retrieval code. With one hand she held the phone to her ear, and with the other, she extracted twin bottles of champagne from one of the bags.