Electric Idol

Eros finds himself looking forward to the permanence of marriage, however unlikely he once thought it would be. He is pleased when Psyche clearly takes in that he has decorated the room and flowers to match her dress and that the guests are in a similar array of black, red, and silver. As she and Psyche approach, Demeter tells Eros, “If you do anything to bring my daughter harm in any way, I will gut you and leave you for my pigs” (164). During the ceremony, Eros is overcome with emotion and kisses Psyche passionately after the exchange of vows. Demeter reminds both of them that family dinner attendance every Sunday is mandatory.

Persephone repeats her threats to hurt Eros if necessary, and they banter about how her threats do not match her public image. Eris and Helen Kasios appear, with Eris openly gloating at the prospect of Aphrodite’s rage. Psyche is nonplussed, assuring both sisters that she trusts Eros to outmaneuver his mother. Helen responds warmly, inviting them both to her next party.

Psyche and the photographer discuss what images she wants to capture, and Eros is amused when she tells the man casually that he can feel free to sell one of the images, but only the posed shot of her choosing. Eros teases Psyche for being just as calculating as the rest of her family, and Psyche admits that life in Olympus requires ruthlessness. Eros, touched by Psyche’s meditative streak, assures her that she is nothing like him and tells her, “It takes someone special to live among monsters and not become one” (170). He urges Psyche to come upstairs for dinner since they are likely safe for the night. When he admits that Aphrodite is likely to manufacture a scandal now that her first murder attempt has failed, Psyche remains undeterred, reminding Eros that she is adept at public relations.

Psyche is touched and grateful for Eros’s wedding decorations, but she is also exhausted and anxious about the future. In a particularly vulnerable moment, Psyche points out that it would be the perfect scheme for Eros to marry her and then murder her as his mother wishes. He responds sharply, “You’re mine now and I protect what’s mine” (174). Psyche realizes that if Eros did not care about her, he could have arranged a sham wedding without paying attention to her tastes.

Putting her hands on his chest, Psyche suggests that their “one time” having sex could last until sunrise. Eros tells her to be direct so that he knows exactly what she consents to, and she tells him that she would like to have sex that night. Eros agrees but asks for more chances to prove their sexual chemistry. Psyche resists the idea, reminding Eros that she has never seen him with a long-term partner in all her years in Olympus. Eros reminds her that that his history of casual dating could have more than one explanation. Psyche, when pressed, realizes that Eros avoids attachments in order to protect any partners from his mother.

As they casually touch each other, Psyche insists again that she cannot commit to a sexual relationship beyond their wedding night. Eros admits that he is desperate to be with her again. Psyche finally agrees, saying, “For as long as we’re married, you can attempt to seduce me” (178). Psyche takes in her own flushed reflection as Eros eagerly removes her wedding dress and corset. She is surprised to see that his hands are not steady and is certain that she is imagining it. Eros shocks her even more when he declares, “If I take off my pants, I’m going to be inside you, and if I’m inside you, this will be over too quickly. Don’t rush me” (180). Eros penetrates Psyche with his fingers, asking her to watch in the mirror. Watching his face, Psyche decides that he is entirely sincere in his desire for her. In the aftermath of her orgasm, the intensity of Eros’s gaze makes Psyche realize that she is in danger of falling in love.

Eros feels some guilt over robbing Psyche of a more romantic marriage and wedding, though marriages for political reasons are not uncommon among the Olympian elite. Eros is privately resolved to distract her with more orgasms, giving Psyche more reason to stay with him even if she does not truly care for him. Eros eagerly kisses his way down Psyche’s body and is overcome when she says his name during her orgasm. As he prepares a condom, he tells her, “Let me have you, Psyche,” and then reflects, “The words are wrong. They mean too much, reveal too much” (167). The two have intense sex.

Eros gets more condoms, and Psyche smiles but tells him that she wants to shower first. Eros feels victorious when she takes his hand, seeing it as proof that she is no longer afraid to casually touch him. When they return to the bed, Eros tells her, “I want you. The sun isn’t up yet. Do you want more?” (191). Psyche agrees, and Eros kisses her, relieved.

The next morning, Psyche tries to tell Eros that they should not have sex again. He briefly worries that she regrets the previous night, but Psyche assures him that she enthusiastically consented. However, she does not trust that their attraction will last. Eros remains undeterred, reminding her of their chance meeting in the bathroom and insisting that he was drawn to her even then. Psyche is still anxious, reminding him that their marriage cannot involve emotion. Privately, Psyche fears that “restricting sex to [the] wedding night is the only way to keep [her] heart intact” (197).

Eros assures Psyche that he only wants to be with her if she is truly enthusiastic. He understands her need for distance, saying, “There’s no reason a woman like you would want to be linked to a man like me more than you already are, and I’ll respect that” (198). Psyche is overcome by the idea that she has hurt Eros, and her resolve crumbles. She touches his arm and tells him that she has changed her mind. Eros performs oral sex on Psyche until she is overwhelmed. After she recovers, Eros is touched when she insists on reciprocating. She notes that he is “almost confused at the idea that [she wants] to take care of him too” (203). Psyche revels in the sense of power she feels as Eros lets her take the more dominant role.

After Psyche performs oral sex, Eros pins her beneath him. When Psyche asks what he is thinking, he confesses to various fantasies, including bondage or sex without a condom. As their sex grows more passionate, Eros tells her, “I’m the one who makes you feel that way. I’ll do it again, whenever you need me” (210). Eros is overcome by the intensity of their chemistry. He feels selfish for wanting Psyche to stay in Olympus but knows that he cannot face a life without her. Psyche asks him if all his physical relationships are so intense, and Eros admits, “I never lose control enough to be overwhelming. Not with anyone but you” (212). Psyche teasingly suggests that they continue having sex, as they are still in bed. Eros joyfully agrees.

Struggling with her feelings, Psyche asks Eros to let her shower in private and does her best to marshal her emotions. She forces herself to look content and happy for a series of selfies to post later. She then joins Eros in the kitchen, relieved when he begins discussing their first public outing as a married couple. She asks for his input and is relieved when he opts for a walk in the gardens and drinks rather than a formal meal to build up their romance. He asks why Psyche would even consult him, given her expertise, and he urges her to “stop doubting [her]self” (218).

Psyche takes in the minimalist dining room as they eat, surprised to see that it is barely used. Eros tells her that even in his childhood, family meals were not common. He indicates that the mirrors were his mother’s idea. Psyche offers to decorate in her own style in a few rooms, and Eros agrees happily. She soon breaks their companionable silence to ask how Eros came to find himself doing so many cruel and distasteful tasks for his mother. He explains that it began more righteously when he leaked incriminating photos to oust a former prominent Olympian and expose his sexual abuse of a young girl named Daphne. Then, at age 19, Eros killed a man who threatened his mother. Over time, her requests became far less noble, but by then, he struggled to say no. Psyche finds Aphrodite’s intentional manipulation of Eros horrific but reminds herself that he could have made different choices in adulthood.

Psyche decides to tell Eros some of her own secrets in order to reassure him that he is not the only one implicated in the moral compromises of Olympus. She confides that she was the one who leaked a recording of Ares complaining about the Kasios children; this move alienated him from Zeus. Psyche explains that she did this to prevent a marriage between Ares and her sister Eurydice. Psyche recalls her sister’s affair with Orpheus and her own sense as a younger woman that no one in Olympus was truly safe to confide in. She fears that being with Eros could prove “another hard lesson that [she is] destined to learn through pain” (227).