Strange Love

"AND this little bastard comes strutting through the house with tentacle suction marks all across his back!" Ry exclaimed knocking back the remainder of the 'scotch'. His laughter died off as he set his glass down and eyed Fern. The man was the only one at the table not laughing. Instead, an angry twitch continued to flick in his weak jaw. "Come on Ferny boy, even you have to laugh at that one." He nodded to the untouched glass in front of Fern. "Don't tell me your own fine scotch isn't up to your standards."

Drake realized the massive man was baiting the so-called king. "Is there something wrong with the drink that I should be aware of?"

Fern snarled his upper lip. "The drink is fine." He growled. "It's the company I have an issue with. He turned his attention to Russ. "Can you not ask your guard dog to wait outside like a good boy?"

Ry's lips curved up into a devilish smile. "I prefer bear thank you. And you should really watch yourself, Ferny boy. This bear is more than a millennia older than you."

Poseidon smacked him on the back as he lifted his glass. "Bottoms up, in a toast to fast love, a fun f.u.c.k, and a clean break."

Russ snorted as he lifted his glass. "I wouldn't agree with any of that... maybe on her part, that was all she thought of me... but I truly believed myself to be in love, to have found the one." He kicked back the drink emptying the glass.

Ry let out an indignant huff. "If that's what you truly believed, maybe you should have considered treating her better. It was your treatment of her that drove her away, nothing else."

Russ glared at him. "Yeah, I'm sure it had nothing to do with your f.u.c.k.i.n.g brother..." He held his glass out to Poseidon. "Hit me again, Don." He watched as the glass was filled again then tossed it back as well. "It doesn't matter, she never planned to stay with me anyway..."

"Love sucks..." Mattie slurred, his head resting on the table.

"You can say that again!" Russ said raising the glass in a toast. He glared over to his uncle. "You really going to sit there and not even have one drink with us? I thought this was your prized scotch that was going to save the people."

Fern narrowed his eyes at Russ but seeing that everyone at the table had turned their attention to him, he begrudgingly lifted the glass. "I'm not much of a drinker myself, so excuse me if I'm not as excited to become inebriated as you all seem to be."

Poseidon chuckled as he lifted his glass in a toast toward the two vampires before cl.i.c.k.i.n.g his glass against Fern's. "In the great words of Humphrey Bogart: The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind. So, catch up ya bastards!" He emptied the glass in one drink, a sly smile hidden by its rim as Fern followed suit. Before the glass could lower in Fern's hand, he grabbed the decanter and quickly refilled it. "Uno moss!"

Fern glared as he. "I've had enough." He tried to hide a slur but the drugs in the scotch were already beginning to take effect. He lifted his hands and clapped. A servant quickly appeared and bowed beside him. "Send for my personal guard." He pushed the drink away and stood, hoping to make it out of the room before his condition became noticeable. He could feel their eyes burning into his back as he made his exit. He threw up a hand. "Have a nice night, men."

Poseidon, Ry, and Giorgos exchanged knowing glances as Russ slid his glass back to Poseidon. "I need something stronger... The Jos convo still has me a bit pissy..." He bent and began digging through the bags they'd brought in. Lifting a bottle and drinking directly from it, he arched a brow toward Drake. "Are you just going to watch?" He nodded toward the untouched glass.

Drake shook his head as he slid the glass away from him. "I'm not drinking this... I don't know how you guys did it without passing out, but I know better than to test my own fate." He nodded to Mattie. "Will he be alright?"

Ry shrugged. "We can help you get him back to your rooms... and if you stay there, you'll both be perfectly safe."

Drake frowned. "That almost sounds like a threat."

Ry shrugged. "Not if you do as I said. Stay inside your rooms the rest of the night."

The frown on Drake's handsome face deepened. His bright green eyes moved from Ry to Russ. "I know what you're up to. I wasn't sure how you were going to do it, and I have to say it was very interesting watching it all unravel-"

Ry glared at him. "If you 'know' what we're doing then you also know you should stay out of our way."

Drake shook his head. "I want to help." He sat forward. "You don't understand, I have as much against that asshole uncle of yours as you do!" He said holding Russ's gaze. "He was personally responsible for the downfall of my family, and I want revenge."

Ry crossed his thick arms over his c.h.e.s.t as he set back. "And you think we are the way to achieve that? Not likely. We have no reason to trust you."

Drake let out a heavy sigh. "I figured you'd say that... but I have something you need... I know what Fernando has been up to and I know when his next deals are going down."

***

Jos let out a long sigh as Arei pushed up from the tub behind her. The water had gotten cold nearly an hour ago, but they'd remained inside cuddling and talking with relaxed ease. Her gaze moved from his extended hand to his gentle smile. "Can't we just stay in here a little while longer?" She w.h.i.n.ed as she sunk lower into the cool waters.

Arei chuckled. "Come on, at least we can move out of the cold water back to the bed." He motioned to her with his fingers. "Take my hand and I'll help you up."

Jos g.r.o.a.n.e.d in protest as she took his hand and let him tug her up. She winced as she stepped over the tub. Her eyes quickly met his. He'd definitely noticed. Worried eyes held hers. "I'm alright, I promise. As long as you stop insisting that I heal myself, eventually, my body will adjust."

Arei frowned as he bent and scooped her into his arms. "As much as I want that, I'm not sure how much longer I can simply stand around doing nothing knowing I'm the one who caused you this pain."

Jos stroked his beard. "I'm not in pain... just mild discomfort... like riding a horse way too long..."

He arched a brow. "Puns intended?" He turned his head and kissed the fingers that had been running through his beard. "If you don't feel like going downstairs it's fine with me. Just keep in mind Scylla and Chary won't be able to travel as easily to see us. The enchantments of father's palace are all that keep their cursed forms at bay this time of year."

Jos let out a long breath as she nodded. "I want to enjoy our last night here with everyone."

He smiled as he set her on the edge of the bed and walked over to her luggage. Bending down beside it he asked. "What would you like to wear, and I'll help you dress."

Her cheeks heated as she glanced away. "You don't have to do that. I can manage."

He stood back up and walked back to the bed. He lowered into a squat, resting his hands on either side of her h.i.p.s. "I know you can, kitten, but I want to help you. Will you let me help you with this?" He placed a kiss on her knee as he waited for her answer.

Jos swallowed hard as she searched his brilliant eyes for anything other than love and care, but nothing could be found. She forced herself to nod. "Alright... There's a maxi dress in there. Then I won't have to bother with u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r..." She couldn't help a light giggle as his eyes widened. "What? I figured it would be more comfortable that way."

His lips curved mischievously, "I'll not argue any reason you give for not wearing them under your dress. In fact, if you chose to never wear them again, I'll fully support that."

Jos rolled her eyes unable to fight against the easy smile that seemed to have taken up permanent residence on her face. "Of course you would... now what about my dress? Unless you would also support me returning to our waiting friends and family as I left them?"

Arei pushed up out of his crouch and pressed his lips to hers. "Though I'd love to watch you walk around in nothing more than those adorable lacy p.a.n.t.i.e.s, I'd prefer it to be a show for my eyes alone. I'd hate for Chary to seduce you away from me." He winked as he stood once again.

Jos laughed heartily as she watched him search her bags for the long dress. "I'm sure your sister wouldn't cheat on Scylla with me even if I were willing." She pointed to one of the two dresses he'd just lifted. "Yep, that one."

Arei pushed himself up from the floor and walked over to her, his brows arched in amus.e.m.e.nt. "Trust me she would seduce you if she wanted and Scylla would be more than happy to join. It's true they rarely let men into their relationship, but they have welcomed in other women over the years."

Jos's eyes widened in surprise. "Is that common... I mean I know the gods take on multiple partners frequently... do... is it like that too with demigods?"

Understanding her unspoken question, he cupped his free hand against her cheek. "Trust me, kitten, there will always only ever be you for me. I'll never get bored or tire of you." He bent and kissed her lips tenderly. "It's only been you for the majority of my life." He held her gaze until the uncertainty vanished. He straightened and lifted the dress. "Now lift your arms."

She did as he asked, watching in amus.e.m.e.nt as he struggled to figure out the workings of the built-in bra and the many fastenings of the back. "Still want to dress me?" She teased as he fumbled with the strings.

"Hum... And you complain about having to remove a single belt." He murmured as he struggled with the delicate material between his thick fingers.

Once he was finished, he walked over to his own bag and pulled on a pair of thin sweatpants and a form-fitting tee. Giggling from behind him brought his attention around to her. He arched his brows and tried to mask his own amus.e.m.e.nt behind faux seriousness. Her eyes twinkled up at him from behind the hand that hid her mouth. "And what is so damn funny." He didn't even try to hide the amus.e.m.e.nt from his voice.

"You!" She giggled from around her hand.

A mischievous smile curved his lips as he lumbered lazily toward her. He bent over her placing his hands on either side of her. "And what about me is so amusing to you?" His words came out as a husky purr.

Her smile faded as she lifted the hand that had covered her mouth to his soft beard. "You... everything about you is a contradiction..." She ran her fingers through his beard before letting her hand trail down the thick column of his neck and across his c.h.e.s.t, her eyes memorizing every inch of him as they followed her hands.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "What about me do you find so controversial?"

Her hand glided down the bulging muscles of his arms, her eyes still trailing them. "You're such a large, powerful being... yet you're so gentle and caring... We're in a palace and you're getting ready to traipse around it in your favorite sweats." Her eyes met his. "I've caused you so much pain over the past several months, yet you were so tender with me earlier."

"Hum..." A low considering growl rumbled his throat as he studied her, brushing her slightly damp hair back away from her face. "I don't hold any of the past months against you. I realize it was wrong of me to automatically want to be what we once were... to think you hadn't at least tried to move on whether I had or not-"

"It wasn't like that, though." Jos interrupted.

He settled a finger against her lips. "I don't care how it was. I don't hold it against you even if you had thought the worst of me and wanted to make a life with someone else, as I hope by now you don't hold our time apart against me." He replaced his fingers with his lips. "I'm ready to move my focus and energy to our future, aren't you?"

Jos nodded as she pressed her head against his c.h.e.s.t. She could feel the slight heating of her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "You always make me feel like such a child..."

He tugged her arms away from him and pushed away from the bed to better study her eyes. "How so? I assure you it wasn't my intention, and I promise, I've never thought of you as such."

She shrugged in added embarrassment. "Just the way you speak to me sometimes..."

He frowned as he tugged her up beside him. "I apologize. I'll work to do better."

She frowned against the dull ache still between her t.h.i.g.hs as she directed her focus toward the door. "It's fine, I prefer your honest reactions."

Jos was about to crumble by the time they'd reached the library. The ache between her legs was no joke. She had silently cursed every single step of the three-story spiral staircase leading down into the library. She forced her body across the landing toward the rowdy group with as much grace as she could muster, but the second the first chair came into reach she found herself flopping down into it. Several sets of amused eyes met hers and a frozen drink was quickly handed to her. Arei settled on the chaise beside her and tossed his arm across the back, lazily running his fingers through her hair as he spoke to the others. Their teasing words came together in a chaotic blur as she first sampled the drink then decided to rest the cup between her aching t.h.i.g.hs. Lips pressed against the side of her head as she realized she'd released an audible sigh of relief.

"Are you sure you don't want to go for a swim first? We can always come back." Arei whispered against her ear for only her to hear.

"I'm fine... I blame it on all those stairs." She murmured in embarrassment.

He chuckled, "They've never bothered you before." He was interrupted before he could press her further. Chary, who was now mostly dressed in one of her signature cherry-red bikinis tossed a scarf at them.

"Come dance with us! Enjoy yourselves before you have to go back to the real world tomorrow!" Chary called out.

Jos m.o.a.n.e.d as she shifted the drink. "I'll pass for now..."

Chary's eyes sparkled with mischief from Jos to Arei. "Peg told us about your little shopping trip... We had figured that's where the two of you vanished to."

Peg came up beside Chary and flung his arm over her shoulder. "And from the looks of it, he tried to use them all at once." He nodded toward the frozen drink between Jos's t.h.i.g.hs.

A devilish smile spread across Arei's lips. "We didn't use the toys if you must know."

Peg arched a brow as Jos hid her face in her hands. "Well then, maybe you should have..."

Arei pretended to look around the room intensely. "Don't you have your own wife to harass and bother?"

He shrugged. "Sure, I'll just go let her know the bag of s.e.x toys and the hour of my life involved in picking them out were a waste..."

Arei had the good graces to blush as aqua eyes shot up at him for confirmation. "He helped you pick them?!"

Arei ran his hand over his hair as a nervous smile spread across his lips. "Yea... about that..."