by Amy Sumida
“Do you resent Dionysus for changing your will?” I whispered.
“No,” Drakon said. “Maybe that was part of the magic. Whatever it was, Pan, I'm grateful for it. I'm a much happier person now.”
“Just fishing on an island,” I noted.
“With you.” His knee bumped mine. “You know, you're rather easy to talk to–for a gift from the gods.”
“I was a punishment,” I said sadly, “not a gift.”
“You were a punishment for Epimetheus, but for me, you're a gift.” He put his pole aside and turned to me. “You've changed my life, Pandora, several times over. I was a farmer once, in service to Epimetheus. Then you opened that jar and released evil into the world. Epimetheus recruited me to become a soldier, but it was all because of you. You made me a warrior.”
“I'm sorry,” I whispered.
“I'm not.” He took my hand, and I put aside my pole as well. “Life did look bleak once those evils spread over the world. But then I was chosen to accompany you. Before we even reached this island, my heart began to change. I watched you, staring out across the sea, clinging to that jar of hope while looking so hopeless yourself. I've never seen anything so tragically beautiful. I started toward you several times and had to stop myself. I've never felt such a strong urge to simply hold someone.”
I felt tears spring to my eyes, and Drakon's hand went to my face to brush them away.
“Yet you never cried,” Drakon said, “and you never faltered. You went forward bravely, into a destiny that was far worse than mine. I admired you for that and hated myself for being a part of your pain.”
“I had no choice, and neither did you.”
“And yet you cry now,” he observed. “Why, Pandora?”
“Because now, I know you, all of you, and I think of you as my friends. It hurts to know that I've pulled good men into this banishment with me.”
“So, you're crying for me?” Drakon asked in surprise. “For us?”
I blinked and looked away.
“How is it possible for you to become even more wonderful?” He whispered as he angled my face to his.
Drakon stared into my eyes, then slowly lowered his lips to mine. I gasped at the shock of that first contact. So sweet and soft. Epimetheus had been demanding–almost abusive in his passion, but Drakon had love in his lips, and he poured it into me. I surged up to meet him, sliding my arms around his shoulders to pull him closer. He groaned and deepened the kiss.
The smell of man overpowered that of the forest, and my head was filled with Drakon. I rejoiced in holding him, in having someone in my arms at last, but even more in the way he held me. The care he put into every touch was such a contrast to his obvious strength. This warrior was more gentle with me than my Titan ex-husband. Drakon showed me more love than a god, and this was only our first kiss.
Drakon gentled it even further and pulled back from me to stare at me softly. Then he eased me onto his lap and just held me, laying his cheek to mine as we stared out at the river together.
“Straton will be furious,” he finally whispered as he picked up his pole. He angled it so that I could hold it with him. “But, honestly, I don't care anymore.”
“I care about Straton,” I whispered. “I care for you all.”
“I know, Pan”–he kissed my temple–“and they know it too.”
“They do?”
“You've been rather obvious in your pursuit.” Drakon chuckled.
“Yes, but that's just lust,” I scoffed.
“We know you well enough by now to see through that,” he chided me. “You're not the kind of woman to lust where you haven't first loved.”
“Humph.” I made a face at him. “Mighty full of yourselves.”
“Not if it's true.” Drakon laughed. “Stop protesting, Pandora. It's nothing to be ashamed of.”
“You don't think it's shameful for one woman to want five men?”
“Our situation is different than most others.” He shrugged. “We've been charged to protect you, to look after you. There are other women on the island, but we have focused on you so intently, for so long now, that none of us could ever stomach the thought of touching another woman. Why do you think we call you 'Pan?' You are our everything, Pandora.”
“Oh,” I whispered.
Drakon kissed me again, just a chaste peck, but it felt like heaven.
“So, you're saying that it makes sense for all of us to be together?” I lifted a brow at him.
“It makes sense, it feels right, and it seems like a natural progression. We all love you; we have for awhile now. We only want what's best for you,” Drakon's eyes darkened to moss-green. “So, what do you think, Pan; do you have enough love for all of us? Are we what's best for you?”
“I think you are,” I whispered. “I think that loving the five of you shall be my greatest adventure.”
Chapter Eight
We were on our way back to the tree, holding hands instead of the basket, when a sharp, warning whistle echoed to us. The pixies had spotted sailors in the woods. Drakon dropped our basket of fish, pulled his sword, and shoved me behind him. We scanned the forest and soon saw two of Captain Kadmos's men approaching. They smiled wickedly and rushed us.
Drakon was easily managing the sailors, who were unbelievably overconfident, when another sharp whistle sounded, and I realized why they were so brave. Two other men were sneaking up behind us.
I picked up a fishing pole and ran at the other two before they had a chance to approach us. Drakon gave me a worried glance but he was too busy fighting off his two men. The sailors I approached laughed at me, thinking that I was an easy target. I smiled back and struck out at one of them with the pole, just as Straton had taught me to do with a sword. It left a nasty gash in the man's cheek, and he hissed in pain. As he did so, his companion attacked me, but I leapt into the air... and hovered there.
As the men gaped, I kicked them in their faces, one after the other. They went down in seconds. I put my fists on my hips and floated back to the ground in satisfaction. When I turned around, I found Drakon staring at me with wide eyes, his assailants lying unconscious at his feet.
“What was... did you just... Pan, you were floating,” he stammered.
“Oh, yeah, Tinker Bell taught me to fly,” I said nonchalantly.
“Tink taught you to fly?” Drakon rubbed a hand over his face. “Okay, that's... sure, why not?”
“I'm a goddess, you know?” I teased him as I strode up and took his hand. “I have magic of my own. So, Tinker Bell was able to teach me to use it.”
“You're a goddess? Who told you that?”
“My mother,” I said as we started walking, “Aphrodite.”
Drakon couldn't speak for five full minutes.
Chapter Nine
“She can fly!” Drakon said to the others as soon as we were safely within the tree.
“What's this now?” Straton turned to scowl at us.
Damn the man; he was even beautiful when he scowled.
“We were attacked by some of Kadmos's men in the forest,” Drakon explained. “I was battling of two of them when two more snuck up behind us. Pandora beat on one with a fishing pole and then floated up to kick them both in the head.”
“Since when can you fly?” Akylas asked.
“Since when can you fight?” Praxis added.
“And what else can you do?” Erastos had a sexy, speculative gleam in his eyes.
“Tinker Bell taught me to fly,” I said. “I had to do some meditation and focus on happy thoughts.”
“Can I fly if I think of... happy things?” Erastos purred.
“No, because you're not a goddess,” Drakon dropped the other bomb.
“You're a goddess?” Praxis eyed me up and then huffed. “Should have known. I mean, just look at her.”
I smiled brightly at him. “Thank you.”
“We knew she was made by the gods,” Akylas reminded them.
“Yes, but being a godd
ess herself is a little different,” Drakon muttered. “We were made by a god too, but we're not magical.”
“If you're a goddess, why didn't you defend yourself when Epimetheus sent you away?” Straton was more skeptical.
“I just found out that I'm a goddess,” I said. “And I'm only the Goddess of Hope. I have magic, but so far, all I've learned to do with it is fly.”
“Hmm,” Straton murmured to himself as he paced, and the other men watched him carefully. Finally, he nodded and went upstairs to his room.
“What was that?” I asked.
“I'm not sure.” Drakon's hand slipped into mine as his gaze drifted to the ceiling.
“And what is this?” Erastos looked at our clasped hands with interest.
“I'm not denying the way I feel for Pandora anymore,” Drakon declared. “And I don't think any of you should either.”
“Straton is going to lose his mind,” Akylas noted, but he also looked intrigued.
“We don't have to tell him right away.” Drakon smirked. “We could keep this between the five of us and slowly ease him into it.”
“Into what?” Erastos looked from Drakon to me. “Are you saying what I hope you're saying.”
“Well, I am the Goddess of Hope.” I smirked.
“All of us?” Praxis gaped at me. “Truly?”
“Why not?” Drakon asked them. “There is no one here to ostracize us or criticize us. If we want to share one woman, what's to stop us?”
“Uh, Straton, as I said,” Akylas huffed.
“He'll come around,” Erastos murmured as he slid up to me. “To be with you, I would risk far more than Straton's wrath. The only reason I've held back till now is that Straton insisted that it would be an abuse of our power over you.”
“And he said we'd end up fighting after you picked one of us,” Praxis added.
“But if you're willing to be with us all,” Akylas said with a smile, “then his arguments hold no weight.”
Straton's footsteps on the stairs silenced us, and Drakon eased his hand out of mine. But the men smiled at me encouragingly, and I smiled back. My heart was pounding wildly in my chest with my excitement.
“This is for you,” Straton said as he walked over to me. He held out a short, slim sword in a sheath. “I'm proud of you, Pandora. You've only begun to train, and you've already defended yourself with skill and innovation.”
I accepted the sword with a sigh of pleasure. It was beautiful, with a silver handle engraved with flowers, and light in my hand. I unsheathed it and admired the thin but sharp blade.
“It's wonderful,” I whispered. “Thank you, Straton.”
“You've earned it.” Straton nodded.
“Where did you get that thing?” Drakon asked as he leaned closer to inspect the sword.
“Kadmos's hold. It was full of what appeared to be stolen property.” Straton grimaced. “It seems that the Captain wasn't just transporting Epimetheus's goods, he had a side business. I knew we'd need more weapons, so I commandeered a few pieces.”
“They're pirates?” Akylas growled. “And you didn't tell us?”
“It doesn't matter now.” Straton shrugged. “They are our enemies either way, and they've no one to pirate anymore.”
“That explains why they were so furious to be confined to this island,” I mused. “I can understand some anger, but their reactions were extreme.”
“That's true,” Straton agreed. “I hadn't thought of that.”
“Yes, the 'I'm going to kill you, you rancid bitch' was a bit much,” Erastos drawled.
We all stared at him a moment before we burst into laughter.
“What else did they have in their hold?” I asked Straton with a lifted brow.
“No,” he said, and then went even sterner when the others began to smile. “No; we are not going looking for trouble.”
“Please,” Praxis rolled his eyes, “it's an island, it's not like we can hide from it. Trouble finds us.”
“Might as well confront it first,” Drakon added.
“Dear gods, help us,” Straton murmured.
“Strat, we have a goddess with us,” Akylas waved his hand toward me. “How can we possibly fail?”
Chapter Ten
The pirate ship–as we now knew it to be–was moored in Neverland's bay. The pirates had built a dock and a village of huts on shore, but there was always a skeleton crew guarding the ship. We surveyed it from a cliff above the harbor, and sent Tinker Bell closer, to get a better look. She reported back that there were three men on deck and two–that she could see from peering into portholes–below.
We made our way down to the beach, and then Tink called to the mermaids. Neverland was created to protect me, and her inhabitants (at least the magical ones) were always kind to me. So, when the mermaids heard what we had planned, they eagerly agreed to help us. Let's just say that Captain Kadmos hadn't made any friends in Neverland.
Laren was among the mermaids who answered Tinker Bell's call, and he hurried over to me when I ventured into the water. He held a hand out to me with a wide grin, showcasing his sharp teeth.
“Hold on one moment,” Straton growled as the merman's arms slid around me.
“What's wrong?” I asked him innocently.
The mermaids were smiling at the men, urging them forward with open arms. I wasn't jealous at all. I knew my boys would never fall in love with a mermaid, so what was the harm in a little embrace? Straton, though, looked upset to see me pressed up against Laren's slick chest. I recalled my mother's instructions as I laid my palm against Laren's solid chest. Aphrodite had said that men needed a challenge, and, if possible, a rival. Nothing got the blood flowing like a little competition.
“Come on, Strat,” Drakon said as he waded into the arms of a mermaid. “You joining us, or are you going to wait on shore with Tink?”
“I'm not waiting here,” Tinker Bell grumbled. “I want to have some fun too. I scouted; I think I should be allowed to join in the actual adventure.”
“Absolutely, Tink,” I reassured her, and she settled.
“I'm coming,” Straton grumbled as he stepped into the water.
A beautiful mermaid swam up to him, and he grudgingly put his arms around her waist.
“Kiss me,” Laren whispered in my ear.
“What?” I pulled back a little, staring up into his completely blue eyes.
“I need to share my breath with you if we're to travel underwater. We thought it would be more acceptable coming from members of the opposite sex–mermaids for your men and a merman for you. Do you not want to kiss me, Pandora?”
“I... um ...”
“You showed me the sky,” Laren murmured. “Now, let me show you my world.”
“I do want to see your world,” I said softly.
I glanced over at the others and saw them all pressing their lips to the mermaids, but it wasn't a normal kiss. There was magic tingling near their mouths, and the mermaids seemed to be breathing into the men. Straton was arguing with his mermaid, as I was with mine.
“Straton,” I called to him, and he turned to me. “They're trying to share their ability to breathe underwater. It's a kindness, and we shouldn't refuse it.”
“It's just a kiss,” Erastos teased Straton. “Haven't you ever kissed a girl?”
“Shut up,” Straton growled.
“Just kiss the girl,” I said to him and then lifted my lips to Laren.
Laren smiled and covered my mouth with his. His tongue licked at me until I opened my mouth wide, and then he breathed into me. I felt a rush of oxygen fill my lungs, brightening into an effervescent tingle. I gasped, pulling it in deeper, and Laren pulled me tighter to him. He moaned, rubbing against me, and I felt something prodding the juncture of my thighs.
I eased away, and Laren smiled seductively, his eyes heavy-lidded with lust. I looked down his wet body, to the scales that began at his hips. A little further down, just below the surface of the water, the scales bulged out and had s
tarted to split. I glimpsed a fleshy, pink tip pushing at the scales.
“My apologies,” Laren murmured as he rubbed a hand over the split, urging his manhood back under the scales. “That was more erotic than I'd expected.”
Before I could answer, Straton had Laren by the throat and was pulling a fist back to punch him.
“Straton!” I pushed between the men and yanked at Straton's hands. “Release him; he's helping us.”
“He just helped himself to your body,” Straton growled.
“Enough,” Laren said as he wrapped a hand around Straton's wrist and removed it easily. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head. I followed his gaze to find more mermen closing in on us. “I understand, earth-walker. Believe me, I understand.” Laren smiled at me. “But I have no intentions towards your woman. A fish can love a bird, but where will they live?”
We all looked back and forth between the men, and finally, Straton took a deep breath and nodded.
“Yes, just so,” Straton murmured. “And she's not my woman. Forgive my brutish behavior.”
“It's forgotten,” Laren said generously.
Straton went back to his mermaid and pulled her against his chest as he stared at me. He continued to hold my gaze as he kissed her, and took her breath into himself. Oh, so that's what jealousy feels like. And yet, my emotions were tempered with excitement. I had never seen Straton look so lustfully on me.
“Are we done with all of the dramatics?” Erastos asked in a bored tone.
“We're done,” Straton said as he took the mermaid's hand. “Let's get this over with.”
I turned and looked up at Laren. He shook his head with a smile.
“That one,” he whispered to me, “will be trouble for you, sweet Pan.”
