Aella moved around, picking up towels and throwing them at the two men. He gazed around them, watching for nearby boats. They were alone for now, but you never knew when another craft would approach. This wasn’t exactly empty water around here. It was a miracle that Aella had never been seen by a human while in the waters before now. She took entirely too many risks swimming as a mermaid so close to shore. The residents of Foca on the mainland of Turkey were always out fishing in these parts and the tourists flocked here almost year round.
He reluctantly wrapped the towel around his waist, sitting down on one of the bench seats. Pythias sprawled beside him, unashamedly nude, placing his own towel on the seat to his left. Aella perched across from them, wrapped shoulder to calf in a thick terry cloth robe. Damon had an insane urge to rip it off her body, but they had a few things that needed to be taken care of first.
Rolling his shoulders, he tried to figure out where to start. As usual, Pythias grew tired of the wait, and forged ahead. He’d always been the more impatient of the two. Damon had always preferred to think things through before acting, looking at it from all angles.
“We believe that one of our common enemies has set his sights on you. We feared that he might be after you and that is why we’re here. It’s --”
“Pythias, perhaps we should start at the beginning.” Damon shook his head, studying the confused expression on Aella’s face. She nodded, twisting her hands in her lap.
Damon took a deep breath. This was going to be hard for her to believe, but she was the daughter of Poseidon after all. She would have to be a little open minded to be able to deal with learning she was a mermaid and the daughter of a Greek god. This wasn’t all that different. “Have you ever heard the legend of Damon and Pythias?”
“Is that a joke?” Aella frowned, wrinkling her nose.
Damon smiled. Damn, they’d been blessed with her. She was adorable, although she’d probably hurt him if he actually said that out loud.
Get to the story, and stop mooning after our mate. Pythias snorted, his amusement evident.
“Please, I’m serious.”
She sighed, rolling her eyes. “There was a story told back in the day, when the majority of people actually believed in my father, about two men called Damon and Pythias. Everyone’s heard the legend.”
“Humor me. Tell me what you’ve heard.”
“Let me guess, you two were named after the men and you were destined to be as good of friends as them?”
“Aella, unless you want to be turned over my knee, would you just tell the story.”
Her eyes widened and her gaze fell to his lap. Licking her bottom lip, she definitely looked interested. Damon swallowed his groan, shifting to relieve the sudden pressure of his towel. Glancing to the side, he noticed Pyth had a similar problem although his hard on wasn’t hidden by the folds of a towel. No, it was jutting proudly in front of him. Damon grinned wickedly, meeting his friend’s gaze.
“Uh, right, the legend. Umm, Damon and Pythias were friends. They did something to anger Dionysius in Syracuse. He was apparently so angry that he sentenced one of them to death. I can never remember which one it was. Anyway, the man asked to be allowed to return home to say goodbye to his family and Dionysius only let him go when the other friend asked to be held in his place. He told them both that if the one didn’t return by a certain time, his friend would be put to death instead.
“The appointed time came and went, and Dionysius was furious. He was about to kill the friend when the first man suddenly appeared at the last minute. He’d been stopped on the way -- depending on who’s telling the story it’s always a different reason for why he was stopped -- but he had only just made it back. He’d practically gone through hell to get back in time to save his friend. The story goes that Dionysius was so touched by the lengths the two friends went to try and save each other that he let them both go.”
“Close, but not quite what actually happened.” Pythias lowered his head, studying the floor.
The gentle lapping of the waves against the hull of the boat, coupled with the sweet tones of Aella had almost made Damon become lost in his memories of that time. He’d been prepared to die for Pyth, he still was.
“I was the one sentenced to die, and Damon was the one who asked to be kept in my place while I returned home. But, the legend doesn’t tell the whole tale. Dionysius had a man on his council at the time who went by the name Linos. Linos was fascinated by power and he desperately wanted as much as he could. Damon and I weren’t powerful men in Syracuse but we had friends in high places.
“We grew up on the shores, and fished in the waters around Syracuse for many years. When we were young men we chose to pray to Poseidon since he had always blessed us with good catches in our nets. We travelled to the closest temple, the sanctuary of Poseidon on the Isthmus of Corinth, to give sacrifice to the sea god.”
Aella leaned forward, absorbed in the tale. Damon’s gaze was drawn to the gap in her robe and the shadows within. Another few inches and he’d be able to see the creamy globe of her breast.
Shaking his head, Damon took up Pythias’ story. “We came home exuberant. We’d gone to the temple and come back renewed men, dedicated to Poseidon. When we reached the shores, Linos was waiting for us. It appeared that Dionysius had promised Syracuse to Zeus in order to help him defeat the Carthaginians and so he was angered at us turning to Poseidon instead. When Linos confronted us, he tried to have his men take us into custody. Pythias struck out, hitting one of the men in defense.
“Linos had Pythias arrested, and sentenced to die. I begged to take his place. Pythias was the faster sailor and I knew if I stalled for time, he’d be able to return to Isthmus and beg Poseidon to intervene. It was our only hope. Linos somehow got word of what we planned and he set out after Pythias, attacking him at sea.”
Pythias shifted in place, distracting Damon. His friend smiled wryly, placing his hand on Damon’s forearm.
“I was almost killed. With my ship sinking around me, I cried out for the sea god to save me, not for myself, but so that I could return to Syracuse and save Damon. I didn’t want him to die in my place. Your father saw fit to save me that day and returned me to Syracuse in time to save Damon. When Dionysius learned that I had been saved by the sea god he let us both go, afraid of angering him further. We were cast out instead, unable to return to our land again.”
Damon shared a haunted look with his friend, both men reliving the events.
“What we didn’t realize,” Damon continued, “was that Zeus was furious that he’d been thwarted and Linos was enraged that he’d been unsuccessful in killing Pythias. Linos paid him tribute, promised his services in whatever way the god wanted him. Zeus offered Linos immortality in exchange for extracting his revenge on Poseidon.”
Aella held up her hand, stopping them. “I don’t understand, you’re saying that Zeus tried to harm my father? I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time, so I really shouldn’t be surprised.”
“We were eventually followed by Linos. With Zeus’ aid, Linos was able to penetrate Poseidon’s protection at the temple at Isthmus, and he attacked us. Zeus had given him a weapon, a spear that threw true, even if the person wielding it lacked the skills to use it. Linos wasn’t a fighter, he shouldn’t have been able to defeat us both. Poseidon was too late to detect the threat, and Linos mortally wounded Pythias and I. We would have died if your father hadn’t intervened once more. He swore that Linos would try again, and so he changed us into what we are now.”
“What are you, exactly, now?”
“We are the protectors of Isthmus, and we are warriors dedicated to Poseidon and all that belongs to him. He’s changed many humans into merpeople before, we had heard the stories, and we gladly accepted what he offered.”
Aella stood up and crossed her arms. Damon held his breath. He had a feeling that he knew what was coming, but he still flinched when she exploded.
“All that belongs to him? My father sent you t
o me? This was all part of your duty? And what, fucking one of the siren daughters of Poseidon was just a benefit of the job?”
Chapter Three
Aella dragged in deep, gulping breaths of salty air. She felt lightheaded. So stupid! She’d been torn up inside over her instant attraction to the two men, even in the midst of her seals dying and they’d only been doing their job.
Her father trusted her less then she thought. She couldn’t believe he’d sent these men after her. To protect her? This wasn’t fair. Just once, she wanted a man who wanted her for herself, not because of who her father was. Even though she hadn’t had much contact with either man growing up, she’d always known they wouldn’t be afraid to stand up to her and put her in her place. Heck, if she was really honest, she’d admit they probably outranked her in the damn hierarchy among those dedicated to her father. She was half-human, even if she was the daughter of Poseidon, but these were ancients who had served her father for centuries. Yep, they definitely outranked her.
Gods be damned! She’d been enthralled with these mysterious men for years and she was just a job to them. Aella sighed.
“Why would this Linos be after me? I really don’t understand why he’d attack my seals. His fight is with you, not me.”
The sky around them was darkening, the sun almost set. It made the surroundings look surreal, casting a dark gloom over all of them. Damon and Pythias’ faces were shadowed, making it hard to see their expressions.
Damon shifted in place, bringing her attention to him. The white towel stood out against his swarthy skin. At least he’d bothered to put it on while she was desperately trying to keep her gaze from going to Pythias beside him. All that glorious flesh on display was distracting her. She couldn’t afford to be distracted right now.
Damon met her gaze, standing up before her. He towered over her, and she had to tilt her head back to keep him in view. It was a mistake. Pythias immediately surged up to her side, grabbing her around her waist with one strong arm. He pulled her close to them, Damon blocking her on the other side.
It was stupid to try to get away, but that didn’t stop her from bucking in Pythias’ hold.
“Stay still,” he growled, bending low to whisper the words in her ear. His hot breath wafted along the sensitive skin of her neck, causing her to shiver.
The betraying movement didn’t go unnoticed. Damon crowded her on her other side, bending his own head to nuzzle her cheek, bringing up one hand to smooth along her back.
Aella whimpered, straining in their hold.
“Your father suspected that Linos would try something different this time. He received word from one of his people that Linos had been spotted near this area. We don’t know what he’s doing here. He’s managed to escape us for centuries, with Zeus’ aid. It makes no sense that he would come here. If he were acting on his own, he would come after Pythias and I, or attempt to approach your father himself. Our home is on Isthmus, far from here and everyone knows the sea god can hide in any waters. Poseidon was worried for you, he didn’t want you to catch Linos’ attention but he feared you would rush headlong into danger if he told you about the man close to your home.”
Aella frowned, listening to the smooth tenor of Damon’s voice. He seemed to be the diplomat between the two men, the more level-headed one.
“You make it sound like I’m an idiot, acting without thinking first. I do have a brain inside my head, you know.”
She tried to infuse a note of calm in her voice. She felt anything but at the moment, but she really didn’t want to sound like she was sulking. She wasn’t sulking, she was just… thinking about things.
Aella bit her bottom lip, terrified for a moment that she may have been pouting.
Pythias groaned, leaning down to run his tongue along the seam of her lips. She parted them without thought, giving him the access he seemed to want. Without any hesitation at all, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, clouding her mind with the taste of him. She was going to go crazy if she wasn’t careful. She didn’t have the experience to deal with this. Was she making a mistake?
Releasing her slowly, Pythias drew back. Damon immediately surged in to take his place, slanting his mouth over hers. He pulled away to bite gently into her lower lip, placing his teeth where her own had been only moments before.
Words hovered at the edge of her mind, a conversation taking place close enough that she could almost hear it. With a mental push, she followed the link, connecting to the two men.
Gods, Pyth, she tastes like heaven.
How would you know? You’ve never even seen the Elysian fields.
Aella reared back, away from Damon. What just happened? She’d connected with them. She’d never connected with another person outside of her father. Not even with some of the other gods.
“I heard you,” she gasped.
Damon frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Just now, I heard you talking. About the Elysian fields. How is that even possible?”
Studying her, Pythias narrowed his eyes. Can you hear me now?
Suddenly she was reminded of that stupid TV commercial that annoyed the hell out of her. She snorted.
“I heard you. Loud and clear. What’s going on?”
“Have you never been able to connect to anyone outside your family before?” Damon looked intrigued at the thought.
“Never. I’ve only ever wanted to talk to father.”
“Hmmm, interesting.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Damon shrugged. “Nothing. I just find it interesting that so many things have come together over the past day. It almost seems like divine intervention.” He looked at Pythias.
Aella turned her head from one man to the other. They both had similar expressions on their faces. “You think my father had something to do with this?”
“Poseidon has hundreds of followers at his disposal, yet he sent us to you when he could have sent someone else. Yes, Linos is after us, but he didn’t send us to track Linos, he sent us to watch you. I don’t like thinking he manipulated us in some way.”
You think he’s noticed how affected we’ve been by her lately? Pythias’ voice was contemplative.
Aella swung toward him, catching the betraying thought. “Me?”
Pythias shook his head, sighing. “It’s possible Poseidon caught a stray thought when he talked to us last. He mentioned that Linos had finally returned to the area, after escaping him for so long. He was suspicious that something else was afoot, so he asked us to investigate.”
“That still doesn’t explain why he went after my seals.”
“Maybe it wasn’t an attack against you. Yes, you’re their keeper, but the Monk seals have always been favored animals of Poseidon. You said it yourself, they were placed under your father’s protection centuries ago. Maybe this was an attack to show Poseidon that nothing that belongs to him is safe. Your presence was probably just an added bonus. If he meant you harm, Linos would have attacked you directly.”
Damon laughed, “I wouldn’t put anything past Linos but he was never really all that smart. He’s a born follower, always has been. He needs someone pulling his strings in order to feel useful. He may crave power, but it’s always been the power that comes from being an advisor to someone even more powerful, the feeling that he controls the ruler. He may feel that way with Zeus. Linos probably thinks he’s the one in charge.”
Aella snorted. “He’s an idiot if he thinks he’s controlling Zeus. My uncle doesn’t do anything without a reason, and he can be a sneaky bastard. Half the time you don’t even realize you’ve been manipulated until it’s too late. Trust me, I’ve seen him do it more than once.”
“That still leaves us with a problem. We need to find Linos, and figure out what he’s doing. He must have an ulterior motive for killing the seals, unless it really is as simple as Pythias suggested and he did it to show your father he could.”
“So, what do we do now?” Aella looked from
one man to the other, blinking up at them.
“Perhaps we should retire for the night. There’s not much we can do here.” Damon frowned.
Later that night, Aella stood on the balcony outside her bedroom, looking out at the night sky above her. She sent out a prayer to Nyx, the goddess of night, asking her relative to protect them until daylight came.
The waves crashed against the land below her, a constant reminder of her heritage. She could never escape it, but then again, she didn’t really want to. She’d always felt drawn to the sea, she’d always known who she was. Her mother had come from Ireland years ago to settle along the coast here. She’d met Poseidon here, fallen for him and lain with him for a single night. She knew who he was, although she couldn’t explain it to herself at the time. Even years later, when Aella had asked her mother how she knew he was a god, she couldn’t answer.
Aella shook her head, drawing her mind from the past. It was called the past for a reason. She needed to focus on the here and now. There was something brewing, and she didn’t like it one bit. Still reeling from the discovery that she couldn’t contact her father, Aella wasn’t sure what her next move was supposed to be.
The two men hadn’t shared their thoughts with her on that subject. She’d brought them to her home on the outskirts of Foca, not knowing what else to do. It was so close to where they’d been diving that it made the most sense. Heck, she didn’t even know where the two men lived. She hadn’t asked them either.
Regardless, they needed to sleep. Rest for the coming battle. And there definitely was a battle looming. She didn’t like the sounds of what happened to them in their youth. Never mind the fact that they literally worked for her father, but they obviously were on Zeus’ bad side. You didn’t want to get in the way of the god when he was angry. Yeah, it was possible to defeat him temporarily but he was the supreme ruler for a reason. She didn’t even want to know what would happen if he lost control of Olympus. Life as she knew it would be over, and chaos would more than likely reign again.
Aella's Song Page 3
