Ariadne
She’d never before seen anything so beautiful as this place. The sea, the old fortress on the hill, and then the beautiful town behind them. It spoke to her somehow. She’d always wanted to avoid human civilization, thought the only true beauty could be found in the wild environment. But now that she’d been here, she knew she’d want to visit again. Except… It wouldn’t be all that easy to visit from Britain or America. And maybe her future mate wouldn’t want her to travel. If she even met one. There might be more males than females in shifter society, but it didn’t mean she’d automatically find someone for her. Among her own herd, she hadn’t found anyone she particularly liked, except for the boy she’d kissed. And that had been a young crush, nothing more.
Thalos, though. Her kiss with him had been incendiary. It burned her up, and she wanted more. So much. Every time she thought of it, her stomach swirled and the ache between her legs intensified once again.
She watched people walking by and swallowed down her sigh. She’d used harsh words when she spoke to Thalos, and for the most part, he had been kind to her and didn’t deserve it. But he tempted her, and she needed to shut it down. Her body wanted him. Badly. But her mind couldn’t easily throw away years, decades, of conditioning.
The years where she was told that the good thing to do would be to wait for her mate. That sins of the flesh were wrong. That even spending too much time in your human form was wrong because humans were too easily tempted. Too vain and shallow. The more time she spent with Thalos, seeing some of the beauty of the human world, the less she believed her people’s teachings. Quite a few of the younger shifters has been rebelling already, before the massacre occurred. They wanted to leave and experience freer lives. A few did leave. But she’d never thought she would do so herself. She didn’t want to say goodbye to her family. But now they’d left her.
She couldn’t shake the belief that if she went against her people’s teachings, she’d be betraying her parents. She still cried herself to sleep at night and still ached for them. But being in this place, in Thalos’s beautiful home, helped because it was so different. So new. It seemed like a holiday from normal life. As if she might be able to go back and the herd would still be there. The Seer had been correct. Staying with the two elderly males who were also left alive wouldn’t have done her mental health any good. Each look at them and she’d have been reminded of all they’d lost.
If only she hadn’t gone for a run that day. Then she’d be dead too. And in many ways, that would be easier than this. Living in a world she didn’t understand or know how to navigate. A sudden surge of anger burst in her, bright and fierce. Her parents brought her up in a manner that didn’t prepare her at all for a life outside the herd. They made her so reliant on the herd and their way of living that they left her vulnerable.
The two elderly males at least had one another. They’d been on a trip for supplies in human form and got back before she did. When she came galloping down the hill, happy from her own run into the mountains, they stopped her from going into the pasture and seeing the bloodshed. Who would do such a thing? The Seer thought it had been the dark creatures of their own kind, but Ariadne thought maybe humans. They wanted the land, and as far as they knew, the horses were protected. Therefore, kill the horses, get access to the land. They had no idea the horses could shift form, of course.
“Penny for them.”
“Sorry?”
Thalos gave her a soft smile. “You were miles away.”
“I was thinking about my herd. My parents.”
His face grew serious. He took her hand in his, and the way he held her wasn’t remotely flirtatious. “I’m so sorry you have been through such an awful trauma. I can’t even imagine.”
She took her hand back, too moved by his words and close to tears. She forced a smile. “It’s okay. I don’t want to talk about it now. Not here where it’s so beautiful and teeming with life.”
“I’m glad you like it here. I love it. is one of my favorite places.”
“You used the Greek name.”
“Yes. I am Greek, after all. Of sorts, I suppose. Born in Athens. Lived there for many years and then moved all over the world.”
“What is it like in Britain?” she asked. “I think I’d prefer it there to the States. I don’t want to be too far from Europe. From my home.”
“It’s cold and wet. It rains a lot. And the skies are gray. But it’s also beautiful. There are some amazing buildings, beautiful villages. And it’s so green. Of course, so is this island. I have to say, I prefer it here.”
“Maybe I can go and live with the herd who run on the plains on the mainland.” She’d already thought about it. She wasn’t sure she wanted to leave her home country. But they were a wild group, known for their rowdy ways. There was one other herd like hers. They lived in the secretive region where the hill monasteries were located. Her mother’s sister lived among that herd. But when Ariadne thought about going back to a life where she couldn’t experience her human form except for a few days a year, she felt kind of…sad. The more she grew used to this form, the more she liked it. An ideal life for her would be one where she got to live freely, experiencing the dual aspects of her existence.
He grimaced. “They don’t really run at your speed, Ariadne.”
“Ugh. Let’s not talk about this further. I’m tired of it.”
He stretched in his chair, and she thought how handsome he was in his linen shirt and navy trousers. He stood and held out his hand. “Come, let us go and eat.”
As she took his hand, she noticed a woman walking by glance at her and then stare at Thalos. He was a good-looking man, indeed. Beautiful, even. The sort of man to capture attention. The woman gave Ariadne another look and swept her eyes up and down her with disdain. Ariadne understood the emotion, even if she didn’t like it. Why would a plain creature like her be with someone as stylish and, frankly, sexy as Thalos? She bet the woman was thinking she’d be better suited on Thalos’s arm. And she’d be right.
They meandered through the town, looking in shop windows and enjoying the stroll. As they walked past one store, the huge windows reflected a glamorous couple nearby, the woman young and pretty. Ariadne looked again and did a double take.
Oh, it was her! She hadn’t recognized herself, so used to wearing running shoes and shorts and tees with her hair pulled back or in messy tangles. This version of herself shocked her. And truly, she looked amazing. Good enough, in fact, to be on the arm of the handsome man she’d put on a pedestal moments before. The dress suited her perfectly, and Marina had done a great job with her hair and makeup. She tried not to take pride in her appearance, but it was nice to feel beautiful for once.
They reached the car and settled into the back seat as the vehicle began a long, slow wind up the mountains. After about twenty minutes or so, they pulled into a parking lot by a beautiful, classical-style villa. The building was gorgeous, but the views from up here were breathtaking. All along the valley, right down to the sea, were strings of lights, indicating where settlements lay nestled in the nooks and crannies.
If she’d thought the town beautiful, this place called to her in a different way. It touched her soul and reminded her in some ways of her home. Except, unlike her home, where there were no lights for miles, this vista mixed wild landscapes with human ingenuity. And truthfully, that made it all the more beautiful.
“You like it?” Thalos squeezed her hand.
She nodded and blinked back silly tears. Everything seemed to move her these days. Along with her soul-crushing grief, she also experienced a newfound awareness of the world. Its beauty. Its cruelty.
She wanted to experience things in a way she never had before. A sort of greed for life, she supposed. It made sense after losing everyone she loved. But it was a dangerous feeling, and she kept trying to push it back down.
A cricket still chirruped somewhere in the bushes, not realizing the day was over now. Fireflies danced in the hedgerows. “This is somewhere I think I could be happy.” The words came out unbidden. “It’s familiar because it’s isolated, but it isn’t completely cut off from humanity like our land. It’s the best of both worlds. I could feel free somewhere like this, and yet it wouldn’t remind me too much of home because of the lights and the villages below.”
She turned to Thalos, only to see some sort of unreadable expression drift across his features. He rubbed his hand over his stubble-coated jaw and gave her a smile. “I’ve asked for a table in the conservatory by the window, so you can look out at this all night while we eat.”
They were seated speedily by a handsome young man. Then a different man appeared and passed Thalos a list. Thalos didn’t look at it but asked for champagne.
It arrived in an ice bucket, and two glasses were delivered. A woman came by and put a large pitcher of ice water down, and Thalos poured them each a glass. Then he took the champagne out of the ice bucket and poured himself a glass. He picked hers up and poured too, but a small amount. He put it on the table and pushed it toward her with two fingers at the base.
“I know you don’t drink. You were told it was another sin. And I know you didn’t enjoy your first taste of wine. But just have a tiny sip or two of this. No one should go through life and not taste champagne.”
She wasn’t sure but decided to keep it light. “Are you telling me it’s as good as the chocolate?”
“Definitely.” He winked, and her stomach did a strange little flip-flop.
She looked out of the window at the view. What would it hurt? Maybe she should view this as a holiday from her life. She’d thought as much yesterday, so why not go whole hog? Let herself experience things here and now that she wouldn’t do again. Have a small drink of wine. Eat the chocolate. Kiss the handsome man.
She brought the flute to her lips and took a sip. Crisp, ice-cold bubbles burst on her tongue. She let them sit there for a moment, enjoying the sensation, and then swallowed. It was nice, but not as nice as the chocolate. Some olives were brought to their table, and as she ate them, she continued to sip on the champagne. Thalos topped up her glass and smiled at her as they chatted about a variety of topics.
Ariadne made sure not to drink a lot, but at some point, she began to feel different. The lights in the valley looked brighter, and she felt giddy. Giggly.
Thalos said something, and she gigglesnorted at it. He stared at her for a moment, and she worried he’d think her uncouth. But instead, he laughed. One of those head-tipped-back, teeth-on-display laughs.
“I think that’s enough champagne for you.”
“Oh? I like this feeling.” She went to grab her glass as he moved it away.
“Trust me, you won’t like it if you carry on. Right now, you’re in the golden spot.”
“The golden spot?”
He nodded, serious. “Oh, yes. It’s a real thing. You’re in that giggly, happy phase. Things seem brighter, better, right?”
She gave an enthusiastic jerk up and down of her head because he nailed it.
“You have another glass, and you’ll tip over into the things seem blurry and not so nice phase. You’ll get a bit tired too. Another after that and the nasty side effects kick in. You’ll make yourself sick. See, I don’t believe in sins. Not in the sense your people did. I do believe in right and wrong, of course. But the things they think are sins—Sex. Alcohol. Pride—to me, they’re only sins if you take them too far. Drink too much regularly, and you’ll harm yourself. Be an arrogant asshole, and you’re not being a nice person. Screw around and don’t take into account other people’s feelings, and you’re being cruel. And of course, for humans, if not for us, these things can have physical effects, such as illness and disease. I believe the good things in life can be enjoyable and fun. But only if you control them and don’t let them control you.”
“And have you always controlled them?” Her question was bold, but the bubbly gave her confidence.
“I think so. Mostly. I mean, I grew bored of them, I suppose. But I never overindulged to the point of recklessness. I suppose it was more that I haven’t had anyone to share it with for the longest time. Drinking the finest champagne on your own isn’t half the fun as doing it with someone else. Seeing them enjoy it.”
His words touched her, and not for the first time, she thought about how lonely his gilded life must be. “Why don’t you make friends?” she asked.
He laughed, but it wasn’t carefree and happy. More bitter. “With whom? Most horse shifters think Centaurs are disgusting and uncouth. The Centaurs have mostly gone mad from living so damn long, or they’ve been killed…or killed themselves, which is no easy task. The other shifters keep to themselves. Vamps are boring and selfish. And I don’t trust them. The magic folk and the fae are a law unto themselves. I sometimes make friendships with humans, but they must be fleeting because otherwise, they’ll notice I don’t age. I can’t stay in one place for too long for the same reason.”
“It sounds awful.” She spoke before she could put her brain into gear.
His face hardened, and he looked out the window for a long beat, a muscle ticking along his jaw. “Don’t pity me. I have a great life. And I have a friend, Marina.”
Oh, heck. She’d offended him. “Of course you do. I never meant anything by it. Silly drunken words.”
“No, don’t do that.” He sighed. “Don’t lie to me. You think I live some sort of tragic life. It’s funny. I spend my time being envied by all who meet me. They see a young, handsome, rich man. Yet you, a female who has lost everything… You pity me.”
“I think your life is beautiful but empty.”
He winced. “Ouch, don’t sugarcoat it, darling.”
“You want the truth, you said. You have so much money. Money you could use to do a lot of good in this world. You could spend a lifetime learning, but you don’t.”
He laughed again. “Learn what? History? Darling, I lived it. I know about technology, because I saw as it was invented. Read about it as it happened. I speak a ton of languages. I don’t know what more I could learn.”
“But what do you do all day? I mean, please don’t misunderstand me. I’ve loved spending time with you in many ways. And if my circumstances were different, less…tragic, I’m sure I’d have had a truly wonderful time. But you are living your life alone. And you do the same things every day. For me, tasting the best champagne is an experience. For you, it’s part of your ordinary life.”
“That’s why I like having you around. I like seeing the world through your eyes.” His face softened as he spoke.
“Even though you think me a naïve, indoctrinated fool.”
“I don’t think you are any of those things. I simply don’t want you to spend the rest of your life living by a strict set of rules that I personally don’t think you need to follow. And no other herd follows them. Except for the Lysee herd who live among the foothills of the monasteries. But other than them—”
“Will they be safe?” She interrupted him. “The Seer said when she brought me to stay with you that they might be at risk too if this is the Kikan Myre.”
“They’re on high alert. I think they’ll be safe.” He took a sip of his wine and topped up her water. “Here. Drink some water.”
She did, but the giddy, bold feeling didn’t go away. They’d finished their dinner, and Thalos excused himself to go to the men’s room. A waiter came and cleared their table, and another brought two large, bulbous glasses with a dark, amber-colored liquid inside.
“Compliments of the owner for you and Mr. Trabuki.”
He left before she could ask what it was. She ought to wait for Thalos. Ought to, but didn’t want to. Still a bit bold, she lifted the glass to her nose and sniffed. Ugh. Strong. She took a small sip and pinched her face at the taste. But when she swallowed it, a path of fire burned down her throat, and her belly warmed instantly. Her first instinct was to drop the glass and never taste it again, but as the fire warmed her and her stomach relaxed wonderfully, she decided she quite liked the effect it had on her.
She took another sip and then another. This stuff made her tense muscles, locked rigid with grief ever since the massacre, relax. She liked it. But Thalos might take it from her as he did the champagne, so she knocked back the whole thing in one go. And then, suddenly reckless beyond belief, she took his glass and did the same.
Guilty, and a bit scared as the heat in her belly intensified, she grabbed the glasses and reached over to place them on the table across from theirs. Then she reached into her bag and took out two of the breath mints, just part of the items Marina had insisted she needed. She popped them into her mouth and crunched them, hoping they’d cover the smell of the hard alcohol.
Thalos came strolling back through the restaurant toward her. She smiled as he approached. Her eyes ate up the loose-limbed way he had of walking. He looked relaxed but utterly in control. His body language screamed confidence, and his movements held a rare grace.
Her face felt hot, and she put a hand to her cheeks. When Thalos sat back down and waved the waiter over, she licked her dry lips. The amber liquid made her thirsty.
Thalos paid and escorted her outside. As the car wove down the hill, a dreamlike atmosphere settled over her. The lights and the motion of the car mixed with the alcohol in her system to make her sleepy. Her head lolled and came to rest on Thalos’s shoulder.
Something hit her cheek, and she lifted her head, looking around. She was in the car, and it was Thalos’s shoulder that her cheek bounced on. She must have fallen asleep. They came to a stop, and they were home. Well, his home, not hers.
He came around and opened the door for her, as he always did, and took her hand. As they headed into the house, a welcome cool breeze caressed her skin, and she shivered at the sensation. It was as if everything were magnified, but somehow her reactions to it were dulled. The view struck her as more beautiful than ever, but she couldn’t muster the energy to comment on it. Inside the house, her sandals slapped on the floor. Ariadne became ultra-aware of the silk of her dress against her skin as she moved. She wore no bra, only panties, and the gown caressed her lovingly.
Her blood felt as on fire now as her belly had in the restaurant. She wanted to do something utterly reckless. Naughty. She was burning up and wanted to cool down. But she also wanted something she couldn’t name.
Thalos strolled into the hallway and threw his wallet onto the marble table by the door. As the door clicked shut behind them, she walked away from him, through the house, past the formal sitting room and dining room, and into the large kitchen. From there, she went through to the lounge area with the French doors out to the pool and the outdoors. She walked out of the open doors and dropped her head back, letting the breeze whip through her hair. She wanted to feel the water on her skin again as she had while swimming in the sea, so she put her hands behind her neck and untied the knot on her dress. As soon as the silk came undone, the dress slid down her body, making her nipples pebble as it brushed over them.
A low groan from behind her had her turning around to see Thalos standing in the doorway, transfixed by her.
She stepped out of the bunched material at her feet and walked toward the pool. Bending over, she undid the ties on one sandal and then the other and stepped out of them. Her panties were silk too and matched the dress. They were also scandalous. She’d nearly refused to wear them. They were cut very high on her buttocks, and the edges were lace, the rest silk. Marina said they were called Brazilian panties. They felt naughtier than her nudity for some reason.
Thalos’s gaze burned her when she glanced back at him. And she feared as much as welcomed the lust in his eyes. Not sure whether she wanted to provoke the tiger further, she stepped toward the water’s edge and dove in. She broke the surface with a gasp and a splutter before laughing and floating on her back to look at the stars. She’d never felt as free. Not even when running in the hills. Maybe this life of debauchery had some good things going for it.
Thalos stalked around the edge of the pool, watching her, and it was only after a few moments that she realized her breasts were poking out of the water as she bobbed on her back, nipples hard.
Damn. She’d definitely mocked the gods with this behavior.
Thalos knelt down by the edge of the pool and trailed one hand in the water. “I’m amazed a glass and a half of champagne has lowered your inhibitions this much. And as tempted as I am to join you, I’m going to make a coffee.”
“Spoilsport.” She splashed her hands at him, and a wave of water hit him, soaking the front of his shirt.
He glowered at her, but it didn’t scare her. In fact, she thought he ought to get more wet. She swam up to him and reached up for him as if trying to get out. As she thought he would, Thalos bent down, and she grabbed his shirt and pulled him in.
With a yell, he tipped forward and landed beside her in the pool with a splash. He broke the surface and slicked his hair back as he stared at her. She began to laugh at his shocked expression.
“Who the hell are you? And what have you done with Ariadne?”
She swam right up to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Maybe I got bored of her.”
He gave another groan and watched her for a moment. Some internal battle played out in his eyes, but then he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. His lips came down on hers, and this kiss was nothing like the one from before. He crushed his mouth to hers. He didn’t ask; he simply took. She opened her mouth to his, and he spun them around, crowding her up against the edge of the pool, pressing himself against her.
His hard body against hers felt divine. His warm flesh brushing her cool skin set her on fire. He plundered her mouth, and she let him, moaning into the kiss as he deepened it. He tasted of champagne and a touch of chlorine from the pool. His hands were sliding down her body to cup her ass where her skin wasn’t covered by her underwear.
She felt the ache build again between her legs and she wanted more, but of what, she wasn’t sure. She’d seen a bull take a cow once in a field bordering their land and had watched with fascination. She knew from the basic biology they learned at school what happened with procreation. But she didn’t know what to do to assuage this desperate need at her core.
As he pressed harder against her, his thigh brushed between her legs and lit a spark there. On instinct, she pushed back into his leg and pressed her mound against him.
It felt insanely good. His hands moved up each side of her body and skimmed over her ribs, making her squirm slightly against him as it tickled, and then a large palm covered each of her breasts. The warmth felt nice and she liked the sensation of him cupping her, but then he brushed his thumb over her nipples and she gasped. It felt as if a line of electricity connected her breasts to that aching place at her core.
Wanting more friction, she pushed herself against his thigh some more and whimpered as a deep throb of pleasure rocked her.
He pulled away from kissing her and looked at her, his lips wet and his eyes dark and glittering. “Do you trust me?”
She nodded. She shouldn’t. Didn’t know if she would in the morning, but right now she did.
He lifted her out of the pool and placed her on the side. She frowned at him in confusion, but he pushed her back until she lay down on the cool tiles. Then he took hold of her legs and gently pulled her closer, placing one leg over each of his shoulders as he stood at the edge of the pool.
Like this, with her legs spread and her center so near his face, she was vulnerable and exposed. And she loved it. He ran a finger over and around the edge of her underwear, and then dipped it into the seam, touching her skin. She shivered and waited, on the edge of something, but she didn’t know what.
He pulled the material to one side, and sudden shame flashed through her as she thought he’d be looking at her most private places.
But he whispered, “Beautiful,” guttural and low. That one word, and the way he said it, stoked the ache and fire in her once more and crowded out the shame.
His fingers parted her folds, and she tensed, then something warm and wet licked up the center of her. She squeaked and lifted her head off the tiles to see his blond hair tickling her thighs as he kissed her there.
Oh gods. This was…wrong. Surely forbidden.
He sucked the hard nub at her center into his mouth, and she forgot all her worries as she cried out and slammed her palms down onto the tile on either side of her, desperate for something to hold on to. She’d never felt anything like it. Once or twice when in her human form, she’d given herself a nice warm feeling between her legs by squeezing her thighs together repeatedly until a fiery sensation blazed over her. This wasn’t anything like that. It was too much and nowhere near enough all at the same time.
He let go of her nub and instead licked it, flicking his tongue over it repeatedly. She sensed something building. A similar something to the feeling she got from pressing her thighs into each other, but so much more. Suddenly, it crested, and she shoved a hand over her mouth as she cried out at the strength of the contractions rushing through her. Her inner muscles clenched repeatedly, and she wanted something inside her to grip on to.
She wanted him.