“Your twin brother?” Lily gasped.
“The fuck?” Donovan sneered. “You mean there are two of this asshole?”
***
“Are you sure Donovan will be all right?” Lily asked, though she kind of hoped he’d forget his own name and take a one-way trip to the loony bin. It’d been a long, trying day, and she was exhausted. They’d returned to Ariston’s cabin an hour ago when the sun began its descent from the sky. It would be dark soon. Through the window, she spied Pegasus unfolding and refolding his wings as he meandered about, remaining ever watchful and alert.
“Melancton said he wouldn’t be harmed. Though I’m not happy about Boeotians creeping about in my woods. From the sound of it, they’re up to something. You’re not leaving my sight.”
The dampness in her panties made her bite back a curse. Ariston had claimed she was his, in front of the others. While it kind of pissed her off to be referred to so possessively, she couldn’t help the tingle of pleasure that made her shiver at the thought. He’d said he would protect her with his life, her satyr warrior.
“Melancton will ensure Donovan doesn’t return or bring authorities. He’s protecting you,” she told him.
Ariston laughed, but without humor. “He’s not doing me any favors. This close to the Satyr Moon, he’s more likely to make a play for you.”
“See, I don’t think he will. You’ve been acting really weird about him. Like you know some terrible secret, and it makes you uncomfortable. And you’ve not said another word about your brother since we left. Not to mention...” she hesitated, “you claimed I belonged to you. I doubt Melancton wants to go through you to get at me.”
Lily watched his shoulders slump. His hair was down and it covered his face, hiding his expression. Where was the confident man who claimed he’d have her in his bed by Friday?
“Ariston?” She reached for his shoulder, but dropped her hand. Touching him wouldn’t help. She’d been a fool to keep denying it; she desired Ariston, plain and simple. She didn’t want to. Discovering the truth had been eye-opening in more ways than one, but Lily wasn’t quite ready to make Ariston aware of the change.
Donovan was no longer a concern. He was alive, and an asshole, but he also had no control over Lily’s life anymore. His hurtful words wouldn’t hold her back any longer. When Ariston punched Donovan to defend her honor, he had all but branded her with his possessive statement. She’d wanted to strip naked and take Ariston back to his truck and...
Lily rubbed her eyelids. There was no way she’d make it through the night without him becoming aware of her predicament if those thoughts remained in her mind.
Ariston finally spoke, “I know he won’t. I know it. I just... It’s really difficult having to trust a Boeotian. Dionysus demands their loyalty, and if he asks Melancton to act out he has no choice but to obey, or else he loses his thyrsus. A satyr in this era without the ability to take human form risks exposure more than ever. Immortality prolongs life, but does not protect from torture or murder. If humans had one of us...” He shook his head, dropping the subject.
“What exactly is a thyrsus? I heard him say the word earlier. Was it his ring?”
“Yes and no. They keep them in ring form because they are less conspicuous and easier to cart around. In its true form, it’s about two and a half to three feet tall, a scepter-like staff that Dionysus is known for brandishing in artwork. The top of it is shaped like a pinecone, and it is where magic is stored. The shape changes—controlled by will rather than song—and it can also cause illusion like human glamour. It’s less involving than panpipes but have a similar purpose.”
Lily burst out in a fit of giggles.
Frowning, Ariston stared at her like she’d lost her marbles. “Why is it funny?”
“Because a Boeotian satyr’s secret weapon is a phallic shaft with a bulbous head.”
“Well, what do you know?” Ariston reclined back in an armchair and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “The nymph has phalluses on her mind.”
She glared. “Like you never thought it.”
He shrugged. “What matters is Dionysus is playing with us. Both of us. He wants the syrinx, but Gods only know what his intentions are where you are concerned.” He paused, all teasing gone from his expression. “He can’t have you.”
“Explain the syrinx to me again. I know it was created by Pan out of the reeds Syrinx became when she died. But why would Dionysus want them so bad if he has his own magic?”
“The syrinx is a special kind of magic.” Ariston tapped his fingers against his knee and frowned. “In a way, her gifting Pan with the tool to create such an instrument was her final insult to Dionysus. He wasn’t able to have her virginity since gave that to Pan, and now he can’t find the syrinx.”
Just like a man to want something he couldn’t have. “So it’s more about him taking that bit of Syrinx back from Pan than the instrument itself?” she asked.
“I’m sure that’s part of the reason, but the syrinx is so powerful even Pan was hesitant to use it. He only did when he had to, like to enchant our panpipes. Somehow, he ended up crossing realms. Whatever he saw there spooked him bad. He never wanted power, and suddenly he possessed a lot of it. Pan left Olympus young, refusing to learn and control his magic. Maybe he is better with it now, but he’s unpredictable because he is unaware what he’s capable of. Being in possession of an instrument that could enhance his abilities is a huge temptation. The syrinx was, is, as dangerous to him as it is to anyone else, especially a powerful Olympian.”
“So why allow the Arcadians to keep it and trade it off? You said you handed it off to Nestor?” If a god worried he’d abuse the power, it seemed silly to trust it to men who didn’t have godlike magic.
“He trusted us, and we trusted each other. He told us if we had to use the syrinx, we should do so, if there was no other option available. Part of the reason he enchanted our panpipes was because we wouldn’t need to use the syrinx to do things we’d need magic for.”
It made sense, sort of. “Did you ever use it?”
“Not even once.”
Lily felt a new admiration for him. “You weren’t even tempted?”
“Not really. Pan tried locating nymphs with it, and he’d even gone as far as to see if he could make us human again. He failed, and he’s a god. If he couldn’t do it, neither could we. Besides, the few times Pan did use it, the other gods could feel its pull. Ares tried to take it once, but Pan and the rest of us stood firmly against him. Surprisingly, Ares backed off without a fight. For the god of war, it wasn’t common. Guess he didn’t want it badly enough to trouble himself. Now Dionysus is harboring a hard-on for the thing, and unlike Ares, he’s not known for thinking things through.”
With great difficulty, Lily avoided glancing at his lap when he’d said, “hard-on.”
“But... Dionysus isn’t the one doing this, your brother is.”
“My brother, who hates me for ruining his life and his romance with a goddess. My brother, who’s here on Dionysus’ orders. He may be a pawn as much as you and I, but he’d make it personal. He blames me for everything.”
Lily had heard Hermes’ version of what had happened with Aphrodite, but Hermes hadn’t been directly involved. Adonis sounded like a total tool if he really blamed Ariston for not wanting to have a three-way with the woman he’d supposedly loved.
“How old were you two when you were cursed?”
Ariston pulled a face and glanced in her direction. “Twenty-three. Why?” He was physically two years younger than she was.
“Some men don’t mature at the same age as others. Obviously you were more grown-up than your brother was.”
He grabbed his crotch, causing her gaze to travel there despite her efforts not to look. “Oh, yeah I was.” How many days had it been without sex or a vibrator?
Her palm met her face. “You make me want to take those words back.”
Ariston chuckled and rested his arms on the cushioned sides of the c
hair. When he twitched his fingers over the fabric, she could almost feel him brushing them over the erogenous zone on the side of her neck, and the sensation shot through her. She shuddered, her body readying itself for him, and he noticed. His breathing quickened as he watched her, waiting for her to make the next move.
Lily cleared her throat. She wasn’t ready yet. Standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, she broke eye contact. The finality of Donovan and her former relationship was still a fresh wound. Afraid of what would happen after the eclipse if she allowed her desire for Ariston take hold, she resolved to stay clearheaded. She’d end up falling for him, and then, when he had no use for her after breaking the curse, she’d feel slutty and used. Just like when Donovan had dumped her.
“What I meant was Adonis should’ve admired his brother instead of looking down on you. He would have learned a lot.”
The corners of his lips curved downward. Was he disappointed she’d not fallen for his signals and swooned into his lap, or had she upset him with her statement? Either way, he didn’t comment. As the last slivers of daylight began to fade, Lily witnessed a soft glow surround Ariston’s body. So subtle, you’d miss it if you didn’t know what would happen. The horns formed first, sliding out from behind his temples and, with a flourish, they spiraled around. If he’d been standing, he would’ve gained height as the hooves took shape, splitting down the middle to become cloven. Ariston studied her expression after the change completed.
“You’re not frightened of me anymore.” It hadn’t been a question.
What did it say about her life that it seemed normal? “Sorry to disappoint.”
He smirked. “Actually, it gives me hope.”
“Maybe I was a little scared.”
“Bull.”
Lily turned her face away and hid her smile. She shouldn’t flirt with him. She’d just finished convincing herself it was wrong. Think of your heart, Lily. Don’t let him in. He’s going to break it before the week is out. “When you said Melancton wouldn’t harm me, what did you mean? Melancton mentioned a Daphne back in the parking lot. Was she the nymph you met once? The one who told you about me?”
“Back to the old topic, I see.” He exhaled slowly and let the back of his head rest against the chair.
“Is Melancton in love with her?”
“I would say irrefutably.”
“But they aren’t together?”
Ariston shook his head, “Apollo is obsessed with Daphne. He’ll never let Melancton have her.”
Her heart panged for them. How miserable it must be to live an immortal life that way. “Is there any way they could be together?”
“There’s no happy ending for them. For all I know, Daphne died a long time ago.” Yet Ariston didn’t sound convinced. Melancton had spoken of Daphne as though she still lived, saying she wouldn’t hide herself from him, knowing Lily wasn’t her for that very reason. “And if she’s alive still, she’s Apollo’s prisoner. Otherwise, she’d have returned to Melancton. Of that I am certain.”
“Your gods suck. Why can’t they let lovers be lovers?”
“Where would be the amusement?”
“I kinda want to punch Apollo in the face. Aphrodite too, come to mention it. And Dionysus. Okay, all of them.”
“Even Hermes and Pegasus? Because I would pay you to do that.”
“Nope, them I like. I think I’m going to adopt Pegasus.”
Ariston looked incredulous. “Merciful Zeus, what would possess you to want to do something like that?”
It was Lily’s turn to laugh. “I was joking, my God. The look on your face. You’d think I said you’d have to live with him for the rest of your life.” She wanted to kick herself as soon as she blurted it out. A muzzle was what she needed.
Ariston’s nostrils flared, as though he’d caught a whiff of something he liked, but he didn’t comment on her outburst.
“Ariston?” Lily asked, quieting her tone. “What happens between us after the Satyr Moon?” She dumbly wondered when she’d moved to stand directly in front of him. His knees brushed against her thighs, scorching her despite the material of his pants preventing their flesh from touching.
He guarded his expression. “That would depend on you.” He reached for her, skimming his fingers down the length of her arm. Lily shivered.
“I don’t want anything to depend on me. I didn’t ask for this.”
“Neither did I.” When the silence grew painful, he said, “You might want to be careful about threatening harm to the gods now that you are around me. It puts you on their radar.” He dropped his hand.
“They can hear me?”
“Only, if they are paying attention to us. While it has never been proven, I always assumed the reason we can only shift to human form in the daylight is because Apollo can see us when the sun is up; he likes to keep tabs on mortals he’s cursed. According to the legends of my time, not the recorded myths, he watches the world from his temple on Olympus during Helios’ ride across the sky.”
“So he witnesses everything?”
“What he wants to see. It’s a game of chance. But if Daphne is still alive, he probably watches Melancton like a hawk, so having been seen with him today, he could take interest in us.”
“What a D-bag.”
Ariston smiled and added, “Our curse was a punishment. Apollo told us we should suffer for witnessing what occurred between Pan and Dionysus without interfering and saving the life of the other nymph he coveted. If we could hide our curse at all times, it wouldn’t be a punishment. Which is why I think he prevents us from hiding it when he can’t see what we are up to. Although, it’s pointless since we’re usually walking around miserable and horny because we’re miserable due to being horny—if that made a lick of sense. He wouldn’t want us to have any advantage to lessen the misery when he can’t interfere. That is the way the Olympians work.”
“How sweet.” And he lived with this for thousands of years? Poor Ariston.
He cocked a brow. “Unfortunately, Apollo and his voyeurism are the least of our worries. If my dear brother is hanging around, he isn’t going to pop in for a friendly visit. I don’t think he intends on leaving you with me either.”
Lily agreed. When they’d left Melancton and Donovan behind, she’d mentioned being watched the night and morning before meeting him, how she thought she’d been herded into the direction of Ariston’s song. When she told him about the handcuff key, Ariston’s knuckles had turned white against the steering wheel. He was convinced it was Adonis toying with them. However, even he couldn’t predict how far it would go.
***
At a quarter before midnight, a figure emerged from the mist and shadows. Two long, sharp ebony horns stabbed upward from his head, piercing the mantle of darkness. The clouds had covered the moon, blocking out its glow, giving the night a sinister atmosphere and making his visitor disquieting to behold. Adonis had finally recovered from a nearly twenty-four hour migraine which had left him incapacitated for most of the day. He’d hidden himself deep in the woods to avoid being found by Pegasus and tried to sleep it off. His head still throbbed, though the darkness helped ease it.
“At last, the glorious soldier has arrived to make certain things go according to plan. Should we retreat now, or wait until the last possible moment?”
Adonis waited for any sign of a reaction, but Melancton remained as stoic as ever. He’d been sure the remark would strike a nerve.
“Fine, don’t react. Not like I thought you would.”
“You never think, Adonis. It is a problem. You are nothing but a lowered shield in a phalanx. You cause destruction where destruction can be avoided.”
Taken aback, Adonis shut his mouth. He wasn’t particularly inspired to argue with cryptic messages. Instead, he changed the subject. “Another day gone.” He tilted his head to the sky. “Out there the sun and the moon are one night closer to aligning with the Earth, and here, only one nymph known to us. She can save one. Yet there are three
of us present.
“She is not for either of us.”
“It was never part of the plan to actually give her to my brother.” Had his voice wobbled? What Adonis wouldn’t do for some wine.
Melancton kneeled in front of where Adonis sat at the base of a maple tree and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “Dionysus sent her as a distraction so you could search for the syrinx. Use it as such. If it is not to be found, then there is no reason to remain.” He shook Adonis briefly and let him go. “Hunt for the syrinx, and leave the nymph be. You look unwell.” The concern in Melancton’s voice grated. Adonis didn’t want his sympathy. Satyrs didn’t get ill.
“Why let Ariston reap the rewards? We found her. A Boeotian should have her.” His headache lessened some, thank the bastard gods.
“Boeotian is a label created to divide the Satyroi in two. We are the same. All cursed. Ariston is your brother. The only family you have left; the only family member any of ours has left. Would you be willing to sever that bond forever? Think before you take action. I implore this of you.” Melancton stood abruptly.
“I never took you as sentimental. Does your employer know you harbor treasonous thoughts?”
“Dionysus does not find emotion treasonous. He finds the lack of loyalty as such.”
“Sounds like he has you whipped.” Adonis spat.
Melancton didn’t react. Annoying.
“He wants the syrinx. He doesn’t care about anything else.”
“Pan murdered Pavlo.” Adonis rubbed at his forehead, massaging the remaining sore spot between his eyes with his fingers. “Pavlo would never harm a fly and now he’s dead.” He didn’t know why he felt a strong need to defend his mission to take the nymph away from his brother, but the scrutiny stung.
Melancton carried on being insufferably rational anyway. “Silenus murdered Pavlo. I was witness to it.”
He had Adonis’ undivided attention. “What are you implying?” If true, Dionysus had lied to every single Boeotian without a second thought.
The Cursed Satyroi: Volume One Collection Page 41