136 Life with you a new perspective

Skala, Greece 1566

After asking the old barmaid of her 'husband's' whereabouts, Jos had hurried from the inn heading to the coastline. Maybe he'd headed down to ready the small boat this morning. Her mind raced as she followed the narrow path leading out of the village. His moods were so unpredictable. For the most part he'd always kept her at arms length, caring but not... caring... these last weeks had been everything she'd hope for and more. She had began to think her words to him would only ever be met with indifference and the pity of his beautiful hazel eyes. There may be many human emotions she was yet to understand but those had been two of the many constant companions of her life so far... pity, indifference, disdain, hate, fear...

"What do we have here, lads?" A very familiar voice called from the mouth of the path.

Jos turned slowly. Her eyes met with the cold menacing leer of sailors from the in. "I'm sorry, Sir, I've mistaken your vessel for my husband's... That is all." She bowed her head to them slightly. "I shall go back to the inn and await him." She said as she walked toward the men and the path.

The sailors were all quiet as she approached, not saying anything until she was nearly around them. The man in the front of the group that had always been the one to speak, grabbed her arm and spun her around. He looked around to his men. "I don't quite believe ya, lass. I believe you're nothing but a common whore picked up from one of the many barbaric tribes around here." He plucked at the leather laces of her top pulling the ties free causing her breasts to nearly burst from their confines. His nasty smile widened, "In fact, I'd say you were here to steal from us. And you know what we do with pretty lil thieves like you?" The other men began chuckling as they began glaring hungerly at her.

Jos closed her eyes and gritted her teeth tightly together as the man jerked her closer and sniffed deeply from her hair. She could feel the shift begin but there would be no holding it back... no controlling it. "Get away." She bit out in a low voice as she struggled to control herself.

The men only laughed louder. "What was that you said?" The man gripping her wrist asked before looking around the laughing faces of his men. "Did you hear that men?" He turned his attention back to her. "And why exactly would I do that."

"For-forgive us. We did not realize who you were." The man's words broke as he pleaded for his and his men's lives. "If we had known it was you, A-"

Areion's eyes bore into the man, causing his words to die off instantly. "Had you known it was me, you would have found another unfortunate woman to force yourselves onto?" Arei pushed past the man and pulled Jos into his arms. "Are you alright, kitten? Have you gotten yourself under control?" He stared down into the slitted white eyes looking up at him. He stroked her cheeks as he placed a kiss to her forehead. A gasp from beside him brought his attention back to the man who was now staring into Jos's beastly eyes as well. Arei smiled at the man. "You should think me two fold, for not killing you myself and for interfering before this lovely demi-goddess killed you herself." His smile brightened as he watched the aqua begin to return to her eyes and the pupils return to their normal shape. He bent and kissed her lips, before turning back to the men. "Note this men, be mindful of your cocks. For you never know what beautiful thing in this world is waiting to bite it off."

Jos frowned, "Are you worried that I'll-"

Arei smiled as he lowered his lips back to hers. "If I were worried of that would I have willingly stuck it in your pretty mouth last night?" He turned his attention back to the men. "Be gone and pray to my father for mercy that we never happen to meet again." He continued holding her against him as he watched the men quickly retreat to their dingy and head out toward the waiting ship in the harbor.

Once they were far enough out, Jos looked up at him a heavy frown resting on her beautiful face. "Why did you call me that? Why not out me as who I am... What I am?"

Arei smile faded only slightly as he searched her features. "I did tell them exactly what you are, who you are. You are my Joslyn. A beautiful demi-goddess who would have been more than capable of defeating them and taking down their entire ship had you wished to."

Jos frowned. "You know as well as I, had I shifted there was a very slim chance I would have remained in control." She glanced away. "I am the beast... the monster they fear most... The Kraken."

Arei shook his head. "The Kraken is a name they give you, give your shifted form... not who or what you are." He brought her face up to meet his. "But it doesn't matter. I love you, not the beast, not the demi-goddess..." He gently poked a fingertip to her chest where she had his shirt clung tightly against. "You." He kissed her lips before pulling away and asking. "Now tell me, why are you here instead of in our room?"

She frowned, "I thought you'd left without me... That you'd somehow changed your mind again and taken off AGAIN to find solace in someone else." Her eyes trailed over the many grains of sand at their feet.

He pulled her face back up to look at him. "Jos, look at me. I promise you, I will never seek anyone else's arms as long as you live. Do you understand. I have made some mistakes, but I plan on spending an eternity righting those wrongs... whether it favors me or not..." He didn't give her time to try deciphering his cryptic words as he lowered his head and took her lips fully this time. Once he was sure this discussion was well concluded, he pulled away. "Now, if you don't mind slipping that on, I'd like nothing more than to go back and pack our bags and say goodbye to this horrible town."

Arei stopped packing the bags and walked over to her. Gripping her jaw as he stroked its sharp ridges with his thumb, he asked. "Why would you even ask that? Of course it's possible. Why wouldn't it be? Hell, I thought by now it would be obvious to you."

She frowned. "I was once told no man could ever love me, not really. That man would only ever be drawn to the pull of the curse. That they would believe themselves in love and grow mad with desire. I do not wish you to go mad..."

Arei laughed, "Were you told that by your mother or by the sirens who raised you?"

Her frown deepened. "The sirens."

He nodded. "They are correct, man and a select number of creatures especially weaker ones will have trouble resisting your charms." He lowered his lips to hers, letting them hover directly above but not touching. "But I promise you, I'm not like them. You can not control me and I can not be lured in by you or your adopted siren family. Nor could any of my brothers. I am a very old demi-god, one of powerful parents. I will admit your beauty and innocence are enough to seduce the gods themselves. But know, kitten, it is your power as a woman that draws me to your bed, not a curse." He closed the distance that separated their lips and kissed her deeply, taking full advantage of her parted lips. When a content moan broke free of her throat, Arei pulled back and pressed his forehead to hers. "I should not have said those words to you... not yet... I should have waited until after your final review." He held her eyes. "I do love you though, and I'll not leave your side unless you demand it. I want you to know though, even if there comes a day you wish to be rid of me, if you ever need me after... I'll always be there for you."

Her tiny hands reached out and cupped his face, "I would never ask you to leave me. I will want you for all times."

He pulled back from her kiss, a sad smile curving his lips. "Yes, well just in case the time comes, I still want you to know I'll always be yours. I'll always have strong feelings for you." He turned away not wanting her to see the regret and fear in his eyes. "It's time we leave. I have the bags if you'd like to close the doors behind us."

Jos nodded, her brows furrowed in confusion and frustration. Everything this man said was always contradictory. The day she had told him how she felt, he'd turned her down flatly. He'd told her she was being foolish and that it was only the convenience of having someone around that incited such feelings. He'd gone off and she'd followed. He'd drank heavy and taken three of the barmaids to a room for the night. Her chest tightened as she imagined him doing those things to those women that night, as he had to her several different nights now... Tears filled her eyes as the sight of the bed they'd shared vanished behind the closing door. He now says his feelings has changed... it's as if there were two different sides to him... two entirely different men... but that was impossible. She quickly wiped at her eyes as she watched him hand the keys over to the old lady behind the bar. She tried smiling when he held his hand out to her, but the pain in her chest continued tightening. Every thing he has said thus far implies he has very little plans of staying past the review... regardless of either their feelings... but why? She stayed quite their entire walk back to the beach and most of their voyage as her mind worked through all his words so far... and worked out a plan of her own... a plan to keep this incredibly stubborn man...