143 Paradise Explored

Vathy, Greece 1565

"How are you feeling, Kitten?" Arei brushed some of the bed-rumpled silver strands from her face.

Jos looked fully up into his face, searching for some hint of disapproval, disgust, fear... hate... She tilted her head sideways as she attempted to push herself up and lean against the backboard of the bed. His expression was only plagued with concern, a heavy frown rested across is beautiful full lips and his magnificent hazel eyes were turbulent with an emotion she couldn't quite place. She cleared her throat. It was dry and scratchy. "I... I'm alright." the words came out as a croak and she winced as a wave of pain coursed through her head.

Arei retrieved a cup from the nightstand and held it out to her. "You don't seem alright. You seem like you're in pain. Does that always happen when you shift?" He asked.

Arei nodded. "Do you have any memory of last night?" He asked. When she shrugged her shoulders as she shook her head, he asked. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Her eyes trailed across his bare chest and down the long arm straddling her legs until they finally settled on the massive hand resting against the bed. Her cheeks reddened. "You... um..." She bit down on her lower lip as the memories from the night before came back. She'd fell asleep in his arms after he'd touched, rubbed, and lick nearly every inch of her body.

The corner of Arei's lips curved upwards into a cocky grin. He knew exactly what she was thinking about. His eyes narrowed and he gently brought his free hand to her chin and turned her face toward him. Searching her eyes for any sign of a lie he asked, "So you don't remember anything past falling asleep here with me last night?" When she shook her head, he asked. "Then how do you know you shifted?"

She let out a heavy sigh. "Because I know what it means when I wake up feeling this way." Her eyes met his, question heavy in them. "How did I get back here?" She asked glancing around the room to emphasize her question. "Typically… I wake up on a beach or, if I'm lucky, with the sirens..."

Arei arched his brows remembering the siren that brought her to him last night. "Do the sirens often help you after a shift like that?"

She nodded. "Only if Meko is there. She... she is the one who raised me..."

He nodded. "I see... Has she ever tried to explain any of this to you? Explained what exactly happens when you shift?"

Arei pulled her against his chest and began stroking her hair soothingly. "Shh, Love. You'll never get stuck as the monster. I'll not let that happen, you'll not let that happen." He kissed the top of her head. "I have someone I'd like for you to meet. Maybe they can help you come to terms with what you are and what you are not."

***

Arei stashed their discarded clothing into the saddlebags before turning back to the waters and Jos. She was entranced with the beautiful creature beside her. He watched as she ran her hands over its scales, speaking softly to the animal as it ate apple slices from her palm. "He likes you." Arei called as the hippocampus nudged her with his muzzle and let out a content neigh. "You have a way with stallions, it would seem." He said in a low husky whisper as he neared her and the waiting creature. He tossed the waterproof bag over the sea horse.

Her eyes met his, "Do you think?" Her eyes moved back to the radiant animal. "Does he really like me? He's so beautiful, I can't help but love him." She ran her hands over the scales that reflected the many colors of the spectrum, casting different colors at each angle. "He's simply breathtaking."

Arei chuckled, recalling how she frequently stroked his own chest in a very similar manner. "As are you, Love. Now come, before he falls in love with you and refuses to let me ride. Then I'd be forced to swim the entire 200 leagues." He gave her a mischievous smile. "And I'm not entirely sure I'm quite rested enough for such a journey, as I didn't get adequate rest last night." He narrowed his eyes at her playfully, reveling in the blush that creeped up her neck.

She hesitated, "What... what if your father is home?" She wrung her hands in anxious nervousness.

Arei smiled as he splashed through the water toward her. He cupped her face. "Then he'll have the joys of meeting one of Earths most beautiful creatures as well." He lowered his lips to hers for a quick kiss before taking her hand and leading her to the back of the hippocampus. "Climb on, I'll help you." He cupped his hands under her bare foot and lifted her upwards. Once she was straddling the beast, he leaped up behind her and leaned forward pinning her between his massive chest and the neck of the beast. "Onward Buttercup." He called out and the creature lunged forward.

"Buttercup?" She said skeptically unable to move enough to see his face.

Arei laughed. "He seemed like a Buttercup, don't you agree?"

She arched a brow although he couldn't see her face. "Not particularly." Her thoughts were cut off as the hippocampus dove below the surface of the water and plunged forward at an incredible speed. Jos tightened her grip around the creature's neck as the beauties of the surface vanished and the dark depth of the sea began to surround them. A cry bubbled from her lips as the creature moved at full speed toward a great wall of rock. She gripped tighter as the creature spiraled through the water and closed her eyes only peeking out when she felt them slow. Light shown at the end of the dark cave the hippocampus had skillfully plunged into. There were markings on the narrow walls of the watery cave, but the language wasn't familiar. Once they had reached the light, the cave widened, and the hippocampus broke the surface of the water.

Arei jumped down and held his arms out for Jos. "We're here, it's only a short walk."

Jos looked around skeptically. The cave was lined with more markings she didn't recognize save for one. A large trident stood out over one of the openings tunneling through the cave. It was the exact same trident that rested proudly on the bare chest beside her. She gripped his arm as loud howls sounded from one of the other caves. Her eyes shot toward another cave that had an odd symbol above it. It looked like a crescent moon setting atop a sharp stake with a small dark circle in the center of the crescent. Dust and rock fell around them as the rumbling of the howls shook the stalactites overhead.

Arei chuckled and pushed Jos farther behind him. He made a clicking sound with his tongue, and a monstrous three headed dog bound from the cave. It wagged a long serpent like tail in excitement as it recognized Arei. He laughed with boyish joy as he scratched the heads on the right and left eagerly, all the while being licked in the face by the head in the center of the mammoth creature. "Alright, alright! That's enough boy!" He called out as he petted the beast's chest. He turned slightly to Jos. "This is my uncle's 'guard dog'. he nodded toward the cave the beast had come from. "That, for all intents and purposes, is the eastern entrance to the underworld." The dog was now flopping onto its back so that Arei could scratch its expansive belly. "And this big goof ball is Cerberus." He motioned for her to come over with his head. "He's all bark and drool, there's no reason to be afraid of him."

She neared him and the beast with her hands clenched at her chest. "But... But wont he... I mean... I don't belong here..."

Arei chuckled, "You're with me so it's fine." Arei took one of her trembling hands and brought it over to the three heads waiting excitedly to meet her. "Don't worry they won't bite." His eyes sparkled into her as he added, "Not all things big and scary are bad."

She smiled as the dogs licked her hand and the long serpent's tail wagged slapping the walls of the cave. "I suppose you think it's foolish of me to be afraid of a dog... after what you saw last night?" She remarked not taking her gaze off the dogs.

His smile widened, "Not foolish... I just find it amusing is all. Your fully shifted form was quite impressive. I'd never be able to go up against you alone." He laughed, "In fact, you tossed me around like a ragdoll last night."

Her cheeks reddened and her smile faded, "So you were there last night?"

He nodded. "I was. I saw the whole thing." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I wouldn't have believed it, had I not seen it with my own eyes." He held her gaze. "But you must know, that doesn't define who you are. There will always be things out of our control, things we can't change about ourselves no matter how much we want to..." He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "We have to accept those parts of ourselves and move on." he took her hand and nodded toward the cave with the trident. "Come on, I have someone I think you should meet. My sister has a similar curse on her as does her 'companion'." He began leading her toward the cave as Cerberus trotted along behind them. "You see even my brothers and I don't venture near their dwellings by vessel. Hell, I wouldn't even swim it! They each have very little control of their shifted forms even after all these years." He ran his hand along the wall and an elaborate, swirling design began to illuminate the passage. When a drop of drool dropped down from overhead onto Arei's shoulder. He stopped his story and eyed the massive dog. "Shouldn't you return to your duties? Your own cave?" The dog whined, all six ears drooping in sadness. Arei shook his head. "Alright boy, but if Uncle gets pissed, don't say I didn't warn you."

The three heads looked back and forth between one another as if to debate the choice. Jos couldn't help but giggle. She turned back to the large dog and spread her arms widely out across its chest unable to reach either side. Three tongues tickled her as he licked happily. Jos pushed away from the dog. "It was great to meet you, and I'd love to see you again... but I would hate to know I caused you to get in trouble with your master." She stroked each of the large overhead jowls. "Run along now, and we'll visit again before we leave." This had the dog excited. She giggled again. "Run along now." She said gently as she gave the dog one last goodbye pet.

Arei watched as the dog pranced happily down the narrow path. "You have a way with creatures." he said. "Or maybe it's just male creatures." He winked down at her. "Next time my brother and I are sent out after a beast, remind me to bring you along." He ruffled her hair. "My own personal beast whisperer." He teased.

She tilted her head. "You said you have several brothers, but you seem to only ever refer to one... why is that?"

"There's one I'm closer to..." Her brows furrowed wanting more. Arei's smile faded, and he searched her face. letting out a heavy sigh, he answered. "I'll explain it all when we get back to your island."

She puckered out her lower lip. "Why not explain it to me now?"

He sighed as he adjusted the saddlebag across his shoulder. "Because things between you and I have gone too far now, and I think it best that we be there face to face with you for you to... understand." His words trailed off.

"Understand what?" She asked, her brows tenting in frustration.

He stopped and turned fully toward her. He cupped her face in his hands. "Understand that I Love you, and I would never do anything intentionally to hurt you. I would never be with anyone but you whether I thought you'd find out about it or not. He ran his fingers through her damp hair. "That you mean the world to me... that I would trade the moon and stars to see you smile even if that smile wasn't meant for me." He bent and kissed her lips softly. "I will do all that I can to see that smile stay bright and that childish wonder never leave your eyes." He kissed the tip of her nose. "This is who you are, not the creature from last night, and hopefully after meeting my sister, you will understand that."

Jos frowned. "But why would my smiles not be meant for you? I don't understand. What is it you're not telling me?" She begged, clinging to his forearms tightly. Her eyes pleaded with his.

Arei closed his eyes tightly for a long moment. When they opened again his gaze moved quickly to the lit designs on the cave wall. "We should get going. We'll talk more about this later."

Jos released his arms letting her hands drop by her sides as she stepped away from him. "You always do that..." She muttered as she waited for him to begin walking.

Arei let out an exasperated groan. "I wish I could simply tell you everything you want to know and that would be the end of it... but trust me, it's not that simple. Not any longer anyways..." He frowned as he leaned down to level their gazes. "I should have never touched you or kissed you... but I don't regret it... I only regret I didn't tell you how I felt sooner... before my secrets began to cause you so much pain." He brushed a tear from her cheek. "We really do need to get going. The cave will only stay lit for so long, and trust me, you don't want to make this trip in the dark even with supernatural abilities."