141 Days in paradise (2/2)
She scrunched her brows closer together. ”How so?”
He sighed, ”In different ways. Sometimes it's as simple as having a child with the mortal giving birth to a divine child.” When her brows scrunched even more, he explained. ”A divine child is a child born of a powerful demi-god and a mortal. The children for all intents and purposes are mortal, but they tend to possess powers other mortals do not. Thus, making them stand out as superiors and the leaders they are born to, more powerful in the eyes of the people. Achilles, who died during the Trojan War, is a good example of this. His mother was one of my father's favored nereids. She fell in love and married a king. Achilles, their son, was considered a great and powerful warrior unable to be bested by mere mortals... That wasn't the case, however.” He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
She turned in his lap. ”What about children between two demi-gods?”
He frowned as he continued stroking her face with his thumbs. ”It depends...”
She pressed her palms against his lap and pushed upwards to level their gazes. The weight of her question lingered in the air. ”It depends on what?”
He let out a heavy sigh. ”The child's usefulness to the gods... the powers of the parents... many things...” He stroked her cheeks as he searched her eyes. ”Yet another thing you should consider. Any child of mine would most likely be pushed into the same servitude as my brothers and me.” It pained him to admit such things, but she needed to know. He forced himself to add. ”You may not realize it yet, but you are also an immensely powerful creature. There is a chance after your review the gods will make similar demands of you.”
She shrugged, ”Even if in the end I have no choice, it would be better to know I'm being sent out after something or someone... verses simply waking up with no knowledge of the horrible things I've done, only the ghostly remnants of death and destruction surrounding me on some desolate beach somewhere.” Tears stung her eyes as she recalled the many times she'd awoke to such things, knowing she was the one to blame for the littering of bodies and wreckage blighting the otherwise beautiful sands. ”I don't like being a monster... I don't want to be a creature people despise and fear...” The tears streamed down her face as she averted her gaze.
He pulled her tightly against his chest nestling her head under his chin and holding her tightly. ”I understand, kitten. I promise you; I'll do what I can to keep you from having to do such things again but that means accepting your form and learning to control it.” He tilted her head up to meet his gaze. ”Would you like that? To try and learn to control it?”
She frowned, ”We've tried before and it was a complete failure, remember?”
He bent down and kissed her lips. Whispering against them, he said, ”You've tried yes, but that was before we became more emotionally involved... before you really understood yourself or emotions.” He kissed her lips again. ”I believe we can use your emotions to control that side of you.”
She smiled brightly up at him. ”Do you really think so?”
He nodded. ”I do. I'll admit, I've had reservations about our involvement right now but if something good can come of it then I'm all the more willing to try.”
Her smile fell and she pushed against his chest, holding herself at arm's length to better study his expression. ”You... have... reservations about us? You... you mean you still don't... want me...”
His eyes widened, ”NO, kitten! That is nowhere near what I meant by that! My only reservations are in pushing you for things you may not want... for the possibility that I'm not who you want...”
”But you are!” She argued, interrupting him.
He shook his head, ”You can't know that, not right now. I'm no more than your jailer... It's quite common for prisoners to form feelings for their capturers. Encouraging you as I have, isn't healthy for you. I shouldn't be doing it, and yet, I can't seem to keep my hands off you...” He leaned down and kissed her lips again before resting his forehead against hers and holding her eyes. ”I promise you, at the end of this, if it is in fact me you want. I'll never leave your side. I'd do everything in my power to keep you safe and happy no matter the consequences to myself... but I want it to be your choice. I want... I need you to choose me.”
Jos wrapped her arms around his thick neck and pressed her lips to his. ”I've already chose you. I already want you.”
He shook his head. ”No, you haven't, not really.” His words were heavy and carried a foreboding air. ”We should head back before it gets too much later.”
She let out a sigh and nodded. Standing, her gaze traveled back to the water. She gasped as something broke the surface of the water. ”Oh wow!” She exclaimed in fascination.
Arei followed her gaze to the two hippocampus leaping from the water under the pale moonlight. Their multicolored scales glittered majestically beneath the bright beams, and their joyful neighs could be heard in the now quiet surroundings. ”They're amazing, aren't they?” He asked wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin atop hers.
She nodded under his weight. ”Yes, they are! I can't believe I've never seen one.”
He chuckled, ”Not surprising, actually. They are very reclusive creatures. As a son of Poseidon, I can interact with them easily enough. But for someone who isn't, they are very rarely seen. I could take you for a ride on one if you'd like... not tonight but maybe tomorrow or the next day?”
She nodded in excitement. ”I'd love that!”
He smiled and kissed her forehead, ”Then it's settled... and if you'd like I'll show you my father's kingdom.” She nodded in barely contained excitement. He laughed. ”Then you need to get your rest, Love. What do you say?”
She nodded and took his hand, all but skipping back to the inn. ”Can we go tomorrow? First thing in the morning?”
He laughed, as he followed her up the stairs. ”Yes, kitten. If that's what you'd like.”
She nodded her head eagerly, practically dancing with excitement. She bounded into the room once he opened the door and flung herself onto the soft bed with her arms widely spread.
Arei laughed as he arched a brow in mock scorn. ”Aren't you bathing first, before bed? It was a long journey here.” He continued to tease her as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it onto one of the wooden chairs surrounding the table, before walking slowly toward her. He watched as her eyes raked over his broad chest. The pink tip of her tongue darted out to run over the fullness of her slightly parted lips. He pulled the tie of her cape exposing the soft leather of the sexy tribal dress underneath. ”Come, I'll help you bathe.” His voice came out gruff, the ache of need evident in its depths.
She held her hand out too him and let him lead her to the waiting tub.