Dancing With Dionysus

Chapter Five

She hardly seemed aware of his presence.

Sabiniano had expected her to fight him when they arrived at the bathing room, located deep within the temple. It was fed by a natural hot spring, and was more cave than true bath. Glistening spears of crystallized mineral rose around the baths, and steam wafted to the ceiling. Perhaps most notably, it was all one room. There were no separate areas for men and women.

But she simply followed him without speaking. She seemed hopeless, her spirit broken. Almost as if she was still a shade in the underworld, not a living woman at all. She stood in the center of the room, waiting to be told what to do next.

"You'll need to take off your clothing," Sabiniano said quietly. "Do you need help?"

"No," she said quietly. "I don't need your help. Do I have to do this with you in here?"

"Yes, you do," he said. "I'm afraid that if I leave you in here alone you'll drown."

"I'm fine," she said, her face finally showing an emotion. Anger. He held back a smile, relieved to realize that she was still capable of experiencing strong feelings.More than a shade, he thought.

But as quickly as she showed her anger, it faded. In its place was a dull acceptance of her fate. Sabiniano gritted his teeth. If he was going to rescue her from the terrible fate his god had decreed, he would have to get more reaction out of her than that.

"Take of your clothes," he said roughly. She nodded and reached down to pull the drab and torn gown she wore over her head. She paused in her movements.

"Can you please turn the other way?" she asked in a soft voice. "I don't want to do this while you're watching me."

He nodded, and turned. He could hear her movements behind him, using his supernatural senses to monitor her as she pulled the gown over her head. She padded down the carved stone steps and entered the pool quickly, gasping as the hot spring water surrounded her. The heat took her by surprise.

"I can't believe how hot this is, it's burning me!" she called. He smiled. It was as if the water had awakened her from a dream. He was feeling more and more hope for the situation they found themselves in.

He turned, and she ducked down behind the rock ledge. Ignoring her discomfort, he walked along the edge of the pool until he reached the deepest area, then dove in cleanly. The heat of the water pulled him down, and he could feel the scratches the nymph had left on his back burning in pain. The pain ripped through him, anchoring him in his body as it always did. Hopefully it would do the same for her.

He swam underwater toward the woman, allowing himself a glimpse of her body as he swam. It was hard to see her through the bubbles welling up from the bottom, and he grimaced in annoyance. There were far more bubbles than usual.

The naiad of the spring must be playing tricks on him, he realized.

No sooner had the thought come into his mind, than the naiad herself swam up next to him. Her long, white hair spread out between him and the human woman.

She blocked his passage with her body, smiling and beckoned him to come with her. He frowned, and she spoke underwater, the sounds strange and difficult to understand.

"Come with me, Lord Sabiniano," she said, her voice caressing him like the tinkling noise of a stream. "Allow your servants to care for you and ignore this human. She is nothing to you, yet her presence causes you discomfort. If you but say the word I'll take her into the water with me, and she will never trouble you again."

He glared at her, annoyance welling up within him. Why were his people so determined to keep him from his human? And she was his, his to protect if at all possible. He may have hurt her once, but he was determined not to hurt her again. Not after what she'd been through because of his selfish desire.

Poor…with a shock, he realized he didn't even know the woman's name. What kind of monster was he? The kind who tried to rape humans, he thought in disgust.

"I want you out of here," he said coldly to the waiting naiad. A flash of displeasure washed across her face, but she bowed her head in assent. She would do as he had ordered. None of his people would dare risk his wrath, Sabiniano thought. They were far too frightened of him. She glided out of his way while he continued swimming toward the woman. He really needed to ask what her name was…

As he came closer, he could see her more clearly. She seemed agitated, bobbing up and down in the water, as if looking around the room. What was she doing?

He surfaced behind her after taking a moment to savor the sight of her tight, pink butt. She was adorable. Desire rolled through him but he tamped it down.

He would have to move slowly. He didn't want to scare her. He only had a month to convert her to Dionysus' worship, or he would lose her again. She would suffer terribly if he wasn't successful, he reminded himself. He couldn't allow himself to mess this up by being too eager.

She screamed as he surfaced. He shook his head, startled. Had her experience with death made her unbalanced? What was wrong? After her abrupt shriek she grew silent, staring at him with wide eyes.

"How did you do that?" she whispered. "It seemed like you were underwater forever. I though you must be dead."

Sabiniano started, then burst out laughing.

"I'm the son of a god, little human," he said. "I'm immortal. It would take a great deal more than water to slow me down, let alone kill me. I don't believe it's even possible, actually," he added thoughtfully. Could an immortal die?

It seemed a contradiction in terms. It might be worth researching.

He turned his attention back to the woman. She was staring at him as if he were a snake.

"What's your name?" he asked sharply, tired of thinking of her as "human." It suddenly struck him just how different they were. She would age. What if she got old and died before he tired of her? Anger rose in him again. He wouldn't allow it to happen.

"I'm Kalliara," she said, eyes wide. "Why are you doing this to me?" she asked in a rush. "Why are all of you doing this to me? I didn't do anything to deserve this! Please let me go…" she added in a whisper. A tear welled up in one eye.

He felt his heart twist. He didn't want her crying. He had no idea why it was so important, but it was. He had to distract her.

Not pausing to consider his actions, he reached out and pulled her against his body. Her form was warm and slippery in the water. She squirmed again him, whimpering. It wasn't working; she was still going to cry. What would he do if she were a nymph?

He pressed his lips against hers, willing her to respond. She twisted against him, whimpering. He pressed against her more firmly, gently moving his mouth.

He dropped little kisses, nipping at her lips and licking at her tears. His hands ran up and down the length of her back. She felt so good, so alive and beautiful. He wanted to pull her onto him, to drink up her essence, consume her.

He could feel himself hardening in anticipation, but he forced himself to move slowly. The last thing he needed was to scare her again. He wanted to comfort, to sooth. She was still tense in his arms, but she was responding to his touch. Her lips parted ever so slightly, and he pressed his advantage. He leaned into her, dipping into her mouth with his tongue. She seemed startled at first, but he kept up his assault.

He moved against her with inexorable purpose, refusing to give her the opportunity to breathe, to protest, to think about what was happening to her.

Instead, he touched his tongue lightly to hers, reaching one hand up to cup her breast. She quivered. He pressed the advantage, teasing her tongue and daring it to join his. His fingers found her nipple, soft from the warmth of the water. He ran his fingertips across it, back and forth, and to his satisfaction he could feel it tightening under his touch.

She was now kissing him back, however shyly. Her tongue reached up tentatively toward him, and he shuddered. It would be so easy to thrust into her. So easy to push her back against the ledge and push her legs apart. A wave of hot lust gripped him, and for one moment he almost gave into the temptation. There was a roaring in his ears, and in the back of his mind he could hear his father's laughter. Dionysus would enjoy it if his son lost control.

Instead, Sabiniano thrust into her mouth. It was too much for her, but he couldn't help himself, the blood was roaring in his ears. It was all he could do not to take the tempting woman spread out before him. So he took her mouth.

Took it as if he was dying and she was his only sustenance. He wanted to be inside her, to take possession of her body and make it his. Blood pounded in his brain, as he pressed his erection against her soft body.

She twisted against him, whether in pleasure or pain he couldn't tell. He forced himself to slow down. He pulled his mouth away from hers and rested his forehead against her own smaller one. Taking deep breaths, he closed his eyes and focused on her body.

She was small and sexy as she squirmed against him. Her nipples were hard points against his chest and hand, and he felt a satisfaction at that. She might still be afraid of him, but she wanted him, too. Or at least her body did. That was good enough for him, at least for now. He could use that. He squeezed her breast, then frowned as something hard pinched at his finger. It was the gold chain; he had forgotten about it. Pausing to catch his breath, he fumbled with the latch holding it to the golden collar she wore. A whispered word of Dionysian magic—his birthright—loosened the clasp, and he pulled it free of the collar. He lifted the chain, and threw it deep into the depths of the spring. Perhaps that would appease the naiad, he thought with dark amusement.

Turning his attention back to the woman in his arms, Sabiniano massaged her breasts for several minutes, plucking first at one nipple and then the other.

She wiggled against him, as a whimper escaped her. Unlike her earlier cries, this was a whimper of desire. A surge of triumph rolled through him. She was his…

He started kissing her again, moving his hands to roam up and down her back.

She was soft and slippery, her skin so smooth it felt unreal. The nymphs of his island were more physically perfect, but none had ever felt this good to his touch. No human male had ever touched her this way. She was all his and he relished the feeling of ownership it gave him.

His hands dropped lower to cup her butt, and he pulled her against him tightly. In doing so, he made it impossible for her feet to touch the stone floor of the bathing pool. She bobbed up in the water, and her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Her fingers dug into the muscles, and he could feel his entire body tightening in response.

He pressed his erection against her, and for a moment he thought he might explode. She was so soft, completely helpless before him. The power of it sang out to him, and he could feel the god's darkness rising. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, and reached down behind her to pull her legs apart. But she resisted, and he forced himself to slow down. He would do this his way, not his father's, he reminded himself. Force was not an option.

He allowed her to float away from him…just a bit. He brought one hand around to her front, trailing the fingers along her belly, slowly reaching down to the thatch of hair between her legs. She stiffened. He pulled his mouth away from hers and made soothing noises. But even as he did so, he pressed forward with his fingers. She shivered as he found the tiny nub between her legs for the first time. He brushed his finger across it, toying with it gently. He could feel her body stiffening, which caused her to moan again. For a moment he wondered if she would ask him to stop. Would he be able to?

But he didn't have to make that choice, because she suddenly squirmed against him, hips twisting with need. He continued to toy with her clit, allowing it to roll between his fingers as she gasped in his arms. Every time she moved, he could feel her body brushing against his swollen flesh. He felt like exploding, but at the same time there was a sweet tension building in him that he fought to hold and savor.

Over the course of his long life, he had fucked a thousand nymphs. Humans, too, Even a witch. They had brought him to physical release in too many ways to count, but this was different. There was a softness in the way he felt now that was completely new to him. What was it about Kalliara that had the power to move him in this way?

She whimpered and dropped her head to his shoulder. He dipped one finger into the soft fold of flesh below her clit, and she clutched his shoulders more tightly.

"Do you like that?" he asked in a whisper, slipping a second finger into her hot, tight passage.

She refused to answer, and he laughed. She liked it all right.

He delved in further, exploring and finding the barrier of her virginity. Why had she denied herself the pleasures of the flesh for so long? He longed to ask her what had convinced her to give her devotion to Athena, a goddess so cold compared to his own father. But the last thing he wanted was for her to think about her actions. Nothing would break the sensual spell he was weaving between them more quickly than a discussion of religion.

So instead, he pressed his finger against the small membrane, wondering about the best way to break it without hurting her. He never wanted to cause her pain again. It hurt so much to think of what had happened to her because of his selfishness. He would save her, no matter what it took, he vowed silently.

He would convince her to give up her cruel goddess. And once she was converted to Dionysus' worship, they would live together on the island, ruling over it and showering each other with pleasure. His heart raced at the thought.

He removed his finger, and gripped both hands around her waist tightly, boosting her up in the water. She gasped, and steadied herself against his shoulder as he latched on to her breast with his mouth. The tight little nubbin of her nipple was like a small, hard berry against his tongue. He sucked deeply, wrapping one arm around her waist to free the other hand. Her legs came around him instinctively, and she gripped him hard for balance. He took advantage of the new position to slip his fingers into her tight little cunt again, and started working the flesh between her legs in time with the suction of her breast. It was exquisite; he shivered with lust. How soon would he be able to convince her to join with him?

He could feel the tightening in her body, and her fingers clutched his shoulder spasmodically. Her breathing was loud in his ears. She was losing control; soon she would orgasm for the first time in her life. And it would happen in his arms, he thought with savage pleasure. He dragged his mouth to her other breast, suckling deeply. His fingers moved more quickly between her legs. Impatiently she twisted in his grip.

He sucked harder, twisting and thrusting his fingers up into her body. She whimpered, and started thrashing against him. He could feel the waves of pleasure building within her. Soon the orgasm would hit. He increased his efforts, and she shuddered and then suddenly screamed out, the cry echoing through the cavern. He could feel her body spasming. It was time. He thrust his finger up into her cunt, breaking through the thin barrier of her hymen.

Her fingers dug once into his shoulders, and then it was done. She collapsed in his arms, limp with exhaustion and pleasure.

His own erection still throbbed fiercely, but he forced himself to keep control. Instead of pushing her against the wall of the pool and thrusting into her hot flesh, he gently wrapped his arms around her. He carried Kalliara, legs still tight around his waist, to where stone steps led up out of the pool. Holding her gently, he strode out of the water, laying her exhausted body out on a padded stone bench. Where were the drying cloths? He found one, and wiped the moisture from her slowly. She was still breathing heavily, watching him through veiled eyes. If she objected to his touch she wasn't saying anything.

Every touch of the cloth against her body made him hotter. Her breasts were high and firm. Not too large, but definitely lovely. Her waist was thin, but she had generous hips. The curly brown hair between her legs hid treasures he longed to explore further. His erection was heavy with need, and against his will he leaned forward, touching it against her hip.

She quivered, and a bolt of hot need shot through him. In that instant, he realized that if he touched her even once more he would take her. Fuck her without mercy. It wouldn't matter if she screamed for him to stop, it wouldn't matter if Athena herself came to Kalliara's defense. He had to get away from her. Now.

With a shudder, he stepped back and turned away from her. He strode across the room, grabbing a robe and throwing it at her without looking. He grabbed another for himself, wrapping it around his waist without bothering to dry off.

"Put that on and follow me," he said curtly. He had to get out of there; had to find a safe place for her. He didn't trust the naiad not to hurt her if he left her alone in the bath…

He could tell she wasn't moving, there was no sound.

"I said put it on and follow me," he growled, trembling in his need. "If I was going to rape you today I would have by now. I'll show you somewhere that you can sleep."

"All right," she said softly. Her voice, so soft and human, caressed his ear and his anger faded slightly. He strode out of the room shaking his head. What was it about this woman that touched him so?

Kalliara followed him, trying not to stumble. He was walking so quickly she could hardly keep up.

She could still feel the tingles of pleasure drifting through her body. She wanted to lie down, to savor the sensations he'd given her. Instead she was running after him through the temple, trying to keep up and not fall prey to the creatures she knew must live there. She'd had enough contact with satyrs and nymphs to last a lifetime, she thought grimly.

What an incredible feeling his touch had inspired in her. She shivered, remembering. It was part of sex, although he'd only penetrated her with his finger. She was fairly certain she was still technically a virgin. She certainly hoped so—Athena deserved more devotion than her daughter had shown that day. Guiltily, she wondered why it was that Athena forbade her followers this physical joy. It was hard to understand, but it wasn't Kalliara's place to question a goddess, she reminded herself. Athena had cared for her since birth, and through one death, she thought wryly. It wasn't time to question the goddess' rules.

All she had to do to remain faithful to her mistress was survive the festival without succumbing to Dionysus' pleasures. It would be hard. Sabiniano, while still frightening to her, had shown her something new today, something wonderful. Something, if she were honest with herself, she enjoyed. It would be so much easier to give in to him.

If she did, she wouldn't have to die at the end of the month.

But she had already died once. It had been horrible, frightening, unpleasant.

But the underworld was a good place. Her parents were there, and Athena's love for her had remained constant throughout her ordeal. As long as the price of survival was betrayal of Athena, Kalliara vowed to remain strong. Nothing was worth betraying the goddess.

Nothing.