I followed after him, my eyes widening as I rounded the bend. It was like another world behind the curtain of thick plant life. The light softened, the temperature rose, and the mist hung lower, caught in the canopy, and nearly filled the passage. Trevor and Kirill's voices muted and it felt as if they were miles away.
“Narcissus?” I called.
“This way,” his voice ghosted back to me.
I swam after him down a narrow channel. Plants grew all the way to the edge of the stream but it got shallower near the sides. I started wading through the shallows instead of swimming; trailing my fingertips over the exotic flowers. Their velvety petals were coated with moisture, reminding me of the Weeping Woods in Faerie. Soon, I couldn't hear my husbands at all; just the shushing of the water and the drip of condensation off the plants. Then there was a splash ahead of me.
“Vervain? Are you coming?” Narcissus called to me.
“I'm sorry; I'm enjoying the peace,” I said softly. “It's beautiful in here.”
I rounded another bend in the stream and came to a little clearing in the trees; a soft, grassy bank surrounded by fragrant flowers and shrouded in mist. It looked like a lovers' bower. Narcissus was right; this was the perfect place for romance. The river curved out into it as if beckoning me to shore.
“There you are,” Narcissus' voice sounded more mysterious in the mist, more intimate.
I turned toward the sound and saw him wading up to me. Narcissus grinned and passed by me to step up the gentle incline onto the bank. Then he held a hand out to help me up.
“This is one of those spots I told you about,” he said.
“It's lovely.” I stepped through the wet grass and sighed.
The scent was intoxicating. I wanted to lie down and just breathe it all in while I let the warm steam loosen my tight muscles.
“Do you mind if I stayed here awhile?” I asked him.
“Not at all.” Narcissus sat down in the grass. “I'll join you.”
I sat down beside him and then laid back to stare up at the verdant ceiling. There were ribbons of light piercing through the thick leaf-cover in places, keeping it from being too dark, but it was still shadowy in a lazy, candlelit way. The mist drifted through the sprinkling of sunlight and wafted over my body, clinging to my skin. I trailed my fingers through it idly and breathed it in. My whole body started to relax from the top of my scalp to my toes. I felt heavy with languor.
Narcissus stretched out beside me and mimicked my pose. I glanced over at him. His hair was clinging sleekly to his scalp; darker but still gleaming in the low light. His profile was gentle but perfect; his jaw a sweeping curve instead of the sharp angles I favored. But his lips were nice; soft and inviting. He turned toward me and smiled slowly.
My body felt drugged, I was so relaxed. It barely registered at first when he reached out and trailed a fingertip up my arm. It simply felt as if it were exactly what should happen there. I sighed and closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. It wasn't until I felt his lips pressed against mine that I realized my mistake.
I jerked away and stared at Narcissus in shock.
“I'm sorry; I thought I saw arousal in your eyes.” He backed up immediately. “Please forgive the assumption.”
“That was relaxation. I'm not aroused; I'm married,” I said, completely flustered.
Had I been giving him the wrong impression? Maybe I shouldn't have swum off with him. When Narcissus had offered a swim around the room, it had sounded innocent but now, I wasn't so sure.
“To two men.” He smiled. “I thought perhaps you were open to accepting more.”
“My lioness magic requires numerous lovers,” I explained. “I'm married to several men, actually. But I'm not looking for another.”
“Surely they wouldn't mind if we enjoyed ourselves a little.” Narcissus drew his hand down his body, outlining his pecs, and then casually slipped it down his swimming trunks. His sleek sex popped free; hard and eager for attention. “I haven't had a woman in years and you're so lovely. I could give you great pleasure, Vervain. I'm well versed in the erotic arts.” He started stroking himself. “You know you want me. Look at my glorious cock, don't you want to feel it inside you?”
I gaped at Narcissus. I'd never been come onto so... impudently and blatantly. I hardly knew how to react. The man had literally just whipped his dick out and told me that he wanted to fuck me.
“Wow. I thought Re was arrogant.” I shook my head. “But, I suppose you are the original narcissist.”
Narcissus frowned and his hand went still. “No woman has ever denied me. I am the most beautiful man in existence.”
“Sorry, but not in my opinion.”
“You're lying.” He smiled smugly. “It's okay; your husbands aren't here; you can be honest with me.”
“I'm honestly not interested,” I said. “Now, put your damn dick away, flasher.”
“You seriously don't want me?” Narcissus sat up and blinked in shock.
“You're pretty enough.” I shrugged. “But I find all of my husbands far more attractive than you. One, in particular, is unquestionably more handsome; everyone thinks so. If he said he was the most beautiful man in existence, I'd have to agree. I'd be annoyed by his arrogance, but I'd still have to agree.”
“That's not possible.” He narrowed his stare at me.
“He's the Egyptian Sun God,” I said. “His name is Re. Ever heard of him?”
Narcissus frowned and then shook his head.
“His skin looks as if it's dusted with gold and his eyes are molten metal,” I said. “He has the most breathtaking face that's both masculine and beautiful, and his body is perfectly muscled; not too big and not too small. When I
