Aphrodite's Daughter

Chapter 8

Folóï Woods, Southern Provinces

Iliana and Flash barely had time to equip their armor and weapons when a flock of birds flew towards the sky, obviously spooked by something or… someone traipsing around the forest. I made sure to keep Willow behind my legs because she was in no condition to fight a band of heavily-armed mercenaries. To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure that I was either. Demigoddess-like powers or not, I wasn’t keen on charging into battle without proper intel. Medusa gracefully slithered over to my side a moment later, claws at the ready, fangs bared in a savage grin.

The gorgon flicked her tongue a few times and let out a low grunt. Given the grim expression on her face, I had to assume that something was wrong. “I detect a great deal of magic emanating from the south side of the forest. Take heed, Adagio. We mustn’t underestimate our foes.”

“How powerful are we talking? Can that tongue of yours tell the difference between them?”

Medusa nodded. “Several humans. Possibly a cyclops or two and… an additional scent I’m not familiar with. These are no ordinary mercenaries. That much is certain.”

“Mother siren. I HATE cyclopes. I only faced one once before but it was more than enough to color my opinion of their race. Willow, listen to me very carefully. You must do what we say no matter what happens. We’ve fought plenty of monsters before and you haven’t. Have I made myself clear?”

Willow hugged my thighs and practically buried her face in-between my ass cheeks like a pillow. Ugh! She even started nuzzling me. I know she was just scared and wanted someone to comfort her, but that didn’t make the situation any less awkward for me. Clearly, dryads had a very liberal definition of what constituted personal space. “Of course, great sorceress!”

I patted Willow’s leafy head and offered her a weak smile. “Good. Erm—would you mind letting go of me now? I need to be able to move around freely in order to fight the mercenaries.”

The chubby little dryad complied and scampered over to Iliana. I couldn’t help but notice that she treated Willow like a frightened child. Despite the Spartan’s battle-hardened façade, there was kindness in her voice and she made sure to be gentle with Willow as well. It made me think that, perhaps, she would make a decent mother some day in the future. The far future, mind you. I wonder if Spartans even saw their offspring as anything more than tools for war?

I wasn’t particularly interested in producing any offspring of my own. Never was. Childrearing was the responsibility of beta females, not alphas like me. While I had no doubt that my genes were desirable, finding a worthy male partner to breed with had been… difficult to say the least. Sex was a transaction, not an act of intimacy amongst sirens. But now that I was finally freed from the constraints of the Siren Social Hierarchy, I could pursue any partner that I desired.

A cold, nervous sweat broke out across my skin, despite the balmy evening air. Flash stood resplendent in his kit, every bit the demigod he was supposed to be. I wanted to walk over and kiss that goofball passionately on the lips for good luck, but my legs refused to budge another step. It was as if they were hammered in place by some cosmic force. Why was I even thinking about mushy human nonsense like that before battle?! Keep your head in the game, Dagi. Don’t let thoughts of intimacy and romance cloud your mind. That’s it. Breath in and out. Nice and slow. Focus your hatred on those assholes causing trouble for the dryads instead.

I let out a loud yelp when I felt Flash place his hand on my shoulder. “Hey, Adagio. Are you ok? You seem a little… distracted somehow. Is there anything I can do to help?”

I cleared my throat. “No, I’m fine. Thank you, Flash. I’m experiencing the joy of pre battle jitters is all. HAHAHA!”

He didn’t seem convinced but took me at my word. “Oh—um—yeah, I get it. Happens to me sometimes, well actually, most of the time before battle. You’re not alone, is what I’m trying to say. Just remember that we’re here to lend a hand if things get dicey. Good luck out there.”

The best I could offer him was a platonic pat to the back. Way to show you care, Dagi. “Same to you. Flash, when this is all over, do you think we could talk? In private, I mean. I’ve been meaning to get a few things off of my chest for a while now and—”

Flash drew his sword and held up his free hand in a placating gesture. “Sure. But we have to focus our attention on the mercs for the time being. They’re almost here.”

As if summoned by royal edict, the band of mercenaries came stomping towards our camp. The clattering of armor and snapping twigs heralded their arrival. Ten in total by my count. The vast majority of them were humans with two armored cyclopes plodding along, shaking the ground and a large centaur in the middle. Every single one of them was armed to the teeth. Long spears, short swords, and metal clubs for the cyclopes. And judging by how shiny and well-maintained their equipment was, they preferred to employ only the best available on the market. Just our fucking luck. We get to fight consummate professionals. Yay!

The burly centaur raised his hand and everyone in the company stopped. Even in the dim recesses of the Folóï Woods, the moonlight glistened off of his silver armor. What little skin he showed was crimson (at least along his arms) and black fur covered the equine portion of his body. A pair of wicked, curved horns jutted out from holes bored into the sides of his helmet but I couldn’t get a look at his face since he wore a visor. He stomped his mighty front hooves once, making a loud thud and kicking up leaves and other debris.

“Just when I thought this fine evening couldn’t get any more interesting. A merry band of misfits show up. What do we have here? Let’s see… a gorgon, two human warriors and, by the gods, a whore! Hahaha! What? You didn’t have the decency to slip on a toga before we arrived?”

Tendrils of green magic flared from my pupils when I placed my hands on my hips, puffed out my chest and tried to look imposing. I’m quite certain that he noticed. The magic, I mean. The intimidating part needed a little—ok, a LOT of work. There was only so much I could do as a naked human woman. “Are you finished insulting me yet? I want to get this conversation over with because I’m tired and want to sleep. Preferably, in peace if it’s all the same to you.”

The centaur grunted but did not make a move towards us. He reached into a saddlebag that hung over his back and pulled out a compass with a large emerald embedded in the center. He held it towards me and it began to glow, making a soft chiming noise as it did so. “My mistake. You’re a magic sorceress whore. Tell you what, sweetness. I’m feeling merciful tonight. If you hand over the dryad without a fuss, we’ll be on our way. None the wiser. You have my word.”

I SO wanted to kick this impudent wretch in his hairy, horsey nutsack. Mystic power surged through my veins as my anger reached a boiling point. It felt good. Almost too good. I had to reign myself in a bit. “What do you want with the chubby little welp?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but we’ve been paid a princely sum to capture the dryad hiding behind your friend and her two sisters. Need them as a set of three or we don’t get the rest of our delivery fee. The price of business, you understand. What’ll it be, sweetness?”

I huffed in frustration. “For starters, my name is Adagio. Not sweetness.”

The centaur let out a bellowing chuckle. “Of course! How rude of me. Adagio it is, then. While we’re doling out introductions, I am Lord Tirek, leader of the Silver Scythes. No need to bow or kiss my hooves. I’m not the type to hold noble titles over the common folk.”

“Good. Because I wouldn’t kiss anything that belonged to you.”

Tirek waved around a pouch full of coins. “Not even if I paid you? Come now. I don’t believe you’re the type of woman who’s adverse to a quick suck and fuck before battle, are you? I have to warn you though, Adagio. My cock is a lot bigger than you’re used to dealing with. Hahaha!”

I felt the veins along my temples pulse slightly while my skin flushed. What an asshole! “Not interested, Lord Dipshit. You can take your coin and your cronies elsewhere because we’re not letting you lay a finger on Willow. And we’ll be taking back her sisters too. How about that?”

Tirek laughed and cracked his knuckles. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you? Well, I just so happen to enjoy a challenge! Prepare yourself, Adagio. Because I’m going to enjoy breaking you.”

The first ones to attack us were the cyclopes. I suppose the mercenaries considered them expendable to a certain extent. Possibly because of their brute strength and heavy armor. Tirek stood still, with what I can only imagine was a shit-eating grin on his face, were it not covered by a visor. The rest of his men followed suit, staying perfectly still at attention. While I tried to figure out how I was going to take one of them down, Medusa sprang into action without a moment’s hesitation. I was dumbfounded for a moment simply because I had no idea that she was capable of jumping so high without a pair of legs. Yet, the evidence presented before me suggested otherwise.

What unsettled me the most was how little sound Medusa made. Once she dug her claws into the vulnerable flesh of the cyclops’s armpits, Medusa coiled her tail around the unarmored gap near his waist like a boa constrictor. The big brute thrashed around, screaming wildly in pain, trying to throw her off. But it was no use. Medusa was dug in good. When the opportunity presented itself, she sank her fangs into his neck, injecting deadly venom into the cyclops’s bloodstream.

Within a matter of moments, the cyclops began to seize and fell to the ground with a resounding thump. He convulsed for a little while longer until he started frothing at the mouth, and with a watery gurgle, the life drained from his eyes forever. He hadn’t stood a chance against a gorgon. Clearly spooked by what they’d seen, the remaining soldiers readied their spears and marched towards us in a phalanx formation. Flash was busy fighting the remaining cyclops while Medusa and Iliana stood by my side, ready to defend Willow with everything we had.

“Do you think Flash will be ok on his own?” I asked.

Iliana held up her shield with one arm and drew a short sword with her free hand. “The way I see it, he’s just going to have to manage. What about you, Adagio Dazzle? Are you prepared to work your magics against the mercenaries and their leader? I dare say, it is the only advantage over them that you possess right now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Iliana splayed her feet and took a defensive position. “I mean that you are naked and unarmed.”

I growled in annoyance. “This crap again? How many times do I have to tell you, Iliana? I’m not your run of the mill human woman. With a little finesse, I could easily—”

“Like your battle with the hippocampus or Medusa? I remain unconvinced. Your reckless attitude will get you killed in combat, Adagio. Regardless of your abilities as a demigoddess. Not to mention your insistence on not wearing any form of protection. You would have been flogged for your insolence; had you been trained as a Spartan soldier.”

I rolled my eyes. Because getting lectured by an uppity princess in the middle of a fight was so much fun! Iliana seriously needs to get laid at some point just to loosen up those puckered lips of hers. “Ok, you’ve made your point. What do you suggest then, o master strategist?”

“Go for the exposed areas in their armor. Such as the neck, armpits, and behind the knees. Even with your enhanced strength, I wouldn’t suggest trying to punch their armor directly unless you wish to break all of the bones in your hands. I’m fairly certain that their armor is enchanted with hieroglyphic runes meant to nullify damage and physical trauma.”

Sure enough, as the group of mercenaries drew ever closer, I noticed what Iliana was referring to. Internally, I screamed to myself. Why did everything always have to be so damn complicated? It was at that point; I heard a tremendous thud in the distance. I looked over towards the commotion and realized that the cyclops had Flash pinned to the ground. A shallow crater outlined his body. He was bloody, bruised, and clearly in pain. The one-eyed bastard was grinning ear to ear with his metal club raised high in the air, ready to crush Flash into a pulp. Tears of bitter frustration filled my eyes while I continued to watch.

My heart was torn between two choices. Should I trust Iliana & Medusa to hold off the mercenaries and protect Willow while I rescued Flash, or stay behind and hope that he would somehow recover? The latter was highly unlikely, in my opinion. What happened next took my breath away. Flash must have pretended to be injured (or at least to a greater extent) so that he could trick the cyclops into letting down its guard.

In a single, mighty swing, he sliced the cyclops’s right leg off just below the knee, causing the giant to stumble sideways and crash into the ground. While it struggled to get its bearings, Flash wasted no time grabbing its other leg. He swung the cyclops straight into a tree trunk, breaking the creature’s neck with a sickly crunch. So much for enchanted armor. Showing off that loveable, boyish grin of his, Flash began approaching us to offer his aid… until Tirek blasted Flash square in the chest with some kind of magic beam that had emanated between his horns.

I screamed Flash’s name while I made a mad dash towards his motionless body. While I ran, Medusa attempted to use her petrification spell but it didn’t seem to work on the mercenaries. Apparently, their enchanted armor prevented it from functioning as intended. In desperation, Iliana shouted aloud, urging me to stand my ground and help fight the mercenaries instead. A pang of guilt wracked my stomach, causing me to feel queasy but I just couldn’t risk staying behind with them. Flash was in no position to defend himself currently, and I needed to make sure that Tirek wouldn’t kill him while I was distracted. Onwards I went, oblivious to the rocks, roots, and twigs that scraped against my bare feet while I ran.

Minor though they were, my wounds would heal soon enough. Flash’s safety was far more important to me at the moment. Just before I was able to see if he was ok, Tirek came galloping towards me and slammed his elbow into my gut, sending me hurtling into the ground with a meaty thud. Of course, it hurt like a bitch and managed to completely knock the wind out of me. However, the strike wasn’t hard enough to render me unconscious. With a few labored, wheezing breaths, I staggered back onto my feet and wiped a dribble of blood from my lips. Great. I think Tirek managed to crack a few of my ribs.

The centaur bellowed with laughter. “You’re tougher than you look, sweetness.”

“Save your flattery for someone who cares.” I spat.

Tirek ignored the barb and continued. “This all could have been avoided had you simply cooperated with my demands. All I wanted was to collect the dryad’s nectar. Well, perhaps a little more than that. The creatures would have been held captive at the behest of my employer.”

“What? So, you can milk them dry and dispose of them when they no longer serve a purpose? Disgusting. You’d treat them no better than cattle! Dryads are living, thinking beings, Tirek.”

The centaur waved his gauntleted hand dismissively. “Ironic, considering the charade you’re playing. Don’t look so surprised, Adagio. I can tell that your magic isn’t from this world. Therefore, it is logical to conclude that you weren’t born a human. Not with that kind of power. Frankly, I could care less what you were and where you came from. I’m going to kill you all the same. Hmm. Perhaps, I should have a little fun breaking you first. We’ll see~”

I grit my teeth as my ribs slowly began to mend themselves. Yep. A few were definitely broken. I just needed to stall him for a little while longer. “How… did you figure out my secret?”

“It’s quite simple, really. I have a magic detecting artifact with me. A compass, to be precise. According to the merchant I bought it from, he claimed that it is of Atlantean make. It doesn’t matter. The compass suits my needs just fine. That’s how I was able to track down the dryads.”

I put on a façade of false bravado by placing hands on my hips and struck a confident pose. In reality, I was scared shitless. Tirek’s power was no joke. Even with my magic and enhanced abilities, I wasn’t entirely certain that I could defeat him all on my own. Believe me, I was trying my best to come up with a strategy that didn’t involve getting beaten to a pulp, raped, then killed. Out the corner of my eye, I noticed that Flash was recovering from his injury at least. Even so, there was a nasty scorch mark on his chest and his skin looked like one giant, reddish blister.

There’s no way in Tartarus I was going to let myself become charbroiled, if I could help it. I bit my lip while looking around for any advantages I could use against Tirek. There were plenty of trees around, but with all that armor, hitting him with one would do me very little good. That left exposed spots in the armor itself. The only place that I could strike and would have a noticeable effect was underneath his carriage. Preferably, a swift kick to his horse cock (I could easily tell it wasn’t human-sized despite the dim lighting). I doubt he would be expecting that. Ha!

Unfortunately, my battle plan came to a screeching halt when Tirek galloped over to where Flash was and grabbed him by the neck. Flash struggled to break free of his grasp, since he was using most of his demigod strength to heal the chest wound. If that wasn’t bad enough, Tirek slammed him into the trunk of a tree, showering the area with splinters and blood. Flash let out an inhuman howl of pain and stopped struggling. He didn’t have the energy to resist anymore.

“PUT HIM DOWN! YOUR FIGHT IS WITH ME!” I bellowed.

Unperturbed, Tirek waved his finger and clicked his tongue. “This boy means a lot to you, doesn’t he? More than a comrade, I’d wager. A lover, perhaps? I told you I would break you, Adagio. After all, I’m a centaur of my word. Let’s see how much punishment a demigod can take.”

My desire to protect Flash overwhelmed all of the other instincts I had rattling around in my brain in that moment. Time seemed to slow down as golden-hued magic swirled around my body like a burst of sunlight on earth. Something had changed the nature of my magic. The contrast wasn’t just visual; I could feel it. Although much shorter than before, my hair seemed to billow around as if caught in an ethereal wind. Not only that but… it was decidedly more sparkly. Dare I say, it was not unlike the manes of the prissy pony princesses. In any case, I could indulge my curiosity later. Saving Flash was my only concern at the moment.

I couldn’t tell what kind of expression Tirek wore, but he hesitated for a moment upon seeing me. Somehow, I felt much lighter and stronger than before. It was almost as if my body had become weightless. All of the exhaustion and pain seemed to have disappeared too. I dashed forward and grabbed Flash out of Tirek’s clutches, setting him down gently in the grass. Flash was struggling to stay conscious, but he managed to raise his hand and brush my cheek. Happy that he was still alive, I crouched down on my haunches and planted a kiss on his forehead.

Tirek finally must have come to his senses because he fired a beam of concentrated magic straight at my head. Sensing the blast before actually seeing it, I held up my hand and imagined a picture of Iliana’s shield in my mind. As I predicted, a golden shield deflected his attack with ease. Don’t ask me how I knew that would work. It was instinct. I suppose you could say, a little voice in the back of my mind assured me that it was a good idea. While he was distracted, I lunged forward and slammed my fist into his chest. Even with all the enchantments, a big dent formed in the center of his armor and he flew into a nearby tree with a sickening crunch.

The centaur slowly rose to his hooves and coughed. “Can’t say I was expecting that. No matter. I’ve faced far more fearsome creatures than the likes of you. I’ll just have to be a bit more careful and alter my strategy. It’s what any soldier worth their salt would do in a situation like this.”

I surrounded his body with a golden aura and raised him in the air. “Don’t underestimate me, Tirek. I can destroy with a mere flick of my wrist. Surrender now, and I might let you live.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

My eyes widened in surprise as the aura began to flicker and I felt my grip on him fading. Damn that enchanted armor! It was like trying to take hold of a stubborn, slippery fish. Before I could muster a defense, Tirek blasted me again. This time, the bolt struck me right in the stomach. While it didn’t hurt as much as I anticipated, my feet gouged a shallow track in the dirt when I was sent back a few steps. Did I mention how much I hate twigs and pebbles?

My scorch wound healed almost instantly, thank the Mother Siren. But the pain was enough of a distraction to make my temper flare. I concentrated my magic and fired a continuous beam of my own until Tirek’s armor glowed red-hot. He howled in pain, as the smell of singed fur filled the air. In a frantic attempt to escape being burned alive, Tirek removed his breastplate, revealing just how much of a muscled, hulking brute he was. His gold pupils stared back at me with an expression of pure hatred. He was severely outmatched and knew it.

I sprang into the air, flipped to gain more momentum, and pointed the balls of my feet downward so that I could kick him square in the back. My attack had the desired effect, to say the least. In fact, I’d managed to pound him straight into the ground. However, I yelped in surprise when he managed to roll over, grab my ankle, and pull me down to his level. In the midst of my confusion, he pinned my wrists and began reigning blows on me with his front hooves. More than a few strikes battered and bruised my poor, beautiful face. I’d had more than enough of that bullshit and did the only thing I could think of. I took in a deep breath, concentrated my magic, and aimed a sonic blast right at his chest.

The shrill sound of my scream echoed throughout the forest. Consequently, it blew away the leaves of any trees standing nearby and sent Tirek flying off to parts unknown. Given that I’d just had the shit kicked out of me, I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate my triumph. Whatever sparkly magic was running through my veins, saw fit to start healing my body again. Well, enough to take the edge off and make me a functioning Adagio Dazzle at least.

I hobbled over to Flash and propped him up against my shoulder. We began walking, albeit slowly, towards the other battle raging on between our comrades and the mercenaries. “Thanks for saving my life, Adagio. I didn’t think I was going to make it for a while there. That centaur was a lot stronger than I thought he’d be. Uhh… why is your entire body glowing?”

I blinked my swollen, black eye and sighed. “Fuck if I know. Something’s changed about my magic, I think. Because it sure as Tartarus isn’t the usual kind. Feels different.”

Flash coughed and let out a weak chuckle. “It’s a good look for you.”

Despite the situation, I felt a blush color my cheeks. “You really think so?”

Flash clutched his ribs and groaned. Even so, he managed to show off a boyish grin. “Yep. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re one step closer to being an actual daughter of Aphrodite.”

“Well, I think you should concentrate on walking instead of keeping your eyes glued to my incandescent, golden honeypot. We both need to converse our strength, so that we can heal our wounds. In all honesty, I’m not sure that we’ll be able to help Iliana and Medusa in time.”

“I wasn’t staring that much. It’s just impossible to miss…” Flash mumbled under his breath.

“Huh? Did you say something, Flash?”

“I was simply agreeing with what you said. We should take a break.”

As we drew closer, it immediately became apparent that our aid was unnecessary. Iliana was covered in dirt, sweat, and blood but looked like a proper Spartan warrior. That is to say, she was definitely in her element. Six of the mercenary’s corpses were strewn about the forest floor in no particular pattern. One was missing his head, and another had his arms torn from their sockets. I shuddered, knowing full-well that the latter must have been Medusa’s handiwork. Fun fact: humans evacuated their bowels when they died. So, yeah. It smelled like a fucking sewer. Yay!

Flash suddenly looked ill, so I rubbed his back while he poured his guts out into some bushes nearby. Wonderful. The acrid stench of vomit made the ambience of the battlefield so much more majestic. Iliana didn’t say a word but her stony expression suggested that she thought Flash was weak for reacting to the corpses in such a manner. Who could blame him though? Flash may have been a demigod but he wasn’t raised, from childhood, to be a battle-hardened soldier. With one final pat to the shoulder, I left him to his own devices and padded over to Iliana. She offered me a waterskin. I squatted in the grass next to her and took several greedy gulps.

“I assume you must have defeated their leader.” Iliana bluntly stated.

“It wasn’t easy, but we managed. I don’t know for sure if he’s dead or not because I sent him flying through the forest but he won’t be bothering us for a while, at least. And you?”

Iliana wiped her sword in the grass, and once she was satisfied that it was clean enough, she put it back into the sheath with a sharp click. “I killed three of them. Medusa did most of the work. You know how strong she is, right? The results speak for themselves, if you’re not convinced.”

“Where’s the seventh soldier? I only see six of them lying around.”

Iliana jabbed her thumb towards a cluster of trees. “Medusa’s busy interrogating the sergeant.”

Not but a moment later, the ebon-scaled gorgon came slithering towards us in that silent, predatory way that never failed to send shivers down my spine. She was covered head to tail in blood and gore. I hope that was mostly from the battle and not because she’d just tortured a man to death. There were lines that not even I would cross on the worst day. She coiled her tail and leaned forward, the gorgon version of sitting down, you could say. After heaving a loud, protracted sigh, Medusa rubbed her eyes and looked every year her age.

“I found out where the other dryads are being held.”

I walked behind Medusa and began rubbing her shoulders as gently as I could. Her muscles were incredibly tense and bunched up tighter than a sailor’s knot. While I continued to work out the kinks as best I could, a wave of fatigue washed over me all of the sudden. My skin lost its luster and my golden-orange locks went back to being plain, old Dagi hair. Apparently, my transformation had been a temporary one… until my energy ran out, that is. A loud yawn escaped my lips and my eyelids felt like they weighed as much as a whale.

“You sound about as tired as I feel.” Medusa commented.

“Yeah. Whatever happened to me when we fought Tirek must’ve burned through a ton of magical energy. Mother Siren, I… can barely… stay awake. Before I end up passing out in the grass, you mentioned that you found out where Willow’s sisters are. How far and where?”

Medusa let out a hissing moan when I rubbed her neck. “By the maker, you must have magic fingers, Adagio. Mmm. Yesssssss. That’s the spot. Oh—ah—pardon my reaction. Yes, the dryads. We won’t have to worry about going out and retrieving them.”

“How’s come?”

Medusa laid down in the grass and stretched out her tail. “Because I threatened to petrify all of the sergeant’s limbs and leave him in the middle of the forest for predators to find if he didn’t release the other two dryads. I did not harm him beyond the injuries he’d already sustained during the battle. Which were minor, I dare say.”

“I guess that means they’ll be able to find Willow out here.”

Medusa closed her eyes and nodded slowly. “Most likely. The forest is their home.”

A chorus of giggling and girlish squealing answered my unspoken question. I glanced over towards the campfire that Iliana had built and spotted Willow blubbering like a baby and cuddling her sisters affectionately. They looked almost exactly like she did, save for slight variations in their “leaf-styles” and different colored flowers. It was incredibly sappy but I couldn’t help but crack a smile. I was happy for them. Once they had a chance to calm down a bit, Willow came scampering over to me, pounced at my chest, and hugged me for dear life.

It started to get awkward when she began nuzzling my breasts. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant, per say, but my nipples were starting to get a wee bit too sensitive from all the nectar that had oozed onto them. Again, what’s with the lack of personal space? I let out an irritated sigh and patted Willow’s head. “You can stop now. I know how much you appreciate what we did.”

The chubby little dryad snickered and stood up. “From now until the end of time, your name will be sung with adoration and praise by our people. Adagio, Defender of the Forest! Join me, sisters! We must perform the traditional dance of celebration.”

Blushing furiously, I waved my hands in the air. “Hold on a second! That won’t be—”

Seemingly out of nowhere, her sisters produced a wooden flute and a drum. When Willow started singing and shaking her jiggly green rump to the beat, I wanted to bury my head into the ground like an ostrich. The worst part was that her voice was angelic and the song was ridiculously catchy. Flash and Iliana even clapped along while they danced, embarrassing me to no end. Medusa looked like she was sleeping but I could tell she knew what was going on.

When things finally started to settle down, Willow approached me while I was sitting, cross-legged beside Flash, enjoying the warmth of the fire (and his body too). She informed me that her sisters had already retreated deeper into the forest where they lived. In her hands, she held a glass vial filled with amber-colored liquid. I blinked owlishly when she placed it in my lap.

“The nectar, as promised. We hope that it will give you great pleasure, Defender of the Forest. There is one other matter. I would like to show the both of you a special place that only we dryads know of. It is a hot spring grotto. A place of healing and rest. Please, follow me.”

I pointed to Flash. “You mean just the two of us, right?”

Willow nodded enthusiastically. “Don’t worry; my magic will get us there in an instant.”

Before I could offer any protest, we were whisked away in a puff of viridian-hued magic. When I finally came to my senses, the air smelled strongly of sulfur and pine needles. An odd combination, but not entirely unexpected, given that we were near a hot spring. Willow handed me a pinecone and told me to think of the campsite whenever we wished to return whence, we came. Apparently, the laws of time and space didn’t apply to this sacred grove. I nodded dumbly after she placed a kiss on my cheek and gave me one, last hug.

“Just remember that you and your friends are always welcome in these woods. Farewell, Adagio. I hope that we can meet again someday.” Willow whispered in a husky voice.

And just like that, she was gone. I turned to Flash and chuckled. “I guess that means we’ve got the hot spring all to ourselves, huh? Care to join me for a nice, long soak?”

After a bit of mandatory scrubbing (blood and dirt tend to ruin the mood), Flash sat in front of me while I got comfortable behind him. We’d slept together in the nude a few times before, of course, but pressing my chest against his back and wrapping my legs around his own was a feeling that I never grew tired of. The gentle warmth of his skin, the broad muscles of his back, sparked a series of human instincts within me that I was only beginning to understand.

Or at least, that’s what I assumed. Not wanting to ponder the subject too deeply, I slid my arms around his stomach and hugged him closer to me, relishing the flowery scent of rose oil in his hair. After the chaos of battle, a moment of peace and quiet was what we both needed. As I rested my head on his shoulder, my mind began to wander. Just what did Flash and I have?

Reluctant as I was to admit it, I cared about him a great deal. The same applied to Iliana and Medusa, but not to the same extent. My stomach did backflips while I tried to wrestle with the onslaught of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. Did he care about me in the same way? By all indications, he did but was I prepared to take our relationship to the next step? A natural-born predator such as myself did not relish the idea of letting her guard down for anyone. That was the problem with humans, they were too soft and trusting. However, if I couldn’t trust Flash with my life, my… h-heart, then these feelings I harbored were bound to drive me insane.

Flash placed his hand on mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Adagio, what’s wrong? You’ve been awful quiet since we got here. Is there something on your mind?”

I sighed. “I’ve been thinking about us and where we’re supposed to go from here.”

“What do you mean by that?”

I huffed in annoyance. “I think you know EXACTLY what I’m talking about.”

Flash must have been considering his answer carefully because he didn’t say anything for nearly a minute. Upon clearing his throat, he began caressing my thigh. “You’re right. I do. The more time I spend with you, Adagio, the more I’ve come to care about you. After what you did for me today, I can admit, without a shred of hesitation, that I… love you. I know you’re still getting used to the whole ‘being human’ thing but I promise we can work—”

To hear him actually utter the phrase I’d been waiting for was like a dam breaking. So overwhelmed was I with emotion, that my mouth refused to work properly. I tried, believe me. But no words would part my lips. Instead, I began sobbing incoherently, like a child would if they’d been injured. I was embarrassed, confused, happy, and terrified all at the same time.

Even though my face was probably covered in snot, I grabbed Flash by the cheeks and kissed him as passionately as I dared. If nothing else, my actions would convey the feelings that my voice could not. It didn’t take long before he got the message, and things started to get a bit heated. While we continued kissing, I reached down, groping blindly in the water for my target. When the shaft of his penis brushed up against my palm, I began stroking it up and down, making sure to use my fingers to carefully peel back his foreskin and tease his head every so often. Flash really seemed to like it when I did that. I was rewarded with a shuddering moan.

Just before I could get started in earnest, Flash turned around and grabbed my wrists. I wriggled in his grasp, confused as to why he would want me to stop. “Adagio, I appreciate what you’re doing and b-believe me, it feels amazing but I… want to make you feel good this time around.”

Talk about a military grade mood-killer. Damn it, Flash! Why do you have to be such a gentleman? “Alright. What exactly do you have in mind?”

Flash gestured to a bed of moss nearby. “Just lie down over there and relax. I’ll do the rest.”

With a shrug, I did as I was told. And what do you know? The moss was actually quite cool and comfortable. While I was getting settled, Flash climbed out of the hot spring and hobbled over to where I was, his stiff erection bobbing along as he did so. I know he was trying to be sweet and sexy but seeing him like that just made me break out into a fit of girlish giggles. He blushed furiously, of course, but after gaining back some of my composure, I raised my foot and brushed it up against his leg affectionately. I made sure to follow it up with a sultry smile.

“Well, I’m waiting, lover boy~” I teased.

Flash swallowed hard and coughed. “So—um—could you spread your legs apart please?”

“Like this?” I asked while giving him a generous view of the treasure he sought.

Flash nodded and lowered his head towards my clamshell until I could feel his breath tickling me. A shiver of excitement shot up my spine when he buried his nose in my hair and took a deep whiff. It was more than a little embarrassing and my subconscious siren voice screamed at me for putting myself in such a vulnerable position. I was literally exposing my most delicate, sensitive organ, at the mercy of another being. It meant that I had to trust another being implicitly other than myself. With a frustrated snarl, I shook my head and tried to drown out centuries of predatory instincts, lessons learned, and pain. I wasn’t that Dagi anymore.

I closed my eyes and rested my head against the moss while his tongue explored inside of me. Despite not having any sexual experience as a human, even I could tell that Flash was an amateur. His technique was timid, hesitant. Almost as if he was afraid that he would hurt me with his teeth somehow. An endearing thought, but if he wanted to give me pleasure, he’d have to learn how to do it properly. After all, female sex organs are a universal constant no matter what creature they happen to belong to. You can quote me on that.

“Flash,” I whispered while ruffling his hair, “allow me to give you a few pointers.”

His pained expression made me feel a little guilty inside but I kept my cool and waited patiently for him to respond. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Not exactly. But—erm—your technique is a bit lacking; shall we say. Hey! Don’t feel bad about it. You’re still a virgin. I don’t expect you to be an expert at pleasuring women. Just relax. I’ll talk you through the process. I promise that by the time we’re finished, you’ll be a better man for it.”

“Sorry, Adagio. I keep forgetting that you’re a lot older than me.”

I rolled my eyes. Not exactly the compliment I was hoping to hear. In any case, I reached down and spread my lips apart with my fingers, so that Flash could get a better look at the glistening, pink folds contained within. “You want to make sure that you twist your tongue in there. Kind of like an eel writhing around in the mud. Kisses along the edge are good too. But most importantly, make sure you play with my pleasure pearl.”

Flash furrowed his brow in confusion. “Your what now?”

With an annoyed groan, I peeled back the thin hood covering my pleasure pearl. “I can’t believe no one taught you about basic female anatomy! That little pink bud you see there is my clitoris. It’s kind of like the head of your cock, except smaller. Lick it, pinch it, nibble on it. Gently, remember. Girls love it when that happens. Trust me. Any more questions?”

Flash simply stared at me for a moment. The longer he did so, the more self-conscious I became. I’d never had any qualms about showing off my human body; nude was my default state of being, after all. But this kind of attention was different. I was purposely exposing myself to someone I cared about. I was just about to scold him for taking too long, when I felt Flash plunge his tongue deep into my clamshell. Oh, Mother Siren! He took my advice to heart. The warm, slithering sensation sent electric jolts of pleasure everywhere, it seemed. I could barely think straight. My brain had been reduced to mush. All that mattered was living in the moment.

He continued his ministrations for quite some time. It didn’t escape my notice that he’d play with my pearl every so often, pinching it between his finger and thumb, pulling on it gently. Since I was already in a compromising position, I decided to let go of the last vestiges of stubborn pride that remained, and moaned out loud as an orgasm rocked my body. I could feel my walls trying to milk his tongue as if it were a cock, while my toes curled and my hips thrust forward. Even as my first orgasm began to subside, Flash continued without any signs of slowing, causing another one to occur mere moments later. After that, I felt like a boneless heap, sweaty and panting for air. Only then did he stop. I had just enough energy to pull him in for a kiss. I could taste my own arousal on his lips, musky and slightly tangy like citrus, but I didn’t care.

Flash cuddled up next to me, his hot erection rubbing against my thigh. “Mmm. That was amazing. I’m glad you decided to take my advice. But…”

“What’s the problem? Do you want me to pleasure you again? I can if—”

I reached over and began stroking his cock, making sure to tease that sensitive little strip of skin underneath the head. He gasped in response. I giggled when I felt a sticky glob of precum coat my fingers. “You want to fuck me. It’s as plain as day. What kind of woman would I be if I denied you the pleasure of entering me? Let me get comfortable and we can begin.”

I rolled over and got onto my hands and knees, lifting my rump slightly in the air. To make sure that there was no misunderstanding as to what I wanted him to do, I took my finger and rubbed my glistening lips, showing Flash exactly where he needed to put his cock. Let’s just say that I didn’t want any unfortunate misunderstandings as to where it was to be placed. While I wouldn’t say that I was opposed to the idea of having my asshole played with, having an entire cock shoved in there without proper lubrication would not have been a pleasant experience.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Flash fumbling around with his cock, scooting closer to me. By the Oceans! Just penetrate me already! I wiggled my rump in protest, then let out an involuntary gasp when I felt the tip enter me. At least he hadn’t shoved the whole thing in all at once. My suspicions about being a virgin were laid to rest when I felt something tear inside me. Yep. That was definitely my hymen. A tiny bit of blood was followed by a sharp sting of pain. I don’t think Flash noticed because he was too busy bottoming out inside me. Once I felt his balls press up against me, I took a moment to adjust myself to Flash’s prodigious girth.

“Are you ok, Adagio? I heard you cry out in pain.”

With a rosy blush (a combination of embarrassment and arousal), I gripped the carpet of moss below me and whimpered. Why did his manhood have to be so damn thick? “It’s fine. I just need a second to get used to your cock being inside of me. I’m technically a virgin. Or was…”

“But I thought you had experience with this sort of thing.”

My temper flared for a moment, but I managed to clamp down on it. “Yeah, I did. Back when I was a siren. New universe, new everything. That means my freshly formed human body never had sex before. Look, Flash, don’t worry about it, ok? I had a feeling this was going to happen.”

Flash relaxed his grip on my ass cheeks, stroking them tenderly with his fingers as a gesture of affection. It made me shiver with excitement. “Can I—erm—start moving now?”

“Mhmm. Make sure you do it slowly at first, then build up later.”

For a demigod, Flash certainly knew how to be gentle when the situation called for it. I was more than a little concerned that he’d be unaware of his strength and get carried away. But that didn’t happen. Instead, he slid his cock in and out of me at a languid but steady pace. For a while, the two of us seemed to be in our own world, caring for nothing but the pleasure we shared. The only sounds that echoed through the forest were the chirping of insects and the squishy slaps of flesh meeting flesh as our carnal dance became more intense. Had I not been in the throes of ecstasy, I’m certain that I would’ve been embarrassed by the whole scene.

Who knows how long we continued to fuck each other with reckless abandon? It could have been hours or maybe even just a few minutes. I honestly couldn’t tell. But then again, we’d been transported to some pocket of the forest where the rules of space-time didn’t apply. All I knew was that I was edging ever closer to having the most intense and satisfying orgasm of my entire human existence. Before I had the chance to catch my breath, I moaned like a damn banshee and felt my walls constrict around Flash’s shaft, milking him for all that he was worth.

My legs became weak and I nearly let Flash slip out of me. Instead, he grabbed my hips and pushed forward with all of his might. A moment later, I heard him grunt loudly and felt the warm, gooey goodness of his seed fill my belly to the brim. Oceans below! Just how backed up was he? The virility of demigods must never be underestimated! After what seemed like an eternity, he extracted himself and laid down next to me. I rolled over, wrapped my arms around his waist, and nestled my head against his chest, content to close my eyes and listen to his heartbeat. I felt safe. I felt satisfied. I felt loved.

Flash kissed my forehead and began running his fingers through my hair. I didn’t have the energy to raise my voice, so I returned his affection by placing a kiss on his neck. There was a gap in the trees where we lay, and above it, a vast expanse of stars stretched across the horizon. While I breathed in the musky aroma that was Flash’s natural scent, my mind began to wander. Did I have the courage to utter the four-letter word dancing on my tongue? We were alone, save the crickets and cicadas. No one else was around to judge me. Damn these human emotions! I never felt this way about anyone before. Not even Aria or Sonata came close.

With my heart pounding in my chest like a war drum, I cupped his cheeks in my hands and made sure that he was looking directly into my eyes. “Flash, I wanted to say that I… enjoyed what we just did together. And it made me realize how much I… l-love you. That’s not a four-letter word I take lightly, you understand! So—uh—consider yourself a very special human.”

Flash smiled in that boyish way that made my stomach flutter. “I had a feeling that you did. Heh. You know, if risking everything to save my life wasn’t proof enough…”

I blushed like a tomato and curled my toes. “When you put it that way, I guess it was obvious.”

Flash kissed my cheek and started rubbing my back. “It’s alright. I know you have trouble expressing your feelings with words. You’re a woman of action. I can respect that.”

I poked his chest playfully. “You’d better. When do you think we should head back to the campsite? Iliana and Medusa are probably starting to get worried about us.”

“For starters, I think we should clean up first.”

I chuckled. “No shit. Alright, a quick bath then. Afterwards, we head back.”