With another jawbone in hand, he crawled out of the hole, rising on shaky legs, discovering he’d only managed to dig up three other graves.
Hermes fell to his knees, buried his face in his hands, and wept.
He wasn’t there long when he felt a hand on his head. It wasn’t like earlier when the pig had munched on his hair. This was a gentle caress.
He looked up and met the gaze of a beautiful nymph. He was transfixed by her. She was pale like moonlight; her delicate body draped in sheer white. Her hair was long and brown, crowed with white flowers and greenery.
She smiled at him and then stepped away, hand still outstretched as though she were inviting him to follow.
Hermes knew he shouldn’t.
He’d had many encounters with nymphs, particularly the Oreads who’d seduced him in the caves of Arkadia. He still wasn’t sure how long he’d spent there, sequestered in their depths, sleeping, eating, and fucking. That was the danger.
It was also the temptation.
Hermes stumbled to his feet, the bones forgotten, enchanted by the nymph. He followed just as she vanished into the thicket. She remained ahead, navigating the forest like a ghostly spirit, uninhibited by the uneven ground and dense undergrowth. Now and then she paused to look back at him, offering a sweet, encouraging smile.
Somehow, he knew it was a promise, that if he kept going, she would see to his every need.
It wasn’t long before he heard a symphony of sweet laughter accompanied by the sound of splashing water. As he neared, the ground grew soft, and he could feel the warmth of the spring in the distance.
His body grew taut with anticipation as he wove his way through the final copse of trees, finding himself on the rocky bank of a crystal spring occupied by two more beautiful nymphs and a really hot Faun. Hermes’s gaze snagged on the half-human, half-goat male, his abs on full display, glistening beneath the moonlight. Was it weird to salivate over muscles? Hermes suspected it was weirder not to salivate.
The nymph who had led him here waded into the water. She took a clay jug from one of her sisters and poured water over her head. The fabric of her white gown clung to her skin, emphasizing her breasts and hard nipples.
Hermes’s cock hardened.
“Hello, handsome,” said the Faun, pushing off the stone where he lounged.
“Would you join us?” asked the third nymph. They all looked similar, with pale skin and brown hair.
“You look tired,” said the second. “And dirty.”
The heat from the spring was so thick, it felt impossible to think or breathe.
“I am dirty,” he said, swallowing, his tongue swollen in his mouth. “I am very dirty.”
“Come, hero, and we will wash you,” said the first, approaching with the second who added, “Come, hero. We will attend to your need.”
They each took his hands and pulled him into the spring and suddenly he was surrounded by the three beautiful nymphs and the hot faun. Hermes started to untie his robe, but the faun took over, pulling it off, tossing it over his shoulder, a sly smile on his lips.
They poured water over him and used the gauzy fabric of their robes to wash him, slippery hands following the contours of his body as they rinsed away the dirt and grime. Every direction he turned, there was beauty and breathy laughs. He was overwhelmed and intoxicated, his body hot and throbbing.
The nymphs and faun teased, lips brushing the shell of his ear, fingers grazing the swell of his cock beneath the water. He yearned to feel their lips against his, craned his neck, but they remained just out of reach.
“You are familiar, hero,” said the faun as he doused him with water.
He sputtered, feeling as though he might drown. “In what way?”
“You are strong,” answered the third, kneading his shoulders.
“Your hair is like spun gold,” said the second, massaging his scalp. He closed his eyes, relaxed.
“Your eyes are bright like the sun,” added the faun.
“Go on,” he urged, pleased to hear the praise. His friends rarely said nice things about him. It was always, “Shut up, Hermes!” or “Fuck off!” or “Stop being dramatic!”
“It’s almost as if you were a god,” said the one who had led him here.
