“I had no choice, and neither did you.”
“And yet you cry now,” he observed. “Why, Pandora?”
“Because now, I know you, all of you, and I think of you as my friends. It hurts to know that I've pulled good men into this banishment with me.”
“So, you're crying for me?” Drakon asked in surprise. “For us?”
I blinked and looked away.
“How is it possible for you to become even more wonderful?” He whispered as he angled my face to his.
Drakon stared into my eyes, then slowly lowered his lips to mine. I gasped at the shock of that first contact. So sweet and soft. Epimetheus had been demanding–almost abusive in his passion, but Drakon had love in his lips, and he poured it into me. I surged up to meet him, sliding my arms around his shoulders to pull him closer. He groaned and deepened the kiss.
The smell of man overpowered that of the forest, and my head was filled with Drakon. I rejoiced in holding him, in having someone in my arms at last, but even more in the way he held me. The care he put into every touch was such a contrast to his obvious strength. This warrior was more gentle with me than my Titan ex-husband. Drakon showed me more love than a god, and this was only our first kiss.
Drakon gentled it even further and pulled back from me to stare at me softly. Then he eased me onto his lap and just held me, laying his cheek to mine as we stared out at the river together.
“Straton will be furious,” he finally whispered as he picked up his pole. He angled it so that I could hold it with him. “But, honestly, I don't care anymore.”
“I care about Straton,” I whispered. “I care for you all.”
“I know, Pan”–he kissed my temple–“and they know it too.”
“They do?”
“You've been rather obvious in your pursuit.” Drakon chuckled.
“Yes, but that's just lust,” I scoffed.
“We know you well enough by now to see through that,” he chided me. “You're not the kind of woman to lust where you haven't first loved.”
“Humph.” I made a face at him. “Mighty full of yourselves.”
“Not if it's true.” Drakon laughed. “Stop protesting, Pandora. It's nothing to be ashamed of.”
“You don't think it's shameful for one woman to want five men?”
“Our situation is different than most others.” He shrugged. “We've been charged to protect you, to look after you. There are other women on the island, but we have focused on you so intently, for so long now, that none of us could ever stomach the thought of touching another woman. Why do you think we call you 'Pan?' You are our everything, Pandora.”
“Oh,” I whispered.
Drakon kissed me again, just a chaste peck, but it felt like heaven.
“So, you're saying that it makes sense for all of us to be together?” I lifted a brow at him.
“It makes sense, it feels right, and it seems like a natural progression. We all love you; we have for awhile now. We only want what's best for you,” Drakon's eyes darkened to moss-green. “So, what do you think, Pan; do you have enough love for all of us? Are we what's best for you?”
“I think you are,” I whispered. “I think that loving the five of you shall be my greatest adventure.”
Chapter Eight
We were on our way back to the tree, holding hands instead of the basket, when a sharp, warning whistle echoed to us. The pixies had spotted sailors in the woods. Drakon dropped our basket of fish, pulled his sword, and shoved me behind him. We scanned the forest and soon saw two of Captain Kadmos's men approaching. They smiled wickedly and rushed us.
Drakon was easily managing the sailors, who were unbelievably overconfident, when another sharp whistle sounded, and I realized why they were so brave. Two other men were sneaking up behind us.
I picked up a fishing pole and ran at the other two before they had a chance to approach us. Drakon gave me a worried glance but he was too busy fighting off his two men. The sailors I approached laughed at me, thinking that I was an easy target. I smiled back and struck out at one of them with the pole, just as Straton had taught me to do with a sword. It left a nasty gash in the man's cheek, and he hissed in pain. As he did so, his companion attacked me, but I leapt into the air... and hovered there.
As the men gaped, I kicked them in their faces, one after the other. They went down in seconds. I put my fists on my hips and floated back to the ground in satisfaction. When I turned around, I found Drakon staring at me with wide eyes, his assailants lying unconscious at his feet.
