Natalie and Erin heat up the baths as the game nears.
“And here it is,” Victor Smith said, pointing lazily as he leaned against the railing of the front of the ship.
Natalie and I had our heads together, and I looked up to see a sprawling island looming out of the night sky, dimly lit by the remaining dregs of daylight clinging to a few scattered clouds and its own glow, given off by unseen sources.
A large structure rose above the trees, incandescence casting a ghostly illumination across it so that even from this distance, anyone could see its impressive construction. It resembled a stone castle from old-world Europe, with modern additions that gave it a sense of timelessness. The way it was elevated on a hill… it was meant to be admired and to inspire jealousy.
I looked at Vic. “So, this party is supposed to be a big deal?”
Natalie hugged me tighter as she leaned against the railing to look at Vic, standing on the other side of me.
“Yeah, man,” Vic said, giving me a mysterious little smile. “A real wild time.”
“How many times have you been?”
He held up his drink and raised two of his fingers. “This’ll be my second.”
“What can I expect?”
Vic glanced around and then leaned in close, a little smirk on his face that never really seemed to disappear.
“We’re not supposed to say anything,” he said, “but we’re already on the damn boat, so what’s the harm?”
I leaned in uncomfortably close—much nearer to another man than I would normally get—and waited for him to continue.
“Some crazy shit,” he continued.
“Like?” I prodded.
“Drugs and sex, mostly,” he said. “You’re gonna see all kinds of shit—some young man sniffing coke off the dick of a man old enough to be his grandpa. There’s gonna be a lot of tits out. Probably a lot of people just having sex for show.”
He fingered the toga fabric stretched across his chest. “Probably some crazy Roman bath house shit or something.” Then his eyes flickered toward Natalie. “You guys open-minded?”
I glanced at Natalie, who immediately set to chewing on the inside of her cheek.
“More-or-less,” I said.
“Better be ‘more’ than ‘less,’” Vic said. “Or you might not have that good of a time.”
“I’m guessing you and Sheila are?” I asked.
“We play,” he said, glancing at his wife, who seemed to be getting on well with Sachiko and Erin. Sheila had been an internet health influencer when she and Vic met, and she was as big in the supplements game as Vic was in technology. Their combined net worth was… substantial. “But we always remember who we’re going home with. Keeps things in perspective. Having an open relationship makes doing these kinds of parties more fun, though. In my opinion, they ain’t worth it if you’re tied down.”
He shrugged. “They ain’t for everybody, though. Especially the game.”
“Game?” Natalie asked.
“There’s always some big game that everyone participates in. You don’t have to, but it’s sort of looked down on if you don’t,” Vic said. “Last year, it was kind of like a big game of naked Twister. With all the alcohol and uppers… I don’t need to tell you how it ended.”
“Jesus,” I muttered.
Vic took a sip of his drink and looked back out over the water. “Theme was a giant rave. It was fun, if a little intense.”
I was relieved to know that wouldn’t be the theme this year, considering the costumes. Something like that sounded a little much for me. Though… the Greek and Roman styles suggested something potentially intense in a different way.
After all, a ‘Bacchinalia’ wasn’t exactly something you did at a church.
By now, the island was almost upon us, and people began to mill about on the lower deck.
“We should get down there,” Vic said. He held his hand toward Sheila. She took it, and they both headed back inside to make their way downstairs. That left Sachiko, Erin, and me alone on the balcony.
Sachiko met my eyes, lingered for a moment, and then looked back toward the island.
“I think I’ll find Astrid,” she said, then turned toward to head inside.
“Sachiko,” I said.
She hesitated and then looked back at me.
“I promise, I didn’t know anything about this. Astrid just told me where to be. Had I known you’d be here, I wouldn’t have—”
“I know,” she said, her voice neutral. “I don’t think you’re good enough of an actor to be convincingly shocked at seeing me. Besides,” she cut her eyes toward Erin. “Your assistant explained everything.”
“So… we’re good?”
She sighed. “While I’m not thrilled about being manipulated into sharing an evening with my brother’s kidnapper, I understand that this isn’t something you engineered. I also understand how much you’re giving up in order to make this deal with us. I want you to know that I’m starting to understand the kind of position you’re in that would drive you to sell the company at that kind of price.”
She gave me a fleeting smile. “While I doubt we will ever be best friends, you don’t have to worry about me tonight.”
And then I watched her turn and go back inside.
“Huh,” I said, bewildered. “That was… unexpectedly pleasant.”
“Yep,” Erin said, stepping up next to me, looking pleased. A lot of Sachiko’s rational response just now had probably been her work.
Then she sighed. “I want her.”
I snorted. “You want everyone.”
“Just the hot ones,” she retorted.
“Which is almost everyone on this boat,” I said.
“Which are most of the women on this boat?” Natalie corrected. “Most of the men are mid at best.”
“All hail the patriarchy,” I said, “giving unattractive men game since the beginning of time.”
“Vic’s good-looking,” Erin pointed out.
“I think Vic’s just as interested in Marcus as he is in either of us,” Natalie said.
I reeled at that. “What?”
Natalie gave me a disbelieving look. “Marcus. That man was about ready to kiss you.”
“No, he wasn’t!”
“Sorry, boss,” Erin said as she linked arms with me. “I’m afraid Vic isn’t just interested in your scintillating conversational skills. He wants some intense spooning, at least.”
“Damn,” I said, disappointed in myself for not registering it. “I just thought he was just confiding in me.”
“Would you be into it?” Natalie slipped her arm around mine so that I had a woman on each side.
I thought about it for a few moments as we headed back inside and followed the few stragglers on the second floor as they made their way downstairs.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “It’s not for me.”
“Not interested in a little bit of occasional dick?” Erin asked.
“Not really,” I said. “Not when…”
And then I stopped myself, remembering that I had Natalie on my other arm. I shot her an apologetic look.
Natalie met my gaze for a moment with an unreadable expression, and then she said, “He meant to say ‘not when I have you.’”
Erin looked back and forth between us with an equally unreadable expression and then said, “I’m going to catch up with Sachiko and Astrid… make sure they don’t leave us behind or anything. See you downstairs?”
Without waiting for a response, Erin slipped free and walked ahead of us, leaving Natalie and me alone.
My girlfriend took a deep breath and then said, “You don’t have to keep doing that, Marcus.”
“Doing what?” I asked.
She gave me a flat look. “I know that you’re sleeping with her. I know you’re sleeping with a lot of women.”
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s just… we never talk about it, and every time we even get close to talking about it, you seem uncomfortable.”
“That’s because the whole thing is weird,” Natalie admitted, “But I can’t get used to it because we don’t talk about it.”
We took the stairs slowly as I contemplated that.
“So,” I finally said, “you want to talk about it?”
“Kind of,” Natalie said. “I really like what we have, Marcus, but sometimes I feel a little like I’m on the outside of your little clubhouse. It’s like, you won’t let me in, so I’m stuck getting this little piece of you, but there’s a lot more of you that I’m missing out on. I guess I’m really feeling it tonight.”
We reached the bottom of the stairs, and I stopped, grabbed both of her hands, and squeezed them. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Natalie shook her head. “It’s not all your fault. I know I’ve made it feel weird, and some of that’s probably because of my relationship with Tyler, which is all my fault.”
I wasn’t sure what Tyler had to do with any of this. “It’s not—”
She hurriedly continued. “I’m just afraid that if we keep ignoring this elephant in the room, it’s going to smother what we have—especially tonight. If Vic is right, then we just need to reacknowledge what this is so we can try to just have fun together. It’s either that, or we just hide out in a corner somewhere and ignore everyone else.”
“Are you still okay with this arrangement?” I asked.
“Yes,” Natalie said, her voice steady and sure.
“You’re seriously okay with me having sex with other women…”
“Would you stop if I asked?” Natalie said.
“No, but that’s not the point,” I said. “I just want to make sure you’re prepared in case something happens tonight. You might see it, which is a whole lot different than just knowing about it. I know I’ve already drawn this line in the sand, but that doesn’t mean I want to see you hurt.”
She smiled at me. “I’m not that fragile, Marcus. I know what I’m getting into. It’s all new, and I just might need a few minutes to process what I might see. Just promise me something.”
“What?” I asked as we continued toward the outside deck.
“Promise that you won’t stop every time I don’t look one hundred percent into it.”
She was right. I’d made polyamory a requirement for being in a relationship with me, and sooner or later, she would have to face the reality. It was better for all of us if I stopped treating her with kid gloves.
“Deal, but you have to promise me one thing,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“Use a safeword. If something feels seriously wrong and you need a time out, I need you to let me know.”
“Okay,” Natalie nodded. “I can do that. How’s ‘daffodil?’”
“It’s a good safeword,” I said, squeezing her hand.
We went out onto the deck and watched as the ferry approached the island, fingers entwined.
We found Erin alone at the railing.
“Where’s Astrid?” I asked.
My assistant pointed them out. “She and Sachiko were in a pretty intense conversation. I thought it best to leave them alone for now.”
I slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her against me, while still holding Natalie’s hand. Not missing a beat, Erin glanced at it and then up at me. “You guys figure everything out?”
“I think so,” Natalie said.
“Good,” Erin said. Then she reached around me to grab Natalie’s chin in her hand, bringing both of their faces together for a kiss. It wasn’t graphic. There were no tongues or wet exchanges of saliva… just a simple kiss that lasted a few moments too long to be called a peck.
When they parted, Erin grinned while Natalie blushed so hard that I could almost feel the heat coming off Natalie’s face like a campfire.
“I’m getting tired of waiting to bring you fully into the family,” my assistant murmured.
I hadn’t thought it possible, but Natalie’s blush deepened.
“I’ll stop, if you want me to,” Erin continued, “But I sure hope you don’t want me to.”
Natalie didn’t answer right away. She cast her dark eyes up at me as she chewed on the inside of her cheek, then finally looked back at Erin. “No. It’s okay. Just… I need some time to adjust.”
“Nat,” Erin said softly, reaching out to trace her fingers over my girlfriend’s cheek. She slowly drew her fingertips over Natalie’s lips. “I love a slow burn.”
Erin’s voice was laced in velvet as she purred, yet there was a threat of inevitability behind it. My girlfriend and my assistant—this would happen.
And soon.
Natalie swallowed as her eyes flicked back to me—wide, shining pools of darkness. But she didn’t move away from Erin’s fingers. In fact, she instinctively licked her lips, her tongue touching them as she looked at me for guidance.
I stared back, my arm tightening around her waist, trying to decide what to tell her.
Then the ferry gently lurched as it brushed against the dock.
A chorus of men calling out rose up from below. I barely noticed the shouting, more caught up in the scene before me. The island loomed like something that had been cut out of mythology and placed in our world with an obscene amount of money.
Firelight glimmered through the trees—the kind of ancient illumination that our ancestors used. It added to the atmosphere of the mysteries and myths of a different time. Torches in iron sconces lined a pathway up from the dock, and beyond them, the forest canopy pulsed with golden warmth from lanterns hanging in the branches. Somewhere deeper in the island, a faint, steady pulse of drums thudded in a steady rhythm, low and primal.
The scent of pine sap and honey mingled with the salt air hit me as soon as the ramp dropped. More faint was campfire smoke, floral perfumes… and something with a faint chemical edge.
Natalie’s hand tightened in mine, pulling me out of the moment.
“You good?” I murmured as she drew my attention.
Her mouth twitched. “I… I’m very good,” she said, and I could hear the nerves trying to disguise themselves as excitement. “Marcus, this is incredible!”
Erin stepped closer, shoulder brushing Natalie’s. “Welcome to rich people cosplay,” she whispered, grinning.
Astrid drifted up behind us, tense and ready to move onto the festivities. Next to her was Lara, with Sachiko a few feet away, looking regal in her red silks. Her gaze swept the dock with a watchful eye.
“Shall we?” Astrid said, her eyes lingering on my party as if she were trying to divine what had gone on between us.
“Lead the way,” I said, jerking my chin toward the docks, where other groups were already disembarking.
We all followed our fearless leader down the sturdy plank and across the well-built dock, among the last to leave.
“How long has this house been here?” Sachiko asked no one in particular.
“I’ve heard it’s one of the oldest houses in New York—that it predates the first settlers,” a chubby, older man said, falling in beside Sachiko. “That it was originally built by Vikings.”
“Seriously?” I asked.
“No,” a new voice said, sweet and melodic, with an accent that sounded vaguely familiar.
A figure stood at the edge of the dock ahead of us, as if she’d been waiting for a moment just like this to appear. She stepped out of the shadows as she answered the question.
At first, my brain refused to make sense of what I was looking at. She didn’t look… real. The costume—it had to be a costume—was too good.
Her skin looked like bark, with subtle, high-definition texture emphasized by the torchlight rippling across it. Her hair was a cascade of green-black curls threaded with tiny leaves that twitched like they were caught in a gentle breeze. The “dress” wasn’t fabric at all, but some sort of sculpted sheath that looked like living vines had grown into the shape of a gown around her hips and breasts, strategically revealing skin in ways that would allow her out in public, but only on a technicality.
And her eyes…
They were a bright, unsettling green that almost seemed to glow with their own inner candescence even when the torchlight wasn’t falling on them.
She smiled at our entire group with the practiced warmth that reminded me of Shea—someone hired to make people feel desired and wanted.
Then her eyes settled on me, and I could almost feel them on my skin.
“The Master and Mistress of the house shipped this home here stone-by-stone from their ancestral home in Britain. It was finished last spring.”
Natalie blinked.
Even Erin appeared at a loss for words.
The chubby man who’d claimed the house had been ancient seemed a touch embarrassed that he’d been so wrong and slipped ahead to rejoin his party, leaving us alone.
“Marcus Upton,” the green woman purred, as if tasting my name. “Finally.”
“Our hosts only sent one?” Astrid asked, pouting a little.
I swallowed hard, unable to break eye contact with the stranger as I asked, “One what?”
As if on cue, another… creature stepped out of the shadows. A young woman heavily freckled like Chloe, with flaming red hair that cascaded down her shoulders, back, and chest in tight curls. She would have been completely bare-chested if her hair hadn’t draped artfully over her full tits. A narrow waist flared into full hips covered in fur, with legs that ended in hooves. A pair of short, rounded horns appeared to grow out of her mass of red hair just above her forehead.
And it all looked so goddamn real.
Nyrissa moved closer, the scent of moss and honeysuckle clinging to her. She stopped at an intimate distance—close enough that I could see the fine detailing of the prosthetics along her throat, the seamless way “bark” became human skin at her jawline.
“Welcome to the Feast of the Gods,” she said, voice sweet as her scent. “My name is Nyrissa. I’ll be your guide tonight.”
Her gaze dipped to my chest, then lower. It was slow and deliberate.
“And your handler,” she added.
Erin let out a soft laugh. “Do we get one too, or is he just special?”
Nyrissa turned her smile on Erin like a spotlight. “Everyone is special here,” she said. “Tonight, I belong to you as well.”
“Belong?” Natalie asked.
Her eyes flicked to Natalie, and her smile softened—less predatory, more conspiratorial. “And you must be Natalie.”
Natalie’s cheeks colored. “Yes.”
Nyrissa’s gaze lingered on Natalie’s mouth for half a heartbeat too long. “Yes. For tonight, I belong to you, too. I certainly hope you intend to take advantage of my talents.”
Natalie’s breath caught at the implication.
I felt something in my chest tighten. Not jealousy, exactly. Possessive concern, maybe? I’d played a lot of sexual games since becoming wealthy, but felt like a whole other level, and I was just starting to get a fleeting suspicion that I wasn’t prepared for whatever tonight held.
And if I wasn’t, Natalie sure as hell wasn’t.
Nyrissa’s eyes slid back to mine. “Don’t worry,” she said, as if she’d read it on my face. “I’m not here to steal anything.”
Her smile widened.
“I’m only here to serve you.”
Astrid clapped her hands once as she approached the girl dressed as a fawn. “And I suppose you’re mine for the evening?”
“Yes,” the fiery-haired girl said, seeming much more reserved than Nyrissa. “Ma’am.”
The slender blonde circled her new charge, slender fingers gliding over her taught and toned waist. “Mm… they really know what I like.”
Completing the circuit, Astrid placed a finger under the girl’s chin, gently forcing her to look up at her. “And what is your name, dear?”
“Folly?” the new girl responded, making it sound more like a question than anything.
For some reason, Astrid found it delightfully funny, her laughter tinkling across the docks.
“This has been interesting and all,” Sachiko said, “but it’s a little chilly out here in the open.”
Nyrissa turned, and the vines of her gown shifted as she walked, whispering against her thighs. “Please… come,” she said, and there was no question in it. “The festivities will begin soon, and there’s so much for you to see.”
We followed her up the torchlit path into the forest, and the moment the docks disappeared, the mythical world seemed to deepen.
Lanterns hung from branches like glowing fruit. Musicians—actual, live musicians—sat on mossy stones and played strings and flutes, the melodies twisting around the drumbeat in a way that made me suspect they’d practiced for months to make it look so impromptu, but sound so perfect.
People moved between the trees in costumes that ranged from artful to obscene: satyrs with horns and leather straps, nymphs in sheer fabrics that clung to sweat-slick skin, men in bronze breastplates with their cocks outlined shamelessly beneath short skirts. Statues that seemed perfectly still, but then would suddenly spring to life, moving to a different location before freezing in place once more.
And everywhere, attendants.
Some dressed like animals, crawling on all fours and being led by humans who carried leashes. Some dressed in nothing, equally subservient as they were led around by others dressed as animals.
Beautiful men and women paused as we passed, presenting trays laden with wine and fruit.
Servants knelt on the ground, arms behind their backs and heads bowed, doing nothing but… waiting for anyone to use them.
A nude woman covered in gold paint lay back against a tree while a man knelt between her legs, his head moving with slow devotion as she stared up into the lanterns like she was watching stars. On the opposite side of the path, two women—one with horns, the other with antlers—kissed noisily. I slowed, watching both scenes in utter fascination, my companions stopping with me.
Natalie’s hand trembled in mine.
Erin leaned in close to her ear. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “Just think of this as one big, slutty Halloween party.”
Natalie swallowed again, and I watched her, making sure that she really wasn’t getting too overwhelmed by the experience. The fear was there, but I knew Natalie well enough by now to sense more than just that.
There was curiosity… arousal.
Sachiko walked a few steps ahead, jaw tight and gaze forward, refusing to give the spectacle the satisfaction of her reaction. I couldn’t help but wonder how Astrid had actually gotten her to come to this party—she seemed completely out of place here.
Astrid, on the other hand, looked like she’d come home. As she walked down the path ahead of me, her fingers glided over the heads of the occasional kneeling man or woman, stopping in front of one of them. She tilted a young woman’s chin upward and gently pried her mouth open, slipping a thumb between plump lips.
“What’s this one’s name?” Astrid asked, studying her as if she were considering making a purchase.
“I don’t know all their names,” Folly said softly, apology in her voice, “but I can find out.”
“Please,” Astrid said, retrieving her thumb and stepping back near Lara. The two put their heads together and whispered as they continued down the path.
Nyrissa glanced back over her shoulder at me. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked.
Beautiful. The word didn’t quite do it justice, but I couldn’t think of a better one.
“It’s… a lot,” I said, not quite willing to commit to the word.
Her laughter sounded like soft music. “That’s the point.”
She slowed her pace so we fell into step beside her. “Our gracious hosts believe in stripping people down,” she said, voice low. “Not just physically.”
Her eyes flicked meaningfully to Natalie and Erin, then back to me.
“They believe that society constricts us and that occasionally, those with means should have a sanctuary where they can gather together and truly be themselves. Stripped of all judgment and expectation, and surrounded by those who will do their bidding no matter what is asked of them. As Master Wyn says, they want to see what’s underneath everyone’s manners.”
Erin’s smile sharpened. “Sounds like a blast… for the wealthy.”
Nyrissa smiled back sweetly. “Everyone pays a price for this experience, Mistress.”
I was just about to ask what the fuck that meant, but was shut up as we passed under an archway of ivy. The forest opened into a clearing that made Natalie gasp out loud.
Greek ruins.
Not replicas. Not cheap theme park bullshit.
Actual aged and weathered stone columns arranged in a semicircle, like the remains of a temple. Statues stood between them in various poses, their marble bodies immaculate and faces serene. A broken pediment lay half-buried in grass, carved with mythological figures.
And beyond the ruins, steam rose in thick, sensual ribbons from Roman baths.
Wide pools of water bordered by stone had been dug into the side of the slope before us, their surfaces broken by bodies—dozens of them lounging, laughing, and so much more. Torches burned along the edges, reflecting an array of color on wet skin. Attendants glided through the steam like spirits, offering drinks, oils… or themselves.
The air smelled like oils, herbs, and sex.
Nyrissa stopped at the edge of the baths and spread her hands toward the baths. “There’s a little time to enjoy the water and refreshments, if you wish.”
Astrid didn’t hesitate. She slipped out of her sandals and walked toward the water like she owned the night. Lara followed, hips swaying temptingly with every step.
Erin’s eyes glinted, and she turned to Natalie. “Want to?” she asked softly.
Natalie looked at me, gaze full of hesitant desire.
She wanted to prove she could do this… that she could step into my world without being dragged and coaxed with every inch.
But there were a lot of naked people in that water, and our open relationship wasn’t a two-way street. She was asking for permission.
I nodded.
Natalie exhaled softly, her nervousness obvious as she started to fumble with the knot at her waist.
And then a slender hand covered hers, making her stop.
Biting her lip and looking like it was Christmas morning, Erin stepped in front of Natalie and knelt. Her dainty finger curled around the golden cords at Natalie’s waist—slowly and deliberately. It was as if she were treating my girlfriend like something sacred.
A twinge ot something stirred within me—jealousy that my woman would be nude for the world to see.
I glanced around, instinctively looking for a changing room… bathing suits… something.
But of course, there wasn’t anything like that out here. Most of the people in those pools were completely naked and engaging in some kind of sexual activity. It would all be happening around Natalie and Erin. Both of them would see gorgeous, otherworldly, tempting men and women. They would face temptation and be temptations themselves.
And I immediately stopped that line of thinking.
Once again, I swallowed hard and had to remind myself—You’re better than this.
It was okay.
All of this was okay.
This didn’t mean I was sharing Natalie with anyone.
If the ferry had taught me anything, it was that my girlfriend was a stunner, and I should be proud to have so many people notice.
Because I was the one in control here. I could buy any of these people’s loyalty. I could make any of these people disappear. I was the most powerful person here, and no one was going to intimidate me or make me think I could lose what was mine.
And those two undressing in front of me were most assuredly mine.
Natalie’s cord came loose, and her breath hitched as the silk loosened and slid free, baring her shoulders, then her collarbones… and then the upper curve of her breasts.
The torchlight gave her skin a golden glow, and as I stared, I felt a surge of emotions—hunger, reverence, and protectiveness.
My girlfriend’s eyes flicked to mine, embarrassed for only a moment. Then she steeled herself and let the fabric fall to the soft grass.
She stepped out of it, fully naked and eyes cast down like a submissive, too embarrassed to look anywhere else.
As Erin stood, she kept her hands on Natalie, letting them trail softly up her thighs, hips, then waist until they stood facing each other, so close that they could have easily embraced and kissed. Natalie gave Erin furtive looks, and I almost thought I saw her lean forward… so slight it was almost imperceptible.
But then my assistant stepped behind her and pressed her lips softly to the caramel skin of a bare shoulder. Natalie shivered.
Erin’s hands slid back down Natalie’s sides, palms against her ribs, her waist, and then her hips. She slid them around until they rested just above Natalie’s crotch, nearly shaven bare, save a small patch. Erin’s touch was so close that her pinky lightly brushed against the sparse bit of dark bush.
She didn’t grope. She didn’t rush. She simply held my girlfriend against her.
Her breathing shallow, Natalie leaned back into my assistant, like they were familiar lovers.
I swallowed hard.
“You’re stunning,” I murmured.
Natalie’s smile was shaky. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Erin nuzzled her nose and lips against the curve of Natalie’s neck. “God, you really are.”
Then Erin’s fingers drifted lower, brushing across that small thatch so fingertips came away glistening. The other hand slid lower, fingertips brushing the cress between groin and leg so that they grazed her inner thigh. Natalie gasped, and Erin paused…
Then she pulled away, giving me her most malicious Cheshire grin.
She was enjoying this all too much.
“Come on,” she said to Natalie, taking her hand. “Let’s get you in the water before you change your mind.”
Natalie followed, leaving the puddle of silk behind as she softly laughed. “I’m already naked. Isn’t it too late for that?”
I watched as my assistant led my girlfriend to the water.
“You chose some beautiful companions,” Nyrissa said as she stood beside me.
“Thanks,” I said.
Then I took a moment to study her.
Earlier, the costume had taken much of my attention that I hadn’t noticed much else, but now that she stood so close in a relatively well-lit area, I could make out her features better. She had a rounded face, with full cheeks, even fuller lips, and wide-set eyes, making her look wildly exotic along with all the makeup and prosthetics. She was stunning, but in a very alien way.
“What can I expect from tonight, Nyrissa?” I asked her.
“Anything you want,” she said.
“There’s no structure to this?” I asked. “We can literally just do whatever?”
Nyrissa smiled and grasped my hand, entwining our fingers. “The hosts will announce themselves. Everyone will attend. Then there will be dinner, then the game. Other than that, there isn’t any structure.”
Ah. The game. Vic had mentioned it.
“What game?” I asked.
The dryad shook her head. “Our hosts are the only ones who know. They’ll explain it when the time has come.”
I mulled that over for a moment, not thrilled about the idea of a game where everyone had to participate but didn’t know the details or the stakes.
“And what about all these people in the water? Guests?” I asked, looking back at the water. By now, the girls had wandered into waist-deep water, steam enveloping them.
“A few,” Nyrissa said. “Most of them are attendants like myself—here to enjoy each other and be enjoyed by the guests.”
I looked back at Nyrissa, and she stared up at me with those impossibly verdant eyes. Her dark green lips were parted ever so slightly.
“Enjoy?” I asked.
“In whatever way you wish,” she said softly, her hand squeezing mine.
“What’s your real name?”
“Tonight, I have no other name than Nyrissa,” she said, offering me a sweet smile.
“But—”
She placed a finger to my lips, hushing me. As it lingered there softly, her scent was strong. “You may ask me all the questions you want, but some simply do not have answers tonight, sir, and the night won’t last. You should take advantage while it is here.”
And then she stepped back, her finger sliding off my lips. I licked them reflexively, tasting something subtly sweet that had been left behind.
Glancing back at the pools, I decided to leave off questions for now. She was right, after all. I was already here. Perhaps I should just enjoy the evening and wait to see what was in store.
I stripped quickly, careful to keep my pen rolled in the skirt as I carried it over and set it down near the pool. The air kissed my newly-exposed skin, cool and charged. When I stepped into the pool, the heat chased it away and immediately began seeping into my muscles. The temperature was perfect.
Natalie floated closer to me, eyes bright, cheeks flushed.
“This is insane,” she whispered, much of her apprehension seeming to have evaporated. Erin had done a lot to ease her tension in the few minutes they’d been alone.
“Yeah,” I said, glancing at the woman in a man’s lap, obviously riding him though their genetalia were below the water’s surface. He leaned back against another woman, his head resting between two massive mammaries as he feasted on those of the woman in his lap. The two of them kissed. Another man who looked like a stone statue come to life sat on the water’s edge, a voluptuous woman with over-developed curves was deepthroating him. Another man, hairless all over, was running his tongue up her neck, his hand on the other man’s in a way that implied intimacy between them.
Others ran around the pool, chasing each other, talking softly, and laughing. A squeal followed by a splash from one of the other pools suggested that somewhere in all the mist, someone had been thrown into the warm water.
I turned my gaze back to Natalie, brushing wet hair back from her face. “Insane is a good word for it.”
Erin slid in beside her, water lapping at her breasts. Her grin was slow and wicked as she seemed to be reaching for something beneath the ripples.
And then Natalie’s lips parted in a little gasp.
I could feel the sexual current—Natalie’s reaction traveling through the water into my skin, into my bones.
Erin leaned in, mouth close to Natalie’s ear. “Doing okay, baby?” she murmured again.
Natalie nodded, eyes fluttering.
I kissed Natalie’s forehead, then her cheek, then the corner of her mouth, softly grounding her in the moment with loving affection as the baths pulsed around us—moans, laughter, splashes, murmured commands.
Natalie’s eyes darted, taking it all in, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession. And then it hitched, and she pursed her lips, cutting off a small sound. Erin’s grin broadened.
She’s doing it, I thought to myself.
Natalie finally tore her gaze off everyone else and leaned into me, arms draping over my shoulder languidly as she pressed her tits into my chest. Her nipples tightened against my skin.
“She’s…”
I kissed her and then kept my forehead pressed to hers, murmuring, “I know.”
I’m not sure how many minutes passed.
I stole too many kisses from Natalie’s full lips. Erin’s tongue collected countless droplets of water from my girlfriend’s skin. My assistant pulled more gasps from Natalie than I could keep track of.
The three of us were locked in a triangle so intense that everything else became white noise, but Natalie’s hips had begun to roll into me, Erin’s fingers sandwiched between her groin and my cock with each grind.
But then, Nyrissa appeared at the edge of the pool, looking down at us with pride that we were enjoying ourselves. “Time,” she called softly.
A distant boom echoed through the ruins—it sounded like fireworks.
The night was moving forward whether we were ready or not.
Erin sighed dramatically. “Rude,” she muttered. Then lifted her fingers out of the water and licked them slowly, lapping up everything Natalie had left on them.
Natalie stared at her, her eyebrows steepled like a woman who’d been robbed.
She hadn’t finished.
“Slow burn,” Erin teased, after running her tongue up a finger. “Don’t worry, Nat. We’ll make sure you get there. I promise.”
Natalie snorted in good-natured frustration.
“We should go,” I murmured, placing a hand on Natalie’s cheek and kissing her before taking her hand and leading her back to the pool’s edge. Her body glistened as she climbed out of the water, her skin slick, her thighs flushed from heat and Erin’s touch. I followed, and for a moment we stood dripping on stone under torchlight, watching as a handful of others exited the water, while the bulk remained, almost all of them painted and dressed as otherworldly creatures.
Nyrissa handed us towels—somehow warm—and gestured toward a path leading up from the baths to a terrace above.
“The hosts are receiving gifts now,” she said. “Everyone will eat and have some time to mingle, then the game will begin.”
Natalie wrapped her towel around herself, cheeks still flushed, eyes a little wide as some of the embarrassment from earlier set back in.
“Okay,” she whispered, mostly to herself.
Erin squeezed her hand. “Okay,” she echoed.
All of us took a few minutes to help each other dress, an enjoyable experience, though muted after what we’d just experienced in the water. Then we followed Nyrissa up stone steps carved into the hillside.
The terrace above the ruins opened into grounds and more balconies overlooking the baths and forest below. It was unusually warm up here… so much that the discomfort of the chill was nowhere to be found. It had to be some kind of system that dispersed heat and kept the environment perfect, but as I looked around, I couldn’t spot anything that would give it away.
What I did notice was that the crowd that had gathered was much larger than what I’d seen on the ferry. A few hundred guests in elaborate costumes mingled, attendants flitting between them like moths. Multiple ships must have brought out different groups of guests, with ours being one of the last.
Under a balcony that hung off the third story of the house stood a raised platform draped in red fabric and flanked by braziers.
And on that platform stood two individuals, overlooking the gathering and talking to people who came up to them one at a time, each with a gift.
The man wore something that suggested Dionysus—loose, purple fabric, gold jewelry, and a laurel crown, its golden leaves gleaming in the firelight. While he wasn’t overly handsome like I would have expected, he had a magnetic charm that I could pick up on even from this far away. His blonde hair was perfectly styled… smile broad and friendly.
The woman, however, looked like a literal goddess.
She was curvy with a rack that fit her perfectly. Her dress—if you could call it that—was a cascade of golden fabric that clung to her hips and breasts like cellophane. Her hair was a bright, glossy blonde, pinned in a style that looked effortless but probably cost more than my first car. Her skin was sun-kissed like she’d spent a day on the beach, and yet it looked soft and supple. She had a jawline that you could cut a melon with and a smile that was heartbreaking. I couldn’t tell she’d had any work… it had all been done so well, but no one was born that perfect.
This had to be Nicholas and Aurelia Wyn.
People stepped forward one by one, graciously presenting offerings to the hosts. The person currently talking to Nicholas was handing them a small silver box, which Nicholas took with an ingratiating smile.
The person who looked like they would be going up next was holding a cage with… some kind of colorful, exotic-looking bird.
An attendant dressed as some kind of elf took the box from Nicholas, while the host clasped his guest’s hand in both of his, said something to him, and sent him on his way, grinning.
The man with the cage climbed the dias, prepared to present his gift next.
Baths. Ancient ruins. Exotic gifts. This was all so absurd.
This didn’t feel like a party. It felt like they were holding some kind of otherworldly court, like something out of a Shakespearean play.
Was this kind of pageantry and pomp what mingling with the wealthy was like? Or had Astrid just thrown me in the deep end with this party?
Either way… one thing was for damn sure—I hadn’t brought a gift.
That fact sat in my gut like a stone.
I looked around for Astrid, but couldn’t find her. I’d lost her in the steam of the Roman baths.
Why hadn’t she told me about a gift?
Nyrissa, still with us, asked in a low voice, “Is something wrong?”
“Uh… I didn’t know we were supposed to bring gifts.”
She smiled, eyes bright. “You’re Marcus Upton. Your presence here is a gift.”
“What?”
“This is the first time we’ve ever had Gerrards attend. Our hosts assured me that this small miracle is gift enough.”
I turned back toward the Wyn’s and watched them for a few more moments, wondering why I was the first Gerrard to come to one of these things. Was my grandfather simply not a fan of parties? Or was there a more sinister reason for him not to come to these things?
I slipped my hand back under my skirt as discreetly as possible, checking to make sure my pen was still tucked where I’d left it. Sure enough, it was still there, ready in case I needed it.
A satyr drifted by with a tray of fruit, horns lacquered and with more abs than me. I snagged a handful of grapes and munched on them as I began slowly meandering, taking everything in, my little squad keeping close.
Looking around at the different people, catching glimpses of faces I’d met on the ferry, and wondering who all the others were.
I was so preoccupied with it all that I nearly bumped into Candy Blithe. She was Steve's girlfriend, the weapons industrialist I met at the bar earlier. I’d only briefly met her.
“Oh! Marcus, right?” she asked, sounding like one of those stereotypical California blondes.
“Yep,” I said. “Candy, right?”
“That’s me!” She laughed, then looked me up and down. “You look… really good in that. Like, you belong in the Roman times!”
“Thanks,” I said, then held out my hand. “Grape?”
“Um… thanks,” she said, gingerly taking one. She munched on half of it as she looked up at me with her striking blue-gray eyes.
“Have you been to one of these before?” I asked.
Her expression turned into a practiced grimace. “No. Steve doesn’t really… do things that aren’t work.” She tilted her head and lowered her voice like she was about to confess something scandalous. “But I met Aurelia like a month ago, and she was like, you have to come. And I was like, ‘Okay, well, if you don’t come with me, I’m leaving.’ So…” She made a tiny shrug. “He’s here somewhere. Probably talking about missiles.”
That got an actual laugh out of me. “Sounds romantic.”
Candy’s face lit up, relieved to have an audience. “Right? Anyway, I don’t know them-know them. I’ve only talked to Aurelia once, but she’s really into this fashion brand…”
The woman went on for the next few minutes about her fashion brand, and I quickly tuned it out, glancing at Erin and Natalie to see that while my assistant appeared to be following intently, Natalie’s soul looked like it was rapidly leaving her body with every passing moment as Candy spoke.
She was still droning on about her gripes over the industry when Nicholas raised his hands, and the white noise of party guests quieted.
Candy’s voice died mid-sentence.
“Friends!” he called, voice rolling across the terrace like warm molasses from his thick Southern US drawl. “Before we continue, I just gotta say… y’all look damn good tonight.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
“Guy has charisma,” I said to Candy, leaning in a little. “I can see why they ended up together.”
“Oh,” Candy said, “I’d, like, totally do him. I don’t know if they’re married, though.”
“No?” I asked. “Wyn isn’t her last name?”
“I mean, yeah, it is,” Candy said. She glanced around to make sure no one was listening in, and then leaned in a little closer. I couldn’t help noticing that she smelled great. “But there are a lot of rumors between those two. Like, no one really knows whether they’re married, or if they’re brother and sister.”
Nicholas continued speaking to the crowd, grinning. “I mean it! I know y’all will probably be a mess by the end of the night, but might as well look good for the parts you’ll remember! Am I right!?”
More laughter and a few shouts of agreement.
“They might be siblings?” I asked, side-eyeing Candy.
The girl just pursed her lips and shrugged. “No one knows for sure.”
Aurelia stepped forward, her smile slow. “We’re grateful you’ve come,” she said, voice smooth and accent Southern, though more subtle than Nicholas’s. “And grateful you’ve brought your appetites.”
Her gaze swept over the crowd and then hesitated, lingering on me for a moment before moving on.
“Now, please eat and enjoy! And make sure you come and say ‘Hi!’”
Then the gift ceremony continued.
I tried to breathe through the uneasy feeling crawling up my spine and turned away from Candy, who said something I missed as I walked away.
“Hey,” Erin said, touching my arm. “You good?”
Once more, I had to fight the feeling of being the kid who’d inherited an empire and kept expecting someone to tell him it was a prank.
This whole time, I thought I was getting used to being wealthy. I was taking on others, scheming… becoming more assertive.
Among all these people of power, it was difficult not to feel like all the progress I’d made was nothing more than a joke.
This didn’t feel like my world.
“Yeah,” I said to Erin, trying my best to get my feelings under control. “I’m good.”
God, I hated this back-and-forth feeling of being confident one moment and unsure the next.
No one can see this insecurity except you, man. Remember… you’re the big fish, here. They even said your presence here was a gift.
Imposter syndrome was a bitch.
“I’m happy to see that you didn’t stay in the baths,” Astrid’s voice cut through my thoughts.
I looked to my left to see her standing next to Nyrissa, a flute of something vaguely pink in both her hands.
“My attendant wouldn’t have let me,” I said. “Though I’m not sure why I had to come up here for this.” I nodded toward the Wyns, where they were still greeting guests. “You didn’t tell me about gifts.”
“Don’t worry,” Astrid said, watching the performance as she offered me one of the glasses. “You didn’t need to bring anything.”
“That’s what she said,” I glanced at Nyrissa. Then turned my attention back to Astrid. “What did you get them?”
“You,” Astrid said pointedly.
I rolled my eyes and snatched the drink out of her hand, throwing back half of it. I immediately felt my face twist in disgust. It tasted like pink. How was that even possible? “You said you want to go into some kind of partnership, Astrid. I can’t do that with people I can’t trust.”
Astrid looked on the verge of responding when a young slip of a woman with wild blonde hair, wearing a simple shift, approached us. “Mr. Upton?”
A few people hanging out within earshot glanced over at me, recognizing the name. Then the whispering started.
I hesitated, but didn’t respond.
Apparently, that was enough of an answer. “Our gracious hosts would like a private word with you, if you please.”
I glanced back at Astrid, who didn’t look at all surprised. She shrugged a shoulder. “Don’t look at me, Marcus. It’s not me she asked for.”
“Pardon,” the girl said, “but they asked only for you.”
I gave my girls a wordless apology.
Natalie didn’t look pleased at the idea of us being separated. Fortunately, my assistant slipped her fingers in Natalie’s and squeezed her hand, giving me a sharp look that said—I’ve got her.
She knew how I felt about leaving Natalie alone with Astrid.
My stomach still twisted a little, but I gave Erin a grateful little smile.
Then I turned my attention back to the woman. “Now?”
Nyrissa placed her hand on my arm and said, “They don’t like to be kept waiting.”
Of course they didn’t.
I leaned in close to Natalie, keeping my voice low. “Stay here with Erin,” I said.
Natalie’s eyes searched mine. “Okay,” she whispered, but I could see the unease from earlier creeping back in them. I wasn’t used to seeing this level of insecurity from her. She was a strong woman who had held her own in a hostile work environment for a long time. Witnessing her discomfort continue to rear its ugly head suggested how much she liked me and how willing she was to go so far out of her comfort zone. I was grateful for her, and I leaned in to give her a quick lover’s kiss to make sure she knew how much I appreciated her doing this with me.
And then I followed Nyrissa past the dias—now empty. The Wyns had disappeared during our exchange.
We weaved through the rest of the crowd, under an archway, and through a door into the house.
Inside, the air was a touch cooler. Torchlight flickered along carved walls. The sound of the crowd dulled, muffled.
Nyrissa led me to a set of double doors that looked like they’d been carved out of a single piece of wood. She stopped beside it, clasping her hands in front of her. “I will be here when you are finished.”
“Thanks,” I said. Then I pointed at the door. “Through here, right?”
Amused, she smiled and nodded.
I pushed the door open and stepped into a ballroom that had been converted into Hellenistic ruins. Broken marble lay scattered across wood floors, the fragments strewn across sheets of clear plexiglass, preserving the polished wood.
Purple, crimson, and gold fabric spilled from balconies and furniture in heavy, decadent swags, turning the whole room into something between a throne room and a brothel. Tables groaned under food—fruit split and glistening, cheeses sweating, roasted meat still steaming. On another table sat objects meant to satiate a different kind of hunger: glass and silver trays, pipes, tiny spoons, vials, rolled bills, and slick little atomizers. Baskets of powders, pills, and crystals, neatly portioned like party favors, waited beside them.
The hosts of this immaculate perversion were already in the room.
Nicholas leaned back against a column like he was waiting for a friend to join him at a bar.
Aurelia stood in front of him as if they’d been talking. She turned as I entered and hit me with the full force of her radiant smile.
“Marcus Upton!” Nicholas called out, his southern twang disarming. “Just the man we wanted to see!”