400 Unwanted guests

Jos clutched her robe tightly as she made her way down the stairs. She winced with each creak of the floorboards, sending nervous glances back up to the top floor each time. She froze in worried surprise when the bedroom door gently opened, but the figure who stepped out was much shorter and leaner than Arei.

Hypnos met her apprehensive eyes as he carefully shut the door behind him. "Fear not, he shall sleep through nearly anything now."

Jos frowned as she clung to her robe tighter, waiting for him to join her on the stairs. "Easy for you to say, you're not the one about to face Artemis alone…"

Hypnos smiled slyly down at her as he descended the stairs. He grazed his fingers across her cheek as he stepped by her. "You are not alone. I am here, and an enemy of yours is an enemy of mine." His smile widened in response to her dumbfounded expression. "Coming, little sparrow?"

Jos shook away her unease as she followed behind him. "I don't understand, why would you help with this? I thought you hated Zeus, and everyone associated with him and Hera?"

He chuckled as his hand rested on the handle of the new back door. "Hate is an interesting emotion. It has a way of working against us if we allow it." His grin widened. "I shall explain it all to you later, but just know, our Artemis here is one of two most favored children of Zeus, and unlike her half-sister Athena, she does not hold any particular bias toward her father." He nodded toward the door. "So, why don't we see what she has to say?" He pulled the door open, stepping behind it to hide his presence.

Jos furrowed her brows. "Aren't you coming out, too?"

A calculative smile curved his lips. "Not straight away, but you'll not be alone. I will make my presence known at the opportune time."

Artemis paused her steps as Jos stepped out onto the new, bare wood of the porch. Her eyes narrowed as they moved around the shadows. "You were expecting me, then?"

Jos tried her best to mask her worry and to keep her focus forward, instead of risking a glance at the man looming just inside the house. She crossed her arms protectively. She could feel her tentacles shift below the robe.

'Calm yourself' Hypnos's words echoed in her mind.

She swallowed hard as she forced herself to retract her tentacles and respond to the goddess. "Expect… no… but I'll admit, our conversation from earlier did seem to go too smoothly…"

An irritated smile curved Artemis's lips. "I was just thinking the same thing… You see, I could not stop replaying your words from earlier." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she closed the remaining distance to the porch. "'If we know you will be entering the waters, we can guarantee safe passage.' What exactly did you mean by that?"

Jos swallowed down the dread building in her throat. "We can guarantee safe passage because I am the monster forced to protect it…"

Artemis arched a brow. "And You have control over this?"

Jos shook her head. "No, but the council has provided us tranquilizers to prevent my shifting."

"I see…" Artemis studied Jos for several long moments. "And the tranquilizers are effective without fault?"

Jos frowned as she fumbled with the fluff of her robe. "So far they have been… though we've only used them three or four times."

Artemis blew out a sigh as she began to pace the walkway. "It has barely been tested then. That will not do." She turned suddenly. "And there is no other way? You yourself have no control and there is no other way onto the island."

Jos shook her head. "Teleportation or boat. The island is too small, and the terrain is too rugged and heavily forested to land an aircraft."

Artemis nodded in understanding. "A pity then."

Before Jos could ask any further questions, Artemis was already drawing and firing her bow at Jos. Jos gasped as she tried to move out of the way. A tentacle shot out catching the arrow only millimeters from her heart. Jos panted as her vision seemed to fog, and she collapsed against the railing.

Artemis stared in bewilderment as the air around the porch thickened, a dark fog settling in blocking her target. Her brows furrowed and her bow lowered as the fog seemed to gather and gain form. In its place a beautiful man stood, one arm clasped protectively around Joslyn. His fierce gaze seemed to penetrate her very soul, leaving the usually calm and confident goddess shook. "Who…"

A sardonic smile curved Hypnos' lips. "You spend too much time in the forests, little goddess." He turned his focus back to Jos, making a show of his concern for her. "Are you alright, Sparrow?" His free hand cupped the tentacle that was still tightly clasping the arrow. He gently worked to free the arrow from the many suction cups. "You are safe, yes? Did I not promise to be here? To protect you?"

Jos nodded between panted breaths. She slowly released her hold on the arrow and forced her tentacle to retract, her eyes searching his. {He is up to something… but what.}

He sent her a smile and pulled her closer to his side. He tossed the arrow to the ground at Artemis' feet. "There is no need for hostility, little goddess. All you needed to do was ask, and everyone here would have been more than willing to help you. Tell me, do you really think your dear Orion would have been too pleased had you told him you'd slain the person he'd given his freedom to protect?" He shook his head as he tugged Jos in front of him and rested his chin against the top of her head. "Even after she so graciously offered to sedate herself for you. I think not…" A teasing smile curved his lips. "Perhaps there is still a friendly outcome to be reached her tonight, however…" His eyes narrowed on her. "If you're willing to pay the price."

Jos tried to jerk around to see him, but his rigid body and tight hold kept her locked in place.

"Anything, just name your price."

His smile widened as he released his hold on Jos. His body turned to thick, dark fog once again as it moved quickly away. Jos stood frozen in place as the fog encircled Artemis then quickly disappeared with the goddess in tow. Her eyes searched all around the yard, but the only sign it hadn't all been just a dream was the arrow still lying on the walkway. Jos swallowed past the lump in her throat as she made her way down the steps. She hesitated, her hand trembling as she squatted beside the arrow.

"There you are. What are you doing outside, kitten?"

Jos quickly grabbed the arrow and hid it under her robe as her nervous gaze whipped around to the open door. Her lips parted in lustful surprise at the sight. Arei's wide frame took up the entire doorway. His head rested against the open door as one hand clasped the edge and the other muffled a yawn. Thin cotton pajama bottoms rode low on his hips, hugging him snuggly and leaving nothing to the imagination. "You should never leave the bedroom in those…" Jos muttered quietly; her eyes plastered to the front of his pants. She slowly lifted to her feet with the arrow still hidden behind her back causing the robe to part. A jerk at the front of his tight pants caused her eyes to shoot up to meet his. Sleepiness was now replaced with red-hot desire.

"Then perhaps you should escort me back there immediately."

His husky purr caused heat to rise low in her stomach, countering the slight chill in the air. She quickly tossed the arrow beside the steps and out of sight as her eyes remained locked on his. He moved intentionally slow down the steps, coming toe to toe with her at the bottom. Jos let out a wanton gasp as his hands slid inside her robe causing the ties to fall free. "Arei…" She whispered as her nipples grew taunt against the cool air and soft caress of his fingertips. "W-we should go back inside first…"

A playful smile curved his lips. "And why is that, kitten?" He bent and placed a kiss on her collarbone as he let his hands move down the length of her torso.

"Someone could see…" Her wide eyes moved around the dark shadows of the backyard and beach trail. She struggled to tug her robe back into place, but he continued brushing it aside.

"Let them. I could care less as long as I have you."

She wrapped her arms around his thick neck for balance as his hand slid between her thighs. "Please, Arei…"

He pulled his lips away from her body and smiled up at her. "If I must." His smile widened as he scooped her into his arms causing her to let out a surprised squeal.

***

Calypso's Island, Ogygia

Artemis huffed as she struggled to gain composure. If there was anything in this world she hated most, it was teleporting. She glared at the handsome man standing beside her with a smug smile spread across his lips. She wished beyond anything else that she could wipe that smile from his face. "You would do well as a crow." She spat out although she was well aware her own powers would not be able to compare to his.

Hypnos chuckled. "I prefer ravens but tomato, tomatto."

"Who are you and where are we now? Why do you protect that girl?" Artemis glared at him as she waited impatiently for an answer.

His smile widened as he pressed his palm exaggeratively against his chest. "Who am I? I thought that would be obvious. Though I suppose your father has made my presence rather unmemorable of late…" He shrugged off the displeasure that echoed in his words. "I am Hypnos." He held his hands out as he spun in a circle. "This is Ogygia. Your destination, was it not?" His eyes narrowed on her. "And as for my help… This is in your favor as well, is it not?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Yes… but why?"

A wide, menacing smile curved his lips. "There's an easy answer to both. The Kaken is the key to my revenge and proxy for getting close to your father and his bitch of a wife." He walked over and caressed her cheek, marred by a perplexed expression. "As for you, little goddess, I've helped you get here thus trapping the only child who would still be inclined to help him."

Her eyes widened with realization. "What! No! You can't leave me here!"

His smile twisted wickedly. "Oh I can, I will… and… I have." His words trailed off as his form turned to smoke and vanished once again.