Immortal Dreams (102 page)

Devin slides it toward me without moving his eyes out from behind the paper.  It's sad that he doesn't see me with his visions or his eyes, but he still knows what I'm doing at this moment.

Perhaps I didn't give our relationship enough credit.  Maybe we know each other better than I realized.

"Thanks," I say softly, hoping he'll look at me.

Look at me, damn it.

"No problem," he says gently, but still keeps his face hidden behind the paper - today's paper.

"How did you get a newspaper out here?" I ask in an effort to try to keep him talking.

"Dad went and got several things from town.  We move faster in the water than on land," he says very calmly.

Apparently his dad can manipulate the water to fall around him as well.  The paper is completely dry.

My mind goes back to the bubble night - the night he first told me he loved me.  The night I knew I'd one day be a complete disaster by his hand.  I was right, but I was also wrong.

He doesn't make an effort to continue the conversation, and I decide to just eat in silence.  Camara gives me a very disappointed gaze, and I just shrug.

"You want to swim?" Hale asks as I finish my last bite.

"Um..." I hesitate as my eyes look over at the still hiding Devin.  "Yeah.  Let me just get this thing off."

Hale smirks as he stares at my feet.

"Heels?  Wow.  You really are a sex goddess," he gleams.

I hear the paper crinkle slightly as Devin's hands grip it a little too tightly.

"Yeah.  Camara thought they would look good with the bathing suit," I explain.

Again, the paper crinkles, and I smirk slightly as I see Devin starting to squirm uncomfortably.

He slowly lowers the paper, and his eyes become locked with mine.  I very deliberately pull the dressy cover-up over my head in a slow, drawn out motion.

When I'm free from its confines, Devin's eyes are still staring at mine.  His smoky eyes are swirling, and I stifle the smug grin trying to appear.

"Holy hot bodies," Hale exclaims.

Devin's eyes narrow slightly, and Hale continues his fascination with my swimming attire.

"Well.  I think you need to have some fun in the sun," he says provocatively.

It's so obvious it's almost corny.  He is the embodiment of the sun after all.

A wave gushes across the deck, and takes Hale overboard as it heads back out to sea.

Everyone chuckles as Hale screams up to the deck, "Not cool, Devin."

Devin smirks menacingly, and gives me a smug look before pulling his paper back up.

Well, I got him to look at me.  Now I have to make him unable to look away.

Kry walks over to me with a look noting what I'm attempting to do.  He smirks slightly and taunts me for my endeavor.

"So, you planning on swimming in stilettos?" he snarks playfully.

I almost want to stick my tongue out at him.  Devin snickers lightly behind the paper, and I hope it isn't because he realizes what I'm up to as well.

I admit, the heels are overkill.

I quickly kick free from them and walk over to the edge of the boat.  Everyone is splashing, laughing, and having a good time.  Devin's the only old man reading the paper.

I smile as I step off the edge and splash into the cool, sensationally refreshing water below.  The turquoise sea laps around me and coaxes the worry from my mind.

Deacon climbs back on board, and I can see Devin relinquish the thoroughly-read paper as they speak in whispers.

"Stop staring.  It'll make it obvious," Camara scolds.  "
You're
supposed to be seducing
him
, not the other way around."

I puff slightly as Devin continues to look anywhere but at me.  I swim back over to the boat, and the water trickles down my body as I reach the top.

I stand in front of Devin and Deacon's mouth drops open as the water slides against my skin.  My hair is saturated by the ocean's scent, and my body is almost calling to his.

"Do you have any towels?" I ask with a subtle reason for speaking to him.

"Yes," he says vaguely as he stares into my eyes.

"Okay... um... Where?" I ask with a sweet smile invading my lips.

"I've got some over here," Hale chirps as he climbs back onboard.

Devin frowns slightly, but I asked for a towel.

Stupid interfering sun.

"Thanks," I mumble insincerely.

"You look so fucking hot in that bathing suit," Hale asserts bluntly.

I blush slightly under his admiring gaze, secretly hoping Devin feels the same way.

"I know.  I'm going to have to let her keep it because it doesn't look like that on me," Camara says with a wink.

I stifle a laugh.  She's attempting to draw Devin out of his shell by doting on me.

"You had
that
and didn't wear it for me?" Deacon gripes.

"Yes, well, like I said, it doesn't look like that on me.  Now roll your tongue back into your mouth, please," she says with a mocking tone.

I laugh lightly, but Devin seems unaffected by the scene.  I frown a little before Hale speaks to me again.

"Your scent is so... I don't even know how to explain it.  It so... surreal," he murmurs with an exaggerated enamored tone.

Devin squirms uncomfortably.  I'm just confused.  It's not the first time someone has mentioned
my scent.
  Camara and Deacon both share an amused smiling glance - adding to my confusion.

"What scent?" I scoff.

"It's intoxicating," Hale says while his eyes lock with mine.

I quickly detach from the eye contact.  Devin squirms more, and Camara answers.

"The goddess has been denied for quite some time, if you know what I mean.  You have a strong, heavenly, divine pull, and it's almost impossible to ignore.  It has been masked by fear for the past few days, and I'm sure before then as well.  Now that you feel safe, all you can smell is an aerial aphrodisiac.  It did the same thing when Devin was gone for a week.  I blame that scent for making me crazy enough to give Deacon another chance."

Deacon raises his arms in disbelief.  "Hey," he yelps in a defensive tone.

Camara laughs a little as she walks over to kiss him with reassurance she's not going anywhere.

"I've never smelled anything so alluring," Hale says as his eyes spark.

I'm sure his sex god side is sort of overheating his normal state of mind.  He takes a step toward me, and I take a step back.  Another wave surges over the boat, and once again, Hale is carried away.

"This is starting to get old," he gripes from the water below.

I turn to see Devin's eyes staring into mine, and I decide to let the wind drag this scent to him.  Perhaps it'll have the same effect on him as it did on Hale.  He takes a deep breath and tightens his lips as our eyes stay locked.

"I need to get off this boat for a while," he whispers to Deacon, and I don't think I was meant to hear it.

He slowly walks toward me, and his breath hitches as he nears.  I'm almost certain he's about to take me, but he continues by me to the edge of the boat.  He dives in, and I finally release my trapped breath.

I slump down in a chair and pour me some more coffee as I work on a new plan of attack.  Kry sits down across from me and shakes the excess water from his hair - his faux-hawk smoothed down into a normal shag, due to the ocean.

"I need to douse you in my cologne or something.  That is potent, and it's going to drive everyone here crazy," he rattles.

I frown as I stare at Devin who is so far out in the sea he barely looks like a speck even with my heightened sight.

"Not everyone," I pout.

"Are you trying to get his attention, or is Aphrodite?  I'm not sure he understands what your motives are.  You went from ice cold to fire hot.  You can see how a guy would be confused.  Aphrodite was always known to be so capricious, but you're usually not."

"He knows it's me," I grumble.  "He just doesn't care."

Kry sits back and bites into an apple as Devin swims out farther - to the point of disappearing completely.  He is faster in the water, much faster.

"I don't think he does know.  It wouldn't hurt to clue him in," he murmurs.

He stands up and pats me on the shoulder as he tosses the apple back down on the table.

I hear a splash, and then Hale rejoins me once again.  I stare out at the sea as Devin slowly makes his way back toward us, barely becoming visible again.  He doesn't seem to be in the hurry to get back that he was to get gone.

"You really are beautiful.  I've never met an Aphrodite before.  They say Helios and Aphrodite were meant for each other, but they just never found each other in time," he seduces.

I roll my eyes.

"I think you've had too much sun," I joke to lighten the mood.

"You can never have too much sun," he seduces more.

He's working too hard to sound smooth.

Oh.  Poor guy.  He doesn't have a clue how in love I am with Devin.

"Sorry.  I think you've been exposed to whatever this scent is for too long.  I'm going to go swim for a while," I say in an effort to get away.

He follows me to the edge, and his hand grabs mine.  I gingerly remove it from his grasp as he tries yet again to gain my affections.

"Let me show you how close you can get to the sun without getting burned," he dares.

A wave rushes over us, and Hale is swept away.  I hear him huffing loudly as he spews water from his mouth.

"Really, Devin?" he blares.

Devin emerges from below the surface with a shrug as soon as Hale scolds him.

"It wasn't me this time," he murmurs innocently.

Phillip is leisurely floating on his back with his arms propped behind his head while kicking with sloppy intent against the water.  He smiles as he spits a fountain flow of water into the air from his mouth.

"Sorry.  Couldn't resist.  I thought the
sun
could use some cooling down," he chuckles.

Hale slaps the water in frustration, and I laugh a little at the uncharacteristic, childish behavior of Phillip.

Devin slowly climbs up the boat, and the water sweeps over his perfect body, the seductive trickle reminding me what a fool I am for not listening to him about the whole Gemma situation.

"What did he say this time?" he mumbles.

"Nothing important.  He's just confused.  He hasn't been around me as long as the others.  He'll get to where he doesn't find me to be quite the fascinating anomaly he thinks I am, and then he can move on like everyone else," I say pitifully as I turn to escape the group.

I'm done trying to recapture his attention.  I feel like a fool for ever even having embarked on such a feat.  I may possess the power of Aphrodite, but I don't encompass the ability to seduce the unwilling heart.

I lean over the rail and stare out at the empty sea ahead of us.  The clouds above me look so tranquil and happy as they perch on the edge of the sky.

The waves rush back and forth as a natural wind stirs.  I draw it to me and let it splash against my face, dragging the mist of the ocean spray with it.

I smile lightly as I see Deacon being dunked by Camara as they swim in front of the boat.  My smile almost turns to a pout when envy stings my blue eyes with a jaded hue, but then I feel heat from behind me.

Devin leans up to where he's almost touching my back with his front as his hands grip against the railing beside mine.  My heart stumbles and flips forward until it slams into my chest.

His breath lingers against my ear as his face stays just out of grasp.  Aphrodite stirs, awakens, and climbs to attention as she poises for attack.

"I know it's in your nature to seduce, but if you don't want me, then please stop," he whispers, and chills scramble to the surface to cover my body.

I very slowly turn to face him, and the green takes over my eyes for a moment before turning back blue to let him know I'm completely in control.

I lean back on the railing to stare him in the eyes, and I tilt my hips up slightly toward him.  His body so close to mine that it is almost sending me into convulsions.

"I'll keep that in mind," I seduce, even though I said I wasn't going to try anymore.

He smirks slightly, and he bends to where his lips almost touch mine but don't.

"Please do," he dares.

He leans back from the tantalizing closeness and walks away.  I follow him like a lioness stalking her prey, but he stops to talk to Kry.

Damn you, Kry.

I decide to lure him away by walking over to the edge again.  I give him a provocative look that challenges him to see how far I'll go with this, and Kry's jaw unhinges slightly as Aphrodite creeps through me to bring forth the sexy strut.

Devin smirks when he sees the dangerous game I'm daring him to play.  I step backwards to fall to the water, and I take my time swimming back to the surface.

I emerge slowly to add some
zest
to the seduction, but Devin is no longer on the boat.  I look around the water, but he's nowhere to be found.

I huff slightly as I realize my plan of seduction has failed yet again.  Kry splashes in, and I draw his attention to me by splashing him lightly.

"Where's Devin?" I whine.

Kry smirks as though he has a secret, but he shrugs before he answers.

"He said he'd be gone for a while.  Told me to cover for him."

"Cover for him?" I grumble.

What does that mean?

"Yeah," he murmurs vaguely with his smirk growing more menacing.

I start to pout more, but the water beneath me embraces me around the waist.  I'm almost seduced by the gripping sensation, and then I'm suddenly sucked under.

I don't struggle against the aquatic abduction because I know what's going to be on the other end -
Devin
.

Everything passes me in a blur as the spiraling hold drags me deeper - so deep a mortal's body wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure.

I feel air entering my lungs as I land on the ocean ground, and I'm in a bubble similar to the one where he told me he loved me.

My toes sink into the soft, dry sand on the ocean floor, and my eyes lock with the smoky blue ones as the one who summoned me stalks toward me.