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It is interesting to note that while early stories about the goddess refer to her lover as the storm god, over the centuries that identity is subsumed into the avatar of the Kraken, who is more frequently referred to as the goddess’s protector than a god in his own right. One imagines that a nation built on fishing enjoyed the idea of their goddess literally taming the storm, as it were.

Akeisa: Religious Figures and Rites

by Guildmaster Klement

The festival really was a lovely party.

The bonfire raged, its flames reaching into the night sky. It shone down on the people clustered around Einar, vying for his attention. He could claim that this was not his home, that it never truly had been, but their devotion did not lie. They wanted him, their long-lost island prince who was now a god born of the sea, and he fit here.

Would Einar and Naia stay here when the mission was over? Make this their new home?

Aleksi flinched. The thought was a discordant note that tasted like biting on metal. Which was the height of folly. They had only done what had been inevitable, what he had frankly urged them to do. They’d fallen in love. That was no crime, but rather something to be celebrated, wherever and whenever it happened.

That he should think of their connection now with sadness was worse than folly. It wasn’t jealousy, nothing so ugly as that. Aleksi was honestly happy for them, but he also felt vaguely wistful, as if something he might have cherished had just slipped from his grasp.

Heavy thoughts, unbefitting the revels, so he pushed them away and turned to Naia. She looked ethereal in the firelight, clad in a simple white dress and adorned with her gifts from the locals. “Well, you finally have your prince, little nymph. What will you do with him now?”

“I’m open to suggestions.” There was a teasing lilt in Naia’s words ... and a spark of heat.

He arched an eyebrow at her, trying to decipher her inscrutable expression. Was she flirting with him?

But Naia did not play coy; it simply wasn’t in her nature. So he wasn’t completely shocked when she tilted her head and smiled up at him. “Are you interested?”

His heart thumped hard , and his pulse picked up speed. The cool night air between them seemed to radiate heat that didn’t come from the fire.

The silence tasted like possibility.

His voice came out too low, too rough. “Does Einar know what sorts of offers you’re making in his stead?”

“Einar and I have no secrets. Not from one another.” The drums started up again, beating a tattoo that matched the uncontrolled thumping of his heart, and Naia took his hand. “Dance with me.”

The music was ill-suited to the kinds of dancing that happened in ballrooms and at court functions. It was too fast, too visceral . They ended up pressed close together, the space between them reduced to nearly nothing, moving instinctively with the heavy beat.

Her lips were slightly parted. Ready, he thought, and immediately had to shake himself and focus on her eyes. But her gaze was no less inviting, and he had to do something with his mouth so he would not end up kissing her.

So he spoke. “No secrets. A bold claim for a new relationship.”

“Yes, but true, nonetheless.” Her legs brushed his. “Einar told me about the kiss.”

Startled, Aleksi looked automatically over to where he’d last seen Einar. He was still trapped in a circle of villagers, but his approving gaze was locked on the two of them.

Aleksi hesitated, unsure if he craved or feared the direction of Naia’s conversation. “It was a mistake—”

“Well, I certainly hope not.” Her fingers brushed through the short hair at his nape. “That would make what I’m about to say to you very awkward, indeed.”

“And what do you have to say?”

She stopped moving and gazed solemnly up at him. “I want you. Einar wants you. We’re yours, if you’ll have us.”

Words had power, especially carnal demands masquerading as sweet confessions, and these almost brought Aleksi to his knees. Together, Einar and Naia burned brighter and hotter than the bonfire.

Hot enough to reflect some of that passion onto him.

The vague, wistful regret that lingered in his chest sharpened into pain. Could he accept one single night of unimaginable pleasure, knowing that was all he would ever have?

More to the point, could he turn it down, knowing the same?

“I ...” He trailed off, unsure what he even meant to say.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Einar joined them, his hand sliding protectively—instinctively—to the small of Naia’s back as he studied Aleksi. “What did you say to put that look in his eyes?”

“I asked him if he’d like to be with us tonight.” Naia lifted her chin in challenge. “He has yet to answer.”

Heat flared in Einar’s dark eyes, driving away any possibility that he might not be just as invested in that answer as Naia was. “You don’t have to decide or make promises now. We can start with a dance.”

He spoke as though he didn’t want to pressure Aleksi, which was sweet but wholly unnecessary. Whether he wanted either of them had never been in doubt. The only question was if he could ever, ever have them.

But here they were, propositioning him. And it didn’t matter whether they saw him as a good-natured conquest, an adventure they wanted to experience just once, or an earnest, friendly fuck.

He did not want to die without knowing this moment.

“No one makes any promises,” he told them. “Not yet. But when the time comes, my answer will be yes.”

Naia wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek to his chest. “Thank you.”

“Save your thanks, little nymph.” He tangled his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back. “You may no longer wish to offer them when you find out what I have planned for you and your lover.”

A growl rumbled up in Einar’s chest as he stepped behind Naia, leaving her cradled between him and Aleksi. His lips grazed her temple, but his eyes never left Aleksi’s. “We both know we’re playing with fire.”

Aleksi reached out and caught his chin with his free hand. He held it with a firm grip, nothing gentle or careful about it. “Do you? Because you’ve never seen this side of me, Kraken.”

The monster stirred. The air around them nearly crackled as Einar’s eyes swirled with teal ... and the heat of carnal recollection. “I still remember the first time.”

So did Aleksi. But that had been different, all clutching hands and hungry mouths. Hard cocks and sweat-slicked skin. This would be just as lustful, but with an edge of tenderness and longing that Aleksi could no longer pretend did not exist.

And Einar deserved a warning. “That was simple fun.”

Naia stifled a laugh against the loose fabric of Aleksi’s shirt. “Then what is this?”

He tilted her head back. “Something else.”

Einar held Aleksi’s gaze for several heartbeats, then broke with a groan. He bent his head to the vulnerable curve of Naia’s exposed throat and kissed her until she breathed his name on a helpless moan. Then he nipped at her, his wicked half smile inviting Aleksi to imagine the delicate silk of her skin under his tongue.

They began to move again, not a dance so much as a grind. Their bodies clashed and their hands roamed, a precursor to what would come, set to the throbbing drums and the more personal sounds of gasps and growls.

Then Naia pulled Aleksi’s face to hers and kissed him.

It was a sweet kiss, despite being open and hungry, despite her tongue eagerly searching for his. But that was Naia —whether she was being fierce or irreverent or even a little bit cocky, she was always sweet.

Her hands found his chest, her nails pressing into his skin through his shirt as she broke the kiss and pushed him back a step. They were already at the edge of the throng of dancers, and the insistent pressure on his chest had them stepping out onto the rocky beach.

There were structures there, near the edge of the water, ancient-looking wooden frames hung with mismatched tapestries. Some already had those heavy fabrics drawn, shutting the world away from whatever was happening inside.

Naia walked to the nearest empty one, stood by it ... and waited.

Einar was the first to go after her. He pulled her into its shadowed confines, filling the space until, even with the tapestries still held back, it seemed small and intimate. He smiled and turned Naia in his arms so that she could lean back against his chest as they both gazed at Aleksi.

“Well?” Einar asked, a tremor of anticipation sneaking into his voice. “What do you have planned for us?”

There were more tapestries on the ground inside the structure, as well as a scattering of cushions. Aleksi stepped into the midst of them and began pulling the ties on the heavy drapes. One by one, they fell, blocking out the lights of the moons and the bonfire.

But not the heat.

A single metal lantern hung from the middle of the frame, casting out shadows and light in equal measure, illuminating Naia and Einar—and their eager expressions.

The strategy formed in Aleksi’s mind, easy as breathing. He would focus on Naia, because nothing would arouse Einar as much or as quickly as watching her find her pleasure. And by the time she was sated, spent, one look at Einar’s trembling desire would be enough to set her aflame again.

Perfect.

He lowered his voice to a whisper as he reached for Naia’s hand. “Don’t move.” Neither of them breathed as he tugged her hand to his lips, kissed the back of it, then turned it over and licked the inside of her wrist.

Her breathing resumed with a hitch. She reached for Einar with her free hand, and he guided her to wrap her arm around his neck. Then he stroked his fingers down her side, a slow glide over the thin fabric.

Aleksi kept hold of her as he raised his other hand to the wrapped and tied bodice of her dress. He’d seen her wear it before, and had tried in vain not to wonder about its construction. Were the ties decorative? Or would unraveling them bare her naked flesh, bit by torturous bit?

He was going to find out. “I’m glad you wore your own clothes tonight.” He plucked at the first knot. “Imperial fashions are so fussy.”

“Very difficult to remove,” she agreed breathlessly.

“Or even ... adjust.” He eased one side of her plunging bodice over, just a little, revealing more of the curve of her breast.

Einar immediately caressed her bared skin, tracing over it with a featherlight touch. “He’s more patient than I am,” he rumbled against her temple. “I would have torn this dress open already.”

“I don’t think he’s patient,” Naia murmured. “I think he’s devious .”

Aleksi knelt at her feet and eased his hands under her dress. Her legs were warm and smooth, and she inhaled sharply as his hands brushed past her knees to linger on her thighs.

She moved, parting her legs and arching her hips. But instead of lifting her skirt and burying his face between her thighs, Aleksi stood up in one powerful movement. He kept his hands locked under her thighs, and her skirt rucked up around her hips as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I am devious.” He could almost feel how wet she was already through their clothes, and he ground against her. “But I did warn you, love.”

“Yes.” She wound her arm around his neck so that she was clinging to them both. “You did.”

Another thrust, and this time the sweet pressure of her ass against his erection made Einar groan. He muffled the sound against her cheek, then licked the curve of her jaw. “She makes the sweetest noises.”

“Tell me,” Aleksi ordered.

Einar eased his hand between Naia and Aleksi and worked at the second knot on her bodice. “If you kiss her inner thigh, she gasps. But if you use your teeth ...” He demonstrated by nipping her earlobe.

Naia shuddered.

The final tie unraveled, and Einar coaxed her bodice open, revealing her breasts, full and soft, with seashell-pink nipples. He stroked one reverently before lifting his gaze to Aleksi. “I haven’t heard the sounds she makes if you put your mouth here.”

“Such heresy.” Aleksi ran one finger around the edge of Naia’s nipple. It puckered with anticipation and arousal. “How could you neglect such perfect breasts?”

“We were interrupted before I could get there.” He chased Aleksi’s finger with his own. “As much as I wanted to taste them, even I have better manners than to strip her naked during a blizzard.”

“No excuses.” He hardened his voice. “Put your hands on her hips.”

For a long moment, Einar only stared at him with the eyes of a dangerous predator. Then, ever so slowly, he lowered his hands and gripped Naia’s hips.

“There, now.” Aleksi grasped Einar’s chin again. “You’re not allowed to touch her anywhere else until she’s had at least one orgasm. Possibly two.”

Einar growled and bared his teeth in challenge, but only licked Aleksi’s thumb.

Aleksi chased Einar’s tongue back into his mouth, pressing down until another growl rumbled up in the pirate’s chest. “Consider this another lesson. And next time, you’ll take more care to properly worship your goddess.”

Naia’s shaky moan drowned out another muffled growl. So Aleksi freed his thumb and rubbed the wet pad around her nipple as he rocked his hips. Her mouth opened in a gasp, and he took advantage of her parted lips to kiss her again.

She was already trembling in their arms. It would not take much to set her ablaze.

He broke the kiss but kept his mouth against hers, breathing her in as he slid his arms around them both to grip Einar’s ass. This time, when he ground against her, he tugged Einar closer in counterpoint.

Einar hissed out a breath, his muscles shaking with the effort it must have taken him not to move. “That’s it, sweet goddess. Come for him so he’ll let me taste you.”

She whimpered. Her nails raked over Aleksi’s shoulders, and she tore at his collar in her quest to reach skin. She held him tighter as he moved faster. They were all panting now, the sounds melding together into a color Aleksi had never seen before, precious and indescribable.

Naia didn’t scream when she came, just bit her lower lip with a shocked noise that melted as she shook between them. Einar steadied her, whispering encouragement against her temple.

Desire rocked Aleksi. Einar was stretched to his limit, taut as a bowstring and ready to snap. But Naia still needed them both, so Aleksi staved off the inevitable explosion with a little mercy. He pulled Einar’s hands from Naia’s hips and settled them over her breasts instead.

His big hands trembled on her skin, and his eyes flared teal for just a moment.

Aleksi hummed in approval. “Do you feel how much your pirate prince wants you, little nymph?”

“I feel ...” She was still breathing heavily. But she was smiling, too, though the smile turned to a squeal when Einar pinched and tugged at her nipples. “ Everything. ”

“Good.” Aleksi lifted her higher, high enough for him to lick one nipple where it peeked through Einar’s fingers. Einar moved his hand, and Aleksi drew the stiff peak into his mouth.

Freed from Aleksi’s restrictions, Einar cradled Naia’s chin and tilted her head back while he toyed with her other nipple. “What do you like?” he whispered. “Soft? Or rough?” He pinched her again, this time twisting lightly.

She arched, setting off that rocking grind again, and her nipple hardened even further in Aleksi’s mouth. Her voice was raspy, desperate. “More.”

Einar shifted his hold from her chin to her throat—tender, with the lightest of pressure. “If we give you more, will you come for us again?”

With a frustrated groan, Naia scratched Aleksi’s shoulder beneath his shirt. He lifted his head with a soothing sound, licked the corner of her mouth, and reminded her, “Remember—you’re not to be trifled with.”

She met his gaze, and something bold sparked in her eyes. Then she dropped her hand to cover Einar’s.

In response, Einar rocked his hips forward, thrusting her against Aleksi’s cock. “Show me, goddess,” he rumbled. “Show me how hard you want it.”

She squeezed his fingers together harder than Einar had dared, so hard that it had to hurt . But hunger and pleasure pulsed off of Naia in waves that slid up Aleksi’s spine like a questing, knowing caress. Waves that he could see, waves that surrounded all three of them.

This time when she came, it was slow, the pulses growing harder and brighter until she cried out in relief and completion and sheer, unadulterated joy.

No, Aleksi could never regret this. Even if his heart was broken, he would gather every moment of this night close, keep it and treasure it, like a proverbial dragon hoarding his gold.