Love and Fortune Ch. 16

Author's Note:

This is Chapter 4 of Book 2 of the Love and Fortune series! If you're new, feel free to start at the beginning of Book 1, but know that Book 1 is mostly laidback sexytimes, without much of a gripping plot. If you'd rather start with the action, feel free to jump in at Chapter 13 (the start of Book 2, which is more about adventure and conflict).

This Chapter Contains: the musings of a captured Goddess, a hunt for clues that turns into sexytime (don't worry, it's productive sexytime), ill-advised sexplay in a floral shop (no fragile vases were harmed!), a telepathic brush between rival Goddesses' champions, petty pastry thievery, and a first chaotic clash with a mysterious bad guy's minions. As always, you've been warned.

Chapter 16: Traps and Tangles

The Living Goddess of Victory had no idea where she was.

It was difficult to see past the strange, arcane cage she had awoken in. All she knew of the room outside was that it was dark, cold, and most of the time, empty. How long she'd been here by now, she couldn't tell. Time, to a Living Goddess, was often an irrelevant concept. But under strain like this -- her essence, her very being, trapped and perhaps soon sapped -- time became a heavy, oppressive force. She hadn't been counting it, but she felt its passage keenly.

Nike knew she'd been imprisoned. Trapped by a powerful magic she'd never encountered before. She knew that the world outside these walls was cut off from her. As were all the rest of her kind. She couldn't feel the other Living Goddesses. Couldn't speak to them. Couldn't call to them for help. She was alone... but then, not quite.

Because Nike also knew she was being constantly, meticulously watched.

Her captors hardly showed themselves. Not in any way that let her get a look at them. If it mattered, she felt they hadn't quite gotten a look at her yet, either, for through the strange crystalline prison that held her, she would appear to them as nothing but a vague, shimmering shape. But they had her. She had only the vaguest sense of their presence outside the trap. They came and went through the shadows of the dark room outside, but Nike couldn't sense their energy through the uneven, angular surface of her cage. No reading their intentions, no understanding their motives. She was left with only questions.

What had happened? How? And why?

Each unknown possibility raced through Nike's thoughts. No Living Goddess was omniscient, but this situation, brimming with uncertainty, frustrated her especially. She was used to knowing the odds. Seeing the path to success, and guiding favored mortals along it. But now: a complete lack of answers, shrouded in darkness, with no foresight into her own fate or that of the world. That was new. That was frightening.

All she could do was endure this. And thus far, if it counted for anything, she had done so with the utmost patience, grace, and calm. A Living Goddess could never afford to panic. Not even now, when the situation seemed this dire. Her endurance was the only advantage she still held over these captors. It would hinder them -- for as long as she could hold out. Their cage of magic was designed to drain her essence. But Nike had willpower. And she had no intention of giving in.

Yet the draining was a constant, steady threat. She could feel it, ever closing in, trying to get its cold claws into her and siphon off her power. Should her guard falter, should her focus slip, she knew the trap and its architects would have their way. And the longer she stayed here, the likelier that was to happen. Even a goddess had her limits.

Without any way out of this on her own, Nike's hope lay in the call she'd sent to all the Living, all their devotees, before her capture. That someone would answer. That someone, somewhere, was on their way to help.

Devotees of the Living would bring positive energy. And that energy would spread over the island, even as she remained trapped. Positive energy, the lifeblood of the Living, the product of love, and the antithesis of this cruel cage's draining magic. Enough of that could offset the vile magic active on these islands. Perhaps it could weaken the barrier that kept her mind from connecting to the rest of her kind. And then, perhaps, she could tell them where she was. And they could swoop in, destroy the trap, and set her free.

It was a lot of 'perhaps'. But it was what Nike had to believe in.

In the meantime, she would hold out. She swore that she would. If her captors had thought it would be easy to break her -- that stealing her power was as simple as putting her in a trap -- they would find out just how much fight the Goddess still had in her. She was Victory, after all. Being defeated was not in her nature.

***

An hour passed before Nikoleta and her four guests reconvened downstairs. Each of them had used the time well -- unwinding, settling in, indulging their desires. Eleni had spent it with Nikoleta, and the pair of reunited lovers looked radiantly happy as Ben, Priyanka, and Lenore entered the kitchen and found them casually leaning against the counter.

Ben caught Niko's eye first. She nodded knowingly. The message passed without need for words: I'll bet you enjoyed that. He grinned. You too.

They made lunch together. Nikoleta's kitchen was well-stocked, and with her, Eleni, and Ben pitching in, they soon had an appetizing spread. The meal made for a good opportunity to chat, share what they'd learned, and begin to make their plans for the coming days. The Havenites filled Nikoleta in on any details they hadn't yet mentioned, now more than comfortable enough in her presence to treat her like one of the family -- because now, after all, she was.

Ben brought his latest revelations to the table, too.

"An angle-trap," he concluded, setting down his glass and looking at the others. "That's what Belle and Nakessa called it. Some kind of magical prison that's holding Nike captive, and sapping her energy for some other purpose. It doesn't sound good."

"It doesn't," Nikoleta agreed, brow furrowing in concern. "How could someone keep a goddess prisoner? And who would want to?" Her voice dropped to a low, uneasy murmur. "It makes my skin crawl just to imagine it. She was here on Karpathos. Then, in the next moment... sealed up like a fly in amber. The myths I know don't mention anything like this."

"We don't know near enough yet," Ben added, "but it sounds like angle-traps have a long history. Going all the way back to Pandora, even. There was a Persian cult, too. Long story."

"But it seems we know what kind of magic we're up against," Priyanka pointed out, her face serious and her voice sober. "Which brings us to the important question. How do we get to work?"

Ben considered it. His bracelet hummed, helping him focus and think things through. "It might just be the wide-eyed tourist in me talking, but maybe the best thing we can do for now is get to know this island a bit. Spend some time exploring. See what catches our eyes." He held up his wrist, showing his bracelet. "Zawadi's power can enhance our perception. It might alert me to some clue I wouldn't notice otherwise. We might not have a specific starting point to look for Nike's kidnappers or their motives. But if we can just find something suspicious, some clue, magic and super-luck can help us follow the lead from there."

"Sounds like as good an idea as any," Lenore piped up from beside Priyanka. "Besides. It'd be nice to see the sights."

"If that's the plan, I'll have to insist on showing you around," Nikoleta added, her tone a touch brighter now. "I've summered here for years now. I know my way around the island, and I know where the intriguing spots are -- perhaps the ones most likely to draw your interest."

"We could start right here in Arkassa," Eleni offered. "We could visit the beach. Pop into shops and markets and local businesses. Get to know the locals. Maybe the people around town might have noticed something unusual, and could give us that clue we need."

"That could work. Sounds like it'd be easy to do that while we enjoy the island," Priyanka pointed out. "Mission, vacation -- best of both worlds." The Havenites nodded in approval.

"I like that," Ben agreed. "Super-luck's good for getting people to open up to you, too. If folks here know something, they won't mind sharing it. Not with us."

"That magic of yours does tend to make you pretty likable," Nikoleta agreed. Her smile grew more playful. "Who knew the ultimate super-spy power would be charm?"

Ben chuckled. "Guess Bond had his share of that. But he didn't have magic. I do."

A smile tugged on the corners of his mouth as he imagined the fun he might be able to stir up with that. Zawadi's presence, ever there to encourage and tempt, reminded him he could just as soon do more than chat and investigate. Maybe a local would want a quick tumble with a visitor from abroad. Maybe Arkassa was full of women he could get to know. Tourists, too -- all out enjoying the Mediterranean weather in revealing summer-wear. It was a thrilling thing to imagine.

"Guess none of us have to mention what else Bond had a lot of," Lenore said, ribbing him. Ben smirked and shrugged. No use in denying what sort of adventures he liked best. His lovers certainly knew it already.

"And with a plan decided on?" Nikoleta rose from her chair. "I suppose we can make it a day."

***

Arkassa, the nearest town to Nikoleta's villa, made for a picturesque starting spot. With the Greek heiress herself along to guide them, the five enjoyed an idyllic stroll along the coastline, admiring the views, sights, and the weather, until they reached the small settlement proper.

Nikoleta led the way through the center of town, pointing out landmarks, locales, and businesses. A market, a tavern, a small art gallery. There were visitors and vacationers aplenty in their own groups; the town seemed to expect a constant flow of such. But even so, Arkassa had its own identity, and that came uniquely from the people who'd called it home for generations.

When they chose to split up, it was for as many practical reasons as for fun. They could cover more of Arkassa that way -- see more sights, talk with more locals. It seemed a good move, both for the mission and their personal interests. Eleni wanted to go to the harbor to talk to sailors, dockhands, and merchants, to see if anything unusual or suspicious had caught their eyes on the docks. Priyanka and Lenore elected to make a sweep along the beaches to see if anything or anyone there stood out amid the small crowds of swimmers and sunbathers -- while also enjoying a little bit of the surf and sun themselves.

That left Nikoleta and Ben to explore the streets of town together. Ben didn't find that objectionable in the slightest.

Niko had dressed to enjoy the afternoon weather in a summery, airy top, denim shorts that showed off her long legs, and a stylish pair of sunglasses. Her tanned skin seemed to radiate under the light of day, and Ben found himself often stealing glances at every exposed bit. Not that his companion minded. They'd done more intimate things already.

A pair of passing Asian tourists in colorful bikini tops and short shorts reminded Ben that he could admire a lot more if he wanted. His bracelet hummed at the sight of them, and before they'd passed him by, both threw a friendly grin and a wave his way. Ben smiled back and lifted a hand in return, but didn't call after them. The pair continued on down the street, giggling, teasing one another in a lilting, foreign tongue that Ben's magic let him recognize as Korean.

"Not going to follow them?" Nikoleta asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "If I know anything about your magic, they'd have led you straight to whatever little rental or hostel they're staying at and been more than happy to show you the sights."

Ben laughed merrily. "And left you hanging? Never."

The Greek beauty at his side seemed flattered, but still amused. "You know, you're easy to fall for. I think I understand why Eleni's wrapped around your finger." She squeezed his hand. "But I'd have let you go. Who knows? Maybe those two could have shared something important they'd noticed." Her tone became a bit more playful. "Or at least made your next hour or so on the island pretty interesting."

"You're a temptress." He nudged Nikoleta and earned a chuckle. "We're on the job out here. If I end up in somebody's pants, I think it'd better be someone likelier to help than a couple of tourists."

Ben scanned the street ahead. His eye fell on a small coffee shop with outdoor seating, and the bracelet's hum seemed promising. He watched as a trio of young local women left the establishment with their drinks and started down the road. His eyes lingered on them -- and they didn't miss his interest. Before they'd passed, each looked back to catch him watching, exchanged a glance with the others, and giggled.

Nikoleta's lips came to his ear. "Alright. I see you. I'm starting to think this idea of fucking the clues out of some lucky girl or another isn't just an idea anymore. I think it's your game-plan."

He smirked, turning to her. "Might be. Come on. We should at least cover more ground first before we commit to anything."

Arkassa offered plenty to look at. All along the way, Ben tried to open up his mind, hoping his bracelet might show him what he needed to know. There was a certain feel to this place, he thought. Maybe to the whole island. An energy both ancient and powerful. This land had seen much, and still remembered its past. Gods and heroes, armies and legends, had come and gone from Karpathos. Now so many people called it home, and had their own stories here. His psychic senses, honed sharp from his training with Njau, picked up on the layers of the town's spirit, and the island's.

"You mentioned you... telepathically called your cousin earlier," Nikoleta murmured. "And that Zawadi speaks to you in your mind. Do you feel any connection to Nike like that?"

"I haven't felt anything," Ben answered, frowning a bit. "But then, I haven't exactly looked. I'm not the strongest psychic; not even close. Zawadi and her magic help me deal with a lot of things on a kind of autopilot. But searching out a Goddess hidden away in a magical prison? That'd be leagues outside my wheelhouse."

"But what if you weren't seeking the Goddess directly? You could try just searching for the right clue. The right start. See if that bracelet and that goddess of yours can find something on this island, anything, to point you the way. Zawadi could surely help with that -- couldn't she? Maybe you just have to let her power take the wheel."

He paused, taking a quick look around. They'd made it to a small square amid the buildings of town, a little plaza lined by storefronts, a restaurant, and a flower shop with a colorful stand out front. The only people around were a pair of older women sitting on a nearby bench and a middle-aged man at a table enjoying a coffee and a smoke. It felt as good a place to try it as anywhere -- why not? Focusing, he let the psychic outreach spread slowly from his mind. He cast his net over the town, scanning for the right clues, letting Zawadi's power help guide the way.

But he hit his limits fast. He felt an itch at the edge of his consciousness, a nagging and frustrating sense that his mind could go further, theoretically... but not now. Not like this. The last time he'd made such a psychic sweep of an area, it had been while training his mind with Njau, in a wide and empty Kenyan wildlife preserve -- as serene and orderly a place as could be. Here was different. He didn't have a guide like Njau to help him feel his way along, and the island he was trying to scan was buzzing with people, all with their own unique energies and stories. That was a lot more to handle. To find the right hint or lead amid all those minds would take far more than he could muster unaided.

Ben's eyes opened, his head swimming, and he saw Nikoleta watching him. "Get anything?" she gently asked.

"No dice. The island's big, and there's people going everywhere. All kinds of background noise and confusion. Maybe if I'd trained longer, I could sort through it all, but I'm kind of hitting a wall. Sorry, Niko." Ben shook his head, clearing the cobwebs. "Maybe I could do it if I had more power to work with. An energy boost. Even just a temporary one. Like..."

His bracelet came alive with roaring vibrations. Ben and Niko both looked ahead down the road to the flower stand -- behind which someone now stood, having come back outside from the adjoining shop. She was young, olive-skinned, and gorgeous. A casual top and skirt left her midriff and legs exposed. Her long, dark brown hair shimmered in the sun. She arranged the flowers on display in front of her with care, delicate hands tending them one by one. Even at this distance, her beautiful, focused face sent his heart skipping.

His magic, too -- and his Goddess -- seemed to approve of the plan that was coming clear.

Nikoleta saw his eyes lingering on the youthful florist. Approval and amusement played on the Greek woman's lips. She leaned close, squeezing his arm.

"Okay, Ben. If you're after what I think you're after, I approve of that one completely. She works that corner most days. I've bought bouquets from her a few times. She's a sweet girl. Hard-working. She'll love what you offer, and she'll deserve every moment. Go. Make your magic work." Nikoleta laughed, giving him a gentle push forward.

Ben went. He felt her gaze turn his way as he approached the stand. His bracelet's magic was already at work. Before he'd even come close enough to introduce himself, he saw the interest light up in the florist's eyes.

"Hey there," he offered, extending a hand over the counter. "Nice day to sell some flowers."

"It is," she replied, with a charming accent. Her smile widened as she shook his hand. Her eyes stayed fixed on his. She felt it. "You are...?"

"Ben." He was confident and bold. His magic told him she liked that. The energy of their attraction was rising fast, making the beads hum harder against his skin. "You?"

"Aspasia." Her fingers lingered on his own. The touch lasted a little longer than it should have. "Are you looking for something in particular? A gift for someone special? Or..."

"Actually, I was just wandering around town and saw you here. And..." He gave a casual laugh. "I figured I'd come say hi to the pretty flower girl. You run this by yourself?"

Aspasia gestured at the shop behind her. "It's my mother's business. But I work it with her in the summer. When the tourists come, we get very busy. And we make good money. I don't mind the work. Or the customers." The last bit seemed like a deliberate invitation. Ben grinned.

"Kind of slow right now, though. Must be boring, just standing around." He leaned further over her stand, letting the energy between them rise even higher. Her gaze stayed fixed on his. It was like they were the only two on the street.

"It's... usually not. Maybe I am lucky right now, though," Aspasia said with a playful shrug. "Maybe right now, I just have the time to be talking with a handsome visitor. You're not going to buy any flowers, are you?"

"After? Maybe." There it was: he'd all but laid it out. She was already hooked, anyway. "Anyone in the store right now?"

"My mother is out." Aspasia's heart pounded, and Ben felt his do the same. She knew what was coming. She loved the idea. Still, she played coy. "Why? What else are you interested in?"

He just took her wrist. Tugged her along with him, leading the way to the door at the side of the shop. She let herself be drawn along all the way to the entrance, then pulled him in and took the lead.

In a moment, they'd stepped into a dim, empty space. There was no one else in the floral shop. Just a counter, some shelves lined with vases, and a few larger arrangements behind glass. The door had no sooner clicked shut than Aspasia's arms were around Ben, her body was pressed against him, and their mouths were joined in a hungry kiss.

She was eager. She was receptive. She wanted this, and wouldn't want much foreplay, either. That played right into his needs. Super-luck would cover the rest. They had the space they needed; no one would look in through the windows. None of their antics, even if things got heated or rough, would end up damaging any of the displays. Ben could lose himself in her without a care in the world, letting their pleasure drive up the energy to power his psychic abilities. From there? He'd just have to see.

They hurried behind the shop's counter, and before Aspasia could say a word, Ben had lifted her up onto it. Her legs spread open like a gate for his hands to slip up past her thighs, hike her skirt up, and tug down the light-blue panties she had on. Aspasia gasped and mewled. Her own hands slid down to Ben's belt. He felt his cock rising, the beads against his skin roaring with power. All while they kept kissing like they'd lose their minds if their tongues stopped dancing.

He was free in seconds. He didn't waste another. Ben pushed inside the gorgeous flower-stand girl's cunt, feeling her pussy stretch for his shaft and her insides squeeze around him as she moaned into their kiss. As he bottomed out, Aspasia's lips broke free, and Ben felt her breath hot on his ear. Her accent was husky and dripping with lust.

"Please," was all she managed. "Hahhh... please."

Ben pumped her like a man on a mission. And he was. Each deep, fast thrust of his manhood brought more and more power, and he used it. The psychic search that had seemed futile before now spread out through his mind's eye, reaching, scanning. It was like he'd just hooked up to a million-watt battery. And the power kept growing.

Ben's hips slammed into Aspasia's, his shaft driving in and out with wild, uncontrolled abandon, his body pressed close against hers. He kissed her, held her, groped her body. Fucking her felt amazing. And as magic super-charged his mind, he felt he could split his awareness easily -- searching and scanning with one part of his psyche, enjoying every moment with the Greek florist using the rest. It felt like an incredible, transcendent state. The thrill of pleasure, and of power.

It felt like victory.

Ben focused on that. If Nike was here, somewhere on this island -- even if locating her here and now would be impossible with or without Aspasia's pleasure and passion helping him -- then victory, the concept, the idea, would help guide him somewhere. Something had to lead back to Nike. As his consciousness soared around Karpathos and beyond, fervently searching, he felt the warm and encouraging presence and backup of his own Goddess. Zawadi was right there with him. She wanted to find her sister, too. She would help in any way that she could. He could feel her love and her strength.

"Unngh," Aspasia groaned, shuddering, her pussy clenching down around him. "Fuck me, please, oh yes, fuck me. Give me this." Her arms were tight around his neck, her fingers gripping into his skin, her thighs spread wide to give him all the access to her body he could want. She was close. He felt close, too -- not just to release, but to a real, genuine lead.

There was something out here in the Greek Isles. Something dark and hidden. It wasn't so much a location as an energy -- a trace of something rotten that no tourist, not even most locals, would have any way of finding or even suspecting was there. But it was here; he could tell that. And Nike's energy -- the last, faintest traces of it -- lingered around it like fingerprints left at a crime scene.

Karpathos wasn't all idyllic, communal towns like Arkassa. Neither were the smaller isles around it. There were places here where shady, private, and paranoid people with lots of money, dirty money, made compounds like fortresses. While luxuriously built, the places Ben sensed had armed security, high walls, cameras, and sensors -- and the people inside were not friendly.

For the first time, he felt he understood what kind of person might have taken Nike.

Everything rose fast. Ben felt his body on the brink. The psychic strain, the energy he was putting out, the sheer effort, was starting to overwhelm -- and so was the pleasure. He thought he glimpsed another sight in the last moments he felt he could have. Another energy on the island. Not a Goddess, not the captor of one... but a devotee like him. One wreathed in chaotic power, ready and willing to fight, and more than capable of doing so.

The briefest vision flashed into his head. A woman. Young, tattooed, punkish. And the name of a goddess, well familiar, seemed to come right along with the sight. Eris.

That was as far as he got. In a moment of pleasure, he and Aspasia cried out, and the energy they shared peaked. Spearing the Greek girl deep, he came inside her, and she around him. She shuddered, quaking in ecstasy, as she felt him pumping her full. The climax between them felt like a bolt of lightning, a release of all the energy that they'd built up together. As they came down, the two didn't collapse, or even disengage. He looked into her dark, welcoming, thankful eyes. In a lot of ways, he was thankful, too. He also didn't want to stop just yet. Neither did she.

Magic helped him pick up on a presence approaching, but he didn't fear. The side door opened up, and there was Nikoleta, her sunglasses now perched up on her forehead, her eyes shimmering as she took in the sight of the pair.

Ben saw the way the older Greek beauty was looking at him. He also felt Aspasia squeeze down around his length, holding him in, keeping his hardness firm inside her pussy. She was aware of the new arrival. She wasn't bothered. In fact, Ben felt a sudden thrill from the Greek florist at the sight of his other companion.

He looked at Nikoleta only for a moment. In that flash, he beamed a telepathic message to her mind. "Got a lead. The energy worked. Thanks for suggesting it. I'll explain more in a bit."

Nikoleta didn't seem stunned by her first telepathic exchange. She took to the swing of it fast, and her reply was immediate and direct: "Good. Told you this girl would be worth your time. Guessing you don't mind me in here -- I was out standing guard, then I figured magic covered us. Telepathy's fun, by the way. And easy. Wow. Every hour with you just gets wilder, but I'm here for it."

"Enjoying yourself?" Nikoleta then spoke aloud, and Aspasia tensed a bit at first -- only for the newcomer to step closer, showing the girl she had no interest in interfering. Quite the contrary. "Looks like you are. Good."

"Your... girlfriend?" Aspasia asked Ben breathlessly.

He nodded. "One of them."

"Ah. I see. Many." Magic helped her understand, then accept, and Ben felt her relax.

"Don't let me stop you," Nikoleta murmured to them both. Her voice dripped with sensuality. She liked watching. Ben would happily let her, if that was all she wanted. He'd let her do even more if it wasn't. Aspasia seemed like she wouldn't have minded either way -- as long as this continued. As long as she got more.

Ben pulled the Greek flower-girl close to his chest, slid his hands under her ass, and lifted her up and off the counter, keeping them joined. With a grunt and a sudden rush, he turned around, slammed her back up against a nearby wall, and gave her another deep thrust.

"Aah! More, please, please, please," Aspasia cried, her legs now wrapping around him. She held onto his back with desperate fingers. Her hips bucked against his own as he took her against the wall. With magic rushing through him, extra-potent from the thrill of a brand-new partner, he felt strong enough to hold her there effortlessly for as long as this kept up. Maybe a long while.

And Nikoleta's eyes drank it all in. Oh, yes. She'd happily watch this show for however much longer it lasted.

But then she felt it. A little mental shift, a little tingling flash through her body -- then a phantom echo of Ben's thrusting tool within Aspasia, spearing her own womanhood right there where she stood.

Nikoleta only had time to quickly steady her legs and brace against a nearby display case, shuddering, her hands grasping at the smooth, wooden edges as her mind reeled in gleeful, thankful disbelief. He'd done this to her before, with Eleni on the yacht. How it worked, she wouldn't question. It felt real, and it wasn't stopping.

His psychic message was little more than a quick briefing: "Just a taste of what you're in for. You like?"

"Oh... I like. Do that a lot with me. Please. Mmm. Fuck her, Ben. Magic is... ngh, so fucking hot."

Aspasia stayed unaware. She wouldn't have to know, or to understand. All she had to do was keep riding the rhythm, feeling his every powerful plunge. She moaned, gasped, shuddered, and came around him, fast and intense. Nikoleta did the same, knees buckling, nether muscles squeezing around that phantom sensation and feeling it pump and drive into her in ways she could barely believe. All while her pants were on, her clothes were untouched, and she'd barely had to move an inch.

Magic was more than hot. Magic was fucking unreal. And she was going to savor every second.

***

It was faint, but Nike felt it. A presence, a psychic touch, had reached out over the Aegean. Someone had been searching for her. She couldn't tell who it was; nor was she able to call out in reply to their searching mind. But the sensation had been there, tangible even through the wards of the angular trap. It had given her hope.

So had the briefest surge in positive energy that had come alongside it.

The power of the Living Goddesses, and their devotees, must have come. Someone had brought new energy to the island. New loves; new connections. That alone could have allowed that psychic trace to register through the trap. Like an electric light flickering during a storm, her crystalline cage of magic had briefly sparked and wavered. It had been almost imperceptible, yet Nike felt it. That, too, had fueled her hope.

"Keep that up," she insisted with all her psychic fortitude, even knowing there was little chance that whoever was out there could hear her. "Keep bringing love. Keep bringing people together. It will weaken the darkness over this land. It will weaken the wicked power that holds me." Maybe they even already understood that. It was the way of the Living, after all: to fight not just with weapons, but with love.

And maybe that was her best hope for salvation.

***

The floral shop was still empty, save for its owner's daughter and the pair of lovers she'd invited in. Aspasia's body was bare now. Amid round after round of fun, high-energy passion, she'd lost the rest of her clothes, little by little. She didn't mind the risks that seemed implicit here: the front windows offering a full view of the shop from the outside; the possibility that a customer would walk right in and see; even the potential of her mother coming back from that supply run that was taking her a lot longer than usual today. Something just seemed to take the worry away. Something made her prioritize pleasuring the young, handsome visitor, and the beautiful, older woman that was here with him. It was the right choice. Aspasia had no doubts there.

She was down on her knees now. Many orgasms into the afternoon, her whole frame still shaking from Ben's treatment of her, and some of Nikoleta's too, she was rewarding the former with deep, loving, hungry oral service. The man's tool was thick, strong, and hard as ever in her mouth. She tasted her own sex on his skin as she ran her tongue over and around it -- again, not a bother. She was just eager to keep pleasing. Eager to keep the encounter going.

Aspasia wasn't looking for a serious thing. Not now. Life was a lot of work already, and this was a fling. A fuck. A chance for the young Greek flower-seller to indulge herself with a hot foreign visitor. Like a fantasy. A little escape into romance, passion, and heat that wouldn't last forever, and would leave things simpler at the end, not more complicated. That was fine by her, and, as it seemed, fine by her partners as well.

But damn, did she not want to get up off her knees anytime soon. Being his slut felt so good.

Ben looked down at the Greek girl pleasuring him and let his hand run through her hair, stroking the top of her head and gently encouraging her. His gaze rose from Aspasia's to look over to Nikoleta -- the older, equally gorgeous heiress currently leaning against a display shelf, half-dressed and smoldering with a dark sensuality that was hard to miss. Ben met her eyes, and he felt her shiver. His mind, after all, was currently showing hers what Aspasia's sucking felt like to him. Nikoleta's eyes fluttered. Her hand rose between her thighs. She didn't have a cock, of course, but magic made sure all the pleasures translated right to the best places.

"I saw something else," his telepathic voice went on to the heiress. "Not just shady, suspicious places around the island. There was... a devotee, like me. Maybe here for Nike, maybe not. I think she is, though."

"Oh, fuck," Nikoleta replied in the same way. "A devotee -- nghh -- to another goddess?"

"Eris." Ben voiced the name in his head with a feeling of certainty, and it seemed to resonate with Nikoleta. "Goddess of discord."

"Sounds like trouble," the Greek beauty sent his way.

Ben's brow furrowed in thought. "She didn't feel bad. Just... wild. Unpredictable. Ready to fight -- against whoever took Nike, yes, but maybe also anyone else who might get in her way. I don't know what to think about that. I... ah, wanna make friends. Allies. But maybe not everybody out there wants what I want. Maybe... fuck, this feels so good..."

He trailed off in his mental message. He was having trouble concentrating on much besides the pleasure that Aspasia's mouth was sending through him. Nikoleta, too, found her train of thought derailing. That was fine; there'd been a point, but he'd made it. He'd fill her in on the details, and the others too, when they reunited. For now?

He let out a low groan as Aspasia took him deep. Her eyes lifted to look into his. She felt his hand tighten its grip in her hair. Felt a pulse from within his body. He was close -- she could tell that. Close, close. She had a split-second to choose... and she chose to pull off his dick with a loud slurping sound and tilt it toward her face, her tongue reaching out and brushing his cockhead as she did so. She looked up at him with an expression that was a perfect blend of lust, submission, and desire, and his balls twitched.

He erupted. His seed sprayed across Aspasia's beautiful face. She gave him just a millisecond to admire that before she was back on him, sucking out the rest, swallowing all she could while her eyes rolled back. Ben's legs quaked. His head spun. Nikoleta came as hard as he did, and the psychic link between the two of them was like a circuit that kept the pleasure looping back around. Aspasia got her share of it, too -- psychic echoes of the pleasure she brought to both lovers bouncing back at her in the most satisfying ways. Her own pussy spasmed and gushed. It was like an endless cycle, an ouroboros of ecstasy and release.

Then, at long last, it came to its natural conclusion. Ben leaned against the counter. Aspasia stood, shaky but somehow not sore or even tired. Nikoleta came over, offering a nearby towel for the flower-shop girl to clean her face with. Aspasia laughed in thanks, but as she cleaned herself, her eyes never left the man. "We should... do this again sometime."

"Agreed," Nikoleta murmured in her ear, making her shiver. "I live close, and Ben will be staying there, so..." It took her just a moment to reach for a notepad and pen by the register and to quickly scrawl out the villa's number. She handed the little slip to the florist. "If you'd like."

"I will call you," Aspasia said. She then took a long, deep, shaky breath, straightened, and flashed a bright smile. "Wow. I was going to say we should clean the place up, but... we didn't mess anything up. At all. How even?"

Ben just shrugged. "Call it good luck."

"I feel I should owe you," confessed Aspasia. "What can I do? I am serious. That was amazing."

"You already did it. It may not seem like it, but you helped me out in a lot of ways here." He gave her a quick smile, then considered something else. "If you don't mind us asking, though..."

"Anything," she insisted, still smiling.

"We're here on the island... looking for someone lost. Maybe someone in trouble." Ben knew that magic would keep her from feeling alarmed at such a statement as it came out of nowhere. She wouldn't question his meaning, his reasons, or anything. "We were wondering if you'd seen anything strange. Someone or something suspicious."

Aspasia's eyes seemed to light up, though not with anything like joy. "Yes. A little while ago. Men in dark clothes. I've seen them around the area more and more lately. They come and go in black vans. My mother worries they're part of some mafia. Yesterday, a group of them passed by my stand. One looked at me. Said, 'Good business, girlie?' Then he kept going. I didn't say a thing to him. Would not have been worth it. But I've thought about them since. I worry what they may be up to. If you have a... missing friend, it's possible they may be involved."

Ben nodded. "Thanks for telling us." He pictured what the young florist had described. Shady men in black vans seemed right in line with the impressions and glimpses he'd picked up earlier. His eyes met Nikoleta's, and she nodded. It seemed they'd hit on something here after all.

"You've been a big help, Aspasia." Nikoleta gave the young flower girl another warm squeeze. "More than you can know. We should be on our way. But before we go... I think Ben and I would like to buy a bouquet. A very, very big one."

They were walking back through town arm-in-arm before long, Nikoleta carrying the flowers, and Ben wearing an easy grin. "These will look good in the villa," Nikoleta told him. "Nice to support local businesses."

"And to get a few clues after all," Ben agreed. "We'll have to bring the others up to speed." His thoughts drifted back to his companions, wondering what they were all up to right now. "But I won't mind if we let them have their fun for a while longer. If we end up beating them back to the villa..."

"Yes." Nikoleta gave him a playful look. "We'll have it all to ourselves for a bit. I think we'll be more than able to enjoy it." Her other arm slipped around him, squeezing his ass. His hand did likewise. Both laughed, enjoying the sun on their skin, the prospect of fun... and the feeling of progress, even as small a step forward as it was.

***

Jianjun ventured out from the hotel room with a spring in her step and a boost of energy in her blood. Eris had delivered well with the morning treat she'd procured. Aliki had served Jianjun well, and then some. They'd romped and rutted away in the luxury room for a long while. On the bed, fingers exploring, tongues tasting. Up against the wall, Jianjun's spine digging into the drywall as her kneeling partner serviced her to her satisfaction. In the shower, bodies grinding and hands groping as hot water ran over the pair. The Greek maid never learned and never asked who Jianjun was; nor did she comprehend the first thing about Jianjun's power. All the same, Aliki was plenty happy to give in to the pleasures they'd shared.

Now it was up to Jianjun to put the resulting energy to use. The day awaited. The mission demanded attention... even while the tourist life of Karpathos sang its siren's call.

Eris had swept the town of Pigadia while Jianjun's morning play generated all the extra energy she needed to do so. By the time Aliki had departed, legs shaking, face glowing with many a fresh orgasm's thrill, Eris had picked up a lead. Now her devotee was on her way to the site she'd pinpointed: an old fresco painted on the wall of a building on the town's edge.

"Lots of history on this island," Eris's voice purred to Jianjun as the punk walked briskly through town. "Part of the draw, I'm sure. Works well in our favor that they've kept it all intact for tourists' eyes. Artifacts, architecture, cultural sites... much of which may be relevant to what we're here to do."

"Think I'll find something at this fresco?" Jianjun murmured back telepathically.

"Wouldn't send you all the way out if I thought you wouldn't," the goddess chided. "Besides. The building it's painted onto is a café these days. Great pastries and tea. I'd bet you're hungry after all that fun you had with Aliki, hm?"

Jianjun couldn't argue with that, especially when her stomach rumbled as if on cue. "Bit peckish, yeah. Could go for some spiced tea and a snack. Think Greece does good tea, or is it all coffee here?"

"Find out for yourself." Eris's voice was a teasing lilt. "You're almost there."

The café was open, with a few people milling about inside. Jianjun didn't fret about cutting to the front of the line. A little, targeted twist of chaos magic, and a man nearby dropped his mug of coffee. The shattering of ceramic, the spilled drink, and the man's loud curse distracted the whole place just long enough for Jianjun to swing up to the counter uncontested. She ordered hot tea and a sweet pastry, the latter of which she snarfed down in moments. The tea she nursed as she walked around the café and its attached buildings, ready to get to the business she'd come for.

The fresco was on the outside, facing into an alley overgrown with grass. Worn and faded, it was clearly ancient, leaving Jianjun to contemplate just how old and well-preserved some of Pigadia's buildings were. She stepped close, eyes scanning the artwork... and wondering at first what the hell it had to do with anything.

She recognized nothing related to Nike, or any Goddess, Greek or otherwise. The centerpiece seemed almost abstract. What looked like a glowing cage of light, crystalline and many-angled, encased a conglomeration of ethereal orbs. Beside this... thing in the cage, a Greek battalion was far more recognizable, but just as baffling in context. The warriors had their weapons raised in celebration, some dancing, some kneeling, some looking up to the sky.

"Okay. What the hell am I looking at?" Jianjun muttered. "This is our clue? Not seeing a Goddess anywhere in this."

"It's not about the Goddess," Eris's voice demurred. "It's about her prison. That thing is an angle-trap. I haven't seen one depicted like this in a long, long time... yet here we are, looking at one, on the island where Nike got captured. Doesn't seem like a coincidence."

Jianjun's brow furrowed. She'd never heard of such a thing. "Angle-trap?"

"The only thing in existence that can capture a being like me," Eris soberly replied. "A spirit, a demon... even a Goddess. They're rare. Not easy to make. You need powerful sorcery. But once you've caught what you're after... there's no escape. The angle-trap holds the spirit within. Keeps it weak; drains its power. Once it's set, it's unbreakable by anything except an outside force." Jianjun felt the shake of her patroness's head. "It's a cruel, vile thing. I'm sure Nike would agree."

"Sounds like it," Jianjun concurred. She looked around, wondering if she could glean anything else from the fresco. There were runes here and there, seeming to label the figures in the scene, but Jianjun didn't read Greek. Eris, fortunately, did -- and she was quick to translate.

"This is an ancient memorial to a great victory. A battle won by the Greeks against a barbarian threat. They captured a spirit that the enemy worshipped -- a demon of power. That terrified the barbarians so much that they cowered and fled. No use fighting an enemy that can make your god a prisoner. The essence of that spirit went to further use, too. Powered the Greeks to greater victories, all while remaining a symbol of domination. An angle-trap is a weapon, an energy siphon, and a trophy case, all at once." Eris trailed off. Jianjun felt her shudder.

"Damn. The ancient world was hardcore," the Chinese punk mused. She took a step back. "Guess the modern world is, too, in its own ways. And if you think somebody made one of these angle-traps for Nike..."

"We could be dealing with the worst kind of convergence between the ancient and modern," Eris finished. "Ancient sorcery in the hands of a modern-day power player. I don't like the sound of that."

"Me neither." Jianjun turned away from the fresco. "But if anyone can take care of that, it's us. Right?"

Eris didn't reply right away. Jianjun's jade charm pulsed in warning, and bad vibes rose up in the devotee's gut. She looked around, eyes scanning the alleyway and its adjoining streets.

"Trouble," came her goddess's admonition, and Jianjun felt the chaos magic rise up in her, readying her for a fight.

The men in dark clothes stepped in and approached from both ends of the alley. Big, bulky, and clearly armed. It occurred to her, all too late, that she'd spotted one of them in the café, but one man in the corner with a hoodie on wasn't exactly a red flag. Now he'd gotten up and followed her out here. Now the alley was closed off. Much like the spirit in the fresco she'd come to see, Jianjun was trapped.

"What're you looking at, missy?" the man she recognized from the café called to her in English. He stepped forward, his hand resting on the gun holstered at his belt. "Something catch your eye?"

Jianjun stood her ground. She'd dealt with worse than thugs like this. "Just a tourist," she spoke back, keeping her tone casual. "Sightseeing. You know. I like art."

"Sure. Art." The man stepped closer, his comrade on the opposite side doing the same. "If you're an art fan, punk, I'm the goddamned emperor of China. You're out sticking your nose into business that isn't yours. Boss figured there'd be snoopers like you."

Jianjun's amulet pulsed again, psychic insight telling her two more thugs were waiting just out of sight on each street. Four in total, then. Still not near enough to intimidate her. In fact, if she played this right, maybe she could score more information off these idiots before she made her escape.

"Boss? Who? Let me guess -- some local mafia type?"

She didn't get an answer. Instead, the first man just marched closer, his partner following. "You're coming with us," the man told her. "Don't try anything funny. You're outnumbered. We've got guns. Don't be stupid."

So much for that angle. Option B, then. "Stupid is as stupid does," Jianjun replied, shrugging. She raised both hands, one still holding the mug of tea by the handle. "And, hey. Just trying to enjoy a cup of tea here."

The sneer of the henchman in front of her told her he didn't care -- and that he wouldn't see the next move coming at all. "You can finish it in the car. Move. And if you try any -- AHH!"

Scalding tea hit the thug in the face. Jianjun had whipped the mug up and out, dousing him in hot liquid, then shattering the ceramic on his forehead. He staggered back, clutching his face, as the devotee of Eris spun around toward the second man. She saw his gun coming out of the holster. She didn't give him a chance to use it. Lunging forward, going low, she rocketed one sharp fist right toward the thug's groin. As he doubled over in pain, she brought her other fist up, cracking him on the chin. His grip faltered, and his gun clattered to the ground, kicked away a second later by Jianjun's shoe as he fell.

She didn't have time to gloat. Jianjun could sense the other two men coming into the alley. The chaos magic that had already helped her turn a situation stacked against her into a solid advantage now flared up in her mind -- telling her it was either run now, or face the guns of the remaining two henchmen. She could have dealt with the fight, but running saved time and energy. She bolted down the alley, leaping over the first man she'd hit and leaving the second one clutching at his groin and cursing in Greek.

"Keep running," Eris's mind-voice told her as she turned down the road she'd come from. "You've got their attention, but you're going the right way. I'll guide you. Heads up -- they've got more in a van, coming in hot."

"Of course they do," Jianjun shot back, her breaths coming fast. She could feel her heart pounding. She didn't mind the sensation. Eris's warning kept it from being a surprise when, peeling in from around a corner down the street, a black van sped her way -- big, bulky, with tinted windows and screeching tires. "Hm. No outrunning that."

"Hang a right. There's a ride you can catch."

Jianjun tore down a side street at Eris's behest, taking note of a supply truck just pulling out from a loading zone. She hopped up on the bumper and clung there, holding on tight to a handle as the driver hit the gas. She didn't see the driver, but she didn't have to; she pushed her chaos magic into his head, whittling away his usual careful driving instincts and ushering in a sudden, reckless need for speed. She felt the truck lurch and accelerate, taking her down the road well ahead of the van. Jianjun heard the scream of tires behind her as the van clumsily swerved to follow her new route, losing speed in the process. She grinned. "Thanks, Eris."

"Anytime," the goddess replied. "But that won't be enough to lose them."

"Doesn't matter. Goddess, this brings back memories."

Jianjun could feel the adrenaline roaring through her veins, a rush of a feeling. This was nothing new -- nothing she hadn't dealt with in Shanghai, making trouble, spreading chaos, fucking up bastards who deserved it, and getting away every time. This was Jianjun in her element, and she loved it. The truck swerved, and she held on tighter, laughing aloud as the wind whipped past her.

"Catch me if you can, assholes!" she called back at the van. Whether or not any of them heard it, chaos magic fed their frustration all the same. Good for them. The more she pissed them off, the more careless they'd get. Perfect conditions to help her make a getaway.

"Take a right," Eris's voice came back. "The alley, that way." Jianjun obeyed, hopping off the truck at the last second and darting down the narrow passageway, her body moving on instinct and adrenaline. She emerged into an open-air market, lively and crowded. Vendors' stalls, tents, booths, and carts lined the wide street, laden with fruit and fish and all means of other goods. Jianjun weaved her way between the shoppers and the hawkers and the passersby, drawing annoyed glances and muttered curses as she did so, but she didn't care. "Hide here. You'll lose them," her Goddess told her.

Jianjun didn't argue. She heard the van coming closer, its engine roaring as it turned onto the street -- only to be stopped by a cluster of pedestrians in the way. Its passengers got out, shoving through the crowd, shouting in Greek. Jianjun had already ducked behind a stall, crawling beneath a cloth covering to hide. She held her breath, waiting, listening.

"Where the fuck did that little bitch go?" one of the men was shouting. "Find her!"

"Fuckin' punk," another voice said. "What's she gonna do, anyway? She's not gonna get to the boss."

"Yeah, but she burned the hell out of Georgios's face," the first voice snapped back. "Gonna fuckin' pay her back for that. Come on. Fan out. Search the stalls. She's gotta be here somewhere."

Jianjun waited, holding still. She could sense the chaos magic within her, thrumming, pulsing, ready to be unleashed. They'd have trouble finding her here. But they wouldn't give up, either. They would search. Shake down the vendors. Make a scene. With a wall to her back, Jianjun didn't have a great way out unless she could get them to scatter. Thankfully, she could.

She focused her chaos magic. Sent its tendrils of power all over the market to let it do as it did best. She didn't have to aim or target. She just had to let it happen. And sure enough, within seconds, the market plunged into pandemonium.

A man and a vendor arguing over prices started shoving each other. A woman's kids went running through a fruit stand, knocking over the whole display. A dog got loose and bolted through the crowd, barking and nipping. Rolling oranges and apples tripped up passers-by. It had taken only seconds to start a frenzy -- and the gunmen were caught in the middle.

Jianjun took her chance. She slipped out from under the stall and ran, darting between people, keeping her head down and her body low. She heard the thugs shouting behind her, but their voices were lost amid the noise and chaos of the market. Amid that much chaos, even a Chinese punk in Greece, an obvious standout, could go unnoticed. She didn't stop running until she was blocks away, the market well out of sight.

Jianjun felt Eris's pride before her voice even came. "What an incredible show of chaos that was. You sent that whole place into bedlam in record time."

"What I do best," Jianjun bid her back, grinning to herself as she walked. Then her mind focused, recalling the moment that had set this all off. "That fresco. The minute we went for a look at it, those fuckers jumped us like a pack of dogs."

"Seems they had it under observation," Eris agreed. "That means we're on the right track."

"All those goons are working for whoever captured Nike, aren't they?"

"I'm sure of it. And if he hired this many, he must have known that devotees like you would be coming to the rescue. Of course he'd keep his men standing watch on any relevant sites. He's probably got them patrolling all over the island." Eris's voice grew firmer. "We figured out something today that their boss didn't want us to know about. We'll have to be careful, though. They'll report back to whoever hired them. They'll be on guard -- and they won't underestimate us again."

"Got it." Jianjun took a deep breath. "Fuck. Just wish we knew who this mastermind was. Who we're up against. What he's after."

"We'll find out," Eris assured her, and Jianjun felt her confidence. "We've got the edge. And we've got the bad guys on the back foot now. All we've got to do now is keep the pressure on. Hunt this mastermind down. And go through as many of his lackeys as we need to. I don't think that will be a problem, will it?"

Jianjun chuckled. "Hey. If that doesn't sound like a good time, I don't know what does."

Eris's voice returned with stronger intent. "Don't forget, either. We're racing against other devotees. Those Zawadists? They're making their own progress, no doubt. This morning, when I scanned around the city... I picked up on them, too. In Arkassa, across the island. I don't know how much they know, or if they're going to get in our way... but they're a factor."

"Right." Jianjun clenched her fists. "We'll beat 'em. Whoever they are, whatever they're up to. We'll get the job done first. Promise." For a moment, she swore she could feel a light touch stroking along her shoulder. "Wouldn't let you down when it matters, would I?"

"Never." The Living Goddess of Discord's voice was soft and warm. "You're the best devotee a Goddess could ask for. And I'm gonna make sure you're better rewarded for it than any hero in history. That's a promise."

Jianjun smiled. "Speaking of rewards, I think we've got some celebrating to do. Some planning, too -- but first? Hah. Action makes me horny. Mmm, wonder if Aliki's still around at the hotel. She'd get a kick, hearing what I did today. Well, in between the other things."

Eris laughed. "Go on. I'll keep watch. You deserve a little fun."

The Chinese punk's smile widened. "Damn right, I do." And she headed off -- the day's adventure still fresh in her mind, right along with the thrilling promise of more to come.