Chapter 4: Their Reputation

*Kyros’ POV*

I walked circles in the garden just outside of the bathhouse as I waited for the others and their new little plaything. The poor thing had no idea what she was getting into and if I actually cared for her, I just might feel sorry for her.

Minutes passed and I began to grow impatient. How long did it take to throw on a chiton? Just as I was about to head back in and start yelling, I heard the annoying giggle of a female.

I turned to see Klytia and her entourage walking past the gardens. When she saw me, she stood on the tips of her toes and waved towards me. Another woman seemed to whisper something to her, which she replied to in another whisper.

“Kyros!” She shouted and began to walk over to me, leaving her group behind. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for my friends,” I replied dryly. Klytia was gorgeous but she was too eager, too willing to do anything to catch my attention. Not to mention she was married to Boethus, a horrible imp of a man that I rather despised. He was always trying to seduce me into his wife’s bed and the entire thing was off-putting.

“Ah,” she gave me a knowing grin and leaned into me a little. “I’ve heard a lot about you four, you know?”

I didn’t move any closer, but I also didn’t pull away from her. “What have you heard?”

She shimmied her shoulder with a tease and rolled her eyes. “Just that you four really know how to have a good time.”

“We seem to have gained a reputation it seems. I’ll have to speak to my brothers about that.” I gave her a sarcastic smile and then I noticed one of her friends beginning to head this way. “I believe your friends are waiting for you,” I said quietly.

She turned as her friend approached. “I’ll see you around, Kyros,” Klytia said in a wispy voice as her hand wrapped around my bare forearm. Then, her and her friend turned and departed, whispering to one another the entire way.

A moment later, I heard the familiar laugh of Deimos as my friends exited the bathhouse. I turned and saw that they walked on either side of her, as if escorting her. I was going to have to put her in her place, and quickly.

"It's about time," I scolded, glaring daggers at the woman. To her benefit though, she never looked away from me. This might be harder than I thought.

Atlas rolled his eyes and hooked his arm through hers. "Stop your whining, Kyros."

I'd already had enough of tonight, and it hadn't even begun. Without saying a word, I spun on my heel and began heading in the direction of the Kimon estate. It wasn't a short walk, but it was manageable.

"Oh look at him go, he's eager for wine," I heard Deimos say softly to the girl. I almost turned around to hit him but decided it would be in everyone's best interest if I kept my distance for the time being.

After a few minutes at a quick march, I'd put some distance between myself and the group. Slowing a bit, I glanced up at the sky. It was a beautiful scene and the crisp night air was a treat for my lungs as I breathed in deeply.

Who was this stupid little girl to ruin my night? I immediately felt foolish for having let her get under my skin. She was nothing to me, nothing at all to anyone that mattered. She was a distraction for the night. And, come morning, she would realize just how little she mattered to them.

"Kyros!" One of my friends shouted. I turned and saw them heading down a street. In my haste to get away from them, I'd passed up the street by nearly a full block. I grumbled and turned around, cursing when I saw them waiting for me.

Heiro sauntered up to me and threw an arm around the back of my neck. "If you don't stop sulking, I'm liable to get violent." Heiro was quick to make threats but rarely backed them up. He was the most like a pacifist out of the four of us. Though, that wasn't to say that he wasn't a devious little cunt.

Instead of shaking him off of me, I grabbed around his ribs and dug my fingers in roughly, pulling him to me. "Please," I said with my teeth against his ear. "You'll do nothing of the sort."

He hissed from the pain and grabbed my jaw with his free hand. "Maybe tonight's the night that things change."

I dug my fingers in a bit deeper and nipped at his earlobe when he gasped. "I would love to see it."

He pushed away from me and rubbed at where I'd hurt him. "Let's find you something to fuck, brother."

As much as I wanted to be argumentative, the thought of fucking someone did scratch an itch at the back of my skull. Maybe that's all I needed. "Lead the way," I pulled my arm back as if to slap my palm against his rear but he retreated too quickly.

*Deimos’ POV*

The night was refreshing and beautiful, just like our new companion. She wore a small dress of linen and it did little to hide her from my prying eyes. Her curves were crafted from the softest silk and the light of the moon made her tanned skin glow like some exotic flower petal.

It was going to be so effortlessly delightful to bend her to her breaking point. I wondered passively how she would look curled up on my floor, shaking in a puddle of her own making.

We could already hear the sounds of the party from the other side of the wall. Glasses breaking, music playing, people laughing and moaning.

As we approached the Kimon estate, I watched Eris' face closely. It was likely that she'd never even been in this district – there was no reason for someone of her social status to venture this deep into the city. The fires that had been lit at the entrance of the villa danced violently and the heat of the fire licked at us as we walked through the gate.

Once inside the walls of the property, our senses were accosted with every color, smell, and sound imaginable. Nobels lounged about the small grounds in various stages of undress. Servants moved effortlessly through the crowd, refilling cups and offering food and flesh alike. Performers played music and danced for the delight of onlookers.

Eris pressed herself to my side and I felt her small hand grasp my elbow.

"Are you scared, little one?"

She shook her head back and forth but her eyes couldn't find any one thing to keep her focus. She was overwhelmed and I couldn't blame her. Her pupils dilated to dark moons as her mouth hung open.

Atlas was on her other side and I watched him close in, his hand falling to my arm that was around her waist before sliding down to cup her ass. "Isn't this magnificent? Have you ever seen anything like it?" He asked in her ear.

"Never," she whispered as the cacophony of sounds carried away her voice.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, squeezing her plump hip through the sheer fabric.

She looked up at me with bright eyes and nodded. Poor thing probably ate broth and bread for dinner most nights.

I disentangled myself from her and Atlas and walked over to a servant holding a tray of various pastries. I grabbed two of the most decadent looking ones and brought them to her. "Try these." She held out both of her hands as I caught the glare of Kyros. I stuck my tongue at him and returned my focus to Eris. I wanted to see her face when she tried the food of the God's for the first time.

*Eris’ POV*

A small drip of something dark fell onto my finger that held a dark, carob looking treat. Without intention, I stuck my tongue out and went to lick the drip before a strong, rough hand caught me by the wrist.

Deimos looked down at my mouth with hooded eyes and slack jaw. I held my breath as he slowly lifted his gaze to meet my eyes and then he pulled my hand to his lips. When he sucked my finger into his mouth, I gasped and nearly dropped the dessert in my hand.

He hummed as he sucked the sweet from my finger and released it with a popping sound. "There's a good girl," he said as he licked his lips and released my wrist.

I wasted no time sinking my teeth into the treat. The powerful flavors of things I'd never tasted exploded in my mouth all at once. It was as if I'd never tasted food before this moment.

"How is it?" Atlas asked and I noticed that he, too, was staring down at me.

I nodded. "It's yummy," I said around a mouthful of cake. I laughed as the rich texture was almost ticklish on my tongue.

"Don't fill up on sweets," a man’s voice sounded from behind me. I turned and saw Heiro close at my back. "We wouldn't want to send you home with a stomach ache."

Scrunching my nose at him, I took another rebellious bite. Behind Heiro stood Kyros, watching the entire interaction unfold with a disapproving expression. As a servant passed in front of him, he swiped a goblet of what I assumed was wine from a tray they held. I watched in near amazement as the servant didn't drop the tray. She didn't even seem to notice and continued on her path through the open room we now stood in.

I looked around the room then, forgetting the eyes on me, and admired the beauty of the building and all of the people that pranced about me. The floors were made of what looked like pink marble and the walls were made of plaster, beautiful murals painted on every one. When I looked up to the ceilings, I was awestruck by the delicate crystal fixtures that hung, decorated with small candles that cast a warm glow throughout the space.

Atlas snapped me out of my trance as he took the treats from my hand. I made a sound of disappointment as I hadn't even tried the purple and white cake. "Time for that later, little one. Let's get you a drink."

He set my treats down on the edge of a small garden and took me by the hand. Then, he dragged me through the crowd and I felt various hands reach out for me, grasping faintly at the wisps of my clothing. When we came to a stop, I peered around his large frame and saw a gorgeous fountain. But, it wasn't water that poured from the well-crafted spouts. It was-

"Wine?" Atlas asked as he picked up a cup from a table and scooped it into the fountain, handing it to me.

"Thank you," I said before taking a small sip. He grinned as I felt my face light up with the flavor of it. It was floral and sweet and bubbly – something I'd never tasted before.

He then grabbed a cup for himself and filled it. "Yiamas!" Atlas shouted over the music as he held his cup to me. I clinked mine with his and then we both drank deeply.

The warmth spread through me nearly immediately and I got a slight head rush. Atlas put his free hand under my cup and lifted it to my lips again. He didn't let go of the cup until it was empty. Then, he refilled it and handed it back to me.

When I felt unknown hands wrap around my hips and pull me against them, I welcomed the sensation and wondered if it were Heiro or Deimos. I turned slowly, pressing myself further into them. I was met with a masked face – a thing of white gold and pearls. The expression of the mask looked as if it were a drunken smile and the absurdness of it made me giggle.

The hands of the stranger began to wander, more and more brazenly.

"Which one are you?" I asked playfully. My free hand pressed firmly against their chest and played with the soft brown hair between his large pectoral muscles.

They didn't answer me, they simply kept caressing my curves and I felt like I didn’t want them to stop exploring. No, in fact, I wanted more. Was it the wine? Or was it the heat and temptation to try something that was once forbidden to me? Perhaps it was both, but there was only one way to find out.