BORA BORA

Zarek lay on the beach letting the sun and hot wind sear his skin. Oh, the feel of it!

They had been here for close to a month now and still he couldn't get enough of being on the beach.

Of being with Astrid, night and day.

He felt something cold fall on his chest.

Opening his eyes, he saw Astrid above him, smiling down as she watched him. She held a small bowl in one hand and a glass in the other.

"Careful, princess, you know I hate it whenever something cold touches me."

She knelt down beside him, and set the bowl aside before wiping the drop of water off his chest, her touch more searing than the sun.

Her gaze traveled over his body, down to his swim shorts that now had a rather large bump in them.

She smiled wickedly at that. "You know, I remember watching a movie once..."

He was suspicious of the gleam in her eye. "Yeah?"

She pulled an ice cube from her glass and placed it in her mouth.

Zarek watched, transfixed by the sight of her licking it.

She pulled it out, then placed it on his skin.

"Astrid..."

"Shh," she said, circling his nipple until it was hard and firm. She blew her hot breath across it, causing him to swell even more. "You know what the best part is about being cold, don't you?"

"What?"

"Thawing you out."

Zarek moaned as she lowered her mouth to him and flicked her tongue back and forth over his nipple.

When she pulled back, he whimpered a small protest.

She ignored it and dodged his hands.

"Before I forget-" she said, playfully pushing his hands aside, "and if I keep doing this, I will forget-I have something for you."

Zarek leaned up on his elbows. "Please don't tell me Scooby's coming to visit."

She rolled her eyes at him. "No. Sasha is staying at Sanctuary in New Orleans for the time being. Since we've been staying at the beach he refuses to come 'see your naked ass' lest he go blind from it."

Zarek looked less than amused. "So what is it then?"

She handed him her bowl.

Zarek looked at the contents, which reminded him a bit of lemon Jell-O. "What is that?"

"Ambrosia. One bite of it and I can take you home with me to Olympus. Otherwise I have to leave you here in three days and go home alone."

"Why?"

She smoothed the frown from his forehead with her fingertips. "You know I can't live here on earth. I can only stay for a brief time. If you want to, you can stay and I'll come back when I can, but-"

He stopped her words with a kiss.

Zarek pulled back. "What will the others say when you show up with a slave by your side?"

"You're not a slave, Zarek, and I don't care what they say. Do you?"

He snorted at that. "Not at all."

She held the ambrosia up to his lips.

Zarek gave her a quick kiss, then ate the ambrosia and drank her nectar. He expected it to hurt or burn, but it went down just like the cotton candy she once gave him. The sweet, sugary taste dissolved instantly in his mouth.

"Is that it?" he asked suspiciously.

She nodded. "That's it. What? Were you expecting fireworks or something?"

"No, I only expect those when I make love to you."

"Aww," she breathed, rubbing her nose against his. "I love it when you talk nice to me."

Zarek kissed her hand, then started laughing as he thought over everything that had happened since he met her.

"What's so funny?" Astrid asked.

"I'm just thinking, here I am a slave who touched a star who then made him a demigod. I have to be the luckiest bastard who ever lived."

Her blue eyes burned into his. "Yes, you are, Prince Charming, and don't you ever forget it."

"Believe me, princess. I won't."