January 20, 9529 BC
Styxx reined his horse to a stop as he held Bethany in his lap. Leaning down to bury his face against the nape of her neck, he inhaled the sweet eucalyptus scent of her lotion and smiled. Her scent made him rock hard and caused his head to spin even more than the drugs Estes had once used on him.
She placed her hand to his cheek. "Are we here?"
He squeezed her gently. "We are, love. I'd tell you to close your eyes, but..."
She leaned back against his shoulder and kissed his clean-shaven cheek. Since she didn't care for his beard as it interfered with her ability to feel his expressions, he'd bid it adieu. "You're not funny."
"And yet you tell me you love my humor. What is wrong with you, woman?"
"The very fact I'm in love with you. It rather says it all."
He laughed at her gentle teasing then dismounted. Placing his hands at her waist, he pulled her down to stand beside him. A large dog started barking ferociously.
She frowned at the sound. "Where are we?"
"Were you not paying attention to my directions from the stream?"
"I was, and I know where we are, but not where we are. Or why we're here."
He left his horse to graze and took her hand to lead her. "We are someplace very special."
"And that would be?"
He placed her hand against the wooden door of the small stone cottage.
Her scowl deepened as the dog barked even louder. "What is this?"
"Shush, skylos!" he said to the dog then he gentled his tone to speak to Bethany. "I bought this for you. It's a place for you to escape to whenever the weather is bad."
She went rigid. "Hector-"
"Beth, there are no strings attached to it at all." He put both her hands on his face so that she could feel how sincere he was. "It's yours, plain and simple. You can keep your things here and not have to tote them anymore. It has a large lake that's just down the hill, fully stocked with fish. I made sure before I bought it."
"I don't understand..."
He kissed her palms as terror rode him with spurs. Since he'd come home, he'd been tortured with images of someone hurting her. Of another man stumbling upon her spot and not being wounded as he'd been when he first found her there. Or worse, Apollo harming her to get back at him. "I know you have your knife, but I worry about you when I'm not with you. Constantly. I'd feel better if you had a safer place to be alone."
Bethany smiled as tears welled in her eyes at his thoughtful kindness. Even so, she couldn't help teasing him. "I believe you were thinking of yourself more than me. You won't have to worry about grass burns on your knees or random, randy limbs in your backside."
He laughed. "You know me so well. But I must admit that I'll be missing those intimate moments with the tree. I think after my last encounter with its branches we might be married ... at the very least betrothed."
She groaned at his twisted sense of humor as he opened the door. The moment he did, a huge dog mauled her.
"Down!" Hector snapped, pulling him away. "Beth, meet ... skylos. He hasn't been named yet. But he's the size of a horse and is here to also keep you safe. I have a woman who'll come to feed him every morning for you. Or you can take him with you when you go home ... which I'd prefer. I'd rather you have a protector at all times."
She heard the fear underlying his tone. He really was afraid for her. Leaning down, she stroked the dog's ears as he licked her face. "What color is he?"
"Black."
"Hey there, boy." She kissed his furry head. "I think I shall call you ... Dynatos."
"Dynatos it is," Hector agreed then he took her inside and gently led her around so that she could find where everything was placed and not get hurt.
The front door opened into a room with a table, two chairs, and a place to cook and prepare food. There was a room off to the right with a bed, chest, and two more chairs set before a fire.
Though tiny, it was very cozy.