Planetary Passions - DoubleTrouble Part 1

Double Trouble.

Allyson James.

Chapter One.

The last shard of the vessel lay in Fionaas hand.

Fionaas s.e.x jar, the other archeologists snickered.

The painting on the terracotta two-handled jar depicted two beautiful men with long, very erect c.o.c.ks, one on either side of a voluptuous woman.

Their p.e.n.i.ses half penetrated the woman in profile, one in front, one behind, in an impossible position. The woman hovered between the two, her head thrown back in ecstasy, her long black hair touching the c.o.c.k of the man behind her.

Their naked male physiques were in excellent shape, their faces near perfect, and each of them had unruly black, curling hair that ended just below the napes of their necks. The painting followed the sinuous curve of the jar and the menas muscular arms nearly touched in the back.

Fiona could study the painting for hours, enjoying the art of that long dead Athenian who had caught the threesome in their erotic act.

The ancient Athenians had not been afraid of s.e.x. Neither was Fiona, but spending her days in a m.u.f.fled office or digging things out of the dirt under the broiling sun didnat give her much chance to have any. Her last boyfriend had departed three years ago, and now the only time she got on her hands and knees with a man was to help him brush dust from unearthed pottery.

So she looked at the vessel that dated to 500 B.C.E. and wished she were the woman in the middle. She wondered if the painting depicted a myth or just the artistas own fantasy. Maybe someday her research would discover its secret.

Fiona had needed one piece, brilliant red tipped with black, to complete the jar shead been working on in the Athenian Agora for the past two summers.

Today, almost as if by accident, the last piece had nearly leapt at her from the spread of potsherds in the collection room. Now she held it in her hand, the ancient clay smooth and cool.

At last.

A gray tabby that enjoyed lounging about the site chose that moment to rub Fionaas legs. Used to her by now, Fiona barely jumped at the brush of fur on her bare skin.

She dabbed the shard with the paste they used to glue pots together, and with a satisfied smile, carefully set the last piece into place.

A sudden vibration hummed through her body. She heard a loud click, and the lights went out.

Someone outside the pottery room groaned. aGeneratoras gone again. To h.e.l.l with it, Iam going to bed.a Fiona took out her pocket flashlight and made her way to the door. The offices were in complete darkness, but no one panickeda"everyone was used to the temperamental generator. Mostly they muttered swear words and left the building.

Fiona left too, the cat staying behind in the comfortable dark. Fiona headed back to the dorm and the tiny private bedroom awarded her because she was a postdoc, a small step up from the graduate students who bunked four together in one-room apartments spread throughout the city.

She sighed as she crossed the compound under the mild Athens night. Such an anticlimactic end to a day shead looked forward to for two years. Shead finished her jar, but no one very much cared except herself.

The true life of an archeologist, she thought with an inward laugh. No Indiana Jones adventures for me.

In the pottery room, unseen by anyone but the gray cat who watched the jar with intense yellow eyes, the black and red vessel began to rock. A wisp of smoke rose from the top, the crazed cracks of the pieced-together shards vanished and the painted figures began to glowa * * * * *

Fiona woke to whispers.

aThink sheall be as beautiful when she opens her eyes?a It was a masculine voice, deep and rich and slightly accented. Greek.

aHave you ever seen hair this color? It is like the depths of fire.a The second voice was just as deep, just as rich, just as sinfully s.e.xy.

aIs it real, do you think?a aItas like the finest gossamer woven by Ariadne.a Fiona felt faint touch in her hair then it was gone.

aWhat language are we speaking?a the first man asked.

aEnglish.a aNever heard of it.a aIt must be her language,a the second man said. aOf course wead understand it. Sheas obviously a great sorceress.a Again the faint touch in her hair. aAnd a beautiful one.a aI saw her first.a aThe f.u.c.k you did. We arrived at the same time.a Fiona lay still, wondering what kind of dream had taken over her tired brain. She felt a warm weight on either side of her, as though the men had stretched out on the narrow bed with her. Musky and masculine scents wove through her half-asleep mind, soothing and comforting.

Their voices were similar, but she sensed a difference. The first man sounded amused, as though he found the world perpetually funny. The second had a poetic turn, rich syllables sliding from his tongue in beautiful phrases.

aI wonder where we are,a the first one said. aLast thing I remember is that b.i.t.c.h in the temple, and thena"nothing.a aIt is too dark. Is she a G.o.ddess, do you think?a aHer fingers are dirty.a Fiona felt her hand being raised and a brush of something warma"lipsa"across her fingertips. She stirred, the s.p.a.ce between her legs heating.

aA G.o.ddess can get her fingers dirty if she wants to,a the second man said, his voice deep and warm.

What a magnificent dream.

Fionaas eyelids began to open, and she fought waking up. Stay asleep, enjoy it. Waking up would bring dull reality rushing back.

Sure, spending her summers in Athens working in the ancient ruins was exotic, but only until the lights didnat work and the plumbing backed up, and a peanut b.u.t.ter sandwich seemed like food of the G.o.ds.

Fionaas eyelids wouldnat cooperate. They slid open and her eyes took in the darkness of the room.

Except the dream didnat go away. Two large, hard-bodied men lay full-length on either side of her, each propped up on one elbow, each with black hair rumpled to the napes of their necks. Two faces of hard, identical handsomeness hung over hers, two pairs of glittering dark eyes fixed on her.

Twins, she thought distractedly.

Both men were stark naked. They lay languorously on her bedcovers, legs stretched to entwine with hers, sculpted pectorals dusted with black hair, arms raw with muscle. The one on her left had her hand in his and was brushing his lips over her fingers.

The one on her right looked at her with such intense concentration that his gaze seemed to bore straight through her head.

She opened her mouth to scream but only a strangled dry sound came out.

aShh,a said the one holding her hand, his breath tickling her skin.

For some reason, she wanted to obey him instead of fighting her way free and shouting for help.

aAre you a sorceress?a the one on her right asked softly. aOr a G.o.ddess?a Fiona gulped. aNeither. Iamaan archaeologist.a The two men exchanged a glance. aAr-chaeo-lo-gist,a the man on her right said, lips carefully p.r.o.nouncing the syllables. aA Greek word. Studier of the past?a aYes. I guess so.a At the moment, Fiona was not sure exactly what she did. aWho the h.e.l.l are you, and what are you doing in my room?a The two men looked at each other, surprised. aYou freed us,a said the one on her right, his intense look deepening.

aWe were drawn to you,a the first man said, his lips lingering on her fingertips. aAfter the spell broke and you freed us. Of course we want to thank you.a The second manas smile changed his serious demeanor. aWe will thank you in whatever way you like.a He laid his hand across her abdomen and even through the blankets, his large palm soaked heat into her.

aWait.a Fiona struggled to sit up. aI freed you? From what? Iave never seen you before. I havenat been anywhere but the dig in weeks. Youare mistaking me for someone else.a aNo,a the first one said.

They started speaking at the same time, each finishing the otheras sentences. aWe were trappeda"a aIn obliviona"a aFor eternity.a aIt seemed like eternity.a aDo you know how boring oblivion is?a aEspecially with him.a They glared at each other. aAt least I know more than two jokes,a the one on her right said.

aAt least I donat sing. Zeus above, but your voice would make a Hydra cringe.a Fiona waved her hands to break in. aOblivion?a Their banter ceased, smiles vanishing. aIt was darka"a aAnd so d.a.m.n cold.a aLonely.a aThe dark could eat your soul.a They stopped.

Fiona hugged her knees to her chest, aware she wore only a thin nightshirt over her rather ample curves. The sadness in their voices pulled at her, but she had to remember that two naked strangers had broken into her room and gotten into bed with her, and what she really should do is get away from them and run for security.

But they were so compelling. Their features were nearly identical and yet not. The man to her left had a twinkle in his eyes that the one on her right did not, and his lips creased into ready smiles while his brother was more serious.

But the man on her right had such a compelling gaze that she found herself swaying toward him when he spoke.

aAt least tell me who you are,a she said faintly.

aPollux,a said the man on her left side.

aCastor,a said the man on her right.

aCastor and Pollux?a Fiona repeated. aLike the Greek demiG.o.ds? Like the Gemini constellation?a Pollux nodded, his easy smile wide. aThatas us.a She shot a glance at Castor, who also nodded.

aGood lord,a she spluttered. aYour mother named you after a constellation?a They looked puzzled. aThe constellation was named for us,a Castor said. aOur mother was Leda.a aShe had a partiality to swans,a Pollux grinned. aDonat tell her husband.a aSwans.a Fiona dragged in a breath. aYou mean Leda and the swan. Leda and Zeus.a aYes,a Castor said.

Soa"theyare tall, dark, handsome and insane. aLeda was the mother of Helen of Troy,a she said faintly.

They both nodded.

aOur sister,a Pollux said. aPeople can get up to the stupidest things. An entire civilization destroyed because of a cuckolded husbandas pique.a Fiona held up both hands. aAll right, just stop. I wonat report you or call the police if you simply leave my room and get out of the compound. Really. You go, I donat say a word, and you never come back.a The two men looked at each other.

aSheas afraid of us,a Castor said, in a tone of surprise.

aBut you freed us,a his brother said. aYou must have known when you broke the spell that wead devote ourselves to you. No one fears Castor and Pollux. Weare the demiG.o.ds of good times.a aAnd duality,a Castor said softly. aIdentical, yet completely different. Those born under our influence have a great capacity for art.a aAnd discourse,a Pol added.

aFor Greek demiG.o.ds, you speak English very well,a Fiona pointed out.

aBecause it is your language,a Castor said. aThe magic that brought us back allows us to understand it.a aOh. Right.a Pollux unfolded himself from the bed. The room was still dark, the moonlight leaking through the thin curtains not enough to illuminate them completely, but she could see that Pollux was tall, well over six feet. Every muscle on his torso rippled in perfect harmony.

aWhat do you want us to do to prove weare who we say we are?a he asked.

aYou canat,a she said at once.

Castor took advantage of his brotheras absence to move closer to her. Something large and firm pressed her thigh, a satin prod against her bare skin. His c.o.c.k. She could see only Polluxas upper torso in the dark, but knew that he was just as naked and his c.o.c.k must be just as large.

Her heart beat swiftly, the part of her that was all woman waking up and taking notice.

Castor smoothed a lock of hair with his broad fingers. aWhy do you not believe us?a Should you argue with crazy people or just go along with what they say?

Fiona dragged in a breath. aCastor and Polluxa"the Gemini twinsa"itas all a myth, made up thousands of years ago. By people with no concept of genetics, by the way, because if I remember right, Castor and Pollux had different fathers, and you canat have identical twins with different fathers. People thought that about women with twinsa"that theyad cheated on their husbandsa"because, like I said, they didnat know anything about genetics.a Her words ran out as her mouth dried and breath deserted her. She realized that both men were staring at her like she was the one who was crazy.

aThousands of years,a Pollux repeated.

aYes.a Castor looked troubled. aHow many thousands?a aI donat know. Troy was what, five or six thousand years ago? You must have been born about twenty or so years before that, right?a Silence fell. The night was quiet, the only sounds a distant hum of a car and the scuttle of claws from the mice they could never get rid of.

When Castor spoke, his voice was subdued. aWe did not know that much time had pa.s.sed.a aIt was so cold,a Pollux repeated. He folded his arms across his broad chest, flexing muscles that any other time Fiona would be thrilled to watch. And touch and licka Fiona felt their distress and for some reason wanted to comfort her crazy naked men. aYouare all right now,a she began.

Castor gave her a warm look. aYes, because of you. Our strong sorceress to break the spell.a aIt was strong magic,a Pollux added. aI sensed that even as Selena made the vessel and started to pull us in. We have strong magic but we could not resist. It bound us fast.a aShe laughed at us,a his brother finished. aSaid the great Castor and Pollux would be nothing but faces on a jar.a Fionaas eyes widened. aJar?a She finally fought free of the covers and scrambled to her feet.

aI know what this is all about. They sent you, didnat they? Bob and Joan Whittington. Theyave made fun of my s.e.x jar from day one, but theyare pretty annoyed I got that huge write-up in Archaeology Today and especially National Geographic. They scorn popular publications, but at the same time, they were p.i.s.sed as h.e.l.l. They sent you, didnat they? As a big joke. They must have found out I finished the vessel.a Both men looked blank. Castor and Polluxa"if that were their names, which she doubteda"exchanged a puzzled glance.

She put her hands to her head, tugging at her tousled hair. aOh G.o.d, if theyave done anything to the jaraa She s.n.a.t.c.hed a pair of jeans from a chair and jammed her feet in the dusty sneakers she kept by the door. Without looking back at the two men, she grabbed her flashlight, slammed out of her room and hastened to the pottery room. Thankfully, no one saw her and she was able to dash into the room alone, shut the door and turn on the light.

The generator must have been reset because the electric lamp above the worktable glowed readily when she turned the switch. The gray cat, which had curled itself into a ball underneath the table, raised its head and blinked at her.

The vessel sat where shead left it. Except it had completely changed.

Gone were the cracks that showed where the pieces had been fitted together. The painting likewise had altered. The two identical mena"Castor and Pollux?a"had changed position.

They were now standing back to back, arms folded over well-muscled chests, c.o.c.ks still rampant. The woman had disappeared completely, leaving a blank s.p.a.ce of red terracotta between them.

Chapter Two.

Cas eased himself from the bed and told his inflated c.o.c.k to go down.

The sorceress, their rescuer, was beautiful, her body all curves and valleys, a voluptuous playground for his hands. Head fallen instantly in love with her round, sweet face and her fire-colored hair like warm silk.

Head hoped that easing her awake would result in a long bout of love-play. Head wanted to slide her thin garment from her and explore her body with gentle fingers. Head scented her desire as she moved between them, a woman aroused even under her fear and indignation.

Her anger made no sense. If she had released them from the vessel and Selenaas spell, why did she seem unhappy to see them?

But she hadnat been completely unhappy. Her nipples had pearled behind her garment and her juices had run warmly between her legs, he had sensed it.

Pol wanted her too. He was darkly erect, his eyes filled with frustrated need. Cas and Pol often shared womena"for some reason women liked being pleasured by two men who looked just alike. But Cas felt a pull of possessiveness for the red-haired sorceress and wondered if he and Pol would have a rivalry for her.

aWhatas the matter with her?a Pol asked.

aShe is frightened.a aWhy should she be frightened of us? A good wine, a good f.u.c.k and weare happy.a aLet us follow her,a Cas suggested. aIf there are those who would play tricks on her, she will need our protection.a aIam all for that. Where did she go?a aNot far. I can scent her. We should move without being seen.a Pol agreed, and the twins invoked their ability to slide between the very air itself to move quickly and undetected.

Cas was relieved to find they still had this skill. He didnat like the idea that theyad been trapped in the vessel for thousands of years.

Anything could have happened during that timea"the G.o.ds overthrown, their powers stripped. Zeus had once overthrown Kronos and the t.i.tans, what was to say that Zeus himself hadnat suffered a downfall and that Cas and Pol would be in danger?

Itas all a myth, shead said. What that meant, Cas did not know, but it did not sound good.

They found their sorceress in a room crammed with shelves and shelves of dusty pieces of clay and ceramics. Each piece had a little card next to it with writing on it. A worktable stood in the middle of the room with a single glowing lamp over it, a cat calmly washing its face underneath.

The worktable was like nothing Cas had ever seen. It had a very smooth surface, but it was not made of wood or marble. Slim metal instruments were lined up carefully on a tray and a few oddly shaped pieces of metal stood nearby in positions of readiness.

Their sorceress stood in front of the table, staring open-mouthed at the jar that sat in prominent position on the tableas surface.