House of Thebes (The Bloodstone Saga) (12 page)

But of course he was.  He felt their connection too, even if he didn’t remember her.

My sensitive hearing picked up her tiny sigh as she swung the door open wide and faced him.  He stood in the sun, the light cascading over him like a waterfall and he did look so much like the man who lived in my memories.  My memories stretched back thousands of years and he was present in so many of them. 

“Hey, Gavin,” Macy greeted him, trying hard to be casual.  I almost laughed at this after watching her wait for him anxiously for the past half hour. Mortals. It was amusing.  She chewed on her lower lip, a tell tale sign of her nervousness.

He smiled his familiar smile, a blend of arrogance and charm.  How one man managed to be so cocky and yet likeable was beyond me, but he managed to accomplish it in every life and Macy certainly liked it.

“Hey,” Gavin answered her.  “I was thinking… instead of going to lunch, I packed a picnic and thought we could eat on the beach.  Would that be okay with you?”           

She nodded quickly, her smile lighting her features.  “Of course.  I love listening to the ocean while I eat.”

I knew that at this point, she would say that she loved anything just to spend more time with him. She needed him like she needed air to breathe.

As I observed them, it was a little more interesting than usual.  In other lives, when they encountered each other, they were both in the dark.  They felt a strange attraction to each other, a vague familiarity, but neither of them could explain it.  This time, however, Macy knew exactly who he was.  The catch was that she couldn’t tell him.  And knowing her, I was sure that the knowledge was killing her. 

I could feel the electricity lingering in the air between them, charged and palpable.  So much so that I could practically reach out and touch it.  I wondered if they could sense it, as well. 

Their eyes were locked on each other as Macy led him inside. 

“I’ll just be a minute,” she murmured to him, letting her hand linger on his arm.  “I just need to grab my purse.”

He nodded and smiled.  “Take your time,” he answered.  “The ocean will be there all day.”

She rolled her eyes laughingly as she breezed past him. He reached out and lightly brushed her back as she passed.  They were unable to stop touching each other.  That much was obvious.

I approached Gavin, stopping when I was eye to eye with him. I was so close that I could feel his breath on my face.  He couldn’t see me, of course, but I knew he could feel my presence. He instantly became restless, shifting from one foot to the other as he waited, almost as if he was trying to see around me.  But he couldn’t see me at all.

I leaned forward and inhaled. I could smell his goodness of heart as I listened to it beat in his chest.  That much had never changed throughout the millennia.  He was a kind, decent man and he had always protected Macy with his life.  I knew he would not fail to do so now, a fact that I drew some comfort from.  I felt certain that we would need his bravery in the fairly near future. The Fates were plotting and that was never a good thing.  It put me on my guard.

Macy reappeared and smiled up at him and he led the way out to his car, opening the door for her like the gentleman that he had always been.  I briefly pondered not going with them, but it would have been irresponsible of me. Not now. Not with things the way they were.

I quickly flitted to the car and hunched in the back seat.  I hated automobiles.  They were so cramped and small on the inside.  But the mortals didn’t seem to mind. They chatted obliviously in the front, never even feeling my presence. It was curious how easy it was to be completely invisible, as though I didn’t exist at all.

For the next hour, they chatted like they had known each other forever.  Because they had.  They left their windows open, which caused Macy’s hair to flutter around the car and threw around their distinctly unique mortal scents.  I kept out a cautious eye. Any number of immortal beings could smell us coming.  But thankfully, this day, no one unexpected appeared. 

They laughingly walked down the trail to the beach and as they did, I trailed behind, allowing my mind to wander to days when they walked the beach as Charmian and Hasani.  Such sad times that they had lived through.  And now we were here today, balancing on the edge of a dangerous precipice that they couldn’t even see coming.

But I saw it.  And I was preparing, even if they could not. There was a storm brewing, a massive storm that would claim the lives of everything in its path.  And I vowed that nothing would happen to Macy.  I fully believed that the fate of everything I knew and loved rested in her hands.  Her immortal hands. 

The time was coming when she would know exactly who she was.  And she would know what she had to do.  I only hoped that I was still alive to see it. I felt a heavy presence with me, an ominous foreshadowing and it made me doubt my safety.  But Macy.  Macy had to survive.  She had to save us all.  And I would do what it took to make sure that happened.

She looked up at Gavin.  “Is this spot okay?”

He nodded.  I knew he didn’t care as long as it was with her. He would follow her to the gates of Hell.  I briefly wondered if they would care that I could read their minds, but brushed the concern away.  It didn’t really matter.  I couldn’t change what I was.

She curled onto the blanket with her legs tucked under her and they watched the ocean crash against the beach.  The water today was deep blue, almost gray as it churned against the land, raging against the very solidity of it.  It was a great metaphor for life.  Things always raged against that which they could not change.

But sometimes, change could happen.  And I was bound and determined to make it so.

I watched Gavin reach over and softly grasp her hand, wrapping it within his long fingers protectively as they gazed at the horizon.  He had always been a warrior, his very nature was protective.  I was counting on that now. 

Macy smiled gently up into his face and reached up to brush Gavin’s dark hair out of his eyes.  He leaned into her hand, innately inhaling her scent.  Deep down, he knew who she was.  He just didn’t realize it yet.  But soon, I reminded myself, soon all would be revealed and nothing would ever be the same. 

He slowly lowered his head and kissed her lips softly, each of them closing their eyes and immersing themselves in the sweetness of this moment.  I closed my own, allowing myself to become lost in the hope that surrounded them, the tangible hope that hung in the air like the salt from the sea.  Their hope would save us all.  I had to have faith in that.

Macy opened her eyes and smiled.

Wicked Enchantment

A short story by Courtney Cole

Based on characters from
The Bloodstone Saga

Foreword

In my book,
Fated
, there is a scene where Eris, in the disguise of Tara Wilson, comes to Gavin’s home and tricks him into thinking that she is there to apologize to Macy.  While she is there, she returns to her true form of the goddess Eris and kidnaps Gavin, whisking him away to the Spiritlands. 

Fated
is written in the POV of Macy (Harmonia) and so we never got to see exactly what transpired in Eris’ home before Harmonia arrives to save him. 

This is that story. 

Wicked Enchantment

Dropping through wispy, diaphanous clouds, I tumbled from the sky in a completely unladylike fashion and landed abruptly on the sidewalk.  Straightening from my crouch, I looked around to get my bearings.  It was always a little disorienting traveling back and forth between the mortal world and the Spiritlands.  And I seriously hated being here. Even the air was miserable, damp and clinging to my skin. 

The only thing worse than being here was appearing as a mortal.  I sighed.  But it had to be done.  Looking around to make sure no one was near, I gritted my teeth and shape-shifted. In the blink of an instant, during which I knew I only appeared as a blur, I transformed into my mortal image.  Glancing down, I opened my hand to make sure I still had the small brown leaf. It was there, resting safely on my palm.  My orangey, mortal palm.  Ugh.  I could not wait to leave this short, pudgy body behind soon, forever.  The Fates had promised.  All I needed to do was this one little thing and I would never have to live as a mortal again.

I calmly walked up the manicured sidewalk and stood on the delicate front porch, staring in through the large, sparkling window panes.  Mortal houses seemed so temporary and breakable.  They were made from flimsy wood and concrete, as opposed to the marble and stone that I was accustomed to.  The homes of gods were built to last forever, a requirement that mortals simply didn’t have.

As I stared inside, I didn’t miss the irony.  It seemed that I was always the outsider looking in.  There was no reason to feel sorry for myself, of course.  I might be an outsider, but that simply meant that I was seldom surrounded by idiots.

Inside the house, Gavin Chase was stretched out on his sofa, sleeping with a cat curled at his side.  I almost shuddered. How mortals could interact with furry creatures of that sort was entirely beyond me.  But Gavin wasn’t exactly a mortal.  He just didn’t remember it.  Yet.  But I was here now and that little issue would soon be fixed.

I lifted a finger to ring the bell and almost shuddered again.  My finger was short and stubby, over-tanned.  Another thing some mortals seemed to have a penchant for.  I couldn’t wait to get back to myself.  My goddess body was perfect and unblemished, soft and smooth as porcelain.

I watched Gavin wake and in amusement, studied his dark face.  He had always had dark hair and eyes, in every life that he had ever lived.  From the very beginning- when he was Cadmus, husband of my rival goddess, Harmonia, he had appeared the same.  Dark hair, friendly white smile and an easy attitude.  Harmonia didn’t deserve him.

Harmonia.
  Thinking of the goddess of contentment and peace made me want to retch.  Why would anyone want to create harmony?  Being bad was so much more fun.

Gavin swung the door open wide and I almost laughed out loud at the expression on his face.  Of course he was surprised.  He still thought that his girlfriend Macy was simply a mortal like himself and that she and I were sworn enemies.  And I guess his thoughts did have shreds of truth in them.         

Macy
was
a mortal, for now, just like Gavin.  She hadn’t remembered yet that she was actually the goddess, Harmonia.  Just as Gavin hadn’t remembered who he really was.  But today was the day of reckoning for both of them.  And as for that second part… well, Macy and I hadn’t been on the best of terms for a long time, much longer than even she knew.  As Macy, she didn’t remember that we were meant to be at odds.  We were polarized goddesses- she was meant for contentment and I was meant for chaos. Technically, it wasn’t my fault.  But that didn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy it. 

And this was going to be fun.   

“Tara?” Gavin uttered in surprise, his voice husky from sleep.  I felt a little stirring from deep within in reaction to his primal maleness.  He really was an attractive man.  He always had been.  This was going to be
very
fun.

“Hey, Gavin.” I conjured up my best sweet voice.  I was truly good at faking it.  “Is Macy here?”  I knew full well that she wasn’t.

“No, she isn’t.  She might be at her house though.”  He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.  “Why?”

I widened my eyes innocently.  “Because I want to apologize.  This bitterness between us is just horrible and I really want to fix it.  And I was hoping to talk to her.  Do you think she’ll be here soon?”

He studied my face for a moment and I did my best to maintain an angelic expression.  I was a very,
very
good liar and mortal men were so easily manipulated.

“Possibly,” he replied cautiously.  “I’ll call her and find out. Come in,” he motioned.

I stepped gingerly past him and waited in the foyer as he closed the door.

“Have a seat,” he gestured toward the sofa.  I took one, avoiding the furry creature still languishing in the sun.  It opened one eye and stared at me before lazily closing it again. Stupid feline.

Gavin pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.  I waited, the anticipation lingering like expensive chocolate on my tongue.  Harmonia was going to be furious, terrified… and would fall right into my hands. The Fates would be so pleased.

But he shook his head. 

“Voicemail,” he murmured to me with his hand clasped over the phone.  He waited and then spoke after the beep.

“Hi, beautiful.  Hey, you’re not going to believe this but Tara Wilson is here looking for you.  She wants to apologize or something.  So call me. I love you.”

He flipped his phone closed, tossed it on the couch and shrugged at me. 

“She didn’t answer.”

I smiled my most pleasant smile.  “Is it okay if I hang out for just a minute or two to see if she calls back?  I mean, surely she always returns your calls, right?”

He looked puzzled.  “Of course she does.”

“Perfect.  Then I’ll just wait a minute.”  I patted the seat next to me.  “Why don’t you come talk to me? I owe you a few apologies, too.”

He stared at me suspiciously again.  “You owe me an apology?  What for?”

“I owe you a couple of them.  Sit down and I’ll explain.”