Prophet Seeking Pt. 06

"Materially yes. But I'm alone here every day. I have no one else to talk to while you're undoubtedly off galivanting with every wench in the land."

A triumphant smile crossed his lips. "Oh Psyche, you're jealous."

"Am not!"

"Then why are you suddenly shrieking and speaking like a medieval mummer."

"I do not shriek!" I argued, my voice nearly cracking a nearby wine glass. Okay, so maybe it was a little on the shrieky side. So sue me. "Those other women can have you as far as I'm concerned."

"But there are no other women. I've never had any women here or any of my other palaces. Can't you see you're the only one for me?" He reached for my hand but I pulled away.

"Oh no, you're not changing the subject on me this time.- Wait, how many palaces do you have anyway?"

"Seventeen, not counting villas and temples. No eighteen. I forgot about the one in Vegas. Although that one is a bit too gaudy even for me." He added. Most unhelpfully I might note. "Anyway, if I'm really so beastly why should you care how many imaginary mistresses I have?"

"Because I love you, you spoiled blithering idiot."

"And I love you, you crazy contemptable harpy."

There was a tense silence as the true significance of our mutual admission settled in. Then the sound of two chairs hitting the floor rang out as we simultaneously hurled our bodies against one another. We tumbled to the ground taking the tablecloth and most of the plates with us. When he merged his mouth with mine the force of the kiss stole the breath from my lungs and pressed the delete button on all thoughts outside of my blind need for this man.

Flash to a while later- I have no idea how long exactly- we lay amongst the aftemath of our lovemaking, surrounded by pulverized remnants of food and broken bits of porcelain. "Death by chocolate by the way."

"Hmm?" I hummed in contentment.

"My favorite flavor of ice cream." Erastis planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

"That's a start." I sighed. And that was enough to renew the honeymoon phase. We lived in blissful happiness for weeks. That is until the day a letter arrived from my dear, sweet sister.

Dear Psyche, No doubt this letter finds you well. Mother and I are well enough, not that you care. It gives me no pleasure to be the bearer of bad news but mother has revealed to me a most troubling family secret. She swore me not to tell, yet I feel you must know the truth. When you were born a prophetess came to our door. She told mother that you would be devoured by a monster with green eyes.

What do we really know about your Erastis? Could he not be this portended monster? There is one way to find out for certain. It's simple. Wait until he falls asleep then take a candle and sneak a peek of his face. What's the harm in one little peek? He'll never know and you'll have your answer. Please be on your guard, Psyche. Trust no one. Love, your concerned sister.

As I read her warning, an image of Erastis' luminous green eyes flashed into my mind. There were definitely a few red flags. The nocturnal schedule, the mysterious visitor, the cryptic past. Let's not forget that mask. Yet surely he wasn't some sort of dark creature from an ancient prophecy. Right? As the warning signs racked up I worried my bottom lip between my teeth until it was chewed to ribbons.

I wanted to dismiss the idea out of hand. Yet the dark seed of suspicion had taken root and was growing with alarming speed. When he touched me I pictured a beautiful, youthful face under his mask yet when he was away my mind conjured up images of horribly deformed features beneath that expressionless white facade.

That night sleep eluded me. Every time I shut my eyes I imagined monstrous green eyes and flashes of hideous scales. My mind was busy playing an unpleasant game of ping-pong with itself. He's the perfect guy. Yeah, a bit too perfect. He's definitely hiding something. Maybe it's for my own protection. But protection from what? Or who?

Enough!

I shot out of bed. Tired of the beasts invented by my overwrought imagination, I could no longer just lay there in that luxurious bed staring at the ceiling and waiting for the other sandal to drop. I had to find out one way or another. One problem- I didn't know where he slept. I knew just where to start looking though. The west wing.

Minutes later I was creeping down the long statue-lined hall, candle in hand. It was easy to pick up Erastis' mouthwatering scent of sunshine, sex and fruity candy. My nose chased the sweet smell until I caught sight of a white feather on the ground and then another and another. Following a trail of fluffy white breadcrumbs, I was led into a cavernous master bedroom. I knew the moment I entered that it was his. His larger-than-life presence permeated every corner and his distinctive style was everywhere from the Rob Reiner movie posters on the walls to the mirrored ceiling. His mask lay on the nightstand, his bow and quiver were propped up against it. In the middle of the room was a magnificent state bed fit for a king with the outline of a figure visible under the covers.

I tip-toed towards the bed afraid that at any moment I would lose my nerve. It's now or never. With trembling hands I grabbed the red silk drape and wrenched it back to reveal the most beautiful creature I could ever imagine. Scratch that- my imagination isn't that good. My greedy eyes didn't know which sight to drink in first. Golden skin the color of a superbly toasted marshmallow. The strong chin softened by a dainty dimple at the center. The dark sweep of his lashes that cast crescent shaped shadows on his smooth cheeks. The wild crown of golden blond curls. As if he wasn't already glorious enough a pair of majestic white wings framed his sleeping body. Wing like an eagle.

Or a god.

This was no monster, this was Eros god of love. It was as plain as the perfectly sculpted nose on his face.

Lord Almighty, he was glorious! I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or swoon like a proper noblewoman. Bad time for the lady lessons to kick in. Instead I brought the candle closer. The dancing yellow light illuminated his divine features. Entranced, I found myself leaning forward. Just a little further and I could kiss those luscious lips. As I did a few drops of wax fell, landing on his bare chest.

Eros' eyelids fluttered open.

For a moment his bleary eyes struggled to focus. At first they filled with a deep warmth as they fell on me but then suddenly they turned dark with recognition. He sprang up staring at me in dismay.

"What have you done Psyche?" He exclaimed. A crack of thunder split the air. The ground began to shake. "You have broken your promise. Now we must be parted."

My blood ran cold. My stomach pitched like the ground beneath my feet. Eros' expression of pain and betrayal was more than I could bear. The roar of thunder was deafening. I ran. I couldn't think, I just had to get away from that angry sound and the crushing look of disappointment in Eros's eyes.

The world was crumbling around me. Columns shook as I bolted headlong down the corridor, hairline cracks beginning to form in their massive bases. Chunks of marble rained down from the ceiling like volcanic rock. My bare feet skidded along the slick floor as I headed for the exit.

I stopped short at the massive front door and threw it open. I don't know what I had expected to see but it certainly wasn't what I found on the other side of that door. Who would expect to find themselves in a castle perched on a cloud anyway? The view before me was nothing short of breathtaking. It swept out over the whole of creation. The sun was just beginning to break over the horizon. Its morning rays lit up the countryside below revealing fields of grain, ragged mountains and dark seas. The dizzying heights hit me all at once and a sudden bout of vertigo gripped me. I reeled back in shock.

"Psyche" Eros voice was close behind me. I turned on my heels to see him making his way down the rapidly collapsing corridor.

Another thunderclap shook the floor and I lost my footing, toppling backwards. Eros was racing towards me. I reached out desperately for his outstretched hand but my fingers found only empty air. There was a sickening second when everything was perfectly still and then the world dropped away.

I was falling. Down, down, down. Tumbling towards the earth at tremendous speed, the breath frozen in my chest. The rush of air deafened my ears and stung my cheeks. I wanted to call out for Eros but I couldn't. I couldn't even scream as I plummeted, my body cutting through the clouds. I could only watch helplessly as the tiny hills, cliffs and rivers of the landscape below grew larger and larger. Seized with panic, I struggled to breathe, to shout, anything but it was impossible. The only thing I could do was brace myself for the inevitable- what always follows a long fall. I shut my eyes tight and waited for the cut to black.

≈

The sun was low in the sky when I finally came to. Something wet was lapping gently at my cheek. Was it Cerberus? The guard dog of the underworld. I must be dead. Then I opened my eyes to discover that the lapping wasn't from the tongue of a three headed hellhound but from the gentle waves that reached the shore I had washed up on. An earthly shore. Still alive. Fiddle-Styx!

I should have known that the gods would not grant me such a quick end. Death was too good for me. Clearly, they intended for my punishment to be much worse. Life without Eros. With that bitter realization I began to retch up seawater and misery onto the sand. Every part of me hurt. It felt like I'd been run over by a Mac truck, worked over by a sledgehammer and then rolled down a very tall hill. Yet the pain in my body was nothing compared to the ache in my torn and tenderized heart.

I had doubted and betrayed the man I love. And a god to boot. On the bright side not everyone gets to know the exquisite irony of having their heart broken by a love god. I would have laughed at the universe's cruel sense of humor if I wasn't certain I would never laugh again. Not knowing what else to do, I crawled my way inland. The tall straight trees and the flat wooded terrain were unfamiliar. So I picked a random direction and started walking. It didn't matter where to. Nothing mattered anymore.

Days went by and then weeks as I wandered the land a lost soul with my only two companions, Heartache and Regret. The bond between Eros and I had been severed. That mystical tether snipped. And the idiot who wielded the snippers was none other than yours truly. I felt the loss like a big black hole beneath my ribcage.

Still I carried on with my walk of shame, not caring which direction it led. I longed for death but the gods had deemed me unworthy even of that small mercy. Instead I existed in a kind of living death. A coldness crept into my soul no matter how brightly the sun shone. Food tasted like ashes. My fine clothes reduced to rags on my body. Weary and adrift, eventually I found my way back to my family's house. My battered feet seeming to take me there on their own accord.

They took me back with open arms. Despite everything I was glad to see them. Even my sister. It was tempting to blame her entirely for my bitter exile but I had to face the facts. The truth was I would have seen right through her petty suspicions if I had not been so eager to believe that I was unworthy of Eros' love. It was not my sister who was to blame but my own insecurities. Turns out the prophesied green-eyed monster was me all along.

Worst twist since The Happening. Seriously? Killer shrubbery?

Then one day, long after I'd given up any hope, Eros returned. He came in on the north wind. I knew he was there before he even appeared. I could feel it in the air. The ever-present dull ache in my chest began to throb like a fresh wound. Sure enough, he appeared on our doorstep in all his godly glory, flowing white robe, golden crown, heavenly wings, the whole nine yards. He looked magnificent, powerful, otherworldly. Did I mention smoking hot? That goes without saying. He looked about as out of place in my family's tiny kitchen as a lion in a pet shop window.

The moment he approached I threw myself at his feet and begged his forgiveness for my deceitful and distrusting ways. Halfway through my blubbering and somewhat rambling apology he hushed me and raised me off my knees.

"I'm the one who is sorry. Word of your beauty reached Aphrodite. My jealous mother wanted you dead and I wanted to prove myself. To see if I could make a mortal fall in love without my enchanted arrows or my good looks."

"So I was just a pawn for the immortals to play with?" Sorrow shot through me to think that his love for me may have been an act.

"Not to me. At least not since the first night. I love you Psyche. I may not have been completely honest with you about who I was but I've never lied to you about the way I felt."

My heart leapt at his words but they only served to add a bittersweet edge to my sadness. Whoever came up with that 'better to have lost and lost' crap deserved a swift kick in the crotch. "But it's too late. I broke my vow and now we must be parted."

"About that-" He looked at his feet in a charmingly sheepish manner. "It took some persuading and bribing and more than a little groveling but I arranged for you to join me on Mount Olympus."

"What's the catch this time?"

He picked his gorgeous green eyes off the ground and they filled with hope. "That you must become my wife." This time he was the one to drop to his knees. He held out a ring with a diamond the size of a baby's fist.

"I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you." I pushed the ring away, blinking against the tears that clung to my lashes. I'm not crying. You're crying.

"Nonsense" He said. "I was the god of love but I knew nothing of love until I met you. My friend Hermes tried to tell me but I was too stubborn to hear it then. I saw love as a game, as a tool. You redeemed me. You showed me the way. You inspired me to prove myself. So what do you say, Psyche? Will you take this egotistical pigheaded boob for your own?"

Well, when you put it that way. "Yes! Yes! Of course I'll marry you."

Eros leapt up and wrapped his warm limbs around my icy ones. My entire body flooded with warmth. The frozen chill of absence that had soaked into my bones was instantly banished by his embrace. Cocooned in the feathery softness of his wings I felt whole again. I returned the clasp, tangling my limbs tightly around his so that nothing would ever separate us again.

As the hug went on the warmth turned to a sensual heat. My temperature gage turned from lukewarm, to hot, to atomic fireball. Eros' own needle was rising. I felt his finger tipping my face towards his. When our lips met it was like French-kissing a glorious sunrise. Only hotter. With that my last shred of self-control went out the window. I frantically wrapped my legs around his waist and we soared skyward.

An eternity would not be enough time to satisfy my desire for Eros. But it was a good start.

* * *

I awoke to the soft caress of a hand against my cheek. At least it felt like a hand. A cursory glance revealed otherwise. The breeze from an open window had picked up the gauzy curtains and sent them fluttering towards my face. It took my sleep addled mind a few moments to realize where I was, not a castle in the sky but an ordinary Grecian inn. Or maybe not such an ordinary inn. After all, you don't find mythic turndown service like that at a Motel 6.

As my hazy vision cleared the particulars of the dream grew fuzzier. Fluffy clouds turned to white sheets, feathery wings melted into down pillows. I struggled to hold on but try as I might, Wonderland dissolved back into Regularland.

Once my mind was fully settled into reality I realized that I was not alone. Eric must have come back at some point in the night because he was slumped over the vanity, his laptop still open before him, as if he had dozed off while working. The poor boy worked far too hard but I admired his achievement in turning what was a small online dating site into a worldwide success.

Quietly I approached his motionless form illuminated gently by the white light of the full moon. Gods he was beautiful, especially with his golden curls in a casual tussle and his handsome features softened by sleep. I stood over him, watching his broad chest gently rise and fall until a gust of wind shook the rickety vanity.

The laptop screen flickered to life. His email page flashed up on the screen. I scanned the headings of his inbox. A dozen or so were from Carmen. One subject line read: Free next weekend? My finger hovered over the touch pad poised to open it. Ms. Nom de Vamp could simply be asking if he was free to cover an extra shift. Or she could be proposing a 48-hour hump-fest.

It would be so easy to find out. Just one little click... This time. But what about the next time and the next. Would any amount of snooping ever satisfy the insatiable appetite of the green-eyed monster? Like a parasite it was sure to feed upon its host until there was nothing left.

Well, pardon my French but fuck that merde! The leachy little bloodsucker will just have to find some other mark to suck dry. Turning away from the screen, I gently woke Eric with a kiss on the cheek.

"Stephie? What's the matter?" He asked in a sleepy drawl.

"Nothing at all, my love." I snapped the computer shut and led him to bed. We had some serious making up to do.