Rise of the Goddess (****All proceeds from the Rise of the Goddess anthology will go to benefit the Elliott Public Library**** Book 1)

by Catherine Stovall

  Moira laughed. “Thank you, Mars.”

  “I didn’t do anything,” he replied.

  “You gave me a shoulder to cry on, literally, and you made me laugh.”

  “So I did,” Mars agreed with a roguish grin. “May I escort you to your room?”

  Moira nodded. She took his arm and they walked through the moonlit night together to her room. She opened her door and stopped, turning to him with a smile. She took a deep breath, stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

  Mars drew in a sharp breath and knew he couldn’t let her go. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him and kissed her full on the lips. He felt sparks of electricity zip through him as their lips met and he deepened the kiss. He felt Moira wrap her arms around his neck as she allowed him further access.

  A few moments later he pulled back and rested his forehead on hers, both of them breathing hard. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you my little goddess?” he murmured.

  Moira smiled. “I think I might have an idea,” she replied softly, biting her lip. “You are doing it to me as well.”

  “I had better say goodnight, or I won’t be saying it at all,” he acknowledged.

  “Goodnight, Mars,” Moira said, kissing his cheek once more and then slipping out of his arms and into her room.

  As she closed her door, Mars put his hand on the wood and said, “Sleep well, little goddess. We shall talk tomorrow.”

  Chapter Seven

  Mars went to the room that had been allotted as his, but he didn’t sleep. Instead he laid upon the bed thinking about the kiss he’d shared with Moira. About the sparks that flew between them whenever they touched. He couldn’t deny that he had feelings for her, and if he’d read her correctly, she had feelings for him as well.

  He’d have to tell her what Minerva and the other had done. He’d have to bring her to Olympus. She wouldn’t believe him otherwise. What human would? Really? Oh sure, they believed enough to send up prayers, but to have him appear in the flesh? No, they’d just think he was crazy and lock him up in their insane asylum. And he really wanted her to believe.

  Before he knew it, the morning bugle was sounding and he had to get up. He’d planned to meet Moira for breakfast, not that he’d told her. In a rush, he quickly went through his ablutions and changed into a fresh uniform. He crossed the base and arrived at Moira’s door in record time.

  “She’s not in, sir.”

  Mars stared at the Airman passing down the hallway. “What do you mean she isn’t here? Where is she?”

  “She’s already at the DFAC. Been there about twenty minutes, Colonel,” the Airman replied.

  Mars frowned. He turned on his heel and headed to DFAC. When he arrived, it was to find Moira holding court in the middle of the room. She radiated beauty brighter than Venus, not that he would ever tell Venus that. She wore a bright, Kelly-green, vee-neck, form-fitting mini-dress that brought out the green in her eyes and made the gold flecks sparkle even brighter. She was playing her guitar and leading a round robin of Get on Back Home.

  “She really is good for morale, isn’t she Colonel?”

  Mars slanted a glance at Owens who’d joined him just outside of the circle of men and women surrounding Moira. “It seems so,” he replied. “Has she had a chance to eat breakfast yet? Have any of them?”

  Owens chuckled. “I doubt it, sir.”

  Mars nodded. “As soon as she’s finished this round, call for attention,” he stated.

  “Yes, sir.” Owens didn’t have to wait but a moment.

  Moira looked up, caught Mars’ eye, smiled and ended the round.

  “Attention!” Owens called and all the soldiers scrambled to get up and stand at the ready.

  “At ease,” Mars said once they’d settled into place. “I believe we should give Ms. McCain time to enjoy her breakfast without being badgered to play another song for us, and I am quite sure many of you have jobs you should be doing if you have finished your own breakfasts.”

  “Sir, yes, sir!” the soldiers chorused.

  Moira stood, shifted her dress so it fell properly and strolled across the room to him with a smile. “Tell me, Colonel, did you do that because you wanted me all to yourself?” she asked arching a delicate golden eyebrow and grinning.

  Mars chuckled. “Now would I do something like that?”

  “Yes, I’m sure you would,” she assured him.

  “You already know me too well,” Mars replied as he escorted her to a table away from the others. “What time are you showing your film?”

  “In about an hour, you are coming aren’t you? I’d rather hoped I would get to sit next to you.” Moira smiled seductively at him.

  Mars raised a dark brow at her forwardness and grinned. “I would not wish to be anywhere else, but by your side,” he said heatedly as a TCN brought them their breakfast. “Eat up.”

  Moira laughed and ate her eggs and bacon.

  * * *

  Moira sat next to Mars in the darkened room as Dark Dreams began to play. It was a vampire movie, and she played the lead female character, Rosalie, who dreams of a night time visitor, who happens to be a vampire, played by Jake. It was the third time she’d seen the film all of the way through, so she knew what to expect.

  “You are a hauntingly beautiful woman in this film, Moira, love,” Mars murmured.

  Moira smiled at his comment and brushed her hand against his and grinned when he captured it in his own. “Thank you.”

  When Jake made his on screen appearance she more than felt Mars tense up, and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She could see him grinding his teeth as Jake, or rather Steele, the vampire, took Rosalie in his arms. Moira studied the screen critically. Jake’s performance really wasn’t the best, but Mars’ reaction seemed a bit over the top about it.

  He relaxed again when Jake went away and it was just her on the screen. He didn’t even get wound up when others were on the screen with her, only when Jake made an appearance. Moira frowned and looked at Mars curiously. “Why do you keep tensing up every time Jake comes on the screen?” she whispered softly.

  Mars scowled. “I don’t like…vampires who prey on women,” he said obtusely. “What did you ever see in that fool?” he muttered a few minutes later.

  Moira shook her head and gave him a derisive laugh. “I was naïve enough to think he cared about me,” she whispered back. “I know better now.”

  Mars gave her a sharp nod, grinned and squeezed her fingers. “We have much to talk about after the show.”

  Moira arched her brow at him, and nodded, more out of curiosity than anything else. She waited impatiently for the film to end. It always felt so strange watching herself up on the big screen. As the film came to an end, those that had come to view it, applauded. She smiled appreciatively at that enthusiasm. “Thank you all so much for being so kind,” she murmured.

  “You were fantastic, Ms. McCain!”

  “Stunning!”

  “How long did it take to get you into all that make-up at the end?” a few of them asked.

  “Five hours actually,” Moira answered. “Those days we started at three a.m., it was crazy!”

  “Is there going to be a sequel?”

  “I don’t know, perhaps. It depends on how well this one does I suppose,” Moira responded. She could see Mars waiting patiently next to her, and she knew he wanted to get her alone again, not that she minded. She wanted very much to be alone with him as well. “Thank you again, all of you, for such a kind welcome to Manas. I will never forget my time here, or any of you,” Moira said sweetly.

  Mars took her arm and escorted her out of the tent. They quickly made their way back to her room before anyone else could stop them. Moira checked the silver watch on her wrist, it was just after one p.m. and she was supposed to be on another C-17 and headed to Afghanistan in four hours.

  As she closed the door she said, “I don’t have too much more time here.”

  Mars nodded as
he looked around the sparsely decorated room. “They could have given you a better room than this,” he said with a frown.

  Moira laughed. “It’s fine, Mars. I don’t need a lot.”

  “You deserve the best, little goddess, even from the US Military,” he replied with a grin.

  Moira giggled and sat down upon her bed and patted the mattress next to her. “Join me?”

  Mars looked at her and smiled. “I want to show you something. Do you trust me?” he asked.

  Moira looked at him curiously and then nodded. “Yes, I do.”

  “Take my hand and close your eyes,” he commanded.

  Doing as he asked, Moira took his hand without hesitating and then shut her eyes tight. “Now what?”

  After a moment, Mars replied, “Open your eyes.”

  Moira opened her eyes and blinked. They were no longer standing in her little room at Manas. She let go of Mars’ hand and rubbed her eyes and looked again. They were standing on the top of a mountain looking down over a huge waterfall that disappeared into the clouds. Slowly she turned around and she could see Roman columns and buildings, massive white marble structures and the greenest grasses and brightest flowers you could imagine. Her eyes drifted to Mars in wonder. “What is this place?” she asked, but a part of her already knew…she felt it. She was home.

  “Mount Olympus,” he said cautiously.

  “You weren’t joking…you are the Mars… the god of war… and this…it’s all real…” Moira breathed out in absolute wonder. “How?”

  Mars smiled. “Well, at least you haven’t freaked out and claimed you needed to wake up or asked what I’ve done to you…that’s a good sign. Rhea didn’t act anywhere near as calm as you are.”

  Moira turned to him and smile. “Mars! How? How are we here? How are you a Colonel in the One Hundred First? How!”

  “I am Mars, god of war, I have certain…powers. And as to the Colonel part, I was taking a much needed break.”

  “A break? And you chose the Transit Center at Manas?” Moira looked at him incredulous. “Not Tahiti? Or Maui? Or…or…”

  Mars laughed. “No. I still like to be around my kind of people.”

  Moira arched her brow at him and frowned. “You brought Rhea here?” she asked feeling jealous of a woman who lived literally thousands of years earlier and then a thought struck her. Mars too was thousands of years old! “How old are you?” she asked her eyes wide.

  Mars chuckled again. “Yes I brought Rhea, let’s just say she did not react as well as you are, little goddess.”

  Moira sat down upon the plush green grass. “And you are how old?”

  “Very old…older than the Christian’s Jesus by about eight thousand years. Does that bother you?”

  Moira thought about it for a moment and realized that it didn’t. She raised her gaze to meet his. “No actually, it doesn’t.” She sat for a moment more in wonder as she looked around and then back to him. “Mars,” she questioned. “I…I feel connected to this place. It feels like…like home. Why have you brought me here?”

  Mars settled upon the grass next to her and took her hand in his. “You feel connected to Mount Olympus, because you are connected to it. More than you should be for being born human,” he said. “Moira, you aren’t human. You haven’t been in twenty one years. There are some people you need to meet.”

  “People? You mean other gods and goddesses?” she asked nervously. “What if they don’t like me?”

  “They’ll like you,” Mars replied as he stood and pulled her to her feet.

  Chapter Eight

  Mount Olympus

  Parthenon

  “Minerva!” Mars shouted as he and Moira entered the Parthenon. “Venus! Apollo! Show yourselves, now!”

  “Mars, don’t yell at them, what if it makes them angry?” Moira fretted.

  Mars chuckled. “It’s fine. They expect me to yell, it’s sort of what I do.”

  “It is, but don’t let that scare you off, Moira dear,” Minerva said with a smile as she entered the Parthenon from the back.

  “Is this Moira? Oh! She turned out lovelier than I imagined!” Venus exclaimed as she rushed in and over to Moira. She took Moira’s hands and spun her around.

  “And I hear she is quite talented,” Apollo added as he too strolled in to join them. He pulled a lyre from thin air and handed it to Moira. “Play for us?”

  Moira looked from the lyre to Apollo to Mars in a panic.

  “You do not have to play for them, love,” Mars assured her as he pulled her back into his arms. “Now. Moira, meet Minerva, goddess of wisdom, Apollo, god of music and the arts, and Venus, goddess of beauty and love.”

  Moira smiled and said, “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Tell her,” Mars demanded as he stared at the three of them.

  Minerva frowned. “No need to get all bossy, Mars.” She turned to Moira and took her hands. “Hello, my dear. You seem to be taking this all well.”

  Moira nodded, not exactly sure how she was feeling. She pulled her hand back from Minerva and reached for Mars. “What all should I be taking in?” she asked.

  “Well, you see…” Minerva started.

  “For goddess sake, Minerva, spit it out! Moira, darling, you’re one of the last of our blood line,” Venus interrupted.

  Moira frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “A very long time ago-” Minerva began.

  “Centuries, it’s been centuries, Minerva,” Venus interrupted once again.

  “I was getting to that Venus! As I was saying, a very long time ago, one of your ancestor’s and I, and another with Venus…well, you get the idea. And Apollo too, but on your father’s side. And the blood line was getting diluted with each new birth, well that is it was-” Minerva explained.

  “Until you, Moira. You glowed, simply gorgeous!” Venus exclaimed with excitement.

  “What do you mean, I ‘glowed’?” Moira asked with a frown.

  “Because with you the blood line from your mother’s side connected with the blood line from your father’s side and when the two mixed, well…you got a very high dose of power,” Minerva explained further.

  “I have power?” Moira asked incredulous. “Oh, no, you are wrong. I couldn’t possibly.”

  Mars squeezed her fingers, smiled at her and nodded reassuringly. “Tell her the rest Minerva.”

  “Well, when I discovered your birth, and saw you glowing, Venus, Apollo and I went down to visit you. We only wanted to gift you with what should be yours, you are after all ours.”

  “Gift me? What did you gift me,” Moira asked turning slightly pale.

  “I gifted you with an ear for music and song,” Apollo answered.

  “And I put the flecks of gold in your eyes and made sure your hair would always be the color of honey gold,” Venus replied with a smile and then her face lit up. “Oh, and I filled your heart with love.”

  “So, none of what I am came from me?” Moira asked dropping Mars’ hand.

  “No, my love, they couldn’t give you what you didn’t already possess. They could only enhance it, make it stronger,” Mars replied, reassuring her once again. “But there are consequences to what they’ve done.”

  Minerva colored at his remark. “Well…they are not necessarily bad consequences-” she hedged.

  “Minerva, if you do not tell her, I will.” Mars frowned at her.

  “You see, we didn’t realize at the time…because you already had so much of our blood in you, and then we gifted you on top of that…well…you’re sort of immortal…” Minerva whispered the last part.

  “I’m what?” Moira shouted. “How do I explain that? Does my mother know? Did my father? What does that even mean?”

  Mars held onto her hand and pulled her over to a bench. “Love, it means that if you’d like, you can stay here, on Mount Olympus. Or you can go back for a while. You could probably continue to do everything you wanted, just as you would have before, but after a while the other humans would b
egin to notice that you are not ageing and you’ll have to come up here or…” Mars stopped.

  Moira was breathing hard. “Or what?”

  “Or you’d have to die,” Mars acknowledged in a whisper, his eyes closed.

  Moira studied Mars. “And you-”

  “If that is what you chose, yes, I would have to be the one to-” Mars started.

  “Stop! Don’t say it!” Moira put her hand over Mars’ lips. She met his eyes, and he was gazing at her with so much pain and love that she couldn’t allow him to finish the thought. “That will never be an option.”

  Mars breathed a sigh of relief. “So what is your choice?”

  Moira frowned. “Do I have to decide right this minute? Can’t I just have some time?” she asked and then met Mars’ gaze again. She could see that he was really hoping she would choose one particular option. “Do I lose you if I choose to go back?” she asked cautiously as she gauged his reaction.

  Mars smiled. “No, that will never be an option either,” he replied with a grin. “But I am sort of partial to having you up here with me.”

  Moira grinned and looked around. Minerva, Venus and Apollo had disappeared, leaving them alone in the Parthenon. She sat quietly for a few more minutes, soaking in the wonder of Mount Olympus. “It is very beautiful here.”

  Mars sighed. “I hear a ‘but’ in there.”

  “How is it you already know me so well?” Moira asked raising a brow at him.

  “Because I think Minerva finally got it right. You are meant to be mine. You wish to go back.”

  Moira nodded. “Not forever, just…for a while. There are things I need to finish. People I’ve made obligations to. The soldiers who are looking forward to hearing me sing. I don’t want to disappoint them.”

  “And that is why you are a goddess, my love,” Mars replied with a smile as he stroked her cheek.

  “You’ll come with me, won’t you?” she asked anxiously.

  Mars smiled. “I too have responsibilities, but I shall come down as often as possible. And for today, I am still technically on an R and R weekend,” he said with a roguish grin.