Paul and Lukas probably thought the same thing, but they wouldn't dream of saying it out loud, she'd flay them with words if they wanted her to stop doing anything she did before.
But of course Melissa did not shout or snub at Mr Jones, and she politely and patiently told him she would be fine, Paul would help her, and since this
was her first building ever she wanted to be the one to inspect it thoroughly, leaving the final inspection to an independent inspector, of course.
And as Melissa carefully walked the scaffolding surrounding the iron frame of their very first greenhouse, checking every tiny detail of its construction for weaknesses and flaws, taking notes and measuring everything, John followed Frances towards the old greenhouse, a bit anxious after all.
Frances was very curious who this small, haggard-looking friend of Lukas' was. He looked like a Greek, actually, but a very forlorn one. He was clean, but very skinny, and Lukas' parka looked much too big on him. There was a haunted look in his eyes, as if he didn't trust Frances, as if he didn't trust anyone anymore, a look that reminded Frances of how Lucy could sometimes react, to a harsh voice, or to any man she didn't know.
The build was not good for the poor girl, Lukas had healed her trauma, but she would probably never be quite relaxed again amongst strange people, and Frances had allowed her to stay in the house mostly as long as the builders were there.
As they arrived at the greenhouse, Frances invited John in, and offered to take his coat, since he didn't need it inside. He handed it over readily enough, and she put it on a chair with her own, well away from the watering-system.
She really needed to ask Paul check that out, for it was old and, she feared, leaky.
The boiler didn't function as it should either, it was not of Paul's making, they had had it for years, before Paul had developed such an aptitude for crafting. She should have let him check it out in summer, but of course one didn't think of those things until it was too late.
No matter, she'd ask him when they were at work in the new greenhouse, they'd be there on a daily basis.
As his hostess was lost in thought, John was lost in delight. The heat was a blessing to him, he had been cold for months, he hadn't even know such cold existed. And of course it had gotten worse gradually, and then he had lost his woollen coat to a large and very strong customer, not without a fight, which had cost him even more in pain and humiliation.
But that was all in the past now, he had found Lukas, and Lukas had forgiven him, and he was warm, had food in his belly, and this place was truly warm and there were plants everywhere. And this lady who liked shy
men, Frances, was rather attractive, though she was older than the girls he had usually preferred.
John remembered Hailee with regret, she had often warned him not to listen to the lady visitor, the voluptuous Babylonian goddess. Though Hailee had never known the identity of the foreign woman, she just knew something was wrong with her, which turned out to be more true than he had ever imagined when the goddess had forced him to give up Lukas, the light of his life, not to her, he had at least managed that, but to some other world that, he had known even then, would never give him back.
And in a way it hadn't, the Lykos he loved had changed and would stay here as Lukas forever. But John was still very happy to be in the same place with Lukas, though it was on a cold and uncaring world.
Hailee had truly loved him, John thought, he would like to return to her and marry her and have some nice children to take care of together, but that was probably not going to happen, he had to be realistic about his prospects.
If he could find a home and a job on this world, and maybe someone to share it with, as Lukas had, he would be very well-off. But before he even thought of that, he was going to enjoy the heat and the lush greenery of this hothouse, and the company of this sweet woman, and who knows, maybe even her love.
John found Frances looking at him with horror, did she find him repulsive? John knew he looked old and gaunt, but he was clean, and his hair was cut and combed. Fortunately her words belied her being repulsed, for she said: 'My goodness John, Lukas did not exaggerate that you had had a rough time. Those clothes are way too large for you but I know they are fitted to Lukas, and Lukas is very slim. You must be skin over bone.'
She invited him to sit down on a little seat amongst the leafy plants, a magnificent place to rest his body and his eyes, she really had a way with plants, to keep them this large and healthy when outside everything was frozen and the light was low.
'I am,' he admitted, 'I have lived on the streets for half a year, sharing love for money and for the power it gave me, sinking ever lower, getting raped and beaten until I didn't dare to love anymore and nearly died of it. That is when Lukas found me, if he hadn't I would certainly have died. Now I am staying with him until I have found a job and a place to live.'
Hearing John speak of sharing love and needing power derived from loving, immediately told Frances that this man was from Lukas' world, and
that he was like Lukas and Hermes, able to use love to gather magic power.
He must be a god then, at least on their world.
If that were true, he had fallen as deeply as anyone could, and from the stories she had heard from Lukas, but also from George and Hermes of course, she had enough knowledge of what had happened in the ancient Greece world to realize this shade of a man must be Dionysus, dumped here to fend for himself. There weren't that many Greek gods fallen out of grace lately.
A fallen god in her greenhouse, who had betrayed Lukas and his people, and who had consorted with an evil goddess. He didn't look like a bad person at all, but of course that was the whole point, truly bad people often pretended to be otherwise.
But somehow Frances couldn't believe that this small, shy man was bad at heart.
Lukas trusted him, and Lukas was no fool, and anyway, her eyes didn't lie, this man was in a very bad state, and he needed help.
She asked: 'John, do you know anything about plants? Lukas said you were dying to see vegetation again.'
His answer fit her suspicion well, and was what she hoped to hear: 'I used to be very good with plants, especially vines. I loved wine, and developed several new kinds of grapes from seeds. That is very difficult to do.'
Frances nodded, she knew, so much so she had never tried, but of course it was no use to grow vines for wine in England, she'd need a greenhouse the size of their whole property, and the grapes would stay sour for lack of sunlight.
John continued: 'I haven't grown anything for a long time, I was too distracted with other things, but I have always missed tending my gardens and my vineyard.'
She observed: 'Let me show you around, and if you like what you see, you can relearn what you knew in my greenhouse. Then when the other greenhouse is ready, I will hire you to help me plant it. Have you ever had coffee?'
He nodded: 'I did, but I didn't like it, it was very bitter.'
'Wait until you have tasted mine, it is so much better. I want to grow it myself, and everybody says it cannot be done. Will you help me prove them wrong? I have tried in a lot of ways and I can keep the seedlings from dying, but they don't thrive. I think you know a lot about plants, and if we combine
our knowledge we may yet succeed.'
He looked at her in amazement and stated: 'You know who I was, don't you?'
'I have a suspicion. Did Lukas tell you my husband has an ongoing affair with his father? Hermes stayed here for two weeks, I suppose after he dumped you here, and I did hear some things about what happened in your world. George may know more, though I'm sure he would not have condoned getting you raped and almost killed with deprivation, he is a good man.'
'And Melissa told me you are a very good woman. I can see she was right, and I would love to be allowed to help you raise coffee and plant a new greenhouse, though I don't think I'm better at it than you are. Too bad my magic was blocked, I used to be very good at helping things grow with it. But I'd not have any po
wer anyway, I suppose, no worshippers, no power.'
Frances observed: 'I think that is not entirely true, Lukas gets power from loving, I think.'
Nodding in understanding, John said: 'That is true, selling myself kept me young, but the amount of power was negligible.'
'It wasn't negligible to Hermes, nor to Lukas,' Frances observed, 'they were both saved from serious hurt by loving. Maybe there needs to be a real bond, not just lust, to give the power.'
That was the true explanation, why selling himself didn't help much, and why just cuddling Lukas or Melissa made him feel much better. It was the true feeling that counted, not the act.
'Thank you for your insights, Frances,' John said, 'I think you are right, it is the love that counts, not the sex.'
'You don't look like a god at all, John,' Frances observed.
'I'm not,' John said, without a hint of pain, 'I was gorgeous, really big, the girls used to love me. I guzzled wine all day, I was never completely sober, I was the second best lover a woman could have the fortune to bed. Now I'm skin over bones, and I dare not love anyone anymore, I've been hurt too deeply.' Of course that last sentence did give John pain to utter, no man would do without making love voluntarily.
Frances was deeply moved by the depth of his fall, and the dryness with which he described it, and the contrast with his former life as a spoiled and bored god. She wanted to love him, but she realized that he was used to the best, and she must be old to him, her body showing her age, though in years
he was much older.
But her feelings for his plight were strong no matter what he felt about her, Frances was used to being seen as a mother-figure instead of a woman, and though she wanted to return his faith in her in the form of love, she knew she would probably not be the one he would choose to trust himself to. So she offered him a tour of the greenhouse and a superb cup of coffee at the end, and the promise of a job if he was interested.
'George would never go against Hermes' interests, but if it is acceptable to him he might see if the block on your magic can be removed. Somehow I think that his magic can be compared to that of a god on your world.'
John did show an interest in having his magic restored, but not as much as she'd think, and he seemed disappointed somehow, as if he had expected something else of her, and she did not want to disappoint him even further after what he had been through, so she asked bluntly: 'Is there something else I can do for you, John?'
How could a god, even without powers, be so incredibly shy? It just tugged her heart-strings, she wanted to hold him and love him, but that would never be.
The slight shade of a man confessed: 'Melissa said you'd probably be attracted to me, expected you to want to make love to me. But you've shown no interest at all, does my reduced figure repulse you? I know I'm not as handsome as I used to be, nor as forward, but I'm still very skilled.'
Frances had to swallow a few times at hearing that, but at the same time her heart leaped and she replied: 'I find you very attractive, John, but most young men think I'm too old to be interesting, they'd rather talk to me than make love to me. I didn't want to force myself on you, so I offered you what I thought you wanted.'
'I'm centuries old, Frances, you're very young compared to me, and very attractive. My body wants me to make love again, but my mind tells me to stay clear of anything even vaguely like it. Can you help me? Please?'
'There is nothing I'd rather do right now.' Frances held out her arms, and John was in them pretty fast. She offered to kiss, and he felt no fear but heat, so they did.
They kissed until his heat rose enough to make him want to touch her, and they undid some buttons to make that possible. She had lovely soft breasts, and her hands on him didn't worry him, they made him want more, he felt his ardour awake and take over from his fear.
Frances suggested they find a more comfortable place to make love than a hard wooden seat, and John followed her over a tiny path between the plants, over a tiny artificial hill, to a comfortable low sofa hemmed in by green on all sides.
Delighted, John let himself be pulled on it, and he felt he must have landed in what the Victorians called heaven, a place where every wish came true and where all suffering was forgotten. John forgot everything but the lovely woman with him, who was kissing him again, and who now had a hand in his shirt and stroked his chest and shoulders with heat.
That brought both of them back to earth, for the feel of him caused her to almost retreat from him in shock, she had never felt so little flesh on anyone, not even the rejected children from the wasteland, he was just bones everywhere, and his skin sagged over it. She was afraid to break him or hurt him, he was so fragile.
But there was no retreating now, John's lust was up, and he was a very skilled and ardent lover, his fear forgotten, his body taking over his mind.
Frances remembered the stories of Lukas' first weeks, making love to exhaustion but still gaining energy by doing so, and she supposed John would do the same.
They undressed the other, and Frances took a few minutes to really look at his body, to prevent further surprises, his ribs sticking out, his arms and legs devoid of fat and even muscle, his skin much too loose and dull with lack of nourishment.
It was very soft, though, and John relished every touch on his body, his fear totally gone, his eyes sparking fire.
He was not at all careful of himself, as he jumped on top of her, and they were soon fondling and stroking with extreme heat, kissing and exploring one another's most sensitive places. Thinking of John's past half year of trying to please customers for payment, Frances decided to attend to his need first, caressing his emaciated body all over, enjoying the extreme softness of his loose skin, kissing his gaunt face.
When she reached his loins, she stroked his inner legs, and carefully took his erect penis in her mouth, making him shudder with bliss. It had been such a long time since he had been touched with loving care instead of rough lust.
In this little piece of heaven, the best illusion mankind had ever thought up for itself, John felt not a single twinge of distress, just a lot of ardour, his poor abused body was coming to life bit by bit, and he thoroughly enjoyed
Frances' expert ministrations until his lust neared a climax, which they were not ready for at all.
So he took over, proving his reputation as a superb lover on her lush, delicious body. He licked her greedily, intensely happy to taste that part of a woman once again, to feel her heat up under his tongue and his fingers, to make her shiver first, and then shudder, until she was moaning in bliss and finally came to an explosive high.
Then he did it all again, but slightly differently, less firmly and much more tenderly. John suspected Frances had been without love for some time also, for she gave herself up to him totally, and seemed very disappointed when she reached another climax very quickly.
'Don't worry, sweet lady,' he said with confidence now, back on firm grounds with a woman moaning in delight under his expert touch, 'we can make it last.'
Then he mounted her and rode her with a force belying his looks, and his reputation was not an exaggeration, she was not given the chance to catch her breath before he had her gasping with release again, and then he gave himself over to total abandonment, pumping furiously until he shocked in release and lowered himself on top of her carefully. He did not weigh a thing.
Stroking his bony back as he lay heaving, she felt concern at the intensity of his exertion, but John seemed very alert and full of energy. He really did thrive on love, like Lukas, and to be honest, like Hermes as well. For though she didn't share love with either, they always felt her motherly kindness acutely and reacted to it like large, sleek tomcats, shivering in bliss at being stroked by their humans.
But this tomcat had stronger feelings, he did not see her as a motherly figure, he desired her body, he had tasted her with relish, and taken her with decision, and Frances was sorry he was through, she would have loved to enjoy his devotion a little longer.
He crawled against her as closely as he could, stroking her curves, sucking her nipples, kissing her body and her mouth, and she came to realize he was not spent at all, he was just taking a little rest and enjoying the heat on his body, and the woman beside him.
And indeed after ten minutes of cuddling, his touch became passionate again, he sported an erection once more, and he rubbed his scrawny body against her with an intensely happy smile. That looked so good on him, Frances couldn't believe how his face was transformed by plain, unadulterated happiness.
'Can we have another round?' he asked politely, not pausing in his heated exploration of her flesh, and his subtle movement of his loins against her thighs.
'You most certainly can,' she replied, shivering in anticipation, and as soon as she had spoken those words, he was at it again, releasing feelings in her that she had never known, a passion she thought she would never feel again.
It was hard to imagine that Lukas was acknowledged as the better lover, but Frances knew the one time she had shared love with him had been a mistake, one he had fortunately forgiven her wholeheartedly.
But Dionysus' reputation might have been influenced by his godly arrogance and selfishness, which would have stood between between him and true mastery of the art of love, maybe his fall and consequent suffering had taught him something that had improved his empathy, something Lukas had always possessed.
Soon she couldn't think anymore, and this time they seemed to become one body as they indulged in lusts long neglected, though never forgotten.
This time, he was exhausted afterwards, he had not held back in the slightest, and his chest heaved and he couldn't move for a few moments, a thing that worried Frances but delighted John.
Past Lives Page 45
