Past Lives

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  She had been perfectly satisfied to stay with him for the six months Lukas had been out of her life, and she had answered the call for help straight from her marital home. Realizing her love for Lukas was much stronger than his for her hadn't even crushed her, she thought of her husband's devotion to herself and decided to amuse herself with a skilled lover whilst she was here, then go back home to Hephaistos' burning love.

  But of course she had already developed some love for the man who had transformed from Dionysus, and she would not use him casually, especially not since she now knew he was her half-brother and had always been in danger of persecution by Hera.

  She would amuse herself, but she would do him some good, too, help him find his confidence back, whilst staying clean and preferably sober, no worries there, for he drank some wine, but just a tiny bit, savouring every sip as he savoured his food these days.

  John was surprising himself with his own behaviour, what had Aphrodite done to him? He felt like a horny teenager again, wanting to impress the most beautiful girl in the village.

  He had been very good at that, even before he got his Gift. Somehow, women liked him, had liked him when he was arrogant and boorish and yes, more than slightly grubby. The remembrance caused him to shiver, the state of his privates then, he just didn't care, he was always drunk. The girls would have him anyway.

  But now he was modest and clean, and he might not be handsome anymore, he wasn't dangerously skinny either, there was some meat on him, and even some muscle. He had loved only Frances and Lukas in his time here, hadn't felt the need to share, his life was good as it was.

  But to prove himself to the goddess of love, to touch that gorgeous body in heat, have her touch him, intimately, it did stir some of his old feelings, and he flirted with her outrageously and didn't even feel ashamed for doing it.

  During dinner, she was stroking him in places, secretly, when she could have done it openly, but that was much less stimulating. It worked, for he felt heated and his body throbbed with anticipation.

  To feel such shameless lust again! To be desired, even for a night!

  Paul and Lukas washed up, of course, and until they returned, and some time afterwards, Aphrodite examined Melissa's belly, and told her what to expect. Of course she had asked her mother and sisters, but they were not very forthcoming.

  Frances had been of some help, and Ilsa had talked to some of the women who worked at the wool-factory and shared the information.

  But Aphrodite knew much more, she had centuries of experience, and the same thorough knowledge Lukas had of the body, only honed for countless years.

  'How is your friend, did she deliver her baby already?' the goddess asked.

  'They expected it a week ago, but it still hasn't shown itself,' Melissa replied.

  Aphrodite nodded, and said: 'That often happens, it is not usually a problem. Would they be pleased if Paul took me to their home to check her out, say tomorrow?'

  'I am certain they would appreciate it very much, they are starting to get a little worried,' Melissa knew.

  They talked on, about the things a baby would need, and the things

  Melissa herself would need to take care of her body the weeks after the delivery, so the fever wouldn't get her.

  Fortunately the guys were listening too, even to Paul it was starting to become more real now, Melissa was so big she seemed fit to burst, and sometimes her belly just rippled with their son trying to stretch his limbs inside her.

  'Clearly Lukas' child,' Paul observed, 'he has trouble sitting still as well.'

  Despite such dry talk on the least titillating subject ever, John still found himself rather heated, a pleasant sensation, for he knew it would be indulged tonight, and the anticipation was nearly as much fun as the deed itself.

  But even baby-talk had its limits, and when Aphrodite sat next to him and kissed him greedily, right in front of everyone, he knew the time had come.

  He let himself be led up the stairs like an obedient child, but once the door had closed behind them he turned on her and kissed her at least as passionately as she had kissed him.

  His hands stroked her firm body with her dress still between him and her bare skin. Then he led her up another flight of stairs, and showed her into the apartment. Planning to start in the shower, he loosened the sash holding her dress together, as she started on the rows of buttons of his shirt, a very smart, fashionable thing that looked really good on him.

  His clothes took a lot longer to remove, but he was well-occupied feeling her bare skin, and smelling her enticing scent. She was just perfect, and he realized he wasn't, but she didn't seem to mind.

  They kissed and fondled, and instead of to the bed he led her to the shower. He opened the tap, and she was stunned by the convenience of it.

  They stood in the warm flow of the water, and continued their fondling, now starting on the parts of their body newly revealed.

  Aphrodite noted that John was much better endowed than his body-size promised, and she liked the idea, though she knew he was so skilled it would probably not have made much difference. Not a single complaint about his prowess had ever reached her, and gods gossiped a lot.

  Filled with anticipation, she felt his hands stroke her breasts, and his mouth enveloped the nipple and sucked with force, once, twice, sending a flash of heat all through her body.

  She stroked his soft, slightly loose skin with heat, dripping wet, and he kneeled in front of her and spread her labia with a very special touch that had her shivering even before he had touched any sensitive part they protected.

  Then his tongue touched her, and together with his way of holding her open, she felt such bliss that she nearly fell. He caught her expertly, stronger than he looked of course, he was a god, even here, and helped her to lie on the floor of the shower.

  He continued what he was doing, massaging certain places that heightened the experience, licking her with passion, showing such intense joy at taking her to a climax that she felt coming long before it hit her with explosive force.

  And then he turned off the shower and handed her a towel, apologizing:

  'I'm sorry, but the water will turn cold in a minute, the boiler is empty.'

  He dried her very carefully, and she returned the favour, admiring the pliant muscle he had everywhere, so much more subtle than that on Lukas, or her husband, and so much softer and sleeker.

  Drying between his legs, she enveloped his erected manhood with her mouth, giving him a tiny taste of what was yet to come. Now it was his turn to buckle, and she let him go and together they hit the bed.

  Once there she continued what she was doing, and he worked himself around and between her legs again, venting his rising excitement on her.

  He did not seem afraid she'd let him climax too soon, and that surprised her until she remembered he had shared with Lukas. He undoubtedly knew her special tricks, and counted on her expertise.

  Meanwhile, she felt another high take over her senses, and a heartfelt moan escaped her, the release was so intense.

  Most men would have been eager to thrust by now, but John remained very patient, enjoying her ministrations, bringing her to rising bliss again. But now she wanted to have him inside her, she wanted him to exhaust himself to please her, and he understood immediately.

  Small though he was, he was very agile, and he reached places inside her that only Lukas had ever been able to let her feel. His stomach touched her in a very stimulating way as well, and she guessed that when he was still fat, this would have been one of the best sensations ever.

  But even with a decidedly slimmer stomach it felt great, and she panted in extreme lust. This time the climax came and went quickly and explosively, leaving a lingering tingling behind that he exploited by speeding up, in total abandonment now.

  In the throes of lust he looked like a predator, and she surrendered to him totally, he was a different man, size didn't matter anymore, he rode her with

  energy, and she shudder
ed under him. He managed to get one more climax out of her before he had a shuddering release himself.

  She wanted him to crash on her, as Lukas always did, to hold his heaving body close and smell his scent, but he didn't. He caught himself on his own arms as if he was many times her own weight, oh, right.

  'Let go, let me feel your body,' she whispered, and he realized he was no longer likely to crush his lover and let his body rest on hers.

  She held him very tightly, actually moved by the feelings he had evoked in her, feeling his sweating, heaving body with relish, smelling almost no scent on his skin besides a faint soapy smell. He was truly fastidious. She must have leaked that thought, for he replied to her unspoken question: 'A remnant of my youth on the run: a strong smell can give you away. I lost it when I felt powerful, quite the opposite, I became grubby to flaunt it, but living in the streets of London took my feeling of safety so now I keep myself odourless again. If you want to savour me, I can skip the soap tomorrow, I won't let myself go grubby again but I can manage to do without the soap.'

  She actually wanted to smell him, yes. And she liked how he just assumed she'd want to share his bed again, it was a tiny bit of his old self returning, to spice up the new man just enough to make him truly irresistible

  'I'd like that, yes, I love smelling my lover's own scent. Thank you for your loving, everyone was right, you are very good. Not just skilled, there is more to you. I can't wait to get more.'

  Again, that tiny bit of self-assurance, was it even a hint of arrogance?

  'Then why wait?'

  Since Aphrodite couldn't think of a reason either, she got more immediately, and it was just as good. And this time he did crash on her, and that was even better.

  Sated, they let themselves drift off to sleep, until they heard a ringing voice in their minds, saying: 'I don't want to spoil your fun, but there is someone in the cellar who was not invited. I've told Paul before it is foolish to put shields on your house that can stop a demon, and then keep a portal in your cellar.'

  Chapter 31

  They were awake instantly, no idea what the voice was, but drilled in suspicion as a survival instinct. Without donning a single layer of clothing, they went down the stairs as one, the closeness of their loving still with them.

  On the lovely cast iron stairs in Paul's apartment, they met Melissa, also undressed, and totally unaware of that fact. She was stunning with her huge belly, but her look was worried.

  She called after them: 'Paul and Lukas are already down there, armed, but if it's Hera, I fear for their lives. Better hurry. The voice is such as can be trusted.'

  'I don't understand,' Aphrodite said as they almost ran towards the cellar,

  'I sealed that portal against her, how could she break that seal from outside?'

  John answered: 'I don't think she could, she's not that powerful, or she'd have gotten me a long, long time ago. Her strength lies in her subtlety and her connections. Maybe she sent someone to get me.'

  The door to the cellar was open, and as they stormed down the stairs, power at the ready, they nearly tripped over Paul, who was sitting on the bottom step with a sword at his feet and his face in his hands. Aphrodite passed him by, determined to come to Lukas' aid, but John halted and touched Paul's shoulder, there had been no sounds of blows being exchanged, nor had he felt the signs of a battle of magic.

  As Paul looked up, John could see he was physically fine, but had been struck a serious mental blow. Paul's face was white as a sheet, and his eyes were haunted.

  John looked his question and Paul replied, in a whisper: 'There is no danger, just a shadow from my worst nightmare. Lukas is with her. You go too.'

  'Aphrodite can handle her, whoever she may be,' John spoke with concern, what could reduce strong, bossy Paul to a broken whisper? The truth struck him like a hammer, and he realized he really did need to face whoever was down there.

  'You call for Melissa, Paul, you need her.'

  His face lightened, and with a clearer voice he said: 'Thanks John, I should have thought of that myself.

  I'm a bit better already, I'll go hug my wife, put on some clothes and get some food and drink on the table. There is much to talk about. It was just the shock, you know, Lukas took the pain away months ago.'

  He was standing and up the stairs in a second, sword in hand now, then in the doorway he turned around and observed: 'You're in for a shock, too, John, but not from your worst nightmare. Go! I'll see you later.'

  And he was off.

  There were still no sounds of conflict coming up the stairs, so John did not gather power again. Whatever did Paul mean with him being in for a shock? He knew who was there, didn't he? It would be incredibly hard to face her, but it would be a blessing, too. He was glad he'd let Aphrodite take those horrid memories Hera had sent him, or he'd be useless right now. But he was also glad he had them, for he would need them to face his niece.

  A scene unfolded in front of him, in the small, dark space filled with people.

  Lukas was also naked, and he was talking to John's niece, a young woman wearing a face he knew well, but with haunted eyes. Her body showed no visible signs of the horrors that had been inflicted on her. She wore a simple, short dress and was clearly cold in the London May-night.

  Aphrodite held the girl's hand and listened to Lukas' conversation with her.

  So far, nothing he didn't expect, and nothing to fear besides facing his own misdeeds towards his niece.

  But as he stepped off the stairs into the cellar, feeling himself shrinking, becoming even smaller than he already was, a figure stepped out of the shade behind Rhoda and stood in front of him, and he felt his legs lose their strength and his breathing falter. There was nothing to hold on to for support, and he fell.

  A hesitant voice spoke: 'Is that you, Master? Are you all right? Please talk to me, tell me you're all right.'

  He heard his own voice say: 'I'm fine, Hailee, I just never expected to see you again.'

  'I couldn't get on with my life until I knew what had happened with you. I couldn't find out where you were, until Rhoda came to me for help. I'm sorry,

  Master, I'm forgetting myself.'

  And she prostrated herself before him, he had just managed to get his legs to carry him again, when the girl he loved, whom he wanted to raise vines and children with, fell at his feet and laid there, waiting for him to speak.

  But he couldn't speak, he just froze in horror, had he really expected that of his worshippers, that they grovel in the dust?

  He thought she truly loved him, as a woman loves a man, but all this time she had just adored him as her god. His hopes and dreams were crushed, but he couldn't leave her lying there, it was demeaning. John held out his hand to her, and as she took it hesitantly, he felt a shudder of passion at her touch.

  But he merely pulled her back up, saying: 'I'm not your master anymore, Hailee, I fell deeper than you can imagine, and now I'm just John. I'm touched you looked for me, I've thought of you often, hoped you didn't despise me too much for what I did.'

  'How could I despise you, Ma..John, I loved you. I still do, I'll do anything for you.'

  John was devastated, the girl he had been dreaming of, who had kept him going in his worst moments, huddled into a ball in a feeble effort to stave off cold and hunger, being ravaged by a rough sailor, calloused hand holding him by his hair as pain racked his emaciated body, nursing cuts and bruises, even broken ribs after the latest beating, he had truly believed that somewhere, a girl loved him for who he was. And now she grovelled for him and called him master?

  He had to swallow tears and even some nausea. Had he been so much mistaken?

  But she had argued with him, shouted at him even, when he had allowed Ishtar in his court. She had had plenty will of her own then. And she had been concerned for him when he was struck by the recoil of his spell being broken.

  Had she only feared to lose her god?

  Seeing him unable to hide his disappointment, Hai
lee interpreted it totally differently, she thought he had been hurt beyond happiness by his punishment, and tried to soothe him by behaving as he had wanted her to in his former life.

  For despite being her own woman, and feeling a very intense personal love for her god, she had been raised to worship him and she knew his stature as a god was important to him, so she observed the usual ceremony in dealing

  with him, especially in front of other people, especially in front of Aphrodite, whom he had always felt inferior too, and in front of Lykos, whose sudden rise to eminence must hurt him to the quick.

  And his humble attitude just strengthened her will to build him up, to show him her own deference to make him feel better, to give him the unconditional love he was due as her ruler and god.

  And when they found themselves alone sometime soon, she would tell him the reason she had been looking for him so ceaselessly, she would confess to him that she loved him beyond worship, loved him as a woman loves a man, loved his quirky character and sweet, generous nature much better than his skills to please a woman and his ability to host a smashing party.

  For she had reason to believe she meant something more to him as well, he had often singled her out to stay with him at night when the other girls were dismissed, he had confided his hopes and fears to her, he had tolerated her critique of him when he let himself be taken in by that ominous foreign hag.

  Had she imagined all that, was she nothing more to him than any other worshipper, an unpleasant reminder of a time when he had eminence? He looked so beat in the company of his peers, were they the reason he was unhappy? She had always liked Lykos when he was still mortal and subject to Dionysus, and she really thought Lykos loved his master as much as Hailee did, she couldn't imagine him bringing her master down to this.

  But of course Lykos had risen to a much higher status since then, coming into his powers, gaining a lot of worshippers, getting noticed by his father and his aunt. And of course there was the abominable thing her master had done to him.