Caitlin Goddess of Peace

by Debbie Behan

  He sighed. ‘Don’t worry, your virginity is safe with me, I would never force you, Caitlin. If I were ever to win a woman like you, I would want to do it fair and square.’ He let her go. ‘If you want me, I must let you come to me.’ He tied the towel back around her exposed body. She stood unmoving, stunned. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you, but you can’t blame a guy for trying.’ His voice was seductive, alluring. Not having her respond, he strode out of the room, leaving her shaken and unsure of what just happened.

  Had she wanted him too? Unsure about anything at the minute Caitlin sucked back the desire to crouch down and cry. With strength that came from within, she envisaged calm as taught by Rory and with composure finished drying her hair while working out how to face him. He walks on the side of evil, of course he would fight a little dirty to get me to make love with him. Even though she felt no influence of the inner voice that usually spoke to her, she had learned much from her; all but how to control the essence that exuded from her when around evil. This she felt was the reason for him wanting her. She cursed the male-attracting gift. As Woody had warned, the sweetness might drive a powerful individual to want, even demand sex. She felt a pang of guilt for Calyx acting this way.

  Her nerves in control and now dressed in the undergarments and bathrobe, her courage returned and she came out to retrieve the evening dress and shoes. The tilted head, not looking directly at her, and the flatness in his eyes, showed she had battered his ego which made her decide to give him time-out. Carrying her dress, Caitlin went back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. The outfit was a perfect fit. He has good taste.

  Her mood improved and, now willing to tackle Calyx head on, she came out to face him. ‘I’m sorry…’ He didn’t look up so she sat on the end of the bed and continued. ‘I don’t fully understand the male desire or this inner fragrance of mine. I guess being around it too much, must drive a man to strange lengths if you thought me sexy.’ She gave a shy grin. ‘So, I have a proposal I think might cheer you up.’

  He eyed her now with amusement.

  ‘What about if I go and entertain myself downstairs on the tables while you organise a woman to come up here and visit you for a while?’ Her offer was sincere and her tone painfully kind.

  He shook his head. Did she not have a breaking point? ‘Even after I try to force myself on you and scare the life out of you, and honestly, you should be slapping my face about now, you apologise as if it’s your fault and try to give me a solution to my selfish behaviour. Are you sure you’re not a saint, Caitlin Warner?’

  She frowned. ‘You have been so perfect. I don’t ever want to be the one to make you look sad. Yet I have, this is my doing, and you know it. My stupid smell is spoiling everything.’

  He breathed out a sigh, got up, walked over to the bed and slumped down beside her. ‘You’re not spoiling anything.’ His tone was calm as he wiped the small tear shed for not being able to make him as happy as he made her. ‘Thank you for the offer to relieve my anguish, but no other woman is of any interest to me while I have you. To be perfectly honest, you’re right, you are driving me insane with your love potion, but I can control myself and promise to leave you alone if you also promise never to go off on your own. It would be more of an insult if you preferred to be somewhere else other than with me.’

  Her hand slipped shyly into his. ‘There’s nowhere, or no person, I would sooner be with right now than with you either. I was just trying to give you an out for a while if you needed a break.’ Her words were sincere and just what he needed to hear.

  ‘You’re not like anyone I have ever met, Cait. Come on, let’s get the hell out of here and have some fun.’ He stood up, and smiled warmly as he put out his hand and she wrapped her delicate fingers around his.

  Caitlin’s smile at that moment he would never forget. She was back in high spirits, and it was he who had made that happen. By taking his hand, she trusted him again, and it was him she chose, to take her on their next adventure.

  * * * *

  In the limo, Calyx pointed out the different landmarks of interest as they drove toward a grand hotel that resembled a castle. The modern-day kingdom transported her into a forgotten land; it was very charming, as was the man on her arm. He showered her with lovely compliments about the way she looked, held her hand through most of the meal and laughed with her during the live show. Late that afternoon, they stepped onto the Desert Princess paddle steamer and took a tour of the picturesque Lake Mead. It was here, in the fresh air with her cheeks flushed, that he held her and had to use all his might not to kiss those incredibly pink lips.

  Back at the casino, he could tell she was tired but could see only disaster if he took her to the room the way he was feeling. His plan was for her to be so tired that she would give herself freely. He wanted this woman badly, and by night’s end, he would have his way. Once his, the plan was to turn her evil… or kill her. He hadn’t yet decided.

  ‘Feel up to a flutter with me?’ He pointed to the tables.

  ‘Poker, it’s one of my favourites. Do you play?’ she asked.

  ‘I can hold my own.’

  It was late in the evening before they returned to their room for a bit of downtime. Nervous about the money she carried, Caitlin handed it to Calyx to mind.

  ‘Well, aren’t you the lucky one. What are you going to do with your winnings?’ Calyx asked her as they lay on the bed laughing as he held the hundred dollar bills up high and let them fall. The cash floated around her.

  ‘Give it to you, of course, to pay you back for such a wonderful holiday.’ She turned to look at him as he rolled towards her. ‘That’s if it’s enough?’

  ‘You’ll do no such thing.’ He touched her nose and smiled. ‘I should pay you for being the perfect companion.’

  ‘Then I’ll ask them to give it to their favourite charity. I have no use for money.’

  ‘Isn’t there anything you think you would like? Car, jewellery, clothes, shoes?’

  She shook her head. ‘Axon has dressmakers come in and fit me out in designer clothes when I’m at home, and I have no use for jewellery up there as the magic of my ride removes it.’ She put her hand up and admired her ring. ‘This gets taken off before I ride as I’m scared I’ll lose it.’ Her expression was serious. ‘My friends and family are my precious treasures now… and I don’t need to buy them.’

  He moved some hair from her face, his eyes a little glazed. ‘How can I corrupt you if you won’t even take the money you have won fairly?’ He touched his hand on her eyes and put her to sleep. This was his time, and he needed to think. She clouded his mind, and he had no intentions of stopping out of polite courtesy this time. Once asleep, he pulled her in close to him and not realising how tired he was, he dozed too.

  When Caitlin woke, she heard the water running into the bath. ‘Come on little lady.’ He helped her into the bathroom, her tired body leaning up against him, her legs barely moving in time with his long strides.

  ‘I’m so tired.’ Her hand covered the yawn.

  ‘If you prefer you can shower with me. I’ll hold you up.’ He grinned roguishly at her.

  ‘I’m all right.’ Her hands fluttered and shooed him out to give her privacy while getting into the bath.

  Not giving up on his campaign to seduce her, he gave her a goblet of bubbly before he took a shower. The sound of her giggles when the bubbles tickled her nose stopped him, and he turned back around and sat on the side of the tub. ‘Well, if I can’t enjoy your love, at least let me enjoy your body. Let me wash your back.’ He moved her forward and ran the soapy sponge across her shoulders. Not one protest did he hear from her lips as he ran the soapy sponge gently down her back.

  It felt nice. Caitlin’s skin was so sensitive to anything at the moment and enjoying it so much she sighed and relaxed as he moved the soapy softness along each arm and down her back again.

  ‘You are
starting to weaken to my charms.’ It struck him that the more tired she became, the weaker her powers. ‘I’m breaking through aren’t I?’ he was murmuring, and she listened and could hear him, but his voice was sending her into another world, and as he said, she was weakening against his charms. Her mind had no other thought but pleasure, and even as he slipped into the bath behind her she had no other fears or thoughts but of him. Arms wrapped around her and she melted back into him, his seductive voice overpowering her body and soul.

  Calyx couldn’t believe it was finally happening. I have won. He continued to run the sponge over the woman in his arms while whispering sweetly close to her ear, nibbling the lobe and shuddered with joyous nervousness now he had caught his prey at last. This powerful woman was his, and he could barely breathe for fear of her snapping out of it and using her gift to pull from him.

  Caitlin could feel his naked body press against hers, and it felt so intense and inviting she had nothing left to resist the raw lust that built between them.

  Calyx turned her and laying her on top of him, in his arms, he finally did what he’d longed to do since they first met. He kissed those lips, he hungered for. The delicate and sweet response made his head spin, and his world turn upside down. Tears ran down his cheeks for the love he felt at that moment. What was he doing? He pulled back from her and got out the tub. Leaning in, he picked her delicate frame up in his arms and with lips on lips, carried Caitlin over to the bed. Reaching out, he snatched up the towel from the warming rack and holding it under her, laid the woman he had finally conquered, on the bed. Mine. He smiled as his hardness tightened. He had her on fire and watched her legs relax as she waited. He could see her needs were now just as great. He lowered his body on top of her, only moments away from feeling her moist loveliness, yet turmoil struck him like a brick to the head. He paused, holding his manhood from entering where it longed to be.

  ‘You’re an angel, and I fear if I take you now, I’ll never be able to let you go,’ he whispered hoarsely, as the need for her almost overpowered his strength to put a stop to it. The predicament he had them in used all his will to control.

  ‘My love,’ she whispered, and quivered delicately, wanting him desperately.

  ‘I can’t do it to you, Cait, it would destroy us both. My magic has fooled you into a lustful state, and once you come out from this trance, you’ll be devastated at what we did here. That’s because it’s not me that you love or think you are giving yourself to.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  Yes, he had tricked her, wanted to win, but it was she who in the end had won. Surprised by so much passion, it melted his very core, had every molecule alive and dreamily wishing he had won this kiss fair and square. But he hadn’t, knowing it was a stolen moment, not of her true giving. He slumped in desperation of love he knew would never be his as it belonged to another. He threw a rug around her.

  ‘Sleep Cait, and when you wake, you will think it was all just a dream, a vision of you with your handsome fiancé.’ Still heavily under his command, she closed her eyes.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Merciful Me

  Calyx held Caitlin in his arms, wishing desperately it was him she’d chosen. He was aware he didn’t deserve even her friendship for his treacherous attempt on her life just days before. He drove off the ancient goddess, believing it was her that was the temptress he had to destroy or be destroyed. Instead, it was Caitlin herself that was the one to bring him to his knees. The prophecy had forgotten to mention that to steal even one kiss would be his downfall. It threw his emotions into a state of despair, a deep lustrous magical moment they would never share again. If only he hadn’t caught that look; the one a father gives a daughter as he said goodbye. He’d reacted spitefully. He knew exactly who she was and he set in motion a plan to destroy the woman and the myth that surrounded her.

  Over the past two days, he’d used trickery against her protective magic to unlock her forbidden secret. For he had learned over their time together that to destroy her innocence would dampen her powers and help him destroy the powerful deity she had become. That, or be the one in command and have her devoted to him always. He had almost given up when he found the key, the weakness that he assumed to be a lack of sleep, or possibly love. Only a fool would think she loved me. He was sure the first reason to be more believable as he’d filled her so full of adventure and fun and had exhausted her. That had to be it! Yet the knowledge of how to beat the most powerful woman in the world came too late, for he was now so madly and deeply in love with her, his heart sang just to be near her. In the end, she defeated him. The battle was over. And I’m giving up.

  He quivered as he remembered holding her naked in his arms and kissing her. With no idea he was devious, she surrendered completely to him. Her kiss was so powerful it sent shockwaves right through his body. If he hadn’t had her under his spell, he would never have known the full extent of how much love she really carried. It gave him insight as to why Axon was so smitten and could see no other.

  If fate had only let me find her first, it might have been me she’d give her sweet self to. This was his punishment for putting the fear of god into her father, forcing him to lock her away for so many years. The tale continued of her as a little girl locked underground until Rory found her in her late teens. He knew now this was true. His eyes had filled as the story revealed her being an uneducated, frightened teenager. He found it hard to believe as it unfolded she’d had no schooling, no family, no life until Rory. Over the last couple of days, he had joked with her, laughed at her memory as if she had made up a tale for his enjoyment alone. Sadly, it was no tale. Fed scraps, left to fend alone, she only had enough light to see during the day. How cruel had he been, had they all been, his entire family who feared her. They made her existence hell while they searched to destroy her.

  A tear ran down his cheek. He knew she would come when they could not find her and did everything to prevent this one woman entering the universe. Now as he contemplated it all, an entire lifetime of magic didn’t stop what had been written, and he thanked the universe that was so. He thought of how he trembled carrying her to bed. He wanted her so badly he could barely breathe, but it was all wrong, he was wrong. He was petrified that even the little he had done so far may have spoilt this beautiful flower he nearly de-bloomed, and now he wrapped her up. Being unable to feel her softness would help him keep her innocence intact.

  He shook off his fear of what may have happened, thankful she was still Glow Girl, a princess amongst gods, and rolled away from her and reluctantly left her to sleep.

  In the chair, he viewed her behind the book he struggled to focus on, reading the first paragraph repeatedly without making sense of it. His heart was still over on that bed, his concentration on what his next move would be. If he could not have her for his own, he would instead, stand beside her and make sure only one man ever touched her. He would protect her until the end of time, and she never needed to know what a monster he almost was.

  When Caitlin woke, a blanket bound her arms and wiggling freed them. She felt energised, refreshed, although maybe a little fuzzy on how she got naked. She still trusted Calyx implicitly. He had proved to her over the past few days to be maybe a little flirty and overzealous at times, but a good man and she had grown to love him as she did Jett. They were of the same father, so felt it was natural for her to care deeply for them both.

  ‘Hi, sleepyhead.’ Calyx looked comfortable in the armchair, a book in his hand. His amusement showed as he watched her twist and squirm to get free of the blanket he’d secured her in. ‘I got you up for a bath, and you fell asleep in it, so I brought you back to bed.’

  Caitlin shook her head. ‘Really, I can’t remember having a bath. My memory is a little fuzzy although I can recall thinking Axon was here. I must have been dreaming.’ She gulped. ‘Um, the rest is private.’

  It pleased him her memory was
vague. ‘Well, I guess if you’re missing him that much and he is that real in your mind, I’d better take you back. I’ve kept you from him for far too long, and it’s definitely time we both went home.’

  Caitlin sat up, eyes wide, her alertness back now the magic he had used to keep her by his side had been removed. The last thing he really wanted to do was give her up, but the longer he drew it out, the harder it would be. It’s time I let her go.

  Caitlin reached for the t-shirt he left on the bed and, pulling it over her head, gasped, ‘I’m getting married in two days. Hells bells, I’ve not even tried on my wedding dress.’ Her hand slapped against her forehead, all the thoughts of pre-wedding jitters hitting at once. ‘Oh my god, I’m getting married.’ She scrambled to her feet and started jumping up and down on the bed with a mix of joy, fear and elation. Her little squeals of delight had Calyx on his feet feeling ever-emotional and wanting, now, only the best for her. The t-shirt was so big on her she tripped over the bottom of it and ended up in his arms. ‘And you have given me the best time ever. I so love you for that.’ Caitlin hugged him.

  He wasn’t expecting that reaction and put her on her feet. ‘Get in the shower and let’s get you home before you fall for the both of us.’

  ‘Silly.’ Caitlin looked back with a grin. ‘You can love more than one person, but you can only be in love with one.’ She put her hands in the air and spun around before skipping off happily.

  * * * *

  While he waited for her to ready herself for the trip home, he pondered what lay ahead, where to go from here. Neither Jett nor he could ever hurt her now. He was also helplessly committed to her. The war between their planets to bring Pluto back in line was still such a big need for his family. To have his brother back with them had been their only conscious thought for such a long time.

  He heard the shower turn off and Caitlin squeal. It was a joyous sound, not at all threatening, so he waited for her to come out, a towel wrapped around her middle and one around her head, face flushed and her eyes dancing with a thought she had.