by Brey Willows
“What’s above us right now? If we just popped to the surface?”
“About a mile of Pacific Ocean. Probably wouldn’t be a good idea to check it out.”
Dani smiled at her, and Meg’s heart raced in response. “Would you take me surfing one day?”
Dani glanced at her, clearly surprised. “Sure, if you wanted to. But I didn’t think it was really your thing.”
Meg thought about it. “I don’t know if it’s my thing or not. I admit, even though I’ve watched other people do it, I never wanted to try. Too much salt makes my feathers itch and my snakes shed. But I really like the thought of being out on the water with you.” Dani looked so serious Meg wondered if she’d overstepped somehow.
“Yeah. I’d like that. And if you don’t like it, we’ll put you on a boat instead.”
Meg laughed. “I love boats. There’s nothing like sunbathing out on the open ocean. There was this goddess, once, who owned a yacht she berthed in Morocco. Massive thing. The boat, not the goddess, obviously. We spent three months just cruising around the Med. I mean, I had to come and go because of work, but it was amazing downtime. She had a forked tongue, and oh my god, the things she could do with it.”
Dani laughed. “And how did that end?”
“You know, I’m not sure. I think she might have met someone in one of the countries we stopped in.” Meg thought back, trying to remember. “There weren’t any emotional ties or anything, you know, I just made my way home. I was living in France back then, and there were plenty of people willing to lower their knickers.” When Dani didn’t say anything, Meg realized she might have stepped in it. “I’m sorry. Does it make you uncomfortable when I talk about sex?”
Dani shook her head. “Definitely not. I like hearing about your life when I wasn’t around. You’re so passionate. So…everything.” The road began to ascend. “Did you ever have someone really special? Someone who stayed around for a while?”
The question had never bothered her before, but now it felt like a sewing needle pushed into her heart. “Not really. When I lived in Greece there was the occasional hero or queen, and with the world being small, it was easy to stay with one person for longer. But when we moved outside Greece and took on bigger roles, there was vast variety. Humans and gods both. There never seemed to be a need to cut myself off from that. And I can’t imagine loving a human the way my sisters do.”
“Why’s that?” Dani asked softly.
“Mortality. I mean, Selene and Kera are going to die, and my sisters have given everything they are to them. At least when you’re with the immortal set, you know there’s a chance they’ll stick around for a while.” Meg had never expressed that particular sentiment to anyone, and she felt guilty about it now. Her sisters would experience the kind of love she never would, and for them, it was worth it. But Meg knew she wouldn’t be able to handle that kind of attachment and loss. Change the subject. Move on. “Wow, you’re really glowing. You look like a firefly, except it’s your head all lit up instead of your butt.” Meg took in the beautiful sight. Dani was effervescent. Her pale skin looked like crystal in sunlight, and her eyes were… “I think you might be turning into a raccoon.”
Dani felt her face. “What does that mean? Am I getting a snout?”
Meg laughed. “That would be awesome, but no. Your eyes. Instead of their usual ghosty color you’ve gone all beat-up boxer. Or black holes.”
Dani closed her eyes and smiled. “There’s a festival going on in Mexico. Lots of skulls and such. They’re seeing me as a being dressed in all white with huge black eyes to represent the vacancy of death.”
She looked over, and Meg shivered. Dani’s power pulsed off her in sensual waves, and she had no idea how insanely hot she looked. She was struggling to find something to say when they suddenly moved into the sunlight and onto a road surrounded by an enormous rainforest. Ahead, a long waterfall fell from a gorgeous rugged mountaintop. From jades to emeralds to sages, the greens were offset by flowers that looked like the sun in physical form. Birds in every shape and size called from the trees, like something out of a child’s painting. Meg lifted up from her seat and breathed it all in, letting the warm sultry air flow through her wings. “I’m hungry. I hope we find them soon.”
“You’re always hungry. And I wonder why we haven’t seen them in so long?” Dani slowed to let an enormous multihued parrot languidly fly past.
Meg thought about it. “You know, it’s weird. We live forever, and you’d think we’d have the time to catch up with each other. But then five centuries go by, and you realize you haven’t gotten together. Imagine being human and how hard they must have to try to keep up with other humans?”
Dani flicked one of Meg’s loose feathers away from her face. “It means they have to decide who deserves their time. Though I can’t help but think many of them waste time on people and issues not worthy of it.”
They came to a fork in the road, and Dani turned left, heading higher into the mountains. “Just a guess, but I know they used to like looking out over the water.”
Meg stood on the seat and spread her wings, loving the feel of the tropical air on her feathers. She used to love it in her hair too, and now it felt just as good on her naked neck. She flapped her wings and rose into the air over the Mustang. She held on to the edge of the windshield and drifted in the wind like a kite flown by a kid on a bike. Dani looked up and laughed, and Meg started to laugh too. Acacia leaves brushed against her wings and flooded them with a salty sweet scent.
Meg stopped laughing and listened as she perched on the doorframe. “Hey, hear that?”
“Ukulele music.” Dani nodded and turned left at the next road. Within a mile, she stopped the car, and they stared.
“Well. That’s unexpected.” Meg settled back into the car but stayed standing on the seat as she looked down into a lush valley.
The hotel was varying shades of reds and oranges with what looked like a central hub in a long yellow column. A number of other buildings surrounded it, all shaped like gently curved flower petals. Long decks hugged each building, and a lazy river pool surrounded the yellow tower. In large, flowery script, a sign just ahead of them read Akua Paradaiso.
“God’s paradise?” Dani started driving again, heading for the resort. “Have you heard about this place?”
Meg craned to look around, feeling like she couldn’t possibly see everything she wanted to. “A resort for gods in a gorgeous Hawaiian island? Don’t you think I’d be just about living here if I had?”
Dani parked the car next to lots of other convertibles and motorcycles, and she gave Meg a puzzled look when she spotted a golf cart. “Really?”
Meg shrugged. “It’s a small island. Maybe it’s easier. Though it’s definitely not sexy.”
They walked toward the main building and several people waved and smiled. Meg could feel Dani’s discomfort and slid her hand into Dani’s. “What’s eating you, hottie?”
Dani smiled and shrugged slightly. “People aren’t usually friendly when I show up somewhere.”
Meg looked around. It was true. No one was flinching or turning away. “Hey, isn’t that Lakshmi?”
The goddess in question was lounging by the pool, a book in one hand, a drink in another, a fan in a third, and an ice cream cone in the fourth. On hearing Meg say her name, she looked up and waved her fan at them before going back to her book and ice cream.
“I wonder if the other Tridevi are here.” Dani looked as baffled as Meg felt. “I’ve heard rumors Kali is spending a lot of time with Hades these days.”
Meg made a sound of approval. “That would be explosive sex. They both have a liking for the whips and chains stuff. In fact, I heard—”
“Dani! And Megara. Aloha! Welcome to Akua Paradaiso. We haven’t had haole here in ages.” Lono, the Hawaiian god of peace and rain, raised his arms and motioned them forward.
He was muscular and short, his grin was wide and his eyes kind. His skin was the color of golden pe
cans and his eyes were jade green. He reminded Meg of the old earth gods of the Druids, looking as he did like a living piece of the forest around them. She returned his tight hug. “Lono, you look amazing. What is this place? And do you have anything to eat?”
He laughed and linked arms with her before turning to Dani and linking her as well. “We always have food for you, Justice. Let’s begin there.” He led them to a table beneath a beautiful awning covered in flowering ivy.
Meg nearly moaned at the sight of the spread before her. She grabbed a plate and piled it high, noticing that Dani, as usual, took a modest amount. “I don’t know how you can survive on so little food.”
“You do know we don’t actually need to eat, right? We’re just in the habit as much as the humans?”
Lono laughed and shook his head. “Pleasure is a necessary part of existence, and food brings much pleasure, beautiful chaperone.”
“Well said. See?” Meg took a huge bite of poi and pointed at Dani with a celery stick.
Dani took a bite of pineapple and laughed as the juice ran down her hand. “Chaperone? That’s a new one.”
“You lead the dead to their rightful places, do you not?”
Meg desperately wanted to lick the juice from Dani’s hand but refrained in light of their company. Focus. “I like it, and it goes with your new marketing plan.” She motioned around them with a carrot stick. “Tell us about this place.”
Lono sighed, and some of the joy left his smile. “As you know, we were worshipped until the eighteen hundreds. When the country turned to Christianity, we began to fade. In fact, we were some of the first modern gods to do so. We still had followers but not enough to sustain us. The Afterlife company hadn’t been started yet, so we had to figure it out ourselves. The old ways were dying, and we had a choice to make. Kane, Kanaloa, and I decided we wanted to give gods like us a place to go. Somewhere they could relax if they were still active, and a place to retire if they were pre-faders. It felt like pono: total balance. Once Afterlife got started, we were already settled here, and there was no reason to leave.”
Meg peered closely at Lono. “But you’ve still got your god glow.”
Lono sipped a glass of awa and offered some to Meg, who nodded. “More so lately, thanks to those of you at Afterlife who decided to walk among the humans again.” He relaxed back onto the lounger and motioned at the resort. “Even if we’re answering prayers again, we won’t give this up. Too many gods have come to depend on it, and in truth, we enjoy running it.”
Dani set aside her plate. “Why haven’t we heard about it? I mean, I couldn’t even find the road here at first. We thought you might have faded.”
Lono took Dani’s hand. “Darkness, those in the West forget about those of us who live between. Our islands are far from any mainland, and the old ways long forgotten. You go on with your lives as we go on with ours. You focus on what’s happening in front of you, understandably.”
“Why only the West?” Meg asked around a mouthful of salmon.
“Because the old Eastern religions have continued through the centuries, and their gods aren’t so different from us. We’ve asked that the gods who visit us here keep it to themselves so we can keep the resort a place to really chill out.” Lono handed Meg another coconut shell full of awa. “But you didn’t come for a lesson on ideologies.” He stood and stretched. “I’ll let Kanaloa know you’re here. But I hope you’ll still join us tonight as guests of honor. We’ll have a luau and sing some of the old songs. And you can tell us about life on the mainland.”
Dani nodded, and Meg jumped to her feet and gave him a tight hug. “I’m sorry we’ve been away so long. We’d love to come for dinner.”
He left, and Meg continued to eat, moving so she could see the different guests.
“How did he know?” Dani said softly.
“Know what?”
“Why we’re here. He’s sending Kanaloa, and I’m guessing that’s who you wanted me to talk to. But how did he know that?”
Meg shrugged and popped a strawberry in her mouth. The sweet juices coated her tongue and made her want to have sex. “Who knows? The Hawaiian gods aren’t as old as some, but they’re old enough. Maybe they’ve got extra-special powers because they live by volcanoes, like some kind of superhero kryptonite or something. Or maybe they just know stuff, like I do.”
Dani laughed and reached out to wipe a bit of food from Meg’s lip, making her shiver. “Yeah, maybe.”
Suddenly, someone leapt over the food table and picked Dani up in a bear hug, swinging her in a circle. “Dani! Make, it’s good to see you again.”
Kanaloa finally set Dani down, his beautiful cherry wood skin offsetting her pale skin like sun against snow. He turned to Meg and opened his arms. “Beautiful terror. It’s been far too long.”
She hugged him, and as she had long ago, liked the secure peace she found in his embrace. “It really has. I’m so sorry.”
He held her at arm’s length and studied her briefly before turning to Dani. “I think we’ve got a ton of things to talk about, old friends. Let’s go down to my place and catch up.”
They followed him to an area just beyond the tree line around the resort, where he stopped at a hole in the ground. “Jump in, and when you come up, we’ll be at my place.” He jumped in and disappeared. Dani followed, and Meg went in after, hoping her wings wouldn’t get stuck.
She seemed to fall for a short time, and when she emerged, the ocean lapped lazily before her, diamond studded by the sun. A simple beach house was nestled in a cove nearby, with a canoe bobbing at the edge of the jade water.
The easy beauty of it took Meg’s breath away and made her long for her childhood home in ancient Greece. She forced herself to pay attention, but when she did, she wondered if her heart could actually stop. Dani stood at the edge of the water, looking out at it as though she were pondering all of life’s mysteries. She looked so beautiful, so peaceful, it was painful in the way poets wrote about. Surreal and divine. It was a lot like the photo of Dani she’d put on the project file, but this moment she knew she’d never forget.
Kanaloa put a hand on her shoulder, but his focus was on Dani. “I’m glad you came to me. She needs this.”
Meg was about to ask what he meant and how he knew, but he shook his head.
“Later. For now, just enjoy.” He left her and headed toward the beach cottage.
Meg sat down in the fine, warm sand and closed her eyes. Still, she could see Dani looking contemplative. Her obsession with Dani was a first, and she wasn’t sure what to do about it. All she knew was that she was glad she had this time with her, whatever came of it. Her cell phone buzzed in her pocket, the “Hotel California” ringtone on silent.
“Hey, Sis. What’s shakin’ in the world of politics and weirdness?”
Tis sounded tired. “Weird is right. A group of underworld gods have created a coalition of sorts. They’re using the chaos caused by Dis to bring followers to them. It’s not a bad marketing ploy, frankly, and it is getting some of the more disturbed people settled down. But laws about religion and who people can pray to are already coming into effect in some of the countries where the gods have joined with governments. We’re expecting to see migrations on a massive scale soon.”
“Are people fighting back yet?” Meg had seen enough of history to know there were always people who stood their ground and refused to leave what they considered their homelands, even in the face of persecution.
“Not yet. I’m actually calling on Kera’s behalf. She was wondering if Dani has had any news on more group death scenes or more people without souls?”
Meg stood and fluffed her wings to get the sand out. She hated to disturb Dani, who looked more serene as she stared out at the ocean than Meg could ever remember seeing her. “Hey. Sorry to bug you. Since you don’t send out a newsletter, Kera wanted a dead and lost report.”
“Sure. Hold on a second.” Dani dug her toes into the sand and closed her eyes.
Meg could all but feel the energy pulsing off her and wondered for the zillionth time why she’d never noticed it before. Is it the goddess thing, or am I just finally paying attention? She put the cell on speaker so Tis could hear Dani’s response.
“Less. The bodies entirely without souls have slowed down quite a lot, but the deaths caused by general confusion are about the same. My department has had an influx of the in-between souls. But there don’t appear to be any unusual upheavals anywhere at the moment. Some of my staff are even taking vacations.” She reopened her eyes. “That’s good, right?”
There was a moment of silence on Tis’s side. “It feels like the edge of the storm. Like we can see it coming, but we just have to wait and see how big it is. We know she isn’t gone, and if she’s grown tired of messing with the smaller groups of believers and the war zones, she could be up to something bigger and worse.” She sighed. “We’re still trying to figure out our next move, but without knowing what her game plan is, we’re in the dark. Like you said, Meg, there’s nothing to really fight against yet.”
“You know how much I hate to say I told you so…” Meg grinned at Dani and wiggled her eyebrows.
“I’m pretty sure those were your first words.” They heard Zed’s rumbling in the background. “By the way, where are you guys? Meg, you feel strangely far away.”
“Hawaii. Did you know there’s a hotel just for gods to get away and relax? Can you imagine how much fun I’d have had here if I’d known?”
“Why do you think no one told you about it?” Tis laughed, sounding less stressed. “That island is deep in the in-between, no wonder I can’t really feel you. Say hey to Kane and Kanaloa for me. And try the Tropical Itch. It’s amazing. Love you, feather butt.”
“Love you too, chipped fang.” Meg hung up, trying not to show that Tis’s comment had hurt her feelings.
“You okay?” Dani asked, putting an arm around her.
