by elda lore
“I don’t understand,” I yelled over the wind.
“He needed to think he would lose you in order to realize he wanted you.”
“I don’t need you to trick him, like you did Cash,” I snapped.
“No tricking, just guiding. Charlie needed some direction. He needed hope. Hope that you could love him. That he could love again.”
I disagreed. Charlie and I had come together on our own. Instant attraction turned to passion. I couldn’t get enough of him, but I distanced him for his safety. He needed to move forward in life. He needed…hope.
I slowed to a stop, lingering in our retreat from the mountain. Turning back, I expected to harden to a pillar of salt, and then blow away in the wind. But knowing I was made of stronger stuff than that, I stared off into the distance, hoping myself that I’d given Charlie peace. That he could see today and the future, without beating himself up for the past.
“How is any of this a message for me?” I spoke into the emptiness before me, but a voice replied in return.
“He loves you,” the air answered, and I stood still to marvel at the sun. How daunting, to wish the impossible true. Could a human love an immortal? How many centuries had it occurred? Love for me—impossible. Yet, a smile curled my lips, and a lightness filled my heart.
“If he loves me, why am I here without him?” I asked of no one. Harper was gone. Had she intervened or guided me? I worried that Charlie was some strange part of Destiny, my destiny, in which my love was the forgiveness he needed. The forgiveness I gave to Ben instead. My heart skipped a beat. I knew where my mission needed to take me.
+ + +
Hades’ Den had only been the precursor for a darker place, a place I no longer visited on the regular as another god had been assigned that course. But this message could only be collected by me and released from its burdened bearer. I walked through the dark valley, the stench of death present as I followed the river entrance. Inside the cavernous underground, the shores filled with those awaiting assessment. Would heaven or hell be their punishment?
Wandering the quiet crowds, I found whom I needed.
“Hensley Conrad,” I addressed the blonde beauty attached to Ben Mitchell’s hand. In death, they’d been joined as one, despite their treachery on earth. She had deceived Charlie Riordan. Ben Mitchell had used me. Both belonged to one another, and it appeared death was their true union.
“Iris,” Ben choked out at the sight of me. His blue eyes blinked with amazement. “Are you dead?” My skin was still intact. My heart still beat fully. I shook my head in response.
“You know her,” Henny scoffed, eyes roaming the length of my body and focusing on the colorful tattoo sleeve gracing one of my arms.
“Yes,” Ben sighed, eying me suspiciously. “How can you be here?”
“It no longer matters. I’m here to speak to Henny about someone she knew. Charlie Riordan.”
Henny gasped. Shaky fingers covered her tight lips, and I wondered what Riordan ever saw in her. She was beautiful, but she was nothing like someone I’d expect Charlie to settle with.
“Did something happen to Charlie?” She released Ben and stepped toward me. Not allowed to touch in this domain, I pitched back on my heels.
“He needs your forgiveness.” Henny’s brow pinched.
“Forgive him?” she snapped. “He killed us. He took Ben’s heart. He…” She paused, eying me once again. “Why does he deserve my forgiveness?”
“He’s suffered enough. You aren’t exactly innocent. Set him free.”
“He told you,” Henny snipped, questioning Charlie’s truthfulness. “Did he mention he was an alcoholic and nothing satisfied him, not even me?” I held in my own gasp, not willing to play into her drama. I knew enough about Charlie to realize he was penitent for his drinking, admitting his sorrow over his life’s course. He hadn’t been happy. It wasn’t an excuse, but it was his reality. He wasn’t living who he needed to be. And he wasn’t who he was before.
I could see that Henny Conrad was a slightly cold woman, and forgiving Charlie was not part of her penance. I couldn’t help her move forward, and she couldn’t go back in time. If she didn’t release Charlie, he’d have to accept himself.
“I see I’ve made a mistake in hoping you would help him.” Turning on my heels, I quickly walked away and followed the river out of the underworld, feeling my mission still unfulfilled.
16
Riordan
Three days since Iris’ absence, and time passed slowly. I questioned Violet, but she simply responded that Iris would return when she was ready. Iris’ home remained vacant. She wasn’t avoiding me—she was gone.
It rained those three unbearably long days. Buckets of rainfall made small rivers of the avenues running along the main strip. Puddles filled the streets, and the paradise island reminded me of England in March—dreary and damp.
I’d left Iris my letter, hoping she’d return to the spot she vacated her car, only the next day it was parked outside her home. Violet said she’d gotten a message to pick it up from the mountain top, and my shoulders sagged at the thought Iris hadn’t contacted me. She’d said her good-bye at the viewing center, but the haunting sound of the wind—watch for me—kept me hopeful she’d return.
On the third day, just before evening, the rain seemed to sputter. The clouds dripped with heavy drops, and the steady stream of water from the sky stopped. The sun broke through the gray darkness, and I stood on the ocean’s edge, across the street from Indigo Ink. It was the same spot where Iris came to me, and I confessed my history. It felt like a lifetime ago instead of less than a week. Raising my face to the sun, the subtle heat warmed me, and I closed my eyes to the glow despite not seeing it for days.
“Come home, Iris,” I mouthed to the heavens, feeling ridiculous in my request, yet praying she’d hear me. I’m being silly, I thought. Iris wasn’t a mind reader. She was something otherworldly. She’d told me—no, warned me—but I didn’t care. I wanted her. However, I could have her.
“There’s a rainbow,” someone to my right said, and my eyes sprang open. A perfect arch from heaven to island vibrantly glistened against the backdrop of the deep clouds, each color more vivid than the others. A perfect display of Roy G. Biv: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. It seemed childish to recall, but there she was, part of the rainbow like she said. Indigo Ink. It was written in the heavens, literally. I took in a slow breath as I followed the curve of that colorful streak, and tried not to think of the supple waves and peaks of her naked body. My heart raced inside my chest, and for the first time, I felt like it belonged to me. Actually, it belonged to Iris. It beat for her while it beat inside me.
The community concert hall was stifling, just as it had been the night I met Iris. I tugged at my collar while I waited for the first toot of my brother’s horn. He’d convinced me again to attend a choir concert.
“It will take your mind off her,” he offered softly, not understanding any more than me what happened to Iris on that mountain top. “You can even wear what you want,” he teased. It was his silent approval—he’d let me be me. I finally told him everything. Henny’s betrayal. My guilt. And my feelings of unworthiness compared to him. Cash reached for me after I poured my heart out.
“I had no idea,” he whispered as he hugged me. Pushing back, he stared at my chest. “You were always stronger than you thought, Charlie. A new heart or not, you’re still you.”
“If you say you love me next, in some weird voice, I’m disowning you as a brother.” My sarcasm teased, but it warned as well. Overly emotional at admitting my feelings, I didn’t want us to turn into two sappy brothers.
So, I sat in an uncomfortable folding chair, feeling lighter than ever at heart, but still sweltering in the heat of the community center. My T-shirt wasn’t light enough, but it showed off my ink—dark, black, and beautiful. I’d added my first strip of color—a stream of rainbow wove over and around symbols representing me. I wanted to wear Iri
s on me if I couldn’t hold her in my arms. I stared at my new addition, only vaguely sensing someone sitting in the seat next to mine. The subtle scrape of metal legs on tile pulled my gaze.
“Hello,” she whispered. I blinked in disbelief. I wanted to breathe in that word and hold it inside like it was the oxygen that sustained me. She looked tired but radiant, and I didn’t understand how someone could be so breathtakingly beautiful. She wiped her hands down her hips, covered in a form-fitting dress devoid of color. Her skin was the box of Crayolas. My mouth watered to taste her, inhale her fragrance, and devour every inch of her. Kissing Iris was the greatest pleasure.
“My name is Iris,” she said, extending her hand, and I stared at her delicate fingers, fingers that caressed my body and traced my skin. I hadn’t responded, and she lowered her hand.
“I got your letter.” She turned for her bag and removed a purple, creased paper. Silence filled the space between us. I forgot to breathe again. I had the letter memorized, and I watched those vibrant violet eyes as she scanned my words.
Dear Iris,
I write to you, not searching for advice but giving it instead. I’m not an expert in the area of love, but I do know this: the heart knows what it wants. Take a chance on me. Let me be your rainbow, your promise of color, and rid me of my darkness.
All my love,
Black & White and every color in between
Her plum-colored lips curved slightly. Her eyes glanced up at me and quickly shifted back to the letter. Pulling it to her chest, it crinkled against two supple breasts, and I was jealous of a piece of paper. A horn blew. A voice hummed. The choir sang, but all I could hear was the thumping of my heart.
“Come outside with me,” I asked, hitching a thumb in the direction of the door. She nodded before she stood and we excused ourselves through the aisle. I pushed open the community center door and stared up at the sky. The rain had returned in a subtle mist. “Let’s take a walk.”
“It’s raining.” She held up a palm as if to prove her point. “Do you want to hoppipolla?” she teased.
“Whatever that means, yes. I want to hop all over you,” I chuckled, stepping forward, reaching for her wrists, and absorbing the warmth of her skin. She’d been touched by sunshine.
“Charlie…” she began.
“Come get hoppipolla with me,” I winked.
She laughed. “That’s a verb. It means hop in puddles.”
I nodded slowly as I tugged her forward.
“Dance with me, instead?” I asked, and her breath hitched.
“Dance in the rain?” she question-whispered, her eyes searching my face.
“It can’t always be sunshine and rainbows. Let’s dance in the rain and make the bad weather beautiful, too.” With a hand still wrapped around her wrist, I gently tugged her against me. We stood under gentle raindrops, like happy tears of joy.
“There’s no music,” she muttered, blinking up at me. The concert was drowned out by the soft tapping of rain on the rooftop.
“We’ll let the rain be our song. It’s singing to us.” Pressing her tighter, I enveloped her, with an arm around her lower back and a hand at the nape of her neck. A part of me I couldn’t control when she was near brushed against her abdomen, and my hips swayed, forcing her to follow my lead. Slowly, she smiled, and then she laughed, a full-on trill that accelerated my heart rate. Her laughter splattered like the rain and filled me with happiness.
“You could make sunshine from anything.” This bright girl could light up my darkest days. I spun us slowly as the tender rain drizzled over her hair and down her cheeks. I swiped at the wetness with my thumb, realizing teardrops were mixed with the moisture.
“Don’t be sad, Angel,” I whispered, my lips leaning for hers, but not ready to take if she didn’t want to give.
“I’m not sad, Riordan. I’m over-the-rainbow happy,” she whispered before her mouth met mine. The connection was an instant explosion of color, bright and wild, and hungry for flavors not found in nature. Iris was a bounty, and I planned to eat her up, inch by colorful inch. Our mouths, starved, ravished one another as the rain kissed our hair and caressed our skin. Nothing mattered but Iris’ mouth on mine.
17
Iris
Charlie did the imprint. He had the matching motto on his own skin.
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
While I didn’t have a dark disposition, I had been weathering my time, moving from place to place, fulfilling my destiny as directed by the gods. However, I’d found a spot to stick in Maui, and Indigo Ink was the glue to hold me. And Charlie. He was everything else in life that fastens one thing to another.
“I won’t grow old, Charlie.”
“Then I’ll love you each day I do,” he replied, kissing up my neck as we fell on my couch after another day of work. I needed to get to Bottle Beach and collect letters. Charlie understood my devotion better, especially since he sent me his own.
“I’m serious, Charlie.”
“So am I. I’ll love you, all the days of my life.”
His name was on my lips, but suddenly so were his, and I couldn’t respond with my concerns. Charlie wiped them all clean. He accepted who I was, but refused to believe I could travel to the underworld.
“Don’t you want her forgiveness to move forward?” I had asked.
“I don’t need Henny to forgive me. I made mistakes. I’m human; that happens to us. I have to live with myself, and as long as you accept me, I accept me. Faults and all.”
I couldn’t find a single fault with Charlie. He was perfect, from his floppy hair, to his unusual mossy green eyes and his dark tattoos covering much of his body. His raincloud personae could be the backdrop to my rainbow any day, as long as he loved me.
“I’ll look for you,” he whispered, and I knew what he meant. He joked I was his pot of gold, but I told him that was in Irish legends and leprechauns were another kettle of myths. He found that hilarious, tackling me to the couch where his mouth poured kisses over every inch of me.
“I don’t think we have enough time,” I mumbled, knowing the excitement in me wouldn’t last long, despite my protest.
“Let me check the weather.” His hands wandered between my knees, caressing inside my thigh and finding the perfect spot to trigger a sigh. “Wet, damp, and willing. You know I like to dance in the rain. I say we have plenty of time.” My panties were removed, and two fingers slipped inside me. Panting his name instantly, I clenched around the pleasure he gave me.
“Not stormy enough,” he whispered. “Need to be closer.” His jeans were unbuckled, and he shimmied them down enough to release the heavy length of his excitement. He slipped off the couch.
“Iris,” he questioned, spreading my knees apart and tugging me to the edge of the cushion. Charlie knelt between my thighs.
“Yes, Charlie,” I affirmed as he slid into me.
“Rainbows and butterflies,” he muttered into my neck, causing me to giggle, but a thrust forward and my laughter died. A groan replaced the sound, and I crossed my ankles behind his back. He started to tease me with these words, as he learned more about my history. Throwing in some Maroon 5 lyrics, we had compromised. He could have me as many times as he wanted, and I’d still want more of him.
“I love you, Iris,” he moaned under my ear, filling me with the love he professed.
“I love you, Riordan.” I sighed with every pulse he drove inside me until I couldn’t hold back any longer. His name filled my home like a prayer before he filled me. Remaining inside me, Riordan collapsed over me, and we took several calming breaths. His heart beat rapidly as his chest pressed against mine.
“That heart belongs to me,” I whispered between our lowering breaths. “You are more than a vessel for it; you’re the keeper of it. The message is clear to me now, Charlie. You are my message. I love you.”
Turn the page
and get a glimpse of The Fall of War
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by A.L. Kessler
Book 4 in the Gods of Olympus Series
The Fall of War
How could it go so wrong? Pain wracked her body as blood soaked the ground under her. It was supposed to be a simple camping trip. Go camping, let the boys hunt, go home. Now…now she was dying in the woods.
“Casey?” A voice echoed through the woods.
There weren’t even supposed to be wolves in Colorado anymore. Leave it to her luck to find an injured one. She closed her eyes as the numbness took over her body. Yep. She was going to die here cold and alone…
Ares concentrated on his opponent. The man in front of him moved to the left, to the right, bouncing back and forth on his feet and keeping his guard high in front of his face. The god snorted. He could easily use his powers to knock this man out, but what was the fun in that? Not to mention, thanks to the curse and being in the mortal world, any use of his powers drained some of his energy. Ares shot forward, heading in with a jab to the stomach, followed by an uppercut.
A shrill whistle went through the air and Ares snarled. His wolves knew better than to interrupt his sparring time. His opponent backed down instantly, and Ares dropped his guard before turning towards his second-in-command. “What, Julia?”
The tall blond woman stood straight and proud, not even a little hesitant about interrupting him. “One of our wolves was injured two nights ago by another wolf.”
He paused at that. “Do we know who?”
“We’re pretty sure it was a member of the Muddy Creek pack.”