Her current look of total innocence didn’t do a thing to dissuade him of his opinion. He knew that look and it never boded well.
Appie crossed her perfect legs and smiled brightly at both of them. “So, what can I do to help?”
Rolling his eyes, Pan glared at his buddy, then shrugged like a man given no better choice. “I guess I better bring her up to speed.”
Moments later Appie stared at Pan, her complexion suspiciously pale. If Hep didn’t know better, he’d swear his little wife was far more disturbed by Pan’s revelations than she had a right to be. In fact, she was acting downright guilty. Of what, he couldn’t tell, but she sure seemed to be feeling responsible for more than just accidentally hitting someone with a bespelled arrow. At some point he was going to have to have a talk with his wife about her “little projects” as she called them. She shouldn’t be interfering so much in the affairs of men or gods.
“So she refused your suit of marriage because she doesn’t think she can trust that you love her? And it’s because of the arrow.” Aphrodite pulled a slender chain out of her pocket and played with the heart-shaped pendant it carried. “She believes that once the spell is broken you will no longer care about her, so she doesn’t want to marry you.”
“That’s basically it,” Pan said. In his face warred several emotions, anger, pride, and sorrow. Most of all Hep could see how much he really cared for his woman, even if it was inspired by a spell.
“There might be something I could do,” Aphrodite said slowly. “A way to convince Nina what you feel for each other can be trusted.”
To Hep’s surprise, Pan slid off the chair and onto his knees in front of the goddess’ chair. Limbs trembling, he stared down at the floor for an instant before seizing Appie’s hand and pulling it to his lips.
“Aphrodite, please. If there is something you can do, I’d be ever in your debt.” Pan’s voice shook with emotion. Hep, who’d thought he knew the god well, was astonished at the depth of his friend’s pain.
Appie looked distinctly uncomfortable, but she patted the back of Pan’s hand and when she spoke her voice was kind. “I’ll do what I can, Pan. I think I may have an argument Nina hasn’t heard already.” With a quick glance at Hep, she rose to her feet and headed for the door.
“Why don’t you give me an hour or so and then come find us?” She nodded her head at Pan’s half-empty mug of ale on the table. “You might also try and stay sober until you talk to her again. Too much ale isn’t good for a relationship.”
With a cheerful wave of her hand she left the room.
Hep clapped Pan on the shoulder. “Come on, buddy. The wife has one of those new espresso machines I’ve been eager to try out. That and some breakfast…” His voice trailed off as he ran an appraising gaze over Pan’s attire.
“We might also want to fix you up a little bit. I hear women like it when a man wears something besides a loincloth. If you’re going to propose to a woman, you might want to dress appropriately.”
Pan laughed for the first time since arriving. “You might have a point, my friend. And a strong cup of coffee sounds pretty good right now.”
Chapter Ten
Sultan: I’ll love you until the end of the Earth. You will be my morning and evening star, that which I guide my life by, and we will be together forever.
Scheherazade: Indeed, my lord, forever. And thus ends our story.
Temporarily blinded by tears, Nina dashed them from her eyes before striking the period terminating the last line. She took a moment to blow her nose before typing “The End”, but then she was done.
For an instant she sat in awe of what she had accomplished since Pan had left her that morning. It was like their fight had opened up a floodgate within her, and she’d known just what to write, just how the sultan and Scheherazade would have settled things between them. It was the last scene of her screenplay and the words had practically flown from her fingertips onto the screen.
She read through the scene one more time, catching what few mistakes there were before saving it onto the hard disk. She’d print it out and read it again later, before giving it to her actors to work on, but she knew it was good. No, it was better than good, it was exactly what she’d wanted it to be. And it had felt so fine to type the words “The End”.
Near giddy at her accomplishment, Nina grinned to herself. She’d actually done it…she, Nina, formerly known as Nemesis, had actually finished a screenplay all by herself. Part of her realized that she’d never be the same again.
Now she was an author. The magnitude of it was enough to take her breath away. Writing had been different this time. Never before had she felt the fire of composition during creation of her screenplay. This time she’d been aflame. She couldn’t type fast enough as she’d approached the final few pages.
And now it was done.
Nina closed up her machine and gave into a little victory dance around the garden. She was done, done, done! She wanted to laugh, to sing, to shout out her joy.
She wanted to drink champagne and eat rich chocolate!
No, even better. She wanted to fuck!
Some of her joy faded. Indeed, she did want to fuck. No, she wanted to make love— with Pan. Make love to him in their bed, in their bower, in their garden.
More to the point, she wanted Pan here to share her joy and take pride in her accomplishment. He’d been there for the beginning of her screenplay and had given her the tools to do it, the new computer, the inspiration, and even the statues to act it so she could work out the details in the script.
He’d been there in the beginning—he should be here now to celebrate the end. And he wasn’t because of their stupid fight.
With a sigh Nina settled back onto the chair. She’d been hoping Pan would return shortly after he left, but he hadn’t at all during the morning. The situation between them was as bizarre as it could get.
Pan, the consummate playboy, wanted to settle down with her and she was in love with him. His asking her to be his wife should have made her the happiest nymph on Olympus, but instead she was miserable.
For a moment she thought about reopening her computer and starting a new story, one based on her own life and Pan’s. It would make a good Greek tragedy.
Trouble was she only wanted to write sensual romances, where the hero got the girl in the end and they lived happily ever after. She couldn’t put her story into a book like that.
After all, she didn’t anticipate a happy ending for her and Pan.
From the front of the garden a musical chime sounded, the courtesy bell she’d insisted Pan install after she’d moved in. Too many of Pan’s friends had gotten into the habit of simply “dropping in” to visit him, sometime materializing at completely inopportune moments. The courtesy bell didn’t stop an incoming transport but it at least warned her when she was about to get company. Sometimes there was even enough time to get her clothes back on.
A sharp breeze slipped over the garden wall and slid past Nina, catching briefly in her hair before settling into a small whirlwind in the middle of the grass. Leaves from the nearby trees and loose flower petals were caught up in the tight column of air that swirled around into the form of a slender woman. They twisted and turned and then the wind abruptly died away.
Where the whirlwind had been now stood Aphrodite, her pale blue Grecian gown immaculate, with barely a blonde hair out of place, as beautiful as ever. She turned to face Nina with a smile of amusement on her perfect lips.
Nina took one glance at the jeans and seedy T-shirt she’d thrown on that morning and it was all she could to do to avoid groaning. For a moment she wondered if she’d remembered to brush her hair. She tried running her hand through the thick strands, only to hit a snag. Nope, she hadn’t.
The last person she wanted to see today was the goddess of love. The woman had been incessantly pleased by how she and Pan had taken to each other. She’d no doubt be thrilled to know that Pan had asked her to marry him, thinking that would vi
ndicate her little trick of shooting that arrow at them.
She would not be pleased to know that Nina had refused Pan, and displeased goddesses could be unpleasant people to be around.
Very unpleasant. Nina thought about the number of people she’d seen turned into beasts or inanimate objects as a result of Aphrodite’s wrath. Sometimes they were even made statues…
Nina took a quick glance over at the ones in the center of the garden. Who knew, maybe even those were people the goddess knew. But no, that couldn’t be. Pan had said that he’d gotten them directly from the sculptor.
Fortunately, the goddess was still smiling as if she knew a secret joke. Surely that was a good sign. Nina had figured Pan would go to visit Hep this morning, and probably tell the god about his woes. Maybe he hadn’t done so, or maybe Aphrodite hadn’t been there to hear about how Nina had rejected the god’s suit.
This might have nothing at all to do with Pan. Maybe there was a simple and innocent reason for the goddess visiting her this morning.
Like perhaps she wanted to borrow a cup of sugar?
Aphrodite folded her arms and gave Nina the benefit of her steady stare. Nina cringed. Somehow she didn’t think the goddess was looking for sugar.
“Aphrodite, what a surprise. I’m sorry the place is such a mess…” Nina looked around and for the first time realized that there was a bit of disarray in the garden. After Pan had left that morning, she’d launched right into her screenplay, not bothering to do more than throw some clothes on and make coffee. As a result things were still scattered about from last night.
Particularly over in the bathroom area. There were melted candles and cushions over by the bathing pool, and her robe and one of Pan’s loincloths lay across the bench. Nina colored as the goddess wandered over to the obvious signs of seduction, then gasped as Aphrodite picked up first her harness and then the dildo she’d worn the night before.
The goddess stared at the artificial penis and the harness with open astonishment then firmly closed her mouth and dropped both onto the cushions. She then picked up the tube of lube and stared at that for a moment. Nina began to wish that the ground beneath her would open up and she’d be plunged out of sight. If she could have transported on her own, she’d have headed for someplace else…anyplace else.
Unfortunately there was nothing she could do as Aphrodite came over to stand near her, the goddess’ eyebrows still arched high from her discoveries. The perfectly shaped lips twitched with suppressed amusement and merriment danced in her eyes.
“Good morning, Nina. I’m pleased to see you looking so well. A little surprised, perhaps.” She seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Hephaestus and I had a visit this morning from a most upset young god. I thought you might need a comforting shoulder as well.”
Nina barely resisted a groan. As if she would ever seek comfort from Aphrodite. “I appreciate your trouble, mighty goddess, but Pan and I need to work out our own problems. You really shouldn’t be so concerned.”
With an infinitely graceful movement Aphrodite glided to one of the cushioned divans Nina had added to the garden to form an informal seating and conversation area. She settled herself onto the cushions, obviously making herself comfortable for an extended stay.
“Of course it is my concern, little nymph. After all, it was my accidental shooting of you with Eros’ bow that caused you two to end up together. Therefore, if there are problems, I should be the one to help.”
Her voice, her face, and even her posture seemed sincere. Aphrodite was determined to help and Nina knew from experience that a determined goddess was a difficult thing to get rid of. Whether or not she wanted it, she was stuck with the goddess’ undesirable company for a while. She might as well make the best of it. In her rush to get to her laptop that morning she’d omitted her second daily dose of caffeine. Repressing a sigh, she headed for the kitchen. At least she could fortify herself. “Can I offer you something? Coffee, perhaps? I was just going to make some for myself.”
“That would be delightful, my darling girl. And perhaps something light to nibble on? I had to leave my temple today before breakfast.”
From her spot on the couch Aphrodite watched Nina turn on her espresso machine and happily took her cup when Nina returned with the finished brew and a plate of warmed cinnamon rolls.
For a moment the goddess eyed the heavy and plain mug before wiggling her fingers over it and transforming it into a delicate and elegantly decorated coffee cup, complete with saucer. Once the container met her approval she took a long appreciative sip and a bite of one of the rolls.
She smiled appreciatively. “Ah, excellent. I see you’ve developed some domestic skills since you’ve been living here.”
Nina cringed but couldn’t deny the goddess was right. She had become something of a homemaker through Pan’s influence. More to the point, she realized that she’d learned to cook to save herself from his limited interest in the subject. Learning to make her own meals had given her more options than cold granola and herbal teas. Not that there was anything wrong with either from time to time.
Nina took a big bite of her own roll. Delicious! Granola was fine, but a rich cake beat it for flavor any time. She hadn’t realized how hungry she’d gotten and polished off the roll in record time, barely remembering that she had company before licking her fingers.
She had been hungrier than she thought. The food provided her a sense of strength that she knew she’d need.
The goddess cleared her throat, catching Nina’s attention. Aphrodite was watching her with steady intent. Steeling herself, Nina tried what she hoped would be a nonchalant smile. “So, you said Pan was upset. Did he explain why?”
“Oh, most certainly. He proposed marriage and you turned him down. Do I have the facts right?”
This time Nina didn’t try to conceal her sigh. “Yes. I wish he understood. It really is best for both our sakes.”
The goddess sipped more of her coffee, a bemused look on her face. “Not marrying is best for both of you? Why don’t you explain that to me?”
“We’re only together because we got shot with that arrow. The spell is bound to wear off eventually and when it does, Pan’s going to want to be free of me so he can go back to having other women.”
The goddess gave her a steady stare over the edge of her cup. “Don’t you mean that you both would want be free? Or don’t you believe you’d be interested in other men?”
No, she had no interest in other men. She was in love with Pan, and no other man appealed to her at all. But she wasn’t about to tell anyone that, least of all an interfering goddess. As far as the rest of the universe went, she was only here because of that darn spell and she’d keep her dignity when Pan finally realized he didn’t really care for her and asked her to leave.
She’d keep her dignity even if it killed her.
“My interest in men could be a factor. But it’s Pan who wants to get married.”
“Not you.” Aphrodite’s smile didn’t make Nina think that the goddess believed her. “You haven’t moved in here and made yourself at home, learned to cook, changed the way you dress, your job on Earth, and pretty much everything else about you. You haven’t become the most domestic nymph I know, with or without a wedding band. Pan’s dedicated himself to you. You’ve dedicated yourself to his lifestyle.” She shook her head. “If that’s not a recipe for marriage, I’m not sure what is.”
Oh great gods, when put that way it did seem obvious how she felt about Pan. “It’s the spell,” Nina tried desperately. “That’s what’s making me behave like that.”
“No spell can make a person change their life, Nina, at least not to this extent. You have to want to change. The same thing goes for Pan. He’s changed his life around as well. He’s never had a woman stay with him this long and certainly never wanted her to move in with him. Marriage is just the natural next step.”
“There is nothing natural about Pan wanting to get married, Aphrodite, and you know it!” I
n her frustration Nina nearly shouted the words, only at the last moment remembering how picky Aphrodite was about good manners.
She groaned aloud and then inexplicably burst into tears. “Oh, why did he have to jump in front of that arrow? None of this would have happened if it hadn’t been for that.”
Aphrodite leaned forward, placing her cup on the small elegant table that suddenly appeared at her elbow. Even through her misery Nina noticed and admired it.
“Nina, he jumped in front of the arrow to save your life.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she sobbed. “We barely knew each other. Why would he want to do that?”
“Well, obviously he wanted to do it because he cared about you, probably a lot more than even he knew. When he saw you in danger he couldn’t help but try and rescue you.”
From thin air Aphrodite pulled a pink silk handkerchief and handed it to her. “Now stop crying and blow your nose.”
Nina did as she was told, noticing the lovely rose scent on the handkerchief. When the goddess of love did magic, she did it with style.
“I know that Pan was…” The goddess paused as if looking for the right words. “Well, let’s just say he was easily distracted when you knew him before.”
In spite of her tears, Nina almost laughed. The god had been easily distracted indeed, by anything with a pretty face, two legs, and a pussy. Or just two legs and a pussy. Or just a pussy. Or an ass…depending on how horny he’d gotten.
Aphrodite shook her head as if reading Nina’s thoughts. “Yes, he was easily distracted then, but he’s changed in the past three hundred years. I think he’s always regretted what happened between you two and has wanted to find a way to get back together. That’s why he tried to sacrifice himself to stop the arrow. Don’t you think it is possible that he’s used the spell as an excuse to do exactly what he’s always wanted to do?”
Using the spell as an excuse to make love to her and make her his wife? Still snuffling, Nina thought about it. It really was completely absurd. Ridiculous. Insane. Except for the fact that it actually fit everything that had happened to date.
Divine Interventions: Nemesis of the Garden Page 13