Past Lives

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  Hermes did not have to fetch them drinks of course, as soon as he sat down himself a servant approached them and he ordered wine. 'Did you see Paul leave?' she asked him. He looked at her inquisitively, and said: 'I did. He was with Vavara, Ophius' daughter.

  She's a sweet girl, and she often has a difficult time here, the other girls pull rank on her all the time, because her father works for me. Fools! I'd trade all my nobles in a second for Ophius. He has more real power here than any of them, but he's very good at keeping that a secret. Do you mind Paul sharing?'

  'Of course I do,' Melissa replied honestly, 'he has been forced away from me every evening except the first. Going from absolute monogamy to sharing love every night under threat of delivering deadly insult is too much to ask from him. I'm glad he at least managed to avoid that hungry looking girl, the one you were dancing with.'

  'You mean Rhoda, yes, she can be a bit much, even to me, and getting worse the last few months.

  I'm really sorry to hear about Paul feeling forced to share, Melissa. I like Paul and I want him to feel safe and at home here. You make it sound as if he is hunted.

  My sister came on to him too, and Rhoda certainly plans to have a piece of him. I don't know why I still tolerate her, I should have sent her home today. She's Dionysus' niece, you know, damned traitor!

  Though to be honest, she probably has no idea he betrayed me, she has been here all this time. And Lykos, what he did to my boy, he gave his all to that wine-guzzling slob, even his love. That's more than he ever gave to me!'

  'Now that's not fair, Hermes, you know Lykos has always loved you. You just didn't want his love.' Melissa's indignation must have been audible, for Hermes admitted: 'You're right of course, I'm sorry. And now he's left you to go share his love, too. Can't wait what my sister will have to say about him, is he really that good?'

  A bit distracted with the knowledge of the niece of Lukas' enemy running around the palace, Melissa looked at him and asked: 'Sorry, what did you say?'

  'You must feel abandoned with both your men away, do you want me to stay here with you until they return?' Hermes' concerned look was cute, Melissa had to admit that, and he really did not try to take advantage of what he supposed was an accidental occurrence.

  She baited him a little: 'Don't mind me, I've other plans tonight.'

  He could not keep his face from showing his disappointment. 'You have a date to share as well?'

  This was fun, he practically set her up for some teasing: 'Well, not exactly

  a date, but it has come to my attention that someone 'wants a piece of me', and I thought I'd indulge him.'

  Now he looked positively jealous, he surely knew what jealousy was even if Lukas hadn't known!

  'You know someone here? An older man?'

  'He's certainly older, but not exactly a man. I've spent some time talking to him and I find that if I am going to try sharing love, it would be with him.'

  Hermes was so distraught by now, he wasn't thinking clearly anymore.

  'You mean to share love with Ophius? He's old enough to be your father!'

  She laughed heartlessly and said: 'As you yourself revealed to us, Lykos is also old enough to be my father, and I've shared love with him for half a year, and I plan to do it for many years to come. I see no problem in sharing love with an older man.'

  'Can we at least drink a glass of wine, and talk a little? I was hoping you'd spend some time with me, you promised me another dance, remember? You kissed me!' It was good to tease a god, it made a girl feel really powerful. He didn't have a clue.

  'Don't worry, I'll drink a glass of wine with you, and I'll dance with you.

  And if you are really nice to me you may kiss me again.'

  Now a glimmer of understanding seemed to be entering his vast brain.

  Paul said it had been stuffed with clutter, that probably made it difficult to think clearly.

  He didn't dare ask, but hope dawned on his beautiful young face.

  She didn't release him from his anxiety yet. 'So, what did you want to talk about then?'

  The wine had long since arrived, and, lost for words, he poured two glasses and handed her one. Anticipation pulled him out of his befuddled state, and he said: 'Please, try it. Tell me what you think.'

  Melissa had not been raised with wine, everything she ever knew about the stuff she had learned the last half year living with Paul and visiting the Nomes'. She had always liked beer well enough.

  She carefully sampled the wine as Paul and Lukas had taught her, letting the aroma fill her nose as well as her mouth.

  As the potent liquid hit her tongue and the inside of her nose at the same time, she was overwhelmed by aroma and an impression of a warm, rock-strewn hill covered in vines. Bees were buzzing around her, crickets sang a song of longing as the sun gave its life to everything around her.

  Then she was back in the hall with the music playing and Hermes watching her in expectation. The glorious taste of the wine was still in her mouth, and she spoke with wonder: 'That was amazing. The taste of that wine took me to the orchard where it originated.'

  Now Hermes said in triumph: 'I knew it wouldn't be wasted on you! This is my most special wine, Melissa, it almost has a life of its own. I wanted so much to share it with you. Will you drink with me for a little while before you leave me to share your love?'

  It was time to stop this, it was getting cruel, he was not going to ask.

  She offered to toast with him, and apparently he knew the custom. 'I will certainly drink this wine with you, it is fit for a god, and it is a great honour that you would share it with a mere mortal like me,' she said.

  They both sipped it, and when the divine taste of the wine filled her mouth, she offered to kiss him once more. Stunned, he accepted the offer, and they shared a passionate kiss, senses filled with that incredible taste, his hands in her hair and hers in his for a few moments.

  When they broke it off, he still didn't believe it, he looked a little hurt and asked: 'I don't understand Melissa, why do you tease me so? I've tried so hard to be a good friend, to show you respect. Why do you kiss me like that when you know it drives me mad with yearning?'

  She managed to look contrite, though she didn't feel that way, and she said: 'I'm sorry Hermes, you have been a good friend, and you don't deserve to be made unhappy. I was just teasing you a little, I thought you'd understand eventually.

  Paul and Lykos left me alone because I told them I was planning to share my love with you.'

  She took his hand to prove she was serious, and he asked: 'You are?'

  'If you want me to,' she said, 'but first I'd like to enjoy this magnificent wine with you, it would be a sin not to. Do you know what sin is?'

  Taking up her glass in one hand, she held on to his hand with the other.

  She took another sip of the wine, feeling its warmth through her whole body.

  'We have sins here, though I guess not as many as you Victorians have.

  Can we take the wine with us to my chambers? I'm desperately afraid that one of your men will come back and challenge me, or that something else will happen to prevent this.'

  At her nod, he nearly pulled her along, holding on to their glasses, past

  the dancers, through a long hall, through another hall, until they were standing in front of a large double door.

  He put down his glass rather than let go of her hand, and only when he had opened the door, and she had stepped inside and was studying the opulence of his chambers, did he retrieve his glass and close the door.

  But the chambers were not opulent at all, they were not bare either, but much more down to earth than she had expected. The walls were white, apparently a good custom here, the floors were marble, with Persian rugs, the bed was a wooden four-poster but without curtains, and the furniture was wood as well.

  Hermes put his glass on a table and asked Melissa for hers and put it beside his. Then he embraced her and kissed her reverently, still unable to believe he
was really here with the woman he had yearned for for months. He suspected she was doing this to humour him, to get him off her back, but he was going to enjoy every second of it, and then he was going to try to be faithful to Ophelie with all the power of his formidable will.

  She was unbuttoning his black silk shirt, and nuzzling his bare skin, smelling his scent and feeling the smooth hairless chest. He supposed he must feel rather slick compared to her rugged lovers, but she appeared to appreciate the difference.

  When the shirt was neatly hung over a nearby chair, it was his turn. Now his time was finally come he became hesitant to touch her, that smooth white flesh, the generous shape, to him she looked more like a goddess than his sisters. Resolutely he untied the sash, and opened up the dress, filling his eyes with the sight of her full breasts and her round hips.

  He followed her example and hung the dress over the chair carefully, then touched her, running his hand over every inch of her, feeling her softness, her wealth. Accepting his caresses quietly, one of her hands found the strings of his trousers and loosened them, and the supple cloth fell to the ground, leaving him naked.

  She stepped out of her underwear and they moved to the bed as one.

  Hermes could not help feeling a bit anxious, this woman was used to the very best, his son had an unbeatable reputation and Paul had undoubtedly learned a lot from him.

  She noticed, and said gently: 'I'm twenty years old, Hermes, half a year ago I was still a virgin. I'm sure you can teach me a trick or two.'

  'But Lykos,' he said, and she laughed: 'Lykos would be the first to tell you that making love is not a race. He was my first lover and I've always appreciated his energy and his skills, but I've never felt Paul's loving as any less.'

  And she came towards him and pushed him on the bed, and sat right on top of him, holding his hands against the bed so he couldn't move at all, then kissing him. All his doubts and insecurities vanished in her certainty, and he lost himself totally in that kiss.

  He didn't feel her hands releasing him, but suddenly she was sitting on his face, one hand in his hair, one against the wall, and he held her copper curls, surprised she had the same colour down there, and licked her greedily. How often he had imagined her doing this, telling him what to do, having him please her.

  She tasted as good as he had imagined, and he lost himself in her body, felt her softest parts in his mouth, and everything else under his hands as he stroked her, buttocks, hips, breasts.

  It didn't take long for her to start moaning a little in rising ardour, and he just had to insert a finger into her warm, moist depth.

  That was very much appreciated, she moved herself on it, and her glorious body moving to the rhythm of his efforts was so very enticing. She came to a shuddering climax, and vented her ecstasy on his body, going straight for his penis, taking it in her mouth with greed almost, licking and sucking until he saw spots before his eyes.

  Her hands explored his smooth body, and he thought he really ought to be doing something, to prevent himself from getting too worked up.

  Of course Melissa could feel his excitement rising quickly, and since she had learned a lot recently about how to choose the moment when a man was going to come, she tried some of Lukas' tricks on Hermes.

  They certainly worked, he did not climax, but stayed in the same state of extreme ardour for as long as she wanted him to, gasping for breath, hands groping for her hair, her shoulders, anything to hold on to.

  She had no idea whether he would crash after one climax, and it was a bit embarrassing to ask, so she decided to give him quarter, and looked up at him.

  'Yes, please, a little breather!' he panted, 'you've been picking up tricks from my son, I'm sure! May I please hold you, just be close to you, make it all last a little longer? I've yearned to have you in my arms for months, I don't

  want this to end.'

  She would let him hold her of course, but her lust was still up, and he still had a rather nice erection, so she sat on him and laid down on his chest, squeezing him every so often to get him to move a little to feel him inside her.

  He held her tightly, and they kissed and nuzzled and touched a lot, until he finally lifted her bodily, deposited her next to him on the bed very carefully, then jumped her eagerly, ready for some action.

  And it was good, she was still very excited, and as she felt him inside her again she did not just feel it where his flesh touched her inside, she felt all her nerves tingle in response, his mouth kissing her eagerly, his eyes filled with fire.

  Her hands explored his body delightedly, he was softer than both Lukas and Paul, they were all muscled up from their work at the forge, Hermes had no body hair and his flesh was much more pliable, she wanted to lick it and eat it.

  But soon she could think of nothing anymore because bliss was taking over, wave after wave of pleasure was rolling over her, and she came with a shudder, with Hermes riding her climax eagerly, in the throes of ecstasy himself now.

  His thrusting increased in speed and force as he chased a high, his face angelic, as if he was not satisfying a base need, but serving some higher goal.

  Then he climaxed relatively quietly, and didn't crash on her but caught his weight on his arms. He was breathing hard, and smiling really happily he whispered: 'Thank you so much for indulging me, lovely.'

  They kissed, even though he was still a bit out of breath, and he sat on the bed against the wall, inviting her to join him. She sat in his embrace, until he moved to offer her one of the wine glasses, and they finished that divine vintage together.

  And when they had drained the glasses slowly, talking a little of their past together, he put the glasses back on the table and asked: 'Ready for the next round?'

  Since she was more than ready they did it all over again, with as much fervour as the first round, and though she did not envy Ophelie, or feel the slightest inclination to fall in love with him, she was not sorry for indulging him either.

  He was a very gentle and pleasing lover, and she really hoped he would manage to stick to his beautiful young wife most of the time, for her Victorian morals wanted such a loving man to settle and make one woman really happy, instead of a lot of women a little.

  But of course that was not her choice, she had done her part and had even enjoyed it.

  And now it was time to return to her own room, to Paul, who would undoubtedly be back by now. She did not expect Lukas back before midnight, he usually returned later.

  Hermes clearly regretted her leaving, and he insisted on taking her to their bedroom, he didn't want her to be alone in the palace, nor in their bed.

  And when Paul wasn't there yet, she did not object to Hermes staying until he would come, though she did wonder what was keeping Paul so long.

  Maybe he had fallen asleep?

  She stayed awake, talking to Hermes and yes, cuddling a little too, but at some time she slipped into sleep.

  Chapter 13

  When Lukas returned to their own room he expected both Paul and Melissa to be there already, sound asleep, as was so often the case when he went out on his own. He entered the room in the dark and saw two shapes in the bed, and bent over the one on the outside to gently kiss him before he snuggled against Melissa on the other side of the bed.

  But this shape didn't smell of Paul, but of his father, and as he reached out he touched short, straight hair instead of curls. He quickly checked the other shape, and it was indeed Melissa.

  Waking them both, he asked urgently: 'Where's Paul? Did he leave?'

  His father was awake instantly, always on his guard, one of the reasons Lukas couldn't wait to return to London, and said: 'When I took Melissa back to her room he wasn't there yet, so I stayed with her until he'd come back. I must have fallen asleep. Do you think he stayed with Vavara?'

  Lukas shook his head resolutely, and replied: 'Paul would never do that, he only loves Melissa. Something's wrong.'

  Hermes was out of the bed and away in a second, and he returned alm
ost immediately, looking alarmed: 'She says he left at least an hour ago, he didn't want her to take him to his room, said he knew the way. Someone took him, and we both know who. Melissa, we're getting him back, I'll have you guarded, you cannot keep up with us. I'm sorry.'

  And within a minute father and son were off at full speed.

  They arrived at Dionysus' place ten minutes later, having run over rock, water, forest, anything and everything they met in their way. Lukas managed to keep up with his father, but barely. They did not stop for gates or guards, Hermes just stunned anyone in sight and they barged into Dionysus'

  bedchamber, finding the huge, gaudy bed empty of the jolly god with the pot-belly, but filled with three gorgeous girls with long hair and not a stitch on them.

  At the sight of two enraged gods they fell over themselves to tell them that Dionysus had enjoyed himself with them before dinner, but had been

  struck with something just after making love, some indisposition. He had left dinner untouched to talk to his guards, and then he left in a hurry, telling his girls he would be in his 'special room.'

  That was a place where he would be hidden from his enemies, who usually gave up after some cooling time, and then Dionysus would get one of the other gods to settle the dispute and he continued as he was.

  Hermes looked ready to kill something, and Lukas felt the cold hand of fear clamp around his heart. Losing Paul would kill Melissa, and might just kill him as well. They absolutely had to find him, and alive.

  He ruthlessly quelled a wave of panic rising inside him, and asked: 'Is the special room part of this palace, Hailee?'

  One of the girls looked up at him as if stung by a bee, recognizing his voice, and she cried: 'Lykos, we thought you were dead!' She fell into his arms crying, looked up at him and asked: 'What happened, Lykos, your horns! Were you branded?'

  With superhuman patience he stroked her hair and said: 'I was abducted, Hailee, by Dionysus, and he has taken my friend now. I need to find him, I must save this friend!'

  Hailee replied: 'I will help you, but if things work out please visit and tell me everything. No-one knows exactly where it is, but it is somewhere in that cliff over there.'