Meanwhile, his eyes had fired up a little as well, and he said: 'That was good, though I admit I was testing myself again. But only a little. Mostly I did want your power after all.'
And with a broad grin he watched her turn all pleased again at being teased. But no matter what he said, Aphrodite had seen his eyes as he said it, and they promised her he had wanted to kiss her for herself, because she was beautiful and a good kisser, and had treated him exceptionally well.
Looking back at his beautiful wife, he observed: 'Though that was very pleasant and gave me ideas for our afternoon, what I really came for was to ask you if you would be so kind as to see into some iron with me.
I have a feeling you will see even more differences between steel and
normal iron, which you can then show me, to allow me to find a way to turn iron into steel with magic.'
And so it was that Aphrodite received the next supplicants alone in the kitchen, keeping her senses on the smithy as well.
In the hall between the kitchen and the smithy, Paul stopped and embraced Melissa ardently, kissing her again and feeling up her breasts within her dress. At her surprised look he excused himself, and she said:
'Don't apologize, I like to see you heated. Do you want to take some time for ourselves? It is our holiday, you know.'
He was tempted, she could see that, but: 'It'll keep, it's just lust.' And with a wink he went on: 'I'm dying to get my hands on that forge again, it's been too long.' When they got to the smithy, Galan was hard at work hammering iron, the whole space ringing with the noise of his rhythmic pounding. His muscles were rolling and sweat ran down his face and body, it was clear he enjoyed this intensely physical job as much as Paul did.
Paul took Melissa to a work-bench with a shapeless bar of pig-iron and his gun. Wondering what that dangerous thing was doing here, she looked at Paul questioningly, and he explained: 'It's not loaded, it is the only thing I've brought with me that contains steel. Besides, Galan wanted to see it, and I thought Aphrodite might, too.'
'Will you check both of them with sight and show me the differences? I know I've more experience with metals, but I can only see the the grid, maybe you can zoom in as it were.'
Didn't he expect a bit much from her? Paul had been working metals for years, she had only ever looked inside them, she had never tried to influence their properties. Still, he could follow her, he'd know what to look for using her virtual 'eyes'.
They sat down and Paul took her hand, and suddenly the moment became special, momentous. Melissa knew Paul expected to discover a whole new technique, one that would revolutionize forging for him, combining both his crafts.
She felt his mind brush hers, and let him in, taking a few moments to enjoy the intimacy of the connection, she felt his intense love and his lust, carefully checked for now.
But also a little impatience to get on, so she turned her attention to the pig-iron and saw what she expected, the familiar grid, she felt the strong
emanations, there were no flaws in this bar, but of course it was just raw material.
Nothing new here, Paul would have seen this exact same thing, so she guessed he wanted her to try to zoom in, as Lukas had done when checking out Hermes' nerve damage.
Concentrating on a little part of the area before her, she did indeed manage to zoom in further, or at least more detail became obvious. There was a lot of the same material in the grid, beautifully arranged in squares and triangles, and it almost seemed as if there was some movement inside the grid.
But inside and between the geometrical shapes there were blobs of some other stuff, much less than the base material, and not nearly as neatly stacked.
The movement couldn't pass through it but bounced off it in a certain rhythm, was that the source of the emanations?
It might very well be, decided her logic, for the emanations had shown her where the flaws were, and of course a hollow inside a piece of iron would disturb the emanations, change them from a regular rhythm to irregular buzzing.
Paul was elated and wanted to look at the steel right away.
For a moment, Melissa wondered which part of the gun was steel, but Paul let her know that most of it was actually made of steel, only the decorations and the handle were brass. He didn't want it to explode in his face...
So she decided to check out the barrel, and first saw what Paul had undoubtedly seen before, the same grid, but with a lot fewer emanations. A reaction from Paul, he hadn't realized that!
She zoomed in, and on that scale the difference was more than clear: the geometrical shapes were still beautiful, but instead of a lot of blobs of other stuff, there were as many much smaller ones, much more regularly shaped and regularly spaced within the squares and triangles.
The moving parts had more space to move and the space between the blobs was more regular, and there seemed to be a distinct alignment in the whole. The total image was one of strong order. Having seen movement in living bodies, Melissa was amazed that solid, non-living things had movement as well.
Paul clearly wanted to talk this over, so they went back into the now, where Melissa sagged with fatigue. She supposed seeing into iron this deeply
was very hard, why did she always find that out afterwards, when it was too late to stop?
She could not stay upright, she should have taken some of Paul's power, foolish to forget that. Of course she had not used her talent actively in weeks, except when defending Paul that night. She still didn't know where the power had come from, it was all one big horrible haze that she tried not to think of too much.
Feeling strong arms around her keeping her from falling over, she was instantly reminded of their first weeks together, Paul had driven her into reaction-sickness more than once, but she had always thought those occasions worth the pain and the weakness, for lying in his arms afterwards had been the only intimacy she could get from him, and it felt so good.
Still connected to her mind, Paul got both memories, and kissed her lovingly. 'I was a brute to drive you so hard. But I'm glad you found some joy in it as well, incredible how you've never blamed me for causing you such pain.'
Then softer, with a memory of pain and horror: 'Hermes told me you took his energy that night, he had given you a direct link to his power for situations like that. Lukas knew about it, he didn't tell you about it because he resented it, but saw the use as well. And Melissa, it saved my life, for when you used Hermes' power he knew exactly where I was and used his own mark to teleport to me and get me out.'
They clung to the other for a moment, but Melissa was starting to get a monster of a reaction-headache, and Paul said: 'I'm not even going to fill up your reserve, we are in august company. Galan, can you please call Aphrodite over for a moment?'
Within minutes the goddess arrived, and with a loving kiss Melissa's power was restored and her headache cured.
'I hope Lykos will not be mad at me for tampering with your health. If he is, will you come to my defence?'
She laughed as she said this, and asked: 'Did you at least earn anything useful for your trouble?'
Memories of the past, both horrible and beautiful, were instantly forgotten, as Paul replied eagerly: 'Oh yes, I will have to think it through, and come up with a method that won't require Melissa to exert herself into reaction-sickness every time I want to make steel, but an important step has been taken.'
Ideas were taking shape inside him already, for he mused: 'I suppose the common material is iron, and the blobs are carbon, and apparently steel has less carbon spread more evenly through the material. That fits the industrial methods of making steel.
I will have to melt the iron, get rid of some of the carbon, then cool it really quickly to keep the carbon spread evenly. Then work it as I would bought steel. Using magic might make the process a lot more predictable.
Thanks love, Galan and I will work on it some more, and we'll give you an update during lunch.'
Chapter 16
And work they did, the re
st of the morning. Melissa and Aphrodite didn't see any difficult cases until Lukas came back with a satyr woman in her thirties with a worn out look.
He sat her down at the kitchen table and held her hand, then said in a disturbed voice: 'This is Ianthe, she is not well and she needs my help, but I dare not enter her mind without an anchor, which is why I brought her.'
The woman showed no reaction at all, and Melissa was reminded of the rejected children of the wool-factory. 'Would you please anchor me, Melissa?' Lukas asked, and she replied: 'Of course,' but she did wonder why he didn't ask his aunt to come along, she was much more experienced in healing.
Aphrodite looked a bit hurt, and took a good look at Lukas, then said:
'You're not yourself, don't go in there now Lykos, tell us what is bothering you first. It is dangerous to enter a disturbed mind when you are not totally level-headed yourself.'
Hearing this Melissa of course looked at him and now he actually looked stricken, Aphrodite's words touching a chord in him. He chose to sit with Melissa, his face buried in her bosom, his arms wrapped around her tightly.
Aphrodite would have asked him what was the matter, but Melissa sent her a knowing look that she picked up immediately, and they waited for him to speak. Melissa stroked his hair, rubbing his horns just the tiniest bit to relax him, and she felt him shake a little, as if he were crying.
A bit concerned now, she bent over him to kiss his cheek, his musky scent giving her body ideas that were totally unsuitable to the situation. But they seemed to put some heart in Lukas, for he sat up to answer her kiss, finding comfort in the intimacy.
'It was horrible,' he said, indeed tears in his eyes, 'so many people, what can I do? I never wanted this!'
'Were there many bad cases, Lykos?' Aphrodite asked concernedly, 'you should have come to me for help.'
He shook his head, it was apparent that he didn't expect her to understand, and explained: 'No, that was not the problem, a few confused ones, a few headaches from the breaking of the spell. Some wounds gone bad with neglect, probably too busy working all day, and a case of pneumonia.
Nothing I couldn't handle on my own.'
'Then what is troubling you, Lykos? Please tell us.' She really did love him a lot, Melissa could hear it in her voice. Strangely enough Melissa did not feel jealousy, nor triumph that he had come to her instead of to Aphrodite, Melissa's time here had made her even less inclined to weigh love.
'It's the people, Aphrodite, they worship me openly now. They love me so much, they all want to touch me, hug me, they want me to hold their babies and bless their children.
The women all want me to share love with them, the men encourage them, the ones that don't want to make love to me themselves, they all want a piece of me, I'm bursting at the seams with their love.'
'Oh you poor thing,' Melissa cried out, wrapping her arms around him once more, holding him tightly to comfort him. He had been so afraid this would happen.
Instead of hurt or jealous, Aphrodite now looked positively staggered.
'But beloved, that is a good thing, isn't it? Aren't you happy your people worship you? Think of the power it will give you.'
Lukas shook his head: 'It doesn't work that way for me, dear aunt, I never wanted worship, I just want to live a small life, I don't mind healing people but I want to be a normal person.'
'But you're not, Lykos, you're a god, and apparently a very popular one.
Why can't you just accept that?' Aphrodite didn't get it, but Melissa did.
'I've been a god for a week, Aphrodite, for most of my adult life I have been an unhappy, lonely mortal, feeling useless because I had no Gift. With Melissa and Paul I finally found love, and a goal in life. I didn't want to come here, and I don't want to stay here.'
There was real anguish in his voice now, Melissa couldn't understand it, he would just leave with them, wouldn't he? Pick up their lives where they left off? He just had to bear the worship for a few more days, and then he'd have his life back. Or not?
Now she was starting to worry!
She sought comfort with him, nuzzled his neck, smelled his scent, and he looked at her in supplication.
She pleaded: 'You won't be a god anymore when we're back home, Lukas, you'll just be you again, a young man finding his way in life.' She used his chosen name on purpose, to remind him of their life together.
'That is the problem Melissa, how can I leave all those people depending on me behind to please only myself? Wouldn't that be a terrible crime?'
All this time the satyr woman had just been sitting there, but now she seemed to come to life a little, and she said: 'You could never commit a terrible crime, Master Lykos, that's why we all love you so much.'
Melissa could have damned the woman to Hell that very moment, for she immediately had Lukas' face in her bosom again. He would not do any healing today, she would make sure of that. This was not going to happen, Lukas was not going to stay on this world, indentured once again, being lived by other people, no matter how much they worshipped him.
She looked Aphrodite straight in the eye and asked: 'Can you handle this case? Or should we postpone it until tomorrow? I'm not going to let him endanger himself by doing any healing. Maybe Paul can anchor you if needed?'
The goddess nodded, and replied: 'I finally understand his problem with worship, you take him somewhere quiet and talk to him, and I'll attend to this lady. I'd like Paul to anchor me, mind-healing is always a risk, even for me.'
Melissa brushed Paul's mind to see if he was busy, and found a warm welcome with him. She explained quickly and even before she was done he was there with them.
'Do you want to go to the villa, Lukas?' Melissa asked the man in her arms, 'we'll meet the rest there. Aphrodite will handle your case, and Paul will help. Will you stay with Paul until he's safe with us?' This to Aphrodite, who nodded, and said: 'Go, we will be fine, and there before you know it.'
After Melissa had kissed Paul, looking him in the eye to see if he was all right with this, Melissa took Lukas to the basement, activating the mosaic, arriving in the basement of the villa together within a moment.
'Will you take a long walk with me, Melissa, a walk in the wilds out here, where there are no people but you and me?'
She assented, and Lukas took her hand and almost pulled her outside, off the cliff, across the little beach to a narrow path going up the cliff again, but with a gentle slope this time. As soon as they were back on the cliff, with the view of the Mediterranean before them, and the empty land behind them,
Lukas became a lot quieter.
There were scraggy bushes, spread over a stony surface with horizontal cracks running in straight lines, filled with slightly smaller, greener plants. It did not look at all hospitable to Melissa, not since getting used to the Nomes'
estate with its lush meadows. And it was incredibly hot, the air shimmering over the superheated stone.
They walked pretty fast, as fast as Melissa could manage without overstraining, and the repetitive movement calmed Lukas even more.
'Do you think I have a responsibility towards the people who worship me?' Lukas asked bluntly.
It was an easy answer for Melissa: 'No, I don't. You have never asked for their worship, though you have always appreciated people giving you love.
There is nothing you can give them that Hermes cannot, or at least that Hermes and Ophelie cannot give them together.
In fact, I think that you'd be intruding on your father's territory if you stayed and accepted their love, I think you need to help him gain their love and their worship, not feel obligated to answer their prayers yourself. Your father wants them. You have lived for others for years, now you may live for yourself, raise children, be safe.'
He stood still and embraced her, his shape warm against hers, his smell even nicer now, with the sun on his skin. This must be memory-day, for memories assailed her again, of their first weeks together, how skinny and insecure he had been, but also how incredibly sw
eet. And so confused about their weird ways, and eager to be able to go outside, be part of society.
There was so much love between them, she knew he must have thousands of worshippers, but could any of them love him as much as she did, and Paul did?
Of course he caught her feelings and returned them, his memories of fear and loneliness, finally put to rest in her arms. Working with Paul, cycling together, exploring the town, their friends. And the lack of scheming, the safety. He acknowledged her reasoning, but needed to think it over, talk to Paul.
The intimacy of their connection slowly took over, their bodies so close, their minds mingled. They kissed, with passion this time, but tenderly, not roughly. The thought of the beach crossed both their minds, but to be honest, they didn't think they'd make it back there, they had been walking for quite some time, and their needs wanted to be satisfied now.
There was no doubt in Lukas' mind as they made love, for half an hour he thought of nothing but his love for her, of her beautiful white skin, her generous curves, her wealth of copper hair, her independent mind, so different from the Greek women. And even when they were both hot and sweaty and smug after their loving, he had something to think about, by no means convinced Melissa was right, but leaning towards her view on things.
They returned hand in hand, stopping to kiss every so often.
'Do you think your father could build a portal directly from his house to our world?' Melissa asked, 'he said he'd like to visit George sometimes, and it would be much safer if he could do that directly.'
'Maybe you can discuss that with him, you're the engineer,' Lukas said smilingly, her mind worked in such an interesting way, how could he even think of living without her? He'd always be on the move, never a moment's rest, like his father, always thinking of plots and politics. 'I love you so much, Melissa, you know that, don't you?'
'I do, Lukas, I feel the same love in my own heart. It's not just that I'd miss you so much, though I would, and Paul would, as much as I. But I'd know you were neither happy nor safe, and that is not the life you deserve, I'd feel bad for you all the time as well as feel bad myself.
Past Lives Page 27