by Debbie Behan
Jett gave her a start when he threw the paper aside. ‘Glow Girl! Do you ever just sit quietly and not think? My goodness, woman, since you’ve been here I’ve been unable to have one thought of my own without yours consuming me.’ He leant forward with an amused stare. ‘I have an idea. To tire out that overactive mind of yours, how about we hit the slopes? What are you like at skiing?’ It had worked, he was Jett again, playful and approachable.
‘Can’t ski for nuts.’
‘Here we go again. Don’t like the food, can’t cook and now, can’t ski. He mimicked her in the girlie voice. ‘Well, it’s time you learnt. That team of yours gives up too easy with you young lady. Today my intention is to prove to you there is no such word as can’t.’
‘Fine! But don’t feel bad later that there are some things one can never achieve.’
‘I am God of the Underworld, ruler of Pluto and I never fail!’
‘You have already. You failed at the task of killing me.’
‘That, young lady, can still be rectified.’
She drank down the last of the coffee and placed the cup gently on the stand next to her. If I had my powers back, I’d dump him on his backside in the snow for that comment, she smirked to herself before turning back to him.
* * * *
Jett’s eyes widened after reading her thoughts. The glint of amusement in her face made him smile. ‘Is that right! You would dare dump a god in the snow? We’ll see about that.’ He reached across and snatched up her hand, transporting her into the snow. Once there he let her hand go, knew she was feeling unbalanced getting taken from a sitting position and waited for her to end up in the freezing slurry. Only she was quick and gripped him with her other hand. Using the angle of her body and unsteady legs, she managed to knock him off balance too and both landed backwards onto the soft wet snow.
Shock first, then laughter broke them both up as he transported them into the cabin high above them. He restricted the time he had her in the sub-zero conditions, as just those seconds were enough to snap-freeze the fur around her soft cardigan.
High up on a hill, Caitlin peered out through the window but wasted her time as it always looked dark outside to her. She turned instead to watch Jett. The logs in the fireplace lit up as he put flame to them with his magic. Her teeth chattered while she waited for the room to heat up and she sat on the floor in front, with legs crossed, while warming her hands.
Another glance outside told her little about what time it was. Caitlin had thought that, once outside, there would be a noticeable change. It was as if time was of no consequence here. Night and day almost rolled into one and not often could she tell the difference.
Neither had eaten, so Jett checked the pantry and freezer. Before long, they sat each side of a coffee table by the fireplace, carefully sipping hot infused tea and eating tasty muffins, thawed by the heat of the fire.
After that, Jett did give her lessons on how to ski. However, Caitlin proved to be a poor student, falling down more times than he cared to count, and he did start out counting. Finally, she showed some improvement so he took her down one of the smaller hills, but each time he had to catch an out of control Caitlin at the bottom.
After the umpteenth dozen time he shook his head. ‘Glow Girl that’s it, I’m done!’
She had knocked him over for the final and last time and his patience had run out.
Caitlin laughed hysterically and lay helpless in the snow. ‘Just remember it was you who gave up.’
‘Even a god has his breaking point. I had enough an hour ago.’ He helped her to her feet.
She eyed the hill. The moon was up high and gave light to a chairlift nearby. She tried to see where it went and guessed it would take them up to the veranda of the cabin. There was a warm fire up there, and she much preferred to be there than to be transported to her room. To have this time with Hades as Jett come to an end, saddened her.
‘Can we go back up the hill in the lift?’ she pleaded.
‘You look frozen, Glow. Sure you don’t want me to transport you to your room where the help can heat you some water for a nice hot bath?’
‘Soon.’
‘You don’t want to miss a thing do you?’
Her smile lit up her face. ‘Not one thing.’
He helped her onto the lift that took them back up the mountain. ‘How you ever manage to stay on a horse is beyond me,’ he teased.
‘Magic, smarty pants!’ She playfully slapped him. ‘I’m just there for the fireworks. I’m hopeless at everything else.’
‘You put yourself down too much Glow Girl. You have a characteristic to be envied. You didn’t give up, not even on me. This has become a quality about you that I admire tremendously.’ Jett helped her out of the lift when it stopped on the veranda of the cabin.
‘Awe, golly gee Jett. Don’t go all gorgeous and gentlemanly on me now. I was just starting to hate you! Get me to freeze my boobs off and bruise my rear end and then what? You give a girl a damned compliment.’
He raised his eyebrow at her and smiled. He had no comeback, just pure joy on his face for the good time they’d had.
Inside the cabin, warmth rushed at her and drew Caitlin to the fur rug in front of the fire. Gloves off and warming up, she took the hot chocolate Jett offered. The liquid warmed her with each sip and sitting so close to the fire she heated up quickly and removed her jacket.
Jett sat with her and poked at the burning logs, causing the embers to spark in a frenzy. It was he who finally broke the silence. ‘You never mention Axon or seem to fret. You two are so much in love, so how do you manage to stay so calm?’
‘You never mention Melita either, and I know you love and miss her too.’
‘Touché.’ He grinned.
There was silence again until Caitlin finished her drink, and then the thump of the mug as it clunked on the coffee table disturbed Jett’s thoughts. He took advantage of her not holding anything and wrapped his arms around her. Both leant back and rested on the couch. It was an innocent hug, not feeling at all sleazy. A hug you would get from a friend. She felt comfortable enough to enjoy this new level of friendship he gave. They didn’t talk for a long time, but just sat quiet, comfortable and listened to the crackle of fresh-burnt wood as the flames flickered light on them. Somewhere during the ordeal, they had renewed their friendship, and neither had expected it to develop into the kindred closeness it had. She figured the way it happened mystified him too, and was the reason he needed the hug. They had been through a lot. She had confused him, but he, coming at her as Hades, had scared her and made her mad too. Yet he was also Jett, and he didn’t frighten her at all.
She finally broke the silence. ‘I know you don’t want to discuss anything personal, but Melita, she is well?’
She was worried about where Melita was, but Jett opened up and surprised Caitlin with his honesty.
‘Not a fan of cold weather! Melita stays at her mother’s during the winter months and doesn’t come back here until the spring.’
Caitlin turned and found Jett’s eyes raw with sorrow. Every emotion surfaced in those eyes as they had when first they met him. ‘You must miss her terribly.’ An honest sadness for the both of them was expressed by the quiver in her voice and the caring look.
‘That’s why I need to move to a planet closer to the sun. I hate her leaving and me with no choice but to stay here to deal with the Underworld on my own.’
Caitlin finally got it. This was the reason, the desperate urgency to take over Mercury. It wasn’t about the need to move back with his brothers but for the love of his woman. This she could understand. It all started to make sense.
‘Jett, you have the best planet for both of you right here. I’ve had so much fun today, and I bet this is only just a little piece of it. If I can be honest with you, you have the money to buy anything you want. The technology at your disposal
could be mind-blowing with all that cash.’
‘Okay, little-miss-I-can-figure-out-anything. What would you do if I gave you my chequebook?’
She waved her hand over her head. ‘Cover your entire castle, and as much of the grounds as you can figure in that would include a pool, spa and tropical garden.’
His back went rigid. ‘Go on.’
‘A dome cover could completely encase the castle and however far out you want as grounds. You could then fill it with warmth and artificial lighting to imitate a bright sunny day. Grow seasonal flowers and trees, and in the spring when Melita comes home, I bet she never leaves again. There is nothing one can’t achieve if one wants it badly enough.’
His eyes were bright, alert and she had his full attention, yet in the next breath, he had doubts and questions. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not sure you understand the responsibility I have in overseeing the souls in the Underworld. You see I have many other priorities and a project like you suggest, well, that would take months.’
She raised her eyebrow. ‘You talk of priority and you feel these other things are greater than Melita? Are you telling me these are more important than having the woman of your dreams with you forever? You can’t spare a lousy few months out of all the hundreds of years you will live, to make her feel the most loved woman in the universe?’
‘But if I take over another planet, I’ll have her without the fuss.’
She shrugged, turned her face away from him and concentrated back on the fire. ‘You asked.’
‘You think I’m taking the easy way out?’
He watched as she held his hands and studied his fingers, turned his hands over and looked carefully at them. ‘These are not the hands of a man that has ever taken the easy way out. It’s the thought behind what we do that brings love banging at our door. I am a woman, Jett, so I will share with you a little secret. If you had a modest house and I want one that faced the sun, and you went out and found one, it would still be just another house, but I wouldn’t whine anymore. Would I love you more for it, probably not, but for my man to change his whole kingdom to accommodate me as his woman, that would be impressive, and I would fall into his arms for his thoughtfulness.’
He reached over to the coffee table to pour a strong Starstarter from a gold embossed decanter. In his hand, he swirled the liquid around in the goblet as he contemplated something.
At least he hadn’t moved from her, so he wasn’t cross with her honesty.
‘I can almost feel the cogs as you churn over something you want to ask me. If we are to be friends, you must trust me enough to confide what it is you are struggling with.’
‘I’m not sure how else to say this so will spit it out.’ He turned to face her. ‘I need you, Glow Girl, more than I’ve ever needed anyone in my life. I’m drawn to the extremely ordinary way you look at life. There is a childlike simplicity you use to resolve problems whereas I see war as the only redemption. If I promise that you will not come to any harm, will you stay with me a while?’ He searched her face as if he was trying to read her thoughts.
‘As your prisoner or as your friend?’
‘As my friend.’ His soul was exposed, sincere.
‘As a friend, I would expect to have some requests met.’ Her smile radiated warmth and caring.
‘And what would they be?’ His frame stiffened.
She spotted his change of mood and decided to lighten the tension. ‘Only Earth food is served to me; no more planet creatures.’
‘And?’ He waited for her to say something he knew he couldn’t give her.
‘And when you’ve finished with me you will let me go home.’
‘Is that it?’
‘Almost! A question really. Does any of your family, including Melita, know that I’m here?’
‘No, they think you’re dead. That is something I was meant to do and the reason why I can’t let you go just yet. I have to work out how to handle this from here on in. If my family finds out I let you go…’ He didn’t finish although Caitlin knew he wouldn’t be in good stead with any of them if they uncovered his lie. After meeting the powerful deities, she could understand his anxiety. They were one solid family unit, but she would not like to cross them either.
‘Do they know that the Glow Girl, who they befriended, is really Caitlin and is one of the Cosmic Riders?’
‘I never gave away your identity, or Axon’s. None of us had ever met Axon before, only Zoren, so both your aliases are still safe to use.’
‘Why did you save me? It would have been so much easier for you to have blown our cover and destroyed us both.’
He shrugged. ‘It was one of the happiest times in many years when you came into my life, although that changed once I found it was you who dared fight against me.’ He flashed a friendly smile. ‘Truthfully, back then I wanted to hurt you for deceiving me, but you just lay there, doing all that was asked of you, not even giving me a hard time for taking you from your loved ones. I admired your strength and that’s why I kept you and your secret safe.’
She moved her head from side to side and stretched her neck, the tension relieved and her features softened. ‘You scared the bejesus out of me at first because you came at me as Hades. The man with me here, now, is my friend Jett. The two are like chalk and cheese. Hades knows what he wants and goes after it. Jett, on the other hand, has chosen to have me in his life and that changes things.’ She reached over and put a gracious hand on his arm. ‘You haven’t hurt me and have been a charming gentleman, so as far as I’m concerned, you have broken no law, yet. Therefore, if asked, I will tell only of the enjoyable break where I explored a planet and a friendship of much significance.’ She smiled. ‘What sort of a person would I be if I couldn’t forgive you for something as simple as a misunderstanding? After all, you didn’t know I was Glow Girl. I doubt you would ever have snatched me if you did. I think you would have requested a consultation and talked first, am I right?’
Her affection radiated to his softer side, and his hand slid roughly through his hair with uncertainty as he still contemplated the hopelessness of their future together. She wondered if he would answer, or, if she had it wrong.
Finally, he faced her. ‘You are correct, I would have done that. Not sure about my brothers though. They had you targeted for more reasons than I can ever say. You see it was me you attracted that night; me that lost my head where you were concerned. When you left us that day at Dolphin Island, I had a horrid feeling of loss. You can imagine the shock when the next time we met was at war, on opposite sides.’ He breathed in deeply. ‘Well, you know how poorly I handled it at first.’
‘You felt betrayed. I know, and yet I had no idea who you were, Jett. I swear it on our Riders’ oath.’ Her lips quivered with the hurt she had put him through.
‘That’s why you’re alive, Glow. I believed you. What I can’t get my head around is why your team has not come for you.’
Her grin brightened her face and made her glow as if she was an angel. His face melted with a special bond he already had for her.
‘My team would know if I was in trouble, but while I’m happy they will wait for my return.’
‘I’m glad of that. You see there is a calm that comes over me when I’m with you, the anger and frustration disappears, and I find myself wanting to re-evaluate my actions. I want to find a diplomatic way to settle this, and yet it hurts my brain to think of anything other than spending time with you. I love my wife, Melita, more than life itself so I know I’m not in love with you, but it’s something else, something I don’t understand. When I’m away from you, I am Hades, ruthless and hackles are up ready to fight with my family. But you wear me down with your sweet, peaceful thoughts. I have never known a soul that knows no hatred or bitterness. And yet for so many reasons you have good cause. More and more I want to find another way a more peaceful end so you can stay in my li
fe. So until I can find the answers and approach my family with who you are, I must keep you with me. As for how long at this stage Glow, I’m not sure.’
‘You’ll know when it’s time, and by then I’ll be ready to go. Today is not that day.’ Caitlin beamed; glad he was honest with her. To stop this war, time together was paramount. He, in turn, pulled at her heartstrings too and she was still yet to work out why she didn’t want to leave him either.
He lifted her hand and kissed it. ‘Thank you, Glow, for giving me a second chance. I promise to let you go home as soon as I’m able to!’
Now they felt better, and differences talked through and set aside, they lay back against the cushions, both deep in thought, where the warmth of the fire lulled them to sleep. Both woke in darkness a few hours later, but with a flick of Jett’s hand the fire was once again alight and burned brightly.
‘Let’s eat dinner up here tonight.’ He stood up from the chair where he’d slept. ‘I’ll grab a couple of steaks and be back in a flash.’
‘Sounds great.’ She rolled off the couch he must have put her on as she slept, and standing up, stretched.
‘There’s a hot tub through there. The water is heated by the pipe system laid under this fire. It should be lovely and warm by now.’ Jett opened a door and pulled off the cover to a steamy pool of water that smelt of lemongrass. ‘Feel free to take a dip and freshen up, while I raid the guest wardrobe for some warm night attire. Melita is always prepared, and for once, I’m pleased she is a shopaholic.’
‘Don’t forget the steaks you promised,’ she called to him, but he had gone.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Time with a Friend
Caitlin walked into a lovely ivory tiled room with a dark blue roof where tiny down-lights gave the impression that bright stars glimmered overhead. Moons and planets on the walls were formed from coloured tiles, carved impeccably. She put her hand in the water and found the silky warmth and the faint aroma enticing. The prude in her left her underwear on, and she now hoped he might bring back a change of them too. The enormity of where she was and how to handle this from now on slipped away when her body slid into the amber liquid. Her eyes half-open, she lay back relaxed and let the charm of the embossed planets on the wall take her mind off all else. Curiously, there were more planets than she was aware existed; odd shapes with names Ceres, Haumea, Makemake and Eris. Intuition told her to take note, but to her, this was a solar system, and it meant nothing more.