Catching Moonlight (Man Season)

by Mila McClung

  “It would be worth it.”

  “Dio, what would happen to you if someone did break the spell?”

  “I don’t know. I suppose I would crumble to dust like a vampire in an old movie.”

  “Kosmas has been showing you some of his DVDs, hasn’t he?”

  “Yes. But truly, I don’t know what would happen to me. I’ve imagined the worst, and the best, which would be for me to start aging, slowly, as all humans do.”

  “Is that possible? Wouldn’t it be wonderful?”

  “It would, but I’m more inclined to believe it will happen in the worst way. And, before I met you, I wouldn’t have cared. I’d be glad to be done with it. But now, I want to live, to be with you, Toby.”

  He kissed her again. They settled into each other’s arms and watched the sunrise then fell into a blissful sleep.

  The grating music from a Cruise ship woke them. Toby stretched, peered out a tiny window Dio had chiseled out of the cliff- side wall. The ship was passing by the island, probably on its way to Crete, which was nearby. She could see the passengers running around like ants on the multiple decks – frantic, busy people, seemingly afraid to stop and relax. They hurried their lives away, became old before their time.

  “I think I’ll call my mom today, Dio,” she sighed. He was lying close to her, massaging her nipples to watch them grow hard under his fingers. He nipped at one; she jumped and smiled. “I guess the sooner I tell her I’m not going back to college, the better.”

  “Are you certain you want to do this, Toby?”

  “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life! The moment I arrived on the island I knew I’d found my home. Maybe the Three Fates did bring me here.”

  “I believe they did. You are a descendent of Hera. Maybe pledging yourself to me is a way of making amends for her actions.”

  “Oh, wow! I hadn’t thought of that! It can’t be real; to be descended from someone I’ve read about in mythology books!”

  “But it is! Gregory traced his lineage back thousands of years, mainly because this temple held records etched in stone. I helped him.”

  “It’s odd he didn’t reveal that to the media. Most people would jump at the chance to let the world know they’re the offspring of the gods!”

  “He wasn’t like that. No one in these families is. They know they must keep the secrets of the sorcerers. If they fell into the wrong hands the secrets could destroy the world!”

  “Was Gregory a sorcerer?”

  “He could work his powers, yes, but he only used them to make wealth for his family, and to keep the island safe, for me.”

  “Could I learn to work these powers?”

  “I think you could. He didn’t know very much when he started. He was young then, and had gotten into trouble with the law. After he came home he promised me he would do what he could to help me. He said being locked up in jail gave him an idea of what my existence was like.”

  “A fraction of it, maybe. But I’m glad he straightened out his life. I only wish he could have come for me and my mother. Then I could’ve grown up here, near you.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be. But you’re here now. And I will help you learn to control your powers. I was thinking maybe we should tell Aella and Kosmas about us, too. Then you could live here in my room; unless you prefer your bedroom in the house. Aella said it was beautiful.”

  “I prefer to be here, in your bed; it’s much cozier.”

  He smiled, grabbed her for a kiss.

  Toby washed up in Dio’s small blue-tiled bath then reluctantly left him. The morning air was crisp and bright as she hiked through the olive grove, passed the hungry goats and inched her way up the stairs to her bedroom. She thought to call her mother but the time difference meant Lauren would still be asleep. She busied herself by packing her clothes then she decided to leave most of them there for appearances’ sake. If anyone should suspect she was living in the temple they might discover Dio.

  The phone rang.

  “Could you answer that, Toby?” Aella shouted. “I’m up to my elbows in pastry!”

  “Sure!” She picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

  “Toby, it’s me, Stephan. I want to make up to you for what I did. Please let me come there this morning. I couldn’t sleep. I could only think about what a fool I am.”

  “I don’t see what coming here will do. I said it was okay.”

  “I know but I must make things right. Please.”

  “No, I don’t want you here. I can’t make it any plainer that that. Goodbye, Stephan.”

  She hung up. Fear rose up in her chest, made breathing difficult. Maybe she should have let him come over but she was so weary of the man. And she didn’t trust him. He knew more about Dio than he was letting on. What if he decided to use that knowledge to make the money he desperately wanted?

  “Kosmas, I need to tell you something,” she muttered at breakfast.

  “What is it, child? You sound much too serious.”

  “It is serious. Last night I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk very late. Stephan showed up. He said he’s been coming to the island at night, looking for artifacts to sell. But I’m afraid there’s more to it.”

  Aella and Kosmas both gasped.

  “Did he hurt you, child?”

  “No, Dio fought with him, and he left.”

  “Why didn’t you call the police?” Kosmas asked.

  “He seemed … I’m not sure how to put it … but he was like a broken man. I didn’t think he really meant to harm anyone. And Dio knew about his trips here. Stephan said Gregory didn’t mind his taking things to sell.”

  “Gregory would not condone stealing; especially from his own island. It was foolish of you to believe that, Toby.”

  “I realize that now, Aella. He called this morning, wanting to come over and make it up to me. I have to tell you I’m a bit afraid of what he might do next.”

  Kosmas stood, wiped his mustache with a napkin. “I will call my friend Constantine. He is the lawman in the village on the next island. He will know what to do!”

  “Oh, but I don’t want cops sniffing around. They might find out about Dio!”

  They both looked at her with suspicious eyes.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You both know what I mean, Aella. We don’t want people learning the truth about him.”

  Aella began to cry. Kosmas patted her back.

  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to upset you. But Dio is very precious to all of us. We can’t take a chance when it comes to his safety.”

  “People have come before. His chamber is very well hidden. And no one knows about him.”

  “Stephan knows. And he said a lot of women, whole generations of them round here, have seen the moonboy.”

  “Sure, it’s a legend. That’s all.”

  “Too many people have seen him. It won’t be a legend much longer. And what if Stephan gets the notion to tell a TV station about Dio? He’s desperate for money now. He’s liable to do anything he can to get it.”

  “Kosmas, we can’t have anyone finding Dio!”

  “True, but we can’t let Stephan get away with stealing.”

  “Well, if he steals anything again, we can wait until he returns to the village, and have him arrested there.”

  “Is that okay with you, Toby?”

  “Yes, Kosmas. Oh, another thing … I’m going to live in Dio’s hideout with him. He’s going to teach me to use the powers my ancestors had.”

  “You can’t stay there … with him.”

  “Aella, it is her choice. I know you still carry much love for the boy, from when he loved you. And the beautiful memory of a young man’s kiss is preferable to the old, weary attentions of a laborer like me …”

  “Foolish man!” She left her seat, took him firmly in her arms. “I have been with you twenty years now, and never once have I thrown him in your face or complained about the attention you gave me.”

  “This is t
rue but I can see the passion in your eyes when you look at him, and I could hear the jealousy in your voice when you talked to Toby just now.”

  “I’m a silly woman, clinging to the last shreds of my youth. But I only want Dio to be safe and happy. My love for him has grown into something more akin to a mother’s affection than a lover’s desire. If he loves Toby I am glad for him, though I know what terrible burdens she will bear if she stays with him.”

  “I’ve gone over everything in my head, Aella, and I’m willing to face whatever comes our way.”

  “You love him this much?”

  “I do.”

  “Then we will help you both however we can. Right, Kosmas?”

  “Right, my love!”

  Toby smiled. One hurdle out of the way – the next - her own mother – might be a greater challenge.

  “What did you say, Toby?” Lauren asked when Toby gave her the news. “I must have misunderstood you.”

  “I said I’m not going to Stanford, and I’m not coming home. Moonsea is my home now.”

  “Well, what changed your mind so quickly?”

  “I fell in love with the island. It’s beautiful and serene here, like something out of a dream.”

  “Of course it is. All of Greece is beautiful, but you can’t let a romantic setting disrupt all of your father’s plans.”

  “That’s just it, Mom. They were his plans. I didn’t get much choice in the matter. After dad died I began to think about what I truly wanted. I came to the conclusion that what I didn’t want to do was spend my life chasing down a career that ultimately wouldn’t fulfill me.”

  “So what will you be doing there?”

  “Living.”

  “I mean, what kind of work will you be doing, Toby? You can’t just exist.”

  “Why not? Gregory left me enough money to live on for decades. And the island is self-sustaining; has its own solar power and food supply. I think I can be quite happy here.”

  “I’m flying over there.”

  “You don’t need to, Mom. I swear I’m all right.”

  “No, something’s off about this. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  She hung up before Toby could say another word.

  Toby spent the day helping Dio clean up his room and settling her things in. Then she helped Kosmas bring down a solar-powered hot plate and a small fridge so they could keep food there.

  That night they had their first dinner together, Aella brought them a wonderful platter of pasta with beef and Mizithra cheese, and some steamed mussels with tomatoes, fennel and ouzo. It was a sweet feeling, sitting there round the table with candles flickering and the fragrances of the food invigorating them.

  “I’ll make you breakfast in the morning,” she said. “Aella brought an armful of eggs and ham. I’m surprised you haven’t cooked here before.”

  “I did cook, sometimes, in the hearth. But I usually burned it.”

  “Do you think anyone’s ever noticed the smoke from your fire?”

  “Kosmas has a psisatria … a grilling house … next to the temple. The smoke from it mixes with the plumes from the chimney so no one can tell I have a fire. Everyone knows about Kosmas and his grilling. He sometimes takes boxes full of roasted lamb and chicken to the villages on the outer islands when they have some big celebration, like Easter.”

  She stopped eating, gazed at him with admiring eyes. “You must have seen a hundred religions rise and fall in your lifetime.”

  “Not really. I only heard about them, from the people who lived here. Your relations.”

  “Dio, will you show me the records after we eat?”

  “Sure. But I’ll have to tell you what they say. I don’t think I could teach you my old language very quickly. Sometimes I fear I’ll forget it all myself!”

  After they finished eating and washed the dishes in the bathroom sink, Dio led her to an almost invisible door in the stone floor. He raised its considerable weight up with one strong hand, grabbed a lantern with the other.

  “Watch yourself down here. There are bats and spiders and a snake or two.”

  “Lovely,” she shivered, and followed him in.

  The cavern was huge, its walls and ceilings colored a strange, luminous blue. The floor was stone, as the one above it, but more ancient, turning to dust in spots where it had been worn down. It was stocked with rows and rows of stone shelves which held tablets etched in an ancient language. They were some modern additions to the room – a canopy bed, a pair of leather chairs and a table.

  “We should have come this morning,” Dio said. “The sunlight’s reflection seeps up from the grotto below and lights the whole room. He threw his gaze to the edge of the cavern. Toby crept near it, looked down and gasped as she saw the inky sea sitting calmly in the grotto.

  “Oh, it’s so beautiful here! And spooky, it makes my spine tingle!”

  He came up behind her. “More than I do?” he asked, slipping his cool hands about her midriff.

  She scooted round to face him. “Oh, no. You send shivers all through me.”

  He kissed her, began caressing her in just the right way to start her shivering. “We can’t … not here.”

  “Why not? There’s a bed. I use it in the summer, when the room upstairs gets too hot. I know it’s kind of cold here, but I can warm you up.”

  His eyes twinkled, mischievous. She couldn’t resist. They threw their clothes onto the table, ran naked to the bed and wrapped themselves in the sheets. Dio found Toby in the smothered light underneath and slid his body over hers to get her warm. The fire kindled, they drank from each other’s hot, eager mouths, and moved their hands upon each other’s flesh. Dio slipped his fingers down into her, spreading her open and massaging her until she was screaming to feel him in her. He jabbed into her with a fierce tongue, licking and sucking and tasting her sweet juices with an almost vehement force. She thought she would shatter the old stone walls with her screaming but he urged her on, would not let her cover her mouth. Once the light show began he lunged for her, finished it off with a hard piercing invasion that shook them both to the core.

  Not willing to feel the cold cavern air just yet, they huddled together and watched the rising moon’s reflection bounce off the walls.

  “This place is magical,” Toby sighed. “I really feel as though I belong here.”

  “You do belong here. Thank you for coming to Moonsea, Toby.”

  “You’re very welcome, Dioscuri. I looked up your name online. It means ‘sons of Zeus’. But it’s supposed to stand for Castor and Pollux, the Gemini. There’s no mention of a son by Selene and Zeus. They had daughters, and she had a son by someone else …”

  “I have read these fairy tales that people call Mythology. Time has passed and with it, the accuracy of the stories. It’s true my mother loved Endymion, and Zeus put him under a spell for her, so he would not age. But then she fell in love with Zeus, and had me. I was kept hidden from those so-called gods, because of Hera’s jealousies and Zeus’ habit of killing those he deemed a nuisance. Hera was angry not only because my mother had loved Zeus but she herself had loved Endymion. Her punishment for me was derived from the same spell Zeus used on Endymion.” His voice turned cold. “The gods, for the most part, were a bunch of selfish, ridiculous fools who should not have been given any kind of powers. They couldn’t control their emotions, and used their powers to hurt and kill anyone they thought had humiliated or deceived them! Even my own mother!”

  He was shaking from the pain of remembering. Toby slipped warm arms about him, laid his head upon her chest.

  “You’ve seen too many sorrows, Dio. I’m sorry. I’ve watched love ones die, but I can’t imagine how horrible it must be to see your whole generation pass you by. You hated them but still, you must have loved them, too.”

  “My mother, yes but not the rest. And they’re not all gone. The strongest have managed to survive, as I told you earlier. They disguise themselves but I know they are out there.”

&nbs
p; “Do they never come to see you?”

  “Why would they? I have nothing they might want.”

  “These stone tablets hold all their secrets. Don’t you ever worry that they might come after them?”

  “They haven’t, yet. Are you ready to start learning?”

  “I am.”

  They braved the chilled air with their naked bodies, dressed quickly and walked to the shelves. Dio trailed his hand over several volumes before resting it on a particular one.

  “You should start with this spell. It’s the one Gregory mastered first.”

  “What does it do?”

  “Gives wealth to whoever uses it.”

  “Oh, but I don’t need that.”

  “I know, but it will help you get used to the rhythm of the spells, so you can learn the harder ones.”

  Toby shrugged and nodded at him. “Okay, you’re the boss here. Dio, why couldn’t you have studied the spells? You might have found a way to break the one you’re under.”

  “I tried that the first several years I was here. And I do have some powers of my own. I can start fires, and I’ve kept strangers away with minor storms and I can move things with my mind. But even the most powerful god … or sorcerer … can’t break a spell cast on him by someone else.”

  A loud splashing noise came from the grotto.

  “What was that?”

  “Shh!” he hissed. He crept to the edge of the cavern, searched the moon-striped reflections with hard eyes.

  Two hands caught him, pulled him towards the icy water. But the spell was too strong. The hands went right through Dio’s shoulders – the attacker let out an agonized moan as he hit the sharp wall of the grotto and fell bleeding into the sea.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Toby screamed. “Dio, who is it!”

  She ran to the edge, could make out the features of Stephan Cristos’ face as he flailed his arms about and gulped the cold water.

  “What can we do? He might drown!”

  “I can raise him.”

  Dio concentrated on his hands – a white light sprang from his fingers, swept down to the sea and captured Stephan. It gently carried him up to the cavern and laid him upon the floor.