by Debbie Behan
The logs in the fireplace lit up as Jett put flame to them with his magic. Her teeth chattered while she waited for the room to heat up and sat on the floor with legs crossed, warming her hands.
A glance outside told her little about what time it was. Caitlin had thought 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 supplies and before long they sat around a coffee table by the fireplace, drank infused tea and enjoyed an assortment of tasty muffins.
After that, he did teach her to ski. She proved to be a poor student, falling down more times than he cared to count, and he did start out counting. Once she had improved enough to keep her balance, he took her down the smaller hills, and each time he waited at the bottom to catch her.
‘Glow Girl that’s it I’m done!’
She 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 for the umpteenth time.
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 him as Jett and not Hades 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 us up there?’
‘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, gees 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 shook his head at her and smiled. He had no come back, 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 quicker than the fire that mesmerised her.
Jett sat with her and poked at the fire, causing the embers to spark in frenzy. It was Jett 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.
Caitlin finished her drink, and as the mug clunked on the coffee table it disturbed Jett’s thoughts. He took advantage of her not holding anything and wrapped his arms around her. Both leaned back and rested on the couch. It was an innocent hug and it didn’t at all feel 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 that how it happened mystified him too. He had made her so mad at him. She had even feared the Hades side of him. Yet he was also Jett and that side of him didn’t scare her at all.
She finally broke the silence. ‘I know you don’t want to discuss anything personal, but Melita, she is well?’ She worried 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 his eyes raw with sadness. 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.’
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 ultimate planet 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 is mind blowing.’
‘Okay, little-miss-I-can-figure-out-anything. What would you do if I gave you my cheque book?’
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 pretty 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 he had doubt, 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 that would take months.’
She raised her eyebrow. ‘A priority that is more important than Melita, or 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.’ He became stubborn that she made him feel as if his wife was secondary to him.
She shrugged her shoulders, 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 whinge any more. 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 stronger 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 then you must trust me enough to confide what it is you struggle 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 and the body language let her know he was not willing to have her leave just yet.
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, or 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 they find 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 found out. After meeting the powerful deities she could understand his anxiety. They were one tough family unit.
‘Do they know that Glow Girl who they befriended is really Caitlin, one of the Macro 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 mine and Axon’s 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 out it was you who was the one that fought against me. 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 kept your secret.’
She moved her head from side to side and stretched her neck, the tension relieved and her features softened. ‘To tell the truth, 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 put a gracious hand on his arm. ‘You haven’t hurt me and have been nothing but a gentleman around me so you haven’t broken any laws, 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 or I don’t believe you would ever have snatched me. 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, did she have 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 Delphinus Island, I had a horrid feeling of loss. You can imagine the shock when the next time we meet was at war, on opposite sides. He breathed in deeply. ‘Well you know how badly 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 in 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 whilst 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 peaceful 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 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 life. 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 the stress was out of their situation, 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 go grab a couple of steaks and be back in a flash.’
‘Sounds great.’ She rolled off the couch and standing up, stretched.
‘There’s a hot tub through there.’ He opened a door and pulled off the cover to a steamy pool of water that smelt of lemongrass. ‘Feel free to freshen up and I’ll raid the guest wardrobe for some warm night attire. Melita is always prepared and for once, I’m pleased she is a shopaholic.’ He transported out.
Time with a Friend
After Jett left to get some food and a change of clothes, Caitlin walked into a lovely ivory tiled room with a dark blue roof where tiny down-lights gave the impression that luminous stars twinkled 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 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 open slightly, 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.
Caitlin’s mind went to the day in the snow, this spa and how happy she felt. Jett should be proud of what he has, yet his eyes cannot see it.
When he came back, she dressed in the tracksuit and gown he gave her before joining him in the kitchenette where they chatted while he cooked dinner.
He had thought already about the dome to cover his kingdom and the reason why he would go ahead with it sat uneasily with Caitlin. It was a devious diversion to give him time to work out how to tell his family about her. She chipped him on it and he continued to try and explain.
‘I promised not to fight while you are here and this will give me a cover story as to why
I have to put the war on hold, the excuse is that I have to be here to oversee it.’
‘You still intend to move from here, even after you do all that work.’
‘Don’t think this changes anything. My aim is still to take over Mercury, to honour my family’s legacy and rule a planet again.’
Caitlin felt disappointed he hadn’t taken the project seriously. He was unable to see the improvement would’ve brought great happiness. She rolled her eyes. ‘You have so much to learn, grasshopper.’ She shook her head and gave a look a mother would give a child that didn’t get it, but would.
‘Give me trouble Red and you’ll find yourself in my Underworld with the pests of my past,’ he teased.
She laughed at his threat, her clean hair glossy as she tossed it back, her green eyes bright and mysterious and her face vibrant. At this very moment Caitlin caught his breath with her beauty and he knew it would not matter what he did to her or said; she was his always. And even though it scared him, he would never betray that trust he saw in her.
To push it further at this stage would have been pointless. He had promised to stand down from the war for the interim. The project would be life changing for him and it was going ahead. That was all she could ask of him for now. Since joining the Macro Riders, it had been gruelling and lessons left no room for error or fun. She had learned much, but nothing had prepared her for this. She was running on instincts and knew if there was to be a peaceful outcome to this war, she was in the right hands and it was going to take time. For now she was going to enjoy every minute with this man who had worked his way into her very soul. For keeping her alive and safe from his family’s clutches she was deeply in his debt. Time here, with the god that passed judgement on the dead, did sound scary, but he called her friend and for that she wished him happiness and intended to guide him until he had it.
When they moved to the table, still mulling over what they had been talking about had him hesitate. He picked up his knife and fork and then placed them back on the table. ‘Gees Glow, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. If my family finds out I have lied and you’re here with me….’ His voice was soft, almost a whisper.