Iris

Chapter 36- Iris

I grasped his hand and felt him tense. "It wasn't your fault, Michael." I slurred. "It was going to happen sometime." I look over to him to make sure he was okay, and he wasn't. He clearly wasn't. His face was extremely pale, even had a greenish tint to it. His beautiful eyes weren't as vibrant as they normally were. They were dull and lackluster. His hand was clammy and cold.

"Do not let go of his hand." I looked to see who talked, but didn't see anyone. Reaching for a drink, I noticed my glass was empty. I reached across Michael to grab the bottle. I froze when someone intercepted it.

She a little bit taller than me. Maybe five foot six. She had golden hair that reached her waist. Her perfectly arched eyebrows were just a few shades darker than her hair. Her eyes were a bright amethyst color, brighter from then white floor length roman style gown she was wearing. Her feet were wrapped in pretty brown gladiator sandals. She was so pretty it hurt. I actually had to look away.

"If you let go of his hand he will come back, and I would like a few moments of your time. If that is okay of course." God even her voice was beautiful. It caressed my ears, gentle and soothing.

"Yeah." Lamest response ever.

"What are you showing him? He's pretty deep in there."

"Where is there exactly?" She scrunched her perfect eyebrows in confusion. She was so perfect not a single wrinkle appeared.

"Your memory." Well that's just fan-freaking-tastic.

"Well that explains the shitty feeling."

"What was the last thing you talked about before he went like," She waver her hand in his general direction. "-that?" I pointed to the bottle of magic in her hands, and she handed it over. I poured a glass, a much smaller amount than what Michael poured.

"You're Iris."

"Thank you Captain Obvious, and you're Auntie Aphrodite."

"I kind of like that. I hope that you can call me that one day, preferably when you are comfortable with it." She smiled at me, and I felt a strange feeling in me. Something I couldn't explain. It wasn't bad, just foreign. And I don't like foreign, foreign is bad.

"What gave my top secret identity away?" She grabbed the almost empty bottle from my hands and poured it down the sink. When she turned around she unconsciously flipped her golden hair back and I felt the burn of jealousy coat my insides. That's really enough. I thought to myself, still staring at her painful beauty. Trying to figure out if I can rip her hair out one strand at a time and plug in into my own scalp.

"The strength- the strength, the sadness, and the fear, and the beauty. That's all what gave it away. You have a sadness in your eyes that's indescribable. You've been through something horrible, but you're too strong to let it overcome you. So you're beautiful on the inside and clearly stunning on the outside." As she was talking she was taking small steps closer and closer towards me. Slowly making me nervous and more anxious at the same time. I would feel my body relax then tense up tenfold every step she took until she was right in front of me.

Breathe Iris.

I felt her soft hand caress my cheek. All the air I kept trapped in my lungs expelled through my mouth. She applied more pressure until she was cradling my head in her hands. She pulled me to her, my head resting on her belly. I almost lost my grip on Michael's arm, but I just sort of yanked him towards me making his face fall onto the countertop. Oops. Aphrodite ran her fingernails over my scalp and trailed them through my hair. Goosebumps covered me from head to toe. I wrapped my free arm around her tiny waist. Urging her to continue with her ministrations.