Eros

Chapter 7: Roses

Eros stepped lightly, his mind digging deep. The weight of the rock no longer bothered him as much as it had when he first discovered it. He still had the power to command butterflies. To command the roses. He wondered if he could still wrestle with tigers and whales. He laughed, the sky glittering with stars as Selene, goddess of the moon, soared the night awake.

Before he realized, Eros was upon his dormitory. The door vibrated with music that came from inside. He slipped in the key, and stepped in. The beat replaced the rhythm of his heart. Zeus jumped from the writing desk after lowering the sound.

"Hey, Eros—my man!" Zeus bowed several times with his hands facing the ground, framing his face. He stopped and held his hand high, his honey-colored eyes glittering.

Eros peeked at it through his fallen hair and smiled.

"You're supposed to slap it!"

"Oh, yes." Eros blinked many times and reached up and slapped his roommate's hand.

"Hey, me and the boys want to know if you'd like to come with us to Nightcap and shoot some"—Zeus rolled to the balls of his feet and pretended to hurl a dart—"darts with us?"

A hot glowing feeling burst inside Eros and he whooped.

"Cool! See ya later, like uh—," Zeus shook his wrist until the circle on it faced him, "—nine?"

"I would be delighted, yes. Nine it is."

Zeus howled, sauntered into the bright hallway with his book bag swinging, and slammed the door behind him.

"Nine, yes." Eros laughed and leaped to his bed, his ankles crossed as he landed. He thought of the girl and her party at the seniority house and shrugged. He could always do that a different time. There was no rush after all.

* * *

Eros flicked his wrist, practicing his aim with a sharpened pencil at the target board. This was his hundredth time and still, he had not missed. He reached up to his chest and squeezed the rock through his shirt with a grunt and wondered what other talent he kept.

He thought of Angie and shook his head. It was not a good idea to invite the girl. She was his mentor and nothing more. He could not allow his sway to change her heart toward him. It was not meant to be.

After he slipped on his sandal, his mind drew back to Angie. Why would he keep his mentor away? Would she not be proud to find that he retained his skills? His hand grew still as he reached for his other sandal.

She did not know of his true past.

Eros grimaced as he slowly latched the shoe in place, his eyes far away. He rubbed his cheek where she had slapped him. Perhaps she was no longer angry with him? He remembered where she lived. He remembered the roses and Persephone and the goddesses. Surely a woman's heart was the same—mortal or immortal, no?

Filled with rising courage to lift Angie's spirits, Eros drifted down the many twisting stairs to the main floor. Soon, the night pressed cool against his cheeks. As he walked, he longed for his golden wings. It would not take this long to get to her house if he had his wings!

A horseless carriage flew by, a blur of lights. It shrieked to a stop. Red lights brightened and it squealed backward until it reached Eros. The horrible smell of something burning reached him and he gagged and waved the air.

"Eros? Is that you? Hey, we've been waiting for you. Where are you heading to?"

"Zeus?" Eros bent and leaned his wrists on the door. It was crowded with people. Giggling girls waved at him, nudging one another and reaching out to him. His brow wrinkled but he smiled at them anyway. "Where are the boys?"