Aphrodite's Flame

11.

Adonis hasn't said much the past two days, while a lot is on his mind. I tried getting his mind off whatever was stirring inside him, I even asked him what was the matter, but he said very little.

We are sitting in the shade of a giant walnut tree when he finally lets out a sigh.

'Who was the bulky guy at the cabin the other day?' he asks, not looking at me but at his fingers. He is nervous for the answer, I can feel it as a little flicker of light that is ready to burst into wildfire or die completely at once. This is the moment where I either break his heart or consolidate his feelings for me.

'No one in particular. Ares is the god of War and a dear friend of mine who gets hurt easily. He doesn't have many friends, so he comes to me when he needs someone.' It is the truth. He always comes to me.

'Such a bulky guy?' he wonders in disbelief. 'How come a goddess of Love and a god of War have become such good friends?' I smile, webbing our fingers together tightly as I feel his heart light up and the flicker of light die and make room for something else, something more positive.

'We have known each other for thousands of years and we will know each other for thousands of years. His passion and devotion are no different from mine. There are creatures that act on strategy and logic, and then there are creatures like us. To us, the world isn't a logical place, so we don't behave like it is or like it should be. When two creatures are so similar their personalities work like magnets. He knows I'm here for him because I know he's always here for me.' Also something I know to be true, although I sometimes repress it.

Adonis is silent for a little while again before he squeezes my hand. Hesitantly he adds,

'I came back early. I saw that he wanted to kiss you.'

'Yes, he did. But I didn't let him.' He doesn't really know what to say to that, because I didn't give him enough room to do so, or enough of a response to work with. It really is all there is to say to the matter. I am the goddess of Love, and there is always someone who wants to claim me - but I get to say when and if. He knows this, it is not new to him. So he smiles at me and leans in to kiss me. And I allow it.

'Will we go into the woods tomorrow?' he asks, letting the sensitive subject of Ares go. 'It will be the last day before Winter is really here.'

'I really thought you would look forward to Winter, since you've never witnessed one.' 

He shrugs. 'I don't like the cold very much.' I take his hand in mine.

'I love you,' I tell him. He snaps his head back in my direction, something fiery in his blue eyes.

'I love you, too.' Who would have thought I'd tell him first? The feeling that something is wrong with this entire scenario creeps up on me again. Yet I very obviously wasn't forced to say it to him - it wasn't like bile crawled up my throat and I just had to say it. I wanted to say it. It escaped my lips like that. I can't give it any more thought, his lips are already adoring mine, distracting me completely.

***

The first winter winds weave the cold through the pine trees effortlessly. We walk into the woods with our fingers entwined. Adonis is singing to me, I can hear the songbirds react to him. I love days like these, they are calm and warm and safe. 

After a while we enter a clearing, which is so much lighter than the dark woods that surround it. I look up to the grey sky, only to see the first snow flakes fall down to earth. I squeeze Adonis' hand and he looks up as well, a smile forming around his pink lips. I stiffen when I hear a branch break. It's divine instinct that tells me something is very much wrong. Adonis is the first to look over his shoulder. Before he can make a sound, he is thrusted forward into the meadow. A satyr dives on top of him, kicking him with his hooves.

'Let him go!' I scream, when I feel two arms grab me from behind. I try to break free by kicking my assailant, but it is of no use. I can smell his disgusting fur and I can feel and hear his repulsive breath. His grip on my lower arms tightens, his breath grows harsher. A third satyr pushes me down and starts collecting the fabric of my dress while I keep kicking around me and Adonis is still trying to fight off his attacker.

It all happens so fast I don't even get the chance to unleash Hades and Earth on these revolting creatures. Somehow Adonis kicks the satyr off of him and jumps to his feet. He runs over to us and jumps on top of the satyr that is holding me down. Finally my foot reaches its target and I hear the sickening breaking of the satyr's nose. I scramble to my feet and look at Adonis, frightened by all the blood that is oozing from his nose, mouth and the cut above his eyebrow. 

'Run.' His voice is dark and thorny. I reach out to him, when he yells, 'run!' I don't want to leave him behind, but maybe I can lure them away from him if I run in the other direction. I know it's me they want. Satyrs aren't typically known for their random violence - they are known for their intense and vicious lustations and don't shy away from brutality. 

So I run.