Aphrodite's Flame

30.

After our rendez-vous we snooze in Ares' bed. I'm exhausted but greatly satisfied. The last three days have been exactly what I needed to escape the real world. He snuggles against me when he takes a deep, content breath.

'Did you like that?'

'Did I like that? I loved it. Every single time.' I smile contently.

'Is it safe to assume you're over the mortal boy?' he asks. Aghast I look up at him, almost hitting his nose with my head. Why on earth does he need to bring that up now?

'I don't want to talk about him.' Leaning on my elbow I study his face. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

'You have to - to get over what happened.'

'What happened?' I repeat. He looks at me with concern. Oh, if he dares to speak of this now, he'd better tell me everything.

'With the girdle - that's why you left him, right?'

'How did you know about the girdle?' He has the grace to blush as he sits upright. His hand disappears behind his head.

'Apollo told me.'

'And who told Apollo?'

'A-Artemis, who found out through Athena, who talked to Hera.' I laugh loudly, moving to the edge of the bed. O yeah, I can see how all of them had a good laugh about it - silly Aphrodite - Zeus and Hera must have had a great time before falling asleep with wide grins on their annoying faces. I turn around to tell him what I think about that-

And then my eye falls on the scar on his chest, right where his heart is.

The thing about gods is that they don't die, but they do get hurt. Ares is attractive, but he is also damaged goods. His nose is crooked, his ear is chipped, his body is littered with scars like a battlefield. I know every single one of his scars, because I'm the one who took care of him every single time. And I'm not familiar with this one yet. His gaze follows mine before he locks eyes with me again. I can see the guilt in his eyes, the pleading, the begging for mercy.

I slap him across the face, hard.

He blinks as he moves his hand toward his burning cheek. I jump out of the bed and collect my clothes, which I begin to put on hastily.

'You did me wrong,' I breathe.

'I did it to save you,' he stammers. 'I found out about the trick and I couldn't let him get away with it!' I'm so enraged, I can't even look at him.

'To save me?' I scream. 'What the fuck is the matter with you! You're so jealous, you couldn't even allow me to be happy for a decade?! You fucking man child!'

'It wasn't real, Di,' he begs.

'It felt real to me! Nothing has ever felt that real to me. Had you left me with him for one mortal life time my heart would have been content. It was all I ever wanted and you took it away from me! You were supposed to be the one on my side, you were supposed to be my friend. You stole my heart from me.' I swallow my sorrow and let anger take control. I'm already starting to walk away. Did I think Zeus had a fragile ego?

'Di! Wait! Dont walk away like this!' But I'm already running. Ares and I are creatures of passion and impulse. I know neither are always the best option, but they consume me. Everything I do has come forth from either, sometimes both. Hephaestus angers me with his misunderstanding and cold demeanor - I run back to the one who is the same as me. I can't do that anymore.

They think I am the weakest goddess, not a queen, not a warrior, not a hunter, not even a protector. In their eyes I'm the pretty one, the one that sprinkles love and peace and only open my legs. Like I can't decide for myself. Like I can't choose for myself. Like I can't take care of myself.

I hate him. I hate them. I hate all of them and I will make them pay.