The Adonis of Weho (26 page)

“No! Smith!” Reese grabbed him and held him to his body, but it didn’t seem to stop the assault. “Pan! Hermy! Someone!”

he yelled and tears rolled down his cheeks.

Suddenly the shaking stopped and dead silence surrounded him. Reese was hesitant to release Smith. He looked around the room and then let go of his man, checking to see how badly he was hurt.

“Talk to me. Oh, fuck, Smith, talk to me.”

Appearing to come up for air, Smith inhaled deep and loud, catching his breath.

“Thank God. Smith…” Reese caressed his face and felt the burning of his cheek. “What did she do to you?”

“Ouch.” Smith moved stiffly and touched his sore face.

“There is something seriously wrong with that goddess.” He sat up slowly, Reese helping him. “She’s Hades-bent on sex for procreation only.” Smith sat up, his wings folded tightly behind him. “I mean…what the fuck? Right? Sex is for pleasure, not just breeding.”

Reese stared at him, trying to stop being so devastated at Smith’s injuries. At least it wasn’t an arrow this time. “It’s the same backwards mentality we’re dealing with here on earth. Some people just don’t get it.”

“That’s an understatement.” Smith reached for the bed and drew himself up to sit on it, Reese holding him steady. “These strange new political cults that have been created are bringing back so much pain and suffering. I thought we had gone beyond that era.”

“Seems not.” Reese caressed Smith’s hair gently. “What can I do for you? You looked like you took a pounding.”

“In my bag.” Smith pointed. “I have one pill from Cybil’s medicines.”

“Percodan.” Reese stood up and picked up the leather shoulder bag. “I’m afraid to reach in this. It’s like Felix’s bag of tricks.” He handed it to Smith.

“Did you say Phoenix?” Smith dug in the leather pouch.

“No.” Smith smiled. “Never mind.” He wiped at a tear before it fell.

Chapter 20

After putting on a pair of gym shorts, Adonis held the tablet in his hand and Reese walked out of the bedroom with him to the kitchen.

When he spotted Maria and Hermy chatting over coffee, sitting on the high stools beside the breakfast counter, both he and Reese stopped short.

“There’s the happy couple!” Hermy waved in excitement, his yellow and red plastic bangle bracelets making clicking noises. He rushed over and gave each of them Hollywood air kisses.

“Where were you when we needed you?” Reese held Adonis’

waist as he walked him to the kitchen table.

“I was here!” Hermy’s painted eyes grew wide. “Just when Maria and I tried to think up a strategy, everything stopped shaking.” He flipped his wrist. “So, we made a pot of coffee and schmoozed.”

Adonis sat down gingerly, holding his ribs. “Rhea intervened.”

“Love Bubbie-Rhea!” Hermy sat back on the stool. “She makes the best chicken soup.”

Adonis caught Reese giving Hermy a sideways glance as he removed something from the refrigerator.

“I tried to help,” Maria shrugged, eating a chocolate chip cookie, “But she put up one of her invisible barriers. I was stuck here.”

Taking the bottle of water from Reese, Adonis said, “Thank you.” He used it to swallow the pill and exhaled loudly. “Ouch!”

He rubbed his chest.

“Poor baby.” Reese stood beside him, rubbing it for him.

“Body count for the flight yet, Mr Anderson?” Hermy asked.

“Oh. Yes. Nine. Three kids and six adults.”

Hermy took out his electronic device. “Done.” He tapped on it. “Your song?”

“Our song?” Adonis tried to sit upright but his back and ribs were killing him.

Reese headed back to the fridge, and packed ice into a towel.

“Yes.” Hermy nibbled a cookie. “Your song. The first dance, hello?”

“What’s our song, Reese?” Adonis looked down at his chest and could see the light bruising appear.

Hermy asked, “I was thinking of something from Alesana. He does one about Icarus.”

“You’re not funny.” Adonis flinched as Reese placed an icepack on his cheek.

“I thought it was funny.” Hermy scanned the apps of his mobile device.

“How about
Go All The Way
, by the Raspberries,” Reese said. “After all, that seems to be what we’re doing here. In more ways than one.”

“How do you know that song, Reese?” Adonis sipped the water. “You weren’t born yet when it was released.”

“Mom and Dad. Told you. They’re hip.” Reese made a silly face at him.

“
Go All The Way
, it is.” Hermy kept working his electronic pad. “Your flights are booked,” he said to Reese. “I can send the confirmation to your email addy.”

Reese asked, “How come he’s got all the technical stuff down and you don’t?” Reese stood behind Hermy to look over his shoulder.

“I’ve got better things to do.” Adonis put the icepack on his chest, wincing.

“He spends all day looking at his reflection.” Hermy waved his hand comically.

“That’s not me. That’s Narcissus.”

“Whatever. I can’t keep up with all you pretty boys.” He looked at Reese. “Tell me your email, honey-pie.”

While Reese relayed letters and numbers to him, Adonis sighed. “I just want this to work out.”

“It will,” Hermy said, “Good triumphs over evil.”

“Love conquers hate,” Maria added.

“And all my novels have happy endings.” Reese returned to Adonis and held onto him.

Adonis closed his eyes and pressed his face into Reese’s warm skin. “The plan is in place. It’s just a hard plan to achieve.”

“We’ll manage.” Reese stroked his hair.

“Okay, boys and girl.” Hermy stood up and pocketed his mobile device into yellow patent leather purse, and spun in his flowing floral hoop skirt. “Time for this girl-boy to head to bed.”

He waved. “Ta!” and twitched his nose, vanishing. Maria smiled. “I love when he does the old classics.” She finished her coffee.

“Time to sleep, Smith.” Reese caressed his back lovingly. Adonis tried to stand without help but ended up gripped to Reese to haul himself up. “Maria? Anything brewing or are we safe to rest?”

She closed her eyes. “Rhea has calmed the bitch. Go sleep.”

“Night, my dearest.” Adonis threw her a kiss.

As Reese helped him to the bedroom, he asked, “Who is Maria?”

Adonis waited until the door closed to their bedroom and said, “She’s Carya, a seer. She had a fling with Dionysus but it didn’t work out.” He headed to the bathroom and looked at his cheek in the mirror over the sink. “Damn. It better not look bruised for our wedding day.” He tossed the icepack on the sink vanity.

Reese crossed his arms and leaned on the doorframe.

“What?” Adonis touched his red face.

“So, all this trouble will vanish the day we say I do?”

“That’s the plan. Yes.” Adonis washed his face. “Look, a vow is sacred and even a god has to obey destiny.”

Reese filled a toothbrush with paste and shared the sink with him. “That easy? I find that hard to believe.”

“The trick is to distract”—Adonis looked up—“you-knowwho long enough to get it done.” He dried his face and took his toothbrush from Reese when he’d finished with it.

“Is your grandmother going to do that?” Reese stood at the toilet to pee.

“No. She’s probably going to want to be at the ceremony.”

Adonis spat out the toothpaste and glanced at Reese as he let go his stream. “I have it all arranged, but I don’t want to speak that aloud either. Though I have more friends up there than enemies, she-who-can’t-be-named has a way of using my ex-girlfriends against me. You have no idea how jealous they are.”

Reese flushed the toilet and washed his hands. “I can imagine. Losing a guy like you?” He whistled.

“They fight over me. It’s absurd. I had to spend a third of the year with Aphrodite and a third with Persephone. Dad let me do what I wanted for the last third. Those two wore me out. I spent four months recovering.” He used a soapy wet washcloth to wipe his dick from their lovemaking.

Reese gaped his mouth in surprise. “You dated Aphrodite?”

“She was very pretty, but so jealous! She wouldn’t let me hang out with the boys.” Adonis left the room and folded the blankets back, climbing into the bed, Reese shutting off lights behind him. “In the end it was Artemis I had to worry about.” He patted the mattress beside him. “She’s the one who wanted me dead. She’s jealous of just about everything and everyone.”

Reese shut off the lamp on the nightstand, holding Adonis close. “I can see how you would inspire jealousy. You are really special, Smith.”

“I hope you’re not the jealous kind? I’m sick of it.”

“Not if you don’t cheat I’m not.”

“A vow is a vow.” Adonis sighed and rested his knee over Reese’s crotch.

“Good. I feel the same way.”

Adonis closed his eyes and held onto Reese under the sheets.

“A vow is a vow indeed.”

“Goodnight, lover.”

“Goodnight, husband-to-be.”

~

Reese couldn’t believe how beautiful the garden was. Hanging vines with enormous pink and purple flowers dipped low near his head. The air was sweet as nectar—honeysuckle and lilac scented. A snow-capped mountain shined in the pure white light out in the distance, and jeweled hummingbirds and yellow, orange, and blue butterflies danced in the mild breeze. He pushed low branches of willow trees out of his path as he walked, the low hum of insects mixed with the distant baying of sheep and cow. It was idyllic. Nirvana. Paradise. Had he ever seen a garden so filled with color and richness?

His mother would love it here.

Reese followed the well-trodden path, inhaling the spicysweet air, unable to get enough of the aroma. An orchard of fruit trees appeared—citrus trees heavy with lemons and oranges beckoning to be picked. Pears, peaches, walnuts and almonds…olives, pomegranates, figs and kiwi—all ripe and ready for harvest.

He drew closer to a magnificent tree, laden with red and gold fruit. Reese reached up to pick one and a serpent appeared on the branch. Retracting his arm, he stared at it curiously. It was yellow with black bands and a narrow head. Reese went for the tempting apple and tugged it off the tree. He bit into it as he stared at the snake.

“You’re bold.”

“Huh?” Reese looked at the snake and asked, “Did you say something?”

“Pulling off an apple from the tree, right by me?”

Reese looked around the garden. “Is this a joke? I don’t believe in the Bible.”

“Bible? I came centuries before that.”

“Who are you?” Reese took another bite of the sweet fruit.

“Ladon. And you just ate from the tree of life. It’s about fertility, you know.”

Reese stared at its gold eyes. “Not fertility again. Why is everyone talking about popping out brats?” His jaw dropped as he noticed the two front fangs show from the mouth of the snake.

“I’ve never seen a snake smile. That’s friggin weird.”

“You’re funny. I like you.” His tongue flickered and he moved closer. “But you’re too late.”

“Too late for what?” Reese finished the apple and held the core. “You mind if I drop it? Its biodegradable.”

“No. There is a lot of fruit on the ground. No one harvests anymore. Things rot and are wasted. Seems a shame.”

“So?” Reese tossed the core. “What am I late for?”

“Can’t you hear it?”

“Hear what?” Reese tilted his head to listen.

“The baying of the hounds?”

As he focused he could indeed hear what sounded like a beagle howling. “Someone’s dog is barking.”

“Don’t you want to know whose?”

“If you think it’s important.”

“Go. Follow the sound.”

Reese nodded and returned to the path, listening. As he drew closer he could hear it wasn’t a dog barking, it was a dog whimpering. He pushed thick tree branches back, catching the scent of bay leaf and cinnamon as he noticed women crouched around in a circle.

“Oops. I don’t need to see this.” He was about to back away when one of the hounds trotted to him, wagging its tail.

“Hey buddy.” Reese crouched down and petted the dog’s ears.

“You’re late.”

“First a talking snake, now a talking dog… What am I late for?” Reese stood up and looked through the branches at the women. They were staring at him.

“You better go see.” The dog pranced back to the women. Reese approached slowly. “Sorry. The dog and snake told me I was late for something.” He noticed three women, one with a bow and arrow slung to her back.
She
was glaring at him. He felt as if he’d seen her before.

As he drew closer he could see they were surrounding someone. Reese leaned over to have a look.

Smith was lying still, blood all over his body, pale as the clouds overhead.

“No!” Reese screamed and fell to his knees. “What happened to him? No!” He began crying.

“He was killed by a wild boar.”

“No! Smith! Oh God no!” Reese reached for his lifeless body and held him in his arms, rocking him. He felt ice cold to Reese’s heat. “Smith, my lover, my husband. No…” He wailed and cradled him against his chest.

A cackling laughter made its way to his ears and he shut his eyes tightly and wept against Smith’s hair.

~

Adonis heard weeping.

He came out of his slumber and looked at the ceiling of his bedroom. Beside him Reese was sobbing in his sleep. He touched his shoulder lightly. “Baby?”

“Oh, God…oh, God, no…”

“Reese?” Adonis shook him harder. “I think it’s time for you to wake.”

It took some doing, but Adonis forced Reese to come back to the conscious world. Reese’s face was wet with tears and he was shaking.