This is a work of gay-themed romantic fantasy. Some chapters contain graphic descriptions of sex--not all of which is consensual or between adults. If reading material of this nature upsets or offends you, please click away now. Likewise, if the laws in your area would place either of us in legal jeopardy please do the responsible thing and leave by the way you came in. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the party.
CHAPTER NINE: The Reception, Part Two
Having gotten himself back under control, Brad got his best "diplomatic" smile pasted on, finally making his way back into the party. He saw the guests were well-supplied with food, drink, and someone to talk to while deftly avoiding questions about what he'd just learned. Dennis's "good vibrations" were still pumping through the party, so Gods and men alike seemed to have forgotten about the earlier dust-up, especially with the precipitous departure of Ward and Sheila Kingsbury. Well, almost everyone; Prometheus approached Brad. "Lad--we need to speak..."
"No. We don't!" The words were hard-bitten with a torrent of ice and fury just under the surface.
"Yes, we do, Bradley..." The Titan sighed. "My boy--I'm truly sorry you had to find out the way you did! But I'm not sorry for arranging your birth..."
"And you Gods accuse us humans of hubris!" The young man didn't bother to conceal his anger and rage. He didn't care who saw.
"It wasn't `hubris,' Bradley..." the Titan said softly, "it was desperation!"
"WHAT?" Brad was as surprised as he was angry. "What do you mean?"
"I do apologize, young man," the Titan said with incredible sadness. "I can't tell you in a way you'll understand--I'll have to show you..." The Titan used his Bond to project sensation into the young man; Brad screamed, trying to curl himself into a tight ball as he felt his insides being clawed out. "Now--imagine that every day for literally thousands of years..." The pain changed, and now the young man felt a hunger like he'd never dreamed possible! Then there was a thirst like no other, that was seldom slaked except by the occasional bit of rain, snow or something more noxious. "I won't make you experience all three sensations at once, lad," Prometheus told him. "But are you beginning to understand why I was so desperate?"
Prometheus helped Brad get shakily to his feet. "Oh my God!" the young man panted. "How did you endure that? I only experienced that for a few seconds, and I thought I was going to die!" He was still reeling from the after-effects.
"I was beginning to lose my sanity," the Titan admitted. "You were my last hope! That's why I risked interfering the way I did!"
"Loki had already made sure Ward was unavailable to your father..." Prometheus told him. "Your mother was there, and it didn't take much to get them together. Robert Fox always wanted a family, and Madeline was a willing participant in my scheme. She loved your father, and your father loved her as best he could...."
"You were the only surviving fruit of your parents' union," Prometheus continued. "You can blame Loki for that. He was the one who made sure your mother's other pregnancies ended early, and it was he who inflicted the cancer that took her away from this plane! But you, lad, you were the finest child I could have wished for! You had your father's strength, agility, and stamina. You had your mother's kind heart, gentle spirit, strength of character, and passion for justice. Plus, you got both their brains! If you can't forgive my desperate act, I'll understand--I hope you can find a way to forgive me, but even if you don't, I will always stand ready to help you..."
"I think you've done QUITE enough, old man!" Brad turned to see a pair of strangers who were very late arrivals. One was a truly beautiful young man; the Gods were all handsome, but this guy was male beauty personified, and he knew it. He shook his golden curls and gave Brad a saucy blue-eyed wink.
"Whatever did you do to this one?" asked the beautiful young man's companion. He was tall and slim with dark hair, black eyes, and olive skin. There was a definite family resemblance to the blond, but there was a palpable sourness about this one that reminded Brad too much of Eris.
"Good evening, gentlemen," Brad said politely, making sure his "friendly host" face stayed on. "Welcome to The Arbor! I am Bradley Fox, currently in service to Lord Dionysus--and you would be?"
"Ross Ehrens," the beautiful blond replied smoothly. "This is my brother Hyland Marcus Ross..."
The young man gave the two men a warm smile which didn't reach his eyes. "Do your friends call you Hymie?" he asked and gave the dark one a conspiratorial wink.
"MORTALS address me as LORD Himeros!" the dark one snapped.
"I beg your pardon, LORD Himeros!" Brad purposefully added the inflection the dark man used. "My Lord Dionysus will be so pleased you could take time out of your busy schedule to pay him a visit!" Brad left out "making trouble, causing scandals, and ruining lives," but it was implicit. "My Lady Aphrodite will be happy to see you back on the island for however long!"
"Aren't you a `cheeky monkey'!" Ross chuckled. "So--you're the human who finally freed Prometheus from that nasty bit of business Father Zeus cooked up!"
"No wonder he hates you so much!" The dark man turned his full attention on Prometheus. "And, you, you old fart, what did YOU do to piss off this little mortal so badly? Must be good!"
"Ask around," the Titan replied with a dismissive shrug. "You've always been good about digging up the dirt! Feel free to dig--it won't take you long..."
Himeros focused his godly power on Brad. "Why don't we find a nice out-of-the-way spot so you can suck my cock?" he suggested.
"Why don't you fuck off, LORD Himeros?" Brad turned on his heel and marched away, and Prometheus followed.
For his part the dark man was livid. "That--that MORTAL resisted me!" he exclaimed. "How is that even possible?"
"He's a tight-souled little twit!" Eros agreed. "But, don't worry, brother dear, between the two of us we'll put that uppity little mortal, all his friends, and the new Dionysus through the ringer until he begs for mercy! Just like Father Zeus ordered..."
Brad felt better, knowing he'd defied Himeros's ability, so he went back to working the party. It wasn't long, though, until Iris found him. "I'm sorry, Brad," the girl with the rainbow-colored hair said as she approached him. "Eris has all the Gods assembled, and she wants to see you--now!" The young man sighed but followed the girl into the ballroom where half or more of the guests were gathered.
"Here's our man of the hour!" Eris oozed false and utterly malicious cheer as Brad approached. "I need you for a little game!" She tossed him a golden apple--inscribed FOR THE FAIREST. "You know what to do, Braddie-pie! PICK one of us!"
"Bitch, couldn't you come up with something original?" Brad gave the Goddess of Discord a mirthless grin. "This is SO 20th Century BCE! But, ah well, if I must, I must..."
The young blond man gave Eris an appraising look as he bounced the prize from one hand to the other. "You are beautiful..." he finally pronounced, "but you are a peach with a rotten core! You are fair--but I can't award you the prize!"
Nemesis, standing next to her sister, gave Brad a sour look. "You gonna `dis' me, little mortal?"
"Why would I do that, my Lady?" Brad asked, giving the woman a radiant smile. "You are the personification of Just, Divine Retribution! That qualifies you as fair in anybody's book! Maybe a soupcon too much eye makeup, but, gurl, you are rockin' the tats, and that leather jumpsuit is to die for! Not everybody could carry that look off..." Nemesis gave the young man a pleased smile, while Eris looked angry, and several Goddesses tittered behind their hands as Brad moved on.
"My Lady Hera!" he said, taking her measure. "You are our most-beloved Queen! You are the very personification of wifely virtue, and that is truly beautiful! But there are others I must consider..." Hera simpered as Brad moved on.
"My Lady Aphrodite..." The Goddess posed, giving Brad her best "beauty queen" wave. "You are truly the Queen of Love and Beauty!" Aphrodite reached for the apple, but Brad didn't hand the trophy over. "I'm sorry, my Lady, but I cannot award this to you--yet..."
"Gray-eyed Athena..." The young man moved on to the Goddess of Wisdom.
"I'm taking myself out of the running!" she announced.
"But, my Lady!" Brad protested. "You too are among the fairest of the fair! For your beauty is with your intellect and wisdom--qualities we all should aspire to! Know this, in my eyes you are truly beautiful--yet there are other candidates to consider..." Athena took a moment to give the young man an almost coquettish smile before Brad moved on to the next Goddess.
"Demeter!" he announced. "Our Lady Bountiful..."
"Watch him give it to the fat chick!" one of the human guests imprudently commented (and Eris made sure the whole room knew who made that ill-timed joke).
"Our Lady of the Harvest..." Brad went on smoothly. "Without your generosity of spirit we would all starve! Yours is the beauty of a summer's day, a banquet after the harvest! You too are fair!"
Brad moved on. "The Sisters of the Moon--Artemis, Selene and Hecate! You are the triune Goddess, Maiden, Mother and Crone! You show us the true beauty of each phase of womanhood--all of you are fair!" All three Goddesses smiled benevolently as Brad moved on to the next woman in line.
"Hestia," he said, "yours is the beauty of service, for without you--we would live in squalor! You are most fair, my lady..." Hester, at least her current incarnation, was a plain woman who avoided the spotlight. Still, she smiled in pleasure at being recognized.
"And last, but by no means LEAST, my Lady Iris--Goddess of the Rainbow!" Brad announced. "You bring light and color to our lives--and you too are fair..."
"He can make a pretty speech; I'll give him that..." Eros observed.
"Quit stalling!" Eris growled. "Which one of us gets my apple?"
"Actually--NONE of you!" The room erupted as Brad walked over to where J Peter Zeusmann was seated. "I hereby award this apple to Zeus! Our beloved King of the Gods personifies the standard of justice, mercy, reasoned forbearance, and nobility! HE is the standard by which we ALL are judged--therefore I award the title of `fairest" to Zeus!" Brad offered the King the apple, but Zeus refused to take it.
"The apple says TO THE FAIREST!" Zeus said. "That's hardly me! Choose again..."
"No, Sire," the young blond man said staunchly. "My Lady Eris required me to render judgement, and thus I have done! YOU, my Lord Zeus, are the `fairest' in my eyes! Now if you wish to pass the apple on to the one YOU think is fairest..." Brad gave Zeus a challenging stare.
The King of the Gods realized the mortal had "foxed" him yet again--this time in front of every God, Titan, and Tier One Bondsman. He gave Brad a positively murderous glare. The young man could almost see the wheels turning behind the King's dark eyes as he handed the apple to Hera. "For you, my Queen and Lady Wife!" he announced triumphantly. "You are the `fairest' in my eyes!" The room applauded politely as Hera accepted the apple with a pleased smile.
Nicely done, your Majesty, Brad thought as he backed away. Zeus had managed to avoid a scene and please his wife in one fell swoop. Everyone was happy--except Eris, who was upset her "prank" hadn't caused more trouble...
"Brad--I'm sorry to bother you..." Chief Eric Mars approached the young blond gymnast as he was picking up some used glassware. "There's a fire that needs putting out and, frankly, son, I'm afraid to try!"
"What's up?" Brad wanted to know. If Ares was afraid, then it had to be bad.
"The `Ross' brothers have Chase Carpenter alone in a side room!" the beefy redhead told him. "Those two are nothing but trouble, and I know that if I put my head in there I'll get sucked in to the drama. I was hoping you might be able to find a way to short-circuit them..."
"I'm on it!" The young man left the glassware for the catering staff and made his way to a side room, where he found Eros and Himeros sitting on either side of Chase. The three were chatting like old friends.
"SO--that little slut Brad leads you on and SLEEPS with your brother?" Himeros exclaimed. "I'm SHOCKED! Shocked!"
"How could he DO such a thing?" Eros chimed in. "If you were my boyfriend, I'd NEVER cheat on you like that! That is SO wrong!"
"I totally wouldn't blame you if you kicked both their asses!" the dark one announced.
"Nobody would!" the blond one added. "Playing with your affections is just WRONG!"
"Isn't that what both of you are doing this very minute?" Brad asked from the door. "Sounds like a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, if you ask me..."
"Well, nobody did--SLUT!" Himeros growled.
Brad turned his full attention to Chase. "So--do YOU think I'm a slut?"
"What?" The blond jock seemed more than a little at a loss. "I think it's kind of rude for Corey to just swoop in and snatch you away from me..."
"Oh, for FUCK'S SAKE, Chase!" Brad bellowed. "You bought me a goddam ice cream cone, and I had dinner at your family's house exactly ONCE! That's hardly picking out the wedding china! Plus, Corey and I have been friends for years, and I have to teach him how to be a satyr, while instructing Dennis Hardy in his new role as Dionysus!"
"But you didn't even CALL!" the jock protested.
"I have fucking been BUSY!" Brad snapped. "Did you not just hear what I said! I've been running non-stop since I moved in to The Arbor! Besides, you ARE aware that telephones have two-way connections, right? You could have called me at any time!"
"My, isn't Braddie-pie a self-righteous little bitch!" Himeros sneered.
"Um..." Chase just looked utterly confused. "I don't know what's going on here..." he finally confessed. "I feel weird! Kinda out of it--ever since those two dudes started talking to me..."
"The Ross' brothers have been fucking with your mind!" the blond gymnast informed him. "Zeus persuaded' them to come to the island to make trouble for me. Since their powers don't work on me, they decided to fuck with my friends! Isn't that right, guys?" Brad gave the brothers a jaundiced look. "Are you really that desperate to get back into Unca Zeus's good graces?"
"Why don't you ask Prometheus?" Himeros sneered.
"Listen, you thirsty little bitch, I already know!" Brad snapped.
"How is that even possible?" Eros asked, curious.
"That," the blond man replied, "falls under the category of `need to know'--which you clearly do NOT! Now--I need you two bitches to listen VERY carefully to what I'm about to tell you! Both of you need to clean up the mess you made with Chase then translocate your asses off the island! Get it? Got it? Good!"
"Really--you insolent mortal?" Himeros snapped. "How are you going to make us?"
"In your case, Hymie--I'm going to spill a little `tea'!" Brad replied archly. "You're already none too popular around here, and I don't think the Gods would be happy knowing some of the shit you two pulled."
"You little PISSANT!" the dark love God seethed. "You wouldn't DARE!"
"I'll start with this..." Brad whispered in Himeros's ear, and the God of Unrequited Love blanched. "I OWN you, bitch!"
"Yes--Sir.." the olive-skinned love God said softly. "I see why Zeus hates you so much!"
"That trick won't work on me!" Eros said. "I haven't done anything!"
"No--nothing actionable like your idiot brother," Brad agreed. "But I have something you want more than anything in the world."
"And what might that be?" Eros asked, curious in spite of himself.
"Psyche's location!"
The blond beauty was up and shaking Brad. "Tell me!" he demanded. "Tell me now! Do you know how long I've been looking for my mate?"
"One thousand three hundred and twenty-four years, six months, eleven days, nine hours and twenty-two minutes!" Brad replied. "Would you like the second count as well?"
"Where is she?" Eros demanded. "TELL me, or I swear I'll kill you!"
"If you do that, you may well spend the next thousand years looking for her!" Brad replied, not bothering to try and hide a malicious smile. "You might get lucky and trip over her while you vainly search the four corners of the globe, or you can be with your true love in a matter of minutes! The choice is entirely up to you!"
"What do you want, you blackmailing son-of-a-bitch?"
"FIRST," Brad snapped, "you fix Chase! SECOND, both of you swear by your Godly Power you will never bother me and mine again!"
"I Swear by my Power that I will never use my Godly Powers for or against you!" Eros napped. "Are you satisfied?"
"Completely!" the young gymnast replied. "Now you, `Hymie'..."
"You DO realize that now you'll NEVER be able to find `true' love?" Himeros smirked.
"Humans have been finding `true' love without divine intervention since love was invented!" Brad told him. "This way, at least, if I DO find it, I'll know that it's real and not some sham cooked up by an outsider!"
"Tell me where Psyche is!" Eros screamed.
"First, you two need to fix what you did to Chase," Brad said. "That was part of the agreement! Second, Himeros needs to give his oath."
"We didn't DO anything!" Himeros protested.
Brad turned on his heel and made to leave the room. "I need to find Father Zeus!" he announced. "As much as his Majesty hates me, I think he'll want to know about how you've been working against his interests..."
The dark love God translocated and placed himself between Brad and the door. "I won't let you!" he snapped.
Brad showed Himeros his right wrist. "Do you want me to drop a dime to my Patrons?" he asked mildly. "I can tell all three of them faster than you can kill me--and I'm sure Athena will be more than happy to make sure all your wrongdoings get broadcast far and wide!"
"I HATE you!" Himeros thundered, but he, however reluctantly, swore by his Godly Power.
"Like I said, I OWN you, bitch!" Brad said mildly. "I can dole out what I know in little pieces to stretch out your misery or all at once--and you'll never know when the shoe is going to drop! Now--FIX MY FRIEND, or I'll start by telling Athena how you helped the previous Dionysus derail one of her pet projects! Or would you like me to tell Hephaestus how you've been helping to steal Thunderbolt Technologies Patents and selling them to the Chinese? Which would you prefer--or shall I just go ahead and release everything?"
"FINE!" Himeros did SOMETHING, and Chase suddenly looked much more clear-eyed.
"If you two weren't Gods, I'd so kick your ass right now!" Chase growled. "Maybe I'll give it my best shot!" He lunged toward the olive-skinned God, but Himeros translocated away.
"We did what you wanted!" Eros whined. "Now TELL me where I can find Psyche?" Brad gave the love God the information he was seeking. "One day you're going to overplay your hand, Brad..." he said acidly, "and I'll be glad to watch you fall!"
"No doubt," the young man replied mildly, "but not today! Just remember Eros--I have plenty of dirt on you too..." The blond beauty hissed like an angry Persian before he too translocated away.
"Dude--when did you become such a badass?" Chase asked. "And when did you start acting like a Drag Queen?"
"It's a role I adopted," the young man replied. "Brad Fox is meek as milk but I can reach down and pull out this inner `Bitch Goddess' to say and do what needs to be done!"
Aphrodite found Brad, and she was angry! "Why did you send my children away?" she said. "If I weren't a Lady, I'd knock your teeth down your goddam throat!"
"Would you like an answer, or would you just like to shriek like a fishwife for a while?" Brad asked. "Either way, I'm fine with it--just tell me how this is supposed to play out! I'm afraid I didn't get a script for this scene, so I'll have to improvise!"
"I don't like your attitude, young man!"
"I don't like yours either, sweetheart!" the young man snarked back, "so I guess we're even!"
"WHY did you blackmail my sons into leaving the island?" she screamed.
Oh, great, Brad thought. Just what I need tonight--another scene! "Since you seem to want to have this discussion IN PUBLIC..." The young man raised his voice so everyone could hear. "ZEUS made a deal with Eros and Himeros to come here for the express purpose of making trouble for Dennis, Corey, and me--and your darling sons were more than willing to go along! Did they forget to mention that when they were complaining to you?"
"You lying little WHORE!" Aphrodite was livid that someone would dare impugn her precious children.
"Takes one to know one, sweetie!" Brad shot back. "But, unlike you, I've never slept with another man while I was married--my Lady--and I use the term VERY loosely!"
"You--you liar!" Aphrodite grabbed a drink from a passing server and threw it in Brad's face. "My children would NEVER..."
Brad grabbed a napkin and wiped his face. "Someone's been watching too many Dynasty reruns!" he quipped. "If you doubt what I say, you can have Athena or Hecate `Compel' me to tell the truth--thanks to Prometheus's Gift I can recite chapter and verse word-for-word! Hecate is watching from the corner; shall I call her over? She can do the spell, and you can ask me as many questions as you'd like in front of the Olympians and Tier Ones as witnesses! I promise you won't like the answers, but you'll know! The choice is yours, my Lady Aphrodite..."
The Goddess of Love and Beauty said some pretty unladylike things, but she stomped away to confront Zeus. That's not going to go well... Brad thought. I wouldn't want to be him right now.
"Lad, sure an' ye have a real talent fer makin' enemies!" Dennis said after seeing the last of the party guests out. "Aphrodite can be a right `divil', when she feels she's been wronged..."
"I know that," Brad admitted. "Worse, I know what Aphrodite is going to do to me to get payback!"
"What's that lad?"
"Since my dad was supposed' to be with Ward Kingsbury, she persuaded' Zeus to make it happen," the young man said forlornly, "even though she knows my dad doesn't love him anymore!"
"Hell hath no fury like a she-cat protectin' her young!" the new Dionysus said sadly. "Miss DeeDee `loves' her children beyond all reason e'en though this body didn't birth them! You could tell her the truth, but she'll no' believe it!"
"I know..." Brad replied. "I'd try apologizing to her, but it likely would just make things worse rather than better!"
"Maybe," Dennis said. "Still--this has tae come t' an end!" The handsome redhead snapped his fingers, and Aphrodite appeared, clad in a peignoir and negligee with her hair in curlers and an avocado facial scrub plastered on her delicate features. "Sorry tae make ye pop in like this, DeeDee m' dear--but we need tae settle this before things get completely out o' hand!"
"How DARE you?" she screamed and immediately tried to pop back out, but Dennis grabbed her.
"Sorry, darlin"' the new Dionysus said, "you an' me charge need tae have a talk before things get completely out o' hand!"
"I have nothing to say to that--that--MORTAL!"
"Fine," Dennis replied. "Ye can speak tae me! How d' ye think this ends, love?"
"How should I know?" she demanded.
"Some years ago there was a movie called The Untouchables with Kevin Costner an' Sean Connery? Did ye see it, lass?"
"Maybe..." she admitted. "What does that have to do with anything, though?"
"D' ye remember tha scene where Sean Connery's character tells young Elliot Ness how tae deal with tha mobsters?"
"They pull a knife; you pull a gun!" Brad told her. "They put one of yours in the hospital, you put one of theirs in the morgue!"
"I don't know how that applies to this situation!" the woman said.
"Don't ye now, lass?" Dennis replied with a sad shake of his head. "Ye feel ye need some petty revenge `gainst Bradley; what d' ye think he'll do tae pay ye back?"
"I..." She gave Brad a hard, questioning look. "What CAN he do?" she demanded. "I'm a Goddess and he's a mere mortal!"
"He's a `mere' mortal wi' access tae all o' Prometheus's knowledge!" Dennis told her. "Surely, m' lass, ye ha' tae see where this ends? Not well fer yer children!"
"Do you have any idea how unequal the power dynamic is between us?" Brad asked. "You have enough power to utterly destroy me and I only have two weapons--the knowledge Prometheus gave me and a few powerful friends! What am I supposed to do, roll over and take it?"
"Of course!" she replied hotly. "You're just a mortal!"
"As were you--once..." the young man told her. "How would your mortal self have reacted to being told to `shut up and let the menfolk handle things'? You came from a time where women had no rights and you had no options. Why do you want to do the same thing to me?"
"Because you took my sweet, innocent babies away from me!" the Goddess said. "I don't get to see any of my children as much as I'd like..."
"And why is that?" Brad asked, using a gentle tone.
"Because Zeus prefers them not to visit the island..." she said hesitantly.
"And why is that?" the young man asked again. He knew the answer, but he wanted Aphrodite to confess the truth.
"Because he says they are troublemakers!" she finally admitted, however reluctantly.
"And are they?" Dennis asked.
"Dennis--you're not a parent!" the Goddess said, trying to get Dionysus on her side. "Boys will be boys! Things happen..."
"And when those things' cost mortal lives--valuable mortal lives--there are consequences," Dennis told her bluntly. "You've railed against permissive parenting' in the past; lass--d' ye not see yer doin' tha exact thing wi' yer own brats?"
Aphrodite frowned but remained silent. "If you doubt me, ask Himeros," Brad suggested. "Surely you'd know when your own son is lying to you!"
"I'll do that!" the Goddess decided. "Hyland! Hyland Marcus Ross!" It seemed even Goddesses had the dreaded "Mom" voice. "You get your sorry ass over here--NOW!"
The dark God of Unrequited Love popped in. "Yes, Mother?" he said brightly. Then he caught sight of Brad, and his face fell; "SHE made me come! Otherwise I wouldn't have returned--I swear!"
"Your mother has some questions for you," the young man told him. "Answer them TRUTHFULLY, then you can go..."
"Hyland--what were you and your brother doing on Olympus Island?" the Goddess asked.
"Zeus invited us!" her son quickly blurted.
"And why was that, dear?"
"Um--I dunno..." Himeros frantically looked for an escape.
"Didn't I just say answer TRUTHFULLY?" Brad growled.
The Goddess, though being several inches shorter than her son, reached up and grabbed one ear, twisting hard. "I may not have given birth to you, Hyland--but I'm STILL your mother!" she snapped. "I've covered for you in the past, and I'm not about to let you start another civil war! Answer my questions, young man!"
"OK--ow!" Himeros exclaimed. "Zeus told us to make trouble for Brad, some new satyr named Corey, and the new Dionysus! He said if we could make the three of them turn on each other, maybe we could come home! Ow, MOM! That HURTS!!!!"
"Thank you for your honesty," Aphrodite said sadly. "You can go now, Son..." Himeros translocated away as quickly as he could. "And call your mother occasionally!" she called after him. "They have cell phones now, you know!"
"I'm truly sorry, my Lady..." Brad said softly.
"Why?" the Goddess asked. "All you did was tell the truth--and I was too wrapped up in myself to listen! My children would have ignited yet another civil war among the Gods--and I would have been the spark to set it off! Olympus Island barely survived our last battle--I'd hate to be responsible for another one!"
"With the forces already arrayed against Olympus Island, we might not survive this time," Brad told her.
"Can you forgive me for being an overprotective mother, Bradley?"
"If you can forgive me for being a shell-shocked kid who's floundering around in the deep end of a pool he got tossed into with no warning," Brad replied. "We were both operating on raw emotions--maybe we can try starting again?" He stuck out his hand. "Hi, I'm Brad Fox!"
The Goddess shook his hand solemnly. "I'm Aphrodite," she said with a smile. "My mortal name is DeeDee Love', but you can call me DeeDee'!"
"Miss Love if you're nasty?" Brad quipped.
"Dennis--I see why you like this one!" Aphrodite said. "He's got a wonderful wit!"
"An' a damn sweet ass!" Dennis told her.
DeeDee made a thorough inspection. "He does!" she agreed. "Why are the best ones always gay?"
"Just lucky, I guess," Brad offered. "DeeDee--can I ask you for a favor?"
"You DO know how `favors' on Olympus work, don't you, dear?" she replied.
Brad nodded. "You grant me a favor, I'm obligated to return the courtesy," he said. "I know what I'm obligating myself to; I'm happy to help a friend out any time he or she needs me."
"And what do you want, dear?"
"After everything that has happened between my father and the Kingsburys, he doesn't love Ward anymore..." he said. "Please don't force them to be together just to spite me! I beg you, my Lady!"
"I'm sorry, Bradley," Aphrodite said. "Much as I'd love to oblige you, I can't! Once I `matched' your father to Ward Kingsbury, I can't undo that--much as I'd love you to owe me a favor!"
"So you're just going to let my dad be miserable?" Brad tried to control his anger and disappointment. "Sorry--I'm just disappointed..."
"I know, Bradley." Now it was Aphrodite's turn to be the comforter. "I'm the Goddess of Love, and, believe this, the LAST thing I want is for someone I've matched to be miserable! There's a way out of this--but it depends on you..."
"I'm game," the young man said. "What do I have to do?"
"Find Kyle--the REAL Kyle!" she told him. "Free him from Loki's clutches; when that happens, I'll manipulate all their memories so that awful mess the changeling and his bitch of a mother caused will fade like a bad dream! I'm sorry, Bradley; that's the best I can do..."
"Kyle will eventually find out," Dennis said. "That won't be good for tha lad!"
"And I truly wish I could fix that!" Aphrodite told them. "Kyle is just going to have to learn to adapt and get past what he hears. I hope you will be there to help him through that, Bradley! Be the loving `big brother' he will so desperately need! I think Hera will bless their family, unconventional as it may be--and I'll certainly give them all the support they need!"
"I think it's the best ye'll get, lad," Dennis said.
"I know," Brad replied. "I know where Kyle is--now I just have to hope Prometheus knows how to break Loki's spell..."
END CHAPTER NINE
AUTHOR'S NOTES
BIG thanks to all of you who have taken the time to write such wonderful notes of encouragement. I'm glad you are liking my little story. Much of the credit goes to my crack Editorial Staff "Marko the Magnificent", "Midwestern Mark" and "Jer-bear/bare. Without their help I doubt the story would be nearly as good.
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