Chapter Six

Persephone is in my bedroom with dresses strewn everywhere, heels scattered along the floor, jewelry hanging in odd places, and a hot iron ready to go on the vanity. When I enter my bedroom she squeals and throws her arms around me and squeezes the life from me. "I knew you two would hit it off! Hades told me not to meddle but I can't help it! I just knew you two would be peeerrrrfect for each other!" She lets me go and I stumble a bit, my brain reeling.

"Wait, what?" I ask incredulously.

Her little face pinkens and she turns away from me, fingering a dress. "Well, Hades had said Ares was also living around here and that he was single and not very into the whole dating scene, which sounded like an awful lot like a certain friend of mine so I had Hades invite Ares to the bar with us and then I uh... invited you."

I sigh and shake my head. What can I say to that? What's done is done and now I am somewhat involved in this whole thing. Granted she was trying to help, so can I really blame her? "It's okay, just help me pick out an outfit." I let the shock of her scheming roll of me and settle into the cautious excitement I have surrounding this date.

She smiles and instantly starts tossing dresses at me and throughout it all we talk and dance, singing songs at the top of our lungs. After an hour and a half she is happy with how she has done me up and to be honest I think I look great. My brown hair is curled, enhancing the natural wave, mascara lengthens my lashes and lip gloss smooths my lips, making them slightly shiny. The dress is green, the straps thin with a deep v, cinching at my waist and stopping right above my knees.

Naturally I am beautiful, but tonight I feel glowy and special, beautiful in a different way than normal. I slip into black slippers and hug Persephone goodbye. Anxiety builds in my chest and I pace the living room, making Max anxious as well as he sits, watching me as I pace. The time ticks by and my clock chimes seven and tears start to well in my eyes. Could he have stood me up? He suggested this...

The doorbell rings and I wait a moment, smoothing my hands over my dress and taking a deep calming breath. When I open the door, Ares stands there in a fitted black shirt and dark-wash blue jeans, hair slicked back with the slightest volume. He smiles roguishly and offers me another bouquet of lilies, this time pink.

I take the offered flowers, running my fingers over the soft petals. "What do you think flowers are going to get you?" I ask saucily, leaning against my doorway.

"Maybe a kiss? Maybe more? Who knows what I truly want." His eyes rake over me again and again, invisible hands touching me everywhere.

I shiver and quickly set the bouquet into a vase, grabbing my body purse and heading out the door with him. "What are we doing?" I ask, curiosity making the words bubble out despite my best efforts to be patient.

Ares chuckles, opening the door for me into the humid summer evening air. "That's for me to know and you to find out, pretty dove." His breath warms my ear and I look up at him as we start down the sidewalk.

"No riding today?" I ask, noticing the lack of his bike, makes sense since he has to maintain his impeccable hair.

He smirks, casting me a sideways glance. "There is always time for that later if you desire." He winks, his strides long and languid as if he has all the time in the world, which he does.

I roll my eyes. "What happened to having meaningful sex?"

"Who said it wouldn't be meaningful? This is phase two of winning your affection." His voice is airy and light as though he were content with doing just that.

"I doubt your attempts to woo me will be successful."

He smiles a full grin. "We will see."

He's shaved since the last time I saw him and the small breeze swishes my dress around my legs. As I take in the lights of downtown, he sneaks his hand into mine, lacing our fingers together. I don't look at him, but I don't let go either. His thumb strokes over my hand in soft soothing strokes and my shoulder brushes against him as we walk, our bodies bumping ever so slightly as if there is some magnetic pull, which, for the record, there's not.

Music and laughter radiate from the shops, cafes and restaurants that we pass and it lightens the mood around us, creating a somewhat romantic air, pressing in around us like clouds. It’s as if we are in a movie, but better. There's something about the simplicity of holding hands, the lack of pressure for me to be the perfect goddess or even the perfect woman, there's no pressure of sex after. Everything just feels...light.

"When I first arrived here, I really enjoyed sitting in the cafes and watching. It's different from the calculating manipulative nature of the immortals and other deities."

"I know what you mean," I say. "It's peaceful to know that these people, at least, aren't planning their next backstab or how to sleep with someone's wife."

For a long moment the air is heavy and his thumb circles the back of my hand. "You're someone's wife," he says. It's not a question, just a plain statement. Leaving me to choose whether I want to go down that path or not.

I don't know why, but I feel the need to explain, just a little. "Not really. I haven't seen Hephaestus since I left which was a few weeks after our wedding. I don't visit him when I am in Olympus. When I did live there I stayed in a separate residence."

"What did he do?"

I shake my head, breathing out. "He's... just not what I wished for myself. And after our wedding I just couldn't stomach being around him." It's not a complete lie.

"Do you still think of him as your husband?"

"No," I answer immediately. "He doesn't hold my heart and I will never consider him my husband, I never have."

He squeezes my hand and pauses by a rickety staircase. "Then I won't consider him either."

My heart squeezes and he guides me up the precarious stairs, his hand moving to my lower back to support me on the way up. What greets me is a surprise. It's really a beautiful set up. Up on a roof, a railing bars the side, preventing accidental falls, a few candles are lit, a rug splayed on the hard ground along with blankets and pillows and a guitar. The sun is setting over the city casting a small glow on the set up and I turn to him.

"This is beautiful, when did you have time to do all this?" I ask, amazed at the effort put into this date.

"After work, that's why I picked you up a bit late. I had club business and a last minute car came in the shop asking for work done asap. Sorry you had to wait a while." He shrugs, and gestures for me to take a seat.

I sit on one of the cushions, toeing off my shoes, leaving them off the carpet. He does the same, sitting beside me, both of us facing the sunset. "Thank you."

He looks at me, raising a brow. "For what?"

"This." I nudge him with my shoulder, gesturing all around us. "It's... sweet."

He smiles, sliding an arm around me. "I thought you'd curse the idea of a date since it's with me and not planned."

I smirk, eyeing him. "I did, but you've made me eat my words."

He hums low in his chest and I give into his warmth and slip into more of his embrace. "About what we talked about yesterday, I don't want to be considered the villain in the lores and myths. And if I am, I want someone to know the truth about me." His words brush my ear and the skin of my neck, fingers sliding through the ends of my hair.

I look up at him, watching the turmoil in his dark eyes. He is right, he isn't known for his valiance or his bravery in war. He is blamed for their cause. He wasn't worshiped as the rest of us were. Even now his name, while still recognizable, isn't held in the same regard as the rest of us. He is known for short temper, spurring wars, and his battle prowess.

"Not all villains are the dark brooding soldier," I murmur. Some have light hair and blue eyes, some are disabled. I shiver and he misinterprets this for me being cold and he wraps a blanket around us. "I'll remember, even if no one else does." I vow.

He smiles, a soft, genuine smile that has my heart lifting and my head tucking into his shoulder. My eyes slide to the guitar and I smile. "Do you play?" I ask.

"I do," he says. "I don't know why I brought it up here."

"Can you play something for me?"

He eyes me before slipping his arm from around me and leans over to grab the guitar. "Any preference?"

I shake my head and he starts plucking out the strings and I lay on my side, avidly watching and listening. Slowly the tune becomes familiar. He looks over at me and smiles mischievously as he opens his mouth and, shockingly, starts to sing.

"Wise men say, only fools rush in, but I can't help, falling in love with you..."

His deep baritone fills the air, chills scatter over my arms and legs, my skin tightening over my bones, my body reacting to the deep cadence of his voice as the words pour from his lips and his fingers coax the notes from the strings of the guitar. My mouth dries out at the emotion and power behind his voice. It's by no means perfect, yet somehow it's raw and beautiful.

When his voice fades into the night with the last stroke of the chords, his eyes meet mine and he smiles, setting the guitar aside. "How was that?"

"I almost want to ask for an encore."

"Almost?" he teases.

"Well I can't have you sing all night, or is that your big plan? Woo me with your amazing talent?" I joke, letting the flirtatiousness be apparent in my voice.

He smirks, brushing his soft lips along the sensitive center of my cheek causing my toes to curl.  "Of course not, I have much up my sleeve for you." A challenge gleams in his eye.

A smile tries to fight it's way onto my lips but quickly I turn it into a flirtatious smirk, batting my eyelashes. "And if I say no?" He knows I won't.

"You won't. You want me to woo you. You want to fight my advances until one day you realize you don't want to fight anymore."

"What will I do then?" My words are barely more than a breath of air.

"You will fall and you will finally admit that despite your best attempts I won."

"So I am a prize?" My eyes snap to his.

"Absolutely not. You're a gem, little dove. You are no prize, no arm piece, no notch under a belt. You are a rare gem that has to be earned. I will work to earn your affection, Aphrodite."

"You don't think it is futile to work for a woman who doesn't want to be earned?"

He pushes my hair back from my face. "It isn't futile when she wants to be earned. And I will become worthy."

And again he has somehow dug himself deeper into my being and I am unable to figure out what to do with him, yet I can't bring myself to break free of this spell.