“You okay? I know that was kind of a lot,” Demi asked, letting her normal voice take over again and wiping a bit of sweat from Charles’ brow.
He looked down at her from where he rested on an elbow, his eyes full of complete vulnerability. She’d often heard about the kind of intense satisfaction one could get from the complete devotion of a mortal, but she hadn’t been prepared to see this hunk of a man brought to his knees from her touch alone.
Honestly, she’d never felt more powerful.
“Okay? I’m more than okay. I feel like a... like a different man. All that goddess stuff, it really plays well as a fantasy, doesn’t it? Not that I want to contribute to your ego or anything, but that was hands down the best sex of my life. Where did you learn to do all that, and why have you been holding out on me?”
Charles’ classic cocky grin returned and he smoothed his hair back out of his eyes, showing off his impressive biceps as he did.
Demi giggled.
“Well, I couldn’t really have pulled all that before telling you I was a goddess, could I? You never would’ve called me again. Besides, I like it when you throw me around like one of your mortal girls. Now that you know the truth, though, you can’t really call it a fantasy anymore, can you? This is all real. It’s who I am,” she said, flashing him a smile.
If she hadn’t been a goddess, she might have missed the almost imperceptible eye roll that Charles gave her, but she saw it.
More than that, she felt it.
Oh my god.
He still doesn’t believe me.
He pledged his loyalty to me, told me he loved me, swore to worship at my friggin altar, but all the while he thought it was a game?
Demi felt her blood start to boil. Gods and goddesses don’t take lightly to being doubted. The temperature in the room rose noticeably.
“I’m gonna open a window. It’s a bit—”
“You think I’m making it all up, don’t you?” Demi seethed, finally unable to hold in her anger anymore.
“Making what up? I mean, you are definitely a sex goddess, that’s for sure. You had me in the palm of your hand,” he cooed, reaching around to tap her ass playfully.
She grabbed his wrist before he could.
“I’m the goddess of the harvest and agriculture, and you still don’t believe me. I’ve brought plants back from the dead. I’ve floated above your cock and practically had you begging me for relief, but you still honestly think I’m a human woman?”
Charles’ mouth fell open, and he coughed a little, clearly unsure of how to defend himself.
“Listen, I... I think you’re very talented at everything that you do. You’re some kind of a genius, and I think there are more than a few records you could break. Have you thought about entering some kind of baking contest? You’d kill the competition. Do I think you’re actually a literal goddess? Demi, how can I honestly say that? The mind can go some crazy places during sex, and I’m sure there’s plenty of ways that you could’ve pulled off all those plant things with, you know, sleight of hand and all that.”
Demi immediately sat up, her frustration palatable. She’d known explaining her goddess powers to a mortal would be difficult, but his insistence at remaining oblivious felt a bit much.
“Sleight of hand? Have you even noticed that the carpet underneath us feels like soft moss? How do you explain the pillow that’s suddenly appeared under your head? Do you think I’m no more than just a birthday party magician?”
Charles looked down in surprise, and chuckled a bit as he finally noticed the down pillow and soft forest rug beneath them.
“Now that is seriously impressive. You could make a lot of money with this kind of stuff, you know that? You’re... beyond incredible. How did I get so lucky to meet a girl like you?”
Demi bristled a bit at the word girl. She was so much more than that. Still, despite her frustration, she had to smile at Charles’ oblivious bright eyes. She could see into his soul, and even if he didn’t fully know or understand it, he did worship her.
How could she be mad at him for doubting her wild story?
She might’ve thought him mad if he’d believed her too quickly. It was good that he had a healthy sense of cynicism. Even so, he wasn’t running for the hills.
What more could she ask for, really?
Clearly, I just have to work a bit harder to make him believe his own eyes.
Bring it on.
“You didn’t get lucky. It was fate. We were meant to find each other. It’s all right that you don’t believe me, because you will, in time. I’ll take you to purgatory and you’ll see. My sister Hera’s been asking to meet you for ages now, so now I can show her that you’re real and not just a figment of my imagination. Put your clothes on, let’s go!” Demi jumped to her feet and stepped into her romper that floated up around the rest of her body. She was done trying to hide her abilities. If Charles wanted to explain it all away with his so-called logic, then so be it. She wasn’t going to make it easy for him.
“Wait, you want to go now? You only just got here! We have to spend at least one night here so you get the full lake house experience. Mrs. Murphy will think she’s done something wrong if we leave already. Besides, there’s still so much I want to show you.”
He sat up, pulling her gently toward him until her legs were over his. When he started massaging her feet, Demi’s already diminished anger disappeared completely.
How is it that this human can hold so much power over me?
Why am I unable to resist his touch and his words?
One look from him and I just want to make him happy.
She sighed and softened.
Three months had passed already, what was another day or two?
She could handle his ignorance for another night. The lake house meant a lot to him, clearly, and she didn’t want to disregard that. Of course, Demi still wanted to experience the place where he’d grown up, learn more about his childhood and his parents.
“Fine. I’ll bide my time. What do we do now?”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Lunch?”
They ate outside, with a perfect view of the mountains in the distance. Mrs. Murphy had put together a stunning spread, and Demi managed to get back to her normal, playful self, finding amusement in Charles’ obstinance instead of anger.
“Mrs. Murphy, you should join us! Glass of pinot?” Demi asked once the dessert plates had been delivered, making a matching crystal wine goblet appear out of thin air. Mrs. Murphy feigned a gasp of surprise, while Charles gave a conciliatory but condescending round of applause.
“Yes, join us, Sharon. Please don’t let Demi’s antics make you nervous. She’s just trying to make a point,” Charles said with a wink as he passed the wine to the elderly housekeeper, who sunk down in the open chair beside Demi.
“Antics, Charles, really? There’s no need to patronize Mrs. Murphy. I’ll have you know that her mind is more open to the realities of this universe than you will ever be. Isn’t that right, Sharon?” Demi asked, flashing the woman a reassuring wink. If, as Eve had told her, it really was Mrs. Murphy who had convinced Charles to join the speed dating evening in the first place, she would have to know that Demi would come out with the truth at some point.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mrs. Murphy said dismissively, but her strained voice gave her away.
“It’s all right. I’ve told Charles just about everything, although I have yet to tell him about you. Charles, did you know that your housekeeper here is a bit of a legend where I come from?”
“Is that so?” Charles asked, happy to be playing along.
“Well, I mean—” Mrs. Murphy started, but Demi interrupted.
“Have you heard of the Fates? Well, Sharon Murphy here used to be one of them.”
Letting out a chuckle, Charles turned to Mrs. Murphy, awaiting confirmation. Sharon’s paper-thin skin blushed red, and eventually she slowly nodded.
“Please forgive me the deception, Charles, but you must understand that it was necessary. What happened to your parents almost killed me, as I knew that they were meant to pass on and even I was powerless to save them. What use is the power of fate when you have no way of changing it?” She sucked in a breath.
A flush crept up Charles face and he pressed his lips together, his anger clearly mounting when she brought up his parents.
“I knew I was just fulfilling someone else’s plan, someone and something bigger than myself, and that did not rest easy on my soul. That’s when I finally relinquished all my powers, and chose ignorance and bliss over knowledge. Of course, I still have some of my meddling ways.” She lowered her gaze as she trailed off for a moment.
“It’s no accident that you met this one. Aphrodite certainly chose well for you, my boy,” Mrs. Murphy whispered, clutching Charles’ hand as if he was her own son.
“Wow, you even found a way to rope my dead parents into this little charade? Impressive,” Charles responded coldly, pulling his hand away from Mrs. Murphy.
“Charade?” the former Fate interjected.
Demi could feel the cold emanating from her, a vestige of her past powers.
“Don’t be mad at him. He just doesn’t fully understand, yet. I don’t think words will make him believe. When the time’s right, I’ll show him everything properly in a way he won’t be able to deny,” Demi assured her elder.
Mrs. Murphy nodded in understanding, and a resigned smile returned to her lips.
“I see. Well, eventually you’ll see the truth plainly, with your own eyes, Charles. I suppose I share some of the blame for your stubbornness. I’ve hidden my own nature from you for many years, and in many ways normalized the surreal. Why would you think anything magical was happening when I myself have pushed and prodded the world to go in your direction? It is not so for everyone, I can assure you that, Charles. I ought to be getting back to work, now. I’m glad you’re here, Demi. I really am.”
“He’ll understand with time. Be patient with him,” Mrs. Murphy’s voice echoed in Demi’s head, leaving Charles with a confused look as Demi responded in kind.
“You two think you’re pretty sneaky, don’t you?” he teased once Mrs. Murphy had left to return inside. He chuckled a little, but Demi resisted responding with her own snark.
Behind Charles’ protective disbelief was a flicker of doubt. He was starting to see the light, and it was clearly scaring him.
The energy between them over that evening and following morning was hard to describe. It was frantic, both desperate to impress the other, both floating with the admission of their love, and hovering with the nervousness one feels when standing at the edge of a steep precipice. Something was happening, shifting and growing, though neither could put their finger on exactly what.
The beginnings of love can be so delicate and Demi felt intensely scared that one wrong move might ruin the whole thing. And yet... an immovable force was building around them, pulling them together with a strength that neither had experienced before.
He’s my mate.
I know it, I feel it.
I can hear it and see it.
But we can’t be equals until he knows the real me.
When it was finally time to go, Demi vibrated with anticipation. There were nerves, certainly, but also an excitement in the air as she tried to picture the look of surprise and happy shock on Charles’ face once she transported them down to purgatory.
“You’re sure I don’t need to pack anything?” Charles asked, his profile still full of cynicism.
“I’m sure. If you just think about what you need once we’re there, I’ll make sure it all follows. Now, look at me. Teleporting can be mind-bending, and I don’t want you to lose your mind once it happens. Just remember that I love you, and I won’t let anything happen to you,” Demi assured him, looking up into his furrowed brows.
“I love you, too, even if you can’t teleport us anywhere. Enough stalling, let’s do this,” he said with a kiss.
Despite the bravado of his words, she could feel his fear in the kiss and couldn’t help but notice the tightening of his jaw.
Goodbye, lake house.
Goodbye, Mrs. Murphy.
I’m sure I’ll see you both soon.
“Goodbye, my dear, and good luck,” Mrs. Murphy replied, unseen.
With a nod of her head, Demi took Charles’ hand in hers, and whipped them both through time and worlds until she felt the warmth of purgatory’s humid air on her skin. She opened her eyes and gave Charles a squeeze, smiling at the impressiveness of the view before them.
Instead of landing them in front of the bakery, Demi had arranged for them to arrive at the main gates that looked down upon all of purgatory, with its gothic towers and the mountainous peaks of Lucifer’s castle in the distance. Smoke and brimstone billowed out of stone stacks, though the rich smell of incense infused the air instead of sulfur.
“Well, here we are. Welcome to purgatory. I promise you’re not stuck here forever, but also I promise it’s not such a bad place. The sunsets are unreal.”
A gargoyle screeched high above them, swooping down so its wing almost grazed Demi’s shoulder. Charles ducked instinctively out of fear, making Demi giggle a little.
“They’re harmless, really. Hey, are you okay? Say something!”
Charles’ mouth bobbed open and closed for a second before he rubbed his eyes and straightened his shoulders.
“Looks like I owe you an apology. I’m sorry, I... sorry I doubted you,” he said, his tone icy as he stared out at the abyss before him.
“It’s okay. It’s only natural that you were skeptical. I probably would’ve thought you were crazy if you’d just taken me at my word for... for all this. Do you want to sit down somewhere and just talk for a bit?” she asked gently, feeling him start to panic beside her.
“No,” he quipped, pulling his hand from hers. “No, I want to see more. Show me everything.”
Something’s wrong.
I’ve never seen him like this before.
I thought he’d be smiling and laughing, thrilled to know that magic exists and all that.
Isn’t that supposed to be exciting?!
Okay, slow down, Demi.
One step at a time.
Let’s not overwhelm him.
Maybe we should only see the pleasant things for now.
We’ll check out the tourist spots, that kind of thing.
Things he’s heard of but never thought were real.
Something he can wrap his head around.
“All right, one tour of purgatory, starting now. Buckle up!” she said playfully, jumping up to kiss him on the cheek, but he stayed as still as a stone sculpture, and not the kind that can come to life like Pygmalion’s creation had.
She hooked her arm around his, which was stubbornly shoved into his pocket, and led him down the quaint cobblestone path into town. The medieval-looking stone structures leaning out into the street gave the place a kind of European look, which Demi hoped would remind Charles of his home earth, despite the swirling, colorful skies above them.
“First stop, Athens Bar. Dionysus started this place ages ago, and I mean ages ago. He’s really perfected the art of the modern cocktail,” Demi explained gleefully as they walked into the bright terrace covered with blooming vines that even she was impressed by. She ordered them two Sizzling Ouzos to go, hoping that the booze would loosen Charles up a bit and lighten the mood.
To his credit, he was very polite to everyone they came across despite the fact that he was clearly overwhelmed.
“Dionysus is nice, right? He’s just so friendly, it’s hard not to like him,” Demi babbled as they left Athens Bar and headed back out onto the busy streets.
Suddenly, Charles stopped walking, took a big sip of his cocktail and turned to look at Demi.
“Charles, are you okay? Do you want to go back to my place and lie down for a bit?”
He shook his head. “No. I just have one question. I mean, I have a lot of questions, but I only have one for now.”
“Sure. Shoot. What is it?” Demi’s heart started racing, and she felt helpless like it was impossible to pull him back into her. Even though he was standing right beside her, he felt a million miles away.
“Have you... have you only ever dated gods before me?”
Demi’s heart sank.
There was no question she was more nervous to answer than that one. The last thing she wanted him to feel was unworthy or less than.
“Um, yes, kind of. Not strictly gods. I had a fabulous fling with a half-minotaur. They’re less scary than you’d think. But to answer your question, yes, you’re the first mortal human I’ve ever been with.”
“Right. So you're related to Hera and Hades. Is there anyone else in your past or... present that I might have heard of?” His piercing eyes looked into hers, and she felt the seriousness of his question.
There was no avoiding it.
“Well, it depends on how well you know your mythology, but yes, there’s one person you’ve definitely heard of. You should know that I haven’t talked to him in months, and he isn’t a part of my life anymore, but... I was with Zeus for many years. Romantically.”
A cold breeze blew between them, and Charles pulled his hand away, flexing it into a tight fist before relaxing again. Demi resisted the urge to reach out to him again, but she knew she’d only be met with an immovable object.
“Right. Zeus. Great. Yes, I’ve heard a thing or two about him.”
“I promise, he’s not a fixture around here. He does live in—”
“It’s okay. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Let’s go to the next... destination, or whatever you want to call it.”
Charles walked on ahead, and Demi gathered her strength.
This is all part of the process.
The road to true love never did run smooth.
Years from now we’ll laugh about this weird blip.
Right?