Aphrodite's Touch Read online




  APHRODITE’S TOUCH

  JOANNA WYLDE & LANETTE CURINGTON

  MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-233-4

  Mobipocket (PRC) ISBN # 1-84360-234-2

  Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

  Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), & HTML

  (c) Copyright JOANNA WYLDE, 2002.

  (c) Copyright LANETTE CURINGTON, 2002.

  All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave.

  Ellora's Cave, Inc. USA

  Ellora's Cave Ltd, UK

  This e-book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by email forwarding, copying, fax, or any other mode of communication without author permission.

  Edited by MARTHA PUNCHES & JENNIFER MARTIN

  Cover Art by DARRELL KING

  Warning:

  The following material contains strong sexual content meant for mature readers. DANCING WITH DIONYSUS has been rated NC17, erotic, and IMMORTAL HEAT has been rated SOFT R by three individual reviewers. We strongly suggest storing this electronic file in a place where young readers not meant to view this ebook are unlikely to happen upon it. That said, enjoy…

  Immortal Heat

  ©Lanette Curington, 2002

  I

  On Mount Olympus, Charis Aglaia hastened through the misty aether toward the palace of Aphrodite. A dove had delivered an urgent summons from the goddess of love just before dawn, and Aglaia had dressed quickly, not even taking the time to put up her hair. The red-gold tresses, shimmering with the colors of a radiant sunset, cascaded across her shoulders and down her back.

  Aglaia was one of three sisters who were the Charites, goddesses of grace who served as Aphrodite's attendants. And because Zeus was their father, they were half-sisters to Aphrodite as well. Aglaia had been appointed her personal messenger and was occasionally sent on errands if the goddess of love was otherwise engaged. She enjoyed helping Aphrodite when she was called upon, and while she felt the immortals should interfere as little as possible with the lives of mortals, she enjoyed being among them for a time.

  Of course, she was always happy to return home to Mount Olympus when a task was successfully completed.

  The gate to the rose garden was open, and Aglaia dashed in to find Aphrodite seated on a marble bench. She wore a troubled expression, her silver-blue eyes brimming with tears and her bright golden curls in tumbled disarray.

  "Oh, Aglaia, I'm so glad you're here!" Aphrodite's voice trembled with emotion. "Princess Tebris of Lemnos is to be married to an Achaean prince."

  Aglaia didn't know the princess personally. Aphrodite wouldn't summon her just to announce a successful betrothal, and she certainly wouldn't be overwrought by it. "Who is the fortunate prince?"

  "It doesn't matter because she doesn't love him!" Aphrodite wailed and burst into tears.

  Aglaia rushed to her side through a flutter of rose petals. The garden overflowed with blossoms of every color imaginable, and when Aphrodite was distraught over a love gone wrong, the roses shed their petals in empathy. Aglaia brushed petals from the marble bench and sat beside Aphrodite, placing an arm around her shaking shoulders.

  "Nobles never marry for love," Aglaia reminded her. "It's always politically or financially advantageous to one family or the other—or both."

  "I know and it's horrid, just horrid! Why can't everyone believe in love?" Aphrodite covered her face with both hands and wept.

  The goddess of love knew firsthand that the course of love never ran smoothly, but she blithely insisted love was the answer to everything. Zeus had arranged her marriage to Hephaestus, although Aphrodite had never loved him. Then she began a torrid affair with the god of war. When Hephaestus discovered the lovers, Aphrodite was unable to cope with the public humiliation, ending the affair with Ares and her marriage to Hephaestus at the same time.

  "Dear sister," Aglaia murmured soothingly and patted her arm in comfort. "Some do believe in love, but sometimes love doesn't find those who believe."

  Aglaia frowned, unsure whether she was now talking about the mortals or herself. Although Aglaia had had several lovers among the immortals, her affairs had ended insignificantly by their own lack of impetus.

  Gentle Himerus, god of longing, had left her yearning for more, and brooding Moros, god of doom, had left her bereft of hope for the relationship. While Aglaia admitted that she hadn't been in love with either, she was still fond of them both.

  In truth, Aglaia had never been in love at all. While she might look askance at Aphrodite's tempestuous love life, she was envious of it at the same time. She wished she had Aphrodite's capacity to love freely and allow herself to be consumed by passion no matter the cost or consequence.

  Aphrodite uncovered her face and looked at Aglaia, her silvery blue eyes shining with tears. "Aglaia, you simply must go to Lemnos for me," she cajoled. "I am in the midst of taking care of a delicate situation or I would go. Please say you will!"

  Aglaia was bound to do Aphrodite's bidding, but she appreciated that Aphrodite made it sound as if she had a choice. She smiled and wiped away the tear streaks on her sister's face. "Of course I'll go, sister, but I don't know what you want me to do. Perhaps the princess is content to marry this Achaean prince even if she doesn't love him."

  "Oh, no, she isn't!" Aphrodite protested. "I haven't told you the most important part. Tebris is in love with another man."

  Aphrodite burst into fresh tears, and Aglaia patted her arm once more. "That does complicate matters."

  "It gets worse," Aphrodite said through her tears. "She's in love with the prince's brother!"

  * * * * *

  "I can't marry him. I won't!" Princess Tebris shouted as soon as Aglaia closed the door to one of the palace's smaller rooms.

  Tebris' cousin Cydippe had joined them, but she stopped short, her eyes widening in shock at the outburst.

  Aglaia sighed. As soon as Aphrodite had calmed down and the roses had stopped shedding, she had sent Aglaia to Lemnos. Aglaia was always embarrassed when Aphrodite or one of the other immortals had to aetherize her to her destination. She could aetherize short distances if she concentrated hard enough, but she had no sense of direction and was always afraid she would reappear inside a rock or wall or even a mortal! Aphrodite had no such problems, and Aglaia had arrived safely.

  Aglaia was readily accepted as a distant relative here to attend the wedding. Indeed, she really was a distant cousin. Tebris' and Cydippe's fathers were brothers, and their ancestry included an immortal or two, but Aglaia hadn't taken the time to study the lineage. Now, Tebris' tirade reminded her of Aphrodite's emotional outbursts.

  Is that what true love does to you? Aglaia wondered. She wanted love and passion, but did she want to chance the heartache that often accompanied it?

  "Prince Oileus is vile and arrogant and fat," Tebris continued. "How can I ever bear to have him touch me?"

  Cydippe gasped. "Y-You can't mean it, Tebris! I mean, the wedding is only a week away. Everyone is here or soon will be. They brought gifts and the wedding games have begun."

  "They can take the gifts back," Tebris said, her brown eyes sparkling with defiance. "And who cares about the games? This wedding is about the rest of my life! I don't want to spend it with Oileus. Oh, Aglaia, whatever am I going to do?"

  The sparkle of defiance dissolved to be replaced with despair. Tebris and Cydippe had eagerly accepted Aglaia as a friend and confidant. Cydippe's mother was dead, and Queen Eupompe was a calculating woman who showed no warmth toward anyone, not even her own daughter Tebris. In appearance, Aglaia looked only a few years older than the cousins, and a natural rapport had developed between them in the fortnight she had been on the isle of Lemnos. Starved for guidance and support, the younger women
naturally confided in Aglaia when she displayed a genuine interest in them and their needs.

  "No, Aglaia, you must talk sense into her!" Cydippe insisted. "The arrangements have been made, guests are here and more arriving every day. I told her to take a stand months ago, but it's too late now."

  Aglaia gathered a cousin in each arm. She was always the stalwart one, always comforting and consoling. She mediated the emotional upsets of her sisters, and soothed Aphrodite's ruffled feathers, and now she played arbitrator between the cousins.

  "Now, Cydippe, you don't want Tebris to be unhappy, do you?" Aglaia asked gently.

  "Of course not! But she should have taken care of this long ago, when Aunt Eupompe brought this up the first time. I know Aunt Eupompe can be a bit overbearing, but you just can't back out now!" she finished heatedly to Tebris.

  "What do you care?" Tebris asked. "No disgrace will reflect on you."

  "It's not that. It's—" Cydippe's face flushed crimson. "Oh, never mind!"

  Cydippe was trying to protect Oileus' reputation. Aglaia had spent her time on Lemnos in close observation of the four young people. Prince Oileus wasn't as odious as Tebris claimed. He was stouter than his brother Dameon, and more outspoken but never domineering or pompous.

  The younger prince, Dameon, hovered in the background with Cydippe, their existence eclipsed by the betrothed pair. Dameon couldn't take his eyes off Tebris, and the princess glanced his way when she thought no one would notice. Likewise, Cydippe watched Oileus with stars in her eyes, and Oileus' gaze slipped her way now and again.

  "Have you spoken to your father?" Aglaia asked Tebris.

  "I tried, but he does whatever Mother says. I did bring it up with Mother, several times, but she won't listen to me." Tears spilled down Tebris' cheeks.

  "Have you offered her an alternative?" Aglaia suggested.

  Tebris backed away from Aglaia. Her eyes grew large, and she wore a stricken look as if she had been caught stealing the last honey cake.

  "I don't know what you mean. Mother has her heart set on me marrying the crown prince. My brother will be king of Lemnos one day, and she wants me to be a queen. There is no alternative!"

  Tebris turned, swung open the door, and ran from the room.

  "Prince Oileus isn't fat," Cydippe said quietly, her blue eyes shiny with unshed tears. "He's stocky. And he isn't arrogant, he's assertive. And there isn't anything vile about him at all," she finished before she departed, leaving Aglaia all alone.

  * * * * *

  The first course of action, Aglaia decided, was to talk to Queen Eupompe. The queen was regal and in command while King Euneus, an ever-present cup of strong wine in his hand, allowed his wife total control in all things. Perhaps Eupompe, in her eagerness to make her daughter a queen, didn't realize how truly unhappy Tebris was. Perhaps...but Aglaia suspected the queen knew and didn't care.

  Aglaia requested an audience with Queen Eupompe and was directed to her working room. Located beside the king and queen's bedchamber, the spacious room was where the queen went about her weaving and sewing and other daily tasks. Queen Eupompe was very tall and matronly, her black hair showing streaks of silver as it swept up into the fillet at the back of her head. She seated herself on a pillowed couch, and motioned for Aglaia to sit on an uncomfortable backless tripod.

  "Lady Aglaia," the queen said politely and smiled, although neither the politeness nor the smile quite reached her hard brown eyes. "We're so happy you could join us for this joyous occasion. Now, please refresh my memory on how you are related to my husband."

  "Through his father," Aglaia said vaguely and wished she had taken the time to decipher the king's lineage.

  "Oh, Jason," Queen Eupompe said, her face turning hard as stone. "You do know what he did to Euneus' mother, don't you?"

  "Yes, I know the story. It's a scandal in my family as well," Aglaia said, hoping to build some sort of camaraderie between them.

  The crew of the Argo, in their search for the Golden Fleece, had stopped at Lemnos to replenish their supplies. They found the island inhabited by only women who had killed off their men for taking Thracian wives. The crew, weary from their adventures, found the Lemnian women a delightful respite.

  Jason, their leader, consorted with the queen, Hypsipyle, but after a time decided to move on and finish his quest. Hypsipyle had given birth to twins—Euneus, now Eupompe's husband and Tebris' father, and Nebrophonus, Cydippe's father.

  After finding the Golden Fleece in Colchis, Jason married the Colchian princess Medea and brought her back to Hellas, forsaking Hypsipyle. He eventually discarded Medea for a princess in Corinth and a tragic end, but he had never returned to Lemnos.

  Yet another example of true love gone wrong. Which princess, if any, had Jason truly loved? And what of the women—Hypsipyle, Medea, and Glauce? They had loved him passionately, but suffered for their love. Did Aglaia truly want a tempestuous romance rife with uncertainty? One thing she was certain of, she wanted passion.

  After the queen had finished declaring her distaste with the faithless Jason, Aglaia decided it was time to broach the subject of the princess' wedding.

  "I know I'm a stranger to you, but Princess Tebris and I have become quite close since my arrival," Aglaia began. "Tebris has expressed her unhappiness with her betrothal to Prince Oileus."

  The queen's eyes narrowed in suspicion but she said nothing. Aglaia took a deep breath and continued.

  "It is admirable that you want the best for your daughter, and Tebris is grateful that you've taken great care to see that she is settled in an extremely beneficial marriage and position. But I'm sure you want to ensure you daughter's happiness as well."

  Aglaia paused in case Queen Eupompe wished to interject a comment at this point. The queen said nothing, and the hard expression on her face did not change. Aglaia licked her lips and plunged ahead.

  "Tebris said that she has tried to make you aware of how she feels. Of course, I understand how difficult it is to change plans once preparations are underway. But even now it isn't too late to listen to Tebris. She doesn't want to marry Prince Oileus. She is in love with—"

  "Lady Aglaia," Queen Eupompe said sharply, cutting off Aglaia's speech as if she'd taken a sword to it. She rose from her couch and glared down at Aglaia. "I'm not sure what has possessed you to presume that you can enter my house as a stranger, but more importantly as a guest, and tell me what is best for my daughter. Only I know what Tebris needs, even if she has some silly notion of being in love with someone totally unsuited for her future."

  Aglaia had expected to gently argue the queen's defense of her decision concerning Tebris' marriage, but the goddess wasn't prepared for the vehemence with which Eupompe met her intervention. Aglaia stood and opened her mouth to apologize and try again, but the queen took her by the arm and marched her to the door, speaking as they went.

  "Tebris is hardly more than a child and doesn't know what she wants or needs. My daughter will be a queen and she will be happy. I demand that you cease encouraging Tebris' willful ways, and if I find that you have continued to support her childish fancies, you will not like the consequences at all. Lady Aglaia, it would behoove you to mind your own business."

  Aglaia found herself in the great hall as the queen slammed the door in her face. She stared at the intricate carvings at eye level only a thumb's length from her nose and decided against another try at reasoning with the queen. Aglaia had been given this task, and she would see its successful completion no matter what it took. Aphrodite was counting on her. She couldn't fail her sister.

  Since the direct approach didn't work, it was now time for deception.

  * * * * *

  The next day, Aglaia joined the wedding party for a trip to the cliffs. This area of Lemnos was not green and lush, but there was a stark beauty in its windswept hills with small spindly trees and stretches of sea-scrubbed sand.

  Servants had packed tables and tripods and food enough for an army and had erected a linen
canopy for protection from the sun. A brisk wind made eating difficult but not impossible. After the meal, Aglaia found herself walking between Tebris and Cydippe, with Oileus and Dameon nearby, as they neared the edge of the cliff to watch the sea beat its steady tempo against the jagged rocks below.

  The cousins were very pretty, but bore only a passing resemblance to one another. Both had dark brown hair, but Tebris had inherited the queen's deep brown eyes while Cydippe's were light blue. They were close in age and nearly the same size and height, and that was all that mattered for Aglaia's plan to succeed.

  Aglaia quickly recounted the queen's response to her appeal on Tebris' behalf. She didn't tell the young women how Queen Eupompe had threatened her, but she did make it clear that the queen wouldn't tolerate any more interference from her.

  Tebris started to cry quietly and even Cydippe's eyes filled with tears.

  Aglaia looked at Cydippe. "Do you love Prince Oileus?"

  Cydippe gaped at her and stammered a denial.

  "There's no time for pretense," Aglaia said. "Do you love Oileus?"

  Cydippe's lips trembled. She glanced at Tebris and then her gaze landed on the prince who stood out of hearing range. "Yes. Yes, I do!"

  "You do?" Tebris asked incredulously. "Why didn't you tell me?"

  "How could I? Before I even realized my feelings for Oileus, your betrothal to him was announced. How could I tell you, my cousin and my best friend, that I am in love with the man you are to wed? What would you think of me?"

  "I would have thought—" Tebris began and then her shoulders drooped. "I would have thought you were jealous and that would have been horrid of me. I'm so sorry, Cydippe. I had no idea. If I'd known, I would have tried harder to make Mother understand."

  "And you?" Aglaia said to Tebris with a glance over her shoulder at the others who rested beneath the canopy. The queen did not seem to notice their little conference, but Aglaia didn't want her to think they were conspiring against her...even though that's exactly what they would be doing in a few moments.