Page 15 of Little God
Antero scoffed, but it had more of the sound ofa startled laugh. “Whenever you like,” he vowed without hesitation,“for as long as I live.”
Melis wanted to scoff too but kept it tohimself. “Love,” he pronounced the name the way it felt to him,another pearl on his tongue, “that might be for a very longtime.”
As if Melis would ever allow Antero to die. Hecouldn’t now anyway.
The All-Mother was wise indeed, wiser than manygave her credit for. Desire was well enough, but Desire and Lovetogether? No god could withstand that.
Antero, smart though he was, was a man justwaking up from a night he’d thought a lovely dream. He drew hisbrows together with some confusion.
“Desire Requited,” Melis continued, so full oflight that the sun would be shamed, “if anyone is ever so foolishas to try to be your enemy while you are still king here, tell themto consult an oracle before they strike against you so they canlearn that to harm you is to harm me. Or direct them to pray to me.You are the favorite of Melis and it will be known. Even if youdecide you no longer want me,” his voice broke there, althoughAntero was already shaking his head to repudiate the idea, “youwill remain the other half of me. Melis the Cruel will ensure theyand their people will never desire anything again. They will noteat. They will not fuck. They will not love. They will rot in theirbeds and their city with them if they try to hurt you.”
Antero swallowed. His dreams were a muddle ofpride, arousal, and worry over unnamed people Melis would destroyfor him.
Melis gazed upon him fondly. “But you will tellme not to, for you are loving and compassionate. You will temper meand teach me affection. She crafted you well.”
“Crafted me?” Antero’s surprise was clearingenough for his clever mind to start working again.
“Beautiful Antero.” Melis happily gave him theepithet, though his stomach tightened with some fear. Antero hadmade Melis more powerful than he had ever been, but standing beforehim, Melis was again little, again weak. Their souls might fittogether, but Melis could not be his match if he could not be hisequal. “Loving One, there is something I must show you before youchoose me. I… I must trust in your noble heart.”
That didn’t mean he couldn’t still be terrified.He kept his gaze above Antero’s shoulder as his invisibility fellfrom him like a dropped cloak.
Antero pulled in a sharp breath.
Melis had many forms because that was the natureof desire. With no one to face but his reflection or his beloved,he was a slight but soft masculine figure of perhaps just pasttwenty years, with curved, plump cheeks and freckles across hisnose and shoulders, and only a dusting of hair across his chest.His skin was warm gold, his amber eyes a fraction lighter than hismessy, shining hair. His teeth were blessed with a slight gap atthe front, his hands and feet were too big for his frame, and hiscock was adequate, though nothing to Antero’s perfection. His wingswere tawny brown and shining gold, lighter than air itself.
A burst of admiration brought his head up. Hemet Antero’s gaze as it returned to his face and smiled wide enoughto show the gap in his teeth. “Truly?”Wanted. Melis’ heartcarried the word through his veins.Wanted.As I am, I amwanted.
Childishly perhaps, this was followed by aspiteful thought suited to The Stinging Wasp:not even War is asbrave as me.
Then lust came on the heels of Antero’sadmiration and Melis forgot War entirely.
“Melis of This Form, Beautiful Desire,” Anteropurred, “silly boy. Come here if you wish a kiss. Or command me tocome to you and I will.”
“I cannot command you anymore, Love,” Melis toldhim in a distracted rush, flying across the bed to take his placein Antero’s lap. He removed his crown of roses and settled it overthe head of his beloved husband before dropping his hands toAntero’s shoulders. “But I do desire a kiss.”
Antero gazed at him with wonder, seemingly toomesmerized by Melis’ face to ask about the crown, although Melisspent a satisfied moment thinking the roses suited him more thanthey had ever suited Melis.
“You can’t command me anymore?” Antero asked ina daze, reaching up to trace the small arch of freckles across thebridge of Melis’ nose as if enamored of a few speckles. “Are youcertain of that, little god?”
Melis smiled wider, so much that he wasembarrassed at himself but could not stop. “I am not certain ofanything, except that I am the most powerful god there is if youare near, and that if my husband does not kiss me soon, I willleave him to his day’s business, unkissed and unfulfilled for allthe long hours until night falls again.”
“If that is my husband’s desire,” Antero teasedas he slid a hand to the back of Melis’ neck to pull him in. Melispushed closer to meet him, bodies fitting together as neatly astheir souls. Antero was smiling as well despite his lingeringconfusion. Melis would explain all to him, but later, much later,after kisses and whatever else they might manage before their timespent apart. Melis was hoping to taste more of him, and to haveAntero see him, this time, while he made Melis squirm. He suspectedthe humiliation would be stronger that way and shivered so hard itrippled through his wings.
A god begging. Indulgence would approve. Butmost importantly, Melis desired it and Antero was proud to give itto him. His husband was all heart. That was why he had waited forMelis and why Melis had needed to prove himself worthy.
The warmth radiating out from Melis met the glowfrom Antero as the sun reached to embrace Day.
“I thought you didn’t deal in bliss?” Anterocorrectly named the feeling between them. What Melis might havestupidly called mere joy only yesterday.
“We do now,” Melis informed him breathlesslybefore he was kissed at last.
The End
