Page 24 of Achille's Earth Angel
HIDDEN IN THE SHADOWS, Ange had heard most of their conversation. Something had awoken her after Achilles had put her to bed. Her backside was sore as she sat up and it could be said she muttered a low curse on the one who had made it so. Putting on a robe, she’d searched the house for him and found it empty. The light sound of male voices near the front door had caught her attention and she’d slipped out a patio door and around to the front to stand in the shadows. She’d been going to say hello to Hercules until she realized they were talking about her.
The agony in Achilles voice over the loss of his family had touched her deeply. Hearing that he was willing to give up his immortality for her had alarmed her until he’d explained why to Hercules. It had given her a lot of food for thought. Did she want him to become mortal just for her? The inevitability of his death was a burden she wasn’t sure she was ready for. And if he did, would she always feel guilty, knowing he could have lived forever?
Besides, what if they never had children at all? People weren’t always blessed with families, anything could happen to prevent it. Would he end up hating her because she hadn’t given him children and he had no more chances to have any?
As she watched the two warriors battling with each other, it was wondrous and beautiful. Muscle against muscle, sinews straining in strong legs and arms, their hair blowing back in the sea breezes as they snorted and grunted like two superb stallions. They never seemed to tire, neither did one have more of an advantage over the other.
It wasn’t that they didn’t draw blood, they did. But their wounds healed almost immediately. Every trick in the book was called upon for they had no formal weapons. Backflips, low leg swipes that upended them, mad dashes, and even leapfrog maneuvers were performed as they showed off for each other. Back and forth they battled like desperate dancers knowing the end of a beautiful thing was approaching and their dance would never be indulged again.
Not like this.
Ange would always remember this night, the gentle sea breeze, the moonlight glinting on sweating, glistening bodies as they performed for their unknown admirer.
When at last they collapsed in exhaustion in the surf, she could hear their chuckles carried to her ears on the night wind. They had completely and thoroughly enjoyed beating the living crap out of each other. With a small smile, she silently slipped inside and left them to their guy time.
Chapter 7
When Ange came intothe kitchen the next morning, Achilles had turned on the small smart TV next to the toaster and was watching the news. She smiled at his rapt attention as the weather man gave the forecast for the next few days.
“Looks like it’s going to be a great day for the beach,” she offered, mostly to get his attention.
His head swiveled to meet her eyes. “Does this little box tell you everything you need to know about the world?”
Ange cocked her head sideways, trying to see it from his point of view. As an immortal, she automatically assumed he knew everything, but was that really the case?
“You mean you don’t know everything in your world without one?”
“Well,” he began slowly. “As a god, all Hercules has to do to satisfy any curiosity he may have is to merely think where he wants to be and he’s there. But as an immortal, we are limited. We have to rely on the gods to pass on information, or tune into the Fates’ prophecies,” he replied with a chuckle. “They are all about us in the air if we choose to listen.
I guess we don’t really need anything to tell us about our weather, or who’s getting married because it doesn’t matter. The weather never changes, and unless it’s someone we know, we aren’t interested in who marries who.”
He waved his hand towards the TV. “This box tells you where to buy clothes, food, vacations, and anything else you might need. We have no need to buy anything. As gods, you can create anything you want out of matter in the atmosphere, and go anywhere you please to vacation with your mind. As an immortal, your friends can do it for you, or take you there with them.”
“It sounds like a really easy life,” Ange marveled, trying to imagine it. “It almost sounds boring, like your every need is tended to with little effort on your part.”
Achilles nodded. “I suppose it could seem that way.”
