"H oney, I'm home!" Pea joked as she hurried in the front door. Chloe rushed to her, harrumphing happily while Max rubbed around her legs.
"Finally! You simply must hurry. Being fashionably late is usually in good taste, but tonight I don't want you to miss one moment with Griffin." Venus spoke quickly, motioning for Pea to follow her back to her room. When she didn't move, the goddess turned back and placed her hands on her hips in annoyance. "Pea. Stop staring and start moving. I said we are going to be late."
"You're...you're..." Pea swallowed, eyes huge. "Wow! Look at you."
Venus's annoyance faded. "You like my regalia?" She turned slowly so Pea could get the full effect.
"It's incredible. I mean, you're beautiful anyway, but in that...uh...whatever it is, you're breathtaking."
"This" - Venus gestured grandly at the almost transparent mixture of fabrics that draped seductively around her body, clinging and molding perfectly to the goddess's exquisite body -
"is what a Roman goddess is expected to wear when seen in her full glory. Tunica." She pointed to the short cream-colored underdress that left much of her lovely legs bare. "Stola." She held out part of the draped fabric that crossed from one side of her body to the other and was a silverwhite color that complemented her hair. "And, finally, the palla." With a flourish Venus spun gracefully around causing the piece of violet silk (the exact shade of her eyes) that was attached to the back of her silver shoulder clasps to flutter in the goddess-made breeze like a diaphanous cape.
"Absolutely beautiful," Pea said. "Are you dressed like this because you're going back to Olympus? Is the portal open to you again?" She smiled, but it didn't stop her face from looking sad. "I didn't think you'd be leaving so soon. Can't you at least stay for dinner and maybe one more night?"
"Darling, are you filled with happiness and ecstasy?"
Pea's brow wrinkled as she thought about Venus's question. "Well, I'm happy, I mean work was great today - you should have seen the way everyone looked at me. Everyone looked at me. Like I'm not invisible anymore! And I can't tell you how many compliments I got on my hair."
Venus smiled at Pea's exuberance. "Yes, you're happy. But are you filled with delicious, seductive, passionate ecstasy?"
"I really don't think so."
"Neither do I, and until you are, I'm not leaving."
"Then why are you dressed like that?"
Venus rolled her eyes. "All this talk has made me forget. Follow me back here and I'll tell you while you get changed."
"Changed? What am I changing into?"
"Your own goddess regalia," Venus said.
"Me? Why?" she asked, but followed Venus eagerly.
"Pea, my darling, we are going to a masquerade party."
Pea stopped in the hall outside her room. "Venus, what are you talking about?"
"I found out about it while I was on the Internet today. Which, by the way, is a simply marvelous type of magic. Did you know there are ninety-one million sites about me? Ninety-one million!
And not even four million about Persephone - and she's always so smug about - oh, never mind. I'm getting completely off the subject. While I was looking up pertinent information about your fireman, I happened to find an advertisement for a masquerade gala event being hosted at that fabulous restaurant where you and I met."
"Lola's?"
"Exactly. The announcement said that they are trying to raise money for new equipment or some such for the Tulsa Midtown Fire Station, which is the exact station your Griffin is from."
"Defibrillators," Pea said.
Venus raised an eyebrow.
Pea shrugged. "It was on the news. The fire station wants two new defibrillators for their paramedic units. So the masquerade is a fundraiser."
"You already knew about it?"
"I suppose. I didn't really think about it. It isn't exactly something I would go to."
"It is exactly something you are going to go to - actually, we're going to go to."
"But we have to have costumes..." Pea's voice ran out as her eyes widened in understanding.
"Yes, darling, we do have to have costumes." She took Pea's arm and pulled her into the bedroom. "Hurry! I spent all afternoon conjuring things from Olympus; I can't wait to show you how to truly dress like a goddess!"
"Are you sure I shouldn't be wearing panties?" Pea nervously smoothed her hands down the front of her robes as if she was afraid a wind might spring up and lift them above her head.
"Of course I'm sure. Nothing should bind your delicate woman's lily under the silks of a goddess's robes. Besides, going without underclothing is a freeing experience. You'll see. And stop fidgeting." Venus gave Pea's curls one more scrunch. "It would have been much easier to prepare with the aid of a score of nymphs, but I am pleased with our end result." She stepped back to survey her work. "Okay, you can turn around and look at yourself now." Together they gazed at the goddess in the mirror.
Pea's tunica was the same seductive cream color as Venus's, and it left exposed more of her legs. Venus examined them critically and nodded in silent approval at how long and strong and shapely they looked. Her stola was a sweet, blushing pink. A color that should have seemed innocent, but draped silkily around Pea's body, tucked and folded cunningly here and there to accentuate the indentation of her waist and the perfect roundness of her breasts, the maidenly shade of pink became alluring and seductive, conjuring images of hidden parts of her body. Her palla was liquid gold and it glistened with even the slightest of Pea's movements.
"Simply lovely. I knew the stola would complement your - " Venus broke off when she saw the tears pooling in Pea's eyes. "What is it, darling?"
Pea shook her head back and forth as she began to cry. "It's a beautiful outfit, and, yes, it's fit for a goddess. But in it I look like a sparrow trying to wear the feathers of a peacock."
Venus blinked in surprise. "That is simply not true, Pea."
"Yes, it is." She sobbed. "I know it is. It's always been true."
Venus took Pea's hand and led her to the bed. "Sit," she told her as she turned to retrieve the box of tissues from the bathroom and hand them to Pea. "Blow."
Hiccupping, Pea did as she was told. Then Venus sat beside her and took her hand.
"Now, tell me what happened to make you have such a distorted view of your appearance."
Pea sniffed. "It - it wasn't just one thing."
"Tell me," Venus repeated gently.
"Remember I told you about the dance squad I was on in high school, and how I thought I fit in, but that I really didn't?"
Venus nodded.
"Well." Pea sighed. "There was more to it than just not fitting in. I know it sounds silly, but I used to not realize that I was so dorky looking. Really. I thought I was normal. Like everyone else. I mean, I had friends - not on the dance squad, but friends. I just didn't think it would be a problem making friends with a new group."
"What happened?"
Pea blew out a shaky breath. "I made the squad with no problem. I've taken dance since I was five, so I really knew what I was doing. Anyway, I made the squad the first year I tried out. I was the only freshman who made it." Venus noted that she didn't seem to have any pride in the fact that she'd accomplished something so difficult. "So I was going to the very first meeting of the new squad. I was really excited and unbelievably happy - basically just looking forward to making new friends and doing a lot of cool dancing. As usual, I dorkishly spilled a bunch of stuff out of my purse right outside the girl's locker room door, and while I was picking it up I heard them." Pea swallowed, fighting back more tears. "They were talking about me, making fun of me really. They said that no matter how much dancing I did, I'd never dance away from all of my ugly. And - and they called me broccoli head, because of my hair."
Venus shook her head. "Young women can be so pointlessly cruel, especially when intimidated by another's talent."
"They weren't intimidated by me!" Pea said quickly.
"Weren't they? How long ago did this happen?"
"It started a little over ten years ago, but it went on for all four years of high school. I know it's stupid to still let something bother me that happened so long ago, but - "
Venus's raised hand cut off Pea's words. "It isn't stupid that something that happened during your formative years still affects you. That isn't why I asked how long ago it was. I asked because I want you to realize that you are now an adult, a successful, independent adult, looking back on events that happened to a child. You can now see them through an adult's eyes - a viewpoint that should make issues like the other girls' jealousy and insecurity clearer."
Pea chewed her lip. "I guess I never really thought about it like that."
Venus pulled on Pea's hand and led her back to the mirror. "Think about it."
"I'll try," Pea said doubtfully.
Venus sighed. "I do wish you could see yourself as others see you." Then the goddess's eyes widened. "That's it!"
Pea frowned. "What?"
"I shall simply give you the ability to see yourself as others see you."
Pea took a step back from the goddess's already glittering fingers. "I'm really not okay with that zapping stuff you do."
"Oh, darling, I'm not going to zap stuff this time. I'm going to zap you." Then while Pea stared wide-eyed at her, Venus said, "Allow her mind to believe the beauty in her others perceive!"
Then the goddess flicked the glittering dust of her magic on Pea. The little mortal sneezed tremendously. Venus sighed and handed her another tissue. Then she took Pea by the shoulders and turned her so that she was looking at herself head-on in the mirror.
"Oh, my..." Pea breathed deeply, lifting a hand as if to touch the girl in the mirror. "I - I never imagined I could look so beautiful," Pea said. "It's magic. It'll disappear."
"Of course it's not."
"But you just - " Pea waggled her fingers, imitating Venus.
"Darling, I didn't make you look different. I just allowed you to see yourself as others see you. This" - she pointed at Pea's reflection - "is utterly real."
"Are you positive you didn't use magic to make me look like this?"
"This is exactly what I've been trying to tell you. Pea, darling, you have your own magic. Your beauty and kindness and intelligence are enough to enslave any man."
"But I don't want to enslave Griffin."
"Don't you?"
Pea blushed. "Well, maybe a little. I guess what I really mean is that I don't want magic to be the reason he wants me."
"Don't worry, darling. The only magic you'll use tonight is the eternal magic all confident women have access to. Simply believe in yourself. Then relax and allow your inhibitions to be freed. Give yourself over to passion and ecstasy, at least for this one night."
"Okay. I'll try, but it might take one or two of Lola's pomegranate martinis."
"Whatever works for you. I'm bringing the lovely credit card."
"Whoever said you can't live off love was absolutely wrong."
Venus sniffed daintily. "I would certainly never say anything so blasphemous."
"Me, either. Or at least not after the last couple days." She grinned at her amazing reflection.
"I'm ready. Let's go before I forget I look like this."
"Wait, I almost forgot." Venus riffled through the piles of discarded fabric on Pea's bed.
"Here - this one is for you, and this is for me." She handed Pea a spectacular half mask. It was covered with tiny slivers of gold crystals and it tied on with a pink velvet ribbon. The one she kept for herself was much like Pea's, except it was covered with what looked like tiny glittering diamonds and tied on with a silver ribbon. "The Internet announcement said that all costumes were welcome, and the only requirement was that everyone wear some kind of mask." They tied on each other's masks and then took one more look in the mirror. Slowly, Pea reached out and took Venus's hand. "You've made me into a goddess."
Venus squeezed her hand and smiled. "No, my little mortal friend. All I did was show you how to release the goddess that had been within you all along. Now let's get in that fabulous car of yours, drive to Lola's masquerade, and commit some goddesslike debauchery."
Laughing, Pea said, "Hey, who am I supposed to be? I mean, you're obviously Venus. Which goddess am I pretending to be?"
"You're my Greek incarnation, Aphrodite. People tend to describe me as shorter and more petite when they call me Aphrodite, so you fit the part perfectly."
"So you and Aphrodite are actually the same goddess?"
Venus sighed. "I can't tell you how annoying this is for me, especially after finding so many irritating references on the Internet that made it seem like we're two different deities."
"I guess I thought you were, too. If I'd ever really thought about it."
"Pea, if you moved to Europe and the people there began to call you by another name because it fit better with their culture, would that make you two different people?"
"Of course not."
"Exactly. In Italy they call me Venus. In Greece they call me Aphrodite. Either place I'm still me."
"But tonight I'm going to be you, too."
"Yes, you are. Make me proud. Debauch like a true Goddess of Love."
"I'm ready for it if you are," Pea said.
"Darling, Love is always ready."
Giggling together, they hurried from the house.
A masquerade...Vulcan stroked his chin thoughtfully. Everyone must wear a mask. Venus had said it was a gala event. It would probably be crowded with mortals, all in costumes, ranging from the ordinary to the outrageous. Not that he'd been to many mortal parties - or many parties of the Olympians. But he wasn't entirely ignorant of the way the world worked, mortal or immortal. He had simply chosen to observe, rather than participate. Until now.
Venus was going to the masquerade as herself. He, too, would go as himself. He'd simply wear a mask and be careful to stay away from Venus. He would be the last person, mortal or immortal, she would expect to see. As long as he didn't draw attention to his limp, there was really no way she would recognize him at all. He'd just stay in the background...blend with the crowd...and perhaps find a way to spirit Pea away.
"I feel like a damn fool," Griffin said to his friend and station lieutenant, Robert Thomas.
"Hey, come on. Ya look fine."
"That's easy for you to say. Your costume isn't so short it's showing your ass."
Robert laughed. "This is one of the times being short works for me." He adjusted a section of his toga. "I don't know why the chief decided we had to be dressed in a theme."
"Yeah, ancient Rome. He's been watching way too much History Channel. But even that wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't gotten the bright idea that I needed to be God of Fire."
Looking down at his name tag, which read, Hello, my name is: THE GOD OF FIRE, Griffin snorted and shook his head. "What the hell was he thinking?"
"He was thinking that as our captain, and fearless leader, it makes sense that you get the best costume."
"Hey, you can have it." Griffin gestured at the breastplate with built-in muscles and the short, pleated tunic that ended a couple inches above his knees. "If I go outside to get away from this crowd, I'll freeze my ass off."
"Nah, Lola has those propane heaters set up all down the sidewalk. People are dancing their asses off out there, not freezing them off. You'll be fine, Captain."
Griffin snorted again and reminded himself not to spread his legs as he leaned back in his barstool. He hated this kind of crap. Not that fundraising for the station was crap, but the schmoozing and politicking that went with it was absolute bullshit. It was the only thing he didn't like about his promotion to captain. He wished the Powers-That-Be would just leave him the hell alone and let him do his job. And his job was not dressing up in a skirt and being paraded around in public. He'd had enough of that with that stupid calendar cover shoot. He would have never done it if it hadn't been for his sisters' excitement. They loved the thought of their big brother being on the cover of the national firefighter's calendar. Women...His sigh was deep and long suffering. They drove him crazy. Sure, he liked them, and because he'd been raised with four sisters he even kinda understood them. Sometimes. Hell, being raised with four sisters was the biggest reason he was still single, although he'd never tell Alicia, Kathy, Stephanie or Sherry that. They'd go nuts and bug him even more than they did now about settling down and getting married. No thanks. He'd watched three of the four of them go through hellish divorces, and he secretly thought it was only a matter of time before Alicia, the youngest and newly married, dumped Mike. The guy was a controlling dickhead. Nope. Until he saw more evidence of at least a decent statistical probability of love lasting, he was just fine being single.
"Well, slap me and call me Santa Claus. I do believe I'm in love." Robert thumped him on his breastplate, almost causing him to spill his beer.
"What the hell's wrong with you?"
Robert pointed at the crowded entrance to the restaurant and Griffin felt his mouth go dry.
"Fucking goddesses!" Robert sputtered.
Two women had stopped to pay the cover charge for the fundraiser and were filling out their name tags. Robert had been right. They were goddesses. Familiar goddesses. Not that it was really possible to tell who anyone was for sure in the damn masks they all had on. But...His eyes were automatically drawn to the taller of the two women, and he felt the jolt of recognition all the way down in his groin. It was the woman from the bar - the woman who had been in that little Pea girl's car the day before. He couldn't see her violet eyes through the mask from across the room, but that hair! No way could he mistake that hair. It was an unusually light shade of blond, long and thick, hanging well past her shoulders. God, he loved her hair. It made him want to fist his hands in it and move it out of the way so that he could taste that soft, sweet place where her shoulder met neck and then -
His cell phone rang, jarring him out of his fantasy.
"What?" he growled.
"Griffin, don't sound so grumpy."
"Alicia, I'm kinda busy here at the fundraiser."
"I know, but I wanted to remind you that you promised to change the oil in my car," his sister said.
"Alicia, can't your husband take over this little chore? I mean, you've been married for a year now."
"You know Michael is totally useless when it comes to cars. And I didn't think you minded all that much."
Griffin wanted to say that Michael was totally useless when it came to just about anything, and he definitely wasn't good enough for his baby sister. Instead the hurt tone in her voice had him saying, "I don't mind, Alicia. How about I come over right after my next shift? I'll bring the pizza."
"Cool! I'll have the beer. You won't forget?"
"Only if you keep bugging the crap outta me."
"Okay, Mr. Grump. I'll see you in a couple days. Bye bye."
Griffin grunted in the phone and snapped it shut.
"One of your sisters?" Robert asked.
Griffin nodded.
"Stephanie?"
"No. Alicia."
"Alicia, huh? Hey, she's single again, ain't she?"
"Not yet, but I'm hoping she'll come to her senses soon. Anyway, forget about it."
"What? What's wrong with me?"
"What about what's her name, uh, Melissa? I thought you were seeing her," Griffin said. Robert shrugged. "I am. Kinda. But it's no big thing."
"And that's what's wrong with you." Griffin slapped him on the shoulder and started to get off his barstool - carefully, so that his damn skirt didn't fly up too damn far.
"Hey! With your sister I'd be different," Robert protested.
"Like I said before, forget about it."
Griffin left Robert still grumbling to himself at the bar and started to weave his way through the crowd of masked partygoers, keeping his eye trained on the silver blond fall of hair and the almost see-through costume of the woman who looked every bit the part of a goddess. He'd buy her a drink. Or two. What harm could a drink or two do? It wasn't like he was going to fall in love or anything stupid like that.