The Adonis of Weho (21 page)

“Stop! Stop hurting him!” Reese yelled, struggling to push through the invisible barrier that had been made. A hit as powerful as a mule kick knocked Reese backwards. He landed on his butt and the wind had been punched out of him. Choking to regain his breathing, Reese watched Smith levitate, limp, as if a great hand were picking him up and he was unconscious.

“No! Smith!” Reese tried to get to his feet but was hit again and staggered back, falling to the floor.

Smith’s body was being taken upwards, out of the room. Reese had no idea how to prevent it. He panicked and began shouting, “Orion! Help me! Zeus! Pan! Help!”

Smith’s body rose higher, nearly touching his ceiling. Reese grew enraged and pushed through the force that was holding him back. He grabbed Smith’s arm and held tight.

“Release him! Let go!”

~

Adonis tried to clear his head. He was in pain and couldn’t focus his mind. As he battled through a fog, clouding his thoughts, he heard Reese’s voice, cutting through the mist like a beam of light.

All at once Adonis knew what was happening. “Dad!” he yelled, flapping his wings. Adonis gripped Smith’s arm as it held his. “No! Hera! Do not do this!”

Suddenly Adonis could see Artemis drawing back her bow, aimed at Reese. “No!” He spun over, trying to break the grip of Hera on his body and spread out his wings to protect Reese.

~

Reese couldn’t see what was happening. The room filled with mist and Smith had spread out his wings to create a canopy over him. An arrow came out of nowhere and pierced through Smith’s wing. When Reese saw blood he leapt into the air and held onto Smith around his neck. “Let go! Leave him alone!”

Seeing Smith react in pain, Reese latched onto him with all his power. Smith fell on top of him, collapsing him to the floor, then all went black.

Chapter 16

“Hera!” Zeus thundered.

She jolted and turned around.

Zeus looked downwards and grew enraged. “What have you done to him?” He shot a look at Artemis, who tried to hide her bow. With one look, Zeus banished her from the heavens. Artemis fell to the earth with a thud.

He approached Hera who stood strong, unafraid. “Stop torturing him.”

She snorted in disgust.

Raising his hand, wanting to slap her, Zeus gained control and through clenched teeth he said, “Leave him be.”

“Do you know what he is planning?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“No. And he’s old enough to live his own life.”

“He is planning on mating with a male mortal.”

Zeus flinched and turned away.

~

“Smith!” Reese stared at the arrow piercing Smith’s wing and had no idea what to do. He thought of calling 911 but how could he tell the medics his lover had been shot in the wing by an arrow from the ceiling?

He had to somehow help Smith himself. He raced to his closet and dug around a box of tools. Locating a wire cutter, he rushed back and knelt down next to Smith. He cut the wooden arrow shaft as close to the wounded wing as he could, then held it from the opposite side, counted to three, and yanked it out. Smith writhed on the floor and his face coated with perspiration. His eyes stayed closer and his lips trembled. Reese headed to his bathroom and returned with medical supplies. He cleaned the wound with peroxide then coated it with antibiotic ointment. The feathers would not allow adhesive to stick to them, so Reese wrapped gauze around the open wound. When he had done all he could, he picked Smith up and carried him to the bed, laying him down and covering him with the blankets. Reese pressed a cool cloth to Smith’s forehead, worried sick that though he treated the physical wound, the one to his spirit was out of his reach.

~

Adonis dreamed.

Hunting was his favorite pastime. As he crept through the forest, his bow and arrow in hand, he listened for any sign of movement or sound. When he was a youth the forests went on forever; towns and cities did not exist to the extent that they did in the modern world.

Seeing the sight of a shaggy brown fur and cloven hoof, Adonis readied his bow and aimed. When he shot he heard a young man cry out. Terrified, he raced to the scene and realized he had hit Pan in the hind quarters with an arrow. “Pan! What have I done!” He fell to his knees and wailed in agony. The sound of a snort made him perk up. He was surrounded by wild boar, all out for blood.

Adonis reached for Pan to save him and was attacked, gored by a large female boar.

~

“Smith…” Reese cradled him in his arms as Smith cried in his sleep. He rocked him, tears running down his cheeks. “I do love you. I do.” Reese dragged Smith higher into his arms, leaning against the headboard of the bed, and kissing his sweaty brow. A knock at his door annoyed him, then he heard Harper’s voice.

Kissing Smith and gently laying him down on the bed, Reese hurried to the door and let him in.

“I had a really bad dream, dude!” Harper looked frantic, wearing a worn out Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon T-shirt and baggy beige shorts. “Where’s Adonis?”

Reese shut the door and grabbed Harper’s arm, bringing him to the bedroom.

“Dude!” Harper rushed towards Smith seeing the bloody wing. “It wasn’t a dream?” He blinked in fear.

“What happened in your dream?” Reese climbed back on the bed and cradled Smith in his arms again, pressing his cheek to Smith’s hair.

“He shot me with an arrow thinking I was an animal.” Harper caressed the feathers near Smith’s wound. “And before he could help me, he was killed by a wild boar.”

Reese didn’t understand the dream. “No. That’s not what happened. I think Hera, that woman he says is his mom, came for him. An arrow came out of nowhere and hit him.” Reese held back a sob. “He hasn’t been conscious since I pulled it out.”

Harper caressed Smith’s hair gently. “Adonis. It’s Pan. Wake up.”

Reese dabbed Smith’s forehead with the wet washcloth.

“He’s burning up.”

When Harper stared taking the sheets off of Smith, revealing his nakedness, he grew upset. “What are you doing?”

“He’s on fire. Let’s get him into a cold tub of water.”

Reese decided arguing would not accomplish anything, and Harper was a smart kid. He hurried to the bathroom and began filling the tub.

~

Adonis heard his name. He tried to open his eyes. “Pan.”

“I’m here.”

“Did I hurt you?”

“No. The boars hurt you. But you will be reborn, like the flowers in spring.”

“Then I must go.” Adonis shut his eyes.

“No. No way, man. You stay here. You’re not going anywhere.”

“I’m so hot.” Adonis tried to move and felt sharp pain coming from a limb. “Help me, Pan.”

“You can count on it.”

Through his pain Adonis felt himself being carried. He was slowly lowered into cold water. He winced and recoiled.

“It’ll cool you down, Smith. You’re burning up.”

“Reese.” Adonis could feel him close. He sat in a tub of cool water and held the side in a clenched hand.

“I want to call the paramedics but how will I explain he’s been shot in the wing by an arrow?”

“You can’t, dude. They’ll check him out and not see the wing.”

Adonis began to feel slightly better. He opened his eyes and saw Harper and Reese staring at him, worry in their expressions.

“Rid me of these wings, Pan.”

“I wish I could.”

Reese knelt beside the tub, holding Smith’s hand tightly. “I have painkillers. They’re just over the counter, but let me get you something.”

“Please.” Adonis released him and felt him rush out. “Pan.”

“Yes, Adonis?” He crouched near.

“Tell Reese he must let me go.”

“No way. Not going to happen.” Harper gripped his hand in a vice hold.

“She’ll never let me marry him. And I’m freaked out she’ll hurt him.”

Reese returned, holding a glass of water and reaching out two pills. “Swallow these.”

Adonis opened his mouth and the tablets were placed on his tongue. He drank the water and moaned in pain.

“Reese…” Harper had tears in his eyes. “We need an ally. One from his world.”

Adonis shifted under the water, and soon became too cold.

“No more.” As he tried to stand, two pairs of hands reached to help him. A towel was wrapped around his body and his right wing was throbbing and hanging limp behind him.

He was helped out of the tub and taken back to the bed. Adonis lay on his side, favoring his injured wing. “No…let me go. No more.”

“What does he mean?” Reese asked, his voice cracking.

“Smith? Go? Let you go where?”

Adonis covered his face with his hand.

“No! No way!” Reese shouted.

~

“Adonis? What are you doing here?”

“I can’t bring pain to the ones I love.”

“But I almost did it. Give me one more day.”

“No. Look at me.” He showed him his broken wing. “I’m a fucking mess. It’s not like me to burden the ones I love.”

“You moron. Go back down there. Look at those two.”

Adonis peered down. Harper and Reese were crying over his still body.

“I will work this out. Just give me time.”

“I sure hope you know what you’re doing, because this is not only killing me, it’s killing them.” Adonis pointed to his lover and his friend.

“You think your being shot in the wing hurts them? If you leave them, they’ll never recover. Look”—he opened his hand, spinning a tiny ball of dust that opened a window to the future—

“your author’s pen goes dry. He dies a lonely, poor, old man.”

Adonis couldn’t bear that bleak forecast.

“And your lovely boy-toy? He gets killed by a sexual predator.”

“No!” Adonis gasped at the vision.

“Get your tight ass back down there and keep fighting, you jerk.”

“Tell me when you’re with Dad, okay?”

“I will. You just have to give me the chance. The guy has been fucking women like crazy. Why do you think Hera’s on the warpath? She’s not only targeting you. Poor Hercules has twelve new labors!”

“Fuck! That poor guy has it worse. Fine. I’ll live to fight another day.”

“Dude.” He bumped his fist. “Go barbeque a big fat pig for dinner. That’ll serve that boar right.” He laughed. “And I mean
serve her right
, for dinner!”

“Yes. Pork it is. I hear bacon is making a comeback.”

~

Reese’s eyes were burning with his tears. He felt Smith stir and wiped at his eyes roughly. “Babe?” He caressed his cheek.

“We need to barbeque pork.”

Reese and Harper exchanged puzzled looks. “Is he delirious?” Reese asked.

“I think this is revenge for the boar killing him in the dream.”

“How do you know he dreamed the same dream as you did?”

“He told me while you were preparing the bath.”

“Smith?” Reese shook him gently.

“Bacon for breakfast, please. Sliced ham for lunch…spare ribs for dinner…”

Reese thought he was rambling because of a fever. “I don’t know what the hell to do.”

Harper asked, “Do you have bacon?”

“Are you really asking me this while my fiancé is dying?”

“I’m not dying yet. Go fry up bacon.” Smith came around slowly, sitting up against the pillows. He reached for his wounded wing and cringed. “Ouch.”

“He needs some good painkillers, dude. Let me hit up Cybil’s stash of percodan.” Harper climbed off the bed. “Oh, and I’ll see what pork products we have while I’m there. Get frying, Reese!”

As Harper left, Reese yelled after him, “You’re both out of your minds!” He looked at Smith and found him staring at him.

“How do you feel?”

“I’m going to fight.”

“Atta boy.” Reese grinned.

“Now fry up that bacon.”

“You were serious?” Reese blinked in surprise.

“Serious as a coronary.” Smith started shifting to the edge of the bed.

“Are you getting up?” Reese stood, ready to help.

“Yes.” Smith sat on the edge of the bed, inhaled and then stood, holding Reese for balance. He glared up at the ceiling and muttered under his breath, “I’ll get you for this, Artemis. Bitch always was jealous of my hunting skills.” He walked with Reese to the kitchen.

“I’ll make a pot of coffee too.” Reese sat him down on a stool in the kitchen by the breakfast counter.

“Cool. Coffee, fried eggs, and lots of bacon.” Smith used his right hand to stretch out his sore wing. “Ya know, life would be easier if I let Orion hack these friggin’ things off.”

“I don’t think that’s the way to get rid of them.” Reese cringed and filled the carafe.

“I’m hoping the words ‘I do’ will.” Smith rested his elbows on the counter. “I need pants. My wings are wet and this seat is cold.”

Reese looked down at himself. “Yeah. Clothing. Good idea.”

He started the automatic coffee pot and escorted Smith back to his room to get them both dressed.

Chapter 17

After taking all the sliced smoked ham from the fridge, Harper rooted around the medicine bottles Cybil kept stashed in the kitchen cabinet. Shaking them, then seeing how many there were, he took two tablets and cupped them in his hand. Just as he was ready to spring out the door and head back to Adonis, someone stood in his way.

“Hello, Pan.”

“Oh shit.” Harper stopped short.

~

The scent of bacon frying filled the room. Adonis inhaled it and tried not to worry.
Everything’s all right, yes. Everything’s
all right…
he sang softly.

Reese kept peering over his shoulder as he cooked, as if checking Adonis was still there, seated on a high stool, sipping coffee at the breakfast counter. Reading his obvious thoughts, Adonis said, “I usually go with a loud noise.”