Shot: A Novel

Chapter Nine

                                                                    -Aphrodite-

     "So, I take it you two know each other," Dilan said as he cleared his throat. He was sitting on Ian's couch in his cabin with an ice pack on his ribs.

     "Ah, yes Ian and I know each other very well." I smile sweetly at Dilan not daring to apologize to him after what he had done to me.

     "I see you're still mighty strong and cruel as ever. It's nice to be with you again Rosa Spettrale." Ian said hugging me to him, his Italian accent getting thicker.

     "If I may be rude and ask, but what is Rosa whatever?" Dilan asked obviously not wanting to see if Ian would kiss me.

     "It is an old nickname for Aphrodite. It means ghostly rose. Aphrodite's last name was Rose and she seemed to be able to appear and disappear like a ghost." Ian told Dilan but he was looking at me. I smiled forgetting how much I missed Ian.

     "How did you two meet?" Dilan asked and we both turned to look at him annoyed but I answered him.

     "Renaissance, Italy. April 6, 1341, at the crowning of Poet Laureate Francesco Petrarch."

     "Good memory, Venus Rosa." Ian smiled at me and I tried to hide a blush. Dilan saw and rolled his eyes at us.

     "Not as good as yours Lord Phelps." I bowed and he started to laugh. That night I smiled so much my mouth hurt to think about it. We talked and Dilan had finally got in on the fun with us. It was marvelous. Ian healed my wings right away and told us we may stay at his place for the night/day. Until we went home. It allowed me to go upstairs take a shower and find some beautiful paper and quills so I could write another letter.

                                                                   -Rachel-

     "Where is my best friend?" I yell at Ares pouncing on him and pinning him to the ground growling.

     "Rach please let Ares up." I hear Pol behind me say softly.

     "No!" I yell tears coming to my eyes, but I refuse to cry. I shift to my human form and hold Ares's throat with my hands trying to choke him. Pol tries desperately to get me off of him but I was crying too hard and was too angry.

     "Let him go Rachel and we can talk this out." Pol tries to convince me and I shake my head crying harder. Pol finally drags me off of Ares. Who was perfectly calm the whole time which just pissed me off more.

     "Rachel, your friend Aph is with my friend Dilan and his friend Ian to help fix her broken wings and she will be back tomorrow, if you would like you can bring Sean and we can wait for Dilan and her to return, ok?" Ares tells me as he gets up. Pol said it was a great idea, I agreed but not happily. I went inside while Pol muttered he would go get the others. I ignored Ares and sat on the couch finding some of Aph's things and started to cry.

                                                                       -Ares-

     "She should have been back by now," I mutter as Rachel glares at me. Pol puts his arm around her shoulder trying to drag her death stare away from me. Sean comes up behind me to stop my pacing.

     "Man, you are going to make a hole in the floor. "Sit, relax, and enjoy one of Katherine's jokes or Lynne's rude comments. They are most entertaining and that is coming from me." Sean tells me smiling and pushing me towards the recliner in the living room where everyone else was sitting. I gave in and sat down watching Katherine and Lynne argue. The others trusted them but I wasn't so sure I would trust two vampires. Both of which seem to have a nasty temper. The thought of a horrible temper reminded me of Aphrodite so much I growled and went outside to go find her. No-one stopped me but everyone was surprised at my outburst. They can bite me if they have a problem.

                                                                       -Aphrodite-

     "I will meet you outside Dilan, I do not need a babysitter," I tell him as I pack my bag up so we can leave. Dilan says something under his breath and leaves to wait for me outside. I smile, though I have enjoyed being here with Ian I was excited to be getting back to Ares.

     "Leaving so soon Venus?" Ian says from the doorway behind me, I let out a pathetic little squeak.

     "Gosh, Ian don't do that and I told you my name is Aphrodite, not Venus." I scold him as I pick up my bag and suddenly he is next to me taking my bag from me. My eyes go wide and I look up at him staring into his eyes. Back when we met people said that Ian was marked by the devil because one eye was sapphire blue and the other was such a dark brown it looked black from a distance. Now a day's people know it as Heterochromia. I had always loved his eyes and I still do but the look he had in his eyes scared me.

     "Why are you leaving Venus?" Ian's voice was cold and unnerving. I tried to take a step back but Ian stops me.

     "Ian please, Dilan is waiting for me. I have to go." I say in the calmest voice I can but my voice still shakes.

     "Venus, please stay here with me," Ian says in a soft voice.

     "Ian I am not the same girl you knew in Italy." I try to tell him but the words fall upon deaf ears. Suddenly he is gone out of the room and I cuss at him in the empty room. I hate it when he does that! I go downstairs with my bag to find Ian in front of the door. I raise an eyebrow at him. "Where is Dilan?" I ask keeping the worried tone out of my voice.

     "Gone back to your friend." He says as he leans against the door frame.

     "Ian what did you do? He wouldn't have just left. Ares will kill him if he goes back without me." I fail at keeping the panic out of my voice that time and mentally curse myself.

     "You didn't accept my kind offer so now I am not giving you an offer. Now it is a command, you will stay here with me Venus." Ian's tone made me take a step back. I tried to look for another way out but didn't see one, Ian laughed it was emotionless and cold just like his eyes.

     "I am not a pet Ian. Let me go, my friends will worry." I fight for excuses but slowly run out of them. Ian was my best friend, my first friend I didn't want to be mean but he was leaving me no choice. "Ian I do not want to stay here with you," I told him in a hopefully stern voice. His eyes go dark with anger and I brace myself as he steps angrily closer to me. I square my shoulders, straighten my spine, lift my chin and look him dead in the eyes. He grabs my hair and pulls my head back. I have to bite my lip to keep from screaming.

     "I am afraid you have no choice. You will be staying here whether you like it or not Venus." He spats the name at me as he drags me upstairs to his room. Where I am sure I may not come back out of.