chapter FIFTEEN
The sun always feels warmer here, Kallos thinks as she walks over to the waterfall and looks around her. This is the first time she hasn't seen anyone here, and it's strange. She sits on the edge of the pond and puts her feet in the water. The water is nice and warm; it's almost like bathwater. The stillness of this place seems to always calm her no matter what. It’s the one place she can think in peace and quiet. She glances over at the beautiful flowers. The colors are more vivid here and so are the smells.
“Nice to see you again, Kallos,” a male surprises her. She is guessing that it is Apollo. She looks over to him. He is standing there shirtless again, and his tan body looks so nice.
“Hello, Apollo.” He smiles at her and moves closer.
“Do you mind if I join you?” It's sweet that he is asking; she nods at him. “Thank you for fixing Ian. I couldn’t even reach him, and was hoping that you would.” So, he knew about Ian, which makes her wonder how much more they know about them.
“How do you guys know so much?” Kallos smiles and looks at the waterfall.
“I can see and hear everything that happens with Ian. Just like Ares can with Sean and Aphrodite will be able to do with you.”
“What do you mean will be? She can’t already?” Apollo’s sapphire eyes turn back to her.
“You have to be fully changed for her to do that,” he looks back at the water.
“I got my first power tonight” Kallos blurts out. Apollo’s head whips around, and he looks at her.
“What did you get?” He looks worried.
“I can burn people with my hands and my body.” His eyes got really wide.
“Have you told Aphrodite yet?” Kallos shakes her head.
“Nope, I just got here, and you are the first person I saw.” Maybe person isn’t the word she should have use. More like golden god, but oh well. He shuts his eyes and goes really still for a moment, like he’s meditating.
“I just told her that we need her. She already knows you’re here.” Apollo suddenly speaks.
That was pretty cool. It’s like having a cell phone attached to your brain. Kallos wonders if that will be one of her other powers. Apollo stands up and starts to pace; he walks about six feet away from her and walks back. She doesn’t know how many times he did this, but he continues until Aphrodite shows up.
“Kallos, can you show us your new power?” Aphrodite asks as she walks toward them. Kallos is hoping that she'll be able to do it. So far, the only way she could do it is when someone is making her mad. So, she thinks about what Ian said to her and how he was acting today. She can feel her body heating up; it starts at her toes and goes all the way up to her hands. Kallos can feel it spreading through her veins. She opens her eyes and both Aphrodite and Apollo look like they have seen a ghost. She looks down at her hands and they are glowing red.
“Kallos, when I throw water at you, put up your hands like you want to stop it,” Apollo says, and Kallos nods. He puts his hand over the water then it starts to rise. It is the craziest thing she has ever seen, and she wonders if Ian can do this. He flings the water at her. She puts her hands up to defend her face. The water instantly turns into steam. Apollo is grinning like a fool, and Aphrodite looks so proud.
“This is a good sign right?” Apollo wasn’t asking her, and she turns to look at Aphrodite.”
“I do hope so,” Aphrodite replies, but her tone is unsure.
“Aphrodite, none of the others have gained any powers. She is the first.” Kallos remembers that if she makes it through the change, then she will be the first reincarnated Aphrodite to make it. Everyone seems to think that she will make it through without any problems, but Kallos wonders if that’s what they thought that last time and the time before that. Aphrodite seems to be the only one showing any signs of concern.
“This is true, but it’s still early,” Aphrodite states to Apollo, and then she looks at Kallos. “Has anything else happened?” Kallos shakes her head. This is the only thing that is different about her. She can burn people when they make her mad; it’s nothing really. “You have had a busy day, or so I hear. You save one of your soul mates.”
“Yeah, Ian. His demon blood was trying to take over, and he was becoming a different person.
“And the only thing that saved him was your love for him?” Kallos smiles and nods. For someone that isn’t connected to Kallos yet, Aphrodite sure knows a lot.
“So, you have told them both that you love them. Is it as hard as you thought it was going to be?”
“I was scared that’s all. I have never been in love before and never even kissed a boy before them. It’s all just happening so fast; I can barely get a hold of everything.” Kallos looks away. This is the first time she has admitted any of this out loud.
“You will get used to it. I still have Apollo and Ares, and they both love me. I’m not going to lie to you; it's going to be hard. And you have to know you don’t have to be with both of them if you don’t want to. You have a choice. Yes, someone will get hurt, but you have to look after your own heart. What works for me may not work for you.” Aphrodite walks over to Kallos and takes both her hands. Kallos knows she can’t be with them both forever. She knows she will always love both of them, but she can’t have a future with both of them. That isn’t her, and it never will be. Sometime, she will have to choose but not now.
“In the future, I will pick just one. What will happen to the one I don’t pick?” Kallos thinks back to the necklace that would kill them if they take them off. Will they always feel her feelings? Aphrodite said that Kallos could feel her mate’s feelings, but Kallos isn’t ready for that yet. Aphrodite squeezes Kallos's hands.
“He will go on with his life. And the necklace can be removed by us.”
Hope flashes in Kallos’ eyes; they won’t feel what she is feeling forever. “I thought it would kill them to take it off?”
“For your mate it would, but not for someone you rejected. So, whoever you don’t want to be with will be able to take it off, but it has to be done by me and you.” Kallos must have looked confused because Aphrodite continues to explain, “We put our blood on the front of the necklace and it will disappear. It has to be done after you have mated with the other.” Well, that isn’t going to be happening anytime soon. Kallos isn't ready for that yet. She hasn’t even chosen who will be the one.
She looks down at her feet. “I don’t know who I’m going to choose.”
“You don’t have to pick now, my dear. It doesn’t have to be soon either.” Kallos nods slowly; her life has gotten so confusing. “You have to be careful with your new power; it can be dangerous. That means you have to learn to control your anger.”
“I know and I will try.” Kallos watches Apollo walk away from them. He is walking over to the pond. He reaches into the water and pulls something out. He walks back to them and Kallos looks at his hand. He has a white rock that is shaped like a perfect heart. He hands it to Kallos.
“I thought that since you have a flower from Ares that you should have something from me.” He reminds her that the flower still is looking fresh.
“Thank you, it’s beautiful. Will the flower ever die?”
“No my dear, the flower will always stay alive. I believe that is why he gave it to you,” Aphrodite explains. “You should be getting back. It’s going to be morning soon, and you don’t want to worry your boys.” Kallos walks over to Aphrodite and hugs her, and then Kallos walks over to Apollo. He put his arms out to welcome her. She hugs him tightly, and then she closes her eyes.