Dead Beat Dates & Deities - Goddess of Tornado Alley Series Book One

Chapter Eleven

The fact that Frank was prepared made the spinning whirlpool feeling a little easier to deal with the second time around, and when she was dropped unceremoniously on her hind end in the same forest glen she'd visited before, her surroundings did not surprise her.

"Back so soon?" Aphrodite asked. Frank pulled herself up and dusted the back of her pencil skirt off with her hands. It was warmer here and without snow. It felt like it was either late spring, or perhaps early autumn. The temperature was pleasantly mild, and the air held a sweet scent that reminded Frank of honey.

"What is that wonderful smell?" Frank asked breathing deeply.

"Melia."

"Melia?"

"Yes," Aphrodite answered. "Ash trees. Ares uses the wood as spears. There is a sap inside the trees. It is juice from the stars."

"Juice from the stars," Frank repeated in a soft voice. "Well, I don't know anything about that, but they sure smell good."

Aphrodite was annoyed. "You doubt what I say?"

"Nope," Frank said. "Ash trees and star juice. I'm good with all that."

"You are a frustrating mortal," the goddess pouted. "And your face is still black and blue. It's ugly."

Frank straightened the collar of her shirt and attempted to tame the wild strands of her unruly hair with her fingers. She met the navy of Aphrodite's eyes. "You aren't very nice."

"Are you not afraid of me?" the deity asked, clearly angry. "Do you not realize how much power I hold? If I presented myself to you in my true godly form, your body would catch fire and burn into a pile of ash right there where you stand."

Frank sniffed and continued to hold the goddess' gaze. "I'm afraid of this whole damn thing," she admitted easily. "I'm afraid of you, and of everything that's happened since I fell into your stupid fountain. I'm afraid I've lost every last one of my functioning brain cells, and that I'll wind up in a padded cell somewhere wearing a most unfashionable straight jacket. I don't know how much power you hold, but after everything else I've seen in the last couple of days, if you say you're powerful, I'll take your word for it."

Aphrodite watched her for a long moment, the nasty expression on her pretty face turning slowly to one of satisfaction. When she smiled Frank was almost sure that the sun shone through the boughs of the trees that formed a canopy over their heads a little brighter. Powerful indeed, Frank thought.

She quickly cleared her throat before speaking. "I know you told me to wait before visiting again, but I needed to talk to you."

"Oh? What about?"

The deity was dressed in pale yellow today, another flowing gown gathered at the waist by a lovely vine of deep green leaves and small white daisies with egg yolk centers. Her hair was piled on top of her head, bright purple spots of color peeking through the golden strands. Frank wasn't sure, but it looked like the colorful decorations were small crocus flowers.

"My friend, Ella, wanted to come with me today. She's very interested in meeting you."

Aphrodite's smile was reserved. It told Frank the goddess was not surprised in the slightest that someone wanted to be in her presence.

"I don't know this Ella."

"So, she must not belong to you."

"No," the goddess answered.

"Does that mean she can't come through the portal with me?"

The deity walked to the same bench on which the two of them sat the first time Frank visited. It was almost as though she was floating over the lush green grass and Frank watched her with interest.