*New Stories Posted:
A Collection of Shorts
Cupid's Kiss - Chapter Thirteen
This novel may NOT be published on sites other than ASSTR without the author's explicit permission; payment will be required for commercial use.
This is a novel in progress - it is inspired by the classical myths of Cupid and Psyche, with some modern themes.
I strongly recommend you begin with Chapter 1
My stories are at ~swingingpuss
I also hang out at Things That Bang
Usual Legal disclaimers apply
Cupid's Kiss - Chapter Thirteen
Chapter 13
Harold sat in front of the mirror and wept like a child. It was too much for him to bear. His first born was savagely torn from his side and he could do nothing. The vision of seeing his daughter being dragged by her hair by Aphrodite burned through his very soul.
He had done nothing to stop the kidnapping. He had just sat there like an impotent eunuch and let the apple of his eye be taken.
Throwing his head back he sobbed loudly. What had happened to Psyche? Was Psyche being tortured or had Aphrodite ended her young life? He would never know. He slowly stood up and touched the cool, firm surface and saw his devastated reflection stare back at him.
He had aged ten years in one evening. His face was lined with grooves of sorrow, dull pain glimmered in his tear drenched eyes and his sensual lips hung in dejection.
His broad shoulders shook as he rested his head against the mirror.
"Why?" he muttered "Why did I bring this cursed thing back with us?"
"I am sorry for letting you down Psyche. My poor baby, will I ever see you?"
Melissa's heart broke for the man she had come to love in such a short while. Silent tears poured down her eyes and she did not wipe them. A father was crying for his child and she could do nothing to comfort him.
Silently she watched a crying Cybil approach her father and envelope him in her comforting embrace.
Harold turned in his daughter's embrace and hugged her back. Together they cried and drew close to each other but at a price that was too high for either to be able to bear.
Closing her eyes she prayed that her friend was still alive; that somewhere, some how she would survive.
The wretched silence was broken by a jarring growl. They all looked up and saw a furious Kevin prowl the room.
"Someone better explain to me what happened and fast before I break something! What in the name of sweet Jesus just happened here?" He walked up to Harold and pulled him away from Cybil's embrace and looked at him in the eye and firmly asked "We need to get to the bottom of this Harold. I feel as if I am losing my mind. Psyche could not have just disappeared into thin air, man! We have to get her back. What just happened? Who was that scary broad?"
Harold shook his head sat down on the bed. He seemed to have aged ten years in one evening. His face seemed to be lined with crevices of deep sorrow; eyes seemed to have lost their playful vitality and his hands trembled as he ran them through his shaggy hair.
Melissa would have preferred to leave the family alone in their moment of private grief but Kevin and Cybil needed to be told Psyche's story.
She went into her room and rummaged for the tranquillizers she had bought incase Psyche lost her sensibilities. She sighed as she took out the needle and the little bottle back into Psyche's room.
It seemed ironical that she would have to sedate the one person she had thought could hold the forte together.
She strode into the room at a brisk pragmatic pace and pushed Kevin away from the distraught Harold.
"Come, Harold. Lie down for a while." She gently helped Harold up to his feet and then had him lie down on the bed.
Kevin came over and spoke angrily to Melissa "What are you doing? We need to go on a search. Harold cannot sleep with his daughter missing. What are you giving him?"
Melissa remained unperturbed and looked up at Kevin and spoke coldly "I am sedating Harold. He is not going to be of any help in this condition. I suggest you take your wife downstairs and wait for me. I will explain everything to you. Now please leave us alone."
Kevin blinked; he, then, nodded abruptly and helped his weeping wife out of the room.
As the door closed behind them, Melissa gently stroked her lover's rumpled hair away from his face and smiled at him tenderly.
Harold looked into her eyes and whispered "I'm so sorry. I let Psyche and you down."
Melissa caressed his cheek and spoke sadly "There was nothing that you or I could have done and you know it. We can only hope for the best. Now try to sleep for a while. I am giving you a light sedative that will calm your nerves."
Harold lay his head back on the soft pillows and closed his tired eyes. But his emotions remained in utter turmoil. Psyche's horrified features loomed before him and he couldn't stop the tears from following again.
Melissa gave him the shot and silently watched him drift into drug induced sleep. It was going to be a long night with her trying to explain Psyche's story to the distraught couple.
As she switched off the light in Harold's room she stared at the mirror that gleamed in the cool rays of the moonlight and wondered if she would ever see her friend again.
On reaching the living room Melissa wiped the tears from her eyes and composed herself. Someone had to remain rational while the world came crashing down. But she felt like breaking down when her eyes fell on Cybil who sitting hunched over and was twisting her handkerchief fretfully.
Kevin was on the phone.
"Alex?" he barked into the phone "Could you get in touch with the sheriff?"
"This is a sensitive matter."
"Yes, yes it is about Psyche."
Melissa moved into the room swiftly and roughly took the phone from Kevin and glared at him.
"Hi Alex" She spoke into the phone with a calm voice.
"Melissa, is that you? Is something wrong with Psyche?" Melissa heard the concern in Alex's voice and wanted to berate Kevin for making the situation more complex that it already was.
"No, Psyche is fine. It's just that there has been a family dispute here and Kevin being a little hot headed. Things will cool down soon. I'm here to sort things out, you need not worry or call the sheriff."
"Maybe I should come over." Alex did not sound too convinced.
Melissa glared over the phone at Kevin who had crossed his arms defensively over his chest and stared back at Melissa.
"Sure Alex; but could you come by tomorrow morning?" she gripped the phone and continued "Things should be more normal by then?"
"The sisters are fighting again eh? It can get really ugly."
Melissa closed her eyes and tried to keep her tone as normal as possible. She was in no mood to make frivolous chit chat.
"You know how it gets; I really must go Alex. I guess I will see you tomorrow morning?"
"How does nine in the morning sound?"
"Sounds good, Alex. See you then," With that she put the phone down and angrily turned to Kevin.
"How dare you?" She let the anger spill forth.
Kevin covered the distance between them and loomed over her.
"You better explain to us what's happening here. You see, doc, I am this close to losing what little patience I have left in me."
Melissa did not back down "And what will you do with all your macho anger? I am the only one who has the answers and knows how helpless Harold feels. You have a choice, either you control your Irish temper or I will simply leave you alone for the night without the answers your wife deserves."
"Kevin, come and sit with me. Melissa is not the enemy." Cybil spoke up softly.
"Please Melissa, you need to understand that Kevin does not like to see his family come under any kind of harm. And now, my sister.." her voice trailed off as fresh tears pooled in her eyes.
Melissa sighed and walked over to Cybil. Taking Cybil's hand in her own she sat down on next to Cybil on the sofa and began to recount the tale.
"Psyche was raped by Cupid." She began and watched the disbelief that had been her own, in their eyes. It was going to be a long night.
