Valentine's Day One-Shot Collection (Completed!

)
by AerithSage

A collection of Valentine's Day one-shots from the characters of my novels.

Romantic short stories that's designed to make your heart flutter and be filled
with love and romance on this special day.

So ladies: grab your blanket, assume a comfortable position and go curl up and read
to your heart's content.

FALLING STARS (Hades / Aerith)

The king and queen of the Underworld revisit one of their favorite places:
Artists and Reader's Nook in Paris, France and then spend the rest of the day above
the Eiffel Tower.
I GAVE UP A WORLD FOR YOU (Alexander/ Sage)
There's a grand ceremony in all of Aether. Finally, the High King marries
his High Queen in front of the entire realm.
FIFTY SHADES OF RED (Cassia/Nikos)
It's their honeymoon right after they were married. Red lingerie, red silk
sheets, red blindfolds. You know the deal.
(other stories to follow: Sage/ Alexander, Eros/Psyche)
UNTIL ETERNITY RUNS ITS COURSE (Seth/Adrienne)
Seth learns of the mortal tradition of Valentine's Day and he brings his
queen over so they could both experience the events of this special day.
ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS (Thanatos/Aurea)
Eros and Aidon surprise the secretly married couple for Valentine's Day. It
consists of making Aurea's Arabian Nights fantasy come true...
PROMISE ME (Zeus/Hera)
Hera planned on spending her Valentine's Day alone. But Zeus had other plans
in mind and takes her to one of the most romantic cities: Venice.
THE GIRL WHO CONQUERED LOVE
It was time someone helped the God of Love in his duties especially since
it's Valentine's Day, the busiest time of the year for him. And he has the perfect
apprentice in mind along with the idea for a perfect date.

=================

Author's Note

Author's Note:

This is for all my readers. A collection of one-shot stories whose characters are
those from my novels.

I hope you enjoy reading!

This is my Valentine's gift for all of you.

To those with a special someone on this day: I hope that this makes you enjoy it
more.

To those without (like me): Well, I hope this makes you happy and feel that
Valentine vibe even when we don't have a love life as colorful as the characters I
write. :)

Enjoy!

And please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT! :D

=================

Falling Stars- Hades/ Aerith

This is from my story: HOW TO BE A QUEEN (Myths Finding Love #1)

Set after the events of How I Fell For Death. Aurea and Aidon were born 2013 and
this is the Valentine's Day eighteen years after that.

SONG: A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay (Media Link available) :)

February 14, 2031

Artists and Reader's Nook

Paris, France
"She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

 So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!"

Hades' deep baritone echoed across the little café we loved so much as he spoke a
poem by Lord Byron that he memorized by heart.

I sighed and looked around the place after wiping a single tear from my eye. This
was where we first came when we were in Paris. I remembered going here after our
fight more than eighteen years ago.

Of course, we made up. Then he brought me here and I fell in love with this place
at first sight. It was perfect! I also remembered drawing him here and the owner
framing and displaying my work.

Eighteen years later, that painting I did was still there on the wall.

Sadly, the owner already passed away.

I remembered our encounter in the Underworld. Hades and I guided him to Elysium and
while we did that, he shared so much stories about this quaint little café.
He passed away but his legacy did not. It turned out his son was much more of a
romantic. Now, this was not simply a place where you can get coffee and draw or
paint. Now, there were several nights where there was poetry reading.

Some people can go here and read poems they wrote themselves or recite old poems
that captured their heart.

It was Valentine's Day today and the café was packed.

All of them clapped after Hades' finished reciting his poem. I felt all the
emotions he poured into that and I couldn't help but remember all the courtship
poems he recited for me before.

He grinned from ear-to-ear as he made his way back towards me.

He took my hand and lifted it to his lips. And like always, my heart jumped and an
electric current ran through me at the contact.

We've been married for nineteen years yet everything still felt the same.

There was no dull moment in our marriage and every day, I felt as if I loved him
more and more.

"Did you like that?" he whispered in my ear.

"What do you think?" I replied breathlessly.

He tilted his head to the side and scrutinized my face. Then, he lifted his head
and wiped another stray tear of joy that I didn't manage to hold back.

"I think you liked it very much," he whispered.

"Of course! You're like the most romantic guy, ever. You infuse your words with
your emotions. Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves, you use yours to
speak. Some days, I think you should replace Eros."

Hades rolled his eyes and sat beside me. Then, he pulled me closer and his fingers
tilted my chin upwards to receive his kiss. Again, I sighed at the contact. His
lips on mine were just perfect. His lips lingered over mine and with much
hesitation, he pulled back.

Then, he laughed.

"I do not want to replace Eros. I do not want to be portrayed as a god who shoots
arrows into people's hearts. Besides, who'd run the Underworld?"

It's my turn to laugh. "It's just a thought. I don't want you to really do it. I
don't want you to turn promiscuous like Eros."

Again, he laughed and the sound slid through me like silk. "Ah... But I heard Eros
already changed after he met Psyche."

"I hope so. I don't want Aurea's friend to be broken-hearted

over him. Hmm. Speaking of that, what do you think are Aurea and Aidon-"

I didn't get to finish what I was saying for he placed his finger against my lips.
"They're grown up. They're immortal. They can take care of themselves. I thought
this day was for us alone?" he whispered.

"You're right... I just can't help but worry."

"Don't, sweetheart. Thanatos won't let anything happen to Aurea and you know Aidon
is now very powerful. I'm thinking he's with Helen."

"Alright. No more worrying about our children, I promise."

"Good. Because our night is just starting and I have a lot more in store for you."
His voice held so much promise that I blushed to the roots of my hair.

"Really? And what would that be?" I whispered in his ear. This time, it was him who
shivered.

"Finish your coffee and you'll see."

I didn't need to be told twice. I quickly gulped my coffee and finished the bagel I
was munching on. Hades threw a couple of bills on the table and then he grabbed my
hand and we exited the café and breathed in the cold air of the streets of Paris.

I wrapped Hades' scarf more securely around his neck before we continued our
stroll.

"Tell me one thing. This whole night, are we supposed to spend it here on Paris?"

His eyes twinkled and I even if he did not answer, I knew the answer to my
question. I giggled with anticipation and leaned into him when he used his powers
to teleport me to wherever his surprise lay.

"Open your eyes," he whispered.

I did. And then music started to play.

"Once in your life you find her

 Someone who turns your heart around

And next thing you know

You're closing down the town..."

It was our song.

It was sang by one of the Nine Muses while the others played the melody on violins
and a harp. Her beautiful voice made my knees go weak and my heart to beat faster.

I sighed and leaned closer. Hades took my hand and led me to the middle where a red
carpet was laid out. White and red petals were strewn everywhere.

I looked around and noticed that we were definitely on the Eiffel Tower. At a night
like this, this place should have been crowded with lovers! But tonight, it was
not. It was only me and him and the muses who stood on one corner.

"Wake up and she's still with you

Even though you left her way across town

You're wondering to yourself

Hey, what have I found?"

Hades took my hands and placed my palms on his chest. This was just like our first
date. But it wasn't in Paris. It was on the balcony of our bedroom. It was perfect
but this one... It was more than perfect. I don't even have the words to describe
it.

We started to sway to the beautiful melody.

"When you get caught between

The moon and New York City...

I know it's crazy, but it's true.

If you get caught

between

the moon and New York City...

The best that you can do,

The best that you can do

...Is fall in love..."

This song was so appropriate for us. We met in the great city of New York and that
was where we fell in love. Our marriage was rocky from the start but I was so glad
that we found our way to each other.

Now, I had this great man all to myself.

And take note: I am never letting him go.

I pressed my body closer to his and his warmth along with his masculine scent
enveloped me. Again, my knees threatened to buckle. He must've felt it for he
wrapped his arms around me tighter.

I closed my eyes and just reveled in the feeling of being in his arms. Nineteen
years of marriage and I am never going to get tired of this. Ever.
Then, the song ended and the muses vanished.

Reluctantly, I stepped away and looked up. He had this handsome grin I loved so
much. Then, he reached behind him and retrieved a small box. Knowing him, it was
another jewelry that I could add to my collection.

Hades gave jewelries for every occasion. Well, he was the god of riches after all.
Everything under the soil belonged to him. Needless to say, my closet was filled
with diamonds and precious gems. Some were even yet to be discovered by humans for
they were buried miles beneath the earth.

He flipped the lid open and nestled inside was another charm for my bracelet. It
was in the shape of a star and it was made of pink diamonds.

When we were first married and we first went here

to Paris, Hades gave me a charm bracelet. And every time we travelled or there was
a special occasion, he added a charm to commemorate that event. I had several charm
bracelets now for we've been together for so many years already.

There was one charm that stood out amongst the others: a heart with one side made
of blue diamonds and the other side was made out of pink diamonds. It was the one
Hades gave me right after our twins were born.

But from all my charms, he never gave me one shaped into a star.

I tried hard to think what it meant and for what occasion it was for but I came up
with nothing. And it seemed as if my husband was waiting for me to ask.

So I took his bait and asked, "A star? Why?"

"Look up," he replied.

I did.
Then my jaw fell.

And my heart stopped.

It was a meteor shower! The first one I've ever watched in my whole life!

It was stunning. Nothing could ever compare to watching tiny pinpricks of light
rush across the dark canvass of the night sky.

"Wow." That was the only word I could manage. It was as if my brain was turned to
mush at the magnificence before me.

Truly, I was the luckiest girl in the entire universe.

Hades pulled me closer and I felt his warm breath against my temple. Then, he
tilted my head up so I could receive his kiss. I didn't really want to look away
from the stars but more than that, I didn't want to stop kissing him.

One touch, one kiss from him and I burned. My nights with him consisted of so much
pleasure that

if I died right then and there, I would've died with a smile on my face. But I
can't die because I'm immortal now.

But it was close.

Hades pulled away with a sigh.

"There's plenty of time for that tonight, my queen. For now, watch the heavens," he
instructed.
I did, again.

The meteor showers stopped. And when the stars stopped falling, I noticed there
were several bright stars on the dark sky.

I squinted my eyes for there was something familiar about it.

And then it hit me.

It looked like a crown! And it was shaped like mine!

"Oh my gods!" I exclaimed.

Hades laughed. He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me. Then his lips
traced a path down my neck as I marveled at the new constellation.

"This will be the night that mortal astronomer and stargazers will marvel at this
new constellation. This is my gift to you, my queen."

My heart stopped. I shit you not, it literally stopped and all the breath was
knocked out of my lungs.

"This constellation will be known as the 'Queen of the Underworld.'"

Tears flowed down my face. The star charm was not for the meteor shower. It was for
this constellation he did for me! When Hades did things, he never did them half-
heartedly. This was just so much!

"H-how?" I stammered.
He shrugged. "I pulled some strings."

I sighed and turned around. This time, it was I who pulled his head down so that I
could kiss him. And I kissed him with all my heart. I poured out everything I felt
for him: my unending love, my gratitude, my desire.

"I love you."

"Not as much as I love you, my darling wife."

"Thank you, Hades." I whispered against his lips as I gestured at the heavens.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my Queen."

"Happy Valentine's Day, my King."

***********************************

Watch out for the next one-shots!

Thanatos/Aurea, Zeus/Hera, Sage/Alexander, Nikos/Cassia

*sighs*

Why can't I find my own Hades? :))

Thanks for reading!

Please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT if you liked it! :D

Please guys! I beg you to click that VOTE button. Haha. Votes make a story noticed.
And this is a Valentine's Day story so I was really hoping to get this collection
noticed before V-day. So pleaaase VOTE! Thanks!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

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=================

I Gave Up A World For You- Alexander/ Sage

***PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT!***

FROM MY STORY: THE LAST SORCERESS

I GAVE UP A WORLD FOR YOU - ALEXANDER / SAGE

Note: The Last Sorceress isn't finished yet on Wattpad. This is just a one-shot of
Alexander and Sage. It does not affect the story in any way. It is only based on
the characters but the story is a different matter.

February 14, 2014 (After the Great War of Aether)

The High Palace

City of Aerion, Aether

This is it.

Finally.

I took in a deep breath and touched the pearls that were woven intricately into my
hair. It's a nervous habit and right now my nerves were eating me alive. Small
segments of my hair were braided and this was where the pearls were threaded. Then
the mass of my hair was piled on top of my head. Some strands curled loosely to
frame my face and my neck.

When I was through touching all the pearls and it wasn't time yet, I transferred my
attention to my beautifully embroidered gown. The design was superb! It was the
color lavender to represent my kingdom, Maegi. It did not have the traditional
long, bell sleeves I was accustomed to during my time.

Now, the sleeves were made of five thin straps of cloth that hung off my shoulder.
The bodice dipped low to my breasts and the collar was beautifully embroidered with
dragons. I had a silver belt that

dangled low on my hips and on the center of that belt was the High King's Seal.
Then, my skirt fell to the floor and it had a very long train.
I peeled off my elbow length gloves a bit so I could gaze at the crescent mark on
my forearm. Right now, it was blazing blue. But I didn't need the color to know how
Alexander felt. I felt it deep inside me for we were connected in a whole new
level: he was the other half of my soul.

I snapped into attention when the wide doors before me swung open.

I quickly placed back my gloves and accepted the bouquet of flowers that one of the
servants held out for me.

I was ready just as the music started to play.

I pasted a smile on my face and started to walk. I did the mistake of looking
around. My breath hitched as I saw all those that were gathered here today to
witness this event.

There were faeries, centaurs, dragons now in their human form and many more! The
High Palace's great hall was overflowing with guests!

My step faltered for I was suddenly very nervous. How can I do this?

"Easy. Do not think of them. Think of only me."

I heard the High King's voice inside my head and it sent a wave of calm over me. He
was right. I had to think of only him. This event was for the two of us. It was us
that was important. All the others were just guests here to witness the event.

I took a deep breath and then released it. Then I looked up and stared straight
ahead.

That was when our eyes met. His blue eyes stared at me and I could see all of his
emotions shining in them.

I saw his love, his excitement and his nervousness. I smiled when I saw that he was
feeling the same emotions as me; he was just handling it better.

When I met his gaze, I forgot everything else except the need to go to him.

We've been through so much and now it was finally our time to be together. I never
even knew or envisioned myself being here right now. All I wanted was to win the
war and see Alexander crowned as High King.

I never even thought he'd marry me and make me his queen.

It was just a formality.

He was the other half of my soul and he'd always have me. If I die, he dies as
well. That's how deep our connection was.

Finally, I arrived near the altar. Alexander moved towards me and he offered me his
hand. I placed my hand on his and he bent his head to kiss it. Like always, my skin
tingled at the contact. I wanted to pull him closer but this was not the time or
place.

After our ceremony, we'd have eternity together.

We just had to get through this day.

"You look beautiful," he whispered in my ear as we made our way to the altar.

"You clean up well too," I teased. He threw back his head and laughed.
All that were in attendance witnessed the High King's glee and his love for his
bride shining in his eyes.

Today, he wore black and gold. It was the colors of the High King of Aether. He had
on black breeches, shining black boots and a long black robe wherein his seal was
embroidered at the back using golden thread.

Around his neck was the medallion that showed off his status as High King of the
realm.

Strapped at his waist was his sword, Xion.

His black clothes was a beautiful contrast against his blonde hair. And it also
made his blue eyes shine brighter. I sighed and leaned closer into him as we faced
one of Selene's priestesses. Selene was the goddess of Marriage and Fertility and
it was she who blessed unions.

Our union was already blessed by Ariah, the Goddess of Destiny, herself since we
were half-souls. It was she who creates and plans the life of half-souls. Now, we
were adding another goddess' blessing in this union.

"We are gathered here today to witness the union of our High King and his half-soul
and then later on the coronation of Aether's High Queen..."

The priestess droned on and on about blessings of Selene and union of half-souls.
But I was barely listening. I was so busy looking at Alexander. He was just so
gods-darned handsome today.

His skin even looked as if it was glowing! And I could really feel his power
surrounding me. He was the most powerful being in all of Aether and I was so drunk
in the aura that surrounded him like a happiness bubble.

Alexander looked down and smiled at me.

My heart leapt and I blushed and looked away. I knew he knew what I was thinking
about. Our connection allowed our other half to know our thoughts. Right now, he
knew I wasn't listening but thinking of him.

I almost rolled my eyes. Later on, he'll be all arrogant about this.

The priestess asked for my hand

and I gave it, palms up. Alexander placed his hand over mine and gripped it
tightly. The priestess waved her hands over our entwined ones and it glowed blue.
Then, a blue ribbon of magic appeared in the air and started to wrap itself around
our hands.

"What destiny has joined together, no one can tear apart. What hearts Selene bound
together, none can unbind. Speak your vows now and your union shall be blessed both
by Ariah and Selene."

Alexander cleared his throat. "Before Ariah and Selene, I take Princess Sage to be
my wife and Queen. Half of my soul is hers already and now I shall bind my heart to
hers. My love is hers alone for eternity along with my fidelity and my trust. I vow
to forsake all others and have only her as my queen and my wife for all of
eternity. All of me is yours, my princess. I want this life with you here...
Forever... And this is why I gave up my old world for you."

My vision blurred for tears pooled in my eyes. Alexander just smiled at me and I
wanted to hug him right then and there.

He lifted his hand and wiped away my tears with his thumb.

The priestess looked at me and it was already my turn.

"Before Ariah and Selene, I take you, High King Alexander, to be my husband and
King. My heart and my soul, you already own. This ceremony will just prove that in
the eyes of everyone here and also so that our union will be blessed by the
goddesses. My heart, my trust, my fidelity, my respect... All of it is yours until
eternity ends. I vow to be the best wife and Queen for a King as great

as you. I may not have given up a world just to be with you. But today, I am giving
you all of me and hoping that it would be enough..."

The last words sounded choked for I was already crying. I doubted they even
understood what I said.

"I understood. And trust me... It's more than enough." Alexander whispered. His
voice wobbled and I knew then that he was feeling emotions as intense as I was. But
I really wanted him to feel what I felt so I poured all the love I felt for him
through our bond.

His eyes misted with tears but he blinked them back.

Then, we both faced the priestess.

She lifted a bowl filled with oil and approached us.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East.

Communication of the heart, mind, and body

Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun.

The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences."

The priestess used her fingers to drizzle oil on our bound hands. The sweet aroma
enveloped my senses. This was oil from the Kingdom of the Summer Fae. This came
from one of their precious and rarest plants, the Runa, which only bloomed once
every 100 years.

She placed the oil back on the altar and picked up a bowl where smoke was steadily
rising.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South.

Warmth of hearth and home

The heat of the heart's passion

The light created by both to illuminate the darkest of times."

I peered into it the bowl and noticed that there were dragon

stones on the bowl. Dragon stones starts as simple stones. And then the dragons of
Aether breathe into it their magic. That stone would then burn with light and
warmth until the dragon that placed the spell on it lives.

I felt the heat and magic as the priest circled us while letting the smoke
surround us.

"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West.

The deep commitments of the lake, the swift excitement of the river

The refreshing cleansing of the rain

The all encompassing passion of the sea."

This time, the priestess picked up a bowl filled with salt water from the oceans.
The bowl were also filled with pears and corals from the deepest parts of the
ocean.
"Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North

Firm foundation on which to build

Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives

A stable home to which you may always return..."

In a large bowl was some of the most renowned products of the different kingdoms.
There were grains and fruits from the summer fae, a shard of the finest metal from
the centaurs, a vial of perfume from the Winter Fae and so much more!

I smiled when I realized that the riches of the kingdoms of Aether were all before
us. Truly, their Kings showed their allegiance to us by giving their best products
for our marriage. I also couldn't help it when tears pooled in my eyes again.

The priestess reached for a box behind her and flipped the lid open. Nestled inside
in a pool of velvet was the most beautiful crown I've ever seen.

It was a traditional thin gold circlet and in the middle was a glowing moonstone.
The circlet was embedded with different-colored diamonds that signified each
kingdom of Aether.

It was just like Alexander's crown but it was smaller and more feminine.

He lifted the crown from the box and held it above my head as I knelt before him.

"As my queen you will rule by my side. We are equals in ruling this realm. I crown
you, Princess Sage of Maegi as High Queen of Aether."

Then, he placed the circlet on my head and I smiled through my tears when it fit
perfectly. The stone glowed when it touched my head and I could feel its power
radiate through me. This stone was used on the first crown for the High Queen but
that crown was destroyed by the false King Ferion.
Alexander commissioned the best blacksmiths to make a new crown and this was it. I
loved how it looked and I loved how every kingdom was represented by a gemstone.

"Rise," Alexander ordered.

I rose with his help and then we faced the crowd.

Behind us, the priestess declared.

"This union is now blessed by Ariah and Selene. All hail the High King and High
Queen of Aether!" she shouted.

At that, everyone rose and then clapped and cheered. Petals and golden dust from
the Faeries were scattered everywhere.

But that sound was drowned by the roaring anticipation flooding my veins. Alexander
looked at me and then his fingers cupped my chin and tilted it upwards. He bent his
head and finally his lips were on mine.

I sighed against his lips and he took it as an opportunity to

deepen the kiss. His other hand held my nape as he urged me closer to his body. I
placed my hands on his chest and kissed him back with everything in me.

The crowd cheered harder and the sound was deafening. The ground even rumbled as
the centaurs stomped their hooves in glee.

Alexander pulled back and gazed at me with promise in his eyes before he turned
around and faced our guests. I turned around too and then he held my hand.

Then, as High King and High Queen of the realm, we bowed to our guests.
What followed was the biggest feast I've ever seen in my life. Now that I have my
memories back, I could remember all the gatherings I've attended when my parents
were still alive and my kingdom was still standing.

Those were nothing compared to this.

For our wedding, it was as if the entire realm was celebrating. The capital city,
Aerion, was filled to bursting and citizens from the far away kingdoms travelled
just so they could witness this event.

This was even grander than Alexander's coronation ceremony.

Outside the vast castle grounds, several long tables and chairs were spread for our
guests. One area was for the royals from the smaller kingdoms and the other side
was for ordinary citizens who came here for this event.

But this was not restricted to the castle grounds itself. Outside the castle,
citizens also celebrated the event. Some families roasted beef and it was shared to
others. Right now, everyone was united

and the entire realm was one big, happy family.

My jaw dropped as Alexander and I took our seats. There was so much food spread out
in front of us! Alexander's eyes also widened and then he shrugged. He reached for
the roast pork and sliced some for me and then for himself. He also grabbed some
bread and gave me half.

I smiled at how thoughtful he was. Here he was, a King of the realm but he saw to
my needs first. I smiled at him and he lifted my hand and kissed it.

"How's your day?" he asked.

"It's nice." I shrugged. "I just got married to the man of my dreams, after all."

He grinned and moved his chair closer to mine just as the entertainment started. We
ate while faeries danced and showed us some of their magic tricks.

A few hours later, finally we were alone. I squealed when Alexander suddenly lifted
me off my feet.

"It's a tradition from my world," he told me as he carried me towards the bed. "The
grooms carry the bride across the threshold. It's supposed to give us luck or
something," he added then shrugged.

I giggled as he placed me down on the bed. Then, I watched as he stood up and

walked to the other side of the room. Then he unbuckled his sword from his waist
and removed his golden medallion and his crown.

He opened one of his chests and placed it inside. Then, something caught his
attention and he stopped and stilled.

He looked at the chest for a long time then bent and reached for something inside

it. I saw him wearing that when we came back to Aether from his world. He told me
that it was called a watch and it was what mortals used to keep track of time.

I explained to Alexander then that time ran differently here on Aether than it did
in his world so his timekeeper cannot be used here. But he still kept it and I
think it's because he wanted to have a small part of his old world with him.

He brought it to the bed and sat down beside me.

Then, he smiled.
"What?" I asked.

"In my world, today is February 14. We got married on February 14."

He was still grinning.

"What does that mean?"

"During this day, we celebrate Valentine's Day. We have Greek gods and one of them
is Eros. He is the god of Love. February 14 is the celebration of his day. During
this day, people celebrate love. Those who are part of a relationship spend it with
the one they love. Those without spend it wishing that some day, Eros or Cupid
would visit them and help them find love."

"So... I'm guessing that our wedding being on Eros' day is a good thing?"

"Yes," he laughed and pulled me closer.

"So what do your people do to celebrate this day?"

"Men give the women flowers or chocolates and some even give jewelries. Then, they
go out and eat at a restaurant-that's like your tavern here. It's a day filled with
romance. I never understood the significance until I finally found you."

He pulled me closer and kissed my temple.

"Alexander... Are you happy? Is it all worth it?"

"Of course!" he answered quickly.

"What made you ask that?"

"As you said, you gave up your world to be here. Then you could have married
princesses of the different kingdoms here but you chose me! They have riches,
armies and they can help you rule Aether. But you chose me. I am a princess but I
don't have a kingdom. I don't have an army that helped you in the battle. I don't
have riches to fill your coffers."

He hugged me tighter and sighed.

"I don't need all those. I only need you. I gave up my world for you because it
held nothing for me if you weren't there. I dreamed of you for as long as I can
remember and I've also loved you that long. When I saw you for real the first time,
it was even better than all my dreams!"

He was just the sweetest. I smiled and squeezed his hand.

Out there, he is a fierce warrior and a just King. But when we're together... he's
sweet and loving.

And now, he's all mine.

"I fought Ferion not because I really wanted the throne but because I wanted you. I
wanted to reclaim my Kingdom so that I could make you my Queen and stay here
forever. If we lost, I could go back to the mortal realm but I wouldn't be able to
take you with me. But if I won, we can stay here forever... That was what was
running through my mind during the battle."

"Alexander-"

"I wanted to win so that I could keep you. So never ever think that there could've
been someone better for me. I only wanted you. No one could ever be better than
you.

In fact, they all pale in comparison."

"You say the sweetest things."

"It's all true. And I never want to have this discussion again. As your King, I
command it. I never want to hear you say that there are better women out there for
me. There's none. If I had to do this all over again, I'd give up my world again
for you. I'd give it up a thousand times if need be."

I said I wouldn't cry.

I tried to blink back the tears but they were so damned persistent.

"I've made my queen cry," he whispered and then laughed. I smacked him on the arm.

"Stop it!"

"Alright. I'll stop. But I just recalled I have something else to give you."

"What?"

"Before the great battle, I made several back-up plans. One of them was that if we
lost, I would take you to my world. I spoke with Orion and he taught me how he made
you the talisman you wore so you could find me and stay in my world for a short
span of time."

I nodded for him to go on. He retrieved something in his pocket and held it out to
me.

It was a blue pouch. I quickly undid the knots on the drawstrings and tilted it
upside down on my hand.

Out fell a beautiful silver necklace.

It had a heart-shaped pendant. Alexander reached for it and showed me how to open
the heart. More tears blurred my vision as I saw the contents.

On the right panel was an image of the two of us. On the left side the words,
"Forever yours, Alexander."

I wasn't able to stop the surge of emotions. I threw my arms around him and cried

my heart out. I never really believed that we could be where we are right now. At
the start, all he was to me is a mission: I had to retrieve the High King from the
Mortal Realm and help him gain back his throne.

But then I fell in love. And at first it was hopeless for he was the High King! I
am a nobody. I gained a little hope when we discovered we were half-souls. But that
hope was extinguished as we prepared for battle and made alliances. I knew I was
useless to him because I couldn't give him army and riches to help him win back his
throne.

So I tried to be distant and to forget my feelings for him.

But it never worked.

Instead, it grew stronger and stronger.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Alexander retrieved the necklace and placed
it on my neck.

"It's very beautiful. Thank you."

"I bought that as I walked by a jewelry shop before. That was even before I met you
for real. Back then, I only knew you in my dreams. But then I saw that necklace and
I immediately bought it for you. I believed back then that I would see you and we
would be together. Now that we're married that is my first gift to you."
I clutched him tightly and sobbed harder. I wanted to bawl my lungs out at this
insane happiness and love that I am feeling.

"And it's not only beautiful. It's powerful as well. That's your new talisman now.
It has my power in it and we could go back to my world after we have settled
everything here on Aether. I want to introduce to you my world even if it's for
short amounts of time

only."

"Aside from giving me you, this is the best gift I've ever received." My voice
wobbled as more tears slid down my face.

I placed my hand in his cheek and leaned in and kissed him.

"I love you, Alexander."

"Vel eras mira, Sage."

I smiled when he told me he loved me in the old language of the Gods. I taught it
to him and he was able to grasp it easily.

We've really come a long, long way from where we started.

"You've given me so much and I don't think I can ever pay you back. But I will try
even if it takes me eternity to do it."

He smiled and this time, his eyes held a teasing glint to it. He shrugged off his
robe and then his hands were on the bodice of my gown.

"It's our wedding night, my queen... And every King needs an heir. I think it's
time to get started."
I threw back my head and laughed. He laughed too and then without warning, he
placed his lips on mine. All the laughter fled from me and it was replaced with
burning desire. It's definitely time to work on our heir. And I bet we'd have lots
of fun practicing.

"Right away, my King..." I said with a huge grin.

**************************************

HOPE YOU LIKED IT!

CAST AS ALEXANDER- ALEX PETTYFER (Pic of him on the right)

The Last Sorceress is the first book I wrote. I finished it here already but I took
it down and I am currently working on a new version. So for The Last Sorceress Fans
out there, hope you liked the sweet side of Sage and Alexander.

Note: The wedding blessings were taken from my other story, "The King's Slave."

Watch out for other upcoming one-shots!

Nikos/ Cassia- their story is going to be Rated R. hahaha.

Thanatos/ Aurea

Zeus/ Hera

Eros/Psyche

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THAT VOTE BUTTON! THANKS!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

Got questions?: http://ask.fm/AerithSage

My Blog: http://aerithsage.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AerithSageWP

=================

Fifty Shades of Red - Nikos / Cassia

FIFTY SHADES OF RED - NIKOS/ CASSIA

From my story: The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract (This is NOT A PART of the
Wattpad story. This is NOT A PART of the Published Version either. Just a ONE-SHOT
for Valentine's Day)

Note: This is a one-shot based on the characters of that story. It does not affect
the book in any way. This is NOT A PART of the Wattpad story. This is NOT A PART of
the Published Version either. It's just a one-shot for my Valentine's Day
Collection book. My gift to my readers.

RATED R so read at your own risk! But this is not a BDSM thing like Fifty Shades of
Grey. haha. I just chose this for the title. Read and you'll know why. :)

February 14, 2014

The Amphitrite (Nikos' Yacht)

Somewhere near Bora Bora

"Are we there?"
"Not yet," Nikos replied with a huge smile.

Cassia placed her hands in front of her so she would not bump into anything. She
also walked carefully so she won't stumble.

"Trust me, agape mou." Nikos whispered in her ear. He laughed when she snorted.

"Please tell me we're there," she pleaded after a few more minutes. She felt the
sunlight on her skin and she thought they were at the deck of Nikos' luxurious
yacht after hours of travelling.

"We're here," he replied and then took off her blindfold.

For a few seconds, Cassia blinked for the sunlight was too bright for her. When she
saw clearly, she gasped.

Before her was an expanse of crystal clear waters and a white-sand beach. There
were cottages that stood up over the waters and the rustic look to it was truly
beautiful. She saw this only in magazines and now she was finally here!

A long time ago, she told Nikos she wanted to go here and now here she was!

"You like it?" he asked hesitantly when she said nothing.

"I love it!!!" she screeched as she threw her arms around her husband.

"I remembered you telling me you wanted to go here. So here we are," Nikos drawled.
Yesterday, he told her they were going to Japan for the Higeshima Deal. So they
boarded Nikos' private jet. Then, when they landed and transferred to a car they
hired, he had her blindfolded. He only removed it when they were in his yacht.

She remembered hearing him on the phone about a month ago as he asked the captain
of his yacht to "go ahead and he'll just meet him there."

Now she knew that he arranged all of this about a month ago. Now she knew why he
cleared his hectic work schedule.

It was to be with her.

It was to make one of her dreams come true!

"This is perfect, Nikos." Cassia sighed as the yacht moved closer and closer to the
pristine white beach. Then, it stopped and they waited for the smaller boats to
meet them. Nikos helped his wife onto it and waited for their luggage to be loaded.
They also waited for their bodyguards to get settled

on the other boat.

Then the boat sped off and took them closer to the beautiful cottages that were
placed in the middle of the shallower waters. Cassia grinned from ear-to-ear and
she just couldn't wait to check out their accommodations!

Throughout the entire ride, Nikos held her hand.

Finally, the boat stopped and Cassia's eyes widened as she saw where they will be
staying. It was unlike the other cottages they passed for this one was big! It was
triple the size of the cottages earlier. It was made of wood and bamboo and the
roof was thatched.

Nikos alighted from the boat and into the bamboo stairs that led to the villa. He
offered his hand to help her and she giggled while she jumped. Their bodyguards
also alighted and made a thorough sweep of the villa and the surrounding cottages.
The others carried their luggage. She raised an eyebrow when the remaining guards
split into two teams. One went to the cottage left of theirs and the other team to
the right.

"I guess the two villas near belong to our bodyguards?"

"Yes, agapimeni. Even if we are on vacation, I will not take a chance with our
safety."

Cassia rolled her eyes and grinned. Nikos truly planned everything ahead and he was
a very thorough man. Their villa was situated between two smaller villas and anyone
who wanted to go here would have to pass between the other two or go by boat
directly into their villa. It was a very secure location.

Suddenly, the welcoming part arrived.

"Welcome to Bora Bora!"

The female staff wore sarongs while the men wore beach shirts. They placed a
necklace of flowers on Cassia

and Nikos' neck and offered them pina coladas. Cassia took hers and sighed with
bliss when the cool liquid touched her parched tongue and throat. It's been a long
journey and then there was the stress of the anticipation and being blindfolded.

When she was through drinking, she held cold glass against her cheek as they waited
for theyr bodyguards to finish their security check.

A few minutes later, their head of security handed Nikos the key.

"We hope the rooms are to your liking. Please enjoy your stay in Bora Bora!"

The staff bid them goodbye and the couple went straight to their villa.
Before Cassia could go inside first, Nikos picked her up and hoisted her over his
shoulder. One of his hands was placed on her curvy derriere.

"Nikos!" she hissed.

He squeezed one firm cheek and then swatted it playfully.

"Stop!" she giggled.

"It's our honeymoon, isn't it?" he whispered as he set her down inside the lavish
villa. Cassia looked around and she immediately felt the need to sketch everything
for it was just so beautiful.

The furniture was made of different shades of wood and rattan. On one side of the
room were several couches which looked very comfortable. On top of that, there was
a carpet on one side wherein more cushions were piled. Cassia sighed and she could
just envision herself curling up there with a book.

Nikos took her hand and tugged.

"Let's go see the other rooms."

First they went to the kitchen. There were several cabinets that were already
stocked with food. There was also a

refrigerator filled to the brim. Cassia made a mental note to check all those later
and prepare a lovely dinner for her husband.

Next, they went outside the back door. This time, there were beautiful mosaic tiles
and in the center of it stood a Jacuzzi tub. Arranged around it was a simple bamboo
fence for the guests' privacy.

"We'll definitely use that tub." Nikos' voice was filled with promise as he said
those words.

"We could use it now," she replied in a silky tone as her hands went to the buttons
on his shirt.
Nikos groaned.

"As much as I'd love to, agapimeni... I still have to do something."

"What?" Cassia raised an eyebrow.

Nikos ran his fingers through his hair. "This isn't entirely a vacation. I just
need a couple of hours to go to the other side of the beach. I'm planning to build
one of my hotels here and I'll just scout the location."

Cassia rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"It's just going to take a few hours, I promise. Why don't you use that time to
sleep?" he suggested.

Then, his voice dropped into a whisper filled with much promise. "You won't be
getting any sleep tonight, agapimeni. This, I assure you."

A shiver of anticipation slid down Cassia's spine. "You sure you have the stamina
for that?" she teased.

"I do. I'll show you later," he promised. Then, he let go of her and stepped back.

"I'll be back in a few hours. Then, we'll have dinner."

"Okay," she said a little breathlessly.

Nikos left and Cassia immediately began to plan.

This was truly

going to be a night both of them would never ever forget.

A few hours later, everything was all set.

Cassia stepped out of the tub. She lifted her arm and smelled her skin. It smelled
like vanilla. It was the scent that Nikos loved so much that it drove him crazy.
She sat in front of the large vanity mirror and started rubbing moisturizer on her
face.

Aside from that, she didn't place any make-up. She just grabbed some lipstick and
painted her lips. Then, she wrapped the towel around her and stepped out of the
bathroom. She sat near the bed as she opened her luggage.

She had the perfect outfit for this night and she designed it herself. She pulled
out her red, silk lingerie and held it out for inspection. It was a deep-red teddy.
It was held up by thin straps. The neckline was low and it was outlined with black,
embroidered lace. It was so short and the hem just reached her upper thighs. The
hem was also embroidered with that black lace.

Cassia put it on and she giggled when she thought of what Nikos' reaction will be.
Then, she stood up and faced the mirror. The teddy hugged her curves perfectly. For
her underwear, she didn't wear a bra anymore and just wore a black, G-string panty.

She grabbed her black robe and put it on. Then, she stepped out of the bedroom. The
moment she did, she suddenly became nervous.

Will Nikos like this?

Is she beautiful enough to please him?

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She wasn't the naïve, insecure girl that he
married ten years ago. She was now a world-renowned fashion designer and she won't
let her insecurities ruin

her beautiful honeymoon.

She continued on with her plan and took the candles she saw earlier from the
cabinet. She set some on the middle of the table as a centerpiece and placed the
others around the room. Before she lit them, she first decided to check on what she
was cooking.

For their appetizers, she decided to make Pan-seared Scallops with Herb Butter
Sauce. She already sliced everything but she'll just cook it when Nikos arrives for
it would not taste as delicious when it's not eaten right away.

For their main course, she cooked Beef Short Ribs. She just took it off the stove
and just opened the pressure cooker. Instantly, the room was filled with its
delightful aroma. She placed it on a serving plate and covered it.

Next, she took off the bread rolls that she made from the oven and retrieved the
butter from the refrigerator. She placed that on the table and then started to set
the table with plates and silverware.

After that, she checked their dessert. It was a simple Greek dessert: a Mango Panna
Cotta. It was Nikos' favorite and she just loved making it for him.

When everything was ready, all that was left to do was wait for her husband to
arrive. She grabbed the book she was currently reading from her purse and curled up
into the pile of cushions.

It took a few chapters before Nikos finally arrived.

Cassia closed her book and stood up to meet him. He looked at her from head-to-toe
and shook his head.
"Why aren't you dressed?

We're going out for dinner," he inquired as he started to unbutton his shirt. Then,
he strode to the bedroom.

"I'll take a bath and we'll go. Get ready, agape mou," he said with a smile before
he stepped into the bathroom.

Cassia grinned.

Perfect.

Nikos was in the shower and she had enough time to cook the scallops and light the
candles. She did that hurriedly. She seared the scallops and made the herb butter
sauce. Then she set it on the table and started lighting the candles.

She switched off the lights just as Nikos came out of their bedroom.

He wore white beach pants and a loose polo shirt. The material of the shirt was a
bit sheer for this was a tropical country. It showed off every inch of his hard,
chiseled body. Cassia's mouth watered and she had the sudden urge to just skip
dinner and get on with his promise of a night without sleep.

He took in the entire room which was now lit with the soft glow of candlelight.
Then his eyes went to the table which was already set and his lips turned up in a
grin.

"So I guess I have to cancel reservations?"

"I was wondering if we could eat here instead. I cooked all your favorites."

Nikos threw back his head and laughed. "I wouldn't want to waste my wife's efforts
in preparing all these so we're definitely staying."

He took his phone and called the restaurant to cancel their reservations. Then he
took her hand and escorted her to the table.

She took the lid off their appetizers while he uncorked a bottle

of red wine to start off their evening. He poured them two glasses and then pulled
out her chair for her.

"Dig in," she told him as she indicated the appetizers. Without another word, Nikos
lifted his knife and fork and ate. His eyes closed as he savored his scallops.

"You like it?" she asked before she started eating her own scallops.

"Hell, woman. Keep this up and I will be a fat man," Nikos teased.

"You won't. You'll burn all the calories off later tonight."

Nikos lifted his head and his green eyes bored into hers. "That's right, agape
mou," he said huskily.

It was Cassia's turn to blush. To occupy herself and stop her from thinking about
the next events after their dinner, she dug in and ate her scallops. She finished
hers first and watched as Nikos broke of the home-made bread and used it to wipe
his plate clean and savor the herb-butter sauce that remained.

She stood up to fix the main course and from the corner of her eye, she saw Nikos
grab another slice of bread and also wipe the sauce off her plate.

She grinned while she plated the Beef Short Ribs.

When Nikos saw it, his eyes widened and he groaned. He stood up to help her and
then they both sat down to eat once more. Nikos ate quickly and with much gusto.

Being the cook, Cassia's heart soared as she watched her husband wolf down his huge
serving of Beef Short Ribs. When he was finished, he used bread to wipe away the
sauce again. Then, he washed it all down with red wine.

He was

already finished and Cassia was just halfway done with hers. So while she ate,
Nikos entertained her by speaking to her about his plans for the hotel and resort
he'll be building here. He also asked her for her inputs regarding the design. She
told him she wanted something like this rustic theme in their villa. It would be a
good concept for a resort by the beach but they would just add more luxuries and
more extravagant furniture to uphold Nikos' five-star reputation in all his hotels.

Nikos agreed and he said he'd find an interior designer that would be working with
her on this project. He also gave her leave to find someone who'll make the
furniture she envisioned.

When she was done eating, Cassia stood up to get the dessert from the fridge. When
Nikos saw it, he groaned again.

"You are spoiling me too much, glikia mou." He laughed and then added, "I am so
full that I don't think I'll be able to fulfill tonight's promise. The moment my
head hits those pillows, I'll be asleep."

Cassia laughed and her eyes twinkled with mischief. "No, you won't," she said. And
her words held so much promise. She saw Nikos stop and look at her as though he was
trying to figure out what she had in mind.

She served him his Mango Panna Cotta and he immediately ate it. "Yours is really
the best Panna Cotta I've ever tasted," he said.

"Thanks," she replied with a grin and ate her own dessert.

Afterwards, they spent more time talking to each other about everything. Nikos told
her his future business plans and also updated her about the status of the company.
Cassia, on the other hand, told

her husband about the changes in her shop and her plans to put some in the hotels
and malls he owned. She also shared to him her problems and listened very well to
the solutions he proposed.

By the time they finished talking, the candles were already burning low.
Nikos stood up and offered her his hand.

"Shall we move on to the next part of the night?" he whispered in her ear as his
hands spanned her waist.

"Definitely." She grinned.

Without another word, Nikos bent and swung her in his arms once more. But this
time, he didn't hoist her over his shoulder and just carried her like those knights
in the novels she read. He placed her gently down on the bed and his hands went to
the ties in her robe.

One tug and the ribbon became loose.

The robe parted and revealed her red with black lace teddy. She heard Nikos' sharp
intake of breath followed by a long groan.

"So this was your ace for the night," he whispered huskily as his hands roamed
across the red silk.

"Yes," she gasped as his travelling hands drifted over the slope of her breasts.
She arched her back to give him more access. He used it as an opportunity to wrap
one arm around her and lift her higher so he could remove the black robe she wore.
He tossed it across the room and it fell to the floor in a pool of silk.

"I want to see all of you," he told her. He helped her up on the bed.

"Stand there," he commanded as he lied down and left her standing. Then, his eyes
roamed slowly from her head and

down to the tips of her toes. She felt a bit self-conscious but all of that fled
when she saw the smoldering desire in his eyes.
"Turn around," he commanded in a gruff voice. Cassia obeyed and turned her back to
him. She knew that the red silk teddy was so short that it showed a bit of her
rear. And because she was wearing a G-string, that particular bit was showing
nothing else but skin.

Nikos groaned again. She turned around and he continued to watch her.

Just when she couldn't stand any more of his scrutiny, he stood up and in on swift
movement he hauled her towards his hard body.

"Kiss me, agape mou."

She didn't need to be told twice. Cassia lifted her head and stood on the tips of
her toes to receive his kiss. This time, it wasn't a sweet kiss that her husband
gave her. He gave her a kiss that showed how much he desired her. It was a kiss of
possession, a brand of ownership.

And Cassia gave herself up to that kiss for she also wanted it as much as he did.

While he kissed her, she lifted her hands and started unbuttoning his shirt. It was
sheer and the material was soft under her palms but she needed to touch his heated
skin. Her hands shook as she undid the buttons but Nikos didn't mind for he seemed
perfectly happy with kissing her.

Finally, she was able to undo the last button. Then, she parted the two sides of
his shirt and ran her palms over his chest and down the hard ridges of his abdomen.

He pulled back his head and

closed his eyes as her hands roamed. Then, she touched his back and lifted one arm
to his nape so she could pull him closer and continue their kiss. Nikos sighed and
his hands wrapped around her to hold her closer.

While kissing her, he backed her up against the bed and her knees buckled when she
hit the edge. She landed on the soft pillows and before she could sit back up,
Nikos' body was covering hers.
He lowered the thin straps of her teddy and allowed the silk to pool at her waist.

"Beautiful," he whispered as her breasts were bared to his gaze. Cassia could only
close her eyes and sigh with pleasure when he feathered light kisses across her
skin. When his tongue flicked her nipple, she moaned his name.

He lifted his head and grinned.

How arrogant!

But deep inside, she really, really liked it.

He parted her legs with his knees and settled himself between them. She could feel
the evidence of his desire against her belly and it made heat pool between her
legs.

She wanted him. Now.

But Nikos had other ideas for he kissed a path down her neck once more while one of
his hands cupped her breast.

"Nikos..." she moaned when one of his hands toyed with the waistband of her G-
string.

"Yes?" he asked in an innocent tone. She rolled her eyes and lifted her head so she
could kiss him. She poured out all her desire for him in that kiss and when it
ended, he was left breathless.

"I need you," she whispered. He acted as if he didn't hear her. Then, he slipped
his hand inside her G-string and cupped her where she needed him most. She was more
than ready for him.
Cassia knew it was a gross exaggeration but right now, she felt like she would die
if he didn't give her what she was craving for.

"Please," she begged when he slipped a finger inside of her. She arched her back to
deepen the connection but he pinned her down.

"I promised you we'll make it last the whole night."

"I don't even care anymore!"

Nikos' arrogant grin was back after she said those words. He lifted himself off her
and stood so he could remove his pants.

But he did it slowly. He did it like he had all the time in the world and she
wasn't a quivering mess with too much need for him.

Her cheeks flushed and her eyes grew heavy-lidded when she saw his arousal. She was
as wet for him as he was hard for her.

She couldn't wait anymore but he wanted to. She couldn't allow that for she really
needed him and she wanted to hurry things up.

She knelt on the bed and ran her palms across his chest once more. Then, she
trailed kisses from his neck, down to his chest, further down to his abdomen. She
knew he was waiting for her to kiss that throbbing part of him but she decided to
tease him as much as he teased her.

She ignored that part and kissed his thighs and then back up to his abdomen.
"Cassia." It was him who groaned this time.

"Hmm?" she replied.

"Stop teasing," he commaned.

"Alright." Without wasting another moment, she took him into her mouth. With the
first suck, he cursed and moaned her name. When she used her hands on him, his
breathing deepened and she saw that his eyes were closed.

But suddenly, he stepped back.

"Enough. I cannot hold back and fulfill my promise when you do that," he whispered
huskily.

Then, he was pushing her down on the bed and covering her body with his. He kissed
her again and this time it was rough and filled with anticipation.

He gripped the red silk and looked into her eyes as he spoke, "I don't want to
remove this. I want to see this on your lovely skin as we make love."

Those words turned her even more into a quivering mess than she was previously.
Truly, she'd die if he didn't give her what she wanted soon.

But this time, he didn't let her wait.

With one thrust, he was inside her, filling her. She moaned and lifted her legs to
wrap them around his waist.

He groaned and stilled. "I swear you'll be the death of me," he confessed. Then, he
started to move. It was slow at first but she felt every delicious thrust. She
loved the friction and it made her close her eyes in sheer bliss.
Then, he started to move faster and faster.

He lifted her hands above her head and used his left hand to pin them down. It was
delicious torture for she wanted to run her hands down his body. As he moved, he
looked deep into her eyes.

"Tell me you're mine, agape mou."

"I'm yours, Nikos." He gave her one hard thrust at that reply. It made her arch her
back

against him.

"Again," he commanded. While his left hand pinned down her wrists above her head,
his right hand steadily made its way down to where they were joined. Then, he
rubbed that sensitive numb of pleasure and she instantly shot towards the stars.

"Yours!" she shouted. He moved harder and faster and her control snapped.

"Nikos!" she screamed his name as she came.

He gritted his teeth as she tightened around him. It took every ounce of his
control not to follow her climax. He wanted to make this a night she would remember
for it was the first night of their honeymoon.

She gave him a perfect dinner and he'd give her this.

He promised her he'd make this last all night and by the gods, he will make that
happen.

He moved slower and waited for her to recover from her climax. Then, he started the
process all over again. This time it was in a different position. He lifted her on
her hands and knees and placed himself behind her.

True to his word, he made her come three more times before he finally followed her.
He also shouted her name as he came and she felt all the tremors that rocked his
body. Afterwards, he just lay over her as he waited for his breathing and his heart
rate to slow.

Then, he rolled off her and pulled her into his arms. Her head rested on his
shoulder.

He looked at her flushed cheeks and brushed away the stray hairs on her face.

"That was exquisite, glikia mou."

"I don't even have words." Cassia giggled and it made Nikos smile.

He disentangled one arm from hers and reached down to where his pants were

discarded. He took something from one of the pockets.

"Close your eyes," he told his wife.

Her eyes widened with surprise before she obeyed his command. He flipped a lid open
and retrieved the platinum, diamond and ruby-studded watch. It was no ordinary
watch for he, himself, went to Cartier and commissioned the owner to design this
one for his wife.

He clasped it around her wrist.

"You may open your eyes now."

Cassia did and she immediately shot-up from the bed when she saw what was wrapped
around her wrist. Her eyes widened and her mouth formed a large O.

To date, she thinks this is one of the most expensive gifts she ever received.
"A bracelet! Wow!"

"Not a bracelet, agape mou. It's a watch."

There was a large oval ruby encircled with diamonds that covered the face of the
watch and it could be flipped open. Nikos flipped it open and Cassia saw the
beautiful face of the watch. But what caught her attention was the phrase engraved
on the lid.

"Mrs. Cassia Andrade-Demakis,

Am I winning your heart yet?

Forever yours,

Nikos Demakis"

Cassia threw her arms around Nikos.

"You've had it ever since," she whispered. Nikos' gaze softened and he kissed her.
This time, it was back to the tender kiss they always shared during sweet moments
like this.

"I love you, Nikos."

"Mm-hmm. Not as much as I love you," he replied.

Then, he covered her body with his once more.

"I think I promised you the whole night. It isn't even dawn,"

he whispered in a husky tone.

"Right. You did. So get on with it," she replied cheekily.

Nikos' laughter echoed across the room before he started to kiss her and bring her
body back to life once more.

****************************

Pic of Bora Bora on the right side.

TO TBDMC FANS WHO COMPLAINED WHY I DIDN'T WRITE THE WHOLE THING WHEN CASSIA AND
NIKOS FIRST DID IT IN SPAIN, THIS IS FOR YOU.

To those who said I cannot write a sex scene that's why I didn't write it in TBDMC,
suck and choke on this. Hahaha. I didn't write it because I didn't want to at that
time. And TBDMC is PG-13. I don't want it to be changed to R.

Hope you liked their one-shot! This is the update for now for TBDMC. I just placed
it here as part of the Valentines Day One-Shot Collection. Again, I repeat, this is
NOT A PART OF THE STORY. IT'S A SPIN-OFF. A ONE-SHOT.

"Am I winning your heart yet?" Take note of this phrase for it is in the published
version. LOL. Those who received the Advanced Reader's Copy of TBDMC published
version will know. Hahaha. @thelxiepia @SeriousMoonlight @alem0007
It's February and the release date for TBDMC is near! (though there's no official
date yet. I only know it's February. I don't have any details with regards to how
much it will be also. Sorry)

Hope you liked this! And please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT! THAAAAANKS!

PLEASE VOTE AND I'LL CONTINUE WRITING MORE OF THESE ONE-SHOTS! :)

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

Got questions?: http://ask.fm/AerithSage

My Blog: http://aerithsage.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AerithSageWP

=================

Until Eternity Runs Its Course - Seth / Adrienne

***PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE VOTE BUTTON!***

UNTIL ETERNITY RUNS ITS COURSE - SETH / ADRIENNE

From my story: The King's Slave

Note: This is a one-shot of King Seth Liam Ivaris and his Queen Adrienne Amaranth-
Ivaris. In their past life, they were the god and goddess Selene and Aiken. Selene
is the daughter of the Sun God and Key to Ilyia (the land of the Gods) and Aiken is
the God of War and Warriors.
Set in the current year, 2014. The King's Slave is set in the year 1645. This one-
shot is set in the present time, 369 years later.

Again, this is just a one-shot for Valentine's Day. It does not affect the story in
any way.

Master's Bedroom

The Golden Palace

Ilyia

"Wake up, li'eras," Seth's calm, soothing voice washed over me. It was followed by
his hands trailing a path down my skin. His fingers left a trail of goose bumps in
its wake.

"Mmm?" I opened my eyes and peered into his handsome face.

We've been married for almost four centuries now and I've known him in the span of
two lifetimes. But my love for him never changed. It was still the same all-
consuming love I felt before.

He kissed my lips and trailed a path down my neck. Even if my mind was still half-
asleep, my body was awake and on fire for him. I turned around and leaned into his
embrace. I heard him chuckle and

felt the rasp of stubble against my skin.

"You still want more when we've already spent most of the night making love?"

I laughed and then stretched my limbs and winced. I felt sore in several places and
that was because of the last night's vigorous activities. A knowing smile lit his
face and he immediately ran his hands down my body.
But this time, they were not a lover's touch but one filled with healing.

The areas that his hands touched were instantly filled with warmth and all the pain
vanished.

"Are we too old for this?" I whispered teasingly.

He threw back his head and laughed. "Never, li'eras." He looked at me and his eyes
were filled with promise.

"Now?" I asked huskily as I placed my hands on his broad chest.

He sighed and shook his head.

He got up from the bed and his eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Too much temptation. I have to step away."

"What? Why?"

"We're going out today, li'eras."

"Where?"

"Get dressed and you'll see. I want to show you something. Ruadan has been telling
me about this event for days."
Ruadan is the guardian of the Fountain of the Gods in the Mortal Realm. He is also
the gatekeeper of the portals. No one can enter the Mortal Realm without his
knowledge and without my consent.

"You have my curiosity, li'eras," I told my husband. I got up from the bed and
sashayed over to the bathroom. I felt his eyes on me the whole time and I walked
with more sway in my hips.

His answering groan made me chuckle.

I took a quick bath and rubbed jasmine oil on my skin. That was the scent my
husband and King loved so much. It was the scent that drove him crazy.

"What should I wear?" I asked Seth.

"Wear whatever you like, my Queen. When we cross the portal, I will take care of
our clothing so we can blend in."

"Hmm. You've been speaking with Ruadan a lot, I see."

He chuckled. "Yes. I have prepared for this for days now."

"Well, let's not waste another moment, then."

I donned a gown of simple white gown embroidered with gold. Gold was the color of
the King and Queen of the gods of Ilyia and almost everything I have is made of
gold. Sometimes, I miss the vibrant colors that King Seth gave me when I was still
his slave.

But that was a time long ago. That was before we remembered everything. That was
before we knew that I was the reincarnation of the goddess Selene and Seth was the
reincarnation of her consort, Aiken.
Seth offered me his hand and I took it.

"Shall we fly my way?"

He groaned and shook his head. "I love everything about you, my queen. Except for
the way you travel. I absolutely hate it."

I rolled my eyes. I am the daughter of the Sun God. He always called me his
brightest star. When I wanted to go to another destination, I flew like a flaming
ball of fire. When I travelled across the mortal realm, they called it a falling
star and made a wish.

Some of them I granted.

I took Aiken with me before and he hated it. He travelled like a warrior. He
flashed himself from one

place to another and always landed silently and on his feet. I flew with much more
dramatic flair and my landings always created huge craters in the ground.

"Fine. Suit yourself. It's your surprise after all," I replied.

He patted my arm and I felt his aura of power surround me. Then, there was the
feeling of weightlessness. I closed my eyes and when I opened them once more, we
were in the Mortal Realm.

Seth waved his hand and our grand clothing was replaced with something mortals
wore. He wore black pants, a black turtle neck shirt with a scarf wrapped around
his neck. I looked at what I was wearing and saw that I wore faded grey jeans and a
red, silk-blouse and also a scarf around my neck.

I grinned at my husband. He really remembered all the small details about me. The
red blouse proved that for red was my favorite color.
"So, where to now?" I asked.

"We're going to experience one of the mortal traditions."

I raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"The mortals worship several other Gods. There's more than what we were taught
during our lives here. Today, one of those gods celebrate his day. They call it
Valentine's Day. Others say that it is the day of a saint. Others say it's the day
of a mythological god. But casting those aside, this day is all about celebrating
love."

"Love?" I said in a dreamy whisper.

"Yes, li'eras. And this is why I brought you here."

"So what do we do? How do they celebrate this festival?" I asked. Seth reached

inside his pocket and withdrew a small slip of paper. He frowned as he read the
words. I tried to peek over his shoulder but he wouldn't allow me to.

While he was reading, I took it as the chance to inspect my surroundings.

We seemed to have landed in a small street between two buildings. We were hidden
from view by large boxes stacked on one side. On the other side, the foul smell of
garbage assailed my nostrils. I wrinkled my nose and moved away.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"We are in a city called Las Vegas."

"Mmm-hmm," I replied distractedly as I peered towards what seemed to be the main

street. Truly, a lot of things have changed in this realm since we've last been
here. Now, there were very tall structures that almost reached the sky! There were
also several lights that blinked and it seemed like magic.

For transportation, the horses were gone and they were replaced by some sort of
moving metal.

For me, this now seemed like a new realm!

"This realm does not have magic, my Queen. This is why they advance in the field of
science and build things for themselves for comfort instead of relying on magic
like we do."

"Why are you reading my thoughts?" I asked with a scowl.

"I can't help it. You're excited and you're thinking about so many things. It's
like you're screaming your thoughts at me through our bond." He chuckled and held
my arm.

"Let's go. I know where we're headed."

He grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine.

I leaned closer to him.

Suddenly, I felt him tense. He shoved me

behind him and I could feel his aura of power all over the narrow alley.

"Seth, wha--?"

I didn't get to finish what I was saying. Five men stepped out from the shadows and
directly blocked our path. I glanced the other way and it was a dead-end. The men
looked at us from head-to-toe. The look they gave me sent a shiver of revulsion
down my spine.

"What do we have here? Rich people sneaking on dark alleys for a quickie?"

The others snorted and some laughed.

"Seth. Let's just go," I whispered.

"No, li'eras. It's been a long time since I've fought. And by the darkness of their
hearts, they deserve this."

His body was tense but when I looked up, his eyes were dancing with mischief and
his lips were turned up in a smile. Also, his eyes were blazing with so much power
I don't even know why the men before us weren't running.

Maybe those men were drunk on spirits or something stronger this realm has.

"Just take their money and let's go," one of the men said.

"No. I don't like how the guy looks. Maybe we could rough him up a bit and force
him to watch as we fuck his girl."

I gasped at the insult and quickly lifted my hand to summon a ball of fire. Seth
forced my hand down.

"No one insults my Queen and lives. They all die," he hissed.

I didn't voice any objections. A moment ago, I would have preferred mortal blood
not to be spilled. But Seth was correct. Their hearts were as dark as a moonless
night.
Their souls were so corrupted that they

were surrounded by an aura of pure evil. I also saw the huge taint in their souls
which meant that they've taken lives. There wasn't only one mark. There were
several.

"Go get them," I whispered.

His eyes flashed with triumph. At the same time, four of the men ran towards us
while the remaining one served as a look-out. They targeted Seth and that was their
first mistake.

The first man swung his fist and Seth quickly ducked out of the way while avoiding
a punch from the other behind him. He raised his elbow and jabbed it into the first
man's chest. He grunted in pain and fell. The second one, Seth stepped on his feet
and I swear, I heard the crunch of his bones.

He immediately fell into the floor and writhed with agony.

Now, there were two remaining standing aside from the one that watched the mouth of
the alley.

Seth swung his leg and aimed a kick at the other man who had a knife. The knife
flew across the alley as Seth hit his arm.

"Shit!" he cursed as he held his arm to his chest. Seth grabbed that arm and
twisted. Again, I heard a loud crunch as his shoulder popped free from its socket.

One remained. By now, Seth's eyes were pure gold and I knew that the battle trance
was upon him once more. At this point, he won't stop until all of them were dead.

Seth grabbed the other man by the hood of his jacket and pulled. He was trying to
run away and now he staggered backwards. Seth lifted his other hand to grab him but
he was able to duck. He was able

to land one punch on my husband's jaw.

"You'll pay for that," Seth hissed.

Again, he grabbed the man by his clothing. Then, without effort, he lifted him high
into the air and tossed him one-handedly towards the back of the alley.

The first one who fell quickly stood up and reached for something inside his
jacket. It was black and looked like a weapon.

He aimed it towards me.

"Give us your money now or the bitch dies!"

My King only smiled.

But me? My temper flared. I felt the fire sing in my veins and I raised my hand to
summon a fireball that will incinerate him where he stood. My palm glowed with
flames and the man's eyes widened. He took several steps back.

Seth clucked his tongue. "No, li'eras. It's my fight."

He snapped his fingers and my flames died. I gasped with outrage but he sent a wave
of his power to keep me still where I stood.

Then, he held out both palms and his twin swords appeared in each hand.

"You threatened my Queen twice, mortal. For that you die," Seth hissed. Then, he
laughed and launched himself towards the man.

He crossed his arms in an X and swung his arms outwards. I heard a thud and saw the
man's head rolling on the pavement.

The other pleaded for his mercy. But I knew my husband.

He was a great King and once he passed down his judgment, there was no more mercy
in his heart. They didn't deserve it anyway.

One by one, he severed their heads in their bodies as the

others were forced to watch. When he was done, he went for the last remaining one.
He didn't even run. He was rooted to the spot because of his fear.

Seth raised his sword once more. Another thud and then it was all over.

My King held out his hands once more and the swords disappeared. I looked at him
from head-to-toe. He wasn't even sweating. His clothing was not ruffled and there
wasn't a single drop of blood on him.

Casually, as if nothing happened, he strolled back towards me and grabbed my hand.

"You may incinerate them now, my Queen," he whispered in my ear. It sent a shiver
down my spine.

"Or shall I do the honors?" he asked after I failed to move.

"No. I will do it," I told him. I lifted both of my hands and turned them palms up.
I summoned five balls of fire and I let them float before me. Then, I sent them
spiraling towards the bodies on the ground.

In the blink of an eye, there was nothing left but ash.

"You should have let me fight. I can handle myself," I scoffed.

"I know. But it is an honor and joy of mine to protect you."

Seth waved his hand and all the blood stains on the ground disappeared. Then, he
summoned wind and the ashes were swept away.

"Shall we continue to my surprise now?"

I rolled my eyes. Truly, to him, all the violence, bloodshed and death were
nothing. I was a bit used to it by now. I married the great god of Warriors. What
else did I expect?

Seth frowned. "What's

wrong? Did I ruin our day? I'm so sor-" I placed my fingers on his lips.

"No. You didn't. They deserved it."

"But-"

"No buts, li'eras. This is you. All that is what you are. And you did it to protect
me-even though I didn't need your protection." He rolled his eyes at that
statement.

"You're my husband and I love all of you. I won't change a single thing of what you
are."

Hearing my words, his features softened. His charming smile was back and the flecks
of gold in his grey eyes glowed with emotion.

"Vel eras mira," he whispered.

"Vel eras mira vero," I replied.

We walked for a long while and I took the opportunity to explore this beautiful
city. I inspected everything and made a mental note to summon Ruadan to Ilyia so he
could explain everything to me.

Finally, Seth stopped.

"We're here," he told me.

He waved his hand and our clothing changed once more. This time, I wore a black,
sleeve-less dress that reached up to the middle of my thighs. It fit me perfectly
and hugged all my curves. It also had a low neckline and gave a tantalizing glimpse
of my cleavage.

On my neck was a beautiful diamond and sapphire necklace. There were also matching
bracelets on my wrist.

Seth wore a white shirt with a black jacket on top of it. He had matching black
pants. My heart fluttered at how handsome and how regal he looked. Even in
different clothing, he still looked every inch a King.

"What's this place?" I asked as we entered and were

greeted with their servants.

"Ruadan told me this is one of the finest places to dine in the Mortal Realm. We
will eat here," he told me as he escorted me inside. He led us towards a room that
moved and took us higher and higher.

A man wearing a huge smile approached us.

"Welcome, sir, madam! Your reservations?"

I glanced at Seth and he shuffled uneasily on his feet at first. Then, he looked
deep into the man's eyes. "We do not need one."

As he said the words, his eyes glowed gold and I knew he was used magic for
compulsion.

"Ah, certainly! Let me escort you to one of the best tables in the house."

He led us towards a table far from the crowded center. It was by the window and the
view outside was simply lovely. I looked down and saw the city spread out before
me. Truly, mortals were able to build structures that reached towards the sky.

And right now, as I looked down, I felt as though I was suspended between the earth
and the heavens.

"Beautiful," I whispered.

"Not as much as you, my queen," Seth replied. The man he used compulsion on smiled
as he heard Seth's words.

"Ah... Romance," he said as he clapped his hands together.

"This is our menu," the man said as he handed us stiff pieces of paper.

Seth and I scanned the words but nothing seemed to be familiar. Not only has the
city changed, the food also has changed.

"Just give us your best dishes. I expect the most delicious and most expensive ones
you have. I want the best for my Queen."

When he said the words, he grabbed my hand and lifted my fingers

to kiss it. He didn't even glance at the man.

"Right away, sir! I will give you the best this house has to offer," he replied and
then hurried off.

"Is this a part of mortal tradition?" I asked my husband as he continued to play

with my fingers.

He looked up and his eyes smoldered as they look into mine. "Yes. This is what
mortals do on Valentine's Day. The males take their females out to dinner in one of
the best restaurants. Then, they dance and have fun. This is called a date," he
informed me.

"A date?" I chuckled at how ridiculous the word sounded.

"Yes, Adrienne. How am I doing so far?"

"Great, my King. Thank you so much for all the lengths you went through just to
give me this."

"Anything for you."

He kissed my fingers again and I almost swooned. The skin where his lips touched
tingled. Even after all these years, the desire hasn't faded. It even grew more and
more. One touch from him and I was turned into a quivering mass of need.

He must've seen the glow in my eyes for he chuckled.

"None of that, my queen. Tonight we finish this date. Then, that's when we'll go
home to our palace where I can touch every delicious inch of you."
His words held so much promise that a shiver slid down my spine.

"I can't wait," I whispered breathlessly.

Our appetizers arrived and the magic between us was broken.

I shook my head to clear it of naughty thoughts and focused on eating the food in
front of me.

It was exquisite! Seth also moaned his appreciation and ate with much gusto. That
continued on and on throughout all the five courses that were laid out for us.
After we finished with our food, we talked about our grown-up children.

We talked about our firstborn son Rajar. Then we talked about Riyo and then Reeve.
Lastly, we talked about Ralaena, our youngest.

After that, music started to play.

Seth stood up and offered me his hand.

"Shall we dance, my queen?" he bowed low executing the courtly graces he learned
when he was King of a mortal kingdom more than three hundred years ago.

"We shall," I replied as I gave him my hand.

We made our way towards the dance floor where a lot of couples stood pressed
against each other. Their eyes were closed as they swayed in time with the music.

Seth placed my hands on his chest and he placed his at my waist. Then, like the
others, we swayed from side to side and basked in the feeling of being in each
other's arms.
"Are you enjoying this day of mortal tradition?" he asked again.

"Yes. It's a perfect night."

He grinned from ear-to-ear, pleased with himself.

"I remembered the nights we danced like this. But it was a different kind of dance
and it was long ago. I was still your slave then."

"Mmm... I remembered thinking up excuses just so I could be with you. When you came
into my life, my heart recognized you right away even if my mind could not. When
you came, there was no one else

for me. I lost interest with my other mistresses."

I laughed and punched him lightly in the arm. "You had a harem back then. The most
beautiful women across the land and you're saying that I was above all of them?"

"Of course! My heart and my soul knew you were its other half right away. Even
then, when we both still didn't know we were Gods, I saw the beauty in you and the
goodness of your heart that the others didn't have. They only wanted the power and
the riches I could give them."

"Well, it's your fault for choosing such shallow women."

Seth laughed and pulled me closer.

"But now I have you. And I have you for the rest of eternity."

I sighed at the beauty of his words. After that, we were silent as we continued to
dance.

A few minutes later, Seth led me to one corner of the restaurant where they served
the finest wines. He ordered a couple of glasses for us and we talked some more as
we drank. By the time we were finished, the moon was high in the sky.

He settled our bill by using his power to transform our gold into the currency
mortals used. Then, we went to another hidden alley and travelled back to Ilyia.

We landed in our bedroom and I didn't waste another second. I pressed my body
against his and stood on the tips of my toes so I could pull his head downwards and
claim those lips. His body softened under my touch and he responded with equal
fervor.

He waved his hand over our bodies and our clothing immediately disappeared.

I moaned at the exquisite contact of feeling his skin against mine. Give me a
thousand or a million years more and

still I will never ever get tired of this!

Seth's lips trailed a path down my neck as his hands cupped my breasts.

He rolled the nipples between his fingers and I cried out his name.

I reached between our bodies so I could also touch him. One hand explored the hard
ridges of his chest while the other cupped him intimately. He hissed and closed his
eyes as I used my hand to stroke him.

"Keep it up and this won't last," he hissed against my ear.

"I don't care. I know I won't last too. I need you, li'eras." I whispered back
before my tongue darted out to lick his ear. He shivered and I felt the heat
between us flare some more.

He lifted my legs and wrapped them around his waist. Then, he turned around and my
back met the solid wall of our room.
And then suddenly, he was there... Filling me... So deeply and so exquisitely.

I closed my eyes at the sensation. I clutched at his shoulders desperately. Right

now, there wasn't another thought in my brain except for him. I needed him like I
needed the sun on my skin, the air in my lungs and water to soothe my parched
throat.

Seth nipped the skin on my neck and I shuddered with pleasure.

Then, he began to move and each thrust took me higher and higher. His skin gliding
against mine made me feel as though I was soaring through the heavens. But I had no
wings and he was my only lifeline. He was the one who made me soar.

"Adrienne," he rasped.

I lifted my hips and moved in time with his thrusts. He growled and when I looked
at him, his eyes were glowing.

"Come for me, li'eras," he bit

out. He reached between us and his hand touched me at the spot where all nerve-
endings seemed to meet.

I threw back my head and he moved faster and faster.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I cried out his name as I came. I felt him
shudder against me as my climax triggered his.

Afterwards, I basked in the feeling of being loved and sated. I waited for our
breaths to even before I disentangled myself from his arms. I giggled at the fact
that we didn't even make it to the bed.

He didn't allow me to leave his arms and instead, carried me to the bed. He lifted
the covers over both of us and settled himself beside me.
"What do you think of this day?" he asked again for the third time.

"It's perfect. I couldn't ask for more." I replied.

"I could." He breathed in deep and pulled me closer. "I ask for more nights like
this. I don't ask for every day to be like this but I want a thousand or a million
more of this."

I smiled and placed my hand over his chest.

"We'll have that, my King. I'll never leave your side. I'm your forever. I'm a
slave you bought remember?"

His eyes filled with warmth and he lifted my hand to kiss it.

"You're mine forever, li'eras. And, yes. We will have those nights. We will more of
this over and over again...

"...Until eternity runs its course..."

***********************************

To those who haven't read The King's Slave

Ilyia- the land of Gods and Goddesses

li'eras- my love

Vel eras mira- I love you

Vel eras mira veo- I love you too

The mythology here is not part of any culture. I made it all up along with the
language.

HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER!

I tried my best to bring back the elements you loved in The King's Slave and
condense them all into this one-shot: the eternal love between Seth and Adrienne,
the violence and brutality of Seth, Adrienne's fiery nature and the scorching sex
scenes. LOL.

Hope you enjoyed reading!

Please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT! :)

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

Got questions?: http://ask.fm/AerithSage

My Blog: http://aerithsage.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AerithSageWP

=================

One Thousand And One Nights -Thanatos / Aurea

ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS - THANATOS / AUREA

Set about 1001 nights after Thanatos and Aurea's secret wedding in How I Fell For
Death. It just happened that it coincided on a Valentine's Day. This is also within
the time period of their honeymoon.

I just set the dates to be like that. Please don't calculate and berate me for the
timelines being wrong. If I really calculated the dates, it won't fall on a
Valentine's Day. So just take my word for it because I wanted the date to be
Valentine's Day and I wanted the setting to be 1001 nights after they were married.

February 14, 2031

The Great Hall

The Underworld Palace

"You have everything?" Eros asked my twin brother, Aidon.

"Yes." Aidon smirked.

"And the shade agreed? You sure she's the best one to do this?" Eros asked.

"Yes, she did. She's the best in illusions! Cut it out, Eros! I did my part
already."

"Is he ready?"

"Yes. But he's hesitant about our plan. Our reputation precedes us. But I told him
it'll all work out."

Eros laughed. "Well, we've caused so much mischief that we're known for it."

"I'm not complaining." Aidon replied with a huge grin and both of them laughed once
more.
I heard the two gods conversing from afar. I couldn't help but feel a bit fearful
and hesitant after hearing their conversation.

When Eros and Aidon were together, things really go wrong.

Also, I couldn't help but feel that they were talking about me.

emerged from the shadows of the Underworld Palace and glared at both of them. The
two of them jumped back and the expressions they wore was similar to a child with
his hand inside the cookie jar caught by his mom.

The feeling of dread inside me deepened.

"What are you plotting?" I hissed.

"Nothing." They answered at the same time with their heads bowed. They looked
guilty as hell! And I wanted to find out what they were plotting.

I summoned my powers so I could peek inside my twin's mind.

"Gotta go!" Eros shouted. Then, he grabbed Aidon's arm and before I could seek the
secrets behind my twin's mind, they both vanished.

Several Hours Later

The Fields of Elysium

The Underworld
"I think that's about it. We're done for the day," I told Thanatos after glancing
at the Book of Souls. This was a book given to us by the Fates. The list of strings
they cut were here.

Those deaths that were destined, we escort the shade into their afterlife in the
Underworld. Deaths that were not planned, those that died whose names weren't in
the book were another matter. First, we check if the soul is good or bad by
weighing their hearts in a scale. If the shade is good, it's offered another chance
at life. If it's bad and doesn't want another life, we escort it to the Underworld.

"You sure we're done? I think there's one more," Thanatos replied.

Maybe it's one of the unplanned deaths. Only Thanatos can sense it and I trusted
his instincts. So I took his hand

and he embraced me tightly. He jumped and with a mighty flap of his beautiful,
white wings, we were soaring through the air.

We landed inside a dark, quiet room. Two male bodies lay on the floor.

The shades stood beside the bodies. We approached and I asked them their names.
Then I checked on the book if their names were there.

"This is one of those unplanned deaths," Thanatos whispered.

Thanatos stepped closer, away from the shadows and the moment that he did, the eyes
of the shades lit-up and their mournful expressions were replaced by joy.

"Are you an angel?" One of them asked in an awestruck tone. I frowned for there was
something about him that was familiar. I looked closer but I haven't seen this man
before. But there was just something about him I couldn't quite place my finger
into.
"He is! Look at those gorgeous wings!" the other shade replied.

I swore I heard Thanatos snort.

But when I looked at him, his face was the calm, expressionless mask he always wore
when he dealt with shades.

"Take us away then! We'd like to get started on our afterlife!"

I frowned. "You don't want another chance at life?" I asked.

They both shook their heads. "It's only full of suffering! Now we get the chance to
start a new kind of life!"

"Alright then," Thanatos replied. He waved his hand over them and the tether from
the soul and the body vanished. They stood up and followed us as I opened a portal
to the Underworld. We were with

them as they walked through the tunnel, got ferried by Charon across the river and
into the Hall of Judgment.

We waited for their names to be called and their souls to be judged. I smiled when
they were given a ticket to the Fields of Elysium.

Thanatos and I escorted them into their afterlife.

"Alright, so here's where you'll be staying. This is Elysium. You can have whatever
kind of afterlife your heart desires," I explained.

I brought them to the nearest shade and suddenly, we were sucked into the shades'
afterlife. This particular shade only wove a simple peace of heaven for his
afterlife. He had a small farm where there were no fences. The animals were allowed
to roam free.

In the middle of the farm, stood an old one-story house with a rocking-chair in the
porch. There, he sat every morning to watch the sunrise and every afternoon to
watch it go down. This man's wife was still alive and I remember him telling me
before that this farm was her dream. He was waiting for her so he could show it to
her and they can live their dream.

"Wow... I never knew the Underworld worked like this," one of the two shades said
in awe.

I reeled and looked at him. "Underworld?" I hissed. How did he know that term?

Again, I looked at the shade and even considered summoning my powers so I can peek
into their mind.

The one beside him coughed. "That's what it's called in Greek Mythology and
Egyptian

Mythology right? When we were alive, my brother and I studied ancient history. We
don't believe much in religion so we called it what it's called in the myths. Is
that wrong? Have we offended you?"

"N-no." I replied. There really was something familiar about that guy.

"I believe you have everything you need here," Thanatos said.

I nodded. "Just think of what afterlife you want and it will come true."

"Will you wait as we decide? So that we can make sure we're doing it right?"
I looked at Thanatos and he nodded.

"All right, we'll stay." Thanatos took my hand and we stepped away from the shade's
afterlife. We searched for an empty spot in the Fields of Elysium and waited for
the two shades to weave their afterlife.

"You can't weave one afterlife together. One of you first and then the other. If
you want to be together, you would still have to petition the King of the
Underworld for that."

They each looked at each other then nodded. "Him first."

The first shade took a deep breath and then closed his eyes. I knew he was
envisioning the afterlife he wanted clearly in his mind. There was a rush of power
and suddenly, the scenery around us changed as we were sucked into his afterlife.

The first thing I saw was the desert. As far as my eyes could see, there were heaps
upon heaps of sand dunes. To my right, I noticed a set of tents. My breath caught
in my throat for the

tents were so large and beautiful.

Thanatos tugged on my hand and we walked towards the direction of those tents. He
lifted the tent flap and the moment we stepped foot inside it, our clothing
changed.

Thanatos wore a flowing white long-sleeved shirt that was made out of thin material
to keep out the desert heat. Over that, he had on a dark vest embroidered with
golden patterns. For pants, he wore white flowing pants of the same material. And
then I saw his shoes were pointed.

I grinned. He made Aladdin look like a kid. Here he was a Greek god-wearing
clothing that made thousands of women over the centuries swoon.

"You look like a much hotter version of Aladdin," I whispered.

He laughed and then looked at me from head to toe.

"And you-"

Instantly, all the laughter faded from his eyes.

It was replaced with burning desire.

He stepped closer and his eyes raked over me once more.

He didn't finish what he was saying. Instead, his head dipped and his lips claimed
mine in a fierce kiss. It wasn't slow or tender. It was hot and it made my entire
body blaze with need for him.

When he pulled back, I looked down to see what I was wearing that caused such a
spark of reaction in him. I was wearing something a belly dancer wears! For my top,
it was like I wore only a bra. And it was red. My midriff was left bare.

I wore see-through red pants that showed off every inch of my legs. It looked very
sinful and provocative.

A golden belt dangled on my waist and it clinked with every movement I made. It
also

made my skin glow more luminous and enhanced the look of my bare midriff. It was
like the belt screamed at whoever was looking to look at my mid-section.

I gasped at my clothing and started to summon my magic so that I could change it.
But the look in Thanatos face stopped me. One moment, desire burned in his eyes.
The next, when he saw that I was summoning my magic, he looked like a lost puppy.
My heart went out to him. I smiled and let him look his fill. He was my husband
after all. I couldn't deny him this simple pleasure.

I looked around and noticed the interior of the tent for the first time. It was
very beautiful and lavish! Every inch was covered by carpet. There were also
several cushions on one side of the tent and it looked very, very comfortable. On
the other side stood a long chaise. Everything looked as though it was made of
velvet and the dominant colors were red and gold.

There were also several silk drapes scattered around the tent. It was really
beautiful and exotic. It looked like it came straight out of my Arabian Nights
Fantasy.

The shade wanted a weird kind of afterlife.

But it was my kind of afterlife.

I loved the Arabian Nights stories and when I was young, I dreamed that I'd be a
princess whisked away by my sheikh into his desert. But he won't have a harem.
He'll only have me.

Thanatos grinned when he saw my stunned expression.

"You like it?"

I smiled mischievously. "This was one of my fantasies," I admitted.

The two shades stepped before me and

both of them had this mischievous glint in their eyes.

"Time to turn the fantasy into reality, sis," one of them whispered. He was the one
I swore was familiar.

He raised his hand and waved it over his face. His glamour faded and I saw my twin
brother smiling sheepishly at me.

"Aidon!" I hissed.

"And Eros!" the man beside him added. He also dropped his magic and the smiling
face of the God of Love and Desire greeted me.

The moment I saw them, dread started to fill me once more.

Surely this is not another one of their pranks?

"Relax, sis. Nothing here to embarrass you or something. I'm not really the evil
twin." Aidon shrugged.

"And it's not really true what they're saying in Olympus that we're up to no good,"
Eros added.

I turned to Thanatos and he just shrugged. He had this look that said that he
didn't know what they were talking about.

"What's the meaning of this?" I asked as I rubbed my temples.

"A gift from me and Eros. We organized everything, you know. Aren't you even amazed
at what we can do?"

I rolled my eyes. "You are the Prince of the Underworld, Aidon. You can do anything
here."
He nodded. "Yeah. So I hired the service of a shade to do this illusion for you.
Because I love you." He batted his lashes at me and I smacked his arm.

"Ow!" he shrieked.

"Relax, Aurea. This is our gift for you and Thanatos this Valentine's Day," Eros
told me.

"Yep. When we were young, I was always your sheikh, your prince. I hated every
minute of it but

you'd cry and tell Dad and he'd literally force me to do your bidding. Now, I think
it's time for you to live your fantasy with your real sheikh."

My heart melted at his words.

He really did go to great lengths just to arrange this for me.

"Sooo. Here you go. Enjoy every minute of the illusion. It's going to last until
tomorrow."

"What's the catch?" I asked.

Aidon pretended to look offended.

"Nothing! Just that you cannot leave this afterlife until tomorrow!"

"Aidon!" I shrieked. I jumped towards him. But he evaded me. Thanatos and I married
secretly and our dad, Hades, still didn't know anything about it. He would sense
this and he'd finally know.

The Underworld will literally freeze over if that happened.

"Relax! Dad will not know! He's with mom in Paris!"

I lunged for him again but Eros grabbed his arm. "Okay, gotta go now. Bye!"

"Happy Valentine's Day! Celebrate me and your love!" Eros shouted. Then the two
disappeared leaving me and Thanatos.

When they were gone, he pulled me back into his arms. "Now... Tell me all about
this fantasy," he whispered.

His warm breath sent a shiver down my spine. But when I realized his words, I
immediately blushed and turned away. I heard him laugh and it slid through me like
silk.

He guided me towards the cushions and flopped down. He stretched his length across
it and placed his arms over his head. His blue-slash-grey eyes regarded me with
interest and desire as he waited.

He really looked every

inch the sheikh of my fantasies and my heart fluttered inside my chest.

I didn't speak for a long time and just basked in the glory of living my innermost
fantasy with the perfect sheikh. He arched an eyebrow and crooked a finger. I
smiled and sat beside him.

"Tell me a story," he said. I giggled for I remembered one of the tales in Arabian
Nights.

Thanatos smiled and lifted a hand to caress my cheek.

"What has your face blushing like that?" he asked.

"You asked me to tell you a story. One of the stories in Arabian Nights is actually
about a King and a woman named Scheherazade."

Thanatos positioned himself more comfortable across the cushions and looked at me.

"Tell me this story."

"Alright." I cleared my throat and began.

"There was once this King who found out that his first wife was unfaithful. He had
her killed but she left him scarred forever."

"What did this King do?" Thanatos asked.

"Every night, he took a virgin as his wife. Then the next day, he had them killed
so they could not repeat what his first wife did."

Thanatos flinched. He asked me to continue and I could see he was really interested
in the story. But then again, my husband was always like that. He's the sweetest
and most romantic god of all.

But I tell him that only when we're together.

With the others, he was the fiercest warrior and mysterious god of Death.

"There was this woman named Scheherazade. She

is very smart. She read so much books about politics, philosophy, legends and so
much more! It was said she read thousands of books and knew the works of great
poets by heart."
"She sounds like you with your love for reading."

I blushed even more furiously at his fierce gaze. He chuckled and placed a soft
kiss against my temple.

"She was the vizier's daughter. The vizier is one of the highest politicians.
Against her father's wishes, Scheherazade agreed to a night with the King."

"Of course. She would have died after that night."

"But she didn't. I told you she was smart and she planned to outwit the King. Once
she arrived at the King's chambers, she wished to bid her sister goodbye. She asked
her sister to tell her a story beforehand. And her sister did. So she told a long
story all night long..."

"And she captivated the King's heart?"

I shook my head. "No... Not right away. But she captured his interest. She told her
story and stopped in the middle of it. The King urged her to continue but she told
him there was no more time since dawn was breaking. The King spared her life that
day and told her to come back the next day so she could tell him the rest of the
story."

I took a deep breath before I continued.

"She came back the next night and finished the story. Then, she told a new one and
stopped again just as dawn was breaking. This story was even more interesting than
the first one. She did this over and over. She did it for one thousand and one
nights... Those nights consisted of one thousand stories..."

"And then?

"After

one thousand and one nights, she told the King that she had no more stories to tell
him. She prepared herself to die."
"But that was not what happened?"

"Yes. For during those one thousand and one nights, the King fell in love with her.
He spared her life and installed her as his queen."

"And they lived happily ever after?"

I nodded and repeated his words, "And they lived happily ever after..."

I sighed and smiled.

Thanatos sat-up and pulled me closer once more. He waved his hand and his robe and
vest disappeared leaving him in those white pants. The sight of his chest made my
mouth water and I instinctively placed my hands on him.

"Tonight, I am your King and you are my Scheherazade," he whispered before his lips
claimed mine. This time, the kiss was sweet and I felt all his love for me. He
poured it all out and left none behind.

And it was magnificent.

It was the type of kiss that gave butterflies in your stomach and causes your toes
to curl.

Mine definitely did.

"I know the story. I've read it several times. But you telling it makes it even
more beautiful," he whispered before he peppered my neck with kisses.
"You know it?" I whispered.

"Yes. Actually, I am part of Aidon and Eros' plan to give you this. You may not
realize this but today marks the day of us being together for one thousand and one
nights..."

My heart stopped and all the air was stolen from my lungs.

I should have said something profound but all I could manage was, "Y-you counted?"

Thanatos laughed and kissed me again.

"Of course. Each day with you is a blessing. I will continue counting even though
our days together would number millions." He sighed against my lips.

I wrapped my arms around him and closed my eyes. I heard the familiar whoosh of his
wings being released and then felt the softness of the feathers against my skin as
they wrapped around me as well.

Truly, it was the most exquisite feeling in the world.

"I love you Aurea, you're my Scheherazade. I was a jaded man like the King once.
But you changed all that. You made me believe in the world again. I was dead but
you brought me back to life. You are my anchor to the world of the living. Without
you, all this has no meaning."

He swept his hand around the extravagant tent.

I sighed at the sweetness of his words and tightened my hold on him. Truly, I never
wanted to let him go.
He's my husband, my lover, my darling protector. His wings are my stronghold and
his arms are my home.

I pulled back wiped away my tears with one of the silk cushions.

"So what now?"

"We enjoy what Aidon and Eros gave us. We live out the last one of Scheherazade's
one thousand and one nights with her King."

"The last one? But she didn't have any stories for her King by that time."

I looked at him and lust burned in his gaze.

"Oh." I whispered as I realized what he meant.

He chuckled and then flipped us over. I ended up on the cushions with his body
covering mine.

"You're mine, Aurea. Tonight and one thousand and one more nights after. Then
another one thousand

and one after that."

He kissed my lips.

"And another," he whispered as he undid the knot that held my top in place.

He lowered his head and kissed my neck.

"And another," he repeated.

His warm breath sent heat pooling down my belly.

"And another... Until the rest of eternity."

He went back up and claimed my lips once more. I wrapped my arms around him and ran
my fingers down the soft feathers of his wings.

"I love you, my husband. My King..."

"I love you too, my Scheherazade."

True to his words, he really spent the night making my fantasies come true. He
showed me over and over again what has not been written in Scheherazade's story. He
showed me what passion was.

He showed me how much he loved me.

I responded and showed him how much I loved him too. I showed it through every
touch, kiss and caress.

Throughout that night, inside the beautiful and extravagant tent, I burned for my
sheikh over and over again. He took me to heights unlike any other. We both soared
and this time, I had my wings too.

Now, it was no longer a fantasy but reality.

It was no longer just a story I loved but a memory of how Scheherazade, me, and her
King, my beloved husband Thanatos, spent the last of that one thousand and one
nights...
***********************************

What? No sex?

Yes. I wanted to preserve Aurea and Thanatos' sweetness. Besides, the last two one-
shots already had sex. So get over it. Hahaha.

Remaining one-shots: Zeus and Hera, Eros and Psyche

Story that Aurea told Thanatos: One Night With The King

Hope you liked this! And please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT! Thank you! <3

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

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=================

Promise Me - Zeus / Hera

***PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IF YOU LIKED IT!***

PROMISE ME- ZEUS / HERA

From my story: How to Reform a Rake (Myths Finding Love #3)

Note: Events here do not have any impact on the book itself. These are just one-
shots for Valentine's Day. In this story, Hera is still married to Zeus. The events
of Chapter 2 of How to Reform a Rake where Hera finally leaves Zeus still hasn't
happened.

This one-shot is set BEFORE the events of How to Reform a Rake.

February 14

Hera's Temple

Mount Olympus

How do single women spend Valentine's Day?

How do women get through this day without going crazy?

I admire them for they survive this infernal day year after year. Well, what's so
special about it anyway? It's just another day in a year. If you don't have a date
that day, why whine about it when you are dateless and loveless for the entire year
as well?

Well, maybe there's more pressure on this day because it's a day wherein couples
celebrated.

And if you're not a part of a couple, there's bound to be a lot of envy as you
stare at people walking on the streets hand-in-hand, their love for each other
shining in their eyes. There's going to be even more envy when one sees gifts being
exchanged.

But it's not really about the material things. It's about someone loving you or
caring for you enough to give you that gift, no matter how simple. It's about the
thought of being remembered and

cherished on this special day.

From what Eros told me, those without loved ones on this special day, spend it with
their friends. They drank and danced the night away.

But that cannot be the case for me.

Hades whisked Aerith away for a night in Paris. Poseidon is with Amphitrite in
Hawaii. The other gods and goddesses were busy for they had dates as well.

I should have one too, right? I'm married and I'm the queen of Olympus!

I laughed at my thoughts and splashed my hand at the water. It caused ripples and
my reflection became blurred. It was exactly like my life and my marriage: it was a
blur and everything was completely distorted.

I lay down beside the pool and placed my arm over my eyes to block out the
brightness of Olympus.

I sighed and shook my head.

No.

I shouldn't be like this. I shouldn't depress myself over facts that I cannot
change. Instead, I should be thankful for what I have. Though I do not have a King,
I'm still Queen. Though I am alone on this day, I still have a beautiful palace. I
have friends who love me and that should be enough.
I shouldn't wish for more. I should learn to be content.

And I should stop peering into the pool and trying to summon an image of Zeus. I'm
tired of spying over him. I'm tired of cursing women. For a thousand times, I've
caught him with numerous women. During those times, he never learned a single
lesson.

What's going to be different this time?

But for myself...maybe this year, I can do something for a change!

Maybe I can go to the mortal realm and experience something new!

Then, it could be my tradition every year to fill this void in my heart and to fill
my time so that I won't be stuck at pitying myself.

Or then again, maybe I could go to one of Dionysus' cellars and steal one of his
finest wines. Then, I'll go curl up in bed with a good book while chugging down
that wine. And then maybe for once every year, I can let myself go and eat box
after box of chocolates that mortal men loved giving their women.

With a sigh, I stood up and prepared to fulfill my plans.

A few hours later, I was in my big, soft bed wearing the most comfortable silk
night gown I had. One one hand, I had a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates in
the other.

Now I knew why women obsessed over chocolate and why mortal men liked giving it to
them. It was very delicious! Coupled with wine, it lightened my heavy heart. And
that was what I needed most at this time.
Outside Olympus, I heard nymphs started to sing a beautiful love song. Their voices
echoed across the silent night and I closed my eyes to savor the melody.

Oh, my love, my darling

I've hungered for your touch

A long, lonely time

I swayed slightly to the beautiful melody and chugged down some more wine. I let
the heady feeling flow through me. As the notes washed over me, I imagined I was
gathering all the sadness and negativity in me and throwing it outside the window.

Who says you can't be happy alone?

I am alone and right now, this is perfect. Though solitude is not what I prefer,
it's what the Fates willed for me to have so I'll try and do the best

I could with it.

And time goes by, so slowly,

And time can do so much,

Are you still mine?

I need your love,

I need your love

God speed your love to me.

I heard the door open and my moment of solitude was shattered. It must be one of
the servants.

Without opening my eyes, I hissed, "Get out,"

There was no reply and I heard the door close. I sighed and sought the inner peace
once more. I popped another cube of chocolate in my mouth and washed it down with
wine.

Then, I felt the bed depress and I opened my eyes.

And I looked straight into electric blue eyes that seemed to stare deep into my
soul.

I gasped and almost toppled over the edge of the bed.

"Zeus?" I whispered.

My body stiffened in shock and I didn't know how to react. I kept on opening my
mouth but I had nothing to say so I closed it again. I repeated it quite a few
times.

"Hera. Why aren't you dressed?" he asked me.

I arched an eyebrow. "Why should I be dressed?"

He looked a bit flustered. "It's Valentine's Day," he said it in a tone that was as
if that statement should explain everything.

"I know that. This is how I spend this cursed day every year."
I almost slapped myself for letting my bitterness show. I gritted my teeth and
stood up from the bed. I placed the wine down on the bedside table along with the
box of chocolates. Then, I walked over to the window, away from him, to listen to
the nymphs' song.

Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the

sea,

To the open arms of the sea,

Lonely rivers sigh, wait for me, wait for me,

I'll be coming home, wait for me...

I heard Zeus sigh. It was followed by the heavy sound of his footsteps. Then, I
felt his arms as he placed them on my shoulders. He squeezed and I had this sudden
urge to lean back against him.

"Come. Get dressed. I want to take you out to dinner."

My breath caught at his words. My jaw almost dropped but I was able to stop myself.
Instead, I turned around and looked up. He was more than a head taller than me. It
was one of the things I liked about him.

With him and his power, I felt secure and protected.

But that was before he broke my heart. Over and over again.

He lifted my hands and placed them on his chest as he waited for me to reply. Then,
he closed his eyes and I felt him wrap his arms around my waist. Instantly, his
heat and his unique masculine scent enveloped my senses.

I closed my eyes as well and let myself lean into his touch. I've been without it
for so long. Being inside his embrace like this made me feel as though I was a
weary traveler who has gone home.

Oh... my love, my darlin,

I've hungered, hungered!, for your touch,

A long, lonely time,

And time goes by, so slowly,

And time can do so much...

I felt Zeus place his chin on top of my head and we both swayed to the beautiful
melody. When he loosened his hold, I looked up and collided with his gaze. His blue
eyes held so much emotion. But I didn't

know what they were anymore.

A long time ago, he looked at me like that. But a long time ago also, that look
faded-just like his love.

"Hera. Please. Just humor me this once. We'll go out and I'll show you how
Valentine's Day should really be."

I sighed and weighed down my options. I could stay here and continue drinking wine
and eating chocolate. It would save me heartache from being in his presence while
knowing it was just borrowed time.

But I could go just this one time... I can make memories tonight that will last me
through another hundred years or so! Also, I can finally experience Valentine's Day
as it should be.

Call me a fool or whatever...

But I chose to go with him.

"Wait for me outside. I'll get dressed," I told him. His eyes raked over my body
from head to toe. Then he shook his head, nodded and walked away.

"Wait!" I called out.

He turned around.

"Where are we going? What should I wear?"

"Something that will show you're my queen," he replied.

My heart stopped as he said those words. He left to wait outside my room. It took
me a while before I moved again and started to get dressed.

I chose a simple, white dress halter dress. It had diamonds embedded on the neck
area and then the other parts were sort of see through. With each movement the
diamonds scattered the light. It also called attention to the parts that were a bit
see-through.

The dress fit my curves and ended mid-thigh. I also wore high-heels filled with
diamonds. It was Aerith's gift to me. She was

the queen of the Underworld and all the gems in the earth belonged to her and her
husband.

Zeus told me to dress like a queen-- Well, this is it.

I exited my room and he turned around to look at me. I saw him do a double-take.
Then his eyes widened as he inspected every inch of me.
"Zeus." I called out. He seemed stunned and didn't appear to hear me.

"Zeus!" I shouted.

Still, he did not move. I approached him and waved my hand over his face. That
snapped him out of his trance.

He coughed and offered me his arm. I took it and I felt the static electricity in
the room rise as he summoned his power.

There was a flash of lightning followed by a crack of thunder. Then, we disappeared

and I felt the familiar sensation of travelling from one place to another.

When the darkness cleared, I saw that we were in the middle of a brightly lit
street.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Zeus smiled. "Venice," he replied. He guided me towards a narrow alley. We emerged

beside the famous Venice canal. My breath caught at its beauty tonight. For
valentine's day, there were several lanterns scattered across the canal. Also, the
gondolas were decorated in shades of red and filled with more lanterns.

Zeus approached one of the men beside the gondolas and I heard him speak in
Italian. His deep, rumbling voice slid through me like silk and I remembered all
the times he spoke to me while his body moved

over mine as we made love.

Instantly, heat suffused my cheeks. I turned away and shook my head to clear it of
unwanted memories. That was a long, long time ago.

If women reverted back to being virgins after a long period without sex, then I'd
definitely be one.

Zeus called my name and I walked with him once more. He helped me up into the
gondola and settled himself across me. He declined the help of the man and told him
that he'd be steering the gondola himself.

I said nothing about it but I was really surprised.

There was silence between us for a long time as the gondola slid through the water.
I didn't see Zeus rowing and I knew he was using his powers to move us forward.

"Talk to me, Hera. I missed talking to you," he admitted.

I raised an eyebrow. "It's because your attentions are elsewhere," I snapped.

Zeus sighed.

"So tell me about your day."

I rolled my eyes. "I spent it making sure that everything's running smoothly in
your palace. If you want to know if I spied on you or put a curse on another one of
your lovers... No. I didn't."

Zeus lifted his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. I heard him take several
breaths to calm himself.

"Hera... Please... I'm trying. I'm really trying hard. I want to change, alright? I
want to be the same god that you fell in love with! But it's hard. As they say, you
can't teach an old dog new tricks. And I am definitely an old dog. One of the
oldest. But I want to try. So please

bear with me for a while."

My heart went out to him.

Tonight, he really was trying. I just couldn't help but be bitter about everything
because of what happened in the past. I couldn't let go of all that just because
he's trying. What if tomorrow everything came back to the way it was before?

I couldn't place my full trust on him only to be hurt again.

But I can stop being a bitch tonight and give him back as much effort as he's
willing to give.

"Today, I went around Olympus to oversee everything. Aphrodite is having a party in

the fields and satyrs, nymphs, demigods and other gods and goddesses are invited. I
helped her set it up. Then I spent my afternoon relaxing beside the pool at my
temple. And then you saw me drinking wine and eating chocolates."

He smiled and it lit up his entire face.

"Why?"

"Mortals loved it and I wanted to try out why it made them crazy," I replied.

"And did you learn anything?"

"Yes. It's so delicious that I could eat an entire box," I laughed. His face
softened even more. He stretched out his legs and took a few moments to look around
us.

"Venice is beautiful, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yes. It's one of the most romantic cities in the world," I replied. It was the
first time I've been here but I've read about it a lot. Also, Amphitrite and
Poseidon have been here and she's shared so much about their vacation. I fell in
love with this place a long time ago even if I haven't really been here.

But now, I'm

here and it's even more perfect.

Carefully, Zeus stood up and sat beside me. He used his powers to keep the boat
from tipping sideways as he settled himself. Then, he removed his jacket and draped
it over me.

I smiled at him and placed my head against his shoulder.

We stayed like that for a long time. I just basked in the feeling of being in his
arms and committed every second to memory.

The gondola slowed and then finally stopped. Zeus alighted first and offered me his
hand. I took it and he helped me out of the small boat. I stood before him and he
even fixed his jacket around my shoulders.

"I know how much you love Italian food. So tonight, we're dining in one of the
finest restaurants in Venice."

He escorted me towards the restaurant that was packed with so many people. He used
his powers to glamour the maitre d' into giving us one of the reserved tables. We
ended up getting a beautiful table by the window.

Zeus pulled out the chair for me and I sat with a small smile.

The maitre d' introduced us to our waiter who then handed us the menus. I browsed
it carefully and took my time. The moment I placed it down, I saw that Zeus was
watching me with those electric blue eyes of his.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. You're just so beautiful," he responded.

I snorted and then converted it into a laugh. I hid my face in the menu again and
clamped my lips shut to

bite back the retort.

I wanted to ask him: If you find me so beautiful then why do other women catch your
eye? Why am I not enough?

But I promised that there'd be no more hostility from me tonight so I bit back
those words.

"I know you love lasagna. You should taste theirs. It's perfect," Zeus told me.

He was right. I loved lasagna. And it was what I wanted to order. He just beat me
to it. I nodded to him.

"And you? What'll you be having?" I asked.

"I'll have the roast lamb," he told me.

He called the waiter and relayed our orders along with a Bacon, Tomato, Garlic Six
Cheese Crostini for our appetizer and a Truffle Gelato for dessert to be served
later.

While waiting for our meal, Zeus reached across the table and grabbed my hands. He
looked at my fingers as though it fascinated him so. Then, he lifted my hand and
kissed it.

He leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"Hera..."

I lifted my head to look at him.

"You are my destined. You are the half of my soul. Every time I am with you, I
really want to be a better man. But it's hard to change. It's a big responsibility
to be the man you truly deserve and every time I think of that, I find myself
running towards the opposite direction," he admitted.

Again, my heart went out to him.

"There's been so much mistakes between us already, Zeus. I think the key to saving
us is not to make any more of those. You are aware that when the going

gets tough, you run to the other direction. So next time you feel that, try running
to me instead. I'll welcome you with open arms."

His eyes flashed and he reached for my hand once more. "See? I don't deserve that.
But I'll try, Hera. I'll try."

"Promise me."

"Yes. This, I vow."

"Do you swear that to the River Styx?"

Zeus sighed and his face fell. I knew the answer. It was just like before. He could
not promise me that. He couldn't really give me his full fidelity and trust again.
"Hera... I don't want to stay by your side because of an unbreakable vow I made to
a river. I want to do it by my own. I don't want to feel chained to you. I want to
really change and bring back what we had before."

Tears started to fill my eyes and I looked away.

I didn't want to hope anymore. It was just too painful to expect something and not
have it.

How many times have I wished for him to be mine again?

Absolutely, totally, wholly mine.

Mine and no one else's.

Zeus moved his chair next to mine. He cupped my chin gently and forced me to look
at him. I tried to will away the tears but one trailed down my cheek. He wiped it
away with his thumb and then replaced it with his lips.

"I'll change, Hera. I hope you find it in your heart to give me a bit more
patience."

I didn't reply and just stared at him.

He looked away and seemed to be deep

in thought. After a few minutes, he pulled me back in his arms and looked into my
eyes.
"What I can promise you right now, my queen, is that I will try to change." He
laughed and it sounded nervous. He also ran his fingers through his hair.

"And what I can vow to the river Styx... is that you'll never have to be alone
again for Valentine's Day. No matter what happens, no matter where I am... We'll
spend it together. I'll not allow you to drink wine and eat chocolates alone in
your bed. When you listen to the nymphs and dance to their tune, it would be in my
arms. Mark these words, Hera. These I vow to the River Styx."

Lightning flashed outside followed by a loud crack of thunder.

His promise was sealed.

It was not the promise I was looking for. But to never spend Valentine's Day alone,
in despair, and wallowing in self-pity again-it was a gift from the Fates.

And I would never reject the crumbs they decide to send my way.

If this is the only way I could have him for now... Then maybe it would be enough.

Maybe if I continued loving him in my own way or maybe if I become patient a little
while longer-he'll finally change.

I hope the Fates are listening.

And I hope they grant me this.

He's all I ever wanted and he'll be all I'll need.

Zeus looked at me expectantly.

I cleared my throat.

"Well... I guess it's a start," I answered him.

He smiled and his lips descended to capture mine.

His lips were like honey. It was like an oasis for a man dying of thirst in a vast

desert. It was the spring after a long, harsh winter. It was the sight of a rainbow
after a storm.

And to a woman whose heart was dying of loneliness?

--It was a breath of life.

I held on tight and kissed him back with everything I've got. I poured out all my
anger, my jealousy, my distrust, my paranoia. When all of it was gone, I loosened
my hold on him. This time I kissed him with all the hope, longing and love I felt
for him.

He sighed against my lips and I heard him whisper my name.

Right then, I didn't care that we were in the middle of an expensive Italian
restaurant. I was finally with my husband, my King...

Zeus wrapped his arms around me and I leaned into his embrace.

"I love you, Hera. You know that, right?"

I shook my head. "Sometimes I forget. You make me forget."

His eyes flashed with pain. "No amount of apologies will right all my wrongs. But
never ever forget that I love you. The women of the past could have had my eye or
my lust... But they never held my heart like you do."

"Then show me," I challenged.

Zeus raised an eyebrow.

"Show me that I hold your heart. Show me I am your Queen. Show me rather than tell
me that you love me. Change for me. Show me I can trust you again."

Zeus' eyes twinkled with renewed hope. My heart soared with that hope as well. I
only hope I would not be like Icarus who soared too high that his wings melted and
he crashed to the ground faster than he flew.

"Yes, my queen." Zeus answered.

And he kissed me once more.

For the rest of the night and for the next days, he really showed me what it was to
be loved and cherished by the King of Olympus, Lord of the Skies. He gave me what
we had before. He fulfilled his promise that he would try.

The only question is:

Will it last this time?

Or...

Will it be another broken promise?

****************************

Thanks for reading!

Well, not everyone is happy on Valentine's Day. Not everyone has the perfect date
they planned in their minds. Not everyone has dates.

Not everyone has love. The thing here is how we deal with it. We could wallow in
self-pity and despair. We could curse couples walking down the street.

Or we could choose to be happy and spend it with family and friends. We could also
choose to hope that one day, we'll have the perfect Valentine's Day as well.

Hope you liked it and please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT!

Last one shot to go! Eros/ Psyche

Hope you liked this! And please don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT! Thank you! <3
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

Got questions?: http://ask.fm/AerithSage

My Blog: http://aerithsage.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AerithSageWP

=================

The Girl Who Conquered Love- Eros/Psyche

***PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE VOTE BUTTON! THANK YOU!***

THE GIRL WHO CONQUERED LOVE - EROS / PSYCHE

Note: Eros and Psyche do not have their own book yet. They met in How I Fell For
Death (Myths Finding Love #2) so that's going to be the story this is based from.

Will they have their own story in the future? Maybe. But after How to Reform a
Rake, it's going to be Aidon and Helen of Troy's story (How to Rewrite History).
But this may still change since I have a lot of plans. Haha.

For now, pleas enjoy this story... J

February 14, 2014

Eros' Apartment

New York City

I stretched my arms above me and looked at my reflection in the mirror. Today is a
beautiful day and I wanted to look my best.

Today, I bask in the extra power that mortal devotion gave me.

Today, it's my day.

And for the first time since the dawn of time, I am spending this day with someone
special. Not someone for casual sex, not someone I want to display by my side.

Today I am spending it with her, with the person who made me understand the deeper
meaning of love. All my life, I embodied love and desire. I did my job and played
the field as well.

But it's only now that I truly understand why the mortals I help crave love. Now I
understand why some spend their whole lives waiting for someone special. Now I
understand why those who were hurt over and over

again still enter into relationships wishing that this was finally the one they've
been searching for all along.

And it's all because of her...

My Psyche.

When I was sure that I already looked my best, I flashed myself towards her
apartment and rang the doorbell.

She came out looking the epitome of perfection.

Her hair was tied in a simple, neat ponytail. She wore a plain white T-shirt along
with denim jeans and sneakers. Last night, when I asked her out, I told her to
dress simply and for adventure.

Most girls would still overdo it since it's Valentine's Day. But her? She didn't
care about her appearance and her simplicity even added to her beauty.

My breath caught as I stared at her. She smiled and cupped my jaw.

"Close your mouth or the flies will enter," she teased.

I shook my head and closed my mouth. "Sorry. You look beautiful."

"Thanks."

She grinned, showing off her dimples.

Then, she looked at me from head to toe and arched an eyebrow.

"What? No flowers or chocolates?"

I shook my head.

"I thought you were the God of Love? Shouldn't you be the most romantic guy ever?"
she teased yet again as she stepped out of her apartment and locked the door.

I laughed and took her hand. Then, I rolled my eyes.

"That's so overrated. I have better things in store for you today."

"Fancy candle lit dinners, boat rides, amusement parks,

a stroll through the mall?"

"No. Again all those are so overrated."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Where are we going then?" she asked.

I grinned. "Around the world, baby."

I took her hand and when I was sure that no one was looking, I snapped my fingers
and teleported us towards a café in the heart of Fifth Avenue. Psyche looked around
and raised another eyebrow.

"You're taking me shopping?" she asked in a bored tone. If I did this for any other
woman, they'd trip over their own feet trying to thank me.

But no... Not her. She's different and I thank the Fates every day for that.

"Nope," I answered.

"Thank the gods. If you did that I'd really be disappointed in you. I really
expected so much more from the famous Eros," she teased.

"And you're going to get that today, my love."

"So what are we going to do?"

I held out my left hand and my golden bow appeared. Psyche's jaw dropped as she
stared at it. This was my most prized possession. This was what I used to capture
hearts and provide a venue for love to bloom.

The same time that my bow appeared, a quiver full of arrows also appeared strapped
to my back. The arrows had different-colored feathers at the end for they
represented different things.

I held out my right hand and a sleek silver bow appeared. It was much smaller than
my golden one and this one was a gift from Artemis. She had her handmaidens design
this from the Archite I gave her. Archite

is the rarest metal. It is only found in Olympus. It is used by the gods for
weapons and jewelry.

After Artemis designed the bow, she gave it to Hephaestus for him to forge it.

I held it out to Psyche and she just stared at it with her jaw hanging open.

"That's so beautiful," she whispered in an awe-struck tone.

She ran her fingers shyly along the arch of the bow.

"It's for you," I told her as I laid it down on her hands.

"F-for me?" She squeaked.

"Yes. For you, my darling."

The moment she closed her hands around it, a quiver also appeared. But hers was
empty. I waved my hand over it and several arrows also appeared.

"We're going to play archery? I can finally act out my Katniss Everdeen fantasy!"
she shouted.
I laughed and pulled her closer. I inhaled the sweet scent of her skin and placed a
kiss on her temple.

"It's not really playing. But you can definitely play Katniss Everdeen today," I
whispered.

She looked up at me excitedly.

"What are we going to do?"

"Since for so many times you've told me how to do my job and argued with me about
love and other things, I decided that just like Aurea and Thanatos... From now on
we'll work together-as a team."

Her eyes grew wider and her lips parted on a gasp.

"Oh. My. Gosh!" she exclaimed after a few seconds. Then, she threw herself towards
me and hugged me tight. The bow in her hands almost

poked my eye out. But, oh well, a hug is a hug. And coming from her, it's the best
one of all.

It took me a long time to realize this but now I know in my heart that she's the
fated one for me. Thanatos was right.

Finding your fated one changed a lot of things. It certainly changed my life and my
perspective on love. We're going to be together for the rest of eternity so I might
as well start training her how to be a goddess now.

She bounced up and down with her excitement as she clutched the bow tightly.

"This is the most awesome Valentine's Day everrrrr!" she shouted.

People in the streets looked at us but Psyche was oblivious to their stares. She
hugged me tightly and I swung her around. Then, I put a glamour on us and
teleported us towards the rooftop of the café.

"It hasn't even started yet, my dear," I told her before I bent my head and claimed
her lips. Her lips were more intoxicating that Dionysus' finest wine and tasted
like ambrosia; I could get addicted to this for the rest of eternity.

"Having the god of Love in love with me is the best thing that ever happened in my
life," she sighed against my lips.

"Well, meeting you is the best one in mine," I replied and kissed her again.

When we were both out of air, I stepped away and grabbed her hand that held on to
the bow.

"Let's go. We have a lot of work to do," I told her. She nodded eagerly and her

eyes shone with excitement.

I lifted my bow and grabbed an arrow from the quiver. I loaded the arrow and pulled
the string back. I stood straight and flexed all of my muscles.

Actually, that part was not needed. But what can I say? I was showing off for my
girlfriend.

She rolled her eyes.

"I took archery lessons when I was younger, Eros. I don't remember needing to flex
all my muscles." She laughed and my face fell.

But then she approached me and kissed my biceps.

"You don't need to show off for me. I love you just the way you are, Eros," she
whispered.

Something inside me clenched and my mouth curved into a grin. I don't know how many
seconds I stayed that way but it was enough for her to start laughing. I ran my
fingers through my hair and approached the ledge of the roof.

"Okay then. We'll skip the archery lessons then. When you find your target, just
think of that person as you let the arrow fly. It will always find its mark."

"But people say-"

"Yes. I know what they say and it isn't real. They say 'Cupid hit me with his arrow
but he didn't hit my beloved that is why my love is unrequited' or 'Eros must have
been targeting a different person and it wasn't supposed to be me' or 'He missed
his shot' and several more stuff like that."

I sighed.

"But they're all wrong. I never miss my target. When I was young, I took lessons
with Apollo and Artemis. They taught me everything I know. And when I was older,
Artemis gave me

this quiver that never became empty. She also gave me her blessing. She told me
that my arrows will always find its mark."

She reached for me and her hands cupped my cheek. I gazed deep into her beautiful
eyes and allowed myself to get lost in their vivid color for a few seconds.

"I never missed, Psyche. Ever. I deal with love. And love is one of the most
important things. It is not something to be toyed with. A broken heart hurst worse
than the physical wounds. Physical wounds heal in a short time and all that's left
is a scar. But when it's the heart that is hurt, the pain echoes deep within one's
soul. The scar that is left changes the person's view of the world and some don't
dare try to love again,"
"I believe you, Eros. I know how much you take your job seriously. I may enjoy
arguing with you about how you do your job but I know that what you are doing is
the best."

"And it will be even better because you're now here," I told her.

She smiled and my heart did flips and cartwheels inside my chest.

"Sooo. Let's start striking people with love!"

I laughed and shook my head. "That's now what I do. Love cannot suddenly bloom on
nothing just like a seed cannot grow on barren land."

"So what do we do?" she asked.

"First, let me introduce you to the arrows. The blue one is for a confidence boost,
the yellow one is hope, red intensifies passion and attraction, green

is for calmness and serenity, orange erases doubts and fears, violet acts like a
mini truth potion."

She nodded and repeated to me what the colors meant.

"When I look around a room, I see people who are attracted to each other. Their
souls glow with color and then I don't know how but I feel it when love can work
between the two of them. Soulmates glow with exactly the same color so they're
really easier to pair."

Again, Psyche nodded.

"So you watch the couple for a while. See what they need. If they are fighting,
give them both a shot of calmness. If they are soulmates but are weary of each
other because they've been together a long time already and nothing is new, you
give them a shot of red to bring back the passion and intense attraction."
"Ooooh! I think I finally understand! It's like love cannot suddenly appear but we
can help it along with all these arrows!"

"Correct," I grinned.

"So here's your first job. Look at the café below, pick a couple and tell me what
you'll do."

Her eyes widened with horror.

"But! How will I see the colors and everything you told me? I don't have powers!"

"You do."

She tilted her head to the side and looked at me as if I was crazy.

"You're the one that the Fates destined for me, Psyche. They designed soul mates to
complement each other. You may not have powers but I am sure you'll have a great
intuition when it comes to

stuff like this. You already understand more of my job than anyone else ever did.
Just open your heart and you'll know what to do."

She still looked at me skeptically but joined me over the ledge. She sat beside me
and watched the couples over the café for a long time.

Then, she leaned back against me and pointed at a couple over one side of the café.

There were roses and chocolates over the table. The girl was talking animatedly to
the guy and it was clear that she wanted him. The guy, though, was not conversing
much. It was clear that he was nervous. Sooner or later, the girl will run out of
things to say and he still hasn't made a move.
"Them," Psyche told me.

"What about them?"

"It's clear that he's too nervous for her. She wants him but he's afraid to talk to
her. He feels as if he's not good enough for her so I would give him a shot of blue
for confidence and a shot of green to calm his nerves and clear his mind."

I clapped my hands. "Perfect! That's exactly what I would do!"

She grinned and toyed with her hair nervously.

"Go for it, Psyche. Aim your bow and let your arrows find its mark,"

Excitedly, she grabbed two arrows from her quiver. She loaded the green one first
and aimed. She pulled the string back and her form was perfect. Even if the arrows
were not mystically guided by Artemis' blessing, I knew she would not miss hitting
her target.

She let the blue one fly and it hit the man's chest. She let the green one fly
next.

The effect was not instantaneous. My arrows

do not work like that for it would be really weird if there was a sudden behavior
change. The effect was gradual but it takes less than 5 minutes. If I wanted to
give a stronger and more longer-lasting dose, I'd give around two or three more
shots.

I held Psyche's hand as we waited for the arrows to take effect. After about three
minutes, the man started to respond to the girl's stories in a more enthusiastic
manner. He also began giving her his opinion and telling stories of his own.
He smiled at her and he became his charming self.

"Well done, my dear," I told Psyche.

She grinned. "Thanks!"

"You definitely helped them start the relationship. It's just what both of them
needed."

"So did I do it right?" she asked nervously.

"Yes. Perfect!"

I stood up and escorted her away from the ledge. I held out my hand and a small box
appeared.

Several days ago, I bought several diamonds and precious gems from Hades. Then, I
asked Hephaestus to commission them into several badges. Psyche loved watching
Pokemon ever since she was young.

In Pokemon, the characters trained their Pokemons and went from city to city to
enter tournaments. Once they won in that city, they received a trainer's badge. I
had Hephaestus make several of those badges and I designed them myself.

This is the first badge.

I opened the box and Psyche's jaw dropped.

This badge was as big as my thumb and was inspired by Katniss Everdeen's pin in the
Hunger Games: the mockingjay.

But I modified it a bit and this one just showed a bow and arrow but on the arrow's
tip was a small heart.

"I had this made to signify your archery training being complete. I had no idea you
already knew how," I told her shyly as I held out the pin for her. Her eyes started
to water and she wiped away the tears with her fingers.

"You don't like it?" I asked.

"No! I love it! It's perfect! Like Pokemon and Hunger Games!" she shouted.

"Yes. All the posters in your room showed how much you liked them."

She grinned and took my hand.

"Come on, pin it to my shirt!"

I did. And I should have pierced myself with a green arrow first for calmness for
my hands shook so much.

"It's perfect, Eros," she whispered as she inspected herself from the mirror I
conjured for her.

"I'm glad you like it. That's your badge for New York City. We're going to conquer
other cities and you are going to collect all the badges I have for you."

She frowned. "Other cities?"

I nodded. "What? You think only New York celebrated Valentine's Day? Of course not!
I told you earlier we were going around the world, remember?"

"I thought it was a joke!" she screeched. But I didn't miss the excitement in her
voice or the way she bounced on the tips of her toes.
"I don't joke when it comes to you, baby doll," I drawled as I pulled her closer.

"Give me a kiss now and we'll go to the next city," I told her.

"Where are

we going next?"

"Kiss me first," I bargained.

She rolled her eyes as I puckered my lips and leaned closer.

"Fine," she said as she cupped my cheeks with her hands and raised herself on the
tips of her toes. She placed her lips against mine and I experience bliss for the
second time today. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her tight against me.

"We're going to Rome."

She pulled back and giggled. Her eyes shone with excitement.

"I love you, Eros. You're the best," she sighed against my lips.

I laughed arrogantly. "I love you too, baby. And yes. I am the best. You hold the
embodiment of love right in the palm of your hands,"

She rolled her eyes once more and smacked me playfully on the arm.

"Let's go! I am excited to go to the new city!"

"Another kiss."
"I kissed you already!" she protested.

"That was for telling you what city was next. The next kiss is for me teleporting
us there. I want a better kiss this time since it's a harder task."

"Fine then, lover."

And she kissed me until it was I who was breathless. When she let go, I almost fell
backwards at the intensity of my feelings. I shook my head to wrestle back some
control and tamp down the intense desire I was feeling.

It took me a long time and Psyche laughed all throughout it.

"Let's go now!" she shouted as she tugged on my hand.

"Your wish is my command, baby," I replied.

Then, we were off to Rome.

And to Venice after that.

Then to Paris...

Next was Athens.

Then Barcelona.
And Manila...

Tokyo.

Taipei...

Then Dubai...

And may more cities!

And for everyone of them, I gave her a badge. It was the symbol of her conquering
that city just like her favorite characters did in Pokemon. By the end of the night
she had a jewelry box full of them...

And for our last stop?

I brought her to Olympus...

--It was the place where my heart dwelled before I met her.

But now that she's here, my heart is hers. Forever.

I surrendered my heart to her without her even asking for it.

One look, one smile and I was blown away.

Some would say she was finally the one who tamed my wild ways. That now I won't be
able to play the field anymore. But I didn't care as long as she had me.

She conquered the heart of the great Eros...

...And she'll be forever known as the girl who conquered love itself.

****************************

Yep! That's the last of the one shots. And it's one for the God of Love himself. :)

Hope you liked it!

This book is now marked as completed. Maybe next year I will add more to this:
hopefully it's going to be for my new stories. :)

I hope this set of one-shots brought you joy. I had so much fun writing it and
reliving the love of my characters.

For all those who read this: Keep believing in love. One day, your knight will
come. But his armor won't really shine as much because as they said, a knight in
shining armor is someone who never had his mettle tested.

One day, he'll come and you can write your own Valentine's Day story. I'm sure it
would be one hell of a story to remember. :)
PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AND COMMENT!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, EVERYONE. :)

=================

About the Author + My Other Stories!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

********************

My name is Alyssa Urbano. I am 22 years old from Quezon City, Philippines. (Yes,
Pilipino po ako at marunong din ako magTagalog. Haha)

I am a Registered Nurse and I graduated from the University of Santo Tomas, College
of Nursing Batch 2012. Now, I am not working as a nurse but focusing my energies on
writing.

My first novel: The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract got published this February
14, 2014 so this Valentine's Day is really memorable for me.

I hope you check out my other stories as well! Especially if you liked the one-shot
stories from certain characters. :)

Reach me here:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

Got questions?: http://ask.fm/AerithSage

My Blog: http://aerithsage.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AerithSageWP
********************

OTHER WORKS:

MYTHS FINDING LOVE SERIES:

1. How to be a Queen- Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, has been alone for a very
long time now. The Fates decided to create the perfect woman for him. Aerith, the

woman who is supposed to be his queen. But Hades makes the mistake of abducting
her, marrying her and forcing her to live in the Underworld instead of making her
fall in love with him first. Will he win her heart or will he continue to be alone
for all of eternity?

2. How I Fell For Death- this time, it's Thanatos' turn to find love. And it's
Aurea, the Princess of the Underworld, Hades and Aerith's daughter that the Fates
has destined for him. And unlike Hades, he tries to make her fall in love with him
first before claiming her. But now, the dilemma is that Achilles, the legendary
warrior is after her too. And that her life is in grave danger because of her power
that has yet to come...

3. How to Reform a Rake- Since the dawn of time, Hera the Queen of Olympus has put
up with her philandering husband and all his affairs. But what happens when she
suddenly snaps? What if her patience finally runs out and she leaves him? Will he
finally see the error of his ways and try to save their marriage? Will he try and
win her heart? Will Hera finally be able to reform the rake in him?

THE NINE REALMS SERIES:

 1. The King's Slave - a story of romance between a King and a Princess who was
sold as his slave. But this isn't the first time they met. For in another life
where they were a god and a goddess, in another set of circumstances, they have
already met and fallen

in love. But that love ended drastically. And this is their second chance
together... Another chance for the eternity that was stolen from them and another
chance to set everything right in Ilyia, the land of the Gods. Will their love
triumph this time around?

2. Highland Fairytale - a Faery Princess falls in love with a Mortal named Ryden
and marries him. But she leaves him after one night for she has obligations towards
her kingdom. Ryden thought she died and was devastated. Eight years later, she is
summoned back into the Mortal Realm through the cup that the Faerie Queen gave a
clan. The cup can summon a Faerie to help them during times of trouble. The Faerie
Princess is summoned and Ryden, on the brink of death and thinking that she is just
a ghost, asks her to stay this time. Will Ailis choose love or will she continue to
sacrifice for the good of her kingdom?

3. The Last Sorceress- the infant High Prince of a realm called Aether is sent to
the Mortal Realm to hide because a King usurped his father's throne and caused war
that tore Aether apart. Twenty years later, a Princess named Sage (who also happens
to be his destined queen), who is the last existing sorceress is sent to find him
and bring him back to Aether for him to set everything right. What they both hadn't
counted on was falling in love.

4. For Eternity- (prequel to The King's Slave) Sylvan, the God of Chaos and
Discord, is exiled into a dark realm called Xathos because of a mistake he did. His
godly powers and destructive side were bound inside of him so he wouldn't be able
to cause more mayhem. But his inner nature won over and the darkness inside of him
became his beast and made him the first wolf shifter. His whole life was nothing
but a quest for more power until he met a mysterious girl named Aerine who was able
to calm his beast and soothe his fractured soul with her music.

THE BILLION-DOLLAR MARRIAGE CONTRACT (PUBLISHED IN PAPERBACK AND IN EBOOK!)

Doomed from the start...

Nikos Demakis and Cassia Andrade were married under a billion-dollar company merger
contract. Nikos isn't ready to give up his playboy lifestyle, and Cassia is far
from the glittering socialite that their elite circle expects. Events force them to
live separate lives.
Ten years later, Nikos is ready to give it all up and settle down with the wife he
only sees once a year. Cassia is also ready to settle down...just not with Nikos.

Will Cassia once again surrender herself to the man who scarred her forever? Or
will she give up her inherited fortune to leave and never look back? Will they
still be able to fulfill the terms of their billion-dollar marriage contract, when
death and danger stalks them at every turn?

**************************************

Reach me here:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AerithSage

Got questions?: http://ask.fm/AerithSage

My Blog: http://aerithsage.tumblr.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AerithSageWP