"He certainly did walk like someone was about to end up in the mortuary..."

Sapphire Surrealism

Thanatos sat opposite me with his tanned hands folded on the mahogany table and his deep, red eyes staring coolly into mine.

"We'll start with the basics."

I nodded my head with purpose. Today Thanatos would take me through a quick crash course in all the gods who would be present at the banquet; which was to be held in three days- and in my honour.

I could feel my nerves were shot. I didn't manage to fall asleep for very long the previous night; and when I had, those yellow-eyed hounds kept fading in. The endless howling plagued my mind.

Thanatos slyly brushed his large hand against my fidgeting thumbs; his eyes filled with encouragement.

I licked my lips and gently ran my finger across the back of his hand to reassure him that I was up for the task. We sat opposite each other, our feet away from the others and our posture straight- not signalling any intimacy.

Samaria sat close by- her eyes always dodging to Thanatos in hope that she'd find him looking up at her.

We couldn't be close; not with her in the same room. The air was alight with electricity and I leaned back a bit to inhale some air that hadn't been tainted by his enticing scent.

It was deliriously painful having this wall up between us. I could tell he felt it too; this tension hanging in the air. I tried to focus my thoughts on his words instead of the way his lips moved as he spoke; "I'm sure you already know some of the essential facts, but we'll quickly rush through them for safety's sake as we go along the list."

I shifted my expression to exhibit a calm and cool exterior. Samaria was clever and observant; I didn't want her to catch anything that might accidently slip from either of our demeanours.

"There will be fifteen gods present at the banquet, excluding me. The twelve gods of the pantheon, and then Hades and his consort, Persephone, and Poseidon's wife, Amphitrite will also be present."

"That's a lot of people..." I tried hard not to sound too nervous.

"Not really. Usually feasts can range up to about fifty gods and demi-gods- it all depends on the event. Zeus decided to keep the celebrations small; so as not to overwhelm you at first."

"Alright, so I suppose let's start with Zeus." I ran a hand through my hair; "He's the king of the gods, the god of the sky and justice, and he's infamous for his countless love affairs, even though he's married to Hera- his sister."

"Exactly. Now- when you approach him, do not under any circumstances look him in the eye until he's touched your shoulder or taken your hand. You curtsy slightly and look down. After the initial greetings, you hand him the present you will bring to the feast."

"Present?" I asked curiously.

Thanatos picked up something from the floor. A small packed with the words 'Joretti Jewels'.

His hand reached in and pulled out two small boxes made of a plush material. He placed the bigger one in front of me and indicated with his hand for me to open it. I slowly lifted the lid, the velveteen fabric sent an excited shudder leaping up my arm. I gasped.

The bright blue of a large Sapphire stone caught my breath in my throat. It was huge! I'd never seen something so remarkably elegant! The edges were cut razor sharp, the glorious glint of diamond beaming in the sunlight. It was blinding. Undeniably fit for a god.

"You will hand him this as a sign of your appreciation. Sapphires are an old Greek symbol for seeking favour with the gods. He'll be pleased by your show of custom."

I carefully pinched the gem in my two fingers and held it up to my eye. It was brilliantly polished- Thanatos must've spent a fortune. Then again, as a god, I suspect money wasn't an issue.

"Here." He pushed the other, smaller box closer to me.

I placed the big sapphire back into its box and closed the lid. I pushed it back towards Thanatos to keep it safe and cautiously picked up the second little gift- this one lighter. I could feel Thanatos' intense eyes on my face as I felt the satin material slide underneath my fingertips.

As I opened the lid, my lips fell open.

A soft sigh escaped my mouth.

It's beautiful...

Placed in the small black box was a delicate, uncut aquamarine pendant, set in a faded silver clasp that clung around the small stone with an elegant swirl. The silver chain of the necklace was thin and fragile. In the back of my mind I could make out the faint smell of ocean air.

"It's for you."

I looked up at him with wide eyes. Thanatos eyes were uncharacteristically shy; "Do you like it?"

I nodded; my throat dry. I was at a loss for words.

"Good, I'm glad. I know you miss the ocean, and this instantly made me think of it."

Tears sprang to my eyes and I tried to keep my cool composure. Oh, how I wish Samaria wasn't sitting so close. I wanted to show Thanatos just how much I appreciated his gift.

I could feel he wanted to say more, but he kept his mouth shut and instead, leaned back a bit, watching me with that intense stare.

Samaria was subconsciously leaning in to overhear, since our voices had gotten so soft. I wiped a hasty hand over my left eye to stop a stray tear from betraying me.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

I cautiously ran my fingers across the back of his hand just as Samaria turned to reach for a file. Thanatos quickly grabbed my hand and lifted it to his mouth. I tried to pull back, afraid Samaria would catch us, but before she could turn back to her previous position, Thanatos' lips touched my palm and an array of shivers shot through my body.

I so badly wanted to hold him; to feel his breath on my face.

Later.

I pulled my hand back just in time. It was still hot from his touch. "It's a pleasure..." His words were hushed and full of sincerity.

I looked down at the necklace and ran a finger over the stone; his eyes were too intense. I could tell Samaria wanted to come over to look at it, but she knew we were busy with a lesson. Besides, she didn't want to irritate Thanatos. I'd show it to her later.

I knew this gift would only fuel her argument that Thanatos wanted me now more than ever, but I'd still deny it, even though now it wasn't only Thanatos who wanted something. It was the both of us.

I tried to keep those thoughts from my head and bury them deep down- if Thanatos were to hear any of my thoughts... No. I can't think about that- this. Whatever this is.

"Right, so then I'll give Zeus the gift- and then?"

"Then just laugh at his jokes and try not to get offended if he checks you out."

I sighed; I had not expected much else, to be frank. "Of course..."

"In all honesty, he's our biggest concern. But don't fret; I'll try and keep you occupied with the other guests the entire night so you won't have to socialise with him." He sounded more confident than he looked. I tried to soak in some of his assurance.

"Now, Hera." Thanatos put the packet back down on the floor and nodded to me to explain to him what I knew about the queen. I bit my lip; "She's the wife of Zeus and the goddess of marriage?"

"Correct, and of childbirth. Now, the main thing with Hera is to just compliment her. Most gods and goddesses are vain- give them compliments and adoration, and your neck is through. Compliment her on her pet peacock, her hair, her clothes, anything. Tell her you're so excited to meet her and hope to learn from her. That always works. And whatever you do, don't bring up Zeus' infidelity or flatter him in front of her. He's a delicate subject."

I could understand why. If my husband was as promiscuous as Zeus has been, I would be sensitive too. Not that the Thanatos I knew a few months ago was much better- and not that he's my husband. I cleared my throat along with my head.

"Are you fine in dealing with Hera?" His silky voice brought me back to reality.

"Yeah, you can move on- I'll catch on quickly, don't worry." I smiled softly.
Was it just me, or was he getting more adorable with each passing day?

"Hades and Persephone." Thanatos said as he sat back and propped a foot up on the chair next to him. "Probably the least of our worries. Hades will act like he's paying no real attention to you, but just know that he's always going to be observing you, well, at least for the first time. After that he'll be more easy-going and less reptile-like."

I laughed. I could hear Samaria chuckle as well. It wasn't hard to spot which of the gods Thanatos knew the best- or liked the most. He may talk about Hades like he's the principal from hell, but the way he said those things only displayed his care for the god.

He grew up around him. I suspect Hades was like a father figure to him- or like an older brother.

"Only act cool and calm around him if you want his approval. But that won't be an issue for you, am I right, Ice Queen?"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest; "And Persephone?"

"With her you can let loose. Out of all the women who'll be present, I trust her the most. She's kind and truthful. You don't need to hide anything from her. She talks a lot, but at least that'll keep you distracted."

"Very true... So Persephone or you are my go-to targets in case of emergency?"

"Exactly. Or Poseidon."

I raised an eyebrow. In my mind Poseidon was an older-looking god, and more eccentric than his brothers. Thanatos, who could tell from my thoughts what I thought of the sea god, laughed.

"Oh, no! Poseidon is nothing like that. He's young, about my age."

I ignored his 'young' comment, knowing very well that Thanatos was older than anyone I'd ever met, and asked; "Are the two of you friends?"

Thanatos smiled broadly, his eyes twinkling- "Very much so, I trust him with my life. He's like a brother to me. Be however you like towards him- he can take a joke. Insult him, tease him, it doesn't matter to me... It would be quite entertaining actually."

"I would never do that! He's a god, and I'm-"

"A goddess."

The way he said those words only made the sleeping fire inside of me bubble up to the surface. Thanatos was looking at me with that familiar stare- the one that made it difficult to decide whether or not I should duck under the table or jump over it and onto his lap.

If it weren't for Samaria, I'd be leaning towards the latter...

I cleared my throat; signalling to him to keep the flirting on the down-low.

"His wife?"

Thanatos was momentarily distracted by my question. "Oh, right... Well, Amphitrite is more ruthless than Poseidon, but she's very down to earth and honest. I'd advise you to stick with her and Persephone. Don't insult anything about the ocean or marine life, but then again, you love all of that so no worries there."

I checked off another name on my list. I kept it close to make any sort of notes; "Six down, nine to go."

Thanatos licked his lips and sat back with his arms behind his head; "Demeter."

"The goddess of the harvest and mother to Persephone." I quickly said.

He smiled with a sense of pride. I felt a faint blush creep up along my neck.

"Very good... Demeter is extremely quiet and very rarely gets involved with godly feasts, so she'll be out of her element. Just don't let her nervousness transcend to you. Try and act comfortably around her. She's down to earth and high-class behaviour will only put her off. Speak to her about her daughter, or her farm where she lives in Greece. Talk about the weather; it may be a taboo subject in general conversation, but to her it's important for the growth of plants, so bring it up and let her explain things to you. She's motherly and nurturing- act like you need advice, but you're still self-reliant."

I jotted down some key words; my head nodding.

He knew them all so well- no wonder Alexus once told me that every god liked Thanatos. He was charming, and he knew exactly which buttons to push. It was like second nature to him...

"Oh, and don't bring up global warming- or else she'll talk your ear off the entire night. Next is Athena."

I tapped my pencil against my chin; "Goddess of war and wisdom, and Zeus' favourite child?"

"Indeed," He chuckled, "Now, I'm no fan of Athena, but she has great influence over Zeus, so try and be charming. Act tough and independent. She likes that sort of thing in young girls. Try and compliment her father. She's a daddy's girl and he can do no wrong in her eyes. And whatever you do, do not compare her to Ares. They don't get along."

"I have a feeling I'll have to carry a file of notes with me..."

Samaria chuckled from the back. I shot her a sly smile.

"Speak of the devil- what do you know about Ares?"

I scanned my brain; "He's the only son of Zeus and Hera, the god of war and bloodlust. He's a bit of a maniac...?"

"A bit?" Samaria's snarky tone made me giggle.

Thanatos' smile was arrogant; "Hmm... He loathes me. Again- not a big fan of him, but I honestly have no idea how he'll react to you. He's very indifferent to mortals and women alike. The only woman he pays attention to is Aphrodite."

"I thought he was one of our concerns?" I asked in a hushed tone, not wanting Samaria to know about the lie we told about my virginity.

Thanatos nodded. "He uses women, doesn't mean he likes them."

"Oh..." I sat back a bit. Thanatos looked over to Samaria; she was busy typing; research probably.

"So what should I do when I meet him?"

"Just be polite and reserved. He'll be intimidating, but will lose interest quickly and move on. He's like a shark- just try not to bleed insecurity and he'll swim away, uninterested. Don't question his wars or his motives for war. He loves it and will kill just about anyone for less than you'd think."

"And I thought you were the cruel one..." I whispered into my note book. Thanatos chuckled evilly.

"That's why he doesn't like me- I'm better at it than him. Come to think of it, I'm better at many other things as well..."

Suddenly, his boot ran up my bare leg. My dress today was shorter than usual. I quickly shot him a deadly glare to stop. Samaria could easily see under the table if she just glanced this way. Thanatos pursed his lips and dropped his foot back down.

"Moving on..." I said with a hard tone; "Aphrodite?"

"Goddess of beauty, I'm sure you know that." Thanatos said casually, "Well, she was..."

I furrowed my brows. Thanatos narrowed his eyes- his seductive grin beaming at me. "Until you came along, of course..." He whispered it; knowing Samaria was listening in.

"Cut it out."

"I'm serious. She's going to be so jealous when she sees you. I'd advise you to say away from her."

"Thanatos." I warned him. He was leaning into the table; his red eyes full of lust. Samaria's no fool- anyone could decipher his body language.

I kicked his shin.

He growled- it was husky and like a low grumble.

Finally, he leaned back and looked at me with an annoyed expression; "Just compliment her, like Hera. She's vain, but I suppose I don't know her all that well enough to tell you if she's actually nice. I'd be wary if I were you."

Odd; knowing how promiscuous he was before he met me, I would've thought he knew Aphrodite very well. I had a feeling there was more to it than he was letting on. Did he sleep with her and she got clingy? Did he sleep with her to piss off Ares?
Main thing is- has he slept with her?

The mere thought made my blood boil...

"Hephaestus, Aphrodite's husband."

I tried to regain my focus on the matter at hand and push back my envious thoughts. "He's the god of forge and fire? This may be rude, but in mythology he's considered to be quite, um... unattractive?"

Thanatos' laugh was loud and echoed through the sunny study. I only smiled and ogled him as he laughed- what a heavenly sound from such a dark figure. He certainly was a mystery...

"Oh, Hephaestus is definitely nowhere near the most appealing of gods, but he is humorous and has a good heart. He may drink a tad too much, and he might try and grab your leg a couple of times, but he fears me more than most, so if he knows what's good for him- he'll keep his grubby hands to himself."

I raised a brow; a knowing smile on my lips. "So I'll be fine if I just have a drink with him then?"

"Ale, not wine. He despises the stuff. Oh, and don't bring up his limp. He's sensitive about it."

"Ale sounds good, and obviously not- that's just general manners." I shot Thanatos a pointed look. He might've been raised by wolves, but I wasn't. "Eleven down, four to go."

I ticked off Hephaestus from my list and added 'Ale' next to his name. Getting drunk at the party probably wouldn't be the best idea, but then again, some alcohol could help me get through it.

"Next?"

"Next we have the twins. Apollo and Artemis. Dazzle me with your brilliance..."

I laughed as he picked up my pen and twirled it along his fingers. Samaria giggled in the background; anything Thanatos said made her either giggle or blush in awe. I tapped a finger on my chin and leaned my head against my palm.

"Apollo is the god of the sun, poetry, healing, music-"

"Yes, yes- we get it. He's annoyingly talented."

I grinned teasingly at Thanatos from under my thick lashes; "Is someone jealous of the sun, Lord Darkness and Doom?"

He scoffed and kept his eyes glued to the pencil as he threw it up in the air and caught it effortlessly. He really was like a child sometimes.

I carried on; "Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and young maidens."

And she's a virgin, supposedly. So no need to worry about her being with Thanatos then... Hopefully.

Then again, he could seduce the panties off of a nun.

"Spot on, awe-inspiring, ang- Aurora."

He stopped himself midway through his teasing jab from calling me 'angel', his pet name for me. Samaria didn't seem to notice the change in words. Thanatos lifted his eyebrows and shot me a wink. I stifled a snicker.

"So when you approach Artemis, just try and be as hardcore as you possibly can. She's fiercely independent, but extremely likeable when she deems you worthy. And flaunt your virgin-status. She likes to hear all about chastity." Thanatos sounded annoyed as he spoke. He clearly didn't like hearing about my chastity after his many tries to break it...

I still couldn't rack my brain around the fact that this stunning creature wanted me.

I quickly tried to change the subject before my thoughts drifted back to Thanatos and the way his eyes were watching me. "What about Apollo?"

"You'll stay far away from him, I assure you." His tone was hard and his eyes piercing. I knew he meant every word, but it was unrealistic. I'd have to meet him; he was part of the twelve.

"Be serious..."

"Oh, I am. But just in case he wiggles through my defences like the snake he is, I will tell you this. Don't fall for his charms- I taught him everything he knows, ungrateful cretin."

His words gave me pause. "Taught?"

"Before he crawled his bony-ass to me for help, he was pitiful. Don't think the sun shines out of his ass, because it certainly doesn't, vermin."

I covered my mouth to stop my laugh from escaping. Gods, he was cute like this... "Right, I'll try and stay clear of him then."

Thanatos grumbled something under his breath and then loudly said with a sense of finality, as if to close off the book on Apollo forever; "Hermes."

"The messenger to the gods and the god of thievery and cunning, I think?"

"Yes, so try not to divulge any of your secrets to him..." Thanatos gave me a pointed look, indicating to me to not let our secret 'plan' slip to anyone, especially not to Hermes. I nodded quickly. "He's very friendly, and extremely chatting. You won't even have to say a word, because you won't be able to get one in, so just nod and smile."

"If only all of them were like that... " I muttered as I checked off Hermes' name after grabbing my pencil back from the prince of darkness.

"And last, but certainly not least- Dionysus." Thanatos sighed loudly.

"The god of wine and fertility." I said as I wrote 'wine' next to his name. I'd have to obviously drink wine with him. Anything else would be an insult...

"So this is the plan, we both avoid him as much as we possibly can, got it?"

I lifted a brow; my pencil stopped mid-word. "Both?"

Thanatos flicked his tongue and looked up with irritation; "Dionysus will literally shag anything that moves- you may be off the chopping block, but I'm not. Gods, if you only know how many parties I've had to 'leave early for a business crisis' because he got too handsy and wouldn't leave me alone."

Samaria and I both didn't bother to hold back our laughter at Thanatos' discomfort. Just the thought of him in that same position he always put me in, made me laugh with glee. Serves him right...

"Knowing him he'd want a threesome or something like that. Let's just avoid him at all cost, alright? Try and greet him first, while he's still sober-ish."

"Aye yay, captain..." I saluted Thanatos as he got up from his chair and turned to give me an amused grin. I followed his lead, my ass sore from sitting on the rigid, old chair. Conrad's study needed an upgrade from the eighteenth century...

"Right, I have work to do. Feel free to ask Alexus any questions you may have still, and try not to worry too much."

I rolled my eyes at his overly concerned tone and nodded; "Thank you for doing this by the way. I know you're busy."

Thanatos nodded his head once in reply. He turned to leave, leaving me feeling almost empty. No flirting? No attempt at a 'kiss goodbye'? His departure was rather cold. 

And then Samaria spoke up to greet him, her voice dripping with honey, and I remembered why he couldn't do any of those things.

Dammit.

"Bye, Thanatos! Have fun!"

Have fun? I think sometimes she forgets what he does for a living...

He waved at her without turning his head; his posture perfect and his stride determined. He certainly did walk like someone was about to end up in the mortuary.

Why was that so sexy?

I sighed softly, my eyes still on the door he'd just vanished from. Samaria cleared her throat. I turned around to see what it was about. She looked up from her thick books and compact laptop. Her grin was full of suggestive teasing.

I rolled my eyes. "What?"

She giggled, but there was no answer. I pushed her for one. "Samaria?" I folded my arms across my chest and gave her a look to urge her unspoken words. 

She lifted a brow and pursed her red lips to keep her growing smile at bay. With the tip of her long nail she tapped at her temple and turned her gaze back to her books.

Her reply was short and a quote that I knew fairly well;

"'They slipped briskly into an intimacy from which they never recovered...'"

*Quote spoken by Samaria - F. Scott Fitzgerald...

Picture- the necklace

Any more questions on Greek myth- ask away.

Of course, as I've mentioned before- I had to tweak the original myth a bit to suit my book, so Zeus is the oldest brother instead of the youngest (like in the original myth.)