Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 02:41:10 EDT
From: LaelSt@aol.com
Subject: Near Collision: Chapter 7

Usual disclaimers concerning who should read what and whether or not it is
legal for you to do so, so forth and so on. This is a work of fiction and
should be treated as such.

A huge special thanks to Benji for editing.  Hugs and kisses are due him for
his fast and wonderful work. XXXOOO.  And an extra kiss for his birthday!
This story is getting to the crossroads of too many possibilities, so bear
with me for a while.  That is why there are so many explanations for certain
events. Enough said, read on!

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---------------------------------

Near Collision"
                    By Lael Stalnaker


Chapter 7: Another Bonding


  Joshua struggled off and on with the bonds that
entrapped him. It was all in vain. Somehow, Skyler had
found a way to sap his strength so that the energy
bonds surrounding him were unbreakable. He glared at
Skyler, who sat sipping grape juice with obvious
contentment and amusement as he watched the squirming
struggle. Bryce burst out into laughter. He soon fell
over on his side; nearly face down into Ethan's lap.
Ethan just sat there, confused by the whole scenario.
None of it made sense to him.

"Just what did you do, Sky?" Ethan finally asked. He
shoved Bryce's still laughing head off of his lap.
Bryce then rolled right off the couch onto the carpet.
His laughter was now a faint wheeze. He was gasping in
between fits of giggles and cackles. Ethan was still
just as puzzled as before. He felt a faint unease with
the situation. There was something very eerie about
Joshua's attempts to move yet nothing appeared to be
holding him in place.

  Skyler set down his juice and got up from the floor
with a sensuous flip of his body. He casually walked
over to Joshua placing a hand on the side of his
cheek. Joshua glared up into Skyler's eyes and then
lost control himself. Tears streamed down his face as
his laughter joined that of his wheezing twin. Bryce
was curled into a fetal position now at Ethan's feet,
gasping for air between deep guttural belly laughs.
Skyler grinned down at Joshua. Having the immortal
stuck with his legs over the arms of the chair and his
arms folded across his chest was kind of sexy. Skyler
glanced over at Ethan and his grin got even bigger.

"Should I let him loose?" Skyler asked Ethan in their
twin speak. "Or, should I let ya ravage him while he's
stuck like this?"

"Sky, I don't like this. Let him go. Why are you doing
this to him?"

"A point had to be made. He's used to lording it over
mortals. He, by his own admission, has not been
material in many centuries. His attitude stinks. The
only reason he left me alone is because he thinks that
I belong to Bryce. I've now shown him that I'm my own
person," explained Skyler, still in twin speak.
"Besides. I wanted to get him back for scaring the
wits out of me when he showed up in my room!"

"Sky! What is wrong with you? Joshua said no such
thing! I don't understand..."

  Skyler grew thoughtful for a moment and then drew
the energy back into himself. It surprised him with
the ease with which it was accomplished. Joshua
quickly adjusted his legs to a more comfortable
position. After a few more moments, Joshua's laughter
finally began to subside. Bryce hauled himself back
onto the couch, drying the tears from his face and
eyes while still snickering randomly. Ethan just sat
staring around him still stunned. Skyler dropped back
into a cross-legged sitting position smoothly. He
grabbed his juice again to occupy his hands.

  Ethan felt even more confused than before. He could
not understand why Skyler had done what he did, much
less why he, himself, felt so disturbed by it. If he
did not know better, he would almost think that he was
in love with this newcomer. But that was patently
ridiculous! He felt an unease creep through his mind
as he contemplated the possibilities for his
reactions. It just made no logical sense to him. Then
he had a horrifying thought. Ethan's eyes darted back
to Joshua. He examined his emotions as he stared at
the immortal whose form was casually slumped in the
armchair. Ethan's face began to turn a shade of
crimson as yet unrecorded in the history of humanity.

  Skyler watched his brother's face for a few moments
before looking back at Joshua. Joshua's laughter had
finally faded away and he too sat watching Ethan.
Skyler frowned faintly as bits of thought came to him
from Ethan. This was a new development in his
experience with his twin. Sure, he had 'heard'
feelings from Ethan before, but never clear thoughts.
He chewed on that as he pieced together just what
those thoughts coming through meant. He recognized a
confusion that matched his from the first night with
Bryce. He could also detect the traces of hidden
feeling that was being suppressed ruthlessly. Skyler's
eyes widened as he ferreted out that feeling that
Ethan was squashing with such care.

  Ethan was spellbound to Joshua's gaze. His heart
almost skipped beats with the surge of feeling those
deep brown eyes evoked. Ethan began to comprehend what
had happened to Skyler with Bryce. This being had a
magnetism that simply could not be resisted easily or
by logic. He tore his eyes from Joshua and glanced
over at Skyler. He was startled to find his brother's
eyes watching him intently. Ethan felt a blush begin
to color the top of his ears and then spread across
his cheeks in a flood of heat. He watched as Skyler's
hazel eyes flicked over to Joshua and then back to
him. Ethan just knew that Skyler was aware of
everything that was running through his head at
breakneck speed.

  Skyler saw the blush that flowed rapidly over
Ethan's face when their eyes connected. He came to a
decision after a few more moments of watching the two
men. He rose to his feet, went to Ethan and hugged him
tight. Ethan squeezed back just as hard, clinging to
his brother. Skyler kissed Ethan's cheek softly before
releasing him from the embrace.

"I think we need to let you and Josh talk this out.
Just remember that your mind and heart are your own,
bro. Don't let him rule it. I know exactly how this
feels. Ride it out and follow your own heart," was
Skyler's advice as he stood back up. A soft smile
broke through his earlier stern expression.

  Ethan was now at a loss about what to do. He was
normally so reserved about sharing how he felt with
anyone but Skyler. Now Skyler was pretty much saying
that he should talk this out with the source of his
current emotional upheaval. He nearly panicked as
Skyler pulled Bryce to his feet and hauled him down
the hall to his own room. Ethan glanced furtively from
the sides of his eyes at Joshua. Joshua was sitting
quietly, apparently at ease. He was again loosely
draped into the armchair now that Skyler's hostility
was no longer present.

*******

  Skyler pulled Bryce down the hall into his room. He
quietly closed the door behind him and then, turning
to Bryce, leaned back against it with his hands
tightly gripped on the knob. He raised an eyebrow in
inquiry at the bemused look on Bryce's face. Bryce had
crossed to the bed and slumped back onto it. He kept
his feet planted firmly on the floor while keeping his
torso elevated using his elbows to prop himself up to
watch Skyler.

"I think you had better tell me what your brother is
up to with Ethan. I swear that, if he hurts him, I
will rip his wings out at the root. Am I being clear
enough, oh voiceless one?" asked Skyler in a honeyed
tone that was far from sweet.

  Bryce did not say anything for a space. He kept eye
contact with Skyler and remained very still. Skyler
continued to lean back into the door. He stared back
at Bryce until he could no longer stand it. He made a
running jump and landed on top of Bryce, pinning his
body to the bed. Ooooooooooomph! All of the air in
Bryce's lungs shot out as Skyler's body impacted his
diaphragm. Skyler began to laugh at the bug-eyed
expression on Bryce's face. He eased himself up just
enough for much needed air to re-enter Bryce's oxygen
starved lungs. Bryce grinned up at Skyler and then
rubbed the tip of his nose on Skyler's.

*******

  Ethan sat stunned. He didn't know what to do now
that Skyler had left the field to him. Joshua was
still staring at him with the unblinking gaze that was
usually reserved for predators stalking prey. The
tiniest of smiles quirked at the corner of Joshua's
perfect mouth. Ethan felt his earlier blush return
with a vengeance. As the blood flow stained his skin
surface, Ethan saw that Joshua's smile broadened. He
had to do something to salvage the situation, or he
felt that he would become permanently red.

"Let's get out of here and talk. We can go over to a
state beach that I like. It's pretty close to here. I
think we should talk where our brothers won't overhear
us and I think that there are some very private things
to be said," suggested Ethan in a rush of words.

"I do not know what a 'state' beach may be, but it
sounds interesting. By all means, let us go."

"Let me tell me tell Sky we are going. We don't need
him coming out and having a fit if he finds us gone."

  Ethan went done the hall and knocked at Skyler's
door. When the answer came to come in, he cracked open
the door and poked his head in. he blinked as he saw
Skyler laid out on top of Bryce on the bed. At least
they still have their clothes on was all Ethan could
think as he told them that he and Joshua were going
out and would be back around dark. He quickly shut the
door on them before either could reply. He hurried
back into the living room where Joshua was now
standing patiently.

  Ethan gave his head a jerk toward the front door and
continued onward. Joshua followed him out and then
closed the door behind them. Ethan led the way up to
the parking spaces. He unlocked his '65 Stingray
Corvette and leaned over to unlock the passenger door
once he was in himself. The shiny blue-green paint
gleamed with the care that Ethan took with it. It was
a car that Skyler had already restored some years
before and then given to his twin as a present one
Christmas. Skyler knew that this was Ethan's all-time
favorite car.

  He belted himself in, showing Joshua how in the
process. Once they were both buckled in, Ethan revved
the motor to life and then got the hell out of Dodge,
so to speak. He quickly got onto the 101 freeway then
got off at Kanan Road. He began the winding way up
into the Malibu hills, taking the route he loved best.
All of the curves and tunnels along the route thrilled
Ethan each time he went this way.

  Ethan was pushing the edge of the speed limit as
they wound their way through the canyons of the
mountains. The scenery blurred by in a haze of merged
green and brown of plant life. Joshua craned his neck
a bit to peer down into the canyon. Water flowed along
the bottom toward the ocean. He was also fascinated
with the tunnels they passed through at break neck
speed. Mortals had not had the power or ingenuity to
perform such feats when last he had been among them.
He was amazed at how much had truly changed in his
absence.

  They topped the last rise and the Pacific Ocean lay
below them in all its grayish-blue glory. The swells
were not very large and there were hardly any number
of boats out on the water. The sun's bright rays
glistened on the wave tips as the car began is winding
descent down form the mountains. The Corvette finally
hit Pacific Coast Highway and Ethan made a right onto
it. Another twenty minutes found them parked in a tiny
lot that was only maybe 30 feet by 50 feet. Ethan got
one of the parking permits from the machine to put on
his dashboard before locking the car. Joshua had
wandered over to the edge of the picnic area to gaze
down at the ocean.

  The tiny park was one of the numerous state beaches
along the coast. Many were far larger than this one,
but Ethan liked it because so few came to this one. It
was situated on the top of a 60-foot cliff. A deep
gully to the right, as you looked at the ocean, led
part way down to the actual beach. Then you had to
look carefully to find that the trail back-switched
and led to some log steps implanted into the steep
bank. Those steps led down to the actual rocks of the
beach. Once there, people had to scramble down the
rocks for the last ten feet to reach sand. Scrub and
other assorted plants lined most of the way down. The
path itself was badly in need of some heavy
maintenance, but it was still usable, barely. Ethan
grabbed Joshua's hand shyly but firmly to show him the
way down to the shoreline.

*******

  Skyler rolled himself off of Bryce and onto the bed
once Ethan had shut the door again. He lay on his side
watching Bryce. He reached over and began to trace
Bryce's jaw-line with a fingertip. Bryce turned his
head toward Skyler and rewarded him with one of his
breath taking smiles. Skyler's breath caught in his
throat at that stunning smile. Eyes locked together,
they reached for each other at the same time. They
embraced for a very long time, simply enjoying the
contact of their bodies from head to foot. Then Skyler
pulled away and sat up, shifting so that he could lean
against the headboard.

"You never did give us a better understanding of why
you have linked your power to me. I really don't
understand why you felt the need."

"Well, do you know the story of Apollo and Hyacinthus?
Let me retell it though you know it already. It
explains fairly plainly why I have done this.

"Apollo fell in love with Hyacinthus, a Spartan prince.
He was very handsome and athletic, which enamored the
passions of Apollo. They did many things together,
often to the exclusion of many of Apollo's divine
duties. One morning while Apollo and Hyacinthus were
practicing throwing the discus, Zephyrus, the god of
the west wind, made the discus veer off the ground by
blowing an ill wind. He was also captivated by the
young prince, and jealous of Apollo's amorous affection
towards the youth. Hyacinthus ran after the discus to
take his turn throwing, not realizing it had changed
direction. The discus Apollo had thrown swerved back
upward, hit Hyacinthus, and crushed his skull. Apollo
rushed to him, but he was already dead. The god was
overcome with grief as he tried to save the already
departed prince. Through his healing arts and herbs, he
labored in vain. Apollo immortalized the love he had
for the beautiful youth by making a flower grow from
where Hyacinthus' innocent blood had stained the earth.
(1)

"This is the main reason that I have bestowed so much
on you. As with many types of war and revenge, loved
ones become the targets. Immortal jealousy is no
different than mortal's. I do not want you at risk for
such attentions. You have already proven that you are
intelligent and resourceful enough to withstand
unwanted intrusion. I am now not so worried that you
will become a target," finished Bryce.

"Oh," was all the staggered Skyler could come up with.
Then he asked, "Was this one of your matches between
them or a random happening? Oh hell, what I mean is,
did you bring Apollo and Hyacinthus together or did it
just sort of happen on its own?" Bryce laughed softly.

"Oh, that was not exactly my doing. Not all matches
have my stamp on them, so to speak. However, I do
benefit from each pairing, whether it was my own work
or that of raging hormones!"

"So, what is the difference between a match made by
you and one that happens spontaneously? Is there a
difference?"

"A good question, actually. A pair that I bring
together may not happen without my intervention. It is
something that I just know should be. An instinct, I
suppose. Then there are couples that come together by
decree, at least in the old days. My mother would
sometimes direct me to bring together one half and to
make the other half dead to love from that person. It
was a very severe punishment to inflict and it never
made me happy to do it. Finally, there are those who
come together on their own and are just as much in
love as if I had used my own arts to bring them close.
Those couples are such a relief to me. Still, I am a
very busy person, even today in the modern world."

Skyler took a deep breath and hesitantly asked, "And
us? Which do we fall into?" He locked his eyes to
Bryce's, waiting fearfully for the answer to come.

"Us? That was spontaneous. I have too much experience
to fall victim to my own devices. It does not make it
any less or different than those who fall to my
arrows. Still, I think I will always cherish our
coming together, be it the Fates or simply chance."

  Bryce leaned toward Skyler and drew him into an
embrace. Skyler felt the tension binding his neck and
shoulders leave with Bryce's touch. He had not even
been aware that he was so rigid with being troubled by
the possible answer to his question. He still wondered
at the quickness of the emotions within himself.
Still, after such a long time of longing for someone
to be with, it felt great. He pushed aside any further
doubts as being just over-doing it. He knew that he
would not soon give up his newfound love, regardless
of its source.

*******

 The beauty spread out before him amazed Joshua. The
ocean lapped at the stones and sand of the shore he
stood on. Ethan sat on a boulder not far away, lost in
his own world of thoughts. Joshua studied the young
man cautiously from the corner of his eye as he faced
the oncoming waves. These waters were so different
from those he remembered around the Aegean Sea. Joshua
continued to look at Ethan as much as at the waves.
The sun gleaming on Ethan's hair sent a golden shimmer
dancing around his head. Ethan's hazel eyes were lost
in another world as they stared sightlessly out over
the tumbling waves. His face and neck shone with a
golden brown hue. His hands were clasped loosely in
his lap and there seemed to almost be an air of
trepidation about him.

  Joshua removed his shoes and socks to feel the warm
sand shift between his toes. He found a midsize flat
stone at his feet and picked it up. He turned to the
water and flung it forcefully outward. The tannish
stone flew an incredible distance in a low arch. It
hit the water edge first and skipped. It skipped a
total of 5 times before sinking beneath the oncoming
surf. Joshua's delight in the simple action was plain
to see for anyone who happened to observe it. He
turned back to Ethan and walked the short distance to
him. He sat on a boulder that was next to the one that
Ethan occupied.

  Ethan came out of his reverie as his peripheral
vision registered the motion near him. He realized
that Joshua had sat down next to him but not with him
on the same boulder. He shivered just a bit as a
breeze came in off of the unceasingly motion bound
water. His hair lifted slightly as that breeze ruffled
his golden hair. The sun really did give it a metallic
sheen from the angle that it hit. The silence between
them quickly became nearly unbearable. Ethan turned
his waist just enough to be half facing this
incredible being that evoked such strong and
unfathomable feelings within him.

  Ethan studied the man sitting at his side. The deep
brown eyes continued to watch the pulse of the waves
as they came in. His features were rather square, but
not in a sharp angular way, just solid. His nose was
very straight but not pointed. The cheekbones were
high and his clean-shaven chin solid without a clef.
His eyelashes framed those dusky eyes to perfection.
Joshua's neck was also very solid looking without
being blocky. His dark brown hair came down to
midpoint on his neck in loose waves of its own. His
tanned skin had that classical Mediterranean olive
tone to it. In fact, Ethan was very much reminded of
all of the classical Greek sculpture he had ever seen,
but with more beauty than any pale, cold marble could
ever attain. Even Joshua's muscle tone was perfectly
proportioned to his physique. This man took Ethan's
breath away each time he saw him.

  Ethan started as he realized where his thoughts had
gone, yet again! He had never before reacted with such
strong attraction to any man, or woman for that
matter, as he did this one next to him. It thrilled
him at the exact same time that it scared him. He had
barely known him for a few meager hours and already he
was considering if he was in love with him. Guilt
washed through as he remembered his reaction to
finding Skyler with Bryce just a few days before. He
now had a better idea of what was running through his
twin's mind and also why Skyler had said what he said
before leaving him with Joshua. Dealing with immortals
was going to be tricky, scary, wonderful, and
downright perplexing.

  Joshua held his peace for as long as he could before
turning toward Ethan. He started to open his mouth to
say something and then realized that Ethan was already
staring at him. The wonderment and longing were plain
to the immortal's eyes as well as to his heart. He was
awestruck with the depth of emotion that was laid
plainly before him. He had not expected it at all. He
could also guess that Ethan had not expected it
either. Joshua felt a tingle of energy caressing his
skin as Ethan continued to stare at him. Joshua began
to laugh with delight. One of his unmentioned concepts
was that of love returned. He wasn't just about
vengeance of love rejected, but also of love that was
freely returned. Then the implication of that socked
him in the gut. He was already far down the to road to
loving this mortal. His scoffing at his own twin now
burned in his ears' memory. He had joked too soon.

  They began to speak at the same time and then
laughingly halted together. Ethan motioned for Joshua
to go ahead and speak. Joshua gazed at Ethan in
wonder. He had not really ever loved anyone other than
his family before this minute. The newness of the
difference in tone and nuance staggered him for a few
moments. He now understood Bryce's total abandonment
of all else for Skyler. He finally choked out words
that held more meaning than he was prepared for.

"Will you help me to stay?" was his simple question.

"W...what do you mean?" Ethan looked puzzled by the
unexpected question.

"I have been out of space and time for millennium. I
have no reference to this time or place. So much has
changed in the time that I have been gone. The place I
have been has no relation to here and now. It costs me
a lot to just maintain this form, much less continue
it from moment to moment."

"Oh! Let me think."

  Ethan quickly analyzed what Joshua had just said.
His mind tracked down all of the implications rapidly.
The key to what had happened between Bryce and Skyler
was now in his possession. Understanding followed. He
stared at Joshua and really looked at him. Joshua's
heart was in his eyes. Ethan blushed all the way to
his ears as he realized that Joshua was just as
smitten as he was. Ethan felt a little guilty with the
elation that brought him. It was all so fast. He
reached out and took Joshua's hand in his own. Vertigo
washed over him as skin met skin.

 An intense blue glow enveloped Joshua as Ethan's hand
closed on his. His eyes opened wide with surprise.
This was not what he had imagined at all. Fire ran
along his nerves and enflamed his senses. His heart
pounded out a startled rhythm. Ethan's eyes had grown
just as wide. Ethan almost pulled his hand away but
then gripped even tighter. The vertigo began to fade
and in its wake, erotic waves of electricity flowed.

"Will you swear an oath that you will not reveal who I
am to anyone? Obviously, Skyler already knows, but no
one else can be told."

"I will tell no one else," Ethan said softly but
clearly.

  The blue ethereal glow suddenly engulfed Ethan while
staying with Joshua. Ethan's scattered thoughts calmed
and then settled. A tremendous peace spread throughout
his body, relaxing the tense muscles that had been
beginning to torment him. The vertigo left him
completely now, but that electrical tingle now built
to dizzying heights. Joshua leaned over and kissed
Ethan's soft lips. The glow melted into them both,
gradually fading beneath their skin. The lip-to-lip
contact sent bolts of non-thought through Ethan's
brain. Joshua finally pulled back from their blissful
joining. He watched Ethan carefully to see what
reaction there would be.

  Ethan felt dazed but incredibly calm, all things
considered. A sense of wonder permeated the enter
experience. It was one thing to guess about Bryce, it
was an entirely different thing to have something
happen directly to him. His unease had melted away
with that kiss. Now all new questions took the place
of that.

"So, maybe you can answer some of the questions that
Bryce wouldn't..." Ethan hinted.

"Such as?" Joshua inquired, still distracted by
Ethan's hazel eyes.

"What does being bonded to a mortal really mean?"
Ethan was becoming just as distracted.

"Hmmmmm?"

"What does bonding mean?" Ethan gently socked Joshua
in the arm to bring him back to his senses. He laughed
with delight at being the center of this immortal's
attention. It had been a while since anyone had made
him feel so giddy.

"Huh? Oh, yes, I see. Bonding? It is when an immortal
needs the help of a mortal to create an anchor into
this present time and world. It gives us a point of
reference of sorts to fixate onto and to keep us in
material form here. Otherwise we may become lost in
the expanse of time." Joshua managed to spill out
around his tongue-tied state. He was in awe of the
emotions that swept his new form. This was a side of
existence that he had never actually taken part in.

  The pair sat in silence while Ethan thought about
what Joshua just said. It made more sense now. It also
helped explain what was happening with Skyler. Ethan
watched the waves roll in as the sun began to set. The
light made an orangish red pathway to the shore. The
blazing trail ended nearly at Ethan's feet. He was
startled. Time seemed to have spun forward faster than
he had realized. That had never happened to him
before. Usually he was very aware of the passage of
time.

*******

  Skyler and Bryce were now curled up on the bed
together, tightly wrapped in each other's arms. The
sun had set not a long time before, but they were just now
drifting off to sleep. They were both still fully
clothed, just basking in the glow of each other's
presence. Quality cuddle time was in progress. Skyler
had a vague thought concerning whether Ethan was home
yet or not, but his mind shut down and sleep overcame
him. Bryce soon followed.

*******

  Skyler woke on the sand of his favorite beach. Once
again he knew that he was dreaming, though there was a
difference this time. He couldn't quite figure out
what it was. He turned onto his side and found Eros
lying next to him. He sneaked a look down their prone
bodies. Both of them were absolutely naked as the day
they were born. Well, at least the day Skyler was
born. Eros lay there with his eyes still closed, oddly
on his side but not. Skyler finally realized that Eros
could never really lie on his back due to the
magnificent wings at his back. The upper most one lay
along his leg like a downy-feathered blanket. It
trailed over the top of his thigh and flowed off the
back leaving his front entirely open. The wing tips
reached to Eros' ankle.

  Skyler raised himself to his elbow and stared at the
immortal intently. That difference in dream quality
was still bugging him. Just as he was about to say
something, Eros opened his eyes. They entranced Skyler
with their dark luminescence. Eros sat up slowly and
his wings drifted back unobtrusively. Those wings
thrilled Skyler to the core of his being every time he
saw them. The fact that neither of them had any
clothing did not bother Skyler in the least.

"Good waking, my beloved," Eros said with a heart
piercing smile. His eyes wandered down the length of
Skyler's body in appreciation, much the way Skyler's
had moments before.

"Eros, what is different this time? This doesn't feel
the same. Am I right?" asked Skyler once he recovered
his voice.

"Ah, most perceptive, my love. Yes, this time is very
different. We are here in an unusual way. We are
physically here. It is not just your mind and soul
wandering through the Dreamlands. It is something else
that I needed to show you. You asked about the things
that I granted you with my power, well, this is
another of them."

"Ph...physically in the dream?" stuttered Skyler.


"Yes, we are completely within the Dream Realm. In all
ways, physically, mentally and in spirit. There are
many reasons for doing this. One, it is another
defense against ill wishing of other immortals. If you
are completely here, they cannot harm you in the outer
world. Also, it is a quicker way to travel to other
places. Time and distance have a different meaning
here. The third is this; I have a stronghold here. One
of the arrangements I made with Morpheus was to move
my palace here from the mortal world. None but myself
can enter it. With the power I have infused into you,
you also may enter."

"Whoa, back this up! You are telling me that we are
entirely in the dream? And that my body is not lying
on my bed back home?" Skyler stared around him in
bewilderment. The ocean's waves crashed against the
rocky shore. Instead of night, the shore was bathed in
bright sunlight. It gave the waves their namesake,
whitecaps. Confusion rippled through his already
befuddled head. He turned back to Eros and waited for
more enlightenment to his questions.

"Yes, you are really here, outside of what you knew as
reality. You should be able to do this on your own,
whenever you wish. The trick will be learning how to
dream and stay on your home plane!" Eros grinned at
him impishly.

"Oh," was all that Skyler could say to that bit of
startling information.

"Once you have mastered entering the Dream World, you
should be able to reach my permanent home here. In
fact..." Eros stood quickly and then snatched Skyler
up into his arms. It was so fast that Skyler was
hardly aware that it had happened before the ground
was suddenly far below them both. Skyler felt the play
of muscle from Eros' chest moving in time with the
beat of the massive wings at the back. The inertia
shoved Skyler's head hard against Eros' chest before
evening out again.

  Skyler lifted his head from the smooth skin beneath
his cheek. The Dream Realm swept by at an astonishing
pace far below them. Then the very fabric of the world
around them seemed to fold on itself. After a split
second of darkness, they reappeared again high above a
mountain range. Eros licked Skyler's ear to get his
attention and then jerked his head upward. Skyler
automatically looked up and gasped in delighted shock.

  A marble Grecian palace floated on a cloud above
them. Skyler had trouble getting his mind around the
scope of magnitude of the buildings. The cloud itself
was immense with various shades of blue and reddish
pastels highlighting its curves and valleys. The
building was carved from marble veined with blues and
gold. The columns lent grace to it that did not cause
pompousness. As they approached, Eros gained enough
altitude to bring them high above this magnificent
structure. Skyler could now make out the general
layout of the complex. It was a simple four-sided
square, absolutely geometrically even on all sides,
with an incredible garden at its center. As Eros
hovered in place, Skyler realized that the palace was
moving with the cloud.

"It's moving?" asked a breathless Skyler.

"Yes, Zephyrus has a standing agreement with me. I
will keep my sharp arrows out of his hide if he keeps
moving my palace and keeps others out who do not bear
my mark upon them. Other than you, only Psyche and my
mother can reach this place without me to guide them.
Zephyrus is paying a debt, concerning meddling in some
of my business affairs."

  Skyler felt soft puffs of breeze along his bare
skin, some of them just a bit stronger than others. He
blushed as he figured out what was happening. Zephyrus
was checking him out in more ways than one! Skyler made
an attempt to slap at the near tangible air. He could
swear that he heard the merest ghost of a laugh in the
air around them. Then Skyler heard a more audible gasp
from the air around them.

"Eros! What have you done now?!?" came a voice from
what seemed like all directions at once.

"Zephyrus, this is Skyler. He is my bonded. I am
showing him my home so that he will know how to reach
it on his own if there is dire need," replied Eros in
a calm controlled voice.

"You may have gone to far this time. Do you understand
his potential? Did you even look that far? Too late
now, done is done," reproached the invisible being.
"Welcome to the fold, Skyler. You may come and go as it
pleases you. Eros has seen to that."

"It is good to meet you as well, Zephyrus," stated a
puzzled Skyler.

*******

  Ethan was very quiet on the drive back to the
apartment. Once the disquiet had settled, he pointed
out to Joshua that they had said that they would be
back by dark. The sun was a sullen disk on the horizon
now, barely completely above the waves. They hiked
back up to the car, stealing glances from the corner
of their eyes at each other when they thought the
other was not paying attention.

  Once the car was unlocked, they both jumped in and
Ethan pulled out all the stops. They flew through the
tunnels and canyons in an attempt to make the self-
imposed deadline that they had set with Skyler. Joshua
turned the radio on to get himself into the right
driving mode. With Matchbox Twenty's "Bent" blasting
into the twilight, Ethan hugged the curves of the road
so tight that Joshua had unimpeded views down into the
bottom of most of the valleys and canyons now that
they were on that edge of the road. He grinned to
himself at the speed that they were going. It just did
not compare in any way to the thrill of flying.
Joshua's grin got even bigger as he thought of ways to
get Ethan into the air with him.

  They pulled into the parking lot just as the sun
sent its last dying rays over the horizon. Ethan
grinned at Joshua. He made sure that the car was
locked tight before they headed back down to the
apartment. Night blooming jasmine sent its scent
wafting through the air. Joshua almost stopped to take
it in, along with the other blossoms that were not
entirely closed for the night. Ethan grabbed his hand
and tugged him onward.

"We're home!" shouted Ethan as he banged the front
door into the wall. "Oops! Sorry!"

  It embarrassed him that he had pushed it so hard. He
had not lost control of himself like this in years. He
glanced at Joshua to see his reaction. Joshua had
followed him in and then gone immediately out onto the
patio. That puzzled Ethan. He peered through the half
open blinds to see if the others were out there, but
saw no one except Joshua. He was now bending over one
of Skyler's rose bushes.

  Ethan went down the hall and listened for a moment
outside of Skyler's door. He blushed furiously at the
memory of last time he had come in unannounced and
certainly did not want a repeat of that sight. He
tapped lightly on the door. He could just make out the
sound of two people breathing on the other side. It
didn't sound as if it was heavy breathing either. When
he got no answer, he knocked a little harder. There
was still no answer from within.

  He turned the knob carefully and slowly opened the
door. Ethan just wanted to check on them to make sure
they were ok. After that morning's shock, who knows
what could happen next. Ethan shuddered at the thought
of another confrontation with an unknown being of
unimaginable power and unknown purposes. He carefully
lifted the door as he pushed it open so that the hinge
would not possibly squeak. He was just as concerned
about not startling his twin. He didn't want to end up
trussed like a turkey ready for the oven! The example
made of Joshua that morning was also still very clear
in his head, even if a bit on the strange side.

  Ethan poked his head in the door and looked over at
the bed. There was still just barely enough light to
see the two forms snuggled into each other there.
Ethan almost let out a sigh of relief to see them both
safe, relaxed and completely covered in clothing. Just
as he was about to close the door, the final strange
thing for the day happened.

  The two bodies on the bed began to fade and then
were gone. Ethan stood frozen as he watched it happen.
The door swung all the way open as his fingers slipped
off of the knob. There was the small sound of the door
hitting the wall in the silence. Ethan blinked his
eyes rapidly in an attempt to try and clear them. He
stared dumbfounded at the now empty bed. He was ready
to burst into tears now. This was the final straw on
his overtaxed nervous system and brain. He slumped
down to the floor, still staring at where his brother
had been moments before with his love.

  After agonizing minutes had passed, Ethan began to
pull himself together. He inched his way back up to a
standing position and then walked, as if he were a
zombie, to the bed. He flicked on the light that was
next to Skyler's bed to see it better. He could
clearly make out the impressions in the coverlet where
two bodies had lain. There was no other trace that
anyone had been there moments before. There was no
sign that they had gone against their will either.

  Ethan was still standing there, staring mindlessly
at the bed, when Joshua finally came looking for him.
Joshua reached out and grasped Ethan by the shoulders.
He then turned Ethan towards him and looked into his
horror-struck eyes. He nodded, almost as if to himself
and wrapped Ethan into a tight embrace.

"What is wrong, Ethan?" Joshua asked quietly.

  Ethan pushed him away and stared at him angrily.
"What is wrong?!" he shouted as he pointed at the
empty bed. "My brother disappears before my eyes, in
his sleep and you have the balls to ask me what is
wrong? As if nothing in the world were wrong with it!
Where are they? What happened?"


------------------------------------------------------

Ok guys, that is it for chapter 7. I sweated it out
over this one. Many delays, more crises, narrowly
avoided catastrophes, you name it, all of it hit
during August. I am trying to get a motion put into
Congress to rename August, "That Fuckin' Month". No
luck on that so far. :D Still, I think things may be
settling down, at least for a few days. Many thanks,
as always, to you readers! Without your supportive
comments <not to mention the death threats if I fail
to put out new chapters>, genuine, heartfelt and oh so
nice during a bad time, I would have come to a
complete halt for who knows how long! Send all
encouraging, or not, comments to LaelSt@aol.com or
ICQ#11938988 <preferred>, including any other death
threats... <which were all jokes by the way...I think
*grin*> Yes, there will be a chapter 8. When is up to
the gods.

 (1) The story of Apollo and Hyacinthus, as told by
Thomas Bulfinch.
Retold by Ron Leadbetter under the Apollo listing at
http://pantheon.org/mythica/areas/greek/
Also found at
http://www.hsa.brown.edu/~maicar//Hyacinthus1.html
Further recombined by me from those 3 sources.