Chapter Two

CHAPTER 2

ο φοίνικας του υγρού χρυσού

[THE PHOENIX OF LIQUID GOLD]

 

[SALEM, NEW SALEM · WEST ANDRIYA]

YEAR XIX B.C

 

Ava Teluc sat before the mirror on the eve of her six hundredth and seventh birthday, her reflection showing a woman no older than twenty-one. Having stopped ageing previously, she had taken to changing her appearance everyday to induce a state of change.

Tonight, her hair was of the deepest crimson, trailing in sinewy waves down her back. Her skin was tan against the red carpet of her hair, and her features were angular, shifting with the shadows cast from the flickering candle nearby. The light danced across her face, illuminating every contour on the unblemished facade until it landed on her honey-dew eyes. The colours in them seemed to swim to and fro, before meeting one another and melting into a new shade. 'Liquid Gold', she liked to call it; the colour that gave her a sense of worth.

She sat back, content with her appearance, and turned her attention to the room before her. An air of disgust clouded around her as she perused the heavily curtained floor-to-ceiling windows, the dark red, velvet-draped bed, and the matching red marble floors.

She had requested something special, and her whoremonger, Cade, assuming that she would be entertaining a Lord or likewise, had bestowed upon her the keys to the Red Room. It was called so, not for it's coloured furniture, but because blood was said to run hot once one had started enjoying the pleasures within its confinements.

Ava grimaced slightly to herself at the thought, and stood to examine herself in the full-length mirror across from the door. Her simple gold dress had been laced with deep red satin veils that flew around her like flames. She had only just begun her self-admiration, when a knock at the heavy, wooden door brought her back. Straightening slightly, she turned, the flames flying out behind her, and glided to the door, opening it without hesitation.

She recognized the man standing in the doorway. She had memorized his face earlier in the day as she stood, lurking in the shadows of the market, cloaked. Pity had coursed through her as she had watched him attempt to sell his underfed livestock, but the emotion had quickly dissipated when he began to talk to a pretty milk-maid, his intentions clearly not that of selling her his chickens.

Ava had abandoned her position then and walked towards him, going unnoticed by the busy sellers and buyers bustling around. Brushing past him, she dropped a gold coin discreetly into his pocket and made her way back to the brothel, knowing that once he had discovered the money in his possession, he would use it for his own satisfaction, which would expectantly include her. She had been right.

“My, my.” He stood before her now, wearing nothing but his desolate everyday clothes, and an animalistic expression that was not uncommon on Ava's customers.

“Please, come in,” she said, her voice soft and welcoming; a tone she had practiced on men countless of times.

“Well...aren't you pretty.” He gazed at her hungrily, and she was able to study his face again. He had the same heavily tanned face as most people who spent countless hours in the market, under the hot sun did. His eyes were darker than coal, and his hair the same shade, falling untrimmed around his square face. He wasn't an unpleasant looking man " in fact, the set of his face made him seem friendly " but the stench of vine leaves emanating from him told Ava that she had made the right choice.

“What is your name?” She asked, bolting the door.

“Demetri.” He cleared his throat, glancing her up and down.

“Demetri,” she repeated slowly, allowing a small smile to play on her lips, “Kalo̱sórisma " [Welcome].” She took his calloused hand in hers and led him to the bed. “So Demetri.” She pushed him back so that he was lying on the bed, “You have come to me on a very special night.” She crawled onto the bed and sat straddling him.

“Oh?” Was all that he said, his eyes glazing over with desire.

“It is my birthday,” she smiled. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer to him.

“How lucky,” he murmured, fingering the fabric of her dress. “I find a gold coin on the eve of your birthday...I guess the gods fated us together.” He let out a deep chuckle, the sound echoing around the dim room.

“How lucky indeed.” She lowered her head to his, trying to ignore the smell of cheap wine escaping from his mouth as he spoke.

“I suppose since it is your birthday, my wife will not mind my being here as much.” He laughed again, but Ava froze at his words. She had gone cold, not from the thought of being with a married man, but from the excitement now running through her.

“And your wife,” she said, regaining composure, “What is her name?” Her question seemed to surprise him, as he stopped assaulting her dress long enough to seem abashed.

“Umm...” He faltered momentarily, before tightening his grip and dragging her closer to him. “Her name doesn't matter. Only yours does...Ava.” The way he said her name brought a sickening flavour to her mouth.

“No, my dear,” She brought her head down and whispered in his ear, “Call me Aphrodite.”

“Aphrodi-” His speech was cut short by her hand around his neck, choking him with inhuman strength.

“On second thought,” Ava tightened the hand around his neck, “I'd rather cheating b******s like you did not desecrate my name by allowing it to glance off of your tongue.” She laughed humourlessly as his meaty hands attempted to close around her neck, before falling limply to his side as he suffocated.

“You should have taken that money home to your wife,” She said, her voice dangerously low. “But all of you men are the same. Beauty is only admired by your c***s.” She reached over his reddening head and pulled a knife from under the velvet pillow. Placing it to his chest she paused and looked down into his eyes, which seemed to be pleading with her.

“I wonder what lies beneath here...” She trailed off, her grip tightening around the knife handle. A split second later she had begun carving his heart out.

“Hmmm...” She mulled, the organ cupped in her hands, “It seems you do have one after all.” She sat back, listening to the drips of moisture staining the floors of the red room. The candle flickered closer to death as it illuminated her honey-dew eyes. The colour of the spilled blood reflected off her golden irises, melding to a deep orange; like the wings of a phoenix rising from the ashes.

Author's Note

PLEASE REVIEW AND CRITIQUE HARSHLY

Reviews

[Crystal Ellyson]

I find nothing wrong with this novel so far. I love it. I love the fantasy element of it. Great job.

[Aziza]

This is a great chapter, but people with less knowledge of Greek mythology will have a hard time understanding how the chapters tie in. In essence, I think that it actually a good thing. I think explaining what's going on more would dumb down the narration.
I would like to see what happens further.

[Roderick Blakeman]

Once again I enjoyed the chapter but it could be from a different book. Nothing ties it in with the previous chapter or prologue.

I enjoyed this chapter but I think you need something to tie them together. I found myself checking the dates and locations, and I am still none the wiser.

Meanwhile on the other side of the city... 10 years later we now find that...

Just a suggestion... I love Greece and tend to read any books I find on the subject... but you now have 3 different events that are not linked, and I only have my feeble grasp of the roman numerals to help me.

[Puffle]

Wow...Was SO not expecting that!! Great twist you put there, that was shocking O_O I was kind of concerned about where you were going with this chapter, then THAT happened and I was like "Wut." XD Anyways, just a question, but why with the quotation marks around "the flames flying out behind her" and " in fact, the set of his face made him seem friendly"?

[D. Moore]

Wow! There is definitely a lot going on in this story that I still haven't read, but you have grabbed my attention because now I want to know what the brother is asking help for. Why is the visitor coming back for the twins when they are 16? And why is Ava a killer after 607 years? Many questions have been created. Good job with creating a picture, I could see her holding his heart in her hands.