The row of sorority houses stood like antiquated brothels as Melinoe swept over the peaked rooftops, cloaked by her long veil and the shadow of night. Many of the buildings were equipped with attics, where furniture, party props, and forgotten suitcases got stored. Attics also offered the perfect hideout for spirits, and Melinoe had her radar set for one spirit in particular. An incubus named Josef whom she had a long-standing relationship with.

Investigating each attic with care, she felt Josef's lusty presence emanating from the house marked Delta, Delta, Delta, and she settled onto a divan covered in a sheet with a faded floral print. The scent of stale dust and cedar permeated the room, a great improvement over the stench of naphthalene that usually dominated the neglected spaces of old homes. Melinoe had stopped trying to understand mortals and the toxic substances they used to protect their fabrics when a thorough dousing with lavender would do the trick.

Josef arrived as Melinoe indulged in a quick nap, dropping through the ceiling to float over her in his nude form. A luxurious mane of blonde hair blew across his handsome face as his grand wings fluttered gracefully, creating the image of an angel in white. Of course, Josef was far from angelic. He was a wicked rogue, and as Melinoe peered up at him, he spoke in a seductive baritone that proved this point.

"If you had remained asleep a bit longer, this greeting could have started out more entertaining." He offered a seductive smirk, and Melinoe thought she saw a flash of spite in his eyes.

"Now Josef. You know I sleep with one eye open."

Melinoe sat up, forcing Josef into the rafters, and as he drifted back down, she watched his smirk change to a smile, but it didn't strike her as sincere. In fact, he appeared put-out by her presence, locking her in his gray gaze as he addressed her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Melinoe?"

"I was hoping for pleasure. I have missed you, Josef. No one touches me like you do." She reached out to stroke his wings, which felt as soft as they looked. Josef was expertly skilled at making his ethereal form solid. A thousand years of practice will do that for a spirit, along with some damned powerful magic. "How long has it been?"

"After a year, I stopped keeping track," he said, still eyeballing her keenly. "But I remember our last encounter well. You left me tied to a headstone with that damnable sash of yours. It was well past dawn when I finally wrestled myself free."

Definitely put-out. Melinoe smiled sweetly at him. "But, I knew you would free yourself. You're terribly clever. And if I remember, I let you defile me in a graveyard, which goes against my morals."

Josef chuckled, causing his wings to flutter and lift him off the ground. "I have never seen you exercise morals. Are you sure you have them?"

Melinoe bit her tongue. She didn't want to start an argument with Josef. She was there to make a request of him, which would require tact and probably some amount of coddling. "Believe it or not, I do. Not engaging in obscene acts in a cemetery is one of them."

"Says the goddess who enjoys tying up her partners mid-coitus," he said curtly. "So, what did you have in mind this evening?"

Josef's mood shifted from affronted to intrigued as his gaze raked over Melinoe's breasts, which heaved from the bodice of her low-cut dress. Of course, she had worn it on purpose, and she lifted her veil to give him a better view.

"Since I feel bad about staying away so long, I thought I would give you carte blanche, as long as it doesn't involve a cemetery." Melinoe raised her eyebrows suggestively, but Josef did not look convinced, most likely the result of knowing her too well.

"Carte blanche, hmm?" He repeated her offer as he floated across the floorboards toward the window, stopping to stare out of it. "There are so many options with carte blanche."

Josef's voice trailed off and Melinoe waited for him. She knew how his devious mind worked, having taught him a few tricks herself, and her muscles clenched in anticipation when she thought of the ways he could pleasure her.

"Are you opposed to the lake?" he said without turning. "Your pale skin shines like a pearl when it gets wet. I always thought it was a fitting metaphor for you. The beautiful result of something painful."

Josef kept his focus on the attic window, giving Melinoe a chance to scowl as she walked over to join him. If she didn't need his help, she would have silenced his churlish tongue. "Oh, Josef. My life has not been so painful. Although, I do love your turn of phrase." She slid her fingers through the swath of golden curls at his back, admiring the musculature beneath his wings. He really was a stunning specimen, and she often lamented his unfortunate ethereal condition. "I would love to get wet with you."

Melinoe held out her hand, and they both spread their wings in front of the window. Using her godly gifts, Melinoe's body passed easily through the wall, with Josef making fast work of it as well, and a few moments later they were flying over the dark waters of a small, private lake. Josef led them to a large tree where Melinoe could hang her clothes, and as she undressed, Josef become gradually more solid, taking on the form of a flesh and blood man.

"I will never regret falling for you," she said, although the sentiment was more for Josef than herself. This was where the coddling happened. "You are more endowed than any god I have had."

Josef smiled proudly. She suspected he would, and he moved closer to trail his supple fingers down her arms, touching his lips to her neck. "You flatter me shamelessly, and I fall for it every time."

"But I mean every word of flattery. And that's what matters, isn't it?"

Josef continued to sample her skin, using his tongue to blaze a trail to her breast. He opened his mouth and tasted her, flicking her nipple playfully and sending a lusty message to her groin.

"Why do you always leave me," he bemoaned. "You know how I feel about you. Yet, you never stay longer than a night."

"And you know I cannot give you more than that. I am a goddess."

"Yes...your immense responsibilities. But I hate that I will never mean more to you than a romp in the lake. I may not be a god or even a mortal, but I can feel."

Melinoe clenched her teeth as Josef left a patchwork of kisses along her jaw. It had been a long time since she felt emotional pain, and Josef knew just where to apply the blade. "How would it be if we spent forty-five days together?" she said before she lost her senses. "Would that prove my feelings for you?"

Josef held perfectly still, his full lips lingering beneath her ear, and Melinoe swore she detected his breath against her skin. Yes. He had grown quite strong. "What's the catch?"

"You really don't trust me, do you?"

"No. I never have," he said flatly.

"Well, I would be surprised if you did. I'm asking if you would join me in the underworld as my guest. My home is quite comfortable."

Josef was laughing before Melinoe had finished speaking, and she fought back the urge to push him away as she waited for him to compose himself. "Surely, you jest," he said. "Hades would have me tied up and carted off to Tartarus as soon as I passed through the gates."

"I assure you, Josef. Hades will not know you have even entered the gates. I will bring you in discretely. I have already spoken with Thanatos, and he has agreed to let me host you for six full weeks without telling Hades."

Josef's lips formed a pout. "I am not your garden variety spirit, Melinoe. Hades is sure to feel my presence whether he knows about me or not."

"Not if you stay with me. He hasn't stepped foot in my home in over a century. You'll be perfectly safe there. You can trust me on that."

"Didn't we just have this conversation?" Josef's eyebrows cranked upward as he offered an incredulous stare. "I have grown fond of my lifestyle, and I am not jeopardizing that, even if it means having you to myself for forty-five days. While it pains me to refuse you, I must reject your offer. I will understand if you never wish to see me again."

Josef grimaced, looking as if a heavy weight had been loaded onto his back, and Melinoe lowered her head, cursing her bad luck. Or was it her bad reputation? "I understand. And I do not fault you for it. I wouldn't trust me either." She leaned into Josef's cheek and kissed it softly, wishing he hadn't made things complicated. "Now, would you like to get wet with me?"

Melinoe tugged on Josef's hand, feeling his essence weaken as she walked him across the sand and into the water. His body barely disrupted the calm surface, and Melinoe took on her ethereal form to match. This was something she enjoyed sharing with Josef. He made her feel unique when her fellow gods only saw her as a freak.

When they were submerged to their waists, Josef stroked his knuckles across Melinoe's face and slid his fingers through her ebony hair. She loved the way he adored her, but tonight she could feel his eyes boring invisible holes into her head. There was no ignoring the hurt she saw behind them, and she felt the knifepoint dig a little deeper. Josef knew she wouldn't let him refuse her. She always got her way. Yet he didn't try to escape. He stayed there with her, maybe hoping for mercy.

When Josef finally leaned in to kiss her, the rush of desire overpowered any thoughts of leniency Melinoe might have entertained, and she fell into him, pressing her breasts against the subtle warmth emanating from his chest. Soon, her mouth burned from the lash of his hungry tongue, and she felt the delicious pull of Josef's seduction. This was the nature of an incubus. Desire and need unmatched by man or god, and she submitted to him, hoping for mercy.

With no obstacles to impede them, Josef wrapped himself around her and took his fill, penetrating her in his own unique way, weaving his spell until Melinoe could hardly see straight. Stamina was another aspect of an incubus's nature, and Melinoe had to call on her godly powers to match his fortitude. When the first blush of dawn finally lightened the sky, Josef offered her mercy, and as he walked her to the shore, the satisfied smile he wore hinted at a smirk, as if he knew exactly what he had done to her.

"So, there is no convincing you to visit my home?" she asked, knowing his answer already.

"No. You will have to take me against my will."

Reaching inside her bag with deft fingers, Melinoe retrieved the vial she had placed there as Josef watched her carefully, resigned to his fate. He owed Melinoe his life and his afterlife. One word to Hades and Josef would cease to exist. Melinoe uncorked the vial, allowing the vapors to escape and wrap around Josef's body. As she watched him succumb to the silken tendrils, she wasn't surprised when he took the opportunity to say his piece.

"Do you remember saying that love is a lie we tell ourselves to justify our weakness?"

"I do."

"And do you remember that I said you were wrong?"

"Yes."

A frown married Josef's beautiful features as they distorted into mist, and he hurried to finish. "Well...I was wrong."