The Demi Gods - What You Want and What You Need

Emily - Meets the mother

    The next few weeks past in a blur. The tour office launch was a success, tours were sold out until the start of August. Emily was sure the main attraction was not the Spanish Steps or the unsupported dome of the Pantheon, but her bosses charm and good looks. The office was flooded daily by flocks of giggling females and husbands that had been reassured this was the best company in Rome.

       With Rick and Davide both taking more tours than they had planned, it meant Emily had to run the office alone. It was busy yet she enjoyed every minute of it. It was something she excelled in and it helped that her bank account had never looked so healthy.

    Her phone pinged, Davide was due back from a tour of the Vatican. Emily nipped out the back and returned with a plate of pasta. She was putting it on his desk when Davide walked through the door.

    “You are a star,” called Davide. “I'm ravenous.” He kissed her on the cheek as he passed.

    Would she ever get used to his casual affection? It was the best and worst part of the job. With every greeting, accidental caress, she knew she was in danger despite her promise not to get involved with her boss, even if he was now single. It took Stefania a while to stop coming around begging him to reconsider. Emily understood her pain, to have basked in his presence and then have it denied would be hard.

    So hard… She almost had enough saved up to restart her course and pay for the month long dig required to finish her degree. But that would mean leaving her job and Davide.

    “I’m organising a party.”

    Emily looked up from the email she had been trying to read. “A party?”

    Davide dabbed his mouth with the linen napkin, “Yes, to celebrate our amazing success. I was thinking to hold it in the Temple of Venus and make it a fancy dress party.”

    That was how that next weekend, Emily found herself dressed in a beautiful ancient roman styled dress, complete with hair and makeup courtesy of Davide. He wanted his staff to be the best representation of the company they could be. So he had bought the dress and booked her salon appointment, much to her embarrassment. Looking in the mirror, she had to admit, that if left to her own devices she wouldn’t look … as good as she did. The soft red silk clung to her body and her blond hair piled artfully atop her head made her look taller than her usual diminutive self.

    The doorbell rang, Davide was on time. With a last look in the mirror she floated downstairs. A car was waiting, Davide was leaning against the door, looking at his phone. Emily paused in the doorway, a proper length toga draped elegantly around his muscular frame.  Hair so black it was almost blue, flopped over one eye as he scrolled down and her stomach lurched when he turned his gaze on her. It was gratifying when his jaw dropped. They stood for a couple of seconds admiring each other.

    With a grin, Davide bowed and opened the door of the car. “You look amazing, Emily.”

    “So do you. Thank you for the dress, I would have ended up in a bed sheet, otherwise.”

    “That can still be arranged.” He winked as she slid past him into the backseat. He ran round and climbed in beside her. “We can go now,” he said to his driver.

    The Temple of Venus was lit by a hundred flaming torches, chaise lounges and small tables were scattered about the site. Dancing girls warmed up, while waiters checked the supplies. They were the first to arrive and Emily was in awe.

    “How did you manage to get permission to hold a party in the Forum?” she asked Davide, as they walked around checking everything was ready. Davide’s arm was through hers, supporting her across the uneven surface.

    “My father called in a favour or two.” He handed her a glass of prosecco and clinked his glass against hers. “Salute! And thank you for all your hard work. We could not have done it without you.”

    Her cheeks flushed in response to his praise, “Cheers, let’s hope we continue to be so popular.”

    The firelight bathed them in a warm glow and they stood gazing into each other’s eyes. Emily’s pulse raced as he stepped closer and his gaze flicked down to her lips. Oh god, what would it be like to be kissed by him? Against all rational thought she tilted her head to meet his.

    “Davide, darling!” called a melodious voice behind them, breaking the spell. Emily sighed and stepped back, turning to face the guest.   

    “Mother! You came!” He practically bounded into her arms.

    Mother? Emily understood where Davide inherited his looks from, yet she hardly looked old enough. He bent and accepted a kiss from the radiant woman. Stepmother perhaps?

    She held him at a distance and studied her son intently. “You have grown.”

    “Well that tends to happen to us. It has been a few years.”

    His mother scowled and flicked a glance towards Emily.

    “Mother, allow me to introduce my most valuable member of staff, Emily. Emily this is my mother,-” Davide paused, “Venus.”

    “Pleased to meet you.” Emily offered her hand. “I’m sure you hear this a lot, but your parents chose your name well. I can see where Davide gets his looks from.” Her blue chiton seemed to surge like the sea in the slight breeze, it shimmered in hues of blue, green and silver. Her silver hair was intricately styled, woven with pearls and silver vines. Emily suddenly felt rather plain.

    Venus raised her eyebrows and shook her hand. With a smile, she said “That is very kind of you, Emily. I take it you haven’t met Massimo yet? His father isn’t half bad either.”

    “I have yet to have the pleasure.”

    They were distracted from further conversation by the arrival of other guests. Venus never left her son’s side, if they hadn’t seen each other in a long time, she could hardly resent the fact. She mingled with the other guides and Rick, not recognising most of the other guests. Rick took great delight in pointing everyone out to her.

    “In the white dress, that is the minister of tourism, Federica Nouni, she’s chatting to Alberto Ferrari, he owns two of the Michelin starred restaurants in Rome.”

    “I feel I came to the wrong party, Rick.”

    He laughed, “Me too. It’s a sacrifice one has to make in the orbit of planet Davide. That exquisite silver haired beauty is his mother.”

    “Yes, Venus. We met.”

    “Oh?” Rick raised an eyebrow, in a similar fashion to the woman they were discussing. “And was she polite?”

    Emily wrinkled her brow in a frown, “Of course. She is a little intimidating though.” Emily glanced around the party, most of the hundred guests couldn’t keep their eyes off the pair as they drifted through the crowd. With a sigh, she excused herself and went in search of the bathroom.

    She followed the torches around the corner where she bumped into a very large and very solid man. He was dressed all in black, and smelled worse than the Portaloos. Stumbling back, her heel caught the hem of her dress and she landed painfully on her ass.  Emily glared up the mountain of a man, who made no move to help her.

    “Work with Davide?” His voice sounded like rusty claws over gravel

    A shiver ran through her body, despite the warmth of the evening, she managed to nod.

    “Tell him, Ptolomeus want Vatican tour.” He dropped a business card in her lap and she couldn’t help but flinch. “Davide call Ptolomeus.” With that he disappeared into the shadows of the ruined Forum.