Goddess of Love (Goddess Summoning #5)(34)

Pea chewed her lip. "I guess I never really thought about it like that."

Venus pulled on Pea's hand and led her back to the mirror. "Think about it."

"I'll try," Pea said doubtfully.

Venus sighed. "I do wish you could see yourself as others see you." Then the goddess's eyes widened. "That's it!"

Pea frowned. "What?"

"I shall simply give you the ability to see yourself as others see you."

Pea took a step back from the goddess's already glittering fingers. "I'm really not okay with that zapping stuff you do."

"Oh, darling, I'm not going to zap stuff this time. I'm going to zap you." Then while Pea stared wide-eyed at her, Venus said, "Allow her mind to believe the beauty in her others perceive!"

Then the goddess flicked the glittering dust of her magic on Pea. The little mortal sneezed tremendously. Venus sighed and handed her another tissue. Then she took Pea by the shoulders and turned her so that she was looking at herself head-on in the mirror.

"Oh, my..." Pea breathed deeply, lifting a hand as if to touch the girl in the mirror. "I - I never imagined I could look so beautiful," Pea said. "It's magic. It'll disappear."

"Of course it's not."

"But you just - " Pea waggled her fingers, imitating Venus.

"Darling, I didn't make you look different. I just allowed you to see yourself as others see you. This" - she pointed at Pea's reflection - "is utterly real."

"Are you positive you didn't use magic to make me look like this?"

"This is exactly what I've been trying to tell you. Pea, darling, you have your own magic. Your beauty and kindness and intelligence are enough to enslave any man."

"But I don't want to enslave Griffin."

"Don't you?"

Pea blushed. "Well, maybe a little. I guess what I really mean is that I don't want magic to be the reason he wants me."

"Don't worry, darling. The only magic you'll use tonight is the eternal magic all confident women have access to. Simply believe in yourself. Then relax and allow your inhibitions to be freed. Give yourself over to passion and ecstasy, at least for this one night."

"Okay. I'll try, but it might take one or two of Lola's pomegranate martinis."

"Whatever works for you. I'm bringing the lovely credit card."

"Whoever said you can't live off love was absolutely wrong."

Venus sniffed daintily. "I would certainly never say anything so blasphemous."

"Me, either. Or at least not after the last couple days." She grinned at her amazing reflection.

"I'm ready. Let's go before I forget I look like this."

"Wait, I almost forgot." Venus riffled through the piles of discarded fabric on Pea's bed.

"Here - this one is for you, and this is for me." She handed Pea a spectacular half mask. It was covered with tiny slivers of gold crystals and it tied on with a pink velvet ribbon. The one she kept for herself was much like Pea's, except it was covered with what looked like tiny glittering diamonds and tied on with a silver ribbon. "The Internet announcement said that all costumes were welcome, and the only requirement was that everyone wear some kind of mask." They tied on each other's masks and then took one more look in the mirror. Slowly, Pea reached out and took Venus's hand. "You've made me into a goddess."

Venus squeezed her hand and smiled. "No, my little mortal friend. All I did was show you how to release the goddess that had been within you all along. Now let's get in that fabulous car of yours, drive to Lola's masquerade, and commit some goddesslike debauchery."

Laughing, Pea said, "Hey, who am I supposed to be? I mean, you're obviously Venus. Which goddess am I pretending to be?"

"You're my Greek incarnation, Aphrodite. People tend to describe me as shorter and more petite when they call me Aphrodite, so you fit the part perfectly."

"So you and Aphrodite are actually the same goddess?"

Venus sighed. "I can't tell you how annoying this is for me, especially after finding so many irritating references on the Internet that made it seem like we're two different deities."

"I guess I thought you were, too. If I'd ever really thought about it."

"Pea, if you moved to Europe and the people there began to call you by another name because it fit better with their culture, would that make you two different people?"

"Of course not."

"Exactly. In Italy they call me Venus. In Greece they call me Aphrodite. Either place I'm still me."

"But tonight I'm going to be you, too."

"Yes, you are. Make me proud. Debauch like a true Goddess of Love."

"I'm ready for it if you are," Pea said.

"Darling, Love is always ready."

Giggling together, they hurried from the house.

A masquerade...Vulcan stroked his chin thoughtfully. Everyone must wear a mask. Venus had said it was a gala event. It would probably be crowded with mortals, all in costumes, ranging from the ordinary to the outrageous. Not that he'd been to many mortal parties - or many parties of the Olympians. But he wasn't entirely ignorant of the way the world worked, mortal or immortal. He had simply chosen to observe, rather than participate. Until now.