Heart Beat

Sage was wiping tables outside of the cake shop, the sun blazing down. Pedestrian's ambled past, flip flops thwacking against the tarmac, legs out to catch sun rays, and Sage was full of envy. She tugged at the neck of her uniform, her cheeks flushed from the heat, and tried not to scowl at the customers. A cyclist going by caught her attention and she looked up, her heart skipping a beat.

She dropped the cloth she'd been cleaning with and followed after him. She made it to the crossing, out of breath from breaking into a run, before coming to a stop. The cyclist had stopped at the lights, giving her a clearer view of his face. It wasn't her dad. Sage put a hand to her side, nursing a stitch. The realisation had knocked some of the energy from her.

Why had she run after him? Did she really think her dad would come back? She'd told him not to – she'd told him not to for a reason. He'd chosen money over her. But all the answers she needed were in her aching chest. For those brief couple of minutes, she'd allowed herself to hope. Because she still did hope, that he'd change. That he would come back and fight to be part of her life again.

She turned from the road and covered her face with her hands. Would she never stop waiting? Wasn't there a limit to how long a heart could break? A breath of wind stirred around her, breathing cool air onto her damp skin. Sage lowered her hands and looked up to see Ares standing across the road from her. She met his penetrating stare. Cars crawled along the road between them but Sage's attention focused on the beautiful man that was looking so intently at her.

He stooped suddenly, clutching his side. Sage's brow furrowed in concern and she took a step into the road toward him. A car honked its horn, having to break to avoid her. Ares, on the other pavement, fell to one knee. Sage put up her hand in apology to the cars and rushed quickly across the road.

"Are you alright?" She asked, reaching Ares and putting her hands on his shoulders to support him. "Are you hurt?"

He was clutching his arm and Sage saw that his shirt was steadily darkening. She patted down her pockets, hoping to find a phone – though she knew she'd left it in her locker.

"No hospitals," his voice was firm.

"But you're bleeding." Sage frowned. She pulled aside his shirt to see the injury, but whilst she'd been expecting blood – she hadn't expected liquid gold. She retracted her hand and stared at it, the shimmering liquid dripping from her fingers. "What the..." she murmured. Ares grunted, he put an arm around her shoulders and used her to pull himself up.

"I need to get out of here."

Sage struggled to support Ares' burly build as they staggered back to the cake shop. The bell above the door tinkled as they entered and Jaz looked up at the sound and gawped.

"What happened?!"

"I don't know," Sage was out of breath.

"I'll call an ambulance."

"No," Sage shook her head.

She lugged Ares through the cake shop and toward the backrooms. Seeing what Sage was trying to do, Jaz stepped forward and opened the store cupboard door for her. He helped Sage gently lower Ares onto the ground - kicking a stool out of their way in the process.

Jaz stood back, frowning worriedly. Why didn't Sage want him to call an ambulance?

"You didn't hurt him, did you?"

"What?! No!"

Jaz breathed a sigh in relief.

"Good, cos if you do murder someone you can't go bringing the bodies here."

"Jaz, I know."

They stood for a moment, standing over Ares.

"Why can't I call an ambulance?"

"There's something wrong with him."

"That's usually the reason to call them."

Sage left the cupboard and went in search of towels and cloths, anything that could be used to mop up blood. Jaz meanwhile leant over Ares. "You alive?" He asked. Going down onto his knees, Jaz checked the man for injuries. His brow puckered as he undid the buttons on Ares's shirt and a golden glow bathed his face.

"What's going on, boss?" Cesar asked – seeing Jaz come out of the storeroom, ashen faced.

"Nothing," Jaz's tone was clipped. "We're closing for the day."

Cesar followed Jaz as he marched through to the shop and switched the sign in the window. "Help me with the shutters and then head home."

"What about Sage?"

"She's helping me with finance paperwork," Jaz lied. Cesar's face scrunched in confusion when he saw Sage hurry past laden with towels. Did paperwork usually require towels?

Jaz returned to the storeroom once he'd sent everyone else home and the shutters were all securely down. He stood in the doorway and watched Sage clean up the pools of liquid gold.

"The wound's getting smaller," Jaz observed. "He's healing."

"He's healing fast." Sage put a towel under Ares' head – to use as a pillow. She looked up at her boss – unsure how to broach the elephant in the room.

"Do you think he's an alien?" She blurted out. Sage tensed – waiting for ridicule. That was a stupid idea - wasn't it? Jaz crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful.

"It might explain the gold blood."

Sage exhaled, a little relieved.

"So, you can see the gold blood too."

Jaz nodded.

"Could it be a health condition – some rare blood disorder?" Jaz mused. Sage considered this.

"When they take platelet donations – the bags are gold coloured." She bit her lip. "But that's after a machine's separated the platelets from the blood cells..."

They watched the wound in Ares' abdomen – seeing the tanned skin stitch itself back together.

"How do you know him?"

"I don't. He's come to the shop once before. You don't remember?"

Jaz cocked his head to the side.

"No."

They settled down on the floor, sitting cross-legged with an unconscious Ares between them.

"So, you don't know his name?" Jaz questioned. Sage shook her head. "Hmmm... How about Zorg?"

"Jaz, we can't name him - he's not a pet."

Jaz shrugged.

"Zorg is a classic alien name."

"He's not a..." But Sage's voice faded away. He might be an alien.

Sage stared at Ares' face. It was so handsome, so manly and radiant – perhaps it had been designed in a laboratory.

"What do you think happened to him?"

Sage had been thinking about this.

"He's only got one injury – it's like he's been slashed or stabbed with something."

"You didn't see it happen?"

"No, I was – I was looking for someone," she averted her gaze – not wanting to speak about her dad. "I saw this guy standing across the road from me. He fell to his knees so I rushed over to him and..."

And now he was sleeping in their store cupboard.

Sage rubbed her aching head.

"If someone hurt him..." Jaz pondered slowly, "do you think they saw you bring him here?" They exchanged a worried look.

**

Ares' eyes slowly opened. He stared up at the ceiling, his gaze focusing on a crack running along the plaster. Unusual surroundings – but he'd woken up in worse places. He sat up, groaning as his body protested slightly. The fucking dog! He'd thought he could get around it – but three heads were really too many to keep on top of...

He looked down at his abdomen. His wound was tightly bound up in a clumsy dressing. He cocked a brow. Whoever had tended him, had secured the dressing with heart-shaped plasters. That... that had never happened before.

He rose to his feet, standing tall and proud. His injuries were all healed and he breathed in deeply, detecting the sweet aroma of flowers and cake. He remembered now, when he'd returned from the Underworld he'd landed back on earth – and he'd landed beside her. The same mortal woman again – like she was a magnet somehow that pulled him toward her.

He opened the door of the cupboard and heard the sound of voices coming from the kitchen. With soft footsteps he approached them, listening in on their conversation.

"Maybe this is the beginning of an alien invasion?" Jaz mused – his eyes alight with excitement.

"It's a shoddy beginning if it is," Sage replied dryly – unconvinced. "He's sleeping in a cupboard. If he's the invasion force then I think our military have it covered."

Ares' mouth twitched. Would she be so dismissive if she knew the truth? She'd just insulted a god – and a vicious one at that.

Sage's head whipped around suddenly and she saw Ares lurking in the corridor. "You're awake."

He stepped into the room, as confident as if he owned the place.

"Thank you - both for you - for your assistance." His deep voice resonated in the large kitchen. Jaz and Sage blinked – unsure how to reply.

"It was nothing," Jaz dismissed with a wave, "happens all the time." (It didn't.)

Ares rose a brow in disbelief. His gaze fixed on Sage, studying her expression. She seemed pensive – as if she was puzzling over a solemn problem.

"I have to go. But I'll be back to thank you again." He bowed his head in farewell.

"Are you going to the moon?" Jaz blurted out. Ares smiled – but gave no reply. He headed for the backdoor. "I'll get it for-"

"No need," Ares cut in smoothly. The door swung open as he approached it. Sage rose to her feet. That door had been locked.

"I bid you both, goodnight." Ares' gaze lingered on Sage – admiring. But then he ducked his head down to fit through the low door frame and departed into the night.

"Night," Jaz called after him – bouncing on the tip of his toes. "Zorg speaks English – isn't that insane?"

"Insane...yes..." Sage replied, her voice distant.

He could open locked doors without a key.

How then, could they keep him out? Did they want to? Sage wasn't sure, but she would have liked the option.

Jaz continued to chat happily about their encounter with an alien as he set about manically cleaning the store cupboard so that there wasn't a single drop of blood left. Sage left Jaz to it - she knew that cleaning was Jaz's happy time. Instead she thought about aliens and monsters. 'I'll be back to thank you again' – would he thank them or would he return to silence them, forever...

Ares marched quickly down the street. He pulled out a phone from his pocket and found Sophia in his contacts.

"Yes?" Purred Sophia - thrilled to hear from Ares again so soon.

"I need money."

"What?" The joy left her voice. Ares pinched the bridge of his nose and concentrated. Do what he asks... "Money, yes-" Sophia's voice was empty sounding. "How much do you want?"

He felt a twinge of guilt. But he needed money to live well in the human world and Sophia's ancestors had offered up their bloodline in eternal servitude to the gods. Ares told her how much to wire to his account. He went to hang up but Sophia spoke up – making him hesitate. "Can I do anything else for you?" There was an edge to her words – an offer.