The Gatekeeper's Sons Read online

  Chapter Twelve: Mortal Sensations

  Being human certainly had its advantages, Than thought as he walked away from Therese toward his cabin. For one thing, he never realized how much more humans than gods experience the world. As often as he had been all over the planet, he had never felt the sun on his back. He had never experienced the cold water of a lake or river running through his fingers. He had never heard the beautiful music of the birds. Than realized his primal senses were more finely-tuned when in mortal form, while his mind was more finely tuned when in godly form. In other words, he had never felt so much in all his life.

  He wondered if the lower one went in the animal kingdom, the more this was true. Did horses feel more than humans? Beetles more than horses?

  He stopped before a pine tree and pressed his nose close to its tickling branches. He breathed in the fresh, astringent scent with immeasurable pleasure. The path was alight with voices of insects, birds, and rodents, like an orchestra unaware of its audience and so unlike the quiet desolation of the Underworld. Even as Than travelled across the globe for souls day in and day out, he had not heard these insect sounds or felt the freshness of this air or basked in the heat of this sun. Before turning up the gravelly drive to his log cabin, he went to the reservoir once again to kick off his boots and dip his feet into the cool water. In the Underworld, he was surrounded by rivers but in none of them could he indulge his senses like he could now as a man.

  Therese had baffled him. Earlier in the pen, she shouted prayers at him that had made it hard for him to keep a straight face. She had said, “What are you looking at? You think you’re so sexy? So what if you are? Quit looking at me like that! You’re a jerk, aren’t you?”

  It had amazed him how quickly these prayers that she unwittingly hurled at him changed as the afternoon went on. By the next day, by time he was walking her home, she directed other thoughts his way, “Who are you? Why do you like me? How can someone like you be interested in someone like me?”

  He couldn’t read her thoughts, but prayers that she sent his way were crystal clear, even if she did not know he heard them.

  When he reached his cabin, he found it empty. Meg and Tizzie were rarely there, always busy hunting. Apparently they had a new lead in the case and would be gone for a while. Than felt a little guilty, now, as he thought of their constant work. His sisters enjoyed their job, but did they ever get a break? Who was he to have this extended vacation where he could revel in the sensual pleasures the earth had to offer?

  Than sat on the sofa and immediately felt his brother’s appearance.

  Hip appeared on the opposite end of the sofa. “I was just wondering the same thing myself, brother,” Hip said.

  “I have no sympathy for you, lover boy.”

  “I don’t blame you. Your job sucks. The past three weeks have been absolutely odious. I wonder how you’ve suffered through the past centuries without complaining before now.”

  Than shrugged. “It’s not so bad as you make it out, Hip. There’s satisfaction in bringing an end to earthly pain and suffering, which is almost always present at death. Don’t you think?”

  “Absolutely not. It’s perfectly depressing. Not a bright spot anywhere to be found. I came to beg you to give me a day’s reprieve, just a day, so I can have a little fun in the dream world, just to tide me over these next horrible days to come.”

  Than frowned. “I suppose I can find a day to do it. Let me think on it and get back with you.” Than didn’t want to risk the possibility of his father shortening his visit because of a complaining brother.

  “Have I told you lately that I love you, bro’?” Hip jumped up and disappeared, smiling.