Daniel Jackson Library
Stories by other authors

E-Mail Moon Mistress

About Moon Mistress

Site Home Page

Barters N Garters
Sister, Sister
A Short Story
by
Moon Mistress

Chapter Six

Darlin' in my wildest dreams
I never thought I'd go
But its time to let you know
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn and leave you here.....
Harden My Heart
QuarterFlash

Downstairs in the kitchen, Calla, with her robe cinched tightly around her waist was very cheerily making an omelet for her Husband. Daniel always liked those and he liked them best with bacon—which was crisping nicely in the next pan—and cheese so she went to the refrigerator just the beaten eggs began to bubble in the pan.

“I hear you gave your Sister a hard time.” The packages of shredded cheddar and Monterey jack fell to the floor. “What is the meaning of that?”

“I have no Sister.” Bracing herself she turned around to stare in the cold onyx eyes looking her through and through. “Fa…..Ares,” she said haughtily, “what more can I do for the mighty God of War?”

“You can stop being so damn petulant and answer me!”

“As I told your cheap whore, none of you is going to take anything else from me. She didn’t seem to like this.” Calla bent picked up the items she’d dropped and brushed past Ares on her way to the stove where Daniel’s eggs were about to begin burning. “I’ve given up enough in my life, I won’t relinquish anything further.” Without turning around to look at him she sprinkled the cheese on the bubbling eggs and, with the long sharp fork, took the strips of bacon from the other pan and laid them on top of the eggs and cheese.

“You will do as I tell you to do! You are still my Daughter and I am still your Father.”

Calla wheeled around on her heels sharp fork in hand. “I have no Father!” She jabbed at him with the cooking fork. “You have no Daughter….only a new belly warmer! Call that thing whatever you want except Daughter…your loins and Mother’s womb did NOT create that….that…that…THING…..it is a soulless FREAK that will share your bed not a woman!” She shouted.

(Upstairs their voices were clearly heard by all, including David who had just started to wake. Colleen raised a finger to her lips indicating to her Father and her Uncle that they should be quiet and listen.)

“What has gotten in to you, Calla?” Ares reached out to touch her. Not in a mean or threatening way but with a hand that was steady and concerned.

“My name is CALLESTAH!” She shouted and began to shake.

Ares recoiled at the sight of blazing anger in her eyes. “Do you feel this way about Lord Thor? Do you believe his existence to be an affront to God?”

“Don’t you mean ‘the GODS?’” She quipped. “Lord Thor will deal with his maker when he dies but I know this much; Lord Thor was borne of Lord Odin and Lady Jord, his body is not original but his SOUL is!”

“And Callestah’s soul?” Ares asked snidely, his nostrils flaring at the insult.

“Is here!” Calla jabbed at the center of her chest. “I don’t know what Mother has done but my soul is here, it has always been right here!” Suddenly the scent of burning eggs started to fill the air. Tossing down the cooking fork and grabbing the spatula she flipped the omelet over. “That creature’s heart is empty she will never be able to love you the way that I do.”

What was she blabbering about? Surely this was just some temper tantrum and it would pass. Soon she would understand why he had done this and that it was the best solution for all involved. “You do not love me, that is the problem.” Ares sneered. “You refuse to come to my bed.”

“Is that the only way you will allow me to love you? What right do you have to go behind my back and make another one of me? Am I so inconsequential…so unimportant in your eyes?”

Ares took an angry step forward. “I never said….I never meant…..”

“You did!” Calla roared at him then turned her back and slipped the omelet out of the pan and onto a plate.

“You have no right….”

“Unlike your little carbon, I AM an Olympian and YOU WILL abide what I say in my own home even if you do not like it.”

Ares shook his dark head. “I warn you, you are treading on very thin ice.”

“Not as thin as the ice you tread.” She returned. “I know you came here to threaten me, to tell me that I must give up either my Husband or my Sa’Tan….”

(Upstairs where the fog had started to lift from David’s mind, it now cleared away completely. “Wot?” But Danny covered his mouth with his hand so that they could all hear.)

“…..I will NOT give up either of them. They are BROTHERS. YOU took their parents from them! They are patching up their relationship and THEY WILL stay together. I will NOT allow YOU to separate them again. No, I will not let you do this. They have suffered enough on account of your jealousy.”

“Is it their brotherhood you hope to salvage or…..perhaps….another one?”

“Shut up! Eros is dead, aren’t you proud? Your new little protégée sent your Son to Oblivion.”

“It’s more than you did.” Ares sneered. “How unfortunate for you that this decision rests with them,” Ares first used his index finger to point upward indicating the two men he thought sleeping upstairs. Then with the same long muscular finger and began poking her between her small breasts to emphasize every word he spoke, “and…not….with….you.”

Calla grabbed Ares’ finger and ruthlessly bent it backward. “Don’t ever touch me again you pig!”

“OW!” Ares roared as he pulled his hand away from her. “What has gotten in to you?” It was unlike her to disobey in this manner. The woman always made her position known but in the end she backed down, only once did she allow things to escalate this way and it cost them the barn on the back quarter of the property.

“Now….get…..OUT of my house, take your horrid Grandson with you! And DO NOT EVER COME BACK!” Calla roared at him like an insane lioness guarding her pride from what she felt a direct threat. “I….CALLESTAH…..HATE……YOU!!” Though her voice lowered the threat did not fade. “This betrayal is unforgivable!”

“Callestah!” Ares shouted with authority and grabbed her by the shoulders. Without thought he began shaking her. “What is wr….”

Calla lost it. She started screaming, scratching, clawing, biting, kicking, anything she could think to do to….. “KA’NOK RE!”

(In their bedroom Daniel threw back the covers but before he could do anything Colleen vanished from his side.)

“Get your goddamn hands off of my Mother!” Colleen, bow in hand and arrow ready to let fly, threatened her Grandfather. “Right now, Umpa!” Shocked Ares just stood there. “I am not like my Brother, Umpa. I am not charmed or bedazzled by you. I do not want to be like you or make you proud. I have no Male Ego to inflate or bruise and I will not hesitate any further to kill you if you don’t get away from her.”

“I gave you that bow!” Ares snapped.

“Thanks.” Colleen cracked. “Now back away from her.”

“Mark my words, both of you, Daniel and David will choose to relieve you of this body, Callestah. They will choose to keep only Calla with them…..”

“No they won’t,” she returned. “You cannot separate us, Calla and I, we are one in the same. To take one from this body is to kill the other. The creature you have made is not me.”

“What? Your pretty new whore will die?” The Olympian Goddess nodded. “Yes she will but not too soon, I’m sure she will bear two or three children first, it’s a start, isn’t it? You will not have Forever with her but…well….you can’t have evvvv-ree-thing,…..where would you put it?”

“Why would you side with them?” Ares hissed. “Callestah, what have I done to anger you so? I want you with me, why don’t you understand that?”

Upstairs the babies were heard wailing and the soft tones of Annie’s muffled voice as she tried to soothe the girls came to the ears of those arguing.

“This is my family. They love me. Obviously, my Great Lord Ares, Olympian God of War, you do not. You never will. Perhaps you never did. Your desires are more important to you than I am. To them; to Colleen and Daniel and even David, my desires are paramount. Imagine that.” Callestah chided. “Why wasn’t I good enough for you? I am, after all, only what you made me, why is that not also what you want?”

Colleen didn’t know about her Grandfather but her heart was breaking as she stood there listening to this. “You heard her now get out.” She said again still with her bow cocked. “Just do it, Umpa, just go.”

For the first time since they’d brought the barn down, Ares genuinely felt threatened. “As you wish Granddaughter.” Rudely he pushed his Daughter away. Calla’s hip crashed into the corner of the stove shooting a bolt of pain through her. He had no idea of how things had gone so sour so swiftly. All he intended to do was give everyone what they desired, how could that be wrong? “If you do not give me one, I will take Daniel.” He warned. “Do you understand? I will just reach out and snatch him away from you!” Ares fisted his palm in front of her eyes. “Poof….he’ll just disappear from before your eyes.” He balled that fist up tight and squeezed it mercilessly. “Give me David.”

“You stole my Son! I will not give you anything.”

“Oh, yes, you will.” Ares shook his fist at her. “Don’t fool yourself, Nicholas is with me because that’s where he wants to be. I have offered him something you never could.”

Calla laughed again. “I know, believe me, I know what he believes you have offered him; the power of his Olympian blood. He would have had that here, I never wanted to keep it from him. But you…. you tainted him you turned him into something I hardly recognize. Do what you want to me, to this body, but you’ve perverted my only living Son and for that I will never forgive you.”

(Standing there with arrow drawn, her Mother’s words did not escape Colleen’s ears and she had enough time to wonder where her dead Brothers were buried because surely Mom was talking about more than the unborn Son she’d lost a few months ago.)

“I don’t want your forgiveness….I want one of your men!” He slammed his big angry fist down on the preparing table. The condiments there jumped and then spilled. “You will give me one! You will do this for your Sister if not for me!”

“I don’t know what that creature is but she is not me and she is not my Sister. As for my men, you’re out shit out of luck and I am out of sympathy for you. It is your fault that I need both of them! Doesn’t that matter, is that not of any consequence in your world? You stand there asking me to give up the love of my life or my lifeline. How can I choose? How can you ask this? If you never took me to Kanan I never would have been bound, I never would…..”

“If you’d never KILLED YOUR MOTHER I wouldn’t have had to take you to him!” Ares thundered. “But you did! You brought this on!”

“No, you did.” Calla dared and took a step toward him. “You let them do this to me, you let Grandfather and Grandmother and all the rest of them fill me with their powers and then you let them take my strength away.” She whispered in a dark voice. “You…..the Great Lord Ares…..you failed in your duties as my Father! I never failed you as a Daughter, never once. You’re so smugly superior, so goddamn blind that you couldn’t see the danger in Eros’ eyes and keep me safe from your own Son!” Turning her eyes and her index finger to the kitchen ceiling she continued. “They love me. This body,” she moved her handed up and down on her own flanks. “The women within it. They will not be separated from me certainly not just to please the likes of you.”

“They will consent to this just to be rid of ME and you will consent to it for the same.”

“They will not.” Calla stood firm in her conviction.

So lost in the heat of the argument were they that they never heard the footsteps rushing down the stairs. When a blazing streak of blonde fire flew into the kitchen and attacked Lord Ares, for just one moment, everyone, including the Great God himself were taken aback by the sudden intrusion.

“Where’s my husband? Bring Nicky back!” Annie shouted through gritted teeth while she pounded her small irate fists against the big man’s flat stomach. “What have you done to him!?”

“Get this woman off of me before I kill it!” Ares snarled grabbing Annie by her upper arms and raising her off her feet and high into the air. “You’re not enough for Nicholas he is where he belongs now. Find yourself a boring little Mortal boy and make droll little Mortal babies! Nicholas is coming with me!”

Annie did what any woman in that situation would do; her legs flailing in the air below her, she kicked him squarely in the Family Jewels. Ares dropped her and as he doubled over Annie clenched her fists together and landed a blow on the side of his roughly handsome face. “Bring back my Nicky you rotten old man!”

“Annie, come away from him.” Calla grabbed the younger woman’s arm and pulled her away before Ares lost it completely. It was one thing for her and Colleen to challenge him, at least they were prepared, but Annie was not.

“David will,” Ares said with a cold smile, “if for no other reason than to have you---oh excuse me—to have her, in the ways he wants you.”

“Do your worst, Ares but don’t be an idiot. Do not underestimate David’s wisdom just because he has a dark side; all men do. Go on and appeal to David’s baser senses and urges the way you have done with my Son. I believe David has learned his lessons and will not be so easily swayed.”

Ares laughed a deep hearty laugh. “Why is that? Because he’s had you? What an ego, just like you’re Mother.”

Calla took a step toward him and pulled back her lips in a cold smile. “Well, now that you mention it, yes, as a matter of fact, I am that damn good. Too bad you’ll never find out for yourself.”

“I had you.” He scoffed.

“Not in the ways they have. Get out.”

“She’s said it more than once now, Umpa, I think it’s time you hit the road.”

“This is not over. There will be a Ritual, your Grandfather will drag you to the Island if he has to. Zeus is fully behind this. Our race will not die out because of your foolish heart! You will come. You will endure it. One of them will be bound to her.”

“If not, Umpa? Then what?” Colleen asked her fingers itching to let the arrow fly.

“I’ll kill all of you.”

“You dare to threaten my family?”

“Did I stutter?”

“You just made the one enemy in the whole of the Universe that you cannot afford.” Callestah returned. “Shoot him!”

THWONNGGGG

The arrow flew across the kitchen and sunk into Ares’ upper arm. The God of War let out a roar of pain and disapproval which shook the panes of glass in the kitchen windows. “My aim’s not bad, Umpa, I don’t wanna kill you, I just want you to leave. That’s a regular arrow but this one,” a gold arrow with a glowing red tip appeared in Colleen’s hand. “This is one of those special one, I’m sure you recognize it and unless I miss you my guess—and I don’t—you have no control over this weapon, do you? Of course not, it belonged to and was made for your Sister. Forged by Hephaestus it is a weapon of the Gods.”

Ares, who had come here to his Daughter’s home unarmed, reached over to his left side and yanked the broad tipped arrow from his bicep. “Three emotional, hysterical, babbling women! You’re all insane. How can you think any of you is a match for me?” Tossing the bloody arrow to the ground he warned; “This is not over. I will have what I desire and none of you harpies from hell will stand in my way.” In a puff of black smoke he disappeared from the kitchen.

Daniel and David who had been unobtrusively making their way down the stairs and listening to the conversation now came into the kitchen. Colleen turned around, saw her Father standing there and dropped the weapon in her hand as she ran to him. “Daddy!”

Daniel wrapped his arms around her. “My girl, huh? Very brave, you got some stones.” Colleen laughed a little. “Good job.”

“Thanks Daddy.” She felt a wave of relief wash over her as her muscles started to relax and the reality of the situation sunk in.

Annie stood there not knowing what to do or where to turn. “He’s never coming home.” She moaned hugging her arms around her own body. “Nicky’s never coming back to me.”

“Don’t say that,” Calla tried to soothe. “Nicholas might change his mind.”

“What did I do wrong? I tried to do….to do……everything he wanted.” She mumbled.

“I know you did, my dear. You’re a very good wife and lovely girl. My Son is a jerk, it’s not your fault, its mine. I must not have been a very good Mother I’m afraid.”

“Dat ain’t true, Callie.” David said. “I dunno know where Nick’s got off to or exactly wot’s goin’ on but yew a good momma.”

“Looks like we’ve got a lot to talk about.” Daniel said easing away from Colleen but keeping an arm around her. “Is that my omelet?”

“Yes.” Calla said with a grin.

“Good ‘cause I am starving. What about you?” He asked David.

“Yeah, I could do wit a bite.”

“You heard him.” Daniel said to Calla. “Why don’t we all get something to eat, sit down right here at this table and have a long chat?”

Calla fixed three more omelets and pot of coffee. At the table they sat and ate while she did her best to down another one of those yucky milkshakes. She told them that Nicholas chose to stay with Ares and the Olympians and that as far as she knew he was not coming home. Neither of Nicholas’ Fathers seemed to like that idea, they were determined to go and get their Son and bring him home to his Mother and his Wife.

“What about me?” Colleen asked putting a forkful of egg and cheese into her mouth. “Why doesn’t Umpa want me to go with them? What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing,” Calla said reaching out to pat her Daughter’s free hand. “There isn’t anything wrong with you. I imagine he does want you to go with them but Ares knows you won’t no matter what he says or does you will not go.”

“Why not?” Colleen said.

“Because this is your home and you are committed to your family.” Calla replied. “Nicholas wants to be.” She said to Annie. “But fears he’s missing out on something….important to an Olympian male.” Calla wanted to allay the young woman’s fears and tell her that Nicholas was delusional and he wasn’t missing anything by not having an Olympian woman at his side or a throne to sit upon but that wasn’t true. She’d given up a lot, a damn lot, to be and stay here in Colorado with her children and Daniel. Nicholas had the right to explore that part of him if he wished but he did not have the right to trample on others or take what did not belong to him. He was guilty of both of those. “We will try to bring him home.”

“This Ritual?” Daniel asked.

“Perhaps the three of us should discuss that in a more private setting.” Calla suggested.

“He’s wrong, Callie, I ain’t got no want to go off wit dat li’l gurl, they ain’t my cuppa tea.”

“She’s not little girl. He made the clone, she resides within as a full grown woman.”

“I thought he’d….when did he…..” Daniel stumbled.

“Ask me? Never. He simply presented her to me while you were away.”

It didn’t take a genius to see the hurt in her eyes or hear the betrayal in her voice. “Now he wants what is left of Callestah inside me to be transferred to her.”

“I know.” Daniel said. “He told me that before, why are you so against this? Why does it make you so angry? I thought you were going to explode or something.”

“Ares had no right to do this.” She said through slotted lips. That was true, he had no right. More than that she wanted all three of them, yes that was selfish and maybe it was even wrong but after all she’d gone through in her life, Calla and Callestah felt they deserved this but she would give up David if Ares would stay. Then again, Daniel wouldn’t be in a favor of that, he never was. So over the years Ares got frustrated until he couldn’t take it anymore and he’d lashed out last summer. When that didn’t go his way he set out about this clone thing. No doubt he hoped to weed out the fact that the body would need either Daniel or David around from time to time but that hadn’t happened. The clone, like Calla, was imperfect and that must be driving him crazy. “He should have consulted with me first.”

“Would you have said ‘yes’?” Daniel asked but already knew the answer. “No, huh?”

“It’s unnatural. Vile. Abhorrent.” She spat. “He should have been happy being my Father but he could not do this. I owe him nothing.”

Eggs done and coffee pot empty they got up from the table. “What do you want to do, Kitty?”

“I’m not going to let him have either of you and I’m not going to let him have anymore of me.”

“So where does that leave us?” David asked.

“At the moment, we’re at an impasse. Father hates stalemates so sooner or later he will have Grandfather come and collect me.”

“We won’t let that happen. You know that, right?” Daniel asked. “If you don’t want to do this….” He put his dish in the sink and watched as she began to draw the water. “Leave it, it’s late, you need to come to bed.”

Behind him David perked up and smiled. Calla blushed. “I think you’re both still too sick for that.” She chided lightly. Still going to bed sounded like heaven. The argument with Ares left her drained and weary being between their warm strong bodies until the sun rise might be just what she needed to regain a bit of it.

“I feel good. How ‘bout you, Danny?”

“More talk then we’ll see.”

“He never shuts up.” Calla complained with a grin.

“Never did.” David replied.

The younger women sensing their presence no longer necessary took their leave for the night. “Night Dad.”

“Night Pumpkin.” Daniel kissed her cheek. “I’m very proud of you. I’ll be up in a minute to take of Brigid.”

“Ok.” Colleen said with a smile. “Night Mom.”

“Night my dear.” Calla blew her a kiss. “Good night, Annie, try and get some rest and don’t worry, this will always be your home no matter what happens with Nicholas.”

Leaving the mess in the kitchen until morning they all went up to bed making sure to turn off all the lights and lock all the doors. Not that it would do any good against any Olympian who decided to barge in but it was good measure against others. Although she’d washed them both very thoroughly they felt a shower necessary, David was in first to get cleaned up.

“What happened while we were away?” Daniel asked as he held her close in bed. “I know we were gone a long time and I know you weren’t very honest about what happened with Nick, so while its just you and me, tell me what happened.”

Calla couldn’t find the words or the thoughts or the images anymore. The only thing she could find were the tears of sorrow which now let lose in a deluge. “I want him to come home. No matter what I love my children, I love my Son.”

“Then we’ll bring him home. It’s ok, honey. We’ll bring him home.”

End Of
Sister, Sister

by
Moon Mistress

continue To Lovers & Other Strangers

This story and all stories in the Barters N Garters Library are copyrighted to Lisa Beth Darling these stories may not be transferred outside of this URL in any fashion.