Read The Poison In The Blood for Free Online

down.
    “Wait,” cried Dianeera. “We must wait for Heracles!”
    Nessus laughed. His canter turned into a gallop.
    “Stop!” shouted Dianeera. She looked over her shoulder: Heracles was still only halfway across the river. She screamed and let go of Nessus, ready to jump off his back. But as she prepared to leap, Nessus reached for her. She felt his strong arm squeeze her. He pulled her off his back and his long nails dug deep into her flesh as she struggled. He wrapped his arms around her. She tried to break free, but he only laughed again. “Heracles!” she screamed, but Nessus silenced her with a kiss. His rough lips bruised hers. The bristles of his beard scratched her chin. Still he galloped.
    Dianeera screamed. Her eyes wide, she stared over Nessus’s shoulder. Heracles was far away now, still in the middle of the river. But he was drawing back his bowstring. Then the arrow flew. Dianeera tried to cry out again, but Nessus was still kissing her, even as the arrow ripped into his back. Now it was Nessus’s turn to scream. He stumbled and let go of Dianeera. She fell to the ground. As Nessus fell too, she rolled over and over. From behind her, she heard a crash and looked round. Nessus lay twitching in the dusk. He was pulling at his skin with his long nails. It was as though he wanted to rip it off. He roared in agony.
    Dianeera rose to her feet and dusted herself down. She felt so bruised and dazed that she did not know what to do next.
    “Dianeera.” Nessus’s voice was hoarse and rattling. “Dianeera, I am dying.”
    She looked at him. “Am I meant to feel sorry for you? You would have raped me. Death is all you deserve.”
    Nessus wheezed and choked. He nodded his head. “And I am sorry for it,” he gasped. “Please, before I die, accept my apologies.”
    Dianeera stared at him helplessly. She looked around. A mountain spring was bubbling nearby. She crossed to it, crouched down and cupped her hands. She brought Nessus some water. He drank it greedily. When he had finished, he looked up at her with gratitude.
    “Come closer,” he whispered, beckoning feebly. “there is something I must tell you.”
    Dianeera frowned at him with suspicion.
    “Please. It is for your own good.”
    Dianeera knelt down beside him.
    “Listen,” wheezed Nessus. “I have seen ... your husband . . .If you ever . . .” He gasped for breath and swallowed. He tried again. “If you ever . . .”
    “What?” demanded Dianeera. “What are you talking about?”
    “If you ever feel . . . your husband . . . that his love for you . . . that his love for you is fading . . .”
    Dianeera wanted to ask why that would ever happen, but she did not. She kept silent. She kept listening.
    “Take a bottle . . . fill it with my blood ... I tried to rape you for love . . . Now I die for love . . . My blood ... is magical.”
    “How? How?”
    “A love charm.” Nessus smiled feebly. His breath was fading. “smear it on a robe ... give it to your husband . . .” His eyelids fluttered, then closed. “He will love you again.” A long, rattling gasp, then silence.
    Dianeera laid her hand on Nessus’s heart. It was still. She rose to her feet and looked to the river. Heracles had reached the shallows. He was almost on dry land. Quickly, Dianeera took a water bottle that was hanging from her belt and crouched down beside Nessus again. She held up his hand, slit his wrist with the arrow point and decanted his blood into the bottle. Then she stoppered it and hung it again from her belt.
    Heracles walked up behind Dianeera, who turned. He took her in his arms and kissed her. Dianeera wrapped her arms around his shoulders. For a long while they embraced in silence. When Heracles finally let her go, Dianeera still held her tongue.
     
     
TEN
     
    She hugged her secret to herself.
    Over the years that followed, she gave Heracles many children, and she lived happily with them in Argos. But she did not travel with her husband again - and he