by M. R. Polish
“I don’t know,” Atty responded. “But, I think Azul and I are going to backtrack and see if we can find out. I don’t want you to wait here though. You need to continue to Oregon. We’ll meet you there. You remember the plans on where to go?”
Karis’s palms began to sweat. “I think so. I don’t see why you need to leave though. We should stay together.” She couldn’t handle the weight of any more deaths on her shoulders. Not that Atty or Azul would die just because they were separating from the group, but she didn’t know what or who was following them. Besides, if they were being trailed there must be a reason. A reason none of them knew.
Atty smiled. “You forgot, this is what I do. War, fighting, battles, strategic planning. This is what I’m good at and it fills me with a sense of purpose once again. It’s been too long, but not so long that I’ve lost my abilities.” She glanced at Alexis. “You know me. You know I have a sixth sense about these things.”
Alexis nodded. “I do. Just be safe. We still have so much to catch up on.”
Atty rolled her eyes. “You just get to Oregon and wait for us there. We’ll be there before you know it.”
“We’re going to leave before sunrise, but don’t wait too long before you leave either. Just get there.” Azul stared at Brady now. “Safely.”
Brady scoffed. “I didn’t know there was another way. You just leave worrying about Karis to me. Magnus and I will take care of the ladies.”
Azul flexed his jaw. “This is so much more than just about who can worry about who more. Or who can protect who.”
“Alright boys,” Atty interrupted. “I think you need to stop the pissing match. We all know you both are proud of your feathers, but show them off another day.”
Alexis laughed followed by Karis. “You sure have a way of putting grown men into place.”
Atty shrugged. “Live in a house with a bunch of men who think they are gods for a century, you learn how.”
“I give you credit,” Karis said. “I bet Zeus was ornery as well.”
She laughed. “He was a bit tamer than most, but yes, he had his moments as well. Poseidon is a bit more boisterous than others, so you need to be prepared.”
“Okay, I think we all need to go get some sleep. Atty and I will leave soon, but you guys stay together. We don’t know who it is out there or what they want. Keep alert at all times.” Azul’s pointed stare was directed at Brady but it was meant for everyone.
They dispersed and slipped into their rooms, leaving Karis and Brady alone. Karis fell to the bed on her stomach. “Who do you think it is? Do you think whoever it is, is actually following us or is it just a coincidence?”
Brady plopped down beside her, bouncing the firm mattress, and making the loose wooden headboard clang against the wall. “I don’t know.” He grabbed her hand and stroked small circles on her palm with the tip of his fingers. “I know that I don’t feel threatened, and neither should you. Come on.” He moved to pull the covers down and fluffed the pillows. “Come join me and get some sleep. I’ll stay awake if it will make you feel better.”
She crawled up to him but didn’t lie down. Instead, she stayed on all fours and looked into his eyes, seeing her soul swim with his. “There’s something I want more than sleep and it will make me feel a lot better than you being sleep deprived.”
His brow rose playfully. “Oh really?” Familiar warmth filled his jeans. Everything he wore became too tight and restrictive.
“Yes, actually, I was thinking that maybe you’d want the same thing.” Her heart skipped a beat as she leaned lower and barely feathered a kiss from his mouth to his neck. The tingling in her lips became more of a shock as he lifted her head with his fingers and his mouth crashed down on hers.
Sitting up, Brady broke the kiss and pulled his shirt off. Karis splayed her hand across his side and fought herself over the need to pull him in and rush what she wanted. No. Tonight she was taking her time and going to love every inch of him the way her heart begged her to do.
“You’re impossible. It doesn’t look that hard, I’m sure I could drive. You know we still have vehicles in Shamike. It’s not like we went all barbarian since you left Aridam.” Azul folded his arms as he stared out of the windshield.
“No. This is my car, and we are not on Shamike, or Aridam for that matter. We’re on Earth and here you need a license.” Atty tapped the steering wheel in rhythm to the song peacefully drifting from the speakers. She preferred to listen to music much louder, but it was hard to listen for the stalker so she opted for a quieter ride. But that meant it left more room for her and Azul to talk—or argue.
“Fine. But I need to stop. Why don’t you pull over up there so we can get out? We’ve been driving for hours.” Azul just wanted to put some space between them for a few minutes before he exploded. She was the most exhausting woman he’d ever met.
“Whatever,” Atty said as she pulled into the twenty-four hour gas station. The sun had long left the sky and the moon was high in the sky, leaving just enough light after the headlights were turned off to see.
She ran in and grabbed the paddle of wood with a key tied to it and rolled her eyes and she opened the creaky door outside. Great. It smelled worse than a porta potty. She hoped Azul’s room smelled worse because she couldn’t handle him getting the better end of the pit stop.
After washing her hands three times and using any available body part that didn’t have skin showing to open the door and let her out of the modern outhouse, she stopped in her tracks. The crisp night air was still—too still. Inhaling long and deep, she backed up until she was inches away from the men’s room and knocked behind her. “Psst.. Azul,” she whispered. “Azul, get out here.”
The door cracked open radiating a bright light. “Shut the door you moron,” Atty yelled under her breath.
He heard the stressed tone in her voice and quickly did as she requested, even though he hated taking orders from her. He leaned over her shoulder to whisper in her ear. “What is it?”
The heat from his breath made her shiver. “Listen, feel the air.”
A sizzling static inched its way over his body making the hair on his arms stand up. “What is it?”
“It’s not a what, it’s a who.” She straightened her back and prepared for an attack. “Diana? Is that you?” she hollered out into the darkness.
A slender shadow stepped out from behind a tree. “I didn’t think you were ever going to figure it out,” a woman’s voice replied.
Atty dropped her stance and relaxed. “You nearly gave me a heart attack. Why the sneaking around?”
The woman came closer and Azul sucked in a sharp breath. She was gorgeous with her long golden hair falling in waves down her back and her petite body with perfect curves that would beckon any man. But it was her eyes that held him captive. They were silver and glowed in the dark. As eerie as it was, they were captivating and held his gaze.
She shrugged. “I haven’t had a good chase in so long, I just thought, why not?”
“Do you know who we were with? Is that why you were following us?” Atty asked, still obviously perturbed, her hand planted firmly on her hip.
“I had a feeling.” She smiled sweetly at Azul. “Athena, are you going to introduce me to your friend?”
Atty bit the urge to pound her adoptive sister square in the jaw. She didn’t want to introduce Azul to her. Not that she could think of a good reason why not. “Azul, this is Artemis, my adoptive sister for all intents and purposes. But, she goes by Diana now. Diana, this is Azul. He is like the commanding warrior from Shamike, or something like that. I don’t know, I didn’t pay attention when he told me.”
Azul stifled a chuckle when he read the smallest thought from Atty. She was jealous and didn’t even know it. This could play out in his favor if he used that information right. His attention moved to Diana. He tried to read her thoughts as she stared at him, possibly doing the same thing. He didn’t know what powers this lady had, he had better be careful.
“Azul,” Diana said seductively. “How nice to meet you. My sister always saves the best for herself.”
He coughed and cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you, too.” He looked at Atty who kept shifting her stance and her weight from one leg to another. “Atty, I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.” She twirled and strode to the car. “Are you guys coming or not?”
Chapter Five
Atty slammed the car door and revved the engine, all the while shaking her head. Why did it have to be Diana? Of all the people in the universe, with hundreds of worlds, it had to be her adoptive sister following them. But then again, why shouldn’t it be? Diana always had to stick her nose in Atty’s business. Atty thought she’d lost her and covered her trail good enough that she’d never find her, but she was wrong.
She threw her head back on the headrest. This trip just bombed out in so many ways. “Ugh, where are they?” She scanned the parking lot. “Probably making out in the boys’ room already.” She spotted Azul inside the small convenient store. Okay, but where’s Diana? She jumped as one of the back doors opened. Her sister slowly slid in.
“You don’t have to seem so happy to see me. It’s been what, twenty five years?” Diana glanced at her nails, picking at a chip in her pink nail polish.
Atty watched her in the rearview mirror. “Twenty six. But who’s counting?”
Diana snickered. “Obviously you are. You’re not still sore about Daniel are you? He wasn’t right for you. You would have gotten bored after a few years. You should be thanking me.”
“It wasn’t up to you to save me from boredom. Did it ever occur to you that I was happy with him? That I knew what being with a mortal meant? You’re a real piece of work.” Atty shook her head. Azul couldn’t hurry fast enough to help occupy her mind so she wouldn’t plot to kill her sister.
As if on cue, he opened the door and slid in next to her, handing Atty a white cup. “I think you like the foo foo stuff in your coffee right? I hope you like it.”
Atty accepted it with a smile. “Thank you. I’m gonna need it if we’re going to drive through the night to try and catch up to the others.” She grasped the hot cup and took a small sip, scorching the tip of her tongue, but the hazelnut flavor lifted her spirits.
“What about me? Did you get me anything?” Diana asked from the backseat, ruining Atty’s moment. So much for lifted spirits.
Azul twisted in his seat to look at her, scoffing as he wrinkled his nose. “You have two legs.”
Atty choked on her coffee and fought to keep from spitting it out all over her dash. No one ever spoke to Diana that way. At least not around her.
Diana gasped and folded her arms across her chest. “Excuse me? That was rude.”
“So is what you did to Atty.” He turned back in his seat. “By the way I can read minds if they are open. And you are an open book.”
Diana’s wide eyes made Atty even happier. Azul’s blunt disrespect for Diana pleased her more than it should have. It was her sister that he bashed, but all she could do was hope he’d do more.
He pulled out a package of strawberry twizzlers, yanking a couple of vines apart, and then ripping a piece off with his teeth as if he hadn’t just offended the woman in the back of the car. “Want one?” he asked Atty as he waved a red string in the air.
She snatched it up and laughed. This might not be such a bad trip after all.
Diana pouted in the back. “I wasn’t thirsty anyway.”
Atty twisted the volume on the radio and a fast-paced song blared from the speakers. Azul bobbed his head to the new tune. He was quickly becoming a fan of the music and each beat reverberated through his body. It was exhilarating. He could see why she liked it so much. Taking another swig of his coffee, he bit another piece of candy and grinned.
#
The sun came up behind them as they drove west. Azul turned the volume on the stereo down, ignoring Atty’s rule about no one touching her radio except for her. She gave him a squinting glare, but said nothing.
“So, I’m curious. How are you sisters?” Azul asked.
Atty released a long breath. She knew he was bound to ask eventually. It wasn’t a secret, but her past was piled with so many layers she didn’t know where to begin. “Diana, who is better known as Artemis, is my adoptive sister. Her and her twin brother Apollo came to live with Zeus when they first arrived here. They were young and weren’t ready to be on their own yet. He and Leto took them in and raised them. Whenever I wasn’t with Triton, I was with Zeus, my adoptive father who helped get me on my feet when I arrived as well, so we were around each other a lot.”
“There seems like there is more to your story than just that.” Azul pushed the seat back and raised his hands up and behind his head. “So, tell me, why are there so many people from other worlds that either came here or dropped their kids off here? Like Diana and Apollo? Or like Brady? Well, I get Brady’s parents reason, he’s different, but still… Why is everyone here?”
“I don’t remember much about my biological parents, or the world we came from. Except that it was green and lush, but I do remember them saying that there was a prophecy. I think it has something to do with that,” Diana said as she leaned forward.
Atty nodded. “Earth is the refuge planet for all of the worlds. Like a supposable safe zone. Here we can be together, survive, train. It’s why they are all here.”
Azul clicked his tongue and nodded in thought. “Got it. So what world are you from, Diana?”
She furrowed her brow. “I’m not sure. Like I said, I only remember lush green and lots of trees. We spoke another language, too. But, Zeus and Leto helped teach us English and Greek. Over the years it’s been easy to pick up a new language.”
Azul huffed. “Interesting.”
“What?” Atty asked.
He looked right at her. “I thought Ramshire was eradicated.”
Atty poked her tongue into the side of her cheek as she thought to remember. Ramshire sounded so familiar. Then the story of what happened to them hit her like a flash of lightning. “It was,” she whispered.
Change the subject. Azul heard Atty say in her mind. He nodded. That was the first time she opened herself up to let him in. Even if it were for mere seconds, he felt honored to have been welcomed.
Azul rubbed his chin. “So, Diana, do you know where Zeus is? We’re looking for him and some of the others. Any help would be appreciated.”
She scooted back. “No, sorry. I haven’t really talked with anyone except Apollo in years. Even he avoids me if possible.”
“Why does everyone want to stay away from you?” he asked.
Atty scoffed. “You mean other than the fact that she likes to take things that aren’t hers?”
Diana winced. “I’m sorry, Athena. I told you that before. It’s not as if I mean to do it. It’s just inside of me. I can’t help it.”
“So what else makes people avoid you?” Azul asked again.
“I’m cursed with things like bringing bad luck or plagues to people. But I’m a great hunter,” she added enthusiastically. “I don’t bring things like the black plague or anything, it’s a much milder case, so don’t freak out. Besides, over the years I’ve learned how to control it. I think it’s some sort of power from where I came from.”
“Somehow, I believe you could cause the black plague,” Atty said trying not to laugh. “You probably did for all we know.”
Diana sneered. “Haha, very funny. You know more than anyone that I don’t hurt people on purpose. Besides, my powers have helped you a time or two as well if I recall right.”
“Touché.” Atty flipped the headlights off then sprayed the windshield with cleaner and watched the dried bugs wipe away.
“I have another question,” Azul asked.
“And you really think it’s wise to ask her? You did hear that can cause a plague, right?” Atty joked.
Diana rolled her eyes then squared he
r shoulders. “Shoot for it. I’m an open book.”
Yes, I’m single and available. Azul heard her say in her mind. He coughed. “That’s definitely not what I was going to ask, but thank you for letting me know. So you don’t’ have any idea where Zeus or any of the other god’s may be?”
She waved him off but a pink tinge flushed her pale cheeks. “Well, for one, I forgot you could read minds, so that first part wasn’t meant to be heard. And, second, nope.”
“Nope? That’s it?” Azul asked.
“Well, I don’t know what more to say. I haven’t heard anything from Zeus or anyone in many years. But, I’m not worried. No news is good news. Right?” She sat back in her seat again. “Are we almost there? I’m tired of sitting here.”
Atty let out an exasperated breath. “Yes, we are almost there. And trust me, after twelve hours in a car with you, I am more done than you are.”
Azul chuckled. “You haven’t even had to hear half of the conversation.”
Atty glared at her sister in the rearview mirror. “I can only imagine how colorful that would have been.”
“So, why were you following us? I don’t think that part had been addressed yet.” Azul popped another sweet treat into his mouth.
Diana shrugged. “I didn’t know there was a group of you until you left Santa Fe. I’ve been looking for Athena for a while. It’s hard being alone. For so long we all were like family and then we all split and went separate ways. I grow old but never age, and all the people around me are mortal so I can’t really make friends with anyone without them noticing. It’s really lonely.” She stared out of the window and watched the juniper trees pass by in a blur as they crest the mountain pass.
“Diana, there’s a reason I tried to hide from you and you know it. Did you think a few years would make me forget that?” Atty asked. Her voice rose an octave higher as she spoke, and her fingers clutched the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white.
“I’m not asking you to forget, just forgive. I said I was sorry, and I really am.” Diana tucked in her bottom lip and bit it to keep it from trembling. She refused to cry and let Athena or Azul know how alone and depressed she truly was. She still had some pride left.
