by Debbie Behan
CAITLIN
GODDESS OF PEACE
Debbie Behan
Caitlin - Goddess of Peace Published 2017
by Butterfly Kiss Books
Copyright © 2016 by Debbie Behan
Previously published under the title of
Lord of the Planets - Fire Divine
Published 2014 by Butterfly Kiss Books
Copyright © 2013 by Debbie Behan
All rights reserved.
These stories are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, localities, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or the publisher.
Caitlin
Goddess of Peace
by
Debbie Behan
ISBN (pbk): 978-0-9954205-2-6
ISBN (ebook): 978-0-9954205-4-0
Dedication
To the wonders of the universe and
those who inspired me to follow my dreams.
Author’s Insight
Alpha Site Command
Axon took in a deep breath and entered the room. He had just taken on a new position and had nothing to report. He dreaded sitting through this meeting with nothing substantial to give. With heavy steps, he trudged through the door as the beating of a NAVpen on the desk grabbed his attention. His boss, Zoren, seemed irritated that he was late, which made Axon’s hackles go up. He felt under attack already and tensed his shoulders as he sat. He didn’t want a run-in with his boss today. His eyes averted to the seat on the other side of the table where Kayden sat. Axon’s eyebrows clamped together, insulted that Zoren had invited him too. Kayden was a mate, but really, what did he know about planets?
Axon cussed under his breath. What is the leader of the Cloud Riders doing here? He was in no mood to have the commander of Home Worlds in the stars dictate to him. He was now the Lord of the Planets and supreme ruler, not anything like the prissy wizards and warlords Kayden battled. We’ve got nothing in common. Axon fidgeted, while he glared at Kayden, humiliated he was forced to discuss his business in front of someone lower in status.
The NAVpen stilled as Axon eyed Zoren. Had the powers of the archangel felt his discomfort? He hoped so, as he needed these proceedings to hurry along. He had to get to Earth as he had his first ever meeting with a mixed gender team. The team leader, Rory, whom he had previously met, was assembling them for his perusal shortly and this meeting sounded as if it would be more time-consuming than he had figured it to be.
Frustrated that no one had spoken yet, Axon grabbed a Moonjuice from the fridge, ambled back to his seat and had a gulp. Bored, he watched Zoren who seemed oblivious to anything else around him, as he flipped through the information at lightning speed. The report Zoren read looked detailed and lengthy. How Axon wished he were an archangel some days to power read as he did! The bonus to Zoren’s gift was his ability to shorten it and just give the finer details. While Axon waited, he unconsciously ran his finger around the edge of the can, deep in thought until Zoren spoke. The angelic sound caused him to lift his head as he concentrated on the melodic tone that floated towards him.
When his boss wanted attention, he sure knew how to get it. Axon shook off the magical calm that radiated from the Angel.
‘Axon I want you to forget about our little problem with Mars for now. I have another mission more pressing.’ Zoren flicked his finger across the document to get to where he wanted to be, so fast his hand blurred. ‘As you know, Cronus, ruler of Saturn, and his wife Rhea have three sons; Poseidon, Hades and Zeus. What you may not know is their family has gone through hell, and now there is peace they will sacrifice anything to stay together.’
A NAVsky reader clunked on the desk as Kayden put down the report he held.
Axon’s frame straightened. ‘Guess you’re waiting to hear what I know.’
Zoren gave a nod.
‘It was a long time ago but a story like that is hard to forget.’ Axon took a sip of drink. ‘Apparently when his eldest sons Poseidon and Hades were born, Cronus saw them as a threat to his position, so swallowed them and kept them bound inside of him. His wife, Rhea, was more cunning and when she gave birth to her third son, Zeus, she hid him and substituted a rock wrapped in blankets for the child. Cronus swallowed what he thought was Zeus, not realising he had been deceived.’
When Axon paused, Kayden leant forward to assist with the family’s history. ‘When Zeus grew up he fought his father, won, and forced him to unbind his two brothers. Once free they led a revolt against their father for their terrible treatment. Subsequently, Zeus claimed the title of God of the Sky and Ruler of Jupiter. He gave Poseidon the title God of the Seas and Ruler of Neptune. To Hades, he gave the title God of the Underworld and Ruler of Pluto.’
Not to be bulldozed in front of Zoren, Axon butted back in. ‘However, Zeus, being a merciful God, forgave his father and fought the Congress of the Heavens to allow him to keep his title as a god. He won, and this enabled him to allow Cronus to continue his rule over the planet Saturn. Zeus, whom they favoured for his wise decisions, was later ordained and given the title of King of all Gods.
Zoren enjoyed their rivalry and tried not to grin as he spoke. ‘You are both correct, but there is more. Afterwards, Cronus spent much time repairing the relations between all his sons and the men have lived in peace for many centuries. They are now close allies and fierce protectors of their new family values. This is why the entire family is up in arms that Pluto had its status as a planet repealed.’ The device he held chimed while receiving an update. As he read, his blond eyebrows came together. Axon knew his friend well, and that expression meant a big problem. ‘It has just been confirmed that it was the Rulers of Mercury, Venus and Mars who joined forces with Earth, and it was them as a collective that signed the secret ballot, thus resulting in the expulsion of Pluto as a planet.’ He sat back in his chair. ‘We are on the cusp of a massive war amongst the gods.’
Axon leant on his elbows, his stare fixed on Zoren. ‘So let me guess, the family are pushing for him to take over Mercury to stay as a Planet Ruler.’
Zoren didn’t need to speak. The slight movement as he inclined his head was enough.
‘I can’t believe we weren’t informed!’ Axon was stunned. ‘We should have known about this development.’
‘I agree. Nevertheless, we were not consulted. This leaves me to assume that the ones proposing the ballot didn’t want it challenged. That or Cronus and his sons were so cocky they never believed the other Rulers would oppose them.’ Zoren moved, and his body language made both men sit quietly. ‘Hades wants to be back with his family. The only other planet with the ability to direct the dead through its orbit and into the underworld is Mercury, thus keeping Hades in a similar position.’
‘I guessed right then.’ Axon sat back his arms folded.
Zoren’s pitch rose. ‘Yes and to cut a long story short, Hermes won’t swap Mercury with Hades, so a War of the Planets is about to break out!’
‘So what now?’ Axon asked. Zoren sat forward. The natural light-blue texture of his eyes flashed and deepened to indigo. ‘Hades mostly blames Earth’s ruler, the Goddess Gaea, who motioned this change. He is threatening that once he finally takes over Mercury he plans to destroy all humanity on Earth for their evil part in his termination and send them all to the Underworld for eternity.’
Axon sat back. His heart thumped loudly as his blood rushed around his body with the adrenaline boost the shocking news gave him. ‘What the hell have I taken on here Zoren? What have you thrown me into this time? These are gods and warlords of the worst kind.’
Zoren threw the NAVpen down. The writing instrument flew across the boardroom table, causing Axon and Kayden to squirm in their seats.
‘That’s enough whining. Yes, this is bigger than I first thought. The protocol for such a decision as this should be for us to be notified, thus allowing us the opportunity to vote. But that did not happen! The gods and their arrogance have prevented the chance of a reasonable outcome. And as for you, Axon, it is too late to turn back. Under oath, you swore your allegiance to me!’ Zoren’s angry tone silenced further comments as he stood. Axon put his head down. He knew he would never let Zoren down.
‘You are the man I chose as you are the only person I know who will not stand for the tantrums of spoilt gods.’ He leant on the desk, palms down. ‘I want this fixed and I don’t care how!’ His words boomed out and with his fist closed in frustration he thumped the desk. It cracked, and both men jumped out the way as the table shattered and fell into pieces on the floor. He looked surprised but continued. ‘Now go out and find a team of peacemakers and get them operational and ready by the end of this month.’
Axon had been moody and irritated since he agreed to take on the new role, but his long-standing friend was relying on him. He had to snap out of it and desperately looked for words to defuse Zoren’s anger. Axon could see him turning a little transparent. He knew both he and Kayden stood a good chance of feeling a lot of pain any minute if things didn’t calm down. Archangels could be ruthless in getting those around them to commit. ‘You’re right and I apologised for my behaviour of late. I shouldn’t let the worry of spoilt gods waver my judgement. Shortly I will be meeting with an elite team on Earth, and although I have issues with women in the mix, I do like their leader.’
Zoren’s features softened slightly. Axon had used his pet hate, knowing this always amused the Angel who was always about love where the ladies were concerned.
‘Okay, so that’s what’s been dragging your chain. Look, I know you prefer to work with men, easier to handle and all those other excuses you have always used, but in their defence, Kayden’s team could not be without Cassie.’
Axon sighed. ‘My squad will have to be forward thinkers, swift, efficient and be very coordinated. I will not tolerate anything but perfection. Their leader insists they are a package deal.’ He lifted his chin, his brows squeezed in tight. ‘For you, I will attempt to keep an open mind. But so help me if the girls give me the slightest bit of grief! I swear they’ll be back on Earth, without delay.’ He was irritated at the thought of taking them on.
Using magic, Zoren lifted his NAVsky reader from the floor and after it was in his hand, he turned to Kayden. ‘Once Axon makes a decision on what team he wants, I expect your team to train them. We have no time to waste as your team is required on another mission. If one or more of them is not going to make it, let Axon know so he can replace them immediately. We count on your ability to prepare or expel where necessary.’ He lifted his free hand, and the shattered pieces of table repositioned. He snapped his fingers, creating magical lights that joined the fractured wood back together. It stood steady, without a mark, and looked brand new. ‘You two have your orders. You know where to find me if you need to.’ He left the room in a cloud of silence, and his archangel’s swiftness and serenity lingered even after the door closed behind him.
Axon leant back in his chair, listening to Kayden.
‘Whenever you’re ready, just give me the nod, and we’re there for you.’
Axon knew Kayden better. This was chit chat and if he didn’t have something to say he would have left when Zoren did. ‘Okay! Spit it out. I can see you want to give me some advice, so go for it.’ Axon gave him a slight grin.
‘Look, this is the way I see it Axon, and this is not a lecture, just an observation. You’ve spent your entire lifetime dedicated to the cause; you were Zoren’s rock, together for a long time before I came into it. I can only imagine how frustrated this makes you feel being on my side of the table. Not only have you left your friend’s side, but you now have to form an entirely new relationship with strangers, new individuals that you don’t know or trust yet. On top of that, there are women, which open up a whole new world of hurt if they give you trouble. How to deal with them is an art and one I learnt after much pain. Until Cassie came along, the boys and I would never have contemplated a female in our ranks. That would have annoyed the hell out of us. That said, I felt from the start that Cassie was supposed to be with me and if you don’t feel that straight away with the women coming into your squadron, then I would advise you to look elsewhere. Although in saying that, you are not one to suffer fools and if you have taken to this leader, I’d be inclined to trust his judgement and give them a go.’
Axon drew on the cigar and started to loosen up. Kayden was always very calming to have around and truthfully, he really did need someone who had been through it to bounce things off. ‘I’m eager as hell to sign up the men but the women…’ he shook his head. ‘Actually, a couple of nights ago I had word where they were and visited Earth to secretly check them out. As usual, I was with Zoren and by the time I got to the night club, they had left. However, it wasn’t a wasted trip. I did get to meet a redhead to die for.’ He smiled.
‘Really! Tell all,’ said Kayden.
‘Nothing too spicy. But maybe another place another time, who knows.’ He butted out the cigar. ‘Anyway, since then I have contacted their leader and as I told Zoren, will be meeting with him and his team shortly. If I can’t deal with the team makeup, I’ll move on and look for another group I’ve heard are hiding in the depths of the jungle in South Africa.’
‘Glad it’s not my decision again. Geez, it was hell choosing my team. They were scattered across the nations and hated each other at first.’ Kayden sucked in his breath deeply as he re-lived it. ‘Yes, even the brothers Jason and Ethan. They were a handful, and if they hadn’t become brothers in arms, it would have been brothers in jail.’ He gave a slight shake of his head, amused.
Axon grinned, as he too remembered Kayden’s unruly band of men when they first started out. ‘You had time to choose and were tough on them Kayden, but you had to be. They respect you more for how you dealt with them, so it worked out. Me, well! As you’ve heard, Zoren has pressured me to pick my team ASAP. I feel rushed and worry that I’ll just take this group on out of desperation. I’m so annoyed it has to go down like this.’
‘Axon, you can only go with your gut instincts. Make a decision and move on, if they’re not right for the job my team will soon tell you.’
‘Fair enough!’
‘We’ve got your back, as you have always had ours.’ Kayden was sincere.
Axon nodded and stood up, eager to get moving. ‘I’ll ring as soon as I’ve met them to give you a heads up.’
He shook Axon’s outstretched hand. ‘Just let me know what time you’ll be arriving, I’ll organise the rest. Damn it! Another group of hillbillies to train! My boys are going to love this when I tell them.’ Kayden followed him out.
Author’s Insight
Saturn’s Warning
Rhea, goddess and mother of the Titans, moved from the Roman style bath where her husband still lay. Servant girls dried and wrapped her in sheer lavender cloth, a robe of silk and lace that slipped delicately over her shoulders, tied neatly at her tiny waist with a bright purple sash.
‘Careful how you handle this, husband of mine.’ She sat to have her long brown locks of hair brushed and styled into a braided topknot.
The powerful god, Cronus, lifted his massive body suddenly from the water. The droplets sprayed from him as he shook his hairy body. His wife sat admiring her man’s naked form. Even after all the
se years, she longed for the strength of him to hold her in a lustful moment of togetherness. Today they had other commitments and no time for what was on her mind. She grinned with a twinkle in her eye only he understood. It made him smile.
‘Tonight, my sweet.’ He moved close to her and laid a gentle hand to her cheek.
She had leant into his hand before he removed it. ‘Shoo!’ She gestured for the servants that had finished with her hair to leave. ‘Husband, what will our son do – what will you do?’ Her voice was quiet and shaken.
‘Our son Hades has always been a planet ruler and if I have anything to do with it, he always will. It’s preposterous to think they have kicked Pluto out! A Dwarf planet! Can you believe they are calling his Kingdom a blatzing Dwarf planet? The shame of it,’ he huffed, while vigorously drying his legs. ‘If Pluto is not reinstated our sons and I will go to war and take over the planet, Mercury. Hades will be the new ruler and the current ruler, Hermes, can rule Pluto. That defiant fool will pay for going against us and voting our son out; he will end up with nothing.’
Rhea’s head shook. Her silky-woven hair shimmered in the candle light, the clean sheen of her skin glowed magically, and for a moment, it calmed him, giving him inner compassion as he watched his wife handle what lay ahead. It was the first time they’d had a chance to speak and even though it was a lot for her to take in, they no longer held truths from one another.
‘So all our friends voted for this change to Pluto?’ Rhea said.
He stood still and listed them for her. She had to know this was serious. He felt strongly. If she didn’t stand by him, he would do this alone. ‘Hermes of Mercury, Uran of Uranus, Ares of Mars, Gaea of Earth and Aphrodite of Venus were all there.’
