Ariel Rising

by A. J. Sparber

  “How many bad guys?”

  “Two.”

  “Are they dead?”

  “We put them to sleep and carried them to the river with us.”

  Putting an adversary to sleep is a Warrior euphemism for knocking someone out—usually with a very hard punch or kick to the head.

  “They are alive?”

  “Yes. They’re in custody and will be interrogated.”

  “Will they be killed?”

  “We cannot allow them to live. Their executions will be painless.”

  I want them to die, I want them to pay for what they did.

  “Was this my fault? Did the Zon come for me?”

  “I doubt it. Did either of the Zon who attacked you say anything that would indicate you were targeted?”

  “No. Bodden, the one who did most of the talking, seemed very surprised. He thought I was a Warrior.”

  “Ari, many seemingly random acts of violence are the work of the Zon. Given our proximity to Washington, it’s not unusual. They are quite active in this region.” He gently grasps my hands. “It had nothing to do with you. It was not your fault.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  I hear footsteps approaching from behind. It’s Thalia.

  “Are you two alright?”

  Davin and I nod.

  She hops up onto the tailgate and sits, facing us. “Ari, Tal told me what you did. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine. Did you examine Ella?”

  “I did a quick scan. Her wounds are nearly healed. I gave her something to help replenish her fluids, and something for the pain.”

  Thalia looks uneasy. Apprehensive. Halting. “I love you like a big sister,” I say, “but you are holding something back. I’ve been through a lot tonight, and I really don’t want to be wondering what it is you aren’t telling me.” I fold my arms across my chest and we lock eyes. “Did I change her?”

  She purses her lips and nods slowly. “She is an angel. We’ll know more once I can do more extensive testing.”

  I lean into Davin and groan.

  “She’s going to be fine, Ari,” Thalia says.

  “Let me guess. In all of recorded Olympian history, this is totally unprecedented. Right?”

  Thalia’s lips slowly curve into an impish smile.

  Davin hugs me tight and sighs. “I am humbled in your presence.”

  I punch him in the arm, and Thalia’s smile widens.

  “Why are you smiling, Thalia? Is this funny?” I ask.

  “BFF,” she says.

  “Huh?”

  “Best friends forever.”

  “I know what it means. I want to know why you think it’s funny.”

  “You’ve given the acronym a more literal meaning. You will not have to watch Ella grow old, Ari. This is a gift. A wonderful, magical, priceless gift. For both of you.”

  She’s right. Having to watch my best friend grow old and die, while I remain young, would really suck. She’s my sister from a different mister; my partner in crime. “Is the change dangerous to her in any way?”

  “The genetic changes will cause her body to evolve. She will undergo an awakening—just as you have. There is no danger.”

  “Can I talk to her?”

  “I had Tal take her to my home in Portal City. You’ll see her in the morning.”

  “Okay.” I still can’t get my head around the fact that I changed her. “How was I able to change her?”

  “You seem to have the ability to alter DNA. This is not unheard of. The angels who altered the course of evolution on the mortal worlds were special angels, blessed with the ability to manipulate DNA through touch.”

  “The Prostáti?”

  “Yes. And you seem to have that ability.”

  “Can the Prostáti turn mortals into angels?”

  “Not that we are aware of.”

  “I’m worried that I’m some kind of freak. I really am.”

  “You are not a freak, Ari,”

  “I’m different than the other angels, Thalia. There is no one else like me. And no one can tell me why.”

  “We will figure it out. I do have a theory.”

  “Anything you’d care to share?”

  “Not until I work out a few details. Soon. I promise.”

  “Does your theory have anything to do with my mom?”

  “It does.”

  “What did you—”

  She raises her hand to stop me. “I know you’re anxious. We’re very close to a breakthrough, Ari. Can you give me a day or two?”

  “I guess.”

  “Thank you.”

  “By the way, do you know where she is?”

  “Your mom?”

  “Yes.”

  “She is at the hotel helping to treat the wounded. She will meet us here as soon as possible and then return with me to my residence in Portal City. She knows you are safe.”

  “Does she know she’s going to be staying on Olympus tonight?”

  “Yes. She’s excited.”

  I’ll bet she is.

  Davin gives us a curious look. He knows something is up.

  Thalia nods to me. “Tell him,” she says.

  Davin looks at me, expectantly.

  “Mom knows. She figured it out,” I say.

  “She knows you are an angel?” Davin asks. He doesn’t look very surprised.

  “She’s suspected for years. She ran DNA tests—discreetly. I told her everything. That’s why she and Thalia spent the day together.”

  Davin gives Thalia a sideways glance. “I wondered why she was at the Institute. I guess we’ll have a lot to go over tomorrow.”

  “There is something else,” I say tentatively.

  Davin arches a brow.

  “Mom hasn’t aged in over ten years. She’s not human.”

  He runs his fingers through his hair and sighs. “Whew.”

  “Are you upset with me?”

  He steals a glance at Thalia, then turns back to face me. “We’ve known all along that your situation is complicated. I’m actually excited. This is significant.”

  “I guess it is.” I sigh. “Maybe I won’t be your little enigma anymore.”

  Davin sits up straight and glares at me. “You’re not my little enigma.”

  “Then what am I, Davin?”

  “You are my angel.”

  My heart flutters and nearly stops. “I am?”

  “You are,” he states emphatically.

  Thalia is smiling so wide that I’m afraid her face might break.

  “Ari! Are you there?” Mom emerges from the shadows at a jog.

  “Over here, Mom,” I call out, as I hop down out of the SUV.

  She looks drained. Exhausted. I give her a big hug. She feels tense.

  “How many people, Mom? How many casualties?” I ask.

  She grasps my hand and grimly rattles off the names of three students who were killed. Six more students and four teachers were wounded—four critically.

  “Oh, God,” I mutter, as I lean forward, hiding my face in my hands. They weren’t close friends, but I knew them. Edgewood is a small school. They were good kids. Amy Madison was a softball player and had a great sense of humor. Michael Turner was captain of the debate team and would have been class salutatorian. Beth Miller could sing like an angel. All gone. There will be no graduation. No college. No happy endings.

  And I will not be able to rest until every Zon is destroyed.

  “Ari…” She’s rocking back and forth. Something is wrong.

  “Mom? What is it?”

  “Maggie Douglas…she was killed.”

  Oh no. I lean against the SUV and bury my face in my hands. “Dear God, no.”

  My heart hurts and I begin to sob.

  “Ari,” Davin says. “I’m sorry. Was she a good friend?”

  “She…” I take a deep breath and swallow a sob. “She’s Ella’s mom.”

  Davin gathers me in his arms, and I collapse against his
chest.

  Ella will be devastated. “We should have searched for her. I should have tried to find her in the ballroom. We should have done more.”

  “We needed to get Ella out of harm’s way. There was no time,” Davin says.

  “I can’t believe this. I just can’t believe it. Does she know? Did you tell her, Thalia?”

  “I didn’t know until now, dear.”

  “I should tell her. I’m her best friend.”

  “I’ll tell her,” Mom says. “You’ve had enough trauma to deal with tonight.”

  I know from her look that there will be no negotiating. Her decision is made, and it’s final.

  “But she might need me.” I counter weakly.

  “I agree with Andi. She knows you saved her life,” Thalia says. “She will understand.”

  This battle is lost. Mom is not going to budge.

  “Tell her I love her, Mom. Tell her she’ll always be my best friend.”

  “I will, honey.”

  Mom wraps me in a hug.

  “Won’t the Sheriff’s department be looking for her?” I ask.

  “I already called Sheriff Johnson and told him Ella would be staying with me. If the good sheriff needs to talk, he has my number. According to Thalia, my cell phone will work in Portal City, hopefully without astronomical roaming charges,” she says, rolling her eyes.

  She hasn’t lost her sense of humor, which makes me feel a little better.

  “Should I go home?” I ask.

  “No.” Mom and Thalia answer simultaneously.

  Thalia’s eyes move from me to Davin, and then to Mom. “I’ve got a full house, Andi. Ari can stay in Davin’s guest apartment. He lives nearby. She will be safe there.”

  Mom’s eyebrows nearly pop off her face. “Davin? Will my daughter be safe?” Her tone conveys two distinct meanings.

  Davin does not hesitate. “Of course, Dr. Worthington. She will be totally safe.”

  Mom walks up to Davin and hugs him. “Thank you,” she says. Then she stands on her toes and whispers in his ear.

  Davin nods, and Mom steps away. “Get a good night’s sleep,” she says to Davin and me.

  “Goodnight, Mom.”

  What was that all about?

  “Davin, your car is parked up on the road,” Thalia says, as she tosses him a key fob.

  “Thanks,” Davin replies.

  Thalia gives us a quick wave and a warm smile. Then she and Mom walk off toward the road.

  I take Davin in my arms and hug him to me like a security blanket. “I think Mom likes you. What did she whisper in your ear?”

  Davin sighs. “She said she trusts me. But if I hurt you, she will find me when I’m sleeping and torture me.” He pauses and clears his throat. “She has an interesting sense of humor.”

  “I don’t think she was kidding,” I say grimly.

  “Of course she was.”

  “She has access to powerful drugs and sharp surgical instruments,” I say with a wink.

  “Very funny. Let’s go.”

  We walk up to the road and get into Davin’s car.

  As he starts the engine, I realize that my gown is ruined, almost to the point of indecent exposure. And I’m barefoot. To top things off, my phone and wallet are in Tal’s car. I’ll need to retrieve them tomorrow.

  “Can we stop by my house so I can get a change of clothes and some essentials?”

  “Of course.”

  Davin parks in my driveway. The house is dark. “How will we get in?” he asks.

  “Well, we could use our angel strength to break down the door. Or we can use the key hidden out back,” I say. “Come with me.”

  We walk behind the deck, where I retrieve a key from beneath a large flowerpot.

  “You Worthingtons think of everything,” he says, as I unlock the back door.

  “That we do. Just a second,” I say, as I grab a hose and spray my feet, which are encrusted with a thick layer of muck.

  “That’s better.”

  I turn off the water, wipe my feet on the welcome mat, and unlock the door.

  “Have a seat,” I say, pointing to the family room sofa. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  Standing in my bathroom, I strip out of what’s left of my dress, chuck it into the trash, and take the quickest shower ever. After detangling my hair, I tie it into a high ponytail, then change into yoga pants and a clean tee shirt. I throw a few changes of clothes and some toiletries into a backpack, and I’m ready to go.

  “That was quick,” Davin remarks, as I come bounding down the stairs.

  “I just want to get out of Edgewood as quickly as possible.”

  I want to put some distance between me and the horrors I’ve witnessed. A thousand light-years seems about right.

  Davin places his hand over the panel on his front door, which glows blue, before sliding open with a hiss.

  I’ve visited his place several times, but never to spend the night. The house has two levels and is roughly the size of a typical suburban home on Earth. In terms of technology, though, it’s purely Olympian. You enter into a large open space, which contains several intimate seating areas. Off to the right are the kitchen, a large study, a guest suite, and a powder room.

  The walls are computer controlled and Davin can change the color, texture, and even the artwork, at the touch of a button.

  The building is underground, but you’d never know it. Simulated skylights provide simulated sunshine or moonlight, while a large virtual picture window can display any type of scenery—in high definition, full-motion video.

  The second floor is limited to one very large bedroom, a bathroom that looks like a tropical rainforest, and a closet bigger than my bedroom in Edgewood.

  Davin leads me into the kitchen and we sit at the table.

  “Hungry?” he asks, as he hovers over the food prep system.

  “Yes,” I reply. “Something light. An omelet. With cheese. And some torik sausage. The spicy kind.”

  Davin casts me a sideways glance and smiles.

  “Can you schedule delivery in thirty minutes? I’d really like to take a shower before I eat.”

  “Of course.”

  “Do you mind if I use your shower?”

  The shower in Davin’s bedroom is equipped with the latest in Olympian bathing technology. Stepping inside is like stepping into an alternate reality.

  “Not at all,” he says, as he keys in our food choices. “I’ll use the guest bath. Do you remember how to program the shower?”

  “I think so.” I give him a quick kiss, grab my suitcase, and head upstairs.

  As I climb the steps, I think of Ella. Her life was torn apart tonight. How long will it be before she can smile again? Before she can move on with her life? I want to hold her in my arms. I want to comfort her.

  I enter the bathroom and let my suitcase fall to the floor. Plants and flowers are arranged to appear as if they’re a natural part of the room. The walls are covered with video screens that simulate a tropical rainforest. It’s all so amazingly realistic.

  I program the shower for a gentle tropical rain and crank the temperature up to the equivalent of one hundred and four degrees, Fahrenheit.

  I strip off my clothes, fold them neatly, then place them on a counter. A blue light flashes on the shower door. I wave my hand across a panel, the door slides up and open, and I step inside.

  The enclosure is large, easily twenty by twelve feet. The floor, walls, and ceiling are natural stone, and there’s a small pool on one side, deep enough to sit in.

  The computer-controlled effects transport me to a topical isle—in the midst of a gentle rain. The sounds, the smells, the lighting, and the gentle breeze that whispers over my skin, combine to alter my reality. I’m somewhere else, somewhere exotic.

  I imagine how wonderful it would be to share this space with Davin. Someday. Once we have a more permanent solution in place.

  I’m startled by Davin’s voice. “Ari, are you alive or have you dr
owned in my shower?”

  “Davin?” I ask, looking around for him. “Where are you?”

  “In the kitchen, waiting for you. You’ve been up there forty minutes.”

  I instinctively wrap my arms around myself to cover my nakedness. “You can’t see me, can you?”

  “No,” he laughs, “It’s just an intercom. Audio only.”

  “Oh,” I say in a small voice. “I’ll be right down.”

  I turn off the shower and step outside, feeling foolish. He did that on purpose.

  Stepping under the dryer, I watch as the droplets of water on my body quickly evaporate. In less than a minute, I’m dry.

  I slip on a black silk sleep camisole, and matching shorts, then assess my look in the mirror. A mischievous grin spreads across my face. This will get him back for the intercom thing.

  I stop in the doorway, between the great room and the kitchen, and strike a seductive pose. “Sorry I took so long,” I say with a come-hither smile.

  Davin looks up and stares at me for several seconds before speaking. “You look very relaxed.”

  He abruptly pushes back his chair and stands, but he isn’t paying attention to what he’s doing. He’s focused on me, which is probably what causes him to slam his knee into the table, really hard. “Ahh!” he grunts.

  “Are you okay, Davin?” I ask, as I fight to suppress a smile.

  “I’m fine,” he says through a pained expression. “Sit down and I’ll get our food.”

  “You’re limping,” I say, suddenly feeling guilty.

  He looks gorgeous in a clean tee shirt and a pair of very comfortable-looking shorts.

  “I’ll be fine in a minute,” he says.

  He will. But I still feel guilty.

  We both attack our omelets with gusto, finishing them quickly.

  “That was delicious,” I say. And then I lean back, inadvertently pulling the thin fabric of my cami tight against my breasts.

  Davin looks up at just the right moment. His gaze stops at my chest, and his lips form a cute little smile. “Did you have enough to eat?”

  “Yes. That really hit the spot,” I say with a shy smile.

  Davin leans back in his chair, looking pensive.

  “You’re suppressing your emotions, Ari.”

  I stare back, pondering his assessment.

  “No. I’m not,” I state evenly. “I’m just trying to not let my emotions consume me. I watched my best friend get tortured tonight and I couldn’t stop it. Then I healed her and, in the process, turned her into an immortal being. And I killed a man. So yes, I could easily let myself fall apart—but if I do, the Zon win, and I won’t let that happen. I’ve seen evil, I’ve smelled it, I hate it, and all I want is to destroy it. It’s an instinct. Right?” I let out a deep breath and reach for his hand, squeezing it tight.