by Addison Fox
“Montana. My dear, sweet child. I cursed you before I knew you. Bestowed it upon you before you ever had a chance to live. You, too, have a choice. There is a position for you with the immortals, but only if you choose. I won’t take that gift from you.”
Montana’s gaze drifted to where Eirene’s body lay on the couch, then moved back to Themis. A smile broke through the tears, bright and oh so luminous.
“I accept my inheritance and my destiny, Grandmother. I accept it proudly. For you. For me. And most of all, for my mother.”
Quinn’s heart filled with love and pride, joy and excitement as Themis extended her arms and pulled Montana into them. “You continue to make her proud, just as you always have.”
At those words, Montana pulled back, shock and a lifetime of questions stamped across her face in equal measure. Before she could say anything, Themis nodded as her own smile graced her features. “Aye. She was always there. She always watched over you. Loved you.” Themis pressed a kiss to Montana’s forehead. “Always.”
Stepping back, she led Montana to Quinn and joined their hands together. “Choice is a gift. I will never take it away from another. You have my vow.”
She then crossed the deck of the yacht to lift her daughter’s body into her arms. “She will have a proper burial on Mount Olympus.”
And with that, Themis and Eirene disappeared.
Turning, Quinn pulled Montana into his arms. “I love you. With everything I am, I love you. When you were mortal, now that you’re immortal, none of it matters. All that matters is you.”
“I love you, too, Quinn. And you know what this means?”
“What, my love?”
Montana smiled as she pressed her lips to his. “You’re stuck with me for the rest of days.”
Quinn wrapped her up in his arms. As he looked her—the woman he chose—he then shifted his gaze to his assembled Warriors. “I choose you, Montana. Just as I choose my brothers and sisters. Always.”
Montana whispered against his lips. “Always.”
Epilogue
Montana stood before the press of news cameras in the Grant publicity room and leaned into the microphone. “Thank you for coming.” The room quieted immediately as another round of flashes erupted through the assembly.
“Corporate responsibility is our greatest requirement as a global organization. It is with great regret and deep sorrow that I stand before you and share with you that the Grant Shipping organization has not acted with responsibility or accountability for many, many years.”
A loud murmur ran through the room like a flash of wildfire, but Montana held up a hand for quiet. Her gaze shifted to Quinn as she did so and she took immeasurable comfort just in his presence. The quick wink he gave her bolstered her up and she took a deep breath before continuing.
“I have begun a full investigation across all areas of the company and I am committed to corrective action for every wrong that’s been committed in the forty-year history of Grant Shipping. I begin with one of the most egregious errors—our treatment of the peoples along the coast of Africa.”
Hands raised, but Montana ignored them, unwilling to answer any questions until she completed her task. “We have regrettably been a part of contributing to the pain and suffering of these people and effective immediately, each port berth owned by Grant Shipping will become a resource for food, water, medicine and whatever else is needed to aid these ravaged peoples. And this is only the beginning.”
Montana finished outlining her plan to repair and rebuild all areas where Grant Shipping had committed atrocities and then took questions.
As she stared out at the sea of faces, clearly anxious to ask the most damning questions she’d ever encountered, Montana felt the weight of her existence lift from her shoulders.
She was in control of her company, her life and her destiny. And now that she had made the most important choice of her life, the rest seemed so easy. Simple.
As her gaze once again drifted to Quinn, she couldn’t keep the words from rising to her lips. Couldn’t stop herself from mouthing the words I love you.
And in the end, that was the only choice that really mattered.
CAPRICORN/TAURUS STAR CHART
The magnetic pull of Taurus to Capricorn offers a sensual feast for the two lovers lucky enough to find each other.
While the Capricorn woman often has to break through the stubborn pride of her Taurus mate, his sensible, focused need to protect will guarantee he keeps her safe and secure.
Taurus is a mate for life, seeking a woman who will love him for the long haul. The same stubborn nature that makes him hard to live with at times, also makes him a life-long partner who will love his mate through thick and thin.
Once they can overcome their own natures—his stubborn one and her focused one—to trust in love, Quinn and Montana will have a lifetime of warm, devoted passion to sustain them. Natural leaders, their magnetic personalities and devotion to each other will ensure a prosperous—and happy—marriage of equals.
GLOSSARY
Ages of Man—the stages of human existence, as identified by the Greek writer Hesiod. Most often associated with metals, the Ages—Gold, Silver, Bronze, Heroic and Iron, reflect the increasing toil and drudgery humans live in. The world only thinks the ages are myth….
Cardinal—a sign quality, Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) mark the start of each season. Those born under Cardinal signs are considered dynamic and, like each season, forceful in its beginnings. Cardinal Warriors are equally dynamic, forcing change with their impatient natures and independent spirits.
Chimera—with the body and head of a lion, the tail of a snake and the head of a goat extending from the center of its back, the chimera is one of the eleven monsters of Mount Olympus. Created by the goddess Echidna—the Mother of all Monsters—her menagerie is a favorite resource of terror for Deimos and Phobos.
Corybants—legendary male dancers, clothed in armor and playing drums. Their loud, rhythmic playing was said to drown out the cries of the baby Zeus so he wouldn’t be discovered in his hiding place on Mount Ida.
Deimos—the son of Ares and Aphrodite, he is the god of dread. He is the brother of Phobos.
Destroyer—a soulless creature created by Enyo from an emotionally damaged human. They take on the appearance of men, but their bodies are nothing but husks, filled with a superconductive life force. They can be slowed and hurt, but quickly recover. The only way to kill a Destroyer is by removing his head. Each Destroyer Enyo creates takes some of her power, an innate balance agreed to during the creation of the Great Agreement.
Element—just as all signs are Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable, each sign also possesses an elemental quality of Fire, Earth, Air or Water. Each Warrior has an elemental nature to his sign, allowing for additional powers for those who have learned to develop them. These elemental qualities exist beyond those granted to all Warriors—immortality, the ability to port, rapid healing and above-average strength—and have begun to express themselves as the Warriors have grown more comfortable in their abilities and better understand the full range of their skills.
Enyo—the goddess of war, Enyo is the daughter of Zeus and Hera. Equipped with the ability to create anarchy and death wherever she goes, she was offered up to Themis by Zeus for their Great Agreement. Before Zeus allowed Themis to create the Sons of the Zodiac, she had to agree to a counterbalance to the Warriors’ power. Enyo provides the balance, at constant war with Themis’s Warriors. For each battle Enyo wins, her power grows. As such, for each she loses, her power is diminished.
Equinox—a nightclub owned by Grey Bennett, Aries Warrior. Each Warrior has a role within the whole and Grey’s is to keep an eye on the underbelly of New York for Enyo’s likely crop of new Destroyers. What none of the Warriors knows is that Grey carries a secret—one that will lead him to his destiny or to his doom….
Fixed—a sign quality, Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius) mark the middle of e
ach season. Those born under Fixed signs are considered quite stubborn and persistent. Fixed Warriors are equally stubborn and persistent, unwilling to yield to their enemies.
Great Agreement—an agreement entered into during the Iron Age (the Fifth Age of Man) by Zeus and Themis. Fearful that her beloved humans had no protection from the trials of life, Themis entered into an agreement with Zeus that created the Sons of the Zodiac. The Sons of the Zodiac are Warriors modeled after the circular perfection of the heavens and each Warrior carries the immutable qualities of his sign. Under the Great Agreement, the immortal Warriors will battle Zeus’s daughter Enyo, the goddess of war, for the ultimate protection, quality and survival of humanity.
Hera—wife of Zeus and mother of Enyo.
Iron Age—the Fifth Age of Man, generally thought to be about ten thousand years ago, where humans toil in abject misery. Brothers fight brothers, children turn against their fathers and anarchy is the rule of the land. During this age the gods have forsaken humanity. It is during this time that Themis—desperate to alter the course of human existence—goes to Zeus and enters into the Great Agreement. During this age, the Sons of the Zodiac are created.
Hades—god of the underworld and brother to Zeus and Poseidon.
MI6—the British Government’s foreign intelligence service, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS).
Mount Ida—the legendary site in Crete where Rhea hid her son, Zeus, as a baby from his father, Cronus.
Mutable—a sign quality, Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) mark the end of each season. Those born under Mutable signs are the most comfortable with change, making them easily adaptable and resourceful. Mutable Warriors are the first to see the big picture, able to adapt and shift their battle plans at a moment’s notice. Their ability to see issues from multiple angles make them strong Warriors and a comfort to have watching your back.
Nemesis—the Greek goddess of divine retribution. The name Nemesis means “to give what is due.”
Phobos—the son of Ares and Aphrodite, he is the god of fear. He is the brother of Deimos.
Port—shortened form of teleport. The Warriors and Destroyers both have the ability to move through space and time at will. Porting will diminish power.
Prophecy of Thutmose III—a prophecy, carved on the walls of Thutmose III’s tomb and not discovered until the early twenty-first century. The Prophecy outlines the power of the Summoning Stones of Egypt, for those who are Chosen by them.
Sons of the Zodiac—created by Themis, the goddess of justice, upon her Great Agreement with Zeus. The Great Agreement stipulates for a race of Warriors—156 in total—that will have the traits of their zodiac sign. Tasked to protect humanity, they are at war with Enyo. A Warrior is immortal, although he may be killed with a death blow to the neck. Removal of a Warrior’s head is the only way to kill him. The Warriors’ strength may be reduced from extended time in battle, multiple ports and little food. A Warrior’s strength will be replaced with food, sleep or sexual orgasm. Each Warrior has a tattoo of added protection that lives within his aura.
Stregheria—an ancient Italian practice of witchcraft, which formed the basis for Emmett the Sorcerer’s poisonous spell placed upon Kane Montague, Scorpio Warrior.
Summoning Stones of Egypt—the five Summoning Stones of Egypt were crafted during the reign of Thutmose III. For those who are Chosen—and there will be a Chosen One in each age—the Stones give the user the power to control the universe. Each of the five stones represent a different element—death, life, love, sexuality, and infinity.
Tartarus—a prisonlike pit that exists under the Underworld. Zeus’s father, Cronus, is housed in Tartarus at Zeus’s hand.
Themis—one of the twelve Titans, Themis is the goddess of justice. Disheartened that her beloved humans toiled in misery and abject drudgery, she petitioned Zeus to allow her to intercede. With Zeus she entered into the Great Agreement, which provided for the creation of the Sons of the Zodiac, 156 Warriors embodied with the traits of their signs. Originally she envisioned twelve of twelve—but upon reaching her agreement with Zeus gained an additional twelve Warriors so Gemini might have his twin. Themis’s Warriors live across the globe, battling Enyo and keeping humanity safe.
Titans—the original twelve children born of Uranus (Father Sky) and Gaia (Earth). Themis is one of the Titans, as is Cronus, Zeus’s father.
Warrior’s Tattoo—the Warrior’s Tattoo is inked on his body, generally on his upper shoulder blade (right or left). The tattoo lives within the Warrior’s aura and, when the Warrior is in danger the tattoo will expand as an additional form of protection. The tattoo is never separate; rather, it provides additional protection through the Warrior’s life force.
Xiphos—an ancient Greek weapon, the Xiphos is a double-edged blade less than a foot in length. The Warriors each carry one, strapped on their calves. Although a Warrior may deliver a death blow to a Destroyer’s neck when in close range, the Xiphos provides them with an additional tool in battle. Although a Warrior may use any Xiphos—or any weapon—when necessary, each Warrior was granted a Xiphos at his turning. Although it is nothing more than metal, many Warriors find a personal connection with their Xiphos through millennia of battle.
Zeus—the king of the gods and ruler over Mount Olympus. Zeus is married to Hera. Zeus’s first wife was Themis, the goddess of justice and one of the Titans. Zeus entered the Great Agreement with Themis, which resulted in the protectors for humanity—the Sons of the Zodiac.
