by April Zyon
His arms came around her, a hand settling on the back of her head, the other resting low on her spine. “Do you want me to kill him? It really wouldn’t be much of a bother.”
That had her laughing, and she shook her head. “You are cute, so cute. He and his boyfriend are currently planning their wedding. It was so bad because he was trying to be something he wasn’t, and I was just simply wanting someone to want me.” She was an orphan, so all she had ever wanted was to be needed, to have a family and be loved. At least, she was an orphan in her mind because of her parents’ need to get rid of her.
Demaratus gave a grunt and shrugged. “I suppose I’ll let him live. Shame, really, I haven’t killed anything in nearly a month, and I fear I’m losing my edge.” He rubbed her back gently. “Why don’t you do the list for Mercury? After that, I’ll take you to HR to get the paperwork Mercury will already have them putting together. We can take it to the dining hall for a meal, since it will take you a couple of hours to get through it all.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Reluctantly, she stepped away from Demaratus’s arms and frowned. Taking a seat at the computer station, she once more started with her list.
His hands came to rest on her shoulders and he squeezed lightly. “The sooner you finish up, the sooner we can get out of here. Once you have all the paperwork done, we can go to your new rooms for a talk. Or to mine.”
“Can we go back to yours? I felt comfortable in your room. Besides, I really do want to spend some time with you.”
“If you want,” he said. Moving his hands, he shifted around to sit on the desk next to her so that his thigh brushed against her arm.
“I’m almost done. Most of what I needed I pretty much knew the second that I walked in.” She found the e-mail for Mercury in the contacts folder. “Okay, I’m done. When I come back another day, I’ll do a complete overhaul of all of this crap. I’ve locked out her old passwords and all that fun stuff already.”
“We need to give you a passcode for the doors first. Except for the private rooms, the code will work for everything on the base.” Pushing off of the desk, he went to the wall near the door and touched the large panel there. It lit up. Putting in a code, he got a blank keypad to appear. “Put the code in, then hit ‘okay’. It will ask you to put it in a second time. Once that is done, a box will appear you will press your thumb into. After that vanishes, look at the spot indicated for the eye scan. You’ll have to have your nose practically pressed to the screen for it to work. Finally, I’ll put my code in again to ensure the system takes it.”
“Biometrics. Totally cool. I can’t wait to dig into this place and see what secrets it holds.” Holly was a bit like a kid in a candy store. She leaned in and held her eyes open after pushing her blonde hair out of her face. Once Demaratus had made sure her code held, she smiled. “You know, we could totally do chips in our hands for the doors as well. It could be programmed so that they wouldn’t work if the chip was damaged or the body was damaged. You know, like a hand cut off and stuff?”
“We thought of that at one point,” he said while he worked at the screen. “But we’ve had some of the guardians go play for the other team. A few we didn’t realize until they tried to kill us. The downside is that they could do a lot of damage if we aren’t paying attention. It’s subtle in the beginning, until the urge to destroy us finally fills them with enough rage to lash out.” Pushing a final button, he stepped to the side and pulled the door open. “It was discussed at great length, but we decided until the tech was more advanced, it was enough of a disadvantage to not warrant the advantages.”
“So, how do you keep the bad guys out? When they turn bad, how do you know? Do they start to smell, like what’s in the dossier of one of the people that I found? I think the woman had it as something along the lines of when one of the guardians turned they began to smell like sulfur. Said that she found it out when one of them started to wear heavy cologne?”
“In time, they do.” Demaratus put his hand on her back and guided her through the halls. How he knew where he was going was beyond her. Nothing seemed to be labeled in any manner, yet he just kept on moving. “In the very beginning, there’s nothing. The sulfur smell comes after a month or so, when the soul begins to rot from the stain of the evil.” Pushing a door open, he stepped in. “Deidre, this is Holly. Holly, this is Deidre, our HR maven. Don’t ever piss this woman off. Mercury should have asked you to get some papers ready.”
“Of course he did,” the woman said. She pulled out a folder about an inch thick and handed it over. “Once you have everything filled out, you bring it back here, with picture ID, and we’ll get you sorted out.”
“Oh crap, seriously, you want a picture of me? Have I mentioned how much I hate having my picture taken?” Holly glanced up at Demaratus. “I hate this. When you have a photo taken, it’s out there for anyone to pick up on. How do I know that it won’t be posted all over the world?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Because I had that happen once. It took me a week to find all of the images and pull them down. I prefer to fly under the radar.”
“Do you not have a license?” Deidre asked with a frown. “That’s what I need. I have to have something that proves you are you, so that I can put you on the payroll. No one else, beyond Mercury, has access to any of the personnel files in here. Even those that help me have to view them under my supervision.”
“No, I don’t have a license,” Holly admitted, feeling her face heat. “I can’t drive. If I get stressed out or freaked out, then everything electronic or computerized fries. That’s not exactly something that you can admit to when you walk up to the DMV, you know?”
Deidre pursed her lips as she stared at Holly. “Do you have a birth certificate?” The woman hadn’t even batted a lash at Holly’s declaration of what she could do to electronics. “While I don’t like it, it will have to do.”
“I don’t have it with me, but I do have a birth certificate. Well, one that I had to have created for me. See, I was dropped off at a children’s home when I was maybe four years old and before that they really weren’t the caring and loving family that most kids have. The people who gave life to me didn’t give them my name or anything like that. They just left me after I had a tantrum and they found out what I could do. I only have very vague memories of the time before them, the tantrum and then the home, but I do remember being terrified and knowing that it was all my fault because I was a bad kid. So, the birth certificate was made for me by the state. I don’t know if it’s my real birthday, and it’s certainly not my real name, but I don’t care. They left me, so it’s good to be away from them, you know?”
Deidre gave Holly a nod and a sympathetic look. “It will do. We’ll take a picture for the file, though. It will be a print, from an old Polaroid camera, actually, and will remain the only copy. If you can have the paperwork all done prior to end of business today, that would be wonderful,” she added.
“Thank you for understanding. As far as I know, I don’t blitz out old cameras, because they are mechanically moving parts instead of computerized and so on. Heck, just take the picture now. I don’t mind. I really don’t. Just keep it in house, if you would, please?”
“I’ll take the photo when you return your paperwork and not a moment sooner. It will be seen by no one but myself or Mercury. Now go. You have a lot of handwriting to accomplish. And if you wouldn’t mind, dear, ensure that it’s nice and neat so I can read it. Stay on the lines, keep it in English, and don’t get creative.” Deidre gave Demaratus a dirty look before shooting Holly a tight but pleasant enough smile.
“Damn, I can’t write in binary? Okay. I promise I’ll be good, but only because I like you.” Holly smirked. “Don’t know why, but I think that you and I will be friends.” She then looked to Demaratus. “Come on, let’s go, shall we?”
He gave her a nod and, with a small bow to Deidre, opened the door for her. Placing his hand on her back, he guided her along. Toward the elevators, she realized. Stepping i
n, he pressed a button and eased his jacket off her shoulders when she fidgeted with it. He swung it around himself and shrugged back into it. “When Deidre says to do something, always make sure you do it. She has complete control of her little world, and though she never abuses the power, she’s been known to remind us on occasion of her place. I do have to say that she’s nicer than the last head of HR we had.”
“I will. I was just yanking her chain a bit. She looks far too uptight for being as young as she is. Is she one of those VV things as well? Shit, I guess I shouldn’t say ‘things’ since I’m one, too, huh? Sorry, I talk a lot. You should see me when I’m programming. I get even worse when I’m talking my way through troubles and issues. Strange, aren’t I?”
“No, Deidre isn’t one of the vestal virgins. She’s straight-up human but in the know on who and what the guardians are.” Demaratus gave Holly a thoughtful look and shrugged. “Someone needs to fill the quiet, and you have a lovely voice.”
“As long as you’re good with it. Because I have to tell you that I kind of like talking to you. It’s nice being able to tell you anything and everything that’s on my mind. Too bad she’s not one of them. Another question.” She slipped her hand into his. “You’re super old, like whoa, so does that mean when I die you will have someone else born to be yours?”
“Should you actually want to complete the bond with me, our lives would be intertwined. In other words, your lifespan is tied to mine, and however long I survive, you will continue on as you are at that very moment. It doesn’t keep you from getting colds, or hangnails, but you do get the added bonus of a very long life.”
“I like you. Just met you, but I do like you. I would really like to get to know more about you. I think that you and I have a lot in common, which is awesome, don’t you think? We should, if we’re supposed to be able to be tied together, our lives and souls and whatnot. I already feel as if I know you from the dreams that I’ve had of you all of my life. You saved my sanity growing up.”
“It would be nice to know we have a few things in common. Though how many is anyone’s guess. As you pointed out, I’m a bit on the older side. You seem to have an affinity with technology, while on the best of days it baffles me greatly. I can manage with some things, but only to a point. Anything beyond that point has my head aching.”
“That’s why you have me,” she told him with a grin. “I’ll make sure that all of your gadgets work and keep you okay, and then from there we’ll figure out what you can do for me.” She leaned into him, something she found herself doing a lot. “Although, I have a feeling you’ll do far more for me than I’ll ever do for you.”
“Doubtful, though I like the thought,” he said softly. He squeezed her hand and led her out of the elevator. Their next stop was what he called their dining hall. It was a large yet cozy space, with little groupings of sitting areas, as well as several long tables. Leading her to the buffet, he gave her a tray, plate, and utensils, then waved her forward.
Holly began to take her fill, then moved in just a bit closer to Demaratus. “Why are they all looking at us?” she whispered.
“Ignore them. They’re still trying to figure you out.” He turned to give the men a look that had them all bailing out at high speeds for the door. Facing her again, he cocked a brow. “You need to eat.”
“I will.” She shuffled down to the fruits and vegetables. “Oh, I love veggies.” She took one of the stir-fries and a bottle of soy sauce. “Okay, I need water, and then I’m good.”
“I’ll get it. Go ahead and choose a spot.”
“Thanks.” She walked away from Demaratus and took a table near one of the walls at the outer edge of the cafeteria. She watched him get his food. Then she shifted so that he could put himself with his back to the wall. “I figured that you would like to have your back to the wall.”
He tipped his head slightly and set his tray down next to hers. Removing his jacket, he put it over another chair, set the file on the seat, then settled in at her side. He passed her the bottle of water from his tray while picking up the cup of coffee to sip from. “Why would you think I’d want that?” he finally asked.
“From the time that you came from, and the people that you were, you don’t necessarily trust people at your back, and I get that.” She bumped her shoulder to his. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
“No, you’re not wrong. I was only curious to hear what you believed my reasoning was for it. It was a very good assessment, if lacking a few details.” Lifting his hand, he brushed the corner of her mouth.
“So, do you want to tell me what your actual reasoning is?” She wanted to know everything about him.
“An enemy of honor would come at you face-to-face. That way when one of you fell in battle, you would be given the warrior’s passage to the next life. An enemy of dishonor comes at your back, though, thinking and hoping to catch you when you are unaware. They will attack when you are most vulnerable. In your own home, where you think it is safe, and you can truly relax, for example. If enough enemies—or people you thought were your friends—attack you at your back, you begin to realize there’s nowhere safe in the world and to have your back to a wall at all times is the only recourse. That way, you can always see everyone attempting to end your miserable existence and, hopefully, end theirs first.”
“I’m sorry.” She reached out to put her hand on his to give it a squeeze. “Well, I’ll have your back now and make sure that no one comes at you. Promise.”
“You may need to start wearing heels, then,” he told her. When she stared at him, he eyed her up and down. “You’re a little on the short side. You won’t cover enough of my back without a little height, Holly.”
“Hey, I’m as tall as a mountain,” she said with a smirk. “But don’t worry. Seriously. I’ll protect you.”
Nodding, he leaned in to press a kiss to her temple. “I believe you, little warrior. Don’t trip over your own feet during the attempt to keep eyes on everything around you, though. It doesn’t do well on the reputation to be known as the klutz of the team.”
She snorted. “Too late. Unless I’m behind a keyboard, I’m a total klutz. You know that, lovely man.” She bumped her shoulder to his again and, after giving his hand another squeeze, she let go and began to eat.
“No, I only know you’re claiming that. We’ll see when we get you into training if you are as much of a klutz as you say. Close-quarters combat and hand-to-hand is a requirement for all our people to learn. You will also need to be proficient with at least one handgun and one rifle. You may also want to hit the gym to assist in some upper body strength you’ll need for the fighting scenarios.”
“Wait, what? No.” She shook her head. “I don’t do gyms, and I really don’t do guns. I do computers. Not those things. No way in hell. Sorry, but no.” She would likely have an allergic reaction. “I hate gyms, seriously hate them. I do yoga in the privacy of my own bedroom, but running and all that—nope. Not happening. I will be the first one to die in the zombie apocalypse, so yeah.”
“There’s no way you would die in a zombie apocalypse. They’d have to get through me first,” he said. “I will also be with you for all of it, but you need to have the basics at a minimum so that if the worst happens you can protect yourself and others. This is a worst-case scenario where all power, and therefore all contact with everyone, is cut off and we are invaded. I can’t say it will never happen, but we all work our damnedest to ensure it won’t. On the off chance that it does happen, I need to know you’re safe.”
“Aww, that’s the best thing that anyone has ever said to me—that they would take care of me in the ZA.” She sighed and shook her head. “I really don’t do all that well with weapons. I don’t. I’m sorry, but I would be afraid I would hurt someone instead of protect myself.”
“Will you at least try? If I assess that you’re not good with a gun, you will never have one put into your hand. But it’s mandatory that we at least put you through it all, so we know in an emerge
ncy situation what your strengths are or are not. I will never put you in danger willingly, Holly. You need to trust me at least a little on this.”
“Fine. For you, I will try.” She leaned into him and smiled. “I trust you. I barely know you, but I do trust you completely. Maybe it’s because of the dreams that I’ve had of you all of my life. So, if you’re the one who’s teaching me how to use a weapon, then I will take every single chance that I have in order to learn. Promise.”
“It requires full-body contact. I’ll be the only one teaching you,” he said gruffly.
“That’s a very good thing.” She took a deep breath. “I look forward to the close-quarters teaching with you.” She picked up another piece of food and ate it. “Will we be able to stick together for a while? You won’t be going out on missions or whatever for a while, right?”
“Only if it’s required, but doubtful, unless you find one of the VV’s and Mercury requires me to be there for backup. Depending on the area where the VV’s are found, and any indicators on what their gifts might be, he makes the determination on who he thinks will help convince them to return to the base and the safety here. Doesn’t always work, but he does his best with the information supplied.” Demaratus looked to the door suddenly and tipped his chin up.
The one she recognized as Alexander came in with a blonde woman. She was laughing up toward the man but turned to look their way and waved her fingers.
“He actually looks like he’s ready to smile. Does he ever?” Holly asked and waved back. “Who’s the woman? Is that his wife or girlfriend or, well, what are the VV’s to the men?”
“She’s his VV, the one the goddess has chosen for him to help him on his journey through the rest of his days. Her name’s Phoenix.” Wiping his napkin across his mouth, he tossed it on top of his empty plate and sat back in his seat. “The bond between a guardian and their VV is more than marriage and much more than a girlfriend. It is deep, personal, intense, and life altering. It is permanent, forever, and something that helps to soften the slightly rougher edges we have. In some cases, anyway.”
