by Debbie Behan
‘I’m sorry. It was careless of us. But it doesn’t excuse the fact Cait was careless.’ He was still feeling guilty, but calming down.
Bree huffed at him, turning her attention back to Caitlin. ‘It’s okay honey. Ignore him; he’s just being his normal possessive pig-headed self with you. You can tell me, I want all the goss and don’t leave anything out about this mysterious man that saved you.’
Up until now, Caitlin and Bree had been friends. This morning, however, Caitlin didn’t feel like talking to anyone about the way she felt, never mind a mate that had just stolen her best friend. Caitlin glanced in the mirror at the back of the elevator. Bree was tall and normally tied her long dark hair up, but today it hung glossy and sexily down her back. Caitlin cast an envious eye over her figure. It wasn’t hourglass like hers, although the cut of her jeans and the stylish halter-top suited her. Caitlin sighed. Jealousy really changed the way she even saw herself. She had no energy to blow-wave her red hair, so it fell in tight ringlets. Her skin was usually pale but today it looked as though she’d just seen a ghost. The normal bright sparkle in her green eyes was gone. She turned away from the image, annoyed she was even comparing herself to this friend-stealer.
‘Sorry, but it’s none of anyone’s business but mine. I’m sure you two don’t want to tell me about what you got up to last night, although I can guess.’
Rory took in a deep breath. ‘Cait, what’s up with you this morning? Bree was only being nice. Don’t take it out on us for what happened to you.’
Caitlin eyed Rory as he put his arm back around Bree again. She knew her tone was from jealousy as she was in no mood to watch them together. The rat! She had spent twelve years with him. They were best mates and up until Bree arrived in the group it was her he had the crush on. Seeing them together wasn’t easy. Not this morning and not the way she felt. It made her even more annoyed he didn’t get that. She looked at what she had thrown away so easily. Her best friend would not be at her disposal anymore and she might as well get used to it.
The elevator stopped and doors opened, allowing Caitlin to make a quick exit to her workstation. The throb in her head and the ill feeling of wanting to throw up had her in no mood to explain herself. At her desk, hands that held a glass of water shook and having put it down, Caitlin rested her head on the desk.
A few minutes later, she heard Rory gruffly organising the staff before sitting on her desk. ‘You aren’t well Cait, you haven’t any colour in your face and I’ve never seen you with dark rings around your eyes, ever. I’m sorry I was moody with you. I’ll drive you home.’
Rory gently picked up her hand and got her to her feet. She grabbed at him as she almost passed out again but regained control and leaned into him, grateful for his help.
‘Maybe I should take you to a hospital,’ he offered.
‘You know we can’t trust any of the doctors here Rory. I’ll be fine. I’ll just sleep it off.’
‘Well, if it gets any worse we’ll have to trust someone,’ he said as he helped her out into his car.
Caitlin slept on and off for two days solid before she felt better. Rory and Bree came around after work and made her dinner at night and Caitlin went straight back to bed as soon as they left. It had really knocked her around. Finally, on Saturday, the third day, she woke feeling her old self again. Showered and almost back to her old vibrant self, she heard familiar voices and quickly dressed to go out into the kitchen and join her friends. Rory and Bree had stayed the night and had started breakfast.
‘Glad to see you look better Cait,’ Rory said as he flipped the eggs.
Bree wrapped arms around her and, Caitlin feeling better today about many things, didn’t shrug her off. She was glad Bree made Rory so happy but so help her if she didn’t.
In the kitchen Rory was in control as usual ordering Bree around and yet there was an expression of guilt when he looked up. He had failed her and he knew it was because he was trying to get Bree into bed. He was their leader and the only man in the world she trusted. He put that trust on the line and had better not do it again.
Jarvis and Nathan arrived. They were both tall and well built. Jarvis had dark hair, eyes and complexion. Nate was the opposite, fair-haired and complexioned with eyes of the palest grey. Even though neither had found someone special yet, they were not short of female company. They picked Caitlin up, hugged her and skylarked around until Rory butted in. ‘Come on guys, this isn’t a free ride, set the table and make the drinks.’
While they were busy, Caitlin brushed at her tangles from across the room, laughing at Rory still going crook at the guys as she opened the door to the last member of their group.
Lisha breezed in the door, hugging Caitlin and turning to the others, all smiles after an obvious good night out. With her cropped blonde hair, hazel eyes and tanned complexion she oozed sex appeal. Holding up a perfectly manicured hand that had never done a hard day’s work in its life, she ran the back of it down Caitlin’s cheek. ‘You okay sugar? Rory tells me you’ve been sick. Sorry about the other night, won’t happen again.’
‘Fine now thank you, Lisha. You had a good night then?’
Pulling her hand away, she laughed in her over-confident way, going over to hug the men, bragging of her win at the pokies and what a great night she had with Jarvis and Nate.
Caitlin smiled as she watched her friends. They were an odd bunch but they did have one thing in common. It was something that kept them all together and had done for many years. They never aged; not one line, not one wrinkle. It was as if they turned twenty, had a growth spurt overnight and then nothing. Caitlin was the only odd one in the bunch. Her skin had never matured as she grew. It stayed soft as the day she was born. It tore easily and was so delicate that when she shook hands with anyone they would hold her hand and study it, unsure why it felt as it did, yet not bold enough to mention it. Her knight in shining armour had done this to her the other night. It made her smile, thinking of him again. She shook her head as she listened to them all chat. This and other strange powers they possessed made them fear others, choosing to keep out of the public eye, hiding from all those that might turn them into lab rats, or worse. They had been in this city for five years and today was their get-together. It was a planned meeting to decide what city they would live in next. None of them ever wanted to stay anywhere for too long, in case their oddness caused curiosity.
Nate handled the passports and personal papers side of it. His computer skills were remarkable. They quite often called Jarvis, Radar, due to his skills at picking up sounds from miles away. Rory laid out all the plans for them and they all listened to him. He was the one who had found them all, brought them together and ensured their safety and well-being. He, their leader, also made the final decision on where they went and what they did when they got there. At the moment, to keep them together, Rory had organised that he, Bree and Caitlin worked as buyers. Lisha was in the office and Nate and Jarvis were sales reps in a large supermarket chain. This ensured they saw each other daily, always keeping an eye on each other, always making it easy to sense trouble if there was any.
Caitlin sat on the couch, careful not to wrinkle her dress as she spread the pleats out in her skirt. She wondered how Rory managed to cook in her tiny kitchen compared with the condo he currently lived in, with his massive chef’s kitchen. Nate, Jarvis and Bree were more like her. They lived in apartments not far from each other so they could hang out. They enjoyed parties, clubs and the opposite sex far too much to worry about tomorrow. They all saw Rory’s point about saving something for the future, but each time they moved to a new place, with new people, the fun always won over logic and none of them could keep their promises to him.
This time when they moved, though, Caitlin had already decided she would stop blowing everything she earned and start building a nest egg for the future. A few nights ago they had gone out to celebrate her birthday. It was a wake-up call, not only to be drugged and losing Rory to another, but she had a r
evelation about having nothing to show for her thirty years. She was going to give up the high-life and settle down in the next city. Save money instead of living as if she had all the time in the world to enjoy the finer possessions in life. Rory had been her only possession. She had lost her hold over him and it hurt.
It wasn’t until the meal was over that Rory enlightened them on a new life changing job offer he’d been given, an offer for all of them.
An Intriguing Offer
They arrived at a restaurant where they were to meet the man who was going to change their lives. Caitlin slammed the car door shut and spun around, her eyes taking in the city below. Up so high on the mountain, the high-rise buildings and rolling hills that surrounded them disappeared into the clouds. Caitlin took a deep breath. The smell of damp wood and pine combined with the sweetness of lavender that grew wild in these parts revived her senses. It had been a couple of days since she felt this well and she enjoyed the feeling of being in tune with nature and the world around her.
As she followed the others towards the steps of the rather old, rustic building, she noted only one other vehicle in the car park. It was a European car that looked far too expensive to belong to the owners of this possibly historical site. It seemed their new employer was either seriously wealthy, or else a salesperson and they were all going to be selling cars for the next five years.
The restaurant was empty except for a man, whom Caitlin assumed was the man they were to meet, Axon Stanton. He sat with his back to them with a glass in his hand. His attire was neat but casual and he didn’t even turn to check them out as they walked in. The table Rory picked for them was near open shutters, and the breeze was cool and welcoming. Leaving the others with the waiter, he went over and sat next to the man at the bar. Caitlin ignored the longing to go with Rory as she always did and ordered a drink instead.
‘I’ll have a caramel latte thanks buddy.’
She was the last to order and the little Spanish waiter with a moustache too big for his face scurried off. Nate and Jarvis entertained them with jokes. Laughing, none of them noticed Rory come back to the table with his guest.
A large shadow looming over the table quietened them down, and all eyes were now on the man from the bar, their soon-to-be new boss. Caitlin coughed and spluttered as her drink went down the wrong way when she recognised the stranger from the other night. She felt the colour sting her cheeks as his lips parted slightly in a smile. She excused herself, meaning to escape to the ladies’, but he moved in front of her path, leaving no room between the next table and Rory.
He put out his hand in a gesture to shake hers. ‘Hi, I didn’t get your name the other night. My name is Axon Stanton.’ He smiled politely. ‘And you are?’
‘Caitlin Warner.’ She lifted her chin, the fight in her eyes emerging, knowing he had caught her and there was no way out of this predicament. She figured any minute now he would do the guy thing, blab what happened, and make a joke out of it.
He turned to the others, excusing himself. ‘I need a minute with your friend. We have already met and I’d like a word.’
She knew Rory would already know by using his sixth sense that this was the man she took home the other night.
Axon had surprised her again, keeping hold of her hand. He guided her out the door and into the garden.
‘Are you well now Caitlin Warner?’ he asked once they were out of earshot.
She tried to keep as cool and calm as he was, but her nerves felt on edge with every brush of his thigh, every gentle caress of his hand that he still kept on hers. ‘I’m fine now, thanks for asking. I slept for two days, but feel better today.’
‘I could see you were ready to run in there and apologise for trapping you, but I hope you’ll accept my request for forgiveness. It was unthinkable that I should have taken advantage of you when you were unwell. To steal a kiss the other night was wrong of me and I hope you can put it aside and keep the personal feelings out of the business I wish to discuss with you.’
‘If you can then I can too.’ She felt happy he was putting it aside but a little sad he was dismissing it so easily.
A little Willy Wagtail darted between them and she sighed. ‘I also would like to apologise for being such a handful and a rude one at that. You were being very kind and I have a habit of saying things before I think.’
He captured her again with a look. ‘Truce then?’
‘Truce!’
He must have been pleased with the outcome, for his rhythm as they walked made her feel happy. His steps hardly made a sound as he walked her back inside. The deal clincher for liking him was when he pulled out her chair. Now that is a real gentleman. Already he was a pleasure to be around, and she grinned as he made her comfortable before moving around the other side of the table to fill the empty seat next to Rory.
What was to come next left them all wide eyed and speechless as Axon explained that his boss, Zoren, was an archangel and the guardian of the heavens.
‘Zoren already has an elite group of super strong immortals called the Cloud Riders. They are the peacekeepers of the many home-worlds on the stars. However, they are kept extremely busy and due to my new position as Supreme Ruler of the celestial spheres, I’m in search of my own group of Riders to arbitrate. They will work with the larger sphere, the planets. The rulers are in turmoil and your position will be to mediate with them and solve their arguments peacefully.’
‘Universal peace keepers, how cool,’ Nathan responded.
Caitlin didn’t think her mouth could open any wider but it did when he added that the riders, moved from planet to planet via portals and on the backs of mystical horses.
‘You have to be kidding me.’ Rory sat back with his arms up and hands on the back of his head. By this stage, he looked more relaxed and spoke to Axon confidently, as if they’d been mates forever.
‘Seriously, the Cloud Riders use the different cloud formations to jump the horses and riders from one portal to the next, depending on the coordinates of the mission. ‘
They all laughed but in their minds, knew they were destined for so much more than their current mundane existence.
Rory leaned back in his seat, eyeing Axon. ‘So you are Zoren’s right hand man.’
‘Yes.’
‘It must be a big job if he has to put you in charge of the best he has. What has me beat is you’re looking at us to help; we haven’t that kind of powers you will need to go up against these gods at war. Sorry man, but we’re not your warriors, not for this shit.’
‘Yes you are Rory, and more, you just haven’t had any training yet. By the time the Cloud Riders finish with you lot I can guarantee, from the power I feel around this table, you’re just what I need. All I’m asking is that you trust me and give it a go. You honestly can’t tell me you’re happy working in a bloody office every day, not with your strengths. How you lasted this long is beyond me. ‘
‘We train at night and use up as much power as we can so we don’t take it into our jobs. The younger ones of the team party until all hours to use theirs up. And no, it hasn’t been easy to hide, but we do the best we can.’
‘Well I’m offering you a chance of a lifetime. Stop with all this hiding and nonsense, quit mucking around with your lives and come with me now. I make no promises about the future, but I am sure of one thing, none of you will ever want for anything again.’ His eyes roamed over everyone now as he stood up, jokes and fun all gone from his tone. ‘I’ll give you time to hash it out but I’m not waiting all day.’ He was making them commit now, this minute! And the six of them sat speechless as he strolled back to the bar, parked himself up on a stool, and switched off from them as he did when they first arrived.
Rory breathed out. ‘So that’s it guys, Axon Stanton, Supreme Ruler of celestial spheres. Is he our new boss or not?’
They had all sat and listened in amazement, hardly believing their ears as Axon told them a wild story that they all believed was true. If it were possible that
they were alive and kicking with all their secrets, then none of them could question there could be more abnormalities out there, super humans, gods fighting and a universe of planets in jeopardy.
‘If we say yes, we go now, today, leave everything behind, not a single trace of what happened to us all.’
Caitlin stretched and huffed. ‘So we have to go get training. What’s that all about Rory? Geez, we all know what we can do. Can’t you tell him we’ll be just fine on our own? I’m not good at someone; you–know–what, telling me what to do.’
Jarvis gently pulled on her curls. ‘It’s the red hair, ain’t it little scruffer. Got a temper when you get riled up, don’t you girlie.’
‘Give you girlie!’ She punched his leg under the table.
‘Ouch!’ He laughed, rubbing his leg.
‘Okay guys, give it up. This is serious and I need you all to give me an answer. One don’t go, none of us go, fair enough.’
They agreed and listened. ‘Okay so they have a farm for us to move into after our training with the Cloud Riders.’
‘Sounds like more of a ranch,’ Nate put in.
‘Yes and what I like is it’s secret from the world so we can stay as long as we want this time. Between the farm and the action in the sky, Kayden’s Cloud Riders presumably don’t get much time for anything else,’ Rory said.
‘But didn’t he say it was close to the other team’s farm? We can hang out with them if we get bored. That’s if we like them,’ Jarvis added.
‘Yes, Axon said the location is in outback Western Australia. And don’t forget he told us the property had a lake for fishing and swimming, provisions for camping, four wheel driving, trail bike riding and at the back somewhere a canyon with chilly water for those stinking hot days he told us they get over there,’ said Rory.
‘So I guess we can get ready for a trip to Australia if we all agree.’ Caitlin smiled. ‘I like the idea of the outback already! Sunsets, swimming and never having to work in an office again.’
