by L. A. Boruff
“How old are you?” Ian asks, with curiosity in his voice. They really are in the dark about all this stuff. I wonder how they have gotten by for so long.
“I’m really fucking old. Let’s just say I have been around long enough to see humanity grow-up,” I respond. I want to make this easier for them, some part of me wants them to succeed. “I can’t believe I am saying this, but I will train you three, and make sure this is successful. It will be rough, and your life as you know it is over. No more job, no more friends and family. We need to leave Earth and go to Olympus. Fuck I don't want to go home."
"Leave Earth? How is that even possible? We just can’t quit the force. People depend on us. Our lives are here. And train, like in the fucking Hunger Games? What makes you think we are going to follow you based on some story that you are telling us? You need to explain more what this means...now," Damian challenges getting into my face. He is in for the shock of his life if he decides to challenge me right now. I push out my power a bit, and grab hold of his. His energy submits to mine, and I can see his emotions adjust.
“The gauntlet is held on Olympus; it’s where I was born. The land of the gods. The only place in the universe I’d rather not be. Politics can be a bitch when you’re a princess and heir to the throne. My father, Zeus, is kind of a dick, and when I left, he made it so that I wouldn’t be able to come back without a mate, and I guess he is getting his wish with you three,” I tell them. There is frustration in the air. This is not something that any of us wanted.
“Zeus is your dad? You’re a princess? We get to go to another world, and fight for the right to be with you?” Ian asks. He sounds a bit excited. I bet I had him at princess.
“Yes, we need to take a portal to get there. Earth is no longer an option for the four of us. We would be putting too many people at risk. If they started coming through the portals, they could challenge you at any time. We could start a war that none of the humans would understand. Earth has grown on me, and I don’t want to see anyone hurt,” I confess.
They still don’t look convinced. I need to get the rest out before I start sucking in all this angry, fearful energy. It is calling to me, trying to make me take it in. I feel like a drug addict waiting for her next fix. “We need to train you to run these certain tests that will be given and the final battle at the end. There are going to be a lot of people attending. I tend to um, reject a lot of suitors,” I say, clearing my throat. They don’t need to know how many exactly there are going to be. Many of them won’t show, because it’s been so long, and they have moved on, but I know quite a few that are going to be jumping up and down with joy to try to destroy these three. Especially since none of them have god powers.
“I don’t believe you,” Damian says, through gritted teeth. His eyes have taken on a yellow tint, and I know if I don’t make him relax, he is going to shift.
"Take your shirt off," I say calmly to him. An angry wolf who has no fucking idea what is going on is a dangerous one. I send him calming energy, and a little happiness. You can see the shift in his emotions right away.
He lifts the shirt over his head and just like I thought there was going to be, my mark is on his breast right over his heart. The other three do the same and just as Damian’s, my mark is there. Looking at them, shirtless is not doing anything for myself control. I don’t think I could have picked hotter mates if I tried.
“What the fuck is this?” Damian asks. His anger has subsided, as he now is getting the full picture of how much trouble we are all in.
“It’s my mark. It means you completed the mating. It means that we are now our own little family unit,” I explain to him. The mark is beautiful against his umber toned skin. It looks like it was made to belong there. He reaches down and touches it with his fingertips. He looks back up at me and nods his head. He understands.
A small white shamrock gleans back at me. It is a mock really. I didn't choose this, but now I am going to have to finish it. These three pups don't understand the war they just started. It is going to be a hard journey, and we are going to have to stick together, but if these idiots follow through with what I tell them, we might come out of this alive. We just need a little luck.
More from AC Wilds
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Death Card – The Changer Series – Book 1
Sinner’s Harem – A Sinners and Saints Prequel Novella
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Shamrocked
Elissa Ryan
1
Julia
“JJ,” my best friend whined as she jumped up and down, blowing warm air into her bare hands. “It’s too fucking cold out here.”
“I told you to dress warm, dummy.” I shook my head and laughed, pulling my heavy coat closer to me. “You’re not even wearing gloves.” I looked over at Natalie’s idea of winter attire. Her blonde hair whipped around her face in the brisk March air, her blue eyes tearing from the bitterness of the cold. She wore ripped skinny jeans, black ankle boots, and a leather jacket over her tight-fitting band t-shirt.
“I wore a coat,” she countered as she continued dancing in place, doing anything to keep herself warm. “It’s almost spring, for God’s sake.”
“You should know by now you can’t count on any kind of spring in St. Louis. There’s always a second winter before we even get to spring.” Natalie leaned into me, trying her best to warm herself on my body heat. “Hell, we’ll probably skip right over it and jump right into the humid-ass oven of a summer.”
I scanned the crowd. Everyone seemed to be oblivious to the twenty-five-degree morning. I’d think it was the excitement of the parade making its way around the turn at 20th and Park, but I’m pretty sure it had more to do with the cups full of green beer they seemed to be downing by the gallon. “Why don’t you go get a drink?”
She turned her face up at the mention of beer at ten in the morning. I think she was still sporting a hangover from last night.
“Well, at least go find a coffee.” I gave her a little shove toward the vendors set up behind the parade crowd. “That will at least help keep your hands warm.”
“Keep my spot open,” Natalie yelled over her shoulder as she disappeared into the swarms of people. Despite her lack of better judgement when it came to keeping warm, I had no idea how I would have made it through the last four years without her. She’d been my roommate since we were freshman at UMSL. The start of our junior year, we’d moved out of the dorms and into our own apartment fifteen minutes from campus. She’d seen me through some of the worst times of my life; losing my mom to cancer, almost failing junior year, and my breakup with my high school love, Nate. It took her forever to talk me into coming out today. I’d been burying myself in school work and trying to avoid all of my problems. Despite the cold, I needed to use this day to unwind and regroup.
I’d been so lost in my thoughts, I’d completely missed the two drunken idiots who had made their way entirely too close to my personal space, and who kept bumping into me as they ogled every female in their line of sight.
“Damn, dude,” drunk guy number one spat out sloppily as he pointed towards a couple of girls who stood a few feet in front of us. “Look at the ass on that one,” he screamed into his friend's ears, loud enough for me to hear, even over the screams and cheers from the parade-goers who were catching beads and candy from the now-approaching floats.
“Uggh,” I muttered under my breath. The drunk man closest to me, a good foot taller, looked down at me menacingly. His expression began to change as his gaze made its way up and down my body, his mouth turning up into a disgusting sneer, his glassy eyes unable to focus on my face.
“What’
s wrong, sweetheart?” He pressed himself against me, closer than was needed even in the dense crowd. “You jealous, sexy?” The heavy scent of beer and cigarettes on his breath assaulted me as he wrapped his arm around my back and pulled me to his side.
“Get the fuck off of me, you dick.” I looked him directly in his eyes as I spoke, getting as close to him as I could handle for effect. There was no way these two assholes were going to ruin my day. I intended to watch the parade, drink some beer, and maybe meet a sexy Irish man to bring home.
“Don’t be like that, baby.” He rubbed his hand down my arm as he spoke and I broke out in a sweat, my stomach churning. I made myself snap out of my repulsion, remembering the self-defense class Natalie had gotten me to take a few summers ago. My elbow found his gut and I put all of my strength into pushing him away from me, stomping on his foot at the same time. “Get off me, asshole,” I screamed at the top of my lungs, making certain to catch the attention of everyone around me in case I’d need backup.
“You bitch!” Drunk-ass swung his arm out, catching me on the side, hard enough to throw me face first to the ground. The pavement burnt my skin, and I felt something trickle into my eye. Blood coated my fingertips after lightly tracing them across my forehead. I sat up, the motion causing an immediate throbbing behind my eyes.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here, Scott.” The drunken idiot’s friend grabbed him by the arm seconds before I watched him become airborne and land on the ground, right next to me.
2
Isaac
I can’t believe Brogan talked me into this float and then bailed. It was colder than should ever be necessary today, and I would have been perfectly fine sitting my ass on the couch, drinking beer and watching some reality television show. Brogan woke up sick this morning and barreled into my room, begging me to take his spot on the Children’s Hospital float this morning. One of the nurses he was casually involved with had talked him into designing and riding the float with a group of the hospital staff. They wanted doctor representation, and the real doctors didn’t have time for these kinds of things.
Medical school had really taken its toll on my social life lately, so I supposed I should be thanking him for the distraction. I hadn’t had time for anything other than studying and sleeping, so maybe this would be just the break I needed. Maybe I’d even find a cute college girl after the parade to take back to our St. Pat’s party.
I scanned the crowd looking for the most eager faces to throw my shamrock-beaded necklaces towards, until my eyes locked on a situation a few rows in front of me. The floats at the beginning of the parade had stopped, giving me time to examine what was happening, and to make sure I didn’t need to intervene.
I noticed her first, the wind whipping her brown hair around her head as she stared daggers up into the eyes of a much taller, very intoxicated man. I thought they may be together, until I noticed his equally inebriated friend getting in on the action. It became clear that the three of them had either just had a huge falling out, or they didn’t know each other at all. The woman pushed against the man harassing her and he wasn’t taking the hint. I gripped the railing so hard that my fingers began to ache.
The second I saw him make contact with her, I pushed off the railing and swung my legs over the side of the float, breaking into a run the instant my feet hit the pavement. My knuckles turned white as I grabbed the jacket of the man who had pushed her and yanked him until he was facing me. Pure anger took over as I looked into his smug face. I pulled my fist back and released, catching him right under the chin, sending him flying into the air and landing on the brick walkway.
I rubbed my now throbbing hand as I stood over the half-dazed man on the ground. “Who the fuck taught you it was okay to lay a hand on a woman?” I spoke through clenched teeth.His friend was bent down talking to him as well, trying desperately to get him up and moving before security made their way over to us.
“Get the hell out of here,” I spoke to his friend this time, letting him see the anger in my eyes, “before I send you both to the medical tent.” When I was sure they were making moves to get up, I turned to focus my attention on the brown-haired beauty laying on the ground behind me. Her friend had come to her side at some point during the commotion and knelt over her, making sure she was okay.
“JJ, we need to get you to the med stop down the street,” she pleaded with her, but JJ just shook her head.
I knelt down next to her and placed my hand on her shoulder. She flinched at my touch. I’m sure she was worried the assholes had made a reappearance. “It’s okay, JJ…?” I looked at her questioningly. “Can I call you that?”
“It’s Julia.” She started to sit up as she spoke. “My friends call me JJ.”
“Fair enough, Julia.” I laughed as I tilted her chin up so I could check her eyes. “My name’s Isaac and I’m a med student at SLU and would love if you would at least let me examine you.” I looked back and forth between her deep brown eyes, trying to focus on her pupils and their reactiveness, but I became lost in the depths of their color. “If you don’t want to go to the medical tent, my place is just around the block.” I reached into my scrub pocket and took out my ID. Thank goodness the organizers of the float wanted us in uniform today. It made pleading my case that much easier. “Here’s my hospital badge.” I held it in front of her face so she could read it easily. Her friend eyed me skeptically, and I decided I may need to convince her as much as Julia. “You should come as well…” I waited for her friend to offer up her name.
“Natalie,” she replied before looking down at her friend with a worried expression. She seemed to ponder the idea for a few seconds before speaking. “JJ, I think you should take him up on the offer.” She squeezed her shoulder and rubbed her arm, and I saw JJ relax under her comforting touch. “We have to get you out of this cold, and you need to let him check out the cut on your head.”
Julia reached up and placed her fingers to the injury near her hairline, flinching as she made contact with the wound and the blood still oozing from it.
“I don’t think it needs stitches, but I would like to at least get it cleaned and see for sure.” I brought my own hand up to her forehead, pushing her hair away from the blood. She looked up at me with sadness but didn’t pull away from my touch this time. I considered that a small victory. I saw the war in her mind play out on her face, and she looked to her friend for advice. Natalie nodded her head ever so slightly, and I could see the moment Julia agreed to take me up on my offer.
“Okay,” she whispered softly. “I’ll come, but just long enough for you to check me out and then we’re leaving.” She smiled briefly and it warmed me a bit despite the cold. “But no funny business, mister.” She smirked at me and I loved it. I reached my hand out to her, a silent plea in my eyes for her to let me take care of her. She reached out tentatively, took hold, and I pulled her to her feet.
3
Julia
“Yes, I’m sure I don’t need you to carry me.” I walked behind Isaac as we made our way down 20th Street, to his apartment a few blocks away. Since we’d started walking, he’d checked on me no less than five times. We hadn’t even traveled off the parade route yet; he insisted on walking in front of me so he could clear the crowd directly in front of us. I was annoyed at first, until I realized it gave me the perfect opportunity to check him out.
“Look at that ass, JJ,” Nat nudged me in the shoulder as she whispered, though she was not at all quiet. She had to raise her voice for me to be able to hear her over the people around us.
“Dammit, Nat,” I reprimanded her under my breath. “Why don’t you just make an announcement?” I neither confirmed nor denied her observation. I didn’t want to admit that I had not only been checking out his ass, but all of the other yummy parts of him since we started toward his apartment. His hair was a nice light brown, cut short on the sides and a bit longer on top in a cute kind of messy ‘I just woke up like this’ look. I imagined he liked to keep it that way
so it’d be easier to take care of while he was busy with medical school. He was so tall, a good foot taller than my five foot-two inches. I envisioned him coming home from a long day of saving kids and pulling me into him, kissing my neck, making his way down to my collar bone, his tongue licking its way…
“JJ!” Natalie snapped me out of my stupor, and I realized I had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “Isaac!” she yelled to get his attention, and he made his way back to us in record time.
“Are you okay, Julia?” He placed a hand on either shoulder and got inches from my face, his eyes searching mine, examining me for symptoms of concussion, I assumed. His breath was minty and warm against my skin. I became lost in his green eyes and was sure my mouth had dropped open of its own accord. “Please let me carry you the rest of the way.” His plea brought me back to reality.
“Absolutely not, Isaac.” I shook my head and started walking to prove my point. “I’m perfectly fine. I just started daydreaming about something.”
He glanced at me, a look of uncertainty in his eyes. “Okay, but I’m going to stay closer to you the rest of the way.” The crowds were smaller now anyway, so he took his place next to me, giving me an even better view of his assets.
* * *
We stopped in front of a tall apartment building and I craned my neck to look up. I’d always wondered who lived in these fancy buildings downtown. I guess now I had my answer. I walked inside and noticed a security guard set up at a small desk in the corner of the lobby. Yeah, you definitely had to have some coin to live here. Our apartment complex had a dungeon laundry room, a mostly empty exercise space, and a pool area in need of major repairs to become even remotely functional.
