Shivers

by Remmy Duchene

  “Do not be alarmed,” Harun advised the people beneath them. “All is well.”

  After another minute of watching, the two turned and began another long walk down a beautifully decorated corridor.

  “I do not know what is happening,” Koi admitted. “I thought they were after me, after the man I love.”

  “You’ve found your life-mate?” Harun questioned. “Congratulations.”

  Koi chuckled. “You would think that would be a good thing. But with people after us, I cannot in good conscience be with this man.”

  “Sometimes the heart should outweigh the head. Look, we have lived here without incident for thousands of years. My family, their family before them and so on and so forth, and we have done so peacefully. So much so that most of our children do not know about the upper world. They have no need of it. We meant no harm. We just wanted to get someone’s attention.”

  Koi understood. “Is there anything you can tell us about the being who invaded your domain? Perhaps with what little information I have and what you have, we can get some answers.”

  “There is not much to tell. We only assume it is male. He arrived as a gust of wind. It was so strong, it broke the boundaries and the Red Sea flooded in. We were barely able to stop it with spells, but not before—”

  “I fear my father has something to do with all this,” Koi said. “I just do not know how.”

  Harun nodded. “We believe that too. Zeus has a tendency of being up to his ears when things like this happen. Over the years, he has broken his word more times than I can count. But we have elected to remain here for our family and our way of life has become important to us. He has never carried his treachery into our homes until now.”

  “I should return to my people. If this happens again you can call on us.”

  Harun eyed him for a silent moment. “You are so unlike your father.”

  “I take that as a compliment.”

  Harun nodded. “If you find you require assistance, you will call on me?”

  “I cannot ask you to get involved, Harun. You have a family here, people who care for you.”

  Harun smiled—or at least Koi believed it was a smile. “Do not be afraid, my friend. We fight the same enemy. It would be an honor. Safe travels, Koi.”

  “Thank you.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Day five.

  Christophe felt as if he had been dragged through a wood chipper. Though he went to work and managed to sell a couple of condos and lease another, he just couldn’t seem to really focus on much of anything else. At the end of the day, a soft knock came at the door. He was over expecting it to be Koi. Signing off on a sold property, Christophe rose to file it. “Come in.”

  “You’ve been scarce lately.”

  He dropped the folder into the proper place and turned to look at Kofi. The man was handsome, a little leaner since he’d begun fight training. Kofi’s big, brown eyes were happy. They danced at Christophe, even as Kofi folded his arms across his chest. “I have been training again. Preparing for my fight. Even though I don’t know when it is going to be, it has been taking up a lot of time.”

  “Come on,” Kofi pressed. He fell into a chair and stretched his long legs out before him. “You go out of your way to stay away from me and the others. Koi’s been asking about you and you haven’t once called me and asked me to get a hold of him. What happened that night you were together?”

  “Nothing—apparently.”

  Christophe made his way around his desk and sat in the overstuffed office chair. “It meant nothing because I haven’t seen or heard from him since. And it’s okay.”

  Kofi scratched his head.

  “Look, we had a nice night. We had dinner, talked, made out—then I woke up the next morning and he was gone. Didn’t even say goodbye.”

  “And you think he did that because…?”

  “What else? I’m not good enough for him. I’ve never been good enough for any man and I don’t think that’s about to change.”

  Kofi shook his head. “Come on now. Have you looked into the mirror lately? This has nothing to do with any of that and it’s not your fault. Trust me. The men in the Pyktis family aren’t very—how do I say this?—observant. They don’t see things like the rest of us do. My brother is married to one, remember?”

  Christophe blinked. “But Carter wouldn’t have vanished afterward.”

  “You think so, huh? Well, he did. Carter found him by calling in a favor with a friend.”

  Christophe took a breath and swirled in his chair. He stood and walked to the glass to stare out. Did he want to fight for Koi? After so long, did he really care if their one night of semi-passion had crashed and burned?

  “Don’t give up on him, Christophe. He has a reason.”

  “Yeah. I guess. He said one day he would tell me his secrets and that he thinks they might change my mind about him. Do you know what he’s talking about?”

  When Kofi said nothing, Christophe twisted his body to stare at his friend and boss. Kofi had his lips pressed into a thin line.

  “I want to talk to you about something,” Christophe said. “It may sound like I’m crazy, but I have to tell someone.”

  “Okay.”

  “The day I was attacked on the highway—the man who attacked me could fly and so could the man who saved me.”

  “A flying man? What?”

  Christophe chuckled sadly. “I told you it would sound nuts. I wasn’t drunk because I wasn’t drinking, but this man handled me like I weighed nothing. That in itself is farfetched but the other man— Maybe I just imagined it. Maybe I just need a vacation. Kofi?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do you know what Koi’s secrets are?”

  Kofi nodded. “But they aren’t mine to tell.”

  Christophe frowned and returned his attention to the outside. He knew they were having a conversation, but he just didn’t have anything left in him. People had one-night stands—almost one-night stands. Then they moved on the next day. Even if they had to see each other at different get-togethers, he knew he could be civilized.

  “We’re having a dinner tomorrow night at my place,” Kofi was saying. “You should come.”

  “No…thank you. I think I’ll sit this one out.” Christophe reached for his cell phone where it was plugged into the computer, detached it and shoved it into his pocket. He closed the laptop and grabbed his jacket.

  “Christophe…”

  “No, Kofi. Koi will be there and I really can’t face him right now.” Christophe darted about his office, closing drawers, moving things around until he stopped and pointed a finger at Kofi. “You know, for years I kept choosing the wrong men. Then, for a little while, I just laid off dating. Then Mom died and I met Koi, and that one day at Mom’s grave turned my life on its head. I went home that night and I remember feeling so guilty because all the while I was grieving, having to put my mother in the ground, and I kept regretting not reaching across and taking his lips with mine. What kind of a person thinks like that on the day of their mother’s funeral?”

  “We’re humans, Christophe. We’re all flawed.”

  “Right. But being human is an excuse—a cop-out.”

  “You don’t believe that.” Koi inhaled and exhaled. “That’s not how it works.”

  “Ever since that bleak day full of loss I thought, even though I lost the love of my life, I gained something. And I know, I know it might have been wrong to cling to that idea, but I actually… I actually believed that Koi could be my everything. Then he kissed me and I felt something so amazing that I was left dazed and confused in all the best ways.”

  “Then wait to make any decisions. I’ve learned with the men in that family, it takes a lot of patience and understanding. And sometimes when it feels like the world is out to get you and them, all you have to do is take their hands, lead them to the bedroom and just lay them down on the floor.”

  “On the floor?” Christophe blinked. “As in—sex?”
/>
  Kofi nodded. “I know you and Koi aren’t there—yet?—but our bodies are sometimes our greatest tool with these boys.”

  “Um…”

  “Listen, sometimes when life sucks, you just want someone to make love to you. You will understand that with these Shivers love helps—a lot.” Kofi stepped forward and took both Christophe’s shoulders in his hands. “Your answer to Koi won’t be the same as mine or Carter’s. But when that time comes, you’ll do what’s right. Give him some time, and when he does tell you his secrets, if you need time to decide what to do, tell him. If you want to run, tell him—don’t just leave. But most importantly, if you want to love him, the bedroom floor.”

  “Kofi, you’re scaring me.”

  Kofi smiled. “Don’t be. I have to go. Maybe you should call Geoff up and spend some time with him. You shouldn’t be alone tonight.”

  Christophe would rather spend that time with Koi, but since that wasn’t going to happen, Christophe kept that thought to himself.

  “The bedroom floor, huh?” Christophe asked with a small smile.

  Kofi laughed.

  He hugged Kofi and after his friend left, Christophe spent a few more minutes packing up his laptop, dropping off some outgoing mail to the secretary as well as some paperwork for a listing then headed for home. As he made his way along the highway, he kept getting flashbacks of the attack the week before. It sucked, because even though he was physically healed, he was still a little wary that it would happen again.

  No attack came, but when he reached his building, someone called his name. Christophe turned to see a man climbing off a motorcycle. “Do I…?” Christophe stopped when he saw it was Koi. With a frown, he stormed toward the front door. “Go home, Koi.”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “Now you want to talk?” Christophe asked.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Save it.”

  Koi grabbed his shoulder and twisted Christophe. Instantly, Christophe braced himself for a brawl.

  “Koi, I swear to God—all I want to do is punch someone in the face, so keep pushing me.”

  “You want to punch someone? Go ahead,” Koi goaded. “Punch me. Will it make you feel better? If it will, then come on!”

  Christophe shoved at Koi’s chest and backed up. Though he curled his fingers into a fist, Christophe didn’t lash out. He ground his teeth, forcing himself to remain where he stood.

  “I don’t know why you came back, Koi,” Christophe said. “We’re adults. These things happen every day.”

  “What things?”

  “Being with a man for a night then changing your mind the next day. I’m okay with it.”

  “But I am not good with this. Christophe, please…”

  Christophe took a breath and shook his head. This was stupid—there was no way he should be backing down on whatever he was thinking. Though he was second guessing himself, Christophe stepped around Koi and headed once more for the door. “Fine. Ten minutes, then you have to leave.”

  He didn’t get to the front. He’d barely made it up two steps before there was a loud explosion that blew shards of the building outward. Christophe tried twisting out of the way. He lifted his hands to shield his face. Something hard slammed into his side then it was almost as if he were sailing through the air. Christophe wanted to scream in pain, but he was still moving so fast, the sound died in his throat. When his feet touched the ground again, he looked up to see Koi was standing before him, and a man hovered in the air as the wind picked up.

  “Koi! No!” Christophe said. “You can’t fight him. We have to go!”

  “Stand back, Christophe,” Koi said, taking a step forward. “I want you to find somewhere safe and stay down.”

  Christophe nodded but didn’t go far. He ducked behind a set of carefully trimmed hedges and looked out at what was happening. Shocked, Christophe watched as two guns, two massive—for lack of a better word—blasters appeared out of nothing with flickers of embers then went solid against Koi’s back. Koi reached up and grabbed them, diving out of the way of a lightning bolt the attacker tossed at him.

  Koi ducked it and soared to the sky. The two men exchanged blows then disappeared altogether. Christophe surged over the hedge and turned around, trying to see every bit of sky he could. “Koi!” he shouted. “Koi, where are you?”

  No verbal reply came to his shouts. Though he was terrified, the fact that Koi had disappeared with this newcomer scared him even more. He rushed to the edge of the street and looked upward.

  “Christophe.”

  He swung toward the voice. “Koi…”

  “You are afraid,” Koi said. “I understand. I am truly sorry about that, but this is why I must speak with you. It is of the utmost importance.”

  “I don’t—I don’t know if I want to—”

  “Please… Do you remember when I told you that one day I would tell you my secrets?”

  Christophe nodded.

  “The time has come…”

  Koi stepped in close. He wrapped his arms around Christophe and immediately, Christophe felt as if he had just pushed his head above water after a dive. He blinked and they were in his penthouse. He jerked from Koi’s arms and walked behind the sofa. It wasn’t much, but he needed something between his body and Koi’s.

  “Start talking.”

  “My name is Koi Pytkis and I am a Shiver.”

  “What?”

  “My father is Zeus. My mother is Thýella, Goddess of the Storm Winds. You see, Zeus had an affair with my mother—well, affair is putting it nicely. He forced himself onto my mother, and my brothers and I were the result. Hera was tired of him sleeping with other women, so she cursed us. Ciro and Osaki are Shivers as well. Osaki was not born to it, but he almost died, so Ciro made a last-minute decision.”

  “Are you trying to be funny?”

  “How do you explain the flying men?” Koi asked. “I do not have the time or the luxury of being funny, Christophe. Something is coming and without you knowing what you are up against, I cannot protect you.”

  “I don’t need your protection!”

  “And you still do not understand!” Koi snapped. “What is heading this way is not to be trifled with. We do not know what it is yet and that is driving me insane. I know you can fight but that is not the point. The point is someone in my family wants to hurt me and they will do everything they can do make that happen.”

  “And Carter and Kofi know about this—about you and Ciro and Osaki?”

  Koi nodded. “Carter found out when one of our brothers took out the window of his office… Kofi wasn’t as lucky. He found out when everyone was scrambling to protect him.”

  Christophe chewed on his lower lip.

  “It kills me I have gotten you into all of this.” Koi’s voice cracked. “I tried keeping you away from it, at arm’s length, but I…”

  “Damn, Koi,” Christophe whispered. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but there was no denying there was some next-level shit happening around him—around the Pytkis brothers.

  “Ciro is eldest, followed by our brother, who tried to destroy Carter and half of Cuba with him and he tried killing Osaki too. Kofi was kidnapped by Osaki’s brother, who wanted to kill us all. My stepmother wants me and my brothers dead. And I have wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you but I could not—they would come after you.”

  “But they’re coming after me anyway.”

  “Yes. I’ve spent so many nights wondering what it would feel like to be buried deep inside you as you ride me—those wasted months…” Koi’s shrugged. “You see, my brothers can take care of themselves and their lovers are very protected. So they figure the best way to hurt me is to harm you.”

  “I’m not that important to you,” Christophe pushed. “We’ve kissed a few times, eaten meals together, but you’ve never once made me think there could be anything serious between us.”

  Koi cleared his throat.

  “So let me see
if I get this right—you’re a god who has half of Olympus after you, but since they can’t touch you they’re using me as bait—is that it?”

  Koi shook his head. “I am no god.”

  “Shiver—semantics.”

  “Very well. That is the long and the short of it.”

  Christophe took a breath and paced one way then the next. What Koi had told him would explain the flying men and all those times he’d felt as if he was being followed. But if he was going to believe all that, he was going to have to believe in Zeus and Hera and Poseidon…

  “Someone has been following me. I couldn’t see them, but I knew they were there.”

  “Yes,” Koi replied. “We took turns for I needed to know you were safe.”

  “The man who saved me…”

  “Hephaestus.”

  “The blacksmith god? But he never leaves his shop. How…?”

  “Well, true that he may not get along with the gods on Olympus, but the Shivers have no problems with him. In fact, we are close. Christophe, I promise you, I am not messing with you and I am not trying to harm you. I want to keep you safe and in order to do that I had to tell you. If you agree—”

  “I want to help.”

  “You cannot help. These beings are dangerous and Ciro, Osaki and I are barely keeping up as it is. I will send you to safety until I can make it safe here. Until then—”

  “You’re not going to just send me away!” Christophe said. “You can’t drop this on me then expect me to just walk away. This is my life, Koi. Let me put some dinner on and you can tell me everything. Wait, let me rephrase that. I’m going to put on some dinner and you’re going to tell me everything.”

  He noticed the way Koi tilted his head.

  “You believe me?” Koi asked.

  “It’s not like I have a choice. It’s either that or think the man I want as my boyfriend is losing his mind and taking me with him. I mean, I saw men flying like something out of a movie. Then one minute you have nothing on your back and the next there are two guns strapped on there like Agent 47. I’m not crazy, Koi. I know what I saw. I’m still a little shaky on the whole thing, but I can’t deny my eyes. Everything happened and I know about it, which means there’s no going back.”