Legends and Myths of the Demigoddess 1

by Owen Oakley

  As soon as that desire comes, it subsides into awkwardness. I blink several times only to realize that my breasts are against this stranger’s chest, and it positions his hand at the small of my back.

  This isn’t right.

  Roman wasn’t complaining, wearing a half-smile, but Aiden was glowering at Roman—unsure why, but I would ask later—and Demetri just continued to gawk at me with an unreadable expression.

  Time to go, now. No more of this. Get up. Now Sabine!

  “Excuse me,” I tell them, and I get up with redden cheeks and confusion. Keeping my head down until I’m outside where the night air only makes my hot skin clammy and sticky. The valet hands me my keys and I’m in the car without a backward glance.

  After I make it home, I feel somewhat better. The ride back with the top down helped calm my jitters and euphoria that were shooting out the roof. That entire thing was weird, not to mention embarrassing and Aiden would hear about it as soon as he came over.

  It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep and the peacefulness of my house comes tumbling down. I dream of the warlock, again.

  He’s shirtless and gorgeous, wearing armor bottoms, and carrying a sword on his hip that has a black blade and golden hilt.

  The man is talking to a beautiful woman with a platinum pixie cut. They’re standing over a map that doesn’t resemble any world map that I’m familiar with.

  “And when she comes? What will you tell her?” The woman asks the man.

  The man sighs with a forlorn expression. “What I need to tell her for her to stay. We need her.”

  The woman nods.

  My dream distorts and then switches.

  I find myself in a forest, where a lake surrounds a small cottage. The trees are bright green, and the flowers are colorful and too many to count. I’m barefooted letting the dirt enclose around my feet and in-between my toes.

  Butterflies swarm around me like I’m their center at least until I hear the whisper of voices coaxing me back to my room.

  But when I arrive something is off, the voices never leave, if anything they seem closer. It takes me a few minutes to realize what’s happening.

  Someone is in my house.

  4

  L ying on my side with my face towards the balcony; I turn my eyes into slits. I always sleep with the balcony doors open and my office lamp on, part habit, and to illuminate the room if I awake with an idea. My home faced opposite the moon so when the lights are out, it becomes pitch black. I’m not fond of my room being in total darkness while I slept either.

  Unable to see who was there, I determined they’re two of them. Their voices remain at a whisper, only elevating during bits of the conversation.

  I shut my eyes and listen, and for a moment, their conversation cease.

  Maybe they’re gone? I wonder.

  “How are we going to get her back?”

  No, no such luck.

  “She didn’t stay long enough to put the potion in her drink. This will be difficult now.”

  Wait. What? Hang on. That voice sounds familiar. Creamy and would make any woman go weak; it sounds like Roman.

  I had a bad feeling about tonight, and of all nights Aiden chooses not to come over. How did these two even know where I lived? Could have followed me after I left. No, they couldn’t have caught up with me that fast. It didn’t matter, anyway. Crap! Crap! Crap!

  I’ll die or used as a sex slave. My anxiety kicked in, and I held on to my covers for dear life.

  “Difficult, not impossible, but we must do it. The sooner, the better,” another voice says. I don’t have a clue who that is. His tone was deep and commanding. Mesmerizing even.

  My survival mode activated. What can I use as a weapon? After opening my eyes and scanning the area that I’m able to see, I soon discover I have nothing. I groan to myself.

  I don’t like this, almost positive I’m going to be taken, no movie pun intended. That’s not even the scary part. The frightening point is not knowing where they plan to take me or do to me.

  “Damn, Aiden man, got right in the way! I had her until he started acting like a cave man,” Roman says through gritted teeth.

  He’s damn right that’s my best friend, and he wouldn’t let anyone hurt me, I wish he were here now though. I regret not asking him to leave with me or at least make sure I got home okay. I may have been born and raised in NOLA but living here; you can never be too safe.

  Just breathe Sabine. That’s it inhale and exhale. My chest constricts, and I squeeze my eyes together until a tear falls on my cheek — a damn panic attack. The universe is showing so much love tonight.

  “Stop!” The mysterious voice says. “She’s awake.”

  Crap. Crap. Crap. How in the hell did he know that? I’m not facing them. The closeness of their voice place them in my doorway, which was at least ten feet away.

  I remain with my eyes closed; well aware, my eyelids are twitching to maintain my ruse.

  “Sabine,” Roman calls out with a melodic tone. I give up, opening my eyes, and he comes into view.

  He’s sporting a smile, no longer wearing a suit, but jeans and a black shirt fighting against his biceps and both arms were covered in tattoos.

  Great, now I have attractive kidnappers that want to take me. Why is this a bad idea again? Stop it, Sabine! Kidnappers don’t let hostages live to tell the tale.

  I take a moment to sit up and look around for the deep baritone voice I heard, and spot Demetri in the doorway that connects my office. This guy has some serious issues, I can tell. He still had on his suit, minus his jacket with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

  His muscles on display too, saying Hi Sabine touch us. I will not, but it doesn’t hurt to look.

  “We’re not here to hurt you,” Roman continues.

  Yeah, right says all kidnappers. Most of my foster parents lived in the ninth ward, so I know what the deal is here.

  I pull the covers up to my chest, remembering I’m shirtless with only a bra and panties on. It only makes Roman’s smile deepen, with an arched brow as he looks down at me.

  Demetri snorts and roll his eyes at me as though disgusted and offended. I sigh, looking at my clock that says 2:30a.

  “Why are you in my house?” No need to ask ‘how’ because it doesn’t matter, they’re already inside. Demetri doesn’t give Roman a chance to answer.

  “It doesn’t matter, you’re coming with us!”

  “The hell I am!” I shoot back at the asshat.

  A low rumble escape his lips that has me pushing further into the headboard.

  Roman pins Demetri with an unsettling look. Whatever unspoken message passes between the two leaves Roman and I alone and Demetri wading into the other room.

  Roman sits on my bed mindful to keep his distance, but my attention remains on Demetri, the wanker going through my things on my desk.

  “Sabine listen to me. We need to take you with us. Okay? It’s not safe for you here in New Orleans. Bad people are looking for you.”

  The words not safe and bad people echo in my head.

  Why is someone looking for me? I’m an ordinary person, a writer and that’s it, who stays to herself. I haven’t pissed off anyone. Not involved with drugs or any other illegal activity.

  “Why?” I ask. A question that makes Demetri’s strong jawline tick and toss more things around on my desk.

  Roman sighs, with a look of defeat. “Too much to explain but you have Aiden to thank. Twat, twit, or whatever it’s called, let some perilous people know your precise location.”

  I almost laugh but giving the circumstances I’m in, I didn’t. Who doesn’t know about Twitter?

  “They are getting very close to finding you Sabine. Before you were undetectable and hidden. I mean even Dem and I,” he says, pointing to the asshole, “didn’t know where you were. I’m sorry, but you’re not safe anymore.”

  There goes that phrase again. Not safe and now anymore. My head is unable to process all of this be
fore it goes into flames. Not even six hours ago, I was fine and looked forward to getting back into my daily flow.

  Now two strangers show up in the middle of the night with information that I’m unable to process and I have to go with them because bad guys are looking for me. Nuh-uh, not buying this bullshit.

  “Go where?” Another question I shouldn’t have asked.

  A loud growl roars out followed by a book sent flying from across the room into my bedroom, hitting the wall. That had me jumping out of the bed, abandoning my modesty. Roman remained where he was, not surprised by his friend’s outburst. He looked tired.

  “Enough!” Demetri’s voice boomed out, laced with coldness. Roman calls his name, but he ignores him. “Listen here woman. You’re coming with us. Put on some clothes and lets. Go. Now,” he demands.

  “Dem, she has questions! Cool it,” Roman tells him. Demetri looks at Roman, but it’s clear he doesn’t care.

  “Do it,” Demetri barks.

  Roman looks back at me with sadness in his eyes. “What, why? She’ll go with us just give me time to explain things.”

  I’m not going anywhere; they just don’t know it yet, well one doesn’t.

  “Roman, we don’t have time to explain every single action and babysit her on every detail.”

  I don’t wait to see their argument play out. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears, I’m burning up, and my stomach is clenching together. This is the perfect time to look for a weapon.

  I turn to both sides before I spot a pair of scissors lying on my nightstand. Yes. Without losing focus on the two, I ease over and slide the scissors into my hand.

  Roman comes toward me. I feel bad for a moment; I wish it would have been Demetri, but exceptions must be made. Kill or become a victim that’s the game here and I’m not about to become their martyr. Just as Roman grabs for my arm, I thrust the scissors into his side, leaving the whole damn thing there.

  He grits his teeth and falls back. I don’t tarry as I turn and head for the balcony to yell for help. Demetri mutters a strange word, and at the snap of his finger, I fade into darkness.

  What is it with these guys and finger snaps? My equilibrium becomes off, and my vision hazy. I feel like I’m being prepped for surgery. What did he just do?

  Roman catches me before I hit the floor; he looks back at Demetri. “Asshole.”

  I couldn’t agree more.

  5

  Roman

  I have a unique skill set for many situations, for things such as these. But no, leave it to Demetri who has the same amount of charm as a goblin. I lay Sabine on the bed and cover her with the comforter.

  What a shit show this has turned into, and Demetri has the gall to be what? Angry? Upset, with me no doubt.

  “What’s up with you?” I ask, needing to know. He’s been a dick to Sabine ever since the party. Let’s be clear he’s like that to everyone, it’s his personality, but he’s been an extra jerk.

  “Look we need to get her to the realm the more we wait and try to sweet-talk her into going the longer it’ll take.” I ignore the “sweet talk,” jab.

  I wasn’t buying that, but I hold my hands out in front of me. “Are you going to help me dress her?” I glance down at Sabine, then back up at Demetri just in time to see him shoot me an incredulous look. “You did this, next time let the person put on their clothes, and then knock them out.”

  Besides, I didn’t trust myself. I wasn’t expecting to see such a gorgeous creature. I’ve thought about her the moment she left the party. Demetri was sick of me talking about her. But I suspect he was just as taken by her as I was.

  Aiden, that lucky bastard got to be around Sabine all this time. My jaw clenched at the thought.

  She awakened something inside of me I would have to work twice as hard to keep at bay and trust when I say this will prove to be most challenging.

  I rush to her closet and remove several articles of clothing; most were too fancy to wear to our home, and finding shoes was harder.

  These clothes had Aiden’s signature all over them. Even though Sabine looked like a glammed-up doll, I saw that she wasn’t into it. The moment she returned home, she tossed the clothes, removed her makeup, and threw her hair in a messy ponytail.

  My type of woman.

  I, for one couldn’t wait to be free of this realm’s forsaken clothes I was wearing. How these people function in this stuff was beyond me. The suits and dressing to impress were Demetri’s and Aiden’s thing, not mine. They both were in their element; I felt as uncomfortable as a snake slithering over a bed of glass.

  I settle on some black stretchy material pants that’s gentle on her skin for our journey and a loose fitted top.

  When I hold out the clothing to Demetri, he takes one look at my hand, scoff, and turn his back.

  Like I said he’s a dick. I sigh, knowing it would be pointless to indulge further with him on the matter. The glow of her clock snagged my attention, and the time was enough to jerk me into action.

  We’d already lost an hour. The sun would rise soon, and we couldn’t take the traditional route out of here. I hustled. Without looking, I slid the top over her head and placed her back down on the bed.

  I started at the bottom of her legs to work the pants on, the pants proved to be the most challenging part. Had she not been so curvaceous, I stopped. That thought and the grazes of my fingers on her bare legs sent chills over me.

  I muster the will to finish. I looked over at Dem who still had his back to me. “Done.” He nodded and grabbed her legs while I took the upper half. “Wait.”

  “What is it now?” Demetri hiss.

  Sabine was still wearing her gloves. At a second glance I noticed, they weren’t the same pair from the party. These were an almost nude color, and they blended with her complexion had it not been for the small flower designs; I would’ve overlooked them.

  Not wanting to give Demetri any more reason to fuss, I tell him, “nothing. Let’s go.”

  He mumbles his approval, and we haul Sabine out the door and into our rental without being seen.

  This should be interesting.

  6

  T he sound of calmness on one of Summer’s early mornings with different insect noises wakes me. My eyes flutter open, straining against the bright sun that beams on me. I jump up from where I was lying, eyes wide ready to flee, but before I made a sudden move; I soon discover we’re on the freaking Bayou!

  The smooth riverbed with some regions of thick green slime suggest we haven’t traveled far. A single tear falls on my cheek. The only solace I receive is the sniff of nature and the Bayou’s water.

  I stumble back and clutch my head. It ruptures with a stinging pain at my temples like it’s filled with clumps of disturbed rocks.

  “Whoa! You don’t want to fall in,” Roman says. He steadies me with his hands encased around the small of my back, and I swat his it away.

  I’m in no mood for anyone’s charity, especially from these two. After I stable myself, I take a seat in the old, oversized, wooden canoe’s corner by myself.

  The canoe could hold six people, but the two men’s muscular frames takes up a great deal of space.

  We remain quiet while I examine myself. I’m dressed in black yoga pants, one of my long grey Nike workout tops, long in the front and back with short sides, and a pair of sneakers.

  One of them had dressed me and kept my gloves on; a sigh of relief escapes my breath. I meet Roman’s gaze, his facial features softened.

  “I dressed you,” he says. My brow quirks up. “But I didn’t notice or anything, even though it’s in my nature,” he continues with a smirk.

  That’s cute. With a Louisiana ass like mine, I’m sure he looked. In return, I give him an eye roll bringing my knees to my chest.

  We travel for what seems to be hours. The sun was up; the fog finally cleared away, and no one said anything, except for the occasional glance back from Demetri as he rowed the boat.

  I can be feisty, but
he scares the hell out of me, and I’m not afraid to admit it. My head still hurts from whatever he did to me earlier. A clear message. I get it, buddy. Then again, why should I make this easy for them? They have brass balls; I’ll give them that, and that’s the only thing I will give them.

  They raised me in countless foster homes, and none of them was a walk in the park or a fresh bouquet of roses. With verbal and physical abuse in those so-called systems in place to protect children.

  A person born with spunk, but all that I was born with was taken away, and when I turned eighteen, I had to fight to get back to the person fate destined me to be. Although, I still haven’t reached it and maybe I never will.

  So, yeah, Demetri’s craziness brought me back to reality because I’ve seen it before, and how it ends for people like me.

  As Demetri continued to row the boat, I don’t recall him stopping for a break, and I would not ask either. For starters, I didn’t care if something fatigued him. Perfect, maybe it could play to my advantage.

  What did he do to me? I remember he muttered a strange word. If I lived anywhere else, the word would seem odd but living in Voodoo and Hoodoo capitol, it’s not surprising.

  I glance out at this beautiful scenery before me. Breathtaking, and it makes me realize that I spent far too much time indoors. As a child, I would stay in the woods until late at night. I craved it; swimming, climbing trees, picking flowers, as the sun warm my skin.

  I suppose it’s the reason I became involved with plants. It was my therapy, an escape from the bullshit in my life.

  Life dealt me a bad hand, and not once did I ever complain or take it out on anyone else. I made the best of a terrible situation and used it as motivation to get the fuck out. History sometimes has a way of repeating itself, and that’s okay.

  I inhale with closed eyes. The detection of wood and flowers fill my nostrils, and I smile to myself.

  Even in this chaotic situation, nature gives me peace.