Immersion (Apalala Clan Book 1)

by Dzintra Sullivan

  Volos laughed at the comment over his scent. Payton didn’t yet know the connection, but he chose to only answer the first part of her question right now. “Why?” he repeated her question before answering it. “Because I can, and I want to, unless you’d rather me assign one of my brothers?” he asked, but his heart was holding its beats for her answer.

  “I’d rather you.” His heart started beating again with relief. “But…” she added, “… if you’re a rude arrogant oaf, I’ll call you on it every time.”

  “Wouldn’t want it any other way.” Volos smiled.

  The two of them walked back to the brothers’ living room, still throwing ideas about possible scenarios to do with the basin and its threat from above.

  Her eyes sparkled under the faux starry night, and Volos knew he was lost to her.

  Payton turned the key in the door hastily as she heard the phone ringing, throwing the spare key on the table, glad yet once again she had returned the spare key to its hidden spot. Losing your handbag twice in as many days is fast becoming a habit. She picked up the receiver and spoke breathlessly from the rush, “Hey?”

  “What the actual fuck, woman?” Kylee’s voice sounded the perfect mix between relief at hearing Payton, and wanting to dig a hole and shove her body in it for making her best friend worry. “Really, Payton? What the fuck?”

  “Hey Kylee,” Payton said as she looked over her shoulder and watched the room grow smaller as Volos walked into her living area. “What’s happening?” she said absently, as Volos stood and looked around the room. Payton waved a finger in the air, silently saying he can look around and make himself familiar with the layout of her house, turning her attention back to a voice that was now screaming at her on the phone. “Huh?”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re not even listening.” Payton heard Kylee put the phone down on a table, she was deep breathing while obviously trying to calm down. The tap turned on in the background and Payton assumed she was getting a glass of water. Waiting for Kylee to pick the phone back up again seemed to take forever. “Fuck you, Payton,” she finally said as she came back on the phone.

  “Kylee, I’m so sorry, hun. I didn’t mean to ignore you.” Her voice was quiet and sincere, Kylee was her soul sister and hurting her, hurt herself. “I just rushed in the door.”

  “Don’t answer your cell anymore?” Kylee snapped, not quite ready to back down from the anger train she had chugging along.

  “I lost my briefcase on the beach, all my notes, papers, phone, keys, the lot.” She sighed as the full reality of what was gone had sunk in. The cell phone could be replaced, and the keys, most of the papers could be reprinted, but there were a few that she’d taken without permission from the meeting with Mr. Paxern that couldn’t be replaced so easily. Payton shrugged. She would cope, just needed to dig a little harder and deeper, nothing would stop her now.

  “Again?” Kylee sighed with disbelief.

  Payton knew Kylee was pissed, but she had reason enough, Payton’s life had been very… um… eventful lately. “Want to come over and I’ll explain? We have some work to do, and I’d like you on board.”

  “You’re still not forgiven, but yeah, okay, I’m on my way.” Kylee hung up the phone as Volos walked back in the kitchen. Payton looked up at her new house guest. “Kylee’s on her way over. You can trust her, she will help.”

  “Payton…” Volos said with a serious tone.

  “Yes?” she replied with a confused look at his sudden change in pitch.

  “I know you speak of honesty with your friends, but I ask you don’t speak of our home or our clan. The trust we have…” Volos swallowed hard, “... I have given you doesn’t span the entire human race.”

  Payton smiled with relief. “Absolutely, I wouldn’t put you or the clan in danger.”

  Volos nodded. “You have a larger land space than I had anticipated… an attack could come from any side.” Volos was all business, she could see the change in him. The Volos she sat and spoke to for four hours on top of the palace roof wasn’t there right now. Weirdly it gave Payton even more comfort to know the bad-ass Volos was here instead. Time and place, after all, could be the difference between life and death.

  The front door swung open and in stalked Kylee. “Fuck me!” Kylee came to an instant halt, only inches away from running directly into a man-mountain named Volos. She looked up, her mouth ajar, small sounds of an indeterminate language were heard, but nothing much was identifiable.

  Payton laughed. “First time I’ve ever seen you speechless, Kyl’s.” She was clapping giddily. “That’s brilliant! If you can do that again, I may never want you to leave, V.”

  Kylee and Volos both turned to look at her at the same time. Kylee’s face was incredulous at being mocked by her best friend. On the stark contrast Volos’ face was exhilarated at the thought of never leaving Payton’s side.

  Kylee walked away from the mountain and straight over to Payton, wrapping her arms tightly around her and squeezing as hard as she could. “Will you stop scaring me? I’m old, my heart can’t take this shit.”

  “Hah! All twenty-three years of oldness.”

  “Well, considering what’s all over the news this morning, and then I couldn’t get in contact with you…” Kylee shrugged, “… can’t blame me for worrying.”

  “What’s all over the news?” Volos asked from the hallway in which he still stood, not wanting to interrupt Payton and her friend.

  Kylee flicked a look at him, then back to Payton. “What’s with the package? Because if you went and bought him without buying me one, I’m going to be really pissed.”

  Payton laughed. “Kylee,” she said. “This is Volos.” A small wave of her hand encouraged Volos to walk over. “He’s my…” she paused, Volos’ heart paused, “… my new… friend.” She smiled, Volos’ heart beat again, though a little slower this time.

  “Friend huh?” Kylee eyed him suspiciously as she extended her hand to shake his, his large fingers wrapped around hers in one firm shake as Volos greeted her accordingly.

  “Nice to meet you, Kylee,” his tone flat as he spoke.

  “Okay, well, that was weird.” Payton laughed nervously. “Come, sit and tell me what’s going on in the news.” She sat down on the chair, hoping they both would follow her example.

  Kylee broke first from the stare-off with Volos as she took a seat. He decided to walk back to the kitchen, his mind was firmly on getting a mind map of the house, in case of a threat. Besides, listening to whatever piece of useless gossip this human thought was important wasn’t high on his list of must-hears.

  “Paxern got beaten up… and is in the hospital,” Kylee said.

  Silence hung in the air as Payton’s mind hit a fever pace. Paxern got beaten up? she thought to herself. Paxern, the man she’d a meeting with, beaten up, the words parading across her inner movie screen over and over again. “Is he alive?” she whispered, her eyes still unfocused as her mind struggled to join the dots.

  “Oh yeah, he’s alive, and he isn’t talking if that’s your next question,” Kylee added. “Cleaning staff found his unconscious body beside his car, called for an ambulance, but if you listen to the office gossip circle, which I do…” she grinned innocently, “… he got jumped and threatened by a group of men.”

  “Payton,” Volos said, his voice taking a commanding tone, she hadn’t heard him walk up or crouch down beside her. She jumped a little in her chair at the shock of him being so close without warning. He could feel her panic, resting his giant hand on top of hers, completely engulfing it within the warmth of his protection. “Payton,” he repeated and she turned her head to look at him, the fear he saw flash in her eyes cut him deeply. He vowed to himself that he would eliminate the person or persons responsible for causing that fear in his mate. “Paxern? As in James Paxern, Ministry and Council member?”

  Payton nodded slowly. “The same. The one I told you about… from the meeting yesterday morning.” Volos nodded as she cont
inued, “Jumped by men, Volos. Last night…” her words trailed off.

  “What’s going on?” Kylee sat up, worry crept into her voice.

  Payton looked over at Kylee. “I was attacked last night. However, I was extremely fortunate that Volos happened to be there.” She looked back to her hero as she relived the fear she’d felt last night. “He saved my life.” As the words fell from her mouth she realized how much truth those words held. “Without Volos being there, I would be dead,” Payton said out loud and, her breath hitched as her shell cracked slightly. Holding on to her emotions, she swallowed hard against the lump in her throat while wiping the tear of frustration from the corner of her eye with the back of her hand. A small shake of her head as she looked at Kylee, who again was sitting speechless at what she’d just heard.

  Volos squeezed her hand. “Wouldn’t be anywhere else.” He stood and walked back to the kitchen. Payton heard the drawers and cupboards opening and closing as he looked for a glass, the tap then turned on and he reappeared with a glass of water for her.

  “When was this? And why am I just finding out now?” Kylee threw her hands in the air with a sigh of frustration. “Fuck me, I swear one day I’m just going to be told to turn up at your graveside, it’s not like a best friend should know what’s going on or anything.”

  “This isn’t about you,” Volos stated firmly with a glance to Kylee sitting on the chair across from Payton.

  “Are you fucking with me?” Kylee stood up and swung her hip to the left, her finger out and ready to point out his error of misjudgment. “Don’t you come in here with that sexy man-mountain look, I will drop you on your ass faster than a fucking bolt of lightning.” Her voice was lethal. “I have known that girl since we were three. Three…” She pointed to Payton and whipped her head back to the man who’d just poked a cut snake with a sharp stick. “I have laughed with her, held her when she cried over a boy, I have held her hair when she first drank too much and was vomiting in my parents’ garden. I stood beside her as her grandma gained her wings and gave her the strength to still go on breathing.” Kylee’s voice had hit rage level. “I know her birthday, her shoe size, everything for fuck’s sake, I even know what fucking bra size her tits take.” Kylee walked over to Volos who stood up to meet her approach. “If you think you can wander in here and get all up in my business with my best friend, I will rip your fucking balls off with my bare hands and hang them from my rear vision mirror.” The threat of bodily harm came low and covered in acid. “Are you hearing me, mountain?”

  After a second’s silence Volos erupted a rolling laughter. “I like you.” He continued to laugh. “Your value just increased tenfold. Anyone brave enough to threaten my balls is worthy of my respect.” He continued to chuckle.

  “Respect or not, know your place.” Kylee went back and sat down, looking over at Payton who had watched this exchange between Volos and Kylee. She didn’t want to step in, if Volos wanted to hang around he needed to deal with Kylee. Payton would have been six foot under many times if it wasn’t for the love of her soul sister pulling her up and making her keep going on from day to day. “Payton tell me what happened?” She flicked a look to Volos, daring him to say a single syllable. He held his hands up laughing in a mock surrender.

  Payton explained that she’d fallen asleep on the beach and was awoken with the sound of a gun’s safety releasing and a voice mentioning she was a mark. Payton continued the events of the night ending with her running into the mountain, and him protecting her.

  “So, he just ‘happened’ to be there?” Kylee asked suspiciously. Payton knew Kylee’s brain was wired the same way as hers, they were both lawyers after all.

  Payton looked to Volos, raising an eyebrow. “He was coming to see me.” Her tentative sound made Kylee sigh deeply again.

  “You want me to fucking go?” she asked. “Why are you checking with the mountain before answering me?” Her head flicked between the both of them. “I don’t have time to play no fucking third wheel.”

  “Kylee,” Volos said as he walked back in the room. “I had some paperwork to deliver to Payton. Attor, my brother, he was with me yesterday at the office?” Kylee nodded that she knew who he was referring to, so he continued, “Attor had some papers he forgot to give to Payton in relation to the basin exploration.” Volos’ explanation was calm and sincere, Kylee kept looking between the two of them as Volos continued, “Attor got caught up at the office and I offered to drop them off at her house. I was just lucky that my walk took me to the right place at the right time to provide protection for Payton.” He ended the mini-speech with a nod of sincerity.

  “Ah huh,” Kylee mused.

  “Back to Paxern, I guess he isn’t taking visitors?” Payton asked.

  “No, not even speaking to the police,” Kylee said. “The bit that truly weirds me out is that the application for exploration from C.O.D.E. has magically been lifted to the top of the pile. Without any objections, it will be stamped today and they can start exploring tomorrow.”

  A loud snap of wood made both Kylee and Payton jump in their seats, heads snapped around to see Volos standing in the kitchen opening, his white knuckles wrapped about a wooden kitchen chair that was now separated into two clearly individual pieces.

  “Did you just snap a fucking chair?” Kylee asked incredulously. “Holy shit, talk about having a Hulk moment.”

  “I can stop it, Volos.” Payton was up and already on the move. “Kylee, print out the papers, I’m having a quick shower and will be ready to go in ten.” She paused near Volos and rested her hand on his arm, their eyes locked in a moment shared only by them. “I’ll stop them, I promise.” Volos nodded as she ran down the hallway toward her room.

  Kylee already had her notebook open and was typing madly on the keyboard, Volos heard the printer on the small desk in the corner spring to life and start throwing out page after page.

  “Do you think she can stop it?” Volos asked Kylee seriously.

  “If she can’t, no one can,” Kylee said firmly.

  “Wyvern…” Volos stood out on the step of Payton’s back patio, the cool midday breeze flicking the leaves around his feet.

  “V? What’s up, bro?” he replied. Volos could hear the tapping of his fingers on the keyboard in the background.

  “Are you still hooked up in the C.O.D.E. application process?”

  “Ah huh,” he replied distractedly. “You told me to keep digging,” Wyvern said with a hint of annoyance that his brother thought he might be doing anything else but trying to save the Oasis like the rest of his brothers were.

  Volos sighed at the tone of his brother but chose to ignore it. “We have a big problem. It appears the guys that tried to jump Payton last night also went after Paxern.”

  “Really?” Wyvern’s interest spiked. “Shit,” he exclaimed.

  “He’s in the hospital, not talking to anyone. However, this is where the shit is hitting the fan, the application has been bumped up to the top and due for the official stamp today,” Volos explained.

  “What the fuck? They can’t just bump it, there’s an order for a reason,” Wyvern growled, as the speed of the tapping sound increased.

  “I have a feeling the message that left Paxern in the hospital was clearly understood, and he made it happen. Right or wrong, money and power makes shit happen quickly.” Volos spoke through gritted teeth, his frustration level escalating quickly. “Payton is headed to the office now, she’s like a tiger shark that hasn’t eaten in days. Someone will come away with scars from her bite today.” Volos almost grinned with pride at Payton’s ferocious nature. “She’s out for blood.”

  Wyvern laughed. “I like that girl, we should keep her around.”

  Volos smiled. I think I love that girl, and I want to keep her forever, he thought to himself.

  A cough from Payton behind him made him turn, bringing him out from his dream and back to the reality that contained Payton so it was a win-win for him.

  “Wyvern,
I’m going with Payton, find out what you can. Call me immediately, okay?” Volos said quickly.

  “On it,” the reply came.

  “Oh, and update the brothers. This could get very dark, very quickly, get the gear ready. If any of them come up, call me.” Volos clicked the cell off without waiting for a reply, turning his full attention to Payton who stood in the frame of her open back door. Payton’s hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. She was wearing dark blue jeans, and a crisp white shirt. The top two buttons were left open and his eyes drew to the smooth skin that covered her elegant collarbone. She had some light make-up on, but the look on her face said she was all business and someone was going to get hurt if they got in her way.

  “If I ever get arrested, I want you to come and defend me.” His eyes went up and down her body. “That is one sexy lawyer look you got going on, Payton.” The growl came from deep within his chest, rumbled slowly as he barely controlled the need to grab her and physically possess her. The longer he spent with her, the harder it was to control. Fate was an impatient bitch when it came to matters of the heart.

  “You like, huh?” Twisting her body slightly, the curve of her breast showing as the shirt pulled across her with the turn of her hips. “Even sporting my ass-kicking shoes.” She extended a foot out for him to see.

  Volos looked down to see her delicate foot encased in a pair of shiny red pumps, the heels gave her a couple of inches in height and visually knocked him on his ass. “You’re killing me, Payton.” Volos swallowed hard against the desire to touch, his hands tightening into balls of white knuckles, the muscles in his arms quivering as he fought to keep them at his sides.

  “You’re a shoe man?” She laughed lightly.

  “I’m a Payton, man.” Volos’ words were out before he could stop them. He watched her eyes widen as they registered in her brain.