Fueled by Lust: Maxim (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Celeste Prater

  A brilliantly colored wall painting containing several small representations of ancient events rested inches from her hand. It was unheard of to locate this type of artifact dated within the Hellenistic period. This was a find of the century, so why did she suddenly feel fear and sadness grip her senses in a tight vise?

  Knowing she should be feeling elated, not fighting an urge to cover it, Skylar forced herself to look closely at the pictures. A quick glance from the first vivid image to the last told her just enough to make the fine hairs stand upright along her skin. Her strained whisper floated on the light breeze and found no one to listen.

  “Aliens.”

  Chapter 2

  Skylar reached out and ran her fingers gently across the tenth image displaying a compelling man standing close to what appeared to be a roman emperor. The man was extremely muscular, wore his ebony hair in a long braid, and stood taller and as if an equal to the emperor. Where the emperor wore a full robe, this man wore only a short cloth wrapped around his tapered waist and falling to just above his knee. He was mesmerizing.

  If not for the three purple moons hanging low over a distant mountain range, iridescent sky, yellow trees, and a deep pink grass beneath his sandaled feet, she would have thought it to be nothing more than a simple meeting between royal dignitaries. They were definitely not standing on Earth.

  Looking closer, she was surprised to see two large stone reliefs lying at the man’s feet. They were eerily similar in form and story as the ones discovered in the Curia Julia, the Senate House of the Roman Forum. Stacked to the side were three thick, leather-bound books. Were they gifts from the emperor? Where was the empress? She’d been in the other panels, but was missing from this one. Taking a deep breath, she let her eyes travel slowly across the entire painting and learned an incredible story.

  Deep in the lush forest butting up against the Tiber River, the emperor and empress stepped behind a streaming waterfall and entered a black doorway with uneven edges. Their bodies dissipated into a multitude of twinkling lights and reformed intact and next to two large boulders at the base of a mountain range. This appeared to be some type of transporter whisking them away to a faraway land. The surrounding area boasted scrubby bushes and sparse vegetation.

  Again, the royal couple stepped into a different tunnel not far from the other, but this time it lifted them toward the stars. The seventh colored picture showed the pair greatly admiring the new world they’d found. The eighth reflected surprise upon their faces as a thick fog rose from the ground and encompassed their bodies. It was the ninth that still captured her complete attention. The vaporous energy had reshaped into a man and a woman lying upon the ground, naked, and curled into a fetal position. The emperor and empress hovered protectively over them, as if they were newborn children. This entire scene was clearly the genesis of an alien race.

  Looking back toward the last depiction, Skylar realized there was more activity than she’d first realized. Beyond the alien’s broad shoulders, she could see others of his kind stepping into another dark doorway. Her eyes widened. Were they traveling back to Earth? Of course, how could the emperor have brought the gifts unless he’d been able to return to Rome? They certainly weren’t with him on his first trip over.

  Slumping to her knees, Skylar started laughing. What in the hell is wrong with me? This was nothing more than the wild imagination of an artist from long ago. How insane was it to think any of this could be real? She leaned back and rubbed her temples.

  “Get a grip, dumbass. Vortex jumps to a distant planet and a race of beings that mimic humans…impossible.” Then why couldn’t she shake the overwhelming sense of dread permeating her senses? This wasn’t like her at all. A cold chill wafted across her skin, accompanied by an urgency to do something. What, she hadn’t a damn clue. She squealed like a prissy girl when something landed heavily on her shoulder, immediately adding a darker edge to her unusual mood. At least her boss was real and not a spirit coming to rattle her cage.

  “Oh, my, I didn’t mean to scare you, child! Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Sorry, Dr. Martin, I got lost in the moment. Look. I found something after you left.” Leaning forward, he gave the painting a cursory glance and then turned back to the light tripods.

  “Interesting. Can you help me lower the legs on these confounded things and bring them closer to the enclosure? I want to make sure that I can see where I’m striking.”

  Skylar made a last nervous glance to the pictures and adjusted the lights for him while he dug inside his tool satchel.

  “That’s an actual painting, Dr. Martin. I’d first thought it was a simple fresco, but the paint’s on the outside, not embedded within the plaster. The entire piece is separate from the wall. It’s an extremely rare find.”

  “Yes, yes, very good, dear. Now stand back.”

  “Wait! Don’t strike at it yet. Where’s your camera? We need to document it.”

  “Goodness! I’ve forgotten it. Don’t worry, Skylar. I’ll take a picture of the artifact and make notation of the location and characteristics when I get back to the office.”

  Unsettled from bypassing their usual steps and his almost obsessed focus on the stone slab, Skylar watched with increasing trepidation as her boss chipped the wall back from the rock base until he was able to wrench it from the tight enclosure. Both their eyes widened as the green portion came within view. She struggled to find her voice.

  “Good grief. That’s the largest raw emerald I’ve ever seen in my life, and a portion is still embedded in the stone.”

  Dr. Martin took the brush from her hand and cleaned the area surrounding the gem.

  “Indeed. It appears we’ll have to chip this off as well. Come. Let’s take this inside. I need to contact the home office to let them know of the find.”

  Skylar touched his arm when he turned away. “What about the painting?”

  He never looked back as he stuffed the artifact into his tool pouch and grabbed one of the light tripods.

  “It’ll be here tomorrow. We can document it then. Come, Skylar. It’s getting very late.”

  Minutes later, she was perched in front of his desk and wondering why she was ambivalent about his meticulous entry of the jewel into the logbook. Hell, she’d busted his chops over it and now she wanted to rip the page out. She still couldn’t comprehend her instant delight upon learning he’d failed to change the batteries in his camera. Crap! She needed some sleep. It was becoming obvious very quickly.

  Rolling her shoulders to get the kinks out, she slumped in the chair and willed herself to calm down. He’d already placed a stateside call to the HAB offices and was waiting for his boss, Cerano Tullius, to return his call. Dr. Martin had worked for the Historical Archeology Bureau in Los Angeles for three years before he’d called her in as his assistant. She’d met Mr. Tullius briefly at her interview six months ago, and he’d seemed pleasant enough. Surely, he’d call back soon and end this extremely long day. The phone rang and sent her muscles right back into balled knots. Dr. Martin gestured for her to remain quiet and picked up the handset.

  “Dr. Martin. Hello, Cerano, yes, the call is extremely important. I’ve found it. Indeed. It’s exactly as you described. I know. I was beyond excited as well. I must admit I was convinced we were just chasing rumors, but it appears you were correct. Yes, of course. It’s sitting right here in front of me.”

  Skylar leaned forward with peaked interest. Tullius had expected to find the artifact here. How in the world could he have known it even existed? This night was becoming stranger by the second. Her eyebrows rose at Dr. Martin’s next words.

  “You’re sending someone for it? Yes, of course. Will the media be called? I should change. I’m not presentable for…oh, you’re not? I’m surprised. This find will bring HAB to the forefront of the stateside archaeological firms. It’s magnificent. Oh? Don’t worry. I’ll not tell anyone. It’s your excitement to spread. I understand. Yes, I will. You, too.” Brow furrowed, he placed
the receiver down and stared at the phone, lost in his thoughts until she called his name.

  “Dr. Martin. Are you okay? Is there anything else we need to do? It’ll be a while before someone can fly in to collect it. You should get some rest.”

  He appeared to snap out of whatever disquiet had settled into his thoughts and gave her one of his warm smiles.

  “One more thing and we can call it a night. I’d like to remove the rock material. The cleaner the delivery, the better I’ll feel.”

  “Okay.” Skylar pulled her chair closer to his desk and rested her forearms on the top. She loved watching him work his magic on unwilling objects. She’d always considered him a mix of gentleman and brute when it came to stubborn artifacts.

  Twenty minutes later, she decided he’d finally met his match. The rock was obviously so petrified it simply refused to release the jewel. Not even small pieces or dust particles were showing from the repeated pounding. Reluctantly, he set it aside and wiped the sweat from his face.

  “Well, it appears they’ll have to visit the labs to get this material removed. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have to use the lasers. I think we’ve done enough here tonight. You ready to head back?”

  Nodding enthusiastically, Skylar jumped up from the chair and helped him tidy the desk. He stuffed the relic back into his tool pouch, slung it over his shoulder, and followed her out of the door. As they made their way through the narrow cobblestone streets and toward their hotel, she decided to ask the question that’d been sitting on the tip of her tongue since he’d hung up the phone.

  “Dr. Martin, I’m concerned about the artifact being removed from the country until it’s logged with the host archeology committee. Why are we deviating from this?” Skylar stared up at the tall vine-covered walls of the closed café’s, trinket shops, and bars as he took time to formulate a response. He carried the same focused expression when he’d ended the call with Tullius, so there was no use pushing him. The usually picturesque surroundings failed to chase away her growing concerns. He didn’t speak until the rustic colored walls curved and brought them to the front of the Hotel Domus Tiberina, their home for the last several months.

  “I understand your concern, Skylar, but Cerano had been trying to get involved with this excavation for years. He pulled many strings with the Roman membership to get an invitation, and he’s not sitting on the good side of the US host committee at this very moment. They’d repeatedly turned him down and he got in anyway. He’s originally from here, did you know that?”

  “No, I wasn’t aware.”

  “Last year he showed me a Tullius family document that alluded to this very jewel resting among the sacred walls of the temple. The records themselves are worthy of historical notation, yet he’s kept them to himself for years. I’d thought the writings to be nothing more than a winsome fairytale. Obviously, I was wrong. Cerano feels this is his family’s heritage. His greatest fear is the committee claiming it for the city of Rome, or worse, taking ownership for their own collection.”

  Skylar let loose an exasperated sigh as he opened the lobby door and ushered her inside.

  “That doesn’t make me feel any better, Dr. Martin. It’s only going to cause them to be more upset with him, as well as us, when they find out he has it. They already treat us like we’re a nuisance.”

  He chuckled and patted her on the back.

  “Any ramifications will be on Cerano’s head, not ours. From what I gathered from the call, he doesn’t plan to reveal it to the public any time soon. That does disturb me, but my hands remain tied on this as well. Besides, since we’ve found his treasure, we’ll be heading back to the states very soon. There’s no other reason to remain. Tell you what. I’ll inform Cerano about the wall painting that you discovered and convince him to share it with the host group. You’ll get credit for a wondrous find and the committee will focus on something positive. Win-win. You agree?”

  Despite the logic in his statement, Skylar couldn’t ease the burn continuing to grow deep in her gut. Everything about this was wrong, but what in the hell could she do? Unlocking her door, she turned and shrugged.

  “I really don’t have a choice. Maybe I’ll feel better about it tomorrow. I’m exhausted. Will you meet me for breakfast in the downstairs restaurant in the morning? I’m addicted to their cappuccino. It’ll wake me up enough to have a decent conversation about this.”

  “Sure, at the usual time?”

  “Perfect. Goodnight, Dr. Martin.” Skylar watched him navigate the dim hallway while clutching the tool pouch as if it would sprout legs and run away. He smiled and waved as he rounded the corner.

  Shoving inside her room, Skylar eyeballed the bed, thought better of it, and made her way into the tiny bathroom. Not feeling up to stuffing her five-foot eight body into the small shower and enduring the inevitable elbow dings, she opted for a quick sink bath before diving under the covers.

  Mind reeling from the multitude of unfamiliar emotions she’d encountered in such a short period of time, Skylar was late to realize she’d fallen into a dream state. The bright ball of white light hovering on the ceiling was her first clue. That she was in her Los Angeles apartment and lying on her own bed was the second.

  Not a stranger to having a spirit disturb her sleep, she found herself wide-eyed at this particular visit. In the past, the visions had been ethereal, unobtrusive, and fleeting. In fact, they’d almost disappeared completely since her father’s death. No, this one was an in-your-face entity and promptly scared the crap out of her. Swallowing on a hard lump, she tried to make nice with it and hoped it would say its peace and eventually fade away.

  “Can I help you?” She squeaked when the light brightened and sank right into her chest cavity.

  “Oh, shit, shit, shit!” Her mad scramble off the bed halted as a deep warmth and intense feeling of bliss bathed her senses. Flopping back against the pillows, Skylar placed a palm over her heart and experienced an insane urge to burst into tears. Its presence was so powerful, yet excruciatingly gentle at the same time. It was too much. She was barely able to issue a soft whisper.

  “What do you want?” Skylar heard no words, but familiar urgency quickly settled into her gut. She shivered, took a deep breath, and stilled her mind to accept the message.

  Vivid instructions poured like water through a sieve, inundating her to the point that she wanted to scream at the intensity. Lips peeling back from her teeth, Skylar clutched aching fingers around the headboard in a desperate attempt to ground herself. Gradually, her arched spine touched back down to the soft mattress, and she released her breath in a hard rush.

  Panting, she opened her eyes, too tired to work up any excitement over watching the entity exit her body. She stared at the dazzling form as it took position on the ceiling again. Eventually, she was able to lift a hand and confirm the tickling sensation running down her neck was indeed her own sweat. This was the most vibrant, realistic dream she’d ever experienced. She wasn’t surprised at the raspy sound of her voice.

  “Planting me in my bed at home didn’t help. You still scared the hell out of me.” Her eyebrows rose when she experienced a sense of mirth. Was it laughing?

  “Who are you? Better yet, what are you?” Again, no words, but her own thoughts confirmed that it was best that she not know.

  “Fine, I get that you want to remain anonymous, but what you’re asking me to do is insane. Okay, okay, enough, already. I hear you. Well, I can’t actually hear you, so can you tone down on the gut cramps? You’re stronger than you realize.” Girding herself, she squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, “Just do it. I’m ready.”

  Skylar woke on a gasp, surprised to find she was sitting on the chair next to her bed in Rome. She already had one leg pushed into her jeans. She snorted.

  “I guess that’s your sign to get my ass in gear. Anything else you need while you have my rapt attention?” Her skin pebbled as a thought that wasn’t her own passed quickly through her mind.

  Help t
hem.

  Chapter 3

  Staring at the invaluable wall painting, Skylar shook her head in disgust.

  “Have I lost my damned mind?” Why would a benevolent spirit ask her to do something so heinous? Maybe her former friends, lovers, relatives, and acquaintances had all been right. She was truly crazy. Were her visions really just vivid delusions? Pissed that her past was rearing its ugly head after having successfully pushed it aside for so many years, Skylar slapped her hands on her hips and exhaled.

  “Quit doubting yourself, dumbass. You know full well that everything you shared with those idiots was accurate. They were a bunch of closed-minded people that would rather believe in coincidence than you.” She forcefully shoved the past back to where it belonged—forgotten.

  Lifting her phone, Skylar snapped a multitude of photos and confirmed she’d captured every sequence of the genesis story. Shoving the device into her back pocket, she lifted the sledgehammer she’d swiped from a neighboring dig and swung as hard as she could. The sound of cracking plaster had her eyes shutting tight to keep the tears at bay. Repeatedly she struck until she was satisfied the dull thuds were nothing more than strikes against a bare wall.

  Cracking a lid, she winced at the mess that lay before her. Something so lovingly constructed and obviously cherished enough to hide from the world was nothing more than shards of colored plaster scattered across a black tarp. Slinging the hammer aside, she fell to her knees, picked up a rubber mallet, and smashed every piece into dust. On a resigned sigh, she gathered the edges of the thick tarp together. Lifting the heavy bundle, she made the arduous trip to the banks of the Tiber.

  Satisfied that she was alone on the bridge overlooking the dark, murky waters, Skylar opened the tarp and watched with mixed feelings as the annihilated painting slid easily down the slick plastic, caught on the wind, and scattered across the water. She took several silent moments to mourn the loss of something so priceless. Turning away, she trudged back to the site, returned the sledgehammer to its prior resting place, and double-checked that she’d left no evidence of her brutal attack. It was yet another theft from the premises. It wasn’t as if it was the first time.