by Crystal Dawn
It wasn’t long before everyone was gathered. Hades and Doc took a head count before they led the way to the loading zone. Once they were all onboard and had stripped off their winter gear, the atmosphere was light. Several of the other gods were excited about going to California instead of New York or one of the colder states they usually headed to. Zelus didn’t know why, it wasn’t like there would be time to swim, surf, or enjoy females. This trip would be nothing but hard work and a hurried trip home.
Zelus settled in to try to nap while other gods played games, talked, or napped like he did. He was woke up for lunch and he stayed up a while to talk to some of the other gods. Besides Hades and Doc, none of the other members of the group were higher level gods. There were two humans from Olympic security which was a company the gods hired for extra help. They always got their most experienced agents. The trip was long and unpleasant, but they arrived before they were too restless, bored, or feisty.
Zelus, named for a winged guard of Zeus from Greek Mythology, hated to fly. It was beyond ironic and he did his best to hide it, but it was hard on him. SUVs waited for them at a small private airfield near Fresno. The hotel would be as close to the targeted location as possible. He was relieved when they arrived and glad that he had a room to himself. Hades and Doc had a small suite, the rest of them had King rooms. He tossed his bags on the floor and jumped onto the big bed. The room was nice and most importantly, it was clean.
Now that he was settled in, he headed straight to Hades’s suite where they would meet and divide into teams. Emma would be calling too and he would be expected to talk to her. They would have to meet to make plans. If anyone went undercover, it would be the Olympus security agents. Origin required a blood test of anyone that went through their doors and god blood stood out. He was restless and uneasy, but that could be because of the flight. He was also worried and uncertain, but that was probably because he rarely went on missions.
Everyone was there waiting but they couldn’t have been there long. “Glad you finally joined us,” Hades said sarcastically.
“Happy to be here,” Zelus shot back just as sarcastically.
“We need to set up shifts for surveillance starting immediately.” Hades sent two gods there right away.
He set up three shifts daily with Doc, him, and Zelus excluded from the roster. They would be waiting for a call, filling in if someone had a problem or needed to follow someone leaving the facility, and meeting with Emma as soon as he could arrange it. The two gods starting out first left as soon as Hades explained what he wanted done on each shift. They each had cell phones and they were to make contact at any unusual or unexpected behavior. It sounded like a typical op except they had someone on the inside. They would use different types of surveillance device to get what pictures they could, but they would rely on Emma for the floor plan and any and all the information they needed to get their guys back.
If she was lying or misleading them, this op would end in disaster. Zelus didn’t get the feeling she was lying, only that she was desperate for a way out. She had developed love for a small child and it had caused her to find her moral compass. Love was a great and magical thing. Once it had started changing her, there was no way back.
Zelus sat with Hades and Doc. The two constantly touched and cuddled which made him feel like he was intruding on their privacy even though they had ordered him to stay. They waited in the call from Emma that would allow them to plan the next step in their raid of the facility. For now they gathered intelligence, but they could not discover much without access inside.
Zelus watched as Hades and Doc exchanged heated looks. What would it be like to have that in his life instead of the sexual contact he now only managed rarely? He didn’t miss the intimacy they had except when it was displayed in front of him. Why wouldn’t that damn phone just ring? It was an hour later when it finally did.
“Hello,” Zelus said hoping it was her.
“Zelus,” she asked in a breathy whisper that rolled over him like a summer breeze.
“Emma?” he asked in return just waiting for her to speak more.
“Just call me Em. Are you near?”
“Yes, we’re very close,” he replied but he thought they weren’t close enough. He was dying to see her, to be close enough to touch her. He was shocked at the things he wanted to do to her and all he knew was she had a sexy voice. He was almost desperate to see her and touch her.
“We need to meet, today if possible. Raker is no longer concerned about the welfare of his subjects. He wants quick results even if it kills them.”
“When can you get away?”
“Tonight. The problem is they’ll probably follow me. They’ll see anyone I talk to and take pictures. They may try to get close enough to listen. We need a plan and it needs to be a good one.”
“Can you get an appointment at a spa for two? They shouldn’t find it too easy to follow you in there.”
“What if they find out I met a man there?”
“Aren’t you allowed out with men?” he asked with an amused tone.
“It’s frowned on. They worry that personal relationship’s can be used against us.”
“If they find out, tell them you hired a gigolo. That way there’s not a relationship, just business.”
“I’m not sure they’ll believe that.”
“Look, Em, we plan to move as soon as we can. By the time they look into it, it will be too late for them. Make the appointment and call me back. Make sure I have time to get there. I’m about thirty minutes south of you. Can you do this? Can we count on you?” He heard her draw in a deep breath and he worried for a moment that she wasn’t strong enough to do this.
“Yes, I can handle it. Meet me at Calming Waters in two hours. A friend of mine owns it and she’ll get us in.”
“Okay, just remember we have your back. Everything will be just fine.”
“I hope you’re right. A lot is riding on this.”
She hung up without a goodbye and he hoped she hadn’t been caught. He was glad he would finally get out of this suite where he felt trapped. He’d find out where Calming Waters was and he’d get all the surveillance for the meeting worked out. Em might have men watching her, but Zelus would have gods watching them while they did it. If her spies discovered anything, he’d know and they’d be dealt with.
He found he was so excited to meet her that he couldn’t lay still to take a short nap. His head was spinning with information and he felt butterflies in his stomach. It was a new feeling and he didn’t like it. It was finally time to go, a little early so he would be sure he’d find it and be there before her. Two gods followed him in another SUV. They would find her watchers and keep an eye on them. He pulled in the parking lot to the Calming Waters. The place was upscale but since it was evening, only a few cars were in the lot. It would make it easy to find those who followed her, but it would also make his gods stand out too.
He exited the vehicle after he examined the surrounding area looking for anything out of place. She wasn’t here yet, he was sure of it. He moved slowly as if he had all the time in the world. He made his way in the entrance off the parking lot. It was the main one and he was immediately met by an employee with a tray. He took a flute of champagne, there were other choices but this drink he knew. Another employee came over with a tray of hors d’ oeuvres and he took two. They were small but tasty. He thought he would take more if they came near him with the tray again.
A hostess of some kind approached him cautiously. “Sir, it’s a pleasure to serve you. Do you have an appointment or are you looking to make one?”
“I’m meeting a lady to has an appointment. Her name is Em,” he said seeing no need to say more since he assumed Em was well known here.
The hostess fussed even more than before. She motioned to the two tray carrying ladies and she asked one to get a plate. He was given a second drink, which the hostess carried and a plate full of assorted food. She escorted him into a private room where he w
ould await Em. It was a nice room with a whirlpool tub and message tables. He thought this would be the room they would end up staying in. It turned out, he was right.
He looked up as a female entered the room with a flute of champagne in her hand. He felt as if he’d been poleaxed. She had hair the color of ginger and eyes as blue as the sky. Her complexion didn’t match her coloring. Instead of the pale freckled skin he expected, she had a warm tanned color. Her lips were full and pouty and he had an insane desire to kiss her socks off. Not that she wore socks, no she wore stockings and he would bet she wore a garter belt under that tight sexy dress. He wanted to know so bad it hurt.
Things weren’t looking up for him. He had feared she might be his mate, but now he knew she was. How was it that he had managed to be the only god paired with a female villain? Beautiful to look at but dangerous to hold. His body hadn’t gotten the memo- female villain, don’t touch. His whole body shook with the excitement of being near enough to smell his mate. It was her alluring scent that was causing the problems or maybe aggravating the problems her tempting looks had started.
She looked at him with wide eyed surprise and he deduced that she’d not expected the added distraction of meeting her mate. She might be human and even they had soul mates, but she’d worked with gods enough that she must realize they had only one true mate. The wide eyed surprise had lessened turning into confusion.
“Zelus?” she asked uncertainly.
“Yes, Em. I am Zelus. Should we get into the tub?” he asked trying to get her focused on what they were here to do.
“Yes, wait a moment and I’ll be back. You can change in the men’s room,” she said pointing to a door on the opposite wall.
He hadn’t brought anything to change into, but he would have to undress regardless. He went to the door and entered. There was a shelf that had men’s shorts on it. They were comfortable and very accommodating, but once wet he was sure they would hide little. It seemed almost a waste of time to put them on but he did anyway so he wouldn’t stand out and call more attention to himself than his big aching cock would already do.
He left the men’s room and went ahead and got in the whirlpool tub. He settled in and was comfortable by the time she came out. She was wearing one small bikini and it wasn’t hiding any more than his shorts were. He hadn’t thought he could get any harder but he’d been wrong. He couldn’t even blame his stress on someone else, it had been his idea to get in the tub.
She hurried to get in the water like she was diving for cover. She probably was because she seemed nervous to be examined by him. He couldn’t help but look and appreciate every beautiful curve she had. At least she wasn’t one of those skinny model types. Some of his friends liked skinny women but he liked to have his hands full when he fucked. Em was perfectly his type with her sassy ass just begging for him to squeeze it. Her breasts weren’t overly big, but he only needed a handful and she had that.
She was looking at him and he wondered if he’d missed something. He didn’t think he had so maybe she was waiting for him to start the conversation. He could do that. He started asking questions about the facility and she was able to answer everything to his satisfaction. He wanted to ask some personal things, but he wasn’t sure that he should.
“Why did you sign up with Origin?” he asked unable to fight his curiosity.
“Ten years ago, no one knew what they were or what they were doing. I was still in college, pre-med, and I needed a job so I could stay in school. Even with scholarships, I didn’t have enough to pay my way. Origin made me a deal. I could work for them in the summer, on weekends, and school breaks. They would pay me generous wages, but I had to agree to give them a year at the same pay after I graduated. A year was no big deal, right? Wrong, once they had me I couldn’t get away. Even though I was a researcher and worked with just samples that were supposedly volunteered for pay, when I tried to leave they threatened me.”
“Wasn’t there anyone you could turn to?”
“I had a half sister but we were never close. She said to pull up my big girl panties and just leave. She didn’t believe they could do anything to me. I left like she suggested, but they’d been keeping a closer eye on me than I thought. They dragged me back and they showed me a video. My sister was on it and they killed her. It was a convincing argument and I never tried to leave again. It’s been five years, but I have a bigger reason to leave. It’s about more than just me now. Joy needs a chance at a normal life and she’ll get it if it kills me. She’s half god so I know even if I don’t make it, you’ll take care of her. You guys take care of your own and this is your chance to get back two gods, a child, and a handful of females that I believe are carrying baby gods.”
“I’m sorry you went through that. You’ll make it too and you’ll be able to build a life with your Joy.” He didn’t add that he’d be part of that life too. He felt better about his mate now that he knew she wasn’t completely evil. She didn’t have the strengths he had hoped his mate would have. She wasn’t tough like Doc or the other mates. He would get to know her better and learn what strengths she did have. At least he knew she could be loyal. The child seemed to own all her loyalty now but hopefully it would extend to him and the other gods as a whole eventually.
Someone was coming, he could hear and smell them. He moved closer to her and pulled her on his lap kissing her passionately. The intruder retreated, he wasn’t sure who it had been except that it was a man.
“Sorry about that,” he said even though he wasn’t. “Someone looked in here and they needed to believe this was just a hook up.” He could see the kiss had affected her too. He wanted to take things to the next level but he knew he needed to be patient. He could risk scaring her away, they needed to do this and quicker was better. Once it was done, he’d pursue their personal relationship.
“I understand,” she whispered. He wondered if she truly did, if not she soon would.
“Let’s get a plan together as quickly as we can.”
She went through the schedule and in two days there would be a delivery. Food, medicine, and other necessities were brought in once a week by a company they had used for years. Raker trusted them. Another thing that helped them was Raker was at another facility were he had some pet projects. That facility was about to be hit, but Em didn’t know that. They had to do this in two days or lose their window of opportunity. There was no need to share that type of information with her. It would only cause her needless worry.
Sitting close like this was driving Zelus crazy. It was even worse because he couldn’t tell if it had the same effect on her or not. He could feel her wet body making contact with his and sliding against the side she was sitting on. He wanted to just pull her back on his lap and impale her on his hard and ready cock. He couldn’t and it was driving him crazy. The plan needed his full attention in order to be successful. Luckily, he knew his clothing carried a superior listening device that Olympic security had provided. He had put his clothing as close to the door as possible and had no doubts that Hades and Doc would be listening closely.
The plan was roughly in place and now it was time for her to go before the males tailing her came in after her. She stood up in the water and the suit she wore was translucent. Her nipples pressed against the top of her suit nearly visible in all their glory. His mouth watered as his eyes continued to move lower. Her slightly rounded stomach would be the perfect cushion for his hard thrusts. Her sweet pussy was visible enough that he could tell the only hair was a narrow landing strip. He didn’t need the directions, he could have found her entrance purely by the hot musky smell of arousal that came from her.
She was physically his perfect match. She was probably smarter than him, but he could live with that. Now that he knew she wasn’t evil incarnate, it made it hard to resist taking her. His cock was so hard it wept as he watched her exit the tub and dry off before entering the women’s room. He knew he should get out of the tub too but he didn’t want to scare her if she saw the massiv
e beast between his legs that was fully awake. Damn the thing ached!
She had changed quickly and was now leaving. He had to go too. He got out and dried off. He slid the shorts off and tossed them into a nearby hamper. He put on the clothes he had worn into the place and he was ready to get back to the hotel. He wondered how the surveillance had gone and if they had followed Em and her shadows back to wherever they went. Those men had better not think about causing her any trouble. It wouldn’t be hard to damage a guard when they rescued the gods, the women, and Em and her child.
He would have a ready made family. The thought didn’t bother him, it made him happy. Gods loved children and they didn’t mind old people either. They just weren’t lucky enough to have any of them around. Gods were accepting of all people. They didn’t discriminate like humans seemed to. Em would realize that he was the best choice for her. He needed to hurry back to the hotel where he planned to research his mate to find out everything about her that he possibly could.
He arrived without a tail. He’d checked his mirrors carefully. He entered the hotel with a sense of purpose moving him along. He would know all there was to know about the female that would be his mate.
Chapter 3
Waiting
Em was nervous and even a little bit scared. She tried to breathe deep and relax, but it was no use. She figured Raker would be coming to see her in the morning, but she was wrong. It wasn’t Raker and he didn’t wait until morning.
She entered her suite on the top floor of the facility. Joy was in her bed asleep her doll clutched in her tiny hand. Martha was in her room with the door closed again. She’d asked her to leave her door open when she was home alone with Joy, but the woman just did as she liked. She was here as a nanny/cook/house keeper, but she did a poor job most of the time. Raker had picked her but she didn’t seem to have any obvious skills. Em would think she was his fuck buddy except the woman was at least twenty years older than Raker and looked every day of it.