“You’re a Northwest boy, Harlan, just like me.”
“They’re on fucking Mount Olympus,” fell out of Harlan’s mouth.
“Mount Olympus is in Greece, gentlemen,” the president offered.
“No, it’s not,” Frank corrected. “Mr. President, Diane, where have we been seeing the most activity from the Ra over the past few years, since we’ve known about them?”
“Seattle.” Both said in unison.
“Exactly, the west coast. Some activity in Bethlehem, Michigan, with the Dominion, but for the most part, it’s all been centered somewhere in and around the Pacific Northwest.
“First it’s that flap with the Levi kid and his wife. Then we have the run-in with the Kir gods.”
“So you’re saying they were in the Cascades before they moved to the Levant?”
“NO! Dammit, Brett, pull your head out!” Frank was suddenly very animated and a little frustrated at his U-dub college friend. “Right across Puget Sound, are the what mountains—?”
“Oh, God, you’re right, the Olympics, the whole Olympic peninsula.” The president agreed.
“You’re not serious—” Diane looked askance at all of them. “There’s a Mount Olympus—in the Northwest?”
“Yes!” all three of them said at once. Now the president was on his feet.
“Frank, Harlan, put some resources together and start following up on this. If these Ra do still have a city, I want to know where in the hell they put it.”
“Obviously on Mount Olympus,” Diane deadpanned. She couldn’t believe the guys were even following up on this.
“You don’t look convinced, Diane.”
“Honestly, Brett. Please. If you’re wanting to hide something, the last place you put it is where your enemies will know exactly where to look to find it. It makes no sense.”
“Maybe they’re not trying to hide it?”
“I don’t know Washington State geography all that well, but I’m pretty damn sure I’d know if a city of the gods had been parked there. They’re hiding.”
“Sure, from us. Not from the other gods.”
Diane’s brow lifted as the rest of the team gathered to leave.
* * * * *
Rion stared at the holographic design floating in front of him. He’d been staring at it for hours now. Every time he made a change it wasn’t right. He had just reverted for the umpteenth time when Francesca entered the lab, descending the apparently floating stairs between the six subtly glowing Reflex cores that were deep within the building.
She felt his emotion, then heard him sigh.
“Unfocused. Perhaps you should be reading or taking a break on a beach somewhere.”
Rion sighed again. Clearly frustrated. “I took a break all day today, at Sea World. All it did was complicate things even more.”
“You are referring to the newblood young woman you met today?”
He frowned at her.
“Interesting.” Her feelings were all over his.
“I’m sure you’re not talking about my math here.”
Francesca looked at the unintelligible grimiore that had been neatly scattered all around the three-dimensional device he was working on.
“You appear to be thinking about her instead of your work?” She broke an imperceptible smile.
Rion sighed. “She’s really bright, Francesca.”
“You have seen bright newbloods before. This one is different?”
“She’s really bright.”
“An Invicti?” Francesca raised a brow.
Rion nodded, finally taking his attention away from the working model image floating in front of him.
“If that is the case, then you cannot leave her alone. Others are already watching her. As a newblood she’s in enough danger—as an Invictus—” She didn’t need to finish her thought.
He nodded.
“So why isn’t she in Jericho?”
“I can’t just kidnap her, Francesca. Jericho’s watching her. And I gave her my key.”
“I noticed.”
“She’ll be safe enough.”
“But will you be?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“She is quite beautiful.” Francesca broke a short smile.
“She’s—” Rion stammered.
“Attractive?”
Rion nodded. “A little too—attractive.”
“I have not seen these feelings within you before. This is appears to be more than just attraction.”
Rion groaned. “I can’t be getting involved with someone, Francesca. Not right now. And especially not with a Human.”
“Especially? And why is that? Especially?”
“I need to find a Ra. Her culture is completely Human. Those relationships never workout.”
“Never?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Mostly never.” He corrected himself.
“I believe most of the newbloods have done admirably in acquainting themselves with their Ra heritage.”
“I don’t have time for a relationship right now.” He parried.
“So you are avoiding her?”
“Well, not exactly.” He admitted. “I—sort of asked her out. We’re meeting for dinner at La Paris tomorrow night.”
“And now you are having second thoughts?”
“I guess.” Rion looked away from her, pushing the model away from himself.
“Rion, I do not think it is her Human culture that you are most worried about.”
“It’s just bad timing.”
“You seem to be able to make time for whatever it is you want.” She folded her arms elegantly, her gaze meeting his.
“She’s beautiful, Francesca. I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t focus. Our attraction is ridiculous.”
“This is what we call a positive problem.”
“Everything about her is calling out to be awakened.”
“So awaken her.”
“It’s not that easy. If she really is one of these Invictus, it could be dangerous. You saw what happened with the the last two.”
“You are referring to Ian and Beau’s awakening.”
He nodded.
“I am sure the two of you could find a place to—”
“It’s not—just that. It’s who I am.”
“I see. The last of royal heirs to the legacy of the gods?”
He nodded. “It's my DNA. I can’t just give that kind of power to just anyone.”
Francesca snickered beautifully.
“What’s so funny?”
“Boys.”
“I hate it when you call me that. I am over a century you know.”
“And you still think you have the power to control both Fate and Nature.”
“I’m just trying to be careful.”
“Such is admirable, Rion.”
“But—?” He glowered.
“But what? She is a girl. You are a boy.” Francesca smiled wryly, turning away and heading back for the stairs. “Make sure you invite me to the coronation.”
Rion groaned. “You are so not helping.”
“Of course I am.”
3
R ion still hadn’t been able to pull himself out of bed even as the clock on his bedside table read 10:08. After working late in the lab, he’d slept in again.
Just like the night before, his thoughts continued to bounce eagerly between the new vessel design enhancements and the new woman who’d suddenly entered his life. Right now, his thoughts were focused on Serena.
He could tell she had kept her promise about keeping his ring with her. Carson’s people were keeping an eye on her. It was everything he could do not to just invade her feelings with his own over the continuum. It was enough to just lay within the morning light of his room, feeling her presence, knowing that she was safe.
But even without the key, Serena had managed to insert herself into his thoughts and feelings. She was definitely goddess material with the way she looked and how she felt
to him.
His phone beeped a text. He rolled across the fine sheets and picked it up from the nightstand. Her text read, “Looking forward to dinner.”, and was then followed up a smileycon.
Rion grinned as he lay across his bed, tapping out a reply. It was the first time in a long time Rion could remember actually looking forward to something.
Serena finished texting him while Kelly and Celeste looked on in trepidation and fascination, respectively.
“You are so not going through with this date tonight, Serena,” Kelly began. “You know absolutely nothing about this guy. He could be an axe murderer for all you know.”
Serena frowned. “Please, do you really think I’d have texted Rion if I hadn’t checked him out first? I asked Jake to run his number for me last night after we got back from the park. Turns out his phone is registered to an internet security company. He checks out.”
“You mean his phone checks out,” Kelly corrected.
“I’d like to check him out,” Celeste chimed in. “Did you see the front of those shorts he was wearing! Oh. My. Gawd.”
“I didn’t think you and Jake were still talking,” Kelly probed, ignoring Celeste.
“We’re still friends.”
“Just without the benefits,” Celeste quipped.
Serena had met Jake while he was in the States on an exchange student program from Tel Aviv. They had dated for almost the entire two years he had been at school; but their relationship had ended abruptly when Serena just couldn’t see herself moving to Israel. They stayed in touch on Facebook and she would Skype with him every now and then. They were still good friends; it was great to have someone in her corner as strong and solid as Jake, even though they were no longer romantically involved. Jake had some family in the IDF and if Serena wanted someone ‘checked out’, there were few resources on the planet better equipped to do it. She had avoided some real losers recently thanks to Jake and his family’s connections.
“Serena, I still can’t get over the fact that you’re going on a date with such a hottie. It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. Ask him if he has a twin and I am so in.”
“He’s a geek,” Kelly reminded Celeste. “He’s just got good packaging. Take away all the buff and good looks and he’s still––a geek. Probably spends hours in front of a computer screen playing War Craft. Boorrring.”
“Rion said he doesn’t play video games, Kel.”
“Sure he doesn’t,” she snarked. “Hello? He’s in IT. Geek alert.”
“We talked for quite a while at the park. He’s got a brain; and a personality. And he can be pretty funny.”
“His accent is really strange, Serena,” Kelly continued to nag. “That tanned skin of his; he might be Middle-Eastern. A terrorist. You need to be careful.”
Celeste ignored her. “You two click, Serena. We all saw you. A walk around the park and already he’s holding your hand on the way out? That is so not you. And the way you two kept looking at each other. You practically gave yourself whiplash trying to catch glimpses of him walking out of the park. Girl you have got it baaad. Way bad.”
Celeste’s intuition was turning out to be all too accurate. Serena’s thoughts were almost completely preoccupied now with Rion the rest of the day; it was beginning to distract her from her classes. She had never fallen so hard for a guy… and they hadn’t even been out on a real date yet!
After classes, and a long run through the trails, Serena relaxed under the hot steamy water in the shower room of her dorm. She thought about removing the heavy ring that she had hung on a fine gold chain around her neck, but then she recalled her promise to Rion. Now the band hung wet and soapy between her very full pert breasts as she considered the odd sensations she seemed to have when it was the closest to her heart. It was as if she could feel Rion; and if she were going to be totally honest with herself, it was the same sensuous sensation she had felt in her dreams.
The truth was, she had taken the ring totally off for a few moments, while changing and dressing. But, it began to feel strange to have it away from her skin, even for the few moments as it lay on the desk in her room. It was like it was calling to her somehow; touching something deep within her. The ring was heavy and there was an inscription on the inside of it; she was pretty sure it was Hebrew. She had tried to Google-translate the inscription but had gotten nowhere with that. Of course, she’d thought about asking Jake … but she didn’t want to find herself subjected to more questions than she could truthfully answer. Jake could be a little jealous sometimes.
4
S erena tried to make sure she wasn’t late for their dinner date; but traffic downtown was just not cooperating. She was already ten minutes late when she pulled into the building’s public parking garage. After only a tiny breakfast, a protein drink for lunch and a long afternoon run, she was famished.
Fortunately, La Paris was on the Walk. She found Rion waiting at an outside table that was right on the water. As their eyes met, he smiled, left his seat, and began walking to her. It was sweet that he didn’t just wait for her to get to him.
“Hey!” Serena offered, her sweet Texan accent not at all faint.
“Hello,” Rion dimpled, taking in the fetching sight before him. “Serena, you look fantastic.” He took a noticeably deep breath.
Surely Rion could not be as nervous as she felt right now. Maybe he was. She was not going to allow him to be nervous too! Serena took hold of his muscular arm and pulled him close as they started down the Walk back to their table. Her little display of affection melted the ice and she felt Rion relax.
“How was your day?” he asked.
“It was okay. Just classes. How about you?”
“It feels like I’m still on vacation. I got almost nothing done today.”
“Really? Why not?”
“Well,” he began, helping her with her chair. “I met the most amazing woman at Sea World yesterday. I seemed to be having a really hard time taking my eyes off of her.”
Serena smiled at him demurely. “Really.”
“Yea,” he continued. “She completely preoccupied my thoughts all day. I’m not sure what I’m going to do.”
“Well you’ll have to tell me about her,” Serena insisted, a coy grin curving across her lips. Serena was intrigued. ‘Rion really sees me as a woman’, she thought, ‘not just a girl in school’. Even as a senior in college none of her other boyfriends had really ever referred to her as a ‘woman’ before. Serena rather liked being called a woman.
“So, tell me more about this mystery woman of yours,“ she flirted.
Rion smiled and continued the charade. “I don’t know that much about her really, except that she’s tall, exceptionally beautiful and she has this really quick wit; very intelligent,” he confided.
“Well, she sounds, very ... “
Rion watched her carefully.
“... compelling.”
“You are very compelling, Serena,” Rion ended the charade with a smile.
“Aw, and I was looking forward to hearing more about your mystery woman.”
“I wish I knew more,” he smiled. “I guess we’re both mysteries to each other at this point.”
“Have you really been thinking about me all day?”
“I have. I probably shouldn’t admit that. I’m sure on some level that makes me look a bit immature.”
“Not really, it’s sweet.” It would not have been very Southern for Serena to admit to Rion that she had been feeling the same way about him all day as well. She could definitely empathize with his feelings.
A server with a fine French accent introduced himself and then took their drink orders.
“I thought about calling you a few times, just to talk,” he admitted.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I didn’t know how busy you’d be today. I didn’t want to scare you off thinking I was—you know.”
“Stalking me?” she smiled.
“Yea.”
�
��Silly, you should have called me,” she chided gently. “Classes were pretty boring today. I would have loved to talk to you.”
“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind next time,” Rion assured her with another of his dimpled smiles. Serena was impressed that Rion was being really careful with her feelings. Most guys wouldn’t have even thought twice about ringing her phone off all day.
“So how did music classes go?”
“I’m pretty much finished with those. I’m actually working on a radio jingle for an insurance company at the moment.”
“Nice. Have you done many of those?”
“A few. This one makes six.”
“Well you must be really talented, then. I’d love to hear some of your work.”
“Most guys aren’t all that interested in music, unless they’re musicians. Do you play?”
“A little now and then,” he offered. “I’ve had lessons and studied some, but it’s been a while. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m the artistic type when it comes to music though. I’m more the ‘geeky’ type,” he joked.
Serena chuckled. Looking at Rion the way he did, his mannerisms, how he carried himself; he hardly fit the “geek” stereotype. He seemed far too cultured.
She shook her head with a grin.
“What?” he mused.
“You just don’t strike me as a ‘geek’, that’s all.”
“Don’t let this facade fool you,” he warned jokingly. “I’ve been known to be, well, a little ‘nerdy’ at times. Well, that’s what my family tells me, anyway.”
“So tell me about your family,” she began. “How long have you been in San Antonio?” she asked.
“A few years now. What about you, I’m sure you’re not a native here?”
“No, just a student. But I’ve mostly been raised in the South. I pretty much consider myself a Texas girl, now.”
“I like Southern women,” he assured her. “All y’all’s accents are just killer.” His mock masculine Southern drawl was just perfect, drawing an impressed grin from her.
“Wow. That was good. But, you have an interesting accent yourself. Is that natural? I don’t think I’ve ever heard it. Where is your family from?”
Interra (Awakened Series Book 5) Page 4