Interra (Awakened Series Book 5)

by Harley Austin

  “That would be a hard decision, Jake. One any guy would struggle with.”

  “You have different circumstances, Rion.”

  He nodded. “Still—”

  “Still what?” Serena asked.

  Both men shot glances toward the entrance of the kitchen. Serena leaned against one of the log pillars. Dressed in pink pajama shorts and a matching robe, its length barely above the hem of her shorts, she smiled widely at both guys. Rion flew off the bar chair toward her. He caught her in his arms twirling her!

  “You’re awake!” Rion’s surprise seemed a bit odd to Serena.

  “Yes, I’m awake,” she giggled, seeing his enthusiasm.

  He kissed her sweetly and she returned his affection. She’d already seen Jake, still standing by the griddle, spatula in hand. She broke off their kiss. “Jake. What are you doing here?”

  He shrugged. “Just making sure you’re safe, that’s all.”

  Serena left Rion’s arms and went to him, offering him a warm hug. “It’s good to see you.” She leveled a sweet kiss on his cheek. The tough Mossad agent’s eyes misted a little. “You too.”

  “Jacob Gold,” Serena began pulling back from their hug, her new empathy all over him, “did you really come all the way up here to rescue me?”

  “I did,” he admitted; then looked a little shy. “You know I’d move heaven and hell to make sure you are okay. Except, it seems all I did was barge in on your coronation.” He winced a kind of sarcastic a smile.

  Serena rolled her eyes. She still wasn’t sure what to think about her new royal blood; but then again, she did feel invigorated with her newly awakened body.

  Realizing the man had more than an inkling of an idea of what he had lost out on, Rion gave Jake a bit of slack for hugging his soon to be new wife so tightly. After giving Jake one final squeeze, Serena went to the bar to sit beside Rion as Jake poured another pancake onto the griddle.

  How did Jake get here? she thought to Rion. Rion heard her thoughts, but she wasn’t wearing her ring. Invicti were telepaths? His mind felt seamlessly connected with hers.

  Evidently the Mossad have very good resources.

  Tell me you two didn’t get into a fight.

  Not really. He is an impressive guy though.

  How much does he know, about—us, and the Ra?

  He apparently knows a lot about us, Hon. He knew you were awakening.

  Jake watched Serena glance at Rion and then smile.

  “I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this, Jake. I’m sure this whole situation looks pretty nefarious from the outside.”

  “When I couldn’t reach any of your family and you were gone I had to track you down. It was only luck that I managed to show up here. Rion has been a very accommodating host.”

  “Except when he was trying to shoot me,” Rion smirked.

  Serena stormed a look at the both of them and then laid her head on Rion’s shoulder, locking her fingers in his. She was glad Jake hadn’t succeeded.

  “Well, I’ll be leaving after breakfast,” Jake assured her. “I don’t want to intrude anymore than I already have.”

  After breakfast Rion excused himself to let Jake and Serena catch up.

  “You know it took a bit of doing to find you,” Jake began.

  “Well, if anyone could have found me, Jake, it would have been you.”

  “I saw your video on YouTube, the one with you and Rion at the theater teaching those thugs a lesson. You didn’t forget your training. I was impressed.”

  “I had a good teacher,” she offered.

  “I had the perfect student,” he responded, still reeling a bit at how much he hadn’t realized he had missed Serena, now that she was only a few feet away. He’d forgotten how attractive she was. She seemed even more so now with their little reunion.

  “I suppose my marriage will be quite a shock to a lot of your family back home.”

  “It will. It was to me. Then again, Rion is everything I would expect to see in a guy you would marry. It’s not everyone who gets the chance to marry a god.”

  “Jacob Gold, jealousy is not one of your better traits.”

  “C’mon! Serena—allow me some humanity here. Who wouldn’t be jealous? You just married Superman. You know he disarmed me?”

  She raised an eyebrow.

  “I hardly saw or felt it happen. No one moves like that.”

  “No, they don’t,” she acknowledged.

  “Should I bother asking you more about these people, these Ra and their Nephilim?”

  “They’re just people, Jake. Just like you and I.”

  “No,” he corrected, “they’re not just like you and I. They’re more than we are; and they’re about to become extinct. That would be a tragedy if it happened. An army of these people would—”

  “Enslave the Human race,” she finished.

  Jake blinked at her. “Really?”

  “Really. That’s what started this whole war in the first place. They fought and died––over us. To keep us from becoming their slaves. Rion’s parents died, were murdered, protecting us from the evil gods.”

  “Evil gods—” Jake tossed that thought over in his mind. “Serena, you do know that Rion has a rap sheet ten miles long. He’s a wanted felon in just about any county you can think of. He’s killed hundreds.”

  “Sure. Protecting our people. You know that, right?”

  “So are you just going to disappear again after I leave?”

  “The war is still going on, Jake. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

  “Well, not that I can compare to these people, but if you or they need anything, an ally, whatever, you have my number.”

  “I still do,” she assured him, her eyes growing a bit misty at the thought that Jake still cared so deeply for her.

  “Speaking of numbers, I took the opportunity to stop by your dorm room the other night.”

  “Oh?”

  “Seems you left a few things back home; like these.” Jake handed Serena her iPhone and then produced the velvet jewel box, opening it for her.

  “Oh, Jake! My earrings!”

  “You shouldn’t leave expensive jewels like this just lying around, Serena. People steal these things,” he lectured as he handed her the box. “Those would have made some crook the heist of a lifetime.”

  Serena looked at Jake. “I never did find out how much they cost.”

  “Really. Well, that makes sense. Knowing you, Rion probably knew you would never have accepted them if he had told you what they cost. I tried to buy you something like this once, remember?”

  “You are just rubbing it in, aren’t you?” she scowled.

  “Probably. So he really didn’t tell you what these cost?”

  “No,” she admitted. “But your family is in diamonds so you know, don’t you?” she pressed.

  “If Rion didn’t tell you, I’m not going to. It’s none of my business. They’re very nice though,” he leaned into her personal space. “Very nice.” he teased.

  Serena fumed, “Oh, Jake! Just tell me.”

  “Nope. Ask your princely husband. Besides, it’s not like you can give them back now. What’s his is yours. I’ll tell you this though, any guy who would give you those must really love you.”

  Serena sighed warmly, looking at the beautiful earrings.

  “You also left this—” Jake produced the ring, dangling from the chain he had given her a couple of years ago.

  “Rion’s ring. Jake! Oh, thank you!”

  “He gave you his ring to wear? That’s a little—”

  “Romantic,” she finished.

  “Alright, it’s romantic.” He grudgingly admitted, dangling the ring and then dropping both the heavy ring and the chain into her hand.

  “Jake, I can’t believe you spent so much time trying to find me. It’s very sweet.” She removed the chain from the band and placed it around her neck.

  “I wasn’t going to just let you disappear, Serena. You had to know th
at I would come looking for you.”

  “I think there was a part of me that did know that. Here—I want you to have this.” She placed the band back into his hand.

  “Rion’s ring?” He scrunched his nose.

  “No. It’s my ring. Rion gave it to me. Now I’m giving it to you.”

  “Serena, I can’t take—”

  She took his hand and closed his fingers around it. “I’m giving it to you. Don’t argue with a goddess.”

  Jake gripped his fingers around it.

  “It will keep you safe. Just like it kept me safe.”

  “Really?” Jake opened his fingers and gazed at the unusually heavy band. Serena picked it up and slipped it on his finger. He was all but sure the ring was too big for him, but as she slipped it on his finger somehow the band seemed to fit perfectly.

  “It will be something to remember me by.”

  The sun had already dropped behind the mountain when the three of them finally said good-bye. Rion and Serena watched Jake drive away through the snow. Both wandered back inside the lodge home.

  Rion sighed, deeply relieved. Although it was good meeting Jake, he was so glad to have his beloved all to himself again.

  That was a heavy sigh? He heard in his mind.

  It was. I’m just glad you’re awake. I missed you.

  I think I was missing you too. I had the warmest dream this morning. You were kissing me and holding my chest.

  Rion grinned. Yea, that was no dream. Probably your husband becoming a little too attracted.

  Awww. You kissed me in my sleep.

  Serena, it was more than that. Believe me. Do you feel, different? I mean, in the way we’re attracted?

  You mean do I want to tear you clothes off right now and have my way with you? That kind of attraction?

  Yea, he nodded. It’s really strong between the two of us now. I just about had my way with you while you still asleep.

  That would have made for a better dream. She giggled.

  “I’m sure. Do you still want to tear my clothes off? Because you’re about to lose yours.”

  Serena slapped Rion on the tush as they headed upstairs.

  What was that for?

  You still owe me a wedding.

  Rion grinned. With pleasure, Angel.

  Jake’s rig turned onto the main road. He had already made several calls checking in with his dad and other contacts. His reports would be personal and off-the-record.

  A vehicle sat silently parked deeply within a wooded driveway as its sole occupant watched the truck drive past. He picked up his phone and dialed.

  “Hey, Spencer. The kid just left.”

  “Good. Let me handle the Mossad. You know what to do.”

  “Yea.”

  He put down the phone and pulled the rugged SUV out of the hidden driveway, watching through his rearview mirror to make sure he wasn’t being followed as he headed in the opposite direction, turning onto the snow-covered mountain road toward the secluded lake house.

  32

  R ion lay stretched out over of the sheets with Serena beside him—watching him recover. His chest filling deeply, repeatedly, his skin nearly wet with a warm glow of perspiration.

  “That was fun,” she smirked.

  Rion winced hard, arching his back, his body still reeling from a cascade of ecstatic shockwaves reverberating through him from her empathic touch. His thick cock felt even taller somehow, it was so hard. And his jewels? They could not be any more empty. He could swear they felt smaller as unloaded as he was.

  “You are not touching me again!” he vowed, turning his head to look at her, holding back her invisible psionic tendrils with his own.

  She smoothed her hand across his wet pecks where perspiration had beaded.

  “I can’t help it,” she began. “It’s like I’m torturing you. I couldn’t stop watching you.”

  “Writhe!?”

  “It’s really sexy watching you so out of control. I can’t help it.”

  “That’s how I felt watching you back in San Antonio. Only I actually stopped when you were calling out.”

  “You did. I’m sorry,” she apologized.

  He took hold of her hand and kissed her fingers. “Next time I say stop,” he began.

  “I said I was sorry,” she said again.

  “No, don’t stop,” he grinned wryly.

  Serena snuggled up to Rion using him as a body pillow, the two of them basking in the glow of each others’ feelings.

  So this is what it felt like to be a goddess. Serena marveled at the sensations her new senses delivered. Her old mind and body seemed deaf, blind, and stupid by comparison. Her memories now were instantly available for recall; and her thoughts came quickly, effortlessly. And with this empathy she could now feel within herself, her mind just seemed to link naturally with Rion’s. What amazed her even more was the depth of feeling she now felt for Rion. How close the two of them had become, like he was a part of her and she him. It was more than just their bodies making love; their souls felt connected somehow.

  Serena felt Rion’s mind begin to wander.

  “Are you somewhere else right now?” She smoothed her hand across his chest.

  “Yea,” he began, drawing a basking breath, “I’m still trying to figure out how Jake found us here. He said it was just luck, but, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.”

  “Mossad can be very resourceful.”

  “Yes, but doing the math; it doesn’t gel.”

  “Do you always break everything down into an equation?”

  “No,” he grinned. “Usually just things that can be well quantified. Otherwise it just becomes an exercise in probabilities and unknown quantities, and those are not reliable.”

  “So, am I one of your unknown quantities?” she toyed.

  “Actually, you are a very unknown quantity,” he pulled her close with a smile. “We both are now.”

  “Both?”

  “Oh—I guess I forgot to mention—your awakening. Serena, something happened. You weren’t the only one who awakened. Somehow, we—both changed.”

  She lifted herself off of his chest looking at him curiously.

  “Huh?”

  Rion nodded. “It was a little unnerving. I knew you would begin to take on the glow of the Invicti, but then your genetics invaded mine.”

  “Rion! What?”

  “Your—luminescence, or whatever it was—invaded me. I don’t know how. You’re not just one of us—I guess I’m one of you now.”

  “I can feel you. And others as well.”

  “Those others, are the other sun gods. We can all feel each other. It’s a little strange.”

  Now it was Serena who thought about Jake’s showing up all of sudden in such a remote place. The coincidence seemed to stir her curiosity as well as Rion’s. Jake was resourceful, but finding this particular place, nestled deep within the mountains, seemed just a bit too much good luck to have—even for the Mossad.

  * * * * *

  Thick clouds covered the night sky. At the lower elevations in Seattle it would be raining, but here a light snow had begun falling again around the lodge. Rion was fast asleep downstairs while Serena cozied up with a book in the loft to learn the basics of the language of the Ra. Her new mind learned quickly, and seemed to forget nothing. While reminding her of ancient Hebrew, the language of the Ra was not simple, but deeply detailed and subtly nuanced. It was simple in its word forms and alphabet, but highly detailed in its words and their multiple meanings and dependent contexts. She could easily see how paleo-Hebrew could have been based on Ra. And it wasn’t just their written or spoken tongue, there was a physically semantic component to their communication as well, where one’s subtlest of movements and gestures, communicated fluidly, like a highly evolved sign language, so subtle that if you weren’t aware of it, you might not know someone was even speaking it.

  As she studied, something within Serena stirred her from her concentration. She felt––watched.


  Serena looked down at her ring. It was silent.

  There it was again. She had an odd sensation that she was definitely being watched––the feeling was unmistakable.

  She got up from the sofa and looked around casually. If someone was watching her, she didn’t want to give herself away that she knew. She faux yawned, stretched and walked down to their bedroom, her new senses telling her something was wrong. Whoever it was, they had already managed to get into the house. Somehow, she, felt them—felt their intentions, like a keen empathy. She could feel a calculating evil.

  She quickly woke Rion. Shhhh. Someone’s in the house.

  Now awake, Rion too felt the intruder. He was pretty sure their rings were keeping them from being located. Whoever had entered the house was going to have to find them. But—how did they get into the home undetected in the first place? The stealth of the intruder would have to be uncanny to break into this home.

  Rion quickly discovered that the home’s security and defenses were offline. Their rings were connected, but, they weren’t responding to commands. Someone with a keen understanding of Ra knowledge had infiltrated the home. Rion suddenly felt uncomfortably vulnerable. Getting into the home was one thing, but disrupting their connection to the continuum? The people who could do that fell into a very short list. Another god? It had to be! But who?

  Whoever it was that had entered the home were already on the second floor and coming down the hallway toward their room! Their minds in sync, Rion watched the door while Serena quickly made her way into the on-suite bathroom, flipped on the light and turned on the shower. Both of them then slipped into the bedroom closet and watched from behind a crack in the door.

  Their bedroom door opened slowly. A dark masked man entered the room, an unusual small pistol in his gloved grip. The masked intruder looked around the room and then strode quietly to the bathroom and entered it. Both Rion and Serena bolted from their hiding spot as silently and quickly as they could. Each flattened themselves against the wall next to the bathroom door and waited low and poised, both in a martial stance. The dark figure emerged from the bathroom. To Rion and Serena, he seemed to moved as if in a kind of slow motion. Serena took hold of the small weapon and slipped it quickly from the man’s grip, tossing it onto the floor. His reaction to being disarmed so quickly was a fast punch that Serena dodged easily—and she was glad she did. His fist stuck the heavy log door jamb, sinking several inches into thick wood and splitting the log, sending small shards and splinters of wood everywhere.