Interra (Awakened Series Book 5)

by Harley Austin

  Rion was already in full assault mode. He landed several solid punches before the man could draw back for another swing. But his heavy martial strikes seemed to land on something very hard against his torso. Body armor? These people were not Seven agents. Serena was aware of Rion’s thoughts. Both now switched tactics.

  The intruder punched again and narrowly missed hitting Serena with a fast swing. Too fast for any Human. He seemed to be focused on striking only at Serena. Rion wasn’t going to wait for him to recoil again. He targeted his mask and head with a kind of dual-handed attack that whirled the masked man into the door jamb, cracking and splintering the wood even more. The man rebounded off the wall and tumbled to the floor; but he recovered quickly, rolling back to his feet and taking his own martial stand while still half kneeling on the floor. Rion tried to search out the assailant with his mind, but shielded in his armor, there was nothing for him to connect to. A tendriled connection with his mind would be impossible.

  But as Rion stumbled momentarily in his thoughts, the masked assailant had not. A semi-transparent smoky-glass orb was suddenly in his hand, and then airborne heading right for Serena. Rion reacted on instinct. His hand reached out and caught the fast moving object only inches before it would have struck her.

  “Humph.” The masked assailant grunted.

  Rion tossed the object away from her, but—the orb didn’t leave his bare palm. It had seemingly liquefied almost instantly. The smoky-glass now clung around his fingers and moved quickly over his hand. Rion tried to shake the viscous glass from his hand but it had quickly covered his fingers and wrist, rendering them immobile. The glass moved to his forearm.

  Rion’s eyes drew wide. He looked at the masked and armored intruder.

  “Kir?” Rion questioned. “But—?”

  He watched the black-clad man rise to his feet. His facemask-like helmet receded into the shirt of his armor. Rion had never seen the man before. He looked very much like a halfblood.

  By now the semi-transparent glass liquid had fully covered Rion’s arm and was moving quickly over his chest.

  Serena, stay back! He warned her with his thoughts. Don’t let the glass touch you!

  Both the assailant and Serena watched as the liquid glass quickly engulfed Rion until he appeared to be nothing but a tall, unclothed glass statue.

  “RION!” Serena screamed, wanting to rush in to help him but at the same time, heeding Rion’s warning to stay away from the dark glass.

  With Rion now fully engulfed and unmoving, the intruder in black whirled in a reverse kick that sent the Rion statue off the floor, sailing backward into the room where it suddenly vanished into nothing, as if disappearing into the surface of some vertical pool of water.

  He then turned his attention to Serena.

  She backed up, noticing another of the glass orbs in his hand. Standing in only some sexy pajama shorts and a tank top she had worn for Rion earlier in the evening, the intruder began to take an interest in her barely dressed curves.

  “Damn—” he began, staring at her.

  Serena didn’t like the look in his eyes. He took a few steps closer toward her. She backed up until she was against the big stone hearth of the room’s fireplace. He moved closer to her, the glass orb rolling around the fingers of his gloved hand.

  He stepped into her personal space and drew a deep breath, taking in her scent. “Jesus. Don’t you just smell all fuck-me-now.”

  Serena shook her head.

  “Oh—I think you do.” He drew another deep breath.

  He just hovered in front of her. He was much bigger than she was. Serena could see the front of his dark stretch clothing beginning to tent from his quickly arousing male.

  “Do you like it slow and easy, or rough?” He smiled with a sick grin; moving his body right up to hers and taking her jaw into his gloved hand. “Play nice and you might see your boyfriend again.”

  She didn’t think he was telling the truth. She punched at him, but he caught her awkward martial jab. She knew her awakened body was much stronger now, but so was he. As strong as she was, she felt her hands being forced behind her while he held her, pressing his body against hers and the stone of the hearth.

  “You do want it rough, huh? I can give it to you rough.” She could feel his now solid length pressing against the soft material of her shorts, his hips grinding over hers, as if trying to push his way between her thighs.

  He tried to force his lips to hers, but she closed her eyes, quickly turning away her face. Still, his lips were now all over her neck as she struggled mightily against his armor-enhanced superhuman grip.

  “You are so gonna get it rough, bitch” he growled, pushing his hard cock against her front. One of his hands released hers, finding the side of her shorts. With an effortless tug the thin shorts easily tore away from her skin like paper rags, landing on the floor. Bare from the waste down, her feminine scent lifted to his nostrils. Serena fought him with everything she had, but with each strike she somehow managed, his thin clothing just seemed to ignore the strength of her punch. He grabbed her leg, lifting her knee to his waist. She could feel his skin now, pressing against hers, pushing and probing hard at her folds. She felt herself part, felt him draw back for a thrust into her. Serena closed her eyes wanting to die.

  She didn’t see the flash, but she heard the eerie odd sound from behind them. The grip of the man holding her against the hearth suddenly relaxed, and he let go of her leg. Serena looked up. The intruder’s eyes were oddly wide, as if staring past her into nothing. Serena moved quickly away from him as several more flashes with an odd sound struck the armored intruder squarely in the back. He staggered; then fell backward onto to the floor; unmoving and lifeless. The glassy orb rolled away from his open hand.

  Serena could now see who’d come through the door.

  “Jake!” She rushed to him. The odd weapon the intruder had initially walked in with was now gripped firmly in Jake’s outstretched hand. Jake took Serena into his other arm, pulling her close.

  “Bastard,” was all Jake said looking at the intruder now sprawled on the floor; his armored clothes still open around his now flaccid and lifeless hairless manhood.

  “Oh, God!” she trembled, holding herself close to him. “Jake! How? What are you doing back here?”

  “Protecting you,” he growled, lowering the weapon.

  Both Jake and Serena moved closer to the intruder, looking at his face. Jake nodded. “Wolfeson.”

  “You know him?”

  “He’s the Shabak who led me here. Apparently he was some kind of plant; or a double-agent. Whoever his boss is, they’ve obviously been using Israeli security to try to get to you and Rion.”

  “Rion’s been thinking the same thing.”

  “Great minds think alike,” he mused.

  The door burst open wide as a heavily armed squad of similarly black armored men quickly entered the room. Jake pulled the still half dressed Serena closer to himself, the sleek weapon pointed at anyone of them who wanted to lose their life. But their weapons were not leveled at the two of them. Serena’s empathy was all over them.

  “Wait, Jake. These people are Dominion.”

  Sevrin then burst into the room behind them. “Serena! Oh, thank goodness you’re okay.”

  “Sevrin! They took Rion!”

  “We know, Honey. Somehow you both dropped out the continuum. That’s when the cavalry shows up.” Sevrin quickly sized up Jake. “Who’s your well-armed friend?”

  33

  R ion awoke. The fuzziness in his head faded slowly. The air was cold; really cold; too cold. He lifted his head. He had been stripped to nothing; his muscular arms outstretched and pinned tightly against bare stone with a series of thin banded metal restraints. He could stand but his thick muscular legs were also similarly restrained.

  His vision cleared enough for him to look around the small stone cell; one of many along a narrow corridor. The ring on his hand was silent. He frowned.

  J
ust outside the bars of his cell on the far wall of the corridor, a heavy metal door opened. A man entered wearing a thick hooded parka and mittens, his breath visible in the still cold air then entered his cell. He lifted off a knit face mask and smiled.

  “Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.”

  “Spencer.” Rion glared. “I should have known.”

  “Yea, you should have. You’re a little slow on the draw these days, bucko. A little distracted are we? Too many late-night rendezvous with the new tail?”

  Rion struggled weakly against the restraints.

  “Oooh, nice try. Did your little toy stop working too?” He nodded at the ring on Rion’s hand.

  Rion barely felt strong enough to stand or move in the extreme cold. “What do you want?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. Depends on how willing you are to negotiate for yours and Serena’s release.”

  “Serena!?” Where is she?! So help me Spencer if you touch her—

  “—you’ll what? Badger me to death?” he scoffed, looking at the restraints that were able to hold the once powerful Rion so securely.

  “I have what you want. You have what I want. I think we can come to an agreement.”

  “I’m not negotiating with a traitor,” Rion growled contemptuously.

  “Traitor? Hardly. I’m working for the winning team now.”

  “The Seven don’t win, Spencer. The prophecies are—”

  “—bullshit. They’re junk, Rion. They’re way off. They’ve failed to lead us. Any of us.”

  “And how would you know?”

  “Because there’s a new game in town, Buddy Boy. Or haven’t you heard? No one’s even worried about the Seven anymore. They’re much more worried about you and your new prin-cess,” he sneered in a mocking tone.

  “Serena—”

  “Did she tell you I talked to her? Outside her little dorm room?”

  Rion glared.

  “Yea, I guess she did. Damn cute ass. If it hadn’t been for that little key you gave her, I’d have fucked her awake myself. What took you so long?”

  Rion angrily jerked against the restraints, “You sick bastard! So help me if you touch her—!”

  “Jesus, Rion. Chill. You really think I brought you here just so I could bang your main?” Spencer waited for Rion to stop struggling. “I need some information.”

  “I’m not giving you anything.” Rion glared.

  “Now how did I know you were going to say that? Tell you what—” Spencer leaned against the wall right next to Rion’s face, “you give me the keys to the city and I’ll let you get back to your hot little bunny. How’s that?”

  “Go to hell,” Rion advised.

  “Jesus, Rion, you drive a hard bargain here.”

  “Where did you get the Kir weapons?”

  “I’m the one asking the questions. I’ve already been to Olympus.”

  “You won’t get in.”

  “No shit?” Spencer’s sarcasm was thick. “You think you’d be strung up here if I had a way inside? God, you’re brainless sometimes.”

  “Give it up, Spencer. Interra’s impenetrable; even to the Kir.” Rion warned.

  “Sure. But it’s not impenetrable to you, Mr. Sentinel Master, now is it?”

  “Go ahead, Spencer, kill me. Then you’ll never get in.”

  “You’re a real son of a bitch, Rion. But let me tell you, there are worse things than death.”

  “You’re scaring me, Spence—” Rion mocked. “Who are you working for?”

  “I don’t work for anyone!” He pointed his finger strongly, angrily in Rion’s face.

  “Sure you don’t.”

  “The truth is, I’m really not interested in your stupid little town. I’m after real power.”

  “What are you talking about?” Rion listened carefully.

  “Oh you already know. It’s what everyone’s been looking for. The tomb. DUH!” Spencer made a stupid face. “The Tomb of the Ancients; the final resting place of our ancient ancestors.”

  Rion rolled his eyes. “You know that’s a myth, right? It doesn’t exist.”

  “Oh no? I beg to differ. You see Mr. Sentinel Master, I found it.”

  “Great. So you found it. Then you don’t need me. Get me out of here.”

  “Don’t play coy with me, Steele. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  “Actually, I don’t.”

  “The tomb was sealed. I need a way in. I need a key.”

  “And you think the I have it?”

  “You have it alright, only you’re probably too fucking stupid to know you do; because the ancients hid it from you, they hid it from all of us. When the Sentinels rebelled against Seven, they took the key with them. It’s probably buried in some repository, obfuscated or encrypted somehow.”

  “So what’s in this tomb anyway?” Rion probed.

  “Ohhh, you already know. The power of the ancients; a new knowledge—older and even more powerful than Reflex.”

  Rion shook his head, “You’re delusional, Spencer. Even if I had some key, I’m not going to just turn it over to some psycho.”

  In a flash a large blade was instantly in Spencer’s grasp, its sharp point pressed under and against Rion’s quickly raised chin. Rion swallowed hard.

  “Not so mouthy now, are you?” he seethed.

  Spencer slowly lowered the wide blade from Rion’s chin, sliding the cold flat steel down his neck. The cutting edge of the blade trailed against his skin, feeling sharp as a razor. The blade drifted down onto his chest and against his thick outstretched pectoral. Rion felt the bare metal bump along his abs. He quickly scanned the room, looking, feeling, for something, anything that might be used as a tool. But there was nothing, it was too cold, his mind would just not telekinetically connect with anything.

  With his legs slightly spread, he felt his manhood now being lifted with the flat of Spencer’s blade, his thick jewels pressed against the cold steel.

  “Damn, Rion. You’re really well hung here, buddy.” Spencer lightly bounced Rion’s male over the top of the flat of his wide blade. “It would be a cryin’ shame if you couldn’t ride your hot little filly bareback anymore.”

  Rion swallowed hard.

  “Now I’m gonna to ask you—one. More. Time. Where are the keys?”

  Rion turned his head to look away from what he knew was about to happen.

  34

  I guess you finally did it.”

  Serena walked beside Jake through one of the many undersea tunnels that connected the numerous pyramids of Jericho.

  “Did what?” she asked.

  “Got me to go with you on your annual pilgrimage to Bethlehem.”

  “Stop. I did not. This isn’t exactly the Temple—or Bethlehem.”

  “Close enough.” Jake grinned.

  “Dominion is supposed to be teaching people about God. I didn’t know the Church was being run by a bunch of them.”

  “A little ironic.”

  “It is.”

  “I meant you.”

  “Oh?”

  “You’re one of them now.”

  She sighed. “I suppose.”

  “You suppose? Serena—”

  “Jake, can we just talk about this later?”

  “Sure. I’m sorry. You’re worried about Rion and I’m running off at the mouth about keeping company with gods.”

  “They’re not really gods. They’re just people. People just like us.”

  “They’re not just like us, Serena. They’re faster, stronger, smarter, and their technology is beyond anything we’ve even ever imagined. We just teleported from Seattle to Bethlehem for G-d’s sakes. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? The power these people possess?”

  “No. It’s doesn’t. I don’t care about their power or their knowledge or anything else about them. Not unless it can help us find Rion.”

  Jake frowned, releasing a sigh. He knew Serena well; well enough to know she had fallen hard for the guy. She was
hopelessly in love with Rion. His chances of ever getting back with her were now something close to zero. The ‘Zeus’ of the Ra had wooed Serena like nothing he had ever seen. Sure he was jealous. But he was also envious. Rion was an amazing guy. He hoped that whatever had happened to him wasn’t terminal. Jake walked beside her in silence for a while.

  “So what’s it like?”

  “What’s what like?”

  “How does it feel—to be one of them?”

  “Honestly? I’m still a little amazed, myself. It was like I was blind before. The things I can see now; you know I can hear your heart beating. I can sense your feelings.”

  “Sense my feelings?” Jake stopped, looking at her. “Like you can read my mind?”

  She shook her head. “No, just what, or I guess how you feel inside. Like right now. You’re jealous. Of Rion. Envious.”

  He nodded.

  “You’d jump at the chance for the two of us to make love again,” she added.

  “That’s true.”

  “Jake, we’re over.”

  “Hope springs eternal, Serena. I always said you were the most beautiful woman on Earth. I meant that. And now you’re a goddess. A really attractive goddess.”

  “I’m also married, Jake.”

  “Not married. These people don’t marry. You’re a consort. Until he dumps you.”

  Serena backhanded him in arm.

  “OW!” Jake gripped his bicep. “Jesus, Serena—only kidding.”

  “No you weren’t. Goddesses can also smell a lie a mile away.”

  “Alright!” he admitted. Damn that hurt. He nursed his arm. The girl could hit. “My bad. Note to self. ‘Don’t lie to the goddess.’”

  * * * * *