Interra (Awakened Series Book 5)

by Harley Austin

  She felt herself yielding against his solid spire.

  “NO!” she cried feeling completely powerless.

  Lucas sank himself deeply into her. “Now you know—” he thrust himself deeply into her. “What a REAL god—feels like!”

  Lucas felt her cease struggling against him. She’d finally surrendered. Thrusting hard, by the time this little tryst was over, her DNA would enter him, and fuse with his own. God she smelled good. Lucas’ armored gloved hands gripped around her bare ass. She needed to be fucked hard like this. His cock buried into her, he was throbbing. His thoughts lost their focus as the only thing he could focus on was spilling himself into her.

  But the mind of the sun goddess had not lost focus. Only one thought now played over and over in her mind. “I can control Interra …”

  Serena’s mind sank deeply into the city. Like the plane she’d found herself flying, she was suddenly aware of something much, much more. Intelligences. Guiding her. Awaiting her beck and call. She could feel the city—all around her. It’s beauty. It’s complexity. And it’s power.

  Far from being dormant, the city was alive within her.

  Lucas was suddenly aware of something happening. But his danger sense went off too late. A low hum reverberated through the citadel, filling Serena’s mind with new ability and a sudden ferocity. In a flash of deeply enhance psionic will, she shattered his telekinetic grip on her like a toy, startling him for an instant. Her hands were already around his arm, flipping him over her back and sending him hard into the roof of the citadel. The amateur martial move was typical and not altogether successful. Lucas caught her wrist and pulled her down hard onto the roof, dazing her for a moment. When she recovered he was straddling her, hovering over her, his armored gloved hand now around her neck, squeezing her like a vise while he tried to force his wet male between her legs again.

  Anger built quickly in Serena’s eyes. Lucas never saw the heavy telekinetic blast coming. It knocked the wind from him sending him sailing skyward.

  Lucas regained his thoughts quickly, his armor allowing him to shake off the heavy blow. His mind gipped ahold of the top of the building to slow his ascent. He began laughing wildly. “Even with the city! You are no match for me. Such a pathet—” he began, just as his airborne body hit the top of Interra’s barrier shield—in a subtle flash of soft atomic light the invincible Lucas was no more.

  He vaporized out of existence.

  The soft flash was exactly what she was waiting for. The shield was less than fifty feet above them here. That’s why Rion had led Lucas to the top of the tower—

  “RION!”

  Serena got quickly to her feet and ran to him, half sliding to a stop next to him. His neck looked badly misshapen and broken.

  “Lucas?” he groaned, wincing in pain.

  “He’s gone.” She touched the side of his face. “The shield took care of him.”

  “Good girl.” Rion tried to smile. He tried to nod. “Ow.”

  “Oh! Rion! Oh my God. Your neck—”

  “Wimp.” Elle now stood over the two of them. She knelt down and painfully straightened his head and neck while his body quickly healed. The other sun gods now crested the top of the citadel. All of them moved to surround him, helping Rion still painfully to his feet.

  Serena wrapped herself around him while he took her into his arms as much as his weakened strength would allow.

  “I thought you were gone,” Serena half-cried with relief.

  “I’m fine now, Angel.” He gently kissed her cheek, and then her lips. His hand slipped down over her ass.

  “Serena. What happened to your clothes?”

  “Bastard, Lucas, no doubt.” Elle quipped. Elle had already noticed she was naked from the waist down.

  Serena nodded, hiding the front of herself against Rion.

  “Well, if the princess isn’t going to be wearing any clothes, then neither am I.” Aramis began to rip away the silver restraining suit. He dropped the last of it onto the rooftop. It felt good to finally be out of the uncomfortable metal-mesh; but mostly he was relieved that his sun god healing had restored his masculine parts that had been severed at the hands of his Wraith captors.

  Rion also began to tear the metal fabric away from his own skin. Aramis was quick to notice that Rion appeared masculinely whole now as well. Impressively—masculinely whole.

  Both Beau and Ian, along with Elle also junked what remained of their restraining suits, leaving them all without clothes.

  Then Jerrod tore off his rags, what remained of his fatigues he had been issued days ago, and dropped them onto the pile.

  “Jerrod, you didn’t have to do that,” Rion grinned.

  “I know. But if all of you are going to be standing around here in the buff, I’m not going to be the only one wearing clothes. Besides, they were getting a little tattered anyway.”

  Rion heard more fabric tearing next to him as Serena shredded what remained of her top as well. She grinned at him, letting the ragged clothes drop lastly onto the pile.

  “I can go Kir too. Whatever that means.”

  Rion gave her a short hug.

  “I don’t know about the rest of you, but we’re standing on the roof—” Elle quipped, looking over the edge at the throngs of people two miles below. “We need to get to safety.”

  “We are safe, Elle.” Rion assured. “You need to take us inside, Angel. The Hall of Audiences.”

  “Me?”

  Rion nodded. “Once I realized that Lucas was using my genes to open a hole in the shield, I had to renounced my authority to the city—to keep Lucas from using my DNA to take control of it. You’re the only one in-charge now, Angel. The power of the Ra only responds to you now.”

  “RION!?”

  “It was the only way. Lucas would have destroyed this world and everyone one on it.”

  With a subtle sound of rushing air, all of them now stood in the Hall of Audiences. The seven of them looked around the opulent chamber, now redecorated with long red and black banners of Terrell’s Wraith. With subtle psionic fire lighting their eyes, the banners all fell to the ground, ripped from their makeshift hangers by telekinetic tugs.

  “We’re all here, Rion.” Jerrod nodded at the seven golden thrones. “I don’t actually believe it. But your prophecy is apparently about to be fulfilled.”

  Rion looked at the unclothed group surrounding him. He nodded. Still weak, his skin was barely able to take on its luminescence, but it brightened noticeably when Serena touched him. Ian and Beau exchanged glances and then placed their hands on him as well. Rion’s skin flared into a bright golden glow.

  Aramis added his own luminescence spilling Rion’s brightness into everyone else.

  “Is that the best you can do?” Elle quipped to Aramis. Adding her hand to Rion’s bare skin sent the six of them into a blaze of white golden brightness too intense to look at.

  Finally, Jerrod approached Rion, landing both of his palms on Rion’s shoulders. The room exploded with their light until it could contain it no longer. Their aura burst forth from the top of the citadel, raining drops of golden light onto the peoples far below.

  “This—this isn’t happening!” Terrell groused, looking all around in surprise. “It’s a trick!”

  “Guess again, Pal.” Dark looked at the general, all of them still more or less being held prisoner at gunpoint by Terrell’s soldiers.

  “It is happening!” One of Terrell’s officers held up his hand as the light touched him. Just like what happened in Bethlehem. It’s the Latter Rain! The prophecies are true!”

  “IT’S A LIE!” Terrell bellowed.

  But Terrell’s throngs of solders were beginning to splash and illuminate with the liquid-light that fell all around them—and all of them could see he wasn’t the cause of it.

  With the chamber now dazzlingly lit with their light, all of them now stood looking around the magnificent space, their thoughts and feelings entwined with each others’. In unison, the
y began ascending the stairs of the dais. All of them stared at the magnificent thrones, each one different, as if it had been made at a very different time in Human history; yet each one similar, as if made by the same artisan as all the others.

  “You should sit in the middle, Rion,” Jerrod offered.

  “I’m not the king here.” he frowned.

  “You are.” Beau assured. “You’re a prince.”

  “No Beau. All of us are part of this royal family now. Interra Invictus. Just as the prophecy foretold.”

  Jerrod moved to the end of the line of the thrones. “This one’s mine then.”

  “Why that one?” Elle asked.

  “Because I’m the introvert and if I want to slip out of here during some boring meeting I want to be on the end.” Jerrod sat down feeling the warm metal on his skin.

  Aramis quickly took the end throne on the other side, sitting down to claim his place.

  Rion chuckled. Aramis shrugged.

  Ian and Beau found the next two thrones beside Aramis, taking their chairs.

  “I guess I’m stuck sitting between you and the Princess Jerrod,” Elle announced taking the elegant seat next to his. “You’ll have to keep your hands to yourself now.” She smirked.

  Jerrod rolled his eyes.

  The last two thrones were by far the largest. Serena and Rion approached, their fingers locked.

  “Which one to you want?” he asked.

  “You should sit in the middle.”

  “Why me?”

  “Because I said so.” She grinned at him. And then took the throne next to Elle’s.

  “You are taking this Princess thing way too much to heart,” Rion smirked at her while sitting, feeling the warmth of the gold against his skin.

  It was then that all of them noticed a handful of others who’d begun making their way into the throne room. Dark entered, walking beside the Asian assassin. Behind them the new newblood, Tanner, entered; followed by many halfblood officers still in their black dress uniforms. The sight of the greatly illuminated skins of the seven sun gods seated on the seven thrones sent many of the officers dropping to one knee at the sight. Then as more and more of the halfblood Wraith entered, the room was soon filled with bowing officers of the highest rank.

  Rowan stood next to Brenda just outside the ring of pillars surrounding the main hall of audiences, elbowing her softly. “Ay, so ah, wanna tell me how you got all them thrones from Ashford to here without anyone seein’?” he asked quietly.

  “You know me, Rowan,” she smiled. “I have my ways.”

  “I had a feelin’ you were gonna say somethin’ like that.”

  Amethyst approached the two of them from behind and stood shoulder to shoulder next to them looking into the throne room. “I like the gold, Brends. Nice touch.”

  Brenda nodded, smiling. “But—?”

  “Well,” Amethyst raised her brow, the crystalline wand already in her hand. “Maybe just one parting gift—before we go.”

  Rion watched as a wash of scintillating light lifted from each of their thrones cleaning their skin while fine clothing all at once appeared on all of them. They were all suddenly dressed in finely tailored royal Ra dress. The clothing was light, elegant, beautiful, and with the golden glow of their skin, the clothing itself became radiant.

  “So you’re a fashion designer now?” Lisa walked up from behind Amethyst with Kari in-tow not far behind her.

  “You’re a bit late to the party, Lis’.” Amethyst’s crystalline wand just beginning to lose its glow from conjuring the new clothing.

  “Sure. Next time you get to babysit the Dominion,” Lisa scowled.

  Kari’s eyebrow lifted.

  “I think we’re through here, ladies.” Brenda smiled, taking gentle hold of Amy’s crystal over her hand. Lisa placed her hand over Brenda’s on the crystal as well.

  And then they were gone.

  Dark moved quickly to his wife.

  “Where’d they go?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “They took Lisa with them?”

  “It sounded like they all wanted to leave together.”

  “Hmm, odd.” Dark took Kari in his arms. “Everything okay back in Jericho? I assume Carson sent you to come after Jake and I.”

  “That’s why I’m here. I tried to tell Carson it was a useless trip.”

  “Not useless. I’m glad you’re here, actually.”

  “Oh? And why is that?” She smiled into his eyes, feeling his emotions.

  “Because—I just spent the past hour standing next to a couple of sun goddesses.”

  “Oh?” Kari giggled. “A little intense for you? The sun gods don’t make you want to—”

  “I—don’t think we need to go there.”

  Kari looked around at the throngs of officers now standing within the large hall of audiences. Some of them were approaching the seven gods of light, talking to them.

  “What’s going to happen to them?” Kari began. “They’re all Terrell’s people.”

  Dark watched the senior officers exchanging firm handshakes with the Invicti gods. “Something tells me that Terrell’s not going to be in charge of much of anything after today.”

  Jake stood next to someone he had just met, a newblood god named Tanner. “I’m having a hard time believing what I’m seeing.” Jake rubbed his eyes. He had never seen a place so opulent and filled with so many beautiful people.

  “It’s prophecy being fulfilled, Jake. You’re seeing something we have been waiting to happen for over fifty thousand years. And it almost didn’t happen.”

  Jake briefly met eyes with a certain sun goddess standing between two other gods. She smiled at him. He gave her a quick wink and then a nod with a grand smile.

  He stood off in the distance of the vast room, from a tiny corner where no one noticed. The old cowboy’s eyes watered as he looked at all of them. A deep grin covered his face. He nodded approvingly while knocking some of the dust from his worn hat, then placed it just so back onto his head.

  “And where will you go now, Henry?” The many voices of Interra spoke only to him.

  “Ah. You know. Never a dull moment.” He spoke audibly, his Texan accent thick, while watching the kids descend the dais to mingle with the halfblood crowds.

  “Their fleets are still gathering. The storm is yet to come, Henry. There will be no peace in the garden soon.”

  His smiled faded. He nodded. “I know.”

  Milieu

  As the Awakened Series has grown, I have been made aware by many readers than there are a lot of people moving and interacting within story. Names and people become forgotten as the series is released. To refresh memories, I’ve included this list of the cast within the Awakened milieu thus far …

  Kent Levi—First appears in Book I. Newblood god. On his way to becoming a Sentinel Master. Limited psionic ability unless he’s touching you; then you can kiss you ass goodbye.

  Lisa Kyle Levi—First appears in Book I. Newblood goddess. Wife of Kent Levi. Like her husband Kent, she has an unusually deep psionic ability even she isn’t aware of yet.

  Admiral Mitchell Dark—First Appears in Book I. Natural demigod military leader and spy for the Dominion. Also de facto leader of the Dark Clan.

  Brenda—First appears in Book I. A mysterious but powerful goddess with a knack for stealing tech.

  Mr. Harlan—First appears in Book I. Chief of Staff for the President.

  Frank—First appears in Book I. Secretary of Dept. of Homeland Security. We only ever know is first name.

  The President—First appears in Book I. We know his first name is “Brett”.

  Brad (and team)—First appears in Book I. Head of a contract assassin team.

  Rowan—First appears in Book I. Demigod bounty hunter; unofficially the “Assassin of the Gods”. Rowan has apparently known Brenda for a very long time and they are odd friends. As a gifted individual, Rowan’s skill at tracking down and murdering the gods has been uncanny.


  Perry—First appears in Book I. Demigod working undercover for the Dark Clan.

  Sevrin Dark—First appears in Book I. Natural demigod and much older relative of Admiral Dark.

  Daniel Hawk—First appears in Book I. Human and former love interest of Lisa Kyle before she met Kent.

  Cheyenne Hawk—First appears in Book I. Human and younger “twin-looking” sister of Daniel Hawk.

  Henry—First appears in Book I. The mysterious recluse, Henry only seems to pop up at times when people are in their deepest need.

  Sen and Arica Steele—First mentioned in Book I. Natural god and goddess parents of Rion Steele.

  Rion Steele—First appears in Book II. Son of Sen and Arica Steel. A very young Sentinel Master.

  Rigel—First appears in Book I. One of the old gods and director of global operations for the Seven.

  Jerrod Sharp—First appears in Book II. Newblood god. Jerrod appeared very “bright” to other empaths even as a Human. Awakened by Kari Connor Dark, he is found to be one of the newblood sun gods.

  Kari Connor Dark—First appears in Book II. Demigoddess who is resurrected by Jerrod as the Goddess of War. Also the wife of Mitchell Dark.

  Keith Connor—First appears in Book II. Demigod brother of Kari.

  Eric Wu—First appears in Book II. Dominion Apostle and partner of Keith Connor.

  Julia Dark—First appears in Book II. Natural demigoddess and head of security for the Dominion. Sister of Admiral Mitchell Dark and sometime-lover of Kari Connor Dark.