Both looked at each other.
“Dating,” Ty corrected while Ethan now said “Serious.”
“Okay. Seriously dating. Got it.”
“That was awkward,” Ethan lamented, looking around the nice stateroom with Ty after Samantha had left them alone.
“Are we—not serious?” Ty’s expression looked a little hurt. “Because I thought we were.”
“I guess I’m not sure.”
“This is because of Sofia, isn’t it?”
Ethan nodded.
“Ethan, I love you.”
“Ty—I—have really strong feelings for you too. But I don’t know if it’s just because of our genetics or if what we have is real.”
“What’s not real about genetics? We’re naturally attracted. If that’s not real then nothing is.”
“I guess I’m still having a hard time thinking of you and I and Sofia. It just—doesn’t seem like it would work.”
“You’re pushing me away without even giving us a chance. You haven’t even met Sofia.”
Ethan frowned. “I guess maybe I am.”
“Don’t do that to us, Ethan. It’ll kill me.”
“You’re really serious.”
“I am. But I know you are too. You’re just worried.”
Ethan moved up to him, sighing deeply.
“We’ll get through this, Ethan. Don’t give up on what we have just because you’re not sure.”
* * * * *
Although not as cold as what he’d felt riding across the Midwest, the cooler night air still felt nice against his bare skin. Ethan leaned his hands against the railing of the aft deck looking at the other night-lit boats moored across the marina. The security guards onboard the yacht made their rounds but ignored him.
He felt her walking up from behind. “Ethan, you’re up late.” Samantha was dressed for the chilly night air while Ethan was barefoot and shirtless, wearing just his jeans from earlier in the day.
“Can’t sleep.”
“Hmmm.” She looked out over the water and the lights of the other boats. For long minutes both of them just watched the lights on the not so distant far shore.
“You’re still human,” Ethan broke the silence. “Why?”
“Too dangerous to be a halfblood right now.”
“Or ever?”
“Yea.” She smiled.
They continued to watch the lights.
“Ty told me about Sofia.” Samantha leaned against the railing.
“Is that what you two were talking about all evening?”
“Not just that; but she came up.”
“You’re on his side.”
“I don’t take sides. I have my own.”
“Oh?” Ethan leaned up from the railing to face her.
“Ethan—how long have you really known the people that are a part of your life right now? I’m talking about gods.”
Ethan smirked. “A few months.”
“Is that enough time to get to know someone?”
“Probably not. You think I need to give Ty and our relationship some time?”
“Don’t you?”
“Maybe. Probably.”
“These were good people, Ethan. Ty’s the only one left now. Well, and Thea. But, I envy you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re dating Ty.”
“I take it you and Ty have some history?”
“No, we don’t. But it wasn’t for lack of trying on my part. We just never had the attraction, I mean like you and the rest of the gods seem to have. I just could not get him interested. He dated other human women—just not me.”
“Really? You’re pretty.”
“But I’m not attractive, pardon the pun; to Ty. The truth is, Ethan, I’m jealous. I would kill and die to be in your jeans right now.”
Ethan began smirking.
“Pun intended,” she smiled.
“I know what you mean, Samantha.”
“Gods have really odd and sometimes unpredictable relationships, Ethan. At some point, you are going to meet someone and be so attracted you can’t sleep. I hope it’s a woman.”
“Why? So I can see what Ty is going through?”
“Yes. Wait until you have a bun in the oven with someone. You won’t be able to let Ty go and you won’t want to let her go either.”
“Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”
“And what if that woman happens to be Sofia as well?”
“Oh, you did not just say that!” Ethan scowled, but was half smiling as well. Sofia was drop-dead. He had to admit, he’d marry her in a heartbeat.
“I’m going to laugh my ass off if that happens. Both of you being attracted to the same woman. Both of you having kids with her.”
“Ohhh,” Ethan shook his head. He was grinning but it wasn’t really a laughing matter him. “That is so twisted.”
“It’s not twisted, Ethan. It’s just a family paradigm you’re unaccustomed to.”
“I guess.” He agreed looking out over the water.
“Ethan, you’re already in a relationship that most people are unaccustomed to.”
Ethan mused her words for a moment and then began nodding. “I guess you’re right.”
“And you’re dating one of the hottest guys the world has ever known,” she grinned. “Many a girl has cried her eyes out over Ty. This one included. Something to think about.”
He nodded to her.
“Anyway, the captain says we should have some decent weather tomorrow. We’ll be underway and out to sea before dawn.” She turned to leave but then turned to look at him, her eyes scanning up and down his fit, god-like body yet again. Ethan watched her eyes dance all over him for a few moments. “And just so you know, Ethan. If you weren’t already sleeping in Ty’s cabin, you’d definitely be sleeping in mine.”
Ethan breathed a smile as she walked away.
33
A great tribulation will fall upon all nations
the sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give its light
the stars will fall from the sky
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken
all nations of the earth shall cower
with fear and trembling
then shall A great wonder appear in the skies
and every eye shall see
gathering the elect from all the earth to be saved
—The Books of God
F ifty miles long and twenty-five miles at its widest point, the stunning warship had been refitted with an immense oval-shaped habitation expanse over the past century. At just over two thousand square miles under its colossal dome, a short but beautiful snow-peaked mountain range rose nearly to the top of the gargantuan transparent glassteel habitat. Densely forested and dotted with lakes and streams, the tall peaks were now home to selected species to keep the delicate balance of life vibrant and growing.
The base of the mountains were dotted with new cities, with tall high-rises built and ready to move into, but still empty—save one small city where only thirty of them now lived.
Out of all of the new gods, Cain had been here the longest. He didn’t trust Brenda an inch, but he knew the mission and why he needed to be here along with the others. Slowly over the past several months, one-by-one, sometimes two-by-two, their tiny city had begun to grow with the others arriving.
All of them were young, like himself, some not even into their twenties yet, and most arriving under the worst possible circumstances, snatched away from the jaws of extinction by the devil himself—Rowan.
The newblood son of human parents, Cain had been arrested and separated from his folks; then interned by the government at one its clandestine isolation communities, places the clans had begun to collectively and un-affectionately refer to as ‘Auschwitz’. Their family bloodline was somehow a liability in the twisted minds of the Seven. Cain and his parents would still be imprisoned there right now as well, if Rowan hadn’t rescued all of them. A pa
rticularly painful thorn in their side, now they were after Australian.
Although the Reborn were only a handful, they weren’t the only people living within their tiny paradise adrift around their star. Aside from their own city of Reborn, a few human cities and towns also dotted the habitation area on the far side of the mountains. Cain didn’t know how many people were living on the other side, but Brenda evidently had a reason for wanting them there. He was grateful for those other cities; it was where his parents now lived.
Like their own, the Human cities had been all but empty, sparsely populated by just a handful of families like his own. But then, week by week and month by month, new people arrived. Now the small metropolises were all at once teaming with thousands and thousands of new people brought aboard the Paradisus by the magic of the gods. Their newly filled municipalities all looked a little disorganized at the moment; Cain decided to avoid them, for now.
His own little city of empathic newbloods was very different. Everyone easily knew everyone else. People were friendly and easy to get along with and eager to help. Being attracted to most of each other probably didn’t hurt their small and already growing city high-rise—one of the goddesses had arrived already pregnant.
Dressed for riding, Cain walked his mountain bike from the foyer of their tall apartment building and out into a quaint-looking cobbled street that was circled by dozens of different new tall towers. It was a little eerie living in such an empty city, even as small as it was, only a few square miles. Still, it was new and exciting to be part of something this momentous to the survival of their race. In a sense, they were now pioneers of an unknown future.
A few of the gods were already out walking in what felt like sunshine but clearly wasn’t. Saturn had risen largely in the sky, its vast rings beautifully lit by the distant sun. Cain mounted his bike and adjusted his gloves, still marveling at the display of their daylit sky glistening off of the tall buildings. He rode around the mostly empty smooth cobbled street surrounded by beautiful trees and other foliage that made the city center look almost like a village square. He rode a couple of times around the square until he saw her emerge from their building. He stopped and waited in front of it now. The only pregnant one out of all of them, she was a bit of a recluse. Dressed like he was for riding, her beautiful hair pulled back into a ponytail. The black Lycra riding gear didn’t hide her growing baby bump.
Cain had befriended Sofia the first day she’d arrived. Actually, all of them had. She was all by herself and pregnant. He still didn’t know all that much about her, or even who the father of the child was. But Sofia needed friends. There was no denying their attraction. Almost all of them were attracted to each other. But Cain also felt drawn to Sofia’s elegance, her wit and sophistication; and, like him, she liked to ride.
Both peddled off out of the city and into the countryside.
* * * * *
Gage wandered the catwalk surrounding the illuminated globe spinning slowly within the center of the room. He’d been at it again for hours this morning. He sighed, frustrated. Nothing seemed to be gelling in his mind. If the towers pointed to someplace off the globe, he sure wasn’t figuring out where. Every idea he’d had just turned into another dead end.
He was beginning to wonder if this whole ‘Tomb of the Ancients’ was just a myth when he suddenly felt someone enter the room from nowhere. “Huh? Kirin?” Gage could feel his presence and both were now running along the wide catwalk balcony toward each other. Both met in a deep and strong embrace, their feelings already diving deeply into each other’s.
“Jesus! Kirin! Where the hell have you been?”
“I found Kira; finally.”
“I knew you would. Is she back?”
“No. She may not be back for a while, Gage.”
“Is she safe?” Gage pulled back from their embrace.
“No. But, she’s smart. I think she’ll be okay.”
“You must have just gotten back, these clothes look nice on you.”
“I think I’m starting to like wearing clothes more than not,” he chuckled. “The others said I’d find you here.” Kirin looked around the huge spherical room with the holo image of the planet. “What is this place?”
“It’s a really old vessel. One of Rowan’s.”
“Rowan?” Kirin’s brow furrowed. “The guy who was shooting at you?”
“He’s on our side now, Kirin. Instead of killing us he’s helping us.”
“You mean he’s helping himself.”
“I’m sure there’s some of that too.”
“So what are you doing with the cartography?” Kirin nodded at the glowing globe, still holding Gage.
Gage sighed. “Looking for a grain of sand someone hid on a beach.” Gage reached out a hand and adjusted the controls to show their compact version of their star system. “Somewhere, the Masters hid themselves in a place everyone calls the Tomb of the Ancients. Savannah and I think the towers might have something to do with the place. Like maybe they point to somewhere, out here.”
“Did you ask Rion?”
“I did.”
“And—?”
Gage half frowned and half smirked, “He knows something about it, whatever it is. I’m not sure he’ll ever tell any of us.”
Kirin nodded.
“So where have you been the past year?”
“Just about every big city and small town you could imagine, looking for Kira. I knew she wouldn’t go too far, she just wanted to get away from the sanctuary.”
“Where did she end up?”
“The Bay Area, of all places.”
“Well, it’s a nice place.”
“It is, if you don’t mind living under a government on the verge of martial law.”
Gage nodded. “Right. The president just elected himself for another indefinite term after the Wraith attacks.”
“Kira and I watched a big protest from her apartment in downtown San Francisco. It’s been all over the news.”
Gage frowned. “I know, Trac and I watched them as well. I can’t believe this is happening; it’s like America isn’t really my country anymore. I know the Seven are behind it. But it just pains me to see it all falling apart like this. And the people are just letting it happen.”
“They don’t know they’re being manipulated, Gage.”
“No, they don’t,” he agreed. Gage looked across the star system model, toying with the controls.
“I heard about the battle the Sentinels had with the Seven. It wasn’t far from here, just inland from the bight.” Kirin began. “The Seven destroyed one of the Sentinel vessels.”
“Yea, but they had to use one of our weapons to do it.” Gage nodded.
“The Seven had one of our weapons?”
“It’s worse than that, Kirin. The Seven have gotten hold of and unlocked some of our more, antique knowledge, so to speak.”
“That’s not going to be good.”
“No, it’s not. And now the conflict is heating up. Brenda’s afraid of what they might do now. She’s been pulling people off the Earth and putting them onto a new vessel …”
34
V atican City was a sea of people today as the Holy Father publicly prayed over the faithful in response to what many are calling a ‘secret rapture’. Reports from all over the globe have been slowly trickling in, bubbling to the surface of the world’s social media of unexplained disappearances of not just a few, but literally now tens of thousands, at last count as many as eighty thousand people, from all over the world and from all walks of life.
“And in the city of Bethlehem, Dominion Apostles as well attempted to quell the unrest by assuring the people that nothing supernatural was responsible for the sudden disappearances.
“Still, the assurances from the Holy See and Bethlehem have done little to calm what many see as yet another sign that God is mysteriously moving—”
“Turn it off, Diane, I’ve seen enough,” the president waved his hand. He looked around the r
oom at the staff. “All right people. I’m all ears. What the hell is happening with our citizens?”
“You mean happened,” Frank corrected. “The disappearances have been happening for months. They appear to have stopped. There’s been nothing since last week that we’ve noticed. It’s only now that the disappearances have gotten traction in the media.”
“So where’d they all go?” the president asked, opening up his hands. He looked at blank stares from the small number of assembled executive staff. “Harlan, not even a wisecrack from you?”
“Jesus finally came? We got left behind?” For once he was dead serious. “I’m a little freaked out at the moment.”
The president sighed. “There’s a logical explanation for this, people, and I want to know what it is. The last global tally puts us at just over a hundred and thirty-nine thousand people missing. Boom. Just like that. No warnings. No messiah coming in the clouds of glory, Harlan,” the president glared. “Just missing people.”
“Perhaps they were secretly raptured,” Diane chimed in.
“Oh? Been reading Revelations again?” the president asked.
“The book is called Revelation,” Frank emphasized for the umpteenth time.
“Actually, I’ve been reading about the apocalypse with our copies of the Books of the Gods.”
“The Books of God,” Frank corrected again.
“Our Hebrew copies use the term Elohiym, Frank. That word in the Hebrew is specifically plural, not singular. In any event, the Books of the Gods offer up a prophecy that’s pretty close to what we see in the Bible about people disappearing. A select few from each tribe will be taken to paradise just before the apocalypse, to save the Human race from extinction.”
“What kind of apocalypse?” the president asked.
“No one seems to know exactly. The books are not well translated from whatever the original source material was. Paleo-Hebrew isn’t exactly a detailed language.”
“So are we looking at here, World War III here with the Wraith? We’ve already been attacked? Who’s getting saved?”
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