Son of Ra (2 page)

I heard Dr. Green scream at the Were before me that I didn't mean to kill him.  He sounded angry that I did.

I wiped the blood from my face and glanced upward to the shadow above, but retracted my blade at seeing Calum’s saucer sized eyes.  Close to me, the Were was foaming curses and yelling at Dr. Green.

“Forgive me for ever doubting what you are capable of.”  His voice mocked me now ignoring his father's shouts, “I can take three, maybe four.  More like FIVE!”  His voice boomed on the last words.

I nodded.  I’m in no mood for compliments.

Lee flopped up beside me, “I’ve seen her take out more.” 

“You have no say in my life ever again.”  I spit on his face. Presumptuous idiot.  Not very lady like I’m sure, but under the guise of he turncoated me over to the enemy, I felt a small vindication in doing it.

"You need to leave NOW!" Lee screamed over my head to someone behind me.

I faced the circle again not wanting to face Lee's offer to help.  The majority were down with only the so-called leaders still standing, whoever they were.  The Vamp one I presumed as the leader, was missing.  The one I thought was the Were leader was down.  Good!   I searched right and left.  I’d let my anger for Lee distract me.

My hand was bleeding, but it wouldn’t be for long.  A bigger secret that would stay with me as long as I could keep it that way.  I could heal without rhyme or reason from any wound.  Why, I didn’t know.

One Were dude came fast from the left yanking back a shorter dressed in black guy who was raising his long staff to me or at me one.   His other hand and arm were cut up bad like a railroad track but still holding a small hand knife.  His free hand wrapped around my arm faster than anything, then another one from behind me grabbed my neck leaving a slight tingle as he let go and Calum whipped the first guy backwards into an all out first fight brawl.  All three fell to the ground in a solid guy fist fight.  Lee was joining in, but I lost my voice to protest his help.  My head was killing me with a shooting pain worse than any dog bite.  A thought shot through my brain.  A picture really.  The Were boy in front of me struck something with a familiarity.  Someone called him Scorpion. Hearing it said reminded me of a dream I had once.   I felt myself falling almost asleep when something else pushed forward.

I felt the fear and anger behind me but my feet betrayed me when I felt them being lifted off the ground.  The fluttering feeling like with the rabbit took over my body shoving out the sting on my neck and the sleepy feeling.  If the creature injected  something, it wouldn't work.  My body would heal it too.

I was ten feet away before Calum and Lee could turn to find me lifted from the ground and being strangled under head Vamp man’s arm on the roof. 

Cassius!  That’s my name, Kissa.  But you can call me Cas.

My head flicked up to his.
Did I just
hear
him?

Yes. 

His eyes were black as coal and full of anger, but the anger wasn’t for me.  I didn’t know who or what for.  I held my dagger stiffly.  I couldn’t see his face, but for the eyes.  They were reading me.

For those who would hurt you.

Why does he hate so easy?  And to protect
me
?  Isn't he there trying to kill me too?  His eyes flashed to where he held a hand tight with something in it.  It was a forced hold, but no pain came to me now.  I followed the path of his gaze and saw the ring I had only gotten hours ago dangling in his hand under mine.

Without this, your thoughts are unguarded, and unfortunately so are mine.

Why?  How can I do this?  And why are you taking the ring if it’s all so powerful?

I had to make you know.
Because, princess Anat, you are the one who has us all.  You can contr—

He cut off his thoughts.

Control?  I can control you.  Tell me how so I can get back to my friends.  And how do you freaking know my name? 
I struggled in his arm not really paying attention to the small clues that were inking around my mind and hulling up for later.  My brother had trusted this guy for some ungodly reason.  I had this unearthly feeling I could trust him, but hated it now because he took me against my will.  I hissed at him and realized I’d spoken without speaking aloud.  As freaked out as I was, I wanted to know more and he seemed to know more than me.

His eyes darkened. 

Just give meant chance and I will tell you more later.

He had no fear or anger coming from him so
I tried to read his eyes again.  His thoughts.  Either he guarded them somehow, or I couldn’t feel his now. 
 
Why we were hovering in the air just watching the earth
move away from us while my friends get hurt confounded me. I looked down again.  All my allies are gone.
 
My friends.
 

Perhaps some deserted you.  If you don’t go with me, Borgon will have the Elves and their warriors kill you.  The Weres almost had you.  You stay, you die Kissa.

I made my eyes span the entire ground below me.  Dying wasn’t always an option for me.  And my friends didn’t desert me.  He
took
me. 

I wanted to fight my way out of this.  But the mind games had me puzzled.   And this ring of all knowing reading minds gave me a new issue to deal with.

I would love to sit here and listen to you puzzle this out, but I really must be going.

“Stop that!”  I yelled to the open sky of stars.  I didn’t like him reading my thoughts.  Or touching me this close.  He had one arm easily holding me to him.

No one is coming.  I sighed heavily.  I can’t take him, he’s too strong.  He shouldn't be and I wanted to know why.  This is a hold I should be able to get out of easily, though I can't fly like a flapass Vamp.

You’ll know more soon enough.

I succumbed only because he'd didn’t seem to want to hurt me or he’d have already done it.  And I didn't want to test my invincibility with falling two hundred feet to the ground.   “Alright!  It looks as though I haven’t a choice.”

For now.

I felt myself being lifted once again even higher and shivered at the cold air nipping my skin and filling my lungs as he flew me through the night over buildings and across the giant trees where I crossed into town with Calum just weeks ago.  My mind went through a number of things as the air whizzed by swirling my hair into my eyes and feeling bound once again by his arms. 

The realization of how our characters are defined by our daily lives overcame me in the events that moved farther and farther away with miles to separate me from familiarity.  Yes, he saved me.  But nowhere was safe.

Surveying the ones who’ve helped me so far was easier than I thought.  

Calum was a natural protector.  He moved with such grace for a man, yet he reeked power and skill.

Lee was a thinker; he plots everything out meticulously forgetting sometimes to look before he leaps. 

Maze is the sporadic quick fix in any situation.  She can wiggle out of her captor’s trap by the sheer fact that they underestimate her strength.

And me, the princess who once was lost, but now is found.  My chameleon ways change with the tides.  Vampire tides.  Werewolf tides.  Hunter tides.  And most recently I caught a new scent, Elf!  Now I know I was right.

Don’t underestimate the Elves just because they are unseen!

Ugh!  STOP!

Can’t princess.  I need you!  And your mind is so intriguing to hear. 

Need!  Define your need? Don’t you get enough Vampire mind talk elsewhere?
I resulted to just thinking since he can hear every word.  I’m insane.

I watched you for a long time.  I know you.  And you’ll know me soon enough.

What the crap does that mean?

Lady like, are we? 

I didn’t dignify with an answer.

We started slowing a little after going for miles the opposite direction of the Hunter court. I was turned around wondering the direction of my own court and where we are headed.

My home.

I wiggled my head to look down and he let up a little on his hold just enough for me to see.

I have no intention of hurting you. 

That’s good news
.
  I watched as I was being lowered over a large massed area of lights, multiple parking garages, and well, it looked like my home mostly. We tapped our feet down on an open door balcony.  He stopped me there and held his arm around my shoulders.  I should be repulsed but somehow, I only stood there not moving.  I eyed my ring on his pinky and the leather pants that hugged his legs tightly.

He held a grim grin, still shadowed.  I have yet to see him clearly.  And I know he can read my thoughts right now.  I’m just positive he is the same one from days ago.  But maybe not. 

He turned and walked into the room.  I followed after peeking and seeing I’m at least two stories in the air with an uncomfortable drop. He walked by a sofa sitting area with large paintings surrounding the room like windows of colors making light to see with.  The furniture was all black leather and the perfect contrast to the bright paintings.

“You can make yourself comfortable.  I’ll show you to your room shortly,” a voice deep and lilting boomed at me for the second time in the night.

He spoke.  Aloud. 

“You aim to keep me here?”  He never answered leaving my nerves spent. 

Chapter Two

…that my love would be returned.

He didn’t turn so I could see him.  At this point I
knew
he was a Vampire.  He had dark as spades black hair that hung down a little into coal black eyes still shadowed and mysterious.  He was tall, built, and walked with confidence.  His body was a rock.  What am I thinking?  I shouldn’t be looking at his backside.

He stiffened to a stop and tilted his head so I could see his profile even in the dark room.  Yep, he had a smirk on his face showing he heard me. 
Dang thoughts!

And yet I still didn’t know really what he looked like. 
Or do I care!  Listen to THAT!

He continued staring at me unabashedly, “I’ll be back in ten minutes.  Please, be comfortable.”

When he was gone I walked back onto the balcony to survey my escape options.  How will Calum ever find me?
My phone. 

Patting my pockets, I found it gone. Since I know well it can't fall out easily from the skintight suit I wore, someone removed it.  That chapped my hide.

Above the sofa on the wall was a beautiful painting of the sun.  It glowed in the dark.  Darkness!  Where are the lights?  I searched for any sign of a light switch, lamp, or candles. 
Candles.
The room was covered with them. He wouldn't escape my sight now.  I'd seen him before, so I ignored the reasons for wanting to confirm it.

I was almost finished lighting the last stick on the mantle when I felt a cool breeze hit my neck.  I instinctually turned and was looking up at the most handsome face I’d ever seen in my life.
Wow!
He is gorgeous!

So are you, Kissa! 

As soon as I’d seen him, his eyes were already clicked on my face.  Everything kind of froze in time like a movie in freeze frame.  The tiny span of time it took for me to see my future flash before my eyes, I registered what he’d just done. 

He winked at me.

I backed up against the mantle feeling the heat from the candles a little too close to my face.  I felt like...like...he knew me in some intimate way by the way he looked at me. 
You shouldn’t hear me.  This isn’t right?  And why do you keep calling me a dang cat?  How do you know my native tongue or that I possibly speak it?  Who are you really?  Why am I here?

He reached his large hands up above me and I didn’t mean to but I cringed up and ducked my head with my eyes closed.  He was still guarding his many secrets with his refusal to answer anything.

He gently put his hand on my shoulder and nudged me to move.  I followed his hand to the sofa.

“Are you coercing me to do things?”

“No, you choose at all times,” his voice was deep set.  But his face was younger than his voice.  He looked my age, but elegant.
 
Regal!  Nicer looking than any man I’ve ever laid eyes on.
 

“Thank you for the compliments,
Koshka
.”

“Can I have my ring back? And quit calling me a cat.  Just because you can say it in a different language doesn’t impress me.  I probably know more languages than you.”

Sadly, I checked the rest of him out and received a breathy laugh.  His cheek lifted with his lips showing perfect white teeth.

“At least you can smile.”

He frowned at that.  “You can have the ring back soon,
Gato
.”

That is comforting Perro boy.

So you don’t like the idea of me reading your thoughts?  And I’m a dog now?

“NO!”

“No it is!”  He smiled.  I couldn’t read his smile like I could Calum’s.  Calum was like Szar in so many ways, he just had me figured at each move.  I hated that I felt safe with this guy, a Vampire. And oddly attracted to him.

I watched him sit on the flat-seated chair making his leather pants bunch up just right over the humungous black boots he wore.  The chair didn’t have a back to it, so he leaned and patted the sofa across from him.  The seconds passed like a decade before I decided that was fine. I have a few questions.

I helplessly kept my eyes on his perfect face, his large frame not going ignored.    His hair fell over to one side and angled towards me as I sat.

“What is your name?” I asked, distracting myself.  He watched me.  His eyes were not completely black.  There were little yellow flecks all spiraling out like sunbursts.

I’m called Thorn.  But you can call me Cas.

I laughed.  Couldn’t help it.  “Thorn?   And what about Cassius? Was your mother reeling with you in the womb?” 

He wasn’t laughing back. 

His deep voice saddened, “I never knew my mother.”  His eyes went to his knees where his hands now sat twisted together.

“I didn’t either. Know mine that is.  She died having me.”  My hands copied his.  I felt horrible.  The travesty of knowing it happened to him or
anyone
seemed worse than dealing with my own weaknesses.

“I know.”

He did?  “How did yours die?”  I choked on the last word even though I’d wanted to kill about a dozen creatures tonight that all had a mother of their own.

She died in childbirth.

His brilliant dark eyes were burning holes into mine.  I got the same eerie feeling I felt when he lifted me off the ground the first time tonight.  At least I think it’s eerie.  A slow burn that numbs my neck and moves slowly to my heart and all the way up and down my body. 
What is that?

It’s a sense you have.  It warns you when I’m near.

“Why do you speak sometimes and think inside other times?” I didn’t want to admit to myself that I was visibly intrigued by this man. And I was right about sensing him.  He is the same Vamp. 
Man!  He may be near my age, but he is DEFINITELY a man. 
I stiffened at my thoughts.
 

“Because no one else can speak to me like you,” he actually answered my question.

“What do you mean?”

I can hear everyone, but they can’t hear me.  Only you!

“Why me?”

“We’ll get to that later.  For now, let’s have dinner.”  He stood.

“I’m not here for dinner.  I want to go back.  My friends will be worried about me.  They
will
find me.”

“They will, rest assured.  But for now, we wait.”

Okay.  If he’s telling the truth, I’ll play along.  Maybe I can get information out of him.

What do you want to know, Kissa?

“How to talk like civilized people.”

He nodded.  That’s ALL he does!  Nod!   Nod!  Nod!

“Civilized.  Will Italian satisfy your appetite?”

You do know a lot about me, don’t you?

“Civilized.”