Gods and Mortals: Fourteen Free Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Novels Featuring Thor, Loki, Greek Gods, Native American Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, & More (276 page)

“Excuse me.” I started to walk past Faith but she moved to block my way. I groaned inwardly as the cafeteria fell silent behind me. It was only the second week of my senior year and already I was wishing for graduation.

“Are you happy?” she hissed, her venomous green eyes glittering.

I pasted an innocent expression on my face. “About what?”

Faith tossed her long straight hair back over her shoulder. “I’m talking about Scott.”

At that moment, I spotted Scott and Ryan coming down the hallway toward us. They stopped walking when they saw me and Faith. Scott’s eyes flashed angrily then looked away as if he couldn’t face me.

I shrugged. “Seriously Faith? You honestly think I could have done
that
?” I spoke loud enough for my voice to carry to the people behind me. “Do I look like I was in a fight?”

That brought her up short and she stared at me as if she noticed my lack of bruises for the first time. I felt Scott’s gaze on me too and I knew he must be wondering how I didn’t have a fat lip today.

“How the hell do I know?” Faith scoffed. “For all I know you had those loser biker friends mess him up. I wouldn’t put it past you.”

I bristled. If anyone here liked to hurt other people it was Faith. She’d been a bully ever since we were little kids and she only grew worse as we got older. When I started school here, Faith was not happy that Scott wanted to be my friend and did everything she could to make my life miserable. I was already devastated from losing my dad and she might have broken me if it wasn’t for Roland. His friendship had filled some of the aching void inside me and gave me the strength to stand up to Faith. I’m not sure what made her dislike me more – not being able to hurt me anymore or the fact that Scott had liked me first – but she’d hated me ever since. I usually kept my distance from her because it was just not worth the hassle.

“You know what Faith?” I took a step toward her and she stumbled back a step. I leaned toward her and I could sense everyone in the cafeteria craning forward in their seats. “If I was you,” I whispered in her ear, “I’d be less worried about whether or not a girl beat up my boyfriend and more concerned about why my boyfriend wasn’t with me instead.”

Faith’s mouth fell open. It probably wasn’t wise to stir her up like that. After years of crushing on Scott, Faith had finally gotten him, but she was very jealous where he was concerned. If she wasn’t such a bitch I would have told her not to worry because she and Scott were made for each other.

I pushed past her, leaving behind a room full of curious onlookers. More people had stopped in the hallway to hear our exchange and I ignored their stares as I walked past them. Scott stepped aside when I reached him and Ryan and our eyes met briefly. I could see the confusion and suspicion on his face and I knew he was wondering why I’d denied hitting him when I could have totally humiliated him in front of half the school. I just walked by because I had no desire to explain my actions to him or anyone else. Let him think what he wanted.

The rest of the afternoon was quiet. There were no more run-ins with Faith, and Scott kept his distance as well. Neither of them was going to forgive or forget any time soon but I had a feeling Scott at least would keep a wide berth from me for a while. I hoped they both did because I didn’t like the person I became around them.

I was on Market Street on my way home after school when I started to feel like someone was watching me. It was an eerie sensation but I shook it off and cut though the small parking lot between the pub and the antique store, emerging on the waterfront. Our place was the seventh one down at the end of the row.

Just as I passed the pub, the feeling of being watched came over me again, stronger this time. Was someone following me? I stopped and listened for footsteps but this close to the beach the gulls and waves drowned out a lot of noises. It was the middle of the afternoon so I was not afraid, but I was growing annoyed.

“Scott or Faith, if that’s you, you’d better turn around and go home right now if you know what’s good for you,” I called, not really expecting an answer.

After a few seconds I resumed walking. It was a warm afternoon and there was barely a wind save for the light breeze on my ankles. I watched absently as leaves from the lonely maple tree in front of the coffee shop swirled around my feet then tumbled ahead of me like a playful puppy all the way home.

“What the –” I came up short when I rounded the corner of our building and came face to face with a mini whirlwind of leaves and dirt hovering directly in my path. I stood and watched the leaves spinning faster and faster as the little cyclone picked up more of them and began to form a blurry outline about three feet high. My mouth fell open and I snapped it shut as a creature I had only heard about took shape before me. I knew about elementals of course but I had never dreamed I’d see one up close in my lifetime. I didn’t know whether to be scared or excited by the rare appearance.

“Um, hello,” I said hesitantly.

The sylph made a movement that looked like a bow and, not knowing the proper etiquette for elementals, I bowed in return. That seemed to please her because she moved closer until I could hear a soft whispery sound, almost like the wind in the fireplace flue during a storm. When I listened closely I could pick out words. “Hello, Sara Grey,” she said in a breezy voice. “I am Aine.”

I swallowed and sat down hard on the bottom of the stairs to our apartment. She knew my name. Why would an air elemental know my name? A lot of the People in these parts knew me for my healing but I doubted a sylph needed my help in that area. I wouldn’t even know where to start anyway.

“Do you need my help, Aine?” I asked and I heard a whispery laugh.

“I have watched you and seen your power and how good you are to the People. You are a kind child.”

“I’m almost eighteen.”

The sylph laughed again and I could not help but smile. She had lived countless lifetimes and compared to her I was an infant.

I didn’t know a whole lot about elementals except that they were super powerful and they pulled their power from the earth. They were highly revered by the People, including the trolls. Remy talked about elementals sometimes but even he had never met one.

“Aine, do you know where my power comes from?” If anyone could answer that question, it was an elemental. Maybe she was here to give me the answers I desperately wanted.

Aine moved closer till I could feel her brush against my legs. I wanted so much to lean down and touch the distorted shape, but I was afraid she might vanish.

“All power comes from the earth,” she answered cryptically. She moved away again. “Why do you heal the People, little sister?”

The question caught me off guard; no one had ever asked me that before. “I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t I heal them?”

“Humans fear the People. You do not.”

“No. Some of them are my friends.”

“And what of the ones who don’t wish to be your friend? Do you help them?”

I wished I could see the sylph’s face clearly to understand the reason for her questions. “I’ve never had to make that decision so I honestly can’t say what I’d do. I guess I would help most creatures.”

Aine seemed to hang in the air in front of my eyes. “Most – but not all?”

“Well, I’m not going to heal something that will turn around and kill humans, if that is what you mean. I know there are some who aren’t nice but they aren’t evil either. I’d help them if they asked for it.”

“And you decide who is evil and who is not?”

I let out a short laugh. “I think the evil ones are easy enough to identify.”

A long moment passed before the sylph nodded. “You are wise for one so young. I am glad I came to meet you.”

“I’m glad too.” This was one of the strangest conversations I’d ever had and I half expected to wake up in my bed and find out it was all a dream.

“I think we will meet again, little sister.” The swirling mass of air began to move away until it suddenly dissipated, leaving a loose pile of dirt and leaves on the ground.

An elemental. I just met an elemental!

I sat on the steps for a good ten minutes after she disappeared because it took me that long to recover from the shock of my encounter. Elementals are extremely elusive beings and I could not fathom why Aine would come here just to talk to me. I had a little power, yes, but it was nothing compared to her immense magic. And she said she had been watching me? For how long and why?

Nate was in his office when I finally schooled my face into a somewhat normal expression and went inside. I grabbed a blueberry muffin from the kitchen to tide me over until dinner and went upstairs, calling hello to Nate as I passed his door. Throwing my backpack on my bed, I changed my clothes, put on some Carly Simon, and sat at my laptop. I was dying to know if Wulfman had found out anything for me. It was probably too soon to hope for anything but I felt like anything was possible after my encounter with Aine.

To my surprise there was an email from Wulfman in the mailbox I used for the message board. I opened his message, curious about what he’d found out already.

I stared at the screen. In a few hours I could be closer than I’d ever been to getting answers about my dad’s murder. All these years the biggest question tormenting me was: why him? He was a good person and we had lived a very quiet life. What drew them to that neighborhood, to our little house that looked like every other house on the street? That question was a fire inside me and it would never stop burning until it was answered. The truth would not help me get over what happened to him, but maybe it could bring me some kind of closure.

Grabbing the muffin, I nibbled it as I paced the room, my eyes going to the laptop with every turn on the floor. The cat lay across the back of the couch watching me as I walked back and forth, his head following me around the room. I tossed him a small piece of muffin and he watched it bounce off the couch in front of him but he made no move to catch it before it fell to the floor.

“Two few days ago you would have been glad to get that,” I scolded softly as I bent to pick up the crumb.

A tiny shuffling sound behind the attic wall caught my ear and I smiled behind my hand. Breaking off a large piece of muffin, I unlatched the small attic door and set the food on the floor in front of it. Then I retreated to the couch to watch. It took a few minutes but I was rewarded when the door squeaked and a tiny pale arm reached out from the shadows to snatch away the piece of muffin. I heard a gleeful snicker as the little fiend retreated with its prize.

“You’re welcome, you ungrateful little wretch,” I called after him.

The only response I got was a muffled burp from inside the wall. Little buggers never said thank you.

I shook my head and finished my muffin. Some houses have mice – mine has imps. Imps are the vermin of the supe world, notorious thieves and the devil to catch. For a while I couldn’t leave anything of value lying around or it would disappear – until last fall that is when one of the little beasts got caught in an old mouse trap in the storeroom. I freed him and fixed him up even though he tried to bite me in the process. Remy said I was nuts but I can’t stand to see a creature in pain. I guess one good turn does deserve another because nothing had gone missing since that day. Of course, the imps aren’t any friendlier, but what can you expect from six inch tall kleptomaniac demons with sharp teeth.

I forced myself to do homework for an hour before I finally gave in and went to my laptop to check my email. Nervous excitement twisted my stomach when I saw a message requesting a chat. I clicked Okay and Wulfman responded immediately.

My cell phone vibrated where it lay on the desk. The corner of my mouth lifted when I saw the text message from Roland.
Fri night?

I leaned back in my chair. Was I insane to agree to meet a total stranger even if he might know something about my dad? I’d heard enough stories about girls disappearing after going to meet someone they met online. But then this wouldn’t be the first time I’d made contact with someone this way. It was how I met Malloy the first time and there were several others I’d dealt with before him. I was always careful and it wasn’t like I’d be alone with the guy.

And it might be my only chance to learn the truth about what happened to my dad. After all these years, there was no way I could pass up this opportunity. I was willing to take a few risks to finally get the answers I sought.

My mind made up, I picked up my phone.
I’m in.

B
y the time
Delilah’s Crush began pelting out their last set, my temples were pounding and I wished I could heal myself. Roland was right – Dylan’s new band was great – but I like my music more rock and less metal. I didn’t think Delilah’s Crush knew exactly what type of music they wanted to play so they went somewhere in between. Roland and Peter were having a great time, cheering and moving with the rest of the crowd. My sigh was drowned out by the music. Maybe it was me; I just didn’t know how to enjoy myself like a normal teenager.

The truth was that I was disappointed and more than a little annoyed that my reason for coming here tonight had not shown up. NightWatcher, the guy I’d talked to online this week, was supposed to be here at ten o’clock and it was almost eleven with no sign of him. We had agreed that I would wear a silver cross in plain sight where he could see it, I guess because vampires can’t touch silver. My fingers went to the cross to make sure it was still hanging outside my shirt and I almost smiled at the idea of anyone mistaking me for a vampire. It looked like that didn’t matter now since he hadn’t even bothered to show, or if he had, he was not approaching me for some reason.

I scanned the room again and this time my gaze fell on a dark haired man who looked more out of place here than I felt. Leaning against a wooden column at the edge of the dance floor in dark jeans and a snug grey knit top, he looked more at home in a Calvin Klein ad than here at the Attic. It wasn’t just his clothes or the way his dark eyes swept the room lazily that drew my attention; he was just too…beautiful, like one of those androgynous male models. In a room full of teenagers and college students wearing t-shirts and jeans, he stood out like a beacon.

It took me a few seconds to realize that Mr. CK’s eyes were staring into mine. The boldness of his gaze brought heat to my cheeks and my eyes darted away from his seductive smile and the invitation I saw in his stare. I had little – okay zero experience with the opposite sex – but I’d have to be comatose not to understand the signals coming from him. What I couldn’t understand was why he was turning his attention to me with all the attractive girls here trying to catch his eye. Not that I think I’m unattractive; I’m just not what you’d call alluring and I’m certainly not used to hot guys giving me the ‘come hither’ look.

A little breathless, I shifted my attention to the stage where the drummer was revving up the crowd with an awesome solo. I moved forward and nudged between my friends, dancing along with them. Five minutes later I stole a glance at Mr. CK and I smirked when I found him engaged in conversation with two shapely blondes who were almost comical in their attempts to out-flirt each other.

The band finished the song and started another and everyone on the dance floor began dancing again except for me. After downing two bottles of water in two hours, what I really needed was to find the restroom. I tapped Roland on the arm and mouthed “restroom” to him to let him know where I was going. He nodded and I headed for the ladies room where I stood in line for five minutes before I got inside. I was washing my hands when the two blond girls I’d seen with Mr. CK came in.

“I saw him first, Shelley,” one of them said, pulling a tube of dark red lipstick from her handbag.

“You always say that, Trish,” the other girl replied with a scowl. She started retouching her own makeup. “This one is mine.”

Trish checked her perfect hair in the mirror. “If you think I am letting you walk off with this one, you are nuts.”

“Letting me?” Shelley’s voice went up a notch.

I shook my head and left the restroom before the two of them decided to start to brawl over the guy. There was no arguing the fact that Mr. CK was incredibly hot, but no guy is worth fighting over, especially one you just met in a bar.

Apparently, Trish and Shelley disagreed with me. I barely made it ten feet from the restroom when I heard them coming behind me in a heated argument that drew amused looks from the people nearby. I slowed and stepped sideways to let the angry pair pass me.
It’s no wonder I don’t go out much.

I heard Shelley shout “You bitch!” a second before she gave Trish a hard shove that sent Trish stumbling backward into me. “Umph!” I grunted as one of the girl’s elbows got me in the stomach before we went down in a tangle of arms and legs. I saw stars when my head hit the hardwood floor. It didn’t help that I had cushioned the bigger girl’s fall.

Someone pulled Trish off me and a girl asked, “Is she alright?” I assumed she was talking about me because I was the only one still lying on the floor, a little dazed and not sure whether I was more embarrassed or pissed.

A hand waved in front of my face and I realized someone was bending over me. “Are you okay?” he asked in a deep voice that carried the trace of an accent I could not place. The ceiling lights behind him made it impossible to see his face but from his voice I guessed he wasn’t more than a few years older than me.

“Um, I think so,” I said, moving to get up. The man reached down and took my hand and I started at the warmth that rippled through me. I stared at our clasped hands as he helped me to my feet and I stood there for a moment before I realized I still held his hand. I let go and looked up at him with a sheepish smile. “Thank –”

He stood so close I could reach out and touch him. His face was no longer hidden in shadows and I found myself gazing into a pair of steel grey eyes that looked at me with such intensity I almost forgot to breathe. Mutely I stared at him while my stomach twisted with a sensation I could not put into words and I felt a touch against the back of my mind like the flutter of butterfly wings. I experienced the strangest sense of recognition though I knew I had never seen him before and deep inside me something stirred like a cat uncurling from a long nap.

The man blinked and took a step back, breaking the spell that held me. Remembering to breathe again, I glanced down to steady myself then looked back to find him watching me with a slightly confused expression that probably matched my own. My eyes moved up his handsome face taking in his square jaw, firm lips, aquiline nose and black hair that fell across his brow in careless waves with a few strands curling around his ears. His skin was lightly tanned and the shadow of a beard played around the curves of his jaw.

I suddenly realized we were staring at each other and I smiled to cover my embarrassment. “Sorry, I must have banged my head harder than I thought.”

My words did not elicit the reaction I expected. His whole body stiffened and his eyes suddenly blazed as if I had slapped him. I took a step back, stunned by the hostility in his stare, especially after his kind assistance. “Okay… well thanks for your help,” I mumbled and fled.

I slipped through the crowd until I spied the door that stood open to the deck and suddenly I was in desperate need of fresh air.
What the hell was his problem?
I stewed as I leaned against the rail and stared at the dark building across the street. This night just kept going downhill. First my contact doesn’t show and then I get dumped on my butt in front of a room full of people, and on top of that I act like a total idiot. I cringed, remembering how I’d stood there like a fool staring at him. What had gotten into me, going all slack-jawed over a hot guy?
God, I’m as bad as Trish and Shelley
, I groaned inwardly and closed my eyes, letting the night air cool my burning cheeks.

“I believe this is yours.”

The voice so close behind me made me jump because I hadn’t even heard him approach. I turned to see a silver chain dangling from his fingers and my hand went to my bare neck. I reached out gingerly without looking at his face and he laid the necklace in my hand. “Thank you.” I ran my finger over the cross then put it in my front jeans pocket. The chain was broken but I was glad to get it back. It had been my grandmother’s and Nate gave it to me last year on my birthday.

I expected the man to leave then but he stared at me for a long moment studying me. It felt like he was sizing me up, trying to figure me out as if I was a weird piece of art he couldn’t understand. There was nothing suggestive in his look. If anything, he looked at me with something akin to dislike.

“Are you done?” I finally asked after I’d had enough of his rudeness. His eyes widened a little and I got the distinct impression he wasn’t used to being rebuffed, especially by the opposite sex.

“You are a bit young for this place,” he said brusquely, ignoring my barb.

I bristled at his tone. “I’m sorry but I don’t think that is any of your business.”

“You can’t be more than seventeen or eighteen. You shouldn’t be here alone.”

“You’re not much older than me,” I shot back. “And I’m not here alone.”

“I am older than I look.” His voice was cool but his eyes burned into mine and the beast in my head stirred again. After what had happened to Scott, I clamped down tightly on it until it was silent. All I needed was for that thing to get loose again. Besides, this guy might be aggravating but I didn’t sense any real danger from him.

He ran a hand through his dark hair and looked out at the city. I could not help but think that he really was gorgeous. Not like Mr. CK, who was way too pretty for my taste. No one would dare call the guy in front of me pretty. There was an edge to him, serious, almost guarded.

“Nikolas,” said a voice from the doorway. We both turned to face a blond man who gave my companion a ‘raised eyebrow’ look, as if he wasn’t surprised to find his friend alone with a girl. “Ready to move out?”

I wasn’t sure if Nikolas’s frown was for me or his friend. He gave me another searching look then nodded. “Be out shortly, Chris.”

I expected him to say something else to me but he only stood where he was for a long moment before he strode to the door. He swung toward me again before he stepped inside. “Stay with your friends. This part of town is not safe for a girl alone at night.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”

And that wasn’t weird at all
. It was definitely my week for strange encounters.

I waited another minute then made my way back to Roland and Peter. They were still dancing where I’d left them and Roland had made a new friend. A petite brunette girl had taken up my spot and she was rubbing against him like a cat on a post. I was beginning to wonder if the girls in this place had never seen a good looking guy before.

When Roland saw that I had returned he beckoned me closer, earning me a glare from the brunette which I chose to ignore. The band had almost finished their last set and I was ready to leave. My head was pounding even harder after my fall and I was a little wigged out from the whole encounter with that Nikolas fellow. I wasn’t sure what bothered me more; his behavior or my reaction to him. He was gone now so it didn’t matter, but I couldn’t put it out of my mind.

The band finished their last song to loud cheers and shouts for an encore. Peter hooted at them then turned to me and Roland. “That was sick! Did you hear Samson’s solo?”

“It was hard not to,” I said with a laugh. My ears were ringing.

“I told you they were good,” Roland said, nudging me with his arm. “Dylan’s gotten a lot better than the last time you heard him play.”

“Yes he has,” I agreed.

Peter punched Roland’s arm. “They’re starting to pack up. Let’s go.” They both looked expectantly at me and I waved them off.

“Go on, I want to sit down for a bit anyway. I’ll be over there.” I pointed at pair of leather chairs being vacated by a couple of girls. Roland nodded and he and Peter headed for the stage with the brunette in tow. I snagged one of the chairs and laid my head back with my eyes closed, trying to will my headache away. It was a little better now that the music had stopped. I listened to people milling about, content to sit there quietly until Roland and Peter came back for me.

Someone took the chair across from me. I opened my eyes, expecting to see one of my friends, and I was more than a little surprised to find Mr. CK sitting there watching me. He was alone and I wondered how he had managed to slip away from Trish and Shelley.

He was maybe nineteen or twenty and up close he was even more beautiful, if that was possible, with ridiculously thick lashes and full lips that parted in a disarming smile. I could not help but smile back.

“Did you like the band?” he asked in a voice so silky it was almost a caress. For a moment I forgot to answer.

“They weren’t bad. You?”

He gave a small shrug. “They’re decent, but the next one is much better. The Furies; have you heard of them?”

“No.” I found it a little hard to believe that he was into hard rock. The Attic and this type of music really didn’t seem to suit him. But then what did I know?

The leather chair creaked as he leaned forward with his elbows on the armrests. His bottomless indigo eyes bored into mine. “You should stick around to see them. You won’t regret it.”

I felt an inexplicable urge to lean forward too, to get closer to those mesmerizing eyes, but I stopped myself before I did. Wow, this guy was good. I wondered if he was aware of the effect he had on the opposite sex. I almost laughed out loud. He definitely knew.

I gave a mental shake to clear my head. “We only came to hear our friend play,” I told him, pointing to Roland, Peter and Dylan. We’re leaving as soon as they finish packing up.”

He seemed puzzled for an instant but then he gave me a small smile of resignation. “That is too bad.” He leaned closer and spoke in a soft voice. “You’re not like the other girls here. It’s quite refreshing.”

Not sure how to take that, I quipped, “If the girls here don’t suit your tastes, maybe you are looking for women in the wrong place.”

His eyes flashed in amusement and he settled back in his chair. “I think you may be right.”

I saw Roland waving me over. “Looks like my friends are ready to leave.” I stood and my companion stood too. “It was nice talking to you.”

The corners of his mouth turned down slightly. “Are you going to run off without leaving me a name to put with your lovely face?”

Smooth
. “I don’t give my name to strange men.”