From Deities (3 page)

Friday couldn’t come
fast enough. Every day, every minute, every second was  torture. Instead of going out, Mason and Nick cooked dinner for the whole family. Nick didn’t invite Kayla due to the circumstances of this meeting.

After Amanda and I set the table, Mason and Nick placed a wonderful spread on the dining table—spaghetti with meatballs, salad, and garlic bread—and Everett set out the water glasses. Sitting next to me, Mason handed me a napkin and began serving me some food.

“Thanks.” I smiled up at him, watching him pile a mound of food on my plate. I loved it when he took care of me like that. “That’s good, Mason. Thank you.” I held out my hand, gesturing for him to stop. By the amount he placed on my plate, he must have thought I ate like a pig.

Picking up the fork and shoving food into my mouth was the easy part, getting my jaws to work to chew it was something else. The hunger pangs I’d had a minute ago had disappeared and were now overridden by apprehension. Today was the day I finally got to talk to my dad.

“Skylar, do you have any idea what your father meant by ‘someone might be watching him’?” Nick asked, twirling the pasta around his fork.

I turned my attention away from Mason. “I’m not sure. Maybe he’s in some kind of trouble, or—” I started to reply when Amanda interrupted me.

“Maybe he owes gambling debts, or maybe he supplies drugs and he’s running away from the cops…or maybe he’s—”

A small spark of light flashed across the table and landed on Amanda’s shoulder. She jerked back on contact. “Ouch,” she yelped, darting her angry eyes at Mason. “What was that for?”

“Don’t put crazy thoughts in Sky’s head. It’s bad enough she had to wait a week. Let’s all calm down and wait for her father’s explanation.”

With a scoff, Amanda filled her plate and stabbed the fork through her salad. “I was just trying to make her laugh. Lighten up, will ya?”

“That’s not funny. It’s only making things worse for her.”

I put my hand on Mason’s lap to let him know I was fine. Amanda had good intentions, but her humor was off sometimes, and today, it was
way
off. I found no humor in what she was saying. The scenarios Amanda mentioned had never crossed my mind. Thanks to her, they were added to my ever-growing list.

“He already did lighten up.” Nick chuckled at his own joke. “Get it?” He held up his index finger, allowing small sparks of light to illuminate it, causing Amanda to share a wicked grin.

No matter how many times I saw lights flash out of their fingertips or the palms of their hands, it still amazed me. A part of me wished that I could do it, too.

Everett cleared his throat after chuckling from Nick’s comment and taking a sip from his glass. “Skylar, would you like for us to be in our rooms or wait for you down here?” Ever since we had agreed to act like a family instead of strangers, Everett had been trying his best to be friendly toward me. I appreciated his efforts.

“I think….” I felt lost for words. I didn’t want to be rude, but I needed that private moment with my dad. This was really awkward.

“I think we should give them some privacy,” Mason broke in. “Sky, if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, we’ll be waiting in our rooms.” He looked at Amanda. “No eavesdropping on their conversation. We’ll keep our bedroom doors closed.”

“Why are you looking at me funny? I’m not going to drop my ears. That’s just gross.” Amanda looked at me and let out a soft giggle. I had to laugh at her remark. She was acting like a child.

“I’d like to see you do it,” Nick challenged.

Amanda pursed her lips and her eyes got smaller, apparently not liking them ganging up on her. “Shut up and suck the balls on your plate,” Amanda smirked, as her body shook from her laughter.

“My meatballs are delicious, but no thanks, I won’t suck my balls. That sounds gross…and uncomfortable. Maybe you need a little reminder of what I can do.” Nick’s chuckle was contagious, and we all joined in laughing. Then Nick zapped the meatball on Amanda’s plate. It broke into tiny pieces and some splashed on her. “Oops…sorry. It was a bit cold.”

Amanda stared at her shirt, which was now splattered with sauce and meat. “You did that on purpose.”

Nick’s lips slowly curled up into a mischievous grin. “Just trying to lighten up the mood…and your meatballs. Want me to do it again?”

I didn’t know what siblings’ quarrels were like since I was an only child, but even though Amanda was not blood related, they sure treated her like a sister.

Before Amanda could answer, the only meatball left on her plate gravitated inches above it. Light was shimmering across the table from Mason’s fingertip. It looked like a long whip. After it had gotten a hold of the meatball, the light split into multiple strands, cutting through it as if each extension was a separate knife. It was the first time I had seen him manipulate his light like that with so much control.

“Let’s not do that again,” Mason said calmly.

“How…when did you…that was awesome! I need to try that.” Nick’s eyes were wide with awe.

“Thanks, Mason. Now I don’t have to cut it.” Amanda went right back to eating, as if nothing happened.

After clearing the table, they all went up to their rooms except for Mason and me. His intention was to stick around until my father arrived. Pacing back and forth across the living room, my heart rate escalated, until it felt like I was continuously running without stopping. Taking deep breaths wasn’t helping my anxiety either.

Checking the time on my cell phone, I saw that it was exactly eight o’clock. An ugly feeling grew in the pit of my stomach, hinting that he would not show up. Feelings of hopelessness settled through me, mostly from not wanting to be disappointed. I couldn’t help it. I would not trust my father after what he had done. As I reached around to shove my phone in my back pocket and then turned forward again, Mason was standing right in front of me.

“Mason.” I jerked back and so did my heart. He was sitting on the sofa only a second ago.

Wrapping one hand around my waist, the other cupped my face. He leaned down and placed his forehead on mine. “You’re going to have a heart attack if you don’t stop pacing. He’ll show up. He’s just running a little late.”

Mason’s words and his touch gave me some comfort, and I momentarily lost myself, but it wasn’t enough; Mason must have noticed, too. Without another word, he crushed his lips onto mine.

That kiss not only made me forget where I was, it awakened every inch of me. Lost in his arms and having those soft, kissable lips taking mine in, I kissed him back. When it intensified, Mason pulled back with ragged breaths and held me tenderly in his arms. “I’m not sure if it’s working for you, but I forgot where we were for a moment,” he said, still catching his breath.

“Believe me, your lips are like magic. I did forget. I’m just glad you didn’t shock me.” I let out a small laugh.

“I’m learning to control it around you, Echo, but I don’t know if I ever will completely. You excite me way too much.”

I blushed from his compliment. “I feel the—” I started to say when my body tensed from the chime of the doorbell.

With one tight but tender squeeze, Mason murmured, “I’m right here. It’ll all be okay. Just say the word and he’s out the door.” Then he released me.

In a fast, fluid motion, Mason was at the door. Oh, how I loved to see him move with such speed. Cautiously, he looked through the small peephole. After confirming who it was, he opened the door.

“Mr. Rome, come in.”

“Thank you. And you must be Mason?” He offered his hand.

“Yes, I’m Mason.” Mason shook his hand and moved aside to let him in.

I clasped my hands together to stop my body from shaking, but I couldn’t control my hammering heart, which felt like it was going to explode. After I took a deep breath, I stepped out of the shadows and showed myself to my dad, but kept my distance.

“Hello, Sky,” he said with a cheerful tone, as if all was right between us. Taking off his black fedora, he dusted the water droplets from it. It must have started to drizzle outside. He then removed his coat and placed both on the rack next to the door, revealing a pair of dark jeans and a gray sweater.

Looking at my dad, he hadn’t aged, from what I could remember. Not a wrinkle creased his smooth, velvet face. He should look ten years older, but then again I couldn’t remember what he looked like ten years ago. My mom had put away all of the photos of him.

“Why don’t you two sit in the living room, and I’ll be in my room upstairs.” Mason looked at me to confirm I was comfortable with this situation.

“Okay.” I nodded, then gestured for my father to follow me into the family room.

Settling on the
sofa on the opposite side of my dad, I fiddled with my thumbs. It was a nervous habit, but it was the only thing that was helping to calm my nerves. It was difficult to look him in the eye as I waited for his explanation.

My dad cleared his throat. “I’m not sure where to begin, so I’ll just start from the day you almost drowned.”

That got my attention. Snapping my head up, I listened as the anticipation of that dreadful day, which I could not remember, would be revealed.

“We were at the beach, vacationing in Maui. It was just the three of us; your mom, you, and me, but there were other families around. It was getting late, but you wanted to go into the water one last time before heading back to the hotel. Your mom and I took you out together. Somehow, we drifted a bit too far from where we intended.”

There was a pause. My dad rubbed his forehead, looking distressed, as if he was back there, reliving the moment. His eyes shifted to the floor. “I blacked out. I don’t remember it, of course. Your mother told me that I…I tried to…drown you.”

I gasped softly, shocked by his words. I couldn’t speak or move. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought those words could have come out of his mouth.

He continued, “It wasn’t the only time I blacked out. Shortly after, it happened again, only this time, I had a knife in my hand when I woke up. There were a couple of other times, so your mom and I agreed that I should pack my bags and never come back. I was too dangerous to be near you or your mom. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. So now you must be wondering why I’m back.”

I couldn’t get my lips to move. My blood had already drained out of me while my mind and body shut down from the news. I wanted Mason to be with me, but I couldn’t even say his name.

“I know this is a lot to take in, but I need to explain more. I know what you are. I know what type of blood runs in your veins. I don’t need to go into details because you already know about the gods and their descendants,” he said.

Slowly, my eyes rose to meet his.

“I didn’t know it back then, when I was living with you. I found out after I discovered the truth about myself. You see, Sky, most people live their daily lives not really knowing who their ancestors are because they are told only what they need to be told. Some people continue their lives as if they were full breed humans, but they are the lucky ones. They are the ones with defective genes, or their bloodlines had been weakened over the years. They will never have powers, or experience what it’s like to be a god’s descendant. What I’m trying to tell you is that you are who you are because of me.” He paused, as if he was letting all of his words sink in…possibly studying me to see if I would freak out.

Of course, I wasn’t surprised at all. I already knew who I was, and that there was a possibility of my dad being a god’s descendant, because I was almost certain my mom wasn’t. Since my father was the one who had left, he had to be the one. I was just glad that he was well and alive, though he had broken my heart. In a way, I understood, especially when he’d tried to kill me. But why? “How did you find out who you were?”

“I was really depressed. I knew I needed help. Something was different about me, that I knew for sure. Needing some answers, I went back to the same beach. It was late into the night when I was attacked by these water creatures. I thought I was going out of my mind. I was near death when a few of Poseidon’s descendants saved me. I would have never believed it had I not experienced it first hand, but I saw what they could do. After we regrouped with other descendants, our main goal became clear…to destroy all of Hades and Medusa’s creations.

“I don’t know why you have Hades and Medusa’s blood in you. I’m not even quite sure which line of gods I’m from. All I know is that over time, between mixing the blood and changes in DNA, we evolve, gaining or losing different types of powers. Think of it like baking a cake; when you use different portions of the ingredients, you get different results.”

“Is your blood poison like mine?” I asked timidly. I didn’t know why I was reserved. I was talking to my father, but he felt like a stranger to me.

“Yes, but it’s not strong enough to kill like yours,” he said sympathetically, standing up. “However, by some unfortunate fate, yours is.”

I stood up as well, feeling guarded, but the second I saw him coming toward me, I retreated a few steps. “Why are you here now?” Tears burned my eyes as I tried desperately to blink them away. I couldn’t let them fall.

“I’ve always been there, watching you, but from afar. You just didn’t know it. I’ve watched you cry over me, as I did the same for you. I was afraid I would hurt you, and…your mother would have called the police. You have to know how difficult and heart breaking it has been for me. You’re my daughter, Sky. I love you with all my heart. I’m the same father who sang you to sleep. The same father that held you when you were scared. The same father that read you books and played board games with you. I….” Pearl-drop tears streaked down his cheeks. It tore me up inside to see that, but I would not let it weaken me.

His tears, along with the sincerity of his words, hit me hard, splitting my heart and lungs into two. I felt as if the air had been sucked out of me; it was extremely difficult to breathe. And the tears I was trying to hold back had no mercy, as they poured down like the rain outside. The pain came crashing through again, the memories of how I felt when he left felt like a dagger in my heart, twisting and turning with every aching word.

“I don’t mean to sound like a stalker,” he spoke again. “I just needed to know you were safe. I sent Noah and Tim to watch over you, because together they could protect you better than I could. My powers are very limited. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure if you even needed my protection. It seems like the Grand family has taken you under their protection, but you could use more help now since we know for sure how poisoned your blood really is. Both good and evil will come after you.”

He was right and I knew it, but I didn’t want my father to suddenly tell me what to do. Though he had his good reasons for leaving, my heart was swallowed up by pain and I couldn’t just pretend that everything was right between us. It would take time—a long time—to heal and process all of his words.

“Thank you,” I said politely, wiping my tears. “Mason and his family are more than capable of taking care of me.”

“Yes, I understand, but from what Noah and Tim told me about Alena and how she tried to kill you, I think it’s best that I send some of my men.”

“Your men? So you’re like…their leader or something?” My tone sounded angry. I didn’t know where this was coming from as I recalled Noah mentioning how they had a leader. Perhaps it was ridiculous jealousy. I grew up without a father when all along he was alive, taking care of other kids.

“Yes. This group of kids was young when I met them. They needed a father figure. Someone who was more experienced in life.”

Those words stung me even more. He became a father to these strangers, but where was he when I needed him? “And you didn’t try to kill them…only me?”

“I don’t know why, Sky. Maybe I’ll never know. I don’t even know how it happened. Your mother was too distraught to remember the details. But I want to help you now and make up for all of those lost years. We could meet up with people who understand us. That way if I tried to hurt you again, they could stop it from happening. I want to—”

What about what I wanted? “I don’t know. This is all too much for me right now,” I answered resignedly, feeling like the world had fallen on me. My heart couldn’t take it anymore. Turning, I headed out of the family room, needing Mason right at this moment. He was the only one that made me feel safe.

“Sky.”

I jerked back with a gasp from my father’s sudden appearance in front of me. He moved with the same speed as Mason. Although he had mentioned he had limited powers, it was strange to see him move like the gods’ descendants, especially since I couldn’t.

“Sky, please,” he pleaded with soft eyes, while his fingers gripped my forearm.

My heart hammered a mile a minute, not from what he’d just done, but from what he could do. He had tried to kill me several times before, and now knowing why he had to leave me, I was frightened of him more than I could imagine.

“Let her go,” Mason demanded from the top of the stairs. He’d told me he would give us privacy, but I knew he would be listening. I didn’t mind, especially knowing I could be in danger from my own father.

“I’m not going to hurt my own daughter,” he said to Mason, yet his tone and eyes betrayed him.

Mason was now standing in front of me. His fingers lit up as a warning. When my dad released me, I took a step back.

“Mason,” my dad said carefully, “what happened with Alena was just the beginning, and that was nothing compared to what is sure to come. More danger is on its way. We need to work together. It’s the only way.”

“Mr. Rome, I agree with you, but right now, I think she’s heard enough. We can set up another meeting.”

“Yes, you’re right.” He raked his hair back with a deep sigh. “I understand. And please, you can call me Victor.” His shoulders relaxed and sadness filled his eyes. “I’ll call you next week.” Then he turned to me. “Please don’t tell your mother I came to see you. She has no idea about the gods’ descendants. She may even call the police. In fact, please don’t tell anyone. ”

“I won’t,” I said with conviction.

With a quick, loving smile and one last glance at me, Victor gathered his belongings and walked toward the entryway.

Leaving me standing in place, Mason guided my father out the door. Taking only a few long strides, Mason reached my side. Pulling me into his chest, he held me tightly as if he knew I needed that hug. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay ’cause you’re here.” Resting my head in that perfect space between his head and shoulder, I let out a long sigh and tried to catch my breath.

“You need some rest, Echo. I’m taking you to my room.” With a swift scoop, I was in his arms.