From Deities (9 page)

“Everything okay?” Nick
asked when I walked into the house.

“Everything is fine,” I replied without going into too much detail. Kayla was at our house so that he could be close to us just in case, and they were sitting comfortably on the sofa.

“Did you see Sky today?” Kayla asked.

“I saw her this morning.” I was short and to the point…I didn’t want her to ask me a bunch of questions. She was very good at that. I didn’t know how much to tell, and I didn’t know what Sky wanted Kayla to know. Seeing Everett walking down the stairs, I waved my hand to greet him, happy for the distraction.

“Nick and I already checked up on the restaurants, so we’re free for the evening.”

“Thanks.”

Everett stared at me a bit longer than expected. “You want to talk?”

“No thanks.” My words unintentionally came out too fast and sharp. I’d been trying to make an effort to be more open, but seeing Sky so fragile and weak had thrown me off. “I mean…we can talk later.” My eyes quickly shifted to Kayla, indicating it was a topic she didn’t know about.

Everett nodded in understanding. “Want to go out to dinner with Amanda and me? She’s on her way here.”

“Sure.” I turned my attention to Nick. “You and Kayla coming with us?”

“Not today,” Nick cuddled Kayla in his arms and gave her a kiss. “I have to take Kayla home after dinner. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Mom, I’m feeling
better.” I was sprawled out on the sofa with a light blanket covering me.

Sitting on the edge of the sofa, she placed her hand over my forehead. “Good, no fever.”

I quickly peeled her hand off me. All morning and through the afternoon, she’d fussed over me. Although I should be thankful I had a caring mom, enough was enough. “I fainted. It’s not like I had the flu.”

“Do you feel nauseous, dizzy, or sick to your stomach?”

Funny, that was exactly how I felt. How did she know? Then again, those were some of the symptoms people generally had when they were about to faint…I guessed. “No. I feel normal, like it never happened.”

“All right. I know you want to go back to school or the boy you’re dating, but I want you to stay for dinner. Steven is coming over, and it would be nice to sit down and have a family meal.”

“Okay.” I nodded. After all, they were getting married soon so I might as well start getting used to seeing him around more often. However, a part of me felt uneasy. Knowing that my real father was around and I couldn’t tell my mom, I felt torn. It was a promise I made to my dad, though I didn’t know why I had. What did he do to deserve this kind of loyalty from me anyway? My mother was the one who had protected me all this time.

“Hey, Mom, I meant to tell you about Mason. He’s the guy that I’m dating. Not the guy you met at the hospital.”

“I see. Do you want to invite him over for dinner, too?”

I was taken aback by my mom’s question. “No, not today. Maybe some other time?”

“What does Mason do?”

Having my cell phone next to me, since Mason texted every hour like he said he would, I scrolled down the photos and showed her a picture of him.

“My, he is quite handsome. Where did you meet him?”

Warmth rose to my cheeks. Every time I thought of Mason, my heart pumped faster with blissful beats. This was going to be difficult to explain.

“I met him when I went to visit Kayla. We kind of did the double date thing with his brother. He owns restaurants, but don’t worry, he’s not that old.”

“How old is he?”

This was a simple question, but I didn’t know for sure since I’d never asked, so I made it up. “He’s twenty-two.” Being that I was almost nineteen, Mason being twenty-two didn’t seem that bad. “Before you ask me any more questions, I want you to know that he already graduated from college, and because his parents had money, he was able to open up several restaurants.”

I didn’t want to explain about Mason’s parents. The topic eventually would come up, but it wasn’t going to be today.

“Wow, good-looking and successful. Looks like you caught yourself a great fish.”

I smiled to agree. Our conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“How’s school?” Steven
asked, buttering the dinner roll on his plate.

Steven was bigger than my dad, with baby blue eyes and flawless skin. How old was he? Speaking of age, I had never asked Mom about Steven’s either. I could see why she had fallen for him, but the thought of them kissing or having sex grossed me out.

“School is great. Thank you,” I replied after swallowing a slice of chicken.

“Your mom tells me that you got a scholarship. That’s wonderful.”

“Yes, well, it’s not a big deal, but thank you.” I didn’t want to be asked any more questions about what classes I took, about my roommate, what I did when I wasn’t at school. He had asked so many that I felt like an open book, a Skylar Rome novel he just read about.

Mom set glasses of something red in front of Steven and me. “Here you go, hun. I just bought some berry blast organic juice.”

Seeing red made my stomach queasy again, but I knew it was just a reaction from what I suspected was the reason I’d fainted. Since this drink was from my mom, I knew it was completely safe.

After the dishes were cleared, we sat in the living room to talk. Again, Steven drilled me with more questions and I answered them to please my mom. But I couldn’t help myself. A part of me wished my dad was there instead, like it used to be.

Steven didn’t stay long. He had an early appointment at the hospital the next day. When my mom walked him to his car, I headed to my room. I wasn’t going to stick around to watch them make out.

After I spoke to Mason and Kayla on the phone, I started to feel that acidic burning feeling again. When the room started spinning, I dropped on my bed and closed my eyes, hoping it was just temporary. Hearing my mom walking back through the front door, I thought about calling for her. Unfortunately, I knew she had to work early in the morning, so I decided not to. All of the strength had drained out of me, and I couldn’t even utter a sound. My body and mind had succumbed to sleep.

Engulfed by the
blistering flames, smoke filled the room. I couldn’t feel it, nor did I have a difficult time breathing like I should have. When I realized I was dreaming, I was at ease, somewhat, until I sensed a presence that felt hotter than the fire. It burned within me, as a voice echoed in my mind, “Tame the flame and it will all be yours.”

It was a male’s voice…one I didn’t recognize. His chilling, malicious tone created goose bumps all over my body. My heart pounded rapidly with fear. Looking around, I could only see the fire and nothing else. Then I heard an animalistic growl. “If you don’t, there will be consequences.”

The fire I could not feel a second ago suddenly became real. My whole body was searing from the blaze. I screamed as loud as I could, but no sound escaped my mouth. Scorching, wicked flames swept over my body, and there was nowhere to run.

I woke up, finding myself gasping for air. My chest rose and fell swiftly. Thank God, it was just a nightmare. Liquid trickled down my forehead and my shirt clung to my back from the wetness. Noting that I hadn’t changed out of the shirt I wore the night before, I recalled how I’d felt before I fell asleep. I looked at the digital clock on the nightstand, which read just past midnight. That explained why it was still dark in my room. Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I plopped back down and fell fast asleep again, having no control over my exhaustion.

I felt brand new
when I woke up the next morning. The fever and all of the aches in my muscles had vanished overnight. After I stretched and yawned, I reached for my cell phone. Seeing that it was past nine in the morning, I knew Mom had gone to work. She was one of the managers at the local bank.

Wondering why I’d had the episode last night, I tried to recall the dream, but I was only able to hold on to little bits and pieces, and they didn’t make any sense. Hoping this was a twenty-four hour bug, I didn’t think much of it. Since I was better, I certainly didn’t want to tell my mom about it.

I was just about to make a call when the phone vibrated in my hand.

Good morning, Echo.

Good morning, Mace.

Love being called Mace by you.

Good! Mace, Mace, Mace!

Can’t wait to see you tonight.

Me too.

Friday date—the six of us.

Six of us?

Amanda, Everett, Nick and Kayla, you and me.

Got it.

Gotta go. Always on my mind.

I sat up in my bed. That’s when I saw a note from my mom.

Skylar,

Went to work. Call me if you need me.

Be aware of your body’s needs. If you get sick let me know.

Text you later.

Love,

Mom

After I got ready, I headed back to my dorm. I couldn’t wait to talk to Ian and get some answers, though, I didn’t want to sound accusatory when he was trying to be nice, either. The question would have to wait until after the weekend, since it was Friday.

Strobe lights flashed
across the dance floor in waves, like the ocean. The sea of dancers filled the floor as their bodies moved to the rhythm of the bass pumping through them. And the excitement only continued to grow. The freedom of losing oneself in the moment with the music, expressing joy, lust, and need, only gave temporary escape from reality.

The dancers on the dance floor pressed against each other. They bumped, grinded, and swayed. With arms up in the air, their hips moved with and against each other. Sweat glistened against the flickering lights on their faces and exposed flesh. And the smell of alcohol, drugs, and perfume filled the air like a euphoric haze.

After dinner, the six of us decided to check out a new nightclub called Pure. As we swayed around the crowd of people, we found a table at the back.

“Perfect. Six chairs,” Amanda stated happily, pulling out a chair for herself.

“Good. You can count to six,” Nick joked, helping Kayla to her seat.

“Shut up before I make it one less.” Amanda raised her brows, challenging Nick. I had to laugh at the banter between them. Although at times they spoke like they couldn’t stand each other, when it came down to it, they would give up their lives for the other person. This I knew for a fact…I’d witnessed it many times before.

“Sit down,” Everett commanded to Amanda, looking annoyed, and nudged her to sit as everyone settled.

Amanda scowled and rolled her eyes. “I’m thirsty.”

Everett stood up and waved his hand. A waitress with a short shirt and skanky top headed toward us. After we ordered our round of drinks and some appetizers, we held a conversation as best we could over the loud music.

Later, the waitress placed our beverages down on the table. “They have great drinks.” Amanda stirred her drink with the straw.

“They all taste the same to me.” Everett shrugged his shoulders, tilting his beer bottle.

“Let’s dance.” Kayla pulled Nick’s arm. He took the last gulp and slammed the glass down on the table, laughing. “Hold on, baby. Come on you guys. Don’t be party poopers. We didn’t come here to sit and warm the seats.”

When Kayla tugged Nick to the dance floor, Mason effortlessly lifted me off the chair. “Come on, Echo. I want to see you dance like the last time. Make me notice you again.”

“Oh, God,” I mumbled through his shirt, recalling the last time we were at Starla. I was drowning into his hold and smell, and didn’t want to let go. My whole face blushed from the embarrassment of that night. When Everett and Amanda got up, I knew I had no choice. I didn’t know when it happened, but my sense of smell had finally settled, and though it was more heightened than before, it wasn’t as strong as compared to when it first happened. Thank God for that. This whole place would have reeked of body order.

“Don’t be shy, Echo. I love to see you move like that. It turns me on. I might even light up for you.” Mason led us right next to Nick and Kayla.

The six of us were on the dance floor, having the time of our lives…no worries or thoughts of who we were or what we were escaping from. Here, we were just normal people doing what normal people do.

My hands draped around Mason’s arms, while his wrapped around my waist. Staring into each other’s eyes, we swayed to the music, where only the two of us existed. I was thankful for him…for risking his life for me, for loving and caring for me the way he was. There were many unfaithful, selfish guys out there—I knew this through personal experience and from seeing what Kayla went through—but Mason and Nick were different, different from what we’d assumed from the start.

After we danced through several songs, smiling and staring lovingly into each other’s eyes, and sometimes exchanging stolen kisses, Mason broke away, frowning.

“What is it?” I asked, a hint of panic in my tone. He must have sensed an unfriendly presence.

“Stay right here with the group. I’ll be right back,” Mason said against my ear, then gave me a succulent kiss on my lips.

I gripped his shirt right before he could turn with speed I had never moved in before, but Mason didn’t have a clue what I had done. Shocked beyond words, thinking it was just my imagination, I brushed it off to ask Mason a question. “Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry, Echo. Stay right here. I’ll be back before you have a chance to miss me.” He kissed my knuckles and turned.

I stood in place, not believing what I had just done, while watching Mason get lost in the crowd. Shortly after, my gaze broke when a stranger bumped into me.

“Excuse me,” he said, almost tripping over me.

Suddenly, people started scattering when a group of men dashed through to the middle of the dance floor. These men were pushing and shoving people, apparently for no reason at all. I was also pushed and shoved by the people around me. Retreating quickly to avoid being stomped on, I was separated from the rest of the group and ended up on the other side of the crowd.

Separating from my friends was not generally a big deal, but when I saw the look on Mason’s face, it terrified me. I didn’t even have to guess what he was thinking. I could smell the strong, foul odor enveloping my senses, taking over my mind.

Before I could move a muscle, someone grabbed me. My gut feeling told me it was one of the vultures. It certainly smelled like one. However, when I had a clear look at him, he was in human form, and he wasn’t the only one. A group of them huddled around me, backing away.

At first, all I could do was stare in fright as my pulsed skyrocketed. The will to survive kicked in, alerting me to come out of my state of confusion and helplessness. It felt like a jolt of lightning, like the way I felt when Mason accidently shocked me. I didn’t know where this energy and strength came from, but it came in full force.

I yanked back my arm and pushed the stranger to get a tiny head start, even knowing my strength was no match for his. To my surprise, bolts of light zapped out of my fingertips just as I made contact with his chest. The stranger flew across the open space, knocking down the others standing near him.

That incident caused confusion and chaos. People scrambled madly, screaming, stumbling, and knocking over tables, chairs, bottles, and glasses. Stunned out of my mind, I stared at my hand as it radiated with warmth. I quickly got into defense mode when more came at me. I was moving with a speed I’d never thought possible, and jetted out electric bolts to those that tried to capture me once again. Not knowing if this power was temporary, I used it to my advantage and fought with every ounce of me. Suddenly, they stopped, creating distance between us.

“Sky, it’s me. I’ve got your back,” Mason said, slightly pressing his back against mine, flickering his light to warn those around us.

“Me too,” Nick said, standing beside Mason

“Me three.” Amanda stood beside me.

“I’m not counting.” Everett was behind Amanda.

When I sensed movement, I peered up. Seeing countless liquid droplets hovering above us, like raindrops frozen in place, was a clear indication that Poseidon’s descendants were somewhere in the room. It was a beautiful sight, yet deadly. I knew at any moment they could change their shapes into something sharp and lethal. I became uneasy, especially when they were right above us.

When I followed the line of the vultures’ vision, I saw liquids of various colors—the colors of whatever drinks had spilled on the floor—slithering toward us. Then they lifted, swirling continuously in a circular motion, and finally forming into a huge sphere.

“Why are they still in human form?” Nicked shouted, having both of his hands raised, ready to attack. “They’ve already scared all the humans away.”

“I have no idea,” Mason replied.

“Where’s Kayla?” I asked frantically. Bewildered by what I was able to do, I had forgotten about my cousin.

“She’s out. She’s underneath the bar,” Nick explained. “I had no choice. It was the safest place.”

I felt horrible. Many times before, Kayla had to be knocked out, but at least she was safe and that was all that mattered.

“What do we do?” Amanda asked. “We’re just standing here in ninja stance, having a staring contest.”

“Maybe they’re not vultures?” Everett added.

“They sure smell like them,” Nick sneered.

“Maybe they’re scared shitless. I would be too if I had those things pointing at me,” Nick commented.

“What do you want?” Mason asked the strangers in an authoritative tone, and asked another when there was no answer. “Who sent you?”

Without a word, they dashed out of there in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a breeze and odor that made me cringe. Just before they escaped, the icicle spears from the ceiling flew toward them. Howling, angry sounds indicated some were hit, but the remaining spears dropped to the floor, creating multiple small puddles.

“Sky, are you okay?” Mason whipped me to him, embracing me, but not tightly. Pulling away, he held up my hands. “How? You can move at the same speed as us?”

“You’re not scared of me, are you?” I joked, recalling Mason’s words when I first saw him work his powers. When he just stared in awe, I lost the humor and continued, “I don’t know.” I shook my head, releasing the heavy breath I was holding. When I saw Tim from the corner of my eye, I turned to him. Noah, and a few others I didn’t recognize, were standing before me.

“Everyone okay?” Noah nodded in greeting.

“When did you get here?” Mason asked, looking annoyed.