“Sorry. My plan is to make enough to be able to hire a housekeeper and cook.”
Rafe smiled at me suggestively as he inquired, “Can I apply for the position? I have excellent references.”
“I thought you were more of the bodyguard type rather than a housekeeper.”
“I do what I need to do, Calli. As you can see, my skills come in many different forms, which should come in handy since you tend to take a lot of looking after.”
I sputtered, “A lot more than when I only resided in the human world.”
“True, but those days are gone, Calli,” Rafe replied solemnly.
I sighed and lost what was left of my appetite. “I better do the dishes, so mom doesn’t see two sets and wonder who was over.”
Rafe caught my chin in his hand and forced me to meet his gaze, “I’m sorry my world has intruded on yours, but I am not sorry I met you Calli. My world was a much lonelier place without you in it. I know that is selfish to say, but you have set my world aflame, Siren. I can’t stop myself from becoming addicted.”
“Would you stop yourself if you could?” I asked in a shaky voice.
“Yes. When you come of age and
if
you are Ares or Apollo’s Muse, it is going to rip me apart.”
“Even when I still choose you over them?”
“It’s not that simple, Calli. You will still have a strong bond with your Olympian. In some ways, a part of you will always belong to someone else. I’ve been there and that knowledge will torture me.”
This time I pulled his chin back up to face me, “As long as you are honest with me, we can face whatever your world throws at us together. I have your back, and you have mine.”
Of course, my statement made guilt flash across his face. “I will always protect you, Siren. I promise. Now, we better speed through the dishes because it is almost 9pm.”
“Flock! We need to move.”
He gave me his impish grin as he replied, “Consider this my tryout as your housekeeper.”
I stepped back and in under a minute he had the dishes washed and put away and the leftovers in the fridge. He was going to make a damn fine housekeeper/cook for me one day. He was kissing me goodnight at the door at 8:50. When he kissed me, I wanted to take all the chances I could, but he wouldn’t let me. He broke away and kissed me on the forehead at about 8:55. “Sleep tight, Siren.”
My mom came home five minutes later. We discussed the neighborhood gossip and how much she won because her “book club” was actually Woman’s Poker Night. She said I could not play with them until I was 18: Getting to vote, learning poker, and having an Olympian’s soul awaken in me. Flock! Mom raided the fridge and actually tried some of my leftovers, even though she was clearly skeptical of my cooking. She was really impressed with Rafe’s baked pasta, and complimented me, “Wow, Calli, when did you learn to cook?”
I improvised, “Well, I have had some extra time on my hands, so I decided to try this recipe I found online.”
Mom looked at me with concern for the break-up again, “Well, it was an excellent recipe. Sweetie, you know if you ever want to talk, I’m here.”
I sighed and smiled at her. “I know, mom. Speaking of that, I am going out on a date Friday with a boy from school. He’s a junior like me.”
This time, it was my mom’s turn to sputter, “What? Who?”
“When? Where? How? His name is Rafe. You have already met him. He was the one that got me involved with the DUA stuff. We presented to the school board together, and he helped arrange my birthday party. His dad is a retired Air Force Colonel. And you can meet and interrogate Rafe on Friday.”
My mom finally regained her senses and replied, “I don’t know if that is enough time to prepare your father.”
“Well, it better be. All he has to do is get out his hunting rifles and he’s ready.”
“True, but this is definitely going to shock him. I think he hoped that your pining was going to last all the way to college. Now he’s going to have start the intimidation routine all over again.”
“I’m sure he missed the routine. Now, I am off to bed.”
Chapter 25: Liars and Evaders
Wednesday dawned crisp and beautiful with the sun peeping through my room darkening curtains. However, I woke grumpy, exhausted, and overwhelmed. Lack of sleep, fear of the unknown, and thoughts of betrayal were starting to take their toll on my calm demeanor. I had to go to the DUA today and check up on Plan A for Apollo and Plan B for Betrayal. I think I applied more foundation and under eye concealer than I have ever worn before.
Rafe picked me up on time as usual and hit me with, “Good morning, Siren. Your eyes look really exquisite with all that make-up.”
“Wow. It’s a little early in the morning to be throwing complisults my way, Rafe.”
“I am sorry. I must have forgotten part of the English language, what’s a complisult.”
“It’s an insult disguised as a compliment. Next thing I know you are going to be blessing my heart.”
Rafe continued to look confused, “What?”
I explained, “Whenever someone has a problem, the old ladies at my church always say things like ‘Poor Marcy, her daughter just got arrested selling scripts to school kids, Bless Her Heart.’ See, it’s an insult masked as empathy. It drives me crazy.”
Rafe threw me an indulgent smile as he said, “Are you sure that you weren’t raised by wolves? Really, you need to check.”
I countered back, “Why don’t you ask my parents that when you meet them again on Friday? I am sure that will make an impression. I just need my caffeine, so if you will kindly stop on the way to school I will be grateful.”
Rafe shook his head as he pulled a fountain Mt. Dew and a Zone Bar from the driver’s side drink holder. “Your wish is my command. A housekeeper must be on his toes at all times.”
I gave him my most adoring smile as I grabbed my breakfast and said, “You are my hero. I am not worthy.” Then, I ate in blessed silence all the way to school. Because of my exhaustion and Rafe’s need to conceal the details of Plan A, the day was rather subdued and slowly inched along. I actually fell asleep between the library stacks during study hall since my homework was done for once. Rafe’s concerned gaze rarely left me. At the end of the day, Rafe wanted to take me home rather than going to the DUA, but Apollo summoned us to what looked like an abandoned warehouse.
Dr. A was coming toward us as we made our way farther into the building. “Apollo called me as well. He wants to meet us in the back of the warehouse to discuss the plan.”
I announced to Rafe, “As soon as this little conference is over, I want to bail. I need a nap and a lot less drama.”
Rafe nodded and Dr. A gave me a sympathetic look before he said, “I think this meeting is meant to help ease your mind, Calliope.”
Apollo was standing by a window in the back talking to three commando looking guys. He smiled when he saw me and headed my way. When he reached me, he placed a hand in the small of my back and guided me toward the three men.
When we were directly in front of the commandos, Apollo finally spoke. “I want you to meet the three men that will be protecting your friends.”
As I shook each one of their hands, Apollo continued. “They have years of extensive training in martial arts, weapons, and recon. Your friends are in good hands as you can see. We are going to dispense with names because they are not necessary.”
I must have given him a look like he was an alien because he finally asked, “Darling, do you have any questions for these gentlemen?”
They all looked at me sternly as their eyes narrowed, “Yes. Why exactly are you calling me darling?”
Apollo’s solemn face actually cracked a smile, and I think I got a lip twitch out of at least one of the commandos. “Just an expression, my dear. I take it you have no questions?”
This was the tricky part. If I didn’t seem like my usual nosy self, they might get suspicious and I would lose some of my freedom, so I tilted my head at the commandos and asked, “What did he tell you about what you just signed up for?”
The three commandos looked at each other and the lead commando finally spoke, “He told us that we would be guarding three sick guys and that there was a 99% chance that we would get attacked while guarding the teenagers. He also said that the individuals that would attack us will be women. However, they were going to be very well trained. We will not use weapons on them. We will only disable them. And he is paying us accordingly.”
“Well, that pretty much covers it. They won’t use weapons, but they are still the best fighters I’ve seen, and I have a black belt in karate. You will be guarding three of my good friends, and if anything happens to them, I am holding you personally responsible. So kick some eyas for me.”
The leader once again nodded, “Roger that.”
Apollo looked at his hired guinea pigs and said, “I think we are done here gentleman. I will contact you tomorrow after you have had a chance to look at the site.” He shook hands with them, and then he faced Rafe and I. “You wanted information Calliope, and now you have it.”
I gave Apollo a pained smile after the commandos were out of the building, “I wanted information—not to see the faces of the guys that you are going to use as human sacrifices. Is that what you
really
thought?”
Apollo gave me his unapologetic look, “I think you wanted to know who was protecting your friends, and I think you wanted to know that I was not lying to them or leading them to slaughter.”
I put my hands over my face and took a deep breath before I said, “Where are you stashing the boys? What area do these guys have to defend?”
Both Rafe and Apollo laughed at this before Apollo remarked, “Yeah. You
know
you are not getting that information.”
I admitted to them. “Had to take a shot. Are we done here?”
“I’m sorry about all of this Calliope. There are good parts of my world as well as the bad. I promise you that we will get to the good parts soon.”
My laugh was humorless. “I will believe it when I see it. Now, I just want to go home, please.”
Apollo nodded, “I will see you on Friday at the GAR for final prep. Brother, please take my Muse home.”
As Apollo started a conversation with Dr. A, we went to Rafe’s car.
Rafe tried to tease me back into a better mood, “Well, date night is probably looking pretty good, comparatively right now.”
I gave him a sad smile as I said, “You better bring some mad first date skills to make up for me putting up with Apollo, because he is starting to get on my last nerve.”
That got me a wicked smile from Rafe, “You know, he is trying to be as up front as possible. But I guess no good deed goes unpunished with you.”
“Those commandos’ faces are going to stay with me long after Sunday, you know. I hope they bolt to the opposite ends of the earth, so the Graces’ calls will go unanswered.”
Rafe nodded, “I think they are on a plane right after. They know the risks, and they are getting paid for those risks. They are mercenaries. This is what they do.”
We were at my house as Rafe said, “Please, Calli, just get some sleep. We need you in top form. I am worried about you.”
“Rafe, I just can’t seem to sleep from all the stress I feel because of……… our flockin first date.”
Rafe laughed as I knew he would and commented sarcastically, “You’re hilarious, Siren. Now, go get your nap.”
I leaned over and kissed his cheek, then bolted with a proper, “Yes, sir.”
Instead of a nap, I called Thrace to see if he wanted to go on a run. I think he needed to keep occupied as much if not more than I did. We set off at a brisk pace. I wanted to do at least six miles, which was pretty much Thrace’s limit. We made it back in an hour—tired, sweaty, and out of breathe. Mom had salads and fruit waiting for us to eat. Thrace inhaled his then headed home with no questions about this weekend, which surprised me. I was finally tired and ready for a hot shower, my journal, and eight hours of sleep. Dr. A had left a message on my cell that on Thursday I was to go to my karate practice with Thrace. I would receive a call right before class, and I would leave and come back by the end of class. My cover was that the grant team needed some of my research, so I had to bring them my flash drive. Tomorrow was dress rehearsal which definitely was gonna help me sleep—only not.
Thursday started out gloomy, stormy, and rainy, which fit my mood perfectly. All the tension was making me snarly. It was like I picked from a Chinese take-out menu of bad moods: nervous, anxious, vacant, moody, bitchy. Rafe picked me up and instead of calling me on my snarly mood tried to tease me out of it, which just made me snarlier. I tried to stay more myself around Jazz and Key otherwise they would probe for more information. I definitely changed my attitude at lunch around Thrace, so he wouldn’t freak. I told him that I was still catching a ride with him to the gym, which got a lot of funny looks around the table. Ok. I might have slipped into snarly me again after the looks but only for a couple of minutes.
However, study hall with Rafe found me snapping at him each time he spoke. He finally called me on it halfway through study hall, “Ok—raised by wolves girl. You are going to act like a decent human being, or I am going to knock you out until this is all over. Do you want a three day hospital stay or do want to act like your usual sweet and snarky self.”
“
Finally!
Took you long enough to call me on this crap. I just don’t know how to deal with this. Can I skip the run through on Friday? My sleep just gets worse the more I learn, the more I have to imagine.”
Rafe smiled and put his arm around me for a quick hug, “That sounds like a good idea. Apollo, Dr. A, and I don’t need you to go over the final planning. The only thing you really need to worry about is our first date and what I have planned.”