I take a seat on the sofa Marsha was sitting on and Jed sits next to me. I wrap the shadows around us and wait for my prey to come to me.
6
Chapter Six
Natia
Taurus is not forgiving when they’ve been betrayed. In fact, they might just burn your playground down.
When returning from the dead do you a) run immediately towards the ones you love and declare you’re back from the beyond, or b) slink in the shadows and creepy stalk the shit out of the ones you love whilst trying to figure out how to announce you are back?
Well, when you betrayed those you left behind, you choose neither. You hide as you try to figure out how badly they are going to take it when you show your face again. That’s how I find myself sitting on damp ground staring at twinkling stars through the blanket of night. The familiar oak tree shifts its branches, the freshly formed leaves rustling. It’s a weird experience sitting on your own grave with full knowledge of what lies beyond this life; at least for the human race. I wonder if my body is still six feet under rotting amongst the dirt or has it disappeared with my rebirth? Hmm, something to ask Kay.
I tip my head back against the cracked slate. I know who is responsible for the fractured gravestone, and I only hope he can forgive me and we can heal our fractured relationship. The freshly etched slate reads “Natia Waterford, beloved daughter, devoted friend, badass, lost to us too soon.”
My lips quirk up at the last reference. Seems my friends had a say in the words that immortalize me. “Well, Gran, I guess it’s time to face the music,” I mutter.
Silence envelops me. No answer comes. My eyes sting with the promise of tears. I wipe them away before they fall. This decision has cost me in ways I can’t comprehend; but how many people get a second chance?
Upgraded Natia has been blessed with the ability to track certain people; namely Archan. Why? I rub my neck as I mull this over. I think it has something to do with the claiming mark. So the second place back on Earth I find myself is in a dark club reeking of sin and bad decisions. The power of the gods drenches this place, the feeling no longer stifling, but comforting—like coming home. I hide amongst the crowd and study the man who holds my heart as he moves with a feral grace between the shifting bodies lost in the sensual beat of “Ain’t No Sunshine”. His gaze zeros in on where I’m standing; my eyes widen and my heart rate races with anticipation and need, as a flush of heat bursts through my body. With everyone concentrating on their partners, I risk it and teleport. I arrive in a darkened corner of the upper floor and suck in a breath as I step back and sink into the shadows. Maybe I’m not ready to face him. His wrath? His possession? What would I say? ‘Um, sorry about sacrificing myself to save your ass? I didn’t do it purely for you - but for humanity that needed the hope I was saturated in?’
I study the upper floor until my gaze snaps to a familiar red-haired temptress. What the hell is Marsha doing here? Archan, Zac, and Jed start up the stairs towards Marsha. My eyes narrow. He better be here for purely platonic reasons. I take a deep breath and remember one of the many warnings Kay gave me. Emotions in my new form will be heightened. Even the simplest of feelings can feel like a storm raging through my veins. Maybe I need to take up yoga for the divine? I smirk to myself as I think about roping Zac into it. Anger management for gods.
Jed and Zac separate from Archan and stalk the edges of the upper floor, Jed coming perilously close to me. I brace myself and prepare to teleport if he spots me. Jed pauses, sniffs the air and shakes his head before circling back to Archan. Zac zeros in on Marsha, a wicked grin curving his lips.
Ugh, I recognize that smile. It means ‘I have caught you, little lamb, and will destroy you if you freaking move’. Archan teleports to Marsha, like a lion stalking prey. He takes her outstretched hand and places his lips against it. I hiss as a red hot flare of jealousy shoots from my head to my toes. My feet move forward as my power flares with my emotions. I shake my head and stuff it back down before the sensitive beings in the room feel it and come to investigate. Damn it, this is going to take some getting used to. I could give Zac a run for his money with this temper.
Marsha stands and glances around the room. That’s right, bitch, he’s mine. Take your mitts off my man. If he so much as touches her right now, I might level this club and the surrounding buildings. I mentally facepalm. So much for controlling my feelings.
Zac grabs Marsha and they disappear. Jed and Archan pivot to face my direction before folding themselves into the empty sofa. Archan places his left foot on his right knee and relaxes back. Jed leans forward with his elbows on his knees, the picture of chilled guys on a night out, except for their eyes. They scan the room like they are expecting trouble.
I send out my senses. Nothing but me and the other two gods in the room. Not a supernatural in sight. So what are they waiting for? Jed’s finger lifts from his chin and points at me. Then they disappear.
I blink and scan the club for them. They are still here. I can sense it. More specifically, I can sense him. I glance around, checking to make sure no one is looking, and teleport to the sofa. A large hand snaps around my throat and I’m thrown to the wall. My stomach lurches and my breath rushes out as he winds me. Archan’s eyes widen and his jaw slackens.
“Hi,” I whisper. I had so many openings, sonnets even, prepared for this moment. But no, I went with a lame ‘hi’.Way to make your comeback Natia.Second facepalm of my new existence. I managed a few hours at least.
He frowns as Jed’s head appears over his shoulder. “What the fuck?” Jed says, as he steps back and rubs a hand over his chin.
I give a little wave even as Archan’s hand tightens around my throat. Yup, I’m going for most lame comeback imaginable. “Creature,” Archan growls out. “I am not a fool. Drop her face, you do nothing but piss me off. I am likely to rip your throat out and feed your spine to the beasts of the underworld. Your death would go easier if you reveal your true face and the location of your master.”
“I have no master,” I grind out. “Even your ‘you will submit to me’ bullshit, only applies in the bedroom.”
Somehow, in all the scenarios I imagined, I didn’t think he would mistake me for a demon. I imagined anger, arguments, pain, tears and, in time, forgiveness and understanding. I totally misjudged the situation. He squeezes tighter. I smirk at him. Fun fact, gods don’t need to breathe. However, I’m pretty sure there’s no coming back from him ripping my head off. My hand grips his wrist as my windpipe protests.
His eyes swirl with gold as he swallows. Jed places his hand on Archan’s arm. “Let’s go back to the tower, where we can question it.” Archan frowns, and then the world tips and we travel through space and time. I land in a familiar room and scan the walls. They’ve brought me to their version of a supernatural holding cell, the same one they held Ty in when he possessed Archan.
Archan shoves me to the floor and walks out of the wards unharmed. I rise to my feet and pace the stone floor as I watch Archan shrug off his suit jacket and fold it onto a wooden chair. I walk towards him, the draw uncompromising, and then pause at the edge of the wards. He looks ready for battle regardless of his clothing; mouth-watering as always. There’s something intoxicating about a tightly coiled man whose entire focus is on you. My white swishy dress brushes against my calves. It’s like the one I died in. I grit my teeth at the phantom pain in my chest. Dying alone on the cold hard ground will leave its impact. Archan glances over his shoulder at me as he removes his watch. The door slams open and Zac storms in. He skids to a halt next to Jed and his jaw tightens. I arch an eyebrow at The God of War and fold my arms.
“Fucking hell, it doesn’t just look like her. It moves like her.”
“But it isn’t her,” Archan grits out.
I roll my eyes. “Who else would I be, asshole?”
Archan rolls his shirt sleeves up, turns around and narrows his gaze on me. “You are a creature sent to unbalance me in my pursuit of your master. I will take great pleasure in sending your body back one limb at a time to Lawrence.”
“You’ll have to catch me first, asshole.”
