The Protector

Chapter 5

Alessa’s POV

“We are here.” Jan announced to the car and looked over at me.

Even with Jan’s more than cautious driving it only took a few minutes to get to the end of the property. It was a shame the ride wasn’t longer to tell you the truth, I was really enjoying the sight of him driving. His car was a charger and watching his muscles tense and relax as he grabbed the gears was like living artwork. Everything he did has an ease about it, like he has never in his life faced an obstacle that he was not able to overcome. He radiates power and at control. I have never in my life felt so pulled into a man the way his gravity pulls me. The eyes, his voice, the cool guy haircut with the part, the muscles and of course his lips. His lips have been playing across the back of mind since he kissed me. I could not help but stare.

“You with me?” He asked as I realized I had been mindlessly staring at him for far too long than socially acceptable.

“Yea,” I clear my throat. “Zoned out for a min. I still have not been to sleep.”

“Cora took advantage of the ride.” He nods his head towards a sleeping Cora sprawled out across the back seat.

“Yea well it easy to sleep when you don’t have to be the one alert all the time.” I rubbed my forehead and stretched. I love her, it is just a lot always being ready all the time.

“Well if you weren’t such a control freak maybe you could sleep too.”

“Im not a control freak. I just am used to,” I make a rolling motion with my hands, “always being ready for any situation. I like to be prepared.”

“Control. You like to be in control. Nothing wrong with it. Sometimes you have to learn to let other people carry that burden.” He face was serious, no glimmer of a smile on those lips that haunt my thoughts.

“Like who? You?” That came out a bit more sharp than I hand intended and it made him sit up straight. I definitely struck a chord.

“Yes, like me. It is my destiny to make sure you are safe, cared for. Why don’t you trust me? Have I given you any reason to question my intentions with the two of you?” The amber in his eyes were once again dancing as his emotions rose.

“No, its,” he cut me off from finishing my sentence.

“Apollo himself, who just happens to be your father sent me on this course because you are my destiny. Without me you will not make it. You have to trust me.” His voice now softens as he finishes the sentence out. “He told me more about our future but that is not relevant now, especially if you don’t start trusting me.”

“Every single thing in my life up until this point has been a lie.” I am not much of a crier but damn if I wasn’t getting close to becoming one right now. “Now I’m running for my life trying to protect the only person that has been true to me my entire life from a whole world neither of us even knew existed. Then you come with a message from my FATHER who obviously knew of my existence saying now he wants to send help, and I’m am just supposed to accept it. Just like that.” Tears start to stream down my exhausted face.

He moved in closer and palmed my face using his thumb to wipe a tear away. I tried to turn my face away but he his gentle touch was stronger than my half-hearted escape attempt. “No, you don’t get to run away and you don’t get to chase me away either.”

“I am exhausted and overwhelmed. I don’t know if I am strong enough for this.”

“That is why I am here.”

We just stare at each other for what feels like forever. This man with the dancing eyes and spellbinding lips that speak words of security that I have never known. What does he mean I am his destiny? Will all of this some how cost him his life? What sacrifices did he have to make to be here in this moment? This man that I have only known for a few hours but somehow my soul yearns for him. Why? I need to stay focused on Cora and getting her safe.

I mimic his hand placement on my face on his very own. “You are,” beautiful, the definition of masculinity, sexy personified, is what I wanted to say. “right, I will work on trusting you. I can’t defeat Hades alone. I know nothing of this world.”

He kissed the palm of my hand. “I know.” Then that smile creeped on to his face.

Noises of Cora stretching fill the car. “We here?” Cora sleepily says.

“Well hey there sleeping beauty.”  He says to Cora but does not turn his attention to her. We both instinctively drop our hands off each other’s faces. “Just about to get started.”

“So what all ais going to happen? Abra ka dabra and poof in Florida?” I roll my eyes at Cora and Jan breaks out in a hardy laugh. Not going to lie I was kind of wondering myself. “What? Fair question!”

“I need to concentrate for a few minutes to open up the gateway. Once it is open and stable we step through. Leave the car here. So make sure you have everything you need out of the car, we wont be coming back here.” He was talking with his hands as he explained. “Now, it is going to be a lot of wind and lightning. It is going to be loud. It should be just about instant once we get through to be in St. Augustine.”

“No car, so I guess we will be huffing it in the Florida heat.” Cora rolled here eyes.

“Don’t worry GODDESS,” he put extra emphasis on goddess. “I will drop us off right at the port.” He eases his way out of the driver’s seat and crotched down to peer into the open window. “Let’s go.”

We filed out of the car grabbing al of our stuff. Cora was really starting to move slow now. She needed time to recovery. We all did but her especially, she hasn’t been this active in a long time. We make our way over to Jan, who is now shirtless and barefoot. It is a sight to see. He had muscles that I did not even know were muscles. His skin was tanned and faultless. His back was magnificently etched with tattoos and I wonder what story they tell of his past. He slowly turned to face us. Then We locked eyes and his were growing gold and the light illuminated his face like a lantern. His face was stoic and focused. The wind was swirling around him slowly starting at his feet at first. He was right, it was loud, like being outside in a thunderstorm.

A wiped out Cora was leaning her head on my shoulder as we watched in awe at his form. “Your boyfriend is kinda hot.” She said it low enough there was no way he could hear and I was too mentally tired to protest. I let the thought of him being mine play on my brain before shaking it out to focus on the seriousness of the situation

“I will be vulnerable while I am opening the gate. Cora you will have to go through first. The open on the other side will be safe but I need Alessa here to protect me in case he shows up. Alessa you follow and I will be right behind you. Trust me.” It was a demand and not a request.

“When will we know when to go? How much time will it stay open?” My mind had so many questions wanting to not ruin our chance at safety.

“Les, trust me, you will know.” He slowly began to raise his hands from his sides and brought them up in front of is core forming a diamond shape with his hands. The winds picked up faster around him and his finger tips began to glow the same gold as his eyes. “I can hold it open as long as it needs to be open. I will not abandon you, either of you. Beside I am a god, we don’t get tired.” The cocky smirk was back on his face. “Cora, when you see St. Augustine, jump. Alessa put my shoes and shirt in your bag so I can get dressed on the other side.”

“Why are you shirtless?” Cora asked as I gathered his belongings and stuffed them in my bag.

“I need to draw energy from the Earth and atmosphere, clothes make it hard. Kept the pants on, I’m shy.” Now a full out smile covers his face. “Once I start, I can not be interrupted or the whole thing has to start over. Just don’t let me get knocked out.”

“Ok, it won’t. You can trust me.” I use his words against him

“Never doubted you.” The glow was now the size of both of his hands. “Oh if I do get knocked out and the gateway is still open, jump through and push me. It will still work as long as you can still see St. Augustine clearly.”

We both shook our heads in understanding as the glow continues to grow. The glow has now also started at his feet and growing on a circle in the area around his feet growing outward. The air around us was starting to grow cold from the wind he was generating or maybe it was him pulling energy from around him.

“ALESSA!” Jan screamed out causing me to turn around just in time to see a boulder, an actual boulder hurdling our way.

I pushed Cora to the and side stepped the mass. It lands just a few feet away from Jan’s growing glow. “Get your bow and get by Jan. As soon as that opens, I want you through. Do not wait for me, don’t worry about the bags.” I order Cora as she lays there on the ground and I have never seen her look so frail than she did in that moment.

“Les I cant leave you!” She starts to cry frantically.

“I will come for you, I will always come for you. Go now, I will hold Erebus off for as long as possible.” Erebus sent another mass of dirt our way, this time I deflect it with my staff. Cora comes over and hugs. “We don’t have time, rain fire down on him with that if something happens.” She shook her head and grabbed her bow and ran to Jan. The glow now was nearly large enough to engulf a person but still no St. Augustine.

I started charging Erebus, staff in hand. He continued to send various sized rock masses flying into me. I was able to dodge or deflect most. The ones that did land hit with a force that I had never been hit with before but I pushed through to my target. As I approached him I rolled under a mass which closed the distance to him. I used my low position to my advantage to sweep his feet from under him. Like a elegant, possessed cat he somehow summersaulted and land on his feet.

“Not fast enough.” Arrogant prick already had victory in his voice.

He charged at me throwing knees and punches as he got in closer. His blows were hard and there is no way I would be able to continue to absorb his blow like this and survive. He was strong, there is no way I could overpower him, I need to use precise movements. I used my staff to hit him in the diaphragm and that caused him to double over. While he was bent over I hooked my staff around the back of his head and used it to pull his face down hard on my knee. A groan of pain escaped him as he fell to the ground I looked over and saw Cora looking over every ready, bow in hand arrow quivered ready to release. I spot what use to be Jan but now is just a 10 foot by 10 foot glow of gold. St. Augustine was starting to come into view.

 “Now Cora!” Jan’s voice was barely able to be heard from out of the glow.

“Alessa!” Cora screams for me but if was more of a question, permission to leave than a plea for help.

“Cora go now!” She grabs her pack and bow and I can see her hesitate for just a moment looking back to me before stepping through. Just like that she was gone.

Erebus hand grabbed my foot and tripped me. I fell down to the ground hard, hitting the point of my elbow on the hard ground. I kicked my foot hoping to free it from his grasp but he pulled me in. He was so incredibly strong, he dragged me into him to the point he was now straddling me, hands around my throat. I knew I only had a few seconds before I would be unconscious. All the escape moves from my years of jiu jitsu flashed through my mind. I bucked and threw his weight off balance. I trapped one of his feet with my own. I chopped down on his elbow and with one final push I bridged up and turned us so that I was now on top. His grip on my throat was now broken. Still between his legs, he sat forward and grabbed at my shirt. The one thing the tell you not to do in class is slam your opponent, sorry sensi, tonight I am slamming. I muster up all the strength in my legs to stand, and I slam him down hard one, two times to the ground before his grip broke. He lay there disorientated. I grab my staff and start running back to Jan, I grab by pack on the way.

I stepped into the glow and locked eyes with Jan’s golden orbs then we in a flash we were in the hot humid air of Florida. There on the ground sat Cora, bow still in hand ready on the other side waiting had the wrong person come through the gateway. She must have been holding her breath when she saw the gateway close completely behind us, her shoulders relaxed and dropped her head. We were all tried. I sat down next to her and grabbed her face with my hands.

“Hey sissy.” She said voice just above a peep. “You made it.”

“Yea,” A chuckle escaped my lips. “I made it.” And we hugged, a hug of two people that have been through something that only they would only understand.

“I am so tired Les.” The tears had started to roll down her face now, I could feel them on my warm skin.

“I know, we are so close.”

“I can’t. I am done, I cant move. I am not down here because I want to be.”

“I’ll carry you.” I saw it with out even the slightest hesitation, which just causes tears from both of us now. “Jan, how far is it.”

“Alessa,” He stood towering over the both of us. “You do not have to do everything alone. We are about a block away. I will carry her.” He lowered himself and picked up her crumpled form and cradled her to his chest. Not going to lie, jealously started to grow in my heart some seeing her there where I wish I was.

“Thank you,” she said into his chest. “mostly for carrying me but also for putting a shirt on. I don’t know how much more Les could take being around you shirtless.”

A deep chuckle escaped his throat as we made our down the block to the port. We searched the port listing for the craft that was marked by the symbol of the gods. There on the dock was a tall thin woman standing aboard the vessel. It seemed to be just another boat nothing special. Hiding in plain sight I guess. The woman wore a wide brimmed hat and all black linen harem pants and a black crop top. She had the most beautiful sun kissed chocolate skin, her skin was very much like Cora’s. She must have been some sort of goddess, she was too beautiful to be a regular human. Her bone straight waist length hair swayed as she made her way to us. She leaned on the railing with her forearms towards us, she had the same tattoo there Jan does only more feminine.

“You look like crap.” The mystery lady rudely laughed at our disheveled appearance. Did she know him somehow? “Show your sigils.” Jan rolled his eyes and adjusted his grip on Cora to flash his tattoo. I pulled my necklace out from the giant shirt I was wearing then I lifted Cora’s from her chest to show it. Cora fell asleep about 3 steps into the journey. The lady nodded her head upward in a sign of approval.

“Excuse me.” Jan said to the woman at the top of the gang plank as she blocked his path with Cora still in hand. I was carrying the packs. There was no sincerity in his voice, it was actually very cold.

“That is no way to greet me.” Then she kissed him and my blood instantly boiled. He did not kiss her back, she very well could have been kissing a wall. She broke the kiss then looked over his shoulder into my piercing glare. “I hope you done mind, long history.” She cackled as she walked to the bridge. “take a seat we leave in 5.”

Jan made his way to the bench seat and sat Cora there so she lay caresses into his side. I bored hole through him. He raised his hands in surrender. “Don’t go there. I told you,” he looked toward the bridge and the mystery woman was firing engines. “even gods fall subject to a beautiful face. That is old history.”

“Felt pretty fresh to me.” I sat heavily opposite of him. “Trust me.” I mocked his voice.

“Hey, did you see me kiss her back?”

Silence was my reply. He was correct he didn’t kiss her back, but he did not try to stop her either.

“Abigail, that is the past.” He motioned his hands towards Abigail. “I’m here in the presence with you two, with you and I am not letting anything break my focus.”

The boat lurched forward. Abigail called back to us “Once we get clear of the port we will enter into the gateway that leads directly to Athens. So don’t get too comfortable it is going to be a short trip. The faster I get you off my boat the better.”

“Oh she is a peach. Picked a real winner.” My arms are crossed now and my attitude is full blown. The nerve of her. I mean the man is travelling with two women one of which he is carrying and she still had the audacity to kiss him. Any other person would assume he was not an available man to kiss! Obviously he is claim. Whoa now Alessa, lets calm down. There has been no talks of any of that. Well not really, he said he would be loyal to us. He said I was his destiny, I kind of took that as hey we are a thing now but maybe I was wrong. “Who freaking does that? I ought to go punch her right in the back of the head.”

“Can you not, please.” He raises a hand and massages his forehead. “You act like, never mind forget it. Not worth it.”

Now I stand up from my seat and say, “Oh so now I am not worth it.” GIRL SHUT UP I tell myself.

“That is not what I said woman.”

“WOMAN? Woman, wow. OK.” WHY AM I ACTING FULL BLOWN CRAZY RIGHT NOW. He isn’t even really mine to be crazy over yet, right. I am so confused.

“That is what it is. I forgot.” Realization dawned on his face. He laid Cora down on the bench and stood up. “You have never been around any other goddesses before.”

“Oh I’m sorry am I not acting proper enough for..” Before I could even finish the insult that was making its way to my tongue his mouth overtook mine. It was possessive, claiming. The kiss that left no question about where his interest lay. A growl escaped him as him tongue explored my mouth. His hand one at the small of my back and the other slowly crept up my ribcage.

He laughed into my mouth, “Oh that’s right,” and then his glorious hand was cupped around my breast, thumb gently played my n****e into an excited bud. “how could I forget, no bra.”

The kiss continued this time gentle and slowed. I bit his lip which caused another growl to vibrate through his chest.

“We will be jumping in 10 seconds. Better take a seat lover boy!” Abigail called from the bridge.

I break the kiss abruptly. “That’s it.” I start to stalk of to the bridge but a strong arm pulls me back.

“Will you stop. Listen what I was trying to say was that you have never been around another goddesses as the same time as a similar love interest is in the area. Things can get a bit tense.”

“Love interest. Love is a bit much.”

“Ok, s****l interest, that better?” He rolled his eyes. “You all want to claim you right. Especially if they are like us.”

“Like us what does that mean?”

“Destined. Apollo told me we were destined and the moment I laid eyes on you I knew it was true. Not all gods and goddeses are destined. When we are paired up, our powers become stronger. Together in battle destined couples are just about unbeatable. He told me that you were my destiny and I would lose you forever if Erebus got his hands on you before getting you back to Athens.”

I just sat there. It was so much to take in. It explained why from the start he pulled at something deep inside me. Why I could not fight the feeling of jealous that spiked while he carried Cora. Why even when I let my defenses down, still felt safe by his side.

A bright light flashed over the boat. “Welcome to Athens.” Abigail called back to us.

We finally made it. Maybe now we can get some answers and some rest.