Rising

  Nicole Reanne Lamont didn’t walk into Hilo International Airport. She waltzed in like a runway model in a fashion show. Men had their eyes on her hips as they swung back and forth. To Sara, they looked like gaping spectators at a tennis match.

  Nothing seemed to have changed since Sara had been gone. Everywhere her mom went, she caused a scene. Men ogled, women sneered, and truth be told, Nicole didn’t even know that people were watching her. Sara’s mom was beautiful, sensual, and super embarrassing to daughter. Sara always looked like a freak beside her.

  “Sara, you’re home. I missed you so much.” Nicole leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. Sara inhaled the perfumed scent of plumeria, a native Hawaiian flower. Memories flooded back. Not all of them were unpleasant. Nicole could be sweet when she wasn’t being mental.

  “Hi, Mom. Listen, I want to warn you that I’m not here to stay. But we need to have a long talk. I have a lot to ask you about.”

  “Oh yes, dear. Let’s get you home and we’ll get caught up on what you’ve been up to.”

  Nicole pushed Sara toward the baggage claim area, “Um, Mom. I don’t have any luggage.”

  “Okay, baby.” Without a second thought, Nicole turned her chair and headed through the crowded airport toward short-term parking.

  Oh yeah, that was her mom. Any other mother would be wondering why their daughter came home after disappearing for so long and then showed up with no luggage in hand. But not Nicole. The thought that this was strange didn’t even cross her mind.

  Nicole wheeled Sara to a Mercedes. Sara looked at the extravagant car and recalled a time when they couldn’t afford a wheelchair. Her mom’s failed marriages had been good to her over the years.

  “Do you want to stop for lunch?” Nicole glanced her way and smiled. Sara noticed she still had flawless skin. Sara didn’t think her mother would ever age. At thirty-nine, she was often mistaken as Sara’s sister.

  “No, thanks Mom. I’d rather just go on to the house right now.” Sara leaned her head back and closed her eyes. A headache was building at the base of her skull.

  Sara felt the turns in the road and the warm Hawaiian breeze blow through her hair. Xanthus seemed so very far away right now and the hole in her heart grew with each mile. She wondered if he was looking for her. She had texted him just as she was taking off. She’d told him she loved him but she had to leave. She asked him to forget her and go on with his life. Then she’d turned off her phone.

  Knowing him, he was busy trying to track her down. Gretchen had to have told him about the note. Sara could imagine how livid he would be. She hoped he’s wasn’t angry with her. After all, she’d left to protect him. Sara hoped he understood that. Maybe once he had time to think about it, he’d realize it was for the best. They’d kill him for just being with her. He had to know he’d be better off without her.

  She hoped he could just let her go.

  That Dagonian and his stupid note. Where had he come from? Why did he have to show up now, when she finally had a chance at happiness? They could have made it work. She knew they could. Xanthus had no doubt.

  How could one simple sentence destroy her world so completely?

  “What’s wrong, baby? Why are you crying? Aren’t you glad to be home?” Oh, great. Her mom had noticed she was crying before she’d even realized it. Nicole was so unobservant. This was epic.

  “Mom, I’ll tell you everything when we get home. I just need to rest now.” Sara rubbed her temples to ease the ache in her head.

  “Why not tell me now?”

  Because you might freak and I don’t want to die in a fiery car crash. Of course, Sara couldn’t say that. “I just need to think, Mom. And I just want to get home.” That was a lie. Sara hated the fact that she had to come home.

  “I knew you’d come back. You love your mother, don’t you?”

  “Yes Mom, I do.” That wasn’t a lie. Sara did love her. She just couldn’t live with her.

  They pulled down the long driveway of her mother’s home. Coconut palms lined the sides of the lane and towered over them. The home was a beautiful, canary-yellow, sprawling estate. Its interior was immaculate, but its highest selling feature was the view out the back. There was a thirty-foot, rocky drop to the ocean.

  The waves were spectacular, crashing just off shore and against the cliff below. This cliff had given Sara nightmares from the day they’d moved in. The whole time she’d lived in this home, Sara avoided looking out the back windows. Now she could finally appreciate the beauty of it. The whole place was beautiful—the house, its furnishings, and the land around it.

  Nicole had bought this house with husband number two and she got to keep it after the divorce, along with a sizable monthly alimony check. Something good had come from being married to that jerk.

  Nicole got Sara’s wheelchair out of the back. “Let’s get inside, I’m starved. I’ve sure missed your Roman sandwiches.”

  Great. Just what Sara wanted to do on the worst day of her life—make lunch for her mother. But, Sara really needed money. “Roman sandwiches sound great, Mom. Do we have the ingredients for them?”

  “I don’t know. The new maid is out for the day, so you’ll just have to look around. I’m going to sit down and do some reading. Let me know if you need me to get anything down for you.”

  “Sure thing. We can have our talk while we eat.” Sara looked in the refrigerator and found salami, provolone, onion, sauerkraut, and ham—the most essential parts of a Roman sandwich.

  Sara turned on the skillet and began sautéing the onion. A few minutes later, the sandwiches were done. She got out some chips, fresh pineapple, and then plated the food. She wheeled the plates and drinks one at a time to the table. It took several trips to get everything set up. Then she poured some lemonade.

  Sara peeked into the living area to see if her mother was still awake. There was nothing Nicole liked less that being woken up from a nap. Thankfully, she was still reading. “Mom, lunch is ready.”

  “Okay, dear. I’m just going to finish up this chapter.”

  Oh great. Sara hoped the sandwiches wouldn’t get cold.

  Ten minutes later, the sandwiches were as cool as the Hawaiian breeze coming through the window. Nicole stepped into the dining room.

  “It looks good.” Nicole was sure being extra sweet.

  Nicole took a bite of the sandwich and surprised Sara when she didn’t say a word about the food being cold. Nicole took a deep breath, a sip of lemonade, and said, “So, tell me what you’ve been up to.”

  Sara took a few slow breaths before she spoke. “Actually, I wanted to ask you about my father.” She spoke low, her shoulders tensed, waiting for her mom’s reaction.

  Nicole nodded slightly. “I knew you would ask again sooner or later. Are you ready to believe me? I don’t want to talk about him if you’re just going to dismiss what I say.” Her eyes darted in Sara’s direction.

  “Mom, I’ll believe you.” Sara heard the sadness in her own voice.

  Nicole looked uncertain. “Well, he was the most amazing man I’d ever met—handsome, funny, strong, and so self-assured. We met in a seaside café just outside of Los Angeles. For the next week, we spent every waking moment together.

  “I fell hard for him. I was only eighteen and a bit naïve, but I swear he loved me too, but then he told me he couldn’t stay with me. You see, his father was a very powerful man. He told me there was no way his father would allow him to stay and he said I couldn’t follow him. I was devastated. I was determined to find a way to convince him to stay with me. After all, once you’re an adult, you need to make your own path, right? I figured one day he’d have to leave his father and be independent. Why couldn’t I be the reason?

  “When it came time for him to leave, he said I had to go on with my life without him. I told him I’d never love anyone like I loved him—and I haven’t. Your father is the only man I’ve ever really loved.

  “Still, he left me standing there. But
, I couldn’t let him leave me, so I followed him. He surprised me when he drove to a beach. I’d thought he’d be headed to the airport, but he parked and walked to the shoreline.

  “He stripped out of his clothing and then the most amazing thing happened. He dove into the water and as he swam away, a tail swished out of the water behind him just before he disappeared under the waves. I thought it looked like the tail of a shark and I was very afraid for him.

  “When he didn’t resurface, I was sure he’d been attacked. I dove out into the water, desperate to find him. I searched for a long time, not finding anything, but I just couldn’t stop. I couldn’t leave him there. Then on one of my dives, I thought I saw something and followed it down deep. When I ran out of air, I was nowhere near the surface and I blacked out before I could resurface again. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hospital.

  “My dad stuck by me until he found out I was pregnant. He was furious and demanded I have an abortion. But, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t give you up. You were all I had left of the man I loved. Even though you didn’t look much like him, you were part of him.”

  Sara looked down and realized she hadn’t touched any of her food. “What did he look like?” She took a nibble of a potato chip.

  “Oh, he was one of a kind. He looked like a Greek god. He was tall, had blond, curly hair, and was very strong. There was one time I was being harassed and manhandled by some drunk men as I was waiting for him after I got off work.

  “When your father came and saw what was happening, he let loose on them. They were all unconscious within a few seconds. When he saw the bruises they’d given me, he was angry all over again and kicked their truck, caving in the entire side. The whole thing looked mangled, like it was folded in half.”

  Sara had seen Xanthus’s strength and it was incredible. Still, folding a truck in half with a kick was amazing. And this Dagonian who was her father seemed larger than life.

  “Did he know about me?” Sara took a bite of her sandwich, not tasting it. She was too enthralled in the story.

  “Oh baby, he never knew I was expecting you. I was told I couldn’t have children. Knowing that, we hadn’t... you know, well we hadn’t used any birth control. I didn’t know you could happen, but then you did.” Her mother took a sip, her sad eyes watching Sara from over the glass.

  “When did you figure out he hadn’t drown?”

  “It was when you were born. Being alone at nineteen and pregnant, I didn’t have much money and I never had any prenatal care. The hospital staff freaked out when you were born. They’d never seen anyone like you. But I had. I realized I hadn’t imagined it. Ty did have a tail.”

  “Was that his name? Ty?” The sandwich wasn’t going down easy and Sara took a sip of lemonade to loosen it from her throat.

  “Well, he told me to call him Ty. He said it was short for something else, but he never told me what. I thought maybe he hated his real name, so I didn’t press it.”

  Sara sighed. “I wish I’d met him.”

  “Me too, sweetheart. You did get something from him though.”

  “I did?” Sara took another sip of lemonade.

  “Yes. You may not look much like him, but your eyes are exactly the same shade of blue as his.”

  Sara was so surprised, she gasped, which was bad considering she had a mouthful of lemonade. She coughed and sputtered, her hand barely making it over her mouth in time to keep from spewing lemonade all over the table.

  “Sara, you’re supposed to drink—not inhale.” Her mother came over to pat her down with a hand towel.

  “He had blue eyes?” Sara rasped.

  “Yes, he did. Is there something wrong with him having blue eyes?” Sara was having a déjà vu moment. Hadn’t she said those exact words to Xanthus when he had freaked about her blue eyes? But her father had had blue eyes. How was that possible?

  “Are you sure he had blue eyes?”

  “Sara, what is this all about? You’re scaring me.”

  “Are you sure?” Sara asked again, her voice rising. Normally, her mother would be upset that Sara had raised her voice, but Nicole was so shocked at Sara’s display, she snapped out an answer.

  “Sara, I’m very sure. I could never forget his eyes. Now, tell me what you’re so upset about.”

  “I know what I am. At least I thought I did.” Sara dragged the towel over her hands and between her fingers to dry the lemonade.

  “What are you saying?” Her mother’s brows creased.

  “I met someone.” Sara sighed and dropped the towel down on the table.

  “Please tell me you didn’t see another doctor.” Her mother pressed her fingers into her temple as if the idea gave her an immediate migraine.

  Sara shook her head. “No, Mom. I met someone like me.”

  “What?” Her mother looked stunned. “Who is she? Where did she come from?”

  “No, Mom. Xanthus is a he. And he’s a Dagonian. He’s descended from Dagon and Calypso, Calypso is the daughter of Atlas and Dagon is a sea god in the Sumerian pantheon.” Wow. She couldn’t believe she’d remembered all that.

  “Atlas? Calypso? Like the Greek gods?”

  Sara nodded.

  “And you say this Xantus…”

  “…Xanthus.”

  “Yes, Xanthus. Is he, does he have a tail like you?”

  “Only when he’s in the water and then it looks like mine, except his is grey. Xanthus said females have tails just like mine. He said I’m a perfect image of a Dagonian, except for my eyes. He said they only ever have brown eyes. So I ask you again, are you sure my dad had blue eyes?”

  Nicole’s brows knit together as if she wished she could confirm Sara’s identity. Instead, she nodded. “I’m sure.”

  “Does this mean I was right all along, that I’m just a freak? I can’t be a Dagonian. So what am I?”

  “You’re not a freak. You’re my Sara, just like you’ve always been.”

  Sara sighed, wishing her mother’s words made her feel better. But she felt as if the identity that had just been revealed to her had been ripped from her hands. She wasn’t anything special. She simply resembled a Dagonian. And her father? Who knew who or what he was?

  A heavy pounding at the door made Sara jump. She didn’t know how, but she just knew. Xanthus was here. How had he found her so fast?

  Sara considered trying to make a break for it out the back door, but she realized she wouldn’t get far with no money and more importantly, no way to drive away. Being in a wheelchair was a real handicap sometimes.

  “I wonder who that could be,” her mother said.

  “Just be prepared for a seven-foot-tall, ticked-off Dagonian.”

  Her mother’s eyes widened in fear. “Should I call the police?”

  “No, he won’t hurt us. Come on, Mom. Let’s get this over with.” Sara wheeled to the front door.

  Saying he was ticked was a big understatement. When Sara opened the door, there was Xanthus towering high above her. He was livid. Still, she saw the relief in his eyes when he saw her. “Sara,” he said. “What do you think you’re doing? Gretchen told me what happened. Hades, Sara. Why you didn’t come to me?”

  Xanthus looked a mess, his eyes were shadowed, his hair tousled, and he had a wild look in his eyes. Sara had only been gone two or three hours, but Xanthus looked as if he’d had the scare of his life.

  Didn’t he know he needed to stay away from her? And how she wished the thought of that didn’t make her feel as if she were being ripped apart from the inside out. What was she going to do?

  Sara knew what she had to do for his own protection.

  “It’s over.” She began to sob. “Don’t you see? Your Dagonians know about me. There’s no getting around that. We have no future. And I don’t want you to die.” Xanthus knelt down beside her and cradled her cheek in his hand. His thumb brushed away her falling tears. He was no longer furious, but his eyes were tender and filled with relief.

  “Oh, M
oro Mou, don’t cry. I’ll get this figured out. I don’t care what it takes. I won’t leave you.”

  “Why is my daughter afraid, Dagonian?” Nicole’s icy voice lashed out.

  Xanthus stiffened and he shot a glare toward Nicole. Sara really didn’t need this right now.

  “Mom, it’s not his fault. He’s done everything he could to protect me.”

  Xanthus turned back to her. “Sara, I think it’s time we get moving. I can’t guarantee that one of us wasn’t followed.”

  “I asked you a question, Dagonian,” Nicole shouted. Sara had to admit, her mom had courage. Xanthus looked terrifying as he glared at her.

  “Why don’t you ask your…” Xanthus glanced in Sara’s direction and sighed. “Maybe you should ask Sara’s father.”

  “And how am I supposed to do that? I haven’t seen him since before she was born. Now I’m going to ask you one more time, Dagonian. Why is Sara so afraid? Who is threatening her?”

  Xanthus sighed. “Contact between humans and Dagonians is strictly forbidden. Because Sara is part human and part Dagonian, she is considered a danger to our society. And now she’s apparently been discovered by another Dagonian and I am her only hope if she’s to survive.”

  “Why aren’t you turning her in yourself?”

  Xanthus glowered and then looked at Sara. Once again, he seemed relieved to see her. “I would never turn her in because I love her and would die before I’d let anyone else touch her.”

  In a flash, Nicole’s demeanor changed from accusing to acceptance. Yeah, her mom was nuts but Sara still loved her. Nicole rushed to an impressionist painting of a waterfall and lifted it off the wall, revealing a safe. “I’ve got about fifty thousand dollars in cash. I also have a Glock semi-automatic.” Nicole spun the combination and pulled the safe open. “I always knew that Sara could be in danger. Truthfully, I thought it was us humans that were the biggest threat. I’ve always been prepared in case I had protect her from people who would want to exploit her, which is why I went so nuts when she disappeared.” Nicole mom was talking so fast, it was difficult to catch everything she was saying.

  Nicole rushed forward, holding a black leather bag, opened it, and turned it toward them to show them stacks of bills and a big gun sitting on top. Several boxes of ammunition were tucked inside.

  Xanthus looked shocked. “I appreciate the offer, but I have more than enough weapons and money for anything we might be confronted with.”

  “Sara is my daughter and my responsibility.”

  “Nicole…” Xanthus looked like he wanted to argue, but then stopped. He grabbed Sara’s wheelchair and pushed her toward the door. “We need to leave now.” He turned toward Sara’s mom. “Nicole, you need to come with us. They’ll be after you too.”

  “But why would they want me?” Nicole looked confused.

  “You’ve been with one of us. You’ve seen him. All of him. And that means prison or death where I come from.”

  “But he didn’t…”

  “Let’s go,” Xanthus growled. As he ripped the door open, Sara came face to face with death.