I ignored him and began my tai chi stretches. I picked up the pace fifteen minutes later and started my version of aerobics and then slid into my extreme martial arts routine. An hour or so later I still felt a little battered. I was feeling relaxed but tired as I got up off the floor and turned to see Aries expression. I had not paid him any attention the whole time. He never made a sound either.
He was awed by my performance I guess. His mouth was open, and eyes were round. Stunned may have been a better word.
“If that fire thing doesn’t bring anyone down then those moves will. If you’re wearing that outfit Angel, then no man would fight you. I have to say, though, I wouldn’t want any other man watching you.” His eyes were darkening again. I was starting to read his moods, just by the way his eyes looked. I’d seen this look before.
I liked his possessiveness to a degree. So far I could deal with it. As long as it didn’t go over into the controlling area I was good. Or he got upset over innocent things. If say Michael said something then I would deal with it, but if Michael did something then I wouldn’t care if Aries stood up for me.
I walked to him. He was sitting in my chair but pushed back from the desk. My office wasn’t small, but it wasn’t large either. I had just enough room behind the desk to be comfortable in my chair. Aries was turned to the side, and I sat on his lap. I leaned back into his arms and relaxed. I felt his um, erection, through his pants. I wasn’t uncomfortable with it, but I was sweaty. After a minute, I stood up.
“I'm going to shower,” I told him.
He nodded and got up.
CHAPTER TWELVE
I took a long and hot, relaxing shower, shampooing twice and soaking in the water. When I got out I blow dried my hair, put lotion on, and painted my nails. I wasn't real girly, but I had polish, files, and all the bathroom goodies.
After my nails dried, I did my makeup. It was four o'clock when I finally dressed, though. I put on black jeans, a black baby tee with a sparkly silver skull and rose on front and my usual jewelry. By that time, I could tell Aries was nervous. He was bound to check on me soon.
I wasn’t avoiding him really, but all this was a bit too much for me to take in. I’d met the man only a few days ago, and now we were almost engaged. I wasn’t easy, or I wouldn’t still be a virgin, right?
Actually women knew if this man knocked on their door and was this hot, they’d probably beg him to marry them within two hours. He was everything a woman wanted which was too good to be true. I was super independent and needed a certain amount of space.
I decided not to let the poor man suffer any more. I was missing him, as well. I grabbed socks and headed back to the living room. I’d learned to wear socks and keep shoes by the door. You never know when an emergency may hit. My black tennis shoes, purse, and keys were always by the front door and hidden from immediate view.
Aries turned towards me and smiled. He must have figured I needed my space. He hadn’t reached for me yet and probably wouldn’t. I felt better having him in sight. I was relaxed earlier, but now I was content. I decided I needed to call Raven. I needed a girl to vent to so it would seem real.
“I need to make a phone call. It won't take long, but if we need to decide who lives and who dies, my best friend must live.”
“I understand.”
I went to my office, sat at my desk, and called Raven. She answered on the second ring.
“What’s up, chick?”
“Are you busy?” I asked her, fiddling with my laptop. I was not going to say a word about it while on the phone. This was something you told a person face to face.
“Nope,” she replied.
“Can you come by, like as soon as possible?”
“Sure what’s wrong?” I could hear the confusion and worry in her voice. She was not blind and would have noticed my change in behavior.
“Um well, it has to do with the end of the world.” I hated telling her that much but I knew she wouldn’t doubt me. She’d be here in minutes.
“I’ll be right there.” She hung up, and I stood up.
There were so many people who were innocent. So many I could save. Raven, her sister, and Michael. I don’t think anyone else would believe me, much less leave home with me for an island they probably had never heard of. One that compared to our world was archaic. Bella would only because she is a naïve nut, though.
I’d tell Raven everything, and leave it up to her to convince her sister.
Michael would go if Raven and I did. He would miss his parents of course.
I stood up and went back to the living room. Aries held my bottle of water up, and I nodded. He brought it and met me on the couch. He gave me my space, but I closed the gap by moving into his arms. He then felt relief. He must’ve been worried that I was upset with him. I reassured him by caressing his arm and smiling at him.
A knock on the door brought me out of the trance he’d put me in. I was apparently addicted to Aries, like a drug.
He got up and answered it. Raven came in.
“Sit please.”
She sat on the other end of my sofa and watched Aries who sat by me. She had an upraised eyebrow. She dangled her keys obsessively like she does when she’s nervous.
“This may take a few minutes, but if you let me get it out I’ll then let you ask questions. Is that fair?” I asked her.
“Sure... Just to let you know, though, I had a suspicion there was issues. You were way to off the last two days,” she said warily. Raven looked nervously from me to Aries. She didn’t look like she trusted him yet. She was judging I could tell.
“It all starts with the fact that I’m a goddess reincarnated... please, let me finish, I’ll answer that question. I don’t know how much you know about the gods and goddesses. I’m Kali, though. She was the goddess that could destroy and create everything. Apparently she is Earth, as well. Mother Earth as Wiccan’s think of her. You may know her by another name. She was Atlantean at one time. Anyways I met the Undead Ones and found all this out. Aries here is their bandleader, as you already know. He and the others are more or less vampires.”
To make a perfect and somewhat literal point he showed her his fangs. She looked terrified for a second then looked to me. Fear choked me for a second as she struggled to regain her control. Only knowing how wickedly badass I was and how I hunted evil kept her seated.
“They are perfectly safe, at least to us. They are single and looking, though, so watch out. Aries and I also found out that we are soul mates. Because time is short Kali speeded things up emotionally, you could say, between us. We are literally inseparable. We both panic and I guess I kind of went catatonic yesterday, or last night, I don’t remember.”
“I think if we’re separated too long there would be damage, if she dies I die,” Aries added.
“So with all that I recently bought a sword and dagger set. Keep that in mind as I tell you this. I’m supposed to become a destroyer. There are angels, demons, and now we see vamps. But I also have heard there are fairies and werewolves.”
“Might be a bad time, but Frank’s a werewolf,” Aries put in. His smirk made me want to smack his arm or something.
“Great.”
“Well I think he should go. We’ll need a cook and someone to manage an eating establishment.” Aries had a very good point once again.
“You’re right, and if he’s a werewolf then he might be help in other ways and of course would believe us. Sorry Raven, I’m getting there. The world will end in less than a year. I know for sure. I’m not insane and can prove it, just not here. I don’t need my apartment on fire. “
“Sorry to interrupt, but this is way too much,” Raven said throwing her hands up. She jumped up and paced the area behind the couch.
“Do you trust me?” I asked her boldly.
“I’ve known you for a long time. Since middle school so I guess, yeah, sure.”
“Then bear with me. I’ll be impregnated by gorgeous here shortly, and I’ll carry the godd
ess. She’ll be my daughter. When she’s born, the world dies all except a few hundred. It’ll take seven days. I’ll be on an island, the only place that will survive the apocalypse. I’ll then be immortal I think, and have to keep evil beings from killing us off more or less. I think that when all this happens doors to other realms will open, and we’ll be flooded with demons and such. So my guardians and I’ll protect this island. Eventually we’ll have to leave the island, when Kali’s grown. We'll have to go out and destroy the rest of the beings who came to our world. I wouldn’t tell you this if I didn’t believe it. I want you to come with me.”
“You say we have some time right?”
“Yeah, but not a lot, my powers are unsteady and I don’t want to hurt any innocent people. Also, the guys have to get the island ready to hold so many people and for a long time. There’ll be no electric and stuff. Generators until the gas runs out, but we’ll have to use solar panels. I need you.”
“I want to bring my sister.”
“If she’s willing to come then she can. So can Michael. We won't have much room of course, mainly young people and children. More specifically people with talents, such as cooks and teachers and nurses.”
“She is taking courses to be a pediatrician.”
“Perfect. Can you convince her?”
“I don’t know maybe if she felt she had a choice. Like you are moving with him and want to open a clinic on the island and would like her to run it. She wouldn’t believe all this other stuff, though. We’d have to be careful she didn’t find out. Her boyfriend is a carpenter. He owns his own business. He can build anything from the ground up.”
“Fine you explain to them that they get to move there, and everything is paid for. So you believe me?”
“Could you show me something, anything?” she asked.
I could still feel the power inside me. It was asleep but there, easy to awaken. As much as I hated doing this she was right, it was a lot to go on with just faith.
“Follow me, Aries you too.”
I took them to my bathroom and handed Aries the water hose attached to my shower.
“Don’t touch me no matter what you see Raven.”
“Okay.”
I focused on the power and played with it. It was aware of me, and it wanted me to play with it. It was just like my magic. A part of me I had to learn to control. I called it to me; it jumped alive and surrendered itself to me. I could sense a life force to it, playful but deadly…
I rolled up some toilet paper and put it in the tub. I then held my hand out to it and focused on the paper. Flame erupted from the toilet paper and shot up to the ceiling. I shut it down and pushed it away. I couldn’t explain it any better. I didn’t want it anymore so I cut it off from myself. Pushed it back to where it came from. What I had released made me feel a little better. Like having too much magic and riding a high.
Raven stood there with a look of pure shock on her face.
“I believe you now Angel.” Of course she did.
I nodded and waited for Aries to put out the fire. I then cleaned up my mess.
Raven looked white as my porcelain tub.
“Aries there’s some liquor in my fridge. I think she needs a shot, or two.”
“Or four,” she whined.
I helped her to my bed, and we sat down.
“I'm sorry Raven.” I wanted to cry for her. She had been blind to the traumatic events that were to take place in the not so distant future. Something I wish I could still claim.
“It's not your fault, is it?” she asked, with her hands over her face and her head between her legs. She was on the verge of shock.
Aries was back with a small glass, filled halfway with Bleu Vodka. When I got the urge to drink it was for those unique brands, fruity or girly.
Raven took it, put it to her lips, and threw her head back, half of the liquor gone. Not two seconds later the glass was empty.
“I plan to tell Michael. Would you like to be here? I may need you to help me convince him.”
“Sure, I need to use your restroom first.” She was kind of pale but taking it pretty good. The fact that we were witches, and she had seen demons helped a lot I think. Breaking it to someone dumb of these facts would be hard. He would probably pass out or need proof then pass out.
Aries and I went back to the living room, closing my door. I called Michael and asked him to come by, use his key and come on up.
Aries went to the window and looked out.
I waited a few minutes before I walked over to him.
“You’re getting better with the flame thing.” Aries said looking down at me.
“I’m an original fire starter,” I replied. Hee hees.
“Yep.”
I stood behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. This felt right.
We stood like that for several minutes. Raven came out and helped herself to some more of my vodka mixing us both drinks.
“He’s here, love,” Aries said as he kissed my hand. I wanted to giggle, but things were really serious right now.
I went to the door, opened it and waited for him to climb the stairs.
He saw me and followed me back in, closing the door behind him. He saw Raven and Aries right away. He felt concerned for her. I realized he liked her, but not anywhere close to the way he did me. I had a bad feeling that Aries and Michael would eventually come to words or worse. Was it a vision, or just some weird kind of needless worry?
“What’s up?” he asked confused.
“I have some bad news.”
“You could say that again.” Raven said aloud but mainly to herself.
“You’re going to have some questions when I tell you this Michael, but I want you prepared anyway. I’m going to just spill it, and then you can ask whatever you want.” I went to the couch and sat as I told him this. Raven handed me my glass, and I gulped half of it down before I started.
“Okay.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I gave him the same version as Raven. He did not seem to digest it well.
“I can prove it, but I’m still working on my powers. The first time I used them I almost blew up Deaths Door. So take Ravens word for it, please. You’ll in time see me use them. Oh and the Undead ones are, in fact, undead; they are more or less vampires. Good vampires. They are my guardians.”
Michael looked at me like I was insane. At this time, the sun was setting so I expected the guys to show up anytime.
“I’ve seen you during the day.” Michael said doubtfully to Aries, still looking at me, though.
“I’m a day walker, maybe the only one of my kind. The band cannot go out in sunlight. We have faked pictures to make people assume. I’m over five hundred years old. I was born in 1477 and died when I was twenty five.” To make sure Michael bought this, Aries let his fangs drop.
“Touch them is you wish,” when he said this Aries let the years enter his voice, his eyes changed, and the air in the room seemed to disappear. It grew darker and colder. I shivered just realizing how much power my man had. He’d held back when he jumped Nate apparently.
Michael just nodded. That was proof enough for him. He was feeling a little anguished, and I wondered if it was because I had admitted my relationship, or learning about the end of the world, maybe both.
Raven handed Michael her drink.
“You’re going to need this,” she whispered to him reaching for his hand.
He simply took it and finished it off.
“That was the short version Raven got the long version,” I told him.
“Okay, say I believe you, when will all this happen?” He still seemed in surprise.
“In about a year,” Aries replied gently. He pulled me closer to him.
“So you two are like together? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Will we, um, all die?” he asked still looking only at me. Betrayal sliced through him hot and suddenly.
“No, we’re moving to Aries homeland, an island between Ireland and Gre
ece. We’re in the process of rebuilding the island so when Armageddon hits we’ll survive. Some things we’ll have to import but we will adapt and learn to live off the local resources, such as seafood,” Aries informed them.
“I like seafood. So you’re telling me because you want me to go?” he asked. His eyes were haunted.
“Yeah, there’s only room for a few hundred. By the time staff, workers and the island occupants are accounted for that leaves roughly fifty spots. The band, you, Raven, her sister and her boyfriend, and I and so on. The band gets to bring someone if they want. Is there someone you wish to bring?”
“No one would believe me, but how can I let them die? Are you sure one year?”
I nodded.
“Raven would you let the others know we won’t be patrolling tonight?” I asked her. It had been on my mind, but there were much more important things than hunting strange as that seemed.
“Patrolling?” Aries asked.
“We usually walk the streets at night looking for evil things,” Raven replied.
“Just you two? Alone?” Aries asked, shocked.
“Raven, I and two others from the coven. We’ve been doing it for over a year now. Of course, we’ve had some close calls, but that’s to be expected,” I told him.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for girls to walk alone at night.” Aries anger and protective side was showing.
“We kicked ass. Someone had to do it; we never saw you out there keeping this town safe. There were ten murders in four months’ time last year. Now it’s about average. We don’t catch everyone, which sucks, but we try!” Raven cried getting defensive.
“You won't have to go alone anymore,” was all he said to that, looking right at me. I huffed, but the point was moot now anyways. Aries and I would have issues later; he could count on that.
At that moment, there was knocking at my door. Aries was up and to the door and letting the band in before their third knock.
“Is it cool to update you?” Switch asked looking at Raven and Michael.