Mystic Zodiac Chapter 1

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The sky was clear, as the sun began to rise to wake the sleeping people.

High up in on one of the buildings in his penthouse a gorgeous man stood alone on his balcony of his penthouse looking out over the view as the sun rose into the sky. "Another day in this long life." his long black hair played in the gentle breeze that filled the air as he stood there in nothing but a pair of dark blue sleep pants. His eyes closed as he basked in the soft warmth of the sun that felt so good on his skin.

The warmth from the sun seemed to increase for a bit and then went back to normal. It was as if someone had been there, hugging him, and then had disappeared. The feeling sent his heart beating as if he has run a marathon three times over.

The man just basked in the feeling for a little bit before he turned and headed off inside to start his day wondering what he should do today.

"You certainly have caught someone's attention..." came a male voice from the balcony area.

A growl filled his throat as he turned to look behind him. "Who the hell are you and what the hell do you want with me?" he asked not recognizing the man.

The man that stood there had long white blond hair, and golden eyes like the sun. Having been around gods before, he knew that this man was a god, but was also not a god. That the man in front of him was the Sun itself. "Helios." the man spoke calmly.

The man got scared and dropped down to one knee in front of him "Sire I'm sorry I did not recognize you at first" he kept his gaze on the ground which ws customary to do in the presence of a god. "I am honored to have you here sire. Why is it you have come to visit someone as low as me?" he asked calmly not lifting his gaze. he was no longer worthy to look upon the gods and goddesses

"Stand up, and calm yourself..." Helios said walking toward him. "And please you can look at me, I will not bite..." Helios chuckled softly.

The man nervously stood to his feet and looked at the God Helios in all his glory. "I am sorry sire its just being fallen from heaven I am not used to visits from the gods" he said standing there holding his hands behind him.

Helios smiled gently at him. "Please, you do not need to be sorry, nor call me sire... Helios is my name, not sire..." Helios slowly started to walk over to him. "What is your name, angel?"

"Marek Sargon" He said holding his place even though everything inside of him was begging him to run. He hadn't had good experiences with the heavenly ones in a long time.

"It is a pleasure to met you, Marek Sargon," Helios said smiling. The sunlight from out side seem to follow him, lighting each of his steps. "Relax Marek, I will not harm you like I am sure that you have experienced from others....there are those that do not like what these gods or goddesses do to others for their own amusement."

Marek stood there confused as he watched the god with his rich golden eyes. he remembered the high council of gods had been the ones who had thrown him from heaven so he didn't understand why Helios was here telling him about this. He nodded in understanding to what Helios was saying. "Yes Helios" he had to choke down his need to call him sire. "I do understand what you are saying but it seems the ones that like to use others for their amusement out number the ones who don't" he said standing there trying not to sound angry.

Helios sighed, looking down, the light coming in seemed to lessen. The god looked back up at Marek. "There is much fear among the high council... there are more gods and goddess that fear and then side with the ones that use others like your self... return of the true high council.... the ones that use others fear their return and so strengthen their control through fear."

Marek nodded in understanding what he was talking about. He knew how many of the more powerful gods were the ones who enjoyed toying with people. they held great power in their lives so the lesser gods did fear their wrath. "I understand but, I don't mean to sound rude but, I still don't know what this has to do with me I am long gone from the courts of the heavenly ones yes I was teh Captain of the Angel Guard but I was thrown from Heaven's graces wtih no chance to be given to return." he said standing there watching Helios with Curiosity.

"I am calling you to be the captain of a new guard, a guard that will be important in the return of the true high council... and you as captain will also be given the duty of personal guard to the head of the high council..." Helios said, calmly but still with an air of sadness.

"You want me to what?" he asked, his eyes wide not believing what he was hearing, Captain of a new Guard for the heavenly beings, he didn't even know if he could bring himself to do it. "Why me though? just because I was the captain of the last guard?" he asked suspiciously. His years living earth bound had enhanced his suspicions alt on the world around him.

"No, not because of you having been the captain of the last guard..." Helios said, shaking his head. "It was a request on my part to you... along with being the lord of the Sun, I too am a guard, just as I am asking you to be, but only in a different sense... During your time, did you ever hear of the Council of Thirteen?"

Marek remembers hearing of a time before the high council of gods, of a time when the gods were teachers and guardians of twelve souls, beings that ranged from demi-gods to humans that were gifted by the universe itself with abilities and powers greater than the gods. He remembered hearing that during a great time of darkness that the twelve, without the thirteenth, for no one had been able to locate them, fought great evil. That many died during the battle or were killed by some unknown force. It was only rumored that the survivors still lived, searching for the thirteenth member of the council, the one that was to be their leader.

"I remember the stories of that time but I had thought they be nothing but Myth, Are you saying the souls have been found again?" he asked not believing what he was hearing.

"There are those that never died, and who now live their lives hidden among the mortals around us... very few know they are still around, and the ones that do know help in hidden them... I being one that does know..." Helios said. His golden eyes watched Marek. "Of the council of thirteen, only the twelve that were known had a god or a goddess as a teacher and guardian, and some gods had two in which that played those roles for.... I played this role for one of the souls..."

"I see" he walked over to the railing thinking about it all, he didn't know if he could go back to that life. Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine even if it was for the legendary thirteen. "I'll have to think about it Helios I'm not sure I can bring myself to return to the heavens as Captain of the Guard even if it is for the thirteen souls. just to many bad memories" he said softly as he gazed down at his wrists which carried nasty scars when he removed the magic that hid them

Hellios walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "She would not want you to be hurt...."

"Who is she?" he asked looking over his shoulder at Helios, he wouldn't think of any special woman in his life who wanted him safe and unharmed.

"The one I spoke of when I first appeared here and startled you..." Helios said. "The one you used my own rays of warm sunlight to embrace you..."

Marek had thought about it, he had never known why he had been feeling that warm caress in the morning light every time the sunrise was clear of clouds. He shook his head and raked his fingers through his hair. he didn't know though, he didn't know who it was who did that to him. He didn't know what he should be feeling what he should be thinking about it all. "You know who it is don't you?" he asked turning his head and looking at Helios with a glint of curiosity in his golden eyes.

Helios nodded. "The thirteenth...."

Marek stared at him unbelieving what he was saying. "Your saying the Thirteenth has been watching over me for the past year?" he asked remembering the first morning he had felt that warm embrace with the sun's warm rays. He had melted into the feeling, his knees had felt weak as he and fallen into that warm caress. "Why me?" he looked down at his hands not believing it.

"I do not know, only she knows...and I only know that it is a female, because I have seen the slight outline of such...." said Helios. "Now my friend, I would hope that you agree to what I have offered to you... "

Marek looked at him and thought about it all. "Alright I agree to help and serve the Thirteen" he especially wished to know the thirteenth soul and wondered if he would ever meet her in person.

"I am only a thought away, if you need of my assistance..." said Helios smiling at Marek. "May your day be a blessed one, Marek..." Helios then stepped into the sunlight that shown on the balcony, and disappeared.

Marek sighed. "What have I gotten into" he turned and headed off inside to start his day. he gently rubbed the back of his neck thinking about it all. His mind wandering on thoughts of who the woman could be.

He felt a caress on his cheek.

Marek jumped at the feeling but then his eyes fluttered close loving the gentle touch he had craved for so many years. His skin scarred from years under his goddess's service and never a gentle caress that felt as wonderful as this mysterious ghostly one. He snapped into reality trying to keep his head in the right place. "Wow what a morning" he said softly and headed off to his master bathroom to shower thinking about that woman wondering about what made her so interested in him.

Marek finished his shower.

He changed into a simple pair of jeans and a t shirt and walked off heading to his livingroom. He grabbed his laptop and sat on his couch and logged in gong through his schedule for that day. His life was pretty boring now a days since he had stopped making movies. "Damn it" he put his laptop on his coffee table and dug his fingers in his hair. His life had grown so boring over the years. He was rich and famous and yet he was alone. he put his head between his legs thinking he should just go back to bed for the day.

He head a ring come from his laptop, he had an e-mail.

Marek looked up and hit a few buttons to check his new E-mail. "Probably from my manager" he mumbled to himself as he clicked it looking at it.

The e-mail was inded for his manager, telling him that there was a big opportunity for some good publicity, involving the major company Epsilon Archer Inc. There was to be a photo-op, and even may be a commerial. Marek got the feeling that this was not something he wanted to miss.

His fingers whipped across the keys as he agreed to do it all and asking for all the information on it. He had been around when Epsilon Archer Inc., had been created and had never truely looked into what kinds of things the company did, it would be an interesting experience.

Marek received a quick e-mail back from his manager. He read that Epsilon Archer Inc. was a technology company that had connections to the development and the use of many devices like the most recent cell phone and mini laptop, as well as being behind the development of fast processors. His manager even suggested that Marek probable had a computer that had at least one thing developed by the company if not all of it's components. He read that Epsilon Archer Inc. had headquarters in Europe, Africa, and Asia, with a few even older than the one in Ashland. In fact the first Epsilon Archer Inc. Headquarters was in England, the CEO and Founder Matthew Brinsen home country.

Marek read through the information he needed to know about the company. Reading their background he was curious on why they wanted someone like himself for a photo op and maybe a commercial when their was so many other actors out there that were more in his opinion the Epsilon Archer Inc type of spokes person. "Hmmm what kind of thing do I wear to a major techonology company?" he mumbled to himself as he kept reading the information about the company and the plans for the day.

Another e-mail pinged in. This e-mail stated that Marek should wear what he wished, some thing he felt comfortable wearing for the commercial and photo-op. Also that the meeting was set for 11am if he was interested.

Marek thought about it, it was a good experience and he was interested in finding out why they wanted someone like him to be their spokesperson. He emailed back agreeing to go and that he would meet him at the E.A.I. building. He stood walking off to his bedroom to his huge walk in closet. Opening the door he looked in to see what choices he had, he wasnt 100% if he wanted to go fully comfortable himself or if he should go more business like. Thinking about it he decided to try to find a good median. He grabbed a pair of black leather pants; an item he was well known for. He threw on his nice pair of black leather boots that were hidden under the pants. While for a shirt he wore a beautiful deep sapphire blue button down shirt. around his neck he threw on a beautiful gold chain that had a wolf head pendent on it. In his ears he placed his diamond studs that glistened in the morning light. He grabbed a pair of his small lensed glasses and pulled his long luxorious black hair back into a loose ponytail running down his back. He placed diamond cufflinks in his sleeves and tucked his shirt into his pants. Looking at himself in the mirror hoping this would be alright. he walked over to his watch collection and picked out a nice simple black leather band watch. "alrighty then time for an interesting day" he said to himself as he looked himself over.

The clock in the apartment dinged 9 times.

"Alright I have enough time for food then I have to get out of here." he said to himself and quickly he went to his kitchen. With his magic he whipped up a beautiful meal and scarfed it down all in a half an hour then he left and headed off to make sure he got there in time. he threw on a long trench coat it was black with white piping giving it an elegant feel to it. the coat was light and he enjoyed wearing it. He headed to the private garage and hopped into his Ferrari and headed off. He threw on some music and thought about his day. it was turning out interesting. When he got there he was deffinantly goingt o have a few words with his manager.

When he arrived, Marek saw the pacing form of a slender woman, tall because of her heels, and dressed in a skirt business suit. Her long hair was pulled back in a semi bun, and her reading glasses sat on the bridge of her nose, her PDA in her hand, working away. It was his manager, Thorthia.

"Thorthia you can relax I'm here" he said walking up to her with his hands in his pockets his pitch black sunglasses covering his face. Walking to the door People did stop and glance at him but they didnt recognize him luckily enough because when people recognized him it didnt go well normally.

"I am glad the I was able to get you," Thorthia said, leading him inside, heading towards the elevator. When they both were in the elevator, and headin up to the top, Thorthia spoke to him while looking at her PDA. "I was surprised when I got an e-mail for Mr. Brinsen..."

"Speaking of which, I was curious on why Mr. Brinsen requested someone like me, I have done those Sci Fi movies but still I've never really had both feet in the work on Technology" he said looking down at her curiously. He never understood why she stayed so glued to that thing.

"I asked...." she said, still looking at her PDA. The elevator door opened. "He said that it was a request given to him by a family member who is a big fan of your's...." She stepped out of the elevator, and headed down the hall still looking down at her PDA.

A muscle in Marek's jaw ticked hearing that. So this was one of those meetings and sponserships, he had done it before. the rich man requesting the famous actor for a friend or a family member. He hated these things. He followed Thorthia down the hall. "Well from the information you sent me this should be interesting" he said as they walked side by side. He had gotten used to her PDA addiction, it was for the best some times so she wouldnt see his facial emotions when he let them out of his control sometimes. He was curious on what family member had requested him.

They walked up to the secretary's desk. "We have an appointment with Mr. Brinsen," said Thorthia looking up for the first time. "An 11am appointment."

The woman at the desk looked at a notebook on the desk. "Ah yes, but it appears that you are early, if you could take a seat.." She motioned towards some couches.

Thorthia went over and sat down, looking back at her PDA.

Marek sat on the armchair next to the couch lounging slightly and crossing those long gorgeous legs of his while steepling his fingers on his knee just letting his mind wander on thoughts of what was going to happen today.

Marek heard the ding of the elevator back down the hall, then with his supernatural hearing heard someone humming some music from one of his movies. Then he felt it. A pulling towards who ever was down the hall, he couldn't see from his seat, but he knew it felt similar to the feeling to the warmth that hugged him each morning.

He recognized the song as the theme from one of his best movies in his opinion, Cobra of the Sands. A romance of he who was an ancient persian prince who had taken the throne of his father's kingdom at a young age. His kingdom was at war with an ancient race of beings fighting to take their lands and their people as slaves. Fighting for his people he is captured by the enemy but is saved by a beautiful assasin after freeing the prince the story continues with his war over his kingdom and following his heart. Marek took a deep breath and calmed his heart as he didnt turn to look to see who it was. He just sat there waiting for his appointment with mister Brinsen trying to ignore this tugging feeling.

The humming continued just down the hall, it was as if who ever it was was being kept there, maybe being talked to, by someone else based on the mummuring sounds of someone else down the hall.

The door to Mr. Brinsen's office opened, to reveal a young man, maybe in his twenties with shoulder length black hair, and glasses standing in the doorway. He looked over at Marek, and smiled. "Ahh, Mr. Marek Sargon, it is a pleasure to meet you..." Mr. Brinsen said, walking over to him, and offering Marek his hand to shake. "I am Matthew Brinsen, CEO of Epsilon Archer...."

Marek stood and took his hand. "its an honor to meet you as well Mister Brinsen" he gave his hand a good shake with a professional smile. "Mister Brinsen this here is my Manager Miss Thorthia Ranger." he said moving out of the way so they could shake hands. ((didnt know her last name)) ((I like the last name ^_^ ))

Thorthia smiled at him, and shook his hand. "Pleasure..." she said.

Matthew nodded. "Now, Mr. Sargon, if you would like to come into my office, we can start talking about what our meeting is all about...."

"Daddy!" came the voice of a little girl. The sound of running down the hall followed the voice.

Matthew turned towards the voice, and smiled.

Marek felt the pull coming close to him fast.

Marek turned to look and his breath caught in his throat luckily without Matthew noticing. He took a deep breath to calm down the pounding rythym in his heart watching Matthew's daughter run up to them.

Around the corner, coming out of the hallway, came running a little eight year old girl. "Daddy!" she called again.

"Hello sweet heart..." Matthew said with a smile.

The little girl jumped into Matthew's waiting arms, and they hugged one another. Matthew pulled back, smiling at the girl. "Chy... daddy's working...and...."

The little girl interrupted her father, looking over at Marek with warm eyes, making Marek's heart jump. "You got him, daddy.... I told you he'd come...he's the best...."

Matthew looked at Marek. "My daughter Chyrosa.... she has been watching your films non-stop.... she is the one that asked me to contact you about working with us here....."

Marek smiled at the little girl that pounding in his heart dulled to a soft hum. "Its an honor to meet you little one" he smiled at her. "I always love to meet a fan" he said and patted the top of her little head.

The warmth from that morning spread through into his hand as he patted Chyrosa. She smiled at him. Looking at her father, who was setting her back down on the ground, Chyrosa asked, "Daddy....can I be the one to tell him...? Please because it was my idea...."

Matthew smiled and nodded. "Go into the office, sweet heart...and tell him there.... I'll speak with Ms. Ranger...."

Chyrosa took Marek's hand, and pulled him into the office. More warmth went into him.

Marek blushed softly walking off with her into her father's office. "So what is it you need to tell me little one?" he asked curiously.

Chyrosa went over to the door, closing it. She turned back to face him. "It is good to see you again, Marek..." the little girl said with a warm smile.

"Excuse me?" he asked confused standing there looking down at her. "see me again Miss Brinsen?"

The little girl came to stand infront of him. She smiled up at him. "Every morning since I found you in the city.... I have given you a warm hug...."

Marek went wide eyed and blushed. "thats you?" he put his hand over his mouth blushing. Helios had said a woman, Marek had sorta hoped a woman, maybe serving under her would help heal his wounds but this little girl was the thirteenth soul. The one who he had felt those warm wonderful hugs those gentle curesses of fingers across his skin had been her. He turned a deeper scarlet across his face and took a step back from her.

Chyrosa looked down at herself. "Oh...." she whispered. She looked back up at him, walking closer to him. "I'm sorry... I forgot...." A warm light consumed Chyrosa's body, and when it was gone, a beautiful woman of about nineteen stood there in front of him. The pull he had for her increased greatly.

Marek turned a deeper red across his face but now it was from how beautiful the woman was infront of him. He could feel his heart raceing one hundred miles a minute he didnt know what he should do he stood their frozen in place unable to move his hand still over his mouth covering his blushing face.

Chyrosa giggled. "I'm sorry, I had forgoten about my appearance before...."

"I'm I'm sorry I'm just at a loss of words.." he blushed putting his hands at his sides. He couldnt help but let his eyes travel over her. He was a man after all and she had an aura of such kindness and sweetness. He didnt feel worthy to stand there gazing at her.

"I'm glad that I had spoken to my father about you being the spokesperson... so that I could give you a really hug...." she said softly, and gave him a long hug.

Marek had to do everything in his power to keep from melting in her arms. He nervously hugged her back. "I'm surprised you called me to be your company's spokesperson I really do not have a foot in the technology industry" he said hugging her back while regaining his composer.

Chyrosa smiled up at him, arms still around him. "It'll be like your movies...." she said softly. "Plus I had wished to see you in person.... and for all appearances I am an eight year girl.... especially because of my father's appearance.... other wise it's wierd....very weird...."

"Of course, I promise to keep your secret." he didnt make mention of the fact that she had wanted to see him in person, his blushing cheeks told her everything. "So what is it I'll be doing for you just some commercials?" he asked standing there looking down at her surprised she was still hugging him like this.

Chyrosa back up. "Yes... it's all been worked out so it won't be too hard.... and then you and I, and maybe my father can all talk...."

"Sounds good to me Miss" he said giving a small bow of his head to her trying to stay professional and trying to slow down his pounding heart not knowing why it was doing that.

"It's just Chyrosa, Marek...." she said, watching him with a smile. "And thank you for doing this for the company before we actually get down to some business..."

"Your very welcome I'm glad to be of help" he smiled at her and stood there nervous not knowing what else to do or say to her.

The same warm light covered Chyrosa again as she smiled at him. She was once again a child. "Thank you..." she said, and run to the door, opening it. "Daddy...we're ready..."

Marek saw Matthew turn towards the door, and smile. "I'm glad...." he said, then he looked over at Marek. The look on Matthew's face was one of a protective father, but then it soften, and he smiled. "Very good... and the commercial is going to be filmed just down the hall, as will the photo-op..."

Marek followed Chyrosa out the door. "Of course Mr. Brinsen" he said as he walked out behind her. "Sir if I may ask, whats the content of the commercial going to be so I have a general idea." he asked curiously as he walked up to Matthew and Thorthia.

"Again, just Matthew..." Matthew said. "And the commercial is just about how you are like everyone else... don't worry, you'll do fine...." Matthew lead the group down the hall to a side room, and opened the door. Inside there was a whole film crew and set, the set being that of a normal apartment.

"You'll do fine," said Chyrosa in a whisper so only Marek could hear. "You are truly a gifted angel...."

Marek blushed hearing her say that and gave a little nod. He then calmed down going into his element of the film studio. Walking over to the table he found a script and looked it over it was a simple script on how even a man like him used things in his every day life built by the Epsilon Archer Inc. "I like the script it will deffinantly connect with the people I think" he said as he read through all the directions.

Matthew nodded and smiled. "Marek... you are given the room to added your own personality to the commercial as well..."

Marek smiled and gave Matthew a small nod. "Of course" he pulled out a chair and sat down mumbling to himself the lines quickly memorizing them.

"We are ready for you..." said the director.

Marek held up a finger as he went through the last page then tossed it on the table and stood walking over onto the set. he took his place at the desk on set and lounged in his chair in a friendly way looking like he had been working at his computer.

"Action!" The lights were on Marek and the cameras were rolling.

Marek turned from looking at the computer towards the computer as he pulled off his glasses. "This life of ours is filled with many wonders of technology, if you think of our world twenty years ago we were just barely stepping foot into the future. But now we drive fast cars, are able to speak to each other anywhere with cellphones." he picked up a cellphone looking at it when he spoke of it then looked back at the camera as he put it down standing up. "We are able to enjoy amazing shows on television, sharing stories of life weather real or make believe through movies, the news and tv shows. Cameras to capture the magic of these stories for the world to see. But thats only things for ourselves think of the technologies used to keep us safe. Every day people get sick and are born into this world, in hospitals with top of the line equipment we are able to keep our lives going longer to enjoy each sweet morning as it came." he said as he walked across the floor keeping his eyes on the camera. "Epsilon Archer Incorporated is a company for the people trying to make your lives and mine better for every day. To make our dreams into a reality. So next time your calling your friend on your cell or driving that fast car think that some part of that could be a peice of technology made from the Epsilon Archer company. a company trying to bring the future to you." Marek said in that honey slick voice of his that was beautiful. ((best I could come up with))

"Cut and Print!" shouted the director. "That is what I call a One take Wonder," he said.

"That was great, Marek," said Matthew walking over to him.

"I loved it!" shouted Chyrosa.

"Good I'm so glad you liked it I made sure to give it my best" he smiled at them as he walked over to them. "now onto the photoshoot right?" he asked curiously remembering that was the other reason he was here.

Matthew nodded, pointing over to a photo set. "It's simple..."

Marek found that the photo shot was over before he knew it, and was not being lead by the hand by Chyrosa back to her father's office, with Matthew and Thorthia in tow.

"You did great," Chyrosa said, smiling.

Marek chuckled and smiled down at Chyrosa. "Thank you I'm deffinantly glad to hear that" he said with a smile looking down at her as he held her hand. since he was so tall he had to bend over a tiny bit while he held her hand and walked with her.

Once they were all in Matthew's office, Matthew motioned for them to all take a seat. Matthew, of course, sat down in his office chair behind his desk. Thorthia sat down in one of two chairs sitting in front of Matthew's desk, she crossed her legs, her PDA nowhere in sight. Chyrosa took to standing near her father.

Marek sat in the other chair and crossed his long sexy legs semi loungeing in his seat with his fingers steepled on his knee as he watched and waited for whatever else was to happen that day.

Thorthia looked over at Marek, and then at Matthew. "Shall we begin, with the real reason you called for me to bring Marek here, Epsilon..." Thorthia said.

Matthew nodded. "Yes, we shall..."

Marek cocked an eyebrow confused but he sat there silently listening, curious on what Thorthia and Matthew were up to.

Matthew looked at Marek, with a look of seriousness. "I am glad that you will be able to help us in our mission..." Matthew had a look of someone that had seen as much, if not more of the world andthe worlds that hide in it.

Marek was confused "wait what?" he remembered that morning with Helios and that conversation. "Yes I'll do whatever I can to serve the thirteen, Im not the warrior I used to be so long ago but I will do what I can to serve" he said looking at Matthew curious if he to was one of the thirteen.

"Thank you...for agreeing to be a guard, the Captain of the Guard...." said Matthew. "There are very few of us left, and I and the others that have been around since the time of the great battle that killed some of our numbers...."

Thorthia nodded. "I remember my father was there recording everything, and I was at his side...."

"It was before my time when the great battle happened so I do not know of what had happened but I will do my best in order to help and serve you and the others well" he gently bowed his head. "I remember hearing stories though about the thirteen and life under their rule and I hope that you all will be able to bring peace to this world." he didnt lift his gaze from the floor as his mind wondered to memories of his mistress. She was one among the many gods who enjoyed war and chaos in life. It was that sick fantasy of hers that caused them to turn him from Captain of the gaurd to nothing more then a mere playtoy. he looked up at Matthew and Chyrosa he unconciously rubbed his left wrist with his right hand. "I will serve to the best of my abilities and protect you and the others with my life" he said to them in a deep stoic but sincere voice.

Matthew smiled gentle, but sadly at Marek. "You heard tell of the thirteen, but it was the twelve's journey to find the thirteenth that is the greatest..." he said, with a sigh. "It is our hope that us those that remember locate the reincarnations of the others, that we are able to locate the thirteenth...."

Chyrosa gave Marek a look of 'Do not reveal me, please...it is not time...'

Matthew looked down at Marek's unconscious rubbing. "And you do not have to worry about I, Thorthia, or any other that are friends or Zodiac harming you...."

Thorthia nodded. "When I read my father's recording of it, and spoke with Helios... I decided to assist you..."

Marek blushed and put his hands at his sides realzing what he had been doing and gave a soft nod that was mainly just for Chyrosa. "I see then how interesting." Thorthia had been his manager for many many years, he was curious on how long she had been planning this. "Well please if you need my services just call, Throthia is the only person who can get ahold of me twenty four seven so if you really need me just find her and she can find me."

"Marek," said Thorthia. "I know that this really probably doesn't really mean much now, but of the gods of Egypt, my father.... Thoth was on your side.... as was I...."

Marek looked at her curiously. "Thank you Thorthia it is an honor to know." he stood up from his seat and straightened his shirt. "I must be going now I have some personal matters to attend to this afternoon." He really didnt but he needed to get out of there as fast as he could he needed time to think about all of this. "As I said if you need me just call" he went over and held his hand out to Matthew. "it was an honor to meet you and your daughter."

"She's not my daughter, she is the daughter of yet another of the Zodiac... a friend of mine's...." said Matthew. "And if you personal need any thing....we will help as best as we can...."

Marek nodded. "yes of course thank you, I hope you all have a good day now" he looked at Chyrosa. "It was an honor to meet you as well." and with that he turned and headed out, just needing some air and needing to go home. he picked up his coat off of the chair as he walked and held it in his arm as he left the office.

Marek was just getting into the elevator when he was grabbed low on his waist. "Can I come with you?" came Chyrosa's voice.

"I don't think that would be a good idea shouldn't you stay here with your 'dad'?" he asked turning and looking at the little girl standing there behind him. People would think it was weird he was taking a little girl home and he didnt think she would turn into her olderself to come with him. 

Chyrosa giggled. The secretary looked down the hall at them. "Chyrosa, you heading out again? Do becareful..."

Chyrosa looked back at her. "I will, tell daddy that I'm leaving..." She waved as the elevator doors close. Just as the door shut, the warm light from before surrounded the little girl. Chyrosa was back to her real age. She smiled up at him. "I'm a grown woman after all... plus I want to get to know you more...."

Marek blushed looking down at her standing there with him, she was a beautiful woman. "Alright if you really want to then its alright." he said nervous to be left alone with her. he stood there in silence as the elevator went down.

When the elevator doors opened up again, Chyrosa took Marek's hand and walked out the building with him. "What's on your mind, besides me with fake father, my age changing..." She looked up at him, with a smile.

Marek blushed holding her hand as they walked off towards his car. "Its just taking it all in is all, this is alot for one broken man to take in." he said as he slid his sunglasses on.

"I don't see a broken man... I see someone that knows what it is like to be hurt, and won't let that happen to anybody else..." she said, and squeezed his hand. "My father is glad that you choose to be the Captain of Guard for the Zodiac... and if he knew who I was, he would be even prouder, but no one can know....not yet..." She was looking towards his car as she said that. "Wow... You have a really nice car, Marek...."

"thank you thats sweet of you about not seeing a broken man, and thank you for the compliment about my car nice cars come with the territory when your a big movie star like my self" he chuckled and went around to the passanger side of the car opening the door for her.

Chyrosa smiled, and got into the car. "Thank you..."

He closed the door and got into his side. "I was just going to go home by the way so if you want we could go somewhere." he felt bad admitting he had just been trying to get out of that office and away from everything but she was here now and he didnt want to seem like a creepy dude taking her to his place even though they barely knew one another.

"How about the park?" she asked.

"The park sounds nice, but is it ok if we run back to my place first real quick I want to change into something a little less noticable" he said glancing at his leather pants and sapphire blue dress shirt as he drove along.

"Sure..." Chyrosa giggled.

Marek smiled and they drove off to his place. It wasnt long when they got there and parked in his private parking garage. She saw a bunch of beautiful sports cars and a couple of motorcycles. He lead her off to his private elevator that went straight to his pent house. "go ahead and make yourself at home I'll be back in just a minute" he tossed his coat on the couch and walked off to his bedroom to change.

Chyrosa smiled, and sat down on a couch, looking around the apartment. She then looked out the window. She stood up and walked over to the balcony, and just stood there in the sunlight, eyes closed, head tilted towards the sun.

It was a few minutes later when he came and stood in the door way to the balcony watching her. he stood there in a pair of darkwash jeans with a black t shirt that hugged his toned body. he had his hair stuffed up into sleek black baseball cap. "And to think thats were you've hugged me for the past year" he said with a smile watching her.

Chyrosa turned, and smiled at him. "I was just saying hi to daddy... he says that he'll be watching over us...." She giggled.

"Daddy?" he looked at her then looked at the sun. His eyes went wide for a moment. "you mean?" he blushed figuring it out.

Chyrosa laughed. "I mean what?"

"helios is your father?" he asked not beliving what he was hearing as he slid on his sunglasses. When he did she figured out why he was wearing the hat with his hair up in it. he was hiding his identity for when they would go to the park together.

Chyrosa came over to him. "Nope.... not at all.... though I'll have to tell Helios what you thought...." she said, taking his hand, walking with him out of the apartment.

"Sorry its just when you said, I'm saying hi to my dad and that he's watching over us and you were standing in the sunlight I just thought" he blushed as he grabbed his keys again leaving the apartment with her as they headed off downstairs to his private garage.

Chyrosa giggled as she walked with him. "I understand.... but Epsilon, Matthew... Epsilon was Matthew's name before he went into hiding after the many death of the Zodiac...Epsilon said that my father was also a Zodiac.... Helios is far being my father, besides being my Godfather..." She giggled again.

"Oh I understand now" he said looking down at her from behind his sunglasses as they got back into the elevator and began to ride it down.

"I'm sure you'd like him," said Chyrosa as the elevator doors opened again, and she walked out. "I just know it..."

"Well if he is anything like you then I know I would." he smiled down at her as they headed out into his garage. "So my lady which of my cars would you like to take?" he said letting her lead the way.

Chyrosa smiled warmly at him, and after being with her for a while Marek thought she looked like someone. Someone he knew centuries ago. "How about that..." she said, pointing at a motorcycle.

"Oh, well if you want to ride that I have to go back upstairs for the helmets unfortuantely." he said surprised that she wanted to ride his motorcycle.

"You mean these..?"

"Where the?" he was confused on where she had found his helmets.

Chyrosa smiled, handing him a helmet. "I can do things, just like you can, you know..." She put on her helmet.

He grabbed the helmet and pulled off his hat. he slid on his helmet and climbed onto the motorcycle. "here take this." he handed her his hat to hold for him then sat there waiting for her to climb on.

Chyrosa took the hat, and climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Ready..."

Marek turned red blushing at the feeling of his arms around her waist. he started the engine and they headed off together. He loved the feeling of having her with him like this. he didnt know why but he felt happier then he had been in years.

Marek felt her lean against him more. It wasn't long before he saw the park coming into view.

Marek found a great parking spot and parked his bike. Climbing off he pulled off his helmet then threw on his hat again stuffing his hair back up into his hat helping hide his identity. "Have fun riding?" he asked curiously helping her off the bike.

Chyrosa pulled of the helmet. "Oh yes I did.... that was great... like riding Pegasus.... wild and free..." Marek remembered the Pegasus. Remembered how while it was, but only knowing of one that could ride, and also knowing from that person's stories, there were others that could. The person he knew that could ride the Pegasus was Regulus, his teacher and mentor, in the sword and manners.

Marek was shocked hearing her say that but didnt make mention to how much hearing that shook him. "Pegasus was a gorgeous animal, he only let certain people ride him and unfortunately I wasnt one of them." he said looking down at her.

"I'm sure you could be...." she said with a smile, walking with him away from the bike, heading out into an open area, that was on top of a small hill.

"its always beautiful here" he said gazing over the landscape of the park. that was one thing he didnt like about being deep inside the city, it was because he really didnt get to be fully around nature here. But in the park he felt at peace especially with Chyrosa at his side.

"Yes, it's wonderful..." Chyrosa said. "The trees, flowers...everything is in bloom..."

"A wondeful time of year indeed" he said as they walked along together down the cobblestone path that wove throughout the park. He was nervous he didnt know what to say to her.

"You think so, do you?" came a voice behind them.

Chyrose turned around with Marek. There behind them was what they could asume was a man, the figure's shape under the hooded cloak was too broad to be female.

Marek's hair on the back of his neck stood up on end. "Who are you and what do you want with us?" he growled out and gently pushed Chyrosa behind him. behing the sheild between her and this mysterious man.

"...You don't recognize my voice, Marek Sargon..." the figure said. There was something similar, but he just couldn't place it, it was like a ghost from the past.

Chyrosa moved from behind Marek, smiling at the cloaked man.

Marek stood there confused for a moment then thought about it. "Abmisleo?" he asked not believing it. Images of his mentor standing by the gods that night he had been humiliated, the night that had truly broken his faith in the gods and goddesses above the begining of his downfall amongst the heavens.

The cloaked figure removed his hood. Abmisleo stood there, his golden brown hair and eyes staring at Marek and Chyrosa. "I am glad that you are safe," he said, walking over to them. Abmisleo kneeled infront of Marek, and said, "Please forgive me... I hated what the gods did to you... the humiliation... I wanted to kill each and every one of them that was truly against you..."

Marek held back his need to lash out at his teacher especially in the presence of Chyrosa. He snorted not believing him. "right of course Abmisleo" he remembered Abmisleo not moving just sitting there watching him as his mistress's whip cracked across his skin whipping it open and open again.

"...you wanted to kill those who hurt him.... who you believe also had a part to play in the deaths of those who were Zodiacs.... kill those who you believe even had a hand to play in the deaths of even some gods and goddesses, and loved ones, and children...." came Chyrosa's voice from before Marek. Her eyes were watching Abmisleo, her eyes watched him in a gentle way.

"Why are you here Abmisleo? its been almost seven hundred years since my time in the heavens." Marek said in a hard tone of voice keeping it flat in emotion but they knew it was laced with anger.

Abmisleo stood up looking at Marek with sorrow filled eyes, eyes that if it had not been for the color were just like... "I am here for you forgiveness... You had gained my trust... but I seem to have lost your's in not standing up for you.... It would have been my death if I had... and I did not wish to leave my child without a father.... my child had already lost a mother... lost a mother to that self proclaimed ruler of the Gods... I had trained you in hopes that you would join me and others in fighting their madness on the world..."

"I understand you protected yourself so your child wouldnt be left alone what sickens me is that you stood there and watched" He remembered his men how they had fought to try and free him and how they had all laid down their lives trying to save his. Marek snarled and spun around on his heel walking off to be alone. He just wanted to be left alone all of this in one day, he thought maybe; he could have a relaxing afternoon with Chyrosa but no he couldnt. As soon as he got the chance he was taking her back to the Epsilon building then turning his back. That wasnt his life anymore and he didnt know why he had agreed to join them in the first place. 

Running foot step were heard behind him. Chyrosa had run after him. "Marek... give him a chance..." said Chyrosa softly walking beside him.

"Enjoy your walk out in the park my lady, once your done I'll will be returning you home." he said in a flat tone looking at her over his shoulder just a glance. He wasnt going to talk about Abmisleo. His mind was made up on him, his teacher was no longer a part of his life and would not get his forgiveness and would no longer speak of him or that night not to Chyrosa not to anyone.

Chyrosa looked down sadly. "He left, Marek..." she said softly. "I'm sorry that he upset you... he didn't want to do that..." Chyrosa stopped walking, her head bowed down.

"He shouldnt have shown his face to me then" he mumbled to himself as he stopped walking with his back still to her. "Tell me when your ready to go home and I'll take you" he said looking over his shoulder at her. He really was not enjoying his day today.

"I hurt you.... I...just wanted... I..." Chyrosa muttered, still looking down. "I should just go...."

"Its alright, you didnt know, you don't know my past well so you did what you thought was right." he said looking down at her with soft eyes. He walked over and pulled her in a hug against her chest. "Really its ok." he said softly trying to make her pain go away.

Chyrosa wrapped her arms around him, holding on tight. "He was always hurting himself.....for not.... helping...and then I find you.....and....." Chyrosa's voice was soft.

"I know you only meant for the best, but not all problems can be fixed in a day I am sorry to say." he said softly stroking her hair as he held her close. "Just give it time and if we are able to repair our friendship we once had then we will but it will not be fixed in a day." he said softly to her curessing her hair as he hugged her tight. "Now lets let the pain go away for now and let me buy you an icecream alright?" he asked with a smile.

Chyrosa nodded. "Okay..."

Marek put his hand on her back and lead her off where he knew their was an ice cream stall. a little later the two of them sat together on the grass eating their icecream. He sat there licking his vanilia icecream hoping she was feeling a little bit better.

"Thanks for the icecream, Marek..." she said softly. "And I know you don't want to talk about it...but please listen to me when I say... that what I had said.... continueing what he wished to said... it was true...."

"Chyrosa please; I really do not wish to speak of it" he said popping the rest of the cone in his mouth and crunching it. He really just wanted to let the past go and yet she kept bringing it up.

"I'm sorry...." she whispered. Then in a more cheerful tone, she said, "You're it..." Chyrosa ran off laughing.

Marek blinked realzing what had happened and got up taking off after her through the trees.

Chyrosa went behind a tree to hide.

Marek closed his eyes he let his magic leech out amongst the forest of the park. He suddenly found that familiar spark. he smiled and took off in her direction sliding around the tree and grabbed her into his arms hugging her. "Gottcha." he said holding her tight.

Chyrosa let out a sound in surprise. "AAhhh!" She started to laugh.

Marek laughed with her, she was really cute and beautiful when she laughed.

"What do you want to do now, Marek?" Chyrosa asked, not moving from his arms. "We could go have lunch... or something?" She laughed as her stomach made a noise in agreement with her.

Marek pulled his arms from around her and smiled down at her "really its your choice princess, whatever you want to do I'm happy with." he said looking down at her from behind his dark sunglasses.

"Okay... there's this place," she started smiling up at him. "Great food... it's in the downtown area... but we don't have to go... you want not to be seen out.... and about..."

"Being who I am its just not normally a good thing because I'm telling you now you do not want to know what happens when teenage girls see me" he shivered remembering the last time a group of his teenage fan base had found him out and about, he went home half naked after they had gotten ahold of him. "But if you really want to go then we can. I just can take this off" he pointed to his hat. "usualy that throws people off enough where they don't realize its me."

Chyrosa smiled. "You can't take this off..." She lifted up her hand, revealing his hat. Marek just realized that his hair was brushing against his neck. A wind blow through, and he caught sight of silvery-gold blond strans of hair.

Marek went wide eyed staring at the hat then pulled his long hair infront of his eyes seeing his hair wasnt black. "What in the?' he stared. "what but when?.." he was stunned.

"Remember the helmets earlier...?" She asked smiling. "And the hair... and eyes... are an illusion I was able to do on you... and as long as I'm near, it will not fade..."

"You are one sneaky sneaky woman" he said with a smile gazing down at her as he pulled off his sunglasses to look down at her so she was able to look into his eyes. "well then in that case why don't we go and enjoy that place of yours that you mentioned." he said putting his arm around her shoulders and headed off in the direction of where the bike was.

"I'm not really sneaky... you just didn't see me..." she said leaning against him as they walked.

Marek smiled, he liked having her against him like this, the feel of her so close felt like heaven to his cold soul. "Thats what being sneaky is." he said and playfully tapped her nose with his free hand as they walked together.

Chyrosa laughed. "Not the way I did it..." Chyrosa leaned closer, and said, "Do you always see sunlight or the moon at nightto know it's there? I could have been invisible..." She giggled.

Marek got the feeling that he'd heard a phrase like that in the past.

Marek blushed slightly especially as she leaned in closer to him, he was loving the feeling of having her like that against him. "you do have a very good point."

“I know I do…” Chyrosa said smiling. “I grew up with those words of wisdom I’d just given you…”

"They are deffinantly very wise words indeed." he smiled looking ahead as they walked together in a way a couple would. Marek blushed realizing it but kept walking with her like that, he liked the feeling of walking with her snuggled up against him his arm around her shoulders. it would make it better if his arm was around his waist. he liked being with her like this it eased some of the pain in his heart.

They got to Marek's motorcycle. "Ready?" she asked as she put on her helmet, ready to jump on the bike. "The place is called 'Sunny Nights Oriental Cruisine'..."

"Alright" he put on his Helmet. "Directions as well or am I supposed to just drive around the city" he asked playfully as he strattled his bike.

"It's downtown... not hard to find... just look for a big sign that has a sun and a moon overlapping each other...." Chyrosa said, getting on behind him, her arms wrapping around his waist.

"Alright will do" Marek turned on the bike and pulled out onto the road and headed off. Like she had said it wasnt that hard to find the place. He found a parking spot near the restraunt. He let her get off before him and then climbed off the motorcycle following her. "you were right not hard to find at all" he smiled at her.

"I know..." Chyrosa said with a smile. "A family owns this restaurant... and their twins have been given the pleasure of running it..."

"What kind of food do they serve?" he asked curiously as they walked towards the restraunt together.

Chyrosa pointed up at the sign, giggling. 'Sunny Night Oriental Cruisine' was written in both English and Chinese under the Sun and Moon.

"Well deffinantly sounds good I havent had anything Oriental really in a few weeks" he smiled and chuckled and shyly wrapped his arm around her shoulders again as they headed off inside. he liked walking with her like that he didnt know if that was ok with her but she hadnt pulled away or anything like that so he didnt think she minded.

Chyrosa put an arm around his waist, hugging him as they walked. A hostess greeted them and then showed them to a table, before heading back to her station. "I really like this place..." Chyrosa said as she sat down.

"It deffinantly has a very nice atmosphere to it" he said looking around the place as he took his seat as well on the other side of the table. He got a lingering feeling in the back of his head wondering if she took dates here. The thought of another man being with her made something inside of him tingle with jealousy not likeing the thought of any other man being with her like that. He stomped that feeling down though, she wasnt his so he wasnt aloud to get jealous over her. Especially since she was the thirteenth Zodiac she deserved someone better then him for a relationship.

"It is..." Chyrosa agreed. "My father...my real father and I come here every so often.... Epsilon... Matthew has even brought me here while I was looking like.... you know... an eight year old... This is the first time I've come here with anyone that..." Chyrosa looked down, a blush on her cheeks.

Marek's heart fluttered hearing her say that. "Well I feel honored to be the first then" he smiled at her before looking down at the menu to check it out.

Chyrosa smiled at him, blushing.

A short haired blonde came over. "What can I get you two to drink?" she asked.

"Tea, please... ice tea..." said Chyrosa.

"I'll have what she's having" he said looking up at the waitress.

"Alright, be back in a minute..." she said. "Oh... by the way, I'm Rasu..." She then ran off.

Marek got a strange feeling from her, one similar to that of Helios.

"Rasu's really nice...as is her brother Yomi, they're the twins I mentioned..." said Chyrosa.

"oh well thats good, Rasu seems nice and I can't wait to taste their food it smells divine in here." he said sitting there watching her with a smile.

Rasu came back with their drinks. "There you are... can I get you anything to eat?"

"Yes....wong tong soup please," said Chyrosa.

Marek saw someone else that looked like Rasu. He got the feeling that difinitey, they were like Helios.

"I'll have the chicken chow mein please" he said with a smile and a nod.

"Alrighty, be back with your food..." said Rasu, and she walked into the back, followed by the look a like.

In a soft voice, Chyrosa asked, "So you have been around a long time....? I'm surprised that I hadn't felt you til a year ago...."

"I've only been here for about three years, I've been traveling the world for years even before I became." he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "The famous Marek Sargon" he whispered very softly to her before leaning back in his seat watching her.

Chyrosa whispered back. "I found you because of you becoming famous....I mean before...

Marek cocked an eyebrow watching her curiously. He had been a movie star for the past almost full fifteen years he was confused by what she meant.

"Why are you confused?" asked Chyrosa in ancient Greek, the form of Greek that wasn't used anymore, but here Chyrosa was speaking ancient Greek.

Marek raised both eyebrows watching her. "how long have you known of me?" she looked no more then 19 years old but he was getting a feeling she was so much older.

"I've known of you since before you became a knight of heaven..." Chyrosa whispered, looking down knowing what may happen now.

"If you've known of me that long you are a very rare woman indeed" he said looking at her with caring eyes. He felt special that someone like her knew of him especially for so long.

"I grew up hearing of you..." she said, looking at him. There was a sparkle of gold in her eyes, and then it was gone, and she was looking at something behind him.

"Here's you food, sir.... miss..." Food was sat on the table infront of them.

"Thank you..." said Chyrosa.

Marek gave a nod of his head. "thank you" He said to the waiter then got to eating. "Mmm yum this is really good" he said in an adorable way.

"Thanks Yomi..." Chyrosa said. Yomi smiled and left. "You're right this is good," she said after taking a bite.

A thought went though Marek's head about the familarity of the gold sparkle.

But Marek pushed it back, it was a lingering memory in his mind as he enjoyed his food.

"More tea, sir knight..." asked Rasu as she came up.

Marek jumped from the sir knight comment and looked at her. "yes if you would please" he said giving a nod of his head remembering what Chyrosa had said about the twins.

Rasu looked around, then down at Marek as she poured him more tea. "Why are you jumpy...?" she asked him. "Angel." she said in more of a whisper.

"Sorry just not used to people calling me that lately since I havent been either of those in a long time" he whispered back to her.

"Yes... well... there aren't many thing you can hide...." said Rasu.

"From the gods..." continued Yomi coming up.

Marek looked at them taking them in; he glanced over at Chyrosa then back at the twins, no wonder why she wanted to bring him here. "May I ask which of the gods you are? I do not recognize you of the old Pantheon" he said in old greek as he watched them with much intrest.

Rasu and Yomi cocked their heads and looked at Chyrosa. Chyrosa giggled. "They don't know what you said..." she said. "Do you know ancient Japanese? That might help you determine their pantheon..."

"its been awhile let me see." he thought about it then spoke in perfect ancient Japanese. "If you don't mind me asking which of the gods are you? I do not recognize you from the courts of the heavens." he said to them.

Rasu and Yomi laughed in at the same time. "We were killed but have been reborn...." replied Rasu in acient Japaese.

Yomi smiled, continueing, "We were and are of the court of heaven..."

"I am Amaterasu... the Sun Goddess..." said Rasu.

"I am Tsukuyomi... the Moon God..."

"The Sibling Gods of Japan..." they finished together.

"It is truely an honor my lord and lady" Marek said bowing his head to the two of them.

Chyrosa giggled, as did Rasu and Yomi. "You are funny Marek," Chyrosa said. "Rasu and Yomi here only remember ruling as such... they were killed and have been reborn just like many of the Zodiac.... They believe they can not take their place while the one that caused their death is out there and could kill them again."

"Its deffinantly understandable." Marek said in a cool collected tone of voice.

Rasu and Yomi went off to do their work, and Chyrosa looked at Marek with a cocked head. "Marek... why do you have strange tone in your voice?" she asked curiously.

"I'm always uncomfortable around gods and goddesses" he spoke the last part in ancient greek. "just another odity of me." he said with a soft smile.

Chyrosa nodded. "What about around me?"

"I don't know why but around you I feel really just comfortable and at ease" he said with a smile before eating some more.

She nodded. "I'm sorry if my friends made you uncomfortable.... I didn't want that to happened..."

"its ok really, after what happened to me I'm jumpy around any of the great ones." he said sitting there. "over time I'll get comfortable around your friends probably, but Chyrosa I'm not going to heal in an instant its going to take me a long time to heal after what happened while I was there" he pointed up for a moment before grabbing his ice tea and taking a drink.

"I didn't except you to...Marek... I'm here for you...."

Marek smiled a warm and caring gaze. "thank you that means alot to me" he said watching her with those warm eyes of his that held something to him. His heart pounded as he watched her but he would not act on anything of this kind of feeling. He ate some more of his meal enjoying his lunch with her.

Chyrosa smiled back at him, her eyes gaining a rich golden tint to them. "You're wonderful, Marek..."

"Not as wonderful as you My lady" he smiled at her, still not knowing where he recognized that rich golden tint of her eyes.

Chyrosa giggled. "You don't have to call me 'My Lady'... but thank you..." she said. "You're so polite and kind.... just like a knight should be..." She smiled. The 'just like a knight should be' caught at Marek's memory, but the memory was hazy.

"Its just the way I am" he smiled at her as he ate the last of his food. "now that was truly delicious." he smiled before wiping his mouth.

Chyrosa finished her food too. "I agree..." she said smiling. "What would you like to do? You get to pick this time..."

Marek smiled. "Well how about we go the Aquarium, I know its kind of cheesey to say that but it would be nice and we can still talk" he said looking at her with that gorgeous smile of his.

"I'd love that... I love the aquarium!" Chyrosa said excitedly.

Marek smiled happy to hear she was excited to go. "The Aquarium it is then." He looked around to see if he could call a waitress over to get their bill.

"You're bill..." came Rasu's voice from behind him.

Marek suddenly jumped hearing her sneak up on him. "thank you" he took the bill and looked at the price then pulled out his wallet and enough cash to pay.

"I'm sorry for scaring you just then...." Rasu said as she took the cash.

"Its alright it happens" he smiled up at her and gave her a small bow of his head. "and please keep the change its yours and your brothers." he said with a smile to her. 

"Oh thank you, thank you for adding to the People Against Abuse Fund...." Rasu said.

"Oh what a great fund, I've gone to a few events and I've donated ever since I found out about it a few years ago wait a second." he pulled out his wallet and whiped out another hundred dollars handing it over to her. "There you are" he smiled at her.

"Thank you..." Rasu said and wvaed good bye as she walked to the back.

Chyrosa stood up. "This has been a great day..."

"The day isnt over yet" he smiled offering her his arm as they headed out together.

"I know that silly," said Chyrosa smiling. "You said we'd be going to the Aquairum.."

Marek chuckled and walked them out of the restraunt then down to his motorcyle. Handing her; her helmet then putting his own on he straddled the bike ready for her to get on and to continue the really fun day he was having with her.

She straped on her helmet, and got behind him. "Let's get going...." she giggled, holding on to him.

Marek nodded and they headed off together. It didnt take long until they reached the Aquarium. "Man it will be nice to get in there the Aquarium is usualy nice and air conditioned." He said after pulling off his helmet and running his fingers through his long hair. "Its to bad we're on the motorcycle its not as much fun to carry these things" he said watching her as she pulled off her helmet.

After she took her helmet off, she just looked at him. "It's okay... we can do it..."

He chuckled, "yeah I still like to complain about it" he gave her that cute smile of his. "Come on lets go and enjoy the Aquarium together" he said and shyly slid his arm around her shoulders as they headed to the front door.

Chyrosa wrapped an arm around his waist as they walked, leaning against him. The first exhibt they came to was the sea turtles.

"their so beautiful, such elegance in such a simple creature." he said watching as they swam around the exhibit. He held his arm around her shoulders just a little tighter loving the feeling of her standing there against him.

"They are... my favorites are the dolphins and orcas..." said Chyrosa resting her head against Marek's chest, lightly tightening her hold on his waist for a minute.

"I don't know about Orcas but I know they have Dolphins here" he smiled down at her, he was loving the feeling of having her like this holding her close. "I don't know why but they also have tigers here to, the one exhibit I never understood in an aquarium" he said playfully as they moved on to the next exhibit.

"Tigers?" she asked with a smile on her face. "Strange...." She giggled. "I'd like to see that..." They walked up to the tropical fish tank. "Pretty..."

Marek smiled watching her then looked at the fish as well. "Oh look down there, their's an eel hiding in the rocks" he pointed down to his hiding hole as it poked its head out and looked around.

Chyrosa laughed.

"Enjoying yourselves, I see..." came a male voice. Chyrosa looked. There stood a man with long green hair and sea green eyes. Marek got a strange feeling from the man, it was weird. He got the feeling that the man didn't belong there, but also that the man did.

the hair on the back of his neck went up not liking having this guy around he was just wishing these people would leave him and Chyrosa the hell alone. "yes we are indeed sir." he said in that calm collected tone of his. The voice he used to use in the heavenly courts of the gods to hide his emotions from those around him.

Chyrosa looked up at Marek, worried, for him, not the guy.

The man looked at Marek with a confused expression. "Alright... " he said. "Enjoy the exhibits and have a nice day..." The worker, for that was what he was from the look of his shirt, headed off, seemingly still confused by Marek's too calm and collective tone.

When the man was gone, Chyrosa spoke up, "Marek? What's wrong?"

"Its nothing" he said looking down at her. "I'm sorry for worrying you" he said with a smile hiding what he was really feeling from her. "Lets get moving on to the next exhibit." he said to her just pushing what had happened the guy to the side as if it didnt happen at all.

Chyrosa crossed her arms, smiling at him playfully. "He wasn't a god... You used your god voice... the one you used around Rasu and Yomi, and they don't conseider themselves gods... yet that is...."

"I'm sorry that I did its just he sent the hair on the back of my neck up something just didnt feel right about him thats why I used that voice" he said glancing down at her as he walked.

She giggled, putting her arm around his waist again as they walked. "It's okay... come on, let's go check out the dolphins!"

Marek laughed and smiled walking along with her. "sounds great to me" he was happy he didnt offend her or anything like that.

When they got to the dolphins, Chyrosa pulled Marek right up to the tank, smiling as she touched the glass lightly. Several of the dolphins in the tank swam right up to where they were standing doing spins, flips, and other tricks under the water.

"Wow it seems like they really like you" Marek chuckled and smiled watching the dolphins play and spin and flip under the water.

"Yeah, I know...." she said smiling. "They're happy..."

Marek smiled looking down at her watching her, happy to see that she was happy. he looked back at dolphins feeling at peace at that moment.

"Marek...?" Chyrosa asked looking up at him. "Can I ask you something?"

Marek looked down at her cocking an eyebrow. "yes what is it Chyrosa?" he asked curiously.

Chyrosa smiled. "Does you like snakes?"

"Yeah I do I deffinantly think their pretty neat. why do you ask?"

"Just wondering... that's all..." Chyrosa said. She smiled sweetly at him. "Let's go see more..."

Marek couldnt help but laugh as she grabbed his hand and dragged him off but he was wondering about why she asked him if he liked snakes.

Chyrosa dragged him off to the seals, and then to the shark tank, smiling the whole time.

Marek was having so much fun with her but really on the inside he was happy to know that she was happy. he looked around and saw a sign. "Oh come on you'll like this" he took her hand this time and dragged her off down a hall coming out on another part where their was a large gorgeous encloser, and in the encloser Chyrosa saw four gorgeous Bengal tigers, two lounging, one on the rocks near the small waterfall that fell into their huge pond and the other laying in the grass. While the other two were playing together in the water with one another. Marek always loved tigers he thought they were such beautiful creatures.

"Oh my...." said Chyrosa, smiling a huge smile. "They are gorgeous!" She then jumped into Marek's arms, hugging her arms around his neck, hanging on to him. "Thank you! They're wonderful!"

Marek turned red blushing and laughed hugging her tight spinning her around. "I'm glad you like them so much" he smiled holding her in his arms kind of not wanting to let go of her.

Chyrosa smile more, saying, "Today has definitely been the best day I've ever had..." She kissed him on the cheek.

Marek turned red. "Yeah its deffinantly been a wonderful day one of the best I've had in a long long day" he smiled gazing into her eyes.

"You're read..." she said simply staring back into his eyes.

Marek yanked his gaze away. "its just warm in here thats all" he said not able to meet her gaze feeling embarresed.

"No it's not!" she said excitedly. "You're red because of this..." She kissed the cheek that was turned towards her.

"no of course not" he was bright red now.

"Yes, yes you are..." She kissed the cheek again.

he let go of her and backed up a step out of her arms. "no really nothing like that at all" he blushed as his heart pounded in his chest. he turned and looked at the tiger exhibit hoping she would stop. She was the thirteenth after all she should be with someone better then the likes of him.

"Marek...?" there was something in her voice to tore through his heart, sadness in her voice. "...sorry...." she said softly.

"Chyrosa" he whispered and turned facing her his heart pounded. "No no don't be sad" he got close to her and pulled her against him. "I'm just nervous it was you kissing me on the cheek that made me blush its just your... well you and I'm just me and when I'm around you my heart pounds inside of me longing for the warmth you give me Chyrosa" he said and looked around glad no one was around the exhibit. "Chyrosa I'm just nervous because of how lucky that you've come into my life" he said gazing deeply into her eyes.

"My heart pounds too... Marek.... for you... and it has for a long time..." she said softly into his chest.

"Chyrosa" he whispered softly, her name rolled off of his tounge like something forbiddenly sweet. His arms hugged her tighter to his chest.

Chyrosa looked up at him, she had tears in her eyes. "I... don't want to lose you, Marek... I've told you I've been looking for you.... please..." She hugged him, placing her head against his chest again.

Marek gently reached down and brushed her tears away. "I promise you Chyrosa" he whispered softly. "I don't plan on going anywhere, I'm here to stay with you by your side, I am yours and yours alone."

Chyrosa nodded, and then quickly kissed him on the lips before burying her face into Marek's chest, gripping the front of his shirt.

Marek blushed bright red, that quick moment that their lips had locked had been like an electric shock to his system. He hugged her tight to his chest loving the feeling of holding her like this. "Chyrosa look" he said and gently turned her head for her to look at the tigers, she saw two of the tigers lovingly nuzzle each other then snuggle up to one another laying there together like two lovers. It was a beautiful scene playing out before their eyes.

"They... are wonderful...." she said softly watching the tigers. "They're what I...." She didn't finish her sentence, choosing to just look at the ground.

"Their what you what?" he asked gently tilting her chin up looking down at her.

Chyrosa turned her face back down, then looked out at the tigers. "Nothing... I... it's nothing, Marek.... I should just get going..." her voice was broken, soft, and sounded like the words were forced out, like that's not what she wants. Tears were in her eyes, and she didn't want him to see them.

"Chyrosa?, whats the matter? whats going on? you can tell me anything" he said worriedly his heart was breaking that she was acting like this around him.

"I..." she started, stepping back from him. She looked him in the eyes. "I... You.... I.... love you...." She said the last two words hurriedly. Chyrosa then took off at a run from the tiger exhibit, her heart hurting, tears in her eyes.

Marek stood there a few moments in shock but then snapped out of it "Chyrosa wait!" he yelled running off where she had gone but he lost her in the gathering evening crowd. "Chyrosa!" he yelled trying to find her but she was gone he couldnt find her anywhere.

His heart was pounding hard in his ears. As he searched for her, his heart started to pull him towards the exit of the aquairum.

"Please be there" he whispered to himself as he ran fo the exit hoping to find her. "please please please" he begged softly praying she would be there.

Marek found Chyrosa just outside of the aquairum, sitting on the ground, back against a side wall, her hands covering her face. She was crying.

"Chyrosa there you are" he said walking up to her. "Why did you run?" he asked sitting down next to her not touching her not knowing if it would be ok.

"I was... I am scared.... " sobbed Chyrosa.

Marek leaned down gently putting his index finger under her chin tilting his face up. "You shouldnt be scare around me" he whispered and leaned down softly kissed her full on the lips.

Chyrosa had tears running down her cheeks freely as she wrapped her arms around Marek's neck, as she returned the kiss.

Marek kissed her deeply, her mouth sweet tasting like heaven, like the ambrosia of the gods he couldnt help but keep kissing her.

After a long time, Chyrosa pulled back, though she didn't want to. "Marek..." she said, looked into his eyes, tear stains on her cheeks. "I do love you...."

"And I love you to" he whispered gazing down at her.

Chyrosa looked him in the eyes. "I could never find anyone better than the likes of you..." Her statement was just like the thought that he had had not long ago while in the aquairum. "You are one of a kind to me..."

Marek blushed and smiled down at her. "As you are to me my sweet beautiful flower" he said softly and lovingly.

Chyrosa kissed his lips lightly. Marek heard in his head, I love you my knight... my protector.... my one love...

Marek's heart felt so happy knowing that she was his, that he truely loved her and she him. "Chyrosa" he smiled down at her not knowing what else to say but never wanting to leave her side.

"Thank you for everthing...." she said softly.

"No thank you for everything, really thank you so much Chyrosa if it wasnt for you who knows where I would be right now" he smiled lovingly down at her.

"Marek...." she whisper into his chest. "My wonderful noble knight..."

Marek smiled holding her close, "Chyrosa no matter how much it pains me to say this but its getting late." he turned her head so she would see the darkening sky. "I think its time I get you home." he said sadly.

Chyrosa nodded. "Okay... I'm staying with Epsilon right now... His condo is on the east side...."

Marek nodded "alright, but isnt he going to think its weird though that an eight year old went to go hang out with me?" he asked curiously as he stood and helped her to her feet.

"No... I've left and gone out on my own before... plus he knows that I am older than what I look like around his employees.... he's known my father for a long time...." she said as she let him help her up.

Marek sighed in relief. "Good to know I don't want to be arrested for being with a minor." he said not likeing the idea.

"He wouldn't do that...." she laughed. "If someone had seen me as and eight year old with you, and asked Epsilon or actually Matthew, he would have said that he was letting me hang out with you...."

"Alrighty deffinantly good to know" he smiled and kissed her cheek. as the two of them walked off towards the motorcycle together.

When they got to the motorcycle, as Chyrosa was putting her helmet on, she said, "Marek.... please don't think that just because of what or who I am... that you are not good enough for me...."

"Chyrosa" he smiled at her and gave her a hug. "just the fact that you said you love me told me that I'm good enough for you" he said softly before getting on the motorcycle. he was sad that he had to take her home but they really had just met so it was for the best.

She climbed on behind him. "Love you...." she said, wrapping her arms around him again.

"Love you to" he smiled in his helmet as the headed off. "give me directions while we're going I have no idea where Epsilon's condo is" he called back to her.

"I know that silly...." she called ahead. "Just follow the light trail...." A beam of light extended from the motorcycle, and zoomed ahead of them.

"Holy... Please tell me we're the only ones who can see this thing" he said as he followed the light trail and glancing at the sides to make sure no one was seeing the odd sight.

All the other cars and people on the street just continued to go about their business.

"Yes... no one else can see that.... unless they are like me or you, not you the angel, you the knight and guardian of the Zodiac.... the only ones that can see it are other Zodiac, other guardians, or the gods that are around... that is only certain gods...."

"Ahh well then thats good" he said as his motorcycle whipped down the street.

The light lead them down many streets, and they soon came upon a tall condo building. "There it is.... up ahead..."

"Right" he said and reached the parking lot pulling in.

Chyrosa got off the motorcycle. "I just have to head up stair, and I have to become young me before I do.... Thank you for the great day..."

"Your more then welcome Chyrosa it was wonderful to spend it with someone like you" he said with a smile watching her from under his helmet as he handed her the other helmet. he strapped it to the back of his motorcycle then looked back at her. "I hope you have a good evening Chyrosa I'm just going to sit here until you go in" he said feeling protective of her.

"Okay...love you..." Chyrosa turned and ran off towards the enterance, and as she went behind a pillar there was a flash and a little girl went running into the building waving back at him.

Marek waved back and then headed off home for the evening feeling happier then he had in years.

The ride back to his apartment building went uneventful. There was a thought though that seemed to plague the back of his mind: her eyes that he felt he'd seen before, the statements that she'd used that seemed to be almost pulled from his memories, and then the presentance of Abmisleo at the park.

Marek gasped as he pulled into his private parking garage. "No way" he got off the bike and stood there not beliving it. "Chyrosa and Abmisleo.... she's his daughter" he said in disbelief.

He remembered that during breaks in training, or just while talking with Abmisleo, the older man would tell Marek how much he cared about his daughter and how he missed his little girl's mother. About how Abmisleo distrusted and hated a few of the gods and goddesses that he believe had a hand in the murder of his love, the mother of his child, and how Abmisleo often said that he lived for his daughter and for her safety. Marek did remember a time when Abmisleo seemed less than himself, and how Abmisleo seemed sudicidal, for it was his love's anniversity of her death. The older man had asked Marek if he'd protect his daughter if anything ever happened to him, and how Marek himself and talked him into not killing himself.

Marek walked into the building in shock as he headed to the elevators. "I I don't know what to say" he plunge dhis fingers in his hair leaning against the side of the elevator just trying to tak eit all in.

The elevator began to move.

Marek felt like an idiot after what he had said in the park. "How can she still like me after what I said to her father" he said sadly.

The elevator door opened up. Because, Marek, she knows what happened to you... because I had told her... and she understands your anger towards me... a male spoke through his head.

"Abmisleo?" he asked himself softly as he walked off the elevator with helmets in hand heading towards his pent house door.

As he walked into his pent house, Marek saw Abmisleo kneeling in the balcony doorway, where Helios had greeted him that morning, and where Chyrosa had stood just hours ago. "Marek..." Abmisleo had his head bent down, facing the ground as he kenlt to Marek.

Marek closed the door behind himself looking at his old teacher. "Please Abmisleo come in its alright" he said before he put his helmets in the closet then went into the livingroom still watching his old teacher.

Abmisleo stood up and followed him into the living room.

Marek took a seat in his chair looking at his old friend and just sat there waiting for him to say something since he didnt know what to say.

"I am sorry that I didn't step in, Marek... I truly am... I was thinking at Chyrosa, and didn't at the time have my friend Epsilon's help in watching her... "

"I understand you were doing it for your daughter the light in your life after what happened to your wife" he said in a stoic tone looking at Abmisleo. He still remembered the night being dragged into the dining hall of the gods and strung up where everyone could watch he had been bloodied and tortured already. But then Hera had sent her warriors on him whipping him and torturing him all the more for show just for the gods to enjoy breaking him of everything that he was.

"No one deserved what happened to you..." Abmisleo said, looking down. "I had not wanted that to be done... never would have ever agreed to that.... you were and I still think of you as family.... and.... you know how much I talked about Chyrosa to you, even though I never said her name... but I also talked alot about you... and I felt like I was going to lose her the night I came back to our home, just to have to tell her what happened...." Abmisleo turned his head back towards Marek. "The anger you showed me in the park was nothing to the anger Chyrosa showed nor the tongue lashing that Chyrosa gave me over what happened to you.... she had fallen in love with you through my stories of you.... and she didn't care if she was drawn to anyone else...she wanted to be with you.... and she hated me for not stopping it...." Abmisleo stopped talking for a few seconds before continueing. "She still is angry with me for not helping... but she knows that her life would have been different if I had... she would have been a completely different person...."

"Its for that reason I thank you for not saving me, if you had and she would have lost you, she wouldnt be the amazing woman she is today" he said looking at his old teacher, he crossed his arms over his chest. He tried to imagine Chyrosa giving Abismleo a tounge lashing over what had happened to him. "Really its alright Abismleo" he said thinking of his men who had tried to rescue him only to be slashed down by the gods, he couldnt imagine what would happen if Abismleo had been slashed down what would happen to his Chyrosa. "I forgive you Abismleo" he said softly looking at his old friend.

"Thank you, Marek... thank you... and again thank you for agreeing to be a guardian and captain of the Knights of the Zodiac..." Abmisleo said, bowing his head for a second.

"Please Abmisleo do not bow your head to me I do not deserve it and it is an honor to be a part of such an amazing cause as them." he said looking at his old friend with a smile.

"I am glad you see it that way... I am sure you and the others that become guardians will do well in your duties to us..."

"To us? wait you mean?" Marek put two and two together. "your one of the Zodiac also" he said softly.

"Yes, which was why in the court I was cloaked at all times.... and also if I had stopped it, I would be worst than dead... you know of Tartarus?"

"Of course who does not know of Tartarus, I was threatened many times by Hera to be thrown there to be locked away for any insolence."

"Which She never would have, because of how much she liked you.... me... if someone knew that I was a Zodiac, I would have been killed and then placed in Tartarus where my soul could not escape and be reborn... and then it wouldn't even matter if the thirteenth Zodiac was found... one of the Zodiac would be gone for ever... there are gods and goddess that act as mentors and protectors to the Zodiac..... but someone or something killed many of the Zodiac...and even killed some of the gods and goddesses that got in the way..."

Marek shivered remembering his time with Hera. "I remember the stories you used to tell me of the Zodiac." he said softly thinking of them.

"You know how I spoke of the Zodiac Regulus the Zodiac of Leo?" Abmislep asked him.

"Yes I remember, a great warrior who fought with great honor and power just like his sign." Marek said trying to get where he was going with this.

"My name is Abmisleo, it was a name given to me from birth.... my family did not know what I was..... Abmis is Simba backwards, meaning Lion.... Leo for the great Lion of the heavens..... I was given yet another name, but not by my family.... I am also Regulus the Zodiac of Leo..."

"Son of a..." Marek was in shock hearing this. His teacher and old friend was the legendary Zodiac of Leo

Abmisleo nodded. "Yes..."

"So which do you prefer to be called? Abmisleo or Regulus?" he asked looking at his old friend.

"You can still call me by my name, Marek... after I found out about being a Zodiac those centuries ago, I took to only telling my family and close friends my birth name..."

"Alright Abmisleo it is then" he said with a smile.

Abmisleo smiled back. "Now..." his old friend said, in a very serious tone. "About my daughter..."

Marek leaned back in his chair and crossed his long elegant legs before steepleing his fingers on his knee. "Yes about your daughter" he said knowing now he was speaking to the father of the woman he was falling in love with not the friend and teacher he grew up with.

"I expect you to protect her...and I'm not just saying that because she is my daughter.... Helios believes she may be something more...." Abmisleo said. "But he would not tell me... just that I will know when the time comes.... when the Zodiac have once again been found..."

"I will protect her with my life Abmisleo, in my place as captain of the gaurd to protect one of the zodiac but also because I care deeply about her in a great way." he said looking at his old friend with serious eyes.

"I know you where made captain of this new guard, Marek...." Abmisleo said sitting forward in the chair. "But what do you mean 'one of the Zodiac'? I know Helios told me that you would be the one to protect the thirteenth when they are found, but....Chyrosa...."

Marek went wide eyed, not even her father knew she was the thirteenth, he regained his composer. "Forgive me Abmisleo I mispoke, What I meant to say was that I am the captain of the gaurd of the Zodiac but I will protect your daughter as if she is one of the Zodiac but also because I Care about her so deeply." he said hoping that would fix his mistake.

Abmisleo nodded seeming to except them mistake. "Thank you....my friend... she deserves the best..." he said. "And.... I believe that the best is the one that she always spoke of and wanted to hear stories of..." He smiled at Marek.

Marek nodded and smiled. "thank you Abmisleo I am honored by your words"

The older man nodded. "I never stopped looking for you, after you were sent from the heavens... Chyrosa never did too... neither of us wished for you to be by yourself...."

Marek gazed out the window for a moment "700 years is a long time here in the mortal realm I traveled from place to place every twenty years or so making my life something. just trying to live and I survived until this day on my own." he said softly with a sigh.

"And.... Chyrosa has been reliving her childhood every so many years, wishing to learn.... having gotten our friend Epsilon to play father, while she had actually order me to find you..."

"Really? she ordered the mighty Ambisleo to find me?" he smiled trying to imagine it in his head.

"yes she did.... though I would have done it even if she hadn't ordered me to....."

"Thank you my old friend it is an honor to hear you say that" he said and bowed his head gently to him.

"I am just glad that we have found you, and that you have forgiven me... it is like a weigh off my shoulders....."

Marek smiled at his old friend. "I am glad to hear that and I hope that nothing like that ever happens again between us" he said laying his head back closing his eyes.

"I would hope that you don't have any dishonorable thoughts going through your hair of my daughter..." said Abmisleo out right. Just then a thought past through Marek's head, though not completely.

"I didnt have a single one until you just said that but" he held up his hand. "it was a semi thought not a full one but it does make me ask you, why do you say that?"

"I am a protective father... and I protect my cub.... and you, Marek, are like another lion coming into the pride.... but I know you are very hnorable.... You are my student...." Abmisleo said with a smile.

"I promise you I will obey you and do you proud with honor you are my friend, and my teacher I care deeply about your daughter and do nothing to dishonor her in any way." he said watching him with those deep gold eyes of his that were filled with pure truth.

"I know..." his friend said. "I know you... and I know yu speak the truth.... now... I must be on my way, friend... I have yet another search to get back to...." Abmisleo stod up.

Marek stood and went over embracing his old friend in a hug. "Please feel free to stop by any time my old friend I am here for you as I know you are there for me always." he said before letting go of Ambisleo from the hug.

Abmisleo hugged back and then nodded. "Of course... not til the next we meet friends...." Abmisleo walked over to the balcony, disappearing in the last rays of the day's light.

and with that Marek sighed and turned walking of to his bedroom for teh evening just ready for sleep.

Just as he was falling to sleep, Marek heard the sounds of soft laugher.

In his black silk sleep bottoms he just grunted and snuggled into his pillow ignoring it.

"Shhh.... shut up...." he hear a female say in a hushed tone. "He's sleeping... and we aren't suppose to be here..."

Marek's hand slid under his pillow the way he was trained to go unoticed as the voices woke him from his slumber. Suddenly he was on them knife in hand sitting up on the edge of his bed with blade to the throat of one of his visitors.

He came face to face with two women. One that was standing back away from the bed, and she looked like a femle version of Helios, with silvery hair, but she had an aura that could match a sun set or a sunrise. The other woman, who he had the knife blade trained on, had a darker look to her. This woman had raven black hair and eyes that sparkled like a star filled night sky.

"Marek...?" said the female-Helios. "I... we... I told you we shouldn't have come in here...."

"But I wanted to see if it was him..." said the darker woman.

"My ladies my apologies" he said putting his knife down on the bed next to him. "How may I be of your service?" he asked bowing his head to them he seriously was getting tired of all the visits he wanted to be left alone and he was exhausted from his exciting day and he wanted sleep.

"Look I told you you should just let him be," said the female-Helios.

"Well, sorry if I'm the most alert at night..." The dark one turned to look at Marek. "I'm sorry.... I had just heard from Eos over ther that you had been found again..."

Marek groaned hearing that. "It must be spreading like wildfire that I've been found" This is why he had stayed hidden he hated all the visits from the gods and sooner or later Hera was going to get bored drag him by a leash back as her pet once more. "so other then to see if it was true that it is I indeed why is it the two of you have come?" he asked taking a deep breath as he looked up at them.

Eos looked at Marek. "You are still safe, Marek...None of the ones of the day and light nor...."

"Nor... those of the night and shadow...." said the darker woman. "None of us support those that sent you away... nor those that harmed our friends the Zodiacs..."

"Good I am deffinantly glad to hear that but you still havent fully answered my question, their must be more then just that reason to see if I truely have been found why you are here" he said leaning back on his hands looking up at them. He never trusted the gods no matter how kind they were he never completely trusted them.

The darker woman looked at him, with a look of sadiness that didn't look suited for the woman's face. She got up, and walked out of the room.

Eos looked at him, and shook her head. "We are sorry to have distrubed you.... Nyx and I will leave you now... no one but the most trusted know of your founding.... Good bye...for now...." She too left.

Marek groaned and fell back on his bed. He crawled up and layed his head down snuggling into his bed again. "I really need to get some freaking seals up on my room so no one can get in here at night" he mumbled to himself before his eyes fluttered shut as he fell fast asleep once more.

Marek dreamt of when he was younger, merely a child. Every night or so, a beautiful woman with long raven hair would visit him. His hair being the same raven hair. It was the woman's eyes in the dream that he loved the most as a child. It was like a cluster of stars up close and personal. The woman never would say her name, but would just tell him that it was for his own safety that he didn't know. It the memory like dream the woman didn't show for a few nights...but then one night before he was moved for the first time, he woke to find the woman holding him, and her whispering a prayer for him. 'I love you, my son...'

Marek gasped whipping up sitting up in his bed. "Mother" he croaked out as tears filled his eyes and his breathing was ragged as sweat glistened on his body. He calmed down and regained his composer sitting there in bed. "Damn what a night" he looked at the toxic green glowing numbers of his clock reading a little over three in the morning. "No chance of getting back to bed now" and with that he climbed out of his bed and went to his huge livingroom. In the corner was a small bar there he poured himself a shot of whiskey. Throwing it back he let the lingering burn of the amber liquid slide down his throat. "I havent seen her in so long why did I dream of her again?" he asked himself softly.

Then he remember the darker haired woman from earlier, the one that had been sitting on the bed, the one he had had the knife to the throat of.

His hand tightened on teh glass. "Oh god.. Mother that was.." he whispered softly to himself feeling like a fool not realizing it sooner. it had just been so long since he had seen her. His hand hook but he gripped his glass. he grabbed the bottle and poured himself another glass of whiskey then took another long swig.

"You know..." came a female voice. "Drinking is bad for your health, no mater what Dionysis may say..."

Marek choked and covered his mouth to keep from spitting it out over the floor. He swallowed the liquid down then grabbed napkin to wipe his mouth and hand clean before turning to look at the person who's voice that came from.

He came face to face with the the dark haired woman from before, and as all gods and goddesses are, seemed to have stopped aging at the age she was mena to stay for the rest of eternity. In all appearances, she was merely in her early twenties. Marek had noticed that he himslef has stopped aging centuries ago.

he had just thought it was part of being one of the immortals. Their were beings out there other then gods that were immortal like them and stopped aging once they reached their prime, so that is what he had been taught and thought of himself when he did not age older as years went on as he grew up. "Mother" he whispered softly recognizing her from his dreams, from his memories.

The woman nodded. "Yes... I am so sorry that I wasn't there...for you....my angel....." she said softly. It was softer than her speaking voice earlier with the Helios-looking female.

his hand twitched slightly hearing her call him that. He had no right to be called that any longer. his wings clipped by Zues, he was no more then a Fallen now. Never to grace the skies again. He missed flying in the skies with all of his heart. He remembered the feel of the wind in his hair when he would sore through the clouds. "I am no longer an angel my wings were clipped long ago" he turned and walked over to the window gazing out at the night. His mother saw a huge beautiful tattoo of breath taking angel wings on his back. Most of the wings black but they shifted into gold at the tips which went past the waist band of his silk pants.

"I...my son, my precious little one.... you will always be my angel...." she said softly. Marek felt her hand settled on his shoulder. "Please forgive me... for not protecting you as I should have...." He felt her forehead become bent, resting on his arm.

"Its alright mother, you had your reasons, like you said long ago, you told me you gave me up for a reason, its not your fault" he said softly looking down at her, he didnt blame her for anything that had happened to him and he would never bother to ask why she gave him up she had her reasons.

Marek felt wetness against his arm. "I never gave you up.... you were taken from me...." she whispered.

"Why was I taken from you, plenty of the gods and goddesses had children that I saw them raising" he said looking at her feeling bad that she was crying.

"There are gods and goddess that are truly what they have power over...most of the gods and goddesses either choose to be the god or goddess of what they control...but there are those gods and goddesses that are literally what they control..... Helios being an example..... He is the Sun..." she said. "There are gods and goddesses out there that fear or hate that we are more powerful than them.... but there are of them then there is of the gods like me, Helios, and Eos that was with me earlier..." She wiped away some tears. "You were taken from me.... because they wanted to hurt me and my love...."

"my father" he sighed looking out. His father had never come to see him when he was growing up. His mother yes they didnt have a perfect relationship but she had atleast tried to spend time with him. He closed his eyes remembering when he was little about five years old. Athena had put him in his room for the evening as usual. He was alone and sat on his bed with his little stuffed dragon. He remembered looking up and seeing his mother there with opened arms and a smile on her face. He remembered running and embracing her with a hug and her spending the whole evening with him just the two of them she had brought him a dinner hand made. They had played games together and then she had read him a story before bed. It was as if they had never truely been taken from one another.

"I know that I never told you who I was.... but I couldn't tell you.... and Athena knew that it was wrong to keep us apart.... but I couldn't stay with you because of more family business.... and death....." she said sadly. "And your father.... please don't talk about that man... I...." She had a love of hatred on her face, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Marek looked down at her confused by her expression. "Please mother come and sit" he said and gently lead her to the couch so they could sit together. His gold eyes filled with great worry. "I'm sorry to bring up bad memories, I just thought he has never cared about me even if you did." he said not knowing anything about the man.

"He never did then nor does he now.... the bastard...." she said softly. In more of a whisper, she said more to herself, "He should never have been your father....."

"Mother, Please it seems to be hurting you so much to speak of him so do not speak of him anymore I do not want to see you hurting like this" he said as he pulled her against him hugging her tight.

"You have had things kept from you, and you've been lied to...." she said hugging him back. "You just need to know the truth...."

"I have been lied to for many years by the gods I served, and when I tried to find out some shred of truth to stand up for myself and not be what they wanted to be I was banished. So here I stay mother amongst the mortals of this world. I may be of your blood of the blood of the heavens but I am no longer a part of that world." he said not mentioning the Zodiac.

His mother shook her head. "The only ones that lied to you were those that sided with Hera and Zeus... but there were also those that feared the anger of those two.... especially after the war of evil and the deaths of so many friends and...the Zodiac....though you probibly don't know who they are..." The last statement was in a whisper into his chest.

"Mother you would be surprised what I know about many things" he said looking down at her. He held knowledge in the courts that many of the gods did not know he held.

"I don't even know if you really would wish me to be your mother...." she said, looking down. "You may have heard things about me.... Nyx..." Marek had heard the name in court, and everything was bad. He had heard that she was an evil witch-like goddess in the rank of Hecate, Erebus, and Hades. He had met Hades, once, and the god would not acknowledge that he existed.

"Everyone has stories about people I choose not to believe them." he said surprised that Nyx was his mother. "I believe what I know of a person by meeting them face to face. I hear the words of others and take them into consideration whipe I make my decisions on people but for all purpose sake for me its knowing them person. you are my mother and I will always love you" he said with a smile looking down at her.

"I hope you will say that to the one I loved... when this is all over...." she whispered. She looked back up at him. "Marek....my little angel..." she said. "I know I wasn't there for you.... but I was soo happy when you had met up with Regulus.... I was one of the few that knew that not all the Zodiac were dead...."

Marek didnt believe he could possibly care for the lover that had forsaken his mother but he didnt know for sure, and he was filled with astonishment that she knew of her teacher's secret. "He will truly be happy to know that." he smiled at her with joy in his heart.

"He knows...from at least Helios..." she said. "It is just a relef that you have grown into the man you are.... and that They are coming back..." She hugged him again. "I hope that you are happy...." Nyx smiled. "Have any one that you have been seeing? Mortal or not... it don't really matter.... I just want you to be happy...."

"Sort of, I just met her for the first time today but supposedly shes been in love with me for a long time" Marek said as his mind traveled back to his teachers words on Chyrosa.

"Oh... I'm happy for you..." said Nyx. "Who is she? How did you meet?" She looked really interested, like she was trying to make up for lot mothering time, plus some.

Marek chuckled. "I'll only tell if you promise to keep it between you and me mother" he said with a smile looking down at her.

Nyx nodded. "I never told my brothers about my love... I can keep a secret, my angel..." Marek had only heard that he had a brother, because in the court if Nyx was mentioned by a god, her brother Erebus, the Shadows themselves, was not far behind.

"Well she is Regulus's daughter" he said looking down at her. "and she is living as the daughter of the owner of a company here in the city." he said curious on his mothers reaction.

"Regulus's daughter...?" Nyx said with wide eyes and a surprised smile. "Chyrosa.... little Chy.... Sagi's play daughter? The little girl would always find me to talk to me or learn what she can from me... natural talent... in the arts of the universe..."

"Supposedly for a long time now she's been head over heels, I met her today." he lounged back and put his feet up. "And she stole my heart away." he said looking up at the ceiling thinking about it.

"I know... but I just thought it was all of Regulus's stories of you....oh my night....you and Chy..." Nyx said. "At least you have some good in your life," she said looking down.

"Mother its alright really it is, after I was thrown from the heavens, the first few years were hard I must admit but I've had a good life I've been able to experience things that I never would have up above." he smiled down at her. "I've had a good life mother never think other wise."

Nyx nodded. "I have always loved you..." she said. She gently touched his cheek. "I'm so sorry that your wings were taken from you..."

"It is alright mother, Each time the wind blows I do have that longing feeling for flight but it is a lingering feeling that has left me over time mother. I still miss my wings but it is long sense pass that I will no longer soar in the blue skies above" he said and laid his head back closing his eyes remembering the night he had lost his wings. It was after his torture at the banquet of the gods, he had been strung high between to of the glistening white towers of mount olympus to waste away in the scorching sun they had strippearely able to breath from how weak they had stripped him he had been brought before Zeus. He remembered Aries on one arm while Athena was on his other arm as he was held to his knees. he remembered the dried cake blood on his face as he tried to look up at the god king who scorned him with words of Defliement and punsihment that he had betrayed their mighty will; and so he remembered Zeus ordering his brother Posiden and Artemis to grab hold of his wings and rip them from his back causing great agony. That night he had been thrown from the heavens into the sea to die. That was all that marek remembered.

Nyx nodded. "I... I searched for you.... after I heard that you were no longer in the court... Young Artemis cried herself ill again... the second big time since the deaths of the Moon...of Selene and others.... and heart broken Aries and Aphrodite.... loosing their children.... and Hermes.... he lost his parents...." Nyx looked down at the ground.

Marek felt tears in his eyes. "So much pain." He felt so sad thinking of it all remembering it, the pain his life had caused so many good people.

"Marek... please don't think any of this is your fault please.... I wouldn't change anything about having you in my life.... even for the short period before you were taken from me...."

"Thank you mother" he said softly and hugged her gently. it was nice these moments with his mother. he didnt know when he would ever have a chance again to be with her like this. for all he knew she would be gone tomorrow never to be seen again and he would once more be alone in this world. He had those same thoughts about Chyrosa and Ambisleo as well. They were here now but just as easily being near him, they would be gone once more.

"earlier..... I didn't mean to wake you....but I really wished to see you.... Marek...."

Marek looked down at her. "Its alright mother I'm just a bit jumpy from so many surprise visits in one day, and last time I had women giggling in my room it was fans that had snuck by my security system into my bedroom." he shivered remembering when he used to live in florida and they had broke into his house. thats one of the reasons he lived in this city now in the penthouse. One fan girls don't climb sky scrapers, two his door opened by key card instead of actual key adn three, his elevator was rigged with key code and in his personal underground parking lot that no one other then the city hall knew was there.

"Eos was giggling because you were so cute when you sleep...." she said softly.

"I'm cute when I sleep?" he asked not believing it.

"You always was... even when I did get to sneak in to see you...." Nyx said.

Marek couldnt help but smile hearing her say that about him. He hugged her tight happy to have his mother back in his life.

Nyx hugged back. "I love you, my son..." she whispered to him.

"My....my...Nyx...going after immortal actors know are we?" came a voice.

Marek went rigid hearing that voice it was so familiar but he couldnt totally place it.

Nyx looked around the room. "Come out...."

The shadows moved, and a human like shadow appeared on one of the walls. "How is this?"

Marek quickly was to his feet, his muscles were tense from this unknown man.

"Marek... don't..." came Nyx's voice.

"No.... if he wishes to fight, I will...." laughed the shadow. Fists and arms came out of the wall as the shadow seemed to lose them.

A chill ran down his spine and ancient chill that belonged to one man and one man alone, Hades. (I'm guessing thats who it is) (NOPE ^_^ LOL)

The man came walking out, laughing lightly. His long black hair flowed around him, a match for Nyx's. It was the man's eyes that set him apart from Nyx's though, this man's eyes were as black as his hair. "You've found yourself a fighter, Nyx.... and a Fallen at that... I wouldn't have thought to find you with one though.... what did he do? Steal your heart away...." The man had a smile on his face that lightened his dark features.

Nyx just smiled shaking her head.

Marek looked at his mother not knowing what to say and wondering why the hell this guy was in his apartment. 

"This is not my lover, if that is what you are asking," Nyx said, moving towards the dark man. "...He is your nephew..."

The man looked at Marek. "...My nephew...This angel.... that defied even Hera... I knew he would have had to be a primal god's or goddess's child..." The man was smiling.

Marek cocked his head to the side. "You must be Erebus" he said looking at the other man curiously.

Erebus bowed to Marek. "At your service..." When he straighten up, Erebus smiled at the two. "The shadows were telling me that you were staying out in the open....and I wondered why...." he said. "I even cut short my own visit...."

"Chyrosa found him.... Helios found him too.... even Regulus.... I..." said Nyx. "He's not mad at me, Erebus... He's not..."

"I told you he wouldn't be....." Erebus said with a soft smile. "Now to just find that lost brother of ours...."

"Only if They are truly all returning...." said Nyx softly. "But if they are so are the others....."

"what do you mean the others? do you mean those who hated the Zodiac?" Marek asked worriedly his heart pounding for Chyrosa.

Nyx shook her head. "They would be the Zodiac.... and the others are...well..."

"There were many gods and goddesses from around the world that were effected during the great war," Erebus explained. "And it did not all end in death.... The evil that lead the war wanted to destory the Zodiac... some of them were killed while others went into hiding...."

Nyx picked up the explaination. "Many had families.... When two of the Zodiacs were murdered, a young god was left without his parents....."

"The Moon was murdered as was her love..... who was a Zodiac as well....." Erebus said. "And Aphrodite and Aries.... they were so heart broken that they lost each other for a long time...but they have come back together in silent hope...."

Marek stood there not knowing how to reply.

"Cancri...." he heared her mother whisper sadly.

"Cancri? who is that?" Marek asked feeling stupid he had heard the name before but he couldnt match a name to a face.

Nyx looked at Erebus and he at her, then they both looked at him. At the same time, they said, "Our brother.... our triplet...... your other uncle.... the Zodiac of Cancer...."

"I see" he said softly not knowign what to say to them at all.

"He was murdered, not before having his love murdered before his eyes..." said Erebus.

Nyx looked at Marek. "Canri was not born a god like Erebus and I..... he was born mortal, a human.... he was in love with the Moon itself... Helios's and Eos's sister Selene...."

"People are reborn all the time, for all we know with the sign of the Zodiacs return it could mean he is returning as well" Marek said watching the two of them.

"That is true..." said Erebus said. "One of the Beast Guardians has even located one, and she is not even of his shrine..."

"But, Erebus..." Nyx said, sitting back down on the couch. "When Cancri was called as the Zodiac that he is.... we has got months without seeing or hearing him... and we only knew that he was okay because Selene, his soon to be guide, protector, and love, was able to see him.... and Eos was able to feel his presense....."

"His power of the New Moon.... complete invisiblity...." Erebus whispered.

"Yes," the night goddess nodded. "If he has been reborn, not one will be able to find him but Selene..... and with Selene's being reborn.... they are born lost to us until we find her... which will be difficult....."

"All we can do is wait and keep our eyes and ears to the wind listening for anything that might lead us to them." Marek said taking a seat again watching the two.

Both gods nodded. "It is good to meet my nephew, at long last," said Erebus.

"It is good to finally meet you as well uncle. Please both of you take a seat we're all family here" he smiled at them.

((LOL Nyx is sitting down.))

Erebus sat down, smiling at them. "I will wouldn't want my presense to exhaust you any more than everything else today...Marek..."

"Please your family Uncle I want you to make yourself at home. I finally get to meet you I want you to be at home in my home. I wont be going back to sleep tonight anyways so its alright" he smiled at his Uncle.

"I am at home...." he laughed. "Everywhere is my home, and my home is everywhere.... shadows...."

"You seem happier than before.... I know you were very worried when Hecate finally told us why she allowed people to say she was evil....." Nyx said, looking at her brother, resting a hand on Marek's.

Erebus nodded.

Marek didnt know his uncle well at all so he really could say anything on the matter.

"I have found myself in love with an elf that is not even from this realm..." he said.

"Wait!" said Nyx. "As in... through the veil? The one that Zeus has?"

Erebus nodded. "Yes.... I am sending Yomi and Rasu over to see her...."

Marek was deffinantly suprised at this, he remembered how Zues had tried to keep the veil up as powerful as possible not wanting any being from other realms to come to his lands out of fear that a being stronger then him might try and pass through and take his place. "An Elf from another realm I'm surprised she survived the passage" he said thinking about it all.

Erebus nodded. "Let me just say... my shadows know how he didn't take notice of her.... a mother's love... a mother's sacrifice...." Erebus looked very sad and helpless.

Marek was confused by what Erebus was talking about he looked at his mother for something to explain what it was his Uncle was saying.

Nyx noticed Marek's confusion. "Marek....what ever the shadow see or hear.... at some point Erebus will find out about it....and from the sounds of it, this elf's mother got her into our world just in time before Zeus came into the room to get them both....."

Marek was horrified. "they came in through Zues's gate? Are you sure? their are many other portals across this land that even Zues cannot find and they went through that one."

Erebus nodded. "Yes... my shadows have told me...."

Nyx looked towards the window, listening.

"I'm surprised that she was able to survive." Marek was amazed that someone had been able to get out of Zues's palace and to the mortal realm without the god knowing of it.

Erebus nodded. "I am not...being as she is descendant of Sun and Moon elves..."

"Well now that is truely rare indeed. She must be very special then" Marek was curious on the woman and wondered how she was handeling their world.

"I have sent Yomi and Rasu there to help her because they were the only other ones to be able to do it.... they are a rare blend of sun and moon elves, just as she is...."

"I have a feeling though she is something else along with those breeds as well its from the way you speak of her." he said watching his uncle.

"She may be.. but invisiblity is a power gifted by the moon it its children..." said Erebus. "Remember us talking about Cancri...."

"yes I remember" Marek said interested on the sudden change in subject.

Erebus stood up.

"Moon elves are children of the moon in a way.... so they are gifted as Cancri was and will be with the power of invisiblity..." said Nyx. Looking up at Erebus, she said, "Sun raise?"

Erebus nodded. "Eos is at work.... I will see you later, sis.... and of course I will see you too Marek...." He disappeared into the shadows.

Nyx kissed Marek's cheek. "I love you, marek...."

Marek smiled down at his mother. "I love you to Momma" he said with a smile knowing it would make her happy to hear him call her what he used to call her when he was little. "I am honored that I finally got to meet my uncle" he smiled "Seems like a very interesting man I hope I get to meet him again one day when he doesnt have so much on his plate it seems."

"There must have been some things the shadows have told him about this elven maiden that have him troubled...." Nyx said. "No, please.... I don't want to lose you....so don't move too fast unless Chy wants you too, she is your only protection from a protective father...." She laughed.

Marek laughed and smiled at her. "I promise I wont move to fast I'm just going to go as fast as she wants me to" he smiled at his mother. "If she wants to take it really slow then We'll take it really slow" he laid his head back looking up at the ceiling. He couldn't help but smile thinking about Chyrosa wondering when would be the next time he would see her.

"Have a good day, son...." Nyx said, then she vanished.

Marek stretched standing up and looked out the window seeing sunrise. She walked over to his balcony and walked out gazing over the beautiful city scape. the breeze played with his hair curessing him. He sighed missing that feeling of flying. He closed his eyes feeling the sun's warmth in the morning light.

The warmth hugged him.

Marek smiled to himself. "Morning Chyrosa" he said softly to himself as his eyes closed feeling the gentle hug he loved so much.

Love you Marek.... came Chyrosa's voice in his head. It is time to start trying to bring together what Zodiac is out there....as it is time for you to bring together the protectors of the Zodiac... those that will fight with you....whether god, godess, or imortal or mortal...

Marek nodded. "Yes of course my lady" he said thinking about it all but wondering how he was going to find them.

---

Tallia woke to the sun streaming through her window. Another night had gone by, and another day was beginning.

She looked around and asked herself again why she decided not to invite any of her men up for the night. She sighed to herself. Tonight she'd just have to bring up two to make up for it. 
Tallia went into the kitchen for some breakfast and noticed the knives she had used in last nights kill were on the kitchen table...so that's why no one had shared her bed the night before. She made a mental not to start looking into ways to improving scatter braininess but promptly forgot it as she started to make herself breakfast. Cereal today, no man meant no man-slave to cook for her, unfortunately. Oh well.
She got dressed with her window open. A corset, revealing of course, a micro mini skirt and knee high boots with a metal point as sharp as any knife as the heels. 

Tallia could feel that today was going to be an interesting day, she could feel it deep in the back of her mind.

She was about to leave for work when she caught sight of herself in one of the many mirrors she kept in her rooms above her shop: blond, still. Concentrating on her hair, she shifted it to a very dark black color. She felt she looked better with black hair, if only because that was the mood she was in, and she needed to look good if the feeling she had was any indication.

When she did get down to the shop, Tallia could see the outline of a person just outside her shop. Tallia's heart stopped and then jumped, beating faster than normal, and she felt drawn to the person even if it was just the outline of them.

Wow, she thought to herself, more than thirty-five hours since my last go round and I start mooning at a person outside my shop! She punches the code for her security system to unlock the shop door. Another day in her paradise of sharpness and lingerie.

Once the shop was open, a handsome man walked into the shop. He had long blacker than black hair that went down to his lower back and flowed freely as he walked. He wore a black trench coat, a deep forest green shirt, and black dress pants over what looked to be solid black boots. He looked over at her with deep emerald eyes, that made her heart jump again. He headed over to the weapons, and began to look over some of the more deadly ones.

"Sir, are you looking for something in particular?" Talia asked. She pulled a long, jagged toothed sword from under the counter and began to clean it with a black cloth. She was only interested in helping the guy if would actually buy something. Tallia let the task before take over her mind and became fully engrossed in cleaning the sword. Her hands wiped over the blade carressingly.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she hear him answer her. "Yes," came her strong voice. "I would like to know how much you are asking for this reverse-blade katana, and.... that jagged tooth sword you seem to enjoy cleaning." He was watching her intently, his eyes looking towards her face, the katana in questioned in his hand.

"Um, well, the one you are holding is $250, but this isn't for sale right now. I've got a line on another buyer who will be looking into it sometime this week," Tallia answered him. She did not quite understand the feelings that plagued her, but would not succumb to them.

"Has this other buyer already offered you something for that well keep sword?" came his simple reply.

"The craftsmanship and quality of it outrank most others that I've seen and all that are currently for sale. It is obviously a blade crafted for killing and not for duels or other common things. The teeth would tear through flesh as it went in and again as it was yanked out, leaving the victim almost assuredly bleeding to death very quickly. To top that off, I can't seem to find the smith who made it, and I know quite a few who are good at research," she tells him. "So far, the only value I can put on it is in the thousands due to quality, craftsmanship, and uniqueness."

"And has this buyer offered to pay you this thousand for it, or have they offered you more?" She could feel, and if she looked up at him, that his eyes had not left her.

"Depending on if my team of researchers is able to find anything, the buyer is willing to part with up to $10,000. He is a good customer and often receives the first call if something interesting comes in," she tells him. She flicks a stray hair out of her face, thinking it is a bug at first because it is black and then remembers she changed it that morning.

"I am sure that is a decent price for a sword that is clearly older than it's appearance let's be known..." The man walked over to the counter, laying the katana carefully down on another part of the counter. The man leaned forward, and she felt his eyes leave her for the jagged tooth sword in front of her. She felt a pain in her heart because of this. "Now, look here," he said, pointing at a etched in marking near the base of the blade. Tallia had not noticed it before. "That there is the marking of Vulcan, a master sword smith from...hmmm... about the 13th century... must if not all of his blades are considered pricey because of how well the blades have kept of the centuries. It was rumored that none of his blades would ever to rust..." Tallia can remember no time since she has been in procession of the sword that it has ever shown signs of rust.

"I would love to be able to keep it for my personal collection, but a shop like this doesn't always do the best. I knew that going into it, though. As long as I am able to keep it afloat with the business it does get, it'll be fine," Tallia told him, unsure why she was telling a random customer about her personal finances. She runs a finger down the blade and sighs. "I do well enough, but making the sale of this sword would be a coop that the shop hasn't really seen before. Like I said, some of my personal pieces are creme de la creme, but this one is better than most of them."

The man looked up from the blade, and she felt herself look up at him too, his emerald eyes staring into her as if to her soul. "And I would like to add such a weapon to the vast collection that my temple has...but you seem to really love this sword. Why don't I make you a deal here and now, no waiting, and you can't possibly for a reason to refuse..."

"Oh, that depends on the deal, I'm sure...What do you propose?" She asked him, rather skeptically.

The man smirked a bit, not an evil smirk but one that Tallia could say, if she would, the same feeling within her whenever she knew she'd gotten 'her' man for the day. Though this guy didn't seem so manipulative. "I pay you $10,000 every two weeks to keep that sword clean and polished, and in your personal collection." His voice did not waver, and she did not get any feeling that he was lying.

"Soo, you pay me to keep the sword, care for it, and own it...because? Somehow, I don't think you're a stupid man, but I could be wrong since intelligent men don't go around paying thousands of dollars for something they get nothing out of," she eyes him closely and crosses her arms, "What exactly do you get out of the arrangement?"

"Miss, you are correct... I am not a stupid man, but I also know when an item of sort value should not be sold... and like you had said, you need to sell the weapon to keep your shop up and running... and I wish to help with that." The man watched her carefully. "And what I get out of it, is that I have the knowledge that I assisted a beautiful woman, and have assisted that same woman in a way such that she may keep her establishment."

"How do I know I can trust you and you aren't scamming me? I mean, what if I were to say take the first check to my bank and I spend part of it but later the bank says the check was fake? That'd be pretty bad for my establishment, don't you think?" Tallia says, poking at him with her questions and stroking the blade of the sword.

The man smiled more than smirked this time. "You don't...but I never pay for anything with checks," he said, reaching behind him. He pulled a wallet, looked through it, and pulled out three hundred dollar bills. "This is for the katana. And I pay everything in cash, it's harder to go back on a transaction that way, don't you think?"

"Yeah, but that also makes it less traceable...How do I know that money isn't from the running of a drug or illegal fighting ring?" Tallia asks him...not that she'd really care. But she would care if her shop got shut down because of laundered money or suspicious finances. She takes the $300 he put down on the counter and runs the bills through her counterfeit detector.

The bills were real. "If you must know," he said. "I am stock holder in the Epsilon Archer Incorporation." Tallia had heard about Epsilon Archer, everyone that lived in Ashland knew of the technology company that brought the city into the major company map of the United States.

"It's standard procedure to check bills above a $20 bank note. So even if I already knew you were loaded, as I do now, I still would have checked them. Now, there's no way I can explain where two deposits of $10,000 a month are coming from. Chances are, seeing as my shop is a sex and weapons shop the police will assume I'm either a Madam or actual assassain on the side. Both of which would be detrimental to my shop staying open," Tallia gave him a fifty bill back.

"Keep that," the man said straighting up, and taking the katana. "If you really think that I'd do that, you are sorely mistaken." His voice was stronger than before. Tallia noticed than that he had been speaking very calmly before. Her heart jumped into her ears again. "If you even wish to take me up on my offer, I will be at the Earth Shrine." The man began to walk towards the door. Tallia could also tell that this man was very strong willed, and wouldn't be easy to manipulate if at all.

"Have I said no yet? I don't think so. I'm merely poking the possiblity with questions because a single woman who owns a shop can't be too careful. I will take you up on the offer," Tallia told him. "And how am I supposed to know exactly how you are? It's not like I've known you for more than this morning."

The man stopped, and turned to look at her. "Yes, and it is because I can see clearly that you are a single woman who owns a shop, that I am wishing to help. And I swear by the gods of Earth that I wish to assist you, lady..." he said, his voice still strong, his emerald eyes staring into her's. "Now if you are truly taking me up on my offer, still do come to the Earth Shrine... I have business to take care of there before the morning Sun raises to high in the sky."

"Let me check and see who's on the list for the day," Tallia tells him. She runs through her little black book of men who are loosely under her control and finds one to come in and work for the day. She makes the phone call to him and turns her voice to his ears. "I can go, he has his own key to the store."

The man looked outside. "The clouds are covering the city..." he whispered before saying in a much clearer voice. "Come if you are coming, miss..."

"Tallia, my name is Tallia. And I am coming," Tallia tells him. She puts the sword in a locked case under the counter that only she has the key to and walks over to the door. Another code box is on the wall beside that door. She keys the code into that box, knowing that the man coming in soon knew the code to the store. "He knows the code, but doesn't have a key to my rooms or the box I just put that sword in." Tallia didn't quite know why she wanted to reassure this guy about the sword.

The man nodded. "My name is Genbu, come I have much to do along with placing in your very capable hands the first of my payments to you," he said, his voice still stronger than it had been. Genbu began to lead them towards the northern most part of the city.

Tallia went with him, slyly memorizing his features as they went. For this was a face she did not want to forget. She also wondered what the sun going behind the clouds could possibly mean since he commented on that.

Genbu continued to look ahead, in the direction they were going, but he spoke to her, saying, "What is plaguing your mind now Tallia? Do I confuse you that much? Or are you more use to weaker men?"

"It's not that I'm used to weaker men, I just avoid the stronger ones. They can be tedious. Weak men are often willing to do anything for a pretty face and good body and I have both and I know how to accentuate that. I had a feeling something would happen today, I just didn't know what. I'm trying to decide if that something is you or not," Tallia confessed. She didn't know quite why she had agreed to go with this guy. For all she knew, he could have lied to her the whole time and is now taking her to a warehouse where he'll rape and murder her.

"Even strong men are willing to do things for a beautiful women.... and yes you are a beautiful woman, you is very smart, and I like that you have a mind," he said, his voice strong but slightly weaker. Tallia found that her heart was pulling her more towards him.

"What you have said you are going to do seems to me to be something more than what someone strong would do for someone else. I'm not arguing with you helping me, I just don't quite understand." Tallia tells him, still memorizing his features.

His skin was pale, against his dark black hair. He looked down at her, his emerald eyes meeting her eyes. Her heart stopped. "Then you just never have met a man like me..."

"No, I don't think I have...and I think learning more about you will be an interesting experience and one I have never had before," Tallia told him. She continued to walk with him through the familiar city, of course she knew it better in the darkness of night.

"I agree... in learning more about you..." he said. Genbu walked her through the city, making it to the northern most part of the city. They arrived at a large oriental gate flanked on either side with a large black marble tortoise with a white marble serpent seeming to wrap around the other animal. On the other side of the gate was a long pathway leading up into the mountain. "We must head up the path towards the temple." Gengu said as he looked up the path. He then opened the gate, and stood out of the way, motioning Tallia inside the gate.

"Umm, I didn't realize we'd be climbing a mountain. I didn't get a chance to change my shoes," Tallia said, looking down at her boots with the bladed heels. She almost felt embarrassed for her stupidity.

Genbu let out a slight laugh. "You do not have to worry about that," he said. Tallia was quickly grabbed up by him, so fast that she was caught off guard. Genbu carefully throw her up and over his back to where she was riding piggy-back, one of his lean muscular arms wrapped under each of her legs, holding her on. "You might want to wrap your arms around my neck."

"Wahh?" said Tallia as she was being swung onto his back. Then her senses took over and she told him, "Just don't touch the heels!" She also did as he suggested and wrapped her arms around his neck. No, he was definitely right, she'd never met anyone like him before if he was planning to carry her up a mountain.

"Thank you for the warning," he said, looking back at her. "Now hold on..." Genbu started up the path, for at a walk and then into a run. It was not bumpy, but it was still a fast run up the path into the mountains.

Tallia held on tightly, so tightly in fact that she forgot to remember not to choke him. She was not used to riding a man in quite that way.

Genbu didn't make any motion or comment about how tight she held on. Soon, though, they reached the shrine. "Welcome to Earth Shrine," he said, as he carefully let her down off his back. "Welcome." Genbu looked around the area. Tallia could see that there were a few people in robes sweeping the grounds around the shrine, many of whom bowed in respect in their direction.

Her legs were kind of unsteady when she stood again and she nearly fell over but righted herself quickly. "I've never ridden a man like that before," she told Genbu. Tallia glanced around her, not quite sure what to think about the temple or the man who carried her there.

Genbu laughed slightly again. "Really now?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow, smirking. Placing a hand on a shoulder, he motioned for her to walk with him the rest of the way to the shrine's doors. "Come... I just have some business to take care of, and then I am all your's...and is the first payment on your wonderful sword."

Tallia went with him, taking in her surroundings as they walked and wondered what business he had to take care of. She was curious what sort of man was behind this person who knew blades and garnered so much respect.

When they entered the shrine, Genbu lead Tallia over to a sitting area. "I will be right back..."

Tallia sat, quite unsure whether this was a good idea or not. While she waited for him to come back, she called the shop to make sure things were going smoothly.

Everything at the shop was running smoothly, her helper had even been able to make two sells for her, both had been sexy outfits. After the phone call, Tallia could see that their were also many people wandering around sweeping on the inside of the shrine as well as the out. All were dressed in dark, nearly black green robes, with silvery rope belts. The robed people consisted of both men and woman all of different ages and races. A few minutes later, she watched as the robed people put away their brooms, even those from the outside, and were now gathering near the doorway she had seen Genbu disappear into.

Tallia attempted to get the attention of one of the people going towards that room.

One of the women in the robes stopped by her, and looked down at her, and bowed to her. "Yes, my lady?"

"I was merely wondering what was going on in that room now. The guy I came in here with said he had business to take care of in there," Tallia told the woman, fascinated that the woman would even talk to her. Many people thought what she wore was distasteful.

"The High Priest has come home from his journey," said the woman.

"Oh, what sort of journey was he on?" Tallia asked, hoping to assuage her curiosity.

"The High Priest has been on a journey to China, to the sister shrine there... he had been due to arrive earlier this morning, but he is here now," replied the woman before heading off to join the group.

Tallia was glad to have the information, especially since that meant she now knew it was his stop in her shop that made him arrive a bit later than expected. She decided to wait out her time while Genbu was busy by planning her next buying jaunt for the shop. She took her PDA out of her purse and looked through a couple emails she had regarding some new lines of merchandise.

Tallia was so engrossed in her PDA that she didn't notice anyone come to stand near her. "Was your wait that long?" came Genbu's voice. When she did look up, she was able to see that he had changed into a grand robe of deep green and silver, with many earthy designs embriodered into the robe.

"It wasn't that long. It's something I needed to work on anyway, and would have if we hadn't met. I had time, so I figured I would get some work done," Tallia said, shrugging her shoulders. She saved her data and stuck her PDA back into her purse. "Where to now?"

"Come," he said, and lead her into the room he had been in. he motioned for her to sit on a large pillow as he did the same. "Do I confuse you even more, Tallia?" he asked with a slight smile.

"You do confuse me, yes. Who wouldn't be confused by the person who made this deal?" Tallia answered him. She sat down carefully and looked over at him puzzling. "Why did you come into my shop this morning?"

"Because," Genbu said, looking into her eyes. "I was drawn to your shop..... to you..."

"Oh," was all she could think of to say to him. "You said the temple had a collection of weapons...?" Tallia tried to get the conversation on another topic, knowing that if she didn't, she'd probably get uncomfortable delving any further into why he came into her shop.

Genbu just smiled at her, and nodded. "Yes, yes... it is my private collection I keep here..." Genbu stood up and removed his robe, revealing that he was only wearing the black pants from early. Tallia found herself looking at him, seeing that the pants hugged Genbu's lower body in just the right places. She could also see that he was very muscular, and that his pale skin looked even better with his shirt off. Her heart pounded in her ears at the sight of him. Genbu went over to the side of the room, hanging up the robe, and grabbing a shirt.

"Do you really need a shirt?" Tallia asked, unabashedly. She stood up and walked over to him, laying her hand on his chest.

"No I don't," he said, looking down at her. "I normally don't wear my shirt when I work out with all my weapons...." Genbu's skin was cool to the touch, but it was not freezing, it felt good to her warming skin.

"I'm glad, it'd be a shame to cover such a magnificent body," she indicated his body. She was slightly appalled at herself, though, because this man was probably not easily manipulated by her. She wasn't sure what to think of him, but she knew what she liked appearance wise!

Genbu nodded. He took her hand, the one that was on his chest, and lead her out the back of the room, and down a small hallway. At the end, he open a door, and lead her in. When Tallia entered the room, she was hit with what looked like a collection of weapons from all around the world, and from different centuries. All the weapons were blades, swords, daggers, throwing stars, you name it.

"Oooohhh," was all she could manage while her eyes took in the entire room. She sighed over how large his collection was compared to her own and was even a little envious. She also knew that if she had been aware of this collection before meeting him, she would have tried to steal a couple of the more interesting pieces. His collection was larger than she had ever hoped to acheive.

Genbu laughed. "I'm glad that you like it... I've spent years building my collection." He lead her over to a side wall section, and pointed out the Vulcan mark on a few of the swords. "This is how I knew about your sword that you seemed to enjoy cleaning."

"Oh, I'd never seen the mark before," Tallia told him. She reached out to touch one of the swords, but drew her hand back in respect for his possessions, unsure whether he would want her to touch it.

Genbu let out a laugh. "Go ahead, Tallia... it's not going to bite you.... nor am I going to be upset if you touch...."

She reached out with both hands this time, caressing the blades and the hilts. Running her hands along them, memorizing them with her touch. She longed to have the wealth to have such an extensive collection, but for now she was content with this sampling of blades she'd never encountered before.

"Hope you are enjoying yourself...." he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "These swords are from a dig in Europe... they show how spread Vulcan's weapons became."

"These are, they are wonderful," she said. "He seems to have been a great maker of swords...it's too bad that craftsmanship isn't available today. I just don't understand why the art of making a decent sword is only practiced by a handful of people. A blade can be a thing of beauty just as easily as a thing of pain."

"I agree.... I try to add another Vulcan sword to my collection each year, I prefer his to most..." Genbu said. "Yes... a thing of beauty, especially beaustiful if in the right hands..." He was looking down at her.

She tore her gaze away from the sword and looked up at him. She felt herself nearly blush, and was even more drawn to him. Unsure of herself in quite this situation, she entertained the idea of a fight with him. What would that be like and how would it end? "You're not talking about these blades, are you?"

Genbu looked at her in the eyes. "No, I'm not... And I mean what I had said before..."

"You've said a lot of things...which one are you speaking of? Me being beautiful or the proposition you made?" Tallia asked, wanting clarification. "I know I'm beautiful and I don't as yet see a snag in your proposition except that the banks will wonder how I suddenly started coming into that money."

"Both," he said with a charming smile. "Plus what I said involving the swords in your hands..."

"Ok...ay? What do you want then?" Tallia's unsure exactly where this was going, but now she was picturing herself in a better outfit than she had on dancing with a couple of swords with a shirtless Genbu watching. She smirked.

"I want you to be at ease with me," Genbu said. "I want..." Genbu leaned down, and stole a kiss.

Tallia jerked back and slapped him across the face before she could stop herself. She attempted to yank a weapon, any weapon, off the wall and face off with him.

She was able to grab one of the swords from the wall.

Genbu stood there, staring at her. "Tallia..." he said.

She looked at the sword in her hand and her other hand that had just slapped his face. "Ummm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. By the time I realized what was going on it was too late," For the first time that day, and in a long while, Tallia actually felt embarassed...and showed it by looking at her feet and in a blush creeping up her face.

Genbu just smiled. "You do not have to say sorry, Tallia... You were just catch off guard..." he said as he tilted her head up so that he could look in her eyes. "Would you like to exercise with me...?" he asked reaching for a sword. As his fingers wrapped around the hailt of a sword, his lips met her's again.

She agrees to his suggestion. "You're probably better than I am, so you know..." She thought about it for a moment and hoped she didn't make a fool of herself in the process. "What should I do with my shoes?"

"We can fight bare foot..." he said, leading her over to another back room, this one being a sparing matted room.

When they get to that room, Tallia removes her shoes. She sits down, and begins to stretch and loosen up her muscles, but her intention is more than to loosen up her muscles. She pulls a couple yoga positions quickly, "Okay, I'm ready."

Genbu slipped off the slippers that had been on his feet. He smiled at her. "Good....now... attack me..." He brought up his sword in one hand, to the ready position.

She circled him, looking for an opening, any opening. Tallia kept her sword in front of her, gracefully circling him. Once she found a weak spot she attempted to attack it with a vengence.

As Tallia attacked, Genbu swiftly brought his sword over to meet her's. "Good.... now try again," he said with a smile.

Tallia attacks him again. She attacks him as many times as he tells her to until she is worn out. When she is pretty tired, she sits down and says, "I think I've had enough for today." between breaths.

Genbu nodded, and then put the swords away. There was some sweat on his chest. "You were good...Tallia... that was the most fun while practicing I've had..." he said looking back over at her.

"Thank you," Tallia told him. She caught her breath and stood up again. "So...now what?"

Genbu smiled. "You didn't slap me that second time, and hopefully not this time either..." He kissed her again, longer than before.

She doesn't slap him that time, and kisses back a little before pulling away. She's not quite sure what to think of him, she's never had this feeling before and Tallia isn't sure what to do. She knows one thing, though, she doesn't think he'd appreciate all the killings or all the men she's conquered.

Genbu smiled at her, an enlongated tooth.

Tallia smiled back, but dismissed the tooth as odd and went back to worrying about her past. Wait, if that's not just a fake costume thing, then could that mean...? Nah, they don't exist, Tallia thought.

"What's wrong? What's on your mind?" Genbu asked.

Tallia shrugged. "Nothing's wrong. Just thinking about things is all. The day seems to have barely begun and already I'm questioning my life choices. I won't change myself, and I don't think I would have liked living any other way, but that doesn't stop me from questioning myself," Tallia told him. She thought about it for a moment and decided that she wouldn't have changed for anything, even if she found out he wasn't interested after hearing of her hobbies.

"Why would you change?" he asked her curiously. "I would never want anyone to change.... I wouldn't want you to change if you were happy with your life.... I would like to know you, all about you.... and I will answer any questions you have...."

"Okay, question number one: what's with the tooth? Is it real, I've had some wannabe vampire weirdos come into my shop, but it was obvious their teeth were fake. Your's looks a lot more real than any I've seen," Tallia told him.

"Yes, it is real... And if I told you that vampires were real?" Genbu looked at her, the look on his face was one of seriousness.

"Huh, wow. First I'd probably tell you to prove it," Tallia told him. The idea of vampires, though was somewhat exciting. If he were a vampire he may not have a problem with her past, at least not the killing part. Maybe even not the rampant sex partners part, too.

Genbu smiled again, the tooth showing again. "Do you want me to prove it through taking some of your blood? Or.... would you like to think again about my statement back at your shop about the clouds concealing the sun..."

"Hmm," Tallia said and thought for a moment. "Both of those things do not prove that vampires are real. I've seen people drink blood before, as in, mortal people, as in fake vampires. I've also seen them be scared of the sun. Therefore, neither actually proves that vampires exist."

Genbu just shook his head. "Hmmm, you may be right..." he looked down at his right hand. "Can fake vampires do this...?" Genbu looked back at her, with a smile that showed his fangs, and he brought up his right hand which now looked like some sort of claw.

"Okay, that definately is not something a human can do...so you're a vampire. A werewolf wouldn't have the teeth," Tallia thought about it for a moment and then changed her hair color from black to blonde and then back to black again. "I don't know why I can do that, but I can do it with my hair and my eyes."

Genbu let his hand go back to normal, and just smiled at her. "And I know why... I can scense it.... you are one of Gemini... just as I am who I am named for..."

"What does that mean: one of the Gemini? That's what my sign is, but there are thousands of them born during that time of the year. Why does it make any difference?" Tallia asked him, confused.

Genbu smirked. "Have you ever felt like you were missing something in your life?"

"Maybe a little. What are you getting at? If you're the other Gemini like you say I am, aren't they supposed to be twins? Like siblings? That would ruin my day if you were my brother somehow," Tallia said, trying to make sense of it all.

Genbu laughed. "I didn't say anything about me being the one.... I feel a connection to you, but not that type of connection... and yes I mean like a brother, or at least a brother in soul...." Then he shook his head, and said, "and have you never heard of Genbu, the guardian of the north...?"

"Oh, that's a relief! And no, I've never heard of a guardian of the north. I don't exactly follow anything. I've just wondered why I could change my hair and eye colors and I've seen some strange things. One would with a shop like mine!" Tallia told him. She thought about it more, trying to see if she realized what was missing and where to find it.

Tallia felt like a connected soul was missing from her, but before she had felt that missing connection along with a missing part of her heart, which now seemed fuller than full.

"Genbu is and was the creature whose statue was down at the gate. In Chinese mythology, Genbu guarded the north, and was connected to the earth..." Genbu said.

"Well, my family disowned me years ago because of my strange hobbies. We didn't get along too well. They were staunch middle class and I was a wild child. I have my shop, though, so I'm okay. Is a guardian allowed to be with someone?" Tallia asked, playing with a dagger she tends to keep somewhere tucked away in her clothing.

Genbu smiled. "Yes, guardians are. My sister and I wouldn't be here if a guardian wasn't allowed."

"Well, that's a relief," Tallia tells him. She can't help but wonder where this other part of her is. She's gone so long without family that it might be strange to have a relation again. What would happen if this sibling hated her or thought she was too crooked it to stand? Tallia thought she'd be able to handle that, but she wasn't sure. She could feel herself starting to hope that things would go well, but she didn't really want to think about it. Genbu seemed almost too nice to put up with her side hobbies. She enjoyed her jaunts into murder and mayhem, and was unwilling to give them up for anyone. She liked wearing revealing clothing. She realized she had to find this other soul, even if it was only to get an answer to the question of whether or not that person would like her.

Genbu nodded. "I am glad that you do....just know that I will help you in searching for your missing half." Genbu pulled her close and kissed her on the lips.

Tallia kissed back a little timidly, which was unusual for her. She was unsure what to do about actually feeling something for someone. She was so used to having guys want her for her body and then being her slave for awhile until she got bored with them. She was unsure in this situation. When the kiss was over, she pulled back and asked, "So you know how you said I could ask you anything? Well...I have another question for you."

Genbu nodded. "Yes I know...and that offer will never be taken back..."

"You say you're a vampire and all...does that mean that you kill and eat humans?" Tallia asks, holding her breath for the answer. She's not afraid he'd eat her, she's afraid he'll tell her that no he eats animal blood and thinks that humans deserve to be left alone.

Genbu looked at her with all seriousness. "Yes, I do kill and eat humans... but sometimes I don't have to. There are many here at the shrine that have offered their people to me. But guardian or not, I do have a nature that is like that of an animal. I miss the great battles...."

"That's WONDERFUL!" Tallia shouted, throwing her arms around him and giving him a loud smack on the lips. "I mean the killing part, not the part where people are offered to you."

"Wow.." Genbu said smiling at her. "You must really like killing...."

"I just thought that since you're a high priest and Guardian or whatever that you would be opposed to a life filled with murder and mayhem and whatever else strikes my fancy," Tallia told him, her voice getting exciting when she reached the word murder. Her hair changed to black with a purple streak and her eyes went a matching purple.

Genbu laughed. "I can be me on my own time...only on my time... seeing as I do have obligations..."

"Oh...Well, just out of curiousity, how much you time do you get?" Tallia asked him. She understood, but surely he wouldn't be able to go on dates or anything if he had so many obligations. "And I understand about having responsibility. My store takes up a lot of my time."

"I have alot of time...I have ways of knowing when I am needed," Genbu said. "WHat did you have in mind, Tallia?"

"I don't know...we could do something fun, but I don't know what you're idea of fun is..." Tallia said. Tallia was just happy that Genbu did not think killing was a horrible dispicable thing to do and didn't really know what to say. She thought about finding the other missing piece, but had no idea where to start. ((I don't know if you're going to make the other Gemini a PC or already have an NPC in mind, so I didn't want to have her try to find him/her.))

((Sabra had a character that was the other Gemini, so... that's what's happening there....))

"Would you like to go to the movies? I hear that the lastest action movie has a lot of fighting and killing in it..." he said, smiling at her. He then laughed, saying, "Very down to earth...."

"Maybe...movies can be kind of boring compared to what goes on at night, though. I've seen things most people wouldn't believe!," Tallia said. "If that's what you want to do, I'll come, too."

"Movies may be boring, but it is barely even noon, and the sun would be high in the sky.... and I can believe the things you probably have seen...." he said. "Plus.... night is a few hours out..."

"Yeah...you're right...But going to a movie theater would still be going outside," Tallia thought about it for a minute, "Don't tell me you have one here underground or something."

"No," he said. "Come...my sister is amazing at the needle..." Genbu lead Tallia out of the back rooms back into the hall way, half way down he stopped and turned to his left, down a side hall and Tallia hadn't noticed the first time, and then into the first of two rooms at the end of the hall. The room was deep green, with the furniture was a dark earthy brown with lighter accents, and the beding was a lighter, but still dark green with silver threading, and the pillows were silver with green threading. He walked over to a wardrobe, pulling out another dark green item. A cloak, which he pulled on after he had put on a brown top.

"That looks good on you," Tallia said, eyeing him. ((I know I said it would take a while. But it's his bedroom and her heart is full, and this is just a joke for him.)) While Genbu's back was turned to her, she pushed him onto the bed.

"Ooff.... Tallia, what do you think you are doing in the name of the stars?" Genbu said, as he rolled over, moving her around so that she layed on him stomach instead of he's back.

"I was just playing," Tallia said as she jumps up off the bed. "Is that okay?" Tallia's hair changes to red and her eyes change to green. She extends a hand to help him up off the bed. "Aren't the zodiacs made from stars?"

Genbu smiled. "The Zodiac are individuals gifted by the stars with great power.... some had been born mortal, others demi-gods, and some creatures of the night or were creatures....all coming together as friends...as family..." As he stood up, Genbu wrapped her in a hug again. "And I know you were..." He let out a laugh.

"You know I was what? You acted surprised and confused," Tallia said, narrowing her eyes. Her hair changed to black with blonde highlights and her eyes changed to a cat-like caramel color. ((I'm never going to remember what mood equals what hair and eye color, btw.))

((Lol that's okay))

"That you were playing... I liked that...." Genbu said, and kissed her.

She kisses him back, but bites him a little on the lip while kissing him. "Now, I'm not really sure about this whole Zodiac thing, but I do believe that things exist that there is no explaination for, so I'm game. I'd rather see a Shakespear play than a movie, though. So much more devious plotting." ((Apparently, she's going to be part Nameless.))

((NAMELESS!!! Hey, Sarah....hmmm....Cordy....hmmm... Selvia.....hmmm.... Lilly..... huh....NAMELESS!!!))

"Prefect," he said. "Which one? There are two going on.... Hamlet.... and Julieus Ceaesar.... or we can see both...."

"OOohh, HAMLET!" Tallia says, and her hair turns black and her eyes turn a smiliar shade. She stands as tall as she can and holds out her arm dramatically, "To be or not to be. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows..."

Genbu chuckled at her. "Hamlet it is then... now, I know of a show starting in thirty minutes, so we have to leave so that we can get back down the mountain..."

"Are you going to carry me again?" Tallia asked.

Genbu looked at her, as he lead her back through the halls, and the through the shrine area, and out to the front of the Shrine. He pulled up a hood from the cloak just before heading outside. "I'll have to," he said with a smile. "The threatre is forty-five minutes away..." Genbu grabbed her and put her on his back again, careful of her boots. "Ready..." He raced down with her, seeming to more jump down then run down.

She squealed as they raced down the mountain. Now that she was actually ready for what would happen, it was an exciting experience.

When they hit the bottom of the mountain, Genbu didn't stop. He continued running, heading towards the threatre with her on his back.

Tallia thought this was the wildest ride of her life and was ready for whatever happened next.

He stopped near the threatre. "Ready for a free show...?"

"Uh, sure," Tallia said. "Do you know someone in the cast?"

"Nope..." Genbu carried her into the alley, and jumped. To her surprise, that had landed on the roof of the threatre. He sat her down, and lead her to a roof door.

Tallia was surprised to find herself on the roof of the building. "Wow, you have strong legs!" she exclaimed. "Where exactly are we going to sit?"

"It comes with what I am... the strenght boost..." said Genbu as he opened the roof door. "We're going to sit in the balcony... where else?" He asked her with a smile.

"I love sitting in the balcony! You can see the whole show and not have to strain you neck," Tallia told him. 

"I'm glad you do..." he said, leading her to the seats they'll be using. "I like it up here because it gets pretty dark, and I do have a problem with too much light..." Genbu chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm still not quite sure what to think about all that..." TALLIA((??? lol )) said, watching Genbu.

"I'll be here if you have any questions.... but I'm sure you would get use to it... like you said, you've seen a lot of things..." Genbu said, sitting down in a front balcony seat. "Sit... it's going to start soon..." he said smiling up at her.

Tallia took her seat next to him and got ready for a show.

((Sarah, look up... I didn't know that Cornelia was with Tallia and Genbu....lol ))

The lights deemed, and the play started. "I hope you really enjoy the show," Genbu whispered.

"I'm sure I will," Tallia whispered back. 

The preformance started, and then half way through, the threater had an intermission.

Genbu looked over at Tallia. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked, and smile on his lips. "Because I am..."

"Yes, it's a good show. It has everything: murder, violence, insanity, and plotting. Such a good show," Tallia said. "You know, I really do think Hamlet knows what he's doing the entire time."

"Maybe he does... which would mean he's very good at observing everything around him...." Genbu said.

"Yeah, that's true. I much prefer the murder and mayhem, myself, and the revenge and all manner of incredible vices," Tallia tells him.

"You do seem like the vices would excite you," said Genbu with a chuckle. "I like that."

"I'm glad because I couldn't see myself changing, like I said before. How can you like that if you are a high priest of a temple?" Tallia asked him.

"It's apart of me... being a priest doesn't change that fact..." he said.

"I guess it's just that most of the priests that I've heard of or talked to have been people who had to be very morally upstanding. I'm not, and I don't want to be," Tallia told him.

"YOu could say that I, along with a few other priests here in the city...are of a unique breed..." He chuckled. The light began to deem again, and the play resumed.

Tallia watched the second half of the play without speaking. The second half, after all, was her favorite part!
((Cornelia escaped the place again lol))

The performance ended, and the lights came up. "Love it, simply love it..." Genbu said.

When Genbu looked at her, she had dark black hair with a purple streak and dark almost black eyes. She looked at him, smiled secretively, and grabbed him by the front of his shirt with both hands. Before he said anything she pulled him against him in an aggressive tongue tangling kiss overflowing with all the energy and excitement seeing such a diabolical play would put into her.

Genbu kissed back just as passionately, arms wrapping around her waist, holding her against him close.

Tallia finally broke the frenzied kissing and said to Genbu, "That really was a good show, followed by an even better kiss."

Genbu chuckled. "I loved it, simply love it... the kiss the most..."

"So...now what do you need to do?" Tallia asked him as they moved out of the theater.

"Would it excite you to see some more rare weapons?"

"Sure! I like any manner of weapons...except guns. For some reason, I just don't like guns," Tallia tells him.

"You're an old fashion woman..." said Genbu with a smile. "I just know you'll enjoy the collection..."

"I'm not old-fashioned!" Tallia told him. She bristled at the insuation that she could be called "old-fashioned." People who were old fashioned were stuffy and never liked to do anything exciting. Her family was old fashioned.

Genbu grabbed her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I wasn't meaning old fashion in any sense of the word today... I meant old fashion as in daggers and swords compared to guns and rifles. As in acient weapons... like the ones I was and am planning on taking you to see..." Genbu kissed her lips.

She giggled, "Oh, that sounds lovely. If my shop's on the way, can we stop by and see how things are going?"

"Yes, I do believe that can be done," he chuckled and walked with her away from the threater.

She was happy about that. The men who ran her store while she was gone needede to be checked on every so often, otherwise she was afraid of what would happen to her store. Although, she was kind of worried about how Genbu would react to seeing one of her...partners.

They got to her shop.

Tallia goes inside and looks around. "How's the day going?" she asks the current attendant.

"Ten sells involving the liungrie, and one involving a small knife..." the man at the counter said.

"Hey, that's pretty good for the morning!" Tallia said, looking happy and beaming at the man who had delievered the good news.

"Yes, miss... it is..." he said.

"That's great!" Tallia told him. "And have I missed anything interesting?"

"A guy walked in here with three women on leashes... he looked at the swords... asked for you... and then left upset because you weren't here...."

"Hmm, that sounds like Roger. I've told him time and again that if he wants to work only with me, than he needs to call before he comes in to make sure I'm here. He may have other women bow to his needs, but I am not one of them," Tallia tells him. "Anything else?"

"I don't know if it was that Roger or not... he had a four leash and a collar.. mumbled something about those being for you...."

"Hah! Now that's funny. What an idiot!" Tallia burst out laughing.

Genbu walked in. "What's so funny Tallia?" he asked.

The man at the counter looked at Genbu with a tilted head.

"A man...came into the shop...with three women...on leashes...and wanted me...on a leash!" Tallia was doubled over with laughter at this point and could barely get out the words.

The man at the counter backed up, wide eyed.

Genbu chuckled, walking over to help her. "That is funny..."

"If he ever comes back again while I'm here, he'll have to watch out!" Tallia said, tears coming into her eyes from laughing so hard.

"May I watch?" Genbu laughed.

"Of course!" Tallia said, wiping the tears from her face. She looked over at the attendant. "Did anything else happen today?"

"No ma'am..." he said.

"Okay, well you're doing a good job. I just have to run upstairs and change my shoes," Tallia says.

"Yes ma'am..." he said.

Genbu looked at Tallia. "I'll be waiting for you..."

"Okay," Tallia said and went up to change shoes. She put on a pair of black flats, making her more comfortable walking. She laughed a little because the flats barely matched with what she was wearing.

She got the feeling someone or something was watching her.

She looked around, confused. She had left both guys down in the store and no one should be in her apartment. "Hello?" she asked.

There was no one there, and the feeling of someone being there had disappeared.

Tallia went back down to her shop.

Genbu looked up from another sword when Tallia walked in. He smiled at her.

"Neither of you followed me up to my living area, right?" Tallia said as she came back down. She looked kind of confused.

Her 'man' shook his head. "No ma'am..."

Genbu cocked an eyebrow. "No, Tallia... neither of us followed..."

"That's odd. I felt like someone was watching me while I was up there. I thought maybe one of you followed. Huh, maybe I'm just losing it," Tallia said.

Genbu looked worried, and then his eyes widened. "It wasn't your imagination...." he said low.

"Do you want to come look?" Tallia asked him. "Maybe you can find something I did?" She's trying to get him away from her helper so he can tell her what's going on.

"Yes...yes.. I would like to..." Genbu said, walking over to her.

Tallia took him up to her living area to give him a better look and also to talk to him in private. "What do you think happened?" she asked him after she had shut her front door.

"I don't think that man was who you think it was.... that man sent a spy here to spy on you.... this man is powerful... I don't like this..."

"Great, what'm I gonna do?" Tallia said. "I don't really want to close my shop, but I don't really want to stay here and have people spying on me."

Genbu walked over to her, and hugged her to him. "Don't worry... I won't let anyone spy on you...." He looked down at her. "I'll have to speak with someone that could spy on these spies and keep them from spying on you.... until I can, if you wish, I can see if my sister wouldn't mind a room mate for a few nights...."

"I don't know if your sister would appreciate having me...I have some odd habits, as you can see," she swept her hand around her apartment. Genbu was met with a decor that encompassed as many vices as possible: murder, sex, glutiny, violence, and so much more.

Genbu laughed. "I really don't think she'd care, in my opinion... let's just say that I think that your helper down stairs is going to be calling up to you..."

"Mistress!!!" came the voice of the man downstairs, just as Genbu pointed to the door.

Tallia went downstairs, wondering what the commotion was.

Genbu followed.

The man looked at Tallia. "You have a phone call..."

Tallia took the phone, "Hello?"

Tallia was greeted by a female voice. "Hello, Tallia... you can tell my brother to behave his thoughts.... and you are very welcome to stay with us..."

"Ummm, okay...thanks for calling and telling me yourself...?" Tallia said into the phone. "And what thoughts was he having?"

"oh just the same thoughts you both were having at the threatre after the play...." said the voice. "Now, I will be waiting for both of you...bye til then...." The phone went to dail tone.

Tallia pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it. She hung up the phone and looked at Genbu with her eyebrows raised, "Your sister is...interesting."

"That's my sister for you..." Genbu said. "What did she say?"

"She said that you're supposed to behave your thoughts and that it was okay for me to stay with her," Tallia told him.

Genbu laughed. "Now didn't I tell you... I wouldn't be surprised if she's had her room ready for you since last night... but then again, that's Oracle for you..."

"Oracle? That's an odd name..." Tallia said as they were leaving the shop. She had given instructions to the man behind the counter to close and not wait for her.

"But.." Genbu said. "It also goes with what she sees...."

"Oh," was all Tallia could manage. She was still getting used to this world.

Genbu chuckled, placing an arm around Tallia's shoulders. "I'm sorry if this is all too much for you.... should we just head back to the shrine or should we continue on with our plan?"

"Um, I'm a little tired, actually. Do you mind just going back?" Tallia asked. "I'm still taking it all in...do you think I'll be able to do anything else besides changing the color of my hair and eyes?"

"I would think so... but you'd have to ask the Beast Guardian of the West, the Priest of the Air..." Genbu said. "And alright, let's head back and you can formally met Oracle..."

"Okay, but why do I have to ask those two if I can do anything else?" Tallia asked as they went back.

Genbu laughed. "Those two are one and the same.... remember how I said that I was a vampire, but that I also am the beast that stands infront of the shrine, t.... the beast those shrine I am the Priest of??"

"Now I'm torn between my want to see if I can do anything else and my desire to rest..." Tallia said.

"We'll take care of that in the morning, love..." said Genbu. "I will contact the Tiger in the morning... Now, would you like to walk back, or ride?"

"Hmm, riding sounds like a good option," Tallia said, smiling at him.

"Alright..." Genbu said, throwing her up over his shoulder, and bounding down the streets, and then some time later up the mountain to the Earth Shrine.

Tallia just enjoyed the ride. She didn't think she'd ever get tired of riding on Genbu's back.

He carried her right up to the shrine enterance before he sat her down. He took her hand, and smiled at her. "Come, I'll show you to Oracle's room..."

"Okay," Tallia said, going with him. She was a little confused as to who would have been to her shop earlier.

Genbu lead Tallia back through the room, and into the hidden hallway. He took her to the door next to his. Just as Genbu was about to knock, they heard, "Come in Genbu, Tallia..." Genbu shook his head with a smile.

"Ahhh, so she's an actual oracle..." Tallia said as they went into the room.

Genbu laughed.

A young woman dressed in a hooded robe-like outfit sat at the side of a spacish room. The hood was pulled up, though long strains of silvery-green hair was falling out of the hood. "Welcome to our room, I hope it is to your liking..." said the young woman that Tallia could guess was Oracle. The room was a dark green that was nearing black, with silver trimming. The room had two large four posted beds, one on each side. The one near Oracle had thick curtains on it that were curently pulled back that were full black with green and silver steching in it that were forming branches and leaves. The beding was a match to the curtains. The other bed, each Tallia could asume was for her, was decked out in the way that Tallia would love it, her dream bed. All the furniture was a dark woodwith some light wood trims, and all of the furniture looked original.

"Wow...this is...it's just great. The monsters are wonderful, I wish they were real sometimes. And I have to ask, do you wear a hood because you need to, you like the feel of it, or for the effect a hooded figure tends to present?" Tallia said.

"I'm not as strong as Genbu there yet, to be able to brave the light with out it.... though even he must still have the hooded cloak I made him...." Oracle said. "And who said that the monsters are not real?"

"Welllll...no one, I guess. When I was little, I used to imagine I was queen of monsters...I think that's one of the reasons my family disowned me. I also like playing with sharp toys...but, that's not a story for the day," Tallia told her. Part of her wondered just how much the woman before her knew about her past.

A little giggle came from under the hood, and then the girl lowered her hood. The young woman was beauty, all od her hair was a silvery green, which seemed to go down to the floor, and her eyes were a dark gray-green. "Yes... but those monsters are real to a point, watch...." The monsters started to dance around and chatter to one another.

"Are you doing that? Or are they just moving?" Tallia hoped it was the second one. She still like monsters a lot. ((I'm sorry, I thought about it, and this is what I think she'd do...she likes vices and commanding an army of monsters would be right up her alley, so her ideal bed is full of monsters.))

"They move... I'm burrowing someone minions for a while..." Oracle said.

Genbu just laughed a bit at the two.

"Oh, okay," Tallia said. She's a little sad that the monsters were someone's minnions...it would make it more difficult to think of them as hers. But that wasn't something she'd tell anyone. "So, about tomorrow?"

"You'll have fun..." started Oracle.

Genbu interrupted. "Oracle.... she's talking to me..... but you are right... Tallia, you are going to have fun.... We'll head over to Vulcan's to look through his weapons, and you'll even seen some weapons like the one you are keeping for your collection...."

"Wait, you know this Vulcan guy personally?" Tallia asked.

"Where do you think I got most of my weapons?" he said with a smile. "Plus remember the date that I gave you for the making of that sword of your's?"

"Yeah, it was like centuries ago, I thought," Tallia said. "How is that guy even still alive? Unless it's a family name sort of thing?"

Genbu smirked. "Or...? There are other possiblities, love...."

"Oh...yeah, you're a vampire...they live a long time, don't they?" Tallia said, catching herself. She turned to Oracle, "So...can I meet the person who you're borrowing the monsters from some day?"

Oracle nodded. "Yes...you will...."

"Okay, but you're being very vague. Anyway, I just want to say..." Tallia doesn't finish her sentence and just passes out. She's not even on the bed, but she was really tired and it just hit her.

Genbu rushed and caught her, laying her down in her bed. He then closed the curtains of the bed. Tallia dreamed she and Genbu were back in the threatre, and then she dreamed she was flying.

Tallia smiled in her sleep.

She was awoken by the flutter of wings.

"Hello?" Tallia called, wondering why she heard wings.

"Caw!"

"What are you doing here, little bird?" Tallia held her hand out to it. ((She likes animals.)) "Where did you come from?"

A crow hopped onto her arm. "Caw!" It had a necklace around its neck. The necklace was a simple chain with an emerald on it.

"Hello there. What's your name?" Tallia asked it. "You're a very handsome crow, you know."

"Caw!" The name Yin came to Tallia head. It picked at the necklace as if it wanted Tallia to take it.

"Is Yin your name?" Tallia asked the crow as she took the necklace.

The crow nodded, and rubbed its head against Tallia's cheek.

"Well, it's nice to meet you. Why did you bring me this necklace?" Tallia asked it, wishing part of her abilities was to speak with animals. She rubbed a finger down its head.

'Because it is your's mistress...' came a female voice in her head.

Tallia jumped a bit at the voice in her head, but thought it was probably the crow in front of her. That made her smile. She put the necklace on. "Thank you."

'You're welcome mistress.' said the crow with a "Caw!" She remembered having a twin brother, who had a twin necklace and crow named Yang.

"Wow, I have a brother," Tallia said to the bird. "We'll have to find him soon. But tomorrow, I'm going to some temple, don't remember the name and figuring out what I can do." Tallia looked again at the monsters around her and once again wished that she could meet their master.

'We will find him....and the temple is the Khan Temple....the temple of the air... for that is your element...' came the voice of Yin.

"Oh, okay...well, we're visiting it because I would like to know if I can do anything beyond changing my hair and eyes. I'm happy with that, but I would like to know, you know? It's nice to have found you, though," Tallia told the bird.

Yin cawed happily.

"I see you have finally met again," came Oracles voice from inside her curtained off bed. "Do you think you can pull closed the black out curtains on the windows....?"

"Okay," Tallia said. She got out of bed and closed the curtains as she had been asked.

Once the curtains were closed, the curtains around Oracle's bed openned up. "Thank you...and again, I see you have met each other again.... That is good...."

"Yes, I'm glad, too. I didn't know I had a brother, though, or a bird," Tallia told Oracle. "It's strange to think that I was reborn. It's not something I'd thought of before."

"Genbu did tell you, as Gemini you had a twin... he must had forgotten totellyou it was a male twin.... long life, short memory....." Oracle said playfully.

Tallia smiled. "Today we're going to visit the air temple, right? Isn't that what he said?" Tallia asked Oracle. To Yin she said, "Do you need to eat? My past life memories aren't completely back to me yet."

The crow cawed to disappeared, and Tallia felt a sensation on her back.

Oracle looked at Tallia. "She is on your back, appearing as a normal tattoo.... and yes that is where you and Genbu are going today.... while I have a meeting myself with...... a young man...."

"Okay. That is so weird, a living tattoo animal thing. Do you have a shower I can use?" Tallia asked her.

"Of course, Tallia.... out the door, and just head back down the hall, and your will find the bathroom...."

"Thanks, Oracle," Tallia said. She grabbed her backpack, and walked down the hall, looking for the shower.

---

Vander sat on a couch in a living room watching the television. He had a sandwich in his hand and a soda next to him. He was thinking about finding another way to contact his parents and let them know he was at least alive and well. He'd been trying for the last two years, but he knew it was futile. He moped that no one would ever know what had happened to him and he was doomed to a lonely life just watching people go by and never knowing he was there.

He heard a key out into the front door of the apartment, and then the door open. "I thought I had turned off the television when I left..." came a woman's voice. There was a sigh. "...Robby...you silly goose..." A young woman came into the living room carrying two big brown bags of food. Her face was hidden, as she walked through the living into the kitchen to put up the bags. Vander had seen pictures of the young woman that lived here, and that of two young children, the woman hadn't looked old enough have children, she only appeared from the pictures to be maybe eighteen if not nineteen.

He quickly got up from the couch. He wanted to avoid getting sat on again, and as much as possible. It was not a pleasant experience the first time nor any other time it had happened. He was curious about her, and wondered why she was living in a small apartment with two children. He thought maybe they were her younger siblings and she was watching them for a while.

Vander felt turn to the young woman. He heard her moving through the kitchen, putting away the groceries. "Robby....Robby....Robby.... you silly little goose... I've told you time and time aga..." The young woman had come into the living room. She was now stopped in her tracks, staring at Vander. Just staring at him.

"Hello...? Can you see me?" Vander asked. He wasn't really hoping for much, after all, he'd made the mistake of thinking someone was looking at him before.

The young woman nodded. "Who....? How did you get in...? I..."

"You CAN see me!? Oh, glorious day! My name's Vander by the way. Oh, the curse is over! Do you have a phone?! I need to call my parents, they think I'm dead! Please, may I use a phone?" Vander asked her, visibly excited and happy.

The young woman just continued to stare at him, and pointed over at her phone. She moved slowly over to the couch, sitting down, her legs feeling weak.

Vander walked over to the phone and dialed a number. It was the number for his parent's house. He prayed they were home.

"Hello?" came his mother's voice.

"Mom! Mom, it's me, Vander. I'm not dead!" Vander said excitedly into the phone, looking at the woman.

The young woman just watched him. She looked scared, and sat there quietly.

"Hello? Hello, who is this? This is not funny..." said his mother.

"Mom, it's me. Please, she can hear and see me! The curse should be over! Please, Mom," Vander said, tears coming into his eyes and voice.

"Don't ever call back or I'll call the cops," said his mother, and the the dail tone met Vander's ears.

Vander hangs up the phone and looks over at the woman, "They couldn't hear me. Why can you?" Then he slumps to the floor, with a dazed look and crying a little.

"I...I don't know... I...." the young woman slowly stood up, and just as slowly walked over to him. "It...it'll...be okay....." She placed a hand on his shoulder, warmth spread through both of them. "I....I'm sorry...."

Vander jumped a bit when she touched him and looked up, "Two years, it's been two years since anyone's seen me or heard me. Two years since someone's meant to touch me rather than not realizing I was there and sitting on me instead. Why are you different?"

"I... I don't know...I..." the young woman said looking down, kneeling on the floor. "Again, I'm sorry..."

Vander just sat there, wishing that his family knew he was alive. "I'm sorry to bother you. You're probably freaked out and think I'm just insane, so I'll just go. It was nice to be known again, though."

"I.... you don't...have to leave...." said the young woman, looking up from the floor and at him. "If... I am the only one that can see and....interact... please... don't leave.... I don't want to kick you out...." She looked down again, and Vander cause see a slight blush forming on her cheeks, and he felt his heart beating hard for her.

"O...Okay, but only if I'm not going to be a bother. I have no way to work or anything to help you, really. I would like to stay, it's been two years since I've had a conversation with another person," Vander said, drying his eyes as best he could. He felt like a baby for crying, but it really couldn't be helped: he'd been so close to talking to his family!

"You'll be....no bother..." the young woman said, she reached out and wipped Vander's cheek. "It'll be... nice to talk to.... someone.... other than my kids...."

"Thank you!" Vander said, hugging her quickly. He wondered about the part where she said they were her kids but he decided not to ask. "And I'll try to find a way to earn my keep!"

The young woman nodded, hugging back, patting his back. "Okay... so, hmm...what is your name....?"

"Oh! Vander, my name's Vander. What's your's? I know the little boy is Robbie," Vander tells her.

"Shaiya...." she said softly. "But what do you mean you already know my son's name??"

"Well, you called Robbie a silly goose a couple times earlier. I figured that was the boy. Very few girls are named Robbie," Vander told her. "And you have a pretty name."

"Ohh..." Shaiya mouthed. "Robbie is my son, and my daughter's name is Crystal... they're my angels...." she said. Shaiya blushed slightly, and said, "Thank you....about my name that is... and for staying...."

"You must look younger than you are to have two kids that old already," Vander said before he could stop himself. He blushed and immediately apologized for his rudeness.

Shaiya shook her head, and looked down, sad. She stood up, her head down to hide her face. "They are my life... my everything...." she said, sadly. She turned towards kitchen table, sitting down. There were some books and notebooks on the table. The books were that of college classes. "I'm.... eighteen..." she whispered from her seat.

"Oh," Vander said, sad that he had made her sad. He stood up, too, and went over to where she was to look at the books on her table. He was determined to make her smile. "Wow, with all those books, you must be pretty smart. I was in college when I...disappeared."

"Yeah... I am.... but it will be years before I finish college... it was a struggle just to finish my GED...." she said, softly.

"I can understand with having two kids running around. They seem, as far as I can tell from the pictures, to be growing up nicely, though. And I haven't heard any bickering from them, so they must like each other," Vander said.

"That's how I taught them... I want them to have the best that I can give... so it's work and classes and spending my free days with them unless I can get a babysitter like today so that I can going shopping or so that I can get some work done..." she said, looking over at the pictures of her two angels. "My life is lived for them to have to never need anything..."

"I don't know them too well right now, but I'm sure you've done a fine job so far," Vander told her, serious. "Hopefully, I'll be able to find someway to repay you for your kindness."

Shaiya nodded. "I... if you can, I could use the help.... thank you..." she said, turning to look at him. "I hope that what ever that has happened to you reverses so that you can be happy...."

"Thank you," Vander said. Then he got an idea, "Here, why don't you go do something you need to do and let me cook you and your kids lunch? I became a pretty good cook the past two years, if I do say so myself."

"I don't pick them up til dinner time.... it was Chrissy's idea... my sitter.... she knows that I do normally get them after I finish things in the morning..... but she said I need the rest... she was a god send.... if you want, you can cook dinner... I.... thank you..." Shaiya said, but finished very softly, looking down, feeling her cheeks warming.

"Sure, any way I can help," Vander said. "And thanks again for allowing me to stay!"

She nodded. "Ah.... so... please, make yourself at home...."

"Okay. Hey, I wonder if your kids will be able to see me too?" Vander said. "Maybe it's some sort of gene you guys share!"

"I don't know....." Shaiya spoke softly. "This was the first time...."

"First time for what?" Vander asked her.

"Talking to someone that's invisible to the rest of the world....people may think that they're...." Shaiya said looking at him.

"Crazy?" Vander finished. He looked kind of sad. "I can tell you that you're not and that I'm real, but that's exactly what an imaginary person would say, isn't it?"

Shaiya nodded. "I've read about it.... but..." She reached out a hand, touching his cheek. "I can feel you there in front of me..."

"I can feel that. I don't really know how to prove to you that I am real. I just know I am," Vander told her.

A thought ran through Vander's mind. Shaiya's cheeks went red, and he could tell that the some thought had gone through her mind. She was looking down again, locks of her golden blnd hair hanging in her face. "I..."

Vander isn't quite sure what to say to make her more at ease, so he remains silent.

"Feeling you proves it for me..." she said towards the ground. "I... you are real..."

"Okay. Do you need anything done around the apartment? I can try and fix something for you if you want?" Vander offered. The situation was getting awkward for both of them and he wanted to diffuse it.

Shaiya looked up at him, with a small shy smile, and nodded. "Yes... could yougo around the rooms...and just straighten things up..... I'll come and help in a minute... I want to get some more studying down..."

"Sure, take all the time you want," Vander told her, standing up. He went to the bathroom first, just to see if anything leaked or needed a bit of a scrub.

The sink needed to be cleaned.

Vander looked under the sink for cleaning supplies and if they were there, he proceeded to use them on the sink. Trying to acheive a sparkle it hadn't had for a while. 

The sink turned from looking used, to looking brand new.

Vander decided since he was already started on the bathroom, he would just do the rest of it, too. He cleaned the tub and the toilet.

"Oh..." came Shaiya's voice. "You didn't have to do that....hmmm.... thank you...." Vander could see in the mirror that Shaiya had a blush on her cheeks.

"It's okay. Think of it as my first thank you for letting me stay," Vander told her. "By the way, where do you want me to sleep?"

"You can sleep on the couch..." Shaiya said, giving him a slight smile. "I'm sorry, but it's not a pull out bed...."

"No, that's okay. I don't mind at all. You get used to sleeping on couches when there's not a spare bedroom somewhere. I find them quite comfortable," Vander assured her.

Shaiya nodded a little. "If you're sure... I.... I'm sure we could think of something else......If you want...."

"It'll be super nice to know that I won't be getting sat on all the time, so you could make me sleep on the floor and just never step on me and I'd be fine," Vander explained.

"Please sleep on the couch... I have to pull my little ones from bed so.... you'll be okay...." Shaiya said. She reached out, touching his arm lightly. "Would you like some lunch...?"

"Um, sure," Vander said, glancing to where she touched him and back at her with a blush.

Shaiya blushed. "Hmm... what do you like to eat? I don't have much... but I may have something..."

"Well, I like just about anything. Except for pineapple or corn. But anything else..." Vander told her and shrugged.

Shaiya laughed a bit, smiling, but then blushing deeply at laughing. "I... you sound like Robbie and Crystal do right now when it comes to food...." she said, looking down shyly. "How... about I make us some sandwickes...? Ham okay?"

"Yeah, ham is fine," Vander tells her. "Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

Shaiya nodded. "Could you grab out plates?" she asked as she went about getting out everything for the sandwickes.

Vander went to the cupboards and got out plates for the two of them. It felt nice to be doing something with someone again rather than just around.

Shaiya put the sandwiches on the plates. "There... I hope you like it.... Vander..." she said.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Vander assured her. "So, is there anything else you need me to do when we get done here?"

"I don't know.... I was going to pick up the children's rooms... if you want to help...." Shaiya said, blushing, "I'd like that...."

"Yeah, sure I can help with that," Vander said, taking a big bite out of his sandwich.

"Thank you....Vander...." Shaiya said blushing as she started eating her sandwick.

Vander eats the rest of his sandwich in silence, thinking about how wonderful it is to do something as simple as share a meal with someone again.

"Vander..." started Shaiya, looking up at him, her cheeks blushed. "...could you tell me some about yourself......?"

"There's not really much to tell. I had a good life with a good family and parents who were proud of me. I was going to school to become a computer programmer and then one day, I just disappeared from the world. I don't even know why or how it happened. At first, I thought my friends and family were playing a prank on me, but now I know they really can't see or hear me or anything," Vander told her.

Shaiya nodded. "It still sounds like a nice life up until.... you know...."

"Yeah, it was. The first time I noticed something was off was when I went to my first class the next day. Everyone ignored me and my professor never called on me. I'm starting to think it's a glitch in the way a full moon works because the night before was a full moon," Vander tells her.

"Something to do with the full moon... Cancri...?" she asked, thinking on what he had said.

Vander felt like he knew the name.

"Um...that name...it sounds familiar," Vander says.

Shaiya looked at Vander confused. "What? Vander? That's your name, Vander... why wouldn't it be familiar..."

"No...you said Cancri...not Vander," he told her.

"Cancri?" she questioned. "Are you sure? Cancri... it's a very nice name.... it sound familiar to me to.... But I don't know from where..."

"Yeah...I don't know...it seems to be a name from another time, though. Sounds old fashioned," Vander said.

Shaiya nodded in agreement. "I like it though....you?" she asked blushing.

"Yeah, I like it too. I don't understand why it seems familiar, I've never heard it before, that I know of," Vander told her.

"I don't know..." Shaiya said, and then looked at the clock. "I have to go get the kids.... I'll be back...okay?"

"Sure, I'll be here when you return. In fact, I probably won't leave!" Vander tells her.

Shaiya smiled at him, and the smile pulled his heart more towards her. "See you when I get back, Vander!" Shaiya headed out the door, waving back at him.

Vander goes and looks through the food that Shaiya had brought. He had promised to fix dinner, and he was going to. He got things started.

Vander found that all Shaiya's food she had in stock were all very healthy foods, with the only sign of any sugar products being the small bag of sugar in a top cabnet.

He went to work on a kid-friendly dish: spaghetti. ((MEATBALLS!!))

Some time later, as the spaghetti was finishing up, the front door of the apartment opened and Vander could hear the excited voices of children as the door close. He heard Shaiya telling them that they needed to settle down, and get cleaned up for dinner.

"Dinner'll be ready soon!" Vander called from the kitchen, where he was stirring a pot of sauce.

Shaiya came into the kitchen, and whispered, "Okay... they'll be in here in a minute..." She quickly pulled out three plates and sets of silverware. "I hope you don't mind eating later on, Vander..." she whispered again.

"No, not at all. They didn't hear me, did they?" Vander asked.

Shaiya shook her head, looking sad. "I'm... sorry..." she whispered.

"Aw, it's okay...I still have one person who can, so I'll be fine. One is a whole lot more than it used to be after none for two years!" Vander told her. "Hey, supper's ready now."

"Dinner!" Shaiya called. She smiled at Vander. "Thank you for dinner..." she said and the kissed Vander's check quickly before moving over to the kitchen doorway. It was there that she was greeted by two very happy looking children.

The boy, Robbie, was only five, and Crystal was three. They both greeted Shaiya with a hug. "Mommy!" Crystal called out with a smile. "Mommy! What's for dinner!" said Robbie.

"Spagetti..." Shaiya said, smiling and huggin her children. She started to get them into their seats as they both shouted Hoorays.

"Good, I'm glad I decided on something they liked!" Vander says.

Shaiya smiled at him while the children weren't looking. "Okay okay... children, calm down..." she said giggling. Vander liked her giggle. Shaiya then served the pasta to the kids and then to herself, and then poured them all water. "Okay now time for prayer... Robbie do you want to do that tonight..."

Robbie smiled big, and then folded his hand. "God is great God is good, and we thank you for our food, amen... can we eat now?" Robbie seemed very excited.

Shaiya laughed. "Yes sweetie... you can..." No sooner had she said Yes did both kids start in on their food.

Vander just watched. He walked over to Shaiya, put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze as he said, "Cute kids."

"Such cuties..." She said, smiling.

Robbie looked up at his mother. "Mommy who's he?"

Crystal looked over.

Vander takes his hand off her shoulder and whips around, arms up and ready to fight, thinking Robbie has seen a burgler. He's ready to protect this family with all he has. Partly because he likes them, and partly because Shaiya can see him.

Robbie looked confused, as does Shaiya and Crystal. Shaiya too was looking for an intruder. Crystal cried out. Shaiya quickly got up, picking Crystal up, rocking her.

Vander could see no one.

"Mommy? Where did he go?" Robbie asked.

"Who? What man sweetie?" she asked.

"The man that was touching your shoulder..." Robbie said. Shaiya's eyes went wide. "He said...cuute kids...and you said such cuutie...

Vander timidly puts his hand back on Shaiya's shoulder, "Are you talking about me?! You can see me!?"

Robbie jumped up, pointing. "It's you it's you... Mommy mommy there there.. it's the man!!!"

Crystal in Shaiya's arms looked. "The man..."

Shaiya looked over her shoulder at Vander. "I guess so...."

Vander just stood there with a stunned look on his face. "Three? Three can see me...your kids can see me...but only when I touch you?" Vander thought aloud. "Would my mom be able to hear me if I was touching you when I called her?"

Shaiya looked at him. "But how would you explain it all to your mother?" she asked. Robbie and Crystal were still confused children.

"Umm, I could tell her...I don't know," Vander said sadly. He waved at the kids.

"We'll figure something out...." said Shaiya. "I promise I'll help you... And you two..." she said turning to the kids. "No one is to tell anyone of him being here.... He's name is Vander and he is my friend.... now remember, no telling anyone...."

"Yes mommy," both kids said.

Shaiya sat Crystal down on the ground. "Now both of you go play before bed, I have to talk with Vander..."

The kids ran off. Shaiya looked down sadly. "I'm sorry Vander...."

"Sorry...about what? Wait, do you want me to leave now?" Vander asked, subdued. "It's fine if you do, I understand."

Shaiya turned to look up at him with tears in her eyes. "No...no.... please to go... I don't want you to go.... I'm sorry that I was saying that you shouldn't call your family.... I know how important family is..."

"No, that's okay. They think I'm dead. If I ever actually appear again without having to touch you, I'll just go visit them and explain something or other. Probably amnesia or something like that," Vander said.

Shaiya nodded. "We can be you family...." Shaiya hugged him. She was sad for what was happening to him.

Vander hugged her back. "Thanks, that will really help. I was beginning to think that it would be the rest of my life. The world would be a bubble and I would always be on the outside of it," Vander said.

Shaiya nodded. "You aren't alone any more..." she said softly.

"And for that I'm glad. Do you think your kids will be able to keep me a secret?" Vander asked her.

"I would think they could... they know some of my own secrets...." she said softly.

"Good. And you don't have to talk about your secrets if you don't want to. We just met today, after all!" Vander told her.

Shaiya nodded. "I know... I just know they would not say anything....." she said. "As long as you don't harm any of us...."

"I know you haven't known me long, but I would never do that! Actually, do you mind if I take a shower? I haven't had one in a long time where someone doesn't walk in on me or turn off the water, thinking that it had malfunctioned," Vander asked her.

"Of... of course you may..." Shaiya said, blushing. "I have to give the children a bath too... so...hmmm... you can use the shower in my bathroom... just through my bedroom, and there is a closet with the towels in there....." She was blushing more and more as she talked to him.

Vander left, hiding a blush as he left the room. He found the towels and the bathroom. He turned on the shower and took a very long shower.

He heard the laugher and squeels of the children, along with the laugher that could only be from Shaiya.

He took his time in the shower, not even blinking at having to use "girl" products to wash with. He was used to it and they smelled good anyway, so it wasn't a big deal. He also took his time getting out of the shower and drying off. He dressed in the clothes he had on earlier and left the bathroom.

When he got out of the bathroom, he heard the sounds of Shaiya tell the children a bedtime story, one with knights, princesses, and a big dragon.

"I like the dragon..." said Robbie.

"Why is that?" asked Shaiya with a smile.

"I told you mommy, the dragon just wants the princess as a friend not as food..."

She laughed.

Vander smiled. He went to the couch and sat down.

Some time later, he heard, "Now go to sleep..." Shaiya came out into the living room, and sat down next to Vander. "Oh my... that knight seems to gain new powers every time I tell them that story.... this time he could become invisible to his enemies...." she said, looking over at Vander, with a small smile on her lips.

"Well, thanks, I'm glad I could give inspiration," Vander said, teasingly.

Shaiya laughed. "Thank you for coming into our lives... I... am glad to have someone to talk to that aren't my wonderful kids...." she said, and leaned over, and kissed his cheek again.

"I'm glad to have someone to talk to period. It was hard. I'll probably talk to myself sometimes just because that's what I'm used to doing," Vander told her, smiling.

Shaiya nodded. "Okay..." she said. Looking down at her hands, she said, "After my class tomorrow, do you want to go shopping with me?"

"Sure, I'd love to," Vander said. "What are we going to shop for?"

Shaiya blushed. "...clothes for... you...."

"Oh!" Vander looked down at what he was wearing and blushed. "Yeah, I don't have anything else to wear."

"It does look nice on you...but I just thought you'd like a change......" Shaiya said, looking up at him, a blush on her cheeks.

"Well, see, mostly what I've worn the past two years has been pilfered from someone else's closet...That's what I usually do when I take a shower. But I didn't think you'd have any clothes that would fit me. So, yeah, shopping would be great. It'd be nice to have something that was mine," Vander told her.

Shaiya giggled. "You would look strange in one of my dresses...." She nodded. "Yes... very strange.... but.... We have an early morning... the children and I.... if you wish to sleep in, you can...."

"Do you have a blanket and a pillow I can use?" Vander asked her.

"Oh... of course...." Shaiya said, going wide eyed. "I'm so sorry... I forgot..." she said, as she ran off. She soon came back with a pillow and a blanket. "Here you are Vander... I.... again, I'm soo sorry...."

"No, no that's okay. Don't feel bad," Vander assured her as he made up a bed for himself. "I'm just glad to have...found...some...one...who." He fell asleep before he could finish speaking.

Shaiya smiled down at him, and walked off to her bedroom, closing the door.

~*~Vander dreamed: ((We will be roleplaying it ^_^ ))

Vander found himself standing on a long beach just as the sun was nearly set on the horizon out at sea. He somehow knew that this was a dream, but he also felt as if he had lived this once upon a time, centuries ago??

He looked around, taking in the beach surroundings, wondering where the crabs were. ((I couldn't help it.))

((That's fine))

A crab came crawling out of the sea, walking around on the dark beach. The moonlight shone on the waters, lighting up the area. "Cancri..." came a soft voice. The name 'Selene' floated in his mind.

"Good evening, Selene. I trust you're well?" Cancri/Vander questioned. He went to her.

Selene appeared in the moonlight on the water, smiling at him. She walked towards him. "I'm well.... now that I'm with you again..." she said, hugging him. "I've missed you, love...." 

Cancri/Vander hugged her back. "I've missed you, too," he said to her. ((I'm assuming that in the dream he knows who he is?))

((Yes, but remember, it is one of those dreams where he knows he is dreaming, but he also feels that this is some sort of memory))

Selene looked up at him. Her eyes, her hair. It was Shaiya's face that was looking at him, but it was also Selene's. "I long for the time to come when we will not have to hide our love...." she said softly.

"Yes, I know my love," he told her.

"No matter what happens, I know that our love well bring us together again," Selene said. "Even in the darkest of times..." She then kissed him, and Vander/Cancri knew that he longed to do that with Shaiya outside of this dream or was it a memory.

He kissed her back, knowing that Shaiya would be shy and not as forward, even if they were similar. He had not known Shaiya long, but he already felt more for her than for any other woman he'd ever met.

"I have to go..." she said softly. "I don't know when I'll be able to come down to see you again.... they already think that I may be hiding the thirteenth.... but they also know that with the deaths of the Gemini siblings and of Capricorn.... the thirteenth is weakened if, and only if the thirteenth was even around....." He knew that the others were going into hiding for their own safety.

"I don't care...you know I would die for you or for the cause. If going into hiding is what I must do, then I will, but you know my feelings," Vander/Cancri told her.

"I know Cancri... and I will find you..." she said. "Til we me again...." She lightly kissed his lips, and walked back into the waters to stand in the reflection of the moon. "Good bye for now, my love...."

"Good-bye, I love you," he said.

Selene disappeared in the moonlight. The crab from earlier crawled over to him. His crab, his companion. ((You get to name this one ^_^))

"Hello, Vineo," Vander said, putting down his hand for the crab to hop onto.

The crab jumped into his hand, clicking its claws.

Vander put the crab on his shoulder. He walked down the beach a bit.

The crab pinched his ear, and Vander woke up with a pain coming from his ear. A real pain.

"Oww!" Vander said, looking around. "What'd you do that for?!"

He saw no one, but he sound something crawling on the couch.

"Okay...?" Vander said, looking towards whatever was crawling on the couch.

It was the crab from the dream.

"Ahhh!" Vander screamed and jumped off the couch.

The crab just crawled closer to him, and click its claws.

"What the heck! Where did you come from!?" Vander asked it. He was afraid that it would pinch him again if he tried to pick it up.

It just sat there seeming to watch him.

"Ummm, okay...well...Did you come through the dream?" Vander asked the crab, thinking if it did, it might be a little sentient.

Vander thought he saw the crab shake its head 'no', and the point with a claw to it's own back.

"You came from your back?" Vander asked the crab. "Vineo?"

The crab nodded, and pointed at Vander's back.

"What's with my back?" Vander said. He went into the bathroom, pulled up his shirt and tried to see what the crab was talking about.

There was the faint outline of a crab on Vander's back. He hear the crab walking on the bathroom floor, it had followed him. It held a gem in it's claw.

"What?! Where did that come from?" Vander asked. He held his hand out to the crab when he saw it had followed him.

It crawled into Vander's hand, and dropped the necklace in it. The crab, Vineo, disappeared, and Vander felt a feelign from his back.

Vander looked at his back in the mirror again.

The crab was there in full color. There was also a tingle on his chest.

"Huh," Vander said, then looked down at his chest.

He saw a double star on his chest.

"What the heck?!" exclaimed Vander. "What are all these markings?!"

'I am your companion, Vineo,' came a voice in his head. 'I stay with you as the mark on your back.....and the double star is your mark as a Zodiac...'

"The Zodiac? I know that's to do with astrology, but it's not people...what do you mean?" Vander asked the crab, finally leaving the bathroom and going back to the couch.

'You forgot your necklace, master...' the male voice said. Vander felt the crab for the first time on his shoulder. 'It will help you....'

"Okay," Vander said, taking the necklace and putting it on.

The gem was rare, a moon agate, a true moon gem. Once it was around his neck, Vander regained much knowledge, but just enough. He knew what Vineo meant by Zodiac, and about the double star marking on his chest as well as the crab on his back.

"That's good to know," Vander told the crab. He wondered if this rebirth thing had something to do with his curse.

'What is wrong, master?' Vineo asked. 'You seem problemed greatly....'

"I was just wondering about the curse. No one can see me except Shaiya. I haven't spoken to my family for years. They think I'm dead. Does the rebirth thing have something to do with the curse, you think?" Vander asked.

'You are Cancri....the Zodiac of Cancer.... gifted by the Moon with the power of invisiblity....you are not cursed..... you have to work at your gift with the help of Selene, the Moon....'

Vander sat stunned. He had never thought of this as a gift before. "The moon? Is that Shaiya...because that's what she looked like in the dream."

'When you first gained your gift as the Zodiac of Cancer during that time.... you thought it was a curse then too.... until, sitting alone on a beach, a young woman came up to you and asked if you were all right.... she helped you....'

"Yes...but did I have family then?" Vander asked. "My current family thinks I've died." ((I'm not sure how much he currently remembers.))

---

Cornelia opened her eyes, wondering what the day would be like and wishing that today would be the day she got her memory back: just like she did every day she woke up without it. I wonder if I could go to the gardens in the city today. That would make a great painting, she thought as she got dressed.

An orderly came into her room. "Time for your medicine, miss..." the woman said. She was holding a small tray with a small plastic cup of water and a plastic cup full of the medicine that they were giving her in hopes of helping to speed up her being able to get her memory back.

"I'll take it in a little bit! I can't right now, I just got this great idea for a painting!" Cornelia rushed over to her studio area and began squirting paints and mixing them.

"You're meds can not wait, missy..." said the nurse walking over to the studio area. "Now take them."

"If I stop and take them now I may loose the painting in my head. It's looks so pretty. Probably going to be one of my best!" Cornelia said, her hands moving fast and her eyes not leaving the blank canvas as she mixed her paints and chose her brushes.

The nurse stayed quiet and watched her.

Cornelia paints very carefully, a small dot-by-dot sort of technique. An hour goes by and she has about an eighth of the canvas done.

"Miss, take your meds or I will call the doctor... it just takes a moment of your time..."

"Fine!" Cornelia says. She stands up, walks over to the nurse, and takes the medicine. "Are you happy now?"

"Yes, very..." the nurse said, and left the room. "Go back to your painting." And she closed the door.

"Well, now I don't remember how I was going to finish it!" Cornelia yelled as she threw the painting at the door. ((I think she's going to be sweet after she gets her memory back, but for right now she's an annoyed person with amnesia and is being a tempermental artist, but the institution should be used to that.)) "Just like I told you it would happen!"

Silence met her.

Cornelia heaved a sigh, wondering if those silly meds would help her. She doubted it. She also wondered where the painting she had hung above the desk went. It was one of her favorites. Things seemed to disappear around here. Oh well, maybe she had painted it in a dream.

The door opened. A handsome man with blondish brown hair walked in. He had a charming smile, and seemed to really want to help her. "How are you today, Cornelia?" he asked. His name was Dr. Benjamin Stone.

"I WAS going to paint one of the best things I've ever done, but the NURSE made me stop and take some stupid MEDICINE and now I can't REMEMBER how I was going to FINISH it!" Cornelia said, pointing at the partcially completed painting she had thrown at the door.

Dr. Stone looked over at the painting, then back at her. "And violence is going to help you with your memory? Your memory is in need of help, Cornelia... the meds are there to help you...they are your stepping stones to your memory..."

"They don't seem to be doing any good, though," Cornelia told him.

"It takes time, time we have... now why don't you come out of your room today and interact with the others," Dr. Stone said. "There just may be an aisle out there for you..." He was smiling at her gently.

"Can we go to the gardens today?" Cornelia asks, heading out the door with him and leaving her paints and other art supplies behind.

"Yes, we can...." he said. He lead her out, and into the gardens. It was a beautiful day, and the garden was in full bloom. There were others out in the garden, patients and workers alike.

"It's so pretty out here," Cornelia said. She went and sat down on a bench. Then she laid down on the ground and looked up at the sky to watch the clouds go by for a while.

"Look... a rabbit..." came a young voice.

Cornelia looked at what the person was talking about. ((I'm not sure if you mean this to be a real rabbit or a cloud rabbit.))

((cloud rabbit))

"See it," said the young voice. It was male. "It's right there, by that cloud that looks like....hmmmm.... is that a lizard or a snake...?"

"Yeah, I see it. I don't know what that one looks like...maybe both?" Cornelia said without seeing who it was. "That one there looks like a boat." Not taking her eyes off the sky she said, "By the way, I'm Cornelia."

"Semreh..." came the reply. "You're right that was does look like a boat..."

"That's a different name. Can't you just see pirates coming off it and onto another cloud?" Cornelia asked him.

"I can..." he said. "Do you do this often?"

"Ummm, not often. Sometimes I do like to just come out and watch things. It can be inspiring," Cornelia told him.

"Inspiring for what?" asked the young male voice.

"My art. I like to draw, paint, I even do some sculpting when I'm in the right mood," Cornelia told him. "There's one that looks like a pegasas."

"Really?" Semreh asked. "I'd like to see that some time..."

"Sure. Just come by my suite. It's number ((I don't know what number she'd have. But she'd be on the top floor.)) and if I'm there, I'll show it to you," Cornelia told him.

"Okay.... room 613... alright," Semreh said. "Thanks... a lot..."

"You're welcome," Cornelia said, finally sitting up to look at him.

Cornelia could now see that Semreh was a forteen year old boy with shoulder length dark brown hair and the same color eyes as what Cornelia had. They looked to be the same as her's. He smiled at her. "You're pretty cool, Cornelia," Semreh said.

"Thanks. You're eyes...they're..." she says.

Semreh smiled. "They're like my mother's... you like?"

"Yes, I like them...You're...You're mother's?" she asked. "I thought everyone here has amnesia. How could you know you're eyes are like you're mother's?"

"I don't stay here... never said I did..." Semreh laughed.

"Oh, right. Are you visiting someone here?" Cornelia asked. "Or do you just come here sometimes and talk to people?"

"I'm visiting someone..." Semreh said. "I'm visiting you..." Semreh smiled to her.

"Oh, okay. If you want, we could go up to my room now and look at my stuff. I wouldn't mind," Cornelia told him. "Why are you visiting me?"

Semreh stood up, offering his hand to help her up. "Because you have my mother's eyes..."

"You know, the doctor's don't know if I'll ever get my memory back. You could be my brother and we could have the same mother but different fathers or something. And we'd never even know it because I don't know who my mother even is," Cornelia said as she let him help her up and they started walking.

"I am sure that you will get your memory back..." Semreh said, smiling as they headed up to her room.

"I hope so. I'm starting to forget things I've done recently," Cornelia tells him with a sad smile.

"Really? Like what?" he asked.

"I'll show you when we get to my suite," Cornelia tells him. When they get up there, she points to a blank spot on the wall, "I'm sure I hung a painting of daffodils there. And over here, I thought I had hung a painting of a palm tree with a boy playing in the sand. I guess I must have been dreaming, but I didn't think so. There's more that I can't find, but I don't know what happened to them."

"Hmmm... what's your signature for your paintings?"

Cornelia shows him what her signature looks like. It was a "C" but the "C" was written with the letters of Cornelia.

"I've....seen that before..." Semreh said. "At a museum or something I think..."

She snorted in laughter that her stuff would ever be put in a museum. "I may be a decent artist, but my work's not good enough for a museum! You must be mistaken," Cornelia tells him.

"Maybe... I'll have to go again..." said Semreh.

"Yeah, and then you could come tell me what you think! Where was the museum?" Cornelia asked him.

"I had been in New York at the time..." he said.

"Hmm, I'd like to go there some day...maybe I've already been and don't remember, though. I'd like to go to Paris, too!" Cornelia told him. She picked up the painting she had thrown earlier that morning, "This is what I started this morning, but now I don't remember where I was going with it."

"I'm sure it'll come to you..." Semreh said.

"What's going on in here? Who are you? How did you get in here? Out!" said the nurse who had just come in.

"No! He's my visitor!" Cornelia tells her.

"You?! A visitor!?" said the nurse, looking at her like she had grown another head. "Out, young man... she is very sick, and needs her rest now...."

Sehrem just looked at Cornelia, mouthing, 'I'll be back later'. He then left.

Cornelia looks at the nurse, arms crossed.

The nurse walked over to her, a cup of pills in her hand. "Medicine time," she said. "And I don't want any back talk from you this time."

"I'm not sick. I just have a lost memory. That doesn't make me sick," Cornelia told the nurse.

"Memory lost is a medicial condition, thus you are sick... now take your pills."

Cornelia takes the pills.

The nurse waited for her to take the pills, arms crossed.

Cornelia takes the pills.

The nurse leaves mumbles about 'disobediant child', and locks the door behind her.

((Wait, Cornelia just got locked in her room?)) Cornelia turns around and looks at her paintings, trying to decide what to do next. She gets an idea and mixes some blues, grays, golds, and purples.

((Yes... for her own "Safety" lol))

Cornelia is greeted by a beautiful sunset that was coming through her window. The colors painting her room beautifully.

"Yawn...maybe I don't feel like painting after all..." Cornelia said to herself. She scooted a chair up to her window and took out a sketch pad and colored pencils and sketched the sunset instead.

She saw something zoom through the sunlight, and she could just barely see the outline of a person, wings at their feet.

Cornelia jumped up, grabbed a canvas and her paints. She furiously started painting the sunset and a wing footed person in the air.

She was able to get the whole painting done before she began to feel very tired.

She goes and takes a shower and gets ready for bed. Then she just slumps into bed.

In her dreams, she see a much younger version of the boy from earlier, along with a young handsome man. She sees them all hanging out, happy, and the young man and her seem to be involved, and hears herself and the young man call the young boy, son along with the name Semreh.

Cornelia cries a little in her sleep. Her heart yearns for them and remembers them, but her mind is unable to grasp them and it tears at her heart.

The rest of the night passes peacefully, and soon the light from the raising sun wakes her.

Cornelia felt the wetness on her face and remembered the dream from the night before. "What's going on with me? I've never had a dream about a possible past before. Maybe I just wanted to be able to know someone and incorparated that into my dreams?"

The door unlocked and the nurse came in. "Medicine, Cornelia..." she said, holding out the pills. The woman's eyes fell on the paint. "Oh my... what a pretty painting...."

"Thank you," Cornelia went through the routine of taking the pills.

"I am glad to see that you took your pills without a fight this morning," said the nurse who then left the room.

Cornelia noticed something about the painting, but couldn't quit see it.

She looked at the painting a little bit deeper, hoping to spot or figure out what she may have noticed.

She had drawn the figure to look like Semreh.

"Huh, that's odd. I did just see him before I painted it, so maybe that's why it looks like him...?" Cornelia said to herself.

"Pshhhh..." she heard from her window.

She looked over at the window. She took the painting with her, just in case she'd need to defend herself.

When she got to window, she saw Semreh hanging on to the window ceil.

"What're you doing there? And how'd you get there? Did you climb?" Cornelia asked him. "By the way, I'm happy to see you again and I had a dream about you last night."

"What I'm doing is: I'm hanging here.... Yes I climbed...." he said as he pulled himself up into the room. "What type of dream was it...?"

Cornelia tells him about the dream she had. "And I painted this with you in it. I think it makes you look like Peter Pan or something," Cornelia tells him.

"Have you thought about it makes me look like Hermes..?" he asked.

"Hmm, no, I hadn't thought about that, but now that you mention it, there is some resemblance," Cornelia said, holding the painting up to another painting she had done of the god.

Cornelia just realized that the painting of the god she had done before looks like Semreh too, but this painting had been done long before she had met the boy, but done after she had lost her memory.

"Hmm, that's odd," Cornelia said examining the paintings closely. "Look at this...you guys both look very much alike."

"It does look that way..." he started, and then finished softly, "...mother..."

"Oh, do you miss her? Is that why you visited me? You did say my eyes were like her's. Did something happen to her?" Cornelia was immediately sorry for the boy.

The boy looked at her. "She died many years ago, as did my father not long after.... both having been murdered..." he said, sadly. "But... I have found you at last.... Mother...."

"Oh, that's sad, Semreh," Cornelia said, still looking at the paintings. "I may have your mother's eyes, but I do not think I'm her."

Semreh walked up to her, and hugged her. "Spica... that was my mother's name...." he said softly. Cornelia's mind wrapped around the name, her mind was brought back to the dream she'd had. I love you Spica... the man had said.

"Okay, there's no way that I knew that before just now. That name was in my dream last night. So, maybe..." Cornelia said. She picked up a back pack from a corner of the room. It was a bit dusty, she hadn't used it in awhile. "What should we do?" Cornelia asked as she put a selection of paints, pencils, and a sketchpad in the back pack. She put in two of her smaller and more favorite paintings.

"I know what I'll be doing.... but you need to hold my hand, mother...." he said.

Cornelia doesn't acknowledge that he just called her mother again. She does take his hand, though, after putting some more personal items in the backpack and slinging it over her shoulders.

"Here we go..." Semreh said. He started to run towards the window, and jumped out, pulling her with him.

Cornelia was unsure what would happen. She was unsure about many things right now.

They seemed to fall for a second, and then the ground started to drift farther from them, people and buildings becoming smaller and smaller. The flutter of wings met her ears. "I won't let you fall..." he said.

Cornelia looked down and then up at Semreh. She wasn't quite sure what to think. She knew one thing, though, she would miss all her work dearly, but not anyone at the hospital.

"You doing okay?" he asked looking back at her.

"I...I think so. I don't know if this is a dream or actually happening, though," Cornelia confessed. "Won't somebody see us?"

"No one sees me unless they know me..." he said. "And this is no dream, mother..."

"Huh...that's kind of interesting. I believe you about the dream. It doesn't have the fuzzy quality dreams tend to have," Cornelia told him as they flew through the air.

Semreh smiled back at her. The soon landed on the roof of a tall apartment building. "Cornelia... who am I according to your non-dream last night?"

"You were my son," Cornelia told him. "But that can't be right. I'm not old enough to have a child, especially one your age."

"Like I had said... my mother died... was murdered.... as was my father...." Semreh said, sadly. "But.... you have been reborn at last.... and I'm soo happy to have found you, mother... you look just as you did as I grew up...."

"I don't really know whether to believe you or not...we're flying so being reborn can't be a big stretch...what happened to your father? Have you found him?" Cornelia asked. Something churned in her heart at the mention of the man from the dream.

"I have... last night....but I couldn't be sure yet..." Semreh said. "His companion animal has yet to join him, like your's has...."

"Companion animal? What...what are you talking about?" Cornelia asked. By this point, she's ready to believe almost anything, after all they are flying.

((I said up a ways that they had landed on the roof of an apartment building....))

"Yes..." he said, pointing down beside her.

"Meow...!" she heard.

((Wow, totally didn't see that part...wished I'd have seen it sooner!))

"Awww, kitty!!" Cornelia bent down, trying to pick up the cat. A big smile was on her face and she looked radiant. "I've been wanting a cat...but they wouldn't let me get one."

The memory hit her like a ton of bricks. She had seen this golden blonde haired cat with its sapphire eyes and the collar with its locket before. Cornelia had seen it in her room, and she hadn't know haw it got there, but she knew that they weren't going to let her keep it. She had been going to hide the cat, but a nurse had come in and saw the cat. The nurse had taken the cat away, and then had given Cornelia her meds plus one pill she had never seen before.

"Hmm, I remember something...you were in my room one night and they took you away. There was a new pill that night, too," Cornelia told the cat. She looked at Semreh, "I don't care where we go...I'm not losing her((him?)) again." ((Her is fine ^_^))

Cornelia got the feeling that the new pill they had given her that night had been a bad one for her, she got the feeling that pill made her forget about that whole day and not just her little kitty friend.

"You never can lose her not that you have her again..." Semreh said. "All of the Zodiacs' companion animal have the ability to imprint themselves on their respective Zodiac's skin..."

"On...on their skin. And now I need to know what else happened that day...have you visited me before? Is that what happened?" Cornelia asked, half talking to him, to herself, and to the cat.

"I had not come to you til yesterday...." he said. "It was little Govira there that fund you first.... and yes skin...on the back, actually...." Cornelia remembered some times recently the nurses having an odd tone to their voices when they'd check on her during bath. "She has been on your back since the nurse tried to take her from you..... and have you noticed the double stars on your stomach?"

"Yes...yes...but I just thought they were a tattoo I got before I lost my memory. And who is Govira?" Cornelia asked. "And why would they give me a pill to make me forget a day?"

"Meow!" said the cat.

Semreh laughed. "Mother.... Govira is your little friend there.... that the name you told me when I was little that was your cat's name..... and the double star is a way of identifying a member of the Zodiac.... it a person knows what to look for.... and about that pill... didn't you say that you thought that you had painted several painting that weren't there anymore?"

"Yes..." Cornelia said, "But those have been disappearing at a consistant rate. I think I may have painted them in dreams and just thought I actually did them."

"No you did paint them.... I have seen many before I found you.... that's why I had asked about your signature," her son said. "But I think they also gave you that pill to help you forget this painting...." Semreh pointed to the low wall of the roof, to a painting that hadn't been there before. It was a masterfully don't portiate of herself, Semreh, and the man from the dream. ((Very powerful drug.... ^_^ heehee))

"Oh! But if I was getting parts of my memory back, then why...?" Cornelia said, petting Govira.

Semreh tilted his head. "Why...?"

"Well, the pill made me forget painting that. It also made me forget a chunk of memory I had gotten back. Why make me forget something again when all I'm trying to do is get it back?" Cornelia asked him.

"I had asked the museum about the painting, and they said that the paintings had been sold to them...." he said. "And the memories you have been getting back are from another life, mother....centuries ago.... but it is still your memories...."

"If that's the case, why were they trying to make me forget?" Cornelia asked. ((She just can't believe what's right in front of her, you know?)) Cornelia studied the painting in front of her, thinking.

"Maybe they thought those were your memories from this time..." her son said. "Maybe they wanted you for your artistic abilities.... You are a great artist....just like you were then, mother...."

"Oh, well, that's no good. I want to get all my stuff out of there then so they can't use it. Or, what if they try to find me? Where do I have to go?" Cornelia said, as she thought of all the paintings still in her room.

"You can stay at with me..." he said.

"Okay, that will work...do you think we can get my stuff back from my room?" Cornelia asked him.

Semreh nodded. "I am sure we can..." ((Remember he is 14, and he just said she can stay with him...))

"Where exactly do you live?" Cornelia asked. ((She assumed he had a place. If those memories are from another life, than he may well be older than fourteen and just looks that age.))

"Where I live or where I stay?" he asked. "There is a difference....."

"Um, I don't know, both, I guess," Cornelia said, petting the cat.

"I stay at a temple south of the city.... but I live in our old home...." Semreh said.

"Oh...which temple is this? I wasn't really allowed to go into the city much, for fear that my mind couldn't handle it," Cornelia told him.

"The Pheonix Temple.... father belonged to it centuries ago.... just as you belonged to Earth Shrine to the north those centuries ago...." he said. "Just as you feel drawn to the earth today.... it is your element...."

"Meow!" the cat said.

Semreh laughed. "Govira is wanting you to take your necklace from her locket collar, mom...."

"Okay..." Cornelia takes the necklace out of the locket. She's not sure if she should put it on or not, though.

In her hand, she knew she was holding a Sardonyx gem necklace, and she felt she must put it on. That it was her's.

Cornelia put the necklace on and looked at Semreh.

The memories hit her like a ton of bricks. Her name was Spica, centuries ago... she was in love with a man, Arietis.... they were both members of the Zodiac.... she was Virgo...he was Aries.... and their son...their son Semreh was born of their love, and then was choosen to become the messager god, Hermes... the reverse of his own name.... there had been a great battle...and they need to find the last Zodiac...the Thirteenth.... the one that would and could destroy the evil that plagues the world....

"All I can say is...um...wow!" Cornelia then proceeded to tell Semreh everything she had just remembered.

Semreh hugged Cornelia. "Mother.... I love you... I've missed you so..."

Cornelia hugged him, too, "I cannot say I missed you, for I had no memories, but if I had, I definately would have missed you!"

"I understand mother..." he said looking up at her. "You have always been the best mom ever..."

"Thanks," Cornelia says, trying not to cry.

"Mom...." he said. "I will get father to remember.... and then we will be together again...."

"Okay. Things will be better now, Semreh. But...can we...can we go home...to the house we used to live in...together?" Cornelia asked. Her memory wasn't completely back yet and she didn't quite remember where it was.

Semreh smiled back. "Yes, of course... Take my hands..."

Cornelia took his hands.

They did not fly this time, they just disappeared. When they reappeared, they both stood just outside an near prefect ancient greek style home, off a ways from other homes.

"Oh, it's lovely! Memories are still coming back to me. How much has it changed, Semreh?" Cornelia asked.

"Friends have helped to keep it as it was before you and father were killed..." he said. "I much prefer this to the new homes...."

Cornelia ran inside. She ran to where a portrait of her family used to hang, hoping it was still there. Her husband, her son, and herself. In the same room was a painting of her son taking his first steps. Another of her husband holding their child and laughing at her. Herself painting. And some other paintings she was hoping would spark more memories.

All the painting were there, and her memories of those moments along with them.

"I didn't want to mess up the house so.... that's why I've been staying at the guardian temples...."

"That's fine...but it needs life again. Oh, my paintings from before. Look there, you're just a baby. And over here, you're so cute with the flowers. Your father's so handsome," Cornelia turned to him. She drew him into a hug again, glad to have him and more of her memories back.

Semreh hugged back. "Mom.... what if I got all your painting from now back, including the ones that you thought were dream paintings?"

"That'd...that'd be great...but if there are paintings in museums, I'd like them to stay. I just want them back from the people who stole them. If it is an institution that allows people to just enjoy art, I'd like them to keep them," Cornelia told her son. "It's not fair to the people who've enjoyed them legitamately to take them away again."

---

Del sat in the garden, surrounded by dirt and flowers not yet in the ground. She looked to the sky, thinking what a lovely day it was. The flowers all seemed to love the beautiful day, too. They all looked happy to be in their new home.

"Pretty flowers..." came a small voice.

"Yes, they are. I picked out the droopiest ones but now they're starting to pick up again. They were so sickly when I got them though," Del says, looking to see who was talking.

She came face to face with a little girl no more than six years old. "They'll grow prettily now..."

"I hope so. My name's DellaRose, but you can call me Del," she told the little girl. "What's your's?"

"Flora..." the little girl said with a big smile.

"That's a pretty name. Kind of flowery, like mine," Del tells the little girl.

"Yep," she said smiling. "My mommy loves flowers!"

"My mommy loves odd names. But I like it. Speaking of mommies, won't your's be missing you?" Del asks the little girl.

"Nope," the girl said cutely. "She knows where I am all the time."

"So she says it's okay for you to be chatting about flowers to a complete stranger? Flora, that's how some kids get lost," Del told her. "If you're sure it's okay, though, you can help me."

"I am sure..." Flora said, and started working in the garden, happily humming a child's tune.

"Why don't we put these over here?" Del picks up a bundle of flowers and points to a hole she had dug already. "You hold them in and I'll put the dirt around them, okay?"

"Okie dokie, Del..." Flora said in a sing-song voice.

Del does just what she suggested, patting in the dirt around the flowers Flora is holding. "By the way, Flora, where did you come from?" Del asks the girl.

"The woods..." Flora said simply.

"Okay, well, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Say, I think we're almost done here...would you like to go inside for some lemonade and cookies?" Del asked the girl.

The girl smiled. "Yes please... and my home is in the woods... it's very pretty cottage..."

"Ah, okay," Del said as she got out the lemonade and the cookies. She gave a glass and plate to Flora and got one for herself. Del put some cookies on both their plates and poured the drink. "I hope you like it. The cookies are a new recipe I'm trying and the lemonade is something I did for fun. I wasn't sure if they'd work."

Flora took a bite. "Yum.." she said with a smile. "I love these... these are my new favorites!"

"Would you like to take some home with you?" Del asked, smiling. "You could give some to your mommy as thanks for letting you help me today."

"Yes please, Del, I know she'll like them too..." Flora said. The little girl had a feeling about her that was felt very much as if Del was still out in her garden.

"Okay, I'll go pack some up for you," Del goes and gets a small box and packs some cookies into the box. She hands them to the girl, "Here you go. And tell your mommy you can come back whenever you want, okay?"

"Okie dokie, Del..." Flora said smiling as she took the box of cookies. "Thank you again Del..."

"You're welcome. I don't know if I'll be planting tomorrow, but you can come help me with whatever I am doing. Maybe we'll have to harvest whatever's ripe out there and experiment," Del said. "Or, you know, whenever you do decide to come back."

"I'll be back," said Del smiling. With the box under her arm, Flora went running off into the woods. Just before the little girl disappeared, Del could have sworn the litle girl had shouted 'Bye bye Auntie'.

"Kids," Del said, smiling. She didn't really think anything of the little girl calling her Auntie just because she'd once babysat some kids who called her mom just because she was the one taking care of them at the moment. Del went back inside the house, hoping the girl got home safely. She went up to her room and took out one of books...today it was a book on how to get a piece of furniture ready to paint.

The phone rang.

Del picked up the phone, "Hello?"

"Hello Del... I hope you had a lovely visit with Flora..." came a gruff male voice. "Because you won't be seeing her again...."

"What do you mean? And who are you?" Del asked.

"I think I will kill her this time.... I hope you said your good byes...haha...." then she was met with the dail tone.

Del just stood looking at the phone, kind of confused. But she also had to act fast, just in case. It could be a creepy prank call from a neighbor who saw them together, but then it could be the real thing, too. Del remembered that the little girl had said she lived in a cottage in the woods. Del took off running into the woods behind their house.

It took a while, but then she saw it, a cottage.

Del ran to it, knocked on the door as soon as she got to it.

The door opened, and Del was greeted by the little girl. "Hello Del!" said Flora with a big smile.

Del hugged Flora tightly. "I was so hoping it'd be a prank call!" Del told the little girl. "I didn't want to lose a new friend so soon!"

"What are you talking about?" Flora asked.

"A man called and said he was going to kill you. I thought I'd come warn your parents," Del told her.

Flora actually look truly terrified. "Mom!!!" she shouted out.

"Flora!" cried out a woman's voice. There were the sound of foot steps and then a woman appeared at the door, her full attention on the little girl. Kneeling infront of the girl, hugging her. "Flora, what's wrong? Flora?!"

"They've found us!"

"What?!? No..." the woman said. "How?"

Flora pointed up at Del.

Del backed away with her hands up, "I don't know what she's talking about. She came and helped me in my garden this morning and then I came here because someone called about killing her. I didn't do anything."

The woman looked up at Del, and Del came face to face with a woman that looked like she could be Del's older sister. The woman's own eyes widened as she looked at Del. "I know you didn't do anything wrong, hun... please come in quickly, it's not safe to stand out in the open now...."

Del went inside. After the door was shut behind her she said, "You know what's odd? You look like you could be my older sister...I'm an only child, though."

The woman smiled softly to Del. "I don't know if it would be too soon... or if you'd actually believe me.... just know that your life as well as mine and Flora's are endanger...." she said, looking and sounding sad and serious.

"Mommy... but...." Flora said.

"Why would mind be in danger? No offense, but because I don't know you very well, I can believe that your's may be," Del said.

"DellaRose... please..." said Flora.

"My name is Fauna... I'm your sister...." said the woman. "And the threat on your and our lives are real... for you had died already once to help us....your family... Your name had been Feronia...." Both names rang a distant bell in her memory.

"Umm, okay...I don't understand. The names sound familar, but I just...don't understand," Del said, looking between the two.

"Please try to remember..." Fauna said, her eyes pleding. "Please try.... it's important..."

Del just looks confused. "I haven't forgotten anything...?"

Fauna looked down, but then grabbed up Flora as there was a very loud boom sounding outside. "No no no....they've come...."

"Who? Who've come?" Del asks, "I don't understand. It sounds like bombs are going off."

Fauna grabbed Del's arm, pulling her and Flora towards the back of the cottage. She knelt down, and pulled open a under the floor hide-away. "Quick down there....before they find us...."

Del went down with them, confused as to what was happening.

Fauna closed the openning just seconds before loud foot steps were heard in the room. Fauna made the movement for them all to be quiet.

"Where are they?" came a gruff male voice.

"I know they are here, sir...." came another.

"Well, then FIND THEM!!!!!" The sounds of items falling and breaking met their ears, as what sounded like more than two men seem to be ransacking Fauna and Flora's home.

Del followed Fauna and did whatever she was told. Things were just starting to get scary and she wasn't sure what to do.

After some time had gone by, all the shouting and the sounds of destruction quieted to complete silence. Fauna looked over at Flora. "Are they still up there sweety? she whispered.

Flora closed her eyes as if thinking.

"I don't hear anything," Del whispered.

"There no one up ther..." said Flora, openning her eyes and looking up at the floor boards.

Fauna lifted the hide away door, and climbed out, then pulled Flora and then helped Del out. The sight that met the was terrible. The whole room was up turned and items that looked of value were laying on the ground shattered. "Oh my...." Fauna said.

"Oh, wow. You guys can't stay here. Is there any where else you can go? I bet my parents would be okay with you staying at our house for awhile," Del said, looking around at the destruction.

"I.... I had thought we were all safe from them.... I had hoped that your rebirth wouldn't have caught their attention..." Fauna said looking around her cottage sadly. She picked up a glass ball that had a flower in it that seemed to have survived the destruction. Del felt drawn to the glass ball.

"What's...what's that?" Del asked, pointing to what Fauna held.

"It's a crystal orb... with a single rose head within..." said Fauna, as she hld it out for Del. "It was your's went we were growing up.... you had used it to keep track of me, even though I was the eldest.... as well as..."

"You used it to 'garden the world'..." said Flora excitedly. "You loved gardens....and gardening like you do now...."

"I like doing lots of things. Gardening is one of the things I like doing more than most. It's pretty," Del reached out and picked up the small orb.

As she touch the orb, Del saw images of her and Fauna, but they looked like children playing in a glade, flowers sprouting and blooming in one sitting and animals of all sorts gathering around them. The images then changed to that of a birth. She, Del or as in the images Feronia, was play mid-wife to Fauna as she gave birth to little Flora, her neice.

"I...I don't understand," Del said, looking at the two of them. Her face looked confused, but her stance said that she recognized the globe.

"You're a goddess!" said Flora excited.

Fauna nodded. "Yes.... those people don't wish to kill us.... they wish to enslave us....." she said sadly. "But you told me to run with Flora, to get away.... you fought them to save us..... and dead in doing so...."

"But gods and goddesses don't truly die...." said Flora.

"I'm...goddess? How...how is that possible?" Del asked. She looked up at them a bit, but then looked back to the little globe in her hands.

"Yes, Auntie Feronia..." said Flora sweetly.

"You are..." said Fauna. "The Goddess of the Harvest.... my sister..."

Del could feel the orb pulse. Del knew that it was true, though she didn't really know how, that she was who they said she was.

"You know what, I actually believe you...the question is, though, how am I going to tell my parents?" Del said.

Fauna just looked at Del. "It is up to you whether you tell them or not, but we have to be very careful now that they know where you live.... seeing as they have phoned you already...." she said softly.

"I think I will tell my parents I have decided to pick up traveling. I have a credit card in case I ever want to. They trust me and trust the skills I've picked up along the way. I think they could handle that. What do you think?" Del asked. "I don't want to tell them the truth, but I don't want to hang around home and bring the danger to them, either."

"I agree with your decision, sister..." Fauna said.

Del got out her cell phone. She dialed her mom's number and waited for her to answer.

"Hello...DellaRose?" came her mother's voice.

"Hey, Mom, yeah, it's me. How's work going?" she asked.

"Works fine dear," her mother said. "How is everything with you? Nothing wrong, it there?"

"Nothing's wrong, Mom. I was just calling to let you know that I've decided to do some traveling," Del told her, giving her time to respond.

"Oh... really? Why? Where are you planning on traveling? We can look into the best deal for you....the best hotels....restaurants....."

"Mom, I think I'd like to do some backpacking. I just want to see a bit more of the world, but by myself. I've been doing some reading about it and I think it sounds interesting. I could check in every so often and tell you where I am. With my lessons in fighting, you know I'll be safe," Del told her mother.

"If you are sure, sweety...." came her mother's worried voice.

"Thanks Mom! I'll make sure to check in every so often! I love you lots a love!!" Del told her mother.

"I love you too... now remember to call in..." her mother said.

"I will! Bye, Mom!" Del said.

"Bye sweeite..." came the reply.

Del hung up the phone and looked at them, "Well, I just let my Mom know. I just have to check back in every so often and it'll be fine. I don't know if I should get anything from the house," Del said. She thought about it and she wondered if maybe she could summon what she needed from her house. She was a goddess, after all.

"Shall we head to your home to check?" Fauna said, holding out her hand to Del, having already taken Flora's.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Del told her.

"Then take my hand....sister..." Fauna said with a smile.

Del takes her hand, wondering what will happen.

They started to meld into the ground, seconds later, they merge inside Del's house, in a hall way.

"You wreally do have a pretty house, auntie...." said Flora in awww.

"Woah," Del said, after they came through the ground. "Yeah, my parents like my taste, so they let me decorate the place however I want. They actually let me do almost anything, as long as it isn't harmful. I always like have fresh flowers inside and I have always done things that make it more homey."

Fauna smiled, and giggled a bit. "Same old Feronia..."

"Well, I guess I'll just go up to my room and see what I should grab," Del told them. She lead them to her room and went and grabbed a backpack. "I've been thinking about this for a little while now. I've always liked the idea of going and seeing the world, and now I can actually see that out." Del knew that she was Feronia, but she wasn't quite sure what she could do as Feronia. She was unsure what to pack until she knew what she might be able to do. "What exactly can I do as Feronia?"

"You are the Goddess of the Harvest..." said Fauna. "Relax and let your mind bring it to you...." ((You found alot of information on her.... go with that... I may add to it ^_^ ))

Del closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wonder. Yes, she could feel off in the distance that she was goddess of the harvest. But there was more to her than that. She saw a traveler sitting at a small feeble fire. The traveler was hers to watch over and protect. She helped his fire along a bit. The fire was also hers, but less so. She saw another traveler in a boat this time being tossed and turned and nearly capsized. She calmed the waters, which she felt she was allowed to do. A last vision came to her, a man in shackles scrubbing at the floor. A slave...she wanted to free him. She reached out to grab him and take him with her. She opened her eyes, "I know what I am. I know that I am for the Harvest, but that I am also for the traveler with a feeble fire and the one on a tossing boat. I am also freedom for the slaves."

"Yes...sister," said Fauna. "You are the one of the woods and springs, of the travelers, and of the freedom to slaves.... it was that last part that kept you from running with us when evil tried to enslave Flora, myself, and yourself...."

"Oh," said Del, still taking in everything she'd just thought about. "Were any of my visions real?"

"You helped many...." said Flora, smiling.

"Oh," Del said. "I don't know what I need now."

"Take what is important to you... I'll help you regain your knowledge of your abilities...." said Fauna. "Then you'll be able to call what ever you need anytime..."

Del held the backpack and looked around the room, unsure. She didn't want to carry the books all over the place. They were important to her, but they could always be replaced or looked over again. She saw an item. Her family photo album and put that into her backpack. She looked over the room again. She also takes a stuffed bear that she's had since she can remember, a toothbrush and toothpaste, her phone charger, and a few other miscellaneous mementos of her life. The teeth supplies are just because she thought it necessary. The last thing she puts in her back pack are a change of clothes. She grabs a jacket and shrugs into it, "Okay, I think I'm ready to go." At the last minute she makes sure she has her cell phone.

"I like your room, Auntie Del..."

Fauna was looking through some of the books.

"Thanks, Flora. Oh, those are just my collection of books. I like doing things, all manner of things, but I get a book and it helps me figure out how to do it," Del told her sister from another life.

Fauna nodded. "You have always been good at many different actions, Feronia...." she said smiling at Del. "Now, I think we should leave before to long..."

"Okay, I can't think of anything else that I would need," Del told her.

Fauna reached out taking Flora's and Del's hands. They melded into the ground again, emerging from the ground on ground that slopped like a mountain would. Just off a ways was a clearing with a side looking home. "Welcome to another of our homes..." said Fauna.

"Thank you," Del said, looking at the building. "How many do you have?"

"As many as Dez thinks we need...." said Fauna.

"Who is Dez?" Del asks.

"Dez is the name he goes by.... but he's Flora's father, my husband..... he is the god of Destiny, so....Dez," she laughed lightly.

"I guess that makes sense. Did I know him...before?" Del asked. A thought occuried to her, "Did I have a family, a husband and child, too?"

"There was someone.... but you were killed before anything could come of it, I think.....he was... I really don't know.... only you did, it was as if you had a secret family.... when ever I asked you said that it was on his request, because of some bad happening between the greeks and the norse.... so I only knew of him as a norse....."

"Oh," Del looked very sad. She tried very hard to remember if she had a family or not. ((Sorry, she'd be the type of person who had a heart overflowing with love and she'd want to know.))

---

Aria is sitting in her office looking over reports of her business.

The phone rang.

"Jewelers of the Nile, how may I help you?" Aria said into the phone. People rarely called her at the office. She was careful who she gave the number to.

"Is this the office of Aria?" came a female voice.

"Yes, yes it is," Aria told her, putting down the reports she'd been reading.

"Please hold for the CEO of Epsilon Archer Inc...." Then the line went silent for a few seconds.

"Miss Aria... or should I say Ariusa" came the familiar voice of her brother, Epsilon.

"Eppy! So glad to hear from you again! How are you? How's Chyrosa? Is there any more news of the others?" Aria demanded from her brother. "How're the States?"

"The states are like they always are... I am fine... it is good to hear you too.... and Chyrosa is doing fine, I left her at my apartment today because Abmisleo is back for a while, though I think it is more because Chyrosa has had her heart stolen away... by a fallen angel..... the one I had told you about that Abmisleo had trained himself...... and the others are starting to surface... Khan should have been told by now (Khan is the leader of the air temple, aka the Khan Temple)..... but Genbu has told all the other guardians that he has from half of Gemini... and a source has found that Vulcan has been hiding Capricorn to keep him safe apparently since his reborn shortly after we all went into hiding..... I don't know more than that really...."

"Oh, that's wonderful! I hope to meet the Gemini half soon. Which did he find, do you know?" Aria asked him, toying with a pen. "I'm so glad we're all coming together again. I just hope things go better this time around!"

"He found Lux, the one with Yin as the companion.... and yes I do too.... hopefully, we find the thirteenth before anything terrible happens...."

"Yes, Eppy, it is important. Now that you've answered my questions, is there another reason you decided to call?" Aria asked.

"I think it is time to start gathering the Zodiac here.... the Guardians are preparing, and Helios has started something we did not have before....our own knights to help us in our fight.... he has already choosen the captain and guardian of the thirteenth...." Epsilon said over the phone. "OH! Helios said something that was interesting.... Helios said something that surprised me.... the thirteenth had been using Helios's light to observe and hug the one that Helios has just choosen for more than a year without Helios's knowledge..... I said we need to find the thirteenth because they still don't know the identity of this person...."

"Do you need me to come there, Eppy?" Aria asked. She could use a good, vigorous swim across the ocean and she had business in the States to attend to, anyway.

---

Off out on the outskirts of the city a young woman was working hard to open up her shop for the day. "Another day more cars to fix" she stood there dressed in a grey simple cami wearing her work overalls that looked sexy on her voluptious body. they were stained here and there with oil and grease. It was her favorite thing to wear working on her customers cars. Gently humming her hips swayed to the sounds of the radio she had playing. She headed outside. her black sneakers tapping on the concrete as she went to go unlock her garage doors.

She saw a goat trotting along the sidewalk towards the garage.

She stood there looking at the goat confused. "What the hell?" she stood there holding her keys tight in her hand.

The goat was white with a little black beard. It bayed at her, then trotted over to her, nudging her towards her work.

"what are you doing?" she was confused by why it was pushing her towards her door. She needed to open her big garage doors before she could open for the day. "Seriously shoo shoo leave me alone" she said gently nudging the goat back trying to get it to leave.

"Sorry about her, she can be a little pushy sometimes," came a male voice behind her. She felt drawn in that direction.

She jumped and spun around looking at whoever was behind her shocked that someone had snuck up on her, being what she was it was hard for people to sneak up on her. Her breath caught in her throat and she blushed looking at him. "Its alright I just thought I had a wild goat on my property is all"

"She's harmless.... a bit of a nanny...but I can't put that against her," the young man said, a hint of a western ascent. He smiled at her. "Name's Danny, but my friends call me Delta...and that there is Capa..." His smile warmed up her heart.

"The name is Arcadia and this is my shop" she held her hand out towards the building. "Eden Mechanics." she smiled back at him. "How may I help you today sir what brings you to my little Mechanics shop?" she asked curiously.

Delta smiled at her. "Capa is what brought me to this here parts....but I am glad she did..." he said. "You have a beautiful name, Arcadia..." Arcadia was being pulled more to him.

Arcadia blushed but shoved those feelings of being pulled to him down as far as she could. She didnt need a man in her life and no matter how really sexy he was she wasnt going to do anything. "thank you thats very kind of you sir." she said standing there. "Umm oh how rude of me come on in its going to get pretty hot out here soon but I have great air conditioning. Can I get you something to drink" she asked leading him inside thinking that the line about his Goat bringing him to her was just that a male pick up line living with a pack of wolves she was used to it. She hoped he could be a customer.

She heard Delta and the goat follow her inside, but then the trots of the goat just disapeared. "So you fix cars? That's pretty cool...."

"Yes I grew up around alot of men in my life and they thought it would be the best if I learned how to fix cars and stuff. its fun taking them apart and putting them together so I just decided do what I enjoy and what I'm good at. Unfortunately though in this day and age not many people like to use small time mechanics like me, but I do have a good base of customers thats enough to keep me by" she said trying to be descrete about looking for the goat freaking out hoping she wasnt eating her paperwork.

Delta laughed a bit, watching her. "Looking for Capa?" Arcadia's heart jumped, loving his laugh.

Arcadia blushed and scratched the back of her head giving a soft laugh. "umm yes sorry, My aunt and uncle had a ranch where I grew up and I remember staying with them and I would like to go sit outside in the barn and do my homework but a couple of times the goats ate my homework. So I get a little paranoid about goats and paperwork" she said blushing at the way he was looking at her. "No no no no getting crushes!" she yelled at herself in her head.

Delta laughed again, this time her heart danced. "No worries..... Capa's gone for now, til she wants to come back out and off my back....."

Arcadia was very confused. "Ummm well ok then." she turned and walked over to her radio turning it off before tucking her deep black blue hair behind her ear. She turned looking over at him again. "So other then Capa what brings you to my shop?" she asked curiously.

"One other thing....but I don't know how to really ask these...but in this way.... huh... do you want to go on a date?" There was a slight blush on his cheeks.

Arcadia blushed scarlet across her cheeks. "you what?" she asked not believing it. She looked down at the way she looked then looked at him. "you want to go on a date with me?" she asked again she hadn't been on a date in forever. "I barely know you but alright I would really like that" she said really nervous.

"I...really? You will? I...." he smiled at her. "I....this is great...thank you.... you are the greatest..."

Arcadia blushed. "thanks umm well I kinda need to open my business up but you can go ahead and make yourself comfortable if you would like" she motioned towards the couches. They werent the prettiest thigns but they looked comfortable. She headed out the front door again and unlocked the padlocks on the two huge garage doors. she then walked over to her front door and put up her open sign. She could feel the heat of the day building already. Walking back inside, she went into her office to see what appoinments she had for the day. standing there over her papers she pulled her hair back in a ponytail confused on why he was so interested in her. Being a werewolf was hard since most people's inner instincts went heywired and screamed run when she came near but this guy he wanted to be close to her. Who knew maybe something could happen between them. "hey would you like something to drink Delta?" she called out to him seeing him outside of her office window still sitting on her couch.

"Sure... water, please..." Delta said. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but.... did you leave your pack because something happened, or something else...?"

Arcadia went rigid hearing mention of her pack. she walked over to her mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. walking out she tossed it to him. "How do you know what I am?' she asked and sniffed the air. He wasnt a wolf like her, he just smelled funny. She was getting nervous being around him now if he was asking personal questions like that and the fact that she didnt tell him what she was that made her all the more nervous. 

Delta caught that water in one hand. "I'm sorry," he said, looking down, messing with the bottle cap. "I...didn't mean anything by it, miss Arcadia.... I just know that normally wolves are pack animals....and coyotes haven't really been....."

Now that explained why he was able to figure out, she had never met one in person but she knew of the were coyotes. He must have met a werewolf in the past so he knew their smell. "Its alright, and please its just Arcadia." From her sheet her first appoinment wasnt for awhile so they could chat. She sat down on the other couch in her sitting area and looked at him. "It was a personal choice to leave my pack." she said looking at him. "please its alright I was just kinda freaked out that you knew what I was so quickly but its alright now" she smiled a warm comforting smile.

Delta looked up, and nodded. "I've always been the only one of my kind that I've ever met... I have met all sorts of others like us.... I was just curious... question, are you the only one that works here?"

"I've been the only one for the past three years since I've opened it. I havent needed anyone else here, its such a small Garage and I don't have that many customers that I don't need anyone else." She felt sorry hearing that he was the only were coyote he knew of in this world. The thought of if she was in his shoes broke her heart.

"Oh.... then I guess you don't have any need of me in your garage...."

"No wait umm" she blushed for some reason she really wanted him in her garage she wanted to have him with her. "It would be nice to have someone to help out. I do get jobs here once in while that are pretty tough just for one person even if I am a werewolf" she pulled her hair out of her ponytail knowing that a blush was creeping over her cheeks redder and redder so she let her hair cascade around her hiding her blushing face from the cute Coyote.

Delta went over to her, and knelt infront of her, seeing as she was sitting on the other couch. "Please don't hide your face," he said, as with both hands he pushed back her hair so that he could see her face, so that he could see her eyes. "You have beautiful eyes, don't hide them.... and you will let me help out here...?"

Arcadia was still blushing, she loved the feel of his hands gently brushing against her it had been so long since she had, had any physical contact with anyone. Being a werewolf that was one thing she missed about being in a pack was just being able to snuggle up to someone for that physical comfort. "yeah I would really like that, it would be nice to have someone around, I really don't have any friends here in the city so it would be nice to have a friend" she said as she gazed deeply into his eyes.

Delta smiled at her, he pushed her hair behind each ear. "Thank you..." Delta said, and kissed her on the cheek.

Arcadia let out a happy sigh when she felt his lips on her cheek. She suddenly turned red realizing she had. "Umm well uhh" she didnt know what to say to him as he was so close. His scent filled her nose, he smelled earthy and rich. For some reason Arcadia just wanted to bury herself against his chest, her face in the nape of his neck and take in the smell. She wondered what his body would feel like under her hands. She shoved those feelings deep down still feeling nervous not knowing what to say to this gorgeous Coyote that had dropped into her life.

Delta pulled back from the kiss, and looked at her. He then stood up and took her hands, bringing her up too. "It won't be said that I don't have manners," he said with a smile. He kissed her other cheek. "Now, what's coming in first thing today?" he asked with a smile.

Arcadia blushed at the feeling of his kisses on her cheeks still lingering. "well uh" she took her hands from his hands and put her hair up into a ponytail. "well my first appointment is a big ford truck. few years old making odd sounds." she said as she went over and opened the garage bay doors to get ready for the customer.

"Could be the transmition..." Delta said, following into the garage part.

"thats what I was thinking but he also said when he's driving when he gets up into the higher gears he isnt able to get as fast as he wants to so I think it could be something to do with the drive shaft." she said as she turned on her radio to a soft hum.

"It could very well be both," he said with a smile. He rolled up his sleeves, as he watched her.

"true indeed we wont know until he gets here" she said as she swayed her hips to the song that was playing looking over her diagnostics of the truck the last time she fixed it.

The sounds of a truck came up, and was now sitting outside the garage. "Hey! I'm not late am I?" came the voice of the truck owner. Seeing Delta, he say, "So whos that there?"

"hey Rick your not late at all, this is my new assistant Delta." she said standing there. "Just bring your truck right on in ok?" she asked standing there ready to help lead him inside.

Rick pulled the truck into the garage and got out. "Nice to meet you Delta...I was about to say that I haven't seen you in these parts..." the man said shaking Delta's hand quickly.

"Yeah," Delta replied. "Originially from Montana, but," he said, looking at Arcadia when Rick wasn't looking at them, "I'm glad I leave."

Arcadia was popping open the hood to the truck when he was looking at her so she didnt notice it. She was mumbling to herself as she pulled her cresent wrench out of one of her big pockets on her overalls.

Delta went over, benting in to look. "What's it look like?"

"Rick! What the hell did you do to this thing?!" Arcadia shouted from being bent over in the truck. "your transmission is cracked and your engine belt is so worn it looks like if you would have driven it any more the thing was going to snap." she said and moved out of the way for Delta to take a look. "And thats only up here I havent even checked underneith" she said walking over and standing infront of Rick looking up at him. he was a big man, but they were good friends though so she could get away with yelling at him like that.

"I...I... Arcadia... I..." he said.

Delta looked over at them, and then got on a roller, and went under the truck, looking around.

Arcadia whipped out a flashlight and shined it for him through the top. "How does it look down there?'s he asked as he looked around at everything. "Its ok Rick really don't worry about it" she said with a wink at him then looked back down in the truck again.

"Just as bad as up there..." he said.

Arcadia went over to Rick and patted his shoulder. "hey man its ok it happens, We're going to take a look to see how bad the damage is, so give a call this evening and I'll update you on everything alright?"

"Alright Arcadia.... whatever you say... see ya..." He left.

Delta got up, and looked at her. "It's going to be a lot of work... and money for new parts..."

Arcadia rubbed her temples. "I had a bad feeling about that." she sat down. "thats one thing I don't have is money for a job like this" she had savings for some large jobs but nothing this big no this was going to be a bit to much for her.

"If you want, I can help with the expenses....." Delta said, wipping his hands on a cloth.

"Oh no no no, I couldnt except that really" she said not wanting him to spend his hard earned cash on her shop.

"It's really no biggy... I want to help you...plus I...." Delta said, and kissed her cheek. "I think I may want to see you in action on the job."

She squeeked and blushed bright red. "Are you sure? really I don't want you to regret it later" she said looking at him gazing into his eyes.

"I'm sure...." he said. He looked down for a second, then back at her. "Please forgive me.... and my temporary lack of manners...." Delta kissed Arcadia full on the lips, arms wrapping around her.

Arcadia made a noise in her throat, she melted into his arms wrapping her arms around his neck and to his surprised she kissed him back. Her mouth kissed him back her lips dancing with his the taste of his mouth was amazing it had been so long since she had had physical affection like this and especially coming from Delta, he set her body on fire in a way other men werent able to. She didnt want to leave the feeling of his embrace. The wolf that she was lusting after the feeling of him to.

After a while, Delta pulled back. "I am sorry Arcadia... I couldn't help it... I had to push my manners to the side.... I..." His arms were still wrapped her.

"Don't be sorry I really liked that" Her eyes were at half mast with lust looking up at him. "I really liked that" she said softly shivering loving the feeling of being with him like this loving the feeling of just having someone like this.

Delta kissed her again. "Now I'll make a call for those parts so that we can get started....okay?"

"Are you sure I still just feel bad if you spend your money on my business" she said watching him as he stood there infront of her. She didnt know what was coming over her, these feelings for this Coyote that wandered in her life but she was loving it.

"It's to help you..." Delta said, and kissed her cheek. He then headed into the main sitting area, and found the phone, making a call as he smiled back at her.

Arcadia blushed bright red and looked away tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she went back over to the truck. She didnt understand why she was so nervous being around him.

After a while, Delta came back over, bending over the open hood, checking some things. "They said that they'll send over the parts in three hours, and then we can get to work on Rick's truck..." Delta said as he looked up.

"Three hours?! usualy parts take a few days when I order them" she said looking at him with shock in her eyes wondering who his connections were where he was getting parts that fast.

"Yeah... I have a friend that makes parts..." he said.

Arcadia blushed. "Wow well thats neat" she said looking back down at the engine trying not to let him notice her red cheeks. "Well I deffinantly have to thank you for what your doing for me." she said softly.

"That date I asked about will be thanks enough... plus it's good to have friends like my friend that's helping because he makes better parts and charges only a forth of what you would have been charged..." Delta said, turning back to the truck. "See here... the engines cracked too... good thing I asked him to send me the works...."

"Yes your right thats deffinantly really good" She smiled at him blushing softly still. "well we should get to work on taking it all apart." she said focusing on the engine.

"Right boss..." Delta said in a playful tone, and started working at disconnecting and removing the engine before anything else.

She turned a deep red from the 'Right boss' comment of his and how cute he had sounded being so playful with her. She tried to focus on her work and not think of the hunky Coyote to her right.

Just as they finished taking out the parts that needed to be replace, a truck pulled up, and a tall man walked over to them. The man had huge muscules, and long curly hair that was tied back. He gave Delta a smile. "Hey Buddy... got y're parts for y'r..." the man said.

"Great, Vulcan....thanks" said Delta walking over to him. "That's Arcadia... this is her garage... the parts are for her..."

"W'll then...come'on lad..." Vulcan said, and went to the back of the truck. He and Delta started to slowly bring each part over into the garage.

"Thank you mister Vulcan really this is alot of help that you had all these parts, seriously thank you so much" Arcadia said and went to the truck and grabbed what she could bringing it inside.

"Y're welcome Miss Arcadia... it's a pleasure... Delta here is the one that needs all the thanks... he helps me out all the time... plus he said something about wishes to impress a special lady...."

Delta looked down blushing. "Vulcan...."

Arcadia blushed bright red and just continued grabbing parts to rebuild the engine not making any comment.

When all the parts were in the garage, Vulcan asked, "Need any help..?"

Delta shook his head. "I think we have everything under contrl here, thanks though...."

"Yes thank you very much I'll deffinantly be calling for your services again" Arcadia said with a big smile and waved to him as he was leaving. "Now lets take a quick water break before we get back to work" she said to Delta with a smile before turning and heading off to her office where she kept her minifridge.

Vulcan drove off, and Delta followed Arcadia into the office.

She grabbed two bottles and tossed him one. "there drink up" she giggled and smiled and opened her bottle drinking it.

Delta drank from the bottle. "What did you think of Vulcan?"

"He seems like a very interesting man" she giggled adorably before taking a drink of water. "So tell me how long have you been friends with him?" she asked leaning her butt up against her desk as she stood there watching him.

"He taught me all I know involving cars..." he repled looking at her. "He became family.... a father figure...."

"I deffinantly have great respect for him then if he helped raise someone as sweet as you" she smiled at him then blushed realizing what she had said. "I had a huge family back where I'm from." she said remembering her pack back out in colorado.

"Yeah... I'm greatful... you could say that it was ineresting growing up in Greece... and knowing good and well, that there aren't coyote's in that both of the world...." Delta said with a laugh.

"Wow you grew up in Greece? it must be beautiful over there" she said looking out the window with a little smile.

"Yeah.... but like I said... lonely, being only me over there.... but Vulcan has been great.... he scares a lot of people but it's a big teddy bear..."

"he didnt scare me at all growing up in a pack of werewolves you get a bunch of guys like that." she smiled. "But hey you know hopefully even though I'm not a coyote." she blushed a deeper red not knowing how he was going to reply.

"oh yeah...." said as he smiled at her. "I'm glad that your not a coyote...because at least I've been able to be here to help you and everything..."

She looked up blushing and smiled softly before taking a long swig from her bottle of water not knowing how to answer him.

"I... I didn't mean... I didn't mean that I wuldn't have liked it it you were a coyote to....it's....it's just you know..." Delta looked down, embarased and worried he'd upset Arcadia. "I... like.... that your a wolf.... you.... wouldn't be you if... I hoped for you....to be what your not... I"

Arcadia looked over at him and smiled she pushed off of the table and smiled. "Its ok you didnt offend me I was blushing because I was honored by your words." she went over to him and gave his cheek a soft little kiss.

Delta blushed and smiled at her. "Thanks..." he said. "Now all I need to do is thank Capa..." He laughed a bit.

Arcadia laughed herself and smiled. "I guess you do" she then turned her back and sipped her water gazing out the window, she didnt know why but she felt really happy at that moment and she prayed with all her heart that the feeling would grow inside of her and never go away.

She felt something chewing on the back of her leg. "Capa! What are you doing?" cried out Delta.

Arcadia yelped spinning around facing the goat. "Where did you come from?!" she said freaking out.

The goat, Capa, looked up at her, chewing on a torn piece of her jean cuff. "Capa," said Delta, placing a hand on the goat's head. "You shouldn't have done that...and I was going to tell you thanks... you just didn't have to show up for it..." Delta looked up at Arcadia. "She came from here..." Delta turned around, and lifted the back on his shirt. There was the faintest outline of a goat rearing on his back, going from a little below to neck and going as far down as his lower back. It looked like he had gotten a tatoo removed.

"Woah you can do magic?" she asked adn walked over to him gently tracing her fingers over the lines of the image. "thats pretty amazing" she said and was unable to help herself and enjoy the feel of his skin, and the lines of his muscles under her fingers.

Delta put his shirt back down, and turned to face her. "I can... some..." he said. Pointing over at Capa, he said, "The whole... I'm a tatoo, I'm not a tatoo is all her... think of it as Capa is a guardian animal..."

"Wow thats deffinantly pretty neat." she said standing there looking up at him. She eyed Capa behind her to make sure she didnt eat her jeans anymore before looking back up at him. "your deffinantly one very spiffy Coyote" she giggled and gave his cheek a soft little kiss liking that he didnt mind her doing that.

Delta smiled at her, then looked behind her. "Capa...go...please..." The goat baaed, then disappeared. Delta closed his eyes, and the looked at her again. "Thanks for the kiss..." he said just before kissing her cheek.

"I should be the one thanking you" she smiled up at him her cheeks were softly rosey with her blush. Gently she looked down at her feet and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well umm we should probably get back to work" she said and glanced up at him shyly and turned heading out of the office back out to the garage to get to work.

Delta followed Arcadia out into the garage. It didn't take them long to get Rick's truck back to near new.

Arcadia gave a big stretch after they were done and rubbed the back of her neck. "Wow I can't believe we got it done so fast, thank you if it wasnt for you I would have been on that project for days" she said looking at him as they stood there together.

“No problem…” said Delta, looking at their work. “Vulcan does make some pretty good parts…” he said, looking over at Arcadia. “You should see what his specialty is…”

"Oh what might that be?" she asked curiously hopping up on one of the counters sitting there watching him.

Delta walked over to the counter, turning his back to the counter, and leaning back on his elbows against the counter. "Swords.... daggers.... blade weapons...." he said simply.

"Oh wow how neat!" she smiled thinking about it. "deffinantly a truely rare talent someone who forges weapons in this day and age." she said as she rubbed her sore neck.

"It's his passion," said Delta. He laughed a bit. "So, when should we call that Rick guy about his truck...?"

She looked at the clock. "I'll go do that right now" she said turning and walking away heading towards the office. she glanced over her shoulder back at Delta as she walked towards the office and blushed seeing him watch her walk away. The Phone call went fast and soon Arcadia was walking back out of the office. "He'll be here within the hour to pick his truck up he was surprised I was calling today" she smiled hopping back up on the counter again where she had been sitting before. "And other then Rick I didnt have any appointments schedualed for today" she tucked her hair behind her ear. She didnt know if she should ask him if he wanted to spend time together or something along those lines so she was going to keep her mouth shut.

"Does that mean you could close up for the rest of the day, letting me prehaps take you out to lunch?"

Arcadia looked up at him with an adorable blushing smile. "yeah that does mean that and I would really like that as well" she smiled up at him. "I'm going to have to go home and change my outfit though" she said sitting there.

"I'll wait for you..." Delta said with a smile.

Thrity minutes later, Rick showed up. "Arcadia," he said as he came into the garage. "How did you do that? What with all you said needed to be done, I was sure I'd be without a truck for nearly a week...."

"Deffinantly thank Delta for that if it wasnt for him it would have been nearly a week he had a connection and we got the parts three hours after you left got to work and here it is all ready to go for you." she smiled "come into my office so we can work out the payment" she said as she and rick headed to the office to write up the bill for payment.

When they were done they walked out to the garage again and Arcadia handed Rick his keys. The price had been great for Rick and Arcadia had made a good profit on it also. "Well your all set to go Rick" she smiled standing there putting her hands on her hips looking at him.

"THanks again Arcadia...and thank you Delta..." Rick said. "Hope I don't have to see you for some time... no offence.." Rick then drove off.

"Looks like he was happy," laughed Delta.

"He was, he got a great deal on the whole thing so that made him happy but I still did make a good profit off of it all" Arcadia smiled up at him. "and I told him he has to take it easier on that truck now because I don't want to see him anytime soon either" she said with a laugh before going over to the Garage door and jumped up grabbing the pull chain and pulled the door down closing it. "you do get a pay cut as well just to let you know fifty percent since you did half of the work" she said looking at him over her shoulder as she latched the door shut locking it on the inside then turned grabbing the padlock off of the table to go and lock the door outside as well.

"You don't have to do that..." Delta said, and Arcadia could tell that he was speaking honestly from the tone of his voice.

"Are you sure, really?" she asked not believing him but the way he was looking into her eyes "how did I get so lucky to meet someone like you?" she asked gazing at him.

"Capa..." Delta laughed. "I don't need the money... so are we going to close up, so that I can take you to lunch?"

"Yes right" she blushed and went to the office locking it up then went outside locking the garage doors with the padlock then after he exited she locked the front door as well. "Alright ready to go." Suddenly he realized that their was no car or motorcycle outside.

"Did you walk?" he asked.

"Yes I don't own a car or anything, my father has been complaining at me to let him buy one for me but I keep telling him no so I just walk to work and back." she said with a sigh, my father is Alpha of my pack and very protective of me, I couldnt get out of him paying for my apartment out here so he's paying for that but everything else is all me" she said walking with him sighing.

"It's cool... I was just wondering...."

"yeah sorry I'm a little defensive when it comes to it" she sighed as they walked down the street. It didnt take to long until they came to a really nice apartment building. Arcadia punched in her numbers and let them into the building. It was a beautiful modern design deffinantly a newer building. Arcadia nodded to the door man with a smile at the desk and walked past heading to the elevators. "I'm not used to getting home this early." she said to Delta as she punched the button for her floor.

"I understand..." Delta said. "I hope you're not feeling bad about it..."

"Oh I'm not feeling bad about it at all" she giggled and smiled. "really I'm not, if I was working alone I would have been working late into the evening then walking home by myself really late when their is no one around usualy." she said and suddenly noticed his muscles tense. Was he getting protective over the thought of her walking alone and the chance that some man could try and grab her and do something to her? She was curious on what he was thinking.

"Well... now I hope that you'll allow me to walk you home from now on...." Delta said.

Arcadia made an adorable giggle. "Worried about this lil' ol' wolfy" she asked playfully standing on the other side of the elevator watching him.

Delta went over to her side of the elevator, taking her hand in his, and placing a hand on her cheek. "What do you think?" he asked, and the kissed her on the lips.

Arcadia made a soft sigh of joy in her throat as she kissed him back. Her arms sliding softly around his neck not wanting to let him go as their lips danced together. But they were pulled from their kiss by the soft ding of their floor. Arcadia pulled back and looked up at the numbers above the door. "This is our stop" she took his hand in hers and lead him off. Her cheeks red from how wonderful it had felt.

"I see..." he said, keeping in step with Arcadia as they went down the hall.

Arcadia held his hand in hers as they headed down the hall, it wasnt that far until they reached her door. She dug around in her pockets and pulled out her keys then unlocked the door letting the two of them in. The apartment was a very upscale top of the line layout but it was very homey also from the way it was decorated, the walls painted rich earth tones and greens that gave it a homey feel, the decorations were just unique in their own way not just one style but many styles all together. "So what do you think?" she asked playfully standing there behind him as she closed the door behind them.

"I love it... I feel at home here... I love the use of brown in it too...." Delta said, looking around. He turned to look at her. "I love it."

"That makes me happy to hear and I hope that my home may be a little sanctuary for you" she smiled up at him. "make yourself at home and I'll be back I'm going to go change real quick" she walked off heading down the hall to her bedroom. Her heart pounding in her chest so excitedly.

Delta sat down after messing around with something in his pocket, and putting it around his neck. He waited for her.

she came out of her room not long later, she was wearing a pair of dark washed jeans with a nice sapphire blue blouse that looked wonderful against her skin. while she had on a pair of cute high heels as well. "I'm ready" she spun around for him. "what do you think?

"Beautiful..." said Delta as he stood up to look at her. Arcadia noticed that he now had a necklace on with a simple turquoise stone in the center.

She eyed the necklace for a moment she couldnt tell what type of metal it was mounted on but she would be wary of letting it touch her just in case. She giggled and smiled. "Thank you I wanted to look nice for the cute Coyote who came into my life" she said and pulled her hair out of her ponytail letting it fall around her shoulders in lush waves.

Delta nodded and smiled. "It's not metal..."

Arcadia blushed and scratched the back of her head. "Yeah sorry, I just get nervous around jewelry I'm highly allergic to Gold so I'm always super careful when I'm around metal." She said putting her hands behind her back looking up at him.

"Well," Delta said with a smile. "This necklace is very old, older than the use of gold in jewelry."

"Its very beautiful" she said walking close to him and running her fingers over the gorgeous stone she gazed up at him. "It deffinantly suites you" she smiled up at him. 

"Thanks..." Delta said. "I've had it for as long as I can remember... now shall we head to lunch?"

"yes lets go" she giggled and playfully bumped her butt against his before grabbing his purse and letting the two of them out together.

Delta just shook his head. "You do look very nice, Arcadia..."

"you said that before and thank you sweety" she said adorably with a smile gazing up at him.

Delta smiled. "And if I began to compare you to Aphrodite?"

Arcadia turned red, "Oh Delta don't do that your making me blush" she said stopping at the door way of her apartment looking up at him scarlet across her cheeks.

Delta laughed, and said, "You're very cute when you blush like that..."

"No I'm not stop." she blushed deeper red looking away from him.

"Then why did you get redder?" he asked with a smile.

"No I didnt I'm just..." she mumbled to herself feeling so shy around him and his sweet words as she had her back to him her hands on her face.

Delta spun her around, pulling down her hands. "Don't hide your beautiful face..." he said, and kissed her littlely.

Arcadia blushed kissing him back feeling so special in his eyes. She let her eyes flutter open after he pulled back. "Your the first man who's ever made me feel so special, just for being me" she said softly gazing up at him.

"I'm glad..." Delta said. "Come on... lunch awaits..." He said with a kind smile.

Arcadia giggled "yes it does indeed." she opened the door letting them out then closed and locked the door behind them before they headed off. "So where do you want to go?" she asked looking up at him.

"I have a place in mind... come on..." he said as he lead them away from her home, and down the street.

Arcadia leaned into him as they walked together liking the feel of being against his body. She was craving this physical touch with him something she hadnt had in the past few years.

Delta held his arm around her shoulders, as they walked. They continued to walk til they came up to a restaurant called 'Dion-Ice'.

"Dion-Ice? never heard of it" she said looking up at the sign then looking at him.

"It's a pretty new restaurant... they're suppose to have great desserts..." Delta said.

"Oh one of my greatest weaknesses" she said slyly looking up at him. "Come on lets go in." she said sliding her hand in his.

Delta smiled and lead her in, and over to a corner booth seat. The restaurant was decorated in rich colors and patterns. A young girl came up to them. "Can I get you two anything to drink?"

Arcadia looked at her watch before making her decision. "Could I have a mojito if you would please?" she asked looking at the waitress after seeing it on the menu

"Yes...and you?"

"Coffee please..."

The girl left.

"What's wrong?" asked Delta.

"No no nothing is wrong" Arcadia blushed. "I just wanted to make sure it wasnt to early for a drink is all, its like my own little rule I don't have anything to drink unless its afternoon after one." she said looking at him with worried eyes hoping she didnt offend him or anything like that.

"Oh.... All right...." said Delta with a smile. "Are you sure you haven't been here before?"

Arcadia pointed her finger to one of those mini table menus that alot of restraunts have and he saw a picture of a mojito. "I'm sure" she giggled and opened her menu begining to look it over.

The waitress brought out their drinks. "Can I get you anything to eat?"

Delta looked up at the girl. "Yes. I would like the club sandwich, with the Dio-wine sause on the side."

"And you miss?"

"I'll have the Chicken Alfredo" she said looking the menu over then looking up at the waitress.

The waitress went off to take care of their order.

Delta looked at Arcadia smiling. "So, have you traveled much?"

"Yes I have traveled alot over the country growing up, My father is one of the strongest Alphas in the country so I used to travel with him all the time to other packs" she said with a smile before sipping her drink gently.

"It sounds like you had a wonderful time with your father," he said.

"I did he's a really great man." she smiled back at him.

Delta smiled. "I wish I had know my parents... but I'm glad you did..."

"Aww Delta" she leaned over the table and gave him a soft little kiss then sat back down on her side. "I think if you ever meet my dad you two would really hit it off, he wouldnt be totally happy sense your not a wolf but I think he'll like everything else about you" she giggled and smiled at him.

"Coyotes and Wolves don't really get along... I know..." he said, then chuckled lightly. "Be then again, aren't we both canines?"

"That we are, and hey I like Coyotes" she winked playfully. "I think their pretty cute" she said adorably while gazing at him with heated gaze that held so much behind it.

"And wolves are beautiful." Delta's eyes held powerful emotion in them.

Arcadia melted gazing in those eyes her heart pounding for this man infront of her. She had just met him but she felt so connected to him already.

The waitress brought them their food, and left them. Delta took a bite, dipping his sandwich into the Dio-wine. "Mmm.. yum... this is good... the Dio-wine has a very unique taste..."

Arcadia began to eat her food as well. "Mmm this is really good, the seasoning is very unique" she said happily chowing down on her food. "your food smells good to just to let you know maybe next time we come I'll try that" she said playfully.

Delta smiled. "Maybe... I do know that you have to be careful.... the cook loves to use Dio-wine in every thing... Dio-wine is a unique wine from Greece named for the god of Wine..."

Arcadia nodded in understanding. "I wonder of their is Dio-Wine in this?" she asked before she took a bite of chicken. "Mmmm so good" she said happily. "I've always been big into cooking and food, I know one part of it is because I'm a were but I've also just loved being in the kitchen" she said before she sipped her drink.

"You know, there are others like us that could just say that about just about anything... from stealing to fighting...just about anything... though, that was the first I've heard involving cooking...and it coming from a wolf..." Delta laughed a bit.

"Its not that weird really, wolves are well known for being great cooks. Since we have large appetites, especially the males of my kind we always have been taught from a young age how to cook. Its seriously not that weird to hear a wolf say they love to cook. Especially many of the males in my pack." She said before sipping her drink.

"Not the ones I've met..." said Delta. "They thought more in the way of hunt, kill, and eat...."

"most wolves wont admit it but we do cook. you know it would be kind of odd if we hunted and killed every night. yes we are itchy for the hunt and the enjoyment of the kill but we are still part human as well." she said sitting there watching him. "I know I feel that way I love going hunting in my wolf form the wind in my fur the adrenaline pumping in my veins as I hunt for my meal its extremely exciting." she smiled at him.

"Yes... but how you adjust also depends on whether you were born as a wolf or whatever... or born as a human...." Delta said. "I know some who still have a hard time who were born as their animal....especially learning and speaking human languages...."

"Very true you deffinantly have a good point with that, I was born human but i started turning over animal at a very young age, my father would tell me about how he would come into my nursery and find me as a wolf pup one moment then he would come back another moment and I would be human again." she said watching his reaction to that.

Delta laughed. "Either you just hit your change early.... seeing as the change in any form comes in like puberity.... or you're a very power and unique were-wolf..."

Arcadia shrugged and laughed "I'm just weird is all" she giggled and nursed her drink enjoying this time with him.

Delta sipped his coffee. "No you're not weird..." he said. Then after a long pause, he continued, "You're perfect."

"Awwww Delta" she turned red from his super sweet comment. "Oh your so sweet, I'm not perfect at all" she covered her face with her hands again feeling so shy.

Once again, Delta pulled her hands down. "It's true, you are perfect... to me...." he said, and then kissed her lightly on the lips. "My perfect wolfie angel...." Delta added with a small chuckle, but a big and true smile.

"Oh Delta" she whispered and put her hand on his cheek and pulled him to her kissing him softly but a little deeper then he had kissed her. Gently she stroked his cheek as they kissed happy to have him in her life.

Delta returned the kiss, then pulled back slowly, smiling at her. "Let's get out of here..."

Arcadia playfully suddenly nuzzled him. "yes lets get out of here." she said with a smile and playfully bit her bottom lip adorably gazing into his eyes.

Delta laughed, smiling, getting up. He put out a hand for her to take.

"Umm we kinda need to pay" she said adorably looking up at him. 

Delta looked around, and then grabbed the nearest waitress, speaking to her softly. He then handed her something that looked like money, and then turned back to Arcadia, sticking out his hand again. "Taken care of.... now..." he said with a smile.

Arcadia giggled and took his hand standing up with him. "yes now lets get going" she said happily.

They left the restaurant, Delta's arm wrapping around Arcadia's shoulder.

Arcadia slid her arm around his waist and snuggled against his side walking along with him loving the feel of his strong body so close.

As they walked down the street, Delta fell forward, a hard cracking sound meeting Arcadia's ears.

"Delta!" she screamed out and spun around wide eyed to see who it was behind them her wolf ready to burst through the surface and attack.

Just as she turned around, she came face to face with the barrel of a gun, two men with masks on facing her, one of which was hold a piece of lumber, the object that had hit Delta. "Gives us all your money, Now!!"

Arcadia snarled suddenly her fangs and nails lengthened as her muscules rippled more toned and msucular. "Bastards" before the one with the gun could get a shot off she grabbed his gun yanking it out of the man's hand. Suddenly she slugged his face bashing it in then grabbed the peice of lumber snapping it and with the part she had she slugged the man who had been holding it upside the head knocking him out as well. "Filthy bastards nothing better to do" she growled out and took a deep breath making her body shift back to normal. "Oh god Delta" tears filled her eyes as she pulled him into her arms and looked around, the street they were on was dead she wished she had a cellphone or something. She snarled at the men who attacked them so tempted to kill them both for hurting him.

*Bang* A gun went off, a bullet going into Arcadia's arm. Her arm started to burn, and her body was screaming in pain. A man walked out of a near by building. "Good, thank you for showing your self for what you are, monster..." said the man, smirking. He walked towards her as her body was quickly lossing it's strength. "Now the only question is now... kill you or him first..."

Arcadia held her arm in pain, it throbbed horribly as if it was a reaction to gold, but it couldnt be barely anyone knew of her allergy to gold. She had to move fast if she was to save Delta. "I wont let you hurt him!" she shouted at him and suddenly she pulled all of her inner strength, one good thing about changing since she was a baby was the fact that she could change faster then normal weres. Her body suddenly shifted turning into a huge sleek black wolf and she lunged at him tackling him to the ground. With huge glistening white canines she ripped into his arm and shook it shredding it to peices making him let go of the gun. She snarled viciously ripping her claws and teeth into him. She felt that pain ripping through her body faster she had to make sure he wouldnt hurt Delta.

The man kicked at her, throwing her off him. The man held his arm. "That's my special silver gold bullet my dear, all you monster will die!"

"I... think not..." came Delta's voice. The man spun around just to be greet by Delta's hand quickly moving up to grip the guy's throat, hard, Delta liftig the guy up into the air. "You shoot my MATE!" he shouted, as he shifted into a large werecoyote, and crushed the man's throat in his claw, and started to rip the guy apart, growling and snarling.

Arcadia hit the ground hard and skid across the pavement. she pushed herself up to her feet. Her body throbbed in pain as she felt the metal in her system the gold burning her. Her gaze grew fuzzy watching Delta. She had heard that word, Mate and her heart fluttered. " I dont know if i'm going to last long enough to actually tell you how special that makes me feel" she thought to herself before she hit the ground hard the metal in her system to much. Her world went black as she passed out her body shifting back to human as she laid there on the cold cement.

*Beep....Beep....beep* The sound started to make it's way into Arcadia's mind, breaking through the darkness she saw.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Where.. am.. I..?" she whispered as her nose tingled with the bitter smells of antiseptic and sterilization clearners.

"...Arcadia..." came Delta's voice from beside her. "You're... awake...thank god... You're in the hospital..."

Arcadia turned her head and looked over seeing Delta sitting there next to her bed, his eyes were red and puffy. "you've been crying I can tell" she reached up and gently brushed her fingers over his cheek. "I thought I was a goner back there" she felt light headed from the medication being a were it traveled through her blood faster so the morphine was wearing off, but they couldnt use to much on her or else it could screw up her body. "I thought I was going to loose you" she said softly gazing at him.

Delta took her hand that was on his cheek into a hand, holding it against his cheek. "Arcadia.... I thought I was going to lose you.... the guy.... he's completely gone.... he won't hurt you nor me again....I should have been about to protect you better than what I had...." A tear rolled down his cheek and against her hand.

Arcadia gently brushed her thumb back and forth. "Shhh Delta, its ok those muggers knocked you out. both of our noses were still filled with the smells of the restraunt so we didnt smell them coming up and that physco took his chance when you were down and my back was turned to sneak up on me. he was a pansy who didnt have the balls to face me face on. Besides you came to when it mattered and if it wasnt for you I wouldnt be here right now." she whispered gazing at him with a love filled gaze. "I, I love you Delta, I barely know you but I've fallen in love with you" she said suddenly as she laid there holding her hand on his cheek just wanting some physical touch with him.

Delta took her hand off his cheek and kiss the back of her hand lightly. "I love you too, Arcadia...." he said, letting his words trail off as he leaned towards her, kissing her lightly on the lips.

Arcadia let out a soft sigh kissing him back then pulled back from him. "I heard what you said before you mauled that guy, you called me your mate" she smiled lovingly up at him.

"I.. I didn't ever ask you.... if you wanted... to be.... though..." Delta had a blush on his cheeks.

"Delta, I would be honored to be your mate." she gently stroked his cheek. "how long did the doctors say I have to be in here?" she asked curiously and coughed a little bit her throat feeling dry.

Delta smiled a bit. Then he laughed softly. "Mate.... you've been her for two weeks as your body fought what was left of the gold in your system... I told the doctors that you were allergic... and that some freak most have decided to play around with silver-gold bullets..."

Arcadia looked at her arm and pulled up her hospital gown sleeve revealing a brand new nasty scar where she had been shot. "That sick bastard playing with stuff liked that." she rubbed her sore arm. "Can we get out of here soon I hate hospitals" she shivered as her body was feeling better as each moment passed. "I want to go home to my apartment." she said pushing herself so she was sitting up better.

Delta smiled a bit. "Good thing they think your name is Betty..." He scooped Arcadia up into his arms, carefully after unhooking her from the hospital equipment. "Hold on..." he said. Somehow, Delta was able to break the window by kicking it, and then he jumped out the window with her. The ground was coming up on them quickly.

Arcadia hugged him tight burying her face into his chest she trusted him with her life and she knew she would be ok but it still scared the crap out of her because they were falling from so high up. she knew she was safe with him, she would always be safe with him.

They landed on the ground with a slight thud, nothing more. But then Delta was off again, racing back to her apartment.

Arcadia squeeked when they thudded on the ground then looked forward and felt the wind running through her hair feeling safer then she had in a long time happy to be going home with Delta. She wanted to tug him into her bed and snuggle up with him in her home, her sanctuary some place she hoped would be their sanctuary if he wanted.

They got back to her apartment. "You'll have to unlock the door, mate..." he said, softly.

They were lucky because he had snatched her stuff before his stunt jumping out the window. She reached in her purse and pulled out her key and from hanging in his arms she unlocked the door letting them in.

They got into the apartment, then he headed into what he assume was her bedroom, and then locked the front door.

Arcadia sat there in her hospital gown. "Man I really hate these things" she pulled it off and threw it in the trash before going over to her dresser and pulling out a pair of sleep pants and a tanktop throwing those on before Delta came back in. "much better" she said to herself climbing on her bed. "Oh its good to be home sweet home" she said laying there on her bed of lush green fabrics. She looked to the door hearing him come towards her room. "Come here you and kick off your shoes and get comfy with me" she held her arms out to him. "your mate wants to cuddle" she giggled.

Delta just shook his, smiling. "Oh, does she now?" Delta moved over to the bed, toeing off his boots and socks. Delta sat down on the other side of the bed, and pulled off his glasses setting them down on the side table. He then scooted over closer to the middle, placing an arm around Arcadia.

Arcadia slid her arms around his waist hugging him and nuzzled his chest. "Mmmm now this is more like it" she giggled snuggling against him looking up at him. "Now this is what I call healing magic" she sighed happily loving the feeling of holding him.

Delta pulled her close to him. "I'm glad that I could be of some assistance..." he said. He leaned over, and kissed her forehead.

Arcadia giggled. "Delta? I was wondering, umm would you want to move in here with me?" she asked looking up at him. "I know we havent known each other long but now, being mates and everything I I really just want to have you around all the time" she said gazing up at him blushing bright red.

Delta smiled down at her, then laughed. "Looks like I'll be saving my money on hotel rooms..... of course, Arcadia... I would love to..."

"Oh Mate!" she squeeled and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much"

"Oh!" Delta laughed, hugging he back more. "I'm guesses that just made you even better feeling..."

"Yes it did" she buried her face into his chest loving the smell of him in ehr nose. "My sexy mate" she sighed happily. "I'm feeling alot better now all in more then one way." she said curled up there not wanting to let go of him.

"Yeah..... your sexy glasses weaing mate..." he laughed, stroking her hair and back.

"Oh speaking of which" she playfully rolled over and snatched his glasses off the nightstand then moving so she was sitting in his lap she slid them on playfully wearing them. "What do you think?" she asked adorably looking at him.

Delta laughed. "I think you may see just how blind I am..."

"I do indeed, when you turn Coyote do your eyes fix themselves?" she asked curiously as she took his glasses off and set them on the nightstand again.

"Yes," Delta said, nodding. "They do correct themselves... I don't know what would have happened to me if they didn't..."

Arcadia gave him a little kiss on his lips. "Well they do correct themselves and thats all that matters." suddenly sitting there her stomach growled with voracious hunger. "Oh my thats right I havent really eaten in two weeks now have I ?" she asked blushing

"No, you haven't... no worries... and I hope you like oriental..." he said smiling down at her.

"Are you talking about going out to eat again?" she asked kind of not wanting to after what had happened last time.

"No...that was not what I'm talking about..." Delta said. Then there was a knock on the door. "Good timing..." Delta grabbed his glasses up, placing them on his face, smiled at her, and got of the bed. "Be right back..." He left the room. Now long after, Delta came back in with two bags of food. The bags read 'Sunny Night Oriental'. "Like I said, no worries..." he said holding up the bags as he came back over to take his place beside her.

"When did you have time to order that?" she asked surprised as she sat watching him.

"You had time to change didn't you?"" he asked smiling at her, and handing out food.

Gently she took the bag of food and set it to her side before she grabbed his shirt and pulled him against her. "you sneaky coyote you" she giggled before she gave him a deep passionate kiss on the lips for a few moments before she pulled back and took her food scooting over to where she had been before so she could start to eat. She giggled once more seeing him frozen where he was from the surprise kiss she had given him.

Slowly Delta's frozen face turned into a smile. "Oh you... are you sure that you're a wolf and not a mikx?" he laughed openning up his food, and started to eat.

"I am very sure" she giggled and winked playfully at her mate before she also began to eat. She looked at the nightstand on her side of hte bed and grabbed the remote and turned on the tv so their would be some noise to fill the silence of their eating. "Mmm this is good" she said and smiled before taking another bite.

"I'm glad you like it, Arcadia..." he said. "There are twins that own the restaurant the food came from, and they are said to have some of the best oriental in the area."

"I can tell why" she giggled and munched on another bite of the delicious food. "Great choice for a celebratory meal of getting out of the hospital" she smiled at him.

Delta just smiled as they ate. There was a flash of light that went past the window. "What was that?" ((Arcadia being Fensir's daughter, even though she doesn't know that about her, Can see that light...))

((alrighty and its Fenrir not Fensir lol ^^))

Arcadia saw it as well. "What the hell?" she put her food down and went over to the window opening the sheer curtains to see if she could see anything.

Delta followed her over to the window. They both saw a trail of light moving down the street, soon fulled by a motorcycle with to individuals on it. "What in the world...?

"Ok I think I still have gold in my system" she said not believing what she was seeing.

"Arcadia... I saw it too...and I never had any gold in my system..." said Delta.

"Then how do we explain that?" she asked standing there.

"Well.... there are other creatures and magics in the world...." Delta said.

"True so its probably just one of them, Lets just get back to bed and our food and put it in the back of our minds." she said tugging his sleeve.

"Alright, mate..." he said as he let her pull them back to the bed to finish their dinner.

After dinner and they had cleaned up Arcadia pounced on Delta again and snuggled with him on the bed happy to have him. "Mmm has anyone told you your snuggly" she said adorably laying tehre against his chest looking up at him.

"No because no one's been this close to me to snuggle against me and then comment...." Delta said looking at her, arms holding her against him.

"Well I don't mean to sound nasty or anything but I'm glad I'm the only one then" she said gazing up at him with her beautiful eyes.

"It's not nasty at all..." Delta said. "I wasn't really interested in any one before you..."

"Awww" she blushed and leaned up kissing him softly.

Delta placed a hand on the back of her head, and held her there, kissing back passionately.

Arcadia blushed and melted into the deepening kiss with her mate sliding her arms around his neck as she kissed him back.

Delta pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I love you Arcadia..."

"I love you to Delta" she said gazing deeply into his eyes.

He pulled her so that she was laying against his side, and pulled off his glasses again. He sighed happily.

Arcadia felt so happy at that moment having him in her arms as she snuggled against his sexy body. She just hoped her daddy would be ok with a coyote for a mate because their was no way in hell she was ever leaving him. He had saved her life and in teh short time they had known each other she had fallen head over heels for him.

Delta kissed the top of Arcadia's head, and stroked her hair. "I am very glad that Capa lead me to you..."

"I am to, I really am to" she whispered snuggling against him never wanting to let go.

"Rest... you need to..." said Delta in a whisper.

Arcadia yawned and buried her face in his chest. "yes... rest" she mumbled against him before slipping off fast asleep

Delta was soon to follow Arcadia into sleep.

A few hours later Arcadia woke up stirred awake thristy for something to drink. She climbed out of bed quitely not waking Delta and went off to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. she turned and left the kitchen walking out into the livingroom. All of a sudden she saw a huge wolf larger then any werewolf she had ever seen on the other side of the room with eyes that glowed with immense power Arcadia yelped and threw herself back so her back was flat up against the wall as she stared at the huge wolf. She took a deep breath calming down. "Daddy! you scared me!" she said sternly.

The wolf shifted into a human form he was large with broad shoulders and a powerful muscular body he had long black hair and rich golden eyes. "I'm sorry baby my wolf form is the only form I could use to get in here" he smiled then frowned. "you worried me I didnt get your normal sunday phonecall last week and you didnt answer your phone so I had to come and see if you were alright." Suddenly he noticed her arm. "Oh god Arcadia what happened" he said horrified by the sight of the scar on her arm.

"Some crazy guy shot me with a gold and silver bullet trying to kill me"

her father went wide eyed. "You have to be kidding me, how did you survive sweety" he went over and hugged his daughter in his arms.

"I'm ok it was my mate he saved me and took me to the hospital" she said looking up at him.

"Mate? when did this happen? last time I talked to you you had no man in your life and now you have a mate?" Her father was surprised by what was going on in his little girls life.

Arcadia giggled. "It was a fast courtship but he means alot to me daddy and I want you to like him." she said looking up at her father as he let go of her.

There was movment in the bedroom. "Arcadia?" called out Delta. "Everything okay?"

"I'm alright Delta, come out here, I want you to meet someone." she called back to him then looked at her father. "Now be nice to him daddy he means alot to me."

Her father's eyes went narrow hearing a male's voice in his daughters aparment especially since supposedly they had only been together two weeks.

Delta walked out of the bedroom, bare foot as he had been, and just putting on his glasses. Delta stopped looking at the man. "Hello...?" he said his western acsent apparent.

"Delta, this is my father Randulfr" she went over to Delta's side. "Daddy this is my Mate Delta" she said hugging his arm.

Randulfr's nose twitched as he caught Delta's scent. "Your mate is... A coyote?" he growled out not liking the idea of it. Coyote's were tricksters and bad seeds and he would be damned letting his daughter mate with one.

"Daddy!" Arcadia growled out at him.

"Sir... yes I'm a coyote, but I never knew any either... I was raised by an honorable man who didn't have to take me in when he found me...." Delta said looking straight at Randulfr. "I don't know anything about what you may think about coyotes but I am sure that I am nothing like what you think...."

Randulfr stood there eyeing the young Coyote and gave a deep growl. "I'll give you a chance Coyote, but only because you saved my daughters life, I will be keeping my eyes on you" he said in a warning tone.

"Daddy I know your worried about me but I'm a woman and I can make my own decisions!" she snarled back at her father.

Delta nodded. "I would never hurt her sir... I swear this in the names of the gods I trust..."

Randulfr nodded. "I will hold you to that." he then looked at his daughter. "I'm going to be in town for a few days sweety if you need me I'm at this number" he said handing her a card of his room number.

"Ok daddy we'll do lunch" she smiled up at him.

Randulfr pulled her in his arms and hugged her tight. "Sounds good to me little one.

She laughed and hugged her father back before he leg go.

"I must be going and I'll let you go back to bed" and with that he turned and headed to the door leaving.

Arcadia walked over and closed and locked the door behind him. "Wow didnt expect him so soon" she sighed softly.

"You were in a unconscious state for two weeks, Arcadia.... and I am surprised that he told you 'I'll let you go back to bed'... after having seen me come out of your room.... though I think I would have been in worst trouble if I had my shirt off..." Delta said, pulling her into a hug, his chest against her back.

"Now I would have liked to see that" she giggled thinking about it "But you saved my life is the thing he's giving you the benefit of the doubt right now" she said and looked up at him before giving his neck a little nuzzle. "Besides after I left my pack for the reasons I did he knows that if I'm calling you my mate I mean it so that gives you a few more brownie points."

Delta smiled down at her. "I am very happy about that.... that you are my mate..." He scooped up Arcadia and carried her back into the bedroom, and layed her back down on the bed, and then lays down next to her, holding her close.

Arcadia giggled and snuggled against his big muscular chest. "Mmmm now hopefully we wont get anymore visitors" she yawned and nuzzled his chest.

"Sleep well, love..." he said softly.

"You to Mate" she giggled snuggling against him and soon drifted off fast asleep against him once more.

A few hours later, Arcadia woke up, feeling nothing or no one beside her.

Arcadia sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Delta?" she said softly and looked around the room confused on where he could have gone.

He was not in the bedroom, but she did hear movement in the kitchen area.

Arcadia climbed out of bed and made her way to the sounds of movement.

Delta was in the kitchen, moving around it with ease. The table was set for two, and there was orange juice in glasses. He seemed to be making them a very delious breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, and toast.

Arcadia blushed bright red and smiled biting her bottom lip. She snuck over and slid her arms around his waist pressing herself against his back. "you are such a romantic sweety." she nuzzled his back lovingly.

"Oh, and how is that?" Delta asked playfully.

"its wonderful" she said happily against his back not wanting to let go of him.

Delta laughed. "You know if you want to eat, you may want to let go and sit down, otherwise I may drop what I'm cooking..." he said, smiling back at her.

"Awww but your so snuggly" she giggled and let go of him "But ok I'll let go" she sighed happily and went over taking her seat.

Delta served their breakfast and then sat down himself. "How does it look?" he asked smiling, and taking a sip of the juice.

"It looks and smells absolutely amazing" she said smelling it all then began to dig in. "MMmmm!" she groaned happily with joy.

"I'm glad you like it... I had to learn quickly to be the cook.... Vulcan can't cook anything...." he said with a smile eating himself.

"Mmm well then I feel honored to be eating this food" she smiled and continued chowing down on the tasty meal.

Delta chuckled. "So...Arcadia.. we have a busy day ahead of us... don't we...."

"I don't know do we? because I've been out for two weeks so I have no appointments schedualed at the shop." She giggled and smiled adorably.

"Or you had..." Delta said laughing. "But I took care of it with Volcan's help...."

"Still doesnt pretain to the fact that I don't have any schedualed" she said playfully and gave him a little wink.

Delta laughed too. "True....true...."

Arcadia smiled. "so do you have any ideas of what we should do?" she asked curiously kind of wanting to take another day off before she arranged some new appoinments.

"We can visit Vulcan's shop and you can see him at work..." he suggested.

"Oh how interesting, and you said he was a weapons smith right? that would deffinantly be interesting. A nice way a day off before going to work tomorrow." she giggled.

"I would hope that you would think that," Delta said, as he ate. "But we can't just be doing that all day..."

"Well did you have anything in mind?" she asked with a sly lupine smile that warmed the naughtier places inside of him.

Delta's eyes widen, and a deep blush crossed his face. "Ah.... I.... no... yes.... no.... we shouldn't.... Ahhhhh......"

Acadia covered her mouth and giggled. "Your so cute you silly man you" she winked and drank her Orange Juice, she had just been being playful.

"Oh you are a minx...." said Delta, with mock upset. "And I was thinking that you may want to meet a few people that I know around here that are.... like us..."

"Well now your just full of surprises, that would be an honor to meet your friends" she smiled and bowed her head to him.

"You could say that they are more like my family..." he laughed lightly.

"Well then I most deffinantly am truely honored if they are family and you wish for me to meet them" she smiled.

Delta laughed and smiled, nodding. "Yes... I think the one that you may like the most is Artemis...or maybe Fauna....and Fauna's little girl...."

Arcadia thought the names were really pretty she thought names like that were deffinantly one in a million. "That sounds lovely." she smiled "but first" she got up and walked over around the table then playfully sat on his lap wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yes, but first...." he said, and started to nuzzle her neck, kissing it as he did.

Arcadia gasped and giggled happily leaning her head to the side giving him better access to her neck.

His kisses moved up her neck, and then to her mouth. He lightly kissed it several times.

Arcadia softly kissed him back her fingers of one of her hands playing with the hair on the back of his head while his other hand was splayed out against his back. She could sit here for hours with him like this just basking in his warmth and affection.

Delta pulled away slowly, and smiled up at her. "That was wonderful..." he said, looking up into her eyes. "But we do have other plans for today...."

"Oh we most deffinantly have to do that again" she said playfully gazing deeply into his beautiful eyes. "But yes we do have other plans" she said with a smile.

"Yes, yes, yes we do..." Delta said. "Now, who to see first before the day is out..."

"I'll leave that up to you my mate" she smiled and got up off of his lap. "I am going to go hop int eh shower while you decide." she giggled and turned her back to him and strolled out of the kitchen. her hips where hypnotic to him being a man and all and also the fact that she was his mate.

There was a low growl that escaped Delta's lips.

Arcadia giggled hearing that sound come from his throat. it sent shivers of pleasure down her spine to hear him like that but she needed to get clean so she headed off to the bathroom to shower not knowing that the male in Delta was coming out as he imagined her nude in the shower.

She had a nice hot shower.

Arcadia came out a little later dressed in a pair of hip hugging flare jeans with a simple clinging t shirt from her favorite band Nickelback. She walked out into the fitting room barefoot drying her hair with a towel. "Mmm that was nice" she said as she walked out.

Delta was standing infront of the window, back to her, seeming to be speaking with no one.

Arcadia put her towel down and came up behind her sliding her arms around his waist and nuzzing his strong back.

Delta looked back at her. "I didn't know you were done... I didn't hear you...." he said.

Arcadia giggled. "Well you seemed focused so its understandable that you didnt hear me"

Delta laughed. "Yes....now I think wish should go see Vulcan.... and then I think Artemis.... You'll like her...."

"Alright sounds good to me" she let go of him and went over to her closet grabbing a pair of flip flops. "Oh I just thought of it we should also go to your hotel room to get your things that you left there" she said turning and looking at him.

Delta looked at her. "Oh...."

"Oh what?" she asked curiously.

"About my hotel room...." he laughed. "I don't have to move it from there it is at Vulcan's. I thought it would be cheaper that way because of me staying with you at the hospital....."

"Oh alright then" she giggled and smiled up at him. "Well shall we get going my Mate?" she asked playfully holding her hand out to him.

Delta took her hand and headed out of the apartment. "I think we'll take a cab.... it's going to be a ways towards the outs of the city, at the other end of the city from your garage...."

"Yeah that deffinantly would be for the best then" she stopped and locked her door before they left sliding her key in her pocket with her wallet since she didnt feel like carrying a purse that day then she slid her arm around his waist snuggling agaisnt him as they walked off down the hall towards the elevator.

When they got outside, Delta hailed a cab, and helped her in. "6749 Canovol road..." The cabie nodded, and started off.

Arcadia snuggled against Delta's side and gently played with his fingers as they drove along just enjoying the physical touch of having him close like that.

He gently squeezed her hand, as he looked down at her with a smile. "We'll be there soon..."

"Was I complaining about anything?" she asked playfully with a little wink as she nuzzled his arm.

"I never said you were..." he laughed. "I was just talking..."

She giggled and leaned up giving him a soft kiss. "And I was being playful." she said adorably.

Delta kissed back. "I know..." The cab pulled up in front of a large warehouse. "Looks like we are here..."

"This is where he lives?" she asked confused by the location.

Delta smiled. "Yes, this is it... isn't it great...." he said laughing a little as he helped her out of the cab. He then paid the cabie, and the cab drove off. "I wonder what he's doing..."

Arcadia held his hand as her curiosity went on, on why he was living in a warehouse.

When they got to the door, Delta opened the door with a key, smiling at her. "Welcome to Vulcan's workshop...." As he opened the door, Arcadia was met with the sight of a black smith's forge. Like the ones you normally see in films involving castles and the medieval period.

"Holy cow this is amazing" her eyes were wide at the place. To her it held a beauty of its own you never saw anymore in this day and age.

"I know.... isn't it..." Delta said closing the door behind them. The ceiling was 20 feet high, and was divided into two parts by an eight foot high wall. The front had an old fashion forge, but the pieces that Arcadia could assume were made with it were the common auto parts, engines, and other metal products of the day. Smoke was coming over the wall, and the sounds of a large hammer hitting metal rung through the building.

"sounds like he's hard at work" she said as her nose twitched at the heavy smoke.

Delta laughed. "He is always at work.... no matter what..." Delta lead her back to the door of the separater wall, and opened it. What Arcadia saw was Vulcan in a leather apron, a huge hammer in his big hand, hammering some metal on an anval.

Arcadia blushed watching him she had to admit Vulcan was a good looking man and covered in sweat like that he was very good looking. "Wow he seems very focused into the metal." she said watching him at work.

"He's making one of his famous swords...." Delta said softly.

"Should we go?" she asked looking up at him. "he seems very busy" she said holding onto his arm.

"What do you mean go?!" called Vulcan.

Arcadia jumped freaking out not realizing he had noticed them. "Oh Vulcan I didnt know you even saw us come in you seems to focused on your work" she blushed and scratched the back of her head.

Vulcan bought down the hammer one last time, then put the metal in a bat of water. "I know when some one has entered my forge..."

Arcadia shank back behind Delta getting kinda scared.

Delta and Vulcan laughed. Vulcan then said, "You have nothing to fear, miss..."

"Its Arcadia" she said coming out from behind Delta. "we met a few weeks ago when you dropped off car parts to my shop" she said looking up at the big man.

"I know...." Vulcan said, pulling out a sword from the water. "I just like calling you miss..." He sat the blade down on a table. Then Arcadia noticed. This whole section was decorated by blades of all kinds, swords mostly.

Arcadia walked over to a huge wall that was covered in them. "Wow the workmenship on these is amazing" she said gazing at them. she had always found blades fascinating when they were truely forged not just slapped together like alot of the blades out there were.

Delta walked over with Arcadia. "Hey Vulcan...."

"Yes, lad..."

"Weren't these on this wall from...?" Delta started to asked.

Vulcan clapped his hands, and finished Delta's question. "Made during the 14th century? Sure are... don't you remember practicing with this one..." Vulcan came up on the side of Arcadia and took down a sword with celtic and greece marking on it, the hilt shaped like a large male horned goat.

Delta nodded.

Arcadia gently ran her fingers across a goregous hilt of a blade that was a huge dragon that wrapped itself around the bottom couple of inches. "These are amazing" she gently brushed her fingers across the metal work.

"I am glad that you like them.... I'm good if I don't say so myself..." Vulcan said.

Delta laughed. "Of course you are, Vulcan.... any of these weapons you made could easily take down other weapons..."

While the men talked she just walked along the wall examining the beautiful weapons. She wondered what it would be like to fight with them to be a warrior and be one with the blade.

She found a blade she was being drawn to. A long blade those hilt was that of a large running wolf, its mouth open at the end so as to be used as an attack as well.

"Oh wow" she whispered and gently let her fingers trace each design. "its so realistic." she was just drawn in she didnt know what was coming over her.

"Oh.. you seem to have found The Wolf's sword..." came Vulcan's voice. "That, I must say, is one of the best swords that I have ever been commissioned to make..."

"It is very breath taking the person who is getting this is very lucky indeed." she said and turned looking up at Vulcan.

Vulcan shook his head. "I may have been commissioned to make that, but it was not for the one that commissioned it.... The man had told me to melt his blood into the handle of that very sword, so that it would call the one of his blood to it, the person that he intended the sword to go to if....something ever to happen to him...."

"But still though the person this is meant for is very lucky" she said looking up at him with a smile before she moved onto the next one. Even though that sword did draw her so.

As she moved away from The Wolf sword, she heard a howl ring from the head calling her back to the sword.

Arcadia looked at the sword with shock. "Is that... Is... but?...." she was confused why would that sword be calling her.

Delta looked confused. "What's wrong, Arcadia?"

Arcadia blushed and shook her head "its nothing I just need a little fresh air the smoke is getting ot me, I'll be back in just a bit" she said with a smile and headed for the door.

"Arcadia..." came Delta's voice behind her. The wolf's howl rang in her ears again.

"Delta really I'm ok" she said turning an looking at him trying to ignore the howling in her ears.

Delta went up to her, hugging her. "You looked surprised about something.... and comfused.... please what's wrong?"

Arcadia looked up at him. "Please don't think I'm weird but, Since touching that sword in there I keep, I keep hearing howling in my head. Its as if.." she paused for a moment thinking of how to explain it. "Like the howl of a mighty wolf over an ancient mountain range covered by the forests of old. the howl being picked up but the wind and carried through the mighty canyons to every wolf in his pack far and wide." she said closing her eyes thinking of it for a moment as the howl filled her ears.

Vulcan's mighty laugh broke her from her thoughts.

Arcadia jumped like a scared animal and looked at the door seeing Vulcan. "Something funny?" she asked watching him from Delta's arms.

"I thought you had a wild side to you..... can't be his daughter or child for that matter without one...." Vulcan said with a smile. "You may want to come back for the sword...."

Arcadia blinked a couple of times. "What in the world are you talking about?' she asked as the howling dulled but was still ingering there in her head.

"You must be the one he commissioned the sword for..." was Vulcan's simple reply.

"No no no no no that can't be" she shook her head. "Who would commision a sword for me?" she asked confused by this whole thing.

"Arcadia..." said Delta. "Vulcan did say that the man who commissioned the sword be made.... had it commissioned for his child...."

"My Papa Randulfr would never commision a sword like that for me, and don't say that he would because I know the man he's kept me from fighting for as long as I can remember" she said to him even though in the back of her mind she always had an itch for a good fight even if she didnt know how to fight really. Just the longing to push her bodies to the limit to fight for something she believed in this world.

Vulcan laughed. "Randulfr? I don't know this name.... unless that is what The Great Wolf is going by now...."

Arcadia started to hear the howling again.

"Great wolf? what are you talking about?" she asked wanting to get answers trying to push the howling back once more. Just long enough to find out. "My father is an Alpha of the Artic Moon pack out in Colorado, he is no great wolf" she snarled trying to get the howling out of her ears and they both saw her eyes shift over to her wolf eyes which were a rich deep Amber color but they glowed softly as if hiding something more in them.

"You are no Artic Moon wolf..." said Vulcan. He tossed the sword to her, which she felt her hand and arm shot up to grab it.

She gasped and suddenly felt something surge through her as if something was awakening deep inside of her an ancient primal call of wolf and warrior inside of her. Something like a great power awakening inside of her heart.

"Arcadia... are you okay?" asked Delta.

Suddenly she was thrown backwards onto the ground as if something had slammed hard into her chest. It felt like it, a great immense power awakening inside of her. "Stop please" she whispered as tears filled her eyes but this was a part of her this power had to awaken inside of her.

It stopped. Delta ran over to Arcadia. "What was that? Are you okay?" he asked, worried greatly by what happened.

"Her god-like power has awoken within her," said Vulcan simply.

Arcadia felt it calm down inside of her as if finding its resting place in her soul She laid there on the ground taking deep labored breaths trying to breath.

She heard Delta's words. "Arcadia is a goddess....?"

"Half goddess..." came Vulcan's voice.

"What the hell? Did you do to me?" she asked between breaths laying there, she didnt want this she just wanted to be normal ol' her not some Demi Goddess.

"I did nothing... it has been in you the whole time..." Vulcan said. "Has anything ever happened that was abnormal? Something that made you different from the other wolves?"

She remembered what she had told Delta about having shifted into a wlf as a baby.

Arcadia pushed herself out of Delta's arms and stood. "I need to be alone." she made her way to the door. When she heard Delta follow she turned snarling at him. "i want to be alone" she said and left the Forge. Her tears stung her eyes as she thought of other little things in her life, so many things that made her different from other wolves. She walked through the warehouses by herself letting her mind wander over it all.

Up a ways, Arcadia saw a tall man pushing what looked like a girl, maybe just shorter than herself, up against the side of one of the far warehouse buildings.

She felt something inside of her snap into place. The howling call of battle echoing in her ears. "Hey! Get away from her!" she could tell they werent friends from the look on the woman's face. she ran over and kicked him hard in the side launching him away from the woman and slid back into position ready to fight. She didnt know how she knew how to do that but she was going to use it. "Hey come and play with someone who's more your size" she snarled at the man.

The man ran at her. "Stupid bitch!" he growled.

The young woman just stood against the building watching, her silver hair falling around her face.

She upper cutted him in the gut knocking the wind out of him before grabbing him by the shirt collar and she slammed her fist into his face over and over again. She was letting it all out and it surprised her how good it made her feel to fight.

The guy slupped unconscious.

Arcadia dropped him to the ground and stood there taking deep ragged breaths. "Wha what just happened to me?" she looked down at her hands then put it in the back of her mind. "Maim are you alright? he didnt hurt oyu did he?" she asked looking at the woman worriedly putting her own worries in the back for now.

The silver haired young woman pushed herself off the building, and walked slowly over to the man. "Interesting...." she said, looking up at Arcadia. "You fight like.... hmmmmm...." She turned back to the man on the man, seeming to look him over without touching him.

Arcadia was getting nervous around this woman even though she saved her it seemed like this woman probably didnt need any saving.

"Where did you learn to fight, Miss...?" she asked. The woman's scent came to Arcadia, and it started to drive her crazy a bit. The woman's scent was like lilaics blended with rotting flesh, but she also smeeled a little like Arcadia herself.

Her nose twitched, she didnt like the smell of this woman it scared her. "Well you seem alright" she took a step back not knowing what she had gotten herself into.

The young woman looked at Arcadia. "What's wrong? I haven't done anything wrong have I.....?"

"No you did nothing wrong" she chuckled and shook her head. "its me I'm just not myself today, and to answer your question I've always known how to fight really. I was never professionally trained." she said holding her hands behind her back.

The young woman touched the unconscious man, and then stood up. Before Arcadia's eyes what appeared to be a spirit version of the man came out of the unconscious man. "No child of his would ever need to be trained unless they are interested in something other than what comes as instict to wolves...." she said, backing up from the man's body, drawing the man's spirit away with her.

"what are you talking about? who are you?" Arcadia was getting really freaked out the hair on the back of her neck was standing up. It was animal instinct to fear the powers of death.

The man's spirit screamed and disappeared. The silver haired woman looked at Arcadia and smiled softly, the hairs on Arcadia's neck lessening by half. "I am Hel." she said simply.

"I guess you didnt need my help after all" she said softly and worriedly. she wasnt an expert on Mythology but Hel was a large part in Norse Mythology. She was wishing she had let Delta come with her right now she didnt like being alone with this woman... This goddess.

---

It was evening in the city, at one of the large office buildings a young woman was cleaning up after a long day. She had finished up the paperwork for her bosses cases the next morning. "there we go he'll be all set" she had long blonde hair and pale skin while she had the most beautiful blue eyes. But their was bags under her big blue eyes from exhaustion. "it is so hard working like this" she looked at her watch. "I deffinantly need to get home" she sighed and put the files together and walked off heading towards her bosses office. Everyone had gone home for the evening but like usual she stayed to work hard, Tomorrow was her first day off in a long time and she was going to enjoy it.

A security guard came by on rounds. "Everything okay Miss?" he asked.

"Yes I'm alright I'm just tired and ready to get out of here, I just need to drop these files at Mr. Turner's office and then I'll be on my way out of here" she said standing there looking at him.

"Alright then.... have a good night...." said the guard, and he went on his way.

Tavia walked off to her bosses office and laid the files on his desk. "there now I can go home I'm so exhausted" she said softly to herself as she went back to her desk grabbed her coat and purse and headed out of the office. she shivered and slid her light coat on as she went into the parking lot. She stood and looked around always being so careful. "I hate leaving late its always so creepy" she said softly to herself as she made her way to her car, it was never this creepy back where she was from but back where she was from she was a princess so she had always had gaurds with her back where she was from.

A shadow seemed to move on its own.

Tavia's heart suddenly began to pound. "oh no" she whispered and began to move faster heading to her car. she reached in her purse and yanked out her keys praying the shadow wouldnt get her.

She felt drawn to the shadow, even through her fear.

The shadow, an actual shadow, moved over her car and then on the ground around her.

Even though she felt drawn to the shadow it scared her. "Please leave me alone" she whispered knowing what lies in shadows can be the most dangerous creatures of all.

All the shadows stopped moving. "I didn't mean to frighten you, lady elf..." came a male voice behind her, she was feeling the pull still but towards him.

Tavia unconciously reached for her ears but held herself back from touching them she had some of the best magics to try and keep from anyone noticing. She turned to face him. not caring for the pull she wanted nothing to do with the shadows. "What do you want with me? I am nothing" she said softly scared of this man.

"Please, my lady... I didn't mean to frighten you... I was just passing by and felt drawn to you... I really do mean you no harm..." said the man. The man was tall, with long mid-back length black hair and eyes that seemed to sparkle like stars. He bowed to her slightly. She noticed that he, himself, had pointed ears, but that he didn't hide them, but unlike her's his weren't as long.

"please sir just leave me alone" she backed away from him towards her car, he was so handsome, so gorgeous that she could just fall into his eyes that drew her in. But she just wanted to be left alone she no longer considered herself one of the magic folk after she had escaped from her world and no longer wanted to be apart of that realm even if she did miss it. That world was no longer hers to enjoy.

"I am sorry, miss..." Erebus said, bowing his head to her. "I guess I should not have said the lady elf part... I can see that you are hiding yourself.... it had just been a long time since I had seen an elf outside of their realm..." Erebus took a few steps back. "I will leave you to what you were doing...."

Tavia didnt know what to make of the man she was drawn to him but the darkness. Images of her fathers punishment in her life flashed in her head. It wasnt truely the man she feared it was the darkness that frightened her to the bone.

Erebus turned to walk away from her, and she could tell that he was walking away as to not scare her more. He looked back at her. "I can't help what or who I am.... just as you can't.... but I would like to get to know you...."

"Why? I'm nothing special not anymore" she said in a soft sad tone that she was being serious about. She had even been contemplating getting her ears surgically turned into the shape of human ears. She never planned on returning to her realm. she hadn't used her magic in years either she considered herself to be nothing more then a broken elf slowly turning human.

"You are something... you will always be special..." Erebus said, stopping and turning to look at her. "Not many actually notice the shadows moving when I go by... but they are special in their own way, just as you are, and I am...." He started to walk back over to her. "I think you are special... I think that you and a beautiful air about you.... and you make my heart want to jump from my chest..."

Tavia blushed gazing into his eyes even from a distance. "How is it that you know me? I don't know who you are" she said softly clinging to her purse. Even though he scared her she to wanted to know him her heart aching to reach out and find out more about this strange man.

"I have never met you before now, but I know ever shadow you have walked through and I can feel every dark night you have walked to your car..." said Erebus softly. "I am the shadows that you walk through.... I am your shadow the follows you where ever you go in the sunlight.... I am the shadows themselves... I am Erebus...." he said softly, as he walked up to her, to stand just a foot away from her.

She blushed bright red, the way he had spoken of her, walking through his shadows being her shadow it had been filled with longing to her ears. "I am Tavia Cherushi, ordinary Paralegal, Once eldest princess of the Elven kingdom." she said softly gazing up at her with her blue eyes gently she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"You will always be a princess, Tavia.... just as I will always be a God...be the shadows themselves...." he said, and reached out, and gently touched Tavia's cheek. "You have a beautiful name, and it just adds to your beauty..."

She turned scarlet across her cheeks. She wasnt familiar with the gods other then the gods of the elven people but his touch she felt his great power and magic inside of him. "thank you thats very sweet of you" she said softly gazing up into his eyes her heart pounded just wanting to get lost in them.

Erebus smiled. "I could just get lost in your eyes.... Tavia...." he said softly, still touching her cheek.

Tavia blushed but her eyes didnt leave his for a moment. "I, I could say the same about you" she said softly gazing up at him. her heart pounding in her chest. She was basking in the warmth of his fingers on her cheek. Never had she thought someone of the shadows could be so warm so inviting could make her feel so loved without even truly knowing each other.

Erebus smiled softly. "I am again sorry to have scared to, for it was not my intention..." he said.

"Its alright, it comes with living in the human world, and from...." she stopped speaking and looked away from him not bringing up her father and the pain her had brought her.

She felt his hand move down to her chin, and he gently turned her back to face him. "You don't have to tell me... not at all... I see the pain that is there, and I don't want to cause you any more..."

"Thank you" she whispered softly gazing up at him. She was wondering if it was all a dream meeting this man in her life.

"You're welcome, Tavia..." he said, taking one of her hands, and kissing the back of it.

Tavia blushed bright red his lips on her fingers felt like sparks jumping across her skin. "Each time you say my name, for some reason it sounds like... well almost like a prayer of sorts coming off your lips" she whispered softly feeling so shy that she had actually said that to him.

"I hope that you will come to view that now all shadows are to be feared..." he said, looking into her eyes. "You truly are a light in the shadows.... that I'd never wish to be rid of...."

"Erebus, I I don't know what to say" she blushed bright red. His touch was so warm and inviting. But suddenly she shivered from cold and exhaustion creeping in on her. Her boss was a slave driver and her exhaustion was creeping on her body.

"You need to head home, Tavia..." Erebus said, pulling off a light black jacket he had on, putting it around her shoulders. He then moved over, openning her car door for her. "If you would not mind, I will be in the shadows watching the whole time... for your safety..."

Tavia climbed in her car sitting there "I don't mind at all, I feel honored to hear you say that" she smiled up at him softly as she hugged his coat around her. "Until I see you again" she said gazing up at him before she pulled herself all the way in the car letting him close her door for her as she buckled her seat belt. Gently she waved to him threw the window and turned on her car. Backing out of her space she headed off home waving at him one last time before she drove off. Her drive was quite but filled with much thinking. Her mind on the stranger who made her heart fill with a fire that she didnt know was there. The drive was long and soon she reached her building. a condo complex on the east side of the city. Pulling into her normal parking space. she climbed out of her car and locked the door. Hugging Erebus's coat around her a little tighter she headed off to the front door to go inside. wondering where in the shadows he was but feeling his gaze watching her. a feeling she had ignored for years thinking it was nothing.

When she got to her floor, Tavia saw Erebus waiting for her beside her door. "Hello again," he said with a soft smile. "May I?" Without touching the door, it opened, and the lights came on.

Tavia blushed and smiled at him. "please come in" she said walking in passed him. she pulled off her heels which dropped her a good 4 1/2 inches in height and put them in her closet by her front door then she pulled off Erebus's jacket. "Thank you for letting me use this" she said and handed it to him.

"You may keep it, Tavia," he said with a smile.

She blushed and hugged it to her chest with a smile. "thank you that is very sweet of you" she walked into her livingroom putting his coat on the back of ehr couch then took a seat there she didnt know what to say to him she was at a loss of words.

Erebus moved and sat down in a chair across from her. "You have a lovely apartment..."

Tavia smiled. "thank you thats very sweet of you Erebus" she looked around her Apartment "I tried to make it as warm and homey as I could, its my sanctuary in this world" she said as she looked over the lush green painted walls and unique style for art and design.

"It suits you very well," Erebus said. "I even feel relaxed and at ease.... " He smiled at him, a smile that warmed his dark appearance.

"You know Erebus smiling really suites you I think" she smiled softly at him still feeling so nervous around him not knowing what to say to the dark god who set her heart on fire.

Erebus laughed lightly, which actually sent her heart jumping. "I actually smile a lot.... I have to or else my sister will do things to my belongings...." he said, laughing some more.

She blushed bright red watching him. "Well that along with your laughter suites you very well." she didnt know how to explain how his laughter was like warm honey and his smile seemed to rub all over her like a warm blanket on a cold winters night.

"You're smile suits you very well too.... as does the blush on your cheeks.... it just adds to your beauty..." Erebus said gazing into her eyes.

Tavia turned bright red blushing and tucked some hair behind her ears, he saw they looked like human ears. She wore a special ring a charm which turned her ears from their elven form to human. Even though she wore the magic she had still been considering surgery to remove the last true sign of her heritage from her body.

Erebus moved from his seat, and walked over to Tavia, kneeling infront of her. He took her hand, and looked up into her eyes again. She then felt something slide off her finger. "You shouldn't hide one of the many features that I find beauty about you..." he said. He reached up, and she felt him gently touch her whole ear, her whole elven ear.

She shivered and her eyes fluttered shut at the feeling. "you really think my ears are beautiful?" she asked softly blushing. Wondering what he would think of her idea to get them permanantly cropped. She barely knew him so she still wasnt going to push that idea out of her head even if he did like her ears and it felt really good the way he was curessing them, she suddenly had thoughts in her head of, would he curess the rest of her like that? Getting lost in the sensation she hadnt been paying attention to if he said anything.

"Tavia...? Tavia...?" he voice finally brought her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? wha?" she opened her eyes and suddenly turned bright red pulling back from him quickly. "Oh my I'm so sorry please forgive me" she was deep scarlet across her cheeks feeling so embarressed.

"It's okay...no worries....please..." said Erebus with a kind smile on his face. "Please you don't have to be sorry... but do forgive me...." He leaned forward, and kissed the long part of her ear.

Tavia turned red across her cheeks but let out a soft sigh of pleasure from the feeling. she didnt know why it felt so good but it did, feeling his hand slide across her long elegant ears as his rose petal soft lips curessed her ear softly. "like a lover" she mumbled out her thoughts not thinking about it as she was melting into the amazing feeling of what he was doing to her.

"Lover...?" he asked. Erebus pulled back, to look into her eyes. "I am sorry if you had not wished for me to do that.... I think that you are very suited looking as you do now.... "

Tavia was cherry red across her face not knowing what to say she was confused by his very Suited comment. She had been thinking the like a lover comment and never meant to say it out loud but it was true thats the way he had touched her adn it had felt so good. She craved him to touch her again like that, more then that. She had never been curessed and cared for. It was as if she was a unique treasure just for him. Or a rare flower that was for no one but him. "No its alright I... I... I really liked it..." she turned away from him feeling so nervous. She barely knew him this man this god. She could feel his power oozing from his amazing aura he was a god and he was enthralled with lil' ol' her.

"I am glad you liked it...." he said. "I... I was afraid that you won't....because what I am..."

"Even though you are of the shadows, I feel so safe around you. and the way you touch me it..." she looked down her long blonde hair covered her face. "It makes me feel so alive, like a fire lit inside of me chasing away the shadows of my past." she said softly.

Erebus slowly and gently brushed her hair back, and behind her ear. "The shadows listen to me, gentle butterfly..." he said softly, gazing up into her eyes.

"Erebus" she whispered gazing deeply into his eyes her heart pounding in her chest. At that mometn she would give anything for him to kiss her to find out why her heart was pounding so badly. To know what it was like to be loved. He curessed her like her body was a temple and she wanted to know that feeling all that more.

"Please forgive me again, my firefly...if I offend you...." he said. Then Erebus leaned up and kissed her genlty on the lips.

Tavia gasped but instantly melted against him kissing him back. her arms slid around his neck as she kissed him softly yet in long luxorious motions. Her body felt on fire being against him kissing him. It felt so right.

His arms wrapped around Tavia's waist, as he genlty and carefully draw her up, as her slowly stood up, holding her close to him.

Tavia made a sound of joy as she continued kissing him. It felt so right she didnt want that moment to end, even if it was just for one night she wanted to feel love like never before.

Erebus pulled away slowly, though Tavia could tell that he didn't wish to. "I didn't offend you by just kissing you out-right, did I?" he asked looking down into her eyes still.

"Please stop asking if your offending me" she said boldly but blushing as she did. "If you offend me by anything you do I'll let you know" she whispered softly curessing his cheek. "I I, I don't wnat you to stop plese just.." she didnt know how to finish that sentence as she gazed into his eyes with hunger and longing. She wanted him to kiss her, she was to shy to admit she wanted anything to happen with him tonight.

"I don't want to push to fast...." he said. "I wish to know you more.... I wish to be your's, and you be mine.... I....feel a deep fire in my heart for you....a feeling I only know of as love..."

"I want to know you to Erebus I feel that same deep firery passion and longing that I think is love. I have never felt love so I am not sure but I want to keep feeling it. When you touch me and hold me it was so gentle but yet with so much more feeling behind it." she felt tears lingering in her eyes remembering that it was only her mother who would hold her with kindess back in her realm other then that she would either not have any touch from another soul or it was her father punishing her.

"I want to always hold you like that, Tavia...." he said, gently kissing her again. "I will not let anything happened to you again in the shadow.... nor in the light..."

"Erebus" she whispered gazing deeply into his eyes. she blushed feeling his hand trace her back where her back was covered in scars reminders of her fathers 'love'.

"There are healers that are powerful enough to remove those from your beautiful skin..." he said lightly and softly.

"How do you know of them?" she asked softly and shivered as his hands traced her skin feeling the rough scar tissue of her back.

"I am the shadows... but I can only see what has happened because of your shadows of the past that follow you...." he said softly. "I will neither ask nor tell anyone what has happened to you.... just please know that I will not let it happen again...."

"Erebus your so sweet" she whispered softly gazing deeply into his eyes and threw her arms around his neck hugging him tightly. She was falling for him more and more each moment that passed with him. With him she wasnt afraid of anything, with him she felt safe and as if happiness was right within her grasp.

Erebus laughed. "Really? I'm happy that you think I am.... I'm very happy...." His arms wrapped around her waist.

All of a sudden her stomach growled from hunger she barely ever ate much at work and had forgotten to make herself something since Erebus had arrived in her life. She blushed bright red embarressed bit her stomach growling in hunger surprised the dark god since he thought she would have taken better care of herself being it was very late and she still hadn't eaten anything.

"You shouldn't do that to yourself, Tavia...." he said calmly, smiling a little. "Now what is your favorite food, meal or type?"

"I work as a paralegal I don't always have time to grab food at work" she blushed thinking about what her favorite food was. "and my favorite food, well thats" she blushed her favorite food was an elven dish that she didnt even remember the name of it. She remembered the rich aroma of the dish, it was a smoked meat that always satisfied the tastebuds. She remembered that she would always drink the Moon Tear wine with it, a special royal wine of the elven people. on the side she would have a salad that would have that rich Oil and Vinegar mix that had so many spices in it. She wasnt a good cook but she still remembered whenever she had that meal. She also loved the desert afterwards, fruit peices dipped in chocolate. her eyes had closed thinking about the meal.

"Ah...yes... that does look delicious..." came his voice.

Tavia jumped. "How in the world?" Suddenly her nose twitched as the fantastic aroma filled her nose. "Oh my that smells heavenly" she said as her stomach growled again in hunger.

"Shadows are everywhere, Tavia.... they told me..." he said with a smile, leading her over to the table. He pulled out her chair for her. "Here you are..."

"Thank you Erebus this is so sweet of you" she smiled up at him then looked at the food. "I havent had this is so long" she began to eat and blushed as she made a satisfied moan of pleasure from how delcious the food was.

"You do have a pretty blush..." he said, and sat down in a chair near her.

She swalloed the food that was in her mouth. "thank you that is very kind of you" she said with a soft smile before giving his cheek a little kiss. she drank some of the wine she had forgotten how wonderful it tasted.

"I'm a guest in your home... and one should not come to a party, no matter how small without something..." he said smiling at her.

"Thank you this is just so sweet of you to do this for me its been so long since I've had the food of my people" she said before taking another bite of the rich meat thinking of all those microwave dinners she was living on.

"You should taste my own cooking..." Erebus said, and leaned over, kissing her cheek.

Tavia blushed and giggled getting comfortable around him. "I would really like to try that one day" she smiled at the dark god gazing at him with something deep behind her gorgeous blue eyes.

"I would hope that you will allow me to come back...." Erebus said looking into her eyes with his dark ones.

"I I would really like that." she whispered softly as she batted her big gorgeous eyelashes. She couldnt help herself she was just drawn to him and those dark beautiful eyes that reminded her of the night sky.

"I'm glad...." he said. "I know you have a busy life at work..."

Tavia groaned "please don't talk about my work, I hate it there so much, My boss is a perve and because I wont sleep with him he pile drives me with work I had to go to my bosses boss just to get tomorrow off." she said as she looked down into her wine glass.

"Why don't you work somewhere else?" he asked.

"I don't have anywhere else to go to work and if I leave there my boss will for surely keep me from working else where" she said sadly before sipping her wine.

"Just check out Epsilon Archer Inc... my shadows know the place..."

"You can't be serious? What can I do there? clean floors? I'm only trained as a paralegal in this realm thats all I know" she said sighing before she ate more of the delicious food just letting the delicious flavors cover her tounge.

"Just talk to them..." He smiled at her.

Tavia gazed into his eyes and she softened. "alright I'll, I'll talk to them just for you" she said with a soft smile she then grabbed a chocolate covered strawberry and held it to his lips. "Now in return you have to enjoy these chocolate covered fruits with me" she said in a way that was adorable and beautiful.

"As you wish.... Tavia...." he said softly. He took a bite of the strawberry.

Suddenly like a little Vixen in the night she brought her mouth to his kissed him softly yet with passion. She just wanted to feel wanted even if she had to be sneaky to do so. After a few moments of the taste of strawberry and chocolate dancing in each others mouths she pulled back blushing. "Soory I couldnt resist."

"I'm glad you couldn't...." he said, leaning in and kissing her.

Tavia melted into the kiss with him. his lips were so delicious to her and she never wanted to taste anything else it seemed like. She gently laid her elegant hands on his broad chest as their lips danced together. She felt so happy in that moment with him.

Erebus pulled away slowly. "I must go for now, my light..." he said softly. "But I will return..."

Tavia still had that blush across her cheeks. "Alright" she said putting her hands in her lap looking up at him. "Until we meet again." she said in a tone that was soft with a hint of sadness.

Erebus kissed her cheek. "Please do not be sad.... I will return to you... and remember what I have said about heading over to Epsilon Archer...." he said, kissing that cheek again. "...my fire...."

Tavia nodded gently and smiled. "Right of course and I'll think on it about going over there" she said not sure if she should or not. She gave his cheek a little kiss. He was a god after all though is the thing and no matter how amazign this evening had been. He was a god and she was nothing compared to him.

"I am glad..." he said smiling at him. "I will know if you need of me.... just call...." He kissed her lips, and melted into the shadows.

Tavia sighed she wasnt in the mood to eat now. She grabbed the food and put it in some tuperware. "Maybe I'll finish the rest tomorrow" and with that she made her way to her bedroom. she undressed before sliding into a sexy cerulean blue nighty that had a froth of white lace around the top and the bottom of it. she climbed into her bed and yawned. "All I want is some sleep" she said softly thinking of that dark eyed phantom who had stolen her heart away.

She dreamed of a life with him.

Her dreams were filled with true amazing love, of being taken to a world far away from their of true beauty and wonder, she dreamed of having a family of her own with that man and always having him. With the sweet dreams she slept better then she had in years.

Many hours later, she was awoken by the light of the sun coming through her window.

Tavia awoke and sat up yawning. "Wow I havent slept that wonderfully in a long time" she said to herself as she rubbed her eyes. "Mmm I wish I could wake up like this every day" she climbed out of bed stretching.

The sunlight was coming in brightly, and all the shadows around the room seemed less frightening.

Tavia felt wonderful that day better then she had in years. But her mind lingered on thoughts of Erebus wondering if he really would come back and see her again. She walked out of her bedroom and to her kitchen to make herself some breakfast. Liking being able to enjoy her day.

When she got to the kitchen, there was breakfast waiting for her, along with a note: from Erebus.

Tavia placed her hand on her cheek blushing. "Erebus" she whispered and smiled. Gently she took the note and began to read it as she grabbed a peice of fruit and bit into it.

The note read: 'Tavia... I had wished to join you this morning, but I have some business to take care up.... I am also sorry for leaving last night... I do hope to explain in person.... Love you, Erebus'

"Erebus" she whispered softly and laid a soft kiss on the note. She then gently laid the note on the table and leaned over smelling the flower in the vase he had put along with her breakfast. "He's so romantic" she sighed happily then sat down at the table and began to eat the amazing breakfast he had made for her.

The shadows moved. She then felt like something or someone had caressed her cheek gently.

Tavia closed her eyes as she sighed softly. She wasnt scared at all, it was warm and loving as if her Erebus really was there.

Then it was gone.

Tavia sighed sadly missing that feeling then went back to eating her breakfast.

Nothing else happens 'abnormally' this morning.

Tavia finished her breakfast then took a long hot shower, afterwords she lounged in her livingroom looking at an information packet on Plastic surgery. She reached up and gently stroked her long elegant ear. "Its not my world anymore I live with humans now and I can't always live relying on magic to hide these" she said thinking about it all as her fingers slid gently back and forth over he ear.

"Are you sure this is the place, Yomi?" came a female voice from the kitchen.

A male voice answered, "Rasu, yes... I'm sure..."

Tavia jumped and put her hand on her heart scared she hadnt even heard them. She reached over and grabbed a statue off of her table beside her couch ready for anything.

"Now remember, Yomi... we have to be careful not to scare her..." came the female voice again.

"I know... do either of us look evil?" asked the male voice. Foot steps were heard, and a shadow on the ground came through the doorway from the kitchen, as did a shadowed figure, the sunlight from behind the figure making the front of him shadowed darkly.

Tavia stood ready to fight the statue in hand. she couldnt really hide well in this room so she stood ready to take on who was in her home. "Who are you and what do you want with me!" she said boldly to them as she gripped the statue tightly in her hand.

Two light silver blonde teenages walked into the room calmly. Both had short hair, but one had gold eyes while the other had silver. Both had the long ears of elves.

"I am Rasu.... he is Yomi...." said the female. "We're friends..."

"Thats what the last elf that came to find me said before they tried to drag me off to my father, why should I believe you?" she asked harshly. She didnt trust her own kind well at all.

"Yomi, didn't we tell him, she wouldn't believe us...."

Yomi sighed. "Yes... yes.... but you thought that if she knew we didn't want to hurt her....."

"We don't even know what type of elf she is...."

"Rasu.... aren't the Sun and Moon elves...like the highest ranking ones...?"

"Yes, Yomi.... they are...." The Twins were looking at each other.

"Hey! Stop talking to each other and tell me what the hell is going on!" she yelled frustrated about all of this and why they were chatting like that. She was just an elf, their were the Drow yes, the dark elves of the world the Elven counterpart but that was it their was the Elves and the Dark Elves. She didnt know what all of this Sun and Moon elf stuff was.

Yomi and Rasu looked over at her in surprise. "Sorry...." they both said.

Rasu moved towards Tavia. "Look.... we know what it's like to leave the realm..."

"It's hard...." said Yomi, moving forward as well. "We've gone through it.... but it was a few centuries ago...."

Rasu nodded. "I guess we truly are the last," she said, looking down sadly.

Yomi placed a hand on his sister's shoulder. He looked at Tavia. "Erebus sent us here to talk to you.... We... were sent here so that the Sun elf and Moon elf blood lines could live on....because there were elves that feared our elven blood... our power..."

Tavia remembered then that many centuries before her father, that there had been a great war, but the story was that it was a great battle with elven rebels. Tavia also remembered there being many items in the palace that had either a sun or a moon symbol on it..."

Rasu said, still looking down sad, "We were the product of a great alliance.... but it was an alliance between to power elven clans...."

"We know from a letter left with us, that we were suppose to be a start at bring all elves together in peace...." said Yomi.

"Oh no keep me out of all of that, I might have been princess once of my clan but that was a long long time ago I am no longer. I wish for nothing more then to be left alone." she said standing there with the white knuckle grip on the statue.

Yomi looked at Rasu. "Did she not just here us....?"

Rasu looked at Tavia. "Erebus sent us to you.... to help you.... we know what it is like to be elven in a majority human world...."

"I just want to be left alone and die in this forsaken world in peace!" she said to them as tears filled her eyes. She knew nothing of the Sun and Moon elves she didnt want to know she just wanted to be left alone. Yes she missed her own kind but she knew they werent her kind they were different from her. "Please if you would just leave now, especially since its rude to come into someones home unannounced." 

"Erebus sent us! You know.... the god... the shadows! Please.... oh please...." said Rasu, there were tears in her eyes.

Those eyes, both of those eyes of the two infront of her. 'My grandmother would tell me stories of elven clans...' Tavia heard her mother's voice in her head. 'Mommy...' came her own voice in a voice that said that Tavia was very little at the time. 'But there are only two elf clans..... us and the Drow...' Her mother smiled. 'I thought so too....but my grandmother, your great grandmother was around during the great battle...' 'She was...' 'Yes... you see, you could til these other two clans by their eyes.... gold or silver....' 'like the golden sun and silver moon....mommy?' 'yes, sweet heart ....now, my grandmother would tell me, though I have never known if to believe it but the battle was to kill this two clans because our clan and the Drow believe the Sun and Moon too power... the battle started before my grandmother was born, but she would tell me it started after the birth of twins, born of a Sun elf noble and a moon elf maiden....' 'Great grandmother had a sun and a moon necklace mommy...' 'Yes that was actually two necklaces put together....by her motehr and father.... the sun noble and moon maiden....'

Tavia covered her mouth realizing this, she was of their blood. "Oh my god" she whispered as tears filled her eyes. "No wonder my father hated me" she whispered and backed up until she plopped onto the couch. Tears poured from her eyes as she thought about it all. She looked up at them. "I'm sorry for yelling" she looked back down at the floor dropping the statue next to her. "please make yourself at home" she said trying to comprehend it all. If her mother was a descendent of the royal familys of sun and moon elves then why why did she marry her father who was a monster.

Yomi and Rasu sat down. "I..." Rasu started. "We... didn't mean to scare you..."

'Mommy...' Tavia memories surfaced again. 'Are we sun and moon elves?' 'I don't know sweetie.... I just know that my father and grandfather were of this clan, but my mother and I never had their eyes or hair....' 'I like your silvery hair mommy...' 'Thank you sweetie...' She had thought she hear her mom said to herself, 'Did sun and moon elves ever really exist....?'

Tavia looked at her blonde hair that hung around her shoulders and she knew that her eyes were deep sapphire blue. two traits of her father. The only thing she had truely inherited from her mother in her looks was her beauty and her pale skin. "Its alright I've had moments in the past, people, my.. father's people have come through the veil and have tried to take me home thats why I was scared even though you said Erebus sent you" she said not looking up from the floor.

"Miss...?" came Rasu's voice.

Tavia realized she was pretty much naked since she was only in her silk nighty. "I'm sorry for my rudness." she blushed looking up. "please make yourself at home I'm going to go throw a robe on" she said softly and got up walking off to her bedroom. She didnt know what to say to them, what could she say to them? She didnt know them, her mother's side of the family was nothing but shrouded in shadows to her. She looked at herself in the mirror as she grabbed her big fluffy green robe. Her blonde hair and blue eyes were her father's people. She wasnt anything special like her mother. She may have their blood in her veins but she was not one of them.

She caught something in the light. Her hair seemed to be gaining a silvery tone to it, and her eyes there were specks of silver and gold in them.

"What the?" she whispered as she pulled some of her hair infront of her just to make sure she was seeing things correctly. "I've lived for over a century why is this coming out now?" she whispered softly looking at herself in the mirror trying to understand.

The light was right, there were silver strains in her hair, and more was coming out.

"You're like us....?" came Rasu's voice.

Tavia turned looking at her "I guess I am, its probably why Erebus sent you to find me... But who knows" she said softly closing her eyes trying to understand it all. Now she couldnt go back to work looking like this, And she hadnt used her magic in so long that she was pretty much handicap at it. "I had thought that I was only one of the Children of the Forest. but I guess I am also a Child of the moon and sun as well" she said in a soft voice as she saw a couple more specks here and there of silver and gold appearing in her eyes.

"I think you look pretty," said Rasu.

Yomi came up to the doorway. "I would agree... but... you are like us in another way...and I can't put my finger on it..."

"Do you mean?"

"Maybe.... don't know....we have to just wait and see..." Yomi said.

Rasu looked at Tavia. "So....Tavia, what are you plans? For today....."

"Nothing to interesting, I was just going to stay here all day, my job is hard and takes alot out on me so I was jsut going to relax here." she said to them but had a feeling they were going to be changing her plans for today.

"Okay....if you ever want to do anything.... elven related or not, you can find us ate the Sunny Night Oriental Cruisine... we run it together..." said Rasu.

"Thank you I'll deffinantly keep that in mind." she smiled softly at Rasu. "You and your brother are welcome here in my home, My home is your home" she said as she tied the sash of her robe covering herself up.

They nodded, and walked heading for the door. "See you later... Tavia!" they called and left.

"So you weren't going to talk to the Epsilon Archer Inc...? They do have a legal department, just like any large company....." came Erebus's voice from behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist.

She squeeked and blushed. "Erebus you scared me" she smiled and giggled liking the feeling of having him stand behind her like this. She leaned back into his body. "and I told you I would think about going I hadnt fully decided if I was going to go, besides now that I look like this I can't get a job at a place that that" she said running her fingers through her hair then looked up at him with her changed eyes.

"You may be surprised...." he said. He then whispered into her ear, "I said you were beautiful, and that still stands firm, love... and may I ask? Do you have a bit of god or should I say goddess in you?"

Tavia looked at him like he was insane. "Uhhh no not that I know of" she said confused on why he was asking her that.

"Because I thought that I had felt the power of the moon in here..." he said softly.

"Really I don't know Erebus, It could be my Moon elf blood you were feeling" she said thinking it was impossible that she would have a bit of goddess inside of her.