Guardian of Atlantis (The Children of Atlantis) (16 page)

Ethan leaned toward Raven. “Yes, we are animals, but we’re human too. We will do anything to protect our mates, our children, our families. Yes, we are mates. We won’t do anything you’re not read
y for. But I will protect you.
W
hether you like it or not.”

“And I’ll do things that will make you really, really mad. So you might as well get used to it.”’

“You’re already
doing a fine job there,” said Ethan.

Raven gave him a quick smile before taking a sip of her coffee.

“As for the police, things didn’t go very well, I take it.”

Raven shook her head.

“What happened?”

“It was strange. They refused to take my report.
Kept telling me to go home, because my mom wasn’t really missing.
They were more worried about some agent who was questioning all of them about something.” Raven stared at her cup.

“And?”

“Why do you think there’s more?” asked Raven.

“Just a hunch.
You tend to leave out details.” Ethan grinned at her.

Raven sighed. “The agent person took one look at me and started yelling at everyone to stop me.”

Ethan sat back. “Were you followed?”

Raven shook her head. “I don’t think so. And I parked a little ways down the street.
Why me?”
She abse
nt-mindedly played with the pendant
.

“I’m not sure, but I bet it has something to do with the necklace and the fact you’re the Guardian of Atlantis.”

Raven wrapped her arms around herself.

“I know yo
u’re scared.” Ethan
put his hand on her arm. “I won’t tell you not to be,
but remember I’m here for you. A
nd so are Leslie, Ari, and Bree.” He nodded his head toward the exit. “And there will be others.”

Raven glanced in that direction. The girls were coming into the coffee shop. “Why does it feel like all Hell is breaking loose?”

“Because there’s a war coming.
It’s inevitable. A lot of people are going to be hurt, even
killed if it’s not stopped.”

“And what’s that got to do with me? I’m not starting it. I don’t want anything to do with it.”

“You’re the only one who can stop it,” said Ethan. His eyes were no longer red. “A long time ago the Oracle prophesied
the arrival of a sentinel or guardian
who would put an end to the petty bickering among the gods and stop the wars they kept starting because of their jealousies and hatreds. You’re the one who will bring a peace that has not been known in centuries, whether you believe it or not.” He took a sip of his coffee. “You asked why Hellhounds seem to hate you.”

Raven nodded.

“Hellhounds were created to be ruthless soldiers.
The perfect killing machine.
We were controlled by the military commander who took over Atlantis. We had no rights. We were considered property of the military
, to be used anyway the military
saw fit, because we were expendable. When Atlantis fell, our fathers and mothers swore their children would never be slaves of anyone ever again. We wouldn’t be controlled by anyone. And we wouldn’t be the pawns in any of their wars.”

“
Me, control anyone?
I’m not a
ny kind of
military commander.
I can’t even chase you away.” Raven rolled her eyes as she shook her head.

“No, but you are the Guardian and therefore are in a powerful position.
And it’s enough to scare a lot of people, not just Hellhounds.
”

“I don’t think I’m who or what you think I am.”

“You’re scared. You have to embrace who and what you are.” Ethan folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. “If you’re not the Guardian, then how did you survive Hellhound poison?”

Raven looked down at her cup. “I can’t,” she whispered.

“And there are other things that are happening to you that you can’t explain.
Right?”

Raven thought abo
ut the necklace
she was wearing, the woman in the mirror, what happened to Marley’s arm, and the other stuff. She chewed on her bottom lip. “Okay, there’s a few weird, unexplainable things going on, but
it
doesn’t mean I’m the—”

“The Guardian?”

“Yeah, that.”

“I think it does,” said Ethan.
“And more.”

Raven took a deep breath. She felt like she was getting ready to plunge into freezing water. “Let’s just say. And I’m not admitting to anything. This is all hypothetical.”

Ethan nodded. “Okay. Hypothetical.”

“Let’s just say I’m the person you and everyone else seem to think I am. What am I supposed to do? Where do I go?” Raven wiped unshed tears away from her eyes. “Who am I really? And don’t tell my I’m the Guardian.”

Ethan leaned forward and took Raven’s hand. “I don’t know all the answers either. But I’ll do what I can to help you find the answers
you need
.”

Raven nodded. “And I’ll try to be more open-minded about this Guardian thing.”

“It’s a start. You want another coffee?”

Raven turned dark pink. “You paid for this one. I owe you five bucks.”

E
than shook his head. “I guess I shouldn’t leave money lying around either
.”

“I’ll pay you back.
Somehow.
I promise. Just give—”
Raven was cut off by the jingle of Ethan’s cellphone.

Ethan pulled the small black phone out of his back pocket. Looking at the screen, he glanced at Raven. “I have to take this.” He got up and moved to the other side of the coffee shop.

Raven frowned, but kept her mouth shut, even though her curiosity was nagging at her. Could she trust Ethan enough to tell h
im who
her biological mother
was
? Could she truly t
rust Ethan with her very life, e
specially after wh
at he told her about Hellhounds?

Raven glanced around at the other people in the shop. She saw a few openly staring at her while others whispered and giggled as they glanced at her every so often. Raven frowned. She glanced down, realizing what she was doing.
“Oh great!”
Here I’m standing up and staring after Ethan like some love sick fool. Like I’d even have a chance with him,” she mumbl
ed. Raven sat back down and put
her head on the table.
“So much for trying to go unnoticed.”

“It would be easier if you just hung a sign around your neck.
Probably less noticeable too.”

Raven groaned as she lifted her head. “Would you just go away and leave me alone? I really don’t have the time or energy to deal with you.”

“Good. That’ll make what I have to say a lot easier.” A smug smile covered Elizabeth’s face. Without waiting f
or an invite, she plopped down in
one of the empty chairs and crossed her arms.

“Go away,” said Raven.

“You’re just the new treat of the week. This time next week, Ethan will be tired of your whining.” A malicious gleam filled Elizabeth’s eyes.

“You’re just jealous.”

“Go ahead and think that, if it makes you feel better. But Ethan will get tired of you and he’ll come back to me. He always does. I understand him in ways you’ll never be able to.”

“You never had him and
it’s
eating at you,” said Raven.

“Me?
Jealous of you?
Please!” She looked at Raven as if she were studying a bug. “There’s so much to be jealous of.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “Ethan will get bored with you. The only thing remotely interesting about you is you
r hair and it’s because that
poor pathetic dye job
makes it stand out
. You can’t even hold a candle to me.” She stood up. “Ethan’s mine.” With a dramatic flick of her long, blonde hair, Elizabeth sauntered away.

Raven stared. “She’s right. Why would Ethan stay interested in me?” Doubt filled her, ripping away at what little confidence she had.

“What did the
witch want?” asked Leslie as she, Ari, and Bree sat down.

“Not much,” mutter Raven.

Leslie frowned. “You okay?”

Raven plastered a smile on her face. “I’m fine.
Really.”
She wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince, but doubted it was working either way. Elizabeth was right about one thing. There
wasn’t anything special about her, and
Ethan would lose interest
. Raven felt her heart break even though she told herself it didn’t matter because she didn’t care if Ethan liked her or not.

“You are not the easiest person to keep up with,” said Leslie, changing the subject.

“You should see me when I’m really trying,” said Raven.

“Where did you go?” asked Ari.

“The police station to file a missing person
’s
report.”

Leslie gave her a surprised look. “How did
it
go?”

“Not so well,” admitted Raven rather reluctantly.

“It never does,” said Ari.

Bree nodded in agreement.

A really cold breeze zipped through the coffee shop sending papers flying in all directions. Raven shivered.

“Hey, shut the door,” yelled one of the guys sitting at a table full of computers and other electronic gadgets. He hurriedly grabbed at papers. “Who do you think you are?”

“Possibly your worst nightmare.”
The red headed woman in the black suit from the police department stood just inside the coffee shop.
Behind her stood several men in black suits holding the door open.

Raven’s eyes widened with fear. She looked around for another way out, or at least for a place to hide.

“Who’s that?” whispered Leslie.

“The age
nt from the police department.
And it’s n
ot
a
good
thing she’s here
.” Raven scooted down in her chair.
“Definitely not good.”

“What’s wrong?” asked Bree.

“She’s after me.” Raven felt the urge to jump up and run for the door, but fought it.

“Would y
ou stop attracting these people?” asked
Leslie.

“I wish I could. Believe me. I really wish everyone would forget about me.”

Everyone in the coffee shop turned to look at the woman, but very little of her face could be seen behind the huge black sunglasses she wore, only blood red lips under a petite nose
which
seemed too small to hold up the huge glasses.

Raven hunched down a little more. “Why didn’t I look for a back door?”

Agent Morrison sauntered into the room, slowly she looked around the shop, frowning at everyone. “I’m looking for someone.”

“Aren’t we all
lady
,” said a thin guy with graying hair and a red checkered shirt. He lifted his coffee cup in Agent Morrison’s direction then took a sip.

Agent Morrison nodded her head in the man’s direction. Two of the men in black moved to the thin guy in the red checkered shirt. They each grabbed one of the guy’s arms and jerked him out of the chair he was sitting in. The guy’s coffee cup fell to the floor, spilling coffee everywhere. The two men in black forced him to go out the door with them.

“Hey, you can’t do that,” said a man sitting at one of the tables. He put his book down on the table and pushed up his glasses on his nose.

“
I can do anything I want,” said
Agent Morrison.

The other two men in black moved to the guy with glasses. He held up his hands and stood up. “No need to get rough gentlemen.” He walked between the men in black
as they escorted him out of the coffee shop
. At the door he paused and turned around. “Don’t let the government get away with this. They’re in league with the aliens! Remember Area 51!”

The two men in black forced the man to go out the door. He
continued yelling
about aliens and govern
ment conspiracies as they dragged him out of sight
.

Agent Morrison turned her attention back to the crowd.
“Now, where were we? Oh yes. I’m looking for Raven Weir, a junior at Pinewood High School. She’s in possession of a valuable, stolen artifact. I want both of them. And I want them now.”

Raven shook. Her heart pounded. “You
need to get away from me so
she doesn’t come after you.” The girls scattered in different directions so quietly it took
Raven
a couple of minutes to realize they were gone.

Agent Morrison’s nostrils flared.