Free Warriors of Poseidon 02 - Atlantis Awakening by authors_sort Page A

temporary shield over a thousand people at an outdoor charity concert for nearly an hour when an unexpected rain shower struck. It really didn't seem like it would be that much different to throw a shield over the bomb."
     
    There was silence for a long moment, but she noticed his large hands clenching the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. When his voice finally came, it was rough and strained, probably from the effort it took not to yell at her. "Are. You. Kidding.
    Me? You didn't think holding in a bomb blast would be much different from holding out a few raindrops? Are you a complete idiot?"
     
    Yes, she thought. Yes, I must be. Because I looked at you, and I looked at that bomb, and I flatly refused to let you die.
     
    Pride kept her from saying the words. Anger kept her from remaining silent. "Listen to me, Atlantean. I have power. I'm not the strongest witch in the world, but I have power.
    The Wilding only chooses those who are strongest in the Craft. Do not underestimate me."
     
    "I won't have the chance to underestimate you if you're dead, Erin. If you ever—" He paused and exhaled a long, deep breath. "If you ever try something like that again, I will lock you in a room and paddle your ass for you."
     
    "How dare you—"
     
    "Erin," he said, cutting her off. "I don't want watch you die."
     
    Startled by the emotion in his voice, she turned to study his face, but he wouldn't turn his gaze from the road. "Get some more rest, Erin. We have another hour to go."
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    "But—"
     
    "Rest. You're exhausted. You can ask me all the questions you want when we get there.
    You're safe now. Rest."
     
    He flicked on his stereo and something warm and classical filled the air. Another surprise; she'd expected head banger music from the tough warrior. She relaxed, exhausted, back into the leather seat. As her eyelids began to drift closed, she heard him clear his throat.
     
    "And Erin? Thank you. Your actions saved the lives of men I value as brothers, as well as my own. Though I would not have had you risk your life for ours, please know that I honor your aid more than I could ever repay."
     
    Her throat tightened a little and tears stung the edges of her eyelids. "What is formal speak for 'you're welcome'?" she asked, smiling a little.
     
    He finally looked directly at her, and the heat in his eyes seared clear through her, deep down to something she'd locked away ten years before. Trapped in his gaze, she couldn't speak, couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Finally, he wrenched his gaze from hers and looked back at the road. "Rest, Erin. You are still exhausted from calling on such great amounts of power," he said, voice husky.
     
    "Okay. But just until we get wherever we're going. Then I want to know everything that you know about Caligula."
     
    Ven nodded, his narrowed eyes promising retribution. "Yeah, well, the first thing I want to know is how in the nine hells they knew where we were. If we've got a traitor in Atlantis, I'm going to unleash all the fury of Poseidon on his ass."
     
    "I'll be standing right next to you, helping," she murmured as her eyes drifted closed.
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    She barely heard his next words, but they sounded a lot like "Over my dead body," and she smiled.
     
    Your dead body is exactly what I wanted to avoid, she thought, and then she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and let the rhythm of the car's motion lull her into sleep.

Chapter 7
    Caligula's Cavern, Below Mount Rainier
     
    The pathetic human crouched in the corner, face turned away from the bodies of his dead colleagues. Blood dripped steadily from his open wounds, but Caligula forced himself to ignore the tempting aroma. Time enough to drain the fool after he'd gotten every bit of information from him.
     
    "You swore to me that this device would be effective, Merkel," Caligula snarled. "Years of