[Atlantean's Quest 02] Exodus (11 page)

Rachel frowned. “Where’s Ares?”

Jac opened her mouth to answer, when Ares stepped from the jungle like a sleek panther. His jade eyes flared with fire as he looked from Coridan back to her.
Yep, he was definitely pissed.

“Speak of the devil,” Jac whispered loud enough for Rachel to hear.

Rachel stared wide-eyed at Ares. “What happened?”

“My Queen,” Ares approached and dropped to his knees before Rachel, quickly kissing her left and right nipple, then just as swiftly rose. A wave of jealousy rushed through Jac, one she instantly crushed.

Rachel’s brows furrowed. “Jac are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Jac glanced at Ares, her eyes boring holes into him, and then answered her friend. “There’s nothing to tell.” She saw a tic begin in his jaw as he squared his shoulders to face her.

With speed that left her blinking, Ares reached out and grasped Jac’s upper arms. “We need to speak.” He started to pull her away from the crowd, when Coridan stepped forward.

“Unhand, Jac,” Coridan bit out, a warning flashing in his aqua eyes.

Ares’s body tensed and then went deathly still. His gaze swung around to face the warrior, his eyes narrowed, glaring. His lips thinned until his teeth bared. Jac felt the tremor in Ares’s fingertips as he fought for control. He took a deep breath and pulled Jac behind him. One hand released her, while the other slid from her arm, shackling her wrist.

“You dare challenge me for my mate?” Ares’s voice dropped low, menacing, deadly.

“You have not officially gone through the mating ceremony,” Coridan spat. The muscles in his arms flexed and he fisted his hands as if fighting for control. “Ask Jac, who she chooses to lay with in the bed furs.”

Have you joined with Coridan?
the whispered question in her head smoldered with anger and…
hurt
?

“What? No!” Jac trembled beneath Ares’s grip, rage bubbling over.

How dare they fight over her like a couple of stupid bulls in rut? His thumb stroked back and forth along her pulse, whether to soothe or inflame, she couldn’t be sure. Jac’s heart leapt, sending awareness racing through her body. He brushed her again. With all that had occurred, somehow she knew Ares tried to comfort her.

Unfortunately her reaction to that simple touch also conveyed how much she still wanted him.

“Damn you,” Jac muttered under her breath. “Why can’t you just let me go?”

Ares flinched.
You wish to go with Coridan?
He asked in her mind, turning to face her.

No
, was Jac’s first thought, but she wasn’t about to tell Ares that. She thought about telling him yes, but that would be a lie, and considering his current mood it wasn’t a good idea. “I don’t want either of you,” she ground out, trying to pull her hand from his.

Jac stared at her jade-eyed warrior waiting for a reaction to her words, anything that would indicate he’d heard her and understood. Instead he appeared relaxed, almost relieved as he rubbed her hand once more. Jac tensed, surely he was smart enough to take her seriously. He arched a brow and then turned his attention back to his rival, while Jac struggled to escape from his grasp.

“I ask again, are you challenging me, Coridan Antares?”

Coridan stepped forward. Jac stared at the trees for a moment and counted to ten. They had about five seconds to knock this shit off or she would throttle them both. This wasn’t at all like Coridan had described. It seemed more dangerous, possibly life threatening, instead of a comeuppance.

Rachel’s eyes were the size of saucers when she stepped around Ares. She rubbed her hands along her arms. A huge blond man gracefully stepped from the crowd, strength, power, and authority rolled off him in waves.

Jac glanced from him to Rachel and back. Without a doubt this had to be Eros. His face was such chiseled perfection that he could almost be called pretty, in a masculine sort of way. He looked from Ares to Coridan, then Jac. His gaze narrowed, censuring, but he said nothing for a moment.

A beautiful woman with long flowing hair moved to his side. She was a dead ringer for a Baywatch babe. She held up her hands to calm the murmuring crowd. “A challenge has been put forth for the privilege of mating with this woman.” Her elegant hand swept to Jac.

Jac glared and stepped forward to refute the woman’s words. Ares stopped her, his eyes as sharp as fiery jade, sending a warning as clear as if he’d actually spoken.

The woman’s gaze locked onto Jac, freezing her in place. “Although it has been many, many years since a challenge has been called, the rules are clear. Warriors, you’ll have a day or so to prepare. Tomorrow I will announce the tasks to be achieved. The first to complete the challenge wins.” Her gaze swept Jac’s length. “And while the competition is taking place, there shall be no self healing. If a warrior is found to have healed himself, he’ll be immediately disqualified from the challenge.”

“Who is that?” Jac asked Rachel under her breath.

“She’s the tribe’s seer. Her name is Ariel,” Rachel whispered.

Jac watched the gorgeous woman make eye contact with Coridan and then Ares. She lingered on Ares a little longer than Jac cared for, taking in his wide chest and muscled legs, pausing at the front of his loincloth long enough to be considered inappropriate.

The woman’s lips quirked at the corner, accenting her natural sensuality, and then her gaze once again met Jac’s. She had seen that look from women before. The seer sized her up. Jac squared her shoulders and defiantly stared across the clearing at the woman. If the seer thought she would intimidate her, she had another think coming. Ariel laughed, caressing Ares once more with her gaze, and then walked to the nearest hut, slipping inside.

“What does the bitch think is so funny?” Jac turned to Rachel.

“You never know with Ariel. She’s got a warped sense of humor.” Rachel’s eyes darted to the hut door and back, concern marring her features. “You really don’t want to fuck with her.”

Jac arched a brow at her last words. “If she knows what’s good for her, she won’t fuck with me.”

Rachel shrugged and attempted to hide her smile by glancing away. “This ought to be interesting.”

The crowd started to disperse. Ares released Jac after Coridan left, then turned to face her. “You will be sorry for all the trouble you are causing me, my fierceness.” His molten jade eyes captured hers, burning, promising a payback she would not soon forget.

Jac fought the strange urge to flee. She wasn’t a coward and she never backed down from a direct attempt at intimidation, but there was no mistaking the cold lump forming in her stomach. “I told you.” She cleared her throat. “I’m no one’s mate.”

Ares’s eyes flashed again. “We shall see.” Then he stalked into the jungle, leaving Jac with Rachel.

The King approached. Rachel grabbed him and pulled him forward. “I’d like you to meet my husband Eros.”

Jac’s gut clenched. It was worse than she thought. Not only had Rachel gotten pregnant, she’d somehow managed to marry this man. Jac’s mind raced, convinced the agreement wouldn’t hold up in a court of law. You needed special permission when you married in another country and she was positive Rachel hadn’t gotten the paperwork. So there was hope…but a baby would certainly complicate matters.

Her arms felt like lead, stiff, heavy, and unyielding. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jac.”

Eros seemed to be fighting a smile as Jac’s mind surged from one subject to another. He dropped to his knees and greeted her in traditional Atlantean fashion. Jac gaped and shot a look at Rachel, waiting to see her friend’s reaction to her husband’s actions. Rachel shrugged and pulled a face. Jac shook her head. Rachel really had changed in the short time she’d been down here. Eros rose and held out his hand. Jac shook it quickly and released him.

These people were outrageously crazy, even for her. This was too much. Challenges, Atlanteans, seers, and mating. Jac had to get the hell out of here before her sanity scooted off with the rest of these loons. She grabbed Rachel.

“If you’ll excuse us.” Jac glanced at Eros. “I need to have a word with my friend.”

Jac tugged Rachel along, heading for god only knows where. She needed some peace, some distance. She needed New York.

Rachel pulled her hand from Jac’s. “I know just the place we can go.” She walked to the fire and picked up a small burning log to use as a torch and guided Jac down a well worn trail, leading to a small stream. Flowers scented the air. A gentle wind tugged at their hair. The soft murmuring of the current as it washed over the rocks soothed Jac’s nerves—a little. When they reached the banks, Rachel stopped and stuck the log in the mud so that it would remain upright.

“Are you going to tell me what in the hell is going on here?” Jac’s voice cracked. “Is this a camp for escaped mental patients who just happen to be gorgeous?” She shook her head. “Because the crap I’ve been hearing can’t possibly be true.”

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not sure where to begin.”

Jac began to pace. All the nervous energy from the altercation flooded her muscles until they practically jerked with spasms. She couldn’t take much more of this.

Rachel stilled Jac’s movements. “I need to sit down, do you mind?”

Jac glanced to Rachel’s stomach. “Sorry.” She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. She sat next to Rachel on the soft grasses lining the shore. The air smelled fresh along the stream and felt a tad cooler, when the slight breeze didn’t shift the smoke from the burning log in their direction. At this point, Jac welcomed anything that would add to comfort. “Why don’t you start with that lovely message you left me on my answering machine. It terrified me and when I played it for Brigit, she threw up.”

Rachel grimaced. “God, I really regret having left that message.” She frowned. “I tried to call you back, but the phone doesn’t work in here.”

“Shocker.” Jac’s gaze narrowed. “Where is here exactly?”

“We’re in the heart of the electromagnetic field.” Rachel gestured around her. “You remember me telling you and Brigit about it?”

“I recall you said you wanted to explore it and bring back your discovery so that you could get your much deserved promotion.” Jac arched a brow.

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that was the plan in the beginning…”

Jac’s chest squeezed, pushing out the air in her lungs as the tension coursed through her. “And now?”

Rachel’s brown eyes met hers. They seemed to be searching for something in Jac’s face. “Things have developed that I hadn’t anticipated.”

“Like?” Jac drew the word out.

Rachel smiled. “Like I’m married and I’m going to have a baby.”

Jac’s lips thinned. “Congratulations.”

Shadows filled Rachel’s eyes as she answered, “Thanks.”

Jac ran a hand through her hair. “That doesn’t explain what happened down here.”

“The professor sacrificed me.” Rachel’s hands trembled and balled up into tight little fists. “If it wasn’t for Eros, I’d be dead.”

Anger burned through Jac quicker than a spark on dried brush. “The bastard tried to pull the same shit on me, except he’s gotten braver. This time he’s out to make his problems go away permanently.”

Rachel gasped. Her eyes roamed over Jac, as though making sure she was okay.

“I’m fine, “Jac said waving the worry away. “I escaped, with a little help.”

Relief etched Rachel’s features. “Who helped?”

Jac didn’t answer.

“Jaaac,” she prompted, her mouth quirking at the corners. “Who?”

“That dark, muscled, jade-eyed jerk called Ares.”

Rachel burst out laughing. “So you
do
like him.”

Jac stood up, her hands planted firmly on her hips. “I didn’t say that.”

Rachel shook her head, sending curls falling over her shoulders. “You didn’t have to. The sparks were flying off you two every time your eyes met.”

“So the sex was good.” She shrugged. “Sue me.” Jac looked away not wanting to meet Rachel’s knowing eyes.

Rachel reached up and clasped Jac’s hand, drawing her gaze back, and then rose. “You forget I know you too well. If it was only sex, you wouldn’t bat an eye. You’d immediately tell me all about your latest conquest, in detail.” She smoothed her skirt. “You also wouldn’t be so mad.”

“These people are crazy. Don’t you understand?” Jac pleaded with Rachel. “They think they’re thousands of years old. It’s a classic example of mass delusion.” Jac looked at Rachel, letting the fear she felt inside show on her face. “I don’t want you here when this turns out to be some suicidal cult.”

Rachel’s expression softened. “I know what I’m about to say to you is going to sound completely insane. I thought the same thing when Eros explained the tribe’s situation to me, but every word is true.”

“Oh, Rach, not you, too.” Jac shook her head and backed away. “Did they give you something strange to drink? That’s how it starts.”

Rachel balked. “Jaclyn Ward, when have I ever done anything crazy, out there, otherwise insane?” Rachel’s hand slapped down on her thigh.

“Other than going on this godforsaken expedition?” Jac clenched her teeth and thought about it for a second. “Never.”

“That’s right. Never. So what makes you think I’ve gone off the deep end now?”

Jac tilted her chin and stared down at her. “It could be some kind of fever?”

Rachel snorted and rolled her eyes. “If you were around Ares for any length of time, then I’m sure you’ve seen some strange things—“

“That I’m sure can be explained logically.”

“Try.” Rachel arched a brow in challenge.

Jac threw her arms up in the air. “I don’t know what’s real anymore.”

Rachel stepped forward and hugged her. “An open mind is a good start,” she whispered in Jac’s ear. “Now tell me, what do you
really
think of Ares?” She pulled back, her chocolate colored eyes sparkling in the fading firelight.

Jac began to pace again. “I think he’s a sex god,” she paused. “Who also happens to be a royal pain in the ass.”

Rachel giggled.

* * * * *

Ares’s anger raged deep. In three thousand years there had never been a challenge set forth for a mate. Ariel had foretold Jac’s arrival. There had been no mention of a challenge for the right to mate with her. He’d already joined with her. He slammed his fist against the table, knocking a cup from its surface. He feared not of others hearing him, since his hut lay several hundred yards from the village. He’d always preferred being away from the others, giving himself space, but now he felt eons from Jac.