American Heroes Series - 01 - Resurrection (29 page)

Ethan nodded faintly. “Are you sure you want to hear this right now?”

“Please,” she begged softly. “It makes me feel like I know who she’s with, like they’re not just out to kill my daughter.”

He shook his head. “No, they’re not out to kill her,” he replied. “But her tale is a really strange one. We knew, from the chatter we had been picking up for the past several months, that it was their intention to steal the robe to crown a new Holy Roman Emperor.  According to what Olivia told us, what we didn’t know is that they have a descendent from the House of d’Orleans with them, a young man who is apparently the man they intend to crown.”

She cocked her head. “House of d’Orleans?”

He nodded. “The French Royal Family. If you believe the folklore, they are descended from Jesus of Nazareth’s daughter with Mary Magdalene, Sarah, through the Merovingian bloodlines.  That would make him a descendent of Jesus Christ.”

“And they intend to make him the next Holy Roman Emperor?”

“As Jesus’ descendent, yes.”

“But isn’t it the Germans who have historically ruled the Holy Roman Empire?”

“Historically, yes. But if Die Auhänger has proven one thing, it’s that they’re not predicable. To crown the heir to the French throne the next Holy Roman Emperor because he is a direct descendent of Jesus Christ is a new twist. Apparently, they feel the one to lead the new Fourth Reich of Enlightenment should really be holy.”

“That sounds really strange.”

He moved in her general direction, crossing his powerful arms as he spoke.

“It gets stranger,” he lowered his voice. “Coral Chastity Aames has a big hand in this, although to what extent, we can’t be sure. But the IRS has traced some deposits from her corporation, Izan, into a Cayman Islands account with a Vatican City address.”

Cydney stared at him, her brow furrowing as she mulled that over. “She’s not Catholic, is she?”

“No,” Ethan shook his head. “She’s not. But the Pope is, and the Pope is traditionally the one to crown the new Holy Roman Emperor.”

“What?” Cydney’s jaw dropped. “The Pope is in on this?”

“We’re not sure.  But there is one more oddity to this.”

“Only one more?” she asked with weak, if not desperate, sarcasm.

He smiled faintly. “The name of Coral’s corporation, Izan, is ‘nazi’ spelled backwards.”

Cydney stared at him a long moment before closing her eyes as if to ward off the overload of information. “Oh, my God,” she breathed. “This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard.”

He wriggled his eyebrows in agreement. “Yes, it is. But please don’t repeat what I’ve told you, not to anyone. This is classified and the only reason I’m telling you is because Olivia is involved.”

She was both stunned and frightened. “But what in the hell do they want with my daughter? There are so many pieces to this crazy puzzle that it all must be pointing to something, but I can’t see what it is. Why do they want her?”

He pursed his lips regretfully. “We just don’t know,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry I can’t tell you more than that, but we’re working on it as hard as we can.  J.D. is brilliant; if anyone can figure this out, he can.”

Cydney just stood there, looking dazed, as Ethan stood next to her and watched her for her next reaction.  He let his gaze move from her face to her luscious body, as she was still standing nude except for the naughty-looking thong.  Finally, she shook her head, too overwhelmed to know how to react.

“It’s all so crazy,” she muttered.

“I know. But have faith. We’ll find Olivia.”

She nodded, knowing she had to trust him in all matters.  “I know you will,” she muttered, her mind so muddled that she forced herself off the subject; it wasn’t doing her any good to continue stewing over it.  Her thoughts moved back to Tyler as she padded in to the bathroom. “Poor Tyler, getting his head smacked by some crazy person. I’m sure that’s not something he expected to be part of his trip to Paris.”

Ethan was following her, watching her round butt underneath her thong. “He’ll be all right,” he said, leaning against the doorjamb as she removed her underwear and tested the water in the tub. “He’s very concerned about Olivia, though. He thinks she’s pretty cute.”

Cydney shot him such a look that he started chuckling. “Keep Mr. Fun Bags away from my daughter.”

He was still laughing as she climbed into the tub.  “You can’t fault him for his good taste.”               

She settled down in the bubbly water. “No, I can’t, but I can fault him for his taste in band names.”

Ethan continued to grin as she pulled out her bath sponge.  But he soon sobered “So,” he ventured quietly. “I have a question for you.”

“What?”

“Are
we
okay?”

She understood his meaning. “We’re okay,” she said softly. “We’ll always be okay.”

“Good.” He smiled faintly, turning away after a moment. “I’ll be right back. I want to check on Ty.”

Cydney let him go, settling down into the tub and laying her head against the side.  Ethan left the bedroom and went to check on his son, but that wasn’t his only purpose. He called the front desk from the living room phone and asked about the selection of rings he had ordered earlier.  The desk clerk didn’t know anything about it but she quickly tracked down the night manager who did.  Ethan had the rings sent up with room service.

Ten minutes later, the food arrived with a hotel waiter and the jewelry arrived with the manager.  Ethan had the waiter bring the food into the kitchenette while he stood out in the hall and looked at the rings that the manager had brought. 

It wasn’t a difficult selection; he knew what he was looking for.  Something simple - a slender band with a big diamond, and he wanted platinum.  The prices were presented with the rings and he selected a two carat Radiant cut diamond in a size six platinum setting. It was nine thousand American dollars and an absolutely spectacular ring.  He hoped Cydney would like it. More than that, he hoped she would accept his proposal.               

He thanked the manager and tipped the waiter.  When the door was shut and locked, he found the sandwiches and put the ring on Cydney’s Club sandwich, held in place by the decorative toothpick.   Then he covered it back up with the stainless steel heat cover. Taking the tray with the food and champagne glasses in one hand and the wine bucket with the liquor in the other, he proceeded into the bathroom.

Cydney had doused her hair and now lay against the side of the tub with her eyes closed.  Ethan set the food down on the tiled area near the tub’s water spout.

“I know you’re tired,” he said. “Eat something and then we’ll hit the sack.”

She opened her eyes and sat up, watching him pop the cork from the champagne bottle and pour two glasses.  She accepted one of them and they toasted.

“To us,” he said softly. “And to Olivia.”

Tears filled her eyes but she fought them as she took a long, healthy swallow and smacked her lips. “That’s really good,” she looked over at the still-covered food. “What did you get us?”

“Just a couple of sandwiches,” he said, pulling his white tee shirt over his head. “Take the one nearest you.”

She did.  Reaching out, she pulled the entire thing off the tray and set it on her side of the tub.  Meanwhile, she failed to notice that Ethan was now down on one knee beside the tub in all of his bare-chested glory. The man was spectacularly built. She pulled the stainless steel cover off of the sandwich and set it aside.

He watched her face as she looked at the food.  He waited for her to realize that there was something on top of one of the halves.  First, her brow furrowed when she spied it. Then, she cocked her head when wasn’t quite sure what it was.  Suddenly, her eyes widened when she reached out to confirm her observations as if her eyes were deceiving her.  Her mouth fell open.

“What in the hell…?” she picked up the ring, turned it around, and was faced by the brilliant two carat diamond. “Ethan, what is this?”

He was watching her, an amused expression on his face. “What does it look like?” When she looked up at him, stunned, he reached out and took her hand. “Cydney, I know we’ve known each other only eight days, but I knew I loved you within the first twenty four hours of knowing you. You are the most amazing, intelligent and beautiful woman I’ve ever met and every time I look at you, I fall more deeply in love with you. I know this is sudden and I know it’s ridiculously soon, but I will feel the same way about you in fifty years as I do now. I would be incredibly proud to be your husband.  Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Cydney was floored; he could tell that just by looking at her. Her mouth opened into an unconscious ‘O’ as her gaze moved between him and the ring.  After several long moments, she licked her lips, struggling for the correct words.

“It’s not just me,” she whispered. “It’s my daughter, too. We’re a package deal.”

“And I love her, too. I will love her as if she was my own flesh and blood.”

She was back to staring at him. “Are you sure?”

“Never more sure about anything in my life.”

“But we’ve only known each other a week.”

“It only took me a day to fall in love with you.”

“You
love
me? Really?”

He grinned. “Absolutely. What’s not to love?”

She took her eyes off him and stared at the ring.  Ethan didn’t want to push her for an answer, but he was slowly dying inside.  Every moment that passed was like torture.  But suddenly, she was flying out of the tub and hit him squarely in the chest, her arms around his neck and her lips on his. Ethan laughed low in his throat, meeting her passionate kiss as she was wet and slippery in his arms.

“Oh, Ethan,” she breathed against his lips. “I’m just blown away.”

“Is that a ‘Yes’?”

She nodded, giggling, and he started giggling, too.  Soon they were both giggling, lustily and happily kissing one another with Cydney half-in and half-out of the tub.  Ethan pulled her out of the tub completely and laid her on the cold tile of the bathroom. Her hands were on his pants, unfastening his belt, and soon they were off completely.

His big body covered her, warm and powerful, as she surrendered to his joyful attention. His tongue was in her mouth, tasting her sweetness, as one hand roved her damp body. When his mouth left hers and began to nurse hungrily at her breasts, she stopped him.

“Ethan,” she breathed heavily, thrusting a hand into his face. “The ring. You’d better put it on me so we don’t lose it.”

He was wedged in between her legs and paused, holding his weight off of her with one elbow while taking the ring from her with his free hand.  She held up her left hand and their eyes met briefly, with smiles, as he slid the ring on the third finger of her left hand. It fit perfectly.

“There,” she whispered, inspecting the gorgeous ring seated upon her finger. “Now we’re official.”

He gazed at her, faintly shaking his head. “You have no idea how happy I am right now. I honestly didn’t know how you’d react.”

“Seriously?”

He wriggled his eyebrows. “I could have gone down in flames.”

“Ethan?”

“Hmmm?”

“I love you, too.”

She leaned forward, kissing him sweetly and he became upswept in the fire that ignited so easily between them.  His hands, his mouth, told her how very much he was coming to love her as they moved over her flesh.  Ethan took her twice on the floor and was preparing to take her a third time when he heard her stomach growl, very loudly.

 He broke down into soft laughter.  Cydney grinned up at him, somewhat embarrassed. “I haven’t eaten all day,” she said apologetically. “Sorry.”

He sat back on his heels and pulled her up with him. “I’m the one who should apologize,” he said, looking around and spying a bathrobe on the sink. He yanked it down and put it on her. “Let’s eat, okay?”

She agreed and soon they were sitting on her bed, eating club sandwiches and drinking champagne.  Cydney fell asleep alone in her bed when Ethan returned to the room he shared with Tyler, but she knew that she would never again be alone.

Her outlook on life suddenly didn’t seem so bleak.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Nat had hold of Olivia’s arm as they made their way off the train at the Rome Terminal Train Station. It was loud, busy, dirty and crowded.  Olivia was still disoriented, now with the added pleasure of having gotten motion sick on the train. But Nat had no sympathy for her as he pulled her across the dirty platform and into the modern train station. It was mid-morning, the day slightly overcast and humid in the ancient city of Rome.

Olivia had been allowed to shower on the train and wash her hair. Having no clothes of her own, the only option available was Coral’s clothes.  They were very expensive, well-made, and gaudy.  Olivia was horrified but unless she wanted to wear the same jeans and t-shirt that she had been wearing since she left California, she was going to have to make due. Coral was about Olivia’s weight but two or three inches shorter.  Olivia picked out a pair of white Capri jeans and a bright pink tee shirt, the lesser of all of Coral’s wardrobe evils. She wore her own sneakers with the pink and green skulls on them.  Her still–damp hair went into two braids.

Collecting the luggage, they went out onto the curb to hail a taxi amidst the chaos of exhaust fumes and people.  Olivia squinted in the glare of the overcast, looking around with some curiosity. Directly across the street, she noticed substantial ruins.  As Nat held her arm with a death grip, she spoke to Joseph standing next to her.

“What are those ruins over there?” she asked.

Joseph shaded his eyes from the glare. “Oh, those,” he smiled down at her. “The Baths of Diocletian.”

Olivia’s hazel gaze was fixed on them; she found Rome far more interesting than Paris just because of the truly ancient ruins. The smell, the feel, of the city was different, too. It smelled like exhaust fumes and dirt. There was something quite old and timeless about it, and she couldn’t help her curiosity.