[Atlantean's Quest 02] Exodus (19 page)

It had to be morning by now, but it was impossible to tell with only dim light illuminating the area. She pushed herself up, brushing the hair from her eyes, then threw her legs over the side of the bed and padded to the water bucket.

After splashing water on her face, Jac’s head cleared. She strode over to the door and threw the hide back. The sun shone bright in the sky, dappling the floor of the jungle with gentle light. Creatures scurried and dashed, performing their normal daily dance. Jac yawned and scratched her stomach before stepping back inside to retrieve her black skirt. She glanced at her hiking boots. A part of Jac rebelled, the part that refused to be dictated to, the part that relished her freedom and would be controlled by no man. With firm resolve she slipped them on.

Not exactly a fashion statement, but down here, who cared. It would be weird strolling into the compound in broad daylight with only a skirt and shoes on, but she didn’t have much choice in the matter.

When in Rome
, flashed in her mind.

Jac proceeded toward the village, looking forward to seeing Ares getting dropped on his arrogant ass once or twice. She’d made it about a hundred and fifty yards or so when she heard shouts coming from the clearing up ahead. Her heart slammed against her ribs, knocking the breath from her lungs. Her mind scrambled as she tried to recall what the rules of the challenge were. Jac took off running, her booted feet squashing several ferns as she made a mad dash to reach the action.

She pushed through the brush as Coridan raised his hand and sent a bolt of energy sailing toward Ares’s face. Ares twisted at the last second but the blast still clipped him on the cheek, jerking his head back, sending his ebony hair flying across his face.

Jac’s hands flew to her mouth, smothering the shocked cry threatening to come out. She’d wanted to see her proud warrior a little embarrassed, but the thought of Ares actually being injured scared her more than she’d like to admit. This challenge was nothing like she’d imagined. Ares’s body lay covered in bruises from his thighs to his head. It looked as if a crowd had ganged up on him and all taken a whack. Jac stood frozen at the edge of the trees afraid to continue watching and yet too terrified to turn away.

Ariel raised her hands and the battle began again. This time Ares caught Coridan unaware. He struck a fierce blow to the younger man’s ribcage, knocking him to the ground. Ares glanced in Jac’s direction, his eyes flicking from her skirt to her boots, and scowled, obviously not happy she was here. Well that was too damn bad. He’d have to get over it, because she wasn’t going anywhere.

Coridan picked himself up off the dirt, holding his side, blood oozing from his split lip. He, too turned to look at Jac, but the seer dropped the signal before Coridan returned to position.

Ares fired two bolts at the young warrior, one landing on Coridan’s rump and the other boxing his ear. He let out a yelp as a third shot hit him in the same spot on the ribcage. Bones cracked. A final lesser blow soared toward his lower abdomen. The young warrior moved at the last second and the shot caught him in the groin instead. Coridan fell to the ground rolling from side to side, attempting to soothe the injuries. Tribal members snickered, while a few laughed, before attempting to help him up.

Coridan pushed their hands away, fury blazing behind his aqua eyes. He struggled to his feet, his gaze not leaving Ares’s face. “You will pay for this Ares. Mark my words.”

Ares blinked, ignoring Coridan’s heated words.

The seer walked to the center of the clearing and held up her hands. “The ruling is clear. I declare Ares the winner of the energy burst challenge.”

Cheers rang out around them.

Jac took a step forward, then hesitated. The tension from the two men was so thick, almost oppressive. Coridan looked as if he’d meant every word he’d said. Jac’s stomach flipped. She had a bad feeling about this whole situation.

The seer hushed the crowd. “There is one final trial to be overcome. When the warriors have completed the river challenge, then I will announce the winner. Until then, I suggest we get back to the tasks at hand. Warriors take your rest.”

Rachel appeared at Jac’s side, her eyes like saucers. The people of Atlantis gathered around Ares to congratulate him. Jac took that moment to speak with her friend.

“Why do they insist on going through with this stupid challenge?” She snarled under her breath. “Someone could have been killed today.”

Rachel smirked and looked at Jac as if she had a hole in the middle of her forehead. “Have you and Ares been talking at all?”

Jac set her jaw, her blue eyes leveling on Rachel. “We talk. Not a lot, but we talk.”

Rachel burst out laughing. “I’d suspected as much with Ares, he’s more of an action kind of guy.” She winked.

“He’s a hard-headed, jackass kind of guy, who is too old to be playing childish games.” Jac crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly aware of her nudity. “How did you get used to this get up?”

“I’m still working on it.” Rachel pressed her lips together to keep from laughing again. “They’re a little on the chauvinistic side, but they do grow on you, if you give them a chance.”

Jac wasn’t convinced. She loved Rachel, but obviously she’d been down here too long. “Are you going to come back with me when I go to New York?”

Rachel’s features paled, then sadness filled her chocolate colored eyes. The air around them seemed to take a collective breath and still…waiting for her answer. Rachel glanced at the trees, then back at Jac, her voice quiet, when she started to speak.

“I’ve been helping these people translate some symbols that will allow them to return to their home planet.”

Jac shook her head. “Oh, Rachel, come on, enough already. Tell you me you don’t believe this Atlantean lost tribe crap.”

Rachel’s face looked pained, but she raised her chin in defiance. “I thought it would take me months, possibly years, to translate them, which was why I initially agreed to stay, but once I got started I found the code quite simple to crack.” She paused. “And I fell in love.”

“That much is obvious.” Jac rolled her eyes.

Rachel looked around to make sure no one listened. “I will have the transport running within a couple of days.”

Jac let out a ragged breath. “Then what, back to New York?”

“Then, hopefully the baby growing in my belly will be able to show me how to operate it.”

“What?” Jac could feel the color draining from her face and then she started laughing. “That’s a good one. You had me going until the baby part.”

Rachel said nothing, color dotting her cheeks.

“You’re kidding, right?” Jac grabbed Rachel’s hands. “Tell me this is all some big cosmic joke, that you haven’t lost your mind.”

Rachel shook her head slowly from side to side.

Jac’s heart sunk to her knees, taking all hope with it. She released Rachel. Oh my God, her friend really had lost it. She truly believed the mumbo jumbo she spouted. “You’re planning on going with them, aren’t you?” Jac found herself asking despite her disbelief.

Rachel bit her lip and glanced away again, as though unable to face her.

“I get it. I come all the way down here to this hell hole to rescue you, and you don’t want to be rescued.” A jagged laugh ripped from Jac’s throat. She couldn’t believe it, even though she’d suspected all along. “That’s just great. What the hell am I going to tell Brigit?”

“Try to understand, Jac.” Rachel grabbed Jac’s hand back and twined it with her own. “I was hoping you’d change your mind and want to come too.”

“And leave my friend behind,” Jac yanked her hand from Rachel’s grasp. “I’m not like you Rachel. I care whether or not I hurt my friends.”

Rachel gasped.

Jac knew she wasn’t playing fair, but right now she didn’t care. Seeing Ares injured had scared the hell out of her, and now with Rachel standing in front of her, telling Jac she was leaving to go to another planet…well it was too much. Jac was happy with this planet, albeit it had its share of problems, but still… Their planet might not be any better. What if it was worse, assuming that it wasn’t complete nonsense? Was Rachel willing to take that chance? Risk her life and the life of her baby on the outside chance things would be better?

From the look on her friend’s face, Jac realized the answer was a definitive yes. She stared at Rachel for what felt like hours, yet no more than a few minutes passed. She’d changed so much in the few weeks she’d been missing that Jac hardly recognized her. And no matter how crazy Jac thought she’d become, deep down she admired Rachel for taking a stand, being strong in the face of such uncertainty.

Jac didn’t know if she’d be able to follow Rachel into space, not that it was even possible. It was one thing to set out on a rescue mission into a jungle, where you could get back to New York in a matter of hours, but to leave the planet was a different ball of wax.

“I’d better let you get back to Eros.” Jac hemmed. “I’m sure you have some kind of Queenly duties to perform after something like this.” She pointed to the crowd surrounding Ares and Coridan.

Rachel gave Jac a sad smile and reached out to squeeze her hand. “I’ll talk to you later tonight, at the feast.”

“What feast?”

“The one honoring Ares on his win.”

Jac’s brows furrowed. “I thought the contest ended tomorrow.”

Rachel’s eyes flashed. “It does, but we honor the victor of the second challenge.”

“Oh.” Jac wondered who in the hell came up with these weird rules. Then she snorted. Probably the same damn people that convinced Rachel her baby could open the transport.
Where was that bitch, Ariel anyway?

“See you later.”

“Yeah, later,” Jac parroted.

Rachel left in search of Eros. Jac watched until her friend’s small frame disappeared, swallowed up by the crowd of Atlanteans. Sadness whelmed up, threatening to spill out. Jac pivoted and had taken one step into the jungle, when someone grabbed her arm. She didn’t have to turn to recognize Ares. She could feel the heat from his fingertips. The gentle slide of his thumb, brushing against her sensitive skin, the intense energy that screamed
look at me
without having to say a word.

Jac turned, her eyes latching onto his slightly battered face. His green gaze remained sharp, hawk like, all seeing. She glanced down at her arm, where he held her and then back up. Ares slowly released her and smiled sinfully.

“Did you see the competition?” he asked, pride evident in his deep voice.

Jac shrugged. “Some.”

He tilted his head down, nearing her ear. “And what did you think?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.” Jac’s hands flew to her hips. “I think you guys are nuts. You both could have been killed and for what, to spend time with me?”

Ares nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, to jagged jade shards.

“I told you before. I don’t want to be anyone’s mate. Certainly not the mate of a testosterone laden bonehead, not smart enough to concern himself with his own safety.” She threw her arms up in the air, giving up. “And was it really necessary to shoot Coridan in the family jewels?”

Ares brow lifted and he seemed to be trying to suppress a grin.

“I don’t think it’s funny. You’ve humiliated the poor guy. They’re going to be talking about this for years.” Jac pointed to the crowd.

“Your concern for my welfare is touching, but I did nothing the rules did not allow. Besides I aimed higher.”

“I didn’t accuse you of cheating, only overkill.”

Ares blinked, confusion marring his handsome face. “I know not what you speak of.”

“You purposely embarrassed Coridan.”

“He deserved it. Did you not see what he has done to me?” Ares pointed out his various bruises and cuts to Jac.

She winced when he turned, exposing a particularly nasty gash across his back. “Okay, maybe he deserved a little humbling, but you should have taken his age into consideration.”

Ares stepped forward, crowding Jac with his muscled body. “He’s not that much younger than me.”

“That may be, but you’re old enough to know better.”

Jac ducked around and walked into the jungle leaving Ares staring after her. She knew he’d follow, because she headed back to his hut, at least that’s where she hoped she was going. Hell, where else was there to go? The bruises on his body looked painful and would probably take weeks to heal. Jac didn’t want to think about him being in pain. If she got off on that tangent she’d end up feeling sorry for him, helping, maybe even trying to nurse him back to health. Comforting wasn’t her style, at least not when it came to men. Only Rachel and Brigit had ever been on the receiving end of Jac’s caring and she’d made them swear never to tell a soul about it.

Jac glanced up at the sky through the leaf-covered canopy. Dark clouds were beginning to roll in and the wind had started to pick up. She took a deep breath, sweet smelling grass and the scent of distant rain assailing her. They were in for a storm, whether it would hit by this afternoon or later tonight she didn’t know. The hair on Jac’s arms rose as if she’d touched the electrical ball at the science center. She hurried on, wanting to be inside before the sky opened up and let loose its fury.

* * * * *

Ares watched Jac walk away. She’d gotten very good at doing so lately. He had to figure out a way to stop her from always running, but he wasn’t sure exactly how to go about it. When she’d appeared at the edge of the woods, his heart had nearly stopped. He didn’t want her anywhere near the energy challenge on the outside chance he’d suffer a fatal blow. It had taken all of his skill and concentration not to look at her after her arrival. He knew if he did, Coridan would take the competition and almost surely win Jac.

That was one thing Ares couldn’t allow, not when he’d spent years mentoring the young warrior, teaching Coridan everything he needed to know to become a skilled hunter. The man standing before Ares today was not the same one who’d looked up to him, eager to learn. He was an altogether different creature, which Ares barely recognized.

For that reason alone Ares had ignored Jac as much as he’d been able, focusing solely on the young warrior, hoping he made a mistake. Luckily for him, Coridan had been as distracted by Jac’s presence as Ares had been. Because of the strikes he’d gotten in earlier, Coridan had grown over confident, careless. When Ariel flagged the signal, it was the moment Ares had been waiting for. He didn’t hesitate. He simply took aim and fired. And it pained him to admit, but Jac had been right about him trying to humble Coridan. The warrior had been goading him throughout the duel and wrong or right, Ares had, had enough.