Gods and Mortals: Fourteen Free Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Novels Featuring Thor, Loki, Greek Gods, Native American Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, & More (181 page)

“Are we going to complement each other all night, or are we going to the party?” Davin interrupted.

“Do you have a car?” I asked.

He looked at me with a blank face. Then his face lit up with an idea. “I could go steal one. I mean, borrow one for the night.”

I frowned, with my hands on my hips. “You don’t have one?”

“I’m not supposed to leave you.”

“I thought you could do some kind of magic thing, and poof, it’s here,” I said.

“I’m an alkin, not a magician, if you haven’t noticed,” he said sarcastically. “Yes, I could make one appear, but I didn’t know which one. There are too many. And I thought I was driving your car.”

“But you’re my date. You’re supposed to pick me up in your car.”

“Now you tell me. How am I supposed to know? I haven’t had a date in how many lifetimes, remember? I don’t even know what you mean by dating. We learn by observing and that thing you call “Googling” on the computer. That’s what I was doing while you were eating and sleeping, learning about your mannerisms. You humans are too complicated.”

“Sorry, I should have explained it to you. I forget sometimes,” I said, feeling guilty for getting mad at him.

“Don’t worry. Caleb and I did some research. I have one parked right in front of your house,” Vivian said proudly.

“Good thinking,” Davin replied. “I hope you stole, I mean borrowed, a fast car.”

“What do you mean?” Caleb said. “I get to drive it. After all, I borrowed the car that I want to drive.”

“He has a point, Davin,” Vivian spoke in Caleb’s defense.

Davin frowned and said, “Fine! Let’s go.”

We parted ways, and Davin rang the doorbell. Caleb and Vivian waited for us by the car.

“I got it, Claudia. I can’t wait to meet your date,” Mom said, excitedly. I took a quick peek to see what she was doing while I pretended to be getting ready in my room. I observed her sneaking a peek in the mirror, straightening her dress, and brushing her hair with her fingers. As I walked out of my bedroom door, Mom’s eyes grew big. She walked to me, placing her hands on my shoulders, smiling and staring.

“You look beautiful, honey! I hardly ever get to see you with makeup and your hair in curls. It makes me happy that you’re out of your room and having fun.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said while blushing. “Aren’t you going to open the door?”

“Ahhh…I almost forgot,” she said as she headed for the door, still staring at me.

“Hello,” Davin said politely while extending his hand. He was acting like quite a gentleman, much more mature than the usual Davin.

Mom looked impressed and graciously shook his hand. “Hello,” she said back.

“Mom, this is Davin.” I introduced hastily. Mom could tell I was in a hurry as I walked out the door and gave her a look.

“Well, you better get going. It was nice meeting you, Davin.” Then she turned to me. “Remember your curfew.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring her home by midnight.”

“Thank you,” Mom said politely. “I would appreciate it if you kept your word.” She smiled again and looked at me. “Tell Ryan happy birthday for me.”

I nodded and placed my hands through Davin’s arm and pulled him along. As I turned around to wave good-bye, she whispered something that sounded like, “He’s very good-looking.”

I thought to myself; if you think Davin is good-looking, wait till you see Michael. I just gave her a big grin and waved her back into the house so she wouldn’t see Vivian and Caleb. Although I was very excited to go to the party with my alkin friends, I missed Michael madly. Where are you, Michael? What are you doing?

“
C
ool car
, Caleb!” Davin said, making a complete circle around the heavily tinted black Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. “I think I’m in love. So, who did you steal this car from?” Davin asked, placing his hand out in front of Caleb, waiting for the car keys.

Caleb stood his ground with his arms crossed, shaking his head.

“We didn’t steal it. We borrowed it from the dealer. I’m sure they won’t miss it just for one night,” Vivian said, admiring the car too.

“It’s called stealing,” Davin challenged as he gave a big frown.

“So if you got it, it’s called…”

“Borrowing,” Davin said quickly.

“Great, you make it sound like a sin when I do it.”

“Just messing with you. I’m just bitter ’cause I don’t get to drive it.”

“You two need to see each other more often, or is it that you two need to be away from each other more often? Either way, we need to get going,” I said.

“Sorry, Claudia. Davin gets on my nerves sometimes. He’s acting more like a human these days.”

“Are these two like this all the time?” I asked Caleb.

“Only when we’re down here. There must be something in the air. I’m almost positive they were brother and sister in human life,” Caleb replied back.

Vivian let out a short laugh. “You’re funny,” she said lightly to Caleb.

Davin released a heavy sigh. I don’t think he was paying attention to our conversation. He was admiring the car too intensely. “Sure you don’t want me to drive it, Caleb?” Davin asked with a pleading look.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Davin. Hop in the front, Vivian. Let’s get going,” Caleb said as he settled himself into the driver’s seat.

Something about the car seemed to have given Caleb a sense of power. I’d never heard him speak in such a commanding voice before. Davin and I sat in the back, and I watched Caleb punch in the address of the hotel on the navigator. Realizing that I was actually sitting inside an ultra expensive luxury car, I observed every detail. The one most obvious was the black leather seat I was sitting on. I thought it would feel soft and plush, but it was actually really hard and tight.

Boom! Boom! Boom! went the music and I was startled by the sudden loudness.

I could feel the vibrations from the speakers underneath the seat. Davin rested his head back while tapping his fingers to the music. Caleb, with his window down, tapped his hand on the door, and Vivian nodded her head to the beat. It was amusing to watch the alkins enjoying themselves, as if they were ordinary teenagers.

“Here we are,” Caleb said, turning the ignition off. Suddenly I felt nervous. How was I to explain who they were?

“Don’t get out yet!” I yelled quickly. Stunned by my outburst, they froze and looked at me. “Well, my friends will wonder who you are. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. We were all on edge. I didn’t blame them for being shaken up by my sudden outburst.

“What would you like for us to say?” Vivian asked.

“Well, I thought I could say that you are my cousins from San Francisco.”

“Okay,” Caleb said like it was no big deal.

“Could we keep our names? Who knows? I may mess that up,” Davin said with a chuckle.

“Sure, that would make it easier for me too. Let’s go,” I said.

We walked excitedly to the front entrance of the hotel. There was a huge sign: “Ryan’s Birthday Party, Grand View Room, thirtieth floor.” I suddenly felt a knot in the pit of my stomach, knowing we would be up so high, but I knew I would be fine since we were indoors.

“Thirtieth floor. It looks like the elevator is to the right,” Vivian said, pointing to the direction.

We all followed behind her. The crystals from the chandelier caught my eyes first as they burst with unbelievable brilliance that sent sparkles throughout the room. The front lobby was decorated with beautiful arrangements of flowers placed in tall vases everywhere I looked. Not only did they make the room colorful, they certainly brightened up the dimly-lit lobby. As I continued to walk, I noticed the intricate designs of the marble floor that glistened from the candles nearby. Dark brown leather sofas and couches were arranged on antique rugs.

Suddenly I stopped in front of a huge, striking painting of an angel. She was painted standing with her golden wings expanded. Her long, dark hair accentuated her chocolate brown eyes. Her face stood out from the rest of the painting, and I couldn’t peel my eyes off of her. On the corner of the painting read, “Katherine.”

“Who is she?” I asked.

“No idea, but she is unbelievably breathtaking,” Davin replied, mesmerized by the painting.

“That’s strange,” Caleb said. “That name sounds familiar. I believe Katherine was one of the Twelve Angels. I don’t know if that is her for sure, but I do remember the name.”

“Well, let’s go. We need to be back by midnight, as Davin promised your mom,” Vivian said, her brow furrowed.

“Claudia told me her curfew was midnight. I was only trying to be a gentleman,” Davin explained.

I didn’t want Vivian and Davin arguing over what time we should be home. “That’s all right. I don’t want to be home too late, and plus I don’t know if we should be here without Michael.” I was having doubts about our decision, but it was too late. We were here and might as well make the best of it.

As the elevator opened, I noticed that it was very elegant. Mirrors completely surrounded us, making the space look much bigger than it was. The elevator buttons and trimmings on the walls had gold borders. As we headed straight up, I felt my stomach drop to the floor. The ride seemed endless as I watched the numbers rise. The numbers lit up one by one as we passed each floor. The thirtieth floor couldn’t come fast enough for me.

“Here’s our floor,” Caleb sounded so excited.

The mere sound of the music lifted our spirits as we anxiously walked through the Grand View Room. What a view! The back wall was completely covered in glass from floor to ceiling. You could see all the vibrant lights reflecting from buildings, streets, and moving objects below. I felt like I was inside a rainbow, admiring the beauty from afar. What was even more amazing was the height of the ceiling. I had to tilt my head way back to get the full view.

“Wow! Look at this place,” Vivian said.

Before I had a chance to look for my friends, Kristina and Maggie rushed up to give me a hug. Then they eyed Caleb, Davin, and Vivian.

“These are my cousins.” I lied. They couldn’t stop staring. “Heelllooo,” I said, waving my hand in front of their eyes.

“Oh…hi,” Kristina finally spoke, her eyes still glued to their faces. Then she gave me a questioning look as to who they were and what they were doing here.

As I led the way across the dance floor, which was in the middle of the room, I turned to Kristina and whispered, “I thought they could just blend in. Let’s hurry. I didn’t ask Ryan.”

“You never told me you had cousins,” Kristina whispered.

“You never asked,” I whispered back.

“You never told me you were bringing them,” Kristina whispered again.

“I didn’t have a chance. They showed up unexpectedly,” I said.

“Oh,” she said quickly.

Feeling bad for coming empty-handed, I asked, “How big is Ryan’s gift?”

“I got him a gift card. Don’t worry, I already signed your name on the card. I didn’t think you would mind.”

“Are you kidding? I appreciate it. I’ll pay you back.”

“Don’t worry. I know where you live,” she teased.

As I laughed, Maggie spoke, “Right here. Here’s our table.”

We found our seats and sat for a while, just enjoying the music and the ambiance, when a waitress walked by. “Would you like anything to drink?” she asked, smiling and batting her eyelashes at Davin.

“No, thanks,” Davin replied. “Perhaps the ladies,” he said, waiting for us to respond.

“We already have our drinks, thank you,” Maggie replied.

“Some water, please,” I said. Suddenly, my throat felt dry.

When I saw Ryan, he was surrounded by his basketball team friends, along with a bunch of girls. I decided to stay hidden as long as I could.

“So, which school do you go to?” Kristina asked my so-called cousins.

I nearly flipped. I hadn’t anticipated my friends would ask questions. Davin, Caleb, and Vivian looked at me with uncertainty. I interjected quickly, “They go to a private school called The Guardian.” As soon as I spoke, I could’ve kicked myself. Couldn’t I have thought of a better name?

“Oh,” Kristina said.

“Where is that school located?” Maggie asked.

Shoot! Why does Maggie have to be so nosey tonight? “Not too far from downtown. On a street called Crossroads,” I replied quickly, not thinking about what I was saying. Knowing they would ask more questions, I had to think fast, or I would be caught in a tunnel of lies. As I was thinking of what to do or say, I saw Davin swaying to the music. “Ask Kristina to dance,” I whispered in his ear.

He smiled, nodded, and turned his face toward her. “Kristina, would you like to dance?”

Kristina looked surprised. “Are you asking me?”

“Your name is Kristina, right?”

Still stunned, she replied, “Yeah…sorry…sure.” She stood up, smiling.

Then Davin whispered to me, “Stay right here, and don’t move.” He turned to his friends. “Don’t leave her sight.”

Although I’d rather be sitting than dancing, I saw the look on Vivian and Caleb’s faces. They looked like they wanted to join in the fun too. Hesitantly, I said, “Let’s all dance together.”

Davin took Kristina’s hand. We walked to the dance floor and danced together in a circle. I spotted Ryan again and gave him a birthday hug. I was hoping to distract him from noticing my guests, but he was slightly buzzed and was unable to tell who was who. I wondered how he got an alcoholic drink. As I looked around, I saw that everybody was enjoying themselves. I could feel the vibrations from the bass of the music. I had forgotten who I was as we danced late into the night. It was so nice to see Caleb, Davin, and Vivian having such a great time along with my friends. What a perfect view. What a perfect place. What a perfect night. Although it would have been more perfect with Michael here.

Suddenly the loudness of the music dimmed as the DJ announced that it would be a couples’ song. As we all headed toward our table, Kristina’s eyes were locked to something or someone behind me.

“Kristina?” I questioned.

She didn’t respond. Before I even had the chance to see who she was looking at, I saw Davin and Caleb take a few steps back. Suddenly, my heart stopped completely, out of fear, until I heard his voice.

“May I have this dance?” he asked gently.

I froze. “Michael,” I whispered his name, while my back was still to him.

I was afraid to turn around to look him in the eyes. As I slowly turned, I was awestruck to see him looking so debonair, dressed in black slacks and a royal blue dress shirt. I had simply died and gone to Heaven. Still stunned to see him, I couldn’t move or speak. Michael led me to the dance floor, guided my arms around his shoulders, and placed his arms around my waist as we swayed to the music. I placed my head on his chest, listening to the lyrics. “Are you really here tonight or are you just a dream? Out of nowhere you appeared and captured my heart. I surrender all my love to you. Give me forever. That’s all I ask.”

“This is surprising. You haven’t asked me one question. Lost your words tonight?”

“I’m sorry,” I said apologetically, waiting for him to lecture me.

“I should be extremely mad at you, but you look so beautiful that it is me who is lost for words.”

He pulled me back and our eyes met. He gave me that killer smile as he spun me around. He made my heart flutter every time he smiled. He pulled me gently closer to him, and our eyes locked again. We couldn’t keep our eyes off each other.

“Your eyes are twinkling,” he said.

“They twinkle because they love what they see,” I said, flirting and relieved at the thought that he wasn’t mad.

He smiled again. “Promise me,” he said, in a serious tone, as we still swayed to the music.

“It all depends on what you’re asking me to promise,” I answered.

“Promise me that next time you’ll do as I ask. I’m only concerned about your safety.”

I knew I was guilty, and he had every right to be mad at me. “Sorry, next time I’ll do better. Please don’t be mad at your friends, and especially at Davin. I’m the one who wanted to come, and they followed me to keep me safe as you instructed.”

“For tonight,” he said.

“How did you know I was here?” I asked apprehensively.

“Vivian told me before she left to join you.”

“That’s why you are dressed up. You knew I was going to a dance?”

“Yes,” he confessed.

As I was thinking that I was worried about nothing, we were suddenly bumped by someone.

“Excuseese ve,” he slurred.

It was Ryan.

“Wee seeee…you got new voyfriend,” he slurred again, almost falling down. Effortlessly Michael held him up.

Ryan almost fell again as he shoved Michael, but Michael didn’t even budge. Ryan tilted his head upward to meet Michael’s eye’s. Ryan’s eyes were filled with anger, and then curiosity. “You suuupeman or…sommiving?” he asked, giving a dirty look. Ryan didn’t wait for a response from Michael, and instead, turned to me. “Do I vet a bir-birday kiss?” He closed his eyes and puckered up.

“Ryan, you’re drunk. Happy birthday,” I said and started to walk away, when Ryan grabbed me and swung me around to face him. I wondered how he even got drunk since alcohol was prohibited at the party.

Michael grabbed Ryan’s wrist to free me and commanded, “Don’t you ever touch her again.”

Ryan fell to his knees from the pain of Michael’s grip, and that’s when his friends huddled behind him.

I gave Michael a look to let him know I was fine, and he let go of Ryan’s wrist. “He’s drunk and won’t remember a thing tomorrow morning,” I said loud enough for his friends to hear.

“You stink like hell,” Michael said angrily to Ryan.

“Let’s go, Ryan,” Jake said and pulled him away. Jake turned to me. “Sorry, Claudia. You know how he can get. He still cares for you.”