Warriors of Poseidon 01 - Atlantis Rising

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    "You know the human police and soldiers will protect the Primus, as well. It's an official house of Congress," Justice said from a dark corner of the room. Riley hadn't even known he was back there. She had a sudden insight that he lived much of his life in dark corners.
     
    Another thing to think about later.
     
    "That's why Daniel is taking us in through the underground passage," Quinn replied, looking anywhere but at Alaric. "We may have to fight our way through some of Barrabas's blood pride to get to him, though. Daniel did warn us of that."
     
    "To the Primus, then. We will retrieve the Trident, and teach these vampires a lesson in interfering with humanity or with the Warriors of Poseidon," Conlan said, voice ringing through the room. "A lesson that is some two thousand years overdue."
     
    "Amen to that," Riley said fervently. Then she put her mug down and touched one hand to the silver cross around her neck. "And may God watch over us."
     
    Then she thought of the mark on her back. "All of the gods."

Chapter 37
    "It's unlocked. Just like he promised," Quinn whispered, as she opened the door that had been hidden behind a wall of cleaning products in the basement janitorial closet of a shabby office building. Conlan nodded, gestured to Ven that the two brothers would take point down the dark corridor.
     
    From behind him, Jack let out a low rumbling roar. "I don't think so. I'm not putting my men in danger—I'm not putting Quinn in danger—unless I'm in the front row at the party, boys."
     
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    Conlan paused, nodded. "Join us, then, tiger. But this mission is under my command, as the future of my realm depends upon it. If you cannot agree to that, you will remain behind."
     
    The shapeshifter's eyes glowed a fierce golden color. "Who's gonna stop me?"
     
    Alaric waved a hand, almost nonchalant. "That would be me." The priest walked to stand in front of the shapeshifter, who was frozen in place, unable even to speak.
     
    "Even at the dawning of the full moon's eve, my power exceeds yours. Do you challenge me, or do you work with us?" His voice was bored, as if the enormous weretiger were of no consequence.
     
    But Jack must have made some kind of signal, because Alaric spoke a single word and released him.
     
    Jack rolled his shoulders, not looking at all pleased. But he acquiesced. "Yeah, I'll go along with your command, Conlan. As long as nothing you do puts Quinn in danger, I'm your man. For this one mission, at least."
     
    Conlan bared his teeth in a grimace. "If you think that I would allow either Riley or her sister to be harmed, you seriously underestimate me," he snarled. "And nobody who underestimates me usually lives long enough to regret it."
     
    "If we're done with the pissing contest, let's go," Quinn said, reaching out for Riley with one hand and pulling a very deadly looking gun out of her pocket with the other. "People to meet, vamps to blow away, et cetera, et cetera…"
     
    Conlan stopped, stepped close to Riley. "You stay behind us, do you hear me? You point that gun at anything undead that moves, and you stay out of danger. Promise me that."
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    "But—"
     
    "Promise me, or I call it off now, and we'll go live on a farm in Iowa or something.
    Atlantis be damned."
     
    She managed a shaky smile. "I'm allergic to cow poop. I promise."
     
    He nodded, and took the first step down the corridor. The first step leading Riley into danger. The hardest step he'd ever taken.
     
    As Quinn had predicted, three vamps guarded the corridor at about the midway point.
    Conlan channeled water and shot a horizontal wall of ice at them, decapitating them before they had time to sound any alarm.
     
    Jack let out a low whistle. "Nice trick, prince. I'm glad to have you on my team. This is going to be a Cakewalk."
     
    "There will be more than three, tiger. Don't grow too complacent." Conlan moved further along the dark corridor, searching for any crack of light that would indicate an opening.
    Another hundred or so yards down the tunnel, they came across a more heavily guarded passageway.
     
    This time, Alaric called the electric power of lightning and shot bolts of pure energy at them, incinerating five of the six. Ven's dagger caught the sixth in the heart, and it collapsed, sizzling down into nothingness.
     
    "Holy water on the blades. Works every damn