Warriors of Poseidon 01 - Atlantis Rising

eat all that food. It probably took a zillion calories a day to feed each one of them. She closed her eyes for a moment, reaching inward to be sure her titanium-door emotional shields were firmly in place. She didn't want a repeat of the night before.
     
    Almost to a man, they all shot up to attention and stared at her, most of them grasping the handles of the daggers they wore.
     
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    Would you like some coffee with your instruments of death? She covered her mouth to try to stop it, but she had an insane urge to laugh. Stress giggles, Quinn called it.
    Except Quinn rarely got them.
     
    Riley always did.
     
    She tightened her hold on Conlan's hand and lifted her chin to face them, the flash of hysteria draining away at the sight of the deadly intent on their faces.
     
    "This is Riley Elisabeth Dawson," Conlan said. "She is aknasha, and she is welcome among us. Please accord her all courtesy.
     
    "Riley, let me introduce my warriors. These are the Seven, my most trusted comrades.
    You know Ven, of course," Conlan said, gesturing to his brother.
     
    "Ah, yes, the classic movie buff," she said, smiling. "Steve McQueen rocks.'"
     
    Ven grinned at her from across the room, holding up a half-eaten bagel in salute. "You are clearly a superior judge of films, Lady Sunshine."
     
    Conlan continued. "Lord Justice."
     
    The one with the long braid of blue hair and the sword, still strapped to his back, nodded, unsmiling. She nodded in return. The man would be drop-dead gorgeous if he ever smiled. She glanced at the sword. Maybe he preferred just being drop-dead.
     
    "Bastien."
     
    The giant leaning against the far wall, a doughnut box clutched in his huge hand, smiled at her. "My pleasure, Lady Riley. Anybody brave enough to jump on top of a bloodsucker, unarmed, to defend my prince is golden with me."
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    She felt her cheeks heat up again, all the way to the tips of her ears. "Just Riley, please.
    And thank you. It was maybe more stupid than brave, though."
     
    Another warrior, with an easy smile and a mischievous look to him, bowed. "Christophe, my lady. And most of battle is more stupid than brave, is it not? 'Tis why men wage it, not women."
     
    His bright blue eyes gleamed with humor. "I'd be honored to share my breakfast with you, lovely one, aknasha or no."
     
    Conlan growled, low in his throat, but with such resonance that it reverberated through the room. "Stay away from her, Christophe. You'll play none of your wooing games with her."
     
    Riley rolled her eyes and yanked her hand out of his. "Wooing games? You're talking like Lancelot again. And I never liked Lancelot. Smarmy, underhanded guy."
     
    Ven started laughing. "Oh, that did it. You're a Steve McQueen fan, and you just smacked high prince big britches down. My heart is yours forever."
     
    Riley grinned, inexplicably feeling incredibly safe surrounded by a couple thousand pounds of Atlantean warriors.
     
    Conlan growled again and took her hand back. "As I was saying, the one who thinks he's a ladies' man is Christophe, and this is Alexios."
     
    A man who stood in the corner, half behind a bookcase, nodded his head to her and bowed slightly, but didn't speak. When he lifted his head, she caught sight of ferocious scarring on his face, but he quickly ducked his head so that his amazing golden hair covered it. The morning light from the window lit up his mane of hair like a crown.
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    She blurted out what she was thinking. "Wow. Movie stars would pay a fortune to have hair like that. You are so lucky."
     
    Alexios lifted his head again, eyes narrowed, mouth flattened in a grimace. His scars showed up in harsh relief in the sunlight. "Lucky? Perhaps once, long ago. You'd do well to remain far from me and my version of luck."
     
    She recognized the pain in his eyes and, almost without thinking, dropped her shields a fraction and reached out to him.
     
    Then jerked back so hard she slammed her back into the wall. "No, no, I'm… I'm so sorry," she whispered.
     
    She crashed her mental shields back down. "I am sorry for your pain and your loss, Alexios" she said, her voice gaining strength. "Please don't give up hope, though. There is always a chance of a better tomorrow."
     
    "Stay out of my emotions, empath" the warrior growled. "You invade my