Warriors of Poseidon 02 - Atlantis Awakening

company."
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
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    As he took the bag and rummaged around in it, Alexios stepped up and stood at an angle to her and gravely nodded his head. The swirling gold in his hair reminded her of some movie star whose name she couldn't remember. But then he raised his head and looked at her, and the edge of danger in his golden eyes reminded her of the fiercest of predators.
     
    She glanced involuntarily at Ven. Well, maybe not the fiercest predator. Tigers and lions and Atlanteans, oh my.
     
    "You bring us honor by your presence, gem singer," Alexios said, his voice a low rumble. "We will do our best to assist you in destroying the foul scourge Caligula."
     
    She blinked at the formal language, but before she could respond, Justice laughed.
    "Don't mind Alexios and Denal, they always drop back into formal speak in the presence of great beauty."
     
    "Or really great pastries," Denal chimed in, then shoved half a croissant in his mouth.
     
    Alexios swung his head toward Justice, eyes narrowing, and Erin caught sight of the hideous scarring on the side of his face. "Oh, dear Goddess," she whispered. "What unholy creature could do that to a living being?"
     
    Alexios whirled away from her and strode to a position against the wall farthest from her. "The unholiest of creatures, my lady," he said, ducking his head so his hair swung in front of his face. "Anubisa, the vampire goddess of chaos and the night."
     
    Ven handed one of the cups of coffee to Alexios, then turned to Erin. "Anubisa and Caligula were great pals, before we destroyed her. We have powerful reasons to hate Caligula, Erin. We've run into him many times over the past two thousand years, but somehow he always sacrifices the minions of his blood pride to us and manages to escape."
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
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    As always, the mere sound of the vampire's name drove steel spikes into her temples.
    "Nobody wants him permanently dead more than I do, Ven. Especially after what I learned just last night."
     
    "Yeah, I learned a few things, too. The most important is that Caligula is after you, personally, for some reason." Ven filled her in on what Daniel had told him. "Any idea why? Or any ideas on who those witches were?"
     
    A chill shivered down her spine at the idea that Caligula wanted her. "Maybe he wants a matched set," she said bitterly.
     
    Ven pulled a table chair out for her and handed her one of the cups of coffee. "You look like a strong sea breeze would blow you away, Erin. Sit down and drink some coffee and tell us about it. Also, you mentioned a tragedy?" The compassion in his voice nearly undid the strong defenses she'd built up against the sorrow. Against the pain.
     
    She accepted the chair, she accepted the coffee, but she flatly rejected the sympathy.
    "Yes. The tragedy. If that word—or any—could come close to describing the night Caligula murdered my mother and sisters."
     
    Alexios slammed a fist against the wall, and she flinched from the sound. "He has much to answer for; far too many mothers and sisters have died at his hand," he growled.
     
    Ven said nothing, merely kneeled in front of her. "We will avenge your loss, Erin Connors. You may take that as my solemn vow. We will slice Caligula's head from his body and salt the ground where his bones dissolve into the slime that withers his soul."
     
    She stared into Ven's eyes, wondering when she'd become a woman who wanted to stand up and cheer at the idea of bloody violence. Wondering how she would react when the specter of grim death stared back at her through her beloved sister's eyes.
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    She reached out to touch his face, and the emeralds on her fingers called out to her, a seductive siren's call. She yanked her hand back, not yet ready to test her theory that her reaction to him the night before had been a fluke. At least not in a room full of other warriors.
     
    "There's something you all deserve to know," she said, wrapping both hands around her coffee cup. "There are… rumors… that Caligula turned my sister vampire. That may have something to do with whatever twisted reason he has for coming after me. I… I may have to face Deirdre when we find him, and I'm not sure I could bear to see her harmed."
     
    "Maybe she's a good vampire?" Denal offered, doubt apparent in his voice in spite of his words.
     
    Justice