Warriors of Poseidon 02 - Atlantis Awakening

face, but it was as forbidding as it had been before, so she decided to ignore the hair touching and turned toward Alaric. "Sorry about that. Private joke. Okay, what is the plan and when do we leave?"
     
    Ven's voice was quiet, but filled with harsh command. "Wedon't leave. You're not going anywhere. Caligula is after you, for whatever reason, and you're not going anywhere near him until after we neutralize him and his entire blood pride."
     
    She yanked her head away from his hand and stood up.
     
    "Don't give me orders. Caligula has my sister, and I am most definitely going alter him.
    For one thing, I am a pretty strong witch. I'll be able to help neutralize any witches he has working for him."
     
    He raised his voice, but only said one word. "No."
     
    She ignored him and went on. "The second reason is obvious. He wants me. Use me as bait."
     
    Ven stood up and yanked her around to face him, fury raging in his eyes. "There is no fucking way you are putting yourself in danger, do you hear me? If I have to personally chain you to my bed, I'll do it to keep you away from that monster."
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
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    She tried to pull away, but his grip was too powerful, so she settled for kicking him in the shin. "Who is the monster? You told me you were! And just because you want to fuck me doesn't mean you have the right to keep me prisoner, chained to your bed or otherwise, you sick pervert!"
     
    The tense silence that fell over the room reminded her that the two of them weren't alone, and she groaned, waves of mortification washing over her.
     
    Conlan's voice sliced through the tension. "Put her down, Ven. Now. You have no right, as she says. Not this way, brother."
     
    Ven actually snarled at his brother and prince, but he released his grip on Erin's shoulders and she staggered away from him. "How dare you talk to me of rights?" He shot the words at Conlan. "You know the power of the soul-meld. Think back to how you were with Riley when you first met and she was in danger."
     
    Alaric raised his hands, palms up, identical glowing blue balls of power shimmering on them. "I will gladly blast you up against the wall if you need to be taught a lesson in free will," he said.
     
    "Try it, priest," Ven growled. "You're pathetic. You had Quinn in your arms and you let her go, and now you suffer every day because of it. Don't think I'll make your foolish mistakes."
     
    Alaric's eyes glowed a fierce emerald green, and he hurled the balls of power at Ven, almost faster than Erin's eyes could track.
     
    Almost.
     
    She flung herself forward, between Ven and Alaric, and raised a shield more quickly than she'd ever done. The glowing spheres bounced off her shield and winked out of Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
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    existence, and she lowered her hands and released her shield. "I don't need your help either, Alaric, so back off."
     
    Ignoring Ven and the priest, she turned to Conlan and bowed. "Your Highness, you told me to ask for any favor. Well, I don't want the crown jewels or my own beachfront Atlantean cottage or even the new car behind door number three. All I ask is that you send some of your warriors to help me rescue my sister and destroy Caligula."
     
    She drew a deep breath and tried to stop her knees and hands from shaking. "If you can't do that, then I ask only that you send me home and leave me alone. Because if you reward me for helping your wife and child by letting your brother keep me prisoner, well…" She paused, trying to think of an elegant way to put it, but came up empty.
    "Well, that's a pretty crappy way for a future king to act."
     
    "Guess she told you, your princeliness," came a mocking voice from near the Temple doorway.
     
    Erin whirled around to see Justice standing there, leaning against the wall, ever-present sword rising over his shoulder.
     
    He leapt lightly down the stairs and strode toward them. "There's something else you might want to know before you go getting all kingly one way or another," he added, steering clear of Ven to head toward Conlan. Once there, he stopped and looked at each of them in turn, going for the dramatic pause, probably.
     
    But Erin didn't have the energy to appreciate his showmanship, because something entirely unexpected was happening to her. The amber on her fingers had started shrieking out a shrill warning to her from the moment Justice began to walk toward them. Now it