Distractions
Excerpt from King of the Tides, Tides of Atlantis
Adam
Adam stalked through his fountain room. He passed the statues of twin boys in the water that led to the Tides portal as the sounds of someone yelling met his ears. It might be weird that he’d commissioned that stone piece to look just like the one that had been in his actual palace in Atlantis, but then his whole home was a replica of Atlan. Aside from all the modern conveniences he’d added, it looked exactly the same. At the moment, though, he hated everything that reminded him of the sea god’s world. After that miserable meeting with Poseidon, Hermes, and Krav, he was determined to formulate a new plan. Now, though, he veered in the direction of the commotion.
He followed the noise to a smaller room set up with computer monitors and keyboards. He’d brought Kellan to the palace a day ago to set up a new work area where he could keep a better eye on things. When he looked in the open doorway, he nearly turned back around, but his young tech expert groaned in pain, so he stepped inside.
Kellan lay pinned down beside one of the keyboards, the side of his face smashed into the table. A leggy redhead in a black jumper dress and black converse held his head down with one hand. With the other, she had Kellan’s wrist twisted securely behind him.
Adam took in the scene. He suddenly felt extremely ancient. The term ‘too old for this shit’ didn’t do his present state of mind justice. He cleared his throat.
The redhead looked up, still holding Kellan immobile. Her eyes rounded in surprise as she took Adam in. She looked him up and down, obviously stunned. Finally, she straightened her spine in an attempt to hide her reaction. These Keeper agents were a stalwart bunch. He’d give them that.
“He didn’t believe me.” The words tumbled out of her mouth.
Adam hardened his gaze, saying nothing. But she remained unfazed.
“That I could kick his ass,” she explained, then let Kellan up.
“Miss Simms,” Adam nodded at the young woman his techie referred to as ‘the monster.’ “I hope you are comfortable in your hotel.”
He’d had Kellan make the arrangements. The Keepers’ tech agent shrugged.
“It’s not some dank viper’s abyss, at least. I can’t complain.” She answered.
Adam’s brow furrowed. These Coloradans were a strange breed. Before he could ask her what she meant, though, Kellan turned, his mouth agape.
“Viper’s abyss?”
She pushed her stylish, dark-rimmed glasses up on her nose. “Yeah, it’s from…”
“Night of the Vyper,” Kellan finished for her. Now she had the gaping mouth. “That’s a private game. How the hell are you on it?”
“What do you mean?” Agent Simms asked. “How the hell are you on it?”
“I’m one of the founding members.” Kellan nearly yelled. “Wait a minute,” he went on, “there’s only one female gamer in Vyper that I know of. At least, only one that has a girly name.”
He started mumbling to himself and tapping at his lower lip. Adam was seriously starting to worry about him.
“You’re DaisyChain!??” Kellan spat out.
The redhead rolled her eyes.
“I wasn’t just going to out my username to the world,” she huffed. “But yeah.”
Her big eyes moved from Kellan to Adam. Gods, he was about out of patience with these two. “Hang on,” she pointed a glittery, black fingernail at Kellan, “ATLDemonslayer?”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. They flashed to Adam, then back at Kellan.
“ATL… is that for…”
“No!!” Kellan yelled
“I just…” the Keepers’ tech agent blew out a breath hard enough to lift her bangs, then clucked her tongue, “… it’s pretty cool.” Kellan’s head snapped back up. “The game,” she said with a shrug. “It’s really cool.”
Adam wanted to cross the room to pop Kellan’s lower jaw shut, but resisted the urge.
“Thanks,” Kellan finally responded.
“Soooo,” Simms made a little ‘O’ with her mouth. She shifted from foot to foot, her gaze flicking over to Adam in a telling way. He figured both tech agents could do without his presence right then. More than happy to oblige, he ducked his head to hide his smirk and turned to leave. Kellan had already died of embarrassment enough today.
“I’ll be out later, Kellan. Call me on my cell if anything comes up.”
As he left, he heard Miss Simms start talking again.
“So, uh,” she said, “can you show me how to get the cobra’s diamond on level eight?”
Adam shook his head as he walked down the corridor, deeper into the palace. He didn’t even make it to his room, though, before the next disturbance in his normally quiet domicile occurred.
“Aaaagh!”
Marlowe’s battle cry rang out, unmistakable. He ran toward chaos for the second time that day, only to come up short at the entrance of his gym. Once he realized demons weren’t invading his home, he leaned into the stone archway to catch his breath and watched Marlowe and Solomon in the midst of a battle royal.
Marley
“Aaagh!!”
Marley yelled out. The wooden pole, an extension of Solomon’s gigantic arm, swung over her head with a whooshing sound, barely missing her. She ducked and rolled past the giant, then sprang to her feet to parry his attack. He came at her with a flurry of passes she defended with her own staff. The sounds of their sparring beat out a staccato rhythm that bounced off the walls of the Palace’s “home gym.”
To get her out of her mope, Solomon had led her up from Adam’s bedroom, through the circular fountain area, then down a corridor to “work out.” She hadn’t known this room even existed.
Set deep within the ancient Mediterranean style home of the Atlantean club owner, the white stone columns and carved arching doorways were where all hints of antiquity ended. The space that both Adam and Solomon used to work out in was state-of-the-art. Machines and free weights populated one third of the area. They stood off to one side. One whole wall was mirrored, but on the others hung various practice swords, knives, bars, and martial arts weapons. To Marley, the whole setup was like something out of a dream.
Solomon proved tireless. Streams of sweat ran down Marley’s body from fending him off. His fighting style mixed several disciplines of martial arts and whatever old world warfare techniques the immortal had used way back in the day. She jumped just in time, avoiding another deadly jab of his practice staff. How did he move so quick at his size?
Her newly acquired speed and strength were being put to the test, but she relished the activity. Solomon had been right. This was just what she needed to get her mind off everything.
Not giving him the chance to levy his attack, she ran at him full speed. This had been fun and all, but it was time for her to win their little match. He was bigger by far, his strength intense, but she’d been learning his rhythm while they sparred. When he brought his staff up between his hands at exactly the moment she knew he would, she cut in on his upswing and grabbed it, launching herself up and over his head. Her idea was to throw him off balance, use the element of surprise, then spin and undercut him to bring the big man down. That was the plan, anyway. Right as she pushed off into the air, though, something off in the distance caught her eye. Distracted, she missed her opportunity to tuck into a flip and went sailing across the gym. Her wrecked timing became her ruin. Instead of a tight roll through the air and perfect landing, she hurtled through space. What a time to lose focus! Momentum pushed her across the hardwood floor, skidding and flailing to a graceless stop.
Heaving in a great, gulping breath, she blinked up at the arched doorway to the gym, stars dancing in her eyes for several seconds. As they began to clear, the high ceiling came into focus. When she slid her poor bruised head back against the floor, she caught sight of black jeans and a pair of long legs standing over her. She blinked again, then Adam’s face came into view. He bent forward, planted his hands on his knees, and looked down at her. His hair fell forward, a soft, dark fringe around his gorgeous face. At that angle, the overhead lights caught his dark eyes, turning them burgundy. His perfect lips, the only soft part of his features, looked so deliciously inviting. As he hovered above her, she felt the urge to reach up and brush her fingers over them.
“Atlas,” she breathed.
“Agent.”
She froze in place, struck by how incredible he looked. For just a moment, all the chaos of the last few weeks drifted off into the distance. He took up every bit of her awareness. She panted from exertion, but also something else now, as her whole body came alive at the mere sight of him. Wow, you would think Solomon’s ‘no survivors’ workout sesh would have depleted all her energy. How was it that Adam coming into her space so suddenly sent little white-hot sparks of desire shooting through her, driving her to move, to touch, to… do something. Say something! Geez, she was lying there staring at him like an idiot. The corners of his lips lifted up.
“Hi,” she chirped.
For someone known for her one liners, that came in pretty weak. It didn’t matter though, because his smile grew full-blown—perfect teeth with a hint of fang. Marley melted into the gym floor.
“Hello,” he said, stepping around her to offer her his hand.
She grasped it, heat singeing her palm from his touch. The feeling bounced around her nerve endings, hitting every erogenous zone her body possessed. He pulled her up between his legs to stand in front of him, so close her nose nearly bumped into his chest. God, he smelled amazing! She probably reeked.
“She needs to work on her air game.” Solomon’s deep voice rumbled nearby.
Adam and Marley both turned to watch as he walked past them, through the doorway, his gym bag slung over one shoulder.
“W-wait,” Marley stuttered, “you’re leaving?”
The giant nodded one time.
“Yes, before I lose my impeccable record.” He winked at her.
“Impeccable my ass,” Adam muttered. “I’ve beaten you many times.”
Solomon didn’t halt in his exit. As he walked off, though, his enormous hand lifted to give Adam the finger. Adam’s head shook side to side and Marley couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up and out of her. Adam turned, his eyes warm with humor. It took her breath away. They stood there staring at one another; the silence growing more awkward by the second. She didn’t know what to say. They stood so close they shared the same air, each breath bringing them closer. The energy between them sizzled.
“Marlowe,” he said, the sound of her name on his lips vibrating through her, searing through to her middle.
She made a small pained noise, then slanted her face away from him, trying to deny her attraction. She shouldn’t be feeling desire right now.
His hand came up to her chin. He pulled her gaze back to his. “You don’t always have to fight, you know?”
Marley blinked. Then she allowed that simmer between them to cut through all the fighting and defying and just let go. His large hand spanned her upper back, pulling her closer. Her head fell back as his lips came down on hers.
To read Adam and Marlowe’s full adventure, you can find King of the Tides, Tides of Atlantis here.