 
Intrigue: The Night Muse Trilogy

By Stacey Rychener

Copyright 2011 Stacey Rychener

Smashwords Edition

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http://www.nightmusetrilogy.com

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Prologue

I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts. —Virgil

My dad always said, "Wars are usually fought by the young and written in history books by the old." So the world might not be ready for the history of a war to be written by a sixteen-year-old girl from Detroit, but my generation deserves to be recognized for the sacrifices we made. The only time society has taken a teenage girl's thoughts seriously in times of war is the _Diary of Anne Frank_ , and Anne died at a concentration camp at fifteen—long before her diary was ever published!

In mythology, Calliope was the most powerful Muse in the Greek Pantheon. Muses provided the entertainment kinda like modern day soap operas with some musical numbers for the Greek gods and goddesses. I am the modern day Calliope, so it makes sense that I am the one that gets to tell you the tale of the battles, betrayal, intrigue, and some sappy love stuff during the War for Detroit. I have chronicled all the behind the scenes scoops and dirt that you never see or hear about in those dry old history books, and I even included field logs from an actual Greek god!

I am writing this history in present day Detroit where the War has come to an end for now. But in the summer of 2007, I was drawn into the battle between the three most powerful Olympians in Greek Mythology—Apollo (God of Truth and Prophecy), Hermes (Messenger of the Gods and Protector of Humans), and Ares (God of Warfare and Bloodlust). And now I am giving you a front row seat to history.

Battleground

Most people think the crash of the American auto industry caused Detroit and its economy to come grinding to a halt. In the 1990's, President Clinton gave 1.5 billion to the American auto industry (Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles). GM, Ford, and Chrysler all created cars that got over 70 mpg (GM: 80 mpg Precept, Ford: 72 mpg Prodigy, and Chrysler: 72 mpg ESX-3). The Big 3 chose not to make the cars because only granola eating hippies would buy them. Instead, they decided to make bigger, more gas guzzling SUVs--some of which couldn't even fit into your average garage! So Japan beat Detroit to the market, oil became expensive, and the Big 3 and Detroit started their descent into chaos.

In 2007, Detroit had over 80,000 abandoned lots and buildings that were the palaces, playgrounds, and cathedrals for its immortals. And its prey, humans, all the more accessible because these abandoned buildings had become the flame for its moths of ravers, vandals, scavengers, and urban explorers. You would think that the frontline in a war between the immortals and humans would happen in a place a lot more glamorous like Paris or vital like New York, but the chaos, gloom, and the indoor abandoned reality of Detroit was like a lodestone for these creatures.... kinda like an IMAX for immortals.

Immortal Lore

Most of what I thought I knew about immortals and vampires was learned through books and movies. So I am going to clarify some basic facts about immortals and vampyre (not vampire) before we get started.

Several books and movies actually got a few detail right like:

-Most immortals are hot and somewhat arrogant with a clique-like hierarchy.

Sometimes they got details sorta right:

-Vampyre _do not_ need to kill to drink blood, usually they only need to take about 1 pint of blood about once a week.

Sometimes they were way off:

-Immortals and vampyre _do not_ burn up in the sun; Their skills and entertainment are best cloaked in night so they generally like to sleep during the day, kinda like college students.

The rest of what I have learned about the immortals will be shared through my narrative, so you are just going to have to read on.

Hermes Field Log: July 2007

I have been observing my new Aegis, Calli, for over a month now, and I am still unclear as to why Apollo wants me guarding her. Her father is a fireman; she has a black belt in karate; she has only engaged a one high-risk behavior that I have observed. She attended an Urban Underground Rave that our kind sponsors, which has to be where Apollo saw her. The chaos and strife in Detroit has dramatically increased since Ares has turned the abandoned Tiger Stadium into his own personal Coliseum. The body count for the young adults of Detroit is climbing and soon Detroit's citizens will start to take notice. As the Protector of Humans, I have done all I can to shield them, but it has not been nearly enough with Ares as ruler. Apollo is the only one strong enough to stop the human wrecking ball that Ares has become. That is why I am granting him this personal favor and the only reason a god, such as myself, would follow around a red-haired teenage Siren. Luckily, I have only had to follow her to the mall once. My duty ends at being a mall cop. My sacred duty might be to protect her, but you can be sure it's also to find out why she's so important to Apollo. And determine if somehow, she can further my mission to protect all humans from Ares.

Chapter 1: Tics and Rattlesnakes

August 2007

My grandma always said, "You're more likely to get bit by a tic than a rattlesnake, Calli, so watch out." I just nodded at her for years like I knew exactly what she was saying. I lived in Detroit, Michigan, so we really don't have any rattlers around here. I asked her once what she meant and she said, "It's the little things, that we are _not_ scared of that are more likely to bite you in the ass and cause major problems down the road." My tic bite happened on an ordinary Tuesday when the sensei of our dojo announced that we needed to welcome a new student to our karate class. He introduced him as Rafe Something-I-Didn't-Catch because I was too busy: 1) staring at a fantabulous model of the male species and 2) letting my mouth drop open. Unfortunately, the next moment I was actually coherent, I heard my boyfriend, Thrace, remark on my drooling. I had to admit that Rafe sent my eyesight into overload, which must have disabled my hearing. He was 6 feet tall with golden brown hair, piercing hazel eyes, and even white teeth when he finally gave us a mischievous smile. He was _a hottie tottie with_ _a naughty karate body_ (I actually learned that one from the Urban Dictionary). It was only when Thrace not so subtly stepped on my foot that I regained my senses, and I realized that I should be starting my warm-ups.

Sensei Magisawa put us through our paces as Rafe quietly observed us, throwing in a small smile for the females in the class. As the lesson progressed, I could almost feel every time his eyes were on me. It took massive concentration to execute my kihon (basic techniques) and kata (form) with my typical precision. My sensei has always remarked that much like a chess player—I have a gift for anticipating my opponent's attack and countering it with the perfect move(s). It helped that I run three miles every day to keep my endurance up. Also, so I could eat chocolate and drink Mt. Dew without resorting to Plan A (Anorexia) or Plan B (Bulimia).

As class let out and we executed our traditional bow to our sensei, there was a slight change from the norm because students either wanted to meet the new guy or talk about the new guy. I was stopped as I headed to the locker room by my friends who wanted to gossip over this unexpected turn of events that led us to such interesting eye candy. Jazmine (Jazz), also a junior at my school, remarked that she was going to offer to practice with Rafe; whereas Keyana (Key) believed that asking for private tutoring from Rafe might be within her budget. I noticed both girls and myself chose to talk about Rafe rather than going to meet him as we headed to the locker room.

I just smiled at their remarks as I changed in the locker room until they asked me a direct question, "So Calli, what do you think?"

I responded in my typical dry manner by saying, "I think I have a boyfriend that is pretty much going to be watching me like a hawk after my gawking today."

We finished packing up and headed out of the locker room. There stood Thrace ready to escort me out of class. Key smirked and instead of saying goodbye remarked, "I see what you mean."

Thrace looked perplexed and of course asked, "What was that about?" But before I could answer, Rafe approached us and announced that the sensei suggested he set up a time to spar with each of us. Both Key and Jazz looked delighted and immediately asked for the time directly after our next 2 practices. I, on the other hand, quietly asked Rafe if he could do a morning time.

He set our time for the next morning at 7am and said in a charming tone, "See you tomorrow morning Calli." He walked away amid Jazz and Key fanning themselves while Thrace frowned at Rafe's back as he left.

Jazz remarked, "The back view is almost as good as the front view."

Thrace said with a slight snarl, "Respect yourself much?"

Jazz laughingly replied, "Oh, I'll show him plenty of respect."

Thrace just rolled his eyes and asked if I was ready to go. Jazz smirked at him and said, "Good luck with that one on the way home and have a nice practice tomorrow morning—we want details!"

Thrace hustled me out to his car in silence. Once he started his old Mustang, his interrogation began. "So it appears I might have some competition..."

I raised exactly one eyebrow at him and remarked innocently, "For what?"

Thrace snorted and replied, "Your favorite eye candy."

I smirked and stated with absolute truth, "Babe, you know my favorite eye candy has always been Shemar Moore!"

Thrace rolled his eyes and laughed then revised his claim to be my 2nd favorite and most accessible eye candy. As far as my most accessible eye candy goes, Thrace was speaking the gospel truth. Thrace was _definitely_ a hottie in the prep school boy way with his curly blonde hair, blue eyes, and athletic frame. I had a _huge_ crush on Thrace for pretty much my whole life. But, I was always like his little sister until about six months ago when the rest of my body caught up to my giraffe like legs. He had just broken up with his girl of the month when Jazz and Key helped me form a game plan. Key took me to her hair stylist that managed to tame and straighten my auburn locks. Jazz took me shopping for clothes that didn't "hide" the fact that I had boobs. And mom pitched in with contacts, so Thrace could actually see my blue-green eyes without my retro glasses. Miraculously, my transformation prompted Thrace to ask me out, which delighted both our families. The awkward girl got the fairy tale, but they don't ever tell you what happens after Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, and Belle got the Prince.

I was distracted as Thrace fired his next question, "So I take it you and the other tarts are warm for Hermes form?"

My mouth dropped opened as I said, "Who?"

Thrace just shook his head and said, "The new guy!"

"Oh, I didn't catch his last name," I stuttered out.

Luckily, we were about to my house, so I only had to listen to a short tirade on the unknown skill of 'the new guy.'

Unfortunately at that moment, I suffered from Foot-in-Mouth Disease as I commented, "Well, I guess I will find out how good he is tomorrow."

Thrace's eyes widened as he pulled into my drive, and his mouth hung open as he stammered, "Maybe I should drive you to your practice tomorrow morning."

I kindly reminded him that my dad always took me to the gym before heading to work. It was our father-daughter bonding thing.

"Plus, you love your extra beauty sleep," I teased.

He slowly leaned over to my seat and nuzzled my neck while he remarked, "Hey, a guy can only get so hot."

He seemed more possessive than usual, so I announced, "You know my dad's watchin us from his rifle scope, right?" He quickly scanned my house as I pulled the car door open and blew him a kiss good-bye.

I safely entered my house where my dad was calmly sitting on the couch watching ESPN. "How's my ninja today? Kick some ass, take some names?"

My mom scowled and said "Lethe Edonides, language! How can we stop Calli from swearing like a sailor if you keep using profanity in front of her?"

You knew my dad was in trouble when my mom called him by his full name. I had to admit my mom's concern was valid. I followed in dad's footsteps on the salty language. But I found a compromise that was inspired by my need to mock our school mascot. We're the Fighting Falcons. So, my favorite swear words were Flock and Eyas (Falcon). It's much more amusing when combined with other phrases like Flock Off....Flock You.... Flocker.... Eyasholes.... Jackeyas.... Eyashats and although it still annoyed my mom, she saw it as a vast improvement over my other salty vocab.

"I will admit I appreciate her attempt at creative swear words, but mostly because it keeps you from yelling at me, Mimsy," dad laughed.

I thought I had it bad with Calliope. My poor mom's given name was Mnemosyne, hence the shortened version of Mimsy. Mom just shook her head and grumbled, "There is pot roast still in the slow cooker if your dad hasn't already ate it." Mom was a huge fan of slower cookers—just throw some food in it before you leave for work, and magically it turns into a meal by the time you come home. I walked into our kitchen to pull out a paper plate and plastic wear to put my pot roast on. Since I was the one that does the dishes, I tended to use disposable dining wear as much as possible. I took my pot roast back to the living room to recount my day as I ate, which was the requirement in my family. I had mastered the art of only giving enough information to my parents, so they felt like they were informed. It was a fine line--too much information led to more interrogation and too little information leads to major snooping. Thrace believed that I had developed the rare ability to express something while revealing nothing. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that a sorcerer with laughing hazel eyes might have the ability to see beyond all my fine lines. I smiled at that whimsical thought as I finished my pot roast and parental interrogation.

Chapter 2: Mortal Combat

I woke up groggy because I set my alarm for a half hour earlier than usual to get ready to work out. I don't know why I did that. Ok. I might know why I did that, but 6:00am was too early for rational thought. I kept my outfit simple with black yoga pants and a retro Offspring tee. It was much more difficult to get my thick auburn hair to calm down after a night of restless sleep. Luckily, I didn't get any zits overnight which would have been just my luck. After some leave-in conditioner and some shine spray, I hoped my hair no longer looked like a bird's nest.

I headed downstairs just in time to see my dad coming from the kitchen with his coffee, my Mt. Dew, and Zone bar. Hello, my name is Calliope, and I am an addict. My drug is caffeine. I like my caffeine cold usually in the fountain pop variety—Mt. Dew in the morning and Diet Dr. Pepper in the afternoon. I like the ice and carbonation, but in the morning on the way to work out, I'll take what I can get. I thanked my dad for my version of breakfast as we walked to the car. He only grunted his reply. We slid into the white Taurus and headed to the YMCA. I actually started to get nervous, as we got closer. We were at the Y before I was mentally prepared. I sighed and lumbered out of the car. As we walked in and headed toward opposite locker rooms, dad announced, "Meet you back here in an hour, Calli."

I dropped my bag in any empty locker then headed to the room where we had our karate lessons. Rafe was leaning against the door looking relaxed and refreshed. I hated him. How could he look that good this early? It was not natural. I tried to reign in my resentment and grumbled, "Morning."

An amused expression crossed his face as he replied, "Morning, Sunshine."

My surliness returned as I accused, "Please tell me you're _not_ a morning person."

His wicked laugh flustered me, as he replied, "Definitely not I'm a night owl usually, but I have already run a bit this morning to get my blood flowing. Since we're probably on the clock, let the mortal combat commence."

"I hope you don't mind me taking a couple of minutes to stretch. I can't properly kick your eyas if I'm not loose," I snarked with false bravado.

He unleashed his hypnotic laugh again as I lowered myself to the floor, "Stretch all you want. I don't mind the view," he replied with amusement.

I immediately became self-conscious as he watched me closely while I warmed up. He was leaning on the wall beside the door with his arms crossed and a slight smile on his face. I got the sense that he was evaluating me as an opponent as I stretched—looking for weaknesses and areas to exploit. I think that made me more uncomfortable than if he had been checking me out. I quickly finished my warm-up, so I could get some control back. I jumped up and turned to face him. "Would you like to keep staring at me, or would you like to spar?"

He strode towards me as he remarked, "I think the Siren has a little bit of a temper. Would you like to take that aggression out on me?"

I curtly replied, "Done and done," as I executed my traditional bow. I then did something that was _totally_ out of my usual sparring style. I attacked first.

He seemed momentarily surprised at my front kick aimed at his waist, but he deftly jammed my kick and said, "No need to attack the family jewels."

"Sorry, based on your behavior, I thought I was aiming for the brains of the operation," I snarked as I recovered my balance.

I had very little time to taunt after that because he immediately went on the offensive with a roundhouse kick that I avoided. For the next 30 minutes, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. Since we hadn't sparred before, he was much harder to anticipate as well as being a much more skilled partner than I was used to. Typically, when I sparred with my partners like Thrace, it's kinda like a choreographed dance routine with each person executing familiar controlled movements and patterns. For me, this was much more like a street fight. His offense constantly kept me on defense with almost no opportunity to counter or anticipate. Attack—react... Attack—react... Attack—react... Attack—react...

Rafe sensed my exasperation. He purposely eased up his attacks and let me take the offensive lead. He seemed to want to learn both how I defended and attacked. He superbly defended the whole bag of tricks in my arsenal. He avoided, blocked, and countered, making it virtually impossible for me to land any of my moves. He was by far the best opponent I had ever faced off against; I even got the sense that he was holding back which pissed me off even more.

I was happy when I saw that it was time for this little session to come to an end. I alerted Rafe to the need for me to bolt, then executed a much more respectful bow to my talented partner, which he returned. I was a little out of breath and bright red at the end of our session, whereas Rafe barely broke a sweat—Flock! I went to grab my towel as Rafe went for his bag. He pulled out two waters and threw me one. I deftly caught it and said thanks. I wiped my bright red face, which was the norm after any physical activity. What was not usual was me being self-conscious about my bright red complexion. Now that I had my caffeine and exercise, I could properly come to the realization that I might be crushin on the new guy. FLOCK....... FLOCK......... FLOCK......... !!

As I was regretting this new revelation, Rafe was watching me curiously, "Wanna try this again same time tomorrow?"

Without even thinking, I said "Sure," then immediately wanted to kick my own eyas.

Before I could think of a way to back out of my premature articulation, he asked, "So what does one do around here for fun? I'm an Air Force base brat, but my dad just retired here after being stationed at Selfridge. Since it's summer, I haven't been able to meet a lot of friends my age. I can't believe I'm actually admitting this, but I will be glad when school starts."

I wanted to ask him a thousand questions right now, but I knew that my dad would be waiting for me, so I asked the most important question, "Where did you enroll?"

Rafe answered in a disgusted voice, "After much research, my dad chose Detroit Academy of Innovation. I'm sure the mascot has to be an atom or something. But he wants me to go into the Air Force Academy, so math and science are important. And it's suppose to be the best."

My chest tightened, and I barely found my voice as I said, "We're not the Atoms; We're the Fighting Falcons, so Fear the Bird. I go to DAI, so no mocking it until after you try it."

He seemed pleased at this turn of events and said, "You look like you have to go. Do you mind if I call you later to pick your brain?"

"Ummm...ok," I said hesitantly as I gave him my number.

He sensed my hesitation and gave me a wicked smile as he assured me, "I promise it won't be painful."

I just nodded and bolted from the room before I could get in more trouble. Dad was looking at his watch impatiently as I reached him, and he remarked, "You must have run farther than usual if you're this late and this red."

I immediately apologized and said it wouldn't happen again, as we walked to the car. He turned on his favorite morning radio show and all conversation became unnecessary. However, his words reminded me what a sweaty, red hose beast I must look like. I mentally scolded myself that I have a boyfriend that loves me red faced and all, so I really didn't need to impress anyone else.

Dad quickly dropped me off at the house, "Enjoy one of your last days of freedom." I punched him on the arm before I jumped out of the car, "Don't keep reminding me!"

I went for a run since I missed out this morning, then I headed up to the shower. As usual, I let the strong water pressure of the shower wash away all the drama of the day so far. By the time I was actually human again, it was about 10am, and I was ready for a nap. I had the house to myself because mom was at work. I snuggled under my cool cotton sheets and down comforter. Unfortunately, I should have hidden the spare key because not even an hour later, I was awoken by my boyfriend sitting on my bed already shooting questions at me, "Why is your phone off the hook?"

His question startled me awake, and I sat up in a sudden motion. I stared at Thrace for a second with a confused expression as I tried to process his question. Thrace seemed to understand the error of his ways and stroked my hair to calm me.

"Thrace, what part of breakin into my house, wakin me up, then asking why I wasn't answering your call seemed like the smart move?" I grouched, still sleepy. I laid back down and went back to my happy place where rude boyfriends do not mess with my slumber. Thrace tried a much more effective tactic with me this time, which was laying on his side with his back to me so I could snuggle up against him. Now, had dad come home and caught him, it would have been a much more painful tactic. But dad was at work and dreamland was calling me back to sleep. I woke up on my own an hour later in a much better mood, but not with better breath, so I snuck out of bed and headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth again.

I headed downstairs to make lunch for us. As I was pulling the tuna and egg salad out of the fridge to make sandwiches, I was slightly frightened at the level of happy homemaker I was displaying right now. Once I dropped the food off in the den, I went to wake up sleeping beauty. I snuck back into my room to verify that Thrace was still sleeping soundly. Then, it was time for payback. I opened my door half way then slammed my bathroom door down the hall as loud as I could, saying in my best impersonation of dad, "What the hell is Thrace doing in Calli's bed! I'm going to find my rifle!"

By the time I got into the room, Thrace was at the window ready to use my emergency exit. I smiled and said, "What the flock are you doing, Eyashat!"

There was real panic in his befuddled voice when he said, "Your dad is coming for me with a rifle."

"Payback, sweetie," I remarked as I put his hand in mine, drew him away from the window, and walked him downstairs to where lunch awaited us.

We both flopped down on the couch next to each other. Before I could grab my sandwich from the coffee table, Thrace had wrapped his arms around me from behind and positioned us both on our sides stretched out on the couch. This time he got to hold me. He seemed ready to resume his nap, but instead he said, "How did the match go this morning?"

I hesitated trying to think of the answer that would get me the least amount of hassle, "He is definitely on a whole different level than we are." I hoped by making this a we vs. him thing Thrace would feel a little more secure and a little less territorial.

"How many times did you make contact?"

I described the frustrating sparring match in detail to satisfy my slightly jealous suitor. However, I left out the exchange of phone numbers, sparring again tomorrow, and the going to our school. Parental evasion had become as natural as breathing to me, but keeping that information from Thrace didn't feel right.

Thrace gave me the best lead in. "I can't wait until it is my turn. We haven't set anything up yet, but hopefully, it's soon." Thrace announced with undisguised anticipation.

"Good luck with that. You'll have plenty of time to spar with him because he's enrolling in DAI this year," I remarked as I waited for the explosion.

"What!" Thrace yelled as he sat up suddenly and accidently knocked me off the couch.

"Hey, Sparky, settle down," I stood up and grabbed my lunch, then sat back on the end of the couch.

"When were you going to tell me this, Calli?" Thrace accused.

I took a bite of my sandwich as he said this so I could buy some time to think about my chicken or egg dilemma. Was I withholding information because of the way Thrace reacted like a jackeyas or was Thrace reacting this way because he sensed I was withholding things about Rafe? I felt like if I scolded him that I would feel guilty. However, I was not yet prepared to discuss my potential friendship with Rafe, _yet_ , because it might not pan out.

So on this rare occasion, I tried my hand at standing up for myself with Thrace. "First you are going to apologize for throwing me off the couch, then you are going to stop with the accusations and the interrogation, which I know is coming next."

He tried to interrupt me and I made the international sign for _Zip It_. "If you manage to keep a civilized tone after you apologize, I might consider letting you stay for lunch and answering your one accusation. So, how you gonna play this Tarzan? Will you stay or will you go? Your choice."

Thrace looked shocked and annoyed, but he was certainly no dummy because his tone turned apologetic as he said, "I'm sorry Calli for knocking ya off the couch and accusing you of keeping secrets. There is just something about that guy that sets warning bells off in my head."

Now it was my turn to feel guilty since I was in fact keeping secrets from him. However, as soon as I knew whether friendship was on the horizon with Rafe, I would fess up to it. I smiled at him and handed him his plate as I said, "Then, instead of trying to alienate him, I suggest you make nice."

"Why would I do that if he already drives me crazy when I haven't even had a full conversation with him?" Thrace inquired reasonably.

"You're soooo not a girl if you have to ask that question."

"Glad you noticed. Aren't you the sharpest pen in the box of pens," he said sarcastically as he started to munch on his sandwich.

"First, you seem to be wary of him because of me. So would you be more or less likely to hit on one of your friends' girlfriends?"

"Good point, so you would befriend a girl that you thought was trying to hit on me?"

"No, but I have learned to co-exist with so many of your ex-girl friends that it feels like it sometimes."

"Women are just more devious, or is it just you?"

"No, it just has become perfectly acceptable for girls to have frenemies. Notice, I don't have any, nor do I want any. Just an observation I have made over the years watching my classmates," I informed him as I chewed my sandwich with a thoughtful expression.

"Guys are more straightforward. I am just going to try to kick his ass, then we can be friends," Thrace stated with typical male logic.

"To each gender, their own devices, I suppose. What's on the agenda today?" I inquired as I finished off my sandwich and soda.

"I thought you would want as much pool time as possible. We can head over to my house and chillax."

"That sounds divine. I'll just run up and change. There is more food in the fridge if you are still hungry," I remarked because I knew Thrace too well.

"Don't mind if I do," Thrace replied as he headed to the kitchen while I went upstairs.

Chapter 3: Trouble with a Capital R

I hurried upstairs to locate my bikini, flip flops, shorts, and classic SNL More Cowbell t-shirt—most of which were on my floordrobe rather than in my closet. I changed in a minute flat and grabbed my beach bag. My beach bag contains: 4 different levels of sunscreen, 3 different types of books that all have various levels of water damage, towel, old but indestructible mp3 player, lip gloss, hair tie, water bottle, and my favorite shade of OPI nail polish: Legs Celebrate. As I went to grab my phone, I remembered who actually had my phone number. Today would be a good day to have a break from technology and leave all my worries behind.

I headed downstairs to the kitchen just as Thrace polished off the egg salad. I left a note for my parents and walked hand-in-hand with Thrace for the five blocks to his house. In less than ten minutes, I was floating my cares away in Thrace's pool. I had a freakish ability to float perfectly atop the water—no raft needed. Today, it was harder to float my cares away. There was something about how Thrace said that Rafe set off warning bells in his head that disturbed me. It was like the foreshadowing you often got in a scary movie. He definitely set off warning bells in my brain, but he also seemed familiar to me. The way we immediately started to banter was not only unusual it was unheard of for me. As aloof as I could be, I _never_ just clicked with someone new like that.

When Thrace felt that he gave me the appropriate amount of time for my floating, he cannon balled into the pool to bring me back to the present. We did some water sparring before it was time to get out and dry off for a bit. We stretched out side by side on a double lounger that Thrace bullied his parents into getting. Thrace diligently applied my sunscreen on anywhere I allowed him to get his hands on. We kissed and snuggled for a while enjoying the perfect weather and the last days of freedom. Thrace decided to take another dip in the pool to cool off while I grabbed a book to entertain me. For my light pool reading, Stephanie Plum won out today because she's describing the hot New Jersey summer as she ran around trying to catch bail jumpers and unscrew up her love life. I could sympathize.

Thrace got back, dried off, and sat down next to me. His cool body was the perfect temperature to combat the sun. I read while he listened to his iPod. It sort of reminded me of my parents. Both my parents and Thrace and I were perfectly happy sitting next to each other while doing different things. There were some couples at school that have to do absolutely everything together. If he's playing a video game, she has to play a video game or worse watch him constantly play video games. If she wanted to watch a Chic Flick, he had to watch the Chic Flick. Either scenario would drive me insane. Of course, then there was the opposite problem. They liked to watch separate things, so she gets her designated room and he gets the man cave like Thrace's parents.

Speaking of which, Thrace's mom arrived home and seemed amused to find us loafing by the pool. She announced that she thought tonight would be a perfect night to grille out and drink Sangria, although she was clear that we were only welcome to the dinner. She asked me to call my parents and get them to come over while she headed to the kitchen to see what was on the menu. I remembered that I left my phone at home so I asked Thrace, "Can I borrow your land line? I left my phone at home."

He laughed, said yes, and helped me up from our favorite spot. I called home and as usual mom picked up. I let her know the festivities planned for the evening. It was not a hard sell. My mom and Thrace's mom were co-workers and best friends. I'm fairly certain if this was the time period of most of mom's historical fiction that our parents would have had us engaged from birth. Thrace's mom, like my own, has an odd first name, Methone, so everyone just calls her Honey. They were both nurses on the same shift at an intensive care unit, and they both decided to go for their Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) license together. Nowadays, CRNAs make as much as or more than most family practice doctors! They also both ended up dating men they shouldn't have dated. In my mom's case, dad was a patient when a fire he was fighting got out of hand. Dad kept asking her out every time she walked into his room. In his words, "I chased your mom until she caught me."

In Honey's case, she fell hopelessly in love with a doctor completing his Residency on her unit. She chased him until she got pregnant, but he wasn't as good of a catch as my dad. He was sort of a workaholic with little time for any of his kids, and not a whole lot of time for his wife. Thrace's older sister was barely on speaking terms with him, and it seemed that Thrace was constantly trying to be good or bad enough so his dad would actually notice. When he was home, he was in his man cave, and even Thrace was not really allowed to go down there. Dad seemed to get along fine with Thrace's dad even though they are so different—fireman vs. doctor. The common threads of being married to women that were practically sisters and their love of Detroit sports' teams were enough to bridge the divide of education and background.

In short order, the food was all prepped and Thrace was at the grill doing brats and burgers. My mom and Honey were well into the pitcher of Sangria before the dads got home. Dad got here earlier than Thrace's dad Pierus/Russ. The dads talked sports, and the moms talked old times. Thrace and I listened to both sets of conversations and wondered how we were ever going to turn out even remotely normal. The Edonides clan headed home about 9:00 with not a care in the world.

Luckily, I was on my own when Rafe called that night. He seemed to have an endless supply of Detroit-based questions for me. I was definitely a fount of knowledge. I sorta sounded like a history professor, but it didn't seem like it scared him off. We got on the subject of karate and sparring, and that was when I brought up my boyfriend, "So when are you sparring with Thrace? He said he was looking forward to it after I told him that you kicked my eyas this morning. Of course, it might have something to do with the fact that he's slightly possessive when it comes to me. He actually wanted to come with me this morning, and he doesn't ever get up in the summer before 10."

"Ahhh. I wondered about that. Although you didn't mention anything about a boyfriend this morning," he kidded me.

"You seemed smart enough to catch on that first day. _And,_ I didn't know I had to explain my personal life to you as we were sparring. Would you like me to draw you pictures too?" I teased.

"If he is possessive about you in regards to me, does he know you gave me your number?"

"I generally dole out information on a need to know basis. I'm also very practical. The level of interrogation and information seeking rises drastically with Thrace when any member of your gender pays attention to me."

"You must be constantly interrogated by him because I would guess that most guys probably show a lot more than remote interest in you," he complimented.

The stomach flip must have caused verbal diarrhea because I babbled, "Ahhhh...Wrong! I was the ugly ducking for most of my life. I really have to wonder if Thrace's issue is an animal thing....Protecting the pride from rival lions and the fight for dominance. I think I like peacocks way of doing things. The men just display their feathers and the one that is the prettiest to the female wins."

"So you would automatically pick the prettiest one?" Rafe said in an amused tone.

"No, I just think that is a more civilized way of doing things and, the woman gets to decide who she wants—always a positive. Plus, even though I have a black belt in karate, two macho jerks physically fighting over me is not a turn on."

"A male runway show would be better than two guys fighting over the woman they love. Interesting. I'll have to remember that in the future."

"You deliberately misunderstood my words—more civilized, yes, and I get to choose. If it was violence I cared about, I would be much more intrigued with how when a female Praying Mantis gets bored with her mate she just bites his head off."

"So much for violence not being a turn on! You are a bloodthirsty wench. I feel sorry for your boyfriend."

"So do I. But once again, it's not about the violence. It's about us getting to choose our fate as well as too much Animal Planet for me," I admitted in laughing manner.

"Free will and choices for you. Next thing you know you'll want the right to vote or to get equal pay for equal work! What is the world coming to? You are lucky to live in a time and place that has granted women equality. It has not always been the case here, and many places still do not give women such freedom," Rafe stated as if it was his turn to become the history professor.

"That is true, Dr. Rafe. But I also give back to society as well. At DAI, we have our own club that focuses on volunteering. And geek that I am, they voted me President when I had to miss a meeting. It was like being the President of the Chess Club—you might as well put on your college application _President/Head Geek_. However, every DAI student is required to complete 100 volunteer hours per year, so maybe it's not _that_ bad," I said with what sounded like school pride. I needed to check if I was running a high fever as soon as I got off the phone.

"I'm already working with a volunteer group. I wonder if it would count. We document, renovate, and explore some of Detroit's abandoned real estate to try to get it certified as Historical Landmarks or torn down if they are dangerous."

"Wow. That's sounds interesting. I bet our club would be interested in helping with that," I enthused.

"Some of the buildings are amazing. The background and the events that happened in some of these places are unbelievable. Unfortunately, it's as if we could turn all of Detroit into a museum to the past sometimes. There are just so many of these beautiful old building that have fallen to complete ruin. It makes you sick," Rafe said with disgust.

"What is your group called?"

"They're called the Detroit Urban Archeologists. You can do a lot of different types of volunteer activities with them. We currently have completed over 100 historical building studies. You can help assess the current damage level as well as who owns the property, how much it's on the market for, or you can help design the buildings' websites."

"I love some of the old buildings here. My mom loves going to antique auctions, and she usually drags me along."

"Then you would fit right in with this group—mostly because they have some pretty strange characters that hang out there," he teased.

"If you think I'm strange, you should see what some of these old people have kept that is being sold after they die. I went to one auction where the person had to be obsessed with silverware. They had 50 sets of antique-boxed silverware. But they also had about 50 other cardboard boxes that had at least 100 pounds of regular silverware. Sometimes, it is pretty sad to see someone's whole life's possession sitting outside their house being bid on by strangers."

"Sometimes it's sad? Aren't you the Queen of Understatement. It sounds almost morbid, and you do this for fun?" Rafe sounded skeptical.

"Yes, you always find the weirdest and wildest things at these estate auctions. And everything has a story behind it. Then, you get to bid against someone, and pit your will against their will."

"You're an old soul, Calli," he mused with affection in his voice.

"My grandma always said that, and I still don't know what it means. Care to explain?" I remarked inquisitively.

Rafe hesitated for a second before he said, "No, you'll figure it out someday if you are truly a geek."

"Excuse me. Did you just mock me? You really feel comfortable enough to mock me. Really....."

"Calli, I'm guessing that very few of your friends call you on your antics. I promise you, I _will_ be one of them."

"Wow. What an incentive to pursue a friendship with you. What other sterling attributes do you bring to the friendship table?" I mocked this time.

Rafe was silent for a second before he really sold me with, "Well, I can kick your eyas in karate. I can beat you on every test and quiz in school. I can outrun you. I can outdo you in the use of sarcasm and vocabulary, and I have the prettiest display of feathers in the Detroit area." Then he laughed in a deeply suggestive way that got my heart rate accelerating.

I couldn't help it. I laughed too! When our amusement ceased, I finally said, "Vain much? You know, guys that act like they're god's gift to women are really a turn off."

"Can't have it both ways, Calliope. You either want to choose the guy with the prettiest feathers or you don't."

"I'm sorry, were you still talking?" I countered back.

"Ah. Evasion. I think you are particularly good at that skill," he speculated.

"As stimulating as this conversation has been, I'm gonna have to get some rest so I can kick your eyas tomorrow morning. So, good night, Mr. Vain."

"And she retreats. Good night, Calli."

Oh, I'm in Trouble. I remembered the wise words of _Harold Hill_ from _The Music Man_ (I am a show tunes freak, deal), as he thought trouble in something that started with P. He was only a couple letters off because trouble in my life started and ended with R for Rafe.

Chapter 4: Plane Friends

I was my bright and perky self when I headed into the gym after my dad pointedly told me not to be late this morning. Rafe seemed to be stretching when I came in, and I immediately started doing the same after a grumbled hello. We stretched in companionable silence. I finally felt sufficiently warmed up after stealthily checking him out about a dozen times. We started our kihon and kata, and I announced, "You can't make me late today by grilling me with your questions."

"Hello. Good Morning. How are you? These are all polite ways to start out conversations. Calli, were you perhaps raised by wolves?"

Well, I can't say I wasn't warned. He did say he would call me on my antics. I replied with just a tinge of guilt in my voice, "I did say hello when I walked in."

"No. I think you might have growled something. A greeting, it was not. Of course, it was followed by the world's most civil conversation openers: an accusation. I am sure your mother taught you better manners than that."

I paled a little. He was right that my mom had taught me better, but to admit I was wrong this early in the morning was not going to happen. I finally said, "I didn't accuse you. I just said I can't be late. _And_ this is my early morning personality; either accept me for who I am or don't be around me this early."

"First, you did say, and I quote, 'you can't make me late today.' Second, It was your blatant curiosity about me that made you late yesterday. Third, I accept you as you are but I distinctly remember telling you I would call you on your behavior. Finally, don't issue ultimatums that you have no intention of carrying out," he snarked back with a wink.

I turned to face him and pinned his gaze to mine. I announced with authority as if I had not heard a word he said, "Well, I'm glad we have that straight. Another thing we need to get straight is Thrace. Right now, he is unaware of our friendship. As soon as school starts that is going to change. If we are going to stay friends, you are going to have to make friends with Thrace." I went back in my stance, and we continued on with practicing our kihon.

His voice turned serious, "Why is it you would like me to befriend your better half?"

I laughed and informed him, "He _is_ my better half and has been a friend for over ten years. And you should make nice with him for several reasons. He's Mr. Popular at DAI, and since Jazz and Key are going to be friends with you, it will make it easier all around if you befriend Thrace."

His voice turned husky, and I had a hard time with my concentration as he asked, "So if he's a social butterfly, what are you?"

"As you already pointed out, I'm a work in progress. I'm the one that will sit back and watch instead of come over and talk. I'm the one with an Irish temper and sarcastic sense of humor. I'm the one that will read a book before I'll watch TV. I'm the one with a small group of plane friends instead of a large circle of back stabbers."

We finished our kata as I finished my self-disclosure. He seemed to be pondering what I had just told him as he bowed to me. I returned his bow before he asked the inevitable question, "What are plane friends?"

I waited for his attack this time, and I was not disappointed as he started with a front kick-punch combination, which I avoided then countered. And we were off to the races again. We circled as I answered his question, "One of my very good friends, Clio, moved away to Cleveland my freshman year. She was in a car accident last year. When she called to tell me she was in the hospital, I jumped on a plane and took a taxi directly to the Cleveland Clinic. When I was at the airport, I started to think which friends of mine I would jump on a plane for no questions asked if they said they needed me. It's a short list. Clio, Thrace, Jazz, and Key."

He let me attack as he considered my revelation. He finally said in a thoughtful voice, "My list of plane friends wouldn't even be that long. I have many friends, but only one true friend since my best friend died."

I faltered then stopped my attack altogether. He had actually grabbed my wrist instead of blocking my last pathetic punch. "I'm sorry. That must have been really hard. How old were you when he died?"

He had let our hands hang down still connected. " _She_ died awhile ago, and yes it was hard. It was like losing a piece of me. You actually remind me a little of her. Cora had a whole lotta spunk."

"If it's not too painful, do you mind if I ask how she died?" His hand slid from my wrist and entwined in my hand.

He stared off into space as if he was trying to distance himself from the loss. "She died in an accident. Your story made me think of it." Then his hypnotic gaze held me in rapt attention as he whispered, "I would be honored to call you a friend, Calli. And maybe, someday even a plane friend."

I took a deep breath while trying unsuccessfully to escape his hypnotic gaze as I shyly pronounced, "Somehow, I think I've already entered the deep end of the pool by being friends with you."

He looked slightly startled then somewhat amused when he said, "Truer words were never spoken. But, somehow I think you're rather adept at treading water."

"I'm better at floating and evasion. So on that note, I was told by my dad not to make him late again, so I'm gonna have to bail."

He glanced down at our hands entwined and looked like he truly regretted having to let mine go. He squeezed it once and said with a tempting smile, "Til tonight, Calli."

I sprinted toward the exit to make sure dad wasn't late again. He seemed less irritated this time so I must have just made it in time. I followed the same routine as yesterday with a quick run, a long shower, and a nap. This time I wasn't startled awake by Thrace, but I did wake up snuggled up against his back. I kissed his neck right by his ear in the spot that I knew he loved and said, "Much better."

He sleepily mumbled, "What's much better?"

"Waking up like this rather than being startled awake," I sat up and started to stretch.

Unfortunately, Thrace took the opportunity to tackle me back to the bed while he cajoled, "We should take advantage of our last week home without parental supervision. Calli, don't you think it's time?"

As he kissed my neck, I confessed to him, "Thrace, I know you have been patient, but I'm not ready. Your first time only happens once and it won't be special for me if I feel like I caved to pressure from you."

Thrace seemed a tad bit frustrated as he rolled over and stared up at my ceiling. This was an ongoing battle that Disney never clued me into when I landed the Prince. I felt so lucky to have finally got his attention that I was afraid that he would start looking elsewhere. "Calli, I have been patient for months. How long do you plan on keeping me waiting?"

"I just want to feel like our first time happens at the exact right time. I haven't even scheduled an appointment to get on birth control."

Thrace look horrified, "Calli, you don't have to do that. I have us covered in that area!"

Both our mothers were nurses so this was a no-brainer, "You have us mostly covered. I will _not_ take a risk every time just to avoid a little parental humiliation. Those percentages add up you know. Now, think about how my dad is going to look at you when he finds out, and if that doesn't make you feel like you want to wait then nothing will."

Thrace shuddered and actually jumped out of bed and said, "You hungry?"

I laughed and said, "Thought that mental image might be helpful for you."

We were downstairs raiding the kitchen for suitable lunch food in under a minute. We settled on Spaghetti O's and peanut butter sandwiches. As we were eating in the den, Thrace started talking like he was reading from a script he prepared. "I know you want our first time to be perfect. I think part of you not being ready is that sex is something you have to slowly work up to. For instance, there are about 21 steps between meeting someone and the first time that most committed couples go through."

I shook my head and said with a dumbfounded expression still on my face, "Where are you getting this, and why are you acting like you are reading off a teleprompter?"

"It doesn't matter!" Thrace said with embarrassment.

"Clearly, it _does_ matter!" I laughed. No way was he going to brazen his way out of this one, especially since it was definitely going to be amusing.

"Fine. I found it online. You're making me so desperate that I have been doing research."

"What the Flock! What type of research? _Don't_ tell me you Googled how to persuade your virgin girlfriend to have sex with you. " I said, slightly hysterical.

"No!" He huffily replied, which told me I wasn't far off the mark.

"Back to my main point. Maybe we should just work our way through the list until you are ready," he said desperately trying to get the conversation back to his main idea.

If this would make him happy, then I guess we could try it. "That sounds reasonable. But first I want to see the list and I want to know where it came from. Second, it's not going to be one thing on the list per day, ok?"

Thrace nodded and gave me a grateful smile like he could actually see the finish line now.

Thrace didn't want to hang out at the pool because we had practice this afternoon, and he felt it would drain his energy. I think he was secretly hoping that he would get to fight Rafe and didn't want to take his chances on not being in top form. So, we kicked back and watched _Borat_ until we left for class.

As usual, Thrace drove us to class. He actually put his hand on my back as we walked in the door, which he had never done before. Rafe was nowhere to be seen, so Thrace's territorial gesture was wasted, although Jazz and Key definitely noticed and smirked as they followed me into the locker room.

"Hey, I distinctly remember telling you that you were to call me and provide details of your sparring sessions with our new eye candy." Jazz announced in an annoyed voice.

"Yeah, we're feeling no love from you. We share all our exploits with you!" Key jumped in to further shame me.

After I put my stuff in the locker, I filled them in with a few brief details. I started to change as they discussed the info. I finally gave them one more piece of information that would set them spinning as we walked out of the locker room door. I timed it perfectly because class was starting right then, so they wouldn't be able to ask me 10,000 more questions that I could not answer. "Oh, and Rafe enrolled in DAI this year."

I got a gasp and an open mouth as I smiled back at them when I stepped into my place next to Thrace to begin warm-ups. Next time I looked back, they were both glaring at me with retribution in their eyes. I smirked. I also noticed Rafe was in the front like Thrace and I at the far end of the room, so no awkward meeting of the eyes that Thrace would later bust me for. Slowly, I began to relax then focus on my form and movement. A lot of people said that yoga helped them find peace and relaxation. With me, it was karate. I was bullied pretty badly in elementary and middle school for my gangly height and my fire red hair. But instead of going postal, I channeled my anger into karate. After that, it only took one fight to get a reputation of someone not to be messed with. Of course, it also meant that I didn't have very many friends.

As soon as we performed our customary bow at the end of practice, I heard, "Chica, you are in trouble," coming from Jazz. I just smiled, but Thrace looked back and said, "Why is she in trouble now?"

"Calli failed to mention our new boy toy was enrolling in DAI until right before practice. You're lucky you weren't my partner today," Jazz sneered.

Rafe was over on his side of the room talking to a few of our fellow students, but I saw his mouth quirk as if he was listening. Well, it was a small room and Jazz's voice definitely could be heard vast distances when she was upset. I finally slyly noted, "I figured you could be planning a whole list of questions for him during class, so you can properly interrogate him while you are sparring him tonight."

Jazz sniped at me, "Don't think I wasn't, but the point is I could have been planning a much more extensive and detailed list of questions had I known this a day earlier."

I raised one of my eyebrows at her as I remarked, "You would have just forgot the questions by the time you were sparring with him. Now the questions are fresh in your mind. Are you not the girl we dubbed, Ms. Short-Attention-Span?"

Key laughed and agreed, "True dat, but I think we were talking about guys, not interrogation questions. Of course, in this case, it's the same thing. She even made me drive separately so she would get Rafe all to herself."

Jazz shot Key a challenging smile as she said, "I'm paying you the same courtesy of driving separate when it's your turn."

Thrace listened to Jazz and Key's verbal sparring and announced, "I've never seen Jazz and Key directly compete over the same guy—talk about entertainment."

I tilted my head to indicate Rafe was on his way over to the group, as I said, "I'll bring the popcorn, and let the most devious temptress win."

Jazz snorted and inquired, "Where _does_ your vocabulary come from sometimes?"

I smirked and quickly said, "Calli's vocabulary: brought to you courtesy of our fine friends that wrote the most popular trashy romance novels in the past six years."

Jazz cracked, "That explains a lot about you," just as Rafe arrived.

Two things happened at once: Thrace's arm immediately snaked around my waist and as he did so he also politely asked Rafe when he could set up a time to spar with him. I saw Rafe try to hide a smirk at the arm move, but Jazz and Key couldn't hide their snorts of amusement.

Rafe answered just as friendly, "Does tomorrow work for you? How about 11am. We can meet here if that is ok."

Thrace then astounded even me as he said, "Calli, why don't we have a back to school pool party at my house tomorrow afternoon? The parents won't be home until late cause they're meeting your parents at Vicente's for dinner. As long as everyone is gone by 9pm, we should be fine. Rafe, you can follow me back, and Calli and I can introduce you to some of your fellow classmates early."

Rafe gave us (or mostly me) an amused smile like he was remembering our conversation from this morning, "Thanks, Thrace. That is very generous of you. I have been going a little stir crazy this summer not knowing anyone my age."

Thrace looked resignedly at Jazz and Key and asked, "Are you ladies in?"

"Back to school pool party? We're in like Flynn," Jazz announced.

"And who else you inviting Mr. Popularity?" Key wanted to know.

"Just the usual suspects. Calli, can you call around and give everyone the 411?"

"Only if you promise we're going to Raise the Roof or Bust a Move, Young MC," I teased.

"Yeah, you're asking Ms. Introvert to spread the word about your party, not gonna happen. Key and I will take care of it," Jazz assured him.

Thrace stared down Jazz as he sternly said, "Keep it small. I mean it."

"Chillax. Is it BYOB? And what time is it gonna get rolling?" Key asked.

Thrace looked at Rafe and inquired, "You think we'll be done by noon?"

Rafe shrugged and said, "That works. Don't want to waste too much of our last day of freedom."

Thrace must have really taken my words to heart as he added, "We should get rolling about 1pm. Rafe, if you want to crash at my place that night, you won't be the only one." Jazz and Key started texting classmates.

Rafe could not hide his bemused smile as he looked at us, "I'll run it by the father figure. He tends to be rather strict sometimes. Maybe I'll catch him on a good night. You mind if we play it by ear?"

Thrace smiled and said, "No problem. Calli's dad practically has a ankle monitor on her."

I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow at him, "If that were true, we would have never managed to go to any of the raves this summer. Although I still have a sneaking suspicion that he calls his buddies on the police force every time we go out on the weekend."

Jazz and Key both looked up at the same time and as Jazz announced, "Done and done. Now, time for anyone not sparring with Rafe tonight to say their goodbyes."

Thrace laughed and said, "Don't let her overwhelm you with her personality, Rafe. She'll say something to shock ya then she tries to knock you on your butt while your mouth is still hangin open."

Rafe gave Jazz a quizzical stare down and said, "Duly warned."

"You want me to invite 50 more people Thrace, or you gonna stop talking?" Jazz challenged.

"We're leaving," Thrace said as he guided me toward the door.

As we headed to our cars I assured Key, "Don't worry Sparky. It will be your turn next."

Key snorted and replied, "Yeah, but she gets all the good ones first!"

I smirked as I reassured Key, "Luckily, she never keeps them very long. Plus, wasn't that hottie on the basketball team texting you the other day?"

"True. And he actually might be a keeper. Well, we'll find out tomorrow. Ya want me to call you tonight with the Jazz's version of Rafe's interrogation?"

"You can fill me in tomorrow at the party," I said as I got in Thrace's car.

He roared off as usual as if he was driving in Daytona. I warned, "Slow down, Sparky." Then, I remarked, "Weren't you friendly to the new guy."

"I'm just listening to my girlfriend's advice," Thrace answered like a boy scout.

"Let me feel your forehead. Or is that one of your 21 steps—listening to your girlfriend? If it is, I like it. We can stay on this step awhile," I teased.

"No. But I am definitely planning on engaging in Step Number 1 at the pool party," he said mysteriously.

"And what exactly is Step Number 1? I believe you agreed to show me the whole list."

Thrace promised, "I will but one at a time."

"You know I _hate_ surprises, Mr. Evasive."

Thrace laughed ironically as he said, "Me? Evasive? Pot, this is Kettle calling. You're black."

"Yes, but I am the time keeper for your 21 Steps, so ya might want to humor me."

Thrace firmly announced, "Calli, I'm taking lead on our 21 steps."

"Fine. We'll play it your way," I said as we arrived at my house. "You coming in and grabbing dinner?" I asked. I knew there would not be a meal waiting for him at his house. Honey was not much of a cook. He, of course, recognized this as well so he said, "Sure. I gotta hear what your dad thinks of the Spartan's chances this year."

"Great. I could tell you what he's gonna say before we even get in there." I did my best dad impression as we get out of the car and enter the house. Thrace was impressed when dad quoted me word-for-word as he discussed football with Thrace.

Thrace got his fill of family bonding, and he said good-bye to my parents. I walked him back out to his car and was about to kiss him when he stopped me.

He gave me a hug instead and said that I would have to wait until tomorrow before we started down the 21 Steps. I muttered something unladylike under my breath that made Thrace laugh. He let me go as I looked at him with bewilderment in my eyes. He got in his car and said, "Love ya, Calli." I grumbled something else, and he took off with a smirk on his face.

A minute after Thrace left I got a call from Rafe. As soon I picked up the phone he commented, "Thanks for the warning. Jazz has got a bright future in military interrogation."

I laughed and said, "She does have a way of turning the screws just right. So what did she get out of you?"

"I am sure she will share her interrogation techniques and findings with you tomorrow. I wouldn't want to bore you. I was just calling to see if you are going to be at the gym tomorrow morning."

"Why would you want to work out twice? Taking on both members of the dynamic duo in one day. You must be a glutton for punishment."

"What else do I have to do to entertain myself, and as we both know, you are highly amusing. Speaking of other types of fun, you must have had a similar talk with Thrace as you did with me about friendship."

"I just pointed out to Thrace very clear reasons to be friends with you," I replied cryptically.

"It must have been something like a friend is less likely to steal your girlfriend. Although that is really flawed logic, a friend has greater access to your girlfriend than an average stranger. The history books are full of those stories."

Since I did not have any witty comebacks, I fell back to my usual evasive techniques and remarked, "If you want me at all civil tomorrow morning, I need to get off the phone now to get my beauty rest."

"What if I like you as a savage, and I can't handle you getting any more beautiful?" He replied in a husky voice that had more than my stomach fluttering.

I took a cleansing breath to slow my pulse and stammered, "Too many comments like that will get you in the friendship doghouse, understood? And I also have no problem calling you on your antics, friend."

"I am counting on you to keep me in my place, Calli, wherever you decide that is in your life."

Holy cryptic message, Batman. Ok. He definitely won that round, and I was too tired to go another round with him tonight.

Hermes Field Log: August 2007

I have now established a friendship with my Aegis. And as inadvisable as it is, I find her intriguing. In some magnetic way, it is like I am drawn to her. I don't understand it, but it definitely has the potential of causing me to break Rule #1 of being a bodyguard. It would be easier if the attraction was all on her side, and I could perform my duties without getting attached. That _is_ the plan. And even though she says how distant she usually is, she seems to feel the bond, too. I even told her about Cora. Now, she wants me to make friends with her "better half" who does not seem worthy of her. I will definitely make friends with her girlfriends, but making friends with her boyfriend might prove awkward. Hopefully, my duties will not last long enough for any of these potential situations to ignite. Apollo is still very secretive about the situation. He asks for my trust and as my closest brother I must give it and hope he knows what he is doing.

Chapter 5: Spin the Bottle

The next morning as I entered the gym I tried to greet Rafe in a more formal way than a grumbled hello. I couldn't really tell if my attempt was successful because he just seemed amused. I secretly sent up a prayer to the heavens that today I would knock Rafe on his eyas. _No Such Luck_. He constantly kept me off balance with questions about my life. Just when I thought the questioning was over, he went on to ask me about Thrace's ex-girlfriends of which there were many. My Prince had left a wake of ex-girlfriends that saw me, not Thrace, as the enemy. He was just not the type of guy that could handle being alone, whereas I had sometimes been happier in my fairy tale world than in my relationship reality. Rafe seemed thoughtful as I shared much more than I intended.

He then switched tactics again by asking, "So are you looking forward to the pool party this afternoon?"

I mumbled, "I am not that comfortable in large social settings. Small group of friends, I'm fine. Large party where I am going to have to be the hostess—not so much."

Rafe seemed puzzled, "Why will you have to be the hostess?"

I sighed and explained, "Thrace will take care of all the social host jobs, but I will have to take care of things like food, clean-up, making sure people aren't in places they shouldn't be, and taking care of anyone that isn't feeling well. I get to be mom at these parties, so I rarely ever enjoy them like Thrace does."

"I'm sorry. Do you get to have any fun?"

"Jazz and Key will be there so I will get to hear about all the dirty details of your interrogation. It'll be fine, just not the highlight of my week or anything."

Rafe gave me his most mischievous smile as he asked, "What was the highlight of your week, Calli? Keep in mind, if you say anything other than meeting me, I won't believe you."

I considered my week, then I considered lying, but I finally admitted, "I guess it would have been making friends with you. But, keep in mind, it wasn't that exciting of a week. I really don't want to inflate that ego of yours anymore than it already is."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, meeting you has definitely been the highlight of my summer so far. Of course, since I don't care about inflating your ego, I can admit that I find you fascinating," he threw my words back at me with a twist that made my stomach contract as if I had been kicked.

I shakily laughed and finally bowed to him after not making one direct hit. "I'm letting you off easy today since you are sparring my better half in a couple of hours."

"Since you are cutting our sparring short, can you help me out with my calisthenics? I usually do them after you leave anyway."

He went to his bag, grabbed a water, and threw it to me. He then did the one thing that would be sure to get my attention and had me drooling again. He took off his shirt. My eyes widened and my heart rate increased rapidly as he came back toward me. He asked me to sit on his feet and keep count while he did sit-ups. I looked down at his hand touching my bare arm and slowly gazed from this hand, to his forearm, to his bicep, to his muscular shoulder, and to his chiseled chest. When I finally worked my way back up to his face to meet his eyes that were now smoldering on me, I was well past my usual flush red.

Rafe teased me, "Are you done with your examination?"

He startled me out of my revelry, "Who takes their shirt off just to do sit-ups?"

Rafe replied in his cheeky manner, "Well, I thought I might have to give you a dress rehearsal since I will be running around the pool party in swim trunks. I figured if you had a preview you would be less likely to offend Thrace with your blatant eye rape of me at his party."

"Generous. Always looking out for your fellow man. Since I am definitely not going to give you a preview, I'm just going to have to trust that you will behave yourself. You gonna actually do sit-ups or was that just an excuse to impress me with your manly form?"

"Both. Sit-ups, it is. I will keep doing them until you have to leave, so make sure you keep count while you are gawking at me."

Just to be spiteful, I sat on his feet facing the opposite direction, so I would be absolutely sure not to gawk at him. He laughed as he came up the first time and whispered into my ear, "Chicken."

"I prefer to call it prudence," I replied as I kept count.

In retaliation, he made sure his hands touched my shoulders or ran down my arms, _and_ he blew gently on my neck every time he came up for the sit-up. The chess match that we were playing was definitely disturbing my senses. He had just hit 214, when I announced that it was time for me to go. I wished him good luck with Thrace as I bolted out the door without looking back.

As soon as I finished my run and took my shower, Thrace was on the phone asking me to pick up the usual barbeque provisions and set up his house while he was sparring Rafe. I agreed and he stopped by to drop off money and a grocery list. I felt guilty as I gazed upon my adoring boyfriend that was thanking me so sweetly for doing his errands for him. I felt like the housewife that secretly lusts after the pool boy. Situations like this were why I still was bitter that Clio's parents moved her to Cleveland. I really needed to call my plane friend this weekend to unburden my soul. Instead, I ran to the grocery store to pick up the food. Then, I called Jazz and Key to have them meet me at Thrace's house at noon to help set up. We managed to get everything together in record time in a way that would minimize any evidence that a party had taken place. Jazz and Key had become pros at collecting things like plastic tablecloths and sheets that could be draped over anything that had the potential of being in harms way. We also moved any knick-knacks that could get broken in the wake of a party. Jazz kept up a running discussion of her work out with Rafe the whole time we were setting up.

"Calli, that boy has even more evasion skills than you do. I think I got out the minimum of important details. He lives with his dad in one of those high-rise condos downtown. No idea about what happened to his Mom, or even what his relationship is like with his dad. I only found out that his dad was in the Air Force and is retired now."

Key jumped in with the most important question, "What about girlfriends—past, present, future."

Jazz put on her most devious grin, "Well, we all know that I'm his future boo. There is no present girlfriend. But I might have to actually develop patience cause his last girlfriend died in an accident, and he's not looking for that kind of hurt again."

Key seemed shocked as she said, "That's horrible! What kind of accident?"

Jazz looked very solemn as she said, "Car accident. He wouldn't talk about it other than to say that she was his best friend, and he had no current plans to ever replace her. I think that is why he seems so happy to be in Detroit. It's a fresh start for him here."

"Yeah, you don't hear too many stories about people moving to Detroit for a fresh start. It's kinda like going to Vegas in search of true love. In either case, I don't like the odds. However, sending a bunch of singles to Vegas each week in search of true love would make an excellent reality show," I observed.

Both Key and Jazz laughed. Key replied, "I'd watch it! But in the mate department, I'll set my sights on someone with less drama than Rafe. I invited the hottie basketball player here for a try out on my turf."

I cocked my head to one side as I inquired, "What does your Suitor Checklist include?"

Key answered as if reading off it. "Is he nice to my friends, does he know how to handle himself in public, what are his vices, what are his expectations of a girl he's dating or is he just tryin to hook-up, what does he look like with his shirt off. You know all the basics that a girl has to consider before pursuing her prey."

Jazz piped in, "Chica, you crack me up."

Key seemed confused, "What? You practically helped me develop the list. Too many girls just throw themselves at guys with little or no understanding of whether the guy will be worth it. I do my research. It makes me much more likely to pick The Keepers and avoid the Players and Losers. I'm not saying Rafe will be either one of those, but he sounds like too much work. And for me, I would always be wondering if he was constantly comparing me to his dead girlfriend. It's too much pressure to live up to someone that he will _always_ have on a pedestal. And let's face it, I'm the type of girl that does not share her pedestal!"

Jazz pondered Key's remark. "I am always up for a challenge. But you're right. If it's too much work, I might want to hedge my bets and pursue at least one more hottie. Did you say Mr. Basketball was bringin any of his friends along?"

Key and I marveled at how practical Jazz was. Key announced, "Yeah, I think he is bringin a couple of his wingmen."

Jazz shook her head and said, "Well, looks like I got all my bases covered," just as we heard cars pull into the driveway.

Thrace and Rafe headed in the front door already decked out in their swim trunks, t-shirts, and sandals. They both were in a good mood as they called out their greetings to us.

Thrace gave me a hug and said, "Place looks ready to go. You girls should prep party houses professionally. Thank you. Since Rafe kicked my eyas in sparring, he has to be in charge of the grill and give me a shot at beating him in Mortal Kombat, later."

I looked at Rafe and remarked, "Wow. We need to make sure we bet with you a lot in the future."

Rafe laughed and said, "Yeah, I don't know exactly how that worked. Thrace has a real future as a used car salesman. He can talk anyone into anything."

Thrace smiled and said, "On that note, I need to steal Calli away for a second," as he pulled me into the den without waiting to hear any snarky replies.

He let go of my hand and went to a drawer that usually contained DVDs and pulled out what looked like a small ring box. He handed it to me and said, "Let the games begin."

I opened the box and found a little folded white piece of paper that said, "Step 1: Holding hands."

I looked up at him and gave him my most endearing smile as I said, "I don't know Sparky, are you sure you're ready for this? It's a big step."

His heated gaze locked with mine. He ran both his hands down my arms lightly trailing one finger so he would give me goose bumps. When he reached my hands, he entwined them in his as he leaned forward to gently rub his scruff against my neck. He whispered in my ear, "I'm hoping we can move on from this one rather quickly."

I shivered as I said, "I think that can be arranged, but I think we best get a move on cause I think I hear your first guests arriving and I haven't changed yet."

Thrace sighed deeply, "Please tell me you're not wearing that bikini you wore this week. I think it might kill me, and it would definitely make me want to kill anyone that I caught staring at you."

I gave him a frown of disapproval, but I told him that the bikini was locked safely away back at my house. There was no way I would wear it in front of a large group of people. I was still shy about wearing any bathing suit in a crowd. Luckily, I had a Tankini bathing suit by Betsey Johnson that worked perfectly for these occasions. I quickly grabbed my suit and shorts from Thrace's room and headed to the bathroom to change. When Jazz and Key emerged from the guest bedroom, they were both clad in bikini tops and shorts. I filled them in on Step 1 as we headed down the stairs.

By the time we got to the pool about 10 people had already arrived, and Thrace was in full mingle mode as the perfect host. He talked to everyone. He introduced everyone to Rafe, who had already attracted followers--one of which was Jazz who was trying to mark her territory. I headed into the kitchen to start getting the food and drink out before the natives got restless. I put the meat on a tray and took it out for Rafe to get started with his duties.

He thanked me with a knowing look as his eyes followed me back into the house where I finished prepping the rest of the goodies. Thrace seemed to have attracted his own followers as well. I tended to worry about his fidelity because I had yet to cave and he always loved female attention. I made my way towards him to fend off one of the more blatant ex-girlfriends that seemed to have Thrace in verbal handcuffs. Siena was one of those people that you couldn't get out of a conversation in less than ten minutes. Apparently, my boy needed a rescue, so I merely walked over and said, "Excuse me, Thrace. Rafe needs you over at the grill. The food is about ready." I linked my hand in his and smiled sweetly at Siena. She, however, glared at me with pure malice. To this day, I still swear that she was the one that created a blog under my name called Virgin Ice Queens Anonymous.

"You rock, babe," Thrace leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"You should introduce Rafe to Siena. Just for the flock of it."

"Hey, I'm starting to like the guy—that's just not nice," he laughed.

There was a lull in my duties, so Jazz, Key, and I did some sun bathing. We linked our chairs, grabbed our water, and shoed the guys away. We got the scoop from Key about how her potential suitor was scoring on her checklist. Key thought he was doing fairly well. Pretty soon the heat started getting to us, so we eased our way into the pool. None of us wanted to have to deal with getting our hair wet, so we stayed at the shallow end. But to no avail, we were soon in a splashing war with the guys as the whole pool erupted in torrents of water from everywhere. Thrace managed to tackle and dunk me. We wrestled around for a bit before he got the better of me, swept me up into his arms, and spun me around into submission. We laughed then he dropped me back in. We goofed off for a while longer before Thrace and I got out to dry off. Luckily, I brought my bag down, so I could comb out my hair straight so it didn't dry all funky. Then, we shared a lounger with Thrace to dry off. He put his hand on top of mine and laced them together. I noticed Rafe didn't join in the battle. He still had a small group around him—one of which much to my amusement was Siena.

The bulk of the day was relaxed and mellow. But then day turned into night and the relaxed afternoon turned into a more wicked evening. And as often happened with Thrace, my lovely mellow Dr. Jekyll turned into a moody Mr. Hyde. It was like liquor gave people a personality transplant. They were much louder, more outrageous, more bubbly, or more of a moody flocker in Thrace's case. Unfortunately, he somehow thought all my introvert characteristics would just float away if I drank more, so he felt the need to strongly encourage me to drink in these situations.

Here was the quick version of what has been repeated at least once a month with slight variations for the last three months: Thrace started drinking, and I refrained because I was the designated driver. Thrace tried to tease me into having just one drink, and I said no. Thrace backed off for a little while. Then, Thrace tried to guilt me into having just one, and I said no. Thrace backed off for a little while. Finally, Thrace started acting like a complete tool, and I tried to either take care of him or get him home while he generally called me an Ice Queen. I ignored his behavior and dropped him off. He apologized the next day. Under those circumstances, you could understand how alcohol had really never held that great of an appeal for me.

Several drinking games started up. Several dares were issued and various girls and guys ended up making eyases of themselves. I approached Rafe and asked if he could do a little more grilling. He said he was at my service and followed me inside the house to grab some more hot dogs and brauts. He quietly asked, "Is everything ok, Calli?" I looked out at the pool and saw Thrace playing quarters with his friends and just shook my head, "It's fine now, but my guess is in about an hour my Dr. Jekyll will depart and Mr. Hyde will arrive."

Rafe sighed as we started arranging things on the platter, "I best be gone before that happens, or I will have a hard time restraining myself from jumping in."

I looked at him with a guarded expression, "It's not that bad, and the last thing I need is a fight. Jazz and Key always have my back, and Thrace will see them as a lot less threatening."

Rafe scanned the party and located both Jazz and Key cozied up with two of the basketball players in the living room. "It looks like they are currently occupied."

I looked over at them and smiled, "Doesn't matter. When I need them, they are always there for me. Better still, when I don't need them, they don't bother butting in."

"Sounds like a little bit of a complicated game to learn. I guess more times than not you aren't in need of a rescue, but guys tend to want to jump in and save you whether you need it or not."

"Exactly. You learn very quickly grasshopper. It used to drive me crazy when Thrace and I first started dating. I would tell him about things that didn't go as planned, and he always would try to lecture me on how to fix it when I really just wanted to vent. Fixing things is so part of the male mind that he just couldn't help himself. So, I finally have him trained—I think."

We had all the food prepped and headed outside to the grill again. Rafe looked around at his future classmates and said, "Yeah. It looks like this crew definitely needs food in them before they head out."

I looked at him prepping the grill and replied, "Don't worry, there is a mandatory DD for every car here. Your future classmates might seem a little crazy right now, but they are not that stupid. We take care of our own."

Thrace saw Rafe and I chatting so he left the game to heckles and catcalls, so he could come mark his territory. He looked at Rafe and said, "Great idea, man. We were just sayin that we were all getting hungry again."

Rafe smiled and said, "Glad to be of service, but it was Calli's idea."

Thrace put his arm around me and kissed me on the forehead, "She is definitely The Ringleader or a Mother Hen; depends on the day. You should join us for our monthly mystery destinations."

Rafe looked at Thrace in a curious manner and inquired, "What's that?"

Thrace laughed and tried to explain without slurring his words, "Bout once a month, Calli sets up a field trip for our group of friends. It's always weird and _usually_ fun. But she won't tell us what it is until we actually get there, so she calls it Mystery Destinations."

I smiled up at Thrace, but confessed to Rafe, "Not all my Mystery Destinations turn out to be fun. Some of them turn out to be just plain weird, but they are always memorable. Last month we took a road trip to Hell, Michigan. Got our very own Death Certificates at Screams Ice Cream, hung out in Hell in a Handbasket, checked out The Damn Site Inn, and got our college diploma at Damnation University, or as we like to call it, Damn-U. I really wanted to be Guest Mayor for the Day."

Thrace laughed down at me and replied, "Yeah, who doesn't want to be Mayor of Hell. Somehow we manage to put the fun in dysfunctional. Since you guys are setting up again, let me grab you something to drink. Miss Calli-No-Fun, I am sure you want Diet. Rafe, what can I get you?"

Rafe just shook his head and said, "I'll take a water for now. It's too hot around the grill, don't want to get dehydrated and end up with a hangover tomorrow."

Thrace just laughed and said, "No such luck for me, I can already tell. I'll be back in a sec."

Rafe smiled as he flipped the hot dogs and brauts while I got the table ready again. "That wasn't so bad."

I just kept arranging the table and said, "It's early."

For some reason, it took Thrace a good 10 minutes to grab a diet and water from the kitchen. My social butterfly must have stopped to chat again. He apologized, "Sorry Cal, we didn't have plain diet. Mom got me that cherry diet stuff. It must have been on sale. I added a little grenadine as well because it tastes like crap if you don't."

I laughed at his attempt to make me the perfect drink, "Wow. You are quite the bartender, Thrace."

Thrace seemed pleased as he said, "Just trying to make sure my girl has a good time tonight and relaxes for once instead of having to take care of me."

Thrace then went and alerted his friends that food was available again. Jazz, Key, Thrace, Rafe, and the basketball players all sat at the patio table and discussed the upcoming school year. Thrace's eyes started to lose some of the glaze, and I started to relax for once because Thrace finally had seemed to learn from his past mistakes. As we started the clean up from dinner, Justin grabbed the ketchup bottle and decided everyone was just buzzed enough to play spin the bottle. He called the group over for a mandatory once around. Thrace pulled me onto his lap, so we could free up another chair or to make sure I couldn't get away. Jazz and Key followed suit with their basketball players, as did other couples. This inspired Justin to require everyone to sit two to a chair, so there were no awkward spins. I looked over at Rafe who had Siena on his lap, and I couldn't help smirking.

The game was funny at times, awkward at times, and provocative at times. I ended up having to kiss, yes, you guessed it, Rafe. Not once but twice! He was a total gentleman and kissed my cheek—well one side for one kiss, one side for the other kiss. Thrace was pleased that Rafe didn't try to encroach, while other people at the table didn't seem so inclined to behave in way that recognized current relationships. However, I had to say that the way he kissed my cheek made my pulse race and my face go up in flames. Thrace ended up being kissed by Siena his ex-girlfriend who practically ate his face. Of course, Thrace didn't seem to mind. The Flocker!

The first round ended and Justin decided that we all needed to play _I Never_ , so everyone went off to refresh their drinks. Thrace popped up and said that he was going to get me a refill and Rafe 'a real drink.' He soon came back with my cherry diet and a beer for Rafe. I could have told you all the questions before hand. We learned who was a virgin and who wasn't. (I could also tell you exactly who was lying on that question). Both Rafe and Thrace drank on that one unfortunately. We learned who had hooked-up with whom. Who had experimented with what. Needless to say, I didn't have to drink much, but I kept sipping on my drink as people were thinking of the next question.

Thrace stayed in his Dr. Jekyll persona, so that more than anything really allowed me to chillax for practically the first party ever. Since Thrace had to drink more than I, some of the glaze starting showing up in his eyes again. He kept holding my hand or wrapping his arms behind me in a hug as he leaned his head against mine. After the game was finally concluded, I got up off Thrace's lap and my balance was all funny. It was like for a split second the room spun, but Thrace put his hands on my shoulders to steady me. It was about time to start to clean up, make sure all our DDs were good, and sheppard our classmates out the door with minimum fuss before Thrace's parents arrived. However, I was still feeling a little fuzzy. I looked up at my boyfriend and asked him politely if I could steal him for a second to help clean up. He said sure in a good guy manner, and we headed into the house. I led him to the den.

I wasted no time in firing my accusation at him. "What the _Flock_ did you put in my drink, Thrace?"

He realized my Irish temper was in effect, so at first he played it off as nothing, "What are you talking about Cal? You were just havin a great time for once. Chillax."

He tried to grab my hands from my hips and kiss my neck to turn the tide of my anger, but instead it got my Irish up even more.

"Thrace, I'm gonna ask you one more time, and if you lie to me, we are over for good," I threatened ominously.

He seemed to finally take me seriously, so Mr. Hyde came out to defend his actions. "What's your problem, Cal? Afraid to let go of an ounce of your self-control? You didn't have to drive. What was gonna be your big excuse this time, Ms. Ice Queen? You finally relaxed, and we had a good time. _Finally_. Now, you gotta go and ruin it by actually being pissed that you had fun. You need a therapist." He stormed out of the den and made his way back outside.

I hated causing a scene and being a drama queen usually wasn't on my radar. So I quietly slipped out of the den, found Jazz and Key, and asked them to walk me home. In front of the guys, I told them I got a headache and wanted to run home to grab some aspirin. The ladies told the guys they should start to get ready to bail so they could be out by the time Thrace's parents got home. I scanned the room for Rafe and subtly waved good-bye. He looked puzzled but didn't try to follow.

As the girls walked me home, I told them a brief version of the scene in the den. They were about as pissed as I was. Jazz remarked, "Why can't he just accept you the way you are?"

Key seemed concerned, "Did he ever tell you what it was that he put in your drink?"

I just shook my head and said, "No. He was too busy making this all my fault. It probably had something to do with the cherry taste in my drink. It couldn't be that strong because I'm still walking a straight line, and I only feel it a little."

Jazz gave me a hard look as we reached my door. "If you don't kick his ass for this, I will. I promise you."

I laughed as I opened the door and remarked, "Well, without us there to clean up and herd everyone out for him, I think his parents are gonna suspect he had more than a few people over."

Key hugged me and said, "Done and done. We'll just call the boys to come pick us up here unless you want us to stick around for a girl's night?"

I told her thank you, but no. I definitely needed a little 'me time' to process the latest drama.

Key dialed Tre and sweetly requested him to come pick her and Jazz up because my headache wasn't going away. Tre and his friends dutifully arrived five minutes later.

Jazz announced, "We're probably going to hang somewhere and watch a movie. You can come with."

I smiled and reminded her, "No, I've got a headache, remember?"

It had only just turned 8:30 when they took off. I was less befuddled and more pissed, so I decided to go hit my bag around for a while. I changed into my workout clothes and threw my hair up in a ponytail. I put on my gloves and started to take my frustration out on the bag. I needed a clear head to decide what to do about Thrace's latest stunt. I was in the middle of pouring out my frustrations and batting questions around in my head when someone said, "Knock. Knock."

Rafe was leaning against the door jam looking way too yummy for a person who had been manning the grill all day long. His hazel eyes seemed to search my face to try to figure out what was going on. "Does this headache have a name?"

I smiled at his question, but kept hitting the bag as I replied, "I will give you three guesses and the first two don't count."

"What did he do?" Rafe asked in an understanding voice. "Or let me guess. Based on how you stood up after the game and Thrace fetching your drink, I'm assuming the cherry flavor was Sloe Gin and not grenadine."

"What is Sloe Gin? And why didn't you warn me if you knew," I grumbled.

"Sloe Gin is kinda like schnapps, so not much alcohol, but it tastes like cherry. I didn't realize what he did until you stood up all wobbly, and then you took off," Rafe explained.

"Well that is one mystery solved. He wouldn't tell me what he put in my drink. The last mystery is what I do about it."

"It seems to me like you generally only have two options when you get in an argument with your boyfriend. Break up or forgive him. Which side are you leaning to?"

I sighed and looked at his tempting face, "It's more complicated than that. Our parents are best friends, or at least our moms are. When he's not acting like a flocker, he's my best friend. I left the party so he would have to clean up his own mess, which he won't. So he's gonna get busted and grounded. He's gonna blame me until I threaten to tell my dad how he slipped something in my drink. He will grovel a bit, and then we will be fine again until he pulls his next stunt. I just don't know whether it's worth it this time to forgive, or if there is anything to forgive because I am a control freak and an Ice Queen."

"Calli, you do realize you guys are almost at the Dr. Phil level of drama with this latest stunt," Rafe commented.

"Exactly. Had it been GHB or X, we could have been in one of those cheesy Health videos. I have spent so much of my life trying to get his attention that sometimes I lose my backbone."

"You want me to knock some sense into him?" Rafe growled.

"You would have had to get in line this time. I just feel like now that he's a senior, he wants things that I still can't give him. Essentially, he wants the slutty party girl and that is not me. It's never gonna be who I am. But, he will convince himself that is not what he wants, and he'll persuade me. Then, we'll be right back here a month from now when he does this again."

"Why don't you just agree not go to the same parties. Skip the ones he's at and your problem is solved."

"Maybe. He says he needs me at his friends' parties to fend off the other girls, which unfortunately is true. Boys suck sometimes. Of course, I am gonna exclude you from that statement right now, and thank you for only kissing me on the cheek during the game of spin the bottle. You saved me a much bigger fight with that piece of chivalry," I flashed him a grin.

"You have no idea how much that chivalry cost me," he replied in a lofty manner.

"What? Your cred with the ladies blown all to hell because they found out you're a 'nice guy.' Or did you have to fend off Siena for the rest of the night?" I teased.

"I _did_ have to fight off Siena all day _and_ night. You have no idea how badly I wanted to dip you back right in his face and kiss you for real after Thrace's antics."

"I'm glad you abstained from that one—it would have been ugly."

"I promise you, the kiss would have been worth it, and you owe me not one but two kisses someday when you are free of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," Rafe said in a husky tone as he took a step closer to me.

I looked at his golden brown hair, infectious smile, and dazzling hazel eyes and wished I could be that girl that said, "What are you waitin for," or even "Sure." I finally said with enough regret in my mixed message, "Rain check—if things don't end up working out with Thrace, after an official mourning period, and then only if you convince me that you are not looking for Ms. Slutty Party Girl."

Rafe shot me a devilish smile and promised, "I'm going to hold you to that rain check, Calli. Don't worry about the rest. I'm only a junior. Only senior guys want Ms. Slutty Party Girl."

I laughed and thanked him for that clarification. Finally, I told him I was ready to go in, take a shower, and then vent to my girl, Clio, who I definitely needed to call. He gallantly walked me to the door and gave me a body-melting hug with another tempting kiss on the cheek.

"Am I going to see you in class tomorrow or will you be there in the morning?" Rafe asked right before I shut the door.

"I am sleeping in tomorrow, Mr. Overachiever."

He laughed back at me and his eyes met mine while he said, "Keep believing that is my motivation. Sweet dreams, Calli." Well, he definitely had me beat for mixed messages—hands down, no contest.

After I showered and calmed down, I threw on my pjs before I called Clio to unburden my soul. Cinderella, Ariel, and Belle were not supposed to dump their Prince cause he was too boozy—that was _not_ the ending!!! I knew my lifelong fairy tale that I built up in my head was too good to be true. I definitely needed Clio's advice to sort this out. Although we only talk a couple times a month, our conversations tended to last about two hours. I filled her in on the evening, then backtracked and gave her the scoop on Rafe and his sudden appearance in my life. I finally asked her for advice about Thrace.

"If a guy put something into my drink, what would you do?"

It didn't take me a second before I announced, "I would make him cry."

Clio laughed, " _Exactly!_ Why don't you deserve the same type of respect? Why do you have a backbone with all your friends except him."

"You mean all _four_ of them? Clio don't you remember all the times Thrace stopped people from tormenting me in elementary and middle school?"

She sighed, "I do, Calli. He helped me as well because I was with you, but that does _not_ mean that you have to put up with all the shite he has thrown your way. He was _lucky_ to get you, not the other way around. When are you going to realize that?"

It was my turn to laugh, "When I live in bizzaro world, not the real world. And when I don't see girls constantly throwing themselves at Thrace whenever I turn my back."

She thought about it for a second and fired back, "Thrace slipping something in your drink is Kreepy with a capital K. It's stalker, Kreepy. It's peeping tom, Kreepy. It's stranger with candy, Kreepy. This might be the best time to break it off if he is pressuring you about sex and booze. I find that guys always need to push you about something, but two things is one too many. I want you to think long and hard about why you love him if he treats you this way before you let this slide."

I promised her I would think about all her sound advice before I did any forgiving and forgetting. Luckily, she then got me up to speed on her life and her summer romance. Just as I was about to grill her for more details, I heard my parents come in the door. It was after eleven, so I was a little surprised. I alerted her to their presence and started heading downstairs as I heard my dad bellow my name. Clio ended with, "Tell em I said I miss em and call me soon, sweetie." I replied I would do just that and got off the phone as I walked in the kitchen.

My parents looked suspiciously at my pjs, wet head, and phone in my hand. My best guess was that they just busted Thrace and thought I ran away to avoid detection.

"Clio says hi and that she misses you," I remarked. Then I asked innocently, "How was dinner?"

My dad got his suspicious face back on and said, "It was fine til we came home and found Thrace throwing a rager."

I put on a confused face. "Seriously? Jazz, Key, and I were over at his house til about 7 hangin at the pool and grilling out. There were some people around when we left, but it was definitely not a ragin party. How much trouble is Thrace in?" I asked in a concerned manner.

"At least 30 kids, Thrace drunk off his ass. We had to grab everyone's keys and call their parents to come and get them. Every room was occupied, but the house wasn't too bad. Someone managed to keep the trash under control, the furniture covered with sheets, and the table had an outdoor tablecloth on it."

"Well, the tablecloth and the trash bags were definitely me from this afternoon's grill out. I didn't want to get anything on Honey's kitchen table, so I bought an outdoor tablecloth when I went to the grocery store this afternoon. But Thrace and I got in a tif, and it had been a long day and I didn't feel like dealing with it so I bailed with Jazz and Key. I'm sorry guys, if we had stuck around it probably wouldn't have gotten out of hand."

My dad was satisfied, but of course, my mom seemed curious. Dad finally replied in a gruff manner, "Well, I'm glad one of you is capable of using the common sense that God bestowed on you. And you won't have to worry about making up with Thrace anytime soon, cause that boy is not leaving the house for any reason other than school for a while."

Mom came over and put her arm around me as she said, "What was the fight about, sweetie?"

I laughed and replied, "Mom, when have I shared those kind of details? It's bad enough you and Honey trade notes without me giving you gossip for free. You're just gonna have to find my diary for those kind of secrets."

She just shook her head and said, "You know you can share those details whenever you want, dear. We will always be on your side no matter what!"

I smiled at her sweetly and replied, "I know, mom, and thanks for the support, but if you don't mind I am ready to crash."

I went off to write in my journal and sleep my problems away.

Hermes Field Log: August 2007

I have definitely established a presence in the life of my Aegis. Same gym. Same karate class. And soon exact same class schedule. I also need to figure out what after school activities she's involved in other than karate. Apollo will be pleased that I have entered her life with little to no suspicion of my true intent. Apollo's interest does not seem to be romantic in nature, but that might be wishful thinking on my part. I'm afraid she could cast a spell over me—luckily I am Olympian—not your typical male. I planned on becoming her suitor, so I could have complete access to her time—but my feelings keep growing stronger with every day, not more distant. I practically had to stop myself from drowning her boyfriend in the pool at least 3 times tonight. He does not truly value what he has in Calli, but their lives are so intertwined: friendship, family, romance. One thing is for sure after tonight Thrace will self-destruct without any help from me. It seems that human males want immediate gratification in everything. No patience or control. Maybe it is because their lives are so fleeting and short, especially here in Detroit with Ares ruling.

Chapter 6: Understandments

Luckily, I turned off my cell phone before I went to bed last night. When I woke up after sleeping until 10am, I had 20 texts and messages on my phone. Instead of listening to them, I checked my missed call log and saw that many of them were from Thrace. I headed to the shower to clear the cobwebs from my head and got ready for my karate class. I drove myself to class and left a little early to avoid a scene if Thrace decided to come pick me up. Because I was early, I headed to the track and actually found Rafe doing warm-up laps. I fell in step with him when he came around.

He tentatively inquired, "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a baby. I was out like a light bulb after I got interrogated by my parents."

"I take it Thrace got busted. Any sightings of him this morning?"

I shook my head and increased my pace, "I didn't bring my phone with me today, and I turned it off last night after I talked to Clio."

We finished up a mile before we headed to class. No surprise, Thrace was not in class. He also would not have been happy that Rafe took his regular place next to me in the front row. Both Key and Jazz were amused by this turn of events and shot me questioning looks that indicated we would be having further discussions later. Class was the perfect antidote for the previous night. Although my concentration was slightly disrupted when Rafe asked me if I wanted to go check out the Urban Archeologist place. I answered in the affirmative because it sounded interesting, and it allowed me to avoid Thrace—not because I got to hang out with Rafe. After class, it was Key's turn to spar Rafe, which gave me time to go home, shower again, and change because Rafe said he would pick me up at 2pm.

I heard a knock on the door at exactly 2:00 and was hoping that it was Rafe and not Thrace. My luck today apparently held, and we left in his Explorer. First off, Rafe was one of those guys that opened car doors as well as any other doors for a girl. Although I could in fact open my own door, I found it very chivalrous. I asked how his sparring match with Key went and he replied, "Well, she doesn't have a career in military interrogation like Jazmine does. She seems like a lovely person. You are lucky to have two such good plane friends. I would like to meet Clio someday as well if she ever comes to Detroit."

I smiled fondly at his observation and replied, "I have definitely been blessed in my friends, that is for sure."

Rafe tentatively inquired, "Do they have the same level of drama that seems to follow you around?"

I raised my eyebrow at him and commented, "Half that drama could be laid at your door, I think. The other half is typical once a month drama that definitely had a twist on it this time around. But no, Key tends to be a serial monogamist, and she generally chooses guys that are pretty stable—hence her checklist. Jazz goes through guys like fast food, but she never gets real attached to one in particular."

We arrived at our destination, and I became utterly fascinated by the building. It was The Grand Army of the Republic Building, which was one of the most beautiful and historic buildings in all of Detroit. It was five stories high and looked like an ancient fortress. I think my mouth must have been hanging open as I said, "Nice Digs."

"Wait until you see the inside. It's like going to another era as soon as you walk in the door."

I jumped out of Rafe's SUV and headed for the GAR front door. Rafe opened the front door for me while guiding me through with his hand on the small of my back. As we walked in, I felt like I was stepping back in time to the 1800's. They had kept true to the castle like feel with their large antique furniture in dark wood. There were framed civil war memorabilia as well as weaponry hanging from the walls. However, the turret spaces were decorated with pieces that looked like they were perfect for kicking back and relaxing with a book. Rafe let me gawk for several minutes before he started to introduce me to the Director of Detroit Urban Archeologists (DUA). Dr. Admetus was a retired professor from University of Michigan's College of Architecture and Urban Planning.

When I went to shake his hand after our introduction, I remarked, "I knew I should have worn my Spartans shirt."

He laughed like I hoped he would and commented, "Well, this just means I got my work cut out for me to lure you over to the dark side. If what Rafe tells me is true about your love of architecture and restoration, there is no finer program in this area of the country than UM."

I smirked and teased back, "Your first mistake is assuming what Rafe tells you is true, and your second is that I am staying in this area of the country, Dr. Admetus."

Dr. Admetus laughed and replied, "Touché, Calli. There is nothing I love more than a challenge, unless it's a volunteer."

"Well Dr. A, this is your lucky day, because I am a definitely a challenge, and I would like to be a volunteer."

"It was wonderful to meet you. I'm off to an appointment, so I will let Rafe show you around. We look forward to working with you as well as the other students from DAI."

Rafe led me to one of the empty turret spaces, so we could check out the view. He had his hand at my back again. As I looked back at him, I saw him shaking his head at me, "Is it your goal to charm every male you come in contact with or am I just imagining it?"

I stopped and turned to face him. "I try to save my charms for the unattainable, unavailable, or uncomplicated. It's less messy that way."

Rafe leaned against the turret wall as he gazed down at me, "Hmm....which do you think I am—unattainable, unavailable, or uncomplicated?"

"None, which means I truly haven't tried to charm you."

Rafe's eyes sparkled as he asked, "Will you warn me before you do try to charm me? I don't think I'm equipped to withstand that type of assault."

"As soon as you prove to me that you are unattainable, unavailable, or uncomplicated, I will take a shot at it."

He stepped in front of me and held my eyes in his thoughtful hazel gaze, "When I met you, I was both unattainable and unavailable. I just don't know what my status is anymore. Dr. Admetus was wrong. You are not a challenge. You are a Siren."

"Whereas you are a charmer who could probably tempt a nun to sin."

Rafe's husky voice ran over my skin as he took one of my hands in his, "What if I only want to tempt you?"

My voice and eyes turned serious as I gently removed his hand from mine and stated the obvious; "I have a previous commitment that far outweighs my five day friendship with you. And until I manage to figure out what to do about Thrace, I can't afford to fall under your spell. So keep your thoughts in the friendship realm for now. We clear?"

Rafe took a step back and stated, "If by clear you mean that I am absolutely on board with the mixed messages we keep sending each other, then by all means, we are crystal clear."

I let out an exasperated sigh, "As long as we have an understandment."

Rafe's eyebrows raised, "A what?"

"Understandment. You know, an understanding and an agreement."

"Then, yes, Siren, we definitely have an understandment."

"Now, can you give me an actual tour and run down on what areas we can volunteer in?"

Rafe led me to end of the corridor of the turret room to check out the rest of the first floor. "Your wish is my command, Calli."

My gaze traveled upward to admire the beautiful ornate ceiling. Rafe talked me through the history of the building, the architecture, and the renovation that had taken place to return it to its former glory. The beautiful stone castle was designed by Julian Hess and was completed in 1890. The building was created for Civil War Veterans of the Union Army.

Once I absorbed as much history as I could, Rafe introduced me to various volunteers and a few employees that worked in the GAR building. DUA was a non-profit corporation, so they had several events and fundraisers a year to help continue their work. I asked Rafe if he thought Dr. A would consider teaching a class at our high school and incorporate working at DUA as part of the curriculum. We could even research the historic buildings as part of the class. Rafe seemed supportive of the idea, but didn't know whether Dr. A would have enough time on his hands. We wandered around all five floors as I continually stopped to admire this breathtaking space. We ended up sitting in the top turret as I kicked back and grilled Rafe about everything and anything DUA. Several volunteers passed by and joined in the conversation or showed me what they were currently working on. I was like a kid in a candy store.

Around dinnertime, Dr. A came back wearing jeans and a UM t-shirt. He said he had ordered pizza for the group, so we headed to the dinning room to hang out and gab about the status of their current projects. Rafe grabbed me a Diet Dr. Pepper and a Mt. Dew for himself. The volunteers recapped the progress they had made in their various projects. They were doing a Parcel Survey of one area of Detroit, researching the history of a particular neighborhood, and restoring a historic theatre. I sat back and tried to absorb all the different activities. I raised my hand to ask a question, and everyone laughed at me.

Dr. A chided me with an amused tone, "Calli, you don't have to raise your hand to ask a question here."

I sassed back, "Dr. A, my grandma was strict about not interrupting anyone while they are speaking."

Dr. A laughed at me again and replied, "Your grandma was right, but you can wait for a pause in the conversation and jump in then."

"I'm sorry. I hadn't noticed any pauses in the conversation, Dr. A."

Of course, that made everyone laugh as Rafe said, "She's got you on that one Admetus."

Dr. A laughed and asked me politely, "What can we help you with Calli?"

"Our school is big on having us take classes where we can apply our knowledge to actual real world settings. I was wondering whether you or one of your staff would be interested in teaching an elective if I could set it up next semester. Since school starts on Monday, I think this semester is out of our reach."

Dr. A pondered my request before he finally said, "I think the DUA could handle teaching a service-based learning class at your school. It wouldn't always be one person teaching every day. Maybe you could even raise money to buy a particular building to rehab, then the school could sell it or kept it at the end."

"Wow. I never thought of that. We could raise money and target certain DAI parents that are in construction to help out with some of the cost."

Dr. A smiled and replied, "I will start a list of properties that might fit the bill for you."

"Thanks, Dr. A. Do you have some publicity material on your organization that I could present to my school board?"

"What do you need? We have brochures, our website, informational packets. We even have a documentary created by one of our UM film majors about one of our rehabs. I will have Rafe give you what you need before you leave." And then the group was off to the races again with 10 different conversations going on.

After we were done eating, Rafe took me down to the reception parlor where all the materials Dr. A talked about were located. He switched on the TV and the DUA documentary started to play. I immediately became engrossed in the show. Rafe did make several attempts to draw my attention away from the DVD with his outrageous flirting, but I just rolled my eyes at him. When the credits were rolling, I gave him back my attention. An amused smile played across his lips as he said, "You have complete tunnel vision when you want something, don't you?"

I tilted my head and replied, "Yes and no. Tunnel vision implies that I see nothing else, but the end goal—that is not true. I see the 50 things I have to do to get to the end goal. So, it's more like spider web vision."

"Alright, Spider Woman, let's get you home before your parents start to worry."

I got home about 8, and I said good-bye to Rafe in the car. I thanked him for the amazing day as he commented, "Somehow, I think the amazing part was because of the setting and not my company. Someday, Calli, when you are ready, that will change. I promise you." Then, he kissed my hand and gave me his best wicked grin.

I replied in a calm voice that didn't mirror how fast my heart was beating, "We'll see, Sparky," as I bolted out the door and went into my house. As I shut the front door, I leaned back onto it until I got my heart rate and breathing back to normal.

Since my parents were not home, I went upstairs to write in my journal about today. As I entered my room, I had to stop and literally shake my head to see if my vision needed clearing. My whole ceiling was covered in different colored helium balloons. Each balloon had a message on it in Thrace's handwriting. I started pulling the balloons down to read them. They had messages like, "I'm Soooooooo Sorry! I'm a Big Tool! Please Forgive Me! I Love You. I'll Do Anything." There were probably close to 100 balloons. Then, I looked on my bed, and there were two sold out concert tickets to  Seymore Save the World for next weekend sitting on a t-shirt. It had an arrow pointing to the right that declared, "I'm with Stupid." My cell phone was under the t-shirt with a post-it note that said, "Please call me, Calli."

I laughed and sat down on my bed to think. Thrace or Rafe. Rafe was charm and mischief, but I still knew so little about him. Thrace had been my hero growing up and the love of my life. Was I ready to give him up just because of a few bad days? I would call Thrace and listen to him before I made that decision.

I picked up my phone and hit speed dial 3. Thrace immediately picked up like he had been waiting by the phone. "Calli! Oh, thank God. Would you please let me come over and grovel in person? Please?"

I hesitated before I said, "Fine. Come over."

"Thank you, Calli. I'm on my way."

He managed to get to my door just as I was opening it, which was pretty impressive. He was out of breath though, so I just led him to the kitchen and got him some water. I finally asked, "How were you able to decorate my room and get those tickets while being grounded?"

He came toward me like he was going to hug me, but I stopped him by putting my arm out to stop his progress. "My mom un-grounded me for the duration of my mission. I told her how I flocked up, and if I didn't do something extraordinary, I was going to lose you for good. You know mom adores you."

"Thrace, I need you to really think about things for once before you just decide that I am what you want, because there are times that you sure don't respect me." Thrace kept shaking his head back and forth to disagree with me, but I continued. "You are a senior. It is perfectly natural to want a girlfriend that will be able to party and mess around with you like you want. I am not that girl though, Thrace. Even with your 21 steps, I am still not going to be that girl."

Thrace took my hands and captured my gaze, "Is it my turn to speak, now, Calli? I can live without both of those things, but what I can't live without is you. I can't believe I pulled that crap at the house. I guess I thought because you seemed so relaxed and that you were really having fun for once that was ok. I know that you deserved better than that. Please, forgive me for the whole night."

"You lost some of my trust last night. I even played by your rules during spin the bottle so you wouldn't freak, and what did you do? Made out with Siena and Tiffany." Apparently, I was starting to channel Clio, Jazz, and Key.

"That was just a game, Calli. I swear."

"And if Rafe had kissed me the way you kissed your ex-girlfriends, you would have tried to beat the crap out of him."

Thrace nodded his head and said, "True. He definitely did the stand up thing. Can we just forget last night? Start over this year. Start fresh. I promise no pressure about drinking or sex. I will even write it down. Nothing is the same without you by my side, Calli."

In the end, there wasn't much to think about. As charming as Rafe was, my heart still belonged to Thrace. It was definitely bruised, but he was my Prince Charming. I finally said, "You will write that pledge down, and you are on probation. Plus, you are going to have to accept that I have a guy friend. Jazz and Key are gonna make sure Rafe sits with us and is friends with us. So, you might want to work on that jealousy thing as well." Then, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him.

He kissed my forehead and did the pick up hug where he lifted me off my feet and twirled me around. He finally set me down and kissed me. It felt safe. It felt like home. I let him hold me for a while just taking comfort in his presence. I finally let go and took him by the hand to the den. I told him all about my plan to work with the DUA for the upcoming year as we snuggled on the couch.

My parents got home about 10:30. Thrace kissed me good night on the doorstep and made me promise I would come over after church tomorrow. I asked my parents about their part in my room surprise. My mom just laughed and said, "Believe me, that was all Thrace with a little help and money from Honey. You don't actually think your father would encourage any boy, even Thrace." Dad just grumbled, "Whatever he did, you best let him know that I've got my eyes on him again."

I laughed and replied, "I will let him know."

When I got upstairs, I completed my nightly beauty rituals and found that I missed a text from Rafe. "2 roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the 1 less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

Flock it. How does he know just how to get me--to make my stomach churn--to doubt myself? I could even see his sarcastic grin as he sent that. I just replied, "U Suck! That was not nice! I Luv that Poem!"

I took a picture of my room and sent it to Jazz and Key and told them they had to come over after church to either help me pop the balloons or help me release them. They texted me back that they would come over to help if they got all the details. When they arrived the next day, we decided for every good deed Thrace performed, I would give him back one of the balloons. When I had no more balloons, Thrace would be off probation. We called Thrace over and walked him through his probation. He accepted it, and we made him sign his contract with his misdeeds that would be given to my dad to see if he broke the contract--that more than anything scared the flock out of him. Then, the girls called over the basketball players to hang out on our last night of freedom. We played Boxers or Briefs, which is kinda like Apples to Apples but much funnier until my parents kicked everyone out with a, "You realize this is a school night, Falcons." We all groaned and all the boys being mighty seniors had to go into a chorus of remarks about ruling the school before they were booted and booed out the door.

Just as I was about to go to bed, I got a call from Rafe. He started by asking me all these dorky school related questions, and I always answered with totally inappropriate responses about the dress code (wear only togas), our classes (15 minutes long), the cafeteria food (all vegetarian), and our teachers (all male models) that he pretended to believe. As expected, he asked about Thrace, and I gave him the scoop. He sighed, then asked me if I wanted to go meet with Dr. A because he thought they had a building picked out for me. I was totally on board, and we planned to meet after school at the GAR building. He reminded me that I would probably want to make an appointment with our Superintendent, School Board, and PTA to get on their agenda. I thought that was a little rushed since I didn't have any of the details of the building or a presentation ready, but he convinced me that by the time they would get me on their schedule we would have that all completed. I told him since we were both juniors that I would volunteer to guide him through tomorrow, and I got a wicked laugh with a, "My guardian angel." I hung up with a smile on my face. My junior year was _not_ gonna be boring.

Chapter 7: Pot Stirrers

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. - Mark Twain

The first day of junior year started out with a bang—quite literally. Thrace's Mustang seriously needed a new muffler, but he still refused to let me drive. I think we managed to scare the flock out of half the students in the parking lot, which included Jazz, Rafe, and Key. They were razzing Thrace on his car as we all walked in together like one big happy dysfunctional family. We showed Rafe the office as we headed to our homerooms because we were running late. I had just settled in my chair next to Jazz and Key as Rafe walked into our homeroom with a note in his hand. He gave it to the teacher and made a beeline for the three of us. We all smiled at him, and he took the open chair next to Jazz. We all compared schedules. Jazz and Key's were the same, and amazingly Rafe and I had the exact same schedule. I shot him a slightly accusing look as he shot me his satisfied smile. I had all my required courses with Jazz and Key, but my afternoon electives except for gym were different.

Jazz remarked, "Well, aren't you two gonna be cozy this semester."

Key whispered, "Please let me be there when Thrace finds out! I want to see if he breaks any of the probation rules. You are not the only one that is going to hold him to those rules."

I hissed back, "Hey, pot stirrers, can't we all just get along!"

All three of the pot stirrers snickered before the announcements came on to reduce the classroom noise to a dull roar.

Minus the hot new guy trailing me around all day, it was a typical first day at DAI. Every teacher gave us homework. We scoped out a new table in the cafeteria and laid claim to our new heightened status. We volleyed for seats and hierarchy within that table. Several of the juniors got pushed to the overflow table next to us. But as juniors dating seniors, we did not get pushed off the island. Thrace sat next to me, and Rafe sat across from me.

Thrace and I only had journalism together, so we said good-bye at the door to study hall. It did not go unnoticed by Thrace that Rafe was in study hall with me. When I caught back up with him in journalism and he saw Rafe and I walking in together, he made a face of concern until I made a beeline for him. Rafe again gave a slip to the teacher and took a seat away from us. Thrace wanted to make plans for after school until I reminded him that he needed to take care of his car issue. When the bell rang, he walked me to my Shakespeare class and saw Rafe sitting in class already.

He muttered under his breath, "What did he do, copy your schedule?"

I lightly hit him in the chest and said, "That would be hard to do seeing as I didn't know my schedule until today."

"Fine. Fine. I will behave. It just feels like he is moving in on you, again."

"Thrace, the only people that can flock us up are us." And on that note, I gave him a side hug and sent him on his way.

As I took my seat next to Rafe, he whispered to me with a wicked smile, "It's not paranoia if someone really is out to get you."

"What, can you read lips?" I asked exasperated.

"Some. What I can read much better is body language and deadly looks," he said with a laugh before the teacher started his lecture.

In our Shakespeare class, we got paired together to do our first project. Rafe smirked at me as he remarked, "Man, this is my lucky day. At this rate, we'll be engaged by the end of the semester."

I couldn't help but laugh and accuse, "How much did you pay the office staff for your good fortune?"

He just nodded at me in a mafia boss sort of way and replied, "I am connected in ways that you wouldn't believe possible."

Thankfully, the school day ended with less drama than it began. Key dropped me off at my house while trying to guilt me into hanging with her, Jazz, and the basketball boys. I told her about my new building project, and she finally let me go. I immediately headed to DUA to meet with Dr. A. I was excited to hear about the building they had chose for my project and to get started on my research. Rafe and I had already stopped by the Superintendent's office to make the appointment to pitch the renovation idea.

Rafe was hanging out in Dr. A's office when I arrived at DUA and greeted me, "Hey there, stranger. Did ya miss me?"

"No, but I did miss the drama that follows you around like a cloud over your head."

"I think you are mistaking me for you, Siren."

I was about to snark back at him as Dr. A walked in and announced, "I have the perfect place for your school's restoration project, Calli."

"Don't keep me in suspense Dr. A, what is it?"

"It's called the  Grande Ballroom, and it is on the market for a steal. It will be about $28,000 to buy the place and at least another $60,000 or so to get it back in usable shape--more to really make it a knock out. The restoration part of the project can happen in phases. You will have to raise the funds for the building in the fall, and we can do the renovations in winter and spring along with the course."

"Dr. A, $88,000 is _a lot_ of money to raise! I don't know if I can do that. That is _not_ car washes and bake sale kinda fundraisers!"

Dr. A smiled at me and said, "I have asked our fundraising expert to walk you through a few strategies to hit your fundraising goal after this meeting. The Grande Ballroom is a landmark in Detroit and restoring it would be excellent press for your school, the DUA, and UM as a joint project. Many musical legends played at the Grande Ballroom like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, Van Morrison, BB King, and The Grateful Dead to name but a few. So Calli, are you all in?"

I laughed at his poker terminology. Little did he know that my mother was a card shark. "Yeah, Dr. A, I'm all in."

He shook my hand and smiled at Rafe and I. "Now, let's go talk to Sadie, my fundraiser extraordinaire."

Sadie was a ball of energy. There was no other way to describe her. She was already filled in on the project and suggested monthly fundraising events to get us to our goal. We would start small with a raffle in September where we would sell tickets for donated sporting events and spa services. The first big fundraiser would target getting a car dealership to donate a fairly nice used car to raffle in October at our homecoming. I worked with Sadie, Rafe, and Dr. A until about 9pm when my parents called and wondered where I was after Thrace had showed up for dinner and I had not. I told Dr. A and Sadie I would be back on Wednesday if they were available and bolted for home. Rafe walked me out to my car and said with his typical grin, "That was a pretty solid first day Calli. It will be interesting to see if you can keep up that level of enthusiasm."

I laughed and replied, "You ain't seen nothing, yet."

When I got home, I explained the new project to my parents. They told me stories about when they had been to the Grande Ballroom, and the different groups they got to see play there. I told them that I would be volunteering at the DUA on Mondays and Wednesday for the foreseeable future. They seemed a little concerned with my packed schedule. I promised them that I would lighten up if I needed to. When I called Thrace, he was less enthused with the project, but only because it cut into his time with me unless he would come and volunteer. I lessened his concern by instituting Friday Date Night that would be solely our time together. Naturally, our first Date Night would be the concert, and he would unveil another of the 21 steps. I told him he could sneak over and say good night. I grabbed one of my balloons and headed downstairs in pjs and bunny slippers. My bunny slippers had a little bit of an attitude since Jazz painted an evil grin with fangs on them with a black Sharpie.

I met him at the front door. He handed me a small box when he reached me, and I smiled as I opened it. "Step 2: Hugging"

I gasped as he gave me a big hug that lifted me off my feet. When he let me down, I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head on his chest. He told me that he missed me this evening. He finally let him go with a sigh. I laughed as he ran home holding a balloon that said, "I'm a Tool."

Chapter 8: Truth Serum

I was excited that Wednesday took me back to the DUA. My appointments were set for next week, so I worked with both Dr. A, Rafe, and Sadie for a couple hours. As I was researching The Grande Ballroom's history, the most beautiful eye candy I had ever seen walked into the lab. I kept shaking my head to clear my vision. He looked liked the hottie younger brother in _Prison Break._ He was probably 6ft4 with honey colored skin and heavy-lidded stormy grey eyes. His hair was dark and cut very short _,_ and he had the lightest coat of dark stumble on his face even though he probably shaved his morning. Although his body seemed very adult like, there was something about his face that marked him as not much older than me. I really don't have enough pages to describe how gorgeous he looked in his fitted black t-shirt and dark grey cargo pants. A tailor could not have molded his clothes to him any better. He seemed to take my admiration, staring, and silence in stride.

A small smile played upon his lips and actually turned the stormy eyes to smokin grey. He finally spoke, "Are you Calliope?"

I stuttered out, "Yes. How..How.. did you know that?"

Now the smile turned from small to stunning as his intense gaze held me captive, "Admetus told me where to find you. I might help teach the class at your school next year, and I thought we could walk through the syllabus together."

My shocked expression really wasn't helping matters. I casually ran my finger below my lower lip to make sure I wasn't drooling before I stuttered out, "I don't know if that is a good idea. FLOCK! Did I just say that out loud. I'm sorry."

Now, a hypnotic laugh joined his arsenal of weapons designed to turn me into a stark raving nutbar. When he was done laughing, he finally asked, "Why is that not a good idea, if I may ask?"

It was my turn to shock him. It was like his voice was airborne truth serum. "Because every girl in class and probably even some of the guys are _not_ going to be able to concentrate on a word you say because they are going to be too busy staring at you."

The laugh was back, and I was just as mesmerized again. He sat down at the computer next to me and turned to face me. The inside of his knees actually touched the outside of mine, and I thought I would actually either throw up or faint. Instead, I concentrated on breathing.

He leaned towards me and his gaze practically set me on fire as he whispered, "Maybe it's just you that would have this type of reaction."

I managed to break away from his gaze and grabbed my phone to take a picture of just his face. I sent the pic to Jazz and Key and asked what they would think if he was one of our teachers next semester. Instead of a text back, I got a three-way call from Key who always had the latest and greatest in phone service. I just put my phone on speaker for Mr. Disturbingly-Hot-Guy to hear the level of comments and squealing by my friends. I thanked them for their input, and I told them I would keep them posted as I got off the phone.

"So you think it would be _just_ me. Huh?"

Mr. Disturbingly-Hot-Guy took my phone from my hand, and the warmth and spark from his hand to mine was yet another shock. "I guess I will take your word on that," he said as he deleted the pic.

"Hey, what if I wanted to keep that for my screensaver? And who exactly who are you?" I demanded.

The solemn smile was back and the heavy-lidded gaze was smoking as he shook my hand and said, "My name is Delian, and I am a student at UM doing an internship here this year. Admetus is my supervisor. And, I distinctly remember hearing that _you_ have a boyfriend, so I was not to be enchanted by you. I was told if you looked up heartbreaker in the dictionary your picture would be there."

I snorted, _not cool._ "I think you might want to look in the mirror for that picture. And get this straight, I have not tried to enchant you. What I have done is stuttered, stammered, gawked, turned bright red, and said things aloud that I shouldn't have."

"What if I am just enchanted by your honest reaction to me?"

I studied his perfect face and finally asked, "Aren't you a little too old to be hitting on high school girls that you could have the potential to teach next semester?"

"First of all, it is not high school _girls._ It is just you. And second of all, you practically devoured me with your eyes earlier, in addition to your comments about my general hotness."

I actually blushed even redder as I hissed, "Those were _not_ my comments. Those were my friends' comments!"

"So you _don't_ think I'm hot?"

I was too stunned to put back up that filter that usually stands between my brain and my mouth, "Of course, I think you're hot. Hands down, you are the most beautiful and exotic creature I have ever laid my eyes on. Oh god, did I say that out loud again? Flock! Well, so what! It's not like you haven't been told that a million times."

Delian's mesmerizing laugh and heated gaze were back. "I can honestly say I have _never_ been called a beautiful and exotic creature. You really need to help me out here Calli. I am trying to keep away from you, and your honesty is playing hell on all my good intentions."

I rolled my chair back to get out of arms reach, then for some reason I bolted for the door. In a flash, Delian was in front of the door with his back to it and his front facing me. His arms were crossed, which gave me a much better view of his fireman biceps. I gawked again as he purred down at me, "Calli, running scared from beautiful and exotic creatures turns them into predators. Always slow and small movements around predators. Remember that."

Once again, Delian's voice was like an airborne truth serum as he towered over me and held my gaze because I could not lie to him. "I'm more afraid of me and my reactions than I am of you, Delian."

Delian swore very fluently with some words in a different language even as he turned his back to me, which gave me another nice view. I commented, "I am in a relationship, but that does not mean I am dead. I have a boyfriend that I love and keeping my distance from you is probably the smartest move I could make. So you need to stay away from me."

He laughed and turned back around and put his hands on my shoulders, "I suggest a compromise. I still need to complete the syllabus for my internship with input from a potential student. I propose one hour a week of your valuable time. And I will desperately try to behave myself if you will."

His thumbs moving back and forth on my collarbone literally turned me mute. He must have said my name a couple of times before I said, "I'm sorry did you say something?" He looked to the ceiling and groaned loudly then turned back around and repeated himself.

I sort of shook myself like a dog shakes after a bath and the truth came out again, "One hour....Once a week....Pure Insanity.....I don't see it happening..... Definitely not in my best interest.... Now, move away from the door slowly, small movements, no eye contact, no noise. Got it?"

He did exactly as I said as he laughed, and I bolted from the room. I breezed by Dr. A as I said. "I gotta run, Dr. A. I'll talk to you on Saturday."

In the background, I heard Dr. A ask Delian, "What did you do to Calli?"

I actually slowed down to hear his response, "You should have warned me about her, Admetus. She is going to turn my world upside down."

I just heard Dr. A say faintly, "Yes, she is."

I got a call from Rafe that night. He asked me in a tentative voice, "I heard you met Delian."

I laughed in a slightly bitter way and said, "I can't say that I met him as much as I made a total flocker out of myself in front of him. Tell me my totally freakish behavior is not being gossiped about all over the DUA."

I heard Rafe's wicked laugh as he replied, "Well, the janitor said that it was pretty funny."

"Niiiiccccccee," I replied sarcastically.

"What happened? Delian is pretty much already smitten with you. How exactly do you enchant someone while you are acting like a total freak?"

"It was like the 16 year old filter that I had developed between my thoughts and my words just disappeared. It was gone. A thought came into my head then it went right out of my mouth. No stopping."

"Wow. I wish I could have been there to ask some questions," Rafe commented.

"I am sure he thought it was flattering considering he is both hot and vain. But, I was totally mortified. It was like someone shot me up with truth serum right before he walked in the door. You have to find out his schedule, so I can skip the days that he is there. Pleasssssssseeeeeee."

Rafe sounded confused, "You want to avoid him?"

"Flock, yeah! I don't need that kind of embarrassment in my life! That boy is wayyyy out of my league. Pretty please—get his schedule for me."

I could visualize Rafe's mental headshake, "I will try, but Delian can be persistent when he wants something or someone. You definitely caught his attention. He's not going to let you out of his web that easily."

"The supple willow does not contend against the storm, yet it survives," I quoted Master Po from Kung Fu at him to test his mad karate skills.

Of course, he laughed devilishly and threw a Caine quote right back at me, "I seek not to know the answers, but to understand the questions."

"Whoa. You've got some mad Kung Fu skills. Thrace made me watch every single episode at least three times."

Rafe scoffed, "You know you can't really have a black belt in karate unless you've seen the whole Kung Fu series at least five times. I think your measly three times might be grounds for disbarment."

"There is no such thing as black belt disbarment. Wait a minute, do you even know, Delian?"

Rafe laughed and commented, "You could say we're close."

"Please don't tell me you have a bromance going. You are the one that told him that I am a heartbreaker!"

This time it was uproarious laughter I heard on the other end of the line. I just hung up. I got a text a minute later.

"Was it somethin I said?"

I just furiously typed back, "U r the 1 that told him that!"

"Rnt U a hartbreka?"

"NO I AM NOT!"

"Ya broke mine...Just thought he should b warned"

"I'm sorry"

"I know.....U always take the safe route, Calli....sometimes the other road is more fun."

Chapter 9: Busted

Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. ~Faith Whittlesey

If you looked up _lame_ in Wikipedia, it would have a full description of DAI's Back to School Dance. However, it was Thrace's senior year, and I could not convince him that we should ditch and head to the rave that night instead. The one good thing about the dance was that it was a Sadie Hawkins Dance. It was a tradition for the girl to come up with an elaborate way to ask her date. As of Wednesday night, I was still clueless about a creative way to ask Thrace. As I was venting to my dad about the problem, he came up with a devious plan and helped arrange it. I believed Thrace's lack of fear of my dad was no longer gonna be an issue.

One of dad's cop buddies busted Thrace for me after karate class. (And they say fireman and cops can never be buddies!) He cuffed him, read him his rights, and turned on his flashing lights—which was a nice touch. I got to play the confused girlfriend for the audience's benefit, which was most of our karate class. Luckily, we got permission from his parents for this gag. I think his dad actually wanted us to film it for him. Officer Dan told him he was under arrest for drunk driving. They caught it on tape, and they only recently got the tape back from the crime lab with the license plate number. He took Thrace to the old 8th Precinct Police Station, which was abandoned but still had its cells. It looked like a cross between a gothic mansion and a church. Officer Dan also took the really, really long way to the station to make Thrace sweat a little more. He put Thrace in one of the cells and interrogated him for a few minutes on the 'incident.' I think Thrace finally got it was a joke when Officer Dan started to interrogate him on the 21 steps. What website it came from? What search terms did he use to find the 21 steps? He didn't videotape it, but thank heavens I was spying because I have never laughed so hard in my life. Finally, Officer Dan said he had one phone call and suggested he call me. The transcript of the phone call is listed below:

Me: Hello?

Thrace: What the _FLOCK_ did you do, Calli?

Me: I would rethink the yelling at your one phone call person, Thrace.

Thrace: I thought you forgave me for the whole pool party thing.

Me: I did. This has nothing to do with the pool party.

Thrace: Is it payback for the 21 Steps Thing?

Me: Wrong again.

Thrace: _(yelling again)_ What, Calli, What!!?

Me: Thrace Oeagrus will you go to the Back to School Dance with me? And, keep in mind, only one answer will get you out of that cell.

Thrace: ( _loud sigh)_ Whose idea was it to have me arrested, Calli?

Me: It was my dad's. He's still pissed I won't tell him what you did that warranted 100 Forgive Me Balloons.

My dad and I now walked into the room with the holding cell. Thrace saw us and just shook his head.

Me: Dad, Officer Dan, can you give me a few minutes alone with the prisoner?

Dad: Don't cave honey. Stick to your guns.

Dad and Officer Dan headed outside. I walked up to the bars. I pulled a white rose from behind my back and gave it to Thrace through the bars. He looked at it puzzled as he took it in his cuffed hands.

Me: I still haven't heard your answer. If you insist, we _could_ stay here all night long.

Thrace: ( _annoyed)_ Fine....Fine....but we are going in Justin's limo after this fiasco.

Me: Deal. You are going to look back on this and laugh. It will be classic.

Thrace: You notice I did not fold under interrogation. The 21 Steps are still a mystery.

Me: ( _laughing)_ Nice that you kept your mouth shut because my dad was right outside the door.

Thrace: ( _gulping)_ Calli, can we go before he convinces you to let me rot in here.

Me: The key to the cuffs is in the rose petals and the cell door doesn't lock.

End of Transcript

Thrace unlocked his cuffs, opened the door, picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and hauled me out of 'the precinct.' Thrace's car that I had driven there, dad's car, and Officer Dan's car were all sitting out back where we left them. Dad and Officer Dan laughed as they saw Thrace carrying me out the door. He smacked my butt, then set me down in front of the passenger door of the Mustang. Thrace stalked back to the driver's side of the car looked at Dad and Officer Dan and said, "I take it I'm free to go, Officer?"

Dad and Officer Dan both laughed. Officer Dan said, "If you ever drink and drive, son, today is going be paradise in comparison to what you would face. You may take the Greek Princess home as long as you abide all traffic laws."

Thrace looked relieved and said, "Done. Lethe, are we even now?"

Dad stared at Thrace in a thoughtful manner, "As always Thrace that depends on you. Don't f*** up again."

Thrace solemnly nodded, "Yes, sir." He got in the car and was very careful not to peel out. Thrace finally asked, "I take it my parents knew?"

"Yeah, they are big believers in the punishment fitting the crime, especially since they are ungrounding you for the dance."

We discussed the details of the very lame dance for the rest of the ride home. The one redeeming feature of the dance was that it was at The Gem Theatre. The Gem was built in 1903 by the Century Club, a group of remarkable women that wanted to make Detroit a better place by bringing more art and culture here. We still needed a little help in that area, since it was almost torn down for a baseball stadium. I was astounded they managed to move the whole building five blocks so they could build Comerica Park. _(It is in the World Records Books for heaviest building to be moved on wheels.)_ I started to mock his friends for renting a Hummer limo for the dance even if it is at The Gem. Who does that? The answer occurred to me very quickly--A group of kids that wanted to pre-party, party, and after party with a guaranteed DD. Oh well, relationships were always about compromise--jail time vs. limo time.

When dad got home, he asked me a very unusual question. Officer Dan said the police department was getting a rash of parental complaints that their teenagers were staying out all night then coming home all beaten up with memory loss. Of course, the police didn't really believe memory loss excuse. They believed they had a Fight Club in Detroit and wanted it stopped. In addition, there was a rash of missing teens in Detroit, and the Mayor wanted to put a task force together to address the issue. I told my dad that I hadn't heard of a Fight Club, but I would ask around. I called Thrace that night and asked if he heard anything. He didn't find my question odd or let me explain the details. He just went off on a boy tangent on the movie Fight Club and how cool it would be to have one in Detroit. Sometimes boys really were from another planet. I then called Rafe and asked him the same question. He immediately wanted to know the story behind the question. He was definitely interested in the topic but didn't mention why.

I spent most of Friday doing two things. First, I had to explain my arresting Thrace as a dance invitation about 100 times to various classmates. I was now a legend at our school that inspired both fear and awe in most people but Siena.

As I walked by her at lunch I heard her snide remark, "Guess she has to arrest someone to actually get a date."

I merely looked down at her with one eyebrow raised and my fists clenched. She shut up. If I was capable of having someone arrested that I love, what could I do to someone that I hated? My Ice Queen persona just grew and grew.

My second project on Friday other than schoolwork was doing research on my school's facilities and finances. This was where the crappy school dance came in handy. I found out how much it costs to rent an incredible venue at least four times a year versus restoring our own Grande Ballroom. Now, all I needed to do was finish my historical research and create the PowerPoint for my meetings next week. Rafe and I were finalizing the presentation with Sadie's help on Saturday. I think I was more excited about the Seymore Saves the World concert tonight than the dance.

Thrace picked me up for the concert at nine. I was wearing my "I'm with Stupid" gift shirt, but it would be the first and last time I wore it. The concert was kinda in a deserted area of town, but I tended to enjoy getting off the beaten path whereas Thrace just got jumpy. The concert was definitely fantabulous and was worth the pool party fiasco. However, some very odd things happened that were non-concert related. Odd Thing Number 1: Saw a petite and pixie like girl lift up and throw some drunk dude that was hitting on her into a storage room door several feet away. Weird, right? Odd Thing Number 2: This incredibly hottie looking dude was talking to this very nervous girl when she dropped her beer and in flash he caught it before it dropped 6 inches. Odd Thing Number 3: We had just pulled out of the parking lot and were going at least 25 mph when some running guy passed us. Seymore Saves the World must have an extraordinary following. I noticed odd things like that when I went to raves too, but _everything_ is sorta distorted at raves.

Saturday before the dance Rafe and I worked hard to finish up the PowerPoint for all the groups we were presenting to next week. Delian came in while we were working, and I froze like a deer caught in headlights. Rafe told him what we were working on while I tried to remain calm.

Delian then turned his attention to me and commented, "Well, with Calli presenting I am sure it will be very persuasive."

My eyes got big with his allusion to my nonexistent charm. I answered to his feet because I could not be caught in his mesmerizing gaze in front of Rafe, "It's called research, not persuasion."

Delian laughed as I saved our work and pulled my flash drive out of the computer. By the time he was done laughing, I was up and heading out the door as I explained, "Look at the time. I gotta run. See you tonight, Rafe. Always a pleasure Delian." I still had no idea about my reaction to Delian, but today there was no time to dwell because I had to head home to get ready for the dance.

The pre-party was at Justin's house. His parents were rather lax on their supervision skills. As I parked in Justin's drive, Thrace gave me a box with a wrist corsage in it--unbelievably dorky, yet sweet. As I pulled out the rose, I saw underneath it was a piece of paper that said Step 3: Kissing on the Forehead. I laughed, leered at him, said "Nicccccceee" and kissed him on the forehead. As we entered the party hand-in-hand, several of my classmates were already drunk. Jazz and Key were already there with the basketball boys. Unfortunately soon after we arrived, Justin headed our way with a beer for Thrace and a "wazzzzup" for me.

Thrace looked at me and begged, "Please?"

When I shook my head, Thrace drank defiantly as he announced, "I bypassed probation and went straight to jail, so I think you owe me at least one drink."

I commented, "I suppose even _my dad_ would allow you one drink for that stunt."

Mention of my dad immediately slowed Thrace's progress down on the beer, and I didn't _see_ him drink the rest of the pre-party. However, the majority of my classmates actually sped up their drinking because they could only bring their flasks not their beer into the limo. Tiffany actually threw up before we even left. Justin, her date, warned her that she better not puke in the limo. My amusement for the night was going to be watching Rafe fend off Siena. Right now, she just had him in verbal handcuffs, and he was looking for a rescue. However, the more she drank the more he would have to fend off her other advances.

The dance was everything I had expected it to be. Beautiful setting. Lame music. Awkward dancing. Several couples broke up. Several new couples hooked up, and plenty of girl's bathroom drama. Jazz, Key, and I sat back and watched it all while the guys disappeared at intervals to get more _refreshments._ We laughed at Rafe's attempts to fend off Siena's attack. Rafe had managed to escape Siena for a couple minutes and was talking to me when I looked up at one of the balcony areas on the opposite side wall and saw Delian and another dark-haired hottie. I couldn't make out his features, but it was clear that he was gorgeous.

My breath caught and I stuttered, "What is Delian doing here?"

Rafe seemed as shocked as I was. He then did something surprising. He stepped in front of me blocking my view of Delian and vice versa. Then, he walked toward me making me step back until we were in the shadows.

He finally commented, "I promised I would keep Delian away from you. I'm always a man that keeps his promises. You definitely don't want Delian and Thrace in the same room."

I nodded and agreed, "True dat. Do you know who the other guy is with him?"

Rafe looked worried for a second before he gave me a devilish smile and commented, "He is a fraternity brother of Delian's. They are probably scoping this place out for their fall event. Three guys willing to display their feathers for you are not enough. You need to enchant another one."

I snarked, "When have you ever worried about the competition, Rafe Hermes?"

He sighed dramatically, "With you, every minute of every day."

Rafe glanced back over his shoulder and the coast must have been clear.

As we walked back toward the dance floor, we saw Thrace and Siena dancing. I guess since Rafe escaped she decided to pay me back. Siena had her arms wrapped around Thrace like an octopus. I looked at Rafe and said, "Come on. Let's go rescue my boyfriend."

Rafe shook his head as I pulled him out on the dance floor. "Hey, why should I save him?"

I instantly replied, "Because you said yes to her invitation and Thrace didn't."

Rafe whined, "I have only had a 10 minute break so far this whole evening."

We slowly danced to them, and I attempted to kick Rafe into submission, but he was too quick for me. He finally sighed and tapped Thrace on the shoulder and asked, "Can I cut in?"

Thrace looked like he wanted to give Rafe a hug but instead he slurred, "Yes. I've been neglecting Calli all night."

Siena slurred at Rafe, "Too bored without me, lover?"

Rafe's expression was comical, but I didn't hear his reply over the music. Thrace took me into his arms, and we swayed slowly to the music. He leaned down to kiss me on the forehead, but I caught a very strong whiff of whiskey and leaned back as I said, "Contract written in blood, huh?"

He backed off but looked a little wounded. I just laid my head on his chest for the rest of the dance. On the way back to Justin's house, one guy passed out in the limo and had to be carried out, and Tiffany puked again. We used the guy's jacket that passed out to clean up the limo. As usual, I was DD for Thrace and several other classmates. I dropped Thrace off and headed home feeling like we were right back to where I didn't want to be.

Hermes Field Log: August 2007

I feel like I am living in the middle of a house of cards. One wrong move and it all falls down. Disrupt Calli and Thrace without hurting her. Guard her without being drawn to her. Try to figure out why she is important to Apollo without being obvious. Protect her from Apollo without offending him. I no longer believe Apollo's interest in Calli is platonic. He seems to have a similar effect on her as she has on me. Apollo almost ruined everything tonight by going to the dance to observe my progress. He somehow drew Ares's attention, and Ares's attention always comes with a price. Apollo assured me that Ares did not see either Calli or I. He just wanted to talk business and had one of his many minions track Apollo down. Ares is getting suspicious, and he is malicious enough to try to steal any female that draws Apollo's attention. Ares's human "girlfriends" have very short life expectancies. Apollo hopes that the media attention about the deaths, disappearances, and injuries of the young adults will distract Ares's attention from us. The media does not know how close their Fight Club theory is to the truth. There is no way to know how Ares will deal with this issue or who will pay the price. I will just have to always keep in mind the words of Charles Lamb—"Cards are war, in disguise of a sport."

Chapter 10: Camelot

I was happy that I had little time on Sunday to dwell on the previous night's dance. In addition to our usual family routine, I had to finalize all four of my presentations: Superintendent, School Board, PTA, and volunteer group. They all needed the same information, but the sales pitch that I would use for each group had to be different. My parents made me give each pitch to them after I practiced it in the mirror with my laptop. Yes, that is how lame I was and how badly I wanted to get this right. Rafe called me for a pep talk and some last minute brainstorming. I asked him how the evening with Siena turned out.

He answered, "Probably like yours ended. Frustrating and wanting to get away from your date."

I scoffed, "I didn't want to get away from Thrace......that badly."

"True. You are probably used to his drinking and tactics by now," Rafe commented.

"Yeah. Apparently, the arrest had little impact on him. He did always suffer from short-term memory loss. I would rather focus on the presentations than Thrace's issues." I remarked.

"I can see why you would want to focus on working with me than Thrace. We do make a perfect team. I think I should probably drive you tomorrow since we are just going to head to the GAR after the School Board Meeting anyway."

I reluctantly agreed to the ride, but I cut Rafe's flirting short as I said, "You're definitely gonna a need your beauty rest to be at your most persuasive, Sparky, so I will let you go."

The next morning I was a bundle nerves when Rafe picked me up a half hour earlier than I usually left. I sent Thrace a text letting him know that I was already on my way to school. I had put my hair up in a twist and actually had on my glasses instead of contacts to look more professional.

Rafe looked slightly taken aback by my appearance, but laughingly announced, "Love the sexy librarian persona."

I snapped, "Since we have no choice about the uniforms, the least I could do was look a little more professional."

"Yes, but it's going to put ideas into all the guys' heads. We all had at least one fantasy about the tempting teacher that whips off her glasses and shakes her hair out of her bun. You just turned yourself into a walking talking male fantasy," Rafe explained with a devilish wink.

I shot him an icy look back and snarled, "Hey! Get your mind in the game and out of your little dream world. Flock! I haven't had enough caffeine to deal with you yet."

Rafe nodded down to the cup holder. It had a fountain Mt. Dew in it.

I smiled at him and announced, "If I said, 'I could kiss you right now'--it would only be an expression. So I am just going to say, Thank you." I took a drink and sighed in pleasure.

"That would be three kisses you owe me. Don't worry, I am still counting, and I will collect when the time is right."

Although the thought of kissing Rafe made my stomach churn, it wasn't going to happen. However, I could tease him in another way. "Would you trade the three kisses for me taking off my glasses and shaking down my hair at the GAR building after the school board meeting?"

Rafe's hazel eyes felt like they actually burned into mine as he huskily whispered, "I would consider that payment in full."

My lips twitched in a smile and I replied, "Deal, but only if the Superintendent, Principal, _and_ School Board goes for our idea, so you better be persuasive," I announced just as we arrived at school.

Flirting with Rafe definitely took my nerves away from the presentation. As we walked into school, we headed straight toward the conference room. Superintendant Torres and Principal Wakefield were already in the office, but they gave us time to set up. I pulled my handouts and laptop out of my borrowed briefcase. Rafe and I had sectioned out each portion of our presentation. I was going to start the pitch because our audience was more familiar with me than Rafe. Rafe then took over the explanation of the DUA and its mission and our potential partnership for a service-based learning class. I took over to explain the financing and fundraising needed to purchase and renovate the Grande Ballroom. Rafe finished up with the historic contribution and good press this would create for our school. Both Superintendent Torres and Principal Wakefield seemed impressed and said they would support our efforts tonight when we presented to the School Board. I think it helped that both were natives of Detroit and had been to the Grande Ballroom in its heyday.

I flew threw my classes on cloud nine. However, I definitely got some odd looks at my glasses and attire from more than a few guys as well as several snide remarks from Siena. Thrace noticed this as well as whom I got a ride from today. He chose to snap at me all day. I couldn't figure out if it was more for the outfit or the ride. Jazz and Key were supportive and put Thrace in his place as needed. Rafe and I debriefed and prepped for the board meeting during study hall. As much as I could handle speaking to authority figures in a small group, I _hated_ speaking in a large group, so my nerves were back in effect.

Rafe once again teased and flirted me out of most of my nerves by reminding me that all he had to do was charm the School Board and his private show was on. Luckily, we were first up on our School Board's agenda that night. Dr. A, Sadie, my parents, Thrace, Jazz, and Key were all in the audience to show support as well. I had a moment of shear panic when Delian walked in the room with Dr. A and Sadie, but he sat in the back so I couldn't really see him. Rafe just shook his head at me and shot Delian a look that said stay back.

Rafe and I had our spiel down as we presented the second time around to an audience of about 50 people. The School Board seemed impressed and asked us some tough questions about insurance, building upkeep, and maintenance. We had fairly strong estimates from the GAR and the Superintendent. Many of the board members were familiar with the Grande Ballroom and loved the idea of restoring it, but were practical about the business of buying and renovating it. I walked them through the fundraising, and I pulled Sadie up to verify my figures. Dr. A also jumped in with a discussion on the course he could offer us in conjunction with the renovation. It was a unanimous vote to proceed with the project, and several board members expressed interest in helping with the fundraising. The exhilaration that I felt in accomplishing this part of my quest was amazing. It was only tempered down by all the work that would have to follow to raise support and money for the project.

I celebrated with my family, Thrace, Jazz, and Key as Rafe went over to thank Dr. A, Sadie, and Delian for coming. I told my parents and Thrace that I had to run to the GAR to do a little more research for the PTA presentation. Thrace seemed reluctant to let me go with Rafe, but my parents' presence cut short his sullen routine.

As we pulled into the GAR, Rafe turned to me and urged, "Time to pay up, Siren."

I looked at him in surprise as I whispered, "In the car? I don't think you will get quite the full effect in such a confined space."

Rafe gave me one of his teasing smiles as he pondered, "You're probably right. I am just afraid Delian will pounce as soon as we walk in the door, and I won't get my show."

I laughed and said, "Ok. It's your loss." As I reached for my glasses I captured his gaze and sternly commented, "You have been a very disobedient friend, Rafe Hermes." I whipped my glasses off and released my hair from my clip and shook it down.

Rafe sat completely still and looked flabbergasted. I jumped out of the car and literally skipped to the building laughing all the way. Of course, Rafe was right. As soon as I entered the building, both Dr. A and Delian came out to congratulate me. They asked where Rafe was because he still had not entered the building, and I covered for him, "He must have got a call as I got out of the car."

I headed up to Dr. A's office because he had my handouts printed for the PTA meeting. As we entered, Delian finally managed to capture my gaze, which made me blurt out, "I'm sorry, Delian, did you need something?"

Dr. A snorted and asked, "Yes, Delian, is there something you needed? I think that I can give Calli her handouts without your assistance."

Delian's eyes never left mine as he remarked, "I was planning to carry the box down for Calli. Chivalry is not as dead as you might believe, Admetus."

Dr. A laughed as I looked on suspiciously, "Ahhh. Chivalry. So seldom is that anyone's true motivation since the days of Camelot that I did not recognize it. So sorry Delian."

Now, it was my turn to snort. "Yeah that Lancelot was quite chivalrous."

Delian frowned at me and remarked, "I am much more like King Arthur than Lancelot."

Dr. A commented thoughtfully, "Yes, that seems to be your usual role, Delian."

Rafe finally entered the awkward conversation just in time to make it a little more uncomfortable.

Delian sent a measuring look Rafe's way as he announced, "Lancelot has arrived."

Rafe just laughed and said, "I can't help it if I am charming, Delian. It's my natural charisma, and you know I have neither the desire nor the drive to be King, but I will give you the number of my charm school if you want to call for lessons."

Delian just shook his head and shot him a death ray look. "You have never been truly tempted with a Guinevere."

As I watched them volley back and forth, it occurred to me that I had always thought that I would choose an Arthur over a Lancelot. In books and movies (my favorite was The Mysts of Avalon), I always was drawn to Arthur's character and honor whereas I always thought Lancelot was a shady, self-absorbed, charming hottie. But faced with a choice between the solemn yet honorable Delian and the charming Rafe, I would choose Rafe. Of course, I knew so little about Delian, it was hard to judge, _and_ I already had a boyfriend outside the realm of Camelot. I finally piped up to end the awkward conversation. "As much as I _love_ discussing the myths and legends of Camelot, I would rather get home to _my_ Prince before he gets any more paranoid. Dr. A, can you give me a ride home?"

Dr. A looked sorta shocked, but he rolled with it and even took the box of handouts away from Delian as he said, "Excuse me, gentlemen, my lady is in need of a carriage ride home."

Dr. A got a glare from both Delian and Rafe as we passed. As soon as we were out of the room, we both laughed.

Dr. A remarked, "You need to keep the upper hand with both of those knights, so don't give an inch to either of them."

I nodded, "No joke. I like where I am at and who I am with right now, Dr. A, so no worries on me choosing either suitor."

We were approaching my house as Dr. A replied, "I am relieved to hear that my dear. I will see you on Wednesday. Calli, if you ever need my advice or help, don't hesitate to call me."

I thanked him for his support this evening on all fronts and headed into the house. As expected, both my parents and Thrace were waiting for me and noticed the Prius that brought me home. I told them that I caught a ride with Dr. A. Thrace seemed relieved, and my parents were just disappointed that they didn't get to meet him.

Although my parents seemed excited about the project, my dad looked like something was bothering him. When my mom left the room to grab me a plate for dinner, he finally spoke, "Thrace, have you heard about any fighting clubs or other unusual things going on for kids your age?"

"Calli mentioned something about that to me, but I haven't heard anything about it. No guys at our school have had issues that I have known."

Dad nodded, "The police and the mayor are stumped. They have a taskforce, but there is literally nothing to go on. There is something that is not right about this whole situation. It seems like there is a drug angle as well. Most of the kids that have disappeared or that are having issues either have juvie records for either drugs or violence. I don't want either of you taking any chances and going anywhere alone. Do you hear me?"

We both knew there was only one answer when dad got that tone. We both said in unison, "Yes, sir."

Mom came in with some lasagna and garlic bread that Thrace and dad had not managed to consume. Apparently, dad didn't want to worry mom because discussion of the fight club came to an end. Thrace got kicked out soon after my meal ended, but I walked him to the door and let him give me a kiss on the forehead good night. He actually told me that he was proud of me today and that he would support my fundraising in any way he could. I was touched. Volunteering isn't usually high on Thrace's list of _fun_ activities, so this was really a stretch. I thanked him and kissed him on the forehead, but told him he wouldn't get another balloon until he actually pitched in.

The rest of the week flew by in a whirlwind of school, meetings, presentations, and more plans. The PTA loved my idea and even set up a committee to help with the fundraising. We had weekly meeting on Wednesdays to coordinate all the fundraising between the PTA and volunteer student group. Our first fundraiser was well on its way. There were very few times in life that I have truly felt like I accomplished something huge. I thought this was going to be one of them. Meanwhile, my karate and running continued to be my outlet for all my stress. No matter how organized I tried to be, juggling so many activities would drive you crazy. Therefore, running from my problems and hitting things were great stress relief.

As Friday rolled around of Labor Day weekend, Thrace begged me to host a movie night at my house. My house and karate practice were the only places Thrace was allowed since his grounding, except for the dance. I agreed and cleared the guest list with my parents. I invited Key, her boyfriend Tre, Jazz, Justin, Spart, and Rafe over to my house on Friday for a Kung Fu marathon. The same guest list was approved for a Labor Day by the pool with parents in attendance. Rafe seemed grateful that Siena was not included as part of the invitation. I told him that Jazz was no longer with the basketball player and wanted another shot at him—that seemed to scare him. Although Thrace arrived first, he was little or no help with getting the food set up. He did present me with Step 4: A kiss on the cheek. I just smiled and shook my head in amusement. He seemed eager for Step 4 to begin. He leaned down to kiss me and got as far as his lips touching my cheek before my parents walked in. They were leaving for dinner with Thrace's parents and wanted to lay down the ground rules.

My dad stared down Thrace and said, "Thrace, if you pull another stunt like you did a couple weeks ago, you will have no access to this house or my daughter. Is that understood?"

Thrace gulped and quickly replied, "Absolutely. We don't have anything like that planned, Sir."

"Good, because your jail cell would seem like paradise compared to what I would have in store. Now, Calli, same rules as always—no booze, no drugs, no breaking anything, no burning the house down, no cops called because of loud yelling, music, or other noises, and no one except the approved guest list. Understood?"

I smiled as I replied, "Crystal clear. Go enjoy dinner. I got this covered."

The Kung Fu marathon was a huge hit, although we didn't get too far in the series because we had to stop the DVD to analyze and replicate Caine's moves. If Kung Fu was not entertaining enough, we got to watch Jazz try to make her move on Rafe. He kept trying to avoid her but in the den crowded with kung fu crazy teens, he was destined to fail. Jazz was kinda like a bounty hunter. She always got her man—at least until he bored her. Although it was entertaining watching Rafe try to avoid her, I didn't know how I felt about her pursuing Rafe. If he had reciprocated her interest, I might be feeling a tad bit jealous, which made me a complete eyas. Rafe dating Jazz would take care of Thrace's jealousy issue and my crush issue. Thrace noticed my thoughtful expression and kissed my cheek as he said out loud to the whole room, "Who would you bet on in a fight between Caine versus Jackie Chan?" I laughed and immediately threw my vote to Caine as most of the rest the room voted hands down for Jackie Chan. The rest of the night was spent pairing up famous fighters against one another as well as classmates against each other and voting as we finished watching the first disc of the series. My parents got back at midnight, and my dad threw everyone out with a cheerful, "Don't you kids have curfews and worried parents to get home to?" They took the hint but thanked my parents anyway for the pizza and snacks. As usual, my mother was gracious, and my father was grumbling.

Jazz tried to score a ride home with Rafe, but he said he was already late for his curfew. However, he apologetically arranged for Justin to drop Jazz off. I tried not to smirk. Key and Thrace tried not to laugh, and Jazz shot them both looks of retribution. Thrace hung back to help get the study back in order. My parents thanked Thrace and actually gave us a few minutes alone. Thrace quickly took advantage and planted soft kisses on both sides of my cheeks. The few minutes were up when my dad yelling down interrupted him. "I don't hear you leaving fast enough Thrace! Aren't you still grounded?"

Thrace's head shot up and his forehead leaned against mine as he whispered, "I love your dad, but he is a _hater_ sometimes!"

I laughed, walked him to the door, and replied, "He's a father of a daughter dating a senior. He's supposed to be a hater."

Thrace smiled, kissed me on the forehead and agreed, "True dat," before he ran home with a few more balloons.

Saturday rolled around, and I headed to DUA to work on my research and put together fundraising. When I parked in the lot, I noticed both Thrace and Key's cars were already here. I was immediately curious as what would get Key and Thrace out of bed before 9am on a Saturday. I walked in to find most of the GAR completely deserted. I walked the halls, but finally settled down in one of the computer labs to start to list all the promotional materials we would need for the next two months fundraisers. I had most of my lists created when I heard a lot of noise coming from the stairway. _(Side note: I love making lists—it's the only thing that keeps me slightly on track—If I could have written this whole history in list form, I would have done it!)_ I went out in the hallway and saw about 15 people coming down the stairway, which included Thrace, Rafe, Key, and Jazz. I gave them a skeptical look as Rafe led the way forward.

He stopped in front of me, "Hey, Calli. Thrace, Jazz, and Key decided to help volunteer at DUA."

"Funny how no one thought to mention it to me," I remarked with a heavy-dose of doubt in my voice.

Jazz stepped around Rafe and looked me straight in the eye and in a challenging voice announced, "We are now volunteers at the DUA. We just got done with an orientation and prep meeting. You gonna call me a liar?"

I laughed at her best throw down diversion tactic. "Liar? Never. Telling me the whole story—Not so much."

"Pot this is kettle, you're black! I learned all my skills from you, Calli."

Thrace now came forward to further divert me by saying, "Do I now get at least one balloon back? I showed up to volunteer and even went to an orientation meeting at 8:30 on a Saturday."

I nodded my head and replied, "I suppose that earned you at least one. Did you guys bring your karate clothes with you or do you have to run home before class."

Key finally spoke and asked, "What do you need, sweetie?"

I smiled. Out of all my friends Key has the biggest problem with creative truth telling or bravado. "I need to bounce some ideas off as many people as possible for the promotional materials. Let me print off the list so I can get some feedback."

Rafe spoke up again and offered, "Why don't you go to the board room, and I will try to locate Dr. A and Sadie."

I went to print off my lists as the others followed me into the computer lab.

Thrace was impressed with the computer hardware as guys generally are. "Wow. This place is flush. I should be set when I want to work here."

I quickly printed off several copies of my work and gave them a quick tour that was lacking from their "orientation" which I was still not buying. I pitched all my ideas on promotional materials to the group, and we brainstormed until we had to leave for karate class.

The long weekend flew by in rest and relaxation by the pools. My parents finally claimed me on Monday for some Edonides family time. We had a weird family hobby where we put together the most impossible puzzles. Luckily, since we do it in the den, we throw on ESPN or movies. At about dinner time, we finished a rather ordinary 1000 piece puzzle that turned out to be a J.W. Waterhouse painting of the Greek goddess Circe and called for pizza. I finally felt recharged and ready to handle my crazy schedule.

Chapter 11: Mystery Shot Bowling

It was a good thing I had a day to rest and recharge because I needed my whole reserve of patience, humility, and self-control to survive the week. From the get-go, my friends and boyfriend started their campaign of whispered conversations that halted when I came into view. Although I might be paranoid, I also think there were probably a few secret meetings. It was no coincidence that my friends had resorted to stealth mode just before my birthday week. They were now at the DUA as much if not more than I was. Dr. A had them each working on "other projects." Meanwhile, our volunteer group and the PTA were going like gangbusters on the Sports and Spa Giveaway. It seemed like practically every parent in our whole school had some sports seats or spa gift cards that they were willing to donate.

We had set up a whole class competition for what the administration called a field day that was really a skip day for the entire class. The senior class traditionally tended to win these type of competitions, but this year's senior class was a lot lazier than my junior class of over-achieving, competitive zealots. In my class of around 200, we had more than 20 students still with 4.0 trying to stay in the hunt for Valedictorian. I was still slightly bitter that the events that unfolded this week pretty much knocked me completely out of the running for that post—all because of bowling.

When it came to sports, I was a fairly decent athlete in _most_ sports—just not good enough to make any varsity teams. However, our gym teacher, Mr. Brown, assigned two sports and _one activity_ that I sucked in for three weeks in a row. The first was tennis. I have played volleyball and softball too long to make up for the fact that whenever a ball comes at me waist level, I wanted to hit it out of the park, and when the ball comes at me high, I wanted to spike it directly down. The next sport designed to torture me was golf. Mr. Brown was an avid golfer. I only grudgingly considered this a sport. At the professional level, it was a sport where you spend 30 seconds hitting a ball then you walk to it while someone else carries your equipment. According to Mr. Brown, I tended to swing too fast and keep my eye on the ball too little. The only reason that I _might_ consider it a sport was that I was always sore after we played.

The last recreational activity that I do _not_ consider a sport was bowling. Mr. Brown _loved_ bowling. He played in two bowling leagues per week. He had an average over 230 and had bowled 4 perfect games in his lifetime. I thought it was his secret dream to be a professional bowler. He was also the most politically correct, Ned Flanders ( _The Simpsons)_ look-a-like that I had ever met. One week out of the year, our school transported us to a local bowling alley much to the insistence of Mr. Brown. We had to wear the nasty shoes that thousand of other strangers had worn (I always wear two pairs of socks) and bowl with a ball that has had countless strangers hands all over it (I always bring my anti-bacterial vanilla lotion—which may have caused _The Incident)_. Since I had very little hands, there were no bowling balls that were even remotely acceptable. Mr. Brown had once tried to show me a way to bowl without putting my hands in the ball, but it only ended up landing on my foot, which caused me to swear loudly and unfairly earn demerits. Mr. Brown, who probably never uttered a four-letter in his life, had brought two of his own custom-made balls in his special wheeled bowling bag. He also brought his own shoes, his own towel—with his name on it, and my personal favorite—his bowling glove. I mean, come on, how much ammunition could you give a teenager. For the most part, I tried to treat everyone how I would like to be treated, but sometimes the obvious wealth of material and the fact that I had to wear these disgusting bowling shoes took control of my better self for a couple minutes.

How to Flunk Bowling—Also known as _The Incident_

1.Put on anti-bacterial lotion on your hands right before you bowl;

2.Make sure your little hands are _way_ to small for the average bowling ball holes;

3.Mock the recreational activity of bowling within earshot of Mr. Brown;

4.Fail to notice that Mr. Brown has decided to correct your misconceptions and has chosen to stand behind you as you bowl;

5.Decide this time you are going to finally get a strike and with all your strength throw back your arm in the down swing;

6.Lose ball in your back swing;

7.Hear crunching noise and high-pitch scream;

8.Turn around and realize Mr. Brown's leg is in a position that is not normally physically possible, and

9.Rush to his side with my apologies sputtering from my mouth.

I yelled to Jazz to call 911 and get an ambulance here ASAP. I told Key to call the school to let Principal Wakefield know what happened. I might be a bowling loser, but I was pretty good in a crisis. Rafe was on Mr. Brown's other side and had given him something to bite down on to help with the pain. I continued with the heartfelt apologies until Rafe finally motioned me to zip it. Mr. Brown finally spoke and told me to get everyone ready to leave. As I looked at my classmates, I noticed three general reactions to the dreadful accident: shock and disgust at the appearance of Mr. Brown's leg, fascination with Mr. Brown's leg, and amusement at what a _total bowling tool I am._

I started making people go back to their lanes, put their balls back, and clean up their stuff. The ambulance got to the bowling alley in under 10 minutes, and they gave Mr. Brown something for the pain before they had to move his leg. He was still in the same position because Rafe would not let him move. They put an inflatable cast on to stabilize his leg, then gently moved him to the stretcher while the whole class gawked and shuddered at his moans of pain. I moved back to his side with a stream of my apologies again and before they took him away he addressed the class in the following _classic_ , Mr. Brown way:

"I want you all to learn one main lesson from this unfortunate event," Mr. Brown announced through clenched teeth.

Some class member yelled out, "Never stand behind Calli when she bowls!"

Mr. Brown cleared his throat to make the laughter die down, "Well two lessons, then. Never stand in the lanes behind someone, _and_ there is no excuse for foul language even if you are in a tremendous amount of pain. Good manners cost _nothing_!" Most of my class managed to smother their smirks or laughs at this statement, but the EMTs had to cover their mouths to avoid offending Mr. Brown. Luckily, our bus driver arrived just as the ambulance pulled away, and we were able to make a hasty retreat. Key put her arm around me and Jazz tried to cheer me by saying "Maybe this means no more bowling!"

Rafe just shook his head and said, "I am sorry to disappoint you, but I really don't see professional bowling in your future, Calli. _"_

On the ride home, I heard the phrase "Good manners cost nothing," at least 10 times in the short trip. Unfortunately, I think that is probably going to be the new buzz phrase for our junior class, and it was _true_ good manners do cost nothing. Thrace was waiting inside the entrance to the school along with various other students milling around. They all seemed to have heard the news but were waiting for more details or to make fun of me—which I _totally_ deserved.

As Jazz, Key, Rafe, and I walked in, Thrace threw his arm around me and announced, "Calliope Edonides, I knew you were lethal. I never expected it to be with a bowling ball."

Jazz and Key rolled their eyes. I mumbled back at Thrace something to the effect that he _would_ n't think it was funny if he had seen Mr. Brown's leg. As I pulled away from Thrace, I saw Rafe's shocked expression.

I gave Rafe a questioning look as he quietly asked me, "Your name is Calliope, not Calli?"

He got a round of weird looks from all of us then. He had become a part of our group so quickly that we had forgotten that he was not privy to all our life histories. I studied Rafe for a minute trying to figure out why the answer to this question was so important to him. "No one calls me Calliope except my parents or Thrace when I have done something bad. I have always been Calli, why?"

He looked shaken for a moment but quickly realized his reaction to my real name was odd. "Did your dad specifically want you named after the head Muse in Greek Mythology?"

"No, my dad is not that Greek. He is more like a Christmas and Easter Greek than a _My Big Fat Greek Wedding_ Greek. No Greek school for me, no 100 Greek first cousins. Just church and the Greek fest every year."

Thrace piped in at that moment to further make fun of me today. "Her mom got to name Calliope after her favorite trashy romance novel heroine."

I snarked back at Thrace, "We can't all be named after kings and countries that were part of Greece like you were."

My snarking seemed to be the cue for everyone to get back to normal. I let Jazz and Key fill everyone in as I headed off to class. The rest of my day was spent in razzing and humiliation. The next day I heard that Mr. Brown was going to have knee replacement surgery, and he wouldn't be back for at least a month. I had hoped that maybe he had bad knees to begin with, and he would have had the surgery eventually. He was in his 40s. His knees might have been shot anyway—maybe. Another day of classmates razzing me, and "Good manners cost nothing" made my karate class come in handy. Maybe my classmates would finally let up next week because: 1) it was my birthday, and 2) the substitute gym teachers we have had so far (both a male and a female) have far exceeded Mr. Brown in looks and ability in real sports.

Hermes Field Log: September 2007

Now it all makes sense. Calliope is a Muse. And Apollo is trying to both hide and protect her from Ares. I can't say I blame him based on his last time around with those two in Vienna, but the tables are turned now and Ares controls the city. Why did Apollo let me think she was an ordinary human? Why did he not let me protect myself from falling under her spell because it is really too late now? Of course, just because Apollo found her first does not mean that she is his. My connection to her is real. I can feel it. But if I act on it, I would be betraying the trust Apollo has in me. Yet, we have no idea whose Muse she is until she is an adult. If I have learned one thing in my existence, it is that happiness is fleeting. When you find it, you hold on to it for however long it lasts. Yet, your honor is the core of being a protector. My relationship with Calliope has been mere seconds compared to my relationship with my brother. Yet, I want to choose my Juliet. One thing is clear. In the words of Shakespeare's Romeo, "O, I am fortune's fool!"

Chapter 12: Flocked Up Movie Night

Thrace's constant teasing about _The Incident_ grated on my nerves so much that I finally took Rafe's suggestion to heart from the pool party. I decided that I would do the traditional date night on Friday with Thrace, but on Saturday, Jazz, Key, and I were hanging out without the guys. These weekend plans were also caused by the fact that Thrace wanted to go to a party on Saturday thrown by a senior that was well known for his epic events—usually resulting in police intervention. I guess his grounding was now over. When Thrace pulled up to my door for Friday date night, there was still some tension left over from the "you go your way, and I'll go mine" plans for Saturday night. As I got in his car, my hopes were not set real high for a pleasant evening. But then, he pulled out a box with a little piece of paper inside that said Step 5: Kissing on Lips: No Tongue.

I laughed as I looked at Thrace's hopeful expression. "You really want to get past this one quickly, so it is back to business as usual."

Thrace leaned over before lightly kissing me on the lips. He finally said in dramatic whisper just in case my dad could hear him, "You have _no idea!_ "

I laughed again, gave him a peck on the lips, and said, "So what's on the agenda, Jeeves?"

Thrace seemed a little hesitant to tell me where we were heading. He finally announced, "Since next weekend is gonna be all about you for your birthday, I thought you wouldn't mind heading down south to go to the Milan Dragway."

I smiled at his arm-twisting attempt. Thrace _loved_ muscle cars and drag racing. As soon as he turned 18 and he had the money, he would be on the track at Milan for a true test run. Until then, he and his buddies loved heading down to Milan Dragway for any type of event. Thrace had said many times what kind of crazy world it was that the birthplace of the Big 3 didn't have their own dragway since the Detroit Dragway/The 'Dirty D' was closed in 1998.

I raised an eyebrow at him and announced, "Only if you have brought me earplugs and only if we get some greasy burgers and fries on our road trip."

A big smile spread across Thrace's face as he tossed me a package of earplugs and turned on a really loud Def Leopard song as he pealed out of my driveway. It was only about a 30-minute trip down to Milan, but with numerous 80s hair band songs later, it felt much longer. Thrace was completely pumped up by the time we got there. I had a pretty good time people watching, and I managed to find at least one sweeeeettttt mullet—both male and female. (If only I could include a picture section in this book!)

The next day after karate class Jazz, Key, and Thrace decided to join Rafe and I as we headed to the DUA. Something was still up with my mod squad. As we walked in the GAR, Dr. A greeted us and sent my friends up to the research lab, but he asked me to remain behind. He said since I had been volunteering longer than my friends that he thought I might like to go on a scouting trip. I enthusiastically agreed, but he downplayed the trip by letting me know that it was just a preliminary drive by with pictures and note taking. My enthusiasm remained undimmed as I raced outside to catch my ride.

As I flew out the door and came skidding to a halt, Delian came pulling up in a brand new Black Dodge Charger. It fit him to a tee. As I was doing my usual gawking, he quickly came around the car, opened my door for me, and hustled me in as if he was afraid I wouldn't go.

Once he was back in the car, he looked at me solemnly and said, "Thanks for coming with me Calliope. I really appreciate your help."

I did my stuttering routine again as I tried to get out a simple question. "Where...where.....are we going? Dr. A forgot to tell me."

Delian gave me a knowing smile as he clued me in to our destination, "We're heading out to Belle Isle."

A slight groan escaped from me as I remembered the beautiful island in the middle of the Detroit River that was the most frequent destination for school field trips. It had a conservatory, nature center, and rich history, which bored elementary students that just wanted to run out and play in its open spaces and wooded trails. Belle Isle, which was primarily owned by the City of Detroit, was struggling to survive with some of its previous showplaces falling into disrepair much like the rest of Detroit. As we got older, Belle Isle had become one of those romantic places to take a date, which pretty much defined it as being one of the last places I wanted to be alone with Delian. I know of at least five girls that asked their dates to go with them to the back to school dance on Belle Isle (and at least a dozen girls in the high school that lost their virginity somewhere on Belle Isle). He seemed to, as usual, sense the direction of my thoughts as he commented, "Alone on a deserted island with me—sounds like your idea of heaven."

I quipped back, "Or torture. And first of all, it is not totally deserted. Second, the island has a bridge, so I have already come up with at least two ways to escape. Where are we going on Belle Isle anyway?"

He glanced at me as he weaved his way through traffic and headed to the MacArthur Bridge that would take us over to the island. "Well, first we will have a little picnic by the fountain and casino (not gambling casino—a meeting place casino), then we are going to get pictures of the Aquarium. We might team up with the city to see what the possibilities are for renovation."

As we headed over the bridge, I finally was able to get picnic panic out of my head as I said, "Ixney on the picnic, I am here to work not be wooed." Unfortunately, my stomach chose that exact time to growl, so I knew I was fighting a losing battle.

Delian gave me his sarcastic eyebrow raise then said in no uncertain terms, "No picnic...no work...I'm hungry, and it is time for lunch. You can watch me eat if you want. I promise that there are no roses or champagne in the picnic basket."

By the time he pulled into the casino, I was ready to jump out just to get away from his all too potent personality, looks, and pheromones. Apparently, our chemistry was much more powerful than I have previously given it credit for. There was something about being in a small, enclosed space with Delian that was playing havoc on my system. As soon as I got out of the car, I took several deep breaths to clear my system of his scent. By the time I turned back around, he had already pulled a picnic basket and blanket out of the trunk.

I was planning to sit quite a distance away from Delian as we had our lunch, but I couldn't judge the size of the blanket. As we started to walk toward the open grassy area that looked toward Detroit, I was finally able to speak again, "That better be a big blanket."

Delian gave me an amused look as he drawled, "Why, are you planning on stretching out across it?"

My stomach churned as he picked the perfect spot that would give us the best view of the city. "Did I mention there would be no flirting, or you will be swimming back to the city."

Delian complained, "I am trying to be good, but you just don't seem to be cooperating."

I sat down on the very edge of the blanket as Delian started to pull various lunch meat, bread, fruit, and chips out of the picnic basket. He handed me a Mt. Dew as well. As I shook my head at him, I announced, "Fine. I will be on my very best behavior from now on—all business, that's me. So, tell me, how much history do you know about the island, Delian?"

The rest of lunch became a bit of a competition on who could stump whom on Belle Isle trivia. I had some pretty good skills because of all the field trips and visits I spent here, but Delian seemed to have a historian's knowledge of the island. He even knew that the first French colonist had named the place Hogs Island in the 18th century until it became Island of Beauty. As we packed up and headed to the Aquarium, I thanked Delian for lunch and his history lesson. He could not help himself with a little razzing, "Well, anytime you would like to be taken to school on a subject, Calliope, let me know."

I snorted, but gave him his due, "You seem to have a strong grasp of Detroit historical trivia, which is rare for a transplant."

He shot me a challenging look as he opened my car door for me. "Who says I'm a transplant?"

I got in before I answered his question, "First, you are a UM student, which means you don't live in Detroit, which makes you a transplant. There is also one sure fire test that will prove that you are a transplant."

"Fine. What is the test?" Delian asked confidently.

I asked, "If you _are_ from Michigan, show me where in Michigan."

Delian tilted his head and gave me an odd look. When he parked in front of the Aquarium, he pulled out a map from his glove compartment. I laughed and said, "HA! Anyone that was truly a native would have raised your left hand and pointed to where you were from on your palm. Michigan is shaped like a hand and since birth we learned how to show tourists where we live on our hands."

Delian threw his head back and laughed and said, "You caught me, you minx, very good. Now are you ready to work?"

"Absoflockinglutely. What exactly am I doing?" I asked.

"I am going to walk around the Aquarium taking pictures and assessing any plain sight structural damage. You are going to do a log of each picture. So, just write down what I say word-for-word," Delian commanded.

"Yes, sir!" I mocked.

We walked around the gorgeous structure for over an hour taking pictures of even the smallest damage. When we were done, we had over 100 pictures logged, and I stated loudly that my hand was cramping up.

As we walked back to the car, he asked, "Are you always this whiny or is it just with me?"

I fired back as honestly as possible, "Just with you. Definitely, you are the only one that finds me whiny."

Delian didn't seem to believe me as he said; "I will have to check with Rafe on that one. He has only texted me 10 times while we were here. Is there a reason he might think we needed a chaperone?"

I laughed remembering my conversation with Rafe begging him for Delian's schedule so I wouldn't be alone with him. "He must know you a lot better than I. If he thinks we need a chaperone, I would definitely trust his judgment, so I foresee no more unsupervised visits with me in your future."

Delian sighed in disappointment as he drove. I checked my phone, which had been off, and saw that I had several texts and messages from Thrace and my friends as well. Delian finally replied, "That is probably for the best—at least until you are old enough to make decisions for yourself."

"What? I make decisions for myself all the time!" I sputtered.

Delian seemed to be ignoring my outburst as he asked, "Would you like me to drop you off at home or at the GAR?"

"The GAR is fine and just because I do not _chose_ to throw myself at an older guy that hits on high school girls does _not_ mean that I have the inability to make my own decisions," I ground out between my clenched teeth.

As we pulled into the GAR and Delian parked, I was prepared to jump out, but he was too quick for me. He grabbed me by the chin and turned me to meet his penetrating gaze. "You misunderstood me, Calliope. You have wisdom far beyond your years, but sometimes experience has to be your true teacher. I did not mean to offend you. I am sorry."

I seemed to be unable to break his gaze as I replied, "I accept your apology, even though I have no idea what you _really_ mean."

Before Delian could explain, Rafe came to my rescue as usual. He opened my door just then and asked, "Everyone ok here?"

I unsnapped my seat belt and nearly collided with him as I dove out of the car.

Delian answered Rafe's question in an irritated tone. "We are both fine, Rafe. We just had a slight misunderstanding that we were clearing up. No need for your supervision." It was almost as if he issued a command because Rafe immediately stepped away from me and started heading back into the building ahead of me. However, I kept pace with Rafe so I would no longer be alone with 'disturbing' Delian.

When I was finally reunited with my friends, Jazz and Key had all the plans ready to go for tonight. We were meeting at Jazz's house for "Flocked Up Movie Night." Each one of us chose a movie. We would watch them all in one night and judge, which one was the most flocked up. Tonight's contestants were Heathers, Donnie Darko, and The Virgin Suicides. As we judged the contestants that night, I told Jazz and Key about Delian and my disturbing chemical reaction to him. Jazz told us about her back up plan if Rafe didn't work out. Key also filled us in on how Tre was stilling measuring up against her list. As usual by the end of the evening, we were all on a sugar high comparing the yumminess of Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Hartnett, and Christian Slater. Unfortunately, I got at least three drunken dials from Thrace that annoyed me so much that I turned off my phone. Of course, then I worried the rest of the night about him driving. On Sunday, I found out that Rafe gave Thrace a ride home when he insisted he was going to drive over to Jazz's house to see me. Flocker!

Chapter 13: Sway

I was not one of those girls that liked surprises—not even good surprises. It might go back to that control freak thing. Jazz, Key, and Thrace had now been huddling together after karate practice and before lunch for a week now. They thought that my lack of control over the situation built character. Unfortunately, Rafe was now participating in the scheming for the event. I started to become a little afraid towards the end of my birthday week because many of my classmates were starting to give me knowing smiles. Luckily, my school work, karate, DUA research and fundraising were keeping me busy, so I didn't resort to stalking the co-conspirators like I had in previous years.

Rafe approached me on Friday with a cryptic, "Your birthday celebration activities go beyond what I have seen for most major galas."

I groaned, "Don't tell me that. I am not real good at being the center of attention. Usually, they take that into consideration when planning these escapades. Please, tell me that is still true."

Rafe hit me with his most devious smile, "Well, that was probably true before I got involved. You think a fashion runway show with you as the only model is too much?"

I sputtered, "Hilarious, funny guy. Sooooooo, what did _you_ get me for my birthday?"

He laughed and the sound sent sparks all the way down to my toes as usual, "You aren't too old for Barbies, right?"

I shook my head at him, "I can see I'm wasting my time trying to get anything out of you."

His wicked gaze captured mine as he huskily replied, "You know that I am the best of the best at keeping secrets, Calli."

I swallowed, unable to look away from his gorgeous hazel eyes, "Who are you bringing as your date this time? You never do show up with the same girl twice."

"I believe Jazz is my date for tomorrow, or at least that is what she told me."

I laughed at that and commented, "You are still on her radar as her next ex-boy toy."

Rafe smirked then remarked, "No, she made it clear that we were just going as friends. Although she warned me that she might 'plant one on me' for Siena's benefit. What is that about?"

"Siena is Thrace's ex and my general tormentor since elementary. However, more important to Jazz, Siena stole one of Jazz's boy toys away by promising him more than Jazz was willing to deliver. Jazz has never forgiven or forgotten. It got worse when you showed up at the dance with her, and she spread it around that you guys had done two person push-ups."

Rafe laughed again, "I really hate being exploited for my body. It is really embarrassing. I feel so used."

"So it was _true?_ I didn't bother even asking because it seemed like a stupid question." I gaped at him.

Rafe smirked, "I'm sorry, Ms. I-Don't-Share-Personal-Details. I misspoke. I should have said I really hate girls _trying_ to use me for my body. I always wondered why Jazz sometimes sneezed, Skankbitchho. I always thought she meant me, but apparently I was wrong."

I shook my head, "Flock. Siena wants to get under Jazz's skin, and every time Jazz reacts like that she is giving Siena exactly what she wants."

Rafe looked skeptical, "She wants to be called Skankbitchho?"

I shook my head and explained, "Every time we react we just give Siena power over us. The best way to annoy people like that is to sit back and smile at them. Let them know without saying a word that you have something they don't--in this case, it's class."

I hastily added, "Although what she said wasn't true, right?"

"Correct. You have an interesting position on personal conflict," Rafe commented.

"Hey. Bullies are bullies whether they are on the playground or online. I have seen some evil stuff posted, and it is usually girls doing the backstabbing—school has been was pretty rough for me sometimes. I have learned not to let this stuff get to me, and not to dish it out either if I can help it."

Rafe raised one eyebrow at me, "You should write children's books."

I laughed, "I just see it as practice for real life. There is always going to be some eyas trying to get under your skin. How you handle it is what matters."

Rafe laughed and said, "Indeed, Siren."

I changed the subject. "Now, about where they are going to have my birthday party...." Unfortunately, the bell rang for the end of study hall.

Journalism was next, and I had a extremely boring chess club story due, so I wouldn't be able to turn the screws to Thrace until our date tonight. Sometimes you just had to do things to get them done, so you could move on to something far more exciting like my Mystery Date Night with Thrace. Since Thrace had not clued me in to where we were going, I had to make sure I layered my clothes with my favorite black cami and a cute short-waisted grey tweed jacket. My parents made a minimum of fuss as Thrace came and picked me up, and we were off to destination unknown.

Thrace shocked me by taking me to The Ford Drive-In Movie Theatre to see—wait for it— _Jane Austen's Book Club_. I was not usually into the typical chic flicks, which this movie practically screamed, but I was into Jane Austen. She was a total rebel of her day, and Elizabeth Bennett still rocked no matter how many times I read _Pride and Prejudice._ Although Thrace did look like he was in physical pain watching the movie, I appreciated the sacrifice. It was a perfect crisp fall night as we snuggled up in my back seat—he insisted we bring my car because it was less cramped although he drove. We were now on Step 6, so we could actually French kiss, but not make out—which I was pretty sure was Step 7.

He whispered to me during the movie, "I'm sooooo glad your birthday comes only once a year, Calli!"

I kissed him on the cheek and replied, "So am I."

We ate all manner of junk food. I literally thought I was going to be on a popcorn high by the time the movie had ended. There was method to his madness of taking us to a 7:00 clock movie. He drove to the next screen within the complex for the 9:00 showing of _Into the Wild_. Now, this movie was much more to Thrace's liking. The whole man vs. wild, making your own way in life despite the standards that your parents set, was more up Thrace's alley. However, he did miss part of that movie because I was much more inclined to kiss him during his movie. A good night was had by all—proving once again that compromise was important in all relationships, as is Step 6.

Thrace walked me to my door as usual and kissed me good night, which ended with a promise, "You are gonna love tomorrow night, I swear!"

I pulled him in the door and told him to stay in the entryway. I ran upstairs and came down with three balloons for him. "I'm an Eyas. I'm a Flocker. I'm Not Worthy."

I handed him the balloons and kissed his cheek. He just shook his head at me and said, "You chose these because I have to walk home, right?"

I laughed and hugged him as I said, "I saw there was a theme going with these three, and I just love to watch you skip home with balloons in your hands."

"I _never_ skip!" Thrace growled.

As my parents walked in, my father deadpanned, "Nice balloons, kid, now skip on home before I get Calli to tell me why you gave them to her."

Thrace turned white and replied, "Yes, sir," as he bolted out of the house.

" _Dad_ , that was just not nice," I complained.

"Hey, at some point Thrace stopped being as afraid of me. I'm just making sure that he errs on the side of caution when it comes to you, Red."

I shook my head at him and replied, "I appreciate you scaring Thrace into good behavior. But remember, I could be dating much, much worse than Thrace."

Dad nodded, "That's true. Basically, he's a good kid that just needs reminding every once in a while."

I laughed, "Hey, he even took me to see _The_ _Jane Austen Book Club._ Now, since I am sure it will be a big day tomorrow, I am heading to bed."

Both dad and mom looked shocked, and my dad replied, "Well, he must really love you, cause a guy wouldn't see that movie unless he had his balls removed."

I went upstairs as my parents debated whether dad would ever go see one of those types of movies with mom. I was still buzzing with caffeine, so I wrote about the whole week in my journal and threw in Season 1 of Alias. I slowly drifted off to sleep somewhere in the middle of disk one.

My parents not only let me sleep in on my birthday, but my mom, Jazz, and Key took me down to Toledo to this wonderful place called Ahava Spa and Wellness Center. When my grandma was diagnosed with cancer, she went through their Special Guest Program that gives individuals battling cancer free spa services. She said she never felt so pampered in her life. She totally looked transformed at the end of the day, so I have been hooked on the place ever since. Although I'm clearly not a girly girl, Spa Day kicks karate's eyas on your birthday and probably a lot of other days as well. We got massages, manicures, pedicures, and our hair and make-up done. We looked like the before and after shots on those makeover shows especially since mom got me this fantabulous green cocktail dress with adorable kitten heals.

By the time we got back up to Detroit, I was so relaxed that I was ready to fall asleep rather than party. I also felt like chucking my heels and pantyhose out the window. Both heels and pantyhose _had_ to be invented by men to torture women. I only walked around in my adorable heels a couple blocks between the spa and the car, but I already had a blister. FLOCK! As soon as we hit the city limits of Detroit, a flurry of texts started between Jazz, Key, and unknown persons. I finally asked, "Where are we headed," and got the standard response from my mom, "You'll see." I was thinking restaurant, club, or hotel. Instead, we pulled up to the GAR building. I looked totally confused as I commented, "What's going on?" The whole car laughed this time and said, "You'll see."

As we walked to the front of the GAR building, there was a red carpet and velvet ropes making a pathway to the door. We went inside and there stood my father, Dr. A, Thrace, Tre, and Rafe, all in suits. We all admired each other for several moments before I asked again, "What the flock is going on?" They all laughed and shook their heads at me. Dr. A stepped forward and explained, "Calli, we know all the hard work you have already put in to raise money to renovate the Grande Ballroom. So, we decided to help you out. It was really Rafe's idea, so I will let him explain."

Rafe stepped forward, and I was blown away by how handsome he was. "In June, we had a Casino Night fundraiser here for donors. It was a big hit and raised a lot of money for one of our renovation projects, so we decided to combine your birthday with a Casino Night fundraiser. We sent out information to all DAI parents. We're charging a cover at the front door. Then, the students get to come to the party in the Assembly Room upstairs while parents get to do their Casino Event on the floor below. Parents have to pay another $20 to gamble, plus their chips. All proceeds go to the renovation fund. In the Assembly Room, we have a dance floor, Guitar Hero, and some Wii and Play Stations set up for the students. Key, Jazz, your parents, Thrace, your volunteer group, Dr. A, and the DUA have put in about a thousand hours, so they deserve the credit.

I was a little choked up, "I don't know what to say. This is the most wonderful birthday surprise anyone could ask for! I'm not a hugger, but I definitely owe each one of you a big hug." After that, a lot of hugging ensued, but I did not do the Miss America fake crying thing — _I swear_. Dr. A led the way upstairs to the festivities. The rest of us followed in pairs with each gentleman offering his date his arm to hold as we climbed the stairs in our flockin heels.

Thrace leaned toward me and whispered, "You look totally hot." I laughed with amusement and replied, "You clean up _very_ fine as well."

We checked out the casino area but were quickly sent on our way up to the Assembly Room. It had been transformed into a dark and magical cave with several branches leading to Wii, Guitar Hero, and Play Station booths. However, the stage of the Assembly Room was still a dance floor. As we walked in, the DJ announced my presence and made everyone sing Happy Birthday. Thrace leaned down, kissed me, and dragged me onto to the dance floor for the first slow song. I looked up into his gentle blue eyes and said, "You own birthdays, Thrace. I am just not worthy."

He laughed and asked, "So, how many balloons do I get back for this?"

I thought about it for a second and said, "I think for each thousand dollars we raise you get one balloon back. However, I don't know exactly how probation has limited your actions or behavior in any way."

"Hey, I haven't drank _much_ since I have been on probation."

I laughed and said, "Please. You haven't drank too often around _me,_ which is probably why we are getting along so well and haven't had any major fights."

"Probably true, but since I spend so much time with you it feels like I have given up drinking—how about that?"

"I don't know if that was a compliment or an insult. We'll just call it a complisult and move on." I leaned on his chest to enjoy the rest of the dance.

Shortly after that, we got separated. Jazz and Key wanted to kick my eyas in Wii tennis. Thrace headed to the Guitar Hero. I promptly chucked my shoes to take on Jazz first. Both Jazz and Key whooped me, which they loved because they never beat me in sparring. I was parched, so I headed to the back of the Assembly Room where food and drink stations were set up. As I drank my water, I surveyed the room. It was packed. There were over 100 students in the hall. I could no longer see Thrace, Key, or Jazz over the throng of crazy classmates. Just as I finished my water, Rafe appeared at my side. He gave me his typical mischievous grin, "I never knew you had this many friends."

I laughed and remarked, "I don't, but the kids at our school can't resist a good party."

_Sway_ came on by _The Perishers_ and Rafe said, "I requested this song for us." With a flourish, he extended his hand to me with a slight bow. As if in a dream, I put my hand in his and he led me to the packed dance floor. The other couples seemed to engulf us, but strangely it was also like we were in our own little bubble. He solemnly whispered, "I always think of you when I hear this song. When I lost Cora, I never thought I would want anyone again." As the lead singer crooned about picking up the pieces and starting again, I looked away and tried to figure out what the flock I was doing.

When no answer came, I turned back to look into his gorgeous hazel eyes. For the first time, I saw a vulnerability that was always just behind his devilish demeanor. It seemed like the song was over before it barely began, and I had to move out of his arms before it got awkward. As I moved away, his hand entwined in mine, and I could feel something cool and metal enclose around my fingers. As the next song blasted through the Assembly Room, I looked down and saw a copper necklace in my hand. The necklace was a series of circles. They started small and got bigger with each circle. I gave him a puzzled look, so he took it from my hand and wrapped it around my neck. He took the smaller circle side and pulled it through one of the large circles. The necklace became a choker with a trailing line of small circles going down to the bottom point of the V-neck on my dress. He leaned down and huskily whispered, "Happy Birthday, Siren."

Jazz was passing by and grabbed my hand and whisked me off before I did something stupid. "Girl, you two are asking for trouble. What were you thinking? Luckily, Thrace is tanked and oblivious right now. Otherwise, you would have been busted!"

I attempted to clear my head as she took me back to the refreshment table and got us both Mt. Dew. I tried to apologize to Jazz for scamming on someone she was interested in, but she admitted, "I knew which way his bat swung, but I at least had to throw the pitch after Siena. I never thought _you_ would. He has always liked you from the get go. Now, it is up to you what your next move is. I don't envy you that decision."

I tried to act like she was making too much of what she saw, but what I really wanted was to escape Jazz's scrutiny. I told Jazz I was gonna head to the bathroom just as a hottie soccer player came and asked her to dance. The hallway that leads to the bathroom was relatively peaceful after all the noise, but I could still here _Otis Redding's_ _These Arms of Mine_ playing. You can't live in Detroit and not love Otis. Just as I was about to get to the bathroom, one of the office doors opened and there stood Delian in a tux. No man on this earth had a right to look that tempting in a tux. He looked like sin came to life as a human. He didn't even speak to me. He just took my hand and pulled me into the office then into his arms for the rest of the dance. I was in shock and couldn't really form a clear sentence, which was good because it would have probably embarrassed me again. His stormy eyes captured mine and the pure intensity and possessiveness of his gaze kept me silent. When the song was over, he leaned down and whispered, "Happy Birthday, Calliope. I can't wait for your next one." Then, he walked away. Who the _Flock_ does that?

I headed downstairs to check on the Casino Night for the adults. The fourth floor was even more packed than the Assembly Room, and the adults seemed to be having as good a time as their kids. I found my parents and asked how the event was going. Mom was killing at poker as usual, and dad was breaking even at Black Jack. They hugged me but scolded me for leaving my party. I assured them that nobody would miss me for five minutes. I asked when this shindig was over, and they said at the stroke of midnight it was no longer my birthday. I thanked them again and headed back upstairs.

When I found Thrace, I suggested we go sit up in the balcony and watch the party below. We sat in the middle front row. Thrace sat me in his lap and told me his escapades in planning and coordinating the whole event. I was so impressed that I let him move to Step # 7, which _was_ making out _._ When his legs started to go numb, I got up and said we should head down and play some Wii. He thought he needed a couple minutes to compose himself and for the feeling to come back into his legs. I stepped away from him and started sending him mental images that would distract him--like our 90-year old librarian in a bathing suit. He yelled for me to stop because he didn't have his mental block up. I laughed, took his hand, and escorted him down the stairs. We ended the night back on the dance floor with our friends in the mosh pit they had created.

All my friends stuck around to help clean up and get the final total for the event. My 'birthday bash' ended up raising over $15,000 dollars. In addition, we had even sold 100 more Sports and Spa Giveaway tickets. As I was cleaning up, I saw Rafe introduce Delian to my parents. I only overheard a little of the conversation as I shot Rafe a look that indicated retribution would be in order. He smiled back at me as both he and Delian sang my praises. Delian still gave me a wide berth as he took his tux jacket and tie off so he could better help with taking down the casino tables. Jazz, Key, and I sighed watching him.

As Jazz whispered, "Disturbing never looked so good!"

I smiled and replied, "Are you sure you don't have _more_ time to volunteer now? You won't get tired of the view."

Key laughed, "I see why you _love_ volunteering so much. Even Rafe can't hold a candle to that boy."

I nodded in agreement, "Delian. His name is Delian."

As if he heard me say his name across the room, he looked over at us with a smile and a raised eyebrow. Key and I looked away, but Jazz sent him a challenging stare right back. I think he might have blushed. Tre, Rafe, and Thrace helped finish the last of the tear down. I was literally the walking dead when we finally left the GAR at about 2am. I thanked all my friends and family for the best birthday ever as we all headed home with our parents.

Hermes Field Log: September 2007

I have not informed Apollo that I am aware that Calliope is a Muse. I feel that as long as I do not enlighten him then I am not truly betraying him. Of course, it must be the same for him because not informing other Olympians that a Muse is in the vicinity is also a betrayal. I now can no longer delude myself that he has no interest in Calliope. His pursuit of her is now constant. He wants to be advised of her movements at all times. I have been attempting to try to distance myself from her, but her beauty and our connection overwhelmed me tonight. I needed to hold her and give her something that would mark her as mine in some small way. I have a year before I might be destined to give her up, and I plan on guarding our time well. But Ares is getting suspicious, Apollo is moving in, and I am getting reckless. Not a scenario that sounds like it is going to end well for love.

Chapter 14: Hammer and Nails

The weekend after my birthday was our annual Mystery Destination: HalloWeekend at Cedar Point. Now, it really wasn't a Mystery Destination if we went every year, but it took the place of our Mystery Destination trip in September. Cedar Point had some of the most outrageous roller coasters in the world and was only two hours away. And you could go in the fall when it was the perfect temperature, and you barely had to wait in line. Plus, you got chased around by ghosts and ghouls—what's not to love? My dad usually borrowed a RV from a buddy, and we drove down really early and got back really late. This year 12 of my fellow lunch table crowd had elected to come. Unfortunately, the general norm for lunch table consisted of someone gossiping about you two seats from you, and someone gossiping about them two seats from them. Other than Jazz, Key, Thrace and Rafe, the rest of the table I would not call my true friends or plane friends. I don't know if I was more sad or thankful that Rafe was not attending the weekend. He opted out with a vague statement that "roller coasters were not a good enough reason to cross State lines."

My volunteer group was in full swing this week because on Thursday we would announce the winners of the Sport/Spa Giveaway. Right now, we had 500 tickets sold, and we had made about $5,000 dollars. I could not believe that with just my birthday and this fundraiser we were to our goal of buying the Grande Ballroom. Right now my juniors were seriously smokin the seniors in the class competition. However, cafeteria gossip hinted strongly that the seniors were holding back some of their money for a final push on Thursday. Tensions were high because we all wanted the free skip day at the end of the year.

The only real darkness on the horizon was the fact that teenagers in Detroit were still going missing or coming home all beat up with no recollection of events. There were now about 20 documented cases over the past two years, and the Mayor's taskforce was still getting nowhere. Frankly, I was surprised that my parents were even letting me out of the house. The Fight Club theory was still going around. Some of the public was blaming the teens, and some were blaming the City. The media just seemed to want to scare the flock out of everybody. The school had been proactive in sending home basic 'common sense' tips to help calm down parents. I could summarize the full page of tips in two basic premises: know everyone your teenager was hanging out with and know everything your teenager was doing. After that newsletter went out, my parents got eight phone calls from parents of children going on the trip. Apparently, four of the kids had parents that didn't read the newsletter.

On Wednesday, I told Dr. A how well the Sports/Spa Giveaway fundraiser was going. Sadie joined us, briefly, and Dr. A and I started formalizing the next fundraiser. We had just outlined all the details when I looked out Dr. A's window and saw Rafe and Delian talking to a total hottie that looked familiar with two buff dudes. The conversation wasn't a pleasant one by the look on Rafe and Delian's faces. However, hottie guy looked amused. He had pitch, black hair and projected an arrogant and powerful attitude. Ahhhhhhh. He was the mystery man from the Back to School Dance who was standing in the balcony with Delian. I pointed them out to Dr. A. He immediately stepped back from the window. He looked upset but tried to hide it.

"Dr. A, are those DUA members that I haven't met?"

Dr. A still looked upset and replied, "Most certainly not. I believe those are fraternity brothers of Delian's come to express their disapproval of his time management skills. They don't approval of Delian's association with us."

The phone rang, which made Dr. A jump. As he picked it up, he asked me to step outside and shut the door, but under no circumstances leave the building. I complied but gave him a weird look. I was planning on eavesdropping, so I wasn't really offended.

Flock, he was practically whispering. It also didn't help that the door was really heavy. I decide that I was going to have no luck with listening at the door, so I went to find another window to watch what was going on. Rafe and Delian were standing side by side. They both seemed to have their hands clenched in fists at their sides. Brother Hottie looked rather annoyed and was pointing at Delian. The two buff dudes had his back. I couldn't see his eyes, but I could imagine that Delian was shooting his death ray look at Brother Hottie. It must have worked because the fraternity brothers jumped in their Escalade and took off.

Dr. A came out of his office to catch me spying on Delian and Rafe. He still looked really shaken. He remarked loudly, "Spying is really not becoming of you, Calliope."

I laughed and announced, "Neither is eavesdropping, but spying was the only outlet available to me. Delian's fraternity brother seemed sort of intense."

Dr. A struggled for a response. "Well, it was his fraternity President, and he doesn't like it when Delian does not follow his guidance. From the little Delian speaks of him, he sounds downright predatory. He is also known as a cad with women, so I didn't want you to go out there and gain his notice.

"Ah, method to your madness. You really looked upset, Dr. A. Are you sure there isn't more to the story?"

"I believe Delian's President is the type of individual that abuses any person he views as weaker. And he believes all _people_ are weaker. There is a saying for his kind by Abraham Maslow. 'If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will see every problem as a nail.' Delian is a nail to him. "

"Have you tried to get him out of it? Rafe can't be involved, right? He's only in high school?"

Dr. A explained, "There is not much Delian's fraternity brother can do to him. He's a legacy, so he just gets put down every once in awhile. Don't worry, Calliope. Both Delian and Rafe know how to handle themselves. You have fought Rafe, and Delian is even better."

That got my attention, "Really? I will have to ask him to spar with me when I can actually carry on a simple conversation with him without blurting out every thought that pops into my head."

Dr. A smiled, "Ahhh. That was the issue. You often left Delian's company in a hurry. I always wondered."

I snarked, "Yeah. I don't want to talk about that."

Dr. A turned serious again, "Calli, you might _not_ want to mention what you saw to Rafe or Delian. It would only embarrass them."

"Don't worry, Dr. A. My mouth was made to keep secrets."

Rafe knocked on the door just then and asked if I was ready to go. Rafe quizzed me about our HalloWeekend Plans for the whole ride home. I remarked, "If you are this curious, you should come with us. Are afraid of roller coasters? Admit it."

"I think everyone will be more comfortable without me on this trip. I will be more comfortable not having to fend off Jazz and Siena," Rafe winked at me.

"Are you ever gonna be interested in any of your adoring female classmates? I think some of them have started a fan club," I snarked.

"Ahhhh. My very own fan club--how I have missed those days. I use to have my very own cult. A fan club might be a step down. For the record, I prefer snarky to adoring."

I laughed, "You are a glutton for punishment, my friend."

"Don't I know it. Door-to-door service, Siren. I will see you in school tomorrow. Miss me until then," he smarmed back at me.

When I got home, Thrace was actually sitting in the den with our moms eating dinner. He followed me to the kitchen as I got my dinner, and I asked him where dad was.

"He went to one of those teenage Fight Club Task Force meetings. Waste of time if you ask me. If there was a Fight Club, we would know about it. Flock, I would be the reigning king of it." Thrace continued to have little interest in the growing threat to our city. He threatened to give me Step #8 which he laughingly called first base. I told him that he literally had no chance at first or any other base during the rest of the week, due to the level of chaos tomorrow and supervision of the weekend. He said not to worry since he had the patience of a saint.

I laughed and snarked back at him, "That must be Saint Jude of desperate cases and lost causes."

Thrace just picked me up and hugged me, "Calli, just because you are a desperate case don't think that means you're a lost cause. I have hope for you."

I threw a punch, which he blocked then tried to get close enough to tickle me. Our moms broke up the fight and called for us to come in the den to coordinate the weekend activities.

On Thursday, the sneaky seniors pulled through and added an extra 200 tickets to their total. We ended up selling $10,000 worth of tickets, and Dr. A pulled the lucky names. The seniors could now take their end of year skip day without the harsh penalty that the school usually imposed. Thrace was excited—mostly because he managed to keep the senior strategy a secret from me. As usual, karate class flew by with minimum fuss now that Thrace and Rafe had a truce. As we were leaving karate, I even heard Thrace call out to Rafe, "You don't know what you're missing, man. We always have a blast!"

"Well, maybe next year. My dad does not like letting me out of the state after dark," he laughed back.

Thrace nodded and said, "Call us if you change your dad's mind."

"Will do. See you tomorrow."

I smiled at Thrace and said, "Once again, down right friendly. I am impressed, Grasshopper."

Thrace kissed me and replied, "Hey, he only drives me crazy about half the time, now. I feel like it's an improvement."

Date night on Friday consisted of cleaning out the RV, so 12 of our friends could hang out with the minimum level of destruction. Thrace was bored with the whole 'cleaning process' and kept stepping outside. When he came back, he was determined to move on to Step #8 in the RV in my parent's driveway while they were in the house. Whereas I was determined to take a whiff of his soda can that he was holding onto like a lifeline. Long story short, he got pushy, and I got pissy, which resulted in him accidently getting his soda dumped on him and me having to clean up the mess when he stormed out.

The whole ride down to Cedar Point the next day was tense because Thrace and I were barely on speaking terms. Everyone, including my parents, were trying to figure out what was up. Once we got to the park Key, Jazz, Tre, and I had to take off on our own because the others pretty much shunned us as a show of support for Thrace. I told them the shortened version of the story. Jazz and Key were not surprised, whereas Tre tried not to sympathize with Thrace too much—which was acceptable. Luckily, the four of us had a blast going on almost every roller coaster they had: Dragster, The Millennium Force, The Wicked Twister, The Raptor, The Gemini, The Mean Streak, and The Magnum while being chased around by ghouls, ghosts, and vampires. By the time we met up with the rest of the group, we were exhausted, but Thrace's group was either loud and obnoxious or very pale with a slight green tint. It was clear they managed to sneak booze into the park. Let me tell you, roller coasters and liquor did not go well for some of them. If my parents found out, Thrace would be sooooo voted off the island.

I managed to grab Thrace and warn him that my parents were not stupid and his crowd needed to settle down. I started to walk away, but he grabbed my arm and yanked me back. He started in with his usual 'I need to relax,' but then he saw my parents heading our way. He quickly let me go and apologized. He turned to warn his friends to settle down before my parents got there. As my dad approached us, he headed straight for Thrace and went face-to-face with him as my mom ushered everyone toward the exit asking, "Did everyone have a good time?"

My dad and Thrace were at the back of the group and I was just in front of them as I heard my dad whisper with a threatening tone, "If you _ever_ manhandle Calli like that again, son, that will be the _last time_ you touch my daughter. Do you understand, Thrace?"

I heard Thrace mumble, "Yes, sir. I did apologize. I didn't mean to yank her. Sometimes I don't know my own strength. I really am sorry."

Thrace, dad, and I were well behind the group now, but dad didn't care. He looked at me and stated, "Those balloons in your room—he didn't hurt you before did he?"

I looked dad straight in the eye and promised, "Of course not! Dad, I appreciate your support on this, but I have a black belt in karate. I can defend myself. Thrace and I don't always see eye-to-eye on everything, but he would _never_ hurt me. You know that. So let me fight my own battles, padre. I mean it. Now, can I talk to Thrace alone for a minute?"

Dad threw a stern look Thrace's way before he stormed off. I took a pack of gum out of my purse and told Thrace to take it and give it to every one of his crew that had been drinking, so my parents wouldn't catch on. Then I walked away. Thrace tried to put his arm around me or hold my hand, but I was way too pissed to deal with his attempts to make up. The tension in the RV was still pretty high, but soon calmed down because most of us went to sleep as my parents drove us back. When we got home, the girls headed to my house to crash. As my dad escorted the boys over to Thrace's house, he made sure the guys gave up their car keys just in case any of them thought about driving. It was clear to them that he realized they had been drinking, despite the gum. He told Honey to lock up her liquor before she headed to bed and gave her the boys' car keys.

The resentment between Thrace and I continued through next week. He felt that I had busted him to my parents, and I was just sick of his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde routine. Nothing had changed since he had been on 'probation.' We barely spoke even when we were sitting right next to each other at lunch or when he picked me up for school. I wondered if our problems were worse because I finally developed a backbone with him. Because Rafe did not go to Cedar Point, Thrace almost shunned him. It was like he believed that by not going he was automatically on my side. Somehow in his mind, he created Team Calli and Team Thrace within our group of friends ( _I had a very small Team Calli)_. There was gonna be no date night this week. Key had found out where the rave was on Friday, and we were definitely doing a "Girls Night Out," instead of a date night. Thrace swung back and forth between pretending like he didn't care and acting like a possessive caveman. I just needed to escape for one night of dancing my eyas off with the girls. Despite all my dad's warnings about the Fight Club issue and the media's scare tactics, I believed that nothing bad could happen when Key, Jazz, and I had each other's backs.

Chapter 15: Raves and Revelations

It is impossible to tell where revelations stop and hallucinations begin--Author Unknown

Walking into a rave was always a heady feeling. For the first few seconds, it was almost disorienting. It was like all your senses were thrown into a blender. You're sucked in, and then spun. The rave was ultimate sensory vertigo. The base, the lights, the colors, the vibe. It was as if I could drink it all in through my pores. Once the disorientation subsided a little, I started to examine my surroundings more. I had to admit I was a little more giddy than usual. Only having Jazz and Key at my back made me feel a little more reckless and wild, like anything was possible. Friday night's rave was at the Eastown Theatre. The Eastown was yet another example of Detroit's stunning pre-depression architecture fallen to exquisite ruin. It had a hodgepodge of Renaissance Revival styles. In its heyday, it could hold 2500 people with its auditorium and large balcony. It hosted the likes of Alice Cooper, the Doors, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead. I was in awe of its terrible beauty as I slowly took in the scene.

As if reading my thoughts, Jazz tried to yell over the music, "Now, this is what I'm talking about," then motioned her head to the dance floor.

I was not one of those people that my brain turns off very easily, especially when I have Thrace issues. But when I heard techno vibes, it was as if my body became the music, and my mind just took a break. I was engulfed in the base and the complexity of the music. My surroundings were surreal and my worries were far behind. Unfortunately, reality came smashing into me in the form of my drunk boyfriend--so much for Girl's Night Out!!

Thrace managed to knock into both Key and me. Key, not one to suffer fools, immediately groused, "Thrace, what the hell.....walk much."

Thrace didn't respond well to criticism as he slurred an offended, "What! Only trying to greet my girlfriend." He then proceeded to wrap his arm around me and leaned in to give me a peck on the mouth. That's when I was hit with a distinct smell of whiskey.

I looked up into his face and yelled, "Tell me you didn't drive."

"Hey, give me some credit. Justin drove."

I looked over at Justin just as he was taking a drink of mystery punch that a girl had just offered him. Greattttttttt. "I hope Justin is _not_ your ride home."

Thrace saw where I was looking and slurred out, "Man he's fast. Gotta respect the skills." Then he looked at me and said, "No, we got a plan. Justin didn't drink at Spart's house so he could drive, then Spart is not gonna drink the rest of the night to sober up, and I agreed to provide the place to crash. So I am free to hit it all night. You could always come back to my place." He ended by kissing my neck.

I snarked, "Sounds romantic," Key and Jazz snickered in the background.

Thrace started to get testy as well as handsy as he tried to lean on me while accusing, "Why did you have to tell your dad that stuff—just so he would hate me now?......Little Miss Ice Queen."

I heard Jazz in the background gasp, "No he didn't........."

Time to release my Inner Drama Queen, I straightened up, removed both of Thrace's hands from various parts of my body, and gave him my best icy stare. "For once at a party, I was relaxed and having a good time until your crazy crew stumbled in."

Key smirked beside me and quietly whispered, "True dat."

However, I seemed to have lost Thrace's attention. He was staring at a point that I could not see behind the dance floor. All of the sudden he grabbed me on both sides of my shoulders and yelled, "Now I see why you were having such a good time. When did Rafe show up? Did you invite him?" He actually physically shook me on his last question.

Both Jazz and Key moved in beside me. I saw Rafe moving towards us as Jazz yelled, "Hey, don't think you can go all caveman on my girl and not have consequences. You shake her one more time and your gonna be on your drunk eyas!"

Even in Thrace's drunken state he realized the error of his "caveman" ways and dropped his hands to his sides. He looked me in the eyes and said, "Sorry, Cal. Rafe just makes me crazy. I know he wants to break us up. It's like he's stalking you."

I looked at Jazz then Key and said; "Thanks girls, but I've got it from here." I noticed Rafe had stopped coming forward, but was still intently watching the drama. Key and Jazz moved away slightly, but were definitely still in back-up range.

Then, I solemnly returned Thrace's stare and said, "I didn't even know Rafe was here until you went all postal. And the only thing that has the power to make me break up with you is _your_ behavior."

This was too complicated for Thrace's befuddled mind at the moment and the only thing he seemed to hear were the words "break up." And without another word, he whipped around and stumbled back toward Justin and Spart and their bevy of harpies.

"Could the dude be a bigger tool right now?" Key wondered aloud.

Jazz asked, "Does he _always_ have to be Mr. Hyde when he drinks? Cause I'm telling you even Dr. Jekyll is not worth that drama."

I just shook my head and said, "He's never been this bad, but we have been sliding downhill, and there is nothing I can say or do to stop it. And right at this moment, I don't want to stop it."

Rafe approached us and asked, "You ok?"

I warily replied, "I'm fine. Thanks for not jumping in. That would have only made it worse."

He smiled and said, "You had plenty of back-up. And I know he would never have hurt you. Anyway, even on one of Thrace's good days, my money is still on you."

I smirked, "Smart man."

I looked at Jazz and said, "Jazz, can I have your keys? I'm gonna go get some air and grab a water from the car."

Rafe smarmed, "I like air and water. I'll come with you."

Jazz snorted as she pulled out her key and said, "Can you grab me a water, too, Cal?"

"Make that three please," Key requested.

As Rafe and I made our way off the dance floor, he placed his hand in the small of my back as if to comfort and guide me at the same time. A shiver ran down my spine. Luckily, Thrace's crew was on the opposite side of the room because I had definitely hit my quota of drama for the night.

"So how's your evening been so far?" Rafe inquired in a teasing manner.

I turned around to face Rafe leaning my back against Jazz's car as I pondered his question. "You can't beat the vibe and the incredible atmosphere, but I could definitely stand a little less drama."

Rafe considered my answer and replied, "I think your life is going to hold a great deal of drama the older you get."

"Hopefully, it will be the type of drama I can observe and write about rather than the type I play the lead role," I countered.

"I doubt you'll have a choice. Why are you afraid to be an instigator within your own life?" Rafe asked in a husky voice as he lightly brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen over my eye.

My breath caught in my throat as I stuttered my reply, "It's just not me. It's not in my nature. Even in karate, I defend. I don't attack."

He took a step closer and our bodies were almost touching. The beating of my heart was deafening in my ears. But instead of trying to kiss me, he opened the door and leaned in to get the water. When he leaned back out, he handed me a water bottle and our hands touched. It was like my skin was sensitive to his touch as goose bumps raced up my arm.

As he took two more waters out of the car he casually asked, "So how does that work in relationships. I've already seen first hand your Calli walls that you use to defend yourself emotionally."

"Ok, Dr. Phil. No need to analyze me in the parking lot!"

"Since I am playing the part of Dr. Phil today, then I have to say 'How's that working for ya?'" Rafe laughingly asked.

"Thrace and I are practically a bad made for TV movie right now about young teen love that goes wrong when boyfriend turns all jealous. We can't keep going on like this. Something's gotta give and when it does it's _not_ gonna be painless."

Rafe hoarsely replied, "I'm sorry Calli if I have caused problems for you. It was not _my_ intention."

I was glad both of his hands were occupied with water bottles as I took my free hand and placed it on his forearm. I stared directly into his hazel eyes, "I don't believe you. You have relentlessly pursued me with your mixed messages. So now it's cards on the table time. What are your intentions, Rafe?"

He just shook his head back and forth without looking at me as his voice caressed me, "They are more than they should be; they're more than they can be, but I never have to act on any of them."

"Ok, Mr. Mixed Message," I rolled my eyes.

Rafe breathed out in an audible groan and finally returned my gaze as he dodged me with a smile, "Jazz and Key are going to be wondering where their water is. I know I said I liked air, but they probably won't believe I like it this much."

His words slapped me back to reality and the fact that I was: 1) flockin freezing, 2) still in a relationship with Thrace, 3) hittin on another guy. Total Party Foul. Apparently, I came to my senses too late to keep from making a complete eyas of myself.

He seemed to want to say something as he walked briskly beside me. As we entered the rave again, Jazz and Key were flustered and intent on blocking my view of what they were so recently interested in. Rafe being taller got a better view of whatever had transfixed my friends. His eyes scanned the room then his expression turned concerned.

"Ok chicas, what's the deal?" I skillfully maneuvered around Jazz to get a full view of my boyfriend hooking up with some harpy on the dance floor while his buddies were doing the same with her friends. My mouth dropped open as he allowed himself to be led off of the dance floor by the dark-haired she-devil. Her harpies followed along behind them, leading Thrace's buddies. They seemed to be heading for a hallway off the back of the dance floor.

I honestly don't know what came over me as I bolted toward that hallway. I vaguely heard Rafe tell Key. "I'll take care of Calli," before he followed me.

When I hit the dimly lit hallway, I yelled Thrace's name loudly. At least if I went all drama queen on him, there wouldn't be much of an audience. The group seemed to stop for a second before they proceeded into a room off the hall. Only the harpy that Thrace was hooking up with was still in the hall as I approached the doorway.

I stated loudly, "Thrace, we need to talk _now_."

The girl snidely replied, "Thrace is not interested in your _now_ ; leave before you get hurt little girl." The last part almost came out of the harpy in a hiss.

I attempted to get around her, but something incredible happened. Thrace's harpy growled at me, and in doing so, she flashed her sharp canine teeth at me in a frightening yet cheesy B-movie way.

"What the FLOCK," I yelled.

What was not so cheesy was they way the hussy hurled me into a wall then picked me up and hurled me toward an alcove 10 ft down the hall with little or no effort. She came towards me as if she was going to throw me around some more. But before she could even reach me, Rafe was standing between us and pushing her back toward the open doorway. The whole scene reminded me of the pivotal moment in _From Dusk Til Dawn_ where the typical shoot em up action flik turned into a vampire movie. Had I landed in my very own Flocked Up Movie Night?

Rafe actually growled at the girl, "You touch the human again and your consequences will be severe, Aglaea."

She hissed at him right back, "Awww...The Protector of Humans has found a damsel in distress. Don't worry I'm not interested in your damsel. I was just trying to stop her from interfering with our fun. We'll leave you to your business, so we can go about ours."

"You've drawn too much notice. You need to leave here now," Rafe commanded.

"Ahhh... You can't protect everyone Hermes. You have to choose. You take care of the damsel, and we'll take care our cute little prep school boys."

With that, Aglaea slammed the door shut as Rafe blocked my direct route to go after them. Without thinking, I immediately went into attack mode. Rafe effortlessly blocked my blows, then pinned me to wall with my hands behind my back and one of his legs in between mine so I couldn't even kick him. I was both dazed and infuriated by what just happened, and ironically I was out for blood.

Chapter 16: Evolutionary Ladder

"You need to listen to me very carefully, Calliope," Rafe pleaded while I continued to try to loosen his grip on my hand or gain some type of leverage. "I promise you that Thrace will not be hurt."

I attempted to head butt Rafe but he moved back just in time to avoid my attack. He did take his hand off my mouth so I could scream mindlessly "Let me go!"

Rafe decided to take a new tactic and pinned me to the wall with his whole body up against mine as he pressed his lips to my ears and hoarsely promised me, "When you calm down, I will try to explain the unexplainable to you, and then we can go rescue Thrace and get out of here."

The intensity of both the sounds from the room and the hypnotic base of the rave sent my senses spinning. Rafe's close proximity literally felt like he was glued to every part of me. This sensory overload distracted me momentarily from my fight or flight instinct. Unfortunately, it caused a much more electric and basic need in me. As my eyes dropped to his lips, I started to instinctively tilt my head, go up on my tiptoes, and sway towards him.

Rafe once again pulled his head back, moved his hands from my wrists to my shoulders and said in a frustrated growl, "No Calli, not now!"

His rejection was a cold splash of water in my face again which lifted the sensual haze from my mind and replaced it with guilt over my utter distraction from my boyfriend issues.

"Calliope, you need to focus if we want to get out of here unscathed. By now, I think you realize that your world is not quite what it appeared. I am going to give you the short version now, but once we get Thrace out of here, I will tell you the rest," he promised.

"Fine. Explain this cluster flock to me!"

Rafe whispered, "Long ago Homer pieced together a group of myths and legends to chronicle the Trojan War. He described an extraordinary pantheon of gods and goddesses in his epic poems _The_ _Iliad_ and _The_ _Odyssey._ In ancient Greece, humans worshipped these gods and goddess as their religion. What humans failed to realize was that these gods needed humans to survive—not the other way around. "

I shook my head in disbelief as Rafe continued on, "Most of what your world calls immortals are merely human vampyre that are just one rung higher on the evolutionary ladder. They might live longer than regular humans and have faster reflexes, but they can be killed. These vampyre are made, not born. Their souls are in limbo until they are reunited in death. Then there are the demigods--these creatures were made thousands of years ago when a god or goddess mated with a human. They are immortal in that they are born and reborn when they are killed. However, their souls stay in limbo while they walk the earth unless Zeus grants them a special privilege. Finally, the Twelve Olympians are the tip of the sword in the immortal world—the fastest, the strongest, and the most powerful. They are also born then reborn if killed. However, their souls are carried within very special humans. The human skill-based equivalent of our immortal hierarchy would be like a high school athlete vs. a college athlete vs. a professional athlete."

I was astounded at how normal he tried to make the creatures that were currently feasting on my boyfriend seem. "Thanks for that clarification and history lesson, but it is about time to go pull that harpy off my boyfriend. Just so I know, is she a high school, college, or pro athlete?" I muttered sarcastically.

Rafe's jaw tightened, "Aglaea is a demigod, and one of the three Graces, so she is a college athlete as are her sisters. And there is nothing to be gained by attacking her, and much for you to lose by gaining the attention of her benefactor, Ares, the ruler of Detroit!"

"Kickin her _graceful_ eyas definitely gains me something. But if there is one thing I learned in karate, it is to pick your battles. I would love to pick this one right now, but I have a feeling you're not going to let me."

"Your feeling is correct," Rafe replied with strained amusement.

During Rafe's story and my response, the noises coming from the room began to fade until only the sounds of the rave could be heard.

"I think we can go retrieve your property soon," Rafe said in a melting tone that made me lose focus again.

I was caught in his burning gaze as I whispered, "He's not my property—humans do not possess each other like that."

He ran his fingers through my hair and surmised, "Can anyone truly possess or resist you, Siren?" Then he leaned into me and touched his lips to mine in the most delicate kiss. But it was over in an instant as we heard the Graces raucously departed their prey. Rafe kept me shielded in the alcove until we no longer heard their tacky revelry as they headed back to the rave.

Rafe grabbed my hand and guided me to the room where Thrace was taken, "Let the rescue mission commence."

My eyes scanned the dimly lit room for Thrace as I saw all three guys sitting on the floor leaning against different walls. They looked dazed, almost stoned. I tried to dampen down my panic as I dashed toward Thrace. As I leaned over him and touched his face I whispered, "Thrace, are you all right?" He seemed completely spaced out with a dopey grin on his face, but he didn't reply. I immediately checked for his breathing and heartbeat like I had seen my mom do, and both seemed normal. As I checked him out, I noticed the small puncture marks on his neck.

"We need to get them all out of here, right now. I'll take Thrace, and you, Mr. Olympian Pro Athlete, take the other two." I commanded.

Rafe merely nodded and started to effortlessly pull up the first of the two boys off the floor. "How do you know I am an Olympian?" Rafe questioned with an inquisitive grin.

"Call it a hunch," I replied sarcastically as I tried to pull Thrace off the floor. Once I got him standing, I wrapped my arm around his waist and pulled his arm over my shoulder. By the time I maneuvered Thrace to the door, Rafe had both guys on either side of him and was ready to depart. A little of Thrace's coordination and muscle control seemed to slowly be coming back, but he was still acting like he was drugged.

"I know a short cut out. Follow me." Rafe stated.

I mumbled, "Why am I not surprised," as I lumbered after his graceful form. In mere minutes, we were out to his Explorer and loading the three guys into the back--which was a good thing, because I felt like I was about to drop Thrace on his dazed derriere.

"I will give you the long version of the tale after we drop off these gentlemen at Thrace's house," assured Rafe.

I shot Jazz a quick text to let her know that Rafe was taking me home, and I would fill her in later. The trip to Thrace's house only took about 15 minutes and consisted of three main activities: 1) silently freaking out at the my new bizarro world; 2) checking on the boys in the back seat; 3) begging Rafe to assure me that the boys were fine.

Rafe shot me a sheepish smile and remarked, "So what's the plan?"

"Luckily, Thrace's parents keep a key under the front door mat, and they're very sound sleepers. So cut the lights, pull in the driveway, and while I get the door open, you start rounding up the boys. But leave the engine running just in case."

I found the key right where it had always been. I opened the front door as quietly as possible and went back to retrieve Thrace. He was still dazed and dopey, but at least he had a little more coordination. Rafe had the other two guys out of the Explorer. Every step I took I expected to see Thrace's mom or dad flip on a light and totally bust us. Luckily, I could navigate Thrace's house in the dark as well as my own. Rafe adeptly decided to go sideways behind me to reduce the chances of collision with furniture. We made it to the den. Rafe put Justin and Spart on the couch while I placed Thrace in his favorite chair.

As I looked down on Thrace, I desperately whispered to Rafe again. "Promise me that if we leave them here, they will be fine!"

Rafe whispered back in a reassuring tone, "As you checked a hundred times now, they are fine. They won't even have a hangover. They will be a little tired and even their marks will disappear by morning. I swear this to you, Calliope."

I looked down at Thrace again to assure myself that he was resting peacefully. I checked on Justin and Spart again. I definitely seemed to be in worse shape than they were because I was definitely not pleasantly buzzed. I was in shock, and if I didn't want answers so bad I would definitely be taking a seat on the coffee table to watch over the guys. I finally led Rafe out of the house with an extremely guilty conscience. We quickly got back into the Explorer and headed toward my house.

Rafe sensed my thoughts and headed me off. "Calli, it's going to take me all of a minute to get to your house. My guess is your questions are going to take a lot longer than that. So, let's discuss the next part of your plan."

He was right. He was already at the turn from Puritan onto Warwick and promptly parked about three houses down from mine. I glanced around to make sure no nosy neighbors were up on my tree-lined street. "My plan is for you to start talking, so you can explain to me what the FLOCK is going on," I hissed out.

"You don't think we would be a little less noticeable indoors than sitting out here in my car?" Rafe inquired.

"Let me refresh your memory. I have a dad that owns several guns that he likes to _pretend_ he will use on guys that are interested in his daughter. I think that _pretend_ part would become a lot more real if he caught a strange guy sneaking in my room. And frankly, I don't care how flockin hot you are, Mr. Olympian or Pro Athlete or whatever, you're not getting anywhere _near_ my bedroom. So shut off your car and lean your seat all the way back cause we're gonna have this discussion right here." I commanded.

Rafe gave me his mischievous grin as he flirted, "I'm sorry. In everything I have read, telling a teenage girl you're an immortal practically guarantees you an invitation to her room. So you cannot blame a god for trying. Why are we leaning our seats all the way back?"

I reclined my seat and turned to face him as I explained, "First, what you read was called _fiction_ for a reason _._ Next, the trees and other cars on the street are good cover, but just in case a car passes, we need to be reclined so they won't be able to see us even with your tinted windows. Now, enough of the chit chat, it is time for you to fess up Rafe."

He hesitated, but then he awkwardly turned to face me. I stretched my legs to try to get comfortable, but my body was still rigid with shock. I tried to clear my head and grasp what happened tonight. Finally, his curious eyes met mine, and I took a deep breath and said, "My brain is on total overload, so why don't you recap first before I ask my questions."

Rafe gave me a hesitant smile before he summed up the information that would change my world, "You live in a world where human and immortals exist. Human vampyre only get one life although it could be a long one. Next, come of the various types of demigods, which have lived many lives."

I was dazed, but I did manage a question. "Do they remember their previous lives?"

"Yes, but they don't just automatically come back if they are killed. Sometimes centuries pass before they are reborn. I believe that their absence either has to do with their penance for the life they had just led or their choice on whether they want to be separated from their soul again. It is just a theory I have developed over the ages," responded Rafe.

He continued, "Then, we have the 12 Olympians. We are immortal, and we remember all of our previous lives. And we do not have to die to be reunited with our souls. Our soul comes to us through humans with our soul inside them."

I snarked, "Kinda like ordering take out to be delivered."

He seemed amused by my comparison and remarked, "Although the individual who carries the soul is human, they are revered much like Olympians and guarded zealously because they are mortal. To kill or steal this type of human is tantamount to declaring war."

I was growing slightly impatient with the information about the human soul keepers when I really wanted to discuss the immortals. It must have shown on my face because he stopped talking. My next question was, "How long have immortals been in Detroit?"

Rafe answered, "Immortals have had an organized presence here for over two hundred years. However, the human vampyre have only been here since the last century. They are called vampyre with a y not an i, like you English-speaking countries seem to love. Detroit has always been a lodestone for strife, so Ares was attracted here."

"How many immortals are currently in Detroit?" I snapped.

Rafe pondered this for a moment before he said, "We have about 200 immortals in Detroit and the surrounding areas such as Toledo and Flint."

I visibly swallowed and stated the obvious, "Do all immortals drink blood, and do you have to kill to do it?"

"No, it is forbidden to kill humans while drinking blood and punishable by death. But more importantly, since the drinking of blood is both pleasurable for the immortal and human, to cause pain to one will cause pain to the other. The higher up you are in the hierarchy the less you are dependent on humans. Most immortals only need about 1 pint a week—much less if you're an Olympian. Humans have about 10 pints of blood in their body. So you are like a huge SUV, and we are like a hybrid. Just as blood is a life force to you, it is also a life force to us. We just need less of it than you--the same with food. We also need it for fuel just as you do." He really liked his comparisons to explain things or to try to make them seem more normal and less frightening.

"Will Thrace have any additional after effects from the bite?"

Rafe held my gaze and assured me again, "Thrace will have no memory of tonight. Aglaea and the other two Graces do not tend to go back for seconds with their playthings. You all should stay away from the raves though because they are prime hunting ground for the vampyre and demigods."

"I don't think I will have any problem following those orders," I said with a tremor in my voice.

Although I was relieved for Thrace and his friends, I was still scared, but I was also curious, "Do you have fangs? Do they pop out just when you want to drink blood?"

He laughed softly and said, "We don't have fangs per se. We just have very sharp canine teeth that break the skin easily. Our saliva has a high dose of Anandamide, which means bliss and causes the rush of endorphins and dopamine that creates the pleasure for both the human and the immortal. It's like eating a lot of chocolate. But the process goes puncture--which does hurt, lick--which triggers the pleasure, and then suck--which increases the pleasure. Our saliva also contains a chemical much like your GHB that erases your memory of the event. Finally, we place are mouth over the wound and breath in oxygen deeply through our nose. This exposes the puncture wound to oxygen that speeds up the three phases of healing: the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases. This only takes a couple of hours with the exposure of topical oxygen. The whole process of blood donation usually takes about 10 minutes, but the high from it usually lasts a couple of hours for both participants."

"Wow, I get a science lesson with your explanation," I said slightly freaked. I am in deep trouble because I _love_ chocolate. "So your saliva is like chocolate that must make you pretty irresistible to women."

His hazel eyes smoldered at me again, "No, our saliva only contains Anandamide if we bite."

His amused expression relaxed me a bit as does the news that I am not in danger of having all my blood sucked out of my body. My fatigue started to kick in a little so I decided to curl up on the seat. I also allowed one of my hands to touch his on the center console. He understood that I was giving him a little of my trust. "So once and for all let's clear up some basic immortal and vampyre facts. You can obviously go out in the sun just like us," I stated.

"Yes, that was a particularly helpful piece of misinformation we published to protect the human vamps," Rafe acknowledged sheepishly.

"When do you sleep or do you sleep?"

"We do need sleep, but much like everything else, we need less of it. Humans should get eight hours a night, whereas we only need about four hours. Sunlight and daytime do not hurt us, but our extraordinary abilities are better suited to darkness," Rafe explained.

"And what about the trifecta: garlic, holy water, and stakes?"

He laughed loudly which had me shushing him, "I still take credit for making the humans believe that garlic could hurt vampyre. I spread the rumor to humans, but Thalia swore that it was her acting ability that really sold the rumor. Every time she would go to attack people if they shoved garlic in her face she would cower back and run away. So after that we all had to do it, and now it's kind of our running joke. You gotta admit it's pretty funny--a predator being scared off by a species of onion. But, we did you a favor because eating more garlic helps prevent heart disease and has significant cardiovascular benefits."

I raised one eyebrow in annoyance and said very dryly, "Very flockin funny."

His loud laugh rang out again as I put my hand over his mouth. He kissed my hand then posed a question to me to better explain. "Do garlic, holy water, and stakes hurt you?"

"Well, a stake through the heart would."

"Just as a stake directly through the heart _might_ kill me. We are harder to kill because we are harder to catch. We also mend faster. As for the trifecta, my favorite wings at BW3 are Spicy Garlic. And, I could bathe in Holy Water or drink it, and it would feel wonderful. I am a god by trade."

"Why keep yourself a secret if you're so harmless, and you're just a bunch of night owls?" I demanded.

"We are far from harmless, and humans still out number us. So it would either cause a war, or they would try to oppress us. And the basic fact is although we are at the top of the food chain, we need you to survive—that gives you power. Finally, your race is an unpredictable one. We cannot anticipate what you would do or how you would handle it. We have more power and control by staying in the shadows and living in symbiosis with humans."

"What would stop someone from going to the Detroit Free Press tomorrow and announcing that immortals exist," I asked.

"Other than that person sounding crazy and having no proof, nothing I guess. As you can see, we blend in. We have rules that govern our interactions with humans. If you are a human-made vampyre, we generally send you far from home once your age becomes an issue. During the night, we protect our palaces and playgrounds, so only the humans that we want in are let in. During the day, they look like the deserted buildings."

While he was discussing immortal lore with me, he had unconsciously started to play with my hair. I began to wonder if Olympians had other special powers. So I inquired, "Is minding reading another one of your godly gifts," I teased.

He first looked down at his hands gently touching my hair and then up at my eyes with a grin that sent shivers up my spine. He seemed to understand what I was asking, "Human-made vampyre have no additional talents beyond their usual evolutionary advantages. Demigods have other talents like Proteus has affinity for the sea. He has some control over currents, creatures, and conditions. Whereas, his sire, the Olympian Poseidon, has more control over the same elements."

"So, Mr. Pro Athlete, what is your special talent?" I quietly inquired.

He hesitated, looked directly at me, and said, "I am known as the Messenger of the Gods and the Protector of Humans. I am at my best when serving and protecting. I generally move around since I am a messenger and a protector. However, there is great need of me in Detroit to protect humans."

It was true that he certainly protected me this evening. However, I was a witness to immortal business, and witnesses had memory loss. So I tentatively fretted, "What do you do with witnesses to demigod extracurricular activities? Am I about to fall asleep and wake up with memory loss?"

Rafe was both shocked and slightly offended by my question. He took my hand in both of his and velvety promised, "I can't bite you, Siren, and I will always protect you from everything, especially from yourself." He smiled, captured my eyes in his and kissed my hand without breaking eye contact.

It felt like my heart stopped for a second as my breath caught, and I whispered, "That is quite a job you've taken upon yourself, Rafe. I don't usually need protecting, but having an immortal to watch my back will definitely make me feel protected."

With those words, I felt a game-changing decision was made. I continued to question him, and he continued to dodge and weave about the lives of his fellow immortals in Detroit. He briefly discussed the three Graces, but my adrenaline rush was fading fast. I knew that I needed sleep and time to process before I could coherently ask more questions, so I stopped him with, "I think I have hit my freak out limit for the evening, Rafe. How about we call it a night, and we pick this up tomorrow? I was supposed to stay at Jazz's house, but I need my own bed tonight."

Rafe slowly leaned over and kissed my forehead as he said, "I wouldn't want you to start doubting your sanity or mine."

I laughed and sarcastically said, "Don't worry. This all makes perfect sense," as I sat my seat back up.

Rafe followed my lead, and we quietly exited the SUV. We quickly made our way to the back of my house. With slightly trembling and sore legs, I stepped on a patio chair conveniently located by my tree. Rafe shook his head at me and said, "Let me handle this," as he swept me into his arms. Somehow he managed to jump up, open my window that had been cracked, and deposit me inside in a blur of movement. Next thing I knew I was peering down on him standing on my lawn. I was pretty flockin impressed.

He grinned then stole from Shakespeare as he whispered up at me, "But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she."

I just shook my head down at him and whispered back, "That's not _really_ the Shakespeare play you want to use as a model for our relationship." But, just to show him that I was not a Shakespeare slacker I threw back, "The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here."

He blew me a kiss as he left, "Don't worry. We are much more like Benedick and Beatrice from _Much Ado About Nothing_.

I hoped that was the case as I watched him disappear. I shut my window and went straight to where I left my comfort pajamas. As tired as I was, I needed to record the highlights of tonight's events, or I was gonna wake up and think I had taken some club drug. I quickly typed up the bullet points of the night before I crashed into my bed face down.

Chapter 17: Jumping Off the Pedestal

A pedestal is as much a prison as any small, confined space. —Gloria Steinem

I woke up with a start as my mom pounded on my door and yelled, "Calli, are you in there? You're burning daylight, dear!" I felt like I had physically and mentally got my eyas kicked. Although I loved sleeping in on the weekends, noon was a little bit later than usual. I dragged myself to the door.

"Sorry mom, I came home early so I could sleep in my own bed for awhile." I smiled at her sleepily. This was a safe lie because she liked to sleep in.

"No problem. I just have to go in soon and at least wanted to have lunch with you before I go. And the phone has been ringing off the hook for you this morning. Keyana, Jazmine, and Thrace have all called," she said.

I didn't want my slight panic to show so I quickly said, "Oh, Flock! I missed karate. How about I change, wash my face and brush my teeth, while you get lunch ready. I will be downstairs in ten minutes."

"Sounds good. Your dad is doing that extra shift, so he should be back by dinner," she commented as she started to head downstairs.

I tried to process everything that happened the night before, but it was just too early to wrap my brain around all the drama—both human and immortal—before I had my caffeine. Maybe it was all just a totally freaky dream. I saw my laptop open. As soon as I typed in my password, my journal popped up, and I knew last night was definitely not a dream. Then I spotted my phone. I had several texts from Jazz and Key, but I opened the one from Rafe first. It said, "No, it was not a dream, Beatrice." I couldn't help but laugh.

I knew my ten minutes were passing by, and my mother would come back up to get me so I finally shuffled to the bathroom.

I grabbed my flannel pj pants to change into and bolted toward the bathroom. I needed to stay calm and in command until my mom left for work. Then, I could have my psycho-billy-freak out and go check on Thrace. After I made sure he was safe, I was going to have to decide what to do about our relationship, _again._

I hurriedly washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put on some deodorant before heading downstairs.

Mom had made her homemade macaroni and cheese, and she had put some in a bowl for both of us. As I ate, mom droned on about the procedure she had to assist with. I thought about whether I should discuss possibly breaking up with Thrace with her. I better get my mom's take on this cause she was definitely going to hear about it. I tried to broach the subject in a general manner. "Mom, do you think a person should stay with someone that they realize they only love as a friend?"

This statement shocked mom because I generally don't share my feelings about my personal life with her. "I don't know, Cal. It depends on the circumstances. I think the scenario happens a lot," she astutely replied.

"I think I need to break up with Thrace. We are just not working as a couple even though he was all I ever wanted. In reality, we just don't match up well. But, I don't know what to do because it would kill me to lose him as my friend."

"Tough one, Cal. Sometimes the truth hurts, but you have to be honest with him. Maybe give him some space, but let him know that you expect to remain friends with him. Well, I see it's going to be a little tense around the Edonides and Oeagrus households," she tried to joke.

"I should probably do it sooner rather than later. I will try to head over to his house tonight. I think this might be the hardest our stupidest thing I have ever done," I groaned.

"It's a part of growing up, my dear. Making tough decisions and following them through is never easy," mom warned.

"Wow. Thanks for that cheerful advice, Mom! Needed that," I mumbled.

She put her empty bowl down, came over to me, and gave me a hug. Usually I went stiff, but this time I held on tight and sighed.

"Well, I have to run Calli, but let me know what happens when I get home. Can you throw the dishes in the dishwasher?" she said as she headed toward the garage not waiting for an answer.

I quickly did as she asked, then headed upstairs again. Alls I wanted to do was sleep when I got back to my room, but my cell phone was already ringing. Rafe hesitantly inquired, "How was your slumber?"

I quickly replied, "It was surreal, as was the heart-to-heart talk I just had with my mom."

Rafe sheepishly asked, "You finally let her know that immortals exist, and you have been hanging out with one for the past month?"

I just laughed at his lame attempt at humor. I let out a breath and told him that I was thinking about breaking up with Thrace. I finally confessed, "I just don't think it is fair to Thrace for me to have feelings for someone else and still keep him dangling. But, he's my best friend, and it is hard to let that go."

"I am sorry to put you in this position, Calli. I know you love Thrace. But, I don't apologize for caring about you. Plus, it _will_ be safer for Thrace to not be around you so much if you are involved with immortals. The closer he is to that world, the more dangerous his life becomes," he said in a serious tone.

I pondered this for a minute and had to agree with him. I never wanted what happened to Thrace last night to ever happen again. "Promise me if he somehow gets caught up in that again, you will try to protect him," I pleaded.

"Calliope, I am the Protector of Humans. That is my job, Siren."

As I said good-bye to Rafe, I thought about my next move and what needed to happen today. I tried to block out the immortal stuff and focus on the human relationship stuff. I called Thrace's house. Honey answered and told me that Thrace had already left to go get his car from Spart's house. I subtly tried to ask how they were doing. Honey said that they had fallen asleep in the den like usual and managed to eat a full breakfast before they left. She said that Thrace would be home this afternoon. I felt so relieved and some of the guilt of last night left me. However, I still needed to do what was right. I was about to trade in my own personal fairy tale for a world of Greek myths and legends.

I ran upstairs and took a quick shower. My hair still smelled like smoke from the rave. Once I was feeling all clean and fresh again, I headed back to my room to choose the appropriate breaking up with boyfriend clothes options.

Rules for Appropriate Breaking Up Attire

•Don't look too good because then he will fight harder for you.

•Don't look like a total slob, so he would tell people you were hygiene deficient

•Don't wear anything that has special memories between the two of you

•Don't wear mascara or eyeliner

•Probably best to wear something comfortable paired with running shoes if you needed to escape

The five-minute walk to Thrace's house took more like ten minutes today. I tried to rehearse what I was going to say. If there was one thing I knew, it was that he was not going to give up our romantic relationship easily. I reached his lovely ornate door and knocked: decisions, decisions, decisions, SUCK.

Thrace opened the door, exhaled loudly before he said, "You are a site for sore eyes. You would not _believe_ the morning I have had. Maybe you can help me clear some things up!" He then gave me a big hug that lifted me off the ground.

As he leaned down to kiss me, I stepped away and said, "We need to talk, Thrace."

He seemed to understand the gravity of the situation and replied, "Let's go in the den."

As I walked toward the couch, I was flooded with what happened here a few hours ago. Thrace shut the door and turned to face me. "Thrace, what do you remember about last night?"

"Funny you should ask that. I remember driving to the rave with Justin and Spart, but then it's all a blur. We must have been pretty messed up. I was hoping you drove us home because the car wasn't here. What happened?" Thrace said urgently.

I reviewed my options in my head and tried to stick to the truth as much as possible, "Shortly after you got to the rave, we had a fight. We split up and the next thing I knew I saw you, Justin and Spart hooking up with these three girls. You, your friends, and the girls headed out of the dance floor to parts unknown. I went to try to find you. You had gone into an empty room with the girls to hook up. I caught a ride home. It sounds like someone dropped you guys off." Everything that I said was true even though it was the biggest lie I ever told.

"You think I _cheated_ on you?" Thrace asked in disbelief.

"I know you did. I saw you on the dance floor. If kissing is considered cheating, then you definitely cheated on me. If sex is considered cheating, then I don't know," I said uncomfortably. I wrapped my arms around my midsection as if I was trying to hold myself together.

"No....No.....No. I would have _never_ hurt you like that," Thrace pleaded.

"Thrace, just because you don't remember it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. We are constantly fighting now. I think last night was going to happen eventually. It might have been you, or it could have been me. But we both know it's been coming. You are just too stubborn to admit it to yourself. We were each other's first love. I will not let the love or the friend part go, but I need to let the boyfriend part go." As I finished my speech tears were streaming down my face because I could see the hurt in his eyes. It felt like my heart physically hurt. I wanted to comfort my best friend, but I knew that he would take any physical contact the wrong way.

Thrace looked so stunned with such pain on his face. His voice came out raspy as if he too were holding back tears as he said, "I don't remember any of that! Please Calli, forgive me, give me another chance. We were meant to be together." He took my hands in his as he begged.

I looked into his beautiful eyes and insisted, "This was inevitable if you could only see past this pedestal we put each other on. And of course, I will give you another chance, but it is another chance at being my best friend, not my boyfriend."

My statement shocked him again. He was still in the haze and trying to make it go away by shaking his head back and forth. I finally said, "I have to go now, Thrace. I will give you some space if you need it, but I still plan on hanging out with you like my best friend. You're not going to get rid of me very easily. If you want, let's plan on doing something tomorrow. How about we go to the gym together?"

Thrace choked up again and threw me into a big bear hug, as he pleaded, "Please don't leave me Calli I love you so much. Sometimes I think you are the only good thing I have going in this world."

I gasped as if I was watching a scary movie. FLOCK! FLOCK! FLOCK! Emotional Blackmail Sucks. I blew out my breath and reigned in my emotions before I had a meltdown with uncontrollable homecoming queen sobbing.

I had my cheek against his chest and tears were still streaming down my face as I choked out, "Thrace, please believe me when I say I am not leaving you, and I still love you, but it hurts me too much to go on this roller coaster with you week in and week out. You still have me in your world you just don't have to be sexually frustrated by me anymore. In fact, if you want to come to watch the Spartans game with dad and me feel free."

My words didn't seem to register to him. He just held me tighter. He was silently crying into my hair, and I just wanted to comfort my best friend right now. Knowing that I was the one causing him this pain was almost unbearable. Cinderella would be soooooo disappointed in me right now!

After a few minutes that seemed like hours, he finally dropped his hands. He couldn't meet my eyes. He looked over my head to the opposite wall. He finally muttered, "I think I'll take a pass on the game, Cal. I have some stuff to do."

I tried to look up at him, but I mumbled down to the floor, "Ok, Thrace. I'll call you tomorrow." With that, I turned around and walked out on the only human boy I would ever love.

I sprinted home but didn't make it in one piece. I literally felt like I was shattered in a thousand fragments of my former self. I just wanted to either get under my covers and cry or go find my blocking dummy and kick, punch, and strike it until I couldn't lift my arms. I was not really a crier, so I had hit my quota for the day. I opted for the latter and found my blocking stand in the empty garage. I spent the next hour pummeling my feelings and self-loathing out of my system. I proceeded to drag my mentally and physically exhausted body into the house, up the stairs, and to my bathroom. I was standing underneath the steaming hot water that was scalding my skin slightly while I tried to scrub away the day so far.

I could not wallow in self-pity for too long before dad was yelling up, "Game time, Red. Get down here."

I marched downstairs in my Spartans tee and bruised heart that I was going to shield from dad because he was a tad bit protective. Unfortunately, Spartans were known for losing steam both at the end of games and seasons--at least in football. In basketball, Spartans fans were muchhhhh happier. I was zoned out, but trying to at least groan or clap at the appropriate times. About half way through the second quarter, dad finally observed, "You're not much of a cheering section today."

"I worked out hard this afternoon, so I am a little tired. Has the coach slapped himself again, and I missed it?"

Dad chuckled at the reference to our coach's well-known antics. "No slapping, but he is quite the drama queen."

At half time, I offered to make my famous Buffalo Chicken Dip to avoid further father-daughter bonding. I managed to stay in the kitchen the whole halftime and tried to wrap my mind around the whole immortals thing. I finally lugged myself back into the family room with the dip, scoops, and a PBR for dad. The immortals thing was still unreal and bizarre to me.

Dad smirked and sarcastically said, "You must be vying for daughter of the year in this family."

"Funny, Dad. Bet they love you down at the fire station," I snarked.

"I got smartass of the year trophy—ten years running," dad admitted proudly.

Unfortunately for dad, mom chose that time to walk in, "Language, Lethe!"

I mouthed at dad behind mom's back " _Busted_." Unfortunately for me, mom chose that time to ask. "How did the big break up go, sweetie?"

"Break up," dad grumbled while never taking his eyes off the TV.

"It happened, I don't want to talk about it, and I'd rather focus on two Big Ten Teams beating the crap out of each other," I replied coldly without taking my eyes off the TV.

"Do I need to use a taser on the boy? Your mom won't let me use my gun even if it is just a threat," he demanded during the commercial.

"As always, thanks for having my back, but no taser necessary. We just work better as friends," I said honestly.

Mom still looked concerned and wanted to talk. Now that the game was back on, dad just seemed content that there were no more boys "sniffing around me" and shushed mom. At the next commercial, she asked, "How did Thrace take it?"

Now, I had both my parents' attention, again. I curtly pointed out, "As expected. Still don't want to talk about it."

She _would not stop with her questions_ , "Was Thrace upset?" mom fretted.

My Irish temper got the better of me. "What do you want to hear, Mom? That he cried, that he wouldn't accept it, that he begged....What part of _I don't want to talk about_ _it_ don't you understand?" My inner drama queen also felt the need to storm out and head to the sanctuary of my room, leaving my parents stunned.

As soon as I got to my room, I regretted my brattish behavior. I threw on my pjs, grabbed my phone, and stretched out on my bed feeling physically battered. I shot Jazz and Key quick texts telling them that I would give them the weekend scoop at school. Then, I used my parental reprieve to call Rafe and give him the promised update. Rafe sensed my fragile state because he softly asked, "How are you holding up, Calliope?"

I sighed and carefully answered, "I have had better days. I am currently in a time out for the rest of the night because of my Irish temper."

"Calliope, I thought only I get to see your Irish temper?" Rafe teased.

"No, it seems like I'm spreading the love around today," I replied.

"Are you alright or do you need to take some aggression out on me?" Rafe offered in a husky voice.

"I tried that earlier today after I broke up with Thrace. I punched and kicked my bag for hours until I could barely lift my arms. But then, mom wanted details of the break up and wouldn't take _No_ for an answer," I explained.

"Hmmm....wonder where she gets that from. By the way, did you get a chance to do your Greek mythology research?" Rafe inquired.

"Sorry, babe. Been too busy breaking hearts, beating myself up, and watching Big Ten teams brawl," I replied using my alliteration skills.

"Hearts, huh. Who else has fallen in love with you while I was gone today?"

"The night is still young. I am sure I could betray someone else tonight. On second thought, I think I am going to crash and hope for amnesia in my sleep. Are you sure you can't give me some of that chocolate amnesia," I slightly begged.

This turned Rafe serious, "Do you regret breaking up with Thrace?"

"I do not regret the break up. I regret hurting Thrace. Hence, me turning all Irish drama queen on my mom," I explained.

"Maybe I should let you get some peaceful slumber, Siren."

"I'll call you tomorrow after I do my Greek homework. Maybe, I'll feel like beating up on you then," I said as I got under my covers.

Hermes Field Log: October 2007

The future has arrived. Calliope found out about our existence last night, and she seems to be taking it well. Of course, I didn't tell her everything, but enough that most people would run to their therapist. I am going to slowly have to reveal our many secrets one step at a time from here on out. I think the much-anticipated break-up with Thrace served as major distraction and lessened her incredulity. I think today's media with its immortal and vampire books and movies have made us seem more credible and romantic. I am still waiting for her to recoil from me. She said she would do her research tomorrow. Maybe then it will finally hit her. I will have to confess to Apollo about her boyfriend's involvement with Aglaea. He will not be happy that another immortal has seen our Muse. This might get trickier if Aglaea decides to call or possess Thrace. I will let Apollo formulate our strategy in regards to Thrace's safety. From here on out my job becomes more complicated, educate her in our world while protecting her from it, stop myself from caring for her too much, and always remember that she might be destined for someone else.

Chapter 18: Improbable Possibilities

There were two things that were non-negotiable in my family on Sundays—church and breakfast. We always had a big breakfast at home before we headed to church. Church was one of those tricky things in my family. Dad was Greek Orthodox and mom was Catholic. They decided that they would expose me to both religions and let me decide when I was old enough. This Sunday was Greek Orthodox, which should give me a really good excuse to ask my dad about Greek mythology. I planned on acting more civil at breakfast to show that I was over my Irish temper. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw dad hunched over the paper with his coffee as mom was making pancakes and bacon—my favorite. I sidled up to mom and said, "smells good" as I grabbed a plate and prepared to interrogate dad. Mom seemed pleased and dad looked up and said "morning, sunshine. You hit the hay early. Lucky you, you got to miss our collapse in the fourth quarter _again_."

I replied back honestly, "I was exhausted so I'm glad I missed the ritual MSU meltdown. Dad, I think we might have to read _The Iliad_ and _The Odyssey_ in school this year. Can you help me out and give me a brief rundown of Greek mythology this morning?"

Mom groaned and said, "Oh, Calli. What have you gotten us into. Your dad doesn't know how to be brief when it comes to his Greek mythology."

"Mimsy, Calliope is finally interested in her rich Greek heritage. Don't go ruining this moment for me," dad warned.

To me, he said, "I have our family copy of _The Iliad_ and _The Odyssey_ in the den. The epics are by far Homer's greatest works. Your namesake, Calliope, which means 'beautiful voice' was thought to be Homer's greatest Muse," dad explained.

"I thought I was named for mom's favorite heroine. And what is a Muse anyway?"

Dad smiled and began, "A Muse is a person that inspires another to do great artistic works like writing, painting, or performing. Not only did Calliope have a beautiful voice like you do, but she was the Muse for epic poetry. So to truly appreciate _The Iliad_ and _The Odyssey_ , they must be read out loud. Maybe after we get home from church, we can start reading them together."

"Ummmm, sure dad, but I'm not singing any of it!" I stated clearly.

Mom laughed and said, "I would stay to here that. You have such a lovely voice Calliope. I never knew why you were so afraid to sing solo. However, I will refrain from saying 'I told you so, Calli' for the poems until you finish them. Let's get moving, or we are going to be late."

During the car ride, I realized that I had created a monster. My dad had disappeared and in his place was a stranger with a PhD in Greek mythology. It was like he was droning on and on as fast as he could just in case I suddenly lost interest. After the service, mom dropped us off at home as she sped away from the scene of the crime. Dad hustled me to the den, so we could get started with _The Iliad_ first. He sat on the couch next to me, so we could both see the book. He showed me with pride where each family member that owned the text had signed on the inside cover and said, "One day your name will be here Calliope."

Dad went through the background of _The Iliad_ first. He carefully explained the background of the Trojan War, which was a ten-year siege, not like the movie _Troy_ where it only seems to take a couple of weeks (and which Brad Pitt was pretty hot as Achilles). _The Iliad_ only covered the last few weeks of the Trojan War and mostly focused on a quarrel between King Agamemnon and his best solider Achilles as well as how the gods and goddesses intervened in the war on both sides. This poem was the size of your average trashy novel. This was gonna take forever! Luckily for me, the Lions were about to come on and that distracted dad enough that we called it quits for the day. But he wanted to do a little each night, which I hesitantly agreed. We were in football season, and hockey and basketball would start soon which should keep dad pretty busy. I fled back upstairs to my sanctuary wondering what the flock had I done.

I immediately jumped onto the Internet and started my searches. The first search I performed was for Hermes. I clicked the link with the narrative about Hermes, and there was a picture of a naked statue of Hermes showing his family jewels. Wow! Not something you expect to see directly after church. Wikipedia also confirmed that the god Hermes was indeed the Messenger of the Gods and Guide to the Underworld. It almost equated him to being a shape shifter with all his different roles and identities. My potential suitor also invented fire, which was quite the accomplishment. He was the son of Zeus (God of All Gods) and Maia (a demigod) and was born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. But the part that really got to me was that he was linked romantically to at least 23 different women. The main girl he hooked up with was Aphrodite--the flockin goddess of love and beauty!!

To put things in perspective, I checked on my namesake's rap sheet before I got all worked up. I went to Calliope's page. Well, at least in my picture, I'm not naked, but I was definitely homely with wavy brown hair, a small mouth, and big nose. Flock....Flock....Flock.....Calliope was also the daughter of Zeus, but her mother was Mnemosyne. So were Hermes and my namesake like half-sibling? Talk about _Ick_ factor. I was definitely not that Calliope because Lethe was my dad not Zeus. But what's with the coincidence of our mother's having the same name? Apparently, my namesake had the hots for Ares, the God of War, and they had several sons. OMG, she also had son with Apollo and Oeagrus of Thrace. Flock....... Flock............Flock.............. Apparently, the only one she actually married was Thrace. Was my whole life planned out for me and I didn't even realize it? This was actually worse than having one of those horrible beauty pageant moms that force those little girls into their "destiny."

On the plus side, Calliope was the most powerful of the nine Muses. She was the muse for heroic poetry, which is why she was also shown carrying a roll of parchment or book. I slowly laid my head on my desk trying to absorb my research so far. Twenty-three flockin consorts—none of them my namesake. Thrace being Calliope's only husband although not the only father of her children. What did this all mean or did it mean anything? Those were myths. Even though the gods exist, does not mean that their history was correct. _Right._

This was a lot to absorb, so it was break time. I wanted to work out and had several options on that front: 1) by myself—probably the healthiest option for all concerned; 2) Thrace—try to mend some fences, but slightly awkward considering I just broke up with him only to find out my namesake married him; 3) Rafe—also awkward considering what a player he was/is since he is the same god. Decisions....Decisions... I guess it's not too early to start mending fences, especially with school tomorrow, so I took a shot and called Thrace. Unfortunately, there was no answer on his cell, and I didn't want to call his home number.

To face Rafe or not to face Rafe, that was the question. Since I was not known for my cowardice, I decided to call him. Of course, he immediately picked up and asked, "Did you do your homework yet?"

"You know channeling my mom is not what I call hot. But to answer your question, yes, I did my Greek homework. Yes, we need to talk. Yes, I have a million questions. Why don't we meet at the gym in 20 minutes?"

He calmly replied, "We'll kill two birds with one stone. You can get your questions answered and take out some aggression on me."

I managed to beat Rafe to the gym and headed to our karate room to make sure it was not occupied. Luckily it was deserted, so I started to nervously warm up. What did you say to a Greek god that you had recently been kissing, but you found out about his 23 other girlfriends before you? It was not like he cheated on me already. It just showed that fidelity was not his strongest character trait. As I was thinking about the best course of action, Rafe walked in and immediately gave me a hug. I took a deep breath and leaned against him. One of his hands stroked my hair as his other hand rested in the small of my back. I just continued to breathe in and out and let Rafe hold me.

"Are you done warming up?" Rafe asked quietly.

I told him I was, so he continued, "Why don't we practice and talk at the same time."

We started by practicing our kihon as I fired questions at him. "So the internet says that you had relationships with 23 different women. How accurate is that?"

Rafe actually unleashed his mesmerizing laugh that stopped me in mid move and literally caused him to bend over in his hilarity.

"Of all the mythical and momentous things you have researched, you are most interested in the fact that several millennium ago in a timeframe that stretched centuries, I was romantically linked with some women?"

"Not _some_ women. At least 23 women--one of which is the flocking goddess of love and beauty, who might or might not be your sister!"

That brought another round of laughter and required me to further explain, "And by the way, _none_ of the women you were linked with were my namesake!"

That finally brought home my point to him because his amused hazel eyes found my infuriated ones as he said, "Calliope, the past is the past. Whether it is prudent or not, my sole interest is in you, Siren."

He walked over to me and put his hands on my cheeks as if to kiss me. Before I had a chance to ask another question he continued, "As much as history repeats itself, each time around different situations unfold in our life. And we _always_ have free will to make our choices, no matter what the circumstances. I promise you."

"So you don't _have_ to be a player even if one of your former 'consorts' shows up and tries to entice you?"

He laughed again and leaned down to kiss my forehead before wrapping his arms around me again, "Imagine if Brad Pitt was frozen at 21—same looks, same hormones. Then, you followed him for over 200 years. How many women do you think he would have dated? More or less than 23?"

"Ok. Probably more, but that doesn't mean that if I actually dated him I wouldn't worry about whether he was a player! Or wonder how long before another girl would capture his attention."

"Calliope, I don't know what the future holds, but I know that my attention going elsewhere is not something you are going to have to worry about. I am your Protector as long as you have need of me, Siren." Then he kissed me softly on the cheek to accentuate his words.

Once my befuddled senses returned to me again, I asked my next question. "I saw the definition for Muse, and I know that the most powerful Muse was named Calliope. But what does this all mean? Am I just her namesake? Because we look nothing alike. Or am I her reincarnation? Or do you think I am her—I just don't remember my previous lives because I am human? Or does this mean I am destined to be an immortal? Or is this one big coincidence?"

"Whoa....Barbara Walters. One question at a time. Muses are always human and stay human. Immortals cannot turn a Muse into one of them. Yes, I think you are a Muse. Your name, heritage, and lineage all mark you as one. Looks don't matter. A Muse can look different with each reiteration. Are you the original Muse that inspired Homer and captivated two of the most powerful Olympians, Ares and Apollo? I think some of her lives through you, but _never_ doubt that you have your own unique human soul that is separate from all this mysticism and mythology. Even though you were probably gifted with some of your namesake's traits, your human soul is separate from all this and has the ability to make its own choices."

I sighed and just let myself be held by him again. My freak-out instincts were starting again, and I didn't know why he kept getting off on the tangent about my soul and making my own choices. "Muses were entertainers for the gods. How does that translate into how I fit into your world? What role do I play?"

Rafe thought about this for a moment before he answered. "You have taken the news of our existence very well, Calliope. Honestly, I am not sure how much to tell you and how soon. I don't want to overwhelm you, and I don't want my whole world to consume you. I want you to have as normal a life as possible."

I thought back to the brief research I had done this morning and remembered just how his previous love life had sent me spinning. I stepped out of his arms and looked up into his worried eyes. "I know the potential freak out factor is huge in this situation. And I'm not saying I want to know every little detail about your world right now. But, I do want to know how I fit into the big picture. What is a Muse in your world?"

His worried expression turned even more concerned as he somberly admitted, "A Muse is a human that carries the soul of an Olympian within her."

I sputtered as I took a step backward, "What!? Are you saying that I am carrying your soul? Is that why you are soooo interested in me?"

"Calli, I have been interested in you from the first day I met you. And not because you have my soul within you."

I couldn't believe how hurt I was right now. I couldn't meet his eyes as I said; "I felt connected to you since the moment I first saw you. Is it because I am carrying your soul or is it totally my own feelings? How can I ever know—even if you say I have free will?"

Now Rafe really looked like he was in pain, and it was his turn not to meet my eyes as he gravely announced, "Calli, it's probably not my soul you're carrying."

Ok. Now, it was freak out time! FLOCK........FLOCK............FLOCK! I literally didn't know what to do. How did I get this strange panic and manic energy out of me? I felt like hitting something, screaming, running away, and crying all at once.

I took a big deep breath, tried to calm myself down, and commanded, "We need to spar, right now!"

He was amused as he bowed to me and said, "Bring it on!"

"You sound like a preppy cheerleader," I taunted as I bowed.

I immediately made the first move much like our first sparring match. He countered it perfectly, and I avoided his counter move. As we were circling, I asked, "So, is this mutant soul thing just going to explode out of me someday like in _Alien_?"

He laughed and I caught him off-guard momentarily with a sidekick. He swiftly avoided it and answered afterwards, "It doesn't work like that. As the Muse, you hold the Olympians soul. You can tell what he is feeling and thinking when he accesses his soul in you."

I moved in again with a roundhouse kick that he jammed and then he went on the offensive again. I couldn't speak for several minutes because I needed to concentrate on my defense. After I avoided his last front kick, I circled as I asked, "How exactly does the Olympian get _access_ to his soul? And can I block _access_?"

He sensed that I needed to go on the offense for a while again, so he merely blocked, jammed, and countered all the punches and kicks that I viciously threw at him. I was not quite in control right now. The thought that some complete stranger out of the pages of Greek mythology would have some mystical access to me made me crazy.

When I had worn myself out, I circled again and he finally warily replied, "Don't worry, Calli. It's not physical access. It's the equivalent to Luke using the force."

"I am not a fifteen year old boy, Rafe! I have no idea what the flock you're talking about," I snarked as I threw a hook at him which he easily blocked.

"It takes mental concentration on the Olympian's part. He can access his soul from any distance although it tends to be stronger the closer his Muse is. For the Olympian, he feels whole. It gives him greater power and control. For the Muse, she can access his feelings and thoughts if she wants to, and it also gives her heightened senses, awareness, and strength. And you can block the Olympian's thoughts and feelings, but you cannot block his access to his soul."

Then he attacked again. I think he wanted to avoid my final question. After I avoided yet another one of his kicks, I finally got my question out, "So if you don't think it's your soul that I have within me despite our connection, whose soul is it?"

He looked pained as he admitted, "There are three Olympians within the Detroit area right now—myself, Apollo, and Ares."

I stopped moving all together and audibly gasped at two of the names I had come across in my research of Calliope's consorts. "Have you told them that you've met me?" I fiercely questioned him as I went on the attack again.

"No, Calliope, I did not _tell_ them of your existence. But that does not mean that they will not find out or have not already done so."

I relaxed for a second then tensed back up at his second confession. "How will they know if you don't tell them?"

We circled again, though both of us were getting tired—one of the conversation, one of the battle. "There are two types of Muses: Night and Bright. Night Muses are the type of Muse where the Olympian's soul has not been awakened in her. The soul does not awaken until after the woman has reached adulthood. You are a Night Muse. However, as the Night Muse becomes more mature, the Olympians become drawn to her--much like the Sirens in Greek mythology. They often find the Muse long before the soul awakens. A Bright Muse is when her Olympian's soul has been awakened, and their powers become amped up."

I stopped again and this time I bowed to him ending our match. "I don't think I can throw another kick or punch, so you better not tell me anything else disturbing."

"I will try not to, Calli. I did warn you," he agreed in an I-told-you-so manner.

I would need at least a hundred years to process this conversation. None of it seemed real to me. Other than the hussy throwing me like a rag doll, Thrace with bite marks, and Rafe's jumping into window skills, it didn't seem real to me. I walked to my bag, grabbed my towel and water while throwing a sarcastic remark over my shoulder, "Alright Mr. Olympian show me your powers again, if this is all real."

Rafe picked me up then hurled me across the whole length of the room. He caught me inches before I crashed into the opposite wall and gently set me back down.

I gasped, "Flock!! When do I get my Super Powers?"

He didn't know whether I was kidding or not, and he didn't want to upset me again so he hesitated before answering, "You probably won't become a Bright Muse until after you turn 18."

I could grasp Rafe and I being connected. I just couldn't seem to grasp the alternative. We both started doing our cool down stretches as I inquired, "Why don't you think that I am your Muse, Rafe? You are drawn to me, right? You discovered me."

"Both Ares and I have already had Muses not long ago. Apollo has not. It is rare to be given another Muse so quickly."

"Is your Muse still around?" I asked him in a slight panic.

"No. She died decades ago, Calliope. She was a fighter, much like you are, Siren."

"But there is a chance that it still could be you, right? It's not impossible," I pointed out in slight desperation.

"Not impossible. Just improbable."

I actually astounded him with my next line (I have been waiting to use this line ever since we covered it in the statistics portion of my math class), "Well, I am going to have to disagree with Aristotle when he claimed that 'Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities.' Don't ya think?"

Rafe just threw his head back and laughed, then came over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. As he leaned down and touched his forehead to mine, he said, "Yes, Calliope. I, too, wish for an improbable possibility."

I announced, "Until this supernatural stuff starts arriving on my doorstep, I am going to pretend that it does not exist." I packed up and let him walk me out to my car. On the way, I posed one more question, "Are Muses always women, and if so does that mean that only male gods get access to their souls?"

"Yes, Muses are always women, but there is another term for human men that carry an Olympian's soul. They are called Satyrs."

As we arrived at my car, he opened the door for me and then leaned down to kiss me lightly on the lips. "You can call me tonight if you have anymore questions, or if you just want me to lull you to sleep."

"I hope I am done with the questions tonight. Will I see you in school tomorrow?" I asked with a little bit of neediness in my voice.

He smiled his carefree smile that I adored and said, "Of course. I will always be your guardian no matter what Calli."

"About that. Let's keep our relationships and any touchy feely stuff on the down low until Thrace has a chance to recover from our break up. Please."

"As you wish. It's your world, we just live here," he teased.

"If wishing made it so." I drove off with a lot to think about and a lot of homework to do.

As soon as I got home, I ran up to my computer. I knew I shouldn't do more research tonight, but if you were told you're walking around carrying the soul of a Greek god, you might also think further information was important. So I at least had to look up Apollo and Ares to see what my options were. Below was the comparison of my three potential suitors from Wikipedia with a few brief comments from me. A girl's gotta feel like she has choices—even when she doesn't. _Free Will_ , my Eyas!!

Bachelor #1: Hermes (god I'm crushin On)

-Messenger of the Gods; Guide to the Underworld (Sounds like a place I'm going soon)

-His bag of tricks contains: boundaries, shepherds, cowherds, thieves, liars, wit, literature, poets, sports, weights and measures, invention, and commerce (They should add charm to this list!)

-Son of Zeus and Maia (my half brother-YICK!)

-At least 23 Consorts and most linked with Aphrodite and Dryope (Can you say manwhore!)

-At least in his Naked Statue he seems to be half-clothed (but for some reason his cloak is just hanging on his arm)

-He created fire and he liked to help travelers; He was a protector by nature.

Bachelor #2: Apollo (Most Likely Soul Candidate)

-God of Light and Sun (A immortal that is the god of light and sun. Ironic)

-His bag of tricks also contains: truth, prophecy, medicine, archery, healing music, poetry, and the arts. (Well, isn't he well rounded.)

-Son of Zeus and Leto (Is there a goddess out there that Zeus didn't try to get with?)

-At least as many "consorts" as Hermes, at least none of them were Aphrodite (But not all of them were female)

-Famous Naked Roman Statue pictures him with a lyre (musical instrument that Hermes gave to him) and a snake (That screams creepy to me)

-There is a lot on him and he seems really passive aggressive. (Turning people who displeased him into trees and flowers—whining to his dad that Hermes stole his cattle)

Bachelor #3: Ares (Ruler of Detroit)

-God of War or Bloodlust—( _Total_ Keeper!)

-His bag of tricks also contains: weaponry, sacking of cities, rebellion, civil disorder, manliness and courage (Where were you in junior high when I coulda used you?).

-Son of Zeus and Hera (So all my soul mates would be incest, incest, or more incest)

-Lived in Thrace, Mt. Olympus, & Laconia (Since he lived in Thrace, maybe we can all be friends—except not!)

-Main consort was Aphrodite (Apparently, she spreads her love and beauty around!)

-Famous Naked Statue of him at Hadrian's Villa (Seriously! What's with the Naked Statues—how exactly does one even go into battle totally naked? Can you say awkward!)

There was an expression that my grandma always used when she didn't want to change something in her life. She called it a Greek proverb "Better to dance with the devil you know than the devil you don't." I had to definitely follow her advice and stick with the god I knew.

Chapter 19: Guilt Trip

I could not ever remember dreading going to school as much as Monday. The thought of seeing Thrace caused a wave of pure panic in me. I thought briefly about taking a mental health day. However, my mother would check all my vital signs to see if a sick day was warranted. Luckily, Thrace was only in one of my elective classes because I could only handle so much awkward before my face got as red as my hair. I had to force myself to leave the sanctuary of my covers and drag myself to the bathroom to attempt to look somewhat human. I barely succeeded as I made my way downstairs for my Zone Bar and Mt. Dew. At first, I hadn't realized that Thrace wouldn't be picking up me this morning. Then, I waited just in case--not knowing if I was hoping he would pick me up or hoping he wouldn't. I finally gave up and drove to school on autopilot.

As I walked in, I realized that carrying the soul for some Greek god had a lot of drama associated with it as well as some additional disadvantages: 1) doesn't get you out of any homework; 2) doesn't stop your ex-boyfriend from avoiding you; and most relevant to my current situation 3) doesn't stop your two girlfriends from pouncing on you and demanding details on your rather extraordinary weekend. "What happened to you Friday night? Did Thrace go home with that hoochie? Did you dump his cheatin eyas? Why didn't you call me back?"

I took a deep breath and put my hand up and said, "Whoa. It's Monday morning. My brain only can process at a certain level right now."

I looked down at the floor and tried to come up with the most appropriate response to their questions. Finally, I looked up and confessed, "I'm only going to talk about this once and only with you two. I know the break-up will be all over school, and I don't care. I am going to get this out as quick as I can."

"Of course, Calli. We just want to help _and_ kick Thrace's eyas if that's possible," Jazz replied.

I took another deep breath, and the words rushed out of my mouth so I didn't have to actually stop and reflect on them. I gave them the whole, but censored tale of the rave and break-up.

"Girl, you are _way_ too nice. I'd just walk away and wouldn't look back," Jazz commented vehemently.

"He's been my hero for 10 years. I can't just walk away from him. You didn't see how hurt he looked," I explained.

"Hurt. Hurt. The only hurt he should have been feeling is if you kicked him in the sack before you left. Who knows what STD he could be carrying now," Jazz scoffed indignantly.

"Well, luckily I don't have to worry about that. I just think today, this week, and possibly this whole month, is gonna be _awkward_. I want my friend back without all the complications."

The bell rang with my last words, and I was immensely relieved to be released from my captivity. As we were walking to class Jazz promised, "Doesn't matter whether its here or at the rave. We still got your back."

"Especially, at lunch today," Key reminded me.

When we walked into homeroom, Rafe was sitting in the chair next to mine looking as yummy as usual. I shot a grimace his way that he seemed to interpret as amusing rather than serious. I realized that there was not going to be even one class today where I wasn't going to be under a microscope of my classmates, friends, enemies, and Rafe. It made me wonder again why I decided to get out of bed today. As class was dismissed, Rafe immediately stepped in beside me and quietly asked, "How are you this morning? Ready for the straight jacket yet?"

I ignored both his questions and instead replied, "I got ambushed as soon as I set foot in the door today. Jazz and Key wanted all the gory details." I gave Rafe a brief run down of my revelation to them as we headed to our next class. I went through my morning classes in a complete daze.

And then we reached lunch. I sat down with Jazz and Key on each side of me and Rafe across from me toward the end of the table. Thrace hadn't arrived yet and my back was to the line, so I hadn't seen him. Our table filled up pretty quickly, and it seemed as if it was the center of everyone's attention. _Great_....Just what I needed today. A large audience. Thrace finally arrived at our table and scanned it quickly. Our eyes met briefly before he looked away. I could still see the pain in his eyes. He and his friends sat at the opposite end of the table. Things seemed stilted at our table with all my tablemates sitting in the middle, slyly looking back and forth between Thrace and I like they were watching a tennis match. Unfortunately, Thrace took a seat on the opposite side of the table, so Jazz and Key were probably glaring at him every time he glanced down to my end. Rafe remained fairly quiet the whole lunch until he finally tried to break the tension and said, "I heard about the Haunted House at Erebus. You guys up for a little mayhem?"

I looked up at him and smiled as I heard my friends start to plan and debate a 'field trip' to Erebus.

Unfortunately, Thrace chose that time to glance my way which didn't go over so well. He glared directly at me, and Jazz caught sight of it. Her temper flaring, she pointed Thrace's way and warned in a loud accusing tone, "Don't be shooting those evil looks down here like you didn't _cheat_ on my girl for the world to see!" It seemed like the whole cafeteria froze, and the silence at our table was deafening, as if it needed a reaction from Thrace to allow for noise. Thrace's eyes caught mine again as he realized that his sins had not been private and searched my eyes for something....forgiveness?..... understanding?.....absolution? He looked down at his tray and pushed back from the table and stalked off. I wanted to go follow him, but Justin, Spart, and Siena went after him. As she passed me she threatened, "I wouldn't get to comfortable in your seats."

Jazz laughed, "She thinks she can vote us off the island?"

As soon as Team Thrace left the cafeteria, it was like it exploded with noise. I shot a disapproving look at Jazz with one eyebrow raised, "Can't we all just get along?"

Jazz was immediately contrite, "I'm sorry for shouting your business down the table, but _what_ was that look about? How can he be pissed? He cheated on you!"

I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "Well, we gave the caf the drama it had been waiting for, so what time do you all want to hook up on Friday for the Haunted House?"

The question set the group back to making plans and coming up with schemes. Rafe caught my eye and he gave me a searching look as if to ask if I was ok. I gave him a brief nod, but I think my eyes probably told another story. As we walked to study hall, I told Rafe I needed two things: help catching up with my homework (for which I blamed on him) and space in journalism to corner Thrace. Of course, he had to point out that Thrace would be less conflicted in the long run if we made a clean break of it. Although I acknowledged the logic of his observation, there was no way I would emotionally let Thrace go without a fight. And I was excellent at fighting dirty. Three generations of Edonides women had passed on the skills to effectively guilt trip the men and children in their lives to stay in line.

I tried to corner him in journalism, but he deftly got our journalism teacher to let him leave to do the student poll before I could even approach him. I searched for him as we went to our next class, but I had to give up and head to my own class....and I was still late. I sprinted from my last class to the parking lot to catch him before he left, but his class was closer to the exit than mine so I got to see his taillights. I had little experience as a stalker, so my mad persuasion skills proved futile until I tracked him down.

I learned the hardest part of any break-up was starting new routines without that person in your life. There were gaping holes in my time that Thrace filled: before school, after karate class, and weekends. It was like all those time slots stood empty. Although Rafe seemed willing to fill up some of those areas, I didn't want him to yet. Despite my feelings for Rafe, it took time to bounce back from losing a fairy tale relationship that spanned a decade. Then, there were parts of the routine that stayed the same that still included Thrace, which was totally awkward: lunch, journalism, karate, and our families. I kept standing by him in karate no matter where he stood, which got me an annoyed look. I kept approaching him in journalism, which got me ignored. I kept going over to his house, which got the door slammed in my face.

By the time Friday rolled around, our field trip to Erebus was set. In Greek mythology, Erebus was the son of Chaos and married his sister Nyx (Night). He also had a twin brother Thanatos (Death). In reality, Erebus was a four-story haunted house in what looked like an abandoned factory. I just wanted to scream with my friends to get some tension out while avoiding flying monkeys and crossing a bottomless pit. Team Thrace decided to pass and leave the "immature crap" to us. We arranged two cars full of immature DAI students who enjoy getting the flock scared out of them. Of course with all the immortals in the abandoned realty in my city, much of Detroit could be considered one giant Haunted House.

Jazz had already dumped the soccer cutie and was now scoping alternatives while we were standing in line to get in. She was offering a running commentary on all her potential candidates as we waited. I was mostly listening to her until I heard that Team Thrace was going to another rave. Flock....Flock....Flock.... Rafe overheard the comment as well because our eyes met, and I saw a brief flash of concern cross his face. Once my mind started down that worry track, I was unable to concentrate until we actually entered Erebus. There was literally no way you can concentrate on anything else but surviving the many, many rooms. Rafe stayed close to me the whole way through and laughed every time I screamed.

There might have been some hand holding, despite the strict no PDA rule that I had in place with Rafe. Of course, it didn't go unnoticed, and I was sure it would feed the gossip mill around the school. After we all made it through alive, we headed for the Hard Rock Café to debrief on how we rated this year's haunted attractions. Apparently, the group liked it so much that we decided to make a whole theme weekend of it. We were going to go to The Haunted Farm of Terror on Saturday night and try some haunted barns, corn mazes, and hay rides. I wanted to pass on two nights of hauntings, but without Thrace to hang out with, I needed to keep busy to fill my empty time. We dropped off Jazz, Key, and Tre and set up a time to head to the farm tomorrow. "Fright night was definitely a rousing success. Who would have thought it would spawn a Fright Night 2," Rafe laughed.

"Same cheesy entertainment, different day. I am sure you had to be vastly amused by the scary creatures. Little did our fellow students know that you were by far the scariest creature in the room. But then again, being an immortal is pretty hot nowadays."

"So when do you think you will feel comfortable enough for an actual first date? I am just checking, so no pressure. Group dates are fine, but I am itching to cash in on my rain check," he teased as he flashed me my favorite wicked smile.

I laughed and summarized, "First, this was not a group date for us. We were just hanging out with a group of friends. Second, I think you already cashed in on your rain check!"

"Maybe, I just want to try out my superb first date skills on you," Rafe taunted.

"I do not doubt your centuries of experience in dating, but I distinctly remember mentioning a proper mourning period. Besides, my dad requires a background check and a blood test."

"What exactly would he be testing for?"

"I'm sure anything hinky in your system. He likes to be thorough," I replied.

"So, the fact that I'm not human probably won't faze him?"

"If he knew that his daughter was about to date a Greek god, he would be overjoyed. However, he would probably be cleaning an Uzi instead of his traditional hunting rifle the first time he met you. After he threatened you, he might have you sit down and read the _The Iliad_ and _The Odyssey_ with him."

"Your father sounds like a rather protective man. He must have a big job. You Edonides women must keep him on his toes."

We had just pulled into my drive so I announced, "He feels blessed every single day. Now, I am off to bless him with my presence some more. I will see you in karate tomorrow."

"Can I pick you up for class, or is that being too forward?" Rafe asked with an impish grin.

"Much too forward and would alert my parents to your existence as a potential suitor, which I would like to delay," I warned.

"Your parents awareness or my pursuit?" Rafe asked as he gave me his best devilish wink.

"Both. I need you to go find Thrace and check on him. I need you to keep him out of trouble!"

Rafe grabbed my hand before I bolted out the door and kissed the inside of my wrist at my pulse point, "I was heading to find him as soon as I dropped you off. If I need to, I will put a guard on him. Good night, Siren."

It was late enough that dad was sleeping in his recliner while mom was sleeping on the couch, so I tiptoed upstairs, got ready for bed, and added to my journal.

The next day I heard, by way of Jazz, that Thrace was too busy being hung over to attend karate class. I suppose hung over was better than high with memory loss. Rafe specifically said that Thrace would not have a hangover if the harpy bit him. Without the added tension, class flew by, and I gave my mind over to the oblivion of the routine exertion. I told the girls I was heading to DUA after class, so there was a minimum of gossiping. I quickly took my shower and was heading out the door as I saw Rafe leaning against my car.

"Do all girls take forever to get ready or is it just you?" Rafe demanded.

"I'm sorry, did I miss the part where I asked you to wait for me? You realize your behavior screams stalker, right?" I remarked.

"I just wanted to check if you needed a ride. And I prefer to call it persistence. You know until you agree to a first date that I will continue to show persistence, but no pressure," he assured me.

"Or the more you stalk me the further our first date becomes, but no pressure. What happened with Thrace last night?"

Rafe sighed and stated, "By the time I got to the rave, they had gone home."

I was relieved and let out a sigh before I answered, "Thanks, but a girl still reserves the right for a little alone time even if she can only get it during her car rides, so I will see you there."

As I continued my research on the Grande Ballroom, Rafe did some data entry for one of the DUA's latest projects. He hands flew all over the keyboard in a blur. We bantered back and forth as usual while we worked until Dr. A walked in with Delian. I immediately froze in place. It was like I was hoping if I didn't move, Delian wouldn't see me. My fleeting hope was dashed after they both greeted Rafe and then turned to me.

Dr. A asked me politely, "Calli, could you please help Delian with the lesson planning for next semester? He really needs student input."

I panicked and looked at Rafe rather than Delian, "I'm kinda in the middle of something Dr. A. Do you mind if Rafe helps Delian?"

Dr. A looked amused as he replied, "Calli, you are much more familiar with the classes at your school. So, I would prefer it be you. It won't take more than an hour, I promise."

I was trying desperately to come up with an excuse to say no, but sensing his victory, Delian took my hand and stood me up as he said, "We can go to one of the turret rooms to discuss the lesson plans that go with the class syllabus. I don't need a computer."

I tried to take my hand back, but his grip was firm as he led me out the door. Dr. A stuck around and started a conversation with Rafe.

"You don't think that was a tad high-handed, Delian?" I demanded.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. You have been avoiding me. Is there a reason, or can I let my imagination draw its own conclusions?"

"I think I have an odd allergic reaction to you. I seem to have verbal diarrhea when you are near. It is like my mouth just gushes out all these bizarre things, so I choose to avoid you rather than embarrass myself."

"Well, you are very amusing, and I truly have never met anyone quite as candid as you. But, I really just want to finish this course syllabus and lesson plans, so they can get approved by your school board. I promise I won't use my Jedi mind tricks on you for the next hour," he commented dryly with a twitch of his lips that _could_ have been his version of a smile. He guided me toward the window seat of one of the turret rooms. He handed me the syllabus, the outline of the lesson plans, and a pen to make corrections with.

"I never took you for a comedian, Delian. I would cease trying from this point on _and_ give me a little space, dude." I had sat down on the window seat and sprawled out a little with my legs. While he sat close by, he made sure that his legs touched mine.

After my command, he moved back just a little in the seat, so we were still almost touching. Apparently, that was the best I was going to get in the personal space department from him. I read over the material, carefully looking at the format and content of the class. It covered a lot of different aspects of architecture, math, finance, science, restoration, urban planning, art, music, dance, and design. I had never seen any class like it before because it incorporated lecture, research, and manual labor. I could not wait to get started. I made some minor suggestions for Delian on sequencing of the class but was blown away that this was actually happening. Now, my committee and the PTA just had to come up with the rest of the funds to pay for the project.

Of course, as I was trying to concentrate, Delian was staring at me with his intense gaze, so it took me twice as long as it should have to go over the material. I finally looked up and said, "Staring is rude."

"Does it bother you, Calliope? The expressions that run across your face are captivating."

I returned the materials and unsuccessfully tried to avoid his fervent gaze. "I love how the class is set up. It should get a lot of students interested in the project. And I know if my friends find out you are teaching, you are gonna have to turn girls away for this class. I get dibs though," I gasped then realizing what that just sounded like.

I was stuttering again as I continued, "I...I...I didnnnt mean it like it sounded."

The indulgent smile was back as he replied, "I don't mind being claimed by you, Calliope. My guess is that you could defend your property rather well."

"I _didn't_ claim you, and you are _not my property!_ " I gasped out all flustered again.

I shot up from my seat and started to retreat, but once again in a flash he was blocking my access to the hall with his hands crossed over his chest and his possessive gaze in full effect. "I think your true instinct is to stand and fight but with me you run."

I met his stormy gaze and said the first thing that popped in my head, "My first instinct is always to defend an attack. I don't pursue. I feel like you want something from me that I might never be able to give you. Something I don't even understand right now, but a big part of my head is warning me to shut the flock up and get the flock out of here. I know what I just said sounds way freaky, but my filter is gone, and I can't seem to stop myself from saying flocked up things to you."

Delian didn't act like what I said freaked him out. He just nodded and held my confused gaze with his penetrating stare. He finally murmured, "I'm sorry, Calliope. It is probably too soon for me to want to be part of your life. I will try to keep my distance, although it will take every ounce of control I have."

I tried to process his words and make them fit into my normal world as I asked him, "Because you are going to be my teacher or because of the age thing?"

"It's definitely an age thing, just not in the way you are asking. However, I believe you already realize that."

As he stepped aside he whispered, "Run back to his protection for now, _my Muse_."

I gasped as I heard him call me his Muse, but I did exactly what he said. I headed straight for Rafe. I searched the building until I found him in the empty Assembly Room practicing his kihon. I watched as I pondered the things Delian said to me. There was something familiar about Delian—in the way he moved, in his speech. I couldn't put my finger on it, but Rafe and Dr. A were definitely hiding something from me. And it was important.

Rafe finished his graceful and precise movements and turned to me. "Are you all done with Delian?"

I walked toward him with a determined stride, and as I stood in front of him, I inquired in a forceful voice, "I don't know. You tell me Rafe. Tell me again, how do you know Delian?"

He didn't meet my gaze as he sullenly replied, "He's my brother. He's Apollo. He's going to be the savior for the humans in this city some day after you become his Muse."

"Flock.....Flock....Flock.... You are sooooooo on probation with me right now. And don't bother coming to pick us up tonight. I will drive _my_ friends. You have to give me cool down time. Got it?" I was actually raising my voice, and my Irish temper was definitely all up in his face.

"I'm sorry, Calliope. I didn't mean for you to find out this way."

"Whatever!" I yelled as I stomped out the door.

Luckily, I did not see Delian/Apollo on my way out. I did almost run over Dr. A on the stairs as I was trying to exit the building. He steadied me, but when he looked down at me, I saw concern on his face, "Are you alright Calli?"

"No. I am definitely not. Why is my life so flockin complicated?" I asked in a desperate manner.

He gave me a knowing look as he let go of my arms, "Seldom does the appearance of something match the reality of it. And life in this city is more dangerous than it would appear. Arm yourself well, Calliope, whether it is with knowledge, power, or strength."

I studied him then. This was not typical stuff you heard from your teachers. Dr. A was warning me about that other world in a subtle way.

I finally nodded at him and countered, "I am top of my class at evasion and defense, doc. I will try not to let those skills go to waste."

Dr. A volunteered, "If you ever need my help, Calliope, please do not hesitate to ask for it." Then, he gave me his cell number.

"Done and done, Dr. A. Now I have to bolt. I will see you next week."

Chapter 20: Mixed Messages

Jazz, Key, and Tre looked surprised to see me, rather than Rafe, picking them up. I muttered, "Don't ask," as they entered the car, but I knew I had no chance of getting by with that statement.

As usual, Jazz probed, "What happened?"

I just grunted and asked, "Tre, besides you, why do all guys suck?"

Tre diplomatically replied, "I think guys just don't communicate what they are thinking as well as girls."

Key snuggled up to him in the back seat since Jazz had shotgun, "Wisely said, Grasshopper."

Jazz laughed and demanded, "What did he do and is it unforgivable?"

I had to dodge and weave on this question because the real answer would get me a quick trip to the mental ward. "He pushes for a date, then he turns all aloof. He acts like he cares, then he seems perfectly willing to hand me off to another guy. I just don't get it. I need a vacation from all boys."

Key piped up at that, "That's your trouble, Calli. You seem to be choosing boys not men." Tre smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek.

I laughed and answered, "True dat. But if I can't even handle the shallow end of the pool, how am I going to handle the deep end? Time for me to get out for a while and just sun bathe, I think."

Jazz remarked, "I like sun bathing just fine. It works for me."

I quickly retorted, "Jazz, you don't sun bathe. You dangle your toes in, and if the water gets too warm or cold, you jerk them right back out."

"No chance of drowning that way, girl. You would be wise to follow my lead for a little bit."

We had arrived at our designated meeting spot, and I could see our fellow classmates getting out of their cars. I shot one more volley at Jazz, "I think I am just gonna sit back and watch the water sports for awhile rather than participating. I can live vicariously through you all."

Key wrapped one of her arms around Tre's waist as she commented, "You are too young to just sit on the sidelines, sweetie. Now, let's go scream out some of your frustration."

The Haunted Farm of Terror was a blast. We ran around the corn mazes screaming, shrieking, and laughing. We went into the farmhouse and got terrorized by some equally corny creatures and ghouls. All we had left was the barn and hayride. As we were stumbling around the barn trying to dodge the creatures of the night, I was grabbed from behind. In a flash, I was up in the hayloft with Rafe. I immediately demanded, "What part of probation do you not understand?!"

I was still wriggling so he set me down to face him. "Do you ever let anyone explain themselves, or do you just constantly jump to conclusions, Calliope?"

"You seemed pretty clear when you told me what the future held for Delian and how you were going to just hand me over to him." Luckily, the screams and chaos below hid the verbal sparring going on above.

I could barely see Rafe in the darkness but bursts of color and light would filter up to the hayloft every few minutes. Rafe shook his head at me, and I could hear the frustration in his voice as he clarified, "I never said anything about handing you over to Delian. Calli, the signs have been pretty clear that you are going to be his Muse, but that does _not_ mean that we would be over. I _can't_ control whose soul you hold within you. However, I will not give you up unless that is what _you_ want. What frustrates me is that you want information in small doses, but accusations fly when I start to reveal more about my world and your purpose in it."

"Maybe, it is because the future you paint for us and the future Delian paints for me seem vastly different."

A small smile crossed Rafe's lips as he answered, "Right now, you have been very clear that we have a friendship only. And by the way, it was Delian who first saw you at a rave and realized that you were his Muse."

I jumped in, "He _thinks_ I am his Muse. If what you told me is correct, he cannot _know_ that I am his Muse."

Now, I finally got the wicked grin that I missed, "That is correct. I know this is probably overwhelming and Delian does regret revealing himself to you. He knows he scared you off and that was the last thing he wanted to do."

I was annoyed again. "Why are you being Delian's salesman? Can't you see that you are sending me mixed signals again? You are either all in with me, or it is time you step aside for good. And just to send a mixed message of my own, I still am going to need a little time to rebound from my last relationship—that has not changed."

He laughed at my mixed message and replied, "Calli, I have always been all in when it comes to you. I can't seem to function any other way. I just want to negotiate the timeframe for the start date of our future relationship." He reached for my hand and guided me to several bails of hay that we used as a couch. He sat us down so my back was leaning against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me as he asked, "Are we talking days, weeks, months, years, or decades?"

"You would wait decades?" I asked in an incredulous manner.

"Calli, I am immortal. Time is very different for me than you. When I am with you, my days fly by as mere seconds. You are worth waiting decades for. However, I did not say I wouldn't try to negotiate the timeframe."

"Ahhh. That's more like your wicked ways. I think the timeframe is weeks. I just need a couple of weeks. I would prefer to make peace with Thrace before I move on, but I don't necessarily see that happening any time soon. So, I move on without his blessing in a couple of weeks."

I heard him sigh behind me then he touched our heads together before he leaned down and kissed the top of my exposed shoulder. I shivered and did some sighing of my own before he replied, "You are worth waiting forever for."

My heart fluttered, and I snuggled into him. I finally told him that my friends were probably looking for me by now. He admitted that he had texted Tre that he was here and was going to kidnap me for a bit while they went on the hayride. I made some disapproving noises as he lifted me up to stand, turned me around to face him, and kissed my forehead. "Don't worry. Apparently, now I owe Tre a favor. He said you were on a rampage earlier."

"True dat. I am definitely the type of girl that you have to give some space to when I am pissed. Usually if you actually give me a whole day, I might even end up apologizing for my Irish temper. Since you only gave me a couple hours, I wouldn't be expecting anything that grand."

He carefully jumped us down from the hayloft in an impressive display of his god-given talent. "Don't worry, when you actually apologize or tell me I am right about something, I will mark it down on a calendar and declare it a day of celebration."

I saw the whole gang back at our vehicles as I muttered under my breath, "Smart eyas!"

Both Jazz and Key were grinning at me like divas while also trying to gage my mood. Rafe whispered, "Can I call you tomorrow, or will that interfere with your mourning period?"

"I think phone calls are allowed during the mourning period. Ta ta for now."

Jazz, Key, and Tre all greeted Rafe and said their good-byes. I got interrogated all the way home by Jazz. It was a relief to finally be by myself for the rest of the ride. I made it home and got to head up to my room with minimum fuss from my parents for a change. I quickly changed into my pjs, then grabbed my laptop and detailed all the events of the day in my journal.

Sunday flew by as most Sundays do with church, my Greek lesson (as I began to call _The_ _Iliad_ poetry readings), and lots of homework. Sometimes it really was hard to truly enjoy Sundays because you knew what was in store on Monday. I was still processing the whole Delian being Apollo thing. I knew Rafe was suppose to be the Greek god Hermes, but he was just Rafe to me—someone that I could relate to. I think that was why I always referred to him as Rafe rather than Hermes. His god-like persona wasn't really evident to me on a daily basis, but Delian was not like that. I could almost feel the power and divinity that radiated off him. He's seemed much more like the Apollo than his human persona Delian. I needed to find out why he approached me. I guess there was no time like the present.

Rafe picked up when I called immediately, "How was your morning of worship and Greek lessons?"

"Inspirational and enlightening as ever. I think you should have joined us for my Greek lessons as a distraction. Dad would love chatting with you about Greek history, and I could have possibly escaped this torture. I am hoping my efforts this week with Thrace will prove more successful than last week. Although I find it odd that he hasn't tried to change my mind about the whole break up thing."

Rafe seemed to ponder my confusion for a minute before he replied, "Based on the evil stare he gave you in the cafeteria, he probably believes you have already moved on despite your best efforts to keep our _friendship_ on the down low."

I sighed, "When we have fought before, no one else was ever involved. Speaking of involvement, Apollo said something odd to me yesterday that I want you to explain. He said that he shouldn't have tried to become involved in my life this early. Why is that?"

There was a long pause on the line before Rafe finally spoke. "Sometimes when Olympians approach their Muses too early before their bond is truly formed, it causes more harm than good."

"What does more harm than good mean?" I asked alarmed.

"Well, there is a reason we wait until the Muse reaches adulthood before the Olympian's soul awakens. Our world is more decadent and violent than your world. It takes maturity and strength of character to survive it. The Muse has the right to live in the normal world until she reaches adulthood without interference, but many times when Olympians start to sense a Muse they flock to her. They immediately want her to join their world. There have been several cases where we have _all_ paid a high price because a Muse was taken from her life too early. Helen of Troy was the most famous case."

"Wait a minute. The Trojan War started over a Muse? That can't be. Menelaus was not an Olympian. He was merely a King, and Helen was not one of the Muses in history."

" _Because_ of the war, as well as Menelaus and Agamemnon's actions, usually only Olympians get Muses now. Menelaus took Helen from her human life before she had any true tie to him. She never got to experience the joy of her human world, so she was easily susceptible to the charm of Parris. Stealing Helen was tantamount to declaring war. And Muses did not have to be created from the original nine."

Rafe's whole new spin of the Trojan War made my mind reel on so many levels. "Would Apollo consider our relationship as you stealing me like Parris stole Helen?"

I could hear the hesitation and doubt in Rafe's voice, "I am not stealing you away from Apollo. I am not taking you out of Detroit or even his presence. We still don't know whose Muse you are, so he really wouldn't have much of a case considering he was the one that had me enroll in high school with you."

He flabbergasted me again, but I tried not to accuse him of anything. "You may not be taking me away from him, but would he blame you for stealing my affection away from him? I did my research on him. He is extremely passive aggressive at times."

Rafe tried to change the subject. "Since Muses are mortal, it is typical to provide them with protection even when they are Night Muses. It was even more important in your case because humans are fair game since Ares rules of Detroit."

I whispered, "Would it be better or worse for you if we had a relationship Rafe? We can still just be friends. I know it would be hard for me to stop myself from falling for you at this point, but if it puts your life in danger, then I will try to do whatever you think is best."

"Calli, I am immortal. You are not putting my life in danger. You are putting my heart in danger. We have a whole year before we find out whose Muse you are. Let's take this year as a gift. I'm not afraid of what comes later. I am all in right now, Calliope Edonides."

My heart soared, but my cautious nature also made me ask, "Would it be better for you that we keep our relationship on the down low from Apollo?"

"Yes, it probably would. We don't need to lie to him and based on your behavior around him apparently you can't lie to him. But, we don't need to tell him about our relationship unless he asks."

That reminded me that I needed to find out about the truth serum problem. "Why do I react that way around Apollo? I know he is the god of truth and all, but my reactions seems a little freaky."

Rafe laughed as he replied, "I think physical contact makes the reaction stronger, so that is probably why he doesn't give you much space. And, I don't know if you _can_ lie or evade. I think the issue is that you just say the first thing that comes to your mind."

"I can definitely take care of the physical contact issue. I can evade by not thinking of things that will get me in trouble in his presence. Not that I am going to be in his presence much if you cooperate again," I hinted at our previous agreement to keep me informed about his whereabouts.

"I will try, but he knows your schedule as well as I do. I could tell him that you were really upset by his presence, and it would be better for him to stay away."

I laughed at his creative truth telling and remarked, "Sounds like a plan. Now, I am off to finish a mountain of homework. I will see you tomorrow, Rafe."

"Til tomorrow, Siren," he replied in a husky voice.

I could definitely see why they waited to spring this stuff on Muses until they were adults. Surviving high school was bad enough, but surviving high school and the underworld of Detroit was not going to be easy.

Chapter 21: Reconciliation

The second week post break-up was both easier and harder—all for the same reason. Thrace tried to disappear from my life. He wasn't in school on Monday. He didn't show up to karate class all week long. In journalism, he got out of class for his assignments. At lunch, he, Justin, and Spart were absent from our table. While his absence made the whole social scene less awkward, it made him much harder to stalk. Several people said they had smelled alcohol on him a couple times during school. As much as I hated that idea, it was better than him being the boy toy for a demigod. I took to showing up at his house every day only to get short conversations with one-word responses from Thrace. One time I could smell whiskey on him. When I confronted him on it, he started even staying away from his house until after my curfew. His mom said that he was at Justin's house most of the time. Thrace's mom seemed almost as devastated as Thrace was about the break up. We talked one day when he wasn't home.

She asked me, "Can't you two try to work things out? You were so perfect together."

I looked into her kind and gentle eyes—Thrace's eyes and pointed out the obvious, "Honey, I am trying to work things out with Thrace. He is the one avoiding me."

Honey just shook her head and remarked, "Thrace doesn't think you are here to work things out. Thrace thinks you are trying to get his blessing to date someone else. He said that he couldn't stand by and watch you date another guy. He would rather stay away than stay friends under those circumstances."

Flock! It shouldn't surprise me that he knew exactly what I was doing, but I needed him as my friend. Apparently, that was a selfish desire. I was setting him up for more pain and suffering, and I had not even realized it. I was trying to force him to watch me move on with someone else because I needed him. _What was I doing?_ "I'm sorry to keep bothering you, Honey. I will stay away if that is what Thrace wants."

Honey gave me a hug and replied, "Of course, that is not what Thrace wants. Thrace wants you to forgive him for doing whatever he did. He said that no amount of balloons and concert tickets could make up for what he did—although he did not tell me what that was. Can't you just forgive him, Calli? Start fresh?"

"I wish it was just about forgiveness and starting fresh, Honey. Of course, I forgave him. We've had the same problems for the last three months. We just want different things—he's a guy and guys expect," Honey cut me off before I got any further into that statement.

"I think I get it. I'm sure not all of it, but I am also sure he would be willing to wait for you, dear."

"Not any more. I'm the 'good girl.' What he seems to want right now is the party girl," I delicately explained.

"Men just don't get it sometimes, Calli. I am sure Thrace will wise up, and then you can work on it. I will tell him you stopped by, and don't be a stranger just because you and Thrace are no longer together."

I gave her a sad smile, "Honey, don't worry, you can't get rid of me that easily."

I left Thrace's house, and it almost felt like another chapter in my life was ending. The pain from the break-up had dulled, but this new pain in my heart was far from dull. By the time Friday rolled around, the short glimpses I was getting of Thrace alarmed me because he looked like shite. And Justin and Spart looked even worse if possible. The gossip mill at our school was out of control with rumors of Fight Clubs, brawls at raves, and other equally stupid stunts, but it was all pure speculation. Rafe seemed as concerned as I was and promised to use some of his god-like powers to sift through the rumors and see if he could find out what was up with my ex. I gave Rafe a deadline of Sunday night to figure out what the story was with Thrace, or it was going to be intervention time.

I talked Jazz and Key into a girls only marathon this weekend. I had even talked Clio into flying up for the weekend. It was a slumber party, shopping, spa day, secret telling, chick flick extravaganza weekend. Rafe was going to follow Thrace around constantly over the weekend to figure out what was up, and I desperately needed a distraction while that was going on. We headed to the airport to pick up Clio Friday night. The four of us had been friends since middle school, but we were always paired off. Jazz and Key were BFF as were Clio and I. When I lost my other half, I had substituted Thrace as best I could into my life, but there was always a hole that only Clio could fill.

I waited for Clio with a sign that said Clio: BFF. When she saw me, I yelled in delight and gave her a big hug. Jazz and Key were circling so we didn't have to park. When we got to the car, both of the girls jumped out to group hug Clio. On the ride to Key's house, Clio got to hear about Key's new and improved boyfriend checklist and Tre. Clio laughed and asked all the right questions about him. Luckily, we were saving Jazz's love life for after we got to Key's house and ordered food. We had set up her basement as our girl fortress. We had a ton of chick flicks from all different decades. We would begin with the John Hughes films from the 80s: Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, then we would move on to the 90s, and so on. Key ordered pizza, cheesy bread, cinnasticks, wings, and loads of caffeine from the pizza place with the hottest delivery guys. Then, we all changed into our pjs to settle down for a real gossip session while we waited for the food. We caught Clio up on all our classmates. The pizza arrived, and it took all four of us to carry down the goodies to the basement.

During dinner, it was Jazz's turn to walk Clio through her love life. Although this topic could take hours, Jazz gave Clio the cliff notes. Luckily, I had filled Clio in on most of the drama of my love life minus the super-natural portions of it. She still had some questions that she would randomly fire at me during various portions of the movies. She definitely wanted to meet Rafe while she was here. Not even five minutes later, Tre, Rafe, and Jazz's new boy toy snuck down into our girl cave and scared the flock out of us.

We introduced the boys to Clio, and she seemed fascinated by Rafe and vice versa. While Tre and Jazz's boy toy finished the rest of our food, Clio cornered Rafe and interrogated him. He held up well and even charmed the socks off of her. They seemed to banter easily and had Clio lived in Detroit I might have started feeling a little insecure. The boys started to settle in, but Key was adamant that it was time for them to depart. We walked the guys upstairs but managed to say our good-byes in three different places.

On the top of the stairs, Rafe entwined his hand in mine as he remarked, "I can see why you and Clio are plane friends. She is very special like you."

I smiled and let a little of my jealousy show, "Yes, you two seemed to really hit it off."

Rafe gave me his most wicked smile and observed, "She could actually give Jazz a run for her money on military interrogation techniques, although Clio is a little more subtle. I think under normal circumstances you would both be the perfect examples that still waters run deep."

I nodded my head, "Yeah, we were both pretty shy when we first met. I had Thrace as a friend, but she was my first true girl friend. Even though Thrace was a year older, he protected us as best he could. I think that is one reason why losing Thrace has hurt so much. He was one of the few people that I trusted. He actually picked up the day-to-day slack when I lost Clio. Thank you for being so patient with me during my mourning period. It has not gone unappreciated. However, I need you out there protecting Thrace, not in here checking me out in my pjs."

He shot me his mischievous grin, leaned down, and kissed my forehead, "Go have fun with your friends. You needed this weekend. I will go find Thrace."

"I definitely needed this—more than I can even tell you," I responded as I got up on my tiptoes and planted a short and sweet kiss on his mouth.

As I let him go, his steamy gaze made me shiver as he pulled my hand to his lips and kissed my pulse point on my wrist, "Til Sunday, Siren."

I headed back down to the basement to find out what Clio thought of Rafe.

Clio got to the point immediately, "Girrrllllllll. You are hooked."

I agreed with her then asked, "But what do you think about him?"

She tilted her head and seemed to ponder the question, "He is so far from your typical high school guy he might as well be a different species."

I was totally shocked that she understood that after only a short conversation with Rafe like I had. "Now you see what all the drama was about this fall. Trying to work things out with Thrace and stay away from Rafe at his most charming was literally hell on earth."

She came over and hugged me. "Don't worry. Let Thrace lick his wounds and then he'll come back. He always had a soft spot for you. I was happy when he finally realized that he had the best thing in world right next door to him, but I always wondered if he was really right for you."

Jazz and Key came downstairs before I got to answer Clio. Since my love life was now on the table, they got to ask more questions about Rafe and our fight last weekend as well as the timeline for our first date. I finally told them as close to the truth as possible. "There is another guy, a college guy, that works at the DUA that might be interested in me. You remember Delian from the Casino Night at the DUA?"

I got interrupted then with a squeal from Jazz, "The hottie-teacher-guy is interested in you, and you aren't all over that. Girl, what are you thinking? Rafe might be dinner, but that boy is dessert. Can't you date them both? You are a free woman right now—play the field!" That led to both Jazz and Key pulling out their phones trying to find the pic of the hottie-teacher-guy for Clio. When they finally did, Clio's mouth literally dropped opened and she yelled, "That dude looks like hottie-Prison Break guy! Hottie-Prison Break guy is hitting on you and you are not all over that?"

Key turned serious again. "Yeah, explain to us exactly what happened last Saturday with Rafe and hottie-Prison Break-teacher guy."

I went on to explain the Rafe vs. Delian dilemma without the supernatural details as well as my bizzaro reaction to Delian. Then I finally just shook my head at them. "Ladies, he's the deep end of the ocean. He's TROUBLE—not just with a Capital T, but in ALL CAPS. And as much as I would love to sneak a guy friend under my parents' radar, my dad would actually get his gun out and do more than clean it for this guy."

Clio laughed and said, "He still cleans his hunting rifles in front of your boys?"

I nodded and remarked, "We will find out soon. I am fairly certain that Rafe will talk me into our first date soon."

Key let out a, "Ha! He finally has worn you down."

I smiled at the girls and replied, "Not yet, but I am thinking he will probably this week."

"Finally, my girl is talking sense. I still say you should play the field with both dinner and dessert, but you're much more of a one boy at a time kind of girl," Jazz acknowledged.

"Plus, dinner and dessert are pretty good friends. What caused our argument was that Rafe seemed perfectly happy to give up his chance at me and let Delian take his shot. It totally pissed me off. He was willing to let months of flirting with me drop because his buddy showed an interest."

Clio shook her head and commented, "Are you sure he wasn't giving up his shot at you because you were showing more of an interest in Delian? My guess was that he was jealous, and it's easier to walk away for guys sometimes than man up and fight for what they want."

I laughed at Clio's observation and said, "I have missed you, Oh-Wise-One!"

The rest of the evening was spent watching movies and discussing topics that weren't my love life, which greatly relaxed me.

Saturday was a boy-free blast. First, we road tripped down to Toledo again so Clio could experience the Ahava Spa and Wellness Center like we did for my birthday. Then, we literally shopped until we dropped at the mall. We headed back to my house with all our purchases and supplies from Key's house. My parents were excited to see Clio again even though my dad did grumble about being kicked out of his own den for the evening. Mom tried to hang out with us for a bit before I shooed her away. We were now on John Tucker Must Die and since no one wanted to sleep we started She's the Man at about 2am. Hey, Channing Tatum was one thing we could all stay awake for, and it was a Shakespeare remake. We only had two more hours before Clio had to leave, so we let her pick the last movie. She picked Scream, so I think we definitely gave my parents a pretty loud wake up call. The four of us wedged into the back of my dad's Taurus on the way back to the airport because we didn't want to be separated. I was almost in tears as I said good-bye again to my BFF.

I finally let her out of the hug and announced, "Tell your parents that I miss them, and they suck."

"Don't worry, C. I'll be back soon. Call me and keep me posted!"

Even though I was functioning on fumes, I still got dragged to church with my parents after we dropped off Jazz and Key. When we got back, I had a surprise waiting for me. All I wanted to do was come home and sleep, but Thrace was sitting in one of our lawn chairs in the back of the house. My parents seemed pleased to see him. They greeted him warmly as they got out of the car. I lagged behind, a bit unsure of what my reception would be. Mom hugged him, and dad shook his hand as he said, "Good to see you, Thrace."

I approached him cautiously as I said, "Hey there, stranger. To what do we owe this honor?"

Thrace seemed uncomfortable as he replied, "I thought we could hit the bag around if you have time."

"I'll make time for you. Why don't you grab something to drink from the kitchen while I go change?" I quickly answered.

Thrace lost a bit of his edginess as he was back in familiar territory with my family and me. "Sounds good." We all headed into the house. I raced upstairs and changed into my traditional workout garb. My dad seemed disgruntled that he only got to talk with Thrace for a few minutes. As much as I tried to fill the void of a son for my dad, Thrace also had taken that role over the years. Dad graciously decided that I needed this time with Thrace more and went to the den to watch the Lions get massacred again. "Don't be a stranger, Thrace. We missed you around here," was his parting shot. My mom shook her head in agreement as she pecked him on the cheek.

Once we were alone in the kitchen I said, "See, you've been missed, Sparky! It's just not same here without your smart eyas remarks."

Thrace immediately shot back, "Calliope, language!"

I smiled as my heart relaxed at our easy banter. "You ready to head out to the garage? I assume this isn't just a casual visit."

He nodded as if to confirm my speculation, and he headed out the back door. I followed him at a slower pace, wanting to delay whatever confessions he was going to make.

I went to open the garage door to let fall's crisp but mild air into our gym, but Thrace stopped my hand before it got to the button. He immediately released it and said, "Can we leave it closed for a second? There is something you need to see, and I can't take the chance of your parents getting a good view."

I was slightly perplexed, but had an ominous feeling as I asked, "What do you need to show me Thrace?"

He took a deep breath, and then slowly took his shirt off. For one second, I thought he was attempting a really bad strip tease until I saw the multitude of bruises across his arms, chest, stomach, and shoulders. He slowly turned around, so I could see the abrasions and bruises on his back as well. There were all different shades ranging from the darkest purple to green to yellow indicating that not all of the damage done to him was recent. One of the things that you learn from being a fighter and the daughter of a nurse is what bruises look like that are directly from someone hitting or kicking you. Thrace finally broke the silence and spoke, "There are more on my legs, but I figured you wouldn't want me to drop my pants in your garage."

I spoke through the tears that were starting to build at the sight of what Thrace must have endured with this level of bruising. "What the _flock_ happened Thrace?"

"That's what I came here to find out," he said cryptically.

"What?!!! You think I know who beat the crap out of you?"

"I am hoping you can help me figure out what is happening to me. I have been having black outs once or twice a week. On Sunday for the last two weeks, I woke up feeling as if I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. The first night that I blacked out was the night at the rave right before we broke up. Do you remember _anything_ that happened that could be causing these black outs?"

The only way Thrace should have been having black outs again was if he had been bitten, but that did not account for the bruises. Was Thrace trying to stop the demigods from using him as a snack or were the demigods just using him as a punching bag? Neither scenario seemed likely. I needed to talk to Rafe to get a handle on what the flock was going on. I took a deep breath before I answered, "We were apart for most of that night, and I left early, so I can't fill in the blanks of your memory. Have you gone to any other raves recently? Oh, and did you wake up that first time with bruises?"

Thrace looked extremely disappointed as he replied, "Yeah, Just, Spart, and I go about once a week. And no, we didn't wake up with bruises that first time."

I asked, "Can you skip the raves for a bit until we figure out what's going on? Like I said, I was not at the rave very long. _However_ , I know a couple people that were. One of which has had similar black outs. I will call them tonight and get the scoop. I will also check with dad on the Fight Club investigation."

Thrace seemed relieved to have got this off his chest, but he asked, "Calli, I don't want anyone knowing about this. If they don't have any leads on the Fight Club, telling people about my black outs will only get us in trouble."

"Don't worry. I'll just say I am doing a story for our newspaper. If I have to watch your every move or lock you up and throw away the key, you will not wake up like that again."

Thrace came over to me and gingerly gave me one of his bear hugs that I missed so much. Once he let me go, he said, "Thank you, Calli. I don't know what I would do without you."

"You'll never find out. I will always have your back no matter what the circumstances," I promised.

"I'm gonna go home and rest for awhile." Then he kissed my forehead and slowly limped away.

I was immediately on my phone calling Rafe. As soon as he answered, I pleaded, "Rafe, I need your help! Can you meet me somewhere ASAP?"

"No problem. Is everything alright, Calli? Did something happen to Clio?" He asked in a calming voice.

"Clio is fine. Gone, but fine. I already miss her. But we need to discuss something else in person."

He immediately replied, "I'm on my way. Be there in 10."

I paced my room listening to Seymore Saves the World until Rafe texted me that he was parked in his usual place. I made sure to act hurt and surly as I came into the house from the garage, so my parents would give me a wide berth for a couple hours. I told them I was going for a run and found Rafe at his car. I told him to drive to the park.

When we arrived, Rafe parked and leaned over and gave me a hug. The fear I felt for Thrace was constricting my chest, and the memory of his colorful array of bruises gave me goose bumps. Rafe had yet to ask any questions. He seemed content to hold me and stroke my hair as I took comfort in his embrace. I finally pulled back a little without leaving the circle of his arms and said, "Your world is starting to encroach on mine in a major way."

My statement immediately concerned him, and one of his hands moved from my waist to my chin so he could tilt my face up to his. Our eyes locked, and I saw apprehension in his eyes, and I'm sure he found sorrow in mine. He quietly but urgently rasped out "What happened?"

I explained Thrace's revelation and my response in a dull and monotone voice so I could separate from my growing panic. Then, I finally asked, "Rafe, what the flock is going on?"

Rafe seemed to ponder the information for a few minutes before he spoke. "Well, it definitely sounds like he is being bitten. By who and why he is ending up in such bad shape is not something I can answer right now. I need to contact a few people. I have only caught him at one rave." He seemed to have trouble meeting my eyes. I was a people watcher, and Rafe's body language was screaming that something was not right.

I studied him for a second, which seemed to make him all the more uncomfortable before I said, "I'm fairly certain he's been to more than one. When will you know something because I promised him come hell or high water that he wouldn't wake up beaten to a pulp again?"

He put both of his hands on either side of my face. He looked directly into my eyes and said in a solemn voice, "I will help you keep that promise, Siren. As soon as you let me go, I will start to contact my kind that likes to gossip and share juicy details. I should have some preliminary information for you by tonight." He followed his statement with a light, soft kiss on my lips that made me sigh and wish I did not have to send him on his way.

"As much as I would like to keep you here at my beck and call, I should probably let you go and help save the day."

"I can always stop by your room tonight and give you a personal update, Siren," he replied huskily.

I smiled impishly and said, "Keep dreamin, Mr. Pro Athlete. I am going to run home from here to get rid of some of this nervous energy."

Rafe reluctantly let go. Both my parents remarked how nice it was to see Thrace again. I moodily agreed and said I hoped that this meant we were back on the friendship track. Mom remarked, "Maybe your good influence will help him settle down again. Honey has been at her wits end with him this last couple weeks."

"Though I'm not exactly privy to his life right now, I think by next week I'll have him all shaped up," I said in a confident tone.

"I'm sure his parents will be thankful for any help. What are you up to today?"

"I think I might run to the library later. I have got some books on hold. Then I might head to the gym."

"Pizza will be here by 7:00 as should you, our little Muse. We have to catch up on _The Iliad_ ," my dad stipulated.

"Got it, pops. Pizza and Greek gods at 7:00. Check! Can I go up and get some homework done now, padre?"

"Go learn something, smart ass," dad replied and mom sighed.

I ran upstairs and tried to plan my next move. Despite Rafe's attempts to distract me with his charm, there was something that he was not telling me. Something he was hiding. I always thought Dr. A knew more than he was sharing. Time to find out if my guess was correct.

Chapter: 22: Picking Sides

When choosing between two evils, I always like to take the one I've never tried before-Mae West

Thank heavens for the contact list in my phone cause there was Dr. A. What was happening to Thrace was too horrid to allow Rafe to shield me from the truth. He picked up on the second ring. "Dr. A, this is Calli. I need to ask your advice about something. It's important, confidential, and not related to school."

Dr. A replied cryptically, "I've been waiting for you to realize that we are on the same side."

"Dr. A, I don't have time for riddles. Can you meet me at the Redford Branch of the Detroit Public Library in 15 minutes?" I asked him.

He immediately replied, "If you get there first, try to get a private study room and bring homework, so it will look like we are working."

I admired his cunning and answered, "Good thinking. I will see you there in 15. And thanks for meeting me on such short notice."

I grabbed my backpack and gym bag and ran out the door as I called out to my parents. "I'm headin to the library to study--too many distractions here. See ya at seven sharp."

Just as I secured our study room, Dr. A walked in and shut the door. I sat down warily before he said, "You better make it quick, Calliope.... somehow I don't see Hermes leaving you alone for very long these days. And I take it that you don't want him privy to this conversation."

"I've already told Rafe this. I just didn't like his answer. He's hiding something from me, Dr. A. Maybe you can tell me what it is. I have a friend that went to a rave at Eastown Theatre, and since then has been experiencing black outs. When he wakes up, he's bruised and beaten." I explained to Dr. A without directly meeting his eyes.

"Was he bitten before these black outs?" Dr. A inquired as my shocked gaze finally met his concerned one.

"Yes, but that was weeks ago. I thought memory loss only lasted a night. And why would he wake up beaten and bruised," I queried.

"What has Hermes told you?"

"He said he would find out if any of his brethren are responsible. What has Rafe _not_ told me?" I demanded.

"A lot. But Hermes indicated to me that he didn't want to overwhelm you with too much information about his world, and that you agreed," Dr. A stated.

"I don't need to know every nitty-gritty immortal fact all at once, but I need to know what the flock is going on," I explained emphatically.

"What has Hermes told you about Ares and Apollo?"

I was starting to get a bit miffed because Dr. A seemed to be having a problem giving me a straight answer by playing 20 questions. So I revealed my exasperation by asking, "What's with answering my question with another question-- Just tell me what you know!"

"I'm sorry Calliope if this is frustrating, but I need to know how much you've been kept in the dark."

Words just streamed out of my mouth as I explained everything I learned from Rafe about the "bizarro world" as I liked to call it.

"That was quite a mouthful, but what do you know about immortal possession?" Dr. A questioned.

"Possession? You mean when it comes to the soul that I carry for them?" I asked perplexed.

"Ah. Hermes has not told you about the immortal's greatest weapon. When an immortal bites a human, he or she can call that human to them for up to a week. The length of time depends on how powerful the immortal is. Far more ominous is that the Olympians and demigods then can possess the human for short periods of time. Ares has exploited this gift and turned it into a nightmare for the young adults of this city. He has created his very own Coliseum at old Tiger Stadium. Teenagers possessed by demigods become gladiators and have to fight for immortal spectators. When one or both of the teenagers is beaten unconscious or dies, the demigods are kicked out of their body completely unscathed. I think Thrace has unknowingly participated as a human gladiator, and the fact that he is still alive tells me that he has won his matches so far. There is absolutely no guarantee that this will continue to be the case. Apollo and Hermes have tried to stop these barbaric matches to no avail."

I was stunned. I literally couldn't speak for several minutes. I actually thought I was going to hyperventilate. I started taking deep breaths as my hands clenched into fists. "Why would Rafe lie to me?" I choked out.

Dr. A just shook his head and said in a mocking tone, "Humans are unpredictable. He doesn't know what you would do. He's probably trying to stop it without telling you the truth."

"How do _you_ know so much about this since you are also a mere human?"

"My son wasn't so lucky in winning his matches. He was a fighter like you, but not strong enough to win all his battles. I went looking for answers. I found out that we live in a war zone, and nobody even realizes it. We lose about one teenager every couple of weeks. I keep track of the names and have gathered others who have experienced similar loss. Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and friends—we've all lost loved ones at The Corner. We _will_ bring Ares down and all his supporters if we can. I've been collecting information on Ares. The time to act will be soon. Apollo and Hermes have provided valuable information, but when it is all said and done they will protect their own. For you, it has already come down to human vs. immortal. Who will you choose, Calliope?"

"I will do anything to save Thrace! But, how do I do it? You have to help me," I begged.

"First of all, who do you think has control over your friend?"

"I believe her name is Aglaea. She's one of the three Graces or something. At least that is what Rafe said the night she was with Thrace."

"That's not good, Calli. She is powerful, and her sisters make her even more dangerous. _And,_ she is one of Ares's darlings. I don't know how they could stop her without arousing Ares's wrath. What night do the black outs usually happen?"

"They happen a couple times a week, but he wakes up bloody and beaten on Sundays."

"So Saturday is her designated fight night. We have to work fast if we want to stop him from fighting. First, you need to confront Rafe and find out his plan. In the meantime, we need to follow Thrace to find out where he goes when he is called. You can't stop her once she's in The Corner because security is too tight so we have to get to them at her staging area."

"I think his two friends are the other two Graces victims. Can't we just stop the guys from going to them?" I inquired logically.

"Yes, we could lock them up and throw away the key for the night, but the Graces would still be able to sense where they are and come to find your friends just to punish them. Distance or circumstance won't matter."

"Isn't it better to get the Graces on our turf? We are much more likely to have the element of surprise as well as numbers in our favor if we ambush them."

"That is a very good point, but with time running so short, we have to be realistic. There are only three possible ways to break their tie to your friends: 1) Keep the guys away from the Graces for a week and the tie is temporarily broken—until they find and bite them again. And they will very quickly, because they win respect and power at The Corner. 2) Tell Ares you exist and ask him to stop the Graces from using your friends as gladiators as a favor to you. 3) Kill Aglaea and her sisters by any means possible. So, I will ask you again. How much is Thrace's life worth to you?"

I just stood there and silently shook my head as I pondered this horrific dilemma. "Basically, I can either try to kill 3 demigods or barter with Ares the God of War. Are those really my only options, _really_?"

"You never answered my question, how much is Thrace's life worth to you?"

I narrowed my gaze at him and without hesitating for I second I replied vehemently, "To _me_ , his life is worth my life! I doubt Rafe or Apollo would agree, so my guess is that any plan they come up with makes sure that I am not exposed to Ares."

" _That_ certainly will be their intentions. First step: confront Rafe tonight and find out the plan. Do _not_ tell him you are willing to come up with your own plan. Otherwise, he and Apollo will put their energy into stopping you rather than saving Thrace and his friends. Second, the Graces are demigods; you can't really kill them permanently. But, based on immortal policy, they will not be allowed back in Detroit for their next go-round. To be honest, the easiest way to kill them without retribution is to let them bite you. They will depart instantly if you are really a Muse."

My eyes widened in shock and once again I'm floored. "If they bite me, they die then are reborn somewhere else?"

"Yes, your blood is poison to all but your Olympian. But you would have to get them to bite you not break your neck during the fights."

"We could realistically try options 1-3 all at once. Try to hide them, if the Graces show up, fight them, and let _fate_ decide. We will have to find a way to separate them, so you can take them on individually. If they bite you, then problem solved if they try to kill you then just say 'I'm a Muse'—problem solved. You leave their fate up to them. We can have back-ups armed and ready if they try to kill you rather than bite you."

"Thanks, Dr. A, that is _really_ comforting," I snarked.

"My guess is they would try to bite you, but they are used to killing humans during their matches. You'd just be collateral damage. Of course, this would all hinge on whether you are really a Muse and if you are willing to put yourself in mortal danger."

As he spoke the words my phone rang, I looked down saw it was Rafe and mouthed his name to Dr. A. I picked up the phone and said "Hey, Rafe. What have you found out?"

"Where are you? I swung by your house and your car is not there."

"I'm at the library. Why don't you meet me at the gym in about 20 minutes, so we can talk?"

Rafe cautiously replied, "Sounds good. I will see you soon."

After I hung up I looked at Dr. A and asked, "Should I tell him I know about possession and The Corner?"

Dr. A pondered this and finally said, "Question him vigorously. Look him in the eye. Tell him that you want the truth, and there will be consequences, if he lies because too much is at stake. If he doesn't offer the information, you know it's because they are going to protect you at the expense of your friend. Don't fall for the 'trust me' plea because he is going to use it fervently."

I absorbed his advice and replied, "How do we stay in contact from here on out?"

"Call me from your home phone tonight to tell me how it went. Not your cell phone. It's too easy for him to get a hold of your call log. We can figure out some unsupervised time for us to meet this week. Good luck and Godspeed, Calliope."

"Dr. A, how could you be friends with Rafe and Apollo when an immortal killed your son?"

He smiled sadly at my question, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend in this case. We are all working on a common goal—to destroy The Corner. If it were not for Hermes and Apollo, I would be dead. Their willingness to help me, and their information on what happened to my son gave me purpose when I had none. You cannot say all humans are like Jeffery Dahmer just like you can't say all immortals are as vicious as Ares. Both Hermes and Apollo have honor and are trying to protect humans. However, in this case, they want to protect you more than Thrace and his friends."

"That is what I am afraid of, Dr. A. And that is why I need your help," I said as I headed for the car to meet Rafe.

Luckily, I arrived at the gym in about 10 minutes so I had time to plan my interrogation strategy. As much as I wanted to fight him right now, I also needed to make contact with something to get my anger out. I grabbed the Muay Thai Pads from the closet and wrapped my hands as I thought about the questions I needed to ask. If I asked what he had learned so far, it would be like asking him to lie to me. Clearly, he did not want to tell me about the ability of immortals to take possession of humans. So I was going to have to lead him there without giving away what I know. Rafe walked in just as I was finishing warming up. He looked tired. I wanted to go wrap my arms around him to comfort both him and myself, but I needed to stay focused.

He smiled at me with a wistful expression that usually had me smiling back, "I take it we are not sparring today?"

I smiled as I said, "I've got a sneaking suspicion that what you are going to tell me is going to piss me off. I figured we could kill two birds with one stone. You talk. I hit."

"That works fine, Calliope. You ready?"

"Let's start with kicks, and let's start with who has been biting Thrace," I took him off guard as I threw him the pads to hold. He grabbed them and put them on as I got into my stance.

I started with front kicks, and it felt good to actually make contact with something. Rafe answered cautiously, "It was Aglaea, again."

I immediately shot another question at him before my next kick. "She would have had to do it multiple times a week. How did she find him to bite him again, and why would he end up all beaten up?"

I think my questions drove him backwards more than my kick, "We think he attended another rave--the night we went to the haunted farmhouse."

"Ok. That was one time. How did she track him down so that he would have multiple black outs per week usually days apart?" I wouldn't get all the information out of him at once, so I was trying the baby step method.

He hesitated and took a deep breath before he said, "Calli, another fun immortal fact is that once we bite you we can call you to us for a short period of time."

I was impressed that he confessed one piece of the puzzle to me, but we had three more to go: possession, The Corner, and the plan. I wanted him to trust me enough to confess all. I was leaving our fate and my life in his hands without him ever knowing it. "Put the target down and look at me. Ring....Ring....Is Thrace on that harpy's speed dial? Explain calling to me."

"Calling involves making the human come to where the immortal is because of the shared blood and chemicals."

"How long can she call him after she has bitten him?" I inquired.

"With human vampyre it's only a day, with demigod it's a couple days, with Olympians it's a week," Rafe confessed.

Time to pull the trigger on the next question. "So if she is so attached to him because she's calling him all the time, why is she kicking his eyas on a regular basis?"

He seemed to ponder this for a moment before he lied to my face. "I don't think she deliberately tries to harm him. I think she just gets overzealous in their amorous activities."

I was pissed at the lie he just tried to get by me on the chance that I would be too uncomfortable talking about my ex's sex life. I just spit out, "Put the targets up!"

I released my disappointment for a couple of minutes by punching and kicking the pads as hard as I could. When I was done, I bent over to catch my breath and to calm my temper. I straightened and looked him directly in his eyes as I loudly clarified, "Rafe, my mom's a nurse, and I have a black belt in karate. He didn't get those bruises from a little too active foreplay. He got them from someone punching and kicking him. So stop sugar coating and don't _ever_ lie to me again." I made sure my gaze was locked with his the whole time, just as Dr. A advised me to do.

"I didn't get to personally examine him like you did, Calli. But Aglaea is not known for punching and kicking her humans. She is known for getting a little carried away in other areas. I was just posing a possibility," he said in a snit.

"What happens in your world on Saturday nights? He always wakes up Sunday morning bruised and beaten."

"Saturday is much like any other day to us since most of us don't usually have a typical work week. And the last time I had contact with Aglaea was at the rave when you and I first got together."

Both of those statements were likely to be true, and both of those statements were evasions to keep me from learning the truth. It was clear that Rafe was not going to tell me about possession or The Corner. My bitterness was boiling over. I had to focus because it was time to get to the plan—after I got to hit him for a while. "Put the targets up!" Another ten minutes went by again before I was ready to deal with the plan.

"What is the plan to save Thrace?" I snapped unable to hide my anger.

"Apollo and I haven't worked out the details yet. We need to shadow Aglaea and learn her patterns before we decide on a course of action," Rafe said matter-of-factly.

"What happens if we locked him up so he couldn't answer her call?"

"We would be better off by either bargaining with her or distracting her with a more athletic specimen. She has a short attention span when it comes to human men. Trust me....whatever plan we put in place, we will protect Thrace from Aglaea."

I started untaping my hand so I wasn't meeting his eyes when I lied, "I do trust you, but we are talking about my best friend's life. I want to know the plan." I finally looked up to meet his gaze.

He threw the targets down and put his hands on my waist as I immediately leaned my forehead into his chest so he wouldn't try to kiss me, "I will tell you as soon as it is in place."

"Thanks," I muttered into his chest then "I have to get home." I pulled away from him and went to pick up my bag.

Just as I reached the door and started to open it, Rafe pulled me back into the room, leaned my back against the door and my front against him, and laid his forehead on mine as he begged me, "Please, Calli. Don't hate me for what others of my kind are responsible for. That is not _me_! The only two things I desire in life right now are your affection and to protect you from the depraved aspects of my world."

Because of both of those desires, Rafe would never come up with a plan to save Thrace that included my participation in any way. And as disappointed as I was, I understood. I finally gave him what he wanted to hear, "I don't blame you for the evil deeds of that harpy. And my world has plenty of depravity with its serial killers and child molesters, and you don't judge me by those examples of the human race. I will let you protect me from your world as long as it doesn't endanger other people I care about."

He smiled at me with his eyes blazing before he kissed me as if he was still pleading for my understanding. For several minutes, I got to escape this horrific dilemma. After he had temporarily bedazzled me, he finally said in a husky whisper, "It's a deal."

As I drove away, I planned what my next move would be because clearly I was on my own.

I called Dr. A from my home phone and discussed Rafe's explanation of events. After I got done with my recap, Dr. A finally chimed in, "Yes, the Graces will probably feed off their decoys, but they have gladiators in Thrace and his friends that have won several matches so far. They will just find them again when their gladiators lose."

"I need a Plan B then. Will you be on Team Calli?" I begged.

"Of course, my dear. I know you are disappointed in Rafe, but you are his Aegis and he must protect you at all costs—even if Thrace is the cost."

"His _What_?" I inquired in a confused manner.

"Aegis: The person who he is sworn to protect at all times. As far as plans go, I already have people out scouting Aglaea doing Team Calli recon," Dr. A explained.

"Ok. I will call you tomorrow so we can use the recon to develop Plan B. Thank you so much, Dr. A. I owe you!"

"I want to take down these parasites even more than you do Calli, and you have given me the chance. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I snarked, "Same Bat Channel," I could hear him laugh as he hung up.

I called Thrace next. I chose my words very carefully—trying to be a creative storyteller/liar. "My friend thinks the girls that you've been meeting up with are hooked up with dealers who are into selling and experimenting with designer club drugs. He thinks that you guys might be their guinea pigs. So that's why you keep having black outs. It's the drugs in your system. They said some of them could last up to a week."

"So I don't suppose he knows why we keep ending up beaten up?" Thrace inquired with relative calm.

"We can only guess that to test your physical capabilities while you are on the drug, they probably had you fight each other or them."

"You think we fought them," Thrace asked incredulously.

"My friend thinks they have had some type of martial arts training. He's seen them in action before, as have I that first night."

"Do you think if we stay away from the raves they will leave us alone?" Thrace asked in an almost desperate tone.

"Not without some assistance. You are their human science experiment right now. If they lost you, they would have to start over again. They would come looking for you, and my guess is that they could find you easily. My friend thinks that he can provide a distraction that will make them move on from you and your friends."

I heard him take a deep breath on the line, "Ok, Calli. We'll play this your way. Tell me what I need to do."

"Well, for now just be yourself and don't plan on going to anymore raves this week. Oh, and be extra nice and helpful around the house. I'm suppose to be a good influence this week," I replied.

Thrace laughed then turned serious, "Thank you for doing this for me. I'm sorry I dragged you into my mess. Apparently, my taste in women has gone down hill after you."

"Thrace, I'm am just grateful that you are not shutting me out. I missed you, you big flock-up," I said in an amused tone.

"I will see you at school tomorrow, Cal."

"Nite...Nite...Termite," I said wistfully.

After I got off the phone, I tried to concentrate on my homework, but I only managed to finish the morning class assignments. I would work with Rafe on the afternoon assignments during study hall. As I closed my eyes, I couldn't get the vision of Thrace battling for his life at The Corner out of my mind. However, in my nightmares, he was battling Rafe, and no one walked away.

Chapter 23: Plan B

Monday morning at school was well underway before I reached a level of alertness that allowed me to absorb anything that was going on in my classes. It usually doesn't take that long for my caffeine to kick in, but I was exhausted from thinking about the task ahead of me. Rafe helped with the schoolwork as usual during my study hall. He seemed to think that my haggard appearance was about my Thrace worry, and I let him believe that. The school day flew by and soon Rafe and I were heading to The GAR Building to discuss the plan with Apollo _._ We entered the building, and Rafe led me to a conference room where Apollo was waiting for us. As I walked in to face Apollo, I felt the familiar zing. Our gazes locked, and he breathed in as if he was trying to take my very essence out of the air. Then, he nodded at Rafe and in an amused tone asked, "How was school today, Hermes?"

Rafe threw him a disgruntled look and said, "As enlightening as ever. High school really flocking sucks."

I sat down on the edge of the conference table before I said, "As much as I appreciate Rafe's _attempt_ at humor, I think we should get to the matter at hand. Talk to me about how you are going to save my best friend."

Apollo stood directly in front of me and gazed down at me. He put both of his hands on my shoulders and promised, "We will keep Thrace safe, Calliope. He will not be in danger anymore. You have to trust us."

I held his possessive gaze and threw out a zinger to keep him in line, "I'm sorry Apollo, did I say you could touch me?"

A soft rumble of what I assumed was laughter came from his ever serious mouth before he remarked, "I'm sorry, my Muse, if I overstepped my bounds, but you probably will not find me quite as biddable as Hermes." But he did take a step back, so he and Rafe both stood in front of me.

I ramped up my courage and announced, "Thank you for your pledge, Apollo. However, you have yet to give me a single detail on your plan. You are asking for my trust, but neither of you has trusted me with the truth.....about your plan."

Rafe answered me in a pleading manner, "You have to give us some time, Calli. We have had less than a day. We will fill you in as the plan progresses."

My hands turned into fists at my sides with frustration, "You mean that you will tell me after everything is over. You don't get it. I trust you to do what you _think_ is in my best interest. But that might not be what is in Thrace's best interest. That is why I would like some simple details. I don't think that is a lot to ask."

Apollo took the lead again. "Calliope, we wouldn't be so hesitant about sharing details if we didn't think you would jump in and try to help." At least, Apollo managed to speak the truth this time.

"What if I promised not to interfere, as long as you shared your plan with me?" I negotiated.

Once again, it was Apollo that threw my words back at me with a knowing look, "I trust you to do what you think is in Thrace's best interest not your own. So despite your promises, you are going to be unable to stop yourself from interfering."

Ha. The perfect cover for my Plan B just occurred to me. Now, if only I could phrase it in truth so I wouldn't get in trouble. "Fine. How about a compromise? On Saturday, I will stay with Dr. A during the mission. He will be my watchdog."

Rafe looked at Apollo, and Apollo finally nodded his consent for something. Rafe finally spoke with an impish grin, "Sounds like a plan, Calli. Right now, we are waiting for Aglaea to call Thrace again. We want to see where she takes him. Once we figure that out we can start our next phase."

So far this sounded logical, but they still had not given me anything. "Which is what?"

Apollo took over with laying out the rest of the plan, "We have several options, but I think the most promising one would be to make Thrace and his friends temporary ill then give decoys to the Graces. If we make the decoys tempting enough, Thrace and his friends will never have to worry about them again."

"How do you plan on making them sick? And are the decoys other humans that you will recruit with or without their permission?"

Apollo continued in his forthright manner, "The first part is easy. There is a drug that will make them vomit. You will need to give it to the guys on Saturday night. Hermes told me your cover story, which was brilliant by the way. You will tell him that we are going to fool his tormentors into thinking the drug has backfired and is causing him to be sick. Therefore, they will have to try a new version of the drug that they can't use on them."

I nodded my head in approval and asked, "Maybe, they should all go to eat somewhere so their parents will think they have gotten food poisoning. Our parents are going out on Saturday, so when the Graces call them, they won't be around. And I'll check with Thrace on the timing of the black outs. Who are the decoys?"

Apollo displayed what I like to call his calculating glare. He sorta squints his eyes at you as if he is judging your thoughts. I believed if I was his actual enemy it might feel like he was shooting death rays at me. He finally answered, "You let us worry about the decoys. You worry about Thrace, his friends, and the timing of the black outs."

I tilted my head and smiled at Apollo as I extended my hand to shake his, which confused him, "I'm sorry, have we met before, my name is Calliope, and I don't flocking fall for lame eyas stuff like that. Your _decoys_ are humans who are going to have to be playthings for those three harpies. And based on the damage Thrace and his friends have sustained, I would like to know who I am putting in harms way."

Rafe immediately jumped in with a soothing voice, " _You_ are putting no one in danger, Calliope."

"Whatever. Are there any other alternatives?"

Apollo shook his head, "None we have come up with so far. The Graces will probably play with their new toys a time or two then move on like they usually do. However, there is a non-negotiable part of this bargain. You will be nowhere near Thrace and his friends when this all goes down. You _will_ leave that to us."

"Since I am feeling reasonable at all the information you gave me, I say we compromise. Rafe and I will go to dinner with the boys. We slip them the medicine. Then, Rafe takes them to wherever he needs to take them while you have Dr. A pick me up at the restaurant. You can't say I don't reward good behavior," I teased Apollo.

Apollo actually smiled, and it was almost sensual although it only turned up the right side of his lips, "I am looking forward to your rewards in the future under more pleasant circumstances, my Muse. I think both Hermes and I can live with your compromise."

"Somehow, I think I am going to be nothing but trouble for you. So I wouldn't count on a lot of rewards."

Apollo was excellent at heated gazes that made me freeze like a deer caught in his headlights. "I'll take my chances, my Muse."

I just shook my head, tried to hide my telltale blush, and snarked, "Cool your jets, Sparky. Should we go get Dr. A and bring him in on the plan or does that come later?"

Both Apollo and Rafe seemed to ponder this for a minute before Apollo said, "The less people know the better. We will discuss this with him later."

"When can I let Thrace know the plan? He is literally sweating bullets right now, and I would at least like to calm him down a bit."

Rafe finally took the lead on this one, "Probably as late as possible. My read on Thrace is if we give him too much warning he'll do something that will flock the plan up."

I smiled at the use of my word and inquired, "Can I tell him by Friday?"

Apollo consented, "Friday is probably the best choice. Rafe, could you please excuse Calliope and I for a few minutes? I would like a word alone with her."

Rafe just look resigned as he replied, "Of course, I will be in the study when you are ready to be taken back, Calli." And without a backward glance, he left me with Apollo.

Apollo took a step towards me again and gazed down at me with his sorcerer's eyes and said, "I know we haven't gotten to spend much time together, Calliope."

I immediately interrupted him as I fired back, "I don't recall complaining about that."

His sensual gaze came back as he replied, "I know Rafe has brought you up to speed on many parts of our world, but you can come to me with your questions."

I tilted my head and gave him the once over as if to judge the sincerity of his statement before I asked, "And you would tell me the truth, if I came to you?"

He seemed to consider his response, "I would tell you the truth as long as I believed that it wouldn't endanger you."

"Ok. Truthsayer. I will give this a shot. Why would an Olympian fear a mere demigod?" I asked in a perplexed manner.

Apollo drew near and put his hand at the back of my neck as he looked down at me and replied, "I don't fear for me. I fear for you and all the other humans in Detroit. The Graces torment anyone they see as weaker. And as a group, the only beings they fear are Ares and myself. They would even love to try to take down Hermes just to prove their power. They are top of the food chain in spite. Unfortunately, they are also top of the food chain in flattery of Ares."

I returned his earnest gaze with my worried one as I replied, "You're not making me feel real secure in our plan, Mr. Comforting. And please refresh my memory as to when I said you could touch me, again?"

He didn't remove his hand and he didn't say something flirty like Rafe would have. He merely stated without any guile, "It might be a welcome difference for you to be involved with someone that doesn't let you bend him to your will _all_ the time."

"So you're saying that I have literally no incentive to actually get involved with you," I snarked back.

He threw me a stormy gaze before he leaned down and whispered huskily in my ear. "Think of reforming me as your greatest challenge yet."

My breath caught as I tried to think of some witty comeback, "I'm really not one of those girls that dates the bad boy in hopes that she can change him."

He straightened back up as he smoldered at me, "I didn't say the challenge would be to change me. I said your greatest challenge would be to bend me to your will, my Muse."

I took a deep breath and drew away from his hypnotic gaze as I sarcastically replied with false bravado, "I wouldn't bend you Apollo. I would break you."

"Ah. Evade and retreat behind your sarcasm. Hermes did warn me that you were highly trained at both skills. I will escort you to the study."

I didn't speak to Apollo again until I was back in Rafe's calming presence, and then I just said in a clipped tone, "Thank you for the information, Apollo. I will trust _Rafe_ to keep me posted on your plans."

He left with a smoldering invitation, "Any time you want to _try_ to bend or break me, I'm waiting." Then, he left with a nod to Rafe.

I grinded my teeth at his audacity, but my stupid stomach also flipped. I looked at Rafe showing my frustration. "Don't ask. Can we take off now? I really don't think I can concentrate on my DUA work."

Rafe seemed apprehensive about my meeting with Apollo, but he had me out the door before he grilled me. "So should I be worried that you are going to fall for Apollo's charm soon?" Rafe inquired in a teasing but worried manner.

I tilted my head to try to analyze if Rafe was really insecure, "I don't think Apollo has any charm. What he does have in abundance is intensity. Does the dude ever just relax or even crack a smile?"

He threw me his impish grin again as he replied, "A sense of humor is not apart of his many good qualities, and he does have many."

"It's like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He also seems to think that it is a given that we will have a relationship when I become his Muse. Tell me that I won't turn out like Mr. Johnny-No-Fun if I'm his Muse."

He laughed as he drew my hand to his mouth and kissed it. "His soul will not take over your mind, emotions, and personality traits."

"So what is affected by _the soul_ I might have within me?"

"You will just feel more attuned to the Olympian. Your senses will become more heightened and your instincts, agility, speed, and strength will ramp up as well. You will age at a slower rate. You will be more difficult to hurt, and you will heal more easily."

"Wow. I always _wanted_ to be Wonder Woman—now is my chance," I snarked.

He winked at me and teased. "Sorry, sweetheart. You can't hold a candle to Wonder Woman without the boots and lasso. _Although_ I think I could find that costume somewhere, so I could judge for sure."

It was my turn to laugh and tell him to keep his eyes on the road and his dirty thoughts to himself. Unfortunately, he was pulling into my driveway much too soon, and my carefree time with him was at an end. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before I bolted out the door. However, just before I shut the door he asked if he could pick me up tomorrow morning since we had karate class after school. I smiled at him and agreed. Dr. A was right. The boys were not going to let me out of their sight until they thought I was on board with their plan. And, I was going to have to lull them into feeling that I was ok with Plan A.

It was one of dad's overnight shifts at the fire station, so it was just mom and I tonight. Luckily, she was exhausted from her 12-hour shift, so she seemed satisfied with a brief explanation of my day. Plus, she seemed ecstatic that I was going to call and chat with Thrace. So with minimum fuss, I got to head upstairs to call Dr. A from my home phone before I updated Thrace. I was surprised that when I talked to Dr. A that he had already been prepped on the plan. He thought their plan was a good one with the exception of giving the Graces three more innocent victims to exploit. With Dr. A's recon data, I schemed up an even more ingenious plan that would not put anyone else in harm's way--well, except me.

Plan B for Team Calli worked like this:

1.Dinner with Thrace and his friends would be at the GAR building where we would slip the boys the nausea drug.

2.We would also slip Rafe something that would knock him out.

3.Apollo would have the job of staying with the decoys, so we would give him a fake location.

4.Then, we drive the guys around all night so the Graces would have to separate. Thrace would be taken to a location on our turf, so Aglaea wouldn't have back up—increasing my chances of survival dramatically.

5.When she found us, I would fight her. If she bit me, problem solved. If she tried to kill me, I would tell her that I am a Muse while Team Calli moved in with back-up weapons.

6.Next, they would bring Justin to our secret location. Rinse and repeat until all three Graces were dealt with.

Dr. A was scouting the alternative locations that would be the best strategic positions for the fight. Two plans. Two choices. Too many lives at stake to make the wrong decision. Too many "What ifs" and "If onlys" to sort out.

My next call was to Thrace. I let him know that we were starting to find out some valuable intel on the group that was messing with him. "Thrace, I need to know about what time you usually black out on Saturdays."

He paused and finally said, "It happens anywhere between 9 and 10pm."

"Well, now that you have your guardian she-devil on duty that won't happen anymore."

"You mean guardian angel. I realize true second chances are rare, and right now I don't even deserve one. So after you save my eyas, I will concentrate on being the best friend that you deserve and letting the chips fall where they may."

Chapter 24: Housekeepers and Cooks

Just when I wanted things to slow down, time actually sped up. And Rafe was everywhere. Every car ride, every class, every study hall, every extracurricular activity. He would have followed me into the bathroom if he could have gotten away with it. In study hall on Tuesday, I finally had to tell him to give me some space. "You are aware that you are totally hovering right? It's like you are constantly waiting for me to bolt. You need to relax and back off a little."

His eyes twinkled with amusement and a little smile played across his lips as he replied, "Call me a tad bit overprotective, but I feel like the threats of my world are closing in on us, and I want to make sure you are protected."

"Fine, but you gotta give me some more space. And frankly, I am less worried about the threat of Thrace's harpies and more worried that you are just going to hand me over to Apollo. If you are equals, what is the deal?"

His amusement faded in an instant, and he became serious for once as he entwined our hands on top of the library table. "I defer to him when it comes to you because you are most likely his Muse and that relationship must be honored. However, I would _never_ give you up unless you asked me to."

"I wouldn't anticipate that happening especially for Mr. Johnny-No-Fun. Promise me that I won't be doing the intense squint soon."

He laughed in a low voice and winked at me in his light-hearted way as he assured me, "I promise no overabundance of squinting. I don't even think your eyes could squint like that for any amount of time."

"Now I am going to ask for an act of faith on your part. I want Thrace to drive me to and from class tonight. And as a reward for your trust, I will allow you to drop by this evening and hang out. My dad is on shift tonight, and my mom has her book club, so all will be clear from 7 to 9."

His hand grabbed a strand of my hair and played with the tip of it as he pondered something. "I will give you one better. I will skip class tonight and Thursday, so you can have your space, and I can coordinate with Apollo. Of course, this is only if I get a real date night on Friday. This includes officially meeting your parents, Calli. As much as I adore being your boy toy, I think it is time you updated my status."

I groaned and looked down at our hands, "Rafe, I would like to keep you on the down low status, so I won't be constantly interrogated by my parents. The first month that I date anyone is constant drama with them." I, however, added with a flirty gaze when I looked up, "although I do like you as a boy toy."

"Time to go Prime Time drama, darling. You gonna take my deal or would you like me to hover a bit more?"

"You don't think I have enough drama heading my way? I need to add in parental drama?"

"Parental drama will take your mind off the other drama, and you will not have any drama when it comes to the rescue. We will take care of that," he said in a stern manner.

"You think me doing nothing isn't going to be _stressful_ when my boy toys are in harms way? I'm sorry, have we met before," I said with a slightly raised voice, which I immediately regretted, but luckily no one was paying attention to our table.

"Crunch time, Calli."

"Fine. I will take the deal. But if something happens to a hair on your perfectly tousled head, or if Thrace has one bruise on him, there _will_ be flockin hell to pay. Got it?"

A smile lit his face and the twinkle in his eyes was back and threatening to turn me into mush. "Understandment. And if you weren't so totally against PDA, I would definitely be rewarding you for your good behavior."

I caught Thrace in the hall outside his next class and asked for a ride to karate. He seemed surprised and pleased. I told him that I would meet him by his car after school. Unfortunately, Jazz and Key caught the exchange and thought I had lost my mind.

Jazz questioned, "I thought things were starting to get interesting with Rafe. What gives?"

"Rafe has to skip class this week, and I thought it was about time to mend some fences before Rafe and I go out on our first date."

Key looked at me suspiciously and inquired, "What haven't you told us, girlfriend?"

I sighed deeply and confessed, "Rafe has finally convinced me to go on a date with him on Friday, and he has demanded to meet my parents and everything."

Jazz and Key both squealed at the same time causing most of the remaining students in the hall to look our way. Luckily for me the bell rang, and we all had to book it to our next class.

In journalism, Thrace seemed agitated and wanted more information about the harpies, the plan, and the mystery people that were suppose to help him. I dodged, weaved, and evaded like it was my job. Karate class was less awkward with less tension since Rafe was not around. Thrace immediately filled in Rafe's place next to me. It almost felt like old times as Thrace and I walked to his car to head home. The memories of previous car rides with Thrace were starting to suffocate me, and I needed to bolt.

I went inside and immediately ran upstairs to grab a shower before Rafe would arrive to hang out. I got ready quickly as I mentally tried to decide what one wears while hanging out with a Greek god. Would normal teenage hanging out stuff bore him? I started to get really nervous and panic started to set in just as I heard the doorbell ring.

Of course, it was exactly 7pm, and he was right on time. I answered the door like a nervous wreck and barely got out, "Hey and Welcome" without tripping over my words. Flock, I'm a geek.

Rafe seemed to sense my nerves and gave me an amused smile, "You promised me a tour, if I recall."

I gave him the downstairs tour and started to babble and blush. "The house is a point of contention between my parents. Mom fell in love with Rosendale Park's tree-lined streets and this Tudor-style house. Dad thinks the neighborhood was too fancy, some of the neighbors really put on airs, and old houses are money pits. I think he didn't like it that her salary was paying for most of it."

Of course, Rafe saw my blush and asked, "I would gladly give my entire fortune for the thought that just made you blush."

I ignored his comment and asked, "Have you had supper yet? I'm starving. Do you mind if we make something to eat?"

He shot me his trademark mischievous grin as he replied, "I am famished, but it is not necessarily for food."

"Sorry, the Edonides blood bank is closed for the evening."

His gaze practically scorched me as he backed me against the kitchen island and placed one hand on my blushing face. His other hand entwined in mine as he whispered, "I don't want your blood, Calli. Never that. I just want permission to kiss you."

I swallowed loudly as I nodded my head. I was sooooo out of my league. His kiss was sweet and electrifying. Although he cut it short, he sent shockwaves to my toes.

I finally heard him say, "Now, I'm hungry. And, I think I should probably cook. My guess is your idea of cooking has something to do with Spaghetti O's and the microwave."

I looked up at him and remarked, "What's wrong with Spaghetti O's? It's practically its own food group."

"Exactly. And that food group would be processed foods from a can. Let me get the lay of the land, and I will let you know what I'm cooking."

I laughed as I watched him look in every cabinet and drawer in the kitchen, "What exactly are you looking for? I can at least point you in the right direction."

He finally looked at me when he was done with his inspection and said, "I think we will do baked pasta. I don't have enough time to make my own sauce, so unfortunately, we will have to go with sauce from a jar." He started to pull out the ingredients he needed. He gave me some small tasks to keep me out of his way. He threw the timer on for 30 minutes for both the pasta and homemade garlic bread.

I told him that Thrace wanted to drive me to school on Thursday as well as to practice. "I suppose I can be reasonable since I get Date Night on Friday."

We debated once again on the logic of planning two stressful events on two days in a row. Rafe finally said he couldn't compromise on Friday because he needed my curfew to be later for our First Date activities. My stomach flipped as I stuttered, "Ok. Exactly what do you have in mind?"

Rafe's eyes twinkled and his grin was wicked as he huskily promised, "A night you will never forget."

I think I literally jumped out of my chair as the timer for the oven went off. Rafe laughed at me and went to take care of our dinner. He brought me over a plate, but he actually made me try the pasta from his plate. It was delicious.

"Rafe, you are going to make some woman a fine wife one day."

"Can we say the same for you?" Rafe asked.

"No. I probably won't make some woman a fine wife," I teased.

Rafe laughed so hard he actually snorted, which made me laugh. "How about some man or some god?"

"Sorry. My plan is to make enough to be able to hire a housekeeper and cook."

Rafe smiled at me suggestively as he inquired, "Can I apply for the position? I have excellent references."

"I thought you were more of the bodyguard type rather than a housekeeper."

"I do what I need to do, Calli. As you can see, my skills come in many different forms, which should come in handy since you tend to take a lot of looking after."

I sputtered, "A lot more than when I only resided in the human world."

"True, but those days are gone, Calli," Rafe replied solemnly.

I sighed and lost what was left of my appetite. "I better do the dishes, so mom doesn't see two sets and wonder who was over."

Rafe caught my chin in his hand and forced me to meet his gaze, "I'm sorry my world has intruded on yours, but I am not sorry I met you Calli. My world was a much lonelier place without you in it. I know that is selfish to say, but you have set my world aflame, Siren. I can't stop myself from becoming addicted."

"Would you stop yourself if you could?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Yes. When you come of age and _if_ you are Ares or Apollo's Muse, it is going to rip me apart."

"Even when I still choose you over them?"

"It's not that simple, Calli. You will still have a strong bond with your Olympian. In some ways, a part of you will always belong to someone else. I've been there and that knowledge will torture me."

This time I pulled his chin back up to face me, "As long as you are honest with me, we can face whatever your world throws at us together. I have your back, and you have mine."

Of course, my statement made guilt flash across his face. "I will always protect you, Siren. I promise. Now, we better speed through the dishes because it is almost 9pm."

"Flock! We need to move."

He gave me his impish grin as he replied, "Consider this my tryout as your housekeeper."

I stepped back and in under a minute he had the dishes washed and put away and the leftovers in the fridge. He was going to make a damn fine housekeeper/cook for me one day. He was kissing me goodnight at the door at 8:50. When he kissed me, I wanted to take all the chances I could, but he wouldn't let me. He broke away and kissed me on the forehead at about 8:55. "Sleep tight, Siren."

My mom came home five minutes later. We discussed the neighborhood gossip and how much she won because her "book club" was actually Woman's Poker Night. She said I could not play with them until I was 18: Getting to vote, learning poker, and having an Olympian's soul awaken in me. Flock! Mom raided the fridge and actually tried some of my leftovers, even though she was clearly skeptical of my cooking. She was really impressed with Rafe's baked pasta, and complimented me, "Wow, Calli, when did you learn to cook?"

I improvised, "Well, I have had some extra time on my hands, so I decided to try this recipe I found online."

Mom looked at me with concern for the break-up again, "Well, it was an excellent recipe. Sweetie, you know if you ever want to talk, I'm here."

I sighed and smiled at her. "I know, mom. Speaking of that, I am going out on a date Friday with a boy from school. He's a junior like me."

This time, it was my mom's turn to sputter, "What? Who?"

"When? Where? How? His name is Rafe. You have already met him. He was the one that got me involved with the DUA stuff. His dad is a retired Air Force Colonel. And you can meet and interrogate Rafe on Friday."

My mom finally regained her senses and replied, "I don't know if that is enough time to prepare your father."

"Well, it better be. All he has to do is get out his hunting rifles, and he's ready."

"True, but this is definitely going to shock him. I think he hoped that your pining was going to last all the way to college. Now he's going to have start the intimidation routine all over again."

"I'm sure he missed the routine. Now, I am off to bed."

Chapter 25: Liars and Evaders

Wednesday dawned crisp and beautiful with the sun peeping through my room darkening curtains. However, I woke grumpy, exhausted, and overwhelmed. Lack of sleep, fear of the unknown, and thoughts of betrayal were starting to turn me emo. I had to go to the DUA today and check up on Plan A for Apollo and Plan B for Betrayal. I think I applied more foundation and under eye concealer than I have ever worn before.

Rafe picked me up on time as usual and hit me with, "Good morning, Siren. Your eyes look really exquisite with all that make-up."

"Wow. It's a little early in the morning to be throwing complisults my way, Rafe."

"I am sorry. I must have forgotten part of the English language, what's a complisult."

"It's an insult disguised as a compliment. Next thing I know you are going to be blessing my heart."

Rafe continued to look confused, "What?"

I explained, "Whenever someone has a problem, the old ladies at my church always say things like 'Poor Marcy, her daughter just got arrested selling scripts to school kids, Bless Her Heart.' See, it's an insult masked as empathy. It drives me crazy."

Rafe threw me an indulgent smile as he said, "Are you sure that you weren't raised by wolves? Really, you need to check."

I countered back, "Why don't you ask my parents on Friday? I am sure that will make an impression. I just need my caffeine, so if you will kindly stop on the way to school I will be grateful."

Rafe shook his head as he pulled a fountain Mt. Dew and a Zone Bar from the driver's side drink holder. "Your wish is my command. A housekeeper must be on his toes at all times."

I gave him my most adoring smile as I grabbed my breakfast and said, "You are my hero. I am not worthy." Then, I ate in blessed silence all the way to school. Because of my exhaustion and Rafe's need to conceal the details of Plan A, the day was rather subdued and slowly inched along. I actually fell asleep between the library stacks during study hall since my homework was done for once. Rafe's concerned gaze rarely left me. At the end of the day, Rafe wanted to take me home rather than going to the DUA, but Apollo summoned us to what looked like an abandoned warehouse.

Dr. A was coming toward us as we made our way farther into the building. "Apollo called me as well. He wants to meet us in the back of the warehouse to discuss the plan."

I announced to Rafe, "As soon as this little conference is over, I want to bail. I need a nap and a lot less drama."

Rafe nodded and Dr. A gave me a sympathetic look before he said, "I think this meeting is meant to help ease your mind, Calliope."

Apollo was standing by a window in the back talking to three commando looking guys. He smiled when he saw me and headed my way. When he reached me, he placed a hand in the small of my back and guided me toward the three men.

When we were directly in front of the commandos, Apollo finally spoke. "I want you to meet the three men that will be protecting your friends."

As I shook each one of their hands, Apollo continued. "They have extensive training in martial arts, weapons, and recon. Your friends are in good hands as you can see. We are going to dispense with names because they are not necessary."

I must have given him a look like he was an alien because he finally asked, "Darling, do you have any questions for these gentlemen?"

They all looked at me sternly as their eyes narrowed, "Yes. Why exactly are you calling me darling?"

Apollo's solemn face actually cracked a smile, and I think I got a lip twitch out of at least one of the commandos. "Just an expression, my dear. I take it you have no questions?"

This was the tricky part. If I didn't seem like my usual nosy self, they might get suspicious, and I would lose some of my freedom, so I tilted my head at the commandos and asked, "What did he tell you about what you just signed up for?"

The three commandos looked at each other, and the lead commando finally spoke, "He told us that we would be guarding three sick guys and that there was a 99% chance that we would get attacked while guarding the teenagers. He also said that the individuals that would attack us will be women. However, they were going to be very well trained. We will not use weapons on them. We will only disable them. And he is paying us accordingly."

"Well, that pretty much covers it. They won't use weapons, but they are still the best fighters I've seen, and I have a black belt in karate. You will be guarding three of my good friends, and if anything happens to them, I am holding you personally responsible. So kick some eyas for me."

The leader once again nodded, "Roger that."

Apollo looked at his hired guinea pigs and said, "I think we are done here gentleman. I will contact you tomorrow after you have had a chance to look at the site." He shook hands with them, and then he faced Rafe and I. "You wanted information Calliope, and now you have it."

I gave Apollo a pained smile after the commandos were out of the building, "I wanted information—not to see the faces of the guys that you are going to use as human sacrifices. Is that what you _really_ thought?"

Apollo gave me his unapologetic look, "I think you wanted to know who was protecting your friends, and I think you wanted to know that I was not lying to them or leading them to slaughter."

I put my hands over my face and took a deep breath before I said, "Where are you stashing the boys? What area do these guys have to defend?"

Both Rafe and Apollo laughed at this before Apollo remarked, "Yeah. You _know_ you are not getting that information."

I admitted to them. "Had to take a shot. Are we done here?"

"I'm sorry about all of this Calliope. There are good parts of my world as well as the bad. I promise you that we will get to the good parts soon."

My laugh was humorless. "I will believe it when I see it. Now, I just want to go home, please."

Apollo nodded, "I will see you on Friday at the GAR for final prep. Brother, please take my Muse home."

As Apollo started a conversation with Dr. A, we went to Rafe's car.

Rafe tried to tease me back into a better mood, "Well, date night is probably looking pretty good, comparatively right now."

I gave him a sad smile as I said, "You better bring some mad first date skills to make up for me putting up with Apollo, because he is starting to get on my last nerve."

That got me a wicked smile from Rafe, "You know, he is trying to be as up front as possible. But I guess no good deed goes unpunished with you."

"Those commandos' faces are going to stay with me long after Sunday, you know. I hope they bolt to the opposite ends of the earth, so the Graces' calls will go unanswered."

Rafe nodded, "I think they are on a plane right after. They know the risks, and they are getting paid for those risks. They are mercenaries. This is what they do."

We were at my house as Rafe said, "Please, Calli, just get some sleep. We need you in top form. I am worried about you."

"Rafe, I just can't seem to sleep from all the stress I feel because of......... our flockin first date."

Rafe laughed as I knew he would and commented sarcastically, "You're hilarious, Siren. Now, go get your nap."

I leaned over and kissed his cheek, then bolted with a proper, "Yes, sir."

Instead of a nap, I called Thrace to see if he wanted to go on a run. I think he needed to keep occupied as much if not more than I did. We set off at a brisk pace. I wanted to do at least six miles, which was pretty much Thrace's limit. We made it back in an hour—tired, sweaty, and out of breathe. Mom had salads and fruit waiting for us to eat. Thrace inhaled his then headed home with no questions about this weekend, which surprised me. I was finally tired and ready for a hot shower, my journal, and eight hours of sleep. Dr. A had left a message on my cell that on Thursday I was to go to my karate practice with Thrace. I would receive a call right before class, and I would leave and come back by the end of class. My cover was that the grant team needed some of my research, so I had to bring them my flash drive. Tomorrow was dress rehearsal which definitely was gonna help me sleep—only not.

Thursday started out gloomy, stormy, and rainy, which fit my mood perfectly. All the tension was making me snarly. It was like I picked from a Chinese take-out menu of bad moods: nervous, anxious, vacant, moody, bitchy. Rafe picked me up and instead of calling me on my snarly mood tried to tease me out of it, which just made me snarlier. I tried to stay more myself around Jazz and Key otherwise they would probe for more information. I definitely changed my attitude at lunch around Thrace, so he wouldn't freak. I told him that I was still catching a ride with him to the gym, which got a lot of funny looks around the table. Ok. I might have slipped into snarly me again after the looks but only for a couple of minutes.

However, study hall with Rafe found me snapping at him each time he spoke. He finally called me on it halfway through study hall, "Ok—raised by wolves girl. You are going to act like a decent human being, or I am going to knock you out until this is all over. Do you want a three day hospital stay, or do want to act like your usual sweet and snarky self?"

" _Finally!_ Took you long enough to call me on this crap. I just don't know how to deal with this. Can I skip the run through on Friday? My sleep just gets worse the more I learn, the more I have to imagine."

Rafe smiled and put his arm around me for a quick hug, "That sounds like a good idea. Apollo, Dr. A, and I don't need you to go over the final planning. The only thing you really need to worry about is our first date and what I have planned."

I sputtered, "What exactly do you have planned? You know I can't leave the city right? Let's just stick to something simple—dinner and a movie."

"Boooooooring. I thought bungee jumping or parasailing. But, don't worry, it's all taken care of."

"I am sure you have had a vast amount of experience taking 21st century teenage human girls on first dates. Right."

Rafe gave me a wicked smile and said, "Speaking of a plan. Since I am not going to karate today, I am going to sign myself out of school to go help Apollo. Are you alright with that, or do you need my supervision?"

"I will be fine, funny guy. Go take care of business. I will call you tonight after practice."

Now Thrace was my constant shadow for the rest of the day. I was starting to wish for one whole day that I would not have a shadow. I was collecting too many opposing relationships: Thrace vs. me vs. Rafe; Rafe vs. me vs. Apollo; Apollo vs. Rafe vs. Dr. A; Apollo vs. Rafe vs. Ares. Why were relationships so flockin complicated? Guys were supposed to be simple. They were supposed to only want one thing—which I wasn't offering. I was mulling this over as I rode to class with Thrace. As we pulled into the gym, I got the phone call. I made sure Thrace heard all of it and then told him that I had to head to the GAR as soon as my ride showed up. I repeated the story to Jazz and Key as I changed, then headed to the front door as I saw a van pull up.

I jumped in the van with about five other people including Dr. A. I smiled and asked, "So, is this Team Calli?"

Dr. A smiled as we took off and said, "Yes, Calli, these are some of the Plan B team. Apollo's Plan A Team will leave for their stations, then we will disable their vehicles and Plan B Team will move into position. We will take you and Thrace to the building where we are heading now."

I shook my head in a daze, "Dr. A, what if we send the commandos away after their first match? The Graces couldn't call them right? I guess I am asking if there are other alternatives?"

"Calli, we are _your_ team. There is always what you are prepared to do and what you are not prepared to do. Tomorrow night there will be either those commandos fighting at The Corner, your three friends fighting at The Corner, or none of them fighting at The Corner. It is up to you. If we give the Graces commandos, whomever they fight against will surely die because those men are killers. Calli, it is game time--time for you to decide if you want to lead this team. Are you in?"

I started to look out the window. We had arrived at an old factory. I finally looked back at Dr. A and said, "Wonder Woman reporting for duty, Sir! Come on, let's roll. As John Wayne says, 'We're burning daylight,' Dr. A."

Dr. A gave me a solemn smile and turned to the rest of Team Calli, "You heard Wonder Woman. I want to walk through this at least three times before we take her back to the gym. Back the van up and let's start this drill all over again."

We proceeded with the plan until we had it perfect. They also gave me about 10 minutes in the factory to study the layout. I paced off my steps to all the different sections while they moved debris that might get in my way during the fight. Too soon, our drill was over and we were heading back to the gym. We were debriefing the whole trip, so I didn't have time to get anxious about Plan B.

I got back just as my class was just letting out. I walked in and told Jazz and Key that I was going for a run with Thrace before I headed home. Jazz commented, "Is there something going on that we need to know?"

I laughed and replied, "You need to know everything at all times, so that is a big question. I want to show Thrace even if I date Rafe that I will always have time for him. Period."

Key teased, "Good luck on that one, sweetie. We still on for after school tomorrow, right."

"Absoflockinlutely. I am going to need you guys to calm me down because Rafe is threatening to take me bungee jumping for our first date!"

They laughed and departed when they saw Thrace head my way. "You ready to outrun me, Sparky?" I asked.

"How fair is that? I have actually been practicing the last two hours unlike yourself."

I shook my head as I commented with disdain, "Just try to keep up, old man."

He threw various comments about how strong and manly he was while we ran. In the car on the way home, he finally asked, "Calli, how is the planning going?"

I confidently gave him the generic details of the plan. "I promise you that everything is going to be fine, Thrace." I hugged him before I got out of the car and told him to get some rest. He thanked me again for the 100th time.

Both mom and dad were home and wanted a detailed accounting of my life. It was a judgment call, but I felt pretty sure that I wouldn't be let out of the house until I graduated if I would have discussed what was really happening. Or I would have been taken straight to a secure mental health facility. Either option was not appealing, so I gave my standard evasive details. They were satisfied, so I was allowed to go upstairs where I made a quick phone call to Rafe. He wanted to know how practice was, which I replied by telling him of Thrace's nervous questions. Not lying, just evading. I asked him how his preparations were going, and he evaded as well. It seemed that we were the perfect couple. Liars and evaders.

Chapter 26: Ruin with a View

On Friday, I was practically zinging around like a cat on speed because of all my nervous energy. My mind ran a constant loop of Apollo's Plan, My Plan, and Date Night like a hamster on a wheel. I was so jumpy during all my morning classes that Jazz caught me in the bathroom and observed, "Girl, did you double up on the caffeine this morning? You're twitching like a ferret."

I made myself take a deep breath and try to calm down before I replied, "Flockin....Date Night. Rafe officially meeting my parents, _and_ he won't tell me where we are going! But, don't worry, I will fill you in on all the details on Saturday after practice if you can cover for me Saturday night. DUA is doing a sort of think tank lock in, and I wanna go, but you know my parents!"

Jazz smiled at me and threatened, "You best give us _all_ the gory details for sayin your staying at my house."

I gave them a conspiratorial smile and promised, "Done and done."

We headed to lunch and saw that both Rafe and Thrace were already seated at our table. It's always an awkward moment when I headed to the table with Thrace on one end and Rafe on the other. Rafe looked like he didn't have a care in the world. I tried to get any details out of him about tonight, but he goaded me with inappropriate suggestions. When I reasonably asked about the dress code, he replied, "Hmmmm.....I'm thinking fishnets, black knee high boots, micro-mini, and a corset top should be appropriate for where we're going."

"I'm thinking we must be going somewhere in your fantasy life for that to be appropriate date wear."

He just gave me a devilish grin and taunted, "We'll see, now, won't we?"

I raised one eyebrow at him and remarked, "Not if you keep goading me like this."

"Ahhhhh, but keeping you distracted with the wicked things I have planned for tonight surely must take some worry away from other activities of the weekend."

His smart-eyas grin and wink definitely kept me distracted, but it also made my stomach churn, which definitely wasn't helping.

"About the other activities, I'm gonna try to calm down Thrace during journalism, so can you run interference for me with Mr. Johnson?"

"Absolutely. I live to serve," Rafe stood and performed a bow with a flourish as the bell rang.

I threw his word back at him with a grin, "We'll see, now, won't we?"

I laid out the final details with Thrace, and I said all the calming things like 'this will all be over soon' and 'no need to worry.' The rest of the day flew by and soon Jazz, Key, and I were headin to my house for a little girl time before our respective dates that night. We had mini-spa festivities planned as we did each other's mani-pedi's, make-up, hair, and a short fashion show of our outfits for my parents. Jazz and Key left around six and wished me luck. Whereas, my dad prepped for Rafe's arrival by getting out all his hunting rifles to clean. Even my mom thought that was overkill, "Lethe, is more than one really necessary."

Dad just grumbled, "Of course! She's a junior now. The guys will be expecting certain things. I think my subtle warning just teaches them they need to lower those expectations right off the bat."

I just shook my head, amused by the thought of a Greek god being afraid of my dad.

Rafe, of course, arrived on time and was properly blown away by my attire. I was wearing my favorite black low-riding jeans with a beautiful emerald corset top (much to Rafe's amusement), and a little black jacket in case we were going somewhere outdoors. I had a vintage black beaded purse and adorable emerald ballet flats with little crystals on them. Of course, my appearance could not hold a candle to how scrumptious he looked. He had on a brown suede jacket with an olive v-neck shirt and dark washed jeans. His tousled hair looked perfectly mussed as usual, and I had trouble concentrating on introducing him to my mom. Mom and Rafe hit it off when he started off with a compliment to the house, which was her pride and joy.

She actually blushed and replied, "Well, thank you, Rafe. I have always had a good time finding just the right pieces for the house. Let's go find Calli's dad, I believe he's in the den. Oh, and don't let him scare you away. I think you might be a keeper."

Now, it was my turn to blush, "Mom, hello, first date."

Rafe gave mom a conspirator's smile and remarked, "I think it would take a lot to scare a potential suitor away from the Edonides women. "

Mom laughed and said, "See honey, no harm done--at least until he meets your father."

As we walked into the den, dad was just finishing up on his favorite rifle. My mom awkwardly said, "Lethe. Time to stop cleaning your hunting rifles and get ready for dinner."

Dad gave Rafe a hard once over, then came over to shake his hand. With the unloaded rifle in his left, he shook Rafe's right hand. The interrogation then commenced. Rafe answered every question with a 'Sir' at the end, which amused my mom and I. Dad told him my curfew and said that I was not to be a second late. I said good-bye to my parents and hustled Rafe out the door. Once he backed down the driveway, he blew out a loud sigh of relief.

"I think I would rather do hand-to-hand combat with all three Graces than face off with your father. He is one tough customer. Of course, if I was in his place, I would be exactly that tough on your suitors and any guy that looked twice at your mom."

I tutted him as I said, "No crushin on my mom."

He laughed and said he would keep that in mind as he drove to our destination. I quizzed him relentlessly, but he still would not tell me our plans until we hit the Dearborn city limits. Sometimes coming to Dearborn seems like you're suddenly in a different country. Many of the street and business signs are in Arabic or Lebanese rather than English. My favorite restaurant is located here. A little known fact about Detroit was that it had the best ethnic food in the country. I smiled at Rafe and said, "Nice choice, Sparky."

He replied, "Don't get out of the car, we are just picking up food here for our final destination." He ran in and out in under two minutes.

"I thought you said that your species needed less food than we do. Otherwise, you must have invited your 50 closest friends cause I can't eat all that."

He commented, "I wasn't sure what you would like so I got a variety."

"I know variety is the spice of life, but don't you think you got a little carried away? And where are we going anyway?"

"You'll see when we get there, Miss Impatience."

I spent the next 15 minutes guessing our destination before he finally pulled up to Lee Plaza\--one of the many gorgeous abandoned ruins of Detroit. Night was just settling in, and I could barely marvel at the solid structure and beautiful arches that used to welcome the wealthy of Detroit into its gracious accommodations.

Rafe hustled me out of the car and into the building through a hidden entrance. I could barely see the destruction of the once beautiful ballroom. He had to guide me through an obstacle course of debris to the stairway area. Rafe gave me the food to hold and then unexpectedly swung me up in his arms. He cradled me and gave me a roguish smile and wink as he said, "Let the first date begin."

"Hold a sec, Rhett Butler, watcha think you're doing?"

"We're going to be heading upstairs for dinner, and the stairway is not quite safe for mere humans."

"Alright. Wouldn't wanna ruin your elaborate plans by being a mere human."

He was already flying up the stairs his feet barely hitting the ground. Floor after floor, we rose until we hit the fiftieth floor in mere seconds. He glided down a long hall with light filtering in through windows or holes in the wall where windows in the building used to be. Rafe stopped at the corner room. He set me down outside where I couldn't see in. He kissed me on the forehead and told me to stay facing the hallway until he had properly prepped the room. Just as I was about to investigate the other rooms, Rafe appeared back in the hallway.

He guided me back toward our room as he teased, "My curious little cat, I should have known I couldn't leave you alone."

I was about to comment when I stepped into the doorway and all rational thought left my head. Amazement and wonder knocked my breath away. The room was bare concrete and debris free. But there was a path of white pillar candles that led to a picnic set up on a papasan cushion in the middle of the room. The cushion was surrounded by even more candles that circled it in a wide arc. What was even more stunning was the view framed in both sides of the corner windows. The surreal view could have been of Gotham City in the distance. When my breath came back, I looked up at Rafe in awe, and he gave me a bone-melting smile and said, "Yeah. The view's not bad."

He led me to the picnic area and sat me down in front of all my favorite goodies—hummus, fattoush, grape leaves, falafel, and chicken shawarma. . Even though I adored this lovely spread, the view, and the candles, the company had my stomach in knots. Rafe teasingly commented as he took my hand, "I have never seen you speechless before. You find out I am a Greek god, and you have a snappy retort. But a romantic dinner throws you for a loop."

I flirted back, "Call me my mother's daughter, but a guy sweeping me up and carrying me fifteen floors to a breath-taking romantic dinner is really the pinnacle of her trashy romance novels. And even though you have literally swept me off my feet, the evening won't be ending like her novels."

Rafe's eyes sparkled with his amusement as he commented, "So I'm _not_ gonna end up your eternal boy toy that gallantly serves and protects you for the rest of your life?"

I laughed and agreed, "Wow. I like the books you've been reading! That is exactly what happens after tonight. I am glad we are clear on that."

Rafe had dipped a celery stick from our feast into the hummus as I was agreeing with him and started to actually feed it to me. "So are you trying to stop me from talking, or have you heard of my remarkable ability to always get food on me when I attempt to eat without assistance?"

"I'm just practicing my servant duty, Siren. I just want to make sure you are satisfied," he gave me a wink and used his thumb to get off the hummus from the corner of my mouth.

If he was trying to turn me into a puddle at his feet, he was doing a fantabulous job! But, I needed to summon the courage to give him my "Two Person Push-ups" spiel. A shadow must have crossed my besotted face because Rafe asked, "What's wrong, Calli?"

I looked up at him in a hesitant manner and said, "Rafe, you need to know before you decide whether you want to be my personal servant that I am not planning on doing any two person push-ups for a while. I don't want it to be an issue like it was with Thrace. I am ready when I am ready."

He put his hand on my neck and pulled my head forward until we were a mere inch apart. Then, he ground out in a somewhat annoyed voice, "Please, don't ever mistake me for Thrace again. I respect your right to call the shots on this, and I am perfectly willing to wait until our third date before I become your personal sex slave."

I laughed and punched him lightly in the stomach. As I pulled away, I grabbed a grape leaf and started to nibble on it before I replied, "Thrace wasn't like that either. It took him months before he started losing patience with me. I just don't want to be right back in the same place, Rafe."

He tenderly brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it then replied, "I have waited decades for someone to come along that I cared about as much as Cora. Time has a very different meaning to me. Years are mere moments in my world. Despite my appearance, I am not a hormone driven youth. When you are ready, I will be waiting."

I blew out a breath and snarked, "Well, I am glad you're finally done begging me for my sexual favors. Can we eat now?"

He rolled his eyes and agreed, "Your wish is my command, so dine til your heart is content."

I filled my plate with a little of all the goodies before I confessed, "I am breaking the trifecta of girl rules. First, never date a guy that is prettier than you. Second, never eat more than your date. Third, never let them see you perspire."

Rafe became thoughtful for a second then he cryptically clinked his soda to my diet soda as he toasted, "To being the dynamic duo of rule breakers."

As dinner ended, I had a tough time taking my eyes off of Rafe. I literally thought I was going to go down in flames if I didn't get some air. So with all my willpower, I slowly got to my feet and walked to the window.

Rafe rose to his feet and moved to stand behind me. He entwined his fingers over mine and wrapped them around my waist. I leaned back into him and he rested his chin on my shoulder as we looked out at the city. "I believe this Tower of Babel will fall, Siren."

I turned my head towards him at the biblical reference to the great Tower of Babel that was created to glorify man rather than god. "Please tell me that you don't mean Detroit."

He kissed my cheek and replied, "I mean the Detroit that Ares runs where humans are in constant danger."

"I would rather ignore the danger and politics for just one night and enjoy ourselves," I answered as my voice turned hoarse with emotion as the reality of tomorrow came crashin back in.

"Sounds like a plan! Are you ready for dessert, my sweet? I need to prep the room again before we start the next part of the evening."

I gave him a quizzical look at his reference to the next part of the evening.

Rafe zipped around to gather up the dinner plates and leftovers and put them back into the bag. "I promised you dinner and a movie."

Once the papasan cushion was cleared off he dodged the candles and headed into another room within the space I hadn't noticed before. He came out with a black computer bag, the papasan frame, and a huge comfy blanket, which was good because I was starting to get chilly. He set up the double papasan chair in a flash then started to get out a laptop and projector. The laptop must have already been on and loaded because with a few clicks by Rafe, the screen popped on one of the blank walls. He asked me if I was ready for the movie portion of the evening. I was flabbergasted so I just nodded my head, grabbed the blanket, and sat down on the chair as I asked, "What exactly are we watching?"

Rafe tenderly smiled back at me as he confessed, "I asked Key and Jazz what your favorite movie was. They said some old, weird British movie called _Room with a View._ So I came up with a theme for the night, we are watching _Room with a View_ in our Ruin with a View."

He clicked on play, then reached into our picnic bag and pulled out a little lunch bag cooler with one pint of Raspberry Chip ice cream--my favorite decadence of all time. I can only get it in pints because I would consume the whole half-gallon if I had access. We took turns feeding each other the ice cream and being disgustingly infatuated until it was gone-- as was 15 minutes of the movie.

I sighed and confessed, "You might be the perfect man."

"I might actually take that as a compliment if I was a man rather than a god, but I think you just downgraded me."

I laughed and said, "Poor, poor servant. Zip it, so I can watch my movie."

He situated himself on the chair with his arm around me as I snuggled up against him with my head on his shoulder. In mere minutes, we were transported back in time to Edwardian turn-of-the century England where a young man ignites a spark of passion in an uptight English girl.

We lasted until the part where the couple kisses for the first time. I was gazing up at Rafe and his lips were softly brushing mine in the best first date kiss ever. I don't know if it could even be classified as a kiss. It was more like a conversation without words. You know when you have that first great conversation with the guy that you always wanted to be with--the conversation when you are no longer nervous or stuttering--the conversation when you just get to learn about him and tell him stuff about you—that conversation was this kiss. It was soft and gentle and tender and exciting, and I think I learned about who he really was on the inside. I wanted to savor every wonderful moment with him, which meant that I pretty much missed a chunk of the movie. I finally laid my head back on his chest as we finished watching the movie.

The candles were making strange and interesting shadows on the walls and ceilings. I looked up at Rafe to memorize every feature--his tousled hair, his glittering hazel eyes, his delicious soft lips, and that wicked smile. He didn't speak. He just held me while I studied him with intense concentration. I finally ended my exploration by placing light, soft kisses all over his face. His scruff tickled my lips, and I smiled in delight at the feeling. I closed my eyes and snuggled back into him to avoid looking at my greatest temptation. He held me for a long time until I was almost ready to fall asleep in his arms. I knew our time was coming to an end. Even though I agreed with Rear Admiral of the Navy, Grace Murray Hopper that 'it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission', I didn't want to take a chance of ruining any of our plans for tomorrow.

Rafe finally stated the obvious in a resigned voice, "We have to go, Siren."

"I know. I wish this night, this date, this feeling could go on forever."

Rafe kissed my forehead and replied, "Usually your wish is my command, but in this case your father's command trumps your wish."

I laughed as he heaved us up off the chair and held me to him. When he let me go, he asked in a teasing tone, "Wanna bet who can blow out the most candles?"

We both started at the door on the path that led to the circle of candles. However, I started to cheat as I licked my fingers to blow out and pinch out my candles simultaneously. As usual, he started to slow down so the genetically challenged human could catch up to him at the last candle. He picked it up and said, "Let's blow it out together," which of course I was more than happy to do. As we blew out the last candle, our lips just happened to meet again one last time. The darkness sparked a much more desperate kiss that literally made my knees weak. I kissed him like this could have been the last time I kissed anyone. I was very aware that this date could be my first and last with Rafe. We took one last look at our glorious city before he sweep me up in his arms and tentatively asked, "You ready to go?"

"No. But I think I have to anyway," I replied with regret.

We went to the window, and he looked into my eyes and asked, "You want to take a leap of faith with me Calliope?"

I looked down at ground far below us and reached within a part of myself that had been locked away from all the other people in my life and declared, "Leaps of faith are my specialty tonight."

He kissed me as he stepped out the window, and we hurtled to the ground. It was terrifying and exhilarating, and Rafe never took his eyes off mine until we landed. I threw my head back and laughed as I said, "Can we go again?"

Rafe just shook his head with regret and replied, "Not if I want to retain your father's permission to date you."

Unfortunately, the Explorer was exactly where we left it. He set me down and opened the door for me. I got in and a minute later we were speeding through Detroit.

I finally complimented him for the incredible evening, "You know you have some mad first date skills. I honestly don't think any date could possibly top this one. I am happy to see you putting your god-like skills to good use."

"Well, I did promise you bungee jumping, and when you come with a lot of costs, you have to compensate with a lot rewards."

He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. Unfortunately, we were almost to my house and my perfect evening was about to end. "Mark this date down because I am going to say something you will not hear very often, you were right. Date Night definitely took my mind off the other issues going on in our lives. Thank you."

Rafe's tender gaze opened something in me that had never been breached before. He got to me. A little part of my soul was now his, and I would have to deal with the consequences tomorrow.

He walked me to my door and kissed me gently before saying his good night, "Sweet dreams, Siren."

I think I practically floated in the door, then up to my room. Reality came crashing back as I spotted my cell phone lying on my bed. As I picked it up, I saw that I had one message. I called Dr. A back, and the conversation sucked. Yes, everything was still a go. Yes, I still knew word-for-word the plan. Yes, I hated both him and myself at this moment. Yes, I was going to betray Rafe. I prayed that he would forgive me for choosing Thrace over him. I think he could forgive that. What he would have a much harder time forgiving is that I chose Thrace over me.

Chapter 27: Darkness Visible

My Saturday started much earlier than usual since I had to stop at both of my churches for prayers, confessions, and lighting some candles. By the time my soul was taken care of, I had to head to karate class. Of course, Jazz and Key wanted all my date details and would barely let me out of the locker room. They were practically swooning with the minor details. I was actually glad Rafe wasn't here because I would have blushed pretty much the whole practice. I had two stations in my head. The Perfect First Date. Team Calli Plan B.

To keep with the stealth theme, I met Dr. A at the gas station on the way home. We got gas at the adjacent pumps as he briefed me one more time. I also made him promise me that the drugs for Thrace, Justin, Spart, and Rafe wouldn't hurt them. He just nodded and said his part was covered. He then gave me my earbud that we would use to communicate. He left with, "I am literally risking all our lives on the plan that you came up with, Calliope. So no pressure."

I smiled and said, "I always wondered about your sanity, Dr. A. But today, I am not Calliope, I'm Super Calli. For once, I am going to be the instigator in my own life!"

I put the gas pump away, and then sped off back home with a feeling of both fear and anticipation. I spent the rest of the day with my parents. I just wanted to give them a good last memory if the worst happened. It was a typical Edonides bonding afternoon. Dad and I watched sports, and mom read her novel. Thrace came over, and I think the normalcy of this moment actually calmed him down. He then asked me to go to dinner with him, Justin, and Spart as planned. I agreed, and we separated for me to go change and him to pick up his car.

So what is the best fight and flee wear for girls these days?

1.My most comfortable black yoga pants ( _doesn't show dirt)._

2.Violent Femmes t-shirt ( _get me in the right frame of mind)_

3.Oldest pair of sneakers ( _might have to ditch them)_

4.Hair up in half ponytail, half bun ( _less likely to get pulled out in a cat fight)_

5.Overnight bag (cause I'm suppose to stay at Jazz's house) which contains: earbud, fighting gloves, brass knuckles, and shin guards ( _the harpy does have an unfair advantage, so I am coming prepared this time!)_

Thrace arrived promptly at 7, and we were quickly on our way. As he was driving, Thrace announced, "Calli, if something goes wrong and you have to choose between your safety and mine tonight, _please_ , choose your safety. I can handle waking up feeling beat up, but I can't handle you getting hurt."

"Thrace, you have been one of my plane friends for over 10 years. I love you and will do everything in my power to protect you. If there was a way I could have stopped this, I would have."

"Calli, this was _all_ me. I was a complete mooooron. I truly don't deserve you."

We had arrived at the DUA headquarters as I replied, "And you didn't deserve what is happening to you. You ready, Freddy?"

Thrace sent a regretful smile my way as he said, "As ready as I will ever be. I hope Rafe knows how lucky he is."

"Don't worry. I will tell him on a daily basis. Although I think you are assuming a lot, we only had our first date last night."

Thrace looked relieved as he remarked, "Oh. It took him that long to make it through all your hoops?"

"We were both trying to get over really great ex's, so we needed a little time to heal."

We entered the GAR building and were met by Dr. A. He escorted us to the computer room where both Justin and Spart were already hanging out and playing online video games. Dr. A had me take the guys' pizza and soda orders before I went to join the meeting. As I entered the study, the whole Plan A team was assembled, including Dr. A, Apollo, and Rafe. I gave them both a brief nod as Apollo walked us through _his_ plan one last time. Since Apollo's job was to trail Aglaea, he needed to leave at the end of his spiel. He walked over to Dr. A and said, "I'm entrusting Calliope's safety to you, Admetus. Handcuff her to a chair if need be, but don't let her out of your sight tonight."

Dr. A just smiled, "I promise you I will keep her under my watch all night."

Apollo assured me that everything would go as planned, then kissed me on the forehead.

I looked at him and said in a serious voice, "Behave." Oh, was he gonna kick my eyas next time he saw me.

The pizza arrived, and Dr. A also brought us each a soda of our choice. Each of the guy's soda was laced with the necessary drug. Hopefully, they would all take affect at about the same time. Dr. A suggested we each give a toast (so everyone would drink quicker). Justin and Spart toasted to this all being over with and not getting beat up anymore.

Thrace toasted me. "To my best friend and love of my life. Thank you for having my back, Calli, for one more time."

Ok. Awkward. I gave a simple toast that acknowledged the past with Thrace and foreshadowed my future betrayal of Rafe, "To err is human, to forgive divine."

Rafe seemed puzzled as if forgiving Thrace meant that I wanted to go back with him. He toasted, "May we speed through this night and forget about it soon after."

Dr. A ended our toasts with, "Be safe. Be smart. Be sound. Believe."

We had all taken a drink at each toast, so Dr. A asked if anyone needed a refill. We all said yes, and he went and got us another round. He gave the boys water because he wanted them to start hydrating even before the nausea started. He let Rafe and I have our caffeine though. I said I needed to go grab my phone from the study as planned. I sat down on the couch and leaned forward while I clasped my hands together and placed them on my forehead. I prayed silently for all my friend's safety. I prayed for guidance, and I prayed for forgiveness. Rafe walked in and sat next to me.

As usual, he tried to tease me out of my worry. "You know I'm immortal, right."

"You are definitely a force of nature. And you _own_ first dates. They are going to have to update your Wikipedia page."

He laughed and commented, "I'll get on that. I take it that you and Thrace came to an understandment on the car ride over."

"Yes, but not any different than before."

Rafe replied in a slightly slow and drowsy manner, "I don't think it is an understandment if he doesn't accept it." The drug was starting to work, and I needed to get to my confession.

I turned to face Rafe on the couch, and my intense gaze burned into his sleepy one, "I don't want to talk about him. I want to talk about us. In this time, in this place, in this moment, you have my heart, Rafe Hermes." I kissed him with the desperation that I felt. I leaned him back on the couch so he was laying with me half on top of him. I pulled away and looked down at him.

He barely got out a "What have you done?" before his eyes closed and his deep even breathing started.

I laid my head on his chest and pleaded, "Forgive me Rafe." I rested on his chest listening to him breath for several minutes more before I got up. I moved his legs so they were laying on the couch as well, then leaned down and kissed him on the forehead as I whispered, "I'm soooo sorry Rafe."

I went to the door, and one of the Plan B team was waiting outside. I announced, "He's asleep. Please take good care of him and alert Dr. A if his breathing changes."

I headed back toward the first floor loading docks where the guys were at their chosen van. As I walked toward them, I could see the vomiting had started. As I drew closer, one of the Plan B guys said, "We think they got most of the pizza out. I want them in the vans when they get the call, and we're only about 20 minutes out."

I walked toward Thrace as he said, "Calli, why didn't you tell us about this part?"

"I didn't want you to refuse to do it. If for some reason they find us and try to take you, you _need_ to be sick so you won't be worth anything to them."

"Now we have to drive to make sure we keep you guys safe. _Please_ trust me. We just needed that protection because I promised you that you would not wake up tomorrow beaten and bruised."

Thrace nodded, and I led him to our van. Justin and Spart were already heading toward their van. Thrace was very confused when he was locked in to his compartment. It had a large trashcan as well as sprite and water. Thrace asked me, "Why is this necessary?"

I looked at him and said, "Just another precaution. They are going to have to pry you out if they want you."

When all the guys were locked in and Team Calli stood in front of Dr. A, he smiled at us and said, "As some of you may know, one of my favorite actors is Gene Hackman. He was in a movie in the early 80's called _Uncommon Va_ l _or_ , which I think describes all of you very aptly. Right before his unit split up to go on their mission, he gave the following speech, which I thought summed up what I want to say."

He looked down at the piece of paper in his hand for a second, then recited, "We'll that's it...it's game time. There are some lines from Julius Caesar: 'If a man were to know the end of this day's business ere it come; But it suffice that the day will end, and then the end is known. If we meet again, well then we'll smile, and if not then this parting was well made."

He scanned the room and said, "We will meet again, and we will smile, and we will have another victory against those _things_ that took our loved ones way!"

We all started shaking hands, hugging, and telling each other to be careful. Dr. A and his reinforcement team waved us away and headed off to the communication area at a secret site, so Apollo couldn't track them down.

My van had four men, Thrace, and myself. We started to drive our planned route. We had to wait to go to our destination until we were sure that Apollo's car was disabled by one of our watchers with a kill switch. The first communication we heard over the radio was that Justin was starting to act funny. He was trying to get out of his bonds, and he was demanding to be let go. Soon after, the same story was coming from the van with Spart in it. Thrace started the same antics as his friends. Luckily, the puking sort of took the steam out of some of his yelling and demands. The tension in the vans was high. After about 15 minutes, we heard that our two Plan B watchers had reported that Aglaea and her two sisters were on the move in separate cars. Luckily, we had all the cars, including the Graces, hooked into our GPS system. Next, it was confirmed that Apollo's car wouldn't start, and we were a go for our destination.

We were heading to Fisher Body Plant 21 on Piquette and St. Antoine. The building was a beautiful old structure with a half a million square feet built in 1919, and was yet another Albert Kahn) designed building in Detroit. Factories back then were several stories high with countless windows so employees could enjoy the natural light while they worked. Fisher got absorbed by GM, and the plant was closed in the mid-nineties and has fallen to ruin. I am quite certain that the Fisher brothers, who started out by making horse-drawn carriages and ended up making 370,000 car bodies per year, would be rolling over in their grave to see their historic factory now. Because of the ground floor windows, ample space, location, and lack of security, it proved ideal for our purposes.

Home base kept us constantly apprised on Aglaea's location. She definitely wasn't too far behind us so we were going to have to move fast. I caught Thrace's attention for a moment and told him we were going to let him out soon while the man sitting next to me got Thrace with a syringe to the arm. I was really hoping this knocked him out; otherwise we were going to have to do this the hard way. Luckily, Thrace was out like a light bulb. We were about to pull up to our destination, and our watchers reported that we were clear. We pulled the van directly behind a strategically placed dumpster that would hide the van from view of the window and street. We laid Thrace on a black carpet with his wastebasket if he had to hurl. I made sure to lay him on his side so he wouldn't choke if he got sick while I was busy fighting Aglaea.

In two minutes, we had everything set up. The guys were ready to get into position. Addressing them, I said, "You are going to want to help me, especially if I am losing to the Graces. You need to know that ultimately they won't kill me because I am a Muse, but they would kill you. So unless the Graces literally try to kill me before I can tell them that I am a Muse, you have to promise to stay put, got it?"

"We understand our job, Calli, even though we might not like it."

"Even if I don't get away clean and Ares finds out about me tonight, I will be able to get much more information if I am on the inside instead of staying safely hidden. It's a win-win for all of us. By the way, understanding is not promising in my book Team Calli."

In unison they swore, "We promise, Super Calli."

"Excellent. Now get the flock out. She's almost here."

They departed quickly, and I put on my gear—earbud, gloves, brass knuckles, and shin guards. All there was left to do was wait, so I paced and memorized my surroundings. I heard through my earbud that she had arrived and that she made a phone call before she came in. I didn't have long to wait before I heard her heading my way.

Aglaea spotted me and walked toward me cautiously. Once she discounted any additional threat, she asked in a curious manner, "What do we have here?"

I looked at her and almost snarled out, "I should have known." I could hear Dr. A in my ear cautioning me to be a little less pissy. Easy for him to say, this was my part to play. I needed it to be convincing.

She came over and examined Thrace as I kept my distance. He wasn't currently vomiting, but he was dry heaving in his sleep a little. And he had the nasty trashcan next to him as well.

When she was finally satisfied that Thrace was really sick and not just faking, she turned her attention back to me and demanded, "What is wrong with my lover?"

Whoaaaa...I think she wanted to goad me as well as pump me for information. I didn't take her bait and remembered my role of confused friend. "I think it is food poisoning. We all went to get pizza tonight. Thrace, Justin, and Spart all shared a pizza and not soon after they all started hurling. I told them that seafood on pizza is probably not a good idea."

Aglaea seemed to ponder my answer and the implications for her sisters as she asked, "Where are the two other boys, and why are you here?"

"I could only handle taking one puking person in my car, so I got Thrace. Just and Spart were taken home by some other friends. But Thrace didn't want to go home, he insisted that I bring him here. I thought he was crazy, but he was desperate to get here."

"How very inconvenient for both of us. Now I am a gladiator short tonight, so I think this is your lucky night. Thrace said you were a decent fighter; guess we will find out how good."

She moved toward me with incredible speed and grace, but this time I was ready to do battle with the harpy.

Let me tell you, those fighting gloves and brass knuckles came in handy as well as the shin guard for a while. She was clearly better than me, but I would like to think that was due to her unfair genetic advantage rather than her fighting skills. We both landed some punches and kicks. However, when I landed something, it only made a small impact on her, whereas when she landed something I was knocked off my rocker. It was clear that she was about to go in for the kill, or bite, so to speak.

In between blocks, I finally said, "Did Thrace ever tell you what Calli is short for?"

Aglaea seemed confused at the sudden conversation and backed off for a second, "Why would I care about that?"

I dropped the bombshell on her then, "Calli is short for Calliope and if you are thinking of biting me, you might think again."

Her momentary astonishment allowed me to land both a punch and a kick. As she recovered, she snarled, "Impossible. You are lying--you little slut. There is no way you are a Muse."

"Are you sure, and are you willing to take that chance and bet your life on that? Somehow, I think even you aren't that crazy."

Unfortunately, she took my words as a challenge rather than a warning as it was intended because she attacked full steam again. She was getting in closer and closer as I advised her one last time, "Aglaea, you don't want to do this."

"On the contrary, I am looking forward to kicking your ass then using you to kick someone else's ass as you pay the price." Time seemed to go in slow motion. Just as I was blocking a punch, she used her momentum to grab my arm and sink her razor sharp teeth into it, then I heard a sucking noise before I could stop her.

I screamed, "Aglaea, don't do it."

But it was too late. In mere seconds, she was clutching her throat as she looked at me with desperation glowing from her eyes. Then she fell at my feet. I was physically shaking, and I believe I probably went into shock for a minute until I heard Plan B team move in.

Two of the Plan B team started to lift Thrace out of the window, and the team leader checked Aglaea out. He seemed to think she was gone because he said good job to me, then he departed while telling Justin's van to head this way. In a fit of anger, I threw my shin guards, gloves, and brass knuckles out the window. It was childish and Justin's guards would have to bring them to me, but somehow this was not how I saw this going down. Had I made a mistake? I went to Aglaea to check on her before Justin's team came and picked her up when they dropped him off. I made the sign on the cross as I recited from Psalms, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen. Rest in peace, Aglaea. Be born again with a more charitable heart." Then, I shut her eyelids so she was no longer staring at me.

As I stood back up, our watchers announced someone was coming into the building. I realized immediately that my prayer for Aglaea might have just cost me my life because I should have been outside waiting safely in the van. Approaching me at a rapid speed were too buff and angry immortals. They moved in quickly, one pinning me up against the wall and one going to Aglaea. I tried to fight him off, but he was too quick. I couldn't see the immortal checking out Aglaea because I was facing the wall. I did here him ask, "Deimos, is Aglaea alright?"

Then, I heard the snarled replied, "No, Phobos, she's dead."

Phobos, I assume, put more pressure on my arm pinned behind my back and growled, "What did you do to her, human!"

It felt like my arm was going to come out of my socket any second as I stammered, "Nothing. She attacked me! I was here on Thursday with my Urban Archeologist group. There was just something about this place. I came back to check it out. And just as I was leaving this girl shows up and starts talking crazy stuff. Then she attacked me, and she even bit me. Who does that? I've heard of hair pulling and clawing during a girl fight, but biting? Look at my arm! Next, thing I know she's falling back and passes out. I was checking on her when you came in."

I heard from my earbud a very quiet, "Don't tell them unless you think they are going to hurt you. We are moving into position now."

Deimos commented, "There is something not right here, Phobos. I am going to alert Ares about our intruder. Be careful. One thing is clear. She's dangerous, and we need to get out of here."

That was the last thing I heard because Phobos, the eyas, hit me on the back of the head with his fist, and I was out like my dad in church. The next time I was awake I: 1) was not in Fisher Body Plant 21, 2) was chained to a wall with my hands stretched above me and my feet barely touching the floor, and 3) was most likely in mortal danger again with a rockin headache to boot. The only thoughts that I was capable of processing right now were: FLOCK! FLOCK! FLOCK! FLOCK! FLOCK! and STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! I hoped that they had not tried to attack Phobos and Deimos because clearly they had not succeeded if they did.

As I thought of Aglaea, regret swept over me. I remembered another wise saying that my grandma stole from Clare Boothe Luce, the first woman to be a congresswoman and ambassador-- "No good deed goes unpunished." I finally got a clear demonstration of the meaning of that phrase. I cleared my head and started to survey my surroundings. I tested the chains on both my hands and feet. They had actually used old-fashioned manacles. The kind you would see in pirate movies, and there were two medieval torches suspended from the wall. I know they are immortal and all, but they really did need to realize they were now in the 21st century. As I kept working on the chains, I also checked out the room. I had no idea how long I had been out. I tried to test the defenses and contact my team by saying, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

I heard Dr. A come over my radio, "Calli. Are you alright?"

I quietly said, "Yes," in a whisper.

"We lost them coming out of the building. We contacted Apollo with all the details now that you have been captured, and he is trying to find your location as we speak. Can you tell me anything about where you are being held?"

Under my breath I said, "Small room. No windows. Heavy door. Manacle chains on the wall holding me. Too dark to tell anything else. How are Rafe, Thrace, and Apollo?"

Dr. A quietly replied, "Rafe is still asleep. If we thought he could help, we would shoot him with adrenaline, but I think the farther away from this the better for him. He would blow your cover. The boys are fine and also asleep. We had to give Thrace and the boys something so they won't remember tonight. We are still driving them around just in case though. Apollo is irate. He already threatened to kill me if you were dead, so thanks for waking up. I just hope he gets you out of there before Ares shows up. I'll pass along the information."

"Thanks. I will cough when someone comes in so you will zip it. Dr. A, I gave her a choice. Why did she do it?" I said in a confused voice.

"Aglaea thought she was invincible. She believed the Graces were stronger than the Olympians. I guess you could sum it up by saying she was the type of person who thought about her actions too little and her desires too much."

"What time is it and are you going to take the guys home soon? Have Rafe call me when he wakes up. I'm sure he is going to be really angry. Please tell the gods that if they harm a hair on your slightly balding head that they will lose all contact privileges with me. Got it?"

Dr. A laughed softly and said, "Do you always ask 20 questions and make 20 statements at once?"

"Absoflockinutely. Now answer my questions."

"It's about 3:30am. It should be safe to drop them off before dawn. We have their keys, and it should be no problem getting them home. I hope the same can be said for you, my dear. Why did you stay to say that prayer?"

"I had to. I had to at least check to see if I could help. I had to at least say something to guide her home."

Just then, I heard movement outside, and I coughed as I waited for my fate to walk in the door.

Chapter 28: The Introduction

"Ahhhhh, what do we have here, Phobos?" Ares questioned as he strutted into the room.

OMG—He was Delian's hottie Fraternity President! Now the times at the dance and the GAR building all made sense. He looked like a Greek-god statue come to life. I finally was also able to make out all his features at this close range. He had artfully messy dark hair and light clear blues eyes with the face of pure temptation. It was obvious to me that Olympians were not only at the top of food chain in power but in beauty as well. It took everything I had not to be mesmerized by his magnificence. Whereas Apollo was airborne truth serum, Ares was airborne intoxication. Ares scanned me from my fingertips to toenails. Three things were immediately apparent to me: 1) Ares was a vain as any rock star, 2) He did not know who I was or what I had done yet, and 3) I was going to need to keep my mouth shut and/or grovel as much as possible to make it out of here.

In a clipped tone, Phobos answered "A threat, my lord." He was clearly still uncertain at the chain of events that lead me here, but he was very certain he wanted to punish me personally for the consequences of those events.

Ares immediately questioned, "How is our firebrand a threat, Phobos?" Ares seemed more amused by me being a threat than he was worried until Phobos explained the details of what had occurred.

Ares growled, "Why didn't Deimos tell me this when he came and disturbed my evening. He just said that there was an incident."

Phobos almost cowered at the venom being flung at him by Ares, "We still aren't sure what happened, or if she is really dead."

Ares turned to me and slowly ran one fingertip down my cheek, "How resourceful you are, firebrand." I just returned his direct gaze with confusion and uncertainty in my eyes. "Obviously, not your average human," he said with a cold smile as my gaze lowered to my feet. "What name goes with such a extraordinary human?" Ares snarled.

My eyes shot up to meet his as an internal debate quickly raged within me. Rafe always warned me that there would be consequences if Ares found out I existed. However, I think that death or bodily harm might be involved if I didn't fess up. So with an uncertain whisper I groveled, "My name is Calliope."

The effect of this disclosure was instantaneous. Both Ares's and Phobos's mouths gaped open and the intense hostility seemed to dissipate from the room.

"I think you have answered our question. I can't believe you finally found me again, Calliope. How did you end up here, my Muse?" Ares gently questioned.

I became worried over the whole 'you finally found me again.' I scrambled for the right response that would have just enough of the truth to be believable, but not enough to have painful consequences. I gave him the same explanation that I had given at the factory.

Ares seemed pleased with my answer, so he continued with his mild interrogation. "How old are you, Calliope?"

"I just turned seventeen," I responded.

He seemed to ponder this for a few seconds before he remarked, "Ah. Soon, you will come into your powers and reveal whose Muse you are. Zeus has finally rewarded me for the dynasty I built in Detroit. Of course, one of your other lovers is in Detroit as well. Unfortunately, it has been longer for him without a Muse. I suppose I should alert him to your presence. Phobos, are you still with us?"

Phobos still looked startled and just nodded his head. "Go tell Deimos to summon Apollo, I am quite sure he will not want to miss meeting our new Muse. Then stay outside and guard the door," commanded Ares.

Phobos' heel snapped together as he performed a curt bow as he answered, "Yes, my lord."

"Now, what to do with you, my firebrand. I really don't like to share, and Apollo will assume you are his Muse. But, I have been waiting several lifetimes to get another chance with you, and I shall not waste it!" Ares remarked.

I don't think he expected an answer, so I just stayed freaked, but silent.

"It still astounds me that you are my lovely and talented Calliope," Ares marveled. "You look like a Siren not a Muse with your long hair of fire and your hypnotic green eyes. You were created to entice men with your beauty, much like the Sirens of old who guided men to their shores with their lulling song only to destroy them on the rocks," he remarked with his sultry voice whispering into my ear as he kissed the pulse point on my neck—that must be an immortal thing.

His hands slowly ran up and down my sides as he implored, "Do you feel drawn to me, my Siren? Am I the one whose soul you hold in your core?" His intoxicating gaze and whispered questions rendered me mute.

I couldn't really focus, especially since Ares was using Rafe's pet name for me. Ares liked my reaction to him. As his eyes held mine captive, he started to stroke my cheek before he huskily murmured, "Calliope, I have missed you so, I truly regret our separation. I have searched for you across the ages. No matter whose Muse you are this time we will......."

Luckily, Apollo strode in before Ares could finish. He looked fiercely irritated as he surveyed Ares and I, but he quickly guarded his expression before he addressed Ares. "You summoned me to watch you molest a human, or is she a guest? Whatever the case, I think your hospitality is lacking today, brother," he ground out with indignation for my situation and Ares's possessive manner.

As Ares raised an eyebrow at Apollo and removed his hands from me, I couldn't believe the transformation from suitor to leader of Detroit in five seconds flat. His haughty demeanor was in full effect when he sneered, "One must be invited to receive a guest's hospitality. Did you invite our little firebrand here?"

Apollo slowly shook his head as he searched my face. "Did not your personal interrogation reveal who she is and why she chose to visit so unexpectedly or did I interrupt something else?" It was clear he was still irritated with Ares's attitude. He stalked from the door to stand directly beside me.

"Peace, brother. I was merely getting to know Calliope, our new Muse and soul mate. She claims to have been drawn here by forces beyond her understanding. Aglaea has already paid the price for attacking her."

I gasped then blew out, "Soul mate?" I had to play the part of ignorant victim like my life depended on it.

My outburst drew both men from their pissing contest to focus directly on me.

"Sorry, firebrand, I think I got a little ahead of myself," Ares said with an amused expression. "Do you know much about Greek mythology?"

I dazedly replied, "I know the origin of my name, so I know what Greek Muses were. Basically, they were like television for the Greek gods. What do Muses have to do with soul mates?"

Ares laughed at my analogy and explained while Apollo avoided my eye contact, "The Twelve Olympian in the Greek Pantheon are immortal. Although we call Mt. Olympus home, Zeus thought it best to scatter his brethren to make us less noticeable to humans and to increase our hunting grounds. In addition, we must live separated from our souls except when Zeus creates a Muse for us. Our souls are intertwined in the Muses body, hence my use of the term soul mate."

"I am _not_ your soul mate!" I choked out indignantly.

Apollo finally looked at me with annoyance in his eyes as he smoldered, "Not yet, Calliope. But once you mature into womanhood, one of our souls will awaken in you."

"You are just assuming that I am because of my name and the fact that I showed up here. How do you know for sure you arrogant eyas?"

Ares pondered this for a moment, and then looked at Apollo with a calculating smile before he said, "Both of those factors are telling, but the only true way we can know for sure is a very simple test. Aglaea already paid the price for that test, and you gained two very deadly enemies in her sisters tonight. But you are correct, I did not get to see for myself if that was the correct interpretation of those events." As he made his proclamation, he headed for the door opened it and commanded Deimos to go retrieve someone named Alectryon.

I grew wary at this ominous turn of events. Apollo stepped in front of me and said, "Brother, is this really necessary when one of your favorites already has departed tonight because of the Muse? Time will tell us soon enough if she is a true Muse. Why must we do something so final?" Apollo reasoned.

Now I was really freaking out! Although it was clear I was important to both of them, it did not seem like this was going to gain me any reprieves, at least from Ares. My free will and me were going to have to book it out of Detroit if Ares was my soul mate. The tension in the room started to ramp up as Apollo and Ares had another stare down.

Much too soon, the door opened again and Phobos escorted in another teenager in chains. This time it was a boy—dirty, unkempt, and in leg and arm manacles. What was with this gothic chain crap? Ares approached me again with Phobos at his side dragging the teenager with him.

"Move aside, brother. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I could always use one of your friends as my test," Ares stated casually. Apollo still hesitated then slowly stepped to my side.

"I am more sorry than you know, Calliope, that you have to witness this," Apollo demurred.

I was trying not to shake, but when I saw Ares pull a large ornate knife out of his scabbard, I pleaded, "Please don't Ares, this won't be forgiven or forgotten."

This seemed to make Ares pause with the knife in mid-air, "Don't worry, firebrand, it will only hurt for a second, and you need to learn that my will is law in Detroit."

With that he made a one-inch superficial cut on the inside of my upper arm as I thrashed in my chain. A small amount of blood slowly started to ooze out of the cut, which drew the rapt attention of all four immortals.

Ares slowly drew the teenage immortal that he called Alectryon to my open wound and said, "Alectryon, I offer you this treat as the ending to your imprisonment. Take your gift and let us be done with these chains. But, you are only allowed to lick her wound."

Alectryon looked delighted and not at all concerned at the consequences as his mouth slowly licked the line of blood on my arm. I shuddered as I felt his tongue and teeth scrape my arm. His joyous expression lasted all of five seconds before he realized something was gravely wrong.

He clutched his throat, looked directly at Ares and pleaded "Why?" before falling over dead.

I tried not to watch any of the proceeding, but it was like not to watch the really bad performers on first round of American Idol. It just cannot be done. I was horrified at the chain of events that I started. Ares on the other hand looked pleased while he said, "Well, I guess we answered your question, firebrand. You are definitely a Muse. Of course, the mystery remains as to whose Muse. There is no simple test for that question. So my brothers and I will have to learn patience—a virtue that we haven't developed over the years."

"How did this prove _anything_!" I yelled at Ares before I could stop myself.

"Sorry, I forgot that you have quite an education ahead of you. Only the Olympian that is your soul mate can drink from you or possess you. Your blood is poison to all other immortals," Ares stated matter of factly.

"Now time to discuss what to do with you, my firebrand. Do you have any thoughts on the matter Apollo before I make my decision?" Ares asked in a pompous manner.

I didn't think things could get worse than the whole dead immortal laying at my feet and me in chains, but the ominous statement of Ares had me in my fight or flight mode again.

"Well, I think removing the chains would be a good start. Then, as you mentioned, some sort of tutoring needs to take place for our Muse to fulfill her true purpose," Apollo calmly stated.

"And I'm sure you want to be her tutor, I imagine?" Ares sneered.

"No, since we cannot truly know whose soul she carries or when it will awaken, then I think we should alternate tutoring sessions, brother. We can place Hermes at her school to protect her. I will teach her history and protocol since that bores you, and you can teach her how to properly defend herself," Apollo reasoned.

"As usual, brother, you don't disappoint me. You are the perfect politician and mediator all in one. I would certainly enjoy battling my little firebrand here while leaving you and Hermes with the more mundane tasks," Ares smarmed as he once again surveyed my body in an all too familiar way.

Apollo also sensed the direction of Ares thoughts as he insisted, "All three of us need to make an Olympians Pledge that none of us will take Calliope's virtue before we find out whose Muse she is. Only her soul mate has the right to that honor, and if one of us were to compromise her, the conflict that it would create would be of epic proportions, much like Troy."

I just kept repeating to myself.....I have free will, I have free will, I have free will.......so I wouldn't start mindlessly screaming at these arrogant and conceited tools!

"Why would we have to make an Olympians Pledge? At the very core of our society is the basic tenet that you do not steal another's soul mate. I am sure you remember. This is still true today as it was at the beginning of the Trojan War. We need no pledge to bind us to that reality," Ares stated as he gave a knowing look to Apollo.

"Yes, but as we learned from Troy and elsewhere, rules are easily broken. And it will also allow the other two Olympians the right to destroy the offender without Zeus' interference," Apollo explained.

"Fine, if we must. Arrange the ceremony with Hermes for tomorrow. Give me the keys to the chains Phobos, then drag Alec away," Ares commanded.

"Certainly, my lord," Phobos handed Ares the ornate key ring, then grabbed poor Alec by the ankles and dragged him out of the room.

Meanwhile, Ares seemed to think the only way to unlock me was to press his whole body against mine while he undid the chains above my head, then slowly run his hands all the way down to my ankles to unlock my feet. A sort of growl erupted from Apollo as Ares released me. As soon as my feet were free, I used one of them to kick Ares away from me. He flew back at least two feet, but immediately sprang back up to face me.

I automatically got into my fighting stance, but Ares seemed more amused than offended. He stated, "I think you have had some training." I told him I had a black belt in karate and he immediately laughed, "This is going to be much more entertaining than I thought. But of course, you are Calliope, so I should have expected no less. I look forward to seeing you soon, my firebrand. Dream of me tonight."

To Apollo, he instructed, "Please take our Muse home."

Then, he kissed the inside of my wrist at my pulse point, and he made his grand departure.

I let out an audible sigh when he was gone, turned to Apollo, and begged, "Please just get me home."

"As you wish, Calliope, but we _will_ talk on the way."

"Fine, just get me the flock out of here, Apollo!"

Apollo sensing my complete emotional and physical exhaustion guided me out of the labyrinth without saying a word. In mere minutes, we were at Apollo's Charger. After insisting that I buckle up, we roared out of the parking lot into the night of the full moon.

"What in the world were you and Admetus thinking tonight? You put us all in grave danger while alerting Ares to your existence!" Apollo growled at me.

I felt the need to defend myself, "I was thinking that the carnage at The Corner, Ares's own personal Coliseum, needs to stop. Your plan would not have stopped Aglaea from using Thrace again, and neither you nor Rafe were willing to trust me with the truth. So I did what had to be done to try to help end the human slaughter."

Apollo seemed to soften and consider this for a moment before he quietly said, "One Night Muse, no matter how powerful, does not have the ability to take down that atrocity. I have been trying to do it for years and have had no success."

"Let me guess. You tried reason and logic with Ares. I think that the only thing that Ares truly understands is force. But just brute force will not prevail in this war. We need surprise and good reconnaissance data. I just want to do my part to end those brutal death matches where teenagers are sacrificed like livestock. You have your own power Apollo, yet you don't use it to change things. So I believe the better question is, what are _you_ thinking?" My little tirade actually managed to exhaust me further, and I took comfort in the fact that I was almost home.

Apollo looked both angry and sad at my tirade, but asked, "Do you actually think you accomplished anything with your palace intrigue tonight—other than revealing yourself to Ares and placing yourself in mortal danger before your soul even awakens?!"

"You mean _your soul_ —which is _all_ you care about—but it's not a done deal Apollo."

We arrived at my house. Apollo parked the car on the other side of the street and cut the engine. I didn't bother reminding him that I was staying at Jazz's tonight because I needed my own bed more than anything right now. He turned to face me, and his heavy lidded gaze burned into me as he placed his hand on my cheek, and huskily whispered, "I was the one that found you at a rave this summer and realized you were a Muse. And I already feel the pull towards you, Calliope. I can't stop thinking about you, dreaming about you, needing you. It has only gotten stronger with each passing day."

His confession muddled my already exhausted brain, so I could not stop him when gently brushed back my hair and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "You are my soul mate, Calliope. I feel my soul mingling with yours. You were made to complete me, my Muse."

I hated my reaction to him. I hated that he made me doubt my future with Rafe. And I hated that I could feel a slight pull to him as well. It was involuntary, and it went against my free will, which really pissed me off.

His eyes held mine captive before he announced, "I know your exhausted, my Muse, but you have to promise me something. Swear to me that there will be no more dangerous missions or palace intrigues," commanded Apollo.

I just shook my head. As usual, I could not lie to him on this matter. "As long as the human death matches continue, I will do everything in my power to stop them and protect the humans I care about."

Apollo let out a frustrated sigh and said, "If it weren't so late, we would be having a much longer conversation, and I would get your pledge. But we will address this again. I promise." With that utterance, he yanked open his door stalked around his car, opened my door, and pulled me out and into his arms in just one motion. He quickly deposited me at my front door and explained, "As much as I would like to tuck you in, I believe it's in both of our best interests if I just say goodnight to you here, my Muse." And with a soft kiss on my forehead he was gone.

I know I wasn't suppose to be home, but I would just make an excuse about not feeling well to my parents tomorrow. As I silently made my way up to my room, I realized I was about to enter a whole new chapter of my life. A much more complicated chapter with much more intrigue. As soon as I got to my room, I flipped my laptop open and started to write.

Epilogue

Excerpt from Journal of Calliope Edonides: October 2007

I just made it back from the Detroit Underworld. My mission both succeeded and failed, Thrace is safe, but Ares now knows I exist. And icing on the cake, he talks like we are soul mates that have finally found each other again. I'm caught between three Greek gods that think I might be their soul mate. Cue music for EPIC pissing contest. Just today, I betrayed my boyfriend, found out I truly am a Muse, and became responsible for the death of two immortals. Frankly, I don't know which is more disturbing. I am so exhausted. I don't know if I can trust Apollo, but I will admit I do feel a slight pull towards him. FLOCK!!!!!! My heart belongs to Rafe and with all my free will, I choose him. But, after this week, I'm scared that he is going to be taken from me. I don't know if I can fight this battle and fight for him at the same time. I think I am going to have to borrow some courage and words from one of my favorite heroines "As God is my witness, as God is my witness they're not going to lick me. I'm going to live through this......... After all... tomorrow is another day." ."-- _Scarlett O'Hara, Gone with the Wind_

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When I was 12, one of my plane friends and I put pen to paper and created our very first story. Unfortunately, we buried it in a time capsule in my backyard that I have never been able to find again. But I loved creating and going to places that I hadn't gotten to experience in my small town. This is what also attracted to me to my life long passion for reading. I would like to thank all my friends who helped me on this journey: Arwa, Merlayna, Megan, Joy, Rachel, and Nancy as well as my wonderful family.

Contact Me Online

http://www.nightmusetrilogy.com

nightmuse@email.com
