Warriors of Poseidon 04 - Atlantis Unmasked Read Online Free
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I‟ll cut my hair. But for now—”
Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
Page 19 of 314
She faltered. Her mom had loved Grace‟s long hair. Loved brushing it for her and braiding it, ever since Grace had been a little girl. Right up until she‟d been too weak and sick to lift the brush.
His grin faded and he pulled her into a one-armed hug, a rarity since she‟d turned fifteen and hit what he always called her defiant years. “I know, Gracie. I know. I miss Mom, too.”
Before the tears burning in the back of her eyes could force their way out, Robbie‟s phone rang. He checked the screen. “Gotta go, Baby Sis. You know me, I‟m always in demand. See you tomorrow.”
As he sauntered off, she almost didn‟t say it. He didn‟t deserve it, always teasing her.
But affection won out over her temporary pout, and she called out to him before he‟d walked out of the pool house gate.
“Happy birthday, Big Brother.”
Those had been the last words he‟d ever heard her say. That night, the supernatural creatures everyone had always believed were only myths had shown up on television and Internet broadcasts all over the world. They were real; they‟d wanted the world to know. Persecuted minorities. Time for the world to change and recognize their rights.
But Grace hadn‟t cared about the world changing back then. All she‟d cared about was that a band of female vamps, celebrating their newfound freedom to strut their fangs in public, had run across Grace‟s big brother in a bar.
Robbie had been celebrating, too. Twenty-one years old that very day, time to party.
High on a couple of beers and his first time in a bar, he‟d met the most beautiful women he‟d ever seen, according to the witnesses. They‟d enthralled him, which was probably easy enough even without vamp mind control.
Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
Page 20 of 314
Twenty-one. Running on all hormones and not a lick of sense. Most survived it. Robbie hadn‟t.
Grace dove deep and then slowly floated back to the surface, still lost in the memories.
She‟d given up her Olympic training and given up on life. Turned her face to the wall and lain in bed, unmoving, all day. Day after day. Never spoke a single word for a solid month, even to her aunt who‟d raised them after Mom died. Poor Aunt Bonnie had been at her wits‟ end, ready to call a shrink.
Then, one month to the day later, she‟d gotten out of bed and gone to the gym. Started working out harder than she‟d ever trained for swimming, but this time with a darker purpose. A killing purpose.
Found a friend of a friend who knew somebody starting up a group. A rebel group. Like-minded humans who wanted to reclaim their lives and country from the vampires and shape-shifters who were slowly and insidiously taking over the United States. Taking over the world, from what she‟d heard, but a girl had to start somewhere.
Truly began to live only—finally—on the first day that, curious, she‟d picked up a bow.
Heard the wood sing through her soul. Spent some time tracking back through her past, on the advice of a shape-shifting shaman. Found the great-grandmother her mother had refused to allow her to know; learned of her heritage. Grace, like her great-grandmother and all the females of her line, was a descendant of Diana, and it was her destiny to protect the world from evil.
Diana, the huntress goddess. Skilled beyond all others with her bows, which were made only of the richest, most magical wood from the heart of an eleven forest. Goddess of the moon and sworn protector of the weak and helpless.
Weak. Helpless. Two things Grace had vowed never, ever to be.
Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
Page 21 of 314
But upon first hearing Gran tell wild stories of unbelievable powers, Grace had privately scoffed, in spite of the faint tingle of recognition that had stirred in her mind. She‟d told
Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
Page 19 of 314
She faltered. Her mom had loved Grace‟s long hair. Loved brushing it for her and braiding it, ever since Grace had been a little girl. Right up until she‟d been too weak and sick to lift the brush.
His grin faded and he pulled her into a one-armed hug, a rarity since she‟d turned fifteen and hit what he always called her defiant years. “I know, Gracie. I know. I miss Mom, too.”
Before the tears burning in the back of her eyes could force their way out, Robbie‟s phone rang. He checked the screen. “Gotta go, Baby Sis. You know me, I‟m always in demand. See you tomorrow.”
As he sauntered off, she almost didn‟t say it. He didn‟t deserve it, always teasing her.
But affection won out over her temporary pout, and she called out to him before he‟d walked out of the pool house gate.
“Happy birthday, Big Brother.”
Those had been the last words he‟d ever heard her say. That night, the supernatural creatures everyone had always believed were only myths had shown up on television and Internet broadcasts all over the world. They were real; they‟d wanted the world to know. Persecuted minorities. Time for the world to change and recognize their rights.
But Grace hadn‟t cared about the world changing back then. All she‟d cared about was that a band of female vamps, celebrating their newfound freedom to strut their fangs in public, had run across Grace‟s big brother in a bar.
Robbie had been celebrating, too. Twenty-one years old that very day, time to party.
High on a couple of beers and his first time in a bar, he‟d met the most beautiful women he‟d ever seen, according to the witnesses. They‟d enthralled him, which was probably easy enough even without vamp mind control.
Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
Page 20 of 314
Twenty-one. Running on all hormones and not a lick of sense. Most survived it. Robbie hadn‟t.
Grace dove deep and then slowly floated back to the surface, still lost in the memories.
She‟d given up her Olympic training and given up on life. Turned her face to the wall and lain in bed, unmoving, all day. Day after day. Never spoke a single word for a solid month, even to her aunt who‟d raised them after Mom died. Poor Aunt Bonnie had been at her wits‟ end, ready to call a shrink.
Then, one month to the day later, she‟d gotten out of bed and gone to the gym. Started working out harder than she‟d ever trained for swimming, but this time with a darker purpose. A killing purpose.
Found a friend of a friend who knew somebody starting up a group. A rebel group. Like-minded humans who wanted to reclaim their lives and country from the vampires and shape-shifters who were slowly and insidiously taking over the United States. Taking over the world, from what she‟d heard, but a girl had to start somewhere.
Truly began to live only—finally—on the first day that, curious, she‟d picked up a bow.
Heard the wood sing through her soul. Spent some time tracking back through her past, on the advice of a shape-shifting shaman. Found the great-grandmother her mother had refused to allow her to know; learned of her heritage. Grace, like her great-grandmother and all the females of her line, was a descendant of Diana, and it was her destiny to protect the world from evil.
Diana, the huntress goddess. Skilled beyond all others with her bows, which were made only of the richest, most magical wood from the heart of an eleven forest. Goddess of the moon and sworn protector of the weak and helpless.
Weak. Helpless. Two things Grace had vowed never, ever to be.
Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
Page 21 of 314
But upon first hearing Gran tell wild stories of unbelievable powers, Grace had privately scoffed, in spite of the faint tingle of recognition that had stirred in her mind. She‟d told
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