Jupiter: Seraphi's Recurrence

Chapter 1

Caine and Jupiter were on her roof talking about families. Her life, for the moment at least, was exactly as she wanted it. Right now she didn't feel the need or desire to talk about what the future held, she just wanted to get to know the man in front of her. He was more handsome, not less, with his new cybernetic wings. As she put on the gravity boots she grew silent. She teased Caine that she loved it when he called her "your majesty" and she did but there was another part of her brain that was trying to push her into the next week, the next month, the next...

"Jupiter..." Caine's voice brought her out of her reverie and she took the hand he offered to help her to her feet. He pulled her all the way to him however, and wrapped his arms and wings around her giving Jupiter pleasant chills. He claimed her mouth with his own and her thinking slipped away until he was saying "Are you ready?"

For a moment Jupiter hadn't the slightest idea what he was asking but then her brain reasserted itself and flowed back reminding her of the gravity boots and the new moves she wanted to show him.

She grinned at him. "Watch this," and she ran and jumped into the air promptly finding waves she could coast. She could hear Caine's wings behind her as he tried to catch up. He would in a matter of seconds but that was okay she wanted to show him some new tricks she had learned. It was all trial and error at first for Jupiter as she did not know how the gravity boots really worked and didn't think she would understand a manual so Caine gave her a quick tutorial and she was off. Compared to then, now she was an ace.

Afterwards as Jupiter was removing the boots Caine asked her a question that she had been dreading to hear but knew was coming.

"Jupiter we need to talk," he said softly.

"I know," was Jupiter's only reply.

"You know I will help you all I can and I think Kalique would be 'over the moon' as you say, to be a part of your introduction as the new primary ruler of the universe."

"I own the Earth and that is overwhelming. Now I have to rule the universe?. My mind can't grasp it all."

Caine took Jupiter's hands in his own and pulled her forward, planting soft kisses on the nape of her neck and between the soft kisses came a few nibbles that sent shivers down her spine. They were, simply put, divine.

"You will be fine," he whispered as he drew back to look in her eyes. "With Kalique, Stinger, and I, you will be excellent. A lot to learn yes but I have seen how smart you are and so have Stinger and Kalique.

"Didn't you tell me once that your uncle told you that you were too smart and that was why you weren't married? I remember it made you angry."

Jupiter laughed. "That was such a back-handed compliment but so typical of my uncle."

Jupiter shivered at the sheer feeling of being overwhelmed, it was a planet for goodness sake not a baby, or a move to the suburbs, or even a marriage. It was business of a different kind than she had ever done but still a job at the end of the day.

"Jupiter you don't have to make any decisions about your planet yet, there's still time."

"You mean time until the population exceeds the planet's ability to sustain it was how Stinger had put it. Is that what you're referring to?"

Caine gave a slight nod of the head. Sometimes he spoke so few words it drove Jupiter crazy though she didn't have the slightest idea why.

"So I just have to catch up to social structure in the universe outside of my own planet and then figure out what Earth's needs are and how best to meet them right?"

"See," he said giving her a sly smile that was sexy as hell. "I told you that you were smart."

It wasn't fair, thought Jupiter, he shouldn't do things like that to her. Use that smile to disarm her. It made her feel awkward all of a sudden like she was in high school. She wasn't and she wasn't quite used to the whole quiet but take charge kind of guy Caine appeared to be. She had never known a guy like Caine if she was honest with herself. That was probably why she felt so awkward around him; he didn't know Earth's social or relationship cues. His abruptness sometimes made her feel dizzy.

"Jupiter are you okay?" He was gazing at her with concern. The sexy smile was gone and she wanted it back.

"Yeah sorry, I guess I was daydreaming. It's all a lot to take in."

"It is but I know how quickly you learned the Entitlement Code when you first claimed your title." He pulled her back to him again and enveloped her once more with both arms and wings and she thought heaven had to feel just like this.

"I think I have to tell my mom Caine, I need someone I know for support too. She can keep a secret, well, only if it's with Aunt Nino too, but together they would keep the secret," Jupiter assured Caine.

"I get it," Caine assured her, "Why don't we do it together but we will have to get out of the city to somewhere pretty quiet, like Stinger's, he won't mind I don't think."

"Okay, that sounds like a plan right? We will just include them for now until I get used to all of my duties in the universe."

"Eventually all your family will know and I think they would all know it was in their best interest to keep quiet because we don't want to have to go around blanking people."

"Oh God no, I don't want to blank anyone. They won't want to be blanked either. I think we will be good." Jupiter's voice almost cracked when she said this, such was her fear of causing anyone to be blanked. She could think of no more horrible thing than to have your memory taken from you.

"Is there any way to un-blank a person"

He frowned. "I don't know, I guess I never though about that. But I think I know someone who could answer that question."

She looked at him curiously. "Who?"

"Stinger's daughter" he said, "she studies the brain of a lot of species including humans."

Jupiter looked at him with astonishment. "Has she ever talked about it?"

"No, it's kind of like a super secret thing. Stinger told me that but nothing else."

"Oh my goodness" she whispered. "Can we go see Stinger and Kiza?"

"Why?"

She smiled. "Cause I'm thinking of a way to make this easier for my family,"

He looked at her with a wary expression. "Why is it that I feel like your brain is working overtime?"

She looked at him innocently but with a secretive smile. "Ahhhh you know me so well."

He sighed in weary resignation. "No I think it's that you know me too well."

She laughed. "It's a plan then?"

"All right let's go, I'll drive," Caine said as he grabbed the car keys in his pocket."

"Just remember no speeding tickets, I don't want a policeman blanked because he tries to give you a ticket for driving without a license."

He gave her that sexy grin that made her heart beat a little faster. "Trust me" was all he said and she gave him a questioning brow.

They drove in companionable silence to Stinger's bee hive of a home. It was literally full of hives in every corner outside of the house and grounds. Whenever Jupiter visited she was always followed by a trail of bees that almost obliterated the sky until she waved them away. She could commune with them in gestures and they always seemed to know what she wanted. If she were frightened or suspicious of anything they would be back in an instance and surround her in wall that not many would attempt to go through.

They walked to the front door and knocked. The door was flung open with lightening speed and Stinger grabbed them and pulled them into the house. Stinger's face wore an expression of fear and panic.

He looked at Caine and said, "I was just getting ready to call you."

Both he and Jupiter locked on his grave face and simultaneously asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's Kiza, she's gone missing and I don't believe it was of her own free will!"