I had a few sequal requests for my story Magnus Rising and here is Chapter One. Everyone knows Helen (especially this version of her) couldn't just give him what he wanted so plonk into the Amazon they go. I originally had this plot as a rp story-line, I had written with someone else, from that I took a few base points and am making it my own. I want to say Thank you to those who have been reading and/or reviewing my stories, I really appreciate it. (I am also toying with the idea of doing a sort of Prequel to this touching on how I had mentioned Helen had been married to James.)
Enjoy
-B.
"This isn't what I had meant when I said I wanted us to have time away, Helen, it's more of Her Majesty's Pleasure." He rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh. He walked behind Helen, like the ever adoring minion. They were waist deep in dangerously suspicious plants and vines that if Nikola knew would kill an ordinary man, Source Blood always had it's seemingly magical perks and he did after all adore life, it was the human race he despised.
"Oh do shove a boot in it Nikola, I told you this was an emergency and if I'm not mistaken, you are the one who volunteered for this mission. Everyone else is already on other jobs, and when something new crawls out of Hollow Earth I'd like to be the first one on it due to how sensitive a territory this is."
"And just what is it that we are looking for again?" It was hot and there were so many places he would rather be and so many things he could be doing to her, but alas he did offer to help so he would.
"Panthera onca mesembrina, the commonly thought to be extinct ancestor of the Jaguar. It's about the size of a Volkswagen Betel, has pointy teeth and was hunting the Amanayé villagers on the outskirts of town."
"So I guess it wasn't here for a garden party then?" He was trying to make her laugh, she'd been so tense lately he could sense her tension from a mile away, she also wouldn't let him ease that tension. It had been weeks since they slept together and she'd just kept making excuses not to be around him. If not kicking him out anymore and asking for his assistance with business matters was her idea of a relationship then then he was sourly disappointed.
"It's a predator Nikola, we have to be sharp about this or we'll be up shit creak with out a paddle." And the Ice Queen had returned. She hadn't realized how far she was keeping him out, it wasn't fully intentional but she did avoid him when matters of intimacy came up, even though she didn't stop dreaming of him taking her in a manly fashion against her desk, she had to work at there for hours and the image just kept popping up, no amount of work could eradicate it. "The villagers have a good idea of where it's den is so it shouldn't be too much further."
"Not the kind of pussy I've been after but let's "crack on then," He mocked her and shut his mouth for a few more feet. He could feel her eyes on him like daggers.
"I'm about to box your ears in Nikola." She shook her head. They had been walking for what felt like hours when in reality it had just been one. The South American Sanctuary had given them a few men and a few supplies that were needed in order to help capture the new creature to the best of their ability but resources were few. She hadn't realized how far behind he had gotten so she stopped for him.
"You know Helen, this is the closet to alone we've been in weeks! Why don't we take advantage and have a roll in the mud?" He grinned. "While I don't mind the adventure but we're seriously over worked as of late, and tragically underpaid. Don't you think we should have taken the wookie with us on this one? I mean he could have just sniffed the thing out and gone off to complete the circle of life. Then you and I could be away from here, sipping Chateau Margaux on the balcony of your Italian Villa."
"First of all Nikola, as I said everyone else had other things to take care of, Second you are no longer welcome in my Villa, I believe it was the Margaux that got you into that bit of mess in the first place! And it's much too dangerous to go rolling about in the mud, but you are more than welcome to do it on your own." She was determined to sick to the task at hand and ignore every little part of her body that was aching for him. Sleeping with him hadn't been a mistake but after they had there were so many doubts and reservations which crept up and then things at the Sanctuary had gotten out of had fast putting whatever feelings she had about him on the back burner, she knew he could handle it.
He couldn't understand why she was doing this to him and frankly he was frustrated, he wanted to toss her up against a tree and have his way with her, but no he was the one being hell bent on showing her that he was a decent man, or that he could be, just like the first time they had tired to be together. Proving to her that he wasn't a monster was always the hardest part of their relationship.
"Oh my dear sweet Helen, you knew that the grape excites me so, besides were celebrating the discovery of a once thought extinct species of ab-normal and there was much fun to be had. It was also our one year..." He paused a moment then went on."I simply cannot be held solely responsible for my actions. Besides the villa is in to close proximity to others, it's their issue with my perceived "drunken" naked rendition of La donna é mobile, on your balcony, not my own."
That's when she finally broke into a fit of laughter the memory coming on strong, and god did he ever look good in that hat. "Oh-my-god, the look on your face when the Italian bobby came to take you away!" She managed to gasp out, she was leaning against a tree to stop from falling over. She had to admit everything had been so much fun with him around. She loved it, but they had never worked as a couple, but she deeply missed her best friend. That's who he had been and she'd never admit that to him in a million years.
"For the record I was wearing a hat, and not at all off key! You were the only one who knew I wasn't drunk but you let the authorities take me anyway!" He laughed thinking about it all again, he missed it so much, but laughing together, he thought that would remind her.
"Alright you win, it wasn't that off key, and I did get you out of the clink didn't I? You wouldn't talk to me for the rest of the night until I told you I had another bottle of wine, and offered to sing with you, and we played what you turned into strip old maid, I don't know how you managed to convinced me it was a good idea or that all card games were clothing optional, but I'd already had a drop too many whiskey in me. That was also the first time we..." She trailed off and shook her head they had gotten off topic again. "Can we just please move along? it's going to be dark soon."
"If you are so gun-ho about working yourself into an early grave my love, then we can skip the enjoyment part of the journey and just go about finding Chester the Cheetah then have you home." There was something else that was nagging at him, this he would no longer let her get away with.
"Also? It's just the two of us, the natives hardly understand us, I need not remind you that just because we are in the Amazon I will not be playing Gabriel to your Xena. I don't follow your protocols, I helped you come up with them in the first place." They had spent many years together working side by side on all kinds of situations, had been all over the world together, and founds some amazing things. He'd been thinking about it all a lot lately especially seeing she was putting up her walls again.
"I don't know what's changed in you within the last few weeks Helen, but whatever it is I do hope you either figure it out on your own or clue me in."
"I've just been busy that's all." There was that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach again, damn him! Why did he have to be so dastardly handsome and so bloody right all the time? She wanted to wring his neck, but then the reminders came not only of their recent tryst but of their past relationship she was trying hard to forget, he'd never let her. The way he smirked at her all the time and the fact that he always had his eyes all over her body without being obvious.
"Alright, a few more feet then and we'll take another break." Her inner reactions to him told her what she really wanted. It was easy to go back to ignoring him, because it was all that Helen knew, she knew how to play it safe, knew how to keep him out, that's after all what she was the very best at doing. She had no idea how to just be with him, they weren't so young and foolish anymore. The laughter had been gone as a pang of guilt tore through her heart, she had her eyes shut tightly, leaning on another tree as she listened to the last of his tangent.
"Helen, Helen?" He had no idea where she was but it had better be good.
"Hmm?" She hadn't realized she'd gone off in her own world.
"I think we're lost." He frowned giving her a what now look.
Snapping out of it she realized their guides were nowhere to be found. "Oh, bloody hell!"
