CHAPTER 5
ARIK WAS FASCINATED BY THE BRISTLED TEXTURE OF THE blanket on Teddy's bed. It was scratchy and irritating. Why would anyone want that next to their skin? Even the pillowcase wasn't what he'd thought it'd be. In dreams, these items were as soft as air and they slid against his skin like warm water.
But here... He shivered.
This was a strange world mankind lived in. No wonder they escaped into dreams.
And he was tired of being here without Megeara. She was proving to be even more elusive in person than she'd been in her dreams. He didn't know where she was, but it was time he found her.
He'd just reached for the door when it swung open so fast he felt the rush of air against his skin.
A warm, sweet emotion went through him as he saw Megeara. At least it started out that way until he noted the look of anger on her face.
"What?" he asked, wondering why she was so vexed now.
"Solin Catranides is an only child."
Arik laughed at the ludicrousness of that statement. As a Dream-Hunter, Solin had thousands of siblings.
Literally. "I assure you, he is not."
She gestured to the man behind her. "Tell him, Brian."
"I called a friend who knows him. She assured me that Solin has never mentioned a family of any sort."
Arik gave them a sardonic smile. "I'm sure he wouldn't mention our family to a woman when it's none of her business. Get him on the phone for me."
Geary glared at him over the commanding tone of voice he used. One thing she knew about Brian. He didn't take that tone any better than she did.
Brian's eyes flickered with contempt. "I've already made my inquiries."
"And they were wrong."
Brian tossed the phone at him. "You make your own calls, buddy."
"I don't know the number."
"Then you're screwed."
"Brian," Geary said in a gentle tone, trying to diffuse their prickliness. She took the phone from Arik and returned it to Brian. "Can you get Solin's number for me? I want to speak to him myself."
He curled his lip at Arik. "It's his brother. Shouldn't he know the number?"
"Brian, please. He could call any number in Greece and the person who answers it could be anyone pretending to be Solin. I want to make sure that I'm speaking to the right person."
Brian's features softened as he saw the sanity of her request. "Fine." He took the phone and dialed it.
After a few minutes, he pulled a pen and paper from his pocket to jot down the number. He hung up and handed it to her.
Geary frowned at the number. "You're sure this is right?"
"It's the only Solin Catranides I know of. Whether or not it's his brother remains to be seen."
"Okay." She dialed the number and waited while Arik passed a smug look at both of them.
After the sixth ring, a man with a deep British voice answered in Greek.
Geary kept her eyes on Arik, who was watching her back with a blank expression on his handsome face. "Is this Solin Catranides?"
"No. Kyrios Catranides isn't available at the moment. If you would like to leave your name and number, I will add your message to the others."
Could he have possibly said that in a snottier tone? Really, the man should teach haughty-butler school-advanced studies. "This is a bit of an emergency-"
"They always say that, thespeneice . No offense. The master has no desire to be disturbed this afternoon by anyone."
She narrowed her eyes on Arik, waiting for him to slip and show her if he was lying or not. "Not even for his brother?"
"I beg your pardon?" The snottiness was vacant now, replaced by incredulity.
"I have a man standing in front of me who claims to be his brother."
Now the man's tone was completely flat. "The master has no brother, thespeneice ."
Before she could respond, Arik pulled the phone from her band and spoke something in a language she didn't know. It sounded as if it was Greek-based, but it was something else entirely.
Arik passed another smug look to Brian, then to Megeara. He was getting tired of hex mistrust-not that he didn't deserve it It was merely causing him aggravation-an interesting emotion that. He didn't like it It was too... aggravating. "He's coming to the phone now."
Two seconds later, Solin answered in a peeved tone of voice. "Is this a joke?" he asked in the language that only the gods knew.
Arik answered in kind. "No, Solin, it's not. I need your help."
"If you are what you claim, and since you're using my native tongue I have no doubt that you are a relative, you don't need my help."
"Yes, I do. I'm trapped on the human plane for two weeks without my powers and I need your assistance until I can go home again."
"Don't you dare deny me," he said, clenching his teeth. "Because of you I turned Skoti. You fail to help me now and I can promise you that you'll never again sleep in peace. I'll spend the rest of eternity synched only to you. Every time you close your eyes, I'll be there... beating the shit out of you."
"My, that's some threat you've got going."
"No threats. Only promises."
Solin paused before he spoke again. "For the record, I don't take such promises lightly."
"And I don't give them lightly. If you doubt me or my skills, ask M'Ordant who I am and what I'm capable of. I've come a long way from the numbed Oneroi you turned centuries ago. I want your help,
Solin. I know helping someone goes against your grain, but suck it up and assist me."
There was a few seconds of silence as if Solin was thinking. "If you're here as a human as you claim. I assume you have the barking of a god. Who is it?"
There was no need to hide that from him. If he really wanted to know, it wouldn't take him long to find out "Hades."
Solin snorted. "You bargained with Hades? Are you insane?"
"I was definitely sane and in control while I was Oneroi. Then someone changed that. What I am now is anyone's guess, even my own."
More silence greeted him.
"All right." Solin said at last "I don't make this a habit but you've made me curious. What do you need from me?"
"I need permits for an American archaeologist to excavate Atlantis."
Solin burst out laughing. "I know you're insane now. Have they really found the site?"
"Does it matter?"
"On this plane of existence, yes. You start poking there and you'll piss off people best left alone."
"Since the human's days are numbered, I don't think that's going to be a problem. Let her have a bit of a thrill before she dies. What's the harm?"
Solin sucked his breath in sharply between his teeth. "No. you didn't."
"Didn't what?" Arik asked.