First World(43)
I froze. Did he just say ...? What the eff? “Can everyone read my thoughts?” Surely not. Brace would have known we were from Earth and that I thought he was the yummiest thing since chocolate chip cookies.
“No, Josian is special.” Brace said it laughingly, interrupting my inner monologue.
Josian turned and flashed some type of hand signal I didn’t understand. Grinning broadly, Brace reciprocated.
My parents moved closer before they sat on the floor. It looked kind of ridiculous to see such a stunning couple sprawled on the ground.
Josian was even more intriguing close up. His rich golden skin continued to glow lightly. He was like a sunrise.
“Josian is your father and he can read your thoughts because he’s ... more special than anyone you’ll meet on First World.” Lallielle snuggled into his side as she talked.
She was dwarfed by him as he clasped her left hand and raised it to his lips to kiss.
“Your mother is being overly generous toward me. I’m not special, just different. I’m not from First World and am far older than any creature that walks these worlds.”
Of course he was.
His lips twitched minutely.
Shit ... crap ... stupid mind-reader.
“Stop reading my thoughts – they’re private – and it’s rude.”
He held his free hand up in surrender, but his eyes twinkled with unshed laughter.
“So if you’re not from First World, then where?”
His engaging smile never wavered. “I’m a part of an ancient clan of ...” He paused, his expression thoughtful. “Deities – for no better explanation. We are Walkers and for many millennia we have wandered the galaxy, explored worlds and defined cultures. We were the teachers of mischief and mayhem. We do not age or die.”
My jaw dropped open.
He grinned broadly. “Now the majority of my family sleep. They wake at different moments throughout history. In many of the major moments on record – throughout all seven of these worlds – Walkers were involved.”
His entire demeanor softened as he stared into Lallielle’s eyes. “A few of us have found our reasons to settle into worlds.”
The autumn of his eyes deepened to a rich vibrant gold as he touched Lallielle’s cheek.
I just had one thing to say. “A deity? Come on, you’re some type of god?” Give me a break.
I’ve never had much interest in religion.
Yeah, I’ve heard the stories. I figured they were created to scare people. I’ve never encountered any actual evidence of their existence.
Lallielle elbowed him. “He wishes.” She looked at me. “There are no confidence problems amongst Walkers.”
He winked at me. “Deity’s not completely accurate, but it’s close. Our people have been worshipped as gods over the years.”
“So what are your powers?” I had an amusing vision of Josian in red-and-blue Superman tights.
His grinning mirth did not waver. If anything, there was an extra twinkle in his molten eyes. Had he just seen my mental pictures?
“We cannot control or create worlds. Our key abilities lie in world-walking and adaption. We can live anywhere and we can walk between any of the worlds. We do not need anything to keep us alive – food, water, shelter, oxygen – nothing.” He shrugged. “And we are strong, heal easily and are almost impossible to kill.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I glared at Lallielle. Why had she sent me to Earth for safety when my father was this alleged god?
For the first time Josian’s face dropped slightly.
Lallielle, picking up on this minute change, looked at him questioningly.
“She wants to know why I didn’t save her,” he answered quietly.
Lallielle patted his arm and smiled.
His expression lifted a little. “I was a bit of a scoundrel, moving through the worlds, seducing women and then moving on.”
He didn’t sound embarrassed; it was said as simple fact.
“Your mother changed everything; finding her was finding home. But of course at the time I was strong willed and hard headed. I resisted the feelings, fought against bonding and left. I had no idea she was pregnant. I had no idea I could even mate with humans. We might look genetically similar, but I’m not human. I was ... I believed it wasn’t possible. Luckily Lalli is from the oldest and strongest of First World. No other could carry my power to term in a child.”
His mesmerizing eyes flashed.
“I will never forget what I’ve done, the pain I’ve caused. I left your mother in a deteriorating world, pregnant and alone whilst I threw the equivalent of a temper tantrum across the universe. I’m only grateful my brothers knocked some sense into me pretty quickly.”