Chapter 5 #2
It took but some simple focusing to wrap himself in a cloak of invisibility. Although, as Aquarius explained, he wasn’t so much invisible as reflecting like a mirror what people expected to see. Whatever, it worked.
While Andreas lacked the same ability, Circe never realized he followed because not once did she glance behind. She walked with single-minded purpose to the building housing her flat, pausing only to use her key to unlock the exterior door.
Andreas arrived too late to catch it before it swung shut. What would the man do? Walk away or—
The man grabbed the knob, and Taurus blinked as a glow surrounded the guy’s hand. When Andreas opened the door and slipped inside, Taurus sprinted.
Not human. Danger. Save.
Quick thoughts that ran through Taurus’ brain as he raced to catch up.
Upon reaching the door, which was locked, he once more had to resort to his astral magic, but rather than undo the deadbolt, he softened the metal until he could yank hard enough to get access.
The stairs leading upstairs took but seconds to ascend, and then he faced another door, this one slightly ajar and from within, raised voices.
“…doing here? How did you get in? Actually, I don’t care how. Get out!”
“I told you to stop pushing your inane project,” Andreas replied. “You wouldn’t listen, and now we can’t take any chances you’ll screw things up.”
“What are you talking about?” she scoffed then followed it with a huffed, “You’re going to kill me?”
That was his cue. Taurus burst into the apartment and quickly took in the scene.
Circe stood in front of her kitchen table, wide-eyed with fear because Andreas advanced with a knife. Taurus’ abrupt entrance led to the man whirling and displaying eyes unnaturally lit from within.
“I see why you weren’t interested in me,” Andreas snarled as he lunged for Taurus.
Not having a weapon put him at a disadvantage, but not a huge one because his training had included lessons on how to handle such situations.
He ducked under the blade and rammed his fist upward, striking the other man in the wrist hard enough his fingers reflexively spasmed, dropping the knife.
Taurus popped upward even as he kicked the blade out of reach.
Andreas swung wildly, and Taurus dipped left and threw his own punch.
Which didn’t miss.
Crack. The man yelped as his nose broke.
“Bastard.” Andreas yelled and lunged, trying to grab Taurus in a bear hug. A quick dodge and an ankle sweep sent the guy to the floor. Before he had a chance to recover, Taurus knelt on his chest, pinning him.
Without taking his gaze from Andreas, Taurus asked, “You okay, honey?”
“Yes, but I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“That makes two of us then,” Taurus growled, staring at Andreas, whose eyes still glowed uncannily. “What are you?”
“I could ask the same of you.”
“Why are you trying to kill Circe?”
“Because she’s been meddling in things best left alone.”
“This is about that asteroid,” Taurus guessed.
“It is so much more than a hurtling rock. Its arrival will forever change this planet.”
Circe interjected, “Hold on, you kept telling me it wouldn’t hit Earth, that I was wasting my time trying to prove otherwise.”
“I lied.” Andreas smirked.
“Why do you want to kill Circe?” Taurus applied pressure to the man’s chest.
“Because those were my orders,” Andreas hissed.
“Whose orders? Who sent you? Who do you work for?” Taurus hammered him with questions.
“I’ll never tell.” A claim spat at Taurus, who noticed his knees growing hot.
Really hot, which, for a warrior who didn’t usually notice temperature, drew his attention. Taurus threw himself away from Andreas in Circe’s direction.
“Why is his body glowing and throwing off steam?” she gasped, staring past him.
Rather than reply, Taurus dragged her into his arms, and as the body at his back exploded and propelled him forward, he drew on the power imbued in his tattoo with one thought in mind.
Home.
They landed in the portal room, although landed might be a kinder word for the way he stumbled and fell. Thankfully not on Circe.
Pain burned along his back, and yet rather than worry about himself, he glanced at Circe, who leaned over, retching. Beaming could be rough on humans.
At least she appeared unharmed. He couldn’t say the same for himself, as he’d taken the brunt of the blast.
Taurus shoved himself to his feet just as Leo came running into the room, only to rock to a sudden halt at the sight of Taurus.
“Dude! What happened?”
“Some guy decided to self-destruct,” he grunted through the pain that had his teeth clenching. “Good timing, by the way. I’m gonna need a hand dusting my back.”
“Thank Tower. I was headed for the gym when suddenly I got bubbled and zoomed to the main floor,” Leo stated as he slid under Taurus’ left arm to support him.
Circe recovered enough to gasp, “Am I dreaming again?”
Both men barked, “No!” Not the nicest reply, but Taurus had more pressing concerns.
Leo helped him to the Stardust Room next door, their version of a medical center, but instead of machines and doctors, it held rows of jars, one for each sigil of the Zodiac and, within those containers, dust from their constellation.
Taurus lay face first on the reclining chair in the middle of the chamber and tried to be manly as Leo sprinkled the stuff over his wounds. Damned shit burned as soon as it hit the open flesh.
“What is he doing? Why is he dumping dirt on you? You need a doctor,” Circe exclaimed, having followed them.
A teeth-clenching Taurus couldn’t reply, so Leo did.
“This is how a Zodiac Warrior heals. Don’t worry. It might look nasty, but it works. In a few hours, at most, he’ll be good as new,” Leo stated.
“In a few hours, I’ll probably be rocking in the corner of a padded room,” was her reply.
“You’re not crazy,” Taurus muttered.
“I thought this place, and you, were a dream. But they’re not. And what did you do to Andreas?”
“Me?” He turned his head to see her. “The man tried to kill you.”
“Which makes no sense. We don’t even work in the same department.”
“Andreas was scared of something you’re doing.” Taurus closed his eyes as the dust took effect, bringing about sweating and tremors as his body healed.
“He mocked my work with the Antikythera mechanism. Said I was wasting my time.”
“He obviously lied.” Leo hadn’t even been there and saw the truth.
“He said someone wanted me dead,” she added. “Which makes no sense. No one has yet to take me seriously.”
“He and whoever he worked for obviously did.” Taurus gritted his teeth as Leo dumped even more dust over his back.
“Your back is mangled and blistered,” Leo stated. “Looks like you wrestled a grenade and lost.”
“Like I said, Andreas, the guy trying to kill Circe, literally exploded.”
“Obviously not into chunks of flesh, though. Looks like you were hit by molten debris,” Leo informed. “Never heard of anything with a human form on Earth that could do that.”
“I don’t think he was human. His eyes glowed, and I saw him use some kind of force to unlock a door. Whatever possessed Andreas wasn’t of this planet,” Taurus stated, his words slurring slightly as the stardust did its thing.
“Did he say possessed?” Circe exclaimed. “As in, by a demon?”
“I think he means something alien, actually.” Leo properly grasped what Taurus meant.
“Aliens aren’t real.”
Leo snorted. “Are you sure you’re an astronomer?”
“Wait, how do you know what I do for a living?” Circe exclaimed.
“Because Aries told me you and Taurus met. Guess Olivia was right.”
“Olivia being?”
“My daughter. She has visions.”
“Of course she does. And let me guess, you’re some kind of Zodiac Warrior, too.”
“Yup. Name of Leo. And so is that lady walking in. Meet Zora, now known as Ophiuchus.”
“Ooh, Taurus, what the hell? Did you wrestle a fire lizard?” Zora asked. She’d yet to shed her human name completely. Couldn’t blame her. Ophiuchus was a mouthful.
“I don’t know what I fought, but Aries needs to know shit’s taken a turn.”
“I’ll head up and inform him what’s happened. Expect Aquarius to ask for more details about the guy to see if he shows up in any databases,” Zora offered.
“Will do. One last thing. Protect Circe,” Taurus whispered.
The last thing he said before the intensity of the healing closed his eyes.