Taurus’s Quest

He’s not bull-rushing into love.

An asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, but no one will listen to Circe; they claim her data and theory are wrong. Only Taurus takes her seriously, but she has her doubts a man—even one who calls himself a Zodiac Warrior—can do anything to prevent the disaster. She becomes even more skeptical when he claims they must go on a quest to recreate an ancient artifact.

However, with time running out, what other choice does Circe have but to trust the handsome man who shows her magic truly exists?
Together, they will embark on a quest into the mythical Labyrinth, where they will pit their wits and skills against perils in their path and race the clock while trying to create the one thing that can save them.

Will it be enough, or will Circe have to break Taurus’ heart to save humanity?

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Available on:
Cover Artists:
Do Elle Designs
Genres:
Action and Adventure, alien romance, killer hero, Sci-Fi Romance
Tags:
english
Excerpt:

Prologue

The doom of civilization began the moment the avatar for the Ophiuchus constellation finally escaped its dark void prison. Its series of stars, nestled in the Milky Way, started glowing brighter, not that most people noticed or cared.

Astronomers, who watched the night sky on a regular basis, did wonder why the Thirteenth Zodiac suddenly shone more clearly than before. However, their interest in it quickly waned as something more astonishing occurred.

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From the Milky Way, whose spinning arms contained a multitude of solar systems, emerged an interstellar object. An asteroid, not an alien ship, to the dismay of many. Still, despite it not being a UAP, the rare occurrence did rouse curiosity. To date, only two other interstellar objects had ever been observed entering Earth’s solar system. The first, a cigar-shaped rock in 2017 that was named ‘Oumuamua. It caused great excitement among observers, as it demonstrated non-gravitational acceleration, which led many to theorize it might have actually been an extraterrestrial craft with a propulsion system. However, the scientific community explained that this phenomenon was likely due to internal gases combusting.

The second object, the Borisov comet, appeared in 2019 and didn’t garner nearly as much attention, as it obeyed the laws scientists thought set in stone and its trajectory took it out of Earth’s solar system.

All this to show the rarity of interstellar objects, meaning the third one in such a short time frame had astronomers in a tizzy, especially since, like ‘Oumuamua, it had varying orbital characteristics—like a comet—yet was confirmed through spectroscopy to be comprised of rocky materials—making it an asteroid.

While many drooled at the thought of getting samples, they had to content themselves with tracking and capturing images because the modelling showed it wouldn’t come anywhere close to Earth. A good thing, since, given its size, an impact with the surface of the planet would have been catastrophic.

Only one person predicted it would shift course, not that anyone believed her.

Those within the rocketing asteroid made sure of that.

 

Chapter 1

“…and that is how we ended up saving Tower and acquiring a thirteenth warrior.” Aries concluded his summary to a drop-jawed Taurus.

Apparently, the months Taurus spent hunting a misbehaving werewolf meant he missed a mega battle. Bummer. He’d have much preferred to be pitting his skills against mercenaries than stalking the smelly canine that led him on a merry chase through the untamed forests of Hungary. Even worse, in the end, he’d not even been the one to kill the rabid beast. That honor went to the werewolf’s wife, who’d invested in some silver bullets when she realized her husband had been the one killing all their neighbors. When the hairy bastard brazenly returned home, he met his fatal end.

With the mission complete, Taurus returned to Tower for some R&R, where not only did he get to hear all about the epic fight he’d missed, but he also got to meet Aries and Sage’s baby girl. Tiny little thing, kind of boring if you asked him, unlike Leo’s talkative—and spooky at times—daughter, Olivia.

A kid who suddenly looked at him from across the dining room table and said, “Uncy Taurus, you should shave.”

The comment led to Taurus stroking the splendid beard that had grown wild during his absence. “I thought you liked my beard.” Upon seeing it, Olivia had clapped her hands and demanded her daddy grow one just as bushy.

“I do, but the green lady won’t.” An announcement that drew the attention of everyone gathered to eat breakfast.

The usually gruff Leo used a pussy-soft voice to ask, “What green lady?”

Rather than reply to that query, Olivia held out her hand. “Can I have another piece of bacon, please?”

Sage snagged a strip and handed it over while cradling her newborn to her chest. “Olivia, can you tell us about the green lady?”

“She needs help.”

“What kind of help? Is she in trouble? Did you have a vision?” Sage used to be their only seer until Leo reunited with his missing daughter. Turned out Olivia had the gift, too, but she’d yet to learn to control it and thus tended to blurt out the most random things, such as telling him he should be practicing his sword skills—as if he wasn’t a master with his weapon of choice already.

“I saw the green lady in my dream last night. Her and Uncy Taurus,” Olivia said in between chewing her strip of bacon.

“What were they doing?” Thankfully Sage possessed more patience than Taurus. He only held back from barking at the kid because doing so would likely lead to Leo pummeling his face to a pulp.

“They was arguing.”

“About what?” Sage kept doing her best to draw out answers.

“I don’t remember. Just that Uncy Taurus is gonna help because no one believes her.”

“Believes her about what?” Leo took over questioning since the baby began to fuss.

Olivia’s nose wrinkled. “Dunno. Couldn’t see that part. But I think you need to find something.”

“And you’re sure it’s me who helps her?” Taurus couldn’t help but sound dubious because he really didn’t seem like the right choice in a mission that required detective work. He tended to be more likely to lose things than find them.

“Yes, you. There’s gonna be monsters, so make sure you bring your sword,” Olivia exclaimed, bouncing in her seat.

Twice now she’d mentioned his favorite weapon, which prompted Taurus to ask, “Where do I find this green lady?”

“In the library.”

“Um, can you be more specific?” Leo queried. “There’s a lot of libraries in the world.”

“Ours, silly.” Olivia snickered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Wait, the green lady is inside Tower?” Taurus exclaimed, rising from his chair.

“Not yet. I gotta pee.” Olivia suddenly slid from her chair and raced away, leaving the adults to stare at each other in confusion.

“How is a random stranger going to end up in our library?” Aries mused aloud.

“You know Tower likes to collect strays,” Sage reminded as she rubbed the baby’s back.

The magical and sentient structure acted as a home and base for the Zodiac Warriors, but they weren’t the only inhabitants. Although, it should be noted, the warriors never ran into the others. Tower did an excellent job keeping them apart.

“Guess I’ll be camping out in the library until this green lady shows up.” Taurus grimaced. After months of sleeping on the hard ground, he’d been looking forward to snoozing in his bed.

“I don’t think we need to be that drastic. Olivia didn’t give a timeframe. Could be today, tomorrow, a month from now,” Aries noted, but he wore a frown.

“I’m thinking it won’t be long, since Olivia advised me to shave,” Taurus remarked, stroking his beard. Should he remove it? Nah, he’d grown attached, and it was much too epic to toss by the wayside. Besides, why should he care if this green lady would hate it?

“I say the sooner, the better. That bird’s nest on your chin is hideous.”

“Hey!” Taurus glared at Capricorn, who shrugged.

“Just saying it like it is. Right, Zora?” Capricorn glanced at the woman who’d been sitting quietly beside him.

Lots had changed since Taurus left for his mission. Capricorn now had a girlfriend, but not just anyone. During Aries’ summary of events while he’d been gone, Taurus learned Zora was a Zodiac Warrior. Kind of shocking considering they’d never realized a thirteenth ever existed. Even more astonishing, she was the first female one.

Zora shook her head. “Don’t you dare drag me into this.”

“Actually, I want to know. I mean, you’re a woman. Is my splendid beard really that bad?” Taurus gave her his most winsome smile.

Zora shrugged. “Not up to me if I like it or not.”

Before Taurus could continue to pester her, one of the other new residents spoke up. “I will say, personally, I prefer clean shaven.” Dr. Ruth Warmstone’s lips curved into a smile. She side-eyed her paramour, Leo, before adding, “Less chin burn.”

The comment led to Leo’s face turning beet red. “I’m going to check on Olivia.” The man sprang from his chair and sprinted out of the dining room to Ruth’s snickers.

“That was naughty of you,” Sage chided with a smile.

“I can’t resist,” Ruth replied with a laugh.

Zora stood. “I do believe it’s time for my next training lesson also known as my daily ass whooping.”

“Soon, you’ll be the one kicking my butt,” Capricorn promised as they left.

“Guess that’s my cue that I should get to work, too.” Aries stood, and Sage held out the baby.

“Mind taking Little Bean? I’m going to try for a nap.”

“Sure thing.” Aries glanced at Taurus. “Keep me in the loop about the green lady.”

“Will-do, boss.”

“Hold up, Sage, I’ll walk you to our suite.” Aries cradled the baby to his chest and waited for his wife.

“Go ahead. I’m going to chat with Taurus for a minute before heading up.” She waved Aries away and then proceeded to stare at Taurus. He fidgeted under the intent scrutiny.

Sage sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m too exhausted to see anything. Little Bean’s been waking every two hours at night for feeding.”

“Don’t worry about it. At least Olivia offered some warning, and I’m sure Tower will give me a nudge when I need to deal with the intruder.”

“Don’t be so sure of that,” Sage countered. “Could be Tower welcomes her inside.”

“In that case, guess I’ll be spending some time in the library.” Which sounded like loads of fun. NOT! “Since you’re tired, want me to run you up the stairs?” The steep and winding steps could be arduous.

Sage shook her head. “Thanks for the offer, but no need. Tower will transport me. It’s been most helpful in my recovery.”

“Wish it would do the same for me after leg day,” he muttered. Nothing like walking numerous flights of stairs with burning thighs.

Sage left, and Taurus sat a moment longer, drumming his fingers on the table.

“Guess you won’t be getting any time to relax,” Ruth remarked.

“Ah, I’ve never been one to remain idle for long,” he replied to the psychologist before instantly regretting it. He’d like to skip over a session of psychoanalysis. He was much more suited to action, hence his preference for spending his spare time in the gym honing his skills and bulking his muscles, instead of loitering in the library, a place he’d not visited in ages. He’d never been a fan of reading, mostly because it involved sitting still and looking at words—so many words.

Speaking of which… He stood from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to reacquaint myself with the repository of books up there.” The library sat one level above the dining hall and took only seconds to reach since Taurus bounded up the steps three at a time.

He entered the space and immediately grimaced at the sight of all the books. Made him wonder what the green lady would be looking for. Probably something rare or out of print but not so scarce Tower wouldn’t have a copy.

Colorful spines that spanned an entire shelf caught his eye, and he hunched to read the titles. Legend of Scorpio. Sins of Leo. Capture of Capricorn.

Snort. While he’d heard of the books that detailed each Zodiac sigil’s exploits, he’d never checked them out before. His gaze hit the one labelled Taurus’ Quest. Well damn. Could have sworn his used to have a different title.

Having never bothered reading it, he suddenly decided, why not take a peek? Only the book refused to slide out from its tightly wedged spot. He pulled harder, but it wouldn’t budge. Ah, well. He didn’t need to read about how great the previous Taurus used to be, and he well remembered his own successful adventures.

Getting to his feet, he glanced around to refresh himself on the layout. The outer wall held a single window covered in a heavy curtain. When he pulled it aside for a glance, he noticed no easy way of entering unless someone could somehow scale smooth stone. The only other entrance was the door he’d entered.

To reach the library, this green lady would have to first enter Tower, which led to the question, how would she arrive in the first place? Only those with the Zodiac blessing could find Tower, let alone see it. Forget getting here by normal means, AKA by car or on foot. A journey via land involved trekking through some harsh terrain lacking roads, but it wasn’t impossible. Aries said the mercenaries who’d recently attacked had managed the trip using UTVs.

Technically, a helicopter would make for an easy journey, but that would require a pilot not flying blindly past. Tower protected against intruders by encircling itself with a camouflage that few could penetrate, which led to him contemplating what Aries claimed about the recent invasion. Apparently, some dude had found a way to bring down Tower’s shield. While those mercenaries had been defeated, Taurus had to wonder if the Tower had returned to being as impenetrable as before.

The most common way folks entered Tower was via the portal room. That magical space contained daises inscribed with the sigils of the Zodiac, which allowed the warriors the ability to quickly return home. Apart from the daises, there were also some arches that led to several locations around the world. Could be this woman would intentionally, or accidentally, step through one. Unlikely, given they weren’t accessible to the public. A few even had guards, like the one Libra watched over.

However, the teleporting arches remained the most likely point of entry for an intruder. Maybe he should camp out by the portal room so he could waylay this green lady before she infiltrated too far.

First, though, a workout, followed by a shower and then a flop onto his comfy, king-sized bed where’d he enjoy a twelve… No, make that sixteen-hour sleep. Might as well squeeze one in before the lady arrived.

The workout left his body sore, but in a good way. Sweaty, too. He skipped Olivia’s shaving advice and jumped right into a hot shower which did much to ease his muscles. He’d only begun rinsing the suds from his flesh when the water abruptly ceased flowing. He glanced at the showerhead, frowned, wiggled the taps. Nothing. What the hell?

“Tower, mind turning the water back on?”

No reply. Tower didn’t really speak in words, but it had ways of communicating. Not in this instance, though. Taurus sighed as he wrapped a towel around his hips before hitting the hall outside his room in the hopes someone else’s apartment had a working shower. Only the moment he stepped outside his place, he found himself staring at blank walls.

As in, no doors. Not even his own.

Still clutching his damp towel around his hips, Taurus glared at the smooth wall. “Not funny, Tower. Let me back in.”

Nothing changed, so he sighed. “Okay, Tower, what do you need from me?”

A shove from behind had him whirling to see the hall behind had disappeared. The new wall in its place nudged him toward the stairs.

“Subtle, Tower, real subtle,” Taurus grumbled as he began heading down.

And down.

The landings for the floors beneath his apartment had disappeared, leaving only the winding stairs that ended, no surprise, on the library level. Guess their guest had arrived—and at a most inopportune moment.

“Dude,” he groaned. “Can’t I at least put on some pants first?”

None appeared.

Guess he’d be meeting the green lady a little more naked than usual—and he didn’t mean just lacking clothes. No gun, sword, not even his pocketknife.

Sigh. “If I die, I hope it’s bloody and takes you forever to clean the mess,” he grumbled before stalking into the library.

Chapter 2

The simulation ran using the most up-to-date information on planetary positions. Circe leaned forward and watched as the screen plotted the trajectory for the asteroid that emerged from the Milky Way. Once more, the software showed it avoiding Earth.

Good, right?

Not for Circe, who’d been trying to prove an ancient mechanism of tracking astral events was just as accurate as their modern instruments. Again and again, the two systems showed much different results.

Circe huffed and leaned back in her seat.

Andreas, who worked in another department but seemed to always find a reason to be around, paused by her desk. “Ready to give up?”

“Just about,” she grumbled.

“I don’t know why you’re wasting time trying to prove we’re in dire danger based on what a relic indicated. A device manufactured more than a thousand years ago isn’t capable of being as precise as our monitoring systems.” Everyone in the National Observatory of Athens had heard of her presentation, where she’d put forth her—according to them, wild—theory that the asteroid named 8675309 Odyssey would shift its course due to a subtle shift in planetary positions and collide with Earth. There’d been laughter at her claim because, according to the other astronomers, even if the Milky Way had changed the force it exerted on their solar system due to the recently changed Ophiuchus constellation, it would take a long, long time before any noticeable movement in planets occurred.

Circe pursed her lips. “Our computers are only as smart as the data we feed them.”

“Data that is refreshed daily,” he reminded.

“Collected by computers with pre-set programming, meaning it’s not infallible.”

A comment that led to him snorting. “More accurate than this anchor thingy that you’re obsessed with. I don’t know why you’d believe it over what our telescopes and satellites can detect.”

“It’s called the Antikythera mechanism, and despite the differences between it and our data, I disagree. Whoever built it”—the original creator was unknown—“had an understanding of the cosmos that defies explanation. They were well ahead of their time.”

“A time long past,” Andreas scoffed. “I’d suggest you stick to modern science. Or don’t. It’s your job on the line, not mine.”

Not just her job, though. Circe bit her lip rather than blurt out her dire prediction that if they were wrong about the data, then asteroid 8675309 would cause a catastrophic event rivalling that of the one that killed the dinosaurs. Andreas had already mocked her enough for her theory. “I’m supposed to seek out threats to Earth from our solar system.”

“What threat? Every simulation we’ve run shows the asteroid is set to pass us by. The sun’s not showing signs of emitting any solar flares of note. What’s left? Little green men?”

“Don’t you mean gray?” she riposted, annoyed at Andreas, mostly because it fed into her doubt. Was she wasting her time? She’d been studying the Antikythera mechanism for months now. Even had a replica of one at home that did what it claimed. Predicted eclipses and planetary positions. Until recently, it had been spot-on. That all changed, though, when Ophiuchus began shining brighter. Since then, its results had been diverging from their collected data.

The sudden difference bothered. It didn’t help that everyone she’d shown it pointed out the age of the mechanical artifact and the fact the replicas of the device were based on an incomplete model. The original Antikythera mechanism, the size of a shoe box with intricate gears and dials that showed a precision that should have been impossible for its time, had been found in a sunken ship. Only a third of the mechanism was salvaged, but those who rebuilt it claimed they’d figured out the missing parts. Could be they’d not rebuilt it correctly, hence why she got differing results. Alas, the original plans for the device had never been recovered, so no one could be sure if the replicas were exact.

“Give your history project a rest and join us for some drinks,” Andreas suggested. “There’s going to be a live band playing at the bar down the street.”

“Not tonight. I need to feed my cat.” A lie. She didn’t own a cat, but without a proper excuse, Andreas would keep pressuring.

“And this is why I have no pets or children. I like my freedom.” Andreas laughed as he strode off. A handsome man, but much too arrogant and annoying for her to even contemplate dating. Not to mention, she valued her job more than a fling.

However, he did have a point. She needed a break.

She logged off and grabbed her things, slipping on her green cloak, an item she’d splurged on when she saw it in a shop selling vintage clothing. It covered her head to toe, the deep cowl of it welcome on rainy and windy days. She headed off on foot, her apartment being only a seventeen-minute walk—when she could travel the most direct route.

A grimace crossed her face as she noticed the road and sidewalk she used daily had been closed for construction since she’d left her apartment that morning. The inaccessibility led to her having to veer onto a side street that looked much like her own. Tightly constructed buildings, of which the main floor of some were given over to businesses, with the upper levels being used for residential dwellings.

As she strolled, a sudden clap of thunder drew her attention to the dark clouds overhead. She quickened her step, hoping to make it home before the storm unleashed. Alas, she remained still a good ten-minute walk from her place, seven maybe if she ran, when the droplets began falling. Not wanting to get soaked by the deluge, she ducked into the nearest shop. A tiny bell over the door announced her presence.

No one stood behind the counter cluttered with bins and a cash register, but she could hear a male talking to someone out of sight in the back. To bide time while the rain fell heavily, she began to browse the aisles of the eclectic shop that appeared to only carry Zodiac-themed items. Shelves held various figurines meant to represent each sigil. Aries, with his curled horns. Pisces, the fish. Taurus, the bull. Plaques placed in front of different sets indicated the artists who’d created the models. Beyond those displays, a row full of placards and windchimes, again inscribed either with a specific symbol or all of them in a wheel.

What an interesting store, and how surprising she’d never visited. The stars that comprised the Zodiac had been one of her first obsessions as a young girl. Her parents had gifted her a telescope at Christmas, and she spent many a night out on their balcony aiming it at the sky, locating each and every constellation. It turned out to be an obsession she never grew out of, hence why she ended up getting her degree in astronomy, which led to her job at the observatory.

As she browsed books in the rearmost section, the lights suddenly went out. Bells tinkled, indicating someone opened the door, and the distinct thump indicated it had been shut, but more ominous? The click of someone engaging a lock.

COLLAPSE

Capture of Capricorn

He was captured by the enemy, but his heart belongs to her.

I’m gonna lose my warrior card.

Capricorn can’t believe he’s been ordered to hand himself over to the enemy. Exactly how is being experimented on supposed to help save the world? He meets the reason while strapped to a bed.

When Zora finds a metal orb that she can’t identify, despite her experience as a welder and metallurgist, she posts about it online. Big mistake, as she, and the mysterious sphere, end up being abducted in the middle of the night and relocated to an underground cell in Area 51. There she meets Capricorn; hot dude, also a captive, and supposedly some kind of astral warrior. Laughable, right? That’s what she thought, until they busted out and teleport to a tower halfway across the world!

Before Zora gets fully comfortable in a place where magic and science collide—and the sexy Capricorn seduces not only her body, but also her heart—the enemy attacks. It will take courage and quick thinking to keep the tower from falling into evil hands and unleashing a force imprisoned for millennia.

Will Zora and Capricorn survive long enough to give love a chance?

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Published:
Cover Artists:
Do Elle Designs
Genres:
alien romance, genetic experimention, Sci-Fi Romance
Tags:
english
Excerpt:

Prologue

What a beautiful day. Zora tapped her hands against her steering wheel as she drove to the grocery store. The sunny Saturday morning—yay, the weekend—had her in high spirits. After she completed the adulting tasks, like getting food for the week and doing a bit of a tidy-up, she could hit the garage to start work on her next project.

During the week, she worked as a metallurgist at a company researching ways to combine and use metal. In her spare time, she indulged in her side hustle of creating metal art, which she charged prime prices for. Who knew there was such a big market for owls made out of bolts and nuts, or novelty lawn ornaments?

A sign on the side of the road drew her eye. Garage Sale, AKA used junk no one wanted. However, given the cost of metal, sometimes garage sales could be good for finding scraps for cheap that she could use. Cast iron pans, any kind of copper, even old tools and metal-based odds and ends could be repurposed.

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On a whim, Zora veered, following the arrow on the sign, and headed down a residential road. She easily found the place by the number of cars lining the street. She parked and walked to the driveway crowded with items and people. Tables had been lined up and held heaps of household items; dishes, glasses, stacks of books, and a bunch of eclectic items that all had one theme in common.

Zora’s brows rose as she noticed the seller apparently had a fetish for all things stars and Zodiac. A quick peek at the books showed them either relating to the constellations in the sky or pertaining to the symbolism, from the history to the mysticism around them.

“My uncle was a bit of a nut,” a woman with curly hair and rosy cheeks confided as she sauntered over to Zora’s side.

“By the looks of it, he was really into astrology.”

“Just a bit. When he died, I couldn’t believe the amount of stuff he had stashed.” The woman sighed. “We hadn’t talked in decades. My mom, his sister, says he wasn’t the same after returning from a trip in Australia. Whatever he experienced over there led to his obsession.”

“What’s this?” Zora’s attention was caught by a metal egg-shaped sphere sitting between a large ceramic mug and a vase carved with symbols.

“No idea, but he must have prized it since he had it sitting on the fireplace mantel by itself.”

Zora grabbed the object and frowned as a tiny shock went through her fingers. She turned it over in her hands. “It’s not very heavy.” She hefted it. “Wonder what it’s supposed to be.”

“No idea, but if you want it, I’ll sell it for a buck,” the woman offered. “I want to get rid of as much of this as possible, else it will cost me a fortune hauling it to the dump.”

A dollar? She’d have gone up to five. “Sold.” Zora paid for the metal egg and tucked it under her arm as she kept browsing for other items she could use. She spent another five bucks on a box with some old rusty tools that could be cleaned for use. She almost bought a painting, too, which surprised, as she didn’t usually give a shit about that kind of stuff. However, the canvas, painted by hand and signed by the artist, caught the eye. The image of a very muscled dude, facing away, holding a sword, with a tattoo of the libra scales on his back did intrigue. Seemed like something you’d see on the cover of a romance novel, not hanging in some guy’s house. While intriguing, she couldn’t imagine displaying it, though, and thus chose to leave it behind.

Zora loaded her car with the stuff she’d bought, finished running her errands, and headed home. While she ate a sandwich, she eyed the sphere sitting on her counter. The smooth surface didn’t reflect anything, nor did it glint with the light no matter how she turned it.

What was it made of? Perhaps, despite its metallic appearance, it was painted plastic. Given its light weight, if the shell actually was metal then it would most likely be hollow. She’d soon find out.

The garage attached to her house had been converted into a workshop that included a welder, workbench, mini forge, basin with a faucet that she could fill for cooling, and a pegboard on the wall holding a variety of tools.

She set the sphere in a vise before grabbing a knife with the intent of peeling the surface. The tip of the blade slid across the orb without leaving a scratch. Hunh. Unexpected. Applying the drill to it to create a hole also failed. She took a reciprocating saw to it next, the jagged carbide teeth sharp enough to cut through anything.

The saw whirred, the blade screed, all to no effect. She blinked at the unmarred object. Definitely not plastic, but what kind of metal could withstand what she’d done thus far? None she could think of off the top of her head but she wasn’t giving up. On the contrary, the mystery intrigued.

Zora put on her welding mask and fired up her torch. A white-hot flame jetted from the nozzle, and she ran it over the orb, back and forth, before holding it in one spot.

The metal didn’t melt. Hell, it didn’t even change color. She held a hand over it, expecting to feel radiating heat off it, but instead felt nothing. When she poked it right after, preparing herself for a singed fingertip, the surface temp of it remained the same.

Definitely strange. She didn’t recall ever studying a metal that didn’t heat. As she ate some lunch, she pored over textbooks left over from her years at university. She went through the index, seeking out metals with the toughest properties. Tungsten, which had a crazy high melting point, titanium, chromium…

In her attempt to identify, she tried everything she could think of, even swung at it with a mallet!

Boing.

Her arms trembled from the reverberation, and the unmarred orb mocked.

What the ever-loving fuck?

Zora went to bed that night completely puzzled and woke in the morning determined to figure out the mystery. She logged onto some of her forums, the small community of metalsmiths always eager to help each other—and show off their talent.

She posted an image of the sphere and detailed her issues in identifying it.

Most of the comments that poured in over the course of the day proved unhelpful.

Alien artifact. Bury it deep! She doubted it was ET-crafted. However, it did make her wonder if it came from some kind of meteor. It would explain why she couldn’t class it.

Anyone can tell that’s not metal, claimed another comment. She, and her expertise, begged to differ.

Probably an ancient dragon egg. Try dropping it in a lava stream to see if it will hatch. Given she’d roasted it hot enough to melt rock, she doubted the suggestion would do anything.

How much for it? A direct message from Seeker419.

Sell it? She wasn’t averse to making a few bucks. Before she could reply, the next DM stated, I’ll give you a thousand bucks.

The offer raised her brows. That was quite the chunk of change for something that had cost her a dollar. Tempting, but at the same time, it made her wonder, what did Seeker419 know? And would they offer higher?

She replied with, Not for sale. Just looking for ideas on how I can use it.

It’s useless to you. I’ll give you ten K for it.

Ten! Holy fuck, the shit she could buy with that. But why, if it was so useless, would they be wanting to spend that much?

Is this some kind of ancient artifact? That might explain their eagerness to claim it.

Twenty thousand. Final offer.

Zora stared at the screen in disbelief. Twenty fucking thousand. Their desperation shone through. Would they offer more?

Let me think about it.

She logged off and leaned back in her seat, contemplating the sphere. She grabbed it, her fingertips tingling each time she touched it.

“What are you?” she murmured. Did it really matter? Even if she could figure out how to use it, she’d never make that much money selling whatever she created with it. Perhaps she should tell Seeker419 she accepted before they changed their mind.

In the morning. Perhaps by then, they’d have sweetened the deal a bit more.

For some reason, she took the metal ball to bed with her, and had a dream of a dark place with a voice that yelled, Wake up!

Zora’s eyes shot open just as someone slapped a damp cloth over her mouth and nose. The acrid stench of whatever coated it made her eyes water and close.

She woke—who knew how much later—in a locked room that looked an awful lot like a cell with its concrete walls and a thin pad on the floor. No window, just a single metal door that wouldn’t budge, no matter how hard she yanked.

Fear had her heart pounding, and panic had her screaming, “What the fuck? Let me out.”

To her surprise, she got a reply.

“You should have accepted the offer.”

Chapter 1

Capricorn crouched behind a wooden crate, waiting. He kept his breathing shallow lest it be heard. Hunting took patience. The slightest movement, sound, even a soft exhalation, could give away his position.

The sword in his hand fit comfortably. Some of his brothers liked to rely on firearms. Capricorn tended to choose what fit the situation. A gun could be practical in some fights, the long-range missile giving a kill without getting close, but sometimes silence was needed, and for that, a sharp blade did the trick.

The hairs on his nape lifted, and without even turning to look, Capricorn whirled and swung, scything his sword across the creature that crept up behind. He took it out just above the joint for its leg, toppling the oversized hairy beast. Another twirl took its head.

Victory!

The training simulation suddenly faded to show a flashing message midair. Aries wants you in his office asap.

The boss must have a new mission. Sweet. Training in the safety of Tower was all well and good, but Capricorn preferred to be in the field actually making a difference. As a Zodiac Warrior, he had a duty to protect Earth and its inhabitants from the monsters that human law enforcement was ill-equipped to handle.

He exited the chamber they used for battle simulation and headed up the stairs, wondering where he’d be going next. Hopefully, somewhere warm. While the cold didn’t affect the warriors, he preferred the freedom of movement that came with having to wear fewer layers so he didn’t stand out. People tended to remark on a guy standing out in freezing weather wearing only a T-shirt and shorts.

A brisk knock on the bossman’s door led to a shouted, “Come in.”

Upon entering the office, Capricorn noticed Aries sitting behind his desk looking grim. Then again, the man rarely wore a different expression. The sight of Sage, Aries’ wife, sitting in a chair, hands resting over her rounded belly had him tingling in anticipation. Only one reason she’d be present. Looked like it was his turn to be sent on a mythic quest.

“So, we have a mission for you,” Aries started to say.

“Hell yeah. My turn to Indiana Jones the shit out of the next artifact. Yeehaw.” Capricorn rubbed his hands together. He’d heard the stories of how his brothers had found some ancient relics. Locating long-lost caverns, evading traps, solving puzzles… Capricorn couldn’t wait to crush his mission.

“Not exactly,” Aries replied. “Seems like Cetus already has it in their custody. Your job is to extract it from their secret base in Area 51.”

The statement raised Capricorn’s brow. “Um, isn’t that an old military installation, meaning I can’t beam in—or out.” Something about the underground base prevented them from using their starbeaming power, a fancy word for essentially dematerializing in one place and ending up in another—hopefully with everything intact.

“Yes. Plus, it’s going to be guarded to the nines,” Aries added, steepling his fingers.

The info brought a frown. “Then how exactly am I supposed to retrieve it? We going in with the whole gang?”

“No, just you,” Aries stated.

It was Sage who next murmured, “I’m afraid, for this next task to work, you’ll have to be captured.”

His jaw dropped. “You want me to lose on purpose?” The very idea made him cringe.

“It’s the only way to win,” Sage replied. “Yours is the most important task, because if you fail, the world dies with you.”

No pressure.

Fuck.

“Are we sure about the captured part? I mean, surely there’s a backdoor I can sneak in, locate the relic, and then hightail it out. Soon as I get it outside, I should be able to beam my ass and the artifact out of there.”

Aries glanced at Sage, who shook her head. “Attempting to enter via subterfuge will fail.”

“But I’ll succeed if I let them nab me?”

“Maybe.”

He arched a brow. “That’s not exactly reassuring.”

Sage waved her hands. “The future is murky beyond your capture. I don’t see if you succeed or not. All I know is, it has to be you who attempts to retrieve it.”

“I have every faith in you,” Aries added. “After all, weren’t you bragging just the other night about being the best on the team?”

He had. In Capricorn’s defense, he’d downed a few shots of whiskey. “How soon should I leave?”

“In the morning,” Sage declared. “But I wouldn’t recommend starbeaming too close to the site.”

“Let me guess, you saw that going bad.”

“Well, you’d still end up where you should be, but how do you feel about a new scar?”

“Chicks dig scars.”

“This one would run from jawline to eye socket and you’d lose part of your left ear.”

Mar his pretty face? “Guess I’m taking a portal then. Anything else I should know?”

Sage stared at him with eyes that swirled with freakiness. “This mission will either make or break the world.”

“In other words, don’t fuck up,” Aries growled.

“Who, me?” Capricorn exclaimed. Then grinned. “Don’t worry. I got this.” Because failure wasn’t an option.

Despite being told he should hand himself over to the bad guys, Capricorn spent some time looking for another option. A warrior did not simply give up! Although he couldn’t help recalling Sage’s conviction that capture gave him the best shot. Handing himself over to the bad guys would certainly get him inside, but still, knowing Cetus—a company with nefarious dealings that on the surface appeared to be all about the climate and fixing it, but they were actually seeking the same artifacts as the Zodiacs and had tried to kidnap some of his brothers—he worried about what they’d do once they had him in their clutches.

With the help of Aquarius, their tech guy, they took a peek at Area 51. Aquarius pulled up satellite images of Area 51, of which there were only few because, imagine that, the government didn’t want plebes spying on their super-secret site. Although there were plenty who tried via all kinds of means. Renting a plane to fly over and take pics. Using drones fitted with cameras. Plenty of shaky video of folks trying to climb the fence and getting caught right away.

What he did learn was the site comprised a few buildings and hangars, but everyone knew the true facility was underground. While they could find no schematics for the base, Capricorn did get a feel for the terrain surrounding it.

Area 51 resembled a barren-ish wasteland. Scorching heat during the day led to hard-packed dirt and scrubby plants. Despite its less-than-hospitable climate, the area was popular enough to support a variety of alien-themed restaurants and stores selling related merchandise. People trekked to the spot from around the world in the hopes of catching a glimpse of something they could post about online.

When it came to infiltrating, Capricorn could easily evade the checkpoints manned by soldiers by climbing the chain-link fence plastered with Restricted Area signs. However, those weren’t the only protective measures being used to keep people out.

Aquarius zoomed in on an image of the perimeter and pointed. “Seems like there are sensors for motion detection not just running along the fence line but also sporadically placed within the secured area. I see cameras as well.”

“What if I starbeamed right outside a ventilation shaft to avoid them?” Capricorn asked, even as he recalled Sage’s warning. He wasn’t keen on a disfiguring scar.

“One, we’d have to find one. Their vents are camouflaged pretty well. Second, I would wager all ingress points have, if not cameras then, most likely, alarms.”

“Can’t you remotely disable them?” Capricorn asked.

“If I had access to their network, yes, but it appears they run everything internally, meaning no one can do shit from the outside. Even if I could divert the cameras and motion sensors and entry point alarms, there’s the AI drones.”

“Bah, drones are easy to shoot down, and given they rely on someone controlling them, surely you can intercept the signal.”

“Not these ones.” Aquarius pulled up some videos he found on the dark web, which showed a dark-colored, military-grade drone. “They’ve got Skynet two point oh’s roaming the sky. They don’t require a human operator, as their AI programming has them smart enough to fly themselves. They are also unhackable, at least according to my hacker peers, as well as bulletproof. I don’t see how you can avoid being spotted by one.”

Capricorn sighed. “So what you’re saying is, I’m either going in guns blazing and shooting the fuck out of everything, or I’m letting them capture me.”

“You know Sage wouldn’t have suggested it without reason.”

And usually, the warriors listened. After all, she was rarely mistaken in her advice.

Still, Capricorn couldn’t help but whine. “It just feels so wrong to hand myself over to Cetus. I thought that was the last thing we wanted, given they’ve been trying to get their hands on us to do some sciency shit.” AKA, Cetus wanted to dissect and analyze what made the Zodiac Warriors special.

“I doubt they’ll figure out what makes us special. It’s more than genetics.” A reminder that their powers, given to them by the stars themselves, were astrophysical in nature. Or, as outsiders called it, magical.

“You think it’s true they have the third artifact?” Aquarius asked.

“Sage claimed they do, and she also keeps muttering about a thirteenth Zodiac,” reminded Capricorn, and that wasn’t the pregnancy hormones talking.

A previously blank medallion in the portal room—which until now had only twelve spots for the dozen warriors—was two-thirds full. What would happen when it became whole? Would a new warrior suddenly join them?

“You know, there is some historical basis for a thirteenth, called Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer.”

“Never heard of him.”

“Me neither, until I started researching, and oddly enough, my information didn’t come from Tower’s library, but the internet.”

The revelation brought a frown. “Since when doesn’t Tower have the deets on something with historical basis?”

Aquarius shrugged. “Dunno. Kind of weird, right? But then again, given how that thirteenth dais in the portal room was blank until we started finding the artifacts, I am thinking the thirteenth Zodiac must have been wiped.”

“For a reason, one would suppose.” Capricorn pursed his lips. “Do you think his return is what will cause the world grief?”

“What did Sage say?”

“Nothing. I mean, she did say this mission was do or die for everyone. I have a hard time believing a Zodiac Warrior would turn to evil. We were chosen specifically because we’re heroes.”

“Anti-heroes,” Aquarius corrected. “Supposedly the true ones don’t kill.”

“Which is dumb,” Capricorn retorted. “Defeated bad guys don’t suddenly become good. If you don’t end them, then they’ll just start their shit again.”

“Agreed. Preaching to the choir, bro. I’m just saying there’s a fine line between the anti-hero and villain. I mean, look at Leo. He was borderline for a while there. I know Aries was watching him close to make sure he didn’t end up on the dark side.”

“Leo’s too noble to ever do anything that would merit discipline.”

“All it takes is the right push.”

“Well, the man is right as rain now that he’s got his kid back and his hot doctor girlfriend.” Lucky bastard. Capricorn would admit to being a bit jealous seeing all the happy couples. Aries and Sage had been together forever, but the recent hookups of Leo and Sagittarius with some chicks had him wondering if he’d ever find the right gal to settle down with. Hopefully one with a juicy booty.

“Still can’t believe Leo’s ex-wife fucked him over like that.”

Capricorn could. He’d seen the calculating look in Kylie’s eye the first time Leo brought her to Tower. The Tower of Babylon held untold riches and could do literal magic. He was sure more than a few outsiders brought here by circumstance had wondered how to exploit it. In Kylie’s case, it turned out she used Leo to birth a kid. A kid who ended up with powers like Sage. A child used by her own mother to try to bring the Zodiacs down. Only, in the end, Kylie’s plot failed because her daughter—Olivia—caught on and managed to orchestrate her own rescue.

The reminder of what Olivia could do had Capricorn dropping by Leo’s place for a quick visit. The big man answered the door wearing the little girl on his shoulders.

“Wassup?” Leo asked, letting Capricorn in.

“Just getting ready to go on a mission.”

“He wants me to tell him he doesn’t have to be captured,” the sweet—and much too perceptive—Olivia stated.

“Is there another way?” he asked, much too hopefully.

“No.” Olivia cocked her head. “It won’t be so bad, Uncle Corn. Zora’s going to be there too.”

“Who’s Zora?”

“You’ll see,” the child sang.

“Did you just come to grill my kid?” Leo growled.

“I was hoping for a second opinion, yes.” Capricorn sighed. “Guess I’m off to be captured.”

“Don’t worry, bro, if you get stuck, I’ll come rescue you.”

Capricorn’s lips twisted. “And never let me forget it.”

He left with Leo’s booming laughter following.

There seemed little point in packing much, seeing how he’d have it confiscated soon as he turned himself over. Capricorn just grabbed a few basics before he portalled out to the West Coast and rented a motorcycle for the drive to Nevada. Nicer than starbeaming, if he was going to be honest, the biggest downfall being the long drive gave him time to think about what might happen.

Would those guarding Area 51 shoot him on sight? A possibility.

Did his capture entail getting stuffed into a cage and having parts of his body trimmed off? That would really suck.

What about being forced to run on a treadmill like a hamster? They’d get bored before he got tired.

Subjected to electroshock therapy? No big deal. He’d once grabbed a whipping live wire to prevent it from electrocuting a bunch of people.

The absolute worst thing they could do to Capricorn, other than killing him of course, would be to have him fail his mission. He’d hate to end his winning streak.

Once he reached Rachel, Nevada, the town closest to Area 51, he stopped in at a trailer modified to appear like a flying space saucer. Edge of the Galaxy Curios and Gadgets, a store catering to certain types, not that Capricorn paid much mind to the posters and alien plushies. He browsed the rack of T-shirts in search of the perfect one.

He swapped into his newly purchased “I Believe shirt” before finishing his trip, driving right up to the entrance of Area 51. A pair of soldiers, holding guns, emerged from a shack.

Capricorn parked his bike and got off it, using a slow saunter to approach the men, one of whom barked, “Turn around, sir. This is a restricted area.”

“I’m pretty sure your bosses inside will want to see me. Name is Capricorn.”

“Sir, you need to get back on that bike and leave, now, before we’re forced to take you into custody.” The man with a stripe on his arm pointed up the road.

Capricorn held out his hands. “Go ahead. Arrest me.”

“Fuck off. We ain’t got time for this,” snapped the soldier with the patchy mustache.

Capricorn glanced around. “Yeah, I can see you’re real busy guarding against the invisible horde storming this place.”

“It’s like you’re cruising for a bruising,” snarled Patchy.

“Go ahead and hit me, but I warn you, no crying when you hurt your hand. Leo says I’ve got a jaw of stone.” Which Capricorn considered to be the highest compliment.

“You’re starting to piss me off.” Patchy bristled and lifted the barrel of his weapon, leading to his partner putting a hand on his arm.

“You can’t be shooting civilians.”

“Then why give us a gun?” Patchy argued.

“Hello, still here, waiting for you to arrest me,” Capricorn interrupted. “I promise, your boss will be happy you brought me in.”

“We don’t arrest folk. We send them on their way,” explained the calmer soldier.

Beep. Beep. The walkie at Patchy’s waist went off, and he held it up, clicking the button to mutter, “This is Exit One. Copy.”

“Bring that man to Zone 3,” said a crackling male voice.

“Looks like you’re getting your wish,” the nice soldier said. “If you’d give us your hands.”

“Ooh, you’re going to cuff me. Now we’re talking.” Capricorn held out his wrists and fought to not move as they placed the zip ties around them. This felt so wrong. Willingly submitting to capture.

But the embarrassment of it didn’t kill his humor. On the contrary, he had the biggest shit-eating grin as he said, “Take me to your leader.”

COLLAPSE