Read Earth's Hope for Free Online

Fionn’s magic carried many faces, and she thought back to the first time he’d shielded her from harm in a thick pine forest in Northern California. She leaned toward him and murmured, “You mean those women-bird things are real? Did the dark gods send them?”
    “Aye, they’re real, but probably not connected with the dark ones. Add your magic to mine. They’re too close to make a run for the manor.”
    Aislinn wove threads of power into the warding around the three of them. “Where’s Bella?”
    “I doona know, but she can take care of herself.” Fionn spoke tersely. “Damn! It’s been hundreds of years since they’ve shown themselves.”
    Deep evil touched the edges of Aislinn’s power, different from anything she’d ever felt before, and she straightened her spine. “They’re strong. How can we fight them?”
    “Depends which ones show up and what they want.”
    “Goddammit, Fionn. You’re talking in riddles, and I need information.”
    “What? Ye want a crash course in mythology?”
    “If it will help me understand what we face, yes.” Aislinn’s temper, always a weak point, flashed white hot.
    “There are three. Aello, or sea storm, Ocypete, or swift flying, and Celaeno, or dark one. My best guess is they doona care for the dark gods’ energy and have their own ideas for how to address the problem.”
    “Smart.” A multi-toned voice that reminded Aislinn of the Lemurians echoed out of the darkness.
    “He always was,” a second voice chimed in.
    “Holy crap! You know them?” Aislinn demanded, not liking the shrill note in her voice. Next to her leg, Rune vibrated with outrage.
    “Of course.” Fionn sounded exasperated. “We’re in the Old Country. The gods all know one another. I told you, magic runs stronger here.”
    Light showered around them, and two glowing figures burst into view. Close to six feet tall, their upper torsos resembled human women. Long, tangled blond hair partially hid their naked breasts. Feathers started about stomach level, and their lower bodies were birdlike, with long curved red talons tipping each foot. Energy pulsed from them. When Aislinn looked closer, she saw coal black wings folded over their naked, human backs.
    “Aello and Celaeno. Welcome.” Fionn half bowed, never taking his eyes off the pair.
    “Polite won’t save you.” One of the Harpies grinned and licked her lips.
    “Save me from what?”
    “We’re not interested in a pitched battle between you and the dark gods and the Lemurians,” the other of the pair spoke up.
    “Fine.” Fionn shrugged. “Do something about it.”
    “We are.” The grin widened, and Aislinn saw pointed teeth. “If we take you out of the equation, it will at least slow things down.”
    Fionn loosed a string of Gaelic curses. “Ye’re mad, Aello, but then ye always were.”
    The grinning Harpy leveled molten silver eyes at Fionn. “You didn’t feel that way when you shared my bed.”
    Aislinn gnashed her teeth together. This just got better and better. “Did you fuck all of them?” she gritted out.
    “What difference does it make?”
    Guess I got my answer. Aislinn wrestled her temper into détente and stepped forward. “Nice to meet you—” she began.
    “Save it, human,” the other Harpy broke in.
    “Oh, really?” Aislinn bristled. “You must be Celaeno. You could help us. Surely you don’t want Earth to fall into the dark gods’ hands.”
    “What we want is for all this”—Celaeno swept her arms wide—“to go away. It disturbs the magical currents—and our rest.”
    Breath whistled from between Fionn’s teeth. “Where do the rest of the Greek gods stand?”
    “Like whom?” Aello inquired archly.
    “For starters, your father, the sea god, Thaumas. Or your mother, the nymph, Electra.”
    “They live in the Aegean.” Aello narrowed her silver eyes. “We haven’t seen them in several hundred years.”
    “Ye’re hedging,” Fionn said, and placed his body between Aislinn and the