57. Secret Lovers

"Have you seen this?" Ana asked Zahira, showing her a frozen image from a video clip. Zahira recognised Orion. She shook her head. Ana pressed play and Zahira watched the footage. "It's all over the internet."

Zahira stared, open-mouthed. The footage showed Orion fighting some kind of monster. Zahira shivered. "What is that thing?" She exclaimed. The creature seemed to be some kind of giant serpent but with the upper body of a woman.

"A demon." Jaz's voice came from behind them and both girls jumped.

"A demon?" Zahira replayed the footage, watching Orion fight over and over. She froze the image on his face. His eyes were a startling white. In this fight, Orion didn't look handsome – he looked inhuman.

The café was quieter than usual that day and Jaz allowed them to keep an eye on the news. All day, specialists of some variant or other were discussing the video on channel one. They were debating if the footage could be faked, but as more and more clips flooded in from different spectator's phones, recorded on different nights from the past week – the idea of a hoax seemed less believable.

"This man, Orion, calls himself a Star Immortal." The reporter spoke to the camera. "And claims that he is here to rid the world of monsters. But can we really trust him?"

The debates raged on.

"I've found another one." Ana exclaimed. "This one was filmed on Wednesday night."

"That's three nights ago." Zahira and the others rushed over to Ana to watch the clip. Again, it showed Orion fighting the snake- demon. The demon sank her teeth into Orion's arm and Zahira quickly looked away, feeling sick.

"I recognise that sign in the background." Cesar pointed at the screen. "That's Bruno's place, that's only two streets down from here."

On her break, Zahira retreated to the store cupboard to secretly call Orion. She'd been watching the news, hoping to see him being interviewed or hear some confirmation that he was ok after the last fight. But the news reporters didn't seem to know. Zahira clutched her phone to her ear and waited anxiously for Orion to pick up.

"Zahira?" Orion's voice sounded tired.

"I...I wanted to check you were alright." She mumbled. Orion didn't immediately reply. "Hello?" Had they been cut off?

"That makes me happy." It sounded like he was smiling.

Zahira bit her lip.

"You're on the news. They are showing clips of you fighting a monster. Are you hurt?"

"I'll be fine." This sentence didn't entirely reassure her. It implied that he wasn't fine right now.

"Oh."

Zahira stood outside the door of  Sophia's penthouse apartment, worrying. She'd come because she wanted to check that Orion was alright. But...

But he hadn't actually invited her over. This was rude of her, wasn't it? She bit her nails and stared at the front door. She was almost in tears because she was so unsure what to do. She didn't want to invade his privacy. But she was his girlfriend, didn't that mean she could come over if he was hurt?

In her hands she carried a small box. She'd bought him a slice of coffee cake from the shop, it was her excuse for coming. But now, stood outside the front door, she felt stupid for being here. Zahira took a deep breath. Have some confidence, she chided herself. You're an adult. You have to be braver than this.

Zahira knocked on the door. And then immediately considered running away.

If no one answered, she'd already decided not to knock again. But then the door opened and Zahira was faced with Sophia.

"I have a slice of cake." Zahira burst out, holding the cake away from her as if it were a bomb. Sophia rose an eyebrow and stared at her.

"Ok..."

Zahira's heart was racing. Sophia, in a fitted dress with high heels that made her tower over her like a goddess, and with diamonds dangling from her ears like icicles, was perhaps the most intimidating kind of person Zahira could imagine. She was beautiful, she was confident and she was everything Zahira wanted to be but knew she never would be.

"For Orion." Zahira added awkwardly. She was sweating. This was going terribly, she wished that nobody had answered the door. Frowning slightly, Sophia stepped aside for Zahira to enter the apartment. Zahira ducked her head apologetically. "Sorry!"

"Zahira?" It was Orion's voice. She edged her way into the apartment and saw Orion leant against the kitchen island. Zahira's ears became hot. He was in a dressing gown that was tied very loosely, exposing his hard chest. Zahira quickly looked down at the ground.

"She's brought you a slice of cake." Sophia told him, sounding bored.

Orion smiled. Feeling flustered, Zahira handed him the box so that he could see for himself. She'd chosen the largest slice and had carefully protected it on the bus ride over here. Orion set the cake down on the counter and stepped closer to Zahira. She held still, heart pounding, as he tenderly kissed her forehead.

A phone vibrated on the side and Sophia answered it.

"Yes. No, I don't want to sell... Tell Graves to do his job properly..." Sophia left the room and headed out onto the balcony, her heels clacking loudly against the tiles. Zahira relaxed a little, glad that they were alone now.

"Were you worried about me?" Orion asked in a soft voice. Zahira hesitated, embarrassed, before nodding. Orion cupped her chin so that he could raise her face and more easily kiss her.

A couple of hours later, Zahira was leaving Orion's apartment. She was reassured that he wasn't on deaths door. But he definitely needed some rest. She stood outside the elevator, waiting for it to reach her. But when the elevator doors opened, a man stepped out. A man in a floral shirt.

"Zahira?" Jaz exclaimed, surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?"

"I... err..." Zahira had no idea what to say.

Her and Orion dating was supposed to be a secret. She needed it to be a secret - ff she didn't want another nasty encounter with the gang.

"Nothing." Zahira answered lamely. "You?"

"My friend lives here."

"Oh." Zahira wondered if he was referring to Orion or Sophia. She stepped quickly into the elevator, keen to escape.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow." Jaz said quickly, as the elevator doors started to close.

"Yes."

The lift descended and Zahira was left staring at her own repeated reflection. She felt guilty, as if she'd been caught doing something bad. Feeling oddly dejected, she hung her head and tried to clear her mind of anxious thoughts.

But she'd never been very good at that.

**

"I saw one of my employees in the hallway just now." Jaz commented, eyeing Orion distrustfully.

"Did you bring what I asked for?"

Jaz showed the cannister of tea, a special brew made by him. Orion made to take it but Jaz retracted his hand.

"Zahira is a sweet girl." He rebuked sternly.

"I know."

"Stay away from her."

Orion's eyes narrowed angrily.

"No." He pushed off from the counter. "Keep your tea, I'll be fine without it."

The son of Poseidon stormed off, trying to ignore the pain from his injuries. Once he was gone, Sophia emerged from the balcony – her call finished.

"Is that his lordships healing brew?" She asked, her tone scathing as she eyed the canteen. Jaz nodded.

"Why was Zahira here?"

"You know that girl?" Sophia asked. Jaz nodded.

"She works for me."

"Well, Orion's got a soft spot for her. He's a completely different person whenever she's around." Sophia set about making them both a drink. "She seems very shy."

"She is. I'm worried about her."

Sophia nodded understandingly and handed him a wine glass.

"I'll keep an eye on them when she's here. And make sure he's not being mean to her."

"Thank you." The two friends clinked glasses.

"You don't trust the Star Immortal."

Jaz shrugged.

"I don't trust any of the immortals. There's far too much ancient history in the way."

**

The next day at work, Zahira went to great lengths to avoid being alone with Jaz. It was difficult, because her boss seemed to have the opposite idea.

"Zahira, can you help me in the store cupboard?" He'd ask and Zahira would flounder and then reply confusedly.

"I'm sorry I have to wee again!"

Even the others started to notice eventually.

"Is something wrong with Zahira?" Cesar asked. Ana shrugged.

"Maybe it's a UTI?" She suggested.

On her break, Markus handed Zahira a carton of cranberry juice that he'd gone out to buy from the shop.

"It will help." He told her, before returning to top up the cakes. Zahira blushed and hung her head awkwardly.

**

"Are you and Orion dating?" Sophia asked, as she let Zahira into the apartment a couple of days later.

"Err... yes." Zahira replied, lacking confidence.

"Why don't you guys go out together then, you could go on a date." Sophia suggested.

"We're dating secretly." Zahira explained. Sophia frowned.

"And are you ok with that?" She asked. Zahira nodded vehemently. She was about to explain that the secrecy had been her idea, but Orion appeared just then.

"Zahira." He greeted, pulling her into an embrace. Zahira's heart thudded. He looked better today, and Zahira guessed that he was now recovered from his fight with the demon. Orion led her to his bedroom. It was a large room with a colossal four poster bed. The room was nice but it lacked much personality. If he was from ancient times, shouldn't he have more possessions? Zahira pondered.

Orion wasn't giving her a tour though. He kissed Zahira passionately. "My Zahira." He breathed, his voice already husky. Zahira still struggled to accept that this guy was her lover, how had she gotten so lucky? Orion set about undressing her, his deft fingers easily undoing the buttons of her blouse. She looked up at him and shivered, trapped by his heated gaze. "Zahira, I love you."

He lifted her up off the ground and carried her over to the bed. Zahira's brain was bewildered. Had she heard him right? Had Orion really just said that he loved her? He lay her down on the bed and continued undressing her. He kissed her and Zahira forgot how to breathe. It was like she was being consumed by Orion and everything else in the world had melted away. There was only him. He was the only one she could see, hear, taste and feel.