The Keepers
Part 13
by Elizabeth

    "I'm not sure about this." Rhea jittered.
    "It's as simple as channeling heat." Gene soothed, putting a comforting 
hand on Rhea's shoulder. They stood in the backyard of Gene's house as he 
worked with Rhea on mastering her power. "I know you've done that at least 
once. Instead of hands, you just channel it into breath."
    Rhea gave Gene a dubious look. She glanced past him at Julia and Shannon, 
who sat watching nearby at a patio table.
    "Go for it, woman!" Julia encouraged. "You'll do fine."
    Rhea shook her head, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Channeling 
heat into her hands to warm a cup of coffee was something completely 
different from what she was about to attempt. It didn't involve live flame at 
such a close range, and it came as instinctually as breathing.
    Cupping her hands around her mouth, Rhea reached easily for the power 
that burned perpetually in her veins like liquid heat. Instead of letting it 
seep into her skin, however, she forced it into her lungs as she took another 
deep breath and exhaled a combination of air and pure energy.
    A jet of ruby red flame shot out from between her lips, blazing angrily.
    The two women clapped and cheered. Gene just smiled approvingly.
    "It seems you have greater control of your powers than I thought." he 
complimented.
    "See?" Julia gloated. "You're a natural, I don't see what there was to be 
nervous about! Gene breathes fire onstage all the time, and he's only set 
fire to himself once or twice. You got it right your first time!"
    "A natural, she says. Easy for you to say," Rhea shot back with nervous 
humor as she wandered over to the table, "your powers won't accidentally turn 
you into a walking tiki torch!"
    Julia frowned darkly. "No, they won't, but they're still dangerous. I had 
a long talk with Paul before he left this morning...my powers might drive me 
insane."
    "Telepathy? Like your father?" Shannon asked.
    Julia shook her head. "Oddly enough, no. I have the potential, but only 
if I train hard at it. I'm empathic now, and a powerful empath at that."
    Gene sat down beside Rhea opposite Shannon and Julia, frowning 
sympathetically. "That's going to be tough. I remember Stanley Einsen's early 
days, when he first became avatar to The Soulbearer. For a time, he DID go 
insane while dealing with the onslaught of human emotion all around him. It 
was many years before he regained his sense of self."
    Julia nodded, gulping. "That's what Paul was telling me. He says that I'm 
actually luckier than Stanley." She reached out and set her left hand on the 
table. Around her wrist was a silver cuff, about two and a half inches across 
and almost paper thin. The cuff bore no inscriptions or adornements save for 
a single metallic stone in the center. The stone was a thick circular slab 
about as big across as a half dollar, gleaming dangerously in the light. 
Under the stone's shine, a stormy cloud was clearly visible as it shifted and 
roiled within.
    "Gene?" Shannon squeaked.
    Julia glanced at her gravely. "See why I'm so nervous now?"
    Rhea looked around the table in confusion. "It's beautiful...but what is 
it?"
    "The Heart of Chrome." Julia explained. "It's got about a billion 
different names from the ages, but that's what folks call it now. It's an 
ancient talisman, and incredibly valuable. It acts as a sort of controlled 
inhibitor for mystic energies. Paul's got it...er, 'set'...so I can't use my 
empathic abilities until I'm ready. My other powers remain unaffected." 
    "So what's the hulabaloo?" Rhea asked.
    "The Heart of Chrome is ancient, as she said." Shannon whispered in awe. 
"As a result, it's incredibly powerful. It's most basic use is what it's 
known for, but the potential this talisman holds has yet to be documented." 
She paused. "Lord knows what it can be used for in the hands of a god."
    "I'm afraid I might set this thing off." Julia admitted. "I mean, I don't 
know what the hell I'm doing with this stuff."
    "Well, Rhea's got excellent control over her own abilities," Gene thought 
aloud, "and you say you've had basic training in magick theory, right?"
    "Yeah...but it was all theory, not practice. What's your point?"
    "My point is that your power is steeped deeply in instinct. Much of what 
you need to know will come with use. The rest is bits and pieces."
    "That's pretty much how my firebreathing felt." Rhea admitted. "It took a 
little concentration...but I knew how to make the flame."
    "See? My point exactly. Try it, Julia. You're an empath, this also gives 
you the ability to broadcast your own thoughts and feelings. See if you can 
get us to read what you're feeling."
    "Well, let's try thoughts first." she hedged. Julia's stomach fluttered 
nervously as she tried to think of some memory she could send out. Telepathy 
was easiest, it was the ability she knew most about. She remembered her 
father's descriptions...just take a deep breath, think of something, and 
speak it silently as you exhale...that's how you add the magick...
    While she focused, Julia realized in the back of her mind that Jim had 
not yet returned with Paul. Thoughts of both her friend and her soulmate 
brought a strange feeling to the surface...one that brought with it a memory 
Julia kept hidden...
    There was a warm ripple of energy coursing through her skin before she 
could stop it. It was instant and instinctual...just as Gene had described.
    Gene inhaled sharply and grinned. "Oh, my."
    Shannon's eyes went wide and she laughed out loud, throwing her head back.
    Rhea reached out and lightly swatted Julia's shoulder. "Bitch! When and 
where have you EVER slept with my cousin!"
    Julia blushed bright red. "It was shortly after Jim came back to the 
force as a Special Investigator. We were both at a party...didn't get 
stinking drunk, but he had a few beers and I had a couple of tequilas..."
    "Oh, shit!" Rhea giggled. "And here I thought you were a good little 
girl!"
    Julia narrowed her eyes mockingly and grinned. "You obviously don't know 
me very well. Ask Jim...he'll tell you."
    "Indeed I will!"
    The foursome turned to see Jim walk out the back door of the house with 
Paul and an unfamilar young man in tow.
    "Paul!" Julia squealed, standing and running over to Paul. Paul instantly 
scooped her up in his arms and settled his lips firmly against hers.
    "Hey, oxygen people!" Rhea shouted after several endless minutes.
    Julia broke the kiss long enough to turn her head and glare at her new 
friend.
    "The power of the gods runs through my veins now." she shot back with 
mock regality. "Breathing is no longer an issue."
    With that, she turned her full loving attention to the KISS guitarist.
    Rhea just watched the pair go at it when she felt a silken arm slide 
around her waist, pulling her close to a firm, muscular body.
    "The same holds true for you, ya know." Gene purred in her ear, nuzzling 
the soft skin just behind her earlobe.
    Rhea shivered under Gene's touch, feeling her skin flush. "Yeah, well 
I've never been one for a big show. You're the performer in the family...me, 
I work best behind closed doors."
    Gene laughed against her, and the sound made her heart race. "Well then 
maybe tonight you'll have to give me a private show."
    Rhea was unable to resist the temptation to spin around in Gene's arms, 
pressing herself firmly against his body. Sliding her arms around his neck, 
she drew him close for a kiss that left them both breathless.
    "Consider it a date." she whispered, finally pulling away.
    "Uh, not to break up the love-in," Jim announced loudly, "but you all 
haven't met my good buddy Benji yet. He's the third Guardian...the Wanderer's 
progeny."
    Gene glanced at Paul over Rhea's shoulder. Paul nodded.
    Gene realeased her and walked over to Ben, sticking out a hand. "It's 
good to meet you, Ben. Now, where's that crazy ancestor of yours?"
    Ben chuckled. "Schmoozing the press, he says he got lessons from you. 
He's busy with some phone interviews at home, dropping hints about how he 
might want to give up the solo thing and how he loves the idea of a comeback 
tour."
    "He's learned well," Gene chuckled. "Just make sure he doesn't cause 
trouble...he's famous for that."
    "He told me some of the old stories...how have you managed to NOT kill 
him?"
    "Godlike control which he has stretched paper-thin on many occasions." 
Paul replied, finally breaking his liplock with Julia.
    Jim chuckled, then frowned. "Hey...where's Mike?"
    "He went out this morning...have you contacted him?"
    "Yeah, I did...he said he was bringing home a suprise. Didn't say what, 
though."
    Jim reached out for The New York Groove, searching for Mike. The rest of 
the group watched and waited.
    Jim's eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed, unconcious.