Renata Ra

 

This is a short story set in the Nephilim Legacy universe. The setting is in McManus' pub where Aiya still occasionally works. The other main character besides Renata is Loki.

 

I dedicate this short story to Glenda Wood as a token of gratitude for her amazing support of my work! Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

The clock on the wall chimed once to signal one AM in the morning and I stifled a yawn. I was on duty in Jeff’s pub, taking on Maggie’s shift since she had to study for an exam. My eyes ran across the empty pub, joy filling my chest as I was about to take the broom and sweep the floor, calling it a night when Loki reappeared out of the blue, coming over to the bar.

“You!” I said accusingly and took my apron angrily, tossing it on top of the drawer, behind my station. With the Nordic god still in the pub, I doubted I would be able to close the pub any time soon.

This night shift had been incredibly boring with few supernaturals and no wonder: yesterday was the big celebration party where all the gods and demons had gathered, and where Isis had publicly outed me as a Nephilim. I had met her, Hera, and even the infamous Lucifer for the first time. I trembled as I recalled his cold and dangerous beauty. I started to wonder why so many people, both supernaturals and humans were afraid of him.

I turned to Loki. “Don’t you sleep at night? Go! I need to close the pub.”

Loki grinned, a mischievous smile adorning his full lips. Hadn’t he been such a jerk, I might have had a crush on him, but then his regular asshole behavior kept reminding me as to why he was bad news.

“Not so fast, sunshine. I have a date.”

“You don’t say!” I couldn’t help but mock him. “I pity the poor girl. Is she even real?”

Despite his presence, I took the broom and began sweeping; I was alone during the shift and the boys would want to go home asap. I needed to finish my part so that we could all rest at home.

Loki seemed unperturbed about my lack of confidence in his game. “She’s not just an ordinary girl, she’s the daughter of Ra,” he said proudly as if he’d won a competition.

“Huh?” I asked, taking my head from the floor, my broom hanging in the air since I abruptly stopped. “What did you just say?”

Loki beamed and repeated, “You didn’t expect that, did you? You thought I’d pine for your colleague, Kellie, right? Well, screw her! I found a much better woman.”

Ignoring his snarky remark about my fellow waitress, I asked, “Who’s that woman? And how did you meet her?”

Loki stuck his chest out and said with the air of a college professor, “Renata is her name. I met her last night during the celebration party Durga threw here, in your honor.”

Ah, that made sense, though I hadn’t heard of her, but then I was busy interacting with Raphael over the majority of the night. Heat rushed between my legs as I recalled our passionate kisses. I shook my head, trying to banish these memories.

“This is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on,” Loki said dreamily. In the meantime, I had finished with the floor sweeping and was setting the chairs in order.

“Sleek black hair due to her being a raven shifter. She has the most beautiful and feminine body you can image, and her eyes are ocean blue—a feature of her being a cat shifter, too.” He kept talking, speaking with such reverence I never thought I’d hear from him precisely.

“She can shift into two animals?” I asked in disbelief.

He nodded. “I know, it’s a rare gift, but she is Ra’s daughter after all.”

I stopped before I could push the swinging doors open and asked him, “Then how come she has that mundane name of Renata?” I pushed the swinging doors, not waiting for Loki’s answer. I had to inform the kitchen boys and the cook that it was over for tonight. We were all tired and wanted to go home.

When I came back to the main hall, Loki fired his answer at me like a grenade, “Her name is Renata cause her mother named her so. Ra fell in love with a human and that’s how she got her mundane name.”

I furrowed my brows upon hearing Loki’s statement; what was it with him? Then I recalled our prior conversation.

“Okay, Romeo, get ready and leave the pub. We’re closing.”

“Okay, girly, I’ll pay you something extra if you wait with me a few more minutes.” He took out his wallet and counted a few stacks of fifties, placing them on the counter. “Please.” His teal eyes gleamed with a sincere request.

I sighed. I had told the boys that we were closing the establishment, but now that I thought about it, they could go home while I could wait with Loki for magic knows what girl.

“Why do you even think she’ll come here? And now? Do you have a date with her?”

Loki chuckled, his eyes glowing with pride. “She has to. I happened to find something she dropped in here last night. Of course, it’s all accidental.” He took a small leather amulet out of his jacket pocket. I made a step closer to him, wanting to take a closer look at the object, but he tucked it back into his pocket.

“Do not touch it, Renata may not like it.”

I rolled my eyes, deciding to ignore my snarky comment as to how the hell he was touching it, but I wasn’t allowed?

“Even if she notices, she lost her amulet, why do you think she’ll come just now? She lost it yesterday.”

Loki grinned from ear to ear, his smug face infuriating me. “It was yesterday in the human world, but in Angels’ City only an hour or something has passed since the celebration.”

Damn it! I tended to forget the time difference between the two realms.

“So, let me get this straight: you want me to wait with you some time so that your crush, Renata would come to search for her talisman?”

Loki shrugged. “Pretty much, yes.”

“You’re insane! Get out of here before I call goddess Durga to inform her of your behavior,” I shouted at him, raising my voice: this guy had the knack of making me mad.

“Aiya, please wait. She’ll come any moment soon. Just give it a few more minutes. Not more.”

“Why don’t you invite her to Angels’ City? You live in the same place.”

“You don’t understand! She’s in the Egyptian gods' department, I’m in the Nordic one; we are not allowed to mingle. Please, Aiya, you owe me this!”

I couldn’t spend even a minute in this empty bar less alone for Loki’s crazy rendezvous ideas. Deaf on his pleas, I made for the entrance, the pub keys jingling in my hand.

And just then the air in the center of the main hall shimmered, a bluish halo filled, adorning the space. Next, a tall and incredibly beautiful woman popped up in the hall. I stopped in my tracks and straightened my back as I studied her. I started to see why Loki had fallen for this girl: she looked like a crossbreed between Victoria’s Secret model and a Cosmopolitan cover girl. Tall, feminine with sleek black hair and blue eyes full of energy, even I felt mesmerized by her beauty. Yet, I snapped out of my enchantment within seconds; Loki on the other hand had that grin on his face of a teenager in love.

“I’m so sorry for the late appearance,” she began but abruptly stopped as she saw me. “Ah, Aiyana Carter!?” Renata rushed to me as she saw me, relief escaping her breasts.

“Yes, what can I help you?” I shot a glance at Loki who was still drooling over the girl. This man was a hopeless case.

“I’m so excited to talk to you in person. Isis spoke so highly of you.” Renata squeezed my hand while I gave Loki another murderous glare, but he was oblivious to my presence.

Renata turned to me. “I came to search for a special item of mine, a talisman. I must have lost it somewhere here. Have you seen it?”

I cleared my throat and tapped my fingers on Loki’s arm. He snapped out of his stupor and mumbled, “Umm, hi.”

She gave him a funny look, her eyes asking who the hell that guy was. I quickly intervened by introducing him to her,

“This is Loki and he was here last night, too.” I gave him a sign to speak up to her. This was his chance, he better not mess up.

“Hi, again. I, umm, I think I found your talisman,” he said sheepishly and took out the small object from his pocket.

At the sight of her lost talisman, Renata’s face lit, making her features even more handsome.

“Oh, my god! Thank you so much! How can I repay you?” She exclaimed and threw herself on Loki’s neck, giving him a tight hug.

I suppressed my laughter and decided to slide into the chair next to Loki. I wanted to watch their interaction.

“You’re welcome. I found it on the floor by accident and took it. It’s so beautiful to lie on the floor.” He dropped the talisman in Renata’s delicate fingers. She took it and put it on her neckline. Now that she had hung the object, I could study the talisman: it was made of some gemstone, though I wasn’t sure which; its color was blue and it fitted with her ocean blue eyes. I could see why she wanted her talisman back.

She turned to Loki. “I owe you something. Please tell me how I can repay your kindness.”

I suppressed a new chuckle at her mentioning “kindness”.

“I don’t know,” Loki began tentatively. “Maybe you could make me company at a restaurant?”

Renata clasped her hands, joy beaming on her face. “That’d be lovely. I’d love to get to know you better.”

I cleared my throat to draw their attention: I didn’t like to disturb them, but I had to go home too so I could get my sleep. “I’m so happy about you two, but could you please negotiate a date outside the pub? Please,” I added as I realized my tone might have been too bossy.

“Of course, dear. Don’t worry. I and Loki would go to Angels’ City. Have a lovely night, Aiyana.”

And with that she took Loki’s hand in hers, the Nordic god hardly containing his satisfaction. The same bluish halo glowed in the air, shimmering in the space and taking the coupledom. Good for them, I thought as the glow snapped shut and I was back alone in the hall.

I hoped this time Loki would find love. And maybe, he’d become a better supernatural, too. A girl could hope.