The temple was silent and no one came to greet them.
Kelsey placed her foot on the first step and her heart clenched. Oh no. She saw a sticky red pool drying in the sun. She touched it with the tip of her finger and then brought it to her nose, sniffing.
“It’s blood.” The bastard had been here. They were too late.
Desmond took out his gun and she quickly did the same. Tenpa stared at them, his eyes wide with fear.
“That man is here, isn’t he? The one my uncle told me about?” He grabbed a thick branch from the ground for protection.
Desmond brought his finger to his lips and quickly mounted the steps, Kelsey by his side. Together they pushed through the door, their guns drawn.
Devastation met their eyes.
The bodies of monks and multiple tourists were scattered across the floor, fallen where they had been killed. Some had congregated in a pile against one of the back doors. A man in a camouflage uniform, the police officer Constable Dondrup must have sent, was splayed out, a gunshot wound to the back of his head.
Kelsey moved into the room quickly, her gaze darting to each one, bending down and checking pulses, desperate to see if anyone was alive.
She kneeled next to a young Caucasian man who wore an Oxford University sweatshirt and a gaping wound to his temple. He held the hand of a young blond woman lying face up, blood pooled under her head. Her eyes were wide and unseeing.
Tenpa came into the room, cried out and vomited on the floor.
Desmond turned to him. “Go outside and keep watch so no one enters.”
His hands shook as he wiped his mouth. His voice shook. “But the man who did this? He may still be here.”
Desmond shook his head. “I don’t think he’s here any longer. The blood is hours old.”
Tenpa nodded, tears forming. He took his branch and left the room.
Desmond looked at Kelsey. “He has an automatic weapon with him. It’s the only way he could have killed this many people.”
Kelsey’s rage filled her vision. She wanted to destroy this horror of a man who had so little value in human life. She moved purposely into the temple, past the portraits of past Dalai Lamas, Buddhist statues, and into a great assembly hall. It was empty.
A muffled cry made her turn towards a small hallway that jutted off the conventicle. Lit by a skylight, she and Desmond moved down it and stopped at the door to one of the attached apartments. The muffled cry came again. Desmond kicked open the door, his gun raised, and propelled himself into the room.
Three monks were bound and gagged. They rushed to them, cutting their bindings.
Kelsey spoke to them in Tibetan. “Venerable ones, what’s happened here?”
She glanced around. The room had once been a small library, but now was in shambles, as if someone had been in a rage and taken it out on the old scrolls and books, looking and searching for something they couldn’t find. Broken prayer wheels, candles, parchment paper and dripping ink wells spread across the floor.
A younger monk with a red gash on his forehead and a split lip spoke for the others. “A man came to us this morning, telling us he wanted the secrets of Xanadu and that we were to give him the maps to get there. We told him we knew nothing about that land, but he didn’t believe us. He flew into a violent rage and killed our brethren and the pilgrims who sought sanctuary here. He destroyed our temple.” He bowed his head.
Kelsey leaned down and took his hands. “But you lived, Venerable One. Your path wasn’t to end today. I promise you, we’ll find this man. I promise you he’ll spend his ending days in Naraka for what he’s done. I personally guarantee it.”
Kelsey helped the monks to their feet and together she and Desmond searched the temple for any other survivors. There were none. Raul had killed them all. They found an empty automatic rifle lying discarded next to one of the victims.
“Sir, how long has he been gone?” Desmond asked one of the monks. They were congregated in the outdoor garden.
“At least five hours. He left by mid-afternoon, but we don’t know where he went. Possibly back to the village? If so, they’re in danger and you must go and warn them.”
That’s not where he’s going. I’d bet my life on it. Kelsey shook her head. “No, there’s nothing in the village he seeks. He’ll be going to the Bodhidharma Monastery.”
There was a collective sigh among the monks. “They’ll be safe, then.”
Safe? No one was safe from that man.
As if reading her thoughts, the monk answered her. “The monastery is built like a fortress and difficult to get to. Any approaching visitor can be seen for miles and they have a group of Shaolin Monks on the grounds, protecting them.”
“Monks skilled in Kung Fu,” Kelsey mused.
The monk nodded. “They will be safe. Even the Chinese military leave them alone.”
Too bad they didn’t have those Shaolin Monks when I lived here.
Tenpa came into the room. His fists were clenched and his face was a mask of fear and outrage. “Yes, they are left alone because of the secrets, right? Everyone knows that particular monastery is hiding something.”
The monks said nothing.
Tenpa shook angrily. “Are these secrets worth dying for, Venerable Ones? That monastery is cloistered for a reason. The oldest Tibetan tales talk of hidden worlds and ancient ones who sought the protection of the order. If you know something, you must tell these people so they can help. Look at those who’ve died for this. Pilgrims who only came to you for enlightenment and still you say nothing to help them!”
Again the monks were silent.
They know. “You know what they’re guarding, don’t you?” she whispered. “You’ve been bidden to protect it. Please, tell me you know about the land of Xanadu.”
The monks nodded. “We know all about it, Kelsey, as do you.”
She sucked in her breath. “And you know my name.” It wasn’t a question.
The oldest monk stepped forward. “You’re the chosen one, Kelsey. The very one who holds the secrets to what’s coming and the only one who can stop it.”
Me? Kelsey stared at them, helplessly. “But, how?”
“Go to the monastery, child, and you’ll learn. They’re waiting for you.”
* * * * *
Within the hour, Kelsey and Desmond were on their way, leaving Tenpa to return to the village, report to his uncle what happened, and bring the police and government officials out to the monastery and their victims. There was no time to waste. It was a long walk to the Bodhidharma Monastery and they had to hope Raul wouldn’t be able to get inside the temple before they arrived.
They’d forsaken the fire this cold evening so Raul wouldn’t be able to make out their campsite, and set up the tent hidden in a crevice within the brush on the side of the mountain face. They hoped to get just a few hours of rest before they moved on again.
Kelsey took the last bit of Constable Dondrup’s food. She couldn’t keep her mind off the scene Raul had left behind of the monks and pilgrims, strewn about like discarded garbage. Just like her parents--killed and discarded as if their lives meant nothing. These monks knew Xanadu had to remain hidden from Raul and had kept its secrets. Like those in Colombia, they must have known their path in this world was over and Kelsey hoped they would move right through to nirvana. That their sacrifices meant something.
She felt Desmond place a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Are you okay?” He crouched before her and took her hands in his. He sat in shadow, the light from the moon their only illumination as it penetrated the small plastic windows of the tent. His hands were wonderfully warm.
She stared at his fingers as he rubbed her hands together. She was cold. Slowly, pinpricks of feeling moved into them, but she couldn’t stop shivering.
“Come here,” he said, moving closer to her.
Kelsey eyeballed him. “You’re not going to take advantage of me again, are you?” Oh if I weren’t so cold.
&nbs
p; Desmond rolled his eyes, huffing. “Yes, I’m going to take advantage of you in the middle of the mountains with a crazed armed lunatic on the loose in twenty-five degree weather. That’s exactly the way I’d like my second time with you to be, since the first time was just so incredibly wonderful and fantastic.”
Touché, Desmond. She stared at him as he held her hands tight, but didn’t move. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she let this go?
Desmond shook his head. “Look, Kelsey, I just don’t want either of us to freeze to death, okay? You’re shivering, it’s freezing out here and for the last time, what happened in Colombia was an accident. I was dreaming.”
She grunted. “Yes, but in my world, dreams are reality.”
“While that may be true, let’s try not to be so literal. I promise to be a total gentleman, and if I’m not, you’re free to kick me again.”
Kelsey considered this for a moment, but then a second set of shivers shook her and she crawled into Desmond’s arms. He wrapped the sleeping bag around them both and they huddled together. She had to admit it felt good in his arms, but sleep didn’t come easily. It was at least a half hour before they were both warm enough to nod off.
Before dawn’s light, they awoke and struck the tent.
* * * * *
Neither of them saw the man watching them, hidden within the trees on the overhang above their tent.
Watching and scratching at the two long scars that streaked down both his cheeks.
Chapter 26
THE TEMPTRESSES
Raul faded back into the woods, his rage so intense he shook with each step. Those stupid monks at the monastery had told him nothing. Nothing! They had died for it, along with the pitiful pilgrims who’d sought enlightenment. Bunch of stupid fools. Now he wanted to kill the two he hunted.
He picked up a rock and threw it against a dead tree, wishing it was the bitch’s face. He blamed her for everything and he wanted nothing more than to go to her tent and destroy both her and her boyfriend, slit their throats and beat them until they were unrecognizable. But he couldn’t yet. He needed them to find Xanadu. That damned map was of no use to him anymore. It was her. She was going there and he was damned if he wasn’t going there with her. To lose after all these years? It was unfathomable to him.
As the frigid wind whipped his face, shivers overtook him. He threw his pistol on the ground and wrapped his jacket tighter around his body, but it didn’t help. He closed his eyes, and tried to breathe deeply and ignore the wind and cold, focusing only on the prize at the end.
He shivered again and he bit his lip, tasting blood.
“Here, let me help you.”
Raul whipped his head around at the sultry voice. Incredibly, the bitch was in front of him and stark naked! He grabbed for his gun, but she moved forward lightning fast. She grasped his wrist with one hand and clutched his shoulder, pushing him to his knees with her other hand. Her grip was like a vice.
Raul tried to fight her, but realized he couldn’t move. Focusing, he saw it wasn’t the girl at all. There were similarities, though. She had the same long, dark hair and an incredible body, but this one was more voluptuous and taller. Her skin was darker too--a rich, olive tone. She wore a tear drop-shaped ruby bindi between her brows.
“Who are you? What the fuck do you want?” He stared at her lithe, delicate hands, realizing how warm they were on his shoulders. Warmer than a normal woman’s should have been. He stared at her perfect breasts and the soft curves of her body. He also realized he’d stopped shivering.
The woman smiled seductively. She reminded him of an Indian goddess. “We’re here to help you, Raul.”
“We?” He was suddenly lightheaded and felt himself getting aroused.
She smiled at him. “My sister and I will make all your troubles disappear.”
A second raven-haired beauty came towards him, gliding across the bare rock and dressed only in a sheer sari. He could see every outline of her exquisite body. She leaned over him and kissed him deeply, warmth radiating off her skin as if she had a fire burning within her. She began to sing. He felt himself disappear into the melody as if he’d been drugged.
Without a fight, he let the women lower him to the ground. Desire and longing flooded him and, though part of him feared these strange women being in a place no woman should be, there was nothing he could do as the temptresses slowly removed his clothing. His mind was no longer his own. Only his lusting thoughts propelled him forward. He would do anything for them, his free will sacrificed.
The first beauty caressed his manhood and kissed his torso. The other nymph spread her body out next to him and quietly hummed a haunting tune in his ear.
He nodded. “Anything,” he breathed. “I will do anything you ask.”
And his soul was lost.
Chapter 27
BACK TO XANADU
The morning was still. Even the rustling of the wind through the barren landscape of red rock sounded forlorn and silent. The tumult of the river far below was a faint gurgle, and a flock of birds, startled by their footsteps through the dry, sparse grass, erupted above them in a flutter of furious wings. As the dawn’s light burst over the horizon, illuminating the snow-capped mountains with streaks of pink and gold, it did, indeed, seem they were alone at the top of the world. Pilgrims on a spiritual journey, seeking the enlightenment that only came with deep reflection and thought.
Kelsey and Desmond moved quickly across the worn trail, Kelsey in the lead, both their guns now worn on their sides. After the horror Raul had left behind at the Kungri Nako Monastery, they knew it was only a matter of time before they saw him again. Raul had come to Tibet for answers and if he didn’t get them, he was prepared to kill.
“Kelsey, do you believe now that Tedanalee is Xanadu?”
Yes, she did. She thought about that as her footfalls crunched the dead growth. “It’s the same place.” Her breath streamed in the air.
Desmond prodded her. “Is it a real location on this earth or a dream world? Or, a different reality entirely?”
“What do you think?”
He stopped and stared at her. “I don’t know.”
Kelsey shrugged. “Me, either. But I’ve finally accepted they are one and the same. As to what it is exactly? I just don’t know.”
By midafternoon they reached the summit of one of the lower mountains and the valley stretched out before them for miles in every direction. Directly across the valley, the Bodhidharma Monastery showed itself majestically. It was built within the rocks itself, surrounded by the mountains. A massive structure, with tall, stone walls encircling it, it reminded one of a huge, impenetrable fortress. How it had withstood all the attacks and purges over the violent years was a mystery.
Kelsey stared across the expanse. “How my father ever got them to accept him is still a mystery to me. It’s the most secret order in the world. No pilgrims are allowed to come and only a few local children are allowed to enter for schooling. To accept a foreigner, an American no less, under the political circumstances of the times, continues to amaze me.”
“If they’re protecting something and its very survival was in jeopardy, possibly they needed his help,” Desmond said. “Of course, then there’s Shojuharu, who said it was you all along, Kelsey. You were the one who needed to help them. It’s just such an odd thing to expect of such a young child if it were true.”
They made their way north, following the trail, down into the valley and then back up the summit towards the dark windows that faced them. It reminded them of eyeballs, windows to the soul, looking down upon them.
Any sentry would see there were visitors approaching and would be prepared.
Thirty minutes later, they neared the outer gate. A sense of déjà vu hit Kelsey as she ran her hands over the large tarnished bell on the outer wall. The familiarity was nearly painful. “I used to ring this very chime each morning when I came for classes. My father and I would leave at dawn and walk the mile to school.” She
looked over the valley, pointing. “You see that glen over there? That copse of trees that seems to rise up higher than the others? There’s a small stream at its base and is rimmed with large, flat stones. We’d sit on them each morning and eat the tsampa my mother would pack for us, and then for the rest of the day my father would work with the monks and I’d take my studies with them.”
She picked up the mallet hanging from a worn rope attached to the wall and struck the bell. Its gong resonated across the plaza. Just like in her youth, the doors slowly opened and she and Desmond crossed the threshold and stepped back into time.
* * * * *
A group of elder monks stood silently before them. Kelsey took a long, hard look. Yes, she remembered them. Slowly, names to faces came unbidden to her mind. Jampa, Kechok, Metok.
A Shaolin Monk, holding a long spear, quickly shut the gates behind them, but not before shifting his gaze back and forth across the valley. Another Shaolin Monk moved next to him, a butterfly sword in both his hands.
“Good Sirs, there’s a man coming,” Kelsey ventured.
The monk holding the spear jerked his head in her direction, speaking in Tibetan. His eyes were sharp and intelligent. “We know. Come with me. There’s no time to waste.” The Shaolin Monk ushered them swiftly past the elder monks, who stared at Kelsey with such pained expressions she became scared. Had Raul already been there?
“Are they afraid of the man who comes, Master?” she asked, running to keep up with him. Desmond kept pace at her side.
“They’re afraid of the man, of you, of all of it. This path’s time is running out. The worlds are colliding and they’re terrified of he who hunts you. For he’s coming for you right now, Kelsey. To stop you from what needs to be done.” He froze in his tracks and turned to her. “We know he’s the same one who murdered your parents and hurt you. He’ll never see samsara for what will seem an eternity. This man is destined to reside in the hell planes with his master until eventually the karma which sustained his existence is exhausted.”
The Hunt for Xanadu Page 20
