“Let’s go,” Rod said, standing up. “Hurry!”
He was still holding Shelly and led the way, running to the spot where the Jeep was hidden. Everyone else followed, Mike carrying Ivory.
Guy was already in the driver’s seat and had the engine growling, ready for passengers.
They all piled in, almost on top of each other.
“Keep the headlights off,” Rod said. “We don’t want anyone seeing us.”
“It’s so dark I can’t see much,” Guy muttered, leaning way forward to peer out of the windshield.
“Just don’t drive us over the cliffs,” Vincent said. “It would be a sad end to our successful odyssey.”
Guy gunned the engine and the Jeep sped onto the road, did a quick three-point turn-around, and headed away from Omar’s stronghold on the twisty road.
Michelle thought Omar was probably back in the basement, hiding from the police. The people inside would tell the police he’d never been there. And the police, even if they searched every room in the whole place, would never find the hidden door to the basement.
It didn’t matter much, as long as the police took their time. If they left Omar’s place, caught up to the Jeep and stopped them, there would be lots of questions. They’d probably want to take them all to the police station: How did they get the little missing children? Where was Omar? Where were they taking the girls? Questions that none of them wanted to answer.
Michelle smiled when she thought of explaining to the police about how she had used a magical knife to take away Omar’s powers. And that her three daughters had helped drain him of paranormal magic.
Since Omar was now powerless, it didn’t matter if the police found him or not.
Right now, they all just wanted to go home. And maybe sleep for a week.
Chapter 37
The ride in the Jeep across the island to the tiny airport, and subsequent plane ride from Kauai to Oahu, went by in a hazy blur. Everyone was exhausted. The girls slept in Michelle’s and Heather’s arms most of the way.
When the Beechcraft finally landed at Guy’s airfield on Oahu, they thanked him profusely. He had helped them in the past and felt more like a friend than someone they had hired for a day to help them.
Rod, feeling euphoric, handed Guy an enormous check for his part in the successful quest. He felt there wasn’t enough cash to pay for saving two little girls from a horrible fate.
Then they all piled in Rod’s car and drove into Waikiki, to the Outrigger Hotel.
It was past midnight and they were a scruffy group. Michelle had blood smeared on her clothes. Rod was covered by a jacket because his shirt was missing. They were all dirty from diving in the shrubbery at various times during the day. Although they had tried to brush themselves off, they still had leaves and dirt clinging to hair and clothing.
The doorman, wearing a dark blue uniform, asked if he could help them as they headed into the lobby. He was being courteous, but probably wanted to keep unsightly vagabonds out of his hotel.
“We just came to see some friends,” Rod said.
Heather winked at the doorman, “We were on a play-date with the children. Got a little grubby.”
The man looked at the beautiful women, Heather and Michelle, each carrying a sleepy little girl and opened the door.
Michelle led the way quickly to the elevator. She knew the room where Leilanie and Petal were staying. The way they all appeared right now, she didn’t want to stop at the front desk to let Leilanie know they were here with the children. They could still be thrown out of the hotel because of their appearance.
On the way up in the elevator she called Leilanie: “We’ve got Shelly and Ivory. On the way up to your room right now!”
When they got to the fourteenth floor and exited the elevator, they saw Leilanie standing just outside her room in the hallway. She was in her nightgown, rubbing her eyes. Petal appeared behind her in the doorway dressed for sleep, too.
Heather and Michelle put Shelly and Ivory down. They woke up, saw their mother, and their little legs wind-milled. They both ran into Leilanie’s arms, yelling “Mommy, mommy,” waving their little arms.
They didn’t put the brakes on in their rush. They almost knocked her down. Leilanie sat down in the hallway, hugging her daughters and crying.
Everyone else had tears in their eyes, watching the reunion.
A couple of doors opened in the hallway. People had heard the children yelling for their mommy and stuck their heads out to see what was going on.
Leilanie stood up, her arms still around the children, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her nightgown. Then the three little girls were jumping up and down, squealing and hugging each other, the sisters so happy to be back together again.
Leilanie gestured them all inside the room before someone called security to report a loud commotion in the hallway.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Leilanie said, tears still in her eyes. “Can you all sit down and tell me what happened?”
They gathered together on the beds and in several chairs from around the room that they pulled close.
As they did so, Ivory and Shelly sat draped against Leilanie and couldn’t talk fast enough telling the whole story of what had happened; from the time of their kidnapping from the wedding, and the helicopter ride to Kauai, to being locked in a smelly dark basement, and finally rescued.
“…Father dropped us from the balcony at the wedding. Samson was on the beach below. He caught us and he ran away.”
So that was how Omar had abducted the children so fast, Michelle thought.
Michelle’s ears pricked up when Shelly said, “…and Samson threw the two French women out of the helicopter. Into the ocean.”
That was something Michelle hadn’t known. She looked over at Rod and shook her head. The children’s stories might have sounded fantastic and unbelievable, but she knew it was all true.
“…And we didn’t eat. We hunger striked.”
“We just cried and cried, because we were so sad, hoping they would take us home.”
“…I’m hungry now, Mommy.”
“…We had to go through this long, long tunnel, away from the dark and smelly place.”
“…Right through the mountain. I’m hungry too!”
“…Then Michelle and Nohea found us on the stairs.”
“…We drained father of all his energy. And, Michelle used her magic spell with a knife.”
“…When he was totally drained he walked away from us, so we ran back through the tunnel and Mike and Rod carried us up the stairs…”
As the children told Leilanie about their adventures, Michelle had been looking back and forth at Nohea and Leilanie. They both had an exotic Hawaiian beauty, with large slanted eyes and full lips. She thought they could be mistaken for sisters. If Nohea hadn’t helped her, they might never have found the children.
Vincent turned and whispered to Michelle. “I’m going to ask the concierge in the lobby about getting something to eat for the children. Poor little things must be starving.”
Vincent quietly left the room.
Since the children finished their tale and were occupied with petting Lucifer, Michelle introduced Leilanie and Nohea.
“I’m so glad you were there, taking care of the children,” Leilanie said.
“I sure learned my lesson about Omar. Initially, I thought I was in love with him.”
“Join the club,” Leilanie said, rolling her eyes.
“But I found out he’s so mean and scary,” Nohea said.
“Diabolical,” Leilanie nodded.
“He would have dragged your girls away with him so you’d never see them again. He had plans to get your third daughter, too. I heard him saying he wouldn’t leave the islands without all the girls.”
“I think he really did lose all his power though,” Michelle said. “You wouldn’t have recognized him, Leilanie, after his power was drained. He became an old wizened man, wrinkled and shriveled, in a m
atter of minutes. It was horrible to see.”
“So we aren’t in danger anymore?” Leilanie asked.
“No, I don’t think so. With his power gone he still has his fantastic fortune, but I doubt he has the strength to threaten you or the girls ever again. The police came just as we were leaving, but I don’t think they’ll catch him, either.”
As they were talking, evidently Vincent had been successful with the concierge. There was a knock on the door and two delivery men came in carrying large platters. They deposited the trays on a table by the balcony.
Michelle went over and looked at the lavish display of food. There were Mahi-Mahi sandwiches, Lomi Salmon steaks, mung bean noodles, bowls of poi, and Lau-Lau (roast pork wrapped in Taro leaves.) And a bowl of fresh sliced pineapple for dessert. It was all traditional Hawaiian food, except for lots of curly sweet-potato fries that the children loved.
Vincent came into the room behind the guys spreading out the feast, smiling happily.
“Wow, Vincent, thank you,” Leilanie said. “We were so worried, Petal and I haven’t eaten much today. This is a real treat.”
Everyone filled up paper plates with the food and sat down. It was a wonderful feast after the danger they had experienced rescuing the children from the frightening Necromancer, Omar.
As they ate, Heather described the spell Omar cast on her and Mike, Vincent and Rod when he caught them in his home. “After a while, I couldn’t breathe. I really thought I would die.”
Michelle hadn’t known much about the horrible curse Omar threw on her friends. She told them how she and the girls had tried to lift it, using her diamond, Abigail.
“It worked!” Heather said. “I knew you did it.”
“I was so scared,” Mike added. “Heather’s fingernails and lips were blue. I was afraid she wouldn’t make it.”
“I feel so guilty,” Michelle said. “I knew this trip would be dangerous.”
“But we wanted to come along,” Mike said. “This was so much more rewarding than a honeymoon cruise.”
“I agree,” Vincent said. “Wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Look at the children now. They would have had such a sad and lonely life if Omar had managed to take them away.”
They all glanced down at the children, who were sitting on the floor contentedly, smiling, eating, and petting Lucifer.
“Seeing happy children is the most fun.” Leilanie said.
They nodded at each other. They didn’t need words; all agreed saving the beautiful children was a gift.
Chapter 38
“Yahoo!”
Rod swiveled his head and looked at Michelle. “What was that about?” He closed the door. “Any louder and you would have deafened me. And awakened the whole building.”
They had just gone into their apartment after a long day; rescuing children, and then a smashing triumph against the deadly Necromancer, Omar.
He added, “You even startled Lucifer.” The cat had streaked into the kitchen.
“We can get married!”
Michelle was spinning around in a circle so fast her long black hair twirled around her like a black veil. “I’m just so, so happy!”
Rod picked her up, smiling, and twirled her around himself several times. “We’ve been living together for four years, but you didn’t want to make it permanent ‘till now?”
When he put her down they were both so dizzy they almost landed on the floor.
“It was my fondest wish to marry you. But I couldn’t as long as Omar was still somewhere out there in the world with evil intent. I knew he would try to harm you.”
Rod laughed, “Is that the only reason?”
Michelle nodded. “And we better do it fast. I’d look silly walking down the aisle with a huge bump in front of me.”
“Yeah, some might think it was a shot-gun wedding.”
“Oh well, who cares? I’m going to call my brother, Bobby, and my parents. And Heather, and Mike, and the professor. Some friends from work. And Leilanie and the girls. But let’s keep it small.”
Rod nodded. Just my parents and some friends. I agree, small and fast.”
He patted the small bump at her abdomen. “I was so worried you and the baby would be harmed today.”
“That’s why you pulled all the bandages off your arm?”
Rod nodded. “I think you healed it anyway. It doesn’t hurt at all. Now you need to rest, and let that little baby inside you have some quiet time too.”
“I don’t feel tired at all. You know, when we drained Omar of power, I got some of it. I think it’s permanent.”
Rod looked at her concerned, but didn’t say anything. If she had received psychic abilities from an evil man, did that mean this new power was evil?
One week later:
Michelle was on her way to lunch in downtown Waikiki, taking off an hour from her workday at Heroshi Corporation. She had decided to walk, it was such a gorgeous day, and a little gentle exercise was healthy for the baby. It was good to be back at work and life was proceeding normally for her and Rod.
They had their wedding all planned. It was just two weeks away. They would have it in the beautiful backyard garden at Mike’s house in Kahala, a neighborhood east of Diamond Head.
Of course Heather was thrilled, and they had shopped ‘till they dropped, finally finding the perfect wedding gown for Michelle.
She gazed in the window displays as she walked along, and suddenly stopped, riveted by the sight of a beautiful necklace. It was thick gold, and twisted with tiny diamonds shining through the wide chain. She felt her heart speed up at the sight and could almost imagine herself drooling. She wanted it. And she wanted it right now. It beckoned to her. The diamonds were real, she knew, and looked like tiny twinkling stars. She had an urge to hold and fondle it.
Michelle blinked in surprise and glanced away, frowning. Jewelry normally wasn’t a big deal to her. She had some pretty stuff she never even wore. She certainly didn’t need a necklace from Paiget Jewelers, one of the most expensive boutiques in Hawaii.
She felt like she had to have it.
Knowing this was strange, odd, and out of character for her, Michelle almost felt entranced as she turned and walked back to enter the doorway of the shop. When she was about to go inside, hand on the doorknob, she heard angry honking from the street.
She turned to see what the commotion was about. The corner traffic light had turned green. Trapped inside the intersection cross-walk was a tiny, old, white haired Asian woman. She was probably hobbling as fast as she could go to reach the other side of the street. The woman was so small most motorists probably couldn’t even see her. The nasty man in the car in front of the old lady was blasting his horn. The car behind him was also honking.
Michelle instantly took off, running into the street, holding both of her hands up high, waving them. She was tall. Everyone could see her as she ran to the old woman.
“Let me help you,” Michelle said.
The woman looked terrified and baffled by the noise.
Michelle gently put her arm around the thin hunched back and lifted the woman up. She gave a good hard thump with her fist on the front of the car that had terrified the woman with her other hand. And she gave him her most serious, angry frown.
The old woman was so light and frail it was easy to lift the woman against her side and hurry across the street. She had noticed she was much stronger after she had received psychic power from Omar. The woman felt light as a feather.
Michelle put the woman down with on the corner with care.
Eyes wrinkled as raisins looked up at Michelle. “Thank you, dear.”
“You’re welcome. Where are you going? I’ll make sure you get there safely.”
The woman smiled. “Right here.” She pointed to the corner deli right in front of them. “The taxi left me off across the street. I tried to hurry, but those lights change so fast.”
“Let me help you inside,” Michelle said. She was afraid the old woman might n
ot even be strong enough to open the glass door to the deli.
“You are so kind,” the old lady said. “I’m meeting my grandniece here.”
“How are you getting home?”
“My niece, Katy will drive me,”
Michelle saw a beautiful young Asian woman wave, and then jump up to guide the old woman to a table.
Evidently the woman told her niece how Michelle helped her. They both waved at Michelle as she left the deli.
Michelle started back down the street and stopped in front of the jewelry store. She looked at the beautiful necklace and shook her head, puzzled. Why she had wanted it?
As she continued on down the street, she suddenly realized why she had wanted a beautiful, gaudy, bauble.
Michelle loved cooking for Rod. He was coming home for dinner in a few minutes. She lit the candles from across the room—yay—just as he walked in the door.
She served a roast chicken and while they ate, Rod told her about his day. Then it was Michelle’s turn.
“I found out today that I have a very significant choice to make. See, I saw this beautiful necklace. I wanted it so much.”
Rod looked at her oddly. She didn’t usually profess a longing for jewelry. But if she wanted it… “I’ll buy it for you, of course.”
“No, no. I don’t really want it. It was a momentary obsession.”
He lifted his brows, “Is that the choice you said was so important?”
“In a way. See, I have to decide whether to be a good witch or an evil one. And evil is easy. It can turn your head, make you do things way out of character.”
Then she told Rod the story of helping the old lady across the street.
“Helping the woman freed me of the obsession,” Michelle said as she ended the account of what happened.
Rod smiled. “So random acts of kindness can break an evil spell?”
She nodded seriously. “I think the power that seeped into me from Omar is potentially hazardous. To me. When I said black magic is easy for me, it’s true. I can do evil magic with spells. I killed a beautiful plant in just a few minutes with a spell, and using the knife I got online. That was really sad. And I stopped Omar with a spell.”
Magical Legacy Page 25
