Eternal Bloom - Book 5 (The Ruby Ring Saga)

by Chrissy Peebles

  Pebbles shifted under my shoes as I waded to shore. My arms felt heavy and numb. The pain in my legs intensified with the stifling weight of my wet clothes, and I panted from the exertion. Only a few more feet to go. When my feet touched land, I shouted in victory, then collapsed from exhaustion. A surge of relief flooded through me. At that moment, all I could think of was getting out of the water, how great it would feel to lie on a warm beach and dry off. My labored breathing eased, though my lungs still burned and my head pounded.

  Gentle waves lapped at the shoreline, just inches from my face. I felt the gritty sand against my cheek. Rolling onto my back, I drew in a lungful of fresh air and let the sun beat down on my skin. My eyes fluttered open against the glaring light. I knew I had to get up, but I just lay there, unable to move.

  Victor crawled out of the water and fell, face first, into the white sand next to me. “Are you all right, my love?”

  “I’m okay, and I can feel the baby kicking. He’s as healthy and active as ever.”

  I inhaled the scent of the ocean, salty, with its hint of coconut. Cheerful bird songs echoed through the air. Monkeys squealed, and a symphony of insects sounded in my ears. “Do you think we’re on the right island?” I asked.

  “Absolutely. Now, we must only find out if this eternal bloom actually exists.”

  “Let’s hope for the best,” I said, meeting his gaze. My muscles ached from fatigue, but I forced myself upright.

  I admired the breathtaking beauty all around me. Coconut trees were scattered about the sand, and the sweet scent of flowers wafted in the breeze. It was a tropical paradise, like a picture on a “Wish You Were Here” postcard or an ad for suntan lotion. A dense jungle peered out from beyond the sandy beach. I jumped to my feet, turned in a slow circle, and scanned the landscape. As I looked around, the chirping of birds intensified, overshadowing the rhythmical crashing of waves against the shore.

  Victor came over and placed his hands on my stomach. “I’m so glad you are all right,” he said.

  “We’re doing good,” I said. “How are you?”

  He straightened, poised with confidence. “I feel wonderful. We’ve found the island, and now we will find your cure.”

  I turned to face him, shading my eyes from the glare. “If what Jackson says is true.”

  “Only one way to tell.” He kissed my cheek, then glanced toward the vegetation. “Let’s look for a village and see if we can find the chief.”

  I nodded and stared at him. The wind blew dark strands of hair across his face, and he looked absolutely gorgeous in the sunlight. I was so happy to have such a fantastic husband, one who loved me so much that he’d risk everything a chance to save my life. I wondered all over again how I’d gotten so lucky. I was scared about what we might have to face on the mysterious island, but knowing Victor was with me made it all so much easier.

  Birds nosily chirped, and monkeys squealed as I pushed through a tangle of elongated, dark green fronds and several leaves the size of elephant ears. My jaw dropped in awe. Monstrous purple and pink begonias, bromeliads, and orchids lined the rainforest floor. A gentle mist hung in the air, and 747-sized insects swirled in the rays of light that were filtering through the towering, vine-draped tree ferns growing in groves like giant umbrellas on sticks, all with ten-foot leaves.

  “It’s like we’re in a Tarzan movie,” I said.

  We forged our way through and hiked deeper into the dense jungle. The thick aroma of fresh earth and exotic flowers lingered in the air. As I marched along, my shoes squished in the soft, spongy soil. As we hiked through overgrown ferns, I felt like an adventurer, and I had to laugh inwardly at that, since the average swashbuckler was seldom ever nine months pregnant. I pushed a branch out of the way and gasped deeply; it was difficult to breathe in such hot, humid weather. Beads of sweat poured down my back.

  According to Jackson, our first goal was to go look for the White Coyote of the island, to get his blessing for us to pick the bloom.

  “Are you faring well, milady?” Victor asked, helping me over a huge log.

  “I’m fine,” I softly said, climbing up the steep slope. “Just don’t mind the wobbling.”

  He wiped his brow. “I just wish to find your flower and get off this island. As much as I hate to admit it, your world has me spoiled to the comfortable sofa and the remote control.”

  I laughed. “Very funny, Victor. I know full well you’d rather be jogging with a heavy log over your head, strength training like a caveman.”

  He smiled at me. “You know me too well, My Queen.”

  I grinned and stepped between towering tropical plants. I scanned past the black and green, splotched vegetation and saw only more jungle; there was no village or any sign of civilization in sight. I tried to get my mind off my problems and focus on all the intricate beauty around me. Parrots watched us from the branches; I was quite mesmerized by the colorful birds, which I’d never seen before, other than in cages. Other birds sang from branches high up in the canopy, and insects buzzed all around us. Enormous butterflies with orange and black wings chased each other through the patches of warm sunshine streaming down through the towering trees.

  I kept hiking through the dense forest when a loud crunch jolted me out of my thoughts. Grabbing Victor’s arm, I stopped to listen and craned my neck toward him.

  “I heard it too,” he said.

  I stiffened and spun around. “We need to be extra careful.” I swept an uneasy glance around the trees, my senses on full alert. “I have a funny feeling we’re being watched.”

  “I see no one,” Victor said. “However, there was a noise. Surely someone is pursuing us.”

  “Someone or something?” I retorted with a gulp as my imagination ran wild. The snap of a twig behind us, followed by the unmistakable crunch of dried leaves, halted me mid step. I strained to listen. The snap of another twig drifted through the forest. I looked around the trees and high grass, calling out, “Hello! Who’s there?” My heart skipped a beat. “What do you want?”

  The chirping of crickets and singing of birds were my only reply. I jumped, startled, as a sudden flash of black glinted to our left.

  Victor looked out into the surrounding woods. “I cannot see clearly, my dear, but it appears to be some sort of animal.”

  I flinched when, for a split second, I saw yellow eyes in the foliage. “I only caught a glimpse too.”

  Chapter 15

  The birds stopped chirping, and I knew they were aware of a predator lurking somewhere in the foliage. The eerie silence made my skin crawl. I’d never been hunted before, at least not by four-legged wildlife, and the idea of it happening on that island frightened me beyond belief.

  A loud call broke the silence, and the flutter of gargantuan wings sent another chill down my spine as a crow-sized bird took off; I was sure the feathered one wasn’t what was causing all the scuffle. I glanced up at it and held my hand over my fast-thumping heart. “It’s only a bird, but let’s keep moving.”

  When a low, throaty growl rumbled from the left, I jumped. I bit down hard on my bottom lip. The same pair of yellow eyes I’d had seen moments earlier peered through the giant leaves of a tropical bush, and my heart lurched.

  * * *

  Another menacing growl broke the silence. My heart thudded against my ribcage, and a shiver swept over my skin. A tangle of leaves with serrated edges covered the creature’s legs and part of its black coat. Even still, I could tell it had to be roughly three feet tall at its shoulder. The animal turned its head and locked its fierce, yellow gaze on me. Beads of sweat broke across my brow. Wait a minute, I thought, recalling that I was still thinking like a human. The animal can’t even kill me, and if it does decide to attack, Victor can surely take care of it. “It’s a panther,” I whispered, staggering back.

  Sunlight from above filtered through the high branches giving the menacing creature an eerie glow.

  Victor took a fighting stance as he moved closer. “A panther is
no match for a warrior.”

  “No!” I reminded him, recalling Jackson’s list of rules.

  “Sarah, need I remind you that I’ve fought dragons and conquered them victoriously?”

  “Victor, we can’t kill any animals on the island, remember?”

  “Then I must fend it off somehow without harming it.”

  “Right. Can you just scare it or give it a good kick, just to show it you mean business?”

  Snarling, the beast inched closer and closer, baring its sharp, white teeth. Its fur stood on end, its ears fell back, and its eyes were blazing like the sun above us.

  “I may have to do more than just kick it, Sarah. Do you want to be mauled?” he asked.

  “No!” I said.

  “I will not allow this beast to hurt my family,” Victor roared. “I won’t stand by and do nothing, rules or not—especially when it’s stalking us.”

  Before I could say another word, the black panther swatted at me with its massive paw, revealing a row of yellowed, razor-sharp claws. I jumped back, narrowly dodged its swing.

  Victor jumped and landed on the beast and began to wrestle it. He wrapped his strong arms around its neck as the animal hissed and growled.

  “Don’t kill it, Victor!” I roared. “If you do, we’ll never get that bloom! If you kill that panther, you’ll be killing me too, Victor! Please let the cat go!”

  He met my gaze as he squeezed the beast’s neck, strangling it.

  “Let it go,” I whispered in a soothing tone. “Please!”

  His stern expression softened at my pleas, and I knew he wouldn’t hurt the animal. Victor lifted the beast above his arms and threw it into the tangle of soft vegetation. It let out a pig-like squeal and fled into the tall grass, with its tail literally tucked between its legs. “If that animal comes back, it may not be so lucky,” he said.

  “I think you scared the kitty away for good,” I said, gripping his hand. “Come on.”

  Victor’s gaze narrowed as he studied the vegetation. “I hear something else now.”

  “The panther again? Really?” I asked.

  His eyes widened. “No. This sound is more...it is a two-legged stalker this time.”

  With my Immortal hearing, I caught the sound of a loud whistle whizzing past my ear.

  Victor grimaced as a thin dart pierced the skin on his neck.

  “What...who’s shooting at us?” I asked, bewildered and frightened as he pulled me behind a tree.

  He peered out, then gave my hand a yank. “This way. Let’s go!”

  We bolted through the leafy vegetation, but we hadn’t gotten very far before my skin suddenly began to burn. I felt something prick my neck, like a sting from a bee on steroids. “Ow! What the...?” I couldn’t believe I’d been shot too. My breath caught in fear, but I knew I couldn’t stop. As we ran, I pulled out the thin dart and threw it on the ground.

  When I looked up and saw a group of warriors blocking our path, I gasped. Other hunters were slowly making their way toward us from every direction, closing in on us. I took a shaky breath. They reminded me of a pack of hungry wolves, circling around us, ready to pounce. Victor shielded me from being shot by more darts, but I refused to let them hurt us or our baby. Just as I clenched my fists to defend myself, the ground began to spin beneath me, and everything blurred. I crashed to the ground.

  Heart racing, I peered around me. Hundreds of Indians surrounded us, pointing spears in our direction. They had white dots, designs, and stripes in various patterns all over their bodies, and all of them had white stripes running vertically down their painted faces. They were wearing white earrings, likely fashioned out of bone, antlers, or shells. Their bodies were concealed only by simple loincloths, and their hair was black, with white streaks painted in it. They were all muscular and fit, with high cheekbones and frowns on their faces—warriors in every sense of the word.

  “We didn’t hurt the panther!” I yelled, assuming they were angry at us for disturbing the natural balance of their island. “We just gave it a good scare, that’s all.”

  They didn’t speak or flinch. Gripping their spears tightly, they just glared at us.

  My stomach dropped into my shoes. “Victor!” I said, inching closer to him. “I don’t think they like trespassers much.”

  He gripped my hand tightly, and a trickle of sweat rolled down his face. He blinked, as if to focus.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  He nodded, then wiped his brow. “We must try to make peace with these natives.”

  I stared at my hands and thought, for a moment, that I had four of them. “Everything’s spinning...and I’m seeing double.” At that point, I was sure I’d been shot with a blowgun. It felt as if Guardian poison was surging through my veins, and I worried that they had somehow obtained it, one of the rare things that could kill me. Is this the end, after all I’ve been through? After all we’ve survived, am I gonna die out here in the jungle on some mythical island? I had survived death so many times, yet I now worried that my child and I would be destroyed by a tiny little poisonous dart. What kind of game is fate playing with me? Or maybe it’s my own fault for coming here without an invitation. I touched my stomach, and a tear tumbled down my face. “I’m so sorry, Alexander.”

  It was all a blur, but I felt a tug as one of the warriors grabbed my arm, and I collapsed.

  Victor swiftly intervened and lunged at one of the warriors. “Do not treat her this way! She’s carrying my child!” he shouted, as if he was ready to take on the whole clan.

  Everything started to blur even more. I blinked, but it didn’t help my vision to clear. I could only make sense of Victor crashing to the ground next to me. I took a deep breath, reached for his hand, and held it in a death grip. “I love you, Victor. You’re my...” I tried to say, but I couldn’t get my tongue to cooperate.

  “I love you too,” he said as his eyes fluttered shut.

  My heart lurched. Through the fog, I crawled closer to him, then collapsed on his chest. I softly touched his face. “I love you so, so much.” Then, dizziness rushed over me, and I drifted off into darkness.

  Chapter 16

  When I opened my eyes, I noticed knights guarding every corner of the huge room I stood in. Iron chandeliers holding a multitude of taupe-colored candles hung above me. Beautiful red and purple tapestries and elaborate arrangements of gleaming swords, maces, arm poles, and shields covered the stone-sculptured walls. Somehow, I was right back in Victor’s castle on my wedding day, dressed in that white and gold Juliet-style wedding dress. The corseted bodice clung to my chest like a second skin, and everything sparkled from the crystal and tulle embellishments. Curls trimmed my forehead and fell in ringlets down the sides of my face. Thicker curls hung loosely at the back of my head and neck. A long veil trailed to the ground, and I could feel the tiara on my head. Still, I felt far more confused than beautiful. My stomach dropped. How is this even possible?

  Glancing up, I couldn’t keep from staring at the beautiful man before me, my wonderful husband. He looked so damn handsome all dressed up for his nuptials. I inhaled sharply, taking in every single detail. He wore his best black and white doublet with a golden lion emblazoned on the velvet, outlining every muscle in his chest. On his head was a gold crown, adorned with a variety of fancy jewels. The facets of the gems reflected the light of the torches, and I was completely mesmerized by the sight of him. And then I remembered that mind-blowing kiss we shared after the priest left the room, hot kiss that would be seared into my memory forever.

  I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. What’s going on? Did I travel back in time? Am I dead, or am I simply dreaming?

  I glanced up at Victor. “Victor!” I gripped his hands as his muscles flinched from my touch, as if he was shocked by my actions. It was almost as if he didn’t recognize me as his loving wife, the mother-to-be of his child. I flipped a curl over my shoulder. “Victor, it’s me, Sarah.”

  “Are we back to that again, Princess Glo
ria?” he asked, his jaw taut.

  “Victor, you know who I really am.” I softly touched my stomach. “I’m carrying your baby, and—”

  His face registered complete shock. “Have you gone mad? That’s not my child.”

  “Yes it is! Alexander,” I said with absolute certainty.

  He shook his head, and his voice cracked as he said, “We have never been...intimate, Princess. I assure you that child is not mine.”

  “What are you talking about, Victor? We made love in the rain and created our child in perfect love,” I insisted. “How could you forget—”

  “Clearly, you are delusional.” A troubled look settled over his face. “I just met you this morning, and I will not tolerate these accusations.”

  “I can’t believe you’re treating me like this, Victor—like a complete stranger.”

  His frown deepened, and he turned toward the priest. “She must have hit her head far harder than we thought,” he said. “We must bring in the healer as quickly as we can.”

  “No healer!” I touched his arm.

  Compassion filled his eyes, and he carefully studied my face. “Are you sure, Princess? We must consider your health and wellbeing a priority.”

  I pushed a few curls away from my face. “Please! I’m fine. Let’s just continue.”

  The frown resumed its hold on his face. Nonetheless, he nodded, and the priest continued.

  It suddenly dawned on me why Victor didn’t recognize me as his wife; somehow, we’d been jolted back to the day we’d first met. As far as he knew, we hadn’t fallen in love yet. He’d captured me thinking I was Princess Gloria, and he didn’t yet have any idea of my true identity. He had mistaken me for an Immortal princess, and he was set to use me as a pawn in his little sparring match with William.