Though it wasn't the response she hoped for, it was the one Caeli expected; nearly identical to Salma's answer. When it was all said and done, she was relieved that Vin now knew everything that had been weighing on her mind. Vin responded exactly as she knew he would, with continued love and support and a tiny bit of protective anger.
Vin told Caeli what he and Ben learned about Max's mother. She was intrigued by the similarities to her plight and asked several questions that Vin could not answer. Caeli had many more questions that she was too tired to ask. Before long, the steady rain began to intrude on the serenity of the ocean waves with the sound of its own drumbeat. Vin noted that Caeli could barely stay awake, so they moved inside. Vin closed them in for the night, making sure all the doors and windows were locked. All the curtains were drawn. The lights were out except for a small nightlight near the bathroom door. It cast a soft, blue-tinted light across the room, hardly bright enough to see by.
As they lay next to each other, Caeli enjoyed the simplicity of relaxing alone with Vin. There was no immediate disaster to avert, and she was not overtly sick or in pain. She let her weariness ease her into a more settled state of mind.
"Finally, all caught up. I'm sorry it took me so long. I needed to sort out the confusion in my head before I could explain it to you in any sort of logical manner."
"I understand." Vin turned to look at Caeli lying next to him in bed with her eyes closed as she spoke.
"How are you feeling, Caeli?" Vin whispered in her ear as he ran his fingers through her hair. He was lying on his side, still trying to resist the nearly overwhelming urge to draw her close. Vin knew that she was tired and that it was still too soon; although the vision he glimpsed within her robe earlier was difficult to ignore. Recalling the sight, Vin's emotions began to get the better of him once more. He let his fingers roam playfully along the smooth skin of Caeli's neck and shoulder. She sighed in that sweet, soft manner that made him shiver with his need for her as she snuggled closer.
Vin cautioned himself. He knew there was something unusual about the way these feelings came over him now. Something he heard echoed in Apela's story about his night in the cave with his wife. It wasn't as if Vin didn't always feel this way about Caeli. Vin loved her more than life itself, and she drew forth the strongest and most incredible emotions in him. But, ever since Rika touched him in the cave, Vin could not seem to set his passion for Caeli aside. It constantly boiled near the surface. Vin ignored the nagging hint of trouble at the back of his mind. He could not find it within himself to question his feelings any further at that moment.
"I feel like cashing in your rain check," Caeli replied, sharing the sudden urgency of his desire as she looked over at Vin, shirtless in the warm air. The navy blue color of his lightweight shorts matched the color of the satin nightgown that fell to Caeli's mid-thigh, where Vin's hand now traveled. Both materials reflected in Vin's bright blue eyes, making them sparkle in the dim light. As she looked into his eyes, Caeli saw a fire burning there. She felt her own desire push all other worries aside. Her lingering pain and weariness were minimal compared to the undeniable need she felt to be close to Vin.
Caeli longed for that closeness. Her heart began to beat faster as she thought about the amazing man she had married. Caeli moved even closer within Vin's embrace and kissed him, inviting him to find out exactly how she felt. She was excited to feel the warmth of his response as he leaned over her, accepting her invitation.
"But the rain just stopped," Vin whispered.
"No it didn't," Caeli smiled as a loud peal of thunder rumbled overhead and, this time, neither one pulled away.
CHAPTER 47
Pete woke early the next morning feeling better than he had in weeks, months even. He could not believe the abrupt change. He was able to shower and dress himself without tiring. Such exertion would typically have required at least an hour's recuperation. Pete rushed out of the room to find Maku and share the good news. Unfortunately, Maku was patrolling the grounds with another man from the guard unit, so Pete had to wait until he returned.
He decided to find something to eat to pass the time. That was another improvement. Pete hadn't eaten a decent breakfast in weeks because food early in the morning always made him sick. His appetite waned considerably with the worsening of his illness. Now, however, Pete was quite hungry.
On his way to the kitchen, Pete noticed a light down the hall near the room where Lorrie's clinic supplies were kept. Perhaps Dr. Erickson was in there. He decided to stroll down the hall to say good morning and share the good news with her. Pete also wanted to thank her and ask her a few questions about the treatment. He was curious to know more about how they would proceed. Would he need more treatments? Did she think this was a permanent cure or temporary symptom relief? Pete was even more curious to know if his sudden improvement was the result of Dr. Erickson's treatment or Caeli’s magic trick. Perhaps it was both. All Pete knew was that hadn't felt this good in months and hoped it would stay that way, regardless of how it happened.
When Pete reached the room and looked inside, he found a dark-haired lady moving about, but it was not Dr. Erickson. The lady was trying to be quiet as she collected a few items from the room. In particular, she was collecting materials used in his treatment the prior evening. Pete wondered why she would want any of that.
"Lorrie? What are you doing here?"
The lady turned suddenly, startled to see Pete standing there. Lorrie quickly dropped the items she held into the stainless steel garbage can.
"Pete? Is that you? My! You are looking well. Have you been getting treatment?" Lorrie recovered quickly and put on her best smile. She walked over to place her hand on Pete's shoulder and get a closer look at him. This was the first time Lorrie had encountered him since his father's funeral a few months ago. She knew Pete suffered from the same exposure that killed his father, only on a smaller scale. Though he received less of the toxin, it was still killing him. It would take Pete longer to die than the others. In a way, Pete was not really the lucky one of the group that had been poisoned, merely the last one. It was a drawn out and miserable way to die. Lorrie had been careful to avoid Pete, knowing what was in store for him.
Pete reflexively took a step back from her touch. Lorrie shrugged, turning away to finish what she doing.
"Well, it's good to see your improvement," Lorrie said casually.
"Thanks, Lorrie. I am feeling pretty good today. So, what are you doing? Apela didn't mention that you would be here."
"I stopped by to get some supplies for a patient I'm going to see, but I found all this mess and wanted to clean up before I left. Leaving these used supplies lying around is a biohazard. I would get into a lot of trouble if anyone saw this mess," Lorrie offered a plausible explanation as she dropped a burning match into the garbage bin. After the initial flames died down, Pete watched the rest of the flammable materials turn to ash in the can. Lorrie continued to move about the room, collecting several items and placing them into a backpack.
"I won't keep you, Lorrie. I just wanted to see who was down here," Pete finally said as the flames died out.
"I suppose you were expecting to find Dr. Erickson. She must be the one who's been treating you. I caught her presentation. She seemed so prim and proper. I didn't figure her to be the messy sort. Her husband, on the other hand, is quite an interesting fella. I spoke to Ben and Vin for a few minutes, but didn't have much time to socialize, what with the fire and all. I hoped to get a chance to say hello today. Where is everyone this morning?"
"Probably still asleep; it's only six o'clock. I'm not even sure why I'm up this early." Pete hadn't realized that Lorrie knew about Dr. Erickson and the others staying at the hotel. Maku said their stay here was a secret. Pete supposed that Apela must have told Lorrie. It did make sense for Lorrie to be here. After all, this was her lab and her equipment. Why, then, did Pete feel like he caught her with her hand in the cookie jar? It must be like she said, because he expected to fi
nd Dr. Erickson and was surprised to discover Lorrie instead.
"Oh well, maybe I can catch up with them another time. I've really got to be running along. Perhaps I will see you later. Say hello to your father for me." Lorrie nudged her way around Pete, who blocked the doorway.
Pete wondered if he heard her correctly. His father was dead. As Lorrie slipped by Pete, a sharp object stung his arm. Looking down, he realized that Lorrie had pricked his skin with a needle and injected a small amount of a clear liquid into his arm.
"Lorrie, what was that? What did you do?" Pete realized, too late, that he had, indeed, heard her correctly.
"I'm sorry, Pete. I truly am. You should not have come down here."
Pete's vision began to dim. He leaned against the wall for support and then slid heavily down it. Lorrie hauled his unmoving body into the lab, pulled him into a corner, and threw a blanket over the top of him. Hopefully, no one would miss him before she had a chance to finish what she needed to do at the hotel. Lorrie turned out the light and made sure the door was locked as it closed behind her. Lorrie silently made her way to the next room on her list.
Ben woke before Salma and went in to get a shower, hoping to ease the stiffness in his back this morning. He reached around to the stitches that Salma had so carefully sewn on his back. Her work was so precise that he could barely tell they were there. It was handy having a renowned doctor for a wife. Salma was his wife. It still sounded unbelievable. Ben could hardly believe that Salma had agreed to marry him; much less that it had already been three incredible months since they were wed. Fortune had smiled on him the day he met Salma.
Now, Ben just needed to find a way to solve the last few pieces of this puzzle in order to keep her safe. If he could discover the one thread that linked Salma's troubles to Caeli's problems and how those related to Max, Ben knew he could unravel it. He already had the majority of the problem outlined, but that last piece, the reason for Scott's specific interest in Salma, still eluded him. Because Ben knew Scott's father, he also knew that Scott was not in this for the secret to Salma's research like his uncle had been. Scott would have had his own agenda. Ben needed to figure out what that was before it was too late to do anything about it.
After loosening his muscles in the warm shower, Ben was brushing his teeth when he heard a soft knock on the bathroom door. Salma peeped in asking if he would like breakfast. She told him that she was going to rummage through the kitchen and find something simple. Her stomach was a bit unsettled this morning, most likely the result of eating too much at dinner the night before. She promised to find him something tasty. Of course, the quest for food required that Salma be out of Ben's sight for five minutes. He agreed to loosen the constraints on her protective custody since she took the time to let him know where she was going and the kitchen was only the next room over. Salma closed the bathroom door and walked away. Ben heard the bedroom door open and then close. He hurried to finish up so that he could catch up with Salma in the kitchen.
A loud banging on the bedroom door roused Ben. He found himself sitting uncomfortably on the bathroom floor. Had he passed out?
"Well, that's odd."
Ben got up quickly, but the sudden movement caused him a moment of lightheadedness. He held on to the sink until the feeling passed. After regaining his balance, Ben looked at his watch. It was nearly eight o'clock. He had been out for almost two hours. Why hadn't Salma found him? Ben knew the answer even before he ran out into their empty room. He rushed to the outer door, throwing it open. Maku stood in front of Ben, concern clearly etched on his face and evident in his nervous manner. Maku repeatedly clinched and released his fists as he spoke.
"Ben, have you seen Pete this morning? I can't find him anywhere," Maku almost looked frantic.
"No, have you seen my wife? I think I passed out, and now she's gone," Ben replied as calmly as he could under the circumstances. Something was wrong. Salma would not have been gone for so long without telling him, and Ben had never once in his life passed out without a readily known cause.
"Have you talked to anyone else?" Maku asked Ben.
"Not yet. Perhaps Salma is looking in on Caeli and lost track of the time. I will go and check. You should see if Pete might be visiting with Apela and Max." The two men rushed off in opposite directions, neither one believing he was headed down the right path.
CHAPTER 48
Caeli woke suddenly, heart racing, fear holding her motionless where she lay. She was in bed. The room was dark, and Vin slept beside her. She did not feel right, though she did not yet know what was wrong. Caeli was afraid; of what she didn't know. Was it the lingering images of her unending bad dreams? She recalled the details vividly and images from her dream swam through her mind as she lay there.
She found herself on a small island not too far off shore from Apela's hotel. Caeli could not remember how she got there, but she was not alone. A house-like dwelling made of palm leaves, branches, and earthy materials sat thirty feet further inland. She walked up to it hoping to find another person within.
As Caeli glanced cautiously inside the single room structure, she observed that its only furnishings were a small bed, a round, wooden table with two chairs, and a wooden toy chest at the foot of the bed. The sand covering almost everything made the place look as if it may have stood unused for a very long time. There was something disturbingly familiar about it.
Caeli turned as she heard someone approaching from behind. A lady emerged from the water, and Caeli was stunned to recognize the dark-haired figure. Yet, the woman was not herself. She seemed to be a combination of two people. Caeli understood. It was the same struggle she faced herself. Unfortunately, it seemed that this woman was either not able to resist or had allowed the transition, and Rika was in complete control. Caeli's heart filled with great sadness for the woman she once called her friend.
"Do not pity her," Rika's voice answered Caeli's unspoken thoughts.
"I pity anyone who has to endure your presence," Caeli replied out loud. She would not grant Rika the satisfaction of opening her mind further to her intrusiveness.
"Why have you brought me here?" Caeli demanded.
"To collect your payment," Rika replied using the lady's voice this time.
"What payment?" Caeli, in her dream, was as confused as when she was awake.
Caeli watched herself back away from the woman and come up against the man in black. He grabbed her and struggled to hold her still. Caeli fought with all her strength and received numerous injuries for her troubles. A solid punch to her jaw sent her reeling. She blocked the next attack with her left hand and forearm taking the brunt of the damage instead. An unavoidable strike to her ribs, delivered with a large tree branch, left her gasping for air. This fight continued for several minutes. At last, Caeli seemed to give up as the man captured her in his unyielding grasp yet again.
The woman approached and placed her hand on Caeli's stomach. With one final surge of strength, Caeli kicked the lady, broke free, and ran toward the water. She tried to swim, but the pain of her injuries hampered her efforts. Caeli called up her gift and let the water carry her away. It splashed her out somewhere deep inside what she believed was Max's cave. But, she was not safe there. The man in black had followed her.
He did not try to capture her. This time, all he wanted to do was hurt her. She endured a lengthy beating. Caeli was barely able to defend herself because of the toll recent events had already taken, putting her at a disadvantage from the start. In her already weakened state, she knew she could not prevail. Her only hope was to get away.
Caeli made an attempt to escape. She ran through the cave, turn by turn, room by room, tunnel after endless tunnel. No matter how far ahead of the man she got, he repeatedly managed to pop up in front of her. He seemed able to move through any natural substance. It did not take long for Caeli to become lost in the maze of caverns. She was nearly at the end of her endurance when she stumbled out of a tunnel into a large cave that had a floor like a
swimming pool. Unfortunately, the man followed her out of the tunnel. Caeli was not able to escape the clammy hands that continued to strike her.
Before he could land the strike that would bring a permanent end to her suffering, the man suddenly looked around and then dashed away, vanishing into the distance. Caeli had no idea why the man left in such a rush, but she was relieved that he was gone. Nonetheless, Caeli was not sure if her respite had come soon enough to see her through the severity of her injuries.
"Vin…," she could not establish a connection to him in her dire state.
Caeli was sure to succumb to the damage and wished she could see Vin once more before that happened. What she saw instead was a bright light drawing near. It pushed back the darkness already partially engulfing her. Caeli was greeting death when Urim came to her aid.
"Be still, Sister. It is not your time. I am not as strong as Raphael in this, but I can save you."
Urim placed his hands on Caeli, and a soft glow spread outward, enveloping her body. The warmth of the energy flowed through her and the darkness slowly receded. Caeli was far from completely healed, but Urim reversed enough of the damage that would have taken her life and temporarily hid some of the dreadful memory of these terrible last hours from her mind. It was all that Urim could do for her. Direct interference with the matter of free will between Caeli and Rika was forbidden. However, Caeli was Urim's charge, and Rika was not currently present. His assignment trumped the restriction in this case. Urim left her sleeping on the cave floor, knowing that Caeli would survive and regain her full memory of this event when her mind was ready to handle it.
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