Beyond the Garden

by S. Y. Thompson

  Dana joined Lil a moment later, looking out toward the harbor as she blew on her coffee. Lil’s heart sank when Dana still refused to look at her directly.

  “Where’s Pravde?”

  Lil placed her mug on the table. It felt like the coffee she’d ingested had become a stone in her belly. “I took her home last night. The situation is just too dangerous. I didn’t want to take a chance she’d be harmed.”

  “I see.”

  The simple phrase carried a wealth of implication. Lil sensed she’d failed Dana again. The frustration was finally too much. “I’m going to get dressed and head down to the harbor. I have a dive to get in before the day is over.”

  Lil spun on her heel and strode for her room. She had stowed her gear in the bedroom closet, or what passed for a closet.

  “Don’t you want me to come with you?”

  She halted in mid-stride, unable to detect any inflections in the question and too afraid to read anything in it. “Do you want to come with me?” Lil asked over her shoulder.

  “Well, that is why I’m here, isn’t it?”

  The derision in the query was the last straw. Lil didn’t appreciate the passive/aggressive behavior and was tired of tiptoeing around the issue. She turned around to confront Dana head on.

  “Dana, I understand you’re furious with me for eliminating Shirazi, but just say it. I know my actions seemed extreme to you, but I had to do it.”

  “Is that what you think? That I’m mad at you for killing a man who tried to murder me first?”

  “Isn’t it?” Lil challenged. She was surprised to feel her pulse pounding. Adrenaline sang in her veins, generated by Dana’s emotional and physical distance of the last several hours. She didn’t know when Dana’s opinion of her had become so important, but the fact that it had angered her all the more.

  “No. God no. I’m not mad at you at all. If anything, I’m pissed at myself. I’ve been so stupid.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Dana placed her mug next to Lil’s and then reached out to grasp her hand. “Come sit with me.”

  Lil allowed Dana to guide her to the sofa. To her surprise, Dana sat with their thighs pressed close together. Lil reveled in the contact, focusing on the sweet touch as an anchor in her confusion. She waited nervously for Dana to speak.

  “After you…after Shirazi died, I realized I’d been treating all of this like a game. I never really took any of it seriously and I almost got you hurt.”

  “By Shirazi?” Lil was more confused than ever. “Dana, you know that I can’t die.”

  “That’s not the point. I almost got you hurt. You’re so damn willing to put yourself in danger to protect me, but do you think you’re the only one who cares? I can’t stand the idea of seeing you in pain because of me.”

  Dana’s distress was palpable, made all the more acute because Lil had never sensed her emotions before. The exquisite sharpness of that first contact threatened to steal Lil’s breath away. She quickly released Dana’s hand and faced her across the small distance. Lil cupped Dana’s cheeks between her palms.

  “Hey now. Where’s all this coming from?”

  To her surprise, Dana blinked away sudden and unexpected tears. “The Haimia, Shirazi…the whole thing was my fault.”

  “I’m sorry, but I just can’t see how that’s possible. The Haimia targeted me as soon as we arrived in the area.”

  “Exactly. You told me all about them and the crosses carved into their skin, but I didn’t listen. When I saw the marks on Shirazi’s arm, I never put it together that he was with them.”

  “You mean you saw his brand when he tried to kill you? It was too late by then; the damage was already done.”

  “No,” Dana said vehemently. “I saw it the first day we left port. One of the anchor cables jammed and Shirazi rolled up his sleeves to help get it loose. As soon as he saw me looking at the scar, he left the deck. I just thought he was embarrassed or something.”

  Dana shifted farther away on the cushions. She remained close enough to talk, but far enough away to make contact difficult. Inherently, Lil knew Dana needed that distance to deal with her guilt, but Lil couldn’t hold anything against her. She was too relieved and touched. Relieved that Dana’s anger wasn’t directed toward her and touched that her tumultuous emotions were rooted in her feelings for Lil. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had cared for her so deeply.

  “Dana, let it go. There is enough blame to go around. I told you the Haimia had scars on their faces. It never occurred to me they would mark themselves elsewhere. There’s no way you could have made the connection.”

  “But I should have.”

  “Shh.”

  Lil scooted closer so that Dana was essentially pinned between her and the sofa arm. She couldn’t think of anything else to say that would express how Dana’s devotion softened her heart. Instead, she leaned forward until Dana’s lips were a whisper away. Lil hesitated, not from fear but because it felt like a lifetime since they’d last kissed. Being unable to do so over the last week had made Lil’s yearning all the more intense.

  Finally, she crossed that short expanse. The second it took to make that connection felt like an eternity. Before she could complete the kiss, Dana acted first. Dana’s lips parted instantly, hungry and seemingly desperate. Lil was swamped by her scent and heat, but especially the urgency. Initially, she had wanted this caress to be as tender as their first time had been but Dana’s passion rose up and wrenched Lil into a conflagration. Everything else vanished as Lil clutched Dana to her. Tongues caressed, stroked and tasted. She felt strong fingers in her hair and behind her neck, urging her nearer.

  Heart pounding in response, Lil could think of nothing but ripping Dana’s clothing from her body and taking her right there. She held back only by the thinnest margin.

  “Wait,” Lil mumbled against full lips.

  “Don’t want to. I need you.”

  Lil kissed Dana’s burning lips, more chastely this time before she managed to draw away slightly. “I want you too, but not like this.”

  “Why?” Dana’s hurt was almost palpable.

  “Oh honey, don’t you see? It’s been so many days since we were together and after what happened on the ship, I just want everything to be special.”

  Lil gently held Dana’s gaze until the fire faded slightly and comprehension dawned. Dana took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The tension in her body eased. After a moment, Dana released her near-desperate grip on the back of Lil’s neck.

  “It’s been special since the first moment I saw you in Istanbul, standing over me like a dark knight.”

  Lil found the comparison amusing. “Is that how you see me, like some conquering hero?”

  “Frankly? Yes. The fact that you can blush about it just makes you more adorable.”

  “I’m not blushing,” Lil denied though she could feel the sting in her cheeks. “Right, let’s get back to making things special.”

  “At least you didn’t deny being adorable. What did you have in mind?”

  Lil considered the question carefully. She wanted to do something to show Dana how special she was, how much Lil cared about her. The choices were limited given that they were currently in a desert region in a country that focused very much on conservative ideals. Having a romantic date on the town between two women was a decidedly bad idea.

  “If we were in the States, I’d recommend a picnic in the park. Just you, me, the sun and maybe some ants to make things feel authentic.”

  “Ants, huh? That’s cute. So, if no picnic, what else?”

  Lil stood suddenly as an idea occurred to her like an epiphany. She walked over and dumped the contents of the wicker fruit basket onto the low-slung table. Lil looped the handle over her forearm. “We may not be able to have a day, or night, on the town but we can do something here.”

  “Like what?”

  “I need to run out and grab a few things. I promise I’ll hurry and it will
all be worth it.” Lil fervently hoped that was true.

  “And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?”

  Lil grinned and felt a sweet sharpness in her chest. She hadn’t felt this happy in a long time. “Stay here and think sexy thoughts. I intend to take you up on your amazing kisses later.”

  “Just the kisses?”

  “Oh no, I definitely don’t plan to stop there. I’ll be back soon.”

  “In that case—” Dana stood and kissed Lil gently on her lips. “That’s a reminder of what’s waiting for you when you get back.”

  Pulling away from Dana was one of the hardest things Lil had ever done. She had to emotionally brace herself to take the half step back that would allow her to translocate. “Are you ready for this?”

  Dana shook her head in confusion. “Ready for what?”

  Rather than answer, Lil focused on the location in her mind and winked out of the room. She thought she heard Dana’s gasp of astonishment before she rematerialized a third of the way around the globe. The Amazon rainforest loomed all around her, pressing in from every side. Lil inhaled the scents of turf, exotic flowers and fresh air untainted by motor oil or vehicle exhaust. Somewhere in the distance, a jaguar screamed.

  She was after the perfect flowers and fruits for a meal Dana would never forget. The Amazon Basin boasted the highest plant biodiversity on the planet and as long as she didn’t stumble into a river full of piranha, Lil knew she’d be successful. Within minutes, Lil harvested purple orchids, lilies, and helconia. A few birds of paradise rounded out her selection and Lil was ready to move on to her next destination.

  A scarlet macaw cried out overhead, preventing Lil from leaving. For several long moments, she was captivated by the striking colors, the power in the creature’s beak. She glanced around at the life overhead and felt her breath taken away by the amazing sight. It was so beautiful here. Lil usually isolated herself, coming out of the manor in Maine only when necessary. Her world consisted of the countryside around her house and interacting in a limited fashion with people only when necessary.

  Lil wouldn’t have minded spending more time in this bewitching location, but Dana beckoned to her. She blinked and reappeared a few miles away. The sound of a triple waterfall pounding into a clear blue pool drew her attention as Lil popped out of the ether. This was one of the oldest and wildest places in her memory. While the Garden of Eden was purported to house the largest selection of food trees, this area was a close second.

  She added small, sweet bananas, red cocona berries that tasted like a blend of lemon and tomato, and maracuya. The maracuya was a yellow, egg-shaped fruit as big as a softball. Most people knew the maracuya by its common name…passion fruit. Lil smiled thinking the addition of the fruit fitting. Now she just wanted to track down some grapes, cheeses and a beverage that would complement her choices.

  ****

  As soon as she got over the shock of seeing Lil vanish, Dana went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. Hearing about the phenomena of translocation and actually witnessing it in action were two very different things. Dana wasn’t frightened by what she saw. She was enchanted. Lil’s abilities were nothing short of magic, something she’d given up on long ago. The stoic, logic-oriented scientist had promptly given way to the child still buried deep inside. Captivated by the magic and overwhelmed with the first blush of love, Dana felt their future together held only promise.

  Dana had no intention of waiting patiently in the hotel room while Lil went off to scavenge their dinner. The mention of a picnic had given her an idea. She dried her face and spritzed perfume on her neck and wrists. Then she shoved all of the furniture in the small sitting area back against the wall, away from the huge glass window. Dana retrieved the blanket and pillows from the bed she shared with Lil and spread it out on the living area floor.

  The blanket took up almost the entire expanse. They would be able to lean against the sofa’s front for a backrest if they needed it, but would have an unimpeded view of the Gulf. Finished rearranging furniture, there wasn’t anything else for her to do. Dana had no idea how long Lil would be gone. Nor did she have anything else to do but fidget. To keep busy, Dana set a pot of coffee to brew, but didn’t switch the machine on. She wanted it ready for later.

  With nothing else to occupy her time, Dana stepped out onto the balcony. She was struck instantly by the scent of the water. The almost oppressive heat of the sun stung her skin and the brilliance made her squint. Her preparations hadn’t taken more than ten minutes and standing in the sun quickly threatened to give her a headache.

  Dana planned to be ready for Lil, not ill from heatstroke. She returned inside and reclined upon the pillows. Time passed and her muscles relaxed. Dana drifted in half-sleep, sure she would feel Lil’s presence when she returned. She thought it a dream when she felt her ears pop from displaced air. The scent of something sweet and flowery tickled her nose. Dana reached up and swiped at the irritating caress. The contact ceased for a moment, but then returned. Frowning, Dana opened her eyes.

  Lil lay beside her, smiling down. She held a blossom in her hand, teasing Dana lightly. As she watched, Lil tucked the orchid behind her ear.

  “Should I let you sleep?”

  “No, I was just passing the time. I’m glad you’re back.”

  “Me too. What’s all this?”

  Dana’s stomach rumbled and she sat up. “The rearranged furniture? You said something about a picnic. This was the best I could do. Do you like it?”

  “It’s perfect. Just like you.”

  Dana felt her cheeks burn. She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she thought of a response. “I’m hardly perfect.”

  “You’re perfect for me.”

  Lil kissed her and Dana gave up on trying to argue the point. She reached out to touch Lil’s face, stroking along the line of the square jaw. Then her stomach ruined the moment by complaining loudly.

  “We’d better feed you before you pass out.”

  Lil pulled the wicker basket onto her knees and Dana’s mouth watered. The colorful assortment of fruits, cheeses and bread looked amazing. She couldn’t identify most of the fruit, but trusted that Lil wouldn’t poison her. It was only then that she noticed all of the flowers surrounding them. Lil must have lain them out while she slept.

  “How long have you been back?”

  “Only a few minutes. Champagne?”

  “Yes, please. This is amazing. Where all did you go?”

  Lil’s cheeks flushed slightly before she answered. “The fruit and flowers came from South America and I found the wine at a wonderful little place I know in France.”

  “And the cheese and bread?”

  “Wisconsin.”

  Dana’s eyes widened as she began to peel one of the little bananas. “You’ve been to four different continents today?”

  “I wanted a little diversity.” Lil shrugged and Dana laughed.

  She took a bite from the fruit and the flavors burst over her tongue. She watched as Lil made quick work of the cork inside the bottle. Dana giggled when Lil realized she’d forgotten to bring glasses. They drank straight from the bottle and spent time feeding morsels of food to each other. Dana bit into the passion fruit Lil fed her and juice ran down her chin. Lil caught it with her thumb. She placed her thumb into her mouth to suck the moisture from her skin and Dana’s eyes riveted on the sight. It was the most erotic thing she’d ever seen. Suddenly, she wasn’t so hungry anymore.

  “Your eyes are so clear and deep, like the waters in Japan.” Dana heard the awe in her own voice and made no attempt to conceal it.

  Lil didn’t look away. “You make that sound like it’s a good thing.”

  “It is.”

  Dana took the nearly empty Champagne bottle from Lil’s hand and placed it in the basket. She rose up onto her knees so that she could look down at Lil’s face. Dana deliberately kept their eyes locked, trying wordlessly to communicate not just desire, but also the intensity of her h
eart. Dana leaned down and kissed Lil, a gentle brush of their lips. As before, the tenderness didn’t last.

  She felt Lil gasp and captured the puff of air in her mouth. Strong arms embraced her. Dana reveled in the heat and the feel of Lil’s breasts against her. She tried to memorize the feel of the cushiony softness, the taste of Champagne on her lips, the heat of their skin mingling. Somehow, Dana was on her back, the floor hard under her shoulders and Lil’s feminine vitality pressing her down from above.

  Lil left her mouth and sharp teeth nipped her neck. Cool air caressed her chest as Lil unfastened Dana’s shirt, stirring a wave of fire in her that threatened to burn out of control. Lil’s strong thighs straddled Dana, her knees planted on the carpet to support her weight. Dana wanted all of that weight residing on her. Unable to speak in the moment, she pulled on Lil’s shoulders to communicate her desire. Lil refused to obey, but whispered words of assurance in her ear.

  “Trust me. I’ll take care of you.”

  Lil lowered herself slowly until she lay directly on top of Dana. Dana found her lips again and tried to convey without words what this beautiful, gentle soul made her feel. Lil returned the soft, toe-curling kisses, punctuating them with gentle nips of her teeth along Dana’s neck and the lobe of her ear. Dana wanted so much more. When Lil pinched Dana’s nipples through the material of her bra, Dana cried out and arched into the contact.

  The sensations singing through her from nipples to groin made Dana groan and reach around to clasp Lil’s hips. Her hands slid under Lil’s waistband until they were filled with twin globes of warm, naked flesh. She pulled Lil against her, raising her hips to increase the weight where she needed it.

  Slowly, it occurred to Dana that Lil was fumbling with the snap to her jeans. Happy to comply, Dana reached down to assist. With agile fingers, she parted the button and unzipped the closure. Lil immediately invaded, sliding under the edge of her panties and cupping her moist heat. She stopped there and Dana thought she’d lose her mind.