“Why are you stopping?”
“Don’t worry. I am going to make love to you, but I just want to be sure you don’t want to move to the bedroom.”
The sensual words created goose bumps on Dana’s arms and legs. “I don’t think I can make it that far,” she panted. “Please don’t make me wait.”
Dana felt Lil brace her knee against the floor to take her weight. She used her free hand to push the flaps of Dana’s shirt aside and then reached underneath to unclip the bra. When Lil’s full lips closed over Dana’s nipple, Dana had to clench her jaws to keep from screaming out at the sensations that cascaded through her body. She buried her fingers in Lil’s hair and held her in place.
For long, agonizingly sweet moments, Lil tortured her with lips and teeth until Dana felt she would explode. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She wanted Lil inside her and she wanted to return the favor, to feel Lil’s warm walls surround her fingers.
When Dana released her head to reach for the fastener of her jeans, Lil relented and captured her lips in another burning kiss. Dana opened to her, avid where before she’d been tender. Soon their clothes were completely open, allowing full access and there was no hesitation as each sought desire-slick flesh.
Dana pushed easily into Lil with two fingers. Lil was drenched and Dana’s hand was immediately coated in her desire. Almost simultaneously, Lil’s long fingers opened Dana completely. Nothing else existed, but the desire to consume Lil and be devoured in return. They moved together, stroking deeply and searching for the spot that created the most pleasure. Lil’s breath burst against Dana’s ear as she gave herself over to the intensity.
Her thumb brushed against Lil’s clit and Dana felt her jerk. Lil began to thrust against her while she pushed into Dana more urgently.
“Yes,” Dana hissed. “Do it, I want to feel you.”
Lil suddenly stiffened and groaned. Dana held her as the release washed over her. Lil’s orgasm triggered her own and she held on tightly as they continued to move and arch into one another. Orgasms burned a trail from her abdomen, through her groin and tingled sharply on the backs of her thighs. Over and over the sensations surged until Dana thought she might not survive such a colossal crest. Finally, the sensations began to lessen.
Dana held Lil to her, listening to her rapidly thumping heartbeat that beat in tandem with her own. They spent a few minutes trying to catch their breath. Soon, Lil raised her head and Dana expected her to say it was time to move to the bedroom. Instead, she began kissing Dana again. Passion threatened to overwhelm her. Before she could allow that to happen, Dana had to tell Lil the truth.
“I love you, Lil.”
Lil seemed momentarily confused. A frown rested between her brows and she started to speak. “I…”
“Shh, don’t say anything. I just wanted you to know.” Dana shifted and something hard jabbed her under the shoulder. “Ouch. Would you like to move somewhere more comfortable?”
Lil grasped the salver and slid it aside. “You mean like the bed?”
Dana had told her not to say anything, but she couldn’t help feel a little disappointed. She swallowed the hurt, resolved to give Lil time. “Exactly.”
“I’m the one who’s supposed to have old, brittle bones. You don’t hear me complaining.”
“Yeah well, I prefer proper pillows and soft sheets. Come on, grandma.”
Dana shrieked when Lil dug her fingers into her ribs. She pulled away laughing and grabbed a pillow before she sprinted into the bedroom with Lil hot on her heels. Dana bounced onto the mattress and dodged to the other side as Lil piled in beside her.
“Let’s lose these,” Lil recommended, pulling her shirt off and tossing it onto the floor.
Dana followed suit, shucking her clothing as quickly as possible. Before she knew it, Dana was lying warm and safe in Lil’s strong embrace. She snuggled against Lil’s chest, inhaling their mingled scents. Although it was only the middle of the day, Dana felt she could sleep.
“What’s wrong?” Lil’s voice surprised her.
“Hmm?”
“I can feel the tension in your shoulders. Are you all right?”
Dana’s contentment enveloped her like a cloak so it took a moment to realize that something was bothering her. She had no concerns about being with Lil. Somehow, Dana knew this was where she was meant to be, had been headed all her life. Thinking back over the day, she realized the problem.
“Lil, I know we’ve gone over this, but why can’t you just let this quest go? You don’t really need the dagger, do you? We could be happy together if you’d just allow it.”
Lil’s chest rose and fell with a heartfelt sigh. “I know this is hard to accept, but I’m just so tired. Not physically, but my soul is weary. The fact is that no one is meant to live forever. Death is a blessing just as much as it can be a curse. There has to be an end to this, even for me.”
Tears tracked across Dana’s nose and fell onto Lil’s chest. Dana tried to stop them and she wanted to argue with Lil on her beliefs, but she couldn’t find it in her. Dana couldn’t imagine how she would feel if she knew she would live forever. The very idea was inconceivable. Still, Dana realized that she would never willingly seek death. She wanted Lil to feel the same way. She wanted to mean enough to Lil to give her a reason to go on.
“Dana, I know you don’t agree with what I’m doing, so I’m going to give you one last chance just as I did the day we left Istanbul. Will you help me find the dagger?”
Her eyes closed in agony, but there was only one response she could give. “Yes.”
Lil tightened her embrace, hugging Dana close. “What have I ever done to deserve someone like you? Why, after everything we’ve been through, are you still here?”
The mood had become entirely too serious. Dana sniffed and sought a way to bring back the playful romance from earlier.
“Like I’ve said before, things aren’t always what you think. In the immortal words of W. C. Fields, I’m looking for a loophole.”
Lil laughed aloud, causing Dana to grin. Then she found herself on her back once again with Lil looming over her.
“Oh really? I’ll show you a loophole.”
Lil dug her fingers into Dana’s ribs again, tickling her. They tumbled across the bed until Dana managed to get the upper hand. She grabbed Lil’s wrists and pinned her arms against the sheets. Looking into the startling blue eyes, Dana felt riveted in place.
“You have the most amazing eyes. I could stare into them for eternity.”
“Sweet talker,” Lil said softly.
“I know you think you deserve to die, but your heart is pure and precious. If anyone is perfect, it’s you. You’re perfect for me,” Dana finished, repeating the words Lil had spoken to her such a short time ago.
Dana didn’t give Lil a chance to negate the compliment in her typical self-deprecating way. Instead, she kissed her. Lil started to respond, but then her body tensed completely and Lil pulled away. Startled, Dana felt certain something was very wrong.
“Lil?”
“Someone’s in trouble.” Lil sat up and scooted for the edge of the bed. She reached for her jeans and shoved her legs into them without bothering with underwear. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Wait a minute. What’s going on?”
Lil couldn’t blame Dana for her confusion, nor did she have a lot of time to explain. She did her best as she quickly threw on her clothes. “Somewhere, a young girl is coming of age. She calls to me because I can feel her importance, what she’ll mean for the world someday.”
Dana scooted to the edge of the bed and grasped Lil’s shirtsleeve. “How is that an emergency?”
“Because I can sense her panic. She’s lost and alone and if I don’t get to her, well, I just think something really bad is going to happen. I wish I could explain better, but that’s all I know.”
“I thought you could see everything to do with your
…charges.”
Lil settled onto the edge of the bed to pull on her shoes. She shrugged in answer. “It doesn’t really work that way. I just get flashes, a feeling of what’s going on around them. Things don’t get clear until I’m closer.”
“But you can tell she’s in trouble.”
It wasn’t a question and Lil was grateful that Dana had an intuitive way of understanding what she was trying to say, even when Lil herself had difficulty. “I wish I had my jacket,” Lil mumbled.
“You’re going somewhere cold?”
“Yes and I think I’m going to need help. I shouldn’t have taken Pravde home.”
Dana scooted toward the edge of the bed, moving onto her knees. Lil immediately noted her excited expression. “I could come with you.”
Lil gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’d love that, but it won’t work.”
“Why not. I don’t mind and I’d love to see you in action.”
“That’s not what I mean, sweetheart. I can translocate around, but I can’t carry anything larger than my bird. Remember?” She had told Dana this while they were on the journey to Baghdad, but much had been happening at the time.
“So who’s going to help you?”
Lil stood and shoved her credentials into her hip pocket. She could feel the child’s urgency, spurring her to hurry. “I’ll get one of my people to meet me, someone familiar with the area.”
“Are you going to kiss her? The girl?”
The way Dana asked the question troubled Lil enough to hesitate. She needed to go, but this was so important that she rationalized that a few more seconds wouldn’t matter. “Dana, a kiss doesn’t make me a pedophile. It’s simply a way to transfer some of my power—breath to breath.”
“Of course. I didn’t intend to imply otherwise. I don’t even know why I said it.” Dana’s eyes skidded away. “I guess I just felt a little jealous that I couldn’t go with you.”
Lil’s heart twisted. She urged Dana to look up at her with a hand under her chin. “You don’t need to be jealous. My dreams are filled with only you.”
Peaches and cream cheeks flushed a brighter red, illustrating Dana’s embarrassment. Lil thought it was cute. “I’ve truly got to go now. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
“Tell ya what,” Dana offered. “I’ll stay here and plan the details of our next dive. My laptop has the link for the Institute and I can pull up satellite imagery of the area as well as the latest sonar and bathymetric information we have on file.”
“Thank you. I’m sure I’ll be back before you even finish.”
“Do you know where you’re going?”
“Someplace cold and remote. I have to focus on the girl, tap into her energy. Regardless where it is, you know I have people on every continent. It’ll be fine.”
Lil kissed Dana’s lips and left the bedroom. She remained deeply aware of Dana sitting on the bed and the scent of their loving in the air. She could still feel Dana’s caress on her skin, but most of Lil’s focus was directed toward the girl. With nothing in her path as she headed toward the sitting area, Lil calculated she could safely take three good steps without charging into the sofa. She took the steps slowly with her eyes closed, immersing herself in the child’s aura, feeling the shared fear cascade over her.
The familiar sensation of displaced air washed over Lil as she winked from one location to another. The cold struck with such force that Lil hunched forward and wrapped her arms around herself as information poured in. Mount Fuji’s peak was almost always below freezing. Fortunately, she hadn’t reappeared on the summit. She could see the peak looming high overhead so at least she had a point of reference.
Lil estimated the temperature at about thirty degrees. At this higher elevation and combined with the wind chill, it felt at least ten degrees colder. Her breath was visible on the high west wind. A small child wouldn’t last long in this without shelter. Lil reached out with her mind, calling for one who could help.
“Haruko Jin, I need you,” Lil whispered, adding her voice to the silent plea.
Through the brief burst of mental contact, Lil transmitted the situation’s urgency. Not only was there a child lost in the wilderness, but also she and Lil could both freeze to death without intervention. Lil had no idea how long the girl had stayed in the woods and Lil herself didn’t have a coat. For the girl, Sumi Takara, there would be no coming back. Lil could stay in a death-like state until discovered or until summer came to the mountains. Neither prospect seemed appealing.
Seconds passed that felt like hours before Lil experienced the familiar pop of displaced air. Relief poured through her as she spun about to face her assistant.
“Haruko, thank you for coming so quickly.” The words were difficult to speak through chattering teeth.
Haruko Jin overlooked the bow Lil offered and thrust a coat toward her. Lil’s hands shook a little as she donned the garment. Soft fur from the hood caressed her face and blessed heat embraced her body.
“You won’t help her if you perish, Lilith.”
Finally comfortable, Lil shoved her hands into the coat pockets and took a brief instant to notice Haruko’s tired state. Her hair stood up as though she had just climbed out of bed and small lines marked her eyes. For all these tiny signs of exhaustion, Haruko remained one of the most beautiful women Lil had ever seen. Almost waiflike with doe-brown eyes and a gentle smile, Haruko also had a quiet, dependable strength. She’d once held Lil’s heart, or so Lil had thought at the time. Maybe it was just loneliness.
“We should hurry,” Lil said. “I’m not sure how long Sumi’s been lost.”
Lil struck off through the woods. She had materialized at the location where she’d sensed the child, but Sumi couldn’t have known. She had kept walking, searching for help. A bright burst of illumination clicked on from behind, making their task easier. Leave it to Haruko to grab a flashlight before heading into the woods.
“She is fortunate you sensed her at the time of marking,” Haruko pointed out. Snow began to fall, punctuating her statement. “She would not have survived the night.”
“Sumi! Sumi Takara,” Lil called out.
A branch smacked her in the cheek, which Lil absently brushed aside. All instincts were trained around her, all senses employed as she tracked Sumi. A tiny whimper made her turn abruptly to the left and Lil dashed toward the sound. The hair stood up on the back of her neck when Lil heard a menacing growl near the same spot.
“Haruko, hurry!”
Lil raced ahead through the bobbing, dizzying light Haruko aimed ahead. She barely saw the hulking shadow of a fallen tree and propelled herself over the obstacle. With Haruko trailing behind, the light was abruptly cut off. Lil took a few more steps to allow Haruko to climb over the tree. Lil relieved her of the flashlight and scanned around, searching desperately for the lost girl.
A flash of color caught Lil’s eye just as a lithe creature vacated the small clearing. The quick little fox had no interest in dealing with two fully capable humans. Lil ran over to Sumi and dropped down beside her. She didn’t see any injuries, but it was hard to tell. Sumi had lain on the ground and curled up in a fetal position. Her eyes were closed, but Lil could see her breath fog with each exhale.
“She’s alive.”
Lil scooped Sumi up from the cold ground and into her lap. Thinking quickly, she unzipped the heavy coat and wrapped the flaps around Sumi’s small form, hoping her own body heat would help. Sumi cuddled closer, drawn to the warmth though Lil believed she remained unconscious. In the illumination from Haruko’s flashlight, Lil noticed the pale cheeks, rounded by youth and the heavy shadows cast by Sumi’s thick eyelashes. A sharp sense of protectiveness surged through her breast, causing Lil to inhale sharply as her eyes filled with tears. She was surprised by such a maternal emotion and couldn’t fathom where it stemmed from. A pleasant heat started in Lil’s fingertips and spread throughout her hands before moving up her arms. Soon, the sensation suffused her entire being. Lil t
hought she was imagining things when the clearing began to glow. Then she realized the heat inside her had manifested into a physical entity, illuminating the clearing all around.
Lil perceived the flow of power transferring from her hands and into Sumi’s body through touch alone. This had never happened before. Then again, Lil had never felt such tenderness for a human child. Always, she had acknowledged the need to imbue her gifts into the younger generations, but hadn’t experienced any type of real connection with her protégés.
“Lilith? Are you well?”
“I’m fine, Haruko,” she whispered in response.
“We should go.”
Lil nodded, still captivated by such a magical moment. That she could still discern such an instant was in itself a miracle. “Yes, we should.”
Haruko assisted Lil to her feet with her small charge. The bright light Lil cast from within had already begun to fade. She allowed Haruko to guide them from the clearing with her flashlight, still shaken by the experience, but feeling much warmer than she had before. She couldn’t help but wonder if that internal glow had caused a temporary warming, alleviating the cold that seemed to have seeped into her bones. If so, perhaps it had also transmitted to Sumi and would keep the child soothed until they reached safety.
Lil kept silent as she followed Haruko through the forest. With her thoughts in turmoil, Lil was pleased to allow Haruko to lead them. She would know the quickest routes to civilization.
“The Yoshida hiking trail is not far from here,” Haruko said, breaking into her thoughts. “It will lead us to the Fifth Station.”
“Aren’t the hiking trails supposed to be closed this time of year?”
“Of course, but people rarely heed the rules. Someone probably decided that camping this time of year was a great idea.”
Lil stifled her anger, afraid the emotion would transmit to the sleeping girl. She didn’t want to follow the spellbinding moment in the woods with such a crass reaction.
“How far?”
“An hour, perhaps less if we encounter a search party.”
Beyond the Garden Page 19
