Lexi was happily surprised when she heard herself introduced in that manner, for it was the first time in her life that she had experienced it. She was equally impressed by how Ryan never paused or stumbled, but rather deliberately and confidently called her his girlfriend. She had a large smile, as she shook the men’s strong hands.
Their stature was very much like Ryan’s. The two men were fit and toned, not to mention ruggedly handsome. The only difference was their dark olive complexion. They both sported jet black hair in different close cropped styles. The men standing before her could easily pass for Gods, but she only had eyes for Ryan.
Ryan looked to Lexi and introduced his friends, “Lexi, this is David and that’s Ben.” Ryan made a sweeping gesture with his hand, indicating each man. “They’re old friends of mine and they have made sure Dr. Meier will be expecting us. They have also arranged transportation to Haifa, and a hotel for us there.”
Before Lexi could speak, David quickly pulled her into a quick embrace. He swiftly lifted her in a gentle bear hug, before depositing her small frame back on the ground. She could see the impish traits that he seemed to possess, especially when he turned his childish grin on her. “So, what did you use? Magic? Blackmail? Ryan Kidd has never had a girlfriend, just a trail of broken hearts!”
Lexi couldn’t help but laugh at the question. “Well, it was easy actually. Once I had him cornered, I hypnotized him.” David laughed, but Ben was much more reserved and failed to find the humor in the situation.
Lexi could tell that he was exactly the cocky kind of guy she had expected to meet in Colombia. He had a perfectly trimmed mustache. His beard was more of a small goatee, with only a short thin line on either side of his face that ran up to meet small sideburns. His t-shirt was purposefully tight to showcase the bulk of muscles.
“Listen Lexi, I know you aren’t aware of it, but you must not joke with Dr. Meier about hypnosis. I don’t know the details, but that much I do know.” After his warning, Ben’s face lit up and she was shocked by the sudden change in his personality.
“By the way, welcome to Israel. I’m really sorry Ryan has you Kidd napped,” He laughed at his little pun. “Say, if you get tired of him, I’m single.”
Ryan gave Ben a playful shove and they walked away from Lexi as they finished their conversation. Lexi was fully aware that Ryan seemed to whisper something as he leaned closer to his friends. She had also noticed that he had taken a number of bills from his wallet and had placed them in David’s upturned palm. After the exchange was made, Ryan patted his friends on the shoulder and walked back to where Lexi was waiting.
“It looks like we have some time to kill before we meet the doctor. He isn’t available until tomorrow. We can get the car, take a drive to Haifa and get checked in at our hotel. Maybe find some food. After that, we can head back out. I’d like to show you the city and this will give you a chance to do some shopping as well.”
He pointed towards Ben and David, who were walking away. “They won’t be with us, but if we need anything, they’ll be available. They will arrange anything else that we may need, after our doctor’s appointment.”
Lexi and Ryan walked to a waiting white SUV and loaded the few hard plastic cases that Ryan described as his gear. Ryan glanced at a glossy plastic coated map before heading out on their way.
Ryan circumvented the city of Tel Aviv by taking Israel Highway 2, heading north along the coast toward Haifa. The area near Tel Aviv seemed to be more crowded than Lexi had imagined, but as they put more distance behind them, she noticed how the land became much more open.
It reminded her a lot of Southern California. The city was warm and dry, with scatterings of green spread haphazardly through the tan landscape. Clusters of buildings and small towns could be found everywhere. Ryan rolled the windows down, so they could enjoy the warm clean air and blue afternoon sky.
As they started their second hour of driving, Lexi noticed the hill ahead of them. She could see that a city was beginning to appear as they drew closer. The traffic became even more congested, and she saw a couple of large cargo ships not far out in the sea.
“This is Haifa. It’s a major port and transportation hub, but it is also a big tourist destination. I think you’ll like it here.” When Ryan slowed down, Lexi noticed a grouping of large hotels near the beach. She was disappointed when Ryan turned off the highway and away from the beach.
The road he took was narrow. There were many cars parked on each side of the street. The remaining drivable surface seemed like it was simply an afterthought or a courtesy, given by a community of valets. The road snaked through several switchbacks and up the hill.
“This is Mount Carmel. If we walk on this hill later, don’t worry about having to traverse these crazy streets, because believe it or not, there is a subway that runs up and down the hill. Kind of like a completely modern version of those old antique incline trains they have in Pittsburgh, if you’ve ever heard of them. The only difference is these ones are buried deep underground. They’re actually pretty cool.”
The drive continued, as they approached a breathtakingly beautiful park. Lexi asked Ryan to stop for a minute so she could take in the stunning panoramic view before her. The hillside was perfectly terraced and covered in a meticulously maintained green grass. A red, brick stair case lined with fully grown palm trees traveled up the center of the park. It came to a stop at a beautiful temple made of white stone and crowned with a golden dome. Lexi was in awe at the sight she beheld as she had never seen anything like it before.
The gardens appeared to go on behind the building into even more intricate landscaping themes. “What is that?” Lexi exclaimed. “I don’t think I have ever came across something as unexpectedly cool as this. The street actually goes underneath the garden behind that temple!”
“It’s a shrine or temple for a religion called the Baha’i Faith. I can’t tell you too much about them, but from what little I understand about it, they believe all religions are connected and that they all add up to just one religion for everyone. Remember what I said about Israel drawing in archaeologists and spies? I should have added religions to that list. Just about every religion I can think of has a major site in Israel. There must be something to it, because it is pretty remarkable when you think about it.”
Lexi speculated on what Ryan had said. “Well, maybe there could be another reason for Kurt and Kate to have been in Israel, besides just their occupations. Maybe it was for a spiritual reason?”
She thought a little more. “I doubt it, though. Neither of them ever mentioned religion. It just wasn’t important to them, but you never know.”
Ryan continued to drive up the hill, until he reached the front of the magnificent Dan Carmel. The spectacular five star hotel towered over the city and the port located below. The view from atop the hill was unlike any resort or hotel she had ever visited.
“Wow! I must admit, your boys have impeccable taste. Look at this place.” Lexi remarked.
Ryan maneuvered the SUV under the overhang in front of the lobby doors. They exited the vehicle and handed the keys to a valet. A porter picked up the cases from the SUV as they walked in through large glass doors and across a plush carpet. The lobby was spacious, yet seemed warm and welcoming.
Lexi grimaced at her shorts and t-shirt, wishing she had something a bit more upscale to wear. As she glanced around the immaculate lobby, she noticed a clothing store that was just a few short steps away.
“Give me just a minute while you check in?” She had assumed they would share a room at this point, but she still had a very tiny bit of doubt since Ryan hadn’t mentioned anything. She walked into the store and made quick work of picking through the racks. Once Ryan finished, he met back up with Lexi where she was just wrapping up at the register of the clothing store.
They quickly followed the porter to the elevator. Lexi was a little surprised when he pressed the button for the top floor. When the elevator finally came to a halt, the porter quietly ushered the co
uple to their room. The porter left the cases just outside of the suite as Ryan slowly opened the door, allowing Lexi a full view of his surprise.
Lexi was astonished by the three giant bouquets of roses set out in very conspicuous places. “Oh my god! You are just full of surprises, aren’t you? How did you get all of these in here?”
“I can’t give up all my secrets, can I?” He flashed a smile and his trademark wink. “Seriously though, back at the airport I asked the guys to make a few changes to the reservations they had made, and I wanted to tell them to order a few flowers for you. I guess they got a little carried away or wanted to impress you, by the looks of the room.”
“Well done. You never cease to amaze me. Just for the record, I am very impressed!”
“That was my plan! Besides, after we meet with the doctor who knows where we might be headed to chase down your sister. We could end up traipsing around the desert for a while looking for Kate, and we may not get a decent break for a while. So what do you say? Nice long showers, relax a little, enjoy the luxury of this suite and then take a walk this evening? Get a bite to eat?”
Lexi nodded in agreement and began her self-guided tour of the suite. She stopped along the way, often rising up on her tiptoes to get a closer look at several of the oil paintings that decorated the walls.
Ryan watched her with delight as she stood with her back to him up on her toes. He realized how much he loved just looking at not only her body, but the way she moved, always curious and noticing every detail around her. He loved seeing the way her eyes lit up, when she found something that sparked her interest.
God, I love that girl. The thought should have stopped Ryan in his tracks, but it didn’t. He should have been scared to death to have that feeling for her, but he felt no fear. Instead, he felt a warmth settle in his chest because he knew that loving her was the best feeling he ever had.
She turned around and smiled at him before disappearing into the shower.
After Lexi was done with her shower, she quickly evaluated the hasty purchases she had made earlier. She wanted to look nice, but she didn’t want to overdo it either. She had no idea where Ryan planned to take her, and what the dress called for. She threw on a light dress, quickly dried her hair, and headed out to the balcony to wait for Ryan.
She was hypnotized by the view before her and didn’t hear Ryan when he quietly exited the bathroom. He was quickly captivated by the sight of her on the balcony before him as she looked out over the city below and the sea in the distance. Ryan was delighted by her choice of clothing. The coral short sleeved lace summer dress molded gently to each of her curves, without being too provocative. She left her long hair down. It flowed gently over her shoulders and left a look of causal grace.
Clad only in a pair of jeans, he padded up behind her and swept her hair off to the side. The exposed silken skin of her slender neck invited his hungry mouth. He gave her a light, but passion filled kiss on the back of her neck as he firmly wrapped both arms around her in a loving embrace. He had gotten so used to touching her that it felt perfectly normal to physically express how he felt with her.
The sun had just begun its nocturnal voyage below the distant sea. Lexi beheld her beloved sunset in a glory that she had never before witnessed. Every shade of orange, pink, rose, and purple was visible in an ever-changing mural. “This is so perfect, Ryan. Everything is just so perfect.”
He turned her around and kissed her full lips gently. Their fingertips slowly roamed each other’s bodies and the passion began to heat up. Ryan wanted to be a tease. He abruptly broke off the kiss. “Let that build up for a while. Come on and let me take you out on a proper date for once.” He threw on a button down shirt, and took her hand before he led her out into the evening air.
They strolled through a part of town that was filled with restaurants, cafes, and shops. “What do you think this doctor will be like?” Lexi wondered aloud. “I just don’t know what to expect. It seems really odd to be bringing the coin to him without knowing the reason.”
“I really don’t know. I think at first, we should just let him talk to see what he has to say. I also think that we should have an idea of every question we want answers to. I plan to quiz the hell out of him about Kurt, Kate, and the old coin, because I think you deserve to know the truth.”
They wandered through a small plaza and as they passed a small street vendor something dangling from one of the kiosks caught Ryan’s eye. He stopped and lifted it from its hook while she was distracted by the various items for sale. He stood behind her and placed a silver chain around her neck that supported a small owl pendant. The owl was beautifully crafted in a dark silver with shimmering diamond eyes. She held the owl up and smiled.
“There Lex, now whenever you get spooked by that owl of yours, just look at this cute little guy and tell yourself owls aren’t that scary after all.”
The pair continued their walk. Lexi started to notice small slate signs that were set out in front of the quaint restaurants to advertise nightly specials. She was surprised to find so many were written in Russian and even some in Ukrainian. “How about this place?”
“Anyplace will be great, as long as I’m with you.”
They were soon ushered to one of many small square tables placed along the wide sidewalk. With a lightening quick flash of white cotton, a waiter flung out a cloth that fell gently down and perfectly onto the table. He set out a small jarred candle and quickly lit the wick, before handing them their menus. “Now just let me order for us. It can be my turn to impress you a little!” Lexi addressed the waiter in Ukrainian and ordered the meals for them.
Ryan looked surprised, “Well, now I am impressed. I didn’t know you could speak Russian.”
“Oh no, that was in Ukrainian. A lot of people think that Ukrainian people are Russian speaking, but it isn’t true. The Ukraine has always had its own language. A Russian and Ukrainian can talk to each other, but only understand about half of what they are saying. Just enough to start a fight.”
They laughed and continued their conversation, until the waiter returned with several platters of food.
“I know you’re really going to enjoy this. They have some good things on the menu that you usually only find in home cooked meals. It’s an absolute must that you try Ukrainian Borsch. This is the only thing the Kate and I know how to make. Our mother taught us this at an early age and we really, really wanted to learn how.”
“Why? I mean, what was so important about it?”
“There is a saying that no Ukrainian girl will ever find her true love, unless she knows how to make Borsch. I am willing to bet that just about every Ukrainian girl learned the recipe. Let’s see, there is also varenyky, which is the same as a pierogi. We’ll try the sweet kind they have with honey. The best thing I see on here is banosh with bryzna. Sort of like a shepherd’s pie made with corn flour, sour cream, cheese, pork or ham, mushrooms, and whatever else.”
Ryan smiled at the way Lexi swelled with her ethnic pride. As they enjoyed their hearty meal, Lexi kicked off her sandals and lifted her leg up to stroke between Ryan’s thighs. She teased him with her foot, “When you’re done trying everything here, I have some dessert back in our room for you to taste.”
Ryan’s eyebrows arched as he leaned forward. “Just so you know, we have an audience watching us very closely.
Lexi quickly dropped her leg back down and whispered, “Who is it? Where?”
“Behind me. There is a couple at a table all the way back and to your left. I saw them take a picture of us with a phone when we sat down. Maybe they videotaped your performance!” He joked.
Lexi squinted to see the couple and her mood instantly soured. After a few minutes of deliberation, she got up and angrily marched over to a middle aged couple seated at a table just behind Ryan.
“Oh God, Lexi” Ryan mumbled, as he rose from his chair, quickly trying to intercept her.
“So, you like making movies? Don’t you think it’s a little r
ude? We are just trying to-.” Lexi’s admonishment of the couple was interrupted by Ryan as he put his mouth up to her ear and whispered. “Wrong couple, Lex. The couple that was watching us just walked out.”
The man at the table held his arms out in disbelief as the woman said to her husband, “Now what were you doing this time?”
“Oh God!” Lexi’s face began to blush.
Ryan put an arm around Lexi and led her away. “I’m sorry, sometimes she gets like this when she has had a little too much wine.”
Ryan paid their bill and they walked away from the restaurant. “Who would be watching us, Ryan?”
“Mossad. They have been keeping a close eye on us since we left Tel Aviv.”
“Mossad? Why would they watch us?”
“Well, considering the fact that we are set to visit with a former Mossad agent, they just want to make sure we’re alone and that nobody else could be following us.”
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t like the idea of some creepy guy videotaping us while I teased you.”
Lexi felt the heat surge between them as they started the short walk back to the hotel. When they arrived back at their room, she retreated into the bedroom to make a call to her sister once again, but Kate did not pick up.
She tried to reassure herself that all was well and Kate was in no danger. Lexi opened the bag with the new clothes she picked up earlier in the day. She lifted a black lace negligée out of the bag and with a saucy grin on her face, she thought about what Ryan’s reaction would be when he saw her in it.
She stood in front of a mirror and admired the sight before her. Lexi enjoyed how such a simple piece of material could make her feel completely sensual, seductive, and feminine, yet powerful.
The bodice was transparent enough to see the outline of her breasts and the smooth skinned mound that Ryan so perfectly devoted his tongue to. Yet everything was obscured just enough to be erotic.
She adjusted the position of her new necklace and the skimpy cloth. Brief flashes of memories from the night they spent together passed through her mind. Her heart beat sped. She nearly panted with both excitement and anticipation. Lexi walked out of the bedroom slowly past Ryan without stopping. She headed straight for the balcony and resumed leaning on the rail as she had been before they had gone out.
Conjuring Darkness Page 12
