The Mark of Cain

by A D Seeley

  He really needed to corrupt her soon before she ended up corrupting him with her perfection.

  Chapter Twenty

  ***

  Hara slowly began to wake, finding herself on her side. Even before she could open her eyes, she felt Inac’s warm arms around her, as well as one hand lightly playing with the loose hair at her back. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know that they were facing each other.

  “Mmm…that feels nice,” she said with a faint smile and her eyes still closed.

  “I can give you a scalp massage if you’d like?” He didn’t wait for her to reply before she felt the tips of his fingers moving around in small, sensual swirls along her scalp.

  It felt so incredible that she couldn’t keep from faintly moaning. She could wake up to this every day for the rest of her life.

  She finally opened her eyes when he took his fingers away. When she did, she found him smiling at her while gazing intently into her eyes.

  “Morning,” she whispered.

  “Morning,” he whispered back. The black double sleeping bag was pulled down to their waists, and she could see why. It was really hot inside the tent.

  “Where’s your shirt?” she asked him, tentatively putting a hand on his powerful chest.

  “Oh…I must have left it outside.”

  “When were you outside?”

  “I needed some air a couple of hours ago.”

  “Oh. I didn’t even feel you leave.”

  “Yeah well, you didn’t even feel when I came to bed either.”

  She giggled. “I guess not. I sleep through everything. They used to joke at the orphanage that if there was ever a fire, I’d die because I wouldn’t hear the alarm.”

  “Isn’t that a little insensitive?” he asked, his brows furrowed. “You know, since your family died in a fire?”

  She cocked her head. “I guess I never really thought about it. I mean, it’s not like I remember them or anything.”

  He seemed thoughtful this morning. It was as he was pondering who knew what and she was looking into his eyes that she noticed again how light they were.

  “Inac?”

  “Hmm?”

  “What color are your eyes?”

  “Black. Why? Can’t you see that?” he said with a teasing grin.

  “Do they get lighter when the light hits them?”

  He threw her a look that clearly said that he thought that her brain didn’t work in the morning before he said, “No. Why?”

  “Because they keep getting lighter. A couple weeks ago they were a really dark gray, but now they’re not anymore.”

  “What color are they now?”

  “Kind of like a medium gray.”

  “Hara, love, I think you need your eyes checked.”

  She felt her stomach leap. He’d called her “love.” What did that mean? He hadn’t ever called her that before. Did that mean that he was in love with her, or had he called his wives that, too?

  Trying not to let him realize where her thoughts were going, she lightly began to tickle his bare chest with her long round nails. In response, Inac closed his eyes and grinned as he moved to his back.

  She moved her fingers around the tattoo that covered the entire right side of his torso as well as his right arm and the right side of his back. Now that she was actually concentrating on it versus just registering it while paying attention to Inac’s mouth and body, she saw how much of the tribal design consisted of large, black circular lines so more skin was unmarked than was marked. Some places where the line curved, angular ones would jut out of it, resembling the spikes on a dragon. Then, in other places, they swirled until they almost looked like wind blowing across his skin. She actually thought it was quite sexy for some reason. Probably because, in her eyes, it made him more masculine, as well as rebellious.

  Because Inac had slept on the side of the mattress near the middle of the large tent—it could sleep eight—and she was now halfway sitting up, she glanced over at Tracker, giggling when she saw him. He was out. He was sprawled out on his back, the top of his head on the floor of the tent with his mouth wide open and part of his white T-shirt falling to show his bellybutton free of fuzz—she didn’t think he had any chest hair. He just wasn’t manly enough. Of course, Inac didn’t seem to have any either and he was definitely all man….

  “What’s so funny?” Inac asked, opening his eyes.

  “Track,” she said, gesturing at him with her head.

  Inac looked over and chuckled himself. “Yeah. I woke him up by accident when I went out to get air. We started talking and didn’t get back to bed for a while.”

  “So you two are becoming friends?”

  He shrugged, not committing himself to his answer. “Maybe.”

  She couldn’t contain her joy. Usually, when she would talk about Track, Inac would seem a little sour, but today that was gone. Maybe Inac couldn’t admit it to himself, but she was pretty sure that the guys didn’t hate each other quite so much anymore.

  He placed his hands on her hips as he flashed a naughty smile. “Should we continue from yesterday? Tracker doesn’t look like he’ll be waking anytime soon.”

  “As much as I would love to, no,” she replied, hair falling into her face and down onto Inac’s bare flesh.

  He looked like a hurt child for a moment. But, true to Inac’s character, he hid it quickly, shutting it deep inside where he probably couldn’t even sense it any longer.

  “Why not? Does my breath stink?” he joked; a tribute to just how good he hid his emotions.

  “Not that I can tell. In fact, it probably smells better than mine.”

  “Then why not? Because Tracker’s right there?”

  “No. Because you wanted to continue.”

  “Okay…?” he said, making an elaborate gesture with his hand that made her think of medieval knights.

  “Meaning that you wanted to start exactly where we left off. But we left off the farthest I’m willing to go.”

  Comprehension dawned on his face. “Ah. And the word ‘continue’ implies that we would go farther than that?”

  “Exactly.”

  He chortled at her. Tucking one side of her hair behind its respective ear, he asked, “Well then, would you like to start over?”

  “Now that, I would love to do,” she said as she lowered her mouth to his.

  A few kisses in, he gently rubbed the bottom ball of his tongue piercing along her lower lip. He must be folding his tongue with his teeth to do so because she didn’t feel his tongue at all. It felt nice, sending shivers down her spine. It also made her want more.

  She lightly put the tip of her tongue into his mouth. When she pulled it out, she nibbled his bottom lip, knowing that was the button that would make him want more. She knew she was playing with fire but, for some reason, she just didn’t care. His kisses and caresses always seemed to make her this way; where she no longer cared about the consequences of her actions. Especially when he was grabbing her bare thigh the way he was now—she’d bought some really cute boxer shorts to wear to bed while camping instead of her usual nightgowns that would be too easy for Inac to move aside.

  She was right in knowing that he would begin losing control. In all honesty, he was someone who always seemed to be on the verge of losing it. He always seemed to do what he wanted when he wanted. Maybe she should be more like him….

  He grabbed her and rolled her over, moving his mouth around her neck in desperation. His hands were everywhere, even places she knew they shouldn’t be. He was single-handedly checking her for breast cancer below her tank top…literally…and she liked it.

  It was when his mouth was slowly making its way toward that hand, leaving a burning trail of kisses in its wake, that Tracker made a very loud snort, causing her to jump.

  She couldn’t help it when she began giggling at how badly it had scared her, which pretty much shattered the mood. It seemed to have done the same for Inac because he laid down again and pulled her close until
she was resting her head on his chest.

  “Leave it to Tracker. Even in his sleep…” he grumbled as he helped her resituate her shirt so that it was once again covering her.

  He might be upset, but she was silently thanking God. What was it about Inac that made her toss aside things that had been important to her all her life? She had now gone much farther than she had ever wanted to go before marriage.

  It was odd; she really should feel like she was going to Hell. It just felt so right with him. Like they were soul mates, if there was such a thing. She felt like she was here only for Inac. Like her life hadn’t begun until he’d come into it. Like she was here to help him. He’d obviously had a very difficult life that made him put up as many walls as he had. But those walls crumbled when they kissed. She could see it in his eyes. Maybe that was why she let him go so much farther with her than she would have gone with any other guy….

  Even still—right now—when she looked up, her chin on his chest, she could see in his eyes that his iron walls hadn’t yet been refortified. It was the perfect time to say something about her feelings for him, but she couldn’t do it. The words just wouldn’t come out. She was worried that he would shut down; that maybe she was just reading something into it because she was a woman. Crystal told her time and time again that, for women, intimacy was a bonding mechanism but, usually for men, it was just about the physical aspect of it.

  But if it was only about that for Inac, then surely he would be with a girl like Crystal. A girl who was more than willing to go as far as you could without even having to go on a date or be on a first name basis. She was notorious at the club….

  Her cheek back on his chest, she had just about gathered the guts to tell him how she felt when Track mumbled, “Thanks for not making me wake up to kissing.”

  “Well you’re a few minutes too late for that,” Inac said with a smile in his voice. He was probably trying to get under Track’s skin…like usual.

  “Then I’m glad I was exhausted ’cause I’m usually a light sleeper.”

  “As I found out last night.” The vibrations along her cheek from him speaking was an interesting feeling. Before she could think too deeply on it, though, he started to move, lifting her head and setting a pillow under it.

  “Where are you going?” she asked—she didn’t want him to let go of her ever again.

  “To check on breakfast. I started it cooking before you woke up.”

  He leaned down and gave her a small peck on the lips before leaving the tent unzipped behind him—probably so it could air out. It was absolutely sweltering in there as the material trapped the sunshine in it like an oven to bake them from the inside out.

  She smiled at Tracker, who grinned lazily back at her. She then lifted her sleeping bag and patted the spot next to her.

  “Come here so we can talk.”

  He crawled over, doing as she’d asked.

  Once settled next to each other, both on their sides to watch one another, she said, “Mmm. It’s like old times, isn’t it?” There had been times in the orphanage when he had been upset so they would lay on her bed and go to sleep. Most everyone had done that. She had been the one everyone went to when they needed comfort. And, because she had been given her own room, it had been the perfect way to have private talks. The other kids had opened up to her about everything. At first, the priests and nuns had tried to stop it, but soon they’d learned that it was platonic and seemed to keep the kids from having angry outbursts. Besides, it had always been in daylight with the door wide open.

  “Yeah,” Track said with a wistful smile. “Do you ever miss everyone?”

  “Every day. I always wonder how they are. I feel bad because I haven’t called them all summer.”

  “Since meeting Inac?” he asked, almost as an accusation.

  “Since before him. I just took too much on this summer.”

  They lay quiet for a minute, Hara lost in memories of those left behind. She hadn’t been able to go back to visit since spring break. Eventually, Tracker spoke, breaking the silence.

  “So…how serious are you two?”

  She bit her lip as she contemplated her answer. “I don’t know. There are times when I think we’ll become serious, but other times….”

  “Other times, what?”

  “He’s just so closed off. He really has a difficult time opening up. Until he stops being so secretive, I don’t think we can move forward. But, at the same time, I kind of just want what I can get. And he sometimes opens up. Maybe becoming serious and showing him how much he’s loved unconditionally…” she said, shrugging.

  “But sometimes you need to love with conditions, Hara. You’re too good a person. You’re too trusting.”

  “Maybe…but Inac won’t hurt me.”

  Tracker didn’t believe her. His eyes told her that much. They also lacked his usual hostility when she talked about Inac. Instead, they held only pity.

  “Inac said that you two talked last night after he woke you up? What did you two talk about?”

  Yup. There it was. Pity. But also fear and sadness.

  “Just guy stuff,” he answered. But he had never been able to lie to her. And, right now, he was trying to do just that.

  “Well, at least you two seem to be getting along.” She wasn’t going to call him on it. He would tell her the truth eventually.

  “I guess so….”

  “I’m glad. You two are really important to me. It’s been difficult for me to have you guys dislike each other. I appreciate that you’re at least trying.”

  “Hara, I just want you safe and happy,” he said, his voice cracking. “You’re important to me, too.”

  She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “Thanks. I appreciate that. And, if you ever feel like I’m not giving you enough attention now that I’m seeing someone, don’t hesitate to tell me. Because I love you and just want you to be safe and happy.”

  “Then, for old time’s sake, can you just hold me and tell me everything’s gonna be okay?” he asked with tears in his eyes.

  She smiled and pulled him into her arms, tears in her own eyes now. “I swear to you Tracker, everything’s going to be wonderful.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  ***

  “How much farther?” Hara asked. It was their last night in Yellowstone and Inac had kidnapped her to take her on a hike for just the two of them. But that had been hours ago….

  “We’re almost there.”

  “Almost where?” They were totally in the middle of nowhere. Inac had rented a helicopter that he’d flown himself, taking them to a meadow somewhere high in the mountains, and they had been walking on what Inac called a “game trail” ever since. Even though the only day they hadn’t hiked much was when they’d gone to see Old Faithful—they’d had to hike to the hot springs they’d relaxed in the day before—she didn’t mind it. She just worried about them getting lost.

  He smiled back at her. “A place off the map. I doubt the park rangers even know the place we’re going to.”

  “So what happens if we get lost or hurt?”

  He shrugged. “We die.”

  “What?!” she shrieked, stopping her climb through the thick pine forest—or whatever kind of needly trees they were. It was so thick that she couldn’t even see the sky.

  He started laughing. “I’m kidding. Don’t worry; I spent a lot of time up here when I was younger.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. I set up camp in this amazing cave and spent months here. I know this land like the back of my hand.”

  At least that made her feel better. She was wrong when she’d thought him to be a city guy. The past two weeks had changed her mind. Here, in the forest, he just seemed so exhilarated.

  A few minutes later she heard a musical sound. Maybe rushing water?

  “Is that a waterfall?”

  He grinned from ear to ear. In a teasing tone, he said, “That it is. You’re so smart.”

&n
bsp; A couple turns later and the thick trees opened up into one of the most beautiful waterfalls she’d ever seen. Well…it was technically the first one she’d ever seen in person, but still….

  “Oh Inac…” she said with amazement, looking at the five foot wide waterfall full of rainbows. It not only had rainbows, but the thick scent of the cool water also overtook her senses.

  With a broad smile that spoke of just how pleased he was that she felt as he did here, he said, “I know. Totally worth the hike, don’t you think?”

  Still dazed by how beautiful it was, she could only say, “Totally.”

  The water rushed down approximately thirty feet into a pool, but it didn’t seem to go anywhere from there—there wasn’t a stream or river leaving the large pool.

  “Where does all the water go?”

  “Into an underground river. In fact, you can’t see it because of all the foliage, but the waterfall comes from underground, too. This is the only place it hits air. You should drink some. It’s the best water on Earth.”

  She knelt down and scooped a handful of the cool liquid into her mouth. It was definitely the most refreshing water she’d ever tasted…but that could just be because of how rough the hike had been.

  Inac set down his humongous pack and asked, “Good, isn’t it?”

  She could only nod as she continued to take in the beauty of the surroundings. There were overly fragrant flowers of every kind surrounding the pool. Pink ones, purple ones, white ones, blue ones…. If she could imagine Heaven, this would be it.

  Inac was behind her, rustling through his pack, but she ignored that, instead walking around and exploring the clearing. The air was humid and crisp from the waterfall, feeling delicious against her skin. Eventually she came upon a patch of white flowers, one of which had a blue and black butterfly perched on it.