by Jackie Ivie
Kat lifted her gaze quickly and looked out over the tops of the trees. She could see for miles, as if there was a bright moon illuminating everything and rain wasn’t an obscuring presence. The moisture made the outlines of everything hazy. That would be the effect of water droplets as they splashed against an obstruction. It raised a mist that blurred outlines and, courtesy of her new eyesight, she could actually see it.
Oh. That was excellent.
She’d had something to figure out and managed it by extrapolating the physics involved. That was a relief. She wasn’t entirely crazy. And then she saw the top of something angular. It was indistinct due to the distance, the elements, and possible overgrowth, but...
Her heart ticked up. There was a strange resonance to the sensation, but she quickly ignored it. No heart had an echo. It had to be imagined. As such, it was completely inconsequential.
Kat pulled her feet beneath her and stood. Narrowed her eyes. Focused. She wasn’t mistaken. She’d just located the ruined wall! The one with the mountain starling nest. The place where all this had started. It was miles in the distance, but a definite fixed point of reference. If she managed to get there, she knew how to get to her camp – after finding her camera and the priceless photos of mountain starlings. And once she did that, she could hide. The pilot was due soon. She’d lost track of time, but it might even be today. Tomorrow at the latest. He’d land on the water of the lagoon. Take her away.
And she’d never see Tane again...
The sensation that stabbed through her breast was quick. Sharp. And debilitating. Kat’s legs wavered. There was nothing to grab onto, so she fell to a knee, and her hand thumped as it hit the deck. That didn’t hurt nearly as much as it should have, and felt nothing like the pain that lanced thought her chest cavity. It felt like her heart was in a vice, getting screwed tighter with each heartbeat until there wasn’t a level accurate enough to describe it. Each breath was a trembled gasp.
This is really stupid, Kat.
What was wrong with her? She’d been locked in some alternate reality, she’d just discovered the figurative door, and bonus! Her babysitter was preoccupied. All of that equaled opportunity. She couldn’t care what happened to Tane, the vampiric jungle-man. Why should she? They’d just met. He was just a guy. True... he was beyond gorgeous, had a fantastic body, and some amazing love skills. He stirred her senses beyond anything she’d ever known. She’d reached a heretofore unknown level of ecstasy and rapture and absolute bliss with him. It was also true that he possessed a voice that altered the elements, and a touch that started dreams. What of all that? He was still just a guy. An intriguing, fascinating, and really masculine guy, but still...
Why was she even debating this?
She didn’t dare stay. She couldn’t. Katherine Clark was a logical, rational person. She didn’t deal in emotions or fantasies...or guys who thought they were vampires. And the blur that obscured her vision for a moment couldn’t possibly be tears, either.
Kat blinked until she could see clearly again. The vice-like sensation was still there, but it had lessened to a manageable level. She sniffed. Stood back up. Assessed things. Physical things. Her legs held. She didn’t feel shaky. Nothing was broken.
Except your heart.
Kat groaned aloud, did her damnedest to not only ignore the instant thought, but absorb the ache it sent through her breast. It didn’t work. The longer she stood there, the more it hurt. She sucked in a ragged breath, and made her decision. She was leaving. First thing? She had to figure out how to get down without breaking her neck.
He’d told her more than once that his method was to jump.
Hmm.
Kat leaned forward and craned her neck to look down, underneath the platform. He’d built this place in a tree with a large trunk. Her arms wouldn’t span it. She did a quick visual determination. She didn’t bother checking. She was more interested in the branches and this tree had a few of them. Some were wider than others, although she had to decipher the actual wood content. Most were covered with foliage. But one looked especially promising. About ten feet down. Kat went to her belly, shoved until her legs went over the platform edge. Shimmied to her waist, and then pushed off. She hung from the wood for several moments. As if still undecided. Unsure.
She’d been off on the distance involved, too. It was another five feet from where she dangled and the objective. But...if she moved just right...she could land atop it. Kat let go. Dropped. And landed easily, although the force sent her scrambling through branches toward the trunk. She struck it and grabbed on, her arms outstretched, her belly clenched, and her heart hammered, each beat still tipped with pain.
But she’d done it!
She’d been correct on the trunk’s width. And sturdiness. And the next branch down looked even farther away. It was on the opposite side of the tree. Kat hugged the trunk as she worked around it, her boots grabbing for any toehold while hard bits of bark bit into her forearms. The maneuver also pressed the knife holder into her chest and belly uncomfortably. She welcomed it. It almost took her mind off the ache behind each heartbeat.
When she was directly above the lower branch, she let go. Dropped again. The branch shuddered with her landing. Some leaves came loose and floated off. Her knees flexed. Her mouth was dry. And her heart was going to launch out of her chest, but she’d done it! Again!
The next three drops were even easier. The branches closer. Her sense of purpose keen. But, overconfidence was a killer. She must have forgotten that. Her foot slipped on the sixth landing, and there wasn’t anything to grab. Her fingers clawed at air, her feet scrambled for any footing, but she still slid off.
She’d heard that a person’s life flashed before their eyes when they died, especially if it was in a fall. She’d also heard that they would give a long cry. Both were false. All she’d managed was a small terrified squeak, and then physics figures filled her mind. Without any variables, things fell at a rate of 9.8 meters per second. If she’d been a half mile aboveground, that equaled to what in meters? And just why was she thinking in both standard and metric?
Argh.
804.6 meters. That equated to how much time? Air rushed past her ears, sounding like a wind tunnel. The rain wasn’t even noticeable. Could that be because matched the rate of fall of the drops around her?
Numbers, Kat!
804.6 divided by 9.8. She needed that sum!
Crap.
Leaves slapped at her, slowing her descent. That needed to be factored in. She spun and gyrated as if that would help. This level of vision was horrific at the moment. The jungle floor was rushing toward her. She could see it with perfect clarity.
Eight and a half seconds.
That’s how long she’d had before her body slammed into the ground. That’s when she knew she’d rather not see it. Kat scrunched her eyes shut, started a prayer, and prepared for the worst. And then arms wrapped about her. Her plummeting slowed with a rapidity that made her ears pop. She was cocooned in a sensation of solidity. Comfort. Protection.
“Oh my darling? Did you fall?”
At Tane’s query, Kat did something completely uncharacteristic. She wrapped her arms about him, gripped as hard as possible, and then burst into tears.
CHAPTER TEN
It was mid-morning when the call came in.
Tane had forgotten how even weak daylight affected a newly created vampire. Or a half-turned one like Katherine. He had her snuggled into his master bed. Her boots were on the floor at the bedside along with her collection of wicked-looking knives. He hadn’t disrobed her further. He couldn’t. He was dealing with a level of emotion that scared him.
If he hadn’t caught her...?
His heart still stopped at the thought. Hours later. He knew the fall wouldn’t have killed her, but it would have caused horrific injuries. Broken bones. Internal bleeding. Incomprehensible pain.
Tane’s eyes misted over as he watched her.
She was so beloved! Beyond precious. Infinitely sweet. Sh
e looked like she slept. That wasn’t entirely accurate. She was in a state of rest. Her eyes had closed despite how she’d fought it. She might have been worried. That’s why he’d stopped undressing her. She needn’t fret. She was safe. She would always be safe with him.
Tane watched her chest rise and fall with regularity. She looked so small! So perfect! He had her ensconced in a bed he’d also rescued from his palace. The bed was massive. It had been built for royalty. It looked incongruous amidst all the black stone, but it also looked impressive. Especially with the silver-embroidered heirloom coverlet he’d tucked about her.
She’d clung to him the entire way back. Her tears had wet his chest and every resultant breath had chilled. And yet, he’d never felt warmer. His heart had expanded to hold it. He’d never felt such love or devotion. He hadn’t any idea it existed. Until he’d found her.
The cry of a Micronesian Megapode interrupted his reverie. That was his ring tone. The bird’s call was shrill. Loud. It would increase with each succeeding ring. Tane flew out of the chamber and down the hall to his computer room before that could happen. He grabbed for a phone, smacked the connect button, and answered with the same sense of expediency and lack of finesse.
“What is it?”
“Ah. Greetings, Tane.”
Tane swallowed the instant retort. He’d expected Nigel again, but was mistaken. That voice and volume could only belong to Akron Profit, the leader of the Vampire Assassin League. The oldest of them. Most revered. And respected.
“I have Nigel on the line with us. I believe he will find this edifying. I trust that won’t be a problem?” Akron continued.
“No, Sir.”
“Edifying...? Wait. That means educational,” Nigel spoke.
“Exactly. So. To the reason for my call. Tane?”
Tane grunted.
“Let me set your mind to rest on some things. I don’t have an assignment. There is nothing on the grid. No alerts of any kind in your hemisphere. Everything looks pretty calm. On the surface.”
“Sir?”
“I understand you have found your mate?”
“Now, how the heck do you know that, Sir?” Nigel’s asked.
“You really require an explanation?”
“Oh. Never mind. Dumb question. You know everything.”
Akron chuckled. “Well. That is not entirely accurate, dear boy, although I am gratified that you think so, but back to my call. Tane? You still there?”
“Yes.”
“Am I right? You found your mate?”
“Yes.”
“And she is with you now?”
“Yes.”
“Resting, is she?”
“Oh. Come on, Sir. How can you know that, too?”
“It is a matter of simple deductive reasoning. Tane has found his mate. Chances are good she has been exposed to vampire blood. Therefore, she is now nocturnal, whether she wants to be or not. Tane resides on an uncharted island in Micronesia. It’s evening here. That means it’s the next morning where he lives.”
“Oh. Got it. Pretty smart, Sir.”
“Thank you, but I have yet to hear if it is correct. Tane? Is your mate resting?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Ah. Good. Well. Here is where I need to...step in. Give you an instruction.”
“An instruction?”
Tane pulled the receiver away and stared at it in surprise for a few moments before putting it back to his ear.
“Nigel believes I am interfering without reason. He calls it meddling, but he’s a bit off the mark. It’s really—”
“It is meddling, Sir.”
Nigel had interrupted. That was surprising, but even more so was how Akron allowed it.
“Meddling is for grandmothers, Nigel. I am manipulating events toward a specific outcome. And in a very short time, I believe you will be very happy that I do such a thing.”
“Wow. That’s cryptic, Sir.”
“I know. But we digress. This is not about us. It’s about Tane. And the reason I called. Tane? Your mate? She wouldn’t happen to be a woman named Katherine Clark, would she?”
Tane swallowed before answering. Akron knew that? “Yes.”
“Now, here is where I’m going to use something more than deductive reasoning. Last night. When you caught Miss Clark, she hadn’t fallen. She was attempting an escape.”
Nigel’s exclamation covered over how Tane’s heart seized up. He’d already guessed it, but he didn’t want it put into words. Especially with her reaction when he’d caught her. She might have thought she wanted to leave, but she’d latched onto him and wouldn’t let him go. That was what he was remembering.
“Wow. I can’t even comprehend how you know that, Sir,” Nigel said.
“We’ll work some more on it, Nigel, but in the meantime, this is a satellite link. We have a lot more time than with a cell call, but we don’t want to waste it. Technology is always on our heels. Remember that.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Besides, I am not stating anything that wasn’t already known. Am I, Tane?”
“What do you want?”
Tane tried to keep the confrontational tone from his voice. It didn’t work. Akron’s tone immediately got firmer.
“I told you. I am about to issue you an instruction. And you will follow it. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“You are to return Miss Clark to her camp. And let her go. I have—”
“No!”
Tane’s flung the phone at a wall. It shattered on impact, spewing bits and pieces back at him. Some reached him. Dug into flesh. Stung. He was plucking them out when another phone started shrieking. He ignored it through three raucous calls of the Micronesian Megapode. Just before the fourth one, he snatched the phone and clicked connect. Nigel was speaking.
“...be fair! It’s his mate. Surely you remember what that feels like!”
“I think you both need to listen to me before you react. I wasn’t finished. Tane? Are you back on the line?”
“Yes.”
Tane’s reply carried bitterness. And anger. He didn’t bother to hide it.
“Good. As I was saying, there are two reasons for my instruction. The first one is because no creature likes bondage. Nor do they seem to thrive in captivity. You should know this already. Wasn’t that how I found you?”
“Was he a slave or something?” Nigel asked.
“Warrior. Captured and bound by the natives on another island. They’d taken him as a battle prize. I believe he was scheduled for sacrifice. His body had been beaten, every inch of skin bloodied. I found him in a temple complex. Tied with thick rope. But he was still fighting mad and struggling. Weren’t you, Tane?”
“She’s my mate. This is not the same.”
“I think you will find that bindings are still bindings, regardless of whether they are iron bars, thick ropes, silken threads...or soul-melting kisses.”
“She is my mate.” Tane repeated. Now, he sounded obstinate as well as angered.
“I know that. I believe she is rather fond of you, as well. And if I hadn’t called to manipulate events, things would actually progress quite nicely for you both on that front.”
Tane’s eyes widened. His heart jumped. His body rose several feet without conscious effort before settling back to the floor.
“I don’t get it,” Nigel inserted.
“That is not my lone reason for calling. There is another reason she needs to be set free. Tane?”
“Yes.”
“Your island is uncharted. Believed to be uninhabited. Never visited. That’s the reason you live there.”
“Yes.”
“The reason for your privacy is because there’s a curse about the place. For centuries now, people who go there don’t seem to return. It’s a verbal thing. Nothing on record, really. Just rumor. Isn’t that true, Tane?”
“Yes.”
“That was because those disappearances happened before technology. Cell phon
es. Internet links. Global satellite positioning. Spy drones. Is any of this sinking in, yet?”
“No.”
Nigel and Tane answered at the same time. Akron sighed heavily.
“Katherine Clark is a renowned photographer. Her work has been featured in major magazines and exhibits. Major ones. What are you doing, Nigel?”
“Internet search...and yep. She’s got a website. Lots of photos...and look. A bio photo. Hmm. She’s cute.”
Cute?
Tane straightened as if insulted. His mate was wondrously fair. She possessed breathtaking beauty. A vision of feminine perfection brought to life. Nigel needed better descriptive words.
“A little on the butch side...but cute.”
Tane growled.
“I believe Nigel means she looks confident. Assertive. The type of woman who can take care of herself. Apologize, Nigel.”
“Oh. Yeah. That’s what I meant. Sorry.”
“I also believe that Nigel has just proved my point.”
“I have?”
“Tane’s mate is too well known to just disappear. There will be a search conducted. A large one. They will find a heretofore unknown tribe on that island. And then find the ancient ruins. You will be overrun with anthropologists and archeologists, and that’s before I factor in the miles of pristine sandy beaches.”
“So?”
“You see perfect beaches. I see a developer’s dream. A resort would probably come first. Followed by condo units. An airport. You can’t have a newly discovered island retreat without an airstrip. They’ll build roads. Housing. Maybe a mall or two. Some piers to dock sailboats. And then a big dock for a luxury cruise liner or two.”
“Stop!”
Tane’s exclamation wasn’t loud. It created a well of silence. And then, Nigel spoke into the breach.
“Wow. That sounds like my idea of paradise.”
“It would,” Akron answered.
“We can leave.” Tane spoke up. “She wanted to visit...my palaces.”
“You have palaces?” Nigel asked. “Dang. All you older guys have so much cool stuff. I was born in the wrong century. Everything was already staked out, grabbed, and sucked up.”
