Waves of Change

by Nulli Para Ora

  “Did you get the reading?”

  “No.”

  “Quick, get her into the car. We only have a small window of time.”

  It was the last thing she heard before everything went dark.

  * * * *

  “Okay, team one, you move to cover the rear, team two, the front entrance, teams three and eight, the roof, teams four and five sewers, teams six, seven, and nine fan out and search for patrols and runners.” Chris gave the orders and waited as everyone got into position. Daniel and Chris were in team one, and took up their spots and remained hidden.

  “Wait for the signal and then proceed.” Daniel spoke to the teams through their water. Everyone was ready, and they held their positions while they masked their presence.

  Just as Chris was about to give the signal, Daniel stiffened. A rush of panic and fear coursed through his water, and he sucked in a breath.

  “You okay? What’s going on?” Chris kept his voice down and placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.

  “She’s drowning!” Daniel nearly stood up and ran from his hidden position. He wanted to get back to the car they’d arrived in, but he still had enough control to remember he was on a mission.

  “Where is she?”

  “Beautiful? Can you hear me? Beautiful? Alicia?”

  “Enki, she’s not answering. I need to get to her.”

  “Show me where she is.” Chris’ voice dripped with agitation. He was crouched next to Daniel behind a half wall, and he bounced his knee in his anxiety.

  “Hold on.” Daniel followed her water in his mind, and he could barely make out her thoughts.”

  “Accident … have to help, can’t breathe. Blurry. Someone’s … touching me…”

  “Tai ikamu! Chris, they have her.” The only thing that kept him from running as fast as he could was Chris’ pull on his water.

  “Of all the times. Okay, let’s go. Williams, give the signal. All teams get ready to move in.”

  Daniel and Chris remained hidden as they backtracked to their vehicle. Daniel closed his eyes and gave directions while Chris drove.

  “Talk to me, Daniel. Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know. She’s not awake.” The water of his body churned under the influence of his anxiety, and he balled his hands into fists. Water from the bottles in the cup holder floated near his face. It was then he realized he was manipulating without focus.

  “Tai ikamu, Daniel, keep it together!”

  “Chris, if they’ve hurt her…”

  “I know, and they’ll have me to deal with as well if they did.” Chris continued to follow Daniel’s instructions, and he held the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip.

  “We’re close, Chris.”

  “Are they moving or stationary?”

  “Moving. Where are they taking her?” Daniel could sense they were close, and he scanned the street ahead . “There. Chris, it’s that blue car.”

  “On it.” Chris increased his speed to close the distance, and Daniel concentrated on counting the number of people in the vehicle. Sensing two and Alicia, he killed the man in the backseat and took control of the driver, forcing him to stop the car while he and Chris got out.

  “Who sent you?” Chris began questioning the driver and scanned his memories.

  Daniel was frantic as he opened the rear passenger door. When he saw the unknown man slumped over Alicia’s unconscious body, his blood began to boil with rage. After dumping the man onto the floor of the SUV, he moved in closer to check on her.

  “Daniel?” Chris stopped his questioning and peered into the backseat.

  “She’s barely breathing.”

  “It’s your lucky day. Now you’ll get to die.” Chris’ words were full of venom as he continued to probe the man for information.

  “Beautiful, open your eyes for me, please.” Daniel cradled Alicia in his arms and tried to clear his thoughts. He wanted her to wake up, and he had to focus so his emotions wouldn’t scare her. He had never been so terrified, and he could feel his hands tremble as he held onto her. Concentrating on her water, he forced the remaining fluid out of her lungs before searching her mind for anything he could use to bring her back to consciousness. “Just give me one little thing, beautiful. One little thing so I can bring you back.”

  Daniel sent thoughts and images to her, hoping to trigger a response. When he sensed a twinge of recognition, he latched onto it and used it to drag her mind through the fog and into clarity.

  “Can’t breathe!” Alicia coughed, and as her last memories flooded her thoughts, she was instantly frantic and shaking.

  “Beautiful, I’m here. Thank Enki you’re all right!”

  “Daniel!” The recognition of his thoughts broke the dam on her emotions, and she wrapped her arms around him and began to sob. “I couldn’t breathe. I felt like I was drowning. I thought I was going to die!”

  “It’s okay, beautiful. You’re safe. I won’t leave you again.”

  “Is this what’s at stake? Just how many people can do this?”

  “Not many.”

  “You don’t need many! Daniel, this has to end.”

  “Just try to breathe. Let’s get out of this car, and I’ll take you home. Daniel carried Alicia into Chris’ car and sat next to her. As he held her in his arms, the memories of what happened poured out of her, causing him to lose control of his powers for a time. Water hung in the air and began to evaporate. This is my fault. I should have stayed with her. Somewhere in the back of his mind a question kept repeating. What do they want with her?

  * * * *

  After the incident, Daniel never left Alicia again. Things returned to normal, but he still felt uneasy about the Ver-Rist Tokos and the potential threat to his Dau-Hael. He could sense Alicia’s paranoia whenever they were in public, and it wore on him.

  As their wedding date drew closer, they had to move forward despite the circumstances. Both sets of parents were coming to stay with them for the week before the wedding. The thought of his mother and father relaxed him, and he looked forward to seeing them as well as meeting Alicia’s folks.

  When the doorbell rang, Daniel hurried from the kitchen to answer it. He smiled as soon as he opened the door.

  “Where is she? Let me see her!” Daniel’s mother barged into the house the moment he answered the door, passing her son without even a word of hello.

  Conversely, his father greeted him with a hug and a clap on the back. “I’m proud of you, son.”

  “Thanks, Dad. You say that and you haven’t even met her.”

  “I don’t need to meet her; the look on your face says it all. It’s clear for anyone to see she makes you happy, and that’s all a father can want for his son. And she’s your Dau-Hael; who could ask for anything more?”

  Daniel and his father smiled as a realization dawned on him. His mother was now running unattended through the house. “Mom. Just wait here in the living room, please.”

  “Where is she? I want to see her. I want to visualize my grandchildren’s faces.”

  “Mom…”

  “Helen…” His father’s voice held the slightest bit of warning, but the smile on his face said it all. He was just as excited as his wife.

  “What?”

  Both men stood, shaking their heads as the sound of another car was heard in the driveway. Alicia’s parents and brothers exited the vehicle and made their way to the door.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, Maurice, Joseph, come in.”

  Alicia’s mother looked Daniel up and down for several seconds, leaving him unsure what to make of her gaze. After a few more seconds of perusal, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

  “Tu es trés beau et sympathique! Enchantée! Comment-vas tu?” In her excitement, she looked around the door and into the living room toward Daniel’s parents. “Ah, tes parents! Comment vous appelez vous?”

  “Garcelle, in English.” Alicia’s father pulled her to his side and squeezed her hand.

  A
licia had told Daniel the story of how her parents met. Her mother, Garcelle, was born in France and lived there until she decided to study abroad in America for college. She met Alicia’s father, John, and never looked back.

  “I am very sorry. It is just that I speak in my first language when I am very excited.” Her words came out with a heavy French accent, sounding more like: I yam veree sawree; eet tees zhus tha tie spee keen my firs long gweege when neye yam veree exciteh.

  Daniel smiled and took her hand. “It’s not a problem. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Lewis.”

  Alicia’s father and brothers shook Daniel’s hand and entered the house to find Daniel’s mother on the couch. Daniel’s mother looked over the new arrivals before she introduced herself.

  “My name is Helen Winters and this is my husband, Samuel. May I just say how excited we are, and when I saw you come in, I was thrilled. There are good genes in this family. My grandchildren will be gorgeous!”

  “Helen!”

  “What?”

  Daniel felt the heat in the skin on the back of his neck, and he excused himself to retrieve Alicia from upstairs.

  As soon as he entered their bedroom, he released a breath. “Beautiful … my mother is on a grandchild rampage!” He ran his hand through his hair as he kept chanting to himself. Please don’t embarrass me, Mom.

  Alicia pulled him down to her until their foreheads touched and sent him reassuring thoughts. “Then maybe we’ll have to indulge her soon.” She kissed his lips and smiled.

  “Beautiful, you are about to make me forget we have guests.”

  “They’ll be with us for the next week. You’ll just have to learn to be quiet.”

  “One week; I can do this. That means you’ll have to be quiet too, you know.”

  “I don’t plan to be quiet at all.” There was a mischievous smirk on Alicia’s face as she spoke, and he could sense there was something going on with her.

  “What?”

  “Nope.” She shook her head.

  “But your parents…”

  “Won’t hear a thing.”

  “How?” Daniel was beyond confused as he watched and waited for an explanation.

  Alicia flashed a wicked grin and closed her eyes before taking a deep breath and releasing it. “Mmmmm. Je veux jouir.”

  “What does that mean?” The words weren’t as important as the feelings he sensed when she said them. Desire laced her thoughts, and he wanted nothing more than to indulge her.

  “It means I want to come.”

  Daniel felt like his eyes would bulge out of his head, and he swallowed hard into his throat. “Beautiful … that’s … that’s amazing. I think I have to bend you over the dresser now.”

  Alicia laughed and kissed him again. “I’ve been practicing. Later I’ll show you what else I’ve learned.”

  “Is it later yet?”

  She smiled and took Daniel’s hand. She attempted to lead him to the door, but he stood rooted to the spot.

  “Uh-uh.”

  She tilted her head, and a quizzical expression took over her face.

  Daniel pulled her to him and began to devour her mouth. His hands were everywhere, and in little time, Alicia was moaning around his tongue. It was then he decided to break the kiss. “Now we can go.”

  Clearly frustrated, Alicia pinched his arm before rolling her eyes.

  “Hey, I’m not going to be the only one to suffer!”

  “You are so close to being assaulted!” She slipped her hand in his and released a long sigh.

  Chuckling, they both headed down the stairs together in time to let Daniel’s brothers in.

  * * * *

  The day of Alicia’s and Daniel’s wedding ceremony came, and over two hundred guests witnessed the couple take their vows. Daniel was stunned to find King Philip and members of the royal court in attendance. When their eyes met, the king nodded his approval and smiled. He also acknowledged Chris with a smile.

  Everyone gathered at the reception, and Alicia’s friends and family marveled at the intricate ice sculptures and fountains at the venue. The crowd took their seats and turned their attention to the dais when Chris stepped up to the microphone.

  He cleared his throat and took in a deep breath through his nose. He watched Daniel from the corner of his eye before he gave him a wink and began to speak. “I know Daniel is dreading this moment, so I’ll milk it as long as I can.”

  Murmurs of laughter passed through the gathering, and Daniel shook his head. “Enki deliver us.” He spoke the words in a low voice, and when Alicia squeezed his hand, he smiled.

  “He’s afraid because I am his oldest and most handsome friend. I know every single embarrassing detail of his life. And now I have a microphone and your undivided attention.”

  Daniel’s parents laughed the loudest at his remark, and Daniel felt the heat of his embarrassment rise to his face and ears.

  Chris seemed to enjoy amusing the audience, and he tapped his index finger against his chin while he spoke. “Where to start, where to start? How about we start at the beginning? I was there the day Daniel first saw Alicia. I remember the look on his face. He looked like he’d seen the future, and it turns out he was right. I hope you’re recording this. You’ll never hear me say he’s right again.”

  Chris turned to face the couple and smiled as he continued. “I’ve never seen him happier in my life. Somehow, this woman came into his world and turned all the good things on and made the bad things seem insignificant. Daniel is a good man, and I’m proud to be his best friend. With Alicia, he is a better man, and I am honored to know them. I’d like to call you sister, Alicia, and I’d like to thank you for giving me a better friend.” He reached out and lifted a glass from the table. “Here’s to many years of love, health, and happiness.”

  Everyone raised their glasses and chanted, “Hear hear!” Daniel stood and pulled his friend into a hug. “Thank you, Chris. I mean it.”

  “Anytime. I love you guys.” Chris walked to Alicia, and when she stood to embrace him, he dipped her low and pretended to kiss her, to the crowd’s delight. After he stood her back up, he returned to the microphone. “Did I forget to mention we share everything? I’ll send postcards from the honeymoon!”

  As soon as Chris spoke the words, Alicia shook her head and Daniel covered his face with his hand. I love him, but now I have to kill him.

  Chapter 15

  Everything was perfect for the two months following the wedding. Daniel and Alicia traveled the world and returned to settle into a normal routine two weeks before Alicia’s leave was up.

  “Chris and Scott are going to be keeping an eye on you today. I have a mission.”. It was hard for Alicia to get used to the idea that she’d have bodyguards, but after they talked about it, they agreed it was important. Even she admitted she felt a bit safer knowing people with the ability to manipulate water were around her just in case.

  “All right.” Alicia yawned and sat up on her elbows. “Be careful, okay?” She tried to force herself out of bed.

  Daniel looked at her sleepy face and sat down on the mattress next to her. “Need more time off?”

  “I don’t think so, but another two hours of sleep would be heaven right now.”

  “I’ll take the blame. I just couldn’t help myself last night.”

  Alicia smiled and stroked his cheek. “You can never help yourself!”

  “You haven’t complained.” Even with her sleepy eyes and half smile, she was the most beautiful woman in the world to him. He smiled as he looked down at her, and he leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.

  “We’re not talking about me here.”

  “Fine, fine. What punishment do you have for me, beautiful?”

  “I’m too tired to think of a suitable punishment.”

  Daniel brushed the hair from her forehead and placed his hand on her skin. “You feel really warm. I think you’re coming down with something.” He frowned as he moved his hand from one cheek to
the other, and then to her neck. I don’t like this.

  “I’m probably coming down with the ‘I don’t feel like going back to work anytime soon’ virus.”

  “Seriously. You’re warm. Maybe you should stay in bed today.”

  “I’ll take my temperature when I stop by the office. If it’s too high, I’ll bring work home.” She pulled the covers just a little higher and turned to lie on her side.

  “Umm, Dr. Winters, how about I take your temperature now, and if it’s too high, I’ll bring your work here for you?”

  “Okay. I’m too tired to put up a fight worthy of you.”

  Daniel chuckled and went into the bathroom to retrieve the digital thermometer. When he returned, he placed it under her tongue and waited until it beeped. “102.1. How long have you had this fever? What’s going on, beautiful?”

  “I don’t know. You’ve been with me the entire time. Maybe I picked something up at the airport.”

  “I’m going to call Gladys. Chris will go in and get your things. Tell me what you need, and I’ll let him know. I’ll get you some breakfast while I’m on the phone with her.” The need to protect his wife was strong, and Daniel approached the situation just as he would a mission in an effort to remain calm and in control.

  “I’m not hungry. I just want to sleep.”

  “Alicia, you have to eat something. You haven’t had an appetite for the last week. Maybe you were starting to get sick then.”

  “I’m just tired. I can eat something when I wake up.”

  “Promise me you will.” He tilted his head so his face was in front of her drooping eyes, and he rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone. “I’m going to check with Chris to make sure.”

  “I’m sure Chris will all but shove it down my throat if you tell him.”

  “Yeah, that’s a good point. I’ll tell him now.”

  Alicia sighed and snuggled back into the covers. He sat still next to her and watched as her breathing slowed. She’s been tired a lot too. I’d better pick up some cold medicine on the way back.