Love in the Shadows

by Caryn Moya Block

  Everyone looked at each other.

  “I know it’s risky, and there could be complications. Everyone should arm up and be on alert. I don’t want anyone hurt, but the building can be burned to the ground. Any questions?” Joe asked. “No? Then, Charlie, you get the accelerant and, Hugh, you go find out how best to sabotage the generators and power.

  §

  Katherine followed the men reluctantly across the street and ordered breakfast. She picked at her food until Joe looked at her and quirked an eyebrow. She knew what he thought. She must eat to keep up her strength. She would need to be in top form tonight.

  Katherine stopped picking and ate everything. She might not know what it tasted like, but she ate it. Joe got up to pay the bill, and everyone else got up and headed back to the hotel. Katherine was about to enter her room when Joe stopped her.

  “No heroics tonight,” Joe said. “It’ll be tempting to spring him right away if you find a way into that wing. There’s more at stake here than saving Derek. To help all the Shadow Walkers, we’ve got to destroy the data they’ve collected. We stick to the plan. Is that clear?”

  “Katherine nodded. She would go stir-crazy waiting for nightfall.

  §

  Derek needed the peace of the Earth and once more sank his consciousness down into its depths. The vision of his ancestors had rattled him. Would Quiet Thunder agree to teach him to be the tribal healer?

  He closed his eyes and rested in the quiet solitude of Earth. His breathing slowed, and then he heard it. A thumping as if a deep bass drum played. He listened with all his might and heard it again. The vibrations wavered through him. Still, he listened, letting the sound comfort him as it would if he were resting in the womb under his mother’s heart. He would be ready for whatever came.

  §

  The time had finally come, and Katherine followed Joe and the others into Shadow. Joe insisted that she carry an assortment of obsidian-bladed knives and a handheld crossbow with bolts tipped with obsidian blades. Shadow destroyed anything synthetic, and most metals shattered from the cold. Only gold, silver, copper and platinum could be carried successfully through Shadow.

  Katherine went in the building, then followed the hallway down to the end and turned left. She couldn’t believe her luck when a blond woman opened the door to the left wing.

  Katherine ran into the wing as the entrance closed. She walked down the hall to Derek’s door. The guard she had seen before was gone. There were several rooms next to Derek’s, including a break room with the door open.

  Katherine went in and looked around. With the lights off, this room would work to open a portal and access the building. Even with the lights on, there were shadows under the tables and behind the vending machines. Joe had been right to warn her. She was very tempted. All she wanted to do was get Derek out of his room and back here to take him home.

  “What are you tempted to do, love? I feel you close by,” Derek asked through their link.

  “Why, to spring you, of course. Ten minutes, and we could be out of here,” Katherine sent in frustration.

  “They have cameras on me at all times. It is better to wait until night when the people are gone. You know that. I can see the plan Joe has in place in your mind,” Derek sent to her. “Wait for Joe.”

  Walking away from Derek now would be the hardest thing she had ever done. There were the data and the safety of the Shadow Walker tribe, of which she was now a member. She needed to wait.

  “Expect us after seven tonight,” Katherine sent telepathically.

  §

  Colette Pelletier was furious. She’d been told by her superiors that she was a disgrace to humanity. Her. For some reason, she couldn’t fathom, they rejected the idea of her experimenting on a human, even after her first round of tests showed conclusive evidence that this man possessed a healing agent in his system. Did they not understand how important this find was?

  If she could figure out what exactly made him different from other people, she could save the world. She didn’t care that he was an American citizen. Surely, the sacrifice of one citizen for so many could be understood.

  She needed to move the subject and finish her tests. But where? She would show these men who thought they were her supervisors. She needed a little time and she could change the world. Colette walked into her office. They expected her to be cleaning out her desk and preparing to leave on the six o’clock bus. She would come up with a plan.

  §

  Staying in shadow, Katherine sat under one of the tables. Eddies and swirls of mist lightly caressed her body causing her to shiver. Shadow was so cold. She could exit the Shadow Dimension when required but right now she needed to stay hidden.

  She kept looking at the clock on the wall, squinting to make out the time through the darkness of Shadow. It was almost six o’clock, and the bus would be leaving soon. Katherine hoped everyone got on it. Seven o’clock couldn’t come fast enough. In a few minutes the wing would be empty, and she could free Derek. Even without the fire alarm to open the door, she could pick the lock.

  Katherine felt Joe’s mind touch. “The bus just left. It looked full. Check out your wing and let me know if anyone is left.”

  “Roger, that,” Katherine sent back. She stayed in shadow and made a circuit of the wing. All the rooms were empty, the lights out in several. She couldn’t check the doors to see if they were locked until she came out of shadow. She went back in the break room to report.

  “This wing is clear,” she reported.

  “Go ahead and get Derek out if you can get into his room,” Joe sent. “Shadow-walk directly to the hospital. Derek will need to be checked out. Don’t let anyone see you. I still need to retrieve that data.”

  “Thanks, Joe,” Katherine sent.

  Katherine stepped out of Shadow and into the break room. She looked out the door and down the hall. Still, no one was around. She crept into the hall and over to Derek’s door. She reached for him through their telepathic bond.

  “Hey, beautiful, aren’t you early?” he asked

  “I’ve got Joe’s okay, if that’s what you’re asking,” Katherine sent. “I’ve got to get this lock picked, and we can get out of here.” Picking locks was another skill taught her by the women of the tribe. Heaven help them if the men ever figured out what those girls’ nights entailed.

  “Who taught you to pick locks?” Derek asked telepathically.

  “Ah, Gwen. Why?” Would he be mad?

  “Good, I taught her. She’s the best of my sisters at picking locks. Remember to ease into it.”

  Katherine pulled the sterling-silver lock pick that was part of her kit out of her pocket. She eased it into the door lock and felt for the release. She moved slowly and methodically and was rewarded with a click. The door opened.

  Katherine rushed over to Derek. She removed the pins from the restraints, first his hands, then his feet. When she came back to his side to help him up, he grabbed her face and kissed her fiercely.

  “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to taste your mouth?” Derek whispered.

  “As long as I’ve wanted to taste yours?” she asked. “Now, sit up slowly. I want to get you out of here.”

  Derek sat up and tried to stand. He wobbled, a look of surprise on his face. Katherine caught him.

  “Dr. Rick said you’d probably be weak from blood loss and lack of food,” Katherine explained. “Come on. Lean on me. We need some shadows to walk into.”

  Katherine lifted her arm and slipped it under Derek’s shoulder and helped him move to the door. They had almost reached the hallway when a blond woman holding a gun walked into the room.

  “Going somewhere, cheri?” Colette asked. “I’m afraid that I cannot allow it. Oh, I recognize you. You are the woman whose picture is in Derek’s wallet. His daughter perhaps?”

  “Try his fiancée,” Katherine said.

  Katherine moved slowly forward. If she could get close enough, she could kick the gun from the woman’s hand.


  “That is far enough, cheri. I see that you were right about becoming weak. I will not make the same mistake next time.”

  “There isn’t going to be a next time, Colette,” Derek said.

  “Oh, oui, there is. I’m sorry you must suffer, cheri, but the good of mankind is at stake. Surely, you can understand that.”

  “I understand that you are a crazy bitch.”

  “Well, enough talk. You will get into the wheelchair in the hall, and then you will allow me to give you a shot. Don’t worry. It is only a sedative. Then we are going to make our escape. I have a car out back, and I have already moved all my data to the car. I was just coming back for you.” Colette waved her gun at them and backed out of the room.

  Katherine reached for Joe with her telepathy. “There is a car at the back door. All the data is in the car. You need to move it and quickly. I’ve got a crazy woman with a gun in here.”

  “Roger that. Thought I told you not to be seen? Hugh and Charlie have taken care of the guards. I’ll get there as soon as I can,” Joe said.

  “She caught us unaware. She came for Derek.” Would Joe get here in time to help?

  Katherine and Derek moved into the hallway. A wheelchair sat by the door. Colette stood just out of reach with the gun trained on them. Katherine tried to think of something she could do to distract Colette. She needed to be able to move, but holding Derek wasn’t going to work. Then, she had an idea. She reached for Derek with her thoughts.

  “I have any number of weapons on my belt. When I sit you in the wheelchair, I need you to try and get one into your hands. When I move back, you’ll have a couple of seconds to use it.”

  “Roger that,” Derek sent.

  §

  Derek could not believe how weak he had become. Now with Katherine in danger, he needed to be at full strength. Derek pulled on their telepathic bond and could feel some strength returning to him. He pulled a little more, as he reached his hand around Katherine’s waist. He unhooked the knife and hid it behind Katherine’s back.

  “Not too much more, or I won’t be able to hold you,” Katherine sent.

  They moved over to the wheelchair, and Katherine settled Derek gently, standing in front of him so Colette couldn’t see the knife in Derek’s hand.

  “Very nice. Now I think it is time for his shot, no? Perhaps, I should have your fiancée give it to you, cheri. Move away from him now.”

  Katherine looked at Derek, and he gave her a nod. She swung around quickly to the left. Colette, surprised, followed Katherine with the gun. Colette never saw the knife until it was buried in her chest. She looked down, then lifted the gun. Katherine was in danger of being shot. Derek threw himself in front of her. The gun went off as Colette slumped to the floor.

  Derek landed hard. He lay there, trying to catch his breath. Pain radiated from his chest. Katherine leaned down, a look of panic on her face. He reached up and kissed her gently on the mouth. “I love you, Katherine, and I always will.”

  Chapter Four

  “Put him down here,” Dr. Rick told Katherine back at the Isanti hospital. She had shadow-walked in from the lab only moments before. How she managed to move Derek’s weight, she wasn’t sure. Luckily, Dr. Rick was waiting when she walked into the hospital and helped support Derek.

  “Yes, I see the point of entry. He needs to be prepped for surgery. Katherine get out of those clothes and into scrubs. Step in there, please.”

  Katherine took the hospital scrubs and went into the bathroom to change. She still shook from expending so much energy.

  “How is he, Rick?” Raven asked as he walked into the room. Katherine reached for the door to swing it closed, then waited to hear Rick’s answer.

  “It’s bad. He is very weak, and the bullet is up near his heart. I’m not sure of the internal damage. On top of that, if we lose Derek, we could lose Katherine. They are linked telepathically.”

  “Then, you can’t lose them, Rick,” Raven said.

  Katherine changed quickly and returned to the room as a nurse entered from another door.

  “Nurse, prepare this patient for surgery. Raven call for additional help. I’m scrubbing up.”

  When Dr. Rick walked into the surgery room, everything had been prepared as he asked. Katherine sat in a chair next to Derek. He lay on a gurney and looked very pale, his dark eyelashes lying on his cheeks. Katherine’s heart stuttered. She couldn’t lose him now.

  “Katherine, take Derek’s hand and use the mate-bond to hold him here. Don’t let his spirit slip away. Give the patient anesthesia, please. Keep the blood transfusion going. You may feel this as well, Katherine. Don’t fight it. Just go with it. Good. All right, I’m going to begin, scalpel….”

  Dr. Rick’s voice faded into the background as Katherine reached for Derek and wrapped her spirit around his. He was there. She could almost touch him, but he was very weak. Katherine held on with all her might. “Come back to me, love. Don’t leave me. I need you so much. Derek, come to me. I won’t live without you, I need you. Derek, please come to me.” Katherine didn’t know how long she called to him before she felt a weak reply.

  “Katherine?” Derek whispered in her mind.

  “Yes, love. Come to me, Derek. You need to fight, fight for your life, fight for our life together.”

  “I love you, Kate,” Derek sent to her.

  “I know you do. You must come to me, Derek. Hold on to me. I need you so much, baby. Please stay with me, Derek. You promised to never leave me alone. Derek, please hold me,” Katherine continued. If she could hold onto his spirit, then the doctor could save him.

  “So tired, Kate,” Derek sent to her.

  “I know you are, honey. I need you. I’m hurting without you. You said you would never hurt me. Please hold me, Derek. I need you.”

  “I am trying. I love you,” Derek sent a little stronger.

  “Yes, love. Come and hold me, Derek. I need you to hold me.”

  “Hold you. I want to hold you, always,” Derek sent even stronger.

  It was working. “Yes, Derek, hold me, my love. Don’t you want to kiss me and taste my lips, again? Hold me tight, Derek. Don’t let me slip away,” Katherine coaxed him. She knew he would try to save her before he thought to save himself. Her need would spur him to hold on.

  “Katherine? What’s going on? Why are you so weak?” Derek sent even stronger.

  “Derek, I need you. Wrap yourself around me. Hold me tight, love.”

  “Katherine, stop giving me your strength. I am here with you. Let me hold you, baby. You don’t have to be afraid. I am here now,” Derek sent to her.

  Katherine felt Derek’s spirit wrap around her and hold her gently. Knowing his spirit wouldn’t slip away, Katherine fell asleep from exhaustion with Derek holding her in his mind.

  §

  “How are they?” Raven asked the doctor when the couple was moved to a recovery room. Katherine held tightly to Derek’s hand. Raven wanted to wrap up both of them in cotton and keep them safe. Why did everything have to be so hard for Derek?

  “I think they are going to be fine,” Dr. Rick said. “It was touch and go for a while, but she never wavered. Katherine exhausted herself in the process. Derek was lucky, in that the bullet lodged against a rib. The internal damage was minimal. Not that it isn’t going to hurt like hell. I expect he will be released in a week. We’ll see how he does in his weakened state. Who knows what taking Quiet Thunder’s potions every day for months has wrought. They both have extremely strong wills. They did well tonight.”

  “Joe reported in a little while ago,” Raven said, leaning against the wall. “He wanted to rush over here, but I sent him to get some rest,” Raven explained. “There was nothing for him to do while they were in surgery. All the data collected about Derek has been destroyed, and the woman’s body will never be found. The men never did start a fire, because Katherine had Derek and had found where the data was stashed. All in all, it was a good mission. We’ve learned a lesson abou
t how even a small thing, like a cut, can give us away to someone watching. We’ll have some things to discuss at the board meeting.”

  “Go home now, Raven. Tell Cara visiting hours start at nine a.m. and not a minute sooner. I want the patients to sleep as long as possible.”

  §

  Katherine woke up and glanced at the clock. It was two a.m. She was still tired, but she needed to move. Derek had been moved into a regular bed. She was on a gurney. Derek clutched her hand, and she could feel him holding her mind.

  “Katherine? Why are you awake? And why can’t I open my eyes?” Derek asked in her mind.

  “I suspect it’s because you are still doped up from the operation. I’m not sure why I’m awake except I was uncomfortable,” Katherine answered.

  “Come here, love. Let me hold you in my arms. I need to know you are close,” Derek sent.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I couldn’t feel any pain right now if I wanted to. Please, Kate. Let me hold you. I can’t open my eyes. I want to feel you in my arms.”

  Katherine thought that Derek was so doped up he wouldn’t feel anything. She scooted over to his bed and slipped into his arms. Derek adjusted slightly and kissed her on the head.

  “I can feel you in my arms. It feels like heaven. Now go to sleep.” Derek said out load.