“Damn, that girl. I’ve told her and told her not to get involved in all this.” The sheriff shook his head with frustration glittering bright in his worried eyes. He clutched her purse as if it were his best lead.
Kole frowned. “The kid mentioned a white van. There are a lot of white vans out at the High Mountain Array and I’d bet a month’s supply of Rocky Mountain Chocolate bars that they have her at the cave. I think that’s where we need to be looking to find her.”
“I agree. Come on, let’s get out there—take my car.” The sheriff’s car screamed out of town with the sirens blasting.
Kole gritted his teeth and tried to bite back his Earthly emotions. I’ve came all this way. No way am I going to lose her now. Oh, Ancient One, please don’t let any harm come to Elle. At the thought of losing her he made his heart cold and still. There was no way he would ever let that happen. I’ll find her. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Ari. It’s an emergency. Elle is in danger and needs our help. Get to the caves. I think she’s being held captive there. I’m on my way.
* * *
Elle awoke to find herself in familiar territory and choked back a frightened cry. She was strapped to a metal table in the fake alien lab. Like before, she tugged at the straps. Nobody was around, but she could hear the mumble of voices in the next room. A cold knot formed in her stomach. She knew too much. This time they wouldn’t let her go. Once again her vision had proved right. She was in danger. She glanced around to make sure there were no big yellow bulldozers to smash her to bits with their blade. She wouldn’t let her life end this way. She and Kole had just gotten together and they had many things to do to save Earth. This won’t be my end. Determined to escape she pulled at the straps holding her down.
The angry voices coming near her increased in volume. They were arguing about her. Her hands came to an abrupt halt, her heart jumping in her chest. She stopped struggling to get free and pretended she was asleep.
“I told you, Lee, you were stupid to bring her here.” Benny hurried toward the room and glanced in her direction and shook his head. “You should have taken care of her back in town. A hit and run or something of that nature.” He sighed and looked the other way then started yelling at Lee.
She noticed that Benny had an air of authority and the appearance of one who demanded instant obedience. He wasn’t one to be taken lightly. Her nerves tensed immediately. She was so afraid of being at their mercy. She watched them through her veiled eyelids trying to figure out how to get away.
“I thought you’d want to do it out here away from prying eyes.” Lee stepped back to avoid Benny hitting him on the arm.
Benny glanced toward Elle and she shut her eyes. “Damn you, Lee. This is such a bad idea. It reeks to high heaven.” He turned away not waiting for Lee to answer. “It’s just like that stupid crap I had to do for grandpa when he blew the mine that time with those people in it. I’m not going there for you.”
The sound of his voice carried away from her and she opened her eyes and saw his back in the open doorway. His grandpa killed my parents. He helped cover it up. That’s what happened. I will make you pay. She swallowed hard, trying not to reveal her anger. It took every bit of her self control not to rush at him and claw his eyes out. Furious at her vulnerability, she realized she had to be smart to beat them at their own game.
He stood there arguing with Lee. “I’m not going to be responsible for killing anyone. It was you that knocked off Herman, not me.” In fury, he hit the wall with his fist. “You brought this on yourself. She’ll be out for a few more hours. Take her deep in the cave and fix it so it looks like an accident. Throw her down one of those dark dank bottomless caverns. Nobody will find her there.”
Inwardly, Elle cringed and felt as if a hand had closed around her throat. She was on her own. Her stomach churned with anxiety and frustration as she kept her breathing even. They had to think she was asleep. I will be Kole’s wife. I have a purpose and it’s not dying over a gold theft, never to be found at the bottom of a dark cavern. She lay still, barely breathing, listening to the men plan her demise and it really made her angry. They had killed Herman and now they were going to get rid of her.
“I thought you’d do it. I don’t want to kill anybody, either. Herman was an accident.” Lee shuffled out of Benny’s reach and sounded like he was about to cry. “He wouldn’t come out of the house. I was just trying to destroy his paintings like you said,” he whimpered. “Maybe we should just tie her up in the cave and get out of town,” he whined. “Maybe we should let her live. She’s magic. She ran through that wall in the cave. I . . . saw her do it.
“It’s too late for that. You dumb ass. She can identify us. You can do it. Now get to it.” His voice rose in anger, his patience growing thin. “I don’t have time for this nonsense.” He slammed down a coil of rope in the doorway by Lee. “Tie her up and or throw her down a hole. I don’t care, just get rid of her.” He turned on his heel to leave. “I have to get back up to the office or Bill will miss us. We can’t let him become wise to our secret.” He glared at Lee. “Now is not the time to be greedy. I’d rather enjoy what we already have on a beach in Mexico than in a prison cell. Get it done,” Benny said.
“Yeah, a beach in Mexico, that’s where I want ta go. I’ve never been out of Colorado. I’ll do it,” Lee chimed in and an evil grin spread across his face.
Elle closed her eyes feeling a momentary panic as Lee came toward her. He threw her over his shoulder like a big sack of potatoes. Fear and anger knotted inside her as she waited for his next move. She cracked her lids open and let her arms hang limp over his back, thanking her lucky stars he didn’t tie her hands. Given any opportunity she would make this bastard pay and his good buddy, too.
Her mind was racing at warp speed as she tried to keep her fragile control. When he put her down, she’d use some of the self-defense skills she’d learned with Sara. Her confidence surged. I can do this. By all that is sacred I will do this. He carried her deep into the caves. She turned her head slightly so she could see where they were going. He was shining a flashlight in front of them. Making mental notes of the way he was taking her, she bit her lip, determined to find her moment to escape. She would get out of this.
He mumbled to himself. “I’ve never killed anyone on purpose. Never got close to it. Benny should be the one doing this, not me. This poor woman never did nothing except fly through those rocks. Oh, Lord, what if she does that again?”
She felt him shiver. Her mind clicked. The guy thought she had super powers. Somehow maybe she could use that to her advantage. Her cell phone dug into her leg from inside her pocket. When she got away, she could call Kole. Her heart leapt at the thought of him holding her in his arms. Her memories of him were pure and clear. She would never forget a single detail of his face. In spite of her situation she would get out of this mess and back to Kole.
She blinked back tears not wanting to be here. All she had ever wanted was to find love and adventure. Well, she had found more than she bargained for. They could keep this part of it, she wanted to be with Sara planning her wedding. Enough of this. I’ve got to get it together and save myself. Determination flowed through her veins giving her more strength by the second.
Thinking she was out cold, Lee didn’t pay much attention to what he was doing with her. He laid her down on some rocks and mumbled, “I’m sorry I have to throw you over the cliff.” He sighed deeply and looked down in the deep cavern hole. “I really don’t want to do this,” he continued to mumble under his breath.
She opened her eyes and shouted, “Then don’t.” She jumped up and elbowed him in the nose, kicking him in the groin at the same time. Caught off guard, he backed away from her and doubled over in pain.
Not being able to get around him to run the way they came she grabbed the flashlight and ran deeper into the cavern. Maybe he wouldn’t come after her. But if he did it would be his problem.
“Come back here,” he shouted and fumbled around in th
e dark trying to follow her. “Don’t run away, that only makes me mad.”
She could hear him breathing hard and coming up fast behind her. As she glanced back with the flashlight she could see his eyes were filled with a firey anger. She searched around for something to throw at him as he stumbled after her. All the rocks were too small, just little pieces of broken shale. With fear ripping at her insides and the sound of the small shale rocks crunching under her feet she ran out into the opening where the helicopter sat.
Off to the side was a big yellow bulldozer. Chills ran up her spine as her vision flashed inside her mind. She climbed up the side of the cavern to get away from the dozer. If she reached higher ground maybe he wouldn’t be able to get to her. She clung to the face of the solid rock like a cat negotiating each small hand hold as she climbed higher out of his reach.
Lee came into view waving a gun. Oh, no, he’s going to shoot me. Her heart hammered against her chest as she dreaded the first shot ripping through her body. The sound of a growling wolf came from below her. Ari. Relief flooded through her. Thank goodness, it’s Ari. Her favorite blue eyed wolf. Somehow Ari would be able to help her.
The wolf growled and leaped toward Lee knocking the gun out of his hand and over the edge of the cliff.
Lee kicked Ari away from him with his steel toed boots and got into the bulldozer and fired it up. Ari lay on the ground twitching in pain. Black smoke belched from the smokestack in protest as the dozer came after her.
She choked back a scream and reached for her next handhold. The dozer crawled slowly toward her. The knowledge of her vision twisted and turned inside her mind. Her heart beat in overtime in her throat. There were no more hand holds. She prayed the sharp blade couldn’t reach her.
Lee lifted the huge scoop blade and slammed it into the side of the cliff trying to make her fall. She pulled herself farther up the cavern wall out of its reach. At the sight of her vision coming to pass, icy fear chilled her blood. She held on to the cliff by her bloody fingertips and sheer determination. A piece of the cavern wall fell off in her hand as she reached for it.
Ari limped out from behind a boulder and watched with his ears layed back, tension in his stance. Then he fell over on his side. It was obvious that he was badly hurt.
Elle clung to the side of the cavern wall looking at Ari sending him her healing vibrations and willing him to be all right.
Lee backed up to strike at her with the scoop again .
Elle, hold on. Kole mentally shouted to her from the clearing below. Elle, I’m here. Hold on.
Kole. It’s Kole. She took a quick sharp breath and cling to the rock hand hold. Ari must’ve somehow let him know where I am.
“Lee, shut that thing off or I’ll shoot you dead.” Her father shouted.
Dad and Kole will save me. Elle could tell Lee couldn’t hear a word her dad said as he backed up to hit the rock wall again. He rammed the cavern wall with the blade of the dozer. She fought hard against the tears she refused to let fall as part of the rock wall cracked and gave way with her still clinging to it. Her stomach clenched in fear. Panic like she’d never known before welled in her throat as she tumbled from the side of the mountain into midair. Kole. Help me. She shouted in her mind.
In an instant, Kole transformed himself into a golden being and flew up and caught her in his arms. She clung to Kole’s neck still afraid for her life not quite believing she was in his golden arms. Elle, you’re safe. The words echoed in her head. She tried to force her confused emotions into order. I’m safe. I can’t believe it. I’m really safe.
Her father jumped onto the back of Lee’s dozer and put a gun to the side of his head fully ready to pull the trigger if he didn’t stop.
The engine died as Kole stood on the rock ledge with Elle in his arms. He transformed back to his human essence and held her safe in an iron grip against his chest.
She masked her inner turmoil with a deceptive calmness, and realized she really was okay and so very glad to be alive.
Kole kissed her face and held her tight whispering in her ear. “Thank the Ancient One I got here in time. You’re all right.”
“Yes, thanks to you. It was you who saved my life.” She kissed him filling her essence with him. The sweetly intoxicating musk of his body nearly overwhelmed her. She never wanted to let him go.
Her father handcuffed Lee to the dozer and ran over to Elle as Kole helped her steady herself. “Elle, sweetheart, are you okay?” He hugged her close then held her at arm’s length and checked her out. “Are you hurt anywhere?” he asked.
“No, Dad. Honest, I’m fine except my hands are a little scraped.” Her eyes met Kole’s gaze. “Ari knocked the gun out of Lee’s hand and distracted him so I could get away.” She glanced over her shoulder looking for Ari. The magnificent wolf sat on a boulder staring at them giving her his wolfish grin. She pushed away from her father and Kole. “I have to speak to Ari for a minute.”
“Ari, you’ll never know how glad I was to see you come out of nowhere. Thank you. I owe you big time.”
His eyes bore to her soul and in her mind she heard him speak. “It is my pleasure. I am here to protect you and Prince Kol-Sun always. If you should ever need me, I am but a thought away. Keep that in your heart.” The wolf turned and ran off into the cave.
Dad glanced at Kole. “You tried to prepare me by telling me that things are different on your world.” A deep gratitude shone in his eyes. “Now I’m beginning to see what you mean. I had no idea how different.” He shook his head in wonder. “What you’ve done is so much more than mere words can express. I can never repay you, but thank you and Ari for saving my daughter’s life.”
“That’s not necessary.” Kole made no attempt to hide the fact that he loved her. He put his arm around Elle and pulled her close. “Without her I would be lost.”
“Come on you two, that’s enough of that,” Elle said. “I think Lee might need some kind of medical treatment. He’s mumbling to himself as if he’s in some kind of shock.”
“Of course, I need to get him back to the police station and track down the other people involved in this crime.” He hugged Elle. “Honey, I’m so proud of you I could just about burst.”
A tear ran down Elle’s cheek as she returned her father’s embrace.
Kole went over to Lee and gazed into his eyes. He leaned over and touched his finger to the middle of Lee’s forehead. “By the time you get him back to the police station, he’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
“Real aliens. I saw a real alien and it turned into a golden flying thing,” Lee mumbled. As the sheriff lead him away, he whispered something about selling his story to the tabloids and getting a movie deal saying he saw real aliens transform and run through rock walls. He continued to stammer that it would be the story of a lifetime.
Kole turned to Elle and before she could say a word he grabbed her and kissed her to the depths of her soul. He smelled of sunlight and fresh air. The smile that edged across his mouth, slow and knowing, and that kiss, oh, that kiss just about knocked her out. “Let’s get out of here. We have a wedding to plan,” he said.
“Honey, I’m going to take you up on that,” she said. “You’re never getting away.” She took his hand in hers and let him lead her out of the clearing.
* * *
“Oh, Rose, everything looks so beautiful.” Elle walked down the garden path of Yesterday’s Rose toward the decorated gazebo trying to take it all in. She just had to sneak a peak before anyone got there. Folding chairs sat on each side of the aisle trimmed out with big white tulle bows, red roses, pink and red star gazer lilies with babies breath, all her favorite flowers matched the gazebo.
The gazebo stood in front of her. In just a matter of minutes she would be walking down this aisle to marry Kole. “You’ve done a wonderful job.” She turned to Rose and hugged her seeing tears of happiness in Rose’s eyes. “Don’t cry. How can I ever thank you?”
“Honey, there’s no thanks necessar
y. It was my pleasure. I have enjoyed every second of the preparation and so has Sara.”
Elle glanced toward the gazebo where Sara was checking the last placement of matching flowers. Her heart did a tumble. She was so blessed in having friends like Rose and Sara. She came to Elle’s side with a huge grin on her face.
“It’s about time for you to get ready before the guests start to arrive.” Sara tucked Elle’s arm over hers. “Are you ready to get dressed? I can’t wait to see you in that fabulous gown.”
“Of course, I just had to see what everything looked like now that you and Rose are finished.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh, my, it is getting late.” Golden streaks interlaced with red and orange played against the clouds in the early evening southwestern sky. It would be perfect for the sunset wedding, but she’d better hurry.
The dress hung in the bride’s room waiting for her. Kole’s sister Korina had sent the fabulous gown to Earth with him as a special gift for her. At first glance she had fallen in love with it. Unlike any material she’d ever seen when she tried it on the dress conformed to her body becoming the perfect fit and length. Looking at herself in the full length mirror she admired the sheer white iridescent fabric draped over one shoulder around the waist and down her hips to mid-thigh exposing just enough leg to be interesting.
“You look like a princess.” Sara grinned at her and placed the diamond headband with the waist length veil on top of her blonde curls. “That’s perfect.” Sara stood back and looked at her handiwork.
Elle stared at herself in the mirror not quite believing the reflection. A beautiful woman smiled back at her. She had changed so much in the past few months. She felt like a princess. Then the thought mushroomed in her mind. Kole was a prince so she really would be a princess after the ceremony. Too, cool. That fact still blew her mind.
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