Secrets in Blood: Lake Of Sins, #2

by L. S. O'Dea

  “So, use this for two days, and if he isn’t getting better then try these. Right?” Tammie pointed first to one pile of herbs and then to another.

  “Yes,” she said. “You should see an improvement by the second or third dose. His eyes should start to clear and his breathing should become easier.”

  “When will you be back?” asked Tammie.

  “Yeah, Trinity, that’s a good question.” Travis glared at her from across the room.

  She wanted to stick out her tongue at him, but shot him a dirty look instead.

  “We back in day or so.” Sikka turned to Mirra. “Right?”

  Mirra glanced at Parra and then out the window. “Maybe longer. We see.”

  Sikka frowned and looked at Nirankan. He shrugged.

  “But you are coming back,” pushed Travis. “All of you, right?”

  “Yes. Back few days.” Mirra turned to Parra. “We no back three days, you leave. Take Producers, hide in forest.”

  Did Mirra think something was going to go wrong? Was she concerned about the Handler camp?

  “You didn’t tell Mirra, did you?” asked Travis.

  She didn’t remember him being such a Grunt’s ass. She glared at him. This was not the time for this discussion.

  “Tell Mirra what, Little One?”

  “She’s not coming back. She’s turning herself over to Hugh, an Almighty,” said Travis.

  “Bah, no true,” said Mirra. “Little One, tell him you no go Almighty.”

  She glared at Travis again. “Mirra, you don’t understand...”

  Mirra waved her hand. “No, you no understand. Almighty no be trusted.” Mirra turned away from her. “You no go.”

  Everyone was telling her what to do. She was not a child. “I have to. Hugh has my parents.”

  “You didn’t tell me that,” accused Travis.

  “I don’t have to tell either of you anything. I am free. I can do what I want, and I want to see my parents.” She hadn’t thought she’d ever see them again and everything was different now, more dangerous. Life was short for her kind.

  Mirra cocked her head, studying Trinity like she’d never seen the young Producer before.

  Travis moved away from the door and wrapped his arms around her. He tried to pull her close but she pushed him away. She didn’t want anything to do with him right now. It was his fault that she was fighting with Mirra.

  “We need to leave.” She walked to the door.

  Travis stared after her with a hurt expression on his face. He was her friend and he’d almost died. Plus, he accepted her as she was. He always had. She couldn’t leave him like this. She may never see him again.

  “I’m sorry, Travis. I’ll go to Hugh, but I won’t stay. My parents and I will meet you.”

  “We go Quarry by Mill,” said Parra. “You know where is?”

  She’d never heard of it. She shook her head.

  “Mirra give directions,” said Mirra as she bent and Trinity climbed onto her back.

  They left, leaving a Tracker in the care of a group of young Producers.

  CHAPTER 42

  IT WAS LATE MORNING when Jackson arrived at Benedictine’s. Christian had taken his time returning to the Lake of Sins. He was positive that the damn fish-creature had been sulking. There had been several times when Christian had dropped the rope and swam off. Once, he’d waited for more than thirty minutes. He would have taken off on his own, but he would’ve had to swim and there was no way he was getting into the water with creatures like Christian lurking about. Each time, right before he stuck his hands in the water to paddle, Christian would return and pull the canoe farther down the river. Finally, they’d arrived at the Lake of Sins and Christian had purposely splashed water into the boat and disappeared. He’d stalled a while to make sure that Christian was really gone before he’d stepped into the water, dragging the canoe the last several yards to shore.

  Now, he was waiting in the forest, scrutinizing Benedictine’s barn and the surrounding area. Conguise’s Guards were nowhere to be seen. Something wasn’t right. Carla came from around the back of the house and entered the barn. She seemed fine, not worried or hurt. Was Casper still guarding Viola alone? He took one last look around and then left the woods.

  When he stepped inside the barn, a few of his Guards were playing cards as usual. Others were eating and some napping on the floor in the sleeping quarters. The few awake looked up and grunted a greeting and then went back to whatever they’d been doing before his interruption. They hadn’t missed him. That was a good sign. He walked toward the back room to relieve Casper. It was also a good place to speak with each Guard in private.

  He was almost there when the barn door burst open.

  “Jackson,” cried Kim.

  Her face was pale with worry. Something was very wrong.

  “I need to speak with you.” She turned and walked out of the building.

  He followed, the eyes of the other Guards watching his every move. Great, there’s going to be comments about this. Kim darted around the side, away from the house and stopped.

  “Not here. Someone might hear,” he said.

  He made sure no one was watching and then led her into the woods. Once far enough away from the house and barn that even a Guard could not overhear, he stopped.

  “What happened? Is everything okay?” he asked.

  “No,” she said. “Conguise took Viola.”

  “Your father let him?”

  “Jethro can walk,” she said.

  “Already? That’s impossible.”

  “I know, but he can. He walked to his bed with help last night when they brought him home and then he was up and walking on his own this morning.”

  Even Guards didn’t heal that quickly, and Almightys were known to be slow healers.

  Kim’s hands shook and her voice trembled as she spoke. “My father was so happy, he was about to let Conguise’s Guards take Viola, well, he didn’t know it was Viola, but anyway, he was going to let her go last night. I convinced him to wait, hoping you’d be back before—”

  “Calm down.” Something wasn’t right, but she had to relax. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “One thing at a time. Casper? Is he okay?”

  “Yes, Casper is fine. Everyone is fine. They didn’t know.”

  “That can’t be.” His hands slid off her shoulders. “How’d they not know? They’re Guards. They should have been able to—”

  “Guards didn’t take her.”

  “Then who did?” He was losing control of this situation. Shit, he’d lost control when he’d helped Trinity free the Tracker. He had to see if he could salvage any part of his plan.

  “Early this morning, an assistant of Conguise’s arrived with a letter for my father. He had three other assistants with him. All were Almightys. Conguise knew Jethro would be walking by morning and there was some type of an issue at his house, a robbery or something. He ordered his Guards home and the Almightys took Viola.”

  Now, it made sense. “They wouldn’t smell the difference. Your sense of smell is horrible.”

  “Hey,” she said.

  “No offense. But it’s true.” His lips quirked in a half-smile. Everything was okay, actually, better than okay. He still had to move fast, before Conguise noticed the switch, but he could work with that.

  “Viola kept her head down.”

  “Then it worked.” Mostly. Trinity wasn’t at Hugh’s but she wasn’t here either.

  “I’m worried. Viola was unsteady. They had to help her walk.” She placed her hand on his forearm.

  He shouldn’t let her touch him. He shouldn’t touch her, but he couldn’t stop himself. The plan had worked. He was free from Benedictine. He wrapped his hand around hers. “Was she acting? Trying to disguise who she was?” he asked softly.

  “I don’t think so.” She stared into his eyes.

  She was like a magnet drawing him toward her. “It’ll be fine. Her father will be angry when he finds he was duped, but she�
��ll explain that it was our idea and not your father’s and everything will be fine.”

  “Do you think so?” She leaned closer, resting her other hand on his chest and tipping back her head.

  “Yes,” he whispered, basking in her nearness. It couldn’t last; he couldn’t allow it to, but for this moment he’d enjoy it.

  “I was worried about you.” Her hand trembled, clasping his shirt loosely.

  “You shouldn’t worry about me.” He bent, bringing his face closer to hers. Just a taste. One tiny sliver of time was all he wanted.

  “I can’t help it.” Her breath caressed his lips. “When will you leave?”

  “Soon. I’ll talk to the Guards and we’ll leave.” All he had to do was lean in and he would be kissing her. He shouldn’t. It wasn’t right.

  “Visit me. At my house.” She stood on her tiptoes, breaching the distance and touching her lips to his.

  His restraint snapped. He couldn’t deny this any longer. He fisted his hand in her hair, pulling her close as his other hand grasped her waist. Her mouth was soft and tasted sweet like the buttery candy she loved. She parted her lips and he deepened the kiss. Her hands played in his hair. He could kiss her forever, but he needed more. His hand wandered down her back. He needed her closer, but it would never be close enough until he was one with her, consumed by her body as she consumed his every thought.

  He lifted her and took two steps forward. He leaned in, positioning her body between his and a tree. Her breasts pressed against his chest. His hand moved up past her waist. He could have her, right here, right now. Against the tree. No. This wasn’t right. This was Kim. She deserved more than a quick mating outside. He stepped back and she slid down to the ground. Her legs buckled and he steadied her. She opened her eyes, passion quickly being replaced by confusion.

  “Wh...is someone coming?” She looked around.

  She wanted him. He wanted her. What difference did it make where they were? His body shook with the desire to close the distance between them. He forced himself to take another step back. He had to get away from her. “No. I’m sorry.”

  She looked at him, her lips swollen from his kisses.

  “This can’t...I can’t...we can’t...shit.” He turned and forced himself to move away. Did she know what she did to him when she looked at him like that, all soft and accessible?

  “Jackson, what’s wrong?”

  “I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened. It won’t happen again.” She was hurt and confused. He had caused that. He wanted to explain, go to her, but he couldn’t face her. If he did, he would give in to his desires.

  Her footsteps approached. He braced himself for her touch, but his knees almost gave with the simple pressure of her hand in his.

  “Why?” she asked softly.

  “It isn’t right.” He continued holding her hand. He shouldn’t but he was not that strong.

  “We aren’t hurting anyone.”

  This was worse than any beating her father had given him. This is why he’d never left. He didn’t want to leave her, but he had no choice. It had been fine when he’d lusted after her and she’d ignored or tormented him, but with his interest returned, he could not stay. He would end up mating with her and that could not happen. “You’re young. You don’t understand.”

  “Young? I’m only five years younger than you.” She stepped in front of him.

  In years, but in experience they were eons apart. She had no idea what the world was really like. She didn’t understand how she’d be scorned for her association with him. “It’s different for a Guard.”

  “A Guard is different. This can’t happen, that can’t happen,” she said, mimicking him. In her own voice she said, “I’m sick of your excuses, Jackson. Tell me the truth, for once.” She shoved him.

  His nostrils flared. She wanted the truth. He’d give it to her. “The truth is that this—“he waved his hand at her and then himself—“can never be. There is no future for us.”

  She started to say something and then stopped.

  “Spit it out,” he snapped. “You wanted the truth. So, do I.”

  “What if I don’t care about a future?” Her voice lowered “What if now, right now, is enough?”

  He took an involuntary step toward her and then two steps back. She didn’t mean it. She didn’t know what she said. Had she ever had a mate? She’d had a few boyfriends but he didn’t think any were very serious.

  “Please, Jackson. I understand the risks.” She moved closer to him and kissed him softly on the lips.

  They could have their moment. Many moments. They could keep it a secret. He was good with secrets. He closed his eyes and wrapped her in his arms and then, just as quickly, dropped his hold and backed away. “No. It’s over. It never started. We can’t do this. You don’t understand.”

  Her eyes filled with hurt.

  “If anyone found out, that we...well, it wouldn’t go well for you.” Him either. Her father would kill him.

  She turned away. He started to put his hands on her shoulders and then drew them back. The time for comforting her was over.

  “I’ll leave soon, so this is goodbye. Take...”

  She spun around, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Goodbye? But I’ll see you at Hugh’s when I visit Viola. I’m sure they’ll get back together.”

  He hadn’t thought of that. Or had he? Was that why he wanted to go to Hugh, because he knew that he would still see her? He couldn’t live like that. Seeing her but never touching. Not now that he knew she wanted him too. “No. It’s better if you don’t.”

  “You can’t mean that. We’ve been...friends forever.”

  “We can’t go back, Kim.” His heart ripped with each word.

  “But we never—”

  “We crossed a line. We can’t uncross it.” If he saw her again and her father’s presence wasn’t looming over him, he would find a way to have her. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself. “This has to be goodbye.”

  “No,” she whispered. “You’re my best friend.”

  He looked down at his boots. He’d never meant to hurt her, and yet, he had. “I’ll make sure you get to the house safely, but you should leave first. We can’t be seen together. Stay with your parents for a few days. There will probably be Guards on the hunt for us.”

  “You don’t mean this.” Her voice cracked.

  He had to make her believe that he was strong. If she thought he’d cave, she would be relentless. He looked her straight in the eyes and said, “I do. Goodbye, Kim.”

  For a moment her face crumpled and then she straightened her spine and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Goodbye, Jackson. Take care.” She held out her hand.

  It was over. He had ended it, but the offer of a handshake was like a knife in the gut. “A Guard doesn’t shake an Almighty’s hand, especially the daughter of his owner.”

  She dropped her arm. “You don’t belong to us anymore.” She walked out of the forest and into the house without once looking back.

  He stayed in the woods for a while, pondering his life without her. It was bleak. He’d never really see her again. Sure, he might catch a glimpse of her when she visited Viola, but he’d never be assigned to protect her. Never argue with her, never touch her or kiss her. He swallowed back a lump of bile. He could never be with her and he needed to face that fact, but it still hurt.

  CHAPTER 43

  THE WARMTH OF THE early afternoon sun beat on Trinity’s back, chasing away the chill. Mirra traveled at a furious pace, the scenery blurring into an endless passage of autumn colors, but then a familiar shape caught her eye. The tall pine tree grew twisted around a large oak.

  “Mirra, stop,” she said. “It’s around here.”

  They came to a halt and she dropped off Mirra’s back. They were alone. She hadn’t seen Nirankan and the others for a while.

  Mirra tipped back her head and made a slight huffing sound.

  Trinity moved farther into the brush, Mirra following
. The other Trackers arrived, appearing without a sound. It was almost magical how silently they approached. Their prey probably didn’t even see them coming. She moved a bit closer to Mirra and continued to search for the barrier that enclosed the Handler Camp.

  “This is it.” She brushed aside some leafy vines. She rested her hand against the stone wall. “As soon as I find the door...”

  Nirankan snorted. The other Trackers snickered.

  “Trackers no need door,” said Mirra.

  An image of Mirra climbing the wall when they’d first met flashed through her mind. “Oh, yeah. I forgot.”

  Again, she crawled onto Mirra’s back and the Tracker began scaling the wall. The other Trackers followed, ascending the stone barrier as if they were going up a tree. This trip was much less stressful than the one she’d taken on Gaar’s back.

  At the top, they stood on the wall and surveyed the camp. The Handlers were not visible. The five Trackers that had been chained bristled and snarled as they sniffed the air.

  “I smell them.” Mirra looked around. “Where Gaar-Mine?”

  “The last time that I was here, the Handlers were in those buildings.” She pointed to the two one-story, gray brick buildings in the center of the yard.

  There were enclosures attached to the structures.

  “The Handlers can go inside the building or stay outside in the cages. The last time, they were mostly outside. They’re probably in the building today.”

  “We go building,” said Mirra.

  “Wait.” She put her hand on Mirra’s arm. “That’s probably the Guards’ building.” She nodded toward the closest one.

  “How you know?” asked Mirra.

  “See the smoke? That means they have fire and warmth. The others don’t have that. See the windows? The others don’t have those either. The Guards will be in the most comfortable building.”