by Tami Dee
Leif shook his head. "Good sleep to you, Singlee."
Leif made his way to his room thinking about how much his life had changed in just two days. If it weren't for his family needing him home, he knew he could easily adapt to life in this strange world. And to Kat.
*****
The glint in his eye should have warned her. Or the sudden tingling that skirted across her skin. Yet neither did. A gasp escaped her throat as he roughly pulled her into the circle of his arms. Escape was impossible. That was if she wanted to escape. And she didn't. She dropped her head back and parted her lips in silent invitation to which he responded immediately, his lips crushing hers in a searing kiss, his hands skirting down her back and cupping her bottom, pressing her closer to his body and shifting her until she had no doubt that his need for her was a great as hers was for him.
Beep, beep, beep. The sound of Rosie's alarm clock jerked Kat awake. Pulse racing, Kat looked around, trying to get her bearings.
Beep, beep, beep.
"For goodness sake turn that thing off," Rosie muttered as she covered her head with a pillow.
It had been a dream. Kat didn't know if she was relived or disappointed as she reached over to switch off the alarm. The embrace had felt so real. So right. But it could never be, she thought morosely, they were from two different worlds.
The digital clock read 4:00 pm. Just before she had fallen asleep, she had made a decision that she never imagined she would make. She was still afraid, but not as much as she had been before Leif's great idea. It was such a simple solution yet she had never once though of it. She guessed that was what her Amma would call not being able to see the forest for the trees.
She really needed to do was go see Amma as soon as all this Benny business was over and before Leif figured out a way back to his time. Kat knew, knew, that the matching safe deposit box keys were going to be the ticket to him returning to his time.
Kat worried her bottom lip. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave her. Especially since her Amma had made it clear that she was supposed to go with him. What was she supposed to do anyway? Walk up to him when all this was done and say, "By the way, I'm going with you". Kat rolled her eyes. Like that would go over well.
Grabbing a towel and her tote, she headed to the shower. First things first. A hot shower and then toast and coffee. After that, she would call McCarty.
*****
Alone, but not lonely, Leif reclined on the beach basking in the sun, at peace with himself and the world. And then his senses filled with a delicate aroma, an odd scent which was not unpleasant, but made his eyes sting and he braced in anticipation of the voice he knew would follow.
"Leif, you must cherish her as I have," he heard the faceless ancient say, the ancient who had been giving him the same instructions for the last six years, since the time he reached young manhood.
"Protect her from her enemies Leif, and love her. Promise me," the voice pressed.
How can I promise when I know not of whom you speak?
He thought the question, knowing that she would hear the unspoken words. It was the same question he had asked the ancient a thousand times before. And her answer was always the same.
"You will know her, Leif. You will know her when the time comes." The soft voice rang with a conviction Leif wished he could share.
"Promise me Leif. Promise me," she implored.
"I promise." He uttered the oath before he even knew it was upon his tongue. This was the first time in all the non-waking times she'd begged the oath from him that he had done so.
Something akin to relief flooded him, making him giddy with happiness. Never had he felt so free. Leif sighed. He closed his eyes. Red flooded his vision with the brightness of the sun that seeped through the thin barrier of his lids. Leif senses grew highly sensitized. He could feel each sparkling grain of sand that was embedded in his elbows. The scent of the ocean filled his nostrils. The crisp breeze that blew his hair about his face stung his cheeks.
And then, a face drifted through his consciousness. Not the face of the ancient that he knew, yet did not know. Nay, it was the face of an angel, a dark haired angel with sparkling sea-blue eyes, flawless alabaster skin and full kissable lips curved in a half smile as though she were ready to speak. Instead, she gestured to him to come closer, closer, closer...
Leif shot up in bed. Cold perspiration washed over his heated skin. He sucked in deep breaths in an attempt to quiet his throbbing heart, to shake the cobwebs of sleep away. What was Kat doing in his dreams?
Rising from his bed, Leif went across the hall to the bathroom. Perhaps standing under the heated indoor rain, he could make some sense out of his night thoughts.
Having no answer to his puzzling dream, Leif stepped out of the steam-filled room twenty minutes later. Towel drying his hair, he made his way into the living room. Singlee was just beginning to stir on the couch and Kat paced back and forth across the room holding a steaming cup in her hand. She was so absorbed in her thoughts she did not notice him. Leif stood under the threshold of the hall and considered her.
She looked completely different today than she had last night. Last night she had dressed to entice and tease. This afternoon she looked as innocent as a child. Her long hair was pulled back off her face and tied tightly in a black band. She wore a short sleeved, dark blue 'tee shirt' that flattered her small bust. Her form hugging 'jeans' were 'low-rise', the waist ending just below her exposed navel. Leif took notice that today, said navel held yet another piercing, this one in the shape of a tiny gold butterfly. Her small feet were bare as she silently paced the floor. Splashes of pink painted on her toenails peeked out of the wide hem of her jeans with her steps, causing Leif to smile.
"You seem troubled," Leif said as he walked to the kitchen and poured himself some of the black liquid she was drinking. "What are you worrying about, Kat? Everything went according to plan last night."
"I know it went well," she told him, joining him in the kitchen and taking a slice of bread from a 'plastic' bag and pushing it into a silver colored box which then proceeded to radiate heat. "I just can't help but feel apprehensive. Benny's been my worst nightmare since I was fifteen and my Amma was taken away. It's not easy for me to realize that very soon he may not represent a threat to me anymore."
She sucked in a deep breath then blew it out, causing the bangs that framed her forehead to scatter from their neat row above her brows.
"Anyway, I called McCarty about half an hour ago. He should be here any time. I'm going to lay out my terms and hope he agrees to them."
"Your terms?" The skin on Leif's arms tingled. It was a sensation that often preceded the threat of bad news.
"Yes. Terms. I'll spare you having to hear them twice. As soon as he gets here you'll understand."
For some reason Leif had serious doubts that he would.
Rosie came stumbling into the living room just as Singlee emerged from the bathroom, a pink towel wrapped around his waist.
"Those are my sweats," he said accusingly, pointing at Rosie's dark gray leg coverings. Leif could not imagine Singlee wearing the 'sweats' in question without looking ridiculous but on Rosie they were perfect, clinging, as they did to the curve of her shapely hips and tapering down her long legs to gather snugly at her ankles. Leif could not deny that she was beautiful, even sleep mussed as she was now, but she did not move him as Kat did.
She shot her cousin an irritated look. "What about it?" she snapped. "You weren't using them."
"Well I am now," he retorted. "Hand them over, Rosie."
Balling her small hands into fists, she faced him boldly, seemingly not in the least concerned that her cousin stood a full head taller than her and was twice as broad.
"Only if you can take them from me," she challenged, her stance daring him to do so.
Fond memories of he and his brothers and cousins engaging in like conversations filtered though his mind. But if they needed one another, they knew they could count on e
ach other. Always. Apparently, time did not change the fundamentals of family relationships. At the thought, the loss of his brothers suddenly washed over him. Such a senseless betrayal. And at such a high cost.
Leif ate the 'toast' Kat had handed him in two bites and had just burned his tongue on the 'coffee' when the doorbell rang.
Startled, Kat jumped then raced to the door, swinging it open.
McCarty strode into the apartment like he owned the place, slapping his note pad onto the table next to Leif's plate. Leif thought it was sad that such a young man was already so hardened and cynical. But, as Leif well knew, responsibility often robbed a man of his youth. He admonished himself to try to like this 'police officer' more than he did.
"Is the message I received right?" McCarty demanded, addressing Kat. "Are you going to press charges?"
"Nothing like getting right to the point is there?" Kat taunted.
Leif raised a warning brow in Kat's direction. This man did not look like he was in any mood for her sarcasm.
"Look, things are happening. Word on the street is that there is going to be trouble, big trouble for Benny. Now I have to protect that slime-ball before some of his old business partners get a hold of him. I'll send him to San Quentin but he's not getting plugged on my watch if I can help it. Now what goes? Are you testifying, or not?"
Kat's eyes went wide and even Leif had to keep a tight rein on his own exhilaration. It had worked! In just one night they had accomplished their mission. Benny's cohorts had turned against him. And they had not even started to spread their poison. Leif was amazed.
"I'll testify," Kat said with a cheeky grin.
McCarty seemed to consider his next words carefully. "We know what happened to Annie," he said. "I want you to turn her over to us. We can protect her while we make that scum will pay for what he's done to her and all the others before her."
"No way," Kat replied. "If you want to nail him for his kiddy prostitution then you'll have to arrange for a court liaison to meet with Annie. Her testimony can be given in writing. I don't want her anywhere near this city or Benny."
Her words angered McCarty and his face turned a deep red. He slammed his fist on the table making the dishes rattle. Leif pushed himself from the table and positioned himself squarely in front of Kat.
"Call your bodyguard off," McCarty told her. "Or I'll run him in for obstruction."
"It's all right Leif, he's all bark," Kat said calmly. "You don't have to protect me."
Leif stepped aside, but not before he shot McCarty a look that in his time would have stopped a man dead in his tracks. Planting his feet apart Leif crossed his arms over his chest, assuming a stance that dared McCarty to push the issue.
Leif felt the slightest bit let down when McCarty just looked at him in what could only be described as disgust then returned his attention to Kat. Leif hadn't had a good fight since he left his time, and, frankly, he was more than ready to let off some steam.
A muscle in McCarty's jaw twitched as he questioned Kat, his voice tight. "You mean you'll keep her location concealed unless we agree to use a liaison?" he said through clenched teeth.
"Exactly," Kat answered him without hesitation. "She's been through enough. I won't put her or her family through a trial and all that publicity."
"What does Annie have to do with Benny trying to murder you?" Singlee asked from the couch where he sat casually, one bare leg propped atop the low table in front of it.
Turning to Singlee, McCarty's green eyes flashed with dislike. "When did you get out, Singlee?" he demanded. "And why are you sitting around in a towel this time of day?"
"Answer one, a few days ago," Singlee answered cheerfully. "Answer two, Rosie stole my sweats -- not that it's any of your business, dude."
Leif frowned. He was going to have to find out why everyone keeps asking Singlee when he got out. Out of what?
"Benny tried to kill me because he was ticked off that I got Annie away from him" Kat answered Singlee. "Unfortunately I didn't get her away before Tiny got a hold of her."
Singlee blew out a soft whistle and his olive face paled. Whatever they were talking about it must be of great importance to upset Singlee. Leif would have to find out more about this Annie and Tiny.
"And you just had to take matters into your own hands and hire your own thugs to beat Tiny within an inch of his life," McCarty put in sarcastically.
Singlee nodded approvingly. "So that's why Tiny's goons were following you around last night, just waiting to get you alone."
"I suppose so," Kat said, shrugging.
"We'll have to keep an eye on you even after Benny is sent away," Singlee told her. "Tiny's not as powerful as Benny, but he does have some pull."
Kat waved a careless hand. "I'm not even worried about that pervert. We'll just do what we did to Benny last night and he'll go down as fast and hard as he did."
McCarty's head shot up. "What do you mean 'what you did to Benny last night'? What did you do? Are you responsible for this mess?"
Kat turned wide sea-blue eyes toward McCarty and blinked rapidly. "I don't know what you're talking about, Officer."
Leif and Singlee remained expressionless as McCarty's eyes darted from one of them to the other.
Clearly, McCarty was struggling to control his temper. "Fine, Kat, you win," he said. "Tell me where to find the girl and I'll get a court liaison out to her within the week."
"I don't think so."
Leif choked on his coffee. Had she said no? He wondered if McCarty would thank him or clap him in wrist irons if he shook some sense into the unpredictable girl.
"What!" McCarty exclaimed.
He would thank me.
"You give me the name of the liaison and if I know that she is not in Benny's pocket, I will tell her how to reach Annie," Kat pressed on, undaunted. "Notice I said she. No men."
McCarty's face turned several more shades of red before becoming a bright purple. Leif felt sorry for him.
At that moment, Rosie strolled out of her room and, without comment, tossed the 'sweats' she had been wearing in Singlee's general direction. He caught them mid-air, giving her a smug smile as he sauntered across the room to disappear into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
Rosie was now dressed in much the same manner as Kat. Low-rise blue jeans hugged her hips, and a short sleeve red tee shirt with the word Angel? written across the front that clung to her generous breasts. She brushed her deep brown hair over one shoulder and let hang to her waist. Each time she lifted her arm to apply another stroke to the glossy tresses, a tiny jeweled piercing winked from her navel.
"You can reach Kat here when you're ready, McCarty," she said. "You have the number. Now I think its time you beat it before she changes her mind about the whole thing."
Escorting the flabbergasted young officer to the door, she shut it with a definite click behind him.
"How do you suppose that happened?" Singlee asked, walking into the kitchen and pouring himself a cup of coffee. "All we did last night was ask questions. We hadn't even begun to spread the info to discredit him."
"We must have asked the right people our questions," Kat speculated.
Leif stroked his chin. "Apparently, that started them asking their own questions and that must have lead to some interesting answers, saving us a great deal of time and energy."
Leif felt heat stain his cheeks when all eyes swung in his direction, his pride stung at the trio's apparent shock at his reasoning ability. "We have corruption in my time as well," he said. "As you should well know, Katla."
When he saw her face fall, he immediately regretted his words. From what he had gathered in the short time he'd been in this highly advanced society, they must think that the time he came from -- 'The dark ages' as he had heard them call it -- people had not been sophisticated enough to betray one another or have intrigues or conspiracies. It hurt that they felt thusly, but not as much as the look his sharp words had placed on Kat's face right now. Leif was st
ill struggling to think of something to say, anything to erase the hurt from her eyes, when Rosie brushed her hands together briskly.
"Not bad for a night's work," she said, tossing the brush onto the table and flipping her hair back over her shoulder.
"Not bad at all, cousin," Singlee agreed. Obviously relived that the sudden tension in the room had lessened, he strode over to Rosie and mussed her hair.
Rosie swatted his hand. "Do you mind?"
As for Kat, she smiled at Leif and his heart swelled because the look in her eyes told him clearly that she would not hold his rash words against him. Her unspoken forgiveness was extremely important to him. Hurting her intentionally had pierced his heart. He would be careful not to do so again.
Still, something McCarty had said nagged at him and he turned to Rosie. "How is it that McCarty knows your number? I don't remember you giving it to him."
Rosie's cheeks flared with color.
Singlee laughed. "Dude," he said. "He's her boyfriend."
Chapter Fourteen
Leif's jaw dropped.
The room filled with laughter. At his expense.
He scowled at each of them in turn, resulting in more laughter.
Leif felt something bubbling inside him, a pleasant feeling that made its way from his belly to his throat. A bark of laughter escaped his lips before he could stop it. Leif laughed so hard that his eyes filled with tears.
Voluptuous Rosie. Funny, smart, beautiful, devious Rosie was involved with McCarty. Unbelievable.
Singlee pounded him on the back. "That's more like it, boss," he said. "Life's too short to be serious all the time. Loosen up and enjoy the ride."
Leif knew that Singlee was right, but with Leif being the first born of his brothers, he had been raised to one day take on the challenges and responsibilities of his clan. And that day had come upon him abruptly and unexpectedly at a very young age.
