“Be at peace. I am Alaria from the Village of the Clouds,” she greeted with a warm smile. “You have saved this emerald sphere and we are grateful. The Tupay sorcerers are gone. They will not come back to bother you. We have brought you here to the Vesica Pisces Foundation just outside Quito, Ecuador. There are people here who will tell you all about the emerald you have found. Blessings.” She raised her hand and gave them a benediction before disappearing.
The calls of parrots and howler monkeys came from the nearby jungle. Above them, thin, wispy clouds and pale blue sky met their gaze. Hearing footsteps from the other side of the opened doors, Colt lifted his head. Who was coming? And how had they arrived in South America?
“CONGRATULATIONS!” Calen said to Colt and Shelly. She smiled warmly as they all sat together in their Ecuadorian headquarters. “Now you know the whole story about the emerald sphere. What an incredible challenge you’ve had in finding this sphere. We’re grateful to both of you.”
“Did you worry that with the last mission’s failure, the spheres had abandoned you?” Shelly asked.
“Yes,” Calen said, frowning. “Before this event, I would get a dream of where the next one could be found. After we lost Robert Cramer, I never received the dream of where the next emerald sphere was located. Alaria and Adaire, who are the leaders of the Village of the Clouds, our Taqe stronghold in the fourth dimension, were not allowed to get involved. Instead, the sphere’s spirit sent you two a dream. It had chosen you.” Pressing her hand to her breast, Calen said, “I’m so relieved. We learn as we go with these spheres. The good news is that they do talk with one another.”
“Yes,” Reno added, grinning. “We’re in good hands even if you never get another dream, Calen. We’ll find the next one.”
“I hope so,” Calen responded.
“Could it be that because of what happened, the spirit of the spheres knows the best way to choose the people for the next one?” Colt asked.
“It looks that way,” Reno agreed.
“And that’s fine with us,” Calen said. “We just need the next one now.”
“I feel that the sphere will probably contact the person it needs,” Shelly said. “It’s just a hunch.”
“Probably a correct one,” Reno said. “We’ll have to wait and see. Alaria was notified and told to contact you once the sphere was given to you by Niru, the sea goddess.”
Colt nodded. “I know you’re surprised that Guerra possessed a grizzly bear, but in my Navajo traditions sorcerers deliberately possess a coyote. They’re known as Skin Walkers and our people are terrified of them.”
“Still, this is a first. None of our other teams had to deal with animals as part of the Tupay strategy,” Reno said.
“We want to congratulate the two of you. This is wonderful. The sphere is already back at the Taqe village for safekeeping,” Calen said.
Shelly sighed. She was still coming down from the entire mystical journey. “I kept thinking Guerra would attack us again and try to steal the sphere back.”
“What we’re learning from these missions about the spheres,” Reno said, “is that once the sphere makes a connection with the heart of the rescuer, no matter whether it’s Tupay or Taqe, it will go with them. The one we lost didn’t have the opportunity or time to create that connection with our people. Which is why Guerra could steal it.”
“How are you ever going to get it back?” Colt asked. “We understood that no Taqe can ever enter the fortress of the Tupay in the fourth dimension.”
“That’s right,” Calen said. “We can’t. And we still don’t know how we can rescue it.”
“If the foundation can find the other spheres, that will give you six out of the seven,” Shelly remarked.
“Yes,” Calen said. “But we need all of them in order to complete the necklace. That will allow Ana to wear it to make the vibrational or resonance changes to our planet so we can head for the light and get out of this heavy, dark Tupay energy.”
“Dealing with Guerra was life-and-death,” Colt said, his hands folded on the table. He gazed over at Shelly, who had faint dark circles beneath her eyes.
“There’s no doubt the skills of both of you were the key,” Reno said, giving them a nod of deference. “And once you two have had a chance to rest up, we’re going to ask each of you to write up a detailed report on your experiences. Plus, we’d like a manual on vortexes that we’ll keep here at the foundation.” Reno smiled a little. “And along that line, we’d like to offer both of you a job to work for us here at the foundation. None of us know that much about vortexes. We need you to train us. We can’t assume that vortexes won’t be involved in finding the other spheres. You’re the experts. What do you say?”
“Oh, gosh,” Shelly said, giving Colt a worried look. “I don’t know…”
“We’ve hired all the mission specialists after they’ve returned,” Reno said in way of explanation. “Each of you brings a skill, understanding and expertise to us. Colt, your knowledge of sorcerers possessing an animal is new to us, but not to you. We are constantly building a broader base of information for those who come here for training. What you know is important,” Reno said. “And we’d like to extend a career opening here at the foundation for each of you. We’ll be offering you two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for finding the sphere. And the same amount per year to be in tenured positions with our foundation. We expect you to write papers, maybe a book and to teach here at the institute.”
Stunned, Colt ran the amount of money through his mind. That was a quarter of a million dollars a year! He stared across the table at Reno. No question, the man was Native American with his copper-toned skin and rich brown eyes. His long, straight black hair flowed across his massive shoulders. “Yes, I would like to do that.” Colt knew his father would be disappointed, but would understand. At last, he felt for the first time, he was on a path that was more in line with his spiritual skills and knowledge. His heart opened as he realized the dream of loving Shelly was now possible. Did she want to be a part of his life?
“Are you going to accept their offer?” Colt asked, searching Shelly’s face for answers.
“Yes, I am. We’re a good team, Colt.” Her eyes grew soft and warm as she held his gaze.
“And on that note, we can table any other discussions on this mission for now,” Calen said, rising. “We have two bedrooms, with a door between, that we want you to take here at our home. Stay, heal and rest up for as long as you want. When you two feel it’s time to get back to work here with us, come and let us know. Reno, do you want to show them to their quarters?”
“Let’s go.” Reno gestured for them to follow.
While a bit worried over how she would react, Colt held out his hand to Shelly. Would she take it? To his relief, she gave him a shy smile and slid her hand into his. His heart pounded with hope—hope of a future together with her. A wild joy grew inside him as they traversed the mahogany hall behind Reno. The lights along the corridor showed off the beautiful dark, reddish wood. At the stairs, he led them up to a third floor. Just the idea that they would be close to one another made Colt’s soul sing.
Reno stopped halfway down the hall. At the other end was a large arched window and the light flowed brightly into the area. “Here you are. We eat dinner at 8:00 p.m. It’s 10:00 a.m. now. Why don’t you get some sleep in the meantime?”
“Sounds good,” Shelly said, thanking Reno. “We’ll see you for dinner.”
Colt watched Reno move like a ghost down the hall, soundless despite his bulk. When he felt Shelly’s hazel gaze upon him, he turned to her. Everything about his life seemed possible now, even happiness. Especially happiness. “What do you want?”
Touching his cheek, she whispered, “First, I want a long, wonderful bath. I need to fully relax and clean up from our ordeal.”
“After that?” He swallowed hard, waiting for her answer.
Her lips curved. “I want to come over to your room and make love.”
Colt hadn’t expected this invitation, but it told him she was serious about him. “I’ll be waiting for you,” Colt said. The mere idea of Shelly’s soft, beautiful form next to his was nearly overwhelming. He opened the door to her suite.
Shelly gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and disappeared inside.
Colt stood out in the hall feeling a week’s worth of exhaustion tunneling through him. For the first time, he realized they were safe. Really safe. The sphere was safe, too. He opened his door and stepped in. His heart swelled with anticipation, with so many emotions he’d suppressed. Soon, he and Shelly would be together, really together.
THE SCENT OF JASMINE filled Shelly’s nostrils as she brought the sash of the long emerald silk robe around her waist. The fabric was a delicious sensation against her clean skin. She walked out of the bathroom and into her living area. The suite had two rooms. She loved the palms in large, colorful ceramic pots in either corner of the outer room next to the windows. There was a mahogany desk, a computer, a chair, a couch and a flat-screened television up above the mantel of the fireplace.
As much as she wanted to luxuriate in this beautiful suite, she wanted to be with Colt. She moved her fingers through her recently washed hair, trying to stave off any lingering nervousness. She gave a soft knock on the inner door but heard nothing. It had been nearly an hour since they’d parted. Easing the door open, she hesitantly stepped into the room. An overstuffed sofa and chair sat at one end, a similar layout to her suite.
“Colt?” she called softly. Shelly shut the door, puzzled. Where was he? The door to his bedroom stood ajar. Standing for a moment, her heart pounding with anticipation, she waited. She called out his name again. No answer. Was he in the shower? If he was, he wouldn’t hear her.
She padded across the red-and-beige tiles and halted at the bedroom door. Hand upon the frame, she gazed toward the king-size bed in the center of the room. There, Colt was fast asleep. The yellow sheet had been pulled up to his waist. He lay on his stomach, hands beneath the pillow. There was something incredibly vulnerable about Colt in sleep that she’d never seen in him when he was awake. Her heart sang as she went over to his bed. She could see he was naked beneath the sheet. She appreciated the long, lean lines of his body, the thick male muscling across his shoulders and down the deeply indented line of his spine. What an urge she felt to touch him.
Shelly told herself that she could wait. Allowing the silk robe to slip off her shoulders, she laid it across the end of the bed. The yellow sheet brought out the copper color of his skin. She could hear him breathing deeply and slowly in sleep. His hair had been washed and needed to be combed. Shelly wanted to do that. Every inch of his body was something she wanted to explore with her hands and lips. But not now. Exhaustion pulled at her, too. Slipping into the bed, Shelly brought up the sheet. And then, she lay on her side inches away from Colt. First, sleep. As she closed her eyes, she inhaled the male fragrance that was only Colt. Reaching out, she slid her hand across his tightly muscled shoulder. The loads he’d carried for both of them in Canada were finally removed, she thought, closing her eyes.
As she lay there, the melodic songs of tropical birds outside the huge, arched window were muted. How wonderful it was to lie here with the man she loved so fiercely and have the songs of Ecuadorian birds to lull her to sleep. As her fingers came to rest on his shoulder, a soft smile curved Shelly’s mouth. Safe. They were safe. That was all that counted. Safe to explore one another finally. Safe to love one another without fear of Guerra attacking them. A soft sigh slipped from between her parted lips. Sleep came quickly.
COLT AWOKE SLOWLY. He was cocooned in the wonderful world of sleep. While his eyes were still closed, his senses slowly came to life. The first sounds he heard were birds singing in the trees outside the window. The melodies were long and he enjoyed them. Then, he inhaled a feminine scent. This was new. He dragged his eyes open, seeing that he now lay on his left side—facing Shelly. Colt hungrily absorbed her sleeping form next to him. Only inches separated them. And she was naked, the yellow sheet revealing the contour of her hip and her long legs hidden beneath the languid folds.
His heart began a slow pounding that tore the sleep away from him. Was this another torrid dream? In the past days in Canada, Colt had dreamed about Shelly every night. He’d dream of waking up and finding her just like this—in his bed, naked, her beautiful breasts revealed and begging him to touch and kiss them. Dream or reality? He wasn’t sure because his exhaustion had been so deep. His mind and body had pleaded for healing, for uninterrupted rest. Looking up, he saw that the sunlight had moved a great deal from the time he’d gone to bed. It was now late afternoon.
His gaze drifted back to Shelly’s sleeping features. Her red hair was in mild disarray around her face and shoulders. One hand stretched outward from her pillow in his direction, the other hand rested against her naked breasts. Like a rich, sumptuous feast, Colt lay quietly absorbing the beauty of Shelly as a woman. Her freckles provided a coverlet across her white skin. He stared at them like a starving animal. Her mouth was full and the natural upward curve at the corners made Colt smile to himself. Shelly was such a positive person. Everything in her life was half-full, never half-empty as he’d seen his own life. Lying so close and listening to her softened breathing, Colt felt that darkness within him dissipate once and for all. No longer did he have to be a bastion of strength. If she loved him, he could reveal his more vulnerable side to her. He wouldn’t have to keep his shields of protection up all the time.
Colt eased up on his elbow. Though his fingers were itching to touch her, he hesitated. Did he have the courage to dream this new dream with Shelly in it? Looking at her sleeping features, the soft arch of her red eyebrows, the long lashes touching her freckled cheeks, Colt knew in his heart she was all he would ever want. With Shelly at his side, he felt incredibly strong and hopeful. Truly, she was his dream come true.
Unable to wait any longer, Colt eased his arm around her waist and gently drew her against his hardening body. As he moved her forward, her lashes fluttered. And then, she opened her eyes and he drowned in the glorious hazel—green, brown and gold—of her drowsy gaze.
“Woman of my heart,” he whispered. Leaning down, Colt placed a soft, welcoming kiss against her parted lips. Closing his eyes, Colt heard and felt her moan. Shelly’s arms enfolded him. When her breasts, warm and full, pressed against his chest, he groaned with utter pleasure. Their mouths became hungry and exploratory. The songs of the tropical birds provided a natural backdrop as he brought her fully against him in every way. Their hips met. He inhaled sharply as she moved provocatively against his hardness. There was such a sweet, natural reaction to Shelly.
“Colt…” Shelly whispered against his strong, seeking lips, “I love you…”
Turning her so that she sprawled across him, her body resting warmly upon his, Colt framed her face. They lay naked upon one another. He saw the drowsy look replaced by a sensual gold fire in the depths of her half-opened eyes. “I love you with all my heart and soul. I never want more than you. I want us to walk this life—together.”
Wet lips curving softly, Shelly leaned closer. “I fell in love with you in Canada. You were willing to give your life for mine when Guerra attacked us.” Kissing him slowly and thoroughly, Shelly lifted her head and held his dark blue eyes, hooded with desire. “When you turned me in your arms and placed your back toward Guerra, I knew your courage, Colt.” Shelly lifted her hand and threaded her fingers through the sleek black strands of his short hair. “I was so scared. What you did makes me cry, my sweetheart.”
Staring into her tear-filled eyes, Colt felt the tingling whisper of her fingertips across his scalp, the heat of her flesh against his, the soft smile of her mouth. “I would die for you, Shelly. Then and now. I can’t see life without you being in it. You are my sunshine.” He looked toward the shafts of afternoon light slanting into his suite. Colt moved his fingers through her silky hair. Each time he moved a strand acro
ss her shoulders, it would change color from copper to burgundy and then flash with gold highlights. “You are so beautiful.”
Moving her hips suggestively, Shelly gave a throaty laugh as his fingers wreaked pleasure across her scalp. “We deserve one another, Colt.” All her past wounds by men, her bad choices, were behind her. This was a new start with a man who wanted to support her dreams and aspirations. “I want to share my life with you here in Ecuador. I want to love you. Now…”
Without a word, she sat up and positioned her hips so that she could allow him entrance into her wet, ready body. Hands upon his chest, Shelly held his predatory gaze. As she lowered herself upon him, her lashes shuttered closed, her fingers dug into the tensing strength of his chest muscles. A gasp escaped her as she felt his hands come to rest upon her hips. He surged into her, and a cry of joy escaped her lips. Her world exploded with so many rainbow hues that she lost herself within them and absorbed his love for her.
The moments became hot, wet and wild as she moved down against his hips. Each thrust created liquid heat that ebbed and flowed through her lower body. When his lips closed over one nipple and then the other, Shelly sobbed with pleasure. His hands moved with such tenderness as they followed the curve of her breasts. She wanted to cry with the beauty of their love. His lips explored her neck, her jaw and finally came to rest upon her mouth. Colt sat up, his knees against her spine, his hands moving across her body in seductive exploration of every curve. His hands tantalized her shoulders, outlining her collarbones and then drifting down around her breasts. Shelly came undone.
He lay back down as if sensing her orgasm, his hands firm against her hips. She rode him as she would ride a wild, galloping stallion. Her fingers dug into his chest, a cry lurched from her parting lips as an explosion erupted from deep within her. Frozen in the splendor of the moment, she felt Colt moving his hips to create an even more intense reaction to the ongoing, flowing orgasm. And then, Shelly felt him stiffen, and groan like a wild animal. The heat, their love, their bodies, his hands gripping her hips, it all became a rainbow of scintillating beauty.
The Adversary Page 18
