Darkness Past

by Sherryl Hancock

  On the dance floor, a slow song was playing. Elizabeth moved in close, her arms wound around Cat’s neck, her hands burying themselves in Cat’s long hair. They moved together well; it was obvious they were intimate. Sable watched from the table, knowing she was being reminded by Elizabeth Endicott who Cat belonged to. It both amused and rankled her.

  “You smell like her,” Elizabeth said, her lips close to Cat’s ear.

  “We danced at Bourbon Street,” Cat replied.

  “How close?” Elizabeth asked sharply.

  Cat sighed. “Bet, would I have come here if I was trying to sneak around on you?”

  Elizabeth pulled back, looking Cat in the eyes. “If you smelled another woman on me, wouldn’t you wonder?”

  Cat bit back the comment on the tip of her tongue about being more likely to smell a man on her than another woman. Someone like the Puerto Rican bartender that had been hitting on Elizabeth since she’d hired him. A man Elizabeth quite frequently closed down the bar with. Something that bugged Cat no end.

  “I didn’t come here to fight with you, Bet,” Cat said, taking a step back.

  Elizabeth tightened her hold on Cat’s hair in sudden desperation. “I’m sorry, Cat, I didn’t mean… I’m sorry,” she said, pulling Cat back to her. Cat was tense.

  “Please, babe, I’m sorry,” Elizabeth whispered. Her lips touched Cat’s ear, her neck. “I love you. I’m just jealous.” Her lips moved over Cat’s neck. “I can’t compete with someone like Sable Sands. I love you…”

  Their lips connected then, and Elizabeth moved in, pressing her body against Cat’s. Cat moaned softly, wrapping her arms around Elizabeth’s waist, pulling her impossibly closer, deepening the kiss. Cat bit gently at Elizabeth’s bottom lip, making Elizabeth moan and tighten her hand in Cat’s hair. The club melted away as they kissed, reconnecting on a physical level, reassuring each other that they were still in love, still together.

  Sable watched from the table, ordering a double shot of Jägermeister and watching them dance. When they kissed, Sable knew she’d lost whatever ground she’d gained with Cat that night. She also knew that she wasn’t ready to give up yet. There had been too much of a connection there, and Sable never ignored a connection. Never.

  ***

  “What’s this from?” Linda asked, her fingers brushing over a red mark on Kashena’s upper arm.

  Kashena lifted her arm listlessly, glancing at the mark Linda was touching. Then she shrugged. “I don’t know, caught it on something in the airport.”

  Linda’s eyes searched Kashena’s face. “You look tired.”

  “I feel like shit,” Kashena answered, an edge to her voice. “That might be why.”

  “Jesus, you don’t have to be nasty about it.”

  Kashena sighed, snuggling farther under the blankets. “I just want to sleep, okay?”

  “Okay,” Linda said, disappointed.

  There was something she’d been dying to talk to Kashena about since she’d gotten back from her trip to LA, but there hadn’t been a right time. Now Kashena was sick. A woman who was never sick was sick the one time Linda wanted to tell her something important. Figures! Linda thought snidely. Probably caught something from that lawyer.

  Linda knew about Sierra—of course she knew. Kashena was never one to lie. The first day Kashena had gotten back, Linda had noticed she was quieter than normal. She’d also seemed unexcited to see her again. It had been bothering Linda a lot to note that Kashena wasn’t nearly as possessive and desirous of her as she’d been in years past. But now this!

  “You seem awfully quiet,” Linda had commented while they were at the grocery store the day Kashena arrived back.

  Kashena had just shrugged. “I’m tired,” she’d said simply.

  “Those conferences running really late into the night now?” Linda had snapped, her temper flaring.

  She’d called the hotel looking for Kashena one morning, and another woman had answered. Linda had hung up, but something inside had told her there was something wrong. She’d asked Kashena about the other woman in her room, of course, and Kashena had said that Sierra was the lawyer she was protecting and that naturally they were sharing a room; it was safer that way. Safer for what? Linda had wanted to ask, but she knew when not to push.

  At the grocery store, however, Kashena had been far too preoccupied. Once they got back to the car, Linda had turned to Kashena and just said it.

  “Tell me you’re not fucking her.”

  Kashena looked over at her, her deep blue eyes unreadable. “Was that a question?”

  Linda narrowed her eyes. “Are you fucking her?”

  “Are you fucking that guy that was at my house while I was gone?” Kashena countered.

  “What guy?” Linda asked far too quickly.

  “The one I smelled in my bedroom when I got home.”

  Linda glowered at the other woman. It drove her nuts that Kashena seemed to sense everything.

  “Are you fucking the lawyer, Kash?” she’d asked again.

  Kashena’s look had been direct. “Let’s just say I’m doing the same thing with the lawyer as you’re doing with some guy in my bedroom when I’m not there.”

  That had been it, and Linda had been smart enough to shut up then.

  Leaving Kashena in the bedroom, Linda went into the living room, turning on the TV and engrossing herself in an episode of Saturday Night Live.

  Over the course of the next three days, Kashena didn’t get better. The second day, she was sweating and writhing around so much in the bed that Linda opted to sleep in the guest room. On the end of the third day, Sebastian showed up at the house.

  “What are you doing here?” Linda asked when she opened the door.

  “Checking on my partner,” he said, his storm-green eyes narrowed.

  “She’s sick,” Linda said, shrugging.

  “I know, she called me,” Sebastian said. “Now get out of my way so I can go see her.” He pushed past her.

  Linda followed him into the bedroom. She got worried the minute she saw the expression on his face as he looked at Kashena.

  “What?” she asked, her gaze sliding from him to Kashena then back again.

  Sebastian didn’t answer, striding over to the bed and putting his hand to Kashena’s cheek.

  “She’s burning up,” he said sharply. “Didn’t she take anything?”

  Linda gave him a wry look. “You know Kash doesn’t take medication.”

  “Did you think to call the healer?” Sebastian snapped.

  Linda looked guilty instantly.

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” he asked, his tone anything but a question.

  Straightening, he opened Kashena’s bedside drawer, pulled out her address book, and tossed it to Linda. “It’s under H.”

  “For healer?” Linda asked.

  “For Hilea,” he replied with a denigrating look.

  Taking off his jacket, he tossed it aside. He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled his shirt tails out of his jeans.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Linda asked as he kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed behind Kashena.

  “Relax, babe,” he said snidely. “We need to get this fever down, and the best way to do that is adding body heat to hers so it’ll break. And the longer you stand there gaping at me like an idiot, the longer I’ll have to do this, so could you get your ass on the phone?”

  “Why aren’t I doing that and you making the call?” Linda asked suspiciously.

  As soon as Sebastian wrapped his body around Kashena’s and she felt his heat surrounding her, she tried to jerk away from him. Fastening arms of steel around Kashena as she fought against him, he looked up at Linda.

  “Think you’re strong enough to handle her, sweetheart?” he asked sarcastically.

  Linda curled her lip in disgust at him, knowing he was right. Kashena was damned strong, and it was obvious she didn’t want Sebastian’s heat anywhere near her.

  “I hope she manag
es to nail you in the balls,” Linda spat angrily.

  “Wouldn’t be the first time, honey,” he said with a wink. “Now make the goddamned call, will you?”

  Sebastian spent an extremely uncomfortable two hours holding Kashena, sweating like crazy and doing his best to control her thrashing. At one point she quieted, and he hoped the fever was breaking. He made the mistake of loosening his hold on her, and regretted it a moment later. Her elbow rammed up and back, slamming into his rib cage and, he was fairly sure, cracking a rib.

  “Fuck!” he yelled as he grabbed her arms tightly again, doing his best to protect his now aching rib.

  Linda ran in to see what happened and saw the way he was holding his arm out away from his side, even as he was still holding Kashena’s arm. She smirked, seeing the already darkening bruise.

  “Watch it,” he warned her, “or I’ll make you lie here, and she’ll probably manage to kill you.” His tone held no concern at that thought—he actually looked like he relished the idea.

  “Fuck you, Sebastian,” she snapped.

  “Not in this lifetime, honey.”

  Linda glared at him, hating him more every time she had to deal with him. She knew he couldn’t stand her, and that he was forever berating Kashena for getting back together with her. Soon he may be stuck with her, and wouldn’t that just be too bad for him. Bastard.

  The healer arrived an hour later. Walking in, she saw Sebastian lying in bed holding Kashena. She smiled. She’d met Sebastian a number of times over the years that he and Kashena had been friends. She very much liked the big man, and had named him “animikii akamaabi,” which in Ojibwa roughly translated to the “thunderbird who waits in watch.” She knew that Sebastian was Kashena’s protector. Whereas Hilea called Linda “animoons animishimo,” which translated into “the puppy who dances away.” The healer had no use for Linda; she felt Linda would only drain the life force from Kashena given the opportunity.

  “Hilea, aaniin,” Sebastian said, inclining his head respectfully to the healer in greeting.

  “Aaniin, animikii akamaabi,” Hilea said, returning the greeting with a smile.

  Sebastian had taken the time to learn a few words of the Ojibwa language. It showed his respect for his best friend’s heritage.

  Linda looked on, her lips twitching in irritation that, as usual, Sebastian was running the show and showing off. Damnit, she was Kashena’s lover—didn’t that count for anything? The damned healer hadn’t even acknowledged her presence!

  “She’s had a fever,” Sebastian was telling the healer, “and I can’t seem to break it.”

  The healer nodded. “I will fix something,” she said, her dark brown eyes glowing.

  “Miigwech, nenaandawi’iwed,” Sebastian replied.

  The healer left the room.

  “What did you say to her?” Linda asked, her tone sharp, as it always was with Sebastian.

  Sebastian looked back at her, derision curling his lips. “I just said thank you.”

  “All that for thank you?” Linda asked suspiciously.

  “It basically translates to ‘Thank you, healer,’” he said impatiently.

  “Well, excuse me for not speaking Indian.”

  “It’s Ojibwa,” he reminded her, not sure if she ever even remembered what tribe Kashena was from.

  “I know that, asshole,” Linda snapped, turning and stalking out of the room.

  Sebastian chuckled to himself, glancing down at his partner. “You’re with such a charmer, honey,” he said, even though he was fairly sure she couldn’t hear him.

  He was worried sick about her, even if it didn’t show. The fever hadn’t broken, and that bothered him—it meant her body was trying desperately to rid itself of some illness. Kashena was rarely, if ever, sick, so when she was, she got really sick. He didn’t like that Linda had apparently not been worried at all. Kashena herself had called him three days before to say she was sick and wouldn’t be in. She hadn’t called since then; however, Sierra Youngblood had called three or four times asking if she was better. He’d finally decided he’d better come check on her. He was glad now that he had.

  Ten minutes later, Hilea came back carrying two small cups. Handing one to him, she gestured for him to drink.

  “Me? But Hilea…”

  “It is for your pain,” she said, motioning to his side, which was now black and blue from where Kashena’s elbow had caught him.

  “Miigwech,” he said, inclining his head and taking the cup, then downing it like a shot.

  He couldn’t help the grimace that followed. The herbs tasted horrible, but he knew that Hilea believed in them being pure. Hilea chuckled at the face he made, then gestured to Kashena.

  Sebastian sat up, gently lifting his partner with him. Kashena groaned, struggling against his hold again.

  “Easy, Kash. Hilea is here. You need to take some herbs,” he said soothingly.

  Kashena groaned again, shaking her head.

  “It’s okay, babe. I’ll help you.” He smoothed back her hair.

  Taking the cup from Hilea, Sebastian gently placed Kashena’s head back against his shoulder. Holding his hand to her forehead, he brought the cup to her lips.

  “Drink, babe,” he said softly in her ear.

  Kashena did as he told her, grimacing as he had at the taste of the herbs.

  “Just a little more, Kash… come on,” he said when the cup was near empty.

  She drank the rest, then sighed, relaxing against him. He knew it was somehow a psychological relief for her to have the healer there. It was Kashena’s deeply held belief that the healer could take care of anything. She’d been brought up to believe in the power of others’ gifts, so knowing the healer had come to take her fever away made her relax into the deep sleep her body badly needed.

  She slept for five hours, during which time Sebastian hovered close by. He’d pulled on his shirt but hadn’t bothered to button it. Naturally, when Kashena woke, the first thing she saw was the dark nasty bruise on his rib cage.

  “What happened?” she asked, her voice gravelly.

  “You,” he said, grinning.

  “Oh God, Baz…” Kashena began, horrified at having hurt him. “Did I…”

  “Yeah,” he confirmed. “You probably cracked it,” he said, winking at her. “Exactly what I’d expect from a Marine.”

  “Oo-rah,” she said, her tone far from enthusiastic.

  “There’s my partner,” Sebastian said with a wide smile. He kissed her on the forehead. “I’m leaving you in the care of your girlfriend now. I need to take a shower. I don’t think I’ve sweated this much since those twins in Rome.”

  “Ugh!” Kashena said, pulling the pillow over her head. “Thanks for the visual.”

  Sebastian chuckled. “Anytime, honey, anytime.”

  Kashena lay in bed, feeling drained and still tired. Linda wandered in a few minutes after Sebastian left.

  “Well, I’m glad he finally left,” she said, lying down on the bed.

  Kashena didn’t say anything. The last thing she wanted was to get into a discussion with Linda about Sebastian. Linda noted Kashena’s silence and pressed.

  “He was so mean to me, Kash…” she said in a pouting tone.

  “Linda,” Kashena said tiredly, “let’s not do this.”

  “Do what?”

  “You hate Baz, he hates you. I already know this, okay?”

  “But he was mean to me,” Linda whined.

  “He was worried about me,” Kashena said, a sigh in her voice.

  “So was I,” Linda said sharply, “but he didn’t have to be a total asshole.”

  Again Kashena didn’t answer, too tired to have this discussion with her girlfriend.

  Linda was silent for a while, snuggling against Kashena.

  “Kash?” she queried a little while later, just as Kashena was drifting off to sleep.

  “Hmm?”

  “I think we should get married,” Linda said matter-of-factly.


  “What?” Kashena asked, fully awake now.

  “Well,” Linda said, biting her lower lip, “you’ve always wanted a commitment from me, and you know I always come back to you… So maybe if we got married, I’d stay.”

  “Being married doesn’t make anyone stay where they are, Linda,” Kashena said, already wondering how she was getting out of this.

  Linda was right—previously, Kashena would have been thrilled at the prospect of settling down with Linda. But too much had happened. Linda had abused their relationship far too often. Also, a particular black-haired woman had been in her thoughts and fevered dreams far too much. Kashena knew that the last thing she really wanted right now was something heavy with Linda to tie her down.

  Linda noted Kashena’s silence and found herself getting quite irritated at it.

  “You don’t want to?” she asked incredulously.

  Kashena sighed. “Linda, I’m way too tired to have this conversation right now. Can we just not?”

  “I see,” Linda said, her face a mask of fury. “It’s the lawyer, right? She makes a shitload of money, and that’s what you want.”

  Kashena stared at Linda, unable to believe the girl had been dumb enough to use this tactic.

  “If I was interested in money, Linda,” Kashena said dryly, “why the hell would I date you?”

  “Don’t be a bitch,” Linda snapped.

  “Then drop this conversation,” Kashena countered calmly, closing her eyes again.

  “It’s her, isn’t it?” Linda sounded like she was near tears. “She’s taking you away from me…”

  Linda couldn’t believe it—she was actually losing her hold on the one woman she was sure would always love her. This wasn’t happening!

  “You love me, I know you do,” Linda said fervently. “I’ll fight her for you if I have to.”

  “That wouldn’t be wise,” Kashena said quietly, her eyes still closed.

  “Why not?” Linda asked.

  “Because as her bodyguard, I’d be the one kicking your ass if you touched her.”

  Linda was stunned into silence. She had absolutely no idea how to respond to that. Kashena was basically threatening her. And she was telling her to stay from her new woman. Oh shit!

  Kashena took Linda’s silence as an opportunity to go back to sleep. Linda lay next to Kashena, thinking of ways to hold on to her. She’d never been so unsettled before in her life.