“All good?” Lola asked, rolling to put her feet on the floor.
“Yes, ma’am, all good. You may disembark,” Gage said, rounding the boat and grabbing the cooler from the back, as well as Lola’s bag. Taking them higher up on the sand, he came to the back and held his hands up for her. When Lola went to give him hers, he just put his hands on her waist and lifted her easily out. Did she notice his hard body as she slid lightly down it before her toes touched the sand? Damn straight she did. Did she notice the palpable hum of chemistry that sizzled between their bodies like a live wire? Absolutely. She wondered if Gage felt it, or if he was so used to women fawning all over him that he no longer paid attention.
“Thanks for the lift, cutie,” Lola said, and bent to swing her knapsack onto her shoulder. She began heading up toward the beach, where she could just now make out the entrance to the cave. “Honestly, how did anyone ever find this? It’s barely visible from the sea.”
“Pirates did at one point, which doesn’t surprise me. They’re notorious for finding hidey holes along the coast.”
“Oh – maybe we’ll find treasure,” Lola laughed as she dug in her bag for her dive light and her water shoes. “Okay, fearless captain, shall I lead the way, or do you know the route?”
“Let me go in first. That way I’ll sweep any creepy crawlies out of the way for you,” Gage said, sliding a camping light onto his baseball cap and strapping a dive knife to his ankle.
“What do you think you’ll need a knife for?” Lola asked, eyes round.
“It’s more for if we get entangled than needing to kill anything. I suspect the only thing we’ll find in here are bats. Which we like, I must tell you as an islander, because they eat the mosquitos.”
“Ah, yes. Then I too am a fan of bats,” Lola said, following him as he scrambled up some loose rocks until he stood at the mouth of the cave.
“You’re not one of those girls who screams at bats and worries about her hair?”
Lola pointed to the massive braids on her head and laughed. “I have plenty of hair; if I lose some to a bat, so be it. I’d be more worried about terrifying the poor things.”
Gage nodded his approval before sliding his glasses off and tucking them in a pouch. Instantly intrigued, Lola went closer and peered up at his face until he tilted his head at her in question.
“What? Do I have something on my face?”
“I’ve just never seen you with your sunglasses off. I wondered what color eyes you have,” Lola said – and then mentally kicked herself. Could she be more transparent in letting Gage know she’d been thinking about him?
“Green – like money, my co-workers used to say, but now I prefer to say like the palm trees.”
They were a brilliant green, and Lola let herself indulge in a small sigh. It was just so unfair; didn’t this man have any faults? A gorgeous face, entrancing emerald eyes, and a body cut from rock. No wonder every woman for miles was swooning over him.
“Yes, I’d say more like palm trees. Do they change color? When you’re angry? Mine do that sometimes, depending on my mood.”
“I don’t know. I’m not usually looking in the mirror when I’m angry.” Gage laughed and turned, clicking his light on and ducking his head into the entrance of the cave. Lola followed him in silence, decidedly ignoring the way his swim trunks bunched around his delightfully strong bum, and instead shone her light against the walls looking for drawings.
“It’s cool in here. But there’s still a breeze,” Lola said.
“That means there’s an outlet somewhere else in the cave. Which would make sense for the bats to come in and out. I don’t suggest you shine your light on the ceiling, as you’ll startle them. Let’s leave them to their rest.”
That was when she heard it.
The rustling of thousands of bats, busy even at rest, and a few flitting by her head.
“Oh man, you didn’t say how many there’d be,” Lola breathed, coming close to Gage and peering up where the light from the front of the cave shone on the bats. “That’s so beautiful. Just look at them all!”
“I know. Usually people hate bats, but I’m so fascinated by them. They’re like little flying monkeys or something.”
“Like the monkeys in The Wizard of Oz?”
“Mmm, I like to think friendlier.”
“Let’s hope so, or we’re screwed.”
“I doubt that we’ll be taken down by a bat apocalypse, but if so? Yes, we’re screwed.”
“Let’s not talk about getting screwed in this cave. I mean… do you even have cell reception out here? What happens if there’s an emergency?” Lola wondered aloud as they picked their way through the tunnel. It continued to narrow before banking sharply to the left. Now they were relying solely upon their lights. Lola’s heart began to pick up with excitement – or nerves, she couldn’t tell which.
“I’ll be your hero, little one, don’t you worry,” Gage said easily, his focus on the path ahead of him. “Plus, it’s not too much longer now… ah! Here we are.”
Gage stopped so quickly that Lola bumped into his back before she could stop herself. Reaching behind himself with one arm, Gage pulled her around so that she stood in front of him, his hands on her shoulders.
“Look.”
Chapter 14
“Oh… oh my,” Lola said, stepping forward involuntarily, her light shining on the wall in front of them. “I had no idea there’d be so many.”
“I’m certain there’s more hidden deeper in the caves, but I’ve never had time to explore further. Usually, I stop at this room because the people I’m with aren’t comfortable going deeper.”
“I mean… I’m happy to go deeper, but you need to give me a minute here first. These are seriously amazing,” Lola said, already enchanted as she stepped in front of a large wall covered in various drawings in a chalky red paint and some sort of black tar substance.
“Is that tar?”
“It looks like it. Or a substance similar to it. It’s stood the test of time in here,” Gage said, coming to stand beside her.
“It’s like they’re telling a story,” Lola mused, shining her light up the damp wall to where two rudimentary figures danced around what looked like a fire. The next scene showed a passionate embrace. From there, the scenes flowed into the sea, where a mermaid was finally introduced. Lola hovered in front of the first mermaid drawing and held her hand out.
Gage grabbed it. “Don’t touch.”
“I’m not, I promise. I just wanted to…” Lola trailed off, distracted by the pulse of energy between their hands. How could she explain to him that she’d only wanted to feel the energy of the drawing without sounding like a whackadoodle?
“See if you could feel anything?” Gage guessed, accurately, and dropped her hand.
“Yes, I know it sounds silly.” Lola laughed and held her hand in front of the mermaid etching. There was nothing at first, but when she closed her eyes… there it was. A small punch of energy, so pure in its joy that Lola couldn’t help but beam.
“I’m guessing that’s a yes?” Gage asked, watching her.
“It’s beautiful,” Lola murmured, and moved on, following the story she’d learned about in the museum.
“Do you think he drew this? Nalachi?”
“He died, remember?” Gage pointed to one of the last scenes, where it looked like a mermaid and two mermaid babies carried a body beneath the waves.
“The mermaids came. In here? And drew this? Of course they did,” Lola said, holding her hand over the scene with the body. This one pulsed with such an intense sadness that Lola closed her eyes for a moment, willing the tears back.
“It seems to end on a happy note, however,” Gage said, pointing to the last scene, where the mermaid and her babies danced in the water, warning a boat away from the rocks. When Lola held up her hand to that one, she did feel happiness, but laced with sorrow. She could understand that. She wondered if anyone ever felt deeply happy again after a great loss, or if
it was always tinged with a hint of sorrow. Or perhaps that was simply the human condition – happiness and sorrow hand in hand, not a soul exempt from feeling either.
“It’s happy, but a different type of happiness,” Lola said, turning to look at Gage. “Maybe even… more happy for knowing the pain of loss?”
“Perhaps. A ‘savor the best of life’s moments’ feeling?” Gage asked, his eyes holding hers. The moment drew out – a beat, then two – before Lola broke the gaze and turned back to the paintings.
“Thank you for bringing me here. I’d like to take a few photos. Would you mind helping me by holding the light near them? I don’t want to set off a flash in here and scare the bats.”
“Your wish is my command,” Gage said, and Lola laughed, shaking her head at him over her shoulder.
“If that was a wish, I’d be upset with myself. If I’m in a wishing cave, I need a much better wish.”
“I’ll say, At your service, ma’am, instead then. Do you want to go further into the cave? You can make your wish anywhere you want.”
“I’d like that,” Lola said, concentrating on taking as many photos as she could in the light of Gage’s lamp. She didn’t mind if they weren’t perfectly focused; the pictures were only for her – well, and maybe Sam. This felt too private to share to the world. Which reminded her…
“I haven’t seen any photos of these drawings at the museum or in any of the books. Is there a reason for that?”
“I don’t really know. Maybe nobody’s taken the time to record them? You could be the first.”
“Mmmm, I don’t think I’m comfortable with that. This feels private to me.” Lola gestured to the wall of drawings. “As though a woman poured out her love story in art form. I don’t know how I’d feel sharing that with the world.”
“What will you do with the photos then?”
“They’re for me. For inspiration down the road, I suppose. I’ll show Sam, my best friend who lives here, but otherwise, I’ve no need to profit from this. Some things are best left just as they are. Plus, I like that this is secretive and hard to get to. As soon as hordes of tourists find a spot, someone inevitably does something stupid. We’d lose this beautiful treasure.”
“I can appreciate your sensibilities,” Gage said, leading her down another small tunnel. “Not everyone carries the same view. I like that about you, Lola. I also like that you’re not afraid of bats, that you can feel energy from rocks, and that you haven’t complained once about getting dirty.”
A dangerous hum filled Lola’s blood, and she tried to ignore the low pull of lust that made her want to tell this man all the things she liked about him, as well as what she’d like to do with him. Just because a man compliments you doesn’t mean he wants to sleep with you, Lola gently chided herself.
“Well, thank you, Gage,” she said, keeping her tone light. “I wouldn’t have asked to go caving if I was afraid of getting dirty.”
“You’d be surprised,” Gage bit out.
Lola laughed again and then came to a stop when they rounded a corner into a large cavern. Across the room was a pillar of rocks, built upon one another, with light from a small hole in the ceiling filtering down so that rays illuminated it.
“An altar,” Lola declared and scampered past Gage to stand before it, looking down at the top stone. Cylindrical, almost like a small bowl, the rock had a deep well in it where items could be placed. At the center was a single mermaid etching. It would be impossible to ignore the energy that pulsed from this altar.
“Do you feel it?” Gage asked at her ear.
“Of course; do you?”
“Yes, just a bit. I didn’t in front of the paintings, but here… yes, I can tell there’s something in the air.” Gage held up his hand and passed it over the top of the altar. “Almost like dipping my hand into water.”
“It’s a good energy,” Lola said. “Much like how the ocean calls you home.”
“Is that where you belong?” Gage teased.
“Isn’t that where you belong? You’re the one who up and bought a boat and moved here.”
“True, I’ve always felt at peace around water. I suppose it does feel like home to me now,” Gage agreed.
“I’m the same. Everywhere I travel, I instinctively find myself seeking out the sea as soon as I can. It’s good for me.”
“Maybe you’re a mermaid.”
“Wouldn’t that be something?” It was the second time in as many days that someone had suggested it. Though Lola dismissed it as ridiculous, a part of her wanted to dance around in joy at the thought.
“It looks like a few people who did venture here left gifts along the way.” Gage had crossed behind the altar to a wall, where Lola could now see a few small bundles of items.
“What’s there?”
“Combs, some wooden beads, tools… a little bit of everything. Honestly, some of this stuff should be in museums,” Gage said. Lola appreciated that he kept his hands to himself and didn’t touch the items, seeming to understand that would be wrong.
“Better they stay here. We don’t want to ruin somebody’s wishes,” Lola said. A wish was someone’s hopes and dreams, and to take that away – well, it just didn’t sit right with her either.
“Will you make a wish?”
“I’d like to, yes, if you don’t mind giving me a little space.”
“No problem,” Gage said, nodding his head toward the other side of the large cavern. “I’ll just go take a look at the walls over here and see if I can find any other drawings.”
Lola stood before the altar and closed her eyes, sliding a simple twisted gold band from her finger. She’d had it for ages – picked up on a jaunt through Egypt, and she’d worn it more or less ever since. While she’d miss its weight on her finger, she didn’t think it would be appropriate to make a wish in a mermaid wishing cave with something that held little value for her.
There were always sacrifices on the path to dreams.
Taking a deep breath, Lola closed her eyes and placed the ring in the dish on the altar. She spent some time calming her mind, letting the energy of the cave, the ocean, and all time flow through her until she could get clear on what she would wish for. As a relatively content woman, her needs were few.
I wish to find what it is that I’m searching for.
There, Lola thought, that was an appropriate wish. For she’d always been confident in herself and her choices in life, but there was still… something. A restlessness that she had yet to come to terms with. Perhaps that was just who she was, but her gut told her that she’d been seeking something her whole life.
Or someone.
The words were like a whisper floating through the cave. Lola whirled around, but Gage was busy studying a wall, politely giving her space, and nobody else was there. Shaking her head, Lola looked back at where her ring glinted in the light from the ceiling. Running her finger over it, she said goodbye.
“I’m finished, thank you,” Lola called.
Gage turned to walk toward her, but stopped so suddenly, his mouth going slack-jawed, that Lola had to turn to see if something was behind her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ahh, it’s nothing. Really. I think just an illusion from the light. Are you set? Happy with your wish?”
“I am. Will you make one?” Lola asked.
“Um… you know what? Why not?” Gage shrugged, and stepped to the altar, his eyes drawn to the ring in the bowl. “You gave your pretty ring?”
“I guess I figured that something as important as a wish deserved a worthy offering.”
Gage eyed her for a moment before nodding, then reached up to slip a chain from his neck and dropped it into the bowl. Lola was dying to ask him what he’d left, but decided to give him the same privacy he’d afforded her. She crossed the room to study a few smaller etchings on the wall.
She knew when he’d made his wish. It was like someone throwing a penny in the fountain, and the ripple of water rolling away from
where the penny entered the water. But instead of water, it was energy that rolled over her, and Lola absorbed it, completely in love with the beauty of this cave and the mystical magick found here.
“All done.”
“Thank you for bringing me here.” Lola turned, looking up at him, emotion bringing a hitch to her voice. “It’s truly one of the most powerful places I’ve ever visited.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for coming with me. I’ve never had the opportunity to experience this space in this way, let alone to explore deeper. You’re an excellent companion.”
“And you’re an excellent captain,” Lola said, then gave him an embarrassed look when her stomach rumbled loudly.
“Time for lunch?”
“That it is,” Lola chuckled and followed him to the tunnel leading from the cave. Turning back, she looked at the altar. It stood just as she’d seen it when she entered, the light filtering lazily down from the ceiling. And yet, it was different now in some way – as if a rosy hue glowed around the altar. Too enthralled to take a photo, Lola captured the image with her mind, determined to recreate it in her art later on.
“Coming along?”
“I’m coming! I hope you like granola bars, because that’s about all I have.”
“Silly woman, a gentleman never takes a lady on a date without planning for food.”
A little thrill ran through her at the word ‘date.’ This certainly wasn’t one, as she was paying him for his charter services, but she took his teasing in stride.
“A gentleman? Show me where he is!”
Gage’s laugh echoed off the wall and despite herself, Lola smiled the whole way out.
Chapter 15
Gage watched as Lola all but scampered out of the cave, delighted to be back on the beach, and whipped her clothes off. His mind drew a blank for a full fifteen seconds, then he gulped against his suddenly-dry throat.
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