Island Fire

by Bobbi Smith

  Mitch could feel his strength ebbing as his blood flowed freely from the wound Konga had inflicted. He knew he had to do something, and fast, before he lost any more of his agility; but Konga, sensing that he was weakening, increased his ferocity.

  Savagely they wrestled, their struggle bringing them closer and closer to the fiery blaze. As Konga rose above him, Mitch gave one last desperate twist, then surged upward in an effort to dislodge him. The strategy worked and the warrior fell heavily to his side, his knife hand exposed to the searing flames. He screamed in agony as he snatched his hand away from the fire, and in that instant Mitch was free. Konga did not allow the burn to stop him, though. Since he'd lost his knife, he grabbed a blazing log from the fire, and holding it with his good hand, he came after Mitch.

  Knowing that it was now or never, Mitch dove at Konga. Knocking the fiery weapon away and pinning him to the ground, he placed his knife at the warrior's throat.

  "With one thrust I could kill you, Konga," Mitch rasped raggedly, and the islanders fell silent as they waited to see him complete the fight. "But I will not."

  Konga glared up at Mitch as he moved off his chest, wishing that the white man had done the deed. By sparing his life, he had disgraced him before his friends.

  "Go ahead. Kill me!"

  But Mitch merely tossed the knife aside, and favoring his injured arm, turned to Espri, who awaited him.

  Tana had heard the commotion and had rushed over to find out what was going on. It had disgusted her that Konga was drunk and challenging Mitch to a fight, for she had known that in his condition he didn't stand a chance to win. Mitch was not as big as Konga, but he was strong and no doubt faster, and Tana had felt certain that he would be victorious.

  Now, as she watched Konga slowly rise, cradling his burned arm, she felt nothing but revulsion for him. The man was an idiot, and he deserved what he'd gotten.

  Glancing over toward Mitch, Tana was irritated when she saw Espri hovering over him. How unfair it was that she had won again! Everything Espri wanted she got. A firm resolve took hold of Tana. Somehow, she was going to find a way to ruin Espri's happiness.

  "Mitch! Espri! What happened?" Jacques pushed his way through the gathering with Laiti following close behind him.

  "Konga challenged Mitch to a fight, Papa," she explained quickly.

  "And Mitch won?" Her father was astounded.

  "Yes. We have to do something about his arm."

  "Bring him to my hut," Laiti offered. "I will tend him there."

  And as they walked off, they did not see the baleful glare that Konga directed their way.

  It was late when Tommy arrived at the hut. He needed desperately to talk with Mitch about what had just happened, but he knew he could not. Tikiru had made him promise to keep silent about their meeting, and he had to respect her wishes. He entered as quietly as possible, not wishing to disturb Mitch, and he was surprised to find that his friend had not yet returned from the celebration in the village.

  Stretching out on one of the sleeping mats Anuitua had provided, he tried to sleep, but sleep proved elusive. Time and again he envisioned the perfection of Tikiru's body and he remembered the overpowering joy he'd felt when he'd made love to her. He loved her. He wanted her. Nothing else mattered to him. At that moment, if he'd been given the choice between returning home to the bosom of his loving family or staying on the island in the hope of meeting Tikiru again, he would have stayed. Tossing restlessly, he finally managed to doze off, but his dreams were troubled by confusing visions of snakes and Tikiru and the altar.

  Espri stood with her father outside the hut and near the small fire he'd built while inside Laiti set about binding Mitch's arm.

  "It is not a good thing that he defeated Konga," Jacques said worriedly.

  "What do you mean?" Espri cried. "You would rather he had been killed?"

  "No. Of course not, but we both know how ferocious Konga's temper can be. Mitch has humiliated him before most of the tribe. It will not sit well with him."

  "We must warn Mitch then. Although Konga is an honorable warrior—"

  "Konga was an honorable warrior. He has never been beaten before, and we do not know how he will react."

  Espri nodded in agreement and then, as her thoughts moved to other things, she realized how unusual it was for her father to be with Laiti—and to be sober. "What are you doing here with Laiti? I thought you would be with Grandfather."

  "Laiti is a good woman," Jacques answered slowly, glancing toward the hut. "I have grown fond of her."

  Espri was startled by the news. "You have?"

  "We have talked, she and I, and we have much in common."

  "I had noticed that you . . ." Espri wasn't quite sure how to mention his sobriety, but he laughed and answered for her.

  "That I haven't been drinking." At her nod, he went on. "Laiti has asked that I not drink while I am with her, and I've agreed." The feeling of being fully alive as a man once more was a heady experience for him and far more potent than any intoxicating brew.

  "Papa, that's wonderful." Espri smiled delightedly. "I'm so happy for you!"

  "Are you?" Jacques wondered.

  "Yes!"

  "But your mother . . ." A trace of guilt still hovered in the back of his mind.

  "My mother has been dead for many years. She would not begrudge you happiness, Papa. She would insist upon it!"

  Jacques smiled at that thought. "And you, Espri. Are you happy?"

  She stared solemnly at the doorway to the hut. "I care about him deeply."

  "I have seen it in your eyes, chérie, but be careful. Although he is not the ne'er-do-well I'd originally thought, he is not one of us."

  "I know." Espri released a small sigh. "I know."

  It was midmorning when Tana strolled excitedly across the beach in the direction of Mitch's hut. She had just spoken with her father at length, and at her suggestion, Kohea had agreed to loan Mitch and Tommy a canoe so they could join the island men on the fishing excursions. That excited her for if they accepted the offer, twice a day she would have the chance to talk with Mitch.

  Mitch had not yet arisen. He'd returned to the hut just before dawn after spending a few hours talking with Jacques and Laiti and Espri. His arm had been sore, but the cut had not been too deep. It would heal. Relaxing on his mat, he had closed his eyes and had soon fallen asleep, his injury and the excitement of the night having taken their toll.

  Tommy had awakened early, however, his mind filled with thoughts of Tikiru. He had not been an innocent where women were concerned, yet his night with Tikiru had opened up a whole new vista for him and he yearned to see her again. He was in love. He was certain of it. What else could it be? His soul longed for her closeness, his body ached to be joined with hers.

  He had been up for several hours before Mitch emerged from the hut to join him on the beach.

  "What happened to your arm?" he said. He'd seen the bandage when he'd awakened and had wondered about it.

  "There was a fight in the village last night. It's nothing serious." Mitch dismissed his injury, for he did not want to discuss his altercation with Konga.

  "Oh." Tommy sensed that there was more to the matter, but he did not pursue it. "Have you ever been in love?" he asked quickly as he idly tossed a shell across the sand.

  Mitch was startled by his question, but he smiled knowingly. "No. Why? Has some little island girl caught your eye?"

  Tommy couldn't prevent the flush that spread across his features. "You could say that."

  "Who is she?"

  "I don't think you've met her yet. Her name is Nelani," he lied, knowing that to reveal Tikiru's identity might get her into trouble. "I think she is the most gorgeous woman in the whole world and I can't seem to get her out of my mind. Don't you feel that way about Espri?"

  "Espri is a beautiful woman." Mitch suddenly felt uncomfortable under the younger man's probing questions.

  Tommy was puzzled. "I don't understand. You want her, d
on't you?"

  "Of course I want her." Mitch was irritated. He did not want to explain himself. "I'd be a fool not to."

  "But you don't love her or want to marry her?"

  "No! You will find as you grow older that wanting and loving are not necessarily related," Mitch snapped. The younger man's simplistic logic disturbed him.

  "If you loved her, though, wouldn't you want to stay here? I mean, Malika is a virtual paradise."

  "But I don't love Espri," Mitch declared, with more vehemence than was necessary.

  "But suppose you did"—Tommy was trying to find the answer to his own dilemma—"wouldn't you want to stay on Malika and be with her?"

  "No. I could not stay here. I have too many responsibilities at home. I must get back," Mitch explained. "When a ship finally does arrive, Espri and I will go our separate ways."

  It sounded reasonable enough, but as he said the words, Mitch felt slightly disgusted with himself.

  Tana could not believe what she was hearing as she approached the two men. The sea breeze was carrying their words directly to her, and Mitch's statement that he did not love Espri, his plan to leave Malika, made Tana smile to herself. She wondered what Espri would think if she knew how indifferent her lover really was.

  "Good morning." She greeted the men brightly, and they looked up, surprised. They had been too intent on their conversation to notice her approach.

  "Hello, Tana."

  "Mitch, how is your arm? I have worried all night."

  "There was no need to concern yourself. It will be fine."

  "That is good," Tana responded, and sensing that they wondered why she had come, she went on. "I have news from my father."

  "What is it?"

  "If you are able, he is willing to take you out in a canoe so you can learn how to fish our shores."

  Knowing that it was important to learn all they could about the way of life here, they readily accepted the offer.

  "Good. The canoes will be going out later this afternoon. Father suggested that you share our midday meal before going out, so he can tell you what you need to know."

  "Tell him we would be honored," Mitch said.

  "Fine." Tana's smile was warm. "I will see you then."

  Espri had spent the night at Luatu's, and she had fallen asleep almost immediately upon retiring. She had longed to spend the balance of the night with Mitch, but since he was sharing the hut with Tommy, such intimacy was impossible. Perhaps someday they would never have to part. She sighed dreamily as she hurried from her grandfather's to seek out her love.

  Her heart was light as she raced lightly over the path that led to the beach, but her happiness wavered as she emerged from the trees to find Tana with Mitch and Tommy. What was she doing here? Her mistrust of the other woman went deep, and she was instantly on guard. Had Tana gone to Mitch last night after he'd left the village? That thought sent jealousy flaming through Espri, but she forced herself to put it from her mind. Still, she couldn't help but remember Tana's interest in Mitch, and she was relieved to see that the other woman was taking her leave of them.

  Tana was surprised and vindictively pleased when she saw Espri heading her way.

  "Good morning," she purred. "It's a wonderful morning, isn't it?"

  "Yes, it is," Espri responded, smiling through clenched teeth as she walked by her.

  Tana, having noted Espri's misgivings, merely chuckled throatily as she continued on her way.

  "Espri!" Mitch called as he caught sight of her. He was struck by her natural beauty, and a thrill of emotion charged through him. Remembering that he'd just emphatically denied any real interest in her, he suddenly felt like a blackguard. It jarred him to realize that he'd come to care deeply for Espri and that it would not be a simple matter for him to leave her.

  Faced with the truth, he wondered what to do. His relationships with women had followed a predictable pattern. He would court them, woo them, bed them, and when they began to indicate a desire for marriage, he would discard them for a new conquest. But Espri wasn't like those women. They had been worldly. They had entered into a liaison with him, knowing that he wasn't interested in a permanent attachment, and though a number of them had tried to maneuver him to the altar, his wishes had prevailed.

  But Espri . . . where did she fit into his life? She had saved him from almost certain death. She had given him the gift of her innocence with no thought to the consequences, and she continued to give, though he'd never professed love for her or made any promises. Oddly enough, that made him want to possess her even more; yet he had vowed never to allow any woman to become so important to him that his own happiness depended on her well-being.

  Confused by his feelings, he pushed his perplexing thoughts away and rose to go meet Espri.

  Chapter 12

  It was midday and Anuitua with Tana's help had prepared a sumptuous feast. The older woman was surprised by her daughter's enthusiastic assistance.

  "Why this sudden interest in cooking?" she asked.

  "I have decided that Konga is not the man for me," Tana answered coolly. "And there is no man on the island I would rather have than Mitch."

  "He is an upalu kane," her mother agreed. "Were I not an old woman . . ." She laughed ruefully as she imagined herself in the arms of the virile younger man.

  Tana gave Anuitua a quick incredulous look, amazed that her mother would harbor such thoughts.

  "But what of Konga? You have wanted him for so long," Anuitua pressed, wanting to know more about this unexpected change in her daughter's feelings.

  "I grew tired of waiting for him to realize the depth of my love," the young woman lied, not wanting her mother to know that Konga had callously rejected her.

  "That is good. You are at the age when you should be considering marriage, and with Konga's feelings for Espri, he would not have made you a good husband."

  "I know."

  "This Mitch . . . he cares for Espri, doesn't he? After all, he fought with Konga over her last night," Anuitua said shrewdly.

  Tana's eyes brightened as she recalled Mitch's conversation with Tommy that morning. "He is only using her. I overheard him talking with O'Ryan when I went to visit them this morning. He does not love her and plans to leave her behind when he goes."

  Her mother frowned. "Even so, wouldn't he do the same to you, were you to win his affections?"

  "Espri is an idiot. She knows nothing of men or how to please them, whereas . . ." Tana let herself imagine the joy she would experience in stealing Mitch from Espri.

  "They are coming now with your father," Anuitua advised, and Tana went to welcome them.

  "Come, join us. Mother and I have prepared the meal and it is ready for you," she invited.

  Ignoring her father's amazement at her domesticity, she led them to their dining hut, where Mitch and Tommy sat down in the shade of the open-sided building as Anuitua approached carrying a platter of steaming food.

  Tana positioned herself next to Mitch so that she could serve him, and she took great pleasure in leaning near and brushing her breasts against him at every opportunity. He accepted her attentions passively, making no move to encourage her, and she grew more and more frustrated when each tactic she employed to provoke his interest failed.

  Mitch was aware of Tana's sensuality as she sat beside him, but he was not in the least affected by it. Espri was the only woman he desired. He concentrated on the instructions Kohea was giving regarding the canoe they would be using.

  When, at last, the meal was ended and the men rose to be about their business, Tana was sorely vexed, for her attempts to get closer to Mitch had been unsuccessful. Deciding on a new strategy, she smiled grimly. If she couldn't entice Mitch to come to her, perhaps the best way to destroy Espri's happiness was to manipulate her. Espri was inexperienced, and Tana was confident that she could turn the conversation she'd overheard that morning to her own advantage. Intent on her goal, she headed into the village to find her rival.

  Skirting the s
plashing waters of the waterfall, Espri swam slowly across the width of the pool. After leaving Mitch, she'd come there to think and to try to make some sense out of her runaway emotions. Seeing Tana with him that morning had aroused a sense of jealousy in her, startling because of its fierceness. It was not like her to be so volcanic in her reactions to people, and it worried her to find that she had so little real control over what she was feeling. When the sound of someone coming drew her attention, Espri was dismayed to see Tana standing at the edge of the pool.

  "Why, Espri, I didn't know you would be here," Tana exclaimed convincingly; though in truth, after fruitlessly searching the village she listened to women's conversations to discover where Espri had gone.

  "I was just leaving, so you can have the pool all to yourself," Espri remarked before she started to swim back to the bank.

  "Don't leave on my account," Tana told her as she settled on the moss-covered ground. "I just wanted to come here and enjoy the quiet for a while."

  "It is a peaceful place," Espri agreed.

  "I'm sure you needed some quiet too, after all the excitement last night. Konga certainly made a fool of himself and Mitch . . ." Tana sighed exaggeratedly. "Wasn't he wonderful? I'm so glad that his arm wasn't badly hurt. With any luck, he'll be fine in a few days."

  "Yes, he will." Espri was finding her remarks most irritating. How long had Tana been with Mitch that morning? she wondered bitterly. And what had passed between them in the afternoon while he'd been at her home?

  "He and Tommy have gone out with the men, fishing, you know," Tana went on. "My father is teaching them to use the canoes so they will be able to provide for themselves while they are with us. I just wonder how long he'll be here . . ."

  "I imagine he'll be here for some time. Ships rarely come to Malika." Espri was voicing her real desire.

  "Ah, but when a vessel does come, he will leave." Tana's statement held a finality that chilled Espri. "Why, only this morning, he was telling Tommy how important it was that he return to his home and how he will leave Malika without a regret when it is possible to do so."

  Espri's eyes widened a bit at this last news.