Come Fill Me (The Prophecy) (23 page)

Within the day, she’d likely be dead.

She’d burned the sandalwood incense he liked so much. The blankets on her bed were replicas of the ones on his.

Kele had taken great pains to make her room similar to Jacob’s so that when he moved from there to here, it wouldn’t be so trying. The transition would be normal, then required because he adored her.

He stood in front of her door, the tension in his body telling Kele he wanted to run. He refused to look at her, staring at the floor instead. She’d removed her tee. Naked to the waist, she stood before him, prepared to give him her body, heart and soul.

Jacob didn’t want it. It wasn’t that he’d said as much, but for the first time, she saw his embarrassment for her. His pity.

Pain radiated from Kele’s belly to her chest, making it difficult to breathe. “Do you love her?” she asked.

Jacob flinched as though he hadn’t expected her to speak or to say what she had. Like a nervous child about to see the school principal, he shifted from foot to foot.

“You don’t love me,” she accused, forcing herself to say what she saw on his face. What she’d never be able to accept. “So do you love her?”

Kele had overheard Zeke saying he did, accusing Jacob of wanting Liz only because of that.

“I—” He stopped and rolled his shoulders, trying to relax.

“Tell me,” she ordered. “Say that you love her. Say that you want an enemy woman more than me. That I’m nothing to you. That I make you sick. That you can’t even stand to look at me or be in the same room as—”

“Dammit, stop it. That’s not true.” He rubbed his palms on his thighs. “I never said I wanted to settle down with anyone, all right? We’re friends, Kele. We’ll always be friends. You know I’d do anything for you.”

Except give her his heart and fidelity.

Did he think it was easy for her to watch him flirting with the other women? To wait for him at night, wondering what girl he was with when he didn’t come to her? Imagining what he and that woman were doing? How they played together and laughed? How they loved?

She dug her nails into the palms of her hands, wanting that pain rather than the intense sorrow and frustration coursing through her. “The only thing I want you to do for me, Jacob, is to give me a chance so I can convince you to love me.”

He regarded her, finally. The pain on his face was identical to what she felt.

“Please,” she whispered, crossing the room to him. More than anything, she wanted to sag against his strong body but didn’t dare, not wanting to force his hand, to make him run from her. “Tell me what I have to do, and I’ll do it. I’ll be whatever you want. I’ll change. Do you want me to laugh more? I can do that. Do you want me to cut my hair or dye it so it matches her color? If I dress differently, will that help?”

He stared at her, his expression troubled.

“Just tell me,” she cried.

“Kele, please.” Jacob edged away, his back hitting the door as he tried to maintain physical distance.

The emotional divide was even worse, stretching between them. Pitiless and cruel.

“You’re fine just the way you are,” he said, sounding as he did when he complimented a child for good behavior or one of the elderly women on how she looked that day. Kind, yet disconnected. “You’re beautiful. Don’t change a thing about yourself. Not for me or any other man. You need someone who’ll appreciate your love. I can think of a dozen guys here who’d jump at the chance to be with you.”

He wanted to give her away to someone else? A tear rolled down the side of Kele’s mouth to her chin, dripping from it onto her torso.

Jacob parted his lips to speak, then closed them as though he hadn’t a clue what to say.

For one foolish moment, she hoped he’d catch one of her tears on his fingertip, bringing it to his mouth, tasting its salty flavor, then tell her he’d been joking. She was his. To prove it, he’d enfold her in his arms, promising to be with her always.

A silly dream, she knew, when reality was far harsher. He pretended not to notice her weeping and reached behind himself for the doorknob.

“We’ll always be friends,” he assured. “You need help with anything you can come to me. No problem. I’ll be there for you, Kele. Count on it. Okay?”

It wasn’t. Not that it mattered. Jacob didn’t give her a chance to answer before he slipped out of her room, closing the door.

Kele remained where she was, crying quietly, not knowing what to do. She’d lost her mother to cancer and her father to the clan’s many conflicts when she was a young girl. She’d poured all of her love, her entire future into Jacob.

He wanted to be friends. Because he was already in love with someone else.

Nausea overwhelmed Kele. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she bent at the waist and swallowed repeatedly. She imagined the coming days, watching him and Liz in this compound, going about their lives, spending their evenings together despite what Zeke had claimed.

Jacob would have his way as he always did. He’d steal moments with Liz if that was what it took. He’d mount her, pounding his cock into her cunt, her cries of delight mingling with his huffs of pleasure.

Zeke might not be aware of what they were doing, but Kele would know. She’d see it on their faces, in their eyes. Her body shook with the unbearable thought of what the approaching hours would bring. She couldn’t stand the thought of them being together. It wouldn’t be possible for her to live through their joy.

The urge to do something, to run, overwhelmed Kele. She slipped on her tee and left her room, fingering tears from her eyes as she bolted down the hall. To her relief, her moccasins quieted her footfalls. She didn’t want the others to hear her, to question where she was going, what she’d do.

On and on she ran through the stronghold, gulping air as she approached the tunnel’s door. Ike was there, his back to her, an assault rifle at his side as he guarded the entrance against attack.

An unnecessary precaution Zeke had put into place since bringing Liz here. Already, she’d brought the clan nothing but problems. Even if an intruder discovered the tunnel’s entrance and wandered down it, he’d never get past the metal door, not even with a blowtorch or explosives. The alloy was from the Others—impenetrable.

The same as Jacob’s heart.

Kele sucked in several deep breaths, hoping to calm herself. When she could trust how she looked and behaved, she approached Ike.

He turned at her hand on his arm. “Oh, hey, Kele.”

His broad face widened even more with his smile. He was one of the guys Jacob wanted her to focus on so he could be with Liz.

“Didn’t hear you,” he said, his smile catching. He studied her more closely. “You okay?”

She had to get out of here. She couldn’t breathe. Think. “Sure.”

“You look like you’ve been crying.”

“No.” She rubbed her right eye. “I was burning incense, and the smoke started to bother me. Maybe I’m allergic to that scent.” Before he could question her further, she asked, “Have you had lunch yet? It’s just about over. The women are cleaning up the dining area.”

He checked his watch. “My shift’s up in a few minutes. I’ll go when Paul arrives.”

“Go now.” She took the assault rifle.

Ike stared at it in her hands. “What are you doing?”

“Pretending to keep watch like you are.” She forced a smile. “We both know Zeke’s being overly cautious. Who could get through that?” She gestured to the enormous door. “Go on and eat now. I’ll stay here for you until Paul shows up.”

He scratched his neck. “Uh, I don’t know.”

“You don’t think I can handle this?” She lifted the rifle in challenge. “You don’t think I paid attention when Zeke trained us to use it? You don’t remember all the bull’s-eyes I hit, my scores better than most of the guys?”

“Oh, hey, I’m not thinking anything. You were awesome. But it’ll only be a few minutes.” He touched her arm and waited as though gauging her reaction.

Kele didn’t pull away as she would have in the past.

“We can both wait for Paul,” he said, “then we can have lunch together.”

“I’ve already eaten…but I’d like to have a late dinner with you. That’s why I’m here. We could eat at ten or so tonight if you can make it.”

“You bet I can.” His grin was even wider than before, until he glanced at the weapon. “You’re sure you’re okay with this?”

“Have you ever known me to offer something I didn’t want to give?”

“Well, no, but—” He stopped at the frown she was giving him. “Okay, then,” he said, then stepped back and stopped. “By the way, if Zeke comes down here and tries to leave, don’t let him.”

“I won’t.” She made a face. “Why would he try to leave?” Liz was here. Liz was his freaking life. He’d allowed her to screw up everything.

“Long story,” Ike said. “If he comes down here and tries to leave, call me.” He handed her his two-way radio. “Call everyone, got it?”

“You bet.”

“I’m looking forward to tonight,” he said.

She lied, “Me too.”

Ike walked backward, watching her, taking too long to reach the next hall and go down it out of sight.

Kele didn’t dare move. She listened for his footfalls that would warn her he was coming back to talk some more, to wait for Paul, to do what Zeke wanted after all. A minute passed and then another, with her counting the seconds.

The hall remained empty.

She went to the control panel, placing her palm on it. Clicking noises came from within the door. It slid open, revealing the tunnel and vehicles…the van Zeke had arrived in the other night. She stared at it, thinking of escape, of making the pain stop.

Halfway to the van, Kele pivoted and returned to the hall, leaving the assault rifle there. When Paul arrived, he’d probably think that Ike had abandoned his station early because it was stupid to guard a sealed area. If Paul made a big deal about it, Ike would simply tell him she’d abandoned the post. No doubt, they’d laugh about her wanting to keep watch, her boasting about what a good shot she was when she hadn’t even bothered to stay here.

By the time either of them guessed the truth of what she’d done, it’d be too late.

She closed the tunnel’s door. In the van, she glanced at the GPS, what it had recorded earlier.

Determination, along with a sense of peace, settled over Kele. She’d lived with uncertainty and unhappiness for too long. She couldn’t do it anymore. This time, she’d have what she needed.

At top speed, she drove the van down the tunnel to the outside.

Chapter Eleven

In the great room, Carreon turned away from the bank of windows. The waning sun cast long shadows on the burgundy leather sofas and chairs, its weakened rays bathing everything in a gauzy golden glow.

Outside, birds squawked and the persistent wind whistled past the building.

Carreon tensed, listening as hard as he could, trying again to detect what he’d thought was the sound of a motor. His men had scanned the area with their binoculars and reported that no one approached. Unconvinced, he’d sent more men outside to investigate.

They’d been gone too long to have seen nothing.

He gripped his weapon a bit harder, debating whether to check for himself or wait here and see what had happened.

The foyer clock ticked away the seconds, adding to the other noise, annoying him further.

Come on. You’ve either found something or you—

He flinched at a sudden pop, needing to know its source.

It sounded again…from one of the walls not a gun. The fucking house was settling.

Not about to wait any longer, he crossed the room, pausing at the hall. To the right was the front door and whatever lay beyond it. To the left was the path to his safe room.

He headed for it, halting at the squeak of the front door opening, then its wood crashing into the wall.

“Let go of me!”

Carreon frowned at the female voice. Liz? He couldn’t believe it. She’d returned on her own? No. It wasn’t possible. Zeke and his men had to be with her. So why weren’t they firing, killing his men?

Torn between curiosity and fear, he glanced over. Roberto and Victor hauled a young woman from the foyer to where Carreon stood. She was in her early twenties, her waist-length hair disheveled, her features belonging to Neekoma’s clan.

“Hurt me,” she warned, “and I won’t tell you anything.”

“Let her go,” Carreon ordered, intrigued by her being here. Was she a lookout for Zeke? Had she gotten lost?

How was that likely when this stronghold wasn’t anywhere near a frequently travelled road?

“Is anyone with her?” Carreon asked.

“I’m alone,” she said.

Ignoring her, he repeated to Victor, “Is anyone with her?”

“No. We checked the area thoroughly before bringing her inside.”

She yanked her arms, trying to pull free of him and Roberto.

“Go on,” Carreon said, “let her go.” The instant they did, he approached.

Apprehension flashed on her face.