Desert of the Damned (30 page)
Read Desert of the Damned Online
Authors: Kathy Kulig
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Desert of the Damned
Chapter Nineteen
Dante stood at the edge of the cliff, not daring to look directly at Gwyllain.
“Go after them,” Gwyllain ordered.
“No, we don’t have the energy to spare right now,” Tarik argued.
Gwyllain huffed, narrowing her eyes at Dante. “How did they escape?”
“She must have taken my nebula stone from my room.” He hoped Gwyllain bought that, then turned to Tarik. “I’ll need another so I can return to Earth. My cycle is completed.”
Tarik looked to Gwyllain for approval.
She approached Dante, her expression tight. Gliding her hands over his chest, she leaned up and kissed him. A goodbye kiss? Or a kiss of death? When she stepped back, her eyes glowed yellow-green.
He was in deep shit.
A few trickles of sweat dripped down his chest beneath his white buttoned shirt.
“You’re responsible for the destruction of my temple.”
“It will be repaired to your satisfaction,” Dante reassured her.
“Yes, it will and you’ll be staying on as my slave.” Her hand slid down to his groin and she palmed his cock. “Sakari will join the other Drones.”
Dante resisted the urge to pull away from her touch. He hardened slightly. The demoness was a beautiful seductress even though she was a controlling…minx. Not death but a disagreeable alternative. He knew to protest would anger her even more, maybe send him over the cliff without the nebula stone. An unpleasant death and an end to eternal life, with no chance to destroy the man who had stolen his wife, his gold claim, his life. Slave he would be, bound in exile until Gwyllain agreed to make him a Drone again.
At least Amy was safe, the Sha Warrior was safe.
* * * * *
Jake plummeted through the swirling mist, darkness engulfing him. Amy was in his arms and he could hear her rapid breathing. After several moments he rolled hard onto solid ground again. The desert greeted him. Amy’s backyard.
They stood and brushed sand off themselves. “You okay?” he asked her.
“Fine.” She grabbed his shoulders and kissed him hard.
“Why did you come back?”
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“I didn’t want to leave without you but Dante tricked me.”
“Like the Trickster.”
She laughed. “He threw me over the cliff.”
“Let’s move away from this area while you have the nebula stone. I don’t want to be making that trip again any time soon.”
“Never again, I hope.”
He took her hand and they walked back to her house. “Get your hiking boots on, we have someplace to go.”
“Where?”
“A sacred place but we need to stop at my grandfather’s and get a trail map. Now I know why Bill left it behind.”
“Okay, but I have to feed Sienna first. Poor thing must be starving by now.”
* * * * *
A couple of hours later, they approached the cave, the scent of smoke and burning sage greeting them, then the sound of drums. It took Jake a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Amy followed behind him. His grandfather stood when they walked in, came up to Jake, smiling and gave him a hug, then hugged Amy. “Welcome back, son.”
The colored sands of the sand painting were still in motion, spinning like an eddy in a river. With the palms of his hands, the sand painter swept over the swirling sands of the design, destroying the pattern forever. On the cavern wall, the deer, the bear and hawk carvings were back in place. The drumming ceased and the other men stretched.
“How long?” Jake asked.
“A day,” Bill answered.
“Bill, why did you have my name written on the map?” Amy asked. Then she turned to Jake. “Is he psychic too?”
Bill grinned. “I had a vision. I saw the two of you walking into this cave together.
Amy is truly a Sha Warrior, one who has much white light surrounding her. A strong spirit.”
Jake hugged her to his side. “I have to agree. She’s very special.”
“So are you. You have a special gift,” Amy said.
“One you’ll demonstrate for the men here. But another time,” Bill said.
“It’s okay,” Amy said, hugging him. “Show them.”
She tightened her arms around him for a moment and he didn’t want to let her go.
Even knowing what he was,
Eigi Einhamr
, she wasn’t afraid. No, he wasn’t cursed, he was blessed. She stood back to give him room as Jake untied the bearskin from his backpack, then slipped it over his head. He willed himself to become one with the 166
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animal and had no fear of frightening Amy. He even saw admiration glow in her eyes.
God, he loved her for that.
The change into bear form was easier this time. No pain. The power and strength surged through his muscles, creating his new shape.
Delighted by the startled expressions and shouts from the shamans, Jake stalked around the fire pit on his rear paws and gave a deep growl. Bill laughed with pride.
Jake slipped out of the skin. Now back in his human form, he approached Amy. She was laughing too. He took her into his arms while the men’s voices rose in loud in discussions. “I love you, Amy,” he whispered into her ear. “God, I love you.”
“I love you too,” she whispered.
He picked up the nebula stone hanging around her neck. “Will he come back for this?”
She frowned. “Someday.”
“Then destroy the damn thing.”
“I can’t. Dante said it would be dangerous if I did.”
* * * * *
Three weeks later at Jake’s house, Amy sat curled on the couch, gazing into the fireplace. The flames dancing around the log almost hypnotized her to sleep. With her head on Jake’s shoulder, she fought to keep her eyes open. They had spent the last few days moving her belongings into his house. Her parents had been disappointed when she told them that she wasn’t moving back to Florida but they were happy to hear she’d found someone special. They’d already asked if she and Jake would be coming for a visit over the Thanksgiving holiday. Besides Bill and the other shamans, Truly was the only person who knew what had happened to her and Jake. The story of her journey to Anartia would always remain a secret as well as Jake’s shapeshifting gift.
“Since Dante has not returned to the lab for weeks, Human Resources has posted the management position to replace him. I’ve applied for it. Phil said he’s fairly sure I’ll get it.”
“Great news,” Jake said.
“The bosses were surprised Dante’d just disappeared. Police came to the office and wrote up a report but didn’t seem too hopeful that he would turn up. As long as he didn’t steal from the company and he didn’t leave a forwarding address, there wasn’t much the police could do.”
Jake hooked his arm under her knees and pulled her legs over his thighs, then wrapped his arms around her. “I think I could sleep right here tonight,” Jake said.
“Me too but I prefer your bed. So much better.” Never had she imagined to feel so relaxed, safe and at home than with Jake in his house.
“We can finish unpacking your stuff tomorrow.”
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She closed her eyes and snuggled closer. “Thank God, I can’t look at another box.”
“We do have something to discuss though,” he said in a serious tone.
Opening her eyes, she leaned back and studied him, trying to figure out if something was wrong. “No, I’m not moving back to Florida.” Sienna paced over Jake’s lap, then over hers, finally settling in a curled lump on her thighs and began to purr.
“I kind of figured that. No, that’s not it.”
“I don’t have to worry about my lease because Truly is going to buy my house. She said you can keep the bearskin. The owner doesn’t want it and neither does she.” The bearskin was in front of the fireplace.
He shook his head.
“You don’t like cats? But I can’t part with Sienna now.” She frowned.
He turned her around so she would look at him. “No, I like Sienna. That’s not it.”
He petted Sienna. The cat lifted her head and licked his hand. He paused a moment for Amy as if she knew what he was getting at.
Men. I don’t read minds.
“What then?”
“It’s been weeks and you haven’t mentioned the nebula stone. Where did you put it? You never explained why you can’t destroy it. How come?”
She sighed. “I can’t destroy it. Dante told me the balance between the worlds could be harmed. Anartia is a prison to those tied to it, an exile that is connected to Earth in an altered dimension. The nebula stone is a link. If it’s destroyed, there’s no telling what could happen. I didn’t want you to worry.”
“I’m not worried. Where is it?”
“In a safe place.”
He studied her, trying to understand her reluctance. “Why won’t you tell me where it is? Don’t you trust me?”
“I know how much you hated Dante and I was afraid you would try to destroy it. I know Dante was motivated by selfish reasons but I believe him about the stone. I think it is dangerous, especially if we destroy it.”
“I don’t like the guy but he did help you. I won’t destroy it.”
It occurred to her that someone had to know about the stone besides herself. “Okay.
I wrapped it in a protective cloth and hung it on the hook behind the sand painting of Big Thunder.” She pointed to the picture above the fireplace.
Jake glanced up at the Holy One, Big Thunder, who was guarding a very dangerous pendant. He hoped the painting had enough magic to protect it and to protect the two worlds. “I wonder if Dante or another from Anartia will return to claim the necklace.”
Jake picked up Sienna and placed her on the bearskin, then sat beside Amy. He trailed his fingers through her hair, down her neck, the side of her breast, then slipped a hand under her tee shirt and cupped her breast.
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Amy caught her breath and moaned. Arching into his hand. His rough hand brushed her nipples and instantly made them hard and sensitive. “Was Sienna bothering you?” she teased.
“Nope. I wanted her mother’s full attention.”
“Ah. Good.” She yanked at Jake’s shirt, pulling it out of his jeans. The rush of passion and desire surged through her as she touched his heated skin beneath his shirt.
On second thought, making love in his living room wouldn’t be a bad idea. She didn’t think they would make it into the bedroom. Amy glanced up at the sand painting of Big Thunder and could swear the figure moved. The stick figure’s arms and legs seemed to do a dance while the lightning bolts flashed along the sides and changed color. But it must be the flickering light from the fire, a trick of the eyes. “Something about that painting…”
“What about it?”
“There’s magic in it.”
“Think so?” He kissed her forehead and hugged her close.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“I think you’re right.” Jake slipped his hand under her tee shirt and quickly pulled it over her head. “Maybe the magic is in you. Maybe it’s us.”
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About the Author
Kathy Kulig spins stories with passion and adventure. Her characters enter both paranormal and contemporary worlds with steamy or erotic romances woven in. Gutsy heroines and hunky heroes face the unexpected and overcome formidable odds, because with courage, true love can find a way. These are the stories she loves to read and the stories she loves to write.
Besides her career in writing, Kathy is a cytotechnologist and has worked as a research scientist, medical technologist, dive master and stringer for a newspaper.
Propelled by her love of travel and adventure, Kathy has visited a few places not usually considered vacation hot spots-and lived to tell about it. When not writing or dreaming up her next story, Kathy enjoys traveling, relaxing by the beach with a book, mountain biking, movies and dinners out. She lives with her husband in a 100-year-old Victorian house in Pennsylvania.
Kathy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Kathy Kulig
Seducing the Stones
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