Fire - Betrayal (35 page)

“
I thank-you for your invitation, but I have already planned to spend each evening with my own family, before I leave for the earth again
,” said Ben.

They parted ways as they entered the peaceful village, Ben full of rage, but working very hard to remain calm.

Jacinta was full of plans to win Ben’s affections, and to stop him from leaving their world.  And, when she started something, she
never
lost.

Meticulously, Jacinta organized a surprise for Ben each day.  However, he would not know that it was organized by her.  That way, he would be more accepting of her gifts, and advances.

She would leave a note at his family breakfast table each day, giving him instructions on what awaited him, as a thank-you gift from the Terreans. From tomorrow, there would be six days left, so that meant six opportunities to steal Ben from Cate. Her plan was thus:

Day one – sports games on the beach

Day two – reef snorkeling

Day three – orienteering

Day four - massage

Day five – picnic at hanging rock

Day six – farewell celebration – which she had also planned that the farewell party could be turned into a celebratory party of their love, and that Ben would stay in Une Autre Terre.

Immediately she got busy organizing and informing Terreans of events and times, and then set her plan into action.  She would not lose
, she never did.

Her own individual plan was very specific.  He must not be overtly aware of her advances, She would be very subtle by being present at each of the events, watching from a distance, and more often than not, coming into contact with him, accidently brushing against him, but not talking to him, encouraging him to chase her, but not wanting to be caught until she allowed it.

Jacinta behaved exactly as she had planned for the first three days, and she got to touch Ben more than she had planned.  A couple of times, she even stood next to him and placed her hand on his arm for quite a while, as if they were a couple.

By day four, Jacinta decided to put the pressure on. With a group of
friends, Ben was having a relaxing scented oil massage.  After a short while, Jacinta quietly entered the massage tent and took over the task of masseur for Ben.

She did not talk to him, and she did not make herself known to him.  She concentrated her refined gifts into his muscles and bones, infiltrating his body with hers.

Unknown to Jacinta, Ben had recognized immediately when Jacinta had taken over the role of masseur.  He read her mind as she touched him and then used his refined gifts to shield his muscles and bones from her deceitful attack.  His mind and body were truly repulsed by her.

However,
Jacinta was very pleased with the progress that she felt that she had made.  She truly believed in herself that Ben was responding to her.

The picnic at hanging rock
that she had planned was more of an intimate affair, with only a handful of couples invited.  That way, she could give all of her undivided attention to him, burning her eyes into him at every chance available.  She would not lose.  Ben would be hers.

Ben greeted everyone who had attended the picnic, hugging them warmly, including Jacinta, who breathed in his scent as soon as he hugged her.  They all chatted and laughed, and teased each other.  They walked around the hanging rock, looking at its formation and discussing the forces that had created it, and shared in a wonderful picnic lunch together.

After lunch, Ben stretched out and lay on his stomach on the picnic blanket. After a while, Jacinta lay next to him quietly, and then gently put her head on his back comfortably. Ben could have moved away from her, but he did not want to spoil everyone’s lovely picnic that they were enjoying.

Jacinta smiled.  She had Ben exactly where she wanted him. 
She would not lose.

As the sun started to set, the group of friends headed back to the village, and Ben accepted Jacinta’s invitation for him to share in the evening meal with her family.

Jacinta’s family was humbled by Ben’s presence at the family table. She looked up at Ben often, making eye contact with him, and touching him more and more as the meal wore on.

At the completion of the meal, Ben excused himself from the table, thanking them for their hospitality, and headed off to his pod for his second last night in this world.

The time that he would finally be able to leave Une Autre Terre was drawing near, and he felt both happiness and sadness, at the prospect of leaving.

Happiness, because he would finally be reunited with his beautiful, beautiful
Cate, and yet sadness, because this world was truly amazing and wondrous, peaceful, loving and compassionate, and he would miss his family dearly.

As he walked in deep thought, he felt the light touch of a hand on his shoulder.  He knew immediately that it was Jacinta.

“
Thank-you for inviting me to eat with your family tonight Jacinta, I had a nice time
,” said Ben politely, mind communicating with her.

“
You’re very welcome Ben.  Please walk with me along the beach.  I ate so much I feel that I need to walk if off a little
,” Jacinta said, looking into Ben’s eyes.

“
I guess I can spare a little time with you Jacinta. But only a short walk.
,” said Ben.

“
Thanks
,” Jacinta replied, smiling at him, still looking into his eyes.

After a short distance, Jacinta decided to take the stepping stone pathway, overdramatizing her imbalance as she walked across them, knowing very well that Ben would offer his hand to help steady her.

And that is exactly what happened.  Except that, Jacinta did not let go of Ben’s hand once she was over the stepping stones.

Heading back to the village along the beach, Jacinta stopped Ben and faced him.

She placed her hands on his chest and looked up into his eyes.

She moved her lips to his and kissed him gently.  Ben tolerated her kiss, but did not encourage it.  Then she pulled him close to her and kissed him again saying his name.

“
Ben, I love you.  We were promised to each other from birth. You are mine.  You belong to me.  It is written.  Seal us together
,“ Jacinta said, trying to burn her eyes into his.

“
Jacinta, did the Council Elders not tell you?  They released me from the Rule of Marriage from birth, a long time ago, and have made Cate an honorary Terrean, approving our marriage and sealing
,” Ben explained.

“
Yes, they told me that.  But I am very determined.  You are mine.  Cate cannot have you. We are both Terreans, and we belong together
,” Jacinta insisted.

Ben stood shaking his head.

“
You have been sly, sneaky, deceitful and manipulative Jacinta. Those are not the qualities of a Terrean. You know the penalties for dishonesty. You will be heavily disciplined, and I truly hope that you come through it all a better person, honest with yourself and others
,” Ben said candidly, and then walked away from her, saddened that she would stoop to such lowly actions.

Sleep was not easy for Ben.  As the time drew near to returning to the
Earth, his heart grew heavy with the burden that he may not find Cate, or that Cate had moved on, and started a new life and a had found a new man.  Maybe she had fallen in love with another, and truly severed her bond with him.

The seventh day was spent entirely with his family. They understood his deep feelings for
Cate, and that he must go to be with her.  They knew that he could never be truly happy without her.

Grandy and James also visited for most of the day, offering words of love and encouragement, confident that he was doing what was right.  They knew that he could not be apart from the true love of his life. Their life forces were constantly at work pulling them together.

Evening came, and with it the Farewell Celebration for him, their Warrior.  It was a huge event, and Ben talked with everyone that he could, but there were so many Terreans there, that it was impossible to meet and greet everyone.  He felt humbled by their presence, that they would attend a simple farewell party just for him.

Ben did not sleep at all on the seventh night.  His heart ached for
Cate.  He was so deeply worried that she would not love him anymore.  He recalled clearly the look on her face and in her eyes when he let her believe that he and Jacinta would be together.

It was a look of disbelief, of shock, of emptiness, and he had caused her to feel that way, because he had no other choice.

The rain poured down on the mountains the day that Ben left Une Autre Terre at 7 am.  Exactly seven days, seven nights and seven hours from the time that the Council Elders had informed him of that part of the Prophecy.

Ben hugged and kissed his family warmly as he said goodbye to them.  H
is sadness was only relieved because he knew that he would return sometime in the future with Cate.  So, it wasn’t a final goodbye.  Still, his mum, Grandy Katie and sisters cried. And his father, James and brothers hugged him for longer than usual, and then watched as he left for the rainforest to enter the dome, and then, the violet vortex that led to the portal to Alaska.

From there it would be easy to
arrange his journey back to his earth home.  Although the Grand Canyon portal was closer, the fact was that he would be in desert somewhere, unknown if he could return home quickly. This was what made a difference in his choice of portals.  When it came down to time, and the nitty gritty of things, the Northern Lights portal won hands down.

Using his wits and charm, Ben managed to secure a journey from Alaska with no trouble at all. However, the journey took one week.

Irresistible

Training was very intensive
, and I didn’t see Nic for days at time. It bothered me a lot. I had grown very attached to him, and was starting to see him in my future happily ever after.  He tried to stay over for the night with me occasionally, and sometimes he could.  At other times, he ran from me.

I
tried to keep him distracted when we were together.  I continually invited friends over as often as I could, so that I wasn’t alone with Nic all of the time.  However, when he had to show restraint, it seemed to have the opposite effect to what I had intended.  When our friends left, his attraction to me seemed intensified, our passion more ignited.

One day, unexpectedly,
I received an invitation in the mail.  It was the Masquerade Ball that I had attended numerous times in the past. It was a very fun Masquerade Ball to attend, dressing up in costume, wearing a mask to cover at least three quarters of your face, dancing with all of the men, and then finally being able to remove your mask sometime before the stroke of midnight.  I had nothing but fond memories of it. It was one week away.  I became excited at the possibility of going to the event, and meeting Nic there.  The mysteriousness of the masked men, and trying to identify your beau was exhilarating to say the least.

On Nic’s return from his latest racing schedule,
I showed him the invitation to the Masquerade Ball.

He smiled shyly as he read it.

“Mmm a Ball.  Dancing with Madame?  How could I say no?”

Then Nic took my right hand in his right hand and brought it to his lips.

“Madame, would you kindly do me the honour of accompanying me to the Masquerade Ball this Saturday Evening?” Nic asked in his French accent.

I curtsied him.

“It would be my pleasure to accompany you kind Sir,” I replied, battering my eyelashes at him, and smiling at his playfulness.

“No, the pleasure will be all mine, I assure you Madame!”  And then he lightly kissed my hand again.

“What shall you be wearing Madame?” he continued.

“The same as all of the women at the ball
Sir. It will be very exciting,” I replied, bubbling over with enthusiasm.

“Will this be a challenge to identify you Madame?” Nic asked, his eyebrows raised.

“It will be mysterious, and compelling Sir,” I answered as Nic brought his lips onto mine, kissing me deeply, taking my breath away.

What are you doing to me Nic?

Then Nic handed me three tickets.

“Cate, I have a track cycling meet the Friday evening before.  I have bought you and you parents tickets to come along.  I would love for you to be there,” he said, hope in his eyes.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world Nic.”

He kissed me briefly and then hugged me.

“I have to go Cate. I’m sorry I can’t stay longer with you. I’ll see you Friday night,” he called as he moved away from me quickly. I watched him until his car was out of sight.

Friday seemed to take forever to come.  Then I found myself waiting in anticipation to catch sight of Nic at the cycling.  It was t
he sport that he loved the most. And of course I agreed.  I loved to watch him at any time, especially in his body hugging cycling suit that he had to wear.