Island Tango (Silver Goddess Series, Book One) (11 page)

“I came by looking for you this afternoon and noticed that your door was open.  So I walked inside, but you weren’t there.  But your cell phone was on the nightstand.  The whole scene made me very worried.  And I’ve been trying to find you ever since.”

Kent’s sapphire eyes were brilliant against the backdrop of the moonlight.  Herculea struggled to find the words to communicate.  She didn’t know where to even begin.  And, for the moment, she wanted nothing more than the uncomplicated comfort of being held in his protective arms.

“I’m sorry you were worried.” She whispered.  “I had
a horrific
day.  But I can’t talk about it right now.”

Kent suddenly noticed the abrasion running across the length of her arm.  Even though Herculea had sterilized it, the wound was deep and would probably take weeks to heal.

“Did someone hurt you?  Was it that man, that Pedro, who you went with?” Kent asked,
unable
to restrain the anger that was boiling inside him.

He didn’t trust that man one bit.  It was not pure jealousy, Kent now realized, but an accurate gut instinct that
had
made him positive that Pedro was a threat to Herculea.

Herculea brushed off Kent’s concerns with a wave of her hand. “It’s nothing.  Don’t worry.”

“Your entire arm is bruised and bloody.  Please tell me what happened to you.  Were you assaulted?”

Not physically, Herculea wanted to reply, but mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, she had been pulverized that day.  But she simply was not capable of discussing it right now.

“I was not assaulted.  I jumped off a truck.” She replied honestly.

“What?!” Kent thundered.

“Shhhh.” Herculea hushed.  “Everyone in this hotel is probably asleep.  The last thing I need right now is to get in trouble for disturbing the peace.  I promise I’ll explain everything tomorrow.”

“It is tomorrow, Herculea.  It’s almost dawn.  And I’m not letting you out of my sight again.  You can protest all you want, but your stubbornness will have no effect on me.  Consider me officially immune to your stubborn nature!”

Herculea’s lips broadened into a genuine smile.  Not only did she not have the strength to argue with Kent, but she also did not possess the will.  He was her ally, and she would need him by her side every step of the way as she searched for a way to reverse the curse of immortality that Pedro had cast on her.  Besides, Herculea felt like a wind-up doll that had been twisted out of control.  There was no way that she would fall asleep again now.  Her body was exhausted, but her brain was reeling.

“No need to scold me, Kent.  I’m not going to try to get rid of you.” Herculea swallowed nervously and hesitated before adding, “I need you.”

She turned and walked back into her room, gesturing for him to follow.  Herculea switched on the lamp on the nightstand, illuminating the book that sat there.  Kent’s eyes automatically traveled to the gleaming cover.

“
T
he Immortality Abyss
.  What is this, Herculea
, some sort of occult tale
?” Kent frowned in deepening concern.

Herculea glared at the b
ook.  Too tired to delve into the book
before bed, she had vowed to wake at the first light of morning and read it cover to cover.

“Sit down, Kent.” Herculea pointed to the armchair that faced the television set.

Kent sat down and braced himself for what he sensed would be a disturbing story.

“Remember when I told you about the Silver Goddess and the Island of Vinova?” She began, and he nodded in response.

She took a deep breath and continued.  “Pedro is the one who told me about the whole story.”

Kent grasped the armrest and pursed his lips tightly to stop himself from interrupting her.  He was disgusted, but not surprised, to hear that the crazy idea had originated from Pedro.

“Anyway, I…today…we
…
” Herculea faltered.

She did not want to tell Kent that she had been intimate with Pedro.  Perhaps she could omit that unflattering detail and tell him everything else.

“Well, when Pedro and I left the hotel this morning in the middle of that awful storm, he took me to his house.  He has a house in the country, past Sugarloaf Mountain.”

She stared at Kent, trying to gauge his reaction.  The moonlight revealed a tight expression glued onto his face, but the darkness masked everything else.

“I was so hungry this morning.” She shook her head regretfully.  “I should have eaten breakfast with you.  But Pedro offered me some refreshments, and I couldn’t say no.  It was just some fruit…and a pitcher of mango juice.  The next part of this is going to sound crazy, so please just listen, Kent.” She pleaded, frightened that he would launch into one of his pragmatic diatribes.

“I’m listening, Herculea.” Kent said gently.

Herculea gave him a trembling smile.  “Pedro mixed some kind of alcohol into the juice, and some herbs and spices as well.  He said the combination has made me immortal! “ She shuddered violently as she uttered the unbelievable words.  “Immortal like him.” She finished.

Kent was sorely tempted to shake Herculea by the shoulders and attempt to impart some much needed logic into her fantastical mind.  But he resisted this urge, as some unknown force tugged at his heart and made him feel as though he had just heard the truth.  As ridiculous as it sounded, Herculea’s story bore the distinctive ring of truth, and
Kent found himself staring at her gape-mouthed. 
Pedro was a dark character, some sort of vampire or warlock, Kent could feel it in his blood
even as his brain disagreed
.

“I know you, Kent.  And I know you think this sounds like lunacy.  I wish it were.  But I have reason to believe that it is the truth.”

Herculea walked a few steps to the nightstand and picked up the book that lay there, its embossed title glittering ominously in the eerie moonlight.

“I haven’t read this book yet, but I think it may ho
ld some of the answers I need.”

Herculea sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Kent to sit beside her.  She opened the book to
the first page and began reading
the first two verses
, followed by
:

Stolen Mortals on the rise

After evil in disguise

The deceived ones shall gain retribution

Against the one who forced immortality

The Secret Keeper holds the key

In his cottage trapped is he

Old before his time,

Young again he shall be

The Stolen Mortals have a choice

Reign over the Island of Vinova

Or renounce immortality

For natural life

Drink the
antidote
, touch the Golden Orca

And the evil one shall be old forever

---
Verse Three of
The Immortality Abyss

“Kent, can you believe this?” Herculea asked, spellbound.

Kent
shook his head
disgustedly
.  “
Damn, this really
is something out of a science fiction
movie.
  Or it ought to be.
  An
d what is this rubbish about a golden o
rca?  Those whales are black and white.
”

“
I don’t know how to explain the part about the Golden Orca.  But I do know that
I am one of the Stolen Mortals and Pedro is
‘
evil in disguise!
’
”

“It also says that the Goddess’s authority may be challenged.  You may have the right to rule over the island now.”
Kent’s voice sounded foreign to his own
ears. 
His
intellect still battled for control.

“I don’t want to rule any island!” Herculea exclaimed.  “I just want my natural self back
.  And it sounds like the Secret Keeper needs the same thing!  ‘Old before his time.’  A young
man has been forced into an old man’s body.  And
look at the last line.  It says the ‘evil one’ will be old forever.  I don’t even want to contemplate what that means.” Herculea shuddered.

The two flipped through the pages,
filled with cryptic verses and
tantalizing information about life on the Island of Vinova.

“I need to find the Secret Keeper. 
But how?”
Herculea asked.

Kent flipped ahead a few pages and quickly spotted an address
labeled
,
Countryside Cottage
.

“This must be it.” He ascertained.  “The
verse
said that the Secret Keeper will live in a cottage, so this has to be his address.
  And it’s a Brazilian address, although I have no idea where this town is.  I don’t think it’s anywhere near Rio.
”

“I think you’re right.  Come on.  We have to call a taxi and go there.” Herculea leaped to her feet, far too hyper to consider going back to sleep now.

“Wait a minute, Herculea!  Look at the clock.  Look at the shadows outside.  We are not going to the cottage now.  Try to get a couple more hours of sleep.  Then, we’ll have breakfast and set off on our way with the sun to guide us.”

Reluctantly, Kent retreated from Herculea, even though his body screamed for him to reach out and embrace her.  He wanted nothing more than to hold her tightly until they watched the dawn r
ise together. 
Like a magnet, she pulled him nearer, silently urging him to touch her.  Thinking of the trauma she had endured, he resisted the force of their attraction. 
Kent shot
Herculea an intense look before walking out of the room and gently shutting the door behind him.

Herculea would remain awake until
breakfast
.  The only thing
she
could do was release her energy in a constructive physical way.  How she longed to be at the gym right now.  Imagining herself safe in one of her beloved fitness classes, she sprawled out on the carpeted floor and began a series of yoga poses.  Her stiff muscles instantly began to melt as she stretched her arms overhead, spreading her fingers and toes.  After her cat-like stretch, Herculea rolled over onto her belly and flowed into backbending poses.

Starting with
sphinx
and progressing to
cobra
, she lifted her body weight effortlessly. 
Yoga backbends
open the heart
chakra
, allowing more love and joy to enter the body.  She could use some love and joy, Herculea reflected wistfully.  After the backbends, Herculea sprung to her feet to move through an invigorating sequence of sun salutations.  As she took a graceful swan dive and hopped back into plank pose, warm rays of sun began to filter into the room.

The sun was still rising when Herculea met Kent in the dining room.  Herculea’s eyes glittered to behold an elegant buffet table.  Draped in a white tablecloth, the buffet would be considered a hearty breakfast for anyone, but in Herculea’s state of deprivation, it was an absolute banquet.  She grabbed a china plate and piled hot scrambled eggs onto it,
followed by
saffron
rice and beans.  Bypassing the fruit and wrinkling her nose at the slimy bacon, Herculea selected a sweet roll before pouring a fragrant cup of Brazilian roast.  Food was not all her body needed.  After her abbreviated sleep, she also needed a hefty dose of caffeine; not only would she require an energy burst for today, but for all the days that would follow as she pursued the
cure to her immortality
.

Herculea sat down at a dining table overlooking the garden and began feasting on her breakfast.  K
ent took a seat across from her,
gobbling up his own meal.  He took a sip of Earl Grey tea and munched on a sausage patty as Herculea wolfed down her food.

“We need to check out of this hotel.” He announced without warning.

Herculea looked up in surprise, unable to speak with her mouth full of rice and beans.

“We can’t come back here after this mission is complete.  As soon as we
sort out this mess
, we’re heading back to California.  It’s the safest way.”

“You’re right.  I’m already homesick.  I would like nothing more than to be sitting in my office grading some boring papers!”

Kent looked at Herculea compassionately.  “Those boring papers will be waiting for you, I assure you.  We will get through this.”

He reached across the table to give her hand a light squeeze.  Suddenly, Herculea felt a rush of guilt.  The journey they would be embarking on could present significant perils, and she could not bear the thought of her foolish choices hurting Kent in even the slightest way.