My Soul Laid Bare: Book 4 (The Soul Keeper Series) (31 page)

A while later, the love emanating from his eyes is still abounding. He holds me tightly in his arms as if he were afraid to let me go should this all revert back to how it used to be. His skin is as hot as tin under the Texan sun, but I don’t want him to let go just yet either. We finally found each other after all this time; all it took was for us to get dragged to hell and back –– a couple of times. I’m excited about our future together. A bright light has been ignited in my soul, and Sam is the tinder. Only this time, I will let the fire blaze out of control and wild, just for him. I will not hold back. He will know that he is the love of my life as confidently as he knows how to steer a horse.  

Five years later

I sit at the small desk in my private residence and work on my speech to convince world leaders to destroy all nuclear weapons as we have. It's the piece de resistance of my career. I've been the leader of our country for four years now and while it's predicted I'll win the next election, I still have my doubts. So much has changed in such little time. I'm amazed. There is still a lot to do, and even another four years won't get it done. My gift is stronger than ever. It reaches out like the bloom of a rose, blossoming more each day, convincing the masses to embrace change like the beautiful gift it is. Over time I've learned that the changes have to be subtle and slow, a gradual pivot towards our ultimate goal.

I'm sure Elara and William will one day pick up where I left off. They are six years old now and bright as the all of the stars in heaven combined. They are the sun and the moon to me, and my world revolves around them. Even as they sit at my feet, I want to crumple up this speech for another day just so I can join them in the small town they're building out of Legos. They're beginning to realize they have special gifts, and it's hard to teach them to keep it a secret. Elena has had to do a lot of brain washing when it comes to eye witnesses.

One time we were out on a walk at a public park, to keep the public a regular part of our lives. The security detail kept a close distance at all times. The camera crews were all filming our outing as usual, when Sam suddenly tripped on a stick while walking backwards. He was being silly trying to get William to catch him and didn't see the branch. Sam flew backwards, and I knew his head would slam on the concrete. He was going to have a serious injury, but Will pointed his finger at his daddy and screamed out
,“
No
!
” Sam stopped falling and started floating in midair until he was right back on his feet. All of this happened in a split second, but it was caught on camera. You would have thought hell fire was raining from the sky, the way Elena kicked into keep-the-kids-powers-a-secret mode. She backed up time and moved the branch and hit the play button, so he never tripped. It never happened, therefore it was never filmed. And now, I know why Elena is an Elite.

My cell phone buzzes on the desk, and I check it, welcoming the distraction. A text message from Sam makes me smile. I open the message and read,
Madame President, I think I need help with packing my suitcase. ;-)
H
e’
s got my number all right.

I text back
. You know I can never resist the compulsion to keep your boxers from getting wrinkled.
Sam is flying out in a few hours this afternoon for Prague. At least i
t’
s a short trip, h
e’
s only going for two nights to speak at a worldwide medical convention.

“
Elara, William, you good for a bit on your own? Daddy needs my proficiency in packing. Stay out of the ice cream, William
.
” My son shoots me a smirk that says
,“
Fat chance
.
”

“
Oh yeah, is that so mister
?
” I tickle him until he gives up in a fit of giggles. As I walk off, they are heavily immersed in their new buildings once again. Knowing those two,
I’
ll have to tear them away just to say good-bye to Daddy in a couple of hours.

I lock the bedroom door behind me as Sam emerges from the bathroom freshly showered and still damp. A towel is secured low on his waist, and my eyes are drawn to his still expertly hewn body.  A smirk draws upon his lips as he realizes I still find him desperately sexy. We meet in the middle of the room, and he pulls me against his chest. My hands glide over his shoulders as I nuzzle in close to him taking in his familiar scent
.“
I wish I could go with you
.
”

His hands slide behind my ears as he kisses my forehead and sighs out
,“
So do I baby.
I’
ll be back before you lay your head down Sunday night. Now le
t’
s get some of these clothes off of you. You are far too over dressed for what I have planned for you
.
”

I blush at his words and relish his touch as his strong fingers gently undo the buttons on my blouse. The love that I feel for this man is unnerving. Part of me thinks the change I feel is because I know Elijah is gone out of our lives. I know he is not watching me love Sam. These last few years, I finally feel like I do
n’
t have to hold back with Sam. I
t’
s changed our love life completely. W
e’
ve exceeded the bounds of star crossed lovers and entered into something altogether flawless.

He holds me tightly in his arms after making love to me. The look in his eyes tells me he loves me more than any words he could ever utter. His whispers his devotion over me like a poem, kissing bare parts of my skin as he does. I never thought it could ever be like this with Sam. I never believed we would be this happy. Sam and I spend as much time together as we can before he leaves.  We get dressed so he can play with the kids before he has to catch his flight.

A while later i
t’
s time for him to leave. I see him to the door of our private residence and watch with a smile as Elara wraps her small arms around his neck
.“
Do
n’
t go Daddy. Please
!
”

Sam looks helplessly at me. I shake my head and let him know h
e’
s on his own. Elara has him wrapped around her finger. He kisses her on the cheek and squeezes her with a big bear hug like my father used to do
.“
I have to go. But tell you what, you and I will Face Time later tonight.
I’
ll tell you an extra special bedtime story. I believe it has an enchanted princess who can sing like an angel
.
”

“
Promise
?
”

“
I promise baby. I love you
.
”

“
What about the giant dragon that likes to eat singing princesses
?
” William chortles out offending Elara.

“
Ah, yes the dragon may have to get slayed by the brave prince that can freeze things with his hands
.
” Sam smiles at William and pulls him into a steeled hug. His hands go up around Sa
m’
s neck and gives a tight squeeze. He loves Sam so much.

“
Hurry home my sweet man
,
” I manage to get out while holding back a tear.

Sam smiles devilishly, leans into my ear and whispers
,“
After what we just did, you still call me sweet
?
” I let a laugh slip out and meet his lips with a soft kiss
.“
I love you. See you soon
.
”

We all say good-bye and close the door after he steps on the elevator
.“
Can we have ice cream now
?
” William asks bouncing back to his usual self in mere seconds. I nod and set them up with a sundae fit for royalty.

I try and get back to the speech writing task I was working on earlier today. The wording has to be just right, and several attempts later, I think I finally have a sound copy in my hands.  A yawn escapes my mouth as I stretch out and leave the desk to check on the kids. There is a nanny around here somewhere to help out, so I never have to worry too much. I did
n’
t realize how long
I’
d been working. I
t’
s getting late, and the kids need to start their bed time routine.

A loud fast rap on the door alerts me, and I quickly go to see what the matter is. My head of security looks upset and worried as I open the door, and I pray that something isn't too terribly wrong. The speech on my desk needs to be delivered in person as soon as possible, so we can put an end to this worrying once and for all.

“
Madame President, I need you come down to the briefing room immediately
.
” He glances past me to the children and back to me, and a thousand worried thoughts fill my head. I scan his thoughts to find out what the issue is before I take another breath. I nearly drop to my knees when I see the news he's come to tell me.

“
Maxine, keep an eye on the children. I have to step out for a bit
,
” I call out to the kitchen.

Maxine, our wonderful godsend of a nanny comes down the hall clutching one of William
s’
s shirts she was folding
.“
Yes of course, go. They'll be fine
.
”

I plant a quick kiss on each of their heads and follow Pierce down to the elevator. Our pace is hurried, and my hands shake violently as I press the down button.  This isn't happening. This can't be real. I
t’
s too soon. I must be having a nightmare. My brain tries to reassemble the pictures I saw inside Pierce's mind, but the outcome keeps pointing to the same thing. By the time the elevator car hits the right floor, I'm using the wall to support myself.

Elen
a’
s face is there when the doors open, and my eyes plead with her that this isn't real. But I can see the painful truth etched on her face like an epitaph. They must have broken their deal, Then again, why would they keep it? Malphas is imprisoned in the dungeons of the lead spirit trap. 

Even so, Sam had Will with him. How could he let something happen to him? I walk into the dimly lit conference room the screens are blacked out, and my staff is trickling in like a match is lit under them. My breaths come in short sporadic burst as I struggle to keep a straight face. Once we're all seated, Elena, who I appointed Secretary of State, begins.

“
Madame President, it is with a heavy heart that I inform you that at approximately eighteen hundred this evening the First Gentleman's plane went down over the Atlantic somewhere between Bermuda and Turks and Caicos. The flight tower received this distress call
.
” She nods her head to someone in the back of the room.

“
May-Day! May-Day! This is flight..
.
” a crackle and distorted noise interferes with the sound making their voices hard to make out
.“
We are going down at coordinate
s
…” Numbers that mean nothing to me spout off.  It repeats a couple more times. Then I hear Sam's voice come on the air. The popping and crackling has grown louder, and it's hard to hear him, but I know it's him.

“
Baby I love you. Tell William and El that I love them. You are my everything. Oh God
!
”

“
Sam? Sam? What happened? Please
,
” I plead, shooting up from my seat and pounding my fists on the mahogany table.

“
I'm sorry Madame President. That is all we have. The line goes quiet after that. The coast guard is in route as we speak, and the closest ship to those coordinates is being utilized in the search as well
,
” Elena says her voice slow and gentle.   

No this ca
n’
t be right. We were supposed to grow old together. I feel as though I just got him back for him to be ripped from our lives all over again. Sam and I had grown so close. Our love was finally flourishing. I need him. He ca
n’
t be gon
e
… He ca
n’
t be gone. The Keepers, surely they saved his life, and h
e’
s probably sleeping it off in Amorous right now. He could be back in a few hours. I need to find out. I pray he is safe and alive.

Everyone in the room is waiting for instruction from me or to see me break down and lose it. Either way, I just want to curl up in a corner and disappear.

“
Get me on a search flight. I can't sit around here and wait. I have to do something
.
”

“
Yes Madame President, I'm on it
,
” Pierce calls out.