A Touch of Murder

by Donna Raider

  “Sure, Son.

  “Jacob needs me.” Mika bent to kiss her wife. “I will be right back.”

  Leah pulled her sweater tighter around her shoulders. Mika’s sudden exit seemed to make the garden colder. She went into the house to find her children.

  Jacob flinched as Mika materialized at his side. “Look.” He pointed toward the back of a cow that appeared to be lying on its side.

  “Is she sick?” Mika asked.

  “No!” Jacob led Mika closer, walking around to the other side of the animal.

  “Oh my God!” Mika exclaimed. She was no stranger to livestock mutilation. She had witnessed it many times during her travels. It was usually connected to some delusional group dabbling in witchcraft or satanic worship. Mika crossed herself and asked God for strength to battle whatever this was.

  The heifer had been gutted and her unborn calf had been removed from her. The priest wondered where the perpetrators had taken the bovine fetus and what they planned to do with it.

  Although Mika had encountered many troubled souls practicing or trying to practice witchcraft, she had only met a handful of actual talented witches. Her wife was by far the most powerful witch she had encountered in her two thousand years on Earth. She wasn’t so much a witch as she was pure magic. Mika had never seen anything like Leah.

  “What is it, Mika?” Jacob grimaced. “Who would do a thing like this?”

  “There are those who don’t actually fit into society.” Mika frowned. “They try to gain power by worshiping the devil; at least they think they are. The truth is they are the evil ones. Lucifer doesn’t even have to pay them any mind. They voluntarily give him their souls, without him lifting a finger. He certainly doesn’t give them anything in return.”

  “I heard tell of a Satanic group in Cleburne.” Jacob scowled. “I thought it was just idle gossip.”

  “Apparently not,” Mika said.

  ##

  Mika and Jacob arrived in the great room just as Leah cried out in pain.

  “It is time, darling,” she cried to Mika before another contraction racked her slender body. “I’m not certain we have time to drive to Burleson.”

  “Jennifer, please call Dr. Adams,” Mika directed, “let her know we are at the hospital.

  “You all need to drive to the hospital. All of us can’t show up out of nowhere.”

  Mika wrapped her arms around her wife and materialized them in a dark hallway of the hospital. She quickly carried her to the area of the hospital delivery room. She was surprised to find Dr. Adams waiting for them.

  “I had just delivered a baby when your call came in.” She smiled. “Please place your wife on this bed.” She pointed to a sterile-looking bed with clean white sheets. “We will roll her into the delivery room. You wait here.”

  “No,” Leah cried. “I want my wife with me.”

  “Lamaze,” Mika said. “She is doing natural childbirth.”

  “She is delivering twins,” Dr. Adams snorted. “I need to sedate her before it’s too late.”

  “No, no sedatives.” Leah glared at the doctor. “Just my wife.”

  Mika smiled as if embarrassed. “It is my fault she is in this condition. It’s only right that I be at her side all the way.”

  Dr. Adams shrugged then followed the bed into the delivery suite the couple had reserved.

  “Mika,” Leah gasped. “I need you, now.”

  The priest grasped her wife’s hand and laced her fingers with Leah’s. Mika placed her other hand on Leah’s stomach. The doctor and nurses were barely ready when their first baby entered the world.

  ##

  Leah smiled broadly as she watched the joy on her wife’s face when the nurses placed the dark-haired babies in her arms.

  “They are beautiful,” she said softly as she carried them to her wife. “They look just like you, darling.”

  Mika leaned down and kissed her gently, then placed the twins in her arms. They began to mewl. Mika pulled back her gown and led their tiny mouths to their mother’s breasts.

  “Eden and Aaron,” she said with a smile, “welcome to our world.”

  Dr. Adams watched the couple. She’d never had such an easy delivery. The priest’s presence seemed to be all the woman needed. Leah looked as if she had just finished a stroll in the park. Her hair was slightly tousled, but her makeup was perfect. She still wore the earrings she had worn into the hospital. She truly is beautiful, Dr. Adams thought.

  “We have a waiting room full of people asking to see you,” a nurse said. “Are you up to having company?”

  “Oh, yes.” Leah laughed. “They want to see their new brother and sister.”

  ##

  Dr. Adams stood back as the children entered the room in pairs. She counted six sets of twins. They all looked exactly like the woman or Mika. The doctor had never seen so many gorgeous people in one place.

  “Children, meet Eden and Aaron.” Their mother smiled as her children gathered around her. They touched the new babies and bent to kiss their mother.

  They all began to talk at once, excited to have babies in the house again.

  ##

  “The babies were so darn cute.” Jennifer wrapped her arms around her wife from behind and smiled at their reflection in the mirror. “So are you.”

  “It’s a family thing.” Sara laughed. She closed her eyes, content to feel her wife’s soft breasts pressed into her back. She still had nightmares about seeing Jennifer’s heart slowly cease beating. She shivered slightly.

  “Are you cold, honey?” Jennifer held her tighter.

  “No. Just thankful for you.”

  “Um,” Jennifer hummed. “I am just thankful to be here with you.”

  Jennifer turned Sara in her arms and lightly pressed her lips against her wife’s. “I can’t look at your gorgeous lips for very long without kissing them.” She smiled.

  Sara nibbled at her wife’s lips. “So, what’s stopping you?”

  “Nothing.” The young doctor grinned as she swept the younger woman into her arms and carried her to their bed.

  They made love slowly, savoring every kiss, every touch as if it might be their last.

  ##

  Sara lay on her back. Her chest ached as she tried to inflate her lungs while slowing her heartbeat. “Breathe in, breathe out.” She smiled as she recalled the old, dumb-blonde joke. Her classmates had made certain she heard every dumb-blonde joke ever imagined.

  Jennifer snuggled her head into her shoulder. “That was incredible,” she gasped. “Making love with you just keeps getting better.”

  Sara nodded against her wife’s shoulder. She finally lay quietly as Jennifer gently stroked her back.

  “You know,” Jennifer said, “we have never discussed what happened.”

  “Well, first I kissed you then I stroked your thigh and sucked…” Sara stopped when her wife lightly slapped her on the hip.

  “You know I am speaking of the shooting,” Jennifer’s voice was low with emotion. “You do know I died, don’t you?”

  Sara closed her eyes only to relive the nightmare of her wife drenched in her own blood and the blood of Mika. Mika had made no move to save Jennifer. She simply let her blood drip onto the doctor’s wounds. God had done the rest.

  She remembered the agonizing pain of seeing Jennifer die. She could still hear her own cries as she had pleaded with Mika to save her wife.

  “Yes.” Sara sighed. “I am very aware of your death.”

  “Then how am I here?” Jennifer frowned. “How did I come back?”

  “Mika,” Sara whispered. “She did it.”

  “How?” the older woman said softly.

  “You saved her life, pushing her out of the path of the bullet. She tried to pull you down with her. The bullet went through her hand and into your heart.

  “Mika was bending over you, trying to help you. The blood from her hand dripped into your wound and everything mended. I watched your heart start to beat again, then the wou
nd closed. It was as if nothing had happened. It was incredible. Did you feel anything? See anything?”

  “The last thing I remember,” Jennifer spoke slowly, “was your face and being glad Mika was there to give me last rites.

  “Everything went dark. The next thing I knew, my lungs were seared by the intake of air and there was a tremendous pain in my chest. Mika placed her hands on me, and I was fine. I was better than fine. I felt better than I have felt in years.”

  “No matter what happened,” Sara said, “I am so thankful you are lying here in my arms now.”

  ##

  Sara lay still until she was certain her wife was sleeping. She eased from their bed and dressed herself. She went to her laboratory. She checked the results of her ongoing experiment. So far, everything was proceeding as she had expected. She checked the five generations of mice she had. As she hoped, the first-generation mother looked just as young as her two-week-old offspring. Mark was doing a great job of cleaning cages and feeding the rodents. She knew she could depend on him to continue monitoring her experiment while she was on her tour of Africa. They talked constantly. Mark was fascinated with her research and was pursuing degrees that would allow him to partner with her. She was glad. She truly only trusted family with the results of her research.

  ##

  Mika shifted her weight on the small hospital bed, pulling her wife closer against her. She wanted to make certain Leah was comfortable. She was sleeping on Mika’s shoulder. Mika had her arms wrapped completely around her, providing a protective barrier between Leah and the world. Mika dozed off.

  “Mrs. Cross,” the nurse almost whispered the woman’s name. She looked so peaceful wrapped in her wife’s arms. “Mrs. Cross, it is time to feed the twins.”

  Leah roused slowly, trying to ascertain where she was. Her wife’s arms around her felt right, but nothing else was the same.

  “Honey,” she whispered groggily, “feeding time.”

  A broad smile crossed her face as Mika moved to help her sit up straight. She continued to lean on Mika’s shoulder. The nurse placed Eden into her arms. “Why don’t you feed her first, then I will bring in her brother when he awakes.”

  Leah looked at the greatest of God’s miracles, a little life with a clean slate. She knew it was the job of her and her wife to make certain wonderful things were written on that slate.

  Eden’s perfect lips began to pull at her mother’s nipple as she wrapped her tiny fingers around Mika’s little finger. The look of contentment on the faces of all three was incalculable.

  Mika kissed the top of her wife’s head and thanked God for all her blessings.

  ##

  “Well, Mrs. Cross, looks like you and your babies can go home today,” Dr. Adams concluded her examination of Leah and signed off on her release forms.

  “I am certainly ready,” Leah said. Although she had only spent the night in the hospital, she was more than ready to return home to her children.

  “Since this is not your first rodeo,” Dr. Adams said, grinning at her own understatement, “I don’t believe I need to go over baby care or personal care with you.”

  “No,” Leah said as she tried to remain patient, “just release me to my wife and we will take our babies home.”

  She was anxious to be back home. She didn’t want the doctor to see how easily she bounced back from having the twins.

  ##

  Jacob Cross was unhappy. He had passed the Texas Bar Exam with the highest score possible. He had been inundated with job offers. His specialty was criminal law. A trial lawyer, he loved the fast-paced action of the courtroom.

  He had successfully defended half a dozen cases where the defendants had been innocent. He had just been assigned to defend a man he knew was guilty. He knew because the man had told him he had killed his wife and two children.

  Jacob was wrestling with his conscience. He knew he could not represent the man. He also knew his firm would let him go if he refused to defend another guilty client.

  He had to get away, somewhere quiet.

  Jacob transported himself to the live-spring pool on the ranch. He climbed to the flat, limestone rock formation that overlooked the pool. He smiled as he thought of diving from the rock with his siblings. This was their favorite place on the ranch. They dove, swam, laughed, and picnicked on the rock. It was perfect for diving, sunbathing, and just sitting around talking.

  He looked around him. It was winter in Texas. The usual colorful wildflowers were dead, and the greenery had turned to bare trees and dull browns. Only the low-growing, evergreen cedar shrubs and live oaks provided a break from the bleak Texas landscape. He thought of Regina Madre and its beauty. The planet had no seasons, only lush greenery and beauty everywhere. He leaned back and wished himself to Regina Madre.

  ##

  Jacob slowly opened his eyes. He had been inexplicably drawn toRegina Madre from the first time they had set foot on the planet. He had visited it many times. He loved its raw beauty and pristine landscape. He loved its solitude.

  As he strolled through the forest of Regina Madre, beautiful singing stopped him in his tracks. He had assumed the planet was void of human life. He stealthily moved toward the mesmerizing sound.

  Sudden squeals and chattering voices brought him to a standstill. He realized that several beings were swimming in a pool of crystal-clear water. As he moved closer, he realized they were naked. He instantly averted his eyes. He had only seen their backs and didn’t know if they were men or women.

  A sharp stab between his shoulder blades told him he had been found. His captor pressed the sharp object into his back and called out to the others.

  Jacob continued to keep his head bowed, but he could tell the others were covering themselves. His captor shoved him forward. Suddenly all the beings fell on their knees before him. He raised his head and gasped at the sight.

  A dozen beautiful beings that looked exactly like Mika were prone before him. “No,” he spoke softly. “Please, stand.”

  He repeated himself in several languages. He noticed that one of the beings stood away from the others, on a large rock beside the pool. From the form, he was certain it was female. She was not bowing.

  Jacob walked around the prone beings and spoke directly to the female. “I am Jacob, son of Mika and Leah.”

  “I am Raíña-Kaya.” Her voice was soft, but clear. It was melodic. Her name had flowed from her lips like a caress. She spoke his language.

  “Raíña-Kaya,” he said softly and smiled. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He had been raised with the Earth’s most beautiful women. He knew beauty when he saw it.

  “You are not allowed to be here, Jacob, son of Mika and Leah,” she almost whispered. “Our God will not approve.”

  “Your God!” Jacob wondered if they worshipped the same God. “May I meet your God?”

  “Are you the serpent?” Raíña-Kaya eyed him suspiciously.

  “I don’t think so.” Jacob frowned, but he wondered if he might be. “I, too, worship God.”

  “I will allow you to meet our God,” she said. “Come.”

  The blonde goddess spoke to the others in a strange language—one Jacob had never heard or studied. They immediately rose and followed her and Jacob.

  They walked a short distance and entered a spectacular garden. Jacob looked around. There were fruit trees of all descriptions. Beautiful songbirds rested on their branches.

  “Sit,” Raíña-Kaya commanded, pointing toward a smooth stone bench in the center of the garden. “God always comes here.”

  “I come from Earth.” Jacob tried to engage her in conversation. She simply frowned and regarded him with no emotion.

  “Raíña-Kaya,” a voice rang throughout the garden. It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere.

  Jacob immediately fell to his knees. “God, it is I, Jacob,” he whispered, “son of Mika and Leah of Earth.”

  After a long silence, Raíña-Kaya spoke. “I did not kno
w what to do with him, Lord, so I brought him to you.”

  “You are not of this world, Jacob,” God’s voice filled the garden. “Why are you here?”

  “I thought the planet was uninhabited.” Jacob continued to stay prone on the ground. “I have visited here before with my family. I fell in love with the beauty and purity of this world.”

  “Did you look upon my children in their nakedness?” God already knew the answer to his questions.

  “No, Lord. I did not,” Jacob answered honestly. “I averted my eyes immediately. My parents have taught me to honor the privacy of others.”

  “You may rise, Jacob, son of Mika and Leah. Come, walk with me.” A faint breeze moved beside Jacob as he stood.

  “What should I do, Lord?” Raíña-Kaya asked softly.

  “You may walk with us,” God answered.

  The three strolled through the garden. God pointed out the birds and wildlife in the garden. He talked about the people on the planet. Jacob found out there were only about a thousand human inhabitants.

  “I know you made them,” Jacob said carefully. “Did you make them all or did you only make a few and the rest followed?”

  “You mean do they procreate?” God chuckled. Men are so predictable.

  Jacob hung his head. “Yes, Lord. That is my question.”

  “They do now,” God answered. “In the beginning I created a hundred; fifty men and fifty women. In the beginning, I was so proud of Earth. Then things went wrong so fast. I am trying to avoid the same ending for these people.”

  “Is there a serpent in this garden?” Jacob asked.

  “Yes, free will, you know,” God said quietly. “So far they have listened to me and ignored the devil.”

  Raíña-Kaya walked silently. The warm, gentle breeze moved with her and Jacob.

  “Lord,” she asked, “is Jacob, son of Mika and Leah, allowed to stay?”

  “If so, Lord,” Jacob spoke before God could answer, “may I know their language? Perhaps I could help them avoid the pitfalls of my civilization.”

  “The decision is yours, Jacob. In your heart, you know the right thing to do,” God said, then the breeze swirled upwards, swaying the tree limbs. He was gone.