The Warrior Woman

by Evelyn Lederman

  “Why would Drake take such a personal stake in the welfare of the baby?” Candy was frustrated because she was getting the same information that had been shared earlier.

  “Candy,” Shirl said, “this is not some kind of conspiracy. We do not know why the vampire feels he has a personal stake in the child. I picked up the same sentiment but did not want to react to it. Maybe because Drake is a product of the oldest bloodline, he has more of an interest in the continuation of their species.”

  Candy felt stupid that she had overreacted to both Yorik’s words and her friends’ reactions to her questions.

  “I am just happy you found me,” Alex said. “How did you manage it, Candy? Shirl said it was you who said I was cold.”

  “Not you exactly,” Candy answered. “I got a strange sense the baby was cold. It was a type of communication I had never experienced. I would have known if it came from you, Alex.”

  “The baby has messed up your ability to enter some of the telepathic channels,” Shirl continued. “Maybe your body reacted to your ordeal by leveraging one of the communal pathways to warn us you were in danger. I don’t think we are ever going to know how it happened. We should just be grateful it did.”

  Alex let out a loud, long sigh. “We will be eating soon. I better get redressed and use the facilities. How about I meet you in the common room for dinner? Norri and Pattrice should be here any minute.”

  “They waited this long to see you?” Candy asked.

  “Tarsea gave them regular updates,” Alex responded. “Norri would have been welcome, but Tarsea did not want to deal with Pattrice while I was recuperating. Solfa will also be joining us and will handle her mother.

  Candy watched as her friend got out of bed and made her way to the washroom. Shirl went to the closet and pulled out an outfit for Alex to wear. She knocked on the bathroom door and hung the outfit on the door’s hook before closing it.

  Shirl came over to Candy and embraced her. “We dodged a bullet this time.”

  Candy hugged her friend. She was not feeling so optimistic. Something was still gnawing at her. Candy just could not put her finger on what the problem was. Her gift of premonition once again plagued her because she had insufficient information. Right now it was just causing her stomach to roll and an uneasiness to engulf her being. She merely nodded to her friend and they walked side by side to the common room.

  Chapter 23

  Candy nibbled on a roll. Her system was all tied up in knots and she had no appetite. Tolfer kept glancing in her direction with a concerned look on his face. He gave her distance by not asking her through the soul mate channel what was wrong. Tolfer knew her well enough to know she would reach out to him if she needed him. How could she explain a feeling she could not put a tangible threat behind?

  Koel arrived shortly after they were all seated. He looked as harried as she felt. “Chanz Narmouth has opened an inquiry about his missing brother. Alex, Tarsea, and Candy have been listed in the complaint.”

  “You have got to be kidding me!” Alex exclaimed. “That bastard kidnaps me and I am named in a legal action surrounding his disappearance? You Troyk people have some serious problems in this world.” Candy watched as Alex placed her fork on the plate and pushed the dish away from her.

  Tarsea reached out and grabbed her hand. He brought it to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. Candy would have swooned if she was not at a table full of people. She had never seen such a romantic gesture before. Those two fit, like she fit with Tarsea’s brother.

  “The authorities were called after we left with Raine Narmouth,” Candy said. “They would have no idea I was part of the rescue. Wouldn’t it look like retribution against me since he was arrested for assaulting me at the dress shop? This is all crazy!” Her insides were doing somersaults. She was so tense it was an effort to move. What she would not give for a good deep tissue massage.

  “The Narmouth family is powerful,” Tarsea stated. “It is just a last-ditch effort to deal with his missing brother. The med-techs saw the condition Alex was in when they examined her. I do not think we have anything to worry about. Just in case, we need to keep a low profile. Any operations to rescue dissidents will have to be done by another team for the time being.

  “Good,” Koel looked a little out of sorts. Candy had never seen him look so apprehensive before. “I want Darden to take me to Ginkgo Terra. It is time we bring JoAnna here. She has to be my soul mate. There were five daughters who survived from Benko and his followers. Four of you have found your soul mates in all but one of those girls. JoAnna must be mine.”

  Candy could not argue with his logic. But what were the odds the little girl she knew as Jo Jo in the orphanage would be Koel’s soul mate?

  “We do not even know what happened to her after the adoption, Koel,” Alex said.

  “She lives in Florida with her adopted father,” Darden volunteered. “Benko Jarlyn kept track of her after she left the orphanage. Her father runs a five-star hotel in Southwest Florida. She has had a very privileged upbringing. I also believe she is engaged to be married.” Darden lowered his voice when he communicated that bomb to his friend.

  “It does not matter,” Koel said. “He is not right for her since I am her soul mate.” There was so much certainty in his voice. “That emphasizes the need to get her immediately.”

  Candy knew this latest drama in Koel’s search for his soul mate was not causing her anxiety. It would be good to get her mind off of whatever was prickling her nerves. “I will go with you. Jo Jo may be more agreeable if she sees another woman with you. Koel, you have a habit of being a little intense.”

  Darden shook his head. “With everything going on related to Chanz Narmouth, you should be visible in Aster Province. I think the three of you girls should stick to each other like glue. Who knows what Chanz Narmouth is capable of ? He could be as crazy as his brother.”

  Shirl took a sip of her wine. “That is what you get for being so alluring, Alex.”

  “I am a f-ing chameleon,” Alex cried. “How that man got fixated on me is anyone’s guess. But I agree with Darden. We should lay low and be seen in public doing harmless things, like lunch with the girls.”

  “I am scheduled to go to Gingko Terra the day after tomorrow,” Darden continued. “Koel will tag along and we will see if we can find JoAnna.”

  “What?” Koel growled at Shirl. Candy looked over at her friend to see what caused Koel’s dander to go up. There was a huge frown evident on Shirl’s face. Her facial expression was like poking a tiger with a stick. Koel seemed to be at the end of his rope.

  “I suppose we should tell Jeryl Jarlyn we will be bringing back another possible descendant of one of his son’s followers,” Shirl said. “He may start to believe Jo Jo is his long-lost granddaughter like he did originally with Candy. I grew up with Alex and Candy. I would risk my life for them and trust them without doubt. Jo Jo is an unknown. We have so many secrets to keep. I am just concerned about bringing her into our inner circle.”

  Candy could not disagree with Shirl. Jo Jo could present a risk to them all. However, she saw no alternative but to accept that risk. Although she had been adopted, Jo Jo was one of them. They would just have to be careful what they said and did around her until she connected in the warrior channel.

  “There is something else I have not told everyone,” Darden confessed. “JoAnna is the daughter of Prime Adholm’s younger sister.”

  “She is Chartail’s cousin?” Alex asked incredulously, although it was pretty clear that was the case. “They are like night and day. If I remember Jo Jo had hair as black as a raven’s wing.”

  “You should bring the girl here,” Leenea said. “She can stay in Tolfer’s room until she assimilates to our world. Tolfer and Candy can move into Tarsea’s apartment. Alex and Tarsea should stay here because of the baby.”

  If Candy was not already stressed beyond belief, moving in with Tolfer was the straw that broke the camel’s back. She adored the man, but
she was not sure if she was ready or capable of setting up a household with him. Their cohabitation in the penal colony was required for safety’s sake. This was something totally different.

  Tolfer started laughing hysterically. “Candy, the look on your face. You are not being sentenced to die in the Nightshade universe. If it is too soon for us to move in together, I am sure you can stay with Norri and Pattrice.”

  “Oh, yes!” Pattrice answered enthusiastically clapping her hands. “We would love to have you stay with us.” Candy was taken aback by the pure joy in the woman’s face. She glanced at Norri, who looked as pleased as her cousin.

  “Maybe for a short period,” Candy said tentatively. “I hope you do not mind, Tolfer. I truly love you. I am just not ready to take that big of a step.” Candy shared her feelings with her soul mate as Pattrice and Norri were chatting back and forth about their new roommate and the plans they were putting together. Alex smiled in her direction and nodded her head. Maybe it was time for someone else to care for Candy and these women were clearly happy to do so. They had suffered so much over the years.

  “We are having lunch with the girls tomorrow,” Shirl said. “It is best we be on guard in case Chanz Narmouth makes a move on us.”

  They had exchanged the danger posed by Raine Narmouth with his brother. Somehow Candy knew Chanz could be a thousand times more dangerous than his brother Raine. At this point she knew something would happen tomorrow. All three women were in mortal danger. What could possibly happen at lunch?

  Chapter 24

  A beautiful plate of food was placed in front of Candy. Her stomach was still protesting from the uncertainty her telepathic gift was brewing within her. It was such an ordinary thing to do, having lunch with the girls, after everything she had been through. It was hard sitting across from Chartail’s friends, Sondra and Jessalyn, unable to tell them their friend was finally all right. She picked at her salad as Alex and Sondra shared stories about the new clothes they had purchased. Alex had set up a double date between her, Tarsea, Sondra, and Sondra’s new boyfriend so they could wear their new outfits. Her friend had never really been interested in boys until she met Tarsea. Their relationship was explosive, while Candy’s connection with Tolfer was the comfort she never knew she craved. The sex was not bad either.

  Candy could not believe her eyes when she saw Chanz Narmouth enter the restaurant. She alerted Alex and Shirl through their closed link to warn them of Narmouth’s presence. Candy did not want Sondra and Jessalyn to know anything was wrong. Alex shifted in her chair, unconsciously scooting her chair closer to Candy.

  Her eyes were glued to Chanz. He stopped at several tables and talked to their occupants. There seemed to be some disharmony created with each stop he made. It appeared he was starting an argument between the table’s occupants. The restaurant was getting louder and louder as Chanz made his way to their table.

  Loud voices rang out, causing attention to focus on the tables Chanz had targeted. Candy in her mind’s eye saw Chanz draw a knife and went to plunge it into Alex’s back. As he came closer to the table, Candy saw him reach into his jacket pocket. Candy was on her feet and grabbed Chanz Narmouth’s wrist before he could execute his plan to harm her friend. In the back of her mind she thought she heard someone scream “Knife.”

  While holding back Narmouth’s wrist, Candy shoved the bony part of her hand into Chanz’s nose with as much force as her new gift could muster. He dropped the knife and momentarily covered his nose as blood squirted from the broken cartilage. Candy had the foresight to kick the knife out of Chanz’s reach and prepared for the man to attack. There were people standing around them but no one intervened to help her. She shifted as Narmouth charged her. Alex had picked up her plate and crashed it over Chanz’s head. The plate shattered, but Chanz did not seem negatively impacted by the blow.

  He reached out and grabbed Alex. “You ruined my brother’s life,” he shouted as he went to strike her friend. Once again Candy was able to deflect the blow since she had seen it within her mind before it happened.

  Finally the officials got ahold of Chanz Narmouth. They attempted to bind his hands while Candy went to pick up the knife he had tried to murder her friend with. It would be used as evidence when they tried him. Candy had the blade exposed as Chanz Narmouth shook off his jailers and came at Candy another time. He obviously did not see the knife in her hand as he charged toward her, impaling himself on his own blade. Candy stood in shock as she held the weapon embedded in Narmouth’s stomach. He fell on her, his mass bearing down on to her chest. For some reason she managed to stay on her feet with Narmouth leaning against her. Dead weight, literally and figuratively.

  “Release the knife, Candace,” a palace guard she had seen on several occasions spoke to her. “We saw the last part of the shuffle. He ran into his own blade.” Candy still held on to the weapon as if her life depended on it.

  “Candy,” Alex said. Her friend’s voice was shaky and she could see her hand trembling as she placed them around her wrist. “It is over. Let go of the knife and let us turn Narmouth’s body over to the authorities.”

  Shirl came up and stood beside her. She too grabbed Candy’s arm. Candy did not know why, but she continued to stand her ground. She did not know why she could not give up the weapon. Maybe part of her thought the dead man would come after her again.

  “Canny,” Tolfer was now beside her. “It is all right, I have you.” Alex gave up her position and went into Tarsea’s arms. The brothers had been watching over them while they were at lunch. Because of the commotion Chanz had created, they could not get to their soul mates in time.

  It was finally hearing Alex crying that brought Candy back to the here and now. She backed away from the weapon and the dead man who had been leaning on her. Once again she was covered with blood. Shirl had come over and offered her assistance in steadying Candy. Her legs all of a sudden became like Jello. The two backed her into her seat. She reached for the glass of wine she had been nursing and took a huge gulp of the beverage. Candy could barely hold the glass since her hands were overwhelmed with tremors.

  “Breathe, Canny,” Tolfer said. “You are holding your breath.” She had not been aware she stopped breathing. Candy took a deep cleansing breath, like the ones she took when she was working out with weights.

  “Are you in good enough shape to give a statement?” the guard who had talked to her earlier asked.

  Candy had heard the question but could not answer. The buzzing in her head was interrupted by Tolfer answering the guard. “Can you come over to the house later for the statement? She is covered in her attacker’s blood. My future sister-in-law is also hysterical. We need to get our girlfriends back to my mom’s house and calmed.”

  The officer looked at Candy and then Alex. “I think you are right. Candace looks like she could use a long hot shower and a stiff drink. We have had several complaints over the years about this one.” The officer gestured to the dead man at her feet. “We could never get any evidence of wrongdoing. Well, today we certainly have that and more. A restaurant full of people witnessed what happened and communicated it through the communal pathways. No amount of mind control manipulation is going to change the facts related to how he died.”

  “Let us go, Canny,” Tolfer said as he went to lift Candy’s elbow and bring her to her feet. Once again Shirl was there to give him assistance.

  “It’s over, Candy,” Shirl added. “Let’s get you home and into a nice hot shower. You can then crawl into bed and sleep or do whatever your little heart desires.”

  Her heart desired Tolfer. She needed him as badly as she needed to breathe. Without consideration to the blood that covered her tunic, Candy fell into Tolfer’s arms. “Let’s go home.”

  Tolfer held his soul mate. Candy seemed in shock. She barely responded to anything, while Alex was still falling apart. They needed to get the girls out of here and safely home. All eyes were on them as they shuffled to the restaurant’s exit. The communal pa
thways were overloaded with stories of Candy’s heroic deeds. She had saved Alex’s life today.

  As they entered the gathering place park he felt Candy’s legs give out. Tolfer knew she could not continue. He brought them both to their knees. Candy brought her arms around Tolfer’s neck. She buried her head into his neck and started to cry. A number of CT Guards had come to see if Candy was all right.

  They circled them to give their female comrade the privacy she needed. Tolfer knew Candy kept things tightly within her. She never leaned on anyone. It had been a lonely existence, even with Alex and Shirl there for her. Everything that had happened at the penal colony and today had finally caught up with her.

  “Let it all out, Canny,” Tolfer communicated through their private channel. “You are safe and loved. Lean on me for a change.” He knew he was the caregiver she needed. She was his strong, almost invisible, warrior woman. “You do not have to face everything alone anymore. Talk to me. Let me know what you are feeling. Release the anger, the guilt, or whatever is eating away at you.”

  She merely nodded against his shoulder. Her grip around his shoulder tightened as her tears subsided. “I need you to be strong for me, Tolfer,” she responded. “I don’t have any more to give. I’m ready, take me home.”

  Tolfer rose to his feet, taking Candy with him. They started toward his parents’ house. The CT Guards continued to be their body shields, running interference in case anyone tried to stop them. He was thankful when they finally reached their home.

  “Thank you for your aid this day,” Tolfer communicated through the communal pathways to the men who accompanied them home. Various comments were shared before they entered the house. Candy had gained their respect and adoration. They stood by their fellow CT Guard as the weight of everything she had been through finally brought her down. She had endured more than any of them ever had to go through.