"What did you do now, young lady?" Salma's voice asked in response.
As Ben and Vin passed the nurses' station, a blonde lady stopped them and handed Ben an unsealed envelope.
"I know I'm not supposed to do this, but since you have been working on them already, I thought you might want to see it. It arrived this morning. Salma was upset and told me to set it aside. She didn't want to deal with it until after her vacation."
"Thanks, Molly. Salma won't mind. She knows you've been keeping me in the loop. Besides, this is officially an on-going investigation. You're supposed to keep me posted," Ben replied graciously and glanced at the contents of the large envelope while he and Vin took a few steps away from the counter. When they were out of earshot, Ben resumed their conversation.
"You see? This is what I was talking about. It is another of those letters from the government. They demand that Salma meet with them to discuss her research, but refuse to identify themselves specifically. I don't know who they think they are, but I intend to find out."
Ben walked a bit faster, aggravation over the whole ordeal returning along with his worry for Salma. Vin increased his pace to keep up. They only got a few steps further before Ben stopped again, quite suddenly, to watch a breaking news story on the TV in the corner of the waiting room. The face and name which flashed on the screen caught his attention. Three prisoners had escaped from the state penitentiary an hour earlier. Two were still at large.
"What is it, Ben?" Vin asked. He did not see any of the names.
"Sam was one of the men who escaped."
"You mean Chief Matthews?"
"Yes. Seems our luck is not for the better today. Make sure you keep an eye out. He was pretty angry with us after the trial. Sam believes it was our testimony, rather than his own deeds, that put him away. As they were hauling him off, Sam swore Caeli and I would be sorry if he ever got out."
"Do you think he might come after Caeli?"
"Not directly. That would be too risky. But, it would not surprise me if he sends someone, and there is no telling who he may have hooked up with while he was in the pen. There is no end to the trouble he might cause if they don't apprehend him quickly," Ben answered.
Vin's brow furrowed. He did not like the thought of that. At least they would all be leaving town soon. That might be a good plan for keeping Caeli and Ben safe. Then again, Caeli would be much too far away if she should need his help. They watched the report a minute longer. As the anchor closed the story, they continued on to Salma's room.
Caeli looked over in surprise at the sound of Salma's voice. She was awake. Her eyes were open and clear. Salma gave Caeli a smile and then a puzzled look as Caeli moved quickly around the bed.
"Aunt Salma, oh, I'm so glad you're finally awake. Are you ok? Can I get you anything? I have to go get Ben. He has been so worried about you. He is going to be upset that he wasn't here when you woke." Caeli rambled again in her typical manner.
Before Caeli moved too far away, Salma reached out and caught her by the wrist.
"Caeli, what did you do?" Salma asked seriously.
"What do you mean? Are you talking about the little jolt? I guess it was wet hair versus electrical wires. I really am sorry, Salma. Did it hurt you?"
"No, it wasn't from the wires. It was from you. I felt energy flow from you, similar to when I use my gift. The only difference is that my energy doesn't heal, it only senses the problem. Now, do you want to tell me what you did?" Salma persisted.
"Honestly, I don't know, Salma. I thought I felt what you described, but how could that be? I share your bloodline, but I do not have such a gift. If anything, it was most likely your own gift drawing something from my kindred blood that you needed. If so, I'm glad to have helped. Whatever it was, I am very glad that it woke you," Caeli replied sincerely.
"It did more than that, and I am certain it came from you. But, we can talk about that later. It is good to see you, Caeli. It feels like you have been gone for such a long time," Salma said, intending to let the matter drop for now.
"Two weeks seemed like an eternity. Outside of the actual workshops, I was bored out of my mind. I am so happy to be home."
"You look like you've lost some weight, and there is something different about you. I can't put my finger on it. Are you sure you haven't discovered a new talent similar to mine?" Salma wondered.
"Salma, please; it wasn't me, at least not directly. If it wasn't the wires, it must have been you. And, yes, I have lost a few pounds. I didn't have much of an appetite while I was out of town. Call it homesickness if you like, but I did not eat as well as I should have. However, I think I can remedy that during our upcoming trip. It will be so much fun vacationing with you."
Caeli insisted that she did not do anything to aid Salma. She had neither an elemental gift like Vin's talent with the wind nor an empathic gift like Salma's ability to tell what was wrong with someone simply by touching them. However, Caeli did share Salma's ability to speak mentally with others who were close to her, especially Vin. Caeli had a tremendously strong mental link to Vin. If she had any empathic ability, it would be specifically linked to him. There were a few times when they could feel each other's emotions through their connection; but they both believed this bond came from Vin's well developed skillset, not from Caeli. They were probably correct. In fact, for the past six months, Vin had been teaching Caeli how the connection worked and exploring its potential with her.
Vin's skills were considerable, and his connection to Caeli seemed to grow stronger each time they used it. She was happy to let it stay that way. Such gifts were intriguing and could be helpful at times, but they could also be a burden. Caeli did not think she was missing out on anything. Since learning of her rare heritage, Caeli had not put forth any special effort to discover if she had a gift of her own. It did not matter to her. Her life was happy and complete without it.
"If you say so, but I'm not sure that I agree. I still find it difficult to believe that you did not inherit any talent at all. Maybe it is a new development. Maybe that is what I sense different about you. I suppose we will have to leave it be for now. What were you saying about Ben?"
"Oh! I need to go get him. He and Vin stepped out for a few minutes. I think Vin brought some information about the accident to share with him. Ben will want to know you're awake!"
Caeli moved toward the door as it opened inward, banging her forehead against the edge. Ben reached out and caught her as she stumbled backward, momentarily dazed. A small, purple knot was rapidly forming around a fresh cut over Caeli's left eye.
"Goodness! I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention," Ben apologized.
Once she was steady on her feet again, Caeli smiled at him and waved him over to Salma.
"Neither was I. I'm all right. I was on my way to find you. Look who finally decided to wake up."
Vin followed Ben into the room. As Ben hurried over to Salma, Vin examined the cut on Caeli's forehead with a slight grin.
"What's so funny?" Caeli asked.
Vin answered loud enough for Ben to hear.
"It seems you managed to get into mischief after all."
Ben couldn't restrain a laugh of his own at Vin's observation. Vin spent a few minutes longer with Ben and Salma, making sure that Salma was all right, and then decided it would be best to give the couple some privacy. Vin understood how he would feel in Ben's place. He did not want to intrude any longer than necessary. They were probably going to have to stay at the hospital for a while.
"I am going to take Caeli home. We will send the doctor in as we leave."
After giving Ben the information about where she parked his jeep and a brief round of well wishes, Caeli left the room with Vin. Knowing that his friends were all right, Vin turned his thoughts to Caeli. This was the first time he had seen her in two weeks.
"Hey, Doll. How are you feeling?"
Ben was alone at Salma's bedside once again, smiling this time. He noticed that the cut on her forehead had f
inally stopped bleeding. In fact, he didn't think it looked as bad as when he left the room fifteen minutes earlier. Of course, he could not see the wound beneath the fresh bandage, but the swelling was definitely diminished.
"I feel fine, maybe a little sore. I guess that's to be expected after a crunch like that. Ben, can you raise this bed up, so that I can talk to you without feeling like an invalid? I can see why my patients don't like lying flat like this. It feels like I am being interrogated, though it seems I have the right man for the job." Salma smiled up at Ben as he used the electronic control to raise the upper portion of the bed.
"There you go. Now I can see your lovely smile," Ben said as he leaned over to give Salma a kiss.
"Ben, when did you get here? I seem to recall you and Caeli being at my car right after the crash. Why was she all wet?"
"Easy, Love. Are you sure you are up for all this conversation right away?"
"Yes, really, I'm perfectly fine. It was merely a little bump on the head."
They were interrupted as a short man in a white lab coat walked in with a medical file in his hand.
"Well, this is certainly a change of pace, Dr. Erickson. I am not pleased to see you on that side of the chart, but it is good to see you awake. How do you feel? Any pain?"
"No. As I was telling Ben, I feel fine, Dr. Nelson. I'm just a little sore."
"Are you experiencing any dizziness or blurred vision?"
"No."
"Headache?"
"No. I feel good, all things considered."
"Amazing! Well, I would like to monitor you for a few more hours to be on the safe side. I would say that physically, now that you're awake, you seem fine. Aside from that cut on your head and the swell…well, would you look at that? Even the swelling seems to have gone down." The doctor performed a few neurological exams and asked several more questions.
"You are very lucky, Salma. This could have been a lot worse. If the swelling had not gone down so quickly; if you had not come around in the next few hours…well, I'm glad you're all right. I think you are going to be fine. Rest for a while, and I will come back to check on you later. If everything is still normal, I will let this fine man of yours get you out of here later this evening."
"Thank you, Mike."
The doctor walked out of the room, and Salma looked over at Ben, who had sat patiently while Salma was being examined.
"Now, how about filling me in on the details? How is it that you were at my car?" Salma asked.
"I was driving Caeli back from the airport. We were approaching the red light to your right at the intersection. You were halfway through the left turn out of the parking lot when your car was hit by a van running the red light to your left. He hit you first, which knocked your car out of the intersection, and then he swerved over into our lane. I ran up on the curb to avoid a head on collision. The passenger's side of my jeep busted the fire hydrant in the process. I was going to pursue the van, but Caeli caught sight of you first. Two other units were already after it, and Caeli hopped out to rush to your aid. That's when she got drenched. We have been here ever since. You have been out for well over an hour," Ben explained.
"The doctors were worried because I didn't wake up; they told you the longer it took for me to wake up, the worse it could be."
Ben nodded to confirm the prognosis he was given.
"They were right, of course. If they found nothing else wrong with me, the only other plausible explanation would be some sort of damage to my brain that they couldn't fully assess while I was unconscious. They could only wait for me to wake up. That is never good. The longer a brain injury goes untreated, the worse it could get. Since I woke up within a few hours, it is actually a very good sign that I'm fine." Salma seemed to be reassuring herself that she was not seriously injured, and that her diagnosis was correct.
Ben leaned over and kissed her again, interrupting her rambling. Salma was quiet after that. He returned to his seat, still smiling. Salma enjoyed seeing Ben smile.
"Sometimes, you are very much like that niece of yours. Why don't you try to rest until I can take you home? Let me take care of you this once. At least, let me pretend to be in charge. I will handle the worrying for both of us right now, Mrs. Erickson."
CHAPTER 4
A sharp pain in her side roused Caeli from the comfort of her favorite resting spot about thirty minutes before the alarm was set to go off. She quietly scooted off Vin's shoulder and out from under the arm he had wrapped around her shoulders, trying not to disturb him while he slept. She had been awake for quite a while, thinking about upcoming events while she waited patiently for Vin to wake or for the alarm to buzz. Caeli made her way across the dark bedroom and closed the door of the adjacent bathroom as she slipped inside. The cramp in her side began to ease as she moved around, but her stomach took control of the complaint department.
Last night, Vin had taken her out to dinner so that she would not have to cook the night before her trip. They went to a steakhouse in town they had eaten at a few times before. She debated between the Saturday night fresh catch and a baked chicken fettuccini, one of her favorites. Normally, Caeli would have chosen the pasta without hesitation. However, she was feeling adventurous and chose the fish instead. Vin warned her that it was probably not a good idea. She thought, how bad can it be? Caeli was now regretting that decision. After several unpleasant waves of nausea, she finally began to feel better. Soon, her stomach calmed and the queasiness settled. Caeli brushed her teeth and, as quietly as possible, fumbled in a bag that she pulled out of a cabinet. She retrieved a box purchased at the drugstore, followed the instructions, and then returned to bed ten minutes later.
Caeli sighed happily as she worked her way back into Vin's warm embrace. There was still fifteen minutes before either of them was required to get up; even still, they would be up well before the sun this Sunday morning. Yet, her excitement about the upcoming trip made it difficult for Caeli to lie still. She adjusted her head, tossing her long, chestnut hair out of her eyes to look up at Vin's face. His arm around her shoulders instinctively pulled her inward, drawing her closer as he continued to sleep. She ran her fingers along the strong line of his jaw as the dim blue glow from his alarm clock played against his handsome face.
Caeli smiled as Vin's chest began to shake lightly and she noticed that he was now looking down at her and laughing softly.
"What's so funny?" She asked as Vin bent down to kiss her.
"You are. You cannot lie there without waking me, can you? What's a guy got to do to get a few extra minutes of sleep around you?" Vin teased.
"I'm sorry. It must be your irresistible charm," she said flirtatiously.
"Or, perhaps, you simply can't stand to let me sleep at least until the sun comes up. Just because you're a morning person doesn't mean I should be," Vin continued to joke with her as he extracted himself and sat up, tossing his feet off the edge of the bed and flipping on a light switch on the wall. He reached over to his nightstand and turned off the alarm before it sounded. Vin picked up the water glass from his nightstand and gulped down a few swallows to clear the dryness from this throat. Looking over his shoulder at Caeli, he asked about her earlier trip to the bathroom.
"Are you ok? I was about to come check on you when you came sneaking back into bed. I was hoping it meant you were going to sleep in another half an hour."
"Oh, so you weren't really asleep then? I should have known. You are just trying to make me feel guilty for waking you so that I might be inclined to fix you breakfast."
"Well, you can't blame a guy for trying; and, if you must, then blame it on my addiction to your pancakes," Vin hinted, still hoping she might be enticed to cook. However, he also reminded her that she still hadn't answered his original question.
"Yes, I'm fine now. Turns out you were right about dinner last night. Remind me never to risk a good meal on a fish special ever again. I think it was still trying to swim away," she answered with a smile. Before he could reply, Cael
i reached up and pulled Vin back onto the bed facing the opposite direction.
"Wait right here. I have a surprise for you."
Caeli hopped up, hurried into the bathroom, and closed the door with a girlish giggle. Vin could hear her rushing around inside. He smiled to himself at her excitement. He loved how she took such pleasure in the simplest things. Vin loved to see Caeli so happy. She was almost glowing this morning, except for the slight tint of green and the tiniest remainder of the bruise over her left eye.
While he lay there, Vin recalled a time six months earlier when such happiness had eluded her. He almost died and Caeli had been cruelly tortured in a madman's futile attempt to force Vin to use his ability to manipulate the wind to do his bidding. But, with the help of a few friends, they overcame the threat and found a way back to each other.
Vin remembered, with sorrow and a touch of veiled anger, the events that had changed their lives. He vividly recalled the details of the car wreck that sent him, temporarily, to the other side of the barrier between life and death; memories of the subsequent quest to prevent Deacon Antonius, Caeli's grandfather, from destroying that barrier were just as sharp. The events were permanently embedded in Vin's mind. He was certain that Antonius would never trouble them or anyone else ever again and assumed the deacon's students scattered to remote locations after the battle. Unfortunately, Vin's embittered and misguided half-sister, Dalla, was killed before he ever had the opportunity to know her. And his own father, who allowed Vin to be put up for adoption at birth, died the very night the ordeal began. Vin did not feel any sense of loss, nor did he grieve for the stranger. Having grown up in a succession of foster homes and repeated stints at St. Anthony's orphanage, Vin never considered his biological father to be a member of his family. He was certainly never a part of Vin's life.
Discovering the knowledge of his special heritage had come at a terrible price. It hurt Caeli deeply and nearly cost Vin his life as well. Knowing, now, that the blood flowing through his veins carried an innate attenuation to the forces of the wind, and how that connection helped maintain the barrier, was a responsibility Vin carried willingly. It was the choice he made when he decided to save Caeli instead of exacting vengeance on Antonius.
Wrath of the Sea Queen Page 3