Hunter watched her gather her supplies and walk to the bathroom, tossing a seductive smile over her shoulder. He took two steps, intending to join her when the door slammed shut. With a sigh, he raked a hand through his hair. With no television or internet, he was going to go crazy. How did these people live without contact with the outside world? More importantly, why, when they didn’t have to?
He lifted the lid of his suitcase and started filling drawers with his clothes. Hopefully they wouldn’t be here long, but they needed to make it look like they planned on staying. Once the suitcase was empty, he placed it beside the dresser so he’d have easy access to the hidden cell.
Talia finished quickly and when she opened the door and stepped out, all fresh and dewy, her hair pulled into a high ponytail, he closed the distance and swept her in his arms again. He could care less if anyone was watching. If he didn’t touch her he’d die.
She broke the kiss this time, patting his chest like one would an errant puppy. “Your turn.” She moved past him and his eyes followed the movement. She wore a long t-shirt that completely covered her, but now he wanted to know what she wore underneath, if anything.
He jumped into the shower—cold—and quickly lathered up. He considered taking matters into his own hand and decided it would be better than lying next to Talia all night in a painful state of arousal. He pictured her light green eyes glazed with passion. Her plump pink lips, slick and dewy from his kisses. The taste of her: minty fresh. The smell: flowers and sunshine. It didn’t take long for the images to work their magic and he came in a blinding rush. It’d been necessary but totally unfulfilling. He rinsed, turned the taps off and stepped out of the shower.
Talia had taken up much of the space on the counter with girly products that he’d bet a year’s salary she didn’t use. She didn’t need them. But they would go along with the image of a pampered heiress. He wondered what they would do when she ran out of products if they were actually committed to the cult? And what about things like feminine products and underwear? He wouldn’t trust Clint and Rob to shop for such intimate items. How did the other women in the cult handle it?
After drying off and running a towel over his wet hair, he shaved and brushed his teeth. He dressed in a t-shirt and pair of boxers, more than he usually wore to bed. The shower might’ve taken the edge off, but he was hard again thinking about climbing under the sheets next to Talia. Holding her in his arms. Running his fingers through her silky hair. With a deep breath and more than a little excited anticipation, he opened the door.
Talia was fast asleep.
Chapter Thirteen
“I’m sorry that your initial impression of our family was one of tragedy,” Elijah remarked the next morning as they met with him in his cabin. It was larger than the one she shared with Hunter, with a seating area that included a large couch and two side chairs. “Demons drove Sister Nadine to take her life.”
More like one demented killer, she thought. Possibly the man in front of them.
He refilled Hunter’s coffee mug and set the pot down on the table. One of the women had arrived shortly after them bearing a tray of coffee, orange juice and a selection of baked goods. Talia almost moaned when she took a bite of a cinnamon roll. Whoever made this was undoubtedly a world-class pastry chef.
“How did you find your accommodations, Sister Tina?” Elijah asked, his eyes intent on her. She was embarrassed to realize she’d closed her eyes in ecstasy as flavors exploded on her tongue. She cleared her throat. “They are very nice. Thank you.”
“Aside from the unfortunate incident, is this environment one you are both comfortable with? Do you feel like you can get along with the other members of the flock?”
Elijah was leering at her…that was the only way to describe it. She didn’t usually play up her femininity. Her normal routine was hair scraped into a ponytail and no makeup. The one concession she’d always had to being female was her shampoo. The brand she used made her hair soft and shiny and smelled like jasmine and flowers. For this job, she needed to look like a socialite, so she fixed her hair and applied makeup. It annoyed her that it took her so long to get ready. And, it brought unwanted attention, like the man in front of her. She took her cue from Hunter and they both nodded. “Yes.”
“Good. Good.” He smiled. “You might have noticed that several of the sisters are blessed with child. It is my goal to have the next generation of Lightkeepers fill our compound, running free with love in their hearts. They won’t know the dangers of the outside world where murders and rapists and drug dealers run rampant.” Talia almost snorted at this since a murderer was running rampant inside the compound. “It is the duty of every married couple to contribute to the perseverance of the Keepers of the Light. Brother Henry, Sister Tina, I would like you to have a child as soon as possible.”
Talia’s uterus contracted at his words. The thought of having Hunter’s baby had her heart picking up speed, as if it just managed to hop on board as a bullet train took off for parts unknown. A chubby boy with a mop of blond hair or maybe a little girl with his gray eyes. She was having trouble pulling air into her lungs. As if sensing her internal conflict, Hunter grasped her hand and squeezed. She met his eyes and he smiled. For a moment, she forgot Elijah was in the room, the assignment they were on and everything else in the world but him. His words jarred her from her daze.
“We’ll certainly do our part.”
Somehow, she managed to smile and nod her agreement.
Elijah clapped his hands together. “I knew you were the perfect choice. You’ll both be asked to contribute to the community, with whatever skills you possess. Please check out our facilities, see what holes need to be filled and pitch in where you can. We have several areas where help would be appreciated.” He turned to Hunter. “Now that our family is complete, I won’t be leaving the compound as much as I did before. I do need to close the Church of Light in Denver. With your experience as a bodyguard, Brother Henry, I would appreciate it if you would accompany me into town to take care of this important task.”
“I’d be honored.”
Talia squeezed his hand, wanting to call him out for being a suck-up. But he was doing his part and it worked out well for her. Maybe she’d be able to approach the target while they were away.
“I’d like to leave as soon as our meeting is over so we can be back in time for tonight’s sermon,” Elijah said. “Sister Tina, I’ll ask one of the sisters to stay with you today.”
“Actually, I would like to explore on my own, if that is okay? I saw a lovely statue of the Virgin Mary I wanted to visit.”
“That’s fine. You are free to do what you would like. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. Everyone here would be more than happy to assist you.”
“Thank you, I will.” Hunter walked her to the door and kissed her goodbye.
“Be careful,” he whispered.
“I will miss you, too, darling,” she said, loud enough for Elijah to hear since he was openly watching them say goodbye.
She turned and walked from Elijah’s cabin. She hadn’t been lying when she said she wanted to check out the statue she’d caught a glimpse of as Joan led her to the park for Nadine’s funeral. It looked as if it was carved of marble. But the first task on her list was a visit with Margaret.
Her normal gait was fast, but she forced her steps to slow. She tended to plow ahead with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop. She wanted to look as if she had all the time in the world as she explored the compound. She paused to appreciate a pot filled with colorful flowers and vines, and another that held a bubbling fountain. Someone had gone to quite a bit of trouble to make the grounds beautiful, and they succeeded.
As she meandered along the path, she enjoyed the peacefulness of the setting. She didn’t often take time to smell the roses, literally. The air was fresh, and birds chirped joyful melodies from the treetops. Though she was here on a job, she enjoyed the feelings of serenity. It would be a lovely place to pu
ll out her yoga mat and connect with nature.
She navigated a bend in the path and if her calculation was correct, Margaret’s cabin would soon come into view. Hopefully Elijah would take Rob and Clint along so she could talk to their target alone. She was dismayed to see the two men standing outside Margaret’s cabin, deep in conversation. When they spotted her, they both turned to her with creepy leers. She nodded and dropped her gaze to her feet, trying to look meek while picking up her pace.
“Hey, now, Tina, where are you running off to in such a hurry?”
“Just taking a walk,” she said, not glancing in their direction or slowing her steps.
She gasped in surprise when Rob grabbed her arm, jerking her to a stop. “You trying to ignore us or something? You think you’re better than us?”
Talia’s reflexes were to strike and disable. She wanted to render Rob incapable of ever fathering a child or eating with his natural teeth, but she fought the urge. As it was, his bruising grip would leave marks. He pulled her closer and she stumbled until she was plastered against his body—his very aroused body. She decided losing her job was worth the amputation of Rob’s manhood with her bare hands. And she knew how to accomplish it in the most painful way possible. “Remove your hand—”
“Sister Tina! How are you this morning?”
Rob released her so fast she tripped, barely catching herself before she hit the dirt. Saved by Joan. She wiped the murderous glare from her face and turned to the other woman with a bright smile. “Good morning, Sister Joan.”
“Hi, hon.” Clint pecked a kiss on Joan’s cheek. “Have a good day.” He strolled off and Talia’s hopes soared that Rob would join him, leaving Margaret alone. To her dismay, Rob headed inside his cabin and closed the door. She huffed out a sigh.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, Sister Tina, do you sing?”
She turned to Joan, trying not to let the frustration she felt show in her face. “I do sing, just not in the proper key.”
Joan tinkled a laugh. “Do you play an instrument?”
She could make a ten-inch, serrated K-Bar tactical knife sing like a maestro, if that counted. Somehow, she doubted it. “I am afraid I do not.”
“Well, that’s okay. We have a musical group and choir led by Janine, the woman who played violin at the funeral. You remember her?”
“I do. She was amazing.”
“She is,” Joan agreed. “She used to play professionally. We practice twice a week if you’re interested.”
“Thank you. I will keep that in mind.”
Joan hoisted a basket laden with hand tools, drawing her attention to the other woman. She wore a floppy straw hat and gloves. “I’m off to take care of the flowers. I love gardening.”
Talia noted all the blooms that sprouted from pots and containers in a riot of color. “You do a wonderful job.”
“You’re so sweet. Thank you. Would you like to help me? I can always use an extra set of hands.”
Talia’s thumb was more black than green. She tended to kill plants, but then, she was rarely home to take care of one. “Thank you for the offer, but I think I am going to wander, get a feel for the area.”
“Oh, I completely understand. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to find me.”
“Thank you, Joan,” she said, meaning it. The woman might be batshit for throwing her lot in with a maniac, but there was no denying she was nice.
After they parted ways, she wandered along the path observing the buildings she passed, trying to look inconspicuous as she mapped out the terrain in her head. She heard the high-pitched whizz of a saw somewhere in the distance and as she passed the structure that housed the kitchen and dining hall, decadent aromas filled the air. Her cooking was right on par with her gardening. She sucked at both.
The verdant canopy of trees provided protection from the sun, but it also served to dry out the grass, causing it to brown in spots. Despite the lack of green, hearty flowers bloomed everywhere, no doubt thanks to Joan. Elijah must have installed some type of hidden sprinkler system to keep the flowers watered as well.
She was nearing the bend at the far end of the compound when she almost crashed into a young girl.
“Oh, I am sorry,” she said, her arms shooting out to steady the girl. That’s when she discovered the girl was older than she thought…late teens or early twenties…and she possessed the upward-sloping eyes and flattened nose that indicated Down Syndrome. Her short stature was what made Talia think she was a child.
“You aren’t supposed to see me,” the girl said with distress. She covered her face with her hands. “You don’t see me. I’m not here. I’m invisible.”
Talia gently removed her hands from her face. “Yes, I do see you. You are very pretty. Why should you stay hidden?”
The girl studied her quizzically. “You think I’m pretty?”
“I do.”
“That’s not what other people say. They call me mean names and make fun of me.”
Talia always assumed the day God passed out female traits like sensitivity and compassion, she’d been absent. Probably at the shooting range. But a protectiveness surged inside her, much the same she felt when she held her half-sister for the first time. She wanted to wrap her arms around this girl…no, not a girl, but a young woman…and protect her from all the evil in the world.
“Richie told me not to listen to them,” she continued, unaware of Talia’s swirling emotions, “but words hurt. He doesn’t like for me to be upset, so he makes me stay hidden. No one is ever supposed to see me. I’m usually better at hiding but I didn’t hear you.”
Talia knew one of the symptoms of Down Syndrome might be hearing loss. She seethed at the callousness of humans while searching her brain to remember any of the men she’d met named Richie. It didn’t ring any bells. “Who is Richie?”
The girl slapped a hand over her mouth, her round eyes dominating her face. “I-I don’t know. I have to go.” She spun to leave.
“Wait,” Talia called after her. “We’re friends now, and I don’t even know your name.”
The girl stopped and turned, her head tilted. “You want to be my friend?”
“Very much so.”
She held her hands out, palms up. “Why?”
Talia smiled. “Because I think you are sweet and I like you.”
The girl’s face scrunched into a confused mask. “I am sweet,” she agreed without an ounce of guile, “but you don’t know me.”
“I want to.”
Her head bobbed from side to side. “I don’t have friends.”
That must be so lonely. “You do now. Me. What is your name?”
“Tilly. It’s short for Matilda.”
“That is a very beautiful name, Tilly. I’ll tell you what. We will keep our friendship a secret so you do not get in trouble with Richie. Okay? Can you keep a secret?”
Tilly’s eyes widened, and she nodded. “I’m very good at keeping secrets. I know lots and I don’t tell. Besides, I don’t like to get in trouble with Richie.”
“My name is Tal…Tina.” She’d almost given the girl her real name. That could’ve been disastrous. Especially if Tilly slipped and told Richie, whoever he was.
“Taltina? What kind of name is that?”
Talia chuckled, genuinely liking this sweet, naïve girl. “I had something in my throat. It’s just Tina.”
“Oh. Tina. Okay. I’ve heard of that name. It’s pretty, too.”
“Why, thank you, Tilly. Hey, both of our names start with t. That means we were meant to be friends.”
“Really?” Tilly asked dubiously. “Because I knew someone named Tammy and she was mean to me. Her name starts with a T and we weren’t meant to be friends.”
Hum, how to get out of this one. “Well, starting now, then.”
“Okay.”
Talia smiled. “What are you doing today, Tilly. Do you want to walk with me and look at all the pretty flowers?”
Tilly’s head swished from sid
e to side. “Oh, no. I can’t be seen. I shouldn’t even be here. Richie will kill me.”
“We are not going to tell him, remember?”
Tilly slapped her forehead. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot.”
Talia hoped she didn’t forget when she came face to face with Richie. “That’s okay. We all forget things. We could just sit on this rock and talk.”
“I can’t. I’ve been gone too long. They’ll miss me, and they might tell Richie.”
This was becoming more intriguing as they talked. “Who is they?”
Tilly bit down on her bottom lip so hard, Talia was afraid she’d draw blood. “No one. I have to go, Tina.”
“Wait,” she called out when Tilly turned to leave. She was desperate to see the girl again, if only to make sure Richie didn’t punish her. “How about we meet back here tomorrow at the same time to talk, Tilly? Would you like that?”
Tilly nodded vigorously, her brown hair bobbing. “You really want to be my friend?”
“I do.”
“Okay, friend. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye, Tilly.”
Tina watched the girl leave, waiting for her to move a few feet down the path before she followed. She tried to tell herself she was just watching out for Tilly, but she wanted to see where she went, find out who Richie was if she could. Tilly shouldn’t have to live her life hidden from others. So she was different? So what. Everyone was different in one way or another.
Tilly walked faster than Talia anticipated, and she had to pick up her steps. She turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks. She slowly twisted in a complete circle, scanning the area. The deserted area.
Tilly had vanished into thin air.
Total Surrender Page 10