Clue and The Shrine of the Widowed Bride (Clue Taylor Book 1)

by Wendie Nordgren

Looking up into Gregory’s eyes, I said, “After what I’ve experienced here today, I’m not sure turning the Eye of Kiyohime over to the man who has my father is the right thing to do.”

  Gregory helped me up. “Let’s get your jacket and talk about it on the way back to the port.”

  I secured the pearl inside of its bag and into an inner pocket of my jacket. I was grateful for the arm Gregory wrapped around my back. From my broken nose down to my feet, I hurt. Gregory’s father scrambled from the boat and down the pier when he saw us.

  “Did she fall?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  Once we were onboard, Gregory’s mother took me into the cabin and latched the door. A small sitting area gave way to a tiny kitchen. Four bunks and a small room with a waste unit and sink were at the end.

  “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes.”

  I sat on a simple little chair while she pulled off my wet holey shoes. Then, she had me stand. When we discovered that the cuts from the rocks combined with being soaked made removing my leggings a miserable activity, she carefully cut me out of them with a sharp knife. That was when I realized that I had lost Winks’ blaster. I put my jacket on the back of the chair and removed Tadashi’s T-shirt and my bra in exchange for a large towel.

  I hissed in a breath when she began cleaning my salt water filled cuts and scrapes. When she had my newest injuries all cleaned and bandaged, she carefully removed the loose tape over my nose. Then, she gave me one of her nightgowns. I put my jacket on over it and closed up the front.

  I could feel the pearl pressing against me through my jacket under my left breast. The metal knuckles weighted down my pockets. Gregory’s mother made a large pot of coffee and wrapped me in a blanket. Then, we joined the others on the deck where I shared with them everything that had happened. Gregory collaborated everything that he could of my story.

  “What are you going to do?” Gregory’s father asked.

  “I don’t know. I’ll tell you what I want to do.”

  “What’s that?” Gregory asked with concerned blue eyes.

  With the light of the moon, I could still make out the rosy hue of his lips and the black of his wavy hair. I felt a gentle stirring in my heart for him and then felt ashamed of myself for it. He had sworn himself to Palena, who I was beginning to consider a friend of sorts. Then, there was Tadashi. I took a deep breath and let the warmth of my coffee filled cup seep into me through my fingers.

  “I want to give Kiyohime back her pearl, but I don’t know how.”

  Gregory and his parents exchanged glances. His father gave a nod of his head. “Aside from local lore, there’s no real way to be sure of the place, but we’ll help you.”

  Looking from face to face, I asked, “This is the right thing to do. Isn’t it?”

  “I saw a dead island spring to life, bloom, and change to the colors of fall in the span of heartbeats. Something happened at the Shrine of the Widowed Bride. Anyone travelling there will know it. You should trust your instincts. Father, from what she has mentioned, I know of the man holding Clue’s father. I don’t want you or mother involved. Drop us off near a boat rental. I’ll take her there. We’ll be fine. Trust me.”

  The man nodded. “I’ll agree with one exception. I’ll drop you off near a boat rental. No one has seen the two of you together. You can come out to us and pick her up. The girl is in no condition to be hiking down the beach.”

  “Anyway, her shoes are ruined,” his mother added.

  Chapter Ten

  I watched the waves as I waited for Gregory. Finally, he came into view. Gregory’s father practically handed me into his ready arms. Gregory cradled me to his chest as he placed me into the padded passenger seat of the racing boat and fastened me into it.

  “May the Goddess of the Ocean Waves be with you, son.”

  “And with you and mother,” Gregory said as he darted us forward.

  The wind whipped my auburn hair about my head and made my eyes stream. I tucked the nightgown under my thighs so as not to give Gregory a free show. Yelling to be heard, I said, “I’m impressed. You know how to fish and sail a boat.”

  Grinning, he said, “I’ve lived my entire life on the ocean. I’m sure I’d be impressed with everything you know about living in space.”

  I lifted my feet to the seat and tucked the hem of the nightgown over them. The gown was white with little bunches of pink flowers on it. Gregory slowed the boat and began searching for something.

  “Can I help?”

  “No, there are a series of caves along the coast. I’m looking for the one rumored to be haunted by Kiyohime.” Pointing, he said, “I think that may be it.”

  “It doesn’t look like people come here often.” I thought that the small porous cave might almost be the size of Mrs. Stone’s garage. Clumps of seaweed and other debris cluttered the entrance.

  “No one comes out here. The fishing is bad, and the current is strong.” Gregory steered us up onto the beach and powered down the boat. He exchanged a nervous look with me.

  “According to what I read, I simply need to find one of her rocks and leave her pearl. It sounds easy enough, right?”

  Gregory appeared doubtful. He climbed up on the side and jumped from the boat making a splash. I could see his head and shoulders and worried about getting out. However, Gregory trotted over to my side of the boat. I unfastened my safety belt and stood in the seat. Then, carefully, I sat on the edge of the boat.

  “Put your arms around my neck. There you go. I’ve got you.”

  Gregory held me in his strong arms as he carried me from the boat, through the water, and to the sand. I noticed the black stubble across his cheeks, the curve of his ear, and the traces of sand on his neck. The warmth of his chest seeped into my left hip, and my heart rate sped. Part of me regretted it when he put me down. I cleared my throat and stared down at my bare feet in the sand so he wouldn’t see my blush. His soft chuckle told me that my ploy hadn’t worked making me blush harder. Gregory reached down for my left hand.

  “I think it’s this way,” he said.

  We walked along the beach hand in hand. I continued to watch my steps. The seaweed was cold and crunchy under my feet.

  “You’re right. It does feel eerie here,” I said as we stepped into the cave’s entrance. Gregory’s hand felt warm, dry, and calloused against my own. Blushing again, I released his strong fingers. “I guess we should look around.”

  The hum of a fully charged blaster echoed against the walls of the cave. “The Boss was right. He thought you might show up here. My question is are you looking for the Eye of Kiyohime, or do you have it?”

  My would-be rapist from the alley in Dorado and former kidnapper had his blaster aimed at Gregory. His light-brown hair was going in all directions, and he had an evil smug expression on his face.

  “Don’t shoot. We’re unarmed,” Gregory calmly stated.

  “Oh, I’m going to shoot you. Then, I’m going to finish what the girl and I started the other night. She’s a tease this one.”

  “You jumped me, pulled me into an alley, and tried to rape me, you perverted piece of shit. How does that make me a tease?”

  The man spat on the cave floor. “I’ll tell you what. Give me the Eye, and I won’t kill your little priest friend. I’ll just stun him really good. For example,” he said as he quickly aimed and fired at Gregory.

  “No!” I screamed as Gregory clutched his stomach and fell amid the seaweed.

  Then, the gangster was upon me with his left hand digging into my arm through the sleeve of my leather jacket. He shoved the nozzle of the blaster under my jaw jabbing it into my neck and forcing my face up to his. Leering, he brought his mouth down to mine and forced his tongue into my mouth. I bit him. He yanked his mouth away from mine and delivered a staggering blow to the side of my head. His grip on my left arm kept me from falling.

  “Ow, you stupid fucking bitch.” Shaking me hard, he yelled, “Where is it?”

&nbs
p; “I’ve got it in my pocket.” I reached my hand into my side pocket, slipped my fingers through the metal rings, and then brought my fisted hand out with all of my strength slamming the metal knuckles into his temple.

  Angered, he slammed me into the cave wall. I kicked him repeatedly. He looked down at my ineffectual bare feet and laughed. Suddenly, Gregory had an arm around the man’s throat and a grip on his blaster hand. The blaster fired sending rocks from the cave ceiling raining down on us. I covered my head and tried to escape the men’s powerful struggle. Hurling myself away from them to avoid being crushed, I stumbled and screamed when a stray blaster shot sent more rocks falling.

  With my eyes squeezed shut while I tried to run, I didn’t notice the rock until the four little toes of my right foot let me know about it. My pinky toe was particularly vocal. I fell onto my right side, grabbed my foot, and said every bad word I knew.

  Then, I realized reality had shifted and dared to open my eyes only to find two sets of human eyes staring at me from within two large sea serpents who were prepared to strike. Their scales appeared black to me, and their tongues darted in and out as their long thick bodies swayed. In unison, they turned their heads away from me to look back from whence they had come. I began to slowly inch away.

  “Who disrespects my solitude?” asked and angry female voice with a hiss of sound.

  From the darkness, she came into view. Long black hair fell to her hips and hid her breasts. Her eyes were blood red with black vertical slits in their centers. She propelled herself forward on a muscular black tail that she coiled as she stopped in front of me.

  “Kiyohime, I mean no disrespect. Please, forgive my intrusion. I came to return what’s yours.”

  Kiyohime laughed. “Nothing has ever truly been mine, little girl.” I made a move to unfasten my jacket, and the two serpents darted forward, fangs bared, prepared to strike. “Hold.” The serpents hid their fangs but circled around me. The tips of the tongues darted out to touch my cheeks. Cold shivers of fear had me shaking and making distressed noises that I tried in vain to suppress. “Show me what you have brought to me, little girl. If it pleases me, I won’t feed you to my pets. Did a man scorn you? Did you bring to me offerings and prayers for retribution?”

  With shaking hands, I opened my jacket and pulled the dirty bag from my pocket. I shuddered as the serpents’ tongues continued to dart out to touch my neck and hair. My fear had me crying and fumbling with the bag. Finally managing to open it, I slid the large pink pearl out and onto my palm. Closing my eyes tight in fear and lowering my head, I cupped my left hand under my right to steady my trembling hand, and held the pearl up to Kiyohime. She issued forth a long loud hiss. I could hear her scales on the sand as she slithered closer.

  “What is this? It cannot be.” I felt her cold fingers brush across my wrists as she took the pearl from my palm. “You have served me well to return my pearl to me. What is it you wish?”

  I lowered my hands, kept my head down, and my eyes closed. “A possessed man holds my father prisoner. The man wants to destroy your pearl. He tried to kill me. I found the pearl and decided that if it was your property that I should try to return it to you.”

  Kiyohime’s hiss became more of a purr. “For returning my pearl to me, I will allow you to live. Go before I change my mind.”

  The two sea serpents moved from their positions to either side of me to return to their mistress. Scrambling backwards on all fours, I managed to stand and run. The pain from my stubbed toes was insignificant to my horror. The men were rolling around in the sand in front of the cave pummeling each other with ferocious blows. When Gregory rolled to the sand with our attacker on top of him, I jumped on the man’s back and struck him as hard as I could in the back of the head with the metal knuckles that had managed to remain on my fingers throughout my ordeal. Momentarily stunned, he fell from Gregory to the sand shaking his head in confusion.

  Gregory looked around and through me. As soon as I grabbed his hand, reality shifted back again forcing me to draw in a deep breath.

  “Run!” I cried in a terrified voice that sent Gregory into action.

  I pumped my legs as hard as I could to keep up. Gregory slowed, swept my legs out from under me, and held me while he broke out into a much faster run. Lifting me up into the boat, he shoved it from the beach and into the water. Then, he jumped onto the front of the boat and slid into his seat. My nose began to throb. Gregory sped the boat away from the shore. I didn’t know how far away we needed to be to avoid blaster fire. After cringing in my seat for a while, I found the courage to turn and look. All I could see was blue ocean.

  “Did we lose him?” I yelled over the wind.

  “Let’s hope so.”

  The boat lifted and fell on the waves. My head began to pound in time with the boat as it lifted and hit the water. I managed to hold onto a rail and vomit over the side and into the wind. Then, as mercy would have it, I passed out from the pain of a third reality shift that had been too close to the others.

  I dreamed that I napped on soft dry sand under a warm sun. A gentle breeze kept my naked skin from becoming too warm. Beautiful voices sang to me. I strained to understand the words, knowing if I could get closer, I would understand. While looking for the song’s source, my lids drifted open.

  I wasn’t on a beach. I was lying in a bed in a large room made of bamboo. Long white drapes blew in and out of the windows and the sound of gently lapping waves surrounded me. Under me, I felt clean white sheets, and beside me was a luxurious warmth which I burrowed into before drifting off again to sleep. When I awoke again, I stretched out against the warmth and cuddled against it. Moving my hands along the source of my comfort, I felt soft hair caress between my fingers and snuggled closer. I rubbed my legs against the soft hairy legs beside me and froze. The legs I cradled with my own did not feel like Tadashi’s legs.

  “Good morning,” Gregory said. He shifted over onto his side and smiled at me. He had a black eye and a bruised jaw. Gregory began combing through my hair with his fingers. “You look like a sweet little sea nymph when you sleep, albeit a bruised one.”

  Gregory had a soft smile on his rosy lips. His eyes reminded me of the deep blue of the ocean far out where he and his father had caught the tuna. His black hair curled away from his forehead. I lifted my right hand to the side of his face and wished he would kiss me. Gregory shifted as he cupped the back of my head in his hand and brought his lips down to mine. His gentle kiss created a powerful ache between my thighs. I slid my hands along his warm muscled sides and held him to me parting my legs to hold him closer. I could feel his hardness pressing against me. Through my delicate folds, I could feel him throbbing, and I moaned rubbing against him.

  Gregory removed his lips from mine and rested our foreheads together. His breathing was labored. Then, he rose from the bed. He stood before me all chiseled muscle and lightly-tanned skin. Soft black hair across his chest formed a trail downward and accentuated his hard stomach. Another part of him was rigid as well, a drop of moisture at its tip. Naked, Gregory turned and walked a few steps to the door. Then, I heard a loud splash.

  Rising from the white sheets, I followed. A small dock was in front of the door, and the speed boat was moored to it. All around us was clear blue water. Gregory’s house appeared to be circular. A round floatation device hung from a peg by the door. Taking it, I slipped my head and arms through the opening and carefully lowered myself into the cool water. Gregory had swum quite a distance by the time I began to float. Having no idea how to swim, I held on tightly to the donut-like tube.

  Gregory’s house was on pilings. I floated away tilting my head back into the water to get my hair wet. Then, I scrubbed my scalp with my fingers and rinsed it again. Carefully, I washed my face, and certain that Gregory wasn’t looking, I scrubbed under my arms. Every muscle I had was sore. I felt stinging at my feet and knees from the salty ocean water. However, in a way floating around was making me feel better.

  I wo
ndered how terrible I looked. I imagined my eyes were still black, and my nose was still swollen. Covered in scrapes and bruises, I probably looked hideous. It was no wonder Gregory didn’t want me. I turned away to face in the other direction even though he was too far away to see me cry. His rejection had hurt me worse than any of my cuts or bruises.

  “I’m so stupid.” Of course, Gregory could never care for me. Palena, Goddess of the Ocean Waves, had Gregory’s love. “I’m just the daughter of a thief and a whore,” I said as I wiped my tears away with my wet hands.

  I rinsed my hair again and found a ladder on the edge of the dock. I put the floatation device back where I had found it and combed through my wet hair with my fingers. I entered Gregory’s house and found a small bathroom. After using his waste unit, I found a T-shirt and a pair of drawstring shorts in his storage closet. My jacket was hanging from the back of a chair. I put it on and sat on his bed to look out of the window at the ocean. I heard him climb up onto the dock and kept my eyes averted from him as he entered his bathroom.

  Stretching out my legs and leaning against a pillow, I noted the purple, black, and red bruises, scrapes, and cuts. I did look like shit. At least the bride and her sailor were together. They didn’t have to stare at each other from afar any longer. That had made it all worth it.

  Creepy Kiyohime had her pearl. I wondered if Cosmo had managed to free Winks. While I understood the reasoning, I was still upset that the powerful Lord Tanaka, Dorian, and Tadashi had refused to help me to rescue my father. Winks was my only family. Didn’t that count for anything? For all of Tadashi’s protestations of love, he had let me down in the worst way and at the worst time.

  Gregory exited his bathroom, dressed in pants and a shirt, before I had even figured out how to act around him. I wasn’t sure if he thought I was ugly or just not good enough for him. He had compared me to a sea nymph, but I didn’t know what one looked like. I decided to look them up at the Community Center’s library. The bed adjusted to Gregory’s weight as he sat beside me.