Equinox (Beyond Moondust Trilogy Book 2)

by J. E. Nicassio

  “Samantha, it’s okay,” Gabe said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

  “I know,” was all I had the strength to say.

  “You know, you could spend the night and leave in the morning,” Landson said.

  “No, I want to go home.”

  With that being said, Landson showed us to the exit going out the west wing. It was a removable wall concealing the twenty-five-foot safe door. A floor-to-ceiling panel on the opposite side concealed the doorframe. Landson was just about to remove the panel when….

  “Samantha, wait!”

  Dusty came running toward me. “I’m not going to let you leave without saying goodbye.” He ran into my arms, almost knocking me to the ground.

  The rest of the gang all stood and watched.

  “I’m going to miss you, Samantha. If it weren’t for you, I would have never found my mother.”

  “Yes, you would have; the Fosters would have made sure of it,” I said.

  “But I wouldn’t have known about the Fosters if you hadn’t gone to Oakridge,” Dusty said, moving back out of my arms.

  “Maybe not,” I said, giving him another hug. “You remember me, wherever the next dimension takes you.”

  “Lucien is coming back soon,” he said.

  “I don’t think so, Dusty; the equinox has passed.”

  “He will soon. You’ll see.” Dusty smiled, then turned and left the exhibit hall.

  62 Adjoining Rooms

  We were about to exit the main lobby when out of the blue, a wave of nausea hit me. I stopped in my tracks, and for a moment, I felt like the room was beginning to spin.

  “Whoa,” I said, swaying.

  Agent Harmon caught me. “Samantha, when was the last time you had something to eat?” he asked, glancing at Cassiel and Gabe.

  They both shrugged.

  “Okay, that’s it. You have to spend the night. You can leave in the morning.”

  Cassiel stepped forward. “Samantha, you’re exhausted. I don’t have a problem with staying the night. Gabe and I can go on for hours without food or water. Our energy is compromised, but we can function; but you, that’s another story. I could rest if that’s what you want to do.”

  I didn’t think I could go a minute longer. I needed to eat and to sleep. Just the thought of Cassiel not being able to secure a situation was enough for me to agree to stay the night.

  “I could use a nap.”

  “Then it’s settled; let me get a key to one of our suites. I’ll be right back,” Landson said with a kind smile.

  “Wait. Make it adjoining rooms,” I said, glancing at Cassiel.

  Landson gave me a quick tip of his chin, then turned and walked away. I didn’t want to share a room with Cassiel after what had happened in Lucien’s room back at the ranch.

  “If you two are okay with this, I’m taking off to the ranch.” Gabe gave a quick salute and was off.

  “I’ll make sure a car is waiting for you at sunset to take you to the airport. I have to go check on Dusty to make sure he’s settled; then I’m off to Washington. If you run into any snags, call my cell.” Agent Harmon shook Cassiel’s hand and gave me a quick hug.

  Cassiel and I awkwardly stood in the lobby, waiting for Landson to return with the keys to our rooms. I finally took a seat. Cassiel went outside and stood looking at the rich lawn. After a moment, he returned, settling next to me.

  “What do you think the holdup is?” My stomach was growling. I could hardly keep my eyes open.

  “No idea. I wish we weren’t out in the open here.” Cassiel crossed his leg over his knee, looking uncomfortable.

  “Maybe he can’t find us a room; maybe it’s for the best. Just let me get a Dr. Pepper and some chips, and let’s get out of here.”

  “Have you looked around? This isn’t exactly a Motel 8 or a Days Inn,” he said, sounding more like himself. “Landson is probably taking so long looking for your adjoining room.”

  I smirked. “Maybe so.”

  I sat up when I saw Landson approaching, holding a hotel key card.

  “Here you go. I’m sorry I couldn’t get adjoining rooms. My apologies.”

  “What, are you serious?”

  “There’s a comic book convention this week, and all of our rooms are filled. I did find you a king-size bed in the lovely North Terrace,” he said, handing one key to Cassiel. Of course, Cassiel probably somehow messed with the hotel registry, filling all the rooms. He flashed me smile and narrowed his eyes at my thought.

  I swear, I’ll never get used to prying minds.

  63 Room 514

  We took the elevator to the north wing of the hotel and found our room, number 514. Cassiel took the key card and fiddled with it, having no luck. “I hate these key cards,” he said, raising his hand; the door clicked open.

  “You’re so lazy,” I said.

  “Lazy? How do you figure that? It takes more energy to open the door with my mind than it does actually lifting my hand.”

  “You’re a freak,” I said, letting my guard down a bit.

  One thing was for sure: the Greenbrier north wing was just as elegant as the lobby. I opened the parlor room, which could easily house twenty or so people, or in this case, aliens. I walked past mint green Georgian-style furniture and matching carpet. The yellow walls of the master bedroom made me even more nauseous than I had been.

  Cassiel threw himself on the bed before I had a chance to tell him I wanted it. I un-dressed quickly in the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting it warm up. I stared at my naked reflection, running my hand down my chest to my navel. Wow, I looked thin. I really hadn’t had the desire to eat in a while. I pulled my hair off my back and turned to look at my behind.

  Hmmm, I wonder if Lucien’s going to recognize me.

  I let my hair fall and closed my eyes as I gently touched my neck, letting my hand trace my collarbone, all the while thinking of my beloved. It was too late. I’d have to wait until the next equinox. If he’d made it to the wormhole, he would’ve found me. With that thought, I opened the shower door and stepped in, letting the warm water wash away my sorrow. By the time I was done, Cassiel was snoring away. It felt like we had been gone for months when, in reality, it had only been a day.

  64 Happy Birthday

  Night was beginning to fall. I tiptoed past Cassiel as quietly as I could, opened the patio door, and stepped out onto the terrace overlooking the flower garden and the Allegheny Mountains. We were so close to Pittsburgh. The way the sun was setting created a purple haze over the mountains, giving everything a mysterious spectrum of color. A gentle spring breeze kissed my cheeks. I stared at the slopes and peaks, wishing for my Lucien. One by one, the stars began to make their entrance into the night sky. Marveling at God’s artwork, I suddenly felt warm hands touch my shoulders.

  “God has nothing to do with it. It’s a mixture of gasses, nitrogen, and oxygen molecules, as well as the dust and debris kicked up by you humans and animals on the Earth’s surface during the day. They’re called chemtrails,” Cassiel said in a raspy voice.

  “What makes you so sure?” I moved an inch forward; Cassiel’s hands dropped.

  “Didn’t you ever hear of the big bang theory?” He looked up at the sky. “And not the TV show, human.”

  “Of course, I have; Lucien doesn’t feel that way.”

  There was a light knock on the door. My eyes searched Cassiel’s.

  “I have no idea,” he said and turned, opening the sliding door. “Landson ordered room service.”

  There was a plate of raw lamb and sea salt water for Cassiel, and my favorite—a double cheeseburger, crispy fries, and ice-cold Dr. Pepper. How did he know all my favorites? There was even a pecan ball for dessert. Together, we sat and ate. I gobbled the cheeseburger in a matter of seconds, but I savored the fries. Cassiel watched me
enjoy the pecan ice cream.

  “Is this bothering you?” I licked the ice cream off of my upper lip.

  “Does it bother me that you’re enjoying ice cream?” Cassiel paused. “No, I find it enjoyable, watching you enjoy it. You can get so much pleasure from eating.”

  He got down on the carpet and started doing sit-ups.

  “What are you doing?” I laughed. I set down my spoon and wiped my face with the napkin.

  “Distracting myself,” he said between breaths.

  “From what?”

  “You.”

  “Oh, here we go again,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  Then I made a dash for the bedroom. “I get the bed.” I pulled down the mint-colored bedspread, dropped my jeans, lifted Eden’s shirt over my head, and placed it on the chair. I crawled in, pulling the covers up to my neck, then rolled over and turned off the lamp.

  I stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Holding my stomach, I hoped the ache in my belly would go away. Knowing it was missing Lucien and not the cheeseburger, my eyes watered and spilled over. A shadow from the door enveloped the entrance of the room.

  “June twenty-first,” I heard a low whisper from the doorway.

  I sat up, looking at the dark visage of Cassiel. He slowly walked in and sat on the bed, moving the blankets back.

  “June? It’s still so far away,” I said, wiping a tear. “Do you ever wonder if Lucien’s coming back? Do you think you’ll see him again?”

  “I don’t think about it, too busy getting Dusty here.” Cassiel laid down looking at the ceiling.

  I relaxed and did the same, resting my head on his shoulder. I didn’t want to give him any ideas, but he was the closest I could get to Lucien right now and I needed him so much. “You and Gabe learned how to fly quickly. I thought you two were fabulous. It was amazing how we didn’t die when the engine died. You never showed any fear or doubt.”

  “Sam, we didn’t need to learn. We could have done it without learning. Gabe got bored. Like you would say, ‘for shits and giggles.’”

  “You sick bastard.” I elbowed him.

  “I’m kidding. No, really.”

  I didn’t know if he was telling the truth this time.

  “Happy birthday, by the way,” he said softly.

  A brief smile covered my face as I drifted off to sleep. It had been so long since I dreamed, and I knew that I was dreaming because Lucien and I were walking in a deep green forest. A shimmery light streamed through the only open space from the trees above. Brilliant light rays bounced off his diamond eyes. I had to stop to catch my breath at his otherworldly presence. He came down from the same light that took us on that cold, December day. As soon as he was here, he was gone. I searched the forest floor, calling his name, but he never answered. I ran and ran until I halted at a cliff. About to fall over the embankment, I stopped in mid-air and was pulled into Cassiel’s chest.

  “No!” I screamed into the dense night, only to awaken with sweat covering my chest.

  I sat up and lifted Cassiel’s head off my arm. Trying not to wake him, I went like a whisper into the parlor. I took the extra blanket from the bed and wrapped it around me. Cassiel must have forgotten to shut the terrace door. A breeze swept through the hotel room, but it was the nightmare that had me shivering.

  64 The Kiss

  The late March air in West Virginia was cool, but refreshing. The moon was waning over the mountains. For a moment I thought about Dusty, how happy he was to find his mother. I envied him. His short life in this dimension would at least be happier now. For some odd reason, it felt like I had lost time.

  A blast of night air from the lake blew my hair off my shoulders. Turning around, I thought I saw something rush by the corner of my eye. Shaking it off, I looked at the spot-light shining on the newly-bloomed flowers that dipped over from the weight of the dew. The wind whispered through the landscape, and again, I thought I saw shadows dancing within the shrubs and young blossoms.

  Warm hands touched my shoulders. Startled, I jumped forward and turned to see Cassiel. He looked so tall standing under the waning moonlight, his skin white as snow. His gray eyes twinkled back at me with a hint of silver, still nothing like his beautiful brother’s.

  “You startled me,” I whispered. Remembering I had on only a bra and panties, I pulled the blanket tighter. I felt guarded but not embarrassed, the way I should feel.

  Cassiel’s eyes roamed my body, searching for something, something that he seemed to long for. Had I forgotten my wits? Was I letting him woo me? Was I so naïve to believe Cassiel was my friend and nothing more?

  Now I knew how children taken from their loved ones can form a bond and attraction to the ones who kidnapped them. Cassiel hadn’t kidnapped me in the same sense as that, but I was forced into coming here. No matter how you look at it, I wasn’t here of my own free will.

  “Stop looking at me like that,” I said coolly.

  “And how is that?” Cassiel stepped closer to me, and I inched back toward the railing.

  “You’re freaking me out. Stop it.”

  “Stop what? I’m just looking at how the light from the moon makes your hair look like spun silk and how the shadows cast a light on your creamy ivory skin. How your ruby lips make me want to take you in my arms and press my lips to their warm liquid hideaway.”

  I could see a snicker creep across Cassiel’s face. That’s when I decided he was going to sleep in the parlor. I was glad we were leaving Greenbrier and heading back to New Mexico in the morning.

  “Oh, my God, you’re playing me,” I said.

  “Awe, come on. I thought I sounded convincing.”

  “Yeah, you had me for a moment,” I said, thanking God he wasn’t serious.

  “Now why would I want you when given the chance, I could have any human of my choosing?”

  Is he for real?

  “Whatever.”

  I started to pass him but he swung me around and pulled me close to his chest, landing his lips on mine in a long, breathless kiss. He kissed me with so much force his lips could have bruised mine. This was no lovey-dovey kiss; it was more like a friends-with-benefits kind of kiss. It felt so bad, yet so good. I tried to pull away, but I couldn’t. I was paralyzed. My body betrayed me. Then I remembered what the Fosters could do with their minds.

  “Stop,” I said, squirming beneath his lust-ridden kiss. “I love your brother.”

  With all my strength, I pulled away and slapped Cassiel as hard as I could. He backed away, holding his cheek and laughing. “You know you liked it. Much better than my brother, huh?”

  My face felt as hot as the Nevada desert. “Like hell I did.”

  “Well, at least I made you all dewy inside like the mist on those tiny rose buds there in the garden that haven’t yet bloomed,” he said, laughing at the crude but elegantly spoken words.

  “Ewe, you make me sick.” I rushed into the hotel room.

  “I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t try,” he said.

  “Exactly,” I said in a huff. I slammed the glass hard, surprised it didn’t shatter.

  66 They Lied

  Bang, bang. My heart leaped, my eyes flicked open. Someone was pounding on the door. Still dizzy from sleep, I wiped the crust from the corners of my eyes. The pounding got louder. Cassiel was already scrambling off of the couch, pulling his jeans up over his boxers. I grabbed my jeans and pulled Eden’s shirt over my head and was right behind him at the door.

  It was Dusty. He almost fell into Cassiel’s arms. Dusty’s eyes were huge like a doe caught in the headlights. “Sam, Cassiel!”

  I went to Dusty, taking him in my arms. “What is it, Dusty?” I asked, trying to stay calm, not wanting to upset him any more than he already was.

  He was shaking. His stutter was back with a vengeance. I let go of his embrace and ran to the bat
hroom to get him water.

  “Cas-s-siel, Sa-m-m, they lied! Harmon!”

  I handed him the glass. He took a sip, spilling most of the water. The temperature seemed to rise in the room. There was something other than fear on Dusty’s face.

  What now? I thought to myself.

  Cassiel raked his hand through his hair, breathing heavily. He seemed still not quite awake. Not sure how to react, I stood by him, waiting for him to say something.

  “What are you talking about, Dusty? Harmon lied about what?” Cassiel yelled, narrowing his eyes on Dusty’s serious expression.

  I raised my hands, putting some distance between them. I was worried Cassiel might hurt him.

  Dusty became silent.

  “Dusty, slow down,” I said. I was the one who needed to calm now.

  Dusty’s face went pale, and all his blood drained from his cheeks. He couldn’t get the words out. “I-I….”

  Cassiel took hold of Dusty’s shoulders, shaking him with more force than was needed. My heart started to pound in my chest. What’s gotten into him?

  “Cassiel, stop. Can’t you see how upset he is?”

  “Dusty, dude, out with it!” Cassiel bellowed. I was sure he woke the whole hotel floor. He shook him again like he was shaking out loose change from his pockets.

  “Cassiel, not so rough!” I yelled. “For Christ’s sake, he’s just a kid. Can’t you see he’s upset? Something is seriously wrong.” I hurried next to Dusty, comforting him, hoping he would calm down enough so we could understand him.

  “Spit it out, k-id! What’s gotten into you?” The sunrise cast a yellow glow on Cassiel’s face, showing a much darker side of him. He stared at me in an odd way. Instinctively, I looked down at Lucien’s crystal. It radiated a violet light; something was very wrong.

  “Dusty, what happened?” I said, taking his hand in mine. “Tell us what has made you so upset.”

  I tilted my head, looking up at Cassiel. His eyes caught mine, but I could see he was not going to be patient much longer.