He noticed that Leo's limp was becoming more pronounced and knew it was time to look for a place to stop. Hopefully somewhere dry. Blue ran her hands down Leo's leg for a few minutes every time they took a break and he would walk better for a while afterwards. The tiger was graceful even with the bum leg as he wound through the obstacles in his way.
After steadying Blue, Jayden looked around and saw no place to set up camp. They would have to continue in the fading light until they found a place. Two clicks later the trees thinned out and the ground sloped up. When they reached the top they found that they were standing on top of a steep cliff over looking a small valley filled with a herd of strange looking animals.
Jayden scanned the area with his small hi-tech binoculars and found a small plateau about half way down that looked like it might provide some shelter from the rain. He pointed it out to Blue and when she nodded her agreement they started down the cliff. It was full dark when they reached their goal a short time later only to find that it was much better than expected.
There was a cave. A nice dry cave. Blue smiled inwardly, it was the best thing she had seen on this planet. Leo went in with no hesitation, telling Blue that the cave was empty. She still went in with the gun in one hand and a flashlight in the other. Jayden did the same beside her.
She walked about fifteen feet in when the small cave opened into a larger cave. There were several tunnels leading further into the mountain. She stood in the middle of the room and dropped her pack then sank to the floor. She watched Jayden walk the perimeter checking out what he could. She trusted Leo's instincts and knew that they were alone.
She set up lights and took out the energy bars that passed for dinner. She fed several of them to Leo while she waited for Jayden to return from checking out one of the tunnels. When he did come back he had a big mischievous grin on his face.
"I have a surprise for you princess."
"Unless it's a shower and dry clothes I'll stay right here,” she said too tired to object to the word princess.
"It's better,” he said reaching down to haul her to her feet.
"This had better be good,” she grumbled.
She was not happy at being on her feet again after just getting off of them. Keeping her hand in his he pulled her down one of the tunnels. It was small and narrow and at times Jayden had to turn sideways to squeeze through some of the tighter spots. Without the flashlights it would have been pitch black. He led her around a bend and she heard the sound of running water.
Just what we need, more water, she thought. Then they were through the tunnel and she didn't think anything for a few minutes. She could only stare and wonder. Who would have thought that this desolate planet would hold something so beautiful within its mountains.
Jayden had set up lights so she could see the large chamber. The walls glistened with multi colored hues and there were stone benches set around a large pool filled with the clearest water. The running water she had heard was coming from a waterfall that fed the pool. There was even a stone fire pit with dry wood stacked along one wall. The whole place had a serene, almost spiritual feel to it.
She walked slowly into the chamber, her eyes taking in everything before settling on the waterfall. It was as good as a shower and with the fire she could dry her clothes. She turned back to Jayden, “This is wonderful.” Her smile was aimed at him this time. Her whole face softened and it was as if she was lit up from within.
He felt like a hero as she went on about being able to take a shower in the waterfall. He heard nothing beyond that. He stopped paying attention to the words coming from her lips and just let her voice flow through him. For one wild moment he imagined her singing softly to a baby. His baby. Where that came from he had no idea. He had never before thought about having a child and now was not a good time to start thinking about it. But the image was clear in his mind. He did not think he would be able to banish it.
She had mud on her face, a bruise on her right cheekbone, from where a branch had snapped back and hit her and there was a long scratch on her upper arm. She was still the most appealing woman he had ever seen.
He tuned back in to what she was saying when she turned to gather some wood. Something about starting a fire to dry their clothes.
“I’ll get that,” he said. When he had the fire going he saw her glance longingly at the waterfall. “I will be back in a little bit. I want to check out the animals we saw in the valley. Maybe we can have something besides energy bars for dinner.”
Blue took off her clothes and rinsed them in the pool before draping them over the stone benches to dry from the fire’s heat. She stepped into the water. On the other side of the falling water there was a small ledge to stand on with a couple of natural stone shelves.
Everything was too perfect and well thought out to be an accident of nature. She was more convinced than ever that this place was once used a lot. She moaned in pleasure as she stood letting the water pound the soreness, from carrying the heavy pack, away in her neck and shoulders. Her pack. Crap, she left it in the first chamber and it had the soap in it.
She had two choices. Do without or run, get her pack and hope she made it back before Jayden. In the end there was no choice. She really needed to be clean.
Stepping through the water she looked around to make sure Jayden wasn’t around. She saw her pack leaning against the pool. He must have brought it in when she was under the waterfall. Her face flushed as the thought of him coming in while she was naked and unaware sent conflicting emotions through her. One part excitement three parts trepidation.
She thought about him while she washed her hair. He was such a contradiction. Strong and hard one minute, gentle and teasing the next and always protective.
He was the only man to ever make her lose her temper to the point of shouting at him, in front of other people! He was used to being the boss and having his orders followed instantly. She was used to following no one’s orders but her own.
Even the way she worked with Riley was different than the way he worked with his men. Neither one of them was the boss. She and Riley worked together as a team.
They thought the same way so there was no conflict between them. That wasn’t to say they agreed on everything. They had arguments, not very many, but you couldn’t be friends and partners for the years they had been and not disagree every once in a while.
Jayden was The Boss of his team. They may all be very good friends. But when it came down to it he was The Boss. He gave orders and they followed without question. The men placed their lives in his hands every time they went on a mission. They trusted Jayden and their skills to bring them home alive or if not alive to make their deaths count. Each man was a force to be reckoned with on their own. Together they were an unbeatable deadly team that took on the most dangerous missions and succeed where others failed.
They would not give their allegiance to someone not worthy of it and Jayden was worthy. She had heard the stories and quite frankly some of them raised the hair on the back of her neck. It was a wonder any of them were alive.
She thought long and hard about the way he made her feel. Safe. He made her feel safe. For the only time in her life, that she remembered, she felt safe... with him.
Because of that she was able to let herself feel the attraction she had for him and boy was she attracted. The man made parts of her tingle and pulse that had never tingled or pulsed before. Her fingers and lips ached to explore the hard angles of his face and body.
The best part was that she could. Jayden was able to block her reading abilities most of the time. She didn’t get anything from him when she touched him. She could still feel his emotions but she couldn’t hear his thoughts unless he wanted her to. She could let down her guard in his presence and not worry about what she would hear from an unexpected touch.
Blue finished washing all the mud off and doing a quick mind scan knew Jayden and Leo had not returned. She took one of the dry blankets and wrapped it around her body. The bl
anket was as small as the space blankets she had used on Earth but it was soft and absorbent and dried fast. She checked her clothes to find that they were almost dry, another few minutes and she could get dressed. She sat on the stone bench absently running her fingers through the tangles in her hair, lost in the flames of the fire.
Chrystal Bones Billie Jo Hanlin
Chapter 18
Jayden headed back to the cave with a small meat animal. It would be a welcome change from the energy bars. He knew they had all the necessary nutrients needed for survival. But after three days of them he was looking forward to eating some real food. Leo had already eaten his share and was happy to walk along beside him.
He was becoming fond of the big cat. They climbed up the slope to the cave. Jayden’s mind insisted on replaying his last look at Blue. He had noticed that her pack was still in the first cave and he had taken it to her, only to catch a glimpse of the back of her naked body stepping into the waterfall. For the first time since he had met her she was unaware of her surroundings and did not notice him. He stood and watched her for several moments before forcing himself to walk away.
The last month had been an exercise in self control for him. The type of self control he was not used to practicing. Women came to his bed easily and he indulged himself whenever he felt the need. He could not do that with Blue and not just because of Idris. He respected her too much. Her life to date had not been easy and it did not look like it was going to get any easier in the future. One thing he did know for sure was that he was going to be part of that life. No matter what.
He made sure to call out when he entered the caves even though Leo had rushed in ahead of him. He did not want to catch her naked again. Not for his sake, the image of her naked back and slender waist flowing into long legs was forever seared into his brain. But for her sake. He did not want to make her uneasy around him, at least not about that.
After they had eaten, Jayden broke the comfortable silence. He needed some answers to questions that had been praying on his mind.
“How did you escape the lab?”
Blue’s relaxed body went ridged with tension. It was a long time before she answered him, “I wouldn’t have. The day I overheard the plans for my autopsy I was ready to die. It was a relief if you want to know the truth. To know that it would all be over. No more pain. No more being on display. They kept me in a glass box in the middle of a big room. I had no privacy the whole time I was there.”
She fell quiet, lost in the memories. The haunted look on her face as she stared into the fire him made him want to take her in his arms and hold tight. Instead he waited for her to continue.
The thought of her as a little girl ready to give up and die was heartbreaking. When it looked like she was not going to say anything else he prompted softly, “What changed your mind?”
“What? Oh,” she gave him a small wry smile. “Believe it or not, it was the janitor.”
Blue replayed that fateful day for Jayden. “I was sitting on my cot waiting for the end when he came in to do his normal cleaning. At least that’s what I thought he was doing until he pulled a gun. He started shooting everyone. There weren’t many people there at that time of night but he took out everyone that he saw.
I don’t know how he got a gun through security but he did. When he had shot everyone he stood in front of my box and told me, “I know you understand me. This is your only chance girly. We’ll both probably die but at least you will be out of that damn box.” Blue repeated the janitor’s exact words to her that fateful day.
He swiped a key card he had taken from one of the dead guards. It didn’t work. He kept swiping it, but nothing happened. I wanted out of that room so bad at that moment.”
She paused about to reveal another one of her secrets. “I walked to the door, put both my hands on the glass and willed it to open with everything in me. When the glass started melting around my hands it shocked us both.”
Jayden felt his mouth drop open.
“When the hole was big enough he grabbed my hand and we took off running. He had everything planned and was determined to get me out of there. We made it to the ground floor before the alarms went off. It seemed like it took forever but it was only a couple of minutes. Guards were swarming everywhere.”
She paused again before continuing, “I was so sure we would be caught. Then we were outside. It was the first time I had been outside. If they had caught us then it would have been worth it. The night sky turning to dawn was so pretty.”
Jayden was fascinated by her tale, “What happened then?”
“We ran while they shot at us. The janitor did his best to shield me from the bullets but one got through.” She absently touched a spot on her shoulder and Jayden knew that was where she had been hit.
“He wasn’t as lucky. He got shot three times but he kept going. We made it to his car. He tore out of that parking lot so fast and drove right through the fence surrounding it.” She paused to take a drink of hot coffee.
“We changed cars twice before he stopped at an abandoned warehouse. By then he was in really bad shape. I don’t know how he stayed on his feet as long as he did. I tried to help him but I didn’t know what I was doing. There was so much blood.” Blue looked at Jayden trying to make him understand her guilt, “I was the one who was suppose to die. Instead it was going to be him. He knew that and he didn’t regret helping me.
I was holding his hand and heard and felt everything he was feeling and thinking. He taught me that not all humans were bad people. That some were actually good. I didn’t even know his name and he died for me. The last thing he said to me was, “Go west to the ocean. Find the Merrots. They will hide you.” He was dying and he was still trying to help me.” Blue shook her head still amazed and grateful after all these years for the man’s sacrifice. “I had no idea what he was talking about. Still don’t for that matter.”
“I can clear up that one for you,” Jayden said. “The Merrots are what you would call Mermaids. He told you to go to the ocean because that is where they live. In domed cities on the floor of the ocean.”
Blue’s jaw dropped, “Are you kidding. Mermaids are real?”
“Yes, they don’t call themselves Mermaids though. That is a human term. I suspect that the same thing that happened to us happened to them. Only for whatever reason when the anomaly opened again they did not or could not go back through.”
“Do they really have a fish tail?”
Jayden laughed, “Only when they are swimming and it is not a real fish tail. The rest of the time they look normal except they do have gills. They do not disappear like the tail on dry land. I will take you to their home world someday if you want.”
“I wonder how the Janitor knew them?” It hit her like a brick and things that hadn’t made sense suddenly made perfect sense. “He wasn’t a janitor. That was his cover. He was there to save me. No wonder he was determined to get me out no mater what. That was his job.”
She understood that. She and Riley had saved dozens of children. She could have died any number of times with no regrets. That didn’t take away from what he had done for her but she had always wondered why he took the risk.
“He was human not a Merrot, I know that. When I go back I want to contact them and find out who he was.”
Knowing she had been a job didn’t change her mind. He was still her hero. The only one she had ever had. Then another thought hit her.
“If Mermaids are real what about other races like Shifters or Vampires?”
“I imagine that a lot of Earth Legends are based on truth. We picked up on several species that have made Earth their home when we scanned the planet. Most of them have been there for hundreds if not thousands of years,” Jayden said.
Blue had never given it much thought but with all the stories of UFO’s and Aliens she should have. Oh, she knew she wasn’t the first alien captured but she had thought she was the only one alive. It had never occurred to her that there were others out there
living their lives.
When she went back to see Riley she would find them and take any that wanted to leave back to their home planets.
When she said as much to Jayden, he said, “There is no way to tell when the anomaly will open or close. You could spend years waiting.”
“No. When I was with them they told me how to call them. I can travel back and forth whenever I want.”
It was Jayden’s turn to give her an incredulous look. “You forgot to mention that little fact,” he said a little acidly.
“Sorry,” she said unapologetic.
He shook his head. She was definitely going to keep him on his toes.
They spent the next hour with Blue grilling him on the different alien species on Earth. Jayden finally put a stop to it by taking her in his arms and doing what his body had been aching to do since the first time he had kissed her.
What was meant to be a light gentle kiss turned into a soul searing kiss that quickly grew out of control. Blue couldn’t think of anything but him. Being in his arms was the best feeling she had ever had. She felt the excitement build and for right now, gave herself permission to enjoy this. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
Jayden pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. His tongue swept in to explore every inch of her mouth and when she tentatively explored his in return, he growled low in his throat. That growl had her shivering and her knees weakened. He lowered her to the ground never breaking contact. Lightning bolts were shooting through her so fast she couldn’t catch her breath. She felt a desperation to touch and taste him.
He broke off kissing her mouth to trail his lips down her throat. Kissing and tasting her with little bites and nips then soothing them with his tongue. Her top got in his way so he pulled it up and over her head in one smooth motion. Blue thought she had died and gone to heaven. This, she thought, this is what all the fuss is about. Now she understood.
Chrystal Bones (Finding Home Book 1) Page 14