Naura

by Ditter Kellen

  She laid on her stomach in the middle of a king-sized bed, with one arm hanging over the side. Her soft, even breathing told him that she slept.

  Tony removed his boots and climbed in next to her. His stomach tightened with fear as he gazed at her moonlit face. If something happened to her, he would never come back from it.

  Brushing his lips across her cheek, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He’d didn’t have long to sleep before Melvin’s cavalry would be arriving.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Abbie stared up at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of Arcanum’s breathing as she reflected on her life.

  So much had happened in the past eighteen months, it was hard to process it all.

  “What keeps you awake, my mate?”

  The sound of Hauke’s deep voice brought her out of her silent contemplation.

  “I’m just too tired to sleep.”

  “I can feel your sadness, soul of my soul.”

  Abbie turned on her side to face him. “I’m not sad. I was thinking about everything we’ve been through over the past year and a half. Our lives have changed so much. I really want to practice medicine again.”

  “Then you shall,” Hauke assured her.

  Abbie fought her emotions, unwilling to appear weak in front of her mate. “What’s going to happen to us? We can never return home to Aukrabah.”

  “The human military will eventually retreat if they cannot find us.”

  “And if they don’t give up?”

  His eyes glittered in the moonlight. “Then we fight.”

  Abbie’s heart skipped a beat. “But there are only a few hundred Bracadyte warriors, Hauke. The military outnumbers us by thousands. And they have weapons of mass destruction.”

  “Their weapons mean nothing without a leader to guide them. Remove the leader…eliminate the threat.”

  Her breath caught. “You’re talking about assassination?”

  “I do not relish killing a man, sweet Abbie. But I will do what is necessary for the survival of the Bracadyte.”

  “Let’s pray that it doesn’t come to that.”

  He reached across their sleeping child and ran his fingers down the side of her face. “You and Arcanum are my world. When it comes to your protection, I would kill every man walking on two legs if it became necessary.”

  Abbie blinked back the damnable tears that threatened. She’d been a bundle of emotions since the news of Henry’s passing. “We can go far away from this place, to an island where no one would ever find us.”

  “We can do anything that you want, my mate. But this would take time. Shelters would need to be fashioned for the little ones.” He glanced down at his son’s sleeping face. “For you.”

  Abbie nodded. “But it’s something to consider?”

  “I would consider anything for you.”

  “Thank you, Hauke. I only want a safe place for Arcanum to grow up, along with any other children we conceive.”

  “That is all I want as well. Your happiness means everything to me.”

  “I worry about Naura.” At his puzzled look, Abbie continued. “She will one day want children of her own, and I’m not sure Uncle Tony will be ready for that after losing his son.”

  Hauke propped his head on his hand. “I sense a change in Anthony Vaughn. The darkness he once held has faded, and a light burns in his eyes when he is with Naura.”

  “I see it too. Your sister is the best thing that’s happened to him in years.”

  “You and our son are the best things to happen to me also. I could not live without either of you.”

  “I love you, Hauke.”

  “And I love you, soul of my soul.”

  * * * *

  Gerald Kerik picked up the Styrofoam cup he’d filled with coffee and took a hesitant sip, hissing as the hot liquid burned the tip of his tongue.

  “The president’s on the phone, sir,” Private George Ludwig announced from the doorway.

  Kerik nodded and strolled across the room to answer the call. “Mr. President,” he acknowledged, pressing the receiver to his ear.

  As per usual, Rueben got right to the point. “Congress is pissed about the bombs. They’ve called a meeting for tomorrow to discuss the misuse of military force.”

  “You gave the order, sir.”

  Rueben’s sigh was loud enough for Private Ludwig to hear in the next room. “I’m aware of my orders. I’m asking you not to drop anymore bombs until this mess blows over.”

  Kerik ground his teeth. “And the divers, sir?”

  “Keep them out there. Finding Abbigail Sutherland is top priority.”

  Gerald refrained from pointing out that bringing Miss. Sutherland in alive would be next to impossible. “Yes, sir.”

  “Have you found any evidence of the creatures at all?”

  “Nothing yet, sir. But the gulf is a big place, and we’re not sure we are looking in the right area. Anthony Vaughn is no dummy. Every bit of this could have been staged by him to send us on a wild goose chase.”

  “I’d thought of that already. Keep searching, Gerald. If you don’t find anything within the next seven days, pull out.”

  “Yes, sir.” Kerik hung up the phone and ran a hand down his face. He hated like hell taking orders from a man that didn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. And Rueben Howell couldn’t find his own rear end if he sat on a box of thumbtacks.

  With a growl of frustration, he strode from the room in search of Doug Jefferies. He’d been in and out of their temporary headquarters all day, avoiding Gerald like the plague.

  Kerik despised being stationed in Florida for any length of time. The heat was sweltering, and the humidity made it hard to breathe.

  He stopped outside Doug’s office and tapped on the door, entering without waiting on an invitation.

  Jefferies sat behind his desk, peering over his glasses with a raised eyebrow. “Please, come in,” he murmured sarcastically.

  Kerik closed the door behind him. “We need to talk.”

  “About?” Doug removed his spectacles and leaned back in his chair.

  “The president.” He waved his hand toward the chair in front of Jefferies’s desk. “May I?”

  Doug blew out a breath. “Have a seat. What’s the problem?”

  “Rueben is weak. I don’t know who’s pulling his strings, but his cowardice is going to cost all of our lives.”

  “That is sedition, Kerik. You better have a damn good reason for your accusations.”

  “He’s ordered me to pull out of the gulf mission.”

  “What?” Doug quickly sat forward. “When?”

  “In a week. And no more force is to be used.”

  “Did he give a reason?”

  Gerald shook his head. “Other than bringing the Sutherland woman in alive…no.”

  “How does he expect you to bring her in without force? Does he think she will offer herself up as a sacrifice?”

  “He believes she holds the key to the Incola virus,” Gerald offered. “Talk to him, Doug. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”

  Jefferies narrowed his eyes. “She very well may be the key, Kerik. And if so, she’s our only hope against this epidemic.”

  “Then what do you suggest I do? Sit on a ship and drop a lure in the water, on the off chance that she’s hungry?

  “Abbigail Sutherland gave birth to an alien baby, Kerik. It’s not so much the woman they want, as the child.”

  A thought struck Gerald. “If the child is our nation’s hope, why not impregnate someone else with the aliens’ spawn?”

  Kerik could see the wheels turning in Jefferies’s eyes.

  “You might be on to something there,” Doug slowly admitted. “But how are we going to get our hands on one of those abominations?”

  “We blow them out of the water. Some of them will die, but not all of them.”

  Doug quickly jumped to his feet. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard yet.”

  Geral
d stood also. “Where are you going?”

  “To call a meeting with the president.”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Naura awoke to an empty bed. She quickly sat up and scanned the room, only to find that Tony wasn’t there.

  She threw her legs over the side and pulled on her sharkskin boots, tucking her knives in their proper places. She hurried for the door.

  Voices floated up the stairs as she slipped out into the hall.

  “All the paperwork is in order. You’re not going to be able to swim ashore with a baby in tow, which leaves us little choice but to take you into port. I suggest you leave the child here.”

  Tony’s voice rang out loud and clear. “That child is my nephew. Either he goes, or none of us go.”

  Naura’s heart swelled with pride at Tony’s words. She lifted her chin and descended the stairs.

  Three men stood in the middle of the living room, eyes huge and mouths hanging open as they stared at her in stunned silence.

  “This is Naura,” Tony intervened, holding his hand out for her.

  She gripped his warm palm and faced the ogling humans. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

  A tall, blond man cleared his throat. “Likewise,” he murmured before turning his attention back to Tony. “My other suggestion would be to have someone pick you up fifteen miles off the Cuban coast. You could bypass customs that way.”

  Tony pulled Naura close to his body and nodded to the blond guy. “What’s the marker for entering Cuban waters?”

  “Twelve miles offshore. After that, the guarda frontera must be notified.”

  Naura peered up at Tony. “What is a guarda frontera?”

  “It’s the coast guard,” he answered, brushing a kiss on her temple. “Can you contact Miguel and have him meet us in the gulf tonight?”

  She glanced up at his handsome face. “Yes. I will ask him.”

  Tony held her gaze for a moment before turning his attention back to the blond. “Get me the coordinates to rendezvous with Miguel, and we’ll pass on the information.”

  Naura glanced around the room. “Where are Hauke and Abbie?”

  “They haven’t come down yet. I didn’t want to wake them until I knew what the plan would be.”

  “I see,” Naura stated softly. “I will go check in on them. Arcanum should be rising soon.”

  “So will the sun,” the blond guy announced. “And we need to be leaving within the hour.”

  Naura reluctantly let go of Tony’s hand and rushed up the stairs to locate her brother. She tapped on the only closed door that she could see. “Hauke?”

  “You may enter,” her brother called out.

  Easing the door open, Naura stepped inside. Abbie sat on the side of the bed, holding Arcanum to her breast while Hauke stood over them, beaming with pride.

  “He eats as if it is his last meal,” Naura pointed out with a chuckle. She bent and kissed the top of her nephew’s downy-soft head. “The men are here to take us to Cuba.”

  Hauke gently squeezed Abbie’s shoulder. “I will go learn what I can. Naura will stay with you while you finish feeding our son.”

  Naura took a seat next to Abbie, watching as she expertly fed her small bundle of joy. “You make it look so easy.”

  Abbie glanced up with a smile. “Make what look so easy?”

  “Being a mother.”

  “Oh, it’s far from easy. But it’s the most precious gift a woman could ask for. Something happens inside us the moment they slip into the world. A bond forms that compares to nothing else. Not even the love of a mate.”

  “Really? I cannot imagine loving another as much as I love Anthony.”

  “It’s not that my feelings for Arcanum are stronger than my feelings for Hauke. They are just different. You will see one day when you become a mother.”

  Naura heart surged with the thought of having a baby with Tony. “Do you think Tony will ever want another child?”

  “I believe he will. Talk to him about it, Naura. Tell him how you feel.”

  Abbie finished feeding Arcanum and laid him on the bed to change his diaper. “I need to wash his soiled diapers before we leave. Would you mind holding him while I take care of that?”

  “I would love to.”

  Naura lifted him into her arms, smiling as he grinned up at her, his tiny fangs peeking out from his top lip. “How does he feed without puncturing you?”

  “You’ve never had any experience with Bracadyte babies?”

  “I have seen them with their mothers, but I have never actually held one until Arcanum.”

  “Well,” Abbie muttered, lifting his lip and resting a finger against his gum. “This is the soft tissue of his fang. The tooth hasn’t formed around it yet. They collapse inward when he feeds. His teeth should be coming in very soon, and I’ll have to switch him to a bottle when that happens.”

  “That makes sense.” Naura stood and trailed toward the door. “I will take him downstairs and let Hauke know that you are washing soiled diapers.”

  Abbie laughed. “See you soon.”

  Tony had his back to Naura as she descended the stairs. She stood there for a moment, listening as he spoke in a low tone to one of the men in the group. “No matter what happens, you get the women safely to Cuba.”

  “I will not go without you,” Naura announced, stepping up behind him.

  Whatever retort he might have had died on his lips as he spun around to face her.

  His gaze dropped to Arcanum and a shadow passed through his eyes. “You.” He cleared his throat and tried again. “Where’s Abbie?”

  “She is washing soiled diapers in the upstairs bathroom. She will be ready to go when it is time.”

  Tony continued to stand there, looking from Naura to the child she held in her arms. “Can I speak with you alone for a minute?”

  Naura nodded and handed her nephew over to his father.

  She followed Tony to the kitchen. “I meant what I said. I will not go without you.”

  Tony stopped and rested his palms on the counter. The muscle in his jaw flexed several times before he spoke. “If something happens to Hauke or me, Arcanum will need you.”

  Naura could feel his emotions. She understood them enough to know that he attempted to use guilt as a weapon. “I will promise you this—if you die on the way to Cuba, I will do my best to get Abbie and my nephew to safety. But I cannot promise you that I will not follow you into death after that.”

  He suddenly gripped her upper arms and gave her a slight shake. “Don’t you say that.” He shook her once more. “Ever. Do you hear me? You survive. No matter what, you have to survive.”

  Naura’s heart jumped into her throat. The emotions pouring from Tony were akin to desperation, fear, and panic.

  Breaking free of his hold, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “I am sorry, Tony. I will do as you ask.”

  She felt the moment the tension left his body. He tucked her face against his neck and a shudder passed through him. “I can’t even think about something happening to you. Promise me, Naura. Vow to me that you will survive.”

  “I vow it,” Naura whispered, holding him tightly.

  He pulled back far enough to crush his lips against hers. “I love you,” he mentally sent, his mouth devouring her like a man starved.

  Naura kissed him back with all the passion she held inside. “I love you, Anthony Vaughn.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  The trip to Cuba took less than twelve hours. As promised, Miguel was there to pick them up at the designated meeting place.

  Tony thanked the crew Melvin had sent to assist him and accepted a new bag of supplies.

  Miguel maneuvered his yacht through the choppy waters of the gulf with the ease of a seasoned captain.

  Tony stepped up next to the tall Cuban and stared out over the moonlit water. “Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again so soon.”

  “You wouldn’t be here if it were not necessary, Mr. Vaughn.�
��

  “Oh, I don’t know. Cuba kind of grew on me.”

  Miguel glanced at him with a grin. “And here I was thinking you missed me.”

  “I missed your tequila,” Tony teased, staring at the lights of the rapidly approaching shoreline.

  They grew quiet for a moment before Tony asked the question that had been plaguing him for days. “Did you plan on seducing Naura the night she fled for her life?”

  Miguel had the audacity to laugh. “As beautiful as Naura is, my friend, I would never attempt such an atrocity.”

  Tony’s voice turned deadly soft. Although he was glad to know the big Cuban hadn’t made a move on Naura, it pissed him off that he obviously found her beneath him. “Atrocity?”

  “Easy, Mr. Vaughn. I meant no offense.”

  “Then what did you mean?” Tony growled, his body tensing for a fight.

  Miguel gripped the wheel with both hands and locked gazes with Tony. “Naura and I carry the same blood.”

  Tony blinked in shock. Surely he’d misunderstood. “You’re related to Naura?”

  “I am sure you’ve heard the story about the king that took the native princess, Aiyana, for his bride.”

  “Yes,” Tony muttered, attempting to piece it all together.

  “Naura is a descendent of that king…as am I.”

  Tony rubbed the back of his neck. “But how is that possible? I was told that Aiyana didn’t survive.”

  “She nearly didn’t. The virus she contracted made her sick as well as her tribe. A lot of the natives didn’t survive, but Aiyana went on to live a long life and birth the king many children.”

  “But how did the king take her below without a dive suit?”

  “That, I don’t know. Perhaps he took her in the same way you came out.”

  Tony hadn’t thought of that. “So, why don’t you live with the Bracadytes?”

  Miguel grinned. “I do not possess gills, Mr. Vaughn. I’ll admit, I can stay underwater a hell of a lot longer than most men, and I have telepathic abilities, among a few other gifts, but I am more human than Bracadyte.”

  Miguel’s story blew Tony’s mind.