A flood of uneasiness gathered in the pit of my stomach as I treaded water, scanning the darkness around me. With shaking fingers, I retrieved my flashlight and shook it. Nothing. Advanced civilization or not, Orthon and his alien friends had yet to invent a waterproof battery.
I had mud and grit in all the wrong places, and I’d have given anything to find a nice hot shower and a fluffy towel waiting at the end of the cave, but it wasn’t like I could ask for my money back from this water slide park. Coughing and spluttering echoed nearby, and I turned toward it, eager to grab my future boyfriend’s hand. “Mike! Mike, is that you?”
“Casey!” he yelled. “Are you okay? I waited for you. I swear! Orthon pushed me and—”
“It’s okay, I’m fine.”
“Thank goodness.”
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Besides the rug burn from that tunnel, I’m great.”
“Where’re you?”
“My light’s not working. Just swim to my voice.” Mike blew out his breath, the edge in his voice betraying his nervousness. “Hurry, before you get slammed by the big guy himself.”
“By ‘big guy’, you mean the snake or Orthon?” I asked.
“Does it really matter? They’re both freaky.” He laughed.
A much louder splash than either of us had made echoed through the chamber.
“Looks like Orthon’s here to crash our little pool party,” said Mike. “I hope he remembered the beach ball.”
I kept moving forward, my voice ringing from the walls. Suddenly, my feet touched solid ground, and I stood in waist-deep water.
Orthon touched me on the shoulder. “Halfway down, I held on to a rock to give you a good head start. I did not want to crush you in the tunnel or when we landed. Are you both all right?”
“I’m fine,” said Mike.
“Casey?” Orthon asked.
“Feels like a few elephants did a jig on my aching back, but at least I’m alive.”
I looked around me, not sure whether to admire or be terrified of my new surroundings. Flashes of light shimmered under the water as I moved about, as though as there was a halo of electric blue all around me. I knew the culprit: glowing algae. The more we moved around in the water, the more it gave the cave an eerie blue glow. It reminded me of the nightlight I had in my bedroom—and of how much I missed my bed. I jumped when Mike touched my elbow, sending my heart racing again.
“Found you,” he whispered, his hot breath brushing my cheek.
I flung my arms around his neck and exhaled slowly. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so scared.”
“Do you think some little snake is gonna keep me down?”
“You mean, keep you up. Last I recall, that snake was dangling you in midair, and you were screaming like a two-year-old, bawling your eyes out for your mommy.”
“Is this the treatment I get for trying to save your sorry butt?”
I splashed him with water, laughing at his ridiculous remark. “You’re such an idiot. As if I needed saving. Last time I checked, I was the one kicking that thing to let you go.”
“Hmm. That’s funny. I don’t think I recall that part.” He brushed his lips against my cheek, making my skin tingle. “But the dangling in midair was part of the plan all along. I was going to poke its eyes.”
As my eyes grew accustomed to the dim light, I could see Mike’s eyes twinkle and the white of his teeth as he smiled. His blond hair was slicked back, and water beaded his eyelashes. Surf’s Up magazine wasn’t lying when they said Mike was a gorgeous work of art on a surfboard. How could I possibly have such a hot best friend? It had been pure torture for me, secretly drooling all over him when all I wanted was to have him as a boyfriend, rather than the boy who popped over for a pizza and some steamy sessions on PlayStation.
“My light source isn’t functioning.” Orthon gave the rectangular object in his hands a shake, then another. He started walking ahead of them through the water. “Please follow me.”
Mike nodded.
To me, it felt a bit like walking around in a dimly lit haunted house. I was sure that at any minute, brain-eating zombies or ax-wielding lunatics in hockey masks might jump out at us. The hair on my neck rose, and I shuddered at the thought. I tried to feel around for Mike’s hand so I could squeeze it to a pulp. It was his job to be available for that kind of stuff.
“Hey, Mike, do you know what the number one rule is for people surviving in a horror flick?”
“Yep. If you hear freakin’ squeakin’ violins, like in Psycho—run.”
I laughed and playfully nudged him. “Not that one.”
“Make yourself the main character so you don’t get whacked?”
“Nope, but that’s a good one too.”
“Under no circumstances should you ever even think about making out.” Mike shook his head, grinning. “Yeah, the crowd might boo on that one, but that’s always when the killer strikes.” He let out a low laugh. “Wanna put the theory to the test, now that you mention it?”
“Heck no! With your track record and my luck, we’ll have one of your lunatic ex-girlfriends hacking at us with the kitchen knife.”
The water swooshed around his waist as he walked faster. “I get it. You’re scared.”
“Seriously? I didn’t bat an eyelash to fight that snake monster for you, and if you don’t recall, I was the one to climb up the woolly mammoth first.”
“Hear that?” asked Mike, changing the subject.
From behind, something pounded and clanged on the other side of the wall. I listened, imagining the serpent banging its head against the cave to try and break through to gobble and slurp us up. I hoped it had a headache the size of Alaska. “Think that snake will follow us down here?”
Orthon waded through the water, leaving a glowing blue trail of algae in his wake. “It can ram that hole all it wants. I had to cut through solid rock. It will never get through.”
Mike let out a breath. “Yeah, right. That thing looked like it could bite its way through a skyscraper.”
“You are completely safe,” said Orthon.
“Good. What kind of reptile was that anyway?” I wanted to ask Orthon why he wouldn’t slow down, as walking through a pool wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to do.
“It is called a titanoboa. He is around forty-five feet long and weighs nearly a ton, thanks to the diet of crocodiles and giant snapping turtles that we provide for him. He escaped from the wildlife preserve.”
Phew! Who in their right mind would bother feeding a thing like that when it looks like it could eat the whole freaking city? “Wait…so why, exactly, are you feeding it when it escaped? It looks to me like it’s kinda taking over your property here.”
“Yeah, just give him his walking papers and evict him,” said Mike.
Orthon moved forward swiftly. “He likes the cave, so we let him stay. He serves as a guardian for us. He keeps intruders out.”
“So he’s your mascot?” said Mike.
I chuckled. “I’ve never heard of a mascot devouring the team. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.”
Orthon glanced over his shoulder. “He is dormant in the summer. Had I known he would wake up, I would have brought along a tranquilizer gun that would put him out in seconds.”
I pushed through the dense water. “So you can control him, huh? Well, maybe you should make it a policy to always bring that gun, just in case.” In the dim light, I saw a long, dark shape…the ledge.
“We have arrived.” Orthon heaved himself out of the water and onto the rocky ledge. “Your lights will work once they dry, which will be fairly quickly. You two stay here. I need to make sure it is safe for you to pass. I will be back soon.”
Mike nodded at him, but my eyes grew wide.
“Is it so smart of him to wander off by himself into a dark cave?” I asked. “Surely that’s breaking one of those horror survivor rules.”
“Yeah, probably, but hopefully he’ll come back in one piece,�
�� whispered Mike in my ear.
“Of course I will,” said Orthon as he ventured off down the passageway.
I sighed and slapped my forehead. I kept forgetting he had no sense of humor, not to mention supersonic hearing and possibly X-ray vision.
A laugh burst from Mike’s throat. “Should we fill him in on Surviving Horror 101?”
A smirk curled its way on my face. “Yeah, and why don’t we offer him some soda and popcorn while we’re at it? I bet he’s never seen a horror film in his life. Besides, he’s a big boy. I’m sure he’s more than capable of taking care of himself. He can just use his superhuman reflexes and violate every law of physics.”
“You know, there are no kind strangers in horror movies,” said Mike in a sinister voice.
“You’re soooo not scaring me.” I laughed and took a step toward the ledge, then hesitated as I threw a glance over my shoulder. Mike had started swimming toward the next chamber. “Where’re you going? We should dry off and wait for Orthon.”
“Whoa! I see something that’s going to blow your mind.” His voice rose a couple of octaves.
I wondered how he could possibly get so easily sidetracked? “We’re not here to explore. Get back over here before you do something stupid.”
“Wow!” His voice boomed off the walls. “You’re not going to believe this. Come here, Casey!”
Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick peek. I waded through the water, making my way into the dark opening in the limestone. Glowing moss and algae formed a brilliant mosaic on the walls and ceiling, as if Mother Nature hired an interior decorator to color the place in glowing red, green, blue, and purple. My jaw dropped. “Whoa! I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
Mike let out a breath. “It’s friggin’ awesome.” He took the lead, pulling me behind as I peered at the bright sheen of blue-green shimmering right beneath the surface.
I trailed my fingers through the glowing streaks, the phosphorescent marine algae lighting up like millions of tiny neon sparkles, reminding me of the Northern Lights in the Alaskan sky, only underwater. I opened my mouth to mention it to Mike, but then I realized he’d never make the connection. But there was one thing he could relate to.
“It’s almost like Avatar…you know, those glowing scenes at night?”
Mike threw a handful of water in the air. “It’s Avatar all the way, baby.”
I marveled as bursts of electric-blue light rained down. I had swum in the bioluminescent ocean before at Mosquito Bay in Puerco Rico, but this was a million times brighter and more magical. Translucent streaks swirled across the water, making our bodies appear to glow. I wiggled my feet and lifted my arms, watching bright droplets roll off my skin.
“Do you think you could paint the two of us?” asked Mike. “Sharing a moment like this, in all these super cool colors?”
“Oh, Mike, that’s the sweetest thing. I’d love too. I don’t know which scene takes away my breath more—this place or those glittering butterflies.”
He touched my cheek. “It’s not the scene that takes my breath away. It’s who I’m sharing it with.”
I grinned, hoping he wasn’t just playing one of his flirty games.
Mike focused his gaze on me, making my stomach flutter. “You’re so beautiful, all cleaned up.”
“What? Caked-on mud isn’t your thing?” My voice came low and hoarse, too loud and nervous in my own ears. “You’re not that shabby either.”
“I mean it. Not only are you gorgeous, but you have the most beautiful smile.” He pushed a stray lock from my forehead.
I felt myself blush, and hot waves washed over me. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. But then again, Mike was Prince Charming in the flesh. No, he didn’t have a white stallion, but he had a way with words that made me want to throw my arms around him and never let go. What could beat having the man of your dreams whisper sweet nothings to you in a spectacular, bright, bioluminescent setting?
He stared into my eyes. “I bet you never imagined a date like this.”
“I bet you never had one with this much adrenaline. I bet you’ll never top this.”
He reached for my hands, inching closer until his breath stroked my lips. “Hmm. I might have to take you up on that challenge.”
“I’m listening.” My head reeled as I waited for his answer, my mind already coming up with hundreds of things I might do to help the next date along.
“It’d have to be something big and memorable—like you in a stunning gown and me in a tux. And then we’d ride in a limo filled with dozens of roses in every color. And I’d squeeze through the sky window and shout, ‘Casey Smith is the perfect girl for me!’”
Yeah, it kind of had a prom vibe going, but that was how Mike was. He liked to portray everything big, crazy, and over the top. My heart hammered in my chest as I laughed and said, “I’m liking it already. Is there more?”
“You better believe it,” he said. “I’d take you to a special spot I’ve been saving for the perfect girl.”
“Where?” My eyes danced furtively. “The local McDonald’s?”
His lips twitched as he tried to hold back a laugh. “No. It’s a scenic view of the city lights that blends into the starry skies like magic. I’d play all your favorite love songs.”
I grinned.
“A date wouldn’t be complete without dinner. I’d set up a little table with two chairs and a fancy tablecloth, flowers, and candles.”
“But you can’t even cook a hotdog without burning it,” I said.
“You can’t either.”
“Hey! At least I’m microwave compatible.”
“Don’t worry, I have it all planned. We’d stop for your favorite—Chinese take-out—and eat with chopsticks the way you like to. And we can toast with a glass of sparkling cider.” He touched my face, his palm lingering on my cheek. “And nothing in the world would matter, as long as I was with you.”
I pictured having dinner as we gazed at the sea of twinkling lights. “It sounds absolutely perfect.” My heart melted as he smiled. I had been convinced that Mike was born without a romantic side, but boy, was I ever wrong. Usually a date with Mike consisted of a corndog and fries at the local burger joint, followed by making out on the beach directly behind it—or so he claimed. I could do with such a beach date, too, as long as he was there. Like he said, it didn’t matter, so long as we were together.
Our eyes locked, and everything around me disappeared. An electric shock shot through my body when he slipped one of his strong, but gentle hands to the nape of my neck and pulled me close, my skin grazing against his in an embrace.
He skimmed his fingers through my hair and wrapped his arms around my shivering body. I stared up, barely able to keep his gaze, as his lips lowered ever so gently against me in a soft touch, growing stronger as sparks flew. Okay, so we’re breaking the number one horror movie survivor rule, but who makes up the stupid rules anyway? Besides, this is totally worth it.
His breath felt hot on my skin, and heat rushed to my cheeks. She still couldn’t fathom how anyone could be so irresistible. Somewhere inside my mind, a voice yelled to warn me to keep my composure, but my heart told me to switch off and just enjoy. Tilting my head, I closed my eyes, ready to melt into his embrace as I parted my lips against his.
I tugged at his shirt, allowing him to deepen our kiss. His strong hands cupped the back of my head as his soft tongue swirled around mine in circles. It grew bolder, turning into something so passionate, so intense—wild, crazy, and everything Mike represented. Minutes passed: the best minutes of my entire life. I didn’t care if Orthon ever came back. The horror movie was definitely turning into a chick flick—big time.
Then, far too suddenly, reality came crashing down. Light flooded my eyes, spots danced in my vision, and Mike’s lips were gone. Orthon stood at the edge, waving his flashlight, which apparently now worked. It was shining brightly in my eyes, and now I was seeing even bigger spots.
“
Am I disturbing you? When I didn’t see you, I tried here. Please don’t walk off like that again. It can be very dangerous if you do not know your way around and what you might face in these parts.”
My cheeks on fire, I pulled away, embarrassed. I had to wonder how long Orthon had been standing there.
“Let us go,” he said in a firm voice. “Your light sources will dry out soon, and then you shall have light.”
Mike nodded. “We’re coming.”
I had officially crossed the line of friendship with tongue action, and I loved every moment of it. Drawing in a deep breath, I gazed at Mike, waiting for him to say something, to explain what just happened between us. But as usual, he just shrugged and turned away. “Oh, man.” My voice wavered.
“I thought you only say that when you’re scared,” said Mike.
“Or busted.” I chuckled, shook my head, and mumbled under my breath, “Or blown away.”
He grinned. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
My head still spun as I turned, my skin still tingling where Mike’s lips had left a trail of moisture. Even though the kiss was over, my heart continued to race. I wondered if it was just those pesky teen hormones, but when I thought about it, I realized it had to be a side effect of being stuck in some kind of weird wonderland with the most amazing, gorgeous, lovable earthling I knew. I sighed like one of those girly girls in those romance movies and tried to switch on my brain again, but all I got was some mushy, hazy feeling that reminded me of Kate and Leo on the deck of the Titanic—before they sank, of course.
Mike shot me a smile as I slipped my hand into his. He carefully pulled me through the water until we reached the rock ledge jutting out at eye level. His biceps flexed as he pulled himself up and out of the water and then reached forward to help me.
I let his arms close around mine, enjoying the tingling sensation his fingers left on my cool skin. It was in that instant that another good-looking face flashed through my mind. Jack! In all the drama, I’d completely forgotten about him, even though his life was probably in the most jeopardy.
Trapped in the Hollow Earth Novelette Series Omnibus Edition (Books 1 - 4) Page 31