VulcansWoman Page 19

  “Yeah, it looks that way.” He reached forward and shut off the computer. A few months ago he would’ve been happy to hear an ending to this mission was in sight but not anymore. Everything of importance resided right here on Helixis. He knew what he wanted and the only way to hold on to her was to stay back while his unit boarded the shuttle. Not only had his feelings grown beyond lust but she’d given him something she could never give to another man. Investing in him to that degree was beyond words.

  He’d fallen in and out of love, he’d even decided to give marriage a try, but he broke the disastrous engagement before his life fell into hell. Materialistic things had supported that relationship. His fiancé gave him gifts, gave him grief, but never gave of herself. Wisteria had nothing to give but herself. She trusted him with her life. Trusted him, period. More importantly she set her fears aside and accepted him for who he was.

  Last night, having told him to stay with those big tears in her eyes had pretty much etched his decision in stone. No way in hell could he leave her now. Even if they destroyed the entire species and removed the threat. Not if but when. Inevitably the lives of the people on Helixis depended on his unit.

  During the next session with Sumner he’d talk feelings and imminent plans for his future.

  “Now what?” Wisteria asked.

  “I’ve got some unfinished work to do down here. Why don’t you get some sleep? I’ll wake you when I’m done.”

  She nodded and sat back down.

  “Not here, sweetheart. In my hut where it’s more comfortable.” He stepped back, removing his holster. “I found these near the mountains,” he said, pouring the stones into his hand. “I thought you’d like them.”

  Her eyes brightened. “Vulcan,” she gasped softly as she placed one hand beneath his and sifted through his palm with the other. “They are the most beautiful stones I’ve ever seen.” She glanced in his eyes then returned her gaze to his hand. She lifted a dark- pink, clear rock the size of her thumbnail and studied it closely. “They will make beautiful jewelry,” she stated as if mentally designing her next piece. “Thank you. I love them.”

  Witnessing her excitement made the long trek to the mountains worth the trip. He thought she’d like the stones but never expected how much. The smile she flashed touched him so deeply his heart swelled.

  He walked across the shelter and dug through numerous supply boxes for a small satchel. Carefully he poured the stones inside the pouch then handed it to her.

  She clutched it against her breast and sauntered to the stairs. “Will you be long?”

  “No. I’ll be there before you know it.” He followed her up the steps and escorted her to his hut, tucked beneath his arm. In truth he’d rather snuggle under the furs alongside her and hold her all night but he needed to document the current issues first.

  To cut the time in half he’d grab Bronto to help. That way Vulcan could return for a decent night’s sleep while embracing Wisteria in his arms.

  She lay down near the fire, her gaze focused on his eyes. He tucked the hide around her shoulders then placed his lips softly against her brow. “I’ll return soon,” he said. “I promise.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Soon. That didn’t give Wisteria much time to gather Ivy and flee. She hated to go but she had to. Whether it was now or later, she’d inevitably be forced to leave. She’d heard the commander. Vulcan would return home shortly. She couldn’t reside with the pure-blooded Barbarians. Jade even said they wouldn’t harm her since she was Vulcan’s woman. With him gone, her life didn’t look too promising.

  If she didn’t take the chance now she might not get another. It would cause more heartache because it’d give her that much more time to love him. It seemed wiser to return now to life as she’d known it before that happened. If her clan hadn’t forgiven her she’d find her own way. She could sew, cook and start fires. She’d settle into a new cave someplace far away from here and learn how to hunt.

  She waited, giving Vulcan sufficient time to return to the weapons shelter, then she jumped up and peeked outside, holding the flap open just enough to see who remained in the immediate vicinity. Rocko and Grunt were dismembering the T-Rex and tossing large sections of its body into the fire. The only person in her visual range was Jade, who sat near the pit, stirring ashes with a long stick.

  At least Jade hadn’t gone to sleep, which meant Ivy was alone in the hut. Wisteria clutched the satchel to her breast and as quietly as possible crept through the doorway. She walked backward until she reached Jade’s home. For a moment she stood outside and listened, her gaze darting from the forest to the path leading to the meadow.

  Reassured she hadn’t been spotted, she stepped into the hut. Ivy lay asleep in a corner, cuddled in hides. She looked so comfortable Wisteria regretted having to wake her. But she had to. She had to leave before the pain of losing Vulcan grew crippling.

  She dropped to her knees and shook Ivy’s shoulder. “Wake up,” she whispered. “We must hurry.”

  Ivy’s eyes fluttered open. “Huh? Where are we going?”

  “Home.” Wisteria took hold of Ivy’s wrists and pulled her into a sitting position. The fur slid to the ground. “Come, before Jade returns.”

  Ivy shivered. “I don’t want to go.”

  “Shhh. We must.”

  “It’s dark. We’ll…we’ll get lost.”

  Wisteria stood, tugging Ivy to her feet. “We’ll go to the lake then take the path leading home.”

  “No!” Ivy’s eyes rounded. “Those things…those…those non-human mutants. And what about the Tyrannosaurus? What if there are more?”

  Those thoughts scared her to death as well but this was her only chance. If she waited for everything to return to normal, it’d be too late. “Loo-La will protect us.” Wisteria charged to the doorway, pulling Ivy behind her, and as she pushed the flap aside, Jade walked into the hut.

  Wisteria’s insides withered in dread.

  Jade studied Wisteria first, then Ivy. “What’s going on, ladies?” she asked, glancing around the hut as if taking inventory of her belongings.

  “We’re going home,” Ivy murmured.

  Wisteria yanked Ivy’s hand hard.

  “I assume Vulcan doesn’t know, since you’re sneaking off while he’s away,” Jade stated rather than asked.

  “Please don’t tell him,” Wisteria pleaded. Her heart raced and she trembled. Was it in fear? Anxiety? Both? “We have to do this. I have to break away before he returns to Earth. I can’t bear the thought any longer.”

  Jade tilted her head, studying Wisteria closely. “He told you about that?”

  “Yes, and I met your commander. And I saw the guns. And I just… Please, Jade, let us go quietly before he returns.”

  “So I’m left to face his wrath?”

  Wisteria begged with her eyes. “He doesn’t have to know.”

  Jade glanced at Ivy before she refocused on Wisteria then stepped out of their path. “Then go. I’ll lie if I have to. You ladies don’t belong here anyway.”

  Wisteria breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

  “Beauty queen, take this,” Jade said, removing the folded blade she used for weaving from a side pocket in her frock. “You need some kind of protection,” she continued, setting it in Wisteria’s hand. “Don’t be surprised if Vulcan comes looking for you.”

  Wisteria nodded while folding her fingers around the weapon. “Won’t you need this?”

  “There’s more. Tuck it inside your waistband. Now go, before it’s too late.” She held the flap open.

  Wisteria stuffed the blade into place and tucked the satchel in her upper garment beneath the breast strap.

  “I’ll follow you to the forest edge,” Jade explained. “If the men ask any questions when we walk by I’ll tell them you’re joining Vulcan and Bronto in the shelter. That’ll buy you some time.”

  Wisteria nodded and as they circled the outside of the camp to avoid the dead animal’s body and the o
utline of blood, Jade wrapped her arms around Wisteria’s arm. “Walk slow until we reach the trees, then run as if your life depends on it. Don’t stop until you get to the other side.”

  Wisteria nodded. “Okay.” What if Vulcan appeared before they left the camp? What would he do? What could she say? That she was coming for him? Hopefully Ivy wouldn’t be overly determined to spill the truth as she had with Jade. Really, what would it matter? He’d not miss her. He’d find another mating partner, one he’d not wear a condom with to prevent conception. Nothing bound them together. Except her love, which wasn’t reason enough to make him stay.

  Despite talking herself down she trembled in fear of getting caught. Her heartbeat pummeled her chest and her teeth chattered.

  The instant they pushed evergreen branches aside and stepped into the forest, Wisteria bolted, yanking Ivy through the trees. Ivy stumbled to her knees but quickly recovered, brushed herself off and ran.

  Wisteria’s chest burned like fire while trudging forward. It felt as if they’d never reach the lake but finally she saw the yellow hue glowing in the darkness. When she landed in the clearing she stopped. Ivy plowed into her back and they both fell to the ground with Ivy landing on top of her. She laughed while rolling from beneath her sister but quickly silenced herself so as not to draw attention in case someone or something lurked in the darkness. She shivered at the thought.

  While she rose she glanced at the lake for Loo-La but the snake wasn’t visible. Hopefully it was close by because she suddenly sensed she and Ivy were being watched. If it wasn’t Loo-La, who was it?

  “Come, Ivy. Hurry,” she said, helping her to her feet.

  “What will you do if the clan won’t let you back in, Wisty?”

  “I’ll figure it out.” She took Ivy by the hand and sprinted toward the path home, using the moonlight as a guide. “We’ll discuss it later. We need to get out of here. I don’t think we’re alone.”

  “Oh fuck!” Ivy shrieked and barreled past Wisteria.

  “Ivy! Where’d you hear that? It’s not a nice word,” Wisteria hollered as she caught up and grabbed Ivy by the arm.

  “Bronto said it when he saw the Tyrannosaurus.”

  * * * * *

  “Vulcan, I just did another check and not much of the T-Rex is left,” Bronto said, regarding the current activity taking place. “Bone, skin and blood samples have been preserved for analysis,” he added.

  “Thanks, Bronto,” Vulcan replied, yawning. “Tomorrow we’ll head out to gather inventory on dinosaur eggs. Sumner is pretty damn adamant about destroying them.”

  “So you’ve said. I’ve been thinking about what you told me, and honestly, I don’t blame him. You saw that big-ass monster. Can you imagine the havoc a loose herd like that will cause on Earth?”

  “No, but if that happens, and there’s a very slim chance it will, while you guys are fighting to maintain control over the planet, I’ll still be here. Sorry, I don’t mean to stick it to you alone.”

  Bronto sat down on the edge of the computer table and crossed his arms. “Care to explain that?”

  Vulcan grinned. “I’m not going back. I can’t. There’s too much here to lose.”

  “And would you also care to explain that?”

  “I’ve fallen in love with Helixis.”

  Bronto’s brows rose. “Is that all you’ve fallen in love with?”

  “I’ve been thinking about this for a while. It wouldn’t break my heart to give up the hustle and bustle of New York City or these missions. Each one seems to get more dangerous than the prior one. Seriously, when was the last time we slayed dinosaurs?”

  “Uh, never.”

  “Exactly. I’ve proved my point.”

  “But you adore New York,” Bronto said.

  “Yeah, I do.” Vulcan folded his hand behind his head. “But I enjoy the freedom of the wilderness more.”

  “Freedom? Pardon me for saying, but did you see those non-humans and the monstrous T-Rex out there? Others just like them may interfere with your freedom somewhat, I’m afraid.”

  Vulcan chuckled. “You know, I can’t call the order to destroy those eggs. It’ll lead them into extinction. Sumner said they’ve always been on Helixis. Why fuck with them now?”

  “I agree.”

  “If the species is attempting to splice DNA, they’re breaking shells to extract the embryos.”

  “I’m sure that’s exactly what happened to the one we saw,” Bronto added.

  “Which means the unharmed eggs are still incubating fetuses. Call me a wimp, but I cannot abort a baby dinosaur.”

  “Even if it’s a T-Rex?”

  “Yeah, even if it’s a baby T-Rex.” Vulcan yawned and covered his mouth with a fist. “Our government assumes the aliens will conquer the entire solar system. Assumes being the operative word. It’s not justifiable to me. This is Mother Nature performing some of her most exquisite work. I’m not ready to disrupt her efforts.”

  “Agreed.”

  “By destroying the eggs we’re removing a main ingredient from the species’ formula, but there has to be a better way. Why disrupt the evolution of dinosaurs if it can be avoided? We need to somehow wipe out the aliens. That would solve the problem.”

  Again Bronto’s brows rose. “Any suggestions?”

  “Hell no, and I have no doubt we’re dealing with the same species.”

  “From what you’ve said, it sounds like it, but,” Bronto said, moving away from the desk to pace the shelter from the stairs to the shelves, “let’s backtrack to the part about you not wanting to leave.”

  “Let’s not.” He’d made his decision—end of story. On Helixis he’d start a family, raise a handful of kids and protect them with his life. He’d been a free spirit since he was three years old, having been ushered from one foster home to the next after his parents died in a meth lab explosion. Neither parent had any surviving relatives who wanted to raise a toddler. Vulcan wasn’t even sure any knew of his existence. From the scant amount of information he’d heard over the years, it appeared his mom and dad had secluded themselves and cut all ties from their relatives when they started dabbling in drugs. He hadn’t had a stable life until he’d turned eighteen and joined the Special Forces. From that day forward he’d devoted himself to the government. Now it was time to move on. “It’s been a hell of a day. We need sleep.” He rubbed his eyes and slid a hand through hair. “Sunrise is only a few hours away. If we don’t grab some z’s now, it’ll be awhile.”

  He stood and massaged his neck before he grabbed the Barrett and snuffed the torches.

  “What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Bronto asked while following him up the steps.

  “We’ll decide in the morning,” he replied. After Bronto stepped on solid ground Vulcan closed and latched the door.

  Dark smoke was billowing above the trees and the smell of burning rubber infiltrated his nose.

  A small section of the T-Rex’s torso was all that remained of the animal but Rocko and Grunt still worked diligently to dismantle it.

  Vulcan ambled through the yard, making sure fires burned around the perimeter. He wanted the lighting bright enough to guide the tribe in case they needed to flee another threat. He also hoped the flames scared off any unwanted predators, mutants or otherwise.

  His Barrett was spending the night close at his side. After experiencing the T-Rex’s wrath he wasn’t getting caught without it. Ruby and Pearl flatly refused to leave the underground shelters. Jade on the other hand walked aimlessly around the fire, chewing her fingernails.

  Bronto followed as Vulcan approached her quietly so as not to startle her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. Surprisingly it trembled. “Jade, it’s late, call it a night.”

  She halted and turned around. Her eyes were red and swollen as if she’d been crying—another oddity to her normally stoic presence. Hell, he hadn’t seen Jade cry once in two years. “What’s the matter?”

  “Vulcan, I’ve made a big mistake.”

/>   “It can’t be that bad.” He smiled, trying to uplift her somewhat. “If it makes you feel any better, there’s finally an end in sight to this mission. You’ll be shuttled home soon.”

  “It’s not that.” As she raised her eyes to his, a tear slipped beneath her lashes. “Your woman. Wisteria. She and her sister left.”

  His heartbeat stopped. “What do you mean they left?”

  She glanced at the ground. “I didn’t try to stop them.”

  He dashed toward his hut.

  “She’s not there,” Jade hollered. “She’s gone.”

  He halted and shot around, and as he strode back to Jade her features contorted in regret.

  “I’m sorry,” she whimpered. “I thought it was best for her. It’s what she wanted. But now I’m not so sure I did the right thing. They’re alone out there in the dark.”

  He clasped her shoulders but stopped short of shaking her. “What she wanted? Explain.”

  “She wanted to break free. She said she couldn’t bear it anymore.”

  What a punch in his guts. He’d displayed nothing but tenderness and kindness to that woman. “Where’d they go?”

  “She said they’re going home,” she replied, pointing to the forest. “They headed in that direction.”

  “How long ago?”

  “Fifteen minutes.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Shadows of the clan’s fire danced along the ground near the end of the path. Wisteria halted, squeezed Ivy’s hand for reassurance and took a deep breath. Earlier her spur-of-the-moment decision to return home had seemed like the right choice. Now, facing reality, it might not have been the best idea.

  She stiffened her shoulders, squeezed Ivy’s hand once more then sauntered into the camp. Despite an occasional cricket chirping or the flames crackling, it was quiet. No one was in sight but it was late and they were obviously asleep.

  “Ivy, I’ll wait by the fire while you check the cave for Momma. I’m afraid Daddy might be in there too, and I’m not ready to face him yet.”