B008IFNJZM EBOK (17 page)

             
“Good the girls have done the same.  They even put me on their account as well.  We will have your passports with visas to exchange with you.  Remember, the limit on cash is ten thousand a piece.   All we need now is the courier from the embassy and our documents.”

             
“Do the girls have to be up to sign?”

             
“No, there is a family rule.  Only one of the people on one of the passports is needed and that person can sign for all of them.”

             
“You worry me brother.  You talk about these three creatures like they are one of us.”

             
Tom didn’t know that Iolana was awake wrapped in a towel and on the other side of the curtain listening and brushing her hair.

             
“They are not monsters!  They are just like you and me.  Of course as much as I am drawn to Iolana, I would never date her.”

             
Iolana could feel her heart drop.  It was the death of a dream at that instant.  She kept listening as Chelsea joined her also just out of the shower.

             
“And let me tell you why I wouldn’t date her.  It is because if I am not cured, a werewolf would be drawn to attack the ones he loves and besides you my sister, the curse would probably make me attack her.  That is how close she is to my heart at this very minute.”

             
Iolana was glad she didn’t walk away.  Chelsea nudged her friend grinning.

             
“Well there is no doubt in my mind.  We got to save this guy if for no other reason than to see a dream come true for you.  At least one of us has a shot at happiness!”

             
As Tom continued to talk to his sister, a smiling Iolana pushed Chelsea father away from the curtain and close to the shower where Hadiya was still finishing her shower.

             
“He is right you know.  If he is developing feelings for me and we can’t cure him, he will come after me.”

             
Chelsea grabbed her damp shoulders. 

             
“We will find him a cure.  Don’t worry.”

             
Meanwhile, Tom continued talking to his sister unaware that he had been overheard.

             
“So these two mercenaries you hired, is their paperwork in order?”

             
“They are not mercenaries, they are ex-military and yes, they have their own visas and passports.”

             
“Why did you think we even needed them?”

             
“It is my hope we don’t, but we are going after a creature that does not want to be seen and things could turn ugly.”

             
“And just how are they going to get weapons in country?”

             
“They know a couple of friends in Australia that know the area.  They will be armed in country.  It was Nathan’s idea.”

             
“So we now have two guides and two bodyguards or four gun crazies as part of this expedition.”

             
“I agree with Nathan.  We do need guides and we do need protection.  After all, we will be on an expedition with your three monster friends.”

             
“You’ll change your mind about them after you meet them, I am sure. You’ll see they are just like you and me.”

             
“I don’t care if off in the future this Iolana becomes my sister-in-law, I will still keep a few wooden stakes and a hammer.”

             
Tom doesn’t care for her comment.  His sister has gone from nonbeliever to beyond believing and has already crossed over to the point that she is afraid of his travel companions.

             
“Sis, if you love me, please give them the benefit of a doubt.”

             
“Of course I love you Tom and I will try hard for your sake.  I am worried about failing and you, you know, changing…”

             
“We must believe and have faith.”

             
“I do, but if by some chance we do leave tomorrow, you will have less than two weeks to find a creature that doesn’t want to be found and a cure that may or may not work.”

             
“We will find him and it will work.”

             
Tom continued the conversation going over a check list of all the items that have been procured and those that remained.  The list of things to support their expedition was now short enough to be found in country.  Iolana came forward still in her towel and tapped Tom on the shoulder and pointed out the window..

             
“Excuse me, but we are about to have a visitor.”

             
Tom saw a well-dressed man exit a vehicle and coming toward them with a briefcase.

             
“I’ve got to go sis, I’ll call you back.  I think our courier is here.”

             
Iolana handed Tom a hundred dollar bill.

             
“Here, tip him if he will take it.”

             
Iolana ran back leaving a light trail of wet footprints and disappeared beyond the curtain.  Tom went over and dropped the entrance door.

             
“Mr Hart?”

             
“I am Jeffery Kenmore.  I have been sent to deliver documents by the Australian Embassy.”

             
“Yes, won’t you please come aboard.”

             
The man started up the short run of stairs and back to the first class round table and opened his briefcase.

             
“This is highly irregular that paperwork for an expedition to my country got lost but I think I have everything now and the customs people in Melbourne have been notified and they will help you in any way they can once your party arrives.  We have everything including the serial numbers of the two private jets your party will be arriving in.  Everything seems to be in order.”

             
The gentlemen produced an envelope and Tom was told to inspect it to insure that everyone’s passport was there and they all had travel visas.

             
“We at the embassy are really sorry that we have delayed your departure and forced you to fly out of your way to your second jet just to deliver these documents.”

             
“No problem.  Thank everyone who was involved in expediting this paper work for us.”

             
“Sign here sir.”

             
Tom using his driver’s license and now his passport for identification and signed for the packet.  He did try to tip the man but he refused.  Tom led him out the door thanking the messenger and the girls were dressed for the evening before the courier departed.  They came forward as the door closed.

             
Tom dropped the bill on the table.

             
“Are we ready to leave?”

             
“How long will it take for us to get there?”

             
“We are fueled and all we have to do is get a departure slot from the tower and a ground crew.., I’d say we could be in Louisville in under four hours.”

             
“Good then we have a little time.”

             
“Time for what?”

             
“Time for me to take my three saviors somewhere.”

             
The girls looked at each other and smiled.  This was a surprise!

             
“Where are you taking us?”

             
“I am going to take my three favorite ladies dancing.”

             
Iolana looked at Tom.

             
“But I never went dancing…”

             
Hadiya chimed in.

             
“Neither have I.”

             
“Well ladies it is about time you do.  It is easy and I think you will enjoy it.  We have a few hours before we must depart and a couple of hours away from this jet would do us all some good.  You have to learn sometime  and it is my treat.  Pick some comfortable shoes and we’ll go.”

             
“Where we going?”

             
“To ritzy club down on Patterson Street.”

             
All three were excited.  It was seen by them as an adventure, even if it only was for a short time.”

             
“Give me a minute, I have to check my hair.”

             
“Me too.”

             
“Hurry up ladies, I am going to call for a car now.”

             
All three left the first class cabin giggling like school girls.  When they returned they did much more than check their hair, they all looked very sexy in some of their best clothes.  It would be an adventure to remember.

             
Tom sat with his three friends in the back seat of the Limo.  The driver had been hired to drive them to the club and wait until they were ready to leave.  Tom interrupted the small talk of the trio.

             
“So Ladies, beside blood is there anything else you can drink or eat?  As part of my treat, I might be required to order you a round of drinks.”

             
Chelsea responded first.

             
“Actually, if we had to order something to appear human like one of you ‘warm bloods’, we could consume food, but our bodies wouldn’t digest it and the more we would eat, the sicker we would feel.”

             
“What about alcoholic beverages?   I could just order a pitcher of beer and you could all have empty glasses and not actually drink any of it.”

             
Hadiya chimed in.

             
“You could order us each a glass of red wine… We could baby that… for the short time we are there.  That would be fine.”

             
“Red wine it is.”

             
Iolana added her question.

             
“What made you want to do this?”

             
Tom looked down at the floor as he responded.

             
“Actually, it might be the last time for me if you don’t help me find a cure…”

             
All three of the women could sense how he felt.  Hope was not Tom’s strong suit.

             
“We will help you and you will find a cure!”

             
Tom looked up at Iolana.

             
“By the time we get there, I’ll only have two weeks.”

             
“Tom, we are serious. You will be alright.”

             
“If we don’t find it, I will need your help.  Of all the stories I have read, I will need you to kill me before I harm those I love like my uncle or sister.”

             
Iolana continued to look at him with tears in her eyes as Tom continued.

             
“I wouldn’t want to hurt you or your friends either.  Promise me you will end my life before I hurt others.”

             
All three of the women responded at once.

             
“We will.”

             
Iolana added to her friend’s concern.

             
“You are going to be alright… and besides we are going to need a lot more than just one dance lesson.”

             
The limo pulled up to the entrance and the girls got out first.  They were already being admired by other males as they waited for Tom.  He smiled.

             
“Now ladies, no ‘warm blood’ snacks.”

             
The girls smiled and clinged to Tom as he escorted them into the club and past those who admired them.

***

             
As the music played on, Tom continued to dance with Iolana.  She leaned against him and enjoyed her first slow dance. Neither of them realized that she was very close to his neck as he held her.  As instantly by instinct, her fangs did come out and she quickly withdrew them without Tom noticing.  It was an involuntary response and she felt bad about what they could have done if she were to let herself go.  She was able to control herself.  She wondered if even with Tom cured, she could have a normal relationship with a ‘warm blood’.