Destined to Fly: An Avalon Novel (18 page)

Slowly, he reaches out to her and silently she allows him to touch. She knows not whether to expect pleasure or pain from this man before her, never having felt the softness of a touch without the preceding punishment. Her feelings for him are both rapturous and confused as she finds herself increasingly unable to control the responses of her own body.

He senses her apprehension and smooths her creased brow with his thumb; without a word he soothes her concerns. Totally absorbed in the beauty of her face, he continues his exploration of her features, his thumb sensually sliding along the profile of her face, eventually circling her lips.

She inhales deeply, parting her voluptuous mouth allowing him to tease and play with her tongue. The feelings that are literally taking her breath away transfer to her groin and a cry of anticipation escapes her lips.

His hands move down to explore the curvaceous terrain of her body. He takes his time, adapting the rhythm of his touch to her breathing. He’s aching to peel back the clothes covering her, but he forces himself to go slowly. Inch by inch he slides her dress up her thighs, the intensity of his gaze letting her know how hungrily he anticipates what wonders may lie beneath.

Her breath stills when his hand slides between her moistened loins. She releases a soft moan at the sensitivity of his touch.

Ignited by her sounds, he positions himself alongside her and unravels her body of all clothing. He has never felt such fierce desire for someone, and marvels at the sight before him. He kisses her lips, softly at first, before deepening the kiss as his passion rises.

She clings to him but he gently lays her back. The last thing he wants to do in this strangely sacred moment is rush his exploration, lest he neglect some of the intricacies her body has to offer his touch. He positions her arms above her head so her neck, breasts and arms are available for his lips to explore. He slows his pace even more so, inhaling every scent he can extract from her body, never wanting or needing someone more under his skin. He plays and tantalises but never penetrates.

Caitlin has never felt more alive or desired. She is so moved by these feelings, tears escape the corners of her eyes just as wetness builds between her legs.

Flashes of her beloved mother in the field flood her mind as she wonders if these feelings that she is experiencing for the first time could be what her mother felt; she remembers how beautiful and sensual she looked as she danced and the people worshipped her body. It is with these thoughts that Caitlin finds the courage to explore his body, just as he did hers. She too kisses and plays, fascinated by the responses she can elicit from his body at her touch. Never before has she been allowed to look at or explore a penis, only ever felt it blindly behind her. She is in awe of the size and hesitatingly kisses its tip. A little fluid erupts from its head and she tastes its saltiness as he smiles beneath her, encouraging her to continue.

The muscled strength and nakedness of this beautiful man intrigues her, his warmth and masculinity offering her a magical connection she never knew two people could share. Soon they are fully acquainted with one another’s bodies, and having taken the time to discover an understanding of each other’s most sensual and responsive areas, their intimacy reaches new heights.

For the next few hours their lovemaking is passionate and bold, raw and tender. She loves what he can do to her breasts with the rings, arousing all sorts of alluring sensations both externally and within her. Every time he pulls or nips her tips, she feels as though her groin will explode with desire and at times it does,
leaving her wondering in shock how he achieves these uncontrollable eruptions within her.

He strokes her hair and her body until her erotic convulsions subside to quivers, until they can reconnect again. He wants her to feel everything her body is capable of under his touch and her own. So strong is his attraction to this exotic, curvaceous creature his erection never subsides, and he makes the most of every moment they share.

Caitlin loses her virginity to this charismatic man who encourages her to surrender her body to experience the wonders of human intimacy and ecstasy. Their lovemaking has enabled their minds and souls to connect, as though their bodies were intricately designed for each other. Rather than carefully having to manage her movements to accommodate her punishments, she craves his phallus and the feeling of completeness it creates within her.

He is more than willing to satisfy her desires, as many times as she wishes.

John tenderly kisses Caitlin’s sleeping lips after he has dressed, knowing his men are awaiting his arrival further down the river. He had already been gone too long. Though he knows their meeting was mere chance and that it is impossible for them to progress beyond this brief interlude given his gypsy lifestyle, he knows he will never forget this emerald-eyed beauty with wild
dark hair and exotically ringed breasts. He bids her a loving farewell.

When Caitlin wakes she wonders whether her feelings were all part of an erotic dream. She lowers her hands between her legs and feels his seed within her. She smiles a private, indulgent smile that she has been given this opportunity to experience such sheer human joy. Finally, she feels as though her destiny has changed course for the better, for she knows that this man, whoever he was, only adored her — fear was not part of his being. Caitlin never sees him again.

Over the next few weeks, she sees less and less of her master and she wonders why. Her breasts are swollen and tender and she notices a firmness in her belly. Lyon has been looking after her and she asks him.

‘I’m not sure what is wrong with my body, it’s changing.’ He moves toward her and places his palm on her belly.

‘How did this happen?’

Caitlin isn’t entirely sure what he means, so remains silent.

‘Caitlin, your master didn’t do this, please answer me.’ Concerned by the fear in his voice she turns around, unable to meet his eyes. She is unsure whether to tell him the truth but also unsure about what is wrong with her.

‘Tell me, was there a man here?’ he asks gently.

‘Yes.’

‘Did he penetrate you?’

‘Yes.’

‘You are with child.’

Caitlin almost collapses in wonder. How did this happen? It is a miracle, a sign from the gods, that she should procreate. She can’t deny the smile on her face or the tears of joy in her eyes.

‘What are we to do now?’

Feeling euphoric though sensing his despair, she bravely but tentatively steps forward and embraces him with the warmth of her body. Slowly he looks at her face and their eyes meet. She feels his warmth and compassion, knowing that her mother’s blood healed this man. They are connected. He will protect her by taking whatever role he needs to play … it is his destiny.

‘We must leave this village and travel far from here before your master returns from his trip and finds you like this.’

Wasting no time, Lyon organises what they need for their imminent departure. He removes Caitlin’s nipple rings for the last time, symbolically releasing her from her captivity, and closes the door behind them on their past. Together, they move far away. Caitlin delivers healthy twin girls, and Lyon raises them as his own daughters. Both are blessed with the sign of the heart on their skin, signalling their healing blood. He spends the rest of his life protecting and providing for his cherished wife and her daughters knowing they alone provide the lineage to their sacred bloodline. Caitlin is tentative at first about trialling the healing power of her blood, but her confidence grows as her daughters
age. Their life continues comfortably, as man and wife, knowing that their bond to each other goes far beyond such ceremony, and reaches into the very core of their souls.

As I float away from Caitlin’s life I see fragments of the twins’ lives and their children, their children’s children and so on like cards flipping quickly through a pack. It provides me with a sense of their healing blood being diluted, its magic fading over time, and ends with my own grandmother smiling warmly and knowingly. She encourages me to continue on my journey with her outstretched hands and if my eyes could shed tears they would be reflecting the love in my heart for her, as she died many years ago. In desperate hope, I reach out to touch her and her image floats away into the ether.

As this occurs, I feel my ethereal presence being pushed into a vortex. Everything around me is tinged in dark red before the vision clears and I see Jeremy and Leo watching me during the experiment as I swirl toward them in the whirlpool of life. As I pass through this turbulence, and the images of the men, my heart pumps loudly around me. I feel like I am the life force of the healing blood itself and everything stills other than my beating heart and the energy sending blood coursing through my veins, until I am forcefully pulled through its energy to the other side and return to my earthly state.

Gasping for air with my eyes wide open, I find myself staring into the eyes of my ancestral companions — one my lover and the other my guardian. We three, whose destinies have finally collided after centuries of missed opportunities, have ignited the enigma of my blood. I now have the knowledge that Leo more than likely has had for quite some time: that we played an incredibly important part in each other’s past lives, that in essence, all of this is meant to be.

I wonder whether they are part of each other’s lives because of me, or whether they too have their own unique connection to each other. I consider the fleeting arrival and departure of John in Caitlin’s life and their physical allure connecting them as if their limbic systems were communicating in a way which gave them no choice but to awaken each other sexually — the exact same way I feel toward Jeremy. Never being able to deny him anything he asked. He awakened me sexually just as John did Caitlin, and I thank god that we were granted another opportunity to be together after our lives separated us from each other the first time. I have so many questions flooding my brain as I consider the events of my recent life since reconnecting with Jeremy. I wonder about Leo’s experience of soul flight, his reading of my thesis and the results from Jeremy’s experiments.

Although I understand that there is something unique in my blood under certain scenarios, I know I don’t have a heart-shaped birthmark on my body and, to the best of my knowledge, neither do my mother or
sister. So although I know the ancestry of the blood relates to me, I don’t have the sign, nor do I understand how it came about in the first instance. As always, I seem to have more questions than answers but nevertheless, I am learning that despite my frustrations everything gets revealed as and when it needs to be, and not beforehand.

I can’t believe I was concerned about experiencing soul flight when it has already revealed so much. I relish the sounds of the Amazon, being at one with nature and barely hovering above my physical form. I am aware of being moved, but have no control of my limbs so merely accept what happens. I feel no pain, no discomfort. I just have the awesome ability to fly wherever the wind in the sky takes me. I wonder what more I can possibly learn from this insightful and magical journey.

T
he national police have sent a map through to Martin’s phone detailing what they believe is an entrance into Xsade’s facility beneath Lake Bled. He meets up with Luke, and the members of the task squad, at the entrance of a massive storm water drain on the outskirts of town through which they hope they can make their way into the illegal complex. Martin is pleased they have come prepared; fully armed and with equipment that may be required should they need to make their way in by force. The elite group debrief and agree on a plan of action for when they gain access to the facility. They switch on their flashlights and cautiously enter the cavernous tunnel.

Xsade’s security system has recorded a breach in their facility, and the Head of Security is glad he’s on duty, filling in for one of the team. This provides him
with a hands-on opportunity to run through their new procedures. The alarm is sounding in their offices and security cameras that continually scan the perimeter are now confirming infrared images of humans penetrating secured access points. The security chief immediately presses the lockdown button for the security gates. Unfortunately, nothing occurs and he wonders whether there has been a malfunction.

Now that the figures are in clearer view on CCTV, he sees they are heavily armed. Fearing they are entering the facility to steal patented formulas, he begins procedures to protect the facility by instigating a series of explosions. This new equipment was recently installed under the explicit instructions of Madame Jurilique to protect Xsade’s intellectual property. It has been designed to alert all employees to evacuate the premises and fully protect and secure their confidential assets. He can’t believe his luck in being on duty when it needs to be utilised. He presses the detonate button. And pauses. Nothing happens. He presses it again, twice for good measure. This time the system activates both the alarm and the explosions to deter the intruders. That should stop them in their tracks. He has a chuckle as he considers the old girl Jurilique wasn’t so daft in spending shareholder funds on this new system after all. He settles back into his chair to watch the action on his multitude of screens. He shouldn’t need to be evacuated if all goes to plan.

Martin and the team have made steady progress into the depths of the tunnel. But suddenly, about two hundred metres in, they feel the ground beneath their feet quake before they hear the rumble of the accompanying explosion.

‘What the hell was that?’ Martin yells.

Unsure whether to move further into the tunnel or run, they pause a few moments to assess the situation. Another loud boom thunders in their eardrums as they cover their ears with their hands.

Martin’s concern for Salina and Josef reaches fever pitch, knowing that in all probability they are inside the facility. His unwavering commitment to Leo propels him forward faster and deeper into the tunnel with Luke following just behind him. They reach a locked steel gate and yell to the police that they need their equipment.

Just as they catch up and ignite their blowtorch to cut through the bars, they hear muffled screams coming from beyond the gates. After a few minutes they can see people pouring out of the darkness in the tunnel, some wearing silver suits, some in lab coats and others in plain clothes. They are covering their faces, protecting themselves as they run forward toward the security grid blocking their passage.

‘Quickly, people are trapped, they need to get out of here.’ Martin’s usually controlled voice is laced with an undercurrent of fear, particularly as he notices smoke escaping from the depths of the tunnel behind the crowd. The police commander is urgently shouting
instructions to his men. The crowd has reached the gate and is screaming for release, terror evident in their eyes as their screams grow louder. As one bar of the security gate is cut open, bare hands grab hold of it and loosen it further, bending it backwards and forwards.

The police shout at people to stand back as they go to start on the next one when someone from the depths of the crowd pushes through yelling that he has the code. After much shuffling of bodies, he finally makes his way through and with trembling hands enters a code into the keypad on the side of the tunnel wall. The gate swings open and the crowd cheers before surging forward, stumbling over each other and almost crushing some people, everyone desperately seeking the freedom of fresh air and the sky above.

Martin and Luke, stunned to see some children in the crush, help them and some women to their feet and set them on their way.

‘I’m going in,’ Martin yells. ‘I need to find Salina and Josef.’

‘It’s not safe,’ warns the commander. ‘You heard the explosions. It could have been anything in a lab like this.’

‘Do you have chemical masks?’

He nods and gestures to one of his men to get them out.

Martin turns to Luke. ‘You need to leave the tunnel, it’s unstable. Check the surrounds of the lake, they might be there.’

Luke hesitates.

‘I want you out of here, now. Go.’

‘Okay. I’ll see you out there.’

‘Run, make sure the others are alright.’ Martin breathes a sigh of relief as he sees Luke turn around and run back out toward safety. He lost one of his men once and has never forgiven himself.

The commander hands him a mask which he fits over his head and covers his hands in gloves, ensuring none of his skin is exposed to whatever may have exploded in there. Another smaller explosion rocks the ground and more people come trickling out as Martin, followed by the commander and a small group of his men, make their way inside Xsade.

People within the facility scurry around like rats on a sinking ship, searching for any path to safety they can find as the evacuation signals deafen their ears. The scene is utter chaos, but thankfully there isn’t too much smoke just yet. The police assist as many people as possible, pointing in the direction of the storm water tunnel until they are the only ones left in the immediate area.

Martin yanks a fire extinguisher from its bracket on the wall when a flicker of flame catches his eye from a doorway down the corridor. He bolts toward it, praying to god that Salina and Josef are not trapped inside, and enters. He closes the door to the lab to contain the fire, hoping like hell that the labs here have been made as fireproof as possible and breathes a sigh of relief as he notices the ceiling sprinklers are working.

He sees a pair of legs in the adjacent room lying on a lounger, emerging from beneath a massive machine
covering the top half of the body. He indicates this to the commander before using the weight of the extinguisher to bash through the glass of the locked door.

He has no idea whether this person is dead, unconscious or sleeping, but they obviously haven’t heard any alarms or felt the explosions. Both men try lifting the equipment off, but it appears to be secured in place.

They realise it is a woman trapped under the equipment, so the commander grabs hold of one of the legs and shakes it — both legs jerk in response. The next thing they hear is a bloodcurdling scream. The woman’s legs and arms are flailing on either side of the machine covering her upper body. They see the ultraviolet light inside the equipment as the woman’s screaming continues.

‘My face, my face! It’s burning! Help, get it off me.’

Still unable to budge the weight of the equipment, Martin searches for the power source, eventually flicking the switch and yanking out the cord to cut off the supply. The woman sounds in unbearable pain with her limbs thrashing about in every direction.

As Martin rushes back, he trips over a Louis Vuitton handbag and dislodges his mask. It is only then that the putrid smell of burning flesh penetrates his nostrils so intensely it causes him to dry retch on the floor beside her. The commander is still having no luck when they hear and feel yet another explosion further down the corridor of the facility.

As Martin pulls himself together in one last attempt to free this trapped, burning woman, two people covered in blood and smoke appear at the door.

‘Salina, Josef. My god, are you alright?’ By the looks of them both they have been through a lot.

‘We are okay, Martin,’ Salina replies. ‘What are you doing here? What’s going on?’

‘She’s trapped, we can’t get the machine to release. It’s computer encoded or something and won’t budge.’

Josef immediately drops beneath the machine. ‘The equipment locks down when the system has been corrupted in some way. There is a manual override located underneath that will release it.’ They hear a loud click as the machine finally comes away and reveals a ugly mess of mottled, bloody flesh beneath it.

Salina immediately turns her head to vomit in the corner as Josef covers his nose the best he can with his shirt and assesses the damage.

‘Pass me that water,’ he yells to the commander who is standing next to a water jug and some glasses. Josef carefully rinses water over the raw, burning flesh, fearing for her life rather than her looks, which he knows will never be saved.

Another explosion rocks each of them off balance.

‘We need to get out of here, now, this place is about to go,’ the commander yells.

‘You go, I need a couple more minutes or she’ll die,’ Josef answers as he remains focussed on the task at hand.

‘You two go. I’ll carry her when Josef’s finished. We’ll be right behind you.’ Martin isn’t budging without knowing both Salina and Josef are safe.

They all exchange tentative and worried looks between them before the commander and Salina make their way toward the tunnel.

Josef frantically prepares some cold, wet compresses and applies them to her face before carefully wrapping a bandage from the first aid kit around her entire head and neck. It is only at this point he recognises the ostentatious diamond ring on the hand of this victim as Jurilique’s. He immediately stills.

‘What’s wrong?’ Martin asks, concerned that yet another explosion has rocked the floor and they are still here.

‘Nothing.’ Josef’s medical training and desire to save lives easily overrides any other thoughts he might have about his disturbed and corrupt ex-boss. He wouldn’t wish the pain of these burns upon anyone, even a woman like Madeleine. Josef registers the desperation in her terrified eyes before he covers her face completely in an attempt to save the burned flesh.

‘Okay, that’s the best I can do right now.’

Martin goes to hoist her up over his shoulder but Josef grabs his arm to stop him.

‘No, we must try and keep her face as still as possible, otherwise blood will rush to her head.’

The two men carry her out, face up, as fast as they can. Fire and explosions chase them out of the facility and into the storm water tunnel.