Naura (18 page)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Naura rolled over in bed, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. She’d never felt so alone in all her life.

Thoughts of Tony plagued her every second. The smell of his skin. His incredible lips on her body. The intensity of his stare.

“
Naura
…”

Tony’s deep voice calling her name startled her. He hadn’t attempted to connect with her in days.

She shouldn’t answer him, she thought, closing her eyes in defeat. He was a heartache, impossible to avoid. “
I am here.
”

“
Thank God. Are you all right?”

“I am fine, Tony. How is Abbie?”

“
She’s okay, sweetness. She just needs some time to grieve.”
There was a brief pause.
“When are you coming back?”

“It is better if I remain here for a while.”

“Better for who?”
Came his terse reply.

“
Tony? I am sorry for the pressure I placed on you. It was not my intention. I only wanted you to feel the love I have for you. I had no right to expect from you what you were not able to give.”

“
Damn it, Naura. I
—”

The door suddenly flew up, cutting off Naura’s connection to Tony.

Miquel stood in the moonlight, his chest rising and falling with every breath. “You must come with me.”

Naura sat up in bed and jerked the sheet up to her neck. “What is wrong?”

“Just move. I will explain on the way.”

With her heart hammering in her chest, Naura threw back the sheet, jumping from the bed as quickly as possible.

She accepted Miguel’s outstretched hand and ran along next to him out the front door, onto the porch, and through the jungle behind her small hut.

He didn’t speak until they arrived in front of a large structure. He jerked the door open and pushed her inside. “Stay here until I return. Do not open this door for anyone. Do you understand?”

“Miguel, you are scaring me.”

Regret shown in his eyes. “I’m sorry. Just do as I say. I’ll be back when it’s safe.”

He shut the door and left without another word.

Naura shivered, rushing to the window to watch his retreating back.

What could have him scared enough to flee in the middle of the night?

Moving closer to the window, Naura scanned the woods for signs of life, but nothing moved save for the wind blowing through the trees.

The sound of gunshots exploded in the distance, trapping a scream in Naura’s throat.

She froze, reliving the memory of the night she’d been shot in the back.

“
Naura?”
Tony mentally called, desperation clear in his voice. “
Naura, damn it. Talk to me.”

“Tony. I cannot move.”

“Tell me what’s going on. I can sense your fear from across the gulf.”

A shudder passed through her at the next round of shots being fired. “
Guns. They have the human guns, Tony. I can hear them coming closer.”

Several growled words that Naura had never heard before came through their connection. “
Where is Miguel
?”

“
He brought me to this large structure in the trees and then disappeared. I believe he ran back toward the land walkers with the weapons.”

“How far are you from the beach?”

“
Not far. I could hear the waves in the distance as we ran.”

“Can you get to the water without being seen?”

An explosion suddenly rent the air, rattling the windows and rocking the floor beneath Naura’s feet.

Slapping a hand over her mouth, Naura silently screamed. She’d never heard anything so terrifying in all her life.

“
Jesus
,” Tony snarled. “
What’s going on
?”

Fire rose above the trees in the distance, and more gunfire pierced the night.

“
Son of a bitch. Talk to me, Naura. What’s happening?”

“There are gunshots and fire everywhere, Tony. I do not know what is going on, and I cannot see Miguel. What if he has been killed?”

“Can you get to the water?”

Naura peered out the window, making sure the fire was not between her and the beach. “
I think so.”

“All those years of training are about to come in handy, baby girl. Make sure it’s clear outside your door, then I want you to run through the trees, away from the shots. Do not emerge onto the beach until you’re a safe distance away. Understand?”

Naura lifted her chin. She could do this. “
Yes. I understand.”

“
Good girl. Keep our connection open. I’ll be right here with you the whole way.”

Easing the door open, Naura hesitated a moment before stepping outside and escaping silently into the trees. “
I made it to the trees.”

“Now run.”

Naura ran as fast as her legs would carry her, racing through the darkness, fighting the urge to look back.

She burst onto the beach without slowing, and dove headlong into the water.

Swimming to the second sandbar, Naura turned north toward the safety of Aukrabah…and Tony.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Tony ran a hand down his face and dropped heavily onto his bed. His legs had threatened to give out long before Naura’s perilous escape into the gulf.

His chest ached with the knowledge that he’d almost lost her a second time.

There wouldn’t be a third, he silently vowed, throwing an arm across his eyes. He’d keep her safe if he had to handcuff her to his wrist.

“Permission to enter,” Vaulcron called from the doorway.

Tony threw his feet over the side of the bed and sat up. “Come in.”

“I spoke with Miguel. He was frantic when he returned to retrieve Naura only to find her gone.”

“What the hell happened there?”

Vaulcron took a seat in a chair next to the bed. “According to Miguel, something known as the cartel attacked Playa Pilar, killing several of the locals and someone named Tourist.”

“The cartel isn’t a something; it’s several someones. And a tourist is a type of person, not a person’s name.”

“Ah, that makes more sense,” Vaulcron murmured. “Why would this cartel want to kill innocent land walkers?”

“It would seem that your friend Miguel is mixed up in something other than helping Bracadytes.”

Vaulcron tilted his head to the side. “I do not understand.”

Tony spent the next ten minutes explaining drugs, gambling and prostitution to Naura’s brother.

“The land walkers have no loyalty, no conscience.”

“Not all of us are bad, Vaulcron. Just a lot of us.”

“You group yourself into that mold?”

Tony thought about the life he’d led, the people he’d killed, and the women he had hurt along the way. “Not the drugs.”

He could see the understanding settle in Vaulcron’s eyes.

“It matters not what you have done in your past. You have remained loyal to us, and I shall not forget that.”

Something stirred in Tony’s chest. A feeling of camaraderie, of belonging. He decided to change the subject before he went all sappy on the big Bracadyte. “Miguel made it out unharmed?”

“He did. But he claims it is unsafe for us to return anytime soon. He will contact us when the threat has passed.”

Vaulcron briefly paused. “Naura will be approaching tonight.”

“I know. I’ll be heading down to the pool to wait on her arrival. It worries me about the amount of divers the military might have out there. I hope she’s not seen.”

“It pains me not to send scouts to watch for her. But I could not risk one of them catching the military’s notice. Naura is safer on her own.”

As much as Tony hated to agree, he knew that Vaulcron spoke the truth. Naura stood a better chance of slipping through unnoticed than she did with more bodies in tow.

“I’m going on to the pool,” Tony blurted, getting to his feet. “I can’t sit here and do nothing.”

Vaulcron stood also. “I’ll come with you.”

* * * *

President Rueben Howell ground his teeth in frustration and gripped the phone receiver tightly in his hand.

There had been no sign of Anthony Vaughn or Sutherland’s daughter. They had to be somewhere in the gulf. Rueben was sure of it.

“We can bomb that area, sir,” Kerik repeated. “If we get close enough to their lair, it will rattle them, if not kill some of them.”

“No,” Rueben barked. “We can’t risk injuring Abbie or that alien spawn she has. I need them alive.”

“If I send some men down first to clear the area, we can drop a warning bomb that will possibly cause some of them to surface.”

Rueben hesitated. “Can you assure me that you will not be dropping it on top of them?”

“It’s impossible to be certain, sir. But I will do my level best to avoid a direct hit at all costs.”

“Then do it. At this rate, there will be nothing left to fight for if we don’t do something. And soon.”

Kerik disconnected the call, leaving Rueben alone with his thoughts. He hated like hell to resort to force, but Vaughn and the Sutherland woman had left him no choice.

Rueben either dropped a bomb in the gulf and hoped for the best, or did nothing while the virus continued to eliminate the human population.

The headache he’d been fighting all morning took root, spreading behind his eyes to throb in his temples.

He pressed the green button on his desk phone. “Sally? Can you bring me something for a headache?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Bring the whole bottle.”

Rueben took a seat behind his desk and swiveled his chair around to admire the paintings on his wall.

Thoughts of the morning reports sent more pain shooting behind his eyes.

The mortality rate of Incola victims had doubled in the past six months, bringing the death toll to more than sixty thousand. And that was only the cases they had knowledge of.

God knew how many homeless had died without seeking treatment, Rueben thought, gazing at a dark forest painting.

Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed at his aching temples in an effort to relieve the continuous throbbing and reflected on his time in the presidential seat.

He hadn’t been completely naive about what his duties as the leader of the United States would entail, but he’d never dreamed he would be nothing more than a puppet, having his strings pulled by the elite financial supporters that truly owned the government.

If it were up to Rueben, he would fire the head of CDC, Martin Raducha, for his decision to mutate the Incola virus without first consulting his colleagues. The man’s arrogance was astounding.

Rueben had been directed to keep his mouth shut about the virus mutation, smile for the cameras, and handle the extraction of Abbigail Sutherland.

He figured the puppeteers hadn’t counted on Vaughn’s interference, or had they? Rueben wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

“Your pain reliever, sir.” Sally came around the desk and handed him a pill bottle, followed by a glass of water.

“Thank you,” he murmured, accepting the medicine and water. He quickly popped the top and took four of the white tablets.

Sally’s eyes showed pity. “Are you going to be all right?”

“I don’t know, Sally. The virus is mutating to the point that it will be airborne in a matter of months if we don’t create a vaccine in time. And I just don’t see how that’s going to be possible.”

Chapter Forty

Tony sat on a boulder and watched Hauke pace the entrance to Aukrabah.

The big Bracadyte had sent four scouts out to protect Naura, in the event that she was discovered by Navy divers.

“I worry that the scouts will draw attention to her.”

Hauke shook his head. “They have the cover of darkness, and they know these waters better than the humans.”

“She’s close,” Tony reassured him while listening to Naura’s sweet voice inside his head.

A thought abruptly hit him as Hauke made another pass next to the Pool of Life. “Strange that your scouts haven’t encountered any divers. How far out did they go?”

Hauke slowed his steps. “Ten miles in all directions. Why do you ask?”

Tony rose to his feet. “Something’s wrong.”

“What is it?” Hauke stopped next to him, anxiety evident in his eyes.

“The Navy wouldn’t have pulled their submarines this soon. Not without a damn good reason.”

“You think they have found Aukrabah?”

“I don’t think so. It’s just odd that Vaulcron witnessed the ships and divers approximately three miles from here when he left a few hours ago headed to Cuba. Yet your scouts haven’t reported seeing anything.”

Hauke nodded. “I will order them to return. Perhaps it is time that we evacuate to the north end of Aukrabah.”

“What’s in the North end?”

“The king paid a visit to Abbie during the last moon. It would appear that the scrolls possess secrets of Aukrabah we were not made aware of.”

“Such as?”

Hauke paused as if wondering how much information to divulge.

“If you know something that might help, now would be the time to spill it,” Tony demanded. “You can trust me.”

“The north end of Aukrabah was closed off by our ancestors to protect us from being discovered by the land walkers. According to the king, the north entrance lies somewhere beneath the place you know as Destin.”

“What?” Tony couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. “Do you know what that means? It’s a way of escape for Abbie, when and if the time comes.”

Hauke took a step forward, anger swirling in his strange-colored eyes. “Abbie goes nowhere without me.”

“
Tony?”
Naura’s voice inside his head interrupted his discussion with Hauke.

“
I’m here. How close are you?”

“I am at the falling water. I see no signs of boats or humans. Is it safe to enter?”

“Yes,”
Tony confirmed, meeting Hauke’s gaze once more. “Naura’s coming in. We’ll continue this—”

An explosion rocked the entrance to Aukrabah.

“
Nauraaaaa!”
Tony mentally screamed as he was blown off his feet and thrown through the air with the force of a train.

His back slammed against the wall, knocking the breath from his lungs. Stars erupted behind his eyes, and his world turned black.

* * * *

Agony seared Tony’s head. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath. With a groan of pain, he slowly opened his eyes.

Rocks and debris were scattered around the area in violent disarray, bringing to mind the carnage he’d once left in a small village outside Baghdad many years ago.

What was he doing there, lying on a stone floor?

Memory came rushing back with a vengeance. An explosion. Pain. Rocks falling around him.
Naura!

Tony gritted his teeth and rolled to his side, his gaze scanning the area rapidly. “Naura?”

His heart began to pound a painful rhythm. Fear and trepidation melded together to form an overwhelming anxiety nearly impossible to breathe through.

He remembered that Naura had been near the waterfall when the explosion happened.

Fighting through the panic, Tony staggered to his feet and stumbled toward the Pool of Life.

There on the bottom, her legs buried under a large boulder, lay Naura.

A hoarse shout wrenched deep from Tony’s chest. He fell into the water and kicked with everything he had to reach the bottom.

“
Naura
?” his mind screamed as he gripped the side of boulder and lifted with every ounce of strength he possessed. It didn’t move.

Tony fought to move the giant rock until he was forced to surface for air. Taking a deep breath, he dove back under, pressed his back to the boulder, gripped the edge, and lifted, using his legs for leverage. It wouldn’t budge.

He fought the massive rock until his lungs burned, begging for oxygen. Spots began to dance before his eyes, signaling a loss of consciousness, yet he continued to fight. If Naura’s fate was truly to die pinned beneath the Pool of Life; then he would die with her.

A spasm seized him with his lungs’ demand for breath. His hands fell away from the boulder’s edge, and his body slowly drifted to the bottom next to Naura’s still form.

Tony cupped her beautiful face and mentally whispered his last words.
“I love you, Naura. I’ve always loved you. Please forgive me.”

Water filled his lungs…

* * * *

Anguish unlike any he’d suffered before ripped through Tony’s body in a fiery trail of torment.

He must be in hell, he concluded, feeling the fire burn a hole in his chest. But he didn’t care. It was less than he deserved for the pain he’d put his precious Naura through.

She had loved him, stood by him no matter how he’d treated her, and what had he done in return? Took her innocence and broke her heart.

Tony welcomed the scorching sensation swirling inside his chest. Anything to replace the grief of Naura’s death.

Warmth. Energy. His hands tingled and heat touched his mouth. The searing pain stopped.

“
Tony
?”

It couldn’t be true. He’d watched Naura die.

“
Wake up, Tony. Come back to me.”

Water gushed from his mouth to spill next to his face. Great, racking coughs forced more water from his lips.

“
My love…”

Fighting against the darkness, Tony forced his lids open. He blinked several times until Naura came into focus.

“You’re alive?” he croaked, unable to believe the truth. “Oh, my God, you’re alive.”

Naura nodded. “I must have been unconscious. A second explosion moved the boulder I had been trapped beneath.” She leaned down and brushed her lips across his. “You gave your life to save me, Tony. Why would you do that?”

Wetness trickled down the sides of his face, and he realized it came from him. Anthony Vaughn, a man who’d spent most his life learning to kill or be killed…cried.

With every tear that fell, a layer of pain fell with it, stripping him bare, leaving him vulnerable and defenseless. Nothing remained but Naura and the love he held for her deep inside. “I love you, Naura, my soul, my mate, my everything.”

Tears dripped from her eyes to mingle with his. Tony could feel her hands trembling as she reached up and cupped his face.

“You are my life, Anthony Vaughn.”

Tony thought about the family he’d lost so long ago. The pain of losing his wife and child would always be with him, but it had finally quieted and no longer controlled his heart.

He stared deep into Naura’s jade-green eyes. “I can let them go now. You have given me back my life in more ways than one, and I will spend the rest of my days giving you everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“All I want is you,” she whispered through her tears.

“You have me. Now and forever.”

A soft moan echoed off the cavern walls, bringing Tony out of his warm and fuzzy haze. “Hauke.”

With one more kiss to Naura’s sweet lips, Tony stumbled to his feet and searched the floor of the entrance. Hauke lay on his back with a smear of blood on his forehead.

Tony staggered to Hauke’s side and dropped to his knees beside him, lifting one of the Bracadyte’s eyelids. “Hauke? Are you all right?”

“I would be better,” Hauke wheezed, “if you would stop allowing rock dust to settle in my eye.”

Tony released Hauke’s eyelid and glanced up at Naura with a smirk. “He’s fine. We need to get him to the king and make sure everyone else is okay.”

Naura and Tony helped Hauke stand. The three of them limped their way through the halls of Aukrabah in search of Klause.

Four scouts were still unaccounted for, and Vaulcron was out there somewhere, hopefully still on his way to Cuba.