Runner's Moon: Yarrolam (17 page)

           
“I love him?”

            Her heart did a little flip-flop at the thought, followed by a sense of warmth. It was Liam, trying to reach her through their connection. Trying to reassure her.

            “Yes. I guess I do,” she softly admitted to herself, and took another deep breath. “I guess I do love him. I…
love
him.”

            It felt fantastic to say it aloud. To admit it for what it was.

            The truth.

            She couldn’t wait until the time she could tell him to his face.

Chapter 24

Baltimore

            She couldn’t go back to sleep. Instead, she curled up on the bed and cuddled one of the pillows in her lap.

            She discovered if she concentrated hard enough, she could almost believe Liam was in the room with her. His presence was so close, so intense. But so was his pain.           

            “I’m here for you, Liam,” she whispered into the darkness. “I’ll always be here for you. But I’m going up north to meet with your people. It was what you wanted, right?”

            Something pulsed in her chest. She wanted desperately to believe it was from him.

            “I’m supposed to meet one of you in Baltimore, and he’s going to drive me the rest of the way to that little town you spoke of. But even though I’m leaving, I’m not leaving you. You got that? I’m not leaving you. I’ll never leave you. I don’t know where you are, but I believe Jeb when he says the Arra caught up with you, and not some more of those men who attacked us.”

            Cherron glanced up as a shadow passed in front of the motel window. Her heart sped up slightly, then she relaxed when she heard a car door slam and an engine gun.

            She mentally ran over the conversation she’d had with Jeb. One comment he’d made stood out among all the others.

            “You smell of him. They may not know what you look like, but if they get close enough to you, they’ll be able to tell you’re his mate.”

           
She got off the bed and went over to the suitcase. Digging inside the bag where she’d stuffed their dirty clothes, she fished out Liam’s shirt and brought it to her nose. His scent still clung to it, faint but noticeable. The knot inside her stomach loosened a bit, but the thought of him also brought a fresh flood of tears.

            In less than a week her whole life had been upended. Permanently changed. Not all of it was for the better, yet she was beginning to think this was going to be one of those fairy tales she’d scoffed in the past. The ones where the hero, or heroine, have to go through a shitload of hurt, both figuratively and physically, before they could have their happily ever after.

            Oddly enough, just trying to think of her current position from that perspective made her feel a little better.

            Taking the shirt back to the bed, she laid it on the pillow and curled herself around it. She remained that way, listening to the sounds coming from outside. She also listened to the silence coming from inside herself. Although she couldn’t swear by it, she thought she could feel Liam’s heartbeat. It was slow but rhythmic, as though he were unconscious or asleep. Sometimes it matched her own heart’s pace, but most of the time it beat like an answering echo.

            As dawn creeped into the sky, Cherron left the bed and dressed. When she opened the motel room door, the sun was peeking over the roof.

“Ha ha. You lose this time, you Arra sons of bitches. I’m still here. I survived the night.”

            She trundled her way back to the bus depot and took advantage of the small café adjacent to the terminal. She wasn’t really hungry, but she knew she had to keep her strength up. When she was done, she took her coffee to go and went to wait inside the station.

            Bus 42 to Baltimore left ten minutes late, but it didn’t matter. There weren’t that many on board, so everyone got their own row. At least, until they reached their next stop.

            Between the rumble of the engine, and the vehicle’s gentle rocking, she quickly fell into an exhausted sleep. When the bus pulled into some small town for a quick rest stop, she grabbed a hamburger and chose to eat it at her seat. The Arra may not be able to come after her during the daylight hours, but those men hunting for Aaron could. She didn’t want to take any chances of being spotted.

            It was dusk when they arrived in Baltimore. Cherron scanned the parking lot, but she knew she had no idea what this Simolif person looked like. Exiting the bus, she waited for the driver to open the undercarriage to retrieve her suitcase, when an extraordinarily handsome man brushed past her with a soft “Excuse me.” He paused, and she heard him sniff several times.

            “Cherron?”

            She turned to look up at him. His eyes were a strange aquamarine color, but the greenish flecks shimmering in the irises were unmistakable.

            “Simolif?”

            “People call me Simon. As soon as you have your suitcase, we can go. Unless…”

            She had no idea what he meant, but shook her head and made a vague gesture toward the sky. “It’ll be dark soon. We need to keep moving.”

            He nodded in agreement. Once she recovered her luggage, he carried it over to where a silver mid-size car was parked. Before he pulled out of the parking lot, he hit a button on the car’s dash.

            “Phone Jebaral.”

            “Phoning Jebaral,” the automated voice replied. One ring, and the voice she recognized answered.

            “Simolif?”

            “Cherron’s with me. We’re on our way to you.”

            “That’s good to hear. We’ll be waiting for you. Drive safe.
To’hio mola.
”

            Simolif grinned at her after the call ended. “It’s going to be a long drive. If at any time you need me to stop for anything, just say the word.”

            “I’m good for now. Thanks. And thank you for doing this.” She threw a thumb over her shoulder. “Back there, when you were sniffing, were you smelling me? Is that how you recognized me?”

            The man’s grin broadened. “Yep. Does that bother you?”

            “Oh, hell no. But having alien slave traders and unknown men looking for my ex-fiancée by trying to kidnap me does. A little sniffing is nothing compared to those two.”

            He chuckled. Almost immediately thereafter, the smile faded. “Cherron, have you felt anything more from Yarrolam?”

            “No.” She stared out at the passing scenery. “It’s been quiet. But I think I can hear his heartbeat. Strange, huh?”

            “No, it’s not strange. He’s your blood mate. He has your blood line in his arm, which means your connection is strong, and will only grow stronger as time passes.”

            Her gaze dropped to his arm and the visible bare skin. “Do you… I mean, would it be presumptuous of me if I asked to see yours?” She glanced up at his face, prepared for it to change, but he held up his arm for her to inspect. Three thin parallel lines glittered from his wrist to inner elbow. Cherron blinked. At his greenish arm with the same kind of armor-like cap covering his outer elbow.

            “Why do you have three lines?”

            “One is for Sarah, my
t’korra.
The other two are Jebaral, my brother, and Hannah, his life mate.”

            “Yarrolam only has one line in his arm.”

            “That’s because he has no family left alive. He has only you.”

           
He has only you.

           
The tears came from deep within her. Unable to hide them, she pounded a fist on the middle console in anger.

            “Damn him.
Damn
him! Aaron knew he was getting into something over his head, but all he cared about was himself. He had no consideration how his crap was going to affect me or Liam. I hope whatever shit he got involved in comes back to bite him on the butt. No. Correction. I hope it bites and swallows him whole.”

            Simolif lifted the console lid and extracted a box of tissues, which he handed to her. Cherron thanked him and wiped her eyes.

            “Have you heard anything about what’s going on?” she inquired when she felt calmer.

            “You mean anything new? Yes.”

            She frowned, waiting. “Well?”

            “It’s…not good.”

            “Out with it, damn it. I’m in no mood for guessing games.” She immediately took two mental steps backwards. “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I’m…”

            “You’re under a tremendous amount of stress. I understand, Cherron. No need to ask forgiveness.” He kept his eyes on the road as the miles streaked by. “Aaron turned himself in to the authorities this morning.”

            She gasped. “But that’s good news, isn’t it?” At his prolonged silence, her fears reemerged. “
Isn’t
it?”

            “Hopefully, that man’s who’s been stalking you will call off his dogs, now that Aaron is in police custody. But, Cherron, Aaron is implicating Yarrolam in this.”

            “No!”

            Simolif nodded. In the dashboard light, the expression on his handsome face was grim. “Yes. He told the authorities Yarrolam was instrumental in helping him obtain clients. The FBI has gotten involved, and now they’re all looking for Yarrolam.”

            “And he can’t defend himself because the Arra have him. Simolif, what are we going to do?”

            “First, we have get Yarrolam away from the Arra. We think we have a plan to save him, but you may have to put yourself in possible danger,” he warned her.

            Cherron sat back in her seat and clenched her jaws. “I’m in a hundred and fifty percent, no matter what. Just tell me what I have to do.”

Chapter 25

Search Light

            T’korra.
Cherron.

            Liam? Liam!
T’kor!
Where…where are you?

            The Arra have me. I’m on their ship. Forgive me, my love, for abandoning you.

            No! No, you didn’t abandon me. Oh, God, Liam, what did they do to you? I felt such terrible pain coming from you!

            They wanted to know where you were, but I refused to give in. I couldn’t let them know. I have to protect you.

            Liam, I’m with Simolif. I called Jebaral when you didn’t come back, and he sent his brother to pick me up in Baltimore. He’s taking me to Tumbril Harbor.

            That news brings me great relief,
t’korra
. But tell Simolif you are being tracked. The Arra have found a way to use my connection with you to follow you. They cannot tell exactly where you are, but they have a general idea.

            Are they tracking me now?

            Yes. Forgive me, my heart’s blood. I should have removed the chip long before now. If I had, this—

            Hush. Stop blaming yourself. We’ll get out of this. Have faith. Simolif says they have a plan to free you, but I don’t know what it is yet.
T’kor,
my love, hold on.

            Did you… What did you say? Tell me again,
t’korra.
Let me feel the words. Let me feel the strength in them.

            I love you, Liam. My Liam. My Yarrolam. I’ve never said this to any person before in my life, but I can’t think of any other way to explain how I feel when I’m with you. You’ve become everything to me.

            I love you, Cherron. I’ve known it from the moment I first caught your lilac scent. I knew it from the first time I saw the sun gleaming in your hair, and the way your eyes sparkled when you looked up at me. I never thought I would find you in my lifetime,
t’korra
. But now that I have, I will give everything in me to keep you safe and happy.

            I know. I believe you. Liam—

            I must close this connection. The Arra are coming back. Take care, Cherron.
Amon si ka.

* * *

            “Cherron?”

            She jerked awake, disoriented and automatically fearful until she heard her name again.

            “Cherron, wake up.”

            She turned to see Simolif staring at her. At the same time she realized they were stopped.

            They were at a truck stop. It was still dark, but she could detect movement inside the convenience store.

            “Wh-where are we?”

            “Outside of Boston. I thought you might want to get out and stretch your legs, and get something to drink or snack on.”

            “What time is it?”

            “Not quite two o’clock. We have about five more hours before we reach Tumbril Harbor.” He peered at her with those unusual eyes, and she noticed how the flecks in them glittered. “Cherron, were you dreaming?” he asked cautiously.

            “I…” She rubbed her eyes. “I thought I was talking to Liam.” Cherron paused. “It sounded so real.”

            “What did Liam say…in your dream? How is he holding up?”

            She frowned at him. “Wait. Are you saying it wasn’t a dream?”

            “What did he say?” Simolif insisted.

            She could feel him. She could sense Liam inside her. His presence. His love. He was the echo of her heart. A warm inner blanket that made her feel safe and protected.

            It was crazy. He was the one who was being held captive, and yet he was trying to keep her from being fearful.

            “He told me the Arra was tracking us through him.”

            The Ruinos nodded. “What else?”

            “He told me… He told me he loved me.” Her throat constricted. Tears burned in her eyes, and she swiped at them to clear her vision. “It wasn’t a dream, was it?”