Chapter Twenty-Three
Vaulcron carried Mallory ashore as the boat docked near Oz’s hotel in Playa Pilar, Cuba.
“I can walk,” she insisted, her face tucked against his neck in obvious embarrassment.
“You would risk falling with this sheet hanging from your body.”
A muffled laugh sounded. “After all we’ve been through, to fall naked at your people’s feet would be the cake topper.”
“That would not be humorous. What is a cake topper?”
More laughter echoed in his ear. “It’s just a saying. You know, when you finally finish baking and decorating a cake, you finish it up with a cake topper.”
Vaulcron didn’t respond. He had no idea what a topper had to do with anything. Humans were a strange species.
“Fili mi,” Laurel breathed, descending the hotel steps with as much dignity as she could apparently manage. “You made it back.”
“Mother,” Vaulcron acknowledged, adjusting his precious burden. “It is good to see you.”
Laurel glanced down at Mallory before meeting her son’s gaze once more. “What do you have there?”
“Mother, this is Mallory Cahill. Mallory, this is my mother, Laurel.”
Mallory’s head slowly lifted. “Hello, Vaulcron’s mother. I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances, but it my pleasure.”
“She’s a human,” Laurel accused, not returning Mallory’s greeting. “Why are you carrying a human?”
“Can we not discuss this at a later time, Mother? Mallory needs to be cared for first. I will come find you once my mate is taken care of.”
“Your mate?” Mallory and Laurel simultaneously gasped.
“Tell father that I will be up to brief him this evening.” Without waiting on a response, Vaulcron strode off toward the front desk to pick up a new room key.
Mallory shifted in his arms. “We need to talk.”
“Yes,” Vaulcron agreed before stepping over to the nearest elevator. He pressed the shiny gold button and stepped inside. “We will talk after you have eaten and rested.”
Neither of them spoke as the elevator took off with a sudden jolt. A ding sounded, signaling their arrival on the third floor.
Vaulcron exited into the hall and strode to his previous room. He fished out the new keycard he’d retrieved from the front desk and entered his temporary home.
After carrying Mallory to his bed, he placed her in a sitting position on the side of the mattress. “I will send for clothing and food. You know where the bathroom is, if you would like to clean up.”
Mallory grabbed hold of his hand before he could turn away. “I’m sorry things happened the way they did. I should have never taken you to the States.”
“It was I who sent for you, Mallory. Do not blame yourself for what has happened. I do not regret leaving with you. I may never have discovered my feelings for you otherwise.”
“I feel the same,” she whispered, staring up into his eyes. “I only wish we’d met under different circumstances.”
Vaulcron’s chest tightened with emotion. “As do I. But you are here with me now, and I do not think I can let you go.”
“I can’t stay here forever, Vaulcron. I’ll have to return at some point and do what I can to see justice served. The American people need to know the truth.”
Anxiety warred with denial inside Vaulcron. She’d just admitted to wanting to go back. How was he supposed to let her leave him? “It is too soon to make a decision of that magnitude.”
“I realize that,” Mallory agreed. “But if I allow things to go on as they are, more people will die in vain. President Howell needs to be removed from office, and Raducha needs to be made to take responsibility for his actions. Society has to be made to understand that the Bracadytes are not the enemy.”
Vaulcron sank to his knees in front of her. “And you think to take on your human government by yourself?”
She glanced away before meeting his gaze once again. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it. But I’m the only one with the evidence and resources to pull it off.”
“I cannot allow you to risk your life by returning to the States, Mallory.”
Regret entered her beautiful blue eyes. “You can’t stop me, Vaulcron.”
Vaulcron slowly rose to his feet, pulling her up with him. “You feel something for me. I can read your emotions.”
“It’s because I feel something for you that I must do this, Vaulcron. We’ll never have a life together as long as we continue to run.”
“Then I will come with you.”
Mallory reached up and rested her palm against his cheek. “You can’t. Someone would notice you. Look at you.” She glanced down his body. “You’re too big to hide. You could never pass for human.”
“What of your sister?”
Mallory faltered, uncertainty springing to her eyes. “I can’t take her back yet. She’ll have to stay here until I can come back for you both.”
A deep-rooted sadness settled inside Vaulcron’s heart. “I cannot live amidst the land walkers.”
“And I can’t live beneath the gulf.”
Vaulcron took a step back, a lump forming in his throat. “You should get cleaned up. I will return shortly with your food and clothing.” He turned toward the door.
“Vaulcron…”
He stopped with his hand on the knob.
“I’m sorry,” Mallory whispered, sorrow lining her voice.
“Me too.”
Vaulcron tugged the door open and quickly pulled it shut behind him before he changed his mind and gave in. His heart told him to follow her anywhere, yet his head seemed to know better.
He couldn’t live in the States with the prejudiced humans. To see the fear in their eyes every time he stepped out into public. Any children he and Mallory had would be discriminated against and possibly hurt because of their Bracadyte heritage.
No, he couldn’t allow that to happen, he thought, bypassing the elevator for the stairs. But what were the alternatives? Take Mallory to Aukrabah? She would never survive without the social interaction of humans.
Vaulcron ran a hand down his face. If he stayed with her in Playa Pilar, he ran the risk of bringing war to Cuba from the Americans. No matter which road he took, the end result didn’t look good.
“May I help you, Vaulcron?” the woman behind the desk asked in a breathy voice.
Vaulcron nodded, ignoring her attempt at seducing him. He believed the humans referred to it as flirting. “I am in need of some food and clothing for Miss Cahill.”
Jealousy flashed in the desk clerk’s eyes. “What would she like? And what size does she wear?”
Vaulcron had no idea how to answer either question. “I am not certain.”
“She’s a size six,” Amy offered, stepping up to the desk, holding onto Zaureth’s arm. “And she likes tuna on rye, diet soda…”
Amy continued listing some of Mallory’s favorite foods, but Vaulcron was no longer listening. He’d lifted his gaze beyond her shoulder and met the piercing green gaze of Oz.
“Would you please send everything that she mentioned up to room 323 as soon as possible?”
The clerk’s shoulders slumped in defeat, but she readily agreed. “Right away, Vaulcron.”
“Thank you,” Vaulcron murmured, striding off in Oz’s direction.
“She’s going to leave you,” Oz blurted, the second Vaulcron stopped next to him.
Vaulcron blew out a painful breath. “I know.”
“And yet you stand here, doing nothing.”
“What am I to do? I have asked her to stay, to give us a chance. She is adamant about returning to the States.”
“Then make her stay until she can see reason,” Oz pointed out as if they were discussing what they’d had for breakfast and not holding Mallory hostage.
“I will not keep her against her will,” Vaulcron growled. “It is not right. She would only resent me for it.”
“Then let her go. The choice is yours. I’m simply trying to make you see reason. If she goes back to Florida, she will most likely return to you in a body bag.”
Vaulcron’s stomach lurched. “I will not allow her to leave,” he vowed, heading back toward the stairs. He would keep her in Cuba if he had to tie her to his bed.