Chapter Thirteen
“This way. Mistress Light awaits your coming.”
A being with pale blue skin and long blue hair was waiting for them when they descended from the ship. Rone made sure to keep between the person—he couldn’t tell if it was male or female—and Kate. He knew his mate liked to look out for herself and might get mad if she thought he was being overly protective, but he couldn’t help it. The contrasting rumors he’d heard about Flame and Frost made him nervous. And he’d so recently found Kate—he was damned if he’d take a chance on losing her again or letting her be hurt in any way.
“We’re really just here to use your bio-chelation pool,” Kate said, stepping forward. The landing area around the complex was in a large, clear bubble made of some kind of transparent yellowish material. The sunlight that filtered down through this barrier cast Kate in a golden light and turned her long, curly red hair into a flaming corona around her face. Rone thought he had never seen her look more beautiful, but then, he had often had that thought about his mate. He longed to reach out and put a hand on her shoulder or just touch her hair but he knew he couldn’t. He curled his hand into a fist at his side, resisting the urge.
“The Pool of Purification is on the Frost side of the complex,” the blue-haired being said in a soft, androgynous voice. “This one may not venture there—this one has not been touched by the Shadow.”
“This one what?” Kate asked blankly. “I’m sorry, but what are you talking about?”
“I think he…er she is referring to herself. Or himself. Sorry,” Rone apologized. “I don’t know your people or species.”
“All is well,” the blue-haired being nodded, indicating that he—or she—wasn’t offended. “This one is a Celestial. This one’s people do not claim to be either male or female as this one’s kind may be either in time of need.”
“So you can switch sexes at will?” Rone raised an eyebrow. “That’s convenient, I guess.”
“It is very helpful during some of the therapies.” The Celestial inclined his/her head gracefully.
“Well, we’re not here to have that kind of therapy,” Kate said quickly. “Like I said, we’re just here to use the pool. But it is very nice to meet you.” She held out a hand but the Celestial backed away, looking startled and a bit fearful.
“Forgive this one, but you have yet to be purified and it was this one’s understanding that your flesh has been defiled and polluted by poisons.”
“Those are some very strong words,” Rone growled, feeling a surge of protective anger shoot through him. “None of what happened to Kate is her fault. And she’s not ‘polluted or defiled’ in any way. She just needs—”
“She needs to visit Mistress Light who awaits your coming,” the Celestial interrupted smoothly. “Please, may this one bring you to her? It is better to be timely lest you meet the Madam of Shadows instead.”
“Is she another one of the directors here?” Kate asked as they followed the blue—haired being out of the landing area and into another, smaller bubble. This bubble was made of the same transparent material but it was tinged with orange instead of yellow. As before, the sunlight flooded through, filling the round space like water in a bowl.
“She is,” the Celestial nodded and smiled as he/she led them through the orange bubble into another. This one was crystal clear and in the very center of it stood the being they had seen on their viewscreen—the female with pure white hair, eyelashes, and brows. It must be Mistress Light. She was wearing a pure white gown and her mouth widened into a benevolent smile as they approached her.
“Ah, Kate and Rone,” she said, holding out plump, pale hands to them, her violet eyes sparkling. “So very good to see you, my dears. I have heard much of your tragedy already from Commander Sylvan.” She looked at the Celestial. “And thank you for bringing them in, Azure my dear.”
The Celestial nodded. “This one lives but to serve you, Mistress Light.”
“Yes, I know. You’re such a darling. But come—I must greet you!” she said, smiling at Kate and Rone.
Rone came forward first, again putting himself between Kate and the perceived threat. Mistress Light seemed all right but there was something different about her—something strange that had his Wulven senses on high alert.
She smelled…strange. His nose detected crisp, clean notes that reminded him of an ocean wind and warm comforting notes that reminded him of the apple pie recipe Kate had gotten from her grandmother. But there were other scents too—some so hidden that no one without his special talents could have detected them.
Along with the pleasant, comforting, clean smells, there was a whiff of burning and the spice of peppers—the kind so hot it would make your eyes water and sting just to be near their fumes. The kind that would burn your mouth like the Seven Hells if you dared to taste one. There was something else too, something even darker but it was so faint and buried that even Rone could barely detect it. Still, it troubled him.
“It’s very good to make your acquaintance, Mistress Light,” he said, holding out a hand to her since she was also holding out both her hands to himself and Kate.
“I’m pleased to meet you as well, my dear but I must touch both of you at once to assess your problems.” Mistress Light nodded at Kate. “Come dear heart, don’t be shy.”
Rone didn’t like that he couldn’t touch Mistress Light first and better assess the threat but he knew how angry Kate would get if he tried to block her from touching the resort director. Besides, it was probably a good thing to let Kate touch her—the Knowing always gave her a better sense of what a person’s true intentions were when she made skin-to-skin contact with them.
Together, they reached out to take the plump, pale hands of Mistress Light. As they made contact, Rone saw Kate’s green eyes widen but she said nothing. He wished they still had their link so she could tell him what she’d seen but as it was, there was nothing he could do but smile genially and shake hands with the director of Flame and Frost.
“Ah, yes.” Mistress Light closed her brilliant purple eyes and a troubled look came over her face. “Oh my dears—such torment as you are both going through!” she exclaimed when she opened them again and finally released their hands. “I vow to you here and now that I will do everything—everything—in my power to restore your relationship to its former harmony.”
“That’s really sweet of you but we’re honestly just here so I can have a dip in your pool.” Kate’s voice sounded strained. “So if you don’t mind, that’s what I’d like to do.”
“In time…all in good time, Kate my dear.” Mistress Light nodded serenely. “But first, we must get you installed in a room and get a meal into you. I assume you must be hungry?”
“A little, I guess,” Kate said looking unhappy. “But…we have to stay the night? Not that your resort doesn’t seem like a lovely place but—”
“But we’ve heard very conflicting reports of it which makes us damn nervous,” Rone finished for her, frowning.
“I see.” Mistress Light half-closed her eyes as she regarded them. An expression that made her look rather like a sleepy cat, Rone thought. “Well, let me assure you, my dears, that you have nothing to fear if you have come here fully committed to rebuilding your relationship.”
“But—” Kate started but the director kept talking.
“For those who come with the right intentions and purposes, Flame and Frost can be exactly what they need. But if their intentions are not pure and their hearts are not given wholly to healing, well…” Mistress Light frowned. “Then only pain awaits them here.”
“We don’t want any pain,” Kate said quickly.
“And I won’t have my mate put into danger,” Rone growled.
“You have nothing to fear,” Mistress Light said calmly. “For I perceive that your intentions are pure. So…contracts.”
She clapped her hands and Azure, the Celestial who had brought them in the first place, came forward holding two large, circular pieces of vellum covered in densely written script. The script started along the outer edges and spiraled inward with the words and letters gradually growing smaller and smaller until by the time they got to the center, they were completely unreadable.
“What does this say?” Kate asked, frowning at the wide, round contract which Mistress Light handed to her. “It’s as big as a large pizza,” she remarked to Rone, who had taken a contract from the director as well.
“It’s a standard non-disclosure agreement,” Mistress Light explained. “We’re very proprietary about our methods and treatments here. We just ask that you don’t share our secrets beyond these walls.”
“Well, if that’s all it is…” Kate murmured. She was turning the contract around and around in circles, attempting to read the fine print. “Though I really don’t like sighing something I can’t read all of.”
“The last part in the center is simply legal jargon,” Mistress Light said airily. “It’s really just a formality but I’m afraid that I cannot allow you access to our bio-chelation pool until you sign it.”
“If that’s the case, I guess we have no choice.” Kate still didn’t look happy about it. “Where do I sign?” she asked Mistress Light. “Do you have a pen?”
“No writing instrument is needed, my dear. Simply press your right thumb to the very center of the contract. Your print is signature enough.”
“Okay.” Shrugging, Kate did as she said. Holding the large contract flat in the palm of one hand, she lowered her right thumb down to the center of the densely written script.
At the last minute, Rone wanted to stop her. He had a bad feeling about this somehow. A feeling that they were making a very dangerous decision.
“Kate, don—” he began but before he could finish his words, she was pressing her thumb to the center of her contract…and almost immediately yanking it away.
“Ouch!” she gasped, shaking her right hand as though she’d been stung. “What the hell?”
“Are you all right? What happened?” Rone demanded, feeling a stab of fear. He wanted to grab Kate’s hand and examine it but he remembered at the last minute that he couldn’t touch her and held back.
“I don’t know what happened. The damn thing bit me.” Kate was clenching her thumb inside her fingers. “That really hurt!”
“Nonsense, my dear.” Mistress light bent down and picked up the contract which Kate had dropped in her distress. “Simply a little prick to get the necessary blood for the print. See?” She lifted the contract and showed it to them. Now, in the very center of the spiraling script, was a small bloody thumbprint—Kate’s.
“You dared to wound my mate?” Rone felt protective fury rising inside him and the Beast within tried to rise with it.
“Peace, Warrior…” Mistress Light put out her hand to him. “With this small wounding, much may be accomplished. Now that she has signed the contract, I can allow your beloved mate access to our bio-chelation pool. Wasn’t that what you wanted?”
“Yes, but not at the price of pain,” Rone growled.
“Ah, then I fear you are in the wrong place.” Mistress Light looked sorrowful. “There is always a price to be paid to restore that which has been lost. Pain is often part of it.”
“We told you, we’re not here for pain or therapy or anything else like that,” Kate said, sounding irritated and a little frightened. “We just want to get the toxins out of my system so I can remember what I’ve been up to for the past three years.”
“Yes, indeed. And so you shall—as soon as your mate signs his contract.” Mistress Light smiled at Rone who stared stonily back at her. “Of course, if you do not, you cannot accompany her to the pool.”
“You don’t have to,” Kate told him, still clutching her wounded digit. “It really hurts—like someone ripping all the skin off your thumb at once. So maybe you should just stay here and I’ll come back after I have a swim in the pool.”
“Like hell I will,” Rone growled. “I’d never leave you alone in a place like this, Lalli. You know that.” Or she would know it after she got her memories back.
“Okay, well…” Kate shrugged uneasily. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“I’ll be fine.” Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he pressed his thumb to the center of his own contract. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a searing pain like someone ripping into his skin and peeling it down to the bare bone shot through him. Rone gritted his teeth but kept his face absolutely impassive. His gaze flicked to Mistress Light who was studying his reaction attentively.
She wants to see this—wants to see how I’ll react, he understood suddenly. Wants to know if I’ll stand by Kate no matter what. This is some kind of a test.
It was a test he intended to pass. After a moment, the pain faded to a dull throbbing and he withdrew his thumb leaving a bloody print just as Kate had—albeit a much larger one.
“Very good!” Mistress Light trilled. “Well, now I think we are all ready to go. If you’ll follow my darling Azure here, you will be led to the area where you both belong.”
Rone exchanged glances with Kate, wishing again that they still had their link. But he could tell well enough what she was thinking, even without it—because he was thinking the same thing. What choice did they have? Apparently, at least for the immediate future, they were stuck here at Flame and Frost. Shrugging, he turned to follow the blue-skinned, blue-haired Celestial and Kate did the same.
As they walked, Rone watched his mate and hoped they could get Kate into the damned pool and out again as soon as possible. He was eager to have his Lalli back—eager to hold her in his arms and touch her and taste her. Even with the cooling the priestess had performed on his blood the night before, he could already feel the hunger rising in him again, demanding that he take what he needed…before it was too late.
* * * * *
Kate didn’t like this situation one bit. She’d had the strangest experience when she touched Mistress Light’s hand. The angel-lady, as Kate had been calling her in her head, appeared to be so sweet that butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but there was something going on with her. Something weird that put Kate on edge.
Usually when she touched someone else skin-to-skin, she got a flash of their memories or their past or some kind of personal information. With Mistress Light, she’d gotten nothing like that. At first, all she’d seen were white, puffy clouds floating in a pale blue sky. Then there was a flash—like lightning ripping the gorgeous sky and innocent clouds to shreds. And for an instant—only an instant—Kate had seen something else. A pair of dark purple eyes staring back at her. And far down in the depths of those eyes she’d seen…what had she seen? Kate still didn’t know. Scenes of torture…pain…and dark pleasure too frightening to contemplate.
Be careful! the Knowing had screamed at her. The absence of light is Shadow. Stay in the light, Kate—stay in the light!
Kate still didn’t know what it meant but it was one of the strongest warnings she’d ever gotten and it scared the shinola out of her. The only thing that had kept her from bolting from the door was the fact that the warning hadn’t been about something that was absolutely going to happen—but about something that could be avoided. That and the fact that she really wanted her memory back.
As long as we’re careful, she told herself uneasily as she and Rone followed Azure out of the clear bubble dome which appeared to serve as Mistress Light’s office. As long as we’re cautious we should be all right.
She hoped, anyway.
The clear bubble dome led into a smaller purple one which appeared to lead out to a lot of other areas. There were seven doors, arranged in a semicircle around half of the dome—Kate wondered where they all went but she hoped she wouldn’t have to find out. She just wanted to take a dip in their pool and get out of this place as soon as possible.
They came to the door in the very center of the seven that ringed half the purple dome and their guide stopped in front of it.
“This is the true entrance to Flame and Frost. From here you will begin your personal journey of reconciliation and redemption,” the Celestial said in a clear, soft voice. “Therefore, the way in which you enter is very important.”
“The way in which we enter?” Rone repeated, frowning. “How many ways can you enter a damn door? You just open it up and walk through it, right?”
Azure only shook his/her head. Placing seven long blue fingers against the door, the Celestial murmured,
“Seven seals for Seven Doors
Seven rooms and Seven Floors
Some lead to bliss and priceless treasure
Some to darker kinds of pleasure
Choose the one your heart desires
Choose the ice or choose the fire
Both will change you, time will tell
If chose you ill or chose you well
Now take your choice, for twain or cleft
Will life be chosen, or will death?”
After finishing this cryptic verse, the Celestial stood back from the still-closed door and motioned for Kate and Rone to come forward.
“Come,” he/she said in that soft, neutral voice. “It is not for this one to open this door for you. You must do it yourselves.”
“We must?” Kate frowned up at the tall being. “But what if we choose wrong? What did that weird poem you just recited mean?”
Azure only shook his/her head.
“This one cannot say for you will find out soon enough. All this one may tell you is that you must both place your right palms against the door at once.”
“Are we going to get stabbed again?” Rone demanded, glowering at the Celestial. “I won’t have my mate hurt like that for a second time.”
Kate didn’t really want the feeling of having her skin peeled off again either, although when she examined her thumb, it looked perfectly fine. There didn’t even seem to be a pin-prick or any sign that she’d bled at all.
“Fear not. This door is painless,” Azure assured them. “But it must be chosen by both of you.”
“I don’t like this,” Rone growled.
Kate sighed. “Neither do I but what choice do we have? I’m guessing we have to do this before I’m allowed in the pool?”
“All who come must choose,” the Celestial said, nodding. “None may abstain. For how else may Mistress Light and Madam Shadow know the true desires of your heart and how best to treat you?”
“Well, they could just let me take a dip in the damn pool which is all I’ve been trying to do from the minute I got here,” Kate said testily.
“I’m afraid they’re going to make us do things in what they consider the correct order before we’re allowed to use the bio-chelation pool,” Rone rumbled.
“In this, you are correct. Proper protocol must be followed at all times,” Azure murmured. “Simply open the door and enter. You will find yourselves where you are supposed to be.”
“All right then, if you say so. Are we ready?” Rone raised one large hand and looked at Kate.
“Wait,” she said, frowning. “Before we do this I have to tell you…”
“Tell me what?” He raised an eyebrow at her.
“Just…” She hesitated. Years of living with the Knowing had made her reluctant to talk about it, even when it had given her a very clear warning. Some people laughed or scoffed when she tried to pass on what she knew and others just thought she was crazy. But Rone knew about her gift, she reminded herself. He wouldn’t think she was weird or nuts if she tried to tell him something related to it—would he?
“Yes?” he asked. “What do you need to tell me, Kate?”
Kate took a deep breath. “Just that we need to be careful. And when we touch this door, both of us need to be concentrating on the light—on staying in the light.”
Even knowing that he knew about her gift, she half expected him to think she was crazy. But he only nodded.
“That’s something you got from your Knowing?” he murmured in a low voice. “A warning?”
Kate nodded, relieved that he believed her.
“Are we in danger?” Rone asked. “Are we headed into a storm, baby?”
“I don’t think so,” Kate said cautiously. “Not as long as we’re careful to stay in the light. I don’t know what that means—but it’s what I got just now when we touched Mistress Light.”
“All right.” He nodded gravely. “Let’s concentrate then, just like you said. Ready?” He held his big hand in front of the door again. “On three—you count.”
“One…two…three,” Kate counted aloud. They made contact with the door at the same time and it whooshed silently open, revealing a long hallway. The right half of the hallway was bathed in pure, brilliant sunlight. The left half was gloomy with shadows. And somehow, though the two halves were in the same hallway, the light and shadows didn’t mix. There was a very clear demarcation between them.
Rone barked an uneasy laugh.
“Guess we know which side of the hall to walk down.”
“I guess we do.” Kate started to step into the hallway but he put out a hand to stop her.
“Let me go first.”
“I can take care of myself,” Kate protested, feeling irritated. “Just because you’re so much bigger, doesn’t mean—”
“I know you can, baby,” he murmured. “But please, let me go first. I just got you back—I don’t want to take a chance on losing you again.”
The pleading in his deep voice and the raw look in those brilliant blue eyes made Kate bite her tongue. It was true she was usually extremely independent and unwilling to let anyone try to protect her. But the big Kindred looked at her as though she was the most precious thing in the world—as though he would die if he lost her again.
Reluctantly, she nodded.
“All right—you go first. Just stay in the light.”
“Of course.” He nodded and took a cautious step into the lighted side of the hallway. When nothing happened, he continued down the hallway a few steps before turning back to look at Kate. “Seems fine. Come on.”
“Coming.” Kate took a step but it was as though there was something there in the doorway—some invisible barrier she couldn’t see but also couldn’t avoid. Though she tried to step into the lighted side of the hallway, she found herself on the dark side instead.
Rone, who was watching her anxiously, frowned.
“Hey—what are you doing? I thought you said we had to stay in the light?”
“I’m…trying.” Kate tried to step over into the right side where the light was pouring down but the invisible barrier kept her out—kept her in the shadows. It was like there was a wall between her and the light—an obstruction keeping her in the dark and the shadows no matter how hard she tried to push through it.
Deciding that she should go back and try again, Kate turned and tried to get back into the purple dome with all the doors. But though she could see the Celestial, Azure, standing there, she couldn’t get out of the long hallway. She was trapped there, in the darkness, unable to go back or get into the light.
“Kate?” Rone frowned at her again. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. There seems to be some kind of invisible barrier keeping me from getting over to the light side or from going back into the other room to try again.” Kate tried to keep the rising panic she felt out of her voice but this was really freaking her out. “I don’t like this,” she whispered, her voice tight. “Don’t like it at all.”
“I don’t either. Hey!” Rone shouted at Azure, who was still standing there, just outside the doorway. “What in the Seven Hells is going on here? Why can’t Kate get out of this hallway or into the light?”
“You must take the fate you are dealt,” the Celestial said obliquely, raising his/her slender, pale blue shoulders. “Perhaps your mate is unable to enter the light because of the darkness residing within her which yet needs to be purged. I cannot say—I can only advise you to stay on the lighted half of the hall yourself. You may escape whatever torment lies in wait for her that way.”
“Torment? What the fuck are you talking about?” Rone looked really upset now. In fact, his tone was verging on enraged.
“I’m okay,” Kate told him, trying to make herself believe it was true. “I mean, it’s just a little dark, that’s all.” Although it was strange how the shadows seemed to blur her vision and make it difficult to see over into the lighted side. What was going on?
“You’re not all right.” Rone put up his big hands, searching for the invisible barrier that Kate had encountered. But his fingers passed right through, sliding easily into the shadowed part of the hallway.
“Do not!” Azure sounded so upset that Kate looked back. The Celestial was standing there, wringing his/her seven-fingered hands. “If you have been granted the safety of the light, you must not go into the shadows,” he/she said, sounding extremely anxious.
“Why not?” Rone growled. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t be with my mate.”
“It is not safe! The darkness…it grows within you. It eats your soul and then Madam Shadow has no choice but to punish you to release it. It is so much easier…so much better to stay in the light.”
“Fuck that.” In one swift move, Rone stepped into the shadowed side of the hallway and came to stand beside Kate. He wasn’t close enough to trigger the panic response and freak her out but he was close enough that she no longer felt alone in the darkness. It was nice and Kate felt the knot of panic that had been growing in her chest begin to loosen. Still, she felt she had to say something to him.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she murmured as he came to stand beside her. “If this side is so dangerous maybe you should have stayed in the light.”
“No.” Rone’s piercing blue eyes flashed. “My place is with you. Always.”
At the end of the hallway, they heard Azure make a sad sound. When she looked into the Celestial’s face, Kate saw that he/she was almost crying.
“Two more for the shadows,” he said mournfully. “Very well—I will inform Mistress Light…and Madam Shadow. Good bye—this one wishes you well.”
“Wait!” Kate called. “Where do we go from here?”
But the Celestial was already gliding away noiselessly on pale blue feet.
Rone shrugged. “I guess we just continue down the hallway.”
“Yeah, but what are we going to find when we get to the end?” Kate couldn’t keep the apprehension out of her voice.
“Whatever we find, we find it together,” the big Kindred said firmly. “Come on.”
He led the way forward, forging through the shadows like a tall man wading through high water. Kate was happy to follow him this time. Happy to let him go first and grateful that he had come to join her in the darkness, although she felt a little guilty about it. Now Rone was going to get a heaping helping of whatever she herself was slated to take—it hardly seemed fair. But it was nice that he was so loyal and brave.
For the first time since she’d seen him in the shopping mall, Kate began to feel something stirring in her heart for him. Not love—she didn’t know him well enough to love him. But admiration.
He’s tall and handsome and devoted and courageous—what’s not to admire? It sounded like Mimi’s voice in her brain—like something her roommate and friend would say. She almost felt that if the big Kindred hadn’t come to her with such high expectations and all those stories of a past she couldn’t remember, she might have been interested in him. Well, and if touching him hadn’t caused her to have panic attacks…there was that to consider too. And—
Her thoughts were cut off as they reached the end of the long corridor. When she’d been standing at the other end of it, Kate had been certain there was only one door at the end—now she saw two. One for the light side and one in the shadows.
“Try the light door,” she said quickly. “Let’s see if we can get through it somehow.”
Rone reached for the knob but his big hand wouldn’t pass through from the shadows into the light. He tried again but with the same result—he was feeling the effects of the invisible barrier that had kept Kate from passing into the light earlier.
“Hey,” he growled, frowning. “What in the Seven Hells?”
“I’m afraid you’re stuck over here with me now.” Kate felt guilty all over again. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay, baby.” Rone sighed and reached for the knob on the dark side of the hallway. “I suppose we’ll just have to go through this one instead.” He looked at her. “Do you feel anything? Are you getting any danger signals?”
Kate took a deep breath, waiting to see if her Knowing would tell her anything—give her any kind of warning. But her sixth sense was silent.
“Nothing so far,” she said. “Let’s go for it.”
“Agreed.” Rone twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door.