Chapter Fourteen
They stepped out of the shadowed half of the hallway into a vast, dimly lit chamber. Rone looked around warily, sniffing for any sign of danger. But the only thing his sensitive nose picked up was the faint hint of spicy peppers. Weird…
“What is this place?” Kate asked, coming up behind him. Rone noticed that while she was being careful not to touch him, she was also staying a little closer than she had before. Good, he was glad she was staying near—it would make it easier to protect her if the need arose.
“This place is the entrance to the lower levels of Frost and Flame,” a new voice murmured from the far side of the room. “To enter here, one must have been touched by the Shadow.”
“Who are you?” Rone immediately put himself between Kate and the possible threat. “And what do you want?”
“This one is only here to guide you.”
A long, thin shape detached itself from the shadows at the far side of the room and Rone saw that the being must be another Celestial, like Azure. Only this one had much darker coloring—deep blue skin and long blue hair that was difficult to see in the shadowed room.
“This one is named Cerulean,” said their new guide, coming forward. “Come —this one has been sent to lead you to the Pool of Purification.”
“Really? Finally!” Kate stepped out of Rone’s shadow, looking relieved.
“Wait.” Rone frowned. “Can you promise us that Kate will come to no harm if she goes into this pool?” he demanded. “Can you promise that it’s absolutely safe? I won’t risk her in any way.”
The Celestial raised one deep blue eyebrow at him.
“Even to allow her to regain her memory of you and your life together? Even to have her back as your mate?”
Rone took a deep breath. “No. Not even for that.”
“Hmm.” Cerulean nodded. “This is good to know. This one will inform the Mistress of Shadows as to the purity of your motives.”
“You still haven’t answered the question,” Rone pointed out. But the tall, thin alien had already turned and was gliding ahead of them, disappearing into the shadows at the far end of the room.
“Come on.” Kate gave him an impatient look. “We’re going to lose him! Or her—or whatever. We have to go. I have to get into that pool!”
“Even if it’s dangerous?” Rone asked, as they followed Cerulean out of the room and into another long, shadowy corridor.
“Even if it’s dangerous,” Kate said grimly.
Rone looked at her closely. He wished he could be sure that her intense determination to get into the bio-chelation pool had to do with her wanting to come back to him—to get back to their normal life. But somehow he doubted it. Kate was the type of female who didn’t like to be uncertain or out of control of her life or circumstances. Doubtless having a three year gap in her memory made her feel extremely out of control and she didn’t like that feeling.
He thought it was more probable that her need to regain order and certainty, rather than any wish to resume her life with him, was driving her now. Still, he felt uneasy about letting her take a risk—no matter how small—with her life.
“What if it’s really not safe?” he asked, frowning down at her. “Kate, I just don’t know about this. Now that we’re here I keep getting bad feelings about this place.”
“Look, Commander Sylvan sent us here specifically to use this pool,” she pointed out. “So it must be safe.” She threw Rone a glace. “I just want my memory back,” she said in a low voice. “I just want to know what the hell I’ve been doing for the past three years. I don’t even know how my mother died, Rone. And no—” She held up a hand. “I don’t want you to tell me. I need to find out on my own.”
He shrugged helplessly. “All right, I understand.” He did, too. Kate was a very independent female—one who liked to do things for herself. Which was why it had been so special to him when she’d allowed herself to relax and let him do little things for her—like helping her down from a high spacecraft doorway or reaching things on a tall shelf for her. Or cradling her in his arms like a little girl when she needed to feel close to him…
A wave of longing so strong it nearly brought him to his knees passed over Rone. Gods, how he missed her—his beautiful mate! She was right here beside him and yet he couldn’t touch her—couldn’t take her in his arms and kiss and caress her the way he longed to do so desperately. Would a swim in the bio-chelation pool cure that? Or would she come out of it cleansed of the fear toxins and with a restored memory but with still no interest in him? Maybe she would decide to start fresh—to put him out of her life. Maybe he was never destined to hold her again…
The hunger stirred inside him at the thought and his Beast gave a low, warning growl.
“Here we are at last—the Chamber of Purification. And this is the Pool of Purification.” The Celestial’s soft voice cut into his troubled thoughts and the calling of the hunger.
Looking up, Rone saw that they had come out of the narrow hallway into another large, stone chamber which appeared to be underground. There were no windows but a diffuse, bluish light seemed to be coming from the walls. It did little to dispel the shadows. However, there was one brighter source of illumination—a harsh white spotlight of sorts came down from the ceiling to light up a rectangular hole in the floor. It was about seven feet deep by ten feet across and lined with the same gray flagstones that made up the rest of the floor, walls, and ceiling. But when Rone looked into it, it was completely empty.
“Behold,” murmured the Celestial, gesturing with his/her seven fingered hands. “The Pool of Purification.”
“It’s not much to look at, is it?” Kate sounded skeptical. “And where’s the water?”
“The bio-chelation chemicals do not flow into the pool until they sense there is one within in it who is in need of cleansing,” Cerulean explained in a soft voice. “You must therefore strip and climb into it in order to be immersed in its purifying waters.”
“Strip? I have to strip?” Kate looked at the dark hole in the floor mistrustfully and crossed her arms over her breasts. “Uh, can’t I have a bathing suit to wear or something?”
“This one is afraid that may not be,” Cerulean said regretfully. “Every inch of your skin must be bathed in the waters of Purification in order for the treatment to be effective.”
“Okay, well…Can I at least have some privacy? I mean, I don’t need you guys watching me while I do this for it to work, right?” Kate cast a glance at Rone and he knew what she was thinking—she didn’t want him seeing her naked. Never mind that he had seen and touched and tasted every inch of her sweet, luscious body in the past, she couldn’t remember a bit of it and so she was shy, all over again, just as she had been when they first met.
He would have been happy to give her the privacy she asked for, although it hurt his heart to do it, but he didn’t like the idea of leaving her alone to get into that strangely ominous stone hole all by herself. The thing reminded him of an empty, toothless mouth, just waiting to be fed and there was an odd, chemical tang in the air around it that burned his sensitive nose.
The Celestial, however, appeared to have no such misgivings.
“This one will be pleased to grant you privacy,” he/she said bowing obsequiously. When you have stripped, simply climb into the pool. It will sense your presence and begin to fill. Remember, though…” He/she leaned forward and pointed two long fingers for emphasis. “Whatever you do, you must not leave the pool until every inch of your skin has been bathed and the water has drained, taking the fear toxins it leaches from your body with it. Do you understand?”
“I think so.” Kate nodded. “Take off my clothes, get in the pool, and don’t get out until it drains. I can do that—I’m a strong swimmer.”
“Perhaps in water, you may be.” Cerulean gave her a pitying look. “However the Purification chemicals are something else entirely. But keep calm and do not let fear get the better of you and all will be well.”
That sounded ominous to Rone but Kate was nodding again, clearly eager to get into the pool and get on with the process.
“Got it,” she said confidently.
“Very well. Then this one will leave you alone. I will come again later to see how your Purification went.” Cerulean steepled his/her long blue fingers together and made a deep bow. Then the Celestial turned and flowed smoothly out of the Purification Chamber, disappearing through a small wooden door on the far wall.
“Well?” Kate looked at Rone who was standing there. She had her hands on her blouse, clearly ready to take it off. “Aren’t you going to go too?”
“I don’t think so,” Rone growled, frowning. “I’m sorry if you’re feeling shy, Kate, but there’s no way I’m leaving you alone to crawl into a strange hole and be covered with the Goddess alone knows what kind of chemicals.”
“I don’t want to take off my clothes in front of you!” she exclaimed, crossing her arms protectively over her breasts. “And don’t tell me again how you’ve seen me naked before—I know you have but I can’t remember it so it still just makes me really uncomfortable.”
Rone felt the hunger stir in him again.
“I haven’t just seen you naked, baby—I’ve licked and kissed and caressed every inch of your body,” he growled. “From the crown of your head to the tips of your toes, there’s no place on you that I haven’t tasted and stroked. But fine—I’ll turn around. Will that make you happy?”
“I guess it’s better than nothing.” Kate glared at him, her cheeks flushed.
For a little while there, when he’d joined her in the shadowed part of the hall, Rone had almost felt like they were growing closer. Now he felt the distance open between them again and sighed inwardly.
She doesn’t trust me, he thought. Doesn’t trust me because she doesn’t know me—not anymore.
But there was nothing he could do about it right now. Nothing but try and keep her safe and hope that the treatment of the pool worked and his mate would remember him soon. He turned silently, giving her his back, and waited.
* * * * *
Kate waited until he had turned around, showing his broad back and shoulders, before she started undressing. God, this was awkward! She kept hearing his words ringing in her ears— I’ve licked and kissed and caressed every inch of your body, he’d said. Had he really? She supposed that since they were married he must be telling the truth. But still, it set her nerves on edge and made her heart pound uneasily to hear him saying it out loud.
We must have been a really kinky couple, she thought to herself as she shed her clothing. I wonder what other things I let him do to me… Then she decided that didn’t bear thinking about.
When she was down to nothing but her birthday suit, she walked over to the lip of the pool. She stood there for a moment shivering—it really was cold in here without clothes—and wondering how she was going to get down into it. There was no ladder that she could see—no way to climb in or out of the deep stone hole. She had no wish to jump—it looked like a long way down and she could just see herself twisting an ankle. She supposed she could scramble around until she was holding onto the lip of the pool and then just let herself drop but it was still going to be a three foot drop to the stony floor of the pool below—she wasn’t looking forward to that.
As if he was reading her mind, she heard Rone’s deep voice behind her.
“Do you need help getting in?”
“No. No, of course not,” Kate said hastily. She turned her head and saw that he still had his broad back to her but his head was half-turned to speak. She wished she had something to cover her back—she hated having her scars exposed like this!
“Are you certain? Don’t hurt yourself just because you’re too proud to ask for help, Kate.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said defensively, sitting down on the lip of the pool—damn, the stones were cold on her bare behind! “I can get down all by myself, just fine. And besides, I couldn’t touch you anyway even if I did need your help—which I don’t. That’s the whole reason I need the fear toxins leached out—remember?”
He sighed deeply. “I just thought I could wrap my sleeve around my hand so that our skin didn’t touch and lower you down that way.”
Kate thought about it for a moment but then she imagined herself dangling from his hand, naked and with everything on display, as he lowered her into the pool. No—she had no wish to do that. It would be better just to scramble down herself somehow.
“No thanks,” she said, trying to keep her voice light even as she was turning to grasp the lip of the pool and trying to inch down slowly. “I’ll…be…fine.” Her voice sounded a little strained since she was trying to get down into the vast stone hole but she thought she managed it all right. Finally she was hanging from the edge of the pool with her toes dangling several feet above the bottom.
Well—here goes. Letting go of the edge, she let herself fall, trying to land lightly on her feet.
She did land but not exactly lightly. She stumbled on the rough stones and went to her knees, scraping them both raw.
“Ow!” she gasped involuntarily.
Immediately, Rone was at the lip of the pool, looking down anxiously.
“Kate? Lalli? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine!” Kate stood quickly and did her best to cover herself with her hands. “Look, do you mind? I’m still naked here, you know.”
“You’re not fine.” His nose wrinkled. “I smell blood—where are you bleeding?”
“I’m not—” Kate looked down at her knees. Sure enough, there were trickles of blood running down her shins—she must have hit the stone floor even harder than she’d thought.
“Come back up,” Rone said, frowning. “I need to heal you.”
“Heal me? What are you talking about?” Kate demanded. “Do you have a first aid kit with you or something that I don’t know about?”
“No, with my tongue,” he said impatiently. “I know you don’t want me touching you but it will only take a few licks to seal those wounds. At least let me do that.”
Kate frowned. “So you can heal me just by licking me?”
“Of course. I always have—you’re my mate. It’s one of a Wulven Kindred’s abilities.” He looked really upset and agitated. “Please, Kate— I can’t bear to see you injured.”
“I’m fine—it’s just a couple of scrapes on my knees.” Kate was still trying to cover her breasts and sex with her arms. “And besides, I have to stay down here until the bio-chelation chemicals come up and bathe every inch of me—remember?” She looked down at her feet. “If they ever come at all…”
“I don’t like the idea of you going through that process with open wounds,” Rone said stubbornly. “You don’t know what might happen if those chemicals get into your bloodstream.” He knelt by the lip of the pool and extended one hand to her. “Come on, Kate—let me pull you out and heal you first. Please.”
The worry in his piercing blue eyes was so intense that Kate almost did as he asked. But then she thought of taking his hand—touching his skin—and remembered the panicked fear that had rushed through her when he grabbed her at the mall. Her heart started pounding and she hung back, not wanting to go through that awful feeling of being trapped and helpless again.
“I don’t know—” she began but just then there was a rushing noise and the stone blocks below her feet began to bleed water.
At least Kate thought it was water. It was clear and it bubbled and gushed up from the cracks between the stones as though some hidden jet was forcing it upwards. It was cold against her feet and before she knew it, it had surged up to her ankles.
“Kate, come out of there—that stuff smells fucking toxic!” Rone was looking even more anxious than before.
“I don’t smell anything,” Kate said stubbornly. “Look, I have to do this—it’s the only way to get back my memory. Don’t you want that?”
“Not at the price of your life. I have a bad feeling about this!” Rone raked a hand through his hair in agitation. “Lalli, please!”
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him again. “It’s just a little cold, that’s all.”
Cold was an understatement. The clear liquid which was now up to her shins, felt like liquid ice. Kate wrapped her arms even more firmly around herself and tried to keep from shivering. She noticed with some concern that when the chelation chemical liquid touched the rivulets of blood running down the front of her legs, it bubbled and foamed, like hydrogen peroxide.
What if Rone’s right? she thought uneasily. What if it does something to me? What if—
Just then the clear liquid reached her scraped knees—it stung like fire.
Kate inhaled sharply and clenched her hands into fists. She clamped her jaw shut to keep from screaming. Her knees felt like she’d dipped them in acid!
“You’re in pain.” Rone was still watching her with worry in his eyes. “I can tell it!”
“It just…stings a little. That’s all,” Kate grated out, trying not to show how much agony she was in. God—it was like rubbing alcohol times ten! She could see the chemicals bubbling like crazy around her wounded knees, the bloody foam rising as the liquid level rose as well. And then, alarmingly, the crimson color of the foam began to spread. Thin, bloody rivulets began to spiral through the clear liquid, swirling in strange patterns over the surface of the bio-chelation chemicals.
“What in the Seven Hells is going on?” Rone demanded, clearly noticing as well. “Why is it turning red?”
“I…I don’t know.” Kate shivered as the bloody-red liquid reached her upper thighs.
“I don’t like it!” Rone growled. “Come out!”
Kate didn’t like it either, to be honest. The liquid in the pool was now completely red—it was like taking a bath in ice-cold blood. But by now, it was up to her waist and still rising fast.
Maybe Rone is right—maybe I ought to get out of here.
But if she did, how would she ever get her memory back? Sure it was unpleasant being covered in the bloody-looking liquid but if she could stand it just a little while longer, she would be rewarded—she would get back the years she had lost. She would finally understand what had happened to her mother and to Rone and—
Her thoughts cut off abruptly as the red liquid climbed to her breasts and turned dead black.
“Oh my God,” Kate whispered uncertainly, looking down at herself. Tar—it looks like tar! It felt like tar too—the formerly clear liquid was now sticky and dense. When Kate raised one hand from it, the stuff hung down from her arm in gluey strings.
“What the fuck is going on down there?” Rone roared.
“I don’t know!” Kate tried to move her legs but it was hard—the black, tarry liquid was so thick it was like moving through glue. It was up past her shoulders now—up to her neck.
Oh my God, it’s going to cover me! It’s going to go over my head in a minute!
Her determination to stay in the pool until her memory came back wavered abruptly. She could have stood having the plain, clear liquid flowing over her head. She loved to swim after all and had no fear of the water. But this…stuff…this black oozing ichor the clear liquid had become was something else entirely. Kate didn’t want the gooey black tar coming up to cover her face and head. She could barely move in it, let alone tread water. She would drown!
“Rone!” she gasped, forgetting her fear of touching him as the terror of being drowned in the weird tar-pit the pool had become overcame her. “I…I don’t like this!”
“Come here.” He stretched out a hand for her again, trying to reach her.
The black slime was up to Kate’s jaw now. She could feel it seeping into her ears and soon it would cover her mouth and then her nose. Panicked, she began trying to get to the big Kindred’s hand. But moving through the tarry liquid was like trying to move through quicksand or mud. Kate felt like she was stuck in a bad dream—the kind where you’re trying desperately to run away from the evil monster pursuing you but you can only move in slow motion.
“I…I can’t—” she gasped and then some of the foul, tarry liquid rushed into her mouth making her choke and gasp. It was bitter—so bitter and foul she started to gag. But she knew if she opened her mouth again, it would fill with even more of the disgusting, sludgy liquid. Lifting her chin high, she stood on her tip-toes, trying to keep the ever-rising black slime away from her face as long as possible.
It was a temporary measure at best. Kate knew what was going to happen—the tarry liquid was going to cover her and then, when she couldn’t hold her breath any more, it would rush into her mouth and nose and drown her.
Rone was right, she thought as the stuff surged up past her grimly shut mouth and seeped into her hair. I shouldn’t have done this. Should have listened to him. Should have—
“Fuck this,” she heard Rone say. And then there was a flat splash in the gooey liquid beside her and he was at her side.
Kate wanted to ask what he was doing but she knew if she opened her mouth she would choke on the filthy slime. Besides, it became apparent what he wanted the minute he reached her.
“Here.” He grabbed her, putting both big hands around her waist. He was so much taller that the black slime wasn’t even halfway up his broad chest. Lifting Kate as though she weighed no more than a kitten, he boosted her towards the side of the pool.
“Rone?” she managed to gasp and he pushed her up. “What—”
“Grab the side,” he ordered grimly. “You’re getting the fuck out of here.”
Kate wasn’t in any position to protest. She grabbed for the lip of the stone pool and dragged herself out. Rone helped by boosting her up, his large hands fitting neatly under her bottom to give her a shove. Then he reached for the edge and lifted himself clear of the liquid too, his massive shoulders and arms working and the muscles bunching as though he was doing a push-up.
Kate lay on her side, shivering and covered in slime. Her hair was a sodden mess. The only parts of her that weren’t completely drenched in the oily black liquid were her nose, eyes and forehead. Everything else felt like she’d been dipped in a mixture of motor oil and mucus.
“Kate, baby—are you okay?” Rone knelt beside her anxiously. He was pretty messy too but he’d only had time to take off his shirt before he jumped in to save her so at least his trousers had protected his legs.
“F-f-fine,” she stuttered out and then burst into tears.
“Kate…Lalli…” Rone hovered over her uncertainly. It was clear he was dying to gather her into his arms and comfort her and just as clear that he didn’t dare to touch her.
Kate wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On one hand, she was shivering and cold and wet and miserable—she could have used some comfort. On the other hand, she still didn’t know him—not like he knew her, anyway—and she wasn’t sure if his touch would still cause a panic response or not. She’d already been panicking when he lifted her out of the pool and it was hard to say what had caused it—his touch or the fact that she’d been sure she was about to drown in the inky black stuff.
Also there was a little voice inside her—a voice that had been there since early childhood—telling her that Rone wasn’t to be trusted. That no man was. Growing up without a father, she’d learned that quickly enough. Encounters with men in high school and college had driven the lesson home. She balled herself tighter and hid her face.
“Kate…”
“Just go away,” she whispered. “Just…just leave me alone.”
“But—”
“No, no, NO!” The escalating shout came from across the room, on the other side of the pool. It shocked Kate out of her tears and made her sit up, trying frantically to cover herself although she doubted anyone could see anything through the black slime that covered her.
Striding toward them was a tall person—Kate thought it was a woman—dressed all in black. A tight black skirt, high black boots, and a low cut black blouse which showed a fair amount of pale cleavage was Kate’s initial impression. Then the woman came closer and she saw that she also had midnight black hair which was pulled severely back in a tight bun at the back of her neck, showing her pale, angular face. Aside from her paper-pale skin, the only thing about her that wasn’t black was her eyes, which were a deep, vivid violet. Even her lips were painted in black lipstick—at least Kate thought it was lipstick. She supposed it could just be their natural color.
“Who are you?” Rone had taken a protective stance in front of her, his feet spread, keeping himself between Kate and the newcomer.
“I am the Madam of Shadows as you will soon learn to your very great regret.” The woman cocked her head to look at him though she was so tall Rone only had an inch or two in height on her. Of course, part of that was probably her boots which had six inch heels on them. Kate was in a unique position to study them since she was still crouching naked on the ground behind the big Kindred.
“Madam Shadow,” Rone growled angrily. “I’m glad you’re here. Kate nearly drowned in your pool just now.”
“Why didn’t you let her?” the tall woman asked coolly.
“What?” Rone demanded. “What in the Seven Hells are you talking about?”
“I said you should have let her drown.” Madam Shadow gave Kate a look that was colder than the slime she’d just been in. “That is, after all, the purpose of the pool.”
“What?” Rone’s piercing blue eyes blazed. “Are you saying what just happened was intentional? That you knowingly tried to drown my mate? Because if that’s the case—”
“Calm yourself, Warrior,” she snapped. “That is the way the pool works. Unfortunately, it was unable to do its job you dragged your mate out before the process was complete.”
“He dragged me out because I was about to drown,” Kate said, getting shakily to her feet.
“You were meant to drown, little female,” Madam Shadow said. “How else could the impure part of you die and the wholesome part be reborn? Those who immerse themselves in the Pool of Purification must meet death and be revived for the treatment to work.”
“So…you put me in there knowing I was supposed to die?” Kate could hardly believe it. “And all that—the way the water turned red and then black—that was all meant to happen?”
“Of course. The change in the chemicals’ consistency and composition is in direct response to the amount and type of toxins they are leaching from the body.” Madam Shadow made a disgusted face. “I was told that you were completely filled with fear toxins and memory blockers but I have never seen the pool turn quite that color before.”
“So you actually planned to allow my wife to drown and then you would attempt to revive her?” Rone sounded like he couldn’t believe it. “What if you couldn’t? What if she didn’t come back?”
“Actually, it’s the Pool of Purification itself which does the drowning and reviving,” Madam Shadow said. “It almost always brings the subject it is purifying back…well, unless they are too polluted for it to cleanse properly. In which case, it will often deem the revival to be unnecessary.” She looked Kate up and down. “I have my doubts that it might have chosen to revive you, my dear. You were most terribly polluted.”
“That isn’t her fault,” Rone said angrily. “She was infected with fear toxins, as you said earlier. That doesn’t make her a bad person or someone unworthy to live. Goddess, what is wrong with you fucking people?”
“The only thing wrong here is that you stopped the treatment too soon,” Madam Shadow snapped.
“But you just said it would have killed me—and probably not even tried to bring me back!” Kate eyed the oily black surface of the pool mistrustfully.
“Yes, well—at least the treatment would have been complete and the pool could have emptied and purified itself,” the tall woman sniffed, as though Kate’s life meant nothing. “As it stands, it will be unable to self-cleanse unless you get back in and let it finish the process.”
“Like Hell she will,” Rone growled, his big hands balling into fists. “If you even think—”
“No, no—I can see how protective you are of her, Warrior. I will not demand such a thing.” Her violet eyes flashed. “What I will demand however is that the two of you finish what the pool started in a more traditional way. We have an excellent success rate here at Frost and Flame and I don’t intend to let the two of you ruin it.”
“What? What are you talking about?” Kate demanded. “Finish what it started? It didn’t do any good at all! I don’t recall a damn thing more than I could when I got into it. The past three years are still gone—I can’t remember anything.”
“Nothing at all?” Rone looked at her, and the need in his blue eyes was so great Kate had to look away.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “Maybe you should have just left me in there.”
“Of course I couldn’t do that,” Rone growled. “I just thought maybe…”
“The reason your memory is not restored is because you didn’t allow the Pool to finish its job,” Madam Shadow said briskly. “However, though it was unable to bring back your memory, you may take comfort in knowing that most of the fear toxins have been leached out of your system.”
“They have?” Kate looked at her mistrustfully. The woman had just admitted that she’d planned to have Kate drowned on purpose—it was kind of hard to trust anything she said after hearing that.
“Of course they have. Go on—try it.” From somewhere in the folds of her tight black skirt, Madam Shadow produced a long, thin black stick which she slipped between her lush black lips. She snapped her fingers and a small flame appeared, igniting the end of it. It was only when Kate saw her take a deep drag on the flaming thing that she understood Madam Shadow was smoking—smoking what looked like a foot-long, skinny black cigarette.
“Try what?” she asked, uncertainly.
“Try to touch him, of course.” Madam Shadow blew a cloud of blue smoke which smelled like burnt rose petals at her head. Kate waved it away, coughing and choking. “Go on—I don’t have all day.”
Hesitantly, Kate turned to the big Kindred. She still had one arm wrapped firmly around her breasts and her legs tightly closed to conceal her sex but she lifted her free hand and reached out to touch him.
Rone stood perfectly still for the operation, as though she was a skiddish horse that might spook at his least movement. Kate could see he was trying to conceal his hope but when she caught a glimpse of his eyes it was there—blazing in their glowing blue depths.
Taking a deep breath, she allowed her fingertips to brush over the skin of his forearm. Of course, they were both still coated in the black slime of the pool but she could feel his skin beneath hers well enough. She waited for the panic response to begin—the feeling that her heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest and that her lungs were paper bags that wouldn’t inflate properly. But though she felt a slight tremble of nerves—the panic was gone.
Just to be sure, she gripped his muscular forearm in her hand and held it there. Still nothing except the awkwardness of touching a man she didn’t know—or didn’t know intimately, anyway.
“Well?” Rone’s deep voice was tense.
“She’s right.” Kate looked up at him. “I can touch you now without freaking out—without feeling like I’m going to pass out from fear.”
“Thank the Goddess.” He blew out a breath and wiped a hand over his face, putting a smudge of black slime on his cheek.
“This doesn’t mean I want to immediately jump in bed with you, though,” Kate felt compelled to tell him. “I mean, I still don’t remember you—don’t know you the way you know me. So I’m really sorry but—”
“No, no—I understand.” He nodded. “I would never ask you to do something you weren’t comfortable with. I’m just so damn glad that being near me doesn’t scare you to death anymore, baby.”
Kate thought about pointing out that he was still a pretty huge and scary guy but decided not to. Rone had gone out of his way to protect her again and again since the first moment they met in the mall. She knew by now that he wouldn’t hurt her—at least, not physically. Emotionally might be another matter but she would have to cope with her own wariness later. For now, at least the Pool had done half of what they had come for.
“I still wish I could remember the last three years,” she said with a sigh.
“You will…eventually. But first you and your mate have much work to do,” Madam Shadow said. “Come.”
Still smoking her long, black cigarette, she turned on her six inch heels and walked briskly out of the room that held the Pool of Purification.
“Wait—I need to wash off and get dressed!” Kate was gathering up her clothes, trying not to get too much slime on them. She didn’t have a change with her since they hadn’t expected to have to stay at Flame and Frost very long.
“You will have an opportunity to do that later,” Madam Shadow called over her shoulder. She was walking so quickly that Kate had to half-run to keep up with her. Clutching her clothes to her, despite the slime, she tried to hide her nakedness. She hoped desperately that they didn’t run into any other couples who were here at the resort for therapy. She’d never felt more dirty or naked or gross in her entire life and she didn’t want anyone else to see her this way.
Rone strode along beside her, having no trouble at all keeping up with the Madam’s long strides, Kate saw enviously. He, too, was covered in the black slime of the pool but it ended on mid chest for him, leaving his shoulders and neck and hair clear of the stuff.
Though she felt incredibly grimy herself, Kate thought the big Kindred didn’t look half bad. The black stuff outlined his washboard abs, making him look like a commercial for some kind of rough, manly sport played in the mud. She wondered if the black goop had seeped into the tight leather flight trousers he wore and found herself eyeing them—the crotch especially for some reason.
Rone caught the direction of her stare and looked down at himself, then back up at her quizzically as if to say, What? Kate looked away hastily, her cheeks flaming.
We both need a shower, she told herself firmly. And that’s all that needs to be said about that. She concentrated on following Madam Shadow through the twisting maze of stone corridors they were traversing and kept her eyes strictly to herself.
At last they arrived at the entrance to a large deep purple bubble like the ones in the upper part of the building. Kate could see in because there was a rounded archway in the hall leading into it with no door in the way.
“Here we are,” Madam Shadow said, making a gesture with her cigarette which was still burning. “Go in.”
Kate went through the rounded doorway quickly, glad to be out of the very public hallway and Rone followed her.
“Very good,” the Madam nodded in apparent approval—the first they had gotten from her—as soon as both of them were inside the purple bubble. She didn’t follow them in, though. Instead, she stood on the threshold and spoke through the archway. “Are you comfortable?”
“Um…I guess so.” Looking around, Kate saw that the bubble was furnished as a kind of efficiency apartment—in fact, it reminded her of the one she’d lived in while in college. In one corner—if a bubble could be said to have a corner— was a kitchen area complete with a stove, countertop, sink, and refrigerator. In another was a bed that looked to be somewhere between queen-sized and full. A third corner was a sort of living area with a small loveseat, some bookshelves, and a vidscreen. The fourth corner was closed off—presumably it was a bathroom. At least, Kate hoped it was.
“What is this place?” Rone demanded. He was also looking around and frowning.
“Is this where we’re supposed to take a shower?” Kate asked.
“This, my dear Warrior, is where the two of you will be staying for the foreseeable future,” Madam Shadow answered crisply. She looked at Kate. “And yes, there are shower facilities, although I am afraid you will be unable to use them unless you cooperate with your mate, there.”
“What? What are you talking about? We’re not staying here,” Rone growled.
“And what do you mean, cooperate?” Kate asked. She could feel a lump of anxiety growing in her stomach like a cube made of ice.
“You are staying here,” Madam Shadow insisted coolly. “You will not be able to leave until you have found the harmony you lost.”
“What? What does that even mean?” The lump of ice in Kate’s stomach had turned from a cube into a block and it threatened to freeze her with uncertainty and fear.
“It means exactly what I said.” The Madam gave them a level stare. “Now listen to me because I do not have any more time to waste on you and I will only say this once—this is a bubble of cooperation and harmony. Each item within it will work only if you are cooperating with each other.”
“Cooperating? How? In what way?” Kate demanded, feeling more panicked every minute.
“In every way, my dear.” The Madam blew another puff of smoke. “You will remain thirsty unless you drink from your lover’s hands. You will remain hungry unless you take the food from his fingers. You will not be able to sit upon the couch unless you are touching him—the bed will not support you unless your bodies are entwined. Oh, and one more thing…” She looked Kate up and down and sniffed distastefully. “No hand but his may wash that dreadful slime from your skin. Likewise, no hand but yours may cleanse him as well. And now, if there are no more questions, I must go.” And she turned on her heel and left.
“Wait! Who said there were no more questions?” Kate rushed forward, meaning to go out of the bubble and follow the Madam of Shadows, who was already retreating, down the stone hall. But when she got to the archway, she found she couldn’t pass through it. “What is this?” she asked out loud, putting her hands out and pushing to no avail. “It’s another invisible barrier. How do they do that?”
“What?” Rone came up behind her and pressed too, pushing with all his might. But they might as well have been pushing against a wall of invisible bricks—there was no way to get out of the bubble and back into the corridor outside.
They were trapped.