Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyer created it all; I just like to play around in her world.
So, I've been getting so many emails this week that I needed to do a post to clear up the confusion. I'm NOT stopping writing FF or abandoning the stories I have currently going. Smile. My comment was specifically about not having time to actually promote a book. I am so sorry that I wasn't clear. To make it up to you, I'm posting a bonus chapter this week – forgive me for not getting to reviews before doing this, but I promise to do review replies for this post.
Also, I am so happy about the response to offering my completed original fiction for donations. I would LOVE for you to contribute to one of the three below charities, but if you donate to ANY charity, I'm fine with that as well. I don't care if it is a dollar.
I've added the book description below (which I totally forgot to include), and you get a little glimpse at my hero. Hope you'll consider going over for a donation! If you've sent receipts and haven't specifically heard back from me, make sure to send them again. I've been checking the spam box just to make sure I'm catching everyone.
If you don't know about the Go Campaign, you can find the link at: (backslash)sharethegolove(backslash). Make the donation in Rob's name to help them reach the goal.
For Paris, I found the following link for the French Red Cross: .com(backslash)nonprofit(backslash)crf
For Beirut, I found the following link for the Red cross: DOTredcrossDOTorgDOTlb
~Mother Father~
Bella POV
Anger still boiled under my skin as I followed Edward into the tunnel. Seeing the mother and baby cuddled together had opened up a wound I hadn't even known existed. Struggling to contain my rage at my Italian family, I'd used Edward's warmth as a security blanket during the night, snuggling into him as I tried to manage the images flashing through my mind and the emotions ripping at me. Morning had come too soon. Ever the gentleman, Edward, morning arousal apparent, had simply kissed my forehead and hugged me gently.
Following him past the path he'd sealed and marked with an X in duct tape on the stone wall, I regretted not taking advantage of him – and I didn't. My mind was too screwed up to do us justice.
"When we get out of here, do we tell the others about them?" Edward asked.
Pain lanced through my heart at the thought of removing the baby from its mother's arms, and it diffused some of the anger. I'd lived a very good life, even if I was confused about it all. "No. They've been together all this time. I couldn't stand to see them separated."
He nodded, accepting my suggestion.
A short diversion soon cut off to the right, but ended curving back around to the main pathway within twenty feet.
"Storage maybe?" It was the only explanation I had.
"I hope." He turned and gave me a brief smile. "It would bode well that we're heading the right way."
We encountered a gaping hole next. It was the most hopeful sign we'd encountered. The light from the lantern revealed a high dome of rock, the darkness lurking heavily at the edges of brightness. It even felt as if the air had moisture in it. As if that wasn't good enough, we could clearly hear the sound of water.
Grinning, Edward pulled me forward, hugging me fast and hard before saying, "One step closer." After releasing me, he set the light down and pulled one of the heavy duty flashlights out, adjusting it to where the beam was broad enough to inspect the rock high over us.
"No bats," he announced, the echo of his words bouncing several times around us.
I took a step closer to him. I hated bats. Seriously. "Is that good or bad?"
"Well, it could mean a couple of things. One, the entrance is underwater as Jack said, or two, even if it isn't, we're still too far away to encourage a colony."
"Colony?"
His smirk was wicked. "It's what a group of bats are called."
Shivering at the memories of the documentaries I'd watched of hordes of writhing black bodies with sharp pointy teeth, I stepped even closer. Laughing softly, he reached over to hold my hand. Shining the light on the wall to the left of us, he followed the bumps and turns. The joy at discovering the area dissipated quickly when his search revealed three openings against the far wall. It couldn't be as simple as a big neon sign pointing down with the word EXIT on it. Sighing, I squeezed his hand.
"Like you said, we've got time, supplies . . ." I slanted my eyes up and gave him a come-hither smile " . . . and condoms."
Chuckling, Edward let go of my hand and put his arm around my shoulders. "Glad you have your priorities straight." Still laughing, he released me to poke around in the backpack he carried, handing me a small flashlight and pulling out the twine. "So your preference my fair lady?" He grinned softly at me.
"Why don't we listen to them all and see if the water sound is louder from one."
A spark of something flew across his eyes. "So smart," he murmured, leaning over to kiss my lips gently. "You sure you want to be a social worker? With your smarts and instincts you'd make a good FBI agent."
"Pfft! As if. Look how I didn't even suspect I was getting fooled all those years."
Placing his hands on my shoulders, Edward waited patiently until I gave up my pique and looked directly at him. "Bella. Stop. You were loved and cared for. Why would you suspect something other than what was before you every day?"
He rolled his injured shoulder, making me wonder just how well he was recovering. If there was something I'd learned about him, it was he helped others even to the point of sacrificing himself.
"Listen, I'm not trying to sugar coat everything. It is awkward for me to say this, but I'm honor bound to bring down your family. It's my job. Unfortunately, that would've meant your father as well, had he lived. If you don't think that makes me feel all kinds of conflicted, then let me reassure you it does. But one thing I'm not conflicted about is they loved you, like I've said before, and that they wanted the best for you."
I wanted to accept what he was saying in my heart. My mind understood, but my heart didn't. Unable to agree or disagree, I nodded. He continued to watch me carefully for a few more moments before releasing me. Straightening the night goggles I wore around my neck at his insistence, he linked our hands and threw the bag across his other shoulder.
"Have I ever told you I'm claustrophobic?" he asked as we began walking toward the holes.
The question brought me up short. "What? Seriously?" Looking around at the walls and darkness surrounding us, I wondered how he hadn't totally lost it.
Smirking slightly, he shook his head. I was betting in better light I'd see the stain of a blush across his cheeks. "Yeah, can't stand being in small, confined spaces. Emmett's responsible."
Tugging my hand to get me moving again, I followed, curious about the story. "Do spill."
His laughter was contagious. "I was a little snot as a kid, or so he said." He turned back to me with a glare when I laughed at his statement. "Want to hear this or not?" His eyebrow was arched.
"Do continue oh perfect one." I snickered as he lost the battle to keep a serious face.
Holding the lantern up higher to light our way, he continued. "He got tired of me stealing his matchbox cars and locked me in the closet one day."
"Closets lock in the states?" My naiveté at some American customs was glaringly apparent.
"Um . . . no, but Emmett was a beast even when he was young. He sat in front of it and blocked my every attempt at escape. Mom and Dad walked in on him and needless to say, he didn't sit down for several days afterward. While his 'comeuppance' was particularly satisfying, I can remember how hard my heart pounded as I waited for them to rescue me or for him to let me out."
"So, how are you dealing with all this so well?" It seemed a logical question.
"Who says I am?"
"Me, considering you aren't running around like a crazy man."
"Bella, have you noticed I've held your hand at every opportunity? Did you think that was for you?"
Now I knew what he was doing, trying to make me feel better. "Okay, sure."
"Don't worry, I perfected the art of stillness in that closet, and I made sure he got his as well. Emmett was afraid of snakes. I don't know who was more terrified, the green garden snake I put in his bed, Emmett, or my mom."
My laughter was sharp and loud as it echoed around us.
"Your poor parents. Were you two always going at each other like that?"
"Of course. That's what brothers and sisters are supposed to do. Alice was twice as bad, mostly because she had this angelic face as a kid and could con our dad into believing she was innocent of almost anything."
Yeah, I could see her doing that exact thing.
Stopping before the first entrance, we both stood silently. The sound of the waves came softly, and I felt the stir of air flowing. Grinning at Edward, I danced a little jig. But like before, my enthusiasm was tempered as the other two openings provided the same results.
"Well, I guess we start with the first and work our way through them." His voice was calm.
Stomach growling to interrupt the moment, I cringed as Edward smiled. "Sorry."
"Nah. It wouldn't hurt to take a break." Handing me a bottle of water and our go-to snack, dried fruits and nuts, he continued rummaging through the bag.
"You know what I really want," I said as I tore into the packet.
He raised his eyebrow as he pulled the twine out.
"Hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts and milk."
His mouth dropped as horror filled his face. "Oh don't. Please don't," he begged.
Torturing him was too much fun. "Some hot off the press where the sugar coating burns your skin a little." I bit my lip and raised my eyebrow at him. When I smacked my lips, he covered his face with his hands and shuddered.
"You are a cruel, cruel woman, Bella Swan," he mumbled, but smiled with glee before shaking his head slightly.
"I want one of those as soon as we get out of here." I nodded as if doing so made it certain such a thing would happen. "Well, just as soon as we figure out why they sent people after me and how to take them out." Glaring at a rock jutting out from the entrance wall, I shook my head slightly. "I think there is more to this thing than me being able to give you, Jasper, and Jake some names."
He remained quiet, and I realized he must have given this some thought.
"Tell me what you're thinking?" I begged.
Grimacing, he scrubbed his face with his hands. "I've been thinking so what if we get your cousin Marcus and his connections here in the States. There are so many distant relatives in your family who will step up, kinda like your dad and uncle did when your grandfather was killed by your grandmother. It's the problem with drugs and organized cartels. It's almost impossible to bring them all down. I just don't see Demetri trusting anyone but the family to find you. And seriously, his voice on those tapes was pretty tortured, so it's the whole mercenary thing that's throwing me." Narrowing his eyes, he watched me carefully. "I think you know something else, Bella. Something bigger than your cousin Marcus. And I'm thinking your uncle sent people to find you and bring you home. But those people who hit the cabin . . . they wanted to shut you up."
Shaking my head at the thought, I couldn't imagine why. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. Something's not adding up, but we'll figure it out." We finished the snack, putting the trash in his bag. "Ready?" he asked nudging his shoulder in the direction of the first tunnel.
"Yeah, as I'm ever going to be."
The first one was a bust. It wrapped back around to the middle one, much like the path we'd found earlier in the morning. Unfortunately, we wasted a lot of time walking it. The middle tunnel led to a mass of stones, but showed promise. A large gash yawned in the rock above us, and the presence of bat droppings suggested it led to the outside. The problem was both Edward and I were significantly bigger than bats, and we couldn't tell how far up the opening to the outside might be, or how small the path might become. But the air stirring around us and the crash of the ocean was loud . . . tempting us with freedom.
Shining the flashlight upwards, Edward smiled. "I might be able to scale this as soon as my shoulder is one hundred percent. It's definitely something to explore if we can't find Jack's opening."
The height of it made me sweat. Between his claustrophobia, which I was seriously doubting was real, and my fear of heights, we were pretty much screwed.
He placed a large X at the beginning of the wraparound tunnel and a single strip of tape on the middle one.
"Do you seriously think we're going to forget which ones we've explored?" I asked.
He shrugged. "No, but this is me just being sure. If something happens and we're in a panic or something, we'll know which one not to go down."
Moving into the third tunnel, I grew spooked as we traveled deeper. The air grew damp and small trickles of water poured down parts of the walls, pooling enough that we stepped through puddles and waded knee deep at one point in a low dip. It was salt water, which made me wonder what we were under. Visions of the ocean collapsing the rock over us flashed through my mind. Edward's hand clenched mine when the water reached above our waists, and he stopped.
"We aren't going any further until we have the tanks and suits. The trail could drop out from under us, and there is no telling what type of underwater currents there are. One wrong move and we could be swept out under the rock and drown."
I was more than willing to listen to him. The shine of the light against the wet walls was creating illusions of dark things crawling across the rock toward us like specters. Combined with the mustiness of the air and the roar of the sea, the optical illusions were something out of a horror movie, and I clutched at the twine wondering how I'd react and get out of the tunnel if the lights went out. It was enough to make my skin crawl, not to mention I had that "being watched" feeling again. I'd yet to catch anything behind me, but I'd turned enough times at the feeling of cold against the back of my neck. It was the oddest thing, but I knew something lurked outside of the sphere of the light the flashlight produced.
"Are we going back to get the gear?"
Whether he knew it or not, I was going to be looking for footprints other than ours. I wanted to see if my feelings had any merit and the presence of prints, or lack thereof, would help me decide whether or not I was crazy.
"No. I'd like to keep exploring the other tunnels. If we find water again, we'll need to decide which to investigate first. It'll help me to also plan and manage our resources."
Since the realization we were stuck in the cave, I'd been visualizing our escape route as a dive in clear blue waters, where we'd swim until we found a large hole that would lead out to a cove. An adventure, really. Seeing how dark the water was and how creepy the tunnels were, I was beginning to form an entirely different vision of what we'd have to do to be free. The reality was more like a vision of hell. The idea of climbing up the wall along with the bats and Edward was looking better and better. Maybe if I didn't look down I'd be okay.
"Okay." What else could I say? Then I thought of the items he'd been pulling out of the containers earlier in the morning. "Do we have enough oxygen to scout out more than possibility?"
Grinning, he nodded his head. "We'll be fine as long as we don't find too many more options."
The next two tunnels were dead ends thanks to cave-ins. There were a number of cracks in the walls and niches leading to nowhere, but the third, and last tunnel led to water, the path sloping for a long time down gently into the dark sea. I liked it a lot more than the first one, but wasn't sure why. So we were left with two possibilities, no more skeletons, and my thought I might find damning footprints had proven a bust. If Edward had noticed I scanned the stone floor as we'd walked, he'd never let on.
"We'll start tomorrow," he announced as he handed me a water out of the pack.
Shoving the small flashlight he'd given me into my back pocket, I drank as we began walking back toward the main cave.
"Bella, I know you must be tired, but do you mind if we go back to the tunnel where we found the crack that might lead to the surface? I want to take a second look at it to determine what type of climbing gear I might need. I don't think there was anything in Jack and Seth's provisions to use, but I might have a few ideas depending on how smooth the rock is. I've free soloed before, but it wouldn't be my choice if I can rig something up."
"Free soloed?" I wasn't familiar with the term.
"Climbing without any protective gear or aides."
A chill settled over my heart at the thought of him attempting such a thing. "Wouldn't that be like extremely dangerous?"
That he glanced away told me everything.
"Yeah. I didn't really inspect it while we were there, so I want to see if it is a clean break all the way up, or if there are jagged pieces. Those can serve well for hand and footholds; as well as, resting places."
"They would also serve well to slice you up if you fall."
He didn't argue with my statement, which made me nervous. The short trip back to the spot allowed my fears for his safety to compound, and by the time I sat on the rock floor to allow him peace while he used the flashlight to examine the crack from every angle, I was a wreck. Taking the night vision goggles off to stretch my neck, I tried to work out the stress. In contrast, Edward appeared calm as he inspected the foolhardy route.
Did he not understand how much he meant to me? "Edward," I said without thought, drawing his attention.
He joined me to sit, drinking from another bottle of water. "Yes."
"I don't like it."
"What?"
"The thought of you climbing up there. There's bats, and all their stuff. Won't the . . ." I hesitated not knowing the word " . . . poop–"
"Guano," he supplied with a burst of laughter.
Cross at him, I rolled my eyes. "Okay." I spread the word out in two long syllables. "Won't the guano make it slippery?"
The humor on his face died. "Yeah, it will." He scooted closer and kissed me gently. "Bella, I've got your safety to worry about. I won't try to do something I don't think I can accomplish. I promise."
His promise was good enough for me, although I wondered if he would overlook dangers in the effort to get us out of here. Either way, his next kiss totally eliminated my fears and replaced them with lust. I was eager to get back to our base camp when he gave me his hand to help me stand up.
Ready for an evening of tormenting Edward, I followed him blindly, the light from the lantern softly highlighting the way. But, the erotic lure of him at my mercy gave way to my fears again as we made our way down the dark trail. Pondering the nightmare of having to dive twice into the dark waters or the thought he'd have to climb into the crack, I didn't realize I'd fallen behind him.
As we neared the opening to the loop around tunnel that fed into the bat cave, as I was beginning to call it in my head, the floor heaved underneath my feet, throwing me into the wall. Dropping my water and the glasses, I threw my hands up to catch myself and screamed as a storm of screeching noises, falling rock, and dirt surrounded me. Something hit my shoulder hard, and thrown by the blow, I landed on my ass several feet back. I could only watch in horror as the destruction poured down, quickly obliterating Edward's horrified face as he dropped the lantern and began to run toward me.
All hell had broken loose, but instead of throwing me into fiery depths, it entombed me in utter darkness.
~Mother Father~
~Apathy~
I realized that last week I didn't even give you the description for my original fiction. Duh! Here's the book summary for Apathy: A serial killer is taking the hearts of affluent women in Atlanta and the FBI has called in their specialist, Katherine Byrd, to aid their investigation. Helping Allain Boudreaux, an agent from New Orleans who has similar murders of his own to solve, Katherine must use her supernatural gift to help provide clues. Experiencing the victims' deaths when she touches them, Katherine attempts to keep the FBI agents in the dark about the true cost of her help: the pain each memory causes her. In a race against time, Katherine and Allain track the enigmatic killer while battling their attraction to each other. When the killer strikes again, will Katherine become his next victim, or will Allain and the other FBI agents be able to save her?
So last week, you met my heroine – Kate. This week, let's meet Allain.
Allain was confused about the man's aggressive tone, until he noticed his partner. She was eyeing Allain like a tasty meal, and unfortunately, the deputy had noticed her interest. Tall, fair-haired, and with a face that women noticed, Allain resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the woman's reaction and answered the question instead.
"The perpetrator has suffered an injury to his left leg. I've not ruled out that he's served time in the armed forces." He looked back up to the women the man had preyed upon and added, "He's also a little too handy with a knife."
"He could be an outdoor aficionado." That thought came from a man wearing a GBI shirt. He had the look of a hunter himself.
Shrugging his shoulders, Allain admitted, "It's as good a proposition as any."
"That's all you got?" It was the Cobb County S.O. again.
It would've been easy to give in to the urge to tell him to go to hell, but dealing with an egotistical son of a bitch was less important than discovering what the other agencies had. Looking at the pictures on the board beside him made Allain itch to get back to business. Unfortunately, he knew that he would have to earn respect with the group, being the newbie.
"Linking the murders didn't happen immediately . . . " he couldn't resist adding " . . . much like here." His statement caused several in the group to snicker and glance at the deputy that had been rude. "The killer placed the bodies in areas where they weren't quickly discovered. As I stated, we didn't find Lisa until a week after she'd been taken. By that time, he already had Adele. She'd been reported as a runaway, no matter that her boyfriend attempted to tell the family differently. They never suspected she'd been taken by a killer. When we found her, the news carried the stories, so Danielle's family called immediately, but by the time her body was found and we saw a pattern, Susanna was already gone. Nicole was a bit of an adventurer. She was on vacation in Cancun when she disappeared. Trace evidence suggests he brought her back to New Orleans to torture."
"Once we realized we had a serial killer, we spent our time investigating the women to see if there was a connection. Other than belonging to the same circles, we couldn't find anything. I have boxes of research and hours of personal contact with the families, lovers, and friends. The most hopeful piece of evidence is this."
He reached into his briefcase and pulled out the grainy photograph, carefully placing it on the board with thumbtacks. It was pathetic. The Cobb County guy's remark wasn't too far from the truth. Allain had been with the FBI for ten years, having joined straight from college. He had worked hard to make his way through the ranks, and this case was proving to be an albatross around his neck. The women on the board behind him haunted Allain every night; he owed them peace.
"I have the videos as well." He held the USB between his fingers waiting for Chief Hale to decide whether or not now was the time to show them. The gleam in the man's eyes was answer enough.
Using the distraction as the men in charge plugged in the technology, Allain moved to take his seat again.
"Ah Layne?" John said softly, mimicking Allain's fluid pronunciation of his name.
The NOLA native shrugged.
"Well, I guess it's good that God gave you balls, son, because with such a pretty face, accent, and fancy name like that, you'd get eaten alive."
~Apathy~
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