A Wicked Beginning (7 page)

I glanced at Severe, still staring intently at Cam’s face. Relief washed through me as the disturbing sickness I had felt started to dissipate. The room became as still as a starlit night. Color began to return to Cam’s face, but his eyes remained closed.

“What do we do now?” I whispered.

“We wait…” said Manoko. “We wait, and we hope that Cam returns to us.”

Chapter 6 – Chérie and Cam

After what felt like days, but was probably only a few moments, Cam’s eyes opened. He looked at Manoko without comprehension. He looked at me in a similar fashion. His eyes tracked back to Manoko…back to me. Manoko…me… Then he looked at Severe, and his body gave a start. A loud exclamation burst from his mouth. “The dog…the spirit chaser!”

Severe wagged her tail appreciatively and barked.

Manoko reached out to touch the crown of Cam’s head. “Easy, buddy,” soothed Manoko. “Take it easy. We almost lost you there.”

“Huh…I almost lost me,” Cam said, pushing up to sitting. “What the fuck happened?”

“You kissed me…the ka’kriyayaga awoke…the star dreamling…” I began.

Manoko gave me a curious look. “What did you say?”

“I said that Cam and I were kissing….and my ka…” I stopped speaking, and my cheeks burned. How could I explain this to someone I did not know?

“Your ka what…?” Manoko demanded.

I looked at Cam. He nodded imperceptibly. I continued in a hesitant voice. “You said I looked different, Manoko.”

He dipped his tattoo covered face in affirmation.

“Well…since I’ve last seen you, I’ve discovered that I have something different inside of me. Something that sets me distinctly apart from most people...”

He nodded again, encouragingly.

“I’ve got this force of energy… that starts down here…” I pointed to my pelvis. “When I’m aroused and engaged with someone I love who loves me back, that is.” I glanced over at Cam and smiled. “Kayden…this mysterious guy who started showing up last year…has helped me awaken this power. It’s called the…”

“…ka’kriyayaga…” Manoko finished. He whistled through his teeth. “I’ve heard tales. The Ancient Ones speak of the ka’kriyayaga. That must mean that this Kayden being is your ka’kriyayago, right?”

I nodded in agreement.

Manoko gave another long whistle. “No wonder you two split up,” he said to Cam.

Cam’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that if Chérie channels the ka’kriyayaga – a force of universal bliss, surrender, and destruction – she’s becoming a force to be reckoned with, brother. This girl could swallow you whole unless your spirit is pure. This explains the star dreamling, but it does not explain what it wants with you.” He pursed his lips thoughtfully. “And while you
may
have a pure spirit…
may
…since you have already engaged with Chérie and lived to tell about it…” He gave a look in Cam’s direction. “No, it’s not yet clear, one way or the other, if the star dreamling is friend or foe. We don’t know what it wants of you.”

“It fucking wants to kill me, that’s what...” Cam winced and looked down at this leg. The ghoulish burning light was gone, replaced by four distinct claw mark scars cut through the ragged, red skin. His lip curled in disgust as he reached down to touch the slashes. “There goes me and summer shorts,” he joked, then laughed without mirth. “Fuck…this thing wants me six feet under.”

“Like I said, we don’t know that yet…” Manoko said. “True, it gave you a venomous greeting. But it could have been testing you…testing your purity. Did you perhaps see anything while you were out there?”

Cam shuddered. He leaned his back against the wall. “I’m not sure I can make any sense out of it.”

“Just tell us what you saw, brother.”

Cam gave a long exhale. “I saw a lot of darkness…a lot of nothingness. Weird shapes and shit… I was racing through space like I was riding the biggest motherfucking rapids I have ever seen. Then I saw a path coming out of a vast forest. I followed the path through the dark woods until it got to a fork.”

“Then what did you do?” I asked. Manoko gave a nod of concurrence.

“I just stood there. I didn’t know which way to go. Both routes appealed to me. I took a step towards one, and the dream lynx appeared, teeth bared, hackles raised. He was crouched like he was ready to take me down and shred me to pieces. I backed off of that path and started down the other path. Same thing happened with the lynx. Then Severe came tearing out of the brush and the lynx disappeared.”

Severe stood up, waving her tail like a helicopter propeller.

“She’s a good girl.” Manoko reached over and gave her head a loving scratch.

“Then I woke up. I didn’t recognize you two. Chérie looked like this goddess-like creature I saw in that dream I mentioned to you this morning.”

“The one with the lynx…” Manoko stated.

“Yeah…and you looked like some strange God or something. You had horns and a face like some strange animal. You were taller than you are now.” Cam gave a nervous laugh. “You’re already big enough, dude.” He crumpled a handful of the bed covers. “The only one who made any sense to me was your mutt. That’s what snapped me back.”

Again Severe barked as if to agree. Manoko got to his feet. “This is a puzzle. The signs are unclear. I need to consult with the Grandmothers to find out more. And you…” He glared at me. “You need to be careful with that energy of yours. I think the star dreamling is using your power as a gateway.”

I groaned. “Does that mean I don’t get to awaken the ka’kriyayaga? I’m just starting to get to learn how to use it.”

“Maybe…we don’t know yet. There are a lot of questions to be answered. I’ll let you figure that one out. But watch out…I mean it. We don’t know if the star dreamling is an ally or an enemy to Cam. You wouldn’t want your amorous explorations to result in the destruction of your boy here.”

I turned my head towards Cam whose face held a pained expression. He probably felt tortured if I knew Cam…and I believe I knew Cam…that man loved making love, being sensual, and participating in all things physical. Especially with me, if his words were true. I imagine that he cared less about his destruction than putting a limit on his sexual advances with me…especially since we just started reacquainting ourselves with one another.

“You okay to head back into the kitchen?” Manoko inquired, heading out the door. “I’d hate to waste my efforts.”

Cam replied quickly. “Yeah, fine, give me a sec.”

When Manoko left, Cam turned his head towards me and grumbled, “This sucks. Big time…is he telling us that we can’t engage what we just started to re-explore? That grinds my gear something fierce.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, Cam…I don’t know what he is implying.”

He shook his head and continued. “I’m dealing with shit I don’t believe in…none of this makes any sense. Hand me that bottle,” he added, glimpsing his beer on the dresser. “I can relate to that bottle of brew.”

I handed it to him and picked up my wine glass. Cam chugged half the bottle of beer down his throat. “Fuck,” he declared again. That word seemed to encompass all of Cam’s moods. Pleasure, anger, joy, sorrow, rage, you name it.

I took a couple of timid sips of wine. “Well?”

Cam put his arm around me and roughly pulled me towards him. “I sure don’t know.” He held me tightly to his chest. I knew he wanted to kiss me, but we did not dare try it. Then he released me and stated, “I guess we go eat.”

Chapter 7 – Chérie and Cam

The rest of the evening was surreal – it was bizarre to pair an unfathomable experience of mystery and terror with the mortal world of food, comfort, and conversation. Our strange encounters with the star dreamling were always at the back of everyone’s mind, I was sure, as we ate, drank, and talked.

Manoko had welcomed us into the kitchen with a manly flourish, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, stating “Food from the Field and Afar, a la Manoko Wikaira-Williams, descendent of high chiefs, hoodlums, and common criminals.” He made a small bow and gestured for us to be seated.

The menu consisted of a simple salad of organic greens, festooned with cranberries and blue cheese and drizzled with balsamic dressing; savory dill-seasoned tomato soup sprinkled with garlic toasted bread cubes; Lummi Island Sockeye Salmon surrounded by lemon thyme herbed squash blossoms; sliver-width slices of grass fed Oregon Beef on a bed of spicy beans; and fresh baked breads. Manoko also had a variety of wines to complement the meal. Cam helped himself to hearty portions of the beef, while I savored the seafood.

“Damn, this was good,” Cam declared, pushing away from the table and leaning back in his seat after devouring two ample helpings of everything.

“I second that,” I added. I was stuffed.

Manoko looked pleased with himself. “I give thanks to the Grandmothers, to the spirits of the food, and to having to help raise all my brothers and sisters and cook for their sorry asses. They endured many a botched experiment.” He gave a hearty laugh and popped a toothpick between his teeth. Then he leaned his chair back, balancing it on the back two legs, and folded his arms across his chest, looking like a fierce, but sated, Maori God.

His t-shirt slipped up over his belly and I noticed a colorful tattooed snake head slithering up from the waistband of his pants towards his navel, along his burnished skin. My face reddened and I looked back at my plate, hoping that he didn’t see my gaze.

Cam noticed it, though, and I saw him watching me bemused. “Big baby…” he mouthed.

I kicked him under the table.

Manoko, whose eyelids had begun to close in a drowse, looked up with a start. “You kids alright? Wait, don’t answer that. I don’t want to know. I just want to digest my food.”

When Jayze finally arrived, having let herself in through the front door, Mano was cleaning the dinner dishes off the table. “Hey, Jayze, grab a plate and help yourself. We were just about to launch into dessert. Oh – you said you know Cam and Chérie, right?”

“Know them from the climbing gym,” Jayze responded. “Hey, you two…” She nodded in our direction.

“Hey…” said Cam.

“Hi…Jayze, right?” I wanted to make sure I’d heard Mano correctly. I’d never actually met her before.

“Right,” she said, settling onto a chair at the table, her plate heaped full. “Damn, Mano, you cook a mean meal.”

He looked over at her and smiled. Walking back over to the table he assumed his laid back chair lean, toothpick between his teeth.

I looked over at her…there was something familiar about her. She was super cute, slender…kind of wiry, in a Terrier sort of way…like a bundle of energy. She had striking, yet curious, green eyes the color of oxidized copper, and short blond hair, cut in a severe line at the jaw. I stared at her, trying to jog my brain as to how I knew her…besides the climbing gym.

“Aren’t you being a little rude, babe?” Cam uttered to me.

Jayze looked over at us and laughed. “I should be the one staring at
you
, Chérie. I saw you two on the floor of the gym last fall. You gave everyone quite a show.”

“Oh…we did indeed.” I blushed and looked away. “Sorry…you just reminded me of something, that’s all. You look familiar.”

“Climbing wall, no doubt,” she said, munching on her meal. “Or maybe you’ve seen me around town.” She turned to Manoko. “Damn, damn,
damn
, Mano…can I be your bitch slave for free food?”

Mano laughed. “You get rid of Marilyn, and we’ll deal.”

Jayze grimaced. “Yeah, she’s a bit intense, huh? Sex is good though…”

“Yeah, but she’s like a cobra, girl.” Mano unfolded his arms and let his chair fall back to all fours. He made his hand appear like it was the head of a snake and made a striking motion with it. “What do you see in her, Jayze, honestly?”

“I don’t know…security…drama…security in knowing that there will be drama every day.” She guffawed. “Haven’t figured it out yet…I’ll let you know.”

“I don’t know, Jayze. I usually mind my own biz, but Marilyn’s kind of a freak. I think you can do better.”

“Well, daddy,” Jayze muttered. “When you find the woman of my dreams, do let me know.” She reached out to punch Manoko’s arm. “So, hey,” she said, turning to me. “Figure anything out during that little interlude? About you and me, I mean.”

“Hmmm...” I studied her for a moment before understanding dawned. My face flamed, and I stared furiously at my hands.

Cam started laughing. “It’s your dream girl, isn’t it?” He hooted with laughter.

“Cam…” I protested with a dark look.

“What dream?” Jayze asked, full of curiosity. “Do tell.”

“It was nothing…” I glared at Cam, giving him a “you’re going to pay for this, big time” expression. That made him laugh even harder.

“Tell her…” he said when he’d finished having fun at my expense.

“Yeah, this sounds good,” Manoko added, leaning back in his chair once more.

All eyes were on me now. Cam and Manoko were sitting back in their chairs, arms folded. Jayze studied me with suspicious countenance. I imagined that my entire body was the color of a burnt lobster. My mouth was dry. My stomach was clenched in a knot. I could channel the force of the universe, but I still embarrassed easily. “It was nothing.” No one said anything. They all sat waiting. “Okay,” I blurted out. “You came out of an alley, grabbed me and kissed me, and told me to finish what I started.” Completely mortified, I felt like I was going to burn to a crisp.