Ember's Kiss (2 page)

“Are you sick, Chen?” Brandon slid into the chair opposite, his gaze bright with concern. “Was the trip from Beijing too hard for you? You know, you've got to take care of yourself, Chen.”

“I know. I know.” Chen patted the
Pyr
's arm. “But I cannot change that I am old. It does me good to be here with you, even if the journey is long.” He raised
a hand when Brandon might have protested. “Enough of the trials of an old man. I have a gift for you. I came to give it to you.”

He produced the silver vial of Dragon Bone Powder, the very last of his stash. On the one hand, Chen was reluctant to surrender it. On the other, he knew that doing so was a good investment in his plan. He offered the vial, his hand trembling by choice.

Brandon winced, then leaned over the table to whisper. “You want another trade? I'm not sure I can do it today.” His hand passed over his chest. “Each one hurts more, and I want to be in good shape for the competition.”

Ah, so the removal of the scales was troubling Brandon. Some of his dragon sense remained, which was useful to know. In the interest of the greater good of his plan, Chen chose to be gracious and cement their relationship.

Before he struck the young dragon down.

He knew he'd get the scale when the firestorm ignited.

“No, no,” Chen insisted. “This is a gift from me to you, because we have been friends for so long. I know you like it. It is important to me that you have it.” He placed the vial in Brandon's hand and closed the young dragon's fingers over it. He smiled, his heart beating a little faster at his growing sense of the approaching firestorm. “Use it well, my friend. I regret only that there is no more.”

“Wow, and you gave it to me. Thanks, Chen.”

Chen was surprised when the young dragon caught him in a tight hug and thumped his back.

Surprised, but satisfied that all was coming right.

A group of surfers who were passing the table congratulated Brandon on his wild-card slot in the current trio of competitions, and on his performance in the first two. Chen watched Brandon joke with his friends, the young
Pyr
's confidence drawing the gaze of more than one woman. Brandon appeared to be oblivious to the young blonde who was openly admiring his muscled physique as he rolled the silver vial between his finger and thumb.

Chen smiled to himself. Brandon would be his to command shortly; then he would move forward with his plan and his destiny would be secured.

Chen could hardly wait.

“You want another juice or something to eat?” Brandon asked. “It's the least I can do when you give me something like this.” He flashed the vial, then shoved it into his pocket.

“Just your company is good,” Chen said with a nod. “Tell me of your surfing today.”

Brandon grinned and started to explain the way the surf had broken that day, his enthusiasm and passion clear. Chen basked in his presence and the strength of his affinities to earth and water. Even undeveloped, they were potent.

In Chen's grasp, they would ensure his victory.

The prospect made the old
Slayer
smile.

Liz felt as if she'd arrived in paradise.

There was no better place to make a fresh start.

Maureen had picked her up at the airport, as planned, and they were driving away from Honolulu. The warm temperature was a welcome change from the snow of New England. It amazed Liz that she'd shoveled her driveway for the cab that had taken her to the airport just fourteen hours before.

Instead of being tired from her trip, she felt invigorated.

Maureen had the windows open on her ancient turquoise Mercedes and the wind blowing through the car felt like a warm caress. The flowers in Liz's lei, which Maureen had bought for her, were yellow plumeria and smelled like heaven.

This place might just be heaven.

Liz felt a tight knot within her loosening, and she knew the stress and tension of the past year was easing out of her body. She was excited at the possibility of making connections at this symposium to access the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and continue her research there. No wonder she felt so energized. Also, she was ditching a lot of garbage that had been wearing her down.

She smiled, recognizing a thought her mother would have expressed.

Maureen tossed Liz a smile. “Are you relaxing finally, or is it just jet lag that's made you quiet?”

“Probably a combination of both, but it feels good.”

“That's the magic of this place,” Maureen said. “It
feels so good. Stay a week and you'll never want to leave.”

Liz had a feeling it wouldn't take a week to convince her to stay.

Maureen was in her fifties and a ferociously clever marine biologist who had been Liz's mentor and doctoral adviser. She'd always been stern and somewhat daunting on the East Coast, but the woman who had picked up Liz at the airport could have been Maureen's wilder twin sister. She'd cut her hair since coming here to continue her research two years before and had stopped coloring it. It blew around her face in flattering silver waves. She looked less careworn, though Liz imagined that she was still a perfectionist when it came to reports.

“It looks as if it suits you to be here,” Liz commented.

Maureen laughed. “They'll take me off this island when I'm ashes in a jar and not one moment before.” She winked at Liz. “Since you and I are two of a kind, inviting you here for this seminar is part of my diabolical plan to tempt you here for good.”

Two of a kind? Liz supposed that she and Maureen had been similar. She certainly had always liked the older woman and intuitively trusted her. There was a lot that Maureen didn't know about Liz, though, and Liz was going to keep it that way.

Liz saw the entry to the tunnel looming ahead, a porthole to darkness. She suddenly had a bad feeling, like someone walking over her grave, and shivered.

What was going on? She didn't have a fear of darkness.

Maureen must have noticed Liz's reaction because she hurried to reassure her. “It's not a very long tunnel, and it's the quickest way home. Next time I'll take you around Diamond Head for the view. I figured you'd be tired today and quicker would be better.”

They were swallowed by darkness before Liz could answer, the headlights of the car illuminating the road ahead.

Firedaughter.

Liz's eyes widened when she heard the whisper. It was a mere breath of sound, like a wisp of smoke on the wind, gone as soon as she perceived it. She couldn't tell if it had been whispered in her ear or had resonated in her thoughts.

Either way, she hadn't been called that in years.

Fourteen years.

She glanced at Maureen, who was apparently oblivious. “Did you hear that?” she asked, already guessing the answer.

“What? Oh! The engine has a little tick. It's funny how it seems louder in the tunnels. It's nothing to worry about.” Maureen smiled. “This car will be running long after both of us are gone.” She patted the steering wheel with affection.

But it wasn't the engine Liz had heard.

It had been in her head. This was not good.

“Just another minute,” Maureen said cheerfully. “This old volcano is high but not that broad. I'm sorry.
I didn't know that you didn't like tunnels. Next time we'll go around.”

Then Liz understood what was happening. No matter how extinct it was, this volcano had a connection to the lava of the Earth's core. She was closer to the molten heart of the planet than she'd been in a while. Had something recognized her?

She looked around the car carefully, but she and Liz were alone.

Firedaughter. Liz really didn't want to think about the last time she'd heard that word. Those were memories best forgotten.

To her relief, they shot into the sunlight a moment later and she could forget the whispered salutation. In fact, Liz gasped at her first view of the windward side of O‘ahu. It was gorgeous, all azure bays and lush greenery.

A Garden of Eden.

This, not a whisper in the dark, was real.

“So, you have a scheme to tempt me here for good?” Liz asked, encouraging Maureen to elaborate. Liz had hoped that she might find more opportunity in Hawai‘i than just a guest spot at a symposium. She was interested, though, in hearing why Maureen thought she should move. “What makes you think I'd leave New England?”

“Why not leave? You've no family, no husband, no boyfriend. You don't even have a cat.”

Liz took the role of the devil's advocate. “But it's where I live. I have tenure.”

“It's where you
have
lived,” Maureen countered with her usual pragmatism. “You could have tenure here, too. Might not take as long as you think.”

Tenure, and soon. It was almost too good to be true.

“Besides, New England's not a place that continues to be good for you.”

Liz glanced at Maureen in surprise and was shocked to see a brilliant pink aura dancing around her friend. She hadn't seen auras in years, and this one was as glorious as a tropical sunset. Liz blinked and the aura was gone.

No. It must have been an illusion. A trick of the light.

Shaken, she looked out the window, trying to hide her reaction from her observant friend. First the whisper, now a glimpse of an aura. How could her lost powers be reappearing? It made no sense. They'd been sacrificed forever.

And good riddance.

Liz forced herself to continue the conversation. “Why not?” she asked, sensing that Maureen was waiting for her reply.

“Rob, of course!”

Rob dumping her was the least of Liz's concerns, but she didn't correct Maureen.

Instead, she stole another sidelong glance. No aura. That was a relief. She must have imagined it.

Maureen, characteristically, wasn't so easily put off when she had something to say, and for once Liz was glad of it. “What does it serve you, seeing him every
day in the lab, knowing he's having sex every night with
that
woman?” Her disgust was clear. “How can you possibly move on and find your own future if you stay in the same place?”

Liz knew that her failed relationship with Rob wasn't an issue.

“I don't think it's a problem….”

“Nonsense!” Maureen shook a finger at Liz. “You're just in denial.” She clicked her teeth in disapproval. “Only a man could imagine that you two could still work together as a research team after he did something like that.”

“But then, you told me not to date him in the first place,” Liz observed with a smile.

Maureen chuckled. “Well, I had been there and done that. Something about him reminded me of my ex in those early days.”

It was startling to have something else in common with Maureen. Liz realized she wouldn't mind driving around Hawai‘i in a vintage Mercedes in twenty years. That thought made her smile.

Maureen turned off the road, then got out of the car to punch a code into a locked gate that secured a parking lot. Once back in the driver's seat, she continued as if there'd been no interruption. “After the divorce, coming out here was the smartest thing I've ever done—never mind that it's the only thing I've ever done for myself.” Maureen parked the car. She fixed Liz with a stern look and her eyes were the vivid blue that indicated she meant business. “It's about time
you did something for yourself, Liz. Do it sooner than I did.”

“Is that an order?”

Maureen grinned. “Maybe it should be.”

Liz smiled. “Maybe you won't be surprised to find out that I accepted the invitation to the symposium, hoping that it might lead to a more permanent connection.”

Maureen smiled triumphantly. “Excellent! I'd been afraid I'd have to waste the week arguing this with you.” She winked. “Let the bastard miss you, in the lab at least.”

Liz felt like a fraud for letting Maureen believe that Rob was the reason behind her choice. On the other hand, Maureen could facilitate her move. There would be lots of time to sort out the truth—if she ever did confess it.

Liz glanced around with interest. “So, where are we?”

“Lilipuna Pier on Kane‘ohe Bay, where we get the shuttle boat to Coconut Island. You're going to love it.” Maureen exuded enthusiasm. “The Institute is the only thing on the island—no cars are allowed—and you're surrounded on all sides by a magnificent coral reef. Best location possible for research, even if it is a bit inconvenient. Look—here comes the shuttle boat, right on time. We'd better move it. They keep to schedule.”

Maureen got out of the car and Liz did the same, taking a deep breath of the ocean breeze. She loved
the idea of a research lab that was remote from other people. Solitude was best for good work.

Liz stood by the car and surveyed the island, an outcropping of coral reef with research facilities perched on it. She heard the rumble of the sea, then felt the way her body tingled in response. She felt a familiar quickening, one that she'd managed to avoid for a long time, and was glad that the Institute was surrounded by water.