His Lost Mate (A Steamy Paranormal Romance Novel) (32 page)

Lauren chuckled. “Great. Are they getting married?”

“She didn’t say and I didn’t ask.” Deven smiled.

“Well, I’m happy for them.”

“The Guatemalan government wants to excavate the site the guerrillas raided. They asked if we’d be interested in that project. I was also given permission to begin working on the northwest site where you found the jade owl.”

“That’s good news.” Lauren looked away. “I guess you’ll be working down here regularly for years.” She was happy for him. She tried not to sound disappointed. Three excavation projects meant he wouldn’t be spending much time in Boston. What was going to happen between them after she returned to New Jersey? If he was living in Boston, a long-distance relationship wouldn’t be too hard, but with him in Guatemala how could they manage?

“With all these projects, I’ll be down here a lot.”

She searched his face, trying to read him. Was this where he would say, “We should date other people”?

“There will be an opening for an assistant archaeologist.” He smiled. “Do you think you’d be interested?”

Lauren felt her jaw drop. “Are you offering me a job?”

“That’s part of it.”

Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “That’s wonderful. I’d love to continue working here. Thank you.”

He pulled her onto his lap. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He lightly brushed his lips against hers, teasing her, then moved his lips to her neck and circled the area beneath her ear with his tongue.

Lauren shivered. The sizzling sensations traveled to her most intimate areas. “Oh Dr. Chandler, you do know how to use your tongue.”

He moaned softly into her neck. “I have something else for you.”

“Oh?” She turned to face him. His wicked smile made the butterflies dance in her stomach.

“It took me a few days to obtain permission…” He reached into a pocket of his khaki shorts, then handed her a balled-up red bandana.

Lauren held the bandana in her hand and carefully unfolded it. Inside she found a small green stone carving. “The jade owl. Where did you find it?”

“The military found it at the guerrilla camp. This is yours, to start your own collection. All archaeologists have their own collection of artifacts.”

Lauren stared at the owl. Tears blurred her vision. She looked up at Deven and his eyes were so full of emotion and love she thought she’d burst into tears. “You mean I’m allowed to keep this?”

“Yes, usually archaeologists can negotiate for a percentage of the artifacts. The Guatemalan officials were so pleased that we discovered the black market dig site and recovered a huge cache of artifacts, they were happy to let me have this little carving.”

“I can’t believe it, Deven. Thank you. I’ll treasure it and I’ll always keep it with me.” Lauren kissed him quickly, then again long and slowly and passionately.

Deven ran his hand through her hair, twisting the blonde strands in his fingers. “If your theory is right and you and I are the reincarnation of the couple in your dreams—Cimi and Kayab—then this is the second time in over a thousand years that I’ve given this owl to you as a gift.”

Lauren felt a tear slip down her cheek. Deven brushed it away.

“Do you believe we are the reincarnation of Cimi and Kayab?” Lauren asked.

“I don’t know, but I’d like to think it’s true. It makes a nice love story.” Deven’s voice was low and husky. “I was so afraid I had lost you.”

“I didn’t think I’d make it either.”

“I was afraid I had lost you before you were abducted. If I hadn’t been so stubborn and close-minded…” Deven looked away toward Lake Peten-Itza. A slight breeze rippled the water’s surface and rustled the palm trees and bougainvillea.

“I understood the importance of this excavation and what it meant to you, but I was so obsessed with finding the owl. I should have waited for permission. I jeopardized your reputation and the project.”

He lifted her chin and smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t wait. The most famous scientists in history didn’t always follow the rules. And who knows? Maybe the jade owl does have powers. You are alive.”

“So you believe in that metaphysical stuff.” Lauren grinned and gave him a sidelong glance.

“I believe that there are things in this universe that can’t always be explained scientifically, maybe they can be explained metaphysically. I believe in your ghost. I can at least accept the possibility of the other supernatural events.”

“I’m glad you can have an open mind even if you’re still a seeing-is-believing kind of guy.”

“There is one thing I am sure of.” Deven lifted her chin up with his fingers and kissed her, then held her gaze. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but I love you. I want to share my life with you. Marry me.”

The tears flowed and Lauren couldn’t stop them. Through tears and giggles, she kissed him. “Oh my God. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Deven circled his arms around her and drew her against his chest. His mouth pressed hard on hers, his tongue sliding between her lips, searching out her tongue and gliding inside her mouth. She let out a low moan. Their lips parted and she stared at the sky, thinking about how many nights they would have together in the jungle.

The glowing red sun disappeared behind the rainforest beyond the lake. Purple, orange and red streaks of wispy clouds colored the evening sky. Swirling mist gathered along the lake surface and clung to the tree branches.

Lauren’s heart soared. This was a magical place. She kissed him hard and rocked on his lap, feeling the bulge growing in his pants. Her breasts rubbed against his chest and her nipples tingled and hardened to sensitive peaks beneath her T-shirt.

A low groan from deep in his throat stirred desire in her most sensitive areas. “Deven, I want you now,” she breathed into his ear.

Deven leaned back, checked his watch and swore. “I’m due to be at that meeting soon.”

She licked around his ear and down his neck and smiled when he shivered. “How fast can you be?”

“Hmmm.” He smiled wickedly. “As fast as I need to be.”

* * *

Lauren strolled along the path from the field camp to Devil’s Pyramid while collecting flowers. Fuchsia orchids and white star-like flowers made a nice bouquet. The other field crew members had finished dinner and were relaxing in the CUB. She had a reason to go for a walk besides enjoying the early evening before sunset. She had to see the pyramid at sunset and make an…offering.

It felt good to be back at the field camp surrounded by the rainforest—the fragrant air, the lush trees and ferns, the magnificent Mayan ruins, the squawks of the parrots, the annoying monkeys screeching at all hours and even the tarantulas that still managed to find their way into her tent possessed so much beauty.

Time appeared to stand still in the jungle, or maybe the present time wove threads into the ancient past.

She leaned up against a tall mahogany tree and closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the jungle. This
was
a mystical place.

Tomorrow would be their first day back working on the excavation after the paramilitary incident. Finally, in a couple of months she’d be graduating and would make arrangements to join Deven in Guatemala to begin work for the next semester. Working here with him would be exciting and satisfying. And oh, the sultry jungle nights they’d have.

“I love seeing you smile like that,” Deven said.

Lauren jumped and opened her eyes. “You startled me. For a minute I thought you were Muan.”

Deven grasped her hand. “Have you seen him recently?” Deven asked.

“Not since the day he scared the guerrilla into the cenote.”

“Now that we’re back on site, you can get to work on proving your theory again. Do you think you’re any closer?”

Deven frowned in serious thought and nodded. “After the discovery of the mass grave of women and children outside Tikal and your dreams and visions, I’m convinced the Mayan civilization disappeared because its rulers used genocide as a desperate and extreme attempt to save their civilization from many years, maybe decades of drought, lack of food, disease and overpopulation.”

“You mean kill off the women and children, but save the warriors?”

“Sure. The warriors protected the villages from invaders. I still have much more work to do.”

She stared into the jungle thinking how desperate Kayab and Cimi must have felt. Their sadness weighed heavily on her heart. Such a violent and desperate time for two young lovers. They couldn’t have been twenty years old. They never had the chance to be together, to be husband and wife, to have a family, to grow old together… She swallowed against the lump in her throat. Tears stung her eyes. They never had a chance. Why didn’t they leave sooner? If they had left one day earlier would their lives had been different?

“You okay?” He stroked her shoulder.

She looked up into his eyes and the love she saw there made her heart swell. “I was just thinking about Kayab and Cimi and the love that was lost so long ago.”

Deven pulled her into his arms and kissed her tenderly, then brushed her tears away. He lifted her hand holding the flowers and smiled slyly. “Are those for me?”

She laughed. “Not exactly. Want to take a walk?”

He nodded. “Where are we going?”

“To Devil’s Pyramid.” They strolled along the grassy path. The lush jungle protectively surrounded them. The whirr of insects grew louder as the sun descended and the shadows lengthened. Nighttime jungle sounds used to make her restless and keep her awake, but now she felt at home and she didn’t think the dreams and visions would haunt her anymore. “Margaret thinks your headaches will stop now.”

“Is that right?” he asked.

“She said they were caused by a karmic tie and now it has been resolved.” She waited for him to argue, instead he took her hand and squeezed it.

When they reached Devil’s Pyramid, Lauren stood at the base of the long staircase. “If my dreams and visions are true, then a young couple tragically died here over thirteen hundred years ago. They were desperately in love and they hoped to escape their violent society and begin a life on their own.

“Kayab tried to protect Cimi until they could escape by giving her a carved jade owl—a talisman. They had planned to escape together, but they had been both murdered here at this pyramid.”

She looked up at the top, beneath the wedge-shaped roof comb, remembering the frightening vision of swirling black smoke and the Mayan ruler walking down the steps gripping the sacrificial knife.

Lauren blinked away the tears and laid the flowers on the pyramid. “These are for Cimi and Kayab and the love that was lost. I remember Kayab’s last words to her. He said, ‘I love you, Cimi. I promise I will find you in the Otherworld’.”

Deven came up to her from behind, encircling his arms around her. She leaned into his hard body and felt safe.

He kissed the top of her head and squeezed his arms tighter. “Love is eternal. I do believe they found each other again.”

The End

∞

New York Times
&
USA Today
bestselling author Kathy Kulig writes a variety of sexy romances, including paranormal, contemporary, BDSM and suspense. Her books lean toward the spicy and edgy side, but these passionate and erotically-charged stories always contain a steamy romance and a happy ending. In her past lives she’s been a dive master, bartender, cytotechnologist, research scientist, cat sitter, and stringer for a newspaper. When she has a little spare time, she can be found working out, traveling, lounging with a good book or having dinner out with her husband. Kathy resides in eastern Pennsylvania. You can find more about Kathy here:
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Demons in Exile Series (paranormal erotic romance/shapeshifter)

Risky Pleasures, Prequel

Desert of the Damned, Book 1

Damned and Desired, Book 2

Damned and Defiant, Book 3

FLC series (romantic suspense, erotic, BDSM)

Red Tape, Book 1

Red Tape Protector, Book 2

Red Tape Betrayed, Book 3, coming soon

Dark Odyssey Series (contemporary/BDSM erotic romance)

Summer Sins

Single titles: (BDSM, contemporary, or paranormal erotic romance)

Burned Deep

Nightlord Lover

Emerald Dungeon

“Summer Sins” in Mutual Sins (print anthology)

“Tattoo Witch” in Something Wicked This Way Comes, Vol. I (anthology)

“Emerald Dungeon” in Dial B for Bondage (anthology)

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