Desert Guardian (12 page)

In
less than twenty minutes, they arrived at Key Views, one of the park's most
remarkable lookout points. It oversaw the entire desert to the Mexican border
and offered a magnificent view of a vast, hilly landscape. Stark shadows played
within the crevices and washes spreading for miles, and the fiery colors of a
setting sun lit up the sky. It looked unreal.

"Wow."
Kelly's gaze swept the beauty before them. She released a long breath and said,
"Sam, I had no idea. It takes my breath away."

He
grinned, pleased with himself and his choice of picnic spots, and grabbed the
bag of sandwiches. He tugged out a rolled-up blanket from behind the backseat
and watched Cody bound over a rocky ledge to head out into the open park.
Pointing at the horizon, he told Kelly, "The view's even better out there."

Her
eyes never leaving the fiery spectacle in the distance, she climbed from the
Jeep and followed him. He spread the blanket on a smooth patch of ground beside
a Joshua tree that had crooked branches like arms holding thick, green
bottlebrushes. Sam sat on the blanket and patted the space beside him.

She
sat Indian style, and he handed her one of the sandwiches. "Still hungry?"

Without
a word, she accepted the food while watching the setting sun, blindly peeling
away the plastic wrap before taking a bite.

They
ate in silence, savoring the colors that mutated into deep purples and vibrant
blues as evening took over day. Stars glittered overhead, and the howl of a
lone coyote pierced the night.

"Is
that Cody?" she asked.

"Maybe."
Cody was a wild creature, and no matter how domesticated he'd become, the open
space of the desert would always call to his heart. "He's out there
looking for his friends."

"And
you're sure he'll come back?"

"I
haven't lost him yet." Sam recalled the dozens of times he'd brought Cody
to the desert and let him run free. Only once had the coyote stayed away all
night, returning to their campsite the next morning with a torn ear and a
blood-smeared muzzle. Sam guessed he had fought over a bitch in heat. It was
nature's way.

"Sam?"
Kelly set her juice bottle down and tore her attention from the star-studded
sky to look at him. "I need to talk to you about something."

He
frowned. She looked way too serious, and he had a feeling whatever she wanted
to tell him had nothing to do with her family. "What is it?"

She
stood and reached down to take his hands, tugging until he got to his feet. "I
know we've only known each other for one day, but I want you to know how
special you are. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and for my
brother."

He
smiled, his tension easing. "It's been my pleasure."

She
smiled back and lowered her eyes. "You're a terrific guy, you know that?"

He
stepped forward until they stood toe to toe. He hoped she couldn't hear his
pounding heart as her sweet scent drifted through his senses and ignited the
desire he'd tried to resist since the moment they met. "You're not so bad
yourself."

He
wasn't sure how he expected her to respond, but her next move caught him
completely by surprise.

She
gazed up at him, her eyes filled with ardent promises that sent his imagination
in a tailspin. Rising up on her toes, she tilted her head to the side, and her
lips met his in a chaste yet provocative kiss.

Every
nerve in his body jumped to attention, and he fought a yearning to pull her
close, to fully taste her mouth and explore its sweetness. It had been a while
since the last time he'd been with a woman, but he defied the impulse to sweep
her up in his arms and tumble them both to the blanket in a rush of passion. He
had to keep his mind clear for the job Kelly had hired him for. As much as he
wanted her, now wasn't the time to show it, at least not like this. Why had she
chosen tonight to lure him over the edge? His breaths came hard and fast, and
the sweat of his resistance dampened his neck and forehead.

****

Kelly's
lips lingered against Sam's, craving his response. Kissing him had been
impulsive, but she couldn't help herself. She wanted to show him that even an
independent woman was feminine, affectionate, filled with desire. She couldn't
deny her attraction any longer, and she hoped he felt the same. But his lack of
reaction was answer enough. So she'd been right all along; she didn't measure
up to his need for a woman as deep and adventurous as himself. She meant no
more to him than any other paying client.

She
started to pull away, but Sam caught hold of her arms and firmly pressed his
lips to hers. He moaned then gently pushed her away. "I'm sorry."

What
was he sorry for? Kissing her back? She gazed up into his unreadable gray eyes
that glinted in the starlight. She lightly touched his forearm, her fingers
tingling from his warmth. "Sam, I—"

"I
can't..." He heaved a breath and stepped away from her. "I've got to
keep a clear head when I go into Star Mother's camp."

Ashamed
of acting so forward, Kelly turned away from him to stare out at the hilly
landscape beyond the rise of Keys View. He sure had a convenient excuse for
keeping his distance. Through a constricted throat, she said, "I
understand."

"I
don't think you do."

He
came up close behind her, his breath rustling the hair on top of her head. A
shiver ran up her neck when he stroked her arm, a slow caress that had her
holding her breath. His lips close to her ear, he said, "You're special to
me, Kelly, but the timing's all wrong."

What
a sweet man for trying to let her down easy. "It's okay, Sam. I told you I
understand. I'm the one who should be sorry for throwing myself at you. That's
not like me." She forced out a laugh that sounded way too bitter. "I'm
a fool who has limited experience with men. Let's just pretend it never
happened, okay?"

Blinking
back tears of humiliation, she shrugged off his hands and headed for the Jeep.

"Kelly,
you don't get it. I want you, but you couldn't have picked a worse night to
show me how you feel. Please don't be upset—"

"Save
it, Mr. Arrow." She climbed into the passenger side. "No need to rub
salt in the wound."

He
slid in beside her and gripped the steering wheel with both hands. "You're
not listening."

What
was it with this guy? She felt like climbing under the seat to hide.
Controlling the quaver in her voice, she practically shouted, "Just drop
it!"

The
silence between them grew thick and cold, broken only by the sound of four
trotting feet. Cody hopped into the back and whined. Sam turned around and
scratched the coyote's ears.

"Can
we leave now?" Kelly asked, the beauty of the park now branded with
disappointment and rejection. She never wanted to come here again.

Sam
faced forward and turned the key in the ignition. His voice close to a growl,
he said, "Yes, ma'am. Whatever you say."

****

"Check
the map again," Sam commanded. He stood beside the Jeep and stared out
across acres of empty desert. "We must have made a wrong turn somewhere."

Kelly
shook the map in his face. "We've driven around this exact same spot for
over an hour. I can count every single yucca between here and the highway, and
Cody has marked so many trees he's dehydrated himself. Star Mother's camp isn't
here." She threw the map to the ground and stomped away from him, her
heart-shaped bottom bouncing with each step.

He
watched her then shook himself of the distraction.
Focus. Must stay focused.
Using the flashlight, he scoured the
ground around him and spotted a coil of rope a few feet away. He stepped toward
it, waving the flashlight from side to side, and found two tent stakes.
Crouching low to the ground, he ran his hands over deep tire tracks that had
been made by something heavy, like a trailer. The tracks were fresh.

"They
were here," he whispered to himself. He grabbed the rope and stood then
flung it to the ground. "Those whacked-out, ET-loving bastards were here."

Kelly
trotted up to him, her eyes fixed on his with laser intensity. "What?"

"They've
already packed up and moved on."

"But
they couldn't have been here more than a day. Why would they leave in such a
hurry?"

He
should have known they'd do something like this. Sam cursed and kicked one of
the tent stakes. "They're desperate now."

"Because
of the comet?"

He
nodded. "The comet will cross the sky for the first time day after
tomorrow." He checked his watch. "I stand corrected. Make that
tomorrow. It's already past midnight."

"Then
we've got to hurry." Kelly started for the Jeep. "Come on, Sam."

He
trailed wearily behind her then stopped. "We have no idea where they've
gone."

She
cast him a puzzled look. "So? We'll find them, just like we did this time."

A
sudden ache thrummed against Sam's temples, and he rubbed them, exhaustion
threatening his ability to think. Where had they gone? There were way too many
possibilities to guess. "There's miles of desert throughout the state, and
we don't know where to start."

She
squinted in thought. "They can't have gone far. I'll bet we find them
somewhere along Highway 62. If they're hauling trailers, they won't be going
very fast. It's worth a try."

If
it were any cult other than Star Mother, Sam would agree with her. But these
people were experienced nomads, familiar with side roads and back routes
because they sometimes had to elude the law or someone like him. "That won't
work."

"Why
not?" she asked, her voice rising. "We have nothing better to do. Let's
go."

He
shook his head. "A waste of time. They've taken great pains to leave a
campsite they hadn't settled into yet. They don't want to be found. A major
highway is the last place they'll be."

Kelly
left the jeep and stood in front of him, less than a foot of space between
them. Her hands clenched into fists, she said, "I don't understand why you
won't even try. Don't you care? Don't you realize how much my brother means to
me?" She crossed her arms. "And what about all those innocent people?
They'll go to their deaths believing a lie, thinking they'll be swept away in a
starship to another planet."

He
gritted his teeth against the urge to shake some sense into her. He'd never met
such a stubborn woman. He slid into the Jeep behind the steering wheel. "Get
in. Please."

She
offered him a triumphant smile. "Thank you for listening to reason."

He
snorted.

"What's
that supposed to mean?"

He
didn't answer. What was the point? She'd just argue with him anyway.

As
they drove down Highway 62, Kelly said, "Wait a minute. Aren't you going
the wrong way?"

"Nope."

"But
this is the way we came."

He
nodded. "Yes, it is."

"Why
would Star Mother head
away
from the
desert?"

"Who
said they would? We're going back to Big Bear. We'll regroup, make some calls,
search the Internet again."

Her
shocked expression didn't last long. It was replaced with haughty indignation. "You're
a coward."

"Excuse
me?"

"Are
you still afraid of them? You're not sixteen anymore, Sam. They're not going to
hurt you like they did when you were a kid."

His
blood chilled, partly because she was wrong and partly because she was right.
He wasn't a coward, and he had no qualms about confronting the evil couple
responsible for his mother's death, but he was uncomfortable with his
connection to the cult. He’d once been drugged, tortured, and humiliated into
being a good little Star Mother disciple, but that part of his life had ended
well over a decade ago. He suffered an occasional nightmare, which was the only
side effect he was aware of, but if Valya or Von actually got their hands on
him again... He wasn't sure how he'd react. He wondered if a trigger from his
past would stop him from doing the job he had to do.

"Sam?"
Kelly said softly and touched his arm where his tattoo used to be. "Oh,
Sam, I didn't mean that." She swallowed. "I could never think of you
as a coward. You're the most courageous man I've ever known. You've overcome a
lot and helped hundreds of people escape mind-controlling freaks like those
Star Mother people. I was angry, and what I said was out of line. I apologize."

Sam
eyed the dark miles of highway ahead and kept his silence. He felt too edgy to
get into this conversation now. It was time to reexamine his most disturbing
memories and prepare himself for the worst.

Valya's ivory hands cupped his face
as she brought her lips to his. "This is what Star Mother wants from you,
Sam," she said. "She brought you back to us, to me. You have a duty
to ensure the future of my people, and your seed holds our destiny for a better
world."