Desert Guardian (16 page)

"If
you've hurt him—"

"What?
What will you do to me if he's hurt?" Valya laughed, a genuine sort of
laugh that made Kelly think she was playing with her. But the coldness in Valya's
eyes told a different story.

Kelly's
breathing picked up speed. She glanced behind her, hoping to get a clue from
Consuela, but the mute woman hadn't joined her inside the tent.

"Looking
for our little Consuela?" Valya clucked her tongue. "Poor child. She's
been through so much. Sam must have worked very diligently with her because we
had a terrible time rebreaking her to our way of thinking. But her mind is
clear now, thank goodness. She was always one of our most devoted followers."

Kelly
could hardly believe what she was hearing. "You broke her mind?"

"Actually,
we fixed her mind after Sam broke it. Now Consuela is looking forward to her
transmigration and eager to see you and Sam accompany her on the journey."

No
wonder Consuela was so happy to see her. She thought she was doing Kelly a
favor.

"I
want to see Jake," Kelly said flatly.

Valya
lifted her chin. "I imagine you do, but I'm afraid we had to punish him
after his failed attempt at encouraging you to join us. We almost lost him to
you, did you know that? He needs to be reminded who his real family is."

"I'm
his real family!" Kelly shouted.

Valya
shook her head and tsked. "Calm yourself, child. I understand you two used
to be close, and I guarantee you will be again. In fact, I've arranged for you
to share the same trailer."

Kelly
felt a flutter of relief. "We can be together?" Perhaps there was
still hope for escape.

"Absolutely,"
Valya said. "But wouldn't you like something to eat and drink first? It's
almost time for the evening meal."

And
risk getting poisoned like Sam's mother? "No, thank you."

Kelly
took a step backward, aiming for the exit. Two sentries appeared, each one
taking a position at her side. She tensed, her mind spinning, a voice inside
her head screaming for her to protect herself.

"You
look so tense, dear." Valya approached her, hand raised as if to touch
Kelly's face.

With
barely a conscious thought, Kelly slipped the earring from her ear and slashed
it across Valya's wrist.

****

Sam
climbed onto a ridge that overlooked Star Mother's camp and, through binoculars,
viewed the haggard ring of tents and trailers that lay below. He had spotted
Kelly's car the moment he’d arrived but quickly turned around before anyone
could see his Jeep. He hoped Kelly had managed to make it inside the camp
without detection, but he doubted it. In full daylight? That was impossible,
even for him. And if she had been caught, the sentries were no doubt keeping an
eye out for him.

If
only she'd waited a few more minutes for him to explain himself and apologize.
No point in agonizing over something he couldn't change, but he wanted a chance
to set things right. He only prayed she'd be safe until he found her.

The
sun hovered halfway below the horizon as early twilight transformed the desert
into a landscape of elongated shadows, the sunset casting an orange stain over
acres of amber sand. A campfire blazed at the center of Star Mother's camp, and
the cultists swarmed around it to partake of the evening meal. He remembered
from childhood the huge vats of tasteless bean soup that was served night after
night. They were told to be patient because scrumptious feasts awaited them on
Atria. He had never believed it. What he did believe was that once the suicide
plan went into effect, you couldn't eat anything when you were dead.

An
hour passed, and still no sign of Kelly. The two of them had shared something
magical, something even more mystical than anything Star Mother's followers
could conjure in their deluded, brainwashed minds. If he wanted to find Kelly,
he'd have to face the demons who kept her from him.

"Okay,
Cody," he said to the coyote sitting beside him. "I'm leaving you
here while I go fetch Kelly."

The
animal whined and nudged Sam's elbow with his nose.

"I
can still use your help." He scratched Cody behind the ears. "Since
we can no longer resort to old Sheriff Longbottoms, I have a new plan."

He
took a fanny pack from his duffel bag and clasped it around the coyote's neck.
The small pack contained his .38 Special revolver along with extra ammunition
and a pocketknife. He lifted a dog whistle to his lips and pretended to blow. "Remember
this?"

The
coyote angled his head as if he’d just heard a shrill noise.

"That's
right. It's a whistle that only you can hear. If I blow it, that means I need
you."

Sam
slipped the whistle into the pocket of his jacket. He holstered his Glock and
transferred most of his smaller supplies from the duffel to his inside jacket
pockets. He sucked in a breath, and the electric charge of anticipated danger
danced through his veins. God, how he loved his job.

Clad
all in black to camouflage him against the night, he started down the ridge
toward Star Mother's camp.

****

Kelly's
back stung as rivulets of sweat trickled into the cuts made by the canvas belt.
She had thought her belt would make a good weapon and never considered it being
used on her instead. Lucky for her she was spared the buckle end. The wielder
stood a few paces back and out of sight, awaiting his next command from her
torturer.

"Where
is The Arrow?" Valya asked, her voice a monotonous drone. She'd repeated
the question so many times that it had become a mantra inside Kelly's head. "The
beating will stop once you tell me. Save yourself more pain by telling me the
truth."

"I
have
told you the truth," Kelly
murmured, her throat raw with thirst. She wished Sam were here, and she now
regretted her attempt to save Jake on her own. She licked her lips and said
weakly, "The last time I saw Sam he was at his cabin in Big Bear."

"Liar!"

Kelly
winced against the lashing sure to come, but it never did. Perhaps her ragged
breaths had warned them to stop, because one more lash of the belt and she
would pass out. Unconscious, she'd be of no use to Valya.

"This
is pointless," Valya said with a sigh. "I'd just as soon kill her
now, but I think her brother is in need of some company. It will do him good to
see the result of his disloyalty."

Kelly
blinked the sweat from her eyes and lifted her head an inch, as far as it would
go. The tension across her shoulders had become excruciating. Tear-blurred eyes
veiled her view of Valya, but she saw enough to know the woman was relaxed in
her role. She must do this often, probably believed it her job to inflict pain
on whomever she considered weaker than herself.

"The
little girl," Kelly said, her words more like gasps. "Sam's?"

Valya
smiled and rubbed at the bandage on her wrist, the same wrist Kelly had cut
with her earring. Too bad it hadn't been deep enough to hurt more than Valya's
pride, making her very, very angry. "You mean Lynette? Yes, Sam is her
father, but she belongs to me."

"Sam...
has a right... to know he has a daughter."

"Sam
lost all rights to anything having to do with us the day he left." Valya
stepped closer and bent low to bring her face within inches of Kelly's. "Why
do you care?"

Kelly
lost the strength to keep her head up, and her chin banged against the rough
plank of wood she'd been strapped to. The dry desert air that tickled the cuts
on her back felt cool, yet heat filled her head as if with fever. She didn't
want to answer any more questions. All she wanted was sleep.

Valya
kicked her lightly in the thigh. "Open your eyes and keep them open. There
will be no sleep for you tonight."

"But
I... I'm so tired."

Valya
moved out of Kelly's line of sight and said to someone in the room, "Clean
her up. The cuts aren't deep, so just wipe them down with antiseptic and wrap
her in gauze. I don't want infection to set in. Star Mother expects her people
to be clean on their interstellar journey home."

"I'm
not..." Kelly inhaled sharply as pain stabbed through her back. "I
don't belong to your Star Mother!"

"Not
yet," Valya said, her silky tone belying her cruel nature. "But you
will. And you'll soon be begging Her forgiveness."

Kelly
wagged her head weakly, her stomach churning with nausea and fear. "Never."

Valya
tsked with disapproval. "We'll see about that. In the meantime, I have
just the thing to perk you up."

A
cup was shoved to Kelly's lips and her head forced back. Feeling the cool
wetness on her tongue, she gulped eagerly until the bitter liquid hit the back
of her throat. She tightened her lips against the foul fluid, but her mouth was
pried open, and she was forced to drink.

"That
should make you feel better, dear," Valya said sweetly. "It may even
open your mind to new and wonderful possibilities."

Kelly
spat out what she could. "What did you give me?" she asked, panic
making her heart pound.

"Just
a little of my special elixir to help clear your mind."

Someone
unstrapped her from the board then forced her to her feet. Dizziness
overwhelmed her. It could have been due to pain and fatigue, or possibly from
the drugged drink forced down her throat.

Eyes
bright with curiosity, Valya reached for the purple pendant dangling from
around Kelly's neck. "What's this?"

Kelly
lurched back from her touch but bumped against the unyielding sentry who held
her arms still. "It's nothing."

The
cult matriarch grabbed the pendant and yanked it free, breaking the silver
chain in the process. She held it up to study. "Cheap little bauble, eh?
You'd think Sam could afford something classier than this rusty old thing for
his new girlfriend."

Kelly's
jaw tightened, and needle-sharp rage pricked the backs of her eyes. Heat
flushed her face, and she watched Valya's slow grin as she acknowledged Kelly's
anger.

"Give
it back!"

Valya
swung the necklace in front of her face. "Want it?" Her lips pulled
back from her teeth in a sinister grin. "Then take it."

Watching
Jake's precious gift being contaminated by that heartless bitch was almost more
than Kelly could take. Helplessness overwhelmed her, defeat bringing the sting
of tears to her eyes. She tried to blink them back, but one spilled from the
corner of her eye.

Valya
saw it and laughed. She laughed so hard she had trouble catching her breath,
and Kelly prayed she would choke because of it. The older woman whipped her
wrist around and casually caught the pendant in her palm. All signs of humor
vanished from her face as her expression changed to a look of pure hatred. She
blindly tossed the necklace behind her and said, "Burn it."

"Bitch,"
Kelly managed, though it sounded more like
itch
because her lips were numb. Her heart had become numb, too. Was it Valya's
tainted drink or something else that made her want to shut down?

Shoulders
drawn stiffly back and chin held high, Valya turned her back on her and
sauntered out the draped doorway of the tent.

Kelly
was tugged forward, forcing her off balance. A pair of strong arms caught her
before she could fall. Her shirt, or rather Sam's shirt, swung in tatters at
her sides, but at least her bra was still intact. A sentry had searched her
before strapping her down, and he’d removed not only her belt but also the
pocketknife from her jeans. She had no idea what they'd done with her wig, not
that it mattered now.

Gritting
her teeth against the pain in her back, her legs buckled beneath her, and she
was dragged the rest of the way outside the tent.

It
was full dark now, and a bare bulb lit the way to yet another tent, the smell
of rubbing alcohol permeating the air inside. She guessed it was an infirmary
of some kind. Was this the same tent where Sam's mother had been taken to die?
The thought sent an icy chill across her stinging back.

Kelly
was stretched out, face down, on a cloth-covered table. She struggled to push
up with her hands, attempting to swing her legs over the side and run like
hell, but all she managed was to shove one knee over the side. Someone gently
pushed her leg back onto the table then pressed her shoulders down to hold her
still.

"Please,"
Kelly said, holding on to the panic that made her feel something at least. "Let
me go."

The
person standing over her remained silent. Deft hands peeled aside the remains
of her shirt then swabbed her back with something wet and pungent. The cuts
stung, but not too badly. She imagined herself more bruised than sliced up,
though she couldn't see for herself.

"Who's
there?" She struggled to turn her head, but her neck was stiff and wouldn't
go very far. "I want to see you, to thank you for being gentle with me."

Someone
moved to stand before her, and Kelly wasn't surprised by who she saw. "Please,
Consuela. Help me."