Conquest ~ Indian Hill 3 ~ A Michael Talbot Adventure (48 page)

“
Fuck
,”
Mike said softly.

“
I knew you’d see it my way
.” Tracy smiled.

For nearly an hour and half they explored each other
'
s bodies in a tantric bliss, almost in direct contrast to the loud fight they
just
had, their lovemaking was quiet, part need, part desire. They held each other long after their climactic ends. They both knew this was most likely the last time and they both wanted to savor it like a vintage French wine.

Tracy left
an hour later
.
Mike had almost finish
ed
dressing when the
re
was a knock on his door.

CHAPTER SIXTY-
T
WO - Mike Journal Entry 19

“Did you forget
something
?”
I
said as
I
opened the door.
My
expression froze. Beth stood in the doorway. Recognition flashed across her eyes, but she moved on as skillfully as a cat skirts water.

“Expecting someone else
?” she asked
sensuously.

“I
—
ah
—
hey
,
Beth. What brings you this way?”
I
asked
,
knowing
I
had done nothing wrong but still feeling like
I
was guilty of something.

“
I came to see you.
Do you really need to ask
?” she asked
, looking hurt.
"And w
hat’s this rumor I’ve been hearing that we’re leaving?”

“
That's classified information Beth."
I
told her
shock in
my
voice.

“
So it is true
.” She smiled. “Give me another chance
,
Mike
,
”
s
he pleaded.

I
tried to stay
stone-
faced but it was no use,
I
was a person
who
had worn
my
heart on
my sleeve since I
could crawl, changing now was not going to be an option.

“You know
,
Mike
,
people can say a lot when they say nothing at all.”

I
still was unable to form anything reasonably coherent. Beth reached out and grabbed
my
hand.
I
didn’t resist
,
but
I
didn’t hel
p her
,
either. This was driving me
nuts, less than five minutes ago
I was holding the girl of my
every dream
s
in
my
arms, the complete love
I
felt for Tracy couldn’t even allow the thought of Beth to creep in, so why now was Beth the only thing
I
could think of?

“Beth
,
I don’t want you here
,” I said
woodenly.

Something akin to pain flitted across Beth’s features. She moved past it with alarming
speed
.  “I know that’s not
what you mean
,
Mike. I can tell
by the pulse racing through your hand.”

I
pulled
my
hand back like
electric
current was running through it. “Mike
,
we were meant to be together.”
My
face softened. Beth
pressed her attack.
S
he was in a winner take all battle with Tracy and she was determined to win. What she wasn’t taking into account was
I
was not the boy she had first fallen in love with. The two years of constant battle had hardened
me
, well maybe not
my
heart but definitely
my
psyche. One thing that
I
did not respond to well was attack. The fight or flight hard wiring was tuned
to the max in
me
, unfortunately
I
was woefully
short in the
‘
flight
’
part,
My
first and only instinct now when attacked was: fight. And
my
instinct was beginning to hum with the high voltage coursing
through
me
.
But this wasn't a traditional fight, I didn't know what my next course of action should be. I didn't want to argue or flee, but I couldn't risk being with her.

“We had something special, Mike
,” Beth said
moving past the doorframe.

I
held
my
ground, if she was able to cross
the line
the battle might well be over before it began.

“Beth
,
I can’t do this now
,”
I
offe
re
d.

“I
f not now, when?” Beth asked
,
knowing full well that
our
time together was going to be measured in days at best
,
hours at worst.

“Beth
,
I’ll never be
able
to repay you for the strength you gave me on that ship. You’re the reason I made it through.”

I
was unable to finish as Beth cut in. “Stop it
,
Mike.” Her vehemence made
me
give a step. “I am not some mystical figure who granted you some super powers
!” she screamed
. What you did, you did on your own.”
I
was stung taking the wrong meaning from her words. Beth
must have seen
the confusion in
my
eyes
and
explained
further
. “No… no
,
Mike
,
not what you’re thinking. I’m saying those things…
wait
,
it’s coming out wrong. The determination, the strength
,
the will to survive
—
that came from within you. If you used me as a focus for that
,
I’ll take credit
,
but everything else was you and you alone. Nobody could have done what you did and come out
even
half the man they were when they
entered
,
but
not only did you survive, you grew. People can feel it radi
ate off you, they see you and they see hope. They see what we can all become, what we can all overcome.
If one person could take on an entire
starship and survive what are the possibilities of three thousand.
E
ven your big green friend
—
”

“Drababan
,
”
I
interjected.

“Right
,
Drababan
,”
s
he continued. “Even an alien life form can see something different in you. Can’t you forgive me for taking longer to see what everyone else
does?
I knew you before the transformation, I guess I just didn’t know what I was looking at. While everyone else was
watching
the butterfly I was still looking for the caterpillar.”

“Listen
,
I’m not so sure about the analogy, but I
’ve
definitely changed. And at a time when I was clinging to my sanity
,
you abandoned me.” Beth kept eye contact as long as she could before erupting in tears.

“Mike
,
I think about those last moments when
we parted
,
”
s
he sobbed. “If there was one thing in my life that I could take back
,
that would be it. But I can’t
,
I can’t undo what I have already done.”

“And neither can I
,” I said
,
my
resolve star
t
ing to break down under what seemed a relentless onslaught of emotions. “Beth
,
I contemplated suicide that day.”

Beth put her hand to her mouth, shock apparent on her face.

“I’ve never told anybody that. After all the good men that I killed while we were up there just so I could hold you again
…
”
I
left the sentence unfinished.

“You also killed a lot of monsters
,”
s
he added.

“When I realized what I had done and had not achieved the outcome I
had hoped for
,
I didn’t see the reason in going on.”

“I had no idea
,” Beth said
.

“How could you, you left.”

Beth cried anew.

I
grabbed her and pulled her close. “I’m not saying that to be mean, I’m just stating a
fact.”

“Mike
,”
s
he started. “I needed to work my mind around everything that happened. I didn’t see the whole picture. You can’t hold me at fault for my
naivety
.”

“I don’t
,
Beth. I forgave you a
long time ago, but I
—
as of yet
—
h
ave not been able to forget you.
B
ut not for lack of trying.”

Beth winced. “You sound so cold.”

“The calluses around my heart have hardened
this last year. If they hadn’t I wouldn’t be here.”

Beth gasped as Drababan pushed
past her and
the doorframe and walked in. He didn’t so much as soak up space as to redefine it. He was massive.

“Mike
,
I would like to talk to you.”

“Hey
,
D
ee
,” I said
casually, pure relief coursing through
my
body
.
T
he tension had shattered like a clay pigeon under a hail of shotgun pellets.

In his best impression of a smile, Drababan noted Beth’s presence as best as his courtesies would allow. “Hello
,
small
hu-man female that travels with bear cub.”

The smile appeared more like a snarl to Beth
as
she moved past
me
as casually as she could before answering. “The name is Beth.”

Drababan merely cocked his head and summarily dismissed her.

“Mike
,
I would like to talk to you
,”
D
ee repeated.

I
grasped Drababan’s huge forearm.

“What’s going on Drababan?”
I
asked.

Drababan
pointed
toward
Beth.