Away From the Dark

  As I settled into the soft leather seat, I looked around and realized that even seeing what was before me was a privilege. I doubted any of the regular followers, or even most of the chosen, knew how extravagantly Father Gabriel traveled.

  Once we were in the air at the right altitude, Jacob came back and showed me how to swivel and recline my chair. It didn’t just recline, it lay flat, creating an incredibly comfortable bed. The last thing I remembered was being covered with a blanket and Jacob’s kissing my forehead, before he kissed me again, letting me know we were almost to the Eastern Light.

  Maybe it was all the flying and lack of sleep, or maybe it was the idea of being back at the campus where I had originally been taken after my abduction and where they’d begun suppressing my memories, I wasn’t sure of the reason, but as I moved my seat from reclined to upright, my stomach violently twisted. Shaking my head, I shoved Jacob out of the way and ran toward the bathroom. Once I’d successfully emptied all the contents of my stomach, I turned and saw Jacob’s stare.

  Be careful what you say. We’re being recorded.

  The warning was loud and clear in his dark eyes. Shaking my head, I moved to the sink and rinsed my mouth. Under the cabinet I found mouthwash and swooshed away the terrible taste. Though I’d have liked a toothbrush, I was probably already overstepping my bounds by using the mouthwash. When I looked up, in the mirror I noticed how the bruise around my eye was less swollen but darker than it had been. As I splashed water on my face, Jacob entered the small bathroom and shut the door. While the bathroom was lavish, it was also small. His presence backed me up against the wall. In a hushed whisper, he demanded, “Tell me.”

  My eyes opened wide. “Tell you what?”

  “You know, don’t you? You’re pregnant.”

  “I don’t know, but seriously, there’s a lot happening right now, a lot to make me nauseous. I’m scared.”

  He wrapped his arms around me, and kissed the top of my head. “So am I, but no matter what, you’re my first priority.”

  I shook my head. Still whispering, I replied, “No, you have a first priority, and I’m here to help you with that, not mess it up any more than I already have.”

  “We’re about ready to land. Once we’re at the Eastern Light, stay close to me at all times and keep your eyes down.”

  “I know you don’t want me to, but I can help. I’ll have access to women followers, unlike you. I can learn things too, things to help your case. This is what I do—what I did. I want to help gather evidence.”

  Jacob’s expression hardened as a tendon in his neck pulsated. “No.” He laced our fingers together. “I’m not letting this go on much longer. It’s not worth the risk.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m in a much better place than I was. At least now I know what’s happening.”

  He closed his eyes and exhaled. The hardness from before morphed to a look of pain. “It’s not better. You were perfect at Brother Raphael’s. You have to keep that up. Sara must always be in control.”

  I nodded. “I promise, I understand. But think about it. I’ll act the part of Sara and help you at the same time.”

  He took a deep breath as the plane began to descend, and continued our whispered conversation. “I said no.”

  The words were definitive, as though any argument I made would be wasted breath.

  He continued, “I’ll do my best not to leave you alone. If I’m not with you, Brother Micah will try to be. Remember what I said about each move being a test?”

  I nodded.

  “I don’t know why or what it’s about, but I know that somehow bringing you here is a test. I just don’t know which one of us is being tested. I honestly believe it’s me. Somehow you’re involved.”

  A chill ran through me. Jacob must have felt me begin to tremble, because he released my hand and hugged me again. His signature leather and musk filled my senses.

  In the middle of our storm, I relished the peace. “I trust you,” I whispered with my cheek against his shirt.

  With his chin on the top of my head, his words skirted warm breaths across my hair. “Thank you, I didn’t know if you’d ever be able to say that again, after everything.”

  “Everything is why I do.” I craned my neck upward, searching for the honesty in his stare. “I can see now that everything you did was done for a reason. Besides, I wouldn’t be back here if I didn’t trust you.”

  As the urgency of what we were about to do threatened, our lips collided and a new fire replaced my earlier chill. Though I wasn’t ready to forget the restriction I’d placed on our relationship, the hunger in Jacob’s kiss drew me closer, filling me with desire. Without a word he claimed my body, allowing my tense muscles to relax in his embrace. Our lips remained firm, giving and taking with an unquenchable need to be nearer. Without provocation, I willingly surrendered to his craving. As I did I realized what I’d probably already known—I’d already trusted Jacob with everything: my mind, body, and life. Even now, with Stella awake inside me, I knew—both parts of me knew—the trust wasn’t misplaced. We also knew we’d never trusted anyone else so completely, ever—not even Dylan.

  After all, I’d only shared the key to my apartment with Dylan the day . . . the last day . . .

  My entire body shivered. I couldn’t let my mind go there, not now.

  When our fervent kiss ended, Jacob smoothed my hair and reached for my hand. “Let’s get you seated before we land.”

  I nodded and smiled at his choice of words. For once it wasn’t an order.

  As I flipped off the light switch, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. I didn’t notice only the blackened eye, but from our kiss, my lips were red and slightly swollen. Grinning as I buckled my seat belt, I realized how our brief passionate kiss had provided us with an alibi. Obviously we’d been together in the bathroom to make out.

  “Keep your eyes down,” Jacob reminded me after we’d landed, as he opened the door and lowered the steps.

  With my hand in his, we took the steps down. A light breeze blew, sending strands of blonde fluttering about my face as my long skirt billowed. As I inhaled the familiar scent of Michigan summer, humidity and heat filled my lungs. Even in the still of the morning, the promise of the sun’s rays taunted, creating an ache that I could satisfy only by raising my chin and exposing my cheeks to the radiating light. It’d been too long since I’d truly felt the sun’s warmth. As I fought the building desire and maintained Jacob’s demanded pose, my heartbeat echoed in my ears.

  Keeping my eyes veiled, I took in the open area of the landing strip, seeing only the edge of the surrounding trees. This was the wooded area where Dina Rosemont’s witness had said her children saw the abduction. It was where they’d seen Mindy carried to a plane . . . a plane possibly piloted by the man beside me—my husband. I couldn’t think about that, not when I needed to trust him.

  Placing his hand on the small of my back, Jacob directed me to turn. Lifting only my eyes, I saw that beyond the outbuildings, upon a hill, was the mansion. I sucked in my breath as Jacob frantically whispered, “Eyes down! Don’t look up there.”

  It was too late. I couldn’t unsee.

  I reached for Jacob’s arm, my knees no longer able to support me. “How? Why?”

  “Sara, not now.” His words were harsh, coming from between clenched teeth.

  From the distance the man on the balcony couldn’t hear us or maybe even recognize me, but I knew. I knew in the depth of my heart that the man standing and watching the plane land and the passengers disembark was the man I’d imagined while I was without sight. Perhaps if I hadn’t known every inch of him intimately, I wouldn’t have been able to identify him from so far away, but I did.

  By the time Jacob got me into the first building, my cheeks were covered with tears, and words were difficult to form. It was all right. From Jacob’s expression I could tell he didn’t want me to speak. Instead he casually walked the perimeter of the room before disappearing behind a door and, m
oments later, returning. Taking my hand, he silently led me to another bathroom.

  Closing the door, he grabbed a towel and rolled it before placing it near the bottom of the door. Then, once again speaking in a whisper, he said, “I saw two cameras out there. There’s nothing visual or audible in here.”

  I nodded, hearing but not comprehending. My mind swirled with too many thoughts and memories.

  Uncharacteristically, Jacob violently seized my shoulders. Instead of his normal calm, anger exuded from his touch. Through clenched jaws, he said, “Hold it together. Don’t you see? That’s it. That’s the fucking test. You had to know, in your heart. Think about it. How did Brother Uriel know you were at that festival?”

  My head moved from side to side.

  No. There is some mistake. I didn’t. I never even suspected the blue-eyed man I’d trusted.

  “I don’t know what Father Gabriel knows,” Jacob said, “or why he’d even suspect that you remembered your past, but what bigger test could he present than to make you face Dylan Richards?”

  CHAPTER 18

  Jacob

  “Maybe not. Maybe he’s been kidnapped too?” Sara questioned, her blue eyes begging me to make this right, but I couldn’t.

  I should’ve told her about Dylan Richards when we were at the motel; however, at the time, I was afraid she wouldn’t believe me. There was too much she was trying to comprehend. It wasn’t that she wasn’t intelligent enough to do it. It was me. I’d seen the distrust in her eyes at the marshals’ station. I was afraid that if I told her about Richards, she’d think I was lying, and I’d promised no more lies.

  Taking a deep breath, I loosened my grip on her shoulders. “Sara.” My tone was low and hushed. “I need you to trust me. Look at me. Do you trust me?”

  Her dampened cheeks, combined with the pain in her expression, made me hate that bastard more than I already did.

  “Do you?” I asked again.

  Her shoulders drooped. “I told you I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

  “Then believe me, Richards knew your fate. I remember being shocked when Brother Uriel took me to Dearborn, and while we were watching the two of you, Brother Uriel let it slip that Richards was a cop. I didn’t know then what his connection was with The Light. Now, I’ve come to the possible conclusion that as a cop, he helps with acquiring women. I don’t know, but Sara, not only did he know your fate, he delivered you on a platter.”

  “Why?” she cried more than spoke, as her chin fell to her chest.

  Gently lifting her chin, I bent down until our noses touched. “So that I could meet the most intelligent, beautiful, amazing woman, and she could royally fuck up my life.”

  She didn’t speak as her eyes searched mine. Just before I released her chin, I gently kissed her lips, and she melted against my chest. I wrapped her in my arms as her body shuddered with silent sobs. Time stood still as I rubbed her back. Finally I looked at my watch. It was after three in the morning at the Northern Light, but that meant it was after seven here. We’d been here for nearly an hour and I’d done nothing to help Micah.

  “I don’t know what’s going to be expected of us. Why don’t you lie down and rest while I help Micah?”

  She nodded against my chest. “I’m sorry.”

  “Why?” I asked, once again pulling her eyes up to mine.

  “For messing up your life.”

  “Don’t be. It wasn’t your doing.” I kissed her. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you or warn you. I didn’t think they’d be that cruel.”

  “I wouldn’t have believed you.” Her red-blotched neck straightened as she took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about it as we stood here. I think there were clues, but I missed every one. So much for being a kick-ass investigative journalist.”

  “Shhh. Don’t even talk about it. I’d suspect the exact opposite. Not only do I believe you were very good at your job, but I believe that’s the main reason you’re here.”

  “It just doesn’t make sense.”

  I wanted to fix it, to make everything make sense for her. After all, that had always been my role. She was to give her sadness to me and I was to take it. That was Father Gabriel’s teaching. But I couldn’t make this better. Stella needed to deal with it. I just wanted her to do it without bringing attention to her or us. Instead of telling her it was done, as The Light proclaimed, I changed the subject. “I’ll show you where the bed is, and I want you to rest.” When she looked as if she were about to argue, I stood straighter. “Sara?”

  Lowering her eyes, she said, “Yes, Jacob.”

  “Look at me.” When she did, I continued, “We didn’t talk about your friend Rose?”

  Sara’s forehead furrowed as she shook her head. “Rose? No, not Rose. Her name is Mindy, Mindy Rosemont. She goes by Mary at the Northern Light, and all I know is she’s married to a man named Adam.”

  “Do you remember when you saw her?”

  She nodded.

  “What did you do or say?”

  “The first time, I don’t remember . . . oh, yes, I told Raquel she looked familiar, but I didn’t know why until—”

  Though she was whispering, I touched her lips with my finger. “That’s what you need to do, exactly like that. Please tell me you can do it.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Holding her hands, I found my even, demanding tone. “No, Sara, you must not try. Tell me you will.”

  Through her lashes, she obediently replied, “Yes, Jacob. I will.”

  It wasn’t unusual for Micah and me not to hear from anyone up at the mansion when we arrived. Since this was only a landing strip and not a functional hangar, our job had always been to call for the refueling truck and wait. It’d never bothered me before, nor had the cameras I knew were in the outbuildings, but today everything bothered me. My nerves were frayed.

  With Micah next door and Sara sleeping, I paced the living room and waited for my phone to ring. A little after eight, Detroit time, it did.

  “Hello?”

  “Brother Jacob?”

  “Yes,” I replied, not recognizing the number or the voice.

  “Father Gabriel expects you and your wife at service in less than an hour. A car will arrive to transport the two of you and Brother Micah. It’ll be there in ten minutes. Be ready.”

  “We will.”

  The line went dead.

  My mind filled with thoughts; most weren’t good or even promising. Surely Father Gabriel wouldn’t do this little reunion of Richards and Sara in front of the entire church, not that there were that many people at the Eastern Light—but still.

  As I went to wake Sara, I thought about breakfast. There was no way we’d have time to eat much of anything. When I entered the bedroom, she was under the covers, curled on her side. Her light-blonde hair covered part of her cheek. The side with Thomas’s bruise was against the pillow. She looked more peaceful than I’d seen her in what seemed like forever—since before she left.

  Part of me wanted to keep her that way, allow her to sleep, and let her remain in whatever dream world she was visiting. Wherever it was, it had to be better than here.

  When I sat on the edge of the bed, she turned toward me with her knees still pulled up and reached out for my leg. For only a second, her sleepy eyes opened and a smile graced her lips. And then it was gone. For only a second, she’d felt safe, knowing I was here, but then just as fast the memories and reality had come back. The sleepy blue of her eyes had clouded with doubt and fear.

  I smoothed her hair away from her face, revealing her bruise. “It’s time. I just received a call. There’s a car coming to take us to service.”

  She nodded.

  “Are you feeling all right? Can you get up?”

  Slowly she sat, assessing. “I do feel all right, as good as I can, I guess. I’m a little hungry.”

  I shook my head. “If you get yourself ready, I’ll check the kitchen and see if there’s anything to eat.”

  We’d already de
termined that even the bedroom had a camera. When I pulled back the covers, she was still fully dressed. Her skirt was some kind of gauzy material that didn’t wrinkle, and other than shoes and whatever she needed to do privately, she was ready.

  In the kitchen I found bread and hurriedly put it in the toaster. In the refrigerator I found her favorite flavor of Preserve the Light preserves—strawberry. I looked up as she walked toward the small galley kitchen. She looked so pretty. I was glad she’d rested, if only for a little while. Despite the ugly bruise, her coloring had improved, bringing back the pink to her cheeks and lips.

  When she reached for the plate with the toast, she gasped, “Oh!”

  I narrowed my gaze.

  “I just remembered,” she said, recovering quickly, “how much I love the strawberry preserves. We’ve been out of it at the Northern Light for a while.”

  I suspected that she had remembered something other than that, but I could play along. “I knew it was your favorite. It always has been.”

  She shrugged as she chewed. Once she swallowed, she said, “Sometimes I forget that you remember further back than I do. All I remember is liking it.” She wrinkled her nose. “It’s much better than the blueberry.”

  I exhaled and prayed. Just maybe we could pull this off.

  As I handed her a glass of water, we both turned toward the sound of knocking.

  Taking a quick drink, she asked, “Is this like our service? I’m nervous.”

  “It is, only smaller.”

  I opened the door to Micah. Beyond him, on the driveway that passed the buildings and ran out to the landing strip in one direction and to the road in the other, was a black SUV. Under the warm Michigan sun stood a driver, waiting ominously by the car door. Sunglasses covered his eyes, and a white button-down shirt stretched over his large arms, a stark contrast to his dark skin. I immediately recognized him. Although Brother Elijah was on the Assembly, from my experience at the Eastern Light and the way he resembled a professional football player, I believed he also acted as a bodyguard whenever Father Gabriel was present.

  “Hello, Brother Elijah,” I said.