“I deliberately did everything I could to extend that peaceful period in her life and keep her body and mind from jump-starting.” He grimaced. “And becoming like mine. But she’s feeling a threat and she’s instinctively becoming what she feels she has to be to combat it.” He flipped a few more pictures and found the one in which Lisa’s lip was bleeding. He paused a moment, as if he had to control himself. “You see the expression is becoming more intense. She’s in fight mode.” He went to the sketch with the bloody message. “And it increases and increases. She’s being hurt and she knows exactly what she’s facing now. It’s causing her to change. Childhood’s end.” He pointed to the letters written in blood. “And she’s learning to control her blood flow. Those abrasions on her wrists shouldn’t have bled that freely. She needed enough blood for her message and caused it to come to the surface.” He flipped to the sketch where Lisa was looking down at the cliff with her hand resting on the windowsill. “You see her wrist here? It’s been only a little over twenty-four hours and it’s nearly healed. She might not even know it’s happening, but her blood is doing what it needs to do to protect her.”
“Let’s hope that we find her right away and don’t have to worry about her making any more progress.” She glanced at him. “She’s being hurt. All the signs are there that she has to be doing this to protect you. Why? Do you have any idea?”
“Not a clue,” he said grimly. “As I said, it’s not a cult. I’ve been on guard against that possibility since they killed Maria. Why would anyone try to take me down? I’m a hunter. I’ve killed for armies, police, personal vendettas, and the Devanez family, who’s the core of my own heritage. There are always people left behind who could turn hunter, too. Whoever they are, they brought Lisa into the middle of it.” His lips tightened to iron hardness. “That’s not permitted. I’ll have to demonstrate that to them.”
Jane was suddenly chilled. She knew what Caleb was capable of doing and she had never seen him more lethal. “Could it have anything to do with the Romanos? They don’t seem to be on the scene. Do they have some kind of vendetta against you? You said that they wouldn’t permit you to see Maria or Lisa.”
He was silent. “It’s possible. I have a way of attracting that kind of feeling, don’t I? Sometimes I encourage it. But they had years to try to plan some way to get rid of me and they didn’t do it. The most that they did was to keep my sisters away from me.” He added, “Though I’m certain that they felt the same horror and distaste for me that my parents did. I can remember when they first visited my mother and father and the way they looked at me whenever I was around. Granted, I behaved atrociously. Gino was always nervous and impatient that I was allowed in his august presence. Teresa was more subtle, but she was all sympathy toward my mother. That was somehow … worse.” He paused, thinking back. “Yes, Teresa was far more subtle. I didn’t realize until later how much more clever her approach was than Gino’s. No wonder they were given custody of Maria and Lisa.”
What must that have been like for him? Jane could feel the anger begin to stir at the sheer unfairness of it.
“Good God, you’re beginning to feel indignant for me,” Caleb said roughly as he caught her expression. “Next it will be pity. Stop right there. That’s not an emotion I ever want you to feel for me. I didn’t need it then, and I don’t need it now.”
“Heaven forbid. I’m just trying to understand those people. If they’re that callous, I can see them not caring if something bad happened to you. You apparently didn’t exist for them as a person.”
“You’re right there.” The violence was gone from his voice. “And it’s something I’ve begun to consider. They might not be involved in any plan to rid the world of me, but they might not be moved to keep it from happening. You might ask Lisa a question or two about that when you have the opportunity.” He rose to his feet. “And now it’s time for you to try to go to sleep and see if Lisa will give you a chance to do that.” He pulled her to her feet. “I’ll see you in the morning. Or whenever you choose to share with me. I think you know that I want to be told what’s happening as soon as possible.”
“I’m being sent to bed on a mission?” she asked wryly.
“Not the mission I’d choose for you.” He picked up the sketchbook and handed it to her. “But the one that’s necessary at the moment.”
She started to turn away and then stopped. “What about that ‘stay’ thing you said you had to do?”
“Oh, that.” He took a step closer to her and his hands were suddenly moving on her temples with deep, mesmerizing strokes that caused her to inhale sharply at the touch. Then his hands dropped away from her. “That should do it.”
Jane frowned. “That’s all?”
He nodded. “No big deal. I actually didn’t have to touch you to insert the stay. I’d already done it the minute you said I had permission to do it.”
“Then what was that about?”
“I wanted to touch you,” he said simply. “I’m not entirely pleased about having to give in to you about this, so I thought I’d take whatever I could from the situation.”
“Impossible.” She turned on her heel and strode up the hill toward her tent. He is more than impossible, she thought. Caleb was accustomed to winning and manipulating everything around him, and when he couldn’t, there was no telling what action he would take to get his own back.
Get his own back. Those words suddenly struck home to her. That was what Caleb was attempting to do in a very real sense. He considered Lisa as belonging to him and he was going to try desperately to get her back. His relationship with Jane might make it easier or harder for him, but she was aware that she would be tied to him until that occurred. It was what she had dreaded when she had realized it was Caleb who had a relationship to Lisa.
She was still wary, but she felt a little better that she had faced him down once tonight. How many other times she would be able to hold her own with him, she had no idea. But she had to do it. Because they both wanted the same thing and had to find a way to get it.
To have Lisa come out of this alive.
CHAPTER
5
The cliff.
Lisa wanted her to pay special attention to it.
Why?
It didn’t matter. Just do it.
Jane’s pencil flew over the page, documenting detail after detail. The cliff … a path … Was that an island in the distance?
She finished the sketch.
Then she drew a deep breath and, as usual, tried to pull herself together.
Lisa, still in that dim room, her gaze on that cliff and path …
Dear God, more bruises.
Deep bruises on her throat and shoulders. Her peasant blouse torn at the shoulder, revealing a long, livid scratch.
For God’s sake, what’s been happening to you, Lisa?
The answer came swiftly and with impatience. What do you think? It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? Sometimes I wonder why it has to be you.
It has to be me because somebody up there probably knows no one else would put up with you. I don’t deserve this, so now answer me politely.
Lisa was silent and then said, Santara is getting impatient. He’s afraid to do too much. But he has pressure, and I don’t make it easy for him. She paused and then the next thought was hurled with sudden ferocity. As if I would do what he wants. As if anyone could make me.
Santara? That’s who did this to you?
Yes, Santara. I think he said his first name is Leon.
Is there anyone else there on the island?
I’ve seen three more men, but I don’t know their names. I think there are others. Santara is the only one who deals with me. She paused. I feel the link … is stronger with you. This time yesterday you were slipping away from me by this time.
Maybe you are stronger. You told me you were working on it.
Yes. Another pause. But I didn’t expect it would happen this soon.
I’m just glad it did, Jane said quickly. If you want my help, I need answers. Do you have any idea where you are? You seemed uncertain before.
I don’t know. I had a blindfold when they brought me here. You saw the mountains and then the cliff on this side of the house. When I was trying to get down the cliff, I saw that island in the distance.
Did you notice anything else? Something that struck you as different about the place?
No. Silence. Except it felt … kind of golden.
What?
I don’t know. Just an impression. She went on quickly, But I thought that island might be important. It was pretty far away. I wasn’t sure if I could swim that far. But I might try it anyway the next time.
Don’t do it.
I’ll do what I please. You don’t seem to be helping.
Lisa.
She was silent for a moment. I have to leave here. Santara’s hurting me. He’ll make me break my promise.
Because you’ll have to do what this Santara is trying to force you to do?
No, don’t you know anything? I’d never do that.
Then what are you saying?
I promised. But I get so angry and I think that I have to do it. And they’ll hurt him if I don’t do it.
Do what, Lisa?