Ember's Kiss (3 page)

Water kept fire at bay.

She refused to think any more about that whisper.

Maureen continued to lecture as she hauled Liz's bags out of the trunk. “It's such a fabulous facility for marine research, and particularly good for the study of coral reefs. You, of all people, know that Hawai‘i's reefs are younger than other Pacific reefs and—”

“Biologically distinct,” Liz concluded, taking refuge in the discussion of her work. “I'm looking forward to seeing more. There must be some great data collected here.”

Maureen shook her head as she slammed the trunk of the car. “There is data, but you'll want to get out into the field for a change. Gather your own samples. See the reef with your own eyes. Here's the chance to get away from the computer!”

Liz pretended to shudder in horror. “It's safe in the lab. No need for sunscreen. No sharks.”

“Pshaw! With that innate sense of yours, you'd make ten times the progress if you got out into the
reef. You'll make your name here, Liz. Trust me.” Maureen glanced at Liz, expectant, but Liz just smiled.

She was not going to get out into the field. She was not going to immerse herself in the sensory influence of the earth and the elements. That would be a losing battle. She'd be casting circles again before she knew it.

Science was her refuge. Nice, logical, neat science. No magic or curses came with the occupation of marine biologist, and that worked for Liz. She'd get out to the preserve, then send a grad student diving to get her samples.

“I like the lab. It's predictable and controllable.” Liz claimed her own bag from the older woman, knowing it was heavy, as they walked briskly toward the pier. “So, over to the island, then early to bed?”

Maureen grinned. “Better than that.” She checked her watch. “You'll just have time to unpack a few things before all of us go out for dinner. The regulars want to get to know the new arrivals before the symposium starts, so I chose a local favorite for our first night out. The seafood there is terrific.”

Liz immediately tried to decline. “But I could use some sleep….”

“Nonsense! It'll be fun.” Maureen cocked a finger at Liz. “That
is
an order.”

Liz stood on the dock and watched the shuttle boat draw steadily closer. She didn't want to mingle with strangers, not tonight.

That whisper had spooked her.

The aura, too.

Maureen put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You'll do fine,” she said with encouragement. “I know you're not much of a party girl, but it will be fun. Order a drink when we get there and drink half of it before the food arrives.”

Liz laughed despite herself. “You want me to get drunk?”

“I want you to relax and enjoy yourself. If you need a little sip of something to make that happen, it won't hurt anybody. I promise not to let you drive.”

The shuttle pulled into the dock and a young man leapt to the dock to tie it up. The engine kept running as he reached to give Maureen a hand. He flashed a warm smile at Liz, his gaze assessing in a way that Liz had almost forgotten. He offered his hand to help her, and Liz caught a glimpse of a deep purple aura around his fingers.

She blinked and it was gone.

Liz ignored his outstretched hand, then stepped into the boat herself. She stumbled a bit in her haste, and he caught her elbow to steady her.

“Wait till a rough day,” he said with a smile.

“Maybe I'll stay ashore then,” Liz joked, sitting down quickly.

What if her gift was back?

How could that be? It had been absent for fourteen years. As much as Liz savored the renewed sensitivity to the elements surrounding her, she didn't want the burden of that responsibility again—much less the conviction that she would be tested.

Science. That's what she wanted. Not juju in the dark. No spells. No voices or auras or mystical doings in the night.

Maureen sat down beside her. “You just need to realize how attractive you are,” she whispered, misinterpreting Liz's reaction. Liz chose to let her mentor think what she wanted. The engine roared and the shuttle pulled into the bay.

Liz kept her gaze fixed on the scenery. But she was afraid that something unusual was going on here. She wasn't born of a family of witches for nothing. Maureen was right—Liz's intuition was infallible.

And she was spooked.

The sun was setting over the ocean, painting the sky in rich shades of orange and indigo. Brandon had the vial from Chen in his pocket and his fingers couldn't leave it alone. It was some kind of powerful aphrodisiac that his friend shared with him, although Brandon had no idea what was in it.

Just blowing some of it into the air made him ready to go all night long, and it seemed to have a power over women, too. It made them notice him, look at him, smile at him in a way that was completely addictive. He was astounded that Chen had shared the last of his stash with him, and determined not to waste it.

It was more than that, though. Recently things had started to come together for Brandon on the surfing front. He was meeting the right people at the right time, catching the right waves, being seen doing what
he did well. He'd earned a wild-card slot in the Triple Crown this fall and had made a good showing in both of the first two competitions. He'd earned money and attention. If he nailed his performance at the last competition, he hoped for a place on the sponsor's team.

This could be the beginning of everything. Despite all his hard work, Brandon intuitively attributed his recent successes to Chen.

Or maybe because of this weird powder. He didn't want to question it much, just ride the wave to success.

This week would be his big chance: the third and final competition was the Pipeline Masters at ‘Ehukai Beach. The break there, the Banzai Pipeline, was the break Brandon knew the best. Tonight they were celebrating his recent success and burning off some adrenaline—but this was it. After tonight, he'd be training.

Hard.

The funny thing was that even a taste of success was changing Brandon's plans. He wanted more—on every front. His ambition was stirring to life and, with it, a desire for more from relationships than casual sex. The notion that someday, one day, he'd commit to one woman was feeling a lot more like anytime now. He was ready to have it all.

As a result, Brandon was thinking he should give this vial of powder back to Chen. His old friend used it as some kind of general restorative, and Chen wasn't looking that good. On the other hand, it had been a gift and he didn't want to insult Chen by returning it.

Also, he didn't want his luck to change just yet.

He wasn't sure what to do, so he toyed with the silver vial, rolling it between his fingers in his pocket. He wasn't going to use it, but he liked the weight of it in his pocket.

He and the guys had driven to Kane‘ohe on impulse, wanting to go somewhere other than the usual haunts. This restaurant, although it was part of a small chain, was very different from the casual bar of the same name they knew in Hale‘iwa.

This place was fancy. Serious. Romantic. There were families eating here and couples on dates, and the gardens surrounding the balconies seemed exotic. It was a little bit outside of town, away from the hustle and bustle. Brandon could hear fountains tinkling in the darkness and smell the damp greenery all around them. He could see the stars overhead, too.

So they were debating their choice in the parking lot.

“Let's go to that sushi place,” Dylan said.

“Or the Chinese one we went to last time,” Matt said. “Huge servings there.”

“Awesome spring rolls, too,” Dylan agreed, turning back to the Jeep.

“You and your spring rolls,” Brandon teased. Dylan could eat more of them—and more hot sauce with them—than any four people he knew. He glanced at the restaurant, unable to shake a feeling that they should stay. It was like knowing that the next wave would be the one even before it rolled in, and he
trusted his sense. “It looks good, though. We could call it research. You never know when you might have someone to impress.”

Dylan nodded, considering the entry. “The food does smell good.”

“Looks like a place women would like,” Matt ceded.

Brandon realized he was still toying with Chen's silver vial and pulled it out of his pocket to look at it. He leaned back into the car and put the vial in the pocket of his hoodie, then straightened to find Dylan watching him.

“What's that?”

Brandon shrugged. “Nothing important,” he lied.

Dylan's eyes lit with curiosity. “It's that stuff you get from that old Chinese guy, isn't it? What's in it?”

“It's some medicine he takes. He asked me to keep it for him tonight, and I've got to take it to him in the morning.”

“Bullshit,” Dylan said, his gaze sliding to Brandon's hoodie. “That's some kind of fancy pillbox. Is that shit legal?”

“Well, it's not mine so it doesn't matter. I'm just doing him a favor.”

“Why?”

“He's my friend. He's been good to me.” Brandon jabbed Dylan in the shoulder and changed the subject. “Unlike you two.”

Matt growled, as if taking offense, and they mock boxed.

“Stay or go?” Dylan asked.

“Stay,” Brandon said with resolve.

Just then, four cars pulled into the parking lot. The guys turned as one, curious about any new arrivals, and watched the group spill out of their cars.

About half the people of this group were in their thirties, but as conservatively dressed as Brandon and his friends were not. They were also a lot more reserved. Many of them didn't know each other, judging by their body language, and they exchanged a lot of polite smiles. More than half of them had glasses.

The rest of the group was older and had a scholarly look about them. There was one older woman with gray hair who seemed the most gregarious of them all; she was wearing a bright pink Hawai‘ian shirt and urging the others to hurry. She put her arm around a dark-haired woman who could have been the youngest of the group and shepherded her toward the restaurant.

Brandon noticed immediately how pretty that woman was. She was wearing a lei of yellow plumeria, black capris, and a white top. He guessed from the lei that she had just arrived on the island. The woman in pink must be trying to make her feel welcome. He smiled at that and noted that she needed a pair of flip-flops to even begin to blend in.

And a tan.

The younger woman was slim with curves in all the right places, taller than most, and had delicate hands. Her hair was long and thick, with just a hint of wave
to it. He thought it might curl more in the island breezes. She walked with confidence but looked like she'd rather be elsewhere. She would be stunning when she got a bit more color, and he wondered whether she'd brought her bikini.

He wished she'd really smile.

“Fresh bait,” Matt teased, as crude as usual.

“Maybe we
should
stay,” Dylan said, watching them pass.

Brandon gave Matt a poke. Matt was a good surfer but a jerk with women. “Don't be a pig. It's not just about sex.”

Matt and Dylan laughed. “What
is
it about, then?” Dylan demanded.

Brandon shrugged, watching the woman. “I don't know. Romance. There's got to be more going on to make it special.”

“From thirty feet away, it's about sex,” Matt concluded, then finished the beer he'd been drinking on the drive down. He was cocky, the way he usually was when he'd had a couple of beers and wanted to show off. Matt was competitive and he hadn't scored a wild-card slot this year; Brandon had known that a few beers would prompt his friend to challenge him. It was predictable but not serious. “Tell you what—let's square it off between sex and romance. Let's see who gets results first.”

“What are you talking about?” Brandon asked, although he already could guess.

“Let's go for your brunette. She can choose sex or
romance. Whoever gets lucky doesn't have to buy tomorrow night.” Matt stuck out his hand. “Deal?”

Though he'd expected a challenge, this one annoyed Brandon. He had been raised to respect women, and something about the brunette's quiet manner made him feel particularly protective of her. “You really are a jerk, aren't you?”

“Either that or you know you're going to lose,” Matt countered with a grin.

Dylan started to laugh. “This place is more interesting than I'd thought.”

“Why don't we just get something to eat?” Brandon suggested.

Matt waved off the idea. “Boring,” he said, dragging out the word. He watched the other party wait at the entry to the restaurant.

The older woman in pink bossed people around in a genial way. She took charge of the arrangements, from the sound of it, bossing around the hostess, as well. The brunette seemed amused and affectionate. She glanced over her shoulder, and Brandon impulsively smiled at her. She blushed and averted her gaze, apparently fascinated by the discussion about seating.

Brandon knew he wasn't going to leave without learning more about her. He sensed her awareness of him and it made him smile.

“She's not going to know what hit her,” Dylan commented.

“I'll order her an extra-large mai tai,” Matt said
with satisfaction and headed for the entrance. “On me. It'll smooth the way.”

“This I've got to see,” Dylan said and continued after Matt.

“Wait a minute. You can't just target her,” Brandon objected, striding after his friends. “That's not right.”

“Right?” Matt seemed to be amused by this idea. “Look at her. She just got here. For all we know, I'm exactly what she wants on her vacation. All those mainland girls are looking for action.” When they got close to the entrance, Matt preened a bit and smiled at the brunette.

She was even prettier than Brandon had thought.