Eat Prey Love

Chapter Twenty-two

Caitlyn fumbled on the ground and located the flashlight she’d dropped earlier. The beam quivered in her shaking hand as she pointed it at the narrow opening.

Get a grip. But how could she when Carlos was dead? A sob racked her body. Don’t fall apart now. Think, think. She needed to protect herself. Carlos would be angry if she hadn’t learned her lessons well. He would be even more pissed if he’d died in vain protecting her. He’s not feeling anything. He’s dead.

She wiped at the tears streaming down her face, then realized her hands were still coated with Carlos’s blood. She rubbed her hands on her khaki pants. She had to protect herself. She had to make him proud. She removed the gun from his holster. If anything came through that opening, she’d shoot and keep shooting.

The gun trembled in her hand, and she prayed for strength. She kept the flashlight aimed at the opening and waited. And waited.

She edged closer to Carlos ’cause somehow she felt safer when she was sitting next to him. His body was still warm. And solid. Tears slid down her face, but she didn’t dare put down the flashlight or gun to wipe them.

It was going to be a long night. In the dark. How long would the batteries last in the flashlight? Carlos’s was still on. She quickly set her flashlight and gun down, so she could grab his flashlight and turn it off. She might need a backup.

Still nothing from the narrow opening. Maybe the vampire was gone. Maybe she was safe. Relatively safe. There was still a ditch filled with iron spikes between her and the cave entrance.

If she couldn’t go back, could she go forward? She eyed the narrow opening. Maybe there was an exit on the other side of the mountain? Or maybe there were more booby-traps. Or worse.

No, she wasn’t going through that opening. It was too much like the silly girl in the movies who ventured up to the attic all alone. Or the basement. In her underwear.

She dug into her backpack and pulled out her cell phone. It was worth a shot. No signal. Not surprising when she was in a friggin’ cave in the middle of the jungle.

“What do I do, Carlos?” she whispered.

She dropped her phone into the backpack and noted the silk scarves she’d bought for the three were-panther girls. She smiled, remembering how Carlos had fussed about her shopping. More tears rolled down her face.

She smoothed her fingers along the silk. So soft and shiny. And amazingly strong. She fisted her hands in it and yanked. If she tied the three lengths together, she’d have a nice rope. She scanned the cave with her flashlight and studied the crisscrossed ropes where the monk had hung the yellow paper prayers. Maybe the prayers had worked. The vampire didn’t seem to be using this cave anymore.

She tied the scarves together, then tied one end to the spear shaft. Hopefully, all her exercising with Carlos had helped her upper body strength and aim.

She propped the flashlight on top of her backpack so it would light up the prayer ropes. Then she threw the spear like a javelin, hoping to wedge it into the crisscrossed ropes. The first few tries failed, and she retrieved the spear by pulling on the scarves.

It was too lightweight, she decided. She reattached the end of the scarf with one of the silver panthers. This time when she threw the spear, it caught. She tugged hard on the scarves to make sure it was secure. She needed to swing across the ditch without falling in.

She anchored the end of the scarf on her side with Carlos’s backpack. She would wait till morning before attempting to cross the ditch. No way was she venturing into the jungle in the dark.

She sat beside Carlos with the flashlight and gun within reach. A new wave of grief swept over her, and more tears fell. As the hours dragged by, it seemed like she’d fallen into a nightmare that would never end.

Carlos jolted as an electric bolt of energy jump-started his body. He opened his eyes to darkness.

Something behind him jerked, and he heard a gasp and a fumbling sound. A flashlight beam struck him in the face, and he turned his head.

Caitlyn screamed and scrambled away.

“Cait—” His throat was tight, so he cleared it. It rumbled deep in his throat like a growl.

“What—Who? What?” Her voice sounded panicked.

“Caitlyn.” He sat up. His eyes adjusted quickly to the dark. “Dammit, woman, don’t point that gun at me.”

“You—You’re dead. I saw you die.”

“Put the gun down. I can explain.” Or maybe not. He didn’t have much time. Already he could feel the Surge building inside him.

“You were dead,” she whispered.

“I know.” He yanked his T-shirt over his head. “I hate it when that happens.” He pulled off his hiking boots and socks.

“You’re alive?” She set the gun down. “And stripping?”

He unbuckled his belt, yanked down the zipper, and pulled down his cargo pants, taking his underwear with it. “I don’t have much time. The Surge is coming. It always comes right after—” He jolted as the first wave of new power shot through his system.

“Carlos?” She stepped toward him.

“Stay back.” He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. So much raw power. He wasn’t sure he could control it. “I’ll try not to hurt you.”

“What?”

He cried out as the Surge took him over. Wave after wave struck his body with increasing force, pummeling him so that he writhed and twisted as the power grew and grew. He flipped over onto his hands and knees and arched his back. His body shimmered, then transformed. But that wasn’t enough. No, now he would be a level four were-panther, larger than he was before. His bones crackled, lengthening and thickening. He thought his head would burst. He roared with the pain, and the sound echoed around the cave.

He rolled his massive shoulders back and looked at the huge paws supporting his black powerful body. His claws sprung out, more sharp and lethal than ever. His vision was sharper. Even in the dark he could make out the tiniest of spiders on the cave wall.

With a low rumbling growl, he turned his head toward Caitlyn. His woman. His wife.

She stepped back, her face pale. The flashlight trembled in her hand. “Ca-Carlos? Are you there?”

He lifted a paw, then advanced a step in her direction.

She stepped back. “N-Nice kitty?”

A red haze filled the cave. Something strange was happening to his eyes. His woman seemed to shimmer in a red glow. It made his blood boil, his heart pound. He had to take her. He stalked slowly toward her.

Her eyes widened and she looked about nervously. Suddenly, she ran to a length of silk and pulled it loose from where it was anchored by his backpack. She jammed her flashlight into her belt and took a running leap across the ditch.

He roared for fear she would fall to her death, but the silken rope carried her safely across. She scrambled to her feet and faced him. He growled deep in his throat. Did she think she could escape him?

He leapt across. She screamed, and he knocked her flat on her back. He straddled her trembling body. All it would take was one bite, and she would be his forever.

“Carlos, please,” she whimpered.

He bared his teeth and snarled.

Tears filled her eyes. “Don’t kill me.”

Kill her? He didn’t want to kill her. He wanted to possess her, mate with her, keep her forever. All he had to do was bite her.

And that might kill her.

He shook, trying to regain control. He couldn’t bite her. He could never bite her. He loved her too much.

He fought the beast, panting over her as she trembled beneath him. His body shimmered, and with a gasp, he returned to human form.

He collapsed beside her, breathing hard.

She scooted back on her rump. Tears ran down her cheeks. “Carlos? Are you okay now?”

No, he wasn’t. The Surge wasn’t over yet, not until he found release. A flood of lust gripped him, and he rose onto all fours. Blood rushed to his groin, and he grew instantly hard. His eyes narrowed on his prey and he growled deep in his throat. She was still shimmering with a red glow.

He seized her by the ankle and dragged her toward him.

“Carlos, what are you doing?”

He moved over her and pinned her down by the shoulders. “I need sex.”

“Your eyes are glowing.” Her gaze drifted down his body and her eyes widened. “Oh my God.” She struggled to get away from him, but he pushed her back down.

“Carlos, please. I—I’m too freaked out. I thought you were dead. Then I thought you were going to kill me.”

He noticed for the first time how red and puffy her eyes were. She’d been crying. A lot.

He gritted his teeth, once again fighting for control. The beast inside him howled, wanting to possess her and take her by force if necessary, but the human part of him loved her. The red haze faded away.

He backed off her. He would still need release for the Surge to end. He slowly stood and turned his back to her. He glanced ruefully at his erection, then leaped across the ditch.

Behind him, Caitlyn gasped. There was no need to fear. With his newly added power and strength, he could easily jump a dozen feet. He strode toward the narrow opening.

“Carlos? Where are you going?” Her flashlight beam caught him standing naked at the narrow gap in the cave wall.

“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.” He glanced over his shoulder and gave her a wry look. “It won’t take long.”

Caitlyn sat in the dirt, breathing heavily, wondering what the hell had just happened. Was she dreaming this? Was she so desperate for Carlos to be alive that she’d dreamed all this? She pinched herself. Ouch.

She should have known. Her dreams were rarely this strange.

Carlos was alive. Her heart expanded, finally able to accept the truth. She didn’t know how it could be true, but it was. Carlos was alive. And apparently, masturbating in the next room.

She jumped when he roared. It wasn’t quite as loud as his panther roar, but it was still impressive. He was correct. It hadn’t taken long.

She beamed her flashlight at the narrow opening and rose to her feet. “Carlos?”

He emerged from the opening, frowning.

She gulped. He was still naked. No longer hard, but still magnificent.

He glanced at her. “I want to show you something.”

She snorted. “I’ve already seen it.”

He gave her a wry smile, then grabbed his underwear and pants off the ground and put them on. “There’s something really strange farther back in the cave.”

“There’s something strange right here. You just woke up from the dead.”

“Yes.” He buttoned the waistband of his khaki cargo pants. “I hope you’re not disappointed.”

“That’s not funny, Carlos. I thought you were dead. It nearly killed me. It was awful.”

“I didn’t enjoy it much either.” He rubbed a hand over his stomach.

“The wound is gone,” she whispered. “How did you do that?”

He sat down to pull on his socks and hiking boots. “That rumor about cats is true. Were-panthers have nine lives.”

Her mouth fell open. “You have nine lives?”

“Actually, only five now.” He tied the laces.

“What? You’ve died before?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I’m getting really good at kicking the bucket.” He picked up his T-shirt and grimaced at the blood. “Still hurts like hell.”

She tightened her grip on the flashlight. “You should have told me. You scared the hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting to die.” He walked over to his backpack and pulled out a fresh T-shirt. “It’s not something I ever plan on doing. And I don’t like to talk about it. It feels like a giant failure.”

Her anger wilted away. “You didn’t fail. You saved my life.”

He glanced at her and smiled. “That’s true. But I always thought a real hero should manage to save the princess without getting himself killed.”

She smiled at him. “You’re still here. That’s what counts.”

He pulled on the T-shirt, then motioned to her rope made of scarves. “You made that?”

“Yes. I was planning to swing across in the morning, then hike back to the village. I thought the tigers might help protect me.”

Carlos regarded her with a look of amazement. “You didn’t need me. You would have survived without me.”

“That’s all it was. Survival.” Tears blurred her vision. “I thought my heart had died with you.”

“Catalina.” He jumped across the ditch and pulled her into his arms.

She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. Her flashlight lit up the ceiling.

“Don’t cry.” He kissed her brow and wiped her cheeks. “We’re alive, and we have each other.”

She rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. Carlos was alive.

“Come now. I want to look at the rest of the cave.”

He swung her up into his arms.

“What are you—” She gasped when he leaped across the ditch and landed neatly on the other side. She squirmed out of his arms. “Would you stop scaring the hell out of me?”

He grinned. “I have super strength and agility. I’m at level four now.”

“Great. I’m so glad dying came with a bonus.”

He chuckled, then grabbed his flashlight off the ground and turned it on. “Let’s go.”

She followed close behind him as he went through the narrow opening. It was a long, narrow passage filled with rock formations.

“Watch your step here.” He maneuvered her to the left.

She shone her flashlight down to see what he was avoiding. It was a whitish puddle. “What is that? Rainwater with chalk or lime deposits?” She beamed her light at the ceiling to look for drips.

He snorted. “That was from me.”

Her face grew warm. “Oh.”

He led her forward. “There’s another one here. Watch your step.”

Her flashlight picked up a second puddle in the middle of the path. Her face blazed hotter. “Okay.” She stepped over it.

“And there’s a third one here.” He aimed his flashlight at an even bigger puddle.

She gasped. “My God, you’re an animal.”

He laughed. “That may be true, menina, but this one actually is rainwater.”

“Oh. Never mind.” She edged around the puddle and followed him to another narrow opening.

“I peeked in here earlier. It looked…strange. I wanted to get a closer look.” He led her through the opening.

Their flashlight beams wandered about. It was a huge cavern, almost as big as a soccer field.

“What I saw was down here.” He shone his light on the floor, which was about four feet lower from the ledge where they stood.

Caitlyn gasped. There were dozens of man-sized clay figures, all lying down.

“I estimate about ten in each row.” Carlos scanned the rows with his flashlight. “About twenty rows deep.”

“Two hundred?” Caitlyn whispered. “It reminds me of the Terra-Cotta Warriors they found in China.”

“Except these aren’t warriors. They’re all lying down with their hands crossed over their chest.”

“Like a giant funeral.” She shuddered. “Maybe that’s why this is called the Temple of Death.”

Carlos glanced at the nearby wall. “That looks like a torch.” He unzipped a pocket on his pants, pulled out a cigarette lighter, and lit the torch.

“Here’s another one.” She shone her flashlight at it.

Soon Carlos had six torches lit, and she was better able to see. The ledge they stood on circled the large chamber, with torches every six feet or so. They lit more torches, then proceeded down some steps into the pit where the clay figures rested.

“They don’t seem to have as much detail as the ones in China,” Caitlyn observed. “They’re very basic, and all alike.”

“I wonder how long they’ve been here.” Carlos knelt beside one and tapped on the clay. “That’s odd.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t sound very hollow.” He hit the clay figure on the chest with the end of his flashlight.

“You broke it!” Caitlyn’s indignation quickly turned to horror as he pulled off pieces of clay.

Inside the clay figure was a human skeleton.

“Oh my God.” She spun around, looking at all the clay figures. Two hundred dead people?

Carlos continued to pull chunks of clay off the skeleton. “It’s hard to tell what the cause of death was, but if this is a vampire cave, then all these people were probably murdered.”

She gulped. “The tigers said people go in and never come out.”

“I doubt all these people wandered into the cave. I think they were already dead and encased in clay when they were brought here.”

She nodded. “And the entrance was booby-trapped to keep anyone from finding them.”

Carlos straightened and looked around the large chamber. “There’s something very ritualistic about the way the bodies are arranged so neatly into rows.”

“Like an army.” She shuddered. “A dead army.” She spotted another opening in the far wall. “Look.”

Carlos took her hand, and they walked past row after row of dead people encased in clay. They ascended some stone steps, then entered another room. It was small, dark, and cold.

Caitlyn shivered as she scanned the room with her flashlight. Three stone slabs were raised like altars, and on top of each one lay a clay figure.

Carlos approached the first one. The clay had been shattered, as if someone had struck the figure’s chest in a fit of rage. A skeleton’s rib cage lay broken inside.

“Someone was angry,” she murmured.

Carlos pulled off some clay shards. “Why would a dead corpse make a vampire angry?”

She leaned closer, aiming her flashlight. “There’s material in there.” She gasped. It was green, camouflaged material like they wore in the army. “He’s a soldier.”

Carlos broke off more clay around the figure’s neck. He pulled out dog tags and held them under his flashlight. “United States Marine Corps.”

She gulped. “There were some soldiers from the Vietnam War who were never found, but this is a ways from Vietnam.”

“Not very far if a vampire teleports you here.” Carlos strode to the second altar. “This one is destroyed, too.”

“I don’t understand.” She followed him. “Once the vampire has fed off these people till they die, then what use are they to him? Why go to so much trouble with the dead bodies?”

“Maybe he was trying to preserve them.”

“Preserve them for what? Some kind of reawakening?” Caitlyn eyed the shattered clay. “He certainly got angry when the preservation didn’t work.”

Carlos nodded. “I have a feeling all these bodies were part of an experiment. One that failed.”

She walked to the third altar. “The clay on this one is intact.”

“Not for long.” He tapped his flashlight on the clay till it cracked, then peeled back a piece.

She gasped. There was a body inside. A full flesh and blood body. “Is he alive?”

“I don’t see how he can be.” Carlos ripped off larger chunks of clay.

She helped him, and soon they had the man’s entire body free. He was dressed in army fatigues from the tip of his hat to the soles of his black army boots. He was a tall man with a strong, athletic build.

“He’s a major.” Carlos unbuttoned his shirt to locate his dog tags. “Russell Ryan Hankelburg.”

She touched his shoulder. It was still firm. “How can he be dead for so many years, but not decay?”

Carlos studied the soldier. “I’ve seen this before. When a vampire transforms another into a vampire, he drains all the blood from his victim and puts him into a coma.”

“This is a coma?”

Carlos nodded. “But the vampire usually turns the victim shortly afterward. This guy’s been waiting since the Vietnam War.”

Goose bumps prickled Caitlyn’s arms. “Forty years? Why would a vampire put a man into a coma, then abandon him?”

“I don’t know,” Carlos said. “We need to call Angus. We’ll have to hike back to the village so we can use our cell phones.”

She nodded. A soldier in limbo for forty years. If he woke up, the world he knew would be completely changed. “Do you think we can save him?”

“The only way to save him is to turn him into a vampire.”