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deck and, without warning, put his hands on Aideen s hips and lifted her to the deck as well. She
turned, ready to offer him a hand. He was staring at her in the cave s low light. A lock of his blue-black
hair had fallen across his face, further shadowing his features, but she still could see the speculative
sparkle in his gray eyes. He took her hand and stepped lightly onto the deck.
 The steps? she said, her hand still trapped in his.
His hand fell back to his side and he bent to pick up the bag and flashlight. He flicked the switch on
and let the beam of light play against the back of the cave. Aideen saw the steps. They were carved
from the rock and their small crystals glittered like jewels beneath the beam of light. Kean stepped in
front of Aideen and held one hand out to her.
 Slippery, he cautioned when she hesitated to take his hand,  and dark.
Palms sweaty, she took his hand. They began the rough ascent, their bodies pressed close together
while the lap of waves against the cave s wall urged them on from below.
Chapter Five
The stairs widened at the top until Kean and Aideen were standing on a small landing. In front of them
was a heavy oak door, its wood rotted from the cave s constant dampness. Kean pressed against it, the
wood scraping over limestone tiles set in what appeared to be a cellar. The room was empty and, at its
opposite end, there was another door leading out. This door was metal and modern. Its surface was
smooth, no handle or slot for a key marred its shiny perfection. Above it, a fluorescent light flickered
and set into the wall next to it was an electronic keypad. Kean s fingers danced over the numbers and
Aideen heard the whining squeal of hydraulics as the door s locking mechanism was disengaged. Kean
pushed against the door and it opened onto a small, dimly lit hallway. He reached out to his right and
flipped a few light switches. Motioning Aideen to step into the hallway, he reset the door s hydraulic
locks and then led Aideen to a galley-sized kitchen.
 Nothing perishable, he said and pulled canned soup from the cupboard.  But we ll have a full
stomach to think on. He pointed to a white door at the end of the narrow kitchen.  There s a shower
and toilet through there with a washer and dryer. I ll see what clothes I can dig up then start on making
us some dinner.
Aideen entered the narrow washroom and examined its contents. As with the kitchen, there was a light
coating of dust on the appliances and ceramic bathroom fixtures. Towels were neatly stacked above the
toilet and she took two down and breathed in their scent. Clean but stale. There were dryer sheets in a
utility cupboard and she put the towels in the dryer for freshening then stripped her clothes and dumped
them in the washer without starting it. Shampoo and a dust-coated bar of soap were in the shower and
she turned the water on, letting the heat build. It had been days since she d slept in a bed and every
muscle registered its complaint. She stepped under the showerhead, stretching and turning until every
sore muscle had received a good dose of pressure and heat. She lathered up, her hands slowly exploring
her body, her thoughts drifting to Kean only to be ripped away with an image of Cenn. She d never
known a dream to be so vivid, so detailed. Nine months of detail she thought and ran her soapy hands
over her stomach, imagining that it was still full as she carried Cenn s child.
The water turned cold and Aideen finished rinsing off. She stepped from the shower, pulled the towels
from the dryer and then started the washer. The towel fell from her and she bent to pick it up. Cenn will
be able to get a shower around midnight, she grinned, if he s lucky.
Her hand still reaching for the towel, Aideen froze. She felt her heartbeat accelerate at the same time
her breathing slowed. Her stomach, empty, threatened to force her to the toilet in dry heaves. She
leaned her forehead against the washing machine. The cool metal and soft vibration brought some of
the color back to her cheeks. She stayed in that position, resting, her eyes unfocused, until Kean
knocked at the door a few seconds later.
 Aideen, you okay?
Christ, she breathed, even the voice is as I dreamt it. Can you dream sound?
 Aideen? His voice was low, concerned, and she could tell he was speaking into the thin line where
the door met the doorframe.
 Yeah, she answered hoarsely, her voice stuck in another time, talking to another man one with the
same voice and face.  Just give me a second. She stood and tucked the towel around her and rubbed
absently at her cheeks before she opened the door. As she moved, she tried to convince herself that she [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]