The Link by Dara Nelson

will they?” I asked as tears began forming in my eyes.
     
    “ No, no,” he replied, stroking my cheek to comfort me. “They wouldn’t want to reveal themselves like that. They will track me, quietly, without bringing attention to themselves.”
     
    “ Oh, is that all,” I rolled my eyes and tried to smile.
     

I hurried to the bathroom to take care of necessities, brush my teeth, comb my hair, etc. When I came out he already had everything in the car and was waiting for me by the door. “Shall we?” he said as he held a hand out to me. I started to walk out the door when he suddenly pulled me to him, kissing me hard, his tongue finding mine, my head swimming… at this rate we really wouldn’t get far. He sensed this too and forced himself back. But this time he was gasping too. We wrapped our arms around each other and headed out to the car.
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
     
     
     
    We made it to Mexico by mid-afternoon. He pulled off on a side road and pulled out the oldest looking map I had ever seen. I stared at it, and then my eyes went wide as I saw the date written at the bottom. “Was that map really drawn in 1646?” I asked. “Mmhhhmm,” he replied, still studying the map.
     
    “ That belongs in a museum,” I said.
     
    “ It was,” he replied. I stared at him for a minute, wanting to ask how he got it, then decided against it.
     
    Instead I asked, “Will it go back when you’re done with it?”
     
    “ Of course,” he said as he carefully folded it up and started driving again.
     
    We were driving for what seemed forever on a long dirt highway. I started to doze in the front seat when suddenly he made a sharp turn onto a road that was so hidden by trees and shrubs that I never would have seen it myself. “Where are we ? ” I asked.
     
    “ Just outside of Guaymas, Mexico,” he said. We wound uphill for about a mile then ended at a parking area at a stone wall surrounding a small church. The wooden doors to the courtyard were open now. There was no fear here. He pulled in to the courtyard and parked by the steps to the church.
     
    He started to get out when I asked, “I gather from our hike that you can go out in the sunlight. Does it affect you at all?”
     
    “ We can go out in the sun, just not for very long because we burn worse than a human, no pigment and all , ” he smiled.
     
    “ Huh,” I replied as I reached for the door handle.
     
    “ Ummm, Sarah. I ’ m really sorry, but I need you to wait here, please,” he said. “This priest might be a little reluctant to speak around a human, especially a female.”
     
    “ Oh,” I said . “But how will I know that you’re okay?” I felt panic creeping in.
     
    He smiled at me . “This priest will do me no harm,” then he leaned over and kissed me tenderly, lingering just long enough to get me all worked up again.
     
    When he pulled away, I sarcastically said, “Gee, thanks,” then pouted.
     
    He smiled at me, his eyes dancing and replied, “My pleasure . ” He got out and walked into the church, glancing back at me and smiling one more time before he closed the door.
     
    I tried to find something to keep me occupied. I dug my cell phone out of my backpack and turned it on. I was a little surprised that it worked down here. It lit up with voicemails. I listened to each one, tearing up when my sister, Cindy, said, “I’m really excited for you Sarah, you deserve this. Have fun… and send pictures!” I pulled out my laptop next and checked my emails, answering the few that I could, then I closed it up and put it away.
     
    Inside Matthew was negotiating with the priest, which involved three things. First, Matt had to open his mind completely to him so the priest could be certain Matt hadn’t been sent here as a trap, this one took a few hours. Second, a large cash ‘ contribution’ to the church fund. And third, a blood sample. Matt didn’t ask what this was for; he really didn’t want to know. He walked