DaughterofFire Read online

  “In this day and age you haven’t figured out that women can be geologists too? Are you stuck in the fifties?” she asked, turning her attention back to Jack.

  “No it’s not that, Dr. Young. What I meant is no one at the USGS mentioned your first name. The documentation I received only referenced the letter K. I foolishly assumed it stood for Kevin or something. I apologize.” Great, now he was babbling like an idiot.

  “It’s really okay, Dr. O’Connor. But in the future, don’t jump to assumptions. People have a tendency to be what you least expect. Especially in Hawaii,” Kalama said with all sincerity.

  “Well, I guess I should show you around so you can get familiar with the observatory.”

  “I’m glad it was just a misunderstanding. I was afraid I’d be forced to punish you for antiquated thinking.” The teasing tone was back in her voice.

  A wicked gleam danced in her eyes. This woman threw him for a loop. She was disarming with her sexy body, winning smile and teasing words. One minute she was cold as ice and hotter than flame the next. Sam’s muffled laughter danced around them.

  “Um, no punishment needed.”

  “So…want to show me your big tube, Dr. Jack?” Kalama asked. Sam snorted into the coffee he was drinking as Jack’s jaw dropped.

  Kalama was thoroughly enjoying herself. After letting Jack stew in the implication of her saucy question for a few minutes, she decided to let him off the hook by clarifying she meant the Thurston Lava Tube.

  She was annoyed with her reaction to the good-looking doctor. From her source here at the Jaggar, Kalama knew he wore his disdain for the power of ancient Hawaiian myth like a big, shiny beacon. Kalama was proud of her heritage and it ate at her stomach to know she found some haole, with no respect for her culture, attractive. Plus she wasn’t here to flirt. She had been summoned to find out what was going on at Kilauea.

  Jack walked a few paces in front of her, leading them toward a battered USGS Jeep not far from the Volcano House. She blatantly ogled his firm butt as she followed him. The man was well put together. She’d been instantly attracted to the handsome scientist the minute she’d spotted him across the dining room. Kalama was certain it had something to do with his muscular chest that threatened to bust the seams on his HVO polo shirt. Or maybe it was his piercing eyes that were as clear blue as the ocean in deeper water. Maybe it was the deep voice that sounded as if someone had wrapped his vocals in velvet. She shook her head. Anyway she sliced it, Doctor Jack O’Connor was hot. And she knew hot. Too bad he stayed wrapped up in facts and ignored the mystical side of life. This haole spelled trouble for her with a capital T and she was determined to have none of that.

  When Jack had sheepishly admitted his mistake about her gender, Kalama had been mildly annoyed and wanted to tease him mercilessly. Jack struck her as a man who rarely made mistakes. Or who was taken by surprise, for that matter. With her, the gorgeous volcanologist was in for the shock of his life. Not that Kalama would ever let him catch a glimpse of her little secret.

  “So, do you want to see the lab first or the large lava tube?” Jack asked.

  “Let’s do the lab first. You can show me the park later,” Kalama said, climbing into the passenger side of the Jeep.

  “Sure thing.”

  Jack slid into the driver’s side and shoved the key into the ignition. Kalama leaned over and switched on the radio. Native FM instantly filled the calm, tropical air with island music. Kalama let out a pleased sigh and leaned back into the seat, letting the feel of Hawaii seep into her bones.

  “I missed this.”

  “Missed what?” Jack asked, stealing a glance in her direction.

  “Island music, the smell that is uniquely Hawaii, home. I missed all of it,” Kalama said.

  “Did you grow up in Hawaii?”

  “I was born and raised not too far from here. But I’ve been gone for several years now. I was doing research in Vanuatu,” Kalama said carefully. She was used to omitting certain aspects of her life. It was the curse she was forced to bear.

  “Oh well, then I guess I don’t really need to show you around later,” Jack said. Kalama turned her attention to him. His chiseled jaw was set in a determined fashion.

  “You can show me around, Dr. O’Connor. I’m sure things have changed. Pele does like to redo the landscape every so often,” Kalama said, her voice low with a sarcastic lilt.

  “Yes, the erupting does shake things up. Um…do you think maybe you should call me Jack? Dr. O’Connor sounds so formal. We’re pretty easygoing here.”

  “Okay…Jack.” Kalama turned her gaze to the scenery passing by. She had been gone far too long. The call had come, frantic and desperate. She’d picked up on fear halfway around the world. She hadn’t been sure she could come back, but knew she had no choice. The volcano needed her. Hawaii needed her. Pele was calling. A sense of peace settled itself around her like a warm blanket. The energy of the volcano ran through everything. Just below the surface Kalama felt the vibrations.

  “Does your family still live on the island?” Jack asked.

  “My mother lives near here. Not very far at all,” Kalama said, never turning back to look at him.

  “What about your dad?”

  “I never met him. He ran off when my mom was still pregnant with me,” Kalama finally turned her face back to Jack. She waited for the inevitable pity that usually accompanied that statement, but it never came. Kalama furrowed her brow and turned away from him again.

  “Sorry,” was all he said as he turned the Jeep into the lab parking lot and killed the engine.

  “No big deal. That was centuries ago,” Kalama said, jumping from the Jeep onto the gravel walkway.

  Without waiting, Kalama headed toward the main entrance of the building with a determined stride. The building was a rust-colored, multi-windowed structure hugging the Kilauea crater. A tiny smirk titled the corners of her mouth. She bet Pele hated the proximity of the scientists to her resting place. For the Goddess of Fire it would be tantamount to having visitors hovering outside your bedroom window. Pele wasn’t big on uninvited guests.

  Stopping for a moment, she waited. Closing her eyes, Kalama breathed in deep. The faint scent of sulfur and sunshine felt good as it filled her lungs. A surge of power coursed through her veins. Each step she took throbbed with one message. It pulsated through the ground and snaked its way up her body with a delicate hum. Kalama turned her face to the caldera.

  “I’m here,” Kalama whispered against the breeze, meant for only one set of ears. She needed to say the words. Needed to tell the listener even though her arrival would have been noticed the minute the plane had touched down in Hilo. Immediately familiar warmth flooded her, pooling around her heart. A small tear leaked from the corner of her eye. Kalama quickly wiped it away, a soft smile on her lips.

  Shaking her head to clear it, Kalama continued on her path to the lab. She glanced over her shoulder at Jack. The handsome scientist was keeping a distance. His eyes seemed focused on something in the distance. She shook her head in confusion and turned her gaze in the direction that held Jack captive. A pueo flew fast toward them. The owl dipped low and sliced the air in front of Jack with its flight path. The short-eared bird hovered for a moment in front of him. He took several steps back, a look of utter astonishment on his handsome face.

  Kalama stopped cold in her tracks. A flash of uneasiness raced down her spine. The pueo was an omen. Jack was in danger.

  “Jack, don’t move. Let the bird pass you,” Kalama whispered on the wind. The owl swiveled its head and turned those yellow-rimmed eyes to her. Someone was watching and it was more than the pueo. A faint salty odor floated on the breeze. The balance was off, something she hadn’t sensed before. Seconds ticked by feeling like an eternity, the owl’s eerie eyes never wavering from her face. With a few final flaps of its wings, the owl flew away, leaving Kalama shaking and out of breath from fear.

  “Hey, what’s the matter? You’re white as a sheet,”
Jack said, coming to stand beside her. He peered down at her face, taking in the look of fear that was now there.

  “It’s nothing. You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Tell me. What is it, Kalama? Why are you so scared?” Jack asked. Placing his hands on her shoulders, Jack pulled her closer to him, stopping short of nestling her against him. She stiffened at the contact, but finally relaxed enough to let him try to comfort her.

  “It was the owl. In ancient Hawaii, a pueo flying in front of someone’s face meant certain danger. The owl flew straight for you, Jack.”

  “I’m fine. I’m in more danger trudging around these lava fields than from some owl. It’s just some silly superstition,” Jack said, not bothering to keep the condescension from his voice.

  “To many people it is not some superstition. There are native Hawaiians out there who still believe in the old ways. You should show a little more respect.”

  “It was only an owl, Kalama. Though, it is strange to see one up here. I don’t think I’ve seen one on the ridge before, or this close to the lab.”

  “You might be a little more understanding of these things, Jack. Perhaps your indifference is fueling the thefts I have heard about,” Kalama said, her anger building slowly.

  “It’s nothing sacred or spiritual. Those thefts are some local kids making trouble and nothing more. Don’t make more out of this then there really is, Dr. Young,” Jack said, his face growing hard with what looked like annoyance. But the owl wasn’t nothing to Kalama. She had to find out what was going on here before someone got hurt.

  “I see there is no convincing you to honor my point of view. Show me the lab, Dr. Jack,” Kalama said.

  Jack flashed a wide grin and led her into to low-slung building. Kalama stared at him in frustration, but followed his lead. A blast of air-conditioned air hit her full force as they stepped over the threshold. Kalama ran her palms along her arms, which sported chicken-skin from the rapid change in climate.

  “Do you want to see the pendulums first?” Jack asked, enjoyment dancing in his deep blue eyes. He was like a kid at Christmas, barely able to contain his excitement at showing someone his favorite toy. Kalama told him as much. He threw back his head laughed, the sound rumbling up from his chest, full-bodied and genuine.

  “Well, what are you waiting for? Show me.”

  Chapter Three

  Hours later, Jack went in search of his sexy new assistant. Kalama was proving to be incredibly skilled at handling the lab, if the neatly typed report resting on the edge of his desk was any indication. Too bad she seemed to hiss at him every time Hawaiian culture or myth was brought up. She wouldn’t give up the idea of the owl being some harbinger of evil.

  In an effort to bypass the topic, Jack had spent more time introducing her around the observatory to some of her co-workers then needed.

  The first sight of her curvy body bent over a worktable had told Jack to put distance between them or he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on his own tasks. The saucy woman seemed to bewitch the other men of the USGS team as well. A possessive twinge gripped him when Kalama had smiled sweetly at Paul Mallard, the intern from UH in Hilo.

  Disgusted with himself for feeling jealous of a twenty-two-year-old kid, Jack had jumped in the Jeep and taken off to the nearest ridge under the pretense of collecting data. Driving the Chain of Craters road always calmed him down. The solemn stretch managed to provide solace from his thoughts and his overactive hormones. When he’d finally gotten himself under control, Jack headed back to the observatory. He still needed to finish showing Kalama around and take her to the house that had been secured by USGS for her use. What he really needed to do was bring her up to speed on the thefts, something that filled him with dread at each tick of the clock. She would no doubt bring up the topic of cultural acceptance and respect. He snorted. All he wanted to do was study the damn volcano, not deal with hocus-pocus and magical mumbo jumbo.

  “Nani, have you seen our newest addition?” Jack asked the woman bent over a medium-sized seismograph in one of the side rooms. Nani Kealoha Aki looked up from her hunched position, a smile for him on her full lips. Liquid green eyes held him submerged within their depths when she met his gaze.

  “Sorry, boss. I haven’t. She was gone before I got back from the Mauna Loa lookout.” Nani had joined Jack’s team a couple of years ago, eager to study Kilauea. Her mettle had been tested and Jack knew he could rely on her in the direst of straits. Nani had been out doing field research when Jack brought Kalama in from Volcano House. Apparently the two still had yet to make each other’s acquaintance.

  “Oh well. Maybe Paul knows. Get anything good today?” Jack asked.

  “The mountain is shaking again, but she’s always shaking. I heard we had another set of robberies, this time at the Jaggar,” Nani said. The woman brought herself up straight to her full height of six feet. Jack marveled once again the woman, so tall and statuesque she was almost out of place in a lab. Those tumultuous eyes met his full force in a sharp stare once more. A small frown creased the corners of her mouth.

  “Yeah, Sam called this morning before Kalama…I mean Dr. Young arrived. Luckily we’re only missing a few pieces, but still no theft is good for the park, especially since some of the offerings on the rim have gone missing too.”

  “It’s too bad about that. The people who place those gifts at the volcano trust them to reach Pele. They really believe she lives in the crater. That she cares about them,” Nani said with a disgusted smirk on her lips and a sarcastic tone in her voice. That was one thing he liked about Nani, she seemed to share his love of the scientific and scoffed anytime someone mentioned Pele and the ancient gods.

  “Well, I’ll talk to the rangers tomorrow and see if we can do anything to step up security. I’ve got to go. I still need to find Dr. Young and get her settled at the house. I’ll see you later, okay?” Jack asked, heading out of the room in search of Kalama.

  “Jack, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?” Nani asked, the request stopping Jack in the doorway. Turning back to face her, he was at a loss for words. She had never given him any indication she wanted more than friendship. Nani was beautiful, with a long-limbed grace that many would find appealing. Her mind was sharp and quick-witted. Yesterday he wouldn’t have hesitated to accept. But tonight he found his interest in the woman had waned. Now it seemed his tastes ran toward curvy, petite, dark-eyed beauties with wicked senses of humor and fiery tempers.

  “I still have a bunch of stuff I need to get done tonight. Maybe some other time? Rain check?” Jack asked, hoping this incident would not mar their working relationship. He needed Nani’s skills to keep HVO running.

  “Sure,” Nani said, her eyes turning dark. The irises churned with emerald fire, the anger barely concealed in them. “Night, boss. Hope you find your new friend soon. You know how dangerous it is around here after dark.” Without anything further Nani swept past him and out the door. Jack felt a chill course through him. Shaking off his irrational fear, he went in search of Kalama once more.

  * * * * *

  The sun was setting along the ridge when Jack located Kalama. He found her staring out over the Halema’uma’u Overlook. The observation spot sat directly facing the crater commonly referred to as Pele’s home. Many people believed the Fire Goddess still resided in the lava-filled bed. Jack parked the Jeep a short distance from the overlook and decided to walk the short distance to the crater. Climbing from the Jeep, Jack threw his cell phone on the seat, not wanting the annoying intrusion. Jack eyed the woman who had captured his thoughts in such a short time. Kalama’s hands rested on the metal railing and her face was intense as she stared out over the inky lava. The smallest sliver of moon sat in the sky. The silvery light caressed Kalama’s curves, bathing her bronzed skin in a crystalline shimmer. Jack walked toward her, taking each step with care, not wanting to disturb her. She appeared so deep in thought, her beautiful features pulled into intense concentration. Jack stop
ped a few feet from her when he realized she was talking.

  Confused, he looked around, trying to locate anyone else at the overlook. With a start realized they were alone. Who was she talking to? Jack took a step closer, ashamed for eavesdropping but his curious nature took over.

  “Tell me what’s happening? I didn’t fly for two days for you to be coy,” Kalama said, her voice strong with a hint of annoyance. “You said it was an emergency.”

  Jack crept closer, not wanting to miss a word. Perhaps she was on the phone?

  “Kokami! Don’t give me that. Tell me what the hell is going on. If you don’t, I’m on the first plane to the mainland and you can deal with this situation all by yourself.” Her voice was tight, barely drifting over the slight breeze. Kalama’s grip on the railing tightened noticeably, her knuckles turning white with the pressure she was obviously exerting. Even though it was dark, Jack could tell by the tense nature of her back. Kalama was angry.

  “Kalama, who are you talking to?” Jack asked, finally making his presence known. Kalama whipped around to face him, her dark eyes blazing with a red fire. Jack blinked rapidly, convinced he was seeing things. It was clear by her expression she had assumed she was alone. He noticed no Bluetooth in her ear.

  “Jack, what are you doing here?” Kalama asked, staring at him with an expression a mix of horror and anger. Her chest heaved with her rapid breathing. She obviously was worked up about something.

  “I was looking for you actually,” Jack said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

  “You found me.” Her eyes blazed with a deep fire. Jack took a step back from her.

  “You’re not going to tell me who you were talking to, are you?” Jack asked.

  “I was just talking to myself. That’s all.” She took a step toward him. The moonlight flashed on the streaks in her hair, which glowed an eerie silver in the pale light, creating a halo around her face. Jack furrowed his brow in confusion. There was an otherworldly quality about her that held Jack back. In that moment she didn’t seem human. Jack shook his head to clear the ridiculous thought and crossed the remaining distance between them.