Pele

By LeAnn Mathis

Fire burns. Love hurts more.

From the moment Lono saw Pele, he was struck by her unique beauty. As her priest, he shouldn’t desire anything more than an opportunity to cleanse her sins and return her to her family. But every interaction leaves him wanting more.

Pele has no clear memory of her family or what brought her to the refuge, but Hala’api has his own theory. From the moment the chief met Lono’s mysterious guest, he knew she was more than just a pretty face. She had power. She had fire. And she was destined to be his.

As Pele determines her future, past mistakes return to haunt her. Ones that could not only destroy her, but the island as well.
An Ancient Hawaiian clean romance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hearth Publications
• Release date: Feb 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310165856

LeAnn Mathis

The world itself is an inspiration. My Dad was in the army so my family got to see quite a bit of it growing up. I've taken that variety into my writing and I create stories based on whatever inspires me at the moment. Questions about my lunch meal, a Hawaiian Place of Refuge, and things my kids do have all been transformed, and I hope you enjoy what they grew into. Happy Reading. -LeAnn Mathis (The pen name for Stephanie Neilan when the books are just for fun.)

Book preview

PELE

LeAnn Mathis

Copyright 2014 by Hearth Publications

Smashwords edition

All rights reserved

Cover art modified from Shutterstock photo:230343310

This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Pele shook her head and tilted her face so the sun shone directly onto it. Hala’api admired her perfectly clear features and smooth tan skin that contrasted so beautifully with her golden brown hair, white pupils, and coal black eyes.

Hala’api inhaled quickly as he realized she was looking directly into the sun. He glanced the same direction, but his eyes were soon crying, blinking away the pain from the light. The sun was just as strong as he remembered, but she was not affected. In fact, it seemed to ignite the deepest cores of her eyes and make them shine more brightly. There was something not quite human about her.

He debated whether or not to tell Lono this but decided not to. She held the key to some power, and he wanted to be the one to discover it and use it to his advantage. His lust for that power was almost as strong as the desire for her body. A beautiful woman was one thing, a smart woman was better, but a powerful woman made him salivate in a way he had never thought possible. He wanted many things from this life and knew that he didn’t have the resources to be able to make those dreams come true…yet. Looking into her eyes, he sensed the advantage he needed to realize his dreams.

Table of Contents

Unexpected Arrival

Introduction

Cleansing

The Offer

Plans

Village Life

Winter

Fire Magic

Luau Preparations

Contests

On the Run

Mountain Heights

The Past

Nature’s Bond

The Change

Lower Heavens

Training

Poliahu’s Story

Pele vs Poliahu

Attack

The Reality Behind the Story

Thank You

Unexpected Arrival

Lono glanced out at the ocean. Its still waters lapped quietly against the rocky shore below his temple. The blue contrasted beautifully against the white and black pebbles that met its edge. If he turned his head, then the rocks would disappear into a scene of deep, lush greenery. This was truly a refuge of the gods.

Gathering his tools, he stepped down from the large, raised dais where he had just helped another soul achieve redemption. The man had run back to his wife and children as soon as Lono signaled the ritual’s completion. The joy had been contagious. Lono smiled again as he immersed his items one by one into the sanctifying salt water then dried them with sacred ti leaves.

The water glowed with a yellow-orange light as the sun sank lower into the sky. This was his favorite time of day. In a few more minutes pinks and purples would dominate the view before night settled in for good. He stacked his wooden bowls together, placing the bone and rock scrapers inside the top bowl.

He took a deep breath of the moist, salty air and slowly exhaled. A perfect mixture. Much like their religion. The sometimes stringent kapu demands preserved life and mana, spiritual power. Death was exacted upon all those who broke its laws. If the local leaders didn’t act, then the gods would. Droughts, tidal waves, and eruptions were consequences that even the simplest minds understood.

But mixed in with unrelenting justice was refreshing mercy. All the repentant individual had to do was come to his refuge. If they arrived before their punishers, then their sins could be forgiven, no matter how severe. They could return to their previous lives completely untainted by fear or guilt.

A flash of green sparked across the sky and then disappeared. He frowned. What does it mean?

Shaking his head, he picked up his bowls. On the way home, he kept glancing at a dark mass on the beach. It was too dark to make out details, but it hadn’t been there before. He stepped closer, using the last of the sun’s light to make out the shape of a human being. It wasn’t moving. Bowls clattered against the rocks as he hurried over.

Lono found the neck and slid his fingers over the veins. They were sticky, and he forced himself to press down. They were alive – barely. A ceremonial fire still simmered at the top of the temple. He grabbed a few of its logs and gasped as the light illuminated the body. It was covered in blood. It pulsed out from a wound on the head. He ripped the bottom of his skirt off and pressed it over the wound. He then secured it to their head with another long strip before gathering the rest of his supplies.

When did they get here? I didn’t hear them approach and now it might be too late. This is not how the gods intended it.

A quick scan for other injuries revealed her sex. A deep blush spread across his cheeks as he checked her body for other wounds. The rest of her was unblemished and…perfect. He coughed. Perfectly healthy.

The needle sterilized against the side of a fire as he organized the rest of his gear. He hoped the stitches would be enough. She had made it. She shouldn’t die now. Her long hair caught the fire’s orange hues and shone vibrantly in response. Too vibrantly. It was a beacon, calling for him to examine it closer. He made his hand reach for the wet cloth instead.

He was used to seeing blood on the people who arrived here. It was rare for someone to make it without scraping themselves on something. The more serious injuries never arrived and those that came always had company. His district was renowned for dispensing justice quickly.

Removing the head wrap, he was relieved to see that the bleeding had slowed down. The water basin quickly reddened as he washed the area around her wound. Her hair felt as soft as freshly pounded poi, but he didn’t let his hands stray from their task. A series of small but deep cuts revealed themselves, the kind of wound left by a shark-tooth lined war club.

He glanced around the beach quickly. Her attacker had used the most deadly weapon on the island. She should have fallen with the first blow and never gotten up again. Wiping her face, he wondered what she could have done to deserve such treatment but saw only sleeping innocence. Her thick eyelashes rested quietly underneath her naturally arched eyebrows and smooth forehead. No cares or worries marked themselves anywhere on her body. Instead, like a baby’s, it begged for love and protection.

Turning his attention back to her wound, he stitched together the largest gashes. The needle was replaced with several layers of medicinal herbs that were secured with a fresh bandage. The back of his hands traced gently across her forehead. She had a slight fever, but he had expected that.

After cleaning up the area around her, the tools were brought back to the ocean. He glanced over his shoulder several times while he scrubbed. The longer she stayed in one position, the better, but she was in a part of the refuge reserved for nobility. He knew all of them…didn’t he? If he didn’t recognize her, then she didn’t belong here. But she didn’t seem common. If she had been able to arrive here, in the state she was in, then there had to be more to her.

But if he was wrong…

Lono cleaned the last of his tools and shook his head. Even if she was common, there was no way he could move her yet. She was too vulnerable. He put his supplies away and returned to her side with a blanket. It was thick and would protect her from the cold wind that had picked up since he started his operation. He had never needed to use it before so it would be clean. As he wrapped it over her shoulders, he thought of his own thin blanket waiting for him by his bed. He didn’t normally need to use that one either, but he would be grateful for it tonight.

The best thing he could do for her now would be to let her rest. If she recovered enough in the morning to tell him who she was and what happened, then he could perform her rites, and she could recuperate in the appropriate section of the refuge.

If only Kukahau’ula were here. But he was in a nearby village performing a celebration ceremony connected with the birth of the chief’s new son, Houka. Ku loved beginnings, especially of life, so Lono knew he would extend his visit as long as he could before coming back.

Lono woke up earlier than usual to check on his visitor. He couldn’t see her under the blanket. The charred wood had gone out sometimes during the night. How cold had it gotten? He lifted the edges of the blanket where her head had been, but there were just rocks underneath. He raised it higher and higher and finally flung it to the side. She wasn’t there. A single rust-colored rock by the fire proved that last night had not been a dream. His fingers gently skimmed over the dried blood and picked it up. Rising toward the temple, he was surprised to see her sitting between it and the sea. What is she doing over there? His sandals slapped against the stones. She’s not strong enough yet.

Her back was toward him and she was sitting on a large rock, the Chief’s favorite sitting rock to be precise. Lono glanced around him even though Hala’api was not due to make a visit for several more days. The lady was so intent on watching the sea, she didn’t notice his approach. His footsteps slowed. She wasn’t swaying in her seat or showing other signs of exhaustion. She held herself perfectly erect like a woman of nobility, staring down the lesser mortals around her, or in this case, the sea.

There was a slight breeze coming in from the ocean that highlighted her hair again. He thought the fire had been playing tricks on him before, but in the light of the sun, it was unmistakable. It was the color of a light nut and glowed in comparison to the black hair he was used to seeing. It rippled it down her back, caressing her voluptuous body as it did so. He shook his head to clear it from the direction it was taking. Who is she?

When he was close enough, he spoke quietly, trying not to alarm her, Excuse me, Lady, but I am the priest here for the refuge. How may I help you?

She turned to face him, and he knew he was in trouble. A priest was supposed to keep their mind clear so they could always be aware of what the gods would try and communicate with them, but all he could think about were her eyes - deep, beautiful, black eyes that seared him where he stood. It was suddenly hard to breathe. She lowered her eyes, releasing him from their spell. His knees buckled, but not enough for anyone but him to notice.

I don’t know, she said.

He focused on the tip of her low, broad nose. It created a beautiful outline, but at least he wasn’t overwhelmed by it. Perhaps you can start by telling me what brought you here.

She shook her head. I wish I could, but I don’t remember.

As much as Lono tried to stay true to his resolve to focus on her nose, he couldn’t keep his eyes from traveling down and following the coral-tinged movement of her lips as she said, All I remember is arriving near the sea and hands gently touching my head before I passed out. She placed her hand over where her wound was and looked back at him. That was you, wasn’t it?

Lono’s eyes travelled up quickly to her hair where she had already removed the bandage. Why hadn’t he noticed that before? He examined her head quickly as he spoke, Oh, no! You were supposed to leave that on until your wound had completely healed. But as his fingers traced the area where her wound had been, he could only distinguish it by the small bumps that had been left behind by his stitches. That was impossible! No one can heal that quickly, he whispered to himself, but the lady must have heard him because she replied, Maybe it wasn’t as bad as you thought?

Lono checked her scalp again in disbelief. True, he had helped two villagers return to their homes yesterday, and it had been late, but there had been no mistaking the amount of blood she had lost. It had come from somewhere. These can’t possibly be the same wounds. Can they?

Suddenly, he realized where his hands were and quickly removed them. Sorry. I should have asked first.

That’s okay, she replied. It felt good. Your hands are so warm.

Are you chilly? She was wearing a traditional shawl over her skirt, but they were both thin. He ran back for her blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Here, that should help. She folded it close to her body as she thanked him.

I wish I could do more for you. If you knew what brought you here, then I could remove your sin and you could go back to your family.

Her voice sounded mournful when she spoke. My family? I remember nothing about them. My mind is completely battered. I am like that heap of coals over there. It’s all there, somewhere, but nothing is able to ignite and give me the answers I’m looking for. It’s so frustrating. To sense who you are, but being unable to hold onto it long enough to understand it.

Even minor blows to the head can result in memory loss. The best thing to help their recovery was to surround the victim with familiar things and routines to help spark their memory. However, he had no idea what was familiar to her. He bit the inside of his bottom lip.

Is there anything you do recognize? Maybe it will help us figure out who you are and why you are here.

Lady, as he was calling her in his mind, looked around the beach again. Everything has a layer of sameness to it, and yet, it all feels…different somehow. I can’t explain it. Except for… She stood up and walked closer to a plant. It was a large shrub near the edges of the boundary that produced a cluster of small white flowers when in bloom. The naupaka was sometimes referred to as the half-flower plant because the flowers looked like half their leaves had been ripped off.

She stroked the broad, green leaves. This plant. It seems familiar. I know there is a story behind it too, but I can’t remember what it is… only that it is.

Lono’s eyebrows knit together as he shook his head. "That plant is found all around the bottom of the island and has a twin in the mountain regions. Even though the