The job was new, just as her life. It had been years since she felt safe enough to do this. Years of hiding. But Laura was tired of hiding. She wanted to get out and be with people other than family. She wanted to feel free again.
So she started with a Temp Agency. What better way to get back out in the workforce and see what it was she liked. Asking for something in reception, it didn’t take long for them to find her a place. A company she had never heard of, but it was a small so less chance of running into him. Although she had moved far enough away that should not be a problem. Besides, the company was nothing he would like.
Excited, nervous, determined. These were all things Laura felt as she walked into the front office. Sandy met her at the door with a warm smile, shaking Laura’s hand welcoming her into the fold. For the next few hours Sandy showed Laura the ropes and introduced her to everyone. It was a relief that he was not among them. What was she thinking anyway? There was no way he would be here. Just an over active imagination as per usual.
Two weeks into the job and everything was going perfectly. In fact, the fit was so good Sandy said the owner was thinking about hiring her full-time. To celebrate Laura decided to splurge and go out to lunch. On her way out Sandy stopped her.
“Oh, hey. I forgot to tell you. There is an employee that works out of his home coming in this afternoon to speak with Mike. Just thought I’d let you know,” Sara said cheerfully.
“Okay, thanks,” Laura said her stomach twisting with dread. By the time she returned her fear was under control. Finding a package sitting on her desk for one of the guys in the warehouse; she walked out into the vast building humming to herself.
“Hey, Sal,” she called to the foreman. “I have a package for you.”
“Put it in my office, sweetie!” Sal yelled back.
“Okay!” she said.
Smiling at the endearment he used for all the girls, she walked into his office and placed the package on the desk.
“Hello, Laura,” a deep familiar male voice said behind her.
Laura froze. It couldn’t be.
A warm body moved up behind her, familiar hands slid up her arms as a face nuzzled her neck. Closing her eyes, Laura swallowed hard. She could not faint. Unconscious in the same room with this man was not a good thing.
“Years of searching and you fall right into my lap,” he said huskily. “And now that I have you, you will never escape me again.”
The world spun in streamers as darkness enclosed her. The last thing Laura heard was his deep chuckle as he caught her in his arms, never to let her go again.
This came from me going to a new job and thinking about the movie Safe Haven. It’s never really a good thing when these ideas hit me while driving. I have to really work hard on concentrating on where I am going with the car and not in my head. Luckily I came out of this one unscathed. LOL
I slip away into darkness. Images begin to roll by, confusing at first until they coalesce into solid pictures yet still making no sense. I have seen this before. This place in my mind. It is not the first time I have been here. People I do not know yet are familiar to me as I walk these halls. Where am I? Work, school? School it seems to be. A cafeteria where we all gather to talk and eat, yet I do not eat. The food switches from one thing to another, never really settling for very long. As if I traverse many days in a few moments. I am in the hallway, going to class., my books in my arms, something important in my hand. But what is it? I talk to others but do not remember what I say. Then I am back in the cafeteria. The lunch lady tells me that they have yet to find a book for my numbers. I say that I can bring a composition book, but she smiles and tells me they have no room for something so large. It must be small. I can do that, I reply. Students come to buy food. I weave in and out of them, still undecided, still nothing looks appetizing. I find some keys. Going to my table I see my things. They are books and notebooks, yet something much more important. I go to a door and with the keys I find I open it, curious to see what is on the other side. As I walk in the room is empty. We have been lied to. There was suppose to be the furnace in here, but the room is empty. There is an unfinished bathroom and as I walk further into the room I see it leads to the kitchen that is also not finished. But wasn’t it finished when I saw it from the outside? All I know is we have been lied to and something is wrong. Terribly wrong. I hurry from the room, locking it behind me. I run into the custodian, the owner of the keys. He smiles and asks me what is wrong. I cannot tell him for he will know I know the truth. He seems friendly, always has, and I feel no danger from him, yet I keep quiet. I tell him I found his keys and hand them to him. He asks me again what is wrong and again I say nothing. That I am late and have to go. I gather my things as he watches and hurry from the cafeteria. The dream changes, images move. I am in a house that I have been in many times before in my dreams. As I walk through the cluttered basement to the stairs I wonder not for the first time what it is trying to tell me? Why do these dreams haunt me time and time again? What must I do to understand?
This was written as a sort of free write. As the words came I put them down. If I tried to make sense of it I would have lost it, and that was not my purpose.
Reoccurring dreams are not new to me. I have had them all my life. Some have answered themselves and have never been seen again, others still haunt me. Where I do not have them as much as I did when I was younger, when the come back I wonder what they are trying to tell me. What problem I am trying to solve. These two I wrote about have never been together before that I remember. I guess I will never know.
“I’m going to let you go,” he whispered very slowly as if he was talking to a person ready to jump off a ledge. “Please to do not scream. I would rather live to see tomorrow.”
Nodding she understood, he slowly released her. Once free Sara turned to look into dark blue borderline black eyes. She had never seen such dark blue eyes before and they memorized her. Wicked thoughts sent shockwaves down low in her body clenching it tight while at the same time making it tingle in anticipation. Oh my! How could one look do all that to her? And she hadn’t even seen the rest of him.
“Hello?” he said waving his hand in front of her eyes.
Blinking, suddenly coming back to the present, Sara blushed when she saw his smirk. She got the impression he was used to this sort of reaction from girls. Then she saw the rest of him. If she thought Talon was perfect, this man was beyond perfect into Oh My God! Way beyond. The black hair that hit his shoulders and fell artfully around his face and eyes only enhanced his gorgeousness. The tight black t-shirt hugged his well tone body down to his narrow waist to black jeans. Since he was kneeling beside her, Sara could not tell what below the waistline looked like, but she could imagine.
Something soft touched her under her chin and gently pushed up. It was then she realized her jaw was on the ground and she was gawking rather unattractively. How embarrassing! Snapping her mouth shut, she felt herself heat even further.
“Leaving that open around here isn’t healthy,” he chuckled. “You never know what…or who might fly in.”
Just thought I would give a little preview to the first book of my new series Destiny that is about to come out in June. This is chapter 1. The prologue is on my other web site if you are interested.
When Jamie Kessler saw Emma Givens walking down the hall on his first day of school, he thought she was an angel. Her long dark auburn hair, her beautiful green eyes that sparkled like emeralds when she smiled at something someone said to her as she passed by entranced him. Introducing himself to her sounded like a good idea, until someone next to him saw what he was looking at with obvious longing.
“I wouldn’t,” Joe Wallace warned as he started to work the combination to his locker next to Jamie’s. They had been introduced in the office. Since they had the first class together Joe was given the privilege of showing Jamie around.
“Why? Is she taken?” Jamie asked his eyes never leaving Emma. His answer came when a tall blonde, obviously one of the local jocks, walked up behind her sliding his arms around her waist pulling her back against him. It was a possessive move, and when Emma smiled up at the boy, Jamie noticed that the light had gone out of her eyes.
“That’s Marc White with her,” Joe answered Jamie’s frown.
“She doesn’t seem very happy to be with him,” Jamie said.
Joe looked at the couple and sighed. “She’s not,” he said quietly. “But there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“We?”
“Darren Mackenzie, me, and a few other friends Emma used to hang out with,” Joe answered turning his attention back to his locker and its contents. “Marc has made it very clear she belongs to him, and we are to stay away from her,” he finished angrily throwing his books into the locker.
Jamie frowned at the couple who were now walking towards them holding hands. Emma glanced at Jamie, giving him a small smile. When he returned it, Marc pulled her tightly against his side glowering at him with a look that promised violence if he even tried to talk to her.
“Wow,” Jamie breathed.
“Yeah,” Joe agreed slamming his locker shut. “It’s killing Darren that he can’t help her.”
“Were you both close to Emma?”
“Darren and Emma have been inseparable since birth. I moved into town when I was ten. We’ve been a team, for lack of a better word, ever since. We did everything together. Now Marc won’t let either of us anywhere near her. Even threatened to hurt her if we tried. Hurting her is the last thing we want to do, but it’s hard to just sit and watch him control her. And Darren….”
As if conjured by his name, Darren Mackenzie rounded the corner almost running into Marc and Emma. Instantly the tension in the hall rose to a level that had everyone’s attention as the two men glared at each other from only a foot apart.
“Shit,” Joe hissed moving towards them.
Jamie stood where he was, watching as everyone in the hall unconsciously moved back, forming a loose circle around the three.
“Mackenzie,” Marc practically snarled. If a name could be a threat, Marc had just managed it.
Darren’s eyes narrowed dangerously at Marc before he turned them to Emma. Instantly they soften. “Emma?” he said quietly, as if he was begging with her to listen to some unsaid plea.
Emma clutched her books to her chest pointedly looking at some spot on the floor. Jamie could see the look of helplessness in Darren’s expression, in his eyes. He wanted to help her, but by refusing to acknowledge he was standing in front of her, she was telling him she did not want his help.
The smile on Marc’s face as he slowly wrapped his arm around Emma drawing her closer to his side was the most evil thing Jamie had ever seen. Darren stiffened, his eyes darting back to Marc’s in hatred. Suddenly Joe was in-between them.
“Don’t, Darren,” Joe warned putting a hand on Darren’s chest. “It’s what he wants.”
The expression on Joe’s face told Jamie he was not happy about what he was seeing anymore than Darren was, but if Emma did not want their help there was nothing they could do.
It took a few moments before Darren’s body finally relaxed and he let Joe turn him around, pushing him back down the hall away from Marc and Emma.
“It must kill you Mackenzie to know she’s mine,” Marc called, his voice taunting. Darren froze. Joe let out a low hissing curse. “That’s she’s mine to hold, to kiss, to…fuck.”
Chaos ensued.
Everyone scrambled to get out of the way as Darren launched himself at Marc, slamming him against the nearest lockers. Jamie found himself helping Joe pull Darren off of Marc and across the hall into the adjacent lockers, but not before Darren had managed to get in a few good hits. Two others held Marc who was snarling and spitting blood.
“Let me go!” Marc roared.
“I will kill you if you touch her again,” Darren snarled trying to shake off the ones that held him.
Suddenly Emma was between them.
“Stop!” she commanded holding her arms out, palms up toward them. “Please,” she added to Darren her eyes imploring him to do as she asked.
Darren stopped fighting to get free but his body remained tense. “I won’t allow him to talk about you like that,” he said glaring at Marc.
“You can’t allow me anything,” Marc sneered. “She’s mine, Mackenzie. I can do whatever I want to her. Emma!”
The last was a command so sharp Emma jumped. The fear on her face as she slowly lowered her arms turned all three men’s stomachs. The look she gave Darren was so lost that Joe and Jamie had to use their entire body to hold him to the lockers so he would not interfere. Then she turned and walked to Marc.
Shaking off the men holding him, Marc wiped the blood from his mouth as he watched her with such ownership Jamie heard Darren grind his teeth in anger.
When Emma was close enough, Marc reached out and pulled her harshly to him. Wrapping one arm around her waist and tangling the other hand in her hair, his eyes found Darren’s as he lowered his face to hers. The kiss could only be described as Marc demonstrating to everyone in the hallway his dominance over Emma. She was his therefore he could kiss her as if he would climb down her throat, no matter who was watching.
The act was so sudden, so shocking, that all anyone could do was watch, until Emma began to whimper in pain. Before Darren could react Marc released her lips. His eyes daring Darren to say something as he held Emma to him, her body visibly shaking.
“Stay away from her,” Marc warned his eyes narrowing in hatred. Then he looked at the girl in his arms, his voice and eyes softening. “Are you all right?” he asked.
Emma slowly nodded her head.
Sliding his arm around her waist in support, Marc helped her to where they had dropped their books. Making sure she was steady on her feet, he let go to pick them up. Holding both stacks in one arm, he once again slipped the other around her waist and they disappeared around the corner.
“Shit!” Jamie breathed into the silence that followed.
“You going to be okay?” Joe asked Darren his voice full of concern as he and Jamie stepped back to give him some room.
Darren just nodded his head. Leaning back against the lockers, hands on his hips, Darren closed his eyes and hung his head. He knew Emma wanted to be free of that bastard, but Marc had tied their hands. Unless they found something to get the police involved it was too dangerous to try and take her from him.
“There must be something you can do,” Jamie said echoing his thoughts.
“Not unless there is some physically abuse that we can prove, but he’s too careful,” Darren said tiredly.
“And he won’t let any of us near her,” Joe added. “The only time he leaves her alone is at night when she’s at home, and that is starting to become rare. If he is not on the phone with her, he is on the computer with the web cam on so he can see she is alone.”
“There has to be something,” Jamie said. He did not know these people very well, but he knew abuse when he saw it. Marc may or may not be physically abusing Emma, but his possessiveness, his need to control her every move was a form of mental abuse. Usually the physical stuff came soon after.
“I may have found something,” a new voice said quietly. They turned to see Kim Harmon – another friend Marc had managed to push away from Emma – walking up to them with a grim look on her face. “You need to see this.” She handed Darren a piece of paper.
“Shit,” Darren said standing straight, horror in his eyes. “Where did you find this?”
“I was in the library working on a paper for CWP. I got distracted by this website about wanted criminals. This came up while I was looking through the wanted posters,” she answered grimly.
Grabbing the paper from Darren, the color drained from Joe’s face as he read the fine print. “We need to show this to the principal,” he said.
“No,” Darren answered. “If Marc gets wind that we know about this he’ll run with Emma. With this we can finally go to the police and free her in a way that won’t end with any of us, or her, dead.”
This piece is from a story that probably will never be published. I will warn you, it is not PG. I would put it strongly in the R rated category. It is a scene that has been on my mind for a while now. I’m not sure if that is because my muse wants to work on this piece or if it just wants to use this particular scene somewhere else. We will have to see.
A bit of background. This story is a fantasy/sci-fi called Broken Promises. This particular story is what started it all. Where we are not at the beginning but many years later, it is part of the original story I wrote at the age of 14. Back then everything was fan-fiction. I would use the characters from my favorite TV shows, mix them all together with my own ideas for the storyline. I have since then changed the names and edited heavily so it is more mine. I admit, when I went back to read the original I thought “What the hell was I thinking!” on some of the stuff. Very naïve, but then again I was 14. LOL
Enough of me talking and on to the scene. We are on a planet in some unknown galaxy in the center of the universe. Aden has rescued Kara and has taken her to the only place he feels safe. She has been asleep for a long time….
Image: Desk Top Nexus
Kara slowly became aware of her surroundings. She lay on a comfortable bed in a room that felt vast in size. Open as if maybe they were outside. That didn’t make any sense. Why on earth would she be outside? Opening her eyes she stared up at the impossibly high ceiling of a cave. Okay. Not what I expected.
Slowly Kara sat up letting the covers fall from her revealing she was wearing an old shirt she did not recognize. Lifting the covers she found she wore little else. Frowning, she threw the covers off and slipped off the bed. The cave was enormous. The bed she was in was at the back away from the large opening that looked out into the afternoon sky. Other than the sky she could see the tops of trees that told her the cave she was in must be very high. To one side was a kitchen complete with sink and water pump, some sort of cooler that looked like a small refrigerator and cast iron wood stove. Shelves lined the grey rock above the counter filled with dishes and cups, and cupboards lined the bottom under the counter.
Sitting in front of the counter was a wooden table that looked like it had seen better days surrounded by mismatch chairs. Across from the kitchen was a fireplace hewn into the wall with a fire blazing in it, an old couch, two worn but comfortable looking chairs and a couple of small tables. Cluttered along the walls, on the table, under the small tables, and along the back of the couch were books. Hundreds of books and papers everywhere. Most of it was in languages she did not understand, and some of the books were dry and brittle with age as were the papers. As mismatched as the home was, it felt like whoever lived here was content, happy. But where was here? And who lived here? Better yet, how did she get here?
Another question came to her. Where was Tanis? He would have never left her side for this long. Once she woke he would have come to her. A chilling thought crossed her mind. If he could not come to her then Caius must have him, but if that was so then…where was the pain? None of this made sense.
Closing her eyes, Kara pushed her mind outside herself searching for any sign of life. A frown creased her brow as she realized how easy this small act was, distracting her from her purpose. Because of Caius’s spells, every use of her power unless he ordered was like trying to push through molasses. Thick, gooey molasses. Now it was as if she were flying. Opening her eyes, the frown still on her face she looked at her hands. It was almost as if the spells were…gone. If they were….
Raising her hands out to her sides; she once again closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting her power flow through her. The wind whipped around her, blowing her hair over her face, the t-shirt plastered to her body. It flowed unimpeded. Like water that makes it over all the rocks and debris in its way to finally fall over the edge unhindered, free. Kara laughed as she rose into the air for the first time in twenty years feeling completely free. Nothing held her back, forced her to its will, caused her pain. She cried out in joy twirling around in mid-air. It felt so good.
Then another feeling started at the tips of her toes and began to slowly work its way up her feet than legs. It was a familiar feeling, a welcome feeling. A caress of power as if it were hands gently, slowly, sensuously working its way up her legs, and she did not stop it.
“Aden,” she breathed as his power enveloped her in such gentleness, such hunger she once again closed her eyes moaning as her own desire flared to life. With his power he held her, touch places deep in her body no hands or mouth could touch. Caressing, taunting, teasing until she cried out “Enough!”
Tilting her head forward she looked towards the cave opening to see a cloaked figure standing there quietly watching her, but she knew who it was. As she slowly lowered herself back to the earth, Aden pushed his hood back then unclasped his cloak letting it fall to the floor as he strode towards her. Kara’s breath caught at the fierce hunger in his eyes. A hunger she knew her eyes held for him. The moment Kara’s feet touched the floor Aden pulled her into his arms, crushing her to him as he kissed her as if she was the air he needed to breathe. Kara wrapped her arms and legs around him kissing him back with all her strength. Their powers flared out around them then flowed together combining so completely it was hard to tell where one stop and the other began.
One of Kara’s powers, often exploited as one of her weaknesses, was her ability to feel the emotions of those around her. Sometimes, if the other person was strong enough in will, they could force their emotions onto her. Anthony and done it many times, and Caius had the week he had raped her to make her a more willing partner. But the one thing she and Aden had been able to keep secret from the others all these years was Aden also had this power. It was why Caius’s tortures were so effective, even though he did not realize it. Because even if they had wanted to, Aden and Kara could not separate their feelings. They were one, and right now the feeling that was consuming them was a hunger so deep it made it hard either of them to think beyond it.
With Kara wrapped around him, still kissing her, Aden walked them back to the bed. As he climbed on and gently laid her on the bed under him their clothes disappeared. Just the feel of her skin on his almost sent him over the edge. It had been so long. Kara unwrapped her legs from around his hips, planting her feet on the bed, rubbing her hips against the hardness of him.
“Next time,” he breathed hoarsely as his hand slide down her side and under her hips so he could angle himself to slide inside her. “Next time,” this time his voice barely a whisper.
Then she pushed her hips up taking him inside and there was no more talk.
From the moment she saw him, Keisha knew he would be trouble, but did she listen to herself. No. The vow she would fall for no man’s charms, that she would keep her strength of mind and stay her course failed the moment she looked at him. Damn him! This was not in her plan. Not after that self-centered cheating son-of-bitch she had been all ready to marry had torn her heart out and stomped all over it. Yet here she was again. Falling for another man. If she thought about it, which she tried not to, she really had no choice in the matter. Those long lean legs, a body any man would kill for, dark hair that fell artfully stopping just before it touched his shoulders, the chiseled features, and the eyes. God those eyes. They looked into hers and burned a path straight to her heart and things lower. Smoldering smoky hazel eyes that laid her bare.
Nope. She had no chance at all and now she was stuck. Stuck with all that six foot of yumminess for a dinner date and possibly a movie. They would see where the night took them. Considering the day had been beyond gorgeous, and nothing had gone wrong at work unlike it usually did. In fact, it was pretty darn perfect. Just like him. They were too perfect. There had to be something evil waiting in the shadows ready to pounce and rain all over what had been a beautiful parade. Yep, tonight she would find out that all that yummy packaging held a monster ready to pounce on his next victim. Well, she would see about that. She was no kitten cowering in the corner. No, she was a tigress with her own claws and teeth. Bring it on! She would show him what a real woman was made of. Make an example of him for others of his kind to see.
Smiling into the mirror, she thought she was dressed perfectly for the trap. Her blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun with tendrils falling around her face, dark red lipstick, shadowy eyes makeup (two could play at that game) making her vibrant light blue eyes pop. The perfect little black dress that length barely reached her fingertips, and her stilettos. Her feet would be killing her in the end but if all went as she knew it would, it would all be worth it.
Once again smiling that evil smile that sent her friends and family running for cover, she grabbed her clutch and walked out her apartment door, ready for battle.
————–
Chad gave the keys to the valet and walked purposely into the restaurant where he was to meet the woman who had haunted his dreams for the last week. Keisha Belmont. All of five foot nine, most of it legs he had dreamt of wrapping around him more times than he wished, with blonde hair and blue eyes that trapped him in their snare the moment they locked onto his. A body he wanted to know more about in a way that was not healthy. Having just come out of a bad relationship, he was not looking for another anytime soon, but from the first moment he had seen her, heard her laughter, he was entranced. When he had asked around about her, he was surprised to find she was unattached. Someone that beautiful had to have men waiting in the wings. But like him, her relationship had ended recently and badly. Neither one of them was ready for another relationship. Something that she made very clear when she had first refused his offer to take her out to dinner. But he was anything if not persistent, and by the end of the evening he had his date.
Keisha. Such a beautiful name for a beautiful lady. But he vowed he would not let her beauty sway him. This entire week he went back and forth, first wanting the date then not wanting it yet never cancelling. He had even tried a few times. Had his phone in his hand with her number on the screen, but he just could not hit the little green button that would dial her number. And now was the night that would reveal all. Would they end the night by walking away nothing more than acquaintances, or would there be more?
God, he so did not this kind of complication right now. He was just getting his life back together from the last catastrophe that almost broke him in more ways than one. He did not need to make matters worse by adding to his already shambles of a life. First he needed to get his business back on track, then, maybe, he could think of a relationship.
The maître d` took his coat and lead him to the table he had reserved. This was the most posh restraint in the city and he was almost embarrassed to admit he was a regular. Luckily he had squirreled money away for a rainy day. Far from poor, actually he was pretty damn rich, he still had to be careful. One wrong move and he could lose everything. Something he was not ready to do.
After ordering his favorite wine, he sat down and once again started second guessing the wisdom of this date. Then she walked in the doorway and all thought of any kind slipped right out of his head. He watched with what he knew had to be a dumbfounded expression as she talked to the maître d` who pointed her to his table. With a smile that would melt the Artic, she thanked the man then began walking towards him, her expression one of fierce determination.
When Chad slowly rose to his feet, his eyes never leaving hers, he thought he saw her step falter. He definitely saw her eyes go from his head to his feet and back taking in every inch of him. He knew he looked good in his black Armani suit, but it did no justice to what she was wearing. Once she reached him all he could do was stare into those beautiful blue eyes. It took the waiter three times to clear his throat before either of them realized he was trying to get their attention.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Chad stuttered. “Please. Sit down.”
Keisha could only manage a nod and a shy smile before she practically fell into her chair. It was a miracle she kept her knees from buckling when she saw him sitting at the table, and he seemed just as enthralled with her as she was with him. When he finally sat down across from her the waiter again had to clear his throat to get their attention.
“Yes, wine please,” Chad once again stuttered glancing sheepishly at the waiter than back to her. “You? Want wine I mean?” Great. Now he sounded like a complete idiot. To his surprise Keisha only smiled warmly at him.
“Yes. Please,” she said shyly.
As the waiter poured the wine, both of then thought if there was such a thing as love at first sight, this had to be it.
Stupidity that commonsense could have avoided registered in my thoughts followed quickly by frustration laced with resignation.
“What am I to do with you?” I sighed.
“Keep me?” his said, his hopeful child like expression beaming up at me from where he lay amongst the debris of what used to be a chair.
Shaking my head I took a deep breath and managed not to smile. “You are impossible,” I said trying to keep the irritation in my voice and failing.
“But you love me anyways,” he said with a conviction and grin no other could match.
With a sound of disgust I threw my hands up into the air and turned away, knowing he was right which irritated me further. “Clean it up!” I groused walking from the room before my laughter could escape, ruining what little anger I had managed to keep. How did he do that? No matter what he did, how frustrating he was, I could never stay mad at him. It was beyond exasperating!
His knowing chuckle followed behind me, promising a make up session I knew I would soon not forget once the mess was cleaned.
Pete watched Kirsten from the kitchen where he was cooking dinner. She sat at the table typing away on her laptop as she did every night since Jeremy’s death. It hurt his heart to see her so despondent. He missed the vibrant Emma, always quick with a laugh or sarcastic statement. Never before had he felt so comfortable with a woman, so at ease. The way she acted around him, as if he had always been there, led him to believe she felt the same way towards him. If only….
He shook those thoughts out of his head. They would only hurt both of them in the end, and Kirsten had enough loss for one lifetime. Still, he needed to do something to brighten her eyes.
An old song from the 70’s came on the radio. One of those songs everyone knew and would always sing and dance to. Suddenly he had an idea. Turning the stove down on low, he went to the stereo and turned the volume up. When Kirsten looked at him with a puzzled frown, he grinned at her, holding his hand up.
“Dance with me,” he said.
The small smile she awarded him was worth the effort, but it wasn’t enough.
“Come on, dance with me,” he said again dancing his way to where she sat. His grin broadened when she started laughing nervously.
“I can’t dance to this?” she exclaimed her face turning red.
“Of course you can!” Pete exclaimed grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. “You’re with me so of course I will make you look good.”
This got a big laugh from her as he whirled her around the small living room. Soon they were both singing and laughing as Pete expertly twirled her around, moving as if they were one. As if they were made to dance together.
Too soon for Pete the song was over. He finished it with a flourish, bending her over in a dip that would impress Fred Astaire. Pulling her up so he held her against him, both of them breathing hard, he suddenly had the urge to kiss her. Then the music changed. Something slow and sensuous began to play. Wanted by Hunter Hayes. Before they realized what they were doing, they were once more moving to the music, only this time something was different. The intensity between them had changed. As the room grew unbearably warm while they locked eyes,
Pete slowed their dancing until they were stopped.
“I should get back to work,” Kirsten whispered her voice breathless.
“And I should get back to dinner,” Pete whispered his eyes going to her lips.
Neither one moved.
“Pete?” Kirsten said. Whether it was in warning or wanting Pete did not know, nor did he care.
“I know,” he answered.
Still, they did not move from each other’s arms.
Unable to stand it a moment longer, Pete slowly lowered his lips to hers. When their lips finally touched it was everything he thought it would be and more. When she did not pull away he began to deepen the kiss, his arms tightening around her as she melted into him. Heaven could not be as sweet as the taste or feel of the woman in his arms.
Something in the background invaded his nirvana. As he slowly backed Kirsten to the couch the sound kept nagging at him, pulling him away from what he knew was right on so many levels.
“Pete?” Kirsten’s voice called gently. “Pete? Wake up.”
Pete woke with a start, gasping for air as he jerked up onto his elbow trying to get his bearings. He wasn’t in the living room and Kirsten was not in his arms. Instead she was standing at the end of his bed frowning at him.
“Are you all right?” she asked walking over to the side, sitting down next to him, her frown deepening.
Pete could only stare at her. A dream. It had only been a dream, yet it had felt so real.
Kirsten reached up, putting her hand on his forehead. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked again.
“Fine,” Pete said hoarsely, taking her hand in his and pulling it away from his face. Swallowing hard he tried for a smile. “I’m fine,” he assured when he saw Kirsten did not believe him.
“I was going to go into the office and do some work.”
“It’s Saturday,” he said looking at the clock. Seven in the morning. What the hell? “Why are you up?” he asked sitting up, this time his face held the frown of concern. Absently he realized her hand was still in his, but he was reluctant to let go, and she did not seem to mind.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Kirsten said looking down at her other hand that lay in her lap. “I can’t stay here. It’s too quiet. I need to do something,” she added suddenly standing.
Pete watched as she paced his bedroom, wringing her hands. The last month had not been easy. Panic attacks followed by hours of despondency. Pete was starting to worry she would never pull out of her grief. Throwing herself into her work seemed to be the only thing that worked. Still, it was not where she needed to be on a Saturday.
“Let me get dressed and we will go do something,” he suggested.
“No,” Kirsten said a bit too quickly, her eyes going to his then just as quickly looking away. “Justin said he would take me. I just didn’t want you to wake up and find me gone. I didn’t want…”
Pete had climbed out of bed and went to her, stopping her babbling by taking her hands in his. “It’s no trouble Kirsten,” he said touching her cheek with his fingertips, drawing her eyes to his.
The kiss in his dreams flooded his memory, as real as if it had actually happened. Swallowing he dropped his hands.
“Just give me a minute,” he said again.
“All right,” Kirsten whispered her eyes still locked with his. “I would rather it was you. I feel safer with you.”
Those words said with such honesty and vulnerability set Pete’s heart rate speeding. Smiling, he touched her face one more time then walked past her and out the door. Once he was in the bathroom with the door firmly closed, he leaned his hands on the sink and let his head fall, his body shuddering. What the hell was he thinking, touching her like that. If Alex ever found out, if Alex had seen the way Kirsten looked at him and how he returned that look, he would be dead.
Turning the shower on to cold, he quickly washed off the last vestiges of sleep and the dream. Quickly getting dressed he joined Kirsten in the living room talking to Justin.
“I’ve got her,” Pete said smiling at Justin.
“You sure man. You don’t look so good,” Justin observed.
“Nothing a few gallons of coffee won’t cure,” Pete sighed. Grabbing his keys he opened the door for Kirsten. “We have to hit Starbucks before we do anything.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kirsten smiled as she walked past him.
Justin went back to his apartment as Pete and Kirsten headed for his car. It was going to be a long day sitting in Alex’s office as Kirsten worked, but as long as he was with her, he knew it would be a good day. When Pete turned on the radio, the song Wanted by Hunter Hayes started playing.
I heard a song on the radio and this scene came to me. It is during the second book of my series Obsession, called Seduction. I can’t remember what the song was that started this, which is bugging the hell out of me, but I did end with another song because this piece started out very differently than it ended.
This is it, the moment I have been waiting for. Hours of practice, of honing my edge, of polishing until I gleamed. All of it leads up to this one day. It is the first time on a mission for me and my owner. We are both nervous, but I think he more than I. I was made to cut through flesh and bone. To protect those who are important to me, to him. I hear from the others the first time is always the hardest for our owners. That taking of life, but for me it is just something I can do. Like my smaller cousins who cut the meat for dinner, or the vegetables to be cooked, I am just an instrument. Something to be wielded by my owner’s hand to do his or her bidding. I am more specialized though. My job is to cut through the bone and flesh of living creatures. Creatures that look a lot like my owner. It is strange to think that I must kill them. They are so much alike in so many ways. They all sleep, eat, breathe the same. From what I have been told they all bleed the same color. Red. So why do they kill each other?
I was told the others started this particular war. Threatened those my owner is sworn to protect, and if they are not stopped they will kill or enslave them all. My owner calls them the enemy. I wonder, those of my kind that the enemy carries. Are they as bloodthirsty as their owners? Or are they like me. Silent and cold. Lying in wait to be used by the human hand for whatever purpose they deem necessary. I have seen older ones like me, mounted on the wall like some trophy. They have fought great battles and have been retired, whatever that means. Maybe someday I will be up there with them, on that wall of honor. My owners boasting of the great battles they fought with me. Or maybe today I will find myself lying in the mud, my owners body nearby, silent and cold as the steel I am made of.
Until then I will stay in my warm leather sleeve, waiting, wondering, what the day will bring when I am finally brought out to fight the battle for those who wield me and my brothers and sisters, so their families can remain free.
Copyright: Heidi Barnes
Friend of mine Tweeted me the picture and my mind started working, so I just went with it. Not exactly a murder scene, but a prelude to it. I had started out thinking murder scene, but as often happens my muse went a slightly different direction.
To See What I See 