Tag: Creative Writing

Broken Promises – Chapter 2

On By HeidiIn Creative Writing2 Comments

Chapter 2

 

When Emperor Caius informed his young apprentice he was to go down to the planet they were orbiting to collect a very special package, Aden Sahen neither asked questions nor cared. When the emperor’s own elite guard was commanded to accompany him, Aden did not even raise an eyebrow in question. This had been his life for the last six years. No. Not six. Five. The first year the reason for his existence had been ripped from his arms, he was nothing more than a seething, raging shell of a man, unfit to be in the presence of the living. Non-living barely had a chance. Deep down in the bowels of the ship was a small cargo bay and its entire contents that had been completely destroyed.

It was only when the emperor grew tired of waiting for Aden to retain control of his raging emotions that he informed Aden that if he did not pull himself together, the emperor would bring Kara back kicking and screaming, making her last…visit seem like a lullaby. The threat to Kara was enough to shock the unhinged male into sanity. It took everything Aden had to rise to his feet and walk out of that bay. Ever since then he had been going through the motions of living.

Until his feet hit the soft ground of the planet he had been sent to and his knees buckled. In that one instance everything within and without turned upside down, sideways and inside out all at the same time. As if every cell was being ripped apart and put back together millimeter by millimeter. Pain and pleasure, elation and terror all mixed together, ripped through him leaving him disoriented, lost. And then he felt it, felt her, and he could not breathe. NO!

The reaction of the guards told Aden that, unlike him, they knew exactly where they were and why they were here. As Aden huddled on his hands and knees, his fingers digging into the dirt desperately trying to find balance, there was a rustle of metal and harsh words as their weapons trained on him afraid that finite control he held on his temper would break.

Two well polished black boots stepped into Aden’s view.

“I have a message to you from the emperor,” the captain of the guard announced curtly.

At least that was what Aden thought he said. It was hard to tell since his hearing was going in and out. Since the captain’s eyes were a little too happy to see him suffering, he thought maybe he should hear what the bastard had to say. Gritting his teeth, Aden tried to rein in his chaotic emotions. With the overwhelming need to find her, pull her into his arms and never let her go, it was damn near impossible.

“Commander!” the captain snapped, his loathing for Aden and the weakness he was showing evident in that one word. “Get control of yourself. We have a mission to finish, and you acting as if your world had evaporated out from under you is unbecoming of an officer,” he sneered. “Get to your feet now!”

There was some unease among those surrounding Aden at the captain’s obvious disrespect, but for the life of Aden he could not care. Not with the light so close in what seemed like a lifetime of darkness.

Very slowly so the world would not spin out of control, Aden pushed himself up until he sat back on his heels. For the  moment that was all he had. With a sound of disgust, Captain Newell squatted down in front of him, a sneer firmly placed on his thin face. Strangely it was the only thing that was thin, all sharp edges and shadows, as his body was stocky and well maintained. The contrast between body and head would have made him look out of proportion, but his startling blue eyes and extremely short spiky hair and sheer malevolence somehow made it all work. Aden had made many enemies along the way and unfortunately Newell was one of those enemies. So it was no surprise that the man was taking advantage of the emperor not being present and Aden’s current weakness to show his contempt and outright hatred for him.

“You have one job and one job only. Retrieve the witch and bring her to your master,” he sneered, the delight of the pain this news would cause Aden dancing in his eyes.

Aden could not have heard right. Yet why would he be here if not to retrieve Kara. Two emotions raged inside him. Each one as equally strong as the other. The first was something between an overwhelming joy and relief. Joy because the one being in this entire god-forsaken universe that made his existence worth continuing was only a few yards away in the house he could see through the legs of the men surrounding him. Relief because for the first time in five years he could finally take a full breath.

The other was darker, more terrifying than the day he was forced to leave Kara here. The next step of the prophecy that Caius had been obsessing over must be close. If that was true, then Aden would only be finding peace to lose it again. Forever.

“Do you understand your orders?” Newell growled, enunciating every word as if Aden was slow to understand.

Up until now, Captain Newell would have never treated Aden with so little respect. When Aden was healthy, everyone knew the power he wielded. Knew it would have been a death sentence if not handed down by Aden, then the emperor himself. In the last four years while he was unstable, it was enough to invite death just to stand too close to Aden. The only explanation Newell felt bold enough to talk to Aden with so much disgust is because he knew Aden could not retaliate without consequences he was not willing to pay.

Outside the wards, Aden could not feel Kara, nor she him. They were completely cut off from each other, so whatever Aden did magically to the emperor’s troops had no effect on Kara. Now that he was inside the wards if Aden lashed out at any of the men standing around him with his powers, the pain he caused them would rebound on Kara tenfold.  It was the last link put into place by the emperor in the chains that tightly bound them as a way to keep him and Kara under control. There were only a choice few who knew about the new addition, Newell being the captain of the emperor’s guard one of them. What the captain failed to remember was if Aden used his bare hands, Kara was safe.

“He seems struck dumb,” Newell laughed cruelly. “Maybe the stores are true.”

Others joined in in the captain’s laughter when Aden hung his head seemingly in humiliation. Although they were not as enthusiastic in that laughter as their captain. They seemed to remember Aden’s hold on his sanity had been fragile at best, near non-existence at worst. Best not to poke the injured tiger for fear of having their throat ripped out when it finally became pissed enough to forget its injuries.

“Is that right, Commander?” making that one word sound vile. “Is she that good of a fuck that this close to her you lose all control? I heard Malvado’s men boasting how many times they took her to their bed. That she could not resist them. I’ve seen for myself what one lustful thought directed at the whore does to her. How she….”

Newell never had the chance to finish his taunt.

In a movement so fast no one saw what was happening until Aden had his hand tightly wrapped around the captain’s neck. Slowly Aden stood, the ever present rage that simmered just below the surface clearing the chaos muddling his mind, helping him focus, steadying his body. The men around him found no humor in his actions and immediately resituated their weapons with a rustle of cloth and metal, yelling orders for him to release their captain immediately or they would shoot.

Aden ignored them.

“If you ever speak her name or call her whore again. If you so much as look at her, I will end you,” Aden snarled, his face inches from Newell’s slowly turning red face. Very slowly, in the exact condescending tone the captain had asked his question, Aden snarled, “Do I make myself clear, Captain?”

Newell struggled in Aden’s grip, his fingers pulling at Aden’s fingers at his throat, feet dangling a foot above the ground. The look of pure loathing he was directing at the sorcerer resulted in Aden tightening his grip around the captain’s neck.

“Answer me!” Aden roared.

“Yes!” Newell wheezed nastily. A little tighter and Newel rephrased his answer with a little more respect. “Yes…my lord.”

Where he was not pleased with the tone, Aden was quickly losing his strength and did not want to show anymore weakness in front of these men. With a growl of disgust, he opened his fingers, dropping Newell who crumpled to the ground gulping in air.

Turning away in dismissal, ignoring the men still holding their guns on him, Aden started for the edge of the ancient oak grove they stood in, the men surrounding him parting as if he were a viper in their midst they did not want to draw attention to. Just as Aden was about to step into the light of the planets two suns, the captain spoke.

“There is more,” he wheezed hoarsely, the glee in his voice unmistakable even through the damaged throat.

The tone of his voice stilled Aden’s feet and chilled his blood. There could only be one thing that the commander was referring to with such gleeful pleasure. One thing that would seal his and Kara’s fate, making them once again pawns in a game they no longer wanted to play. Praying he was wrong, Aden turned towards Newell.

Newell was on his feet, the malice once more firmly planted in the grin on his face as he held out the last thing Aden ever wanted to set eyes on. Doing his best not to recoil from the evil in the bastard’s hand, Aden calmly looked into the captain’s eyes.

“He wants you to put it on her.”

Aden could not stop his sharp intake of air. The thought of putting that foul piece of metal around Kara’s neck literal tilted his world once more.

“If you refuse and he has to come down here himself, he will kill every adult in the Llassar family, destroy the wards and leave her brats to the wolves that hunt them.”

This time Aden was unable to hide his response and stepped backwards in horror. He would have liked to say Caius would never put Kara’s children in danger because they were too important, but he knew better. The madness of living two thousand years had been slowly eating away at Caius’s sanity. In his obsession of twisting the prophecy to his will, he would jeopardize everything to have Kara under his control, even if it meant breaking her completely. Aden had no choice but to do what was asked of him.

Silently cursing when he saw his hand was shaking, Aden reached out and carefully took the necklace from the grinning bastard. There was a weight that had nothing to do with the delicate piece of jewelry and everything with the evil that infused it. An unsuspecting recipient would think it beautiful. It was how the owner managed to enslave the object of his desire. Present their intended victim with the obviously expensive gift with the pretense of love and warmth, only to find once it was clasped around the victim’s neck they were prisoner to the owner’s every whim. Caius made no airs of hiding what it was. A cursed necklace that had the power to enslave gods, and he had enjoyed forcing it on Kara.

Sliding it into his pocket, feeling the weight of evil that permeated the delicate gold surrounding the many jewels filling his veins, Aden turned without another word, stepping into the sunlight and the next chapter of his living hell.

Chapter 1
Chapter 3

Copyright © 2018 Heidi Barnes

Free

On By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Poetry3 Comments

Have you ever wanted to be free?
Free of burdens,
free of choices
free of morality
free of consequences?
Have you ever wanted to let go
fly with the wind
go wherever
however
with whomever you please?
Have you ever not wanted to worry
about the choices you make
the way others see you
think of you
judge you?
Have you ever wanted to just be
who you are
feel how you feel
do what you want
without fear of condemnation?
Have you ever wanted to be
free?

Copyright © 2018 Heidi Barnes

Broken Promises – Chapter 1

On By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Free Write4 Comments

In everything,
there is a beginning
and an end.
Even great mountains rise and fall
as time continues to roll on.
Within that time,
a delicate balance must be maintained
or all will fall into chaos
and ruin.
The universe is no different.
Among the chaos of creation
there is still a semblance of balance,
or nothing would be able to form,
to grow,
to endure.
But what keeps that balance?
Is it divine force,
or just chance?
Is it strong and sure,
or just holding on by a thread
ready to break at any moment?
Do we have centuries,
years,
or days
before the life we know ends
as suddenly as it began?
Is it as simply as a choice between
good or evil,
right or wrong,
love or hate?
Or is it as simple as choosing to embrace both,
because without one the other
does not exist.

 

Chapter 1

 

It had been five years since they released her physically, only one year since the nightmares finally stopped. For eleven years before her release, they had done everything they could to break her. Physical torture, mental abuse, rape. All because of a moment of stupidity. A moment that would completely change her in ways that she was still trying to understand, and even though she was now free, there was a small voice in the back of her mind that kept whispering that freedom would not be forever.

Thirty-eight-year-old Kara Conner was born with a special ability. The ability to make people bend to her will. She could never bring herself to use it on anyone for her own needs. Instead she would see someone bulling someone or another stealing and gently push them into a different direction. The right direction.

In a rush to get home, or was it to school? It seemed so long ago that her nightmare began Kara could not remember, but patience had never been one of her virtues. She was in a hurry so decided to take the shortcut through the woods. One that stories were told about people walking in and never walking out. Of boogeymen and witches. Of vengeful ghosts who were either searching for their lost loves or looking for the one who betrayed them. As far as Kara was concerned it was all hogwash. The woods were not haunted by ghosts or witches or boogeymen because they did not exist.

What she realized too late was that the woods were haunted by something far worse. Something that was looking for her.

Before she knew what was happening, Kara was being dragged kicking and screaming into a reality she did not know existed. A reality where the people came from other worlds far from her home planet, Earth. Who traveled in metal cities called ships from galaxy to galaxy, making allies and conquering enemies, bending those who resist their rule to their will. People who had powers to enter her mind, cause her pain or pleasure with a single thought. Show her that the strange things she had always been able to do did not make her crazy. They made her special. Special enough that there were those hunting her who wished to use her for their own objectives.

In order to survive those eleven years, Kara had done things she would never tell her family. Acts she was not sure her husband who she deeply loved could ever forgive. Acts she never wanted her children to know their mother was capable of. Horrific, vile, degrading acts that even though the nightmares had stopped still haunted her. Acts she would do again if it meant those she loved remained innocent of the evil that marred their universe. Evil that went by the name of Colin Malvado.

Colin was the one who captured Kara in the forest that fateful day. He had technology at his disposal that Kara had only seen in movies and television shows, and his power she thought far outweighed hers. Why he needed her and her paltry magic was beyond Kara, but no matter how much she pointed out that fact, how much she pleaded for him to let her go, he refused. The one time she managed to escape with her now husband, her freedom was short lived. When he caught her, dragging her back into her living nightmare kicking and screaming, she found out just how sadistic Colin could be. The only solace she had was that her husband and child were safely hidden away.

Kara’s only refuge from Colin’s cruelty was his son Anthony. As much as the thought of giving herself to the monster’s son repulsed her, Anthony was the only one in her living nightmare that did not want to hurt her. All he wanted was for Kara to be his and that she never left him. Ever. It was an obsession Kara would learn to regret fostering.

Then new players entered the scene. A powerful sorcerer who called himself Emperor Caius and his apprentice Aden Sahen. A young man who would prove to be not only Kara’s savior, but something much deeper that they could not begin to understand or stop from happening.

When Aden and his master rescued her from Colin, for the first time in a very long time Kara felt safe. The power these new beings held guaranteed Colin and Anthony could never touch her again. She expressed her want to go home, to be with her husband and now three-year-old son. Caius warned her if she did she would only be putting them in danger, for there were others just like Colin who hunted her. Better to stay and learn how to wield her powers, keep the knowledge of her family safely hidden until she was strong enough to protect them. Reluctantly Kara agreed.

During that first year with her new protectors, Kara was taught how hone her powers, control them. She was surprised by how strong she really was. Once Emperor Caius was satisfied with her expertise, he informed her she must now earn her keep. At first she agreed, but soon she began to balk at the things he asked her to do as they became increasingly malevolent.

It was then the pain began.

In all her years with Colin, he never came close to what the emperor did to her when she refused to do as he asked. Colin’s form of persuasion was mental and physical. Part pain, but playing heavily on using her as the ships whore in an attempt to break her. The emperor was able to get into her mind, weave spells around her that set every nerve ending, every muscle, into a pain so excruciating Kara could not even begin to think about breathing.

Aden tried to protect her from the worst of it, but even he with all his power could only do so much. And they had to be careful. If the emperor knew of the strange bond between them, of how being apart from each other was physically painful, he would use it to his advantage. Kara found out rather quickly she could hide nothing from him. Furious at what he called a betrayal he could never forgive, Caius ordered them to break their bond. What Caius did not understand was even if they wanted too; the binding of their souls could not be broken. A binding that also made them stronger.

In order to control them, Caius weaved a web of spells around Kara, making it impossible for either she or Aden to outright attack him. It also made it impossible for Kara to use her magic on any of his men unless she was directly ordered to. Aden had no such restrictions, but if he were to attempt to thwart Caius from punishing Kara, his actions would rebound on her tenfold. This threat did not stop Aden from masking her pain when she lay in his arms sobbing. A kindness Caius could never seem to understand. Kara was a tool, a weapon to use against his enemies. Weapons had no feelings. Weapons had no feelings, and when they disobeyed they were punished. Severely.

When Kara thought she could take no more, Caius suddenly decided to release her. Although release was a relative term.

Promising he would leave her alone to live out the remainder of her life in peace, Caius took her to the planet where her husband Brynn and now ten-year-old son Chris lived. A planet very similar to her Earth with one exception. It was full of magic. A perfect place to hide someone of her extraordinary abilities without drawing attention to what she was. A being that when Caius explained to her what she was even Kara did not believe.

To keep her safe from her enemies, Caius put protective wards around the small county where Brynn, his Uncle and cousins resided. With the wards her enemies would not be able find or hurt her. However, if she wanted to remain free, she could not step outside the boundary of the wards or she would be lost to them.

Knowing the agony it would cause them, as one last punishment Caius ordered Aden to be the one to take Kara down to the planet surface. They materialized outside the farmhouse in the shade of five ancient oak trees.

“Stay with me,” Kara begged clutching Aden’s long coat desperately, the thought of being apart already tearing into her soul.

“You know he will never allow it,” Aden reminded his voice breaking as he held her tightly to him. “We’ve become too strong. He knows what the separation will do to us. That it will weaken us.” He moved back only enough to tip her head so he could look into her eyes. “Brynn is here. He will help you through this.”

Saying the words aloud was almost as painful as the thought of not having Kara at his side. Caius had explained why Kara needed to be here with Brynn. What she needed to do before the next step was taken, but it still did not make sense to Aden. Kara belonged to him, was bound tightly to him, just as he was to her. There would be no other for him, so why did she have to return to Brynn when in her soul she no longer belonged to him? It was as if Caius knew something they did not.

“Brynn?” Kara whispered.

It was as if saying his name gave her soul permission to call to him. The sudden pull made Aden gasp as pain radiated through his chest. What the hell? Then another more persistent, sharper pull sucked the air out of his lungs. Caius was calling him back, and every cell in his body was screaming in protest.

“No!” Kara whimpered holding onto him even tighter. But they both knew Caius would not be denied. Could not be ignored.

“I love you,” Aden whispered just before his lips touched hers.

And then he was gone.

Kara could not breathe. Falling to her hands and knees gasping for air, she struggled to stay conscious. Gods, the pain. Just as she was slipping into oblivion strong arms pulled her into an embrace, a voice she thought she would never hear again called her name frantically. Then his power breathed through her and she was able to suck in precious air.

“Brynn,” she whispered just before she slipped into the welcoming darkness.

For the next five years Kara was able to reconnect with her husband and son, Chris, have another child, a daughter they named Jamie. But the ache in her heart, in her soul, that was the absence of Aden was never far away. Where Brynn’s love and presence did lessen the pain, it did not completely eradicate it. There was always a part of her that reached out searching for her missing piece. Searching for Aden.

When Colin finally found her, the wards kept him physically out of the county Kara lived in, but they could not keep him out of her mind. There were many nights she woke in a cold sweat screaming. Brynn would hold her until she cried herself to sleep. He asked her once what her dreams were about, only once. To know what she had gone through, what they had forced her to do when he was helpless to stop it was more then he could bear to hear. So he held her, loved her, was there for her to try and help her heal. They had two children who desperately needed their mother whole and he would do everything in his power to see that happen.

Vows, even ones made with conviction as strong as steel, can be broken as easily as promises made with a passing breath or with evil intent.

 

Chapter 2

Copyright © 2018 Heidi Barnes

A new story…Broken Promises

On By HeidiIn Blog, Creative Writing, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I know it’s been a while since I have posted. Life has been busy and my muse has been quiet. It seemed that trying to write anything was a chore. I have a book that needs to be be written, the third to my Destiny series, and I did start it last year, but I just did not seem to have the gumption to continue. I think I have figured out why and now have started to think more about it, figure out what path it will take. In the meantime I have made a decision about whether or not I will start publishing another story on here.

Broken Promises is based on the very first story I ever wrote. The one that was was started with a writing prompt from my 8th grade home room teacher. The original was all fan-fiction. Mixing and mashing TV shows and at least one movie together to make an original story. It was easier for me to use the characters and places of those shows because I had them firmly in my head. The story line was all my own though. I have that first part because my mom typed it up for me and I turned it in to my teacher in place of another project we were suppose to do. You see, I was too busy writing to do the project. lol. Luckily my teacher was more than happy to support my fledgling writing. She also wanted to know how it ended.

750+ handwritten pages later (yes you read that right) and it still wasn’t done. I won’t be using that first part (15 year old teenage writing is a bit…scary). What I will post sort of jumps in the middle of that story. Don’t worry, it should make sense. I will have to heavily edit a few chapters. This is not a PG-13 story, so I will tone down some of the more…sexually intense scenes. Kara’s life is not an easy one.

I will see how it goes, how you respond. I would like friendly feedback whether it is positive or negative. It will help me figure out what works and what doesn’t. Like Forever Lost, I will have a page for it under random writing with links to each chapter and links to the chapters on either side at the bottom of the posted page. Part of me sort of thinks this may be a continuation of Forever Lost, even though the character’s names are different as are the places and genre. Let me know what you think.

I will post the first chapter shortly.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend. 🙂

Heidi

A Tidbit, a whisper….

On By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Free Write2 Comments

There’s a story in my head that wants to be heard. A tidbit, a nugget, too shy to speak loud and show its full potential. Hiding behind the veil, peeking out to be seen only to slip away when I try to tease it out.

Once upon a time … not quite it.

The man from Nantucket … NO! NO! NO!

Four score and seventy … Ahhh! Now I’ll have that stuck in my head all day! Gah!

A tidbit, a whisper. Words that beg to be turned into a phrase, a scene, a piece of someone’s heart. Please, if you want to be heard, if you want your story told, speak up or the life you deserve may never be lived.

Copyright 2018 Heidi Barnes

 

A Little Story – Obsession

On By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Flash Fiction4 Comments

This story takes place between Deceptions and Absolution in my Obsession Series. I had hinted at it, but there really had not been any fleshing out of what had happened. I was thinking about that and this is what came to me. It’s more about Kirsten and Cody, but I thought it might be of some interest, short that it is. I have longer tid-bits. I’m just not sure if I want to post them yet.

If you haven’t read the Obsession series yet, this shouldn’t give too much away.

 

A Kidnapping Attempt

 

It was one of those rare moments Kirsten was left alone when they traveled off the island. Granted she was in the penthouse of one of the most luxurious secure hotels in Italy, but it had already been proven that secure did not necessarily mean safe. That little nugget of information was driven home with gut wrenching clarity.

Kirsten’s hands went to her stomach, gently laying over where her child had once been. Where her body had healed to where she felt no more pain, her mind was far from whole. The doctor had just given her and Alex the go ahead to try for another child, but Kirsten was not ready, and Alex loved her enough that he did not push. To be honest, neither one of them were ready to put their hearts out there again and risk the chance of having it crushed.

Focusing on the vista before her, Kirsten brought herself back to the present. The past was past, and even though memories and grief tried to crush her more than she cared to admit, Kirsten had vowed not to dwell on what could not be changed. Today Alex had an important meeting that would last most of the day, promising to be home by dinner. As one of Alex’s right-hand men, Cody had gone out on some business errands and would be back in the afternoon. Kirsten decided to take the time to recover from her jetlag and catch up on some of her own paperwork. This was not the first time she had been to Italy in the last year, and it probably would not be the last. On this trip they would be staying a full month. Plenty of time to sightsee.

At the moment, she was standing on the enormous balcony enjoying the magnificent view. Sighing, Kirstein leaned against the railing. Closing her yes, she let herself fall into the warm breeze and ocean smells, for a short time forgetting the real reason she was here. Not because it was a choice, or because of work, but because one man decided he wanted her therefore no one else could have her. Something that was part of her past, present and future. Something she could not escape so she was trying to make the best of.

Opening her eyes, Kristen wondered how her mother was. There had been enough tabloid articles and pictures of Alexi Tremmel’s mystery wife that she at least knew Kirsten was alive. That was the only way Kristen could stay calm when Alex would refuse her at least a phone call. Glancing back into the room she knew if she called now there would be no one to stop her. Frowning, she turned back to the vista outside. Maybe she should start being truthful with herself and admit she did not want to call because she was afraid to find out that her mother wasn’t worried about her. That they weren’t still looking for her, or the worst, that Jeremy had given up trying to find her and rescue her from her gilded cage. That he had found someone else to love.

Choking back a sob, Emma blinked back tears as a wave of grief threatened to overwhelm her.

“Kirsten?”

The concern in Cody’s voice was too much. With a sob, she turned and launched herself into his arms.

“Whoa! Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked holding her gently as he stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. When she only continued to cry he started to realize what was wrong. It was not the first time in the last year she had given into her emotions. Cody was surprised it did not happen more often considering all that she had lost. There were times he was barely holding it together. The only solace he had was the woman in his arms. The woman he loved but could never have.

Gently, Cody led Kirsten to the couch. Once he was seated, she curled up in his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she buried her face in the cook and tried to calm down. Holding her legs with one arm, Cody soothingly rubbed her back. Any other time he would worry about Alex walking in on them and thinking the worst, but after the incident at the cabin, both men had agreed when Kirsten was this upset jealousy went to the wayside.

When she began to quiet Cody softly asked, “What happened?”

“I was thinking about my mother and how she was doing. If she still worried about me or had they moved on with their lives without me,” she finished with a sniffle.

They. That was the telling word. It wasn’t so much her mother Kirsten grieved over, but Jeremy. Cody knew the answer to her question and it twisted his gut painfully. While he could not tell her the whole truth, he could relieve some of her anxiety.

“He hasn’t forgotten you,” Cody assured.

“How do you know?” Kirsten hiccupped.

“Because Alex keeps close tabs on his whereabouts so he can make sure to stop Jeremy’s attempts to rescue you,” he answered putting his lips to her hair. He hated lying to her, but it was a necessary evil to keep them both safe. Where he did not want to hurt Kirsten by hurting Jeremy, in his mind Jeremy was the expendable one.

They were silent for a while, each taking comfort in the other. A luxury not often afforded them.

“There’s a little café I have been wanting to take you to. Do you feel up to it?”

Nodding, Kirsten sat up, wiping her eyes as she slid off his lap onto the couch next to him. Cody felt the loss of her heat instantly and it sadden him. More than it should have.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“For what?” Cody asked smiling as he pulled some of the hair that was stuck to her face and tucking it behind her ear.

“I’m not prone to crying fits, yet in the last couple of years they seem to sneak up on me more and more.”

“I think you have had ample reason to have more than a few breakdowns, Kirsten,” he frowned. “We haven’t made your life easy.”

“Someone looking in from the outside would think my life is ideal. I have a husband who adores and spoils me. I have friends who are there for me and would give their lives for me as I would them.” Kirsten took Cody’s hand in hers and squeezed it. “Friends I cannot lose,” she whispered.

“Kirsten.” The word was a silent plea for understanding, for forgiveness. It was filled with a longing that Kirsten understood all to well. Slowly, gently, she extracted her hand from his. They are walking for a very fine line. One that could get them both killed.

“But my life isn’t ideal,” she whispered hoarsely, the tears once again threatening to fall.

“No, it isn’t.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts, each comforted by the other’s presence because they knew that was all that was asked. There was no hidden agenda, no jealousy, no expectations.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out shakily, Kirsten wiped her hands up and down her thighs.

“You said something about lunch.” The cheerfulness she was trying to exclude fell flat, but Cody understood. Time to put on their game face and move on.

“They have a sandwich I know you will love,” he said standing when she did.

“Better than the one back home?” she asked doubtfully.

“I’ll let you decide,” he smiled.

 

An hour later:

“What do you think?” Cody asked as he watched Kirsten chew her bite of sandwich.

“It’s good,” she answered thoughtfully, hold one hand over her full mouth so she would not flash her half-chewed food.

“Just good, huh,” Cody frowned. Taking his Pastrami on Rye in both hands, he took a bite, chewing thoughtfully.

Swallowing, Kirsten followed it with a sip of her wine. “I really like it,” she assured looking at her club sandwich. “It’s just not…better,” she offered looking at Cody with a small smile.

“Hmmm,” Cody answered frowning as he chewed. Shaking his head, he reached for his wine. “You’re wrong,” he declared before taking a drink.

Kirsten choked on her sandwich. “What do you mean I’m wrong?” she rasped indignantly.

Cody shrugged. “Your wrong,” he repeated as if it was a known fact. “What is complicated about that. You just are.”

Kirsten started at him with wide-eyed disbelief as he continued to eat as if she were not there with her jaw on the table. Glancing to her right, she spied one of their security detail doing his best not to smirk. When Kirsten narrowed her eyes on Taylor, he lost the battle. When she stuck her tongue out at him, he burst out laughing. Mica, a newer addition who took his job guarding Kirsten very seriously, was sitting on the other side of the table from Taylor on the phone frowning at him in annoyance.

“Jackass,” Kirsten muttered turning her attention back to her sandwich. She would have reprimanded him for not doing his job, but she knew he could not help it. Along with the fact he was the best of the best and that they had extra men posted around the café, Taylor was quick to laugh and enjoyed teasing Kirsten unmercifully when Alex was not around. Since so few would even attempt to talk to Kirsten, she did not mind and usually encouraged him by bantering back and forth.

When he heard her call him jackass, his grin widen. “I live to be the blister on your….”

“Taylor,” Mica snapped as he pulled his phone from his ear, stopping what Kirsten knew was something very inappropriate.

“What?” Taylor asked with mock innocence.

Growling at the man with narrowed eyes, Mica turned to Cody and Kirsten, who were both smiling. “We need to leave. Now,” he emphasized by standing abruptly and throwing money down on his table.

All humor fled as Taylor followed Mica to his feet, his eyes scanning the crowd for signs of danger.

“What happened?” Cody demanded as he and Kirsten pushed to their feet.

“We got a tip there was a kidnap attempt about to happen,” Peter’s explained as he and two others who had materialized out of nowhere surrounding them. Taking Kirsten’s arm Cody directed her towards the street.

“Do you know by who?” Cody asked as they dodged tables, chairs, and people.

“Whoever called had a voice distorter. They said it was Bannatyne,” Peter’s answered as he followed, gun drawn but discreetly hidden down by his side. No need to scare the public just yet. It would just make his job of getting his two charges to the safety of the car that much harder.

“Shit,” Cody hissed under his breath.

They had reached the sidewalk when the first gunshot rang out, shattering a cup on the table near Kirsten. Instinctively ducking, the men around her showed their hardware as they headed for the car that had screeched to a halt a few feet away from them, pushing through the screaming and running mob.

Once Kirsten was safely in the car, Cody turned to Peter’s. “Find that bitch and bring her to me,” he snarled.

“With pleasure,” Peter’s grimaced as a bullet whizzed past them.

Following Kirsten into the car, Cody slammed the door shut, barking, “Go!” Pulling his phone from his pocket, he hit speed dial and put the phone to his ear.

“I still say it’s better,” he commented calmly into the silence.

Kirsten frowned at him, not understanding what he was talking about and having a hard time making her brain work after the near miss they just experienced. When it finally dawned on her he was talking about the sandwiches, she burst out laughing. That is what Alex heard as he answered his phone to find out that Annalisa Bannatyne was once again trying to kill his wife.

Chasing Rabbits by Suzanne Carey

On By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Flash FictionLeave a comment

Sitting on a tree branch, Suzi clutched her stomach, gasping for breath, laughing so hard she nearly fell out of the tree. The rabbits were back and Heidi was mad. All her lovely new plants… rabbit food. But the situation got even funnier when she called her dog Jack to chase away the furry varmints, […]

via Chasing Rabbits — suzannevcarey

I put a link on my original story to Suz’s post, but I thought I’d repost in case those who have already read my post missed it.

I’m Too Old to Chase Rabbits

On By HeidiIn Blog3 Comments

My dog, Jack, is getting on in age. It has been thirteen years since we went to choose between him and his brother. It was and easy choice. Jack was full of energy and wanted to play. His brother found the nearest object, ran under the truck and began to chew on it. Yeah…exuberant it was! Now, where he still has energy, it’s a little more subtle and his hearing isn’t what it used to be.

In the last couple of weeks the rabbits, or stew meat as I lovingly call them through gritted teeth, have come out in force. I’ve had as many as four in the yard at once, and those are just the ones I can see. I wonder where all the coyotes have gone. Have they suddenly sworn off rabbit? I hear it’s rather tasty.

Now before I receive comments about how cute and cuddly rabbits are, I thought the same thing until they ate $200 worth of plants I had just planted. Needless to say I was not amused.

Now that you have some back story, here is what happened a few days ago.

Jack is sleeping on his bed when I see one of the vermin called rabbit in the yard eating grass a little to close to my flowerbed for my comfort.

Me: Jack! Rabbit!

No response.

Me, a little louder: Jack! There’s a rabbit!

Jack’s head comes up: Rabbit?

I head for the slider and he follows as I wind him up to chase the rabbit. Now there is an art to opening the slider and not having the dog slam into it as he bolts out the opening like a race horse. You have to time it right and be wicked fast. I brace myself. Jack crouches down, ready to spring forward. I slide the door open and…

He sticks his head out the door. Slightly anti-climactic. Although lately he has been thinking about running more than actually doing.

Jack stares at the rabbit who is now frozen in hopes that he won’t be seen.

Me, very exuberantly: Rabbit! (Because that one word says it all.)

Jack: Yes, that is a rabbit.

Me: Go get the rabbit!

Jack gives me a look that seems to say: You do remember the last time I chased one of those things. I had to be carried back because my joints aren’t what they used to be. Very embaressing.

The rabbit is still frozen in the lawn.

Me: Come on, Jack. Get the rabbit!

Jack looks back at the rabbit then very non-chalantly walks out the door and to the left, NOT towards the rabbit: I’m going out front.

As Jack disappears around the corner of the house, the rabbit resumes eating, and I’m left wondering what just happened.

Have a wonderful week.
Copyright 2017 Heidi Barnes

Here is a little side story that my friend Suzanne Carey wrote after she read this piece. We have a mutual friend/bane-of-my-existence called Suzi. She is a fairy that tries hard to do good things, but somehow they always manage to go…sideways. Here is Suzi and her attempt to help me with my little rabbit problem. Chasing Rabbits.

Coming Soon – Legacy

On By HeidiIn Blog, Creative WritingLeave a comment

Book 5 of the Obsession Series

Legacy

Justus Tremmel. Playboy, hero, risk taker, lover. All the things his father was except one. Responsible CEO of one of the most powerful empires in the world. At twenty-three everyone expected him to take over the company sooner rather than later, a job Jesse was doing his best to run away from. That was until a mere slip of girl captured his heart and the attention of those who wanted him dead and his family ruined. Will he be able to walk away from Sara, or will he follow in his father’s footsteps? Keeping the woman he loves locked away, never to see her family and friends again. Will any of it be enough to keep her safe?

Sara Reese had her future planned out. Finish college and move as far away from the small quiet town she grew up in to live in the big city where excitement was around every corner. That was until Justus Tremmel inadvertently gave her a taste of his world and the dangers surrounding it. Now hunted by the ones who wish to see the Tremmels ruined, Sara must decide whether she wants to stay in the comfort of what she knows, or dive headlong into a world she barely understands and wants her dead.