Table of Contents

- 1.

- 2.

- 3.

- 4.

- 5.

- 6.

- 7.

- 8.

- 9.

- 10.

- 11.

- 12.

- 13.

- 14.

- 15.

- 16.

- 17.

- 18.

- BONUS BOOKS

- Dystopian Romance

- Love and Survival in the Time After

- Victorian Mystery

- Alien Romance

- MC Romance

- Bear Shifter Romance

- Stepbrother Romance

- Highlander Time Travel Romance

- Billionaire Romance

- Time Travel Romance

- Dragon Shifter Romance

- Wolf Shifter Romance

THE SHIFTER’S MAIL ORDER VIRGIN

A STONYBROOKE SHIFTERS STORY

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2017 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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Introduction

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STONYBROOKE SHIFTERS SERIES

DADDY SHIFTER’S VIRGIN

A SECRET BABY FOR THE SHIFTER

Table of Contents

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

BONUS BOOKS

Dystopian Romance

Love and Survival in the Time After

Victorian Mystery

Alien Romance

MC Romance

Bear Shifter Romance

Stepbrother Romance

Highlander Time Travel Romance

Billionaire Romance

Time Travel Romance

Dragon Shifter Romance

Wolf Shifter Romance

1.

“Open up, Ferguson! We know you’re in there!”

Molly’s heart panged with fear at the sound of Mr. Jeffers. He had been hounding her family for months, coming and going as he pleased and making pass after pass at Molly, who was at least thirty years younger than he was. It was just creepy.

The worst part was that Molly’s father was at this man’s beck and call, and nobody seemed more anxious to please the old man than her dad. Being the youngest of the three children at twenty-three years old, Molly had always been sheltered from the ways of the family business, but she’d gotten the impression that things had gone far, far south, and a shady deal with the horrible old man had been the only way to save the business her father had worked all his life to build.

“Just one moment, please,” Molly said as evenly as she could. Her father had made it clear he wasn’t to be bothered, under any circumstances, before locking himself in his study. It had made her feel a little bit apprehensive at the time, especially with Jeffers always dropping in at random. It put her in a bit of a tight place. She knew that whatever was going on with Jeffers was important, though, and if he thought her father was avoiding him then things would go downhill fast.

Molly rushed upstairs and rapped urgently on her father’s door.

“How many times do I have to tell you kids what ‘do not disturb’ means?” her father exclaimed.

“It’s Mr. Jeffers, father,” Molly said, her chest tight. “He’s here for you.”

“Curse that infernal man,” Molly’s father said quietly under his breath. “He’s going to be the death of me.”

“Especially if you don’t answer the door,” Molly said quietly.

“Of course, of course. See to it that nobody comes up here and disturbs my work, all right? That’s my girl.”

Her father dropped a quick kiss on Molly’s forehead and she watched him head downstairs quickly. It seemed odd that she would be appointed to guard his office. None of them ever dared to go inside. Not even their mother. What was he hiding in there?

“Mr. Jeffers, welcome!” Molly’s father’s voice boomed jovially throughout the house and Molly cringed. There was nothing but falsity in it, and there was nothing that Molly valued more than honesty. “Please come in.”

“I might feel more welcome if that daughter of yours would allow me to wait inside for you. I swear, you’d think she was raised in a barn. Pretty as hell, though, that one. She’s lucky for it too, otherwise she wouldn’t get away with it.”

Molly’s cheeks burned as she listened to the men chatting candidly in the hallway. Did they realize just how far their deep voices carried in this place?

“It’s my fault, really. You see, I told her I wasn’t to be disturbed. But your visits here are always welcome. She just wanted to clear the air.”

“Ah, a considerate girl, indeed,” Jeffers said. “I have half a mind to put her to work. If you know what I mean.”

Molly frowned. She was well aware of the types of business that Jeffers mixed himself up in. He was quite infamous for his dealings in brothels and the like. Whether shifter or human, the man knew his way around a corner. The sex trade seemed to suit him. It made her sick to think he might think of her in such a way, though she couldn’t say that she was surprised about it either.

“Molly is not cut out for that line of work,” her father said rigidly, clearing his throat before changing the subject.

“Well, you’re going to have to do something about this. You owe me money. Big money. And we’re not going to be doing each other favors anymore. We agreed on that.”

“It’s out of the question. We will find another way.”

“I wouldn’t put her up in a brothel,” Jeffers went on as if he hadn’t heard her father. “She would have a nice, loving home. Do you know the market value of a virgin? She would rake in way more than enough to pay off your debt to me and save the business at the same time. Otherwise, you know it’s going to come out about the murder.”

“That was an accident!” Molly’s father hissed. “And don’t you think I feel bad enough about that? Now please, do not speak of that in a place where my daughters might overhear.”

“It doesn’t matter to me who overhears your issues. They might as well know it. You killed a man and your boy was with you. In fact, your son could go to prison for a long, long time, Ferguson. He covered your ass. And you know everybody is going to see the alarming coincidence. The night Terry Ramsey disappeared was the same night he was going to come in and shut down your business. Buy you out like you were the world’s biggest putz. And somehow, that very night, he just so happens to get hit by a car.”

“You know exactly what happened. He threatened me! Threatened my family! Then he decided to jump out in front of my car. It was storming and I couldn’t stop in time.”

“Which is why you came to me. You knew I had experience in such…delicate matters. You told me the whole sad story about your floundering business too. And I took pity on you. I helped you. But there was a price for that help and your deadline is far past due.”

“Molly is off limits, Jeffers. I already told you that we will think of something.”

“Well, you’re just going to have to think fast, because if you don’t have a solution by Tuesday morning, I won’t be able to help you with the nice, hard-working police man who will knock at your door.”

“Please! Just…”

But the door had already slammed shut, and Molly’s father stood downstairs, his silence enough of an indication of what he might be thinking. He eventually returned to his office, smiling feebly at Molly, before closing the door behind himself and leaving Molly in the darkness.

2.

“I just don’t see why you couldn’t have stayed with Veronica! She was a nice girl!”

“She wasn’t my type, Ma, could you just give it a rest?”

“But Greyson, your time is severely limited. Don’t you see that?”

Greyson glowered at his mother, a growl rising in the back of his throat.

“Greyson Beauregard Bleuth, do not look at your mother like that!”

His father’s stern voice made Greyson balk and he turned his glaring eyes onto his father.

“Why do you two insist on treating me like I’m twelve years old? I’m nearly thirty-two and you’re still trying to play matchmaker. Why can’t you just mind your own business about it?”

“You know perfectly well, why,” Greyson’s father said, his dark, serious eyes silencing his son.

And it was true. Greyson was of a proud shifter heritage. One steeped deeply in tradition. They were descended from the founders of Stonybrooke, and had always had an important role in looking out for the rest of the pack. Times had changed, and drastically, since the original shifters had roamed the land, but not so much that Greyson’s family had lost sight of who they were.

“I just haven’t met the right woman for me yet, that’s all,” Greyson said with a heavy sigh.

“Well, you have a date tonight,” his mother said cheerfully, flipping open her notebook and scanning through the pages. “A girl named Heidi. She’s very cute. And a virgin. You know how important that is.”

Greyson grunted. He knew how important his parents thought it was. According to legend, if the first-born shifter of noble blood mated with a human virgin, then not only would the union be blessed for all time, but the rest of the pack would be given the blessing of the ancients, and the couple’s offspring was granted special powers that other shifters couldn’t possess. Especially in the presence of the Serah stone.

It all sounded very alluring, but Greyson had never thought much either way about whether a woman was a virgin or not. Not that he was the type of man who liked to be intimate with every girl who crossed his path. Quite the opposite, actually. He was a loner at heart, and a secret romantic. He just couldn’t see himself being with a woman, let alone settling down with someone, who didn’t stir him in some way.

“Where did you find this one?” Greyson asked with a heavy sigh.

“The same dating site where I found Veronica. She’s looking for the right special someone to give her ladyhood to!”

“Mother!” Greyson exclaimed, disgusted by both the phrasing and the cheerfulness with which his mother imparted the news.

“Please, just promise me you’ll meet her and give her a chance.”

“I give all of them a chance,” Greyson growled.

His father raised a warning eyebrow at him and Greyson sighed.

“Well, give this one an extra chance. You only have one more month until the Serah ceremony commences. If you’re not mated by then, you won’t get another chance like this for the rest of your life. It’s only held once every thirty-one years, and I doubt you’re going to be able to bear children at the ripe old age of sixty-three.”

“I’ll try my best to give her a chance,” Greyson said, bowing deeply at his parents before turning his back on them and heading out the door. “But I can’t make any promises.”

“That’s all we ask,” his mother said, her voice bright now that she had gotten her son to agree to another date that, as far as Greyson was concerned, was going to go nowhere. “Have fun!”

Greyson grunted. If she wanted him to have fun so badly, she wouldn’t be sending him on this miserable misadventure to begin with.

***

The date was arranged for that evening at the nicest restaurant in Stonybrooke. Greyson’s parents had a lot of money, so they were able to afford fine dining for all of Greyson’s unfortunate candidates. He sat at the table, twenty minutes early as his mother had instructed him to be, and fiddled with every single thing he saw on the table as he went over the long list of women he had rejected.

First, there was Annabelle, the woman who compulsively spoke only about the things that irritated her. It got to be very poor company after a while, even if she was attractive. Then it was a girl named Sue, who seemed to be allergic to every single thing on the menu. Even worse was Jackie, who seemed to have an aversion to all types of shifter cuisine and seemed to have nothing good to say about the political standing of shifters and humans.

None of these women had gotten Greyson particularly interested. Even if his parents thought he was turning down the girls to spite them, he wasn’t. They were just too consumed with his bad reputation. He had hung around a bad crowd for the larger part of his life, and he had little patience for anybody else. If he found someone irritating upon his first impression of them, he wasn’t the type of guy to give them a second chance. There was no point in wasting his time on stupidity and mundane people. There were more important things to think about.

“Greyson?”

Greyson sighed at the shrill timbre of the woman’s voice, and when he stood up to greet her, he was shocked to find that she stood at least two heads taller than he was, which was fairly miraculous considering he was a hearty six foot six inches tall.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, forcing himself to smile. This was going to be a long night.

3.

“All right, Fergusons,” Jeffers said with a sly, ugly grin. “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

Molly’s father was silent. Everybody was gathered in the sitting room. Molly’s parents, and her older brother and sister were sitting across from Mr. Jeffers, whose face was lit up as if he had just received the best gift he had ever gotten.

Molly’s parents exchanged looks and finally sighed as her father stood up to face Jeffers. He looked the horrible old man square in the eye.

“You’re just going to have to turn us in,” he said, swallowing hard. “Because I’m not going to make anybody else pay for my mistakes. I shouldn’t have come to you for help. I let my pride endanger my family and my business.”

“Very well,” Jeffers said, standing up, his smile faltering a bit. Molly knew exactly what he had been hoping to hear, and her chest felt tight as she stood up, nausea overwhelming her.

“Don’t do it,” she said, her voice shaking horribly. “I’ll do it, Mr. Jeffers. I’m sorry, father, but I have to do this for you and for Danny.”

She smiled at her older brother, who had always been there for her through thick and thin. She wouldn’t let him go to prison for the rest of his life because of their father’s shady business dealings. And she didn’t want her father to be arrested either. If the family business went under, their family would have nothing.

“Molly, you don’t know what you’re saying,” her father exclaimed, standing up. His face was pale, and he stared in horror at Mr. Jeffers’ face as the sickening grin spread across it once again.

“I think she knows exactly what she’s saying, my boy,” Jeffers said. “You heard us speaking the other night, didn’t you?”

“What is going on?” Haley, Molly’s older sister, asked, looking around the room. Nobody had told her what had happened between their father and Mr. Jeffers.

“I’ll explain it all to you later, honey, I swear,” their father said. “Jeffers, if you lay a hand on Molly at all, I swear –“”

But Jeffers only smiled again and shook his head. “I will not be the one touching the girl. All she has to do is put an ad in the newspaper. Somebody out there will find it. I’m sure he will be quite the gentleman.”

“How dare you!”

Molly’s father stood up and lunged toward Jeffers, but Molly stood between them. She looked her father in the eye and took his hand.

“I want to do this. It will give you all a second chance. And I will be okay. I trust that my fate will be a merciful one. And even if it isn’t, I will accept it all happily knowing that I’ve done something, finally, to contribute to the family. Your happiness is worth it to me.”

“Molly, please don’t do this!”

But her mind was made up.

“It’s going to be worth it. You’ll see!”

Jeffers grinned and slapped Molly’s father hard on the back.

“I’ll see to it that no harm will come to her. I will look into the families that offer to take her personally and ensure that she will be in caring hands.”

“If there’s one thing you taught me, father, it’s to take care of myself and to do the right thing. I know you made a mistake, but you shouldn’t suffer for it for the rest of your life. Not when you’ve given up so much to make us a life. I’ll see to it that your debt is repaid. Please, just let me do this.”

The room was silent, the tension thicker than it had ever been in that room before. Finally, Molly’s father hung her head.

“It seems there’s nothing I can do to change your mind. You are an adult, my child. And if this is what you set your mind to then that is what will happen. I’ve known you from the time you were young. You were willful, but not headstrong, and I’ve come to trust your judgment. Just please, promise you won’t go far.”

“I’ll visit you all as soon as I can,” Molly promised, hugging her father.

“Enough of this nonsense. It’s not like the girl is dying,” Jeffers exclaimed. “I’ve always had a fondness for this one, so rest assured, I will screen the men.”

Molly’s father said nothing in response, and Jeffers gave him another bright smile.

“You should be happy, man! This beautiful girl just saved your ass! Smile or something!”

“I won’t smile again until I know, for sure, that my daughter is all right.”

“Sure, sure,” Jeffers said, waving his hand dismissively. “Come on, Molly. We have to get your ad set up. Time is of the essence. Especially for virgin brides.”

Molly cringed at the shrill laugh that escaped Jeffers’ lips, surprised when they were halted at the door by her father’s body.

“She stays with us until she’s placed, Jeffers. You get no alone time with her.”

Jeffers laughed edgily, clearly disappointed by the boundary.

“Of course!” he said, clearing his throat and glaring at Molly’s father. “I wouldn’t want anybody desecrating the poor thing. It would completely ruin her market value.”

Molly’s whole body shook with rage. She almost couldn’t believe what she was doing, but she had meant every word she had spoken to her father. She would do anything to make sure her family was all right. Even if that meant spending the rest of her life with a man she didn’t love.

4.

Greyson shoved the bar doors open and sat down heavily on one of the bright red stools.

“I need a stiff one,” Greyson grumbled, pulling Thursday’s newspaper toward himself and flipping through it miserably. He had been on three other dates, with three more women he couldn’t picture himself kissing, let alone marrying. What the hell was wrong with the world? Was he just not meant to be with a decent woman?

“Here you go, Grey,” the bartender, an acquaintance from Greyson’s high school, said, sliding his drink to him from across the bar.

“Thanks, Mikey,” Greyson said, sighing before he downed his drink. The Serah ceremony was coming up quickly, and if he was going to be any kind of testament to his bloodline, he should have a mate by then. The whole situation was weighing heavily on him. Why couldn’t he just pick somebody already? Was he really meant to just be alone for the rest of his life?

Suddenly, he turned the page of the newspaper and his heart palpitated. In the personals section, there was a picture of a stunningly beautiful young woman, with gentle eyes and the sweetest smile he had ever seen. All the blood rushed to Greyson’s groin, and he devoured the picture again and again, the wolf inside of him demanding he go out and find this beautiful girl at all costs and make her his own.

He had never had such a strong reaction to any woman before, let alone the simple image of one in a newspaper, and Greyson gritted his teeth. It wasn’t like it meant anything, though. He was just desperate to end this headache about the Serah ceremony. Still, he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander through the words beneath the astonishingly beautiful girl’s picture.

Her name was Molly Ferguson. She was seeking a kind, caring man to take care of her for the rest of her life. She was twenty-three years old, and she was a virgin.

The wolf once again urged Greyson forward and he growled back at it, telling it to know its place. The whole damned thing was cursed as far as he could tell. None of the women he had met were anything close to the perfection he was looking for in a mate. He might as well just give up then and there.

Throughout the night, he drank until he could barely walk, and then drank some more, all the while holding the image of Molly Ferguson in his mind. She could very well be the answer to his problems. Even if she wasn’t someone he was fated to be with; at the very least, being a mail order bride meant there was no love expected from either party. They could just do their best to tolerate each other until the ceremony was over, and if things didn’t work out, they could go their separate ways.

The more he thought about it, the more tempting it seemed, until, finally, he staggered to the pay phone at the bar and fumbled with the numbers, the ad for the girl crumpled up in his hand. He would find Molly Ferguson and, with the money in his trust fund, he would pay for her to come to Stonybrooke and be his wife.

***

Greyson woke up on the couch of his huge estate with a pounding headache. He had really let himself drink too much the night before. All the pressure about the Serah ceremony was starting to really get to him. He would just have to lay off the alcohol for the next few weeks until the stupid thing was all over with.

He staggered to his feet, and a wadded up piece of paper fell to the floor. He leaned down to pick it up, but before he had a chance to examine it, the doorbell rang. It sounded like sledgehammers in his ears, and he growled, darting to the door to open it as quickly as he could to make the noise stop.

“Greyson Bleuth?”

Greyson was shocked by the gentle voice that reached his ears, and stood rigidly in the doorway, suddenly very embarrassed to realize that he had pulled his shirt off before falling asleep on his couch and that his thick black hair, normally neatly groomed, was a mess on top of his head.

“Who are you?” he demanded, squinting at the door. But the light was just too hellishly bright, and his head seared in pain. “Get inside.”

He gripped the girl’s wrist and pulled her in, slamming the door behind her. “What are you doing here? Did my mother send you?”

“No,” the girl said, her gentle voice surprised. “You did.”

Suddenly, the fragment of a memory struck Greyson and he inhaled sharply. The girl from the ad. He had actually called her that night. He could remember fumbling with his wallet at the payphone, reciting the numbers of his credit card for everybody and their fucking grandmother to hear. What had he been thinking?

“Shit,” he mumbled, sitting heavily down on the couch. “I can’t believe I did that.”

He could sense the girl coming slowly toward him, a comfortable presence that expected nothing from him either way.

“I did what you said,” her beautiful voice said. He was still too hungover to keep his eyes open, and he thrust his arm over them as he listened to her speak. “I didn’t bring very many things. You told me I should get acclimated to shifter life. You were very insistent about that. Telling me to leave my human troubles behind…”

Greyson scoffed. “You are my human troubles.”

He could tell without looking that the comment hurt the girl, and he wished he could find it within himself to regret it. But he simply couldn’t. The truth was, Greyson had made a horrendous mistake the night before. It wasn’t her fault that she was there. Still, the fact that it was her there was unbelievably irritating.

“Well, if you’re going to stay, you might as well make yourself useful,” he grumbled. “I need a glass of water.”

The girl seemed frozen in place, and Greyson gritted his teeth. Was she stupid or something? “I didn’t pay that much for you to just stand around and look at me like you don’t understand the words coming out of my mouth. I’m thirsty!”

He knew he was acting like a spoiled child, but he hated to be caught by surprise. It riled him up like nothing else. The wolf in him liked everything a certain way, and he was used to getting everything he wanted. He had been the only child of his parents, and they had been very insistent upon giving in to his every whim and fancy. As far as he was concerned, he deserved no less than the best. And right now, being face to face with a woman he had only met because of a drunken call to a newspaper ad, he was not getting the best for himself. He was getting himself good and trapped, and he didn’t like it.

“All right,” Molly said, her beautiful blue eyes boring into him fiercely. “Where is your kitchen?”

Greyson tore his eyes away from her, irritated by his own attraction, and gestured behind himself.

“I’ll get you your water.”

Molly sat down the small suitcase she had been carrying and removed her shoes before stepping inside the house, and walked quietly to the kitchen without making any eye contact. It should have made him feel powerful, to be able to command people around like this, but for some reason, it just made him feel like shit.

When Molly returned, he grabbed the glass from her and downed it unceremoniously, all the while avoiding her eyes. It wouldn’t do either of them any good for him to doubt himself. If he was any kind of lord of the manor, then it was up to him to show her how things were done here. It was clear she had never even seen a shifter in her life, and that reality contributed to his bitterness. He wouldn’t go easy on her. She would have to learn the rules, and whether she had to learn them the hard way or not wasn’t his concern. If they were going to be stuck with each other until the stupid ceremony was over and done with, then he was just going to have to make the best of it.

“I’m going to go upstairs to do some research,” he said, finally looking her in the eye again for the first time now that he had gotten used to the idea of being awake in the presence of a stranger. “I don’t want to be bothered. There are several guest rooms in this house. You should look for the one that makes you the most comfortable. I want to eat lunch at 12:00pm sharp. Come ask me what I’m in the mood for at 11:30. I’ll receive you then.”

And with that, Greyson tilted his chin defiantly and marched up the long, spiral staircase, leaving the beautiful girl standing in silence behind him.

5.

Molly wrung her hands nervously as she approached Greyson’s study. The last thing she had expected was to be bought and sold to a shifter, and a shockingly handsome one at that. His deep brown eyes made him look as if he had already lived a thousand years, but his face and body were youthful and obnoxiously attractive. Greyson looked a little snobby, to be truthful, but behind that, she couldn’t help but be drawn to his chiseled features. Despite clearly being raised in a life of privilege, he was just as rugged as she would have expected any other shifter man to be, and it made her heart hammer nervously in her chest at the idea of having to spend so much of her time with him. She could only hope he would be more hospitable as time went on.

Then again, she shouldn’t hope for much. Molly had been raised in a small, conservative town, where everybody seemed to know everybody else. And the one thing they all seemed to agree upon was that shifters were bad news, and it was a horrible idea to get mixed up with them. In fact, Molly had always heard they were dangerous and unpredictable, and arriving in Stonybrooke had only confirmed her deepest fears.

Shifter men had leered at her from the train station, and several people had tried to intercept her on the way to Greyson’s estate. Which, as it turned out, was shockingly huge. She had thought he might live with his parents or something like she did, but Jeffers had quickly laughed off the notion. Shifter men were independent as soon as they could be. Greyson had his own home, his own property, and a whole lot of people who wanted to wait on him hand and foot.

But Greyson was a strange man, Jeffers had cautioned, and it was best not to get on his bad side. Molly feared she had already gotten on Greyson’s bad side, and now she was terrified about what might happen to her for the rest of her stay. It was impossible to know just how safe she really was, despite Jeffers reassuring both Molly and her father again and again that the union was perfectly safe.

But what would Jeffers care about Molly’s safety when he had all of Greyson’s money in his pockets? The thought brought a fiery anger to Molly’s chest and she knocked firmly on Greyson’s study door. Enough of this pointless fear. She was just going to have to make the most of her situation. What else was there to do? Her family was counting on her to make this work.

“Greyson, it’s time to make lunch,” she said, stepping into the study when he refused to answer. She was shocked by how dark and musty the room was, as if it hadn’t been used in centuries. Greyson could be heard shuffling through papers, the faint light of a candle burning deep in the room, behind a huge row of book shelves. “Greyson!”

Greyson abruptly stopped what he was doing and glared at her, his eyes flashing bright green. Molly gasped and backed away, fighting the urge to flee. It was her job to make this work and give back to her parents what they had put in to raise Molly and her siblings. She would have to fight through the fear, no matter what the cost.

“What are you doing in here?” Greyson asked, his voice a deep growl. Molly’s hands tremored, but she swallowed and looked at Greyson resolutely.

“You wanted me to ask what you’d like to eat for lunch. I’ve been knocking.”

Greyson grew quiet, and Molly felt a cold chill rise up her spine. She had certainly gotten herself into quite the mess. Hopefully, she would be able to manage the challenges that being with Greyson would ultimately cause her to face.

“Meat,” was all he said, turning his eyes away from her and back to the papers in front of him. “Just meat.”

“Meat,” Molly said with a nod. “I’ll go see what you have in the kitchen.”

Greyson ignored her and she walked out the door, letting it slam shut behind herself. She had never met such an ill-mannered man in all her life. She would think that having so much money in his family would have allowed him to afford proper grooming, maybe an etiquette course or two?

But that was possibly why everybody had always rumored the shifters to be ill-bred heathens, barely worthy of a second thought when it came right down to it. Molly wasn’t getting the greatest impression of them so far. And if nobody managed to give her a reason otherwise, she was worried she would return to the world a hardened woman of harsh opinions. She couldn’t think of anything more reprehensible than that. It had always been her goal to try to accept everybody. But some people did everything they could to make that impossible.

Molly made her way back to the kitchen, mildly agitated that all she had done so far was to fetch this annoying rich boy water and food from the kitchen. Didn’t he have servants who helped him with this kind of a thing? Surely, shifter culture wasn’t so backward that they still believed a woman’s place was in the kitchen!

“Good afternoon, miss.”

A voice from across the kitchen made Molly jump, and she frowned as she peered inside, suddenly seeing the face of a gaunt old man in a sharp grey suit.

“Hello,” Molly said rigidly.

“Baron is the name,” the man said, bowing gracefully. “Who, might I ask, are you?”

“My name is Molly,” she replied with a sigh, heading toward the ice box and peering inside. “I’m supposed to be getting lunch ready for Greyson.”

“Ah, Master Bleuth has hired another cook?”

Molly scoffed. “Not exactly. I don’t really work here…I think. I don’t know yet, honestly.”

Understanding dawned on the old man’s face and he nodded grimly. “I see. In that case, madam, let me know what Master Bleuth expects you to fetch for him and I will prepare it accordingly,” the old man said. And then, “He is very particular.”

“So I’ve gathered,” Molly said with a sigh. “He just said ‘meat.’ It’s not much to go on, but…”

Before the words were fully out of Molly’s mouth, Baron was already digging through the cupboards and preparing the chopping block.

“If you’ll excuse me, madam, I’m going to have to get this finished quickly. It’s already nearly lunch time. You understand.”

He spoke as he worked in an efficient frenzy, and Molly nodded, backing out of the kitchen without another word.

She headed into the vast sitting room and sat heavily upon one of the velvety chairs. She couldn’t believe how out of place she felt here. Greyson was an utter jerk, and Baron could apparently manage things on his own without Molly in the way. Just what was she doing here? Why would a man like this answer a newspaper ad for a mail order bride? It felt like the whole thing was nothing but a cruel joke.

It’s not that she was expecting to get shipped away and meet the love of her life or anything. Quite the contrary, in fact. But still, maybe she did have some kind of hope held out for the kind of man she would be spending the rest of her life with. Even with all of his money, the fancy estate, and his incredible looks, this whole situation, somehow, left Molly feeling very…underwhelmed. But how could she be disappointed? She’d only heard Greyson’s voice for a moment on the speakerphone as Jeffers answered the call and made the arrangements. Was that really enough time for her to get a good idea of the man she was to be married to?

But Jeffers wouldn’t get the whole payment until Molly and Greyson were officially wed. Right now, it seemed they were doing a trial run, and judging by the way Greyson was treating her so far, things weren’t exactly going very well. But if she messed this up, Jeffers had told her that it was likely people would argue the point of her virginity. How could she have spent so much time with a man alone in his home without something happening? It was Greyson or nobody. She had to make sure this worked out properly. If she didn’t end up Mrs. Molly Bleuth soon, her family was going to be doomed.

***

Late that night, Molly had finally chosen to settle in to a guest room that looked extravagant enough to host a queen, while still somehow managing to be the most modest of the elaborate rooms on Greyson’s estate. She was just getting her small suitcase unpacked when she felt as if she were being watched.

When she glanced over her shoulder, she realized she had left the bedroom door open, and standing outside, staring at her with an intense look in his deep brown eyes, was Greyson.

Heat inadvertently made its way to her loins, and she was shocked by the power of her longing. She’d never felt this way before, not for anybody. If she had, she probably would have found it much more difficult to hang on to her virginity. But Greyson was darkly sexy, and came into the room without a word.

“We are to be wed,” he said, as if he could hardly believe it himself. “And yet, I have never even kissed the bride to be.”

Suddenly, his body was pressed against her, his mouth hard against hers, and the heat in her loins exploded into a full-blown inferno. But she was put off by his forcefulness; by the way his strong hands gripped her wrists tightly as if to stop her from trying to get away from him.

Molly pulled her head away with a deep gasp, trying to still her beating heart and cool the aching in her loins. This was not the way she wanted to give herself away. Where was the romance? This man had refused to say even one kind word to her the entire day, instead whining and stomping about like a spoiled little child. What had he done to deserve her body?

“Let go,” she said quietly, holding Greyson’s eye firmly. It was something she had been told never to do – to hold a shifter’s eye was to challenge him – but there was no way she was going to let him just take her like that. She deserved more than this, even if he had paid good money for her. She wasn’t just a toy.

“Oh, come on. Grow up a little, will you?” Greyson asked, his eyes growing angrier the longer she looked into them. “We’re both adults here!”

“Whether we’re adults or not is beside the point,” Molly said, taking a firm step away from Greyson. “If we’re going to be married, there’s a certain level of understanding I think we should have for each other first. Don’t you agree?”

Greyson glowered and said nothing.

“I may not understand what shifter life is like, or all of your customs, but no matter whose world we are living in, I want you to know that consent is important to me. Is that understood? I’m not just going to give myself away to you because you feel like taking something you’re not entitled to.”

Molly did her best to keep from raising her voice, doing everything in her power to keep it even as she held Greyson’s gaze. She knew she might be ruining her chances of saving her family by speaking this way, but she knew her father, and her brother, for that matter, would feel much better knowing that she had learned how to respect herself rather than being walked all over by a spoiled shifter.

“So you would have me wait until our wedding night to take what is mine?” Greyson demanded, his eyes hard.

“I may be engaged to you, but I am not yours. Or anybody’s. I will act as your wife, and do what is expected of a wife when the time comes, but not before that. Is that clear to you?”

Molly’s heart pounded hard in her chest, and Greyson came close to her, causing another unwelcomed jolt of heat to her thighs. But she wouldn’t give in to him. They had to start this relationship on a solid foundation if it was going to be something they were both stuck with for the rest of their lives. And if Greyson couldn’t handle this, then maybe they would be better off without each other.

“I understand,” Greyson said, turning away. “That you’re a prudish bitch.”

The words stung in a way that Molly hadn’t expected, but when she caught the look on Greyson’s face as he turned his back on her, she realized that he was speaking out of spiteful malice. He hadn’t gotten what he wanted. And apparently, that wasn’t something that he was used to. It would take some time to teach boundaries to a man like this, but she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she didn’t try.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Molly said. “Maybe we can talk more about it in the morning. I would like to get to know you better.”

The words made Greyson freeze in the doorway, and he stood there for a moment before turning to face her, his features no longer tight and angry, but confused.

“Oh,” he said. He shrugged his broad shoulders and then disappeared from the doorway, leaving Molly standing in the middle of the room, her body overwhelmed by a strange combination of sensations.

Whether she liked it or not, she was going to have to see this thing through. It might be more bearable if she could at least begin to feel friendly toward the jerk. Maybe having a conversation would be the best way to go about that.

When she was finished unpacking, Molly headed into the guest bathroom to shower and dress herself in her nightgown before finally sinking into the luxurious bed. She had never been so comfortable in her life, but the things on her mind made it difficult to appreciate that. If she couldn’t make things work with Greyson, she was just going to have to figure out another way to save her family.

6.

Greyson woke up the next morning, apprehensive about the woman sleeping in his home. She had really tried to put him in his place the night before, and whether he deserved it or not, he wasn’t used to anybody undermining him. Especially, not a woman.

But when he went down the long spiral staircase to confront Molly, he stopped short. She was standing downstairs with Baron, holding a tray of breakfast.

“Baron told me how you like your eggs. I thought I’d give it a try. Come, give them a taste and tell me what you think!”

Greyson opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. She was such a beautiful girl. But not in the bitchy way that most of his acquaintances tended to be, knowing that their money apparently put them on par with the gods themselves. No, this was a different type of beauty entirely. And it was his.

He followed Molly helplessly to the dining room, where she sat the tray down in front of him and took a seat at the table in front of her own plate of food. She smiled at Baron, who nodded elegantly before he left the room. Greyson took in the exchange in shock. Baron had always been cold and standoffish with Greyson. It was strange to see the hint of a smile on his old lips. What could they have been doing that morning to make such a cold old man warm up so quickly to his new guest?

“I hope you like it. If you don’t, there’s already a batch made that Baron did, just so you wouldn’t end up going hungry. He told me how important it is to you to have your meals done properly. I guess I wasn’t raised in the same way, so food doesn’t have quite the same importance to me.”

Greyson nodded rigidly and took his seat, his fork hovering above the round, crispy fried eggs on his plate. He could feel Molly’s beautiful eyes on him, eager and waiting, and he couldn’t help but feel slightly agitated by the pressure. What did she expect from him?

“I don’t like being watched while I eat,” he said, pursing his lips and letting his fork clatter down loudly on his plate.

Molly’s cheeks reddened, and Greyson couldn’t help but hate himself for all the hell he was putting her through.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said. She looked down at her own plate, but the smile still lingered on her lips, and she began to eat cheerfully.

It was strange to see anyone in a good mood so early in the morning. His own parents had always been stern and cold until they had been given their fill of caffeinated specialty brews and at least two hours alone to themselves before facing the rest of the world. Greyson had never been able to relate to their miserable morning attitudes; he felt excited to greet each new day. That is, unless he had a hangover.

Once he was satisfied that Molly had finally taken all of her attention off of him, he took his first bite. It was good. Shockingly good.

“How did you do this?” Greyson asked, taking another big mouthful. “Did Baron teach you?”

“He gave me some tips on your personal preferences, but I did everything else myself,” Molly said, keeping her eyes carefully fixed on her own plate and taking another bite of her own breakfast. “I used to cook breakfast for my family on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We took turns with the household duties.”

Greyson frowned. He had never been entrusted with any type of household duty, except being summoned to his father’s office and versed in every abysmally boring aspect of the family business. Greyson hated everything about his father’s business, if he were going to be honest with himself. The man was quite a tyrant, and often made the other shifters of Stonybrooke miserable with his penny-pinching ways. It almost didn’t feel fair for him to grow up in such luxury; especially knowing that there were choices his father often made that put his own family ahead of the good of the pack.

“It’s good,” Greyson admitted, trying to drive away all thoughts of his father and the enormous headache that was his inheritance. “Thanks.”

He could sense Molly’s mood soar from the compliment, and instead of feeling irritated about it, he couldn’t help but feel a small surge of warmth course through him. She was a sweet girl, that much was obvious. But that only meant she was worth better than this. He had always had a bad reputation, starting from a young age when he began socializing with some of the most hardened, sociopathic children on the block. They’d talked him into getting into all kinds of trouble, and if it weren’t for his father’s money, he probably would have been put in prison long ago for several different reasons.

Fortunately, though, he had gotten rid of most of his terrible friends and did his best to keep his head down. It wouldn’t do him any good to be a thirty-something year old troublemaker. Besides, if he didn’t calm down on the mischief, his father was likely to cut him off financially. Then he would really be in trouble.

“Do you remember what I said last night?” Molly asked suddenly, turning her piercing eyes upon him. Greyson found himself frozen in their sites, completely powerless in the gaze of this sweet, pure woman. How could he have brought her into such a fucked up situation? He couldn’t even take care of himself. What made him think that he could bring a wife into the mix? If only the shifter customs weren’t so important. He could feel it in his blood; the deep, dutiful urge to protect his pack and do whatever he could to contribute to their success in the future.

“About what?” Greyson asked, feigning forgetfulness. It would be easier than admitting to this girl that she had managed to get the upper hand on him. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it all night long. It had nearly cost him his precious sleep. Fortunately, he was still hungover enough to welcome the comfort of his bed after the fact.

“We really need to talk. Can’t we just do something together? I feel like it’s important.”

Molly’s eyes were gentle but her tone was firm. Greyson had the feeling it was nearly impossible for any man in her life to say no to her, and whether she knew her power over them or not, she was able to use it to her advantage without being manipulative about it. Where on earth did this girl come from?

“Um…”

Greyson shoveled more egg into his mouth and chewed, swallowing hard. Somehow, after the suggestion of some kind of conversation, they had lost some of their flavor and now felt chalky in his mouth. What was he going to say to her? Did she want him to apologize for being an ass? Because that wasn’t the kind of thing he was comfortable doing. His motto was to learn from his mistakes and do better later. Apologies were just another form of dwelling as far as Greyson was concerned. He could do without them.

“It doesn’t even have to be a big deal. You seemed very…interesting…on the phone, and I’d like to know more about the man who chose me. Is that a difficult request?”

Greyson hated feeling cornered almost more than he hated being left hungry, and he shoved the chair back and stood abruptly.

“I don’t know why you think you own the place now. Just because I brought you here on some drunken whim doesn’t mean I want to know anything about you. Why can’t you just leave me alone?” Greyson demanded, his heart constricting painfully as he watched Molly’s sweet face fall. Why did the wolf have to insist on asserting itself at all times? What kind of man did it make him to bully an innocent human around like this?

Still, she needed to know just what she was getting into by agreeing to marry a shifter. The fact was, there were times when the wolf was going to take control, and he wasn’t always going to be able to stop it. Just like now. When it came to his reflexes, fight or flight, there was no turning back. The wolf would always choose fight. Time and again, it would choose fight and win, or die trying.

But it was just too much to try to begin to explain to Molly over their sad little plates of eggs, and as much as he was burning to know her – intimately – there was a pacing to these things that you just couldn’t force. Greyson cleared his throat and held Molly’s gaze.

“I want to do this as organically as possible,” Greyson said, hoping that he would be able to express his true intention to her without having to say too much. Emotions and the like were hardly a shifter specialty. They were the kind of people who said things as they were and left everything else to their senses. Humans seemed so under-developed in that aspect. “Please don’t push things.”

Molly gaped at him, her blue eyes wide as she nodded. He could tell from the expression on her face that she had seen the wolf in him. Now, all he could do was wait and see if it had been bad enough for her to flee. She would be better off if she did. He wouldn’t know what to do with a woman as good as she was anyway.

Greyson left the room, shaking his head miserably. This whole stupid thing had been nothing but a huge mistake. If it turned out that he couldn’t trust his instincts, then he was just going to give up on finding a mate once and for all, and focus on what was really important; his research.

7.

“What’s he like?” Molly’s sister Haley asked. Molly laid back in her bed and sighed heavily.

“I don’t even know how to describe him,” she said, shaking her head.

“Is he handsome?” Haley pried.

“Very,” Molly admitted. There were times she could still feel his urgent touch on her body, and a hot surge of electricity would seize her body for a moment. It was embarrassing, really, but she had never seen a man more incredibly attractive.

“So, what’s he look like?”

Molly sighed. Talking about Greyson with her sister wouldn’t exactly help her case any. Still, she couldn’t help but feel excited to speak about him to someone. Hayley was older, and more experienced than Molly was in so many ways. It seemed kind of appropriate for them to be discussing her groom to be as if all of this was somehow normal. It gave her a small sense of security to gossip with her sister as if her family was right around the corner and they would be invited to her wedding.

“I don’t know. Have you ever seen a shifter in person before?”

“No, but I’ve seen the ones in the movies. The actors? They’re sooo hot!”

Molly pursed her lips. “Well, imagine that, but in person.”

“You’re a lucky woman,” Haley said with a laugh. “Has anything happened between the two of you yet?”

Was she really lucky? Molly wasn’t sure. And the question brought up more of the same confusing feelings she’d been having all week long. Greyson was hot and cold with her, and she’d had another incident where he’d tried to cross the line, late in the night when she was least expecting to see him. Each incident was exciting and left her feeling powerfully aroused, but she just couldn’t let herself be forced into submission like that. Especially not with her virginity on the line. She simply wasn’t ready; especially with Greyson. He seemed like he hated her most of the time. In fact, she wasn’t sure he was capable of having a loving bone in his body.

“Nothing much,” Molly finally answered. “And besides, that kind of thing is personal, you know?”

Haley laughed. “Well, you always were kind of a prude,” she said. Molly glowered, but Haley continued to laugh the same as she always did when she was making fun of her little sister. “It’s all right if it has and it’s all right if it hasn’t. As long as you’re okay.”

The statement came out almost more like a question, and suddenly, Molly felt ashamed of herself for being annoyed at Haley. It was nice to have somebody out there who did seem to care genuinely for how she was feeling. Heaven knew nobody in the estate gave the thought any matter. Especially not the man she wished most of all could just get out of his own self-centered rut and pay attention to other things.

“I’m fine, sis, thank you for asking,” Molly said, sighing quietly. “I don’t know where this relationship with him is going, if anywhere, but I’m really glad that we can still talk.”

“It was all part of the deal,” Haley reminded her. “Dad made sure Jeffers put it in the contract. None of that refusing contact with the original family shit. It just seems tacky and cruel to do it that way. I can’t believe the kind of shit Jeffers does when he doesn’t think anybody is paying attention.”

Molly’s stomach flip-flopped. “Yeah.”

“I know it can be hard for you to get used to a new place. Too bad you don’t have your stuffed bunny anymore. She seemed to get you through some rough times.”

Molly laughed for the first time in what felt like years. “Mrs. Carrotfoot? She was the best.”

“Yeah, I remember your face when you opened her up for your birthday too. I’ve never seen a more happy kid.”

Haley’s voice broke suddenly and Molly grimaced. It was hard enough to talk to her sister without being able to see her face. Let alone being trapped in this terrifying shifter town with no friends or family to speak of.

“Hey,” she said gently. “Calm down. It’s not like I’m dead or something. We might even get to spend the holidays together, you know. It will be great. Like old times.”

But the words sounded hollow coming out of her mouth, and Haley cried quietly for a moment, sniffling into the phone before speaking again.

“Mom and dad are a wreck about this. Dad’s still doing everything he can to try to raise the money to buy your freedom. He says the deal isn’t official yet, and he’s still waiting on the money from the wedding.”

“Let them know that everything is going to be fine, all right? I’m taking care of it.”

“Moll, none of us want to see you throwing your life away. I mean, it’s one thing to joke about cute guys, but it’s really another thing entirely to live with them. Trust me…”

Molly sighed. She wished she could teleport through the phone to her sister and hug her. It would do them both good to be near each other once again. But that just wasn’t possible right now. Not when there was so much more at stake.

“I promise. If this isn’t for me, I will be home before you know it. I’m going to try to make this work though, Haley. I really think it could. And if it doesn’t, then it’s really not a big deal. I’m sure Greyson wouldn’t mind if I left.”

Haley was quiet for a moment before she said, barely audibly, “All right.”

“Speaking of, I should really get going. He’s very particular about his food schedule, and if I’m late to the table, he’s going to take it really badly.”

“That’s kind of immature…” Haley laughed, but there was no humor in her voice.

“Tell me about it. I could write a whole book. I swear, he’s like a spoiled little kid half the time. But I really think there’s some good in there. There has to be.”

“If there’s one thing I trust, it’s your intuition. You get going and prove the rest of us wrong about this whole thing, all right?”

“I’ll do my best,” Molly promised.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Send everyone else my love too, all right? Don’t any of you give up hope about this. It isn’t a death sentence. Things still have a chance of turning around for the best. Don’t curse the future before it’s even here.”

Haley laughed. “Right. There’s the annoyingly eternal optimist I’ve grown to love and give noogies to. We’ll talk again soon.”

Molly smiled at the thought, but when the phone hung up on the other side, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of misery. She missed her family, more than she had ever missed anything in the world. And if she had her way, they would all be there for her wedding. Whether it was a groom she had chosen out of love, or one out of necessity, her wedding day should be more special than this.

“Are you finally finished now?”

Greyson’s voice at the doorway made Molly’s chest tight. She hadn’t noticed him lurking there. Just how long had he been listening to her conversation?

“Yes,” Molly said coolly. “I appreciate you letting me speak to my family.”

“This isn’t a prison,” Greyson said rigidly. “This is my home. Yours now too. Come now. It’s time for our meal.”

Molly nodded, her heart still palpitating hard in her chest. If he had listened in long enough, he would have heard her calling him a spoiled little child. If that was the case, who knew what kind of hell she was in for.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before following Greyson out into the hallway. When she opened her eyes again, a strange type of resolution seemed to settle over her. So what if Greyson had heard her call him a spoiled child? That’s what he acted like. If he wanted her impression of him to change, then he would have to change. It was as simple as that.

8.

Greyson secretly studied Molly as they ate, his thoughts consumed by the delicate beauty of her features. He was sure she hadn’t been chosen for the cheerleading squad in high school, and many of his friends would probably be able to tear her looks apart within seconds.

But Greyson knew there was something special about her. He had known from the moment he first laid eyes upon the newspaper ad that featured her smiling face. He couldn’t say, for the life of him, what it was, but he had just known, in that instant, that Molly Ferguson would change his life.

He stabbed at his food sulkily. She had said he was a spoiled little child. As if she had the right to badmouth him under his own roof. He should have been furious, and would have been if it had been any other woman who said it. But, for some reason, instead of feeling angry, the words stung him deeply. It was almost as if he cared about this quiet, kind girl’s opinion of him. But what good would her approval do for him? It was the blessing of the Serah stone he was after. Nothing more.

“What’s your family like?” Greyson asked suddenly.

They had endured many silent meals together, Molly refusing to look at Greyson after the first time he had gotten uncomfortable with her excited gaze and told her he didn’t like being looked at while he ate. She was respectful of his wishes and idiosyncrasies, but did that make him a spoiled child? Really?

Still, he was feeling guilty for alienating her so much. It had been he who had chosen to bring her. He had a feeling that if he knew just what had gotten her into the business of being a mail order bride, it would probably change his perspective of her. For better or for worse. He had to know.

“They’re wonderful,” Molly said, the light behind her blue eyes shining brightly across the table. He knew she wanted to look at him – just as he knew she wanted more from his midnight visits than to simply reject his advances – it was all part of being a shifter to be able to sense other people’s true desires and motivations. But the young woman was proud and contained, and was very well adept at learning her place in a foreign world.

“How are they wonderful?” Greyson insisted. Molly seemed surprised at his sudden interest, but he assumed she would welcome the conversation. After all, it had been her suggestion that they get to know one another better. He simply felt more comfortable opening up to her only when he knew every little detail he could about her life first. Whether it was a power play or simple insecurity was anybody’s guess. He just knew he wanted to be on top at all costs.

“My father is a hard-working man. He’s done a lot for our family. He had to start his business from the ground up, and worked hard to get where he is today. It means everything to him. And my mother is like his rock. She supports him in every way she can and does everything possible to help the business thrive. When she got pregnant with my brother, she was forced to bed rest, but she still did the books and housework when my father was away. Without her, we wouldn’t have a dime to our names.”

“Who were you speaking to on the phone?” Greyson asked, taking all of this in. So her family was in business in the human world. That didn’t bode well. Human businessmen were much like the shifter kind – they all had skeletons in the closet that were much more difficult to hide than they let on. He was suddenly certain that this had something, if not everything, to do with how Molly had gotten mixed up in the mail order bride business.

“My sister, Haley. She’s older than I am by about six years. She’s always looked out for me. I used to wish that we could move out together and get an apartment someday. She’s so smart and cool…”

“What kind of business is your father in?” Greyson interrupted. Talk of Molly’s family was beginning to bore him. More than that, it was stirring something strange in him. He was almost resentful, in a way, of how she spoke of them with such fondness. Was he jealous that she could care so much about somebody else, besides him? Or was he jealous that she had been cared about so much by her family when his own had treated him more like a commodity in training to take over the insufferable task of handling real estate issues?

“He’s actually an inventor,” Molly said, beaming proudly. “He’s a brilliant, kind man.”

“All right, all right,” Greyson said, holding his hand up. “I’m asking about business, not trying to win him a daddy of the year trophy.”

Molly’s face fell, but she continued talking as if she were unfazed by Greyson’s attitude.

“He invents things with practical uses, and does a lot for artists as well, since that’s his passion and he knows the market very well.”

“I see,” Greyson said. He had never encountered many artists in his time. Most of the shifters in Stonybrooke had other, more practical, concerns. When there were people who wanted art, they would go to the humans to get it. Shifters usually didn’t have a whole lot of time or patience for that kind of thing. Their creativity was best left to ritual and divination as opposed to directionless art.

“I’d really like it if you would meet them someday,” Molly said quietly.

Greyson cringed. He knew she wanted her family at the wedding. He had practically heard it for himself. And with the way she was gushing over them as if they were the best thing on the planet, he was sure she would never be happy in Stonybrooke. Maybe he should just call the whole thing off.

But when he opened his mouth to suggest it, Molly caught his eye from across the table and smiled sweetly at him. His heart hammered in his chest, and Greyson cursed the wolf inside him. It had already laid a claim on the poor girl, and whether he liked it or not, there was no changing it. She was going to be his, and nothing would be able to change the wolf’s mind about that.

“We’ll see,” he said instead.

They fell back into a comfortable silence, and Greyson sighed inwardly. Molly sat in her seat, her energy light and beautifully optimistic. It was the happiest he had seen her since she’d arrived on his front steps, and he wished that there was something that he could do to preserve that happiness.

But he couldn’t bring himself to admit that he wanted to make her comfortable there. Wouldn’t it be in her best interest to simply let her go after all was said and done and he had received the Serah stone’s blessing at the ceremony? His parents would be off his back and everything would go back to normal. Then he could get back to work and focus on his research.

“So what do you do up in that musty old room all day anyway?” Molly asked, as if she could read his thoughts. He felt frozen, on the spot, a feeling that made him feel anxious. But he was tired of wounding the girl, and decided to answer candidly.

“I’m looking into starting my own company,” Greyson said. “My father wants me to follow in his footsteps, but I don’t feel very comfortable with that.”

“Does he have big shoes to fill?” Molly asked.

“More like smelly ones,” Greyson said. “I’d like to make my own way in the world and do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals, without anybody’s help.”

“That’s very admirable,” Molly said, her bright blue eyes looking at him with genuine appreciation. It was a nice look, one that made him feel good, so why did he feel so embarrassed about it?

“Thanks,” Greyson said awkwardly, not sure where else to take the conversation. It was difficult to talk to someone when your brain was louder than your voice, he realized. And Molly certainly made his brain go into overdrive.

“If you don’t mind my asking, what kind of company do you want to start?” Molly asked. She seemed genuinely interested, and Greyson shifted in his seat, unsure whether or not it would be safe to divulge his plans to the woman who was, supposedly, going to be his future wife.

“I want to do something that will change the world we’re living in,” Greyson said. “Not just make it worse. I’m looking for people with innovative ideas, and I’d like to help them to get their ideas off the ground and into the mainstream. Things like that.”

Molly seemed shocked by the goal, but her face radiated with approval. “I think that’s incredible,” she said. “What does your father think about that?”

“He doesn’t know, exactly, what I’m doing with my time. He knows I want nothing to do with his work, but he still seems to think that my inheritance is enough to sway me away from working on my dream. It’s kind of funny, actually. The man is as stubborn as they come. He’s completely convinced that he has me under his thumb.”

“It will come as quite a surprise to him when he finds out that you’re not there,” Molly said, her beautiful eyes filling him with a surge of confidence that he usually lacked when he thought about the situation with his father.

“I hope it will,” Greyson said.

“And what about your mother?” Molly asked. “What does she think of all of this?”

“She doesn’t care what my father and I do, as long as I give her grandchildren that she can be proud of.”

Molly frowned. “Wouldn’t she be proud of any children you have? You’re her son, after all. Family is what’s most important. Not skill sets.”

Greyson laughed bitterly. It was a naïve way of seeing the world. But it was something he wished could be possible. And, maybe for families that weren’t like his own, it was. Families like Molly’s.

“Actually, there’s a reason I chose you…specifically…to marry me,” Greyson admitted, albeit uncomfortably.

“Oh?” Molly asked, raising her eyebrow at him. Greyson laughed awkwardly.

“Yes. There’s a ceremony coming up. It’s supposed to only happen every thirty-odd years. Anyway, it’s really important. There are ancient rites that are meant to be observed by all members of the pack. You’re supposed to…” Greyson sighed in exasperation. How could he possibly explain all of the complexities of shifter culture to an oblivious human? He was the first shifter she had ever seen!

“What are you supposed to do, Greyson?” Molly asked gently. He could feel the concerned energy rolling off of her body, wrapping him up in a comforting blanket of love. It was overwhelming. Who was this woman?

“We’re supposed to mate…with virgins. It’s an ancient tradition that most families, especially the more noble lineages like my family, try to observe. I mean, I’m pretty young in the grand scheme of things and don’t care much one way or the other…but tradition is something that’s really important to my people. Does that make sense?”

“Absolutely,” Molly said, smiling at Greyson. “So you had to find a virgin and you decided to go with me.”

Greyson shrugged helplessly. There was no way he could ever admit to the strength of the wolf’s conviction when he had chosen her. There was no way he could even explain it to himself, let alone to the girl herself. It simply was what it was, and there was little either of them could do to change it.

“Basically, that’s what happened. Yeah,” Greyson said. It was easier just to nod along. The rest of the story could come later, if it had to come at all. But he didn’t see any reason why it should.

They had long since finished their food, and Greyson found himself surprised by the easy flow of conversation that passed between them. When Molly finally excused herself, Greyson – and the wolf – followed her out of the room.

She didn’t hear him behind her as she ascended the staircase that led to her bedroom, and she didn’t notice him when he – ever so quietly – closed the bedroom door behind himself.

When Molly finally turned around, she gasped in shock to find him standing in front of her.

“Didn’t we talk about this?” she asked breathlessly.

Greyson nodded, but the wolf didn’t care. Her words were just pretty sounds. All the wolf cared for was the truth of her body. And the truth was, her body wanted him. Badly. And he could feel it.

“Please,” Molly said, backing away from him. “You should go. I wanted to…”

Her words were cut off by the urgent heat of Greyson’s mouth, and a muffled gasp escaped her lips. Every barrier in her body trembled at the force of his body as he stroked her and allowed his hands to roam what was his, and although she wanted to fight, there were several sweet moments of surrender, where her body and his found an intrinsic rhythm.

“Stop!”

Greyson was shocked when Molly placed her hands squarely on his chest and shoved him away from her. Greyson gaped at her in disbelief, his cock painfully hard against his thigh, and gritted his teeth. Just what was this woman trying to do to him? Who was she fooling?

“I already told you,” Molly said, her voice wavering and her blue eyes hard and serious. “I’m going to need a little more time than this. We barely know each other.”

Greyson gritted his teeth. Who cared if they knew each other or not? The wolf knew what it was she wanted and he was more than willing to deliver. Molly panted, her cheeks flushed attractively as she held her arms protectively out in front of her body.

“There has to be more to it than this,” Molly said, shaking her head. “Please go. I loved talking to you. I really did. And I hope we can keep getting to know one another better and better. But this isn’t right. You have to…please, just respect that!”

Greyson suddenly felt foolish and guilty, staring at the beautiful girl’s face. It almost looked as if she were going to cry. And why wouldn’t she? She had so many mixed emotions swirling around her and filling the air with so many conflicting messages. If shifters were less practical about their approach to life, he was sure he would be crying in her shoes too.

“I’m sorry,” Greyson mumbled miserably. “Humans and shifters have a different way of going about these things. I understand.”

“I appreciate you apologizing,” Molly said. “Truly. Now please, if you could, just leave me alone. We can talk more in the morning.”

Greyson nodded and walked numbly down the hallway, feeling worse than he had ever felt in his life. Why did he insist on pushing her boundaries so much? It would get him nowhere, and fast.  If what he wanted was to be with her, then why did he insist on doing things the wolf’s way? She was a human, after all. There was something to be said about the relationship between humans and shifters. Compromises needed to be made, on both ends.

Greyson laughed scornfully. If his parents knew that his virgin bride to be was going to be a human, they would most likely be horrified. Shifters of his family blood line were mostly pure-bred through and through, with no human blood to muddy the gene pool. It was likely that they would want to disown him simply based on the wolf’s choice. But even if they did, they would be doing him a favor. Nobody understood the pressure he was under to try to please his father. And nobody would understand just how tempting it was to say fuck it to all the rules. Even his own.

9.

Molly tossed and turned in her bed, unable to sleep after the confrontation with Greyson. It was as if he knew exactly what buttons to press with her, whether he was trying to annoy her or arouse her. It seemed unfair all of a sudden that he had the advantage of the wolf’s natural senses. They were acute and accurate in ways humans could never even conceive. He seemed to be using her own desire against her in a way. But all he really had to do, if he wanted her, was to take it slow. Was that really so much to ask?

The memory of his touch sent a forbidden thrill throughout her body. She wanted so badly to be with him, right that moment, in his bed, finding out just what kind of pleasures Greyson’s muscular, capable body would be able to introduce to her. The sad fact of the matter was that Molly had never even had a boyfriend before. She had been far too consumed with her studies and the family business to even consider the advances made upon her by the several single-minded boys who came her way.

Still, she had always wondered what sex would be like. She’d had no idea that it could be so intense, even without all that much physical touching. Every time Greyson was near her, it was as if the air around them crackled with electricity. She was undeniably infatuated with his touch, with his body, but what about with his mind? Or his heart? She could never give herself to somebody who wasn’t worthy of the gift. It would go against everything she had ever believed.

And frankly, she was angry at herself for being a traitor to her moral code. She frowned down at her body, touching her stomach and sliding it down to the hot mound between her legs, wincing at the tiny sparks her own fingers sent coursing through her body. How was it that Greyson managed to make everything around her electric? Even her own hands?

It was unbelievably frustrating. She wished she could just ignore the advances, Greyson’s aggressive bouts of lust – or was it the wolf who took charge during these encounters? She had a sneaking feeling that it might be – and try to pretend that her body hadn’t been forcefully awakened to the sinful pleasures of the flesh. Greyson was absolutely stunning, sure, but he was an ass. Wouldn’t she regret it for the rest of her life if she gave her most precious gift to a man who would never know how to appreciate it?

It was easy when all of this had been conjecture. Before she had actually experienced the profound longing for herself. But now, she was hooked, and there was nothing she could do to prevent herself from looking at Greyson without experiencing even the smallest twinge of longing. He had clued her in to something dangerous, and now, her body was on fire, pulsing with a deep heat she had no idea what to do with.

“Molly?”

A sudden knock sounded at her door, and Molly’s breath caught in her throat. It was Greyson, and his voice sounded sad and apologetic. He hadn’t said much the first couple of times he had visited her room and stolen one more piece of her innocence that she would never get back again, but for some reason, this time, he had come back.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” Greyson said quietly from the other side of the door.

Molly climbed out of bed, her legs shaking as she walked toward the door. She leaned her forehead against it, her body conflicted. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. But if she let him in, she could live to regret it.

“Please forgive me,” Greyson said with a sigh. “It’s the wolf…I don’t know how to…”

Greyson trailed off when Molly opened the door, his mouth open in surprise.

“I already have forgiven you,” she whispered. “For everything but one thing.”

She took Greyson’s hand and led him into the room, closing the door quietly behind them.

“What one thing?” Greyson asked, his handsome face creased with confusion.

Molly swallowed and sat down on the edge of the bed, gesturing for Greyson to do the same.

“Something’s changed in me,” she whispered, looking down at her hands. Greyson’s eyes fixed on them immediately and she felt suddenly naked and embarrassed. It was clear he could smell her lust on them. She should never have let him inside.

“What’s changed?” Greyson asked, frowning. He was trying to fight his urge to claim her. Molly could tell. It took everything he had to fight this battle with the wolf. But who knew who would come out victorious? Would she be disappointed if it was Greyson?

“I’ll never know what it’s like again, not to have these feelings,” she whispered. Every inch of her was begging to touch him, or to be touched by him, and she closed her eyes, longing for a simpler time. What kind of person would she be to let these feelings dictate her life? She couldn’t give in to this. If she was wed to Greyson without being a virgin, wouldn’t that ruin everything? Not just her father’s deal with Jeffers, but Greyson’s ceremony as well. Nothing about these feelings seemed good.

“I can help you,” Greyson whispered, his hand suddenly on her leg, inching up her thigh. A million tiny tendrils of longing exploded in her body. “I can get rid of them…for now.”

“No!” Molly exclaimed, standing abruptly, trying to hide from the source of her agony. “I have to stay a virgin. At least…until the ceremonies are done.”

Greyson grinned, a smile that made her feel inexperienced and childish.

“Silly girl,” Greyson said, shaking his head. “There are more things to do with a body than just sex.”

“I know,” Molly said, jutting her chin at Greyson. But the truth was that she was utterly clueless. Nothing about any of these feelings made any sense.

She gasped suddenly as Greyson’s broad hands gripped her waist and she was abruptly weightless in the air.

Greyson’s lithe body laid her gently on the bed, his handsome face tight with the effort of self-control.

“I don’t have to be a selfish ass,” he said to her, his eyes growing dark with need. Molly groaned when she felt the hard ridge of his cock through his jeans pressing against her thigh. God, she wanted him.

All of her self-restraint was lost as Greyson reached underneath Molly’s cotton nightgown and massaged the crotch of her panties. The feeling of his fingers through the cloth brought a deep moan to her lips, and Greyson’s breath quickened. What did it matter to him what she thought of him, Molly wondered, unless he actually wanted to take their relationship seriously. But she had had no indication of that being the case.

The thought was driven from her head when Greyson slipped his finger down into the forbidden region of her panties, letting his fingers roam gently over the neatly-groomed pubic hair until the tip dipped gently into her middle.

Molly was electrified with pleasure, the burning longing that had been building for so long culminating into a breathless, writhing expression of rapture. Greyson was quiet as his dark eyes took in the sight of Molly’s ecstasy, his cock hard against her thigh as he gently pushed one, then two, fingertips gently inside of her.

Molly moaned deeply as she was carried away with her desire, lost utterly and completely under the thrall of Greyson’s touch. The man was masterful, she had to admit, and even the tiniest of strokes brought the world quaking around her.

Greyson began to slowly push his fingers deeper and deeper inside of her, until it nearly felt like her entire body was going to explode. She opened her eyes frantically, seeking some kind of answer to the strange feeling she was experiencing.

Greyson smiled kindly, and kissed her gently on the earlobe.

“It’s okay,” he whispered into her ear. “Just relax and let yourself feel it.”

His deep, masculine voice rumbling in her ear was enough to carry her away in ecstasy, and she gasped as an earth-shattering orgasm rocked her body. Greyson held her tightly as her body quaked beneath him, and she cried out in bliss, until she was left panting in Greyson’s arms.

“That should do for a while,” Greyson said, standing up from the bed and winking down at her.

Molly watched him leave the room, and pulled the covers up tightly around her body. What the hell had she just done?

10.

Greyson marched directly into his bedroom and closed the door firmly behind him. The wolf was livid. It had wanted to claim Molly right then and there. Take her virginity, and everything else about her that it wanted to take, and make her his. The timing was right, wasn’t it? At least the wolf seemed to think so. But Greyson knew better. The poor girl was terrified, not only of sex but of her own body. She had probably never even touched herself before.

The thought brought his attention to the urgent throbbing of his cock. He had done well to hold back, he knew. It couldn’t be helped if the poor girl wasn’t ready for anything more than this. But it seemed cruel, to both of them, to leave her in such a state. Maybe this way they would both be able to get some work done without having to surrender to feelings that were most certainly not going to be productive.

After a long, heated feud with the wolf, Greyson finally managed to fall asleep, his dreams plagued with distorted images of the night he and the wolf had chosen to bring Molly to Stonybrooke. She had been the answer to a prayer he hadn’t known he’d uttered, and now, for better or for worse, they were going to be married.

Greyson woke with a start, glancing at his clock in horror. It was already 9:00am. He had a meeting scheduled with his parents that day. His mother had insisted upon it so she could hear all of the details about the long list of dates she had sent him on. She had no idea that he had taken matters into his own hands. Thankfully, Baron managed to keep his mouth shut about Greyson’s affairs.

“Wake up,” Greyson said, poking his head into Molly’s bedroom. “We have somewhere to be.”

Molly sat up groggily and frowned out at Greyson.

“All right.”

He closed the door quickly, embarrassed that he could still vaguely smell the evidence of what they had done together the night before. Molly was certainly an attractive girl. Whether she was human or not, his mother would have to agree with at least that much. She was gorgeous. At least, he personally thought so. It wouldn’t matter what his parents thought.

“Please, prepare a quick meal. Molly and I are to meet my parents in an hour, and I overslept,” Greyson said to Baron. He nodded dutifully and disappeared into the kitchen as Greyson ran upstairs to shower. He wouldn’t have time for a shave, unfortunately, and he dressed quickly in his best clothes.

“You’re not going wearing that, are you?” Greyson exclaimed when he got downstairs, eyeing Molly’s yellow sundress with disdain. His mother would tear her apart in that.

“What’s wrong with the way I dress?” Molly demanded, glowering at Greyson.

“Nothing! It’s not you I’m worried about,” Greyson said, ushering Molly upstairs quickly.

“Pick out one of these outfits,” he demanded, pushing into the guest room where several of his aunt’s old dresses were hanging in the closet. Baron had them laundered regularly, but Greyson’s parents refused to keep them in the house. They were family heirlooms, but Greyson’s mother and her sister had a rocky relationship to say the least. She was a nonconformist, and insisted on opening an animal sanctuary with her inheritance.

“What the hell is going on?” Molly demanded, stomping her foot to get Greyson’s attention. “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to meet my mother.”

Molly’s complexion turned ashen and she looked down at her cheerful yellow sundress. “No, you’re right then,” she said, her voice a reedy gasp. “This won’t do.”

For some reason, seeing Molly’s reaction to the news made Greyson angry. Not at Molly, but at himself for putting it into her head that his mother’s opinion of her was more important than her own comfort.

“Actually,” Greyson said, steering her out of the room. “You look perfect. Let’s have breakfast. We can talk about how to go about meeting my parents.”

Greyson led Molly down the stairs and into the dining room, where breakfast was already served. Baron stood regally at the table, waiting for further orders, and Greyson dismissed him.

“Thank you, Baron. You’re dismissed.”

They ate in silence for a few moments until Molly finally looked up at Greyson. “Are you sure this dress is appropriate? I mean…don’t your parents have a lot of money?”

Greyson glanced down at his suit, a classy number that he’d chosen because it gave him the confidence he lacked to face his stern, cruel father, and shook his head.

“Money isn’t as important as they seem to think it is,” Greyson said, loosening his tie and pushing his jacket off. “We can both go casually. I have to warn you, though, they might not like the thought of me being with a human.”

Molly nodded. “All right.”

“But my mother is going to be thrilled, either way. Just try to be as calm and polite as possible. Just stay quiet if you can. It’s harder for them to embarrass you if you don’t give them a lot to go on.”

Molly’s beautiful blue eyes looked nervous and Greyson felt like a complete idiot. Why had he let his own fear of his parents affect Molly?

“You’re going to be perfect. You’re exactly what my mother was hoping for. A perfect match. Everything but being a shifter. But you know, times are changing. Maybe she will have enough foresight to see that. Otherwise, you’re perfect.”

“Sure…”

“Whether they see it or not, this is my choice, and I chose you for a reason,” Greyson said firmly. He stood and reached his hand out to Molly. “Let’s get this over with.”

Molly’s face broke out into a nervous grin, and she laughed quietly.

“Yes,” she said, placing her hand into his and allowing him to escort her out of the dining room. “Let’s.”

11.

“Is that right?”

Molly kept her mouth clamped shut as Greyson’s mother looked her over.

“Yes, mother. She’s a human.”

“I never thought you would find a human to be your mate,” Greyson’s mother said, examining Molly coldly as if she were a relic in a museum. One that she was not at all impressed with.

“Well, I never gave it much thought myself,” Greyson said. “But you can’t argue with fate.”

Greyson’s mother nodded at this. “What do you think your father is going to think of this?” she asked in a hushed tone, as if she were concerned about his reaction but delighted by the idea of confrontation. Greyson scowled.

“To hell with what he thinks about it. This is my future. Our…future. The future of the pack, and the future of my wife and children. That is nobody’s business but my own.”

Molly was secretly proud of Greyson for being able to stand his ground with his mother. It seemed like it was difficult for him to do. His mother seemed surprised by it, but not entirely put off. Molly was sure that if they were speaking with his father it would be a different story.

“Well that’s good to know, son.”

Greyson’s face paled at the sound of a deep, gravelly voice coming in from the side door of his parents’ sitting room.

“Hello, father.”

“Son,” Greyson’s father said, coming into the room without even regarding Molly. “It’s good to see you taking some initiative about things. It shows a real growth in your character. It’s about time you started doing the mature thing and growing up a little bit.”

Greyson gritted his teeth and said nothing, and Molly frowned. There was something about this man that she didn’t like at all, though she couldn’t put it into words. Maybe it was because of what Greyson had already told her about him, but she didn’t think that was it. She got a bad feeling from him.

“Still, shacking up with a human isn’t quite what our ancestors had in mind when the Serah ceremonies were in their infancy. You know that.”

Greyson glared at his father, but the words that had flowed so freely in defiance of his mother seemed stuck in his throat when he faced the aging man.

“It’s hardly anybody’s place to tell me what the right thing to do with my life is,” Greyson said, most of the venom out of his voice. “Molly is the wolf’s pick, and that’s the last I can say about that. I hope that you can learn to accept her, in time, as part of the family.”

Greyson’s father nodded dismissively before finally turning to acknowledge Molly. She almost wished that he hadn’t.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Miss Ferguson. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Greyson frowned.

“From who?”

“I have my sources,” Greyson’s father said sternly. “You think I was born yesterday or something?”

Greyson clamped his mouth shut as his father continued to speak. “I know the man you happen to have bought her from. He wanted me to assure him that the girl would come to no harm while living in Stonybrooke. It seems to me he’s somewhat smitten with her.”

A deep, terrifying growl escaped from the back of Greyson’s throat, and the hair stood on end on Molly’s arm.

“She’s a pretty girl, isn’t she Gwenyth?”

Greyson’s mother nodded. “Beautiful, for a human. Greyson’s certainly quite smitten at least.”

It was unsettling being spoken about as if she weren’t even in the room, but she heeded Greyson’s advice. The less she said, the less ammunition his parents would have to fling back against her.

“I didn’t buy her,” Greyson finally said, turning angrily toward his father. “I paid for the service that happened to bring us together.”

“Tomato tomahto,” Greyson’s father said with a shrug. “The point is, I know the man and I know everything about this girl’s family. They’ve got quite an interesting past, I can tell you that much. Very, very interesting. Best you watch out for that one, son.”

Greyson looked as if he were about to say something, but suddenly held himself back. “I can assure you, we are both going to be fine.”

“Glad to hear it, son!” Mr. Bleuth slapped his son on the back and Greyson gritted his teeth. He clearly couldn’t stand his father, and Molly wished there was something she could do to make the interaction a little less difficult for him. Thankfully, it was already winding to a close.

“I’d like you to come by tomorrow to have a look at the books,” Mr. Bleuth said. “I want to know you will be able to handle it when the time comes for all this responsibility to become yours.”

“Fine. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Mr. and Mrs. Bleuth both nodded courteously at Molly.

“It was nice to meet you, dear,” Greyson’s mother said.

“Likewise,” Molly said with a polite bow.

Greyson took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly as they walked away, and Molly released a long, deep breath.

“That went well!” she said cheerfully.

Greyson cast her a sidelong look, and Molly’s smile faltered. It was clear they were both thinking the same thing. They were eager to get the hell out of there.

“So those were your parents, huh?” Molly said, ducking into the car where Byron was waiting. Greyson sighed and nodded. “They seem nice.”

Greyson couldn’t help but let the deep chuckle escape his lips. Soon, they were on the road, and Molly’s deep blue eyes were peering at him.

“I’m sorry I made you endure that. It’s just, they’ve been on me about this ceremony thing ever since I was a kid. It was about the most important thing in the world to them. They want to keep the power in the family.”

Molly nodded. “I understand. My family is eager to meet you too. But I know that probably won’t happen.”

She laughed lightly, but Greyson could tell it was a fact that bothered her significantly. She didn’t want to let on to him just how much they meant to her, maybe because some little bit of her was aware of his deep jealousy and possessiveness. Either way, he tried to make light of the comment. He was curious about her family too, if he was going to be honest with himself. Just what had his father found out about her that Greyson didn’t know himself? It was maddening.

“I don’t like it that my father knows more about you than I do,” Greyson said grumpily, glaring out the window.

“Maybe if we would have spoken more when I asked you to, you would know more about me,” Molly said quietly. “I’m an open book. I just want to understand you and my place in all of this. That’s all.”

Greyson scowled out the window. Why was she making it sound like it was his fault? The timing was all wrong, that was all. He could hardly change the way fate laid things out before them now, could he?

But Molly said nothing more, and Greyson couldn’t tell what she could possibly be thinking.

“Well, either way, this is where we’re at right now. Tell me, what is it that my father is hanging over my head? I need to know.”

Molly grimaced. “It’s kind of a long story, honestly, and I don’t really know all of the details.”

“That’s all right,” Greyson said with a heavy sigh. “I just want to know. It’s important.”

Molly furrowed her brow and looked away.

“I’ll tell you, but not here. Is that all right?”

Greyson glowered out the window. He wanted to make her talk. The wolf was furious about the idea of Molly withholding information from him when he wanted to know it now. But when he whirled around and opened his mouth to tear into her, he stopped suddenly. Molly’s face was wrought with pain, and she seemed to be doing everything she could to keep her composure in front of him.

“Fine,” he grumbled. “But right after lunch, we are going to have a talk.”

“I’ve been waiting for that,” Molly said, pushing her pain away and smiling sweetly.

Why did every little thing she said manage to make him feel like an asshole? Greyson turned away guiltily, his mind lost in thought. If his father knew something about Molly that he didn’t, why didn’t he just come right out and say it? Or was it bad enough that he was holding onto it in case he ever needed to blackmail his new daughter-in-law? Greyson wouldn’t put it past him. The man was a piece of work.

By the time they got back to the estate, Greyson took off inside the house without bothering to open the door for Molly. She was clearly unfazed by it, probably never having had a man open a door for her in her life, but Greyson still managed to be irritated by the fact. She had kept something important from him, and if his father decided to act on what he knew before Greyson found out what it was, how was he going to protect Molly or her precious little family from the man’s wrath? Surely, he didn’t like the idea of his son marrying a human, whether she was a virgin or not. Shifter blood had to be pure, after all.

Greyson fumed as he sat down heavily at the dining room table, waiting impatiently for his lunch to be served. Molly took her place and looked down at the table in front of her until Baron came in with plates of food for both of them. She picked at it as Greyson ate furiously, anxious to hear Molly’s story.

Then, finally, once his stomach was full and he was ready to confront her, Molly stood first.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

Greyson was surprised by her forwardness and nodded dumbly.

“Good. Let’s go somewhere a little bit more private. I can talk about it there.”

And with that, they walked from the dining room, with Greyson feeling like the utter asshole that he was sure he was.

12.

“Wow, I didn’t know about this room,” Molly said, looking around at the beautiful blue couches and full glass doors in awe.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Greyson said, opening the glass doors and leading her out onto the balcony at the top of his huge, sprawling home. The view was breathtaking. “You can see all of Stonybrooke here.”

“It’s incredible,” Molly agreed.

Greyson pulled out a chair for her at the glass table and disappeared for a moment back in the house before emerging with two wine glasses and a chilled bottle of champagne. He poured them both a glass and finally took his seat beside her.

They sipped at the glasses for a moment before Molly finally took a deep breath. It wouldn’t kill Greyson to know how she had managed to end up a mail order bride. It might change the way he viewed her, whether for better or for worse, she wouldn’t know until it happened, but she valued honesty.

“My father has some rather bad luck,” Molly began. Greyson grew quiet, his dark eyes watching her closely. She wished he wasn’t so obnoxiously attractive. It was unnerving. “He was having some trouble with the business…people who were plagiarizing his ideas. One man in particular, Terry Ramsey, was setting up this elaborate scheme, complete with a lawsuit, to make my father look terrible.”

“I know of Mr. Ramsey,” Greyson said quietly. “They say he took off a few months ago with no word to anybody. People assume he just packed his things and took off. God knows he had all the money in the world to do it with.”

Molly nodded. “Except that he didn’t just take off. Terry had stolen one of my father’s inventions and decided to patent it before my father had a chance. He had a team of lawyers ready to take my father for everything he was worth and claiming that he had stolen Terry’s work.”

Just the thought of it made Molly’s blood boil, and she gritted her teeth.

“My father is a sweet, hard-working man. He built his company from the ground up because he is brilliant and he puts his all into making his dream a reality. For a man like Terry to just…”

Greyson raised his eyebrow tiredly at her and Molly’s face burned with embarrassment. She had gotten off-topic.

“Well, anyway, my father and brother went to Terry’s estate one night to confront him about it after he had received the court summons in the mail. It was completely outrageous. That man had all the money in the world to do as he wanted with, and he was selfishly going after more because my father was an easy target and he saw the potential of my father’s invention.

“Now, I don’t know exactly what happened that night, but Terry was killed. There was some kind of altercation, and when my father was speeding out of there, Terry ended up under the wheels. My father was devastated, and my brother was clearly shaken up about it. But nobody told us that Terry had been killed. We just thought that the whole confrontation had ended horribly.”

“And it did,” Greyson said. “For Terry Ramsey.”

Molly glared up at Greyson, and he cracked a smile.

“I’m sorry,” he said, though his eyes demonstrated nothing but mirth. “This isn’t a laughing matter.”

“Well, my father didn’t know what to do, and he owed extravagant court costs to Ramsey’s lawyer, and with the bad publicity generated from Terry’s claims, the business lost more and more money, until my father’s debt was quite extravagant. When Ramsey was killed, my father only had one place to turn…”

“Jeffers,” Greyson growled.

Molly nodded.

“My father begged him for his help. He not only helped it to appear that Ramsey had disappeared, but loaned my father all the money he needed to get squared off with the bank.”

“Sounds like quite a mess,” Greyson said quietly, his dark eyes intent upon her.

“Especially when it came time to collect. My father had been convinced that sales would pick up again and he would be able to pay Jeffers back by his deadline, but when that didn’t happen…”

“Your father sold you to Jeffers?” Greyson exclaimed.

“No! I volunteered myself. If I didn’t, then my father and brother both would have their lives ruined over all of this. It isn’t worth it.”

“So you’d rather ruin your life for them?” Greyson asked, clearly incredulous.

“Nobody can say so far that I’ve ruined my life,” Molly said defiantly. “There was a possibility that everything would work out for the best this way. For all of us.”

“Has anybody ever told you that your unfailing optimism makes you very vulnerable to the darker things in life?” Greyson asked. His tone wasn’t menacing but concerned, and Molly laughed quietly.

“My sister worries about that all the time. It used to get on her nerves when I would try to find the good things about everything. She didn’t think it was right for someone not to get sad or grumpy over stupid things sometimes.”

“It’s odd,” Greyson agreed, the hint of a smile creasing his lips. “You are quite a unique individual.”

Molly’s face burned and she looked away from him and shrugged. “It’s not that I don’t get sad or grumpy. I just try to look at the grand scheme of things, you know? Some things just aren’t worth getting upset about. It’s a waste of time when you could be accomplishing other things.”

“I know all about that,” Greyson said with a sigh. “My research has always taken the front seat for me.”

“I thought you might understand,” Molly said with a quiet laugh. “I think it’s so admirable what you’re attempting to do.”

“Well, if I defy my father and choose not to take my position in the family business, then the truth might come out about your family. That seems dangerous, don’t you think? He can blackmail us.”

Molly considered this, frowning deeply.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” she said. Maybe it would be better not to get in the way of the Bleuth family’s business practices. But if Greyson was forced into it just for her sake, then surely they would end up resenting each other for the rest of their lives. Then who knew what might happen? Besides, it seemed cruel to have one man give up his dream so that she could protect her family. She had done all of this for their sake, as it was. When would enough be enough?

“I know your family means a lot to you,” Greyson said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “And getting away from my family means a lot to me. Does that makes sense?”

Molly nodded. “I would never ask you to make sacrifices on my account. I wish there was some easy way out of this.”

“There’s no such thing as an easy way out of a problem,” Greyson said, shaking his head. “That’s foolish thinking. What you have to do is find the loophole. The solution that works best for you. And never give up.”

“You’re right,” Molly said, looking into Greyson’s handsome face. He smiled at her then, a radiant smile that lit up his face and almost caused Molly to get lost in his eyes. “Something will work out. We’ll just have to work together to make sure of it.”

Greyson hesitated before nodding firmly.

“Yes. I’ll make my dreams a reality. And I’m sure that no matter what happens, your family will be fine.”

But there was doubt in his voice and resignation in his eyes, and Molly knew suddenly that he was just saying that to make her feel better. Spoiled rich men like Greyson didn’t compromise. He would probably throw Molly and her family under a bus to get what he wanted to get. The realization left a sour feeling in her stomach, and Greyson suddenly frowned.

“Are you all right?” he asked, standing abruptly and reaching out to her. “Can I get you some water?”

Molly stood too, fixing a resolute smile upon him. “No, thank you. I should probably go and get some rest. There is a lot that we will need to do to prepare for the wedding, after all. It’s best to put our best face forward.”

Greyson’s lips were tight, and he nodded. “Right. I hope you feel better soon.”

Sure he did. As if he actually cared one iota about Molly or how she felt. The sad fact of the matter was that she was there for his convenience, and had been all this time. She felt sick knowing she had surrendered her body to him, even if he had managed to spare her virginity in the heat of the moment. But he hadn’t done that because she had asked him to. She was sure he had only held back because of the stupid Serah ceremony he had bought her for.

Talking about the whole, dreary situation out loud had really made Molly feel terrible about it all. There was no way of telling what was going to happen. She had basically sold the rest of her life to a man she knew nothing about, who had done nothing but treat her like an inconvenience from the second she set foot in his home until now. And he would probably continue to treat her like an inconvenience until she was gone.

Molly pushed into her bedroom and fell onto the bed, exhausted by all of the turns the day had already taken. And it was barely 3:00pm yet. She was just going to take a shower and get some rest. Then, maybe, she would be able to figure a way out of this mess.

13.

Greyson’s eyes followed Molly until she had disappeared out of the room, and he turned his gaze back over to the skyline of Stonybrooke. There were hundreds of people living there who thought that the Bleuths were looking out for them. Who thought that they were on their side.

But the fact was that his father had been overcharging them, subtly, more and more, for the land on which they lived. It had been his parents who had brought the idea of real estate and financial gain to the shifter community, borrowing it from ventures into the human cities and poisoning shifter culture with so-called “progress.” And it had been his family that was almost single-handedly responsible for the economic structure of the town. Sure, it was all shifters who lived there, rarely any humans, but it had the distinct look and feel of a human settlement.

That had everything to do with the Bleuths, who had found a way to put themselves on top of the pack without needing to have alpha blood running through their veins. It was a dirty trick, if Greyson was going to be honest, and he had always resented the way his father, and grandfather, and great-grandfather, had conducted themselves. Everything his father had tried to teach him went against everything he believed. He didn’t want to take advantage of the rest of the pack. He wanted to carry them forward on the winds of the future, not let them stay stuck behind in the stone-ages.

Greyson’s thoughts rolled back to Molly, and his breath caught in his throat as he remembered the sensual feeling of her hot body closing around his fingers, the soft, maddening gasps that fell from her lips as he satisfied the cruel pangs of desire that seemed to bring her great agony. It had been another kind of agony entirely to help the girl through those feelings without letting the wolf gain control of the situation, but he had been feeling bitter enough at himself to manage to take control.

The wolf had been leading things with Molly for far too long. She was just a vulnerable human, after all. She didn’t deserve to be lashed out at without even the simplest understanding of shifter life. The wolf wanted to have his way, and got it, for the most part. But Greyson was done letting it have its way with Molly. She needed protection, from the rest of the world and, if necessary, from himself as well. And as her husband to be, it was up to Greyson to make sure she received that protection at all costs.

“Master Bleuth?”

Greyson was snapped out of his thoughts by the voice of Baron, who smiled kindly at him and offered him the telephone. “It’s the council, sir. They need to have your details for the Serah Ceremony.”

“Of course,” Greyson said, taking the phone from Baron. “Thank you.”

“Mr. Bleuth?”

The deep voice of the elder in charge warbled out of the receiver, and Greyson smiled despite himself. He had always been quite a funny little man, an oddity and amusement to Greyson as he had grown. Now that he was a man of importance himself, he received personal calls from the man from time to time about council business.

“Hello, Blarney.”

“Good to speak to you again,” Blarney said. Greyson could practically hear the man nod his head impulsively, as he did any time he greeted someone or spoke of important matters. The man was really getting up there in age, and somehow, it made Greyson feel more warmly toward him. As if he should treasure the time he had left with the man before he was gone from his life completely.

“Likewise,” Greyson said, trying not to remember the same word being spoken in Molly’s voice. She sure had conducted herself well with his overbearing parents. He had forgotten to praise her for it. The conversation had taken quite the unexpected turn.

“As you know, Greyson, the Serah ceremony is set to commence in exactly six days’ time. Six being a sacred number, we are receiving the details on the pairings today. Your mother called this morning with news that she had met with you and your chosen mate this afternoon. Is that correct?”

“Yes, sir,” Greyson said, wishing he could speak with more conviction. The wolf had chosen Molly. There was no doubt about that. But she hadn’t exactly chosen him back. It made him feel a little bit uncomfortable to speak about his relationship with Molly to anybody. Especially considering they barely had one.

“And what is your chosen one’s name, son?”

Greyson hesitated. He really shouldn’t be going through with this without everything being consensual, should he? It was far too important. He wouldn’t be able to fool the shifter deities with a woman he had plucked from a newspaper ad? What had he been thinking?

Still, what was done was done, and the ceremony wasn’t for another six days. There was still time to back out, if need be. But if they were going to go ahead with it, he would have to give the details now, or he never would have another chance.

“Her name is Molly Ferguson.”

“And what, uh, species, is Ms. Ferguson?”

“Human.”

“I see,” Blarney said, and Greyson could hear the scratching of his quill on parchment; possibly one of the most traditional images he could conjure to mind. Blarney was one of the oldest shifters in the country, lasting for around two centuries. He claimed it had everything to do with good nutrition and a spell that the elders of his original pack had cast upon him to ensure his constitution was strong. He was rigid about tradition, but time and experience had broadened his mind and allowed him to speak to each shifter he encountered with compassion.

“And how old would you say she is?”

“Twenty-three, I think,” Greyson said with an impatient sigh. Why did it feel so wrong to reveal her personal details to the council? He had no right to be possessive of her now. Not after the way the wolf had treated her.

“Wonderful. And, I know this is something of a controversial question these days, but is she pure?”

Blarney said pure with a quiet emphasis so that there would be no mistaking the question. Greyson sighed. Although it had taken everything within him to see to it that Molly remained that way, she was pure.

“Yes,” Greyson said edgily. “She is pure.”

“Perfect!” Blarney said cheerfully. “We are conducting a rehearsal in two days. It is highly recommended that all humans attend, as it can be very difficult for them to understand their place in the ceremonies if they are not properly instructed. We want to make sure this goes off without a hitch. Who knows whether or not I will make it to see another ceremony like this.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Greyson scolded. “I’m sure you will be here for our pack for many more generations. The magic that protects you is quite powerful.”

“Indeed,” Blarney said with a chuckle. “Let your human know about the ceremony and that she is welcome at the rehearsal. I expect to see both of you there.”

“Of course. We will be sure to attend,” Greyson said. “Take care of yourself.”

“You do the same,” Blarney said. “Blessings upon you both.”

“Thank you.” Greyson bowed, although he was on the phone, and he could sense Blarney doing the same. He summoned Baron to take the phone away and took a long swig of champagne.

If he was going to go through with the ceremony, he would have to make damn good and sure that he wasn’t lying to anybody, especially himself. The wolf had chosen Molly as a mate, but had he? And would she even take him? There was no way of knowing. He would have to find a way to prove to himself, and to Molly, that going through with the ceremony with her was the right thing to do.

He wasn’t going to let his parents pressure him into making the biggest mistake of his life. They had already ruined enough things for him that it seemed far too dangerous to let their pressure upon him push him into taking part in a ceremony where honesty and devotion were the most exclusively important things he could bring to the circle.

The answer seemed obvious. He was going to have to do his best to woo the girl. Show her that his feelings for her were sincere. That meant no more temper tantrums, and no more acting like a spoiled child. He would do whatever it took to see to it that she agreed to marry him, of her own accord. Otherwise, he would just have to forego the ceremony and spend the rest of his life alone.

14.

“Tell him not to do that!” Molly exclaimed into the phone. She was horrified. Her brother Danny was appealing to all kinds of sketchy people to try to raise the money needed to buy back Molly’s freedom and try to buy Jeffers’ silence. “It’s really not that bad here!”

“Nobody believes that. We all know what shifters are supposed to be like. And there’s supposed to be this huge cult thing happening with them this week.”

Molly cringed. Sometimes, her family could sound so uninformed when it came to shifter culture. Almost shifter-phobic in a way. But she knew it came from a genuine place. They just didn’t want to see her hurt.

“It’s called the Serah ceremony. And I’m not sure what it is, but I’m not going to be in any danger. It’s something they’ve done for centuries, even before humans were living in North America. Please, try not to sound so ignorant. You never know who might hear you talking here. I don’t want my phone privileges to be revoked.”

“The very fact that you have to say ‘phone privileges’ proves just how badly you’re being treated over there. I know it’s not ideal for you and you try to make the best of everything, but why can’t you just admit the truth to me? I’m your sister. You should be able to be honest with me by now. Are you afraid he will overhear or something?”

“Maybe,” Molly said. The truth was, she was feeling very bitter at Greyson lately. Especially after she had embarrassed herself by letting him into her bedroom that night. She hadn’t wanted to experience any of those feelings with a man who would never be able to love her. All he could see was the bottom line, she was sure of it, and the bottom line, in this case, only benefited Greyson himself. There was no way the two of them were going to live happily ever after. No matter how much she wished it could be possible. She was condemned to a life of misery in this place.

“Well, maybe we can work out some kind of code, right? Or you can write me a letter. You used to write the most beautiful letters to me back when I was off in boarding school. Just write me how things really are.”

“I’m telling you, I really don’t have it that badly. I miss you all like mad, but I can’t just come home or leave without talking to Greyson about it first. But it will happen, I’m sure it will. We just need to be patient about it.”

“Well, you know there’s nothing I’ll ever be able to say to get Danny to stop trying. He feels partly responsible for this. He was with dad when…”

“I know,” Molly said darkly. “But it wasn’t anybody’s fault. And if everybody knew the whole truth of the matter, nobody would blame either of them. Only the most corrupt court system in the world would condemn our family for what happened.”

Haley was quiet for a moment, and Molly rolled her eyes. She was crying again, hoping that her emotion would somehow get Molly to agree to the impossible. What kind of hopeless rescue mission would her family have to endure to get her back? And what could she do to convince them that she wasn’t really stuck there in the first place?

“I’m telling you, it’s all going to work out fine. Something happened…with Greyson.”

Haley immediately stopped crying and was suddenly all ears. “Something like what?” she asked. And then a whisper; “Sexual?!”

Molly sighed and Haley burst into a high pitched giggle. “It was! What happened! You little tramp.”

“Haley, please,” Molly exclaimed, furrowing her eyebrows.

She knew her sister was only joking, but the word made her feel guilty. She certainly felt like a woman of loose morals after what had happened with Greyson. He wasn’t the man she had hoped he would be based on his voice. He had been nothing but the opposite from the moment they’d met. Every once in a while, she could see a stream of light inside of him that made her almost believe he was capable of being a good man, but then he would have another temper tantrum and she would lose all hope entirely.

“It wasn’t sex,” Molly said. “But it was something. And really, I like him. A lot. I do. He’s just such a selfish jerk sometimes.”

Haley laughed lightly. “That can be true of all men. And humans, in general. Have you tried talking to him about it? Sometimes, they just don’t know how they affect other people. Oh! And he’s a shifter too, that’s bound to cause some ripples where communication is concerned.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Molly said glumly. It was true. Shifters seemed to communicate in completely strange ways. But still, she would think a man as straight-forward as Greyson would admit to having any feelings for her if they were there at all. The only thing he had ever shown her was his lust and agitation. Hardly a winning combination.

“Well, you two seem to have a lot to catch up on, it sounds like. Meanwhile, I will do my best to see to it that Danny stops trying to cut deals with a sketchy crowd. We’re all just really worried about you, you know?”

“Well, Jeffers was telling the truth for once,” Molly said with a sigh. “He made sure that I was with a decent person. Nothing has happened that shouldn’t happen. I just want to see how this plays out without Danny getting into even more trouble than he could be in already. Doesn’t he understand that I did all of this so he would stay out of harm’s way?”

“He’s our big brother, Molly,” Haley said with a sigh. “It’s his job, in his mind anyway, to protect us. I’ll do my best to convince him you’re happy, but I have a feeling that nothing on Earth would change his mind except seeing it for himself.”

Molly groaned and leaned back against the headboard of her big bed. It had been less and less comfortable since the night with Greyson. She was considering changing rooms. Every time she came in, all she could think about was the man’s dangerous body close to hers, igniting a fire within her that she hadn’t known she was capable of feeling.

“Thanks, Haley. Do your best to keep everybody out of trouble. I promise, it’s not that bad. We might just need to talk things out or something.”

“Right.”

Molly sat quietly on the bed for a few moments after hanging up with her sister. Did she really believe that the hurdles she faced with Greyson were something that could be overcome with a little bit of talking? No, she was working on trying to overcome a dangerous obstacle by attempting to find contentment with living with a man who clearly only cared about himself. It was a lifetime of misery laid out for her if she didn’t try her best to keep a positive outlook.

But even a positive outlook could be toxic with the wrong person. She couldn’t just keep excusing his horrible actions. As much as she wanted to like him – and good heavens, did she wish she could – she couldn’t just allow a self-centered man to become the center of her universe. If they couldn’t be friends, then she would just have to find a way to make things right herself.

***

That evening after dinner, Greyson was sitting in a huge sitting room with a fire lit, reading a thick book, when he suddenly called to her.

“Would you like to spend some time in here with me?” Greyson asked. “I could use some company.”

Molly resigned herself to it and sat silently in an armchair across from Greyson, who looked back down at his book, his handsome face the picture of contentment.

“There are plenty of things to read here,” he said. “Feel free to help yourself to any of them.”

“Thanks,” Molly said begrudgingly standing from her seat and heading to the shelves to peruse the selection. She realized that she and Greyson had remarkably similar taste in fiction, and chose one of her favorite books to immerse herself in.

“That’s a brilliant book,” Greyson said, noting the cover of the book as she sat down once again. “I used to read it when I was feeling completely alone in the world.”

Molly’s heart lurched at the revelation. It was the same way she was feeling whenever she would pick the book up. It had quickly been titled one of her closest friends, which seemed silly considering she had grown up in a busy household with two other siblings.

“Me too,” she said quietly, without looking at Greyson. She could feel his pensive gaze upon her as she cracked the cover open and began to read. She wished she could believe that he had invited her in here with him because he genuinely wanted to spend more time with her, but he had already said it himself. He wanted to have some company. Wasn’t that why he did everything? Because he wanted to do it? It would probably be impossible for him to put the needs of others before himself. She would be shocked if he ever did manage it.

“Did you ever read anything else by the same author?” Greyson asked.

Molly put her book down again and raised an eyebrow at Greyson. Why did he suddenly care what she had or hadn’t done? Did he think that they could just suddenly be friends again? Maybe he was back to wanting sex and was trying to butter her up for it this time. She wouldn’t give in so easily, no matter how badly she wanted to be with him.

“Yes,” Molly said firmly, looking back at her book. She wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Especially not knowing what it was that Greyson was trying to get at. She couldn’t trust that he would have a legitimate conversation with her for a genuine purpose. The only time he ever really spoke to her was to talk about what he expected or wanted.

She could feel him staring at her, as if he were still hoping to continue the conversation, but he ended up sighing and going back to his own book. It made her feel a confusing mixture of relief and guilt. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to speak to him. She just really wanted to make sure that her energy wasn’t being wasted on a man who would, for the rest of their lives, only use her when it served him best and otherwise disregard her feelings entirely. He had given her no reason to believe that he was better than that.

After about an hour of reading, Molly finally stood up and put the book back on the shelf. It had been comforting being drawn back into the colorful fantasy world of her youth, with familiar characters and places, especially during a time when she was greatly missing her family. Greyson’s eyes followed her to the shelf and as she crossed the room to the door.

“No,” he said, closing his book when she reached for the knob to let herself out. “I’d like to talk to you for a moment. You seem upset.”

Molly was surprised that he even noticed, and even more surprised that he would want to talk to her. If this wasn’t about sex then it would have to be a good reason.

“I miss my family,” Molly said, sighing and going back to her seat. “They’re trying really hard to find a way to pay Jeffers and get me back.”

“I see,” Greyson said with a frown. Molly was suddenly afraid. Had she said too much? She didn’t want Greyson going after her family for wanting to help her.

“I told them that I’m fine here, but, of course, they wouldn’t believe me.”

“You wouldn’t believe your sister either, if she was in this situation,” Greyson said, one of his dark eyebrows raised. She gazed into his handsome face and had to really force herself out of the spell he always seemed to put her under. She really wished he genuinely felt the compassion he was showing right now, but it would take a lot more than this to convince her that she was living with a good man.

“That’s true,” Molly said. “I don’t think I would give up until I knew for sure that Haley was safe.”

Greyson nodded. “Your family is right to be concerned. If they didn’t care about you, then you would know it. But clearly, they do.”

Molly sighed. “I’m really tired of this, Greyson.”

Greyson looked at her, surprised.

“Tired of what?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“I’m tired of trying to get close to you and every time I get a little bit closer, I just see more of your darkness. There has to be more to you than that. Right now, I can’t even tell if you’re being genuine. I feel like I should ignore advice about love from someone like you, who has already treated me so poorly.”

Greyson looked shocked by her words, and Molly rose from her chair again. “So unless you’re, somehow, going to show to me that you’re a different person than you appear to be, I’d really rather save this conversation for later. I’m feeling a bit glum right now, and I’m afraid I would be rather poor company. Would you mind if we talked more about this later?”

“Of course,” Greyson said, furrowing his eyebrows. “I’m sorry.”

It was strange to see this handsome man’s pensive face frowning as he apologized, and Molly excused herself quickly.

“Good night,” she said.

“Good night.”

She walked away from the room, strangely elated that she had been honest with Greyson about how she was feeling. It seemed wrong to let him believe she was all right. Nothing had actually felt right from the moment she had walked through that door.

Molly lay in bed that night, unable to sleep. She had been trying so hard to believe that Greyson could care about her, but the fact was that she had been deluding herself this entire time. And frankly, she felt sick about giving away even a tiny little piece of herself to him. It hadn’t been worth it at all. And now, he probably felt entitled to treating her like shit, because she had been letting him do it all this time for fear she might ruin the business deal with Jeffers.

And she still had to go through with it. She could marry the man if she had to, but she wouldn’t just be his blushing bride. If even his efforts at carrying a conversation with her made her feel as if he was going to change his tune any second and go back to being an asshole, she would probably never be able to relax in his presence.

She would just have to face it, Molly realized. Greyson Bleuth was a complete piece of work, and they had only been brought together by chance. It hadn’t been fated that she would have a steamy, whirlwind romance with a mysterious shifter man who would turn out to have a heart of gold. Things like that only happened in the stories. No, she was going to marry a man who couldn’t love her, and live to regret it. All for the sake of saving her family.

15.

Greyson paced about the room, feeling surly. Since when did Molly feel comfortable simply ignoring him? Didn’t she realize how much was riding on their peaceable union? The wolf wasn’t going to wait forever. She was going to have to come around eventually.

But if she didn’t, Greyson reminded himself, that was all right too. She was entitled to her feelings, even if those feelings told a story different than the one her body tended to tell him on the nights when his self-control was waning. She would just have to be honest with him, that was the main thing. And right now, it looked as if he were the last person in the world that she was going to ever want to give the time of day to.

Could he blame her? Greyson had been up in arms from the moment she’d arrived in his life. The only time he’d fully embraced her had been when he was slobbering drunk and desperate to find a virgin to accompany him to the ceremony. He hadn’t even told her about the rehearsal yet. Maybe he would just have to wait to see how she really felt about him before he went through with this. There would be nothing worse than lying to the shifter deities. He would almost rather die than enter into a sacred union with a woman who couldn’t stand him. No matter what the wolf had to say about it.

Greyson growled to himself, his mind racing for a solution to his dilemma. She didn’t feel like he cared about her. That had been the issue all along. He knew that, somehow, there was a way to prove to her that he was sincere. He’d wanted her from the moment he’d seen her picture, but he wouldn’t let the wolf lead the way any longer.

Suddenly, an idea dawned upon him. If he could find a way to help her family, or convince them that she was all right, then maybe she would give him another chance. She was tired of his shit, that much was clear, and if he thought enough about it, he could certainly see why she would be. Maybe the answer was to appeal to her through her family. And if she wasn’t ready to be with him by the time the Serah ceremony commenced, then he would let her go.

Even if that meant spending every last dime of his money, whether the money he had earned for himself or money from his inheritance, to pay off Jeffers and relocate her family somewhere that they would never face any of the legal issues they were having again.

With a newfound determination, Greyson sprinted up to his office. If this was going to work, he would have to plan accordingly. It was the least he could do for her. Maybe, just maybe, it would be enough to patch up their relationship and give them a fresh start.

***

“Are you sure about this, Master Bleuth?”

“Yes, Baron. I’m sure.”

Baron paled, but nodded slightly and opened the door for Greyson to get into the car.

They were silent as they drove the several miles down the road to Greyson’s parents’ manor, and, with a deep breath and a faltering smile to Baron, who waited outside the car with a worried look on his face, Greyson rang the doorbell.

A few moments later, a servant was answering the door and ushering Greyson inside to the drawing room, where his mother was sitting with a cool cup of iced tea and staring out the window.

“Hello, mother,” Greyson said nervously. “Father asked me to come today, didn’t he?”

“Yes, of course, but you know how he is.”

Greyson frowned, and his mother glanced up at him as if seeing him for the first time since he’d arrived.

“Oh, hello dear. That’s right, you’re supposed to work on the books with your father. You know where to go. He’s expecting you.”

“Of course he is,” Greyson mumbled, turning away from his mother and heading up the elaborate staircase to his father’s spacious study.

Inside, his father was hunched over thick piles of paper, meticulously checking figures and grumbling to himself. It was as if he resented the people of Stonybrooke for paying him extra money for the land they were living on. In other shifter settlements, they lived by less human rules and nobody was able to strike it rich by taking advantage of their own pack. His father was quite unique in that aspect, and Greyson glowered at the door.

“Father.”

Greyson’s father ignored him, and continued mumbling about the figures he was checking and re-checking, until Greyson raised his voice.

“Father!”

His voice came out in a harsh growl, and his father looked at him in surprise.

“Take a seat, boy. I need a hand here, can’t you see that?”

Greyson didn’t budge from the doorway.

“I’ve come to tell you something important.”

“And what’s that?” his father asked impatiently, thrusting his magnifying glass onto the table and glaring at Greyson.

“I don’t want you and mother in my personal business anymore. I’ve been groomed well enough to find my virgin bride for the ceremony, but I want that to be where the line is drawn. Do you understand?”

Greyson’s father laughed heartily at this, and patted the seat beside himself. Greyson sat begrudgingly, and his father pushed a magnifying glass at him. Greyson picked it up with a sigh and began studying the figures on the paper in front of him, checking them over once, then twice, then a third time, before putting them in the pile for finished work.

“My boy, I couldn’t care less what you do with that human of yours. Just be careful with her. Humans can be crafty; especially ones that come from stock such as hers. I hear she’s the daughter of a murderer.”

Greyson growled. “If I hear another thing like that come from your lips, I will challenge you in front of the whole pack. And that is something I’d rather not do.”

Greyson’s father turned a stern eye upon him, but both of them knew the obvious. He had aged incredibly since his youth, and now Greyson was clearly the stronger and more powerful of the two. His father earned his power through corrupt business practices, while Greyson was still powerful just by the virtue of his youth. And, if the ceremony was successful, he was about to get a whole lot more powerful.

“Easy does it, son,” his father said with a scowl. “We don’t want you to say anything you might regret.”

“I’m serious,” Greyson said, putting another paper in the ‘finished’ pile. “I don’t want you or mother to speak about Molly, whether in my presence or out of it. If I find out you have, or you’ve done anything to interfere with the life of Molly or her family, you won’t live to regret it.”

“I understand that you are taking your new mate very seriously,” his father said evenly. “This is good news. I can see that having her around has matured you a lot already. I look forward to seeing the type of man you will become with a woman around to soften your edges. Or, make them sharper, as can tend to happen.”

Greyson glared at his father but said no more. He felt better now that his position was clear. Nobody would hold anything over Molly’s head, or her family’s. His father wouldn’t stand in the way of her freedom, no matter what happened. There were a lot of ways his father could hurt him, like taking away his inheritance, for example, but the one thing he couldn’t do was win a fight against his able-bodied son.

“It’s true, son. I’m very relieved to know you have someone with you in that huge house of yours. It seems so lonely there. Your mother worries, you know.”

“Well, she has nothing to worry about. It’s no more lonely there than it was here.”

Greyson’s father chuckled, and they continued on with their work until it was finished. He gave his father a begrudging bow before he left, a little bit angry with himself for not being able to have the courage to tell his father that he wanted nothing to do with his shady business.

All in good time, he supposed. He had already threatened to kill his father if he tried to hold his knowledge about Molly over either of their heads. That was more than enough for one day.

“I didn’t expect you to make it out of there in one piece,” Baron admitted with a sheepish, relieved laugh as he allowed Greyson into the car.

“I just had a few words with my father. He knows I’m serious.”

Greyson could feel Baron’s eyes studying him from the rearview mirror, and caught the old man’s eye.

“I’m really glad to know that you are serious,” Baron said. “Lady Molly is quite a sweet soul. She deserves to have somebody who is serious about her.”

Greyson nodded, though his insides seemed to be churning in agony. He wished she would have had a person like that from the moment she’d walked through his doors, but there was no point in wasting time regretting his decisions. He would just have to change the way he behaved around her. The thought of letting her go and losing her completely was the first thing that had ever truly scared him. At the very least, he had made one solid first step in ensuring that Molly would be safe and sound, no matter what happened.

When they arrived home, Greyson was shocked to find Molly pacing in the dining room.

“Where have you been?” she asked, fear and concern practically radiating from her body. Had she been worried about him? Usually he, or Baron, mentioned it to her when Greyson was going to leave the estate, but this time, he had done it in secret. He didn’t want to have to explain himself to her. It was embarrassing to admit that he had to go threaten his father so nothing bad would happen to her if he decided to let her go back to her family.

“I was doing the books with my father. I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Molly huffed.

“You should tell me next time. What if there’s an emergency?”

Greyson raised his eyebrows. It was a poor way to tell him that she had been worried about him, or maybe even that she had missed him. But it was clear that she was still upset with him for the way he had been treating her, and it was true. There was a distinct possibility that Molly could be in danger. She was one of a few rare humans who came to Stonybrooke, and it was no secret that she was staying with him. Worse, it was obvious to everybody who had heightened shifter senses that she was a virgin, and that only made her more of a magnet for abuse of all kinds from men who were eager to claim the powers of the Serah ceremony for themselves and their future offspring.

“You’re right. I apologize.”

Molly glared at Greyson for a few more moments, and finally shook her head.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so extreme with you. I’ve just been feeling really angry at you lately.”

Greyson was shocked. He had no idea that there was a human out there who could speak so candidly about her emotions. From what he understood, most humans, particularly the women, would hide their true feelings no matter what, because they weren’t considered socially acceptable. Something Greyson thought was wildly funny. What faster way to create a whole society full of emotional problems?

“I can tell,” Greyson said quietly. “Would you like to come upstairs and talk to me about it?”

Molly shifted uncomfortably, but he could tell that the invitation was welcome.

“Let’s go,” Greyson said, guiding Molly to the stairs. “Baron, can we postpone lunch?”

“Sir!”

Greyson glared sternly at Baron, who nodded in shock. It was the first time since he was an infant that Greyson had ever suggested putting off a meal for any reason. Baron disappeared from the room as Greyson and Molly went up to the same area where they had spoken so easily before on the balcony.

“Now please,” Greyson pleaded when Molly was seated. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Molly heaved a heavy sigh and stared up at him, her shocking blue eyes serious and troubled.

“I want my family to come to the wedding.”

Greyson did a double-take, and then laughter began to bubble uncontrollably from his breast.

“That’s all? That’s what you’re upset about?”

Molly’s eyes grew fierce as she stared at Greyson, and his laughter died immediately in his throat.

“I didn’t mean…it’s just, why would you think they weren’t welcome at our wedding?”

Molly shrugged. “I don’t know. And it’s not just that, either. I just don’t feel like a man so…selfish…would ever know how to properly love someone. And I’m just worried about what that could mean for us. For our future.”

Greyson gaped at her. He had never been called selfish before. At least, not to his face. And although he knew it was true, it still hurt and made him feel angry.

“I know how to love someone,” he exclaimed. “I just…how are we supposed to go about doing that when we can’t even get along?”

Molly pursed her lips. “That is the other thing I’m upset about.”

Greyson shook his head.

“I vow to you, that there is nothing more I want in the world than to make this relationship work out between us.”

Molly sighed. “I would love to believe that, Greyson. I really would. I just don’t know what to think.”

Greyson got to his feet and stood in front of her, his eyes serious.

“I swear it,” he said. “I know all of this was my fault. You felt unwelcome with me. Unsafe, maybe. But there is a reason the wolf inside of me chose you. And I’m going to prove it to you. If you give me one more chance.”

Molly swallowed hard, clearly uncomfortable by his grandiose gesture. There was no way he could just change her first impression of him overnight. It would take more than just threatening his father to make things right with her.

Finally, Molly caught his eye.

“I believe in second chances,” she said. “That’s why I’m here in the first place.”

She gave him a weak smile and stood from her seat. Greyson watched her go, his chest tight. Everybody who knew her was right. She deserved the best of him, even if the wolf brought out the worst.

16.

The next morning, Molly woke up and immediately sensed that something was wrong. Greyson’s comforting presence was nowhere to be found, and she worried, once again, that something bad had happened to him. More infuriatingly, it was possible that he had broken the promise he’d made only the night before. If he wanted a second chance from her, then how was she supposed to give it to him if he was already just lying to try to take the easy way out of her anger?

But when she looked outside, she saw that the car was still in the driveway. As she roamed the house, looking for any life at all, she found Baron standing rigidly at the top of the stairs, looking worried.

“What is it?” Molly asked him. He pursed his lips but said nothing, and continued staring off into space. “Baron!”

Baron hung his head and finally began to whisper.

“Master Bleuth had words with his father yesterday. He told him that if he dug any deeper into your business, or harmed your family, Greyson would challenge and kill him himself. I’m afraid the man didn’t take it so well, and sent a group of thugs to come and abduct you from the home. Master Bleuth…”

“Where is Greyson?” Molly demanded.

Baron closed his eyes, worry and pain etched in every line of his face. “I fear the worst. I stopped hearing the sounds of the fight a few moments ago. I’m trying to gather the courage to go outside.”

Molly’s heart lurched and she ran to the door before Baron could even register what was happening.

“Please! Stay inside! It isn’t safe!”

But the words didn’t register in her mind. If anything had happened to Greyson just because he was trying to protect her, she would never be able to forgive herself.

When she reached the front porch, she froze. There was a trail of blood leading down the steps and across the street, and what she saw there horrified her. Three grey wolves were lying limp on the ground, as a fourth grey wolf and one monstrous black wolf snarled viciously at one another. It was obvious that the blood was coming from the black wolf, who was clearly the more powerful of the two, and she knew immediately by the serious glint in his eyes that this wolf was Greyson.

The grey wolf yelped suddenly and backed away with its tail between his legs, and the other three injured wolves struggled to their feet and limped away, following their leader away from the huge black threat.

“Greyson!” Molly shouted.

Greyson’s eyes met hers right away, and she felt a huge surge of tenderness and compassion for the man. He had risked his life to protect her. Greyson took a step toward her, before suddenly collapsing into the dirt.

***

“What the hell were you thinking?” Molly exclaimed.

Greyson stared at her groggily, still barely conscious. It was a miracle that Baron had come out when he had and ensured that the grey wolves didn’t come back to prey upon Greyson while he was down. Baron was shockingly strong, and lifted the huge wolf up over his shoulders and had managed to carry it inside.

Molly had watched in awe as Greyson’s solid wolf form slowly transformed right in front of her, until he was a vulnerable – albeit shockingly muscular – naked man, lying unconscious on his bed.

“He’s going to be fine, Lady Molly,” Baron said soothingly. “I’ve just got to tend to his wounds.”

When Baron had finished, Greyson was regaining consciousness, and he retreated from the room to allow Molly and Greyson a few moments alone together before he returned with some cool water for Greyson to drink.

“Just what the hell were you thinking, taking them on like that? You could have been killed!”

“Better me than you,” Greyson said weakly. “My father. His thinking is that if there is no bride to protect, then my challenge is off the table. He’s furious at me.”

“Your own father would do this to you?” Molly exclaimed. Suddenly, it made sense that Greyson would act jealous and bitter whenever she would rave about her wonderful family life. It was clear his own family was nothing but a basket full of problems. Who knew what the poor man had been made to endure? Even with money, sometimes life was just hard.

“It was my fault,” Greyson grumbled, wincing in pain as he sat up in the bed. Molly did her best to keep from staring at the man’s gorgeous, lithe body as he did so. She’d never seen a naked man up close before, and was somewhat glad that her first chance had been with an unconscious one. But now that he was awake again, it had gone back to being awkward, and red heat was crossing her cheeks.

“It’s not your fault. A father shouldn’t do things like this to his own son.”

“Shifters and humans are different, Molly,” Greyson said quietly, but she could tell that there was no conviction in his voice. His father was a cruel man, even cruel by shifter standards. That much was clear.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself. It’s mine. I should never have…”

“Stop!” Greyson demanded, the strength returning suddenly to his voice. Molly jumped as his strong hand wrapped around her wrist and he looked deeply into her eyes, his handsome face serious. “I don’t want you to blame yourself for anything that has happened here. It’s my responsibility. It was my choice to bring you. But I swear, I’m going to do right by you from now on. I should never have been so stupid.”

Molly swallowed hard. He seemed so passionate about what he was saying. She wanted so badly to fall for it; to be the stupid girl who let the sweet-talking man win her over and just surrender to the blissfully uncomplicated desire of giving in to her deepest, most forbidden longing.

“I don’t think either of us should waste any time with regret,” Molly said, her voice shaking. “Let’s just see to it that you get better and hope that things will improve from there.”

Greyson nodded, his face a little bit crestfallen. Could he tell that she was still conflicted about him? It’s not that she wanted to be. Every night, she wished that their relationship could just work itself out so she could finally find peace in the unbelievably strong feelings that this man invoked within her body. But sometimes things just didn’t work out like that, and she was beginning to feel like she had been stupid to ever hope for the best in a situation like this.

“Water for you, Master Bleuth. You gave us quite a scare,” Baron said, bursting suddenly into the room. Molly swallowed and backed away from Greyson so that Baron could check his wounds.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Molly said sincerely.

But that was all she was able to say.

Greyson watched her leave, unable to speak or go after her with Baron tending to him, and she rushed down to her bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind her. Why were things so stupidly complicated between them? She wanted him so much, but Haley was right. She couldn’t be optimistic all the time. Some things only looked right in the harsh light of the stark cold truth.

The problem was that, so far, she had no idea what the stark cold truth with Greyson was going to turn out to be.

17.

“I don’t know about this…”

“Please. Just consider my offer. For Molly’s sake,” Greyson pleaded.

“All right…I’m going to have to consult my family. You understand.”

“Of course, Mr. Ferguson. But one last thing. If you agree, and even if you don’t, please don’t tell Molly about this. I want it to be a surprise for her. Because whether she agrees to marry me or not, I don’t want her to think that I’m just trying to buy her love.”

Molly’s father chuckled slowly in disbelief. “You’re quite a piece of work, Mr. Bleuth. But you have my word. Molly won’t hear anything about this from me either way.”

“Good. Thank you, sir.”

Greyson hung up the phone and stared off into his long rows of bookshelves thoughtfully. The idea had struck him late in the night. The Serah ceremony was set for two days from now, and he felt a little bit guilty that he hadn’t told Molly about the rehearsal. Still, he stood by his conviction. He wouldn’t marry her unless she truly wanted to be with him. There was no point in having a bride that resented him.

“Greyson?”

Greyson started at the sound of Molly’s voice. “Yes? Come in.”

Molly entered the room shyly, offering Greyson a small tray full of the little shifter concoctions that were meant to speed up healing in the body after an attack such as the one that Greyson had endured. He smiled gratefully and moved a book from his desk so that Molly could set the tray down in front of him.

“Thank you,” he said.

She smiled at him, a radiant, beautiful smile that made Greyson’s eyes linger upon her longer than either of them were probably comfortable with.

“How are you feeling?” she asked him, sitting down in the armchair across from his desk.

“I’m feeling much better,” Greyson said, hoping she hadn’t overheard any of the conversation he’d been having with her father.

“Good,” she said. “I was really worried about you.”

“I’m fine,” Greyson said, smiling at her reassuringly. “I’m pretty strong-willed.”

“I noticed,” Molly said, laughing easily. She cut herself off and frowned suddenly. “Actually, there’s another reason I came up here.”

Greyson tilted his head, silently prompting her to proceed.

“I was just wondering what would happen if…I don’t understand the Serah ceremony. What if we go and we don’t end up getting married afterward? Is that bad?”

“It wouldn’t hurt anything,” Greyson said. “There are some things that can’t be set in stone. But I want you to know, I’m not going to force you into marrying me. I asked for a second chance, and I’m not going to mess it up. Even if you don’t want to be with me, everything will be all right. I will give Jeffers the rest of the money that he’s owed so that he won’t out your family to the authorities. And if he still tries to give you guys trouble, just tell me and I’ll take care of him.”

Molly seemed intimidated by the wolf’s willingness to jump in to violent solutions, but at the same time, he could sense that she felt relieved by it as well. But there was something else on her mind. Greyson could tell.

“What else?” he asked.

Molly looked up at him, apparently surprised that he could tell, at least partly, what was on her mind. She laughed quietly to herself.

“It’s kind of stupid,” she said quietly.

“What is?” he insisted.

“It’s just that…I want to do something fun. Like a real boyfriend and girlfriend would do. It seems weird that we would be engaged without even having a real date first.”

“You mean saving your life from a bunch of no-good shifters doesn’t count as a good first date?” Greyson joked. But Molly clearly wasn’t sure whether or not he was joking until he laughed. “Lighten up. What kind of things do you like to do?”

“I don’t know,” Molly admitted. “There was never much to do in the small town I grew up in.”

Greyson smiled. “I’ll surprise you, then.”

Molly smiled and stood up. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Greyson watched her go, his chest feeling oddly warm. She was really growing on him, more and more every day. Especially now that the wolf understood that her human boundaries were something important to respect. Sometimes, he and the wolf just had to learn how to trust each other.

Once Molly was out of sight, his mind began to race. He had planned so many dates over the past few years that it almost seemed redundant. He kind of liked not having had an awkward date night with Molly. The wolf was comfortable with her just staying at home. But she should have at least one real date with him. That was the least he could do for her.

Greyson spent the rest of the night ignoring his research and planning. If Molly wanted a date, he was going to give it to her. She would see just what kind of man he really was.

***

The next morning, Greyson dressed up in his best suit and knocked on Molly’s bedroom door. She opened it, her eyelids still heavy with sleep.

“What is it? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Greyson said, smiling charmingly. “I’m here to pick you up for our date.”

Confusion, then understanding, dawned on her face, and Molly laughed. “Our date? I didn’t know they could start so early.”

“Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, so I guess that it worked.”

“Yes, it definitely worked,” Molly said, slowly closing the door on Greyson. “I’m going to need a little bit of time to get ready.”

“Yes, most women do. A date scheduled for 8:00 rarely begins until 9:20.”

Molly grinned and shook her head at him, and Greyson glowed as she disappeared, re-emerging about ten minutes later, looking more beautiful than any woman he had ever laid eyes on. She was radiant, wearing a beautiful white dress he hadn’t seen her wear yet. The very picture of beauty.

“Is this appropriate for where we’re going?” Molly asked, looking down at the dress self-consciously. Greyson turned away; he hadn’t realized that he was staring. Apparently, it had made her second guess herself.

“It’s perfect,” Greyson said, bowing graciously at her and taking her hand in his to kiss it tenderly. The air between their bodies immediately became charged with undeniable electricity, and when he glanced up at Molly, he saw that her cheeks were flushed. “You look beautiful.”

Molly slapped him away and he grinned, leading her outside. He opened the front door of his car for her pointedly, and she stepped inside. It pleased him to know he was probably the first man to have ever done such a thing on a date with her before, and Molly seemed amused by the whole ordeal.

Greyson sat behind the wheel and started the car, glancing at Molly through the mirror so she wouldn’t catch him staring. He could look at her for hours. He had to admit, the wolf had impeccable taste.

“What is this place?” Molly exclaimed when Greyson finally turned the engine off. Greyson smiled at her.

“This is my favorite place.”

“I can’t believe it…”

Greyson hurried out of the car and opened the door for Molly, offering his hand to her. She took it graciously and stepped out into the beautiful golden light of the sunrise.

They walked together to the top of the flower-scattered hill that looked out over a beautiful sparkling blue stream. In the distance, rolling mountains full of sprawling green trees and forest were visible. It was the second best view in Stonybrooke, the first being his own balcony. At least as far as he was concerned.

“I know I haven’t been the best man,” Greyson said, holding Molly’s hand gently in his. “But I hope that, in time, you will learn to forgive that and see who I really am.”

Molly laughed, turning away from him as if she were embarrassed.

“I know you’re capable of better than what you showed me when I first arrived. I can feel it. And I know all about why you confronted your father. It was all for me. You are a good man at heart. There’s just something…you have no idea how badly I want this to be the right thing.”

Greyson smiled. “I understand. If nothing else, you’re going to have one good date with your mail order fiancé before you go back to your family. How does that sound?”

Molly’s eyes misted over and she nodded, biting her lip. “This whole thing is beautiful, Greyson.”

She surprised them both by turning to Greyson and hugging him tightly. The heat of her body against him instantly woke the wolf, and as he pulled away, it took every ounce of self-control he had not to taste the sweetness of her lips. He would save that for their honeymoon. If she would have him.

“Thank you,” she whispered, as if she had witnessed the inner struggle between Greyson and the wolf. “I know you can surprise me.”

Greyson nodded and walked back to the car, where he popped the trunk and pulled out a basket. “Breakfast picnic?” he suggested.

Molly laughed in delight and Greyson smiled. Even if the rest of the date was a complete dud, this was a good start. He couldn’t ask for anything more.

18.

Molly went through the day as if in a dream. Greyson was the perfect picture of charm and charisma, and she could hardly believe all of the lavish affections he was showering upon her.

The entire day was completely beautiful, and he took her all around Stonybrooke, showing her all of his favorite places and telling her, in hushed tones, about all the bad ones and what he didn’t like about them.

This was the man she had expected to meet when she’d heard him speak so briefly on the phone the day that Jeffers had gotten them in touch. It was this tone of voice and hopeless romanticism in his voice that had made her believe, really and truly, that she wasn’t just walking into a death trap.

“And this is where I went to school as a kid,” Greyson said, slowing the car to a halt in front of a distinguished looking grey building. He allowed Molly to study it for a moment before he continued on the tour. “I had the worst teacher of all. He absolutely adored my father, and gave him details of every little thing I did wrong. He probably hoped it would save him some money on his property taxes or something. Poor fucking idiot.”

Molly laughed quietly and Greyson grinned at her. “What did he have against you?”

Greyson shrugged. “I was kind of a troublemaker back in the day,” he admitted. “I made teachers’ lives really hard, if I’m going to be perfectly honest.”

“I can sort of picture it. I bet you were a really cute kid, though,” Molly said, chuckling at the mental image of Greyson in a little prep school uniform, wreaking havoc on serious-faced teachers with no sense of humor. He had probably been quite the terror. “It probably drove all the girls crazy.”

It was surprising how jealous the thought made her. Who knew what kind of life Greyson had led before they’d met? He could have any woman he wanted. And girls fell especially hard for bad boys. She would know, unfortunately, considering the impossible attraction toward Greyson she still fell victim to at some of the worst of times.

“I never paid any attention to the girls around here,” Greyson said with a dismissive laugh. “They were far too desperate for me. I focused my attention on researching and figuring out the best way to make my teachers’ faces turn purple.”

Molly couldn’t help but laugh at the thought and Greyson continued.

“The real goal, though, was to see if we could tempt them into letting their wolves show. Sometimes, I’d get a glimpse of the wolf’s eyes during class and I would spend the rest of the day so pleased with myself, knowing that I had some power over them that they very much didn’t want me to have.”

“You sound like you were such a brat,” Molly said, her voice still quaking with laughter.

“I could be,” Greyson admitted with a charming grin. “But that was then, and this is now.”

Molly nodded. It sure was.

“So what’s next on the agenda, Mr. Bleuth? It’s starting to get late.”

Greyson smiled. “I have the best spot of all planned for last.”

Molly’s heart tremored in excitement, and Greyson took off down the road, not stopping until he reached the city limits. He turned off the car and got out, and Molly frowned in confusion when he opened her door for her.

“Come on,” Greyson said.

She felt nervous about this. The whole forest around them was pitch black, and she clung to Greyson’s hand as he led her up, and up, until they finally stopped.

Greyson had been carrying the picnic blanket with him and laid it down on the ground, and Molly looked at him fearfully.

“Here? But Greyson, I can’t see anything…”

“Shh,” he whispered into her ear, exciting every single one of her nerve endings. “Just trust me.”

She had no other choice, and followed as Greyson sat down on the blanket and laid on his back.

“Close your eyes,” he said quietly. “And when I tell you to, open them again.”

Molly’s body was alive with electricity, and she hoped this wasn’t some kind of sneaky attempt at sex. But she tried her best to trust Greyson and closed her eyes tightly.

“Now!”

When she opened her eyes again, Molly gasped. The world had somehow lit up magically, and the moon above them was illuminated with iridescent colors unlike anything she had ever seen before.

All around them, fireflies came out of hiding, and their little comforting golden lights flashed around them as if they were laying amongst the billions of stars that had suddenly appeared in the lavender sky above them.

“But how?!” Molly gasped, squeezing Greyson’s hand tightly. “Where are we?”

“A special, sacred place,” Greyson whispered, his lips inches from her ear. “Known only to the most powerful of shifters in Stonybrooke. It is here that it’s rumored the shifters and the Serah stone fell from the sky. This is rumored to be the birthplace of my people.”

They gazed at the sight for about half an hour, neither of them saying a word. They simply held hands and enjoyed the night, until Greyson finally spoke.

“Please marry me,” he said quietly, his deep, masculine voice sending a jolt of fire through Molly’s body. She closed her eyes. There was nothing she wanted more than to claim this man for the rest of her life. If he stayed just like this, as he had been for the past week, he was truly perfect for her.

“I will,” she whispered. “If you stay like this with me.”

“I promise,” Greyson said, and his lips were suddenly on hers, their bodies toeing the sensuous line that nearly made her moan out loud in longing. She wanted to be his, officially, and see where these feelings led. But it was too soon.

“We should get back,” he said softly, helping Molly to her feet. “The ceremony…”

Molly nodded and they walked silently back to the car. She had never expected to fall for a man like this, but now that she had, she couldn’t see any other way her life could feel more complete.

***

Molly stood in her place quietly as the solemn Serah ceremony began. Deep chanting filled the room, and she kept her head bowed down toward the candle. Baron had instructed her on her place the night before, after Greyson had walked her to her bedroom and kissed her good night tenderly after their date. She got butterflies in her stomach any time she thought about it, and his proposal rang in her head again and again. Marry me. And she had agreed.

Not because it would save her family. In fact, her family was the farthest thing from her mind in that moment. She had agreed because she had sincerely started falling in love with Greyson. There was nothing she wanted more than to be his wife.

A sudden burst of light pulsed from deep within the clear spherical stone that was placed on an ornate table in the center of the platform, and all the stars began to glow the same iridescent colors that the moon had shone in the spot Greyson had brought Molly to the night before. The air was sucked from her lungs suddenly as a powerful flash of light pulsed through the circle of bodies, and seemed to land inside of her, making a home of her womb and resting there. It was then that she knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the powers rumored about the ceremony were real.

Greyson led Molly out of the sacred space, as she was disoriented and light-headed. The pure white gown she had been wearing had suddenly become imbued with a glowing silhouette of a wolf, and she stroked it, closing her eyes as her entire body tingled.

“I have one more surprise for you,” Greyson whispered into Molly’s ear as he walked her behind the brick wall of the elder’s ruins where the ceremony had been held out under the open sky.

Molly gasped in shock when Haley and Donny rushed toward her, scooping her up in their arms and holding her tightly.

“What’s going on?” Molly exclaimed, her eyes filling with hot tears. She had missed her family so much. Greyson smiled kindly at her. “I brought your family to Stonybrooke for you. I made the investment into my business. You believed in me enough that I started to believe in myself. My father disiowned me, but everything is all laid out. I hired your father to help me.”

“We’re moving to Stonybrooke, honey,” Molly’s father said, suddenly appearing behind Haley. He was holding a strange relic that looked like a meteorite on a golden branch. The meteor part glowed yellow, and he embraced Molly tightly. “We’re going to start over.”

Molly laughed and cried at the same time as her family fawned over her, until finally, Greyson cleared his throat.

“There’s one more thing,” he said, looking at Molly’s father meaningfully.

“Right,” Mr. Ferguson said, standing up straight and offering the small relic to Molly. “Congratulations on your wedding.”

“My…”

Suddenly, realization dawned on Molly and she looked up at Greyson in shock. He had set up the wedding ceremony so that it fell on the same day that the Serah stone had blessed their union. The council elder Blarney was standing in front of the wall, smiling kindly out at the small crowd gathered to witness the event, and Greyson was suddenly at her side, offering her his arm.

“Are you ready?” he whispered.

Molly nodded, joy and excitement filling every inch of her body. This was everything she had ever hoped for. And now, everything she had ever dreamt of had come true. And she couldn’t think of a better way to spend the rest of her life than as Greyson’s wife.

***

After the brief, and very sacred union ceremony, Molly’s family left to go back to their hotel and Molly rode back to Greyson’s estate, with Baron at the wheel. Baron opened the doors for them and disappeared to his own quarters, leaving Greyson and Molly alone in front of the doors.

“I can’t believe how perfect all of this has been,” Molly whispered. “I love you.”

Greyson smiled and his whole, handsome face lit up with delight. “I love you too.”

He took her hand and they walked inside, and suddenly, Greyson’s lips were against hers and they were falling into the bedroom. Greyson’s eyes flashed bright green as Molly held him close, his taught, muscular body hard under her hands as his soft mouth closed over the sensitive skin on her neck and breasts.

She cried out in delight as Greyson explored her body gently, and she could see the effort of his restraint on his face. He took her in sweetly, as if she were a rare wine that he wanted to savor. She closed her eyes as she was swept away by the enormous power of her longing, and Greyson’s lips devoured her, sending wave after wave of sensual pleasure crashing over her.

Molly gasped when she found Greyson on top of her, the hard, urgent pressing of his cock sending thrills against her as the friction of his groin slid against her middle. She had never had someone’s erection so near her sex before, and a deep blissful sensation overpowered her. She had wanted this for so long. And now, finally, she was ready.

Greyson gritted his teeth as he stripped the pure white ceremonial dress off of Molly, his hands exploring every soft inch of her body. She gasped in pleasure as his fingers left a trail of fire over her, and suddenly, she found her boldness, stripping Greyson of his clothes and taking in his powerful, muscular body on top of her.

He grinned down at her and another flash of heat overwhelmed her. Greyson wasted no time in submerging his cock inside of her, using gentle, careful pressure as he thrust inside. The feeling of her body being pried apart by his hard muscle was strange and exciting, and although it hurt at first, she quickly forgot about it as the pleasure consumed her.

Suddenly, it was only Molly and Greyson in the world, their bodies creating a rhythmic dance that left them each hungry for more. Molly was sure that the sweet, sensual pleasure would never end, and they would be there in the bedroom for the rest of their lives.

But soon, she realized just how wrong she was. Greyson’s strong hips bucked against her, and she felt the alarming sensation of a loss of control. She closed her eyes, lost again and again as Greyson’s body took charge of her, the wolf finally able to have its way with her now. It wasn’t going to let her off so easily. It was going to make her surrender to him, to his power, or else.

Molly cried out as she was torn from the gentle sensual pleasure to one of a singularly raw nature; one of physical need that she hadn’t known was possible. Suddenly, her entire body was flushed with fire, one she was desperate to find a cure for. And the cure, it seemed, lie within Greyson. Only he could put it out for her, and it seemed to be his only goal.

He hissed in pleasure, his lithe, muscular body unleashing its full power upon her, until she was gasping, nearly driven mad with longing. Finally, Greyson howled out into the wide room, and Molly’s body began to quake beneath him, her hands trembling as she gripped his strong arms.

A torrent of heat surged through her and she cried out in surprise and pleasure as Greyson released a hot explosion of his liquid desire inside of her. She was shocked by the sensation into letting go and finally surrendering to the power of her own orgasm. Her body writhed beneath him of its own accord, and he collapsed beside her on the bed, his chest heaving with labored breaths.

She was worried that it had been too much for his injuries, but when he caught her eye, he was smiling.

“I’m going to take care of you for the rest of our lives, Molly,” Greyson promised. “And no matter what, in spite of anything, we are going to succeed together.”

“I know,” Molly whispered. And when she closed her eyes, she became distinctly aware of the fact that this was something she had known all along. Fate had brought them together, and it was fate, once again, that would bless their family for many years to come.

THE END

BONUS BOOKS

Dystopian Romance

Love and Survival in the Time After

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

Layne's heart was in her throat as the footsteps behind her receded. It had been a long time since she'd had a confrontation with one of the tribes. This time she'd gone to the wrong watering source. She thought that the public pool would be safe, for some reason. Although most of them were dried up, you could usually find at least a supply of sunscreen to protect you from the harsh sunlight, or if you were really lucky, there would be enough clean water left to quench your thirst and fill your bottle.

She'd been due for a refill for a while now and although it was reckless, she had been desperate enough to get herself into danger. She had a bottle of beer left from the last batch she'd brewed, but that was strong enough to dull her senses and get her into trouble. Besides, it would just dehydrate her more. She would have to remember that this area was ruled by the Jackals – the name for the small gang of people who had claimed this turf. After the virus hit and wiped out most of the population, leaving only a few lucky survivors in every city, the tribes had been a way to find peace and security amongst other people who were dealing with the same crisis. There had been safety in numbers, or so they told themselves. While many had been afraid to wander the deserted world alone, moving forward with others didn't seem that bad.

She herself had been part of a group in those first few chaotic years. Being a talented chemist, she'd aligned herself with a team of doctors claiming to seek a cure to the problem, but as it turned out most of them were frauds and civilians, delusional with a self-important mission they weren't educated enough to accomplish. Everybody was hoping for a miracle and she'd been lured in by their pretense. Ultimately, the group split due to bruising of egos and no real direction and she'd been on her own ever since then, trying to make sense of how things had gotten so far out of hand.

As a scientist, she had to trace the line of cause and effect. A pharmaceutical company had ordered vaccinations against what they claimed was an alien virus from space – which was absurd, but everybody was so desperate for answers that they accepted the explanation. Now everybody knew that the first guess had been way off, but back then that was the government's grounds for getting as many people as possible under the needle for a miraculous vaccine that they had commissioned the company, Grow Inc, to develop. In a sad, ironic twist of fate, the virus they thought came from a meteorite that had landed in St. Petersburg, had actually been the result of lax safety precautions, as a team of scientists experimented with a cure for the common cold. They'd flown the team to Russia to try and evade SFT (Safety in Future Technology) safety standards, and the end result had been disastrous.

The antivirus had been promising, and they had been convinced that by pushing the envelope, it would be successful. In initial experiments it had a 100% success ratio, though it hadn't been tested over the long term. After the meteorite crashed into the yard outside the Russian facility where the American scientists had been mentoring a group of people who were working together to rid the world of disease, that was when the results of the virus began to be seen, and how the SFT had gotten involved, claiming that the virus, because it was so difficult to contain and treat, had extraterrestrial origins.

If they had checked more closely, they would have seen that the people that they had injected with the initial strain of vaccination had become carriers of the malicious virus, infecting everybody they came into contact with without even knowing it. A few cases had been reported in America shortly after the scientists returned, and before long half of St. Petersburg was in chaos. People were coughing up blood and begging for release from a pain that nobody could pinpoint, but everybody could agree was the worst they had ever felt. It seemed to move throughout the body, inflaming certain parts for a small amount of time before retreating and coming back with double the force.

Because of the rapid spread in St. Petersburg, everybody assumed that was the origin of the virus, and the city was put under strict quarantine. Unfortunately, it was no use. It spread all over the world with startling speed. Nobody thought that the virus might be in the vaccination. Ironically, the claim was that because the first vaccination had been successful enough during the preliminary trials, it should be utilized now, in this time of crisis. The SFT felt they had no choice and allowed the vaccinations to reach the mainstream market. Every day, for weeks, hundreds of people lined up to receive their vaccine, thinking it would be the only thing that might save them.

Carriers were being created left and right, but those whose immune systems weren't as strong, or whose bodies didn't contain an immunity in their genes, were left defenseless against it. Days after the vaccination, the coughing would begin, until finally people began to catch on that it wasn't an alien virus that was killing people – it was one being spread by the vaccine.

But it was too late. Within a few years, almost everybody was gone. With the exception of a few green-tinged carriers who had made it through, a few genetically privileged people, and some who had managed to escape both the carriers and the vaccinations until the virus finally became dormant.  Life as they knew it had crumbled. Layne had no family or friends left, and she had felt so lost and alone, crying on her doorstep when the small group of “scientific” people had wandered past. They saw that she lacked the green-tinge of the carriers and the paleness of the infected, and welcomed her into their group saying they were heading somewhere safe, somewhere far away from there, and they were going to find the cure. Would she help?

She didn't want to leave, but she also knew that she couldn't stay. From that point forward, her survival would depend upon her ability to move on, and that's all she needed to know.

Chapter 2

Jax scooped a handful of water from the stream he was kneeling at, examining it closely. It was clean, he determined, and he drank deeply, wiping his mouth, allowing a few stray drops of water to drip off his chin. His dark, alert eyes scanned the trees. The wind moved boughs peacefully, but he wouldn't be fooled by the serenity. He thought he had heard a sound.

He grabbed his backpack – the holder of all his worldly possessions and a single reminder of home, where he came from, and slung it over his shoulder. He had found it heavy at first, but now he'd become accustomed to its weight, feeling nearly naked without it resting warmly on his shoulder. It reminded him of a pet he once had, a lizard he had named Jenko. Jenko sat on him like his bag did, his body temperature cool until Jax's body heat warmed it up. It was nice to pretend that he wasn't alone.

Alone was safer though, and the sound of others had brought his pulse to racing. He moved nimbly through the trees toward the sound, gripping a piece of glass tightly. He had been using it for a weapon for a few months, and had duct taped the edge so he could grip it firmly as he swiped it at whatever threat was looming. There were more wild dogs than ever now. After the humans had begun to die out, their pets grew feral and ran rampant around the cities and towns, meeting and breeding, populating the emptiness with their own pups. The same was true of cats, though their feral nature was already commonplace where he came from. Cats and their kittens roamed the streets without fear. He'd enjoyed it at first, feeling that finally it was time for man's supposed best friend to take his rightful place on the food chain. It seemed like poetic justice in a way.

Now though, the savage creatures would show no mercy. They vaguely remembered humans, and didn't think very fondly of them on the whole. The result was that he now had to fear both man and beast. At night, he had to keep watch for the glowing eyes of feral cats who wouldn't hesitate to jump out of the foliage and grip whatever was moving with fierce claws and teeth. He missed the way things used to be, when they were simple and safe. He had been younger then, and the few people who survived had created a new, hellish world all their own – one he wanted no part of.

The sound of heavy footfalls – a twig snapping loudly – brought him to attention. Somebody was running, heading toward the stream where he was standing dumbly, staring off into the distance. He narrowed his eyes and focused on the sound. Somebody was probably being chased. Sure enough, a stampede of feet followed closely after the first person he had heard. The Jackals were apparently after new prey. He shifted, selfishly irritated that the person they were chasing might lead them to him. He had been so peaceful there, but now he would have to hide.

He leapt up into a nearby tree, watching the action unfold. He wouldn't get involved; he would just stay out of sight long enough for the danger to pass and then go about his business. A woman burst through the bushes, her long, light brown hair framing her face. She gazed longingly at the water – he felt a pang of pity, as it was a look he knew well – but she was trapped and couldn't drink. She looked around helplessly, her beautiful oval face contorted in panic and fear. He groaned to himself and lowered himself to the ground, motioning her over to him. She didn't seem to be wearing any of the signature clothing styles of the tribes he was familiar with, and he had a fleeting, hopeful thought that maybe she was like him and didn't belong to any of them.

That was unlikely though – the safety and food security in a gang was tempting to most people after the virus had hit, and he was sure that most others would have to be crazy to try to make it on their own.

“Up there,” he hissed. “Go!”

She looked at him in confusion before registering what he said. He didn't wait for her to respond before he hoisted her up, letting her step hard on his muscular forearm, and then took off running, throwing a large stone into the stream, hoping it would keep them off the trail, and dodging into a bush just as the three Jackals arrived, panting and swearing, their bare chests heaving as they gulped in air and looked into the stream.

“Where'd the bitch go?” the scrawniest asked. His hair was buzzed short and bleached white by the sun.

“We should split up,” the leader of the small group decided. He tugged at his pant leg – the Jackals went around shirtless with one pant leg up and one down to make them distinctive – and pointed into the stream. “All yours, Buggy.”

The third man groaned. He was tall and lanky, with sandy blonde hair and a small, round face.

“Why do I always get the shit jobs, Orson?” he complained.

“Because you always whine about it,” Orson said, slapping him hard on the back. It left a red imprint. “Now be a fuckin’ man and go get that sea hag out of the water.”

Buggy grumbled to himself as he waded in, looking around for her. Orson and the blonde split up in different directions, leaving Buggy alone. He waded around for about half a minute, before an epiphany struck him.

“This is stupid,” he growled, wading back out of the stream. “Jinx never has to do this shit.” He began to wring his pant legs out. “I don't see nothin'!”

As he said this, his eyes fixed on a shuddering branch. Suddenly, he saw bare, tan legs and recognition flickered on his face. He hurried forward, opening his mouth to alert his friends. Before he could, his throat was filled with blood. Jax was behind him, the shard of glass lodged into Buggy's esophagus. He uttered a strangled gurgle and collapsed to the ground. The woman in the tree watched, paralyzed.

“Did you find anything, Bug?” Orson asked, emerging suddenly out of the brush. Jax crouched, lunging like a panther, and tackled Orson to the ground. He tried reaching to his side to pull out his weapon, but Jax was too powerful. Orson hit his head hard on a rock, momentarily stunning him. It was just long enough for Jax to slash him, leaving him for dead on the ground.

A few final, terrifying beats passed as Jinx approached, whistling as if calling to a housecat. He took one look at his friends lying dead on the ground and his face turned white. Jax glared at him, ready to strike.

“Fuck this,” Jinx said, and turned on his heel and ran away.

Chapter 3

Nothing could have prepared her for what happened after she let the lithe stranger hoist her into the tree. She'd had no choice but to let him help her, otherwise she would have been killed. Now she stayed put, corpses littering the ground at her feet. Would the man who saved her think she owed him something now? She hadn't asked for his help, and hadn't thought of the consequences of accepting it until it was too late. She saw what he was capable of, he could probably kill her in an instant. What would he want to do with her?

He saw her staring at him, and could tell instantly that she was feeling intimidated.

“You're safe now,” he said. From the way he spoke, she could tell he wasn't used to the sound of his own voice. His words were labored and he flinched at the sound of their harshness against the silence.

“Thank you,” she said, not moving from her spot in the tree. It seemed silly to stay there, knowing he could probably jump up there at a moment's notice, but she wanted to keep her distance from him as long as she could.

“There’s no other way to deal with the Jackals,” he said apologetically. “It didn't used to be this way.”

He turned his back on her and began to walk toward the stream, where he washed the blood off of his arms and took a long drink of water.

“You should drink,” he said, remembering the longing look in her eyes when she had seen the water. Her bottle must have been empty. Maybe she didn't have one. But everybody had one, they had to.

She agreed – the exertion had left her dizzy and parched. She licked her lips; they felt like cotton. There was no doubt that she would be in trouble if she didn't get some water soon. She slowly climbed down the tree, but kept her back pressed firmly against its trunk. She didn't trust this man. It was a mistake to trust anyone anymore.

He seemed to understand, if not expect this, and went about his business as if she weren't there. When he turned around and saw that she hadn't left yet, he looked surprised.

“Good luck,” he said, pursing his lips. He didn't want to be around her, she realized in surprise. He hadn't planned on saving her, and didn't expect anything from her. She exhaled and slowly made her way to the stream, where he was pulling a bottle out of his bag to collect water in. Layne did the same, and chugged the cool stream water down with reverence. So this was what the Jackals wanted to protect. They had their own fresh water source right in the backyard. If others came, who knew what would happen to it?

Pollution, disease... A lot of the survivors were carriers, but they had become outcasts in the new society. Everybody blamed them for the state of the world, and they clearly blamed themselves. The guilt was impossible for them to live with, and many of them had become addicts – creating their own dangerous chemical cocktails or trading for them from other people. Those chemicals could pollute a body of water in a heartbeat, killing whatever might be living in it and rendering it undrinkable.

She didn't know the area very well, as evidenced by her recent escape. However, she was nervous about being a sitting duck, and shifted uncomfortably once her bottle was full.

“We should get out of here soon, that guy will be back. And he'll bring others.”

Jax nodded. He himself had thought the same thing. He took one last drink, relishing the freshness of the water before it was tainted by the moldy smell of his bottle, and slung his bag over his broad shoulder.

“Do you know how to get out of here?” he asked her, his eyes narrowing. He'd already gotten her this far. He might as well see to it that he saved her all the way and not just a little bit.

“No,” she laughed. It wasn't a humorous laugh. It was exasperated and tired. Sad. Angry. It made him upset to think that such a pitiful sound could come out of somebody so beautiful. As if she didn't expect him to help her. Didn't see why he should. Or thought maybe he didn't know the way either. They were all used to assuming they were the most alone they would ever be, and finding help always came at a cost.

He'd had enough of words, and nodded toward a discreet path. He wanted her to follow him. She swallowed hard, forced into making a snap judgment about the trustworthiness of this stranger. He was handsome, but he was fierce. He didn't seem to require anything of her for his help. At least not yet, not while they were still in danger. Who knew about later? She had heard many stories about young girls being forced into indentured servitude, doing who knew what to pay off a debt they hadn't meant to fall into.

“I appreciate you saving me,” she said. ‘Thank you' was an antiquated phrase, one that had fizzled and died out once there seemed to be nothing in the world left to feel gratitude toward. Thanking others was like acknowledging a debt you owed to them, and that was dangerous. “But if you help me, there's nothing I can give back to you.”

What she meant was there was nothing she would give to him. She was on her own and planned to keep it that way. It had been working out fine for her so far. If she hadn't made that one stupid mistake, the Jackals never would have known she was there. He looked at her as if he was waiting for her to get to the point. He really didn't seem surprised by the fact that she had nothing to give and turned away from her, walking into the foliage as if whether she followed or not was inconsequential. It puzzled and surprised her, so she moved forward, following him through the brush, unsure of what she was getting herself into.

Chapter 4

At first she thought he might be leading her to his own tribe and was tempted to flee. Judging by the way he fought, they would undoubtedly be a vicious and merciless group of men who took what they wanted and killed without mercy. It would have made sense, considering how easily he had taken the life of those Jackal boys. However, they simply moved gracefully through the trees. He was desperate to make it out before nightfall. It was hard enough to keep an eye on himself in the dark woods, let alone to be with someone else who wasn't experienced in the area.

Maybe she'd dealt with similar things before, but maybe he would have to keep an eye on her. He would have to try not to get attached, because anything could happen to her. He couldn't let anything weigh his conscience down. It was hard enough to live with memories of the outbreak, being a survivor when everyone else he loved hadn't been so lucky. It was something all of the survivors shared – the guilt. Many people dealt with it through violence and addiction to oblivion, others just tried to swallow it and move on. Some pretended that nothing had happened, claimed to be the same then as they always were. They lied to themselves, buried their past, and eventually turned out more twisted than the rest of them.

Jax wondered if this girl was like that – someone who pretended she had it together when really she couldn't trust the ground she was standing on. Someone who might snap unexpectedly, and had been turned out on her own, kicked out of her tribe for being a liability to the others. Some tribes had rules about procreation – if she'd become a mother without permission, or insisted on tending to, or keeping a child, she could have been cast out. Sometimes the tribes would keep the children and desert the mother, claiming that it was for the good of the tribe. The child would either be indoctrinated or eaten, depending on how bad times were.

Although he was burning with curiosity, one thing he knew was that too many questions were trouble. He would rather not know. His own past was too heavy a burden for him to carry, let alone discovering a whole well of the same misery in another person. He wouldn't be able to do anything to ease her pain if he couldn't even deal with his own, it would be useless to try, or to even want to try. He would surely be overwhelmed.

Layne walked beside him, her head high, face alert. She didn't seem to be looking for anybody to take care of her. She hadn't begged him to help her, aid her, or keep her company. She simply needed to know the way out, which was something that he could easily help her with. They walked in agreeable silence as the sun began to set. The golden light cast dark shadows of the trees across their faces, and soon they were nearing the edge of the woods. Jax breathed a deep sigh of relief. He wouldn't have to keep her safe in the forest. They could part ways now and never see each other again.

She seemed to be having the same thought, and bowed her head to him, acknowledging the kindness of his act without presenting herself to be vulnerable. He admired her in a way, so composed even though everything in her world had twisted and shattered. Who knew what her story was, how she got to where she had to fight off three Jackals and put her life in the hands of a perfect stranger. This was the kind of thing that used to be of great interest to him – how things came to be, the lines that people followed to where they ended up. He had once believed in fate, trusted that there was something good guiding the world along its track. Now he wasn't so sure.

“Good night,” he said, turning his eyes from her piercing blue eyes to the ground, suddenly remembering that he had never been that great at talking to girls. They had generally talked enough to him for the both of them though. Fortunately, he doubted this was the kind of woman who would have carried on a one-way conversation just for the hope of spending a few lingering minutes with him. He was a stereotype – tall, dark, handsome – and they were stereotypes – petite, pretty, helpless – and somehow that was supposed to mean fate. But it never had, and he hadn't found any comfort in their talk or their attention. Theatrics and games, all a waste of time. None of them had been down to earth. None of them had carried themselves in a way that attracted him, the way this woman carried herself.

She noticed him staring, lost in his own thoughts, and suddenly a look of crippling anxiety crossed her face. She wasn't great at concealing how she felt, he noted. He could understand why she would be nervous. The end of the world had meant that people who had hidden degenerate tendencies decided that it was now or never – these tendencies would come in handy and they might as well give in to the temptations of their darker natures. This meant few women were safe on their own, as the men had an advantage of strength and a barbaric anger fuelled by their hopeless situation. He'd once read a book about a group of boys abandoned on an island – he couldn't remember the title now - he couldn't remember a lot of things – and they used it as a chance to divide and conquer, trying to dominate each other. The kids grew bloodthirsty and savage, and it was much the same with most of the tribes.

He wondered if this was just a general fact, the nature of survival. Everyone got a little mean when their survival was at stake. Even this pretty woman probably had a demon in her yet, ready and willing to be released when the time was right. Would she slit his throat in his sleep to make sure he didn't take advantage of her first? He didn't trust her, and she clearly didn't trust him. This mistrust was sure to lead to some culmination, some act of violence he would rather avoid.

“Good luck,” he said firmly when they reached the edge of the woods. Normally he would be relishing the power, pleased to know that he invoked caution and fear from a potential enemy. But an old nagging feeling was disturbing him, something he hadn't felt in a long time, since his initiation into a tribe called Hex. He wanted her to like him.

“Same to you,” she said with a nod, waiting for him to leave her sight. She didn't want to turn her back to him, and she definitely didn't want him to be following her. She appreciated the help, but she wasn't stupid. He could probably catch up to her if he put his mind to it, pretend to be out of sight until she was most vulnerable and unsuspecting and make his move then. She would have to stay on her guard, especially if he was rogue. Those guys ended up crazy from the loneliness and desperation to survive. She should know.

But as he walked away, clearly disinterested in her now that he had dropped her off at the designated area, like she was just a delivery, that overwhelming loneliness nearly choked her. She wasn't very happy about how it had snuck up on her like that, but there it was all the same. She wanted to stay close, and found herself acting in a way she never would have expected herself to act, saying something she would normally be kicking herself for saying.

“Will you camp with me tonight?”

Chapter 5

Jax stiffened as he attempted his graceful departure and turned around in disbelief. A smart woman wouldn't be asking him to stay with her, but he was sure she was a smart woman. She looked so frail and beautiful standing in the pale moonlight that he had to look away before she changed her mind and chose not to want anything more to do with him. She'd definitely feel better avoiding any man who looked at her like he was starving.

“I have somewhere to be,” he said firmly.

“I don't,” she said. The heaviness of this truth physically hurt them both and Jax winced. “Wouldn't it be better to rest up after a fight like that?”

He began to turn away, but then she made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

“I have beer.”

He turned around and looked her up and down. He could tell she was telling the truth. That was probably why the Jackals were after her. They were a bunch of redneck skinheads who would tear each other apart for a buzz. They could probably smell it on her breath like animals.

“How did you -”

“I made it. And I could make it again. Just rest with me tonight. I...”

He waited for her to finish, eyeing her intently and shifting from one foot to the other. Resting with someone was something he hadn't done in a very long time. It was also something he didn't believe he would ever be tempted to do again.

“I don't want to be alone right now,” she finally admitted. He sighed and tilted his head. He would have to make camp eventually, it might as well be with her.

Her face lit up when he cautiously approached her, and he tilted his head to the right.

“I know a good spot to camp out. Not in the open like this. Follow me.”

They walked quietly as the sun set to a spot he had frequently used when he was on his own, making raids on the Jackal's supply camp. She sat her pack down and pulled out her blanket, draping it onto the ground and sitting on it. Once upon a time this would have meant a picnic with a handsome date, but right now, all it meant was she was ready to pass out from exhaustion. He leaned his back against a tree, as far away from her as he could get without being too rude, and closed his eyes.

“What's your name?” she asked him. Although she was clearly ready to collapse, her eyes were wide and alert. She'd asked him to accompany her, so she must have been desperate for companionship. He considered whether or not to oblige.

“Jax,” he said with a sigh, opening his eyes.

“Jax. I'm Layne.”

As thanks for his help, she rolled the bottle of beer to him. It was murky and dark, but it would do the trick. He briefly considered whether or not this was some sort of bait. If he drank it, would he end up dead, poisoned on the ground because she couldn't trust him? She was intelligent, that much was certain, so he wouldn't put it past her.

“You first,” he said, rolling it back over to her.

She took a long chug, leaving him about half the bottle. Her eyes began to droop and he sipped it, watching her struggle to stay awake. She wanted to talk to him more, but the alcohol had done its job quickly. She was able to let go of her fears and sleep with blissful ignorance, her mind fuzzy and calm, feeling the same as it had when she was young, sinking into bed after partying with her friends, Pamela and Brice, they were both dead now. And her sister...

She grimaced and gripped the blanket, laying her head on the ground. Fortunately the alcohol numbed the pain of the memory and she drifted into a deep sleep.

Jax watched her. The beer was good. She was disturbed in her sleep, fighting off painful dreams – most likely memories of people she had once loved – and he allowed himself to relax. He knew he would do her no harm, and in her current state, she wouldn't be prying into his personal affairs. Jonathan.

He cringed, the alcohol making him more prone to weep. He had to go north to find his brother. If there was any hope at all, it would be there.

Chapter 6

“What year is it?” Jonathan had asked. Jax was younger by two years, and always believed that the two of them would stick together.

“I don't know,” Jax had laughed.

They felt lucky together, at first. Most people didn't have anybody left. Somehow, the two of them had defied all the odds and been immune, probably thanks to some gene they carried. Unfortunately it had skipped a generation and their parents had fallen ill shortly after the carriers were left to roam the country. The boys were left orphans, and Jonathan was devoted to taking care of Jax. He taught him everything he knew about hunting and foraging, which wasn't much, but they'd stolen books from the library and kept them secure, reading them over and over again, to themselves and to each other in their home until the power flickered out and huge groups of people began roaming the streets, rioting and breaking into houses, stealing things they couldn't use, hoping to take advantage of a crisis.

It hadn't been safe, and they'd had to leave quickly with just a few remnants to bring along with them. Jax had taken a family picture to remember his parents and the good times, but during his orientation into the Hex tribe, they'd taken his things, looking through them and throwing away anything they deemed sentimental. He had no past, they told him. Only a future. And he was in charge of that.

It had been a liberating thought at the time, but it had been painful to watch them burn the picture. He'd had to force himself not to cry as he watched the faces of his parents and brother melting right in front of him. By then, he'd lost Jonathan too. He'd been alone for a year before Hex found him and brought him in. They could tell by his size that he was strong, and his eyes were sharp, wizened by his experiences. He could be of use to them, they were convinced of it, and he was for a while. It was one of his prideful points, and when Jonathan had come back to him, apologizing profusely for abandoning him, Jax was already well-established with Hex, and wasn't capable of forgiveness. They were his family now, and Jonathan could either join or leave him alone.

“I won't be a part of one of these sick cults,” Jonathan had said sternly. “And when you change your mind, because you're too smart not to, come find me.”

Jax's heart had been too broken by his brother to care or take his words seriously. All he felt was the gaping hole of loneliness and anger. The sadness could have destroyed him if he let it. And he was feeling it now, as he drifted into fitful sleep across from a stranger.

***

“Jax,” a faraway voice called. Someone was touching him, moving him. He shook his head in confusion and reared his head back, flinching from the hand. He rose, his eyes wild with confusion and hot with tears.

“Jax,” Layne whispered. Her voice was soft and gentle, and he blinked hard, wiping the tears away so that he could see her clearly. “You were dreaming. It's okay.”

Her hand was cool on his cheek, stroking him gently. She felt like salve on a deep, raw wound he didn't know he had, and she soothed him out of the dream and back into reality. He didn't know he dreamt so loudly, loudly enough to stir her from her drunken slumber. Her eyes were on him, drawn with concern and something he had never expected to see in another person again - warmth.

“We should move,” he mumbled, stumbling to his feet and throwing his bag over his shoulder. “If I was loud someone might have heard me.”

“You weren't,” she said. She'd only heard him whimper softly, and felt a pang of sadness as tears had streamed down his face in his sleep. “Sit down and have breakfast with me.”

“I can't spare my rations yet,” he said, still heavy from sleep. He leaned against a tree.

“I've got plenty,” she replied, tossing a bag to him. His eyes widened and he laughed suddenly. So this was why they were after her.

“You got this from the Jackals!” he exclaimed.

“Yes,” she said, her eyes sparkling. In truth, her bag was full to the brim of their ration bags. She had raided them late in the night, but had made the mistake of stopping to eat before she left. Her hunger had controlled her and left her vulnerable to being spotted.

“Smart girl,” he said approvingly, and sat down on the ground. She sat across from him, pulling a bag out for herself. They ate quietly together, the strength coursing through their bodies and making them both feel incredible.

When they were done, they sat together in silence, listening to the birds singing and appreciating the spring breeze and blue sky. It was a beautiful morning, and much easier to enjoy with somebody else. Neither of them had had company for a while, and the companionship was refreshing. Layne was reluctant to give it up.

“So where are you heading?” she asked finally.

“North,” Jax answered vaguely.

“What's north?”

“I'm looking for my brother.”

She could tell it was difficult for him to talk about, but she couldn't keep the words from spilling out. She'd missed having somebody to talk to, and she was burning with curiosity about this man. She decided to change the subject, if he got too prickly she would have to leave.

“Are you part of a tribe?” she asked.

“Not anymore,” he said. “What about you?”

“Not anymore.”

“What happened?”

“They were self-important freaks who couldn't get along. They thought we would find a cure...save the world. But nobody knew where to start and shot down anyone who gave it a try.”

“You're a doctor?” he asked, unable to conceal his surprise.

“A scientist,” she corrected.

“Ah.”

“What happened to your tribe?”

“I outgrew them,” he said softly. “And now I have to find my brother.”

He was obviously in pain and she wanted to reach out to him, give him some kind of hope.

“I'm sure you will,” she said.

The thought seemed to please him, and he was quiet for a moment, considering the likelihood of this happening.

“We parted on bad terms,” he said. “I don't know if he'll be happy to see me even if I do find him.”

“He's family,” Layne said, her chest constricting painfully as all she had lost flickered before her eyes. “You belong together. I'm sure he knows that.”

Jax considered this and nodded. Jonathan had told him to find him, so that's what he was going to do. It had been a long time, a really long time, but some things didn't change, like the love you have toward your siblings. They wouldn't be able to hurt you so much if you didn't care more about them than you knew what to do with.

“I should get on the move,” he said finally. “I appreciate the food. Take care of yourself.”

“Oh,” Layne said, crestfallen.  “All right. Good luck. I'm sure everything will turn out fine.”

He nodded and stood, turning his back on her and disappearing into the forest.

Chapter 7

Jax walked away from Layne, his chest tormented with several emotions he couldn't pinpoint. She would just slow him down, he told himself. He had a mission and should keep it in mind. She would distract him, put him in undue danger. But he found himself missing her the second she was out of sight. Was it because she had shown him kindness? Or was he simply lacking companionship. Humans were herd animals after all.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him and whipped around, ready to strike. Layne flinched back and raised her arms up defensively.

“Easy tiger,” she said. “You just forgot your water bottle.”

He stared at her, perplexed, before taking it from her outstretched hand. Most people would have killed for two water bottles, but she had returned his without a second thought. She didn't even drink out of it first.

He nodded in thanks and continued walking, his chest on fire. He wasn't sure what to do with her.

“Listen, Jax,” she called, trotting behind him to catch up with his long strides. “I want to help you find your brother. I have nothing better to do. I swear I won't get in the way. I was thinking of heading north too, actually.”

“Why would you want to go north? It's a wasteland,” he said, without turning around.

“That's pretty much why. I'm tired of having to survive day by day. I want to settle down somewhere. Everyone avoids north because it gets colder, but I know all about canning and growing. Keeping warm is easy. I've been collecting seeds. I plan to take enough rations to get myself established somewhere while I plant, and then I'll be self sufficient. I won't have to worry about anything but protecting my own turf. Nobody else's rules.”

“You shouldn't go telling people stuff like that,” Jax said irritably. “What if they steal your seeds or your rations?”

She tried to hide a smile. He was looking out for her. He had no desire to steal from her, but he was worried that she'd trust people who would.

“We can share them if I go with you,” she said quietly. “I have enough for two. It was a good haul.”

The idea was tempting and he sighed, looking her up and down.

“You’d be better off keeping them for yourself. Why do you want to go with me so badly?”

She gave him a look that was all the answer he needed. Her beautiful face, her sad eyes, her strength. She was determined to start over and create the security that had been robbed from her by the virus. If they were together, he would feel obligated to protect her. Put himself into undue risk. But hadn't he been wishing, secretly, that he hadn't left her behind so rashly? Wasn't he considering what his life might be like with a companion? Now that they had found each other, what was the harm?

“I think, maybe, we could keep each other sane.”

He laughed, secretly eyeing her. She was endearing herself to him whether he liked it or not. He remembered the comfort he had found in her hands and knew in his heart that she was right. Even if it was more trouble to keep two people alive than one, there was something irreplaceable about being with another person.

“All right,” he said. “But save your rations. I'll re-stock mine on my own. Can I trust you to stay put while I'm gone?”

“Yes. But I can hunt too, you know.”

“No, I didn't know,” he said with a chuckle. “All right. Let's go. We'll have to keep quiet on this stretch, all right? Stay low, out of sight. I'm going to visit some old buddies of mine.”

“You're taking from Hex?” she asked in surprise.

“Actually I have a friend on the inside. She thought I got a raw deal and smuggles food out for me. Sometimes I get lucky. First aid supplies and things like that. I'm supposed to pick up tonight.”

She? Layne found herself bristling. It was irrational though, she knew it. He was allowed to have a girlfriend. It's not like knowing him for one day made them a couple. She had just been missing other people's company.

“Okay, well we can make camp and I'll wait for you there.”

“Great.”

They walked forward in silence, both of them happy but nervous. It was a big commitment, but maybe it would all work out for the best.

Chapter 8

They trudged through a neighborhood, carefully stepping over the broken pavement of the sidewalks. Plants had grown through the cracks, effectively shattering them, and Jax found himself missing the bicycle he used to have. He would have covered a lot more distance that way, but he had found early on that the bikes made you more vulnerable. All a tribe had to do was shoot an arrow into your tire and you would go sprawling, leaving you vulnerable to raids on your rations. Although he was tempted, he had learned his lesson.

Layne usually tried to avoid the broken suburban areas. They caused her grief to well up in her chest, seeing all of the destruction and desolation the virus had caused. Sometimes the contaminated would live in places like this, as if they wanted to be reminded of their shame for the rest of their lives. If they couldn't forget it, they might as well live in it. The broken dolls and shattered dreams suffocated her whenever she entered areas like this. It was common for most of the tribes to avoid them for the same reason. Jax seemed undeterred though, and walked slowly and cautiously, oblivious to her discomfort. It was the most direct path to the Hex compound, and he was set on it because it's what had always worked for him in the past.

He felt comfortable in the old neighborhoods. The nostalgia and memories would flood him like sad old friends, and he held onto them as they went, until they reached the house he had always used as a base during these journeys.

“Stay here and keep quiet. No matter what you hear out there, don't move. You'll be safe. Don't leave the living room.”

She nodded and he left the house, heading toward the Hex compound. She watched him go with a knot in her heart. She wished she could go with him. It was painful to be parted for even just a moment. She had met other people on the road before, given them help, camped with them, but none of them affected her this way. What was different about Jax?

She poked around the living room, trying to fight off the chill she got whenever she was near the relics of the dead. Their values had sure deserted them, she thought. This family had been well off financially, but death brought them down to the same level as everybody else. She gazed at the walls. Picture frames had once decorated them, but somebody, probably Jax, had taken them off the walls, leaving pale squares where they once belonged. They were piled neatly on the floor, face down, and she sighed, debating whether or not she wanted to put a face to the tragic fate of the people whose couch she was perched upon.

Her curiosity eventually won over and she looked at the pictures, tears in her eyes. Her mind replayed the chaos of the first few years after the virus struck and she ran to the door, barely making it before she vomited.

***

Jax didn't return until after dark, and when he did he found Layne curled up on the couch, her arms around herself. Her eyes were closed and she was sleeping so deeply he almost feared that she had died somehow. Tobi had come through, providing him with two weeks worth of food and medical supplies. He’d told her about Layne and she'd winked at him and rummaged around for a bottle of wine from her own stash.

He watched Layne sleep before yawning deeply himself. He always slept well in this house. It had belonged to his aunt and uncle, and he knew that they would have welcomed him. He collapsed onto the couch opposite Layne and joined her in the realm of dreams. When he woke up, she was still sleeping. Finally, she roused as he began to chew through his breakfast.

“How is your girlfriend?” she mumbled, wiping sleep from her eyes. She looked cute and unassuming when she woke up, and Jax grinned.

“Girlfriend? Tobi’s a lesbian in a happy, committed relationship. But she's good, thanks for asking.”

The “thanks” thrown into his sentence made them both pause, flinching as if awaiting the axe to fall. But they were together and nothing happened.

“I made some calculations,” Layne said. “There was an atlas under the coffee table. I think it would take two weeks to get to where I want to be.”

“That's not bad,” he said, chewing thoughtfully. “We should head out soon. Did you rest well?”

“Yeah,” she said, smiling at him. He swallowed hard, unable to take his eyes off of her. There was something magnetic about Layne, something he couldn't get enough of. If he could drink her in all day, he would. Even throughout the tragedy, he'd never responded so deeply to a woman. He'd wondered if there was something wrong with him, and found the way Jonathan had abandoned him even more unforgivable because of it.

They headed out, spending the next week slowly getting to know each other. Jax was the strong, silent type, and Layne slowly drew him out of his shell. Soon, they were laughing and speaking to one another as if they had been friends for centuries. It was the happiest either of them had been in years.

One night, Layne surprised him by disappearing. His heart thudded painfully in his chest with fear, until she re-emerged holding a dead rabbit out to him. He ignored the offer and scooped Layne into his arms, his fear and panic turning from a flash of anger to the sudden realization that he wouldn't want to go on without her. She let him hold her, pressing her cool, comforting hands against his back and stroking slowly. The contact was soothing for both of them, and she promised never to disappear without word again. She would have lost her chance to catch the rabbit if she'd woken him up first.

He built a fire, hoping she couldn't see the tears glistening in his eyes, and helped her to cook the rabbit, serving her little pieces as they finished. She would eat and then feed him a piece as he turned the rabbit around over the fire on a stick, peeling off the finished parts for her to eat. They chewed silently together. Although he was grateful for the rabbit, he was still shaken up by his attachment to her.

“Jonathan left me for a woman,” he said suddenly, surprising both of them with the information.

“Why would he do that?” she asked with a frown.

“He was young and in love. I didn't like her. Refused to join her stupid tribe. So he did and left me.”

“That's terrible,” Layne said, her eyebrows furrowing. “What did you do?”

“I barely made it. I was really young. I didn't have half a chance until Hex found me. They helped me get rid of my past. But they couldn't get rid of Jonathan. Because he's still in the present, out there somewhere.”

“How do you know where he is?”

“He came back later. The woman's tribe was basically a cult. They were all insane, just like I told him they were. I swear they were baby eaters, just hoping for their cow to get pregnant so they could eat it. He apologized and asked me to leave with him. But in my mind he wasn't my family anymore – I just had Hex.”

They ate as he spoke, the fire crackling between them as he unveiled his painful memories.

“No offense,” she said, her mouth stuffed full of rabbit. “But he sounds kind of like a jackass.”

Jax laughed loudly, a loose, pleasant sound that filled her with pleasure. “None taken.”

“I'm sure he's learned from his mistakes over time. We all do. That's why it exists I guess.”

“Yeah,” he said distantly, his mind chewing over her words. He'd missed having that kind of faith in the world. Everything he knew had been shaken and destroyed by the virus and the devastation that followed.

“It's best to live in the moment though,” he said after a pause.

“Well in this moment, there is nothing better in the world than eating this rabbit with you,” she said, her eyes glowing in the firelight. She cupped his face in her hands and touched their noses together, bringing a bright smile to his face. The low rumble of his laughter vibrated in her chest as he scooped her close to him. She smiled down at him and their lips met. A surge of hot electricity jolted through their bodies and Jax suddenly pulled away, startled and intrigued by his physical reaction to her.

“We shouldn't do this,” he said.

“Why not?” she whispered, kissing him again. Their tongues danced deeply in each other's mouths, and he was panting when he responded.

“It's too dangerous here,” he said. “We have to stay aware of our surroundings.”

She pulled away from him, taking the warmth of her body with her, to gnaw on the rest of her rabbit. She gave him a resigned smile and lay down. He had never felt more cold.

Chapter 9

The next day they marched through the forest together. Jax was feeling distant and aloof, embarrassed by the affectionate display from the night before. Layne could tell what he was thinking, but didn't call him out on it. Instead she walked quietly along, humming to herself as she went. She liked to keep the old music alive. Nobody had access to electronics anymore, not the kind that the government had been using. The grids had all shut down, and only people who had been connected to solar, wind, or water powered generators were able to continue with life as if untouched. She was sure there were a few off-the-grid people left alive out there. Some of them might not even be aware of the devastation happening around them.

She thought to the seeds in her backpack, the precious few that she'd managed to find and save. All of her hopes and dreams relied on those seeds, and she swallowed hard, patting the small pocket where she kept them to reassure herself that they were still there. She used to hope for signs from God, especially being a scientist and seeing the divine rhyme and rhythm there was to the universe, but they had become few and far between since the tragedy struck. She found herself wishing for one now, knowing that her only chance at security might be in those seeds and her ability to nurture them the right way.

A cool rain suddenly started falling on them. Layne looked up into the sky and twirled around with her arms outstretched, a vibrant smile on her face.

“This is it,” she whispered. “The beginning of the rest of our lives.”

In that moment, Jax knew that he had never seen anybody more beautiful. He gripped her hand tightly, looking up into the sky with her, before reality struck and he knew they had to get into some shelter. There was nothing more dangerous in a survival situation than being wet for too long. He'd managed to find waterproof clothes, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

As they continued north, Layne could tell that something was troubling Jax, but he didn't bring it up until they made camp that night.

“If you find your dream world, where you can plant your food, who will protect you while I'm off looking for my brother?”

The question came suddenly, as she had been chewing happily on some dehydrated fruit rations, and made a knot in her stomach appear out of nowhere. The idea of leaving each other for even a moment was nauseating.

“I can take care of myself, dummy,” she said, giving him a magnetic smile. “I've made it this long without you.”

But deep down she was dreading the day when they parted ways. She had begun to include Jax in her fantasy world, some idyllic nonsense with a white picket fence, man and wife, nuclear family kind of bullshit that never would happen in the real world. She had to kick herself whenever her mind wandered to that forbidden plain of hope. Nothing could ever be that simple again.

“I know you have,” he said. “Which just makes you more amazing.”

They grinned at one another over the firelight, but now both of them were feeling depressed. Thinking about the past could destroy you, and thinking about the future was grim. It was best to stay focused on the present moment. Nothing else was ever going to be a guarantee.

They fell asleep, both of them troubled and anxious. It was Layne who heard it first – the twig snapping, the sound of sniffing. Wild dogs.

***

“Jax!” she hissed. Jax sat bolt upright, immediately assessing the danger around them.

“Stand up slowly,” he said, reaching slowly for his weapon and standing. She followed his lead, but the dogs were too fast. Her only chance was to run.

Chapter 10

It seemed like she ran forever, further than she had ever thought she could run. All the training her legs had gotten over the years left her agile and athletic, but still, strenuous walking took its toll and her legs were cramping fiercely. She'd lost sight of Jax ages ago, it was only her and the dogs now. Nothing else existed, and nobody else would matter if she was mauled to death, because that would be it; the end of her story.

She didn't know when she had started crying, but it was making her breathe laboriously. She tried to dodge into a tree but failed, and had to keep moving before they caught her. The only reason they hadn't yet was that Jax had distracted them long enough, given them enough distance so that she might have a chance to escape. She wondered if the dogs had killed him, but she couldn't think about that now, not with the adrenaline in her veins, the blood rushing in her ears. She would run now and ask questions later.

And then there was no hope. A wolf, no, it was a husky with wild eyes, but a wolf nonetheless, bared its fangs at her. She thought it drooled rudely onto the forest floor, but it was too dark to be sure. All she saw was the teeth in the moonlight, the pale white fur, the menacing glint in the eyes. And then she saw blood, pooling from its beautiful neck. It fell facedown and she turned, wild-eyed to see Jax bounding toward her, holding her tightly in the darkness, whispering that it was going to be okay now, and they were going to find a place to rest. He would carry her, they would be all right.

They stumbled around in the forest, it was completely uncharted territory for both of them, until they finally stumbled into an old cabin. It smelled awful, like all the other homes did before they were re-inhabited, but they would worry about that later. It was better to be safe from the dog packs out there, certain to be seeking revenge for having one of their own killed.

Jax sat Layne gently on a musty old couch as he searched the house impatiently for supplies. He found the linen closet, changed the sheets on an old bed, checking to make sure it wasn't too moldy, and beckoned her to lay with him. They sank into the bed together, exhausted, and fell asleep before their eyes were fully closed.

***

When they awoke, it was still dark, though it was more obviously morning. They weren't well-rested per se, but they were both used to sleeping in short bursts. Survival was easier that way. She'd heard the term wolf-napping used before by one of the pseudo scientists in her tribe, and thought it applied well to their situation. The sudden thought of wolves caused her to sit bolt upright in her bed and pat her shoulder. Her bag was gone. She lost her seeds as the wolves were chasing her. All hope was lost. There was no way she could settle anywhere now.

She closed her eyes and began to grieve in earnest, her sobs stirring Jax from his slumber. He had thought about being a gentleman the night before and sleeping on the couch, but after the close call they'd had, he couldn't bring himself to leave her sight. He sat up, troubled by her disturbance, and touched her shoulder gently.

“It's all right,” he said softly, his voice tired and hoarse. He hadn't had any water for a while.

“No,” she sobbed. “My seeds. My bag is gone. Everything was in there. That was everything...”

He held her tightly but she pushed him away.

“We need to go back,” she demanded.

“We don't need to go back,” he said, still groggy but sitting up.

“What's wrong with you? Of course we need to go back!” She was sitting up, staring at him wildly.

“No, no. I mean of course we would if we needed to but we don't.”

She was about to smack him in earnest when he got up from the bed and trudged to the sofa in the cabin's living room. He came back and plopped her bag down in front of her, then went outside to urinate and stretch. He came in and sipped his water, surprised. Layne was crying again.

“I thought they were gone forever, my hopes...”

“Hey, it's fine. I'll take care of you.”

Jax lowered himself beside her and she threw her arms around him.

“You saved my life last night. You saved my seeds. You're just so...”

He raised his dark eyebrows and pursed his lips as if hoping she wouldn't continue. She laughed, and then her lips were against his, their warmth gripping him hard, taking him by surprise. It awoke something fierce within him, a pent up energy that he'd been ignoring for all these years, utilizing solely for the purpose of survival. She gasped in surprise as he lifted her with all his strength, settling her on his lap where she could feel the manifestation of his desire burning through their clothes. It excited and aroused her, and she pressed herself experimentally against it, flushing slightly when he responded with a kiss on the neck.

He let his hands roam her perfect body, finally allowing himself to take a moment to appreciate it all. It had been right there in front of him all this time, but he had never felt like it was okay to look; like if he did, it would be a blinding siren's call to certain death. Not that she was a siren, it was more like he didn't trust his own mental discipline. But now it was different. They were somewhere safe. It wasn't even light out yet, they had nowhere to be in particular. And everything felt right.

Layne shuddered, the alien feeling of another person's fingertips on her flesh making goosebumps stand out on her arms. The threadlike tendrils of pleasure he wove through her caught her in a web, and even if she tried she wouldn't be able to avoid succumbing to the guilty pleasure of his body. He was a strong man, both in spirit and body, and once upon a time she would have stared at him like he was a piece of meat, imagining what might be going on in his head and assuming there wasn't much else to him than that. But here he was, showering her with gentle kisses, his eyes sharp and senses calculating, doing just so to elicit just such a response, treating her with the curiosity and wonder of a virgin making love to his first girlfriend.

She almost thought him timid, but no, he tore her shirt off after toying with the buttons; licked her clavicle and nibbled her ears as he pushed off his boxers, revealing his swollen member, engorged and more exciting all on its own than any one of her sexual memories. His touch was intoxicating, as if he had waited all his life just to unleash his prowess on one woman, and now that she was there, and they were together, she would receive nothing less than royal treatment.

He was lifting her again, she was floating weightless, helpless, struggling to submit but ultimately losing the battle and happier for it. He kissed her, their tongues dancing in one another's mouths, stoking the fires inside of them until suddenly it was done – he was in her and she was moaning with a pleasure deeper than anything she had ever known. She held tightly to his bronzed shoulders as they kissed and made love, and he uttered appreciative and reverent groans as he thrust slowly and deliberately inside of her, amplifying any pleasure she might feel to incite his own.

He stayed in control so long that she almost thought he was robotic, and then she sucked his neck, licked his earlobes, scratched gently down his back and saw his control waver. His inhibitions rippled away and he was hammering, thrusting harder, deeper, until she buckled against him, screamed in rapture, shuddered and climaxed again and again, until her contractions squeezed him inside of her, eliciting the rupture of his orgasm, filling her with an explosive flood of power. It seized her and would have brought her to her knees if she were standing up, and they collapsed, breathless, onto the bed, curled around each other like pleased kittens, nibbling each other's lips in bliss until they fell back asleep.

Chapter 11

It was late afternoon before they woke up again, bathroom breaks notwithstanding. The sun had finally risen, and they stretched comfortably in the cabin. They'd gotten used to the smell sometime during the night, and without it, and with the touch of the sun, it was actually really cozy. Layne laid in bed, looking at the pictures on the walls, a framed leaf plated with gold on a cream mounting board; a motivational phrase embroidered onto a scroll, encouraging everyone to live in the moment and believe the best is possible. She recognized the quote from somewhere but couldn't quite place it anymore. It had been too long since she dared to wander into a library. Most of them had water damaged books, and the smell of mold was too much for her allergies. She might as well have rolled around on a rug made of cat fur.

Finally, she gazed at the perfect sleeping body of Jax. She let her eyes roam in full golden glory what she hadn't been able to see in the dark. It had been the best sex of her life, nothing could possibly compare. His hand was resting on his bare chest, and she touched it, unable to believe that somebody so mysteriously powerful had come into her life. But there he was.

He gripped her hand tightly as he opened his eyes. He looked well-rested for the first time since they met. She realized that he never seemed able to fully relax – he was always on the alert, looking out for danger, watching out at all times so she wouldn't have to. It was nice to see him have a break for a change. It was something that she would like to get used to. He deserved some peace of mind once in a while.

“Good morning,” he said with a smile.

“Morning,” she replied.

She was worried that her breath smelled bad. She had cardamom seeds in her bag. She hoped that once they were planted they could chew on them to improve their oral hygiene. She had a toothbrush but without toothpaste it wasn't exactly breath-refreshing. Most people didn't bother anymore, but she did her best. It was something she and Jax had in common. The people in the tribes were too miserable to care much about their hygiene.

Jax sat up, kissing her on the cheek, and cracked the window by the bed open. They were hit with a smell that Layne found intoxicating, and she had a sudden urge to run outside and play like she would have when she was just a young girl. The fresh air and the trees awakened her.

“Let's go explore!” she exclaimed. “I want to see what it's like here.”

“All right,” he said, laying lazily on the bed, everything tantalizingly exposed but his groin. Each knew what the other was thinking, and he tackled her back onto the bed.

When they were done, they pulled their clothes back on and headed outside with their backpacks.

“I really like it here,” Layne decided. It had a good feeling about it. Good energy, as if it had been inhabited by kind people. After a while of wandering, you got a sense like that about a place. She tried to avoid old homes because the bad feelings were the worst, especially when you were alone.

Jax nodded.

“Look, it gets better!”

They had suddenly come upon a gravel pathway. They glanced at each other excitedly. Each side of the path was littered with edible berry bushes.

“This is quaint,” Jax said, plucking a berry from its stem and popping it into his mouth. Layne laughed. Jax was the kind of person who would say “quaint and mean it.” She followed his lead, picking a handful of berries, and they began walking down the path, unsure of what they would find.

“Why do I feel like this is Hansel and Gretel?” Layne asked as they moved forward cautiously.

“Maybe we all feel like characters in a book when things are too good to be true, because we believe the catch will come at any minute.”

“What if I choose not to believe in a catch this time?” The day had been too perfect.

“We'll find out when we reach the end of the path,” Jax said with a shrug.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked, picking berries and eating until finally, they reached a clearing. They stared at the sight in disbelief, clinging to each other's hands tightly.

They were standing in front of a giant solar panel, surrounded by a garden – boxes of raised beds with old, shriveled, plants wilting in them.

“This is unreal,” Jax said, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. If he had glasses he would put them on right now.

“Pinch me,” Layne whispered.  Jax pinched her butt and she laughed, pushing him away. “Ass.”

He grinned, turning to her, giddy with pleasure.

“This means running water. They would need a well out here. Layne, you can have this. We can keep it. You can have a home again!”

The threat of the wild dogs seemed like a distant memory. Here was the remains of somebody's dreamland. A place that was already growing its own compost. The animals got into all of the food of course, they would have to be careful, but it was a start. They embraced tightly, and Layne wept tears of joy. Jax held her tightly, kissing the top of her head. She would be safe her, and they would stick together, creating a home, somewhere stable where he could bring his brother to safety.

THE END

Love and Survival in the Time After

BOOK 2

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

Jax looked at Layne lying naked in the sunlight as it streamed through the bedroom window of their homestead. He grinned as the light tickled her nose and she crinkled it, turning toward the shady wall and snuggling deeper into their blankets. It had been so long since they were on the run that domestic life seemed almost natural.

So when he heard the branch cracking outside the window, his instinct was to brush it off, assuming it was the wildlife. There were sometimes bears and deer that romped through the forest, but since the virus hit, they weren't wanting for food. They generally left the human population alone. But the next thing Jax heard made him grow rigid. He sat up quickly in bed, hoping he had heard wrong. He'd heard shuffling. A snap and a grunt. Somebody was outside in the garden.

Jax sat up slowly, careful not to wake Layne. The last thing she needed was to worry about somebody ruining the garden she had spent all her spare time focusing on. She had put her whole soul into making the garden flourish, single-handedly providing them with a steady supply of simple vegetables. She was still slaving away, collecting seeds and creating raised beds for the garden so that when the next season arrived, she would be able to plant the proper crops.

They'd been there for a good six months; just the right amount of time to allow her tomato and zucchini plants to flourish. They'd enjoyed steady meals of meat and vegetables and were able to keep barrels of boiled water on hand. They had forgotten that life could be so stable, and now that they'd managed to fall into a routine, they had forgotten that life could be so full of danger at every turn.

Jax pulled on his boxers and crept to the closet beside the front door of their cabin, grabbing his rifle and making sure it was loaded. He took a deep breath and cocked the gun as he stepped outside, closing the door with a gentle thud behind him. He began to perspire as he crept around the side of the cabin, sneaking to where Layne's garden was laying vulnerable to the elements.

Fortunately, Layne thought of everything. They had used some chemist's tricks and natural planting methods to keep pests away. That didn't stop the rabbits and deer though, so Jax had set up traps for them. Those they caught made it to the table, while the luckier, perhaps smarter ones, avoided the area altogether. It was a win-win situation.

But someone had breached the security and Jax was certain that it wasn't an animal. They hadn't expected very much human encroachment, though. They had managed to get out of the tribal territories. Suddenly, a wave of cold fear struck Jax and he paused behind an evergreen tree, clutching the rifle. What if the Jackals had found them? One of them had been left alive and knew what Jax and Layne both looked like. Did they come for revenge? Had they done anything to safeguard against that kind of breach?

They had done their best to reinforce the fence that had been constructed around the homestead before the virus had stolen away its inhabitants. Fortunately, they hadn't found any remains on the property, so whoever it had belonged to before the apocalypse had probably caught it early and died in the hospital waiting to be treated. That was a small comfort when they began to settle into their new home, knowing that the suffering and the oozing had happened elsewhere.

He was under the bedroom window now and thought of Layne, sleeping soundly inside, oblivious to the danger. The urge to protect her spurned him on and he tensed up as he ducked into the garden and raised his rifle; peering through the foliage of a large bush.

A man – skin and bones – was eagerly sinking his teeth into a tomato. His hair was thin and black and balding at the top. He looked like he might be in his late forties. It didn't look like he was armed and there was no sign that he was a Jackal. In fact, he wasn't dressed like any other tribe that Jax was familiar with, and Jax found the rest of his courage. It wasn't a trap; he wouldn't be harmed.

He stepped into the open, holding his rifle in plain sight but not necessarily aiming it at the man. The man froze, his eyes wide.

“Jon?” he asked, squinting. “How did you...?”

“Jon?” Jax asked, his heart quickening. “No, I'm Jax.”

The man's face brightened, as he squinted and came closer.

“No shit?” he exclaimed. “So you're his brother? You look just like him, I thought...I lost my glasses a while back and... Wow.”

“You know my brother? Do you know where he is?”

“I know where I saw him last,” the man said, lowering the tomato. “Look, sorry about the food. It's just been a while and…”

“Don't worry about it,” Jax said, studying the man's gaunt, tired face. He would have done the same thing in a similar situation. Compared to how he had been forced to survive on his own, Jax had it easy now that he was with Layne and they'd found the homestead. “Actually, why don't you stay for dinner. Can you wait here a minute? I'm going to go tell my w-”

Jax paused, realizing that he almost referred to Layne as his wife. He grinned to himself and shook his head. “My girlfriend will be surprised if I just drag a guy in from off the street...so to speak.”

“Wow, that sounds great,” the man said, sincerely thrilled. Suddenly, Jax felt nervous. Would this man want to stay for good now that he'd found somewhere comfortable? Would he betray Jax and Layne to take whatever he could get.

“Where are you heading anyway?” he asked the man, reluctant to leave him alone. He would feel better about showing him kindness if he knew he had somewhere to be.

“I'm on a mission actually. To recruit people for my...well, it's not a tribe exactly, but it's a community.”

“Is my brother part of that community?” Jax asked.

The man shook his head.

“No, he's kind of a wandering spirit,” the man said with a laugh. “But he did give us a lot of good advice.”

“All right. What's your name?”

“Al,” he said.

“Al, wait here, okay? I'd like to ask you some questions over dinner.”

Al nodded, his face bright, and Jax went inside to wake up Layne.

Chapter 2

Layne's clear, ocean-colored eyes shone in disbelief as Al stuffed his face on a small bounty of vegetables and rabbit meat. She felt a little sad that the venison wasn't ready yet. They'd hung it to cure and she had a strong desire to be a good hostess; in a way she wanted to show Jax that she was still a civilized person underneath it all. He seemed to notice; his dark eyes occasionally glimmered when she offered Al more to eat, and began packing him a basket of rations to take with him when he went back on the road, heading south.

“How do you know my brother?” Jax asked him, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer. He had done his best to wait until Al was finished eating. He could remember the days of being hungry.

Now, they were having a glass of Layne's home-brewed beer and snacking on the fresh peaches that were growing in the small orchard near the house. The season was almost over and winter was coming quickly. It wasn't a safe time to be on the road and they'd been doing their best to stock up for the winter. They were both well adept at surviving in harsh climates, but because most of the tribes had headed south believing it was much easier to survive in warmer climates, they had followed suit. It made sense; survival was hard enough without having to worry about winter.

“Jonathan spoke fondly of you. He was sure you'd make it out of the tribes. But just in case, he asked me to look for you in Hex and recruit you to our community. Thought if I knew him, you'd be more likely to come.”

“Why didn't he come back for me himself?” Jax asked, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

“As I said, he's a wanderer,” Al said. “He was sure there was a better place; called it a gut instinct. Never seemed to want to slow down or stop moving. We heard rumors about an area that the government was building for their own shelter; an underground city to protect them from the virus. He thought there might be supplies there and got a few guys to head out with him. We haven't seen him since then, though. One of the men with him made his way back, saying they got separated after a violent attack. He doesn't know what happened to your brother.”

“Do you know which way the underground city was?” Jax asked, standing up at the table. Layne's heart thudded. Was he thinking of going right that moment?

“Somewhere to the west of our community,” Al replied, glancing out the window. “Thank you guys for all your hospitality. I should probably get back out on the road before it gets too late. I should have made it down to the borderlines by the end of the day. I have people waiting to meet me, somewhere between the Jackals and the Klaws. They have glasses lenses there.”

“Oh, good,” Layne said, relieved. She would have worried about him otherwise.

“Hey, if you go after your brother, be careful, okay? There are a lot of difficult trails, and winter is coming. I wouldn't leave such a comfortable establishment. Someone might take it over while you're away.”

Layne sighed miserably at the thought of all her hard work going to waste. Still, she knew that there would be no stopping Jax from looking for his brother now. There was a hard gleam in his eyes, and he was fidgeting restlessly, unable to finish any more food.

“Good luck on your travels,” Layne said. “Be sure to fill your water bottle before you go.”

“Thank you,” Al said, nodding gratefully. “If you don't mind a visitor, I may stop by on the way back.”

“Sure, we'd love to see how you're doing,” Layne said.

“Yes, but if you have recruited anybody and they're joining you, maybe you shouldn't let them know about us. We want this settlement to be free of encroachment whenever possible. I'm sure you understand. You can't necessarily trust anyone from a tribe.”

“Of course,” Al said. “Hey, why don't you let me show you the way back to our community when I return?”

Jax's heart filled with excitement at the thought of being the last place his brother had been. It would take him one step closer to his only remaining family. He had to go.

“How long will it be?” he asked.

“Who knows,” Al said, shaking his head. “I have a long way to go. And I was told to make a trail so any other recruits will know which way to wander should they choose to head to a better civilization and escape the warfare between the tribes.”

“A path?” Jax asked, suddenly very interested.

“Yes,” Al replied. “I tear a piece of bark on the north side of trees in the shape of an ‘L’.”

“So that will lead to your community?" Jax asked.

“Yup,” Al replied.

“He might not be here when you get back," Layne said, laughing nervously.

Jax glanced over at her and pursed his lips but said nothing. How could he leave their homestead? And with winter coming it would be dangerous for Layne to come with him. Winter survival was hard enough for one person, although it would be nice to have the extra body heat to share. But if Jonathan was in trouble, he knew that he would have to get out there to look for him soon.

“How long has it been since you saw my brother?" Jax asked, walking Al to the door.

“Oh, it's probably been two weeks by now," Al said looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

“Only two weeks?" Jax asked, his heart thudding. This was his chance to find Jonathan, finally, after all this time. “Do you think he's in trouble or do you think he just took off on his own? You don't seem too worried."

“It doesn't do me any good to worry about anything," Al said wisely, his face serious. "Although, I have to admit that I am concerned for your brother. When he didn't come back with Roger it made me wonder. Me and everybody else. When the group was under attack, Roger just ran for his life. The other two stayed behind. It's impossible to tell what happened from there, but maybe they found the underground city after all and have come back with supplies to the community by now.”

As they say goodbye to Al, Layne put her hand on Jax's shoulder, and Jax looked down at her, his face perturbed.

“What are we going to do?” she asked.

Suddenly, his love for this woman overwhelmed him. She didn't ask what he was going to do, she asked what they were going to do. If he was going to go out and look for his brother, she had every intention of going out with him. She didn't think twice; she didn't want to leave him alone in the dangerous wilderness.

But if they both went, they would be sacrificing the only security that they had ever known. At least, the only real security and freedom they'd had since the virus hit and everybody had been wiped out. The domestic life had been comfortable, almost so comfortable that neither of them seemed to be able to remember the realities of the outside world, and didn't let the memories come in and disturb them. But now that Jax had a clue about where Jonathan was, that was going to change everything.

Chapter 3

That night Jax tossed and turned. He couldn't figure out how to make it work. The best solution he could think of was to have Layne stay at their homestead and tend to the garden so that they would have food security by the time he came back. If he could bring Jonathan home with him, he wanted to have a good and solid presentable home to bring him to. He wanted his brother to be proud of him; to see that he was able to survive on his own. And not just survive, but flourish.

And he was very proud of the homestead, just as he was proud of Layne. She was unbelievably beautiful and competent and smart, too. And he was sure that Layne was proud of him. Jax was rippling with muscles and raw strength that would make survival very difficult, almost impossible without it. Layne had built some muscle herself, and her lean body was tight with athletic ability all her own. He couldn't get enough of her body and she couldn't get enough of his. He couldn't possibly fathom leaving her for even a day, let alone the entire time it would take him to travel to Al's community alone and however long it might take for him to safely search for his brother. He wished that he had asked Al how far away his community was. He'd lacked the presence of mind though, and sighed loudly into the dark, quiet bedroom.

Layne was roused from her sleep and turned over onto her side, her clear, almond shaped eyes peering at him through her dark lashes. She propped her head up on her elbow and touched his cheek gently. Jax almost cried then, it would've been easy. Layne could make him feel so vulnerable. Or maybe he felt vulnerable all the time and he just felt safe showing it with her.

“I know you need to find your brother.”

“I can't possibly ask you to give up everything that you've worked so hard for. It wouldn't be fair to you. Just to find my stupid brother. That isn't right. Before we met, this is all you wanted.”

“Before we met, all you wanted was to find your brother. What kind of a horrible person would I be to hold you back from doing that? I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to stop you. In fact, I could go with you and do my best to help."

“I would never ask you to do that. It's way too dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to you. It's going to be winter soon, and you know how hard it is in the wintertime. I need you to stay here and take care of things for me. It's much better for you if you were able to do this. I don't think anybody would bother you, most of them are never up this far north during the winter. I don't know why Al would bother going on a recruiting mission this late in the season. Most people would think he's crazy."

“Maybe he is crazy," Layne said thoughtfully. “Or maybe he's actually a double agent, working for the Jackals. Everybody at Hex knew about your brother, didn't they? It wouldn't be surprising if they would have found someone that good at manipulation to get you back for killing those two disgusting Jackal guys when we first met. What if it's a trap? Maybe they want us to leave the homestead vulnerable or maybe they want to lead you in the wrong direction and get you back to make you pay for what you did to those guys.”

“I don't think even the Jackals would miss Orson and Buggy very much,” Jax said, raising his eyebrow and making Layne laugh.

“Who knows," Layne said with a shrug. “I just want you to be careful and keep an open mind to every possibility.”

“Yeah...” Jax said, running his strong hand down Layne's delicate shoulder. She was sleeping in a silk nightie that she had found in the cabin's closet. When she had surprised him with it, he had forgotten that lingerie existed and nearly cried out loud in an unexpected rush of longing. Now it was hard to keep his hands off of her any time he saw her wearing it; its thin lacy straps hanging loosely over her sun-kissed shoulders.

She closed her eyes in sleepy appreciation of his touch and inhaled silently as his fingers roamed down the contours of her body and grazed the sensitive, firm mound of her nipple. A look of bliss creased her face as he stroked it with his broad thumb, and he swiftly lifted her on top of him so that her long, light brown hair tickled his bare abdomen.

He had taken to sleeping in boxers, and sighed in pleasure as Layne's hot middle settled on top of his. He could feel that she was wet already and swallowed hard, instantly aroused. She gently pulled the silk nightie off, revealing her perfect naked body gleaming silver in the moonlight. Her hands moved up and down his muscular torso, finding their way under the waistline of his boxers and touching every erogenous part of his body. She licked and nibbled his neck, her hands roaming and squeezing, until he was so engorged with longing that he sat up and spun her to the mattress, spreading her legs wide open with his hands and making her gasp in surprise as the sensitive head of his penis found its way between her legs.

He took a few moments to stimulate her clit, rubbing it gently with expert thrusts of his hips. He went tantalizingly slowly, until she was panting softly against his bicep, writhing against him and silently begging for more. He was more than ready to oblige her and plunged in, bringing a low moan from her lips that aroused him more than anything – even her nightie – ever could.

Layne wrapped her arms around his neck, her breasts bobbing with the rhythm of his hips as they thrust into her, her hard nipples scraping against his chest. She sighed into his ear and he brought his hands up and down her torso, gripping her breasts in both hands, lowering his hot lips onto one and kneading the other gently. She hissed in pleasure as his tongue flicked her, buckling her hips against him and riding on the waves of her pleasure until her body tensed up. Jax knew what this meant and began to thrust faster, elevating his own pleasure as her climax began, the hot muscles inside of her squeezing him blissfully as their bodies rammed against each other.

He waited until he saw the tense look on her face relax in the light of her orgasm before he allowed himself to unleash the fury of his load inside of her, and they panted together as he pulled out and scooped her up in his strong arms, laying her comfortably on the pillow, curled into him. He had all he could ever want right here in this room, and they fell asleep together, saving all the serious talk about Jonathan for tomorrow.

Chapter 4

The next day Jax slept in. He must have been tired, worn out and dejected over the situation with his brother. Layne woke up before him, knowing that what was going on with Jonathan was very important. If he was in trouble out in the wilderness, it would be time sensitive and if they didn't reach them soon, he could die. She was reluctant to leave the little dwelling where they had begun to make a life for themselves. She would have preferred to go out with him to look for Jonathan, but Jax didn't want to give it up either.

And so she set to work putting together a bag of rations. She packed up one of the sturdy rucksacks with the supplies she thought he might need. Long thermal underwear that they had found in the cabin, a heavy coat and two changes of clothes. A compass and several ways to create fire, including matches and flint and steel. His thermos and her water bottle. She wouldn't be needing it if she was staying at the cabin, and his chances of survival were twice as good that way. Several pairs of socks. A note she wrote to him for him to find when he was quiet and alone, missing her and their little home.

She was terrified that something might happen to him and remembered why she had grown reluctant to get close to other people to begin with. There was no guarantee that they would stick around for the long haul, and all she really knew was that she had herself. It was impossible to determine how long another person might stay in her life and, whether they left by choice or through death, the fact remained that she would never truly be able to tell and that was terrifying. She didn't want to be abandoned, but ultimately, that was what happened. And she was starting to feel abandoned now.

It was silly, because he hadn't even left her yet, and Jax was one of the most capable people she had ever met in her life. That was probably the only reason she wasn't insisting with all her heart and soul to aid him in the journey. She was more afraid that she would be a burden than a blessing on a journey this important to him, and something inside her knew that it would be best to stay put. She wasn't sure why, but that was the overall feeling that she had about it.

As Jax began to stir, she hardened herself to the reality. He was going to go out alone and she had to make sure he felt like it was okay. She couldn't have him abandoning his goal or needlessly risking his life – or hers – just because she would miss him for a little while. She had to believe that he would be back and he would have closure about what happened to his brother. Nothing bad would happen to him – at least… probably not. And she had to pretend that she was okay with being left alone to fend for herself and to protect their little home.

Jax was still naked when he walked out of the bedroom and she took in the beautiful sight of his body with an aching heart. She couldn't imagine waking up alone without seeing his face or having the chance to touch him any time she felt like it. That thought was terrifying, especially not knowing if he would ever be back. She knew she had to trust in the greater good, and resolved to keep herself strong as Jax slipped from the doorway to her side, looking from her to the bag in confusion.

She knew that the decision had been stressing him out and so she had decided to act for herself so he wouldn't have to worry about it any longer. She would just have to give him her blessing and hope that it worked out for the best.

“What's all this?" he asked.

“I packed a bag for you. You can add anything you want. I already made a list of what's in there so you won't have to unpack it. I figured it would save you some time.”

“Wow. I don't know what to say,” he said, grimacing. It was clear that he was reluctant to leave the warmth of their home, but what choice did he have? “Thank you. I guess the sooner I leave the sooner I'll be back. Or maybe we.”

“Yeah,” she said, smiling through her pain. He noticed that her happiness wasn't sincere and he frowned.

“Would you be all right if I brought Jonathan back here with me?” he asked, walking to the closet in search of clean clothes to dress.

“Of course,” she whispered, laughing through her tears. They had been threatening to spill over all morning, and now they were falling down her cheeks, leaving her vulnerable and broken for the first time since they'd met. Jax rushed across the room and scooped her up in his strong arms, and she allowed herself to sob against him, gripping him tightly.

All that time she had been alone. She'd fooled herself into thinking that it was okay, that it was what she wanted. But the reality was that she had been so lonely; had needed to trust and love someone else so badly. And then she'd found Jax, and now he was leaving into the dangerous world they'd worked so hard to survive in and find a way out of. She wasn't sure if she would be able to make it.

“It's going to be all right,” Jax promised. “You'll see. It probably won't be any longer than a couple of weeks. I'll go fast. Maybe find a bike to fix up to make it go faster. I promise, if I see one I will.”

“If you do, keep your eyes open,” she said miserably against his shoulder. The bikes were sometimes more dangerous than being on foot. She felt him nod and groaned. She hated goodbyes. Even before the virus hit, they'd felt far too formal, like a looming threat of finality. Now, after the virus, every goodbye seemed eternal.

“I'm not going to be gone forever,” he said, as if he were able to read her thoughts. He pressed her against his body, kissing her sweet, rose scented hair. The chemist in her had been clever enough to use the rose petals from the bushes outside the cabin in a hair rinse that she'd mixed herself, and she always managed to smell intoxicating to him. He couldn't believe he was doing this. How could he leave someone who meant everything to him?

“It's just that...” she broke down, unable to finish her thought. She didn't know how.

“It's all right,” he soothed her. “I know.”

They hugged for a little while, until Layne's sobbing quieted down. When he pulled away, she saw that even his dark eyes were watering. This sobered her up. If he felt too bad about leaving he would resent her, or worse, want to stay and miss his chance to find his brother. She had to be strong. For both of them. She would keep the homestead safe, continue growing and storing food and curing meat for jerky and long term use, and Jax would find his brother and come back with him – or at least find out what happened. It would be all right.

“Hey...” she said, not wanting to bring up the subject of whether or not his brother was dead but sure that it was a possibility and one they needed to account for. “If it turns out he's been gone too long... you know...and you find yourself losing places to look...come home, all right? I need you here. And we can figure out what to do from there together.”

Jax darkened at the thought, but nodded seriously.

“If it seems like a dead end, I'll come back. Maybe give myself a week or two to find closure about it, but no longer.”

“That's fair,” Layne said stiffly. A week or two sounded like an eternity. And just how long was it going to take for him to get to Al's settlement?

“Look,” he said, pulling her into another tight hug. “I won't be gone any longer than I have to be. I promise. If my dipshit brother has taken off again, I'll find him eventually. It doesn't have to be during the winter with my wi – with you here.”

Layne smiled warmly. Jax had nearly called her his wife. Of course, there weren't many people around to enforce the biblical view of marriage, not in the sense that they had before the virus struck. Marriage was another old concept, but she knew she felt closer to Jax than she had ever felt, or would ever feel, to anyone else. If marriage were an official option, she would have married him in a heartbeat.

She looked over at him and felt herself panic, seeing that he was pulling on his clothes, stuffing his hands in his coat pocket to make sure his utility knife was still there. In old times, he would have been checking for a wallet. Cash and driver's license. Keys to their little abode. Oh, keys!

“Here,” she said, running to the small table by the door and thrusting the keys at him. He looked at them uncertainly.

“Don't you need these?” he said, frowning. “To lock up while you’re tending to the garden?”

“That's ridiculous,” she said. “I just need to lock it from the inside while I'm sleeping. I'm going to be fine, I've been doing this survival shit as long as you have. Why do you think I'm still around?”

He pulled her close to him, kissing her forehead and brow, down her cheeks, to her ears.

“Because you're brilliant and talented and too gorgeous for the Earth to lose,” he said between kisses. She melted in his arms, forcing herself not to think about how long it might be before she felt his body against her again; heard his voice, his sweet compliments and temptations.

“Well, whatever the reason, I've made it this long and you don't have to worry about me. I'm not just some idiot bimbo. I have a huge shot at making it through just about anything. And still find a way to get buzzed.” She grinned, referencing her beer making talents, and Jax laughed. She'd packed him two bottles; one for sipping and another to trade just in case he needed anything. She left a note on them, covered it in secret kisses so whenever he touched it, she would be near him.

“All right, I know you're too amazing for this world, but please tell me more,” he teased.

“It's all right. The sooner you get out of here the sooner you can get back and hear all about my many talents.”

“I'm sure it will be riveting,” he said, his dark eyes sparkling. His eyes were the funniest thing, Layne thought. Sometimes they seemed black as night and other times, clear and bright as day. They were flecked with so many different colors, and they so changed frequently with his mood and the lighting that she didn't know what color would have been listed on his state license – back when he would have one. What did he consider his eye color to be?

This suddenly seemed a burning and important question; something she had to ask him before he left. She gripped his hand hard and he drew his eyebrows.

“What's wrong?” he asked, pulling the rucksack over his shoulder.

She wanted to ask him, to know more than anything. It was such a small, stupid thing, and if he never came back, she would always wonder...but no, she couldn't think like that. He would be back. She would save the silly question.

“I'm going to miss you,” she said with a heavy sigh. “But I'm so happy that you have a chance to find your brother.”

Layne smiled bravely at him, her beautiful face shining with pain and the deepest of love.

“You won't have to miss me for long,” he said with a reassuring smile. “A month at most and then I'll be here. You won't even remember I was ever gone.”

They kissed tenderly, and with that, he was out the door.

Chapter 5

Jax walked as quickly as he could, pausing to seek out signs of the community trail. The first one had been easy. It wasn't a very long distance away from the homestead and Jax sighed, hoping it wouldn't bring too much foot traffic past. If it did, Layne might be in trouble before he made it home.

There was only one rifle that they'd found at the homestead, and he had insisted that she keep it. He had his knife and his wildly good senses and strength. There wasn't much more he needed than that. He'd had some combat training in Hex and was prepared for any challenges he might face.

He was grateful for the closet full of old clothes that they'd found. The long underwear would keep him warm once the temperatures dropped, as he knew they would before long. He was already chilly and zipped up the coat. He didn't like how bulky it was or how it might impair his movement, but there was no other option. He had to keep going and find the community where his brother had last been seen. He kept kicking himself for not asking Al how far away the settlement was. From the looks of him, half-starved like that, it would have been at least a week's journey or more if Al hadn’t been smart with rations. But Al seemed smart or else they wouldn't have sent him on a mission like that. It must be further than he thought. Maybe a three-week journey. If that was the case, he had already lied to Layne and felt a desperate pulling to be back in their cozy little home beside the fireplace, touching her and laughing, or chopping firewood. Anything but being away from her for so long. It was daunting to imagine his life missing her for even one night.

He was going too slow. If he could run, he should. It would make the journey go faster. It might draw extra attention to himself, but he didn't care. The sense of urgency in his chest was burning harshly and he knew he would have to give in to it or suffer the tedious, exhausting agitation that would accompany his slow pace.

And so he began to jog, slowing down to a walk when his legs felt tired or he heard a noise. He had learned to run soundlessly, but it was still harder to be cautious and aware of your surroundings if you were moving too quickly. It was something he generally avoided unless he was in danger and he got an immediate kick of adrenaline every time he started running. His capable body could go on for miles and he began to relish the taunt, burning his muscles experienced as he slowed.

The first night without Layne was awful. She'd been his rock and support for so long that, although he was exhausted, he was unable to get a restful sleep. His senses would be dull the next day because of this, and so he said a silent prayer that the dangers would be slim.

When he woke up, he had a hard time finding the next tree that Al had marked and groaned in frustration. Was he off the trail already? But just when he was ready to give up and head back to Layne, the tree miraculously appeared in front of him. He'd begun to figure out that the way the L was pointing showed the direction he was supposed to move in. The long end of the letter was pointed to the left, and so he followed it to the next tree, which pointed right.

He paused. Was Al fucking with him? What if Layne was right and this whole thing was a conspiracy? What if the tribes just wanted to separate them so they would be easier to pick off?

But no, they had to assume Layne would stay with him. Maybe she was the one who was in true danger and the homestead was surrounded by predatory Jackals as he was running away from it. The thought chilled his heart and he had an impulse to go back.

But as he turned around, the image of Jonathan popped into his head. The last time they had seen each other, the sad smile on his brother's face. The pang of loneliness that he felt after he left, gripping his multi-use knife tightly and the picture that he had kept in his back pocket, the one he had hidden away from Hex when he found out that they burned all the mementos left over from before the virus.

He pulled the picture out then, the picture that had meant more to him than anything. His big brother Jonathan had always been one of his idols, and on his seventh birthday, Jonathan gave him the thing that he cherished the most - his dirt bike. Nobody knew why or what had compelled him to give his little brother his dirt bike. He wouldn't be able to get another bike for at least another two years, because he would be old enough by then for a new, bigger one. The best that money could buy. His parents had warned him of this as Jax stared at him, disbelieving of the tremendous gift.

But Jonathan had been firm and pushed the bike over to his little brother.

“I'm going to teach them how to ride a bike myself," he said decidedly. “That way, whenever he is on one, he'll remember me. I think that's a good gift, don't you?”

His parents had simply nodded, their young son's depth and wisdom overwhelming them. His parents were proud of Jonathan and they set up the tripod so that they could have a picture of the family together; Jonathan and his father steadying the bike and holding Jax up right on it, and his mother beaming into the camera with a loving gaze toward her two sons. That was the family that he wanted to remember. Not the illness, and not the separation afterward.

He couldn't give up on Jonathan. His brother had always been there for him, right down to the last minute. Except that time when he had been lured in by the temptations of the flesh and the intimacy that it promised him. Unfortunately for Jonathan, the cult that he had been a part of was after him and he had to make a break for it. Jax had refused to go with him, knowing that they had been freaks from the start. He was bitter at his brother for leaving him alone to fend for himself and ended up finding people at Hex to replace his need for a family.

The memories burned at his heart and he tucked the picture away. He would find Jonathan – no matter what the cost. And so he kept walking and walking; as far as his legs could carry him. He would do whatever it took. Including zig-zagging through the trees to discover each ‘L’ that would point him in the right direction.

***

It had been two weeks since Layne last saw Jax and she had to admit that she was feeling a little bit stir crazy from it. At first she had hardly been able to sleep, but gradually she began to stretch out on the enormous bed and fall into a routine that allowed her to keep her mind away from the man who was missing from her life.

She had a survivor's instinct, hardening herself to the possibility that he might not come back for her. Maybe he would find his brother and stay with him, or maybe he would be killed. Or maybe he wouldn't even be able to find his way back to the little homestead. All of these were distinct possibilities. She only hoped that if he did get lost, maybe Al would be able to guide him back to the homestead from the community where he was heading.

But hope it wasn't something she allowed herself to waste much time on, and instead set to work making the cabin as cozy as possible. She had to admit that she had a homemaker's streak, enjoying every chance that she had to put her hands into the space and create a unique and comfortable feeling within it.

She tried not to eat too much, knowing that winter was coming soon. She had found about twelve Mason jars in the cabin and decided that she would preserve some of the fruit and vegetables for as long as she could. The solar power and wind power that was connected to the house made it possible for the refrigerator and freezer to work. She couldn't believe their luck, but without Jax, she didn't feel as safe, even in their sheltered little house. She knew she would defend their home with her life, and she wasn't sure that was something she was willing to do.

Although it was exhausting having to survive on her own without the comforts of four walls around her and knowing that the tribes would be lurking about and looking for prey, it had been safer in ways because she was never off her guard. It may have been difficult and stressful for her mental health, making her paranoid and jumpy, but it had also kept her alive for this long. She would be on her toes in her little house, not sleeping soundly in her bed. There were no traps outside her doorway to alert her to noise or predators. It was something she would have to work on while he was gone.

She decided to go out and gather the peaches from the tiny orchard before they started to rot, scooping them carefully off the ground and taking what was left over on the trees. She would make a jam, she decided. Maybe a jelly or some sort of dessert with them. She could keep some in the freezer and share the dessert with Jax when – no, if – he came home. She would have to be content with whatever happened, even if the last goodbye that they shared had been for good.

There was a stovetop with two burners and a small oven beneath. They had been utilizing it like crazy, happy beyond their wildest dreams that they had found such a comfortable place to live. It wasn't gigantic and it was nothing like what they were used to before the virus, but it was security. Whoever had lived here before had been minimalistic, only wanting the bare essentials. It was as if they had anticipated something like this virus happening all along, and had prepared accordingly. She lowered her eyes, stricken by a sudden pang of sadness that even with all of this preparation and forward thinking, whoever had been here wasn't still there to enjoy the bountiful lifestyle that they had created.

It was always hard when they found pictures, so she was glad that they didn't find anything in the cabin except clothing and little odds and ends that they could use. Candles, cooking utensils, even the rifle that was in the front closet and a huge supply of ammunition. They also found yards and yards of thick rope, which Jax had used to set traps for animals around the garden. They had been eating well, and she had to remember to check the traps every day and reset them. Luckily, Jax had shown her how.

She was just beginning the sweet, sugary process of creating peach preserves when it hit her. A sudden pang of immense nausea. She tried to hold it back, but she couldn't, and ran to the door, retching out over the railing of the small porch. It had been years and years since she had been sick like this, and she wondered what had brought it on. Had some of their food not been washed thoroughly enough or cooked well enough? Was her meat contaminated? Maybe there was still some bacteria in the water and it hadn't been boiled well enough or filtered properly.

She walked back into the house, her mind spinning with potential explanations, when the wafting smell of peaches make her stomach drop. She had to run outside again to vomit. She had forgotten what it felt like to be that sick, and clutched the railing miserably as she wiped the bile off of her full lips. Her eyes were watering and she scrambled to one of the barrels of water they kept outside, not trusting the one she had drank from most recently in case it was the source of the contamination. She took a handful and rinsed her mouth out with it, then took the pot of peaches outside so that she wouldn't have to smell it as she boiled more water to drink.

From there, she collapsed onto the couch, feeling lonely and miserable. It figured that she would get sick when she was alone. She curled up in the blanket, grimacing at the pain and wishing more than anything that Jax was there to comfort her.

Chapter 6

Jax looked around. He had been following the trail for two weeks, but now he didn't know where to look. He had made it into a clearing and there wasn't a tree in sight. The further north he got, the colder it became, and he was cold even through the thermal underwear that Layne had packed for him.

He shifted impatiently. The going was slow now and if he was going to catch up with his brother, he would have to keep moving. He covered a lot of ground with his running, but even after two weeks he was feeling hopeless. He began to wander forward but stopped himself. He couldn't figure out where he was supposed to go. Damn it, Al.

He groaned in frustration and decided to make camp. As he was digging a small trench to build his fire in, he suddenly paused. The ground beneath his feet was littered with rocks. Most of them were a deep gray color, but there was a line of red rocks that stood out. He backed up and squinted down at them, realizing that it created a huge ‘L’ shape that was pointing to the east. His heart thudded in excitement, and he scrambled to put his belongings back into his rucksack. He would head east.

As he moved, he noticed a small snowflake gracefully fall from the sky and land on the tip of his nose. His eyes widened as more gentle snowflakes began to fall, and he hurried his pace, quickening so that he might find Al's community sooner rather than later. It was never any fun to be stuck in a snowstorm, but for now, things were looking up and the little snowflakes brought warmth to his soul and hope to his heart.

***

Layne wasn't feeling any better later in the week. She thought she was, but quickly found new, sudden bouts of nausea overwhelming her. She was sore all over her body and massaged her tender breasts, groaning in misery and sipping water. She could only stomach certain foods and, unfortunately, peaches were not one of them.

She hoped that she hadn't caught dysentery or something from the water, and groaned to herself. What if Jax came home and found her dead? But no, part of being able to survive was having the willpower to survive. She would be fine. She only hoped Jax was faring just as well.

***

“Welcome," the man said. Jax studied him skeptically, worried that he had stumbled upon another cult. He had followed a path lined by brier bushes, and been pleased when it opened up into raspberries. He groaned when he heard a man step behind him, knowing that he no longer had the advantage. Fortunately, when he turned around, the man was smiling warmly. He didn't trust him, but he was too cold to complain when the man heaved a huge, heavy coat around him and pulled him further down the path and into a warm shelter.

“How did you find this place?" the man asked, looking at Jax with a small smile.

It reminded him of being quizzed after using a business service. How had he found their business? Was it online or maybe through a friend? Perhaps the advertising they had done on the subway finally did the trick. He tried to shake off the cynicism and told him about meeting with Al, and immediately asked if they had heard from Jonathan.

The man's eyes widened and he took a step back, looking behind him at the small group of people that were in the shelter with them. It was a relatively nice community, most of them living in teepee like tents with a fire burning inside. The smoke escaped through a ventilation hole at the top and they were free to warm themselves by the fire and cook as they pleased.

“Are you his brother? The one from Hex?”

“I haven't been with Hex in a long time," Jax said. “Don't worry.”

“Oh, I'm not worried. They teach pretty great survival skills in that tribe, there are a couple people here who made it out a while ago. Maybe you will know them."

“Maybe," Jack said impatiently, thinking of Layne alone at home. “But I'd really rather find my brother before I talk to anybody. He hasn't come back here?"

“No, they went east from here looking for the underground city that people used to whisper about. They claim the government knew that something bad was going to happen and tried to cover their asses after Grow Inc. got some test results back. They were prepared for the worst case in any event. They didn't expect it to go so viral.”

“I remember," Jax said bleakly. “Would you mind showing me the way to Roger? I hear he was with my brother last and I'd really like to speak with him.”

“Oh, Roger! Of course, that's a great idea. I'm sure he could help you.”

The man offered his thick hand and smiled. He was in his late middle ages and was strong and meaty. His sandy brown hair was cropped short to his head, and his wide face was littered with stubble. He was a little overweight, wearing a pair of overalls and a red collared shirt that was rolled up at the sleeves, despite the temperature. He saw Jax looking and grinned.

“Never minded the cold much,” he said. He seemed rugged and experienced, and Jax didn't have any trouble picturing how he had survived through all of this.

“My name is Blake by the way," the man said. “I can show you around to get you some food and then maybe you can head out. How does that sound? If you'd like to stay the night and camp out here that would probably be for the best. It's pretty dangerous out here at night. We found a way to safeguard against the animals and the elements, but out on your own, it's definitely a lot harder. And the snow is falling now, it might be a better idea to stay inside for the night and take the weather as it comes in the morning.”

Jax was silent, and walked quietly behind Blake as he led him to another teepee. He glanced around, taking in the large bonfires and the rows of greenhouses that had been constructed to protect their food sources from the elements. They had found saran wrap and created the greenhouses out of the stretched plastic and bendable branches, which was fairly clever.

“Have you ever been out in the winter before? If you're looking out for your brother, that shows me that you've mostly been in the South.”

“I was in the Boy Scouts once," Jax said vaguely. “But honestly most of it didn't stick. I'd be willing to listen if you had any advice for me."

“Don't try to drink snow," Blake said, scratching at his stubble with a dried crunching sound. “And if you do, melt it first between layers of your clothing or filtered near a fire. If you use your body's energy to melt the snow, you're going to be more at risk for hypothermia and other crappy winter stuff.”

“All right, thanks,” Jax said.

“Sure, but it you should probably remember that snow doesn't give you anywhere near as much water as ice does. In a pinch, you should always melt ice first.”

“Oh, I didn't know that."

“Yup, the water content is way higher. Do you have a tarp?”

“No, not really,” Jax said. All he had was the worn cloth he had always used for his tent.

“Well, we will get you one. You can use them for shelter.”

“Thank you,” he said, wondering what was in it for Blake.

“Why are you trying to get people up here anyway?” Jax asked him as they paused outside one teepee and grabbed a large, neatly folded blue tarp. Blake handed it to Jax, who tucked it inside his bag.

“You ever tried settling in a commune with only a handful of people? It's not easy. There's a lot of work to be done. But it is safer, and we do all right. It's especially nice during the spring and summer. And we all get along, and none of us are angry and violent. It's a safe place. Everybody deserves a safe place.”

Jax considered this and nodded, and they finally reached the opening of Roger's teepee. They ducked inside and Roger greeted them warmly.

“Is this a new recruit?" he asked.

“No," Blake said. "This is Jonathan's brother, Jax. The one he spoke about so often."

Roger's face fell and he shirked away from Jax and Jax understood immediately that he felt guilty for abandoning his brother in the elements during the attack. He wanted to be angry at Roger, but looking at him, he could only feel a pang of pity. He had a small child in his lap, smiling up at him, and a beautiful woman behind him at the fire, stirring a small pot of soup. Roger had a family; he had a family like Jax had Layne. He would've done the same thing if he found himself in danger. He couldn't leave Layne on her own to fend for herself in a world like this. Even if there was safety at their homestead.

“Look, Al told me what happened and I'm not mad at you. I just need to know where you last saw my brother and I was wondering if you could take me. I know it's probably scary and dangerous, but I would really appreciate it. I need to understand what happened.”

The woman stopped stirring the pot and looked suddenly and intensely at Roger. The child stopped cooing and noticed the tension in the room. She looked between all of the people there and tilted her head in confusion. She reached her hand up to Roger, combing her fingers through his little beard, and Roger gripped her tiny hand in his own and pulled it away from his face.

“I'd be happy to show you where I saw him last. But we might be ambushed there. I'll take you most of the way, but I'll have to come back for my family. They are my only reason for living, and I have to be there for them.”

“I understand," Jack said with a nod. “It's a deal.”

Chapter 7

They set off early in the morning, and Jax noticed with interest that the small snowfall had turned into a large one, blanketing the world around them in icy white flakes.

Roger led him for a day and a half, marking a trail by breaking evergreen branches, and stopped finally in a clearing.

“This is where they got us," Roger said sadly. “I don't know what happened, I just panicked and did the only thing I knew how to do. I escaped with my life. I feel terrible about it, but maybe in a way bringing you here was my opportunity to try and make it up to your brother. I don't know if he got killed because of me, but if he did I'm really sorry.”

He didn't give Jax an opportunity to reply before he turned his back and walked away from him, heading back to the settlement with his warm teepee and little family. Jax watched him go for a moment before approaching the clearing. His feet crunched loudly in the snow, and he shivered as his face splintered with the cold. So his brother had been here. It had been a couple of weeks. Well, more like a month now, but he had been here.

Jax didn't know what to do from there except to give himself the allotted time frame that he and Layne had agreed upon to look for any sign of Jonathan. If he couldn't find him within two weeks and everything looked hopeless, he had to go back.

And so Jax began wandering in the cool countryside. It didn't take long for him to discover a cave in a cliff face. He poked his head in with interest, cautious of animals who may already be inside the dwelling. He let his eyes adjust for a moment and saw that nothing else was living inside before ducking in to explore. Maybe Jonathan had been there. His heart was brimming with the possibility of seeing his brother again. He couldn't wait to finally embrace him and apologize for all the years of being without him. He felt so close he could touch it.

Jax made his way carefully down the cave, and suddenly found his foot caught on something. He nearly tripped over it and cursed, lowering himself into a crouch and examining the contents on the floor. Suddenly, his heart started to pound painfully. His food had wound around the strap of a bag.

It was a bag that he recognized.

A bag that belonged to his brother.

It had everything in there. His essentials. They were things that he would never have left behind, even if he was just going out to take a piss. He would've taken them wherever he went, which meant that something must have happened to him. Something terrible.

Jax burned with grief as his shaking hands sifted through his brother's belongings. Everything was hopeless now. He would never see his brother again. They had left everything in shambles, their relationship broken and cold, and there was no way that he would ever be able to apologize for it.

The sudden realization brought Jax to the floor. Everything was meaningless now without his brother. Nobody would ever be able to make him feel better. Everything was miserable and unfair. The virus; the circumstances of his brother's parting. He didn't even care that Layne was in their homestead, waiting for him to come back. She would never be able to understand his grief. He was completely alone.

He suddenly got to his feet and ran out of the cave as fast as he could. His only living family member was gone. Layne's had been gone for a long time already, he knew, she was used to having nobody. But this was a new feeling for him. He had never felt more alone and hopeless.

He pulled one of the bottles of beer from his sack and chugged it down as quickly as he could, glancing at Layne's note and crumpling it up before reading it. Somehow, he blamed her for this. If he hadn't gotten involved with her, he might have found his brother by now. He could have saved him.

He left the note, allowing it to grow soggy on the wet, icy ground as he began staggering around in the snow and crying loudly. He was drunk and full of agony, and he stumbled, falling face first onto the ground.  The coldness bit his face, and it almost felt good. He would give up. He passed out in the snow, waiting to die and join his brother.

***

Layne tossed and turned. She was used to sleeping on her stomach, but ever since she had gotten sick, she had felt sensitive everywhere. She had taken to keeping a bucket near her bed in case she needed to throw up again. The illness was persistent, although it didn't seem to drain her of any energy. That was fortunate, and she continued to use her daily routine to give her the motivation that she needed to continue cultivating food and water for the homestead.

She tried to count her blessings instead of focusing on all of the ways that she was sad and miserable. Being alone made her more likely to remember all of the pain that she suffered when she lost her family to the virus. Her friends and everybody else that she had loved before the virus hit were gone. She had been left to fend for herself and deal with the aftermath, feeling very guilty that somehow she had been able to survive at all without any problems.

She found herself falling into a deep depression, but she did her best to avoid her troubling thoughts and worked harder and harder in the garden. The activity seemed to help and alleviated some of her nausea. She enjoyed the fresh air, even though it was beginning to grow crisp with the frost.

One evening, she heard the sound of breaking branches, and nearly hyperventilated. She didn't know who it was, but she hoped that it was Al, bringing some new recruits through the forest. Still, she didn't know who it was and she was vulnerable and alone, so she crept as quietly as she could inside the cabin and shut and locked the door. She situated herself at the window, loading the rifle and cocking it in case she saw anybody encroaching. She wouldn't be as kind as Jax. If anybody came and saw her homestead, she planned to shoot. There was no telling who might be infected, and the carriers tended to travel in groups. Most of them were so angry and bitter and guilty that they were addicts who traded whatever they could find for drugs that would help them drown away their sorrows. That meant that they were a danger to her and to everyone else - whether they could be infected by them still or not. It was hard to tell whether or not the carrier's virus had lain dormant. Nobody had tested them and everybody who was still alive was immune.

Fortunately, a large deer emerged from the foliage and she lowered the gun, sighing in relief. She had been worried that it was a group of carriers, but it was just a flock of deer who had smelled her delicious vegetables. She hoped that they would leave it alone, but she was in such a good mood after the flood of relief that she would have gladly shared with them.

Thinking of the carriers ignited her anxiety. What would happen to humanity next? She was concerned that the new population may or may not be able to thrive and flourish. Children who were exposed to the virus probably wouldn't live very long. However, it was possible that with two parents who carried strong genes, they would be able to survive. She felt a twinge of nausea as she thought about the infants who were both vulnerable and innocent. She was glad that she and Jax wouldn't have to worry about that yet. All she had to do was focus on surviving until he came back.

***

Jax woke up from a frenzied dream, groaning in appreciation as Layne's mouth nibbled him and stroked his groin. He found himself burning with longing, a nice distraction from the hole in his heart, but pushed her off of him in confusion as he opened his eyes. It wasn't Layne, and it wasn't totally a dream. There was a woman there and he was inside a strange room that was dim and smelled like the earth.

She looked at him, her ruby red lips smiling seductively. He scowled at her and backed away, his heart thudding. Although she was beautiful, she had startled him and he felt invaded. Still, he had to admit that he was painfully aroused and his body was begging for more of her touch.

“So you're alive then," she grinned, peering down at his groin. “I see the blood is pumping after all.” He glowered at her and covered himself with his hand. Fortunately, he was still dressed, but she had peeled off his wet outer layers and laid the clothes in front of a fireplace to dry.

“Where am I?" he asked.

“You're in Tel Alur,” she said with a grin. “We inhabit the underground city and I brought you there. Did you have a death wish or something? You know it's easy enough to die without stupidity on your side."

“What does it matter? It's none of your business. I just so happen to have lost somebody very special to me."

“Who, Jonathan?” she asked, her lips stretching into another sultry smile. His heart thudded at the mention of his brother's name.

“Actually, he's fine. He was in to see you before you woke up, but he had to leave again.”

“Are you kidding me?" he growled, gripping her wrists in his strong hands.

“Oh, I like it when men are feisty with me," she said with a wink. Her dark brown eyes twinkled and she ran her hand through her jet black hair. He felt another pulse of longing in his groin, and felt tempted to give in to it. He was still irrationally angry at Layne. Regardless, he forced himself to look away from the woman. If Jonathan was alive, there was hope. But if she had only heard his name while he was in a fevered dream state, then she was simply trying to fuck with him. He had to find out which one it was.

“Where did he go? If that's even true," Jax said, fixing a dark glare on the woman.

“Well, we are preparing for war after all, so it makes sense that he would have plenty to keep him busy.”

“War? Jonathan isn't into war," Jax said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Maybe not, but he needs to save his friend. They were both abducted not too long ago by a really mean group who call themselves the Phantoms. They think they are sooo badass because they can survive in the snow. They only do it because they eat anything, even people. They're trying to fatten up your brother's friend right now. Fortunately, Jonathan was smart enough to escape. His friend wasn't so lucky, so we're all going to retaliate and get rid of the problem once and for all. We want to keep things peaceful up here in the North. Believe it or not. It's all rather exciting,” she said, moving close to Jonathan and pulling a blanket around his shoulders.

She touched his cheek, her beautiful face sparkling with excitement. She was toying with him, testing her power. He wished it wasn't working, but he could feel the yearning in his body, strong and prominent. It had been nearly a month since he'd had any kind of release, and this woman was dangerously close to opening a floodgate he would rather keep closed.

“Please, go get my brother,” he said sternly, turning away from her.

She seemed surprised, but somehow pleased at his rejection, and nodded, pulling her hand away and turning on her heel. He purposely avoided looking at her swaying hips and sultry, curvy body, and instead pouted at the wall.

And then he was being pulled into a bear hug and the spicy scent of his brother was filling his nostrils. Jax opened and closed his mouth, almost ready to vomit from the emotional toll of what he'd just experienced.

“I thought I'd never see you again,” he breathed.

“Here I am,” Jonathan said with a wink. It was too good to be true. Maybe he really had died in the cold and it was all a dream.

“I'm so glad you're here,” Jonathan exclaimed, hugging Jax again. “We need all the help we can get.”

“You...wait, you mean in this war thing?”

“Yeah!”

“Jon, I can't...”

“What?” Jonathan asked, his face falling in disappointment.

“Look, I know it's important to you, but I have somewhere to go. A home. Somebody waiting for me. I just needed to know if you're all right. Al came by and told me about you and I had to see for myself. I missed you so much...”

Now that they were together again, there were no words that felt sufficient enough to explain what he'd been through. The terrible guilt and misery he'd felt when he believed he was truly alone in the world. He had nearly killed himself in his grief, but somehow, he'd been brought to this woman's room and spared.

“I missed you too,” Jonathan said. His face had aged considerably, and he looked much older with the scruff thick around his face. “Listen, we're still in the planning stages. Talk to your family; think it over. We seriously need the help. We could get killed out there, but I know how skilled you are. You could make or break this thing for us.”

“Forget about it,” Jonathan begged, gripping his brother's forearm. “Just come back with me. We have everything you'd need. I swear, it's perfect.”

“I'm sure it is,” Jonathan said, pulling gently out of his brother's grip. “But this expedition was my idea. I'm responsible for risking those men's lives. I can't just leave him there to die. Not when there's something I can do to save him. You can help me or you can go home; those are your choices. It's not safe for you to stay if you're not going to be a part of this. I'd rather you were safe anyway, little brother. You have no stake in this war.”

Jax opened and closed his mouth in disbelief. He had finally found his brother, but after all this, he might very well lose him again in a needless battle to save one man's skin.

“It's not just for me,” Jonathan said, lightly punching Jax on the shoulder. “I need to safeguard the future of the children in the community up there. It's a really solid place, you know. They're trying to start something special. Get a real society going again. Not like the turf-war cult hell down south. I'm behind this one hundred percent. Maybe when this is over, you and your family can join us. You'll know where to find me.”

He winked at Jax and turned away, walking out the doorway. And just like that, his brother was gone again.

Chapter 8

“How did it go with your brother?” the sultry woman asked when she returned to her bedroom. Her voice brought another surge of longing to his loins as he remembered the way it felt when she was touching him in his sleep. But he was also angry and disgusted by her and refused to meet her gaze.

“It's not really any of your business," Jax snapped at her. She smiled, a glow that radiated from across the room, and Jax darkened in response.

“It must not have gone well," she said, coming toward him.

“Please, just leave me alone," he said, looking her in the eye. “There is somebody that I love.”

“Well, she's quite lucky. You're very handsome.”

And with that, the smiling woman disappeared, leaving him alone in the room. He walked over to the fireplace cursing at himself for feeling such an intense burst of longing that he would have no release for. He pulled his clothes on, groaning in discomfort as they grazed his erection, and grabbed his backpack. He was going to head back home to be reunited with the woman he loved most. The woman who he missed so much that he almost resented loving her in the first place.

***

The journey was long and grueling, just as he remembered it on the way there. Unfortunately, it was even harder with the harsh elements working against him. He dug himself a little hole in the snow, creating a wall where the wind was the fiercest and pulled half of the tarp over it. He put the other half of the tarp on the ground to prevent himself from getting wet, packing the snow tightly to create a firm platform. He was elated with the knowledge that his brother was alive, and happy that he knew exactly where to find him. But he was also worried that the pointless war he was fighting might leave him without a family left to speak of.

He spent the next two weeks running as quickly as he could, heading back home to Layne. At night, he was haunted by thoughts of the seductress, and had to force himself to avoid the images of her face and the memories of the pleasure he felt during the sensual dream he'd had. He would force his thoughts back to Layne, the last sexual encounter they'd had, and try to keep himself from relieving the burning sensation in his loins. It would make him vulnerable if he did.

Finally, after what seemed like years, the landscape began to look familiar. He followed the path that Al had created until finally he saw the familiar fence coming up in the distance. Before he could get inside, the door flew open and Layne was in his arms. Her intoxicating, rose-scented hair filled his senses, and she moaned immediately as he bucked his hips against her, pulling her pants off of her body and spreading her legs. He lifted her up by the waist and gazed into her sea colored, blue-green eyes.

“I missed you so much," she whispered.

“I missed you too," Jax whispered, pulling his throbbing member out of his pants and pushing it inside her with a hard shove. She had already been wet by the time she reached him, and threw her head back with a loud moan as the sudden impact made her knees buckle. He carried her inside, thrusting slowly in and out of her as they moved through the snow covered forest floor and toward the doorway of the cabin.

They didn't make it to the bedroom. Instead, he pushed her against the wall and showered her entire body with hot kisses that made her moan and writhe against his body. He had been gone for far too long, and she had missed his muscular torso, and the feeling of his long, thick cock pushing intimately inside her.

She gasped as he groaned loudly and came hard inside her, filling her insides with the hot flow of his orgasm. She hadn't come yet, which he knew, and he moved behind her, pressing himself against her backside and reaching around to cup her firm breast in one hand and slide his fingers inside her with the other. She leaned against him with a moan and he kissed her gently as his penis grew hard again, finally squeezing itself between her legs as it grew more swollen with anticipation.

In a tangle of limbs, they fell onto the couch, and Layne wrapped her long, perfect legs around his waist as he rammed hard into her, sending a shockwave of pleasure through her whole body. She cried out, and he did it again and again, not giving her a break to catch her breath. She arched her back, her nipples pink and hard, and buckled against him as their hot fluids dripped between her legs and pooled on the couch beneath her. She shuddered as she felt him tense up, ready to come hard into her again, and she cried out loudly as she began to quake underneath his powerful body, giving in to the most intense orgasm she'd ever had in her life.

They lay tangled on the couch together, Jax stroking her long, light brown hair lovingly, the light in his dark eyes glowing brightly. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed his forehead, and he smiled sweetly at her.

“What color are your eyes?” she asked him.

“I think they're green,” he said thoughtfully. “But I don't really know. They change sometimes.”

“I hope our baby's eyes are like yours,” she said with a contented sigh.

“What...?” Jax asked, sitting up and staring at her.

“I think I'm pregnant,” Layne whispered.

THE END

Love and Survival in the Time After:

Book 3

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

CHAPTER ONE

“They look bigger, right?” Layne asked, studying her reflection in the mirror. She cupped her hand over one of her breasts and Jax raised his eyebrow at her and laughed.

“What?” she asked. “I look ridiculous right now, don’t I?”

“I wouldn’t say ridiculous,” he said with a grin, tucking Layne’s light brown hair behind her ear. “Try the other one now.”

She slapped him and shook her head, strutting out of the bathroom with a sigh.

“Well if they are bigger you know what that means, right?” she asked.

“More to love?” his deep voice rumbled into her ear, bringing his strong, masculine hands over the delicate mounds of her breasts and stroking her nipples with his thumbs. She moaned involuntarily and let her body lean back into his. He buried his head into her neck and kissed her gingerly, sending tingles throughout her body. When he pulled away, she sighed.

“You’re such a tease,” she said, heading into the kitchen for a drink of water. She could feel him grinning behind her and shook her head, smiling despite herself.

She had been nauseated regularly since Jax had returned from his perilous journey north to look for his brother, which had been a little bit difficult for their intimacy. The poor man had been treating her as if she were glass, not daring to go any further than a gentle kiss or a stroke here or there. She was sexually frustrated, but she appreciated his consideration. She hadn’t been feeling up to intensive physical activity, and if there was one thing their sex life was, it was intensive. Neither of them held back.

Maybe if they were a little tamer, she wouldn’t be worrying about whether or not she was pregnant. She was eighty percent sure that she was. Still, they were both concerned. Any illness, especially now that civilization had been wiped out by the deadly virus, was extremely dangerous. Vaccinations were a thing of the past, and even though she was a chemist, she didn’t always have the tools she needed.

There were a lot of potential problems if they were going to bring a child into the world. First of all, they would have to protect the child from all varieties of illness and disease. The baby would be vulnerable to the virus, and could potentially be taken from them before it even had a chance to live.

What would she do if she lost her child? And more to the point, would it be selfish of them to bring a child into a cruel, upside-down world where it couldn’t thrive, and maybe wouldn’t even be able to survive its first day of life? The cabin they lived in could still be crawling with infection.

And if it did survive, how would they socialize their child? How would they find other children for it to play with? What would they do when the child grew into a teenager and wanted nothing to do with its parents? What if it wanted to run off and join a tribe or found friends in the wrong places? Maybe they could go up north and network there, but she was really happy where they were.

Jax hadn’t spoken much about the community up north, but they both knew it was better than the rivalling tribes down south. Still, he obviously hadn’t been particularly impressed. It was nice in the north, but it still had problems just like everywhere else.

Layne sighed. It wasn’t the paradise they had been envisioning. There was too much work left to do, too many variables to think about. Maybe if things were still how they had been when she was growing up, she would be picking out names and daydreaming about what their lives would be like together. But they weren’t living in a time like that and might never be again. It almost seemed better if she were just sick.

“Jax?” she called.

“Yeah?” he replied, emerging from the bathroom with a comb, running it through his dark black hair. It had grown longer since she first met him, and she couldn’t help but feel that he was more attractive every time she saw him.

“I’m not sure I can wait to find out for sure,” she said, furrowing her eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” he asked, moving toward her and dropping his hand from his hair.

“If I’m sick, it could kill me before we find out if I’m pregnant. It would still be a couple of months before I’m showing, you know? But if it’s an illness I might not make it that long. I think we need to act.”

Jax sobered at the words and frowned. The only way to know for sure was to get her to a medic somehow, but she couldn’t make a journey like that with him, especially not if they went north like he would prefer. How could he leave her when she wasn’t feeling well? And if she was pregnant, he wanted to be there for her every step of the way.

“I’m not sure how we can find out,” he said, furrowing his brow.

“Don’t most tribes have doctors of some sort? I mean, many of them are pretty devoted to keeping as much of modern medicine alive as possible. They’re terrified of humanity reverting back into the stone age.”

She was speaking from experience. She had been part of a tribe of doctors and idealists who had hoped, during the initial outbreak of the virus, that they would be able to fight the illness and save the world. Unfortunately, the majority of them were just egotistical crackpots who thought they knew more than they really did. It had been a dark period of her life, learning how hopeless it was to believe that she could make a difference. The apocalypse had struck, and she was completely useless.

Jax would never be able to understand the helplessness she felt when she realized that her years of study and a lifetime of gifted intelligence still left her helpless and unable to provide relief for the suffering people around her. She thought she should have been able to figure out the virus, at least in time to save her ailing family. How had she been lucky enough to escape unscathed? And would her child be blessed with that immunity, or the genes of her vulnerable family?

It was a lottery that she wasn’t sure she wanted to subject a child to. She was pretty certain that she would be able to find a way to terminate the pregnancy. Mandrake root would do the trick if she could get her hands on some, but she knew from the look in Jax’s eyes that he was excited about the possibility of being a father, and she wasn’t sure if she could dash that hope. And if she was being honest with herself, she was secretly thrilled at the prospects of motherhood. It would be nice to have a baby around. She hadn’t heard a child’s voice in years. They always seemed to bring hope wherever they went.

She knew she had to get examined by a medical doctor to find out whether or not she was putting her worries in the right place. If she was sick she could deal with it, but if she was pregnant, she would have to make some preparations of her own.

“There might have been doctors up north,” Jax said uncertainly. “But I don’t think you should travel that far and I’m not comfortable leaving you alone for that long. Especially if there’s something wrong. I think I’m going to try to find some help a little closer to home. Okay?”

“Yeah…just be careful okay?”

“Of course,” he said with a handsome grin. “I’m always careful.”

“Okay. When do you think you should leave?”

“As soon as possible. It’s still morning, I could probably leave right now once I get packed up.”

“Okay,” Layne said, leaning against the table in the kitchen and trying to hide her displeasure. She watched him scurry throughout the cabin, packing quickly. His face was grim but determined, and she knew that he would do anything to keep her safe. It was a nice feeling, but she felt terrible about subjecting him to any potential dangers. Layne took care of herself and she always had.

But it was true, she had been feeling a lot weaker than usual, and never knew what she might throw up. If she hadn’t been having irregular periods over the last few years, she would have been able to tell just from that. But she couldn’t. She had lost a lot of weight, been extremely active, and under unbelievable amounts of stress, so missing a period was a pretty common thing for her. And she was secretly terrified of contracting an illness she couldn’t handle. It would be better to get someone there to examine her, even if that meant that Jax could potentially be subjected to danger.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said, his dark eyes looking deeply into hers. She could read a million different things in his expression. He gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead and she found herself fully immersed in him, wishing that he wouldn’t have to leave. She wanted to go with him, but she knew that if she was sick she would be a liability to their safety.

“I know,” she whispered. She shocked herself by feeling the strong urge to cry. As if he could sense her feelings, he stroked her on the cheek and held her more tightly.

It was always difficult when he left; the world was so dangerous that she was never completely sure she would be able to see him again. But she had to think positively or else she would never make it through the next few days. Who knew how long it would take him to find someone to bring back to give her an examination? Who knew if he would even come back at all?

CHAPTER TWO

Jax sighed, walking slowly toward the shed where he had found a beat up bicycle when they first discovered the homestead. It had been in dire need of work, but the work had been fun. It was good for Jax to have something to do with his hands, especially now that Layne hadn’t been feeling up to satisfying his persistent sexual needs. It left them both a little bit frustrated, but she had way of relieving his tension. He wouldn’t dare ask for anything more from her than that.

He mounted the bike, securing his bag and hoping that nobody would see him on the way. A lot of the tribes had become expert at spearing the spokes in the bike tires and descending upon the injured riders like vultures, stealing whatever they could and often leaving the rider for dead. He was athletic enough that he could anticipate an attack and land safely, but still, any injury was unwelcome. Especially when he had to get home to Layne.

There was nothing he hated more than leaving Layne alone at home, especially now that she wasn’t feeling well. What if she needed him while he was gone? He laughed to himself. She would die before she admitted that she needed him. It was her independence that he found so attractive, and she was very capable in ways he had never known any person could be capable.

When he was younger, he never would have imagined that he would find himself living with a brilliant, gorgeous scientist in an off the grid settlement. Then again, he never would have imagined that the apocalypse would strike and kill everybody that he knew and loved. Except for his brother.

He thought back to his brother, who he had visited a few weeks prior. He had been convinced that Jonathan was dead, and when they finally found each other again, he had slipped right through his fingers and headed off to fight some kind of war against people who were threatening the safety of the community up north.

Everybody was looking for some kind of safety and comfort that resembled what they had lost after the virus had struck. Since then, everything went to hell. The people in the encampment up north had taken their cue from communal living and done their best to round up as many people as possible. They had settled into teepees, where the coldness couldn’t touch them and they were able to enjoy a warm meal no matter what time of the year it was. They seemed happy enough there, working together, but there was an oppressive atmosphere over the camp that made Jax uncomfortable.

He couldn’t quite put his finger on why he had felt that way. Maybe it had been the gray sky, or maybe he had just been driven to the edge with the anxiety he was feeling about finding Jonathan and getting back home to Layne, who was alone defending the garden. Either way, something out there had felt a little bit off, and he couldn’t tell what it was. It was best not to think about it, especially not if he was going to keep his wits about him.

Medics were a rare commodity, and had been highly revered once the population had been wiped out. The tribes would give the doctors shit for not knowing how to stop the virus, but they also depended heavily upon them to survive. Who had the best medics?

He knew that he wouldn’t be able to find any help from the Jackals, especially if Jinx was still around. He had seen Jax kill his two best friends before running away, and it was likely that they would all be able to recognize his face. He couldn’t count on their help, but maybe there was a tribe a little closer that would offer him some assistance. Most of them would do anything for a price. He had planned to promise them all the beer they could drink. Many of the people who had survived the virus had turned into addicts of whatever they could get their hands on. Everybody was anxious to numb the pain of losing everything that they had known and loved. If he could offer them some kind of poison for them to drown in, then maybe he would be able to get Layne some help.

By the time the afternoon came, his stomach was rumbling. He had gotten used to having regular meals. Food security was a new luxury that was easy for his body to get used to, especially with the way Layne always kept herself busy in the garden. If she wasn’t out there she was in the little kitchen canning food, ever wary of the future. If they had to go in a hurry, they would be able to take as much as they might need to last a while. She had even secluded a corner of the cabin for indoor plants like tomatoes, and had a couple of barrels full of dirt in the corner where she grew potatoes. They would have potatoes all year round, if nothing else. It might not be the most nutritious, but it would keep them alive.

He had made it a great distance away from their homestead, and sat back against a tree, digging through his bag to bring out his lunch. As he ate, a modest meal made up of a salad and a boiled potato, he thought about how lucky it was that the two of them had found each other. And not only that, but they had managed to stumble upon the perfect place for them to make Layne’s dream come true. They were far enough away from the tribes down south that it was finally possible to settle down and garden.

Food security was everything, which was why there were so many tribes. They wanted everything at a little cost, and were happy to steal from others and protect themselves as mercilessly as possible. A lot of people had gone off the deep end after the virus had killed their loved ones. They had become hardened to the rest of the world, making them extremely dangerous and prompting them to act without mercy any time they encountered another human being who didn’t show signs of alliance or submission.

He and Layne had been heading north, holding on to the faint hope that there weren’t as many tribes where it was cold. Most people believed that it would be easier to survive in the warmer climates, and had immediately headed down south, where they wouldn’t have to face the harshness of the elements without the modern luxuries of electricity to help them survive.

At the beginning of the end, he remembered a group of scientists who had been hell-bent on reconstructing the world to its natural and former glory. They wanted to understand electricity and figure out how to redistribute it throughout the world. There were still a couple of engineers left, but after many grand proclamations of their intention, they seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth. He hadn’t heard anything about them in years.

It was too bad he couldn’t find them. They seemed to have solid heads on their shoulders and hefty priorities. Maybe they would be able to help him with Layne. He was terrified of losing her. She was the first good thing that had happened to him since the virus had struck. He felt grateful every day that he had been able to find somebody to just click so well with, especially after the majority of the population had vanished. What were the odds of finding a soul mate now?

When he finished eating, he set out on his way again, happy to be doing something productive instead of just sitting around the house and worrying. He knew that Layne would be able to fend for herself while he was gone, but it still made him nervous to leave her there alone.

Suddenly, he heard the snapping of a twig and whipped around. He found himself staring face-to-face at a dirty young woman with wild blonde hair and angry eyes. She was pointing a sharpened spear at him, and crouching close to the ground like a wild animal. He sighed, hopping off his bike and taking a step back before she could launch the spear at his tires. He held his hands up so that she would know he didn’t plan to hurt her.

“Who are you?” She demanded, shaking her spear at him. The spear didn’t scare him, and neither did the girl. What scared him was that he didn’t know what kind of tribe she was from, or whether or not she was alone.

“My name is Jax,” he said to her slowly and calmly. “Could you take me to your tribe? I have a proposition for them.”

“My tribe. Ha. My tribe doesn’t see strangers! Do you think I’m stupid?” She growled at him.

“You’re not stupid,” he said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. “It’s just that I have some beer, home-brewed and really strong, if someone from your tribe can help me. You guys have a medic?”

“What kind of a tribe doesn’t have a medic?” She asked him, her eyes narrowing.

The whole interaction was making Jax uneasy. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to deal with a tribe that allowed, and maybe even encouraged, the people in it to act more like animals than like civilized people. He wouldn’t want anybody like her to go near Layne, and he was sure that he wouldn’t be very likely to trust any of their medical advice either.

“You know what? Never mind. I think I’ll just be on my way,” he said, backing up slowly. “Thanks anyway.”

Jax had said the magic word. He cringed as he realized that “thanks” had escaped his mouth, and she looked at him with wide eyes, a sickening smile curling against her lips. Because he said it, she would assume that he was vulnerable. That he was submitting to her. She would think that she could attack him.

“Not so fast,” she said, creeping toward him. “I think I remember you saying something about beer. I don’t know about you but I think it’s silly to believe that you could just tease us like that.”

“Us?” Jax asked, wondering if maybe she was crazier than she appeared to be.

Suddenly, another person appeared, walking toward him with a sneer on his face. He was tall, lean, and lanky, and looked as if he hadn’t had a decent meal in months. Jax immediately felt sorry for him, but not sorry enough to surrender his own safety. Or his rations, for that matter. If he was going to take care of Layne, he would have to take care of himself first and foremost. He couldn’t let these kids take him down.

“I don’t think you realize what you’re doing,” Jax said, backing up toward the trees. He really didn’t want to hurt them, but they were going to leave him no choice.

“I do!” The boy said, offering him a twisted grin and raising his spear up into the air. “We’re getting ourselves a chance to get fucked up and take whatever the hell else you have with you. Must be our lucky day.”

“I know you guys are probably really hungry,” Jax said, realizing that they might not belong to any of the tribes and had possibly been bluffing to protect themselves. “Maybe I can take you to a place where you can be fed. There’s a settlement up north, people don’t want any violence. They’ll accept you there and feed you as long as you do your part.”

“That’s a fairytale,” the girl spat, coming closer to Jax.

“It’s not, I’ve been there.”

“Well then we’ll go there with your beer,” the boy laughed, readying himself to throw the spear at Jax.

Jax sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. They weren’t getting the hint. They were too young and arrogant to realize that they wouldn’t be able to take down a well fed and well rested man like him, even if there were four people in the same condition they were in. His heart really went out to them but they had left him no choice. They wanted to take what he needed and he would have to defend himself now.

Before the spear was released from the boy’s feeble grip, Jax lunged at him and tackled him down onto the ground. The woman unleashed a cry of fury and ran toward him, hoping to impale him with the spearhead. He kicked her away, causing her to fall flat on the ground with an oomph that told him he had knocked the wind out of her.

She was struggling to get back on her feet and Jax grabbed the boy’s spear, debating whether or not he should kill them both or let them go. He suddenly felt a sharp pain in his calf and turned around, peering into the face of the sneering woman. She had pierced him with her spearhead, and that made up his mind for him.

With a growl, he quickly snapped the young boys neck and turned rabidly on the woman, using the boy’s spear to pierce her through the chest. She looked at him in disbelief and anguish, and Jax found himself apologizing as she sank down to the ground. He hadn’t killed anybody in so long that he cursed Layne for making him weak. That wasn’t something that he could afford to be in a world like this. Being isolated for so long had softened him, made the dangers of the real world seem impossibly difficult. He had been able to get over it before, but now that she had softened him up, how could he handle living like this anymore?

He turned away from the gruesome scene and walked away shuddering, unable to believe how difficult it had been to slay them. The year before, he would have thought nothing of it, and cursed their souls for daring to think that they could steal from him. He remembered what it was like to need, and now that he was in a position of privilege, entering into the world where he had come from, he couldn’t help but feel anything but an acute sense of grief.

CHAPTER THREE

Jax had been gone for about five hours, and Layne was beginning to feel restless. She had no idea how long it would take for him to return, but she knew that he wouldn’t dare to come back without having exactly what she needed. She felt unworthy of a devotion so powerful, but at the same time, it made her feel safe in such an uncertain world.

It would be nice to find out what was going on with her body, and no matter what it was, she would have to brace herself for better or worse. That also meant that preparing herself for both the best and the worst if she turned out to be pregnant.

She was terrified of the idea of putting another being into the world, someone that she could love and hold and take care of, only to have them snatched away from her by the same virus that took everybody else that she loved in such a gruesome way. She didn’t think that she would be able to survive from that kind of tragedy. It would be like losing a piece of herself.

How would they be able to take care of another person? She almost hoped that she was just mortally ill so she wouldn’t have to worry about these terrible things. Either way, it was up to her, and now that Jax was out of the house it was the perfect opportunity for her to go out and scavenge for the material she would need.

Layne was suddenly stricken with a burst of motivation unlike anything she had felt in the past few months. She always felt more alive when she had a purpose, and lately her purpose had been to create a more sustainable home. Now that she didn’t have to worry about making Jax vulnerable to attack, as he surely would be if they went out together, she could go out and get what she needed. There was an abandoned neighborhood a few miles away. If she could look for supplies, maybe she could stop worrying and figure out exactly what she wanted to do. She knew she couldn’t handle the emotional difficulty of losing a child to the virus, and felt like it would be unfair to subject a baby to the world as it was.

But she also felt optimistic and hopeful. Maybe they would be able to have a normal family together. Two parents with immunities might mean that their child would be safe. It wasn’t a guarantee but it was possible. And they could have a normal family together, settling into the little cottage, living off their garden. Maybe everything would be all right.

She packed a bag as quickly as she could, making sure to bring extra water in one of the mason jars that they had found in the cellar. With the way she had been feeling, she thought it would be best to stay extra hydrated. She was sick, not stupid.

Layne closed and locked the door behind herself, glancing nervously back at her garden. It could do for a couple of days without tending, but any longer than that and she might as well have kissed all of her months of hard work good bye. Between the wildlife and the weather, she hardly trusted it to survive without her special touch. But that would be okay. She wouldn’t be gone long. It was only a couple of miles away. She had done less than that in just a couple of hours back before she and Jax had begun getting settled.

“I’ll be back soon,” she promised the little cabin, resisting the strange impulse she had to wave good bye to the little settlement. Everything was still though, and she told herself that it would be all right to leave, just for a little while. Either way, everything would be okay. She would just have to believe that.

***

Jax was shaken up by the time he reached the river where he had first spoken to Layne. He dropped to his knees and dug a small hole, letting the water filter through and drinking deeply from his cupped hands. He had missed the taste of the fresh water, and needed some to splash on his face after killing the two hopeless wanderers. He had done his best to help them. They had given him no choice. He had to keep believing that.

Suddenly, he got to his feet and threw up. Fuck, he thought fearfully. What if he was sick too? Did that mean that Layne wasn’t pregnant after all? Had they both become infected with something dangerous?

Or maybe he was just feeling really nauseated after killing those two kids and the stream water wasn’t agreeing with him. If they were both sick, a doctor would be even more important. The only person he knew was Tobi from Hex, who might have some knowledge about a doctor. Everybody else refused to talk to him and saw him as a traitor. Maybe Tobi could point him in the right direction.

It was as good a plan as any, and so he made his way down the familiar pathway, wondering when he would be able to get in touch with Tobi. Sometimes they expected each other, but he hadn’t seen her in months. She probably assumed that he was dead. He had been a pretty regular visitor, although it had been dangerous at the time, especially because the leader of Hex, Shark Tooth (formerly known as Jimmy Fletcher Junior), had a huge grudge against him.

Jax had been the one man in the tribe who Shark Tooth had hoped to rely on, someone he could call a brother and a friend. He had wanted to take him in as his prodigy, because Jax was one of the most brutal fighters he had ever seen. He had taught him more about street fighting and even got him in touch with a master of martial arts so that he could channel all of his talents. He had learned a lot from Shark Tooth, who had been hurt deeply when Jax finally decided that life in Hex just wasn’t for him.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t just be hurt about it – he treated it as if Jax had wronged him more than anybody ever could have, making an enemy out of him. He made sure that nobody in the tribe would welcome him back. They were all ordered to report directly to Shark Tooth if they saw Jax anywhere near the headquarters, and Jax knew that although Shark Tooth wasn’t a match for him physically, strategically he would probably be able to get him sooner or later. But that wasn’t going to stop him from checking in with Tobi.

He would just have to trust his instincts and hope that everybody thought that he was long gone by now. He was pretty sure the Jackals would have it in for him too, so he decided to stay away from their tribe. Even if they offered to help, it would be more likely that they would double cross them.

Jax was getting tired but he mostly felt emotionally and mentally drained from having to deal with the two kids. He hadn’t even bothered to search them for something useful. He would let some other desperate looters deal with that. He had everything that he needed back at home with Layne. If they were going to have a baby, then there was a lot they would need to do in the meantime to prepare. They would need to gather more food and find more materials for clothes and blankets. It would be difficult but they could manage. They would have to.

The sun was beginning to set as he finally came upon the neighborhood that marked the final stretch between the river and the Hex settlement. It would be a long ride in the morning, so he did as he usually did and found the old house where his Aunt, Uncle, and cousins had once lived. It was the closest to a safe place that he had found before he and Layne had discovered the homestead. Now they had forgotten what it really meant to be in danger.

He had never ventured very far into the house, but now that there was the possibility of a baby on the way, he decided to poke through the ghostly bedrooms. His family had suffered, and the only good thing about it was that they had been fortunate enough to have some medical relief before the virus was totally understood. Many people had died right out in the street or on the floor of their homes.

If he could find some blankets to bring home, it would be great, but he would have to be careful of mold. Jax hissed as he walked. The girl with the spear had gotten him good, and it hurt more when he walked on his foot than it did when he was pedaling the bike. There wasn’t much of use in the house anyway, and it was stirring up terrible memories. Every little noise was making him feel jumpy and displaced so far from home. If he didn’t take care of his wound, it could get infected and cause even more problems. It was his job to keep himself alive. Nobody else would do that for him.

He was glad to be inside as the sun started to set, although it gave him the creeps to hear the sound of all the empty buildings around him. He tried to distract himself, pulling a bottle of alcohol from under the couch where he had hidden it and dabbing his wound with it. The debris was blowing in the wind and the houses shifted and groaned in the night. He tried never to think about how desolate it felt. He had dealt with life alone for over two years, but he had become an expert at steeling himself from his emotions about it. If he could deal with the loneliness, he could deal with anything.

He was far too used to spending his nights with Layne to be comfortable sleeping in the old house alone. He could hardly wait to get back to her. He couldn’t stand worrying. He curled up on the couch, pulling out the familiar but musty blanket from the drawer in the end table beside it where he had stashed it, and covered himself up, staring off into the distance and hoping that Layne was okay.

CHAPTER FOUR

Layne looked around nervously. It had been a long time since she’d been out this far on her own, but she was pretty sure that she could remember the way. The sun was setting but she knew that she was close. The big cats would be out soon, so she would have to be careful. Many of the zoos had animals that had escaped, though most of the humans had the vicious foresight to put the animals down before they began to roam freely through the streets. Still, a few cunning species had escaped and begun to roam wild. They were somewhat rare but they were out there and everybody knew it.

Her main concern was lions, but there had been rumors of both a panther and a leopard on the move. The feral cats, distant relatives of the pampered housecats of her past, hunted at night, and if she wasn’t careful she could get some vicious, needle-like claws in her ankles. Wherever they were, she would have to use caution.

She remembered how Jax had been half-joking with her about bringing in a kitten and domesticating it. Being a scientist, Layne just shook her head. She had always believed that house pets were an atrocity against nature, and domesticating them was a selfish and all-too-human thing that she refused to do.

She had decided against bringing the rifle with her, but now she regretted it. When Jax came home, she wanted him to be able to find it where it always was. She didn’t feel very safe handling it. It was relatively new to her to have a gun and she Liked it better put away in the closet. But that could be a mistake that cost them their home. If anybody came and broke into the cabin, they would be able to defend it and take it as their own if they found the rifle. Maybe she should go back and get it.

But she was already too far gone now. The best she could do was hurry up and get what she needed and leave as soon as possible. Without the gun, she would have to find shelter soon, or she would have to keep moving all night. She couldn’t decide whether it would be better to be a sitting duck more or vulnerable prey on the move, catching the attention of lounging predators. Either way she was a target.

A wave of nausea overpowered her and she paused, taking a long drink of water. She should rest. It would do her no good to get herself into needless trouble. Jax would expect to find her home in one piece. She couldn’t let him down. She would never forgive herself if she got herself killed on such a foolish mission. But she couldn’t just sit at home and do nothing, not when there were so many preparations to make.

Layne was growing weary and inevitably found a place to make camp and built a fire, hoping it wouldn’t attract unwanted attention. It had been a while since she had to fight, and she hoped she would be able to hold her own when it came down to it. It was getting really cold, especially at night, and she shuddered underneath her blanket, hoping that whatever her journey brought would be useful in the future.

Jax was quiet and complex, but she knew that he would make a great father, especially in a world like the one they were now trapped in. In fact, he was probably looking forward to fatherhood, not dreading it the same way she was. The dark current of “what-ifs” just wouldn’t leave her mind. Someone she loved unconditionally might soon be born into a world where it was almost guaranteed that they would suffer incredibly.

But they didn’t have to, she told herself. There were options. If they were able to keep the child close by at all times, and teach it how to make something of the world around them, then there was hope. Children gave adults a reason to work toward change for the better.

What the world really lacked now was hope and possibility for a better future. Many of the brightest minds in existence had been snuffed out by the virus. Many of the people who thought they had the brightest minds had caused the greatest destruction that humanity had ever known. Worldwide destruction. An irony that the survivors would live to laugh bitterly about.

She knew there were still survivors all over the world, and many of them went about their daily lives as if nothing had changed. People in different countries who didn’t have the same modern luxuries as the Western world were probably still thriving the same way that they always had. They knew how to farm, they had agriculture and the business all figured out. Commerce was nothing, bartering and trading was normal, and it didn’t leave so many twisted, greedy people around in tribes ready and willing to pillage for whatever they thought they might need.

The Western world had left many people hardened, very selfish and very incapable of sustaining themselves for the long-term. The tribes were often on the prowl for intelligent people, and if they knew that she had been a scientist in her former life, they probably would have tried to kidnap her by now. They thought that having a person more than capable of logic was a way that they could secure a better livelihood for themselves. Somehow they might still end up ahead in the race toward civilization.

The Westerners had truly started over again in the Stone Age. All that was left were the relics of the recent past and hope that they would be able to someday create and build a civilization as secure as the one they had lost.

She fell asleep uneasily, unable to trust her surroundings enough to rest. It had been a long time since she had to sleep with one ear open. She would just have to do her best to stay on her guard and head out as soon as the sun touched her face.

***

Jax woke up with the sun and headed outside, knowing that he had to get to Hex quickly. If Layne was suffering alone, he wouldn’t forgive himself. She meant everything to him.

The familiar path began to open up to him, and he slowed himself down, opting for caution. He dismounted the bike and hid it, walking slowly, deliberating every step. He felt deeply uncomfortable, unable to count how long it had been since he’d tried to get in touch with Tobi. With any luck, she would be able to break away from the group quickly to meet him. He had a whistle that he used to summon her when they were far away sometimes, and hopefully she would know it was him and be able to meet him in their usual spot.

He climbed into the tree and whistled, something mixed between a Robin and a bluebird. He usually waited there for about 20 minutes, but this time he was worried that Tobi could have left the tribe or that she was off doing something else. If that was the case, he would have to wait there for a long time, and he didn’t feel like he had a long time to wait.

But he was resolute about avoiding other tribes, and opted instead to occupy his mind the only way he could – with memories of Layne. The last time they’d been intimate together had been soon after he returned from the north. After that she had become surly and sick, though there were times when she would surprise him.

He’d been woken up in a fit of longing, and opened his eyes to realize that Layne’s soft hands were stroking his groin. She looked gorgeous in the moonlight, her clear eyes shining as she squeezed and tugged him, eliciting helpless grunts of pleasure from deep within him. The short sounds quickly turned into a full on moan when she leaned over, curling her hot tongue over the head of his penis and engulfing him in her wet mouth.

Jax shifted on the tree branch as his body began to awaken to the memory. It would be a long time before he would try to call for Tobi again, and he glanced around, making sure nobody could see him as he gripped his hard shaft in his hands, desperate for relief. It had been so long since she had been in a mood like that, but nothing turned him on more than the silver slope of her breasts, naked as she sucked on him. His shaft pulsed as he remembered her hard nipples pressing against his thigh as she bobbed her head, licking and fondling him until he erupted without warning right in her mouth.

Jax squeezed himself hard, groaning as his abdomen tingled. His palm filled with hot liquid and he wiped it off on the cloth he used as a handkerchief after he put himself away.

Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound and quickly looked down at the ground, worried that he had been spotted. His hand hovered over the knife he kept sheathed at his side, ready to attack, but then he sighed in relief. There was Tobi; her familiar bushel of curly, wild hair gleaming copper in the sunlight.

She looked up at him and a wide smile lit up her face. He smiled back at her and she climbed up into the tree with him, perching on her usual branch. They were able to relax there, completely concealed from anybody above and below.

“I seriously started thinking that you were dead or something,” she said, reaching over to slap him on the shoulder. He grinned at her and shook his head.

“Actually, I found someone and we’ve kind of settled down somewhere together.”

“You’re kidding me,” she exclaimed. “I bet that feels nice, having someone and somewhere to go all the time. If everybody had that there wouldn’t be so many stupid tribes.”

“How are things with you?” Jax asked her, grinning. It had been a while since he had had a conversation with anybody but Layne, and he hadn’t realized how much he missed his friend.

“Pretty much the same, except I broke up with Kelsey,” she said with a frown.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. You guys were doing so well last I heard,” Jax said, sincerely saddened.

“Yeah well, some people just are not compatible after a long amount of time,” she said with a shrug. Jax pursed his lips and silently hoped to himself that he and Layne would be exempted from this category.

“So how have you been staying busy?” he asked her.

“Actually, I have a new girlfriend now,” she said with a sly grin. “It’s someone I’ve had my eye on for a long time. Maybe you’ll remember her.”

“No way, you don’t mean Sam do you?”

Tobi bit her bottom lip, smiling and nodding proudly.

“I can’t believe that, it’s perfect,” Jax said, running his hands through his dark hair in relief. His mind fixed on the image of the no-nonsense woman with the caramel colored skin and deep brown eyes. She had been Tobi’s crush ever since she laid eyes on her, but Sam had always been obsessed with scribbling medical journals and collecting herbs. She was far too busy for relationships. She was determined to keep her knowledge alive and apply it however she could.

“What’s perfect?” Tobi asked, puzzled.

“Sam was the doctor here right?”

“Well she’s one of them. They started to prefer one of the guys they kidnapped from this other brainy tribe further west. Sam’s amazing but they don’t think a black woman can do the job, even though she’s gotten them this far. But I guess the new guy is pretty good at what he does.”

“Do you think Sam would be able to tell if somebody was pregnant?”

“Oh no, Jax. You didn’t!” Tobi said shaking her head in horror.

“What do you mean?” he asked, shirking away from Tobi, suddenly feeling as if he had done something very wrong.

“Who the hell would want to have kids in a world like this?” Tobi asked, sighing and shaking her head more slowly. “Most guys around here pull out, you know.”

Jax suddenly found his cheeks burning hot with embarrassment and irritation. Whose business was it if he wanted to have a family? It wasn’t exactly the conventional time and place to raise a family, but he knew that it would be all right if they just worked a little harder to make ends meet. That was something that he was willing to do.

“Where is your poor girl?” Tobi asked with a heavy sigh.

“A few days from here, but I cut the time down by biking. She’s been sick, and I’m worried that if she’s not pregnant, it’s something else.”

“I don’t know if Sam and I can go that far,” Tobi said, furrowing her eyebrows.

“All I need is one examination. I can’t bring her this far. I don’t think it’s safe to travel if she isn’t feeling well.”

Tobi put her hand over her face and groaned.

“Okay, you know what? I’ll see what I can do, but it’s possible that Sam hates you just as much as the other people at Hex do. If she was tainted by Shark Tooth’s propaganda, then how are we supposed to trust that she won’t turn you in? And me too for that matter?”

“I know it’s risky, I’m sorry,” Jax sighed.

“It’s more than risky! I mean honestly, there would be something in it for her. She could be reinstated as one of the main doctors here. She took it pretty hard when they started using that other guy.”

“Maybe that just means that she’ll be willing to listen to someone else’s reasoning. What if she’s mad at Shark Tooth too?”

“That is also really possible,” Tobi said with a grin. Jax smiled and gave her a halfhearted shrug.

“Can you at least just talked to her for me? I mean you do hold some sway over her after all.”

“That’s only because I’m good in bed,” Tobi said with a wink, and Jax laughed. They waved at each other before she headed down the tree.

“I’ll try to get you an answer as quickly as possible, okay? But if you don’t like what you hear then you need to get back home to your girl. None of the doctors around here are trustworthy enough to help you. Especially not if you have a good thing going. Don’t try anybody else if this doesn’t work. Just hope for the best, okay? Don’t make me worry about you two.”

“All right,” Jax said with a nod. He would wait there until sunset, and find out for sure if he was able to find someone who could help Layne. But if Sam wouldn’t do it, at least he would know to head west to look for the group of brainiacs out that way.

CHAPTER FIVE

Layne looked around the town, her face drawn in sadness. She hated the ghostly feel of the deserted neighborhoods. She could always imagine what they would have been like when the residents were alive and happy, but those visions were quickly blurred away by the horrific side effects of the virus that had stricken them all down. Everybody was blindsided by the sickness, and when it first began nobody had a clue how devastating it would be.

Although she had survived, she had pangs of nausea whenever she thought about it. She could remember the way her family had suffered; the way they had begged for relief that they were unable to find. Death had seemed a mercy at that point.

What if her baby wasn’t immune? There were still traces of the virus all over the world. Even if everything were all sterilized, there were still groups of mournful, green-tinged carriers who had the weight of the world on their shoulders. They traveled in groups, many of them drinking and drugging themselves to death, unable to bear the guilt they felt from causing the collapse of civilization. Their minds circled with regrets. If only they hadn’t pulled the strings to be the first vaccinated. Now they were doomed to witness the destruction their immunity had caused for the rest of their lives.

If those bands of carriers ever passed through and touched the foods in the garden or coughed near them, they could find out the hard way that their child wasn’t immune. They would have to watch their baby suffer the way the rest of their families had suffered. It would be a fate worse than dying herself; to have a part of herself forced to succumb to the terrible illness.

She took a deep breath and headed into the first house that caught her eye. If she could find anything useful for a baby on the way so Jax wouldn’t have to keep leaving her, then she would do it. She didn’t want him to feel like he had to take care of her all the time. And if the baby wasn’t immune, there had to be some antibiotics around that would ease its suffering, if nothing else. A baby without immunity would be doomed to suffer. The people and cities were still infested; the virus wouldn’t go away that easily just because many people now were immune to the effects themselves.

When she walked into the house, she could tell that the people who had lived there had been happy. There were toys scattered on the floor and pictures of smiling faces; three children and two adults. She moved cautiously through the house, trying hard not to think about what had happened to the family or look at their pictures and belongings. She was there for one reason – to get supplies.

She began pushing doors open, looking for the bathroom. She would look for medical supplies first and foremost, and hope that there were still some left. At first, all she found were bedrooms, and then, to her dismay, a nursery. It had never been used. There were no pictures of babies; Layne gathered that the family had been expecting a new child.

Her eyes watered despite herself and she walked into the nursery, looking around and swallowing the lump in her throat as she touched the furniture. The baby had never gotten a chance to use all of this. The family was gone.

She would come back to root through the desolate little room later. Layne forced herself to leave the nursery and finally found the bathroom upstairs. She rummaged through the closets and cabinets, relieved to find that they had a little baby grooming kit. Thermometer, nail clippers, a fuzzy little brush all sealed in a hard plastic container beside a first aid kit that had a fuzzy white film over it. She passed over the first aid kit, careful not to touch it, and grabbed the plastic box of grooming supplies. And as she suspected, there were unfinished bottles of antibiotics, meant to preserve at least some semblance of dignity to the people who were diagnosed with the contagion. She grabbed the supplies and walked out of the bathroom numbly, closing the door behind her.

Layne felt dizzy all of a sudden; numb and scared. Her heart thudded and a familiar surge of nausea nearly brought her to her knees. She tried to hold it back but she couldn’t, and ran into the bathroom to unleash it into the toilet. She would have to rest for a little while. Her night on the ground hadn’t left her feeling particularly refreshed.

Layne didn’t want to be in the pleasant house full of promise and love. She didn’t want reminders of why she was there in the first place. If she was pregnant and not sick, why had she found such a place? Somewhere that reminded her of all the joy and love she would be missing out on if the virus stole her child?

She stumbled back down the hall to the nursery and sat down in the rocking chair beside the little crib, hugging her knees to her chest and allowing herself to cry bitterly. She succumbed to a flood of tears she felt like she had been holding back since the beginning of the end of civilization. She wept for the families who were killed by the virus, and for her own family; for Jax and for herself and their potential child.

She leaned her head back against the headrest of the rocking chair and exhaled out loud, closing her eyes and letting her weary body tug her into a deep sleep.

***

“Good news, Jax,” Tobi said, bounding up the tree. It was late afternoon and he had been waiting in the tree for a little over two hours. “Sam can’t stand Shark Tooth and wouldn’t care if we took off, just the two of us. So I casually introduced her to the idea of maybe helping you out. We’re going to try to do like you did, make it on our own you know? Start out with a trip to visit your little place. And we’ll have a head start. I told Shark Tooth I had some scavenging I wanted to do, just me and my lady. It’ll be a while before they realize we’re gone.”

She winked at Jax and he laughed, shaking his head in relief and disbelief.

“You mean she’ll make a house call for Layne?” Jax asked, his face lighting up.

“Yeah,” Tobi nodded. “She already packed up all her medical supplies. Whether your lady is sick or pregnant, Sam’s the best. She can help her. Though personally I’m hoping for the former, because that’s a lot easier to treat than 18 years with a kid who might drop dead just walking into the wrong area.”

“If Layne and I are both immune that shouldn’t be a problem,” Jax pointed out firmly. Tobi shrugged.

“We’ll see. I just don’t like the odds. It makes me glad I’m a lesbian. Not going to accidentally get knocked up and have to worry about that kind of shit, you know?”

“I guess so,” Jax said glumly.

But there was good news. Tobi had pulled through for him. He was suddenly patting himself on the back for dealing with Tobi’s incessant crush on Sam for so long. It had been persistent and mournful. At least, until she had met Kelsey and the two of them had stuck together like glue for the next few years. He wondered what could have driven a wedge between them; they had seemed so happy.

“Sam is going to meet us by the river. She already left so let’s get going. I told her it was kind of an emergency. I know it’s not like Layne’s dying or anything but you know, it’s better to get it checked out soon in case it is something serious. You’re not sick too are you?”

“Well…” Jax said, thinking back to the way he had thrown up after killing the two desperate wanderers. “I don’t think so.”

Tobi raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. She turned away and headed as quickly as she could toward the river. She had remembered what Jax said and brought her own bike, which was risky, but Tobi was well known as a hard-ass around the area so she didn’t seem too concerned.

Jax followed along behind her. She never cut through the old neighborhood the way that he did; everybody in Hex had been told to avoid those places and they had become somewhat superstitious about it. That was how Jax knew that he was safe there and could always sleep soundly. They had looted the old buildings as much as they could and the only thing left there was nightmares.

They ran swiftly through the wooded area surrounding the neighborhood and Jax stayed as alert as possible. If anybody from Hex found out that Tobi was helping him, she could get into huge trouble. Fortunately, everybody seemed to be busy elsewhere, and they made it to the river in record time, where Sam was pacing in front of the water, a serene look on her face as she gazed into the trees.

“Hey,” Tobi said, running up to her.

“Hi,” Sam said with a smile. Jax wasn’t sure how it was possible but she somehow looked smarter, maybe older and more wizened, since the last time they’d seen each other.

“Hello,” Jax said, nodding at Sam.

“Long time no see,” Sam said with a smile.

“Yeah,” Jax said. “Thanks for agreeing to help me.”

“I’m mostly doing it for your girlfriend,” Sam said. “And mine. Besides, it’s not like you would have any clue what pregnant women go through.”

Jax frowned and Tobi laughed.

“Ease up, Sam,” she said. “Jax might have gotten her into this mess but he knows he will have to help her out as much as he can.”

“Well that’s why you brought me here,” Sam said, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. She had left it on the ground while she was waiting for them to show up, knowing it would conserve her energy. “Let’s go.”

Jax felt nervous about showing anybody the secret land that he and Layne had found and settled. Even though he trusted Tobi with his life, he still wasn’t sure about Sam.

“I don’t want you guys telling anybody about where we live, all right? We’ve worked really hard to set this place up for ourselves.”

“Don’t worry. We have our own lives to live,” Sam said.

“We’ll give you guys some beer, okay? Just to call it even. This stays between us. I mean it. I’ll do anything to protect my family.”

Jax fixed his dark, intense gaze on both Tobi and Sam, and they shifted uncomfortably, but nodded. They knew that he would kill them if he had a chance, if he knew that they had betrayed him.

“All right dude,” Tobi said. “But don’t blame us if somebody else ends up finding you. I won’t rat you out. Sam might, but I doubt it. I’d dump her if she did.”

Tobi winked at Sam, who gave her a comical frown. Jax tried to ease up about it. They had been able to leave early enough that they would only have to make camp once. Both Tobi and Sam were in excellent physical shape, and kept up with him as he pedaled wildly through the rocky terrain. He knew they would be there soon. He only hoped that Layne would be okay. She could make him feel better about the world simply by looking at him. She didn’t even have to say a word. Hopefully with Sam onboard, he would be able to return the favor.

CHAPTER SIX

When Layne woke up, the morning had passed swiftly and the sun of the late afternoon was shining through the nursery window. She felt refreshed after a rest and finally had the energy to explore the nursery in depth. It felt wrong to benefit from somebody else’s tragedy, but the world as it was had left her with no choice.

She began slowly, opening and closing drawers full of musty clothes. They probably wouldn’t be good to put a baby in, she realized. A lot of what was there wasn’t salvageable. She turned from the dresser and headed to the changing table, shocked to find several bags of sealed diapers and wipes that had never been used. She had hit the jackpot here, though she would only be able to carry a pack or two home.

The couple was stocked up, experienced enough to prepare for the worst before the new baby came. She wished she could use more, but unfortunately the house had become dilapidated and moldy, affecting the clothes and nearly everything else.

Just when she thought her trip had been mostly in vain, she opened the closet and gasped softly. A bag of vacuum-sealed baby clothes was hanging in the closet, clearly hand-me-downs from the older children. They were untouched by the elements, and beside the bag was a beautiful felt blanket, still wrapped in plastic and untouched.

Layne stuffed everything that she could into her bag and slowly unpacked the vacuum sealed bag, cherishing each little outfit as if it were the most precious thing on earth. She could still feel the life in the clothing, worn by children who had been free to play and enjoy their youth. That was what she wanted for her own child, and it was with that hope that she headed back out on the road.

She knew that she would have to hurry. Jax was efficient, and if he came home to an empty house, his worry would get the best of him. Her mind wandered to the last lingering kiss they’d shared, and she sighed wistfully. She hadn’t really expected to have sex with someone again; at least not good, consensual sex that hadn’t been initiated based on mutual need.

She’d had a few experiences on the road before meeting Jax. There had been one man she’d stumbled upon who she thought about from time to time. He had been standing naked under a tree, his lean, muscular body bronzed in the sunlight. A lot of people had been left naked and with nothing in the initial chaos, before the tribes had provided everybody with security. He had been unlucky, caught by a group while he was sleeping, probably. It was sad to see so many forlorn people on the road.

The second their eyes met she sensed in him the same, deep, primal longing that she’d had herself. She hadn’t seen another person in weeks, and it had been so long since she had been with a man that the sight of his virile body immediately aroused her. He didn’t approach her, and would have let her go on her way, but she saw the stiffening of his body as a result of her presence and hadn’t been able to help herself.

The pull had been too much and she approached him, taking the initiative to try to give him something, anything, to feel good about. They didn’t speak, or even kiss. The need must have been clear on her face, because as soon as she approached he knew what she wanted.

No words were exchanged while he pushed her shirt up so that her round breasts could press against his broad chest as he closed the gap between their bodies. She pushed her jeans down just low enough that he could push inside of her, and he held her pinned to the tree, ramming hard into her until she quaked around him. She came twice before he was spent, pulling out and spilling his seed on the ground. He gave her a weary smile before turning away and disappearing into the woods.

The memory was interrupted by a deep, guttural growl. Layne stopped walking, her throat tightening in fear. The sound came from behind her, and she turned around slowly, praying that she wouldn’t be facing a lion.

Her heart hammered in her ears as she came eye to eye with a savage, feral dog. It looked as if its ancestors were huskies, but the vicious gleam in its eye made it terrifying.

“Good puppy,” she whispered, though she knew it was no use. Her hand found her knife, and she knew she had to act fast. If she ran, the dog would catch her. They loved a chase, so she would just have to think smart and get out of it with her brain, staying aware of her surroundings.

Her eyes quickly scanned the area around her for shelter, and she saw a small hollowed out tree. Where there was one dog, there were bound to be more, so she would have to protect herself. The hollowed out tree might help, or it might corner her and guarantee her death. She held the dog’s startlingly blue eyes, knowing that if she broke the gaze, the attack would commence.

She backed away as slowly as possible, trying to make it into the small shelter, but she stumbled on a root and fell to the ground. Her gaze was broken and she heard a snarl and the scuffling footfalls of the beast as it lunged at her.

Layne rolled on her back and kicked up with all her might, knocking the dog back. It sprung at Layne again, unaffected by the kick. If anything, it was angrier. But it had given her all the time that she needed to fish her knife out of its sheath. She swiped expertly at the dog, slicing its shoulder. It lunged again and she kicked it away, slicing its throat this time. She glared down at it, feeling guilty and reluctant to harm such a beautiful animal. Luckily it cowered, retreating into the woods.

Layne panted, unsure whether or not it was safe to let her guard down. She stayed still for a few beats, listening for any sign of danger. The coast seemed to be clear and she let out a long, shaky breath. She held tightly to the handle of the knife and lifted her bag from the ground, prepared to move away.

Before she did though, she heard an almost inaudible whimper. Her eyebrows furrowed and she looked around, trying to pinpoint its source. She finally realized that it was coming from the small hallow tree where she had hoped to hide from the feral dog. She couldn’t fight the urge to explore.

What she saw melted her heart. A tiny puppy was lying in the dead leaves, clearly the descendant of the dog she had just fought off.  Layne’s eyebrows furrowed. She didn’t think she had killed the mother, but if the wound was deeper than she thought, she might have run off to die in peace, leaving her baby motherless.

She debated for a moment, gazing down at the adorable little dog. She hadn’t held a puppy since she was a little girl. She couldn’t risk it dying out there alone without its mother. She lifted it gingerly and smiled as it yawned. Its eyes were barely opened, and it was light and soft.

Almost as soon as she picked the puppy up, her mind was made up. She cradled the small dog against her chest and began to move quickly. Their home needed the extra protection. A dog as vicious and loyal as its mother had been could truly be an asset. If she was pregnant, her child would grow up safer and maybe even feel less alone with the added watch dog. Although she had never agreed with the domestication of animals, nothing seemed to make more sense.

She finally made it home and looked down at the puppy she was cradling in her arms. They would be able to train it. There were three buildings besides the little cottage – a cellar, a shed, and a small barn. The pup would be comfortable in the barn, but if its mother survived would it come looking for it? She had no idea. Maybe it would be better to keep it inside so she wouldn’t be able to smell it out. Maybe she should have finished the job.

She sighed and carried the puppy with her into the cellar to look for bedding. It could be difficult to feed all of them, but if they just taught the dog how to help them hunt, maybe things would be better. She didn’t know much about training dogs, but Jax probably would.

With a surge of optimism, she closed the door of the cellar behind her and squinted her eyes, ready to seek the supplies she would need to raise the newest member of their family.

***

Twilight began to set in and Jax was hungry. He had managed to share what was left of his rations with Tobi and Sam, who had packed some but had left in a hurry. They had miscalculated what they would need, assuming they would scavenge on the way.

However, it was needless when Jax had a bag full of food, and he didn’t want to slow down and waste any time getting back home. That meant that he was anxious to fill his stomach– the hunger made him paranoid. He thought he had heard someone breathing in the woods when they had stopped to eat, but when he checked it out, there was nothing there. Hunger always left him feeling a little bit withdrawn and moody, so he stayed quiet for most of the journey.

Sam and Tobi filled the silence easily. Both of them knew that Jax was the strong and silent type, and managed to keep both themselves and Jax entertained with their lively conversation. He felt a tug of nostalgia as they moved together; very young again.

Finally, they made it to the cabin and his heart was pounding with excitement. He hadn’t seen Layne in far too long. He led Tobi and Sam around to the front door, careful that they didn’t see his bountiful garden. They had one just like it at Hex, but he was still paranoid about people knowing too much about his settlement. If he couldn’t trust Sam, it would be best to keep her in the dark.

It was true that Shark Tooth might bestow special favor on her again if she turned Jax in. Some people in the tribes would stop at nothing to climb the ranks and cozy up to the those who fancied themselves the leaders. It was a smart move, especially if you were mostly worried about securing your future.

But Sam had always seemed down to earth and friendly. She was at Hex because her mind was needed and it was a good place to be if you weren’t very physically strong yourself. The men there were taught to be fighting machines, and the women as well, though many of them didn’t like the aggression and opted instead for things they thought the women should do, such as cooking and laundry. Shark Tooth didn’t care much either way, as long as everybody was getting along and following the rules.

“Here it is,” Jax said. “Layne should be right inside. Let me tell her you’re here and then you can come in. I don’t want her shooting you or something.”

Tobi and Sam exchanged concerned and impressed glances. So they had firearms of some sort. Most of the tribes had taken those for themselves, and wasted most of the ammunition long ago on reckless turf wars that had left everybody bloodied, bruised, and angry. But somehow the two of them had salvaged their own weapon. It impressed and terrified them. Most people had to stick with manmade weapons at that point. Nobody had the resources to create new ammunition for guns. Those who had tried had died horribly in the attempt, thinking that they would make a great career for themselves in the new world by manufacturing and distributing ammo. Unfortunately for most, their brilliant plans had deadly consequences.

“Layne?” Jax called, turning the doorknob and trying to push his way inside. It was locked. “Layne!”

It wasn’t like her not to answer right away, and he shifted nervously. What was going on?

“Layne!” he cried, running to the side of the house and peering in through the windows. She was nowhere to be seen, and Jax’s heart began to thud heavily in his chest. Had something happened to her? Had she fallen to the floor in one of the rooms where he couldn’t see her? Why wasn’t she answering?

He ran around the house to check in the garden, but found no sign of her there. He opened one of the narrow windows and climbed inside, falling to the floor with a loud, painful thud. He got up and ran frantically through the house, tears streaming down his face. He was terrified and worried. He never should have left. What had happened to her?

“Jax?”

Layne’s voice, sweet and beautiful, reached his ears and he unleashed the sob that had been building up in his throat. He wiped his eyes, hoping nobody had heard him, and looked around hopefully.

“She’s out here, Jax,” Tobi called.

Jax ran to the front entrance and lifted Layne up in his arms, holding her tightly and spinning her around.

“Where were you?” he whispered, his voice shaking.

“I had an errand to run,” she said vaguely, sheepishly pulling the puppy from under the crook of her arm. Jax gazed at the little creature in disbelief.

“Where did that come from?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.

“I got bored and decided to work it off…I got some things.”

“You went scavenging?” Jax exclaimed, his features growing dark. Everybody flinched. It was terrifying when Jax got angry. Usually death soon followed.

“I was perfectly safe,” she said evenly.

“It’s so dangerous! You could have been killed!”

“Yeah, well I wasn’t, all right?” Layne said. She was starting to get pissed. “You don’t have to treat me like a little girl all the time. I can take care of myself. I don’t need you.”

There was tension between them all when the words rolled off her tongue, and although she regretted saying it immediately, she meant it. Sometimes Jax seemed to forget that she had gotten herself this far. She could handle things just as well as he could.

“Fine,” Jax said darkly, though he was clearly furious. “This is Tobi, my friend from Hex. And this is Sam, her girlfriend and the doctor there.”

“Hi,” Layne said. They shook hands and stood in silence, all of them feeling awkward for a few moments. It had been a long time since they had met new people, and for some reason it felt like it should be formal somehow, but there were no real rules of formality to follow anymore. And they were all feeling a little intimidated by Jax’s temper.

Suddenly the puppy whimpered.

“Aww,” Tobi cooed, approaching it and stroking it under its chin.

“Maybe it’s hungry,” Sam suggested, coming in to pet its soft little ears.

“I’m sure it is. Are you guys hungry too?” Layne asked. Jax sighed.

“Starving. I’ll go make something. I want Sam to take a look at you as soon as possible.”

“All right,” she said.

“Right this way.”

And with that, Jax led the small group into their cabin.

***

“You’re definitely pregnant,” Sam said to Layne, digging through the small black bag she had brought along with her. “I brought some antibiotics in case you’re sick, but I also have these prenatal vitamins. I don’t know if they will still work. They’re pretty old, but if you want to try them out you can. I don’t know what will happen though; they might not be good for you and the baby. There’s really not a lot I can tell you about it. It’s usually forbidden to procreate at Hex so I don’t really know.”

“Thank you,” Layne said. She had known somewhere deep down that she was pregnant, but now that it was official, she had real reason to be scared. But she also had real reason to be happy.

“Look, I’m telling you without Jax here because I know that if I was pregnant, I would be having some doubts. I can still tell him you’re just sick if you want to, and you can do what you want to do with the baby. I have Mandrake root if you…I mean, I won’t pass any judgement on you.”

“I’ve thought about that, and appreciate your offer. I really do. But I want to keep it.”

Sam exhaled loudly with a smile and shook her head.

“You and Jax are really brave, you know. I admire what you’ve done here. I can’t imagine how much hard work had to go into this. I hope that everything works out the way you want it to. I can’t imagine how hard it will be with a baby in a world like this. Your family deserves a normal life.”

“You and Tobi deserve that too,” Layne said. “And actually, there’s somewhere up north that Jax found. You guys should talk about that. They’re trying to build a real community, at least that’s what I hear.”

“Really?” Sam asked, perking up. “That sounds pretty nice.”

“It’s not bad,” Layne said with a nod. “Thank you for helping me out. If you guys do decide to head up north, please tell me before you go. I can try to help you out as much as I can.”

“I’ll have to talk to Tobi about it, but it sounds really nice. If there’s somewhere better than Hex, I’d love to find it.”

Layne and Sam left the little bedroom and headed to the small living room, where Jax and Tobi were eating and laughing together about old times. Layne smiled; it wasn’t often that she saw Jax loosened up. He was feeling good about bringing the doctor there and she knew his relief was contributing to his giddy mood.

“Layne!” he said, brightening up when he saw her face. Although their reunion had been rocky, she knew that more than anything he loved her. She allowed herself to smile at him and he reached out to her, taking her hands in his. “What’s the verdict?”

Tobi and Jax looked at her expectantly. She glanced over at Sam, who said nothing and let Layne have the moment to herself.

“We’re going to be parents,” she said.

Jax’s face filled with joy and he smiled in disbelief, standing up and lifting Layne in a big hug.

“I can’t believe it,” he said.

“Me either,” she whispered.

“We have to celebrate!”

Layne looked uneasily at Sam, who gave her a small smile that seemed to say, “Go ahead, you don’t know for sure what will happen. You might as well be happy.”

She let herself feel excited for the first time, fingering a little rattle she still had in her pocket. She couldn’t wait to show him everything she had found.

Now that she had officially knew there was a baby on the way, knowing for sure that there was a product of the love she felt for Jax, she felt overjoyed. They would be a family through it all, and maybe, when times were tough, they would be able to inspire each other enough that they would pass quickly.

Jax was heading into the kitchen to bring out the beer, whistling pleasantly to himself. Layne couldn’t have any, which he had briefly forgotten, but she that was fine with her. She was sick of it anyway after all the years of having it as her only hobby and friend, but the other three were thrilled to be celebrating on her behalf.

Jax told Tobi and Sam all about the community he had found up north, and they spent the rest of the night together, laughing and drinking, making plans for the future and catching up on the past. Everything felt like it was going to be okay and they all got to know each other a little bit better, forgetting that they had ever worried about anything at all.

Layne was just about to let herself relax when a sudden knock at the door made her blood run cold. Everybody stopped what they were doing and looked around fearfully.

“Did somebody follow you?” Layne hissed, her heart beating rapidly.

“I don’t think so,” Jax said, standing up and getting the rifle out of the closet. He aimed it, bracing himself as he opened the door.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Jax, long time no see,” a familiar voice said.

“Kelsey?” Jax asked in confusion, eyeing Tobi’s ex.

“That’s right!” she said, taking the opportunity to shove past him and knock the rifle out of his hands. Kelsey grabbed it and darted through the cabin until Tobi was in her sights. She aimed the rifle and shot it at her, knocking her back onto the couch.

“What the fuck!?” Sam yelled.

“That’s what you get, you cheating whore! And look who I found – the man everyone’s been dying to see. We got them, boys!”

Suddenly, two men from Hex were pushing through the doorway, gripping Jax by the arms and pulling him outside.

“Shark Tooth is going to love this,” the first man said. He was bald and stocky like a body builder. Jax didn’t recognize either of the men, and struggled hard to release himself.

Layne tackled Kelsey, who shrieked as they tugged the gun back and forth.

“You cheated on Kelsey?” Jax exclaimed as he tried to free himself.

Tobi was clutching her arm, which was bleeding profusely.

“Well…it was Sam,” she said weakly, shrugging. Sam and Tobi exchanged a look, which made Kelsey bellow in fury.

Jax shook his head, maneuvering himself so that he tripped one of the men. The bald man fell hard, and Jax was able to squirm out of his grip. With his free hand he struck the other man, who was also burly and had a bushel of thick brown hair.

The women were still grappling for the gun and Kelsey punched Layne in the face. Layne staggered backward and Jax growled in fury, kicking the man who still gripped his arm and twisting it in one of the martial arts moves he learned at Hex. A sickening snap pierced the air and the man howled, releasing Jax, who stumbled and pulled his knife out of its sheath.

Sam was terrified, but tended swiftly and expertly to the gunshot wound on Tobi’s arm. She cried out in surprise when Tobi leapt off the couch and gripped the gun before Layne fully released her grip on it, staring Kelsey.

“Leave her alone,” she hissed.

“Shut up!” Kelsey wailed, breaking down into sobs.

Tobi groaned and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. She had the gun now and wasted no time in shooting the man on the floor, who was groggily coming back to consciousness and reaching for Jax. He fell limply to the floor and Jax jumped away from them. He crouched at Layne’s side, helping her off the floor. Tobi shot the other man for good measure and he fell to the ground. She tossed the gun back to Jax, sinking down onto the floor with Kelsey, who was inconsolable.

“I can’t believe you followed me here, Kels.”

“What else was I supposed to do?” she asked.

“Seriously? Stalking me is the answer? You know as well as I do that you didn’t love me anymore.”

“But you were still mine,” Kelsey glowered.

“That’s not how it works. And I already told you I left you. I wasn’t joking. You didn’t love me. You don’t love me. This is all spite. Just go home, Kelsey.”

“But…”

“If you really did love me, you’d let me be happy.”

Kelsey stood up, wiping her tear stained face.

“I just don’t know what to do without you.”

“You’ll figure it out,” Tobi sighed, walking Kelsey to the door.

“I just miss you,” Kelsey sighed.

“I think we should kill her,” Sam interjected. Kelsey shot her a bitter look, but said nothing.

“I think so, too,” Layne said, nursing the bruise on her face.

Jax and Tobi exchanged looks. Kelsey was a good person at heart. But she had been too full of grief to think clearly. Still, she was a liability.

“I’m not sure that’s necessary,” Tobi said, looking into Kelsey’s eyes. “Is it?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I’d almost rather die than feel this way.”

“You’re going to be fine,” Jax said. “But don’t make me regret letting you go. You could just as easily end up like those two. Tell them you guys ambushed us on the road and we got the better of you. Not a word about anything else.”

“All right, Jax,” Kelsey sighed, stepping over the bloody bodies on the floor. “I’m sorry about all of this. Oh. Sorry for shooting you, Tobi.”

Tobi laughed scornfully.

“Get out of here and keep your mouth shut or I’ll return the favor,” she said. “Oh, and I think you should probably talk to Loretta…I’m pretty sure she’s had her eye on you since you arrived.”

“Really?”

Tobi nodded and Kelsey looked thoughtfully at the ground. She smiled privately to herself, and with that, Kelsey took off running through the forest, heading toward home.

***

“What the fuck was that?” Sam exclaimed when Jax and Tobi returned to the cozy living room.

“I can’t believe you two just let her go,” Layne agreed.

“She’s mostly harmless,” Tobi sighed.

“It’s true. We were all really good friends back when I was in Hex. I think it will be all right.”

“I think you guys made a huge mistake,” Sam said, shaking her head.

“You never liked her anyway,” Tobi teased, laughing before she winced in pain.

“Shut up and let me take a look at that,” Sam said, changing the subject.

As Sam dressed Tobi’s wounds, the small group sat in silence.

“What are we going to do now?” Tobi finally asked.

“Layne mentioned a place up north,” Sam said.

“There’s no way you can make it up there right now,” Jax said quietly. “Tobi is injured and the weather was unforgiving when I left. I can only imagine it would be worse now.”

They sat in silence and Layne finally spoke up.

“What if you stayed here with us?” she said, snuggling the little puppy close. “We could fix the shed up and make it a nice little house for you two.”

“Are you serious?” Tobi asked, wide-eyed. “Jax, you don’t have to agree to that. It’s a huge risk to take. We can figure something out. Seriously. We may not be welcome back at Hex, but we can find something.”

“Actually,” Jax said, “I think it would be great if we stuck together. There’s safety in numbers after all. And I missed you a lot. Besides, if we’re going to be having a baby, I’d love for it to have a big family.”

“What do you think about it, Sam?” Tobi asked.

“Anywhere is better than the bigots at Hex,” she said, looking down at the ground. The group sat in stunned silence as it became clear that a new arrangement had been made. Sam and Tobi were there to stay.

CHAPTER EIGHT

With Sam and Tobi cozied up in the small living room, keeping the puppy company that night, Jax examined the bruises on Layne’s face.

“I hate seeing you hurt,” Jax said, his eyes stormy. “It’s worse than you can imagine. I don’t mean to treat you like a little kid. I’ve just never loved somebody so much that their pain felt so much like my own.”

“Well you’re going to have to get used to it,” Layne said softly, pulling his strong hand toward her belly and pressing it firmly over it.

Jax gazed at his beautiful lover. She had never seemed more vibrant than she did now as her gentle eyes held his gaze.

“I guess I will,” he agreed, the reality of parenthood now seeming more real than ever. “I don’t want to mess up.”

“We can’t mess up any more than our own parents did,” she laughed. “Who knows what will happen. We just have to do our best in the here and now.”

“Speaking of the here and now,” Jax said, eyeing Layne with a gleam in his eye. “I’ve never wanted you more.”

“We’d have to be really quiet,” she laughed softly. Jax was surprised. He was used to outright rejection.

“Of course,” he said with a grin, pulling her shirt over her head and revealing her perfect body. She was glowing golden from the candles that were lighting the bedroom, and she gasped as his mouth hungrily found her neck, sending sensual shivers down her body. He cupped his hand over her breast, gently stroking her nipple before planting hot kisses down her torso.

Her body filled with longing, a friend she had been missing in the first weeks of pregnancy. She felt bad leaving Jax unsatisfied, but she finally felt ready for him. She wrapped her arms around him and laughed softly as he briefly lifted her, scooting himself between her legs. He easily pulled himself out of his loose pajama pants, and she held back a groan as the head of his penis started massaging her middle, sending shivers all throughout her body. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as he gently stripped her until she was naked, splayed before him. It had been so long since she’d been touched that she was shaking. He rubbed her arms in his strong hands.

“Are you cold?” his deep voice whispered.

“No…”

“Oh,” he said. “Good.”

He lowered his mouth over one of her breasts and tugged it softly with his teeth. She moaned softly, despite her effort to hold back her noises, and squirmed beneath him. He slipped himself up and down her hot folds until his shaft was shimmering with the liquid testament of her longing.

Every inch of her body was on fire as he pushed himself inside, and she gripped his shoulder tightly as his strong, capable thighs pressed against hers. She loved the way he felt. Even when she was mad at him, his body felt unbelievably good against hers. It was impossible to hold a grudge when he made her quake with desire and sent her to a state of bliss she had thought was purely fictional until she met him.

She exhaled softly as he began dragging his shaft slowly in and out of her. It was as if he could sense her urgency, and her desperate desire to come just made him want to tease her more. She buckled against him, silently begging him to go harder, faster, anything that would take her to her climax, but he grinned confidently down at her, his handsome face flawless in the golden glow of the candle. His broad, muscular body paused inside of her for a moment and she closed her eyes. She could feel him pulsing inside of her, and she knew he enjoyed the feeling of her walls closing in on him. It was delicious torture, until finally he rammed hard inside of her and her body was electrified by an unexpected shockwave of pleasure.

“Shhh,” Jax reminded her, a sly grin lighting his handsome face up. She stroked his hard abdomen, letting her fingers linger on his tight muscles as he paused inside of her.

“You don’t mean that,” she said, moving her hips up and sliding herself along the length of his shaft. “You want me to beg and wake up the whole house.”

“The thought had crossed my mind,” he whispered, holding back his own moan of pleasure as she moved her body against his stiff cock.

“Not gonna happen,” she said, shaking her head.

“Not if you just take what you want like that, no,” he replied, suddenly on top of her, pinning her wrists to the bed and pulling himself out of her. She squirmed underneath him, silently pleading for him to enter her again, but refusing to speak. The power was out of her hands and now she would have to wait for it.

“Is this punishment for not putting out for so long?” Layne asked with a grin.

“Nah,” he replied. He allowed his pulsing cock to hover lightly against her, and she pressed hard against it, inviting him inside. He wanted to see how long he could hold out, see if he could make her ask him for what she wanted.

He lowered his hot lips over her nipple and sucked, sliding himself against her clit until she was moaning out loud despite her impressive self-restraint. Finally, her voice, clear and sweet, whispered into his ear.

“Please.”

That was all he needed. He plunged inside her with his full force, lifting her hips off the bed with his hands so he could hammer inside of her as hard as he could. She gripped his shoulders, biting one of them to keep from screaming as waves and waves of pleasure crashed over her body. She could feel every inch of him hard and unbridled in her body, and let him use her however he wanted to.

He rammed his powerful hips against hers until she began to shudder under the force. His strong arms held her still as he felt the hot rush of her orgasm engulf his shaft.

He was still going strong though, and flipped her over onto the bed so that he could see the curve of her back and enter her from behind. She moaned when he curled his arm around her waist and massaged her clit with his broad fingers as he began to slip gently inside of her once again. She hissed in pleasure as his cock burst into her, putting her immediately on the brink of another orgasm before she had fully finished the last one.

She closed her eyes in bliss as he released the pent up frustration he’d felt over the past few weeks, punishing her body with his until she had quaked around his shaft again. Her body squeezed his mercilessly as she came again, until he couldn’t help but hiss. He squeezed her ass as his cock trembled inside of her, and she closed her eyes, uttering a deep moan as his orgasm burst inside of her, enhancing the pleasure of hers. He stayed inside of her, thrusting hard until every last drop was inside of her, and then they collapsed in the bed together breathlessly.

“I really missed you,” Layne said.

Jax kissed her forehead.

“I missed you too,” he replied. “At least with Sam and Tobi here, it’s never going to be so lonely again.”

She smiled at the thought. She really seemed to be hitting it off with Sam, and it was nice to see Jax loosen up around his old friend. Things had definitely just gotten a lot more interesting.

THE END

The Story continues in Books 4 and 5…available on Amazon…

Welcome to Zombie Island

Natalie Nixon

Copyright ©2015 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work! Please

Chapter 1

Club SINZ was celebrating its grand opening, and had pulled out all the stops to make their first night in business a memorable one. The place was packed with everyone from porn stars to rich losers to travel writers, all desperate to be part of the Caribbean's newest adult getaway. Club SINZ's advertising promised to make the Hedonism resorts look like a church picnic. Among the guests was a contingent of Estonian tourists, who not coincidentally, just happened to be beautiful, open-minded, and available women. The owners had clearly "stocked the pond" with professionals to ensure their initial guests left with fond memories  - and maybe a few painful urinary tract infections as well.

Cass Bauer, the main bartender was more interested in the clock than the crowd. She had important plans tonight that didn't involve Club SINZ. The last month of opening preparations had been chaotic, forcing her to work endless hours. Being an army veteran she had leadership skills, which had inspired management to entrust her with more responsibilities than the usual mixologist. She'd practically built the main bar as well as helped with everything from overall renovations to the hiring of local staff. SINZ was the first American business to open on Isla de Tortura, so the Caribbean locals eagerly lined up for the relatively high paying jobs. Two dollars and twenty-seven cents an hour represented big money on Tortura.

Designed like a wagon wheel, Club SINZ had a central pool, surrounded by small cabanas. Tucked behind those were the VIP cabanas, which of course came with private Jacuzzis. The largest building held the dining hall, indoor bar and the industrial sized kitchen facilities. There was a band pavilion and even a miniature golf course. The abundance of outdoor bars guaranteed liquor would always be within staggering distance.

Cass worked the main patio bar. She also taught windsurfing and kickboxing on the beach, but since the clientele lived on a diet of alcohol, frozen shrimp and pharmaceuticals, the turnout for physical fitness had been… underwhelming. But her time at the beach hadn't been a waste, because that was where she had met Talin, who was, of all things, the island's Voodoo Priest. At first she had been understandably wary of him. Talin had to be the most eccentric person she'd ever met, and that was saying something. You might wonder what an ex-military bartender had in common with an islands-raised witch doctor, and you would be surprised. Chemistry can go a long way. Over the course of a few weeks she'd happily become his lover as well as his pupil, of all things. If her current infatuation held, she planned to stay on the island with Talin for the rest of her life. It was a big change of plans, but she was impulsive like that. She’d been getting by like that for years and it always seemed to work out, so she wasn’t worried about it. She was actually pretty excited about the future.

Initially Cass planned to kill a few months on Isla de Tortura, and then drift on to the next spot that held her interest. Keep moving and don't tie yourself down had become her mantra since leaving the military. Her first months in the civilian world had been dicey though. Without the boundaries of military life her behavior had gotten reckless and out of control. The endless parade of anonymous sexual encounters and all night drinking binges had gotten more and more extreme as time went on. None of it so much as put a dent in the pain that enveloped her though. She had actually been trying in vain to envelop herself in a nice cushion of emotional numbness, but to no avail. Eventually she had had to acknowledge that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was really “a thing”, that she had it, and that it wasn't going away on its own. Once she had acknowledged and begun to face it, she'd come a long way in just a few months. Her drinking was almost nonexistent; she'd stopped banging nameless losers and, most amazingly, hadn't beaten the shit out of anyone in a month or more. But the customer leaning on the bar at that moment was really challenging her on that last note at the moment.

He was an oily looking guy, who clearly bought his way into the grand opening. They probably had charged him double. He was definitely a beta male who bought his clothes in the alpha male store. From the moment he had approached the bar, he'd been finding excuse after excuse to make casual contact with Cass' hands. He also kept offering to buy her drinks. Maybe he hadn’t noticed that she was the bartender and already had access to any drink she wanted. Fucking idiot.

"So what time do you finish up here?" he asked, for the sixth time.

Amazing, she thought… in what he should have identified as a perfect storm of women with high blood alcohol and low self-esteem, this jackass fixates on the one woman he can't have. Cass counted backwards in her head, engaging an old trick she often used to diffuse the inner rage this guy seemed intent on releasing.

"I'm on until eight, and then I have someplace to be."

"You should be with me, I've got plenty of booze, a little 420 and more… if you’re into a little P&P?"

"P&P?"

"’Party and play’ babe, the only way to fly." He discreetly held up a little baggie of either cocaine or meth.

Cass casually reached over to a bowl, picking up two walnuts with a showy flourish of her hand. She put her hand in front of the jerk's face and squeezed, crushing the nuts easily. He got the message.

"Um, I guess I’ll go check out the Jacuzzi for a bit," He said back peddling away from the bar.

"Good idea," Cass responded flatly, tossing the walnut shards into the trash. Who the hell ate walnuts in the tropics anyway?

The fleeing jerk bumped into Jack Godwin, an alleged travel writer who asked way too many questions to be writing for Travel and Leisure. He was intelligent, and good-looking in a rough Sean Bean kind of way. But Cass had been watching him long enough to see through his travel writer facade.

"Hey Cass, how's your night going?" Jack asked, smiling. He had brilliant green eyes with a penetrating gaze that never wavered. When he asked a question he heard your answer, but also seemed to know immediately whether you were hiding something else or not. "Can I get another house special?"

The house special was a "Mai Tai" rip-off that contained enough sweet fruit juices to hide the rotgut liquor that gave it its punch.

"No Problem Jack," Cass said, breaking the house rules by using a non-toxic brand of rum. This was Jack's third drink, but she'd seen him leave the other two, mostly intact, on empty tables. She surmised that Jack wanted to fit in with the drunks while staying sober and alert. Travel writer my ass, she thought. He’s probably some federal agent hunting crooks on the lam. This resort would be like flypaper for horny criminals.

"So Cass, I hear you've been spending a lot of time with the locals?"

"Yeah, I've made some friends," Cass replied, trying not to sound defensive at the prying question.

"How are they feeling, you know about the resort and things in general? I've heard there's been trouble?"

"Nothing I've noticed, but I'm too busy with my boyfriend to listen to the gossip."

"So there is talk then?"

Cass put down the glass she was washing, "Why is a travel writer so interested in local politics? I thought you just wrote about cheap buffets and places to get Seaweed Wraps?"

"I'm just a big picture kind of guy I guess," He replied innocently.

"Uh huh,"

A nasal female voice cut off their witty banter, "Hi, can I have four shots of gold please? Bill it to cabana seven." She was Fawn, a pretty young girl with long brown hair and a great pair of natural tits. Cass could tell because she'd abandoned her bikini top three tequilas ago. She turned to Jack, "Hi I'm Fawn, you're really cute."

"Thank you Fawn, it's nice to meet you too." Jack replied politely.

"I'm in cabana seven with Hot Stuff Productions. I'm starring in a movie tomorrow."

"How nice for you. What's the movie?"

"First-Time Bukkake Babes #27, but we don't have enough dudes, so if a cute guy like you wanted to drop by I can get you in."

"Oh I don't know. I've never been in a movie before. I'd probably forget all my lines."

"Oh you don't have to remember anything, you just, well, you know… like the other guys… it'll be fun."

Cass couldn't help eavesdropping. She could hear the uncertainty in Fawn's voice, like she was really trying to convince herself it would be fun.

"Okay, I'll try to swing by, but no promises."

"That's so cool, I'm really excited," Fawn replied grinning. She grabbed her tray of tequilas and bounced off towards the Jacuzzi.

Jack gave her a little wave, "Good luck with that." He turned back to Cass, "Guess I'll see if I can find some great story for my blog."

"That's so cool, I'm so excited!" Cass replied, mimicking Fawn.

Jack Laughed, "Careful Cass, don't mock the afflicted." With that he slipped back into the crowd.

"Travel writer my ass," Cass mumbled to herself. She glanced at the clock, smiled and immediately started cashing out. Her twelve-hour shift was over, and she had someplace to be.

Another bartender took her post and Cass made a beeline for the staff exit. She knew escaping from Stalag-Sinz wasn't easy, with management always on the prowl, trying to shanghai staff into extra shifts. Cass took a practiced detour behind the VIP Cabanas. She'd almost made it when Eric, the resort manager, appeared, blocking her path.

"Cass, where are you going?"

"Uh, out of here? It's been twelve hours Eric, I'm done."

"But it's our big night, the president of the island is making his speech in a few hours. I need everybody… including my best bartender." Eric was half pleading and half demanding.

"Well, first of all, I told you three times, grand opening or not, I had plans later tonight, and second of all, he's a Prime Minister… not a President."

"Oh it's the same thing."

"No, the PM is appointed by the standing legislature whereas the president is elected by popular vote… and I'm still leaving, good night." She slipped past him before he got any more whining in. With Eric shaken off Cass continued towards the staff exit.

She rounded the corner near cabana seven and paused. Fawn was in the Jacuzzi making out with some lucky college boy while a few other guests lounged on the nearby deck chairs. They seemed to be ignoring Fawn's little play-date. They were probably too jaded by wild group action and other kinky stuff to care about a college boy and a hick town girl. But Cass found it intriguing. She was a voyeur at heart. If she'd continued on her initial post military drinking and partying trajectory she might have actually have graduated to become a full blown sex and drug addled degenerate.

What really got her attention was Fawn's demeanor. Without a crowd and cameras she was just a shy girl making out with a cute boy. Cass couldn't help thinking that after her descent into porn stardom Fawn might someday look back on this, fondly remembering the nights when she was just a regular girl.

Cass watched as they kissed, awkwardly at first, before quickly falling into a rhythm. The lucky guy moved down, tasting Fawn's ample breasts. The new club was already living up to its name. He dabbed his tongue on her nipples, then began to suck on them alternately. Fawn cooed softly, loving the attention.

Cass took a step back into the shadows so she could enjoy the show more discreetly. The couple were a little drunk, a little clumsy, but very cute. Although she couldn’t see it, she knew Fawn was stroking his cock beneath the water. It was probably rock hard already, she knew, getting a little turned on herself.

The college boy hopped up, and sat on the edge of the Jacuzzi. Cass had been right; he was fully erect and ready to go. He had apparently lost his shorts a little earlier, assuming he had been wearing any to start with. Fawn pushed her head between his legs, kissing his inner thighs while stroking him. She slowly ran her tongue along his shaft, never breaking eye contact. She was definitely studying to be a star.

College boy moaned, "Oh that feels so good."

Fawn slipped his cock into her mouth, savoring every inch.

Cass could tell college boy was fighting for control, holding back the urge to release already. Fawn continued sucking away until his entire cock was down her throat. Fawn clearly had a gift for oral sex. Practice does make perfect, she reasoned.

The boy slid back into the water, coaxing Fawn to take his place. As she did, he spread her legs wide and kissed her inner thighs.

"Oh, that's nice, yeah keep going," Fawn moaned.

Cass fought the urge to laugh. She didn’t think College boy was really so much interested in pleasuring Fawn as he just wanted a time out to keep from shooting his wad during the first round. Having said that, he was still a pretty enthusiastic pussy eater from what she could tell.

His tongue ran across her labia before he parted her lips and poked it inside.

Fawn's legs stretched out, toes curled as he dug in. It wasn't gentle kissing; he was running his full tongue across her pussy, increasing the tempo with each lick.

Good work, Cass thought. Some sorority girl must have given him a little coaching. He went at it with the energy of a thirsty dog drinking a bowl of water. When did I get so jaded, she laughed at her inner running commentary.

Fawn bounced up and down in time to his licking, throwing her head back and moaning.

After a while the college boy came up for air. He coaxed her to turn his back to her. She seemed a little confused, but with a little guidance she figured out the standing doggy style pose. He pressed his cock against her ass, ready to slip inside.

"Hold on a second," Fawn said, breathe panting in her throat. She struggled to reach a little tray. Club SINZ was kind enough to leave trays of condoms within easy grasp.

"Oh shit, really?" The college boy said, sounding disappointed, "I can just pull out, like you do in the pornos."

"Nope, no glove, no love," Fawn replied.

Good for you, Cass thought, stick to your guns girl.

College boy was too excited to protest, so he clumsily slipped on the rubber. Then he slowly pushed his cock into her pussy. Fawn moaned in pleasure as he penetrated her fully. He pumped his thighs as she shook her hips in time, almost dancing in place.

The tempo increased, as his breath became shorter. Fawn made little singsong panting sounds, then moaned uncontrollably.

His thrusting stopped, muscles tensed.

"Oh yes," Fawn moaned.

Cass was happy to hear Fawn was having a real orgasm…’cause a girl can tell.

College boy suddenly pulled out, yanking off the condom, pumping a load of cum across Fawn's ass.

"Oh shit, yeah, that's it!" He yelled, smearing his cum across her ass.

"Did you just cum on my back?" Fawn asked, sounding a little grossed out.

"Oh yeah, just like in the movies. I figured you porno chicks were into that." And with that he slapped her ass and hopped out of the water. He wrapped the condom in a cocktail napkin and tossed it aside. "That was awesome, I have to go find my buddies. Man, they won't believe I banged a real porn chick." He gave her a kiss on the cheek, grabbed his swim trunks and sauntered off to brag about his conquest.

Fawn sat alone on the edge of the Jacuzzi trying to wipe her back off with a towel.

Cass felt bad for her. This was probably Fawn's first taste of how people in her business were perceived. She considered walking over and saying something to cheer her up, but remembered that she had someplace to be.

Chapter 2

Cass skipped the locker room, heading straight for the bike rack where her battered Vespa waited. She'd wasted precious time peeping on Fawn and the frat boy, and knew the manager was still on the prowl. She undid the chain, tossed it into the back compartment and hopped on. After three kicks the little engine finally kicked over. The Vespa was probably older than her twenty-five years, but bikes like it were precious commodities on Tortura. She pulled away just in time to see Eric walking to the exit gate.

"So Eric, you're trying to head me off at the pass," She mumbled to herself.

Thinking quickly she turned the Vespa and shot down a small construction path entrance, waving to the manager as she left the grounds. She'd made her escape.

She bounced down the unpaved path, eventually coming to what passed for the main road. The sun had set and there were no streetlights, rendering the coast road pitch black. Cass had learned to be on the lookout out for the usual obstructions like donkey carts and stray cattle.

She was rounding a corner when a pair of headlights suddenly blinded her. She cut to the right, barely avoiding an oncoming local bus. It was one of the rainbow painted antique vehicles that the island was famous for. It was strange to see because the local buses almost always stopped running at sunset. It was just too dangerous with the roads as narrow as they were.

Her mind quickly went to the fact that in twenty minutes she would be in Talin's arms. He was the island's most revered Voodoo priest, a "Mambo" in the local parlance. Years ago Cass had written off religion as fairy tales for the gullible. While serving in Afghanistan she'd seen too much horror to believe any benevolent spirit watched over mankind. If there was a god, he was kind of an asshole she’d figured. Talin had changed all that, reawakening her spiritual beliefs and opening her heart to love. His soft words, affection and devotion pulling her back from the brink. Seeing her potential Talin had taken her under his wing, teaching her unbelievable things. When locals discovered she was Talon's protégé their respect for her had grown enormously. Somehow, despite all her running, she had discovered life and love on this tiny island, of all places.

Chapter 3

Colonel Hector Marcos knelt in prayer. He enjoyed the solitude of his private chapel, filled with candles, human skulls and a squawking chicken as it was. The centerpieces were a small collection of lovingly carved statues of skull faced, top-hatted deities. As a devout practitioner of Voodoo, the colonel had selected "The Barons" as his personal spirits. Baron Samedi- Lord of the Dead and Baron Krimenel- brutal enforcer of the spirit world. He would need their malevolent power for his plan to succeed. With practiced skill he decapitated the chicken in their honor. He followed up with an offering of fine cigars and vintage rum. The spirits would surly smile on his sacrifice. But his true offering was yet to come. Tonight there would be bloodshed and death carried out in their honor. What more could a spirit want?

He rose to his feet, shirtless, his skin stained with the blood of his sacrifice. He left the small room he'd converted to a private chapel. His servant would clean up the feathers and blood, but knew better than to touch the rum or cigars. Stealing from the spirits carried severe penalties in this world as well as in the next.

It annoyed Marcos that he could only afford one servant. He surveyed the home granted to him by the Prime Minister of Tortura. It was an opulent Chateau once belonging to a French Plantation owner. But Marcos had always found it too dark, too confining and most of all, too French for his tastes. Hadn't the frogs ever heard of the term "open concept?" He was convinced that the Prime Minister intentionally kept Marcos living in these humble circumstances, shutting him out of the island's highly profitable narcotics traffic and smuggling rackets – businesses that were essential to a military officer's financial security. He could barely afford to pay his one servant on his relatively meager salary and what he earned shaking down the local shop-owners and bordellos.

For ten years he'd stood by the Prime Minister's side, watching as heads of state fawned over him. All Marcos got were condescending looks from foreign diplomats who assumed his uniform and medals were some self-aggrandizing costume. But he had earned his rank doing an officer's duty… tracking down dissidents and killing labor leaders. Any dirty deeds required to keep his boss in power fell to him. As the Prime Minister sipped champagne with the elite, Marcos was up to his elbows in blood.

But over the years Marcos quietly built his own cadre of dedicated men, all eager for change. He'd also made a mental note of those who might present a threat to his new regime. A virtual Who's Who of Tortura's intellectuals, teachers and local officials would disappear shortly. Above all he would eliminate the Voodoo Priest Talin. Not only did the priest have too much influence over the population, he also possessed something Marcos wanted… voodoo's most powerful book of magic.

An angelic female voice drifted through the air, singing a song Marcos knew by heart.  He followed the voice up the stairs like a child drawn by the pied piper. Silently he crept through the master bedroom, peering through the half open bathroom door.

His mistress Novia was lying in the bathtub singing in the melodious voice that enthralled thousands. They'd only been together for five years, but she'd already transformed his life. He'd done countless terrible things in his life, each brutal act chipping away a piece of his soul until he had at times felt that nothing was left. But he felt Novia had given him back the soul he had traded for what until now had been a tiny bit of power.

Like Marcos, Novia had clawed her way up from the gutter using her beauty and talent the way that he had used knives and bullets. Both suffered through degradation to rise above their lowly origins. There were nights when he woke up and heard her downstairs, crying softly. He knew the memories had come back to haunt her, just as they sometimes haunted him. Novia deserved to be a queen, and tonight he would give her that crown.

"Are you enjoying my song?" She asked without looking up.

"Of course, it's the one you sang the night we met." She had been the island's most beloved singer and dancer, performing for thousands. But that night he felt she sang only for him. It was the evening the spirits rescued him from darkness.

She glanced up at him, "You have blood on your chest,"

"I made sacrifice to the Baron's so they'll smile on us tonight."

"Come here," She said smiling, "I will wash it off."

He stripped off his clothes and approached the oversized tub, the one thing the French had done right. He closed his eyes as she gently ran a sponge across his chest… how many times had she washed blood off of him?

The warm water on his chest and the sight of her lean dancer's body made his heart beat faster. She smiled knowing how much this excited him. Her hand moved the sponge lower until it was almost touching his erect cock.

"I can't reach any lower if you stay out there."

And he happily obliged her, quickly stripping out of his loose pants and climbing into the tub. He knelt down, leaning forward, pressing his lips against hers. Their tongues entwined as the sponge finally slid down to his erect cock. His body twitched at her touch just as it had their first night together. He ran his hands down her body, stroking her firm breast. Her nipples were already rock hard.

He looked into her eyes, "There will be danger tonight, and I would prefer it if you would stay here where it's safe."

She leaned forward putting her lips to his ear, "If there's danger I will be at your side my love, and when I am to die it will be at your side as well."

His heart beat faster. What had he done in life to deserve such a rich reward? Surely the Barons had sent Novia to rule at his side.

She ran her fingers across his back, sending tingles through his body. She never avoided touching the knife wounds or other scars that crisscrossed his body like a roadmap. She embraced his wounds as evidence of his inner strength. He kissed her deeply, knowing her scars were on the inside.

He leaned forward kissing his way down her beautiful chest. Her nipples were hard against his tongue as he sucked on them, her breath heaving in time to his.

"Oh yes, you are like a lion my colonel," She sweetly whispered in his ear.

From anyone else it would have sounded like a cliché, but Novia was sincere. She sometimes addressed him as colonel because she thought it sounded so strong, and because she wanted to give that strength to him.

He lifted her hips up, resting them on the edge of the tub. He kissed his way down, savoring the taste of her skin. He parted her legs and stroked her jet-black pubic hair. The colonel knew her body like the back of his hand. But he never tired of it, never wanted another woman. His mouth finally reached her beautiful pussy… so wet and warm. His tongue danced across the pubic hair, then deeper, rolling across her wet lips. Novia's clit was stiff, like a button. He wrapped his lips around it, dabbing at it with his tongue.

"Oh god, that feels so good," She moaned as her hands roamed through his thick hair, nails raking across his scalp.

He had never gone down on women before he met her, always considering it a sign of weakness. But with Novia he wanted to take the time to please her, knowing the rewards were incredible. He sucked harder, running his tongue across her pussy, feasting like a starving man. Her small, powerful hands squeezed his skull as she climaxed.

"Oh yes… please, I can't wait any longer, fuck me colonel, fuck me now!"

She pushed him back into the water and climbed on top. Grabbing his cock she slid the head inside her pussy. His body trembled as she lowered herself down the shaft. She tossed her head back in ecstasy. Then she began to ride up and down, the speed and intensity building. She leaned forward, smothering him in those beautiful breasts, never losing the tempo. His strong hands embraced her as the pumping built.

She stretched like a cat as another orgasm washed over her. Her pussy muscles quivered and he couldn't hold back a second longer. Her satisfaction increased his own pleasure tenfold. How had he lived before this woman? How empty had his life been?

His cock exploded, shooting hot cum inside her. Every muscle in her body flexed as she shared his pleasure. His explosion inside of her had set of a new wave of pleasure throughout her core and her entire body. And then they lay still, exhausted, content to melt together in the warm water.

He wished they could have lay there all night, basking in each other's warmth. But there would be plenty of nights for that. First they would take what was rightfully theirs.

Chapter 4

Colonel Marcos donned his finest dress uniform. It was impeccably tailored, each medal gleaming from endless polishing. He would be the model of a professional military officer. But the most beautiful ornament would be Novia. She'd spent hours choosing her jewelry ensuring it perfectly complimented the Chanel gown he had bought for the occasion. Marcos watched in admiration as she put the finishing touches on her hair. It wasn't vanity; Novia knew she had to look radiant, outshining the society women who considered her nothing but a high priced whore.

A chirping digital phone broke the mood. They weren't ordinary phones; these were specialized items he'd bought from a successful drug smuggler. Untraceable, scrambled lines that would be tossed into the ocean by morning, eliminating any record of their plot.

The colonel looked at the caller ID and took a deep breath. It was his brother Marco. Aside from Novia, his brother was the only one in the world he fully trusted. But he was more like a faithful, but vicious guard dog than a confidant. Part of the problem stemmed from his brother's sub-par intellect. But the real blame fell on their parents for christening him with the regrettable name Marco Marcos. Years of childhood ridicule had festered, creating a violent hair trigger temper. He knew there had been more to it that the name, but it was easier to focus on that. The colonel answered, "Yes Marco, what is it?"

Captain Marco Marcos was squatting in a patch of jungle with six other mosquito bitten soldiers, "We are almost in position. Brother, why can't I just kill this priest now, so I can join you in the most glorious part of the night?"

The colonel's fist clenched involuntarily… they'd been through this fifty times, "Listen to me and try to understand. This is very important. I don't want any action taken until exactly midnight. Everything must be timed to the second. We don’t want a panic. The priest is an important target and you are my best man for the job. He's powerful, so kill him quickly and obtain the ancient book he possesses immediately." The Colonel could almost hear the tiny wheels in his brother's dim mind spinning, "Do you understand?"

"Yes brother I understand."

"Oh, and remember I want you to bring me a trophy to prove he is dead."

Captain Marco Marcos swatted at a gigantic mosquito, "Don't you trust me to carry out the mission?"

The colonel's frustration grew. It was like talking to a three year old, "Of course I trust you brother, but I need it to show the people proof that Talin is dead! I'm very busy, so goodbye." The colonel clicked off the phone and sighed. You really couldn't choose your family.

His servant, having paused, cautiously entered the room. He knew that a conversation between the brothers always ignited the Colonel's temper. "The car is waiting for you downstairs sir," He carefully backed out of the room.

The Colonel looked to Novia and smiled. Assuming all went as planned, in a few hours they would be the rulers of Tortura. He silently prayed to the Barons not to let his brother fuck up.

Chapter 5

Cass Steered the moped off the road onto an ancient cobblestone path. The thought of being with Talin combined with watching Fawn's little sex show had really gotten her juices flowing. Riding a motorbike down the bumpy trail wasn't helping a bit either.

The path took her through the islands oldest cemetery. Initially it seemed odd that a graveyard rested on prime beach real estate. But Talin politely explained that the beachfront meant nothing to peasants because crops don't grow in sand. Most of the graves were above ground monuments, miniature crypts tilted and battered by decades of hurricanes and flooding. Cass cruised through the rows of graves carefully, hoping her engine didn't wake up the inhabitants, she joked in her head. She could see a bonfire flickering through the foliage ahead. She was almost there.

Talin had built his hut at the edge of the cemetery. Initially Cass found it creepy but Talin knew the spirits felt most comfortable there. Cass saw his evening bonfire burning up ahead

She pulled in slowly, avoiding the minefield of monuments and icons that dotted the compound. Talin was dancing around the bonfire with feline grace, performing a ritual dance older than written history. He'd stripped down to a pair of shorts, and the sweat on his muscular body gleamed in the firelight. He reverently picked up an ancient sword, adding it to the dance. He spun, pointing it at the idols surrounding the bonfire, paying tribute to each spirit. Then he knelt down before the fire, completing the ritual. Finally he turned to Cass.

Like most of Tortura's population, Talin was of mixed race, he had dark skin but it would be impossible to identify him as black or Hispanic. Centuries of intermarriage had made the islander's into their own unique and beautiful race.

"You escaped," He said, smiling with perfect gleaming white teeth.

"They wanted me to stay of course, but there was no way I was going to miss tonight."

She approached him and he put his strong arms around her. They kissed and Cass ran her hands across the taught corded muscles of his back.

He looked into her eyes, "Are you ready to be mounted by a spirit?"

"I'm ready to be mounted, that's for sure."

He had the mischievous eyes of a child. "This is no small thing, allowing a spirit to enter your body is a major step. That spirit may embrace you and become your protector. It is a wonderful experience."

Talin slipped into his hut momentarily and emerged carrying an ancient black book. He handed it to Cass, "You're holding the original book of voodoo spells, passed down through countless generations. You're the first novice, and may I add, the first white chick to touch it,” he laughed.

Cass carefully opened the ancient text. It was hand written in an African symbol language lost to time, "It's beautiful."

"It is bound in flesh and written in human blood," Talin said solemnly.

Cass almost dropped the book in revulsion.

Talin laughed, "I'm kidding, that's just a legend only idiots believe."

"You know, for a sacred voodoo priest you can be kind of an asshole."

Fifty feet away Captain Marco Marcos squatted in the brush, staring at the couple through binoculars. He turned to Sergeant Chavez, his second in command, "Do you see the book he's holding? We must retrieve it intact. It is an ancient book of voodoo spells. They say it's bound in human flesh and written in blood." The captain went back to observing their target.

Talin took Cass' hand, guiding her to a blanket near the fire, gesturing for her to sit.

Cass was nervous. She had seen Talin do amazing things including acts of healing that couldn't be rationally explained. Being around him, she had come to believe that spirits existed, and that they could be benevolent, but the concept of letting one enter her body was still frightening.

Talin tossed incense into the raging bonfire and read from the ancient book. Cass stared into the fire allowing her mind to find shapes and forms within the flames. Suddenly her body shook, tensing as if something were trying to enter.

"Relax, they will not harm you," Talin whispered softly.

A warm sensation coursed through her, like a loving embrace from within. Cass heard a soft, beautiful female voice speaking to her. It sounded as vivid and real as Talin's.

"I am Litha, I am with you tonight… do you accept me?"

"Yes," Cass said out loud, "I accept you."

Talin watched in awe, he'd never seen someone so open to spirit possession. But Cass was no ordinary woman, he had learned, and her powers had grown with each ritual. He knew that she could easily become a high priestess if she so chose.

Litha spoke through Cass again, "We have no bodies, we cannot touch or feel as you do. My beloved Petro wishes to enter the priest's body. Will he accept Petro?"

"I accept his spirit," Talin said solemnly.

Cass realized she'd been speaking Litha's words aloud in a voice different than her own. All the fear melted away as Cass embraced sharing her mind and body. She had actually been filled with a feeling of such ease and love that it was almost intoxicating in and of itself.

Talin's body shook for a moment and then relaxed. He turned to Cass, "I am here my love, come to me."

It didn't matter whether it was Talin or the spirit called Petro speaking. Cass wanted Talin, and she hoped their love could be a vehicle for the spirits joy as well. Cass leaned forward, pressing her lips to Talin's, feeling her own excitement and Litha's wash over her. Ecstasy was the only word to describe it.

Talin ran his hands across her body, as she felt electric sensations that seemed amplified beyond anything she's experienced before. She pulled off her shirt and he kissed her chest softly. The heat from the bonfire was nothing compared to the fire raging within her.

***

Captain Marco Marcos turned to Sergeant Chavez, "Great, not only do we have to sit here getting eaten by mosquitoes, but now I have to watch these two fuck!" Even in hushed tones, his anger came through loud and clear. He glanced over at his men. They were fighting over the other pair of binoculars, eager to watch the show. "Chavez, get those perverts under control." Chavez employed his usual managerial style, slapping the nearest soldier across the face. Satisfied they were refocused, the captain went back to observing the couple. The white woman was obviously a tourist, but she was quite attractive. Maybe after completing the mission he would take a moment to sample her charms himself. It would be a small consolation for being eaten by mosquitoes the size of helicopters.

***

Talin kissed Cass gently, but their passion quickly grew with an intensity she'd never experienced. Every touch was electric. She kissed his neck, working her way down his chest. She felt her own feelings but they were more than just hers. His sweat was salty but she could also taste the essence that coursed through him. She was now two souls, sharing the intense sensations, experiencing love beyond human comprehension.

Cass pushed Talin down onto the blanket and slid his shorts off slowly, unveiling his hard cock. Cass caressed it gently. Her senses were so amplified she could feel it throbbing. She almost thought she could see it throbbing with potency and energy. She kissed her way down his stomach, savoring the corded muscles of his abdomen. Then she kissed his cock softly, letting her tongue lightly dab the head. Talin's body twitched in approval, his breath growing heavier.

Litha's voice echoed in Cass' head, "It is so beautiful, tasting his manhood again, more please," And Cass happily obliged, running her tongue around the head of Talin's cock, before letting it slip down her throat. Talin had a big cock, but Cass had learned to take it all down her throat. She moved her head up and down, each time bringing her an inch closer to swallowing it whole. Finally her lips touched his balls as he squirmed in delight.

Cass and Litha were too deeply engrossed in pleasure to notice the lights swirling above. Globes of energy like tiny ball lightening hovered around them. It seemed that other spirits had been attracted to their ménage.

***

All eighty of the captain's IQ points were trying to comprehend the scene before him. Small globes of light whirled around the couple bathing them in an ethereal glow. He'd always taken his brother's devotion to voodoo with a grain of salt, convinced that the only real power in heaven and earth came from the barrel of a gun. But this spectacle forced him to reconsider his beliefs. Being from superstitious peasant stock to begin with, his men were already starting to panic. He gave them a steely look, and they settled down… for the moment at least.

***

Talin pulled Cass back up and they kissed again, deeper with even more intensity. His hand slid down, stroking her sopping wet pussy.

Litha's spirit voice screamed in delight, "So long since I've felt this, since I had a body," Cass couldn't believe the sensations; it was like her pubic hairs were live wires. Her legs shuddered as first orgasm rolled through her body, then another. She rolled onto her back, pulling Talin on top of her. She had to have him inside her; she had to be fucked before her head exploded. Every hair on Talin's body was standing on end, charged with the same metaphysical energy. Cass looked up, finally seeing the raging firestorm of spiritual energy that surrounded them. It seemed like hours before Talin slid his cock inside of her. Her legs were high in the air, toes curled to the point of breaking as she gripped him to her with her legs. Cass wondered if there was such a thing as too much pleasure. She was ready to find out. It felt like her pussy had never been so hot, so wet or so full. Talin's hips thrust back and forth in perfect time with hers. Cass closed her eyes and for a moment she actually left her body, hovering above, and able to look down at the beauty of their lovemaking. Yet even as she did so,  she could still experience every physical sensation clearly. Then, in flash she was back in her body again. Every muscle tensed as she reached something beyond an orgasm. It was the most intense spiritual union that she and Talin had ever shared.

A brilliant cocoon of white light formed around them as Talin howled in ecstasy. Cass felt him releasing inside her, filling her with his hot seed. The cocoon of light exploded above them, bathing them in a blinding white light… and then there was calm, as they were left in a state of post-coital bliss like no other.

As they lay there taking in the experience, they felt the gratitude of their guests course through them as well.  Soon Litha spoke inside her head again. “Thank you for allowing us this pleasure. We shall leave you now. Know that we are in your debt.” With that they withdrew and the pair were left alone. But their bliss did not last long.

One of the soldiers leapt to his feet in terror and tried to run into the jungle. He grabbed his ankle, yanking the panicked man to the ground with a loud yell. So much for the element of surprise. Chavez was also impressed by the sight by the bon fire, but he had always revered the old ways. He did not so much fear the spirits as these commoners did. He definitely respected what they could do however.

Through their post orgasmic haze Talin and Cass both heard the sound… someone was spying on them from the jungle.

Quickly pulling on his shorts Talin stood up, "Who's there? Come out now, or I will find you!"

The captain thought for a moment, he was way ahead of schedule, but the element of surprise was gone, "Fire!" He barked.

Bursts of automatic weapons fire tore through Talin's compound. Voodoo icons and ancient pottery exploded, sending shards of wood and plaster into the air in all directions.

Talin grabbed Cass' shoulder, pushing her into the hut. "Get inside!"

Adrenaline instantly surged through Cass. She'd been under fire before and had prayed to never have to experience that panic and chaos again. In a split second though she was right back in Afghanistan, but instead of her senses becoming razor sharp as they once would have, she felt a sickening and paralyzing fear. She stumbled to the ground and guided by instinct and the will to survive, crawled to the hut.

"Come on!" She screamed to Talin.

The next wave of bullets ripped through Talin's body, spinning him like a top. He fell to his knees, blood pouring from his abdomen. He locked eyes with Cass and his lips moved, but the words were lost in the thunder of gunfire. Cass did not need to hear to know what he said. "I love you."

"Cease fire! Enough!" Captain Marcos screamed to be heard over the gunfire.

Sergeant Chavez slapped one of the men and the cease-fire order finally sunk in. The captain gestured to advance. He glanced at his watch; they were a half hour ahead of schedule. There was no point in informing his brother… better to complete the mission and hope for the best.

Cass lay on the floor of the hut, huddling in the shadows. She'd experienced combat, and had even been decorated for valor, but at this moment she felt anything but courageous. All the fear, all the nightmares she had pushed aside had come boiling back to the surface. She saw the only man she'd ever loved, the man who gave her back her life, shot down like a dog. Now the armed men were advancing through the darkness and Cass knew exactly what soldiers like these did to defenseless women. Her hands instinctually fished for anything she might use as a weapon.

Captain Marcos knew the woman was in the hut, but she could wait. His men formed a semi-circle around the fallen priest. Marcos was amazed to realize that he was still alive. Despite three gunshot wounds the priest slowly climbed to his feet. The captain was impressed; if Talin wanted to die on his feet he would accommodate him. It was clear he was finished as his life blood leaked out of him in steady streams.

The captain saw the ritual sword lying amid the sea of broken pottery and smiled. He picked it up, testing its balance for a moment. He glanced at Sergeant Chavez who nodded in approval. Captain Marcos raised the sword and swung with all his might.

Talin's eyes widened as the blade sliced through his neck, cleanly decapitating him.

Cass stared in horror as Talin's headless body tumbled backwards. She hid her head as it appeared it would land directly in the roaring bonfire. She could not bear to watch. Her hand found something in the darkness and clutched it tightly.

The captain held up Talin's head, displaying it to his men. "My brother asked for proof, so we will bring him a trophy!"

The men applauded nervously.

Cass' fingers tightened around the handle of a machete. There was no conscious thought, no plan of attack… only burning rage. Her legs launched her forward like an Olympian.

Sergeant Chavez saw the naked woman wielding a machete race out of the hut howling like a banshee. He rushed to stop her, but it was too late. The screaming woman buried the machete in the captain's chest just as Chavez tackled her. They tumbled to the ground, and it took every ounce of his strength to pin down her arms. Captain Marcos slowly crumpled to the dirt, the priest's head still tightly clutched in his hands. Every soldier raised his rifle, ready to kill Cass.

"No!" the sergeant screamed, realizing he was directly in the line of fire, and that regardless, the Colonel would undoubtedly want her brought to him alive. As he looked at the dead captain the further repercussions of what had happened came to him. "You two, grab her," he shouted to the men.

Two soldiers rushed forward pulling Cass to her feet. Chavez slapped her with all his strength, and then addressed his men.

"Do you idiots realize what has happened? The colonel's brother was killed on our watch! Do you understand what will happen to us? Remember that shack behind the sugar plantation where we brought prisoners to the colonel? Remember hearing the screams that went on for days as he tortured them? Well that is what will happen to us!"

The men stared at him in silence, remembering the tortured screams all too well.

Chavez looked at Cass for a moment, formulating a plan, "She knows the priest's spells," He reached down and picked up the ancient book, "Voodoo priests can bring back the dead, my father saw it happen. This woman studied under Talin and knows his magic. She can surely bring the captain back to life."

The men looked at him nervously until one finally spoke, "He’ll be nothing but a zombie!"

Chavez shrugged, "Maybe or maybe not…but he will be alive, which is all we need right now.

Besides, even if he did return as a zombie, who would notice? The captain was a renowned imbecile, after all.

The men forced Cass down to her knees as Chavez grabbed her by the chin to turn her face up towards him, "You will bring him back."

Cass looked at him defiantly, "Too bad I'm only a bartender! But I'd be happy to make you a Mojito you fucking maniac!"

Chavez slapped her hard across the face. He gestured for the men to release her, as he dropped the book in front of her. " You will find the right spell and you will bring him back."

Cass reconsidered her options. Defiance is the worst tactic to take in this situation. She just couldn’t stop herself before. She was reeling. She had to get her head in the game. She knew that when captured the best plan was to cooperate and bide your time until you could escape. She thumbed through the ancient text. It was in a forgotten language, all symbols and sketches. She closed her eyes for a moment, praying for some guidance.

Then she heard the familiar voice in her head. "I will guide you," said the spirit Litha, "Have faith. Remember we are in your debt." Cass opened her eyes and looked at the page. The text was now in western letters. She didn't know what the words meant, but that wasn't important. Her lips moved, but it was Litha's voice that rang out.

Chavez fidgeted nervously as the white woman spoke in some unknown tongue, her voice growing louder with each sentence. The strange lights he'd seen earlier whirled above them. He glanced at his men. "Everyone stay calm. If anybody raises a weapon I'll kill them myself."

Cass' heart rose as the strange words tumbled from her lips, rising to a screaming crescendo, and then… silence. The mysterious lights faded away with her words. The soldiers just stood there, unsure of what to do. Chavez knelt down by the captain's body and examined it. He was still dead.

He glared at Cass, "You've failed. Now we are all dead. Kill her."

Five weapons were raised and cocked as one.

Then the captain’s body stirred, gasping for air.

"Wait!" Chavez yelled, cradling the captain's head in his arms. "Captain, you’re alive, it's a miracle!" he rejoiced.

The captain’s eyes popped open in a burst, and he stared at Chavez for a moment. Chavez pulled his head even closer to his own chest, relieved beyond measure. Then, in an instant, the captain twisted his head, biting down on Chavez's hand, severing three fingers in the act.

"Shoot him!" The sergeant screamed, clutching his partially eaten hand.

The men looked on in confusion. Even though the captain had become a flesh-eating monster… he still outranked Sergeant Chavez.

From where she was standing ten feet away, Cass muttered the only words her terrified mind could process, "Holy shit!"

They all watched the captain spastically trying to stand up. Then a shriek pierced the stillness of the jungle, followed by another until a cacophony of agonized screams echoed through the night. All eyes turned to the ancient cemetery. A headstone toppled over, then another. A mausoleum burst open. Figures appeared in the moonlight, staggering at first but slowly gaining their balance, moving towards their position.

Cass began crawling away from the group. The soldiers were far too distracted by the apparently walking dead to even notice.

One of the men raised his AK-47 and fired into the oncoming mass. The resurrected bodies lurched from the impact, and then just continued toward them, perhaps even faster. The first wave or rotting bodies was on them then and leapt onto the soldiers, grabbing and biting ferociously. Cass saw three descend on Chavez, tearing him literally limb from limb.

A corporal tried to rally the men, "Shoot them in the head, I saw it on television!" He fired a burst directly into the face of an oncoming zombie. The bullets did exactly nothing to stop the oncoming ghoul. "Fucking movies!" The soldier screamed as the zombie sank its teeth into his neck.

Cass continued crawling until a weak, almost whispered voice stopped her.

"Cass," it said, "It's me".

Cass crawled toward the voice and froze. It was Talin's decapitated head struggling to speak. "I can help you." He whispered, only communicating with great effort.

"By this point she was almost lost the ability to be shocked. Somehow accepting that he was speaking at all, all she could do was ask, “But why aren't you a zombie?"

"The spirit protected my soul. Now pick me up and go to the hut."

"But those things are everywhere!"

"Trust me," He said. Wow, she thought, I don’t even want to think about the PTSD this is gonna bring on.

Cass scooped up Talin's head and staggered into the hut, slamming the flimsy door behind her. Automatic weapons fire and screams filled the air outside. Through the small window she saw a soldier dragged to the ground by a zombie tearing at his throat. Moments later the soldier rose again, this time pouncing on one of his comrades.

"Jesus, anyone who dies comes back as a zombie! At least the movies got that part right. So what do we do now?" Cass asked, fighting to maintain her sanity.

"That wicker basket is full of salt. Make a circle of it on the ground."

She groped around and found the basket. Grabbing handfuls of salt she formed a circle around the two of them. Some of the zombies bashed at the hut's flimsy door while others were reaching through the small window. The zombie's had their first meal surrounded.

"Ok I got it!" Cass yelled, completing an imperfect circle around them.

Talin invoked a voodoo spell in the ancient tongue. Cass's heart was racing. The door shook under the pounding fists, finally collapsing. Three zombies burst into the hut. Talin continued the spell as the zombie's locked hungry eyes on Cass.

"Done," Talin whispered, "Do not leave the circle."

The zombie's paused, staring in Cass' direction, but ignoring her as if she were invisible. Clutching Talin's head to her chest Cass watched the zombie's mill around the tiny room. Finding nothing to sate their hunger they turned and shuffled off.

Outside the screaming gave way to an eerie silence. Without leaving the magic circle Cass stood and peered out the window. She was relieved to see the zombies walking into the jungle. She sank back to the floor. Talin’s mouth looked dry and so Cass searched until she found a bottle of water. What the fuck was going on! This was beyond insane.

"They're leaving," She said, dabbing water onto Talin's lips. The thought crossed her mind that this wasn’t going to do much for his overall situation, but it was about she could duo for him now.

"I think they are looking for an easier meal – or whatever it is they are after, elsewhere."

"What the hell is happening? And oh my poor Talin! Look what they have done to you!” she cried to his upturned face.

Talin closed his eyes for a moment. "When Litha took control of you and cast that spell, it must have been so powerful as to raise all these dead souls, including mine. It is the strength of my spirit, and the support of those spirits I have served that is allowing me to come to you as the man you know, rather than as a zombie like the rest.”

"Yes, but look at you! And how could she allow all this to happen?"

"Well, metaphysically speaking, Litha is known for her deep passions…she is not a spirit to be crossed…so I would say it was no accident. You get on the wrong side of her and she can be one mean spirited bitch, if you’ll pardon the pun."

"How powerful was that spell then? I mean, did it affect just this cemetery, or the island?"

"I do not know," Talin replied, "All I know is that for the moment you are safe."

"But what about the resort? It is not that far with all the noise I’m betting those things will find them. And what about your body? Can’t we reattach you or something?"

"I imagine you are correct about the resort and perhaps something can be done with my body, but time is short. We can either try and save those people or see what can be done about my body."

"Well we have to do something to help him. We can deal with your body later." Cass said, "We have to help them."

"I was afraid you would say that."

Chapter 6

The aging local bus pulled to a stop just outside the resort's fence line. The driver studied his watch, and, at exactly the appointed moment, opened the passenger door. The load of peasants filed out silently. They were actually the Colonel's personal troops in disguise. Each man was well trained, totally loyal and armed to the teeth. They carefully made their way through the brush. Within minutes they were in position… waiting for the order to be given.

Inside the resort the Prime Minister was addressing the assembled guests. The audience did their best to feign interest, eager to get back to their drugs and debauchery. Colonel Marcos discreetly checked his watch. He would only have to endure two more minutes of this pointless speech before his plan sprang into action. The Prime Minister droned on about the economic opportunities created by the resort and how it would benefit the people. The Colonel knew all the construction was done by the Prime Minister's own company at reduced wages to workers and a huge markup to the client… so much for benefitting the people.

He glanced at Novia who looked exquisite, the elegant gown complementing her natural beauty. She was standing next to the island's first lady, an aging shrew waging an unsuccessful war against the ravages of time. The Colonel wondered how much of Tortura's national treasury was squandered on the first lady's breasts, ass, and lips? The speech mercifully ended, earning polite applause from the still captive audience. They quieted, hoping they could now get back to their debauchery.

In that instant, gunfire shattered the peaceful evening. Caught unprepared, the Prime Minister's personal guards were cut down within seconds. Panic-stricken tourists stampeded in every direction as indiscriminant AK-47 fire thinned the herd of party seekers.

The chaos provided a perfect distraction for his moment. Drawing his sidearm the Colonel confronted the Prime Minister, "As of this moment you will step down, officially surrendering control of the government to me."

The shocked Prime Minister remained defiant, "I will never grant you control of the island."

"If you do not surrender, your wife will be the first to die."

The Prime Minster glared at the Colonel, "You wouldn't dare!"

"No… I wouldn't," Colonel Marcos replied with a smile.

“But I would.” Novia drew a petite chrome plated .38 automatic from her Chanel handbag and casually fired a shot into each of the first lady's silicone enhanced tits. The grief stricken Prime Minster stared down at his wife's body.

"Don't blame yourself," The colonel said, "We were planning to kill you both anyway," and with that he put a man-sized bullet through the Prime Minister's head.

Novia looked on in awe as the Colonel shouted orders to his men. In her eyes he was like Alexander the Great and Caesar combined. Their carefully conceived plan was finally coming together.  The Colonel's soldiers had not worn uniforms so the attack could more easily be blamed on "rebel factions" working against the government. The attackers would demand a ransom from the United States government for the surviving tourists. But Colonel Marcos would bravely step in, negotiating the American's release while putting down the rebellion. In the fog of war the press would declare him a hero and the United Nations would agree to him becoming the island's interim ruler as well. In this case "interim" would mean for life. The citizens wouldn't protest because the Colonel's men were already executing potential troublemakers.

The Colonel's men moved forward now in squads. They had orders to avoid excess gunfire but a scream from the nearby Jacuzzi alarmed one soldier. He turned, emptying his magazine into a pack of naked bodies. Two soldiers raced to the Jacuzzi, to check for survivors, and more importantly thick wallets and expensive watches. It looked like total slaughter until Fawn popped out from under two floating bodies.

"Please don't shoot me," She screamed.

The soldiers smiled. They had been ordered to hold themselves to the highest moral standards, but that, of course, was open to interpretation. Pulling the squealing girl from the water, a couple of them began to drag her around the corner for some privacy.

Chapter 7

Jack Godwin had slipped into the shadows when the first shots were fired. Under the guise of a travel writer he'd spent the past two weeks analyzing Tortura's political climate for the National Security Agency. Unfortunately the situation had come to a head much faster than the NSA had anticipated. He was hammering out a message on his iPad, which was in truth a highly classified cipher device, when he heard them coming. A second later two soldiers rounded the corner dragging a screaming young woman. Jack instantly recognized Fawn, the young porn starlet. He had strict orders to avoid any confrontation and to simply report the situation, but Jack knew what was about to happen to Fawn.

Jack shot forward, launching a straight punch into the first man's windpipe, dropping him instantly. The second man tossed Fawn aside… a mistake that left him wide open to attack. He tried to raise his rifle but Jack had already closed the gap, delivering a hammer fist blow down onto his nose. There was a soft crunch of cartilage, but the soldier still remained on his feet. He lashed out blindly until Jack grabbed him in a wrestling hold. Cradling the soldier's head in his arms, Jack twisted his neck sharply. With a sickening crack the soldier fell lifeless to the ground. The first man was still squirming on the grass, unable to breath. Jack didn't waste any time on him, knowing he'd choke to death within minutes.

He picked up an AK and as many clips as he could quickly gather and turned to Fawn, who was cowering on the ground, knees drawn tightly to her chest, her mind overwhelmed. Jack knelt down, taking her hand. She looked at him with dazed eyes.

"You're safe now… everything will be okay," The calm tone of his voice registered enough to get her moving. Jack had lied… they were very far from okay. Hearing more soldiers approaching Jack pulled Fawn into the nearby dining hall.

Chapter 8

Scavenging through Talin's hut Cass found a wicker picnic basket, and quickly improvised a shoulder strap from a discarded rifle. She tucked Talin's head inside, hoping he could breathe… then wondering if decapitated head's needed to breathe anyhow. Within minutes she was barreling down the coast road as fast as the aging Vespa could go. About a mile from the resort she made out people standing in the road ahead.

Cass realized they were soldiers just as they opened fire. Bullets zipped past her as she veered off the road, dumping the bike in the soft sand. She felt dazed but otherwise unhurt. Talin's basket had come lose, and she crawled through the sand searching for him.

"Talin! Where are you?" She whispered.

"Over here," He replied, spitting out a mouthful of wet sand.

She brushed him off, then crouched silently, clutching the AK-47 she had picked up and brought along. Cass knew it was almost useless against the zombies, but holding it made her feel safer. The soldiers didn't come after them.

"They must think they killed me." Cass whispered, crawling towards the road for a better look. The soldiers were corralling a group of prisoners; innocent locals who'd been deemed "troublesome."

"Oh god no," Cass whispered, closing her eyes. She'd seen this type of brutality before.

Shots rang out as the first prisoners were executed. She heard other innocents pleading for mercy… and more gunfire. The begging ceased as the last body dropped. Their work complete, the soldiers did what soldiers do… lit cigarettes and chatted among themselves.

"Are those bodies going to turn?" Cass asked Talin.

"From what we know, I’d say probably yes … remember, this is my first zombie outbreak."

Screams rang out as the dead endured what was apparently the agony of resurrection. Moments later first wave of zombies crawled from where they had lain dead minutes before. The soldiers opened fire, pouring hundreds of bullets into the oncoming horde. It had no effect except in cases where the sheer volume of fire had severed limbs. Even then the zombies came on as best they could, with their severed bits doing left squirming in their wake. Within seconds the fighting was hand-to-hand.

Cass seized the opportunity. Pulling the bike upright she cranked the starter. It sputtered once, twice, "Come on baby, start for momma," and finally the engine kicked over. "Yes!"

"You can always rely on a Vespa," Talin added.

"Well right now I wish it was a Humvee!" Was she really having a conversation with a severed head?

Balancing Talin's basket in her lap Cass pulled out, steering the bike straight into the melee. "Hang on!" She yelled.

"With what?"

Good point, she thought. Cass weaved and skidded, maneuvering through attacking zombies and crazed soldiers alike. Everything was great until a zombie grabbed her leg. Cass tried to dislodge the creature but it was holding on for sheer afterlife. The extra weight was slowing the bike down and other zombies were closing in. Struggling to keep her balance Cass steered towards a soldier, veering just to his right as she passed. The clinging zombie struck the soldier hard enough to jar it loose and send the entangled pair tumbling. The much lightened bike quickly accelerated, leaving the carnage behind.

"Well at least those bastards got what they deserved," She shouted to Talin.

"Except now they will be zombies."

"Don't rain on my parade darling," she replied steering the bike towards the resort. "Hey honey,” she asked her lover’s head, “do we have… I don't know… a plan?"

"I was going to ask you that," Talin said. “You’re the one with the body.”

"Fan-fucking-tastic."

Chapter 9

Novia watched the troops herding the American survivors. At a quick glance she estimated twenty five tourists were dead; a number which was well within their accepted parameters. Other soldiers were working their way through the resort buildings, executing any locals on the staff.  Some dead islanders would help balance the score card for the international press, changing the headlines from "Americans slaughtered," to a more manageable "Innocents massacred." It was all in the wording. Either way, they were depending on the international outrage to propel them into power.

Novia stared down at the deceased first lady with satisfaction. This was actually the first time she had ever killed anyone, and she had rather enjoyed it. For years she'd suffered abuse from that highborn bitch. All the condescending looks down her surgically perfected nose. She'd even forbidden Colonel Marcos from marrying Novia, declaring her an embarrassing whore. Just as she was enjoying the site of the bitch dead at her feet, she did something unexpected… the first lady opened her eyes.

The dead woman lashed out with a manicured hand, grabbing Novia's ankle like a vice. Novia tried to pull away but lost her balance, tumbling to the ground. The dead woman crawled forward on her belly, saline leaking out of her chest with every lunge. Her Botox fattened lips were pulled back in a snarl, exposing veneer teeth that threatened to bury themselves in Novia's leg any moment.

Chaos erupted across the compound. The dead were rising, and they clearly had it in for the living. Naked, bullet riddled zombies crawled out of the Jacuzzi to savage the soldiers who had so recently cut them down. The soldiers opened fire, mowing down the living as well as adding holes to the zombie’s flesh. Innocent people were dropped down in every direction as the soldiers went into full panic.

Novia pulled the tiny handgun from her purse, trained the laser site on the first lady's forehead and fired twice. The bitch just shook her head and kept coming.

"Shit," Novia yelled. Stupid movies! She was not the first, nor would she be the last to be bitterly disappointed with Hollywood’s take on the undead that night. She only had four rounds left she realized. They had to count. She shifted her aim to the zombie's wrist, firing three times. The third shot severed the hand and Novia finally pulled away. With a dancer's grace she hopped to her feet, instantly scanning for other threats.

One of the Colonel's personal guards was already racing to Novia's rescue. He grabbed her by the shoulder to pull her to safety but in the same instant, a horde of zombified swimsuit models blocked their escape. The guard fired into the oncoming mass, but it barely slowed them down. Novia had only one bullet left. She knew there was only one way to escape the agony of being eaten alive herself. She aimed her laser sight at the guard's crotch and fired. He dropped to his knees, screaming in agony. The zombies were on him in moments.

"You'll get a medal for this," Novia shouted as she gracefully slipped away.

Chapter 10

Jack raced through the dining room, dragging Fawn behind him. Once the soldiers found the bodies outside they'd be hot on their tail, he figured. The best tactic was to get inside a large building and take every possible twist and turn. His current approach was to really make their pursuers work for it and hope they got lazy.

He slipped down a service corridor and into a large kitchen. He stopped short. A soldier was kneeling inside the doorway, struggling to remove a dead waiter's watch. He looked up in surprise and scrambled for his rifle. Jack killed him with one short burst. The sound of gunfire sent Fawn into uncontrollable shakes.

"It's okay Fawn. He was a bad guy." He said softly.

Other bodies littered the floor. There were about ten, and from the looks of things they were all waiters or cooks… locals. Fawn saw the corpses and buried her head in Jack's shoulder.

"It's okay honey, we're staying right here," He said, patting her head gently.

"But there's dead people all over the floor," She replied, body shaking. “What’s happening?”

"I’m not sure, but whoever did this is already gone. I've been in a lot of war zones and troops rarely return to a killing field."

Fawn looked up at him, clearing tears from her eyes, "I thought you were, like… a travel writing guy?"

"Well, not really. I work for the NSA."

Fawn looked confused, "The tax people?"

"Let's just say the CIA… you've heard of them right?"

Fawn's eyes widened in awe. Jack went to a stack of dining chairs, pulled one off and gently sat Fawn down. Leaning against the steel counter he typed a coded message to his bosses. "Coupe in progress, at least thirty armed combatants, American fatalities and hostages," He pounded out more specifics and waited for a reply from his handler. Fawn was still shaking.

"It's okay honey, I'm getting help."

"You're calling the police?"

Jack's IPad beeped, and he took a moment to study the reply and grinned, "Screw the police, we've got the United States fucking Navy coming for us."

Fawn managed a smile, "That's awesome Jack." She became lost in thought for a moment. "That was going to be my first one you know."

"First what?" Jack asked, confused.

"Porn shoot. I know I sounded like a total slut who'd done a hundred, but I’m not. I just really needed money.”

"Yeah, I could tell."

"Really?" Fawn said, her face lighting up.

"Absolutely, I knew right away you were really a nice girl," Jack shot her his most sincere smile. He was only telling a half truth, but he saw no need to say how lost she looked. The poor kid was a wreck.

Fawn's smile suddenly vanished. She screamed, pointing behind them frantically. Jack turned, rifle at the ready… and froze. Despite training for every situation he was still taken totally aback. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

The dead bodies were moving and unsteadily actually climbing to their feet. Jack could have believed one person surviving a massacre like this, but not all of them. Jack knew they couldn't be alive because one of them was missing the entire top of his head. A chef rushed forward and Jack fired a long burst into his chest. The attacker staggered backwards, stunned for a moment, but then came right at them again. The rest of the murdered workers fell in behind him as they rushed the couple.

Jack grabbed Fawn's hand and they both raced down the kitchen aisle. He paused to shove a huge pot of seafood bisque off the stove, spilling it into the oncoming zombie's path. The zombie-chef lost his footing in the slippery liquid, toppling backwards, slowing the onslaught for a moment.

Jack turned to find another pack of zombies approaching from the other end of the kitchen, blocking their escape. They were surrounded… but there was a heavy steel door to his right. With no time to think he yanked open the door, pushing Fawn through. Before he could follow the zombie-chef grabbed his arm from behind. Jack spun, raising the rifle in the process. He emptied the magazine into the chef's neck at point blank range, severing his head. Jack shoved the headless, but still groping, zombie into the oncoming horde, buying him the second he needed to duck into the room.

Jack slammed the door behind him, sighing in momentary relief as it clicked shut. Then he took a moment to survey the space. It was an industrial cold room, stocked with fruits and vegetables. He glanced at the door handle, "Shit, it doesn't lock from in here!" It actually had an emergency escape sort of button or lever to prevent people from being locked in. He jammed the butt of the rifle into the door handle, as it were. A second later one of the zombies began pulling frantically as other undead pounded on the door. Jack was sure the steel door would hold for a while, but fuck, it was cold as shit in here, he thought. He glanced over at the nearly naked Fawn.

"It's really cold in here Jack," She said, already shivering.

Great, Jack thought, the door would probably hold up just long enough for us to freeze to death.

Chapter 11

Cass pulled off the main road, steering the bike down the dark construction path. By some miracle they hadn't run into any more zombies. She recognized the local bus she'd seen earlier parked a few yards away from the resort's bulldozer. There was no sign of any passengers.

Cass turned off the Vespa's engine and listened to the shouting and sporadic gunfire coming from the resort.

"We're too late," She said sadly.

"You did your best," Talin replied from his basket, trying to reassure her, "Maybe we can take the bus and look for survivors?"

The distant screams haunted her, "I doubt we'd find any." Cass recalled her military training… access the situation… search for any tools at hand. She glanced over at a metal shed, listening to the low hum of machinery inside.

"That's the resort's water softening system," she said to herself as she scanned the area. She thought for a moment, and then raced over to the metal shed." I have an idea," It was crazy…but this whole night was crazy…her plan actually bordered on suicidal, but at least it was a plan.

Chapter 12

Novia darted and danced through the chaos until she reached the defensive cordon Colonel Marcos had established on the miniature golf course. Grabbing a discarded rifle from the ground she raced to her man's side.

He held her tightly, "Thank God you're safe. Did my man find you?"

"Yes, darling, but he didn't make it."

"I see, ok, I've called for help, it should arrive momentarily."

As if on cue, they heard the whirling of helicopter blades. Novia's heart soared as a camouflage Huey helicopter buzzed the resort. It circled once and then began its descent. The Miniature Golf course was barely large enough for the chopper to set down. Marcos took Novia's hand, guiding her into the chopper, before climbing in himself.

Soldiers raced towards the chopper to be evacuated, but this was not the time to bring a bunch of panic stricken men on board. It was safer to go it alone Novia reasoned as she opened fire on the troops, cutting down the colonel's faithful guard in mid stride. The Helicopter rose slowly, until a soldier leapt into the air, grabbing the skids and hanging on for dear life. Novia leaned out and fired another burst as the bird turned and began to move off. The dead man fell to the ground, crushing the course's miniature windmill. Now unencumbered, the chopper ascended, leaving all the madness behind them.

Within two minutes they were soaring over the jungle bound for the capital. Hopefully the nightmare was limited to this side of the island.

Novia sat back, finally able to relax and catch her breath for the first time in what felt like hours. She smiled with relief as she felt reassuring touch of the colonel's hand on her leg. She glanced over at him warmly… realizing with sudden revulsion that both his hands were clasped behind his head. Lowering her gaze she realized that the first lady's severed hand was still clamped firmly to her knee, and it was squeezing tighter by the second.

"Get it off, get it off," She screamed, fruitlessly pounding her fists on the zombie appendage.

The Colonel grabbed the hand and pulled with all his might, once, then twice. Finally the hand's grip loosened enough to peel it off. The colonel tossed the hand away in disgust, aiming for the open side window. He missed. The clutching hand landed in the pilot's lap, gripping his testicles in a vice like grip. He howled in agony, instantly losing control of the helicopter as he frantically sought to remove the offending appendage from his most sensitive parts.

The chopper spun wildly, rapidly losing altitude. Novia stared out the window, screaming, as the jungle grew closer. Packs of monkeys leapt for cover as the Huey's blades sliced into the treetops. It spun like a demented top, finally crashing into a lagoon. The engine stalled, and the chopper lay silently in three feet of water. All was still and the only signs of life were coming from the jungle creatures whose world had been so suddenly turned upside down. Within minutes however, the chaos was forgotten, and the jungle returned to normal. There was only the sound of the monkeys howling in the trees.

Chapter 13

The zombies kept hammering on the cold room door but the six inch thick insulated door and improvised lock held fast. There were moments of quiet but always the pounding began again. The zombies never seemed to grow weary or diverge from their single minded purpose.

Jack checked his IPad, but it was useless. Even his souped-up device  couldn't pick up a signal from within a steel room. There would be no calling for help.

Fawn leaned against him, trying desperately to stay warm, "I'm sorry Jack," She said.

"Sorry for what?"

"If it wasn't for me you probably would have gotten away. I was too pathetic to save myself,” she said looking down at the ground.

"That's not true," Jack said, "I think you were pretty courageous back there." He studied her face. She was very pretty but there was a trace of sadness in her eyes, like a permanent scar. "You've spent a lot of time being blamed for things that weren't your fault. Am I right?"

"Kind of. My mom always said that if it wasn't for me she would have found a nice rich guy, instead of a jerk like my stepfather."

"She should've realized how lucky she was."

There was another wave of pounding on the door. Fawn squeezed his hand, "We're going to die in here, aren't we Jack?"

Jack was about to lie, saying everything would be okay but Fawn wasn't that stupid, and she deserved his honesty "It's a distinct possibility. Sorry Fawn, I wish I could have done more."

"Don't be sorry, you're the first guy who ever cared enough to help me. You're one of the good guys."

Jack looked back on all the things he'd done in the service of his country. He was far from a good guy in his mind, but it felt good to hear nonetheless. Maybe he could be a good guy, he thought.

Fawn reached up and touched his face. Her warm hand felt good, "If we're going to die anyhow, maybe we can… well, you know? It’ll keep us warm at least."

Jack pondered the situation. His communication device was useless, and the steel door was their only escape route. Even if he fought his way past the zombies Fawn would never make it. And truth be told, it sounded like there was an army of them out there. He would never get through, not even alone. There was nothing further he could do to accomplish his mission. Jack always assumed he'd die in the line of duty, probably shot on some distant battlefield, or captured and tortured to death. This latest development offered a much nicer demise than he had ever imagined. He leaned down and kissed Fawn softly.

The kiss grew deeper, more passionate. Fawn stopped shivering as the fear of death gave way to primal instinct and passion. Her hands slid under his T-Shirt, pulling it up and over his head. Jack let go of all thoughts of the zombie horde outside, as he kissed her neck and caressed her ample breasts. At first they were both cold and shivering, but within seconds, as their passions were awakened, the blood raced through them, spreading warmth throughout their bodies. Jack ran his tongue around her hard nipples, as she caressed his head, pulling him tighter into her.

The zombies were furiously pounding on the door, but knowing that death was only inches away only made the couple's blood run hotter. Jack had been with a lot of women over the years, but this was by far the most intense scenario he could remember. It wasn't just sex for pleasure; this was an affirmation of life.

Jack stood up and Fawn eagerly undid his belt, pulling his pants down, and then removing them completely. She rubbed his stiff cock through his shorts and looked up at him with adoring eyes. He pulled her up and they kissed deeply, their tongues entwining. Jack broke away from their embrace and hastily rearranged a stack of boxes of some sort of leafy greens.

"This is as close to a bed as we're getting." He said.

Fawn helped him arrange the last boxes, her tits bouncing with anticipation. They had all but forgotten about their imminent demise. They embraced again, and this time she coaxed his shorts to the floor, setting his stiff cock free. Now that feels a little cold, flashed through Jack’s mind as he cupped his hands under Fawn's ass and lifted her onto his hard waiting shaft. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his back. He didn't bother with foreplay; he knew she was wet and eager. He eased her down onto his cold cock. He almost exploded immediately as his once cold member was enveloped in her heat. His cock slipped inside with no searching or awkwardness. Her legs tightened reflexively, and she buried her face in his neck giving him a hundred soft kisses as he began to pump his shaft in and out of her spread pussy.

Fawn squealed with delight as Jack's cock filled her. She'd never had sex without a condom before and it felt fantastic. The very thought of needing protection seemed beyond ridiculous given the circumstances. She felt his now hot skin on hers the way nature had intended.

He lifted her hips up and down, the heat from her pussy rising with each thrust.

"Oh Jack," She moaned, "It's so good,"

"Yes Fawn!"

"It's Delores," She gasped, "My real name is Delores Peppertree!"

"That's a pretty name."

"No it isn't," and she laughed between moans, "Oh god Jack, I'm gonna cum!"

She leaned back, stretching her legs out, held up by Jacks hands on her butt, and cock in her pussy. He felt her vagina contracting, pulsing as he thrust harder, faster. Then he pulled her close again, his muscles clenched as he climaxed too.

Fawn's arms squeezed his neck, and her thighs tightened as she felt him cumming inside her. She bounced and bucked as another orgasm rolled through her body. Finally they slowed down, basking in the warmth of each other's bodies. Then, ever so gently, he laid her down on the almost-soft bed of spinach and assorted greens, his satisfied cock finally sliding out of her equally happy pussy. He curled up next to her. Fawn listened to Jack's heart beating in his chest. She had never felt more alive, or in an odd way, more safe and loved.

The zombies kept pounding and scraping at the steel door.

Chapter 14

There were at least seventy zombies loose in the resort's main area. Forty survivors, a mix of tourists and soldiers, were trapped in the band pavilion. They huddled together defending themselves with rifle butts, pool furniture and anything else they could lay their hands on. It was a hopeless cause. Just when it seemed all hope was lost they heard a sound in the distance… the load roar of some sort of industrial engine getting closer – and even louder - by the second.

The fence behind them was levelled as the oncoming bulldozer easily crushed all in its path. To the survivors it was like the cavalry had just ridden in.

Cass aimed the dozer into the biggest mass of zombies. She wasn't taking time to access the target, assuming anyone who knew what a bulldozer was would get the hell out of the way. This was not a time to nit-pick. Anything, or anyone not smart enough to get out of the way was getting squashed. Years back she had dated an army engineer who, wanting to impress her, and knowing of her love for all things tracked, had let her try her hand at dozer operation. Fortunately for those present, she was a good student. It was fortunate for those who were still living, she corrected herself, not so fortunate for the dead.

The steel treads rolled over the first throng of the zombies, reducing them to a quivering pate. There was still the occasional finger or crushed arm trying to wreak havoc within its tiny radius of influence, but essentially they were now more like a big zombie hamburger than any real threat. Cass barreled on, crushing every zombie in her path. She rolled over another pack of zombies, then, after fumbling with the controls for a second, spun the bulldozer around. She did a second run through the main area, crushing another wave beneath the treads. Three of the more intrepid zombies were able to latch onto the dozer's front blade this time, however, and were trying to climb over.

"Oh, you assholes want to play?" Cass steered straight for the concrete restroom building, smashing into the wall, and crushing the zombies nicely in the process.

Chapter 15

Jack and Fawn were now locked in a passionate sixty-nine position, focused only on pleasuring each other. It was their third round of lovemaking in a half hour. Jack wasn't sure how he mustered the energy, but guessed it was some primal survival instinct… You're about to die, so procreate as much and as fast as possible. Or something like that he figured. They also knew it was this, or have to face their inevitable demise. He ran his tongue across her labia, and then sucked on her hard clit. Her body shook in excitement, even as she returned the favor by rolling her tongue around the head of his cock and doing her best to swallow the top half. Just as he felt himself nearing orgasm again he came back to face her and plunge his rod between her thighs once more, as his cum coursed inside of her once again. The both gripped each other tight, even as their mutual orgasm continued. It was not log though before they realized that the deep rumbling they felt – and were beginning to hear – had nothing to do with the spasms that had been rocking their bodies.

The room shook and there was a sudden thundering crash. Jack's first instinct was that the lock had finally broken loose. But the door was still secure. Another crash echoed through the room, followed by a strange sound.

Fawn look confused, as they both strained their ears, "Hey Jack, is that … people… cheering?"

Jack listened to the unmistakable sound of applause, "Yeah, and I doubt their cheering for the zombies. I think something good just happened."

The pounding at the door had ceased. Jack approached the door tentatively and removed the assault rifle he had wedged against the door release and set it on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Fawn asked, clutching his arm.

"I think they're gone."

He pushed the door open slowly. Sure enough, the kitchen was empty.

"Don't you want your gun?" She asked.

"I’m out of ammo anyhow."

"What about your pants?"

"That's probably a good idea."

Jack slipped on his pants, giving Fawn his jockey shorts and T-Shirt. Cautiously, and semi-clothed as they were, they moved through the kitchen. There was a lot of blood on the floor, but no sign of any zombies, or even bodies, for that matter. Outside, the crashing sounds, and cheering, continued. Jack saw a glass case marked "in case of fire". He smashed the glass with a frying pan and removed a hefty fire axe.

"This ought to do it," he said, first feeling it’s heft, and then taking Fawn's hand. They followed the crashing sounds, and for the first time since they had been backed into the cooler, Jack actually felt they had a chance of surviving.

Chapter 16

Within minutes the bulldozer had reduced the zombie horde to the rough consistency of pasta. Now Cass was just sweeping up a few stragglers to a chorus of cheers from the survivors. Cass was feeling pretty good, until she felt a clammy hand grip her windpipe, choking her. She tried to pry the hand loose as she realized with mounting horror that there was a zombie attached to it this time. It was already climbing over the seat onto her back, its gnashing teeth inches from her face.

Then, suddenly the zombie was knocked clear of her by a solid kick to the torso. Before she had time to even register her relief a fire axe split the zombie's face in half as well. Jack Godwin had jumped onto the rolling bulldozer and attacked. The axe struck again, severing the creature’s arm. The zombie lost its purchase and Jack kicked it over the side where it got caught in the steel treads and quickly pulled under the dozer. In the tussle the bulldozer had been running blind. Cass now went to shut it down as it was dangerously close to the pool. Unfortunately the zombie’s arm was lodged in the throttle. At any other moment it would have taken a second to clear, but in this instance they had needed that second.

The bulldozer crashed straight through the low cinder block wall and into the salt-water pool, unending itself so that the nose and blade went straight to the bottom and the entire dozer flipped over into the deep end. Cass desperately tried to release her seatbelt, but in her disoriented, upside-down state could not get it to budge at all. In her panic she tried to take a breath and choked on the water that threatened to fill her lungs. She was close to blacking out. Being the consummate man of action that he was, Jack had dove in almost as soon as the bulldozer had gone in. He swam down and managed to miraculously undo the clasp and pull her free. They broke the surface gasping for air and earned a round of cheering from the survivors, which only escalated as Jack pulled Cass toward the edge of the pool.

"Oh God, Talin, he's still down there!" She yelled, quickly recovering from her ordeal. Before she could dive to the rescue though, the wicker basket bobbed to the surface. She swam over and towed it back to the deck.

"I'm okay," Talin said, as he spit out half a mouthful of salt water. Disconcertingly, the other half seemed to sort of just leak out his neck

Cass hugged the basket to her chest in relief.

Jack looked at her curiously, "Umm, What have you got in that basket…?"

Cass looked at Jack and shook her head. She wasn’t even going to get into it. After his double rescue of her, all she could say was, “Travel writer my ass." She then took a moment to recover both her wits, as well as her breath, before yelling to the crowd, "Somebody needs to run up the trail and get the old bus. Drive it down here." The survivors stared at her in stunned silence. "Now damn it!" She snapped. That got them moving.

Fawn raced to the pool's edge, "Oh god you're so brave, you saved us all!" She yelled, choking back tears.

Cass felt flattered, "It was no big deal, I just…"

But Fawn threw her arms around Jack, "You're the bravest man in the world."

Cass laughed, "Did I miss something?"

The following few minutes seemed like hours, but the bus finally arrived in the compound. Cass guided it to the edge of the pool.

"Do you want me to load everyone up," Jack asked.

"No, these roads are too dangerous at night, especially with all the rain we’ve had. We can’t afford to get stuck or stranded. For now I think it’s best to stay here. "

"You think we'll be safe?"

"Hell no, there's another swarm of zombies on their way here. And these ones are gonna be extra rotten and nasty, believe me. Now listen, here’s what we are gonna do.” She pointed to the bus, "The resort's water softening system uses salt. I threw twenty huge bags of it in the bus. We need to make a circle around the dining hall building. I’ll explain later. We should then have enough food and water inside to figure something out…or maybe just ride it out. Maybe they will get tired and decide it’s easier just being dead."

"What? What's going to stop the zombies… high sodium?"

"Trust me. Just get a circle made fast."

Cass sat down next to Talin's basket while Jack organized a work party. She popped open the basket and picked up Talin's head. "I hope you can make a bigger circle work the same way you did before, ‘cause I’m kind of banking on it."

"Such a clever girl," He said with a smile, "But remember, I need everyone inside the circle before I can start the incantation.

Cass lifted up Talin's head and pressed her lips to his, "I love you Talin," She whispered. “And don’t you worry, as soon as we get organized we’ll find a way to get you your body back.”

Fawn was handing out bottled water to the workers. She stopped, watching Cass, with a combination of shock, awe and revulsion on her face.

Cass turned to her, "What, you've never seen two people kissing before?"

The exhausted survivors hustled, encircling themselves with the rocky industrial salt as fast as they could. Jack gathered all the weapons and ammo he could find. He handed Cass a rifle and distributed three more among the most able bodied of the tourists. Other survivors were stacking furniture and broken rubble as a rough barrier. Fawn was busy handing out water, pausing intermittently to admire her new hero, and lover, Jack.

Cass picked up Talin's head and handed it to Fawn. "Take him inside and give him a hand if he needs it… Sorry Talin, no pun intended. Do whatever he says…he’s gonna save us." Fawn just stared at the severed head for a moment.

"Hello, my name is Talin." He said, with his most charming smile, "What's yours?"

The smile calmed her down, "umm…hi, I'm Fawn," She held up a water bottle, "Are you thirsty?"

Chapter 17

The magic circle was only two thirds done… but the next wave of extra-dead zombies had arrived. Cass appeared calm, but she was just too numb to register any more shock.

Cass watched the creatures shuffling across the lawn towards the compound. Some of them were surprising agile and quick. "Those are the cemetery zombies! Hurry up people!" She looked down at Talin, "We're lucky it took them so long to get here."

"Maybe they stopped for lunch."

The wave of zombies began to pick up speed, in response to the shouting and barked commands. They began to build a momentum like an oncoming stampede.

"Christ, they're running." Cass said nervously.

"Okay," Jack said to his shooters, "All you can do is slow them down, so aim for their legs. Use short bursts and hit the kneecaps if you can. But don't waste any ammo." The horde came within range, "Fire!"

The first shots were effective. Cass shot the legs out from under at least two while Jack hit three. The other shooters missed but kept firing. The barriers of furniture and rubble slowed the zombies down … but only for a few moments.

"We finished the circle!" Shouted a middle aged balding guy. He looked like he was having the worst mid-life crisis on record.

Cass, Jack and the shooters quickly fell back into the dining hall, barricading the door behind them. Talin began the incantation as the zombies bashed at the doors and windows.

Cass had a horrifying thought, "What if they're inside the circle when the spell is completed?"

Talin just continued muttering the spell, louder with each passing sentence.

A zombie ran headlong into a floor length window shattering the glass. Jack opened fire, shooting its legs out from under it. Another raced in behind it and pounced on Cass. They fell to the ground in a tangle of tanned and decaying flesh as they wrestled furiously. Its hands clasped around her windpipe. Cass felt herself becoming weaker, losing the battle as she did her best to keep it’s gnashing teeth away from her.

Talin's voice reached a crescendo and stopped, "It is complete." He said.

Cass was barely conscious when the zombie suddenly relaxed its grip. It stared at her for a moment…or would have if it still had eyes, until, in a rasping croak it said, "ahh…thank you," as if in relief.  Then it went limp.

The other zombies that had entered the circle weaved unsteadily and then collapsed as well.

Cass examined her opponent's body, "It’s dead… again. I mean really dead…like supposed to be dead…oh you know what I mean."

Jack looked out the window, watching in relief as the zombies outside the circle began to wander off into the jungle, "They're leaving," He shouted to the heaven’s as well as to the assembled crowd.

There was tremendous excitement until Talin chimed in.

"The circle makes us more or less invisible to them…but there is no need to tempt fate… So please keep it down!"

The survivors complied.

Fawn raced over to Jack, throwing herself around him with all her might. “Oh Jack, we made it!”

Jack was surprised, as he actually felt his heart skip a few beats with her embrace. She was a cute kid, and truth be told he realized he had actually developed something of a bond with her. Maybe it was just the whole zombie thing that had kind of thrown them together, or maybe there really was something there…

He hugged her back , kissing the top of her head, “Yeah, looks like we are going to be alright after all.” Maybe more than alright, he thought as he held her tight, caressing her back and nuzzling her to him.

Cass picked up Talin's head and cradled it in her lap.

She looked at him and smiled, "How long does the spell last?"

"As long as the circle remains intact we are safe." Talin replied.

Cass was beyond exhausted. It had been a hellish night, but they were finally safe, thanks to a circle of salt. She looked outside and did her best to smile. Surveying the carnage she knew they had paid a heavy price. It had been an insane night. Scores of tourists and soldiers had died, and then come back. Some of those were just so much hamburger, while many were even now wandering the surrounding jungles in search of human flesh. She had not had time to even think about the safety of the other villages on the island. They would be at the mercy of the horde. And then there was the whole my-boyfriend-is-just-a-severed-head thing to contend with. But she was confident that with his magic they could remedy that as well. They just had to bunk down for the night. With the new day they would figure out their next move. At least for now they were safe.

Then the first drops of rain began to fall… thin rivulets of water were already coursing across the earth as it quickly turned into a downpour.

THE END

Finding Love in a Dark World: Book 1

Cynthia Wilde

Copyright © 2016 by Cynthia Wilde.  All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Prologue

Earth is not what it once was, or so the story goes. It had been over twenty years since the third World War began. America was pulled into a conflict between China and Japan over a small set of islands that bordered the two nations. Russia and Iran jumped on one side and most of Europe and Australia jumped on the other. What had begun as a little dispute over a little island in the sea ended up killing billions of people.

War no longer resembled the entity it once was in the beginning of the 20th century. There were no more boots on the ground. Instead, war was fought with drones and weapons of mass destruction; nuclear weapons were a threat now turned into a reality. Once the first strike was launched, many more followed. No one even knew who started it or why it had begun, and there were few left to wonder. Less than one percent of the population survived the combination of bombs, radiation, EMPs, hunger, civil wars, weaponized flu strains and the full breakdown of society. Many people could not deal with the world the way things were. Many were driven to end their suffering themselves, taking their families with them.

Large cities were turned to rubble and most people didn’t dare go near them. Hundreds of thousands of house pets had taken over the urban areas. They had changed from comfort providing companions into radioactively-charged beasts. A few human survivors still lived in the midst of the chaos, though they lived in the underground, only coming out in the mornings while the beasts slept. Humans were no longer the top of the food chain. They had to learn humility in their new role in the world.

Humans now carved out small communities that were usually no more than a few hundred people, and they quickly learned to stay close together for safety. There were no governments, though there were leaders and followers as there had always been. Man’s evils still found their way into this new world, as they always had in the past.

1

Jessa sighed. It was going to be another hot day. She looked up at the sky and didn’t see a cloud in sight. There hadn’t been rain in weeks and the plants needed it. She resigned herself to fetching pails to water the garden instead. After she was done in her own yard, she still had to tend to the community garden in town. She braced herself for a long day.

They were always long days. She couldn’t remember it any other way. If only they still had those huge irrigation booms that she remembered passing in her childhood. She had passed by them as a little girl, riding in a car back then, with the wind blowing her hair back from her face. Jessa smiled from the memory.

After a few hours of watering, Jessa was finally finished, with that part of her day anyways. Her son was wandering around the flowers, looking for bugs. She had to smile at his antics. He was always happy, no matter what. She had feared that the death of his father would make him change for good, but after only a few years he was getting back to himself. Kids were resilient. Jessa sometimes wished that he could remember like she did, the way things were, but maybe this way was actually how it was supposed to be. Maybe it was easier for those that did not have the “before” memories to make the days now seem so much darker by comparison. Or maybe it was better to think of those memories of happier days as bright patches that lit up her life, however fleetingly, before the sun was blotted out again.

“Shane my love, time to come help me in the greenhouse, we have a lot of planting to do this afternoon.”

“Coming Mom.”

The rest of the day was spent under the clear plastic of the three greenhouses in the community garden. It was Jessa’s responsibility to make sure there were always new sprouts and plants to replace the old for the next crop. The village she lived in did not have a name, but they had taken her and her son in after her previous home became uninhabitable. Something had been present in the water, and it had killed most of the community. Her husband, Kraven had gotten them across what once was Mississippi before he died. Jessa found the small village twenty or thirty miles north of his final resting place. She was not sure what state she would be in now, maybe Kentucky would be a good guess, though it really didn’t matter where those once important imaginary lines were now.

The weather was decent there and with the rise in global temperatures, it was far enough from the equator to be habitable. Most gardens could be maintained all year round. There really were only two seasons at this point, the wet and the dry. For the moment, it was the dry season.

“Hey Jessa, are you coming by for dinner tonight?”

Jessa cringed a little inside, yet put on the fake smile that she had learned to add on in the morning when she brushed her hair. She could not stand Teresa and it seemed the women had annoyingly made it a point to make her a friend.

“Yeah. We will be over in a bit after we both wash up.”

“Okay, I have a friend coming over too. I think you guys will hit it off.”

Jessa had to smile to herself as she turned away. No doubt this was another one of her neighbor’s ploys to get her with someone. Why was it that everyone who was married or with someone decided that everyone else must do the same? She would never understand that.

Considering her general lack of any feeling of connection with her neighbor, she doubted that Teresa would ever choose someone that she would even actually consider being with. There were slim pickings in the town. There were quite a few men, but hardly any that were in any way her type. Men actually out-numbered women three to one and as a result it was seen as ludicrous to be a single woman in the new world. Naturally she should be adding to the population and be in the process of creating more babies, or so the prevailing wisdom went. With so many people lost in the last couple of decades, there was a constant push to procreate. But many women were lost in labor, as modern medicine was a thing of the past.

Relationships and sex were just not in her plans at this point. Jessa had lost her true love a few years before and she still was not ready to even think about starting something new. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to stay where she was. She had barely found anyone to talk to that she had anything in common with, and there was only one other child Shane’s age. But for the time being this was home to Jessa and her five-year-old son. She was trying to make the best of it. Anything would be better than being on the road, or heaven forbid being close to one of the old cities. Those were dangerous places in this new world.

Walking into the little house that Jessa was given when she moved into town, she instructed Shane to pour some water in the basin and wash himself. It was still warm enough outside to enjoy the cooler water and he happily went into the bathroom to take a sponge bath of sorts before they went to Teresa’s house. Teresa was also the mother of the one boy Shane’s age, Aidan, so Jessa tried extra hard to play nice with the neurotic housewife next door.

Sighing again when she saw her reflection in the mirror, she poured herself a small basin of water to wash up in. She grabbed a wash cloth and started to wash away the day’s sweat and grime and she quickly was able to see her face once again. The years had not changed her that much, though there were a few more lines from the last time she had cared enough to look. Deciding that her hair needed the same treatment, she refilled the basin with water and unwound her waist length hair to dip into the water. She quickly had her blonde hair cleaned and combed.

“Mom, are we going to Aidan’s tonight?”

“Yes honey, as long as you still want to go.”

“Yeah I do. Aidan found a new toy car yesterday and I have been dying to see it and he just got back this morning.”

“Well if you would spend some time looking, maybe you could find some new toys too. There are tons of houses that haven’t been searched up the hill that are safe to go to.”

“I know Mom.” The last syllable dragged out for emphasis.

2

Jessa decided on one of the dresses that she had not worn in a while. She did not know why, but she wanted to look nice for once. She even put on a little makeup before she brushed her hair out and left it down. The dress held close to her curves and accentuated the woman’s long legs. She usually did not dress that way so as to deter unwanted attention. As the new girl in town she got a lot more of it than she wanted anyways. They had been there almost 6 months in the town with no name and she still was receiving lascivious looks from all the wrong people.

About a half an hour later, Jessa knocked on the door of Teresa’s little villa style home with her son swinging his arms by her side.

“Come on in, dinner is almost ready.”

“Do you need any help?”

“Sure, come on in the kitchen, the men will be here soon. You look real nice. I don’t see you dress up much. Is it because of the fella I told you about?”

“Well there is rarely a reason to anymore, so I thought, ‘Why not?’”

“Isn’t that the truth.”

Shane ran off in the direction of Aidan’s room, knowing the way by heart. Teresa had one of the larger houses in the community and the two boys played there often. Her house was bigger, not because of her family size, but because she was married to the leader, Billy. He was a nice enough guy, though Jessa didn’t like the way he looked at her when his wife looked the other way or tended to something in another room. That was just another reason to dislike Teresa. She was unable to keep her man on a leash.

Jessa couldn’t stand those types of men, one eye always looking for a woman on the side. Times had changed with so many more men to women, and as such, a woman had to be extra careful even going out of the community. There was no longer an option to be a victim or the luxury to leave personal safety in someone else’s hands. Luckily, Jessa was raised to defend herself from just about anything.

A person could not be over ten years old without a gun or some similar type of weapon. People used crossbows, spear guns, and sometimes just relied on hammers or crowbars. Whether it was a gun or a baseball bat, one thing you could count on was that everybody was packing something. While many would think this would make things more violent, it seemed to have the opposite effect. People respected each other and their space a lot more than they used to back when government and business ran the world.

Women had more of a choice in how they were treated, though they had to stick to groups to avoid becoming prey to some man’s indiscretions. In the few years since Kraven’s passing, she had been both in groups and on her own at times. She found the group she was with currently and had stuck around. It was just safer in numbers, especially for women. If you were an attractive woman, with a face like Jessa’s, and an ass to boot, you had to be twice as careful.

Jessa stuck with the group for many reasons. A group would typically accept anyone to boost its numbers, but her survival skills and planting and herb knowledge made her a valued member. The fact that she already had one son boasted towards her fertility as well, which was highly valued. She was 29, a bit older than society used to like, but she was a survivor. That was what was needed now, and had become more highly valued than a delicate figure. Of course she happened to be both skilled and hot. She was tall and lean, with a mind that was sharp and thoughtful. She could grow, preserve and cook food better than most and she knew the skills needed to thrive in the rough landscape. She was a prize in many eyes, yet she had no desire to give herself up to a man.

Still, she had to admit that there were some aspects of being with a man that she missed, and not just because of the protection such an arrangement offered. Her physical needs often drove her to consider a toss with one of the locals, though she hadn’t broken down just yet.

Jessa was in the kitchen next to Teresa. They were talking about their day and making final touches to the meal. In addition to being her annoying neighbor, Teresa was the local teacher to the colony. Shane adored her as a teacher, so despite her irritation with the woman in general, Teresa tried to keep it in check for his sake. And there was still something deep down that she liked to preserve – a sense of neighborliness that she missed from the world she had grown up in. Besides, as much as it pained her to admit, she could see that Teresa had the best intentions.

Teresa was a typical woman of the colony, soft spoken with a hidden strength in her eyes. She was about a half a foot shorter than Jessa and quite a bit smaller because she lacked the heavier muscles and body structure that Jessa had utilized for her own survival. Teresa had clearly not been on her own the way she had been, raising Shane after Kraven’s passing. To boot, Teresa had health problems that kept her from hard work and her skin and muscle mass showed it.

The new breed of women were either independent like Jessa, with bodies that showed it, or they were like Teresa, living from one man to the next to ensure their safety and survival. Jessa thought of them as leeches, and felt disgusted by their parasitic nature. It was shameless to rely on someone else for your survival, and inexcusable unless you were a child. It was too difficult for her to respect.

The two women used the two wood stoves to finish making dinner. They even added some meat, making this meal a treat that Jessa was excited to share with her son. Once, long ago, there had been meat in every meal and acres and acres of domestic pigs and cows to make such extravagance possible. That was a thing of the past now. At this point almost all meat came on the point of an arrow, though some chicken and milk cow domestication was still practiced. There were two milk cows, a couple of goats, and about ten chickens in the community. One chicken apparently met an untimely end just for this occasion, and was now the main dish of their feast.

“Jessa, can you grab that skillet out of the bottom cabinet? I just can’t seem to lift it.”

Trying not to huff, Jessa grabbed the pan and hoisted it up onto the top of the table. It couldn’t have been more than 20-25 pounds, she thought, struggling to mask her annoyance. Luckily she didn’t have to try long.

The back door swung open at that moment and Jessa looked behind her to see a few men coming through, led by Teresa’s husband. Jessa was about to turn back to what she was doing at the table, when she saw a stranger walk in. He was trailing along behind the rest of the men and came in last, closing the door behind him.

3

Michael walked in after Seth, James and Billy. He had crossed paths with Billy on his way across the country, and had come to join the community at Billy’s urging. Michael had been wandering for years, and had thought maybe it was time for a rest. Maybe if the quest he had begun hears ago hadn’t turned out to be a wild goose chase, he would have been able to find some kind of purpose to his life. Still, as fruitless and empty of satisfaction as his crisscrossing journey had been, he had nevertheless been unable to stop.

Staying on the move became his only comfort. He had lost his wife and small son ten years before to a raiding party, and the subsequent fast moving fire that swept through their home had left him wandering the world as a lone soul. Since then, he went from town to town, searching for the ones who were responsible for the deaths of his family.

All he knew about what happened came from a few bits and pieces from passing witnesses. A gang had raided his home, leaving no survivors. A burned out shell was all that greeted him when he returned from his hunting trip. He and the other men had only been gone overnight but that was long enough for tragedy to strike. In that one evening he had lost whatever semblance of peace he had been able to create for himself in the barren world.

He had a friend named Solomon with him who had lost his own family as well. The two men started out searching together, but Solomon could not take the quiet nights and had taken his own life years before.

All that Michael had to go on in his search was a half burnt leather jacket with a laughing skull emblem on the back that he found snagged on a nail on the burned out timbers of his porch. There were also plenty of motorcycle tire tracks in the dirt around his house. These were the clues, along with the words of those few witnesses, which set him on his search for the motorcycle gang. Bikes were easier to maneuver around clogged roads and had become the vehicle of choice for most nomads. With all the debris and the roads in disrepair, motorcycles were the way to go – if you could get the fuel that is. Surprisingly, there still seemed to be enough of that for those dedicated to go hunt for it.

Michael remembered the world before all the destruction. He was a young college student when the first bombs dropped. He had seen more death in his time than anyone “pre-bombs”, as they called it, could ever imagine. Sometimes it felt to Michael that he had seen more people die in those years than many had seen alive in their whole lives. He had spent the first couple of years burying the bodies of his neighbors after the short stint he had spent living in an underground bunker.

After a huge outbreak swept through his hometown, killing almost everybody he had ever known and loved, he decided to hit the road. He couldn’t handle the constant reminder of death.

Eventually, he found purpose again in the form of his wife. Her whole family had died on their way home from a scavenging run and she was left alone. She had hidden when a group of bandits appeared. When he came across her, she had smiled at him just right and had needed his protection. He needed someone to need him and her infectious, up-beat personality sealed the deal. A year later they welcomed their son Christopher into the world and Michael was happier than he had ever been before. But they say life is cruel, and he learned first-hand just how cruel it could really be.

Michael had not seen a soul in weeks when he ran into Billy. When the stranger suggested he join up with their group, he couldn’t deny how good a home cooked meal sounded. He was in need of a little conversation. He had other needs that needed to be satiated as well, but he had learned that it could be months before he might find a suitable woman on the road. So, in short, he had more than a few reasons to accept Billy’s hospitality.

Truth be told, the lure of good food had been the real persuasion for him to put his mission on hold and rest for a while. After ten years some of the urgency had faded anyhow. He had been looking for years and still questioned if he was just chasing ghosts or his own demons. He deserved a break. And more to the point, he actually needed one for his sanity. He really just needed something to take his mind off of the past.

Despite his latent desires, he had not been expecting her. His throat practically closed up when he saw the women in the black dress, standing by a wood stove with a pot holder in her hand. Not the sexiest setting, but she looked at him with the deepest green eyes he had ever seen and the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. He could tell his sudden appearance disconcerted her for a moment as well. For just an instant they locked eyes, and then just as quickly they both looked away. A quick, perturbed frown crossed her face before she finally turned back around to set the pot holder down on the stove.

Facing him again, Jessa walked the few paces up to the men to say hello.

Billy was first to speak.

“Jessa, this is Michael. He’s just passing through on his way west.”

“Well I may stay a little while after all...”

His smile deepened as he stepped forward to shake the enchanting woman’s hand. He was stunned, just as she had been, upon first seeing her. There had been – and still was - an instant attraction between the two. Michael felt a stirring in his loins as he looked at her.

He was surprised by the firmness of her handshake and as he got a better sense of her, he noted the subtle rebellious stance that seemed to be her body’s standard pose. She was actually trying in vain not to be noticed, though Michael could not help but notice her. He had a feeling she knew exactly what was on his mind and he wondered if he really was as transparent as her reaction seemed to indicate.

“Nice to meet you Mike, welcome. I hope you are enjoying the community so far.”

“Oh yes, very much so.”

If Jessa would have been any other women, she may have swooned. Michael was just her type, if she had actually had one. The vibes she was picking up off of him were turning her knees to jelly. He was a hair shorter than her, maybe 5 foot 8, and built very well. He was obviously not afraid of hard work and that strength attracted her even more. Michael was wearing a cut off T-shirt that had many miles on it, with khaki carpenter shorts. He looked delicious and her chest tightened almost immediately to his presence. It had been far too long since she had felt this animal attraction, and she felt a sudden flush that caught her off guard.

To keep from embarrassing herself, Jessa nodded politely and went back to the skillet of chicken on the table. She turned her back to them all, dismissing them to give her body time to recuperate. Jessa needed a few minutes to settle her needful desires.

Michael waited for her to turn back around, but she didn’t. With one last backwards glance, he followed the guys out onto the porch to grab more wood as Teresa had requested. He made a mental note to find out what he could about this intriguing woman from some of the other men. He didn’t see a ring on her finger, but he figured that someone had a claim on her. You just didn’t find single woman like her anymore. It just didn’t happen.

***

“Damn Billy, I didn’t even say hello to your wife. I am sorry man.”

Billy just kind of chuckled to himself, “Yeah she has a way of doing that to a man, doesn’t she?” They both knew that the conversation was not about Billy’s wife anymore.

“So what’s her story, is she with anyone?” Michael knew that the chance was slim, but there was still hope in his heart. Even if she was with someone, maybe he could win her away from some other guy that didn’t deserve her as much as he did. His mind always found a way to create hope, to keep going. Everyone had to find a way to do that in this desolate new reality.

“Nope, but good luck with that one. No one has convinced her yet and she has been here for several months now. Some think that she likes women, but she even turned down the two lesbians who made a combined effort on her.”

Michael just kind of smiled to himself. He always did like a challenge.

4

Dinner was served a little while later and Michael was glad that he had decided to come back with Billy. He had not seen that much food selection in a long time, even at some of the bigger towns he had come across over the years. Between the food and the new woman, he was thinking that stopping here was one of the better decisions he had made in quite a while.

“Wow. May I ask where all of this food came from?”

“Didn’t you see our gardens when you came through town? The biggest one is at Jessa’s house though. In six month’s time, I swear, it’s already like a jungle over there. I don’t know what we would do without her. She keeps us all well fed. Even when there is nothing to hunt, we always have food.”

Jessa gave Teresa an embarrassed look. Her match making skills were as bad as her attempts at subtlety. The woman was not particularly stealthy with the wink that she sent her way either. Jessa wasn’t used to all the attention. Combined with this high school crush feeling that had come over her, all she wanted to do was to change the subject quickly.

Michael looked at Jessa then, though she would not meet his blue eyes. She instead turned to her son and helped him cut up some of the chicken on his plate. The conversation soon turned to the dangers of the road and the men all joined in with opinions on how to keep the town safe.

Michael told the table about the city just twenty miles from there. He had come across people that were not people anymore. Like the animals that had mutated, many of the humans that remained in the city close to all the supplies changed into something not quite human. He seemed particularly adamant when he spoke of the motorcycle gangs of nomads that were causing terror throughout the country, wreaking havoc wherever they went. Those were who Billy should worry about, in his opinion.

The whole room was quiet for some time as everyone there remembered their own run-ins with dangerous elements. Everyone had a story and they had all had more than one close call.

Jessa looked over at Michael a couple of times while the conversation flew all around them. She actually made solid contact with his haunting aquamarine eyes once. Disconcerted with the shiver that ran up her spine, she had looked away quickly.

Jessa did not stay much longer that night and she feigned a headache to the company. She bade them all farewell and left quickly. She sent one last look at the man that was sitting across from her before she got up to leave. Shane wanted to stay longer, but she was firm with him and he relented after he realized that she was not going to give in.

Michael was disappointed that she had left so soon. He had thought she might be interested in him, and felt a pang in his heart that perhaps he had misread her feelings. Maybe she really did have a headache. Regardless, he hoped that he would get to see more of her soon.

He told himself that he would make it so and continued the game of darts that the men had started outside. He was completely aware the entire time though, of the silent woman who was entering the house next door to them. He could see what Teresa had been talking about. There did seem to be a rather impressive growth of plants around the quiet woman’s home. She certainly had the magic touch when it came to horticulture. His musings were interrupted as he noticed the dim candle lights quickly light inside and her soft shadows as she moved through the house.

5

Never being one for darts, Michael lost often and usually by a wide margin. Tonight was no exception, especially considering that he could not get the woman out of his mind. He couldn’t help but constantly glance over at the house next door.

There was only one room lit after a while and he assumed that the woman had put her son to bed. He mumbled something about having to piss to the other guys and started walking toward the outhouse behind Billy’s house.

As he neared the rear of the house, he caught himself looking into Jessa’s windows. He stopped moving when he saw the flickering light move to the last room in the house. Slowly he walked further back, forgetting completely that he had to go to the bathroom. He stopped again, taking in a sharp involuntary breath as he spotted her through the window.

The lit room turned out to be the woman’s bathroom. She was in the process of undressing to clean herself after a long day. The man pushed himself against the house, trying to become invisible. He was mesmerized as she took off her shirt and bra. Michael swallowed, the knot forming in his throat as he saw her pale pink nipples rising in the night air. The window was slightly open, and he could have sworn he could smell her sweetness wafting over to his hiding spot.

Jessa bent down and when she stood back up, he could see the small patch of hair between her thighs that matched the blonde on her head. Like her, the hair was neat and trim. Michael’s hand itched to seize himself, but remained at his side while his eyes held steady on her, unblinking. When she turned full on towards the window it was almost all he could take.

Seeing her in all of her glory sealed his need for the mysterious woman. Every inch of her body was smooth and tempting. A sponge in hand, she started to rub her shoulders and neck with soapy water. The man watched the drops cascade down her form, her nipples hard tips. He wanted to be there with her, rubbing all the places he knew she would like. He was full of gratitude just to be able to see such a beautiful sight. It had been quite a while since he had even had this much action.

Jessa’s hands spent time rubbing in circles on her breasts, her fingers slightly massaging the soft underside. Her globes were large and jiggled as she moved. Michael’s heart stopped in his chest when he saw her pinch one of her nipples between her fingers and then close her eyes with the pleasure.

She bent down and his heart pounded in his ears while he waited for her to come back into view. When she did she rinsed her front and the man melted in his shoes. The sponge in her hand pressed between her legs, and by the look on her face, she was doing more than cleaning. Every few seconds he could hear a soft moan and a panting sound as she rubbed her wet, slippery womanhood.

Jessa dropped the sponge and her fingers continued the soft exploration of her slit. Michael felt a rising in his pants and every soft noise from her lips made his pants more uncomfortable. Her one hand moved faster while the other hand cupped and fondled her breasts. He could hear her working herself to a crescendo and then a loud whimper pierced the night air. Michael was surprised to realize that the sound was from him.

The woman’s hands stopped and her eyes squinted out into the night. Michael pushed himself further into the bushes and his heart pounded while he waited. He was afraid to look and only did when a considerable amount of time had passed.

Jessa finished washing her body off in the basin and she was humming to herself. Michael could hear the sweet sound and relaxed. He was completely captivated by her. She released her hair from a messy bun and it flowed down her wet body, sticking to her flesh in some areas. Her hair was past her waist and it served to cover just enough of her breasts to tantalize him even more. She continued to wash her hair and when she raised her arms to work in the shampoo and faced the window, Michael finally grabbed his own hardness, tugging it instinctively. He choked a little bit and threw himself under a bush when she heard him again.

Cursing himself, he hid for what seemed like hours until he heard Billy’s inebriated voice calling for him. He got up and rejoined them quickly. He was not sure yet if he wanted to stay around the little town, but he did know there was someone he wanted to take with him if or when he left. Of course, that would be up to her.

***

Jessa kind of smiled to herself. She really should put a curtain up. The men around the community always seemed to find a way to walk past her windows at night. Even though she told herself she hated the public attention, Jessa found it exciting to think that someone was watching her in her more private moments. She really hoped that it was Michael this time. Still, she knew she shouldn’t tease, so she debated which privacy bush she should plant in the back, though she had to remind herself that she wasn’t going to be there that long. She went into her son’s room to check on him, then went to her own bed to lie down for the night.

Sleep usually came easily from all the hard work during the day, but that night she found herself doing something entirely different. She was surprised to find herself thinking about a man besides her husband for the first time in quite a while. Up until then she had believed that Kraven had been and still was her one true soul mate. As a result, she thought it was pointless to even contemplate looking for another man. Why bother? But Michael had caught her eye and stirred up some feelings she was not expecting. The thing was, she was not sure how she even felt about feeling anything at all. When she finally did doze off, she was thinking about how much she missed the feeling of a man’s strong arms around her. It had been far too long since Jessa had been able to have the real thing.

***

The next morning, Jessa and her son did their normal watering. Since his father had died, Shane had taken on a bit of the role of the man of the house, and as a result he was determined to learn to shoot and hunt. Jessa was happy to support him in this for many reasons, both practical and emotional. So, like on many other days, she took him out in the woods for some practice. It wasn’t long, however, before his initially fervent attention to mastering the bow began to wane. Then he heard Aidan playing and completely lost whatever interest had remained.

“Mom, can I please go play?” He was still just a kid.

His eyes were hopeful and she found it hard to say no to him in moments like this. She would have given him anything, though she really just wished she could change the world in which they both lived. She knew there had to be something better.

“Make sure to stay close hon. Stay where Teresa can see you at least. I am going to grab some alyssum for the salad. I saw some yesterday on the edge of the woods. I will be back in a bit, baby.”

Jessa kissed his forehead and watched him scamper away next door towards his friend’s house. The woman watched him until he caught up with Aidan and he turned to wave to her. That was the pair’s all clear sign.

It wasn’t long before Jessa came across the fragrant white flowers she had been looking for. Bending down to her knees, she quickly pulled out some shears from her pocket to cut the flowers. She was halfway done when she heard a rustling in the brush immediately to her left. Looking up instinctively as to ascertain the cause, she had barely swiveled her head when she felt a sharp, instantly dizzying pain to her temple, even as her world turned black.

Unsure what was going on, Jessa came to a few minutes later with a man on top of her groping her body and trying to rip her clothes off with his rough hands. She immediately recognized him as one of Billy’s friends, but couldn’t quite remember his name. He was not very likeable and she had always unconsciously steered clear of him. Now she knew her instincts had been correct, if there had ever been any doubt.

As the man grabbed her and wrestled with her unyielding body, she didn’t feel fear. It was almost surprising, but she actually felt only regret. She had only just recently gotten the garden the way she wanted it and now they were going to have to leave. If she managed to get out of this, that was.

Shane was only just recovering from his father’s death and a glint of his childhood innocence had finally returned. And now he would lose his little friend, his home, and probably whatever vestiges of a normal childhood she had tried to foster for him. Those were the vague thoughts that went through her mind as she struggled to clear the fog from her spinning head. As her mind cleared further she knew she had to take action.

Turning her head to the side, she searched with her eyes and her free hand for the shears she had held moments ago. She also wished her pants were still on for many reasons, but mostly so she could get at her other weapon, her favorite knife which had been in her belt. Suddenly, she saw the glint of the metal shears to her left, although they were maddeningly just out of reach. Although her mind still felt cloudy and she was just beginning to get a sense of her body being at her command again, the one advantage she seemed to have was that this man was so fixated on violating his prize that he seemed oblivious to the fact that “it”, which is to say that she, was waking up.

He was feverishly pulling her panties down and she could feel his fingers clawing at her crotch as he tried to jam a few fingers inside her. With his other hand he was trying, unsuccessfully as well, to unzip his pants. Frustrated at his inability to multitask at this crucial moment, he quickly withdrew his hand from between her legs, so as to address his damned stuck zipper.

Rebalancing himself on his knees to pull down his vexing pants, he leaned back and away from her just a bit. The subtle shift in his weight offered Jessa just enough freedom to reach the extra inch and wrap her hands around the very welcomed feel of cold hard steel. Seizing the moment instinctively, she adroitly pivoted on her hip, quickly capitalizing on his momentary off-balance posture. The man toppled over and she was now the one in charge.

With surprising speed and agility she straddled him, and just as quickly and unhesitatingly, she plunged the shears into his chest down to the handle. Springing away from him, she watched as the bleeding man reached for her, keenly aware that he might still somehow have some fight left in him. One thing was clear by the shock in his eyes. He definitely had not seen that coming.

Jessa stumbled away from him as his arms quickly fell to his sides and he toppled face first in the dirt, dead. But the bigger danger had not passed. She put her head down to collect her thoughts. What the fuck was she going to do now? The question kept running through her mind. The answer was harder to find.

They were going to have to leave the community. It didn’t matter that the man attacked her. There were many people that wouldn’t believe her and would surely think that it was somehow her fault. She wasn’t very talkative and people found that trait suspicious. Some people felt like women did not have the option to say no anymore, let alone fight back in the new male-dominated landscape. A woman had the choice of finding a man to protect her, or traveling as a gypsy from place to place with the constant risk of being assaulted.

It took a minute for her to realize she did not have any clothes on below the waist and that her shirt was almost ripped off of her. Finding the clothes that had so recently been torn off and dressing herself helped her collect her thoughts even as she touched her head gingerly, feeling a bump forming. Blood had clotted in her hair and smeared her face, even as it mixed with Chase’s blood on her clothes. She walked slowly to the stream nearby so she could take a quick impromptu bath. She was thinking hard about how she was going to get into town in this state without drawing too much attention to herself. She didn’t even notice the man watching her from behind the trees.

***

Michael stepped back and went completely still as she passed. If he had not just witnessed what he had, he would have never believed it. He had come across the two as the man sat on top of Jessa. At first he was unsure what was happening but then had seen the blood on her head and knew something was very wrong. Just then she had started to struggle. Before he could utter a word though, he watched her stab the man to death with one quick strike. Her eyes were filled with an emptiness that he had never witnessed in a person, let alone a woman.

Shock kept him transfixed as the woman watched the man die, not a second of sympathy, or any real emotion, apparent on her face. Her face had a hollow look as she stood by, ready to finish the job if needed. Then it appeared that she had a moment of uncertainty. At least that’s how it looked, but as quickly as it was there, it passed, and she apparently came to a decision. He followed from a distance in the brush as she made her way to the stream. He watched a moment longer, till she had stripped at the water’s edge and hurriedly stepped into the water with a small gasp. The natural spring fed directly into it, so he knew how cold it must be.

As much as he would have liked to stay and watch the death dealing wood nymph in all her nude splendor, he also wanted to help her. He hurried back to the house he was staying in at the edge of town as quickly as he could. He got an extra shirt from his bag and returned just as quickly to put it next to her clothes by the bank. He wasn’t sure why he did it, but Michael took her ripped shirt in exchange.

6

Jessa was not sure who had left a shirt for her, but it was probably a man. At least it was a man’s shirt. Whoever it was must have seen what had happened, because her bloody ripped shirt was gone as well. Now, even more ill at ease with the knowledge that someone else knew of what she had done, Jessa completely forgot about her assaulter’s dead body.

What was she going to do? If she buried it, it would give her a bit more time before she would have to leave. Being the shady type that that guy was, everyone would just think he had slipped off and left town. And truthfully she could think of any number of other scenarios that people might assume had caused his absence. There was always some good in the bad if you looked hard enough. Her Mom had taught her that. Maybe she could even stay until fall so she could harvest and preserve enough for the winter on the road. She just had to hope that whoever had left the shirt was a friend, which seemed likely. Still she didn’t like to be out of control. Maybe whoever it was would want something in return for their silence.

Jessa got back to the body, or where it was supposed to be at least, and there was nothing there. She did a double take to be sure she was in the right place. Sure enough, the blood still coated the ground, but there was no body. She also detected no discernible trail. What could have happened? Afraid that maybe he was somehow still alive, Jessa’s heart sank. She immediately raced back to town to get her son. It didn’t seem possible that things could get worse, but they were, in fact, getting worse and worse by the minute. She ran back in a controlled panic, and was both surprised and relieved to hear her son’s distinct laughter as she approached the end of her street. Blessedly, nothing seemed to be amiss. Still, understandably alarmed by the day’s events, she was walking back to her house when she saw Teresa waving to her.

“Hey Teresa, where’s Shane? Is he ok?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t he be? They are just playing out back. Did you see Mike?”

“No, should I have?”

“No, but Billy has been looking for him for a while. He wanted him to go with him fishing later. Mike was supposed to be getting some worms and bait in the woods. I thought you would have seen him out there. Oh well, I am sure he will turn up. No big deal.”

Jessa said a few more pleasantries and asked Shane if he wanted to come help her make dinner. He declined, wanting nothing to do with chores of any kind of course. She was relieved. She didn’t know why she had even asked him. It must have been habit.

She entered the house alone and as soon as the door closed behind her, she pressed her back against it, breathing slowly. She needed to collect herself. It was upon finally relaxing and calming her mind that she noticed the masculine smell coming off of the shirt she wore. Closing her eyes for a moment, she lifted the collar and inhaled. The smell quickly reminded her of the man she had met the night before, and how he had made her feel in his presence. Just as quickly she put the pieces together.

***

Dinner that night consisted of baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, string beans and a salad. Jessa had just set the table and was going to call Shane in, when she stopped at the kitchen window. Michael was out front playing catch with him and her son was beaming with the attention. Her son missed his father. He missed having a man to look up to and show him the way. Hating to break the fun up, she called for Shane to come in and eat. To her astonishment, after Shane said something to the man, he started to follow the boy into the house. Great, she thought, this is just what I need. Her mind and body were already addled enough.

“Mom, I invited Mike over for dinner. You always say there’s enough for everyone.”

“Of course hon.” she said, even if she wasn’t exactly feeling it.

She patted the boy’s head before she sent Mike a glare with barely contained hostility. Although a part of her knew she should be grateful, what she felt was anger at the knowledge that this man had in a small way “saved her.” She had gotten so used to doing everything on her own that she wasn’t sure she was ready to let down her walls and receive any help. Seeing that look, Mike almost changed his mind about staying for dinner, especially after thinking of the fate of the last man who crossed her. He brushed whatever second thoughts he had aside and chose to follow his impulse and push ahead and pass through the door.

“Welcome, Michael was it?”

She looked at the man again, her face back to neutrality as she awaited his reply.

“Shane, go wash up dear.”

Jessa watched her son huff to the bathroom, a little perturbed his mother had spoken to him like a child in front of his new friend. She turned to speak to Michael, who had suddenly gotten so close to her that she forgot her own words in surprise. She took a step back, but Michael grabbed her gently around her waist and pulled her to him. He huskily spoke in her ear, “I like this shirt much better on you.”

Jessa’s body felt electrified like never before, not even with her husband. The man’s touch sent her body on edge and she backed up from his grasp. The knowledge that it had been he who left the shirt only intensified her body’s reaction. She did not feel a danger, but rather a need that could be even more dangerous to the woman. Her body was responding to this virile man. She moved too quickly and winced and grabbed her head reflexively. It was becoming a very eventful, as well as confusing, day for the young woman.

“Let me take a look at that.”

“No. I’m fine. I have taken care of it already.”

“I bet you have. But let me look.”

Michael touched her gently, pushing long strands of her hair back to see the wound. It looked as if she was hit by the butt of a gun and there was a substantial cut. He also noticed flecks of green and a clear jelly on the wound.

“Here, let’s clean it out.”

“It is clean. Those are herbs so it doesn’t get infected.”

“You’re a healer as well?”

Shane came out of the bathroom and Jessa pulled herself from Michael, looking away.

“You ready to eat, baby?”

7

The meal was simple, but delicious. With as much traveling as he was used to, Michael was used to scavenging for what he ate. He couldn’t remember the last time he had had butter. Very few people even knew how to make it anymore. He had not seen sour cream since before the bombs.

“How in the world did you make sour cream?”

“I found some vinegar a while back. You just mix it up and let it sit for a while.”

She made it sound so simple. He guessed it was, but you had to know how to do it. There were other luxuries that he noticed that he had not seen since the time before all the destruction, when society ran like a well-oiled machine. Another luxury was the alcohol that he was drinking, a sort of moonshine. It was strong and he could feel its effects almost immediately with the first sip. As they finished their meal and he drained the last of his drink, he felt an uncharacteristic groggy feeling spread through him, which soon gave way to unconsciousness. The next time he opened his eyes, he was still sitting there, but now with his cheek resting on the table. As he slowly raised his head, he saw that the boy was nowhere in sight.

“Come on big boy, time to go lie down.”

“What was in that drink?”

“Nothing you won’t sleep off dear.”

With him in a more vulnerable state, Jessa leaned in and captured his lips with hers. Her tongue teased his mouth open, before he could reciprocate. She gently nipped his lips as his hand grabbed at her breast. It didn’t matter how out of it a man was, they always had energy for that, she thought. He moaned into her mouth before he passed out completely once more.

Jessa looked down at the man lying unconscious in her bed. It really was a shame, she thought. He would have been one of the men she actually would have considered for a real relationship…or at least for a few romps in the hay. She couldn’t help but look at the bulge that had yet to go down in his pants. She reached out and grabbed it with her hand, saddened further by the size of it. Such a shame, she thought again.

8

Michael woke up with a start and quite a pounding headache. He completely forgot where he was for a minute. He looked around and found himself in Jessa’s bed, but she was nowhere to be seen. Walking through the house, he could see that the essentials were missing. The top drawers of her dresser were open and empty. The once full cupboard was half bare. The woman was gone.  Michael’s heart sank.

He was frustrated and a little angry, but a look around her little house made him even more intrigued. For such a small house, every inch was used efficiently. There were plants and herbs preserved and drying in every room that he walked through. He did not even know what half of them were, but it sure looked impressive. There were plants growing indoors, almost as many as there were growing outside. He had the sinking feeling that Jessa had run away, and it was because of his shirt comment. Somehow he had gotten the crazy idea that she would be grateful for his help. Instead, she seemed pissed. One thing had stayed the same since before the bombs, he thought. He still didn’t understand women. Mike would have never told anyone what happened, but she didn’t know that. He had scared her off. A wave of guilt and some self-condemnation washed over him. Well, she wasn’t getting away so easily. He would just have to find her.

***

Jessa walked down one of the overgrown side roads on her way towards the coast. She had been trying to decide about their trip for a while and the incident with that creep – that dead creep now - cemented the idea. She was craving the saltwater and Shane had never even seen the ocean before. That was something she wanted to rectify.

She figured that it would take a few months and she had brought enough dehydrated vegetables and jerky, as well as energy cakes she made out of ground acorn, mixed dehydrated berries and animal fat, to make the journey. Shane was understandably not very excited about leaving the little town, though he knew that there must be a reason and listened when his mother woke him up and told him to pack. They each had a full pack on their backs, since what they could carry was now the sum total of their worldly possessions.

He was used to moving around. The last six months had been the longest they had stayed in one place. He knew his mother was fearful of traveling alone and he picked up on her added stress. He was not quite sure what she was afraid of. She would never admit she was afraid, but Shane knew when she was. He liked the idea of traveling again and he always looked at it like an adventure. He was going to miss Aidan and even that new man Michael, but he did not want to stay in that tiny town forever. There were so many things that he was told growing up, the stories of the way the world used to be and he wanted to see more of what was left. Mostly knew he had to be brave for his mom.

“Where are we going Ma?”

“Well baby, I would love to see the ocean again, and wouldn’t you like to see water everywhere as far as you can see?”

“Yes, I am ready for an adventure!”

Jessa smiled down to him. He constantly reminded her of how wise beyond his years he was and of the uncanny ability children have to adapt to almost anything. He was already adjusting to this new “adventure” as he called it. He must have gotten that from his father.

His father had been convinced that they must move around a lot, constantly searching. He was always looking for the perfect place to make a home. It had been over four years though, and they had never found it. Kraven had always done more than love her. He had been her constant protector and had shown it many times during the course of their travels. There was also more than one or two times that he had saved their young child. She was especially nervous about traveling alone with her son. She was afraid she would not be able to protect him as she needed to. A gun and a crossbow had been added to the weapons on hand, though she still felt vulnerable.

After all, there was no such thing as police to protect them now. The thought of dialing 911 actually made her wince. Wouldn’t that be nice. She would be calling every day, she mused to herself.

While Jessa remembered life before only vaguely, she had definitely remembered police. People did not have some uniformed force to depend on to save them anymore. They only had their own wits and skills and those of whoever they were living or traveling with. There was some protection and safety in numbers, but it seemed to her that you had to lose free will in the balance and it just wasn’t worth it to her.

Deep down she hoped she wasn’t being pigheaded and foolish. Hopefully her stubbornness would not get them both killed. But she had to be true to herself. What was the point of being safe if she could not decide how to live in that safety on her own terms? Jessa had always agreed with her husband that there must be someplace she could do that as part of a community. She was determined that if she couldn’t find such a place, she would help to build one. Now that he was gone, she was more determined than ever to make that place a reality.

9

Jessa smiled at her good fortune. The pair had stumbled across a small cottage in the middle of the woods that seemed to have been empty for a while. She felt she was far enough away from the road to build a fire, as she was not too worried about thieves as deep in as they were. Shane was in the back room sleeping. She had strung some can lines in the woods as a make shift alarm system for some added protection. A minute’s warning was often the difference between life and death these days. Jessa had also secured his room with a few extra boards on the inside. With that extra sense of security, she was now outside enjoying one of her guilty pleasures; a joint. The civilized world may have ended, but at least there was plenty of pot now. Not only was it the best weed anyone had ever smoked, but the seeds were highly nutritious and not too bad tasting as an addition to almost any meal.

Sitting back with her eyes closed, Jessa exhaled the sweet pungent smoke out of her nose. She replayed the day’s events, but instead of focusing on the attack, she thought of the man whose shirt she still wore.

“You mind if I take a drag?”

Jessa was stunned to hear a voice so close, not even hearing any steps beforehand. So much for her tin can alarm system. She opened her eyes and almost started to scream, but the sound was stifled by a large hand. His face pressed against hers, replacing the fingers with his mouth. His tongue delved into her mouth quickly, demanding her attention.

She struggled against him, though her size was no match for his strength. He had the jump on her and she was worried about where it was going to go as she could feel his excitement growing against her. She didn’t get a bad vibe like before, but he was understandably pissed off from being drugged a few hours before. The biggest difference was that now she wanted to feel his hands on her, and even more so, she needed it. They both had felt this attraction from the moment they had laid eyes on each other.

His hands were pushing her body against the grass, his mouth never leaving hers for a moment. He touched her ribs, and then went up to one of her soft mounds, his fingers tweaking her nipples roughly. Her struggle had stopped so abruptly that Michael was not sure how he had gotten to find himself on top of her. He was still a bit pissed that she had slipped something into his drink. Seeing her out there relaxed and smoking a joint though, he had quickly forgotten any anger he had been feeling. She was irresistible to him. He remembered her naked in the bathroom and at the creek. Her body felt even better below him then he could have imagined and he just couldn’t help himself. His anger was replaced with a lust that he had not experienced since his youth. He had that all-consuming desire to bury himself deep inside her.

His hands found the bottom of her skirt and realized she must have changed since he had seen her last, though she was still wearing his shirt on top. He wanted to see that as a sign that maybe she did care for him. His fingers slowly crept up her leg. It was not until he had reached her panties that she started to protest anew.

“Please stop. I’m sorry, okay?”

“Do you really want me to stop?”

“Yes.”

Michael was not anticipating that answer. He sat back on his knees, looking at her red lips, bewildered expression, as well as those lust filled eyes. She still held the burning joint in her hand. Michael grabbed the joint and put it to his lips and sucked. Inhaling deep, he handed it back to her and crawled between her splayed legs. Her white panties beckoned to him like a beacon in the night. He heard her gasp as he jerked her underwear to one side and took a nice long lick.

“Smoke your joint and let me have a taste. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

Jessa seemed satisfied with the request, as well as with the statement, because she merely looked at him with legs slightly wider and took a nice long drag. The orange end lit up her face for a moment as she watched the back of his head.

Michael smiled to himself and pulled her panties off. Lying on his stomach in the grass before her, he used his fingers to spread her even wider. Exposing her tiny pleasure spot, he attached to it with his mouth and started to suckle hard. She squirmed underneath him, while Michael used his forearms to hold her lower body down and keep her in his mouth. She tasted sweet to him as he drank from her like she was an oasis in the desert.

Jessa’s fingers found themselves entwined in his hair, pulling him closer to her core. She needed the release that she felt she was so close to. Her hands were now on him like a vise as she pulled him into her wetness. He withdrew from her and all she could do was moan in frustration with the absence. Her eyes were glazed as she looked up at him from the grass.

Michael did not leave her alone long though. He pulled his pants off and freed his iron rod in one fluid movement in front of her. The woman’s chest heaved when he revealed himself and her insides twitched in anticipation. She could already feel it inside of her and she clenched pleasurably at the thought.

Michael knelt down between her legs, eagerly holding himself in his tightened fist. He put the head just at her weeping opening and waited at the slippery gates. He had to stop himself from plunging into her immediately.

“May I enter?” he asked, semi-teasingly.

Michael did not move, just waited at the cusp. He waited so long that he thought he may not get any answer at all. Heat emanated from her and drove the man wild with lust and want. He longed to bury himself inside of her, but he refused to take someone who did not want it. He begged her in his head, but he couldn’t meet her eyes, afraid she would not be as turned on as he was.

“Yes.”

So softly the words were said that Michael almost didn’t hear them. But he did and with that he plunged ahead in a rush. She was soaking wet and he slid all of his fat cock inside of her. He heard her scream, like she was in the distance. He felt a moment of guilt for not allowing her body to adjust to his size, but was soon completely lost in her suffocating folds.

Michael leaned closer to her, driving in even deeper with his action. Jessa moaned again as he filled her and his blunt end pushed against her womb. Yanking his shirt up, he captured one of her jiggling globes in his mouth. His teeth started to bite her nipple gently and then he was clenched by her slippery walls.

Jessa’s whole body released all of its energy and she felt as if she had exploded. Her pussy clamped onto Michael’s thick cock and started to convulse around it again. Her orgasm came strong and hard and every squeeze of her walls seemed to pull him in deeper. She could not stop the undulating waves of her body as she was overwhelmed with the stimulation.

Michael tried to calm her, but her body would not stop trembling and shaking. He pulled his dick from her in a jerk and Jessa collapsed with her legs splayed in a daze on the ground. Michael put his head back between her legs and started lapping up the woman’s essence from her orgasm. Jessa jumped every time his tongue grazed her sensitive button. He pulled back, inserting a finger where his tongue had been before.

Amazed at how tight she felt even to his finger, he started stroking her insides, trying to widen her so he had a chance of lasting more than a few minutes. Her moans became louder and she came again from his ministrations, this time on his hand. Jessa’s whole body tightened up underneath him and then a rush of fluid came out around his thick fingers. Transfixed, he continued to pump into her until she was pushing back against his hand. Even then, he finger fucked her for another few moments before her moans got higher pitched and desperate sounding. Her hand was firm against his, trying desperately to pull his digits out of her.

He pulled up from her, watching her face as she thrashed from side to side. Her face was stuck with a state of euphoria on it. Kneeling down and adding a finger to make two in her tight snatch, he started to pump slowly again. Her cries were only increased when his mouth re-found her nub. He thought she was going to buck him off like a wild horse the way her body was moving underneath him.

“Please stop, no more. I can’t take anymore!”

“Jessa, we’re just getting started.”

Quickly, Michael was kneeling between her legs. He wiped the juice off of his stubbly chin and positioned himself against her quivering quim. Not asking this time, Michael thrust forward quickly, burying himself in heaven once more. His grunt of sheer pleasure masked hers of unprepared surprise. Even after multiple squirting orgasms, her pussy still felt tight enough to crush his dick and he had to grit his teeth to stop himself from exploding.

He pulled out of her very slowly, her walls griping his cock with every inch that left her. He plunged into her again, this time hitting her bottom and pushing forward harder. Surging inside of her for the second time was almost his end, because Jessa was coming again, all over his cock. As the woman flooded her womb, he could feel it leaking out of her with each back stroke of his pumping member.

“You feel so good.” he said with more tenderness than he meant to reveal.

Michael grabbed her thighs and threw her legs over his shoulder, pulling her tighter against him. She moaned when he went deeper inside, filling her completely with his throbbing meat. Her eyes were closed tight and she seemed to be in one long orgasm. Her sweet pussy milked his cock with each wave of pleasure that crashed over her, threatening to make him erupt early. So long had it been since Michael had felt such tight folds, such wetness that he was finding his own personal struggle to avoid immediate climax close to painful at that point. Tasting blood from biting his own lip, he struggled with his control as her body writhed underneath his in abandon.

Moving faster inside of her, he wrapped his arms around her thighs and started to piston in and out of her. Her moaning increased with the speed of his hips and Michael was quickly losing himself to her whimpering. He shrugged her legs off of him and they fell on each side of his body. Seeing his cock buried into her tight snatch was too much for him and he finally started to come. He sawed in and out of her a few more times, rubbing her clit as jet after jet streamed into her sweat soaked body. He pushed deep and blasted hard against her womb, filling her with his gooey seed.

Satisfaction did not aptly describe how he felt after spending himself so completely. Her body glistened with sweat and he could see his white cum pouring out of her when he pulled out. Her eyes were closed and her lips were pursed just a bit. Long shapely legs stood wide open and Jessa looked exhausted. Wrestling his shirt off, he used it to gently wash his seed off of her exposed flesh, steam rising off of her in the cool night air. He could not help but rub her clit gently, stroking her to another orgasm. Her hand grabbed his with renewed strength and pulled it away from her.

“Ok, ok…enough…”

She stood up a bit wobbly, trying to get her bearings. Straightening her clothes, Jessa walked into the little cottage and sank onto the second bed alongside the one in which Shane was still fast asleep. The walls still had some kid’s posters hanging where they were once pinned with such care. Her mind had not seen this coming, but her body was grateful nonetheless. Still, she knew it couldn’t last. Before she had a chance to think further, her body succumbed to the combined exhaustion of her journey, as well as to the release of the sex, and she was asleep moments after her head hit the pillow.

10

Awakening with a start, Jessa realized Shane was awake as well. It had been his slight movement that woke her. She was still tired but knew it was just as well she had awakened. She knew what they had to do. She had known all along. She whispered for him to get up and grab his bag. She made the signal for silence and he complied without question. He could feel that something was disturbing his mother, so he just did as he was told in silence. The stealthy communication had become second nature in this new world of survival. It was not the first time that they had had to leave quickly and without detection.

They left the house with practiced efficiency, leaving Michael asleep in an adjacent room where he had apparently crashed to sleep after his own spent passion. Jessa was thankful that Shane had not seen him as they left. They moved north, changing course and making sure to leave no marks behind to be tracked. She settled back into the woods, moving quickly, her son walking deftly beside her. He was beginning to show signs that he would become a natural woodsman, she noted. But her mind was addled and her thoughts returned to the man she had just escaped.

She wanted to put as much distance between them and Michael as she could. She was convinced that having him in her life meant nothing but trouble. If nothing else, he was trouble for her at least. Her body ached with every step she took and her insides were sore and raw. It was a pleasurable pain though, and the barest hint of a smile played on her face as she walked with her son into the rising sun.

***

Michael slept better than he had in years, feeling pleasurably dead to the world. His mind had stopped racing as he had just lain there, totally sated. He awoke on the short sofa, he legs sticking almost a foot off the edge. He could not help but smile at the prior night’s events. He had one of those smiles that could be felt from one side of the face all the way to the other. Stretching, Michael’s first instinct was to check on her. He just wanted to see her, maybe just to affirm that the night had really happened, but he thought against it.

He remained in bed for almost another hour and still had not heard the slightest sound from the shuttered bedroom. After he had changed his clothes, which he still wore from the day before, he washed his face and started a small fire outside for breakfast. He found it hard to imagine, him cooking breakfast like he was the woman in the relationship. He didn’t care though. If playing the female role got him sex like that, he would do any little chore needed to make her happy. Hell, he’d put on a dress too if that’s what it took.

Unable to wait anymore, Michael nudged the bedroom door open quietly. He could not believe that the kid, at least, hadn’t gotten up yet. He fondly remembered his own always being the first one up in the house. He knew that door had not budged since he had been up because his eyes were never far from it. One always had to be ready in this world.

As he opened the door, he realized with a start that they were gone. Unable to believe his eyes, he hurriedly checked the rest of the small house. He scanned the immediate perimeter as well, calling their names.

Looking around he quickly surmised that all of their belongings were gone as well. She had taken it all with her, which meant that wherever she went, she did not plan on returning. Michael cursed and smashed his fist into the wall. Here he was sleeping like a baby from the best night of his life thinking he had finally found a woman…and not just any woman, but a woman he could really have feelings for, and she had up and left him in the night. Just his luck to lose her before they even got started. He knew he shouldn’t have come on so strong, but he hadn’t been able to help himself. Fuck. He had blown it again.

After a moment of malaise, he realized she couldn’t be that far ahead, especially traveling with a child on foot. She couldn’t have left before the sun came up, could she? He didn’t know, but he knew that he had to find her. He had to find her again, he corrected himself with a shake of his head. He knew she liked him. It was obvious. He just had to get her to see that they could be a good thing for each other.

With Michael’s mind set, he packed up quickly and picked up the tortillas his domestic smitten ass had actually made for the stubborn woman and her son. He had planned on a sort of breakfast in bed, and maybe impressing her with his thoughtfulness. They were simply ground corn and water, but still.

He couldn’t believe his own naivety and cursed himself for letting his guard down, as well as for being such a sucker. His agitation made his steps quicker, though it wasn’t long before he realized that there was no trail to follow. This woman had once again surprised him. Although he would have appreciated a nice clear set of tracks and signs to follow, he also had to admit that he found her growing list of survival skills to be pretty impressive.

He continued east, the way she had been going before he had pounced on her like a wild cat. He walked faster than she could, even running for short bursts, but still not a trace of her could be found even with his trained eye. If he didn’t have a few scratches on his chest, he may have thought the whole night had been just a really good dream. After a day of chasing her, he wondered if he was chasing a ghost. Maybe she was just a nymph that crossed his path one night because the Gods had smiled on him. Sometimes anything felt possible in this strange abandoned land.

***

Jessa had no misconception of what had happened between them. She blamed it on pure hormones. Michael had fit the description of her desire and he had caught her at a moment of weakness. She kept telling herself that version of the narrative as she walked, one foot in front of the other. Each step reminded her of the man with the sea-blue eyes, but she tried to push him from her mind. She couldn’t be distracted and he was most definitely a distraction with a capital D.

There was something more to her running off from him though. He had touched a part of her that she had not felt in a long time and she was not sure that she wanted to feel again. She had to keep her walls up. Every time Jessa got close to someone in the world, something bad happened. She couldn’t lose anyone else. In an effort to escape all that pain, she had convinced herself that if she just got to the coast and maybe found an island somewhere, everything would be okay. That was what kept her going.

Besides, Michael had his own mission, and he had plans to go in exactly the opposite direction from where she wanted to go in order to fulfill it. While her mind hoped that she didn’t see him again, she knew that her body would ignore her if he so much as appeared around the corner. She couldn’t afford to be thinking about this now, she decided. She had to get them to safety. With that thought, she grabbed her son’s hand more tightly as they walked along yet another road. Leaning into the strengthening breeze from the coast, she quickened their pace just a little bit more. They would find their island. She was sure of it.

The End

Continue reading for the second part of this thrilling story

Finding Love in a Dark World:Book 2

Cynthia Wilde

Copyright ©2016 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

1

“Billy, what are you saying?” Teresa asked, frowning.

“I’m saying that Jessa’s disappeared and so did Chase. You don’t think that’s a coincidence, do you?”

“I just can’t see her taking off like that. Not with a young son in the middle of the night. It just doesn’t make any sense. She is a very careful woman.”

“Yeah, but she is not like you. I think she liked to be alone. Besides, Mike is gone too. I wouldn’t give Chase a snowball’s chance in hell at befriending her, but Mike? I don’t know, I think there was a spark between the two of them. Didn’t you feel it? I mean, let’s just say he definitely had it bad for her. Poor guy was asking all kinds of questions. ‘Is she single? Where’d she come from? What’s her middle name?’ Hell it wouldn’t have been the first time one of the guys wanted to get on her.”

Billy recoiled a bit at the sharp look Teresa directed in his direction. Sometimes it seemed like she didn’t like to know how men actually thought. She really didn’t understand the way things were in the world, and Billy didn’t have the heart to tell her. That was one of the things he had been so attracted to about the woman. She was able to tune out all the B.S. in this crazy new world and find her own sort of peace about it. As long as you didn’t put it in her face she operated from a sort of “need to know basis.” In that sense, she just went with the flow. He did what he wanted and as long as she didn’t see it, she really didn’t care what kind of secrets her dark-haired husband had. And Billy had more than a few.

There was a knock on the front door. Being that it was so late, Billy got up himself, but motioned for Teresa to stay in the bed, just in case it was trouble. She nodded her head, though she had had no intention of getting out of her warm bed. She was content to let Billy do the thinking. And the heavy lifting, for that matter. She lay back in bed without giving the situation a second thought. She was tired from another long day and had no interest in allowing anything to prevent her from getting her beauty sleep. Teresa had no worries on her mind as she closed her eyes for the night.

***

“I’m coming! Damn, do you know how late it is?”

Billy yanked the door open after turning the three locks. He saw his friend Jimmy and by the look on his face, whatever it was that he had to tell him was pretty serious. The blonde man could barely hold his eyes.

“Well come on out with it. What’s going on?”

Jimmy looked around and then nodded his head out to the porch as he backed up. Billy flushed. Must be pretty bad if he didn’t want Teresa to overhear. Billy had a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach as he stepped out onto the cool concrete porch. The sharp temperature change made him shiver involuntarily, but he hardly registered it. All of his focus was on hearing whatever was so serious that Jimmy had felt the need to come over here at close to midnight to tell him.

“What happened?”

“We found Chase.”

“Good, where is he?”

“He’s dead Billy. Buried in a shallow grave out by the woods. We wouldn’t have found him at all if not for old Bruiser digging around out there. We was out hunting squirrel when I seen him get into it, digging around in the brush. I thought he had just gotten a hold of something dead, or maybe digging after a chipmunk, but then I seen a hand sticking up.”

“What?!”

Jimmy tried to continue, but Billy was already getting worked up, his voice carrying through the small village.

“Shhh!”

“Don’t you fucking shush me! That man was family. He might a been a bit of a loudmouth, but so what? How the hell did he die?”

“There was a stab wound in his chest and a pair of shears still buried in it. It looks like he sure got on the wrong side of someone, Billy.”

It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together and Billy’s mind instantly went to the healer woman with the young boy. Billy also thought he had good idea of what might have happened. He couldn’t let this go. He had his suspicions already, but he had to get to the bottom of this for sure and make sure that justice was done.

This wasn’t even just about justice. Chase was one of his men, and as the leader in this town, his death couldn’t go unpunished. There were unspoken rules in this land now. He had to avenge his death and he knew exactly who he needed to find. He sighed, not really wanting to do what he knew must be done. If he was right about his suspicions, then Chase most definitely had it coming. The guy was not the sharpest tool in the shed – or the nicest, if you could extend the analogy. But he had had his uses.

“Get Marshall and be ready by sun-up. We got some searching to do it seems. First thing, we have to find Jessa.”

It was clear to Billy that Jimmy hadn’t put the pieces together yet, but he would explain it to him later. Billy was too pissed and a little shocked to have lost one of his own. Chase had been his last blood relative in the world and now he was gone. For a lot of reasons, Billy had to do something to make it right.

He walked back to the bedroom and woke Teresa up. A lot of men used sex as an outlet. Sometimes it’s an outlet of affection. Sometimes it’s all about lust. And other times is can be about aggression, or just clearing the decks in your head. Billy wasn’t really thinking about any of that as his hand went to the soft curls between her thighs. She had slipped off to sleep while he was gone, but was quickly responding to his skillful touch.

“Billy.”

Billy turned her onto her side, so he could take her from behind like he liked. Teresa’s thin body writhed against him as her hands pulled down her lacy white panties. Billy growled behind her and slid on his side with his length out and ready for her. There was little said between them as he slid into her wetness. She was always hot and ready for him and he groaned with the sudden pleasure engulfing his rod. Teresa squeezed him tight as he entered, loving the guttural sounds of pleasure he made when she did.

He held her against him with an arm hugging her chest as his lower body pushed back and forth, slowly sawing into her tight quim. Billy covered her mouth as her tone got louder and higher-pitched. She was close as her body tightened up in front of him.

Billy pulled out right before she was going to explode and went back to his knees. She whimpered in protest and then went to her stomach with the light tap of his hand on her ass. She knew what he liked. Teresa pressed her face into the comforter and pushed herself up into the air. She wiggled her small derriere to entice him, anticipating him entering her again at any moment. When he finally did slam back inside her with a hard thrust, the bedding muffled her deep cry of satisfaction. Her insides convulsed around his silken rod and pushed the man to his end quicker than he would have liked.

Teresa clenched hard on his length, milking the end with her muscles. Her hips rotated him inside of her and he finally gasped, stopping her movement with his hands. He pulled out in a rush and groaned reluctantly. He lied back on his back and Teresa climbed into his arms, laying her head on his hard chest with a sigh. Well, that was nice, she thought. As animalistic as he had been with her, there was neediness in his sex that made her feel a closeness with him that had been missing a little of late. She let that warmth spread over her as they both drifted into sleep.

***

“Good morning Billy. What got into you last night?”

“I have to leave for a while and I don’t know how long I will be gone for. Maybe I just wanted to some good memories to tide me over until I return.” He said, as he gave her cheek a morning caress.

“Did you get them?”

“Yes.”

His arm tightened around her shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. Teresa was taken aback by his sudden tenderness. She knew deep inside he had feelings for her beyond just meeting his male needs, but at times they could be hard to find. He was a complicated man. But this sudden show of real affection let her know he wasn’t just going on a day trip. He would be gone for a bit. How long was hard to say, but he was just never that sweet to her.

Following her usual mantra, she wasn’t going to ask where he was going though. If he wanted her to know, he would tell her. The days of sentimentality and finding a sensitive man to hear about her feelings were gone along with television, radio, and getting her nails done. Relationships now, at least to her, were much more as she imagined they had been a few hundred years ago. A man wanted sex and companionship…and hot meals. A woman needed protecting…and maybe had her own needs. But the days of choosing among hundreds of possibilities a day were long gone. In some ways it was easier now.

“How long are you going to be gone?”

“I don’t know. A week or maybe a month. Me and a couple others need to head out. Just be careful and I will see you when I get back. Tell the boy I said goodbye for me.”

Teresa swallowed hard and closed her eyes. She wanted to take in and remember the moment so she could store it away for now and then draw on it in the nights to come. She did her best to memorize the feeling of his strong arms around her.

“Okay.”

She did her best to internalize his touch while he held her for a few more minutes before he got up and started to get dressed. Teresa hated it when he left. She was unclear how many men he was taking with him, but she had no doubt she would be safe here still. He would make sure she was looked after. But she would miss him. He was not going to tell her where he was going or why, but she had a feeling it had to do with her neighbor Jessa. That only made sense.

As she thought about what might or might not be to come, she watched as he pulled his leather jacket from the closet. She saw the necessity in it in this dirty, dangerous world. She knew there were no police. There was no law except the law of might. But still it scared her whenever he put on the leather. It was almost like he was putting on a new persona. With that jacket he changed into someone she didn’t fully know. She suspected that the unfamiliar persona had been born when the bombs dropped and the old ways had died. A further shiver ran through her as she watched him pack his bag full of items that made her blood run cold.

2

Jessa took a few minutes to watch the sunrise from the small apartment building’s window. There was a small balcony off of the sliding glass door, but they were too close to the city to actually step out on it. They couldn’t risk being spotted. She looked into the ruined town and felt a familiar sense of dread. Towns were dangerous places these days. Cities were worse. Jessa ran through her plan and questioned her tactics. They were alone on the outskirts of a place they shouldn’t be, but she had decided that it couldn’t be avoided.

The woman and her son had been holed up in the apartment building for two days now. She was stalling because she knew the decision to go straight through it was incredibly risky. She had been watching the city the entire time, scouting to find the best path and the best time to make the trip. She had left her son, Shane alone on two occasions for a few quick night recon trips. He was only five but had had to grow up twice as fast. It was clear that he was doing his best to pull his own weight and be strong, but in truth he was still just a young child. She could only learn so much without putting herself, or her son, at even greater risk. It was a mile through the mid-sized city or over forty to go around it considering the topography.

Scanning from the window, her eyes fell from the pink and orange hues of the new day’s sky, to the dark burnt out grays and browns of the gritty city below. It wasn’t even a city anymore really. It was just a series of burned out buildings and rubble. This was one of the cities hit by a nuclear device and what life was left looked a lot less like it should. The radiation had subsided over the years, but the mutations had taken hold and multiplied. Jessa had seen the packs of beasts herself. Their ancestors had probably been named “Fluffy” and “Spot”. Now they ran the destroyed city, like a disorganized pack of watchdogs – or watchcats- in a giant junkyard.

There appeared to be very little human activity, though she did see several lights on in the tops of some of the buildings that survived far enough away from the epicenter. Most people, if there were any here, were wise enough to stay in the shadows. What people she could detect had gone to the heights like she had. It just seemed safer with these creatures running around. This world’s version of an alley cat was the stuff of nightmares. She wondered if the people she saw – the lights at least - in the tall buildings were up that high for protection or a better view. Maybe they were one in the same, she realized.  Either way, there were several issues to consider. Jessa was feeling anxious to move forward. The path she had mapped out in her mind was hardly ideal.

Looking back at her sleeping son, she wondered if it wouldn’t be better to just go around after all. There was no guarantee that traveling around would be any safer though either. God, this world sucked, she thought, half joking with herself to ease the tension. The only guarantee that she had was that it would be longer and instead of an hour or so, it would take several days.

Not for the first time, she said to the empty room, “Why did you leave him?”

The question came out as a whisper, as it was more in her head than on her lips. But she still did not have an answer. She had been asking herself this question to one degree or another ever since that morning when they slipped off. As a matter of fact, if she was honest with herself, she had been asking herself that question even before they took off on him. Of course then it was “Why are you going to leave him?” It just seemed to be in her nature now. This new reality demanded it. But she knew that she would have felt safer if Michael was with her.

No, she corrected herself, she would have been safer in reality if he were with her. She knew that. She still felt his touch when she laid down to sleep at night. Granted, she didn’t sleep much anymore, but when she did she remembered the feel of him beside her. Jessa only got a few hours’ sleep at a time now, and usually only in the daytime, when it was too risky to travel. She still had not fully adapted to the city ways, but it seemed like the opposite held true here. The nights were full of roaming animals, and the days, especially the early mornings, were calm and quiet.

A new plan formulated while she went into the kitchen and got a few plates down from the cabinet in her new kitchen. Vaguely she wondered if the woman of the house had picked out the plates herself, or if they had been a wedding present. They were nice blue glass. There was no food or useful items in the apartment that she could take with them, but there were these nice dishes. She liked the idea of eating in a civilized manner, even if just for a few minutes, on real glass plates. They had been on their own for a couple of weeks by then and while by old standards they were on the precipice of hell of earth, it was actually the most comfortable set up they had had since leaving the community. Shane was sleeping on an actual bed and she had a great view. She closed her eyes for a minute and allowed herself the luxury of pretending for a minute that it was the old days, and that if she opened her eyes she would see the beautiful bustling city below her.  Of course when she did open her eyes, all she saw was the dead husk of civilization sprawled out below them.

“Good morning. It’s time to wake up sleepy head.”

“Why?”

“Because tomorrow we are going to be leaving early, so we need to get used to being up and ready to go.”

Shane nodded and got up dutifully, although his face was still a little grumpy. He most definitely did not like to be up early. He was more of a night person like his father had been.

“I’m hungry.”

“You always are,” she said with a wink. “Breakfast is on the table.”

Shane made a disparaging noise and sat down to the same food they had been eating since they got there.

“Why can’t we go find some fruit or something?”

“I don’t trust the food here. I am afraid it could make us sick. In fact the sooner we get away from the city the better.” She had heard stories about people who lived in the cities, and she didn’t want to take any chances.

“Oh. OK.”

Shane didn’t understand what it meant, but he knew that he was going to be eating more of the dried cakes until they got away from there.

“When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“Good. I like this place. It’s different. And it’s cool to be up so high, but still, I would rather be able to go outside.”

“Me too. We are going to go through the city, so it might be a little scary, ok.”

He shook his head, though she didn’t think he really grasped how scary it might get. He looked at her with a trust that she hoped she had earned. She had had a sinking feeling in her gut ever since they had come upon the city, but she didn’t want to let him know that she felt so nervous.

“It’ll be fine. When we go all you have to do is stay close and be really quiet. Everything sleeps in the early morning, so we just need to make sure that we don’t wake them up.”

Shane nodded his head, but with just a hint less certainty, she thought. He seemed to know it might be better not to ask too many questions about whatever “things” she was talking about.

“Now eat up. We need to go through this place and see if there is anything useful we can take with us. I saw some comic books in the back bedroom. Did you see them?”

Shane brightened, as did Jessa. Ah, the power of a comic book to a boy’s happiness, she thought to herself. At least that hadn’t changed. The rest of the day went pretty smoothly and they were both tired by the time the sun started to go down. Jessa lay down with him until he fell asleep and then she went to the window to look out into the city again. As her eyes went to the few lights she had noticed in evenings past, she couldn’t decide if they represented a beacon of hope or a warning. They would just have to find out.

3

Michael passed through the city one last time before the sun went down. He had settled on taking shelter in one of the larger office buildings that had been right outside the blast zone from so many years before. He had kept up with the woman’s trail, even as it drew him closer and closer toward some unnamed city that had appeared on the horizon.  Along the windswept and often overgrown roads it had been relatively easy to follow her trail, but as the concrete closed in on all sides he had lost it.

His heart had sank as he had followed the trail closer and closer toward the danger of the city, but at least he had had a trail to follow.  But now, with no trail and no sign of her, his worry had reached a peak. It seemed she had just vanished. Maybe that was good, he thought. She might be keeping a low profile. Besides, she could protect herself, after all. He had seen that first hand when she finished off that guy that had attacked her in the woods. She could definitely take care of herself. But still, this was all conjecture at this point. He hoped for the best, but until he could find her – and her son – she would have no idea, for sure, if they were alive or dead.  His gut told him to stay near the city and that she would eventually show herself.

That assurance was what kept him going. Some guys might have gotten the hint after a woman ran out of them not just once, but twice, but he was a little more hard headed than most men. Besides, regardless of what she had done, he was not ready to give up on Jessa yet. He could still close his eyes and almost smell her hair, and could practically feel what it had felt like to hold her. He knew in his heart that despite whatever games she was playing on the outside, she did care for him deep down. She was just of those woman than ran away from that kind of loving, rather than running toward it. She would come around. At least he hoped she would, if he didn’t lose patience first, that is. He had to remind himself that the first order of business was tracking her down again.

Michael had come across a few people in the last two weeks, but he had remained out of sight and left them to their own devices. There was always a certain amount of risk in making contact with people these days, and in this situation he decided the risk was not worth the potential reward. There was no way she would have allowed herself to be seen by anyone anyhow. By apocalyptic wasteland standards, the city was virtually teeming with people, but they hid likes rats in the walls. And by teeming he estimated the whole place might have a few hundred people eking out an existence here amongst the ruins. Nature had moved in pretty quickly, so that here and there trees had even taken root in the smallest patches of dirt and cracked pavement. The animals had moved in when man was bombed out. Virtually anything you could have once found in a forest could be found here now, given the right situation. Dogs and cats abounded as did those unspeakable creatures that were mostly dog or cat. Raccoons, deer….squirrel; they were all still there. The animals were wilder now of course. Or maybe it was that man was wilder. It seemed pretty likely that man was here to stay. Opposable thumbs and frontal lobes were pretty hard to beat, after all. But when the bombs fell, a seed of doubt had been planted. Maybe man would not make it after all. When meeting those people that were scraping a way through the dust and decay, one was as often as not confronted with a deadness in the eyes that seemed more fitting to a possum than a man. Humanity had been forever changed and their place in the hierarchy of earth’s fauna had definitely taken a serious hit, to say the least.

Michael pulled away from the glass. He had selected this particular spot, high in the tower because of the excellent view it afforded. He had several candles burning near the windows, inviting her to him. He knew it could invite others as well, but that was a risk he was willing to take. Those who survived now had to know when to be careful and when to be bold. Mike thought that if Jessa knew he was there, she would come to him. That was his hope at least. The truth of it was that he was pretty powerless in this situation. At least this way he felt like he was doing something. It was not lost on him that it was she who had walked away in the first place. But he also knew that there was that third quality you had to have in this world. You had to know when to be careful and when to be bold, but you always had to have hope.

“Hey.”

Mike looked towards the locked door across the room. The now familiar voice came again, a little more insistently. He sighed and went to unlock it, somewhat annoyed by the interruption to his thoughts. In a rare lapse of judgment, he had revealed himself the day before in order to help the kid. He had just looked so pathetic shuffling down the street trying to push a cart while balancing an armful of books and drink some sort of brew through a straw all at once. He allowed himself to be cowed out of hiding by the ridiculousness of it, and some vestigial compassion he still had running through his veins. Maybe he had just longed for some human interaction. The kid certainly looked harmless enough. Trouble was that it was becoming apparent that Milo now considered him his new best friend. He wasn’t sure how to shake him.

“Hey Milo, come on in. You know you shouldn’t be out after dark.”

“Aww, those little puppies don’t scare me. Besides they don’t like their food burnt.”

The young man chuckled and the sound made Mike nervous. It was clear that Milo may not have been around for the bombs, but he certainly had lived in the cities aftermath long enough to be claimed by the ravaging of the radiation that permeated the city. Mike had asked him why he didn’t leave, but an answer was not forthcoming. Everyone knew it didn’t do to hang around the cities too long. This kid obviously hadn’t gotten the memo.

Milo sat down next to Michael and pulled out a bag of some sort.

“What do you got there?”

“It’s a surprise. But I looked high and low,” the kid quipped. “It’s pretty hard to find these days, but I know where to look.  It’s actually not exactly what you said, but it’s close. You’re lucky you have simple tastes.” With that he started pouring some rice into bowl.

Michael had indulged in the favorite “what food do you miss most” game and of all things had come up with oatmeal with apples. His mom used to make it for him when he was a boy, and just the memory of it warmed his heart. Of course he hadn’t told the kid that part. He had just said he’d love some hot oatmeal with apple slices. By the looks of it, Milo had made it his mission to make that desire a reality.

“My mom had told me that rice is really about all that is left to eat from before. Sorry, but there’s no more oatmeal. My mom told me that too.” With that he pulled a few apples out of the bag now. “But there’s lots of apples,” he said brightly. With that the kid proceeded to the sink where he pulled further supplies out of his bag, including a gallon of water and matches. Michael watched with more than a little appreciation as the teen proceeded to build a small fire in the sink, and cook up the rice with apples like he was a master chef right in his own kitchen. The kid seemed oblivious to his skill. “My mom showed me a lot of stuff,” Was all he said. “But then she went away.” Whatever that meant, the kid seemed to have made peace with it, so Michael didn’t pry.

Eventually they sat down and enjoyed the hot meal, much to Michael’s delight. “Thanks Milo, that was pretty impressive…and I’ve decided that rice and apples is just as good as rice and oatmeal. Where are you staying for the night?”

Michael thought he already knew the answer, and really he didn’t mind the company. A little touched or not, the kid had come through with the meal. Besides, Milo was pretty quiet. And Michael was learning that he was far more useful than he first appeared. God only knew what else the kid knew about surviving in the city. Maybe if he just let the kid hang around a little he could learn something helpful to his cause, he thought. Besides, the kid was alright.

“I was hoping to stay here.”

“Of course. You are welcome here as long as I am in the city. So why are you still here? There are lots of little settlements that are not so destroyed and without the radiation.”

Michael looked over the chemical burns on the young man’s arms and face. He guessed they covered the rest of his body as well. It was hard to tell whether the kid had always been like that, or if the burns had developed over time. Maybe it was both. Regardless, he had to get through the city ASAP.

“You probably think I’m crazy to stay here, but it’s all I know. I’ve been here my whole life. At first I stayed with my Mom. I’m not sure why she wanted to be here. But now I stay because I don’t know where else to go. I wouldn’t know what to do away from here. You think I could go with you when you leave?”

Michael had anticipated this, and the kid’s little cooking show had cemented it for him. He had already decided that he would take him with him. The kid had a simplicity, or maybe it was an innocence about him. Maybe it was the way he seemed to trust Michael. Maybe it was that this world was all he’d known. Whatever it was, Michael liked having the kid around. Maybe it reminded him a bit of what he once had himself. But he had to find Jessa and her son first. He still had hopes of finding her here in the city, but he had to think ahead as well. He had to anticipate her next move.

He wasn’t completely sure where she was going, but he had a pretty good idea. They were already headed toward the coast which he had taken as partial confirmation of his initial hunch. The morning she had ditched him (well, the first morning she had ditched him, he corrected himself), as he had looked over her home, he had seen a few crude drawings that she had made of an island in the sea. And she had a few other pictures up of the same. They were really little more than pictures ripped from old magazines, and many wouldn’t have given them a second thought, but it had gotten him thinking. It was really all he had to go on at this point anyhow. He would work with what he had.

“As soon as I find who I came here to find, we will leave together, Milo. Believe me, I want to be out of here as soon as I can. I am thinking we will head toward the ocean, maybe even find an island somewhere.”

The kid smiled at this. While Michael had first guessed him to be in his late teens, he saw that he actually looked closer to fourteen or fifteen when he smiled. The smile brought the kid through in him. There really wasn’t much room in this world for the kid in anyone, Michael thought. Nevertheless, it was nice to get glimpses.

“I am going to crash for the night.  Thanks again for the meal.”

“No problem Mike. That island will sure be nice.”

“Yeah it will, kid. Goodnight”

“Goodnight Mike.”

With that the kid found his own bedroom and Michael blew out the candles.

***

“Hey Mike. Didn’t you say you were looking for a woman and a little boy?”

Michael’s eyes opened instantly and he was up from the couch he was lying on. He went to the window the kid was at and looked down in the direction he was pointing. His heart stopped with the sight of her even as his mind raced to figure the best course of action now that she was once again in his sights. He didn’t want to fuck this up.

“Oh my God. I can’t believe it.” He almost danced in place as his body strained to jump right into action.

He also had to fight the urge to embrace Milo in a hug. For his part, Milo was grinning from ear to ear, happy to have helped him yet again.

“Thanks Milo. If you could, stay here and keep your eyes on them in case I lose them before I get down there. With a little more luck, I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”

Mike almost fell down the stairs in the stairwell a few times as he raced to make it to the ground floor and out of the building. He couldn’t believe his luck. He didn’t even know how Milo had spotted her, tucked up against the side of the building and moving slowly as she had been. But spot her he had, and now Michael just had to get to her before she slipped back into the shadows he was sure she would be sticking to. It was just miraculous that Milo had seen her. The kid was proving to be a good luck charm.

Just as he was pushing out onto the street and reveling in his luck, the peaceful quite of the morning air was pierced by a scream – her scream. Michael took off a sprint to cover the few blocks as quickly as he could, his heart practically beating out of his chest.

4

Jessa clutched Shane to her. Even as she sought to shield him with her body, she assessed her options and slowly backed away from the snarling pack in front of her. Maybe the two of them had been a little too loud, or perhaps she had misjudged the packs altogether. They looked plenty active this morning as they stood shoulder to shoulder in front of them, hackles raised as the beasts on the end began to circle to either side.

Even in her terror, Jessa couldn’t help but stare at their mutated bodies. These weren’t the cute, docile doggies out for their morning walks that one once would have encountered here. Their fur seemed patchy and marred by sores where it coated their barrel-chested bodies, and their teeth were far larger than any she had seen on the dogs back in her little town. The teeth themselves even seemed slightly more angled back toward the jaw, almost like a sharks. Or maybe it was her fear playing tricks on her. There was still some variation among them, but it barely registered now. Whatever careful breeding had once distinguished their ancestors had been eradicated by a combination of survival of the fittest and breeding in the wild. There were certainly no more Chihuahuas, or anything resembling the fashion accessory or “kick dogs” that were once so omnipresent in the cities.  All she could see through the mutation were traces of Doberman, Rottweiler, German Shepherd and maybe some retriever. She would have given anything for a box of dog biscuits.

“Nice puppies...”

Jessa walked backwards slowly, trying not to break eye contact with the largest one that seemed to be the leader. Her heart slammed in her chest as she searched the area, eyes darting behind her, trying to find a way out of this latest predicament. Things had been bad before, but this was a new level of shitty situation. Worst of all, she had Shane to protect as well. Jessa had known that something like this might have happened, but she had had not anticipated it coming so soon, or under these circumstances. Her machete and crossbow were still safely and uselessly strapped to her backpack. Even if she had either of them in hand, she knew they would do little good against the entire pack they now faced. Besides, her slightest hand movements were greeted by a chorus of deep low growls. Dammit. She just hoped that this major miscalculation on her part wouldn’t be her last.

Just then her green eyes caught a possible escape route off to the side and slightly behind them. She adjusted her stride as she elbowed Shane and directed his attention in that direction with a subtle nod of the head. Used to their silent mode, Shane understood immediately and they both began to sidestep in a steady, slow pace towards the semi-collapsed building and the possible shelter it promised. This was, of course, assuming that there was not another pack of blood thirsty beasts napping inside. The door was slightly ajar. She just needed to get to it.

The lead dog seemed to know what she had in mind and made as if to spring towards them. They still had about ten feet between them, and they were out of options. Jessa cursed the not-so-little bastard and turned to run. Shane darted ahead and was almost inside even as Jessa could hear the lead dog, or dog-thing, snarling behind her at her heels. Pushing Shane ahead of her, she dove through the doorway, spinning onto her back and delivering a swift kick square into the snout of the lead dog as she fell back. As it shook of the blow, Shane put his shoulder into the door as much as he could from his hands and knees. One last kick from Jessa and the beast removed its head from the opening. Together, they slammed the door closed, even as they heard the other dog-things clawing at the door. She quickly secured the bolt.

Shane stared wide-eyed at the wooden door as it shook with the violence of the beast’s onslaught.

“It’s okay sweetie. They will get bored with us. Help me pull that table over here.” She quickly looked around to ensure that they were, in fact, secure. She quickly realized that this was the only access point. Well, at least it would be relatively easy to defend. But that also meant that they would probably have to fight their way out.

Shane tried his best to move the table in front of the door alone, but in the end needed his mother’s help as, together they slid it in front of the door. It shook on its hinges and Jessa started to worry that it wouldn’t hold. These dogs seemed crazed in their attempts to get in. They had looked extremely hungry. Maybe that was why they were out in the morning in the first place. Cursing herself and their predicament, she now removed her pack and unstrapped the crossbow. She only had five bolts and even if every shot was a kill shot, she would still have to take a few out with her machete, all while somehow keeping Shane safe.

At not quite six, it was all he could do to just be brave in the face of what would have turned any pre-bombs kid into a blubbering mess. As she looked at him she felt a swelling that was a mixture of love, pride and a little remorse that he had face any of this. He just stood there, his little hands holding the table up against the door, his eyes looking for some kind of safety.

Jessa scanned the room once more and this time noticed a small pantry-like door in the hallway to the destroyed kitchen. She opened it and quickly removed an old mop and pail to make some room.

“In there Shane. I need to take care of those things so we can get out of here. Ok sweetie? Understand?” Even assuming she could handle the dog beasts, which was hardly a “gimme”, she was also aware of the commotion that they had made. If there was anyone within earshot they may have other problems to contend with. The world today was one of opportunity. The helpful neighbors of past were few and far between now. They needed to deal with this and get moving as soon as possible. That was another of her rules; keep moving.

“I don’t want you to come out for anyone but me, ok honey? A try to be quiet as a mouse. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He nodded his head, blue eyes wide. Man did this kid have guts, she thought again. She was trying to reassure him as best she could, but there was no sugar coating mutant dogs trying to break down your door. If she weren’t about to piss herself she might have laughed at the thought.

She pushed a chair in front of the door just as she got ready to turn her attention to the job at hand. She just wanted to be ready for any eventuality, and thought it best to camouflage her son’s presence until she had secured the situation. She just needed to be able to fully focus on one thing at a time right now. She didn’t want to contemplate the very real possibility that she might not be able to get them out of this. Pushing any doubts from her mind she took a deep breath before moving the table slowly out of the way.

It was then that she heard a series of shotgun blasts accompanied by a voice she only knew now from her dreams.

“Milo! Left, left!” A series of a few more blasts rang out as she heard the dogs yelping in pain. Those who were able began to scatter.

She could hear some whimpers from the dirt street outside, even as other yelps grew distant. Jessa paused, unsure of what to do. She knew exactly who it was, but she couldn’t quite believe it either. How in the world had he found her? And who was Milo?  And what was it with this guy’s uncanny knack for showing up in the nick of time?

Her mind briefly went to the comic books she got her son when she could. If she weren’t busy feeling the exhilaration, and trepidation of the moment, she would have found it a little spooky. But she reminded herself that she had just been half-wishing a few days before that she had not run out on him.

“Jessa? Are you okay?”

Shit, she thought. This guy was beyond persistent. And Jessa, are you ok, really? That was all he had to say? Jessa saw the door handle move and though it was locked, she knew he was not going to just go away. As much as she was relieved, she also realized that in another way she was as trapped now as she had been by the dog creatures. She also realized that maybe it was time she got over herself. She looked back at the pantry door and decided to wait another minute or two to get him out of there. She unlocked the door knob and opened the door.

Sure enough, there was Michael in all his rugged glory, just standing there and looking more devastatingly attractive than she remembered him being. But her attention instantly went to the young man at his side. He looked to be in his mid to late teens, but it was hard to tell through the scarring that marred part of his face. Despite that though, he greeted her with a kind and open smile.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

Before she knew it, his arms were around her. Before he could contain himself, he had embraced her as the relief of finding her mixed with the raw emotion of being in her presence again. Despite having dreamt of this very moment as she drifted off to sleep on so many nights, initially, all Jessa could do was tense up. After a few seconds, though she let all her doubts and defenses melt away as she allowed him to support her. She allowed her body to melt into his. She wouldn’t run away again, she promised herself. She couldn’t keep running. He would just find her again, she thought to herself, allowing a little laugh to escape her.  She couldn’t believe that he was actually there. Michael pulled back after a moment, his eyes first scanning her and then quickly looking around the room.

“Where is Shane? Is he okay?”

“Yes, yes,” she quickly interjected to put him at ease, as she went to let him out. As soon as he laid eyes on him, Shane ran to Michael and hugged him tight.

“Michael! I knew you’d come!”

You did? That was news to her. The declaration shocked Jessa, as they had not so much as mentioned Michael since they left him last at the cottage. But she knew Shane needed a father and had formed an instant connection with Michael back in the community.

“Wow, I can’t believe you guys are here. You should have seen it! We fought the dog monsters and Mom was just gonna get them all. But I’m sure glad you guys are here. There were a lot of them. Hey, what’s your name?” His attention was now focused on the new member of what seemed to be their little band.

“This is Milo. Milo, this is Jessa and her son Shane.”

Jessa took his hand first. She could see the burns or scars or birth defects, or whatever they were, but she knew they were not contagious. The young man had been in the hot zone too long and she wondered if he would ever recover. By the looks of him he had grown up here. He didn’t look as bad as the rumors she had heard though. Still, despite his sweet smile, she doubted he was in the best of health. He didn’t look like he was going to see his twenties, but she kept the thought to herself as she shook his hand as warmly as she could.

“Well Milo, we are in your debt. I was just about to do my best with them, but I’ll be honest, it wasn’t looking good. I don’t know what we would have done without you guys. You sure handled the situation.” She was genuinely moved. And looking around and seeing the dead beasts that were so recently seeking to finish her off brought home how much they had indeed done for her. Jessa took a moment to appreciate this man who had followed her so far. At the same time she told herself she would not let herself get stuck in a situation like this again. She had gotten sloppy.

Milo smiled shyly, turning a soft red glow from all of the attention. Mike was, of course, beyond relieved to have actually found her. But he was also determined not to scare her off again. He would play it cool this time. Even as these thoughts coursed through his mind, he couldn’t help but notice how readily Milo soaked up her praise. He could see that she meant it too, but he knew from experience that she was hardly the sentimental type. Or at least that was not all of her. As much as he wanted to just give himself to this woman, he knew he had to be careful and stay aware, lest he fall under her spell again. He just needed to give it time. Milo just looked down again, his toes scraping against the ground.

“Really Miss, I just spotted you. Mike here was the one that ran out and took down the dogs. But truth is he did want me to stay behind and keep an eye on you guys. But I knew he might need help, so I followed him down. I know how to deal with the doggies.” She liked this kid, and she realized, just like Mike had, that he had his own set of skills to add to the group.

“So are you guys going to the ocean with us?”

Jessa sighed and looked down at her son. He was always too loose with the invites, though she had already been thinking about asking the same thing once they had rested up a bit. She decided it was just fate. He had found them twice now. She wasn’t the type of woman to “test” man like that. She had run because she honestly had thought it was the best thing to do. But if she had been testing him, he had certainly come through with flying colors.

Still there was much that needed to be said between them, but there would be time for that once they were safe and secure. She was unsure why she kept running from him. She did feel safer with him around. She realized that she also felt a little weaker somehow. But for the first time she decided to challenge that assessment. Was she really weaker? Or was she just scared? She looked over at Michael again with a twinkle in her eye. “I should thank you as well.”

Now it was Michaels turn to blush.

5

“So, are you going to tell me why you left?”

Jessa looked up at him and resigned herself to having a conversation she didn’t necessarily want to have.

“Look, I appreciate you helping us and all, but…”

“What is up with you? I know you care about me. So why do you keep running away? Are you really going to just take off again?”

Jessa gave him a dirty look. She didn’t really know what else to do. He had her totally pegged. Didn’t he get that she did not want to look at this stuff? He also knew that she needed him, so he could afford to put her on the spot. She thought it was the guys that were supposed to be cold and unfeeling. She really didn’t know exactly “what was up” with her.

“No, I am not going to just take off, but you don’t have to look so smug. And don’t think you can just jump on me like you did back at the cottage again. I would hate for you to end up like Chase. Okay cupcake?”

Michael just gave her an exasperated look. He knew as well as she did that she had enjoyed that roll in the grass more than she could give words to. They had just felt so right together. He would just have to be patient again. But he was glad that he had voiced what had gone unspoken last time.

Jessa smiled and went to the bedroom where her son was sleeping, her defenses a little back in place. She needed a little hiding. It was just a lot for her to take. After her husband had passed she thought she would never be with another man again.  Being around Michael was difficult and she felt better as soon as there was some space between them. It was going to be a long trip and she was still not sure why he was going her way. She still couldn’t quite believe that he meant what he said. She had an idea of what he really wanted and even though she wanted it too, she fought against her basic urges. When sleep finally came to her though, it was still Michael she dreamed of.

***

“Mom, everyone is up. It’s time to go.” Shane was giving her arm and back a not-so-gentle wake up shake.

Jessa’s eyes opened in a flash. She had slept way passed her usual time of dawn and the sun was high in the sky when she looked out.

“What time is it?”

Shane shrugged and handed her some sort of tea. She smelled it suspiciously and then took a drink.

“Thanks, who made this?”

“Milo. We went out and got some plants this morning for it. He’s really smart.”

Jessa stuffed down her annoyance at Shane going outside with the relative stranger. She didn’t know if she liked the idea of him going out alone with someone she didn’t know. Actually, she knew she didn’t like him going out without her period. There seemed to be a need to set some ground rules. Jessa had all intentions on telling Michael off as she got dressed, but when she smelled breakfast all cooked and ready, her initial anger quickly dissipated as her hunger won out. She took a couple of the little tortillas that he held out and sat down on the stairs of the porch.

“Shane said you guys were ready to go?”

“Almost. Just cooking up the rest of this batter before we go. It won’t keep and we will be grateful to have it for lunch or dinner. Do you always sleep so late?” It was not a criticism. He genuinely wanted to understand her patterns. Everyone had their ways, and they needed to be respected. Plus they did need to all get on the same page as soon as possible.

“No. I guess I was just more exhausted than I knew.”

The truth was that it had been the first time she had actually felt safe enough to really sleep in a long time. When it was just her and Shane, she always had to worry about everything, all the time. She could never rest. She had not realized how much she had missed the sense of safety and ease that a group afforded. Even a small group of four was enough for her to feel that weigh shifter off her shoulders. It was also just a fact that the four of them together had better odds than just a woman with a child did alone.

“Well I’m glad you got some sleep. Hopefully it will improve your mood,” he said with a hint of a smile.

“Don’t count on it,” she replied.

“So Mom, where are we going?”

“East a little longer, then south. I have heard many times that the Keyes was spared a lot of the destruction. That will be the best place to go I think. No big cities or radiation to deal with.”

“But. You know we are going to have to deal with a few on the way though. Miami was hit hard and you pretty much have to go through it to get to the bridge. Tampa and Orlando can be bypassed, but we would have to go through Miami. It would be even worse to try and go around it I think.”

Michael was nervous about both her planned route as well as her final destination. He had never gone as far south as Miami himself, but he spent enough time in the over-grown state to know that he did not want to go there now. All the critters that had been there before were still there, only now a huge bunch of them were supersized and meaner than ever. Yesterday’s dog-beast pack would look like a bunch of circus poodles by comparison. For whatever reason Florida had been especially reclaimed by nature post-bombs. And as conditions deteriorated people emptied out of the state, streaming north, and probably south as well, he figured, further hastening the decay as well as nature’s return to the land. As soon as he had gotten a taste of it in the past he had headed out, and wasn’t overly anxious to visit it again now, especially not with a small child and a pretty sick teen in town.

Seeing the anxiety on his face she said, “I have dreams of this place. That’s where we will be safe, I know it.” Then she paused for a moment as her expression changed…”Have you ever felt like you’re being guided?”

The question took him by surprise, mostly because he knew exactly how that felt. He had felt that was how he had found her the first time he laid eyes on her, as well as the time he had found her in the cottage, as well as the way he found her again yesterday. Yeah, he knew exactly what she meant, but he couldn’t say so. He didn’t really know what to say, he was rendered speechless. He had been ready to argue with her and try to convince her to pursue some other plan – any other plan. But things had worked out pretty well so far in following this guidance he had received, so he decided to take her question as a further form of his own guidance. He would take it as a sign that they were indeed meant to head south toward the Keyes.  He wasn’t going let her know that though.

“Have you been in any of the big cities afterbombs,” he said, using the slang, “or just the smaller ones like wherever that was we just left?”

“I have seen enough to know what I’m asking, though it was before I had Shane. Look, I just want to find a safe spot, and I know this is the way. I just feel it. I know it won’t be easy to reach, but isn’t it worth a shot? There has to be a place where we can all start again on our own terms.”

Mike could see that he was not going to change her mind, and at this point he didn’t feel a need to. The conversation had given him his own epiphany. She was stubborn though. And he also realized that he would have her no other way – not that he really had her at all of course. But at least they were together. He had hope she would come around.

“Well, I guess I have nothing better to do at the moment. Milo, what do you think, do you want to go see the ocean?”

The young man smiled broadly and nodded his head. Somehow he at least had some fairly white teeth. They had not pressed him about his mother, but it was apparent that he had been alone for some time. It was clear how happy he was to be a part of a group. And he positively lit up to be asked his opinion on such an important topic as where to go. Of course it was obvious that Milo would go wherever they went, just so long as he didn’t have to be alone anymore. They could all relate to that.

6

“Billy do we really have to keep chasing this bitch? Let’s just let it go. It’s not worth it.”

The dark-haired man turned towards Jimmy and gave him a look that shut his mouth instantly. Everyone in the group knew not to cross Billy. It had been over a week they’d been out on her trail, but she was still days ahead. They had followed them easily enough to the cottage, where it appeared a third had joined up with them. But then it the tracks had separated, or almost snaked around each other. They decided it was easiest to just track the child when they had sign of him. If they lost him they would look for the woman, but they knew she would never leave his side. They followed them all the way right into the city. That had gotten tricky. They had come upon some dead beast but had lost the trail shortly afterward. Finally they surmised that they would be moving on and that was when, in a search of the far end of town they came upon signs again. Only now there appeared to be four, not just two.

Billy knew that he should turn back, but he couldn’t. He had to follow the code. It was all he had left of his father, and at times he felt it was all that held his little community together. His father used to run the gang, but after he died, most of the First Nine went their own way. Only a few of the first Laughing Dead, like Chase, had stayed on, and then only a handful more of their kin as well, like Billy, joined in to rebuild the numbers. They had struggled for a time but eventually grew strong again. They grew strong following the code. There had to be justice for the death. Chase had been one of the First Nine and that was that. It didn’t matter that he was an ass or had probably had it coming. Whoever was added to her band would have to pay the price for being in her company as well. He couldn’t let it go. Hell, he even kind of liked the lady who was so good with the plants. He thought of the tools in his bag and then of the accelerant he’d use to torch it all when they were done.

“We will stay the course and you will stop acting like whiny ass punks. We are only three now and we cannot just let it go. Would you not want your own death honored and revenge sought? This is how it has to be.”

They did not realize that this code was the glue that held their fragile little world together.

Marshal and Jimmy nodded their heads. They were there for the ride and would do whatever Billy wanted. They knew what was what. They just needed some reminding that there were some things that just had to be done. And they knew how to do them. They had done it before after all.

“Hell Billy, we are with you man. Just want to find this bitch so we can get back home is all.”

“I hear ya brothers. I am ready to get in bed with the old lady too. Soon guys, very soon. They can’t be that far ahead now.”

Billy took his leather jacket off and hung it on a nearby tree. The laughing skulls on the back stared back at him. He reached out his hand to touch the symbol from the past that had started it all. It had become inseparable from his memory of his father.

***

Michael was finding it harder and harder to keep his relationship with Jessa on a platonic basis. He was literally finding it harder and harder, he thought wryly. I mean, it was ridiculous, he thought. She obviously dug him, and he dug her. He could feel it! So why weren’t they getting together? It was maddening is what it was. He found himself purposely walking slower so he could get behind her and shamelessly watch her ass as she moved. He was reduced to acting like some high school kid. Milo even began to notice and nudged him a couple of times as to say, “What are you waiting for?” Of course there was nothing to say. He could not force her into something she wasn’t ready for, even though there were moments where he could see flashes of lust in her eyes as well.

Shaking his head to clear out it all out, he decided to focus on talking to the chatty five year old striding to keep pace with the adults next to him. The kid’s blue eyes positively glittered as Mike told him about how the world was once full of machines that did virtually every task you could imagine. They made a game of “Was there a machine to do such and such? Was there a machine to do this? To do that?” The kid never tired of it. It was amazing to see how enthralled the boy was about things that he himself had learned to take completely for granted once upon a time. Of course machines did not run as they once did, and when a machine did run, it was more often for a completely different purpose than originally intended. With roads in disrepair and the difficulty in maintenance and procuring food, cars were just a hindrance and barely any of the hunks of metal on the roads were kept drivable at this point. If a person was lucky enough to find a vehicle that worked, there was little chance of getting anywhere with the clogged throughways anyhow. Besides, even if the motors could be salvaged, the tires would be rotten. A community would be lucky to have the knowhow to have one motorized truck or vehicle. Motorcycles were a little more useful in that at least you didn’t have to worry about the roads so much. Still the tires were a pain. Without the infrastructure, even the simplest machines were a headache. For those reasons many just preferred walking. Some of the more established communities had horses.

Shane dreamed of machines and was always talking to Jessa about ones that he wanted to build when he got older. Now he had a whole new source to talk to about engines and batteries and gears, instead of about plants and cooking. It was bittersweet for Jessa. She was thrilled to see Shane so happy. Being around Michael he had just lit up. She could almost see him soaking in everything about Michael. He just hadn’t had any male figures to emulate since her husband died a few years ago. But that was the thing. She had always seen her husband as the one who would be that model for Shane. She could still see Kraven’s face every time she looked at Shane.  It was hard to put it aside. She had at least stopped trying to find excuses to get away from Michael. She knew it wasn’t his fault, and she knew he was a good man. But she wasn’t sure that she was ready to say she was all in either. She could make herself be ready. But she also realized that if she pushed him away again, he would most likely be gone for good. She was torn, to say the least, though Shane didn’t seem to have any problems committing.

For now though, this was all just so much mental clutter. They needed to stay together for their own safety. Everyone knew the score it seemed and they had all agreed to head south. This is what Jessa told herself as she felt his gaze linger on her ass yet again. Every time she looked behind her, his piercing blue eyes were waiting for a sign. They both knew it was going to happen, though Jessa was holding out as long as she could. A yes to him would be giving up the last of the control that had kept her safe thus far.

“What do you think? Does this look like a good place to stop for the night?”

His question woke her out of her thoughts and she looked back at him first, before looking at the small overgrown house on the hill ahead of her. She shrugged her shoulders and started walking up the weed-filled pebble walkway.

“Shane, stay out here with Milo for a minute until we make sure this place is safe.”

Shane nodded his head in agreement. This had become their new way of doing things and seemed to work out well. Milo was well suited for the role. He was an expert “hider” and if danger approached that would be their best line of defense anyhow. Meanwhile she and Michael were very adept at checking the houses for any danger. The system worked out well.

Jessa went in behind Michael and after checking every room, the two waiting outside were brought in. Then the windows and doors had to be secured, as well as the never-ending hunt for useful things. By the time the group was back in the living room with what they could find, the sun had been down for an hour. Jessa liked that Michael was so thorough. They were a lot alike in that way.

“So what did you come up with Shane?”

Shane had found a little toy car that he proudly showed off.

“Well that is pretty cool buddy,” Michael affirmed.

Jessa caught herself happily noting how Shane lit up at the appreciation. Dinner was made over a small fire by a window and included some wild greens picked on the way. Jessa broke up a couple of her famous travel cakes and added it all to a pot. The combination actually turned into a pretty okay tasting stew. She was running out of herbs she realized and needed to be more vigilant in spotting them along the way. They would need to do some foraging pretty soon anyhow to restock on their food supplies.

The house was larger than it had first appeared from the road and everyone got their own room. Shane and hers, as well as Michael’s were upstairs, while Milo was staying downstairs in the Master Suite. It just seemed fitting. Even though he was just a kid, and a kid who hardly looked long for this world at that, he was in also in many ways the heart and soul of the group. Besides, when they asked him if wanted the master suite, you would have thought he had just won the lottery judging by the smile that had spread across his face. His health seemed to be improving already, now that they were away from the city, but Jessa could tell that he was having trouble keeping up the pace. She had actually dragged her own feet in sympathy with him, just to get Michael to slow down a bit. She had found that men had a way of treating everything like a race.

Safely tucked in for the night, it wasn’t long before Shane was asleep in a nice soft bed and softly snoring. The house was in a good spot and offered an excellent vantage point from which they could surveil the surrounding area. Some would just say it had a nice view.

The moments of rest and reflection were few and far between these days, but on this particular evening as she looked up at the heavens she was able to appreciate one of the subtle benefits of living in the afterbombs world. With no electrical grid to speak of, and therefore no artificial light, the night skies stood out in an absolute glory that had been lost to many for the better part of a century. When she got high enough on a peak, or even a hill like this on a clear night, it almost seemed like she were surrounded by nothing but stars. It offered her a feeling of connection to the universe and all really, to all life like nothing else. She sat on the grass as just stared up at the wide infinite expanse.

“I should have known I would catch you out here staring up. Are you hoping that some aliens on their way through our neighborhood will come down and save us?” he said as he sat beside her.

“Nah, I don’t think they wouldn’t want anything to do with this place after the way we fucked it all up.”

7

Jessa grinned in response to the weird look that comment had apparently elicited from Michael.

“Does that face mean you don’t agree?”

“Yea, I guess I can’t really argue with your assessment. It’s just that you have quite a way with words.”

Jessa giggled.

“I’ve heard that before. So are you going to tell me why you are here? With us I mean.”

Jessa’s green eyes held his this time, the mirth in her face having gone. Up until now she had been the evasive one, but she knew in her heart that she needed to face her feelings as well as her fears. This seemed as good of a time as ever. She was being serious and she wanted to make sure that he knew it. If there was going to be anything between them she needed to know where she stood.

“I think you know why I am here.”

“I mean, what do you want from me?”

“I think you know that too. I want it all. You know, it’s not like I just want to get off, Jessa. I think I’ve shown you that I really care about you. I am a patient man though, I can wait.”

Jessa shivered with the memories of his touch when they had last met. He had been patient at first, just as he said. But his passion for her burned just below the surface, and soon enough he had lost all that patience and control. The gentle man she saw before her now had been replaced with a rutting animal. She felt a blush run up her neck and tried to cover it with her hand. She knew that he had only acted on what they had both been feeling. And she knew that deep down, coming from him, she had liked it.

“Why do you deny that you want me just as badly as I want you?”

“I am not denying anything. I’m just not giving in to it right now.”

“Well, I would humbly venture that you might be a lot happier if you did. I can see the way you look at me sometimes. You remember that night just as well as I do, don’t you? We have something.”

Michael was getting closer and he touched her lips lightly with an outstretched hand. The touch made her lips tingle and she whimpered with the shivers that accompanied the innocent touch.

“I miss your lips. Can I kiss you Jessa?”

“Now you are asking?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, but just a kiss.”

Michael encircled Jessa with his arms, and while she was expecting him to try to suck her face off, she was moved instead by his unexpectedly gentle touch. It was so soft. She was the one who added the heat as her tongue slid in between his puckered lips. Her moan was swallowed up by his hungry mouth that quickly began to take over the kiss. They fell on their sides and then Mike’s body pressed hers hard into the grass as he rolled on top. When she pushed against him, he pulled back suddenly.

“Sorry. I kind of lose it when I get around you. I don’t want to push you away again.”

Jessa’s mouth throbbed with want and memory. Her insides were quivering and her nether region tingled, but she tried not to give in. Jessa’s heart was already involved, though she was trying to tell herself that she was in control of it. The longer she denied the craving though, the more it threatened to consume her completely. It was turning into a vicious cycle that more often than not left her on edge and battling a feeling of desperate yearning.

Guiding him off of her, and with as much poise as she could muster, she said, “I think I am going to go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow. We need our rest. Goodnight Michael.”

It was harder than she cared to admit, to walk away from him that night, and she spent hours in bed actually wishing she hadn’t. It was all she could do to not just get up and go into the next room to be with him. It was tempting, but Jessa did not trust herself to keep her head once she gave in. She couldn’t afford to lose herself right now.

***

Michael was having his own difficulties getting to sleep. His room seemed too big after having shared rooms with the others for so many nights. They were too far away. Most of all, of course, she was too far away. He couldn’t hear her breathing, or sense her just across the room, as he had grown accustomed to doing before he drifted off each night.  He strained to hear a noise from the other room. Maybe she would come to him after all. There were no footsteps however. Instead, he imagined he heard a soft moaning from through the wall. Maybe he was just imagining it though.

It was a nice thought though, to think of her playing with herself only a couple of feet away. It was not helping him fall asleep though. He was almost sure now that he heard her. At least he knew that he had gotten to her. She would come around. Still he wanted to be the one giving her pleasure tonight, and making her moan. By the sound of things, she was just as frustrated as he was. He smiled at that. He was a patient man. But boy was it gonna be great when they finally got it on again, he thought as he finally drifted off. Luckily he was utterly exhausted from the long days on the road.

8

Jessa couldn’t sleep. All she could think about was Michael in the next room. Rather than toss and turn, she went to the covered window, peeling back some of the cloth to look up at the moon. It was large in the night sky, almost full by the looks of it. And it was beautiful. She stared out for several minutes, trying to clear her mind, but her thoughts always went full-circle back to Michael. And her body still ached for him. Shane was out cold in the second bed. The kid slept like a rock and she knew he wouldn’t stir ‘til morning. Of course it would be 5am, but still he was out for hours.

“Dammit.”

She knew it was useless. She would never get back to sleep, with her body insistently yearning for satisfaction. She sighed to herself and looked once more at the bed that she knew she should be in. She just couldn’t bring herself to get back in it. She was losing the battle quickly now. She was already accepting that she couldn’t deny her desire any longer.

Jessa opened her door slowly. She waited for the loud creek that would alert Milo or somehow wake Shane, but she was able to open it without any horrific loud noises at all. She tiptoed over to the room next to hers and paused with her hand on the door knob for what felt like several minutes. Jessa almost turned around, but instead just turned it suddenly before she lost her nerve. Here goes nothing, she thought.

Stepping into the room and closing the door softly behind her, she waited to see if she had awoken him. When he didn’t turn towards her or move at all, Jessa took the time to allow her eyes to adjust to the dimness of the room. When she could finally see, she walked towards the side of the empty bed. The closer she got to him, the more her insides shook in anticipation.

God, I need this. She kept thinking to herself.

Jessa started to pull her clothes off slowly, trying her best to be quiet. She didn’t want to wake him, until she was ready. He had indeed been very patient with her, and now she wanted to reward that patience…and reward herself. Jessa touched her soft breasts, pulling on the hard ends with her fingers. Her flesh was more than ready for him and when she finally slid in next to his warm body under the covers, she molded herself against him. He was wearing just a pair of briefs and his skin was hot against her night-air-cooled flesh.

She didn’t move for several moments as allowed her heart and breathing to settle down a bit. She wanted to just feel him against her for a little while. She could feel the swell of her breasts pressed against his hot back, her nipples tightening with anticipation. Jessa moved her arm to encircle his chest as he began to stir.

***

“God, please tell me this isn’t a dream.”

Michael whispered the words, mostly to himself as he felt her warm flesh against his back. He had awoken when the door opened and though he had wanted to turn and see her, he was still afraid, even then of scaring her off again, so he had waited patiently for her to get up the courage to climb into bed with him herself. He was pleasantly surprised as he realized she was absolutely naked.  Michael couldn’t suppress the groan that came out as her body pressed against him. Her arm went around him, grasping at his chest as she pulled tighter against him. Finally she was ready. Thank God, he thought.

If it was a dream, Michael did not want to wake up. He tried to stay quiet, afraid that any quick movement might ruin it…like when you spot a deer on a morning walk. He had already failed miserably though. It was impossible not react to her, especially since he had been waiting for her for what felt like years. He took the hand that was on his chest into his own.

“Are you awake?”

“I’m not sure.”

Michael turned towards her, his hands moving to her ass and low back as he pulled her hips to him as they lay on their sides. His lips met hers, but with even more insistence than before. He held her chin with one gentle hand as he pulled her closer. When he finally pulled away from the kiss, her eyes were shut.

“It’s about time Jessa.”

At this, Jessa’s eyes fluttered open and met his. But there was no smugness in his comment that may have killed the mood. She could only see desire and a raw need in them. Their lips met again, though this time his hands ran down her side, stopping to caress the underside of one of her breasts. She cooed softly and pressed even harder against him. She could feel the excitement growing through the thin cloth that covered his hardening shaft. Her own sex was quickly growing wet with a desperate desire to receive him inside of her.

“Michael, I need you now.” She almost begged as she removed his shorts with first a hand and then her foot, pushing them down and then off of his body.

Mike grabbed her hips again, parting her legs as he raised one of her thighs over his own. His hard length pressed up against her quim. Mike spread her legs around him and pushed through her quivering thighs. He felt the liquid coating his shaft as he rubbed his cock across her exposed wet lips. He allowed the head to dance against her opening, as she squirmed to try and guide him inside. If she could just position herself right, she could push herself down onto him, but he anticipated her movements and teased her as he resisted.

Jessa whined, her body trying desperately to drive him inside of her, but he evaded every attempt, driving her into a virtual frenzy. She was becoming needier by the second, begging him to take her. It was a stark difference from the woman who had refused him so many times before. Her dam of resistance had finally broken.

“Please Michael, just give it to me,” she half demanded.

Michael paused, and allowing his rod to slide along her hole once more, he moved his body lower in the bed, while his arms held her thighs open to his gaze. He gazed at her open sex for a moment before running his tongue over her mound.

“Oh fuck,” she gasped.

Jessa moaned and pulled him closer, her thighs squeezing his neck as his mouth ravished her slickened core. Her hands pushed through his hair, pulling him in even tighter, her whole body screaming for more. Jessa’s muscles started to tense under him, her hips moving quickly against his lips and tongue as she sought to grind her clit against his willing mouth.

She felt a small nibble on her most sensitive part and cried out into the quiet night. Michael forgot how loud she was and eased off, lest she wake the rest of the house. His mouth released her and he looked up at her face as he slid a finger inside of her, even as he offered his other hand‘s fingers for her to suck on. Contented to suck and not scream she allowed him to pump his fingers inside of her, reigniting her orgasm anew. She relinquished his fingers from her mouth as she cried out his name.

Finally prepared to feel her around him, Mike pulled his body back alongside hers as he pressed his mouth against her. Just as quickly he rolled on top of her, his weight pressing her into the mattress as once again his hardness pressed against her aching, ready core. She could feel his heat on her and she rose her hips to try and meet it. The contact made him hiss under his breath. He felt her hot wetness against the base of his sex as Jessa desperately pulled her hips up in an attempt to finally land his head solidly against her swollen center.

“Stop teasing me Mike, Come on, enough is enough,” she said huskily into his ear. “I get it, I made you wait so so long,” she purred.

Her hips moved up again, straining to allow herself to be entered by him completely. Jessa was soaking wet and she couldn’t have possibly been any more ready than she already was. His cock was so close now, the tip beginning to press against her lips. The slightest twist and he would finally be filling her need.

“I want you forever Jessa, not just for tonight. Lying here with you now, I can’t even imagine the world without you. Tell me you are not going to run away again. When are you going to see that I really care for you?”

“I am not going anywhere Mike. Please!”

Mike was on the edge of giving in himself now, but he had been burned too many times by her to give in without just a little more reassurance. He had not let on how much her prior abandonments had hurt him.

“Tell me you love me Jessa. I’m tired of the games. I don’t want to be with you until you say it. I want to hear it from your lips. No more denying, because I already know you do.”

Jessa’s hips relaxed as the shock of this revelation sank in. She knew he cared but she had not really allowed herself to feel. Now there was no escape from the full impact of his devotion.

“I can’t Michael.”

“I love you Jessa, and I know you love me…please just let me hear it. After all the chasing, I need to hear it.”

Despite, or perhaps because of the gravity of their words, the passion had only increased between them, and Jessa let out a sigh as she felt him straining at the entrance between her outstretched legs. Now they were both waiting to see where this would lead. She squirmed trying to pull him in without giving in with those final words. She was amazed at his restraint. Even as he still held back, his blue eyes filled hers with the love that he clearly had for her. She knew she loved him too, but found her mouth could not utter the words. Everyone she had said those words to had left her, except for Shane. They were all dead, and Jessa didn’t know if she could take another loss.

9

“Mike, I …”

She was unable to complete the sentence as he finally gave in to his lust and thrust fully inside her. Her words were replaced with a deep groan of pleasure as her body exploded underneath him. Like before, they fit together perfectly, her walls molding their way around his length. Mike’s blue eyes stared down into hers, waiting as his cock throbbed inside of her.

“Tell me Jessa, or do you just want me to fuck you? Is that all I mean to you? Cause I can do that too if that is all you want.” He could no longer contain his frustrations.

His words were crass, and seemingly in contrast to all of his earlier restraint, but she knew he was justified in saying every word. All the while she felt him pulsing deep inside or her, as the last vestiges of his control fought to prevent his animal passion from literally spilling out of him. She could feel how complete she felt with him at her side. He was like a part of her that had been missing for so long. She was done running.

“I love you Michael. I think I have loved you since we met.”

It wasn’t exactly the most spontaneous profession of love that he had ever heard, but it was all he had wanted. He had just needed to hear her say it. Mike bent his head down and kissed her softly on the lips, tasting her as his tongue entwined with hers. He finally, mercifully began to move his hips against hers, gently at first, but steadily gaining momentum as their passion was finally set free.

Jessa’s arms wound around his neck and she pulled her chest up to him, as he held her to him with a hand on her ass as he supported some of his weight with the other outstretched arm. The whole time his hips increased the tempo, beginning to slam against her, his cock pushing deeper with each thrust.

“I love you Jessa, I have wanted to say that for so long now…”

As she finally fully surrendered her heart and her body to him, she allowed the relief and the feel of him deep inside of her to build until she hardly stand it. Her whole body exploded as she shut her eyes even more tightly so she could just feel the moment. Her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and she held him in place as she convulsed around him. Deep sounds of satisfaction and relief escaped her lungs as her body finally began to go limp beneath him.

Mike pushed back and sat back to his knees. He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her body towards him. She squealed and then moaned as he re-entered her as her thighs went again around his waist.  Whatever control he had managed to draw upon earlier was gone, perhaps freed along with his ability to finally just completely be himself, knowing at last how she felt about him.

He drove her down onto him as she bounced on his rigid staff once again, feeling herself stretched around his length. They quickly fell into a rhythm as Jessa began to come down on him with a force to match his upward thrusts. Soon they were both feeling the growing pressure of imminent release. As they each sensed the other getting closer and closer to the “little death” the feelings grew inside of them exponentially until he was exploding inside of her with a gasp even as her body once again released a torrent of fluids as she gripped him in a fresh wave of convulsing pleasure. Her hands gripped the sheets beside her as her body writhed. He released her legs and they fell to the mattress around him. Jessa breathed in heavy breaths of air, unable to stop the shivering down her spine. It was so intense for her that she actually thought for a moment that she might pass out. When Mike finally slid out of her, her legs went together and she curled onto her side, her head nuzzled up against him.

Mike lay down next to her, caressing her hair and kissing the top of her head, even as the sheets finally fell from the bed completely, almost as if they too, had had enough and were now completely sated. Michael’s heavy breathing and steady strong heart beat began to calm as he moved to spoon her from behind. His hand cupped one of her tits and she moaned softly as the fingers could help but play with her hard nipples. Jessa’s ass pushed back against him almost involuntarily. His cock was again rising again for more.

“If you don’t stop Jessa, we aren’t going to get any sleep at all.”

Jessa giggled and moved back against him, feeling his rod pushing between her thighs and slipping against her wetness. He was already fully hard again and though Jessa was fully satisfied, she realized her body wanted more. It was as if they had both come out of the desert and stumbled upon an oasis. They would drink their fill, both to make up for the long drought they had endured, as well as to store up for whatever history told them the future might hold.

She sat up and kissed him on his lips as she looked down at him. Her body settled on top of him once again, positioning her wet heat right above him.

“Who says I don’t want any more Mike?”

Jessa grabbed him in her hand, as she guided him inside her again, even as she pushed down slowly onto his length. She made it almost all the way down before her eyes fluttered shut and she felt complete and filled once again. Her hands braced herself against his hairy chest as she began to move ever so slowly on top of him. Mike let out a groan as he watched her work him inside of her, pivoting her hips in an increasing tempo, even as she rubbed her clit against his body. Jessa moaned and sat tall, taking him deeper once again, while simultaneously offering him a view of his cock as it parted her lips and entered her. His hands were drawn to her jiggling breasts, as he set to squeezing and massaging the tender skin.

“Mmm, suck on them Mike.”

Jessa bent down, her hands going to either side of his head. She lowered her tits to his face, rubbing them against his short beard. It tickled her skin as she moved faster, her chest bouncing across his cheeks. He was happy to acquiesce to her demand as he took her nipples into his mouth in turn, suckling them and feeling Jessa respond to the pleasure of his attentions.

“God yes, Mmmm.”

Jessa started to groan louder, as she again ground her hips against his as her body started to shake. Michael could feel her juices flowing around his cock as he pushed deeper inside. He was almost sore by now as his hands went to her waist and he thrust up, taking both of their breaths away in the process. Jessa’s body was slackening from the powerful climax.

“I can’t Mike, oh God, it is so tender.”

“Let me finish what you started Jess.”

The man lifted her up off of him like she weighed nothing rolled her onto the bed. She landed on her stomach even as Mike was behind her, pulling her ass up before she could stop him, not that she wanted to. Michael groaned at the sight of her beckoning pussy and quickly pushed inside of her soft wetness once more. He slammed in from behind, pushing Jessa’s face down into the mattress as he began to release the last of the pent up sexuality he had been suppressing for so long.

Her utterances were barely more than animal sounds at this point as she accepted his sex into her in this most primal of positions. She buried her face in the comforter to muffle her cries. Even as she surrendered gratefully to his strength, her body moved back to meet each one of his hard strokes. Finally she began to slow down, even as the man rutting inside of her went faster and harder. She lifted her head up and almost begged for him to release inside of her. She was completely spent and couldn’t take any more.

“Please come Mike.”

She squeezed her quim tight, suffocating his shaft and pushing him to his own end. A few more pumps and he was bellowing out his own pleasure deep inside her. Even as his seed came in hot spurts inside of her, he collapsed on top of her panting as he caressed her sweat slick back with the minimal effort he could manage.

They lay entangled for a moment before Michael pulled out again. By now they were both exhausted and sore, and extremely satisfied.

“Oh my God Jessa, I think I’m going to pass out.”

“Well good, ‘cause I think we both need to. I need to get back to my own bed and get some sleep.”

Michael had a look of mock hurt on his face as he grabbed her and pulled her body back to his.

“Can’t you stay with me tonight Jessa? What happened to no more running away?”

Jessa pushed against his large chest and then gently chided him.

“I’m not running away, okay? I love you, remember.”

With that she kissed his forehead and he kissed hers.

“Well I guess it would be ok if I stayed with you a little while longer. I just want to get back in my bed before Shane wakes up, ok?”

“Whatever you say my queen. I am your humble servant.”

She giggled contentedly as his lips met hers. He had been joking but he also meant every word. He would do whatever he had to make her happy – and to keep her safe.

***

Billy, Marshal and Jimmy waited on the bottom of the hill, looking up at the house that held the woman they had been tracking for weeks. They waited until the sounds in the house died down to plot their next move. Better to let them fall asleep.

“Fuck I thought that would never end. You sure you don’t want to keep her around for a while?”

Marshal nodded, agreeing with Jimmy. Every one of the men had a hard knot from overhearing the two of them going at it.

“Would you two shut up!? I don’t want them to know we are coming. He was not thrilled with the idea of the men doing any more than what had to be done, but he also knew that to keep his men happy, he sometimes had to allow them to express certain of their urges.

“I bet Chase was trying to tap that ass when she got over on him.”

“Of course he was,” Billy said. What he didn’t say, but only thought, was that the whole thing was pretty fitting. It was a shame that she had to be punished. He almost admired her. There had actually been times that he had thought he would have to deal with Chase’s less savory “habits” himself. He also wasn’t thrilled that in all likelihood the man in there with her was Michael. He was another one he liked. But what had to be done had to be done.

“Well unless you want to end up like him, get your head out of your ass.”

The three men walked up the side of the hill to the little house and waited. They had finally tracked them to the house just before nightfall, so they had not even laid eyes on them. They knew they were in there, but they were still unsure of exactly who they were up against. As things quieted down the only question was whether to strike now or perhaps wait for the morning so they could first get a better look at their prey before they struck.

THE END

Continues in Book 3…

For the Love of Zombies: Not so HEA

Sadie Simms

Copyright ©2016 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

The air was warm and sticky when Robert awoke. He didn’t even need to reach across to the other side of the bed to know that Britney wasn’t there. He could see the small outline of her petite figure imprinted on the well-worn mattress. She was up and about. This room was designed for sleeping only. Things may have to change soon. He knew that, but he liked the security this tiny homemade bunker offered at night.

Getting out of bed, he crawled out of the tunnel and made the 25-meter journey to the wooden latch that opened into the ranch house. The blast of fresh air made him more alert. The open and airy timber house was the epitome of country coziness in its decor. Most would say present times weren’t ideal, but essentially Robert didn’t hate the circumstances.

Sure, the dead coming to life and nearly annihilating humankind wasn’t good news by anyone’s standards. But those that made it through were given the opportunity to appreciate the smaller things in life when your interaction was with people and not technology.

He knew the plague of the undead was causing more global pain and suffering than all of humanity’s wars and atrocities combined, but since the “disease” was unleashed, he had actually found his own quality of life improved. Prior to the collapse of society, Robert had run a successful cattle ranch. He had beef and dairy contracts with one of the biggest grocery chains in the country, which provided him with a sizable income. He had loved the work and so had his wife. But Janet, his high school sweetheart, had been taken from him five years earlier by breast cancer. Losing her had torn him apart – he saw no future in carrying on. His eldest son, Bobby, was deeply affected as well. He channeled his loss into rage and rebellion and decided to join the army. He probably also had enough of the farm and hoped to see the world. Robert just hoped his rebellion and exploration of the world wouldn’t get him killed by enemy fire. His younger son, Peter, had been drawn closer to his recently widowed father and stepped up, deciding he would join him on the ranch. Before her death though, his wife had been adamant that Peter complete his education first.

Zombie. The word sounded ridiculous in his head, but that was how the last few news and information bulletins referred to them. Then all TV stations went off the air. With no wife, a son in the armed forces and a son in college, he essentially lived alone until the world changed overnight.

Grabbing an apple from a basket resting on the edge of the marble breakfast bench, he shook his head to clear the memories and bring him back to the present. He took a bite and let his ears attune to the sounds of the house. If his deductions were correct, Peggy would still be sound asleep upstairs. He padded up the stairs in his slippers. Pausing by Peggy’s door, he gently pushed it open to view her in bed. The covers heaved up and downwards and the ninety-two year old’s face looked peaceful and content.

Peggy was more pleasant to be around when she was asleep than when she was awake. With the onset of dementia, she had become hard work for the small make-shift household to take care of. He knew it wasn’t her fault and that any semblance of her old routine had been shattered by having to adapt to radical new ways of living. Nonetheless, Robert found it exceedingly frustrating at times and often resented her being in the house.

Stepping into what used to be his bedroom, he flung open the door to the built-in wardrobe. He had long since moved his actual sleeping quarters to a more fortified position. He had literally dug into the ground for protection. At fifty-two, he was a man of simple tastes and wanted to live, so he had no problem sleeping in a hole in the ground just in case. Although he was already in a fortified compound, the key to survival, in his opinion, was multiple layers of defense. Looking through the wardrobe, he finally dragged on a pair of worn jeans and yanked out a flannel check shirt. The outfit was comfortable and practical for the work he had ahead.

He scurried down the stairs, and his feet went easily into his leather boots. Outside was positively glorious. On days like today, he thought, you could almost imagine that the world hadn’t gone to total shit. The sun shone down brightly, making beads of sweat develop on his brow and down his back so that his shirt stuck to his skin.

The ranch was not what it once was, that was for sure. The open spaces no longer stretched on as far as the eye could see. As a farmer, Robert was adaptable and had a seemingly innate command of survival techniques ingrained in his character long before things went to hell. He'd downsized the borders of the property considerably but kept it large enough to permit a fruit orchard, vegetable patch and fields for the pigs, cows and goats. The land was secured by huge trucks parked together, marking a “safe” area for him to engage in basic farming, as well as a space to have some semblance of a day-to-day life.

When news of the plague hit, Robert drove for over a day to reach the main supermarket that sourced his goods. Havoc reigned supreme with looters. Seeing which way the wind was blowing, Robert found a fully stocked van, whose previous owner was nowhere to be found. You had to do what you had to do these days, and he promptly drove it to his property. The height of the trucks prevented the zombies from climbing them. The trucks he'd accumulated over time were parked strategically so that the ladders faced inwards. Aware that they were capable of crawling, Robert bailed up barbed wire under and over every vehicle to prevent any strays coming his way and invading his semi-peaceful surroundings.

The idea seemed ingenious to Robert. He made the trip a few times to the supermarkets to gather as many heavyweight vehicles as possible and fill them with food and drink and drive them home to secure the ranch. He decided to extend his attempts to fortify his property by obtaining other trucks that held relevant stock or produce that could benefit Robert and his animals.

He even had the good fortune of coming across a gas station that had numerous tanker trucks abandoned in the car park. The mammoth vehicles not only provided protection from the undead, but afforded Robert the luxury of a good diesel supply to run generators as well as a light truck for short foraging journeys.

It was during his discovery of the service station that he first stumbled across Britney.

Chapter 2

The man who had just stepped out of the truck didn’t look threatening to Britney. Her step-brother, Liam, wasn’t quite as sure. They’d been hiding in the service station for weeks. Mostly people came through, filled their engines with gas, pilfered what stock they could find, and moved on. However this guy drove religiously to the station for three days in a row and made off with one of the tankers each time, strapping his motorcycle to the truck each time so he could return the next day.

“If we don’t approach him soon, we’ll be stuck here forever,” hissed Britney at her older brother.

He silenced her by putting his fingers to his lips. A star of the university basketball team at six foot five, Liam was reasonably confident if things got physical he could take the middle-aged man out. Britney could see Liam measuring up the older man.

“Haven’t you noticed he never brings a gun? Never comes with other people. Never comes in to steal what little food we have left for Grandma.”

“She’s your grandmother, not mine,” growled Liam, reminding her that they weren't related by blood.

“We should talk to him.”

“It’s not safe,” snapped Liam.

His head felt achy, and he was experiencing hot flashes.

“It’s not safe here with you either,” said Britney tersely.

She immediately wished she hadn’t.

Liam’s hand went to the tear in the lower left leg of his jeans. “I keep thinking how many times we’ve been held at gunpoint and threatened and abused by people stumbling across this service station and none of those fuckers pulled the trigger. I go out the back for one fucking beer and some time to think, only to find one of those creatures lurking around. Clearly it was as hungry as we were,” recalled Liam for the umpteenth time, still flummoxed by his bad luck.

There was no need for Britney to reiterate that the creature had taken a sizeable bite of flesh from Liam. The wound was an angry, raised bleeding welt, weeping with puss.

“I still can’t believe I managed to stay alive through all the initial chaos and violence, only to get bitten by a fucking zombie. It’s fucking bullshit. I’m going to be one of them and suddenly I’m scared. Really scared. Scared that maybe there’s no God or no heaven. Scared I’ll be trapped in a body and unable to communicate. Scared I won’t register anything or anyone.”

Britney was shocked to see Liam crying. They weren’t the closest of step-siblings. With Liam being a senior at college, Britney’s clique of freshmen friends thought him a complete heartthrob. His athletic physique and dark black crew cut contrasting with ocean blue eyes drew a lot of female attention.

“Liam, I know… We’ll deal with that. But for now, this man seems harmless. One day soon he’ll complete his truck collection and won’t ever come back here, and we don’t know how long it’ll be before we even see anyone else. He’s older. He looks like he knows what’s going on. He looks as if he can help. He must also be taking those trucks somewhere. I bet it’s safer than here.”

Liam sat in silence on his haunches, rocking back and forth trying to control his temper.

“There’s no fucking cure, Britney.” He was understandably fixed on the “I’m going to turn into a fucking zombie” topic.

“We don’t know that, and even if there’s not, he might be able to make sure you don’t turn into one of them.”

“What if he won’t talk? Won’t help us?” asked Liam stonily.

“Then I’ll make him,” asserted Britney. “I have my ways.”

By now the stranger had loaded up his bike behind the cab of the truck and was preparing to start off. It was unclear if he was somehow hotwiring the trucks, or if he had actually found the keys, but either way, they heard the truck roar to life. She raced across the parking lot out of Robert’s line of sight and began to climb the ladder at the back of the tanker.

What the hell was she doing? wondered Liam. As her plan dawned on him, he raced after her with equal stealth.

She was going to get herself killed.

“Let me come with you!”

“You can’t. You won’t make it. You don’t have the energy or strength to hold on.”

“You don’t know that you do, either,” protested Liam.

“No, but I’ve a better chance. Stay here with gran – Peggy. I’ll come back as soon as he gets to wherever he’s going and I’ve explained everything to him.”

“What if you don’t come back? I won’t know how to track you.”

For once his tone was completely that of a concerned and overprotective brother. Britney hugged him hard.

“If I don’t come back, you, me and Peggy will all end up the in the same place anyway,” she answered sadly. “We have to do something. We’re almost out of food and gran’s in bad shape.”

The truck began to pull away and Britney felt her eyes welling with tears as she left the last two souls she knew on earth in the dust.

Chapter 3

Robert had actually spotted the girl the moment she jumped on the truck, but he decided to allow her to hitch a ride with him. He figured he would see what she was made of. His intuition told him she wasn’t trouble. He could just tell by the way she moved that she was hardly a street smart criminal. Still, it was unclear exactly what she was, but he would be better able to handle her on his own and within his own compound where he had the advantage.

That had been months ago. The important part is that he had taken them in. Once he heard her story, it was a no-brainer, so to speak. It just made sense. He was lost in the revelry of thinking about their first meeting as he now searched throughout the compound to find her. He had a pretty good idea of where she was actually. Irritation seized him as he climbed a truck and finally located the girl on the opposite side of the perimeter, just where he thought she’d be. He slid down the truck and began walking toward her, shaking his head. She was so engrossed, she didn’t hear his approach. A familiar member of the undead had a length of cord round his ankle, tied to a peg secured deep in the ground. Britney was holding the creature’s rotting hand and trying to make eye contact. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but she was deliberately keeping her speaking voice low and soothing.

Impulsively, he wanted to jump in and wretch her away from the vulgar anomaly. But if he startled the zombie, it might bite or lash out at her and that was the last thing he wanted.

“Britney,” he whispered.

Robert’s voice was equivalent to golden honey. Britney turned and dropped the zombie’s hand she’d been using to caress her cheek.

“Step back,” he ordered, his voice barely sounding.

The instant Britney stepped back, the zombie growled and reached for her. Britney fell to her rump, but Robert was there to catch her and drag her from the creature’s reach. Ensuring she was out of harm’s way, Robert sat next to her. He wanted to console her but didn’t know where to start.

“He doesn’t know you, Brit,” he said kindly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“You don’t know that.”

“No, I don’t. But whether he does or not, he still wants to eat you.”

“That’s because he’s starving.”

Robert studied Liam, or what was left of him. He was a shadow of a man, his jeans and shirt now in tatters. The baseball shirt he was wearing was oversized. He once had a sturdy frame, but it had wasted considerably since turning.

“I don’t think this is healthy, Brit. You gotta stop.”

“He’s my family.”

“Peggy’s your family. I’m your family now,” he reminded her.

His injured voice struck a chord with Britney. “I know. I thought maybe he might eat rats and feral animals or something.”

“Maybe he would if he wasn’t pegged to the site,” reasoned Robert. “But you know we need him here. He’s pegged to perimeter alongside the others to keep any stray zombies from coming near the ranch. You know how it works. For whatever reason, when the zombies see other zombies, they lose interest… They just don’t attack. Maybe it’s some weird undead territory thing. Hell, I have no fucking idea. Or maybe they just aren't smart enough to spot someone alive when you’re surrounded by the undead. Whatever it is, our little ring of zombie pets seems to be working.”

“I know. It’s just so hard to let go. I wish I could feel better about seeing him like this.”

“I know, hon. Britney, think of it like this. We’re on our own out here. If we were in a bigger town, maybe we would have the manpower to keep ourselves safe. But the nearest town is a two-hour drive away and its population was only 4700 people before the turn. No one came to our rescue at the Turn, and no one is coming to our rescue now. Liam, at least, is still helping us, and we get to see him around. Even if he’s a little…different now.

“You’d think your son would’ve done something to get the army out here to help,” said Britney bitterly.

The same thought had crossed Robert’s mind, but he didn’t want Britney disparaging his son. But he also knew it was ridiculous to think they could just send troops out into the middle of nowhere on one soldier’s whim. They had to defend the cities.

“Bobby was a private. Hardly the highest ranking. I don’t think he’d have the gall to sweet talk a general into rushing in to rescue his hometown with tanks and supplies.”

Liam took a step toward his sister and crumpled to his knees.

“Ahhh, Jesus,” cussed Robert at the pitiful sight.

Britney burst into tears.

“He’ll live forever and have no quality of life. He needs to eat.”

“What are we supposed to feed him?”

“So I just stay here for the rest of my life and watch my brother exist in this constant state of death?”

“Maybe, but at least you know where he is and what happened to him. It’s a darn sight better than wondering if one of your sons was killed in action. It’s better than wondering if your youngest son is dead, has turned or is desperately trying to make his way back to his old man. You know he promised to help me and sometimes I can’t help but wonder if he’s on his way home even now. Be thankful you know where your loved ones are and what happened to them. That’s all I’m saying.”

A silence settled between the two.

“Do you want me to put him out of his misery?” murmured Robert.

Britney shook her head. Standing up she walked over to Liam. Obtaining a pocket knife from the front pocket of her jeans, she set about cutting Liam’s cord and freeing him.

“They may find a cure one day. If I killed my brother and didn’t give him the chance to survive, I’d never forgive myself.”

Liam began to gather himself and stand. Again his frail legs couldn’t bear his weight and he crumbled. With a sickened expression, Britney watched as her step-brother crawled off towards the open plains.

Chapter 4

It had all been different when she first arrived. Robert still remembered that day. He had driven back with her holding on for dear life the whole way. As soon as he got back, he set to adding the tanker to his fortifications. After lining it up, he jumped down from the cab to see what adjustments needed to be made. At the same time, he saw that Britney had climbed along the top of the truck.

She had no idea what distance they had covered, but the journey had been a full day. Britney was relieved he had stopped after the first four hours, which gave her time to climb the ladder and hold tight to the top of the truck for the remaining four-hour drive to his compound. It was secure, flatter and a lot less strain on her muscles. Now as she finally came out of hiding, her legs and arms trembled as she lowered herself down each rung of the ladder.

Coming out from behind the truck, she saw Robert checking that the front of the new truck was pressed up against the rear of the truck in front.

“I'm not dangerous and I'm not one of them,” she greeted.

“Oh, you decided to come down. Good. I wasn’t sure you would be able to hang on the whole way, but you did a mighty fine job.” He went back to aligning the truck. He had been raised with good manners and taught to treat women with respect, but times were different now. Still, this girl did not set off his alarms. He'd seen women with guns and vulgar language ransacking the supermarket and even looting the service station. She was not one of those woman.

Slowly, he walked toward her.

“You knew I was up there! Well why didn’t you stop and let me sit inside! That was eight hours…I could have been killed!”

“Well, maybe I wanted to be sure you were a survivor.”

She just looked at him, holding her ground and unsure of what to say next.

“So, if you don’t mind my asking, what exactly can I do for you, miss?”

“I've seen you at the service station the last few days. We were there when it happened. I mean we were staying there. People came and went, and when my brother tried to defend our position, maintain what few supplies we had...well, almost everyone got violent.”

Britney sensed that Robert was listening keenly to her. She kept talking calmly and clearly.

“We watched you, and well, we can’t stay there forever, and you seemed somehow, nice, or maybe strong. We don’t know where to go and so, well… I thought you might help us.”

By the age of fifty-two, Robert considered himself someone who got an accurate picture of a person from first impressions. The girl wasn't a liar.

“Why didn't you approach me at the service station? It's an eight-hour drive here.”

“My brother and I couldn't agree on whether or not to ask you for help. You look like a good man to me,” Britney said it aloud and prayed her assessment of Robert was right. “Rather than argue with my brother, I hitched a ride so he couldn't stop me.”

“That brave,” drawled Robert, “and kind of stupid.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” admitted Britney, shrugging.

Robert smiled. The folly of youth. She was young, perhaps even younger than his youngest son. She was sweet and open and honest.

“So, like I said, what exactly do you want from me?”

“I hadn't really thought that far ahead.”

“You want to come in for something to eat and drink? You must be shattered after riding on the top of the truck for eight hours.”

“I can trust you?”

“It's a bit late to worry about that,” laughed Robert.

Britney had a healthy appetite and was good company. In just a few hours, Robert realized just how much he missed interacting with other people. His house was huge and even if his son did arrive, the size of the house would comfortably accommodate Britney's small family of three. She had finally told him of her grandma as well.

Plus, with another man to help out, Robert could reduce the number of trips remaining to collect the final two trucks to close off the farmland area. He’d scouted the remaining vehicles on the motorcycle so he knew what needed to be obtained, and from where.

Arrangements made, they left early the next morning to ensure they were at the service station by dusk to drive back through the night.

Britney ran to Liam upon arrival. With pallid skin and raspy breathing, he reined in his usually sharp tongue and permitted a minor display of gruff affection toward her.

“Thought I'd lost you,” he said. “I was going to be super pissed if your grandmother was my first meal as a zombie.”

“You don't know if you'll turn,” encouraged Britney. “You've lasted this long, and your body is fighting the infection. We really don’t know how this whole zombie thing works anyhow. Maybe you’ll get better. Stay strong, and your next meal will be meat and fresh vegetables like I was treated to last night.”

“Doesn't matter. I've got a three-course meal waiting for me when I zombify now that you've recruited this old dude.”

“He's not that old. He's mum and dad's age.”

“And look how they fared,” sneered Liam. “Maybe it was crazy of them to end it the way they did, but at least we know what happened. Your crazy mother convinced my dad to blow his brains out.”

“Probably,” agreed Britney placidly, “but I'm here, and I'm telling you to fight. I'm not her.”

“No. You're not,” said Liam quietly, kissing Britney’s forehead.

“Can you drive a truck back to my land?” asked Robert after being introduced to Britney's brother.

Britney caught Liam's eye. “He doesn’t have a license,” she answered on his behalf. “I do, though. I'll drive it and Liam can keep me company.”

“Sounds good,” agreed Liam gratefully.

It didn't sound as good to Robert. Britney was preferable company to the ninety-two year old woman who seemed to think her husband was away at war fighting the Japanese. She'd spent her time lambasting him for not joining up and evading being drafted. Eight hours of her incessant babble would have him wishing he were a zombie too.

And he had to admit that he even though Britney could have easily been his daughter, it was hard not to look at her and think some pretty impure thoughts.

It wasn't until they reached the ranch that Robert realized Liam was ill. He apologized profusely to the youth. It was at that point that he realized why Liam hadn't been able to drive and why Britney had been so solicitous of his condition. What he didn't know was the nature of Liam's illness. The kid remained alive for only forty-eight hours before the night Robert heard him weeping and wailing. Britney had been caring for him herself, saying she did not want Robert to be bothered by the situation.

Robert entered the bedroom to see a near skeletal version of the boy he'd taken in. His skin was a dark green color, similar to seaweed.

“It's going to happen, it's going to happen,” he was mumbling over and over as Britney comforted him.

“He's been bit?”

Liam nodded and Britney cried. She cried for her brother, and she cried for omitting the truth from Robert who'd opened his home to them.

Robert beckoned Britney out of the bedroom as he went to get his 45-caliber.

“He has to go. He's a danger to me and your gran and you. I’ll do it tonight when he is asleep, if he doesn’t turn sooner.”

Britney had refused point blank. She begged and pleaded and finally convinced Robert that Liam could serve as a means of protecting the ranch from other zombies. She was so adamant with the plan that they'd finally gone out and collected more zombies to tether to the ground at random spots around the outskirts of the perimeter to the property. If you were careful and dealt with them one at a time, it was safe enough to handle the dead.

In the end, they'd compromised and Liam had been placed in the barn until he turned fully. His mind was already gone and so they had attached the rope to his leg so they lead him outside to spend eternity guarding their property when the time came. It was a sad day. It was even harder because Britney's grandmother was just as gone in her own world, so Brittany was left to grieve without any family.

He could hardly blame her for being upset. She had no one left from her old life. He knew what that was like. He had been lonely and by himself for a long time before she showed up, and now it was just the two of them. Sure, her grandma was still alive, but in some ways she was like a zombie herself. This hardly seemed the time, but for some reason, he suddenly felt free to see her as a sexual being. With her brother around, Robert had still felt governed by the old ways. It would have felt weird coming onto a girl like her with her brother right there, seeing the whole thing. But now that he was gone, he realized it was just the two of them and that all the old societal norms were gone. It was almost like they were back two hundred years when marriages of convenience were the norm. He also had to admit, now that he really let himself look, she was hot as hell.

He had heard that in times of death, people were inclined to have sex to celebrate the fact they were still alive. He felt a little ashamed to be thinking along these lines now, but he was a man, after all. He couldn’t help it.

But then he vividly remembered his wife's funeral and suddenly the last thing on his mind was sex. The grief had been overwhelming. Britney appeared awash with the same remorse and pain that Robert felt back then with his wife, and maybe that was why he felt obligated to stay by her side. Maybe somehow by helping her through this time, he was able to heal his own heart. So, for whatever reason, he sat with her as the hours passed. It was somewhere in that time, during the few days that it took her to let go of her brother, that Robert realized his love for her.

Chapter 5

Britney knew what she wanted and what she had to do. Robert wasn't going to take the initiative. He was too much of a gentleman. It was obvious from the way he looked at her, and all the little kindnesses he showered on her, that he cared for her in more than a passing fashion. They had become steadily closer since her step-brother turned, but they still had maintained the old relationship. She had actually tried to snuggle up to him on a few occasions, but he pretended to not notice. But she could see that his resolve was breaking. There was still a little distance between them, but it was the barest separation. She knew that it would not take much from her to break through his stoic demeanor and get him to comfort her in the way she really needed to be comforted at this point. She just hoped he could let go of all those ideas about appropriateness and the age gap. Who really cared now? They were probably the only ones alive for one hundred miles in all directions. Times had changed, and besides, she really needed to get laid.

As she lay snuggled in his arms, Britney pressed her face into his chest. She let her fingers toy with the buttons of his shirt. At first Robert thought it was nothing more than a subconscious fidgeting on her part, but her deft, delicate fingers popped open each button to reveal his solid, hairy chest. He could feel the pace of his heartbeat increase and hoped the thumping in his chest wasn't too obvious to her.

Britney could hear his breathing becoming more rapid. Rather than stroke his masculine chest, her hand went straight to the instrument she was after. She smoothed her hand firmly over the crotch of his jeans. Robert was already getting hard as she rubbed her breasts against him. As the palm of her hand rubbed over his hardening cock, he could feel himself growing and straining against his zipper. Britney stroked firmly and gripped the outline of his hard on.

Aware she'd just lost her step-brother, Robert was wary of her vulnerable emotional state, despite how desperately he wanted to have sex with her. Britney, on the other hand, was determined to have this silver-haired fox. Twisting her head so that she could cast her eyes downward to his groin, Britney undid the belt buckle of his jeans. Robert inhaled deeply and held his breath as he watched her pull the leather belt apart. She was on a mission. As soon as the belt was open, her hand freed the button and tugged the zipper down. Robert wanted to groan with relief. The full length of his erection was finally able to spring free from his snug jeans.

It had been years since he'd been touched by a woman. There hadn't been anyone since the death of his wife five years earlier and even then in the last year of their marriage she'd been too ill for sex. Britney was barely legal and seemed enthralled by his engorged prick. Of course the whole concept of “legal” was quickly fading into memory. He was momentarily embarrassed by his tighty whities, thinking them an unfashionable, unflattering sign of his age. Britney did not even notice as she was fascinated by how thick and long his cock was. Pressing her hand to his erection, she could feel the blood pumping through it as she traced its shape through his underpants.

Slithering down the bed, Britney stopped near his crotch. Robert closed his eyes, letting her take the lead. Britney pressed her face against his briefs and inhaled deeply. The scent of the clean underpants with the musk of masculinity was going to make this an enjoyable experience. She could feel his pulsating prick as it pressed against her cheek. Instinctively, she peeled down the elastic of his pants to give herself the full visual of his middle-aged hard-on.

She was shocked by the size of it. With little experience in sex, she wasn't exactly sure how she'd cope with the fat nine inches. Britney knew in order to secure a permanent place in Robert's heart and his home, she was going to have to go the distance. She actually wanted to anyhow. She had grown to appreciate his rugged strength and underlying gentle nature.

She'd never had a man's cock in her mouth before. Tentatively, Britney let her tongue flick over the slit in Robert's helmet. She caught the glossy drip of pre-cum and was surprised by how sweet the taste of the transparent liquid was. Without thinking, her mouth widened to imbibe the head of his dick to suck hard for more nectar. Robert flinched at how forceful her mouth was with its suction. Finally letting his eyes lower, he took in the blonde hair tousled by his crotch as the youth began to examine her first cock close up.

Releasing the top of the rod from her mouth, Britney was able to see how strong and proud the erection was. Moved purely by instinct and desire, she began to let her tongue lick the underside of the shaft from base to tip. She licked all around the rod. Satisfied that he was naturally lubed, Britney gripped the prick firmly. Her cherry colored lips parted. Hungry for more, she shoved her tongue into the slit and delved deep. Robert groaned aloud as she began to slip him in her mouth. It wasn't until she began easing his length in inch by inch that Robert started dripping again. He was so thick, Britney struggled to take him in, but she liked the feel of him filling her mouth – then filling her throat. Her head began to bob as she sucked and let her tongue swirl around the dick embedded in her mouth. Robert jerked his hips, wanting to go deeper. Unfamiliar with the action and frightened by the sheer size of him, Britney gagged and dislodged him, tears streamed down her face from the sudden invasion of his prick. Frightened she may have upset him, Britney set about licking his balls. She lapped at them like a thirsty dog, her tongue slapping against them. Britney had always thought it was such a sensitive area of a male that it was best avoided, but she took them in her mouth.

For Robert the warm, wet sensation of her mouth taking in his balls was exquisite. Her mouth was full and as she almost swallowed them down, the sensation teetered on the line separating pain from pleasure. Robert let her continue massaging his balls with her mouth and let his hand roam to his cock to work it at the same time.

Frightened he'd peak before he fucked her, Britney stopped and slithered back up. As she straddled him, her hands ran over his chest. She could feel his cock nestled between her legs. Raising her arms, she removed the tight tank top she'd been wearing.

Robert's eyes widened at the fact that her young breasts were firm and pert and didn't require a bra. He wanted to be gentle, but lust was beginning to consume him. The sight of her nipples hardening in the cool air of the bedroom was too much. He could no longer deny himself the pleasure of her small, apple-sized breasts. He reached out and cupped her right breast. It fit his hand perfectly. He squeezed it and watched Britney squirm in pleasure. Taking the apricot colored nipple between his finger and thumb, he pinched it and was thrilled when Britney whimpered.

Assured that sex was exactly what the eighteen year old wanted, Robert unleashed his carnal urges. He straightened up to a sitting position, allowing his mouth to locate her other nipple and suckle it. His arms tightened around her slight figure. Britney pushed his shirt off him and clung tight to his naked torso as he continued feeding on one breast while caressing the other. She tipped her head back and began to moan. Robert released her tit and ran a trail of kisses between her cleavage and up her slender neck until he found her mouth. The second their lips melded, he realized he'd found a state of pure bliss.

His tongue pressed into her mouth, exploring deeply. Britney let him discover her mouth and was surprised to feel a burst of wetness from between her legs in excitement as to what was going to happen next.

Robert grabbed her wrists, and in a swift movement, twisted his body so that Britney was now pinned beneath his. Her arms were raised above her head as he held both wrists with one hand. His free hand fumbled around down south as he tried to incline her to spread her legs. Eventually he was able to place himself between her thighs. Unable to pace himself, Robert ground himself against her. The dry humping quickly had Britney soaking wet and wanting the real thing.

With their mutual frustration at a peak, Robert released her from his grip. His hands went to her knees to raise them. Her cotton shorts were a pastel pink and Robert's keen eye could see the material around her pussy was darker in color. He pulled at her shorts as Britney struggled out of them. He shoved his mouth to the wetness of her panties. She could feel his hot breath right through the cotton of her panties. He snuffled round, enjoying the taste and smell of her soaking briefs. His teeth were latching onto the elastic of the inner leg of her underwear, and he tore them down. The vision of her glistening cunt forced Robert to dive straight in. His tongue plowed into her slit as his nose rubbed against her slippery clit.

Britney had never had a man pay oral attention to her pussy and she writhed in ecstasy. Robert flattened his tongue and took long licks from her slit to her clit. Roughly his arms reached around her legs to pull her firmly down on his face. A cry escaped from her as Robert's long tongue pushed into the entrance of her cunt. He couldn't remember the last time he'd so enjoyed tasting pussy, but Britney was divine. He tongue fucked her, pushing his tongue in as deep as it could go and then withdrawing it.

Remembering her age and potential lack of experience, Robert slowed his tongue and stopped piercing her slit and instead let his tongue tease her engorged bud. He brushed over her clit and circled around it, taking time to enjoy Britney's body responding to him. Clamping his teeth onto her clit, he sucked hard until she was thrashing in the bed, screaming in the throes of orgasm. As she peaked, he shoved three fingers straight into her cunt. Turning and twisting his wrist as he finger fucked her prolonged the orgasm until Britney was begging for mercy.

Robert was content that she'd leave his bed wanting more, but was determined to find his own climax. Licking the fingers that were covered in her pussy juice, he knew that her swollen plump lips were a sign that her pussy was ready for more. More animal than man, he bit the plump pussy lips to give the girl an additional frisson of excitement.

Kneeling up, he dragged Britney toward him; placing her legs over his shoulders. The position gave him a good view of her slit and he planted the head of his manhood straight in. Britney squealed as her entrance was forced to expand to accommodate Robert's girth. Rather than ravish the girl, he allowed her a minute or two to get used to his thick dick. Very slowly, he worked his way inch by inch until his entire length was inside her. She wriggled and squirmed on his dick. He stopped himself from slamming into her. Frightening her with a massive cock would only make this a one-time occurrence, and Robert was awakening to the fact that he wanted, needed, more sex in his life.

When she'd finally settled, he began sliding in and out of her slowly. She gasped with each insertion and looked relieved as he rocked back and shallowed the penetration a bit. She was tight round his cock. Almost too tight. That heightened the joy he was deriving from fucking the eighteen-year-old cunt. Soon he increased the pace. Britney's face contorted with the effort of keeping up with the speedy, sensual glide.

He stopped close to the brink and took her legs from his shoulders. Taking an ankle in each hand he spread her legs wide. Her pussy lips were angry and red from the intercourse. Robert pulled his dick out completely and waited until Britney's breathing subsided.

As she smiled up at him, he plunged the full nine inches straight back into her tight pussy. Her eyes widened in surprise. Keeping her legs wide, Robert jerked his hips hard. He was thrusting into her fast and furiously.

“Touch yourself,” he requested.

Britney shook her head as she jiggled on the bed as a result of the pounding.

“Touch yourself,” he asserted more gruffly.

Britney's hand glided down her tanned, toned stomach and found her nub. She let her middle finger circle it. The vivid image had Robert slamming into her harder and harder. At the right time, he lowered his face and his lips caught hers in a kiss. Relieved at the more conventional missionary style, Britney wrapped her legs tightly around Robert as he grinded deeper into her. It felt as though her cunt was expanding, and as his body began shuddering and his moans increased, Britney knew he'd finally reached his climax. Robert felt his cum fill her up. He'd off-loaded a significant amount inside her. He was still reasonably hard so he left his cock in her as he held her tight. As he finally went soft, he rolled over to one side.

Britney could feel the wet, hot, sticky cum seeping from her pussy. It was between her thighs. She reveled in the feel of it in her body. In theory once was enough, but to keep Robert sweet, she was going to have to commit fully to being his partner. It was a commitment she was prepared to make.

Chapter 6

Love was a funny thing. When Robert had first discovered Britney and her family, he'd been extending a Christian hand.  He was hoping that if either of his sons were still alive and in a similar situation, someone would open their homes to ensure their safety and survival as well.

He had thought Janet would be his one and only true love. It was easy to mistake the affection and adoration of an eighteen-year-old cheerleader as a mid-life crisis, but Robert's heart told a different story. Real honest-to-goodness love had come back to his house and made his world infinitely better.

He'd spent endless nights considering the turn of events. With seven billion people populating the earth, you could afford to be picky; you could afford to discard people without taking the time to get to know them. But when you went weeks without seeing people and knew the population was dwindling even further, suddenly the need to share a life with someone became much more important. The idea of finding a partner from such a small pool of people meant you didn't immediately reject someone because of a minor physical flaw or banal, irritating habit or some relatively minute difference of opinion.

Not that Britney was physically flawed in anyway. She was a goddess with her blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes and figure that could have easily modeled swimwear in the old world. She had no life experience and at times behaved a little like a princess. For the most part, though, she was devoted to her grandmother and Robert and worked hard to do her share of the work so they could survive and even improve their situation.

Robert actually discovered a new ability through all of this. He now focused on the positives of a person's personality and physical appearance. People were essentially looking for love and to be loved, and with that outlook, it was actually kind of easy to love. He fell in love with Britney. It was easy to. When he did the analysis, he figured that every person surviving these treacherous times was learning the same life lesson – that's why it was easy to believe Britney loved him back. He might not be young, but he was outdoorsy and fit. Robert knew he wasn't overly handsome, but there was something about his silver-hair, clear green eyes and masculine jawline that he knew appealed to Britney. She knew he was kind and generous and protective and family oriented, and those characteristics made him lovable in her eyes.

Robert was even able to learn to love Britney's grandmother, Peggy. Of course, she was a little nuts. Peggy believed she was still in 1940s America during the war. In fairness, Robert wondered if the current scenario didn’t have a few similarities with that time period. The annoying part about her version of reality was that she was continually berating Robert for dodging the draft. She did, however, respect farming and pulled her weight to the best of her ability by cleaning up and other simple tasks. At ninety-two, her mobility was limited, but she could still prepare meals and her eyes were sharp enough to mend clothes. Her contempt for Robert and his “yellow” ways never lasted too long. She had periods of relative clarity as well. In the evenings after having cooked a hearty meal, she was almost always happy to sit down and hear about his day and indulge in a little card sharking while Britney took a turn cleaning up.

Theirs had become a relatively content household, but Robert was worried that letting Liam free today could have some negative repercussions. Britney was deeply attached to her step-brother, which of course was understandable, but she seemed to have an unusually difficult time letting him go – even after death.

Now that Liam, zombie Liam, was gone, dinner was a somewhat subdued affair. Nothing had changed in respect to the household. Meat and fresh vegetables were still able to be served with milk and juice. The solar panels in the roof ensured light throughout the house. It even gave them the luxury of watching old DVDs if they felt like it, playing a round of cards or reading from the extensive book collection Robert's family had accumulated over the years. But things felt different.

Outside had changed, but for the better as far as Robert was concerned. Robert was actually relieved to have set him free. It was creepy seeing the poor kid like that, and an unnecessary reminder of what could befall them if they weren’t careful. Also, with Britney pregnant now, it seemed best that she stop investing so much time in the zombie. Their baby would be along soon, and it would need her full attention. It was time for her to let go of Liam.

Back when they had first starting hooking up, the sex had been passionate and non-stop – it always was in the honeymoon phase of a relationship. After only four weeks of fucking in every conceivable place on the property, however, Britney promptly announced that she was pregnant. Robert could hardly be shocked. He wasn't displeased; he merely had concerns about how the baby would be delivered and fare with the world as it was now.

For whatever reason, once she was pregnant, Britney retreated from him physically, although they still shared a bed. Maybe she was freaked out about being pregnant so young. He didn’t know what the problem was, but he gave her space, which seemed to suit her at the moment, and she remained close to him emotionally.

After the somber dinner, Britney excused herself to go outside and get some fresh air. Robert knew better than to follow her. She'd get over things in her own time and in her own way, and Robert would be there for her to call on when she needed him. She would come back to him when she was ready.

As Britney stepped out onto the verandah, she could feel the tightness in her chest subsiding. She rubbed her stomach fondly and was surprised to feel a tear slip down her cheek. Waves of weeping had been threatening all day, but she was certain she'd been able to control them. Stoically, she climbed the ladder of a truck to cast an eye over the outside fields. While he was tied up out here, she'd come talk to zombie Liam sometimes after dinner. But now she couldn’t even do that.

Britney was unsure how long she'd been sitting there before her eyes caught sight of movement in the distance. Something was heading toward the perimeter. She squinted, but it was far too dark to identify what was causing a ripple in the corn fields. As it came closer, Britney correctly guessed it was a zombie. Its presence didn't bother her. The walls and their remaining collection of zombies safeguarding the premises made it virtually impenetrable. What spiked her curiosity was the creature appeared to deliberately change its course to head towards one of the tied up zombies.

She watched in curiosity as the approaching zombie entered the tethered zombie's personal space. Her jaw dropped as she observed the significantly overweight, tied-up female zombie slowly rotate until she pressed her face against the side of the truck and bent slightly, spreading her legs.

Creeping softly toward the scene unfolding, Britney saw the other zombie reaching for its crotch. In only the moon for light, it appeared as if the stray was trying to fuck the tethered zombie. There was something so raw and animalistic about the scene that Britney felt her pussy tingle. She imagined most anyone else would have probably been disgusted by the sight, and she thought she would have been too. But she wasn’t. Times had changed. She vaguely remembered that there had been some quote about how man was only separated from animal chaos and wanton violence and desire by the thinnest veneer of civility. Boy, was that true, she thought. Laying out on top of the truck, Britney positioned herself close to the mating zombies. Hitching up her sundress, she slipped her hand into the elastic of her panties. As she skimmed her palm over her bare pubic mound, her fingers felt a significant pool of pussy juice. Turning her head, she began stroking her clit as she watched the male zombie desperately trying to insert his cock into his mate's pussy.

It was highly erotic – at least to her. She vaguely registered that she might be losing it a little here. But then she moved on. It hadn't occurred to Britney that these creatures would have sexual urges. She continued touching herself, raising her back and keeping her touch light so as not to have a thunderous orgasm too soon. The frustration she was beginning to feel from the two zombies and their inability to fuck was killing her, and it appeared it had already killed them, she almost laughed to herself. Something in her mind must have been cracking at that point, and she was mildly aware of it. The thing was, it felt like a relief rather than a burden. Her Grandma seemed to be doing pretty well just a few clicks off center. It was so nice to loosen her grasp on this very not-fun reality she was living in. She just let it loosen a little… Like she intended to loosen the rope that was holding fat-chic zombie. She decided that she wanted a better zombie porno. A little risk would be worth it. Britney awkwardly came down the side of the truck to loosen the slack on the female zombie's rope to permit her a little freedom to assume a more fuckable position.

Cautious as she went, Britney was surprised that the new zombie made no move towards her. She had expected a little interest at least. She had been prepared for it. Individual zombies usually weren’t much to get too worried about, and she had developed a mean roundhouse kick. But either his focus was concentrated solely on relieving his zombie sex drive, or he had no interest in her live flesh whatsoever. Either way, this was a new revelation in her understanding of all things zombie. The fat, female zombie was missing a jaw and ten fingers; a precaution Robert insisted on when they began to plot the zombies around the perimeter.

As she bent down to give the rope some slack, Britney turned her head slightly and recognized a pair of familiar white Nike hi-tops. Twisting to look up, she saw the familiar dead but once stormy blue eyes assessing her.

She wanted to cry out Liam's name, but was prevented from doing so by Robert's continual warning that none of Liam's soul still existed in this husk of a man. The female zombie pressed her fingerless palms against the side of the truck to move away from it as soon as she felt the tension of the rope round her ankle slacken. Automatically, the zombie took to all fours now, presenting herself to Liam's horny, dead cock.

The memory of Liam making love to her in his final moments of life flashed through Britney's mind. She'd wept, saying that she was afraid to go on without him and afraid she would now die alone. And the pity of it was that she was still a virgin, having never been pierced by a man. Not being bound by blood, the step-siblings said goodbye in an intimate way. This world left no room for the old ways… Or maybe it was just that they served no purpose any more. Britney had only just begun to appreciate just how much Liam could be to her in this new world, when the infection had snatched him away from her permanently. Yet here he was, able to tear her apart and feast on her and he wasn't making any motion to do so. Perhaps something of him had survived. In her state, she was more ready than ever to believe that.

He knelt down.

Britney could see his dead and yet still youthful erection in the moonlight. The infection allowed more functions than she had anticipated to continue apparently. They had already figured that the reanimation process was a means to allow the infection to survive in its dead host. She wondered just how many functions had survived the transition after all. He slipped his cock into the fat zombie's cunt. The zombie groaned as Liam pumped away mindlessly. An irrational streak of jealously consumed Britney. Liam had taken her virginity. He'd claimed her as his, and she wanted to be his again. She wanted this baby to be his. By this point, her madness was a foregone conclusion. But the truth was that she was happier now. This new logic was easier to bear…

Not wanting to miss out, Britney quickly slipped her panties off and took to the doggy-style position, exposing her swollen cunt and ass to the night air. The zombie beside her turned her face and growled. Britney did feel a little frightened at that, but she reminded herself that it could no longer bite. But maybe it was driven by a rage or force Britney couldn't contend with. Liam's cock, however, took care of the problem, as he powered into the female zombie and in doing so, slid her across the ground to the point where she was no longer within grabbing distance.

Britney could see Liam withdrawing from the zombie pussy he'd first stabbed at. Retreating on his knees, he positioned himself behind Britney. She held her breath. Liam had all his limbs, as well as his lower jaw. This meant that he could tear her apart if he desired it. She didn’t even care anymore. His hands on her buttocks felt clammy. Britney bit back a scream as his lean, eight-inch cock forced its way into her back-passage. She hadn't been expecting anal sex. But maybe he didn’t know the difference. He was a zombie, after all. He groaned but didn’t seem particularly pleased with this near miss, and when he withdrew, he took a moment to seemingly get his bearings. It was obviously rather confusing for him. She flashed back to some of her high school experiences. Back then she was of little help herself in figuring out what was what.

Hands on her hips, he clumsy managed to shoe his dick into her pussy. Britney mewled softly. Liam rocked in and out of her. He made no noises, but his movements were smooth and swift. She was surprised when his hands left her hips to locate her breasts. Thanks to the pregnancy, she'd grown three cup sizes and on her hands and knees, her newly pendulous tits hung low as he pumped her pregnant belly. It felt close to human as he squeezed her breasts and kept fucking her. He was building up a pace, and she could feel his balls slapping at the lips of her pussy.

Turned on to the extreme, Britney decided to toy with her clit as her step-brother fucked her for the second time in their lives – well, for the second time in her life, actually, and the first time in his death. She worked this out as he continued to piston in and out of her. The close connection she felt with this man-turned-creature was beyond sensual. She felt herself naturally lubed and teased her clit with her finger, outlining the nub and occasionally brushing over the bud. It took seconds before Britney reached her climax, and she jerked and thrashed as Liam's hands gripped her hips firmly to keep her steady. In doing so, Liam's zombie dick was able to feel the muscles in her vagina clamp and massage his dick as she orgasmed. Liam slammed into her harder and harder until a gush of water fell from between Britney's legs.

“Shit,” cursed Britney under her breath. “My water’s broken.” The fact that it was from sex with a corpse seemed not to enter into the equation of her surprise.

She stumbled toward the truck she'd climbed down from, but was gripped by a contraction. It took her by such surprise she cried out loud into the night.

***

Robert ran out into the balmy night air. He hoped there'd be light somewhere to draw his vision to where his pregnant lover was, but it was pitch black.

“Brit?” he whispered loudly.

He began a jog around the perimeter trucks. Fortunately, common sense told him to start with the truck where Liam used to be tethered. As soon as he got there, he could hear her hollow breathing. Immediately he opened the door and jumped into the cabin of the truck. Leaning over, he grabbed a crowbar from under the seat and slowly opened the other side. Britney didn't give him time to see what the fracas with the zombie was. She reached her hand to him and he heaved her into the cabin. Slamming the door shut, her wide brown eyes told him all he needed to know.

The baby was on the way.

Peggy was thrilled at the prospect of having sole responsibility for delivering her great-grandchild. She rose to the occasion, surprising both Robert and Britney. In keeping with her “old ways,” she commanded Robert to bring her hot water and towels and then stay downstairs and have a brandy to celebrate the birth of his forthcoming baby.

Robert remembered reading somewhere that the first birth takes a while, but Britney would've been lucky to have been in labor for an hour. There was panting and paced breathing and eventually the cry of a baby. What turned Robert's blood cold was the bloodcurdling scream and subsequent thump to the wooden floor immediately after.

He took the stairs two by two. Britney was laying on the bed, too weak to get up. Robert saw it was Peggy who'd collapsed holding the swathed baby. He dropped to one knee. The screams of the baby assured him that the child was in no immediate danger.

“Is Gran alright?” asked Britney.

Robert placed two fingers under her jaw to find a pulse.

“She's okay,” he smiled reassuringly. “She's just passed out. I'll take her to her own room and get her some water. But first, let's see who we've got here,” he said as he lifted the carefully wrapped bundle.

Pulling back the cloth to see the face of his child, Robert felt himself go weak at the knees. The baby turned its head and sank already fully formed teeth into his wrist. He gritted his teeth to stop himself from hurling the monstrosity on the floor.

“What the fuck is this?” he demanded in a confused and terrified cry. He could feel his heart was racing to such an extent that he was afraid he might pass out.

He tried calming himself and placed the baby-thing in Britney's arms to gauge her reaction. Britney peeled back all the layers. The baby made no move to bite her.

“It's a boy,” she cooed.

Robert could feel bile climbing up his throat in revulsion. He forced himself to stand by Britney, who was laying a feathery kiss on the baby's forehead. Shutting and closing his eyes to mentally prepare himself, he noticed the baby's skin was gray. Patches of ribcage were showing out as if the flesh had been eaten away or just never grew to cover the body completely. His legs were misshapen and its pudgy arms had gnarled fingers that looked like claws.

“It's got his eyes,” commented Britney.

“My eyes are green,” responded Robert hopelessly.

“I know. I said it's got his eyes. He's got his father's ocean blue eyes.”

***

Peggy was gone. Robert had enough strength left to dig a hole in the ground, thrust a shovel in her head and bury the elderly lady before he became too weak. Britney knew her grandmother wouldn't come back to them. The shock of Liam Jr. was too much for her. She knew death was preferable to living with the monster baby.

Robert was going, too. Britney genuinely hadn't planned for that and the reality of it stung her heart. She had just wanted to be close to Liam. She did love the middle-aged man. Even with him knowing it was Liam's baby, she'd fully expected that they would work through it and raise the baby as their own. What she hadn't expected was a newborn baby possessing a full set of teeth and craving human flesh as soon as he was out of her womb. Who could have really seen that one coming? she mused to herself as she rocked her newborn.

She didn't know how the baby would develop or how long it would live. Or maybe it was already dead and she didn’t know how long it would stay dead. It was all getting so confusing with the alive-or-dead line blurring so much these days. It seemed more zombie than baby, but who could tell? What frightened Britney the most was being alone. She knew she could run the farm, at least enough to survive, but she could never live alone. She'd rather die than live out her days on a farm by herself.

She sat by Robert's bed. “I wasn’t sure whether it was yours or his,” she said quietly.

“I think we can safely say it's his.” The smile on Robert's face was not one of animosity, but of acceptance.

“It wasn't planned. It just happened when I was tending to him here. I got worried and thought...”

“And thought if you had a sexual relationship with me, I'd support you?” guessed Robert.

Britney nodded her head in shame.

“You didn't have to sleep with me. I'd have helped you out anyway. Now I question if you ever really loved me at all.”

Britney could hear that he was choking back tears. “I did love you. I do love you. I didn't want it to be this way.”

Britney leaned over and kissed Robert's lips; they were cool and chaste.

The same old feeling ignited between them. She hadn't lied when she said she loved him. It wasn't the crazy, teenage, head-over-heels love she felt for her step-brother, though. It was calm, considerate and respectful. She was blessed by Robert letting her into his heart and home.

Was sex really the worst way to say thank you?

Was sex really the worst way to say goodbye?

***

She undid the buttons of Robert's pajama shirt.

“You don't have to do this,” he protested.

“And what if I want to?”

He closed his eyes and smiled. “I'm in no position to fight you off or deny you anything in my last few moments.”

She tugged at the tie on his pajama pants. The waist was loose enough for her to tug them under his buttocks. The mossy green color of his skin, she'd seen before. She bore the fruits of making love to such a half-living man.

His cock was noticeably cooler to the touch. Flaccid in her warm hands, she soon had blood pumping through it. One thing she noticed was no matter how erect she was able to make him, his body remained cool – as cool as a corpse.

She'd only given birth days earlier. Britney’s vagina was in no condition for sex. The uncomfortable, but not completely unwelcome invasion by Liam on her ass on the night she gave birth was still vivid in her mind, however.

Britney undid the belt of her robe and let it fall to the ground. One of Robert's last visions would be that of a beautiful, toned young woman. Even just a few days after giving birth, she was still a vision. She stood still, watching his translucent green eyes admiring her figure. She lightly straddled him. Reaching behind, she gripped the pulsating prick and prepared to sit on it. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled and let the thick helmet burst through her asshole. It had been a while since she'd bedded Robert, and she had forgotten the girth of him. Liam's rocket-esque dick was thin enough to slip in easily. Robert's fuller, longer dick was more of a challenge.

She realized she should have lubed Robert's cock and her asshole before commencing. Robert was kind enough to spit in his hand and wet his shaft. He let his fingers smear saliva around the already stretched asshole. Hands on her hips, Robert watched as she slowly eased herself down his length. Her nostrils were flaring as she let her ass relax around the thick dick.

She stayed seated and ran her hand gently and lovingly over Robert's chest. She could almost see the skin becoming thinner around his big build. His large bones were prominent. He reached for her breasts and smiled as milk leaked from her nipples.

Knowing exactly what he would want, Britney obliged Robert without him having to verbalize his wish. Leaning low, as Robert lifted his legs to ensure her ass remained spiked on his erection, she let a fleshy tit dangle by his mouth. He had enough strength to take the nipple and nurse on the milk. His suckling became so intense, she pulled back until her nipple snapped out from between his teeth.

Bending forward, she let Robert's rod slip from her back passage. She kissed him passionately, her tongue delving into his mouth to taste him. She could taste his life ebbing away. He almost tasted of death. Death and rotting flesh. His breathing was even slowing.

“Ride me one last time. Ride me into death.”

“I don't want to leave you in death. If I leave you in death, you'll never be with me. I'll never see anyone again.”

“Don't let me become one of them. Please don't let me turn. I don't want to end up like Liam.”

Britney didn’t care if she’d just had a baby a few days before. She settled on his cock. It felt blissful in her cunt, though she knew she had lost the tightness she possessed nine months earlier. Robert didn't seem to mind. He bucked his hips, encouraging her to forget his weary body and think of him as the fit stallion he always believed himself to be.

Hands on his shoulders, Britney began riding his cock slowly. Her mind was not on the task. Robert didn't know that Liam did appear to be capable of affection and attachment. Killing Robert would deprive her of building that same connection. Maybe being the only member of the household left with life, Britney could raise her and Liam’s child and not miss out on the only two real men she'd ever loved. It was better to let Robert turn so she could train him, teach him, and allow him to exist in the same state that Liam seemed to have some quality of existence in. She knew there was something of Liam left, and she knew there would be something of Robert left, too.

Satisfied with her decision, even though it went against Robert's dying wishes, she began to build up some enthusiasm for Robert’s last fuck. His last living fuck, that was. Planting her feet on the ground she bobbed herself up and down on the cock. She'd let the head burst through her looser slit and then raise herself so it slipped out. Other times she'd plant herself on the full nine inches so her weight rested fully on his pubic bone. Then she'd raise herself to the point where the helmet of his cock tugged at the entrance of the pussy. She'd repeatedly teased him, taking him in at different depths and releasing him at different times. Reaching behind she could feel his balls, full of cum, tighten as they got ready to unload. Squatting on his cock, she rubbed herself back and forth. Her clit was tantalized by the thick patch of Robert's pubic hair. Bringing herself to climax, she bent forward again so he could nurse from her milky white tits until he turned.

His hungry mouth attacking her soft breast flesh had Britney wet and horny as she ground harder and felt the familiar tingles of an oncoming orgasm begin to emanate from her clit. As the orgasm threatened to overtake her, she flung her head back, ready to release an ecstatic scream. Just then, Robert opened his teeth in a fierce snarl. Her milky white tits had become more than just two irresistible melons that he had to suck on… Now that wasn’t enough. He had to rip them open and eat them. As she slammed her pussy down on his thick shaft, he brought his teeth down toward her fat, round nipple.

At the last second, however, he felt a rough stick planted between his teeth. Oh well, he thought. Those tits would have tasted great, but he was still happy. With his last moments of human sentience, he felt nothing but joy and gratitude as his balls finally unleashed their last into Britney in a torrent, as cum erupted from his cock one last time.

Britney had not outlasted everyone by being stupid. She was just crazy. She had been prepared in case he turned and had gotten the stick ready for just that purpose. As his body lay there, spending the last of its seed, she rode out the last of her orgasm as well. After his eruption, he had quieted and she had secured him to the bed. She would sort out what to do with him later. It seemed she would not be alone at all. She would have her little family to care for after all, she thought happily.

THE END

Victorian Mystery

A Twist of Secrets

A Victorian Mystery Romance

Jessica Savage

Copyright ©2016 by Jessica Savage. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter One

The grey clouds gathered over Highgate cemetery. Even the white stone angels looked forlorn against the thundery skies. It was a day of endings and beginnings. Lady Christabel Montgomery paused for a moment to look at her reflection in the dressing table mirror. A young, white face stared back at her - wide eyed and innocent. The black looked well against her pale skin; a widow’s weeds suited her. Only for a moment did she feel guilty.

A widow after only two months of marriage - they had been scarcely out of their honeymoon period before the unexpected death of her husband, the late Lord Charles Montgomery. He had been involved in an accident whilst traveling away on business and by the time she had been notified, it was too late even to say goodbye.

She could not say that her marriage had been built on love; maybe that would have happened eventually. It had, after all, only been early days and she was young. It had been a marriage of convenience and unexpected lust. Christabel had been a naive virgin on her wedding night but had learned quickly. Charles had been a skilled and energetic lover and she had been eager to please her generous benefactor. She had been an orphan with neither prospects nor money of her own; her natural beauty being her only saving grace. The middle aged Charles had been more than happy to take the lovely young woman under his wing and had ached to feel her firm young flesh beneath him. Even without love, they had made the ideal couple. And so, after their first introductions, the unlikely couple were married within two months of meeting, much to the alarm of the rest of the Montgomery family.

Christabel moved to the window and looked down from the window and onto the small park below. A few black-clothed nannies had ventured forth with their charges, wrapped snugly inside their iron wheeled perambulators; blissfully unaware of the weather outside or of life's constant cares. Black. The color of mourning, the color of nannies, the color of crows and the color of the chimney sweeps she occasionally saw rushing through the smoggy London air.

Several smart carriages waited outside the house, including the elaborately adorned funeral hearse. Four large black plumed horses wearing full funeral regalia snorted their steamy breath into the bitter morning air. They were all waiting downstairs for her – Charles’ family; impatient for the dreariness to be over so they could get on with their own lives once again.

She hardly knew them; they were strangers to her. Most of them had been against the marriage in the first place. Lord Charles Montgomery was a wealthy man, everyone knew that, and his family had presumed that they would eventually inherit all of the lands and fine houses he owned with no heir to speak of. Why he had suddenly decided to marry a young woman just old enough to be his daughter they could only guess, but many of the family members felt bitter towards the young interloper. At least now he was dead they could all breathe a sigh of relief – at least there would be no son and heir!

There was a firm knock and the door opened gently. It was Hannah, her maid. Hannah had been in Christabel’s family since she was just a baby and had looked after her for most of her young life. Christabel noticed that the hair around her old companion’s temple was now greying, but the eyes were still youthful and the face still attractive. She often wondered why the woman had never married.

She had asked her once, one evening just before she was due to be married to Charles. Returning from a local ball, Hannah had stood behind her, brushing the long black hair that fell luxuriously down to her waist. Hannah had laughed and said that she could never leave Christabel, and if she did who would brush the young girl’s hair each evening? Yet Christabel had noticed a sorrow in the woman’s eyes as she spoke and had never mentioned the subject again.

“They’re waiting downstairs for you Chrissy.”

The older woman walked up to Christabel and placed her arms around her young charge for comfort. Her dear mother had died when she was five years old, and ever since then Hannah had acted more as a surrogate mother than a maid, and the two women were close.

“How are you feeling?”

“I will be alright Hannah, but I will be glad when this day is over.”

“You better go down; I will be following on with the rest of the household to the church.”

Reaching for the hat that sat idly upon the bed, Hannah placed it on top of her mistress’s hair, pinning it in place with a jet encrusted pin, before pulling down the dark veil to hide the pretty features beneath. Two years of wearing black; it seemed a pity for one so young, but that was the requirements for a woman in her position according to Cassel’s manual, the last word on funeral and mourning etiquette.

Opening the door, Christabel inhaled deeply before walking across the landing and down the grand staircase to the awaiting group in the library. Glad for the veil to hide her emotions, or perhaps more importantly lack of them, she stepped slowly down towards the hall. Stephens, the butler was posted on duty, standing like a sentry against the front door, and as she approached he nodded his head gravely. He wore a black armband as a sign of respect. He had been with Charles for at least forty years and had been extremely loyal.

Christabel had the feeling he did not approve of her, a young chit of a girl playing at being mistress in the grand house, but if he had felt it, he had not shown it outwardly in any of his actions or words. Occasionally, she had caught him staring at her during dinner and the look had disturbed her, leaving her cold.

Opening the door to the library, Stephens led her into the room, the babble of voices almost ceasing as the group within stopped their conversations and turned to look at the young widow. Although it was only ten in the morning, the lamps in the room had been lit and the curtains closed, as was the custom. The dim light seemed appropriate. The silence seemed absolute, even the ticking clock had been stopped as a mark of respect for the late master of the house.

The casket containing his body was now closed and nailed down and lay on a table in the center of the room. She had been expecting to sit with the body, watching over him day and night until the burial, but it hadn’t seemed a fitting duty for such a young widow. The wake had been carried out by members of the household staff, all of whom had reveled in its morbid curiosity.

At first Christabel didn’t recognize anyone in the room and felt almost a stranger in her own home. The men in their mourning coats and hats, the woman in their crepe and silk, all stood like crows with their beady eyes shining; ready to devour the poor creature.

“My dear.”

A tall figure with a long, bushy beard stepped forward to take her hand. It was Edward Montgomery, Charles’ twin and younger brother by a matter of minutes. It was as if those few minutes had always come between them and caused a rift between the two siblings; vital minutes that had left Charles to inherit his father’s estate and leaving Edward with very little. Although identical in looks, Hannah could always tell the two men apart. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was something in the eyes; a certain coldness in Edward that offset his brother’s warmth and generosity.

He and his wife Anne were the first to greet her. Like Stephens, they had never approved of her and she had only met them once, briefly at her wedding. Edward was a cold fish with beady, mud-colored eyes that reminded her of the sea at Brighton where she used to holiday with her father. The thought of her dear departed Papa brought a sudden tear to her eye. He had been dead for almost four years, but suddenly her grief seemed raw and recent. Perhaps the sight of the men and women in black had brought back the memory of her father’s funeral? She had been only fourteen-years-old at the time and had worn a plain white dress; a strange contrast to the blackened figures around her. At the funeral tea, served in his large study after the burial, she had felt like a spectra.

His palm was clammy as he held her black-gloved hand, the stickiness perceptible through the lace. Charles could be stern on occasion, but his eyes were warm, reflecting his generous spirit; nothing like his cold brother. Anne, in turn, grasped Christabel sharply by the arms in the pretence of a warm embrace, the effect convincing to no one. Christabel had the feeling that she had been the subject of the conversation before entering the room and a conversation that had not been very complimentary. The woman smiled with her mouth, yet her eyes, like her husband’s, remained cold.

She couldn’t blame them too much. They would have inherited everything if it had not been for her. The will was due to be read the following day and was the main topic of debate amongst the family. Not that she expected much; the lands and the country estate would fall to Edward, but the couple were avaricious and wanted it all

Arthur Chadwick was the next in line; a cousin of Charles and now serving in the army. He had seemed the most welcoming of the family at first, but had also been the most lascivious. On both of the occasions they had met, he had been drunk and suggestive; even on her wedding day. With his dark eyes and ruffled dark hair he was handsome enough, but too much of a rake; the wild card of the pack. He probably had a wife in every county. His breath was hot on the back of her hand as he pressed it to his lips and kissed it greedily. Hardly the etiquette for a funeral, but no one else seemed to notice or care.

Suddenly she felt vulnerable, a deer amongst a pack of wolves. Charles had made her aware of her own sexual attractions and now she seemed to see the same look in the eyes of every man she met.

Many of the people who shook her hand were strangers; she had never seen them before, or at least she did not think she had. The line seemed endless and just as she reached the end, the door opened and Mr. Williams was shown into the room. Englebert Williams was her late father’s second cousin and her only living blood relative. He had become her guardian when her father died and had been responsible for her welfare up to the time of marriage. He had always been kind, yet there was something about him that made her keep her distance. On her sixteenth birthday he had presented her with a gift; a row of exquisite pearls, but as he had placed them around her neck there had been something in his manner that unnerved her. Those warm fingers lingering for too long on her skin, his warm breath on the back of her neck; she had been wary of him ever since.

“My dear Christabel.” He stepped forward, and as he politely kissed her hand she immediately felt a pang of guilt. He was the only person in the room who genuinely seemed to care about her; her only friend. Perhaps she had been wrong about him after all? It was difficult to think properly on a day like today.

The pall bearers had entered the hallway and we're waiting patiently with their long and gaunt faces; a continuous expression of both grief and boredom. As they entered the room to remove the coffin, Christabel wondered if they normally looked this way, or if it were only a mask that they wore whilst on duty? Perhaps at home they were light hearted and gay? Somehow she doubted it.

At last it was time to go, and as she clutched the arm of Edward Montgomery the solemn procession made its way to the awaiting carriages. It was to be a grand procession and Edward had spared no expense for his dear brother. It was Charles’s money, after all, and Edward and Anne had quickly taken over the arrangements and expenditure. It was so different to her father’s small burial.

Four black carriages waited to take the party to the small church of St. Michaels. Alongside the pall bearers, several mutes had been hired as was tradition, to slowly walk in front of the funeral procession. The church was festooned with white lilies, so much so that a stranger might have been mistaken in thinking that a wedding was taking place rather than a funeral, although the somber organ music and general atmosphere depicted otherwise. As Christabel walked through the oak doors, the sickly sweet smell was almost overpowering and she dabbed at her nose with a black silken handkerchief in an attempt to dull the scent. To the world it looked as though she was wiping her tears beneath the gauzy veil, and many looked on in pity at the poor young widow’s grief.

The main body of the church was already crowded, the pews stacked with the great and good and those of the general public with a morbid sense of curiosity. Only the front few pews remained empty for the immediate family.

She walked slowly down the aisle and her thoughts drifted to her wedding day. They had married in the cathedral and the day had been glorious, the sound of the bells ringing across London as she stepped out into the spring air to start her new life. Charles had seemed so happy, so vibrant. It was hard even now to think of him in so short a time dead; he had seemed so vibrant, so sensual and full of energy.

Christabel nodded her head in acknowledgment as she passed the pew seating the household staff. Stephens looked particularly forlorn; although in all honesty, she had never seen him look particularly happy. She was surprised to see Hannah comforting Pearl Hudson, the housekeeper, who seemed inconsolable in her grief. Mrs. Hudson was a hard-faced middle-aged woman who had been cool, if not cold, in her attitude towards the young bride, making her feel most unwelcome. She hadn’t mentioned it to Charles; the woman had been with him for a long time and she hadn’t wanted to upset the equilibrium of the household.

The service was dull, not reaching the heart of the congregation, or perhaps the heart of the congregation was not open to the words of salvation. They seemed hardened to the death of this man; a husband, cousin, and friend. Not many seemed to be mourning his loss and that itself made Christabel a little sad.

The reverend’s words soared high above her head and far up into the old Norman bell tower, as she felt a dull heaviness in her heart. It had never been a marriage of love, but they had both benefitted from the arrangement. Charles had been well past the first flush of a young man’s affections, but it had suited him to have an attractive young woman by his side and in his bed.

Her father had left very little behind when he died and she had managed to live off a small income and the patronage and ever watchful eye of Englebert Williams. Meeting Charles Montgomery had been both fortuitous and necessary. For Charles, it had been a middle-age aberration, but not one that he had ever regretted.

Englebert tapped her gently on the arm and woke her from the reverie. The sermon had finished and it was time to make their way outside to the cemetery and Charles’s final resting place. Walking back down the aisle she noticed a young man seated towards the back of the church. He was a handsome man in his early twenties and as she passed their eyes met briefly. Her face flushed as a feeling of desire rippled through her and she moved quickly passed him-her heart beating quickly. Something stirred deep in her breast, a new feeling, and she struggled with the sudden impact the young man was having on her. Christabel had never seen him before and wondered who the stranger could be, but then tried to push him out of her mind; such thoughts were not fitting at her own husband’s funeral.

The air was chilly as they stepped outside. The clouds had been gathering all morning and the sky was dark and brooding. The hired men, the mutes, and the pall bearers all stood like bit part actors as they waited in a line at a respectful distance away from the family, now gathering around the deep and gaping gash in the earth that was to be Charles Montgomery's final resting place.

The smell of damp earth lingered in the air and Christabel shivered, not from the cold, but at a sudden glimpse of her own mortality. Englebert wrapped a fatherly arm around her and in a strange way it was good to feel a man’s arms, even if it was only Englebert’s. Either way, it would do no good to shake him away and make a fuss; after all, he was the only friend she had in the world, apart from Hannah.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...."  The vicar’s voice droned on as the mourners stood with heads bent in mock solemnity. It was time to lower the coffin into the ground and the group stood back as the hired hands stepped forward to undertake their last duty–the promise of beer now foremost in their mind.

Scooping up a pile of loose earth from the mound by the side of the grave, Christabel held it for a second. The soil was cold and clammy in her gloved hand and she threw it quickly into the ground; hitting the wooden coffin lid with a soft thud.

Poor Charles. All of that vitality and energy gone; dust to dust.

The key mourners stepped forward to do the same before moving away. The grave digger, with his dirty hands and rough clothes, was impatiently waiting on the edge of the scene, ready to cover over poor Charles. Resting his hands upon his spade he looked weary; as if he too longed to lie down in that deep, cold sleep.

Walking away Christabel turned to look once more at her husband’s final resting place, fearing that she might forget the spot. A cracked marble crucifix stood to the left and a grey winged angel to the right. Soon, a great headstone would mark the spot; the last testament to his life.

About to move away she spotted a lone figure from the corner of her eye, hovering near to the grave. At first she thought it one of the hired men, but peering more closely realized it was the stranger from the church. Why hadn't the man made himself known to them if he was an acquaintance of Charles, why the need for such mystery?

"Who is that man?" Christabel whispered to Englebert, now firmly cradling her arm. But by the time he had turned to look, the young man had gone.

Back at the house, a hot and cold luncheon had already been prepared and was awaiting them. Christabel would have preferred to go straight up to her room, but it wouldn’t have been acceptable and soon she found herself sat at the table between Englebert and Arthur Chadwick. Edward and Anne sat boldly at the head and foot of the table. They had assumed an air of ownership almost as soon as the last shovels of earth were being piled on top of the body of poor Charles.

The wine was flowing and the lively group in the room resembled more a wedding party than a funeral. Once or twice she felt Englebert’s arm brush against hers, or his leg touch hers for a second before moving away. She couldn't tell which was worse, the surreptitious passes of her old ward or the drunken and obvious fumbling of Arthur Chadwick. The man was already in his cups and she hadn't known a time when he hadn’t been so. His face was red and his mouth slack as he slouched across the table reaching for his wine glass.

"Where is that man Stephens? A man could die of thirst here." Raising the half full glass to his lips he downed the contents in one gulp. "Here man, bring me the bottle." His fingers snapped aggressively towards the young footman. The poor man jumped at the command and brought round the bottle which was unceremoniously snatched out of his hand by the drunken Arthur.  The contents slopped around the rim of his glass and onto the crisp white linen of the tablecloth beneath.

"Steady man." Edward had stopped his conversation, glaring at the spillage. "Damned good claret that. Too good to waste."

Ignoring the rebuke, Arthur rose uneasily to his feet, the full glass now swaying precariously in his hand as he gestured across and over the table. "I would just like to raise a toast to the dearly departed Charles." Raising his glass, he drained half the contents before refilling it and turning his lurid gaze to Christabel. "And to the beautiful widow." He bowed low in acknowledgment and as he did, lost his balance and fell into her lap, the wine spilling across the both of them. The man was clearly enjoying the situation and buried his head deep into the folds of her mourning dress. Christabel felt the same dull ache between her thighs. It was ridiculous that the touch of the lecherous Arthur Chadwick should arouse her, but she missed Charles' touch so much.

"My god man, can you not behave yourself better than this? Do you have any decorum?"

Arthur grasped at Christabel's clothing in an attempt to stand. Moving from his seat, Edward stormed across the room and pulled the disorderly man to his feet by the collar of his jacket. "Pull yourself together man. This is no way to behave at a funeral party or in any other polite society. Your behavior belongs to the barracks and I suggest that is where you return posthaste!"

Arthur smiled as he stood and brushed down his jacket, wiping the spills of wine with a rather crumpled and dirty handkerchief. "Do you know, you can be rather pompous at times Edward. Perhaps we should drink to that-to Charles’ mysterious death and your good fortune." Bowing low he reached for the bottle on the table.

"What do you mean, sir?" Edward's eyes were stormy.

"All I mean is that Charles death will make you a wealthy man."

"I think you have drunk enough, sir and I ask you to leave my house immediately."

"Your house! Well, what about poor Christabel here? Surely all this still belongs to her, at least until the will is read out tomorrow. I suppose even you can wait that long, Edward?"

Edward glared at the man, his eyes almost popping from their sockets. His mouth opened and for a moment all that could be heard was a strange gurgling sound as he tried to compose himself. "How dare you, sir. This is not the time, and definitely not the place to air your grievances. Stephens, Mr. Chadwick is leaving. If you would be so kind as to escort him to the front door."

Raising his hands in submission, Arthur staggered perilously towards the door. "At least my conscience is clean Edward. There may be wine stains on my clothes but there is no blood on my hands. I feel sorry for Lady Christabel-a lamb to the slaughter-take care madam, that you too do not meet such an unfortunate end as your husband.” With a final bow and a smile to his audience, he left.

The room fell quiet in a shocked silence and all eyes fell on to Edward.

"The man is a drunken fool. Take no notice of his ramblings. He seems rather upset about something and I think it is not that he is particularly saddened by the actual loss of my dear brother, but more accurately the loss of his benefactor. I have my doubts about Mr. Chadwick and I think he had been playing poor Charles for a fool. The bank notified me on the day that Charles died that a large amount of money was to be sent to an anonymous benefactor. Apparently, this was not the first request of its kind. They contacted me on hearing of his sudden death to ask if they should still pay the amount. I stopped the payment on the pretext of freezing the account until the will has been read. Arthur approached me last night and asked for a loan of money. I refused of course. No doubt the money was to cover gambling debts-I hear these things on the grapevine. Last night I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but after today’s display I have no hesitation in wondering who the anonymous receiver of the money was. My brother may have been a pushover with his wealth; but I am afraid he will find short shrift with me. Now Stephens, refill the glasses and we will say no more on the subject today."

Christabel listened, her face white with fear. Arthur was a gambler and a drunkard, that she already knew, but his words had caused her concern. The facts surrounding Charles accident and sudden demise on his business trip had bothered her, but with the funeral preparations she’d had little time to brood upon them. Something in his words had stirred her heart, had rung true, and yet she could hardly believe that her husband’s death was caused by anything untoward. It was an unfortunate accident that was all.

"Are you all right, my dear?" Englebert was leaning in close to her and she could smell the tang of alcohol on his breath. His hand patted her lap affectionately and she shivered slightly, not able tell whether it was with pleasure or disgust.

"Don't worry about Arthur. He is just a drunken fool and doesn't know what he is saying. You are not alone, not while I am here, I will look after you.” His lips almost brushed her cheek as he whispered close and her heart began to pound. She was all alone and now at the mercy of them all. All she could think about was the dull, sexual ache within her and at every turn, men seemed to be touching her; wanting her. When the will had been read she could find herself without a home and what would happen then?

The room began to spin as she looked down at the table, her food hardly touched. She had hardly eaten a thing all day and suddenly felt faint. A wave of nausea washed over her and she felt her face flush. As she stood to excuse herself, the whole room went black.

Chapter Two

When Christabel awoke, her head was throbbing. For a moment, she wondered where she was. In her dreams she had been back at home, her father still alive. She had a faint recollection of Hannah helping undress and putting her into bed, but beyond that was a blur. The room was dark, it was already nightfall and she had been asleep for several hours. Her dreams had been vividly real and she could have sworn that she had felt Charles's hands upon her; cool fingertips running over her naked skin, slipping into the moist recesses of her sex. But it was only a dream, how could it have been anything else?

She would miss Charles and the feel of his body against hers. Even thinking about him now, on the day of his burial, caused a dull ache between her legs. Charles had been well proportioned and a satisfying lover. On her wedding night she had been shocked by his size; it was the first time she had ever seen a man naked. She had sat hesitantly on the edge of the bed in her virginal white lace nightgown, waiting for him.

Christabel's hand moved automatically to her breast as she cupped her firm flesh beneath the silk of her nightgown, her nipple hard and erect beneath her touch. Closing her eyes, she imagined it was Charles's touch. On that first night he had removed her nightgown in an instant, so eager to be inside her that there were had been no time for pleasantries. His hand had been rough and firm on her breasts, squeezing the soft flesh until she had shouted out in a mixture of both pleasure and pain, then moving to caress her body. Never had she felt so much emotion; it was as if she had lived for the very first time. He had removed his own clothing within seconds and her eyes had widened at the size of his manhood; his great member standing erect and ready for invasion.

Opening her legs, he had pushed his hand up to her thighs; she had been so wet and his touch like electricity upon her flesh. It had hurt at first, but once she had gotten used to the size and fullness of him, it had only been pleasure. How she had ached for him; for that magnificent shaft to enter her. She could almost feel it now as Charles pushed at her entrance; the tiny gap forced open by his girth. There had been pain at first - Charles had not been gentle, his lust had overtaken his actions and he had thrust his member deep within, causing her to cry out. Only when he had buried his full length inside her tight cavern did he pause; his hot flesh throbbing inside her and waiting for release.

Christabel was breathing hard as her hand left her breast and slide down her body onto the mound at the apex of her thighs. "Oh Charles," she whispered, imagining him taking her as she almost climaxed just thinking about him.

A noise outside the bedroom door brought her back to reality. Today was not a day of arousal, it was a day of mourning. Weeks and weeks of wearing black hung heavily before her, but she knew that Charles would have sympathized with her.

Slipping out of the bed, she crossed the shadowy room and over to the window to look outside. It had been raining. The gas lamps had been lit along the crescent and their reflection glistened in the tiny pools and puddles of water that had collected on the pavement below. The carriages had departed and she felt a short stab of relief – the guests had gone home. The memories of the day drifted slowly back. She thought of poor Charles, cold and damp in his grave and Arthur Chadwick’s words returned to her. What if there was more to her husband’s death than she had first assumed; suppose it hadn’t been an accident after all? Edward and Anne had been quick in making themselves feel at home and the two brothers hadn’t seemed particularly close.

What was she thinking? Arthur Chadwick was a drunken fool, and Edward had been right to dismiss him. She hadn’t known about the requests for money and it didn’t sound like something Charles would do, but then what did she know of his affairs, or even of his life before she had met him? He had been a private man and they had talked little of the past.

Christabel rubbed at her temples; it was all too confusing to think about it now. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she still hadn’t eaten; a gnawing ache in her abdomen. She was sure to find some leavings in the kitchen. There was no need to wake Hannah; she could fend for herself for once.

Slipping on her robe she lit one of the small lamps by the side of her bed and carried it carefully across the bedroom, onto the landing, and down the great staircase. The house was different at night; quiet and watchful. Everything was silent except for the old grandfather clock that ticked steadily at the foot of the stairs.

Crossing the hall, she opened the door leading down to the lower staircase and kitchen. She paused when she heard the sound of voices. Mrs. Hudson and Stephens were still awake and talking quietly below. It wouldn’t do for the servants to see her in her night attire and she almost closed the door again, but stopped abruptly at the mention Charles’ name.

“I tell you Mrs. Hudson, there is more to Lord Montgomery’s death than meets the eye. I have been in this family for over forty years and have known Charles Montgomery since he was a boy. There was nothing wrong with the man; he was as strong as an ox. There have been some ill goings on Mrs. Hudson, make no mistake, but what can be done?”

There was a pause in the conversation whilst Mrs. Hudson reflected on Stephens’ words. The death of Lord Montgomery had hit her hard and she struggled to keep her emotion at bay. “Surely not Mr. Stephens, it was an accident by all accounts and either way, who would do such a thing?”

“Well that’s the thing Mrs. Hudson, whom indeed?”

The door at the top of the stairs squeaked as Christabel tried to close it. She had heard enough and wanted to retreat back upstairs to her bedroom.

“Who’s there?” The voices below stopped, pausing to listen at the sudden sound.  Christabel wanted to turn back and run for the safety of her room, but Stephens would be at the top of the stairs before she had fled across the hallway. Despite his age, he was quite agile and how would she explain running away like that? There was only one thing to do, she would just have to bluff her way through the situation.

Opening the door wide, she walked carefully down the steps. The pair stood up as Christabel entered the kitchen. The fire had been lit and the room was cozy; a bottle of Charles’ favorite brandy stood half empty on the scrubbed kitchen table, along with two glasses filled part way with the amber liquid. Christabel looked away and pretended not to notice. After all, it had been a long day.

“Sorry to disturb you both. I was looking for something to eat; some cold leavings from today’s meal perhaps?” Mrs. Hudson nodded without speaking and walked to the pantry to fetch her mistress a plate of food.

“I’ll bring up a tray to your room, madam. Will that be all?” She was being dismissed by Stephens and knew it. This wasn’t her territory and it was clear that they didn’t like her invading their space and wanted rid of her as soon as possible.

“I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”

Stephens held the door back open for her. “I would advise you madam to return up to your room or you will catch your death of cold dressed only in your night wear. I will bring the tray up shortly.”

Christabel pulled the dressing gown tightly around her. It was difficult to be dignified dressed in her nightgown and rob. She suddenly felt like a child. There was a silence as she headed back up the stairs. They would wait until she was out of sight before they started talking again. Christabel felt weary. Now she had no doubt something terrible had happened to Charles, but what?

The late meal that was eventually brought up to her room consisted of little more than cold meat and bread, but she dared not argue or ask for anything else. The pair were too formidable and she, in turn, too afraid to speak up. Suddenly the night had turned menacing around her and the shadows that lurked in the room were now dark and evil. The once quiet house seemed noisy, as if every creak and groan of the house was bemoaning the fate of Charles Montgomery.

She slept very little, and when she did her dreams were dark and full of images of the grave. Charles appeared to her at the foot of the bed, his face somber and racked in pain. Opening his mouth as if to speak to her, a maggot crawled from between his lips, followed by another, and yet another, until his whole face was crawling with the white bugs. Waking with a start she sat up in terror, her heart thumping hard within her chest.

Something was not right, yet she wondered what she could do about it? By this time tomorrow she might not even have a home, let alone a husband! It was the one day she had been dreading; even more than the funeral. Charles’s will was due to be read and with it, her fate for the future sealed.

Chapter Three

The Last Will & Testament of the late Charles Montgomery was due to be read at the offices of Lewis and Lewis, located in Middle Temple Lane. Although it was only a fifteen-minute walk, Englebert had offered to take her in his cab, and whilst she would rather not sit alone with the man, she did not feel up to walking and had politely accepted. Besides, she had asked Stephens and Mrs. Hudson to ride with them; Mr. Lewis had asked that they attend, thereby implying that something had been left to them both in the will.

Although she did not like either of her servants, Christabel was pleased that they had been remembered, if even in a small way in the will; it would be something to show for their years of loyal duty to Charles.

They were shown into a large room that was paneled with dark oak and matching furniture. A very large and grand desk, inlaid on the surface with dark green leather, stood by the window and dominated most of the room. Dark, overstuffed and rather well worn leather chairs were dotted around the room; their seats shiny from the wear of countless backsides, and several wooden backed chairs were arranged in two neat rows in front of the desk, ready to seat them all.

Old Mr. Lewis was seated behind the desk and must have been at least in his eightieth year. His white hair flopped lazily over his collar and his tortoiseshell pince-nez hung from the bridge of his nose. Christabel wondered if he were asleep.

Edward and Anne had already arrived and sat on the front row; as if by sitting in the prime seats they would be the first to hear the lawyer’s words as soon as the contents of the will was read. Although Anne still wore black, the clothes were different from those she had worn at the funeral and obviously newly bought in celebration of their anticipated future wealth. Edward looked smug; he had waited long enough for this moment and had feared that it would never happen. Soon he would be in possession of the family estate and able to clear his own debts. As the second son, he had been in receipt of a yearly allowance, but it was not enough to cover both his and Anne’s lavish expenses. He had no head for business and had lost money in dubious schemes abroad that had lured him with the promise of tripling his investments but in reality had left him with less than nothing. But that was all behind him now.

The door opened and Arthur Chadwick slunk in to the room. He had obviously had a late night and looked disheveled, as if he had been sleeping rough, the smell of alcohol and stale tobacco clinging to his clothing.

“I’m surprised you dare show your face, Chadwick,” Edward spoke without turning to acknowledge the man, and Arthur sat in silence behind the main group.

As soon as they were all settled, Edward cleared his throat, anxious for the formal proceedings to start. The will was scheduled to be read at eleven the morning after the funeral and the large clock on the wall showed that there was still five minutes to wait.

“Lewis old man, can we get down to business. Surely, we don’t have to stand on ceremony now that we are all here?”

The old man jumped at the sound of his name and if he had not been actually asleep, then was most certainly in a light doze. The glasses slipped from his face as he fumbled to right himself. Peering over the top of his pince-nez he looked along the row of seats; counting as he did so. “I must wait for the appointed time. You see there is one other person to arrive. We shall have to wait until the appointed hour of eleven.”

Edward was silent for a moment; his ruddy cheeks now crimson. “What do you mean another person? We are all here man. Wake up Lewis, there is no one else.”

At that moment the door opened and in walked a young man. Christabel let out an audible gasp; it was the man she had seen in the church and again at the side of Charles grave. He wore a somber and cheap looking suit and looked awkward as all eyes turned towards him.

“Good morning Mr. Crawley, I’m glad you could make it. Now do please be seated.”

As the young man took the seat nearest to the door, the clock on the wall started to chime eleven. It left Edward open mouthed, the words on his lips silenced for once.

***

Christabel could feel her heart start to pound. The enigmatic stranger was also a benefactor of her husband’s will! She wondered why he had never mentioned the handsome young man to her. She imagined him naked and immediately blushed; the same strange ache returning to her breast.

Lewis shuffled the papers and was about to open the formal proceedings when an almighty crash in the second row of seats disturbed the silence. Mrs. Hudson had fainted and lay sprawled out across the floor. Mr. Stephens stepped quickly to her side and began to fan her with a handkerchief as she quickly came back round to consciousness.

The poor woman had not been well since the death of Lord Montgomery and the whole affair had hit her hard. Her face was pale as she dabbed at her eyes with Stephens’ large white handkerchief, and although she insisted that she was quite alright, remained looking quite dazed and staring into her lap. Mr. Lewis poured a glass of water from the jug on his table and passed it to Edward to hand to Mrs. Hudson. When all were finally seated once again, Lewis shuffled his papers and flicked a paper knife under the wax seal on the envelope before him, removing several sheets of paper. Lowering his gaze, he read the contents in silence.

“For god’s sake man, can we get on with the proceedings? There is no use in making a song and dance about the whole thing, just get on with it and read out the damned will!”

The ladies present raised an eyebrow, and the mouth of Lewis twitched in silent agitation as he licked his lips in anticipation before starting to read aloud.

“I testify that this is the last will and testament of Lord Charles Arthur Montgomery, made on the fifth day of the month of June in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and seventy-two....”

Christabel held her breath as he spoke. Eighteen hundred and seventy-two was five years ago. Charles had promised that he was going to change his will once they were married, to ensure that she would be provided for in case anything should happen to him. He had obviously not expected to die within two months of their marriage and thought that he had plenty of time to make any necessary amendments in her favor.

What came as a shock to Christabel was a relief to Edward and Anne, and she could almost see the smirk on both of their faces as they silently anticipated throwing the young interloper out of the house.

“To my faithful servant, Mr. George Stephens, I leave the sum of two hundred pounds, and to my loyal housekeeper, Mrs. Pearl Hudson, I also leave the sum of two hundred pounds.”

Mrs. Hudson looked as she would faint again and dabbed at her eyes as Stephens lowered his head. It was more money than both could have ever hoped for and would help them in their retirement.

“To my cousin, Mr. Arthur Chadwick, I leave the sum of three hundred pounds.” The man coughed politely and Christabel wondered if he was pleased or not.

“I doubt that will cover his gambling debts,” Edward added.

Arthur shuffled in his seat and gave nothing away, his face poker straight and white.

“To my brother Mr. Edward Montgomery...” Lewis paused for effect.

“Well go on man!” Anne placed her hand on her husband’s knee to silence him.

“To my brother, Mr. Edward Montgomery, I leave the sum of one thousand pounds, my father’s gold watch and chain, and ...”

“One thousand pounds and a gold watch and chain, what are you talking about man; have you lost your senses?”

“And to my son, Mr. Andrew Peter Crawley, my rightful heir, the remains of my estate including all land, properties, and associated assets.”

There was a collective intake of breath as Mr. Lewis spoke the words and the young man lifted his head slightly, his back and shoulders stiffening. Only the ticking clock disturbed the silence. Edward stood for a moment unable to move as Anne looked at him in horror. Christabel wondered if he was having a heart attack, his eyes bulging with inner rage.

“My son, my son! What on earth are you talking about man? My brother had no son-you are talking gibberish. Let me see those papers!” Snatching the document from the old man’s hands, Edward scanned the words, breathing heavily under the dark suit. “You, sir, are an imposter and a fraud” He pointed wildly at the young man, the papers dropping to the floor around his feet.

“Lewis, what is the meaning of this? Why did you let my brother sign such a document, if in fact it is his signature? Was he out of his wits?” Stooping to pick up the sheets he slammed them back onto the green leather of the desk. The old man remained calm.

“Mr. Montgomery, I can assure you that the late Lord Charles was fully compos mentis when he made this will and that his desire was for his estate to be passed to his son.”

“But he has no son man! This man must have had some sort of hold over Charles, it’s obvious.”

The young man rose to leave. “Where do you think you are going man? I think you have some explaining to do! This is a farce Mr. Lewis. Charles’ estate belongs to me!”

The old man shook his head. “I’m afraid not Edward, but you do have one thousand pounds and a gold watch.”

Turning to face Arthur Chadwick, Edward reached across the seats and pulled the man up by the collar. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you had something to do with this Chadwick. Was it you? Did you put this man up to it? Are you taking a greater share in Charles’ estate?”

The poor man looked on in fright as Edward dropped him back into his seat. Edward demanded an explanation, but the young man bowed his head towards them and left the room quickly before Edward could compose himself.

With threats of legal action and a contest of the will, Edward and Anne left in a sudden flurry of black silk, her face as white and pale as her husband’s was dark and thundery.

Arthur Chadwick was the next to leave. Rising from his seat he placed a hand on Christabel’s shoulder. “If there is anything I can do...” His concern for once appeared genuine, but she did not look him in the eye.

“Lady Montgomery does not need your help.” Englebert removed the stray hand from her shoulder.  “I have been her trusted guardian for these last five years and I will continue to remain so.”

The two men continued to argue for a while whilst Christabel sat numb and deaf to her surroundings. All she had to live on was the small allowance from her late father’s estate and the money from the sale of his house. That and the good will of Englebert. The money would stop in a couple of year’s time and then she would be totally reliant upon him.

Stephens and Mrs. Hudson sat in silence; they had plenty to say to each other but had to hold their tongues. They rose together and made their excuses. They needed to get back to the house as soon as possible and stated that they would walk; the fresh air would do them both good. Besides, once outside they would be free to gossip.

Tugging gently on her arm, Englebert pulled Christabel to her feet. “Come my dear, I will take you home. We can discuss what can be done then. Lewis this is a ridiculous situation, is there anything that we can do?”

The old man smiled sadly. He had witnessed every emotion known to man at the reading of a will and nothing came as a surprise to him. He felt desperately sorry for the young widow. Charles had mentioned changing the will, he was to have done so on his return from the fateful business trip and to make at least some provision for Christabel should anything happen. Now it was too late; well almost.

Wiping his glasses on a handkerchief he sighed. “Of course, the family can contest the will; they always have that option. I am sure that Edward will not let things rest as they are. But it is a lengthy and costly process and there are no guarantees. It would be difficult to prove that Mr. Crawley was not, in fact, the son and heir of the late Charles. I have seen the birth certificate and have kept the secret, in confidence, for the past twenty-four years. It might be worth talking to Andrew Crawley – maybe some arrangement can be made for Lady Montgomery; she is after all his step-mother by law?”

The words shocked Christabel and she leaned further on the arm of Englebert for support. The young man, the one who had caused her to blush in the church; the man she had fantasized about naked could be her step-son? The idea was too farfetched to contemplate. If only Charles had been up front with her about this matter, she wouldn’t have minded. To find out like this was too great a shock.

“What do we do now? Should we return to the house? Has Christabel still a right to live there?”

Lewis suppressed a yawn. He was getting too old for all of this. Perhaps it was time to retire? Families with their secrets and petty squabbles; he had seen enough. “It will take weeks before all the paperwork has been completed and ownership transferred to Mr. Crawley. If there is a contest of the will, then it will take longer. I suggest that you carry on as normally as would allow. I will speak to Andrew Crawley myself about his plans and see what can be done for Lady Montgomery. Now I’m afraid I must leave, I have another appointment to attend to.” It was a lunch appointment with his son and he needed good food and wine after such a stressful morning.

Back in the carriage Englebert sat close with his arm around her shoulder, pretending to be fatherly; yet his rapid breathing gave him away. He was aroused by her closeness. Christabel felt numb and incapable of any feeling or speech and lay back against his arm feeling his hard fingers pressing against her. At that moment she did not care what he did; her life was in pieces and she was an easy target for all of the predators around her.

***

Without the safety net of Mrs Hudson and Stephens around, Englebert felt emboldened. Christabel was homeless and penniless. The young ward had been the subject of his lust and fantasy for years and now she was practically his. His cock was already stiff within his trousers and his hand slipped up to her breast. At first her body stiffened, it was after all the hand of Englebert Williams, but as he squeezed and fondled her in the confines of the carriage, she started to feel strangely aroused. Feeling her nipples start to respond and harden beneath his touch the older man felt encouraged. She closed her eyes and imagined Mr Crawley’s face before her.

"My poor Christabel. You don't need to worry about a thing. You are safe with me. Now how about a little kiss for your guardian?" Reaching across he straddled her with his leg, pushing his groin against her, his face red and close; lips wet and open.

His mouth was upon hers; greedy and slippery. It was not like the kiss of Charles; it was firm and demanding and she felt a little repulsed by the wetness of his mouth; his soft tongue slobbering against her own. His hand was upon her skirts, reaching up towards the top of her stocking and towards the flesh of her exposed inner thigh. Grinding his crotch against her leg, he let out a low moan as he quickly reached his climax and almost immediately pulled away from her. Flopping back into the carriage seat he sprawled, red faced and sweating; all his sexual cravings spent.

Luckily the drive home was short and a kiss and fondle were all that he had time for. Still, the experience had left her a little breathless and had done nothing to ease her desire, even if it was just Englebert.

“Now my dear, this morning has been a shock to you. I suggest you go and lie down to rest for a few hours and then you will feel a little better. I will wait in the house for you and perhaps we can take dinner together a little later to discuss our plans?”

Christabel flinched at the emphasis on ‘our’ plans. She needed time on her own, time to think, and all of this was impossible with Englebert constantly whispering in her ear. “Don’t come in Englebert, I will be fine. I don’t want anything more disturbing today. Go home, and perhaps we can talk later in the week. I just want some time on my own.”

Englebert shrugged and removed his arm, in a few weeks she would have nowhere else to go and would depend entirely upon him. He could afford to wait. “Not a problem, my dear, but I will call on you tomorrow to see how you are doing. Do not worry and try to rest. I will look after you.”

Kissing her hand, he helped her out of the carriage, his hand patting her bottom as she navigated the steps to the stones, and he continued to watch until she was safely inside. She looked so young and beautiful, so vulnerable. Soon she would be all his!

***

Hannah greeted her young mistress in the hallway, and as soon as the front door was closed Christabel burst into tears. The two women headed quickly upstairs to the safety of her bedroom and out of earshot of the servants; although they would soon hear of her plight and all of the gossip when Stephens and Hudson returned.

“Oh Hannah; what am I going to do? Even Mrs. Hudson will have more money than I shall. Englebert is coming to see me tomorrow and shall ask for my hand, I know he shall! And I won’t be in a position to refuse.” Christabel sobbed gently on the bed whilst Hannah cradled the poor girl in her arms.

“There must be another way my love; something will happen. If Mr. Williams does propose marriage then you will have to tell him it is too soon after Charles’s death, that you are still grieving. That will put him off for a while; at least to give you time to think.”

“But I have no other options Hannah. This Mr. Crawley has dashed any hopes that I might have had.”

“What is he like?” Hannah’s question was innocent but caused Christabel to blush.

“He’s quite young.”

“And attractive?” Hannah smiled at the young woman’s reaction.

“Hannah – we hardly know the man; he may be an imposter for all we know.  Edward certainly hinted at the fact and even suggested that he and Arthur were colluding together and possibly had something to do with poor Charles death.”

Hannah frowned “Surely that is Edward speaking out of anger; he has no proof of this?”

“Nothing concrete, but it is strange, Edward was almost accusing poor Arthur of being involved in some kind of fraud. We know that he has gambling debts and who knows what else? I don’t particularly like Arthur, but I can’t imagine that he would be mixed up in all of this, even if he does need the money. Charles did leave him a more than generous provision in his will. Oh Hannah, I don’t know what to think!”

Sitting down on the bed next to her mistress, Hannah looked thoughtful for a moment. “Sometimes people say hurtful things under pressure, but if it is true about the money, then it does appear strange. I will keep my ears open in the servant’s quarters, you know how they love to gossip and just maybe someone has heard something. If your husband’s death was suspicious, then it may affect the content of his will; who knows what might happen?”

Leaving her young mistress to sleep, Hannah made her way back downstairs. She had heard Stephens and Hudson enter the house and the kitchen would be full of idle gossip. Maybe she would hear something to Christabel’s advantage.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, the buzz of voices quieted. Like the young mistress, she too, was an interloper and was not trusted by the older members of staff.  Although polite, Mrs. Hudson was always stiff towards her and Stephens was a man of few words. As Christabel’s personal maid she didn’t have many dealings with the general run of the household and could keep herself much to herself for most of the day, but at mealtimes she would join the rest of them, taking her seat at the end of the table and making polite conversation.

Mrs. Hudson was now seated in front of the kitchen fire, sipping on a nip of brandy, her feet propped up on a small stool. The woman wasn’t old, perhaps late forties or early fifties, but she often complained of this pain or that ache and her feet seemed to be constantly swollen and giving her grievance. Her eyes were red-rimmed and she had been crying again, the two younger kitchen maids standing around her wide eyed. Mrs. Hudson had obviously been recounting the tale of the morning events.

Hannah was surprised that the woman still seemed to be grieving for her late master; she had considered the woman to be quite cold and heartless, without much feeling; perhaps she had been wrong. She thought the housekeeper would be celebrating her good fortune, but perhaps she had not told the good news to the rest of staff, and both were keeping their windfall a secret.

“We were just saying, Miss Simpson, what a shame it is for the young mistress. A terrible business on all accounts.” Mrs. Hudson was not interested in the mistress, only in further tittle-tattle and Hannah was not going to add to their gossip.

“It is indeed Mrs. Hudson.”

“So what is the young mistress going to do now that we have a new master?”

Hannah frowned “Nothing is for certain yet, Mrs. Hudson. There are still a number of legal procedures to go through and who knows what might happen?” She had already said too much and stopped. There was enough idle gossip around.

Mrs. Hudson sighed; she was not going to get anymore out of Hannah and changed the subject. “Well I suppose we had better look to making some lunch. I, for one, am in need of some sustenance after such a morning. Look lively Ruth, Daisy, there’s potatoes to be peeled and onions to be chopped.”

The two young kitchen maids immediately started to prepare for their chores; they were simple yet honest girls and were ruled with a rod of iron by the steely Mrs. Hudson.

“Oh, Mrs. Hudson, I quite forgot.” Fishing a crumpled envelope out of her apron pocket, Daisy handed the letter over to the older woman. Mrs. Hudson studied the envelope carefully, her expression suddenly changing to one of shock.

“Who brought this?” She almost barked at the poor, timid girl. The envelope had no postage stamp and only her name was written in a scrawled ink on the front of the envelope. It had obviously not been delivered by the postman.

“A young man called this morning and he asked me to give you this and to say that he would call back later today.”

“His name?”

The young girl was visibly shaking. “I don’t know Mrs. Hudson; he didn’t say.”

Dismissing the girl with a cuff around the ear, Mrs. Hudson stuffed the envelope into her apron pocket and looked around. All eyes were watching the scene.

“Well, what are you all gawping at? Daisy, Ruth, get on with your chores, or it will be time for supper, let alone lunch. I must go and speak with Mr. Stephens.”

All through lunch, Mrs. Hudson was quiet, which was most unlike her. Hannah wished she could find out what was in the letter, but it would be almost impossible. The young girl had mentioned that the young man might call back – she would keep on the lookout.

After her own lunch, she took a tray up to Christabel. The young girl was wide awake and sat up in bed – she looked relieved at the sight of her maid and some color had returned to her cheeks. Hannah chatted whilst Christabel ate, telling her the news from below stairs.

“What if Mrs. Hudson’s young man and Mr. Crawley are one in the same?”

Hannah shook her head. “I doubt it, he was with you at the solicitors all morning and besides, Mrs. Hudson would have spoken to him then, surely?”

Christabel thought hard. “I suppose so. It doesn’t make sense and yet, he was the first to leave. He did seem in a hurry. I thought it was because Edward was getting angry, but maybe it was something else, maybe he left early to come here?”

“But how on earth would Mrs. Hudson know Mr. Crawley?”

Shaking her head, the younger woman sighed “We shall both have to be vigilant Hannah, and see what we can find out.”

Chapter Four

By the time Hannah returned downstairs a couple of hours had passed. Returning the young mistress’ luncheon tray to the kitchen, she was about to retire to her room for a while when she heard someone weeping. The sound was coming from a small room at the back of the kitchen that was kept for the sole use of Mrs. Hudson. Hannah hovered outside the doorway, wondering what to do. The housekeeper was prickly at the best of times, but she sounded so upset. Knocking gently, Hannah opened the door slightly and peered inside.

Mrs. Hudson was sat at her desk, the one where she usually sat every evening with a tot of brandy, pouring over the household accounts. Now she sat, miserably hunched over the dark wood, a letter crumpled on the surface and an old sepia photograph in her hand. On seeing Hannah, she sat up quickly in an attempt to pull herself together, quickly pushing the letter and photograph inside one of the desk drawers.

Despite her obvious discomfort she scowled fiercely at Hannah; annoyed that someone had witnessed her moment of weakness. "Yes Miss Simpson, is there something I can help you with?"

Hannah sighed. Why did the woman always have to be so cold towards her? They should be comrades in arms rather than enemies. "I just thought I heard something Mrs. Hudson and I wanted to check, to see if you were all right?"

The woman blew her nose on a delicate lace handkerchief that didn't look very practical and looked at Hannah through cold blue eyes. "Of course I'm all right. I'm perfectly all right. Why shouldn't I be?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you Mrs. Hudson." Hannah felt suitably chastised and closing the door behind her, stepped back upstairs. Something was definitely wrong and she had to find out what it was. Mrs. Hudson was not easily upset and it all seemed to be too much of a coincidence. Could there possibly be a connection with Lord Montgomery’s death? She would have to bide her time.

Later that afternoon, when the kitchen was quiet, Hannah ventured back downstairs. Both of the kitchen girls had gone off into town, having been given their half day leave early; there was not much work to be done with only the mistress at home now. Mrs. Hudson was at the market, sorting out the menu for the week, while Stephens was in the master’s room, organizing the clothing to be stored, donated, or thrown away.

Crossing over the empty kitchen, Hannah hesitated outside the door of the housekeeper’s room. Her throat was dry and she could feel her heart racing in her chest. Normally, she would not dream of prying into someone else's business, but it was something she had to do for the sake of her poor mistress.

Placing her head near to the door she listened carefully; all was quiet within. Glancing around to make certain she was alone, Hannah pushed slowly on the door.

There were no windows in the room and at first it was difficult to see. Opening the door wider to let in more light, she crossed over to the desk. What if it were locked? She would have risked being caught for nothing.

Moving her fingers below the surface of the desk she felt around for the small brass handle to open the drawer. Tugging lightly, the drawer opened with ease. She had half expected it to be empty, but Hannah's heart skipped a beat, for there lay the crumpled letter and beneath it a faded photograph.

The letter was short.

I need to see you urgently. I am staying nearby but it is a slum of a place. I need money and fast. Don't let me down like before. I haven't forgotten. I will call again tomorrow at ten in the evening.

A.

The words were threatening and there was an undertone of malice in the letter. Who on earth could be writing to Mrs. Hudson in such a hateful way? The words had obviously caused the woman much distress.

Hannah turned her attention to the small photograph and was surprised to see the portrait of a woman with a small boy sat upon her knee. The woman looked young but rather severe, with her hair scraped up into a formidable bun, the dark eyes looking directly into the camera lens. There was no doubt that the woman in the photograph was a younger Mrs. Hudson; but what about the boy?

He looked angelic in his sailor suit; a stray light curl dangling from his jaunty cap. There could be no don't that this must be Mrs. Hudson’s son; the same deep eyes with a touch of willfulness in the young man’s gaze.

Could this be the young Mr. Andrew Crawley, and the author of the letter?

It was hard to put an age on the picture. Mrs. Hudson could have been any age from twenty to thirty-five. But that could mean that the child would now be in his twenties, just like Mr. Crawley. There was no doubt in her mind that the author of the letter must be the same young boy in the old photograph.

Hannah started with fright at the sound of footsteps in the kitchen just outside, and in a panic stuffed the letter and photograph back into the drawer, just as Stephens walked past the open doorway.

"Miss Simpson, can I help you?"

She could feel her face flush, the guilt immediately obvious as her voice shaking slightly with fear. "Mr. Stephens. I was just looking for a sheet of writing paper. I have a letter to write and seem to have run out of my own paper. I didn't think Mrs. Hudson would mind.” The words came out in a garbled rush as she thought quickly on her feet. Mr. Stephens eyed her suspiciously, but displayed little emotion.

"I believe there are some sheets on top of the desk Miss Simpson. It's a cheap paper she uses for writing out the shopping lists, but no doubt it will be more than adequate and serve your purpose.”

Hannah had not seen the paper and her hand trembled as she picked up a few sheets under his watchful gaze.

"Now, if you have quite finished Miss Simpson?"

Stepping quickly out of the room Hannah could feel her whole body start to shake as Stephens closed the door behind her. Taking a large bunch of keys from his belt, he proceeded to lock it. She wondered how long he had been in the kitchen and what he had seen. He would be sure to tell Mrs. Hudson that she had been snooping around in her room, but had he seen her with the letter and photograph?

As she headed for the stairs the old man called her back. "Oh Miss Simpson?"

Halting on the bottom stair she glanced around, the butler standing, watching her carefully. "If you need anything in future, then please ask. I'm sure Mrs. Hudson or I will be more than happy to assist you.”

With his rebuke ringing hotly in her ears, she set off to tell Christabel all about her findings.

***

That evening as Hannah walked into the kitchen in readiness for her evening meal, she could sense a tension in the room. She could tell that Stephens had already spoken with Mrs. Hudson; her stare was icier than usual. Ruth and Daisy were still out and supper would be difficult.

"I'm not feeling too well. I think I'll take a tray to my room. The mistress is still asleep and I can take her something up to her room when she wakes.” Fetching a plate, she spooned some of the vegetables and meat onto it before covering it over with a cloth, and placing it on a tray.

As she was about to carry it out to the stairs Mrs. Hudson caught her by the arm. "Did you manage to write your letter Miss Simpson?"  The cold stare in her eyes sent a chill right to Hannah's heart.

Chapter Five

The following day was a bright, beautiful spring day. Christabel had slept through until morning; exhausted by the events of the last few days. Yet her dreams had been complicated, disturbed by Hannah's findings. She had dreamt of the handsome and young Mr. Crawley. It almost seemed a slight on her husband, even if it was only just a dream. She had been staring over poor Charles grave when the young man had stolen up behind her and taken her by surprise. His strong arms had pulled her to the ground, onto the same earth that now covered her dearly departed, his hands up her skirts and pulling at her delicate undergarments.

Remembering her dream her hand reached beneath the coverlet and found the moist spot between her legs. It had only been a week since she had lain with Charles, but her whole body yearned for him. Touching herself, she could feel the hot wetness on her fingers. She found the spot, the one that Charles had so worked so wonderfully, licking it lightly with his tongue and bringing her to orgasm. Her nub was already swollen with longing and her fingers worked back and forth as she rubbed herself lightly. It wasn't quite the same as when she was with Charles, but it did the trick. Eventually, the dull ache started to ripple across her body into a feeling of sheer ecstasy, as she shuddered with a mixture of both pleasure and pain. At least for a short time her passion was sated and she lay back on the bed and rested.

The thought of Mr. Crawley was starting to weigh heavily on her heart and she could not understand her emotions. Could she be in love with Mr. Crawley?  Love at first sight? She had certainly read about it in her novels but never believed that anything so wonderful could ever happen to her? She shook her head and laughed, maybe she was just being fanciful. There were more pressing issues to deal with.

Englebert had promised to call that very morning, and as she sat at her breakfast in the small sitting room she wondered what she would say to him, how she could keep him at arm’s length. She had barely started eating when there was a knock at the door and Stephens entered.

"Sorry to disturb you madam, but you have a visitor.” Christabel's heart sank. Englebert was here already!

Crossing the room, Stephens handed her a calling card.

Mr. Andrew Crawley Esq.

65 Belgravia Road

London

With her heart fluttering in her mouth, the young woman panicked, feeling the color rise in her cheeks. "Tell him I'm not at home Stephens"

"I'm afraid I have already told him you are at breakfast madam, and he is waiting in the drawing room.”

"Then tell him that I do not want to see him.”

Stephens hesitated for a moment. "Do you think that wise madam?"

He was right, of course, she would have to see him. It was just that she hadn't expected him to call so soon. "Tell him I will be down shortly, if he would be so kind as to wait.”

With a solemn nod of the head, Stephens left the room.

What to do and what to say? She would have liked to change into one of her prettier dresses, but she was still tied to wearing black. She blushed at the thought of wanting to look attractive for this stranger; this man who was due to push her out of her home and take her financial security. The man with an air of mystery and suspicion around him. This man who invaded her dreams with erotic intent. Well, she would not make the man welcome, of that she was quite certain.

As she stepped across the hallway to the drawing room, her boldness deserted her and she lingered for a while outside the door to think.

"Is there anything wrong madam?" Stephens appeared from the kitchen stairs. It would be no good to show that she was afraid in front of the servants and lifting her head, she placed her hand firmly on the door handle.

"I'm absolutely fine Stephens.”

He was standing by the window as she entered the room, his back to her. Taking in a deep breath, she walked towards him. "Mr. Crawley, what a pleasure.” The sarcasm was obvious from her tone.

As he turned around to face her, all of her steely resolve melted away; he was the most beautiful young man that she had ever seen. His bright blue eyes looked troubled and his face grave as he stepped towards her and gave a polite bow. He was different from all the other men she had met and he did not have the same animal look of lust in his eyes. He almost looked like a man she could trust.

"Lady Montgomery, forgive this intrusion on your grief and privacy, but I felt that I must come with haste to speak with you.” His tone was apologetic and she bid him sit in one of the high-backed leather chairs that were grouped in front of the fireplace.

As she joined him to sit, she could feel the burning in her cheeks and hoped that he would not notice the effect that he was having upon her. Her heart fluttered wildly in her breast and she felt almost breathless.

He began in earnest.

"After yesterday’s reading of the will I felt that I must speak with you Lady Montgomery. Your late husband’s brother appeared to be rather hostile towards me and I thought it neither the time nor the place to speak. I had no idea that your husband, the late Lord Montgomery, was my father until I received the solicitor’s letter a few days ago. It was hard to believe at first, and as much of a shock to me as it was, I believe, to yourself. But there had always been a mystery surrounding my parents. I was adopted by a young couple out in the country when I was a baby. I believe that my mother was unmarried and in service when I was born and had to give me away to keep her position. I often wondered who had paid for my schooling. It was obviously something that my parents could never afford; they were good, yet simple country folk.”

Christabel's heart went out to the young man. He spoke with conviction and truth; of that she was certain. He spoke well but as she looked at him she realized that his clothes were quite shabby; the elbows in his jacket were rubbed shiny with wear and she noticed a small tear in his collar. Her heart almost overflowed.

"I just wanted to tell you that I have no intention of evicting you from this house. As far as I am concerned, this is yours and I intend to ensure that you receive a generous yearly allowance.”

She could scarcely believe his words and a sudden brightness filled her, clearing away the clouds from her heart. Almost immediately, she felt ashamed for all her ill thoughts and suspicion towards the young man. "I don't quite know what to say Mr. Crawley. Your offer is too generous, but what about Edward, he is sure to contest the will."

The young man sighed. "I am hoping to speak with Mr. Montgomery, to see if we can come to some mutual arrangement. I am not a greedy man, I have never had wealth and it does not particularly bother me. I am sure there is enough money to keep everyone happy?"

Christabel sighed sadly, unconvinced. "Well, I wish you luck with that Mr. Crawley.”

Stephens entered the room with a sharp rap at the door, halting their conversation. "Excuse me madam, but Mr. Williams has called to see you. Shall I show him into the library?"

Andrew Crawley stood up sharply. "There's no need, sir. I must go at once."

Christabel’s heart sank at the thought of Englebert Williams. She would rather spend a pleasant morning finding out more about Mr. Crawley. "Please don't go Mr. Crawley. Stephens will tell Mr. Williams I am occupied at the moment and to please call back at a later hour. Whatever he has to tell me, I am sure can wait.”

The young man looked reluctant to leave but remained standing. “I'm sorry, but I really must go, Lady Montgomery. I have an appointment at ten o’ clock with Mr. Lewis. Perhaps I may call again tomorrow?"

Smiling she took his proffered hand and although he only brushed it lightly with his lips, the warmth of his body burnt against her skin.

Taking his leave, he hesitated and turned. "By the way, none of this Mr. Crawley business; please call me Andrew.”

Before she had time to gather her thoughts, Englebert Williams entered the room and the smile quickly slipped from her lips. The man rushed to sit by her side. "My dear Christabel, I have just passed that odious man Crawley in the hallway. What on earth is he doing here? Not evicting you already is he, the scoundrel? How dare he show his face in this house with Charles barely cold in his grave? Are you alright my dear?"

I was until you arrived, she thought wistfully. "I'm fine Englebert. I fear we were wrong about Mr. Crawley. He is a genuine man.”

Englebert Williams laughed pitifully in her face. "So he has charmed you as well, has he my dear? Well, I suppose he is young and pleasing to a young woman’s eye, but can't you see he is just trying to win you round? He knows that Edward will contest the will and wants you on his side."

As he attempted to put his arm around her she stood quickly to escape his grasp, and walked over to the fireplace. "He says I can remain here, live in this house. He will even give me an annual allowance.”

Englebert laughed again, the scorn obvious in his voice. "Surely you didn't believe him; this imposter? Why on earth would he give you this house and an allowance?"

Christabel suddenly felt unsure of herself. "He said it was the least I was entitled to and he wanted to do right by me.”

"I'm sure he does!" His tone was lewd, suggesting something unpalatable and he followed her to the fireplace and took her by the arm. "You are naive in the ways of men, Christabel. You are young and beautiful, yet you are penniless and are easy prey for such a man. Now let me look after you. You will be safe with me. I can care for you. I looked after you before you were married didn't I, after your father died? Without me where would you have been?"

Knowing where the conversation was leading, she broke away from his grasp. "You have been very kind to me in the past Englebert. It was good of you to take me under your wing and become my guardian, and for that I am very grateful to you, truly I am.”

"I could do it again Christabel. It would be just as before.” He had maneuvered her into the corner of the room by a section of old encyclopedia’s bound in red leather, and moved his body up close against hers. His touch repulsed her, yet she froze to the spot, unable to move.

"But I don't need a guardian anymore Englebert, besides Hannah can take care of me. I'm not a child. I am a grown woman!"

Grasping one of her hands in his, he slowly let his free hand run the length of her body; from the top of her shoulder to the slim waist and she shivered as his fingers lingered lightly on the soft curves of her breast. "I can see that my dear. And what a beautiful woman you are. I was not thinking of becoming your guardian but your loving husband.”

Recoiling at the thought she struggled to break free from his grasp but he held her tightly, inflamed by the touch of her body. He wanted more and pressed his face close against hers. "Am I so repulsive to you Christabel? Without me you have no one, no future. I have invested a lot in you, sweet Christabel, and I am looking for a return on my investment. Now how about just one kiss? That can't hurt, can it? You seemed to enjoy it in the carriage ride home yesterday. Surely you are not thinking of that callow youth Mr. Crawley? I’m afraid that imposter will do you no good."

Pushing her against the wall, his wet and fleshy lips sought hers. She would have screamed, but his tongue was deep inside her mouth and almost choking her as his hand started to pull up at the hem of her dress to reveal her legs, his hand finding its way below the material and up towards her inner thigh.

He was already adjusting his clothing, freeing his large member from its constraints. Christabel gasped as his erection sprang towards her. Her body cried at finally feeling touch again after Charles had died, but she couldn’t – no wouldn’t – allow this man to do this to her. She was a married woman, no longer needing of his protection and she wouldn’t submit herself to his lecherous touch.

"Well my dear. I have been thinking of you ever since our carriage ride home. I have been thinking of you all night.” She felt him maneuver her towards the couch, intent on pushing her over and taking her from behind, but before he could get a good grasp on her, she kicked him squarely in his large member and fled the library and up to her rooms and the safe embrace of Hannah.

"What on Earth?" Hannah had returned from her errands and had been looking after her mistress’s clothing.

Christabel sobbed and poured out her troubles to her dear friend and servant, while Hannah soothed her as only she could. Hannah reminded her of the promise from Mr. Crawley and the possibility of staying in the house and living comfortably. She wouldn’t be preyed upon if he kept his word.

Once Christabel’s worries had been soothed she turned to Hannah and said, "Not a word about this; on your life!"

"Well!" For once Hannah was speechless.

"What on Earth must you think of now?” The poor young girl blushed to her roots as she regained her clothing and composure. "I don't know what to say. I have no idea why I let Englebert do that to me in the carriage. Part of me was repulsed, but part of me was numb to it all.”

The maid smiled at her young mistress. "Oh Chrissy, I'm not one to judge. You’re young and have been through a great deal of stress. All I can say is thank God Stephens didn't walk in on you. The poor man would have had a heart attack!"

The two women laughed out loud and soon Christabel's embarrassment was forgotten as she told her trusted friend about young Mr Crawley and her growing attraction.

"What should I do Hannah? Mr Williams will return and I have no doubt he will ask for my hand in marriage. Then there is Mr Crawley's proposal; inviting me to stay here with an allowance and he is so young and handsome. What should I do? I don't know what to think Hannah. I really don't know who I can trust; except you of course."

***

For the rest of the day Hannah fretted about her mistress. Christabel’s encounter with Andrew Crawley on the surface seemed a genuine offer, but they knew little of him and it was plain to see what Englebert Williams wanted; and what of Mrs. Hudson and the mysterious 'A'?

Hannah was determined to find out more and could hardly wait until ten o’clock, the time that the mystery man was destined to call. She had decided to hide in the butler’s pantry after supper. Stephens would be asleep and Mrs. Hudson would retire soon after supper and a good quantity of the late lord’s brandy.

All she had to do was to wait!

Chapter Six

The screams from Daisy awoke the household from their slumber the following morning. Her day started at five with the cleaning of the grates and making up of the fires; including the one in the kitchen to heat the water.

She had found Hannah lying on the floor in a pool of darkening blood; a gash to the back of her head. Her stiff body and pale complexion told the fact that she had been dead for hours.

By the time Christabel had woken, Edward had been called and had taken charge of the situation. The police had been summoned and all the necessary activities had taken place well before she had dressed and stepped out of her room, unwittingly in search of her trusty maid who helped her to dress each morning.

Ruth rushed past her without stopping, her face white and eyes red.

"Ruth, what on Earth has happened?"

The young girl looked back blankly at her mistress and ran down the stairs without saying a word. Annoyed, Christabel followed suit, wondering what was going on and almost collided with Edward in the hallway.

"Edward, what is happening? What are you doing here?"

Escorting her into the library, he sat her down in one of the great leather chairs but remained standing. She could tell by his face that something serious had happened. "I'm afraid I have bad news for you Christabel.”

She braced herself, wondering what else could happen in one week. Surely nothing could be as bad as her current situation?

"I'm afraid Miss Simpson is dead." He remained silent to allow his words to sink in.

Christabel stared at him, almost laughing in her disbelief. "What do you mean dead? Where is she? Bring her to me now.”

Edward shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid I cannot. The body has already been taken away for examination by the police.”

Feeling the panic rise in her body, she stood to face Edward, hardly comprehending his words. "What do you mean? What has happened?"

"I'm afraid there is no good way of explaining this Christabel. It appears that Miss Simpson was in the kitchen late last night and slipped on the floor, overbalanced, and hit the back of her head against the corner of the table. There was nothing that could be done. When Daisy found her this morning she was already cold. The police have been called in, but I have already spoken with them and told them there is nothing suspicious and they seemed to agree with my conclusion. It's very sad for you, especially so suddenly after losing poor Charles, but then accidents do happen I'm afraid. It appears she was in her stocking feet- no shoes. That's the reason for her slipping on the stone floor.”

Christabel sat down as the horror of his words finally hit home. Her face turning grey as her mind raced. "I know why she was in the kitchen last night. Mrs. Hudson had received a letter from a man and was due to meet him last night at ten.”

Edward looked concerned "How do you know about this?"

“Hannah had seen the letter. She read it when Mrs. Hudson was asleep. It was signed with the initial 'A'. She was too close Edward, too close to finding something to do with Charles death. We were certain of it, and now they have killed her."

"Who has killed her, what are you talking about Christabel?"

"Mrs. Hudson and the man she was meeting. They killed Hannah. Oh Edward, I must tell the police." Christabel stood up as if to leave the room.

Taking her firmly by the hand, Edward sat the young woman back down in the chair. She was shaking visibly and her eyes were wide in fear. "Fetch the police, Edward. We need to tell them about Mrs. Hudson!"

Edward shook his head "You are getting hysterical Christabel; you need to calm down. Mrs. Hudson is downstairs in the kitchen and is beside herself with grief over the poor woman's death. It was she who sent for me-now would a killer do that?"

“Well, if it wasn't Mrs. Hudson, then what about the man who wrote the letter? Perhaps he killed her? Edward, we must tell the police!"

Smiling he patted her on the arm. "There, there, it's been a long week and no wonder you are confused. I will fetch Dr. Briggs and he can give you a sedative to calm you down and to help you sleep.”

"I'm not confused Edward and I do not need calming. I am perfectly lucid. I know what Hannah told me is true. She was murdered because she knew something, or saw something. Of that I'm certain!” With the last of her energy gone, Christabel broke down in a flood of tears. Edward was right, the week had been too much to bear and she felt exhausted.

"There, there, I will call for Dr. Briggs. Now don't you worry about a thing. I will let the police know and you can speak to them when you are feeling better.”

The doctor arrived within minutes, almost as if he had been waiting on standby for a call and Christabel was soon sedated and asleep in bed. When she opened her eyes a severe looking woman in a starched white apron was sitting by her side.

"Who are you?" She lifted her head drowsily.

"Now don't you worry Miss, I'm here to look after you. Now, I'll fetch you some soup and I want you to eat it all up like a good girl.”

Christabel slept and woke and in-between both had strange and frightening dreams. Everything around her seemed to be in such a dark and shadowy haze that she could no longer tell her dreams from reality, or even night from day. The faces of poor Charles and Hannah haunted her and would not let her lie easily. She had no concept of time, and wondered how long she had lain in bed. It could have been one day or one week for all she knew.

Each time she woke, the nurse was at her side, plying her with drinks or food only fit for invalids. Not that she could manage anything more substantial- she was unnaturally tired. Apparently she had been very ill, her heart and nerves affected by all of the stress and she needed to rest.

"Drink it all down dear, every last drop.”

The milk was warm and soothing and the nurse’s voice was faintly hypnotic. It was as she drank the last few drops of milk from the cup that Christabel noticed the white, grainy remains in the bottom. She had been too weak to notice or to think of it before but it was obvious, she was being drugged. No wonder she felt ill.

As the sedative took hold she tried to keep the thought in her mind before she drifted away into darkness.

When next she woke, Christabel was determined not to eat or drink anything that was put before her. It would be difficult as the nurse watched over her constantly, but she would have to think of a way.

As the nurse brought her breakfast on a tray, Christabel shivered and pretended to be cold. "Could you fetch me a robe? There will be one in the dressing room next door.”

The nurse looked surprised, but shrugged. She was being paid generously for very little work and didn't mind the request. "You eat and drink it all up whilst I go and see what I can find. I won't be long.”

A soon as the door closed behind her, Christabel jumped out of bed, determined to remove some of the food on her plate and empty her cup of liquid. There was no way of knowing how the sedative was being administered and she could take no chances. First, she poured her drink into a potted plant standing on the window sill and then quickly proceeded to empty half the contents of her plate into a drawer in her dressing table. No one would think to look there.

By the time the nurse returned she was sat back in bed and leaning her head against the pillow. "I've found your robe, now put it on like a good girl. And what about the rest of your breakfast Miss?"

Christabel wearily put her arms into the robe and yawned. "I don't think I can manage anything else.”

The nurse narrowed her eyes for a second. "What about your drink?"

Smiling, Christabel handed her the empty cup. "It's all gone.”

Looking somewhat relieved the nurse removed the tray and started to tuck Christabel beneath the covers.

"What day is it?

"It's Wednesday, Miss and it will be all day.”

Christabel closed her eyes feigning sleep. Wednesday! The funeral had been a week ago, which meant that she had been in bed for five whole days. Why on Earth should anyone want to keep her here for such a long time?

She almost shouted out with the realization. They were keeping her quiet; she knew too much and they were keeping her sedated. Suddenly, she feared for her life.

Chapter Seven

For the next few days Christabel went through the same charade. Feeling confident that the drug was only being administered via her drink and not in the food, she found various methods of disposing of the unwanted liquid. Luckily, there was always a jug of water on her bed side table that was unadulterated and she could drink of freely. It also became clear that this woman was just the hired help and not part of a more sinister conspiracy and she chatted freely to her for the brief time she was awake.

Christabel discovered that Edward was already contesting the will and that things did not look too good for young Mr Crawley. Her brother-in-law stopped by at the house once a day to see how the patient was fairing; but apart from that the house was empty except for the staff that had very little to do all day.

One morning she had woken late to hear Mr. Crawley’s voice in the hallway. He had called to see herm but was turned away with news that she was ill. By the time she had slipped out of bed and rushed to the window, he had gone. For the rest of the time Christabel pretended to sleep; monitoring the patterns of her unwitting jailer.

After her evening meal and once Christabel appeared to be sound asleep; the nurse would leave her bedside to sleep in the adjoining room. The woman slept well and Christabel could clearly hear her loud snoring through the wall. All night she lay awake thinking of a plan.

The next evening Christabel waited for the sound of snoring before quietly slipping from beneath the sheets and into the stillness of her room. For over a week she had been confined to bed and her legs felt unsteady and weak. She was suddenly cold and wrapped a dressing gown tightly around her before lighting a candle and cautiously opening the door. The house was quiet and nothing stirred.  She had heard the clock chime eleven o’ clock sometime before, and by now the household would be asleep.

Tip-toeing down the stairs, the candle light cast long shadows over the banister and down into the hallway below. She was afraid, her heart beating fast, but she had to try and find out the truth, for the sake of Charles and Hannah if not for herself.

She had only entered Charles’ study once. It was lined with books and old prints and a large and imposing desk stood in the centre. Surely there would be something here; some clue to help her understand what was happening?

Setting down the candle, she opened one of the drawers in the desk and removed piles of paperwork. Flicking through it quickly, she noted that it was all business related and none of it seemed relevant. She opened another and another, until the contents of all the drawers had been removed. There was nothing, nothing except business papers and letters. Christabel didn’t even know what she was looking for, but thought that something might just catch her eye.

Sighing, she sat back in the chair. Her search had been fruitless. What next? Without an ally the task seemed impossible.

An object on the desk caught her eye. She hadn’t noticed it before; a carved wooden falcon looking proud and alert. It seemed to be part of the desk and she reached over to check. She expected the figure to be fixed, but as she grasped the carved head, the shape twisted in her hands, releasing the mechanism of a small drawer that opened with a sharp click.

A concealed drawer! Christabel slid the opening wider to see the contents. Inside there were a number of letters addressed to Charles, all hand delivered. She opened one of the envelopes carefully and read the contents by candlelight.

The writing was in a bold hand and the letter brief.

C. If I do not receive the money as requested by midday tomorrow you leave me no alternative. A.

She wasn’t going mad. Edward was wrong; Hannah had found out something and it had cost her life.

The letter was dated the day before Charles died. It had to be clue. She quickly read the rest; there were four letters in all, each one dated earlier than the first. It appeared that someone was trying to extort money out of Charles – but who and why? The brief letters gave no indication for a motive – the only clue in the missives was the letter ‘A’, the signature of the author. It must be the same man who had sent the letter to Mrs. Hudson, perhaps even the man that had killed poor Hannah.

The tears fell from her eyes and landed on the polished wooden surface of the table. She hadn’t yet grieved properly for her dear friend, yet crying wouldn’t help her now and she could weep later. Wiping her tears, Christabel put back the contents of the drawers, apart from the four letters. She would keep them as much needed evidence.

Once back safely in her room, Christabel decided on a plan. She needed to set a trap to catch a murderer; it would be a dangerous game but she had little, if no choice left open to her. Walking over to her dressing table, she found paper and pen and set to write a letter. She had to trust her heart; there was no other way and she prayed that she was right. If she was wrong, then she would probably end up like poor Hannah.

The next day she woke as usual to find the nurse sitting by her bed. It was the usual routine. In a moment, she would be going downstairs to fetch up her breakfast tray. Christabel would need to be quick.

As soon as the nurse had left the room, Christabel peered out of the door and waited until the woman was out of sight before venturing out. Ruth was kneeling on the bathroom floor cleaning out the tub and almost fell in as her mistress appeared at the door; it was as if she had seen a ghost.

“Oh madam, should you be out of bed?  You’ve been ever so poorly!”

Christabel smiled, she could have hugged the girl. “Ruth, I’m feeling much better, but I want to surprise Edward – do would you be willing to do me a favor?”

The young girl looked troubled.

“It would be worth a sovereign?”

The girl’s eyes widened as she gazed on the coin. It was more money than she had ever seen. To Christabel it was worth a thousand times more.

“Well then madam, I’ll do what I can.”

Slipping out an envelope from her dressing gown pocket she handed the missive to the girl. “I want you to deliver this by hand. Do you think you can manage it?”

Ruth looked at the address and nodded. “I’m not sure when I can get away, madam. Are you sure you don’t want me to get a stamp and post it for you?”

Christabel shook her head, “No Ruth, you must deliver this by hand, do you understand?” The girl nodded and Christabel handed over the gold coin. “And remember, this is our secret, not a word to anyone, not even Mr Edward, do you understand Ruth?”

The girl nodded, her eyes transfixed on the coin in her hand.

She was back in bed just before the nurse arrived with her tray. Christabel sat up and looked brightly at the woman. “I’m feeling a lot better today nurse. I think I must be on the mend. Do you know if Edward will be calling today?”

The woman nodded. “He usually calls before midday and speaks with Mrs. Hudson, just to make sure the household is all right and then he asks me about how you are doing.”

“Do you think I would be able to see him today?”

The woman looked concerned. “Well, he asked me not to disturb you. Not until you are well again, but if you are feeling better then I think it would be all right. I will ask him to come up when he calls. Now drink your tea, before it goes cold.”

The morning dragged on and Christabel waited, worried that Edward would not call today, now that she had decided on a course of action. She had decided to tell Edward about the letters found in Charles desk. She hoped it would be the right decision.

Just before midday, she heard the front door open. It was a while before she heard his tread on the stairs and she sat up in bed; anxious for the interview to be over. Edward stood at the foot of the bed as she told him about her findings and showed him the letters. His eyes were bright and he looked genuinely shocked, his face at first grey and ashen, then flushing with color.

“You have done well Christabel to find these but how? When? I thought you had been lying ill in bed this last week.”

She lied to him, stating that she had been restless in the night and had gone to sit in Charles’ study, to have some time to reflect and think about her dear departed husband. How she had reached for the carved eagle and how the secret drawer had opened. Christabel pointed out that the author of the letters was ‘A’, the same as the letter that poor Hannah had seen written to Mrs. Hudson.

Edward looked thoughtful. Something definitely had to be done. He would think of the best course of action and together they would get to the bottom of the mystery. He would go to the police immediately with her findings and see what they would do.

With a promise to return later that day, he bade her goodbye and hurried out of the room. The scene was set and she had played all her cards. Now all she had to do was to wait for the murderer to step forward.

Chapter Eight

As the morning turned into afternoon she began to panic. Christabel had expected a reply to her letter by now and perhaps, even a visit. All her plans hinged on Ruth delivering the letter. Maybe she had been rash and not thought things through properly; what if Ruth had forgotten or had been delayed by Mrs. Hudson? Or even worse, what if Ruth had given the letter to the housekeeper; what then?

And even if the letter was delivered, there was no guarantee that it would be read immediately or if the recipient would be at home. She would have to think of another plan; get out of the house as soon as possible. It was already getting dark and she couldn't wait until morning. Her life was in danger and she would have to leave the house that very night!

Christabel listened carefully for the sleeping noises of the nurse and before long she heard the peculiar drone of the woman, confirming that she was asleep next door. Slipping out of the sheets, she dressed by candlelight. There was no time to pack any clothing-she could think about that later; her safety was paramount. Her plan was to call at Mr. Crawley's and, failing that, she could seek out the comparative safety of Mr. Williams.

Wrapping her warmest cloak around her shoulders, she tiptoed silently out of the room; the candle lighting her path. Pausing at the top of the stairs, she listened carefully to the sounds of the house. All was still except for her own breathing. Peering into the shadowy gloom below she slowly made her way down the stairs; pausing halfway down to listen again.

Soon, she stood in the hallway and was making her way to the front door. Stephens would probably have locked it by now, but she knew where he kept the key. Walking slowly over the polished wooden floor she was about to reach for the door when a voice bellowed low across the hallway.

"Christabel!"

The deep voice cut through the darkness and sent a shiver through her body. Turning around, the candle flickered in her hand, setting the flame dancing and scattering the light on the walls around her, as if she were standing on the very brink of hell.

"Edward!" His face looked ghoulish in the glowing light.

"What are you doing down here my dear and all dressed too? It's late and you should be in bed.” Smiling, he walked towards her.

"I thought I heard someone at the door and knowing Stephens would have already retired, I thought it best to come down to see who it was?"

"My dear Christabel, I think you have been imagining things, or at the very best dreaming. You forget that you have been quite ill and you shouldn't fret about such things. I was just leaving myself, but thought I would get myself a drink before I left. I was just on my way to the kitchen to see what I could find, why don't you join me, you look like you could do with a drink?"

Christabel had no other option as he led her by the arm and down towards the kitchen stairway. Edward seemed to be kind, but she did not trust him. She could see that the lights were already on in the kitchen and could hear voices in the room below.

As she walked downstairs a figure came into view; it was Mrs. Hudson but she was sitting all alone; perhaps the woman had been snoozing and talking in her sleep?

At the approach of footsteps, she turned and stood, her initial look of alarm turning to one of surprise. “Mr. Montgomery! We didn’t expect to see you here.”

She looked Christabel up and down without acknowledging her and sat quickly down at the table again, her eyes never leaving the pair, eyebrows raised as if awaiting an explanation.

“I bumped into Lady Montgomery in the hallway Mrs. Hudson. I told her she would catch her death going out on a chilly night like this. Besides its late, and who knows what might happen to a lady out without a chaperone in London these days? I thought that we might get a hot drink; maybe even a tumbler of brandy?”

Something in his tone set Christabel on edge. There was a distinct harshness to his voice that she had not noticed before that unnerved her, and Mrs. Hudson seemed to smile wryly as she settled herself at the table. “Well, there’s no hot water, dearie. So if you want a drink you would have to put the kettle on the stove. And as for a nip of brandy...well...?” She indicated the empty bottle on the table.

Mrs. Hudson was drunk; Christabel could plainly see that now. Her face was red with the alcohol and heat from the stove, and the woman could barely stand. No wonder she chose to sit.

Edward stood and held Christabel’s arm. He didn’t seem to mind that Mrs. Hudson was speaking out of turn, but she certainly did. Feeling the anger rise in her throat she pulled free of Edwards grip. “Mrs. Hudson. Might I remind you to whom you are speaking?”

Mrs. Hudson looked taken a back for a brief second before bursting out into a fit of raucous laughter. “Ha, I know who I’m talking too alright, dearie.”

Christabel couldn’t see the humor. “Edward. Tell this woman to stop her cackling and to make us some tea. How dare she treat us like this?” Her voice shook with rage as the color rose in her cheeks.

Sliding back her chair, Mrs. Hudson stood shakily with her hands upon the table and with an unsteady gait took a few steps towards Christabel. “How dare she treat us like this!” the older woman mimicked the younger. “And who do you think that you are except for a jumped up fliberty-gibert; a young chit of a girl? You know nothing, my dear and I would advise that you keep your mouth shut or you might end up like that dear friend of yours.”

Christabel stood, open mouthed as the words sank in. “What do you mean Mrs. Hudson? What about Hannah? Edward what is she saying?”

His hand was on her arm again, but this time it was gripping her tightly. “I’m afraid Pearl is speaking the truth, my dear. We had no choice with Hannah. She knew too much you see and I’m sorry my dear, but you do, too. You already know far too much for your own good, so what are we supposed to do now? We can’t just let you wander about freely now can we, not with all of that knowledge in your head? I was hoping that we could keep you sedated; maybe transfer you to a mental institution for the rest of your life. I have the ear of a few physicians who would be open to suggestion and a few pounds. It would be only natural; a young girl losing first her dear husband and then her maid. Why it’s enough to make anyone go mad. But now I don’t think we can take the risk. I think we have to think of a more ‘permanent’ solution.”

His words chilled her to the bone and any strength she had soon fled. As her knees buckled beneath her, Edward sat her roughly in a chair.

“Now Pearl, what shall we do with her?”

There was a noise from the pantry. Someone was in the small back room attached to the kitchen and all eyes watched as the pantry door slowly opened.

Christabel almost cried with relief. Mr. Crawley stood in the open doorway; he must have received her letter after all! Somehow he had known and had been hiding all this time. He had answered her letter and come to save her.

“Andrew!” With some difficulty she rose to her feet and ran towards him. He looked gaunt and pale and she wondered if he were quite well. It did not matter; she felt safe with him and ran to his arms.

“Did you hear them Andrew? Did you hear what Mrs. Hudson was saying about Hannah? They killed her and would have done the same to me if you had not arrived in time? What are we going to do?”

Running into his arms. she felt his hands roughly upon her. He too smelt of stale alcohol and his clothes looked rougher than she had remembered. Looking into his eyes she sensed that something was wrong, his gaze was cold and impenetrable and her heart beat faster, but only in fear.

Edward smiled. “I’m afraid even Mr. Crawley can’t save you now, can you son?”

The young man laughed as his arm twisted toward her throat. Something wasn’t right. “What’s happening Andrew, I don’t understand?”

The strong arms pushed her back towards the chair and as she turned towards him, she could see that he was grinning, too. The face that she had thought so beautiful looked evil and menacing. He remained silent; his steely gaze upon her.

“You see my dear –your knight in shining armor here is not all that he seems to be. You appear to have put all of your eggs into the wrong basket; so to speak.”

She could hardly breathe. It was like a nightmare that she couldn’t wake up from and her heart pounded as she tried to think. “I…I don’t understand...” she faltered.

“Well, I suppose we could give you an explanation. There would be no harm in it now I think.” Edward smiled as if enjoying the moment.

“You see my dear, Mrs. Hudson and I have known each other for a long time; before you were born in fact. You could say we knew each other quite well.”

Pearl Hudson let out a raucous peal of drunken laughter. “You could say that Edward.”

“Pearl was a good looking woman in those days when I first laid eyes on her in a pub down in Soho. We had a bit of fun, nothing serious – it was never love with me and Pearl, but one thing led to another and she found herself pregnant. I wanted to do right by the woman, so I found her a position in my father’s house. Both Charles and I were still at home at that point. It was back then that we hatched our plan. Charles was a serious sort, a bit of a bookworm, not like me for parties and such like. We thought it might be interesting if Pearl here seduced my dear brother and convinced him that the pregnancy was all his doing. Pearl didn’t show and no one knew about our fling – that is except Arthur Critchley. We were drinking buddies in those days and one drunken night I stupidly told him all about it. At least money has silenced the idiot. I should have done away with him like that fool Charles long ago.

“Either way, Pearl had the child and he was looked after by her sister. Charles continued to believe that the child was his and paid for the upkeep. He was due to inherit on Charles’s death, but when he reached eighteen he got involved with a rough lot and ended up in prison for theft and involvement in murder. It was only with my intervention that he did not hang and I managed to get him released after five years of imprisonment. When Charles found out, he disinherited the boy and any hope of inheritance was dashed. It was then that we got the idea to blackmail poor Charles. Having a convicted murderer and thief for a son wouldn’t have looked good for him, so we started to exhort money from the man. It worked for a while but on his release from prison, Charles refused to hand over any more money. It was then that we knew he had to die.”

Edward stopped to draw breath, pleased with his scheme and the telling of it.

Christabel struggled to take in all that she was hearing. Poor Charles. To have been fooled and lied to by his brother for the past twenty-five years and then killed for gain; it did not bear thinking of.

“But Mr. Crawley was not disinherited from the will; I heard it from Mr. Lewis’s lips for myself. The whole estate has been left to him.” The words had barely left her lips when the door to the stairway burst open. Christabel looked on in alarm and almost fainted as she looked eye to eye with Mr. Andrew Crawley! He was holding a gun and pointing it at Edward.

Surely she was dreaming, or perhaps she really was ill? Her gaze drifted from the young man that had so roughly held her, to the young man that had so recently stepped through the door. They were identical, their features exact, although there was a difference. She could see that now. Where one was cold and mean, the other was warm and kind.

“I think we had better make the introductions. Albert Adams please let me introduce your brother, Mr. Andrew Crawley.”

The two men looked at each other in awe as if glancing at their own reflection; both not quite believing what each other where seeing. The gun dropped from Andrew’s hand, the unexpected turn of events knocking all the former conviction from him.

Christabel gasped. She had known immediately which one was ’her’ Mr. Crawley, she had felt it in her heart almost straight away.

“You see. I forgot to mention that when Pearl gave birth it was to twins. Whilst her sister could cope with one boy, she didn’t want the two and so they were split at birth and have never known of each other’s existence until this moment. Andrew seemed to have all of the goodness that was in me, and Albert all of the badness. Where Albert got in with the wrong crowd, Andrew was sent away to school and did well. It’s unfortunate that no one else knows about the two. You see our little plan means that we can substitute Albert for Andrew and no one will ever know but for Pearl and myself.”

“And what about Andrew, he is your own son?” Christabel spoke where the poor young man could not.

“I’m afraid that he will meet the same sticky end as you, my dear. They say that blood is thicker than water, but not money I’m afraid, in my case. Besides, what would dear Anne say? She knows nothing of this. Why did you think I had to put on such an act at the solicitor’s office? I thought I was most convincing, don’t you?”

“But I thought that you were contesting the will?”

“Only as a red herring. I was only reacting as other people thought I might in such circumstances! Who would ever suspect me?”

Andrew came to his senses, realizing that he had dropped his gun and that it was now lying at his feet, yet before he could react, Albert pounced forward and wrestled his brother to the ground. The two men fought for the weapon and as Edward tried to grab hold of Christabel there was a loud bang as the gun was fired and a smell of sulphur filled the air.

The two men stopped fighting and all seemed still for a moment. Mrs. Hudson who had been on the edge of a drunken sleep came suddenly to life and clutched at her bosom with the shock.

At first Christabel feared that Andrew had been shot. Edward had just reached her and his arm was wrapped around her shoulder. Suddenly, she felt his hold slacken; a surprised glaze blinding his vision as he fell back against the table and onto the floor. Edward was dead.

Pearl Hudson let out a scream as both men looked on in horror.

“Why didn’t you tell me I had a brother?” The young man walked accusingly over to the housekeeper, his eyes full of hate. “Why didn’t you tell me mother?”

Their eyes locked for a second as Pearl stepped forward towards her son. “Kill them both Albert, and then we can have the money for ourselves.”

Albert shook his head, his face white. “Why didn’t you tell me mother?”

His finger pulled the trigger and Mrs. Hudson staggered towards them, her red eyes bulging as a dribble of blood appeared in the corner of her mouth and she fell forward onto the floor to join Edward.

Another noise penetrated the air. This time it was the shrill and piercing tone of a police whistle. Standing in fear, Albert stood paralyzed for a second; the gun wavering in his hands.

Christabel edged towards Andrew as all three stood in silence.

Footsteps clattered on the stairs as three policemen burst into the room. Stepping forward towards his brother, Andrew Crawley held out his hand for the gun. Albert reached across with his empty hand to touch his brother for a brief second before turning the gun and shooting himself dead.

Epilogue

The inquest was a harrowing affair for all concerned. The grim facts concerning the murder of the late Lord Charles Montgomery were soon known and subsequently plastered all over the daily headlines, but would soon be forgotten by all, except for those involved.

It had been a ghastly affair and the subsequent murder of Hannah and the violent killings of Edward, Mrs. Hudson, and Albert were simply down to greed and one man’s hatred and jealousy for his own brother.

Christabel looked out of the window, hardly believing the events of the last few weeks. Her sorrow for the demise of poor Charles and Hannah lay heavy on her heart. Even Albert Adams had been a pawn in the dangerous game that Edward and Pearl had been playing. She shivered to think of the cold eyes of Edward looking into hers, the same cold heart that had no room for even his own offspring; only money and riches.

She had known that Pearl Hudson was a hard woman, but it was difficult to believe that any woman could abandon her own children for the sake of money, using them in a vicious game even against each other. In the end, it had been her undoing.

Christabel could see now why the woman had fainted in Mr. Lewis’s office; seeing her boy for the first time in years had made even the hard-nosed Pearl weaken. Yet any feeling that remained for her sons was outshone by the promise of wealth from Edward Montgomery. Once Andrew had inherited Charles’ estate it would have been easy to kill Andrew and replace him with Albert. What Pearl and Edward hadn’t expected was the effect that the two boys meeting each other face to face would have.

Maybe, blood was thicker than water in the end?

There was a knock at the door and Stephens entered; his face solemn and perhaps a little wearier than before. The news of Mrs. Hudson had shaken him deeply and Christabel wondered if he had secretly carried a flame for the hard woman all these years.

“You have a visitor madam.”

Christabel winced at the possibility of Englebert. She had heard he had tried to see her many times while she had been kept ill by Edward. She was glad that his persistence in her had seemed to wan after he had found a new young thing to chase after. The marriage market was in full season and he was a wealthy man – though old – he would find a young miss for his bed. “Who is it Stevens?”

“Mr. Andrew Crawley, madam.”

Christabel smiled; at least one good thing had come of this whole affair. Smoothing down her dress, she stepped towards the door.

Andrew Crawley rushed into the room; some of the darkness and cloud now lifted from his brow.  The same feeling of longing fluttered in her chest.

“Christabel, I have good news! Mr. Lewis has been in touch and I am due to sign the paperwork tomorrow, your home will be safe after all. You have no need to worry about the future.”

Almost on impulse she fled towards him, expecting his arms to open wide in greeting, but she had almost forgotten that he was not like the other men she knew and he looked awkwardly at the ground and she almost thought that she saw him blush.

She stopped in front of him, her arms quickly moving back to her side as she paused, embarrassed by her own presumptuous nature. It was not after all a ladylike way to act. “That is great news Mr. Crawley. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity.”

Shaking his head, he smiled wryly. “Please call me Andrew. This is your house now, Lady Montgomery and I am sure you would have been the main beneficiary of your late husband’s will had he not met such an untimely end. I am merely trying to address the balance, keep an order to such things.”

His eyes were clear and honest without a hint of malevolence or greed and her heart skipped a beat. Whereas she had been in lust with Charles, she had begun to fall in love with Mr. Crawley. Hopelessly and helplessly, and there seemed that there was nothing she could do about it. Other men seemed to throw themselves at her feet, or other parts of her anatomy, but the man she truly wanted was keeping himself at a distance. She wondered why.

“Please call me Christabel. I feel too young to be called Lady Montgomery. Perhaps you will call again, along with Mrs. Crawley?” Christabel held her breath. She had to find out his position and asking outright seemed the only way.

“There is no Mrs. Crawley. I am a bachelor I am afraid that up until now I haven’t had much to offer a prospective bride; perhaps that will change once I inherit Charles’ money?” His words caused a little stab of pain inside her chest. She had not thought of that. Mr. Crawley with his looks and money would be the toast of London society.

Christabel sighed, “Yes, I’m afraid half of London’s eligible young ladies will be beating a way to your door Mr. Crawley. You will be a popular young man and will have that pleasurable dilemma of deciding which woman will grace your arm.”

The man looked at his feet, a little uncomfortable. “I’m afraid that does not sound at all pleasurable to me. I have little experience with women in general and I am afraid that I have already lost my heart but it is a hopeless case.” His face reddened as he spoke the words and he stopped abruptly as if he had said too much.

So he was in love with another woman; that would account for his aloofness. Christabel let her shoulders sag a little; at least she would have her own income and wouldn’t be subject to the mercy of Englebert Williams.

“Nothing is hopeless Mr. Crawley. I think that your young lady can hardly resist an offer; especially now that you are due to inherit; go to her Andrew and be happy.”

Stepping towards him she held out her hand in friendship. Her heart was aching, but there was little more she could do. If the man was in love, than best let him be. A true and honest man was hard to find and she envied the mysterious young lady.

Taking her hand gently in his, he paused, looking down at the slim fingers in his own. “I don’t believe it is as easy as you say Christabel. For you see the woman I have set my heart on does not even know of my intent and it would not seem proper in the circumstances.”

The young woman smiled at his earnest face. “Then tell her Andrew. Every woman wants to be loved and you must open up your heart, whatever the circumstances. If I were the young lady, then I would want to know.”

“Truly?” His face almost brightened for a moment as his blue eyes looked deeply into hers.

She smiled.

“Then I will try to do as you suggest Lady Montgomery-Christabel. You see the lady in question is still mourning the untimely death of her husband. How do you suggest that I approach the subject?”

The smile from Christabel’s lips slipped as he spoke, her eyes widening at his words. He was talking about her and she stood in shock for a few moments.

“You see, I knew it was not appropriate. Please forgive me.” Dropping her hand, he turned quickly and headed for the door.

“Andrew, please don’t go.” As he turned around she rushed into his arms, all protocol abandoned. He kissed her face with small, gentle kisses and she realized that she was crying. His arms wrapped strongly around her and a warmth spread across her heart.

“Oh Christabel, I have felt this way ever since I first saw you at the church. I never dreamed that you would feel the same way.”

He kissed her gently on the mouth and she almost swooned; her head lighter than air. So this was love; true love. Lust was one thing, but love was the thing she had been missing, and now she had finally found it.

A knock at the door interrupted their canoodling and as Stephens entered the couple moved apart. “I just wondered if you and Mr. Crawley would like tea, My Lady.”

Christabel could barely stifle a giggle as she nodded across to old Stephens.

“Will that be all, madam?”

The young girl grinned as she looked fondly on the old retainer. “I think that there will be two for dinner tonight Stephens.”

And before he left the room, Christabel thought she saw the old man smile.

THE END

Alien Romance

Taken by Aliens

Cynthia Wilde

Copyright ©2015 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

Chapter one

It all started, really, with me just innocently writing a letter to my parents. I was doing it old school style, putting pen to paper. I used to find that that felt pretty good sometimes. My parents were pretty low tech and had never gotten into computers or any of that technology. I don’t even think they owned a TV after I moved out. Anyhow, I digress.

“Kiley, will you hurry up.” That was my best friend Jennifer, and at that moment she was wearing a white leather skirt with a black top that really didn’t leave all that much to the imagination. If I were to have gone all lezzie, I might have considered getting with her. She was the ultimate blond bombshell with the kind of tits that defy gravity to boot. I couldn’t blame her for wanting to show off, because if I had had those kinds of looks, I would have been flaunting them as well. “I put out an outfit for you. I know that you don’t have much and most of it is just jeans and shorts. The only dress you own is this white number that looks like it should be used for Sunday Services.”

“Well, everyone can’t have a stripper’s wardrobe. Anyhow, I’ll be right with you. You know that I’m not very comfortable with social engagements. I don’t even know how you convinced me, but now that I said I’m going, you’re going to have to give me a little bit of time to finish this letter to my parents. And by the way, the dress you’re talking about is, in fact, for church.” I saw her shaking her head in disbelief, her long blond hair fanning out over her shoulders as she rolled her eyes.

“I convinced you because you have been working too hard and now that finals are over, you need to get out and do something. This is your time to blow off some steam, maybe find some guy to take back to your room and do unspeakable things to. I know the way that you have been looking at Brian. If I had a chance, I would be putting my teeth marks into his fine ass myself.” She was blunt and to the point and there was a part of me that wished that I could be just like her. But the truth was that she saw right through me. Even though I was a little shy I really did want to just get laid. I hoped it wasn’t that obvious. Maybe it was written across my forehead so that every guy on the quad could see that I was a sexually repressed woman just looking to get some. “You can’t fool me, Kiley. You’ve been undressing him with your eyes for weeks now. It’s time that you took the bull by the horns – or by something else -and got on him already.”

With that little pep talk, I finished up the letter, put it into an envelope and sealed it. I’d drop it in the mail on the way to the party. My parents might have been old school, but I had to admit there was something nice about getting an old fashioned letter in the mail once in a while.

I had left my hometown in Wisconsin and at this point was in, what to me, was the big city of San Diego, California. It was a culture shock to say the least, but at least I had Jennifer to show me the lay of the land. She had been a godsend from the moment that I had met her as my freshman roommate.

I took off my customary gray sweat pants and hung them on a chair nearby. I looked at the outfit that she had picked from her closet for me and it made me gasp with a sort of surprise. “You can’t possibly think that I’m going to wear something like this.” It was a little black dress that looked like a piece of tissue paper. I picked it up and looked at it, questioningly. Despite my misgivings, it was the feel of the material that sealed the deal for me. “I’ll wear it, but I don’t know how I feel about putting myself on display like this.” It wasn’t until I put it on and stood in front of the mirror and saw how good I looked, that I relaxed into my new image.

I stood and admired my 5 ‘6, 120 pound body. I had curves in all the right places and dark hair that stretched all the way down to the small of my back. My breasts were not huge by any means, but they were a nice handful at least, and I had never had any complaints. In fact, I’d noticed the way that the guys looked at me and I guess I really did make a pretty picture in the blue jeans I normally wore. I always heard catcalls and whistles as I walked across the quad to class. But guys would whistle at anything it seemed sometimes. Usually I tried to put my head down and not show how embarrassed I was by the attention. In reality though a part of me loved it. The guys here were actually pretty respectful as they did their best to keep their sexual ardor to themselves. I had never had that kind of attention back home though, and it did take a little getting used to.

“Kiley, I only wish that you were still a virgin. Brian would have been perfect for your first time. He is such a sweetheart. But, to be honest, I guess I would be surprised if you’d told me that you still were.” I thought that was sort of weird thing to say, but whatever. I had lost my virginity to a guy back in my hometown when I was 17. It was clumsy and awkward and it was hardly the experience I had been hoping for. I imagined that it never was for anyone though. Probably not for girls or guys. It was over within 30 seconds, and left me feeling dirty and wanting a whole lot more than just those 30 seconds. “It doesn’t matter; I still think you need to get with Brian. I am sure he’ll be good in the sack.”

“I don’t even wanna know how you are so sure of that, Jennifer.” She was a bit of a slut, but I did enjoy hearing about her exploits. I am sure that they fed the desires and fantasies that I was repressing. When she talked about the sex she had had I could practically feel my panties heating up. When she regaled me with stories I would put myself into them as if it had happened to me.  Sometimes I would go back over them when I was lying in bed at night. I would rub my pussy as I would imagine that it was me that was getting fucked over a pool table or by the hot jock in the locker room. I loved to fantasize.

“I know, because a friend of mine told me that he’s amazing in bed. She said he really made her feel incredible. You know, it wasn’t just about him getting off.  She said he wants a woman to feel like she is loved and cared for in the bedroom. That’s what she said, at least.” I didn’t think that was even possible. I thought all men were the same and just wanted one thing. Of course I wanted sex just like everyone else, but I was hoping for a little bit more substance than just a one night stand could provide. “I know for a fact that he likes you, because some of my guy friends have told me so. I guess he’s been talking about you.” This was the first time that I had been hearing any of this and to say that I was intrigued was an understatement.

I looked at myself one last time and then I turned to Jennifer with a smile “What the fuck, let’s go see if I can’t find Brian and put a smile on his face. If this dress doesn’t get his attention, then I don’t know what will.” In the right light, you could practically see through the sheer material. It made me feel like I was walking around naked and I kind of liked it. There was something freeing about it. It reminded me of putting on some really high heels. It was daring but I just felt kind of sexy-powerful or something. I realized the whole move away from my small town was really allowing me to transform. After I finished a few spins in front of the mirror with a laugh, we headed downstairs and started to cross the green towards the fraternity house. I dropped the letter off along the way, just as I had told myself I would. It was nice to be able to send something home from so far away, even if it was just a little letter.

The party was already in full swing and you could both feel as well as hear the pumping of the music in the distance as we approached.  I noticed a bunch of guys hauling in what must have been half a dozen kegs at a side door. There were jocks and brains and even a few nerds, all mixed up screaming and yelling and basically just having a lot of fun. Everyone was just blowing off steam after midterms. Despite my earlier misgivings, I started to look forward to letting it all hang out myself. I was a bit more relaxed than usual, but still maybe a little nervous. I vacillated between feeling embarrassed and empowered in the slinky dress. Sometimes I wished I could just get out of my own skin and try on somebody else’s, like Jennifer’s, for a while. Maybe then I might have a chance at some semblance of a love life, I thought.

“I’m telling you, you’re going to knock Brian’s socks off. There won’t be a woman in that room that’s going to hold a candle to you. Kiley, you may not know this, but you are quite the dish. You have always been hot…but in that dress, forget it. He won’t stand a chance. You have the kind of body that any man would want to be with - and that any woman would be jealous of. I’m not one of them, so don’t get any ideas, but I know there are a lot of women that have expressed interest in you as well. And I don’t mean as a friend. I don’t think I have to spell it out for you.” I don’t care what she was saying, it sure sounded like she was hitting on me. I really didn’t know what to believe from her. I had no idea if it was true that women found me attractive or if I was indeed being coveted by some of the lipstick lesbians on campus. I guess that was possible. Maybe someday I would give that a whirl I thought. That was an idea I could at least entertain. I couldn’t even come close to imagining being with the “butch” types though. I think that’s what they called them, anyway.

“I think we both know that I only have eyes for Brian – and for boys in general, for that matter.” He was what most people would consider a jock. He was in awesome shape, was on the football team, and didn’t mind showing off his muscles to anybody that wanted to look. He wasn’t a jerk about it though. He was understandably proud of his body. I just happened to be one of those that wanted to look at it as well. I made a conscious effort to be at every one of his games and I’m not sure, but I think that I was probably the loudest one in the stands. “I just hope that I didn’t put on this tight black dress for nothing.”

From my first drink, the rest of the night was a complete blur.  There was liquor flowing and Brian was doting on me every second. He was plying me with liquor and even though I was hesitant to drink, I found myself getting a little inebriated. I liked the feeling of being carefree, as well as cared for, and I found myself making out with him in his bedrooms upstairs.

We were both pretty drunk, so it wasn’t long before he had his hand down my dress. I was rubbing his chest too. In that moment I really felt like I was the only woman in the world for him. Drinks or no drinks, that feeling was pretty intoxicating in and of itself.

His mouth touched my lips and his tongue darted in and out of my mouth. I grabbed onto him with my teeth and I bit down on his tongue in a way that I had never done before. He gasped with surprise, but didn’t try to stop me. I twisted him around, so that I was straddling him. Man, but I hadn’t realized how ready to go I actually was. I undid the buttons on his shirt, kissing his chest. Then I made my way down to his belt. I was practically feverish. I pulled it hard with my teeth and drew it through the belt loops, until it was hanging from my mouth. I tossed it into the corner playfully with a toss of my head and then went after his zipper. I could feel his prominent member bulging under his jeans.

“Kiley, I have been thinking about this for a very long time. You have no idea how often I have wondered what it would be like to be with you. This might sound corny, but your beauty is so natural. So many of the cheerleader types are just so plastic and fake.” I had no idea if this was some sort of line, but his words were definitely having the desired effect on me.

He then lifted his hips pulling his pants down to his knees. I pulled them off the rest of the way. Then he moved his underwear down over those inches, until I was seeing it in all its naked glory. The sight of his naked staff sent juices pouring into my sex. My mouth salivated at the very thought of tasting him.

“Brian, I’ve been thinking about you too…obviously and I don’t mind saying that it hasn’t been in a platonic way either, if you haven’t noticed. I’ve often wondered what you were hiding underneath these tight jeans and I guess that now I have my answer.” I was awestruck. As I touched him it felt hot to my fingertips. “I still can’t believe that I’m here with you and that you really want to be with me.” I reached my tongue out and licked up the side of his shaft. A little drop of clear fluid appeared at the head and I licked it off as I gave his head a little suck. I guess it was my own juices flowing and being so turned on, but it even tasted good. It was like a drug all in and of itself.

I opened my mouth wide and tried to force feed myself the wide head. It took some effort, but my jaw was finally able to accommodate such a girth. He was on his elbows looking at me the entire time and licking his lips in anticipation as my mouth descended on him. I was now raising my dress so he could see the dainty blue panties underneath. They weren’t mine either. They were another loan from Jennifer of course.

“Kiley, I’ve never felt a pair of lips like yours before. You’re so fucking hot. This might sound weird but I almost feel like I’m not worthy to be in your presence. Your body is like a gift from God and he sure broke the mold when he made you.” Another woman might have found all this to be more than a little cheesy, but to a loved starved girl like me he was a real charmer. You have to remember he was a jock too, so maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed – no pun intended. As far as I was concerned though, and for my purposes that night, he knew how to talk the talk and had the added bonus of possessing a body that seemed to be sculpted out of granite.

My head began to bob up and down on him, as my hands cradled his family jewels and gave them the necessary attention I imagined they were looking for. I had my finger on my clit and was rubbing it around in a circle, while at the same time my mouth consumed his most sensitive part. His balls were getting tight and I was waiting for the inevitable spurt of hot cum into my mouth, when all of a sudden the entire room seemed to vibrate with a high intensity sound of some impossibly high frequency.

At first I thought that it was us making the room rock with our love. But then I realized no orgasm was that intense. A bright all-encompassing light set the room ablaze as well before my head began to swim. The room began to spin and then everything went black for me. That was my last memory on Earth that night.

Chapter two

I awoke with a start, still wearing the black dress, but looking around and seeing that I was no longer in the bedroom and there was no sign of Brian. Everything was stark white except for the metal table I was on, which gleamed brightly in the light that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. The entire room almost glowed with the harsh illumination.

My head was hurting and the last thing I remembered was sucking Brian. To be more specific, the last thing I remembered I was anticipating getting a hot load of cum in my mouth. Most girls aren’t as into that as I was. To be honest I just knew Brian would have loved it…and I wanted him to want me bad. Anyhow that was all gone now. Whatever explosion had occurred, it was a lot more profound than someone blowing their load. I had no idea what was going on. The only thing I could imagine was that I had been drugged. But even that didn’t make sense. I mean, I wasn’t sure why he would do that. It’s not like I wasn’t giving him what he must have been after already. And he had seemed like such a nice guy. Still, I reached down, fully expecting to feel something sticky on my mound, but there was nothing but my smooth shaven naked pussy. There was absolutely nothing indicate that we had had sex. My lips weren’t swollen and I was clean as a whistle. I felt none of the tell-tale physical signs of having had sex either. Despite my confusion as to my new surroundings, I still registered some regret at the interruption in the evening. It had been so long time since I had gotten laid, after all. And I had been so close, I lamented, half joking with myself. I often joked, even with myself, when I was nervous. And I was feeling a little uneasy to say the least.

“She’s awake.” It was as if the voice was all around me.  There was no discernible way to know where it was coming from.

“I think that you should go in and introduce yourself,” came a second voice.

I sat up, and then stood on shaky legs, my head still buzzing from the effects of whatever happened.  I wanted to know where I was. Then, abruptly, the lights came down to a normal level so that I could see I was in a largish room that had some sort of what looked like medical equipment spaced along the walls. A man with blond hair and blue eyes walked into the room and just stood there with his arms crossed, seemingly assessing me. He was wearing an ordinary white pair of pants and a white pullover shirt. He looked like an attendant from a sanitarium and I thought for sure that I was now institutionalized. I must have had a psychotic break or something. So many random thoughts were running through my mind as I tried to make sense of the situation.

“Kiley, we were beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up. I have to say that it is an honor to meet you. On a more personal level, I will say it is nice to meet you as well. I’m sure that you have a lot of questions. Let me begin by introducing myself.  My name is…well, I’m not sure if you could really pronounce my name in your native tongue. So why don’t you just call me Nathan.” Just looking at him, I immediately began to envision him on a surfboard. I could see him perched on it out in the ocean, waiting for that next big wave. The fact that he looked like a surfer type with a really bohemian kinda feel juxtaposed with this stark white room only further confused me. If I was in a nut house then this was the most laid back free spirited attendant I had ever heard off. I thought they were supposed to be big, ugly, and mean.

“What the hell happened and where the hell am I?” Those were the two questions that were foremost in my mind, and I voiced them. The other thing that kind of took me by surprise was that I was instantly attracted to my surfer orderly, or whoever he was. Even with all the confusion and alarm I was feeling, that attraction was still very apparent. It was oddly apparent actually. I’d never felt such an animal attraction with anybody, and that included Brian. I thought that I had felt attraction to Brian, but now standing in front of Nathan, I knew what real desire was. This was like an all-out explosion between my legs. It was bizarre. I could feel my clit throbbing with the need to touch him.

“It took us a long time to find you Kiley. We had already scanned and selected you days before but waited for the right opportunity to transport you here. Your DNA is perfectly suited for our needs. We have been searching for a specimen like you for quite a while. I’m not even sure if you understand, but you are not in California anymore. We have brought you here, essentially through a beam of light. This may come as something of a surprise, but you are no longer on your world. You are now on ours.” By this point I was pretty sure that I was being punked in one of the most elaborate ruses I had ever heard of. There had to be cameras in here somewhere,” I imagined, as I looked around.

I figured I’d play along. “Let’s say that I were to believe you. Why would you pick me of all people? I mean what could I possibly do for you? I’m not anything special. And as far DNA, I’m not stupid, but, without throwing myself under the bus, I’m no genius either. And if have something more kinky in mind, I’m certainly no Pamela Anderson or Carmen Electra.” I don’t know why those names came to mind, but I guess it came from watching a little too many Baywatch reruns.

“I know that this is hard to understand but there are very few human women that have what we need. It’s all about DNA as you seem to comprehend. But it is not just about brains or body. We are looking for the right internal chemistry and genetic markers which will allow us to utilize your female genetic code to essentially begin the repopulation of our world. In layman’s terms, you were the right woman at the right time with the right requirements.” If I was following him, he was basically saying that I was a fertile young woman that could take on the potent seed of the men on this world. Wasn’t there some movie called “Mars Needs Woman”? Was I actually buying any of this? He was saying it in a nicer way, but basically that seemed to be the gist of it. If this was a joke it had gone far enough. I couldn’t wrap my head around any of this and I needed a little bit of space. This whole room was claustrophobic and it made me feel like the walls were going to close in on me. I began to contemplate that this could really be happening. Either way, in that moment I felt I had to get out of that room.

I dashed past him through the open doorway. As I ran through it registered somewhere in my brain that nothing looked right. Everything just seemed a little off.  Once outside the room I ran down a short hallway until I took the only door available. It let out onto a weird metal platform overlooking a city that didn’t look like anything I had ever seen before. So much for the idea that this was a joke, I thought. Skyscrapers with domes and impossible arches filled my vision, as a seemingly endless array of flying balls and multicolored orbs streamed through the air like so many crazy staircases in an M.C. Escher drawing. “I know that this must be scary for you, Kiley, but the sooner that you understand, the sooner you will be able to adjust to your new role.” The voice came over my shoulder. I didn’t like the sound of that. Not at all. The way he was saying it made it sound so clinical and impersonal. “We just need a small sample of your blood and to extract one of your eggs for cloning. It’s a very painless procedure and then we will be able to pair our seed with that egg over and over again.” I was, of course, in total shock and my mind was completely overwhelmed by what I was both hearing and seeing. “There will be no experimentation and you’ll be treated like a queen. Of course, there is also the fact that you are never going to see your world again. That is something that you’re just going to have to get used to.” Well, that was news to me. We’ll just see about that, I thought. I was still entertaining the possibility that I was nuts, of course. Crazy or not, my glands were still pumping out crazy levels of some powerful hormones. But instead of oxytocin or whatever, they were pushing out something that should have been named “I-want-to-fuck-everyone-right-now-tosin”. I saw more hot men further down at the platform. They looked just as delicious to me as Nathan had.

“I don’t mean to be blunt, but are you sure that there aren’t plenty of women on your own world that would gladly take your seed?” He got this faraway look in his eyes and let out a sigh of exasperation mixed with sadness as he put his hands on the railing.

It looked like I had touched a nerve. I certainly didn’t mean to pick at what seemed to be a sore point, but I thought I had a point. I mean, they were hot. Whatever, I thought, why did I care? I just needed to know what the hell was going on and how I was going to get back home.

“We don’t have any women. They all died from an epidemic which hit our people years ago. It only affected our females. They were wiped out. The last of those who survived just succumbed. The disease destroyed them at the genetic level. Only a few of our own woman could even provide us with usable genes. We need a fresh infusion of genes. As we have said, we have searched the galaxy for a suitable match. You’d think that it would be easy, but our chemistry is not compatible with a normal egg. We had to look for just the right match. Your planet was seeded long ago by a mix of races from across the galaxy, and actually universe. Some of those who seeded your world are common ancestors of our own forefathers. As a result we knew, statistically speaking, that there would be some on your world with whom we would find compatibility for these purposes. You may look like everyone else in your race, but you are one in a billion, I assure you.” After that bit of information, he went on to tell me that their way of procreation resembled more a science project than what we would call love making. In fact it all took place in a laboratory. Looking at him again, I thought, what a shame.

“I would think that the best way to make babies would be to just do it the old fashioned way. It would be easier and a whole lot more fun, I can assure you, “ I said, emphasizing the last syllables. He looked at me like I was talking in tongues and so I figured there must be a part of this equation I was missing.

“Kiley, I’m sorry, but you’ve got me at a loss. This is the way it has always been with my people.  What exactly are you suggesting?” It was becoming apparent that I was going to have to teach him about the birds and the bees unless I wanted them sticking a bunch of needles and metal tubes into me instead. They obviously had the equipment, I could see by the bulge in his orderly pants. “Each generation is given a certain amount of eggs from a female donor and then those eggs are transplanted into what we call a Laken. They’re watched closely for any kind of imperfections and then, assuming they are viable and healthy, those babies grow up under strict supervision. We are also able to accelerate the process in times of need. In our current situation we hope to produce a new generation of females within a few years, as you know them.” I soon learned that a Laken was a cylinder filled with the necessary fluids their offspring would need to develop. It was essentially a woman’s womb, but entirely man made. I guess they could mass produce babies in that way with no females around to do it for them, but I still thought you should at least know how to do it the old fashioned way. It did occur to me that one woman could only make one baby at a time, but still I thought it worth explaining to them. Maybe I could convince them to bring it back into fashion once they had women back amongst them.

“I believe that I have a lot to teach you, Nathan. I’m not sure that I can really convey the entire thing without giving you some kind of firsthand experience.” I couldn’t believe that I was even thinking about such a thing, but it wasn’t like I didn’t have this uncharacteristic and unstoppable lust just yearning to be expressed. Maybe it was the DNA connection or something, but I was ready to tear my clothes off and get some right then and there. They just really seemed to do it for me on whatever planet this was. Vaguely I also imagined this odd hormonal reaction probably had something to do with why I was taking this whole E.T. experience in stride. “It’s called sex and if you don’t know what it is, then you have no idea what you’re missing. I am more than happy to volunteer my DNA and an egg if it will benefit your people as much as you say, but I don’t think that’s the only answer you are looking for. Honestly the idea of a world with no sex kind of freaked me out.

I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about Kiley. What we do may not be what you consider to be normal, but this is how it has always been done here on our world. Perhaps the reason you are having trouble understanding this is because we have not revealed our energetic form to you. You are now only seeing our more ancient form. Although it still serves us in many ways, it has become all but vestigial in others. Your idea of “sex” is one of those things that my people cast aside long ago. It is true that there are some disadvantages in utilizing the Laken. For some reason we lose a high percentage of our offspring in the process. It should not happen but it does. Our scientists have theorized that there is an intangible aspect to their growth and successful development that cannot be replicated outside of an actual body.  Anyway, we always lose half of our prodigy from the transplantation and we do wish that there was another way. If we could somehow merge with those eggs more successfully without damaging them, it would be ideal. Certainly it is worth investigating.” Still, I was unsure if he was prepared for what I was about to lay on him. I was not sure it was possible to be so clueless, and yet here we were on Planet Clueless. I wasn’t sure how he was going to take the little birds and bees talk I was about to lay on him, but I was unbelievably horny and one of these alien hunks was going to give it to me one way or another.

Chapter three

“I don’t know what to say except that what you describe sounds truly disgusting. I can’t even imagine something like that and why would any person put themselves through it in the first place?” I’d just gone over the basics of sex. I hadn’t even gone into anything kinky. “My god, but it must be so painful for a woman to be impaled like that. I mean, taking in another’s flesh at her very center! I don’t even want to think about it.” The way he was describing it was actually getting me pretty hot.

“I think that you would agree that it would be easier if it were done that way though. You wouldn’t have to worry about damaging the eggs or having a degradation of the seed in the laboratory. And it can actually be quite pleasurable for both male and female, despite your fears to the contrary. And besides, ‘don’t knock it ‘til you try it’ I always say.” Man, for an advances species, they sure were dumb.

I still didn’t wanna be here, but until I figured out a way to get back to earth, I figured I might as well make the most of it. And right now, making the most out of it felt pretty indistinguishable from getting laid. The thought then occurred to me that maybe this was all just one of those lucid dreams. It was a pretty kinky dream if that was the case. I sure had some imagination. Well, all the more reason to bring it back around to sex. How many times had I had dreams where I was too shy, or afraid or had one hang up or another? If this was a dream, then I was gonna make it a good one.

He looked up and then walked back over to the door. “I’m going to have to discuss this with the Elders. I don’t know what they’re going to say about something so radical, but it is my duty to report all findings, so I shall do just that. It is possible that in our evolution we have forget some things that may actually be of use to us at this stage. Perhaps we need to devolve in order to evolve again.” I was not sure what he was talking about, but figured he was saying he wanted to try bonking.

In the end it was me who he wanted to report to the “Elders”. They were about as skeptical as he had been, but decided in the end, as he had, to give it a shot, so to speak. They were pretty desperate, and since they could always do it their way later, they figured that there was no harm in trying, no matter how bizarre the whole thing sounded to them. And as far as the “Elders” thing, they did look a little older than Nathan, but hardly like the old wizened image we would have of elders. I surmised that their true age didn’t really come through in this physical form.

The one that happened to look most like an older version of Nathan stood up as he addressed me.” Since you brought this to our attention, Kiley, we would like to give you the option of picking the man with whom you wish to conduct this demonstration.”

“Um…demonstration?”, was all I could say.

“Yes, who do you pick to do this thing with?” Well, one thing at a time I reasoned. As far as who, my mind was already made up on that front. I had already made quite a connection with Nathan. “You may pick the male and we will also offer you the right to raise this child yourself if the seed takes in your womb. Of course, if it does in fact take, we will remove the new combination so that it may gestate in a Lacken. It’s the only way that we can keep an eye on any degenerative markers and make the necessary adjustments. We have also seen the full-of-baby form of your woman. We had wondered how you had reached that state. It appears most cumbersome and inconvenient. The Lacken will remove that inconvenience.” Man, someone should invent poetry for these guys, I thought, because they sure had a way of making the beautiful sound ugly.

“Well, I pick Nathan, as he calls himself with me,” I said, as I pointed to him. “But I have no intention of getting…” Even as I spoke the Elders were sitting up in their chairs in unison, almost as if they needed to vie for position to get a look.

“Whoa,” I said to throw some water on their collective curiosity. “I’m not about to take off my clothes and just do it in front of the whole room.” The truth was actually that I was about ready to do just that, but I was holding onto my last shreds of inhibitions. They were fading fast though as the “I’ll-fuck-anybody-tocin” running through my veins, was almost completely in control now. What I said, however, was “I’m going to need some privacy, or the deal is off. If you want my cooperation at all, then you will follow my wishes to the letter.” They seemed to honestly be concerned for my feelings and welfare and soon I got nods of approval that told me that they were willing to work within my rules. “I’m glad that you understand. I will take Nathan back to the room that I was in and we’ll just see what happens.” By this time I had seen several men that were making my loins ache and it was all I could do not to jump on any one of them, or even just on all of them at once. It had to have been that their particular DNA was triggering some primal mating instincts, I theorized. Either that or I should have called this place Planet Lust, as opposed to Planet Clueless. It was hard to say which name would win out.

It could have also been some pheromones that were making them irresistible to me. They probably didn’t even know that they were doing it. That was similar to my DNA theory, but different, really. It could have been a side effect to having a human in their midst. Whatever was going on, the result was that I wanted to fuck like I had never wanted to fuck before.

“We are having a bit of confusion as to why you feel you would need privacy, but we have seen that it is something your people seem to value. You do realize that you would be doing the exact same things whether you were in front of us or alone, right?”, they asked me. “You would also be feeling the same things as well as saying the same things. Everything would be the same, would it not? So, you can see why are having trouble understanding the need for ‘privacy’ as you call it. Although we are a bit perplexed as to this need to be alone, we will grant it, as it seems to be important to you. It is abundantly clear that as a society we do not see things as you do. What one does amongst us, we all do. Still, as I have said, we will, of course, honor your wishes.”

“Sir, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that you are an open society and that you are comfortable with this one for all and all for one thing you’ve got going on, but this is just something that needs to be between me and Nathan. If after we are done, he wants to tell you all about it in vivid detail, then I really can’t stop him. I’m not saying that there aren’t women on my planet that aren’t into the whole exhibitionism thing, but I am not one of them. On earth we all have our own viewpoints and make our own decisions based on how we were raised, you know.” They saw my lips moving but somehow weren’t catching the words. I was losing the hormone battle too, but was still hanging in there.

“I’ll be blunt Kiley. We think your planet is pretty fucked up.” Oh, I thought. I didn’t think Elders spoke like that. We just don’t get all the fighting. And then there are all the beliefs systems and everyone saying ‘no, no MY beliefs are right’, Really?  Your peoples still seem to each subscribe to their own versions of the truth, each believing that theirs is the correct one. You all seem to be trapped in your individual perspectives, each believing you are seeing the ‘reality’ of things, when in truth you each only comprehend the slightest sliver of the truth of the oneness of all things. Rather than live in harmony, celebrating the many flavors of experience and contrast, your people seem to gravitate to using those differences as a means of comparison, and even attack, and kill each other as you seek to outdo your brother at every turn. It is all very confusing to us. There are even some of your people that are scrambling to feed themselves while others have so much to eat that they struggle to throw it away properly. And then the governments. Oh my God don’t get us started. But we are willing to set all that aside, because this joining of bodies thing you’ve got going on does intrigue us. We have heard your reasoning and believe there may be merit to what you say. Besides, regardless of our differences, the reality for us is that we must find a way to prolong the existence of our species, and so we are eager to learn this mating ritual you propose.”

“I guess that from your point of view we’re pretty backwards. I can also see that from your perspective we are not exactly technologically advanced either. I always thought that we were, but looking around this place, I see that we have a lot to learn. I really can’t dispute any of what you have said. I will tell you though that you guys may have solved world hunger and created peace in your time and all that, but you are still missing out with the ‘no sex’ thing you guys have going on here.”

“Perhaps you are right. We shall see. As you have been explaining your perspective we have been taking it all in, as you would say. We’ve decided that since you will be sharing with us your method of procreation in human form, we will show you how we are evolving towards a means of energetic procreation. If we can survive and continue to evolve our scientist postulate that eventually we will be able procreate in this way alone. For now however we still depend on physical form to propagate the species. We realize that you can’t change into energy, but in our experiments we have had some success creating a physical to non-physical connection.”

I guess I could have said no, but by now I was beyond turned on with all the talk of sex and these crazy hormone levels pumping through my body I was quite curious to explore whatever they had in mind. “I would be into that,” was the phrase that finally left my lips.

With that acquiescence, they transformed themselves into their energetic forms and were soon all around me. I could sense them all already poking and prodding in a tentative way. It was sort of the way one might check the tire pressure on a soccer ball before a big game. They were almost caressing me energetically as they sought to feel into my feelings. “That feels nice,” I chirped.

As I had become attuned to them as well I could see them bow as colored fields of energy that almost danced as they hung in the air. Even Nathan had changed into his higher energy state and was now reaching out to me with an electric blue colored energetic tendril. My body arched as I felt a wave of sexual euphoria as he made contact with only my arm.

The tendrils then bifurcated again and again until it seemed like there were a thousand tiny fingers of blue energy touching me all over. They were gently exploring my every pore, it felt like. At first they probed gently at the edges, so to speak. They were feeling their way into my energy, becoming synced to my vibration. Two of those fingers gravitated towards my breasts and began to titillate my nipples right through the thin black fabric of the dress I still wore. As I watched, mesmerized, the tendrils all moved down to grab the bottom hem of the sheer black fabric in one hundred places at once as they pulled it up past my hips and then over my head. Allowing the dress to fall to the floor, the thin wisps of energy then pulled my panties down my legs, even as my bra was unclasped. As the bra popped off, my full breasts were revealed to the open air. As I was revealed in all my naked glory, the blue hue changed to red and then yellow. As the color shifted I felt slightly different states of pleasure. It was like an overall body warmth or heating up almost as my very being seemed to pulse with the changes. It wasn’t foreplay exactly. I mean, nothing was happening, at least not that I could see, but it felt like foreplay nonetheless. I looked down and saw that my nipples were now being pulled away from my body even as I felt a wave of pleasure between my legs. I instinctively knew that Nathan was among those exploring my mound.

“Oh god, this feels so good. I thought I was the one who would show your people about pleasure. It looks like I still have a lot to learn myself.” Somehow I just knew it was Nathan that then darted a tendril into my pussy at that exact moment. “Um, is that you down there Nathan?” I breathed.

I wasn’t expecting an answer, but I got one nonetheless. It seemed to come as a thought in my head, I just want you to know that you’re safe with me, Kiley. I am finding it fascinating how well our energy is able to interact with your body.

More electrical fingers of blue spread my legs and were now exploring the lips of my pussy. Those same lips were then splayed open and I threw my head back in obvious enjoyment of their ministrations.

All of a sudden, and in a way I had never experienced before, I felt a wave of intense pleasure build up at my core. It was spreading without warning like a tsunami hitting on a clear day. “I’m cumming… I can’t believe it, it’s so fast…but I’m fucking CUMMMMING.” I was suddenly lifted into the air by these energy waves as I twisted and turned, seemingly weightless. I had just experienced my very first alien induced orgasm. It was like nothing I had ever felt. It was explosive in a way that just could not be compared to my past sexual experiences. Even my rabbit vibrator couldn’t compare.

I had never been so surrendered. I knew that at some level I was totally safe and in control, but at the same time totally out of control. They were so attuned to my vibe that they just knew what to do, and had no hesitation in doing it. My legs were spread so wide that I thought I was doing a complete split. I could feel tendril after tendril penetrating me one after another. They all wanted to find out what it was like to be with a woman in this way. They were caressing me at my very core. Some pushed deep indie while others just ticked at my opening. Still others caressed the walls of my love. It was almost an intellectual exploration for them, but it sure felt good. As a group or a community they were taking in my essence, even as I was taking them in. The Elders were all around and in me. I could feel Nathan as well and enjoyed the feeling of community as well as our connection. It was even hard to grasp how it felt it was so new. There was no power play in it. It was true that I was surrendered completely, but I also felt deeply honored as a woman.

My fingers were glowing as their energy coursed through my body. I looked down and I could see that my whole body was glowing in fact. My skin was showing this constant stream of blue light zigzagging up and down my torso, through my arms and legs and even up to my neck as I imagined they were stimulating the pleasure points in my brain. Whatever was happening, it felt amazing.

I just heard them in my mind again. Kiley, we find this exploration fascinating and we are very much looking forward to seeing what you can do with Nathan in his human form. You wouldn’t know it from their logical, detached tone, but they were still having sex with me. They were obviously enjoying it, but it wasn’t the same. I kind of felt bad for them actually. But then again I was going to show Nathan what it was like in human form. Maybe I would start a new trend for them. I expected that after I got through with him, they would never look at sex the same way again.

Even as I mused over this new adventure and what I could teach them I felt a fresh wave of pleasure erupt from between my thighs as it became apparent that they had discovered my clit.

“YESSSSSSSS.” I had no idea that their natural form would be so pleasing. A few tendrils were holding my lips back as a few others caressed my swollen red button lightly. I didn’t know how energy could suck on something, but that was exactly what I felt next. I don’t even know how many times I came, but I imagined it must have been a wave of six or seven times before they subsided with their ministrations and my body relaxed and I was able to bask in a gentle post orgasm peace unlike any I had ever felt on earth. Of course, I still missed the human touch of flesh on flesh, but the novelty more than offset that caveat. Plus I knew I would get the real thing soon enough. But for the moment, I was sated and exhausted. They were now just sort of being with me in the post coital bliss. They were still exploring the sensations. I guess it was the energetic version of cuddling. These guys are good, I thought with a smile.

I was lowered onto the ground and I felt the energy beings disperse one at a time, each leaving with a final little energetic caress of appreciation. it reminded me a little of a yoga class I had taken. At the time I had thought it was weird, but the teacher had said, “The light in me bows to the light in you.” That was what their final caresses felt like. Nathan had stayed around in his human form and I could see through my glazed and hazy eyes that he was putting his clothes back on. I guess they still had to do that. I lay there with my hand up to my chest, feeling my heart beating a million miles an hour, knowing full well that that was just one half of this alien encounter. Now it was going to be me teaching Nathan about what it was like to have sex with a woman in physical form.

“Nathan, that was amazing. When you had women you must have done that all the time.” I was gathering up my clothes and getting redressed. Despite what we had just experienced together I was still feeling a little bit vulnerable and exposed, standing there naked in front of him.

“Well, Kiley, what you don’t seem to understand is that, in whatever form we are, sex is just a means to an end for us. We have not previously connected great emotion to procreation. The Elders are even now trying to comprehend and fully integrate the experience you just shared with them. We are realizing that there is more to you humans than we had previously thought. You are showing us that there is a new dimension to this that we have not hitherto explored.

“Well duh,” was all that escaped my mouth initially. I could have told you that. “At the same time though there was also something in our coming together that was magical. Believe me, it was a big deal for me and I’m not just saying that to stroke your collective ego.” I could tell by the way they treated me as they departed that I had shown them something new, perhaps even new sides to themselves.

“You might not have seen this side of us, but we are actually a deeply spiritual people. We revere all beings and honor the constant lessons we are learning, one from another. We did not realize that sex could be our teacher as well. Now, I’m not sure why you picked me for this physical interaction, but I am keen to see exactly how this works in human form.” Apparently he had no idea what kind of pleasure he was in for. I realized that he was a virgin. I was going to be his teacher and take his virginity too. It was weird to look at this hot guy and see him as a virgin, but it was still the case. I was pretty confident that I would leave him satisfied.

Now, I have no idea what it feels like to have sex as a  man, but I, of course have seen the look on a man’s face while he was having sex with me. I had seen it on Brian’s face as I licked and sucked him into submission. I’ve even seen a few movies on the web, because you can’t go on the internet and not find sex. Some of the things I’d seen were tame and others were more extreme.  Some made me put my hand up to my mouth in total shock that it would even occur to somebody to do something like that. I wasn’t sure at the time how far I would go in my lesson with Nathan.

“I don’t think you truly understand what we are about to do, Nathan. What I told you might sound messy and unnecessary from your perspective, but I can assure you, you are going to like it. It may even surprise you how much you like it.” I didn’t tell him that my own experience was somewhat limited and I was really barely qualified to teach anyone anything about sex. I will admit that I was getting pretty excited thinking about what was to come though.

“Kiley, I am sure it will be an interesting experience. Let’s just get to it.” It was clear that he had no idea what he was in for. I’m not saying that I’m not open to the possibility that I will like it, but I am much more interested in the experience from what I believe you would call a clinical perspective.” He really knew how to turn a girl on. Well, we’d see. I was pretty sure he would rise to the occasion, so to speak, and I figured that worst case, if he was really uninspiring, I could always use my hand to get myself off in the end. Well, I thought, no time like the present.

I took his hand and I ran my fingertips over his palm. He looked at me wonderingly. I entwined my fingers into his and walked ahead of him, beckoning with my eyes for him to follow. I led him to my bed, such as it was. At least, this was where I had awoken. It was sterile looking, but the mattress was super comfortable. I took his hands and placed them squarely on my breasts. We might as well get to it, I thought. His eyes went wide with the feel of my nipples poking into the palm of his hands.

“This is very interesting, Kiley. Just touching you like this and feeling your nipples is having a profound effect on my penis.” I almost burst out laughing on the spot. No duh! I thought, for the second time in ten minutes. “I don’t know what’s happening exactly but I feel like I should be doing something, but I’m just not sure what that would be.” He looked utterly confused. Apparently this was his first erection. “It’s getting bigger,” was all he said. It was half statement and half question.

“Um, yes it is,” I replied as I saw his pants straining to contain what looked to be a massive rod beneath them.

“I assume you know what you are doing, because I’m at a complete loss. This is rather uncomfortable actually.”

“Nathan, you have nothing to worry about. You are going to like this.”

Chapter four

I decided that the best way to do this was to just get my hands dirty right away, so to speak. I had to remind myself that he had zero idea of what to expect, so I couldn’t really get it wrong. I was the more experienced one, not that that was saying much. “Nathan, that is called a hard on. It’s nothing to worry about and it’s natural for you to feel this way. If you were fifteen, you would have one almost all the time,” I said with a wink. He still looked a little worried and was now pulling his waistband out so he could more closely examine his swollen manhood.

“I don’t know about this. Maybe I should go and see the doctor. This is uncharted ground for us. What if it keeps growing?. We are vaguely aware of how our bodies were once used in this regard, but that was millennia ago. We are not even used to spending extended periods in physical form. More to the point we are certainly not accustomed to resorting to such base functions to continue our line. At least we never have been before. But perhaps that will change.”

“Nathan, you don’t have to go and see the Dr. and believe me, everything that you’re experiencing right now is quite normal.” I walked up to him and put his hands on the straps of my dress. I just needed to get him out of his head. He instinctively knew what to do. He slipped them off my shoulders, allowing the dress to fall easily from my frame. Once again I was in a vulnerable position in front of him. His eyes had begun to take on an eager look. He didn’t seem to know exactly what to do, but he was certainly looking me over.

He seemed nervous, unsure of what to do with his hands, so once again I took them and placed them on my bra enclosed breasts. He saw the cups overflowing and I reached behind and undid the snap, so that he was now seeing them in their full glory. “I can’t explain it, but I think I want to taste them.” I wasn’t going to argue. This was going to be fun after all.

“I don’t see any harm in that, Nathan, but please try not to get overzealous. Tongue, but no teeth, ok? Not too much teeth,” I corrected myself. “There’s nothing wrong with a little nip here and there, but no biting.” I had taken on a school teacher tone. I wondered vaguely if this was what the ‘librarian fetish fantasy’ was all about. He leaned down slowly, mesmerized by the sight that was in front of him as he started to lick at them gently, making my nipples harder than stone. He was making a soft cooing sound, or maybe it was a moan or some kind of gasp of surprise, I didn’t know what was going through his head, and I suppose it really didn’t matter, but you would have thought he had just seen his first mermaid, or discovered the fountain of youth.

“These mammary glands of yours are fascinating. I particularly like the tactile qualities they exhibit, with their smooth softness. Furthermore the rougher darker nipples are highly stimulating. I am not sure why I feel the need to put my mouth on them.” This was really not the kind of talk that I wanted during sex. There had to be a way to shut him up and get him out of his head. I never thought I’s have the problem of a guy not thinking with his dick.

“If you use the word ‘fascinating’ again, I am going to hit you.” He just continued to rub my tits like he was polishing a couple of headlights. I kissed him just to be sure he would stay quiet.

Now he was looking at me from 2 inches away as my lips were plastered to his. I darted my tongue into his surprised mouth. He responded in kind and we were soon making out. I ran my hands down his body until I got the bottom of his shirt in my hands. I quickly removed it. With the shirt gone Nathan was revealed in all his Adonis-like glory. For an alien, it sure looked like he hit the gym pretty hard. I couldn’t get over his muscle development. I didn’t really understand the relationship between their physical and non-physical forms, but I imagined this is the form he thought I would like, so he in turn had just thought it into being. That was my best guess as to how it worked, at least.

First I touched and caressed his chest for a moment. I rubbed his thick pecs and allowed my fingers to linger around his nipples as I saw his eyes register that new sensation as well. Then I decided it was time to go for the gold. I boldly stuck my hand right down the front of his pants. We were still kissing and I felt him jerk as I stroked his manhood with long deliberate movements. I could already feel the wetness at the tip. I touched the sticky substance, and then withdrew my hand so I could taste it. I stepped back, so that he could see me suck the sticky pre-cum off my finger. I saw his jaw drop slightly lower. I think that deep down he knew what was coming next.

He grabbed me by the shoulders and easily pushed me up against the bed, until I fell back with my legs splayed wide. I was nude except for my panties. He stood over me with the bulge in his pants bigger than ever as he stared at my crotch.

“I have to see it,“ is all that he said. By ‘it’, I assumed he meant that he wanted to see my pussy. He looked so desperate that he reminded me of the guy I lost my virginity too in the backseat of a car. It was not all that memorable an experience sexually speaking, except for the look on that kid’s face. You would have thought he had just spent years wandered the pussy desert and I was the first one he had come upon. This, of course, made sense, because I was his first. It also made sense that Nathan, another virgin, reminded me of him.

“I am beginning to wonder why we never found a way to do this before,“ was all he could add, as he stood there staring between my legs.

“Can we please stop talking, Nathan? “ He was too far away to slap. Instead I reached out and grabbed his cock through his pants. I instantly had my hands full and it had to be a good few inches bigger than anything that I had ever had before. I made short order of his pants as they were only held up by some sort of elastic waistband. He wore nothing underneath and I guided his legs to step out of them until he stood naked before me, revealing the object of my desire.

It looked to be perfect size with a huge plum sized head that looked to be even wider than the shaft. I had no idea how I was even going to suck something like that but I was determined to give it my best effort – for the sake of galactic peace and understanding, of course.

I should say that from the moment I had woken up on this strange world, I had been thinking about how I could get back home. Nothing had presented itself yet, but I had determined that as soon as we were finished with this “experiment”, I was going to question him on how I could get back to earth. Initially he had only told me that I was to remain here indefinitely, but now that I understood that they could just extract some of my DNA and use their Laken method, I knew that they wouldn’t really need me. Maybe I could ask him right after he came. That would be when he was the most vulnerable, after all.

As I sat on the edge of the bed, I grabbed his recently freed cock at the base and squeezed it tightly, moving my fingers up to the top as if I were squeezing out a thick tube of toothpaste back home. I was rewarded by a few drops of clear pre-cum at the tip. I brought my mouth closer to his meat, keeping my eyes on his the entire time. He looked like he was about to either explode or pass out with anticipation. I licked the few drops off with the tip of my tongue and his knees literally began to buckle. He had to reach out for the metal frame of the bed to keep himself from falling. Just then I took his fat head in and felt it pressing on my tongue as it fought for space in my mouth. The salty and sweet taste of his meat only made me want it more. I began relaxing my mouth and jaw to take him even deeper. I still had eye contact and was rewarded by the look of absolute ecstasy that was on his face. Finally I had figured out how to shut him up as well.

I allowed his cock to reach until it was nudging at the back of my mouth before I took a deep breath and actually allowed it to slide those last remaining inches into my tight constricting throat. This may have been for his benefit…but that was exactly why it turned me on to do it. I felt a flush wash over my sex as he took a sharp inhale as he felt himself slide so deeply into my waiting mouth. Finally I withdrew my head off his cock, sucking at it even as it allowed it to slide out of my mouth to freedom.

The thing I think I found the most pleasurable about this experience was that he wasn’t forcing me or putting pressure on me to perform. He didn’t try to press down on my head or fuck my face with abandon or any of that shit you see in pornos. I mean, I had just deep throated him…but because I wanted him to feel good.

I sucked on him a little longer, just bobbing my mouth on the top 2 or 3 inches until I could tell he was going to cum any moment if I didn’t ease off. He actually pulled free at the same time, perhaps aware at some primal level himself that his fun would end if he spilled his seed into me too quickly. I reverted to grabbing him again in my hand as I just licked at his head. I was soaking my panties as I could see a few more drops of clear fluid glistening at the tip of his head. The shaft has swelled and the veins along the entire length were throbbing. As I began to stoke him again, his breath came heavier until he was almost letting out a moan with each firm caress.

“Kiley, oh my God, what the hell is that and why does it feel so fucking good?” I’m not sure if this was his first time cursing, but he seemed to be a fast learner. He certainly had no trouble appreciating my touch, and apparently he was beginning to learn the basics of talking dirty.

“Whatever it is….whatever it is…is…is …coming. Something’s happening!” As he said this he grabbed at the bedframe even harder and almost collapsed on me as his legs seemed to lose function. I had to struggle to keep his cock aiming in my direction, as my intention was to catch his cum in my mouth. I knew this turned a man on too. That first blast caught us both by surprise, but most of his load did indeed shoot into my waiting mouth. As he now rested his chest on the bed, his tool released a second spurt that traced a sticky line across my cheek. He was moaning softly from the pleasure as well as the wonder of what had just happened. In awe of this new sensation, he rolled over onto his back so that his legs still dangled off the bed while his cock stood upright, apparently ready for more.

I licked him clean, taking a moment to clean his remaining essence off my face as well. I could only imagine what releasing his first load had felt like. He seemed pretty content with himself. For a moment I was afraid that was going to be it. My crazy space sex drive, or whatever it was, was not yet quenched, despite the intense day I had already logged. Just when I was afraid he was going to fall asleep, I could see he was already regaining interest in my body as he propped himself up on one elbow.

“Oh my God, Kiley … can we do that again?”

“Of course we can do it again Nathan. But, did you see what I did there? The way I took your penis…your cock, in my mouth and sucked on it until you exploded in my mouth? Now it’s your turn to do that for me.”

“But I don’t understand…how is this going to aid in procreation? My seed…”

This time I shut him up before he could get back in his head.  “No. More Talking. For. You.” I said, punctuating each word by driving my nipple and most of my breast into his face and open mouth. “As a matter of fact I want you to just listen to me now, and do what I say. Can you do that?” I withdrew my nipple from his mouth to allow him the use of his vocal chords for a moment.

“I am not sure what exactly is happening, but I want to do whatever you want me to do.” That worked for me.

Chapter five

He was looking at me for some kind of approval or maybe guidance and I just looked back at him with my finger in my mouth. “Take off my panties.” He seemed pretty ready to do as I said. He didn’t just take off my panties, he practically ripped them off as I now lay on the bed beside him. “I’m glad to see that you’re so ready, but just remember that part of seduction and foreplay is in the slow buildup.” He looked like he was about to speak again, so I just held my finger to my lips and he closed his mouth.

He seemed to be looking to me for direction, but I just motioned with my hand that he could proceed as he wished. Apparently gaining some confidence, and direction, he opened up my knees as his fingertips slowly touched the petals of my sex and spread them open delicately. “So beautiful. So delicate and sweet looking. You are so wet,” he said. His dirty talk would need some polish, but he was getting the idea. At least he hadn’t called them “fascinating.”  But of course I was wet! I was dying to have him inside me. My pussy was practically sopping in preparation to receive his thick manhood. “I just want to look at you for a moment.” He added. Oh, that was a good line, I thought. And even better because he actually meant it. He really appeared mesmerized by the sight of my waiting pussy, which was plump and engorged itself from my own growing anticipation.

“So, like I was saying, you saw how I gave you pleasure with my mouth, right? Now, it’s your turn to do the same for me.” Whatever instincts he had in this human form seemed to be kicking in. He brought his head up to my opening and lightly kissed my mound, like I had done with his mouth. Then his tongue slid right over me as he parted my lips, licking me from just above my asshole right up to my clit. He began to explore and seemed to relish alternating between nibbling at my lips and then tracing my opening teasingly with his tongue. Finally he began to delve deeper into me with his outstretched tongue.

“Um Nathan. I don’t know where you learned to do that, but that is just the way I like it,” I said, as I began to get a little breathless. He was fluttering his tongue, moving in and out of me like he knew exactly where I wanted to be caressed. Finally he discovered my clit. He spread me gently as he first licked around it and then began to lick and suckle it directly. I couldn’t help it anymore and it was my turn to moan. In a voice that was building along with my pleasure, I uttered, in a voice that had to have been at least an octave below my usual register, “Yes, like that Nathan…”

I thrashed and pushed my sex against his mouth, while holding the back of his head in my passion. I tossed my head back and closed my eyes as he continued to lick all around my most intimate place. My juices smeared over his face as he went at my pussy with total abandon. His ardor was turning me on more by the moment.  Most men would have kissed it maybe a few times and then wanted to get on to the main attraction, but he seemed more than content to stay right where he was, which was fine by me.

“Oh Nathan I am going to cum.” I felt the pressure build until my slippery fluid flooded my open sex. As my body convulsed in ecstasy, his lips remained firmly attached between my legs, greedily licking up my juices. He began to rub my clit with his thumb as I bucked underneath him. “Oh my God, that was amazing Nathan, “He knew enough to ease off as the waves of pleasure subsided. My breasts were heaving with my erratic breathing as I basked in a moment of post-orgasmic bliss.

I was laying there completely out of it, satiated and my skin still tingling from the experience as he sat between my legs. “I liked that better than talking,” was all he said. All I could do was laugh. At the same time I saw that his manhood had finally decided to take a breather. “Is it ok?” he asked me, looking concerned.

“Oh I am sure it is fine,” I replied, as I grabbed his now soft warm flesh. I pulled him closer to me until we were kissing again, mouth to mouth. My body was absolutely craving him now. I couldn’t have said why, but despite all the weirdness of the situation, I did feel a strange connection to this man…to this alien. I wanted him inside me. I wanted to see his face as he shot his cum deep in my womb. I could not deny the ultimate goal of this lesson any longer. It was clear we were drawn together by raw animal magnetism, one for the other, and that it needed to be satisfied now.

“I want you inside me now Nathan, but please, you have to go slowly. I will need time to adjust to you as you enter me.” He had quickly gotten hard again as we kissed. He looked very eager, and I just wanted to be sure he wasn’t going to just ram it in.  Slowly he brought himself close to me until I could feel the wide head of his cock pushing insistently at my sex. I held him by the base and began to rub him against me, smearing my wetness on him as I pushed him against my lips. Slowly I could feel them releasing as I began to feel him entering me. My lips opened and began to stretch more fully to accommodate him, until finally the head was fully engulfed my yearning hole. “Pull back out and then give it to me a little bit deeper…yeah like that…”, I said, as I realized that he already knew intuitively what I wanted. We were moving in sync now as he began thrusting deeper and deeper between my parted legs. My alien was a good student. I had almost forgot I was who-knows-how-many light years from earth. At one point he pulled out, leaving me empty, only to drive himself back inside of me so I felt his girth all the more fully. As he began to pump his hips in earnest, his cock head was slowly making progress as he penetrated me a little deeper with every stroke. My tight sheath was slowly expanding to make room in my belly for all of him. He must have been three quarters of the way in and I already felt filled to the brim, my pussy stretched more and more, even as his head reached new depths as it pushed into me. I had to put my hand on his chest to tell him to slow down for a moment. He seemed to know and he just stopped for a moment, just slightly pivoting his hips a bit so I could fully relax into embracing him. I could feel my pussy grabbing him like a vise and squeezing him. The image of a tube of raw cookie dough came to mind as I began to pump my hips against him, driving him deeper still inside me.

“Kiley, you spoke the truth about this experience. This is beyond anything I could have imagined. I could conceptualize, but I had no idea I could feel so good in so many ways all at once. I feel…I don’t understand it…I feel like…like I never want to be away from you…I feel like I want to take care of you and protect you..” It was clear he was even having problems forming sentences as he struggled to make sense of so many emotions as well as sensations. “And the way my …what do you say…my cock…the way my cock feels inside of you…I feel like I am home. Can we do this forever? I mean…” I hooked my legs around his back as I spread myself even wider for him. He trailed off mid-sentence as he took the cue and suddenly drove his full length inside me. The pleasure mixed with a little pain as I stretched to encompass his whole shaft as I finally felt his balls slap my ass. At the same time, his legs and pelvis came fully against my pussy. The pleasure of his whole body pounding against me was almost too much to take.

“Kiley, I don’t know how your species gets anything done,” he said breathlessly, and with complete sincerity, as he continued his forceful thrusts.

I almost burst out laughing for at least the second time that day. Instead, I reached around and grabbed his ass, digging my nails into the surface of his cheeks and pulling him into me. The connection and the moment sent me into another wave of convulsing pleasure as I climaxed around his buried shaft.

I knew he must be close to cumming himself but I wanted to extend our pleasure just awhile longer, so I pulled him out of me and got up on all fours on the bed. I turned away from him and presented him with my ass. He looked at me puzzled for a split second as I shook my ass in his face, before he saw the allure of the posture in about a split second. He stuck his face right in my ass and licked my wetness for an instant before bringing his hips over to meet mind.

“Is this what you want?” he said. He was seriously asking a question. Rather than speak, I bowed my head and shoulders, and allowed my back to arch so he could see I was ready to take him again.

He did not need any coaching this time as he plunged his length into my waiting lips. He held my ass firm. “Fuck me Nathan”, I cried. And he did exactly that. Only this time he managed to make it even more sensual as he plunged into my waiting gap. With his knees on the bed he pulled my hips back to meet his, as we pumped against each other. He was breathing heavy now and I knew he was about to explode inside of me. I couldn’t wait to feel his heat spray my depths.

“I can’t stop it,” he panted.

“I don’t want you to…I want you to cum inside me,” I cried in response, as I pushed my pussy even wider onto his cock as his balls slapped against my clit. It was too much and I felt my own orgasm building inside me like a volcano about to blow. Suddenly he let out a deep guttural cry as he released a hot stream of cum deep in my belly. My pussy was convulsing as I too screamed in the throes of passion. For a moment it was just juices and sweat and the heat of our bodies as we were both lost all thought in the bliss of our union. Oh my God it felt so good to be so close to him. I realized that there was something about the combination of his sexual innocence as well as surprising prowess that felt perfect for me. I had to admit the having-sex-with-an-alien-on another-planet made it pretty hot too. Finally, both of us spent I fell onto my belly as he slumped on top of me. His hot breath came softly in my ear.

“That was incredible Kiley.” Thank you for sharing your body with me in that way.”

“Really, it was my pleasure Nathan,” I smiled back at him.

Then he looked at me a little more seriously. “Thank you,” he said again. “If it is alright with you, we will go to the laboratory a little later, after we have …recovered … from this, and they will take our creation from your belly. Is that acceptable to you?”

“Of course Nathan, I would not have engaged with you in this way had I not understood your motivations. I just hope I have been able to teach you something about connection, sex, and maybe even love. I also can see that your people revere life, and that I will be giving not just one life, but many. I only ask that my offspring receive the same love and reverence you have shown to me.”

“Of course Kiley. We can speak more of this…but now I am aware of a strange sensation. I feel very…very close to you. I appreciated you and how you would be of service to my people before, but this is different somehow. I want to be near you more. I want to be touching you, even though that’s all I have been doing. I want to be touching you more. Or just be next to you,” he said as he reached out a hand and caressed my face.

“Well, people can say whatever they want about you aliens, but you are alright with me,” I replied. I kind of liked him to. What initially was probably just hormonal lust had grown into a real connection. I hope he wasn’t seriously falling for me, because connection or not, I still wanted to get back home. “So your people have gotten what you want, right? So can you send me back to earth now, please?” I was shamelessly caressing his chest now. I had to use what tricks I could to shift gears and find a way to get back on honest to goodness terra firma.

“Well, Kiley, I would have to say that I would rather you stayed. I am sure the Elders would like to experience this for themselves as well. But the truth is that you have served your purpose. It would go against all we stand for to hold you against your will. The truth is also that, with your fresh genetic contribution, we will be able to seed a generation of younglings with enough genetic diversity to ensure the survival of our species. I believe you have also taught us a valuable lesson in the merits of physical connection. You truly will be the mother to a new generation of my people, and for that we are all eternally grateful. Of course we will honor your wishes and send you home.

“Thank you Nathan,” I said as I kissed him on the lips. “And thank you for the adventure of a lifetime as well.”

“I should be the one to thank you Kiley. What you have shown me is beyond words. It is almost beyond my comprehension. My people have gained much in their evolution, but now I see that they have lost much as well.  I believe things will be changing around here. It will take a few years to bring this next generation to maturity, but it won’t be soon enough for me,” he said with a smile.

***

After we had dressed we did indeed head towards the laboratory where their team were able to extract the samples they needed as well as the product of my union with Nathan. It was a painless procedure, leaving only a small reddish welt that they assured me would fade in a few days’ time.

My next stop was to bid farewell to the Elders. Nathan had spoken with them and essentially made sure that I could, in fact head home. After his full report it was determined that this was the proper course of action.

“You have been of great service to our people Kiley,” one of the Elders said, in what had to be the understatement of the light-year. We are grateful for all you have given us, both through our shared experience, as well as in the form of the safeguarding of our very survival. Your progeny will be honored, cared for and loved. Our people are in your debt. We shall return you to your rightful place and time. We will make it as seamless for you as possible.

With this Nathan and a sort of honor guard led me to a room I had not seen before. It looked like some sort of control room, at the center of which was a glass enclosed bed.

I still wore my little black dress as Nathan led me inside. “I will never forget you Kiley,” he said simply, as he once again kissed me on the cheek. Then he reached out and first grabbed my ass and then my breast in a half playful, half longing way. “I will miss many things about you. But in a few years we will have a new generation of woman, thanks to you”.

“One last thing”, he said. “You have literally saved my people,” he added profoundly. As he said this he removed a pendant from a pocket and placed it around my neck. It was on a simple chain and was no more than a metal ring, surrounding a bright blue flat crystalline stone. It was perhaps the size of a quarter and it was dazzling. “If you are ever in need, or if there is any way we may be of service to you in the future, all you need do is hold this gate stone in your hands and think of us. Your thoughts will reach us.”

With that he guided me onto the bed, turned, and gave me one last solemn bow. Again I was reminded of my crazy new age yoga teacher. “Namaste Nathan”, I said with a smile. He seemed to accept my words with the reverence they were intended for, and with that he closed the door to the chamber. The last thing I remembered seeing was Nathan’s smiling face as I lay my head back on the pillow.

Epilogue

I awoke with a start, the smell of stale beer heavy in my nostrils. There was also the distant sound of voices and the low thump of the bass coming from some song or another. What the hell...I thought. I raised my head and opened my eyes. It was light out and I raised my hand to shield my eyes. As I did so, raising myself onto one elbow I looked over and saw Brian lying sound asleep beside me. He looked content enough, with covers pulled up around him as he snored away.

But what was going on.  I felt really disoriented, and was having trouble piecing the previous night together. Wasn’t there some…hadn’t I been somewhere…Yeah, what a crazy dream…Was it a dream? I looked down and saw I was fully dressed in a thin little black dress. Right, Jennifer lent it to me. And where was I? Don’t tell me I stayed the night at a frat house, I thought. Ugh, I anticipated the walk of shame I would have to endure on my way out. But that felt like nothing really. I just felt so weird. Slowly it came back to me…I had had this amazing dream where I had saved a people from extinction, all by having sex. I laughed to myself. I must have drank a lot, because I didn’t even remember passing out. I had been at the party and then I thought Brian …that was Brian, right, I thought Brian and I had been hooking up, but that was it. Then I remembered nothing. There was probably grain alcohol in the punch. That shit was dangerous.

But what a crazy dream. That guy Nimbo or Nandrew…what was his name in the dream? Well, he was sweet…and God, I had never had dream sex like that before! Man, I had to pee too. Wearily, and definitely nursing a bit of a hangover I headed toward the bathroom. As I did so I caught sight of myself in the cheap full length mirror on the back of the door. There, glowing a beautiful bright blue in the morning sun, and suspended by a silver chain from my neck, was, incredibly, a dazzling blue pendant…The moment in the chamber and Nathan’s words came back to me.

“Holy fucking shit … ,”was all that escaped my lips…

THE END

Taken by the Alpha Alien

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

Kylie Parker woke up with a start. The batteries to her alarm clock had died some time during the night, and she had worked a double shift the night before and slept very deeply. That meant that she was late to work. She groaned in frustration and dressed as quickly as she possibly could, imagining the unfriendly face of her boss, who seemed to be looking for any excuse to chew her out. The woman was awful, and Kylie groaned as she grabbed her car keys. It would take a miracle to avoid being reprimanded and she was worried that she was all out of luck.

She finally made it to work and ran to her cubicle. She had a well-paying job, and didn't know what she would do if she were to lose it. Unfortunately, as soon as she arrived, she was summoned into her boss's office. When she sat down in front of Nancy's desk, Nancy scowled at her. She had a feeling that she knew what was coming, but she held her breath and waited to hear for sure.

“This is a crucial time for the company, we are experiencing an opportunity for growth. And as I'm sure you know, you are only as strong as your weakest link. I can't have anybody screwing that up for us right now, I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go. Your performance has been lackluster, and punctuality is extremely critical. I'm sure you understand. Have your desk cleared out by noon today.”

Kylie opened her mouth to protest, but the words seemed stuck behind a barrier. There was nothing more she could say to this woman, and anything else out of her mouth would just seem vile. It was better to leave with dignity than to throw a fit, so Kylie stood and walked away. Nancy would have a hard time finding anybody else to work double shifts when she needed it, and that wasn't something that Kylie needed to deal with anymore.

Losing her job had many consequences. She thought them all over as she packed her desk up. Her mortgage was coming up, and due quickly, and if she wasn't careful her payments would quickly pile up. She could lose everything. She figured with her savings she should be set for the first couple of months, but after that there was nothing that she could do except sell the summer home that she had inherited to make ends meet. If nothing else, she could live there and give up the mortgage on her house. It would give her a small safety net until she was able to find something better for herself. She closed her eyes and sighed, wishing that she worked for anybody else, and angry that Nancy would overlook all of her hard work over some obscure personal grudge against her.

On the way home from work, she decided that she would go visit her boyfriend Carl. They had been seeing each other for a few months, and she thought that maybe one of his quirky jokes and a hug would help her to feel better about the possibility of losing everything that she cared about materially in the world. She impulsively took the exit to his house instead of continuing down the highway and taking her own exit. She had a spare set of house keys for his apartment and let herself in, hoping that he would be happy to see her. She set the keys down on the counter and looked around. He was nowhere to be seen. She heard a small noise coming from the bedroom and she walked toward it.

“Carl?" She called, pushing open his bedroom door.

The sight that met her eyes made her immediately feel sick. She closed the door quickly, her face contorting in fury. Carl was in bed with another woman. She couldn't believe the nerve of that man. He shuffled to the door wrapped in a sheet.

“Who is that woman?” the blonde in his bed was calling out. “How did she get in here? I thought you said you stopped fooling around on me!”

Anger filled Kylie's heart.

“How long have you been with her?” she cried.

Carl opened his mouth to reply but she gritted her teeth in defiance.

“That actually doesn't matter – I'm not dealing with this from you.”

Kylie rushed through the apartment and grabbed the few belongings that she had left there, before hopping into her vehicle and speeding away. She had never felt more humiliated in her entire life, and she could hot tears brimmed against her eyes as she drove. She thought she was going back to her own apartment, but she sped past the exit and found herself on the way toward her summer home. She had some thinking to do, and she did not want to do that in her stuffy home, where she knew she would just end up drowning in her own sorrows. She would come collect some clothes later, as she needed them, but until then she was just going to do her best to keep her head above water.

The day had taken many unexpected twists and turns, and she was feeling worse than she could ever remember feeling before. It would do her some good to get away from the rest of the world, and not have to face any of the mundane problems that she was used to dealing with in her everyday life.

Chapter 2

Over the next few weeks, she began to slowly move her belongings over to the summerhouse. She called her brother and asked if he would be able to help her to lease out her home to somebody else so that she wouldn't lose it entirely. Instead of helping her, he gave her a lecture on being self-sustainable and independent, and hung up leaving her feeling worse than ever. When she called her best friend to ask if she knew of anybody who would want to rent her house or had heard of any new job opportunities, all she could do was say that she would call back and let her know if anything came up. Kylie didn't hear anything else from her after that. She had never felt more alone in her entire life.

The summerhouse was on a lake, and it made her feel at peace to be there. She had gone many times as a child, and after her father had passed away he had left the home to her. She had been very popular there throughout her youth and every vacation she seemed to have a new boyfriend. There was something about her that had men throwing themselves at her, and yet she had settled with a guy like Carl. What was wrong with her?

Kylie studied herself in the mirror, searching for answers to her many questions. There was nothing there but her reflection. She had jet black hair that cascaded down to the middle of her back, and almond shaped and piercing blue eyes. Her figure was voluptuous and toned, and she realized suddenly that maybe Nancy's problem with her was some kind of jealousy over her appearance. Nancy was a rumpled middle-aged woman who didn't seem to have a lot of close connections in the world. Maybe she had her eye on one of the men in the office, but he had his eye on Kylie.

It wasn't particularly fair, but at least it helped Kylie to cope with the fact that she had been unfairly fired. Nancy was a miserable old woman, and if she needed to abuse her power and authority to feel better about her lack of love, Kylie supposed she could deal with that. She tore herself away from the mirror and sat outside at the patio table, suddenly smelling the distinct aroma of impending rain. There was an obnoxious amount of splashing coming from the middle of the lake, where a teenage couple were boisterously playing. Kylie could tell that they had had one too many between the two of them, and soon the wind started blowing ominously and the clouds began to darken.

She was torn between staying put and allowing the rain to begin falling on her bare skin, and being a responsible adult and getting those kids out of the water before they were killed in a storm. She made her way toward them, reluctant but resigned in her duty toward humanity. If those were her kids, she would hope that someone responsible would be looking out for them. She wasn't old enough to have teenagers yet, but still.

“Hey you two, you should get out of there. It's about to storm!" Kylie cried, waving up to the darkened sky. They didn't seem to hear her, and continued laughing loudly and splashing in the water.

“Hey!" Kylie called again, but her words were muted out by the sound of a loud whirring engine. She looked around in confusion. There weren't any roads in the area, just pathways and long, winding driveways. There was one road far out to the east of her summerhouse. She didn't see any cars or vehicles approaching, especially none that would be able to mute out her words quite so thoroughly. A bright light flashed in front of her eyes, and she looked up into the sky expecting to see lightning. Instead, there was a large craft hovering above her, and a blinding beam of light shone down and illuminated the lake.

Another bright light flashed in front of her, and Kylie felt herself being lifted. The weightlessness of her body was alarming, but she didn't have enough time to process it. Suddenly the entire world went dark and the whirring noise stopped. She blinked rapidly, but she still could not see anything. All she could hear were alarmed and panicked murmurs around her. Somebody stuck a device into her ear and soon all of the sounds around her began to make sense.

“We got the wrong person, we need to try again!" Somebody was shouting.

“We can't try again, you know that would be too risky."

“What are we supposed to do with her?! She isn't even part of a couple. How are we supposed to -”

“We should just put her back then.”

“We can't just put her back, what if she tells somebody what happened!?”

Suddenly, a loud, clear voice spoke and silenced the panic around her. Her eyes began to adjust, and she squinted toward the voice, just making out a figure of a man, or at least a humanoid being resembling a man, making his way toward her. He was handsome and authoritative. His voice was rich and masculine, and somehow made her feel safe.

“We will keep her, forget about the other two. What worth would their genes be to us anyway? They were both intoxicated and putting their own lives at risk for the sake of brief entertainment. They would be useless to us in the long run, we might as well choose someone with a little more sense.”

Kylie looked around at the people who had been chattering in a panic. They all looked vaguely similar to the handsome humanoid man, but their eyes were wide with concern. Their heads are slightly bigger in proportion than she was used to seeing, and the effect startled her deeply. Otherwise, they looked somewhat similar to normal people. Her first thought was that she had been kidnapped by a group of deformed people, but soon the leader of the group walked toward her with firm steps echoed off the metal in the room that she was in.

“Why don't you come with me," he said gently, offering his broad arm to her. “I'm sure that you have some questions."

When she didn't budge, he took her by the arm and led her away from the large group. Kylie thought to herself how impossible the situation that she was in really was, and tried to make herself believe that it was all a dream. When they stopped in front of a large metallic door and the humanoid figure opened it with a button, her heart sank. It wasn't a dream. She was in a lot of trouble.

Chapter 3

Kylie looked around the room, her heart racing in fear.

“Where am I?" She demanded.

“Don't worry, you are safe. You should take a seat, most people find it very difficult to withstand the abduction rays. I'm sure your legs are feeling quite unpleasant. ”

The man gestured toward a bench in the room, and she reluctantly sat, unable to stand any longer. Her legs were feeling rubbery and weak. She finally regained her eye sight completely, and noticed that the room they were in was like a large apartment.

“You are aboard the Legacy. My ship."

Kylie stared at the man in disbelief.

"Your ship? Where is your ship going?"

“That really depends," he said with a raw laugh.

“Depends on what?” She demanded.

“It depends on what we discover about you. I should probably explain myself. There is far more going on in the galaxy than you could ever conceive of. You can be part of something amazing.”

“What are you talking about?" Kylie asked. She was suddenly very tired.

“I can explain everything to you," he said, heading toward the door. “But for now, I'm just going to let you rest. We will talk when you're feeling better, and you be able to understand everything much more clearly then. Have you eaten in the past five hours?”

“That's a strange question. But no, I haven't.”

“All right, I'll send something by and get you on a regular diet. We can talk more then.”

He didn't give her the chance to reply before he marched out the door. It closed automatically behind him, and Kylie sat back and took a deep breath. She suddenly had a feeling of acute loneliness, unlike anything that she had ever felt before. She missed the deep and masculine voice of the man who had just left her company. She was confused and frustrated, but her body wasn't able to handle all of it at once. She felt promptly into a deep sleep.

She didn't wake up until the door in the apartment slid open again. She recognized one of the people who had been panicked about abducting her. He was lingering in the doorway for a moment, nervous, before entering. He was looking at her the same way many of the men on earth had looked at her – hungrily. It made her nervous, especially when he approached, but he simply sat a tray full of food on the table. It smelled surprisingly delicious, and her stomach rumbled heartily. The person, for lack of a better word, left before Kylie could speak, and she began to eat enthusiastically.

With the food in her stomach, she was able to think much more clearly about the situation that she was in. It all still seemed very impossible, but at least now she knew for sure that she wasn't dreaming. It was possible that she was going insane, but it was probably because she was having a nervous breakdown. That was completely acceptable in modern society, most people had a breakdown at some point in their lives. It was nothing that she should be too ashamed about.

She had mustered more energy after eating and began to poke around at her surroundings. It was full of strange objects as well as some familiar ones. She was pressing buttons on a strange device that looked like a calculator when the attractive man who had led her to the apartment entered.

"Do you think that I will ever have any privacy in this place? And how long do you plan on keeping me here for?"

"I'm sorry, next time I will knock,” he said with a wry smile. “And frankly, the duration of your stay will depend solely on the task at hand. Maybe at the end of our quest you will find that you feel more fulfilled on earth, although that seems unlikely. If we get what we need and we are able to accomplish our mission, you will be returned safe and sound. We wish no harm to come to you.”

“What mission are you talking about? Why is it necessary for me to be here? Don't you care that I might have a family and friends back home that I care about?" Kylie scowled, but not at the thought of being stuck in space at this handsome, albeit strange man. She was more concerned as she remembered how her family and friends had turned on her in her time of need. There really wasn't much left for her on earth, but still, it did seem pretty rude to be taken away without any second thoughts.

“I should probably break down what's going on for you,” he said thoughtfully. “My name is Kane. I'm the leader of the Driad people. We are one of many races in the universe. We have been traveling throughout the galaxies in search of a way to stop the Codans, because they are enslaving other races. They are the only ones who hold an elixir for a virus that is plaguing the universe. Many races are being wiped out by it, and it is lethal and mysterious. My team is working against the Codans to find a cure and liberate the people who are being used for the Codans evil schemes. They abuse the power of the elixir, and purposely keep people sick so they have to continue relying on the Codans for their livelihood. The worst part is it only eases symptoms, it doesn't even cure them.”

“What does that have to do with me?" Kylie asked.

“It has both nothing and everything to do with you. Humans haven't been touched by the virus yet, though we have reason to suspect Earth as an origin of it. We've been looking for people who can help us to unlock the genetic sequence in the disease. If we were able to find a cure, that would mean that we can get out from under the oppressive thumb of the Codans and find peace and harmony in the universe once again. The Codans have very big ideas about what to do with the races they've enslaved, and they want to colonize the whole thing.”

“Colonize...?” Kylie asked, imagining

It's highly likely that your planet will be overtaken by the Codans, or obliterated by the virus. Either one is an unfortunate fate. We've been collecting some specimens to avoid extinction in case the worst happens. But you do see how this affects you, don't you? You might just save your world and ours. My planet has already been lost to the disease," Kane said, turning around as he grimaced painfully.

He tried to hide the emotion in his face, but he couldn't. Kylie found herself wondering how strange it was that she should be able to empathize with it being from another planet. All of this seemed too strange and unworldly to be true, but what other choice did she have but to believe him? There she was, in a spaceship as it began to orbit far above any of the earthly boundaries that she was used to. Somehow the conditions in the ship were perfect for her to thrive, and she wondered if it was just in the apartment or if she was ever going to be able to have free roam of the craft. Finally, Kane turned back around and gave her a reassuring smile.

“All we have to do is test your genes, and will find out if they're match for the antivirus. I understand that you probably don't have any interest in helping us, considering that we basically just kidnapped you from everything that you know and love, so we will try and make this quick. However, if it turns out that you are a match, we may need to keep you on board for further tests. I hope that you will come to forgive us for this invasion in time.”

And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving her to stare behind him in disbelief as the door closed with a hiss and left her alone.

Chapter 4

Kylie was upset about being taken from her home, but it felt nice to have a reason not to worry about what she was supposed to do with her life. Now that she had no job, she wasn't sure where her life was heading anymore. She would just have to play it by ear. That was a whole lot easier to do when staring out the window of the ship as the stars passed by then it was sitting alone in her summer home before she sold it for an extra chunk of money. Although she was bitter about being kept prisoner, it was nice to surrender a little bit of control over her life.

Soon, her stomach started growling, and she couldn't wait for her next meal. She wondered what in the world it was that they were feeding her. It tasted great, and she felt stronger and more nourished after eating it than she did eating the food on earth. The door to her apartment hissed open, and two Driads in lab coats walked toward her. The male had a long needle in his hand, and she flinched away from it.

“Not to worry child, you're going to be fine. Just brace yourself for the pain. It will only last a moment."

She grimaced and the other Driad gripped her shoulder, forcing her to stay still as the long needle pierced into her delicate flesh. She exhaled sharply as the pain seared through her. Finally, he withdrew the needle and gave her a small cup with a clear liquid in it.

“Drink this," he demanded.

She did as she was told, strongly resenting the hand of the Driad woman who was gripping her firmly, and immediately the pain in her body dissipated. She wanted to thank him, but stopped herself. They had just inconvenienced her body with a serious amount of pain after abducting her from her home planet. There was no way she should be thanking them for anything. And that woman was looking at her so strangely, it made her feel like a lab rat.

Her stubborn anger toward the alien race wore on long after the Driads in lab coats left. The threat of the Codans meant nothing to her. They might as well have been made up and part of the strange delusion she was having during her nervous breakdown. It would all make so much sense – the need to escape reality, the handsome, masculine man in control... everything her life might be lacking. And even if it wasn't a nervous breakdown, she had never heard of the Codans all the time that she was on earth, so she didn't see why she needed to think about them while she was in space either. The idea of the human race becoming extinct because of some weird space virus seemed absurd.

Kylie grumbled to herself and tried to get comfortable on the couch in her room. It wasn't as difficult as it looked like it would be, and she sank easily into it. She leaned back and smiled, instantly relaxed. She could get used to this, she thought, and then sighed. She didn't know how long she would be there, so she might as well try and enjoy it while it lasted.

***

Kane was sitting in the control room, thinking deeply about how to set a course to avoid Codan territory. He had just figured it out when his two leading scientists burst into the room, waving a file excitedly. He looked at them as if they were crazy, until realization dawned on his face.

“Is that a match?" He asked, his jaw dropping in awe.

“Yes!" Korda exclaimed. “It's an exact match. The genetic sequence is perfect – all we have to do now is get it in the formula and see if it works. We have the test subjects being readied right now. It's going to be a very simple process. If this cures them, you do realize that all the power in the universe will finally be resting right in our own hands, don't you?"

“Of course, this shifts everything in our favor. But we will have to keep this top-secret, there is no way that the Codans will leave us alone if we are carrying something so valuable. We're going to have to set up some kind of a safety net here. But once we have enough of what we need, are going to take the power back into our own hands. This changes everything. I'm so glad that we made such a wonderful mistake!"

Korda nodded enthusiastically and summoned his assistant Gina to follow. They disappeared behind the door to the control room, and Kane leaned back and let out an excited whoop. Finally, things were going to go right. His mind drifted to the beautiful human that they had abducted by accident. He hadn't had a great feeling about abducting the drunk children, and when their sights had landed on the women, he felt as if some kind of divine miracle had taken place. He thought at the time that maybe that was just because he had never laid eyes on somebody more beautiful than her, but now he questioned whether or not he had some kind of premonition about the fate of the universe resting in his own hands.

And it was all thanks to this woman. Kylie. He began to pace on the control room, his mind taking on a completely new train of thought. Kylie was now a precious commodity in the universe. If the Codans were going to eliminate earth, they would have to make sure to keep her as safe as possible. It was crucial that nobody discover the value of their cargo until they were able to produce enough serum to help everybody fight the disease that was enslaving the races of the universe to the evil Codan empire. But that was why he was the captain of the Legacy, he was going to do his best to fight the oppressive force out to enslave them and liberate the universe once and for all.

Chapter 5

Kylie was woken up and taken to what looked to be a laboratory. She inhaled sharply, conjuring to mind all the images that she had seen throughout her life of alien life forms experimenting on human bodies. She had wanted to trust that no harm would fall to her after Kane came and visited her that morning. His presence was a great comfort and she found herself wanting to believe everything he said. He was excited and told her that some tests needed to be done, tests that could change everything and make her a hero. He had assured her that she would come out feeling great, and when she remembered the way the food affected her, she had been very tempted to believe just that. Unfortunately, it was hard to stay calm when she was confronted by terrifying instruments of potential torture.

The man, Korda, apparently the Legacy's leading scientist, told her to sit down on a bed much like the one that they had put into her little apartment on the ship. It was surprisingly comfortable, and when she laid down on it, Korda began his examination. He scanned a red light across her body, and she suddenly felt very exposed as images of her insides were projected onto the walls around them. Korda studied them intently, his large brow drawing in concentration. His assistant stayed in the background taking notes, scribbling furiously as Korda called out words in a medical jargon that Kylie found impossible to understand. It was the same woman who had held her down before, and they glared at each other from time to time as Korda obliviously studied her body.

After about 10 minutes of this, Korda gave her something to drink, and she fell into a blissful, trancelike state where the rest of his probing did not affect her at all. She could tell that he was drawing blood and looking at it under a microscope, and experimenting with this and that. Kane had told her that her body would be a valuable scientific anomaly, one that could potentially save the lives of billions of beings throughout the universe. She felt like that was a lot of pressure, and wondered if maybe she should have worked out at the gym more often when she was on earth. Maybe she shouldn't have eaten so many doughnuts. Maybe she should have avoided more processed foods. If the fate of the universe relied on her body, maybe she should have treated it like a temple.

And then she was suddenly frustrated by the fact that so much pressure was put onto her. If it weren't for these people, she wouldn't know anything about the other beings in the universe. She would still be blissfully living her life on earth, allowing the blank question mark of possibilities to remain open above her head, but never truly wanting to explore anything further than that. The reality of her life on earth suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks. Everybody she knew had turned against her, and she was without a job and without any hope at all. Most of them, if they heard anything about her, would have said that she disappeared, but most people probably wouldn't notice or care. The thought made her angry, and she made a small decision to care more about having a purpose in the universe rather than leading a boring and trivial life on the planet where nobody cared about her.

Finally, the testing was through and she was led back to her apartment by Kane himself. He held her arm firmly to steady her as she walked numbly beside him. Whatever Korda had given her had made her feel a little bit out of it, and Kane gently guided her, speaking softly and soothingly as he walked with her through the bay of his ship. She could feel all eyes turned on her as they moved, and Kane walked regally forward, not making contact with anybody except Kylie. He didn't want any of the crewmembers to discover just how valuable she was, but he also wanted them to understand that she was to be respected at all times. He hoped that they would respect his wishes, and the first not to would deeply regret it.

“So how did it go?" Kane asked Kylie once she was resting comfortably on her own bed.

“You tell me," Kylie said sleepily.  "I don't really understand what it is that you're looking for."

“I think that we will know when we find it," Kane said with a small smile.

They gazed at each other, Kane brushing her hair away from her forehead reassuringly. It felt soothing, and Kylie just wanted to close her eyes and bask in the feeling forever. It seemed almost more normal to be here with this man from another planet than it did to be on a blind date. The thought made her start to giggle, until Kane was also laughing because he didn't understand what she had been set off by. The sound of her laughter was beautiful, but not as radiant as the way her face brightened up. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, and soon gave up asking what she was laughing about and just shook his head bemused. There was still a lot he had left to learn about earthlings, he decided, and stood carefully to take his leave.

Chapter 6

When Kylie woke up, she gasped, startled, and looked around the room for Kane. She could have sworn that he was just there with her, and she felt an aching void when she realized that she was alone. Maybe it was just because she was missing the contact with people of her own species, but she was desperate for him to come back and fill her little bland apartment with the same comfort that he had given to her as she fell asleep. A lot of what happened was foggy in her mind, but she knew that from the way she could feel Kane beside her, there was nothing malicious in his heart. In fact, she had determined as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep that Kane might just be more attractive than anybody on her planet. The thought had struck her so funny that she had drifted off to sleep in a fit of giggles. There was no way to explain what she was thinking without embarrassing herself, and so she was glad for the chance to escape explanation.

She turned to the table, where a meal was laid out for her. It was reminiscent of the type of meal that she would have found on earth, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't been sure if she would ever be able to eat normal foods again. Somebody on the ship was looking out for her, and she had a feeling that it was Kane. She ate slowly, contemplating whether or not she would prefer to stay on the ship or go home. It seemed as if there wouldn't be much of a home to get back to if the Codans had their way.

She tried to imagine what it would be like if Earth never existed again. The thought made her stomach drop. She would never be able to go back to her favorite places, such as the summer home where she spent her youth and the lake were sometimes she would go out for a late night swim with nobody watching her. Everybody that she knew and loved would be gone, and the feeling of isolation she felt would turn into a stronger feeling of devastation. The thought was very disturbing, and she tried to shake it away. If there is anything that she could do to save the planet that she was from, she figured that she should cooperate. If Kane was really doing what he claimed, she might be able to prevent a worse fate from befalling the planet.

She grumbled to herself as she remembered the unfair conditions that had gotten her fired from her job. But the words didn't hold the same weight that they did just a week ago. In fact, once they were out of her mouth, they seemed to hang thinly in the air before dropping away. It was as if they meant nothing anymore. The idea of actually saving the planet versus the silly job that she lost that she could barely stand didn't seem to compare at all. Of course she would prefer to save the planet. Even if nobody ever knew about it, it would be nice to be able to say to herself that she had done something that important in her life.

Of course that was only if it turned out that she did hold the special gene that could fight the virus that the Codans were using against the rest of the races in the galaxy. She wandered over to the window of the apartment, the idea of Kane's muscular body floating around in her head as she stared out into the darkness of space around her. She'd never seen anything more beautiful in her life, and although she had been afraid of flying in an airplane, for some reason Kane's ship made her feel completely safe. He genuinely seemed to want to do things right for her, and so she decided to sit back and relax, and try to enjoy herself as much as she could without having to worry about the stress of life on earth.

Chapter 7

Korda hummed absently to himself as he made the final addition to an elixir that he was testing out on an isolated strain of the virus. He stopped mid-hum and had to do a double take. He had finally done it. He held the most valuable serum in the galaxy in his hands. He quickly scanned over the code to memorize it before running off excitedly in pursuit of his assistant Gina. Normally, she was hovering right over his shoulder, but for some reason today he was not able to find her anywhere. He decided to check her chambers, which is something he normally never did. He believed in giving his assistants, particularly those of the opposite sex, a lot of breathing room.

However, this was too exciting to keep to himself. He burst into her door, and suddenly felt as if he were being hit by a ton of bricks. Gina was on a radio communicating their location to the leader of the Codans, Marxus. She stopped abruptly and turned to look at him, her face falling in horror. She hadn't expected him to come in and discover her communication with their enemy. The worst part about it was that there was really nothing that he could do. He could have apprehended her if he had his weapon, but they weren't allowed in the laboratory and there was no time to retrieve it. He ran urgently from Gina to try to find Kane.

“Kane!" Korda exclaimed as he turned the corner and nearly collided with him. “Gina is a mole! She's been sending messages about my work to the Codan Empire!”

“What!? How could you let this happen?"

“Me? I'm not the one who said I should have an assistant, and I'm not even the one who chose Gina. You felt sorry for her and picked her up off of that planet because you said she has high potential. But she's probably been working with the Codans this entire time!”

Kane considered this and looked down at the floor thoughtfully.

“How much does she know?" Kane asked him finally, looking up with his eyes flashing in anger.

“She knows that Kylie is a match, but she doesn't know that I have unlocked the formula for the antivirus. We are now officially the most powerful group in the universe.”

The news filled Kane with a feeling of ecstatic relief. If all went well from here on out, he would be able to save the universe. But first things were first, they would have to find a way to get rid of Gina and protect themselves from the onslaught that she had probably doomed them all to. She had truly believed that she was just an innocent prisoner on one of the planets where they had gassed up the ship. Fortunately, she hadn't been on board very long, but now it was certain that the Codans had their location, and worse, they would have knowledge about Kylie as well.

Suddenly, the alarms started to blare in their ears and Kane's face fell.  A Codan ship was close, and some security had been breached. The sudden thought of Kylie filled his mind, and dread gripped his heart.

“Kylie," he murmured quietly. “Go after Gina! Show no mercy.”

Kane ran from the room as quickly as he could, pulling his weapon out of the holster at his side. Korda ran in the opposite direction, back toward the laboratory. He looked around for Gina, but it was too late. She had already vanished.

Chapter 8

Kylie had been surprised when somebody burst into her apartment. She could tell by the light sound of the footsteps that it wasn't Kane, and when Gina appeared to her, she quirked her head and concern. She had recognized her as the bitchy woman from the testing room, but now the expression on her face was hardened and serious. Before she had a chance to ask what was going on, Gina pulled out a large needle and stuck it painfully into Kylie's arm. Kylie opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, she collapsed onto the floor.

She remained semi-conscious as Gina lifted her easily onto her back, carrying Kylie as if she were a lamb, and ran to the corner of the room where an ominous red light was blinking. It looked a lot like the same kind of light that had pulled her away from her summerhouse by the lake, and yet it looked much more sinister. She tried to squirm away from Gina's grip, but whatever she had been injected with left her weak and unable to struggle. She cursed out loudly, but the sound was muted by a whirring noise. The blood rushed into Kylie's ears as they were transported into another ship.

Terrifying beings glowered down at her. Gina had dropped her onto the floor unceremoniously, and they were all craning their long necks down to study her. Their faces were wilted, almost as if they were melting. The color of their skin was a wood-like brown, and at the back of their heads they had crowns that reminded her of a triceratops. She studied them in disgust, shivering despite herself on the cold floor of the ship. The ship wasn't well lit like the Legacy was. Instead, it was dark and somber, and she felt immediately afraid.

“I did as you asked," Gina said, pacing around the room anxiously. “Now I want my payment. You promised that I would get another dose. Something to ease the pain, you know. You said that the medicine would be able to help right?”

The beings surrounding Kylie made no indication that they had heard Gina, and simply continued to study Kylie. One of them, clearly the leader, extended a long, bony hand and opened his palm toward Gina.

“Where are the notes?" he asked, without looking away from Kylie.

Gina's face suddenly fell as she realized that she forgot to grab the notebook from the ship as she ran toward Kylie's room. She thought that it would be the main priority to get rid of the girl. But somehow, it had slipped her mind to bring her notes.

She didn't have to speak for all of them to realize her mistake. One by one, the Codans turned away from Kylie and fixed their steely gazes upon Gina.

“What? I delivered the girl just like you asked me to. That was the most important thing. They were right on the brink of figuring out how to fix this virus. But since you have her, you can find out first. You can be the ones to fix me like you promised. That was the deal."

“The deal was that you keep an eye on Capt. Kane and his absurd crew, get us all of the information possible, take meticulous notes, to be delivered to us on time when we arrived. You did a great job giving us the location and delivering the girl, but that was only part of your job. For the rest of it you have failed and therefore there is no deal between us any longer. Take her away."

Gina's face fell, and she began shaking her head and begging for them to reconsider.

“I brought the girl," she cried out loudly. “What more would you want?"

“I want what they have. The research they have done. Without it, she is almost useless. Show no mercy. Execute her at once. She knows too much already."

“No, please!" Gina cried, as they began to drag her away.

Finally, Kylie summoned up enough energy to be able to speak. Everybody paused and turned to her as the words began to escape her mouth.

“You stupid girl," Kylie said, her eyes closed. “They would have fixed you if you were just honest. And they would have done it for free.”

Gina stared at Kylie, her eyes widened and her face filled with fear. Kylie found it difficult to pity her for. Gina was going to be executed by the people that she thought would save her, and she had turned her back on her one chance of liberation. She had a strong feeling that Gina was addicted to the rush of the pharmaceutical medicine. Probably, the strength of the painkillers that they were offering her were too alluring to resist. She didn't want a cure – she wanted the rush of their drugs. And now she would get neither.

She had overheard Kane mumbling to Korda in the laboratory about how sad it was that so much of the population were being turned into zombies and addicted to the serums that the Codans were handing out. He saw it as a way to keep everybody dependent on what the Codans could offer rather than having to find a cure for the virus. He even speculated that they had started the virus themselves, as a form of germ warfare, so that they could begin to colonialize the universe and establish themselves as the ultimate power.

Listening to Kane talking was easy to dismiss. She didn't feel as if anything that he was saying pertained to her or was real. She had never experienced any of the things that he was talking about, and she found it difficult to believe and understand them. But now that she was looking into the faces of these ugly, terrifying beings known as the Codans, she believed everything that Kane was saying, and felt an urgent desire to see his handsome face, and get off of this terrifying ship where she was no longer safe.

***

Meanwhile, on the Legacy, Kane was barking orders to everybody. As soon as he realized that Kylie was missing, he had set out to do what only the most crazy and foolhardy people had ever tried to do. Find the Codans.

They were the most powerful race in the universe, between their ability to enslave the masses with their virus and being the only hope of cure for the pain associated with it, and the powerful army that was at the leader's beck and call. They had completely destroyed his planet decades ago, leaving him bound to the ship where he tried to avoid all detection. His race was known for their strength and intelligence, so it was no wonder why they had been pursued and obliterated. He had managed to save the crewmembers, but everybody else had been destroyed. It was why he was so well protected. Everybody was loyal to him because of his strength and bravery. He had kept them together as their worlds fell apart.

And now, they were being put to the test as he demanded them to put their lives on the line to save a woman they had accidentally abducted just a week ago. Many of them thought he was crazy, but they knew that he had his reasons. Although they were concerned with his personal feelings getting in the way, they followed him blindly and prepared the ship to take on the terrifying Codan army.

He knew that he was testing their resolve and he was proud of them for stepping up to the challenge even though it seemed impossible. It made him glad to be their captain, and soon they were on their way. He was happy to know that they were probably not prepared for an ambush, and that they wouldn't have had a chance to get very far since Kylie and Gina had just recently been abducted. He rushed around the ship demanding that they keep their sights targeted on the Codans and maintain as much of a cloak as possible to keep them out of the Codan's radar.

Kane was terrified that they might have already killed Kylie in cold blood just to keep the possibility of an antivirus as limited as possible. That would mean that he would no longer be able to liberate the races from their evil clutches and provide them all with a cure to the problem rather than a temporary and unhealthy solution that made them into zombies perfect for the Codans to control. He was filled with fury as soon as they were able to lock onto the target, and he told everybody to stay put as he leapt alone into the beam, where he was immediately transported into the cargo hold of the Codan's ship.

Chapter 9

Kylie tried to squirm away as she was taken to a room that had no windows or furniture. It was completely dark, and she looked around with a squint as they closed the door on her and left her in complete silence. She tried to plead for help, but it didn't work. Whatever Gina had injected her with had left her unable to do much. All she could do was hope that Kane might be somewhere out there and willing to rescue her from the Codans.

In the meantime, Kane was moving cautiously through the cargo room, avoiding detection by dodging behind boxes. Nobody had noticed that he had been transported, which was all the better for him. He pulled his weapon out of the holster at his side and walked slowly toward the doorway. He had to try it a few times before he was able to crack the code and release himself from the hold.

Kane walked cautiously down the hallway, ducking behind corners whenever he saw a threat. E had a team following him wherever he went on the ship so that if he were in a bad position, they could just beam him back to the ship and make their escape. They didn't know where Kylie was, and he knew he had to find her quickly before they found him. Korda was on a small communication device in his ear, giving him coordinates. He had a ray fixed onto the ship so that he could sense the heat of everybody on board. The Codans had very low body temperatures, while Kylie was hot.

“It looks as if they have more than one human on board,” Korda said into the microphone. I am picking up at least two. They're on opposite ends of the ship. I really hope that you can make the right choice in time.”

Kane growled to himself in frustration. He felt obligated to save them both, but only one of them was Kylie. Only one of them he cared about. And not just because she could save the universe. There had been a sense of intimacy between them that he couldn't shake off. He wasn't stupid and knew that there were rumors around the ship about the two of them falling for each other, but he had not thought much about it until now. He would never have risked his life for any other person like this. They would have thought of something else to do. But this girl was different. Somehow, she had his heart.

In a moment of intense deliberation, Kane chose to go left. Korda gave him directions to follow through the ship and he did his best to avoid detection. Finally, he reached the end of the bay and peeked inside a dark room. He had to try for a while at the code to the door, and he knew that after three wrong tries the alarm would be sounded and he would be caught. Fortunately, he got the door open on the second try and pushed his way inside, his eyes wide and searching for Kylie.

He was crestfallen when he saw a man staring at him. It was an earthling, and his eyes were wide with fear.

“What are you going to do to me this time?" He asked, backing away as quickly as he could from Kane. “Please just leave me alone."

Kane's heart lurched in sympathy for this terrified man, and he lowered his weapon.

“I'll rescue you if you like, but if you make so much as a noise we're both dead, do you understand that?"

The man nodded dumbly, and Kane ordered Korda to set the coordinates to beam him away. He hoped that it wouldn't set off any alarm bells, and hurried away from the room before he was sucked into the beam as well.

It hadn't been Kylie, but he did manage to save somebody. The thought should've been comforting, but all it did was bring him a sense of dread and panic. If the Codans noticed the beam from his ship, they would all be doomed. He had to hurry.

He waited for Korda to give him the instructions and warn him of any codons coming his way. For some reason, they were all gathered in the top area of the ship. He wasn't sure what to make of this and did his best to run as quickly as he could to find Kylie.

Suddenly, the alarm bells began to blare. His heart lurched and he sped as quickly as he could down the hallway, where Korda promised that Kylie was laying. He fumbled with the lock, not caring if he set off any more alarms. Although it would alert everybody to his location, at least he would be able to escape by the skin of his teeth.

The door finally opened, just as Marxus appeared in front of Kane. Kane's stomach dropped, and he fired his weapon blindly, screaming for Korda to beam them into the ship.

“Just the man I've been wanting to see," Marxus said, unphased by Kane's weapon. Kane shot again and Marxus dodged out of the way, swooping into the room toward Kylie. Kane knew that if he didn't get there first, she would be dead.

Kane rushed forward, using his body to separate Marxus from the woman he loved, throwing himself fully in front of Marxus and colliding with his sickly body. A light began to flood the room and Kane clung to Kylie's limp form. He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not, and soon he was clinging to her on the floor of the Legacy. But there was a problem. Marxus had been beamed alongside them.

Kane paled as Marxus struck out at one of his crew members, knocking her dead where she stood. A cry of rage escaped his lips and he lunged forward toward Marxus. They both fell to the floor, tumbling together until Marxus pulled Kane up by the collar of his shirt. Suddenly, everybody on the ship rushed forward, separating Marxus from Kane and beating the ever-loving hell out of him. They formed a strong crowd, pushing Marxus toward a chute. He growled in anger as he stumbled into it, and Kane struggled to stand up and catch his breath, watching as his people got rid of Marxus once and for all. He was quickly sucked into the chute as one of his crew members, he recognized her as the sister of the woman Marxus had killed, pushed the button.

A furious cry echoed in the cabin as Marxus was sucked out into space, and they all looked away as he killed by the impact. They all watch this happen in a daze, until Kane came to his senses and commanded that the ship speed away quickly before anybody else came after them. He then ordered Korda to give Kylie something that would combat the effect of Gina's needle. He rested her side and picked her up carefully, carrying her to his own private chambers. Korda met him in the hallway before he walked in and gave him a small cup to allow Kylie to drink.

When she opened her eyes, tears of relief flowed from Kane's eyes, dampening his cheeks.

“I thought I had lost you forever," Kane said, his voice choking up. Everything happened so fast. Marxus was gone and now Kylie was back safe and sound. They were truly going to save the universe.

“I knew that you would come back for me," she said weakly.

Chapter 10

They stared at each other quietly, and Kane finally raised the small cup to her full lips. She drank it deeply and Kane could almost feel the life being restored into her body. He held her closely to his body, the two of them shockingly intimate inside of his personal cabin. Kylie had been terrified, but she knew that he would come for her. It wasn't a question in her mind. The smell of his cabin filled her senses and made her hungry for more. She looked up into his eyes as the strength began to fill her body. A longing she had never before began to fill her, and Kane, returning her intense gaze, pursed his lips and gazed down at her, his body full of adrenaline and ready to move.

She sat up, relishing the feeling of his strong arms around her, and met his lips with hers. She moaned softly as the slick feeling of his tongue against hers sent a thrill throughout her. He lifted her on top of himself and she could feel the hard bulge between his thighs pushing intimately between her legs. She wondered briefly if he would look the same as human men down there and then had to laugh to herself again. The musical sound of her laughter roused Kane's attention and he quirked his eyebrow at her as if he could read her mind, which made her laugh harder.

The sound of her enjoying herself aroused him more, and he slowly unbuttoned her blouse, taking in the soft pale skin beneath. A soft sigh escaped her lips and he smiled sweetly at her before he took her breast in his mouth, sucking gently and eliciting a moan that drove him wild. Finally he slipped himself out of his clothes and stood naked in front of her, pulling her clothes off slowly, allowing her to take the time she needed to adjust to his touch.

Finally, she grabbed him by the waist, her legs parted and welcoming him between them. She was pleased to find that he was bigger than the men on earth, and the differences and similarities were both arousing. She gasped sharply as he made his way inside of her, and closed her eyes as he made love to her, taking the time no man on Earth had ever taken to appreciate her body and kiss everything about her that made her a unique creation in the universe.

The heat between them was undeniable, and soon she was enraptured in bliss. Her climax was immense and he gripped her hips as he buried himself deeper inside, allowing himself to be squeezed by her contractions until he couldn't take any more. His powerful orgasm erupted in an explosion that surprised them both with its sheer force, bringing her to another full climax as he held her firmly in place. Finally, they collapsed together, spent but craving one another's comfort.

Kane kissed her then, a sweet, tender kiss that she would remember for the rest of her life.

“Please don't leave me,” he whispered.

It was such a sweet, intimate thing to say. Something she would expect a woman to utter after sex, not this strong, unbelievably attractive man. The gentleness of his eyes melted her heart and she thought back to her life on earth. The only person she would miss was her brother.

“I don't know how I could,” she said. “We have a universe to save.”

And with that, they fell asleep together, drifting through space in the Legacy, each of them lost in dreams of another world.

THE END

Abducted by the Alpha Alien

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work

Chapter One

“Good morning, Pria.”

Pria opened her eyes and squinted into a bright white light that was shining above her head. She didn’t recognize the voice, and searched futilely for its source. It was a man’s voice she was fairly sure, though much more musical than the voices she normally heard. There was something pleasing about it, an ethereal quality that made her chest swell with comfort. But who was he?

“Don’t try to move, you’ve been sedated.”

Sedated? But why?

Pria went against the man’s request and tried sitting up. She panicked as she realized the helplessness of her body and she tried to speak, but all she succeeded in doing was opening her mouth.

“No need to be afraid, Pria,” the man said soothingly. She wished he would never stop talking. But who was he? And why had she been sedated? Something horrible must have happened to her. She couldn’t remember though. Had she been in a car accident maybe? Was this a hospital?

“I’m sure you have many questions. Unfortunately, the solution we have given you won’t allow you to ask any of them for quite a while yet. I can assure you that you are going to be fine. No harm will come to you. You are in a safe place.”

The way he was speaking gave her goosebumps. Had she finally gone off the deep end? Pria closed her eyes tightly and tried to remember something, anything. But everything was blank.

“I’m going to leave you alone now. You will probably be in and out of consciousness for a while longer. When you’re feeling better I’ll be back to explain more.”

Pria opened her eyes quickly, afraid of the prospect of being left alone in the strange room without any knowledge of what was happening with her. The man seemed to sense this and looked over her so that she could see his face.

She inhaled sharply. She must really have landed herself in the loony bin. He looked mostly like a man, but there were some marked differences. For one thing, his head was bigger, and proportioned differently. His eyes were shimmering down at her, a color she had never seen before. It looked like a combination of blue, green, and silver. He smiled kindly at her and she felt her heart warm despite herself. Whether she was insane or not, at least this man was there looking over her. For some reason she felt completely trusting of him, and closed her eyes as she was pulled back into a deep slumber.

***

Zander left the room where Pria was lying immobile. He had taken her aboard the Legend, a ship he co-captained with Captain Kane. He had stopped for a while to fuel up and had asked him for help. He had finally found the woman who was the key to fighting the sinister virus that was plaguing the galaxy. Once they were able to perfect the vaccine, nobody would be at the mercy of the terrible Codans, who had taken the opportunity to provide relief from the symptoms in the form of hyper-addictive drugs and a fear campaign that was in the process of enslaving entire masses of people all over the universe.

He had never seen a human before, and she made him nervous. He felt a stirring as he looked at her, something unlike anything he had ever felt. She was profound and exotic, he decided. So much different from the women he saw of his own race, the Driads. According to Captain Kane, the humans were the key. Capt. Kane had discovered a woman whose genetic sequence had unlocked the secrets of the vaccination.

Unfortunately, it had turned out to be more complicated than that. In order for the vaccine to work, they needed part of it to contain blood of another human – the type who could potentially carry the disease should she come into contact with it. She wouldn’t die. Instead, she would spread it wherever she went. That was a huge risk, but Kane had entrusted him with finding Pria and keeping the carrier safe. If the Codans knew such a person existed, they would immediately turn her into a living bio-weapon. The crew on the Legend would have to be extremely careful and deliver her to Kane as quickly as possible. But not before they made sure she was completely compatible with their needs.

“Captain Zander,” Shef exclaimed, turning the corner. He stopped, leaning against the wall and panting. Shef had been his right hand man since Kane had entrusted him with the Legend, and the small, older man had immediately grown on him. Zander had been afraid he would mess up being in charge of so many people, but with Shef there at his side, it was almost impossible. Shef was always on top of things, and seemed to know just what was needed before anyone else knew that something was lacking.

“Hey Shef. What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Shef said, taking in a long, shuddering breath. “Codans.”

“What? Here?”

Shef, unable to get any more words out, nodded. Zander pursed his lips and ran with Shef to the dock, where Shef pointed out into the massive open space beyond. Zander squinted as he peered out, his eyes searching for the ship. Sure enough, a huge black ship was in the distance, hovering near a gigantic meteor that was spinning slowly.

Zander studied the monstrosity. He had never seen one up close. It looked kind of circular, with a triangular piece cut out at the front, like it was missing a piece of pie. But Zander’s whimsical thoughts were lost on the Codans, who were bloodthirsty tyrants that would stop at nothing for domination.

“I don’t think they have seen us yet,” Shef said.

“Good, then maybe we can get away. If they get their hands on any of this new information, that’s it for us.”

“Right,” Shef said with a nod. “Let’s go.”

They raced to the bay, and Zander’s heart thudded in his chest. He still wasn’t very comfortable with being in control of such a large ship. He had only just been promoted, and having all the people on the ship’s lives in his hands was intimidating. He was terrified of failing them, and failing Kane. Their mission was a noble one, one that could liberate the thousands of races in the galaxy and keep the deadly virus at bay once and for all. One mistake and he could ruin everyone’s chances at liberation.

“Hyper drive!” Zander ordered. He paced until he heard the familiar charging sound and the ground began to shudder under his feet. Soon, they were traveling at warp speed through the stars, leaving the Codan ship far behind them.

Chapter Two

Pria opened her eyes in alarm. The room was shaking, and there was nobody in sight to tell her what was going on. She tried to speak but couldn’t get any words out. Whatever she had been given was still working on her.

“It’s all right,” the same musical voice that had spoken to her before said soothingly. She felt a warm pressure on her shoulder that sent a jolt of longing through her, but the hand seemed far away, as if it weren’t really there at all. Or maybe it was an impression from a dream.

“I’ll keep you safe,” the mysterious stranger said. “There will be a few loud noises soon, but after that things will be back to normal. It’s just the engines. We have to pick up speed or we will all be in danger.”

Engines? Was she being transported in some kind of cargo train? What the hell was happening to her?

“Don’t try to move or talk, the danger will soon pass. Don’t be alarmed. We will make sure you’re all right. I have to stake my own life on yours, so trust me, you are precious and you can count on my utmost protection.”

The man’s words soothed her, and she turned her eyes up, squinting past the bright lights. She could make out his silhouette. He was tall; handsome and muscular. But there was something so strange about the way he looked. She wondered if maybe he had a deformity. Or maybe she was hallucinating from whatever drugs she had been pumped full of. Lord knew she felt a little sick to her stomach. There was no telling what was in her system.

But despite that, her eyes lingered hungrily on him. He was wearing a tight black suit that showed off the angles of his muscular body and the generous bulge near his groin. Not only was he handsome, but he was well-endowed. She made a note of this as she tried to force herself to remember anything from the time before she was sedated.

All that came back to her were confusing fragments, like those of a dream. Memories of her boyfriend Paul telling her that it was over, that he wanted to see other people. Things had been rocky for a while, and although he had been a bit abusive toward her, she had done her best to stick with him through thick and thin. They had been together since high school and she had helped to support him through college. But despite that, he still believed that he could do better than Pria and had been flirting with a woman from the grocery store for a few months before they broke up. She had been mildly tolerant of his obvious flirting, but when they broke up she realized that he had been serious and had the audacity to do it right in front of her. It was infuriating.

Had she killed him? Was that why she was being detained? Maybe in a fit of rage she had just blacked out and done the worst to him. Lord knew he deserved it. Or maybe she’d had a mental breakdown. She didn’t think she cared that much about him, but, frankly, her career was in the toilet as it was. She’d had to hold off on her own education to put Paul through school, and she had gone into debt to pay off his loans. It took everything she had to help him thrive, thinking that they would be able to live the rest of their lives out together as husband and wife. But he had never even mentioned proposing, and had probably just been using her from the start.

Pria groaned and leaned back on the pillow. It was exquisitely soft. She almost felt like a princess on it. Was she covered up? Was she tied down? Anything might give her a clue about her whereabouts. But still, her neck was paralyzed and she couldn’t see down to her body. All she could take in were the vague shapes around her peripheral vision, something like large machines, and the metallic ceiling. Maybe it really was some kind of armored car, taking her off to the psych ward or the police station.

Suddenly the whirring noise stopped and the room stopped rumbling.

“There, the ship has slowed down. You see? Nothing to be afraid of. It was just a little bump in the road so to speak.”

The man came into her sights again and flashed her a dashing smile. Something about his proportions…his mouth was a little too big, but that just seemed to make his smile all the more radiant. And his hairstyle was strange. Long black hair, but thin and intricate spiral designs were shaved into his head, showing smooth bald skin underneath. And those eyes. They seemed to see right through her.

She was trying so hard to move or speak, to fight off the sedation and regain some control over her situation. Finally, a squeak. He perked up upon hearing the noise and turned his intense gaze upon her, quirking one eyebrow as if he were listening intently. It was an expression no other man had ever given her before.

“Who are you?” she whispered. Finally, some control. She reveled in her victory for a moment as he gazed at her.

“Most people can’t speak for weeks after that,” he murmured to himself, shocked.

What did he mean by that? After what? She felt suddenly afraid.

He seemed to sense the fear in her and his face softened.

“No, it’s nothing bad. Well at least, I’m trying to compliment you. My name is Zander. I’m going to come back tonight and then we can see what we can do to get you to feeling a bit better and understand your situation.”

Zander nodded at her courteously and turned his back. Pria let her eyes roam his body greedily as he walked out of her range of vision. He moved gracefully, fluidly almost, as if he were from another world. His movement matched the musical sound of his voice, and he paused just as he was about to leave her peripheral vision, almost as if he could sense that she wanted just a few more precious moments with the graceful curve of his body as it moved away.

Chapter Three

Zander walked through the doors of the holding chamber and they slid closed behind him. He pushed through the doorway of the observation chamber and stood over the scientists who were huddled inside, pouring over a steady stream of data that was coming from the machines hooked up to Pria’s body.

“How was it that she was able to speak?” Zander demanded. Humans were never able to recover so quickly.

“She must have immense willpower,” one scientist, Able, said. “And possibly a genetic predisposition to drug intolerance. If she is truly the one Korda told me about, then this is a great sign.”

“I see,” Zander said, pressing his hand against the two-way mirror. He gazed at Pria lying on the table, strapped down as if she were some kind of prisoner. It made his heart ache. The poor woman had no idea what was going on. He wished he could stay in there, soothing and comforting her. It was the only way he could find peace within himself about what they were doing to her.

“How are her readings?” Zander asked finally, turning away from the helpless woman. If he continued to stare at the way her flowing auburn hair lay on her delicate shoulders, and the way her ample bosom rose and fell against the wires connected to her chest, he wouldn’t be able to get anything done for the rest of the night. He had never been so entranced by another being before.

“They’re sensational,” Able said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe a creature like this exists in the universe. I want to send a sample of her blood to Korda and Capt. Kane right away.”

“All right, leave that to me. I’ll be going in tonight for the next round of testing, but it will require complete privacy. I’ll get a sample of her blood then. But I don’t want anybody else going in that room, is that clear? Just because she might be immune to the virus, doesn’t mean she is immune to the communicable diseases from our planet. And I’ve been hearing you sniffling this past week, so please just stay put. She’s far too valuable.”

“I understand, of course.”

“Not even in the suits, do you understand?”

“Anything you wish, Captain.”

“Thank you.”

“She trusts you, Captain,” a scientist who was usually shy said. Krill’s face was flushed when she said it and she was repressing a knowing smile. He had always suspected that she had a crush on him, but he didn’t have time for romance and she had never been bold enough to make a move, so everything was all right. It shocked him how Pria was holding his attention. He’d never been particularly fixated on anybody specific before.

Krill’s words sent a jolt of excitement through Zander’s chest. The first human he had ever seen actually trusted him. Krill had it in her charts, documented proof that the human was responding to him biologically and mentally much the same way he felt he was being pulled toward her. They ignited each other’s pleasure centers. Hopefully, that would still be the case when he admitted the truth to her about where she was and how she had gotten there.

“Great job, everybody,” Zander said, ignoring what Krill said and tucking it away to secretly examine later. “Don’t give her any more drugs. There are things I need to talk to her about. You’ll all be dismissed at L-300.”

“Yes, sir,” Able said with a dutiful nod. Zander nodded formally at them as he left, his mind occupied with what he would tell Pria that night when he went to administer more tests. Hopefully nothing would go wrong.

***

That night, Pria was sleeping soundly when she heard the door to her room slide open. It must have been a pretty high-tech establishment they had her holed up in if the doors had such a quiet mechanical whirr. She felt apprehensive until she heard the comforting and familiar musical voice of the handsome man she had seen earlier in the day.

“Good evening, Pria,” he said, standing beside her bed. She was surprised to find that her neck was free of the hold that the drugs had over her while she had been sedated. She swallowed hard and tried her voice, but it was dry and squeaky.

“Try this,” Zander said softly, handing her a small glass with a clear liquid in it. Pria had assumed it was water, but when she tasted it she crinkled her nose. It tasted like alcohol and went down harsh like a shot of liquor. However, when it was down, all of her discomfort faded and she felt better than she had in years. There wasn’t even any aftertaste.

“What the hell was that?” she asked, raising her eyebrow at Zander.

He didn’t answer for a moment. His eyes were fixed firmly on her, taken aback by the sound of her voice. It was brazen and husky, but feminine at the same time. She was a fighter, he decided, and a uniquely stunning one at that. No wonder she had been able to fight off the sedation so quickly. She needed to take care of herself and she was going to do that however she could.

“Seriously, was it a magic potion of some sort? What are you feeding me? And where am I?”

Her voice was different than the women from his planet. Lower, more sensual. The accent with which she spoke was captivating. Pria noticed Zander staring at her and raised her eyebrow.

“Why are you looking at me like I’m from another planet or something?” she asked, shifting nervously on her bed.

Zander laughed despite himself and shook his head helplessly. He didn’t really know what to tell her or where to start.

“Maybe you are,” he said.

“Yeah right. And I suppose you’re actually feeding me a magic potion that can make me feel all better.”

“Well…it’s not magic actually. It’s science. Much more advanced than what you’re used to on your own planet. But I don’t think I can explain that very well right now.”

“Wait, are you being serious?” Pria asked, suddenly concerned. Here she had been thinking that she was the crazy one, being shipped off in an armored car. But maybe she was wrong. Had she been kidnapped by a group of psychos?

“I don’t have an easy way to tell you this,” Zander said, shifting nervously. They usually had a protocol for speaking to the abductees, but since Zander had been the head of his class when it came to diplomacy and human relations, he had been given the difficult task of breaking the news to her. But he had never actually spoken with a human before, and now he was feeling like his interest in the classes had been a huge mistake. He was nowhere near prepared enough for this. He ran his hand through his hair nervously and looked down at the floor.

Pria watched him closely, her perceptive blue eyes flashing thoughtfully as Zander tried to gather his thoughts. She sat upright, finally feeling like her old self again.

“Where you are…it’s called the Legend. It’s our ship. I would like to give you a tour of your room. It will explain all you need to know. Please, follow me.”

Zander approached her and offered her his sculpted arm. He had a body unlike any she had seen on Earth; firm and broad like the sculpture of a Greek god.

Pria got shakily to her feet and looked around the room for a first time. It was huge and metallic, and the bed she had been laying on was surrounded by strange looking machines. She had never seen anything like it before. But what really startled her was when Zander led her away from the machines and toward a huge window that looked out into an oppressive black sky full of stars – the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

“Look over there,” Zander said. “Do you see that round, shimmering ball of light?”

“Yeah,” Pria breathed, her hand on the glass that was separating her from the abyss outside.

“That’s Earth. Your planet. My captain, Kane, he took the data from the hospitals on Earth and had me find you. We abducted you while you were sleeping. You’re our only hope. We have no future without your help.”

“What are you talking about?” Pria asked, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. Everything out of this man’s mouth sounded ridiculous. She was clearly in space, but how could this be happening?

“What I mean to say is, you’re special,” Zander said, his handsome brow contorting in worry. “Your body has a special genetic sequence that can fight a virus that has been wiping out several species. These people are going extinct, and quickly. Without your help, the Codans will enslave the survivors of this plague. And that includes the people on your planet. So you can sort of see how you might have a stake in this…”

“You know what? I must be dreaming,” Pria said, laughing. “That’s the only way this makes sense.”

“I wish we were all just sharing a collective nightmare,” Zander said, his large, full lips tugging downward in a frown. His otherworldly eyes were pensive and he looked away from her, out the window and into the vast array of stars. “I had a younger sister. She was the joy of our family, born after I was already a teenager. My older sister and I vowed to protect her, but she was the first one of my family to be taken by the virus. We vowed to avenge her, but my older sister also contracted it, though it was a less serious strain. She was offered relief by the Codans, who, sensing an opportunity, turned the odds in their favor by manufacturing a drug that eased the symptoms. But it is highly addictive and makes those who get their hands on it slaves to it. The Codans are the most scientifically advanced race known in the universe, and they are the only who have such a solution. They see the potential to herd the masses under their thumb and refuse to develop any technology that might get rid of the virus once and for all. So we have taken it upon ourselves.”

“The Codans?” Pria asked.

“They’re vicious, nasty creatures. They want to enslave us all. They’re hungry for power. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were the ones who had manufactured the virus themselves, just to thin out the population and consider the universe theirs for the taking.”

Pria frowned. Since when did she start dreaming in Sci-Fi?

“This is what the Codans look like,” Zander said, holding his wrist in front of her and pressing a button on a band he wore around it. A holographic screen shimmered in front of them and the ugly face of a Codan began circling in the air in front of them. Pria was impressed with the technology and repulsed by the face of the rival alien race Zander was talking about. They were ugly. Their faces looked like they were melting, and their skin was a woody brown color. The back of the Codan’s head rose up in a crown that was similar to that of a triceratops.

“If you see anybody who looks like this, run. Call for me. Call for anybody. Just stay away from them. If they learn who you are, and why you’re so valuable, they will either kill you or use you for far more evil. You wouldn’t want to live with yourself.”

“I…” Pria shook her head helplessly and frowned. If she was going to believe anything this man was saying, she would have to open her mind more than she ever had before.

“I know this is a lot to take in right now. Maybe you would like to sit down. I promised you answers, and I’m really sorry that they’re probably not answers that you would have liked to hear.”

Zander put his hand gently on Pria’s elbow, and she felt an involuntary surge of pleasure from his touch. His eyes were gentle and kind, and he led her carefully back to her bed.

“There’s one last thing I need to do tonight, but I need your permission to do it. I hope I can count on your compliance, but if not I understand.”

“What do you need from me?” Pria asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She fixed her striking blue eyes on Zander, and he shifted nervously.

He was silent until they arrived back to the bed, where he motioned for her to take a seat. She did, and gazed at him. This was all just getting weirder and weirder, but if it truly was a dream, then she would have to take it in stride and hope for it to be over soon.

“Well…it’s a little…unorthodox,” Zander said, pulling a chair up beside her bed and perching awkwardly. He looked embarrassed and flustered, and Pria did her best not to smile. He seemed reluctant to say what was on his mind.

“And…?” Pria prompted.

“Um…part of the plan to fight the Codans is to create hybrids,” Zander said, raising his hand awkwardly behind his head and looking away from her. She could swear that sweat was rising from his brow. She almost felt sorry for him, at least until her mind fully wrapped around what he was trying to say.

“Wait. What do you mean by that?” Pria asked, fixing a hard look on him. “If you think you’re going to sleep with me right now, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“No! No, nothing like that,” Zander cried, his face growing beet red.

“Then like what?” Pria asked, trying not to laugh at him. He was clearly miserable. She wondered how he had gotten the unfortunate job of breaking the news to her.

“It’s just…tests,” Zander said, his voice an exasperated whisper.

“What sorts of tests?” Pria asked, crossing her hands over her chest. Zander swallowed hard, shifting on his seat.

“Um…we need to understand your body’s rhythms…how it, uh… responds to stimuli…things like that.”

“You’re kidding me,” Pria said, her voice flat. Zander fixed his tortured, beautiful eyes on her and pursed his lips.

“I’m afraid not. You could be our only chance of saving our way of life. And we’re willing to do whatever it takes…but we need your permission to learn about your body. It’s an anomaly. But it’s one that could save us all. I’ll go now and give you some time to think things over.”

Zander stood and Pria watched him head toward the door.

“Feel free to treat this space as your own for now,” he said. “I would like to give you as much free will as possible. That’s something I can offer on my ship. But if you fall into the hands of the Codans, or even my captain, I’m not sure you will remain so lucky.”

And with that, Zander disappeared through the doors, leaving Pria staring behind him in disbelief.

Chapter Four

Zander retreated immediately back to his private chambers, his heart hammering in his chest. He was glad he had dismissed the scientists who were observing Pria. He hadn’t wanted to make a fool of himself like that in front of the crew. He had been instructed in his Human Relations classes to keep explanations as simple and direct as possible. If he was straight and to the point with humans, they were likely to assume he was the authority and submit. Their societal structure did half the work for him. They were eager to listen to authority figures and assume they were helpless in every situation.

But he had forgotten all of his training with Pria. She was such a direct person herself that he almost felt as if she was leading the conversation. And he was still so insecure with all of his authority. He knew why they were doing what they were doing, but he couldn’t help but treat her like an equal. Why should he treat her like she was just some sort of lab rat? The way she spoke was natural and inquisitive. Who was he to lie and pretend he had the ultimate authority over her body? But it wasn’t so simple. They couldn’t simply release her and let her go. She would have to make the right choice, or things might get ugly. One way or another, she might find herself being used in this cosmic fight for liberation.

As soon as the Codans knew what the Driads were up to, they would unleash a torrent of attacks unlike any other. It was almost fortunate that their planet had already been destroyed, because that meant that he couldn’t fear a concentrated attack on his people. However, if the Codans waged war against the Driads, it would mean that no Driad ship would be safe. That was something they were already worried about after Kane defeated one of the most lethal groups of Codans in the galaxy. It might only get worse from there.

But he couldn’t worry about that. Not right now. What he needed to do was focus on the task at hand. He needed to try convincing Pria that it would be worthwhile to volunteer her body to science. If they were able to create genetic hybrids, part-Driad and part-human with the ability to carry the virus rather than suffer from it, they may be able to create a new race of people who could survive whatever form of warfare the Codans might be planning. There would still be hope for the people of the universe to keep going. That was something he would risk his life to do.

***

Pria got up from her bed and paced around the large room after Zander left. She couldn’t believe her situation. Zander seemed so sweet and kind, and he was so unbelievably handsome. But he was asking the impossible of her. And even if he wasn’t requesting her to stay in space and somehow contribute her body to creating a new alien race, how was she supposed to believe that she was anything special?

She studied the machines that surrounded her bed. They were flashing different colors and strange symbols were engraved in the metal. She traced one of them with her finger and shuddered before turning away and heading toward the giant window of the room.

She gazed out at the billions of stars as the ship soared silently through the empty space. It was beautiful; she had to admit that. Peaceful in a way. She had always loved the feeling of surrendering control, and knowing that she had no way of helping the fact that she couldn’t go to work or deal with her crappy relationship problems was pretty gratifying. Although she knew she should be stressed out about losing her job, it didn’t feel that important anymore. Not when the Dryads were telling her that everyone on Earth could be wiped out by an evil race bent on universal domination. Small beans.

And what about her strange attraction to the alien leader? He looked so different from other men. He was vaguely humanoid, sure, but wasn’t it a little bit odd that she found herself holding her breath every time he entered the room and doing everything she could not to let her eyes wander just below his belt, to where the forbidden and generous curve of his groin was?

What was she supposed to do? Something in her felt impossibly drawn to Zander in a way she had never felt for another being before. But was that because she had been drugged up and vulnerable? Had they somehow manipulated her mind? It was impossible to say.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that her attraction to him was real and Zander was being sincere. He didn’t want to hold her against her will. But apparently his people had been compromised and they didn’t appear to have much of a choice. Should she help them? Or should she demand to go back home to Earth? More to the point, if she didn’t help, how much longer would Earth even exist?

Chapter Five

Zander paced around his small quarters. The captain of the ship was lucky enough to have private accommodations, but because theirs was a stealth mission, it wasn’t much to brag about. That was all right though. Zander had always been a modest man. He didn’t need a hundred billion people from every alien race in the universe knowing who he was or how he was going to help them, or a giant bedroom on his ship to make him feel better about being the boss. It was an intimidating thought, really.

His mother had always called him sensitive, and his soulful eyes had gripped many a female in their clutches. But Zander wanted more than just the gratification of copulation. He wanted something deeper, that would transcend time and space. He wasn’t really concerned about it anyway. There was no time for love when you were busy trying to save the universe. It seemed selfish.

But he couldn’t deny his animalistic temptations. It was just the way that his body would react. And right now it had been reacting in a raw, physical way to Pria. He had even entered the realm of dreams and found her there, as eager for his body as he was for hers. He had woken up with the hard-on from hell as he thought about her exotic, human body entwined around his. It took all of his self-control to avoid going into her room right that moment and seeing if his dream had led him astray. Or if, perhaps, she might be willing to push the boundaries with him.

Zander sighed. He’d only had a few sexual encounters before, and found women of his own species baffling, let alone a woman from another planet. He didn’t consider himself to be very close-minded, but he did feel concerned that maybe he wouldn’t live up to the expectations of an Earth woman. They all had a different idea of what was good in a man of their own species, and if he was lacking any of those qualities, didn’t that mean that Pria would reject him?

Truth be told, he was terrified about the way she might react to his body, even if she did turn out to be attracted to him. They were so different. He had seen human anatomy before. There were some marked differences, especially in the reproduction department.

It was basically the same, but his race had larger sex organs and he knew that might be intimidating for someone as slight as she was. She was a fighter, and a survivor, he could tell it from the way she carried herself, but she was still a human. Her physical limitations were just that. What if he hurt her? He wouldn’t be able to live with himself, and he couldn’t risk damaging one of the most important women in the universe just to fulfill his base and carnal needs.

That wasn’t why Kane had assigned him to be captain of the Legend. He had been promoted because he was sensitive and highly attuned to his environment. He was the ideal candidate for stealth missions and supposedly an expert on humans. He didn’t feel that way though, not anymore. Meeting an actual human was a great reminder of just how much he didn’t know. But what he was good at was moving sneakily through space in a ship so small that nobody would ever suspect he was carrying the most precious cargo in the universe on board, tucked safely away.

***

Pria’s heart thudded when the door to her room opened. She thought it would be Zander, but she was disappointed to find that it was a Driad she had never seen before. He approached her cautiously, hunched over as if he were afraid she might attack at any moment.

“What’s wrong?” Pria asked, a small grin creasing her face.

“I – nothing. It’s just that I’ve read that humans are one of the more, uh, aggressive races on the planet…”

“Aggressive?” Pria laughed. “More aggressive than a guy who wants to wipe out the universe for domination?”

“I…”

“It’s all right,” she said, softening her voice as much as she could. He seemed older and it made her feel kind of bad to see him cowering like that. “I won’t hurt anybody. In fact, the opposite might be true.”

“Might it?” he asked, shakily pushing a tray of food toward her.

“I don’t know. This whole thing is so confusing. Like how am I even talking to you right now when there are a billion different languages on Earth that have all come to be in different ways? None of this is making sense to me. You shouldn’t make sense to me. I feel like I’m trapped in a really weird dream that’s been going on too long.”

“Um. Well I don’t think it’s a dream, but I can’t really be sure. The nature of the universe is very mysterious. But I can answer your question about language. We have implanted a device in your body that allows you to understand and translate everything that we say. And not just the Driads. All the peoples of the universe whose languages and dialects are known. We sometimes have glitches when we encounter a new race, but after a while the technology adapts. Everybody who has one contributes to the pool of known language, and eventually it figures itself out.”

“You implanted something in me? Does that mean I can go back home and understand French overnight?”

“Oh yes, we have had many scholars stationed on Earth for a long time, studying the evolution of language and the different dialects. Everything they know goes straight to these devices.”

“Does everybody have them?”

“No, many races are not very bright and haven’t developed much of their own technology. If they’re not interested in a trade, they can’t access it. But there is a downside to that. Often times we will allow them access to the technology if they allow one of our linguists to study their language and add it to the device. It tends to be mutually beneficial, but there will always be those who refuse to have anything to do with races that are not of their kind.”

“Did people on Earth agree to this trade?” Pria asked, surprised at the thought that anyone on Earth would know of the alien races and their agendas.

“Oh, absolutely. We’ve gathered many types of intelligence. Your government is highly aware of our existence. They don’t always agree with our methods but they are terrified of all unknown races.”

“You can say that again,” Pria laughed. “They’re even afraid of other humans with different skin colors.”

“Yes,” he said with a small exhale of a laugh. “This is odd. But collectively, your world has agreed to have its languages studied.”

“Does that mean our leaders have these devices?”

“Oh no, they can’t be trusted with them…as I mentioned, they are far too violent. Instead, we offered peace.”

“Peace or what?” Pria said, raising her eyebrows. “Did you threaten them?”

“Erm. Only because they want to believe the worst in everybody. If they assume we have the upper hand, being a fearsome race with superior technology, it is easier to play into these expectations. We don’t need to leave our technology in the hands of an inferior race that could ultimately turn into another batch of Codans.”

“I see,” Pria said, her mind spinning.

“Anyway, please enjoy your breakfast. Captain Zander insists on giving you the widest selection available on the ship.”

And with that, the little man bowed and backed away slowly, not turning his back on Pria. He reached behind himself, patting the wall in an attempt to find the switch for the door.

“What’s your name?” Pria asked him, keeping her eyes on his. He was watching her fretfully, and she hoped that maybe she would be able to ease his mind and help him stop feeling so fearful about her.

“My name is Shef,” he said, glancing nervously to the ground. He finally found the button and visibly relaxed as the door whirred open. “Captain Zander will be in to see you later. He is hoping for an answer. We can’t make you do something against your will, but there will be further tests done either way, if you agree, to help our kind fight an evil you can only imagine.”

And with that, Shef found his way out the door and scrambled away as quickly as he could, leaving Pria alone as the doors hissed closed behind him.

Chapter Six

Zander quietly entered Pria’s room that night, half hoping that she was asleep. He was battling complex feelings toward her, and wasn’t sure she would be able to accept him. He wasn’t the same as human men, and he knew that the tests he had been asked to administer to her would put him to the test if she allowed him to perform them.

He was almost hoping that she would refuse so that the matter would be taken out of his hands. Captain Kane would take over and she would have no choice but to listen to his reasoning. He was one of the most persuasive men in the Driad community, and if anybody could explain the importance of their mission to her, it would be him.

Pria was sitting up on the thin grey couch they had set up in her room to make it more comfortable. She was holding a very outdated magazine that had been placed on the end table. It was flipped open, but her eyes were staring out into the room.

“Are you all right?” Zander asked softly, approaching her as the doors hummed closed behind him. She registered the care in his voice, the concern on his face, and shifted over to make room for him on the couch beside her. He understood the cue and sat down close to her, his leg pressed against hers. He was hot to the touch, she realized, not just warm like she was. Feeling his body pressing against hers seemed to carry that heat straight into her loins, and she felt a hot red flush creep across her cheeks.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said softly. “I’ve just been thinking, that’s all.”

“What about?” he asked, his magnetic and unique eyes boring into hers. She let herself get lost in them for a moment before answering.

“About what you said.”

“Which thing?” he asked with a small smile.

“The…I’ll do it.”

“What?” he asked, genuinely surprised.

“I don’t see how I could say no. Most people aren’t just handed a chance to help to play a part in saving the entire universe. What kind of jerk would I be to say no?”

“I…do you understand what this would entail?”

“I think so…”

“You would have to trust us completely. Put your life in our hands. Be willing to fall under the scalpel at any time of day or night. You would be surrendering control to us. Is that what you want?”

“Well…”

“And that’s just for the vaccination. What about…”

“I’ll do that too.”

“Are you absolutely sure?” Zander asked, his eyes wide.

Pria smiled, putting his face in her hands and pulling him close to her. Zander’s hearts both began to quicken and he tried to speak but he faltered. He had been so nervous about this moment, but now with her hands on his skin, nothing could have felt more right.

“I’m sure,” she said, her long-lashed eyes speaking volumes that she couldn’t dare to say out loud. She couldn’t possibly explain to him how he lingered in her mind long after he left. How she longed to let herself explore the entirety of his body. What other little differences would she find?

Zander ran his strong hands through her soft auburn hair, exhaling quietly as he did so. She melted under his touch and leaned her hand against his cheek. He pulled her face close to his, and waited for a brief pause as he gazed at her face. She was the most captivating person he had ever seen. He loved the way her blue eyes glowed when she looked at him, and the way her body looked in the clothes she had arrived in from Earth. They hadn’t changed them yet since the procedures hadn’t been very invasive, but he came to her now with a new change of clothes. And something else.

“Are you sure?” he asked, not wanting to get his own hopes up if she would back out. He felt a stiffening of his groin as the reality washed over him. Her hands on his skin, cool and sensual. Her body offered up to him on a silver platter to unlock secrets that could save the galaxy.

“Yes,” she whispered.

She wanted something. Her voice seemed high pitched. Her full lips were so close to his own. He was tempted to draw her close to him, to feel the tender mouth against his own. But Able and Krill would be there, watching from the observation room. He had only come to get an answer.

Zander stood up abruptly, looking down with pained eyes at Pria.

“I’m so glad you decided to help us. Please put this gown on. The testing will begin tomorrow.”

“All right, Zander,” Pria said, her voice disappointed.

He could feel her eyes watching him as he handed her the gown and headed out of her room. He couldn’t give in to his temptations. Especially not when Able and Krill were watching. It just wouldn’t be ethical. It might even stir dissent upon the ship and get him demoted. Worse, he would be labeled unworthy and sent back to population control on the mother ship, where the ordinary Driad citizens tried to carve out a life for themselves as much as they possibly could.

He couldn’t allow that. And he couldn’t love Pria. Not when their lives were so different. Even their bodies, their hearts. And that was what love really boiled down to. He would just have to hold back.

* **

Pria watched Zander go, feeling dissatisfied. She felt sure they’d had a connection, and even opened the door for him to feel her attraction to him. But he didn’t quite seem to get it. In fact, he looked confused, or pained in some way. Did he find her repulsive? Of course he did. Men on Earth could be shallow enough. What would a man from another planet think of a woman who was nothing like the women on his own world?

Pria sighed. She shouldn’t have bothered to get her hopes up. And yet, she hadn’t done so consciously. Every time she saw Zander, it was like her body couldn’t help but react to him in one way or another. She was craving his touch, more of that hot skin on her own. How could she help herself? It was a physical reaction she was having, nothing more and nothing less. She would just have to accept that and let it go. He wasn’t going to be attracted to her. She had been wasting time even considering it.

She would just have to do what they wanted her to do and hope that the process was fast and easy. Anything short of that would be difficult and she hoped they would let her revoke her permission. But somehow she doubted it. If what they were saying was true, then their tests on her would be too important. She had agreed. Of course, Zander would probably let her out of it. He seemed kind and compassionate enough. But was he really? He had just left her hanging there. What did she really know about these people anyway?

What if they were lying to her? But the doubt seemed weak. She had already felt in her intuition, and Pria’s intuition was rarely wrong, that Zander was telling the truth.

She leaned back against the couch and sighed, wondering what in the world she had gotten herself into.

Chapter Seven

Pria moaned. Her body was on fire. She had never been more aroused in her life. It felt like every inch of her was begging for release. Any touch would do for her. She just wanted to feel something. She tried moving, hoping to let her hands roam her throbbing body, but she realized that she couldn’t move.

She opened her eyes weakly and saw a blurry silhouette.

“Zander?” she asked, bucking her hips against her restraints. She needed his touch. Needed to feel him on top of her, inside of her.

“Yes, Pria. It’s me,” he said in a hushed whisper.

He had known the arousal serum would test all of his boundaries, but he hadn’t expected it to be this torturous. His groin throbbed in longing as he witnessed Pria becoming a slave to her own desires, and cursed the man who had unlocked the key to putting human women into heat. It would help their studies and overall understanding of Earth’s human biology, but being trapped in this room, so close to her body, knowing that she was aching for his touch was too much.

“Zander,” she panted, closing her eyes again. She couldn’t bear to look at him, not when she felt like this. She wouldn’t make a fool of herself by coming on to him when she felt it was clear that he had rejected her. “I didn’t know it would be like this.”

“Neither did I,” he replied, his voice tight. “Don’t worry, it will be over soon. We’re almost done getting the readings. Then I can inject you with something that will make you feel better.”

“Inject me?” Pria said with a soft giggle. Zander swallowed hard.

“You feel this way because of a serum I had to give you while you were sleeping. It’s to test your body’s biorhythms…I’m really sorry for the inconvenience.”

He had learned the last line from a feed the Driads had intercepted from customer service representatives on Earth’s phone lines. Much of his class had been taken from case studies such as these.

Pria whimpered when his hand grazed her arm, and he gritted his teeth, wishing they could both find some relief from their situation. Unfortunately, that would be impossible. Krill and Able were analyzing the data, and if they saw him act unprofessionally they would surely report him. There were many Driad men who were eager for a chance to captain on such an important mission. He shouldn’t make it easy for them to replace him.

Finally, Krill signaled the green light and Zander sighed in relief, injecting her with the cool-off serum. He wished he could have a little bit of that for himself, and he was sure it wouldn’t take all of her arousal away, just the worst of it. There had to be a better way to gather information from her. Couldn’t he have someone else do it?

But it was his job. And the thought of letting any of the other Driads near Pria, especially in this state of arousal, made him recoil. Except for Shef, who he knew had an aversion to humans. It would be torture for the poor man. He wouldn’t do it to him. His only choice was to accept his fate and do his best not to make a fool of himself in front of his crew. Nobody would need to know about his reaction, although his erection was sure to give him away. If he could just sneak away from the room and have some privacy, then everything would be fine and they could get on with the rest of the tests without him.

“You should be feeling better any second now,” Zander said softly, taking her hand in his and squeezing it. She squeezed back, and her urgent writhing began to subside, until she was panting heavily with her eyes closed, her forehead beaded with sweat.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“We’re going to give you some privacy now, but we will be back this afternoon to take some blood.”

“All right,” she replied.

He left the room swiftly, and headed to his private chambers. The look on his face made it clear that he didn’t feel like interacting with anybody. Even Shef kept his distance, even though he was normally burning with curiosity to find out whatever he could about the supposedly vicious human race. Shef was terrified of them, but Zander had always been intrigued by humans. Was that why he was so drawn to Pria? Or was it something else? Something about her specifically?

He locked himself in his small room and sat on the bed with a heavy sigh. How was he going to handle more tests like these? There were at least three left to do, and each one would surely be more torturous than the last. He laid back in his bed and gently stroked his pulsing groin, unable to get the thought out of his mind that Pria would be doing the same thing. The scientists had been dismissed after the testing and had to move on for preparations of the next experiments. That meant that nobody would be in the observation room.

He knew it would be dishonorable to go and watch her there. But maybe he could say he had gone for the sake of science. He felt a thrill in his abdomen from the thought, and his member stiffened in his hand. He had never needed release so badly in his life. But should he really resort to spying?

***

Pria moaned softly, pulling the sheets up over her body and roaming her hand over the mound of her vulva. Whatever serum they had given her had really taken its toll, and she could think of nothing but getting herself off before they came back.

She tentatively dipped her fingers into her wet slit, closing her eyes as the gentle thrill overwhelmed her. She didn’t want to keep going in case they were still there somewhere, watching her, but the thought almost made her cum. Would it really be so bad to give some horny guy a show, she wondered to herself, gazing at the two-way mirror where she knew the Driads liked to observe her. She felt a powerful pull when her eyes reached the glass, as if somebody was really in there and knew what she was doing. She couldn’t help but let a seductive smile spread across her face, and she spread her legs a little wider. It wouldn’t hurt anybody.

She closed her eyes and slipped two fingers inside herself, moaning immediately as she began to work off the tension from the experiments. She hadn’t known what she was in for when she agreed to surrender herself to Zander. She wished that he was there, and swallowed hard. What if he was the person in the observation space? He hadn’t been able to hide his massive erection from her. She’d been looking, hoping for it.

She closed her eyes, hammering her fingers harder into herself and imagining it was Zander’s huge cock. Her walls tightened around her fingers and she uttered a low moan as they were flooded by her orgasm. It hadn’t taken long. Not much of a show for the person who was watching her, but at least she felt better. Pria lowered her eyelids and fell into a blissful sleep.

Zander looked down at the mess he had made on the control panel of the observation room. He had let his lust make the decision for him, and found himself still cumming hard even as Pria’s orgasm dwindled away and she was pulled into sleep. That was the thing about their sex organs, he knew. His would keep going, more powerful and explosive than a human male’s. Would she be able to handle it? Probably not.

He closed his eyes, remembering the sensual smile she had cast into the room. Almost as if she had known he was there. The look on her face overwhelmed him with pleasure and he finally released the last of his load into his hands. Zander sighed. He had some cleaning up to do before the others got back.

Chapter Eight

The next time Zander saw Pria, things felt awkward. Zander felt ashamed of himself for being a voyeur, but Pria just felt as if she had been rejected. Whether her arousal had aroused him or not wasn’t an issue. But when they could have kissed, he refused her. She was sure she wouldn’t meet up to his standards of a woman anyway. Beauty was always in the eye of the beholder.

He hooked up a few machines to her body and gave her a curt nod before leaving. He felt too embarrassed to face her. Pria watched him go, frowning, wondering if touching him so intimately had been wrong of her. She wished that they could talk about it, but there wasn’t really much left for her to say.

A few hours later, he returned, and she got her hopes up. She thought that maybe he really did want to talk to her and everything had just been a misunderstanding. But when he returned, his face was grim and serious.

“Follow me,” he said. He normally would have helped her up, but he didn’t dare to touch her. Not after the things he had been thinking about doing to her the day before.

“Where are we going?” she asked as he led her through the bay. She took in the vast sights and sounds of the spaceship. Many of the Driads stopped what they were doing to stare at her. She remembered Shef’s fear of humans and made a face at them. Several of them cowered, while others laughed. She was spunky, they had to hand her that. But she was going to save the universe. There wasn’t much to fear.

“We need other tests done. Vitals. Physical limitations, things like that.”

“Physical limitations?” she asked, stopping him in the corridor and staring him in the eye. He shifted uncomfortably and looked away.

“Nothing painful of course, or um…we’re just going to have you exercise for a while, okay? See what you’re capable of. It will help us in the future when we use your test results to create the hybrids.”

“I see,” she said softly, following him into an open room. It was much like the one they had been keeping her in, but it was full of strange equipment. Some things looked similar to the machines she would find in a gym on Earth, but others looked terrifying.

“We have to hook you up to these monitors here,” he said, turning to her. He gently brushed the shoulder of her gown down, revealing her clavicle and part of her round, white breast. He tried not to stare as he hooked her up and turned away quickly. “This one needs to go over your heart.”

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, before facing her again and pulling the gown down, revealing her breasts. She felt a little embarrassed, but surprised to find that he lacked the hostility she expected to find in him. She had believed that he didn’t like her. She never would have guessed that he was so shy. Maybe that was why he hadn’t kissed her.

She inhaled sharply as his hot fingers pressed the hook up to her chest. She wanted to feel more of his touch, but it was over too soon.

“Krill here will show you how to use the equipment and what to do.”

“Okay…”

Zander moved to a bench and started fiddling with his watch. A hologram popped up and she realized that although she could hear and speak different languages, she still couldn’t read them. How far in life would that get her learning French? It didn’t matter.

She endured two hours’ worth of physical tests as Zander took notes and observed her. She would glance over at him from time to time and realize that he was staring at her. She expected him to look annoyed or indifferent, and was shocked to realize that he looked sad. Maybe it was true then. Maybe Zander was just a shy man who was just as confused about his feelings as she was about her own.

If that was the case, then she would just have to do her best not to blame him for refusing her. Maybe alien customs of showing affection were different. Maybe they didn’t even kiss. She had no idea. All she knew was that she very desperately wanted to find out.

***

Zander paced his room, realizing unhappily that he had been doing this a lot lately. It was a way that he liked to relieve stress, but sometimes it backfired and just made him feel more anxious. It was a habit his mother had tried to break him of, saying it drove her to the brink seeing him pace like that. But he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t get Pria out of his mind. The tests were going to advance soon and then she would be returned to Earth. He just had a couple of days left with her. Would he be able to live with himself if he just let her go back without ever having the courage to act on his feelings?

Zander wasn’t sure what the protocol for this was. It would take a long time to develop the hybrids, and they might just need to keep an eye on her in case the Codans realized that she existed. People would be posted to keep her safe on Earth. Since he wasn’t very comfortable with his authority on the ship, maybe he could apply as one of her guards. He couldn’t imagine never seeing her again.

What a sentimental sap he was being! He should just forget about her and be happy that Captain Kane was willing to put so much trust in him. But somehow, Pria’s approval outranked even his captain’s.

Suddenly, he realized that he had forgotten to administer her vitamin after the last series of arousal tests had been completed. He needed to see if she would be able to handle the essential vitamins that his race needed to survive. If she wasn’t able to, then their hopes of using her for hybrids was dashed.

Zander sighed. He had been secretly hoping for an excuse to see her again. Everybody on the ship was sleeping; the artificial lights emulating the sun rose and set following their circadian rhythms. But there he was, still wide awake with nothing but Pria on his mind. He sighed and headed toward Pria’s room, hoping that she would be asleep when he entered.

Chapter Nine

Pria heard the door to her room hiss open and held her breath, hoping to see Zander. She peeked through her half-closed eyelids and found that her hopes had come true. She tried not to let him know that she was awake. He crept cautiously toward her, holding a syringe in his hand. Most of the time they left her alone at this hour, but for some reason he was there without any warning. She felt him inject her with the serum through the IV. His strong, hot hands caressed her body and she sighed as she became instantly hot under his touch.

She opened her eyes, convinced that he had injected her with the arousal serum. He studied her, a little panicked, but he didn’t want to leave. Her body was filled with an intense, familiar fire, and she moaned as his hand moved from her arm, down her torso. She thought that her arousal had never been stronger than when they injected her, but with Zander touching her, she changed her mind.

“Zander,” she whispered, her body on fire as he allowed his hands to roam the curves of her smooth body up and down. She moaned as his strong, hot hands found their way between her thighs. She bucked into them and he uttered a soft groan of appreciation. He could feel her blazing against his hand, with nothing but her thin gown, now wet with her desperate hunger between them.

Suddenly, he could no longer help himself. He climbed over her, his ample groin pressing hard against her middle. She moaned and he buried his mouth against her neck, sending shivers of pleasure throughout her body. He let out a low growl as she responded to his touch, dragging her mound along his shaft and filling him with an insatiable need to be inside of her.

He ran his hands through her hair, sucking and nibbling on her neck as he did. She cried out and wrapped her legs around his waist, inviting him to come closer to her; to feel the heat between her legs.

His body hovered over hers for a moment, completely still. He finally began gyrating on top of her and she felt every cell in her body stirring in response. He carefully stripped her, and then, casting aside all of his inhibitions lest he miss his chance, he also stripped himself. She paused for a moment to take him in. He was gorgeous. His torso was incredibly muscular and his skin was smooth. He was mostly humanoid in shape, but as she suspected, his manhood was much larger. She moaned as he moved between her legs, pressing himself firmly against her wetness.

“This might not be what you’re used to,” he cautioned, his muscular form teasing and tantalizing her body with slow, bold strokes.

“I don’t want what I’m used to,” she said. “I want you.”

Zander smiled down at her. She was certainly adventurous. It was just as well. She might not know what she was asking for.

“I’m not sure I will be able to stop myself once I start. Is that okay?” he asked, his hearts pounding.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Just do it.”

Zander felt himself swell with need, his huge muscle making its way between her legs. Its head squeezed inside of her and she gasped in pleasure.

“I’ll go slow,” he promised. She nodded, her eyes squeezed closed. She was whimpering, whether in pleasure or in pain he couldn’t tell. Not until she gripped her sheets and pushed herself further down his shaft was he sure. They both groaned out loud as the friction created an explosion of bliss between them.

He took her breast in his large mouth and sweetly sucked her nipple. She tried to hold back the moan of pleasure she felt, but she couldn’t. The sound of her voice as he pleasured her made his urgent need to fill her up even more irresistible.

“I’ve wanted you for so long,” he confessed breathily into her ear as he thrust his hips, bringing another moan to her lips. As he began to swell inside her, tendrils of pleasure wound up and down her body, and she sighed softly, closing her eyes as she took in the sensation.

“I thought you didn’t like me,” she said softly.

“Just the opposite,” he replied, flipping her onto her stomach and raising her ass in the air. He pushed himself a little further inside and she bucked wildly against him as the overwhelming pleasure nearly caused her to collapse. She gripped her sheets tightly in her hands as he pushed his way inside, showering her bare back with hot kisses.

“Why did you inject me with the serum tonight?” she asked quietly.

“The…what?” he paused for a moment to laugh. “I didn’t. This is all you.”

He shoved himself midway inside of her and she cried out in pleasure.

“Don’t stop!” she scolded him as he waited for a moment to laugh to himself.

“It was just a vitamin,” he said, rocking his hips gently against her. She moaned in bliss as he filled her more fully than she had ever been in her life. She had never wanted someone so badly. He held her waist gently and began massaging her clit with his large, hot thumb.

“This isn’t even the worst of it,” he whispered, slowly pulling himself out.

“What do you mean?” she asked, suddenly nervous.

“You’ll see,” he said. “My kind…we grow inside of you.”

“Are you serious-“

She abruptly let out a loud moan as he shoved himself unexpectedly back inside of her again. Her body trembled with pleasure, throbbing as he finally became fully immersed. He paused, allowing her to squeeze around his shaft, milking every small, blissful sensation possible.

“Oh my g- “

He didn’t give her a chance to finish speaking and flipped her around so that she was facing him, almost in his lap. She eased herself down his massive shaft, and his eyes held hers. She gasped in pleasure and surprise when his cock began to grow wider inside of her. Just when she was afraid it would never stop and she would be torn in two, it did, and he began ramming into her with all of his strength.

Pria had been so desperate to feel his body that she quickly began to quake around him. Zander felt his enveloped member being squeezed by the contractions of her orgasm and inhaled deeply, trembling inside of her as she gasped in sensual bliss. He thrust into her with all of his might as she came, until she screamed out loud as his eruptive orgasm began flooding her.

She was shocked by the power of his load and came again twice before he was finished. He held her firmly by the waist, hammering into her until every last drop was spent inside of her.

***

They relocated to the couch, where the mess of their sex wouldn’t be uncomfortable. He held her close to his hot body and smiled down at her.

“You’re going to be released soon. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I never did that,” Zander admitted.

She laughed softly.

“I’m going back home? But I thought…”

“We have what we need from you for now. But you will be under strict surveillance. If the Codans knew who you were, the universe would be in trouble. It’s safer for everybody if you return home.”

“I’m not sure I like the idea of going away without you,” she said, frowning.

“I don’t think you’ll have to,” Zander said. “Being captain isn’t for me. I’m going to ask Kane if I can head to Earth and watch over you. I’ve done well enough that I think he will agree.”

“That’s great,” she breathed, snuggling closely into his body.

***

At the end of the week, just as he’d promised, she was back to her old home. She hadn’t lost her job at all, as it turned out. Most people only believed that she had been gone for a day or two. But she had never been happier with Zander stationed just above her apartment, head of a stealth operation to keep her safe.

Every night, he would beam her into the ship, cloaked to blend in with the night sky, and they would spend the evening together, happier than either of them had ever been in their whole lives.

THE END

MC Romance

What the Outlaw Must Have

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1.

Holly collapsed on the stool and rubbed the soles of her feet. They were red hot and tired. She had been working since eleven that morning and now as it approached 1:00 am, her whole body ached. Her shoes fell lightly to the floor, and Elle almost swept them up with the edge of her broom. The girls laughed, half with amusement and half with exhaustion.

“What a shift,” Holly sighed as she stretched and pulled a strawberry milkshake closer to her and took a long, much-needed sip.

“Tell me about it,” Elle said as she set down the broom and sat on the stool next to her.

“Pass me mine,” she smiled, motioning to the other tall glass next to Holly.

Holly slid it along the countertop, and Elle began to stir it with her straw.

“Happy Friday,” she grinned. The two girls clinked glasses.

“Yeah, who needs to go to a bar when you can serve truckers and indulge in these once a week?” Holly joked.

Elle laughed and slapped her playfully on the arm.

“We need to get lives, don’t we?” Elle scrunched up her mouth as she pouted and looked out across the parking lot. It was now deserted, but just an hour before it had been filled with trucks and cars, and the diner had been full of men and women either traveling somewhere or just looking for someone to talk to. Their small town could be a lonely one and they regularly got people in there who simply had nothing better to do.

“I’m just glad tonight is over.” Holly rubbed her eyes. “I’m so tired, I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

“Are you off tomorrow?” Elle asked as she got back to her feet and continued to sweep up the remnants of French fries and pie crusts that had made their way onto the floor.

“Yep,” Holly grinned. “And I intend to sleep all day.”

“Don’t waste it,” Elle said seriously. “Go shopping, catch a movie, or even better…come in here and see me!”

“Haha,” Holly laughed. “No chance.”

“Spoil sport,” Elle pouted.

Elle knew that even though they had the milkshake ritual every Friday night, she couldn’t stomach the thought of finishing hers. She pushed it away and got to her feet. Without her shoes, she tiptoed behind the counter and began to clean the counters before heading over to the cash register and counting the money.

“Randy would kill you if he saw you without shoes,” Elle laughed. “Fired on the spot.”

“Well, it’s a good thing he isn’t here, then,” Holly winked before arranging all of the cash into neat piles and putting it in the safe. Randy would be in at 6:00 am to collect it and no doubt check that the girls had done everything exactly how he liked it. For a boss, he could be a pain in the ass, but at least he left them alone regularly to just get on with things. Holly didn’t exactly like working as a waitress, but she was grateful to have a job that allowed her to pay her way and put a roof over her head. Since she lost her parents, she also didn’t mind not having so much time on her hands… She didn’t like being left alone to think.

“Seriously, though,” Elle said as she turned off the neon lights that lit up the windows out front. “Don’t waste your day tomorrow… I’m stuck in here until six and then back in on Sunday. What I wouldn’t give to have the weekend free.”

Holly thought about it for a moment and realized her friend was right. She should do something worthwhile rather than just lying in bed and churning everything over.

“Okay,” she smiled. “You’re right. I’ll get out and seize the day.”

“Carpe diem,” Elle nodded with pride.

“Indeed,” Holly laughed.

As the girls left the diner and made their way to Holly’s car, she had an overwhelming rush of affection for Elle. She really had been a great friend to her when she needed someone the most, and she was grateful to have found her. When she had taken her job at the diner, the last thing she had expected was to find a friend for life. Now the two of them were the longest serving waitresses there and well-known fixtures in their local community, as well as with the hundreds of truckers who traveled down their stretch of highway day in and day out.

As Holly pulled up outside of Elle’s small ranch house, she kissed her on the cheek.

“Have a fun day off,” Elle bounced out of the car. “I’ll see you Monday?”

“Sure,” Holly smiled. “Have a good weekend.”

Elle smiled and waved over her shoulder as she made her way to her front door. Holly looked ahead and at the dark road in front of her. She had a whole weekend with only herself for company, and it seemed to stretch out ahead like a terrifying abyss.

“Come on,” she coached herself as she pulled away from the curb and started on her way home. “Time alone isn’t so bad.”

But she wasn’t fooling anyone.

Least of all herself.

2.

The next morning, the sunlight blazed through the curtains and illuminated Holly’s bedroom. She was flat on her back, wrapped up under the sheet, and she blinked as she came to. She sat up and stretched and rubbed her eyes. The day did look inviting. She could tell it was going to be a hot one and there would no doubt be plenty of people down by the lake waterskiing, fishing and swimming, but she couldn’t bring herself to go down there alone. With each passing week, her confidence was dwindling. It had been such a long time since she had had a boyfriend, and after the death of her parents she found herself becoming more introverted.

She felt alone in the world, and it was starting to weigh heavy on her. Elle was the only person she really had that she could rely on and trust, but they couldn’t be together all of the time, and Holly knew that she had to make herself stronger on her own.

She got out of bed and walked slowly into the kitchen. Her house was similar to Elle’s but maybe slightly smaller. It was all on one level and had two bedrooms instead of three, but the girls often marveled at how strange it was that the layouts were almost identical.

When the kettle boiled, she poured herself a huge cup of tea and made her way through to the adjoining room. She slipped down onto the couch and yawned. Even though she had slept until almost noon, she was still exhausted.

She reached down and pulled out her photo album from the bottom shelf of her coffee table. She had made a habit to look at a few photographs of her family every day because she missed them so much. She still couldn’t believe it had been two whole years that they had been gone.

As she flipped open the first page, she saw the familiar picture of her mother and father with their arms around each other, smiling down at the camera while they stood in their garden at the old house. When they died, Holly decided to put it up for sale so she could move somewhere smaller and start again, but it hadn’t been easy to leave all of their memories behind.

Her father had dropped dead one day without any warning. Her mother had found him crumpled up in the shower, and the paramedics said he was dead before he hit the floor. A massive heart attack had rocketed through him and taken him at fifty-five. Holly honestly didn’t think that life could deal her and her mother any more blows, but less than six months later her mother had passed away from what the doctors believed could have been a broken heart.

She had heard of stories like that happening but had never really believed them. But after seeing it firsthand, she knew it to be true. Her mother had loved her father so much that she couldn’t exist in the world without him.

After the passing of her mother and once the house had sold, Holly knew it was time to move on with her life. She had invested much of the money from the house, used some as a down payment on a new house and started working at the diner. The world could have been her oyster, but she couldn’t face the thought of leaving her hometown and her family behind. It was the only place she really knew, and it was the only place she really wanted to be.

Making the decision not to leave came with its bad points. She never had the chance to meet anyone new, she hadn’t had a romantic relationship pretty much since high school and she was in no way likely to meet anyone at this rate. People simply didn’t just move to Red Creek; it was more the kind of town they either passed through or had been in forever.

She closed the album and slipped it back onto the coffee table. After seeing the love her parents had shared, Holly knew that it would take a very special person to steal her heart. She wanted the kind of love you only heard about in stories. She wanted not only to be swept off her feet but to also have something completely different and unconventional. Her dad had been so dedicated and protective over her mom that she had only ever considered someone who fit the same kind of mold. She needed someone who would do anything to protect her, someone who would fight for her fiercely and someone who other men feared because of his dedication. Once she was settled down, she wanted it to be forever. She wanted children and an exceptional love that would break all kinds of boundaries and challenge her in ways she never dreamed possible.

“I’ve waited so long,” she had said to Elle one day, “that I may as well wait as long as it takes… I’m not settling.”

Elle had smiled at her and nodded her head in agreement. “You know what you want,” she’d purred, “and you’ll get it, I’m sure.”

The words echoed around her mind as she showered and got dressed. She still had no idea what she was going to do with her day, but she knew that she had to get out of the house and not just sit with her thoughts.

After she had dried her hair and put on a slick of lipstick, she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. Outside, the sun beat down on her as she climbed into her hot car and opened up the windows.

“Let’s see what’s happening in the creek today,” she said to herself with amusement.

She was fully expecting there to be nothing of note, just a normal, dull day in a small town. How wrong she was…

3.

Main Street was buzzing with activity with it being a Saturday afternoon, and as she parked her car outside the grocery store and made her way along the sidewalk to pay the meter, she got a strange sense that something exciting was happening.

She turned and watched groups of old women gossiping on the street corners and some of the shop keepers out on the sides of the road looking up and down and chatting with people as they passed.

It was as if they were waiting for someone…or something. They were all looking worried and concerned.

“Is something wrong?” Holly asked a teenage boy on a skateboard as he rolled by.

He shrugged his shoulders and didn’t answer.

Holly shook it off. Maybe she was just being paranoid. Being unoccupied really didn’t agree with her. She needed to keep herself busy and clearly needed a hobby. She looked down the street and saw the hanging gym sign swaying back and forth in the light breeze.

Maybe I should get involved with some classes, she thought. Yoga or Pilates… Or I could get a personal trainer…

She laughed at herself before she had even really finished thinking about it. Holly knew the last thing she would be doing was bending into all sorts of random positions in a room full of old ladies. She would rather just run with her loneliness and be done with it.

She went into the grocery store and picked up a basket. She hadn’t made a list or really thought about what she needed, but as she started browsing, she decided that it was the perfect day to make herself a big fruit salad and lie outside in her garden on her sun chair while eating it and listening to music.

She picked up strawberries, mangoes, apples, oranges, blueberries and grapes. Her mouth was watering as she thought about chilling them all and mixing them up in a big bowl. As she approached the register to pay, she could hear the hushed whispers of different huddles of people all around her. They were all discussing something frantically and shaking their heads. Some of the older ladies had drawn faces and looked pale. One woman said how she thought it would best to leave town right then and there before the inevitable happened.

“Excuse me,” Holly said as she leaned over and tried to get involved in their conversation, “but is something going on?”

They turned and looked at her blankly before looking again at each other.

“Well, if you haven’t heard, dear, it won’t be long until you find out,” one of the little old ladies said as she picked up her groceries and made for the exit. “This town is doomed,” she added before she turned and disappeared onto the street.

“I… what?” Holly looked at the other women.

None of them seemed to want to have the conversation, and all dropped their heads before they continued on with their own business.

Holly was completely in the dark and had no idea what was happening around her. The town was far too hyped up and alert for it to be nothing, and the old lady in the store saying “This town is doomed” made her skin crawl…

What on earth could be happening?

After she bagged up the fruit and wandered back out onto the sidewalk, she stood for a moment and looked around. The same buzz was still alive, and she was determined that she wasn’t leaving until she found out what the hell was going on.

She threw the bag of fruit into her car via the open window and crossed the street to the other side. The usual collection of men sat outside the barber shop, and as she approached them, some of the older guys got to their feet to greet her.

“Holly, how are you doing?” a man named Mitch asked her. He had been one of her father’s closest friends.

“I’m good, thank you,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him for a reassuring hug. “But what is going on down here today?”

“What, you mean you haven’t heard?” Mitch asked with raised eyebrows. “I thought you gals in the diner would be the first to hear, what with all the people you got passing through…”

“I haven’t been in this morning,” she said. “I woke up late and came straight down here… I don’t even know where my cell phone is, so God knows if Elle has tried to get me… What’s happening?” She looked up at Mitch with wide eyes as her heart began to race. She could tell from his expression that it was something bad.

“Looks like the old ways are coming back,” he said finally. “You were only young when they were driven out of Red Creek, but folks always thought they’d come back…”

Holly shook her head with bewilderment and looked around at the serious faces all around her. They were all in various states of fear, disappointment and sadness. The old men of Red Creek, whose families had been there for generations and been some of the founding members were all in front of her now and looked as if they were on the verge of a breakdown.

“The outlaws…” Mitch said ominously. “They’re back.”

As Holly looked up into his eyes, she heard the thunder of wild engines in the distance. They were loud, heavy and growled through the peaceful streets like a hot knife cutting through butter. Her skin prickled as she turned and watched the scene in front of her unfolding… Under the light of the sun, the glint of silver shone so brightly she had to lift her hand to cover her eyes.

There could have been hundreds of them. She never would have been able to count… But right there in front of her, wild men, with long hair, stubbly faces and long beards, covered in leather and tattoos, came roaring into the streets on the backs of some of the loudest and most powerful motorcycles she had ever seen.

Her mouth gaped open as she watched them circling around the streets and revving their engines. These men were dangerous, and they meant business. And by the looks of things, they had just claimed her town.

4.

As Holly pulled into the parking lot at the diner, a plume of sandy dust sprayed out behind her car’s wheels. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and the only person she wanted to see was Elle. She jumped out of the driver’s side and ran up the steps to the front door and pushed it open. The little bell tinged above her head, and a few of the truckers on their stood turned slightly to clock who was coming in. She walked in swiftly and made her way straight to the kitchen. One of the other girls, Abbey, was front of house and taking orders. She waved to her as she passed.

In the kitchen, Elle was stacking up plates at the side of the sink for the pot washers.

“Hey, doll,” she smiled with her big lipstick smile as Holly burst in.

“I need to talk to you!” Holly hissed as she grabbed Elle by the elbow and pulled her out of the kitchen and into the service hall. It was dark in there and cold. Probably the coldest place in Red Creek as it was flanked either side by huge walk-in freezers.

“What’s the matter?” Elle looked stunned.

“Have you seen what’s going on out there today?” Holly asked as her voice shook. “It’s crazy.”

“No,” Elle said nonchalantly, and then, “Do you mean with the bikers?”

Holly looked at her with her mouth agape.

“Yes, of course I mean with the bikers!”

“That’s not something to worry about,” Elle said with a laugh. “This is exactly what we’ve been waiting for our whole lives!”

“What do you mean?” Holly asked, completely confused, not for the first time that day.

“Holly, come on. Both of us are single twenty-five year olds, looking for Mr. Right… Don’t you think there’s a good chance that this new bunch of wild men may bring something good our way?”

Holly stopped and thought about it for a moment. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that a biker might like her.

“I guess I hadn’t really thought about it… I’m more worried about what they’re going to do to this town.”

“They’re going to keep us safe, that’s what,” Elle guffawed. “The old people, they don’t understand that times have changed and crime is everywhere. These guys may be badass and dangerous, but I’d rather have them here than not if another rival gang comes looking for a small town to take over.”

Holly listened to her and could kind of see her point, but it was all so new to her, she didn’t really understand.

“Listen,” Elle said as she rubbed her arm reassuringly. “These outlaws were run out of town years ago, for what reason I don’t know, but I know that not everyone thinks them coming back is such a bad thing, and I’m one of them. I think it’s exciting and just what this place needs. The majority of people who live here are all over fifty, and it’s basically God’s waiting room.” She laughed at her own joke. “I mean come on, did you not get a good look at any of them? I bet some of them were hot, right?”

Holly thought back to what she had seen in the street. The screech of tires, the rumbling of engines and all that leather, muscles and ink.

“I didn’t really get a good look, but yeah, I mean, I guess so.”

“Exactly,” Elle said with a huge grin on her face. “Some strong, hot men who could look after and protect us? There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with that to me.”

Holly knew her friend was right, but she was still worried about what kind of trouble they might bring to the town. She knew what men like that were all about… and most of it was illegal.

“And,” Elle said as she wrapped her arm around Holly’s waist and led her to the farthest end of the service hall, “I know where they’re all going to be tonight.” She wiggled her eyebrows and grinned from ear to ear.

“Oh no,” Holly said. “That is just going looking for trouble!”

“Don’t be such a bore,” Elle teased. “I’m not taking no for an answer, anyway.”

“I thought you were working?” Holly tried to shake free.

“I’m getting off at six, and I’ll be over to pick you up at eight. Now get yourself home and get ready!” she laughed.

Holly looked at her friend. Her enthusiasm and excitement was infectious and even though Holly had a bad feeling about it, her curiosity was also building.

“Okay,” she finally said, defeated. “I’ll come… But where are we even going?”

“They’re having a party down by the lake,” Elle smiled.

“Seriously?” Holly laughed. “That doesn’t sound very outlaw-ish.”

“Oh it will be,” Elle nodded. “Trust me, it’s going to be wild.”

Holly drove home, her head swimming full of possibilities. When she had woken up that morning, she had just been expecting another dull day in Red Creek, with her trying to pass the time in the quickest way possible. Now she was on her way home to get ready for a wild party with a bunch of bikers. She couldn’t help but smile at her predicament.

Holly was a good girl, but on this occasion her curiosity was definitely getting the better of her. For the first time in her life, she thought, Why the hell not?

Back at home, she ate her fruit as she had planned and flung open her closet doors. She’d decided that if she was going to party with men like that, then she was going to dress the part. She hadn’t been out to a club or a bar in such a long time. She didn’t even know what people wore anymore, but she still had a tight little black dress and some killer heels that she could slip into and still look like she had when she had bought them at nineteen.

She looked in the mirror and smiled. Elle was right—this little bit of excitement was exactly what they both needed.

5.

By the time it reached 8:00, Holly was all dressed and ready to go. She sat on her porch drinking a glass of wine for the first time in forever, and she clicked her heels together. She had chosen the little black dress and her sky-high heels. She wrapped a cropped leather jacket around her shoulders and plumped up her lips again with red lipstick. When Elle’s car came honking down the street, Holly smiled and stood up, lifting the bottle of wine with her.

“Started already!” Elle exclaimed as Holly bounced into the car beside her. “I like it!”

The girls drove through town, seeing the bikers’ presence at every turn. Harley Davidsons were lined up along pretty much the entire length of Main Street and the men were out in force. Some of them were older with long, graying beards and some were young, muscly, covered in tattoos and very, very attractive.

Elle clapped her hands together in delight as she watched them all walking around their quiet town. She turned to Holly and grinned.

“I am far too excited,” she beamed. “I can’t wait to meet them.”

They drove out of the other side of town and took a left down the long lake-side road. It went on for about two miles, but the lake was somewhere in the middle. Bikes growled past them, and Elle honked at them and waved. The riders looked in at them and winked. Some of them even cat-called, and Holly had never seen Elle so worked up and carefree. It was great to see, but her nerves were mounting… They really didn’t know what they were getting themselves into.

When Elle pulled off the road and into the tree-covered parking lot, Holly got out of the car and looked up at the sky. The trees were thick and like a canopy above them, but she could just make out the light from the moon. Other cars were arriving at the same time.

“Everyone wants to be here tonight,” Elle said. “It’s all people have been talking about in the diner all day.”

“I bet the old boys aren’t,” Holly said, feeling slightly guilty.

Elle stopped and took hold of her by the shoulders. “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” she said. “I don’t want to force you into anything you don’t want to do.”

Holly thought about what she had said for a moment. She knew that it would be easier to turn and climb back into the car and get the hell out of there, but she also knew that Elle had been right. She was a single girl and she wanted to meet someone. She had heard all about bikers, their loyalty and commitment to family, and now that was what Holly craved more than ever. She wanted a family of her own, and a man like that could give it to her.

“No,” she said defiantly. “I want to. Come on, let’s go and have a good time.” She linked her arm with Elle’s and pulled her forward into the forest. The sounds of bike engines, music and cheering was already pulling them in.

As the lake started to become visible through the trees, Holly could see the swarm of bodies down by the water’s edge. The majority of them were big, burly men, gorgeous looking and wild in nature. They swigged from whiskey bottles, chain-smoked cigarettes and arm wrestled each other on the big rocks dotted around the shore line.

As they made their way down to meet them, Holly’s heart was pounding. What if none of them were interested in her and she was going to make a fool of herself? She clasped Elle’s hand with nervousness and Elle squeezed back.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered.

As they approached the crowd, Holly recognized several people who came into the diner. They were there partying too, and some of the girls from town were already wrapped up in passionate embraces with the bikers. Elle pulled her towards a small group of men and some of them turned to look at them.

They were all so attractive and had that lustful bad boy edge that Holly didn’t know where to rest her eyes. She knew they were all weighing her and Elle up, taking them in, and in no time at all two of them stepped forward. They looked as if they were in their late twenties or early thirties, and they were tall, ripped with muscles and perfect jawlines, and their shaggy hair fell down around their eyes. They smiled at the girls with cigarettes clenched between their teeth.

“What do we have here?” one of them said cockily.

They began to circle Holly and Elle with the air of predators. The girls clung together, but Elle still smiled, swaying from leg to leg like a school girl.

“I’m Elle,” she purred, “and this is Holly.”

The two guys stopped and came closer. The other men in the crowd either watched with amusement or went back to arm wrestling and smoking. Holly noticed that one of them was getting tattooed with a big silver needle. The two bikers were so mean and sexy that Holly felt her sex begin to pulse in anticipation.

“Holly,” the guy in front of her said, his dark brown eyes glinting at her and making her go weak. “I’m Glider.”

He took hold of her hand and held it up to his lips. When he kissed her, the skin on her whole body began to prickle and she almost lost her breath.

Elle was being led away to the side of the crowd to talk to her man, and she turned to Holly and grinned as he wrapped an arm around her. Glider smiled at Holly and held up his bottle.

“Can I get you a drink?” he asked with more gentleness than she had expected. Even though he was intimidating, there was something about him that was pulling her in. How could this have even happened? They had just walked into the middle of their brotherhood and been chosen immediately by two of the hottest guys there… It was like a dream come true.

“Yes,” Holly smiled as she bit her bottom lip, “I would love one.”

6.

Glider took her hand and led her to the outskirts of the group. There was a fire raging and some of the bikers were throwing whiskey into it and hauling women up over their shoulders and slapping them playfully on the ass. Holly watched with wide eyes and Glider looked down at her and smirked.

He stopped by some flat rocks and sat down. Clutching the whiskey bottle within his fist, he unscrewed the top and passed it to her. She didn’t know what to do at first… Was this the drink he had offered to get for her? Were they really just going to share swigs from the bottle? She looked at him uneasily, but he urged her to take it.

“I thought you wanted a drink?” he said.

Holly smiled sheepishly and took it from him. When she knocked it back, it was hot and strong on the back of her throat.

“So, what’s your story?” Glider asked as he lit a cigarette and eyed her with interest.

“What do you mean?” she snapped.

“Feisty,” he smirked and took another drag. “I mean, what brought you down here tonight? Trying to piss off your parents?”

Holly felt as if she had been punched in the gut.

“No,” she said flatly. “My parents are dead.”

The smile fell from Glider’s face, and he sat up straight.

“I’m sorry,” he said genuinely.

Holly looked down at the floor and kicked at the dust with the tip of her shoe.

“It’s alright, you didn’t know,” she said before she reached out and took the bottle back from him.

“Mine too,” he said. She looked up to him with surprise.

“Really?” Holly asked. She sat down next to him and looked deep into his eyes.

“Yes,” he nodded. “I lost both of them in a car accident when I was nine.”

“Wow,” Holly said as she touched him lightly on the hand. “Well then, I’m sorry too.”

Glider nodded and took another drag on his cigarette.

Holly watched the way his big, rough hands gripped the tip of the filter and were adorned with big thick silver rings. Even though he was clearly dangerous, there seemed to be a softer side to him and he seemed willing to open up.

“So we certainly have something in common, then,” Holly said.

Gilder nodded and smiled.

“Not many people our age know what that’s like,” he blew a plume of smoke into the night air. “So, why did you come down here tonight?”

“Curiosity,” she admitted. “Not a lot happens around here, and I wanted to see what you guys were all about.”

Glider smiled and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

“Honest answer,” he said.

Holly shrugged and smiled. “I take it Glider isn’t your real name?” she asked.

“It’s Rory,” he winked. “But don’t tell anyone.”

Holly could barely keep the smile from her face. He was certainly pulling her in and keeping her interested. She wished she could just sit and look at him—he was so good looking. His shoulders were broad and heavy with muscle, and a big, black, patterned tattoo snaked its way down his arm.

“It’s tough, though, not having a family,” he said suddenly. “It’s one of the reasons I joined the club.” He motioned towards the rest of the men on the lakeside and to the motorcycles dotted around them.

“I wish I had something like that,” Holly admitted. “I work as a waitress… Not quite the same.”

He laughed and held out his hand for her to pass him the whiskey.

“You’re different,” he said. “It’s not often I meet a girl with a good head on her shoulders… Especially not one as beautiful as you.”

Holly felt her cheeks flushing red and her heart begin to race.

“Thank you,” she blushed. “You seem pretty well rounded, too.”

He laughed and got to his feet.

“Well, I don’t know about that,” he winked. “But how about we get the hell out of here anyway and go somewhere where we can talk properly?”

Holly looked at him and took it all in: where she was, who she was with, the fact that she had only known him for ten minutes and he wanted her to leave with him and go somewhere just the two of them…

She knew it was crazy to trust him, especially considering what he was involved in, but she couldn’t help feeling instantly connected to him. He was right—they shared such a massive coincidence, an experience that not many people had gone through at their age, and it drew her to him all the more.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked nervously.

“Well,” Glider said as he looked out and pointed to a huge, shining, silver Harley on the banks of the lake. “That’s my ride. How about we get on and you can take me to this restaurant you work at… I haven’t seen much of the town yet.”

Holly instantly relaxed. Now that was something she could cope with.

“Okay,” she smiled. “But don’t get too excited. It’s a highway diner and it’s full of truckers.”

“Perfect,” he said as she slipped her hand into his and he helped her down from the rocks. “I’ve got a feeling me and you are going to have a lot in common,” he smiled.

“You know what,” Holly looked up at him. “So do I…”

7.

Glider helped Holly onto the bike and then climbed on himself. She gripped him around the waist and nuzzled into his back. She didn’t dare look to see if Elle was watching her. She could only imagine what she would think… not to mention the rest of the town who were there that night. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent Elle a quick text instead, letting her know not to worry and that they were going for a bite to eat.

Glider started up the engine with a deafening roar and pulled out of the lakeside and into the forest. As they zipped through the trees, it was as if they were the only two people on earth. It was so secluded and enchanting. Holly couldn’t believe her luck. She had never ridden a bike before, but now that she was on one with Glider, she knew she would be hooked. The feeling of having a powerful machine between her legs was addictive, and the sexy smell of gasoline mixed with whisky and smoke was driving her wild.

She whispered the directions into Glider’s ear so he could find the diner, and as they pulled off the road and into the parking lot, Holly could instantly tell that they had caught the attention of some of the people inside. The customers’ faces were turned and seemed to be pressed up against the window, but luckily some other bikes were lined up, so Glider wouldn’t be the first outlaw to wander into the Red Creek Diner and cause a stir.

He stepped off the bike and helped Holly down, too. He took hold of her hand and pulled her gently forward, as if they had been dating for years and were completely relaxed in each other’s company. Holly liked the way it felt to be led like that, she liked the feeling of someone else being in charge and complete control.

When they stepped inside, she smiled shyly at some of the other waitresses who all seemed extremely excited by the prospect of Holly bringing a hot biker into the diner. Glider nodded at some of the other men from his motorcycle club and they nodded back. Marie, one of the younger girls, showed them to a table by the window, and Glider sat back opposite Holly and smiled at her with respect and adoration as she spoke to Marie and took the menus.

“You’ve worked here how long, but you still need to look at the menu?” he laughed.

Holly felt her face blush and she shook her head and passed them back to Marie.

“You’re right, I was just thinking of you,” she smiled.

“Well, recommend something to me.” He leaned across the table and took hold of her hands. “I trust you.”

Holly swallowed hard. The feeling of his rough hands on top of hers was turning her on so much she almost forgot to breathe.

“Okay,” she stammered. “We’ll have two of the strawberry milkshakes.” As she said it, Glider looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “You said you trust me!” she laughed as she slapped him playfully on the wrist.

Glider held up his hands in defeat and then relaxed back into the booth. Holly was aware that a lot of eyes were on them, but she didn’t care. There was so much she wanted to ask him, about what had happened to his family and how he had coped, but at the same time, she knew the answers to it all.

“I was wary of moving here at first,” Glider said with a drawl. “But now I’ve met someone like you, I know it was all worth it.”

“You’ve only known me an hour,” Holly joked.

Glider took hold of her hands again across the table and squeezed them hard. “I know,” he whispered. “But it doesn’t matter… We’re the same, I can feel it.”

As his eyes burned holes in her, her temperature seemed to rise and her heart was racing so fast in her chest, she was sure he would be able to hear it.

Marie returned with the two milkshakes and set them down. Glider thanked her and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a smaller bottle of whiskey and winked before unscrewing the cap and pouring some into his. Holly laughed at him and then declined the offer of the same.

“You’ll ruin the taste,” she smiled. “It’s perfect just the way it is.”

“Nothing is perfect until whiskey is involved,” he winked.

Holly had the feeling she knew what he meant.

As he drank it and watched her with his intense eyes, Holly knew that she was going to take him home. It was a rare thing to meet someone and have that instant attraction and connection with them. And after being single for so many years, she knew that the time was right to let herself go and discover someone new.

“I’m glad you came down to the lake tonight,” Glider said. “I really am.”

“So am I,” Holly smiled, “It feels like I’ve known you a long time.”

He knocked the drink back in record time and clapped his hands together.

“You’re right,” he said, “I ruined it with the whisky.”

Holly laughed and shook her head. “I told you.”

“Well, looks like I’ll be listening to you from now on,” he smiled at her and winked again.

“Okay then,” she said nervously. “Well, put me on the back of that bike of yours and take me home.”

Underneath the table their feet had twined together and one of his hands was resting on her knee.

“Well, alright,” he said.

Holly bit her bottom lip and watched as he climbed out of the booth and stood in front of her. As he took her hand and helped her to her feet, she felt tiny and protected by him, and as they walked out of the diner, she knew the next time she went back in there, she would be a changed woman.

8.

As they fell through Holly’s front door wrapped together in a red-hot embrace, Glider took hold of her throat and pushed her up against the wall. He kissed her neck and his stubble scratched her so gently it made her weak at the knees. He looked at her deep in the eyes, breathing heavily, and she could feel the rock-hard power between his legs. He reached down between hers and slid a hand up her dress, slowly, but with longing and need. Holly moaned as he hooked his fingers into her panties and pulled them down so he could work his hand in further and find her sex.

As his fingertips found her opening, he dipped one in slowly. She was soaking wet for him and when he pulled it out he used her own juices to massage her clit and bring her to the point of orgasm. She was holding onto him so tightly and could barely hold on any longer when he teasingly took his hand away, picked her up over his shoulder and demanded to know where the bedroom was.

He kicked her bedroom door open and threw her down on the bed. Holly lay there waiting for him, her panties torn and her legs wide open, waiting for him to unleash his immense length so she could see and feel all of him.

He pulled his vest off over his head and exposed his chest. It was completely ripped and covered in tattoos. Holly gasped as she watched him work downwards to his belt buckle. He undid it with a snap and unbuttoned his jeans, pulling them down to reveal the biggest, rock-hard cock she had ever seen.

He was like an animal on top of her, so powerful, strong and dominant, and she could barely control herself as he positioned his helmet at her opening and slowly slid his entire length inside of her. As she wrapped her plump legs around him and he began to fuck her at just the right pace, Holly threw her head back and screamed with delight as she came almost instantly.

Glider was like nothing she had ever known before. It was as if he knew exactly where to touch her and how… He was meant for her. Their bodies were meant to be together and she never wanted it to end.

He pumped himself in and out of her hard and fast, and just when Holly didn’t think she could handle his immense girth anymore, Glider’s body tensed, he grunted hard and he emptied his hot, delicious seed inside of her.

Holly trembled beneath him as he shot his heavy load right up into her slit. He was reaching new depths, and it felt incredible. Glider held onto her neck and kissed her gently on the lips. He was trembling too, and they were still locked together. She felt as if when he withdrew, he would take part of her with him.

“That was incredible,” he panted as he kissed her again. “It was so right.”

Holly couldn’t even speak; she was still in the throes of too much pleasure. But as Glider pulled out of her and cradled her in his arms, she knew right then and there that she had found a great love.

“I think this is meant to be,” she whispered when she finally got her breath back.

Glider turned to her and smiled. She could tell he felt just the same way. He kissed her again and wrapped his hands up in her hair.

“I’ve waited a long time to meet someone like you,” he said again. “And I’m never letting you go.”

Holly smiled and cuddled into him. The heat coming from his massive frame was intense and what she had always wanted in bed beside her. She thought back to how crazy the day had been, to waking up alone and dreading the weekend, to twelve hours later being tangled up in a mess of lust with a man like Glider. But what the craziest bit of it was, was that it did feel so right. It was meant to be.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms and slept the entire night. It had been the first time that either of them had since the death of their families. When Holly woke the next morning and looked over at him, she knew why. They had found each other and were going to start a family of their own. Two hearts had been brought together by a similar tragedy and now they were going to rebuild and help each other move on.

When Glider woke, he smiled at her and kissed her, his strong arms flexing and pulling her close.

“Do you believe in fate, Holly?” he asked her as they watched the sunrise through the open window.

“I believe in you,” she whispered as she brushed her lips across his chest. “I believe in this, right now…”

“Me too,” he said with a warm smile. “I believe in this very moment.”

The sun shone orange and gold light across the bed, and as they held each other, it felt like a message… A blessing and encouragement from somewhere beyond their reach. Holly had the distinct feeling that somewhere, someone was watching them and that they, too, knew that she and Glider were meant to be.

She touched her tummy and smiled before she looked up at him again, and he rolled with her so they were tangled up in a mess of arms and legs. As he kissed her slowly and lit up the fire in her again, Holly knew that she had finally found her true path. And she couldn’t wait to see where it was going to lead…

THE END

What the Outlaw Demands

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1.

Kristin watched the hands of the clock ticking opposite her. Every second seemed to drag and she bit the edge of her pen as she turned to look out of the office window. After working so hard to get there, now all she wanted to do was run. The thought of spending another week in that place was making her skin crawl.

Outside, in the corridor, she could see the male partners all patting each other on the back and boosting each other’s egos. She was never invited into their little office chats, ones where she could be a part of the boys club. In the center of it was Pete, grinning from ear to ear, taking the odd glance back to her office because he knew she would be watching.

Fucking Pete, she thought.

She knew at home later he would be full of it. He’d swagger in, puffing his chest and try to make her feel inferior. It was how it always went… She got ignored and he made her feel like crap about it. She knew she needed to change firms…and boyfriends…but she had wanted to be a partner at Anderson and Coleridge Law so much that she just didn’t think she had it in her to walk away.

She realized she was holding the pen so tight, it was almost snapping in her hand.

“Shit,” she breathed out and dropped it on the desk. She was going to have to calm down. She didn’t need to work herself up like this… She was bigger than them and she wasn’t going to rise to it. Instead, she got to her feet, walked over to the door and lowered the blind so the pane of glass allowing her to see the little boys club grooming each other in the hallway was blocked out. She went back to her desk, sat down and closed her eyes.

She was reaching her limit. She and Pete had been together for almost a year, and while it had started out really well, it had rapidly declined into something rather sinister. Pete was a control freak. He loved making her feel inferior, and even though she was a strong woman who could see right through him, there were times when she was afraid of what he was capable of. She could hear him out in the hallway, laughing and joking with the other male partners. She was the only female partner at the firm and was regularly left out, and although she was used to it, she was still struggling to accept it. Deep down she knew it was time to move on.

Her phone rang and made her jump. “Hello?” she answered.

“Hi, Kristin,” her PA Sally said from the other end. “Did you finish with the paperwork for the Green Case?”

“Just give me five more minutes and I’ll bring it out to you,” she said with a sigh. She hated to admit it, but her work really was starting to suffer. She could never seem to keep her mind on the job.

She looked down and scanned the explosion of files on the desk in front of her and wanted to scream. She rubbed her eyes and massaged her temples with her fingers.

“I need to get out of here,” she whispered.

She got to her feet and looked out across the skyline. It was almost five and the sun looked like it was already on its way down, which was impossible for summer, but she felt it all the same.

“I guess it’s always night somewhere,” she said to herself.

Her telephone rang again and she jumped. She turned around and grabbed the receiver. “Just five more minutes, Sally,” she snapped.

“No,” Sally said quietly, clearly taken aback by her boss’s tone. “It’s a call from the police department. They have someone in custody who wants to talk to you.”

“What?” she said rubbing her temples again. “Can’t it wait? We have a duty lawyer who could deal with that.”

“They asked for you specifically,” she said nervously. “The cop said his name was Dan Lockhart.”

Kristin paused for a moment, her heart rising into her throat at the sound of the name… A name she hadn’t heard for years.

“Did you say Dan Lockhart?” she repeated as she sat back down at her desk.

“That’s what the cop told me, yeah,” Sally confirmed.

“Okay,” Kristin said quietly, “Put him on.”

The line beeped, and there was a click before Kristin could hear shallow breathing on the other end of the line.

“Dan?” she whispered, still unsure of whether she believed it.

“Kristin?” he replied.

Her skin went cold when she heard his voice, but she instantly found herself smiling.

“How the heck are you?” he asked, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“I’m wonderful,” she smiled. “I take it things aren’t so great for you?”

“Haha,” he chuckled. “They’re certainly not… I could do with your expertise.”

“Which station are you at?” she asked as she grabbed a pen.

“South,” he sounded as if he was smoking. “I would normally deal with this sort of thing myself, but I thought it might be a nice excuse to see you again after all these years.”

“Just stay put and don’t say anything. You can explain to me when I get there.” She hung up the phone and grabbed her jacket.

The Green case file would have to wait…

2.

Dan Lockhart… she hadn’t heard a word from him in over ten years, and here he was calling her as if it were only yesterday. She was a fool for going down there. She should have told him she was busy, or that she didn’t deal with criminal cases anymore… He was probably in hot water, after all. Hell, she should have told him anything. But there was something drawing her to him. Just hearing his voice again after all that time had instantly struck a chord.

She slid into the driver’s seat of her Mercedes and fastened her seat belt. It was dark in the firm’s underground parking lot, and the summer heat was intense and stuffy. She started the engine and put the AC on full blast before she looked at herself in the review mirror. Her heart was pounding and her pupils were dilated. In a rush of memory she recalled the last time she had seen him… She remembered it all…

***

Growing up, Kristin had fallen hard and fast for Dan. He was her next-door neighbor and one of the hottest guys at her high school. He was a few years older than her and she had watched him from afar while she matured. She had seen him go from being the boy next door to something else entirely…something frightening. She had heard the arguments. She had watched him come home tattooed and liquored up, and saw the bruises and the scars. Whatever he was doing, it was bad. And what surprised her even more than the fact that he kept doing it…was the fact that she liked it.

He never seemed to really realize that she existed until one afternoon when she came home from school when she was about seventeen and he was out on the driveway having a screaming match with his parents. She pulled up in her car and parked it down the street before meekly walking up the path to her front door. He was screaming, spitting hate and anger at them. He had a red raw scar right down his face from the corner of his eye to his chin, and she knew she was gawping but she couldn’t stop.

“What the fuck are you looking at?” he spat as she tried to reach her front door and pretend like none of it was happening.

His parents rounded on him, his mother trying to pull him back from the truck that was waiting for him. Inside, a man tipped his hat and smoked a cigarette while laughing and cranking up the heavy rock he was listening to.

“Please, Dan!” his mother called. “Don’t do this!”

He stuck his middle finger up at her and strode down to the truck before pulling open the door and jumping inside. The driver pulled out of the driveway with a wheel spin and they shouted something at Kristin that sounded like “Show us your pussy!” and then they were gone.

Kristin went inside, flushed red and turned on. She had no idea what had just happened, but it had woken something inside of her. From that moment on, Dan Lockhart, the dangerous boy from next door, was all she could think about.

He came back a week later, black and blue and miserable. She watched him from her bedroom window as he lay in the backyard sunbathing with his shirt off, exposing his rippling abs and tanned chest. His tattoos were fierce and they covered him from neck to waist. Kristin bit her lip as she watched him and wondered what it would feel like to be swept up in his arms. When he caught her looking, she was so embarrassed she didn’t know how she would ever face him. But luckily for her, Dan wasn’t as shy.

The following evening, she was down in her own backyard and he stuck his head over the fence and dangled a bottle of beer.

“Care to join?” he asked her.

Kristin was a mess of nerves and excitement inside, and although she knew she should stay away and go back inside, she just couldn’t. She had to get to know him some more.

She went to his yard, and they sat on deck chairs and drank straight from the bottle. He barely spoke to her, but he eyed her continuously and kept flashing her a mischievous smile. She knew it was the start of something, but she also knew she couldn’t let it happen. She was a good girl. She was on course for bigger and better things than her dumb small town, and she couldn’t let a bad boy hold her back… No matter how much she wanted it.

She went to leave, but he pushed her up against the wall of his garage. “You’re all I’ve thought about since the moment we moved here, did you know that?” he said. His knuckles were skinned raw and the smell of stale smoke clung to him, oozing out of his pores. Instead of turning her off, it made her even hotter for him.

“I’m going to get you one day,” he grinned. “Little Miss Good Girl… you’re not even going to know what’s hit you.”

Kristin’s heart pounded as she ran back home and locked herself in her bedroom. She stripped naked and ran a cold shower before jumping in and cooling off. Dan Lockhart was such bad news, the worst kind…

She didn’t seen him again after that night. Her mother told her that he had been arrested and that he’d got involved with a gang. Kristin left for college a year later and trained to be a lawyer. She heard snippets of information from her family and his about what he was up to, and it was never anything good. Their mothers had become good friends, and they regularly chatted about both Kristin and Dan, but the last she had heard, he was heavily involved with bikers and organized crime. When she got the call from him, she was more surprised it hadn’t happened sooner. She was pretty sure she would be the only lawyer he knew.

***

As she pulled up outside of the station, she looked into the mirror again and reapplied her lipstick. It had been over ten years since the night in the yard that summer, but after hearing his voice again, it felt like only ten days. She was excited to see him but also apprehensive. He’d been her first crush and completely forbidden because of his edge and criminal ways. She had no idea what to expect. He could be anyone now. He could be married for all she knew. But there was something deep inside her that had the feeling he was about to make good on his promise.

I’m going to get you one day… Little Miss Good Girl…

3.

Kristin walked into the station and buttoned up the middle of her jacket. She groomed her hair behind her ears with her long, manicured nails and clipped down the hallway in her stiletto heels. There were cops swarming the reception area, and as she placed her briefcase down and announced who she was, a few of them turned to look at her up and down and check her out. She was used to being stared at. Kristin was petite but curvy and had incredibly large breasts. They were like a bull’s-eye for leery men.

“I thought you were off criminal cases?” a familiar voice chimed in behind her.

Kristin spun around to see Jonny, a cop she was used to dealing with when she had represented the majority of the city’s criminals.

“This is a one-time thing,” she raised her eyebrows. “Take me to Dan Lockhart?”

“Yikes,” Jonny whistled. “Locke, huh?” He shook his head and nodded reluctantly. “If you say so….”

He turned and motioned for her to follow him. She swiped her visitor’s badge from the reception desk and pinned it to the side of her skirt. Jonny slowed down and said discreetly over her shoulder, “What you getting mixed up in that for?”

“Excuse me?” she demanded.

“I know it’s none of my business, but… Well, I mean… Lockhart… you know who he is right?”

Kristin pushed her tongue up under her front teeth.

“Yes,” she said irritated. “He’s my old neighbor.”

“No,” Jonny laughed and pulled her by the forearm to one side. “He’s more than a bit dangerous, Kristin…”

“I’m sure I can handle him.”

“Well, I’m not,” he said seriously.

“Jonny… He’s a client, I’m just doing my job.” She tried to move past him, but he kept his grip on her arm.

“All I’m saying is guys like him don’t need lawyers… even when they are up for murder… Keep your wits about you.”

Kristin stopped and took in what he had said.

Murder.

She took a few deep breaths and nodded her head.

“Like I said, he’s a client… This is business… I’m just here to advise him today.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Jonny said as he opened the door to the interior cells where the interview rooms were. “There you go, door five.”

Kristin stared down the hallway and saw the two cops flanking the doorway.

“Thank you,” she smiled, and then she turned and began her slow walk down.

***

The door creaked open and she stepped into the cell. Dan Lockhart stood with his back to her. She couldn’t see his hands so she knew they were probably handcuffed in front of him.

“Dan?” she said quietly as she walked forward.

“No one’s called me that in years,” he said.

He was taller than she remembered, and his shoulders were broader. He looked like a great hulk of a man in that room, his head almost skimming the ceiling. He began to turn slowly, and Kristin held her breath.

His eyes caught her first. His deep blue eyes that had always made her weak at the knees. She was instantly floored that they hadn’t lost that effect. The scars on his face had faded, but they were still there. Instead of making him look mean, they added to his raw sexiness, creeping along his skin in crisp, faded lines. The tattoos had extended up his neck and across his knuckles. He smiled at her from beneath his floppy dirty blonde hair and it lit up the room. He didn’t look like the sort of person who would smile that way, but it instantly pulled her in.

“It’s good to see you, kid,” he said and he took a step toward her. “Now are you going to get me out of here or what?”

“Are you going to tell me what happened?” Kristin found herself putting a hand on her hip.

“Set up,” he said as he lit a cigarette. A cop entered the room and motioned for him to extinguish it, but he brushed him off and stuck up his middle finger.

“Set up?” Kristin asked as she pulled up a chair and took out her Dictaphone.

“Yeah, I didn’t fucking do it.”

“Okay…” she said as she crossed her hands on the table in front of her. “So, can you tell me everything that happened?”

“Naw,” he exhaled and started to laugh, “I didn’t do it, that’s all you need to know, now post my bail and get me out of here.”

“You’re not taking this seriously,” she snapped.

“Because I don’t fucking need to,” he said, leaning forward with a smirk.

“Well, then why did you call me?” She was already packing her things away. “I came here to help you, thinking you were in trouble… which you clearly are… And now you’re just making a joke out of wasting my time.”

“Spoke to my mom for the first time in years last week and she told me about you being a lawyer,” he said coolly. “Just had to see it for myself. I don’t need your fucking help.” He lit another cigarette and clamped it between his teeth.

Kristin stared at the man in front of her. He looked wild and intense. His danger had been turned up a notch and for the first time, she felt frightened of him. Genuinely frightened.

“Always knew you were a good girl,” he said as he exhaled a plume of smoke across the room. “Always got me going, too.”

Kristin swallowed and got to her feet.

“I don’t think I can be involved in this,” she said, “It’s not appropriate.”

“Sure,” he took another drag, “I didn’t expect you to. I was just interested, that’s all.”

Kristin walked to the door and looked back over her shoulder.

“Take care of yourself, Dan,” she said.

“It’s Locke,” he smirked. “Just call me Locke.”

“Well then, take care of yourself, Locke,” she smiled and then let the door close behind her.

As she walked back out to the reception, Jonny was behind her and calling for her to stop.

“What happened?” he asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You were right,” Kristin admitted. “He’s dangerous… I’m not getting involved.”

“Good choice!” Jonny called after her as she burst through the front doors of the station and disappeared out onto the street.

4.

When she got home that evening, she had to pretend like it hadn’t bothered her. She had foolishly and blindly gone over there out of curiosity and stupidity. Her teenage self had ruled her adult head. She had made a fool of herself in front of Locke and now she was going to have to hope that he wasn’t mad and going to come looking for her. Jonny had been right… He was like something else completely above the law and frightening. She double locked all of her doors and went upstairs. In the bathroom, she turned off all of the lights before she lit scented candles around the room and ran a deep bath filled with oils. She needed to unwind more than ever, and she knew she only had a short window of opportunity before Pete came back and ruined the tranquility.

He had texted her when she was on her way home from the station, saying that he and the other partners were heading out for drinks after hours. As usual, she hadn’t been included on the memo, and even though Pete was being liberal with the information, he too didn’t extend the invite.

She slipped into the water and closed her eyes. She was livid with him but she wasn’t going to add to the emotions she had experienced since that morning. The added stress of Locke’s call had provided enough drama for one day. She rubbed her plump, soft skin and massaged in the oils. They made her feel silky smooth and weightless as she floated in the water. She sunk down even further and breathed in deeply. They smelled so divine, she could have easily been at a spa.

She thought about Locke’s hands. They were so big…so masculine…so rough. She traced her fingertips up her side and up to her breasts and imagined that they were his. She bit her lip and slipped down further into the water. She opened her legs slightly and imagined him sliding between them. His huge frame opening her up and pinning her back against the porcelain. She gasped and opened her eyes. She couldn’t fantasize about Locke… if she did, she knew there would be no way she would be able to stay away from him.

A bang downstairs snapped her out of her daydream. She could hear Pete cursing and jingling keys as he tried to get in through the front door. She smirked as she remembered that she had double locked it.

“What the fuck,” he called up the stairs. “Did you lock me out?”

She rolled her eyes and pretended she hadn’t heard him.

His footsteps came pounding up towards the bathroom door, and he shoved it open before entering the room with a cloud of stale smoke and booze. It cut through the scented oils and made her wince. It simply didn’t smell sexy on Pete… Not like it did on Locke…

“Skipped out the office early today, huh?” he asked as he undid his fly and lifted the toilet seat.

Kristin covered her eyes with one hand and sighed. “Do you have to?” she asked, unimpressed.

“Are you serious?” he slurred. “When you gotta go, you gotta go.”

He started to piss and Kristin wished he would just vanish into thin air. She was so done with him, she didn’t know how much longer she could pretend to tolerate him.

When he left the room, he left the seat up and the bathroom door swinging open. As he passed, he knocked one of the candles and the wax extinguished it. A smoke trail filled the room and stung her eyes. She pulled the plug, stood up and wrapped herself in a towel. By the time she walked through into the bedroom, Pete was flat on his back in the center of the bed snoring and still fully clothed. Instead of helping him undress and into bed she left him where he was and made her way to the spare room. She turned on the side lamp and crawled into bed with a book. She looked up at the ceiling and made the decision…

Tomorrow, you’re asking him to leave, she told herself, and if he won’t, you’re going to pack up his things and throw them out onto the street.

She rolled onto her side and propped up the book on the pillow. As she read she didn’t take anything in. All she could think about was Locke. The words morphed into his face and in the end she threw the book down onto the floor and turned out the light.

5.

The following evening Kristin sat at the kitchen table, nervously waiting for Pete to get home. He had never even moved in officially. One day it just seemed like most of his things were there and he never went back to his own place. He had a penthouse apartment on the other side of the city and it was a long drive. Kristin’s house was closer to the office, so after a while it just seemed to make sense that he spend the majority of his time there. Even if she hadn’t specifically consented to it.

She heard his keys in the door and braced herself. He came inside, hot and flustered, his hair windswept and greasy from the day before. She’d heard him that morning and knew he hadn’t showered. He’d rolled out of bed late, spritzed himself with cologne and changed his shirt before heading out of the door.

“Fucking Clarke,” he said as he threw his briefcase down on the table in front of her, “Wasting my fucking time…”

Kristin didn’t respond, hoping her silence would break him out of his self-obsessed drama.

“What’s the matter with you?” he looked up finally and snarled.

Kristin breathed in and got to her feet.

“I don’t want an argument, but I’ve been thinking a lot over the past few weeks, and I don’t see this going anywhere.” She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the backlash.

He curled his lip and sneered.

“Shut up,” he turned his back on her and walked over to the refrigerator. From all of the responses she had been expecting, that certainly wasn’t one of them.

“I’m being serious Pete,” she said, “I want you to leave. Now.”

He stopped in his tracks and cricked his neck before he turned back to her with rage in his eyes.

“I told you to shut the fuck up,” he spat. “Now move out of my fucking way before I open the door with your face!” He shoved past her and Kristin fell into the kitchen table. She was shaking and the tears welled in the corner of her eyes.

“Oh my God,” she whispered.

She didn’t know what else to , so she reached for her purse with shaking hands and pulled out her cell. She furiously hit “dial” and held the phone up to her ear.

“Jonny,” she said as she heard him say hello, “I need you to get me Dan Lockhart’s phone number… fast.”

***

When she called him, she didn’t know what she expected, but Locke was a lot different to how he had been at the police station.

“I’m glad you got in touch,” he said as he sat opposite her in a park on the edge of town. He was clad in leather and big heavy boots, sitting on top of his motorcycle and smoking a cigarette.

“I need your help,” Kristin whispered as she looked around her.

“How the tables have turned,” Locke raised his eyebrows and exhaled with a grin.

“Look, I don’t know what happened the other day, but with my job and everything I really shouldn’t be getting involved with you.”

He lit up another smoke and offered her one. She declined.

“I need you to scare someone for me… Someone I work with who I may have dated for a while… He’s causing me some trouble.”

“What happened?” Locke sat up straight and instantly looked annoyed.

“I tried to break up with him and make him leave my house and he threatened me,” she said. “If you help me, you know, scare him a bit somehow… I’ll help you in any way you want with your case.”

“I’ll do it for nothing,” he said, exhaling a plume of smoke over his shoulder. “I don’t want you to be my lawyer, I told you that.”

“Well then why did you call me?” She was genuinely confused.

He smiled and moved closer to her.

“I never stopped thinking about you… When I heard what you were up to, I just got curious, made me want a good influence in my life… It was the only way I knew how to get your attention.”

Kristin shook her head and turned away.

“Well, congratulations, you got it,” she laughed. “I’ve thought a lot about you too over the years… wondered what you were up to… where you’d been.”

“I’m sure how you’ve spent the last decade is completely different to how I’ve spent mine…” he said as he looked off into the distance.

Kristin watched him and found her eyes instantly drawn to the scars running down the side of his face. They really did make him look sexier. She had never thought of how something so violent could add appeal to a person. She bit her lip and averted her eyes. She was starting to get worked up.

“I’ll get rid of him,” Locke said as he started the engine on his bike and revved it. “You won’t hear from him again.”

“Wait,” she called, “Don’t hurt him… I just want him out of my house.”

Locke leaned over and pulled her to him. He stared at her deep in the eyes and wrapped an arm around her base so he was holding the base of her spine. He leaned into her and kissed her forcefully on the mouth. His lips were red hot and full of passion as his tongue parted her lips and slipped inside, massaging against hers. Kristin melted in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. She had thought about kissing Locke since she was a teenager, and now there they both were, him thirty and her in her late twenties, finally breaking down that boundary.

Kristin pulled back and stared into his eyes.

“I’ll get rid of him,” he assured her. “Just go home, pack his stuff and put it outside.”

“Okay,” she said with a nod.

Locke rode off with a huge roar which made Kristin’s skin tingle. She had no idea what she was doing, but it just felt so right. She walked back to her Mercedes and got inside. She looked in the mirror and noticed that his stubble had worn against her delicate skin and her lips were on fire. She reached up and touched them and a squeal of delight escaped. She had finally kissed the bad boy of her dreams.

6.

As the day wore on, she didn’t hear anything from either Locke or Pete, and her anxiety started to kick in. She found herself pacing the halls of her home and obsessively looking out of the windows. She had done what Locke had asked and placed Pete’s packed bags on the driveway. She must be crazy, asking a potential murderer to come and get rid of an abusive and annoying boyfriend, but she was so past her limit with Pete she didn’t see another choice.

She had already decided she was also going to leave the firm. She didn’t want to be surrounded by those awful men any longer. After reconnecting with Locke, she had a new-found confidence. She realized that if he had gone from boy next door to fully fledged badass, then she could become anything she wanted. And what she wanted was to quit law and find her true calling. She had never been one hundred percent happy with her career choice. She had fallen into it almost accidentally. She wanted the nice cars, to be well paid, to be able to afford a good home and support herself financially without the help of a man. But when she got all of that, she realized she hated the job. It wasn’t for her. She didn’t like the people she had to be around and that was just the clients, so when the other partners started to make her feel like shit, she knew it was time to call it a day.

Locke was a small complication now. He had come along at a time when she was impressionable and open to suggestion. Everything about him seemed so exciting, and it made her feel like she was seventeen again. If he could scare Pete off and promise her his arrest was a mistake, then she was his. Hell, even if he was a murderer at this point she was so hot for him, she didn’t know if she even cared.

She pressed her palms against her bedroom window and looked out across the street. She could see a man in the distance walking towards her and dragging his leg as if he was hurt. With horror she realized it was Pete. He was coming down the street without a car, limping in a ripped suit.

“Oh God,” she said aloud.

She watched him limp slowly up to her driveway. His suit was ripped up one leg and exposing his shoe and sock, and he had a blood patch on his knee and a little trail coming from his nose. His eye was beginning to swell. The guilt hit her all at once, like this was her fault, but she stopped herself from going down to see him because she knew if it hadn’t been him in that state, then it would have been her. He had been prepared to hurt her if she went against him. Kristin smiled smugly at the thought of Locke beating the shit out of him and watched as he struggled to lift his bags over his shoulder and drag the rest down the driveway. He didn’t once look up or try and see if she was inside. He simply walked back down the street, looking like he was about to collapse, and disappeared into the distance.

When he was gone, Kristin flopped down on her bed and stretched out. She had her home and her life back. She grinned and rolled over and picked up her cell phone. Her next item on her agenda was telling the firm that they could shove their job. She was quitting and she never wanted to set foot in the building again.

***

As the sun set that night, Kristin lay outside on her sun lounger and sipped a martini. In the space of a few days her world had been completely changed and although it was frightening to not have a plan or any clue where she was heading, it was also the most liberating feeling she had ever experienced.

Her cell phone buzzed next to her and she picked it up. Locke was calling her.

“Hello,” she smiled into it as she held it to her ear.

“Hey, Babe,” Locke said with his deep, gruff voice. “I took care of that for you.”

“I know,” she cooed, “I saw him go.”

“He’s a piece of shit, you did the right thing.” She could tell he was smoking.

“Thank you for your help,” she said.

“Listen,” he exhaled and cleared his throat. “Seeing as you’re not my lawyer and there’s no conflict of interest… You want to get together tonight?”

Inside, Kristin was doing summersaults. She clamped her hand over the mouthpiece as she smiled and tried not to explode with excitement.

“Hmm,” she teased, “Well, I don’t know about that.”

He stayed silent and exhaled again.

“Of course I’d love to see you,” she said. “Why don’t I meet you somewhere?”

“Meet me at Tuscan Motel,” he said, “I’ve been staying there.”

“Okay,” she said, unsure. She knew that this could be a terrible idea, knowing how dangerous this guy could be and going to meet him somewhere alone… but she’d known him pretty much her entire life… surely he wouldn’t do anything to her?

“See you soon,” he said and then the line went dead.

Kristin downed the rest of her martini and got to her feet. She felt a little bit tipsy, but she knew that she was fine to drive. She giggled to herself as she thought that his bad boy persona was already rubbing off on her. She went upstairs to her room and pulled a black vest out of her closet and a pair of ripped jeans. She hadn’t worn anything like this in years, but somehow it felt right. She slipped into them and ruffed up her hair and applied some black eyeliner. Now she wouldn’t look out of place walking around somewhere like The Tuscan. It was a shabby motel on the outskirts of town that was well known for its biker scene. She took one last look at herself in the mirror and smiled. She always wanted to be this girl, and she was finally giving in to it.

7.

She took a cab. She didn’t want Locke to see her car and judge her. He had already seen her suited up and in full on lawyer mode and she didn’t want to freak him out. As the cab pulled up outside The Tuscan, she could see rows of motorcycles lined up out front, some with riders and some without. The men were big and burly, clad in leather, and covered in tattoos and chains. Kristin swallowed and ran her hands through her hair. She was really doing this. She was really going to go in there and see Locke.

“Here you are,” the driver said as he turned and looked over his shoulder at her, “You sure this is the place you want?” He peeked over the top of his sunglasses.

Kristin smiled like it was nothing and just said, “Yes,” before she handed the driver a twenty and climbed out of the back seat and out onto the dusty road.

She looked around as the cab pulled off behind her and made its way back onto the highway. She felt cold and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt like all eyes were on her as she took a step towards the motel and then stopped and sat down on the curb. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Locke.

“I can see you,” he said as he answered. “Turn around.”

Kristin got slowly to her feet and turned on her heel. There was a big group of men all looking in her direction, but she couldn’t see Locke’s face in the crowd.

“Where are you?” she said into the phone.

“Look up,” he said.

She looked up to the second floor row of rooms and saw him instantly, standing in a doorway and leaning against the frame. His shirt was off and he was only wearing a dirtied pair of cargo pants. His amazing chest was on show, as were his rippling, tattoo-covered abs and his tanned skin that glistened with sweat.

“You coming up?” he asked.

Kristin smiled and hung up the phone. She took a step forward and then another, no longer noticing the gang of bikers leering at her. She made her way to the steps and climbed them, with her sights only set on one thing. She had to have him. He had never looked sexier, not in the entire time she had known him. Not even when they were younger and she used to watch him from her bedroom window as he lounged in the yard and worked out in his basement. Not even that day he had shouted out of the car for her to show him her pussy. There was something about him then, in that moment, that was driving her so wild she knew she wasn’t going to be able to keep her hands off him.

She charged up the stairs and walked seductively towards him. He looked at her with intensity, like a predator. He was set to pounce on her at any moment. As she approached the door, she slowed her pace and waited for him to reach out for her. He licked his lips and lunged out, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her inside with him before he kicked the door shut and held onto her so tightly she thought he may snap her in half.

His stubble grazed her shoulder and he kissed her so hard he seemed to suck all of the air out of her.

“You’re here. Good girl,” he breathed, “Now what am I going to do with you?”

Kristin didn’t respond. She wanted him to take her anyway he wanted. He spun her around and kissed the back of her neck while cupping her breasts and nibbling her, pulling at her nipples and slipping her top off over her head. She had purposefully not worn a bra and the feeling of him touching her was so incredible she was already wet and ready for him. She moaned as he pushed her forwards and she fell on the bed face first. He was behind her in a split second, pulling her jeans down and off around her ankles, hooking his rough hands into her lace panties and ripping them off in one swift motion. Kristin gasped as he separated her legs with his knees and climbed between them. He was still wearing his pants but she could feel how big and stiff he was inside them, and as he rubbed himself against her she felt the most exquisite rush of pleasure.

“Do anything you want to me,” she panted as he lifted her up with one arm and moved her across the bed so he had better access to ravage her.

Locke smiled and pulled his pants down, exposing his impressively thick and rock-hard length. He reached between her legs and slipped a huge finger inside of her. The sensation was amazing. It had been so long since someone she really wanted had touched her. His finger was slick with her juices instantly and when Locke realized how warm and wet she was, it made him harder. His dick jerked as she shuddered and writhed against him, moaning with pleasure. She let her hand wander down and she groped for him, wanting nothing more than to touch his member and have it inside her. As she wrapped her hand around him and tugged, he breathed in deeply and groaned. He was so engorged and throbbing, Kristin didn’t know how she was going to take him. She ran her other hand up his torso and touched the beautiful inked artwork on his amazing chest. He was like a human canvas.

She had never been with a man who was that size before, both his dick and his frame. He was so huge, he could pin her down easily with one hand and dominate her in every way possible. She wanted to open up to him easily, but she knew her nerves would make her even tighter. She lay back and tried to relax as Locke groaned and moved between her legs so his massive length was positioned at her opening. He was unprotected but she didn’t care. She wanted to feel every part of him, and she wanted him to cum inside her. He looked at her deep in the eyes as he wrapped another hand around her throat and slowly and powerfully slid himself inside her. He penetrated her inch by inch and opened her wider than she had ever been. Kristin gasped as the pleasure thundered through her and he thrust himself in and out, his intense heat filling her up as they became one. She felt weightless as he gripped onto her soft thighs and pounded into her. He still hadn’t shaved and the stubble on his chin and cheeks were even sharper and they nicked her skin as he kissed her. Kristin groaned as he pulled her onto him again and drove his cock into her. His arms were heavy and thick as he held onto her and his groans turned into grunts, getting louder and deeper.

The more he was dominating her, the more the dangerous man she had seen at the police station came through. He was taking on another persona, his whole demeanor changing with the more pleasure he experienced. He was the most powerful man she had ever known. She was so into him, she was so turned on, she loved that he was bad and dangerous. She loved that he had kicked the shit out of Pete for her and was even intimidating to the local cops. She lay beneath him and opened herself up to him like a flower as his hot, hard dick pumped in and out of her, bringing her to the edge of the most intense release.

Kristin gripped onto Locke and her whole body tensed up as he fucked her slowly. He was hitting her spot so hard and good she knew that she could not hold on any longer. She fell back in an explosive rush of pleasure, just as she felt Locke’s body tense and jerk and he pumped his hot seed right up inside her. He emptied his huge load into her tight pussy as her whole body spasmed.  As she came, she bit onto his shoulder and Locke wrapped his hand around her throat and pulled her face to his so he could stare into her eyes. The power exuding from him was so impressive, she was frightened. She had never been at the mercy of someone so completely and she loved it. She knew now there was no other way she ever wanted it to be.

***

She lay next to him as he panted in and out. His huge chest heaved up and down as he caught his breath and reached over and lit a cigarette. Kristin nuzzled into him and let her long hair fan out across his torso, mixing in with his ink. She traced her fingertip over an eagle.

“Tell me about the murder charge,” she said quietly.

“There’s nothing to tell,” he laughed. “I didn’t do anything.”

“So why did they arrest you?”

“Because they just want to cause shit for us,” he said, taking another drag.

“Us?”

“The club,” he blew smoke out through his nose. “But they can’t touch us, and they know it.”

“I’ve heard stories,” she said. “Bad ones, about those types of gangs.”

“They’re bad news if you’re on the wrong side of one, that’s for sure.”

Kristin stopped touching him and leaned up on her elbow.

“You’re on the right side, babe, don’t worry,” he winked at her.

“You’re gonna look after me now right?” she asked seriously.

“Of course I am,” he smiled and ran a hand through her hair. “This, right now, is all I ever really wanted. Now I’ve got it, I’m never letting it go.”

Kristin leaned forward and kissed him, the taste of smoke making her wet all over again. She lay back down as he stood up and walked naked into the bathroom. She watched him turn on the shower and step inside. She still found it crazy to believe that the boy who she had lusted after all of her teenage life was now such an incredible man and she was there with him. She had essentially turned her life upside down for him and was prepared to turn her back on everything she had ever thought to be right and true. She thought back to Pete and to how dissatisfied she had been with him… He had done nothing but treat her like shit and make her question herself and her abilities, whereas Locke was the complete opposite. She thought about how different the two men were. Locke was supposedly dangerous and Pete was supposed to be the safe bet… but she knew now how wrong she had gotten it all.

Locke came out of the shower with his hair wet and water dripping around his eyes. Kristin beckoned for him to come back to bed, and he grinned before walking slowly over to her and taking hold of her hand. He kissed it lightly and the stubble grazed her again. She smiled.

“Ten years,” she said playfully, “I think we’ve got a lot of catching up to do, don’t you?”

“Hell, yes, Babe,” Locke grinned as he took another step forward and dropped the towel…

THE END

What the Outlaw Craves

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1.

The screaming had been going on for nearly two hours. Lacey buried her head under her pillow and just prayed that it would stop. The banging and crashing had ceased maybe thirty minutes before, but the fight was still in full swing and Charlene, the girl who lived in the apartment on the floor above, didn’t seem to want to let up, even if it was four am.

Lacey could hear them above, shouting and stamping across the vinyl floor. She didn’t know who had gone to see her neighbor, but they were obviously causing trouble. Maybe Charlene owed someone money again. Or maybe whoever the guy was had been a lover and had come back for more. Lacey rolled over and stared at the ceiling. She didn’t know whether she should go up there and try to help or just hope it resolved on its own. In this town, you never knew what you could be walking in on.

Lacey sat up and leaned back against the headboard. Her temples were throbbing and she was so tired, she didn’t know if she would even make it into work the next day at the rate things were going. She had already been given a warning for slacking on the job, so she couldn’t exactly go into the bar, stand there looking half dazed and keep on her feet for nearly ten hours. It would be impossible.

She picked up her cell phone and unlocked it. Should she call Charlene and see what was happening? She tapped at the keys and opened her contact list before stopping and thinking again… What if the guy up there was a drug dealer? Lacey could end up getting hurt or dragged into Charlene’s debts again. She put the phone down and instantly felt guilty for being too scared to intervene. She knew there was no point in calling the cops. In Clay Springs, the cops didn’t help and protect the little guy… They fucked them over like all the other criminals running the town.

Lacey shouldn’t have even been there. She’d made her escape. After high school she had packed up her stuff, said goodbye to her family and got the hell out of there, running as far and as fast as she could. She’d traveled for a while and seen a lot of the country but never found anywhere she really wanted to call home. She had several relationships and made plenty of mistakes, and two years after she had set off on her journey, she found herself traveling back through her hometown with no intention of staying. It was a devastating blow when her mother got sick and she had to stay and take care of her. It had been a long illness, but she had recovered. But after being so close to her mother again, Lacey didn’t feel like she could up and leave right away. She got a job at the bar, rented an apartment and suddenly, before she’d even really realized it, she was stuck.

“God,” she said aloud, “Please be quiet.”

She lay down again and wiped her tired eyes. She could hear Charlene screaming bloody murder at someone and telling them to get the fuck out. Lacey didn’t want to feel responsible or guilty for someone else’s drama; she just wanted it to end. Charlene was an adult and knew what she was getting herself into. Plus, Lacey had already bailed her out on countless occasions, and she couldn’t keep giving her money for drugs. At this rate, she would never get back out of that town. She’d be stuck there, in her dingy little apartment for the rest of time.

She looked over to her open closet. Her eyes traveled to the top shelf where hidden right at the back was the shoe box full of cash she had managed to save over the past year. She only worked for minimum wage, and the clientele in the bar left shitty tips, so it had taken her a while to save a thousand dollars. But then Charlene had come knocking one night in tears and begged her to help her out. One of the biker guys was coming to pay her a visit, she’d said, and if she didn’t pay him the money she owed him then he’d knock out all of her teeth. Lacey had panicked and given her what she needed. And then the next week it had happened again, the tears, the pleading… Lacey had eventually helped her close to six times before she decided enough was enough and she’d told Charlene that she simply didn’t have any more savings. But now as she lay there listening, her conscience was pulling at her… Should she go to the closet, open the box and give Charlene a hundred bucks, or should she just stay quiet…?

Suddenly, the shouting stopped and she heard Charlene giggle. Lacey sunk down in bed and sighed. The walls were thin and she heard the dull beat of music drifting through the ceiling, followed by what sounded like moaning. Lacey sat back up and listened carefully…

Is that what I think it is? she thought.

Charlene’s giggles turned to moans of pleasure and directly above her Lacey could hear the sound of the headboard smacking against the wall.

“Well, I guess she found another way to pay this time,” Lacey smirked.

She climbed back into bed and began to wish for the fighting to return. Listening to Charlene have sex with someone was just more of a reminder of how lonely she was. Her love life was pretty much non-existent, and she couldn’t remember the last time she met someone who made her heart race. She felt the emotion welling up inside of her and a tear rolled down her cheek. What she wouldn’t give for the touch of a good man. But unfortunately, she didn’t think one of those existed in Clay Springs…and if they did, she certainly was yet to find them.

2.

She woke up at nine am with a start and jumped out of bed. She was supposed to be at work at ten and she didn’t have her car. She was going to have to make the twenty-minute walk in the blistering heat.

Shit, she thought as she ran through to the bathroom and turned on the shower. She pulled her nightdress over her head and climbed in. She tried to turn up the heat, but it seemed stuck on the lukewarm temperature.

“I am so sick of this place,” she sighed, washing quickly. It wasn’t the first time that she had had problems with the heating and water. It seemed like the building was crumbling around her. Her landlord wasn’t interested. He was probably the reason for the problem. Clay Springs had a distinct lack of accommodation for people like Lacey--young, single girls who needed somewhere cheap. The majority of properties were family houses and this was one of only two apartment blocks in town. She’d been lucky to get it and although rent was cheap, it really was pretty grim. The owner was another corrupt asshole who benefited from taking advantage of those who were less fortunate than him, and Lacey knew she couldn’t argue with him or force him into making repairs. She just wanted out.

She turned the shower off, hopped out onto the bathmat and wrapped herself up in a big towel. She was shivering even though the sun was shining through the window and heating up the place by the second. She towel-dried her hair and got dressed into her work “uniform” which basically consisted of anything short or revealing. She had chosen a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a little white t-shirt that was split down the front to show off her huge breasts. When she was feeling down, Lacey regularly joked that they were the only thing she had going for her and she had to show them off to make herself feel better. She loved the way men stared at her and her impressive cleavage, especially when she was working and they helped her pass the time behind the bar by flirting with her and buying her drinks.

Just past nine-thirty, she made her way to the front door. She stopped and listened for a moment to see if she could hear any noises coming from Charlene’s place, but it all seemed quiet.

Not surprised, she thought, they were up most of the night screwing.

She stuck her middle finger up at the ceiling and laughed to herself. Even though they couldn’t see it and would never know, it had made her feel just a little bit better.

***

As she walked down the street, she clutched her purse to her side and made her way quickly to her usual coffee stop. She had never been the type of person who would wake up early and have plenty of time to prepare for the day, making herself a pot of coffee and warming croissants while she read the morning paper. Lacey was a get-up-and-go girl and she grabbed what she could on the run. There wasn’t a lot of choice on her route to work, but she had found a nice little coffee house that was fast and friendly.

She stepped inside and smiled at the barista, who was new and slower than the other guys in there but Lacey couldn’t be bothered to make a fuss. She ordered a double espresso and twiddled her thumbs as she waited for it. When the girl passed it to her, she smiled and wished her a good day before heading back outside into the sun. Coffee and the heat were a bad mix, but she needed the caffeine. She knocked it back fast and threw the cup in the trash.

She felt revived and picked up her pace. She looked down at her watch. 9:52. She had eight minutes before she was officially late and potentially facing unemployment again. Since she had been a working adult, she had been fired no less than ten times. But that had been when she was traveling and not taking the world seriously. Now she had an apartment and bills, and she was the only person who could look after her. She felt the pang again… the longing for someone else to care and tell her that everything would be all right. When she was growing up, she had never thought of herself as one of those women who needed a man to support her, but as she had matured and experienced more, she realized that maybe she actually did.

As she walked, she daydreamed. One of her favorite fantasies was that she was married to a business man in a big city. They would have a nice house and a golden retriever and the bar and her crumby apartment would be a distant memory. She thought back to the previous evening and how she had to listen to Charlene screwing some guy and how depressed she had felt. The thought of moving on and not being lonely was becoming ever more desirable. She didn’t want to admit it to herself fully, but she did want a man. She wanted to be cared for, loved and cherished.

Her mind wandered back to the big house with the picket fence and the city boy husband. She wasn’t even sure if someone like that would be her type, but it was the fantasy of the day and it kept her from depression as she rounded the corner and saw the bar across the street. A homeless man was asleep in the doorway, and she was the only one who was going to be there to move him on. Her boss wasn’t technically going to be in until twelve, and even if he got there early, there was no chance he would do it himself.

“Great,” she whispered. “Here we go…”

3.

The bar opened at noon. Lacey had been busy all morning cleaning up the place and stacking the shelves. She restocked the refrigerators and was sitting behind the bar reading a magazine when the first customer came in. It was one of the old boys who never said a word. She poured him his usual and watched him take it over to a table in the very corner where he could sit in silence.

Her boss had come and gone. He had checked in with her first thing and then left for the day, saying he would be back in the evening sometime. Lacey poured herself a glass of water and went back to her magazine. The air conditioning was on, but it was still sweltering in there, so she fanned herself with a stack of unopened letters that had been piling up for weeks.

The door opened and Lacey looked up. She froze as she realized it was Charlene. She looked drunk already and like she was wearing the previous night’s clothes and make-up.

“Hey, Lace,” she drawled, “How are ya?”

“Fine,” she smiled. “Apart from being deliriously tired…”

“Oh?” Charlene smirked but pretended not to know what she was talking about.

“Last night Charlene,” she shook her head. “It was ridiculous.”

“What was?”

“The noise… the shouting and then the…” she trailed off, embarrassed.

Charlene stared at her and burst out laughing.

“Shit, sorry Lace,” she shrugged, “Didn’t mean to keep you up.”

Lacey shook her head and brushed it off. She picked up a glass and started to clean it to make it look like she was busy and didn’t have time for conversation.

“So,” she said, “How can I help you?”

“I’d love a drink,” Charlene grinned. “Whiskey.”

“Seriously?” Lacey asked putting the glass down. “This is a bit far for you to come for just a drink, isn’t it?”

Charlene smiled and shrugged. “Is it?”

“Well, yeah, I’d say so.” Lacey looked at her suspiciously. “I mean you hardly ever come in here.”

“Just catching up with my friend is all,” Charlene said, pinching Lacey playfully on the arm and smiling.

“Okay,” Lacey said, “What’s going on?”

“Get me that drink, will ya?” Charlene scratched the back of her neck. “I feel a bit jittery.”

Sighing, Lacey poured her the whiskey and slid it across to her.

“That’ll be three ninety-five,” Lacey said as she held out her hand.

Charlene’s mouth dropped open slightly before she smiled and said, “Oh, just put it on my tab.”

She swigged the whiskey down and then slammed the glass down on the counter before saying, “And I’ll take another.”

“Charlene, you don’t have a tab… You know we don’t do that here,” Lacey said sternly.

“Oh come on,” she pleaded, “Help a sister out.”

Lacey bit her tongue and scrunched up her fists. She and Charlene had never been close friends and it always seemed like she only came to Lacey when she wanted something. Lacey was tired and pissed off and that was all Charlene’s fault… and now she had the audacity to walk into her place of work and ask for free drinks and favors. She dreaded to think what was coming next.

“So what’s going on, Charlene? What do I owe the pleasure?”

Charlene nudged the glass towards her again and smiled with wide eyes. Lacey shook her head, and Charlene crossed her arms defensively over her chest and pouted.

“I’m in trouble,” she said reluctantly, “I need your help.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Lacey said.

She turned back to the bar and opened the refrigerator before pulling herself out a beer.

“Looks like I’m going to need a drink too, huh?” Lacey said as she took a swig. “Go on then, what’s happened now?”

Charlene shifted on the spot and ran her hands through her hair.

“I owe someone money,” she said quietly, “And they won’t wait for it.”

“Sounds like they were prepared to wait last night,” Lacey said angrily.

“No,” Charlene shook her head. “That wasn’t them… Last night it was my old boyfriend. He came around causing trouble and we had a fight but then we, well… We made up…” she smiled shyly.

“Yeah, I heard,” Lacey took another swig of her beer.

“I am really sorry about that,” Charlene said genuinely as she reached across the bar and grasped Lacey’s hand. “I need your help, Lacey… Please?”

Lacey looked at her and knew there was no way she could turn her down. Even though she was angry and broke… she knew when someone was really in need.

“Okay, how much?” Lacey sighed.

Charlene bit her bottom lip and covered her eyes before exhaling deeply and peeking out from underneath her hands.

“Four thousand dollars,” she whispered.

Lacey almost dropped her beer.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lacey said as she sat back down on the stool and took hold of the beer. “Jesus, I’m going to need something much stronger than this.”

4.

She and Charlene went out front and Charlene lit a cigarette. Lacey hadn’t smoked since she was at high school, but she took it from her and had a drag. She coughed and waved the smoke away.

“Who do you owe?” Lacey asked angrily.

“I know I’m an idiot…” Charlene said, “Things just got really out of hand and now this new guy has come into town and taken over all the old debts and he isn’t letting people off anymore… Says he wants everything paid up or he’s going to fucking kill people, Lacey.”

“So this debt has been building up for a while?”

“Yes, years,” Charlene took a drag on her cigarette.

“So what about all the other money I’ve given you?”

“It paid some of it off,” she said, “But it never fully cleared it.”

Lacey rubbed her eyes and sat down on the curb.

“I don’t have that kind of money Charlene,” she shook her head, “I just don’t…”

“Oh, God, please, you’ve got to help me,” she started to cry. “I know I’ve been stupid, but this is what I need to turn my life around. I haven’t got any family Lacey. You’re the only person I can turn to.”

Lacey’s head felt like it was going to explode. She didn’t have a solution this time.

“Who is it? Who do you owe?” she asked again.

“The bikers,” Charlene said as she looked nervously around. “Satan’s Riders.”

“And what did you say about someone new?” Lacey looked up at the sun and closed her eyes. The warmth on her skin was the only thing keeping her calm.

“The old boss has gone,” Charlene began, “And now this new guy has come in to take over and he’s really dangerous. He’s scary… He’s been imposing all these new rules and trying to turn the town around. He doesn’t want any debts or any authority involvement. He’s cutting all ties with the cops and he’s trying to go as legit as they possibly can in their line of work. No tabs, no borrowing anything. Payment up front and if you owe anything, then he’s coming after you to get it back.”

Lacey swallowed hard and looked up at Charlene. She was shaking and tears were streaming down her face.

“I only have a thousand,” she said finally. “There’s nothing else.”

Charlene sat down next to her and put her head in her hands.

“I can’t take it to him,” Charlene said. “If I go in there, they’ll kill me…”

“And what will happen to me if I go!?” Lacey shouted angrily. “This isn’t even my goddam mess!”

“Please!” Charlene begged holding onto Lacey’s arm. “Please just take him the thousand and beg him… It’s not your debt and he’ll know that… please help me.”

Lacey rubbed her temples and just wanted the ground to open and swallow her up. Her good nature was her Achilles heel. This was the last thing she needed, and she wanted to shoot herself for being such an easy target and a sucker for feeling so bad for Charlene.

But instead, she said, “Okay, I’ll take the money.”

Charlene threw her arms around Lacey’s neck and hugged her tightly.

“Thank you so much, Lace,” she sobbed, “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Lacey couldn’t bring herself to speak. The last of her money was about to be swallowed up by Charlene’s debt… and she was going to have to go into a bike gang’s clubhouse to settle the score.

After she had finished work at the bar that evening, she stood outside and drank the rest of the vodka she had taken out of her tips. She was so nervous, she had been drinking all afternoon, and when her boss, Ray, had come in, she pretended that she had been accepting drinks from the customers to get them to spend more money. On her lunch break she decided to go home and collect the cash. She wanted to get the whole thing over as soon as possible and leaving it even one day could potentially make her lose her nerve.

She swayed on the spot and reached into her bag and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper that Charlene had scrawled the address on. It was across town and she would have to walk. Even though it was dark and late at night, the air was still dense with heat and she wiped her brow with the back of her hand.

“I’m not walking,” she said aloud before she reaching for her cell phone and dialing the number of a cab company.

***

The cab driver pulled up outside the club house and turned to look at her slouching down in the back seat. She paid him and opened the door before stepping out and slamming it behind her. The reality of the situation soon sobered her up when she saw the lines of motorcycles outside and big burly men covered in tattoos who sat astride them. She suddenly wanted to turn and run. She reached down to her purse and checked that the envelope of cash was still there and squeezed it in her palm.

“Come on, Lacey,” she whispered to herself. “You can do this.”

She began to walk towards the main door and tried not to shake or react to the catcalls that followed her. She could feel the men’s eyes all over her huge breasts and curvy waist. She pushed the door open to the clubhouse and stepped inside. It could have been any other bar, except there were no women in there and all of the men were huge, dressed head to toe in leather and looked mean. They looked as bad as they come, and as Lacey stood there in the doorway with no clue what to do next, she realized that her hands were indeed shaking.

“Can we help you, sweetheart?” One of the men got to his feet and took a step towards her.

Lacey instinctively took a step back and clutched onto her purse for dear life.

“I’m here to see whoever is in charge,” she said, trying to sound confident and then cleared her throat. “The new boss.”

She knew she must have sounded like a fool, but she couldn’t think of what else to say.

The man was chewing gum and he spat it out onto the floor and held out his hand.

“Who’s asking?” he eyed her angrily.

“My name is Lacey… I’m here for a friend, Charlene… I have some of the money she owes you.”

His eyebrows raised and his face softened.

“Well, all right then,” he said as if he was mocking her, “You better come this way, Ma’am.”

Lacey moved forward, but didn’t take hold of his arm. She tried not to look around and lock eyes with anyone. Her heart was racing so fast she was sure that they could all hear it and they began to comment on her appearance as she passed. She felt like she was on show and completely vulnerable. She was desperate to get out of that room.

The man led her into a corridor and walked with her down to the end. He stopped outside of a tall iron door and knocked on it lightly. A flap slid open to reveal a pair of eyes looking down on them.

“She’s here to settle Charlene’s debts,” the man with her said.

The eyes narrowed before the flap closed and she heard the turning of keys and the sounds of chains being undone. The man with her turned on his heel and began to walk back towards the bar area.

“Good luck,” he laughed over his shoulder. “Matt will love you.”

Lacey turned to look at him as he walked away and wondered what he meant. She breathed in and out deeply. This was it.

The door creaked back and a tall, muscular guard stood in front of her. He looked mean and dangerous and he was wearing sunglasses even though it was so dark in there Lacey could barely see in front of her. He didn’t say a word but moved to the side to let her in. She stepped forward nervously and looked up to see another man sitting at a desk in front of her. He eyed her from across the room with wide, interested eyes. The guard left the room and locked them in from the outside. Lacey started shaking. She looked back to the man at the desk and tried to think of the speech she had prepared, but her mind was blank. His cold, dark eyes were fixed on her as she took another step forward to fill the silence.

“How can I help you?” he said slowly. His voice was deep and gruff and he rubbed his big hand across his stubbly chin. He looked dangerous, more so that the guard, but he was also incredibly attractive. Lacey tried to focus on that to take her nerves away, but it ended up making her worse. The last thing she had expected was to be standing there in front of someone as good looking as he was. Her heart was pounding and she noticed something in him light up, too.

“I’m Lacey,” she finally managed to speak. “I’m here for Charlene.”

He laughed and sat back in his chair and kicked his big heavy boots up onto the desk before reaching for his cigarettes and lighting one up. He had long dirty blonde hair that fell softly around his eyes, and Lacey was surprised at how young he was compared to the other men at the clubhouse.

“Lay-cee,” he over-pronounced both syllables. “Well, I’m Matt,” he flashed her a menacing smile, “I’m in charge here.”

“I know,” she stammered.

“Why did Charlene send you?” he asked angrily.

“Charlene doesn’t have any money,” Lacey said nervously. “I’m here to pay you what I can to help her. She doesn’t want any trouble, and she will get your money back.”

“How do you know?” he exhaled two plumes of smoke from his nostrils.

“Because she promised me,” Lacey said naively.

He laughed again and ran a hand through his hair. He turned back to her and stared at her so intensely, it almost felt like he was undressing her with his eyes. Lacey fought the urge to cover her chest, as if she stood there naked in front of him, trying to save her modesty.

“I haven’t been running things here for long, but one thing I know for sure is that girls like Charlene, they never make good on promises,” he smiled at her, baring his teeth. One of them had a gold cap.

“I just want to help her,” Lacey said quietly. “I don’t like seeing a friend in trouble.”

He clicked his tongue and took another drag on his cigarette.

“How much you got?” he asked.

“I have a thousand dollars for you,” she said stepping forward and reaching into her purse for the envelope. “Here.”

He took it from her and looked inside before he flicked through the notes and nodded.

“Well, that looks about right,” he said.

“So, will you leave off Charlene for a while? She will get you the rest. She just needs some more time.”

He leaned forward so his eyes were level with hers before he blew another two plumes of smoke out of his nostrils. He was so frightening, but at the same time there was something about him that was pulling her in. She didn’t know if she was imagining it, but it felt as if they had an instant connection. His eyes were big and deep and she was getting lost in them. She pinched her arm to snap herself out of the trance.

“I’m not taking your money, sweetheart,” he said sternly. “That bitch can pay for herself.”

Lacey took a step back, shocked and completely uncertain about what to do next.

“But, please,” she stammered. “Please take it.”

He handed the envelope back to her and walked around the front of the desk. He motioned for her to sit down and sat on the edge of the desk in front of her. Lacey nervously sat down, her hands shaking as she clutched onto the envelope.

“She owes me money for drugs,” he said. “Why would you pay for her to never learn her lesson?”

Lacey felt as if she had been slapped. She sat up straight and looked at him. She had never thought of it that way before.

“I just thought I was helping her,” she said.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said warmly, his eyes crinkling around the corners as he smiled, “I’m not going to take that money… But there is something you can do to help your friend…”

“Anything,” Lacey said. “I just don’t want her getting hurt.”

He took another drag on the cigarette and put his hand on her knee.

“You can come back here tomorrow. Maybe we’ll have a drink… Maybe we’ll get to know each other a little better.” He was looking down at Lacey’s chest and she knew what he was thinking.

“I… but…” she tried to hold the envelope out again, but he just pushed it back to her.

“I’ll be here at noon,” he said, “If you don’t show, Charlene’s in trouble.”

He got to his feet and walked towards the iron door before he knocked on it hard and she could hear it opening from the other side. It creaked open and the guard stood there with his arms folded.

“But…” Lacey began.

“That’s all I’ve got,” he shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”

The guard laughed and Lacey stared at Matt. He was teasing her, she was sure, but at the same time, she didn’t want to anger him by asking.

“Noon,” he repeated before he waved her off with his hand. “Oh, and not a word to anyone.”

Lacey left the office and began walking back down the corridor. Her heart was racing and she didn’t know where to turn. Charlene had a lot to answer for. Now it was she who was in big trouble.

5.

Lacey tossed and turned all night, terrified of what the next day may hold. She knew she didn’t have to go and she could tell Charlene that he was bribing her and making her feel uncomfortable. But now that Lacey had put herself in his presence, he knew what she looked like and who she was. It wouldn’t take much for him to find her in a small town like Clay Springs.

She stared up at the ceiling and wiped a tear away. What was going to happen to her if she went back? What could he realistically want from her? She tried to recall the features of his face in her mind’s eye, but they were all blurred and distant… it reminded her of when she had a crush on someone when she was younger and she couldn’t remember what they looked like.

She knew he was handsome, and she knew she had been attracted to him on first sight… But she was also afraid. He was dangerous, an outlaw who was threatening people to settle debts. Charlene had said he could be capable of killing people if they didn’t do as he asked. Lacey bit her lip and sat up. She knew she had no way out of the situation. Matt had asked to see her, and she was going to have to go…

***

As soon as noon had passed, she left her apartment and made her way back to the Satan’s Riders clubhouse. She decided to walk and as the sun beat down on her hard from above, she found herself wondering if it would be the last time she saw daylight.

You’re going to get yourself killed, she thought. Turn back and run.

She shook the thought off, knowing there was no way back from this. She had been foolish by putting herself in the situation, and now she was going to have to deal with it. She still had her money. As soon as the day was over she was going to make a run for it. Disappear out of town and never see bad influences like Charlene ever again.

She turned a corner and saw the building looming in front of her. It was dusty out front and there were around ten bikes in different positions, all empty and cold as if they’d been there from the night before. It didn’t look anything like the previous night. In daylight, it looked like any other building in town, but she knew what lay inside.

She approached the two steps and climbed them before crossing to the door and trying the handle. It was locked, so she knocked lightly. Inside it was quiet, but she could hear men’s voices getting closer and then the dull thump of boots as someone made their way across to the front door. It swung open and a man with a long beard stood there, shielding his eyes from the light.

“What?” he barked before realizing she was a woman and looking her up and down with a satisfied grin.

“I’m here to see Matt,” she said nervously.

The man looked at her as if she was insane and then slammed the door on her. She turned and looked back to the road, confused and worried.

Okay, she thought, this is good, now I can leave and it isn’t my fault… I tried.

She was about to skip quickly down the steps when from around the side of the building a familiar set of eyes came into view. Matt walked towards her in a pair of low-slung ripped jeans and a black vest. He was dirty, covered in oil like he had been working on one of the bikes and sweat glistened all over his tanned skin. Lacey stopped in her tracks and stared at him. His face cracked into a grin.

“Lay-cee,” he said her name slowly again. “Wasn’t sure you’d show.”

She felt frozen to the floor. Her legs wouldn’t move and she just stood there staring at him, not knowing whether to speak or just do whatever he asked.

“You don’t have to look so nervous,” he laughed. “Come down here.”

Lacey walked down to meet him and followed him around the back of the clubhouse. There were around ten garages, all in differing states. Some were locked up tight with no way of seeing what was inside, while others had their doors wide open with bike parts and stacks of boxes. Matt led her around to the last garage where a bike was on its side, with rags and oil canisters littered around it. He kneeled down and continued what he was doing.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said.

Lacey looked around to see if there were any other people, but the back of the clubhouse was deserted.

“What am I here for?” she asked quietly.

“To help Charlene pay her debts,” he sniffed before he held a cigarette to his lips and clamped it between his teeth. “You want to help your friend, right?”

“I’m not so sure she’s such a good friend anymore…” Lacey said as she thought back to her frantic calls to Charlene’s cell phone as soon as she had left the clubhouse the night before, which had been ignored… Charlene had no doubt been somewhere getting high and drinking herself into oblivion.

“I thought as much,” Matt said. “That’s why I wasn’t about to take your money.”

He pointed at a large rock not far from where he was working.

“Wanna take a seat?” he asked.

Lacey walked past him and sat down. The rock was blisteringly hot but she pulled down her shorts so they covered enough of her skin.

“Matt,” she said, “I don’t want to be rude, but I just want to know how I can help…”

He looked up at her and smiled.

“I thought you were all about the money,” she stammered. “I, I thought you would take the thousand and that would be the end of my involvement…”

“And like I said, I’m not taking your money,” he said as he took a drag on the cigarette. “Good girl like you, bet it took you a while to save… Bet you work hard…?”

Lacey nodded.

“Fuck-ups like Charlene don’t deserve the easy way out. I’ve been like you, I’ve worked hard and I’ve been taken advantage of, I can spot it a mile off… And if there’s one thing I don’t like is seeing good people lose out through no fault of their own.”

Lacey realized her mouth was gaping open. She couldn’t stop staring at his muscular arms as they flexed each time he moved.

“I suppose you’re right,” she agreed.

“Plus,” he stared at her, “You’re pretty hot.”

No one had paid Lacey attention in such a long time she had almost forgotten what it felt like to get a compliment. She felt herself blush and she looked down at her feet. He was nothing like she had imagined when she had turned up there. His hardened exterior was still there visually, but as he spoke to her and she got to know him more, it was as if he was genuine and kind on the inside.

“I’m trying to get this place in a better position,” he said, “Will probably never happen but my father started this club thirty years ago and these fuck-ups have run it into the ground… I was never going to have anything to do with it, but I felt like I had to come back.”

“Maybe we’ve got something in common then,” Lacey smiled, feeling herself relax. “I was never supposed to be here, either… I made my escape but got sucked back in.”

“Well at least we’re on the same page,” Matt smiled. “All the outstanding debts, I want them gone so we can start again. Then I can get the hell out of here.”

Lacey was jealous of his plan and wished she had a solid one herself. Not just the idea of making a run for it in the middle of the night.

“Instead of giving me the money,” he said, “I want to spend today with you.”

Lacey looked up and locked eyes with his.

“Let’s not beat around the bush,” he said suddenly. “I like you, Lacey,” he leaned towards her. “I don’t know what it is…but I have to have you.”

Lacey felt her sex pulse. Did he mean what she thought he meant? Her heart began to pound and she looked up at him with innocent eyes. He held out his hand and she took it as he pulled her to her feet.

“Take a ride with me?” he asked her.

6.

Lacey gripped Matt’s waist as they flew down the highway. The scent of his skin, the cigarettes, sweat and oil mixed in with his cologne was driving her wild.

She couldn’t believe what was happening. She was on the back of a bike with a supposed outlaw, driving at ninety miles an hour out across the desert. He’d said he wanted to take her somewhere beautiful, that he wanted her to experience his most favorite place in the world. He took a bend and she dug her fingertips into his muscly abs. She must have been crazy to go somewhere with him. He was a total stranger and a criminal at that. She knew the night before when they had first locked eyes on each other that there had been something there. A spark had ignited even if it had gone unsaid. And now he seemed determined to have her and Lacey realized she wanted nothing more.

He was right. She had always been such a good girl and had never given in to her passions. She had always done the best for others and let her own dreams go to waste. She had never put herself first, no matter how much she wanted something. This was her chance to take all of that back. This day with this wild, dangerous biker was going to change everything. She was at a turning point. She was going to act out of character and do things she had never even dared dream of.

The bike started to slow, and Matt pulled off the highway. They were in the middle of the desert with red and orange mountains all around them. He pulled onto a beaten track and the dust kicked out behind them. Lacey looked over her shoulder and smiled. This was like another world. The terrain was wild and deserted, and it made her feel so alive.

When Matt stopped the bike, he lifted her off with his big, rough hands and placed her gently on the ground. She looked up at him and couldn’t help but smile. She had never been so pleasantly surprised.

“Let’s walk up to that ridge,” he said as he took her hand and pulled her towards a rock face.

They made the short climb, and Matt insisted on holding his hands over her eyes.

“You have to wait to see the view,” he whispered in her ear. “It’ll take your breath away.”

He was behind her, with his arms wrapped around her shoulders and his palms over her eyes. She could tell they were high up, much higher than where they had been on the other side of the ridge. She could feel the rush of air around her and she clung to him, terrified that she would fall.

“Ready?” he whispered in her ear.

Lacey nodded and braced herself. Matt slowly peeled his hands away from her eyes and revealed what was in front of her. She gasped and held onto him tightly, not daring to move. It was like she was on the edge of the world. A huge, deep canyon was in front of her, the sunlight shining on it and showing off the most amazing colors. Deep purples, reds, oranges and yellows all merged together across the landscape. It was magical and like nothing she had ever seen.

“Oh my God,” she gasped, “How did you ever find this place?”

“I used to live out here,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and breathed into her neck.

Lacey was starting to get wet. The feeling of having a man’s arms around her was driving her wild. She turned to face Matt and ran her hands through his hair as she stared deep into his eyes.

“I want you,” she whispered.

Matt leaned forward and kissed her, parting her lips with his tongue and biting her gently. He was like an animal. A savage. And she wanted him to tear her to pieces.

Matt grabbed her gently by the throat and pushed her to the ground. Lacey’s knees scuffed against the crumbling desert rock, and he climbed down on top of her, pinning her arms high above her head. They were completely exposed on the edge of the ridge, looking out over the canyon, but Lacey didn’t care. Even if there were hikers or photographers out there, she didn’t give a fuck who saw them. She wanted him right then and there. She wanted him to break her good girl persona and give her something to remember for the rest of her life.

Matt ran his hands up her side and cupped her breasts. He pulled her top off over her head and sucked on her nipples, his mouth exploring her skin, searching frantically and nibbling her. Lacey arched off the ground and wrapped her legs tightly around him. She could feel the stiff bulge in his jeans and was desperate to see it. He kissed her neck softly before sinking his teeth into her with little bites that made her gasp with pleasure. She hadn’t had sex in well over two years and knew her body would feel like a virgin’s again. She was so worked up and hot for him, she couldn’t wait for him to remove her clothes. She bucked her hips up to meet his and Matt reached down and started to unbutton her shorts with one hand, while the other kept her hands pinned high above her head.

Lacey felt a rush of mountain air hit her, and her sex pulsed. She was already dripping wet and engorged and she couldn’t wait for him to take her.

Matt leaned back and quickly removed his vest, throwing it behind him before he reached down and started to undo his jeans. Lacey was lying on the ground, looking up at him, biting her lip and letting him stare at her sex as he pulled down his jeans and boxers and revealed the most amazing cock she had ever seen. It was so big and stiff it was intimidating, but she knew she had to have it inside her.  Matt knelt in front of her with his throbbing member in his hand. Lacey stared up at him, scared that he would hurt her, but her body betrayed her. She was soaking wet and yearning for him. Her pussy ached and as he leaned down towards her holding his huge cock she moaned. He slid his other hand down between her legs and flicked her clit lightly while pumping his cock up and down in his fist.

“You want it?” he asked. He was so close to her, his lips were skimming hers and Lacey found herself in the throes of pleasure already. As his fingers worked her, she was on the verge of a crashing orgasm. She threw her head back and Matt pulled his hand away, determined to fuck her before she came. He pulled her up in front of him and positioned her on her hands and knees so she was looking out over the canyon. Lacey felt free and uninhibited as he positioned his unprotected member at her opening and rubbed it up and down, making his tip slick and wet.

He held onto the back of her neck and positioned himself at her slit. He teased her with his big red head and gripped onto her ass with his thick, rough hands.

“Matt,” she said suddenly, “I’m not on the pill--“

But there was no stopping him. He plunged his massive length inside her, tearing her in half. The pain was excruciating and Lacey screamed.

Matt held onto her neck as he fucked her, pounding himself in and out of her. Before Lacey really had chance to register the pain, it was already giving way to the most intensely amazing sensation she had ever felt. Her pussy gripped him tightly as he thrust into her, and he was so hard and deep inside that it felt like she was being speared. She panted and begged him to go harder. Matt slowed his pace and withdrew before slowly sliding his full, wet length into her again. It was so deep that Lacey screamed with ecstasy. She fit around him so perfectly. Matt’s strokes were getting more frantic and powerful as he was ready to explode. He gripped onto her as he slowly slid himself in and out of her, on the verge of shooting his load.

“Give it to me,” Lacey panted as Matt held onto her hair and tensed his thighs. He thrust himself into her again and his release exploded from him. He pumped his white hot cum up inside of her and Lacey felt it hitting her insides. The sensation of him emptying his load into her sent her over the edge. She unraveled in a hot wave of extreme pleasure as her orgasm tore through her. It was so intense she collapsed into the dusty rock and groaned. Matt pulled her back to him as he pumped his dick into her one last time and kissed her on the back of the neck.

***

They both lay on the ground, looking out over the canyon. Lacey had never been so naughty before, and she had never felt so liberated. Matt wrapped his big arm around her and breathed her in.

“Don’t you have any more friends with debts you want to help out?” he joked.

Lacey jabbed him in the ribs and laughed.

“I didn’t do it for Charlene,” she said seriously.

“I know,” he brushed her hair out of her eyes. “I just needed an excuse to get you to come back.”

Lacey grinned. She was certainly glad he had pretended that she was going to help clear Charlene’s problem.

“Who would have thought a bad debt could have led to something so incredible?” he said, kissing her again.

She agreed. She knew now that on the inside he was a good guy, even if his job and his affiliation with Satan’s Riders meant he had to do bad things. To her he would always be this Matt. The one at the canyon with her that day. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it. She knew Charlene would be all right. Now that she knew how he felt about her, she would be able to talk him into giving her more time.

Lacey fully committed to the moment and lived out a wild fantasy that she would never forget. Even if she and Matt never had a day like this again, she was more than grateful to have had this experience. The sun was setting over the canyon and she had an amazing man by her side. She felt like the luckiest woman alive...

THE END

What the Outlaw Needs

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work

1.

Lizzie looked out across the sand and waves. It was heading towards dusk and she had been down there all afternoon, lying on her old battered rug and reading. She had at least two more books to get through before the end of the week and she was starting to feel the pressure… Was there any way she would be able to read and analyze them all before the deadline?

When she went to college, she had imagined amazing parties and dates with really hot guys, but instead she had found herself locked up in her room as soon as she returned from class, and the only date she’d been on was with a German exchange student who tried to discuss his long list of bizarre fetishes with her over their introduction dinner. She hadn’t gone out with him again…but he had tried to persuade her, even offering to take her to a live sex show and introduce her to “the dark side,” as he put it.

“I have so much to do,” she’d told him, secretly annoyed with herself for being such a prude. “But if I have some spare time next week, I’ll call you and we can get together.”

She had never called him back… and her schedule never got any less hectic. She was approaching finals and was swamped. Choosing to major in English Literature had seemed like such a good idea at the time, but now she was drowning under the never-ending pile of work and every time she looked at the page and tried to read, the words all seemed to blur into one.

That morning when woke up and heard the pounding of music filtering through from another dorm room, she decided it was time to hit the beach and find some tranquility. She couldn’t stay there, in the dark box room that she had called home for nearly a year, and concentrate. She needed a change of scenery, some fresh air and some inspiration. She pulled on a pair of denim shorts and a white t-shirt and grabbed her bag. She couldn’t wait to get out of there and breathe. She’d felt suffocated for the past week and even though she had been so busy cramming and barely had time to eat, she knew she couldn’t keep the pace up any longer.

She got to the beach just after noon and had spent nearly seven hours there. She stopped at least once every hour to look out at the surfers and past them to the horizon. The water was choppy and a deep blue, and she wished she could have stripped down to her underwear and run into it to cleanse herself from everything that was weighing her down. It had been a long time since she’d felt liberated, but she knew that day she was going to stay under her cloud. She had watched people come and go all day, every single of them relaxing and there she was, trying to work… None of it seemed right and as she lay down her copy of Ted Hughes’ Birthday Letters and picked up her purse, she finally decided that enough was enough.

The sky was tinged pink, and it cast its glow across the waves. The evening surfers were bobbing up and down, waiting for their moment. She held her hand up to her eyes and squinted into the distance, hoping to catch them one last time before she headed back to her car. They all began to paddle and their boards slowly lifted behind them. Lizzie smiled as she watched them get to their feet and ride before falling into the frothy white crash as the wave broke against the shoreline.

“Until next time,” she said to herself aloud, but the wind was so rough she barely even heard it herself. She turned and walked back to the boardwalk and made her way across to the parking lot in bare feet. When she got to her car, she opened the door and sat on the front seat, her legs dangling outside as she shook off the sand.

She had always loved the beach, and she was glad she had taken a day out to try and reconnect and clear her mind. Not that it had helped much. It wasn’t just finals and lack of a male interest that was getting to her. Recently she also had to experience her parents’ divorce, and the whole thing had left her emotionally scarred.

She looked out to the ocean again and tried not to remember how she had learned of her father’s infidelity. Of how she had to tell her mother everything and play mediator between them both as their lives all slowly fell apart. When the time came for her to leave for college, she couldn’t have been happier to get away. She desperately needed a fresh start. But so far all she seemed to have acquired was more stress.

She closed the driver’s side door and started the engine. A flock of seagulls swooped overhead and made their way out over the ocean. For the first time she felt the chill of the night air coming in.

Get yourself home, she thought. Time for bed and some more reading.

Realizing how pathetic that sounded, she rolled her eyes. God, did she need some excitement.

2.

As Lizzie walked up the stairs to her dorm, she could hear the familiar woops and cheers of her neighbors. It was Friday and that meant there would be parties raging in every corner of campus. She lowered her head and opened the front door to the building. Inside the corridors was thankfully quiet, but leaflets and posters exploded over everything, advertising the weekend fun. She went to her mail box and unlocked it. There was, as usual, nothing inside. She had stopped hoping from news from home. She no longer wanted to hear about how miserable her mother was, and she had absolutely no desire to know what her father was up to with his new woman. The whole thing had been enough to make her never want to trust a man again. As she began to drag herself up the stairs, she sighed with relief at knowing at least she didn’t have to worry that someone out there was cheating on her.

As she approached the door to her room, she heard the clicking of heels coming up behind her. She hurried to get her key in her lock before anyone tried to start a conversation with her, but she was too late. Hands slammed down over her eyes, and the girl giggled.

“Where the hell have you been all day?” she asked playfully, “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Rachel, Lizzie’s best friend, dropped her hands so Lizzie could turn to face her.

“I was studying,” she said defiantly. “If you hadn’t noticed, we’ve got finals coming up.”

“Yawn… Who cares?” Rachel said jokingly. “You look worn out.”

Lizzie managed to unlock her door and stepped inside, checking herself out in the mirror as she entered.

“I was up early. I’m getting stressed out from all this.”

“Well, then, that’s the perfect excuse,” Rachel smiled and raised her eyebrows as she sat down on Lizzie’s desk chair.

“Perfect excuse for what?” Lizzie bent over and turned on her lamp before flopping down on the bed and rubbing her eyes.

“Tonight,” Rachel said with excitement. “Fuck all these parties that are happening here… I’ve got us somewhere really awesome to go.”

“Huh?” Lizzie said leaning up on her elbows. “I hope it involves guaranteeing me an A on all of my assignments. Otherwise count me out.” She rolled back down and breathed out. She could see the stack of books in front of her and felt a chill prickle her skin. “Ugh, so much to do.” She picked up her pillow and covered her face before screaming into it and laughing.

“You’re so boring,” Rachel said as she pulled the pillow away. “You’ve spent most of your weekends here being little Miss Goody Two Shoes, studying every chance you get. Who cares if you don’t get perfect grades for once, just let your hair down and let’s go and have some fun.”

“I can’t…” Lizzie said. “You know what I’m like.”

“I do,” Rachel smiled. “And that’s exactly why I’m not taking no for an answer.” She got to her feet and bounced over to Lizzie’s closet. She flung open the doors and began to leaf through the hangers and outfits.

“No,” she moved along to the next dress. “No… no….”

Lizzie rolled her eyes and checked her cell phone. As usual, she didn’t have any messages or missed calls.

“Ugh, definitely not….” Rachel said as she lifted out a dress that Lizzie didn’t even know she still had. She had vague memories of her mother forcing her to wear it when she was younger, and it was still as hideous as she remembered.

“Hmm, this is okay…” Rachel stopped on a tight little black dress that had a plunging neck line. “In fact, this is perfect.” She pulled it from the closet, closed the doors and hung it on the front as she grinned from ear to ear.

“Okay Miss,” she said, “Get up off your butt and get showered, we have somewhere to be.”

Lizzie looked up at her friend and smiled. “Where are you forcing me to go?”

“I’m totally not telling you until we are on the way… I’m not having you bail on me.”

“Oh, great,” Lizzie said as she reluctantly got to her feet. “So you’re dragging me out of my room, making me fail the entire semester and for what? I don’t even get to know?”

“You will get to know… when we get there!” Rachel winked as she grabbed hold of Lizzie by the shoulders and pushed her towards the bathroom. “Now shower!”

Lizzie saluted her as if to say ‘yes ma’am’ and then closed the bathroom door just enough to have privacy but still shout through to Rachel. She turned on the shower and the room steamed up quickly. She stripped and looked at herself in the mirror. Her body had always been one of her biggest enemies, but lately she was finally starting to feel comfortable in her own skin. She had beautiful curves, and as she was maturing, she was realizing how much men loved them. Even though she did her best to stay away from them, especially after the betrayal she had seen from her dad and the bizarre experience with the German exchange student, she still loved to notice the effect she had on men. And Rachel had been right… wherever they were going, the dress she had picked out was sure to turn some heads. She got into the shower and let the warm water wash away the last remaining bits of sand and sea air from her hair before she scrubbed and primped herself with various body gels and oils. Afterwards, she felt like she had spent a day at a spa. She felt relaxed and vibrant, and even the stress of her impending exams seemed to have evaporated.

“Thanks for talking me into this,” she said to Rachel as she walked back into her dorm room and dried her long blonde hair with a towel. “You’re right, I do need to get out more.”

“You need to get laid,” Rachel said without looking up from her magazine.

“Rachel!” Lizzie gasped. “That’s the last thing I’m thinking about.”

“Hmm,” Rachel peeked at her over the top of her magazine. “If you say so…”

Lizzie spritzed on some perfume, applied her mascara and ruby red lipstick and wriggled into the figure-hugging dress that showed off her perfect hourglass figure.

“Stunning,” Rachel said as she applied her own blush, “You are a vision.”

“I feel good in this dress,” Lizzie agreed, “So this party better be worth it.”

“Oh, it’s not a party,” Rachel said casually, “It’s an initiation.”

“What?”

Rachel smirked and blotted her lips. “You’ll see….”

3.

Rachel had booked them a cab so they stood on the outskirts of their campus waiting in the dark. Rachel lit a cigarette and offered it to Lizzie, but she politely declined. Even though it wasn’t cold, she was so nervous her arms were bumpy and she shivered.

“You’ve got me now, so tell me where we’re going. Come on.” Lizzie said before swigging vodka from Rachel’s hipflask.

“Okay,” Rachel exhaled, “But promise me you won’t freak out.”

“I’m not promising anything.”

Rachel rolled her eyes and pouted at her.

“Okay, I promise,” Lizzie said, even though she had her fingers crossed behind her back.

“I met this guy a couple of weeks ago,” Rachel began, “And I didn’t tell you about him because I didn’t want you to lecture me and try to put me off.”

“Well, he already sounds awesome,” Lizzie said sarcastically. She took another swig; she was clearly going to need it. She hadn’t drunk for months and she had never been much of a fan of it, anyway. The vodka made her wince, and she had to swallow it so quickly it wasn’t enjoyable in the slightest.

“Well, we’re going to his clubhouse,” Rachel said, almost under her breath.

“His what?” Lizzie squeaked.

“Clubhouse… he’s in a bike club,” Rachel sucked on the cigarette and smiled. “And tonight they’ve initiated a few new members and they have this sort of party afterwards… I got an invite because of him and I said I’d bring a friend.”

“A bike club? What I think you mean is a gang!” Lizzie said in disbelief. If she had been nervous before this information, she was now on the verge of passing out.

“You make it sound so sinister,” Rachel brushed it off.

“It is!” Lizzie stamped her foot, “I can’t believe you’re taking me somewhere like that where there will be illegal things going on!”

“Shh,” Rachel hissed as she looked around behind them, “Stop being so precious, it’s nothing like that. This guy is really great… I like him… A lot.”

Lizzie looked at her friend, and although she wanted to smack her in the face to knock some sense into her, she could also tell she was being genuine.

“Just please come with me, and let me see him… if there’s anything weird going on, we can leave, I promise,” Rachel pleaded.

Lizzie looked up the road and saw the shine of car lights approaching. She turned back to Rachel and guilt hit her as soon as she saw how miserable she looked.

“Okay,” she said reluctantly, “I’ll come with you… But don’t leave me alone and don’t let any of them talk to me… And I want to leave after an hour, okay?”

“Yes!” Rachel did a little air jump and kissed Lizzie on the cheek, “Yes, of course, anything you want.”

She was beaming, and as the cab slowed to a halt in front of them, Rachel threw open the door and gestured for Lizzie to climb in.

As she closed the door behind them and the car started on down the road, Rachel turned to her and hugged her.

“We’re going to have so much fun,” she smiled through the dark, “I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

Lizzie smiled back and exhaled. The vodka was going to have to start working and fast… Her heart began to pound in her chest. She had never been this nervous before.

It’s just a party, she told herself, forget all about what Rachel said about it being an initiation… It’s just a party with some new people. Relax.

***

As the cab pulled up outside the bar, Rachel clapped her hands together and popped a mint in her mouth.

“How did you meet this guy?” Lizzie said as she looked up at the wooden exterior and the neon sign above the door. There were rows and rows of Harleys out front and some men sat on them smoking, while others were parked up and without a rider.

“I came looking,” Rachel wiggled her eyebrows and opened the door.

Rachel had always been a little on the wild side, but even this surprised Lizzie. It must have been a phase. She had probably been watching a show that portrayed bikers as sexy and rugged and got all swept up in the moment. Lizzie reminded herself to just keep some perspective and not to worry too much about what they were about to step into.

“Well, come on,” Rachel said, “Let’s go.”

She took hold of Lizzie’s hand as they walked towards the front door. She could hear the blare of heavy rock music and the cheering of men. It was packed inside and there was a haze of mist on the windows, condensation from all the sweat and breath in there. Lizzie looked back over her shoulder as the cab pulled away. She was stuck now. There was no hailing another one as the clubhouse was in the middle of nowhere. Some of the bikers smiled at them and cat-called as they opened the front door and went inside.

“Oh, god,” Lizzie whispered to Rachel.

“It’s fine,” Rachel replied, “Just relax!”

She led her through the crowd of men in leather and women in barely anything and jumped up onto a stool. She pulled one along for Lizzie to sit on and she slowly and clumsily climbed onto it. She pulled at the hem of her dress to try and make it longer and instantly regretted wearing it. Even though she looked amazing, the wandering eyes of all of the men were making her feel self-conscious.

“What can I get you?” the barman called over to them.

Rachel ordered them two beers and lit herself another cigarette. The air was heavy with smoke and the strong scent of ripe sweat and alcohol.

“A lot of these men look older,” Lizzie whispered to Rachel.

“Yeah, well, some of these men probably started this gang,” Rachel raised her eyebrows, “My guy is twenty-eight and drop-dead gorgeous. Just wait until you see him.”

“How long has he been a member?” Lizzie asked.

“I don’t know,” Rachel admitted. “I think maybe he got his patch tonight...”

“So he’s a newbie,” Lizzie teased. Even though she knew nothing about gangs… or bikes… she knew that being the new addition wasn’t exactly something to brag about.

“Shut up,” Rachel pouted as she collected the beers from the barman and slid one down the countertop to Lizzie.

“Well, I can’t wait to meet him, anyway,” she said as she looked around. It was basically what she had expected, but not as frightening. And she was pleasantly surprised that Rachel was right about the men. The ones that were young enough to be of interest certainly had something raw and sexy about them.

Her eyes wandered around the room and almost instantly she found herself looking up at a guy across the bar. He was tan, had shaggy blonde hair and was clad in a heavy leather jacket which was open and bared the top of his rock-solid chest. He looked up and his eyes met hers. Lizzie felt her heart jump in shock as he locked her gaze. There was something about his eyes and the way they were drawing her in. They were a deep hazel and completely consuming. She almost forgot to breathe.

“Are you okay?” Rachel asked.

Lizzie jumped again and looked at Rachel. “Yes,” she panted, “I’m fine.”

She quickly looked back up, but he was gone. She looked behind her and tried to crane her neck to the other side of the bar, but he was nowhere in sight.

Her heart sank.

She swigged her beer. Maybe it wasn’t going to be such a bad night after all.

4.

“Here he is,” Rachel whispered to her excitedly as another hot guy walked slowly over to them.

He wasn’t as sexy as the one that Lizzie had seen across the bar, but he was certainly Rachel’s type. He had long dark hair and a goatee to match. He had big skull rings on his fingers and he gripped the neck of his beer bottle with big hands.

“Lizzie,” Rachel said proudly, “This is Blaze.”

Lizzie looked up at him and held out her hand, unsure of what to say. What she really wanted to ask was whether it was his real name… but knew Rachel would kick her under the bar.

“Hi,” she managed finally, “Nice to meet you.”

Blaze gave her a short smile and wrapped his arm around Rachel’s neck, then he whispered in her ear and began to kiss down her throat. Lizzie looked away uncomfortably and sipped her drink. She suddenly wanted to get the hell out of there.

“Umm,” Rachel said as she got to her feet, “We’re just going to dance, I’ll be right back.” Blaze hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her into the crowd before turning and heading towards a door at the back of the bar.

Dance? Lizzie thought. Great… ditched within five minutes.

She pulled out her cell phone and flicked through her contacts, trying to find a cab company that she could call and come to get her the hell out of there as fast as possible. She knew she shouldn’t have listened to Rachel. She should have climbed into bed with the rest of her reading list and crammed as much as she could before the beginning of the new week. Lizzie had never allowed herself to be led astray, and she was angry at herself for letting it happen at such an important time in her life. Even if she did need the break, she should have had more sense.

She cursed herself and was about to get up and push her way through the crowd when she felt the presence of someone powerful next to her. He slid onto the empty stool that Rachel had left and the leather of his jacket brushed up against her arm. Lizzie didn’t need to look up to know that it was him. There was no mistaking it…

His big, rough hands were wrapped around a glass of whiskey and she could smell it on his breath as he leaned forward and whispered “Hi,” into her ear.

Her whole body shook as she slowly looked up into his eyes, and he smiled at her slowly, seductively, as if they were the only two people in the room.

“Hi,” she stammered back.

He reached down and grabbed hold of her stool and pulled it closer to him so their knees were between one another.

“I’ve never seen you here before,” he said. His voice was deep and gruff and he never once took his eyes off hers.

“That’s because I haven’t been here before,” she whispered.

There was an intense energy coming off him, and she felt intimidated and turned on at the same time.

“Why now?” he asked as he lifted his drink and took a large gulp before slamming it down on the counter top. One of the bartenders instantly began to pour him another.

“My friend…” she began, “She asked me to come with her.”

“Is that the one with Blaze?” he said condescendingly.

“Yes,” Lizzie said quietly.

“New kid,” the guy said as he tapped the counter top again and then pointed to the bottle she was drinking, “Another?”

“Umm, thanks,” Lizzie smiled in agreement.

The bartender instantly put another one down for her, and she realized her hands were shaking as she reached out to grab it.

“He’s alright I suppose,” he said. “Eager to please.”

Lizzie let her eyes wander down his amazing torso that was just showing underneath the leather and black vest he was wearing with his jeans. He also wore a big pair of leather boots, and he clamped a cigarette between his teeth before he lit it with a fast click of a silver lighter.

“And what’s your name?” he asked as he exhaled smoke over her shoulder.

“I’m Lizzie,” she whispered.

“Sounds like a little doll,” he sneered.

She had never heard that before.

“I’m Jake,” he said.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she stammered. Her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her ears.

“Come outside with me,” he said as he got to his feet.

Lizzie knew from his tone that he wasn’t asking her, he was telling her. So she stood up to and let him push her in front of him and direct her through the crowd to the main door. She looked back over her shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rachel but she was nowhere to be seen.

Jake led her away from the clubhouse and to his bike, which was parked further out around the back. He lit another cigarette and climbed onto it. It was a huge machine, and Lizzie couldn’t believe how shiny it was and how it glinted in the moonlight.

“You getting on or what?” he said as he kicked his foot and the engine roared. Lizzie looked back towards the clubhouse again and bit her lip.

“I… I should really…” she began, knowing that what she should be doing was running in the opposite direction. But to where? Rachel had left her and she didn’t have a cab number in her phone…

He leaned out towards her and held out his hand. Lizzie looked into his eyes. There was something there that seemed safe amongst all this danger. She let her fingers slide into his, and he pulled her towards him. She cocked her leg over behind him and held onto his waist. The machine vibrated powerfully and strong between her thighs, and she gripped it with her bare flesh.

“Hold on,” he said as he turned his head to the side. Lizzie wrapped her arms right around his and clutched for dear life. She was terrified, but she wanted to experience it. She wanted to let this stranger take her away, even if it was just for an hour. He pulled out onto the highway and floored it. The wind lashed through her hair and she laughed. It was incredible. She gripped him again and could feel the flex of his muscles beneath his vest.

“Wow,” she screamed, “This is amazing!”

He shouted something back to her as they took a bend, but it was so loud with the wind whipping around them and the sound of the engine, she couldn’t hear. She dug her heels into the side of the bike and surrendered to him. She felt alive and free. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

5.

Jake ran his hand through his hair and lit another cigarette. He was hot under the leathers, Lizzie could tell.

“What’s with the jacket?” she asked.

He smiled and exhaled a plume of smoke into the air.

“The jacket is a part of me,” was all he said.

Lizzie looked down at the floor and kicked at the sand dune with her stiletto heel.

He’d driven them out to the coast. On the bike it had only taken them around ten minutes, zipping in and out of trucks and cars and making sharp bends as if they were in a video game. Lizzie could hardly believe it had all been real. At one point she had even dared to let go of his waist and raise her arms out into the air.

“You’re not like those other girls,” he said finally. “Girls like you don’t walk into places like that…” He clicked his teeth before he sucked on the cigarette again. “I want to know you better.”

Lizzie could tell she was blushing, and she shrugged before she moved closer to him and rested her hands on the side of the bike.

“There’s honestly not that much to know,” she admitted. “I’m not that interesting.”

“Come on,” he laughed before he took the last drag of the cigarette and threw it onto the ground, crushing it with his boot. “Tell me, what do you do?”

“I’m an English major,” she said flatly.

He exhaled with a whistle and looked down at the ground. “Way too smart for me then,” he laughed. “I didn’t even finish high school.”

“How old are you?” she asked.

“Thirty,” he lit up again and blew the smoke over her shoulder. “You?”

“Nineteen,” she dug her heel into the sand. She was starting to feel drunk, as if all of the drinks had hit her at once. And there was something intoxicating about Jake, as if he had cast a spell on her and reeled her in. She had never met anyone as sexy and exciting as him before. It had only been an hour…but she knew there was something between them that was going to be big.

In spite of all of her insecurities, Lizzie let her hand move up to the side of his face to cup his cheek. He moved back slightly and took hold of her wrist before staring deep into her eyes. He pinned her arm behind her back and pulled her close to him. She could smell the tobacco and whiskey on his breath, and even though she would have normally hated that, this time she wanted more… She wanted to taste it. He leaned closer to her and his lips skimmed hers. She felt weak at the knees and groaned as he pulled her against him. He kissed her hard, parting her lips with his tongue and thrusting it into her mouth. It was a powerful kiss. She had never been kissed like that before. It was almost like losing her virginity all over again. He held her tightly and she felt tiny in his arms.  She didn’t want it to end, her head swirling and dizzy. It was almost as if time had stopped. He suddenly pulled back and looked down. Lizzie shook her head and went to speak, but he stopped her.

“I better get you back,” he said.

“But, why?” she asked.

“Come on,” he said as he ran a hand through her hair, “I’m no good for you…”

Disappointment flooded through her, and she felt like she had been slapped in the face. Stunned and subdued, she climbed onto the back of the bike and held lightly onto his waist as he pulled back onto the highway. As they rode back to the clubhouse in silence, confusion raged through her. He had come for her, he had asked her to go with him… and she had… and now he was dismissing her…

Her confusion built to anger and she concluded quickly that he was right. He was not good for her, and she was obviously drunk and stupid for even getting on the bike and talking with him in the first place.

Instead of taking her back to the clubhouse he pulled over into a rest area and called back to her. “What’s your address? I’ll take you home.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

He nodded.

She directed him along the winding roads back to her campus. The gates were open and he zipped through them and took her right up to her dorm building steps.

“Thank you,” she said as she climbed off the bike and leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. “It was really nice to meet you.” Even after being rejected, she still meant it.

“It was,” he smiled. “I…” he began to say something but stopped himself before revving the bike and giving her a nod of his head. “I’ll let Blaze know you’re home safe.”

Lizzie watched as he pulled away and rode slowly but loudly out of sight. Lights and windows flashed on and opened above her as people stared out, wondering who the hell was on a motorcycle outside their bedrooms at that time of night. Lizzie felt a little smile creep over her face. What a crazy night. It was definitely one she would remember…

6.

Her dreams were a mix of ferocious speed and that powerful man. He was pinning her down by the wrists against the sand and pushing himself against her. Her heart raced and when she woke up, she was breathing quickly and her whole body tingled red hot. She rolled over and looked up at the clock. It read7:00, and the light was parting through a tiny slit in the curtains. She ran her hands through her hair and smiled.

Jake.

After everything she had been through, she knew it was wrong to even consider someone like him… an outlaw… a bad boy… He was clearly trouble… but it had just taken one moment for them to lock eyes, and she had fallen into the trap. He was all she could think about. She wanted more.

“What the hell am I going to do?” she said aloud as she got out of bed and stretched. She opened the curtains and looked out across the quad. The sun was shining bright and it was a gorgeous day.

Before she had chance to even pull herself together, there was a loud pounding on her door. She spun around and moved quickly to it, then unlocked the door and opened it. Rachel, still in last night’s clothes, came bursting in.

“Oh… my… god!” she declared as she threw herself down on to the bed. “Tell me everything, NOW!”

“What?” Lizzie laughed. She lay down next to Rachel and looked across at her.

“Jake?” Rachel said, “Did you hook up with him? You do know who he is, right?”

“Slow down!” Lizzie said, covering her face, half in embarrassment and half trying to disguise the huge smile that was plastered there. “What did he say?”

Rachel’s face cracked into a grin. “He came back to the clubhouse and said he’d made sure that you got home safely…” She glared at her, her eyes demanding to know the whole story.

“Okay…” Lizzie began, “You better get comfy…”

***

She told her everything. About how he had made a beeline for her the second Rachel had disappeared with Blaze. About how he had taken her for a ride out to the coast. About the red-hot kiss that had left her weak at the knees. Rachel’s eyes grew wide and she squealed with delight as Lizzie described the feeling of exhilaration as she let go of his waist to let her arms fly free like a bird in the night air.

“This is so amazing,” Rachel clapped her hands, “I knew the second he came back and mentioned you something had happened. He’s major, Lizzie,” she took hold of her hand, “He’s a real bad boy… He’s right at the top at the club. His father was a founding member.”

Lizzie bit her lip and breathed out slowly.

“I just know he’s going to be bad news, Rachel,” she shook her head. “I should stay away.”

“He wants you,” she said, “I just know it… he’ll come looking for you if you don’t go back.”

Lizzie lay back against the cool mattress and stared up at the ceiling. She hated to admit it… but she really hoped that Rachel was once again right.

7.

The week passed slowly. The only thing Lizzie had on her mind was Jake and the way she had felt so protected when she was in his arms. She found herself completely unable to concentrate on anything and knew that the one night she had let her hair and her guard down was going to be her undoing. There was no way she was going to be prepared for finals.

She walked back towards her dorm on the following Friday afternoon and kicked at the ground as she daydreamed again about her badass biker. Her daydreams had become so vivid, and for a second she was sure she could smell him.

She rounded the corner and the scent of smoke became even stronger. She didn’t dare look up, but the rev of the motorcycle confirmed what she’d been hoping. She finally let her eyes wander ahead and they locked with his.

Jake was right there. Outside her dorm. Waiting for her.

He clamped the cigarette between his teeth and motioned for her to come to him with a sharp flick of his head. Her heart began to race, and she swallowed hard.

“Hi,” she smiled as she walked coyly forward.

Jake didn’t respond, but he smiled and threw his cigarette on the ground before getting to his feet and stamping it out.

“You going to invite me in?” he said.

Lizzie looked around nervously. She could see that people were looking, wondering who this gorgeous man was waiting for her on her doorstep. She couldn’t help but smile. She was so happy to see him and she wanted to lunge at him, wrap her arms around him and have him kiss her just like the night they met.

“Would you like to come in, Sir?” she said with a giggle.

He took the stack of books from her and walked past her.

“Thank you,” she smiled, her heart pounding in her chest.

She unlocked the door to the building and he stepped inside.

“I thought I better come and see what all the fuss was about,” he joked. “Never thought I’d see myself inside somewhere like this… Not really my scene.”

“I bet,” Lizzie smiled as she began to climb the stairs.

He followed her, his big, heavy boots stomping up the stairs behind her. He glared at the boys who looked at him as they wandered through the halls and Lizzie hurried towards her dorm room. She shook as she got the keys in the lock and quickly opened it and stepped inside. So many people were staring and she knew exactly what was on their minds.

Who the hell is this guy… What is she doing… She is clearly about to get fucked…

A laugh escaped her as she thought of what they would all be saying about her, but she didn’t care.

He closed the door and turned the lock before he dropped the books down on her desk and moved closer to her. She could smell the stale smoke, old booze and heavy cologne. Her sex pulsed.

He stared deep into her eyes as he pulled his jacket off slowly. He revealed big, muscular arms, and Lizzie gasped when she saw them. She knew he was strong, but seeing just how strong made her shudder.

“Wow,” she whispered.

A smile crept across his face and he lunged across the room at her. He grabbed her wrists and pushed them high above her head and against the wall.

“I tried to stay away,” he breathed. “I told you I’m no good for you.”

“I don’t care,” she whispered back.

He pushed his groin into hers and she could feel that he was rock hard. He grunted as he thrust against her and moved closer, kissing her and taking her breath away.

“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into,” he breathed.

“I want it…” she panted, “Whatever it is, I want it so bad…”

He released her wrists and Lizzie held onto him around the neck as he lifted her up at the waist. She wrapped her legs around him, he pushed her back against the wall and grunted. Lizzie was soaking wet. She had never been so turned on and ready. It had been such a long time since she had been with a man and she had certainly never been with anyone as strong and intense as Jake. He was like a dark fantasy come true.

He walked with her over to the bed and threw her down. He reached for her jeans and unbuttoned them slowly before he pulled them down over her legs and threw them over his shoulder. She was wearing little lacy panties and he smiled when he saw them. He ran his hands up her plump legs and kissed her ankles. She could see the bulge in his jeans, and she was desperate for him to release it. She needed him inside of her.

As if he read her mind, he reached for his pants and unbuckled his belt, pulling it off with a snap. He threw it on the floor behind him and undid his fly. He teased her, slowly pulling down his jeans and boxers to finally reveal the most perfectly huge, engorged and stiff cock that Lizzie had ever seen.

She gasped as he kicked her legs open and pulled her panties down. She was so wet but she was still terrified. Surely he was going to hurt her… he was so huge.

He pulled her to the edge of the bed and held her legs apart as he positioned his glistening member at her opening. Lizzie barely dared breathe as he slowly rubbed his helmet up and down her slit. She bit the back of her hand and tried not to scream out in pleasure as he nudged her clit with his tip before he positioned himself again and powerfully slid himself inside her. She moaned as her broke into her, splitting her in half and opening her up. The sharp pain quickly subsided into the most intense pleasure she had ever felt. He was so deep inside of her she couldn’t move. He had filled her up entirely and was hitting her in all the right places.

He grunted, “Fuck,” as he thrust into her again.

He lifted her and pushed her back further up the bed, all the while staying inside of her. He spread her out beneath him and held onto her throat as he drove himself into her. With each stroke he seemed to become harder and his breathing became shorter and more furious.

Lizzie couldn’t help but moan and scream with pleasure as he fucked her. She had been waiting for a moment like this her whole life, and now that it was happening, there was no way she was going to hold back. His dick was slick with her juices and it wasn’t until she was aware that he was about to cum that she realized he hadn’t worn a condom. She knew she could stop him, but she didn’t want to. She wanted him to fill her up with his seed.

Jake buried his head in her huge, juicy breasts and sucked on her nipples. Sweat dripped from his forehead and he grunted loudly as he thrust into her again and again. The bed was moving back and forth, slamming against the wall and Jake rose up on top of her sliding almost entirely out of her pussy before slowly powering into her again and exploding inside of her. He pumped his hot, powerful cum right into her. She felt every burst of it and it sent her over the edge as she took him into her.

She felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff and had fallen over. She unraveled beneath him. Her heart pounding and her body shaking, she had the most intense and amazing orgasm of her life.

“Oh… God…” she whispered as she gripped him tightly.

Jake kissed her tenderly and pulled himself out of her, his dick still rock hard and throbbing.

“That was fucking unreal,” he panted before collapsing beside her and pulling her to him.

Lizzie breathed him all in... Now his scent was mixed with hers… Just like their DNA…

“Jake,” she whispered nervously, “I’m not on the pill.”

He turned to her and smiled before he kissed her again and stared into her eyes.

“Good,” he said seriously.

Her heart began to race again… Had she heard him right?

“I told you I was no good for you,” he said.

Lizzie nuzzled into him and let him wrap his huge arms around her. She felt so safe and protected, she never wanted to leave his side.

“I want you pregnant,” he broke the silence.

Lizzie opened her eyes and stared up at him. “What?”

“You heard me,” he said. “I want you to be pregnant. I want you to give me children.”

Lizzie’s mind was all over the place… This couldn’t be happening…

“I’m going to take care of you, Liz,” he said as he stared deeply into her eyes, “I tried to stay away and I couldn’t, now I’m never letting you go… You’re the one for me… I don’t need to fuck around for months dating you to figure that out… I know when I want something, and I take it.”

She bit her lip. No one had ever been so direct with her before, but she knew she liked it.

“Okay,” she agreed.

It was crazy. Insane. She had given herself to a biker… a criminal… and she was going to get pregnant from him. She already had his seed… it could be happening at that very moment.

Lizzie looked across the room and at all of her books and notes… She had been denying it for as long as she could remember: her heart wasn’t really in it. She could still stick it out and get her degree and have a family. She knew she was made for it, and now that she had Jake by her side, she felt unstoppable.

“You were wrong,” she whispered as she reached for Jake’s hand underneath the covers. “I don’t think you’re bad for me at all. I think you’re exactly what I need.”

Jake smiled at her and kissed her once more.

“Well,” he said with a smile, “We’re about to find out.”

THE END

What the Outlaw Takes

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1.

After all of this time, it was finally happening. Emma watched Dale pack his bags. He was tipping the drawers out onto the bed and sweeping his clothes inside them in big crumpled balls, refusing to look at her as he went. She had never wanted this to happen, but after two years of trying to make their relationship work, she knew now that she had to cut her losses and get out before it was too late.

“Dale,” she whispered. “Please, at least talk to me.”

“I’ve got nothing to say,” he hissed as he zipped up one bag and started on the other. “I get it, you don’t want to be with me and that’s fine. What else is there to say…?”

Emma sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at him. He was right, but she still deserved some closure. They had been in each other’s lives for such a long time and even though it would be futile, it seemed wrong to simply end everything without a proper discussion.

It hadn’t always been so bad between them. When they first met, Dale had been everything she thought she wanted in a man. He was handsome, together, well brought up, and he had ambition and was going places. But as the weeks, months and years passed, Emma grew to realize that just because someone is conventionally good on paper, it didn’t mean that those particular set of characteristics were right for her. Dale was dependable and safe, he was a sure thing…and even though his predictability had become tedious and boring, that hadn’t driven her away. For all of his good points, he had one major flaw and that was he was unprepared to give her the one thing she wanted most.

Even though it had terrified her to admit it, she finally did one night as she watched him sleeping and knew that she felt nothing…

She needed more.

She needed something exciting.

Dale zipped up the second bag and turned to look at her.

“Let’s not leave things like this,” she began. “I never meant to hurt you.”

Dale held up his hand to stop her from speaking.

“Let’s not do this,” he said. “I don’t want to hear any more of what you have to say.”

“But…”

“No,” he said as he slung both of the bags over his shoulder. “I knew this was going to happen one day. I was just kidding myself.”

“You never really wanted me either, admit it,” she said, standing up to face him and placing her hands on her hips.

She remembered back to their conversations, all of the nights they had talked about their dreams and aspirations. He knew how much Emma wanted children, but he always laughed it off like she was a fool for having that basic human desire. It was like Dale had never even entertained the idea, and the more she brought it up, the more he seemed to resist. After a year, she had almost given up  talking about a baby altogether and that was when the love she had for him began to die. She knew what she wanted and he was never going to give it to her.

“I just don’t want to be forced into something,” he said finally. “But maybe we never have been on the same page.”

The relief Emma felt when he admitted it was overwhelming. She sat back on the bed, flopped backwards and closed her eyes, exhaling and letting go of all of the negative energy. It was sad to part with a person who had been her whole world for over two years, but she had put her life on hold and it eventually ground to a halt. She couldn’t wait forever for something that was never going to happen.

“So I guess this is it?” Dale said from the doorway.

They had shared that room for over a year and slept side by side every night. They had cuddled together underneath the covers and watched old movies, they’d eaten tubs of ice cream and Dale had helped her pick outfits for nights out with her girlfriends. But it was also the place where he had on a countless number of occasions made her cry, made her feel like she wasn’t good enough for him and repeatedly refused to discuss their future. Emma knew that when it really came down to it, there was no deep emotion running under it all. They weren’t unbreakable, and she knew that she could live without him.

“Goodbye, Dale,” Emma said without even looking up.

He sighed and she heard his footsteps heading down the hallway before the slam of the front door. She was alone in the house for the first time in months, but she didn’t mind. She was about to completely restart her life, and this time, she was up for anything.

2.

“I can’t believe you actually did it,” Leanne said giddily as she poured Emma a refill on her coffee, as well as one for herself.

“No,” Emma sighed, “I can’t either...”

Emma had driven straight across town to see her best friend less than an hour after Dale left and now they were in the coffee house where Leanne worked on weekends. Emma had always liked the place; it was homey and welcoming, and if there was anywhere she had to be after a bad break-up, it would be there. She could sink back into the big, comfortable couches, turn off her cell phone and relax while enjoying some people watching. When Leanne was working, she didn’t have to worry about outstaying her welcome. The other staff barely seemed to notice her as she sat cradling her cappuccino and staring out the window as she watched the world go by.

“So how did he take it?” Leanne sat down on the arm of the couch and rubbed Emma’s shoulder.

“Not great,” she sighed. “In fact, he made me feel terrible.”

“He was a jerk, Em,” Leanne said, getting to her feet. “Don’t feel guilty, you just didn’t work… You both want different things.”

“I guess,” Emma said. “I know you’re right. I just hate feeling like this, you know?”

“Sure,” Leanne smiled. “But you did the right thing, you couldn’t keep ignoring how you felt… He was never going to commit all the way, and he seemed to just think he could string you along…”

“Yeah.” Emma smiled meekly as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Come on,” Leanne smiled. “Not only that, but now we’re free to let loose a bit.” She wiggled her eyebrows, and Emma couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, God,” Emma rolled her eyes. “I dread to think what you have in mind…”

“Well, I’m not telling. You’ll just have to trust me.”

Leanne grinned and turned on her heel before making her way back to the counter and picking up her notebook and pen. It was nearly 5pm and it was getting busy in there. Emma let herself sink further into the couch, and she turned so her back was to the majority of the room. She didn’t want to risk seeing someone she knew who might ask how Dale was doing and where he was. That would be the last thing she needed, along with all of the awkward questions that would follow…

She sipped her drink and closed her eyes. It had been a long, emotionally draining day. All she wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed, but at the same time she wasn’t sure if she was ready to be alone. She opened her eyes and looked around. She noticed all of the happy couples sitting at the adjacent tables and she felt a small pang of jealousy. She had never wanted to end up single again, but she knew she had to be honest and true to herself, and Dale was never going to be the one.

On the table in front of her was a magazine aimed at women just her age. It was glossy and the cover had a gorgeous stick-thin model splashed across it with big, juicy, pouting lips. She opened it up and her eyes were instantly drawn to a two-page spread on dating for millennials. She shuddered at the thought.

Me, dating… she thought. I wouldn’t even know what to do.

It had been such a long time since she had dipped her toe in the dating pool, she hadn’t even heard of half of the things that were listed in the magazine’s guide. Out of nowhere there were apps for meeting people around you or by similar interest, there were hook-ups and hot-or-nots. It all seemed so scary and intimidating. Emma closed the magazine and threw it back on the table.

That is not for me, she thought. I think I’d rather stay single forever.

She picked up her coffee and finished it before getting to her feet. She swung her purse over her shoulder and made her way to the counter.

“I’m going to get going,” she said to Leanne.

“Okay, hon,” Leanne smiled and kissed her on the cheek. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

She hadn’t even thought about it. The weekend loomed ahead, empty and terrifying.

“I don’t know,” she replied, “For once, I have absolutely nothing planned.”

“Good,” Leanne slapped her hands together. “I’ll be at your place at eight tomorrow night. I’ll bring some wine and we can have a few drinks before hitting the town.”

“Seriously?” Emma groaned. “I don’t think I’m ready to go out and be sociable.”

“What happened to restarting your life?” Leanne demanded. “That’s all you’ve talked about since you decided a few weeks ago that you were going to dump Dale, and now you’re backtracking.”

“I know, but…”

“No buts,” Leanne snapped. “This is exactly what you need, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Emma nodded her head and smiled. Although Leanne could be harsh with her and sometimes hard work, she did know how to bring her around and make her feel better.

“Okay,” Emma agreed, “I’ll see you at eight… Where are we going? What should I wear?”

“Don’t worry about that now,” Leanne grinned. “We can sort that out tomorrow. Just leave it to me.” She nodded at Emma with wide, confident eyes. “Now go home, get into bed, do your crying if you need to, and tomorrow you’ll be a new person and we’ll never speak about Dale again, okay?”

“Okay,” Emma smiled as she saluted her. “Thanks, Leanne. I appreciate it.”

“I know you do.” She tapped the cash register and it pinged. “Now go on, I don’t want to have to tell you twice.”

Emma laughed as she turned and walked towards the door, waving over her shoulder as she went.

3.

Emma slid her key into the lock and opened the front door to an empty house. The darkness loomed towards her, and as she flicked on the light, she had the overwhelming urge to slam it behind her and just run up to her bed. Instead, she closed it quietly, locked it behind her and walked slowly into the kitchen. It was early still, and even though she was exhausted, she felt like she owed it to herself to enjoy some alone time.

She opened the cupboard, grabbed a bottle of Rioja and set it down on the island. She looked around. It was the first time she realized that Dale had barely kept any of his possessions in her home. Even though he had pretty much lived there for the past year, his clothes and a toothbrush were all that he ever brought with him. Now he was gone, and everything still looked the same. All that was missing was him and the sound of a football game coming from the TV in the living room.

“This is good,” she said aloud. “Now I can watch anything I want, I can cook anything I want and hell, I can even drink wine every night if I want!” She laughed as she uncorked the wine and poured herself a large glass. She took a sip. It was warm, woody and smooth and slipped down her throat easily. She glugged it again and instantly felt a wave of calm wash over her.

“Perfect,” she whispered, before she scooped her purse up under her arm, the glass in one hand and the bottle in the other, and made her way down the hallway to the stairs.

Up in her room, she lit candles in every corner and some incense. She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. She could easily get used to this. It was refreshing having her whole house to herself and knowing that no one was going to burst in and ruin the tranquility. She sipped the wine and turned on some soft music. She couldn’t believe she had actually been upset earlier! This was fantastic. Leanne was right. It was exactly what she needed, and she certainly wouldn’t be crying herself to sleep. She sat up and looked over at her closet. Leanne and her were hitting the town the following evening, and she didn’t even know if she had anything to wear. She turned the soft music over to dance music and skipped over to the closet, throwing the doors open and flicking through the hangers. She hadn’t even seen some of the dresses in there for years. Dale had never approved of some of them because they were too short. Apparently.

“You’re so boring, Dale,” Emma said to herself. She took another swig of wine and giggled. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had had a drink, and it felt good that she didn’t have to answer to anyone.

She pulled out a little black dress that was low cut and figure hugging. Emma had been blessed with a beautiful, large set of natural breasts to complement her soft, curvy frame, and she knew that she would look fantastic in it. She held it up against herself and smiled. She couldn’t wait to get back out there and start living. Tomorrow couldn’t come quickly enough.

***

She spent most of her Saturday spring cleaning and preparing for Leanne to arrive. She threw open all of the windows and let new air circulate through the house. She was determined to start again, and that meant rejuvenating everything in sight. She flicked through home magazines and began making a scrapbook. She could finally get around to decorating and making everything fresh and exciting. By the time it hit six o’clock, she was startled and couldn’t believe the whole day had passed her by. She went up to the shower and began getting ready. Leanne said she would be there at eight, and she wanted to get out of the house and hit the town as soon as possible.

At her dressing table, she looked at herself in the mirror. She had always been told that she was attractive, but she never really believed it… Or had it been Dale who made her question everything? After being away from him for twenty-four hours, she certainly felt free and unburdened from all of his negativity. Maybe Leanne was right; maybe he was a complete jerk.

She smoothed some ruby red lipstick across her lips and blotted it with a Kleenex. She looked alive again, as if she had been revived and given a second chance. She was about to give herself a little motivational speech about how she was a strong, fabulous woman and deserved the best in life when the doorbell echoed up the stairs and she jumped to her feet.

“Coming!” she called down the hall as she trotted down the stairs.

She opened the door to see Leanne standing in front of her with a bottle of white wine clutched in her fist.

“Let’s get this party started!” she laughed as she wrapped an arm around Emma and pulled her inside. “It is so goddamn good to have my best friend back.”

The girls sat at the island in the kitchen, and Emma poured them both a drink. She held her glass up to meet Leanne’s and they clinked them together.

“Cheers,” Leanne smiled.

“So,” Emma said, “Am I allowed to know where we’re going yet?”

“Hmm,” Leanne grinned and shrugged, “But that will spoil the surprise.”

“You know I hate surprises. Come on, tell me!” Emma said, jumping to her feet. She was too excited and needed to know so she could mentally plan how the night was going to pan out.

Leanne laughed and rolled her eyes.

“Okay,” she said cautiously. “I heard about something and I thought it would be good for both of us.”

“Sounds ominous,” Emma said with a giggle.

“Not really…” Leanne trailed off. “It’s going to be exciting, that’s for sure.”

“This is all very cryptic,” Emma said as she took a sip of her wine. “Just spit it out, come on.”

“Okay,” Leanne said as she rolled her shoulders and smiled. “Well, I heard about this beach party, and I thought it would be good if we went.”

“A beach party?” Emma said with disappointment. “Is that it? I thought we were going to be hitting some exclusive club and hanging out with celebrities!”

“Oh, this will be much more exciting than that, trust me,” Leanne said, raising her eyebrows.

“Well, you better tell me then, because I suddenly feel very overdressed.” Emma looked down at her tight LBD and held out her arms. She had felt so in control and sexy when she was putting it on, and now she knew there was no way she was going to be able to wear it. She couldn’t head down to the beach in that and four-inch heels. She would look ridiculous.

“I’m dressed up, too,” Leanne said sternly. “Plus, the beach isn’t the only place this party is going to be.”

“God, stop killing with me with the suspense and just tell me!” Emma grabbed hold of Leanne’s shoulders and shook her with joke fury.

“There’s an initiation ceremony down there,” she said quietly. “I heard about it because a friend of mine is going out with one of the bikers…”

“Bikers?” Emma asked, genuinely confused.

“Do you not watch the news?” Leanne said with a laugh. “The gang that’s basically been running this town for the past twenty years.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Emma shook her head.

“Well, all you really need to know is there’s a new wave of them, and they are sexy as hell… There isn’t a girl in this town who wouldn’t kill to do what we’re about to do tonight, and if you ask me, this is more than the perfect way to finally put Dale behind you.” Leanne was gripping onto her by the shoulders and smiling with wide, excited eyes.

“Are they dangerous?” Emma asked, concerned.

“Who knows…” Leanne bit her lip. “And even if they are, don’t you think that’s a turn-on?”

“When you say initiation, what exactly do you mean?”

“They’ve taken on some new members and they’re celebrating… My friend Jane is going to be down there with the guy she’s been seeing, and she invited me along.”

“And where is the party going to be after the beach?” Emma asked, still confused by the whole situation.

“Well,” Leanne said excitedly, “I’ve heard that if one of them likes you, they give you a ride back to the club house,” she squealed and clapped her hands together. “I mean, can you imagine that, Em? Being on the back of one of their bikes, flying down the highway on our way back to a secret party at an outlaw’s den!?”

“Jesus,” Emma laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so excited!” She got to her feet and sipped her wine. Everything about this seemed intimidating. Leanne was right when she had questioned Emma’s knowledge of their town with her not watching the news, but she hadn’t lived under a rock. She knew that there were outlaws around them and that they had a big say on how things went down. She knew that some people were afraid of them, and she also knew that if she had gone back a week and could look forward and see herself all dressed up, newly single and potentially heading over there, she never would have believed it.

“Come on,” Leanne said with pleading eyes. “If we don’t go, we’ll regret it, trust me. These parties are supposed to be amazing, and I’ve heard that if they take you back to the clubhouse, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.”

Emma sipped her drink again, hoping for Dutch courage. She had always wanted excitement in her life, and here it was being presented to her. She knew she should reach out and take it without asking questions. If she went and hated it, she could easily leave and come home. It wasn’t like she was stuck there. She had a cell phone and a hundred cab companies’ numbers saved in it. She was an adult and could go anywhere she wanted, whenever she wanted. Why should this party be so different and what did she have to lose?

“Okay,” she said with a smile, “I’m in!”

Leanne jumped up and hugged her and poured some more wine into her glass.

“You won’t regret it,” she beamed. “I know we’re going to have the night of our lives.”

“Well, if we don’t, you owe me another night out on the town next weekend. Deal?”

“Totally,” Leanne laughed. “Now let’s finish this bottle so we can get going. I can’t wait to get down there and see what these bad boys are all about!”

Emma smiled to herself as she stared into the mirror on the wall and reapplied her lipstick. She was looking forward to seeing what they were all about, too, and she certainly hoped that Leanne was right… She liked the idea of a man in leather with a dark side. It was as far away from Dale as she could possibly get, and she knew that it was exactly what she needed.

“Ready?” she called over her shoulder to Leanne, who was putting their glasses into the sink and scrolling through her cell phone.

“Yep,” she smiled. “Let’s get out of here!”

The girls linked arms and made their way to the front door. As they stepped out into the warm night air, Emma had a good feeling. She knew something fun was about to come her way, and she couldn’t have been more ready.

4.

The girls stepped out of the cab and turned to face the beach. The waves crashed against the shore, and the white hiss of spray met their legs. The sun was setting, and Emma shielded her eyes from the golden pink glow as she looked out to the ocean. In the distance, she could make out the silhouettes of a group of people all around a fire and spilling down out across the beach. There were about fifty of them and her heart began to race as she realized she was suddenly as nervous as if it were her first day of school. She didn’t know anyone down there. What if they just looked at her and Leanne as if they were crazy for showing up and wanted them to leave? Or worse, what if they got nasty? They were criminals, after all. They could be capable of anything!

“Wait,” she whispered as she grabbed onto Leanne’s arm and pulled her back away from the entrance to the beach. “Do you really think this is safe?”

Leanne rolled her eyes at her and laughed.

“Oh, come on, Em, of course it is. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I don’t know, I just… I’m having second thoughts…”

“Stop being so boring,” Leanne stared at her deep in the eyes. “I know we are going to have a great night. Now come on, let’s get down there and mingle!”

Emma nodded slowly and followed her friend out to the dunes. They slipped off their heels and carried them in their hands as they made their way down across the sand and onto the beach. Underfoot the sand was still warm and it instantly put Emma at ease. It felt wonderful between her toes, and the closer they got to the crowd of people and the fire, the more she began to relax. She could see other women around there, dancing, drinking, listening to music and sitting on the sides of bikes that had been ditched along the beach. The men were big and burly, some were older with long graying beards, but most were young and as Leanne had promised, exceptionally hot.

“Wow,” Emma whispered as she reached for Leanne’s hand. “You weren’t wrong.”

Leanne turned to her and smiled. “See, you’ve just got to trust me.”

They approached the group and slipped in among the crowd. The fire was the central focal point, but the party itself extended out across the rest of the beach. In the ocean, a man and woman frolicked naked and some of the men on their bikes revved their engines and cheered. They all drank beer and whisky from the bottle, and there was a cloud of smoke in the air as most of the men had cigarettes dangling from their lips. Emma bit her bottom lip and looked around. She almost didn’t know where she should fix her eyes. All of the men around her were so good looking, and they all seemed so incredibly ripped and powerful. They wore leathers and skull rings, and some of them had bandanas in their long, shaggy hair and others who had removed their clan jackets had aggressive tattoos all down their arms and across their backs. Emma found herself unable to take her eyes off one guy sitting a rock just outside the main circle. He held a bottle of whisky in his hand and was sipping it slowly. A tattoo of a spider crawled up his neck. She shuddered at the thought of trailing her hands over it. Each and every one of the bikers were wild and untamed. She was getting wet just looking at them.

“Here,” Leanne said, breaking her train of thought. She handed her a glass with vodka and coke, and Emma took a sip and gagged.

“Jeez, that’s strong,” she coughed.

“Just drink it,” Leanne said playfully. “You need to relax.”

“Trust me,” Emma laughed. “I’m more than relaxed now… look at these guys.”

“Hot or what?” Leanne grinned.

Emma nodded and took another sip. It was warming her insides and the rock music that was blaring out from someone’s iPod was cranked up higher. Emma found herself dancing along to the music.

Screw it, she thought. Just let go and have a good time.

It was while she was grinding her hips and in a world of her own that a pair of eyes from the other side of the fire settled on her and refused to look away. Emma didn’t realize, but she had been chosen the second she stepped onto the beach… One of the men wanted her instantly and he was about to make his entrance.

She twirled on the spot and sipped her drink. The vodka was making her giddy, and she laughed as she reached for Leanne’s hand. She wanted to dance with her friend and forget all about the troubles of the past few weeks, but she couldn’t seem to reach her.

“Leanne,” she said, “Dance with me.”

But Leanne, who was looking over Emma’s shoulder, shook her head slowly with a little grin on her face and moved back into the crowd, leaving Emma on her own.

Or so she thought…

A pair of rough hands gripped her by the waist and pulled her backwards. She slipped back into the big, muscly arms of a man she had never seen. He turned her to face him and his dark eyes bore into her with so much intensity that it nearly took her breath away. He was at least six foot five and had the broadest shoulders she had ever seen. His leathers were gone and he wore a black vest that exposed his thick tattooed arms, with a low-cut pair of jeans and big black boots. He was so handsome, his sharp jaw line was clenched and the stubble on him was raw and rugged. She lifted her hand to run it across his cheek, and he playfully went to bite her finger.

“Hi,” she gasped, unsure of what else to say.

“Hi,” he snarled with a slight grin, before he pulled her back towards the rocks, away from the crowd and in the direction of his bike.

5.

“Who are you?” Emma said breathlessly as he moved quickly with her across the sand.

He turned to her and smiled but didn’t answer.

Emma’s heart was racing. Who was this guy?

They reached the edge of the beach where his bike was parked and he rested back against it, pulling her with him so she was in-between his big, thick thighs.

“I’m Rick,” he said finally, a smile playing across his lips.

“I’m Emma,” she whispered.

His arms were tightly wrapped around her, and she was so consumed with lust, she didn’t know where to turn. She had never seen anyone like him before. He was so powerful. He was all man. Her heart pounded in her chest as he pulled her closer to him.

“I know,” he said quietly, his lips close to her ear.

She stood back and placed her palms on his chest, trying to peel herself away from him.

“Wait,” she said frantically. “How do you know my name? Who are you?”

Rick let her go and raised his hands as if he had been caught.

“Just a fan, that’s all,” he said with a wry smile.

Emma was so confused. She shook her head and tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out.

“I know Leanne,” he said finally. “She’s seeing one of my buddies.” He nodded back over towards the fire, and Emma turned to see Leanne locking lips with another one of the bikers.

“What?” Emma said confused. “Leanne knows you guys?”

Rick nodded and held out his hand again.

Emma put her hand on her hip. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

“She wanted you to come… And so did I. I’ve been asking to meet you for a while.”

Emma looked at him, completely confused and in shock. This man had known she existed before this and had wanted to meet her?

“She told me about you,” he went on. “You sound like my kind of woman.”

Emma felt herself blushing. It was the first time someone had ever said anything like that to her.

“Come for a ride with me?” he said, holding out his hand again. “I don’t bite. Unless you ask me to…” He winked at her and Emma felt the smile sneak back across her face. She had no idea what was going on, or why Leanne hadn’t just been straight with her, but Rick seemed like a nice guy and he was certainly sexy enough to hold her attention.

“Where you gonna take me?” she asked playfully.

“The clubhouse, of course.” He reached forward and took her hand and pulled her to him again. “You are even more incredible in person,” he said as he stared into her eyes. “I saw a photograph of you, and I said to Leanne, she’s stunning, I have to meet her…”

Emma blushed and looked down to the ground.

“You are incredible,” he said, his lips grazing hers. “I’ve never been so attracted to someone before in my life.”

Emma felt her sex pulse. She wanted to tell him the feeling was mutual, but she was so stunned she couldn’t speak. When had Leanne shown him her picture? And how could she have kept this from her? Did she really think that she wouldn’t have jumped at the chance to go on a wild ride with a hot biker?

“Come on,” he said as he bit his bottom lip and pulled her closer to him. “You want to or what?”

Emma didn’t have a clue what was lying in wait for her at the clubhouse, but she knew the chemistry between them was so intense she wouldn’t be able to keep her hands off him. She had always been such a good girl… Could she really throw caution into the wind and have a blazing affair with this outlaw? She looked back over her shoulder and saw Leanne wrapped up in a passionate embrace with her guy. They were rolling around on the sand. Rick squeezed her close to him again.

“So what do you say, Emma?”

She looked back to him and into his eyes. They were so dark and consuming she felt like she could slip inside them and disappear. He smelled amazing, the whisky mixed with his cologne and stale smoke was turning her on more than anything. His hair was long and fell down around his eyes. She let him hold onto her wrists as he pinned them behind her and pulled her even closer to him. She had never been so attracted to anyone before; her body had never responded to someone in such a way. It was as if he had flicked a switch and brought her back to life.

“I think…” she began, “I think I’d like to go with you.”

Rick smiled and moved his head closer to hers. She could almost taste him before his lips touched hers. When he kissed her, he was so strong and powerful he took her breath away. She felt tiny in his arms, and as he parted her lips with his tongue and slipped it into her mouth, she felt as though she had been claimed by him and she never wanted him to let her go. She ran her hands up his chest and neck, into his hair and when their lips parted, she stared deep into his eyes.

“Come on,” he whispered, taking her by the hand.

He turned and got onto the bike, and Emma climbed on behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he started the bike with a deafening roar. She clung to him and breathed him in as he pulled away, and she turned to look over her shoulder at the beach. Leanne and her man were watching them pull away, and Leanne raised her arm and waved. Emma didn’t dare let go, but she smiled at her friend. She had no idea how she had pulled this off or kept the secret from her, but she didn’t care. She was having the time of her life.

6.

As they flew down the highway, Emma gripped onto Rick and nuzzled into him. His skin was red hot, and it made her tingle as she let her lips graze his shoulder. He swerved around the bends of the oceanside road perfectly. She felt so safe with him, even though they were riding fast and furious and easily could have come off the bike at any moment.

When he began to slow and the wind ripped through her hair, she squinted her eyes ahead and could see out in the wasteland a set of lights and a neon sign.

“There she is,” he said over his shoulder. “My home from home.”

Emma squeezed her hands into him tightly and couldn’t wait for him to take her inside.

He pulled off the highway and onto a dirt road leading into the distance. She could see the track marks from other bikes, and as they got closer, she could see that there were lots of them parked outside the building.

The clubhouse was big and old, its wooden shutters flapping open in the wind. From the inside, a loud mix of music and voices came tumbling out into the night. Rick turned off the engine and helped her off the back, gripping onto her by the waist and grunting as she pushed herself up against him. Her breasts were on his chest, and he looked down at them with an appreciative smile and Emma slapped him playfully on the side.

“Come on,” he breathed heavily. “I want to show you around.”

He took Emma by the hand and led her to the main door. Some bikers were out the front smoking and talking and Rick nodded to them as they passed and went up the front steps.

When he opened the door to the clubhouse, it was like stepping into the wildest bar she had ever seen. Half-naked girls swung from the ceilings and danced on the countertops. Rick laughed as he pushed past the crowd and Emma clung to him, unsure of where to look. Music blared throughout the place and was so strong she could feel it thumping up through the floorboards. Girls were giving guys lap dances, and men were playing pool in one corner and cards in another. It was like a den of iniquity and Emma had never been more excited. She had never expected to see something like this in her life, and now there she was among it. Rick turned to her and smiled as he led her past the bar and towards the back of the room.

“This is crazy,” Emma said with a laugh.

“This is a quiet night,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

They reached a door and Rick pulled her through it and into a dark corridor. As soon as it closed behind him, the noise was muffled and pulsed through the walls.

“It’s much calmer here,” he said as he moved further down the hall, pulling her with him.

“What’s down here?” she asked.

“Offices,” he said, “Bedrooms… Storage.”

“Do people live here?” Emma asked as she wrapped her arm around his waist.

“Some do, yeah,” Rick said as he approached a set of stairs. “I can’t show you inside the offices or the stores,” he smiled. “Plenty of stuff in there that would get us both in trouble.”

Emma smiled and looked down at her feet.

“But I’ve got a room,” he said as he wrapped his hands in hers. “And I’ve got some drinks.”

“I’d love to,” Emma said before he even had to ask her.

***

Upstairs, Rick walked with her to the end of the corridor and opened a door. The room was big and dark, a red muslin hung across the window in place of a curtain, and it cast a deep glow across the space from the neon sign as it filtered in from outside.

“So you don’t live here?” Emma asked as she looked around. The room had a couch, a large double bed and a bookcase in the corner. She smiled as she realized he had a collection of books.

“Nope,” he said as he opened the bottle of whisky and poured them both a glass. “But I stay here sometimes. Easier than riding home most nights.”

“I guess so,” Emma smiled. “You work here every day?”

“I run a lot of our operations,” he nodded, “I need to be here a lot.”

Emma took the glass from him and sipped the drink. It was harsh on her throat, but she felt the warmness spread through her. She leaned against the edge of the bed and sat back on it. Her legs dangled over the side and she kicked off her shoes, her feet still sandy from the beach.

Rick watched her intently. His eyes never left hers.

“I like you, Rick,” she whispered. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I really do…”

He didn’t say a word. He put his glass down on the table beside him and got to his feet. As he crossed the room towards her, his huge frame blocking out the light from the window, Emma lay back on the bed and gasped as he stood in front of her. He looked down at her and she looked up at him. Her heart was racing and her pussy was aching for him. She had to have him inside her.

“Rick,” she whispered.

He took hold of her feet and spread her legs, moving himself between them. He reached down and took hold of his belt buckle, snapping it open and popping the buttons on his fly. She barely dared to breathe as she watched him pull down his jeans and his boxers, revealing the biggest cock she had ever seen. He was rock hard and throbbing. He reached down and took hold of her hand, pulling her up off the bed so she was sitting in front of him, his helmet an inch from her lips. Emma opened wide and took him into her mouth. He was so huge and hard, she didn’t know how she was going to fit him inside of her, but she sucked him hungrily and moved up and down his shaft as he gripped onto the back of her head and groaned. He slipped a hand between her legs and slowly pulled down her panties. Emma was so wet and juicy, his fingers found her opening easily and he slipped a thick finger up inside of her, massaging her clit with his thumb as she licked the tip of his cock.

“Fuck,” he gasped. “Lean back.”

She lay back on the bed and he lifted her legs up as he moved between them, holding his hard red member in his hand. His dick was glistening with her spit and she was so wet and aching for him she felt like she could cum without him even touching her. As he pinned her back onto the bed and positioned himself at her opening, he looked her deep in the eyes and kissed her, before pulling back and slowly and powerfully sliding himself right up inside of her.

Emma gasped and gripped onto his shoulders with her fingertips as he fucked her slowly. She was already on the verge of unraveling beneath him, but she wanted to hold on. His thrusts were so strong and powerful, he was reaching places inside of her she didn’t even know existed. She felt opened up and reborn as he pounded her. His dick was so hard and deep, it was if he had created a new space. Rick held onto her throat and fucked her harder, his grunts becoming faster and more intense. His true power was oozing out of him, overtaking her and making her feel like she had never been anyone else’s but his.

“Yes!” she screamed as she wrapped her legs tightly around him. Rick reached down and took hold of her huge, swelling breasts and guided a nipple into his mouth. He sucked on her as he fucked her and the sensations he stirred within her were overwhelming. She knew she couldn’t hold on any longer. She threw her head back and came in a crashing wave of ecstasy as her orgasm thundered through her. Rick gripped onto her wrists and pinned them back into the pillows as he tensed up and grunted as he thrust into her powerfully once more, his seed exploding into her and filling her right up.

“Fuck,” he groaned as his whole body jerked and he emptied his load inside of her. He kissed her on the forehead and Emma panted beneath him. She could barely move and she didn’t know how she was going to recover. It had been the most intense orgasm she had ever experienced, and she felt weak.

“Oh my God, Rick,” she panted as he withdrew and lay down beside her. She could feel his hot, thick load running out of her and she squeezed her legs together to keep it inside. He saw what she was doing and smiled.

“Yes,” he smiled and then kissed her. “Keep it in you.”

Emma ran her hands through his hair and bit her lip, before cuddling into him and closing her eyes.

***

When she woke up, the sun was coming in through the red muslin. She looked up at Rick. He was sleeping, and his huge frame was breathing softly. She ran her fingertips up his chest, across his skull tattoos and up to his heart. She rested her palm on it so she could feel it beating.

“Morning, babe,” he breathed as he kissed her on the forehead. “What a night.”

Emma grinned and bit her lip. It had been a wild night indeed. She looked up at him and kissed him on the lips.

“I’m certainly glad you found me,” she smiled before she cuddled up to him and he wrapped his arm around her.

“Like I said, I just knew you were my kind of woman,” he winked and pulled her closer.

She looked around the room and at the clothes they had ripped off each other decorating it in strange ways. She didn’t know when the music had died, but she could hear the sound of bikes outside and the voices of men.

“Do you have to work?” she asked.

“Not today,” he smiled. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

Emma leaned up on her elbows and smiled. Her naked body was perfect next to his; they complemented each other perfectly.

“I better find Leanne,” she said regretfully.

“Sure,” he said as he got to his feet and wrapped a towel around his waist.

“You’re not mad, are you?” she asked as she pulled her dress down over her head.

“No,” he smiled. “But I’ll be coming to find you later.” He winked at her, and Emma couldn’t keep the grin from her face.

***

He walked with her outside and lifted her onto the back of his bike. As he started the engine and Emma wrapped her arms around him again, she couldn’t believe where she had found herself, with a man this amazing. At the same time the previous week, she had been miserable with her life, hating every second and just wishing for some excitement. And now there she was: she had let her hair down, had a wild night with an incredible man and now she had him as a hot outlaw biker boyfriend, and she only had Leanne to thank. She giggled to herself as she realized her life had turned in exactly the direction she had wanted it to. And Rick was right, she was his kind of woman. She had the feeling that things were going to be good between them. She knew he was the sort of man who was going to care for her and support her… He was the sort of man she could spend the rest of her life with.

As they flew down the highway on the way to her house, she looked back over her shoulder at the ocean and smiled. She was on the right path now… And she had never felt better.

THE END

Bear Shifter Romance

ARLO

LOST CREEK SHIFTERS book 1

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2016 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1.

Poppy felt like high-fiving her boss as she walked out of work on that miserable Thursday afternoon, but it wouldn’t have been on his hand… It would have been right in his face. She tried not to scowl at him as she brushed past and made for the exit, but her feelings were too strong to hide. He was everything she hated about men, and yet, she was stuck with him day in and day out with no way of escape. He was arrogant and rude, and completely inappropriate when it came to flirting with her outrageously, and yet, she felt as if she had to grin and bear it just to stop herself from becoming the target of even more cringe-worthy advances.

She had worked at the store for six months, and although it had originally been as a stop gap, she was starting to fear that maybe working the cash register at a convenience store was going to become her destiny. Nothing else had presented itself to her in the time that she had worked there, and she still found herself in the same position at home. She was working the same shift every day and living with her crazy family. She couldn’t help but wonder when life was going to pick up and she could really start to live, instead of just existing.

As she made her way to the car, she felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders and as she sank down into the driver’s seat, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had survived another week, and now, she was officially on vacation.

She started the engine, put the car in drive and reversed out of her parking spot. She rolled down the windows and cranked up the music, and even though she knew that he could possibly still see her and that it would no doubt get her fired, she lifted her hand up out of the window and flipped her boss the bird as she sped out of the parking lot.

Poppy tapped her hands on the wheel as she made her way through town and thought about the week ahead. It had been a long time since she had been on vacation, and she couldn’t wait to get away for a few days and just unwind. Even if she was going with her family, she was sure that there would be moments when she could take herself away from all of their drama and spend some time by herself. She deserved it, after all.

She turned a corner and she could see her family home up ahead. Most days, when she approached, she was just glad to be out of work, but today was different… She had left there under a cloud that morning and she was dreading facing her mother. She thought back to the argument that had taken place in the kitchen, back when Poppy was still weary with sleep and her mother had thought it was the opportune moment to drag to the surface all of Poppy’s insecurities and fears. She knew, more than anyone, that she was nearly twenty-five and didn’t have a solid career, a place of her own, or a man… But she didn’t want to be reminded of it, and especially by her mom.

“You need to shape up, Poppy,” she had said. “And fast, because you’re not getting any younger… It’s about time you were finding yourself a man, settling down and really thinking about what you want to do with your life…”

It had made Poppy want to cry. The words were like venom and they had hurt. But she was a strong girl, and even though it had cut her deeply, she was determined that she wouldn’t dwell on the opinions of others.

As she pulled up into the driveway and looked up at the house, she could see her family inside, they were all buzzing around and preparing themselves for the week ahead. Her younger brother was jumping around the kitchen and even though he was sixteen, Poppy still saw him as a little kid. She smiled. Even though he could be a nightmare at times, he was still more fun to be around than her tricky parents.

She slammed the car door behind her and walked up to the house. The sound of their voices all drifted out to meet her and she had to suck in a lungful of air as she prepared herself to enter. Her mother’s words still echoed in her mind, and even though she had decided that she would try to forget, it was proving more difficult than she had thought.

“Poppy,” her father said with a wry drawl as she opened the door and stepped inside. “How was your day?”

She had been expecting a scowl or a look of disapproval, but he seemed happy for once, and so did her mom. They all flitted around the island in the center of the kitchen whilst her mother prepared dinner, and her younger brother James kicked his soccer ball up from the floor and onto his knees.

Poppy smiled back and set down her purse as she closed the back door behind her. Her mother looked up and smiled sharply from between tightly closed lips.

“Good, thanks,” Poppy replied as she walked over to the refrigerator and opened up the doors.

James kicked the ball again and the slap, slap of it hitting the floor and then his knee was the only sound in the room. There was a tension in the air, but Poppy wasn’t going to give in to it. She was free from work and her pervy boss for ten whole days, and she was going to damn well enjoy it.

“Smells good,” she beamed as she turned and smiled at her mother. “What are you cooking?”

“Pot roast,” her mom said as she raised a suspicious eyebrow. “I thought I may as well use up what was left over before we head off.”

“Great,” Poppy smiled as she slapped her hands together. “I’m starving.”

The tension began to evaporate and James stopped kicking his soccer ball and sat down at one of the high stools next to the island.

“What time are we leaving?” he asked as he reached over and grabbed a handful of chips from a bowl on the counter. “I want to get there as soon as we can so I can head out to the lake and go fishing.”

“Bright and early! Don’t you worry!” their father grinned.

Poppy felt like rolling her eyes but knew that she had to remain chipper. She smiled from ear to ear and nodded enthusiastically. Even though she was looking forward to the break, the idea of the car journey with her highly strung family was kind of terrifying.

“Are you packed?” her mom looked up at her and Poppy instantly felt herself tense.

“Not yet,” she said sheepishly. “But I will be…” She turned and grabbed a glass from one of the cupboards and ran it under the faucet. She sipped the cool water and tried to ignore the daggers shooting from her mom’s eyes. Poppy was sure that they used to be friends, but since she had returned from college and fallen into the small town trap of working for peanuts and living back at home with her parents, it was like all of her mother’s admiration for her had vanished. It killed Poppy inside, even though she would never admit it.

“We won’t wait for you if you’re late,” her mom said waspishly. “We want to enjoy our vacation, not spend it waiting on you.”

Poppy tensed and felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. She turned and headed for the door.

“Don’t worry, I won’t get in the way,” she said, instantly regretting agreeing to go away with them at all in the first place.

“Where are you going?” her mom asked. “Dinner is almost ready.”

Poppy shrugged and shook her head. “It’s okay, I’m not hungry anymore,” she said as she walked out of the room and slammed the door lightly behind her.

As she walked up the stairs, her heart was pounding and her fists were clenched tightly together. She had never been so humiliated and she couldn’t believe that it was her own mother that was making her feel so small and useless. She pushed open the door to her bedroom and closed it behind her and let out a heavy sigh. She knew it had almost been too good to be true to expect her family to be in a good mood when she had come home… But at least they wouldn’t be confined to the house for the upcoming week.

Poppy threw open her closet doors and looked inside. She had a huge selection of denim shorts, skimpy tees, and dresses, which she could pair with sneakers or sandals, but her motivation for her vacation had pretty much all disappeared.

“Come on,” she coached herself, “once we’re there, you don’t even have to see them.”

She pulled her suitcase out from the bottom of the closet, heaved it up onto the bed and opened it. She would pack fast and then she would get herself to bed. She didn’t want to wake up cranky and then have to endure the car journey feeling even more annoyed and agitated than necessary.

She folded in the clothes and breathed a sigh of relief. She would switch off and try to forget her mother’s cruel words and the feeling of dread that she had inside of her. It had been a tough few months back at home, but this weekend, she was escaping it all and heading for the mountains. She could spend the entire week lying in the sun, basking by the lakes or even heading up in the lifts to the tops of the mountains to ski, hike or take in the views. She didn’t want to admit that she would much rather be lying on a beach somewhere, sipping a cocktail and being waited on by hunky men in tight underwear, but whatever this little mountain town had to throw at her, she would have to make it work.

She closed the suitcase and pulled it down to the floor. As she flopped down on the bed, her stomach was growling with hunger and all she wanted to do was sneak downstairs and take a plate of food, but she wouldn’t give her mom the satisfaction. Instead, she wrapped her blanket around her shoulders and closed her eyes.

Only one more sleep and then she would be out of there. Whether her family were in tow or not, she was going to make sure she had the best vacation ever.

2.

The open road stretched out ahead of them and Poppy lay her head lightly against the window, dreaming of being out there and being free. She had always romanticized of what it would be like to run far, far away, but she had never had the nerve. As she sat in the back of the car with her mother, she pretended that that was exactly what she was doing. She was no longer a lost girl on a family vacation, she was a woman on the run. A woman on the hunt for her destiny. A woman who knew what she wanted.

A little smile flitted over her lips and she closed her eyes, satisfied. It was a good feeling to pretend sometimes, but she only wished that it could all be real.

“So, the GPS says we’re about an hour out,” her dad said over his shoulder. “You gals okay to keep on going or do you need a rest break?”

Poppy just wanted to get there. She didn’t want to stop and drag out the painful journey any longer than necessary, but she had the feeling her mom may have other ideas.

“I could do with stretching my legs,” her mom said as she cricked her neck. “So, yes, let’s pull over when you can.”

Poppy rolled her eyes underneath her sunglasses and stifled a yawn. Up in front, James turned on the radio and some classic rock drifted through to the backseat. Their father tapped the wheel and hummed along to the tune.

Poppy spied the sign for the rest area before anyone else and debated not saying anything, but she knew it was pointless.

“Ahh, here we go,” her dad smiled over his shoulder as he slapped on the indicator and started to pull to the side of the highway and off onto a dusty road.

They pulled into the parking lot and Poppy looked around. There was a small gas station attached to a convenience store and an old looking block of restrooms out back near some woodland. She scrunched up her nose and tried to decide whether she should just sit tight and wait for them to return, but her legs were stiff and her mind was buzzing and she had to get out of there. She leaned over and opened up the car door, and as she stepped out into the afternoon sun, she stretched her arms high above her head and reached for the sky.

She hadn’t looked at the time when they had left home earlier that morning, but she could tell that they had already passed lunch time without a stop or pause in their driving. Poppy’s dad was like a man on a mission. He wanted to get his family to their destination, and then they could think about other things such as eating or taking a break. She was surprised that he had even suggested that they pull over in the first place.

“Right,” her mom said as she walked around the side of the car. “I’m going to the little girls’ room…” She giggled like a child and then hurried off toward the patch of woodland and the block of toilets that looked old and abandoned.

I’m not going in there, Poppy thought. She could almost feel the tickle of the cobwebs that were no doubt covering the ceiling and walls in there, and she shuddered. She was surprised her mother was being so relaxed about heading in there herself, considering how high maintenance she usually acted.

“God, just get me to our cabin,” James sighed as he leaned back against the car door next to Poppy. “I can’t take much more of being stuck with these two…” He yawned and scratched the back of his neck.

“Well, at least I’m not alone there,” Poppy laughed.

They watched as their dad talked to the gas station attendant and then walked slowly back to the car and started to fill it up.

“I wish I hadn’t said I would come,” Poppy whispered.

James looked almost offended and then half laughed.

“Well, at least it’s only a week,” he said. “Free holiday… You know what they say…” he raised his eyebrows. “Never look a gift horse in the mouth.”

Poppy rolled her eyes again and she had the distinct feeling that she was going to be doing that a lot on this particular trip. Even though James was young, he was a total smart ass, and she could tell that he was going to spend as much time as possible trying to get a rise out of her. She ignored him and sighed.

Her dad was still humming the tune that had been playing on the radio and her mother was nowhere to be seen. She looked across at James who looked half asleep behind his shades and she reached down into the backseat and pulled out her purse.

“Back in a minute,” she said to no one in particular as she turned her back on the car and began to walk over to the convenience store. She was going to need to be prepared to get through the next week with the three of them, and she hadn’t thought anything through, but as she stood there in the rest area, she knew what she needed more than anything.

Booze.

She pushed the door to the store open and tried not to let the man behind the counter realize that she could feel his eyes all over her as she made her way up and down the aisles. She prayed for a miracle, that somewhere inside of that dusty little store, there would be a few bottles of wine, or at least a miniature bottle of vodka, but she was completely out of luck.

“Fuck,” she hissed as she turned on her heel and made her way back to the front of the store.

Instead, she found herself at the magazine rack and pulled down a dusty and very old copy of Cosmo. It was two years old and she could tell that this wasn’t the kind of place that would restock regularly, but if she didn’t have alcohol to help her through the rest of the car journey, then out of date beauty tips and celebrity gossip was going to have to do.

She put the magazine down on the counter and smiled sheepishly at the man who was serving her. He looked only half awake, but his red-rimmed eyes were fixed directly on her and it made the hairs on her neck stand a little on end. She looked down at the floor self-consciously and willed him to hurry up, but he took his time looking on the front and then back for the bar code, and when he scanned it and it didn’t go through, he spent another few moments looking for a price tag. Poppy tapped her feet and bit her bottom lip. Each moment she was spending in there was making her more and more uncomfortable, and so when she heard the bell on the door ting behind her, she almost didn’t notice, and she certainly hadn’t seen the big black truck pull up in the parking lot.

She sighed again and rubbed her temples. Behind her, a set of heavy footsteps were approaching and she tensed when she realized that it wasn’t James or her dad, as her eyes gazed on them still standing outside by the car, watching as her mom walked slowly back across the dusty track from the woodland toward them.

She heard the big heave of breath behind her, and she could smell something sweet and intoxicating. The man behind the counter sighed and dropped the magazine back down on the side and then made to move out from behind to go over to the rack when Poppy eventually had the nerve to turn around and face who was behind her.

The heavy footsteps and the hot scent of cologne were still hanging prominently in the air, and as she turned her head slowly, she felt almost pulled and compelled to be close, even though she had no idea who or what she was up against.

As her eyes fell onto the man waiting in line behind her, her heart almost stopped beating. She looked up at him nervously, all six foot five of him and his broad, wide set shoulders. He was muscular and tanned, his arms bulged out of the sleeves of his tight t-shirt and she could see the harsh black of tattoos snaking their way down his neck. She swallowed as she took him all in and she almost didn’t dare let her eyes follow all the way up to his face…

His neck was thick and scattered with dark stubble, and when she looked over his square and prominent jaw, her heart started to flutter. She had never seen anyone so attractive in her entire life. When their eyes met, she felt something inside of her click into place, but she instantly looked down at the floor. She couldn’t bear it… He was too handsome, too powerful looking, too perfect. His eyes were a deep brown and they wanted to pull her in, she could feel it. She was breathing quickly and her arms were trembling. She dug her nails into her palms to try and snap herself out of it, but she could feel his eyes on her. He was staring right at her and he was smirking.

She looked up to him again and as their eyes met, she felt something flash over her, something animalistic and so very carnal she knew that she was going to be able to ignore it. His eyes glistened and all she could hear was her own heart beating. He was unusual. She couldn’t figure out why, but there was something about him that was raw and powerful. Something almost wild.

“Okay,” the guy behind the counter interrupted as he stepped back behind the register. “That’s six dollars.”

Poppy struggled with her purse as she pulled out her cash and she could feel the fluster spreading out all over her, she just hoped she wasn’t burning red. The man behind her shifted on the spot and she took a deep breath as she readied herself to turn around after the boy had given her the change.

When she did and she saw him in front of her again, there was no denying the pull between them. This stranger was tall, dark, and devilishly handsome, and even though they hadn’t said a word to each other, suddenly, Poppy felt full of hope.

Maybe the mountains will have something to offer me after all, she thought to herself as she walked back to the door at the front of the store and pushed it open. The bell tinged above her head and the huge, hulk of a man turned and smiled at her again. As her eyes locked in on his she felt a shiver roll over her and she was sure that a low, gruff growl escaped from his lips, almost as if he just couldn’t hold it in.

She felt her cheeks flush crimson, but she brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled back bravely. It had been a long time since she had found herself attracted to a man, but this was definitely a step in the right direction.

As the door closed behind her, she felt her whole body sag. She had no idea if she had just made a fool of herself, or whether she was finally coming back out of her shell, but whoever he was, he had helped her on her way and for that, she was smiling from ear to ear.

She climbed back into the car and looked out as he strolled across the parking lot and back to his big black truck. He was so big and brutish, he could easily have been an animal. But she liked it. Her dad started the engine and as they pulled away, Poppy couldn’t help but sink down into the seat and start her daydreams all over again.

I just hope all of the men out here are like him, she thought with a smile. If that’s the case, then I’m going to have one hell of a week.

“Come on then,” her dad called into the back. “Last push now, we’ll be there within the hour.”

Great, Poppy thought. And for the first time all day, she actually meant it.

3.

Lost Creek was a small, picturesque mountain and lake town full of charm, and as their car passed the sign to welcome them, Poppy couldn’t help but smile. It had been a long time since she had gotten away from the hustle of city and suburban life, and being out there in the virtual wilderness was starting to appeal more and more.

The sign loomed up in front of them, ‘Welcome to Lost Creek’ and she looked at how, amongst the woodland depicted on it, there were wolves and bears nestled deep within the trees.

“Do you think there’ll be a lot of bears out here?” she asked, feeling uneasy.

“Well, it is the mountains,” her dad laughed. “I’m sure there’s at least one or two.”

Poppy swallowed nervously. She had never been overly confident when it came to big, wild animals and for some reason, bears had always frightened her in some way. She thought of how she had longed to wander off on her own, and now the image of her being mauled out in the woods flashed across her already anxiety-ridden mind.

For God’s sake, she told herself internally, stop being such a drama queen.  She rolled out her shoulders and pulled her sunglasses up from over her eyes so that she could take in the view.

The small town was absolutely beautiful and it almost took her breath away. It was so quaint and pretty, it was almost like a Swiss village from a storybook. She looked at all of the buildings that lined Main Street, all made out of big logs and timber, the evergreen trees that were on every corner, and the delightful uniqueness of each little store, bar, and hotel that were like nothing she had ever seen before. It was a feel good place, somewhere that instantly appealed to her soul, and she wrapped her arms around herself and felt comfort deep inside.

“Isn’t this lovely,” her mom said as she peered out onto the streets too. “I can’t believe we’ve never visited before.”

And she was right. The fact that they had only driven around four hours to get there, it did seem as if it should be the kind of place that they could have been visiting since they were kids.

“Oh well,” her dad said, “better late than never, ay?” He laughed and slapped the steering wheel.

He made a left and continued off and away from Main Street and further up into the mountains. James read the map in the front and clicked his teeth together as their father turned down the stereo as if that would somehow help them find their cabin more easily.

“I think it’s just up on the right over this ridge,” James said as he scratched behind his ear.

Their dad slowed and began to turn off the main road, and sure enough, there, right in front of them was a small log cabin village slightly set back. All of the cabins were unique and different, but all were positioned so that they had a stunning vantage point that looked down the mountain and down into the town.

“Wow,” Poppy said. “These are fantastic!”

As their dad snaked the car around and pulled up outside number three, everyone’s eyes were fixed firmly on what would become their home for the next week.

It was a three story log cabin spread out over an incline, with a big decked veranda that ran along the entire outside of the property. It was big, with floor to ceiling glass windows and a modern feel to it even though it had been built to represent something from another time entirely.

“I wonder who designed these things,” Poppy said as she slipped off her seat belt and stepped out into the crisp air.

They hadn’t traveled far up into the mountain, but the air already seemed so much cleaner and fresher. She breathed in deeply and let it fill her lungs and when she exhaled, she felt better already.

“Well, I believe our suite is on the top floor,” her mom said. “So you two can fight it out over the other bedrooms.”

James and Poppy looked at each other and she felt that familiar pang of sibling rivalry. She could feel herself twitching, ready to run, but there was also a part of her that knew that she was too old to be dragged into a petty squabble over who would have the bigger room.

“Look,” she said with a shrug, “I don’t mind… You go ahead and take whichever one you like best.”

She felt all eyes on her again, for what could easily have been the hundredth time that day, and she held up her hands.

“What?” she asked. “I honestly don’t mind, let James pick.”

And then she turned her back on them and walked out over to the fence that kept cars and people from accidentally falling off the side of the mountain and looked out over the town.

It was almost two p.m. and she could feel that it was alive down there. She wondered what sort of places there would be to hang out on an evening, and she bit her bottom lip as she thought back to the man at the gas station, the mountain man who had relit a fire inside of her that she had thought was long gone.

“Pops,” James called from somewhere behind her. “These rooms are insane, you need to get in here and check them out!”

She turned and looked up to her brother who was hanging out one of the massive windows and waving his arms like a child and she waved back and nodded.

“I’ll be right there,” she said as she started her walk back up to the cabin.

When she pushed the door open and entered for the first time, she was in awe. She looked up at the high vaulted ceilings, the rich, warm wooden beams and the cozy rugs and blankets that were draped across the floors and furniture. It was like stepping into some kind of winter wonderland, even though it was summer and the air was warm and crisp. The kitchen opened out off the main living space and a balcony ran around the edge of the top of the room. She could certainly get used to living like this. She felt more than at home there, and as she stepped out onto the long, wooden veranda and saw the view properly for the first time, her breath was almost taken away.

“This is incredible,” she whispered to herself as she looked out across Lost Creek. Her spine was tingling and she knew, in that instant, that she was going to really enjoy herself there. It felt like nowhere else on earth, and she sensed that there was a certain kind of magic flowing through it. She couldn’t explain how or why, but it was reaching out and grabbing her, pulling her in and making her want to stay forever.

“Wanna see your room?” James was leaning in the doorway behind her and broke her train of thought.

Poppy nodded and followed him inside and although she had been expecting her kid brother to be his usual jackass self and leave her with the shitty room on the back of the house with a single bed, he had actually done the decent thing and given her the biggest room, with a plush looking king size bed and a marble lined en-suite.

“Wow,” she smiled, “I’m impressed. Didn’t fancy this one yourself?”

“Nah,” he shrugged. “I know what you women are like, I’m sure you’ll get more use out of it.”

He turned and walked back across the hall and Poppy closed the door behind her. The room was like a palace compared to the room she was currently living in at her parent’s house, and she instantly felt as if a weight had been lifted.

I really did need this, she thought.  I was beginning to suffocate back there.

She walked over to the tall windows and looked out at the stunning view yet again. She knew she should really unpack, but the town was beckoning and she didn’t want to wait a moment more. She turned and made her way out of her bedroom and into the main body of the house.

“Want your suitcase?” her dad called to her as she approached the front door.

“I’m going to unpack later,” she said as she swept her long blonde hair up into a ponytail and picked up her purse. “I’m going to head down into town for a look around.”

Before she gave him or her mother a chance to question where or why she was leaving so soon, she skipped out the front door and let it close lightly behind her.

The fresh mountain air hit her again and she breathed in the delicious scent of pine. She had never been one for the outdoors, she was always the kind of girl who preferred shopping and being pampered to roughing it and going on expeditions. But now that she was amongst the wilderness, a new found urge to explore was over-taking her. She looked up high into the mountains and she could see snow capping the tops. It was hard to believe that with it being so warm and sunny where she was that high above her it was a different story.

“Magic,” she grinned as she stepped out of the little village of log cabins and made her way back down the main road. As she walked along, the sounds of the town were increasing and she felt her anticipation grow along with them. As they had driven through, her eyes had flashed from one side of the road to the other, and she had found it nearly impossible to take anything in properly. Now she was out there and on her own, and all she wanted to do was have a real good look around and find somewhere that she could unwind for an hour or so, get something to eat and forget that she maybe wasn’t as happy as she would like to be in her real life.

The town was bustling as she walked along Main Street, and each little store and restaurant caught her eye. The town was full of locals, but she could also see that there were plenty of tourists. It was obviously a popular spot for skiers, fishermen, and walkers; there was so much to do, it was a hive of activity and she almost didn’t know where she wanted to go first.

She stood and looked around and waited for something to jump out at her, and sure enough, before long, a little diner on the other side of the street suddenly seemed to come to life. It was built out of timber like the rest of the buildings, but it had an old red neon sign on the front that was buzzing brightly and had a real vintage charm to it. She looked up and read the word Arlo’s and she instantly knew that it was going to be the kind of local place that would be welcoming and warm. She crossed the road and headed straight for the door, and as she pushed it open, she knew that she wasn’t going to be disappointed.

The lights were low inside, and the bar, tables, and booths were all crafted out of a deep, dark wood. It felt warm and cozy in there, and as she stepped in and the door closed lightly behind her, she didn’t feel at all self-conscious. It was relatively busy for the time of day, and she moved into the main body of the restaurant and crossed over to the tall bar counter where several truckers sat on high stools, reading newspapers and eating big, thick sandwiches.

A waitress with long black curly hair and a tiny waist came out from the kitchen in a red and white checked dress and a white apron. She twirled her hair up high into a straggly bun and pinned it with a pen before she looked up, smiled a big wide smile in Poppy’s direction and made her way over to serve her.

“Welcome to Arlo’s,” she grinned. “Are you eating with us today?”

Poppy’s stomach growled and she nodded enthusiastically. “Yes please,” she said.

“Just you?” the waitress asked.

Poppy nodded and then the waitress turned and presented the bar and the only high stool left that was empty in front of it.

“Sure,” Poppy said, “that’s great.”

She climbed up onto it and watched as the waitress moved around the back of the counter and picked up a menu. She slid it across the bar to her and when Poppy picked it up, she felt a stickiness to it that made her wince.

“Oh shoot,” the waitress laughed as she looked at her own hands. “Looks like Arlo’s signature hot sauce has been spilled again.” She shook her head and swiped the menu away before passing Poppy a clean one, complete with a hot, moist towel.

She rubbed her hands clean and then looked up at the waitress who was watching her with intrigue.

“Is this your first day in town?” she asked, and Poppy nodded shyly.

“Yes,” she said, “I only arrived around an hour ago.”

“Vacation?” the waitress grinned.

“Yes,” Poppy nodded, “with my family.”

“You don’t sound too enthusiastic?” the waitress laughed.

“Well, you know how it is…crazy parents…annoying little brother…not enough of my own space.”

The waitress nodded and sighed, “Yep, I know it all too well...” and then she turned and served another one of the truckers down at the end of the bar.

Poppy noticed that her name tag said that she was called Willow and she knew that she would remember it because she had never heard it before. What a beautiful name, she thought. And it suits her too…

The waitress was lean and her hair was so soft and bouncy, she really was willowy. Poppy looked away, aware that she was staring and going into a daze, but it wasn’t long before the waitress was back in front of her with a notepad in her hand.

“So, what can I get you?” she asked with her pencil poised.

Poppy’s eyes flickered behind the bar, and even though she knew that she really should be eating something, her stress levels were still peaking and all she wanted to do was unwind and relax. She was on vacation, after all.

“I’ll take a bottle of dry white wine and whatever you recommend from the snacks,” she said with a sigh.

Willow the waitress winked at her and smiled. “A girl after my own heart,” she laughed as she leaned behind the bar and opened the door to one of the low refrigerators. She pulled out a crisp and cold bottle of wine and set it down on top of the bar.

“That looks perfect,” Poppy grinned.

Poppy sat and picked at the nachos in front of her whilst she slugged back her Sauvignon Blanc. She had been in the bar for around an hour and even though she was nowhere near tipsy, the wine had relaxed her enough for the tension to leave her entire body and she felt warm inside. Willow had kept checking in with her over the time she had been sitting there, and Poppy was glad that she had chosen to come into Arlo’s because she felt as if she had instantly made a friend.

Willow was kind and sweet, and she seemed to know all there was to know about Lost Creek.

“You need to check out The Nowhere Bar on an evening, especially Friday,” Willow had said. “It’s where everyone our age hangs out. Sometimes they have bands playing, sometimes it’s just full of people having fun, but you get quite a few tourists in there so it’s always good for meeting new people too.”

“Sounds great,” Poppy smiled as she took another sip of wine. “I’m all for meeting new people and having fun.”

And she really meant it. Since she had moved back home after college and got stuck in this horrible rut, she had felt herself becoming more and more withdrawn. All she wanted was to feel like herself again. To feel alive and as if she were really living. She had felt sedated for so long and now she was more than ready to snap herself wide awake.

“Where else is there that’s fun?” Poppy asked.

Willow thought on it for a moment and then she half smiled and shrugged. “I mean, I guess it depends what you’re into, but there’s something for everyone. If you like skiing, get yourself up the mountain, if you like relaxing, then the lake will be for you. There’s some great hikes out in the forests and then around here, on Main Street, there are tons of restaurants and bars. You’ll see, though, that one end is kinda different from the other ̶ ” She was cut off by a trucker hollering down the bar to her and she excused herself and moved off to serve him.

One end is different from the other? Poppy thought. What does she mean?

But before she even had time to think about it for a second more, she heard the door slamming open behind her and a heavy set of footsteps enter. The sound was familiar, and so was the scent of cologne that came with it. Poppy’s heart started to thump in her chest and she realized that she was suddenly hot and bothered.

Could it be? she thought before she built up the nerve to turn around.

But when she did, she could barely keep the grin from her face. Her heart danced hard in her chest and she felt her cheeks blush red all over again. Standing right there behind her was the big hulk of a man from the gas station. And he had noticed her all right, too, and he was coming right her way.

4.

Poppy turned back to face the bar and she was so nervous that all she could hear and focus on was the blood pumping through her and thumping in her ears. She could sense him moving closer, and it wasn’t long before he sidled up next to her at the bar and his huge frame seemed to block out the light that was shining in behind him. She breathed deeply, willing herself to turn and look at him, but too nervous to follow it through. He seemed taller than she remembered as she tried to focus on him out of the corner of her eye, and he smelled so good she had to bite her bottom lip.

He leaned over the bar and waved at Willow. She smiled back with a grin that went from ear to ear and Poppy’s heart instantly sank. There was too much familiarity there for him to just be a customer or someone passing through, and she wanted to kick herself for being so foolish, for lusting after a stranger and building up hope when she had only laid eyes on him once.

She dug her nails into her palms and picked up her wine glass. As she threw her head back and sipped quickly, she instantly felt a warm wave of calm roll over her. But she could still feel his eyes on her. He was taking her in, every last inch of her.

“Trucks out back with the new AC unit,” he said gruffly. “Not that we’ll need it if every day’s like today…”

Willow walked over and pressed her hands down on the counter top and Poppy had to resist every pull that was screaming inside of her to turn and look at them both head on. She continued to look down at the ground and sip her wine slowly, her eyes flitting every so often to the very corners to try and catch a glimpse of him again.

“Thanks, Boss,” Willow said. “Maybe Jimmy can come by and set it up next week.” She wiped her hands on an old dishcloth and threw it down behind the bar.

Boss…

The word reverberated around Poppy’s mind and she felt herself sighing with relief as the tension left her body. Willow knew him because she worked for him… Now this was getting interesting.

Poppy still resisted the urge to turn and smile, but she could feel the man’s eyes on her and now Willow’s too.

“Something caught your eye, Arlo?” Willow said teasingly, and finally Poppy had to give in and turn her eyes up to meet them.

He was stood with his arm against the rough wood of the counter top and he was leaning casually and effortlessly. He looked so cool and at ease, it was as if he knew the place inside out, and with what Willow had just alluded to, it made perfect sense why.

Arlo… He wasn’t just the manager, the diner was his.

Poppy smiled sheepishly and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. After being so confident when she had seen him in the gas station earlier that day, she suddenly felt exposed, on show, and desperately self-conscious.

“I saw you before,” he said with his deep, smooth voice.

And Poppy nodded and bit her bottom lip.

“Oh, you two have met?” Willow chipped in as she leaned in between them with a big smile on her face. “Well, that’s cute! This here is Poppy, she’s in Lost Creek on vacation and just arrived today.”

“Poppy…” he smiled and whispered her name.

As the words left his lips, they sent shivers down her spine and she had to look down to compose herself.

“This is Arlo,” Willow said, “and as you can probably guess by the name of this joint, he is the man in charge.”

He shrugged and scratched behind his ear.

“Yes, that’s me…large and in charge,” he joked and Willow let out a loud, hearty laugh.

Poppy giggled and brushed her hair behind her other ear nervously. She suddenly had the overwhelming urge to fidget, and she didn’t know what to do with her hands. To compensate, she reached for her wine glass again and took another sip.

Arlo’s eyes were heavy and on her. His whole presence was strong and intense and it shook her to the bone. In almost perfect timing, the trucker on the other side of him paid up and got to his feet before tilting his cap, and as he walked away, Arlo reached out and grabbed the high stool he had been sitting on, and pulled it down beneath him. He sat there and nodded to behind the counter.

“I could do with a beer,” he said. “It’s been a long day so far.”

Willow smiled and reached down into one of the refrigerators and when she passed him back the bottle, Poppy watched with half awe and half complete lust as he ripped the top from it with his teeth. He licked his lips and took a long, drawn out swig and then rested the bottle back down between his hands.

Willow moved away and began to serve a new set of customers and Poppy felt as if she and he were the only two people in the room. Everything else around them seemed to evaporate, the noise and movement around them blurred into obscurity.

“So you’re here with your family?” he asked her as he looked down at her with those deep, brown eyes.

“Yes, my parents and my kid brother,” Poppy said with a nod. “I agreed to come just for the break, but as soon as I got into the car with them, I realized it was likely a mistake…”

He laughed, “Does that explain the daytime drinking?”

Poppy smiled and nodded. “It sure does,” she said. “I just had to get out of there for a bit, and I guess it’s always good to get an idea of where you are.”

“I’m the same,” he agreed. “Whenever I travel, the first thing I do is get a lay of the land.”

Poppy had never thought of it like that before, but she knew exactly what he meant. It was good to scope out new surroundings and to know as much as possible. Knowledge was always power.

“And how long are you in town for?” he asked as he took another drink.

“Just for a week,” she said. “I’m sure I could do with a longer break, but when it comes down to it, I’ll probably be more than ready to get away from the family by then.”

Arlo laughed and looked at her warmly.

“I’m sure they’re not all that bad,” he said.

“Hmm,” Poppy smiled thoughtfully. “I guess not, they just have their moments.”

He nodded and looked behind him as the door opened and let in a bright stream of light from outside. In the doorway stood three big shadows and Arlo smiled and nodded in their direction. Poppy squinted as she tried to see their faces, but they were silhouetted and all she could make out was that they all looked big and burly just like him. They were so similar, in fact, it was as if they could be brothers.

Arlo looked back to Poppy, downed the last of his beer and then rose to his feet.

“It was great to meet you, Poppy,” he smiled as he touched her hand lightly. “I hope I see you in here again later…” His fingers were lingering on top of her hand and his touch was electric. His skin against hers felt like it was on fire and she swallowed hard to stop herself from shaking and stammering over her words. This moment of first touch felt different to anything she had ever know. Her eyes met his again and she felt something strong forge between them. Something binding and something very real.

When she couldn’t think of anything to say, because she was so taken aback, he smiled at her again and winked.

“I’ll be back in here all evening, call in if you can…” He trailed his fingertips away and turned to walk toward the three big men who had now moved into the bar area of the diner and were all in deep conversation. Poppy looked down again and breathed out deeply, her heart was racing and even though there was no reason for her to feel nervous, she felt as if she were walking along a cliff edge.

There was something about him that was unnerving, even though she could tell deep down he was nothing but good. There was a danger to him, an edge that was mysterious and wild, but she couldn’t place it. Around the edge of her consciousness, the words feral and predatory played around… but in a good way. In a very good way indeed. She chewed the inside of her mouth as she watched him shake hands with the other men who seemed so like him, and then they all turned and walked to a door at the very back of the room, almost hidden behind the bar, and disappeared out of sight.

Poppy picked up her glass and drank the remainder of her wine and then she waved toward Willow. She smiled back at her and made her way over and leaned across with her arms on the counter.

“You want another or are you done?” she asked warmly.

“I think I’m done, for now, anyway,” Poppy trailed off.

“Want me to cork it for you?” Willow asked as she picked up the bottle and held it up between them.

Poppy shook her head. She didn’t want to go back to the cabin with a half empty bottle of wine. She had the feeling her parents would be pissed enough as it was seeing as she had pretty much ditched them the second they had got to town. “No thanks,” she sighed. “But what time do you guys close?”

Willow grinned and shrugged, “Whenever we feel like it really. Depends how the crowd is, what else is happening in town… If Arlo fancies locking in and letting his friends have a private party…” She wiggled her eyebrows mischievously and Poppy smiled, she liked the sound of that.

“Well, I’ll come back later,” she said as she got to her feet. “I like it in here…”

“And he likes you…” Willow said.

Poppy stopped in her tracks and turned back around. Willow’s eyes were bright and glinting underneath the low lights, they seemed full of mischief and games.

“You think?” Poppy asked.

“I know…” Willow confirmed.

Poppy was speechless for a moment. She had no idea if this girl was anything more to Arlo than a treasured employee, but she didn’t want to risk saying anything that may dampen her chances, she knew how bitchy girls could be.

“Well, I’ll see you later,” Poppy smiled, trying to brush off what had just been said between them. “So lovely to meet you, Willow.”

Willow smiled back and waved.

“And you,” she nodded. “Hope to see you later!”

Poppy nodded and headed for the door. As she pushed it open and stepped out into the daylight, she shielded her eyes and blinked. She hadn’t realized how dark it had been in there, but now that she was back out in the open and she could see the town in all of its glory again, she realized what an idyllic place it must be to live. She felt on edge and unnerved by Willow’s assured attitude, but Poppy had to remind herself that she wasn’t at college anymore, and not all girls wanted to stab you in the back.

“Some people are just genuinely nice,” she whispered to herself as she started to walk back down Main Street and head toward the road that took her up to her cabin. “And it’s about time you stopped being so wary of every single person you come into contact with.”

It was a habit that was going to be hard to break, but she knew, for her own sanity, she was going to have to give it all she had.

She walked back to the cabin feeling slightly merrier than she had been when she had left earlier in the day, but a heavy tiredness was also creeping through her and pulling her down. She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. It was almost six p.m. and she could hear some of the cabins all around the mountain livening up. Music drifted out across the woodland, along with the sounds of cheers and laughter.

Poppy couldn’t help but think of the big, comfortable bed waiting for her back at her own cabin, but she didn’t want to climb into bed and miss a potentially rocking night at Arlo’s. The man himself had said that he hoped he would see her again, and she knew that she would never forgive herself if she didn’t go along and see what Main Street was like at night.

She rounded a corner and she could see her cabin ahead. Her mom and dad were out on the veranda, sat at a table and uncorking a bottle of wine of their own. She could also see James right at the other end of the deck, past the hot tub, lying on a sun lounger with his headphones on, tapping his feet along to the beat. They all looked relaxed and calm, without a care in the world, and it made Poppy feel even better.

Maybe this vacation is all we need to get along again, she thought as she waved up to them and then approached the main door and pushed it open. Maybe we’ll bond and go back home with a clean slate… And although she didn’t quite believe it, she couldn’t help but hope.

“How was town?” James asked as Poppy stepped out onto the veranda, pulling off his headphones.

“Good,” she beamed. “It’s such a gorgeous little place. Really picturesque and by the looks of things, lots to do.”

“Where did you go?” her dad asked from the other end of the deck.

“Just a little place called Arlo’s… It was half diner and half bar… Quite cool, really.”

“Sounds… charming…” her mom said waspishly.

Poppy fought back the urge to roll her eyes.

“Well, whilst you were off gallivanting we’ve all eaten and unpacked,” her mother continued. “So whenever you’re ready to move your mess… Your case is still in the hallway.” She didn’t look up to Poppy, she kept her eyes fixed on the magazine that she was reading and with a pang of annoyance, Poppy realized it was the copy of Cosmo that she had bought back at the gas station.

She wanted to stay and fight, she wanted to snatch the magazine right out of her cold, rigid hands, but she wouldn’t. She would rise above it and would never be the reason that a big family feud broke out on their first day in Lost Creek.

“Well, I’ll get sorted now then,” Poppy said instead, her voice sickly sweet. And then she turned on her heel and stormed back into the house. She grabbed her suitcase from the middle of the living room and started to drag it behind her.

She walked along the long wooden hallways and listened to her heels clicking along the pine. She was raging with anger, but she was determined not to rise to the bait. She and her mother hadn’t always been this way, Poppy could still remember a time when they had gotten along and it made her sad to rake over the memories. So much had changed, and she didn’t even know why.

When she got to her room at the end of the corridor, she pushed open the door and closed it behind her. She heaved the case inside and up onto the bed and unzipped it. As it pinged open and she looked at all of her clothes inside, she knew that it would take her a while to organize everything but that it would be worth it. She thought back to Arlo, and to his big, brown eyes, his broad shoulders, his stubbly chin and the way he was so tall and muscular, it was almost as if he were a giant. Back at home, she never saw men like him and was surprised at how fast her attraction had grown for him. He was all she could think about and already, the features of his face were slipping away, so much so that she was desperate to see him again.

She pulled all of her clothes out of the case and dashed over to the closet. As she hung them up, she eyed each and every piece she had with her and mentally tried to put together outfits for the entire week ahead, for each and every occasion. When it came to that evening, she was going to have to pick wisely. She wanted to look drop dead gorgeous, and yet, like she had made little to no effort. She chewed the inside of her cheek with nerves and raked the hangers back and looked at a long black skirt that she had with her. She hadn’t thought that when she had come to the mountains that she would need something like that, but maybe it would come in handy after all. With a black crop top and a crocheted cardigan, she was bound to look incredibly boho and free-spirited and nothing at all like the mountain girls that wandered around Lost Creek. And if there was anything Poppy knew, it was that she needed to stand out and be different if she wanted to reel in her man.

Lost Creek was a small town, and although she was still battling to get back her confidence, Poppy knew that Arlo had seen something in her that he liked, and that she could win him if she wanted him.

She held the outfit up against her again and smiled in the mirror. She could do this, she knew she could… It was time for her to shine.

5.

The sun had set whilst Poppy sat out on the veranda on the side of the hot tub, with her feet dangling in the warm water. She looked out at all of the twinkling lights of Lost Creek and smiled. It really was a lovely little town, and its warm buzz was pulling her back down and into its folds.

The noise from revelers down on Main Street drifted up the mountain to meet her and she tried to subdue the butterflies that were ferociously fluttering inside of her belly.

Come on Poppy, she coached herself, you’ve got nothing to be nervous of…

Behind her, she heard the sound of her mother storming down the hallway, calling for her father and for James to hurry and get ready for dinner. It was late for them to be leaving and going out to find a restaurant, but Poppy didn’t mind. She had no intention of joining them anyway.

She rose to her feet and felt the long skirt swish down around her ankles. She ran her hand through her hair to fluff it up slightly and took a deep breath. Now that she was up and moving, she didn’t feel so apprehensive anymore. She looked through the tall windows and at her mother stood beyond them and their glare in the kitchen. The way the lights were so bright in there meant that it was probably impossible for her to see Poppy, and yet, it gave Poppy herself a rare moment of observing the woman who had brought her into the world, without all of the snarls and aggression that had been spewing from her as of late. She looked almost innocent in there on her own, but with a strange pull that was as if she had some kind of sixth sense, her eyes suddenly rose and fixed on Poppy. Whether her mother could see her or not, she knew that she was there, and the cold, hardness returned to her eyes and it made Poppy shiver. Whatever had happened to her mom, there was no love for her there anymore. And although it made Poppy desperately sad, she was determined that it wasn’t going to affect her confidence anymore.

Just being away from home, in a new environment was already having a positive effect, and she was feeling much brighter and enthusiastic for the future. Without telling her mom, brother, or dad where she was going, she turned on her heel and walked off and out into the night.

Main Street was heaving when she reached the end and started on her slow walk down toward the diner. All of the lights twinkled and made the town look even more like a winter wonderland fairy tale, and it reminded Poppy of something she had once seen in a Disney film. For all that it was a brisk night, she felt warm inside and the slight chill in the air didn’t bother her in the slightest. She walked with her arms swinging free and a confidence that she hadn’t felt in a long, long time.

When she reached the middle of Main Street and saw the warm, red glow of the neon sign of Arlo’s, she felt the butterflies reawaken inside her belly. She bit her lip and suppressed a grin as she approached and stood outside the door.

Men and women were hanging around on the stoop, some were smoking and all of them were drinking. From their accents, and what she had heard from both Willow and Arlo, they sounded local. But there was also a smattering of people walking around the streets and some outside the diner that were definitely from elsewhere, no doubt in town on vacation just like her. She made her way through them slowly and smiled shyly. As she reached the door and pushed it open, a blast of music hit her straight away and she could see a band playing in one of the corners and people jumping up and dancing around them.

Poppy looked toward the bar and was relieved to see Willow was still behind it. The crowd was busy and she was in the middle of a ton of people all barking orders at her for both food and drinks.

Poppy walked around slowly and cautiously, almost every booth was taken in the place, and a lot of the tables that were around on the floor were also full. But she didn’t want to sit there anyway, Poppy only had one spot on her mind and it was where she had been earlier that day. She thought back to how Arlo’s presence had hit her the second he had walked inside, and something within her knew that, at that precise moment, he wasn’t there. It was as if she could sense him the minute he was near.

She made her way to the bar and was lucky enough to jump onto one of the high stools. Men and women were all clambering around her, shouting drinks orders and waving menus, and although it was crazy and hectic, Willow didn’t flinch. She kept her cool and just moved from customer to customer, serving them one at a time.

As Poppy sat on the stool, she pulled her cardigan close around her out of nerves, but she quickly felt her skin prickle with heat and she knew that she was going to have to remove it. Her tiny waist was visible between the band of the skirt and the bottom of the crop top, but she didn’t mind. She felt sexy for the first time in years and now she was amongst other young people, she was keen to stand out.

Willow looked up and caught her eye just as she slipped the cardigan off her shoulders and she smiled and did a wolf whistle. Poppy laughed and shrugged.

“Looking good!” Willow called to her. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”

Poppy smiled and nodded back and then, as if the earth had moved and an alarm was sounding, something around her just suddenly changed.

He’s here, she thought, as her heart started to pound.

The hairs on the back of her neck seemed to tingle and although she couldn’t see him, she could sense his eyes on her. She wanted to turn and look for him, to search for him within the crowd, but she knew that she had to play it cool… He had to come for her. She didn’t know how she could tell, but he was hunting her.

Willow bounced over to Poppy and leaned across the counter.

“Evening girl,” she smiled. “So, what can I get you?”

Poppy thought back to earlier in the day, of how intoxicating the wine had been and of how it had relaxed her and made her feel human again. Even though she felt a million times better than she had when she had walked into Arlo’s then, she still wanted the same kick.

“What I had before please,” she laughed.

“Fantastic!” Willow beamed. “So, you couldn’t stay away, huh?” she asked as she reached down and behind her to one of the refrigerators and pulled out a cold bottle of Sauvignon.

“I certainly couldn’t,” Poppy joked. “I couldn’t wait to come back actually…” She trailed off and she could feel Willow’s gaze right on her.

“I think I may have an inkling why,” she winked.

Poppy felt her cheeks flush crimson again and she brushed her hair behind her ears. She didn’t know where he was hiding in there, but she knew he was watching her. She could feel him. His presence was so powerful it was overwhelming.

Willow placed the bottle down in front of her with the cork removed and passed her a clean glass. She poured some for her, right to the top and Poppy lifted it and nodded her head before she sipped.

Behind her, she could sense that someone was approaching through the crowd, and she couldn’t help but smile. A rough hand landed on her shoulder and when she turned to the side to look up and her eyes landed on him again, it was as if she had returned home. There was something about Arlo that was so addictive and unusual, and yet, it was as if he was the person she was supposed to be spending time with. There was a draw to him that she just couldn’t explain.

“So you came back,” he breathed as he slid in next to her. His hot skin touched hers and she felt sparks fly between them. She could barely keep the grin from her face, but she wanted to remain calm… To act cool… To be the strong woman that was hidden deep inside of her, trying desperately to break free.

“Of course,” she said as she lifted her glass and took another long, drawn out sip. “I’m a girl of my word.”

Arlo smiled and Poppy noticed that his arm was resting on the back of the stool she was sitting on.

She looked around and motioned to the crowd. “Is it always this busy in here on an evening?”

He nodded and moved closer.

“Most of the time, yes,” he said, “But tonight, I think we’re extra packed because a lot of the weekend people are starting to arrive.”

“Like me?” she teased with a grin.

“I thought you were here for the week?” he winked. And Poppy laughed.

“Hey, Boss,” Willow called from behind the counter. “What can I get you?”

He pointed down into one of the refrigerators and Willow gave a knowing nod. She reached down and pulled out a large, silver tankard with a big grizzly bear for a handle and ran it underneath one of the beer taps.

“What’s that?” Poppy said with wide eyes.

“Oh, its Arlo’s king cup…” Willow said mischievously.

“King cup?” Poppy asked.

“Sometimes, when I take the night off, I like to act the big shot,” he said with a wry smile. “King Arlo of Lost Creek needs the gear to back it up.”

Poppy just laughed and shook her head.

“You two are crazy,” she said.

Willow passed him the tankard and he held it out in front of him and waited for Poppy to raise her glass too. She followed his lead and the tips of their glasses touched.

“To new friends,” Arlo said as he clinked his tankard against the rim of her wine glass. “I have a feeling you’re going to like it here Poppy.”

She blushed as they looked into each other’s eyes. And when she sipped her drink, they didn’t break eye contact. His were so deep and consuming, it was as if she could fall into them and never pull her way out.

When the moment passed and a silence filled the air between them, Poppy set her glass down and turned her body so that their knees were almost touching.

“So, I thought you were supposed to be working tonight?” she asked.

“Well, I was,” he said. “Until you walked in.” He smiled.

“What do you mean?”

“I decided I’d rather take it off and get to know you a little better.” He brushed his fingertips against her elbow and Poppy felt a fire raging inside of her. “It’s not every day someone as beautiful and innocent as you walks into a place like this,” he whispered.

Poppy’s heart hammered in her chest and she had the overwhelming urge to wrap her arms around his neck and pull his face to hers, but she had to resist. She couldn’t just lay it all out there for him on the day that they had met. She wanted to make him work for it. She wanted him to crave her so much he couldn’t stand it. So much that it would drive him mad and she would be all he could think about.

“Well, thank you,” she smiled shyly. “And it’s not every day I travel to a strange little mountain town and meet a man as intriguing as you.”

A wicked smile flashed across his lips and he moved in even closer.

“Come on,” he whispered. “Let’s get out of here, I want to show you something.”

6.

They held hands and walked quickly down Main Street. Poppy was still clutching her bottle of wine and Arlo looked down at her and laughed. His skin was red hot to the touch as if he was part magic, and his hands were huge. As he gripped her hand and their fingers locked together, she couldn’t help but marvel at how big and brutish he was next to her. She was so tiny compared to him, his arms were so wide and thick and his muscles looked so swollen and tight they could burst. She felt herself getting hot and flustered. The sexy scent of his cologne was still heavy in the air around him and it was twisting at her, lighting up all of her senses and pulling her in even more. He was sparking her intrigue and keeping her interest with each passing second and it was becoming addictive.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked breathlessly as she tried to keep up with his big, wide strides.

“To the good end of town,” he said as he looked down at her with a grin and kept pulling her forward.

She couldn’t help but laugh, but she had no idea what he was talking about. Surely where he had his business must be the good end of town? Why would he want to drag her away from there and to somewhere else, no doubt giving another bar their custom?

“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who would rather patronize another bar to their own,” Poppy joked. “You sure you don’t own this entire town?”

He looked down at her and smiled wryly and then he laughed and kept on walking.

As they approached a small intersection, Arlo suddenly stopped and seemed to tense. Poppy didn’t realize for a moment that he was looking down the adjoining road, his lip curled, and a wicked look of disgust flashing over his entire being. In an instant, his demeanor changed.

“What’s the matter?” she asked when she realized and her gaze followed his.

He was glaring down at what looked to be a dark and blackened out bar. One that could have almost been a nightclub if it wasn’t so out of place in such a small, quaint town. It was bare on the outside, and it sat amongst the little wooden buildings around it like a vile cancer. Bleeding out its blackness onto the street and walls around it. Standing on the corner outside were a group of men, all dangerous looking, smoking cigarettes and wearing dark clothes. Arlo was staring at them with hate in his eyes, and it wasn’t long before one of them noticed him. Poppy stood there on the corner and turned to glare at him with the rest of the group.

“Who are they?” Poppy whispered nervously. But Arlo didn’t reply. He was breathing in and out heavily, his whole frame heaving, and his fists gripping her hand tight. A growl seemed to vibrate from between his teeth and with alarm Poppy looked up at him with wide eyes.

Did he just growl…? She thought with confusion.

“Come on,” he snarled as he started to stride away from them, and off further up Main Street. “I don’t want to have to worry about them tonight.”

Poppy looked up at him and could sense how angry and wound up he was. The men, whoever they were, had rattled him and brought a bubbling rage to the surface.

As they walked on, something had changed in him and he was no longer the man that she had met and decided to leave the diner with. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at him.

“Come on,” he said gruffly. But Poppy shook her head, he was unnerving her with his unpredictability. It was almost as if he were a wild animal that could attack her at any moment.

“Maybe this was a mistake,” she said sternly. “I mean, it’s not like me to just run off with some guy I’ve just met…and I don’t know… You don’t seem too happy all of a sudden, maybe I should just leave you to it.”

His shoulders sagged and he looked annoyed, but not with her, with himself.

“I’m sorry,” he said genuinely. “It’s just, they caught me off guard… Which is stupid, because it’s not like I don’t know their place is there.” He took a step closer and brushed a strand of hair behind Poppy’s ear. “Listen, I’ll fill you in as soon as we get where I want to show you, I promise.” His eyes were so warm, she felt as if she really could trust him, but all of her senses were telling her to run…that she was in danger.

“But… I…” she stammered.

“I know you feel it too…” he said as his hand cupped her cheek. “I felt it the second I saw you in the gas station. I felt it earlier today when I found you sat in my bar. And I feel it right now.”

Her whole body felt on fire and she couldn’t tear herself away. Every word he was saying was true, even though it felt completely crazy. But he was so right, there was something between them that was bigger than anything she had ever felt before. Something instantaneous and so powerful it was impossible to ignore or walk away from. She looked into his eyes and searched for any sign of deceit, but there was nothing but openness and honesty, and she knew that she had to let herself be vulnerable. She had to explore it and have faith. She was an adult and she knew her own mind, and this, in the very moment, was what she wanted more than anything.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Show me.”

Arlo smiled and gripped her hand tightly before he turned and continued to walk along the road.

Main Street was much longer than Poppy had anticipated, and as they carried on forward, she realized how the vibe of the place seemed to change the further they moved away from where they had originally started out at Arlo’s.

He looked down at her as if he was trying to gauge her reaction, but she didn’t look up to meet him. The street seemed warmer down where they were walking now, as if that was in any way possible. The whole atmosphere of the street was more vibrant, the buildings seemed to pop with color and the people who walked around all seemed happier and were grinning from ear to ear.

“Have we stepped into another place?” she asked with a laugh.

“I’m glad you noticed,” Arlo said. “Not quite, but I will explain.”

As they carried on walking, Poppy was absolutely fascinated with the life going on around her. All of the shops were still open, selling brightly colored ski wear and steaming cups of hot chocolate and marshmallows.

Arlo wrapped a protective arm around her and waved to everyone they passed with ease and familiarity.

“We’re further up the mountain,” he said. “You won’t have realized when we were walking that we were on an incline.”

Poppy turned and looked behind her and she could see that the road did indeed dip down and they were much higher than the rest of the town.

“Jeez, how did I not notice that,” she laughed. But then she remembered how out of breath she had been.

It was as if the darkened bar with the group of sketchy looking men had been a cutoff point. As if the intersection had almost divided the town in two, and the side they were on now was higher, friendlier and warmer. But when she had been down on Main Street earlier, she had already felt as if that part of town was much nicer than anywhere she had been before. So now, it was as if this new part of town was heaven. It was like being in a fantasy land and even though the cold prickled her skin, she didn’t mind. It was like magic.

Arlo led her toward an older looking tavern and he waved to the big, burly man with a red beard who was guarding the door. He smiled warmly and opened it up for them and as they stepped inside, the sweet scent of ale hit all of Poppy’s senses.

“Wow,” she laughed, “what is this place?”

Everything inside was merry, the lights were low, men and women were drunk on booze and happiness, music blared out from a jukebox in the corner and the chubby, red-cheeked girls behind the bar climbed up and danced along the countertops. They slapped their thighs and swung around each other, laughing with glee, and Poppy couldn’t help but grin and clap her hands.

“You like it?” Arlo asked as he looked down at her.

“God yes!” Poppy laughed and Arlo pulled her closer to him and breathed in every inch of her.

She felt so warm and protected in his arms, and she felt privileged to be shown this secret side of such a wonderful town. It was as if she was being given a backstage pass to a show she should have never seen.

“Come on,” he said, “Let’s sit down.”

He pulled her toward an empty table in the corner and Poppy slid onto the long banquette seat. Arlo turned and looked to the bar and held up his hand; within an instant, a small, rosy-cheeked blonde girl came skipping over with a wide smile on her face.

“Hey, Arlo,” she beamed. “And friend?” She nodded her head down to Poppy with a genuine warmness.

“Hi there,” Poppy smiled.

“What can I get you guys?” the girl held out her hands and presented the bar behind her.

“I’ll take one of Lost Creek’s finest,” Arlo smiled. “And I think Poppy here should try one too.” He raised his eyebrows mischievously.

The waitress clapped her hands together and turned on her heel and Poppy looked around again at all of the people in the bar. They all looked so friendly and kind, so welcoming and warm.

“This is a lovely place,” she said.

“With us being further up the mountain here, we get a lot of skiers on their way home,” he said. “It’s one of the livelier places to go in town.”

“I would never have guessed that this place was even here… That Main Street extended this far,” she said. “It’s so different to down near Arlo’s.”

“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “It sure is.”

Poppy noticed a sadness come over him and she wanted to probe but didn’t want to overstep any boundaries.

“Hey Boss!” Another one of the waitresses called over and Poppy realized it was to Arlo. He waved back to her and smiled.

“Boss here too?” Poppy laughed. “So you do own this entire town, huh?”

Arlo laughed and looked shy for the first time since she had met him. “Maybe not the whole town,” he said coyly. “But certainly a good chunk of it.”

He was so aloof and mysterious. When she had seen him in the gas station and initially been attracted to him, she had just assumed that he was a trucker making his way across the country.

“So this bar is yours too?” she asked.

Arlo nodded. “My family was some of the original settlers here in Lost Creek,” he said. “A lot of the buildings along Main Street and a lot of the land is ours.” He said it almost with embarrassment.

“So you must know every girl in town then,” Poppy said cheekily to gauge his reaction.

“I do,” he laughed. “And trust me, none of them have ever caught my eye or sparked my interest like you have today…” He trailed off and he was looking deeply into her eyes again.

Every time their eyes met, it felt as if a part of her soul was being broken away and given to him. And it was as if she was collecting pieces of him too. Each passing second brought more familiarity and her attraction was growing.

“Here you go,” the waitress interrupted their moment and placed two heavy tankards down on the wooden table in front of them. “Two of Lost Creeks finest!”

“Thanks, Jo,” Arlo said as she turned and walked away.

“Lost Creeks finest?” Poppy asked as she picked up the tankard of sweet smelling beer.

“It sure is,” Arlo smiled. “Brewed right here by my family themselves.”

Poppy was taken aback, yet again. He was a man of many secrets and surprises. And she couldn’t wait to find out what he had in store for her next.

7.

As they walked arm in arm back down Main Street, Poppy was warm inside and she tottered along on her drunken feet. Arlo was protective over her, and he kept her close, making sure that she was steady and that he helped her back down the mountain toward the middle of Main Street.

“You never did tell me who they were,” Poppy said as they approached the intersection.

The bar that they had passed earlier with the group of men outside still looked dark and moody, but there was thumping music drifting out into the night from inside and two tall men wearing sunglasses flanked the doorway.

Arlo snarled again in their direction but carried on walking. He pulled Poppy with him and when they were far enough away, he leaned in closer to her ear.

“Lost Creek is a town of two halves,” he said quietly. “My friends and I run one part of town and the guys who we saw earlier… The one’s outside that bar…they run the other.” His voice was full of venom as he said it. So much so that it made Poppy nervous.

“And I take it there is some rivalry?” she asked cautiously.

“More than just a bit,” he said. “It goes back a long, long way… They’re no good.”

Poppy turned and looked back to the intersection. They had walked past the bar to get to what she could only assume was Arlo’s part of town, but the diner which was in his name was clearly at the other end, and therefore, on the other group’s turf.

“But your diner?” she asked with confusion. “If it’s down here, does that mean that it’s in their part of town?”

Arlo looked down at her and smiled.

“You’re smart,” he said. “Yes, it is. My family owned a lot of property down here at one time, and then they all came in and took it over slowly and now they’re trying to turf me out.” He shook his head. “But they won’t win. I’ve owned Arlo’s pretty much since I was born and my dad named it after me. There’s no way I’m going to let them push me away.”

“But…doesn’t it feel uncomfortable?” she asked.

“Sure does,” he laughed. “But I can handle it. I’m not afraid of them.”

“And what’s the deal with Willow?” Poppy asked. She had wanted to ask all evening, but she was only just now getting the courage.

“Willow’s worked for me for years,” he said. “She’s a good member of my team, but sometimes, I do wonder where her loyalties lie.”

Poppy felt an uneasy feeling creep over her. She didn’t like the thought of there being someone in Arlo’s midst who could potentially screw him over.

“Do you trust her?” she asked.

Arlo paused for a moment and thought on it. “Yes, I trust her,” he said finally. “But I’m a firm believer of always being prepared.”

Poppy smiled and squeezed his hand.

They reached the outside of the diner, which was still alive with music and people drinking inside.

“Well, thank you for a lovely evening,” she smiled.

“You don’t think I’d let you walk back on your own, do you?” Arlo asked with a cheeky grin.

“Well, I didn’t want to assume…” she winked.

He wrapped his arm around her and they began their walk back up into the next mountain range. The twinkling lights slowly started to become smaller behind them and they felt like the only two people in the world.

“There are bears out here in this forest,” Arlo said as he looked up at the night sky. “And wolves…”

Poppy shuddered at the thought. Even though she had never been afraid of either animal, the idea of them being around her and stalking her through the night was terrifying.

“There’s no need to be afraid,” he assured her. “But I just want to make sure you get back to your cabin safely.”

“Thank you,” she smiled.

They continued walking and when she saw the familiar shape of her cabin up ahead, she pointed it out to him and he nodded his head.

“I remember these all being built,” he said. “One of the old families in town own them all.”

“I really love it here,” she said. “It must have been wonderful growing up here.”

“It certainly had its moments.”

Arlo looked at her and stopped for a moment. When she turned to face him, he wrapped his big arms around her waist and took hold of the base of her back before he pulled her closer to him. They were under the light of a billion stars shining down on them, and nothing had ever felt more perfect. Even though she had wanted to kiss him since the minute she had laid eyes on him back in the gas station, she was glad that they had waited until they were right there in that very moment.

She reached up and ran her hands across his broad shoulders and when he pressed himself against her and their lips finally met, it was as if things were always meant to have been that way. His tongue flicked against hers and his lips were soft and warm. His whole body felt on fire, she had never felt a heat like it before and she knew deep inside of her that he was different, that he was part man and maybe part something else… but she couldn’t work out what or why.

Maybe it’s just our chemistry… she thought as she ran her hands through his hair.

“I’ve had the most incredible night,” she whispered as their lips parted and she panted with a passion that was overwhelming her. “Thank you for taking me up the mountain…”

“Thank you for coming with me,” he said. “And for trusting me and your instincts.”

They kissed again and then Poppy reluctantly stepped back. She easily could have thrown away all of her cares and ripped his clothes off right then and there, but she wanted to wait. She wanted to get to know him more and she wanted it to be special. Their first kiss had been so perfect, even though they had had more than enough opportunities to lock lips before then, and she was glad it had happened that way.

“Good night, Arlo,” she smiled. And then she turned on her heel and started to walk up the steps to her cabin. She could feel his eyes on her as she made her way to the door and when she turned to wave to him good-bye, he was still standing there, waiting.

“Good night,” he said and it broke through the night.

When she closed the door behind her, she leaned against the wall and sighed. It had been one of the best nights of her life. She was completely smitten.

Poppy sat in the hot, comforting bubbles of the hot tub. Steam rose up into the air around her and the grand vista of the mountains was all laid out before her. She had spent the night having wicked dreams about a big, muscular man who was tearing at her clothes, biting her neck and nibbling her fingertips. He was so big and strong he was like an animal and it turned her on so much she had woken in a sweat, her heart pounding and her pussy moist with desire. Now that she had met Arlo, there was no way she could walk away from him. He was consuming her thoughts every moment, even when she was fast asleep.

In the cabin, the sounds of her family returning from their hikes and a day on the mountain filtered out to meet her and it wasn’t long before James opened the door onto the veranda and ducked outside.

“Hey,” he said as he threw down his backpack and made his way over to the side of the tub.

“Hey,” Poppy smiled from behind her sunglasses. “How was the hike?”

“Lame,” James said. “It’s stunning scenery out there, but I’m bored.” He leaned back onto one of the sun loungers and yawned.

“Did Mom and Dad go with you?” she asked.

James shook his head. “No,” he said. “They argued on half of the walk there and then Mom stormed off into town.”

Poppy rolled her eyes. It sounded like typical behavior from her mother.

“Do you think she’s changed?” Poppy asked.

James thought for a moment and then shrugged. “She definitely isn’t as kind as she used to be,” he said sadly.

Poppy nodded in agreement. She couldn’t help but feel that her mother was just sick of them both and was more than ready to enjoy her adult life, kid free. But Poppy was an adult, she didn’t need her parents and the sooner she could get out of their house, the better.

“Maybe I really shouldn’t have come here,” she said as she trailed off. “Maybe I should have just stayed at home.” Even as she said it, she knew that she didn’t really feel that way because of Arlo. Now that she had met him, she knew that she would be forever grateful that she had come to Lost Creek.

“Nah,” James said. “I’m glad you’re here… Keep the old bag in check.”

Poppy burst into laughter and so did James. Even though they had had their moments when they had been growing up, she could see now that he was on the brink of adulthood too. She knew that when she did finally leave and get as far away from her parents as she could, that James would be just fine. He could handle himself and he had shown a certain maturity of late that had made Poppy proud to call him her kid brother.

“Right,” she said as she stood up and reached for her towel. “I better get sorted, I’m heading out tonight.”

“They’re having dinner here,” he said. “And I met some skaters when I was down in town earlier so I may go back to Main Street and hang out.”

“Sounds good,” Poppy beamed. “We can walk down together.”

James nodded and smiled.

They walked down the mountain road and butterflies began to form in Poppy’s stomach. Even though she felt as if she knew Arlo already, it still made her giddy to think about seeing him again. James walked along with his hands in his pockets and his skateboard under his arm and when he saw the group of guys he had been chatting to earlier, he made off, throwing a casual wave over his shoulder as he went.

Poppy could see that Arlo was waiting outside the diner for her and she couldn’t help but grin. He looked so handsome leaning there against the wall, a cigarette clenched between his fingers and a wry smile on his face.

“Hey,” she said as she got closer to him.

“Hey you,” he replied as he wrapped a big arm around her tiny waist and pulled her in closely. He threw his cigarette down on the ground and stared deep into her eyes. When he kissed her, she felt weak at the knees and she ran her hands through his wiry hair.

“It’s so good to see you,” he breathed. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

“Likewise,” she smiled as she bit her bottom lip playfully. And it was true. She hadn’t been able to get him out of her mind. From the second she had woken up, she had been thinking about this moment and what it would be like to kiss him again.

“Who’s the kid?” he asked as he nodded toward the direction that James had wandered off in.

“My brother,” she said.

Arlo’s eyes thinned as he tried to focus on who he was with.

“He’s with some of younger Lost Alpha’s,” he said almost in a whisper.

“The what?” Poppy asked as she spun around to see what he was talking about.

“They’re just kids like him, but their older brothers and fathers are connected to this side of town. What I was telling you about last night…”

“Should I be worried?” she asked with panic.

Arlo paused for a moment. He watched the way the group of teens was just acting like normal. Surely they wouldn’t do anything stupid to a tourist and risk the town’s good reputation.

“No, of course not,” Arlo said with a smile. “I was just letting you know.”

“Okay,” Poppy said with confusion.

He slid his arm around her shoulder and then he began to walk with her away from the bar.

“So,” he said, “I want to take you somewhere special tonight.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked playfully. “And where would that be?”

“My house,” he said mischievously.

Poppy’s heart jumped in her chest and she brushed her hair behind her ear nervously. She wanted to go to his home more than anything, but she didn’t want to act too keen. She wanted him to fear that she would say no.

“What do you think?” he asked cautiously.

She bit the inside of her cheek and looked up at the sky.

“Hmm, let me think about that…” she teased.

He nuzzled into her neck playfully and pulled her into the street.

“That’s it,” he said with a sexy growl, “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Poppy laughed and let him drag her away jokingly, it was almost like he was pretending to be a caveman dragging his woman back to his cave.

As they walked off into the forest and they were properly alone, she couldn’t help but undress him with her eyes. Each bulge of muscle was so tight and pronounced it was driving her to distraction, and he was so perfectly sculpted and tanned.

“I don’t live far,” he whispered in her ear as they continued walking along the forest path. The scent of pine was heavy in the air and it was so fresh and clear that it heightened her senses and seemed to make everything feel more real.

As they rounded a corner and the big, split level log cabin came into view, Poppy’s breath was almost taken away again.

“Wow,” she whispered as she looked up into the trees and saw how modern and immaculate it was. It almost looked like a wooden space ship, half timber and half glass peeking out of the tall evergreen trees.

“I designed it with my friend,” he said. “He’s an architect who moved back to town after college. He’s built a lot of the properties around here, especially for my crew and me.”

“Your crew?” Poppy smirked.

Arlo looked down at her and gave a wry smile. She jabbed him in the ribs to mock him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close and ruffled her hair.

“You’re a piece of work,” he laughed. “You always have a question and a challenge. You never just let me tell you a story.” He laughed and kissed her on the top of her head.

“Well, it wouldn’t be any fun if I just listened, nodded and smiled, right?” she quipped.

“Damn right,” Arlo smiled.

He led her up to the entryway of the house and it was perfectly secluded and hidden by trees. Poppy ran her fingertips along the woodwork and when she glimpsed through the tall windows and sliding glass doors, she could see a wonderful fire burning inside.

“It must be really peaceful living out here,” she said as she looked out into the forest. “It’s perfect.”

“I do love it,” he said. “But I guess it’s like anywhere, once you’re used to it, its shine slowly goes.”

Poppy nodded. She knew that feeling all too well. Arlo took hold of her hand and led her around onto a long, stretched out wooden deck that ran along the length of the house and was raised up on stilts. It joined the kitchen and had a blazing fire pit that was already lit and a comfy garden couch and seats around it. He motioned for Poppy to sit down and when she did, he disappeared inside and returned with a bottle of champagne and two glass flutes.

“Are you trying to make a good impression?” she joked. “I think you’ve already got my attention.”

“I’ve been wanting to drink this for a while,” he laughed. “And what better excuse than to celebrate with a beautiful woman.”

Poppy felt herself blushing again. Even though she had already let her guard down with him, she still found it hard to accept a compliment when she was so used to being bashed and brought down by her mom.

“Cheers,” he said as their glasses clinked. “To another wonderful night.”

“Cheers,” she smiled.

She nuzzled up under his arm and he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. It was such a strange feeling to be so close and comfortable with someone after spending so much of her life alone. But it felt so right, so natural.

“Why aren’t you tied down?” she asked. The words seemed to fire out of her mouth before she was even aware that she was saying them.

“I’ve just never met the right girl,” Arlo said. “I always wanted to feel something so powerful and intense that when I found it I would instantly know. And that’s never happened before… Well, it hadn’t until yesterday.” He looked at her deep in the eyes and ran one of his fingers down her cheek. Poppy was a tangle of nerves and desire, and she wanted to tell him that she felt exactly the same way, but she didn’t know how.

“It’s going to take someone very special to love and understand me,” he said almost sadly. “And having lived all my life in Lost Creek, I know that person doesn’t exist here.”

Poppy wanted to ask him why, but she was too nervous. She wanted him to continue, to open up, to tell her it all.

“I know this is crazy,” he said as his lips grazed against hers. “But the second I saw you, I knew that you were going to be mine. I was drawn to you in a heartbeat and I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind ever since.”

She pulled him close to her and kissed him again. This man was so big he could crush her with both hands, but his words were so soft and gentle and full of love that she couldn’t control herself. He was like no one she had ever met before, and she knew that she would never find anyone like him again.

“Arlo,” she whispered as she looked into his eyes. “I’m so glad I came here to Lost Creek, you have no idea.”

They sat together and looked up to the stars. Her heart was pounding and her mind was racing. Everything about their time together felt so right, but there was still something that she couldn’t put her finger on. What was it that was making him so different?

“Why aren’t you with someone?” he asked her.

Poppy thought about it for a moment, and she realized that she didn’t even know herself.

“After college, I moved home and I’ve been stuck in a rut ever since,” she finally admitted. “I just haven’t had the confidence or the drive to try and meet a man.”

“No confidence?” he asked. “But you’re stunning.”

“Thank you,” she said shyly. “I just don’t know. Maybe I’ve needed someone to pursue me like you have. For it to just feel right like this.”

“Maybe we’ve been waiting for each other,” he said as he wrapped her hair up in his big, rough hand and pulled her face close to his. He was so strong she felt weak in his arms and as he kissed her again and laid her down on the cushions of the couch, she opened her legs wide and invited him to climb on top of her. His touch was incredible, and with each gasp of breath and kiss from his lips, Poppy felt herself opening more and more to him. She wanted him, she needed him, and each time his hand found another part of her, her nipples hardened even more.

The stars above them twinkled high in the sky and as their bodies came closer together, Poppy was always melting into his arms and ready for anything. She wanted him, and as Arlo pulled his t-shirt over his head and revealed his huge, heaving muscles, Poppy couldn’t help but suck in a lung full of air. He was so much bigger than she ever could have anticipated, it was almost frightening. And as her eyes searched and explored each part of him, she saw his tattoo for the first time.

There, right in front of her, was a big, grizzly bear right over his heart. Its claws and jaws were dripping with blood and its snarl was so ferocious she could almost hear it growl. Arlo followed her eye line down to it and picked up her hand and placed it over the bear.

His skin was so hot it almost could have burned her and she realized, in that moment, that there was something very different about him indeed, something powerful and animalistic.

“What are you?” she whispered bravely, but Arlo just smiled at her wryly, lowered her hand and moved forward to kiss her again.

As his kiss hardened and his breathing became more rapid, Poppy knew that there was no way she could pull herself away. She was dripping wet with desire and her body was aching for him. She could feel the sharp poke of his cock on the inside of her leg and she was desperate to touch him. Arlo pulled roughly at the straps of her dress and ripped them down over her shoulders, exposing her perfectly pert and firm breasts. They were swelling with arousal and she held her breath as he lowered his head down and took one of her nipples roughly in his mouth. As he sucked and bit her gently, she gasped and moaned with pleasure. She hadn’t been with a man in such a long time, and he was so much more of a man than she had ever known, she was almost on the verge of unraveling before he had even gotten anywhere near her engorged sex.

He came back up to her face and cupped her chin in his hand before he kissed her hard on the mouth. His tongue searched against hers and he moved down to her neck and squeezed her gently on the throat.

“Arlo,” she panted, almost unable to take it anymore. She dug her nails into the skin of his shoulder and pulled them slowly down his back. “I need you to fuck me,” she whispered.

He flashed her a wicked smile and pulled her leg up and bent it around him and in one fluid motion, he hooked his fingers into her panties and ripped them off, tearing them in two. Her cunt was so slick and juicy as he slid his finger inside of her she moaned and threw her head back, in ecstasy. He worked her over with his hand and she bit her lips to stop herself from screaming up into the night. But when she couldn’t take it anymore she bit him lightly on the neck and begged him to put himself inside of her.

Arlo leaned back on his haunches and reached down for his belt. Poppy was squirming beneath him, panting and aching for his cock, and as he snapped his belt open and pulled down his jeans, all eleven inches of it sprang free.

“Oh my god,” she whispered as he took hold of it in his hand and moved closer to her.

He was so big, so fat and throbbing, she knew that he was going to hurt her, but she didn’t care. She had to have him.

Her pussy dripped with excitement and as he teased her with his thick, red tip, she opened her legs wider and held onto his arms.

“I hope you’re ready for me,” he grunted as he wrapped his free hand up into her hair and kept tight hold of her.

As he pushed himself fully inside of her, Poppy gasped with delight. A sharp pain shot through her but it was gone in seconds as the intense pleasure warmed her insides and started to rocket through her. No man had ever made her feel so good. The sensation was so incredible it was overtaking every inch of her and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from cumming.

She dug her nails into his back and gripped his huge frame tightly with her feet as he powered into her again and again. His breathing was frantic and his moans and growls so loud they were filling the forest around them. Poppy moaned into the night and as her release tensed up inside of her, she knew that she couldn’t keep herself back from the edge, she had to let herself fall over into a sweet ecstasy.

As she unraveled beneath him, Arlo’s thighs tensed and his thrusts became harder. Seeing her convulse because of him, and knowing that he had done that to her was too much for him to bear. As he shot his hot, thick load inside of her, he groaned and felt as if part of his soul had been taken. He collapsed on top of her with his immense weight and kissed her neck as the last spurts of his release powered out of him.

“Fuck,” he panted into her ear as he kissed her cheek. “That was far too good.”

Poppy looked up at him and tried to regain her breath. She had never been screwed so expertly in her life and no one had ever made her cum like that.

“It’s like we were meant to fit together,” he panted.

Arlo kissed her again and wrapped his huge arms around her.

And even though she was far too exhausted to reply, she knew exactly what he meant.

8.

“I don’t want you to go back to your cabin tonight,” he said as they lay in his bed several hours later.

After they had recouped from their crazy fuck under the stars, Arlo had swept her up in his arms and carried her into the house, to his room and made love to her again. Poppy was curled up into the nook of his arm, and they were both completely worn out and sticky with each other’s sweat.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she smiled.

She drifted off to sleep with the sounds of his breathing getting heavier beside her. It was so gruff and low, she was more sure now than ever that he was growling.

Poppy awoke with a start in the middle of the night. She sat bolt upright and looked around the room. It took her a moment to remember where she was, but it was with relief that she realized that she was at Arlo’s and not in some stranger’s bed. She reached out for him but found her fingertips stroking the mattress instead.

“Arlo?” she whispered as she looked around, realizing that she was alone.

The moon had come out from behind the clouds and it was casting silvery light all down the decking, shining in through the huge glass doors and into the room. She was naked but she wrapped the bed sheet around herself and shuffled over to the doorway and looked down the hall. The house was completely silent and there wasn’t any sign of him in the front room or the bathroom.

“Arlo?” she called again. But she knew that she was alone in the house; he was gone.

She made her way quickly back to the bedroom and looked out the doors again. She slid them open slowly and stepped out into the night. It was chilly out there but she still felt warmed through and she was about to turn and begin to walk back toward the couch and fire pit where they had started their evening when she heard the sound of branches snapping in the woodland behind her.

She froze and turned around slowly. Afraid of what may be lurking. She was sure that she could hear grunting and the sound of growls, and it was with horror that, when she turned and peered into the darkness behind her, she saw the outline of a big hulking beast. It was so big and covered in fur that as it slammed its way toward her, she almost fainted with fright.

“No!” she screamed as she held out her hand as if that in any way could defend her.

The bear was so big and powerful, the closer it came the more the deck bowed beneath its weight.

Poppy tried to push herself backward, to make it back to the doorway and inside, but she was so frightened it was as if she was frozen to the spot. She closed her eyes tightly and covered her ears. She knew that this was it, there was no way she could outrun or get away from it. She was doomed.

She thought of her mother and of how she knew that she would barely care… But then she thought of James and of what it would mean for him to lose his older sister. They had only really ever had each other, and now Poppy was going to go and get herself killed in the mountains by a grizzly bear. Even after Arlo had warned her of the dangers.

She peeked out from between her fingertips and the bear was still right in front of her. She could smell the hot stink of its breath and it opened its jaws wide and wailed up into the night’s sky.

Even though she couldn’t move her eyes from the beast in front of her, Poppy was aware of some movement out in the woodland behind it. She saw the flash of something darting quickly between the trees, and in an instant, the bear in front of her stopped and turned around as if it had sensed it too.

Poppy was cowering on the deck, right next to the wall of the cabin, her heart pounding and her palms sweating, when, suddenly, Arlo emerged from the forest, completely naked and full of rage.

The bear and he squared up to each other and Poppy’s mind was racing. Was any of this even real? Or was it just some crazy nightmare?

“Arlo!” she screamed, but he was completely focused on the bear. He flexed his huge arms hungrily and bared his own teeth and Poppy suddenly saw something come over him that was both arousing and terrifying.

The bear that had cornered her whimpered and lowered its head, it moved backward slightly, closer to Poppy, but with its shoulders hunched and its nose touching the ground.

Arlo snarled again and when Poppy looked back at him, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The man who she had just spent the past several hours exploring every inch of was changing before her. His demeanor was fiercer and his eyes were burning with power. She cowered as she watched him snarl and take another heaving step closer, but this time, she could tell that something incredible was about to happen.

He belted out a growl so loud it tore through the night and was so fierce it blew the hair back from her face from over ten feet away. He hunched his shoulders and his arms bulged with exertion, and in an instant, his skin seemed to rip open as a dark fur sprang up in its place.

Poppy rubbed her eyes. Could this really be happening? What the fuck was she witnessing?

Before her very eyes, Arlo turned from the handsome man she had got to know into a big, beast of a grizzly bear. His paws were so big and full of claws that they could have torn her apart.

She wanted to scream but she was frozen. She wanted to run but her legs and feet were heavy with fear.

The bear in front of her was also cowering and as Arlo moved forward quickly and lunged himself at the smaller bear, there was a flash of fangs, fur, and claws as the pair began to fight.

Poppy tried to hide, but she was right there and she saw it all. Arlo was so big compared to the other bear, he was like no animal she had ever seen, and as he drove the smaller bear back into the woods, Poppy honestly couldn’t believe what was happening.

She rubbed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

“This can’t be real,” she whispered to herself. But then she was suddenly aware that the Arlo bear was back, and he was right in front of her.

When she looked up and saw him right there, she looked into his eyes and she knew that it was definitely him. The man she had fallen for, he could shape shift and now it all made sense. This was why he was so hot to the touch, why he seemed so different and mysterious, why he had been so secretive and cryptic.

She tried not to cry and to instead slow her breathing. The bear moved backward and seemed to heave in the moonlight and then, in an instant, it started to convulse and shudder as the fur began to disappear and the tanned, thick muscles returned in their place.

Arlo stood there, back in his human form, and to Poppy, he had never looked better. He looked so alive and so powerful. It was intoxicating.

“You’re my woman now,” he said with a pant. “And I’ll protect you no matter what.” His chest was heaving with exertion and Poppy could feel the bond between them. Something had most definitely changed.

“What are you?” she whispered, even though now she really did know.

“I’m Arlo,” he whispered. “And like I told you, it’s going to take a very special and understanding woman to love me.”

And even though there was a sadness in his eyes, Poppy knew it would all be okay. Whether he knew it yet or not, she was most certainly that woman.

9.

Lost Creek was gearing up for its summer season and the town was already bursting at the seams with new arrivals. Since Poppy had arrived in town all those months before, she never could have imagined that she never would have ended up leaving.

She wiped down the countertop in Arlo’s bar. Since she had settled in Lost Creek with her new man, a few changes had been made to keep up with the trade and demand. A diner just wasn’t cutting it anymore, the tourists in the town wanted a sports bar, and Arlo’s was the perfect venue to give it to them.

Willow hummed a tune as she twirled her curly black hair around her long, manicured finger and blew a big pink bubble with her gum. The girls had become close over the months and it was good for Poppy to have a friend there. It had helped the place feel more like home.

When her family had left, she promised James that she would call him regularly, and she had done so several times a week. He was fine back at home with her parents and was gearing up to make his own escape soon. He had his sights on college or travel, and Poppy knew that whatever he chose, he would end up in the right place. The place destined for him… Just like she had.

After learning of Arlo’s secret, Poppy knew that she could never walk away from him. He had saved her life that night at his house, he had known that she was in trouble and he had come running. There really were bears in the woods around Lost Creek, but there was something more too… And she was still learning all about it with each passing day.

She’d heard whispers from Willow that Arlo wasn’t the only bear shifter. That his close friends and some of the other original settling families had powers too, and that although it was a secret that was concealed from the majority of residents in the town, they were also being slowly discovered.

“We have to help protect them,” Willow had said. “Both the bears and the wolves.”

From what she had managed to piece together, that is what Arlo had meant by the town being divided. Two packs were in charge of Lost Creek, and tensions were rising.

“Everything will be fine,” Arlo had assured her one night. “There’s nothing to worry about for you here.”

He had kissed her and she knew that he would never lie. They were together now. They were each other’s other half and each day, although it brought its challenges, Poppy was more than grateful that she had found herself in such a unique and happy position after so many years of unrest.

She and Arlo were so well suited, and she thanked her lucky stars every day that she had been fortunate enough to meet him.

As she started to stack the glasses behind the bar, the front door swung open and his huge, broad frame stepped forward, blocking out the natural light. As always, she could feel his eyes on her and it set off the butterflies in her belly. They all flapped their wings in unison and she had grown to enjoy the feeling. It had never left her and she hoped that it never would. She liked the nervous sensation that he gave her, it drove her on and kept her hot for him.

He swept her up in his big arms and kissed her hard on the mouth. Now that she had seen what this man had inside of him, the beast that he managed to conceal but could unleash at any given moment, Poppy would always be on her toes, and she liked it that way. It turned her on and made her heart race.

She nuzzled into his neck and thought of how far they had come in such a short space of time and she realized how true it was when people said that everything could change in a day.

It really could…

And for Poppy, it had changed in the most perfect and happiest of ways. She had finally found where she was supposed to be, and she was more than excited about her future…

THE END

The Lost Creek story continues with SCAR

Babies for the Bear

Cynthia Wilde

Copyright ©2015 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

Chapter 1

Lois was on her way back to Barrow. She had been unable to take off from work to travel the previous summer, marking the first year of her life to miss the majestic views of Alaska. Now she stood looking out from the boat once again, feeling warm nostalgia for the summers spent in that tiny town on the Arctic Ocean. Her parents had brought her each year to see the whales. Her mother was a marine biologist, who loved sharing the mystery of the sea with her daughter, and her father was the doting spouse, there at her mother’s beck and call for whatever she needed. Lois closed her eyes and felt for a moment as if they were still there with her. It had been 5 years since her parents had been lost in a car accident. Barrow was all she had left of them.

Her eyes adjusted to the reflecting sun and her heart soared as she took in the small town from a distance. Coming here was like coming home. She still rented the same room at the boarding house where her family had always stayed together, ate at the same restaurants, and haunted the same local hangouts. Her life had been so upside down for the last few years that the familiar had become a rare and precious thing. She had been on edge for a month, waiting for the trip. The laboratory where she conducted research at home had been growing smaller by the day, and once the weather was warm enough for traveling north she was more than ready to go.

There was still about twenty minutes from the dock and Lois spent the time repacking the few things that she had pulled out of one of her bags. She hadn’t brought much considering her plan to stay on for at least three months, so she was able to carry all of her things off the boat on her own. She walked two blocks to an old garage where she paid to keep her truck and visited with the owner, Old Merl, before she took off to the boarding house on the other side of town. Burrow was quaint; she loved everything about its rugged, small town charm.

Lois parked her truck and walked toward an old two-story house.

An older woman hurried out onto the porch, opening her arms toward her. “Oh! You’re finally here! I heard there’s a terrible storm coming and I was afraid you would get caught in Ketchikan.”

Lois set her bags on the ground to embrace the nearest likeness to a mother she had left in the world. It was as if this woman had been placed in her life long ago for a future that had already been set in stone.

They walked into the old house together and the familiarity enveloped her. It was exactly like it had always been. Her hand softly ran over the back of one of the couches. “It never changes. That’s why I love it here so much, Miss Beth.” Lois was looking around, soaking up the memories that hung in the air, thick as the scent of the large spruce beams that met overhead in the homey living room. “Do you have a lot of visitors right now?”

“Oh just you and one other, Jeffrey, he’s in town for some hunting I think. You know how those men are, they get all riled up to kill something with a gun. He is kinda cute, maybe you two will hit it off…” Beth turned away slightly, trying to stay casual.

Lois raised her eyebrows in amusement. “I doubt that,” she smiled dryly. “And how do you know I’m single?”

“’Cause I know. You don’t have that glow about you yet, but just wait, it will come in time.” The older woman thought herself something of a matchmaker, and though Lois knew Beth’s successes had been due to the miniscule population of Barrow providing little opportunity for ideal prospects, she wanted to believe her. At twenty-two, she had yet to be in a substantial relationship that went beyond a few dates and awkward kisses. It was long past time for her to get serious, but she found it hard to get close to many people.

“We’ll see, I guess. When it happens, it happens,” she resolved out loud.

“That sounds well and good dear, but sometimes you gotta get out there and take what you want. The hell with trying to wait for it to fall in your lap, go find it.”

Lois was surprised by the advice, but more surprised by the gumption in Beth’s expression. She considered the last few men she had written off after hardly taking time to know them. She weakly attempted to reassure herself that they hadn’t been worth her time. She could keep an open mind without changing what she wanted in a man, after all. He was out there somewhere, but she was becoming impatient.

“What are you thinking about, dear? You’ve got the strangest look on your face,” Beth interrupted her thoughts.

Lois blushed and started up the stairs towards her room. She knew it would already be ready for her, probably had been for a week. “Nothing, just my love life,” she laughed absently, “Maybe you’re right, Miss Beth. I need to get out more, and I will, after I get back home this fall. You know there aren’t very many men out here, even at this time of year.”

“You never know,” said Beth with a twinkle in her eye.

Lois nodded and promised to be down in a bit for dinner after she cleaned up. She felt tired and dirty from an entire day of travel. She had ended up sleeping in an airport during a storm in Chicago that delayed her flight, and a shower was in order. As she climbed into the relaxing steamy water, her thoughts were still on her non-existent love life and the older woman’s words. It sounded like something her mother would have said. Lois had never truly imagined allowing someone beyond the barriers she had placed between herself and the men she knew in the past. She realized the only thing that held her back from new experiences was fear of the unknown. Looking down at her body, slick with water and suds, she wondered what a man would think of her if she were indeed to open herself up to knowing someone on a deeper level.

The hot water was a blessing and she was soon feeling human again. Throwing her shoulder-length hair in a bun, she tiptoed down the hall with a towel wrapped around her. There was a tall man in the hallway next to her open door and she could tell he was looking in. He hadn’t noticed her and she almost backed into the bathroom, but she did not want to put the old clothes that reeked of fish back on after her shower.

“Excuse me, I need to get through,” she said hurriedly. The man turned around and his blue eyes held hers for several moments before the words seemed to reach his brain enough for him to move. She thanked him and walked into her room, shutting the door softly behind her. Her heart thudded as she looked down at herself and was thankful that no part of her had been sticking out. The towel certainly exposed a bit more than she would have liked for a first meeting.

As she was getting dressed, she couldn’t help but think about the man in the hallway. She tried to remember if Beth had given her his name, then she recalled it was Jeffrey. He was blonde and blue eyed, with broad shoulders, surely over six feet tall. It was the way in which he had looked at her and his set jaw that caused her to think about it for the rest of the evening. She really did not care for hunting, but with Beth’s words in mind, she figured she could go down to dinner with an open mind.

Beth’s boarding house was one of the best places in town to get food. Many wanted her to turn the old place into a restaurant, but she insisted if you wanted her food, you would just have to stay the night and have dinner. It was one of Lois’ favorite times as she wasn’t much of a cook herself and had mainly subsisted on take-out in the city for the past year. There was also more than a passing thought of seeing Jeffrey again, and at least the next time, she would have some clothes on.

Chapter 2

Lois finally made her way downstairs and the aroma of a home cooked meal immediately greeted her as she entered the dining room. Beth had made her favorite, as she always did on the first evening of a summer trip.

“Smells great, Miss Beth!” she chirped gleefully. Taking a seat, she smiled over at one of the men already seated at the small table. He introduced himself and Lois shook his hand. She nodded to Jeffrey, who was sitting a few chairs down the length of the table. She was unsure whether a proper introduction was even necessary at this point considering their unofficial meeting in the hall only minutes before.

The three of them quickly fell into conversation about some of the animal sightings around the hotel, and Jeffrey’s face lit up with excitement as he told them about the polar bears he had spotted a few days before.

“I only get to take one head home. There are some endangerment laws, but I paid a pretty penny to get the one, so I want it to be the biggest damn one I can get out there. I almost got one earlier this week, but thankfully I missed because that one was a runt compared to the two I saw today.” He paused with a confused look on his face, “They are strange creatures though. I’ve never seen an animal that acted like these bears.”

Lois was entirely disgusted with the conversation. The idea that someone would pay money to kill something was beyond her. It was not as if he would be eating the bear, he only wanted the head as a trophy. She shook the image from her mind and decided that sleep was in order.

Miss Beth looked at her half-full bowl with questioning eyes, and Lois shrugged. She bade the group goodnight and plodded up the stairs. Her hopes of a romance with the striking Swedish man were off the table.

***

The next morning, Lois was up and at the dock before seven. The older gentlemen that had let her use his boat in previous years had died over the winter and Lois had sought other arrangements. She had talked to an old friend who suggested she contact Conner Vern. She knew the name from town, but had not met anyone from the locally esteemed Vern family in person. Vern Corporations owned nearly half of the business that operated in Barrow.

Conner wasn’t able to arrange meeting with her, but keys and a schedule had been left at the boarding house for her use, so all she had to do was find the boat. Looking down at the dock number she had written down, it became clear that the boat was a lot smaller than she had hoped.

“Well, less money on gas,” she said to herself as she looked at the small boat that was looking like a dinghy compared to all of the others docked around it. She was too eager to get out on the water for it to matter much anyway. She approached her mini boat from the dock and noticed the name, “Fate” painted across the bow. When she climbed onboard, she was pleasantly surprised. While it was old, there were many modern conveniences that she had not enjoyed in a boat before. A crocheted red blanket was neatly rolled and tied with twine, lying in the captain’s chair. She reached to unfold it, and discovered a beautiful notecard attached to the twine. It had a helpful note with basic instructions and well wishes, and at the bottom “The Verns” was signed in large scrolling letters. As she pulled the blanket tightly around her shoulders, she wondered for a moment what kind of people they were, feeling certain that members of the Vern family did not actually take the time to sign cards for placing in each of their rental boats. Starting the engine up, the purr made her smile and she was soon untying herself from the dock and taking off towards the unbroken horizon.

The cool wind whipped in her hair and pulled the strands loose as she weaved her way around large blocks of ice that were a permanent feature in the landscape. Her eyes were always peering through the small ripples on the surface of the water, waiting to catch a glimpse of the majestic creatures she was there to see. The whales were her favorite, but there were seals and polar bears to spy on as well. She had taken her camera in hopes of getting a little work done, but the breeze distracted her from any sense of work, it was a morning for simply admiring the nature around her in reverie.

The boat was tiny, especially in the open water, but she felt more conspicuous than before. In the past, she had sailed on a small barge even when it had only been her aboard with the old man who owned it in the years following her parents’ death. It made sense when she considered the size of the mammals she studied. The smaller boat glided through the water with ease, making the work easier and the sights far more enjoyable. It felt as though she were part of the surrounding habitat, mere inches from the water. She was falling in love with the boat as much as she had fallen in love with Barrow.

On her way back in, Lois paused when she saw clouds of white fur moving on a small sheet of ice, not yet melted so early in June. It took her a moment to realize that she was looking at three massive polar bears. They all seemed to be adult, male bears – which did not make sense. Polar bears were known to be solitary animals. She had never heard of so many males gathering at once and she was intrigued. She watched them for some time, turning the boat motor off. They were clearly waiting for the seals swimming in the water below the ice to come up for air, each bear at a different hole. The surface of the water moved at one of the openings, there was a flurry of action, and then blood covered the white surroundings. Lois instantly thought of Jeffrey’s quest. She sent a small prayer up that he wouldn’t catch one of the majestic creatures. They were far too fierce and beautiful to be mounted on a wall in such a barbaric way.

After the incident and the breathtaking view of the bears, Lois decided to take Jeffrey out. She had a notion that maybe she could talk him out of it by helping him to see things from her point of view. There were plenty of things to do besides hunt, and she knew that he was only there a few more days. He just needed to be kept busy until then.

Chapter 3

The grand plan to dissuade Jeffrey from his quest had ended in a rather dull afternoon. He approached most things apathetically and had few conversational skills. Lois was irritated to find that he had no interest in admiring the fascinating ways of the wildlife they saw on their boat ride, but only spoke up when he saw something worth mounting on his wall. She entered Jimmy’s bar with him after their return, hoping to give him one more chance to redeem his seemingly negative personality, or lack thereof.

Conner Vern stared at the door, bristling at the sight of the dirty hunter entering. He had been watching the man for a week knew he was dangerous. What surprised him was the beautiful dark haired woman on his arm. He had recognized her from earlier in the day, felt her, but now she had walked in with him. He stared at the couple for a few moments, before heading back to the bar for another drink. Picking up his gin and tonic he stood to go, but after starting back toward the pool table, turned again and sat on the barstool next to Lois instead. He wasn’t going to skulk off now; this girl couldn’t possibly know what kind of man she had involved herself with.

Conner blatantly ignored Jeffrey and could tell this made him angry, but he couldn’t care less and focused his attention solely on the woman in front of him who was driving his senses mad with her close proximity.

“Hey, do you want to dance?” he asked her with an inviting smile.

She seemed surprised by the invitation and looked back at Jeffrey who was fuming behind her.

“I don’t think I should,” she said shyly.

“Are you married to that guy?”

“Of course not.”

“Well, then come on and dance with me, please?”

Lois was torn for a moment, but Conner’s open attraction to her was magnetic, and the more she had tried to make conversation with Jeffrey throughout the afternoon in the boat, the more she had seen that she could never be attracted to a man like that. Jeffrey was still playing the cool and silent guy, anyway. Maybe his chances were up.

Grabbing Conner’s hand, she walked to the small wooden area that served as the dance floor. “Why did you do that?” she asked curiously, now out of Jeffrey’s earshot.

“Because a man like that shouldn’t be touching a woman like you, that’s why.” He pulled her closer.

She gasped a little as his chest pressed firmly against her. She had just met him moments before, but he seemed to handle her as if she was already his. The song on the jukebox was slow and she swayed in rhythm with him. “I’m Lois, in case you’re interested in names or anything like that,” she said with a slight tone of sarcasm.

“I’m Conner Vern,” he replied.

“Ah ha!” she said.

Conner looked confused.

She laughed. “I actually rent your boat three times a week. I must say that I love that boat.”

His eyes lit up. “Lois Claire. Now I get it! I didn’t know that was you. I’ve been planning on coming out Monday to meet you, but I see you’ve already taken her out.”

“I hope you don’t mind. The agreement started today, so there was nothing holding me here on land.”

“You like it out there?”

“Love it.”

“What do you do again?”

“I’m in research back home. Here, it’s just for fun, so I study arctic creatures. Observation, photography, that sort of thing.”

The song ended and she turned to pull away, but he held her tighter.

“Why are you in such a rush to go back to him? He’s not for you.”

Lois was caught off guard and wondered for a moment why he seemed to care so much.

Conner picked up on her reaction. “I would just hate to see a nice girl like you end up with someone like that.”

“What do you have against him?” she asked.

“He’s careless and someone will get hurt before he’s had his little victory. This isn’t his first time here, and I hope he leaves again without his trophy.”

“He is gruesome. He has his sights set on a big polar bear. I bet it was one of the three beauties I saw today. You should have seen them. They were absolutely stunning and I couldn’t imagine anyone hurting them. I thought there were laws against that kind of thing.”

“Well, rich people get a day pass,” he scoffed. Lois cocked her head to the side.

“Isn’t your family the wealthiest in Barrow?”

Conner did not answer. The music had started again and his hands guided her around the small square floor. A few others had joined in and the two were made to move closer. Her heart was clamoring in her chest, and she looked up at him. He felt good against her and she could feel heat rising to her face.

After the song was over, the two of them sauntered back to the bar. Jeffrey had gone and Lois didn’t mind. She had truthfully forgotten all about him until Conner brought him up again,

“Sorry. I think your boyfriend took off. Maybe we shouldn’t have had that second dance.”

“Don’t pretend to be sorry. That was why you wanted a second dance!” she said with a smirk.

He looked down sheepishly for a moment. “Okay, you caught me.” He looked back into her face, his eyes burning into hers.

She blushed. He was just as large as Jeffrey, but leaner. His muscles were less bulky, yet more defined, and she found herself wanting to dance once more just to feel him pressed against her.

“So you have me, now what?” Lois was surprised by the sound of her own words. She had not meant it to be a provocation, but as fire leapt into his eyes, she could see that it was. “Wow that came out wrong. Sorry.”

Conner frowned. “I like the idea of having you.”

Lois giggled and then took a sip of her rum and coke. She looked around them and suddenly realized that it was crowded. It had felt to her as if they were the only two people in the world for the past half hour. He had a way of holding her gaze that made her feel drawn to him, like he was the only thing that she needed.

“So what do you do? Do you work down at the firm?”

“No, I make boats down the coast. I come here for the weekends. You should come out with me Sunday, it’s supposed to be beautiful. I would love the company.”

She agreed and after two more slow dances in his arms, she said goodnight. He asked her to stay, but Lois had to be up early in the morning. She had promised to help Beth bake bread loaves for the local church charity auction.

“Sunday then?” Conner asked, searching her eyes for confirmation.

She nodded her head with a girlish smile and headed back to the boarding house.

Chapter 4

Sunday arrived before Conner knew it. He spent most of his day Saturday poking around for information about Lois. When he discovered that she had been coming to Barrow for years, he wondered why he had not seen her before. She stood out from the other girls in town with her sweet charm, flowing dark hair, and tan skin. She was radiant, and he was amazed that he could have missed someone so lovely in a small town this many summers in a row. It was the way of things though. He knew that fate couldn’t be rushed, and though he wished he had met her before, he was grateful now, and only hoped Jeffrey wouldn’t be interference.

He went up the broken walkway to the boarding house doors with energy in his step. It was going to be a good day. When Lois answered the door, his breath caught for a moment. She was wearing a long blue dress with a light grey sweater. Her figure was distracting; the top of the dress hugged her breasts and fit tightly at her small waist. As soon as she took a step out, the wind caught the bottom of her dress and hair, sending them flying around her. There was something wild and mysterious about her, as if her spirit was full of brilliant color that danced and soared about, just like the royal blue fabric flowing around her ankles now.

“Conner?” Lois was asking when he zoned back to reality.

“Sorry, what?”

“I asked if you were ready to go.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t see a car.”

“I thought we could walk, it’ll be nice. Give us a chance to talk.” He smiled, handing her a cup of fresh coffee he had brewed and poured into a thermos. He wanted to hear anything and everything about her.

She felt like she had relayed her life story in detail by the time they got through the town and to the docks.

“So where are we going?” she asked as they climbed in to the small boat.

“To one of my islands.” The way he said it was so casual it took a moment for it to register fully.

“One, as in, you have more than one?”

“Of course.” Conner put his sunglasses on and prepared the boat to set out.

She shook her head. He looked like celebrity in his boat shoes and glasses. She found herself staring at him when they were finally ready to set off from the dock.

He caught her eye before she could look away and smiled from ear to ear. “This is my favorite way to spend an afternoon,” he said as he nestled into the chair like it was the most comforting place on earth.

The day was as beautiful as he had said it would be. He was unlike anyone that she had ever met before and the more she got to know him, the more she liked him.

The engine slowed and she looked around to see why. Her own thoughts had kept her staring off in the distance, but she realized that they must be at the island. It was dense except for a small clearing with a rustic looking cabin. It was not at all what she had expected, but when he began pulling out buckets and sticks from underneath one of the seats, she thought he had lost his mind.

“Come on. Don’t tell me you haven’t been clamming before? Razorbacks are the best and this is my secret spot. I come up here a couple of times in the summer and just camp overnight, roasting clams.”

“Sounds nice. I can’t say that I have ever gone clamming. So this should be fun. I wish I would have known what we were doing, I wouldn’t have worn such a long skirt.” Lois pulled her dress to the side, knotting the skirt so it would not drag in the muddy bank of the small island.

He helped her off and her body slid down his front as he lowered her to the ground. Her senses were increasingly aware of any contact with him, and the intensity of arousal she felt caused her to lose composure for a few moments, laughing awkwardly and clearing her throat.

“You seemed like the kind of girl that would like this.”

“I’m sure I will.” Lois was sure that she would like just about anything with Conner. He had such an easy going and engaging personality that she had not expected from someone in his position. He was just a normal guy, certainly not the stereotypical son of a multimillionaire business tycoon. Until he got a business call from Tokyo on his satellite phone, Lois had almost forgotten that she was with a Vern.

The morning was gone and the day was warming up to a perfect fifty degrees. The wind blew constantly, but it was delightful with the sun overhead. They both had their buckets filled with clams when she followed him back to the small cabin two hours later. He started a fire in the wood stove, then they returned to the water to rinse the clams of thickly caked mud that covered the shells. Lois had never tried them, but she didn’t tell him why. They were funny looking, but that day, the smell was enough to entice her. He helped her open the first one and after a bite, she understood why he enjoyed the process so much

“So is this what you do with your time? Shouldn’t you be jet setting to the equator?”

“I do sometimes, but I like it here. I like to know my neighbors and here that is actually possible. I don’t think I would ever want to live anywhere else. What about you, could you live here full time?”

“I don’t know. I would need a damn good reason to do a winter here,” she laughed.

“I could give you a reason.” Conner’s eyes were boring into hers, she was unsure how to respond. He leaned over and kissed her gently. It took her by surprise, but she felt herself leaning into him, hoping he wouldn’t pull away any time soon. His tongue pushed her lips open and she moaned softly at the touch. Conner deepened the kiss and she was lost in the moment. When he finally pulled away, she took a deep breath.

“Is that a good enough reason?”

Lois nodded, touching her lips.

Chapter 5

The sun was dipping lower in the sky and it was starting to darken outside.

“We should get back before the weather gets worse,” Connor said, gathering up the buckets.

Lois agreed and they were quickly on the boat headed back to Barrow. The seas were rough and she wished they could be in a larger boat. She clung to him as the waves rocked them back and forth. The sea spray drenched them and she was shivering by the time they got to the dock. Conner made a call before they got back to town and she was thankful for the car that was waiting for them when they arrived. Her shivering stopped once they were inside. The car parked in front of the boarding house and she asked Conner if he would like to come up and get some dry clothes.

“I’m sure Miss Beth would have something in your size,” Lois said in a pleading voice. Conner hesitated, but then agreed. She made them both some hot chocolate and let him take the first hot shower. He asked if she wanted to join him, but she said she would wait. The idea of being that close, let alone naked around him was more than she could think about. She left him a towel and some clothes, thinking how strange it would be to see him in normal clothes for the first time.

When he dressed, she tried not to laugh. Lois had underestimated his size and the pants were tight and only fell about mid-calf. She wasn’t sure how he even got them on, though she did take a few moments to admire his thick thighs and muscular backside. Her mind wandered and it took her a moment to realize that he was talking to her.

“You think she has anything a bit bigger?”

“Um yeah. I didn’t realize you were so…big.” Her eyes pulled away from his bottom half and she had him follow her into one of the spare bedrooms where Beth kept clothes that were left behind by guests. It happened quite often and she had been in business for thirty years. Beth had enough that she could almost start a consignment shop, but she just liked to help out when she could. He dug through some of the clothes until he found something that looked like it would fit. It was a pair of khaki shorts and a bright blue and red Hawaiian shirt. When he came out of the bathroom, she couldn’t help but giggle.

“Very sexy.”

His dark eyes held hers for a moment and she was left speechless. He somehow looked every bit as unbearably attractive in the funny shirt. Her eyes were the first to turn away and she was about to walk passed him to leave the room, but he stopped her.

Lois looked up at him and bit her lower lip. Conner did not let her go, but pushed her up against the door. He kissed her gently at first, the passion heating up the longer they touched. Her body sung with desire for him, something she had not experienced before. Conner made her feel alive. His hand held her chin, while the other one touched her exposed side. Conner could sense her desire and it made him want her even more. He knew it wasn’t the time to press for more, but he couldn’t help how the feel of her changed everything inside of him. Conner’s blood ran hot and there was no other thought but the woman in his arms.

His hand moved from the side of her breast to her waist and then he cupped her curving hips with a low grunt, pulling her towards him.

Lois whimpered, overwhelmed with pleasurable sensations at being caressed so intimately for the first time. His excitement was clear as he leaned against her leg. Her arms entwined around his neck and even though he bent down, she was on her tiptoes to reach his hungry mouth. She could feel everything inside yielding to him. Conner’s blood rushed in his veins and his hand moved lower, gripping her through her clothing. She softly cried out, unprepared for the mix of sensations. Her mind panicked while her body wanted to stay right there and take it all. She forced herself to pull away from his kisses.

“Wait, Conner. I can’t. This is just too soon.”

His hand moved away and she was able to breathe again, releasing the air that she had been holding in.

“I’m sorry. I got a bit carried away. It’s hard not to do with you.” He pulled back and she whined a little under her breath. The loss of his touch was worse than the confusing feelings when he touched her.

“Lois? Are you here dear?” a voice called from the entryway.

Her eyes widened and she pushed him away. Beth’s unexpected return made her mind up for her. She walked out of the room and met her at the bottom of the stairs.

“Hey, Miss Beth.”

“Dinner will be ready in a bit dear.”

Lois nodded. “I was going to have a guest tonight if that’s ok?”

“Oh I like the sound of that. Did you find you a nice fella in town? It is about time child.”

Lois gave her a look and nodded her head towards the upstairs room that Conner was in. The older woman understood quickly and tried to ease out of her comment, making it considerably worse. Beth went into the kitchen and Lois went back upstairs with a red face.

“You need to find you a fella, huh?” Conner teased, an adorable expression on his face that reminded Lois of the moment they had just shared.

“Apparently,” she replied.

Chapter 6

Dinner was perfect, as it always was. Jeffrey never showed up for the meal, and Lois was a little relieved by his absence. It was clear that the two men did not get along and Lois did not want another uncomfortable scene like at the bar. It hadn’t been so much their words, but the way they had looked at each other with hatred.

Conner left a little after nine, with a wave and a kiss that left Lois nearly desperate to ask him to stay with her. Lois walked back in with a smile on her face that could not be matched.

“See I told you I would know,” Beth grinned. So how did you end up meeting Conner Vern of all people?”

“I am renting his boat while I’m here for my research. I actually met him at Jimmy’s last night. Apparently he and Jeffrey don’t get along.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. You know that Conner is into wildlife retention. He made a big stink when they wanted to start developing the coastline. Conner spent a lot of money to keep it the way it is. The whole reason all the visitors come to see the animals would have been gone if the oil companies would have had their way.”

Lois nodded, deep in thought. She liked the idea that he was active in saving the animals. It somehow made his wealth seem less intimidating, if he was utilizing it in such admirable ways. Big money made Lois nervous, but with Conner, she hadn’t really noticed. He did not carry many of the same airs that most affluent people did. Lois felt comfortable with Conner, and she could tell his full attention was on her when they were together. He didn’t seem like a workaholic, or the kind of person to lord their money over others. After spending the day with him, Lois could not think of when she had enjoyed an afternoon so much.

That evening her thoughts were full of Conner and the hope that she would get to see him again. She saw him in her dreams, but they were full of strange things that did not much make sense to her mind.

***

Monday was there before Lois knew it and she woke up feeling like she had not slept a wink. Her mind was active the whole night, dreaming up dreams that made her blush to even think about them in the daylight. Her mind and body were going through an awakening, and it was all because of Conner’s touch. The man was full of secrets and she wondered how many more he had up his sleeve.

She was supposed to meet him at the dock, so she went to pick an outfit that would grab his attention. She knew that he liked her hair down, so she let it fall in waves around her face. There was a skip in her step and lightness in her heart that she had never felt before. Lois was walking on air with the idea of seeing him again. A girl that helped Beth around the boarding house on weekdays greeted Lois at the bottom of the stairs.

“Here, you got a message real early this morning.”

Lois read it and her hopes were dashed. Business had come up and Conner was not going to make it. Her whole disposition changed and she no longer wanted to go. The whole reason that she had grown up looking forward to summers in Barrow more than any other part of the year was to study and whale watch, but in the space of two days, the activity had become bland outside of enjoying the sights and discoveries with Conner. It would have been even more wonderful now, knowing that he felt so strongly about the wildlife. Somehow after such a short time of experiencing things with him, imagining the day without him was colorless and depressing.

She headed to the dock, deciding to walk in the crisp air. The cold made it seem longer, but soon she was standing in front of ‘Fate’ wishing that the owner could be there too. She kept telling herself that she had to pull herself together, but it was hard to find the motivation. Taking a look up at the clouds, it was mostly overcast, but the sun was sure to peek through any moment. Lois started the boat and left the marina, headed towards the ice.

The first sighting of the day was filled with excitement. Her enthusiasm for the sea creatures was rekindled as she marveled at their grace and agility. The grey whales were doing a show as they came closer to her tiny boat. She was amazed how close they were to her. Suddenly it felt as though they were too close. Lois could feel the boat rocking from the waves created by the large animals. Her heart started to pound in her chest, panic rising.  Another bump from one of the large creatures caused her to let out a short yelp. The boat sloshed around and she almost lost her footing. The movement of the whales almost felt aggressive. Lois was nervous and tried to steer the boat away from the large mammals, then one large hit from the side of the boat made her fall down. She hit her head on the edge of the table as she fell, knocking herself out. The wind picked up and it started to rain, the wind biting into her body.

Chapter 7

Conner was overcome with a bad feeling, and his mind instantly went to Lois. He knew something was not right. He excused himself from the meeting he was in the middle of, leaving as quickly as possible. Getting in his vehicle, he headed back up to Barrow. He did not know what was wrong, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that she was in some kind of trouble. He knew that she needed him and he raced towards her, unsure what he would find when he arrived.

His feelings for Lois had evolved quickly. When he had first seen her, it had been more about getting her away from Jeffrey, but now he knew it was because he was meant to be with her. He had waited almost thirty years for her, for fate to give him his mate and he had a suffocating fear that she would be taken from him now, adding to the years of loss and brokenness he had already known. Years before he had fallen for a woman that was not meant to be his, but ignoring the signs in hopes of finding love, fate had been forced to step in, as it always did. She had been taken from him in a violent way. Conner had begun to fear that he would remain alone forever. Lois had changed all of that. Now, the same gripping fear held his heart for ransom. He couldn’t let the same thing happen to her as it had for Johanna. The very idea made him drive faster on the unpaved roads. Barrow had never felt so far away before.

He went to the boarding house first. It was getting late and she should have been back. When Beth told him that she had been gone since early that morning, his next stop was the marina. He did not see his boat anywhere, and his heart dropped as his fear was essentially confirmed.

Conner raised a prayer to the heavens, unsure whom he was even talking to, but asking for help nonetheless. He went back to the marina office and borrowed one of the boats. He climbed in and hastily started the engine, taking off towards the horizon. He let his instincts guide him to her and when he saw the boat off in the distance by one of the main sheets of ice by the coast, his breath started to slow down to a regular pace. As he pulled closer and saw that there was no activity on the boat as he approached, his nerves became agitated again. Leveling with the boat, his worst fears were realized and he saw her unmoving form on the bottom of the vessel. Pulling up against it, he tied off with it and scrambled to the smaller boat that he had named after the very force he now reckoned with. Fate had stepped in again and as he got closer, he feared it would be as before. Conner had been afraid to love anyone else after Johanna. Lois was the first person he had touched in that way in many years and his heart was already breaking at the thought of losing her. He had brought this upon her.

“Lois!”

There was no answer, and as he bent down to touch her, she was cold to the touch. She was breathing, but it was slow and shallow. He did not know how long she had been out there, but he knew that he had to warm her up quickly. Conner started to undress her from her wet clothes, trying to ignore the chaotic mix of feelings and thoughts running through his mind. It was when he pulled her against his own bare chest, that he realized it wasn’t going to be enough. Making a decision, the man decided to shift into his true form, knowing the warm fur would give her the comfort she so desperately needed.

***

Jeffrey watched it all from a small stand of trees that had survived the permafrost to grow. The man that he had seen at the bar transformed into the very polar bear that he had been waiting for. He was the biggest one he had ever seen. This only drove his desire to make the kill more. Jeffrey’s hunger for victory over the beast was not influenced by who he was, just what he was at that moment. As he started to stalk closer, he saw a mostly naked woman wrapped up in the bear’s embrace and fought his body’s reaction. He had to focus now in order to get the prize. She would fall for him, just for saving her, he was sure of it.

The blonde man raised the high-powered rifle and started to take aim. It was then that the two men’s eyes met and Jeffrey could see the man still within.

The bear moved to protect the woman, waking Lois up with the sudden upheaval. His body heat was warming her and she started to rouse. Conner panicked, afraid she would be terrified, and he was right. There was a moment of screaming and then she paused when he looked at her. The bear was too much like the man for her not to know. She had the same feeling that she did when they were close.

It took Lois a minute to notice Jeffrey standing at the edge of the ice bank, his gun raised at the bear. Without thinking, Lois got up and stood in front of him.

Jeffrey yelled at her to move and the polar bear even pushed her out of the way once, but she got back up and stood in the line of fire. She yelled at the man to stop and he told her to move.

Conner had heard enough and the bear jumped out of the boat. It dove into the water and then pulled itself up on the ice. The man who had the gun shook and started to back up as the beast got closer. Polar bears were known for their aggression, and Jeffrey had threatened this one’s mate.

“Stop! I know what you are! I will shoot you!”

Conner kept approaching, his black eyes fixed on the blonde man. Jeffrey backed up until a ball of ice tripped him. As he hit the ground, the gun went off, hitting the bear, then Conner roared and knocked the gun out of the man’s hands. Jeffrey was white-faced and started to beg. The pathetic display caused Conner to realize what he was doing before it was too late. The bear retreated back to the boat and the woman.

Lois was left speechless as she watched the beast turn back into the form she recognized. Her mind tried to make sense of it, telling her that she was hallucinating, but when she looked up at Conner, she saw blood running down his arm. The bullet had clipped him and caused a superficial wound.

“Oh Conner, look at you!” Her hand went to his shoulder and he turned around, expecting fear but finding only love and acceptance. She had always known that there was something about him, though she never would have guessed the truth.

“I’m fine. Are you okay? We need to get you warmed up.” He helped her into the borrowed boat and started to tug the two boats back to dock.

She looked back at the blood-soaked bank and the blonde man staring after them.

“What are we going to do about him? He is going to tell someone.”

“No, he won’t. Besides they would just think he was crazy. Everyone knows that people don’t turn into polar bears.”

Lois wanted to laugh, but her mind was still reeling. She had seen it happen with her own eyes, but was still questioning the information she had taken in. She started to put her jeans and shirt on, while he did the same. The blood from his arm seeped into his white dress shirt.

“So what are you?”

“I am a shifter,” Conner drew in a sharp breath, “and you are to be my mate.” It took several moments for the words to sink in. All of this time she had wanted to find the one, and in her heart she felt he was that one, but she could never have imagined it liked this.

“I am sorry, Lois. I know this is a lot to take in. I wish that you could have found out some other way.”

“I doubt that any way could have been less…surprising.”

He chuckled. “I guess you’re right, though if it’s any help, you’re taking it quite well.”

“Well, you are bleeding, so I have to stay calm. We need to get you back so we can bandage you up.”

“I heal fast, really, don’t worry about it.” He stepped closer, still a little fearful that she would back away from him, but she did not, and in another moment she was cradled in his arms and their lips touched gently. Before she knew it, they were back at the dock and she was unsure how to proceed.

“Can you park Fate and I will get this one hooked up?”

She agreed, kissing him again before stepping over into the small boat she loved almost as much as she loved the owner. Her eyes followed him as he drove slowly over to the other boat’s spot. He was hooked up and parked before she was and he went back over to help her. He watched her work for a moment his heart feeling like it would burst right then and there. Fate had stepped in again, answering his prayers.

Chapter 8

There was a car waiting for them and she was thankful for it. When they passed Beth’s boarding house, she looked at him with a question in her eyes.

“I want to take you home with me.”

Lois had a feeling she knew what that meant and although she was a nervous wreck about it, she couldn’t deny him when he looked at her in that way. He had a way of making her feel like she was the only woman in the world and he was the only man. She cradled her head against his chest and breathed deeply. Everything was different and she could never have imagined how just one day could change her whole life.

The car wound up a mountain and at the top it leveled out to a large house with a gorgeous view of the water. Barrow appeared tiny below them. Conner seemed eager to get inside and she held his hand as they walked up the stairs.

“It is beautiful Conner, I love the logs.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he said as he squeezed her hand. This is your new home, if you will have me.”

Lois was still trying to process the overwhelming joy of belonging to Conner, she hardly knew how to respond, so she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him, softly catching his lip between hers.

The home was vast, and like everything else about Conner, overwhelming. It all looked so pristine, she was afraid to touch anything.

“Do you want to take a shower?”

Lois agreed with a nod, her mouth unable to speak. She followed him into the bathroom and waited while he turned the hot water on. Steam quickly filled the room and he slowly began to help her undress. The covering of the mist from the hot water eased her shyness at being exposed with him. His hands on her body were enough to make her forget everything except him in that moment.

Conner stood behind her as he pulled down her shorts. She was facing the foggy mirror, their reflection muddled but visible. He held her like that for several minutes, his hands touching her sides, while his mouth nibbled on her neck and shoulder. A shiver ran over her and she moaned as his fingers moved down her body lightly.

“God, you are so beautiful. Your skin is so soft and perfect.” His hands moved to her breasts, cupping them from behind while his eyes stayed on hers through the mirror. Lois closed her eyes as his hands fondled her delicate skin. She could hardly breathe, she had never allowed herself to imagine anything so intimate as being caressed and admired in this way. Her back leaned against his strong body.

Lois turned around in his arms, unable to keep her lips off of him a second longer. She went to her tiptoes to kiss him and after a moment of their lips meeting he grabbed her up off the ground and pushed her back onto the countertop. She made a noise of surprise when her skin touched the cool marble. His body wedged between her thighs as they opened up to let him in. His hardness against her made her moan with desire. She knew what was next and her body ached for it.

Their kiss was intense and he held her still with a hand in her hair. Conner was trying to be gentle, but the more of her he tasted the more he wanted her right then and there. The room was completely full of steam, heating up their already burning bodies. Her legs wrapped around him and pulled him closer. She wanted to feel his bare flesh on hers and when he pulled back for a moment, her hands started to pull off his shirt. She placed her hands flat against his solid chest and ran her fingers lightly down his hard abs, stopping just before the beginning of his jeans.

“If you keep touching me like that, it’ll be over before we get started,” Conner said in low sexy voice next to her ear as he kissed her neck. She giggled and continued to touch him, her inexperienced hands driving him absolutely crazy. His large hands went to hers and stopped them. He held her arms to her side as he kissed her again. Their bodies were perfectly aligned, and he started to rub against her, his fingers fondling her. She gasped and her body moved intuitively. She had never had anyone else touch her there before.

Conner rubbed, amazed by how ready she was. His need grew to desperation, he started to press his hand into her and then stopped, surprised to find his way guarded. Blood pumped hard through his body, the realization making his brain go fuzzy.

“I didn’t know…”

She moaned and grabbed him. “You’ll be my first, and I can’t wait any longer.”

Lois tried to pull him to her, but was met with resistance. She was wild with desire. Her legs wrapped around his waist, helping to pull him to her. Their mouths met and Conner was becoming unsure of his own control. His lips left hers and moved down her neck and shoulders, stopping where his hands had cupped her large breasts together. Conner tasted the tip of one of her breasts, licking and sucking softly until her body was rhythmically pounding against him. He did not move faster, but took his time, moving to her other side. Her nipples were firm when he drew back. Her eyes were closed and she waited for more.

His mouth suckled longer, while his fingers played between her thighs. His hand eventually found the spot that gave her body, if possible, an even more intense level of pleasure. His mouth moved down her quivering stomach and she gasped when he moved further, his tongue replacing his hand, pushing her closer to total ecstasy.

Her body started to shake as his tongue and then lips covered her flesh, sucking slowly. “Oh God, Conner.” Her thighs were on him like a vice and her own grip on the counter was making her knuckles white.

He sucked harder, building speed and intensity. The tight ball inside of her was ready to explode, as she felt sweat drip down her back. She moved her hips closer to the edge, and after a few moments, her hands pushed him away and she tried to close her legs to the mind-numbing pleasure. Lois had always wondered what it would be like to be with a man, but she could never have imagined this kind of sensual heaven.

“Oh please, enough,” she whimpered.

He had a smirk on his face when he finally stood up. He grabbed her face and pulled her closer. Her hand snuck down and grabbed his pants, pulling him nearer. Her fingers trembled as she fumbled with his fly, the zipper pulled taught in his arousal.

She managed to bring the front of his jeans down far enough. Her eyes widened as she stared down. He was huge. He groaned, and she stroked him, loving the way he felt in her hand. She wasn’t sure how to touch him, and found herself feeling insecure. He sensed this, and held his hand out to help her down while he let the pants fall to the ground. He stepped out of them and moved her towards the steaming shower. The marble was inviting to her, but her nerves went into high drive. The way he looked at her reminded her of his animal counterpart. She worried about how the next part would go, but knew he would be patient with her.

Conner backed her into the shower, the hot water hitting her skin. He moved towards her, his eyes holding hers.

He slid between her thighs, reveling in the feel of her softness on him. She was wet enough that he was quickly sliding between her legs with ease.

“Come on…you’re driving me crazy!” she whispered, her hands on his chest.

He pulled away from between her legs and pushed her up against the far wall. His mind raced and he lifted her up into his arms, her legs wrapping around him.

Their eyes met and for an instant, he saw that she was nervous. She closed her eyes. He moved forward, letting her weight push her down onto his length. She cried out for the briefest moment, but his lips comforted her and he paused to make sure she was ready to continue. The pain quickly subsided, leaving her with a yearning even deeper than before. Her hips moved against him, her insides throbbing with new sensations.

He pulled out completely before pushing back in slowly. His hands shook slightly as he held her up.

She trembled, unable to hold herself up when he started to rut in and out of her faster and harder. He was close and she tightened her grip on him until she felt one last surge, and then molten heat warming her inside. His moans and final thrusts as he released brought her to the peak of pleasure, and she let out several small gasps, the tension dissolving within the feeling that reached every nerve from her forehead to her toes.

Conner’s whole body relaxed afterwards. He let her slip down and then bent to kiss her. She was slack in his arms and he carried her out and set her gently on her feet. Wrapping her in a towel, he kissed her stomach. He couldn’t wait for her grow with his children, their children. Conner had waited for thirty years to find her and now that he had, he was never going to let her go. All he could think of was starting a family and making the mating official. He knew they would face many challenges, but together, they could weather any storm.

THE END

The Bear Wants Babies

Cynthia Wilde

Copyright ©2015 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

Chapter 1

Aria looked out from the top deck of the ferry. She was on her way to somewhere in Alaska that she had never heard of, in order to take possession of a cabin she had inherited from a great aunt whom she had never known. She had been looking for a change anyhow, and so with the promise of free rent and adventure, she left behind the small town in Florida where she came from. There were a few tear-filled goodbyes, but they were balanced by the fact that Aria was more than ready to start fresh somewhere new. As she looked around her at the wide open wilderness on all sides, she realized that if the awe inspiring beauty of nature up her was any indication, she would soon have a whole lot of new things to get used to.

Everything had changed as she drove northwest through the expansive country. It got considerably colder, even for June, the closer she got to Washington. The houses were separated by wider and wider spaces, and those spaces went from holding a few trees each, to being made up of whole forests. Everything just got more natural as she headed further west. She had been overjoyed to get through what she felt was the vastly overpopulated South. The further she got from it, the more she realized how much she had disliked it. Aria was on a shoestring budget, and by the time she had gotten on the 3-day ferry up to Alaska she was already getting low on funds. Traveling like this actually cost more than flying, but there was absolutely no way she was going to get on a plane. Regardless of the cost, though, or the means of travel, she was excited to be on this new adventure.

It was the third day on the ferry and she had already spent two nights camped out on the front deck. Even though the price for an actual room was astronomical, she now kind of wished she had chosen that route. The air outside was far colder than she would have imagined for early summer. At least there were many others who had underestimated the temperature as well. On the bright side, they now shared a sense of camaraderie that had been forged through the mutual trauma they had endured in the deep chill of the last few nights. Many were ending their trip in Ketchikan, but Aria was pushing forward north to around Barrow. According to her map, even once she arrived there, there would still be two more days of travel by bus as well as by boat.

All she knew about where she was going was what she had looked up, and that had in no way prepared her for the vast majestic views that had awaited her. She also had had no way to anticipate how small such open spaces would make her feel. Nature definitely reigned supreme in Alaska. The paperwork in her knapsack said that she now owned a cabin and fifty acres somewhere up there. She could feel her destiny calling to her from the wilderness.

***

Aria finally arrived at Ketchikan and then almost immediately picked up a bus that was headed even further north. Even though the trip meant several more hours of driving, it was mainly coastal roads and the views kept her in a perpetually awestruck state. She sat next to a gentleman a little older than she was for the last leg of the journey and the two talked for hours. The conversation made the time pass quickly. At the next town, she got off to catch a boat to the northern coast. Everything had been pre-booked, so it was supposed to be a smooth trip, but she was still genuinely surprised when each leg went off without a hitch. Aria decided that she would take that as a sign. Things were on the upswing.

Her first impression of Barrow was how small it was. Taking in the houses in a glance she figured that there couldn’t have been more than a hundred or so people in the whole town. But the thing that made it seem so much smaller she decided, was the way the town was so close to the shore. It looked dangerously close. She imagined it would only take one tantrum and the sea would swallow it all up in one angry surge.

Aria’s heart skipped a beat as she hopped off the boat in the uneven tide. Her legs were happy to feel the solid dock, and then actual ground underneath her. She only had one large duffel bag that the mate handed her as he waved goodbye. Everyone had been so nice and even the couple of hours on the boat had yielded several friends she would be happy to see again. It seemed to Aria that people were just different up north. She had admit that she liked the change.

Looking through her bag pockets, she found the piece of paper that had the address. She had bought a car through a man and she was supposed to pick it up. Vehicles were extremely hard to get, in large part because the cost of transporting one exceeded the value of the actual car. So she hoped that the car she had purchased was not a complete rust bucket and that it would at least get her to the cabin some 10 miles inland. Aria found it hard to take her eyes from the view though. She could see the icebergs just off the coast. It was just so … wild … and dangerous.

Aria shivered as she walked the several blocks to the address. It turned out to be a small house/restaurant and when she opened the door, several pairs of eyes were instantly on her. There was a small bar with a few stools and she went to sit down, smiling at a few people that kept her eye contact. A waitress quickly brought over a menu and asked what she wanted to drink.

Trying to prop the large bag up, she asked for the name she had written down on the piece of paper.

“Ralph!”

The woman turned her head back towards Aria and told her that he would be out in a moment. Aria asked for a Coke and settled in to look at the menu. She had ordered and started eating by the time Ralph came up from the back. He turned out to be a rotund older man that looked much like his name sounded. He gave Aria a once over that made her a bit uncomfortable.

“So you’re Aria?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Look at you, so polite. I daresay that won’t last long around here. You kind of look like Martha you know. We never knew she had nieces.

“Great niece. I think her and my mother had a falling out when they were younger. I actually never met her or even knew that she existed until a couple of months ago.”

“Tragic. Hell of a way to learn.”

His green eyes stared into hers, as if probing for something for a moment, until he finally turned away when she didn’t. It sort of reminded her of a stare down that she had with her cat a week before.

“So you ready to pick up your car? She is a beaut. I really think you are going to like it.”

Aria had hoped for a picture, or something, but the man did not seem too on top of things technologically speaking. When she explained cell phones with cameras, he snorted. But she had been a little desperate so she went on his word.

“Oh I don’t have one of those fin dangled picture phones. What do you need that for?”

As Aria looked around the man’s yard, she believed him. There wasn’t a thing in it that didn’t look like it had been there at least ten years already. He seemed to have a combination used car and salvage business – and diner. They walked to the back where he had most of the cars. They went pretty far before he finally pulled a sheet out from the wipers of a sedan of some sort. It was a beaut and though it was old, it seemed to have no outside damage. Aria did not know the model unless she looked at the paperwork, but it was a pretty powder blue and was more of less what she had had in mind. She had been warned that it would be useless 6-8 months out of the year, but for now it was perfect and she would worry about winter when the time came.

Chapter 2

Stowing her luggage in the trunk, she got behind the wheel and looked at the directions she had written down and quickly started south, heading deeper into the overgrown wild. After about thirty minutes Aria checked the address twice before she pulled down a long dirt road. The cabin was not at all what she had expected. It was actually more of a proper family sized home than the modest dwelling she had been expecting. She noticed the road went off deeper into the woods past her property and she briefly wondered who lived up the hill.

Aria had to pinch herself to make sure she was not dreaming. She could have never afforded anything so nice on her bartender salary at home, and now she could live here in this big place – and all rent free. The estate even had the fees and taxes paid off for years to come. It had all been worked into the will. She didn’t have much in her pocket, but she knew that she would find something to do out there that would pay for food and her meager expenses. The first thing was to settle in.

Her hands touched the large support beams in the main room. They looked like they had been made from tree trunks they were so thick. Every log was cut perfectly to fit and though there didn’t seem to be any electricity running to the house from the outside, she had seen several solar panels on the roof. She was digging the Alaskan self-sufficiency already. The place was fully furnished and though it was not of her taste exactly, it was perfect for the setting, and she wasn’t about to be ungrateful. Aria suspected her tastes would be changing. She actually imagined she would be doing some changing herself. In fact, she already felt different, she realized.

Aria put her bag down in the bedroom, her bedroom, she reminded herself, and grabbed a blanket off the couch to cover her shoulders. There were a couple of rocking chairs out on the front deck, and the deck was high enough that she could see the ocean in the distance. She sat there for some time, knowing that her great aunt Martha must have sat there doing the very same thing many times. Her cheeks were beat red and her teeth chattering by the time she finally tore herself away from the view and went in to start a fire.

No Alaskan home was complete without a raging fire she decided, and Aria was satisfied that she had successfully started her first fire all by herself in the small fire place. That was the first time she had put her Girl Scout training to use in years, but it all came back to her pretty easily. She started off towards the kitchen and was happy to find several days-worth of groceries still in the cupboards. It looked like her great aunt relied heavily on canned goods, so for the most part she didn’t have to worry much about cleaning out food that had gone bad. She started a mental list of things in her head that she needed to pick up when she made her first run into town. The list quickly became too long though, and she was soon searching for a pen among the many kitchen drawers.

In the third drawer she opened, she noticed a strange drawing on the bottom of the drawer. It looked like a strange star with many points and weaving lines that ran through it. Her fingers touched the drawing and she realized that it was burnt into the thin wood.

At that very moment, smoke entered the kitchen and as she turned around she thick black smoke billowing from the fireplace and filling the air. Covering her mouth, she walked closer and realized that something in the chimney must have caught fire – or maybe it was just blocked. She had no idea how these things worked. She quickly filled a trashcan with water and doused the fire before the entire house was smoked out. Still, she had to open every door to the house to air it out properly. As she contemplated dealing with the problem with the fireplace she realized just how exhausted she was from her trip. She decided to lay down for a few minutes. Of course she was quickly off to dreamland, only waking must have been hours later, although there was no way to tell by the light outside. It never seemed to get any darker. She had heard it could daylight for months up her but it was still weird to experience. But what actually awakened her was not the light, but the cold. She realized that she had left the doors wide open.

Throwing on a thick sweatshirt, Aria quickly headed to kitchen to make some coffee and looked at the mini -mess in the living room. There was soot on most of the objects near the fireplace and the whole place now smelled like an old fire pit. She ripped up an old box she found and laid the cardboard out in the fireplace so she could wriggle in a get a look up the chimney. She did not see any light, which she decided was bad. It must be blocked, she decided.

Her fear of heights did not rest solely in flying. She was afraid to get on anything over her own height, so she was not exactly enthusiastic about what she had to do next. In the end her fear of freezing trumped her fear of heights, and so after a couple of cups of coffee and a lot of nervous looks at the precarious roof, Aria looked around for a ladder. Truth be told, she was not too thrilled to find one on the garage wall. She also found a tall wand looking thing that she thought may be the tool used for just this sort of cleaning. With the ladder settled against the house and the cleaning contraption in hand, she prepared herself for the climb. Her hands shook as much as her insides as she scaled what felt like a mountain about halfway up , before pausing to look down. She shouldn’t have done that, she quickly realized.

Aria gasped and grabbed the sides of the ladder for dear life. The vertigo made the entire world seem to swim before her for a moment and she closed her eyes tight to stop it. She was almost prepared to open them when she heard someone underneath her laughing.

“What in the world are you doing up there?”

Aria gripped the ladder harder, steeling herself in case he was going to shake it. She knew it was a man, but she was too petrified to look down. She was all of ten feet of the ground.

Chapter 3

Darryl looked up at the tall blonde holding on to the ladder and he couldn’t help but laugh. He didn’t want to be mean, but it was a little comical. By her body language she looked like she was scared out of her wits, but as he had walked down the road, he had watched the woman apparently conquer her fear and start up the ladder anyhow. Then she had looked down and he could see the terror in her eyes. He couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him.

“Do you need some help Miss?”

“No, no, I just need the world to stop spinning for a few moments.”

That got another chuckle from Darryl and he waited patiently for her to get it together. She back stepped down at a snail’s pace, never once looking down at him. It was only when she was back on the ground and had settled for a minute that he was finally able to see her face.

“Hi,” she said.

So simple the words, but he could not respond. His heart leapt in his chest and he was fixated on her hazel eyes. They were green based with flecks of brown and gold that seemed to reflect in the sun like diamonds. His nostrils flared for a moment and he looked at her with a new interest.

“Hi.”

The words seemed ridiculous as a response. Darryl finally realized that he was staring at her by the strange, cocked look that she was giving him. She waited for him to say more, but the one syllable was all that he could manage and even then, it had come out like a croak.

“Sorry,” he said, catching himself … "do you uh, need help?”

Aria looked at him for a moment and was about to refuse on premise when she caught herself. Normally it might have been alarming to have a stranger show up like this in what still felt like the middle of nowhere to her. His easy demeanor however, put her at ease. Besides, she didn’t want to go back up there. She didn’t even know if she physically could go back up there at this point.  She shook her head as she looked back at the tall, muscular stranger. He had on a jacket, but she could make out the tops and bottoms of several tattoos on his arms and neck. The man was huge and he looked slightly out of place, though just as wild as the surrounding woods. Maybe he looked perfectly in-place. She couldn’t decide, but there was certainly something different about him…besides the fact that he was hot as hell, that is.

“Yes please, actually I do need help I guess, thank you. I started the chimney on fire last night and I am thinking I just need to clean it. That is what this is for, right?”

Aria held up the brush looking contraption and he took it from her hand. He smiled again and went to one of the nearby cedar trees and pulled a long branch off of it. He handed her the makeshift tool and started up the ladder without another word. After he was on the roof and moving towards the chimney, Aria started to chatter, unable to take the silence.

“So my name is Aria, what’s yours?”

“Darryl.” He called down, without looking away from the task at hand.

“Well thank you Darryl. I guess you must live around here?”

“Just up the hill. Only house up there.”

“Oh, well that makes sense. I’m sure glad to have such a helpful neighbor. You will have to come by for dinner once I am a little more settled in. As a way to thank you, I mean.”

“That’s not necessary.”

By this time he had finished the task and Aria watched him descend the ladder. He jumped down the last few feet and came to stand before her once more.

“I insist. I promise I am a better cook then I am a maintenance person.”

“Do you mind if I take look inside? I just want to clean it from that side as well.”

Aria followed the man into her house and he cleaned the other side of the chimney with the bough. He moved away with soot on him and Aria held back a giggle.

“Here let me find you a towel.”

“Thanks…yeah, I half expected that the problem was that you had left the flue closed…but I didn’t give you enough credit,” he said as he showed her the old bird’s nest he had knocked down. “This must of been ‘installed’ over the summer months and Martha hadn’t cleaned it out yet for the winter.”

She searched in the kitchen for the towel but came back empty handed. “Sorry, I have only just arrived and don’t know where anything is yet.”

“I think Martha kept them in the bathroom.”

She looked at him quizzically, even as she headed to the bathroom in the back.

“I guess you knew her pretty well then, I mean…being neighbors and all.

“Yea, that, and she’s – she was - a family friend. She knew my father well.”

Aria handed him a washcloth that she had dampened slightly to wash the black dust off his face. There wasn’t much she could do for his clothing though.

“I’m sorry you are covered in ash.”

“It’s fine. It had to be done. Just remember that you have to do it at least once a year, sometimes twice to make sure it is totally clear. Most important is to check it before it gets too cold moving into fall and winter.”

“Thanks I will. You must come back and have dinner though. I never met my great aunt and I would really like to hear more about her. The least I can do after she left this for me is honor her memory. She seems fascinating from what I’ve heard so far.”

“She was. She will be greatly missed.”

Darryl looked solemn for a minute. He looked back at the woman as she pushed her dark brown locks back from her shoulders. She was no uneasy on the eyes.

“So have you lived here your whole life?”

“Yea. I was raised here, me and my brothers. My family has lived on this mountain for a long time. Your house is actually the only one not owned by one of my direct relatives.”

“Oh. Why is that?”

“Well, our families are still connected in a sort of way, so it was never a thing.”

The answer was vague and apparently not really meant for her to fully grasp.  Rather than pry, she just nodded her head, although she definitely wanted to learn more.

“So are you here to stay, or what’s your plan?”

“That’s the plan. I mean, we’ll see what happens, but I am planning on making a go of it in Alaska. I did just spent everything I had to get here you know.”

Aria laughed, though she wasn’t really kidding. She had to make it work there or ask for her family’s help to get back to her old home. Just the thought of having to return with her tail between her legs was enough to make her sick.

“Bold move. What made you do it?”

“I don’t know really. I guess I felt drawn here in a way. I mean, I was as shocked as anyone when I heard about it from the family lawyer, but I felt like it was a sign. Silly huh? I know most people don’t believe in signs and stuff like that.”

“Oh I do. I believe in destiny too. I actually believe that it’s the signs that lead you to your destiny.”

Aria nodded and wondered how he could have known the very thing she had been thinking.

“So what do you do around here? What does anyone do up here? I mean for work, you know.”

“There is plenty to do, believe me. But let’s start with you. What do you do?”

“Well I used to bartend some and actually garden too. I figured I could get something up here doing that sort of stuff as well.”

Darryl looked at her and smiled.

“You know your aunt used to have a greenhouse, but she tore it down before last winter. She was planning on building another one. Maybe you should.”

“That’s a good idea. I was wondering what that patch of dead grass was over by the outhouse.”

“I have been looking for a secretary of sorts for my company. Would you be interested?”

Aria thought for a moment and then agreed. Darryl was turning out to be quite the lucky charm. He was helping her knock out one problem after another. There was also the fact that he was gorgeous, even with soot covering his whole front. The tiny glimpses of his tattoos had her curious. She wondered what kind of business he had.

“Well come down to my office on Monday and we’ll get you started.”

Darryl handed her a card and walked outside. He told her he had to go for a meeting and then headed back up the hill a ways, before he got into a pick-up truck that had almost magically appeared around the bend. The side of the truck had the name of Vern Holdings, but she was not sure what that meant as far as what kind of business he was in. Too bad she had no internet up here...she would have to look into that…it must be possible, she thought. But for the moment she would be in the dark about what his company did. But he had saved her hide in a few ways already, she decided she could put a little more faith in him.

Chapter 4

Aria spent her weekend going through the old house finding little treasures and signs that gave her a better idea of just who her aunt was. More than once she wished that they had known each other. They read the same books and seemed to have some of the same hobbies. Aria also finally headed into town to do some shopping. She had only returned about a half hour earlier and was outside when she saw the black truck from the other day drive past her house. She decided to wave him down. Darryl put his window down and their eyes met.

“Did you need something Aria?”

“Yea, you want to come to dinner? I was planning on making chili.”

Darryl looked like he was going to turn her down, but then pulled in beside her car instead. Aria waited for him to get out of his truck and was surprised to see him dressed up. By his physique, she had sort of assumed he had a full jeans and T-shirt wardrobe, but the suit fit him well. He actually looked quite handsome.

“Wow you look good. I promise I will not ask you to clean anything tonight.”

As Darryl walked behind her his eyes were glued to her round ass swishing back and forth in her flowy skirt. It grabbed his attention like a beautiful flower in the breeze and he was unable to pull his eyes away. She held the door open for him and he walked into the house. The aroma pulled him into the small kitchen next to the entry way.

“It does smell good in here. So how is everything going?”

“Pretty good. It is certainly different here. But I like it.”

“Alaska grows on you. I think you are going to like it more and more.”

Darryl took his jacket off and set it over the back of the couch. It was Aria’s turn to gawk. The man’s muscles seemed to want to break through his thin white button up. There were more tattoos up his arms that she could see through the shirt, as well as a larger one on his back. The more she learned about the man, the more intriguing he became. Darryl rolled up his sleeves, revealing some of the tribal tattooing and her hand itched to touch it, trace it with her fingertips.

“I am not keeping you from anything, am I? I hope I have not been too pushy about dinner.”

“No, not at all. I would probably be eating peanut butter and jelly otherwise,” he said with a smile.

“Oh, I just didn’t know if you were missing family dinner.”

Darryl glanced up at her as she set a bowl down in front of him.

“Thank you.”

Darryl seemed to know all about the house and showed her how to use the battery banks and electrical system after dinner. They were standing in the small building that housed it all. Darryl barely fit inside it seemed to her. Usually the curvy woman did not feel so small, but next to him she actually felt petite. It was kind of nice.

There was a moment, where his face was so close to hers that she could have sworn that he was going to kiss her. She actually felt a spark. The moment passed though and she walked out after him a little disappointed. His eyes told her that he wanted her, but he seemed to be holding something back. When they got back in the house, she asked him if he wanted a drink. He agreed and seemed to relax, though she could still feel his heated gaze on her as she poured the glasses full of sweet tea.

Sitting together on the couch, the pair watched the fire lick around the wood in the fireplace. Aria glanced at him several times and had to remind herself that he was her new boss, though she didn’t work with him yet.

“So what is there to do around here? For fun I mean.”

His eyes filled with fire and she wished she had said it another way. He turned towards her and his eyes fixed themselves on her lips.

“There are many things to do,” he said evocatively. Shifting gears he added, “Pretty soon the place will be crawling with tourists here to experience the great outdoors.”

“Yea I heard that there are places that you can even see polar bears. That would be amazing. They are really rare I hear, and I’ve never seen one. Have you?”

“A few.”

“Where they as scary as they look on TV?”

“Not at all. Misunderstood.”

“Yeah I guess we have to take better care of their environment. So, is there anything else to do?”

“Well I like to go on hikes, sometimes go out to the ice. It is pretty amazing.”

“I heard it’s dangerous.”

“It is, if you don’t know what you are doing. I have been doing it every year around this time. It is the best place to go first thing in the morning. You should come with me sometime. Maybe next weekend.”

“I would love to. It sounds fun. I never knew that a place that was so cold could be so beautiful.”

“The view has certainly improved.”

Darryl leaned towards her, gauging if she would move away. Instead of sitting back, she leaned the last few inches to make their lips meet. She sighed into his mouth, as her tongue touched his. His body shifted close to her and his hands wrapped around her, pulling him closer to his chest. His smell filled her nostrils, manly in every way.

Darryl was inexorably drawn to the woman by her familiar smell. He had caught a whiff when he had seen her two days before. It was the smell of his pack and their mates. He would have known that she was of the blood, whether she knew who her family was or not. The two families had been connected for many years and he was finding it hard to contain himself around her. She felt as good as she looked and with each touch, he was even surer that she was made for him.

He pulled back and watched her eyes open slowly. They were completely green and they held some of the same heat that he felt in his own heart. Darryl was sure that the woman did not even know who she was to him or who she was destined to be. He didn’t want to be the one to tell her, but with no one else able to, he knew he would have to be the one when she was ready. There was need in her eyes, but he required love before he could bare himself in such a way. He had to be sure.

Chapter 5

Aria came forward, her mouth searching for him and her body leaning against his hard chest. He groaned and decided that he could allow himself to go a little further before he had to stop himself. Darryl pulled her onto his lap and held her against him with his strong arms. Aria sighed as she relaxed into his arms and she hungrily kissed him. Her thighs found their way to either side of him, straddling his legs.

Darryl grabbed her long hair and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss until they were both breathless. He pulled away and she sucked in air as he kissed her throat gently at first and then with more fervor. Aria’s body began to react from pure animal instinct and she found herself rubbing against the hard knot that she felt pushing between her legs. Her mind was telling her it wasn’t a good idea to be getting involved with her boss, or with her neighbor for that matter, but she didn’t care at that moment. She almost felt unable to stop herself. Aria didn’t really care about anything but allowing her body to satisfy its need. All she wanted was Darryl. She basked in the passion he had awakened deep inside of her. It was crazy how turned on she was. She had never felt this level of desire and raw primal connection before.

His hands left her hips and hair, to work on the small buttons that went down the front of her dress. Aria’s hands went around his neck and pushed her cleavage towards his face. His hands went to work unbuttoning her garment all the way down to her navel. She shivered with the cold air and gasped louder when he planted his mouth on her neck. His mouth moved slowly down to her chest and then between her heaving, large breasts.

Darryl pulled back the lacy cups that held her breasts up and allowed them to spill forward. The pretty pink tips begged to be sucked and he happily complied.

“Mmm Darryl.”

She moaned his name several times as her hips rubbed against him at a frenzied pace. She needed more and she could feel herself getting wetter and wetter the longer she did it. Darryl did not seem to be able to contain himself either, as his mouth sucked harder and the other nipple was pressed roughly between his fingers. The more experienced man played Aria’s body like an expert. She really didn’t have a chance – not that she wanted one.

Aria was new to love and the ways of physical relationship. At the moment, all she could do was follow the cues her body was giving her. It was ready, even if her mind was resisting. She felt a hand going between her legs and only then did she think about what she was doing. She pulled back a little and looked down at the man she was straddling. He pressed his fingers against the thin material and growled when he felt the wetness at her core. As far as he was concerned, she was ready and they were both feeling it. He did not want to stop. Traditions could be damned, as far as he was concerned.

“Wait.”

Darryl’s hand stopped trying to push underneath the bottom of her dress. She gasped, trying to catch her breath. She looked at him with her emerald eyes. Aria was primed and ready. Even though they were both so ready and willing, he knew it shouldn’t happen this way. With Aria, he would have to wait.

His lips found hers and his fingers left her core. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. He deepened the kiss and let his tongue convey his passion. She moaned as he pushed up against her. He continued to grind her hips against his, for her pleasure. The act was driving his own senses mad, but he could tell that Aria was close to orgasm and he desperately wanted to hear her moan his name in the throes of her pleasure.

“Yes Darryl, that feels so good.”

Her bare tits pressed against his chest and he could feel the hardness of her nipples pressed against him. It was torturous, but as her noises got higher pitched the satisfaction of her satisfaction made it worthwhile. He felt a sudden rush of fluid on the front of his pants and groaned.

Her body shook above him and she pulled back from his hungry mouth. She felt a bit embarrassed that she had soaked him. They were making quite a mess actually, but it felt so good. His dark brown eyes looked almost black to her as he took her in with an almost feral look. Her hips had stopped moving, but her body still convulsed around his. It took everything inside of him to set her down beside him and not rip her remaining clothes off and have her completely right then and there. He wanted more, but he knew that he should wait. He had to wait, no matter how hard it was to do.

Aria, however had no such constraints, and was not finished at all. She tried to get back on his lap. Her wantonness had taken over and all she could think about was more. She was still consumed by this intoxicating passion and would do anything to keep the man’s hands on her. The orgasm felt great, but it left her wanting even more. She wanted to feel him inside her. The feeling was a gnawing that could not be appease in any other way. He did not want to be rude, but he wouldn’t be able to resist much longer. He stood up abruptly and started to put his jacket back on.

“I’m sorry Aria, but I really have to go right now. I will see you tomorrow at work.”

Aria looked up at him dazed and not quite understanding. She wondered if she had done something wrong. Didn’t he want her? When their eyes met, she knew that was not the case. She could see his desire. He wanted her, she knew he did. His cock was hard and ready inside his pants. He just needed a little convincing. She was well beyond the point of behaving. She looked up one last time before her hand came forward to touch his hardness gently. He groaned with the first delicate touch and found himself rooted to the spot, unable to walk out the door.

“I don’t know why you think you need to go, but I just want you to know it is ok, whatever it is. I am so sorry to say that you just can’t leave before you have been fully satisfied. Actually I am not sorry at all. You’ll sleep better this way.”

Her green eyes danced as she broke the gaze and put her attention to addressing the hardness between his legs. She unzipped the man’s dark slacks allowing his cock to spring out unrestrained. Aria’s opened her mouth, allowing her hot breath to land on his length. He sighed and pressed forward until the silken head was pressed against her lips.

Aria opened wide as she moaned. He was long and thick, her jaws opening wide to push him all the way down as deep as she could before she felt the head going even further back. He couldn’t help but thrust forward as she strained to take him, feeling his manhood fill her mouth. She imagine what it would feel like to have his length penetrate her depths. She had not told him that she had never opened her legs to a man. For the moment she was happy to oblige him in this way, but soon she wanted him to fill her for real.

“Oh Aria. This is not supposed to happen this way.”

She snapped out of her waking fantasy and withdrew his length from her mouth, looking up at him. What was he saying?

“You really want me to stop?” She remained unconvinced.

Her tongue flicked the tip and Darryl made another sexy sound before his hips pushed forward, claiming her mouth again. Her throat slackened to endure the blunt head that continued to barrage her throat. She suckled hard and her hand came up to play with his balls that were still held confined in his pants. The action seemed to be the man’s end and he warned her seconds before a hot stream of his cum hit escaped into her mouth. She swallowed several times as her mouth was filled to the brim with his essence.

Darryl was awestruck, if such a word can be applied to such a scene. The view of his cock lodged in her mouth was one of the most erotic scenes he had ever seen. Her breasts were displayed unabashed from the opening in her shirt and she looked up at him with a touch of cum on the side of her chin. Her tongue came out to lick it into her mouth and he groaned again. Her smile was easy and he could smell her arousal. Her hand absently stroked his dampened cock and he was soon hardening back up with her attention. So much for his willpower.

“Mmm, you look ready for more. Was that not satisfying enough?”

“I think it felt too good. You are a very bad girl.”

His hips pushed forward and she moistened the tip with her tongue again. Pressing deeper, he watched his fat cock disappear inside of her mouth once again. This was maddening but he had to wait. She would understand in time. He had to do things the way they were supposed to be done. The moon dictated his mating and next weekend was the next time all would be aligned. He pulled out with reluctance and moved away from her searching mouth. Her eyes were shut and he bent down to kiss her lips. He tasted a faint hint of himself as her mouth opened to receive his tongue instead.

“I really have to go. It has nothing to do with you. That was amazing. Soon, I promise.”

He pushed himself into his pants and tried to ignore the large wet spot on his crotch. She said nothing as she watched him go, though he could tell that she was disappointed in his leaving. She wanted exactly what he wanted, but she still had no idea what it was that she was getting into. It wasn’t right to take advantage of her like that. He had not been prepared for the chemistry they would have either. He realized he really like her. It just felt right.

Walking out of the small house and getting into his truck was one of the hardest things that he has had to do in a long time. Every piece of him wanted to stay. It didn’t help that it was clear that she wanted him just as much. He knew that it was going to be a long week before they could mate properly, especially since he had hired her for a position that would put the two of them in such close contact all week long.

Chapter 6

Aria stayed up for hours after she got out of the bathtub. She did not know what to think about what had just happened and actually ended up having to finish herself off, so to speak. She had never been so turned on and then turned down before. Though she had never wanted to go all the way before, she was itching to know what going all the way really was like. Darryl was going to be the one to show her. She wondered if he was the reason she had felt drawn to this cold, desolate place to begin with. She believed in fate, and maybe this was where she was supposed to come to find her true love - her soul mate.

Aria admonished herself for thinking that way. She had met him twice and climbed on his lap the second time she saw him. That seemed more like lust than soulmate. She hoped he didn’t think less of her, though she would not have changed a moment of it - except for the part where he walked away. She went to sleep fitfully, her dreams full of the wild Alaskan woods and the tattooed man that had cleaned her chimney and then failed to really clean her chimney. In her dreams though, he cleaned everything thoroughly.

The next day she got up early and made her way to the address on the card, eager to make a good professional impression. She was surprised to find herself arriving at the huge building that she had spied when she first got into town. It was no small operation he was running, whatever it was. She still was not sure what the company actually did, but she was excited to see Darryl again. The details would reveal themselves.

Passing through the front door, she was greeted by a large portrait of none other than Darryl right there on the wall. Even as she smiled to herself, he smiled back at her. It seemed fitting as she recalled visions of the night before. Her body inflamed with the very thought and she wondered if she was going to be turning crimson the entire week. She talked to the petite receptionist at the front and was directed to the elevator.

“Take it to the top floor and put in the code four-two-four to open the door.”

Confused, Aria thanked her and made her way towards the elevator. Four-two-four she repeated to herself. Kind of weird, she thought, but I guess a little extra security never hurt. There were only four floors in the building, but she felt like the elevator was taking forever. She was full of a nervous energy and an almost desperate desire to see him again. She wondered how he would act and what her job would be. She hoped he could handle being in such close proximity to him. If he touched her, she was a little afraid of how she would handle it. She imagined that all it would take would be one look and a soft kiss and she would be putty in his hands.

When she got to the fourth floor, a buzzer sounded and she entered the code on a small keypad. The door finally opened directly onto a wide open floor plan consisting, for the most part, of numerous desks and workstations scattered about in what looked to be a pretty ergonomic, worker friendly design. There were no rooms or barriers to interrupt the flow and communication. It reminded her of some TV show she had seen on the latest trends in Silicon Valley startups. As she entered, several men looked up at her, displaying a healthy interest in the new woman in the room. Suddenly she wished she had worn flats. Her heels clicked as she crossed the floor, the sound drawing the few remaining eyes that had not already noticed her entrance. She smiled at the upturned faces as she took in her new surroundings. She was instantly struck by the rather distinct type of men Darryl seemed to have surrounded himself with.

While she couldn’t see Darryl himself at first, she was immediately conscious of how much all these other men seemed to look like his carbon copy almost. They all seemed to have hard bodies, and even more noticeably all seemed to show signs at the neck and wrists that they too were heavily inked. This might not have made such an impression on her if she were at a motorcycle club or even in a gym, but they seemed decidedly out of place in what appeared to be pencil-pushing jobs. They could have also made a pretty good Chippendale’s crew, she thought.

“Aria, back here.”

As she turned to his voice she quickly forgot about everyone else. They might as well have disappeared. He was standing in the doorway of what looked to be his rather large corner office, which was built into the corner in the far back. Passing the men, she could help but feel their eyes on her. She knew she looked good in her heels and short skirt. Even more, these were the kind of men who could handle a woman like her. She only had eyes for Darryl though. Still, by the time she made it to his office door, she was beat red from all the attention. She walked on in and he closed the door behind her.

“Don’t mind them.”

She nodded, but didn’t say anything else. He was so close, she could feel his body heat. When he turned towards her, all she could think was that he was going to kiss her again. She actually closed her eyes and puckered her lips, but the kiss never came. After an awkward split second she sat down in the seat and looked down. Embarrassment was plain on her face. He was making it clear that whatever they had that was personal had no place here. She didn’t’ know if she would be able to keep them separate though. It turned out that he had wanted her as a sort of assistant or secretary. That worked fine for her, as she had the requisite skills. She wondered what he would have done with her if she couldn’t type. The relief of being a job she felt comfortable in was short lived however. Throughout the day as she typed out letters and made calls in the office it took everything she had to focus on the work at hand and not make another embarrassing move to somehow touch him. She was actually more afraid that she would not stop at just a touch. She wanted to rip his clothes off.

The rest of the week, the tension in the small office was palpable. She had come to learn that he was actually in charge of a very old family business which had mineral holdings in land through Alaska and even into Canada and around the world. They were into everything from gold to diamonds to abrasives. They even had a division dedicated to residential housing…and another for their fisheries. His family had been among the first to settle the area more than 200 years ago. Some rumored they had been here even longer, if that was even possible. Anyhow, she was even more in awe of him now. Here was a man who literally was in control of billions of dollars…and he had taken the time to stop by and meet his new neighbor…and even clean out her chimney.

She could not hold back the steamy looks she was giving him, and she was further confused by the equally hot looks he was returning her way. She wished that he would stop with his epic levels of self-control and take her right there on his desk. It didn’t help that he always seemed to glance over right while she was lost in one of her fantasies. Annoyingly the fantasies remained nothing more than fantasies as they continued to go about their work.

Thinking that maybe he had completely forgotten about their plans for her to see the ocean ice over the weekend, Aria tried to find a way to bring it up. It had been a busy first week though and the moment never seemed to arise. Still feeling chastised for apparently not understanding their new relationship, she just kept quiet as she gathered up her things and started to leave on Friday afternoon.

“Oh Aria, remember our hike? I hope you still want to go. I was thinking around noon tomorrow if that works for you. Remember to wear something warm okay?”

She nodded her head and as she walked out the door.  Just like that her world turned from blackest night to the beautiful day. She knew she shouldn’t be so swayed, but she couldn’t help it. She felt like her heart was going to soar. She hadn’t even realized how disappointed she had felt before brought it up again. But all that was forgotten now. She couldn’t wait. She instantly picked up her pace as a smile practically split her face. She couldn’t wait for the next day. Who knew what might happen between them. As she walked out she again ignored the looks of the other men in the office. She had not had a chance to ask Darryl about the tattoos or who paid for the company gym membership. It did seem like Darryl was keeping her separate from the rest of the men there though. She had not been so much as introduced. It was kind of weird, but she just imagined Darryl wanted her all to himself. Well, she thought, he was going to have to put a little more on the table if he expected her to just wait around forever. She had high hopes he would do just that on their little excursion.

Chapter 7

Noon was so slow to come Aria felt like a five year old on Christmas morning. She woke up early and then tried to get back to sleep to get some beauty sleep, but it was a waste of time. She was so excited there was no way she was going to get to sleep. Finally she had to just get up. The time still crawled by. She had a few cups of coffee and then set top figuring out what to wear. Aria settled on some semi-rugged, but very curve hugging jeans and boots. It dress obviously wasn’t appropriate. She skipped undergarments to feel a little naughty. It actually did the trick for her confidence in some weird way. Finally the appointed hour came and his truck appeared out front right on time. It was exactly noon when she looked at the clock and she had to giggle to herself. Darryl was nothing if not punctual. She liked a man who kept his word, even for something like this. When he said something, you could count on it and Aria really liked that about him. It made her feel safe as well as appreciated and valued

Not able to wait for him to knock, she opened the door when his feet hit the porch.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Overwhelmed by her beauty and her incredible curvy figure, Darryl walked up to her and grabbed her face gently in both hands. Pushing her against the door frame, his lips met hers and his tongue teased at her mouth. She almost whimpered, as she was finally receiving the kind of attention she had so badly been craving all week. He responded by holding her even more tightly as their hips fought to rip through the very fabric of their clothes as they finally embraced. When he eventually broke the embrace and pulled away, her eyes remained closed a moment as she sought to catch her breath and compose herself.

“I’ve been wanting to do that all week.”

With his words Aria finally recovered and opened her eyes again, the green flecks sparkling even more brightly now.

“Mmm, you should have. I thought I was going to go crazy. If that is your impulse, then please follow it any time you feel the urge.”

He hissed air through his barely parted lips and kissed her again. This time his hands squeezed her braless breast and she could feel a hard knot forming against her. The way he got so easily turned on, turned her on to no end. She didn’t have to wonder if he desired her, she could feel it every time they touched. The idea of his long shaft inside of her made her go weak at the knees and she allowed herself to almost hang on him. She loved how he towered over her, supporting her with his strength.

He pulled back after a time and grabbed her hand, leading her towards the truck. They drove for quite a while before Aria could hear anything over the sound of her own heart pounding in her chest. She snuggled up against his body as he drove, allowing herself to bask in the happiness of the moment. When they finally stopped, she got out of the truck and looked towards the sea. There were still several places where the ice still reached out to the land.

She followed Darryl as he grabbed a backpack from his truck bed. He hefted it easily onto his back and they walked towards the majestic scene before them. The ice was thawing and receding weekly but it was still strong enough by all account to traverse. Aria was a nervous wreck, but she would have followed Darryl anywhere. He didn’t seem to have any doubts whatsoever about stepping out onto the ice. He was incredibly nimble for a man of his size.

They stopped several times to take in the views all around them. The sun glared off the white surroundings and she was thankful for the sunglasses he handed her. The pair watched a whale breach the water’s surface far out where a wide gap had already opened up in the ice. Aria felt a spark of magic in that moment. I felt like some kind of “sign” that all of this was somehow meant to be.

“I can’t believe I am up here in Alaska out on a floating sheet of ice. This is amazing. Thank you so much for bringing me. It really is beautiful. I never would have had the guts to come out here otherwise. Thank you for being my guide.”

She started to turn towards him, looking to initiate another embrace, when she heard a loud cracking sound. Her face went ashen, even as Darryl tried to signal her not to move, but it was too late. A huge fault opened up right beneath her and as one entire piece flipped up, Aria slid into the freezing sea and disappeared beneath the ice in a flash. Her scream was cut short and was replaced by an abrupt silence.

Darryl scrambled towards the gap in the ice, realizing he could easily join her if he wasn’t careful. He spotted her almost instantly, several feet away, under the thick ice. His fist beat at the ice near her, almost instinctively, but it was far was too thick to break through.

From under the ice, Aria was in shock from the searing cold and gripped by absolute terror as she stared wide-eyed up through the ice, her eyes darting to and fro as she beat at it and searched for a way to freedom. Through the distortion of the ice she was suddenly able to make out Darryl as he sprawled on hands and knees above her, as he too pressed his hands against the ice. But just as he was there, his hands suddenly pulled away. It had already been ten or fifteen precious seconds since she had gone under. She could not see what was happening…all she saw was shadow and a flurry of movement. She saw shadows…clothes... appearing on the ice…and a cast off boot it seemed. His hands were again against the ice except now things were no longer making sense. His hand pressed above her was changing…it had changed…She made out an enormous paw…and a second…Above her now through the ice was a mammoth shadow. It almost looked like a great white bear.

Aria knew that she was losing consciousness and that these were probably her last moments. She had liked him so much. Her body and mind were shutting down her brain was now causing hallucinations. She almost had no feeling now. The pain of the cold was gone. Suddenly she felt a massive pressure wave come through the water as the bear entered the water and swam up beside her. She felt her entire body tossed in the current as the bear positioned itself beneath her. Its massive body was pushing her through the water. Just as she saw stars and blackness closing in on her vision her head broke the surface. She felt her body lifted like a puppet’s. The bear had the belt of her jeans in its jaws as it lifted her out of the water and onto a safe patch of ice a good distance from the hole. Even as she lay there, waves of emotional relief and physical shaking coursed through her as she tried to make sense of the whole ordeal

“Strip.”

Aria heard the word in her mind and she looked over at the white bear with black markings. It was looking at her with familiar eyes. She was already so shaken her mind did not even question the impossibility of this beast. Somehow the power of the message, and some strange familiarity were enough, and she tried to pull her clothes off with her trembling fingers. The bear came forward and with a clawed paw caught at her jeans and actually ripped almost literally ripped them off. She gasped at the biting wind on her cold, bare flesh as she managed to remove the last of her soggy garments. The polar bear sat down in front of her and urged her forward with her paw. She understood and nuzzled up against it warm belly. It’s thick water repellant hairs felt dry against her cool skin. She instantly felt the warmth envelop her and after several minutes, her shaking body lay warm and still against the bear which had now curled around her. Burying her face into the warm animal, she thanked him silently, feeling the bear instantly hug her tighter.

After a short time she felt her strength coming back and she sat back up, finally turning her attention back to the miracle of the enormous bear besides her. She had one last shock to endure as she watched the bear begin to shrink and morph before her eyes. Its fur receded even the entire body began to change shape. So much for the law of the conservation of mass, she thought. The entire creature transformed almost eloquently back to that of the man she knew. Finally he just sat there, naked before her. Although she was still freezing, naked herself in the cold, she could not take her eyes off the tattooed man as he got up and walked towards her. He grabbed her hand as he gathered up the clothes he had apparently strewn about in his haste to shift and rescue her such a short time before. He handed her each item of dry clothing in turn so she could dress. Although he was still standing there totally naked, he even handed her his boots. Through the clearing haze, confusion, and outright shock of this entire experience she must have still registered an extra layer of incredulity as she covered herself with the last of his clothing.

“I don’t feel cold the way that you do.” Was all he said.

A million thoughts and feeling still fought for supremacy in her mind as the pair walked quickly off the ice sheet together. She had no idea what she had seen, but she knew she loved this man, and she knew he had saved her. They walked hand in hand.

This experience had solidified it for Darryl. She was the one and he would do whatever it took to make it work. Now she the truth of who, and what she was. His heart was still pounding from the scare he had just undergone at the idea of losing her. As the truck finally came into sight, he contemplated how to proceed. She now knew more about him than anyone else outside of his immediate clan. He did not need to worry about telling her anything, she already knew his secret. He looked back over at the quiet woman. She was boiling on the inside and he could still hear her thoughts rambling in her head. There was still one feeling that was felt over everything else. Love and lust, even more powerful though, was the acceptance that he felt from her.

“We should go back to your house, to warm up … and talk.”

Aria nodded and after a few minutes of driving, she curled her body again, against his. She laid her head on his shoulder and did her best to offer him some warmth, even if he said he was fine. She snuggled deeper into his oversized clothing as she tried to offer him some of the comfort he had so recently given her. As they drove the last few minutes to her house she almost dozed off as he ran his fingers through her hair with his free hand. By now she was curled up across the front seat of the pick-up cab and almost fully asleep as they pulled in, in front of the cabin. The day’s events had taken quite a toll on her body. He carried her inside and went to lay her down in her bed. As he tried to leave her there to rest, her arms tightened around his neck. She seemed to be getting her energy back.

Pulling his mouth to hers, his body crushed against hers, smooshing her down into the bed. The man above her growled and that time, it sent a shiver up her spine, reminding her of what he was. She could feel his tightness against her and she opened her legs to feel the stimulation against her very core. Aria didn’t care what Darryl was, she knew that they were meant to be together. She could feel it at the most primal level.

It was easy to pull his oversized clothing off of her body. Once again, she was as naked as she was on the ice, though this time they were both generating the heat to warm each other up. His hands pushed between her legs and sunk inside of her wetness as she groaned with pleasure. He broke their kiss to look down into his eyes. She squirmed underneath him, her hands clawing at his chest. She wanted to feel his bare skin on hers. She had felt lust before but now it was almost as though her very blood were boiling. She wanted this animal inside of her now.

He moved back, standing up for a moment to better his pants from her ready body. His long cock stood out hard and ready for her as well. She imagined she could see it throbbing with his heartbeat as she tried to sit up and grab it with her hand. But he pushed her away gently and instead climbed back on top of her naked body. Their lips met as he pushed his thick hardness against her slippery lips, pressing forward with an urgency they both felt. As he pushed forward he was unprepared as his cock met the barrier of her flower. He stopped his push and looked down at her questioningly. She groaned as her hips rubbed against his blunt tip. Darryl moved back, pulling his cock from between her legs, as he lowered his chest to her quivering stomach. His mouth nipped at her nipples with a touch of teeth that made goose bumps explode across her hot flesh.

Her hips moved up as he came closer with his steaming mouth. Aria whimpered as he moved closer and her hips surged higher as his tongue found her slickness. Darryl grabbed her ass cheeks in his large hands and pulled her to his face. The man sucked hard on her clit and she was soon writhing underneath him. His hold became tighter as he held her down, feasting on her quim. Darryl wanted the surge of fluid that he had made before. This time though, he wanted her to squirt it in his mouth so that he could taste it. One of his fingers pressed against her hole, delving in as deep as her innocence would allow.

The movement was just what she needed and she cried out as her thighs squeezed the man’s head. She screamed out his name and moaned as he continued to suck all of her fluid up into his mouth. He slurped and tongued her hole until she was pushing him away. Releasing her legs, they fell splayed on either side of him. He crawled back over her and positioned himself at her tightness.

He nudged the head forward until he felt the skin holding him back. Pushing ahead with a growl, he felt her tight canal give way and he surged forward into her honey hole. He cursed at her suffocating tightness and moaned as she squeezed the new filling. He bent forward and captured her bottom lip with his teeth as he drove the rest of the way in. Aria squeaked and her body pulled him in deeper.

“Mmm Darryl, it feels so big inside of me. So right.”

He pulled out and slammed back into her, her whole body jerking forward on the bed with the powerful thrust. His eyes had turned completely back and the look on his face was predatory. The beast inside was begging to come out and she could see it held together by his control. He wanted to give her time to adjust, but he had a bigger need consuming him. He pulled back and pushed back in to her small sounds of pleasure. He could feel her body tightening around him and then there was a scream that pierced the air.

“Darryl, I am coming. Oh God!”

Aria thrashed and clamped around the man’s shaft so hard. Darryl watched his length pull out of her and the sight of her loss innocence drove him forward. She begged him to go harder and faster, knowing that there was a bigger orgasm on the horizon. Aria’s eyes closed as he sat back on his knees, her thighs being held together by his large, rough hands. He squeezed her thighs tightly together and rutted in and out of her.

“One more time baby, please come one more time for me Aria. I love watching you come.”

It was transfixing and the man could tell that the woman was primed for another one. His hand fell to the top of her slit and he pressed hard on her tiny nub. She squealed with the contact and gripped handfuls of his muscles as her insides collapsed around his thrusting shaft. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold back, but when their eyes met, he was lost in her. He felt himself explode inside of her, shaking as much as her pussy walls were.

Pulling out, he laid next to her on his back. Aria crawled over to his chest and laid her head over his steady beating heart. She mewled softly next to him, her leg hooked on top of his, holding him in a full body embraced. She felt like singing, her whole body throbbing with remembered pleasure.

Chapter 8

“So are we going to talk about what happened on the ice today?”

Darryl looked down at her and held her close. He was still afraid that his words would scare her, but he knew that they must come out. Darryl knew that it was a lot to take, though he hoped she would have an open mind because one was desperately needed.

“So you know what I am now.”

“I am not sure. I thought I saw you turn into a bear, but that doesn’t make much sense.”

“I am a lycanthrope, but instead of a wolf, my family turns into polar bears.”

“Your family?”

“Yea all those guys at work are my brothers.”

“Oh. So did Martha know about your little secret?”

“She did, but she knew that her family had their own secrets. I told you that our families are connected, I meant it. Your great aunt lived in the family house until a few years ago. It still does not feel the same without her there.”

“Why did she move here?”

“When Martha’s mate died, she no longer wanted to live in the big house. Her mate was my grandfather, so my father built her a small cottage down on the bottom of the mountain, so she was always close. It skips generations you see, so since Martha didn’t have any children, she must have known that you would be the one.”

“So what does that mean? I am confused.”

“Your blood ensures that my kind keeps going. You were mine before you were even born Aria, as I am yours. The birthmark on your chest marks you as the tattoo on my back marks me. I know this is hard to believe, but you will have our children and you probably already have some in your stomach.”

He held her, cradling her flat stomach. Aria noted the word some and she wondered if what he said was true.

“Why me?”

“Your family line was from here thousands of years ago. The legend says that there was a hard time that fell on this village and black bears killed many people. One of the medicine man imbued a man with special powers to fight the beasts and he would turn into a white bear at night to stalk out the dangerous foes. The white hid him in the snowy ice and they never saw him coming. This saved the village and he passed the ability on to his children. Your ancestor was the medicine woman and every other generation, our two families most converge, or the magic wears off.”

It all sounded like such a magical tale, one that you would tell your children and add in a moral at the end. If she had not seen him change once and then back again, she never would have believed such a fable. There were more questions that she wanted to know, but she was more interested in seeing her new home.

The man passed her small house and continued up the hill for another mile and a half in the truck. She had gotten dressed and followed him outside. He wanted to show her new home, but she still seemed to be taking it all quite well.

The road made the woman nervous and she tried not to look down off the edge. She already had doubts about the place and then the trees opened up, revealing the gem hidden behind them. The house was huge and beautiful. It was completely hidden from the main road. She never would have known it was up there

“Wow, I see your business does well.”

Darryl chuckled and kissed her on her lips.

“Our business. It will help with all of the children we will have. I have ten brothers.”

“Only brothers? And who says I am going to have that many children?”

“You cannot say no to me.”

Aria smirked, but she knew deep down that she would never say no to him. He was the man of her dreams and she was never going to let go. His eyes darkened as he put the truck in park and pulled her out with him towards the house. He opened the door and followed in behind her. In his home, he was excited to have her make it hers as well. It was a long time coming that the Alpha heard the pitter patter of his bloodline and he could not think of anyone else that was more suited to have them. His mouth came down on her surprised one and she was quickly winding her body around his.

“Now about our babies….”

Darryl grabbed her up and squeezed her sides as he dragged her up the winding staircase to their new bedroom. He barely made it through the threshold, before he threw her onto the bed and covered her with a skilled quickness. Aria was his for the taking.

THE END

My Holiday Protector

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

1.

Damon was still in the house and even though she wished that she could ignore it, Chloe could hear him pacing downstairs on the marble floors in the hallway. She didn’t want to face him, but knew that she couldn’t hide away forever… She knew that it was over, and she had never wanted anything more in her entire life… but now the time had come, she was afraid of what he may do… Damon had never been the calmest of guys… and there had been more than one occasion when his anger had got the better of him.

Chloe pulled her silk robe tightly around her shoulders and fastened it at the waist. It was the middle of the night, and although she had asked him to go over an hour ago, Damon was still downstairs, on the main floor of her family home, shouting into his cell phone and cursing the day that Chloe was born.

“Damon?” she whispered as she approached the top of the stairs.

“What?” he looked up at her and seemed to spit venom. His dress shirt was still firmly buttoned and his bowtie done up perfectly, despite the fact he had been rolling around drunk only a few hours before.

They’d been at a holiday fundraiser for one of Chloe’s dad’s firms and the night had gone from bad to worse. Damon had turned up in a terrible mood, which had only intensified with each shot of whiskey he knocked back and each martini he spilled whilst trying to look sophisticated. Chloe had been born into this world of privilege and corporate affairs, but after her time spent with Damon… she knew she was done.

She didn’t care about upsetting her father, he would get over it in time, but she would never forgive herself if she resigned herself to a life with a man like him. She needed someone much more rugged around the edges and who loved an adventure. Not a stuffy business man who only seemed interested in discussing his latest mergers and acquisitions before getting blind drunk and abusive.

“You’re going to regret this Chlo,” Damon hissed at her as he paced the hallway before he looked out of the window to check for his cab. “You stuck up little bitch,” he snorted. “You’ll get what’s coming to you.”

Chloe had to use all of her strength not to roll her eyes. Seeing him like this now, she found it hard to believe that there had ever been love between them. He was so angry, so ugly… so cruel. His insides must have been rotten and black.

“Fuck this,” he snarled as he reached for the door handle and pulled it open, letting in the icy cold air and a blast of frost.

Chloe watched him from the gallery landing at the top of the stairs as he hurled himself out into the night and onto the sprawling driveway, where he opened the door to his sports car, jumped behind the wheel and let the engine roar. He was so drunk, there was no way he should have been driving, but there was also no way she was going to stop him. The last time she had tried, she had wound up with bruises all down her arms from where he had gripped her as he screamed in her face.

Chloe was smart and knew when to pick her battles… and this wasn’t one of them

“Let him go,” she whispered to herself as the door blew closed with a bang and she saw the flash of lights swing around the fountain and start down the drive to the road.

She breathed a sigh of relief and wiped her eyes.

It wasn’t until she went back in her bedroom and sat down on her bed that she realized she was shaking. She looked at her hands and at the way they trembled and she felt the tears welling up behind her eyes. She hated to admit it to herself, but she had always been scared of Damon. He was always so unpredictable, it was as if at any moment he could have swung around and punched her square in the jaw. She shivered and climbed underneath the covers. It wouldn’t be long before it was the New Year and she had big plans for herself. She was going to grab life with both hands and really live, instead of just existing.

And now that Damon was gone, she was finally free to start again.

2.

The following morning Chloe awoke to the sound of banging and crashing throughout the house. She rolled over and blinked her bleary eyes awake and strained her ears to pick up the sounds of whatever was happening. Somewhere downstairs she could hear her mother’s voice drifting through the hallways, calling to one of the handymen to hang the garland higher.

Decoration day, she thought with fondness.

It had been a family tradition of theirs for as long as she could remember to spend a full Saturday adorning their family home with a whole host of Christmas décor, but usually they would wait for Chloe to surface. Maybe they had got wind of her and Damon’s argument and decided to leave her to it for the morning, or maybe they just realized that now she was twenty-two, she was probably too old to be still fussing on with activities that were created for her when she was a child.

She felt a pang of nostalgia as she remembered their family Christmas’s when she was younger and of how her and her parents and brother had all dressed up in festive jumpers, turned on the carols and danced all day together whilst adorning the tree and sipping mulled wine. Chloe always found herself with the job of untangling the fairy lights, and although she hated it, it was another tradition that seemed to have stuck. It had always been one of her favorite days of the year, but even though she was back there for the weekend and away from her apartment in the city, she was still feeling decidedly un-Christmassy.

She yawned and leaned up on her elbows. Even though she was feeling more like The Grinch than Mrs. Christmas she dragged herself out of bed and after pulling on her robe, made her way downstairs.

“Chloe!” her mother beamed as she shuffled into the kitchen and grabbed the pot of coffee that was resting on the center island.

The whole room looked as if a Santa’s grotto had exploded all over it and she tiptoed amongst lush green wreaths, garlands and baubles to find a seat at the table.

“Morning,” she croaked as she took a sip of coffee and rested her chin on her hand.

“Feeling the after effects of last night?” her mother smirked.

Chloe shrugged and raised her eyebrows. She wasn’t sure how much she had heard, or indeed even if her and her father had been home when the argument took place. Their family home was so big, it was easy for people to disappear into their rooms and sleep peacefully at night without being disturbed by the goings on of the others. She and Damon had left them at the gala dinner and had no idea of when they had returned.

“Something like that,” she said sullenly.

Her mother looked at her and placed the garland she was holding down on the counter top.

“I knew something was up last night,” she said. “What’s happened?”

Chloe sighed and felt the tears stinging her eyes again. She wanted to tell her mother everything, but at the same time, she couldn’t bear to go through it all again.

“Damon and I…” she began. “We’ve broken up.”

Her mother reached out and stroked her shoulder. Chloe knew there was nothing she could say, but just the fact that she was there for her was enough.

“I’m sorry Darling,” her mom soothed. “I thought maybe he would have been the one to go the distance.”

“Well,” Chloe sighed. “At one point so did I.”

Her mother smiled sympathetically and then turned back to the decorations.

“You know we can talk about it if you want to,” she said over her shoulder. “But I won’t crowd you for now.”

Chloe blinked away a tear and nodded. Her mother knew her so well, she was fully aware of how little she would want to discuss the whole thing. All Chloe wanted to do was throw herself into a new activity, and fast.

She got to her feet and picked up a golden angel. It was one of the decorations she loved the most and remembered year after year.

“Where is this going?” she said cheerily. “May as well get started and help you.”

“Don’t worry,” her mom smiled. “If you don’t feel up to it I have the boys helping me out.”

She motioned to the hallway where Chloe could see the guys her mom hired to do odd jobs around the house working away like busy bees, pinning the garlands up the length of the staircase and around the gallery landing.

“Well, maybe I will get dressed first,” Chloe chuckled.

She took her coffee and made her way back to her room where she dressed in a casual pair of jeans and a red t-shirt.

May as well at least try to be festive, she told herself as she tied her long black hair up high into a pony tail and finished it off with a red ribbon.

As she made her way back downstairs and rejoined her mother in the kitchen she realized how good it felt to be home for the holidays. Even though her apartment was only a half hour drive from her families stunning and sprawling home, she rarely spent much time there. Since Chloe had gone out on her own and thrown herself into the working world, she hadn’t felt the need to go home as often, her time was stretched enough as it was. But with Christmas fast approaching and her father’s annual gala dinner being arranged for that weekend she had decided to put in a few weeks leave from her job at a glossy magazine and take some well-deserved time off. Now she didn’t have to worry about getting back to the city in time for a meeting on Monday morning and she had more than enough time to enjoy the holidays and get all of her shopping done in good time, rather than flapping around like a maniac at the last minute!

“So,” her mom said as she passed her a string of fairy lights that were curled up into a tight, tangled ball. “I guess you can start with these.”

Chloe groaned and her mom winked. Some traditions, it appeared, certainly never changed.

3.

After a full day of decorating the house with the help from the two handymen, Chloe and her mom sat down in the front room and looked around at all of their hard work. The tree stood tall and proud in the widest corner of the room, and it glinted gold and red with each stunning bauble that reflected their bright fairy lights.

“I can’t believe Dad and Oliver got out of this, this year,” Chloe smirked. “They are definitely untangling the lights next year… no exceptions.”

Her mother laughed and poured them both a glass of red wine before slipping back into the big, soft cushions of the couch.

“Women do it best,” she said as she took a sip. “They only would have been in the way.”

Chloe smiled and nodded. Her mother was right there, for certain.

Oliver had always been a handful, and even though he was her younger brother and she enjoyed his company, she had been glad of just a day with her mom. It wasn’t often they spent so much time together, and after the night she had been through with Damon, the last thing she needed was Oliver or her dad asking questions.

“They’ll be home soon anyway,” her mom said as she got to her feet and stretched. “I better start thinking about making us something for dinner.”

Chloe got to her feet too and followed her mother through into the kitchen. There was something so magical about the house when it was decorated for the holidays, it made it feel so much warmer, so much more alive. She smiled as she looked up at the garlands trailing up the bannister rails of their huge staircase, and the candles that lit the way from room to room. Her family had never been the kind to do things by halves, and Christmas was one of the times when her mother really showed the world what they were made of. Nothing went untouched when it came to holiday magic.

Chloe sat down at the center island in the kitchen and sipped the warm red wine as she reached for her cell phone and looked at it for the first time that day. Her heart almost stopped as she saw that she had a missed call and a voicemail from Damon and she dropped the phone onto the counter and sighed.

“What’s the matter?” her mom asked with concern as she turned around and saw the ghostly expression on her daughters face.

“Damon,” she said quietly. “He’s tried to call.”

“I’m finding it hard not to ask what’s happened with you two,” her mom confessed. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

What could she tell her… that he was aggressive and possessive? That he drank too much? That he was generally the worst boyfriend she had ever had and she was frightened of him? After the lovely day they had had together the last thing Chloe wanted to do was concern her mom, and especially at this time of year.

“It just wasn’t right,” she shrugged. “I’ll be okay…”

She pushed the cell phone away and picked up her wine and sipped it slowly. Her heart was still pounding and she knew in that moment that maybe Damon wasn’t going to go so quietly after all. Was he going to make this hard for her? Would he start to harass her until she caved and took him back?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of her father and Oliver bursting through the front door in fits of raucous laughter. Their voices boomed down the hallway and they ‘ooed and aahhed’ at all of the decorations adorning the house.

“Well it looks like you two have been busy!” her dad exclaimed as he came through the kitchen doorway clad in a crisp suit and holding his briefcase.

Oliver followed closely behind him with a massive grin on his face and Chloe instantly knew why… he hadn’t had to help and he was relieved. She scowled at him and he slyly flipped her the bird.

“Looks good girls,” her dad smiled as he leant down and kissed her mom on the cheek and then came and gave Chloe a hug.

“Thanks Dad,” she grinned as she hugged him back.

“So what are we having?” he said as he undid his top button and tie and poured himself a glass of wine.

Oliver sat down with them and it was almost as if it could have been ten years earlier… her dad coming home from work and her mom cooking up a storm… Oliver tormenting her quietly behind their backs and Chloe in a funk over a boy. Yes, it was certainly a typical family evening! And even though she wasn’t feeling her best, she was glad to be there with them.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” her mom joked and they all moaned in unison.

As they all sat down around the dining room table and her mom placed a huge roast in front of them, Chloe felt again as if she had gone back in time. She really loved being at home with her family, even if they did drive her mad on occasions. She watched the way her dad shifted uneasily in his seat and she felt her posture tighten. If there was one thing she had learned being a part of this family, it was when someone was hiding something and working up to lower the boom. Her dad had been an expert at it his whole life and Chloe had learned early on that he was the type of man to throw surprises their way when they least expected it.

“So,” he said suddenly and Chloe felt her heart sink.

“Umm?” her mom smiled as she passed a bowl of red cabbage to Oliver.

“Well, I’m hoping none of you are going to bust my balls over this,” her father continued. “But I have to go away on Monday… for two weeks.”

“What?” Oliver said, as angry and shocked as Chloe and her mom clearly were.

“I know, I know…” he held up his hands as if he was surrendering. “I feel terrible about it, but there’s nothing I can do.”

“You’ll be missing Christmas,” Chloe said. “Can’t it wait?”

“It’s business,” he said sternly. “And no it can’t.”

“But George,” her mom interjected. “I mean… Christmas?”

“If I don’t go we won’t acquire our new offices in the Middle East. This is important Karen,” he said as he looked at Chloe’s mother with sad eyes. “I know its shitty timing, but it can’t be helped.”

Chloe felt her heart sink. She was just getting back into the family vibe, and now the head of the household was going to be disappearing on them over the holidays.

“But,” he said as he dabbed the corner of his mouth with a serviette and smiled wryly. “I have arranged something that will help soften the blow…” he winked as he trailed off and Chloe felt her disappointment peak into excitement… What did he have up his sleeve to make them all feel better?

Her dad looked at them all with his hands clasped together and sighed.

“I honestly do wish I was here to celebrate Christmas with you all,” he said sadly. “But, I thought if I’m not going to be here… then maybe you shouldn’t be either.”

Chloe looked at her mom with intrigue and then at Oliver… what was going on?

“So,” he dad continued, “I’ve leased out a luxury log cabin in Colorado for you all for the next two weeks.”

“Oh my God!” Chloe slapped her hands together! She couldn’t believe it. What perfect timing with everything that had been going on with Damon, she couldn’t think of anything better than escaping for a couple of weeks and spending the holidays in a luxury log cabin in the wilderness.

“George,” her mom smiled. “I can’t believe you’ve done this for us.”

They leaned across the table and shared a loving kiss and Chloe felt all of the sadness and dread that she had felt since the previous evening evaporate into thin air. If there was ever proof of a true love, it was her parents. And now she had her first adventure of her new life to look forward to… And she really couldn’t wait.

4.

Chloe’s dad hadn’t messed around. He had arranged for a car to come and collect them first thing the following morning so Chloe had spent the rest of the evening dashing around and packing her belongings for the next two weeks. As she filled her suitcase with wooly jumpers and thermals, she couldn’t help but let her fingers dance over the selection of bathing suits and bikinis she had in her bottom drawer. She thought of how stunning it would be at their winter retreat in the mountains, underneath the stars and amongst the snow, relaxing in a hot tub and sipping champagne. She nearly squealed with excitement as she pulled a bathing suit free from the drawer and threw it into her case. She couldn’t wait to be away from her hometown, away from Damon, and to be doing something new for the first time in a long time.

The following morning as she got into the car with her mom and Oliver they all waved goodbye to her dad and she blew a kiss to him from the window. She would miss him, but she was glad they wouldn’t just be hanging around the house feeling the big gaping hole that he would leave. Her dad was a shrewd business man, and he had done well in his life. Chloe knew that he would always put them first so it must have been important for him to leave at this time of year. She turned back and looked over her shoulder as their beautiful home and her doting father slipped out of view.

Now they were really on their way, and she was so excited she could barely sit still.

The cabins in the woods were twinkling with lights as they pulled into the mountain resort and weaved their way up the thin, winding roads to their lodge. Chloe was almost pressing her nose against the glass of the window to try and see what was out there in the dark and her heart thumped with anticipation. The snow was thick and pure, and even in the dark the white shone out of the night and seemed alive around them.

“This is incredible,” she whispered and her mom squeezed her hand with an excited smile.

“I still wish Dad were here,” Oliver complained from the front seat and Chloe found herself rolling her eyes. Her brother could always be counted on to try and dampen the mood.

As the driver pulled up outside of what would be there new home for the following two weeks Chloe’s excitement peaked and she snapped off her safety belt and bounded out of the car. Her eyes were wide and expectant as she looked up at the amazing lodge in front of them. It was so big, so luxurious, and so fantastic that she didn’t know what to say. It had already been fully kitted out with decorations and the twinkling Christmas trees that flanked the impressive doorway were just the icing on the cake.

“Wow,” she said with a laugh. “This is something else.”

She walked forward and waited at the foot of the steps for her brother and mom to catch up and then they all climbed them together, holding on to one and other to make sure they didn’t slip. As her mom slid the key into the door and turned the latch and they opened it and walked inside, Chloe felt her jaw drop…

She walked in to one of the most exquisite rooms she had ever been in. The ceiling was high and vaulted with beautiful exposed beams that were covered in garlands, candles were lit and stags heads were mounted on the walls, before an open fire that roared in the huge hearth. It was like something out of a movie, it was so perfect and so Christmassy, she knew that they were going to have an amazing time.

“I may be able to forgive your father after all,” her mom joked as the driver pulled their suitcases into the lobby and waited to be tipped.

“I’ve got first call on the rooms!” Oliver shouted as he raced off up the main staircase and Chloe instinctively rolled her eyes. For an eighteen year old, he was still so immature it drove her nuts.

Later that evening after they had all unpacked and pulled themselves together, Chloe stood on the decked terrace that ran the full exterior of the lodge and looked out over the balcony and down into the valley. The small town at the center of the resort was fully visible from their vantage point in the mountains and it must only have been a short walk down there by sticking the resort paths.

“It looks so picturesque,” she smiled as she hugged her arms around herself.

“It’s lame,” Oliver’s voice came from behind her as he stepped out of the double French doors and slid them closed behind him.

“Trust you,” she snapped.

“Well I’d rather be back at home, wouldn’t you?” he said.

“No,” Chloe said defiantly, “Obviously not. I think it’s great here.”

“Well I’ve got nothing to do and no way of even getting any booze. No one knows me here.”

“Well that’s tough luck,” Chloe found herself smirking. It was about time her annoying little brother had his comeuppance.

“I don’t suppose you’d…” he trailed off but looked at her with pleading eyes.

“No chance,” Chloe roared with laughter. “All the Christmas Spirit in the world couldn’t get me to go and buy you booze.”

She slapped him playfully on the arm and pouted in mock disappointment.

“Maybe Mommy will let you have a glass of her wine… if you’re a good boy.”

Chloe couldn’t help but burst into laughter as Oliver clenched his fist in mock fury.

“Sorry Ollie,” she shook her head and giggled. “But you’re on your own on that one.”

Oliver covered his eyes with his hands and groaned.

“Anyway,” Chloe smiled as she turned back towards the door to the lodge and slid it open, “That reminds me… it’s about time I went and checked out what sort of bars they have in this town.”

“I hate you,” Oliver said jokingly as she walked away and closed the door behind her and grinned at him through the glass.

“Are you two winding each other up?” her mom said as she lounged on the plush couch and nursed a glass of red wine.

“What else are the holidays for?” Chloe smirked.

“You two…” her mum smiled.

“I’m going to head down into town,” she said as she picked up her purse and pulled on her coat. “I don’t suppose you want to come?”

Her mom shook her head and yawned.

“I’m far too tired for that,” she said. “But go on, have a good time… just be safe, stick to the roads.”

“Of course I will,” Chloe shook her head. “What do you think I am, some kind of idiot…”

“No dear,” her mom laughed. “But you know, strange place, strange town…”

“Luxury resort,” Chloe said. “I hardly imagine it’s going to be crawling with criminals.”

“Have a good time!” Her mom rolled her eyes before swigging her wine and waving her goodbye.

Chloe laughed again and blew her a kiss before making her way to the front door of the cabin and opening it up to the night.

5.

The fresh snow crunched underfoot as she walked along the winding paths and down towards the town. It was so cold that it was already starting to freeze and Chloe was glad of her fur lined hat and cape. She pulled it around her tightly and smiled up at the stars. The night was so clear and there was barely a cloud in the sky. The moonlight shone down on her and lit the way, along with the lights that dotted along the sidewalks, letting her know she hadn’t veered off course. Up ahead she could hear sounds of life and of people cheering. Music was thumping softly and it sounded as if somewhere a group of people were either watching a sports game or playing beer pong. Chloe hustled up and started to walk faster. Whatever was going on down there, she didn’t want to miss it.

As she got closer to the town and all of the shops, restaurants and bars came into view, she couldn’t help but smile. It was the sort of place she had always dreamed of visiting but had never had the opportunity. Sure, she had been skiing when she was a kid, but this was different. It was Christmas and the whole town was decked out in thousands of twinkling lights.  Trees and Santa Claus’s were everywhere and the whole place felt so magical she could barely put it into words.

Small crowds were outside of various venues and the whole town seemed so friendly and buzzing with life that she couldn’t help but smile and say hello to everyone she passed. Even though there were many places to choose from, her eyes had focused on one place in particular as she had started her walk along the Main Street and she kept her gaze fixed firmly on it as she made her way forward.

The bar was wooden and a lodge itself in style and out the front a small group of girls and guys were drinking and chattering. She smiled as she walked past them and made her way inside and she wasn’t disappointed. Music drifted out from an old retro jukebox, open fires roared in the corners and the low lighting made the bar feel even more welcoming and inviting. Chloe made her way towards the long counter and pulled up a stool. As she slid onto it and began to unwrap her cape she felt the eyes of the room on her. It wasn’t overly busy in there and she was certainly a new girl in town. She could feel how each man in there was waiting to check her out and see what she had on under her fur cape.

As she revealed her low cut black t-shirt and the large swell of her breasts, she looked down to make sure her bra wasn’t showing. When she had dressed that night she had wanted to be provocative, but not slutty, and so she had teamed it with a pair of tight jeans. They clung to her curvy figure perfectly and made her feel so goddam sexy that she couldn’t help but smile as she brushed her long, silky hair behind her ear.

“Hi,” one of the barmen leaned across and grinned. “What can I get you?”

Chloe bit her lip and looked down at the bar menu. She could see lists of wines and champagne, but what she really wanted was a beer. She could tell that the majority of the people in the resort were well heeled and normally this would have made her want to fit in, but she was feeling rebellious.

“A bottle of Bud,” she smiled and the barman nodded and turned to get her, her drink.

After he passed it to her she sipped it slowly and felt herself begin to unwind. It had been a long day and the travelling had taken it out of her, but she didn’t want to miss a moment of her new abode. She wanted to experience it all and make sure that she made the most out of her time there.

She swigged the beer fast and as she felt her eyes starting to droop with tiredness, she was about to call it a night when suddenly she sensed that someone was beside her. They slid onto the stool right next to her and leaned over across the bar to speak to the bartender. Chloe tried to see out of the corner of her eye but her vision was blurred, so in the end she turned to face them and for the second time that day her jaw almost hit the floor.

The man who had come and sat beside her was so incredibly attractive it almost took her breath away. She couldn’t help but stare, her mouth slightly agape, as he pointed to a bottle of vodka on the back wall of the bar and then turned to her and smiled. He caught her, in full stare mode and her mouth hanging open. She snapped it shut quickly and his eyes glistened as he smiled, the skin around the corner of them crinkling slightly.

“Oh…” Chloe whimpered.

She looked down at the ground quickly and wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole.

What was she doing? Why had she stared at him like that?

The man let out a low laugh and she could tell that he was still watching her. Now she had looked away, she couldn’t even remember what he looked like, but she knew he was unlike anyone she had ever seen before. She could feel his eyes burning into her and she knew that she had to look back up and see him… as she turned her eyes upward and they grazed over his tight jeans on wide thighs, his rippling abs underneath a white t-shirt and his huge muscular arms, she swallowed hard. As she moved past his squared jaw and up to his piercing blue eyes her heart almost stopped beating. His hair was a dusky blonde that seemed to catch the light of the fire and she instinctively bit her bottom lip as her mouth gaped open again.

“Hi,” he said almost in a whisper.

His voice was so low and masculine it made her bones shake.

“Hi,” she managed to croak as their eyes locked in on each other’s and they both seemed unable to tear away.

“Vodka, straight up,” the bartender slammed the tumbler down in front of him and broke their awkward moment.

“Thanks,” the guy said as he slid ten dollars across the counter before he turned back to Chloe. “You new here?” he asked.

“Umm,” she stammered. “Yeah, I, well we, I got here earlier today.”

“We?” he asked, looking around the bar as if to try and find who she was with.

“Oh no,” Chloe shook her head. “I’m on my own here… but I’m here in the resort with my family. Last minute Christmas vacation,” she shrugged.

“Nice place to come last minute,” he raised his eyebrows.

“Well,” she found herself trying not to trip over her words, “My dad had to go away so he sent us here… sort of like a consolation prize.”

He nodded and swigged the vodka down in one before he tapped the bar top again and the tender began to pour him another.

She felt uncomfortable, as if she had said the wrong thing and broke his gaze to twiddle with the label on the beer bottle in front of her.

“I’m Finn,” he said finally as he held out his big rough hand and slid it into hers.

“Chloe,” she smiled.

“Nice name,” he grinned at her and raised his eyebrows.

She felt herself blushing and she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“So Chloe,” he continued. “How about you let me buy you a drink?”

Suddenly, she wasn’t so tired anymore.

6.

Finn bought them beer after beer and each time they chinked them together in celebration. Their conversation flowed easily and he told her that he had been at the resort staying in a friend’s lodge for the past couple of weeks and was on leave from the military. Chloe listened with intrigue as he told her about his experiences in the town, but when she tried to ask him more about his life at work, he clammed up and seemed to veer off the subject.

“I’m originally from Alaska,” he said as he swigged his beer. “But I’ve been away from there for a long time.”

“Well I’m glad you’re here tonight,” she said bravely, the alcohol helping her to loosen up. “Otherwise I’d be sat here alone.”

“I’m glad too,” he smiled warmly as their eyes locked together again.

The bell rang behind the bar for last orders and he motioned to the bartender to bring them another. Since Finn had walked in, time had gone crazily fast and she couldn’t believe it was almost midnight. Each time she looked into his eyes, she felt herself being pulled more into his world, as if they had known each other a lot longer than a couple of hours. Each time he opened his mouth to laugh and flashed his glistening white teeth she found her heart racing just a little bit more and her pulse thumped through her veins with excitement.

“So,” he smiled, “Let me walk you home?” he got to his feet and held out his arm like a gentleman.

Chloe felt like she was blushing crimson, and although she wanted him to, she didn’t want him to get the wrong idea.

“Let him,” the bartender said sensing her hesitation. “The woods aren’t safe at this time of night.”

Chloe’s heart rate quickened.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“There’s been a bear seen around here recently, a big bear… some people say its white,” the bartender snorted at the end of his sentence.

“A big, white… bear?” Chloe asked with amusement.

“Yep,” the bartender nodded. “Don’t shoot the messenger, but that’s what I’ve been told… people have to be careful out there walking back… who knows what may wander out and…you know…” he made a claw with his hand and ripped at the air.

Chloe stepped back and wrinkled her nose and Finn shifted uneasily next to her.

“Come on,” he said, dismissing the barman’s story. “Let me walk you back.”

As they approached her lodge Finn looked into her eyes and smiled.

“It was lovely to meet you Chloe,” he said as he brushed the stray strand of hair behind her ear.

She looked up at him and felt the world around them begin to blur. As she leaned forward and wrapped her arm around his waist and he pulled her against him, her whole body felt on fire. Their kiss was electric and as he slipped his tongue into her mouth and their lips brushed softly together, she felt like she could have been jelly in his arms.

Chloe had never felt like this before… and she had only known him a couple of hours. Finn had the kind of personality that made it seem as if they had been friends for years, and he was so sexy, so confident and comfortable in his own skin, that it was a huge turn-on.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” he asked as he stared into her eyes.

“Going out with you,” she smiled.

Finn nodded with a huge grin on his face and leant in and kissed her once more.

“Meet me at the bar at eight,” he said as he turned on his heel and stepped back into the snow.

He waited as Chloe climbed the steps to the lodge and opened the door. As she stepped inside she waved to him and smiled.

“Tomorrow at eight,” he repeated.

“Tomorrow at eight,” she nodded and waved.

As she closed the door behind her she breathed a huge sigh and couldn’t help her grin from reaching ear to ear.

I have a date, she thought. I’ve been here for less than a day… and already I’ve met someone and I have a date… this is shaping up to be the best Christmas ever!

She locked the door and turned out the lights in the lodge before she crept up the stairs so as to not wake her mom and brother. As she slipped into her warm bed and pulled the covers around her she felt genuinely happy for the first time in a long time. She would never be able to thank her dad enough. This vacation was exactly what she needed.

7.

The intoxicating scent of smoked bacon and maple syrup drifted up through the beams and across the landing towards Chloe’s bedroom late the following morning. She rolled over and rubbed her eyes and wished that she had a bell to ring to get Oliver to bring breakfast to her.  But even if she did, she knew she stood no chance of him putting himself out for her.

She yawned and stretched and felt a smile creep across her face.

Finn.

The previous evening had been so much fun… and so unexpected… and she had another date with him lined up in a matter of hours’ time.

“Chloeee!” Her mom called from somewhere downstairs and she stepped down onto the warm wooden floorboards and grabbed her robe.

The lodge was alive with sound, Christmas music was playing on the radio and Oliver was sat in the main living area with his feet up watching the game. Their mom was working away at the kitchen counters, cooking them brunch and as Chloe stepped down the stairs she really felt the absence of her father.

“Morning Darling,” her mom said as she kissed her on the cheek. “So, how was it out there last night?” she motioned out of the French doors and out into the snowy mountains.

“It was great,” Chloe said coyly. “It’s a really cute place, you’ll both like it.” She smirked at her little secret.

“That’s good,” her mom beamed, “I’m looking forward to heading out in an hour or so.”

“I’ll come with,” Oliver called over his shoulder. “I want to see what this place is about too.”

Chloe picked up the pot of coffee and poured herself a big, frothy cup before she sat down with Oliver and slapped his feet off the table.

“Have you heard from Dad?” she called over to her mom.

“No…” she said. “I tried to call him last night but I think he’ll have been travelling…”

“Maybe we should try him again?” Chloe sat up and looked at her. To make them aware of how much he resented their conversation, Oliver began to turn up the volume on the TV and Chloe slapped him on the shoulder and snatched the remote.

“Here,” her mom said as she passed Chloe her cell phone.

Chloe sipped her coffee, pressed dial and held the phone to her ear. It started ringing and she hummed as she waited, expecting her father to pick up. When it switched the answerphone, she hung up and lay the phone down on the coffee table.

“He didn’t answer,” she said quietly.

“Oh well,” her mom replied from the kitchen, “He’s probably asleep.”

Chloe nodded and sipped her drink, but something at the back of her mind was nagging… It wasn’t like her dad not to be in touch with at least one of them… especially when they were all travelling and apart.

Oliver jumped up and slapped his hands together.

“Right mom,” he said, “Where’s this breakfast?”

Chloe found herself rolling her eyes again and wondering how long she’d be able to stand her brother’s annoying attitude. At least she knew she would have the lodge to herself for the rest of the day, and she could look forward to a few hours peace.

Then suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, Chloe knew what was wrong.

The cell phone… the dial tone… it hadn’t been international.

“Mom?” she said as she got to her feet. “When did dad fly to the UAE?”

“Late yesterday dear, why?” her mom didn’t seem fazed.

“His dial tone wasn’t international…” Chloe felt herself tense.

“Oh Chloe,” her mom chuckled, “You worry too much, now come on, foods ready.”

Chloe followed her mom’s orders and made her way to the table. Even though she knew her instincts were usually right, she didn’t want to worry unnecessarily… She was sure her mom was right… everything was sure to be fine.

Later that day Chloe relaxed in the outdoor hot tub on the lodge’s terrace and watched the way the hot steam billowed up into the freezing cold air around her. She looked out at the snowy mountains and breathed in the fresh scent of pine. She really did love being in this sort of environment, it suited her perfectly.

She closed her eyes and lay back, keeping her head resting just right on the edge of the tub as the bubbles raged around her. Her mom and Oliver had gone into town a few hours before, and she had enjoyed a lazy afternoon of day dreaming about Finn and mentally planning what she would wear that evening for their next date at the bar.

When she thought about how instant their attraction had been it filled her with butterflies and the kind of excitement that was rare to find. She had heard her parents talk about how they had first met and of how they had known instantly that it was meant to be. Chloe felt crazy thinking this way, but that is how it had been for her the night before. The second she had lay eyes on Finn, she knew that he was going to be someone important. She thought back to Damon and of how he had made her so miserable over the past few months. She was so glad to be away from him, so glad to not have to deal with his mood swings and his aggressive nature. He was so shifty and untrustworthy… and even if he was in the same corporate world as her father, she knew that he was a dishonest man and would only have continued to drag her further into the ground.

As her mind wandered and she found herself becoming hot and bothered at the thought of Finn and what he might look like if he climbed into the hot tub with her, she suddenly had the strange feeling that she wasn’t alone. She sat up and brushed her wet hair back off her face. She stood up slightly and looked around. The roads around the lodge seemed quiet and there wasn’t any movement in the trees… yet she could feel it… somewhere, eyes were on her.

She reached out of the tub and across to the chair where her towel and robe were laying and she scooped them up in one. As she got fully to her feet, still standing in the water, she wrapped the huge waffle towel around her and tucked it in at her chest before she pulled the robe over her too. Her teeth chattered as the cold air battered her skin and she skipped lightly to the edge of the terrace and looked out into the forest properly and down onto the roads. She could see other lodges clearly, but she couldn’t see any people. The feeling that she was being watched refused to leave her, and she felt that whoever was there… was close.

She stepped back slowly and made her way back to the French doors, opened them and locked them behind her. Chloe had never been a nervous person, but that had given her the creeps.

She would have bet good money that she wasn’t alone out there. She just knew that someone was watching.

8.

As she walked down into town later that night, her heart raced with anticipation and she couldn’t keep the smile from her face. The thought of seeing Finn again was making her feel as excited as she had done when she was a kid on Christmas Eve. She laughed to herself at the irony and quickened up her pace.

More snow had fallen throughout the afternoon and she crunched through the fresh white in her black boots. Even though the heel was small, she still tottered on them with care, not wanting to slip.

The noise of the town grew louder around her and as she stepped into the main stretch her heart felt warm at the sight of all of the lights and people having fun. She hugged her arms around herself and made her way toward the lodge bar that stood tall and proud in the center of the square.

As she crunched over the snowy ground and the scent of beer and warm bodies grew closer her mind skipped back to how she had felt when she was with Finn… the scent of his cologne, the way his eyes locked with hers… his smile…

“Hey,” his voice pierced through the night and was so unexpected it made her jump.

Chloe spun around to see Finn standing behind her with a cheeky smile on his face and as he started to laugh, knowing that he had shocked her, she slapped him playfully on the shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

He was so strong and protective, and she felt tiny in his arms. She looked up into his eyes and he planted a soft, solitary kiss on her lips.

“Sorry,” he shrugged cheekily.

“Sneaking up on a girl at night… all alone…” she joked. “It’s a good job I’m not trained in martial arts.”

She raised her eyebrows and Finn winked at her.

“I won’t do it again,” he leaned in closer, “Scouts honor.”

Chloe felt herself blushing. She had been relaxed with booze the previous evening, and now she was completely sober she felt shy and nervous around him. It was as if they were two teenagers, just meeting up for the first time at the movies.

“Come on,” Finn said as he clasped his hand in hers. “I want to show you something.”

He pulled her towards the other side of the square and away from the bar. Chloe realized that her chance of Dutch courage was slipping away behind her and she was going to have to roll with it. Even though her nerves were getting the better of her, she knew she would enjoy herself, just being with Finn again was making her feel so alive it was liberating.

“Where are we going?” she asked as he pulled her further out of the square and out towards the forest.

“You’ll have to wait and see…” Finn smiled at her warmly.

They crossed onto a pathway that was lit with lights and lined with Christmas trees. With each step they took they seemed to be going more into a fairytale. The town was so beautiful and all of the houses were like something out of a dream. Out of the main section where Chloe’s lodge was situated and closer towards the town, the houses were more like cottages out of a Disney movie and really made the place feel like magic.

“It’s just up here,” Finn said as he raced up an incline and Chloe tried to keep up with him without skidding on her boots and making an ass out of herself.

When they reached the top he wrapped his arm around her and Chloe gasped as she looked out from their vantage point and out across the whole town. It was so incredible to see it from there at night, all lit up and bustling with life and the sounds of winter. Christmas songs and people singing and laughing drifted up the mountain to meet them and it was hard to believe that it was all real.

“It’s almost like this is the only place on earth, don’t you think?” Finn whispered.

Chloe nodded and turned to look at him. As he pulled her closer to him she had an overwhelming sense of unreality.

“Where did you come from?” she whispered as he ran a hand through her hair.

He kissed her deeply and hard, and it was so powerful it almost took her breath away. As she entwined herself with him she couldn’t believe how fast she was falling for him and how natural it felt. It was as if this was always meant to happen and they had both just had to find their way to this point in time.

Finn smiled at her and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

“Come on,” he said. “I don’t want to keep you out, up here in these dangerous mountains,” he joked, obviously mocking the bartender from the night before. Chloe laughed and slipped her hand into his as they walked together back down the hill.

“How long will you stay for?” she asked him as they began to approach the square.

“I’m not sure,” Finn shrugged. “Probably until after the holidays.”

“Me too,” Chloe beamed. She was glad that he wasn’t going to be disappearing on her any time soon.

He led her towards the bar and as they stepped inside they chose to take a quiet table in the corner next to one of the roaring fires and cuddled up on one of the big cozy couches.

Finn ordered them a bottle of red wine and poured it for them both before relaxing back into the cushions and pulling Chloe close to him. If the room had been quieter, it could almost have been as if they were an established couple, relaxing at home on an evening in front of the fire. Chloe closed her eyes and imagined it and smiled.

They were wrapped up in each other’s arms, kissing and exploring each other without offending everyone else in the bar when Chloe felt her cell phone vibrating in her back pocket. She ignored it at first, but when it started to go off for what must have been the fifth time she apologized to Finn and excused herself from the table.

“Mom?” she said as she pressed answer.

“Chloe,” her mom panted hurriedly. “Where are you?”

“I’m in the square, at one of the bars… what’s the matter?” She could sense the angst in her Mom’s voice and knew immediately that something was wrong.

“Who are you with?” her Mom asked.

“Mom! What is going on?” Now Chloe was really panicking.

“Listen to me carefully, whatever you’re doing, leave it and walk out of their casually. If you’re with someone, just excuse yourself and say you need to get an early night. Hurry back. Right now!”

Before Chloe had a chance to respond, the line went dead.

She knew that something had been happening with her family, and now she had the feeling she was about to find out the truth. She turned on her heel and trying to keep her hands from shaking she walked back to Finn and apologized.

“I’m so sorry,” she said trying to act as normal as possible. “That was my mom, she’s not feeling well and she needs me to head back.”

Finn raised his eyebrows and looked concerned.

“Is everything okay?” he asked as he got to his feet.

Chloe nodded and leaned in and gave him a kiss.

“Honestly, everything’s fine,” she smiled.

She turned and quickly walked out of the bar, not looking back over her shoulder even though he had called her name.

She had to get back to the cabin. Something terrible was happening… she could feel it.

9.

In her panic her feet slipped on the ice as she tried to navigate the pathways back up to the lodge. The darkness seemed thicker and as her heart raced, her hands shook and her mind became clouded with confusion. She was in such a rush she realized that suddenly she didn’t recognize the path, and the forest seemed thicker and appeared to be looming over her. She heard the snap of a twig behind her and she shivered as she realized that she must have taken a wrong turn… she definitely wasn’t on the right path back to the lodge.

She was about to go back and try to find the right way when suddenly out of the darkness ahead of her, she was aware of a figure emerging… a flashlight clasped in their hands which they shone up into her eyes.

“Chloe,” the voice said sternly… and it sent a chill right down her spine.

She would know that voice anywhere…

It was Damon.

Chloe brought her hands up to shield her eyes and blinked as she tried to see past the harsh glare of the flashlight, but as soon as she was able to focus, she immediately wished that she hadn’t… because in his hand, Damon was holding a gun. And he had it pointed right at her.

Her whole body was frozen to the spot and she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Damon was there… and he was going to harm her. She felt her body tremble and she wanted to speak, but she couldn’t find the words.

“Hold your hands up,” Damon said coldly. “Hold them out in front of you and cross them at the wrists. In a minute I’m going to tie them and then you’re going to come with me.”

“Damon…” she stammered, “What is happening? What are you doing?”

“Oh for God’s sake Chlo,” he spat, “Isn’t it obvious?”

Her mind raced to try and make sense of it all, but she was coming up with nothing.

“You didn’t think I was with you because I was into you did you?” he snorted. “As if… I was only with you to get information about your father and his businesses… and now I know a hell of a lot that I can use to my advantage.”

None of it made any sense.

“Your dad’s not really away on business you fool!” he laughed. “He got wind of my little plan to kidnap you and use you for ransom… so he sent you here thinking I wouldn’t be able to get to you… Ha! How he underestimated me.”

Chloe’s mind almost exploded… Damon had used her… and was going to kidnap her to extort money…? This was almost too unbelievable for words.

“So get down on the ground and hold up your hands, I have a van waiting and I’m already half frozen!” He spat.

Trembling, Chloe got onto her knees and just when she was about to resign herself to whatever fate Damon had in store for her, she looked up into his eyes and realized he had a look of sheer terror spreading out across his face.

He was looking at something behind her and she could tell that he was frightened. When she turned to look around, roaming proudly and fiercely out of the snowcapped trees behind them was the biggest and purest white bear she had ever seen.

It stood up on its haunches and lunged forward in a snarl of teeth and claws. Chloe screamed and covered her eyes, but couldn’t help but peek through her fingers as she watched the majestic beast launch itself at Damon and pin him to the ground.

The bear was huge… she had never seen anything so incredible, but also so out of place. It was like a polar bear, something so beautiful and unique in that little resort in Colorado… none of it made sense!

The bear clamped its jaws around Damon’s leg and began to drag him ferociously into the woods and out of sight. Chloe couldn’t see what was happening, but she could guess from the wailing and snarling that it wasn’t going to be anything good. She got to her feet and went to run but then was aware of a silence that pierced through the forest.

The screaming had stopped.

She turned on her heel and peered behind her, into the darkness, and she could see the outline of the great hulking bear coming slowly towards her. She was rooted to the spot with fear and as she shook with terror she made a silent prayer that it wouldn’t harm her.

Please, she thought, please don’t hurt me.

The bear came towards her and stopped about two feet away from her. It looked at her deep in the eyes and she felt herself falling into a trance. The eyes were so familiar… she knew she had looked into them before. Her heart started to pound as she realized what was happening… She knew who’s eyes they were…

They were Finn’s.

“Finn?” she whispered as she moved closer to the bear and held out her hand.

The bear rose onto its hind legs and roared up towards the moon. It was so deafening she clamped her hands down over her ears and whimpered with fear.  But when she looked up the bear was looking at her tenderly and she knew in that moment that she was right.

In a flash of white fur and rippling muscle, the beast in front of her turned from majestic animal to handsome human, and as Finn stood in front of her, completely naked and covered in sweat and streaks of blood and snow she felt something trigger inside of her that she had never felt before.

She was speechless… but all she wanted was for him to come for her and to strip her naked. She held her breath and watched the rise and fall of his chest as he caught his breath.

“Take me,” she whispered.

Finn lunged at her through the dark and pulled her close to him. As he tore at her clothes she had never been at someone’s mercy so much in her entire life, but it had never felt so right. This man, this beast, this powerful creature, had chosen her. He had protected her and saved her from Damon, and now she had seen him shift back to his incredible human form and he was going to devour her in his own way right there on the forest floor, in the snow and under the moon.

As he thrust his powerful unsheathed cock inside of her warm folds Chloe moaned with ecstasy and gripped onto him with all of the strength she had. She wrapped her legs around him and opened up fully to him as he pumped in and out of her and she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on for long before she unraveled in a wave of pleasure.

As she came she screamed up at the stars, savoring every second of a pleasure she had longed for and needed for so very long. As Finn felt her pussy quiver around him he too exploded and emptied his hot, thick load inside of her and collapsed down onto her chest.

She had been claimed. She was now his and she wanted to be his mate for life. She knew in that moment that she would do anything for him. She wanted to give Finn everything.

He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She shivered but it wasn’t because of the cold. The reality of what had happened with Damon came flooding back and the panic set in.

“My mom!” she said as she sat up and grabbed at her clothes, pulling them around her.

“It’s okay,” Finn soothed. “She’s safe.”

Chloe looked down at him as he traced his rough hands across her soft, smooth, plump skin.

“How do you know?” Chloe was so confused.

“Because…” Finn began… “I was sent here to protect you…”

She looked down at him and took his hand in hers.

“Your father sent you here like Damon said… but he’s no fool Chloe… he hired me to make sure you and your family were safe.”

“What?” she couldn’t believe it.

“My military background… special ops… He hired me to take care of any problems should they arise and keep an eye on you all… And good job, hey?” he winked.

Chloe couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He’d been hired?

“So this?” she said as she wrapped her coat around her chest… “I take it this was part of the job description?”

Finn laughed and shook his head.

“Chloe, the last thing I bargained for when I took this job was that I’d fall for the girl I’m supposed to be protecting.”

All of the anger and confusion she had started to feel quickly evaporated. Finn was falling for her. And she certainly knew that she had fallen for him.

“White bears, Polars, shifters… whatever you want to call us… we know when we find the one,” he smiled.

He took Chloe’s hand in his and kissed it softly.

She had never been so happy in her entire life.

“Come on,” he said as he helped her get dressed and then began his walk back to the woods to find his clothes. “I better get you back to the lodge, your father is on his way.”

As they left the woods and walked back across the mountain Chloe couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in the space of a few days. She had lost one boyfriend, but gained something much more… she had found her mate for life.  There were only a few days to go until the holidays and now she had Finn she knew it was going to be the most special Christmas she had ever had. What could be more incredible than spending it out at their log cabin in Colorado with her wonderful family and the man of her dreams?

They held hands and walked into the night, as the moon shone brightly above and the sky seemed to jingle with stars…

Happy Holidays, Chloe thought.

THE END

A Baby for the Bear

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

Chapter 1

Freya stood and stared at herself in the mirror. It was still early morning, but she couldn’t sleep. She had far too much on her mind. She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. Her eyes were glistening back at her, azure blue and piercing white, and she wished that the bags beneath them would disappear before her first day but knew she was out of luck.

Behind her the clock ticked and flashed 6:00 am. She hadn’t set the alarm for another hour at least, but there was no way she could go back to bed now. She looked over at her closet and at the outfit she had chosen. It was hung up on the outside and looming over her. A pair of jeans ripped at the knee, a tight white t-shirt and little flats. It wasn’t anything special, but she’d needed to keep her mind clear and know what she was going to be wearing in advance. She had so much riding on her college experience, and she didn’t want to ruin her first day by stressing last minute about what she should wear.

Somewhere outside a bird began singing. The sun had yet to rise, but the dawn chorus started up across the quad, making her feel better. She was a college girl now and she had all the freedom she could ever want. She needed to embrace it, not fear it.

Freya had always been a timid girl and kept to herself. Growing up, she had a select, loyal set of friends and feared that leaving her hometown security and being away from her family would be difficult. She had now been at college a week and found herself settling in. She had made acquaintances, and even though they weren’t the sort of people she would generally choose to hang out with, they seemed nice and had been fun for a few nights out. She just knew there wasn’t going to be a lasting friendship there. Everything was so new and exciting, and she had to keep her feet on the ground as to not get swept up in it all. She didn’t want to be one of those people who completely changed the second they went off to college and ended up screwing up their future with a lack of commitment to the real reason they were there in the first place. She was going to ace all of her classes and exams, and she was going to go places. No matter what happened or who she met, she would always put her education first.

The sound of the trash men filtered up from the street and Freya walked over to the window. The sun was beginning to rise and she decided to open it and let in a cool blast of air. It helped her feel more awake, and as she stretched her arms over her head, she knew it was the right time to stop pacing her dorm room and finally get showered, dressed and out there, ready to start the day.

“I’m so glad I didn’t have to share,” she smiled to herself as she looked around at the double room she had all to herself. “Imagine having to work around someone else all full of nerves!”

The idea of sharing a room with a complete stranger had never appealed to her. Freya knew that no matter how strange and alien a place was, she would always prefer to have her own space, somewhere she could unwind and have some privacy. Though this had also meant she was at a disadvantage. She saw roomies who had bonded quickly, and Freya felt slightly out on a limb, as if she was going to be denied a close girlfriend that she so really wanted.

She pulled her towel from the back of the door, and as she made her way into the corridor, she was very aware that not one other person was stirring.

Maybe I’m going to have to lighten up, she thought. I should probably party more and worry less.

She giggled to herself as she pushed open the door to the communal girls’ showers and turned on the light. To her complete surprise, there was another girl in there, wrapped in a towel and about to go into one of the cubicles. They stood staring at each other for a moment before Freya smiled and shrugged.

“I guess you couldn’t sleep, either?” she asked.

“Nope,” the girl replied, seeming nervous too.

“I’m Freya,” she held out her hand and the girl shook it.

“I’m Julie,” the girl nodded. “It’s good to know I’m not the only one who wasn’t out partying all night.”

“Yeah,” Freya laughed. “I want to make a good impression, you know?”

“Sure,” she said, flicking her long black hair over her shoulder. “I would have hated to be hungover on my first day in classes… For some reason, I just feel like it would set me on the course to fail!” she laughed.

“I felt exactly the same,” Freya grinned. “I don’t think I’m cut out for the binge drinking, hard partying side college has to offer.”

“I know what you mean,” Julie said as she took another step inside the shower before turning back and smiling again. “I’m in room 5C, we should hang out sometime… if you want…?”

“I’d like that,” Freya smiled, trying not to sound too enthusiastic.

The girl nodded and waved before she ducked into the shower and closed the door. She was the first person Freya had met who seemed like the type of person she would have been friends with back home. She could see herself striking up a friendship with Julie. After Freya showered and left the bathroom, she called “Bye!” over the sound of the water jets.

“Catch you later, Freya!” Julie called back.

Freya smiled. She had officially made her first real college friend.

Chapter 2

At the end of a long day of navigating her way around campus, meeting her new teachers and trying to keep on top of all of her work and ever-expanding reading list, Freya staggered back to her dorm room, opened the door and collapsed on the bed.

It was only 4:00 pm, but she felt like it was the middle of the night. She reached over and pulled her cell phone out of her bag. The only message was from her mother, asking her how her first day had gone. She smiled and texted a quick reply.

She was already overwhelmed with the amount of work, but she wasn’t going to let it deter her. She knew she could handle it. She opened up her diary and looked at the scrawled reading list. There were at least thirty books on it, and even though she knew she would never be able to read all of them, she would have to try to read at least half.

She was about to crawl under her duvet and try to sleep when there was a light knock at the door. She silently debated ignoring it, but when the tap came again, she slid from the bed and dragged her feet across to the door. She opened it and was instantly glad that she had.

“Hey,” Julie smiled with a wave. “I thought I’d come and see how you did today.”

“Oh, hi,” Freya smiled, stepping back so the door hung open. “Do you want to come in?”

Julie didn’t answer her but smiled and walked past her into the room. She sat down at the chair next to Freya’s desk and rested her hands on her knees.

“So, how did you find my room?” Freya asked with an impressed laugh.

“Oh, I just asked a couple of people,” Julie smiled. “It’s not exactly hard to find anyone in this building, especially with a name like yours… pretty unique!”

“I guess,” Freya sat down on the bed next to her and looked around the room, unsure of what to say next.

“Listen,” Julie said, as if she could tell there was a slight tension in the air. “I was just wondering really if you felt like getting off campus tonight and going for something to eat… Sort of like a celebrate the first day at college type of thing?”

“Sure,” Freya sat forward. “That would be great.”

Julie smiled back at her, and Freya had the feeling there was something else on her mind that she was holding back.

“Is everything okay?” she asked her finally.

Julie shrugged and smiled. She was staring at Freya, taking in every feature on her face and sizing her up.

“Everything’s fine,” she said. “You just remind me of someone, that’s all.”

“Oh?” Freya asked, but Julie waved her hand as if to bat away the conversation.

“So, tell me all about how you did,” she said instead. “I’ve got a mountain of books to buy. What about you?”

“Oh, totally the same,” Freya laughed, “I think I’m going to be glued to books for the foreseeable future.”

“Yes!” Julie laughed. “Me too! Good job we’re not into partying, huh?”

“Well, I guess we’ll have to let our hair down at some point,” Freya shrugged. “All work and no play makes Freya a dull girl… or something.”

Julie threw her head back and laughed. “I’m glad you said that before I did,” she grinned. “Everything in moderation, I guess.”

“Definitely,” Freya nodded.

“What are the other people like?” Julie gestured to the rest of Freya’s corridor.

“Wild,” she rolled her eyes. “I went out with them last week, but to be honest I didn’t really gel with any of them.”

“I don’t think I’ve even really met anybody else apart from you…” Julie said quietly. “To be honest, I’m pretty selective about my friends.”

Freya nodded, knowing exactly what that felt like.

“So,” Julie jumped to her feet. “Can I come back around seven?”

“Sure,” Freya stood up to and walked over to the door with her. It hung open still and they could see other girls and guys coming back from their own lectures and seminars. “I’ll be ready!”

“Great,” Julie smiled as she started on down the hallway and turned back and waved.

As she walked away, Freya had a suspicious feeling. There was something in Julie’s eyes that Freya couldn’t put her finger on… It was as if she wanted something from her, but didn’t dare ask. She shook out her shoulders and told herself to stop being paranoid. Both the girls obviously had trouble making friends, and they had found each other and instantly clicked. Maybe Julie just couldn’t believe her luck that she’d found someone in the craziest dorm on campus who liked spending her evenings more chilled out than girls gone wild. But as she started to get ready and curled her hair, she couldn’t shake the feeling. When Julie came back for her later, she was determined to find out what was going on. She would just have to tread carefully.

Chapter 3

At seven o’clock, Freya re-opened her dorm room door and turned off her mp3 player. The hallways were crammed with people going out for the evening and arranging parties. One of the guys she had met on one of her first days there ducked his head in and asked her if she wanted to go to a kegger with them, but she shook her head and said no thanks.  He shrugged before turning on his heel and going back down the hall. As he turned the corner to head towards the stairs, he did a double take at the short, pretty brunette walking in the opposite direction. Freya instantly recognized Julie and got to her feet and waved before she stepped out into the hall, slamming the door behind her.

“You’re right, it is crazy down here,” Julie laughed as she turned and took in the scene around them. Girls were in six-inch heels and tiny mini-skirts, tottering along the hallway with bottles of vodka in their hands and their lips over plumped with shiny red gloss.

“It’s even worse at three am,” Freya joked as they started down the stairs. “Don’t you see any of this though, I mean, if you’re in 5C?”

“Have you seen where my room is?” Julie looked up at her. “I’m right at the end of a private corridor, part of the perks of being in my family.” She rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Oh?” Freya asked, interested.

“My dad donates a lot to the college,” she said, “so I was kind of given preference over the most private room, which also happens to be the biggest.”

“Lucky!” Freya laughed. “I wish I was out of all of that.”

“Well, you can stay any time,” Julie shrugged.

Freya felt herself blush and smiled. She was embarrassed to have such a crappy room when Julie obviously had their dorm’s equivalent of the penthouse.

As they stepped out into the warm evening air and crossed the quad, Freya realized she hadn’t even asked Julie where they were going.

“Oh, it’s just this little diner on the outskirts of town,” Julie said as she walked briskly in the direction of the parking lot. Freya jogged to keep up with her and felt her mouth drop open as she saw Julie flick her car keys and the flashy red sports car’s lights come to life.

“Is this yours?” she said as she ran her hand down the glistening metal.

“Yeah,” Julie shrugged. “Again, my dad…” She looked embarrassed this time.

They climbed into the car, and Julie started the engine with a loud roar. Freya laughed.

“So did your dad go here or something? How come he donates so much to the college?”

Julie shook her head and cranked up the stereo.

“No,” she began as she reversed and then put the car into drive. “We live close by…” She swung out of the parking lot and onto the main road out of campus.

“How come you live on campus then?” Freya asked, confused.

“I just needed to get away from home,” she shrugged again. “You know, I wanted the full on college experience…”

“Yeah, I get that,” Freya nodded. And she did. Even though she had been nervous and wary about leaving home, she still wanted to do it and feel independent. “But how come you didn’t choose to go away?”

“I like it here,” Julie smiled. “And I’m close to my family.”

“That’s really nice,” Freya said genuinely.

Julie pulled off campus and began down the highway. It was approaching dusk and Freya felt the cold nip at her skin. She was hungry and hoped that wherever they were going wouldn’t take them too long. She was even gladder to have met Julie now that she knew that she was local. It would be great to have a friend who could show her around and take her to all of the spots that she would unlikely find without her.

After a few minutes, Julie began to slow the car and turned off the highway and down a smaller road. The trees loomed above them high overhead and Freya noticed how their leaves hadn’t started to turn yet, even though it was the beginning of fall.

“Here we go,” Julie said as she pulled off the road at a small, old-fashioned diner that looked like something out of the movies.

“This is one of the best places around here,” Julie said confidently. “This is where all the locals come, and it’s like the town’s best kept secret.”

They got out of the car and made their way inside. A bell tinged over their heads as they stepped in, and Julie began waving at people who turned to look at them. A row of men sat high up at the counter next to big slices of pie, all wearing squared off caps and winter vests.

“Hey Julie,” one of the waitresses said as she thrust two menus at them and walked them to a table next to the windows.

“Hey,” Julie smiled and then gestured to Freya. “This is my new friend from college,” she said.

“Nice to meet you,” the waitress grinned before she turned on her heel and went back over to the counter.

“Everyone is so friendly,” Freya remarked as she opened the menu and looked down it. Her mouth was watering and she couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into something delicious.

“I recommend the ribs,” a gruff, deep voice came from behind her, as if whoever it was had read her mind.

Freya spun around to see a tall, muscly man, looking down at her with big, dark eyes.

“Oh God,” Julie rolled her eyes and pouted. “I should have known you’d show up!”

Freya turned to look at Julie as she burst into laughter and waved the man over to her. She stood up and wrapped an arm around him and kissed him on the cheek.

Freya looked up at him. He was incredible, and easily one of the sexiest men she had ever seen in her entire life. He turned to look at her and smiled a wide smile which flashed his perfect teeth. They looked pearly white next to his deeply tanned skin, and Freya found herself biting her lip as her eyes wandered down his thick, muscly forearms that were wiry with hair.

“This is Freya,” Julie grinned, turning the man towards her so he was close enough for Freya to catch the scent of his cologne. He bent down and took her hand in his before raising it to his lips and planting a soft, warm kiss on it.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Freya,” he smiled. “I’m Kellan… Julie’s brother.”

Chapter 4

Freya’s heart was pounding in her chest as she looked up at him. He still had her hand in his and the red hot kiss he’d planted on it was lingering there with a tingle. She felt herself blushing as she realized she couldn’t pull herself away. He smiled and bit his bottom lip.

“Yes,” Julie interrupted their moment. “This is my brother… He’s a pain in the ass, but I love him to death.”

He smiled and stepped closer to Freya so she had to scoot over for him to sit down.

“Don’t mind if I join you, do you, girls!” It was more of a statement than a question, but Freya found herself shaking her head and smiling like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Of course not,” she beamed. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

Julie noticed her enthusiasm and suppressed a grin of her own.

“So how is everything over on campus, Sis?” Kellan asked, “You’re obviously making friends.” He turned and winked at Freya.

“It’s all good,” she smiled. “But we were just saying we’re not really into all this drinking and partying… Thank god we met each other and can just spend our evenings not getting wasted and throwing up out of windows.”

“That’s because you’re classy girls,” Kellan grinned. “Imagine what dad would say if he caught you in that kind of state.”

“Exactly,” Julie nodded. “Our dad’s pretty strict,” she whispered to Freya.

“A bit?” Kellan laughed. “More like obsessively!”

The pair began to delve into a story of how their father had kept them on a tight leash all of their lives and hated the idea of them ever straying too far from home. Freya listened intently and found that she couldn’t take her eyes off Kellan. He must have only been a couple of years older than her, but he seemed so much more mature and he oozed confidence and power.

“He’ll like you though,” Kellan’s voice broke her train of thought. “You’re obviously a good influence on Julie, so I’m sure he’ll love to have you up at the house.”

“Huh?” Freya said as she realized she hadn’t caught a word they were saying.

“He was just saying normally dad doesn’t like any of my friends,” Julie laughed. “But he’ll like you because you’re clearly a nice calming influence.”

“Oh,” Freya laughed, “Yes, of course.” She made a Scout salute and Kellan laughed.

“Well you’ll have to come up and see us,” he nodded as he raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his drink. “In fact, mom and dad are away this weekend and I was thinking about having a few friends over … Nothing wild, don’t worry, good girls.”

“What do you think?” Julie turned to Freya and asked reluctantly.

“I think it would be rude not to,” Freya smiled. There was no way she was missing out on an invitation from someone like Kellan.

“Okay, Bro,” Julie said with a sigh. “We’ll come up to the house this weekend, but the first sign of silly and wild behavior and we’re both leaving, okay?”

“Okayyy,” he yawned and Julie threw a rolled-up napkin at him.

The waitress arrived at the table to take their order, and Freya found herself prickling with sweat. The heat coming from Kellan was intense, and she couldn’t figure out whether it was her attraction to him that was setting off the reaction or it was really coming from him. When he had held her hand, his skin had been hot to the touch…

He shifted on the seat next to her, and his thigh brushed up against hers. On the other side of the table, Julie was smiling as she watched them.

“And for you?” the waitress asked looking down at Freya.

“Go on,” Kellan said as he took the menu from her hands and handed it back to the waitress. “Get the ribs, I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

Okay,” Freya shrugged. “I’ll go for the ribs.”

The waitress wrote it down and went to put the order in. Kellan smiled at Freya and raised his eyebrows.

“A girl who’s not afraid to get her hands dirty, I like it!” he joked.

“Well, I can’t pass up a good recommendation, can I?” she smiled.

Her heart was fluttering in her chest as he flirted with her and made her feel at ease. There was something raw and unique about him that made her feel like he was completely different from anyone else she had ever met.

After they had finished dinner and paid their tab, the three of them walked out to the parking lot and Kellan picked up Julie and gave her a big hug.

“So good to run into you, Sis,” he grinned. He plonked her down on the ground and moved over to Freya.

“And even better to meet you,” he smiled before he leaned in and gave her a gentle peck on the cheek.

Freya blushed as she watched him walk towards his big black truck and climb inside.

“Jeez,” Julie whispered. “How hot for each other are you two?” she joked.

Freya shrugged it off and turned back towards Julie’s car.

“No need to pretend otherwise,” Julie said as she started the engine and grinned at her. “I knew you’d hit it off… that’s one of the reasons I brought you here tonight. I kind of hoped we’d bump into him.”

“Really?” Freya turned to look at her in disbelief. “But he’s your brother… Wouldn’t most girls hate that?”

“Not me,” Julie said as she pulled out of the parking lot. “In fact, the second I met you, I wanted to get to know you because I knew you’d be a good match for Kellan.”

Freya looked at her dumbfounded, like she couldn’t believe her luck.

“Girls like you are hard to find, Freya,” she said. “And I only want the best for my family.”

As they sped down the highway, Freya couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She’d made a new best friend and met an amazing man in the span of one day. So far college was shaping up to be pretty awesome indeed.

Chapter 5

The rest of the week passed by in a blur. Freya spent all of her mornings in classes, her afternoons doing homework and the evenings hanging out with Julie. She would usually get back to find Julie waiting by her door, or there would be a note tacked to it asking her to go and find her as soon as she could.

The first time Freya went down to Julie’s dorm room, she couldn’t believe how different it was from hers. It wasn’t just a little bit bigger and more private, it was like a master suite fit for a queen. Her room was the only one in the hallway, so it was completely separate from the other rooms. Inside it only got better. Julie had a king-size bed, a kitchenette all to herself and an en-suite. Freya had been so confused as to why she had even bothered to go into the communal shower room that morning the two had met, but Julie kept muttering something about having an authentic college experience.

The girls had grown closer over the week, and Freya felt as if she had known Julie her whole life. She had never had a friend she had been so at ease and compatible with. It was like she had been sent to help her start her real life.

As Friday came around and Freya’s classes finished for the day, she walked slowly back to her dorm and noticed the first leaf turning red on an oak tree.

“Hey!” Julie called from behind her. “What time should we leave?”

“Whenever you like,” Freya smiled.

“Seven?” Julie linked her arm with hers and the two walked towards the front steps to their building.

“Sounds good.”

“Great,” Julie dropped her arm and skipped on ahead. “I better dash—I’ve got a million things to do beforehand. Don’t forget to dress up,” she winked. “Kellan will be there, remember!”

Freya felt a knot in her stomach but couldn’t keep the grin from her face.

“He’s hot for you,” Julie said over her shoulder as she reached the top of the steps. “And quite frankly, I’d love to have you as a sister-in-law.”

“Wow, jumping ahead there a bit, aren’t we?” Freya laughed.

“Nope,” Julie winked. “Anyway, catch you later.” She blew Freya a kiss and disappeared up the stairs.

Freya looked at her watch and realized it was five-thirty. She was going to have to get a move on too.

***

As Julie sped down the winding woodland roads, Freya’s nerves were mounting. She knew she was about to see Kellan again, and she couldn’t shake what Julie had said earlier. What if he was really serious about her? What if Julie had handpicked her for him? They approached a bend in the road and Julie slowed.

“We’re just up here over this rise,” she said, dimming the lights and turning off the main road and onto smaller lane that went up a hill. They were close and Freya could sense it—she could feel him near her. The feeling she got when he was around was so strange. It was as if they could smell each other and a wild instinct was pulling her to him.

“Here we are,” Julie said as they rounded a corner and the most incredible house loomed up out of the trees. A star-scattered sky swept out behind it, emphasizing its grandeur.

“Wow,” Freya gasped. “This is amazing.”

The house was more than a mansion. It was a full-on sprawling country estate hidden there in the trees. The private road they had been traveling on led to a huge set of wrought iron gates with stone statues or big, menacing bears on either side. Julie leant out of the driver’s window and pushed a code into the security keypad before the gates beeped and began to open. Freya had never seen a house like it. It was so secluded and protected. It was as if they didn’t want anyone in the world to know they were there, or risk them being discovered.

“What’s with all the security?” Freya asked.

“Like I said,” Julie shrugged, “My dad’s pretty strict.”

***

When they reached the top of the hill and Julie stopped the car, Freya almost didn’t dare get out. She felt intimidated, but she was also desperate to see Kellan. She looked up at the tall wooden double doors flanked by columns and one of them slowly opened and Kellan stepped outside.

“Welcome,” he called to her as he held his arms out with his palms upturned to the sky.

“Come on,” Julie whispered. “He’s excited to see you, I can tell.”

Kellan wrapped his arm around Freya and kissed her on the cheek. She couldn’t help but blush as her nerves crept back up inside of her. He was even more attractive than she remembered. He hooked his arm with hers as Julie had done earlier in the day and led her into the great entrance hall of their impressive home.

“I’m so glad you came,” Kellan said as Julie wandered off down a hallway behind them. “I’ve done nothing but think about you since I met you in the diner.”

Freya’s heart began to race. “Really?” she stammered.

“Yes,” he smiled, his brown eyes were warm and inviting and she suddenly became aware of the heat that rose from him again. It was intoxicating and pulled her in.

“Come on,” he said as he put an arm around her and guided her down the hall. “Let’s go and find the others.”

Chapter 6

They walked through the winding hallways and Freya found herself trying to catch glimpses of the art on the walls. The whole house was so opulent and dramatic, she couldn’t believe that her easy-going friend had a background like this, or that Kellan seemed totally besotted with her… She was just an ordinary girl, from an ordinary family… and here she was with Julie and Kellan, two people so interesting and removed from her own world that it was almost bewildering.

“Everyone’s outside,” Kellan said as he led her through a kitchen that could easily have been bigger than the entire bottom floor of her parent’s house. It was all marble and the ceilings were high with three massive chandeliers swinging from them. On the opposite side of the kitchen were two big double doors that opened to an outside terrace. A fire pit raged in the middle and all around it were big comfy couches and tiki torches. Julie was draped across one of the couches and two guys drinking beers were on another.

“Guys,” Kellan called as he led her out to them. “I’d like you to meet Freya. Freya this is Joe and Max.”

The two other boys got to their feet and came to shake Freya’s hand. She smiled meekly and greeted them before looking down at Julie and giving her the look that meant she wanted to talk to her. Julie smiled and looked away as if she was ignoring her request on purpose. She was definitely up to something and although Freya wanted to shout to her and ask, she couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She couldn’t believe her luck to be there at the incredible house with such a lovely group of people.

Kellan motioned for her to sit on one of the couches and Freya took up his offer and made herself comfortable. He sat next to her and slipped his arm discreetly along the back, around her shoulder.

“So,” Joe said, “how did you have the pleasure of meeting these two, Freya?”

“We go to college together,” Julie answered for her. “We met in our dorm’s communal bathroom,” she laughed.

“Yeah, and we just clicked straight away,” Freya added.

“And I had the pleasure of bumping into them both at the diner the other night and said Freya would have to come over and see us here at the house.”

“And I’m glad I came,” she smiled as she turned to Kellan and their eyes met.

Max and Joe got up and picked up a soccer ball. They jumped over the wall of the terrace and went down onto the perfectly manicured and sprawling gardens. As they kicked it and messed around, Julie leaned up on her elbows and whispered, “They’re pretty juvenile, but they’re harmless.”

“How do you know them?” Freya asked.

“Old family friends,” Kellan answered.

“Okay, guys,” Julie said as she got to her feet, “I’m going to head up to my room and root through a few things that I want to take back with me… I’ll leave you two to get better acquainted.” She raised an eyebrow and winked. As she walked past Freya, she squeezed her shoulder lightly and Kellan gave a low laugh and ran a hand through his hair.

Freya’s heart was pounding, and she was so nervous she didn’t know where to look. Kellan’s arm was still around her shoulder, and she could feel his heat oozing into her. She felt so safe in his arms.

The tension between them was mounting, and she could sense his eyes on her. She wanted to turn to look at him but knew that if she did, he would either kiss her or break her heart. She stared dead ahead and noticed another statue of a big grizzly bear in the trees.

“Your family like bears,” she whispered.

“Something like that,” Kellan said softly as he swept a strand of hair away from her eye.

Unable to stand it any longer, Freya turned to look at him and their eyes locked. It was as if she had known him forever and they had an unbreakable bond. It had come out of nowhere, and it was shocking her to the very core, but she knew that there was something between them that was bigger than anything she had ever experienced in her life.

“Freya,” he whispered. “How much did Julie tell you about me?” He was twisting her hair around his finger and staring at her deep in the eyes.

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused.

“I mean, did she talk at all about our family?” he asked, moving closer to her.

“Not really,” Freya cast her mind back and tried to remember their conversations. When she thought about it properly, Julie hadn’t really told her much about her life with her family at all. Except that their father was strict and generous with the money.

“I’d love to tell you about us,” he said. “But I’m worried it will change things.”

“Change things?” Freya asked as she shuffled closer to him. “I don’t think anything could make me feel any different about you guys. I love Julie like a sister and it’s only been a week,” she let out a loud laugh and so did Kellan.

“Let’s go for a walk,” he said as he got to his feet and held out his hand for her to take. She slipped her palm into his and he pulled her up to meet him. Their chests bumped up against one another and Freya resisted the urge to wrap her arms around him and kiss him. The tension between them was too perfect, and she didn’t yet want to break it. She liked the feeling of not knowing.

Kellan walked down the stone staircase into the gardens, and Freya held onto his arm as she walked with him. She looked back over her shoulder at the house and as the lights were turning on and lighting it up, she really couldn’t believe how amazing it all looked.

“This house is unbelievable,” she sighed. “It must be incredible living here.”

“It has its moments,” Kellan smiled coyly. “It gets lonely though… Especially now Dad’s gone.”

“Gone?” Freya asked as she looked up at him.

“Yes,” he said as if he was about to confess something. “Dad died last year. Since then it’s just been me and Julie here, until she went off to college two weeks ago.”

“But…” Freya began, “you said your parents were away for the weekend?”

Kellan smiled as if he was recalling a fond memory and squeezed her hand.

“Yeah, that’s kind of a game Julie and I play… takes us back to our childhood, I suppose… Makes us feel less abandoned.”

“And your mother?”

“She died when Julie was ten and I was twelve.”

“Wow,” Freya said, “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Kellan said, more upbeat. “It’s just life… We’re doing okay now and we have each other.”

Freya looked up at him again, uncertain of what to say. She had no idea that they had been through such traumas. She had assumed they were so lucky and privileged that life must have just been easy for them.

“That’s why Julie didn’t go far for college,” he said. “She wanted to stay close by, help me with the house and things.”

“Yes,” Freya said. “That makes sense.”

He smiled and stopped walking. Because of the conversation, she hadn’t realized that they were now in the middle of a forest. She looked around at the tall, high trees and at the moon rising high in the sky.

“It’s lovely here,” she said. “I’d love to live out somewhere so quiet and peaceful… Did Julie tell you about my dorm room? Officially the worst in history.” She was babbling to stop herself from looking at him. They were facing each other, and he was running a hand through her hair.

“Shh,” he whispered with a light laugh.

She looked up and her eyes met his. They glinted in the twilight, and Freya couldn’t look away.

“Kellan,” she began but he shushed her again gently.

He leaned forward and kissed her powerfully on the mouth. He wrapped his big, manly arms around her and pulled her closer to him. His tongue slipped against hers and his heat filled her completely. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been kissed—it had been so long. And the feeling of being in a man’s arms was so warm and loving, she never wanted it to end.

Kellan ran a hand up the small of her back and squeezed her gently. The stubble on his chin was rough and wiry. Freya couldn’t help the smile creeping over her face.

“You’re so different,” he whispered. “When Julie said she’d found you I couldn’t believe it.”

“What do you mean?” Freya asked him as she opened her eyes and saw his again, boring into hers.

“I need you Freya,” he said seriously. “You’re perfect and I need you more than you could ever imagine…”

Chapter 7

He was holding her tight, as if he would never let her go. Freya looked up into his big, honest eyes and could sense the urgency. It was as if this moment was always supposed to happen. The stars had aligned to make it perfect for them, there in the woods, at that particular moment in time.

“Tell me,” she whispered. “What’s happening?”

They were in the center of a clearing and Kellan sat down on a large rock and sighed. Freya rushed to him and bent down. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“I want to tell you, but I don’t know what you’ll think of me… Of us…” he said.

“Tell me,” she said again as she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

Kellan sucked in some air and his eyes found hers. “Okay,” he began, “here goes…”

Freya sat down next to him and Kellan wrapped her hand in his.

“When Julie found you,” he said, “it was for me…” He paused and shook his head as if he couldn’t continue, but Freya nudged him and he nodded and continued.

“I need you Freya. You’re the perfect woman to continue my family’s legacy with… I know it sounds crazy, but we are a dying breed and I need someone like you, someone beautiful and strong to carry my child.”

Freya’s mouth dropped open. Of all the things she had been expecting to hear, that was not one of them.

“I…I…” she stammered, but Kellan continued.

“Julie knew you were the one, and the second I met you, so did I,” he said. “I know it sounds crazy. I never thought it would happen this way either, but you can’t deny what we have… There’s something between us. It was there instantly, and it’s only getting stronger.”

He took hold of her face and shivers of lust ran up her spine.

“Give yourself to me, Freya, and you’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted. We will be a family, we’ll be united, and all of this will be yours.”

“But I’m at college,” she stammered.

“And you can still finish,” he said. “I inherited this house and all of my parent’s fortune. I have more than enough money to keep you, support you and help you finish your studies if you give me a cub.”

“A what?” Freya said with disbelief.

“A cub,” he said again as he stroked her cheek. “Give me the heir I need, help me continue my family’s dynasty and you will be forever rewarded.”

Her whole skin was prickling and suddenly things all began to make sense. The statues of bears dotted around the estate, his gruffness and the heat that oozed from his pores. Kellan was a shifter and he needed to breed before his family line was extinguished. Freya looked up at the man in front of her and knew that she wanted nothing more than to help him. She loved him, and she loved Julie. He was right: In the short time they had known each other, their connection had been forged and was intensifying with each second they spent together.

She already couldn’t imagine her life without them… Could she be the one to help them in the way they needed?

As she looked up to the sky, she saw the moon was rising above the tops of the trees. It was full and casting silvery light all around them. Kellan’s eyes were growing darker and wider, and Freya could sense the change in him.  He was turning.

“I want you so bad,” he said as he kissed her again. “I’ve never wanted anyone as much in my entire life. You’re my one true mate.”

Freya felt a knot of fear and lust in her belly and a wetness between her legs. She was aching for him and knew that she wanted to give herself to him, but she was so nervous, she was afraid to let go.

“You’re a virgin,” he whispered. “I can tell.”

Freya blushed and nodded. She could see the bulge in his pants getting bigger, and it was turning her on so much she could barely control herself.

“I can only breed with a virgin,” he looked at her dead in the eyes again before he kissed her and led her back onto the rocks.

Freya wrapped her legs around him and let him pin her hands back high above her. He ran his hands up her side and cupped her big, bountiful breasts before kissing up the side of her neck. His touch was electric and as the passion flowed through him, the more animalistic he became.

The moon was directly over them and as he slipped Freya’s panties down and released his impressive manhood, a wave of power rolled over him as he tore out of his skin and into the great hulking beast in front of her. As he penetrated her for the first time, Freya screamed with pleasure and delight. She had never had a man inside of her before, never mind one as powerful as Kellan. As he shifted into his bear form, he continued to ravage her and thrust himself in and out of her. The feeling of fur against her skin was divine and as he ravished her soft and curvy body, his strokes became more intense and passionate.

Freya was on the verge of release, and she gripped him with her legs and moaned as his huge cock pounded her. As he fucked her, he grunted hard and fast and began cumming in a hot and powerful wave. He shot his load right up inside of her and Freya could feel it hitting her inside walls. She gasped as her own orgasm thundered through her. She was being taken by the bear and it was the most intense and amazing experience of her entire life.

As he emptied himself inside of her and they became one, she knew instantly that she would be his forever. Kellan had claimed her, and she was going to give him cubs. She could already feel the magic happening inside of her, and she nuzzled into him and breathed in the scent of his sweat and sex.

“I love you,” Kellan panted as he withdrew and his fur gave way to his human form. His strong and hulking frame was in front of her, his muscles glistening in the moonlight.

“I love you, too,” she smiled.

***

They walked back up to the house arm in arm, their passion strong and overflowing. There was no way Julie wouldn’t be able to tell the second she saw them that her plan had worked. As they emerged from the woods and Freya looked up at the amazing house, she couldn’t believe that it was about to become her home. She had fallen on her feet, taken in by an incredible family and made into one of their own… and now they were going to have a baby. It all seemed so surreal.

Julie stood up on the terrace as she saw them approaching and clapped her hands together excitedly.

“You two look amazing together,” she beamed. “I just knew the second I saw you that you were Kellan’s mate.”

Freya nuzzled into him again, and he wrapped his arm around her tightly.

“You did good, Sis,” he smiled. “And you’ll soon be an aunty so you better get practicing your babysitting skills.”

Julie squealed with glee and jumped on the spot.

“A cub for us,” she smiled. She rushed forward and hugged Freya. “You have no idea how much this means to us all.”

Freya nodded and smiled. She had no idea how, but she really did understand. This was her fate and she was welcoming it with open arms.

“This calls for a celebration,” Freya said as she looked up at Julie and Kellan.

Joe and Max came out of the house with a bottle of alcohol-free champagne and Max popped the cork. They all sat around the fire pit and chinked glasses as they looked up at the moon and watched the fireflies. It was such a beautiful night and the start of an incredible journey.

Freya looked up at Kellan and smiled. She was finally home.

THE END

Marked as the Alpha’s Mate

Pamela Avery

Copyright ©2015 by Pamela Avery. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

PROLOGUE

2012

Lisa Fuller jogged, her strides lengthening along the path in time to the music blaring over her earphones. She had decided to take the scenic route today, jogging down the forest path that was least popular among most joggers in Fidelity, Philadelphia.

It was quite early in the morning and the air was dewy, fresh, and invigorating. The smell of fresh pines tantalized her nostrils and she inhaled deeply as her feet pounded along the path. Her red hair was done up in a simple bun atop her head and she was clad in a skin-fitting exercise outfit that accentuated the generous curves of her waist and hips.

A noise like thunder rumbled overhead and she almost lost her footing as she looked around in amazement. It was still a bit too dark to tell but the skies didn’t seem to be cloudy. With a shrug, she resumed her jogging, humming in time to the music as a slight wind began to rustle the leaves of the trees lining the forest path. Lisa picked up her pace a little, almost running now.

She had gone almost a half mile along the forest path when she suddenly got the unmistakable feeling of being watched. Her eyes widened with irrepressible panic as she scanned the tall pine trees on either side of the path, extending in every direction as far as the eye could see. She saw no one. Fear coursed through her veins and almost automatically she started running, her breath burning in her lungs as she ran faster than she had ever run before.

Then she saw him. A huge, brown, absolutely beautiful, and deadly, bear with chestnut brown fur with flecks of gold. Its teeth were bared as it raced towards her. She almost froze in her terror. She couldn’t remember … are you supposed to freeze when you see a bear, or play dead, or run? While she tried to figure it out, he kept coming right at her in long lopping strides.

Raw fear clotted her blood in her veins and adrenaline burst through her in a rush as her terror took over and she faced forward and chose the “run away” option. He caught up to her effortlessly, his large paws closing about her waist as he lifted her in his great big paws and roared loud enough to wake the dead. She didn’t have to speak bear to recognize a roar of triumph when she heard it. His scent assailed her nostrils, surprisingly clean and nice. There was something strange about this bear. Why wasn’t she dead already? Her eyes fastened in fascinated horror on the pink inside of his mouth as he roared anew. The sound so loud she was almost afraid it would break her ear drums. Goosebumps erupted all over her hands and sweat poured down her body in rivulets. His paw encircled her entire waist effortlessly as he held her closer to his face and studied her.

Then things got even stranger as some deep survival instinct took over. This was a wild animal, but there was something different about it. There was an intelligence behind its eyes. Rather than scream she chose to speak.

“Please, please,” she panted, barely breathing through her fear. “Please don’t. I have little kids depending on me! Please don’t kill me!”

She was talking to a bear, her subconscious screamed. But even knowing that it couldn’t understand a word of what she was saying – or at least shouldn’t be able to, didn’t deter her as she continued to cry and plead for her life. Every nerve in Lisa’s body strained to breaking point as the beast kept her on level with its shiny white teeth, the size of small tusks.

Lisa struggled weakly in its arms, tears coursing down her cheeks as the animal stopped roaring long enough to look right at her out of strangely beautiful grey eyes flecked with bits of golden color. The animal seemed to freeze as it looked into her clear turquoise eyes. It blinked its great big eyes as though in confusion and Lisa wished desperately that she had a gun or tranquilizer.

The bear shook her slightly staring at her as though in wonder and she screamed anew. Then it extended one paw and  unbelievably  stroked her cheek gently. Lisa’s eyes widened in terror; was that the signal to begin eating her?

The beast made a low sound deep in its throat, its pale gaze fastened on hers. They stared at each other for a while and then with a grunt, it gently, almost reverently, with a deftness she did not think a bear could possess, placed her on her feet back onto the ground.

Lisa stared up at the immense bear, almost afraid to believe this was happening. The beast, as though understanding her disbelief, poked her slightly with one claw on its paw. She jerked backwards, almost falling over. Then with one last glance back at it, she turned and began to run, expecting every second to hear its feet thundering after her and the large furry paws closing around her neck again.

But with every step that took her farther away, the bear just stood watching her, an almost wistful expression on its face.

It let her go.

She ran for all she was worth, gasping as she stumbled and fell. Her alarmed gaze flew over her shoulder again and then widened in disbelief; the bear was gone! In its place, she saw a naked man walking away.

He turned for one last glance over his shoulder, the distance masking his features, and then he himself disappear. She fainted on the spot in mid-stride.

CHAPTER ONE

2015

Lisa Fuller grinned down at three-year old Emily, sharing the little girl’s happy laughter as they both threw more bread down to the swans floating around in the pond.

Emily was a little girl with a tangled mop of blonde hair, deep-set dimples, and the bluest pair of eyes she had ever seen on anyone. Emily had the sweetest smile possible and whenever she grinned at Lisa it felt as though all was immediately right with the world. You wouldn’t know it to look at her but she had known so much tragedy in her short life it was a wonder she even knew how to smile. Children really were resilient, Lisa decided.

“Lisa?” Emily chirped, in her little girl voice.

“Yes hon?” Lisa said, tossing a particularly large piece of bread to a giant swan at the far end of the pond.

“Who’s that man over there?”

“What man?”

“Over there. He’s been staring at us,” Emily said, pointing in the direction of another bench with the typical innocence of children.

“What man?” Lisa repeated craning her neck. In today’s world, a staring stranger could spell more danger than a rabid dog. “Stop pointing Emily,” she scolded gently as she finally saw the man who had caught the girl’s attention.

He was at least five-eight, slim with straggly strands of greasy black hair that fell all over his face and sunken cheekbones and hungry eyes that spelled ‘addict’. Lisa swallowed, her hands knotting together in her lap as a slight tendril of fear worked its way down her spine.

His gaze shifted imperceptibly to Emily and Lisa jerked to her feet immediately. She clutched the girl’s hand in a protective grasp as she turned and began to walk away.

The man followed immediately, a nasty grin on his face. Lisa quickened her steps automatically; so preoccupied with getting them both away from the man that she didn’t realize they had wandered into an almost deserted section of the park.

“Are we playing a game Lisa?” Emily chirped conspiratorially, her cheeks shining with good health.

“Yes sweetie. We need to walk as fast as possible so that that man can’t catch us.”

“So why don’t we just run?” Emily suggested happily, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Lisa tried not to roll her eyes. Emily had only one speed; run! But on occasion, running was just what the doctor ordered. She bent a little at the waist as they walked and leaned down towards the little girl.

“Okay listen Emily, when I say ‘run’ I need you to run and hide okay? You remember where Coby hid the last time we were all here and no one could find him?” Emily nodded, her pigtails bouncing. “Okay sweetie. Run!” Lisa whispered to Emily and the little girl took off like a light.

Lisa also began to run, risking a quick glance over her shoulder. The man had also begun to run after her, his gaze trained on her. It wasn’t Emily he wanted then, she thought with relief as she picked up her pace, running in an almost opposite direction to lead him away from the little girl.

The man was closing in on her now. In fact he was so close his rank smell hit her nostrils almost choking her.

Just as the stranger was about to grab her from behind, someone dived at him and tackled him to the ground. Lisa slowed, unable to believe her eyes as the new man punched her pursuer right in the face, then flipped him effortlessly and tied his hands behind him with a trip of wire. She had never seen anyone move so fast in her entire life.

The cops showed up almost immediately and carted the man away. As he left, he spat contemptuously in Lisa’s direction, hatred burning in his eyes.

Lisa drew back, alarmed. What had she ever done to the man? She was certain she didn’t know him.

“Ex-boyfriend?” someone asked casually from behind her. She whirled; it was the man who had saved her. He stood about six feet away, his hands in his pockets as he stared after the police car.

He had to be thirty if he was a day, with chestnut brown hair with flecks of gold in it, a long aristocratic nose, thick-set eyebrows that gave his face character, a firm jaw and a wide, mobile mouth. He stared straight at her, with grey eyes that seemed strangely familiar; she felt an insanely magnetic pull.

She looked away immediately, her eyes scanning the park for Emily. She spotted the girl peeping from behind a hedge and beckoned at her. Emily came out from behind her hiding place and raced towards Lisa.

The man stood at an impressive height of six-one.  His strange grey eyes trained on her face. He seemed vaguely familiar too.

He was insanely handsome, she realized with every step that brought him closer to her.  A faint blush stained her cheeks and she looked away, placing a protective hand across Emily’s shoulders as the girl reached her.

“Hello,” he said in a decidedly masculine voice.

He didn’t have any particular accent she noted but his features hinted at some exotic heritage like Greek or Italian.

“Hi. Thank you so much for saving us.”

“My pleasure,” he said with a shrug.

Lisa nodded. Now that he was even closer, she could see that he had the most beautiful pair of grey eyes she had ever seen, flecked with little bits of gold color. They seemed familiar but she was willing to bet she had never seen anybody with such beautiful eyes that made one want to stare into them forever.

A strange sensation niggled through her. An unbearable sense of familiarity.

“Should I know you?” she asked unthinkingly, cocking her head to the side.

“Excuse me?” he asked, tensing.

“I don’t mean to embarrass you or something but your eyes… Have we met?”

His eyes roved over her face as though memorizing every feature, then he seemed to collect himself, “I’m sure I would have remembered.”

His eyes trailed to Emily and he nodded towards her, “She yours?”

“Not in a biological sense,” she said.

“Oh?” his eyes held hers.

“I run an NGO.”

“Really? With a special focus on kids?”

“I really can’t say much else,” she said, inclining her head slightly towards Emily.

She saw his grey eyes flicker over her riotous mane of vibrant red hair, her slightly rounded cheeks, her puckered red lips, her breasts which were so large she sometimes felt embarrassed, her broad, generous hips. She had always been a buxom woman. To her mortification, Lisa felt her nipples bead into hard points beneath her shirt.

Something passed in his eyes and he stepped back imperceptibly as he said, “Of course. Have a good evening Miss…?”

“Fuller. Lisa Fuller.”

“Of course ma’am. I hope you won’t have any more trouble,” he said and turned and strode away without offering his name.

“Thank you,” she yelled after him again. He responded with a slight wave over his shoulder, but he didn’t turn around again.

“What did the strange man want Lisa?” Emily piped up.

“I’m not entirely sure honey,” Lisa replied as she shepherded the girl back to the orphanage.

What had made that man chase after her? He had seemed to hate her even though she was fairly certain she had never met him in her entire life. And the other man had seemed so familiar and he had also seemed to know who she was.

She flushed as she remembered how incredibly hot he was. She fanned herself with her hand as she blushed some more.

Really Lisa, stop blushing over a man you would probably never see again, her subconscious chided.

CHAPTER TWO

Raven Kindersley sank onto the edge of his bed, unable to still the slight tremors in his limbs as he flashed back to the woman he had seen in the park. She had really luxurious, curly red hair that hung all the way to her waist; beautiful, even, white teeth that flashed every time she spoke, a face a man could stare at all day and a voluptuous body straight out of his naughtiest fantasies. The most unsettling part was that he already knew this sexy, intoxicating, absolutely tantalizing woman.

He knew who she was alright. He had been watching over her for years but this was the first time he had shown himself to her in his human form. He had met her all those years ago as a werebear and known instantly that she was his mate. She carried his mark too, even though she didn’t know it. He knew it was that mark that had attracted Ramsey to her in the park.

He rubbed his hand tiredly over his face as he tugged on his tuxedo. Now she had seen him he had to stay in her orbit. It was the surest way to protect her, even if he could never have her. Once the others knew his mate was human, they would strike. Plus, he was afraid of hurting her. She was so small, she would fit him like a glove.

His blood stirred hotly in his loins and he felt his dick prod the zipper of his pants. He was so turned on he could actually feel his hands trembling in reaction. His veins began to bulge, his pupils dilated, fur appeared around his body until it erupted all over him and his hands and legs stretched further away from his body, lengthening painfully.

He knocked back a big glass of whiskey and waited for the reaction to fade. Nothing worked. It had started and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Hastily, he tore off his bow-tie and tux and raced towards the back of the house, only managing to clear the pool area before, with a mighty roar, he turned into a large werebear. His powerful hands shoved away the small gate at the back before he bounded away into the valley behind his house.

He had chosen this house with care. It was the only house for miles and it opened up into a thick dense forest which was his favorite place to go whenever he turned.

He roamed the thick, dense forest roaring loud enough to wake the dead. He lost all sense of reasoning, prowling through the forest in search of prey. The entire night became silent, the forest absorbing his roars as he prowled mindlessly through it until the last trace of passion fueling his transfiguration faded from his veins.

He finally came to, lying naked beneath a large oak tree.

He groaned as he rose creakily to his feet He was due at a charity function and he knew Lisa would be there. He had chosen to attend the function deliberately even before they’d met at the park. Tonight had been his night to meet her in person. There was no help for it, he would simply arrive late.

***

Raven Kindersley was late! Lisa had never met the man, but he was the guest of honor.  Heck, the entire charity ball was his idea. Lisa searched her memory for what she had heard about the guy but all she came up with was, ‘business shark’.

It seemed to her that a person who was a shark would be time conscious. Perhaps he had had a change of heart? Panic knotted her insides as she thought of this. Most people here had come because they had heard that a deep pocket like Kindersley was going to be there too. Heck the ball had been named for him!

What if he stood them up? More panic coursed through her and her palms began to sweat. She unobtrusively moved closer to an air vent, plastering a smile onto her face as she greeted the next person.

“Lisa? There’s someone I think you have been dying to meet,” Melissa Stilwell, Raven’s PA said in a sing-song voice.

He was here then. Lisa turned around, a practiced smile on her face. She froze immediately she caught sight of the man towering over Melissa; that was the guy from the park!

She saw the brief flash of recognition in his eyes right before he smiled at her and damn near stopped her heart. He was an extremely attractive man but when he smiled like that he was downright dangerous. If she had thought he was handsome before, when he smiled he was an absolute knockout.

She swallowed nervously as he stretched out a hand, “Miss Fuller? A singular honor.”

“You have the advantage of me. I believe we met earlier today at the park. Thank you again Mr…?”

“Kindersley,” he said as he took her hand in a surprisingly gentle grasp for such a large man. “Raven Kindersley.”

A jolt of electricity shot through her from their joined hands and she jumped, before nervously withdrawing her palm from his grasp. Her surprised gaze met his and she couldn’t help noting he didn’t look a bit surprised as he gazed steadily back at her.

A faint blush stained her cheeks as she grinned up at him, “Mr Kindersley. Can I just say how honored we are at Forwardaid for your kind donations. The children have benefitted greatly. Melissa mentioned something about an idea you were proposing for Forwardaid?”

His strange grey eyes roved over her features, touching slightly on her mouth before moving down the rest of her body. She was dressed in a long, purple-colored elegant gown. The halter neck of the gown revealed the smooth skin of her neck and shoulders in a tantalizing expanse of flesh that made him clench his fists in his pants pockets as he strove for control. Her lips were ruby-red and slightly puckered as she smiled at him. Her breasts were so big he was certain she had to be at least a 38D. She was a big woman, but she was so damn sexy it was all he could do to keep his hands away from her. Her ass swelled invitingly beneath the smooth silk of her dress; he got hard just looking at it. His first instinct was to ravish her, right there. But he couldn’t do that to her. She deserved candles and flowers and romance. He couldn’t just pounce on her and start rutting!

If the glances coming their way were any indication, he wasn’t the only one who thought she was sexy as hell, he noted jealously.

“It’s my pleasure ma’am,” he assured her smoothly as he offered her his arm and guided her to their seats.

There were many events lined up including auctions, charity fashion shows, awards; but all through the night, Lisa was completely aware of the handsome debonair man sitting beside her. Power clung to him like a second skin but he was also gracious, polite and unfailingly courteous even to waiters. He was a perfect gentleman, she decided.

Every last nerve in her body was on high alert. She was so attuned to him that by the end of the night she was tired, deliciously so. She felt invigorated though, every last one of her senses on high alert as she smiled at every one and studiously avoided the piercing grey gaze of the silent, powerful man beside her.

She stumbled to her feet, aware that a few strands of her hair were escaping her elegant coiffure as she finally steeled herself to face him and bid him good night. His gaze clashed with hers, filled with such heat and unexpected passion that she gasped aloud.

“Miss Fuller, would you care to join me for a late glass of champagne to celebrate the success of this night and the possibility of future collaborations?”

Well how could she refuse when he put it like that?

“I don’t have much of a head for champagne,” she said weakly.

“Coffee then,” he murmured, smiling disarmingly at her as he proffered his arm.

A hot blush stained her cheeks and she ducked her head in embarrassment. She had never been one to blush, not since high school anyway. And suddenly she was blushing like a schoolgirl? He also seemed like someone she should remember, but from where?

She let him guide her towards the coat area and as she was picking up her coat, he went outside, apparently to make certain the car was being brought around.

Melissa appeared at her elbow, her voice breathless with excitement as she whispered, “You seem to be getting along famously with Raven.”

Lisa fought down another wave of blushes as she said noncommittally, “He seems easy to get along with.”

“Oh I think it’s more than that. No one has ever seen him pay any woman more than a passing attention. Heck I was even thinking he was gay or something. But since he clapped eyes on you, he hasn’t taken them off. The entire show he kept watching you with such hungry”

Melissa cut herself short, and then threw a quick glance at a spot over Lisa shoulder before she said, “Pardon me.”

Lisa didn’t have to turn around to know Raven was heading towards her. Every last hair on her neck stood on high alert. The effect he had on her!

“Ready to go?” his deep voice said at her elbow and she turned to face him with a practiced smile that faltered a little when he smiled back at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges. He was so handsome she wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t seen him for herself.

CHAPTER THREE

Lisa nervously bit down on her lip as Raven pulled into the garage of his house which had turned out to be a mansion set on a huge sprawling estate that had to be the stuff of fantasies.

She was also acutely aware that she must seem painfully gauche and naïve to him as she openly stared around at the opulence of her surroundings. The silence was eerie; a huge mansion like this was like something made for the Dukes and lords of the Victorian ages to be filled with at least a thousand house guests.

It was completely empty, not a soul in sight, she noted with a shiver. God what if there was something wrong with him? How well did she know him? He could be a serial killer for all she knew.

“Are you alright? You seem cold,” he observed.

“Nah,” she said with a nervous laugh as he guided her into the biggest living room she had ever clapped eyes on.

He stared at her silently for a beat and then his grey eyes held hers with open honesty as he said, “You’re safe here. If you will believe nothing else, believe that. You have nothing to fear from me,” he assured her.

She swallowed. Now he could read thoughts? Awesome!

The kitchen area was well-lit and she watched as he made preparations for coffee, his hands sure and steady. He certainly knew his way around a kitchen which was surprising given how rich he was. He could probably afford to hire a million cooks!

“I gave them the week off,” he said, his back to her.

Lisa stared at the back of his head. He really could read minds, she decided.

She plucked a strawberry off the fruit bowl in the centre of the table, her eyes trained on Raven as she asked, “So, why did you bring me here?”

He turned to face her and whatever he had been going to say died on his lips, his silver gaze arrested on her lips and the strawberry fruit poking tantalizingly between them. She gulped when she noticed him watching her and flicked out the tip of her pink tongue to lick her lips and the juice of the succulent fruit. It was the singular most erotic thing he had ever witnessed and the top of his head almost came off, even as his dick pressed all the more insistently against his fly.

He growled, barely aware that he was moving as he crossed the space between them in one rapid stride and hauled her into his arms as his lips descended.

His tongue delved passionately into her mouth, sending tendrils of pleasure shooting through her as his hands grabbed her fleshy behind, digging erotically into the soft flesh. He caressed her buttocks, stroking and patting, before moving one hand around to cup her breast.

Lisa moaned, opening her mouth to stroke Raven’s tongue with hers. He tasted of peppermint and chocolate all at once; he tasted like all her fantasies come to life. Her small hands encircled the back of his neck and she stroked through his thick, rich mane of hair as he deepened the kiss.

His arousal swelled insistently, making him so hard he actually hurt.

Raven grunted as he licked her lips before stroking them with his tongue too. His mouth left hers to wander down her neck sending shafts of pleasure down her spine.

Lisa gasped and clung harder to him, her pulse racing as he drove her wild with his mouth. Her hand trailed down to stroke his hard, jutting manhood and she felt a delicious thrill of feminine apprehension. He was so very huge! Would he fit into her like that?

Suddenly, he growled against her lips; a distinctly unnatural sound and then he tore free of her and wrenched his lips from hers, his chest heaving with the force of his breaths.

“Raven?” she said warily.

His teeth were clenched, his palms fisted, every vein on his neck stood out in stark relief as he visibly strove for control.

“Are you alright?” she asked, laying a hesitant hand on his strongly corded biceps.

Sweat poured from him in torrents as his breath hissed out from between his teeth. He seemed to be in pain, she observed in confusion.

“Was it something I did?” Lisa asked, close to tears now as she watched him. She was repulsive! She was so fat and repulsive that just kissing her had almost sent the guy into a seizure; and not in a good way.

“Raven” she began, laying a hand on his chest.

His eyes flew open. His pupils were dilated so much they seemed almost like tiny pinpricks in the middle of his eyes.

“Get out!” he spat, his face contorted in what she thought of as contempt.

Raven was fighting hard to hold in the beast, that wild, untamed part of him that her kisses had unearthed. But he couldn’t very well tell her that.

Her spine straightened in affront, “Can I at least call a cab? Your place is in the middle of no”

He tossed the keys to his car at her, cutting her short, “Get out Lisa. Now! Just go!”

With one last glare at him, Lisa turned on her heel and unhurriedly strode through his front door and out of his life.

She didn’t let the tears fall until she had managed to gain the sanctuary of her bed. Then she opened the floodgates and cried.

She cried for herself; how could she have been stupid enough to think a man like that would want her. She cried for him; how could he have been so mean after leading her to believe he was nice? She cried for herself some more; no one could ever really love her as she was.

She rose to stare at her reflection in the mirror. She was overweight, she thought, curling her lips contemptuously. She was curvy and beautiful, she knew, but sometimes she wished she could shed some weight. She hadn’t jogged since the last time she had run into that beast on the trail.

A cold finger of fear pressed down her back; why was she thinking of that now? She had buried that thought and pretended it never happened.

She stared at her reflection one more time. It really wouldn’t do to pretend she was happy with her weight. Perhaps it was time to start working out again, she thought.

With a sigh, she flopped onto her bed again and slowly drifted off to sleep even as silent tears leaked from the corners of her eyes at the thought of a tall, handsome man with silver eyes with flecks of gold in them.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Lisa? You haven’t responded to the email from Kindergarteners,” Leslie Halliday called from her desk through the open door of Lisa’s office.

Lisa rolled her eyes.  The woman was a walking organizer.

“Will do, Leslie,” she yelled just to get her off her back as she pressed ‘send’ on her reply to the said email.

Another beep drew her attention to a new email; this one was from Raven Kindersley! Lisa’s hand trembled over her mouse. She had not seen hide nor hair of him in the three weeks since she had left his home after he treated her so abominably.

She had tried to return his convertible to his office but had been advised by a stern, unsmiling dragon-lady that while Mr Kindersley was out of the country, he had left strict instructions that “no one was to receive that car or any other alleged possessions of his from her or anyone else”. It had sounded official enough to make her dizzy.

She had tried returning it to his mansion but there had been no way of getting past the damn gates.

She opened the email. It was a terse, one-sentenced invitation requesting that she personally bring three kids from the orphanage for a weekend retreat at Raven’s mansion. He hadn’t even had the courtesy to sign it himself but had instead handed it off to his secretary.

“You miserable oaf! I will send the three kids alright, but someone else will bring them. You can bet your ass on that,” she shouted at the computer screen.

Reason intruded and she buried her hands in her face, laughing at herself. She was shouting at her computer screen! It didn’t get much crazier than that, and in her book, it was all Raven’s fault. First he had made her feel like the sexiest woman alive. Then he had acted as though he couldn’t get enough of her. Then, just when she was starting to relax around him, he’d rejected her for no apparent reason she could see and brought all her insecurities rushing to the fore.

Her phone rang almost at once and she jerked it out of the cradle and slapped it to her ear, wincing against the impact.

“Lisa?” a hesitant feminine voice said in her ear.

Lisa’s chin wobbled but she staunchly told herself she was not disappointed that Raven wasn’t the caller.

“Yes?” she snapped ill-naturedly.

“Um, this is Melissa. I just wanted to verify your response to our email.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. Efficient didn’t begin to describe good old Melissa, she thought uncharitably.

Her hands tightened around the phone in her hand.

“I’ll send the kids,” she got out through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry Lisa. But Mr Kindersley also stipulated that the kids will only be welcomed and allowed free rein on the premises if they are accompanied by someone who has been there at least once. I believe you are the only person at Forwardaid who has been to his home?”

Lisa swallowed down nausea at having to face the son-of-a-bitch again. She knew exactly what he was doing too. She closed her eyes, pictured the kids’ happy squeals as they chased each other around and around the mansion. The kids won; she would do anything for them, even face a man she now loathed.

With a sigh, she announced, “We’ll be there. But there are ten kids in my specific charge. I would have to come with all of them.”

“Done,” Melissa crowed triumphantly down the phone line right before she hung up.

***

Raven Kindersley smiled across the table at Lisa, but she met his gaze with a gimlet-eyed stare that told him she still regarded him with about the same level of affection she would reserve for Jabba the Hutt. His house was awash with domestic staff tonight because he knew he would need as many hands as possible to help with the ten kids she had chosen to inflict upon him. The moment he clapped eyes on them, he knew she had chosen the ten most ill-mannered children she could find from the orphanage deliberately.

All night she had been waiting for him to lose his cool, he knew. He grinned to himself as a flying piece of egg hit her square in her chin. The culprit, a bright-eyed tow-headed seven-year-old boy contritely bowed his head in remorse that lasted about two seconds before he was happily throwing more food with the others.

He raised his glass to her in a mock toast and watched the red color steal up her cheeks in self-deprecating humor.

She relented after that and stopped glaring at him every five minutes.

When the kids had wrought their own fair share of damage, they clambered up to bed noisily calling out cheerful goodnights that made Raven grin.

“Will you come down to my study after you’ve tucked them in?” he asked Lisa huskily, holding her wide gaze with his.

She was beautiful tonight in a long gypsy skirt that emphasized the roundness of her hips and a scallop-necked half-top that revealed a tantalizing glimpse of riveting cleavage, smooth unlined skin at her waist, and made his fingers curl into fists at his side. The faint smell of jasmine wafted up from her and assaulted his senses.

“I’ll come right down,” she promised with a smile that hid many secrets.

Raven strolled into his study, wound up. He hadn’t been able to sit still since he left Lisa on the staircase. He wanted to make love to her; he wanted to love her until the world knew she was his! But in the weeks he had been apart from her, he had learned that he had to tell her who he was. It was the only way to keep Ramsey and his pack from hurting her. They were werebears just like him, but they all resented him because he had chosen a life of exclusion away from the rest of the pack. Once they learned he had marked a human as his mate they had determined to hurt her. They would try for the last time on the 17th of May which happened to be tomorrow. After that, they were packing up and leaving the area. Inviting her to his house for the weekend had been the only way to save her.

A sound at the door alerted him and he carefully hid his pensive frown behind a bland expression. She came in, wearing an amusingly remorseful look pretty much like one of her kids at dinner and he couldn’t help himself, he grinned openly at her.

“I missed you Lisa. I am sorry about the way I acted the last time. ”

She shrugged, “That’s fine.”

“It really isn’t,” he said earnestly, rising to his full height, his silver eyes trained on her.

“Why did you?”

“I lost control,” he said slowly.

“Isn’t that what generally happens when people have sex?”

“I’m sorry I spoke to you that way,” he said earnestly, coming closer to her.

“I thought I repulsed you.”

Raven’s eyes trailed her pretty face and figure, “You could never repulse me or any man alive. You have a body made to tempt even a monk! I have been in a serious sweat since I clapped eyes on you, didn’t you realize?”

Lisa swallowed as he reached up a gentle hand to caress her soft, pale cheeks. Electricity trickled through her just as lightening flashed spontaneously through the dark sky outside. Lisa jumped at the coincidence and Raven chuckled, gathering her up in his arms.

“It’s alright baby, it’s okay,” he crooned as his lips descended ever so slowly to hers.

His lips were soft and warm. They tasted slightly of the whiskey he had indulged in as he waited for her. He slanted his mouth purposefully over hers, sending shock waves of pleasure through her body as he loved her with his mouth.

His lips trailed to her throat, worshipping the soft, smooth column even as she tilted her head back to grant him better access.

“Lisa,” he whispered against her cleavage. “You should stop me baby. Stop me right now or I won’t be able to stop myself.”

“Oh please don’t stop,” she half-sobbed, clutching him wildly. Suddenly, she pushed away from him and sprawled on the cushion in his study, her smooth, milky thighs parting to reveal her lace-covered crotch.

The beast in him sang as his blood started a slow-boil.

“I want this. I want you. Right here, right now,” she declared breathlessly and he was lost.

Raven swallowed her words in another deep, toe-curling kiss that raised her temperature several degrees. His hands urgently grabbed at her tee-shirt, ripping the buttons from their hole in his impatience. Lisa thought his impatience was hot as he caressed the naked skin of her waist. She wound her arms tighter around him, arching her body upwards and into his.

Raven rose to his knees, jerked off his shirt and tossed it away. His hands urgently wrestled with his belt, his eyes trained hungrily on her face.

He stood up for a quick minute and yanked off his jeans. Her gypsy skirt lay around her body in a tantalizing array.

Raven swallowed. She was the most breath-taking woman he had ever seen and he knew he wanted to fuck her hard right then. He had lived for this moment all his life. Raven gritted his teeth, holding desperately to already waning control.

He leaned down to suckle her incredibly soft breasts and she moaned, “Yes! Yes! Oh Raven don’t stop.”

His hand trailed down to the juncture of her thighs and his finger slipped easily between her soft folds. She was tighter than any woman had any right to be and so wet he almost groaned aloud as he felt her juices on his fingers. He was so huge he would fill her snugly given how incredibly tight she was. He was almost afraid he wouldn’t be able to enter.

Unable to wait any longer, he tore a condom from it’s wrapper and put it on before guiding the thick, fat, head of his penis to her entrance, his gaze meeting hers as he slowly and surely began to enter her. She tantalized him, twining her waist this way and that and rubbing his already over-sensitized tip over the opening of her dripping wet pussy. His breath hissed out of him as he went deeper with each slow, agonizing thrust.

She fit perfectly around him, her vaginal muscles clamping down easily on the intruding penis. He groaned, low and hard as he finally sheathed himself in her to the hilt.

“Fuck!” he grunted.

“Well…yeah,” she moaned.

Unreasonably, he started to laugh right in the middle of the best sex of his life. This woman would be the death of him. She joined him in his laughter, her musical voice tinkling like bells.

Laughter fled as their eyes met and held. Raven began to move inside her with incredible, torturous slowness. Lisa groaned long and hard, and thrust harder against him, matching his rhythm. He increased his pace, one of his large palms, covering hers on the bed while the other squeezed one large, soft breast again and again.

“Faster,” Lisa grunted, mindless ecstasy driving her wild as all her inhibitions fled. She felt like a butterfly taking flight for the first time. She felt beautiful and free.

He raised both her legs higher, changing the angle of his thrusts as he began to glide right against her G-spot.

“Yes, there,” she groaned.

“You like it?” he asked, not ceasing his thrusts.

“Yes. Fuck me,” she ordered her gaze holding his as something shifted inside of her. She loved him, she realized, letting the knowledge wash over her as she wound her arms around him.

He increased his tempo, going higher and higher and faster until all her being centered on the mounting tension between her thighs. Lisa gasped as tendrils of pleasure shot through her repeatedly, making her almost dizzy with mounting passion. She felt herself drifting higher and higher until she was moaning and groaning as she began to cum. Fine tremors shook her from the crown of her head to the sole of her feet leaving her sated, spent and weak as a rag doll.

An intense shudder shook his powerful frame and he continued to slam into her deliciously, his hands tightening on her slim supple thighs. Soon, he was screaming her name as he came powerfully; pouring his seed into her tight, wet, willing passage until he was drained completely.

They both drifted back to earth slowly, gasping as consciousness returned. He stared down at Lisa bemused. Her red hair was all over the cushion, spilling behind her head in a mass of riotous waves. Her soft red lips were parted in remembered pleasure and her big, round breasts were heaving invitingly on her chest as though she had just run a marathon. In short, she looked like a woman who had been well and truly loved, he decided with masculine pride. Just looking at her made his dick stir warningly on the insides of her smooth, silky thighs. But she was human, he thought even as his eyes devoured her pliant form hungrily. She would be tired he thought, reluctantly rising to his feet.

“Think we can try out that huge bathtub in my room?” she asked, an inviting look in her sultry gaze.

Raven groaned, so much for good intentions; he was hard as a rock again.

He opened his mouth, intending to say something as he turned to face her but paused when he saw Lisa’s face. She had gone pale as a ghost, her eyes staring at him with horror.

“What?”

“Oh my God, don’t touch me. It was you! All those years ago it was you in the woods! I knew it! You aren’t even human!”

“What do you mean?” he asked urgently.

She pointed a shaky finger at his arm and he followed the trail to where one large furry paw was sticking out where his palm should be.

He had managed to control himself as he came to keep from turning but he hadn’t succeeded completely.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Lisa? Don’t!” Raven pleaded desperately as she thrust her clothes into a suitcase half-sobbing.

“You were the … bear thingy that attacked me in the woods all those years ago! You damn near mauled me to death! I have been having nightmares for years no thanks to you.”

“I didn’t attack you. I was drawn to you because you are my mate. Admit it, there is this pull between us.”

“No there isn’t. Just stay the hell away from me and stay the hell away from my kids!”

“Lisa I would never hurt you! I invited you on this trip to get you away from those men who wanted to hurt you.”

“What men?” she asked, slowing now to stare at him.

“Other werebears. That day in the woods I marked you as my mate for life and only werebears can see the mark. They have been after you since that day I rescued you from that guy in the park.”

“Was he”

“Yes. Definitely. He’s a werebear too.”

“Why would they want to hurt me?”

“Because I chose a human and because I have chosen not to live with the rest of the pack.”

“Why?”

“They were hurting humans and they didn’t have to. We can eat food unlike vampires and werewolves, but they sometimes prefer to just grab and hurt humans for the heck of it.”

“And now suddenly they can’t hurt me anymore?”

“We mated. That makes you one of us in a manner of speaking. They won’t be able to so much as come near you,” he assured.

“And for that I’m supposed to thank you?” she spat. “By your explanation you brought this on me!” she yelled, deliberately ignoring his reference to their lovemaking as ‘mating’.

Raven stared at her a beat, then he sighed.

“I don’t know what to say. I couldn’t stay away from you to save myself and I have tried! For three years I just watched over you from a distance.”

Silence reigned as she slowly sank onto the bed, feeling her emotions scattering all over the place.

He knelt in front of her, his hands holding hers as he said, “I love you Lisa. You are the only woman in the world for me and being around you is absolutely terrifying for me because it sets me free and it controls me.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” she told him. She could feel the fear ebbing as he held her; an unbreakable connection forging between them.

She slowly raised a hand and stroked the side of his face as she repeated, “That doesn’t make sense.”

“Around you, I can control my impulses. Ordinarily I change into a werebear when I lose control, like during orgasm, but with you it’s different. You are the only woman in the world for me, literally. Once a werebear meets its mate, it’s forever.”

Lisa looked down at him, her heart constricting in her chest. She was almost afraid to breathe. His silver eyes with flecks of gold stared back earnestly at her, open and filled with so much love she couldn’t bear to look away.

The words trembled on her lips. She held them back with a question. “I should probably shed some weight.”

He stared at her, his eyes looking so intensely into her soul as he said softly, “Honey you are a beautiful big girl. I love you just the way you are. The first time I saw you, I almost creamed my pants just staring at your cleavage.”

“When was that?”

“When you were jogging the woods three years ago?”

Lisa chuckled as he rose to sit beside her on the bed and gathered her into his arms.

“You weren’t wearing any pants. You were a naked werebear and then a naked man.”

“What were you going to tell me before you made the crack about losing weight?”

Her eyes met his, held. “I love you.”

Raven bowed his head as though in prayer as the sweet words washed over him. Then he said, his voice throbbing with emotion, “I have waited all my life to hear those words. I love you too.”

“I want to see you in your other form,” she said decisively, the last fear fading as she instinctively knew the exact thing to say.

Slowly, without so much as a noise, he morphed into the same brown bear that had accosted her three years ago with grey eyes and gold flecks in them.

He was her love, he was her future.

THE END

Rescued by the Alpha Bear

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2015 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

Prologue

One Week Earlier

“Dad, there’s something over here!” he heard a young boy call. This would complicate things. Conner did not want to be found, but he couldn’t bring himself to drag his broken body out of sight. Every ounce of his being was in agony, and even the sound of footsteps getting closer drilled through his head like a jackhammer to the brain. He wasn’t sure what happened, and a part of him knew he needed to hide before the boy with the piercing voice found him, but he just couldn’t move. He was bloody and naked. That would certainly traumatize a little kid, or at least scare the shit out of him, which he also wasn’t eager to do. Besides, he didn’t need a hospital to get better. He needed food and a lot of rest. But he couldn’t move, and when he tried, pain sliced through his body.

“Oh my god, Dad there’s a naked man over here. He looks dead!” the boy shrieked. That was followed by the sound of someone else – or the boy - running towards him. Conner wasn’t sure which, nor did he really care.

He groaned and grabbed his head as he tried to lift himself. Lights flashed before his eyes, and he fell back to the ground with a heavy thud, writhing in pain. He was dying; that’s all there was to it. Closing his eyes, he gave himself over to fate.

***

Lana paced outside the judge’s chambers as he went over the notes for the case to decide whether or not there was a case at all. In her gut she knew something was off, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It was a strange case. The defendant, Cameron Marks, had no priors. Hell, he had never even gotten a traffic ticket. But now he was being indicted with three assault charges and attempted murder. One of the women whom he supposedly assaulted couldn’t even finger him. But that could have been chalked up to shock, so it really meant nothing. It made no sense, but the detectives weren’t bringing her anything she could use. He seemed to be implicating himself, but not to the point of a confession. Something wasn’t right.

The door swung open and Judge Patterson strode from the room. He was such a serious man, and she could swear that he never smiled. Ever. Not that she had much to say on that account. Lana wasn’t sure how long it had been since she had last smiled or had a good time. She didn’t even want to think about how long it had been since she had enjoyed a man’s company. And that didn’t just mean getting between the sheets, either. She hadn’t had a date in months. She shook her head. This wasn’t the time to be going over her love life, or the lack thereof.

The judge walked past her and she followed behind, hoping to get this day over with. Already she had been in court three times, and she still had two major clients to meet with. The day was far from over, but at least after this she’d be done with court for the day. She walked by the defendant’s brother, who was here to support him, and shivered. She glanced back over her shoulder to find his dark eyes staring back at her. There was a strange intensity within the blue depths, as if he were trying to read into her very soul. Lana shivered again and, averting her gaze, quickened her pace to get back inside the court room.

Now he’s someone I could picture trying to kill someone.

The thought stopped her in her tracks. Could that be why the case was so messed up? Maybe Cameron was innocent? But if so, then why would he take the heat? Stranger things had happened. Brothers could be very loyal, even to the point of serving time for crimes they did not commit. And now that she thought about it, she knew she needed to follow her gut instinct. It had never let her down before.

The sound of the gavel rang out in the room. Everyone grew silent waiting for the judge’s decision.

“Regarding the case of the state versus Cameron Marks, for three counts assault and one count attempted murder, with insufficient evidence I am forced to dismiss this case. If and when evidence is collected the case can be refiled with the state.” He hit the gavel again. “That is all.”

That was it. Even the judge couldn’t find a reason to keep Cameron behind bars, and now Lana had her work cut out for her. She had to bring someone to justice at least. She gathered her notes and placed them in her briefcase. At her back she felt eyes boring into her. A shiver of fear ran up her spine, and when she turned around Campbell Marks was staring insistently at her again. Catching himself he looked away, but not before she registered his contempt. His eyes looked even darker and more sinister than they had in the hallway. The man really gave her the creeps, and the first order of business was having someone check into his background. Something about his demeanor had her on edge. He was not a nice man, but just because he wasn’t nice didn’t mean he was the one who committed the crimes.

Or did it?

Lana didn’t know, but she would find out, and soon; something smelled rotten in Denmark, and she vowed to discover what it was.

Chapter 1

Lana had followed Campbell Marks since the judge dismissed the case against his brother Cameron, and she’d seen a couple of things she probably shouldn’t have.

To make matters worse, he caught her.

Luckily, she had been in her car and was able to get away. It turned out Lana’s theory was correct. It wasn’t Cameron who had committed the crimes but his older brother Campbell, a man with a long history of violence and domestic abuse under his belt.  He had assaulted his ex-girlfriend, and the two men she had cheated on him with.

Gross, she thought, talk about getting around. I’d be pissed too.

Even though she was thrilled that she’d been right, and her gut hadn’t led her astray, Lana wished she could kick her own ass. Since she decided to take the detective work into her own hands, she was now in a predicament she wasn’t sure how to get out of. She had evidence that she really couldn’t prove, which meant she couldn’t use it in court.

She realized too late she should have left the investigating to the police, but she couldn’t help it. She found herself wanting to prove that Cameron was innocent, even though technically it was her job to do the opposite. As the prosecutor of the case, she was going about it all wrong. To be honest, she wasn’t sure why she was so hell bent on finding out the truth. It was her job to prove without a doubt that someone was guilty. But in this case she couldn’t.

She was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn’t even see him coming. Campbell grabbed her and shoved her against the wall—hard. Lana didn’t have time to scream before his dirty hand covered her mouth.

“Don’t you dare make a sound, got it?” he hissed in her ear. Lana nodded, if only to get him away from her.

His stench made her gag as he rubbed against her and groaned. “Hm, you’re a big girl.” Then he had the audacity to roughly fondle her breast before backing away.

Now he was angry again. Talk about mood swings.

Lana was pissed. Any other time she wouldn’t have stood for that kind of behavior from a man, but this one just so happened to be holding a knife in his hand. Maybe things were worse than she thought. She could handle being groped. Hell, she could even handle being roughed up, but she wasn’t sure if she was up for whatever he was planning. She shivered in fear, thinking of the worst case scenario.

She began to speak but shook her head, thinking better of it. Sometimes talking got her in more trouble than it was worth. Maybe if she kept her trap shut he would leave her alone. But the likelihood of that was slim to none. This time she wasn’t able to get away.

“You stupid bitch, you should have stayed out of it. Cameron knew what he was doing. And now they’re after me.” Campbell jabbed his knife in her direction as if he were going to stab her. Lana didn’t fear many things, but in this case she certainly wasn’t feeling confident about her chances. An erratic man with a sharp weapon wasn’t a good mix—ever.

“He wouldn’t have gotten the time I would,” he continued, as if that explained it all.

She nodded, slowly understanding. Cameron was going to take the rap for his older brother. She already knew the two were only fifteen months apart, and they were closer than anyone could ever imagine. She shuddered. The things she had come across sickened her. They definitely weren’t your everyday ordinary family.

Cameron planned to do whatever punishment he got. He’d be out of jail and back on the streets before Campbell was able to commit another crime.

Maybe.

That was loyalty, and Lana shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was. She couldn’t imagine taking the blame for something she didn’t do, no matter how much she cared about the person.

She held up her hands in surrender. “Let’s calm down, Mr. Marks. I haven’t told anyone anything, and I won’t. I’ll forget about it all, and then we can go on with our lives like nothing happened. Okay?”

Campbell laughed wildly. “Yeah, like I believe that shit for a minute. I’m not stupid, you condescending bitch.” He ran a shaky hand through his dirty blond hair. “And people actually believe the shit you spew?” He stepped over her, and she cowered against the wall. As he leaned his face against her cheek, his hot breath whispered against her ear, “You’re going to pay for messing this up for me.”

Lana shuddered and gagged. The feel of his breath on her skin turned her stomach. “Please,” she said. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was asking for. At that moment she only knew that she wanted him away from her.

Conner’s beast roared, and his body shook with rage. His bear tried to break free, but even though he was still out of it from his injuries, he knew that couldn’t happen. All he knew for sure was that he needed to get somewhere and he needed to get there fast. It was the whole reason he left the hospital.

He wasn’t sure why he had felt the urgency to come this way, but even with no memory he knew not to ignore the bear inside of him. Instinct alone led him further into the city to a parking garage.

Really, what the hell?

But his other half paced inside his head, pushing him to hurry. He sped down to the lower level of a parking garage, and it wasn’t until he heard a woman’s plea that he knew why he was there.

He didn’t know shit, except right at the moment it didn’t matter. The sound of her voice tightened his gut. His beast pawed at him, urging him to follow her voice. Otherwise, he drew a blank. He didn’t know what happened before he ended up in the hospital. The doctor said his memory would return in time and it could be a little at a time or all at once. Right now, that didn’t matter

The woman cried out, and something inside him snapped. He rounded the corner to see a man standing over a beautiful, plump woman. Both man and beast wanted to kill.

Mine! his beast cried in despair.

Conner shook his head in shock.

My mate.

He took a deep breath, inhaling her delicious scent and then narrowed his eyes on the man who was touching her. The man stunk of sweat, marijuana, and alcohol. He was also very sick, but the biggest problem was his waving a knife at Conner’s woman.

Conner barreled towards the man and swung a meaty hand at him, knocking the knife to the ground. The man hadn’t even seen him coming. He was too engrossed in scaring the woman. She gasped, and when he looked down at her, he saw a tear slide down her cheek. He wanted to reach down and wipe it away, but the man had shaken out of his daze and dove for the fallen knife. But Conner wouldn’t let him get that far. In one quick move he grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck and held him up, feet dangling in the air.

“You dared to touch her!”

The man paled and lost control of his bladder. The stench of urine filled the air, and Conner held him further from his body. Shaking him again, Conner felt disgust for the puny excuse of a man.

“Did you hear me? Don’t touch what isn’t yours, you worthless piece of shit!” Conner dismissed the man as a threat and tossed him to the side, not caring if he hurt him severely or not. It didn’t matter. He was on his deathbed anyways. Instead, he focused on the woman, who was watching him with wide, innocent eyes.

Conner knelt in front of her and placed a big hand on her forearm. His heart raced at the first touch and a tingle ran up his spine as heat filled his body.

Ours, his beast rumbled from within.

Conner’s jaw fell. She gasped at his touch and looked down at his hand. He pulled it away. “Sorry.” Then he smiled. “Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

She swallowed and shook her head. “You showed up in time. Thank you.”

“Where can I take you?”

She pointed right in front of her. “That’s my car. He cornered me before I had the chance to leave.”

Again, Conner touched her arm. She didn’t seem as scared. Her heart had slowed to a regular rhythm. “Let’s get you up off the ground then, okay?”

She nodded and allowed him to pull her up. He gaped at the woman before him. She was a tall woman with curves any man would fall to his knees for. She held herself with a confidence most women didn’t, and he found that was sexy as hell. She wore a tight skirt and a jacket. He could tell she was some type of business woman. His bear whined, wanting to be free.

She was perfect for him. She wasn’t too short or too small that he would hurt her. Fate had led him to his mate, after all the time he spent avoiding it. Now he wondered why. He didn’t even know her name, and at that moment in time, it didn’t even matter that he didn’t know his either.

Chapter 2

Lana kept her eyes on the biggest and sexiest man she’d ever seen. He must have been at least 6’5 because with heels she was about six feet and he towered over her. It didn’t escape her notice that he was in a hospital gown, and she sighed. Go figure he’d be a nutbag. Who left the hospital in a gown except a crazy person? His hand held hers and their gazes locked. His eyes were a deep shade of blue, and there was something about him that pulled her in. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and her clit throbbed with need. It’d been too long she since she’d had sex, and this man didn’t have to do anything. She was aroused just by looking at him. Licking her lips, she cocked her head to the side. He followed the movement with his eyes like a hungry beast, and her heartbeat quickened.

She was so engrossed in him that she forgot about Campbell until it was too late. He snuck up on her angel and jammed the knife into his side. Roaring in pain, her rescuer fell to his knees. Lana screamed and stood frozen. Then the psycho pulled out the knife and wiped the blood on his pants coming towards her.

“It's your turn, bitch. Bigger doesn’t always mean smarter.” Campbell shoved her back, and she fell to the ground. She paled, knowing that she was going to die. He was crazy and clearly had no qualms about killing. Her body shook with a fear she had never felt before as sobs wracked her body. There were no words, no getting through to him. He was clearly off his rocker. Campbell knelt beside her with evil in his eyes and poised the knife above her. Lana squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath, waiting for the white, hot agony of being stabbed.

But it never came.

She heard a shrill scream and the smack of something hitting the pavement, followed by a loud, sickening crunch. When she opened her eyes, she froze. Her eyes rounded in shock and terror. She couldn’t breathe. A giant bear was standing over Campbell’s limp body. Blood poured from him and seeped over the concrete.

“Oh my god,” she whispered. The beast turned towards her with intelligent eyes.

She shook her head in disbelief and leaned back. It wasn’t possible. But where did her angel go? There was no way he picked himself up and left. Not when he went out of his way to save her, and he was injured. The bear’s eyes were the same deep blue she’d gazed into minutes earlier.

The man who saved her was the bear.

Standing up, Lana brought her hand to her feverishly hot forehead. She felt as if she might collapse, so she held onto the post to regain her balance. After a moment, though, she leaned over and vomited. Her eyes watered and tears slid down her cheeks. The stress had taken over, and as she let go, she realized something: her life was about to change and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.

Conner watched his mate as she turned away from him in fear. His beast lowered his head in shame, but he wouldn’t regret saving her from the man with the knife. It was his job to protect her. He didn’t enjoy feeling her fear, though—especially her fear of him. She didn’t need to be afraid of him--he’d never hurt her. Closing his eyes, Conner tried to remember...anything.

He wasn’t doing well himself, but as soon as he had shifted, he started healing. He still tender, however, and it was too soon to be injured again. It was worth it. And even though he didn’t know who he was by name or who his family was, or hell, why he ended up waking up in a hospital bed, he knew one thing: That woman was his, and he had just protected her the way it was intended. With that in mind, he shifted back to his human self and pulled the gown back on. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

He ambled towards her slowly and placed a hand on her back. She tensed beneath his touch and he dropped his hand. “He was going to kill you.”

Plain, simple truth.

“I know,” she replied, but she didn’t look at him. “Who are you?”

Conner scratched his head. “I don’t know.”

This caught her attention. She spun to face him and laughed humorlessly. “You don’t know? You turned into a bear and killed someone, but you don’t know who you are?” Her voice rose and her face turned bright with anger or fear, he wasn’t sure which. It could have been both.

He shrugged. “I was at the hospital. The doctors said I have amnesia, so no I don’t know who I am until my memory decides to come back. What I do know is I’m a man who is also a bear. He’s a part of me, and he killed to protect his mate.” Conner wasn’t going to beat around the bush. Something clicked. It seemed being blunt came natural to him.

“I’m sorry, mate?” she sputtered.

He raised his big hand and cupped her jaw. At first she tensed, but then he rubbed his thumb lightly along her jawline and she relaxed some. “Yes, my mate.” His eyes shined with excitement. Touching her was right. “What’s your name?”

She worked her mouth a few times so he dropped his hand back to his side.

“Lana.”

“Beautiful,” he replied. She still was shocked by him. “We should probably go?” His eyes drifted to the dead man, flaring with anger. Conner would have died before letting him harm Lana.

She shook her head. “I can’t leave. I’m the prosecuting attorney for the case we were building against him. He didn’t like it.” She peeked around him at the body and shuddered. “His brother was planning to take the fall, but the judge threw out the case because there was no evidence. Until now, anyway. The police had finally tied Campbell to the crimes. This isn’t going to look good.” She bit her bottom lip.

Conner nodded, but he didn’t like this news. He wanted to take her away. “What should we say?”

She sighed. “I don’t know. At this point, we’ll both end up in jail. The police will send you back the hospital for your injury first.” She paced. “I can’t go to jail. And you can’t go back to the hospital. They’ll think you’re crazy and lock you up.”

“Then let’s go somewhere safe, and you can call and talk to your police friends. Explain what happened.”

“No, I can’t leave, and I won’t be able to come back. My DNA is on his body.”

Conner growled. “Why?”

“Probably because he rubbed all over me.” Shaking her head, she groaned. “I know what I have to do.”

“What’s that?”

“I have to call my mother.” She said it with both fear and awe. Conner wondered what her mother would be able to do to make this better. Even without his memory, he wasn’t dumb. He knew the implications she would face, and the ones he would face as well. It wasn’t a good situation. And he didn’t think his mate’s mother would be able to do much to help.

“I think we should go somewhere first, before you call your mom. It’s only a matter of time until they find him. We have a little time, though, since it’s late.”

“I can’t just run.”

“I didn’t say that, but maybe you shouldn’t be here when you call her.”

Lana nodded. “I guess. I should probably go home—and you’re coming with me. I might have something you can wear.”

Conner nodded, but he didn’t like hearing that she had men’s clothing that would fit him. His bear growled and plopped down unhappily, jealous of a past he didn’t know.

Chapter 3

Her angel's attitude changed, and she didn’t understand why. She gestured for him to get in her car and he did, but now he sat in the passenger’s seat in stony silence. She started to ask what was wrong, but the glare he sent her way changed her mind. She had no idea why he was so mad. She was taking his advice and leaving the scene of a crime he committed. It wasn’t like her. She had always followed the rules and breaking them was tough.

She pulled out of the parking garage, carefully avoiding Campbell’s body, and shuddered. She never imagined being a part of a crime. But if it weren’t for the man sitting next to her, she wouldn’t be breathing. Deep inside, she knew he had saved her life, and now it was her turn to save him because he was going to need it. He killed a man with his bare hands. No one was going to believe it was an accident. Hell, she wasn’t even sure if it was. He hadn’t said it was. He just told her he had to protect her.

She drove out into the night. Luckily it was getting late and the sun was down. She had some time before she had to call it in, and she needed a drink, or three. But first she needed to find out what the hell she did to piss him off. He had been so sweet, calling her his mate, and now he wouldn’t even look at her.

She stopped at a red light and put her hand on his bicep. He tensed and his muscle flexed beneath her fingertips.

“Why are you mad?”

And why the hell wasn’t she yelling at him for being an asshole? Instead she was calm and actually felt like she should be apologizing for something. She didn’t understand why she felt so attached to him, why she cared so much about what he thought of her, and why she was not being her normal bitchy self when a man pissed her off.

At first he didn’t respond. But then he sighed. “You said you may have something to fit me. I’m a large man, and I don’t feel comfortable with you handing me clothes from the men in your life. My bear doesn’t like hearing about it either. We are protective and apparently pretty damn possessive.”

Lana laughed and squeezed his arm. “The clothes are my brothers’ and they are all bigger than me. It runs in the family. I figured one of them left some stuff around throughout the years.”

Suddenly, his eyes brightened and he stopped moping. “Oh, brothers we can handle.” Then he shook his head with a blush. “Sorry, for being an ass. I guess I’m not used to this, and I really don’t know how I would normally act. My bear is acting like I’m an idiot. I feel lost.”

“I get that, but please try not to make assumptions about me. We both have pasts; you just can’t remember yours right now.”

“Fair enough.”

A horn honked behind them, so she turned her attention back to driving. Speeding down the highway, Lana decided she was going to her retreat rather than her home because honestly, she was scared. She didn’t want to go to prison, and she certainly didn’t want him to go.

He was quiet again, but this time he looked deep in thought. She wondered what his life was like, and found herself growing more attached to the giant man. He was really sensitive for such a big guy. And apparently any talk of past lovers was out of the question. She smiled, feeling for the first time like she might have found someone who cherished her, and only her. It would be a nice change.

***

Lana pulled into the driveway of her family’s cabin. It was secluded and safe. She loved being in the woods, and she thought her guest might appreciate it as well. His eyes said it all, and he looked like he was going home.

“What’s this place?”

“It’s my family’s cabin. We used to come here all the time as kids, and now we come here as adults when we need to get away. No one should be here now, though. ”

“It’s a beautiful home.”

“Thank you. Now let’s get inside, and you can get cleaned up after I call my mom.”

“Sounds good to me.”

She got out of her car and stretched. This was her second home, and the longer she was a lawyer, the more often she came here to hide out. They went inside and he sat on the couch.

“So what do I call you, then, if you don’t know who you are?”

“You can call me whatever you want, I guess,” he shrugged. “A name is just a name, after all.”

“Fair enough,” she said, pulling out her phone. She dialed home and waited. As soon as her mother said ‘hello’ she got straight to the point.

“Mom, I need your help.” She proceeded to tell her mother what happened. She pulled the phone away when her mother’s voice rose too high. Her bear’s eyes widened when he heard her mother.

“I know, mother. It’s not like I asked for this.” She nodded as if her mother could see her. “Okay, so I’ll wait for you to come to me.”

Her mother yelled a little more but agreed.

“Okay, mom, see you soon. Yeah, I love you too.” She closed her phone and sighed. Her head hurt and all she wanted to do was forget this horrible day happened.

“She sounds nice,” Conner said.

“She’s great, but she is a tad overwhelming. Just a warning for you, she’s going to want to know how and why this happened…”

He shrugged again. “Sure I’ll tell her, as long as she doesn’t announce it to the world. She deserves to know since you’re my mate. Makes us family—”He stopped, and his eyes widened.

“Family, there are a lot of them.” He smiled. “I’m not alone, although all I could see were a large group of bears roaming together. Not real hopeful, I suppose.”

“Any memory is helpful right?”

“That’s what the doctors say. It sucks not actually knowing who I am. I know I was hurt badly enough to go to the hospital, plus they told me I should have died. Only I didn’t. They think it’s a miracle, but I know different. Being what I am makes me heal differently, faster, and better.”

“It’s a miracle, regardless of what you are,” Lana said, and heat rose to her cheeks. What was it about this man that made her feel so—young and desperate? “Oh and my mom said to wait it out. She’s going to pull some strings and deal with it. Then she’ll come here.”

“Pull some strings?”

“Yeah my mother is Elisabeth Walker.”

He looked confused. “And?”

Lana smiled. She couldn’t believe it, but he had no idea who her mother was, which meant he didn’t know about her family connections or her wealth. “She’s a pretty huge name in the city.”

“Oh, well, you shouldn’t be associated with me, then.”

“Too late, you’ve got blood on and in my car, and Campbell attacked me. There’s no way out of this. We can claim self-defense. And since you’re much bigger than him, that should account for how you managed to do that amount of damage. Besides, he stabbed you first. It’s tricky, but my mom is going to figure it out. She said it might take a few days…”

She gulped when his eyes clouded with lust and his smile went from adorable to downright sexy.

Chapter 4

Conner couldn’t have been happier finding out he would get at least three days with his mate, alone, in the woods. If he had his way they would be mated before her mother showed up to try to discourage her daughter from mating with a beast. He could barely contain his bear as it was, and although she covered it up well, the scent of her arousal wasn’t helping matters. If he didn’t have enhanced abilities, he wouldn’t even know.

“I guess I should go find you some clothes so you can get cleaned up.”

“Sounds good. It’ll be nice to have something other than this dingy hospital gown.”

Or I could just stay naked.

As if she could read his thoughts, her eyes traveled down his body like she was mentally stripping him down.

All she had to do was ask.

Lana turned away from him and walked down a narrow hallway. Conner followed closely behind. Her body heat radiated against him, and he wanted to lean into her warmth. He hadn’t been able to get rid of the chill that had soaked into his bones since he woke up in the hospital. He hadn’t eaten, so his blood count was low, and being injured a second time hadn’t helped matters any.

She walked into a room she clearly spent a lot of time in. Her scent overpowered other lingering scents. He crowded behind her when she stopped and pulled open a drawer and searched through it. She easily found him clothes and set them on top. She wasn’t a tiny woman by any means, but she was still small and delicate in comparison to him. Her body molded to his perfectly.

He moved closer and brought his arms around her waist, allowing his hand to flatten across her stomach. She shivered and leaned by against him, as if she couldn’t help herself. Nuzzling her neck, he breathed deeply and took in her scent. It felt like he had finally come home. Conner licked her neck with the tip of his tongue, testing. She shivered and tilted her head to the side. His bear rumbled at her submission. He grazed his teeth along her skin, light and tantalizing. She moaned quietly and pushed further into his body.

Conner slid his hands near the elastic to her skirt and ran his finger lightly along the band. “Okay?”

She nodded her head against his chest and spread her legs further apart, which pushed her skirt up higher. Running his finger right under the waistband and tickling her skin, he growled in frustration at how tight the skirt was secured. He spun her around and shoved her skirt up around her waist before lifting her on top of the dresser. Stepping between her legs, he pulled her to the edge. She wrapped her legs around his waist and tipped her head back. The exposed tan skin tempted him. He leaned in and licked a path from the base of her throat down in between her breasts.

All at once Conner froze. He shut his eyes as his memory slammed into him. It flashed before his eyes in a sequence much like a movie. As glad as he was to get his memory back, he wasn’t thrilled at the timing. She tried to get closer, but she hadn’t even realized he had stopped.

He was the Alpha’s son, and only heir. His family was the wealthiest family in the tristate area. They owned land with petrol oil and sold it to gas stations across the country.

His mother was killed right before his eyes by an enemy clan, and his heart broke. He didn’t realize he was crying until Lana’s finger brushed the stray tears. She was watching him with sympathy. Her eyes matched the hurt he was feeling. It was like she could feel his pain. Then more came and he saw the man who had killed his mother.

He searched for him for the last few years, trying to bring justice, but the man got the better of him and tore into him, trying to shred him apart piece by piece. Conner didn’t give up, though, not until he lifted one furry paw and landed the killing blow. His bear roared into the early morning mourning his mother’s death for the last time, and telling the rest he had found her, bringing her the justice she deserved. The sun was rising and after he tore the man’s throat out, he limped into the park, trying to make it to the woods behind to lead him back home. But he was fading fast. He collapsed and turned back human. Each breath he took was unbearable. He faded in and out of consciousness.

Then he heard the boy. That was the last thing before he woke up in the hospital. Conner shook his head and brought a hand to his face, rubbing away the tears. He knew the truth now. He murdered two men in less than forty-eight hours.  And even though they both deserved it, he felt like a monster. His mother had died protecting the cubs, and he had settled the score and found her murderer. He knew everything now. He was on his way home, when he couldn’t make it. He lost too much blood, and he had nearly died, but the boy found him and the hospital had managed to save him. He really was lucky to be alive. “My name is Conner Lawson.”

“You got your memory back?”

“Yeah, it all came back. I guess you helped trigger it.”

She smiled sweetly and caressed his jaw. “It’s nice to meet you, Conner.”

“It’s weird. I haven’t seen anything, and now, when I was quite happy with where things were heading, the memories came back.”

“It’s better, though. Now I know who you are, and you know who you are.” Then she paused and her eyes filled with worry. “Am I still your mate?” she asked hesitantly.

Conner chuckled. He lost his memory, not his heart. “Of course, nothing has changed. I just know where I come from now, and I have my name. I feel whole now. I have my life back, but even better, I have you. And that’s what means the most.”

“I just wasn’t sure if the memory loss maybe misread our— situation.”

Conner couldn’t help it. She was sweet and sexy, and everything he could have ever hoped for in a mate. He leaned in and kissed her. The first was barely a brush of the lips. He sucked in a breath as soon as her lips touched his back. Such a small gesture, but it was perfection.

Chapter 5

Lana was happy he had his memory back, and she was also glad it had interrupted what was about to happen. She shook her head in disgust. Was she that desperate for affection that she’d screw the first man who touched her? She didn’t understand what she was feeling. Never before had she wanted to let go and just be with any man before. She knew it wasn’t the best time to be thinking about sex, and to top it off, the man she wanted had just killed another man and regained his memory after having amnesia. If that wasn’t inappropriate, she didn't know what was.

His memory returning was the cool down she needed. Handing Conner—it was nice putting a name to his face—the pile of clothing she found, she smiled tightly with a blush to her cheeks. “Here are some clothes you can try; shower is down the hall, last door on the right.” She stepped around his large body and took a deep breath, walking out of the room and leaving him standing there staring at her as if she’d lost her mind.

She went out to the mudroom and opened the fridge. He was most likely hungry, and she was too. Pulling out a dish of pre-made food, courtesy of her brother, she went back to the kitchen and preheated the oven. When she heard the shower come on, she went back into the room and found a pair of shorts and a tank top and quickly changed out of her work suit. It had been suffocating wearing it so long. Feeling much better, she went back to the kitchen and made some coffee. Normally she refrained from drinking it, but she was too exhausted to sleep and needed the caffeine boost.

The scent of coffee filled the cabin and she sighed, pouring a cup and trying to get the stress of the day to fall off. She put dinner in the oven and set the timer. Glancing out the window above the sink she sipped her coffee and closed her eyes. Rolling her shoulders she groaned at the pain that shot down her spine. She figured it must have been when Campbell had shoved her down. She shuddered at the thought of the man she left lying in a dirty parking lot—dead. Things were going to get ugly, and she wasn’t sure she could handle it.

A large hand slid onto her hip, and she jumped, turning towards Conner. He was wearing a pair a flannel pants and no shirt. She was mesmerized by the water glistening on his chest. She licked her lips and forced her eyes away. When she looked up, he was staring at her with a smirk. Like he knew what was going on in her head. She blushed and mumbled, “Feel better?”

His eyes twinkled. “Yes, thanks.”

“I’m making dinner, and there’s coffee if you want some.” She tried to move away from him, but he was so close, and she wasn’t a small woman. Shifting her body, she slid out from between his large frame and the counter. Her body brushed against him and heat flared in his eyes. He placed his other hand on her hip to hold her in place. She was stuck and found that once again she didn’t want to stop. She wanted this man, and for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why it was so hard to resist him.

“Lana, are you all right?”

“I don’t know, isn’t it too soon?”

He pulled her against his body and she gasped. His hard body felt right against her soft curves. “You’re my mate; it’s natural for you to want me.” It was as though he could read her mind. He knew she was feeling like there was something wrong. “Even though you’re human, you still get the effects of the mating heat.”

“That’s what this feeling is?” she asked in a whisper.

“Yes, and don’t fight it, baby. It won’t do either of us any good if you do. I won’t be satisfied, nor will my bear, until we complete the bond.”

“Bond?”

Conner tipped her head back and smiled at her. “Yes, it’s what bears do, we bond with our mate, and that connects us together forever.”

“I see,” she replied, her eye lighting with lust. He didn’t need to tell her that bonding meant hot and sweaty sex. Her body clenched with need, and feeling his cock harden against her stomach told her that his was, too. She stepped out of his reach and lifted her shirt over her head, throwing it to the floor. Her breasts felt heavy, and she reached behind her back and unsnapped the clasp holding her bra on. Conner watched her, entranced as she slid the straps down her shoulders and revealed her large breasts to him. The cool air kissed her nipples, hardening them further. She shivered and licked her lips. His eyes traveled down her body.

“Lose the shorts,” he said. His voice was laced with a need she could relate to, and the gruffness turned her on even further.

She didn’t deny him; she pushed them over her hips and shimmied her shorts down her legs, revealing lacy bikini panties. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. She blushed but smiled. He actually looked as though he wanted to devour her. “You like?”

Conner nodded his head and gulped. She was stunning and everything he didn’t know he wanted. She was strong, independent, yet he could see her shyness and thought she was the most adorable woman. The fact that she was a kick-ass lawyer and put criminals away only made her more appealing. He stalked towards her like she was his prey, and at that moment he was too far gone to worry if he was acting more animal than man. She didn’t seem to mind. He stood before her, gripping her panties and ripped them down one side. “I’ll buy you more.”

His hand caressed her hip and wrapped around her ass. It was big and firm in his hands. She gasped when he yanked her to him, and then he kissed her like a man starving. She didn’t disappoint and kissed him back, opening her mouth and licking his bottom lip before she nipped it lightly. “Let’s take it to the bedroom.”

He lifted her into his arms and sped down the hallway. He tossed her on the bed, shucked the pants she loaned him, and climbed on top of her. He couldn’t take his time, not this time. He needed to be in her. Needed to mark her and make her his. He gripped her wrists and pulled them above her head, and then he used his knees to spread her legs.

“You’re mine, Lana. Forever.” He didn’t wait and drove into her soaking wet pussy. Turns out she was ready. She cried out and arched off of the bed with such power it nearly knocked him off of her.

He kissed her lightly now and slowed his thrusts, making love to her. Sweat covered his brow, and he clenched his jaw. She moaned and thrashed her head back and forth. “Oh my god!”

He growled, more bear than man as his canine teeth lengthened and her eyes widened. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt,” he said. She nodded, completely trusting him, humbling him when she submitted. His bear preened with happiness and he struck the side of her neck.

She screamed long and loud and her pussy clenched tightly around him, bringing him to his release. He growled against her throat and thrust faster. His body was shaking with overwhelming emotions as the bond formed. He went crazy, and the bed shook and creaked beneath their weight. She lifted her hips, meeting and matching his movements. After he marked her, he nuzzled her neck before kissing her wounds. She shivered.

Their bodies were slick with sweat, and both were panting.

“Whoa,” she said, chuckling.

He pulled out from her body and rolled over beside her on his back. He closed his eyes slowing his breathing. Turning his head, he looked at his mark on her neck. It was already healing. There would be scars; everyone would know she was his. Nothing ever made him happier. He could feel her emotions: She was tired and a little worried.

“What’s wrong, baby?” he asked, turning towards her.

“What happens if we go to jail?”

“We won’t. You said your mom will pull some strings.” He hesitated saying what he wanted, but she was his mate. “We’ll go to the den and live. No one will find us. My family will keep you safe.”

“I can’t just run.”

“If it’s bad, I won’t give you a choice. I’m sorry, Lana, but I won’t allow you to be stuck behind bars. You didn’t do anything.”

“I left the scene. That looks terribly guilty. I’m just scared. I just found you, and I don’t want to lose you.” She rolled toward his body and buried her face in his chest.

“You won’t,” he whispered. And he meant it. Nothing would take her away from him.

Chapter 6

The next morning Lana woke up hot and covered with a large male body. She smiled to herself, thinking of all the ways he had continued to make love to her. He was seriously insatiable. Her body ached in places she didn’t know existed, and she was tired. But overall, she felt amazing. She could feel the bond between them, though she wasn’t sure if it was in the same way he did. He had her heart and soul, and even though they didn’t know everything about each other it felt right.

She was a little worried about what her mother would think, but hopefully she would just be supportive like she was with every other choice Lana made. Laying there she thought about Campbell’s lifeless body. Someone would have found him by now, and she shuddered with the thought of what was to come. She wouldn’t survive in prison. Too many people were behind those bars because of her. She was the top prosecuting attorney in the area, after all.

Conner pulled her closer to his body and sighed. She watched his eyes shift beneath his lids. He was dreaming of something. It was surreal to be lying next to this man, who wasn’t only a man. He had a whole different side to him that was just as important. His bear played a major role in who he was as a person. And only once when she saw the bear standing over Campbell’s body did she fear him. He was big and cuddly. He was the perfect man to complement her. A little domineering, but mostly he was protective and apparently possessive. It was nice to be wanted that badly.

“What has your eyes crinkling so seriously this early,” he murmured, rubbing his hand up and down her side. She squirmed and giggled.

“Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing, Lana. Remember, I can feel your emotions. You’re all tied up in knots.”

She sighed. “I just want to know what’s going to happen. I’m worried is all.” And that was the truth.

He rolled onto his stomach and hovered over her. “I understand, but you can’t focus on this. It will drive you crazy. I know what it’s like. I devoted my life to finding the man who killed my mother, and look what happened to me. The only good thing that came out of nearly dying was finding you.” He kissed the tip on her nose, and she scrunched it up in disdain.

“I don’t like thinking about that, either.”

“Well, think about what it will be like to meet my whole family. You could help with the business. My father would love to have a kick-ass lawyer on our side. The oil business is a tricky one. And people try to screw us all the time. You’d be paid better than you get paid now.”

“So your family has deep pockets too, huh?”

“You have no idea, baby. It’s nice because really we can decide to never work again, and our kids and their kids, and so on for generations will be well off. We don’t ever have to worry about future generations.”

“So you’re saying our kids are going to be spoiled rotten,” she said before thinking and glanced away. It was way too freaking soon to talk about babies, but it was nice to know he had his own fortune and didn’t want or need hers. So she knew he wasn’t like other men and with her for her money.

“Babies, huh?” he said and laughed before kissing her. “I like that you’re thinking about kids with me. I wasn’t sure.”

“Of course I want children. In fact, I want as many as I can have. I’d like to stop working in a few years and be a mom full time.”

“How were you planning on being a mom if you hadn’t met me?”

“Sperm bank. At that point of planning, I didn’t feel it was necessary to have a man.” He growled and she laughed, knowing he didn’t like the thought of her carrying a baby by any other man besides him. Hell, she knew talking about past relationships was going to be a blow out. “But now I have you, so that’s moot.”

He straddled her hips and held her wrists down. He seemed to like keeping her immobile. She didn't mind it either. “You really thought it through, then?” He shifted her towards the middle of the bed and kissed her, not giving her a chance to respond.

Lana spread her legs, cradling his erection between her thighs. The tip rubbed against her and she moaned. She wasn’t sure she could handle any more, but she would certainly try.

“You’re sore,” he said and she nodded. He kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Let me make you breakfast.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know, but I want to.” He climbed off the bed, pulled on the borrowed pants, and walked towards the door. He looked over his shoulder and winked. “Just relax, baby. Let me take care of you.”

Not knowing what to do and figuring arguing would be pointless, she nodded and relaxed into the mattress. She really was tired. Her night had been busy, and then she woke up in tears. She didn’t know if her incident with Campbell would ever be one she got over. It had struck something deep inside her and made her feel real fear for the first time. And she hoped it would be the last time after everything got settled.

Maybe it was time to quit her job. For the past several months, she was beginning to think she was burned out. It would be nice to do something more relaxing and less dangerous. Working eighty to ninety hours a week wasn’t her idea of fun, and it left her no time for anything else. It was time for a change, and Conner offered her a chance of freedom, something she didn’t even know she wanted until he mentioned it.

Chapter 7

It was three days of passionate and pretty much non-stop making love. Conner was in heaven. He learned everything about Lana, physically and mentally, that he could. He could have spent another week locked up in the cabin with her, enjoying her luscious body, but all good things must come to an end. She was the most beautiful person he had ever met—inside and out. Never before could he have imagined being with someone like her. In the past, women only wanted him for his family name. As much as Lana’s name was known and envied—even feared— in the human world, his was in the supernatural communities. His father was the strongest and most powerful Alpha in the United States, and Conner knew he was in line to take over soon.

The knock at the door caused him to jump. His bear growled, wondering who would be pounding on the door. But then Lana opened the door and a woman, who looked much like his mate, only older, stepped into the cabin. She was fiercer looking with colder eyes that held a wisdom, much like his father’s did. This woman knew her shit, and he hadn’t even heard her speak.

She walked in like she owned the place, and her eyes narrowed in on him. He’d gotten up to cook breakfast so he was shirtless. Her eyes traveled over his bare chest, and then she spun and locked onto her daughter with those eyes. He couldn’t see her face, but Lana blushed and beamed.

Couldn’t be bad right?

“Shacking up with the man who killed your stalker, Lana? Really, that is ‘you’re guilty and stupid one-o-one’.”

Lana gasped and looked at him before turning her attention back to her mother. “Mother, shacking up is such a horrible thing to say, and I know how it looks, but it’s not, so really let’s focus on your news. Anything good?”

Conner’s hackles rose. His bear rumbled his unhappiness at what was said and Lana’s emotions rising from nervous to worried and concerned. He didn’t want her worrying about what being with him looked like. Instead of staying quiet, he decided he would stand his ground right away. He had a feeling her mother expected Lana to be with a strong male. Well, he’d show her.

He stepped into the living room and glared at his new in-law. “With all due respect, your daughter and I are not shacking up. She’s my mate and I’m hers. It’s as simple as that. Please don’t insult what we have.”

“Mate?” Her mother asked, then stared him down. She was almost his height which was intimating enough. But Lana wasn’t shitting him when she warned him about her mother.

Damn, the women were tall in the family.

“Yes I’m her mate, and I’m not an ordinary man.” He held out his hand, remembering the manners his mother taught him. “I’m Conner Lawson.”

She took his hand and shook it like any dominant man would have. This woman was the Alpha in Lana’s family. She was strong and fierce, protecting her cub. He couldn’t help but respect her for it. “Lawson? I know that name.”

“You do?” Lana asked, surprised.

“Honey you don’t get as far and deep into the community like I did unless you network. Your father is Graham?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Conner replied.

“You come from a wonderful—” she paused as if trying to say something delicately, “and unique family line.”

Yep, Lana’s mother knew what he was. “Yes we’re werebears.”

She nodded, waving off mention of his other half, and turned back towards her daughter. “I guess now we need to talk.”

They sat on the couch, and she looked at Conner. “Why haven't you contacted your father? He could have had this problem wrapped up even quicker than I could.”

Conner shrugged. “I guess because I don’t want our kind to get under the spotlight. I changed in front of cameras, I assume. That cannot be connected with Graham Lawson. He’d be ruined, and it’d be my fault. I lost control, and it doesn’t need to fall on the rest of my clan. And if I called him, he’d drop what he was doing and fix it for me.”

“I see,” she replied. “Well, to the news first. It’s both good and bad.”

Lana sat on the couch. He sat next to her, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together. “Let’s hear it,” she whispered.

“Campbell Marks’s body was not found where you told me it would be.”

“What?” she yelled with wide eyes. “He was bleeding out and not moving.”

“Honey, I don’t know what to say. He was obviously unconscious or something because no one, and I mean no one, has reported him to the police in any way. Not even as a missing person. It’s like he wasn’t there. Another strange thing--there was no blood, no knife, nothing at the scene.”

Conner leaned back, perplexed. He could have sworn Campbell’s heart had stopped beating, but he had snapped into a rage when he saw the man standing over his mate.

“So that means we aren’t going to jail. We’re safe.” Lana smiled, but it faltered at the look on her mother’s face.

“No, it doesn’t mean you’re safe, Lana, it means you need more protection now. There was a break-in at your house. Everything was destroyed, and there was a note on your wall, for heaven’s sake.” Her mother handed her a printed picture:

“You will pay, bitch. I warned you.”

Lana paled, and her body shook. His beast roared. “How is this possible?” he growled, unable to keep his beast in check.

“It makes a little more sense, now that I know who’s involved. You might call your father now, because I think what we are dealing with is more than I can handle. And since my daughter is your mate, I expect you to do whatever you have to, to keep her safe.”

Seemed her mother knew a lot about the supernatural world. He had an idea of what this could be, but he wanted to be sure before he scared the hell out of his mate. His father would be the one to verify it. “You’re right, I’ll call him now.” Conner stood and walked to the room he had been spending all his time in. Lana’s phone was on the bedside table. He picked it up and took a deep breath before dialing his home number.

“Dad, I think we have a real problem. Can I get your help, please?” He told his dad what he had learned.

His dad’s reply: “Get you and your mate to the den now.” End of conversation.

Chapter 8

Lana was pulled outside and into her mother’s SUV before she could so much as breathe. Everything happened so fast, and no one stopped to explain anything. Her mother knew more than she did about the situation, and Lana was getting quite irritated. “Can someone please tell me why you are carting me around like a rag doll?”

“Not now, baby,” Conner replied tensely. He was usually so calm and relaxed that Lana bit her lip with worry. If he was this stressed, that meant it was bad. She sighed and left it alone, but she would get her answers. This was her life, and there was no way she was going to stand idly by and allow someone else take care of her problems. It was obviously bad, but that didn’t mean she was useless in the situation—whatever it was.

Her mother opened the door and pulled her into a hug with tears in her eyes. Now Lana knew there really was something horribly wrong. “Do what they tell you to do, sweetheart, and text me when you get there. When this is all over, we’re going to Hawaii on vacation.”

Lana leaned back. “Mom, what’s going on? You’re never scared, and you sure as hell never cry. You’re freakin’ me out.”

“Honey, this is bad, and Conner and his family will explain it to you—they’ll keep you safe. I know them personally. She looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact.

“How do you know so much about his family?”

She didn’t respond.

“Mom, tell me.”

He mother bristled. “Fine.” She stepped out of Lana’s embrace and threw her hands up in defeat. “You and your brother’s father was half werebear. He never shifted, but Graham’s family raised him, until he passed, after you were born.”

Lana sputtered. “You—you always refused to talk about our father, yet when one of the boys talked about a deadbeat dad, you ripped them a new one. I never understood why.”

“It’s because he was no deadbeat. He was an honorable man who died and was also part beast, because even though he never shifted, he still had the bear’s spirit inside, much like Conner does. The only difference between him and Conner is that his bear gets to come out whenever it wants. Your father’s couldn’t. He felt like he was half of a man who didn’t fit in anywhere. He was too human to be a bear, and too bear to be a human.”

“Oh, mom, why didn’t you ever tell us?”

“Because he wouldn’t have wanted you to know. But since you have found yourself a part of the same family, I figured it was time to tell you.”

“Does Conner know?”

“No, but Graham will as soon as he meets you. You look the most like him.”

Conner jumped in the car and started it, signaling he was ready to leave but not rushing her.

“Oh, well I guess we better get going. But when I get back, you and I will be talking.”

“Okay, I love you,” her mother said, wiping away tears. Lana was flabbergasted. Her mother never cried. She never got emotional, and she never let on that she knew people like Conner existed.

***

Conner shook Lana gently. It had been a long ride, but it was time to get her inside the safety of the den. The den was protected by magical wards, which meant Campbell wouldn’t be able to find her, and eventually he would die leaving them safe. Until then Lana would have to stay with him and his family. He had overheard her mother talking and couldn’t believe how small the world was. Lana’s father was like an uncle to him. His death had left a gap in his heart, and now to find out that Lana was his child was amazing. It made sense now why she fell into the heat and submitted to him so easily, without question.  Although she did not have the spirit of one, she was still part bear and her instincts were strong.

“Baby, it’s time to wake up,” he said before kissing her brow.

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him until she realized why she was waking up in the car. She was running. The only good thing that came out of the whole situation was the fact that she wouldn’t be in trouble. Without Campbell’s body there was no crime, which mean his mate was free of any guilt.

“Hi,” she replied. “We’re here?”

“Yes, baby, it’s time to meet your new family.”

She glanced away as tears filled her eyes.

“Hey, sweetheart, this is good. Because here, your father was well loved and respected. No one thought any less of him because of his mixed heritage.”

“Really?”

“Of course. He was one of us.”

She nodded. He got out of the SUV and jogged to her side, opening the door before she was out of the car. She thanked him with a kiss on his cheek. He grabbed her hand and led her into the den. Finally, he was home.

His father greeted them as soon as they stepped into the main house.

“Conner,” he said and pulled his son into a hug. Then he looked at Lana and gasped. “No, it couldn’t be?”

“Yeah. She’s James’ daughter, dad.”

“Oh, my dear, come here.” He didn’t wait for an invitation before pulling Lana into a tight hug and squeezing her until she couldn’t breathe. But she didn’t complain. Her arms wrapped around him and hugged him back. Finally Conner was able to pull her from his father’s grasp. “You look so much like him, dear girl.”

Tears filled her eyes. “I do?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Dad, have you heard anything underground?”

He smiled. “It seems your rush to bring her here for protection was unnecessary. But I’m glad you’re here. It seems Mr. Mark’s body was found, in pieces and nearly unrecognizable early this morning.”

Lana gasped. “How is that possible?”

His dad glared at him. “Did you tell her anything?”

“No, she was sleeping, and I didn’t want to scare her.”

He sighed. “Come sit.” He patted the seat next to him on the couch, and she sat down, waiting for him to explain. “You see, Mr. Marks was possessed by a demon. When Conner killed him—and he did in fact kill him— a more powerful demon, one we will not name, couldn’t have them exposed so he cleaned up the mess. But since Mr. Marks was wanted by the police, he couldn’t just disappear. So he was ripped apart and only recognizable by his DNA. The demons win by shedding his blood and by knowing the humans aren’t any closer to finding out the truth. You’re lucky, though. Some demons wouldn’t have let you go, but since Conner was caught on the tape killing him, they knew there would be no reason to worry about you telling the world about its darker side.”

Lana paled. Conner moved to her side and put his hand on her shoulder. She calmed a little beneath his touch but was still worried. “So I’m safe. No one is after me?”

“No, you are good to go, luckily. Sometimes it doesn’t end this well, for anyone. I’m glad you’re here and I was able to give you good news. Now we must celebrate your mating!” He clapped his hands and stood. “The clan will be thrilled. There hasn’t been a new mating in far too long.” Then he strode out of the room, leaving behind a happy peace.

Conner loved his father, but he had just driven for two days straight. He was tired and hungry. And most of all, he wanted his mate so badly it hurt. They hadn’t stopped long enough to do anything other than get cheap food and have a bathroom break. Now he wanted more. He pulled Lana to her feet and kissed her lightly. “See, baby, I told you everything would work out. But my dad was right, we got very lucky in this situation.”

She nodded and kissed him back forcefully. It seemed she was in the mood, and he had no intention of turning her down. They both wanted to forget the stress of the past week. He lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the house. Cheers surrounded him, and he could feel Lana’s body heat with embarrassment.

He chuckled. “You can meet her later,” he told the crowd of gathered bears. All of them wanted to meet her and welcome her to the family. It was a bear’s way.

THE END

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Stepbrother Romance

My New Billionaire Stepbrother

Cynthia Wilde

Copyright ©2015 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1

Jennifer wished that she didn’t have to be there at all. But there she stood in a hideous pink bridesmaid dress, standing next to her mother while she married the man of her dreams. She was having every girl’s fantasy wedding. Her fiancée had told her that money was no object, and by the attention to detail and the spare-no-expense feel of this affair, it was clear he hadn’t been lying. Jennifer hated his constant show of wealth, but her mother Darla apparently was looking for the financial reassurance of stability over the spiritual connection of emotional attachment and chemistry. At the same time, Jennifer had to admit that the chocolate fondue fountain her mom had planned would be pretty awesome. The light show would be cool too, for that matter. Still, she would have rather stayed home.

Her mother’s new husband Ryan was a bit older than she was, maybe by ten years. Jennifer was never privy to their exact age difference, but everyone with eyes could tell when the couple was out together. To be fair that was really not a big deal. If she had really liked the guy she wouldn’t have thought twice about it. But Jennifer never really did warm up to him during the whirlwind three month courtship. She kept that to herself as best as she could though, because her mother just seemed so happy. She couldn’t bear to be the one to rain on the woman’s parade, so she just kept her mouth shut and tried as best as she could to be supportive.

Jennifer was happy to see that the ritual ceremony was over and people were getting up to head to the reception. She went to congratulate her mother one last time before leaving them to go change and get to the other venue.

“Congrats mom, you look so adorable.”

Jennifer was being honest, as her mother was radiating a glow that was hard to surpass. She looked as close to radiant as she ever got and the dress was just beautiful. That dress probably cost more than Jennifer would make in a year, and it showed. All of the detail and embroidery really made it stand out.

“Thank you baby. Stick around Jenny, so you can meet your new brothers.”

Jennifer looked confused since she had never heard of Ryan having any children. She envisioned a couple of teens that he had from a previous marriage.

“I didn’t know I was getting new brothers out of this deal, mom. No one ever tells me anything. I go off to school fifty miles away and ….oh, never mind. I will see you at the reception and meet them then, okay?”

The blonde tried to smile, hiding her true feelings from her mother. As always her mother was distracted and didn’t seem to notice her daughter’s annoyance. She walked away as she heard her mom gushing to her oldest friend, Ruth. Jennifer pulled her hair out of the fancy up-do which had taken an hour to create. Shaking her hair out, she slid into her old Mazda, which had been parked in front of the church, and headed down to the country club where the reception was to be held. Well, at least she wouldn’t have trouble finding her car in that parking lot later. Being almost 10 years old, it would certainly stand out, she thought, shaking her head.

Jennifer sat in her car for a few minutes after she pulled in. She hunted for her party dress and pulled it on after taking off the pink fluffy nightmare dress that her mom made her wear. It was now the tackiest, most expensive dress she owned and she hoped to hock it on Ebay as soon as she got back to school. Maybe someone would buy it, or at least she hoped so. She figured it would at least pay for a few books if nothing else.

Jennifer fluffed her hair and re-applied some light pink lipstick. She lit and took a few quick drags on a cigarette before stubbing it out and going inside, blowing smoke out of her lips as she went. She knew almost no one there and Jennifer found herself walking towards the bar. The buffet would be her second stop.

“Do you have an I.D. miss?”

“Oh come on, I’m the daughter of the bride. If I have to be here, the least you can do is give me a couple of shots.”

“I’m sorry miss, but no card, no drinks.”

Jennifer was about to say something else when a tall, dark-haired man came up behind her.

“I need….”

The man looked over at Jennifer and waited for her to answer.

“Double vodka.”

The bartender looked between the two, and rather than protest, did as the man, who also seemed to be his employer, bade. Jennifer thanked the attractive stranger and then headed towards the buffet table with drink in hand. She didn’t care for weddings in general, and especially not for this one in particular. Probably as a direct result, her cup was empty by the time she got back to the table. Jennifer looked around for the handsome stranger for a moment and when she didn’t see him, she decided to try her luck for another drink on her own.

The young, tuxedo clad bartender already had another one poured and ready for her when she got back. Pleasantly surprised, she thanked him.

“I told him to keep ‘em coming for you all night, as many as you wish…as long as don’t get too wasted.”

The change of tone was welcomed, as well as suspicious. She took the drink and walked toward the closest available table. For the moment she ignored decorum and the standard prearranged seating. She just wasn’t in the mood. Jennifer had just picked a random seat when her new tall, dark and handsome friend joined her, taking a seat on her left.

“Hi.”

Jennifer looked over at the man and said hello back. He was ruggedly handsome and he was dressed impeccably. Jennifer didn’t know that much about custom tailored suits, but she suspected that was what he was wearing. He reeked of money, as most of the people around her did. Some of those at the reception seemed to make a show of every bit of jewelry, and took every opportunity to mention their connections, but he carried it all off effortlessly, as if he might as well have been wearing a pair of old overalls. His brown eyes held hers captivated for a moment, before she looked down at her plate.

“So um, thanks back there. I really needed a drink.”

“That bad?”

“Yes.”

She didn’t elaborate and he didn’t press. She ate a few bites and then looked over at him. Jennifer could feel the man’s dark eyes on her and she waited for him to say something.

“Are you here for the bride or groom?”

“Bride, ugh, definitely the bride.”

“You don’t like the groom?”

“He makes her happy. That’s what’s important.”

“So what you really mean is that he’s a pompous jerk,” he laughed.

“Are you here for the groom?”

The man chuckled and nodded.

“That I am. My name is Charles, yours?”

“Jennifer, nice to meet you.”

Jennifer finished her drink and looked over at the bar, debating if she wanted to leave to get yet another one. She found herself attracted to the tall, handsome man and he seemed to be interested in her as well. Before she had time to act first, he excused himself and headed to the bar. Walking back with the drink in each hand, he looked devastatingly gorgeous. He placed her drink in front of her nonchalantly. His hair was a bit longer than was the fashion at the moment, ending at the collar. It had a slight wave to it and was almost pitch black. His skin had an olive tone and his eyes, when focused on a person, were hard to hold a gaze with. They were just so intense.

“Thank you. I think I should slow down, I am starting to feel a bit of a reckless smile on my face.”

“There is a smile on there, and it is beautiful. If you were mine, I would make sure you smiled like that every day.”

Charles leaned in close, but instead of going for a kiss, he just asked her if she wanted to dance. His face was beside hers, his words whispered gently into her ear. She tingled with the non-touch, his hot breath playing with her sensitive earlobe.

“Sure,” she said, trying to play it cool, while a wave of heat washed over her entire body.

2

Jennifer took another gulp and set her glass down. They had long since abandoned their hijacked seating in favor of a more subtle bench of to the side of the venue where they could enjoy some light conversation. The liquid courage helped her hands shake less as he led her out onto the dance floor once again. The quick beat they had risen to was almost immediately replaced with a slow and steady love song that pulled all the couples, including them, in closer. His hand grabbed her around the waist and pulled her near. She gasped as his hands settled just below her hips and her front was pushed against his hard, and apparently very athletic, body.

He moved her around slowly, but she was already breathing quickly from his touch. Her hands encircled his neck and she looked up at him with clouding green eyes. Jennifer could feel her body heating up, both from the vodka, as well as from her carnal reaction to his proximity. There was just something about the way he held her and looked at her that made Jennifer almost swoon. She couldn’t be sure, but she sensed it was more than just the alcohol. The song was over too quickly and she disengaged her arms almost reluctantly as he led them off the dance floor.

She moved back towards the table and decided she needed to sit down anyhow. Her knees were a little wobbly, though she blamed it on booze. Her mother was coming out about the same time and waved to her as Charles sat back down next to her. His chair seemed closer and he was definitely leaning towards her just a little more than was usual.

“So what are your plans Jennifer?”

“Stay here as long as I have to and then get some studying done. What about you?”

“Studying? So you are in college?”

“Yeah, upstate.”

“What are you studying?”

“Law. I plan to work pro-bono.”

“Why?”

“Because I would rather help people than make money.”

Charles did not see a need for a distinction, but he nodded empathetically nonetheless.

“Well, I guess we all have to ‘follow our bliss’, as they say.”

Jennifer looked down at her plate, unsure of how to take his comment, and feeling the effects of the alcohol more strongly than ever. She gaped when she saw her sister on a small stage about to give a speech. She had completely forgotten that she was supposed to give one as well. There was no way she was going to get up there in front of all of those people at this point and give a slurred speech though. She ducked her head slightly and looked around to be sure no one else had located her. Spotting her mother and seeing that she wasn’t looking, Jennifer got up quickly. Walking towards the front of the building, she checked around and then pushed open the door to the coat room and stealthily slipped inside. She figured this would be a safe place to ride out the speech portion of the party.

Breathing out a sigh after a moment, she looked around at the rows of coats, numbered tags stuck to most of them. Hearing the door open behind her, she was pleasantly surprised to see Charles when she turned around.

“Why did you run off?”

“I am supposed to make a speech and I really don’t think I am in any condition for it at the moment. Trust me. It’s better for all of us if I sit this one out.”

“You don’t seem that drunk to me.”

“I am not drunk, just really really really tipsy,” she laughed.

“Ah, so I shouldn’t get try for a kiss then huh?”

“I am really just a little tipsy,” she quickly amended.

Charles came closer, closing the door behind him as he advanced. Jennifer took a step back and found her back against the wall. The man may have asked, but he sure didn’t wait for an answer as he bent down to touch her lips with his. Jennifer was surprised by his boldness, but her lips instantly responded to his. As they kissed, he pulled her in close like he had when they were dancing. The flush over her body was no longer tied to anything other than him.

Against any objections that may have lingered in the back of her mind, her body pressed hard against his. She molded her soft curves around his taut, muscled chest. His hands went gently to either side of her head and pressed her against the wall. The move pinned her in front of him as his every move seemed to telegraph the electric attraction he also had running through his system.

Jennifer was lost to this man who seemed to engulf her with his strength as he stood against her. She whimpered and could feel herself responding in her own ways, both above and below the belt. She could hear applause in the other room and it reminded her that she was at her mother’s wedding, making out with some random rich guy in the coat room. Her hand pushed against his hard chest and he reluctantly yielded when she repeated the motion.

“Stop, I’ve got to go.”

“The reception just started Jennifer…”

Her hand was firmer on his chest, even as one of his started to cup her small breast. Jennifer wanted to stay right there, but she did need to go. His lips captured hers once more and silenced her protest. The hard knot in his pants pressed against her quim and she instantly felt a surge of fluid inside her, readying her love tunnel for his penetration. Her body was running on autopilot and demanding more. Jennifer wanted the man right then and there. She was ready to give it to him as his hand started to ascend one of her thighs under her dress, but thankfully someone came in the small room and disrupted the strangers from doing something they may have regretted.

“Hey bro, it’s time to get out there. Dad wants you.”

Samuel looked at his brother a little strangely as he finally caught a glimpse of the woman his body had been hiding. His older brother was a bit of a horn dog and whenever he disappeared, he could almost always be found in the company of a stunning woman.

“Come on, that can wait.”

“Alright, I will be right out. Go.”

Samuel snorted, sounding like he was laughing as he walked back out. The mood was completely killed and Jennifer touched her lips as the man asked her to stay.

“Please, stay right there. I will be right back.”

Jennifer had no intentions of doing that and slid out of the country club’s back door the first chance she got. She was just focused on getting out of there without being seen. Suddenly she didn’t want to deal with any of it. She didn’t want to be around at the wedding and she definitely did not want to be banging some random guy in a coat room. The whole thing was just not like her and she wanted to get back to her mom’s house to relax and let her head clear.

Her mother was going to be moving in with her new husband soon and there were still a few things that Jennifer needed to get out of that old house. There were a lot of memories in her childhood home, but she could understand why her mother had to sell. It was just going to be hard for Jennifer to let it all go. Everything was changing so much and now her emotions were being messed with by the appearance of this mysterious rich guy.

3

Jennifer stepped out of the shower at her mom, Darla’s house. With the wedding behind them, her mom and her new husband, Ryan, would be on their honeymoon for a couple of weeks, so Jennifer planned to stay there for the rest of her break from school. Finals were the next week, so she had most of the week to get all her things together and put them into storage before she would have to hit the books. As she rubbed the mist off the mirror, she heard a noise coming from downstairs. She stuck her head out of the door and wrapped a towel around her body.

“Hello?”

Jennifer waited. She figured it was her sister, though she didn’t hear anything else. Walking towards the stairs, she looked down and saw someone’s back in the kitchen. Jennifer froze, unsure what to do. Her hands went to the towel and clutched it to her chest. At that moment the man turned around and smiled at her.

“Hi, you must be Jennifer.”

The guy walked towards the bottom of the stairs. Although she was definitely alarmed, something about the man’s calm demeanor put her at ease. Come to think of it she vaguely recalled her Mom saying that she had given the house keys to someone or other. She had given them to an assistant or something.

“What are you doing in my mother’s house?”

“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t think anyone was home. I needed to pick something up for your stepdad, Ryan. You know, work stuff for when they are off in the South Pacific.”

“Oh, okay. How do you know who I am?”

“I figure you are his new stepdaughter and um,” he said, averting his face,” your towel is slipping.”

Jennifer looked down to see the top of her small breasts edging the hem of the towel. She quickly pushed the towel back up. She could see mirth in his eyes as he tried not to look. She could also see lust. She realized then that he was the same guy who had caught her in the coat room with Charles. Her eyes looked down at herself and she quickly started to back up towards her room to get dressed. Her cheeks were red and she could feel the blush going down her neck and chest.

“Well sorry to bother you. I will be on my way now Jennifer.”

She did not look back as she fled into her room and shut the door. She figured the guy must be some personal assistant or someone close enough to Ryan that he was invited to the wedding. Her day was not turning out to be as peaceful as she had hoped. After she heard the door close downstairs and she was sure he was gone, she went and bolted the front door. Jennifer did not need any more uninvited guests.

Jennifer spent the rest of the day and into the night going through her old things. Cleaning out her old closet was like going through a time capsule. Helping herself to the full liquor cabinet, she decided to take a break with a glass of wine as she looked through some old photo albums. As she sipped the wine and felt waves of nostalgia wash over her, she had a crazy idea. She wished there was a way that she could just buy her mother’s house. This place was where she grew up and it held so many happy memories, it just killed her to think they were selling it. But what could she do? After all, she didn’t have the kind of money it would take to buy it. On top of it Ryan seemed to be pushing the issue of the sale. Jennifer thought that maybe it was because he didn’t want his new wife to have a way out. Or maybe she was just feeling protective – or paranoid.

But she thought that Ryan was controlling and getting rid of Darla’s house would be like a guarantee for him that she couldn’t leave him. At least that is how Jennifer saw it. Jennifer never said a word though. How could she tell her mom that the guy she was going to marry might be rich, but he was also a class “A” jerk? Jennifer was sure that his son’s would be no better. She wasn’t looking forward to having to meet more rich assholes. She was sure that they had just as little class as their father did. The thought of holidays with the three of them looking down their noses at her was almost more than she could bear. Jennifer knew that she would have to get used to this new situation eventually, but at the moment Christmas was still eight months away. She could afford to maintain her morose outlook about it for a while yet.

Jennifer stewed about the wedding and then she stewed about where she was going to live after she got out of college. It had all just changed so fast and she was finding it hard not to blame her new stepdad Ryan. Before she left for college, her mother was dating some other guy entirely. Then, the next thing she knew, she got a phone call from Darla telling her that their mother was engaged. On top of that, it was to an entirely different guy that Jennifer had never even met, let alone knew anything about. There was a slight sadness mixed with a fair amount of irritation because Jennifer felt like she was losing her mother and gaining three pompous men in return. She knew she had not even met her new stepbrothers yet, but she was already convinced they would be jerks.

She tried to spend the rest of her break relaxing. She knew the material for the finals pretty well already. She wanted to visit with some of her friends that had decided not to go off to school, or had gone to college locally. Her friend Cindy was working at a local club, The Highball, so she went down there to get a few drinks the next evening. The more time they spent talking about old times the more homesick Jennifer became. Still, they had a good time dancing and laughing, just like old times. It turned out that her mother had left her a couple of messages while she was dancing. By the time she saw them, she was on her way home anyhow and didn’t bother checking them. Had she taken a minute to listen to the voicemails, she would not have been surprised to find the front door unlocked when she got back to the house.

Jennifer walked in slowly and paused, listening to see if she heard anything. By this time she was getting almost used to random people appearing in the home. It did belong to her mother and she just had to deal with her penchant for giving out sets of keys.

There was a light on in the back by her mother’s room and as she walked back there her hands found a glass vase to use, just in case. Having grown up in a safe neighborhood, and knowing her mom, she wasn’t too worried really. As she got closer, she could hear the shuffling of papers, but despite her feeling it would just be another random friend of her mother’s, it took her a moment to get the courage up to peer around the corner to see who it was. This was the downside of the free room and board.

Jennifer came around the door with the vase in front of her and, although relieved, was still shocked when she saw that it was her mother.

“Mom! What are you doing here? I thought you were on your honeymoon for the next two weeks? It’s only been three days.”

“I know baby, but Ryan had a merger deal that ran into some sort of trouble unexpectedly, so he wanted to get back and take care of it. I guess we’ll take the honeymoon later.”

Jennifer could see that her mother was hurt, but that she would never admit it. Her mom was all about appearances. She wanted everyone to think that it was all okay, even if it didn’t feel ok for her. Once again, Jennifer was not going to upset her fantasy world.

“So what are you looking for?”

“Oh, just papers on the house. Ryan wants to have his lawyers look at them and find a buyer as soon as possible.”

“I don’t understand why you have to rush everything. It is not like you guys need the money.”

Darla looked back at her daughter and shrugged.

“You know how Ryan is. He likes to get stuff done, no procrastination. That’s why he has been so successful.”

“No, actually, I don’t really know ‘how he is’ at all. All I know is what you tell me. I have only met him twice mom.”

“I know dear and he suggested that you come by and have dinner with us soon.” She said evasively. “I see that you met new your brother Charlie. I was so happy to see you two getting along.”

“Wait, what?” Jennifer felt the blood drain from her face.

“I saw you and Charlie at the table talking. He’s your new stepbrother, well one of them. He is the oldest and his younger brother stopped by after the wedding. Maybe you met him too?”

Jennifer’s heart rate increased dramatically and she felt like her throat was closing up. While she couldn’t speak from shock, her mind screamed for her to answer. She needed to say something to fill the void. And to find out if what she said was true. Jennifer could not imagine that the man who had his hands all over her at the wedding and whom she kissed so passionately was really her new stepbrother. How could that be?

“The one I danced with at the wedding is my new stepbrother?”

“Yes. One of them. I swear dear, it is like you are not even listening sometimes.”

Jennifer leaned back against her mother’s bed. Darla turned around with some papers in her hands and waved them like they were the winning lottery ticket. Apparently she had been searching for them for a while.

“I just don’t understand why you have to sell the house. Maybe I want to buy it.”

“Oh now Jenny, don’t be dramatic. I know you will miss it, but you don’t want this house.”

“But this was the house that we all lived in. Dad lived here and if you sell it, it will be like losing one of the last pieces of Dad.”

It was finally said. Jennifer was finally able to voice what she had wanted to say for a while. Her father had been gone for 7 years and her mother didn’t even say his name anymore. Jennifer’s older sister wouldn’t talk about him either. They acted like he had never existed and Jennifer just didn’t get it. She knew that was just their way of coping, but she couldn’t be that way. She wanted to hold on to the house. She felt like it was all she had left of him.

“Baby, it’s just a house. You don’t really want this old house, not really. It’s got too much wrong with it. The porch needs to be fixed and it needs a new roof.”

“I don’t care. I do want it. How much are you trying to sell it for?”

“I don’t know. I was going to let Ryan take care of all of that.”

“Of course you were.”

Jennifer was done talking. Her mind reeled from the thought of making out with her stepbrother, but her heart sank from the idea that her mother was really going to go through with selling the house.

“Well, when you find out let me know. I might go down to the bank and see if I can get a loan.”

“You know they‘ll never approve you Jennifer.”

“They might. I will figure something out. Thanks for the show of support though. So are you staying over there tonight, or here?”

Darla looked at her youngest daughter and sat down on the bed. The older woman had not realized how much all these changes were going to affect her. It was true that there were a lot of memories of her husband in this house. That was one of the main reasons that she was okay with selling it when Ryan suggested it. She couldn’t deal with all the memories and selling the place would mean one less painful reminder to deal with. For the most part she had made a kind of peace with it, but she hadn’t thought about how it would affect Jennifer.

“Honey, I know this has all happened so quickly, but I am married to Ryan now. So yes, I will be staying with him. You are staying here until you go back to school, right?”

“Yeah. I guess I will get a storage unit and get my stuff out of here.”

Jennifer did not want to sound bitter, but she was and she didn’t know how to let it go. She was more than just a little disappointed, she was devastated. Darla stayed to grab a few more items that she threw in a suitcase. Jennifer heard a noise downstairs and she looked to see the same man that had walked in the day before. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t been concerned with who he was yesterday. She was just so distracted with everything going on. She had figured he was an assistant or something. He waved slightly and she wondered if he had heard what she had said about his father. Or had he heard what she had said about her own father?

4

Jennifer did not stay much longer at her mother’s house. She packed up most of her things and took some of her father’s things over to a storage facility. Jennifer had a feeling that the house would not be in the family the next time she was back in town and the thought saddened her. There was nothing to be done though, so she left to go back to school a couple of days early.

Her mother had called several times to try and get together, but Jennifer had ignored the messages and didn’t bother texting her until she was back at school. Even then, it was just to tell her that she made it back safely. The two women did not talk for the next several months and Jennifer even started to ignore the calls from her sister. She sort of went into a protective bubble.

Jennifer just tried to immerse herself in school and forget about what was going on back home. She had actually found a boyfriend too. It weirded her out though, because she found herself constantly comparing him to Charles. Charles was taller, she would think to herself. And she had felt differently as he had held her close. She didn’t feel the same way about her boyfriend Steve, though he was nice and they did have a good time together. They hadn’t gone all the way yet though. Jennifer had before, of course, she just hadn’t given it up yet with him. As the time stretched on, she wondered if she ever would. Maybe it had something to do with Charles, who lingered in the back of her mind, despite her attempts to dispel any thought of him.

Finally, the holidays were upon her and Jennifer felt compelled to go see her mother for Christmas. She had opted out of Thanksgiving and Darla had actually seemed uncharacteristically upset. She had called her the next morning and made Jennifer feel bad, so she had promised to go home for a couple days during the next holiday.

She dreaded the trip for many reasons though. One of the big ones was the reminder of the imminent loss of her childhood home and all those memories of her father that she was afraid would go with it. There was also her mother’s unwillingness to talk about it. On top of that she would have to deal with her new rich stepfather that she couldn’t stand to be around. And of course, the main reason to stay away would have been to avoid seeing the stepbrother she had sucked face with and whom she had allowed to feel her up. That was kind of a big one. It would have been a lot for anyone and Jennifer just felt so overwhelmed. She wished that she could find a good enough excuse to just skip the whole thing. But she was out of excuses.

The day that she was packing up for what would probably be her last ride “home”, she received a large envelope folded over in her mail box. It was a crisp textured eight and one half by eleven inch white envelope with no return address. Opening it curiously, she found a small collection of papers inside. There was a note that was on the top of the stack of legal papers that at first just confused her. Then it made tears well up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She could hardly believe it and had to read it through three times before it would begin to sink in.

“Jennifer, Samuel overheard the conversation with your mother about your childhood home. We hope this is not unwelcomed or too ostentatious of a gift, but we decided to buy it for you and would like to give it to you as an early Christmas present, if you will accept. Of course we will have to deal with some tax implications, etc. but we have attorneys for that sort of thing. Along with the house will also be a fund to be used for upkeep and repairs for the foreseeable future, so that this does not become a burden to you financially. You probably are wondering where this is coming from. We know what it is like to lose a parent and to want to hold on to their memory. We lost our mother. It is our sincerest wish that you accept this small gift on our behalf. You would be giving us great pleasure in receiving it. I hope to see you soon. Charles”

After she picked her jaw up off the floor and stopped crying tears of both joy and relief, she looked at the pages once more to be sure she wasn’t imagining it. The letter trembled in her hands as she read the important parts several times over. Then she looked at the new deed with her name on it. There it was in black and white, but she still couldn’t believe it. People don’t just give other people a house. Did they? Well, apparently. These guys did. It seemed like they had done that very thing. Jennifer was speechless as she made her final preparations for the trip home. She realized she was driving towards her home for real now. I was hers, unless this was some kind of trick. It was still hard to believe it in her mind. If it was true, she did not know how she could repay them for their kindness.

***

“Hey baby, are you leaving soon? I’m all ready.”

“Yeah Steve. I’m leaving now.”

“Ok babe. I’ll see you when you get here.”

Jennifer hung up and grimaced, she hated being called babe. Baby wasn’t so bad, but babe just grated on her nerves for some reason. She had mentioned it to Steve, but he did not seem to care too much and continued punctuating his sentences liberally with the nickname.

She had decided to take Steve with her for purely selfish reasons. The visit was already going to be more than she wanted to face and she planned to use her boyfriend as a buffer. This approach wasn’t going to win her any girlfriend of the year awards, but sometimes you just had to do what you had to do. The dinner was supposed to be at Ryan’s mansion and her stepbrothers were going to be there, as well as the rest of Ryan’s family. She had not met them, but Jennifer already imagined that she knew how it would go. She knew they were just people like her, but sometimes the money thing could be a lot to take. Of course those stepbrothers had just bought her a house, so maybe it was time to see them in a new light.

So she figured Steve could do the small talk thing with the rich folk, since he came from a pretty well-off family. She also figured that Steve would keep her mind and her lips away from the forbidden ones that she still felt attracted to. The knowledge of her new familial connection with Charles had not dampened the memory of the heat she had felt between them. Jennifer could still feel Charles’ body against hers. That feeling and the memory of that encounter had kept her up late at night on several occasions in the intervening months since she had seen him. She imagined that a man like that would always have a girlfriend but despite the obvious problems it would present, she couldn’t help but wish that he was available.

Jennifer picked up Steve and was glad to see that he had dressed up a bit with a button down and some slacks. He looked nice. Now if he could just leave out all the “babe” comments.

Since Jennifer supposedly had her own home now, she figured she had somewhere to escape to if things got to be too much on the trip. That helped her relax a bit. She assumed that her new benefactors had left the house as it was. She had actually lost track of what had happened with the house when she retreated into her bubble over the summer and fall. Anyhow, even though the family situation would be marginally more manageable now, she also realized that in coping with it she had potentially created another problem. By inviting him to meet the family it was very possible that he would assume that she was stepping up the relationship. That, of course, would mean sex for Steve. That would be a pretty reasonable conclusion actually. The problem was that Jennifer still wasn’t sure if she wanted to have sex with him, even though it had been several months since they had started dating. She had given him a few blow jobs to satiate his needs a bit and to let off some of the pressure he was no doubt feeling inside. She had certainly relieved that pressure admirably, but it clearly wasn’t enough. He wanted it all and she knew that that weekend, he would try to get it.

He kissed her as they were about to drive away from in front of his dorm but Jennifer was the one who pulled back when his mouth became more insistent. She pretended she had to focus on the drive ahead of them. From the look in his eyes, she imagined he was pretty sure they would be sleeping together any day now. At times like this, he seemed to look at her almost as a possession, Jennifer thought. She wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. Almost against her will, her body responded to his soft lips and probing tongue, and she momentarily contemplated ending her self-imposed dry spell. She really did need to have sex and so it was starting to look like Steve just might be in luck after all. The way she kept vacillating around this issue, she could understand how crazy men thought woman were. She felt a little crazy herself, she laughed inside.

5

“So I thought we were going to your mom’s?”

“We are. I just wanted to put our things here. I haven’t seen the house since I was here for the wedding. And I haven’t seen it since it became mine. It feels pretty good. I thought we could tidy up a few things while we are here.”

She had not given him all the details of what had transpired with the house. She just said that her mother had told her to treat it like her own house. She further implied that her mother was the one who would sign it over to her. She stopped just short of lying. No need to complicate an already complicated situation by telling Steve about the gift. Steve’s face screwed up at the mention of tidying up though. He did not like the sound of doing any kind of work apparently and Jennifer doubted that she would get any help from him. She just hoped that the rest of house was not a complete mess. Her mother, Darla had a tendency to leave work for everyone else to do, so there really was no telling what the state of the basement and main rooms would be. At least it was hers though, she thought. She assumed her mom wouldn’t care about the furnishings, but who could tell.

The house was surprisingly well kept, and just as she had last seen it. The customary hidden key outside had been replaced with a shiny new one that opened the front door. On the kitchen table she discovered the rest of a new set of keys resting on top of a note from Charles welcoming her home. Apparently they had changed all the locks, giving her even more of a feeling that it was really hers. So it was really true. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at the familiar handwriting. Jennifer folded the note and stuck it in her pocket before Steve came in with the bags. She saw his nose crinkle at her new home, his upper class breeding coming in again. To see it from his eyes, she was sure that it was a let-down.

“Wow, this place is tiny.”

“It’s a three bedroom, two-story house, Steve, and it is just for me. So I think it is plenty big enough”, she said, trying not to feel, or sound, too annoyed. Then again, what he said was objectively annoying she thought.

That was the difference between them in a nutshell. Nothing was ever good enough for a guy like Steve, who was promised the best of everything from the time he came out of his mother’s womb. He just always got whatever he wanted. He expected to get his degree and work at one of the prominent law offices in the city where he grew up. His family had connections and it was practically a done deal already. His career path was chosen purely on a monetary basis, while Jennifer wanted to get into law to help people. Her school had kids representing both sides of that fence. While some just wanted to make a difference in the world, others were just getting a license to swindle money from everyone they came in contact with. Maybe that was a bit of an extreme way to see it, but that was her view.

“I guess. I don’t know if I would want something this small though. I need room to move.”

She wondered if Steve realized that with every word out of his mouth, his chances of getting in her pants were dropping exponentially. Putting that thought aside, Jennifer looked around at her house proudly. It was perfect for her.

“Well, we can’t always agree on everything,” she finally said.

As Steve walked over to use the bathroom, Jennifer sighed to herself. She didn’t know what she was doing with him and she was just now realizing that she had not really thought through the ramifications of bringing him home with her. It would definitely signify that they were becoming more serious. He was already expecting more than she really wanted to give him, and now she was only encouraging it. He might even try to get some right then and there. The fact was, she was not even sure if she really liked him at all when he made ignorant comments like that. He didn’t seem to have a filter or monitor inside of his brain that told him that he was being an insensitive jerk. He could be sweet at other times, but at times like this the jerkiness just oozed out of him with every word, obscuring whatever good in him she had once seen. Jennifer was starting to wonder if that was why she kissed him the first time at the party where they had met. She was probably just trying to shut him up.

“So are you ready to go babe?”

Jennifer groaned inwardly again.

“Just let me change real quickly and throw some makeup on.”

Steve sighed audibly and Jennifer was finding herself wishing for the third time in ten minutes that she had just had the courage to come home and face the situation by herself. At this point though she was committed. She couldn’t very well send Steve back to campus. Dinner would be ok. She knew that it was going to be long, but she had to go to say thank you to Charles and Samuel for their incredible generosity, if nothing else.

Jennifer purposely took her time while she was getting ready, making Steve wait as a form punishment for all of his dramatics. She knew that was pretty passive aggressive of her, but in that moment she didn’t really care. She smiled sweetly at Steve thirty minutes later as she finally came downstairs. He couldn’t be too mad at her, looking as good as she did. The dress she wore was red, short, and tight. Her heels made her legs seem a mile long and with her hair flowing down her shoulders she was an absolute bombshell. It was clear from his expression that his desire to get some had reached a crescendo and suddenly he wasn’t too keen on leaving the house at all.

He walked over to his girlfriend and pulled her into his embrace, his lips crashing down on hers. His lips slid over hers, but she was reluctant to open her mouth. Jennifer was actually thinking about Charles as Steve touched her. It was the other man that she wished was kissing her, and pressing her against his hard body like he had in the coatroom. Given, it wasn’t the most romantic spot, but it would have to do. She pulled away from Steve as his hand crept closer to her hot center. Jennifer didn’t want him to feel how wet she was. She was not wet so much for him as she was for her own stepbrother.

“Stop, we are already late and we need to get going.”

The man growled and grabbed her firm ass cheek as she started to walk towards the front door. She could feel his eyes on her flesh as she walked away and she found she liked it. Maybe she would slack her thirst with her boyfriend after all. What a novel concept, she thought. He may be a dick, but he had waited quite a while after all. This was her thought as they got into her car. Her body wanted satisfaction and it did not seem that it was all that worried about who it actually came from. When she thought about hot steamy dirty sex, however, it was Charles who came to mind.

6

“I am so happy you finally made it. I called and you didn’t answer.”

“Sorry mom. I had to go by the house to drop my things and get ready.”

“The house? I thought you were staying here and we could have Christmas morning together.”

“I went by our old house.”

“What do you mean?”

“Didn’t Ryan tell you?”

“Tell her what?”

Jennifer looked over at the aging man walking up to the stair. He was dressed formally, as he always was. She was a little caught off guard by his appearance but proceeded with the story undeterred.

“That your sons kindly bought her house and gave it to me. Charles sent me a card and the deed to the house. Don’t tell me you didn’t know of their generosity.” She was laying on the sweetness to be sure and frame the whole thing as a grand noble gesture, lest Ryan get in the way of it going through.

By the look on the man’s face, it was quite obvious that he didn’t know anything about it. Although he didn’t say anything, by the newly arrived twitch in his brow, the news seemed to upset him. He turned and left, presumably to go look for his impulsive, and recently very gallant sons. Jennifer introduced her mother to Steve and was in turn introduced to several of Ryan’s family members. Her sister was not there and when she asked Darla where she was, she was given a puckered look that was akin to her husband’s. Sadly, it looked like she was becoming just like him.

After some chit chat and introductions Steve was pulled into a conversation with some other guests.

“Well he is a nice looking boy. He dresses well,” said Darla approvingly.

Jennifer sighed as they watched Steve talking to Ryan’s brother. She was sure it was about something boring. She knew that by “dresses well,” her mother was speaking of the man’s means. Jennifer couldn’t have cared less about that and she couldn’t believe that the same woman who had told her to follow her heart when she was younger now seemed to only consider finances as the defining factor in her daughter’s love life.

It was then that Charles and his brother Samuel came into the room. Jennifer was stalled for a moment as her eyes drank in the sight of her new brothers. They were similar in looks, yet each distinct and unique in his own way. Her heart pounded in her chest as they walked over to where she was standing. Samuel was attractive as well, but it was Charles who attracted Jennifer. Her mother had long been forgotten and she turned to Charles for the first time since that coat room.

“Thank you so much!”

There was nothing else that she could say to them but to thank them. She wasn’t sure if they knew how much it had meant to her, but she thought it was obvious that it meant the world. It meant that she could hold on to so many cherished memories. She even had hopes of maybe starting her own family there someday. Jennifer wrapped her arms around the startled man and she immediately felt the same way she had felt in the coat room. If there had not been so many people around, namely her boyfriend as well as her own new extended family, she would have liked nothing better than to finish what they had started that day so many months before. It was readily apparent that Charles was receptive to her gratitude.

She reluctantly pulled away, though she was happy to see he was just as affected as she was. His brown eyes bore into her hers and she looked away to save herself embarrassment. Jennifer turned towards Samuel and gave him the same hug, though she did not feel the fire she did with Charles. Steve seemed to be a bit bothered by all the hugging and was quickly at her side introducing himself. Despite the knowledge that these were her new stepbrothers, some primal defense was triggered and Steve made it clear that they were a couple. She, on the other hand, had never wanted him to be gone as much as she did at that moment. Charles had a semi-deflated look on his face. Jennifer wished that she could take that look away. She actually had a pretty good idea of how she could do it, too.

Dinner was beautiful and the food was almost so pretty to look at that she didn’t want to spoil it by eating anything. The conversation revolved around business and while Steve had plenty to say, Jennifer could not think of anything to add. She couldn’t have cared less about mergers and profit margins. All she could think about was the dark-haired man that kept looking at her from across the table. Their eyes met once and she wanted to melt into her seat.

“So are you staying here for the night? It would be nice if we could all wake up to Christmas morning together as a family for the first time.”

“Well…”

“We were going to stay at the other house weren’t we? I really wanted to help clean it up a bit,” Steve quickly interjected.

He had actually cut Jennifer off. She knew exactly why he wanted to stay at the other house. It certainly had nothing to do with cleaning. Well, there was one thing he wanted cleaned. Or was it that there was one thing he really wanted to clean? Truth told she couldn’t really blame the poor guy.

“Steve I haven’t missed Christmas morning with my mom my whole life. You can stay there if you really want to help and I will stay here.”

Steve had painted himself into a corner and he knew it. He didn’t look especially happy about it, but after Jennifer’s mom overheard the plan and started gushing with excitement, he knew it was too late to back pedal.

“Good, well that’s settled. It really means so much to me to have you here Jennifer.”

Steve meanwhile looked like he had just been hit in the head with a frying pan as he tried to comprehend how quickly his plans to get laid had unraveled.

Darla just looked misty eyed and Jennifer was sure that her mom had had one too many glasses of wine. At the same time she welcomed the warmth of her words. As the dinner wound down and people started to leave, Charles walked up to Jennifer, as she was matter of factly telling Steve she would see him tomorrow.

“Would you like me to show you to your room, sis?”

It was funny how he said the last word. There was the secret between the two and though Steve could sense another man encroaching, he could not say anything because they were siblings after all. Steve looked from one to the other and huffed in his confusion.

“Yea, just let me give Steve the keys.”

Jennifer pawed through her purse until she found both the car and house keys. Steve seemed genuinely shocked when she actually handed them over.

“I will see you tomorrow sweetie, okay?”

Knowing there was no use arguing at this point, he grumbled his assent and then surprised her with an impassioned and fiery kiss. She was not expecting it and especially not with so many of her family looking on. Her body was so ready for some loving she realized, that this kiss had almost been enough to convince her to go back home with him after all. She walked him to the door though, and after a final farewell, shut it before he could kiss her like that again. He might have been marking his territory, but it was effective nonetheless. Had he kissed her like that before they left her house earlier, the end of the day might have turned out very differently for both of them. Her hands brushed her lips for a moment as if to make sure they were still intact.

“That was some kiss.”

Jennifer smiled and looked back at her stepbrother sheepishly.

“Yea, it was.”

“You look surprised.”

“I am, a little.”

“Was it as good as our kiss?”

Jennifer blushed and couldn’t quite meet his eyes. She quietly followed the tall man up the long stairs. They walked down a long hall and passed several rooms before he stopped at a door and opened it. He held it open and let her walk in before he came in behind her. He shut the door and she heard the faint click of the lock. She turned around and looked at him questioningly.

“You didn’t answer my question. Was his kiss better?”

Jennifer stepped back as he approached her, the same determined look that he had had before. Her mouth was dry, as were her lips.

“We shouldn’t be doing this. It just isn’t right,” she said, trying her best to believe it herself.

“That’s ridiculous; if our parents had never met no one would think twice about us being together. I think maybe it’s my turn to give you a kiss again.”

He said nothing else about her being his stepsister. He seemed as eager to forget that fact as she was. His lips came in contact with hers and there was that instant spark again. Her body remembered him and happily melded against his hard chest.

Their tongues twisted around each other and his hands explored her body once again. In their heat, he pushed her towards the bed in the middle of the guest room. Jennifer felt the back of her knees hit the mattress. His weight pushed her over and Charles fell down on top of her, his hardness instantly pressing against her mound. His mouth left hers as he started to kiss her neck. Jennifer moaned and wiggled her body underneath him, enticing him to continue his descent.

“So?” he said, pausing in his ministrations.

Jennifer looked up at the man over her body and sighed. She felt shy for a second, the intensity of his eyes overwhelming.

“I have been thinking about you since the day at the wedding. Why did you just take off like that?”

To be honest, Jennifer didn’t really know why she had run off. She certainly wasn’t going to tell him her best guess though, which was that she thought she had just felt too out of control when she was around him. She had been afraid of what she might do while under his spell. In this moment now though, she found that feeling exhilarating, rather than threatening. She was ready to let go of that control and give in to her body’s yearnings. She would be whatever he needed her to be. Moreover, she would be whatever she wanted to be herself. Screw convention. In that moment, all she wanted was Charles.

His body and mouth moved lower, nipping at the hardened nipples that poked against the thin material of her dress. His nibbling and sucking tongue, teeth, and lips went from one breast to the other and then slowly moved down her stomach. Her lower abdomen trembled as his hot breathe steamed through the thin fabric of her dress.

“I love this dress and the color on you, but at this moment I really just want it off,” he said, almost apologetically.

Jennifer squealed as he pulled the hem up and exposed her from the waist down. She looked past her heaving chest and saw his face start to lower to her sex. All that stood between them was a rather frilly pair of lace panties that almost matched her dress. The red made her feel sexy and the man’s mouth on her nether-lips proved that he seemed to agree.

Jennifer’s painted nails delved into his hair and scraped along his scalp as he pulled her panties to the side. His breath became hotter and she whimpered when she felt the tip of his tongue lightly pressing against her wet button. His fingers held her open while he pressed harder and made her moan louder. Her hips came up to search for his mouth and when he locked on her engorged nub and started to suck, she bucked underneath him.

“Yes Charles, oh God.”

Jennifer was at the precipice and then flying over the edge entirely into oblivion before she knew it. Charles slid a finger inside of her and started to finger-fuck her quickly as her fluid squirted out around his thrusting digit. His name was on her lips, over and over again as he pushed her past pleasure. Her body heaved and contracted until it hurt. Her core was sensitive and even with a finger inside, she wanted more. He relented and pulled back to leave her. Her thighs pulled together as she closed her eyes tightly in her enjoyment of the moment.

“How do you get this thing off?”

The man’s voice was strained and Jennifer smiled. Her eyes opened to find him tugging his own shirt off. That, he could accomplish. She sat up and started to pull down her own zipper as best she could. She turned her back to him and he yanked it down the rest of the way. She heard it rip and protested.

“I’ll buy you ten more, just please get it off!” he laughed.

She looked back at his desirous eyes and muscled chest. Jennifer felt the same overwhelming need and she quickly pulled the straps off her shoulders. She pushed it down to her waist and looked back at him, giving him an eyeful of her perky young breasts. Charles let out what sounded almost like an animal’s growl as his hands went for his pants. A long thick cock popped out as he pulled them down with a jerk.

Climbing back on the bed, Charles pushed her over onto her stomach and hands. He grabbed the rest of the dress and pulled it down her thighs, letting it bunch at her knees. He rubbed his hard aching cock several times across her ass and then her soaked pussy before suddenly squeezing it through her spread lips and inside. Charles groaned deep and Jennifer cried out. She was suddenly filled to the brim just as he was engulfed as he planted himself deep inside her hole.

“Oh, that feels amazing. You feel amazing,” she half moaned and half sang out.

He pulled out slowly and then pushed forward quickly again, bottoming out inside of her. The dress held her legs together and with her thighs shut, his cock pushed in to new depths she had not felt before. Her thighs pushed together with each stroke and stimulated her inflamed clit. He moved faster inside of her, rutting in and out of her body as he held her hips steady with his powerful hands. Each thrust pushed her face further into the mattress. Her mouth was agape as she moaned into the comforter beneath her prone body. He had to pull her back up several times, as he was literally driving her into and across the bed.

Charles withdrew his meat from her for a moment and turned her over onto her back. He pulled the dress the rest of the way off of her long legs and then opened her wide. Her little pink pussy taunted him and he bent down to taste her juices once more, before pushing back in with his rod, her calves pinned against his broad shoulders. She let out an involuntary moan with each hard plunge in and then squealed with pleasure as his hand went to the top of her slit to rub.

“Oh my God, Charles, I’m coming.”

He didn’t need her warning, as he could feel her hole flooding around his throbbing shaft. Her walls crushed him as he gritted his teeth, trying to draw out their pleasure just a little longer. Watching her face change and feeling her body writhing underneath him was more than he could handle. He bellowed over her high-pitched shrieks, filling her with his seed. Each hot blast made her insides convulse, making him groan and his cock twitch. Thank God they were at the far end of the east wing, she thought absently.

When it was over, the two laid next to each other in the bed, both covered with a thin sheen of sweat and gasping in large breaths of air. It took Jennifer several minutes to unclench her legs and to open her eyes to her stepbrother. Now he was her lover.

“Wow,” Jennifer giggled, her hands running over his sweaty chest.

“Wow is right.”

He moved down the bed and kissed her bruised lower lips, his hands caressing her belly. His eyes held mischief as he took her rosy tip into his mouth once more.

“I wish you could always stay here. We could be one big happy family. I could come visit you at night and we could do all sorts of naughty things. Your school is only fifty miles away,” he said with a mischievous smile.

Jennifer grinned back at him and was about to speak until his mouth moved lower again and she temporarily lost that ability. She said nothing. She didn’t know what to say. This trip was not exactly what she had expected. That was an understatement. She just kept reminding herself that had their parents never met this relationship would be no different than any other. Maybe our parents will get divorced she half hoped. Well, she could dream, but for the time being he was still her stepbrother and she guessed she would just have to take the future one day at a time.

THE END

Highlander Time Travel Romance

Into the Highlander’s Arms

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1.

Zoe rolled over and turned off her alarm. It was 7:00 am and it had been blaring at her for half an hour. Even though she’d been determined to get up early, she found herself repeatedly hitting the snooze button and dozing under her quilt.

The cold nipped her skin each time she moved the blanket and she knew the second she actually got out of bed she was going to be miserable.

It was mid fall and the days had gone from sunny and mild, to murky and cold within the space of a week. She was resisting giving in and turning on her heating for fear of her bills rising too high too early in the year… She liked to save those kind of luxuries for the dead of winter.

Zoe rubbed her eyes and looked across the room to the door of her bathroom. She could drag the quilt with her and turn on the shower, letting it all get steamy and warm before getting undressed, but she was already running late and she couldn’t make a bad impression on her first day. She sighed and quickly threw the cover off herself, jumped to her feet and ran into the bathroom. With as much speed as she could muster for someone still half asleep, she flicked on the shower and whipped off her clothes before climbing over the side of the tub and dancing about in the warming water.

It wasn’t quite how she had envisioned her first day of her new job, but at least she was up and running.

After Zoe showered, she dried her hair and tied it into a tight ponytail. She moisturized her skin and made her lips dewy with gloss before she slipped into a pencil skirt and a tight cardigan and tied a red scarf around her neck. In her mind’s eye, she would look intellectual, perfect for her first day at work in one of the city’s oldest libraries, but in reality, as she looked at herself in the mirror, she looked more like a flight attendant. She scrunched up her face with disappointment and flashed a glance up at the clock. She didn’t have time to change, so it would have to do. She grabbed her coat and her keys and trotted out of the door of her apartment and into the cold autumn day.

The job at the library had been one of Zoe’s steps to begin again after her latest failed relationship. When she met Ross, she thought they were meant to be, but after just a short time, she learned that he wasn’t the man she thought he was. He’d broken her heart, even though she would never admit it to him, and after stewing for a few weeks, she decided that she needed a clean break and to mix things up. Her life had been stagnant for too long, and she wanted new and exciting experiences. She had quit her job as a receptionist at a law firm and landed the job at the library as an assistant librarian. It was something completely different to anything she had done before and she was sure it would open her mind to a whole other world of possibilities. She day-dreamed about meeting a scholar from Harvard or a professor who would be there researching and poring over ancient tomes. Maybe she would even be inspired to go back to college and take up a new subject. That was the magical pull of an old library—there was so much information under one roof, she was never going to be bored.

As Zoe walked down the street, she looked up at the trees that had been glowing with red and orange leaves seemingly a few days before. Now they were becoming bare and their branches poked out at different angles like bony fingers. This was her favorite time of year, and it felt perfect to her that she should be starting her new job as the world was preparing to start again, too.

She rounded a corner and stopped as she looked down the street. The library was standing tall and proud at the end and had an air of so much rich history about it that it made her smile from ear to ear.

“Here goes,” she said to herself as she stepped forward and walked towards it.

The Gold Rose Library was a very old building in the center of the city and looked gothic with its gargoyles and high spires. As Zoe approached the main door, her nerves were almost on top of her, but she breathed out deeply and heaved open the huge, heavy handle.

As she stepped inside, she was greeted almost immediately by a short, plump lady with large glasses and an even bigger smile.

“Good morning, Zoe!” she beamed. “Welcome to The Gold Rose!”

2.

As first mornings went, her time in the library was relatively easy and enjoyable. Zoe had been expecting to be shouldered with a lot of work that no one else really wanted to do, but instead the lady who had greeted her, Mrs. West, let her get accustomed to her surroundings in the main hall.

The Gold Rose wasn’t due to open until 10:30am, and Zoe had been shown to her desk in the center of the main hall, where she sat at a high oak information point in the middle of a stack of dusty hardcovers. Everything in there seemed ancient, and the whole place oozed with history and secrets. Zoe had never felt more intrigued at what could be hidden there within the walls.

She flipped through her employee manual, which looked as if it hadn’t been updated in about forty years and snuck a look at her cell phone. She had a text from her mother wishing her good luck on her first day and another from her best friend asking her to go for drinks on Friday night. She smiled. It was nice to have people who cared for her, but it didn’t matter how many friends or caring family members checked in, no one could fill the gap that Ross had left. Even after their short time together, Zoe had grown so used to having a partner that she was struggling without him.

She sighed and pushed him to the back of her mind. She had taken the new job to forget Ross and move on with her life. She was determined she wouldn’t be defined by a failed relationship and that she would thrive by finding new interests and a new career. She looked up and around her. The main hall really was an amazing sight. Its ceilings seemed as tall as the sky and the dark wood was so brooding and atmospheric it made her shiver. She had never really thought before about why the library had been given its name, but now she could see as she sat there that it had been decorated many years ago all around the edges of the ceiling in gold leaf in the shape of roses. She smiled as she thought about the artist deciding to do this and how he or she would have made it up so high to complete the intricate paintings.

“Must have taken them a long time,” said a voice from behind her. She turned around to see a girl about her age standing there with a large stack of books in her arms.

“That’s exactly what I was just thinking,” Zoe smiled.

The girl climbed up into the desk area and thumped the books down next to her.

“I’m Rebecca,” she smiled as she held out her hand.

“Zoe.”

“It’s nice to have someone else working here who isn’t as ancient as the library,” she laughed.

Zoe giggled too and nodded. “I can imagine it gets a little boring in here at times with no one to talk to.”

“Yep,” Rebecca sat down next to her and pulled the manual across the desk. “And I wouldn’t even bother reading this. They make everyone do it on their first day, but it has literally no relevance.”

“Thank God, I was starting to fall asleep,” Zoe fake yawned.

“So, Westy sent me down here to show you the ropes,” Rebecca smiled as she swiveled around on her chair. “What made you want to come and work in this place, anyway?”

“I just thought it would be an interesting change,” Zoe shrugged.

“We get a load of geeks wanting to work here,” she laughed. “I’m glad they seemed to hire someone normal.”

“Thanks,” she blushed, unsure of whether it was a compliment or not.

“Okay,” Rebecca grinned. “So, I guess we should start with the basics, but it’s all pretty straightforward…” She got to her feet and acted as if she was on stage in front of a large audience, and as she spoke her voice echoed around the empty room. “We are the faces of the lovely Gold Rose,” she took a bow and continued. “We are here to serve and educate the masses with the wealth of knowledge we have at our fingertips.”

Zoe started laughing. Rebecca was certainly funny.

“Okay, too over the top,” she laughed and sat down. “Basically, we’re information assistants. If anyone can’t find a book, we show them where it is, look it up on our database if necessary, check no one has already borrowed it and it’s still in the building so-to-speak, and then reshelf any books that have been returned…which sounds pretty easy, but it’s actually a lot of work…or hopefully not now you’re here, because I was doing it myself!” She stopped and sucked in a big chest full of air. “You literally have no idea how happy I am to have you here!”

Rebecca’s enthusiasm and sense of humor was infectious, and Zoe knew she was going to have a lot of fun working with her.

“Well, believe it or not, I’m really glad to be here, too,” she smiled. “It feels really good to have a fresh start…and just look at this place. It’s so beautiful!”

“Oh, I know,” Rebecca said as she turned and looked around at the huge hall they were standing in. “I suppose I’ve been here so long now, I take it for granted.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get bored at looking around it,” Zoe beamed. “It’s just so full of history.”

“That sounds a bit geeky,” Rebecca said. “Alert! Alert!”

“Haha, okay, sorry,” Zoe said as she looked down at the floor. “I promise I’m not a geek… Don’t worry.”

“Good,” Rebecca said as she swept the books back up into her arms. “Well, come on then, we better get going. We have lots to do this morning.”

“Okay,” Zoe jumped down from her chair and held her hands up. “What should I bring?”

“Just yourself for now,” Rebecca said ominously. “You’ll be helping me with the stack of books from hell any second.”

“Oh great,” Zoe said as she followed Rebecca out of the information point and down one of the long corridors of books. As they made their way further into the maze of the library, Zoe knew she had definitely made the right decision. She was going to love working there, she could feel it.

3.

The girls spent the rest of the morning on their hands and knees at the very back of the main hall, sifting through returned books and checking the library map for where each pile they were making should go on its designated shelf. The doors opened as planned at 10:30 and although the first hour was very quiet with barely anyone coming in, as it approached lunch time there seemed to be a few groups of tourists and the odd actual visitor looking for something in particular.

Zoe made her way back to the information point as Rebecca shelved some of the returned books. She climbed into her big leather chair and began to read the manual as she tried to get to grips with the database. She was glad that she hadn’t been approached by anyone and asked for help yet as she still didn’t have a clue how anything worked. Rebecca had been a good trainer, but she was so funny the girls had spent most of their time messing around and cracking jokes.

She looked up at the gold leaf roses all along the ceiling and wondered to herself how much all of the artwork in the library must be worth. She watched the tourists wandering around, snapping photographs and picking up the odd old book to show to one another. She remembered how she and Ross had once visited a bookstore downtown and he bought her a copy of Wuthering Heights. She closed her eyes and sighed.

Don’t do this to yourself, she thought. You’re having fun… Don’t make it all about him…

She blinked back the tears just in time before Rebecca came bouncing around the corner with two mugs of coffee.

“Right,” she said. “We’ll have lunch up here today,” she placed the cups down and clapped her hands together. “Normally we get half an hour, but I guess you probably have tons of questions, and to be honest, I can’t be bothered going out for a walk… Plus, we have to go down into the archive in about an hour.” She rolled her eyes and pretended to put a finger down her throat.

“The archive?” Zoe asked.

“Yeah,” Rebecca said as she sat down and blew on lightly on the top of her coffee. “We have a selection of rooms that are technically underground here… And they’re called the archives… I hate going down there, they give me the creeps.”

“That sounds awesome!” Zoe said a little too enthusiastically.

“Well, you won’t think that when you’re covered in dust and spider webs and freezing cold while trying to take an inventory to make sure nothing has gone missing,” she laughed.

“Missing?” Zoe was suddenly very intrigued. “Why would anything go missing?”

“Look at this place,” Rebecca whispered. “Some of the books in here alone are worth fortunes… Never mind the sculptures and artwork.” She leaned in closer and raised her eyebrows. “And that’s the stuff they have on display… Imagine the things they don’t want people to see.”

“Seriously?” The hairs on Zoe’s arm stood up on end.

Rebecca nodded and sipped her drink. “They made you sign that secrecy act thing didn’t they?” She spun on her chair.

“Yes, but they said that was because this was a heritage site…”

Rebecca raised her eyebrows again.

“It’s because you might see things the rest of the world doesn’t know about.”

Zoe sat back in her chair and cradled her cup of coffee in her hands. She couldn’t tell if Rebecca was messing with her or whether she was being deadly serious. In any event, she couldn’t wait to get down to the archives and see what they were all about.

“So when are we going down?” she asked, pretending not to be too interested.

“After lunch,” Rebecca opened one of the desk draws and pulled out two packets of chips. “Not exactly a five-course meal, but it should hit the spot,” she shrugged.

Zoe wasn’t even hungry, but she accepted them with a smile.

The next hour seemed to drag painfully along as her mind raced with what she might see down in the archives. It was the sort of thing she had seen in movies or read about in books, but when she had applied for and taken the job, it had never even crossed her mind that there may be secret rooms or even secrets of history hidden within the library walls.

Rebecca didn’t seem to think it was a big deal, but it was exciting Zoe beyond belief. She thought back to her interview and of how Mrs. West had handed her the secrecy form. It hadn’t seemed like a big deal at the time, maybe because she was used to dealing with confidential information at the law firm, but now it was taking on a whole other meaning.

“Right then,” Rebecca closed her laptop and got to her feet. “Should we head down there and get it over with?”

Zoe was on her feet before Rebecca had even finished her sentence.

“Yes,” she said. “Show me the way.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes and began her walk down the long center section of the main hall towards the back.

At the end of the hall, there was a set of doors and when Rebecca opened them they led out into a long hallway. It was colder out there and the lights were dim. Zoe immediately felt herself shiver and pulled the scarf tighter around her neck.

“It’s right down at this end.” Rebecca looked at her over her shoulder and walked down into the darkness. The further they went, the more the light seemed to disappear, and it looked like this part of the library was largely neglected.

“No one comes down here,” Rebecca said. “It’s just a place for the janitor to dump all of the broken chairs.”

Zoe looked around the hallway and realized in the darkened corners were crumpled and broken bits of wood. It was a mess—a dusty, forgotten mess, and Zoe felt sad that parts of such a beautiful building were being left to rot.

Rebecca stopped at a door at the end of the hall.

“Here we are,” she said as she turned and looked back at Zoe. “Are you ready?”

Zoe nodded and held her breath. Rebecca smiled and pushed the door. It creaked open…

4.

Rebecca stepped forward first, entering the dark room and groping around on the wall for a light switch. Z0e hung back with bated breath. She didn’t know what to expect and her skin was tingling all over.

When Rebecca found the light and turned it on with a flick, the room was illuminated with a harsh fluorescent glow. It looked like any old room, one that was neglected and filled with junk, but there was nothing remotely exciting or special about it. Zoe’s heart sank. It looked just like any old crumby janitor’s room, full of mops, buckets and forgotten furniture.

“Is this it?” she asked with a scowl.

Rebecca burst out laughing and shook her head.

“Of course not,” she laughed as she slapped Zoe playfully on the arm. “Do you really think anything of value would be kept in this crappy room!?”

Zoe felt heat creep over her cheeks.

“Here, come on,” Rebecca said as she grabbed her lightly by the arm and pulled her to the back of the room.

What looked like a closet door, partially hidden by a stack of dusty chairs, was the entrance to the archives. Rebecca pulled the chairs away, and they screeched along the floor. Zoe covered her ears and winced. When Rebecca stood back and pulled a flashlight out of her back pocket, she flipped on the light and reached into her other pocket and pulled out a key.

“Barely anyone even knows that this doorway exists,” she said. “It’s a good thing, of course. Stops us having to worry about thieves.”

“Doesn’t that feel like a lot of responsibility?” Zoe asked. “I mean, having a key to it?”

“No,” Rebecca shook her head. “I’m used to it, I guess.”

She shrugged and then turned away from Zoe as she unlocked the door and heaved it slowly open. The icy air that sprang from the doorway hit Zoe in an instant and she shivered. The air was clear and crisp and it rolled out of the opening and into the room around them. Rebecca shone the light into the closet and there, in front of them, disappearing into the ground and darkness, was a big, stone staircase.

“Wow,” Zoe whispered as she stepped forward and followed the torchlight down into the ground.

“I know,” Rebecca smiled. “Pretty cool, huh?”

“Very cool,” Zoe nodded.

“Well, you’re about to see why it gives me the creeps.” Rebecca made the first move and stepped down onto the staircase. “Come on.”

As they girls made their way down into the cold, damp secret rooms beneath the library, Zoe felt a wave of panic wash over her. She had always been claustrophobic, but this was taking it to a whole other level! She gripped the walls as she took each step further into the darkness below and bits of stone crumbled away in her hands.

“Be careful,” Rebecca whispered. “This place is falling apart, it’s so ancient.”

Zoe swallowed hard and tried to keep her mind focused on getting to the bottom of the staircase. She followed the light from Rebecca’s flashlight and took baby steps to ensure she didn’t stumble or fall. When Rebecca reached the last step, she helped Zoe down too and then shone the light out behind them into the vast room that had opened up before them.

“Oh my God,” Zoe gasped. “I can’t believe this, it’s insane.”

Rebecca smiled and followed Zoe’s gaze… The earth seemed to have opened up and exposed a secret structure of rooms and tunnels. The gold leaf from the main hall ran along the walls there, too, and each corner was filled with ancient sculptures and pieces of artwork.

“What is this place?” she asked as she turned to Rebecca. “Surely this can’t all be property of the city?” She was skeptical because most of it looked far too old to have been part of the library’s inventory.

“Now that I don’t know,” Rebecca said. “Rule number one, don’t ask questions… All I know is it’s in our care and we have to make sure none of it goes missing.”

She shone the flashlight light around and went off looking for something. Zoe watched her from the other side of the room and tried to make sense of everything that was around her. It was so dark and cold and everything down there looked like buried treasure. The archives were magical and so secretive Zoe felt like she had been let in on something very special.

“Okay,” Rebecca said as she came back with another flashlight. “This is for you.” She passed it to Zoe and turned it on.

Zoe was still in awe, she couldn’t stop looking around at where she was. It was like she had stepped into another world.

“Okay,” Rebecca smiled. “Knock yourself out, I’m going to head back upstairs to the closet and get the list, okay?”

“Okay,” Zoe answered, but she was barely listening. She was aware of Rebecca’s footsteps getting quieter, and she realized she was alone when she heard them above her in the janitor’s room. She shone the flashlight around her and moved into one of the corners. There was so much to see, she almost didn’t know where to begin. But it was a shock to her when she felt pulled into a certain direction as if a force from another world had reached into her mind and led her there. She followed it and settled on what could have easily just been another section of wall, but she could see that there was something different… It looked like some kind of small door…

She stood and looked at the outline of the door. It seemed to have a light shining behind it, and she turned to see if she could call to Rebecca to ask her what it was.

“Rebecca?” she said into the darkness, but she could still hear her upstairs. Zoe was too far underground for the sound to travel.

She turned back and looked at the small doorway again. It was so strange that it should be there, so hidden and enclosed, and also she was sure it hadn’t been there when she and Rebecca had first stepped into the archives.

She bit her bottom lip and tried to pull herself away.

“Don’t open it,” she said aloud to herself as she found her hand reaching out with curiosity. “Anything could be in there.”

But even as she said the words, she knew exactly what she was going to do… She bent slightly and wrapped her fingers around the tiny doorknob and pulled it open with every bit of strength she had…

Light exploded from the small doorway and seemed to wrap itself around her. She was caught by it and swallowed whole in an instant.

The force hit her out of nowhere. She was being pulled and dragged in a thousand different directions, and the light was so bright she couldn’t open her eyes. The cold engulfed her—her teeth chattered and her fingers felt frozen in position. She had no idea where she was being taken. All she knew was that she was traveling faster than she ever thought possible. The force kept her arms pinned to her chest and the sensation of time whipping past her ears made her so dizzy and confused that she quickly became unconscious.

The light was gone.

Everything was dark.

She was alone.

5.

She shivered and rolled onto her side. The bright light was long gone, but the cold and feeling that she was somewhere she shouldn’t be was still coursing through her. She curled into a ball, afraid to open her eyes… Where was Rebecca? And most importantly, where was she? Was she still in the archives? The sensation of open air around her suggested that she most certainly wasn’t. But she didn’t understand… What had happened when she opened that door?

A bird squawked overhead and she jumped with fright. She was outside. She hadn’t wanted to admit the possibility before, but the bird had just confirmed it.

She moved one of her hands and reached out to touch the ground around her. It was mossy, soft, and definitely not the stone floor of the archive under the library. She exhaled and gathered up the courage to open her eyes. And when she did, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

She was in the middle of an open valley, in front of the most incredible loch. The water lapped up at the pebbled shoreline about five hundred feet ahead of her, and birds of prey swooped above her, diving down onto the ground to pick out mice and vole.

“Where the hell am I?” she said aloud as she looked around.

The valley was deep, and she appeared to be right at the center of it. The loch was still and gray, and as she gathered her thoughts, a wind started to pick up around her.

The door had transported her somewhere. She was no longer in Boston, and she was pretty sure she wasn’t even in the United States… She seemed to be somewhere else entirely.

Thunder rolled out above her and the sky darkened. She could see a trail of rain coming in from over the loch, and she was about to get to her feet and run for cover in the woods behind her when she heard the snapping of twigs and heavy breathing. She stopped still and didn’t dare move. The footsteps got closer and the breathing got heavier.

“What you doing, lassie?” a voice boomed at her. She jumped to her feet, terrified and confused at the strange and very broad accent.

“Who are you?” she yelped as she tried to pull her scarf tightly around her chest.

The man who had approached her was tall, muscular and had a shock of red hair. He was handsome in ways Zoe didn’t even know existed.

“Och,” the man laughed as he shook his head. “Have ye lost your mind?”

Zoe felt the tears welling up behind her eyes. The man looked like a barbarian… He was wearing armor and had dirt-stained knees. There was a wildness about him that Zoe found intimidating and it was with a strike of pure fear that she realized he held in his hand a large, thick, silver sword.

His eyes were an intense brown, and they seemed to be piercing her with each step he took.

“Please,” she held up her hands. “Don’t come any closer!”

A grin curled across his lips and Zoe kept showing him her palms, hoping he would leave her be.

“Where am I?” she pleaded. “I…I was in the library, and then I found a door… And I woke up here. Something’s happened… Something very strange has happened!”

The man stopped and cocked his head to one side. He was looking at her with both curiosity and amusement, but Zoe couldn’t tell if that was going to lead to violence. He seemed so unpredictable.

“Please,” she sobbed. “I don’t know where I am…”

She fell to her knees in tears, and the man rushed to her side.

“Shhh,” he soothed. “Don’t cry, I’m sorry I laughed.”

Zoe looked up at him and was glad to see that any doubts she may have had about him seemed to vanish in that instant. Suddenly he didn’t seem so untamed anymore, his face had opened into a genuine smile and his touch was gentle as he patted her arm.

“I can see you’re upset, lassie,” he said. “I don’t know what has happened to you, and I am sorry… It’s just, well, everyone in Argyle knows who I am…” he trailed off and looked out across the water.

“Argyle?” Zoe asked, completely confused.

“Aye, lass.” He got to his feet and offered her his hand. “Welcome to Loch Awe, the home of Clan Campbell.”

She took his hand and got to her feet. He looked out across the water and Zoe realized that not only was she not in the United States anymore, she wasn’t even in her own time.

“What year is this?” she asked with trepidation.

He turned to look at her and smiled. “Why, it’s the year of 1529,” he said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Zoe felt the ground fall away beneath her and her head began to spin.

The next thing she knew, a heaviness weighed her down into an all-consuming blackness.

6.

Her head was spinning, and she could hear the voices of men as she began to wake. She was inside and somewhere warm. She could hear the comforting sound of a fire crackling, and she was covered in soft, heavy animal skins.

“What is she wearing?” a voice she didn’t recognize asked.

“I don’t know.” It sounded like the man who had found her by the loch. “But she was speaking of strange things, things I have never heard before.”

“Is she a witch?” the first voice said.

“Och, don’t be ridiculous.”

“She could be, Colin,” the first voice said seriously. “She doesn’t look normal to me.”

“She’s different,” Colin said. “And I like that.”

Zoe pulled the animal skins tightly around her before daring to open her eyes. The men were both leaning over her, staring at her intently.

“She’s awake,” the one she didn’t recognize said.

“Lassie,” her friend from the loch spoke. “Lassie, are you alright?”

She rubbed her head. It was pounding and the pain was shooting through her.

“Yes,” she said groggily. “What happened?”

“You lost your mind and fell,” he said with a smile.

“Colin?” she asked, after hearing their conversation.

“Aye,” the man who had found her at the lake said. “I am Colin Campbell of Clan Campbell, head of the family here at Loch Awe.”

He smiled proudly, as did the man at his side who must have been a relation. They were so similar in appearance.

“It’s an honor,” she said, quickly wising up.

She was going to have to play along. She had read enough history books to know being accused of witchcraft in a place or time like this was not the sort of thing she should be encouraging. She had read all about how poor, misunderstood women had been either burned at the stake or dumped into rivers to see if they would float, and the last thing she needed after the day she had had was being hurled into the loch and left for dead.

“Are you hurt?” Colin sat down by her side and took hold of her hand. He had such a tenderness about him that contradicted the look of him. His hair and his tall, muscular frame would suggest he was a brute, but his manner was kind and caring.

“No,” she said meekly. “I don’t think so…”

“This is my brother, Douglas Campbell,” he said.

Douglas nodded his head but seemed to look skeptically at her, as if she had committed a terrible crime.

“Brother,” Colin said. “Please leave us.”

Douglas shot a look of panic at his brother and laughed in disbelief.

“Do you honestly think that’s wise?” he said with a condescending tone.

“Are you questioning my judgment?” Colin asked angrily and his brother immediately backed down. He turned and made for the large wooden door, heaved it open, and disappeared into the hallway.

“He is…testing at times,” Colin said with a sigh. “Now,” he got to his feet and went towards the fire. “You must change. Your clothes are sodden from the moss, and you’ll become quite ill if you don’t get warm.”

He leaned over a chair by the fire and picked up a long brown smock dress. It was the most hideous thing Zoe had ever seen, but she knew she must stay loyal to the only person around her who seemed to be on her side.

“Thank you,” she said graciously before she peeled back the animal skins and got to her feet.

Colin watched her as she crossed the room by the firelight. His breath seemed to catch as he saw her fully again. His eyes traveled from her ankles, up to her chest, and then to her eyes. Zoe smiled shyly and took the dress from him. There was a tension between them that made her long for the soft, loving touch she knew he possessed.

“I will leave you,” he whispered. “Please, rest well, eat what you can, and I will be back to see you within the hour.” He turned on his heel and made for the door. “I have appointed guards,” he said with a smile. “You will be safe here.”

Zoe smiled as she watched him leave. As he strode through the door, the top of his head seemed to skim the beams, he was so tall. She had no idea what was going to happen to her, or even if what she was experiencing was real… But because of Colin, she had the feeling she was going to enjoy every second.

7.

Zoe climbed into a soft chair by the fire and warmed her toes. Her whole body felt exhausted, but she knew there was no way she would be able to sleep. The more time she had to think, the more everything was beginning to make sense. When she had opened the door back in the archive, she had been sucked into a vortex and traveled through time… Maybe this was one of the reasons she had to sign a secrecy act when taking her job there. Had this sort of thing happened before? Was she just the latest in a line of employees to experience something so crazy and mind-blowing?

She shook her head. Surely not.

If Rebecca had known anything of this, she wouldn’t have left Zoe alone to discover it herself. She hadn’t known her long, but Zoe was confident that Rebecca would have warned her. She reached up and rubbed her head where the pain had been pounding through her since the moment she opened that door and had been pulled into this alternate reality.

She got to her feet and crossed the room to the far wall. There was a small section of stone missing, resembling a window, and she balanced up on her tip-toes to see what was outside.

Even though it was dark, she could make out the glistening water of the loch that was all around them. She was up very high in a stone castle, and the woodland around it was lush and stunning. The moonlight shone down around her and she smiled. Loch Awe certainly lived up to its name.

There was a knock at the door behind her and she turned around.

“Yes?” she called.

The door opened slowly and Colin stood there in the dark hallway, smiling at her from across the room. Zoe’s heart skipped a beat as their eyes locked in on one another’s.

“Are you well?” he asked.

“Please, come in,” Zoe smiled.

Colin bowed into the room and closed the door behind him. Zoe caught a brief glimpse of the guards who were flanking the doorway and could see that they were in full armor with weapons.

“Why do I need the guards?” she asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

Colin looked down at the floor and sighed. He had leaned against the mantle and the light from the flames were casting beautiful patterns on his skin.

“Douglas,” he said with resentment. “He is not to be trusted.”

“In what way?” Zoe felt herself tense.

“He thinks you are a sorceress, a witch… Sent here to bring down Clan Campbell,” Colin half laughed. “I know he’s wrong, I know what I saw when I found you today. It was pure innocence and helplessness.”

Zoe nodded. “I can assure you, I’m no witch.”

“I fear he may come down here and take you to trial,” Colin said. “I have told him to leave you be, that he doesn’t have the final say in this castle, but it would not be the first time he has gone against me.”

“So I’m not safe here?” she asked.

Colin looked up at her but didn’t answer. Zoe swallowed down the fear and wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold.

“I won’t let him hurt you,” he said. “Which seems so strange to me, seeing as I don’t even know your name.”

Zoe looked up at him and smiled. “My name is Zoe.”

Colin’s eyes seemed to light up the instant he heard it. “I’ve never heard such a beautiful name,” he smiled. “And it suits you perfectly… A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

Zoe felt herself blushing. “Thank you.”

It was such a strange set of events, but she found herself feeling exactly the same way… She had only known Colin for a few hours, but it was as if they had some underlying connection, like something was pulling them closer together and joining their souls. Every time she looked at him, her heart seemed to melt a little more. Ross hadn’t even entered her head since she had woken by the loch, and it wasn’t just because she was experiencing something bizarre. It was because of Colin. He was everything she had ever wanted in a man, and so much more. He was different and so unbelievable sexy, she could feel the tingle of desire burning through her.

“Colin?” she decided to be brave. “Will you come to the bed?”

His eyes darted up to meet hers, and he seemed as nervous as she was. She didn’t know where she had gotten the courage to be so forward, but after such an intense meeting and unexplainable circumstances, she felt the need to be even closer to him still. She wanted him, all of him. Right then and there.

Colin walked slowly towards her, not taking his eyes from her even for a second. Zoe felt as if she had stepped out of her body and was acting out her wildest fantasy. As he neared her, she rose to her feet and reached up to run her fingers through his thick, red hair.

When Colin kissed her, it was as if they had been joined together forever, and as if they were always meant to be together. As he lifted her dress up over her head and exposed her breasts, he gasped as he saw her naked for the first time.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered. “I have to have you.”

In an instant, his demeanor changed. His mild manner was overcome with pure animalistic lust as he picked her up and held her around his waist. He threw her down onto the bed and ripped off his armor. Beneath his clothes, his muscles heaved and rippled, and as he removed his underclothes, his huge manhood sprang free. Zoe’s sex twitched and gushed with need.

Colin climbed on top of her and pulled her over so she was on top of him. Even though she wanted him to ravage her, she also wanted to be in control, and as she straddled him and positioned his helmet at the opening of her sex, he gripped onto her hips and powered himself into her. As he penetrated her, the wave of pleasure was like nothing she had ever known. Their bodies fit together so perfectly, and as she rode him and grinded herself up and down on his shaft, Colin grunted with lust.

Zoe threw her head back as he reached up and cupped both of her breasts. She had never felt more liberated or desired. He held onto her and flipped her over onto her front, and she bit her bottom lip as he drove his hard cock into her again from behind.

As he pumped himself in and out of her, Zoe knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer and came hard and fast. She unraveled beneath him, her orgasm rocketing through her and her thighs trembled. As Colin saw her in a mess of pleasure beneath him, he too exploded and shot his load right up inside her, collapsing onto her back and grunting into the back of her neck.

8.

Zoe trembled with pleasure as she rolled onto her back and Colin swept her up in his arms. He nuzzled into her, breathing in her scent and kissing the soft skin of her shoulders.

“Are you sure you’re not an enchantress?” he laughed as he turned her face to his and kissed her softly on the lips. Zoe smiled and giggled.

“I don’t know what just came over me,” she whispered. “I’ve never done anything like that before. It just felt so… so right.”

“Since the second I laid eyes on you down by the loch, I knew I would take you to bed,” he said as he ran his hands through her hair. “Maybe I just didn’t believe it would be so soon.”

Zoe blushed and cuddled into him again. She felt so safe with him. It was as if they were the only two people in the world and nothing else mattered.

As the fire crackled away and the embers burned down, they both fell soundly asleep.

As dawn broke Zoe was woken by the loud squawks of birds and she reached out her arm to discover she was alone. Disappointment filled her and her stomach dropped.

Where is Colin? she thought as she sat up and looked around the room.

She was certainly alone. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked towards the door. She was about to reach out and grab the handle when she heard the loud clattering of footsteps and armor hurtling down the corridor towards her room.

She backed away from the door and reached for the dress Colin had given her the day before. She pulled it down over her nightie and rushed up against the back wall. There was nowhere for her to hide. She was trapped.

The footsteps came to halt outside of the room, and she prayed to any God listening that she would be saved. There was a loud hammer on the door, but she didn’t dare speak. After a second, the door came crashing open and Colin stood there with fear in his eyes.

“Come, now!” he shouted as he dashed towards her and grabbed her by the wrist. “You must run! Douglas and a mob are coming for you!”

Zoe and Colin ran down the castle’s cavernous hallways, followed by an army of armed guards. They split off in different directions throughout the castle to try and throw Douglas off the scent and disappeared down a thin corridor and into a long forgotten room.

“I don’t think he will look for you here,” he whispered. “This room was our parents’.” He looked down with sorrow. “How I wish they were still here to stop him from going mad like this.”

“He thinks I’m a witch,” Zoe said sadly. “Which means I can’t stay here.”

Colin shook his head.

“I’ll sneak you out of the castle tonight,” he said, “and I’ll come with you. We can run away and be together.”

Zoe liked the sound of that more than she ever thought possible, but she knew she couldn’t take Colin away from his life, and she didn’t want to be back in ancient Scotland without him. Her heart began to race with panic.

She turned and looked around the room, and with complete shock she saw something familiar. Something she had seen before and was more relieved than ever to be in the presence of again.

“That door,” she said, her finger pointing to the small, carved door in the side of the room. “I know that door.”

“Impossible,” Colin said. “No one has ever been in this room apart from my parents, myself, and my brother.”

Zoe reached up and touched his cheek. She wanted to kiss him and tell him everything, but she knew he wouldn’t understand.

“If I go through that door, I’ll be safe,” she said. “But I believe I will be able to return to you… We could meet here every night, and that way you don’t have to worry about Douglas trying to kill me or your position here at the castle.”

Colin looked confused, but he also seemed to understand.

“I trust you,” he said. “Just promise you will come back to me.”

He swept Zoe up in his arms as Douglas’s rage thundered through the halls not far from their hiding place. Their kiss was magic and it roused something in the room. When they parted, Zoe looked to the door and the familiar bright light was shining out from behind it.

“Wait for me,” she whispered as she let go of Colin’s hand and knelt by the door. She reached out for the handle and opened it just in time before Douglas charged into the room with his own armed guards ready to take her to trial.

She woke up on the floor of the archive feeling battered and bruised but full of love. Rebecca was standing in front of her with a look of horror on her face, and she dropped the clipboard that held the notes for their inventory.

“What…the…fuck?” she said, her mouth gaping open. She looked at Zoe up and down and looked at her dirty feet and the tattered brown smock she was wearing.

“Oh my God,” Zoe smiled. “You’ll never believe it…. But you were right when you said there were things down here that the world didn’t know about.”

“Where the hell have you been?” Rebecca put her hands on her hips. “And what the fuck is that door? How have I never seen it before?”

“Are you ready for the wildest adventure of your life?” Zoe raised her eyebrows. “Inventories are about to get a lot more interesting. How do you feel about journeying back to ancient Scotland and getting yourself a hot highlander boyfriend?”

Rebecca looked at her as if she was insane. “I guess I could think of worse ways to spend the afternoon,” she shrugged.

“Well,” Zoe began, “I’m about to tell you one hell of a story…”

As she recounted to her new friend of where the door had taken her and of who she had met, her heart beat solely for Colin. She knew she had met someone who was going to change her life, and she now knew she had the means to reach him whenever she needed to. The library had shown her the path her life was meant to take, and she couldn’t be more excited. Existing in two different times was going to be challenging, but it would be worth it.

She had tasted love, and she was never going to let it go…

THE END

The Highland Locket

Jessica Savage

Copyright ©2015 by Jessica Savage. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

’TWAS on the 9th of September, a very beautiful day,

That a numerous English army came in grand array,

And pitched their tents on Flodden field so green

In the year of our Lord fifteen hundred and thirteen.

***

All was quiet across the hillside, the air eerily calm as before a storm. The occasional sound of a horse braying or a man shouting echoed across the valley, disturbing the peace. A bright sun gleamed across the vast blue of the skies as William Stewart waited for the signal for the battle to commence. He did not know that thousands of the men and boys around him would be dead by the time the sun rose again, one of them being his King. But he could not alter history or the lineage of over 10,000 men. It was possible, however, that he could shape his own destiny.

***

Rebecca Brooke stared out the window. All week the weather had been cold and dreadful, and a low mist had hung over the valley, blotting out the wonderful view that the brochure had promised. For a summer vacation, late August in Scotland had proved to be a damp squib so far. OK, so it was a working vacation, two months working on a 16th-century archaeological dig in Scotland. It had sounded pretty awesome at the time. Cool, yes. Cold–no!

It was her first proper assignment and her first time in Scotland. She would have preferred Egypt or India, but she had been allocated to Scotland instead. Although she had been told to pack for the weather, she had ignored the advice. Living most of her life in California, she spent most of the time in shorts and miniskirts that showed off her tanned and toned legs. What she needed here was a woolly jumper and thermal underwear! She had managed to buy a few pairs of thick leggings and wore these under her shorts and socks. It wasn’t her best look, but at least they showed off her figure. Most of the other girls wore thick, shapeless sweaters over practical-looking outdoor pants that didn’t do them any favors.

Not all was lost, however. There was James Anderson.

James was the lead archaeologist on the dig, a Scotsman and an expert on Scottish history. Not only was he handsome, but he was intelligent, too–the new sexy. With his deep auburn hair and brown eyes, no woman was safe. Not that he noticed her, or anyone else for that matter. By breakfast, he had already eaten and gone out to the dig, and when he returned, his nose was always in a book. At least he was eye candy.

Her cell phone rang in her pocket and Rebecca looked at the number. It was her Mom. She had only been here for a couple of days but she had already phoned twice to see if she was eating properly and if she had managed to see the Queen of England yet; it was a no to both.

“Hi, Mom.” She tried not to sound bored.

“Becky, sweetheart, how are you doing out there?”

“Same as ever. How’s Dad?”

“He’s good, sweetie. Are you eating OK?”

The conversation continued thus and Rebecca tried hard to stifle a yawn. Her Mom meant well, but sometimes she could be overbearing.

“Are you tired, honey? You sound tired.”

“No, Mom, I’m still a bit jet-lagged. We haven’t been able to go out on site yet because of the good old British weather.”

“Well, don’t forget you could check out our relations there. We do have a great Aunt, twice removed, if she’s still living. She must be at least 90 by now. Wait a minute, and I’ll get you the details.”

“Mom...” But it was too late. Rebecca could hear her Mother scrabbling around in her bag for one of her notebooks.

“Here we are. Have you got a pen handy? It’s Mrs Nora McPherson, the Old Vicarage, Selkirk. Did you get that, sweetie?”

Rebecca hadn’t any desire to visit a relative who wouldn’t know her from Adam, but agreed with her Mom just to shut her up. After she promised her mother not to fall into a Loch, the call was finally over.

Sammy, a bespectacled English girl, was walking towards her with a smile. She had done her best so far to avoid her. Sammy was a “jolly hockey sticks” type who was always trying to arrange outings and activities for the others.

“Hey, Rebecca, do you feel like braving the weather and heading into the nearest village this afternoon? We might even find a pub–do you want to come?”

They were all staying in a large rented property on the outskirts of a village, and Rebecca hadn’t had time yet to get her bearings.

Sammy was of the baggy jumper brigade and Rebecca felt nothing in common with her. She would rather stick pins in her thighs than have to make small talk.

Shaking her head, she stood up to leave when Johnny Hampshire strode into the room. Johnny was handsome yet arrogant. He was Scottish but had attended an English public school and spoke with a very clipped accent. He worked closely with James, and neither man had much time for each other. Unfortunately, Johnny had noticed her long blonde hair and treated her like the local bimbo. For once she wished she was wearing Sammy’s shapeless garb.

“Hey, Becky, fancy a stroll in the heather with me?” he grinned suggestively as he looked her up and down, before placing his hand territorially on her arm.

She wanted to tell him to go screw himself but was far too polite.

“Actually, I’ve already arranged to go out with Sammy.” Rebecca shrugged his arm away and his grin slipped into a sneer.

“Frigid bitch,” he muttered under his breath, the muscles clenching around his jaw line.

“What did you say?”

Johnny smiled again, but this time it made her shiver with its coldness. “I said have a great time” and with that, he turned and slowly left the room.

“What a creep.” Sammy made a face as he left and Rebecca laughed. Perhaps the afternoon wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

They ventured out into the mist and fog. The drizzle was light yet constant and Sammy loaned Rebecca a bright green jacket to wear. There was no one to see her wearing it in this place, and James would probably find it sexy.

The girls walked along a little path, and for once Rebecca was glad she had bought a decent pair of walking boots. She could feel the mud slip and slide beneath her feet and was glad that she wasn’t wearing her usual flimsy sneakers.

After half an hour, they had almost given up hope of finding a place when they stumbled across an old coaching house –The Bluebell Inn. Relieved, they staggered inside, dripping water across the polished floorboards as they made their way to the bar and ordered double whiskies to warm them through.

Rebecca looked around, amazed at the place–it was like stepping back in time. Apart from the two of them, the bar was occupied by several all men wearing tweed jackets and caps. They all stared back and nodded. She must have looked as strange to them as they did to her, in waterproof, fluorescent pink boots.

Sammy walked back with the glasses of golden whisky. The whisky tasted good. It was the best thing about Scotland so far. As it hit the back of her throat, her whole body seemed to glow.

“We’re just down the road,” Sammy laughed. “I bet we can see our place from here–I’ve just spoken to the barman, and this is the village of Selkirk.”

Rebecca coughed and started to choke on the amber nectar. Selkirk was the place where her old relative lived, and she was staying literally on the doorstep. A shiver ran through her as if there was something sinister about the connection, as if it was always meant to be. Maybe it was just a mixture of the cold and the alcohol or perhaps she was still jetlagged? She laughed at her foolishness. There was something surreal about the whole thing, standing in the middle of this Scottish pub, dripping wet and drinking whiskey among the tweed-clad locals that made the whole thing seem absurd. A couple of double whiskeys later and she had soon forgotten all about her ancient relative.

It was evening when they rolled out of the door and into the darkening air. The mist had lifted slightly and a smell of decay lingered. The night had started to draw in and wrap itself around the girls, chilling them to the bone as they hurried quickly along the road, this time taking the more direct route. The path took them past an old church, its old Norman tower looming in the darkness. Next to it, Rebecca could just make out the dark shadows of the ancient gravestones and, stopping for a second, she peered through the rusting iron railings and wondered if any of her ancestors were buried there. Sammy proceeded to pounce on her making ghostly wailing noises and Rebecca shrieked with delight as they ran on, not stopping until they were back inside, safe and sound.

It wasn’t late when they returned, but Rebecca was tired, still recovering her recent flight.

As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep. If it weren’t for a noise outside her door, she would have probably slept all night. She stirred and reached on the bedside table for her watch. It was only 10:30 and she realized she had a terrible thirst from the whiskey. She always slept naked and quickly slipped into her fleecy dressing gown, a present from her Mom, before opening the door and setting off down the landing towards the stairs. There was some juice in the kitchen downstairs, and if she was quick no one would see her.

A noise on the landing made her stop in her tracks; perhaps it had been the same noise that woke her? All was quiet again apart from the muffled voices coming from the downstairs lounge.

A hand grabbed her arm as soon as her foot reached the top step.

“Becky.”

Johnny was suddenly in front of her, and from the smell on his breath, he had been drinking for most of the afternoon. His hand was squeezing her arm against the wall and she struggled against his strength. His eyes were like slits and there was a hint of cruelty behind the steely grey as he looked her up and down. She could feel her face start to flush as she realized that her gown was gaping at the front, and she quickly brought up her free hand to hold it together.

“For God’s sake, Johnny, let go of me. You’re hurting my arm.”

Licking his lips, Johnny sneered at her as he brought his face directly in front of hers.

“How about a little kiss first?” His breath was hot and sour, and Rebecca turned her face away from him.

“Fucking little tease, I’ll show you.” He slammed his weight against her, pinning her to the wall as his free hand started to work its way underneath her gown, groping up her bare leg towards her thigh.

Rebecca was stunned. She disliked Johnny, but it was hard to believe he was capable of this, however drunk he might be. She tried to strike him and started to shout for him to stop, but he released her arm and covered her mouth to gag her. His other hand by now had slid to the fastenings of her gown and started pulling at the buttons. He was soon grabbing at the soft flesh of her naked breast, his hand rough and greedy as he squeezed at her nipple, now hard and erect in his fingers.

“I knew you wanted me, you little bitch,” he said, and as he thrust his pelvis into her stomach, she could feel his hardness rubbing against her.

At first she had been alarmed by his behavior, but now she felt powerless and sick at the thought of what he might do to her.

His hand was almost suffocating her, and she thought she might black out when suddenly he released her, his whole weight lifting away from her. Someone was coming up the stairs. Without hesitating, Johnny had disappeared around the corner just as James came into view. She looked startled as she pulled the robe around her, too stunned to cry.

“Are you OK?”

His voice was rich and deep, lilting softly on the question, a look of concern in his eyes.

She nodded quickly in reply. “Yes, I thought I heard a noise. I came out to see what it was.” Rebecca couldn’t look him in the eye, and she sensed that he didn’t believe her, his eyes searching the landing for something or someone.

“You’re sure you’re OK?”

This time their eyes met and she felt a strange tingling run through her spine. It was almost as if something passed between them, some knowledge or sense of something shared. He must have felt something too for his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed as if trying to remember something but not quite catching hold of his thoughts.

“I’ll say goodnight, then.” And with that, he was gone.

Leaning against the wall, she let her body sink to the floor until she sat on the landing. She was so tired, past tired, and her emotions were doing cartwheels through her brain. Maybe she should have told James about Johnny, but she had just arrived and didn’t want to make trouble. After all, Johnny had been drunk, not that it was an excuse. Who knows what would have happened had James not arrived when he did? She shivered again at the thought.

No, she didn’t want to think about that; she just wanted to sleep.

The next day it was much brighter but still raining. There would be no dig again today. She had slept right through to 10:00 am, and by the time she had dressed and gone down to breakfast most people had finished. Sammy sought her out as she drank a strong cup of coffee to wake her up.

“Hey lazybones, you’ve missed all the news. You’ll never guess.”

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. It was all she could manage. “What?”

“Johnny’s walked out. He had a big fight with James last night, and he left early this morning.”

The coffee dregs tasted bitter in her mouth. The coffee was terrible here and she had already started having withdrawal symptoms from her favorite brand. She remembered the previous night’s activities and wondered if that had any bearing on the matter.

Some of the girls were catching a bus to the nearest town, but this time she declined the invitation, wanting a day to herself to catch up on her reading on the history of the place.

For an hour she struggled with the dusty textbook. She loved history because it was exciting, but the pages she was reading about the Battle of Flodden seemed as dry and unimaginative as the sands of the Sahara. Rebecca stifled a yawn as she looked out the window. A weak sun was shining through a break in the clouds, and for the first time she could appreciate the beauty of the landscape before her. It was hard to relate the splendor of this area to the thousands of bloody deaths centuries before. Ten thousand Scotsmen had lost their lives in the battle and some of them had been from these small villages. She had a sudden urge to explore the land and tread along the pages of her history books. Packing herself a quick lunch, she made up a cheese sandwich and finding an industrial-sized flask in one of the cupboards, filled it up to the brim with tea. Her head was still thumping from the whisky and she needed plenty of liquid. At least it would be better than the coffee.

After pulling on her walking boots, she set off with no particular intent.

There was only one main road passing through the village and she quickly found that she was on the same route as her walk home the previous day. Within ten minutes, she had arrived at the graveyard and the little church. It didn’t seem as morbid in the daytime and swinging open the iron gate, she walked up the mossy path towards the church. Huge slabs of stone lay facing upwards on the grass, headstones of the long departed that had sunk and collapsed with age. The inscriptions were now barely visible, the surfaces gnawed away by time and nature. She couldn’t help but think about all of the forgotten lives lying rotting beneath her:

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything

Heading to the church, she tried the iron latch on the great oak door. Surprised, she found it open and stepped inside the small porch. She had never been inside an old church before and was immediately taken by the hushed and hallowed space within. The air smelled stale and faintly of chrysanthemums and musty hymn books.

It seemed almost a violation to step over the stone flagged floor partly made out of old tombstones, so she tiptoed around the edges, hardly daring to make a noise. Walking down the line of pews, she stopped at the altar, a small table covered in a green velvet cloth supporting a large white and gold plaster cross. The sun was shining through the east window and the colored light from the stained glass formed patterns across the stone walls. Rebecca wasn’t religious, but as she stood there in the silence she thought she could sense a presence, something spiritual and eternal.

“Can I help you?”

Although the voice was soft and gentle, Rebecca almost shot out of her skin like a frightened rabbit caught trespassing in the farmer’s field.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Henry Parsons was the vicar of St. Andrews. He was a tall, middle-aged man with a receding hairline.

Rebecca blushed. She wasn’t really sure if she was just allowed to walk into an old church like this.

“I’m really sorry. I hope you don’t mind me taking a look around the church. It’s my first visit to Scotland.”

Henry beamed down at Rebecca as if she were the second coming herself. He liked Americans; they were always so interested in his tour of the little church and he liked to think that he was an interesting speaker.

“Not at all, my dear. We love to extend the hand of friendship to our cousins across the Pond. I can show you around if you like?”

Hesitating, she looked at her watch.

“It won’t take long, I promise.”

She smiled; it was difficult to say no; besides, it might be interesting.

First he showed her the chancel arch. The church had first been built in the 12th century, and this was the oldest and most original feature that had survived.

They walked to another part of the church that had been built later in the 16th century.

“Of course, one of the largest families here in those times was the Stewarts of Selkirk, and they built this part of the church in memory of their dead. Almost all of their line was wiped out in the Battle of Flodden. Seventy men set off from Selkirk and the surrounding villages, and only one man returned.”

Rebecca ran her fingers along the cool stone walls and tried to imagine the hands that had shaped the stone. An inscription had been carved into one of the larger blocks and she stood back to read the words:

Praeteriti praesentisque temporis collatum mundos se colliduntur.

Henry came to her rescue. “It’s a Latin phrase and quite an unusual one. Translated it means, “Worlds collide with the past and present.” We think it must mean the world of the living meets that of the dead. What do you think?”

Touching the engraved words with her hand, she felt a shiver run through her spine and shuddered.

The vicar laughed. “I get that feeling sometimes–as if someone had stepped over your grave. Now you must be getting cold. Shall we go outside into the sun?”

It was good to be back in the sunshine, she had started to have strange imaginings back in the church, some kind of déjà vu about the whole place. She had started to let her imagination run away with her in this place of old bones and death.

Just as she was about to leave, Rebecca remembered her old relative.

“Do you know of a Mrs. McPherson? She’s supposed to be a relative of mine. I think she used to live in the old vicarage?”

Henry Parsons beamed his schoolboy smile. “Nora. Yes, she’s the oldest member of my congregation. She doesn’t get out much, but I call and see her once a week. You can see the house over there, the big one behind the trees. I’m afraid the new vicarage is a much simpler affair. I’ll take you over there now if you like?”

Rebecca had started to protest, but Henry was already marching down the path and she had to hurry to catch up with him.

The old place was an imposing structure of red bricks and was surrounded by ancient poplar trees that bathed the place in a strange green light. There was an old-fashioned bell pull that Henry tugged and the gentle tinkle of a bell could be heard somewhere in the house. Rebecca expected the dull thud, thud of an ancient butler coming to answer the door and was surprised to hear the light skip of footsteps running up the hallway. Jane Sweeney was a bright young woman who was keeping house for Nora McPherson. She had beautiful red-golden hair that tumbled down her back into natural curls. She clasped Rebecca’s hand as if welcoming back an old friend and a feeling of familiarity swept over her. Perhaps it was because these people were so friendly that she almost felt like one of them. She had been told that the British were a bit aloof, but it had proved exactly the opposite in her case.

Jane led them down the dark hallway and into the library at the back of the house. It was a beautiful wood-lined room with huge French windows that led into the garden. Despite the sunshine, a huge fire was burning in the grate and the shades were drawn on all of the windows. In front of the fire was an old sateen chaise lounge that had seen better days. As they approached, Rebecca could see an old woman lying on the coach, apparently asleep by the fire. Jane called out her name quite softly at first, then again more loudly.

“Mrs. McPherson... Nora?”

Slowly the frail head lifted up and a pair of brilliant blue eyes looked out at them.

“It’s the Reverend, Nora. And he’s brought someone to meet you.”

The old lady reached for her spectacles dangling on a chain around her neck and with a shaking hand put them on.

She seemed to stare for a very long time at Rebecca, and the girl wondered if her relative could see her at all. She looked old, very old, her skin lined like an old map–the roadmap of her life, Rebecca supposed. The only thing of her youth that remained was the pair of blue sparkling eyes, shining like a young girl’s.

Henry Parsons stepped forward and cleared his throat.

“Nora, this is Rebecca Brooke. She’s come all the way from California to see you. She’s a distant relative of yours.”

Nora nodded and started to speak. Her voice was gentle and low with the soft lilt of the Scots.

“I’ve been expecting her to call. I have been waiting a long time. Too long.” She motioned for Rebecca to step forward and sit with her.

Raising her eyes towards Henry, Rebecca wondered if Nora might be a little bit senile. She was sure her Mom hadn’t contacted Mrs. McPherson, she would have said.

“Thank you Reverend. That will be all.”

Nora raised her fragile arm to him. Henry cleared his throat to protest, but the old woman glared at him through her glasses. There was to be no sweet talking this old lady. Rebecca was warming to her already.

Rebecca sat on the end of the little sofa. Nora was staring directly at her, and it made her feel ill at ease.

“Come nearer so I can see you better, dearie.”

She shuffled up close. The old woman smelled of mints and whisky and Rebecca wondered if she was a secret drinker. The thought made her smile. At her grand old age, surely she could do anything she liked?

“I can see now it’s you dearie, ye hair’s a different color, but I can see it around your eyes. Aye, I can that.”

Rebecca smiled. Poor Nora had obviously flipped or drank too much and was talking gibberish, but she would humor the old lady.

“They said that you would be coming, and I’ve been waiting for ye. All of these years, I’ve sat and waited”

Her eyes glazed as if she had slipped back into another time, and Rebecca wondered if she ought to go. She didn’t want to tire the poor old thing out, so she started to rise.

Nora’s hand was soon on her arm. “I have something for you, lassie, but first pass me that glass on the table, will ye?”

She reached for the glass. It felt sticky. Handing it across, the old lady fished her hand under her cushions and brought out a small bottle of McClelland’s Whisky.

“Just a wee dram of the good stuff to warm me up. Will ye not be joining me?”

Rebecca shook her head. It was probably better if one of them remained sober.

“Go on, lassie. It will do ye good. Now pass me that other glass.”

Nora poured out two generous measures, and while Rebecca sat and nursed hers, the old lady drank hers down in one. She was amazed and wondered if she should be drinking so much at her age.

“I’m one hundred and three years old this Christmas, if you’re wondering. I put long life down to whisky and porridge.” She giggled like a schoolgirl–the after effects of the drink, Rebecca supposed.

Nora patted the red cushion next to her. “Come a wee bit closer, lass, so I can hear you better.”

Rebecca shuffled up even further.

“So how are you finding our little village, Rebecca?”

At least she remembered her name. She couldn’t be that senile.

“It’s lovely. I only just arrived, but everyone I’ve met this morning has made me feel very welcome.”

“Well, my dear, that’s one thing about this place. People seldom stray, and if they do, it’s never for very long. A little piece of home always stays in the heart.”

Nora’s eyes were alert and bright and Rebecca wondered if it was a combination of medication and alcohol. Maybe it was just the drink. The effect of sitting close to the hot fire combined with the neat whiskey was starting to make her head spin.

“Now, my dearie, if you could fetch me that wee box down off the mantelpiece.”

Rebecca looked across at the fire. On the shelf above it stood an array of objects collected from over the years. There were dozens of old photographs, and from the style of the fashions, some must have been well over 100 years old. Sepia and black and white images stood in their dusty and age-stained frames. They were full of hollow-eyed people staring back into the lens and they all seemed to have a vague air of familiarity. In the center next to an old wooden clock stood a very small and plain-looking tin box with patches of rust showing through at the sides.

Handing the box down to Nora, she sat and waited with some hesitation. The old lady was so eccentric that absolutely anything could be inside.

“This was handed down from my great, great-grandfather, and from his grandfather before that. It’s very old, dating back several hundred years to about the time of the great Battle of Flodden. The old girl’s eyes sparkled as if remembering the event personally.

Placing her thin hand into the tin she drew out a small object wrapped in tissue paper and carefully passed it over to the young girl.

Rebecca gasped as she opened up the layers of fine paper to reveal an exquisitely engraved silver locket.

“Open it, open it!” the old woman urged like an excited child at Christmas.

As Rebecca slid her nail beneath the clasp, the locket fell into two halves. Inside was a beautifully painted miniature of a young woman. She was shocked and had to blink and look again. Two things immediately struck her: first, that the eyes were a brilliant blue, and secondly, that the face was hers.

A shiver ran along her spine, despite the heat from the fire. She stared at the image a long time, hardly believing what she saw. The woman wore a blue dress in the Tudor style and in her hand she held an apple. Her strawberry-blonde hair was tied into a long, neat plait cascading over her shoulder, and a row of pearls was strung closely across her throat. In the background was a green vase or some sort of decoration, and on it was a picture of a twin-tailed siren that looked oddly familiar. She had probably seen something similar in her history books from this period but couldn’t quite recall what.

It was reasonable, she supposed, to have some facial similarities to your ancestors, but the resemblance was uncanny. She looked across to Nora for answers.

“That’s a portrait of the wife of William Stewart, the only member of the Stewart clan to survive the battle of Flodden. It was said that she was some kind of witch and that she used supernatural powers to keep him safe.”

Rebecca wanted to ask more questions, but at that point the old woman shut her eyes and seemed to fall asleep. The conversation had obviously exhausted her, and after waiting another ten minutes, Rebecca decided to leave. Placing the miniature back on the table, she tiptoed out of the room, feeling slightly guilty at leaving without saying goodbye.

She was halfway down the path when a voice called her back. Jane was running towards her.

“You left this behind.” She placed the silver locket in Rebecca’s hand.

“Oh no, it’s not mine. Nora was just showing it to me.”

“She wants you to have it.”

Rebecca shook her head. “It’s far too valuable! I can’t accept anything like that.”

Jane frowned. “But it’s yours.” And with that, she ran back to the house.

What a strange thing to say. Rebecca placed the locket carefully into her bag in the zipper compartment next to her cell phone. She would hand it back tomorrow, but in the meantime, she would show James. It would definitely be a conversation starter.

***

The morning had been too weird, and she needed some normality. Hopping onto the local bus, she headed for the nearest town and spent the day window shopping. She also managed to find a branch of her favorite coffee shop and get herself a good cup of coffee and a muffin to have on the bus ride home. The coffee restored her equilibrium, and she couldn’t wait to see James.

Sammy was on the lookout for her when she arrived back at base and ran out to greet her new friend. She seemed in a bit of a panic.

“James is looking for you, and he’s furious!”

Rebecca had no clue what she was talking about and asked her to slow down.

“It’s James. He stormed in here about an hour ago looking for you. Something about the dig, but he didn’t say what.”

“Where is he now? Is he still around?”

“I haven’t seen him. I think he might have gone back out.”

It didn’t make sense. She hadn’t even visited the dig yet, so he couldn’t have anything to be mad about. Perhaps Sammy had got it wrong. Maybe it was something about last night and Johnny. Whatever it was, she was dying to show James the miniature, and so leaving Sammy standing at the door, she set out towards the dig to look for him.

The excavation site was not far. It was the foundations of a 16th-century dwelling that had received a lot of local and national interest.

The sun was a little weaker now that late afternoon was setting in and the air had grown chill. A slight wind rippled across the grass, and she hurried along, wrapping her flimsy jacket around her. She was almost at the site and could see the brown of the soil where the turf had been removed to reveal the ancient foundations.  The trench was quite deep, and there was no sign of James. Scrambling down, she walked among the old stones. Part of a set of stone steps had been revealed and what looked to be the site of an old fireplace. Sitting on the steps, she drank the last of her coffee and placed the cup back in her bag. James would have a fit if she littered the site.

It had been such an odd day. She could scarcely believe her meeting with Nora and reached into her bag for the miniature to remind herself that she wasn’t going crazy. It was real enough.

Feeling a headache coming on, she closed her eyes for a minute. She hadn’t realized how tired she was and blamed Nora for leading her astray.

Before long she was asleep.

When she awoke, it was dark and she couldn’t see where she was. She was still leaning against the stone wall, her bag still on her lap, but she seemed to be in an enclosed space. She closed her eyes and opened them again, slowly moving them from left to right. On all sides were stone walls and just in front of her a fireplace. Rebecca tried to think where she was. She had come out to find James at the excavation site and must have fallen asleep. This must be a joke. They must have moved her while she was asleep. She must have been really knocked out! Standing up, she stretched her muscles, aching and stiff from sitting on her cold seat. She would have serious words with whoever did this to her.

The place must be some sort of museum for all the artifacts around her, from old copper cooking pots to stone flagons of various shapes and sizes, looked ancient. There were wicker baskets containing apples, and half a rustic-looking loaf of bread and a dish of eggs stood on top of a well-scrubbed wooden table. The most amazing thing about the place was the smell: a funny mixture of smoke and animals and a sweeter smell of rotting vegetation. It was very authentic. Maybe the place didn’t have much ventilation. Desperate for fresh air, she started to head up the stone steps.

“Katherine, will that be you down there?”

The burr of a soft Scottish voice echoed across the silence. For a moment, she froze. She might be trespassing on private property, but it wasn’t her fault she was here and would soon be able to explain.

As the door at the top of the stone steps opened, a dim light filled the room and there stood a man carrying a candle. He was dressed in what look like fancy clothes, a doublet and hose. Maybe he was one of those actors employed to bring the past to life; whoever he was, it was a relief to see someone. Walking down the steps, he peered cautiously at her and Rebecca had to stifle a giggle.

Grabbing her roughly by the arm, he brought the light to her face.

“Who are ye?”

His act might have been funny if he wasn’t hurting her.

“Hey, get off me.” She tried to struggle free, but it was useless and he pulled her towards the stairs. He was taking his role far too seriously, whoever he was.

Pushed up the stairs, she found herself in a long room with wooden floors and stone walls. A rich tapestry was hung on the far wall, its rich colors apparent in the half light. This place was great. She would definitely visit it again in the daylight without this overzealous thespian by her side.

The man jerked on her arm and pulled her towards an oak door. Inside was a great hall and in the center was a magnificent table laid out with swords and shields and other gruesome weaponry. A group of men were seated around a great fire, heads deep in conversation. As the door opened, they all looked up.

“What is it Angus?”

“I caught her d’oon in the scullery.”

A fierce-looking man with wild, steely grey hair and a beard stood up and approached her. He was dressed in a green tartan shawl that was wrapped across his body, and on his feet he wore thick woolen stockings and tan leather shoes that laced up around his calf. He was the very image of a Scottish Highlander, directly from one of her history books.

Her smile soon faded as he spoke.

“Who are ye young wummin, and what are ye doing here?”

His accent was much stronger than the first, and she struggled to tune into the words.

“Well?” he shouted at her.

Rebecca was starting to feel tired and bored by the joke. It had gone on too long and she wanted her bed.

“Now look, I think it’s all very funny, but I need to go. I need to sleep.”

The man glared at her as another joined him. He was similarly dressed but a little younger. He somehow looked familiar.

“She’s not from these parts. Look at her dress and the way she talks. She’s a foreigner. She must be a Sassenach spy.” He drew his sword and held it in front of her.

She almost fainted as the blade swished across her face. Maybe she was dreaming; it was all so unreal.

“Wait!” a voice shouted from the back of the group. Although loud, the accent was much softer and gentle in tone. As the man stepped nearer, Rebecca let out a low laugh. She hadn’t recognized him under the red beard. It was James Anderson! Sammy must have been in on the joke all along.

“Ha, ha, very funny James. I’m cold and hungry so let’s get out of here.”

His brow furrowed as he approached her.

“Ma name’s nae James, I’m Willy Stewart.”

Rebecca started to panic. It didn’t seem as if anyone was joking; in fact, it was exactly the opposite. Something wasn’t right. The man looked like James, but he didn’t seem to be laughing and he didn’t seem to be James after all.

“We should kill her now.” The man with the sword angled his blade. As his eyes narrowed, she realized where she had seen him before. He was the spitting image of Johnny Hampshire.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She was either about to die or wake up from this nightmare.

A strong hand pushed away the blade. “No Angus, I’ll take care of her.”

“But we’re riding ‘oot early tomorrow, William, to join King James in Battle. What will ye do with the young wummin?”

William thought for a moment. “I’ll take her with us.”

The men scoffed. “Ye cannae take a young lass along with us. What if she is an English spy?”

“Then all the better for her sitting on our side.”

“But how will she travel?”

“She will ride with me. Now we must make haste to be ready for the morrow.”

The other men shook their heads but slowly moved out of the room, leaving Rebecca and William alone.

Seeing that she was shaking from cold, he led her to the fire and brought her a small wooden stool to sit on.

The whole thing seemed ridiculous. The only reality seemed to be coming from the heat of the fire and instinctively she held up her hands to feel the warmth.

“So lassie, where are ye frae, and more importantly what are ye doing here?”

Rebecca looked at him blankly. She didn’t even know where “here” was.

“Where am I?” The question sounded pathetic on her lips.

William frowned as if trying to understand the young woman sat before him. She looked so much like his dear dead wife Jane that he had almost cried out her name when first seeing her.

“You’re in my hoose in Selkirk.”

“And what year is this?” The question trembled on her lips.

“Why, it’s 1513. The 7th of September to be exact.”

There was a cold draught blowing through the shuttered windows and Rebecca shivered.

“Wherever your frae, your nae dressed for the weather. Come with me, and I’ll find you somat to wear.”

Lighting a couple of candles in the fire, he took her by the hand, and they walked out of the room and into a paneled hallway. There were more rugs and tapestries hung on the walls and an elaborate, wooden candelabra hung from the ceiling. A giant stone staircase took them up to the next level and into one of the bed chambers. The floor was a polished, deep brown wood and at one end of the room stood a four-poster bed swathed with green velvet curtains.

William strode over to a large chest and opened it up. Inside were numerous garments that he pulled out and laid tenderly onto the bed.

“Here, try one of these.”

There were several woolen tunics, and she picked up a blue one to try on. Rebecca was aware that he was watching her, and she suddenly felt awkward and shy in his presence.

Sensing her feelings, he stepped outside.

It was good to remove her flimsy clothes and put on something warmer. There were some thick brown stockings made of a woven cloth and she pulled them on before slipping the blue tunic over her head. There was a small hand mirror on a set of drawers, and she scanned her face in the glass. It was her face that reflected back, but somehow she looked different. Remembering the small locket containing the portrait, she pulled the band out of her hair, shook loose her pony tail, and started to plait her hair. The result was uncanny.

William stepped back into the room and froze as if seeing a ghost. It was as if his beloved Jane was with him again. His eyes were wide as he rushed to her and pulled her close, his strong arms encircling her.

“Jane, my beloved.”

She could feel his anguish as he crushed her to him. Trying to find her lips, his face pushed into hers. Memories of her encounter with Johnny came flooding back, and she started to panic, beating at his chest with her fists.

The whole thing was becoming too much for her and Rebecca started to cry. She couldn’t understand what was happening to her, and she was tired and hungry. All she wanted was to get back to the others.

Her weeping brought him back to his senses and he suddenly pulled away from her, and with his head in his hands, he sat on the bed.

“I’m sorry, lass; you looked just like my wife Jane.”

Trembling, she sat next to him on the bed. “I’m Rebecca.”

“Rebecca.” He spoke the name carefully, as if hearing it for the first time. “Ye look so like my wife. She died in childbirth with our first child almost a year ago. Where have ye come frae?”

“I’ve come from the future.” It sounded like the line from a corny B movie, but it was the truth.

William looked at her, his eyes troubled.

“I know it’s difficult to explain, but this afternoon I was in Selkirk in 2015, and all I know now is that I’m now in Selkirk over 500 years in the past.”

He shook his head. “That’s impossible.”

How could she make him believe her? Her bag was still over her shoulder, and she reached inside it. The Starbucks cup was still there and she placed it on the bed along with the sandwich and flask. Unzipping the front pocket, she pulled out her iPhone. The locket had gone. She remembered looking at it before she fell asleep. It must have slipped from her hand at the dig.

“What’s this?” He picked up the cup and gazed at the design.

“It’s a coffee cup.”

“What’s coffee?”

It was too hard to explain.

“I have this, too,” she said, holding up her phone.

“What is it?”

How on earth could she describe a cell phone to a 16th-century Scotsman?

“Well, it’s a communication tool. You can talk to anyone in the world through it.”

He looked impressed.

“Show me.”

It was hard to get a signal in 1513. He looked less impressed.

She had an idea. Pressing the photo App she found a photo of herself back home in California and showed it to him. He was mesmerized.

“I’m from America, a place called California.”

Taking the phone, he touched the screen with his fingertips, barely able to register what he was seeing.

She had an even better idea.

“Let’s take a selfie.”

Putting her head next to his, she held up the camera and clicked the button.  The camera flashed and William shot up from the bed in alarm.

“It’s OK, it’s just a photograph.” She handed him the phone to see the picture.

It was almost too much for him, and he sat back on the bed shaking his head.

“Are you some sort of a witch?”

Rebecca touched him lightly on the arm. “No. For some reason, I’ve traveled back in time. Worlds collide with the past and present,’’ she recited, remembering the quote on the old Kirk wall.

William looked her in the eye. “Me and my men travel to meet King James at Flodden tomorrow. We battle with the English on the 9th. If you’re from the future, do you know what happens?”

Swallowing hard, she looked back into his eyes. He was so like James that her heart skipped a beat. How could she tell him that 10,000 Scotsmen would lose their lives? History had already happened, and she couldn’t change it. If she could, then she probably wouldn’t be here.

“I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

She touched his arm tenderly. He seemed so sad and so bewildered. It didn’t help that she looked like his lost wife and the whole phone thing had knocked the wind out of his sails. An impulse to kiss him passed through her. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body and felt a strong attraction to him. He must have felt the same for soon his mouth was upon hers, this time gently as their lips locked together in a soft embrace. His arms instinctively wrapped around her as he pushed her onto the bed, his body pressing into her. His hand traveled over her tunic and fondled her small, round breasts.

He was panting heavily. It was a long time since he had tasted a woman and he wanted her more than anything else. It wasn’t just that she looked like Jane; there was something deeper, more primal, as if he had always known her. Pushing up the tunic, his hand started to explore the soft flesh of her inner thigh and as his fingers reached the soft satin of her panties, her body froze. She was a still a virgin and had never gone this far with any of her boyfriends before. She wanted him, but it was an automatic reaction. Maybe she was still recoiling from the thoughts of Johnny.

William slid his hand from her tunic. What was he thinking? Although he had spent most of his life living on the barren moors, he was not a wild man. He considered himself a gentleman and was behaving like a beast. Sitting up, he straightened his ruffled auburn hair.

“We need to sleep. We have an early start tomorrow. You stay in the bed, and I will sleep elsewhere.”

Leaving the candle behind, he hurried out of the room before she could reply. The blood was coursing through her veins and her head thumping. She was starving and remembered the cheese sandwich. Wolfing it down, she poured some tea out of the flask. Somehow it was still hot and did the trick.

Exhausted, she could no longer think straight. Climbing beneath the woolen sheets still fully clothed, she closed her eyes and was soon fast asleep.

It was still dark when she woke. At first she didn’t realize where she was and thought she had been dreaming, but no, she was still in the dark bed chamber of William Stewart. There was a sound of horses and men gathering outside. She stood up and looked out the window.

At least a hundred men had gathered outside, some on horseback, some carrying items in and out of the house. All were dressed in the same tartan shawls, some green and black and others red. Some of the men wore blue caps and others were bareheaded. Many of them were young men, perhaps not much older than herself. Her conscience weighed heavy; most of these men would be dead in a few days time, and there was nothing she could do about it.

“Rebecca, are you awake? Come and eat before we ride. It will be a long day.”

William had entered the room, and he looked tired. He had not been able to sleep that night as he was trying to understand everything that had happened; he still didn’t. He had brought her some of his squire’s clothes for her to wear. It would be safer if she disguised herself as a boy amongst the thousands of men. A cap would hide her long hair.

Dressing quickly, she ventured down to the dining room where men sat drinking ale and eating bread and porridge. She was handed a small bowl of thick porridge oats and a hunk of bread. She was so hungry that she wolfed it down and was handed a second bowl and a jug of ale to wash it down with. It tasted surprisingly good and she was starting to feel refreshed. Some of the other men eyed her suspiciously, but while she was under the guardianship of William Stewart, no man would hurt her. The time came to be off. She grabbed her bag, making sure her mobile phone was switched off to save the battery. What a scoop to take live photos of one of Scotland’s most famous and bloody battles.

Before they set off, William wrapped a red woolen shawl around her to keep her warm on the journey. Mounted onto his horse, she sat behind him, her hands wrapped around his waist. She was frightened of what might happen, but she had never felt so alive before. If only her Mom could see her now!

They rode out for most of the day . They would be joining King James and his men camped out near Flodden Hill. She was amazed as they passed the tiny hamlets. Some of the houses were little more than rough wooden and mud huts with smoke spiraling out of a hole in the thatched roofs. They passed peasants and carts and horses on the rough tracks, and Rebecca was astounded by the sights as they raced through the medieval countryside.

She liked to feel Williams’s strong body next to hers. It felt so safe being close to him. His kiss still lingered on her lips from the previous night and something stirred within her. She ached for him to touch her again, and next time she would not stop him. That’s if there would be a next time. Her mind strayed to the historical facts about the battle: 10,000 Scotsmen would die. What if the old lady had been wrong about William Stewart and he didn’t survive? Or what if she had somehow changed the course of history just by being here?

Soon they could see the campfire smoke in the distance. The small party had been joined by more men along the way and it had soon grown to over 500 men heading for the camp. Soon they were amongst men and horses, rounded tents and piles of weaponry, and the sounds and smells were overwhelming. There were makeshift fires over which black cauldrons were hung making countless broths and stews, while flagons of wine and ale were being handed around. It reminded Rebecca of a Tudor-themed rock festival.

They found a space to put up their tent, and soon a fire was lit and their evening meal was simmering in the pot. William told her to keep out of sight in the tent while he and the other men went about their business, feeding the horses and preparing their weaponry. It was nightfall before she saw him again when they all sat around the camp fire eating the thick chicken broth. It was basic, but it was one of the best things she had tasted and even the stale bread to soak up the liquid was delicious.

She was to sleep alone in the tent that night while the men slept with the horses. She was tired from the day’s ride, and William brought in some extra blankets to try and make her as comfortable as possible. He seemed to be avoiding any intimacies with her, and she struggled to reach out to him. She lay cold in the tent and could not sleep, anxious about the coming battle.

She must have slept, if only lightly, for a noise in the tent awoke her and she sat up quickly, her heart pounding in the darkness.

“It’s only me.” William was by her side and gently touching her arm.

“I had to come and see ye, Rebecca. I’ve been trying so hard not to, but I cannae stop thinking about ye. Tomorrow night we will camp up on Flodden Hill, and so tonight is the last night I might have here. Ye will have to stay here with some of the squires, but ye will be safe here.”

He brought his face towards hers to see her more clearly in the darkness. “This may be our only night together.”

His eyes burned brightly into hers. She wanted to tell him that the battle would be lost but that he wouldn’t die. But how could she tell a man that 10,000 of his fellow men would be killed? She was falling in love with this man and she didn’t want to say anything that might alter his fate.

Touching his face lightly, she stroked the tumbling auburn hair. He closed his eyes against her gentle touch and brought her close to him. Time seemed to stop; they could be any two people in love anywhere throughout history. Love is the one constant throughout the centuries, and both their hearts burned with the fire of a thousand loves. His lips found hers, and this time he couldn’t hold back his passion. As he pushed her back into the blankets, their mouths slipped and slid across each other. His tongue flicked lightly at her lips, teasing and biting gently. She could feel his hardness against her as he pushed her further into the ground, his desire thrusting into her, wanting her so badly.

Moving his hands underneath her tunic, he pulled down the leggings and she arched her back so they could be removed easily. Next he removed her tunic, lifting it over her head until she was just in her bra and panties. He had never seen a bra before, and she removed it for him as he cupped her naked breasts in his strong hands. Laying her down, he moved his mouth to her nipples, gently teasing and nibbling until she was moaning with pleasure. His tongue was wet and warm as he licked and sucked, and she was in ecstasy.

His hand moved tentatively to her thigh. He didn’t want to frighten her like the other night, but his moves were urgent, and he needed to be inside her. Spreading her legs gently with his hands, he moved his hand inside the white satin of her underwear. She was very wet and his fingers slipped easily into her moist folds. Rebecca gasped as he found her clitoris and gently rubbed the swollen gland with his finger. She thought she might explode with delight. She guessed 16th-century men could definitely show 21st-century men a thing or two. Soon she was naked and his long tongue was licking her wetness. She gasped and writhed in ecstasy.

William stood up and started to remove his tunic. He stood in front of her naked, his cock erect and gleaming with pre-cum. She had never seen a man fully naked before, not in real life, anyway. Her eyes widened at the size of him. Both the girth and length of his cock seemed enormous and she imagined it inside her, filling her up, and she ached to feel it.

Pushing her back, he opened her legs and bent down to her. He sensed it was her first time and wanted to be as gentle as possible. Holding his erection, he guided the tip into the entrance of her hole and pushed gently. God, she was tight and he wanted to thrust himself completely inside her, but he needed to be patient. He didn’t want to hurt her. He thrust again and her tightness almost made him cum, so pulling out his cock, he breathed deeply, wanting to hold onto the moment. Once inside her, he knew that he would explode, and he wanted to savor these minutes just in case they were his last.

His cock twitched and he could hold back no longer. Guiding himself into her, he thrust deeply until she had taken him fully and her body shuddered. Again and again, his thrusts became more urgent until she exploded in pleasure and he followed soon behind, filling her with his hot semen. She could feel his thickness throbbing inside her, and she wanted to cry, not from sorrow but from sheer happiness. Enveloping her into his arms, he kissed her face and her hair and held her tightly until she fell fast asleep, safe in his arms.

When she awoke in the morning, she was alone. She could hear the men preparing to leave outside and quickly dressed and went out to see what was happening. William had packed his shield and swords and was ready to mount his horse, but seeing her, he rushed to her side.

“I wanted to leave before you woke.”

“I’m glad I caught you.”

Their conversation was stilted in front of the other men and they had to resist the urge to kiss each other.

“I should have a token to give you to keep you safe.”

William smiled. “I’ll picture your face before we go into battle tomorrow.”

Rebecca had a thought. “Wait, I can do better than that!” Running into the tent, she brought out her bag and handed him the phone. “Here, take this and you can have my image with you.”

She had saved their selfie as a screensaver, and she showed him how to turn the iPhone on and off.

William tucked it into his tunic. It was time to go and the others were shouting at him to mount his horse. There was no time for long goodbyes and after touching her arm lightly, he was away.

She watched the men ride into the distance, her heart already heavy for their losses.

The day was long and she had little to do. William had warned her to keep out of sight and keep away from the other men staying behind in the camp. Many were young boys, just learning their craft and the others old men past the age of battle who were responsible for the camp.

Taking out her notebook, she began to sketch pictures with notes of what she saw. It would be fascinating reading when she got back to 2015, if she ever returned. At first she remained within the confines of the tent, but as the day dragged on, she became bored. Tucking her hair underneath her cap, she started to wander further afield. It seemed quiet and surely no one would notice her. With her slight frame and tunic and leggings, she could easily pass for one of the young squires. Eventually she came to a very large and wealthy-looking tent that bore the royal coat of arms; it must be the tent of King James. Picking up her pencil, she had just started drawing the scene when a hefty arm caught hold of her.

Two burly highlanders stood behind her, their swords drawn, and before she could speak her hands were fastened behind her and she was thrown into a tent. No one knew who she was and it was assumed that she must be an English spy.

A long time passed before one of the older men came into the tent to speak to her.

“What’s yer name sonny, and who do ye work for?”

She stuttered out William’s name and said that she was his squire. The man rubbed his whiskers. He wasn’t sure. The boy’s accent wasn’t Scots, and there was something unusual about him. He would keep him under watch until William returned.

She was brought some simple food and water during the day, but apart from that, she had no company. At night she was given a blanket but could not sleep. How different the previous night had been. She lay awake thinking of William.

A few miles away, William Stewart lay on the ground looking up at the stars. It was a beautiful night and he wondered if it might be his last. He was sure Rebecca knew something about the battle but was afraid to tell him. He feared the worse. He removed the strange device from his tunic and pressed the button she had shown him. The square box switched into life and he saw a picture of a white apple on a black background. This thing amazed him and he wondered what it was like in 2015. Would he still be remembered? The apple disappeared and was replaced by their image, his face and hers. She was laughing and he was looking confused. She looked beautiful. Kissing the image, he pressed the button to close the machine and to “save the battery” as she had put it.

He prayed to God to keep them both safe.

The next morning, the clouds had set in and what started as a light drizzle turned into torrential rain by mid afternoon. Rebecca listened carefully for any news, but all was quiet. She hadn’t slept well the previous night and was awoken by the sound of loud voices and seemed to recognize one of them. The tent opened and in walked Angus, one of William’s men who had threatened her with a sword a few days earlier. She was grateful for her disguise for he did not seem to recognize her and soon walked out again. She wondered what he was doing here and why he wasn’t at the battle. The reason soon became clear. The battle had already started late afternoon and by now the Scots were being massacred by the English. It seemed that the coward had run away from the danger. A few hours later, a messenger arrived to state that all was lost and to clear the camp. Horses were readied and Rebecca wondered if she would be forgotten when Angus walked into the tent and pulled her outside.

The older man was waiting outside. “He says he’s William Stewart’s squire.”

Angus peered closely at Rebecca, uncertain. Pulling at her cap, he released her blonde hair, which cascaded down her back.

“William Stewart’s whore, more like.” And bringing his face up close to hers, he leered down at her, his cruel mouth mocking her.

“Well, William’s dead so she’s no use to him now. I’m sure I can make good use of her, though.” With that, he dragged her back into the tent.

Rebecca didn’t know what was happening to her. Her whole body had gone into shock. If William was dead, then she was lost, too. The old woman had been wrong after all. Perhaps it was her fault; she had upset the balance of time.

She had a sense of déjà vu but seemed lost in a dream. Angus was suddenly in front of her and from the smell on his breath, he had been drinking a great quantity of ale. His hand was squeezing her arm, but she could not struggle. She had given up the fight. His eyes were like slits and there was cruelty in their steely grey as he looked her up and down.

Licking his lips, he sneered at her and brought his face directly in front of hers.

His breath was stale and sour, and Rebecca turned her face away from him.

“Little whore, I’ll show ye.” He pulled her to the floor as his free hand started to work its way underneath her tunic.

His other hand was around her neck and almost choking her. She thought she might black out when suddenly he released her, his whole weight lifting away from her.

“Angus.”

The voice was his. William had returned and had pulled Angus away from her, punching him to the floor.

Once again his strong arms were around her and she wept softly into his chest.

“But I thought you were dead?”

“I was saved by this.” Reaching into his tunic he pulled out her phone. The glass had been smashed but surprisingly it still worked.

“I took a direct hit from an English archer, but luckily I kept your picture next to my heart and the arrow pierced your machine and not me. Ye saved my life.”

Things were as they should be, as they were always meant to be.

Rebecca returned home to Selkirk with William. She married him a month later and he had a special portrait of her commissioned for the occasion. He wanted her to look like the first time he had seen her, standing in the bed chamber with her hair plaited. She wore a blue velvet dress and a pearl necklace that he bought her as a wedding gift. As a surprise in return, she asked the painter to make two small additions to her picture. In her hand, she would hold an apple to symbolize the phone that had saved him. Remembering the original locket, she had already guessed what the twin-tailed symbol of the siren signified: It was the Starbucks logo from her coffee cup that they had kept it as a reminder of her past.

They lived happily ever after despite the fact that she could never return to her own time. They had four children, two girls and two boys. Her past was now her future. She worried about her Mom missing her and thought of a cunning plan. She recorded a message for her parents on the iPhone, using the last remaining battery power. She hoped they would understand.

James Anderson was furious. He had been digging at the site and found a surprisingly modern object buried quite deeply. It seemed as though a thermos flask had been buried on the site of the old house and inside it were two objects: a mobile phone with the front smashed in and a small locket. He recognized the phone; the students seemed to be glued to them these days. This one was housed in a pink sparkly case and it belonged to Rebecca, that strange American girl that he couldn’t get out of his head. Students weren’t allowed to come onto the site without permission, let alone dig.

It might be a practical joke, but just wait until he saw her; he would definitely give her a piece of his mind.

THE END

Into the Highlander’s Realm

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

1.

Moira looked up at the clock and watched the second hand tick, tick, tick slowly around until it rested on the twelve. Four minutes, she counted in her head. That’s how long she had been sitting there watching it, and that’s also how long she had left to go until she could switch off her computer, gather up her things and get the hell out of there.

It hadn’t been an easy week. Or an easy month. In fact, when Moira really thought about it, her whole year so far had been nothing but trouble and even now, on the eve of her escape to freedom for two weeks, she was sitting there completely weary and dreading the exit from the office.

She should have listened. They had all warned her about him and she had even known that she was setting herself up for a fall, but the moment Jack Tranter flashed his glistening baby blues at her, she had been sucked right in.

“He’s a player, Moira,” her colleague Erica had told her over lunch one spring afternoon as the girls sat outside their local coffee house flipping through magazines and snapping pictures of their Caesar salads.

“He’ll only hurt you,” Claire had confirmed.

“But I think I can change him,” Moira had said naïvely. “I think we have something special, and I’m pretty sure he can’t be faking.”

Erica and Claire had both looked at each other as if they didn’t have the heart to burst her bubble any more, but Moira dismissed it because she hoped she was the one who was right. After all, neither of the girls had had firsthand experience with Jack. They had just been told various bits of information from one or two other secretaries from around the office. And when Moira asked for more details, they couldn’t even tell her. For all of these reasons she was skeptical, and she and Jack were having such a great time together, she just couldn’t imagine it going any other way but up.

How she wished she would have listened.

After three months of amazing sex, deep conversations and grand plans, Jack had simply fallen off the face of the earth. When Moira finally managed to track him down, he had his arm around another woman, was cuddling up to her in plain sight for anyone to see and was nibbling her earlobe. When Moira had approached them, he looked at her as if she were a stranger and then declared at the top of his voice for everyone in a mile radius to hear, “What’s the matter with you, you psycho? We had one date. We were never exclusive.”

His companion had looked at her as if she were crazy and Moira had scuttled away, completely heartbroken and torn in two. How could he have done that to her? Less than a week earlier they had been planning on a trip over to Moira’s ancestral home of Scotland to discover a bit more about her roots and reconnect with her family’s past.

She had cried solidly for one week and then she got angry. No one was going to treat her that way. She was determined to pull herself together and move on with her life. As the sun set on a warm Sunday afternoon, she had curled up on the couch with a glass of red wine and opened her laptop.

She had never been to Scotland before, but after losing her parents several years earlier, she had felt a strange pull to go there and see what it was all about.

Her parents had always lived in the United States, but she had been told countless stories of their distant ancestors and the legends surrounding them. She had fantasized for a long time about taking the plunge and booking her flights over to Glasgow, but she had never had the nerve…

Until now.

She cradled the warm glass of wine in her palm of thought of the look on Jack’s face when he had so publically humiliated her. She was so much better than him, and now she was going to prove it. She opened up the British Airways website and booked her flight. Two weeks in Scotland and leaving as soon as possible. As she drained the rest of her glass and rested the laptop down on the couch beside her, her heart was racing and her palms were sweating. A part of her couldn’t believe that she had actually done it!

Now she was waiting for her work day to end, and finally, when she looked up at the clock again, her four minutes were up. She put on her “out of office,” closed down her workstation and slipped her jacket around her shoulders. Now all she had to do was get the hell out of there without Jack Tranter seeing her as she went.

She ducked out of her office and walked swiftly with her head down as she passed his room. She was sure she heard him call her name, but there was no way she was going to wait and find out. She pushed her way out of the shining double doors, into the sunlight and out into freedom.

She was on her way!

2.

Back home at her apartment, Moira spent the evening ironing and folding clothes, gathering up toiletries and arranging outfits on the end of her bed. She went into her storage cupboard and wheeled out the biggest suitcase she had before hauling it up onto the bed and filling it with everything she could possibly need to see her through the next fortnight.

Before she had time to think, it was almost 10:00 pm, and she was getting tired. She flopped down on her bed and looked at her cell phone. In horror she realized that she had a missed call from Jack an hour earlier. To see his name come up on the screen made her stomach churn. A week or so before she had wanted nothing more than for him to call her and apologize, to tell her it was all a big joke or misunderstanding. But that phone call had never came and she knew that it would all be a lie, anyway. She covered her face with her hands as her heart raced in her chest. Could she even contemplate calling him back?

Deep down she knew the answer, and so she rolled over and shoved the phone underneath her pillow. She didn’t want to or need to know what he had to say. He had done enough damage to last her a lifetime.

She got up and crossed her bedroom to her desk. She opened the top drawer and pulled out her passport and her Scottish pounds. She flipped through them with a childish smile on her face, as if she couldn’t believe it was all real. She had never thought that she would have the nerve to travel across the world on her own, with no one meeting her at the other side, but it was all so liberating.

After she dressed for bed and set her alarm for 5:00 am, she climbed underneath her duvet and hoped for a safe journey. She had never needed a break more in her entire life, but she had never been a confident traveler. As she drifted off to sleep, scenes of rolling green hills and historical castles swirled through her head. She was finally going to see what her parents and grandparents had told her so much about and she couldn’t wait.

***

At 7:00 am the following morning, she was climbing out of the taxi at the airport and walking through to the check-in desks. The buzz around the place even at that time of the morning was intense and it made her feel all the more alive.

As she handed her passport over to the girl at the desk, she looked up and saw her flight number and GLASGOW in big letters on the board above her head. Her skin tingled in anticipation, and as she left for security and departures with her boarding pass, she repressed the urge to do a little celebratory dance on the way through.

As the plane taxied down the runway and she nursed a small glass of wine to calm her nerves, a grin was fixed firmly on her face. She had never left the US before, and it felt like the beginning of something big for her. In her own way she was marking the occasion as a beginning of a new her. She was going out on her own, and she was leaving all the bullshit of her humdrum life behind.

As she plane accelerated up into the air, her stomach dipped and she turned to the woman beside her and smiled.

“This is so exciting,” she said. “I’ve never traveled alone before.”

“Me neither,” the woman said with a nervous laugh. “Maybe we should look after each other.”

“Good idea,” Moira smiled.

Throughout the rest of the flight, Moira spent her time sipping red wine, flicking through magazines and cuddling into the airline blanket. As she drifted in and out of sleep, once again her dreams were wild and vivid and a man with a shock of red hair and a tall muscular frame was with her the whole way. They were running along untamed lands, up and down rolling hills and around the outskirts of a loch as the sunlight shone on it and made it look gold. The man was strong but gentle and his voice echoed around her subconscious. His accent was deep, gruff and very sexy.

The countryside turned to darkness and he was playfully chasing her down the ancient hallways of an incredible castle. He caught up to her and pushed her gently up against the stone wall and kissed her powerfully on the lips, so hard that it made her weak at the knees and floppy in his arms. As their bodies collided, even in the dream, it was the most amazing sensation and Moira’s heartbeat thumped loudly in her ears. The man pulled back and stared at her deep in the eyes before his hand moved down between her legs and he rubbed her gently before slipping her panties to one side. Moira threw her head back and gasped, ready to give herself to him, when suddenly a loud BING brought her back to reality…

She woke with a start as the seatbelt signs illuminated and the captain announced that the plane was preparing to land. Her cheeks were flushed, her whole body tingled, and she was sure she could still taste the man on her lips. It had been so vivid and real.

“You alright, dear?” the woman next to her asked as Moira flattened down her hair and did a double take of her surroundings.

“Yes,” Moira smiled, “I was just having this crazy dream.”

“They’re usually the best,” the lady smiled.

“Yes,” said Moira. “Yes, it was.”

3.

After Moira said her goodbyes to the lady she was sitting with on the plane, she collected her bags and went through customs and security. It had been a long day so far, and it was early evening in Scotland. She stretched as she stepped out of the airport’s main doors and waited for a taxi to pull up to the curb.

The driver helped her put her bags into the trunk and Moira sank down into the comfy back seat.

“Where to, lassie?” he asked her in a deep Scottish accent.

Moira couldn’t help but smile at the fact that she was actually there and she was among her ancestors’ people.

“Lennox Castle, please,” she smiled.

“Lennox, eh?” the driver said as he looked at her in the rearview mirror and nodded his head. “Don’t get many folk going up there anymore.”

“Really?” Moira asked in disbelief.

“Aye,” he nodded. “The castle is in disrepair now, after all the scandal, not been looked after in a long time.”

“Scandal?” she sat forward so she could hear him properly.

“Aye,” he coughed. “Was a hospital…or a mental institution if you will… Closed down quite a few years back after it emerged that some of the patients were being mistreated.”

“Oh,” Moira said, disappointed. “That’s just awful.”

“Aye. The town around it is good, though. You’ll be made to feel at home, don’t worry.”

“It was the castle really that I was interested in,” she said. “My ancestors are supposedly from the area.”

“Och,” he laughed. “Well, then, you’ll be even more welcomed.” He smiled at her warmly as he pulled onto the freeway. “The Kincaid Clan have been around Lennoxtown for centuries. Before Lennox Castle was built in the 1800s, there was supposedly another castle on the site, Kincaid Tower.”

“Really?” Moira asked, intrigued.

“Aye, and you can still have a nosy around Lennox even now, it’s all closed off, but you can still get in. Just be careful.”

“Wouldn’t that be trespassing?”

He looked up at her in the mirror and his eyes fixed on her firmly. “Depends how much it means to you.”

Moira sat back in the seat and looked out of the window. She knew there would be no way she could go trespassing in some ancient insane asylum. Seeing the castle from the outside would have to do.

As they traveled further along the road, the towns gradually gave way to beautiful countryside. They were in the highlands and Moira couldn’t believe how similar the landscape was to what she had imagined. The hills and greenery were lush and beautiful. She had never seen anything like it before in her life, and it was amazing to be among it all.

The driver slowed as he approached Lennoxtown, and Moira sat up fully again and watched the quaint little buildings flash by.

“The castle is up on that rise,” the driver told her. “Do you want to have a look before I take you to your B & B?”

The sunlight was fading, but her curiosity was overpowering.

“Yes,” she beamed. “I’d love to see it.”

The driver smiled at her in the rearview mirror and made his way toward the castle. He pulled off the main road and began up a dirt track. It looked abandoned, and the trees and foliage were very overgrown. The road was bumpy and full of potholes, and as they bounced along, Moira began to regret her decision and wished she had let the driver just take her straight to the bed and breakfast.

“Wow,” she said, her mouth gaping open as the castle came into view over the tops of the trees.

Even though it was clearly derelict, it was an impressive structure. Lennox Castle was medieval in style, tall and regal, shining out next to the sky with a superiority that was overwhelming for a simple girl like Moira. She hadn’t expected to see something so spectacular and couldn’t believe that anyone would let such a wonderful building fall into disrepair.

“Aye, a lot of it was destroyed by fire a few years ago,” the driver said with a sigh. “Shame.”

He slowed to a halt and got out of the front of the car before opening her door. Moira climbed out and stood looking up at the castle with him.

“Something, ain’t it?” he smiled. “I’ve always been fond o’ Lennox Castle meself.” He laughed.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “How could it go to waste like this?”

“Och, I don’t know,” he smiled. “It is a shame.”

Moira walked closer, looking up at the castle as it loomed high above her. She hadn’t wanted to trespass and risk going inside, but now she was there, right in front of it, she didn’t think her curiosity would let her walk away.

“Have you ever been in?” she turned and asked the driver.

“Aye, once,” he nodded. “Not in any rush to go in again though,” he laughed.

Moira looked back to the castle and then again to the driver.

“Go on,” he waved her away, “I can wait ten minutes.”

Moira smiled at him and approached the front door. It had been boarded over, but many other curious people had obviously been there before her—the boards had been smashed in and pulled away. The door was closed all but for a small crack, and when she pushed, it creaked slowly open.

Half of the roof had been torn away and crumbling stone was piled high in the corners of the cavernous entryway. A bird flapped its wings as it squawked and flew out into the open air. Moira jumped and her heart began to pound. She was desperate to step into the darkness and explore, but she was too afraid. She didn’t have it in her to go snooping around an abandoned and no doubt dangerous castle.  She looked up at the impressive staircase fifty feet in front of her that led up to the second floor of the castle, and she noted how half of the steps had fallen or rotted away. She took one step in and pulled her cell phone from her pocket, turning on the flashlight and shining it around. Old paintings were still hanging from the walls but had been covered in spray paint. Graffiti was scrawled all over the thick stone and dripping in neon lines right down to the floor. Her heart sank. Back in its glory days, Lennox Castle would have been an amazing home for the Kincaid Clan.

She turned on her heel and was about to go back to join the driver when something caught her eye. She shone the light from the cell phone into the corner and the hair on her arms and back of her neck stood on end. Slumped in the corner of the room was what looked like a big, furry animal. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it was going to jump out of her chest, but she knew she couldn’t just leave it there. What if it was hurt and needed help?

She turned back and called to the driver, “There’s something here,” she shouted. “Can you help me?”

The driver looked around uneasily before shaking his head in defeat and crossing over the gravel to meet her.

“What is it?” he asked, looking up at the sky. The sun was almost set and the air was getting cooler with each passing minute.

“I think there’s an animal in there,” she whispered, “and I think it may be hurt.”

The driver shifted uneasily on the spot and shrugged.

“Please?” Moira asked him with pleading eyes.

With reluctance, they both pushed open the door to the castle and stepped carefully into the entryway. The driver didn’t want to be there, that she could tell, but she stepped forward and shone the light into the corner by the wall and waited for him to react.

“Aye, looks like an animal,” he said matter-of-factly. “Now what?”

Moira realized he wasn’t going to be any use to her, so she rolled her eyes and stepped cautiously forward. As long as he was right there behind her, she felt safer than being in there alone. She approached the mound of black fur slowly, but as she got closer, she could see that there was no movement to suggest it was breathing. On the floor there was a broken tree branch which she picked up and used to prod it gently.

The moment she touched it, she knew that it was neither an animal nor alive, and her shoulders relaxed as she exhaled with relief.

“What is it?” he asked her.

“I think it’s an animal skin,” she said as she prodded it again and managed to flip over the thick fur.

“A pelt?” he asked as he moved closer.

“Yes,” she bent down and pulled it towards her. It was a thick black furred wolf pelt.

“A black wolf,” the man nodded, “Rare.”

Moira shook it out and then bundled it up in her arms.

“My first Scottish souvenir,” she smiled as she made her way back to the door.

“Are you sure you want that?” the driver asked cautiously.

“Yep,” she said, “I’ll give it a wash and a clean-up and it’ll be a great memento of my first day here.”

The wolf pelt was soft and heavy in her arms and even though she knew she shouldn’t be taking it, she just couldn’t help herself.

“Suit yourself,” he laughed as they both walked back through the doorway and towards the car. The sky had grown dark and bats squeaked as they flitted around the trees overhead. As Moira sank back into the seat, she felt oddly connected with her surroundings and the pelt. She didn’t know why, but she felt strangely protective over it and she never wanted to let it go.

4.

As the taxi pulled away, Moira entered the quaint bed and breakfast where she was booked for her first few nights in Scotland. She hadn’t had any idea what to expect from Lennoxtown, so she had planned to move on to other areas after she had explored the land of her ancestors.

After the little old lady at reception gave her the key to her room, Moira tightly clutched onto the pelt as she made her way up the stairs, dragging her heavy luggage behind her.

The room was basic but large, and she went straight into the bathroom and ran the big marble sink full of warm, soapy water. The pelt was so beautiful and soft, she had no idea how it had ended up lying on the floor of the derelict castle but she wanted to revive it as much as she could and take care of it. She put it into the sink and let the water seep into it, and then rubbed and massaged until all of the dust and bits of dirt and crumbling stone seemed to have come loose. Afterwards she rinsed it under the shower and rung it out before plugging in the hair dryer and carefully drying it while running a thick comb through the soft fur. She felt so much affection for it, but she couldn’t figure out why.

Once the pelt had been groomed and was silky smooth and shining, she lay it out across the end of her bed and looked at the clock. It was almost 10:00 pm, and she hadn’t even eaten or unpacked her bags. Her body ached and her mind was swimming with possibility and information. She wanted to unpack, but she also wanted to explore. She opened the small menu at the side of the bed which told her that breakfast would be served between 7:30 am and 9:30 am the following morning. It was a long time to wait, but she would have to stick it out.

After she hung up the clothes she didn’t want to get too creased, she got into her pajamas and lay down on the bed before turning on the television. She smiled as the array of English and Scottish accents came flying at her, and when the temperature dropped and she found herself chilly, she pulled the wolf pelt up from the foot of the bed and wrapped herself in it. The faint scent of strawberry shower gel still lurked among the soft fur.

As she watched the local news, her eyes grew heavy and the warmth from the pelt was keeping her so comfy in her little cocoon it wasn’t long before she drifted off soundly to sleep.

5.

The cold bit her skin as she stirred the following morning. The air was icy and she shivered beneath the wolf pelt as she clutched it to her and nuzzled into it, pulling it close and breathing in deep. She hadn’t yet opened her eyes, but she could tell something was different. It wasn’t just the temperature in her room, but the smell and sounds around her and the breeze blasting her ankles. She shivered and pulled the pelt around her again, almost nervous to acknowledge that something was wrong and someone could potentially be in the room with her.  She rubbed her eyes and slowly opened them. The shock hit her all at once, and she jumped up, flying back against the headboard, which was hard as stone.

Moira was no longer in the adorably old-fashioned bed and breakfast, but in a large stone room that looked like it could have been something out of a strange movie. Something not from her time at all. She looked down and the pelt was the only thing she recognized. Even her clothes had gone and she was wearing a long, raggy brown robe. She hugged her knees to her chest and got to her feet. When they touched the stone floor, the icy cold shot up her legs and made her tremble.

“Where am I?” she said aloud as she rushed to the window.

When she looked out, she could tell that she was in some sort of castle structure, and she was very high up from the ground. She was still in Scotland by the looks of things and from the view from her bed chamber, she could see the rolling hills and a lovely blue loch in the distance. The sun was shining, making the landscape look so beautiful and peaceful, but it was so cold, she shivered and was gripped with fear.

“Kincaid Tower,” a gruff voice came from behind her. She turned to see a small woman standing in front of her. She was haggard and old, but her eyes were warm and welcoming.

“What?” Moira asked.

The woman laughed and shook her head before approaching her with a long and elaborately stitched green dress.

“Here,” she said. “You look cold.”

“It’s freezing,” Moira complained. “Who are you and what happened to the bed and breakfast?”

The little woman looked at her as if she were crazy and shrugged.

“You’ll have to get dressed quickly, lassie. Sir Hamish is on his way to see you.”

“Who?” Moira protested as the woman pulled the dress down over her head and began to lace her in at the back.

“Sir Hamish,” she laughed at her. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of him.”

“Well to be honest…” She was about to launch into a long rant about how she actually hadn’t ever heard of him and that also she was completely confused as to what the hell was going on, but before she could finish her sentence, the door to the bed chamber burst open and a tall, hulking, red-haired man stood in front of her. His arms were thick and veiny, and he wore armor over his massive frame. Moira swallowed with shock as she looked up at him and realized that she did know him, and had indeed seem him before.

The man in front of her was no stranger...

He was the one who had seduced her in her dream.

***

“Moira?” he asked as he stepped forward and looked at her as if he was unsure that she was real.

“Yes?” She took a step back, afraid of what may happen.

“It really is you.” His face relaxed and opened warmly. “My God, I never thought we would see each other again.”

Moira looked at him with confusion in her eyes and the little woman came beside her and wrapped a protective arm around her before pushing her forwards.

“What’s going on?” Moira asked.

“You came back,” Hamish smiled. “I thought I’d lost you forever, but you came back.”

She didn’t know what to say or where to look… Was this some kind of elaborate joke? Had the taxi driver and the woman from the bed and breakfast set the whole thing up? Or worse, was Jack Tranter somehow involved?

“Elizabeth,” Hamish said proudly, “we must show our guest nothing but kindness, please, and make sure she wants for nothing.”

The little lady smiled and bowed daintily, and Hamish stepped closer again so he was almost right up against Moira.

“I am so happy to see you again,” he reached out and touched her cheek. “I really had thought that I’d lost you.”

As Moira looked in his eyes, something stirred in her. The dream was one thing and was fresh and vivid in her mind, but there was something within Hamish that was more than familiar… They had been tied together before, she was sure of it. There was a love running between them, ancient and unbreakable, and it made her quiver.

“I’ll be back for you.” He touched her hair softly before he turned and made his way towards the door. “Elizabeth, feed our guest and make sure she is safe.”

The little lady nodded and Hamish left the room with a loud slam of the door.

6.

“Please, Elizabeth,” Moira pleaded. “I don’t understand. You must tell me what is happening!”

The little lady had constructed an impressive fire in the hearth and was stoking it with an iron rod. Moira was sitting on the end of the bed, her bare feet lightly skimming the cold stones of the floor.

Elizabeth turned to her and sat down in a chair by the fire before sighing and rubbing her temples.

“Moira,” she said slowly, “you really don’t remember?”

Moira shook her head with frustration and got to her feet, crossing the room and sitting in the chair opposite Elizabeth so the two women were either side of the fire. The orange glow from the flames shone brightly over both their faces, and Moira was so glad of the warmth as it spread through her chilled bones.

“You and Hamish were so in love,” she began. “And then one day you simply vanished… No one in all of Scotland could find you, and God knows we tried.” She stopped and let out a little laugh of sadness. “Hamish was always the one leading the pack, desperate to track you down, to find out who had taken you and what had become of you… But after years and years, he had to let go… It pained him to do it, it really did, but he is Sir Hamish Kincaid, and he was betrothed to marry another. The Kincaids have always married well to advance their position up here in these parts, and the Lord and Lady would not allow an exception. With you gone, they arranged for Hamish to wed Lady Fraser, much to his annoyance.”

Moira listened with intrigue, although she was certain the story she was hearing had nothing to do with her.

“But now you’ve returned,” Elizabeth said with a wry smile. “And now Hamish will not marry Lady Fraser.”

“Wait,” Moira interjected. “So how long have I been gone?” She believed she was humoring the old woman for information.

“Around three years,” she said, “And Hamish tried to find you… But eventually he had to admit you were never coming back.”

“So he hasn’t already married?” Moira chipped in.

“The wedding was fixed for tomorrow,” she explained. “But now he wants to dissolve the arrangement.”

Moira’s heart started to beat fast. This man, Sir Hamish Kincaid of the Kincaid Clan, wanted to call off his wedding because of her?

“There must be a misunderstanding,” Moira laughed. “I only arrived her from the United Stated yesterday… I went up to Lennox Castle to see where my ancestors had supposedly originated and then I checked into the bread and breakfast… That’s the last I remember.”

Elizabeth’s eyes were wide, but Moira couldn’t tell whether it was from fear or sympathy.

“I better get you something to eat, lassie,” she said as she got to her feet.

When Elizabeth left her alone in the room, Moira went back to the window and looked out across the hills. She couldn’t see anything for miles; the whole landscape was clear and untouched. She hadn’t seen much of Lennoxtown the night before, but she knew it was a developed area with a thriving community. There was a familiarity to where she was, but it was as if the whole town and castle had been cleared overnight and only the tower remained in its place. She looked back across the bleak bedroom. The bed was large and soft with layer upon layer of sheets and woven blankets. The wolf pelt was there in the center, looking even more glossy and new than it had after she cleaned it. The bed was a four-poster with thick, velvet drapes, and the fire in the corner of the room was the only source of light save for one small unlit candle next to the bed. There was no electricity and there was nothing to suggest that Moira was in her own time. Even Elizabeth’s dress and the one she had given to Moira to wear were odd and not of the same world.

The door creaked open and Elizabeth entered with a silver tray holding a whole cooked chicken and a strange cup filled with warm wine.

“Here you go, lassie,” she said as she set it down by the fire. “You need to eat and keep up your strength. You don’t want the Lord and Lady to accuse you of madness.”

The smell of the roast chicken almost sent her into a frenzy, and she descended on the plate as if it were the first time she had ever eaten.

After she finished, she glugged down the wine and relaxed into the chair by the warm fire. She felt instantly rested and revived and ready to hear anything Elizabeth had to tell her. She didn’t want to appear crazy in case it would backfire on her, so she pretended to agree with all that Elizabeth was saying to glean more information.

It was a strange thing, but the more time passed in that bed chamber, the more Moira felt at home. It was as if she had unlocked a secret door in her memory and all of the details were flooding back to her with each passing second. Even Elizabeth was becoming more familiar, and small snippets of memory were working their way back out of her subconscious. She remembered a day when she and Elizabeth went hunting and afterwards Elizabeth had bathed her sore and tired feet by the very same fire. Moira’s heart began to race with the realization that she had been there before and that both Hamish and Elizabeth were part of her past.

“What year is this?” she asked Elizabeth as if it were the most natural question in the world.

“Why it is 1581, my dear,” she smiled warmly. “Don’t tell me that from all your time away you’ve forgotten such important matters.”

Moira felt her blood run cold.

1581.

How could this be? How could she have traveled back in time almost four hundred and fifty years?

She was about to jump to her feet and scream when she heard the drum of footsteps coming hurriedly down the hall. She curled up on the chair and bit her lip as the door flew open and Sir Hamish came inside with a look of panic on his face.

“We have to hide you,” he said quickly. “The Frasers are coming to storm the castle!”

7.

Hamish swept Moira up into his arms and burst out of the bed chamber and began running down the darkened hallway. She clung to his neck and closed her eyes tight. She was so afraid.

Elizabeth trotted quickly behind them, carrying the wolf pelt in her arms and struggling to keep up with Hamish’s massive strides.

“We need to get to the top of the tower,” Hamish grunted as he heaved open a heavy wooden door and started up a spiral staircase. The stone steps weaved around the turret, and every time Moira looked down, her stomach dipped with fear. At the top of the staircase, Hamish kicked open the door and rushed her inside. He placed her gently on the floor and turned to Elizabeth who struggled to make it up there with them.

“No one must enter here,” he said seriously. “The Frasers want a war… I’m going to give them a war.”

“Sir Hamish,” Elizabeth began. “Please!”

“No!” he snapped. “I will not marry her! Not now that Moira has returned! She is my one and only true love!”

His words sent shock waves through Moira, and she clutched her heart as if Cupid himself had speared it with one of his arrows. She loved him too—she didn’t know how it was possible, but she did. Just being held in his arms had brought back the rush of a memory. The dream she experienced on the plane, she began to realize, had not been a dream at all. It had been a memory. She and Hamish had run through the fields, over the hills, and they had rolled in the heather and kissed down the long, winding castle corridors. He had made love to her for hours and told her he would never leave her. They had planned a family. They had wanted it all so badly and then suddenly something terrible had happened. The more Moira searched her memory, the more that came flooding back to her. And it was with an intense shock, one that shook her to her very core that she suddenly remembered what had happened to her and why she vanished one day without a word to anyone.

“Hamish,” she said, breaking the tension with her soft voice. “I remember… I remember what happened to me…”

He turned and stared at her deep in the eyes and took her hands in his.

“I didn’t run away,” she whispered. “I was murdered.”

The color drained from his face and Moira almost collapsed with terror as she recounted what had happened…

She had been out in the woods one morning, gathering firewood, even though this was not a task expected from her. Moira had always been a simple and kind girl and had never felt the need to have people waiting on her. Elizabeth had grown cold and tired, so Moira sent her back to Kincaid Tower to warm herself by the hearth. As Moira ventured deeper into the woods, she heard the crunching of twigs underfoot. Someone was following her.

She darted deeper into the forest and attempted to hide behind a fallen tree trunk, but she wasn’t fast enough to outrun her assailant.

As the shadow closed in on her and she looked up into the eyes of her killer, she noticed the brandished coat of arms of the Fraser Clan. Someone had been sent to kill her. The Frasers knew what they wanted, and it was for their eldest daughter Annabelle Fraser to wed Sir Hamish of Kincaid… Their alliance would unite the families and they would become a powerful force in Scotland.

***

The blood returned to Hamish’s face as she recounted the tale and he turned scarlet. He looked so angry, it almost seemed like his head was about to explode.

“The Frasers took you from me,” he stated. “But my love, how did you return?”

Moira asked for Elizabeth to leave the room and for them to have a private moment. She knew time was of the essence if Hamish was to go to battle and avenge her death, but she needed time with this man. She needed to reconnect with her love and tell him everything. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her, and the feeling of him against her was enough to almost make her cry with happiness. She had missed his touch so much and now they were together again, she never wanted to let him go.

“The Frasers will pay for what they’ve done,” he vowed.

Moira touched his face tenderly and Hamish bent forward to kiss her. When their lips touched, any remaining forgotten memories all came flooding back and united them in the most magical reunion of love.

“I’ve been so far away, Hamish,” Moira whispered. “You really have no idea.”

He looked at her with adoring eyes, and she knew that the truth would blow his mind, but how else could she explain returning from the dead?

“I believe the wolf pelt brought me back to you, Hamish,” she said. “I found it in Lennox Castle when I arrived in Scotland yesterday. However, my yesterday was not your yesterday. I have been living in another time… I was reborn to another mother and lived another life, but when I returned to Scotland to discover my ancestors’ history, I stumbled across something that allowed me to return to you. Somehow, the universe has made it all possible.”

Hamish nodded seriously. He believed her, and she believed that it was truly the only explanation.

“Lennox Castle?” he asked.

Moira nodded warily. She didn’t want to tell Hamish that eventually Kincaid Tower would crumble and another castle would rise in its place.

“Aye,” she said, her Scottish accent returning. “One day, a long time from now… Kincaid Tower will be no more and Lennox Castle will rise in its place,” she said with a heavy heart.

“No,” Hamish said with disbelief.

“Fight now, my love,” she told him. “You need to protect our home for as long as we can… Our children must be born here, and we will both die here.”

She touched his face and Hamish swept her up in his arms again. His breath was short and heavy, and he had a familiar look in his eyes that Moira recognized as pure animal lust and need. He threw her down onto the bed and climbed on top of her. He was so big and powerful, Moira lay beneath him and let him have his way with her right there and then. She wanted him to take her. She wanted to feel the touch of his skin against hers. She wanted to run her hands though his thick, red hair and nibble on his muscular arms and shoulders. She opened her legs and could feel the hot and stiff bulge of his member pressing against her and she moaned with pleasure.

After he ripped away her undergarments and removed his armor until he was naked before her, Moira gasped at the sight of his impressive manhood.

He held onto her legs and gripped her by the thighs as he pulled her to the edge of the bed and penetrated her with one long thrust. He groaned as he pumped himself in and out of her, gaining speed with each stroke and becoming harder inside of her. Moira threw her head back in pleasure and felt so opened and filled by him it wasn’t long until she was on the verge of the most incredible release of her entire two lives.

Hamish grunted as he powered into her once more and she felt his seed explode inside of her. The feeling of him emptying himself into her pussy was so intense that she too came hard and fast.

Hamish collapsed down onto the bed next to her and took her hand in his.

“I love you so much, Moira,” he whispered, “I can’t wait to start my life with you.”

Moira nuzzled into him and kissed him. She had never been so happy and so scared in her entire life. Because before that could happen, she knew Hamish was going to have to go out there and defeat the Frasers.

8.

When he left her up there in the tower, Moira had no clue whether he would return to her or be killed in battle. She wept with her head on Elizabeth’s knee as Elizabeth stroked her hair and told her that everything would be alright.

Moira couldn’t believe how much had changed since she had boarded the plane to Scotland. She knew it was her fate to be there and everything had happened at just the right time to take her back to her long lost love.

She thought about the death of her parents, and of how if it weren’t for them, she may never have made the journey to Scotland in the first place. She thought of the taxi driver and his willingness to let her explore Lennox Castle. She thought of her instant attachment to the wolf pelt which clearly possessed some magical quality that had allowed her to travel through time and back to where she was meant to be.

Now she was high in the tower of Kincaid and waiting for her man to avenge her death. Annabelle Fraser and her whole family were going to pay the price. If Hamish hadn’t killed them in battle as they came to storm the castle in revenge for him canceling the wedding, he would have made his way to them and taken them with all the force he had.

“His army will win,” Elizabeth soothed. “He will be back to you soon.”

Moira prayed to any and every God that would listen for her to be right, and as the day turned into night and then again into morning, the sounds of horse’s hooves could be heard galloping across the highlands.

“Moira,” Elizabeth shook her awake. “Come quick!”

Moira jumped to her feet and ran to the small window. In the distance she could see the army coming back to them. It was Hamish! He had won!

She collapsed into Elizabeth’s arms and sobbed with joy. She was going to have her man back and now his baby. She clutched her stomach knowing that his seed was inside of her and being sown at that very moment.

When Hamish burst back through the tower doors and took Moira in his arms, he kissed her with such passion and adoration she never wanted it to end.

“I did it all for you,” he whispered. “I don’t know how I lived without you.”

Moira clung to him and confessed that she didn’t know how she had either. Back in 2015, she had lived almost twenty-five years without him and now she didn’t want to lose another minute.

“I love you, Hamish,” she cried. “I never want to be parted from you again.”

“You never will be. Now the Frasers have gone, no one can try to destroy our love.”

They headed back down to the main corridor of the castle and Hamish led her into his bed chamber. While she washed his war wounds and groomed his long, lovely hair, she realized how amazing her life was going to be living in ancient Scotland with her soul mate. A soul mate that had stood the test of time.

She had thought getting on the plane and venturing out on her own in the world was the most exciting adventure she could ever have, but she was wrong…

Her adventure was just beginning.

THE END

Through the Highland Gateway

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2015 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

When she took the time to think back over the previous few weeks (or had it been hundreds of years?), Lily Rey would not know what to think. Any number of things could have happened any other way, and she would not have found herself living with the man she had always felt that she deserved, in the land that she had always dreamed of living in. In her scheme of thinking, things had changed so drastically in such a short period of time; she had gone from stressed to easeful, ignored to revered, and downtrodden to wealthy.

It had all started at the desk outside of Reginald P. Wooley, Esquire’s office. Reginald was a senior partner at the offices of Davis, Franklin, and Wooley, Attorneys at Law, a prestigious criminal defense office in Daytona Beach, Florida, when she received a telephone call from Tyler Yancey, her great aunt’s estate attorney. She had been expecting the call for about a week, and was beginning to worry that it would not come in time for her trip to Scotland.

“Reginald Wooley’s office, Lily speaking,” she had answered.

“Yes, Miss Rey,” the man’s voice had said through the crackle of cell-phone static, “I am calling in regards to Mrs. Henry’s estate. The reading of her will is this afternoon, and she had specifically asked that you be present, as it concerns you very much.”

“Okay, what time?”

“We will be starting at 4:00 p.m., exactly.”

“I’ll be there,” she said, replacing the telephone in the receiver. She remembered glancing at the clock and thinking to herself how they could have called her earlier. Her flight was scheduled to leave the runway at 8:15 that evening, and with the post-9/11 security, she would need to be at the airport by no later than 5:00 that evening.

She was cutting it mighty fine, indeed.

She had been looking forward to the trip—her chance to visit the land of her ancestors—for several months. She had always felt drawn to Scotland, most likely because family tradition had always said that they were descended from Scottish nobility, and it made her dream of castles, of handsome men full of chivalry and honor—basically what every young girl dreams of. The problem was, those young girls eventually learn that there are no more castles, princes to sweep them off their feet, or dragons to slay.

No, in modern life, there were only asshole law partners who prevent qualified women from promoting their lowly secretary’s job to a full paralegal, all while making her do the work of one. The bad part was, Reginald P. Wooley, Esq. was a perverted old man who only wanted to keep her at his front desk because of her round ass and large, perky tits. It was almost as if she was nothing but a long pair of legs and a vagina to the assholes at Davis, Franklin, and Wooley.  They didn’t care that she was a certified paralegal, or that she was much better qualified than the ugly guy they had just hired to hold the title. They would rather have Lily in the position of “eye-candy-in-chief,” all while working her to death.

When she was honest with herself though, it wasn’t hard to understand why they wanted her to act as the company eye candy. In addition to her obvious physical assets of a large bust and round derriere, she also possessed with long, dark auburn hair that perfectly complemented her stunningly bright and large blue eyes. Her slightly hollowed cheeks and strong, thin chin perfectly balanced her face, and her legs were toned much more than the average, a testament to the multiple marathons, half-marathons, 10 and 5ks that she competed in every year. All in all, she was easily one of the prettiest women in Daytona Beach.

That day at lunchtime, she told the partners that she had finished her work, and told Reginald that she was leaving for her vacation. “Don’t you get lost in time over there! Make sure you come back!” he had answered, his eyes raking the plunging neckline of her blouse.

“I won’t!” Lily answered, all while thinking to herself that if she could help it, she definitely wouldn’t…come back. “Asshole,” she said to herself, as she walked out the front door of the office she so despised.

As she rode down A1A listening to P!NK’s most recent album, “The Truth About Love,” she cranked up the music and lost herself in her own world for a few moments. After she got home, showered, threw her suitcases in the back of her car, ate some lunch, and watched a last little bit of American television before leaving, she headed off to Tyler Yancey’s office for her appointment.

She had been very close to her Great Aunt Yvonne, who raised her from the time she turned eleven. When her mother had been killed in a car accident, her father wanted nothing to do with Lily, so the deadbeat asshole gladly signed his rights as a parent over to Yvonne, who was Lily’s mother’s aunt. Yvonne had not had any children of her own, but Great Uncle Harold, Aunt “Vonny’s” husband, had a daughter from a previous marriage. His granddaughter, Rose, was the same age as Lily.

As an only child, Lily had never known what it would be like to have a sibling, and Rose quickly became something of a surrogate sister. Rose’s father had abandoned her before she was born, leaving her to be raised by her mother, who had barely graduated high-school. Because her mother had to work two jobs to provide for her, Rose spent a lot of time with Lily’s Uncle Harold and Aunt Vonny. Now that Aunt Vonny had passed away, Lily had no family left besides Rose. Rose, of course, was not even related to her technically, but might as well have been.

When Lily arrived at the lawyer’s office, Rose eyed her white halter top and short blue shorts and immediately began laughing, her cigarette dangerously close to falling out of her mouth. “Hey, ho!”

“Hey yourself, skank!” Lily answered, breaking out into a wide grin. It was a normal routine of theirs to greet each other with insults, but it could not have been clearer to the average on-looker that they were close. “How’ve you been?” Lily asked as they embraced.

“I’m okay…it’s still hard to believe that Vonny is gone, you know?”

“Yeah, I’m really going to miss her.”

“What do you think she left you?”

“Probably $10 million…”

“Wishful thinking, much?”

“Considering that she didn’t have two pennies to rub together, yeah.”

“Yeah…I guess the fact that she paid for our college was our inheritance, huh?”

“Couldn’t have asked f0r more.”

“So, why are you dressed like a whore?” Rose said, snuffing out her cigarette, “You thinking that the lawyer will give you more if he thinks you’ll give him a blowjob in the car out back?”

“Well, I figured it couldn’t hurt” she joked, punching her on the left shoulder before opening the door to the small storefront that Tyler Yancey had rented for a law office.

“Hmmm…you’ve got a point there. Seriously, though…why?” Rose pressed, walking through the open door.

“I’ve got a plane to catch in a few hours, figured I’d make it easier for them to strip search me,” Lily answered sarcastically.

“I forgot! Where are you going, again? Ireland?”

“No, Scotland.”

“What’s the difference?” Rose asked as the lawyer walked from behind a small partition.

“Only the North Channel of the Irish Sea,” Yancey answered before Lily could open her mouth. “Ladies, thank you for coming. Shall we begin?”

“Aren’t we expecting anyone else?” Rose asked.

“No, you are the only two who Mrs. Henry made specific bequests to, and you are the only two who she specifically requested to be here. Shall we begin?”

“Sure,” Rose answered, sitting down in an office chair by the front door as Lily took a seat beside her.

“The last will and testament of Yvonne T. Henry,” the lawyer read aloud, “It is my wish that with exception of two personal effects, to be named herein, all of my assets be liquidated, and used to settle my final debts. First, my necklace of sterling silver and amethyst is bequeathed to my grand-niece, Lily O. Rey, along with the letter that accompanies it. Additionally, Lily is to receive one half of the monetary value of my estate, or two million dollars, whichever is less.” Trevor paused to take a sip of water while this sank into Lily’s consciousness. He then continued, “Secondly, my antique dining set, incorporating sterling silver cutlery and fine china plate are bequeathed to Rose S. Tolliver, along with the letter that accompanies the set. Additionally, Rose is to receive one half of the monetary value of my estate, or two million dollars, whichever is less. If there are any funds available after the monetary value of my estate has been determined, I leave everything to the Florida Cancer Society, in remembrance of my late husband, Harold M. Henry.”

Lily and Rose sat there in shock as the attorney reached behind the partition and handed each of them a fine wooden chest, containing their bequests. “Naturally, we are unable to give you your financial inheritance, but we can arrange to have it deposited in your personal bank accounts.”

“How much was it?” Rose asked, obviously still in shock.

“You will each receive $1.98 million.”

“Wow,” Lily said quietly a few moments later, when they had exited the office.

“Did you know?” Rose asked.

“Know? Know what?”

“That Gramma Vonny was rich?”

“No…” Lily said before carefully opening the case and removing the yellowed envelope that sat inside on top of the pristine necklace. Opening the envelope, she found a letter dated in 1999, written in her Aunt Vonny’s minute, tidy handwriting:

My Dearest Lily,

I do not know if you were aware that the necklace I have left you exists. It has been passed down through the generations from our ancestors, always to the first-born woman of the next generation. If your mother had not passed, it would have been left to her; however, as you are the only surviving woman in our line from the generations after my own, it is now yours. I have had it appraised, and the certificate of authenticity, signed by the Department chairwoman of the University of Florida’s Anthropology Department, will verify that it originated in the early fourteenth century in our ancestral homeland of Scotland.

Also, family legend says that the necklace conceals a power that only one woman, the descendant of our ancestor, would be able to unlock. Unfortunately, I do not have any way of knowing (or passing on to you) what that power is. I can only tell you that many women in our line have borne her name, including you—Lily.

I know that it has long been your ambition to visit the land of our ancestors, so perhaps you can be the one to solve the mystery of our family necklace. Maybe you can one day visit the home of the first Lily in our family, Culcreuch Castle in Fintry, to ascertain the roots of the legend, and the power that the necklace possesses.

Until we meet again, know that I have always loved you, my dearest niece,

Aunt Vonny

Chapter 2

“Well, that’s a coincidence,” Lily said quietly to herself.

“What?” Rose asked, tears in her eyes as she held her letter from Aunt Vonny tight in her right hand.

“Here, read this,” Lily answered, handing over her letter. She watched as Rose’s eyes flew from right to left as she read the letter.

“Okay? So?”

“I’m staying at the Culcreuch Castle while I’m gone,” Lily replied.

“Oh! I get it! Your ancestor lived in the castle where you’re going to be staying!”

“Exactly,” Lily answered, smiling. “Speaking of which, I need to get going.”

“Okay,” Rose said, giving her a hug. “Be safe, okay? And enjoy your vacation!”

“Oh, I will…I have an American Express with a $5,000 limit, and all the money I need to pay it off if I blow it on this trip!”

“Aw, yeah!” Rose said, laughing, “Now, get to the airport, before you’re late!”

“Okay, bye!” Lily said, shutting her door. She blew a kiss at her oldest friend, and backed out of her parking space.

Fifteen minutes later, she was pulling into the parking lot at the airport, only ten minutes before 5:00 p.m. She breezed through the security checkpoint (she wasn’t strip searched) and was among the first group to board the plane. Soon, the plane was leaving Daytona Beach and heading for Dublin where she would only have to catch a puddle jumper to Glasgow. Door to door, it was nearly a twenty-four hour journey, including the layovers.

When she finally arrived at the Culcreuch Castle in Fintry, she was in awe of the ancient structure and felt immediately drawn to the place, as if something about it was calling to her in the deepest recesses of her soul. With a strange feeling of déjà vu, Lily felt that she had been to this beautiful old building before, even though she had never before stepped foot in a country other than her American homeland.

Taking her suitcases and other travel bags from the back seat of the cab, she crossed the threshold of the medieval building. Setting her luggage down at the door of the castle, she approached the main desk, which was occupied by a portly, elderly female maître d'hôtel.

“What can I do for you, my dear?” the older woman asked in a fantastic Scottish accent.

“Hello, I have a reservation for Rey,” Lily said.

“Okay. Ray…and what’s his last name, my dear?”

“Oh no!” Lily answered, laughing, “Rey is my last name, R-E-Y.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, dearie!” the lady replied, mortified, “Please forgive me! We don’t often get American clientele, and I find it hard to understand…these old ears, you know!” she said with a light, breezy laugh.

“It’s not a problem at all, it happens back home all the time, Mrs…?”

“Stuart, dear. But you can call me Mammy…everyone does.”

“Okay, Mammy, thank you.”

“Now, Miss Rey, I have you reserved for the Battlements Room, but the reservation for the Seton of Gargunnock room was canceled, so I’ll let a pretty girl like you have it, if you want. It’s only £10 more.”

“Please, call me Lily,” she answered.

“Lily? What a beautiful name! Did you know that there is a legend about one of the ladies of this castle, and her name was Lily?”

“No, I did not,” Lily said, interested. “Could I hear it sometime? I’m just really tired right now from traveling…”

“Of course, dearie. So how about the Seton of Gargunnock room? I tell you what…it’s a bigger room, and I’ll give it to you for no extra charge, just because I love your pretty name.”

“Oh, yeah, sure…that would be great!” Lily said.

“Excellent, then. Here, I’ll have somebody show you to your room. Dinner is downstairs at 17:00, okay?”

“1700…that’s, what? Five o’clock, right?”

“Yes dearie, I keep forgetting that you Yanks use that silly twelve-hour clock, but to you, yes, five o’clock. Will you be making it down?”

Lily looked down at her watch and saw that it was nearly 4:00 p.m., and responded, “No, Miss Mammy, I don’t believe I will. I’m very tired from the journey here, so I think I’m going to take a nap instead.”

“Okay dearie, if you wake up and decide that you are hungry, the kitchen is open until 21:00. Just knock, okay?”

“Thank you, Miss Mammy,” Lily answered as a young man appeared to take her baggage upstairs.

“Enjoy your nap, dearie,” Mammy responded. Lily followed the young baggage carrier up the steps on the far end of the room, fully taking in the sights as they went. He couldn’t have been a day older than sixteen.

“Seton of Gargunnock, righ’?” the muscle-bound young man grunted at her through a thick, Irish accent.

“Yes, sir,” Lily responded.

“Mammy tell you ‘bout the ghos’ in there?”

“No, but that’s okay…I don’t believe in ghosts.”

“Just ‘cause you don’t believe in somethin’ don’t meant it isn’t there,” the youth pointed out. “He tends to come out when somebody is staying in that room. He takes a likin’ to tha ladies, or so they say.”

“A ‘liking’ to the ladies that stay in there? What do you mean?”

“He ignores the men that stay there every so often, unless he’s with a lady. Screamed at one man for sleepin’ with tha lady that was with him, word is,” the boy said, grinning.

“You mean, the ghost yelled at the man for having sex with a woman?” Lily asked unabashed, “What did he say?”

“Tha’s right…and no one knows what he’s sayin,’ ‘cause he don’t speak no English. But seein’ as you are a pretty lady,” the lad pressed forward, his eyes raking Lily’s chest, her breasts barely concealed behind the halter top that she still wore. “You should be just fine.” The youth grinned, exposing rotten teeth with wide gaps between them. “Have a nice nap, beau’iful,” he said, dropping Lily’s luggage inside the door and leaving her behind, alone.

Lily turned away from the door that the bag-boy had just closed and saw the most beautiful room that she had ever laid eyes on. There was something about the simplistic nature of the beige walls and golden furniture that perfectly complemented one another. There was an elegant, antique vanity sitting beside the bed, and a window that opened and overlooked the front lawn of the castle and the Loch that was on the grounds, offering a spectacular view of hills in the distance.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, and lay back, falling into a deep sleep without removing any of her clothes.

Chapter 3

After a full night’s rest, Lily awoke to the sound of finches singing in the distance. The sun streamed in through the window that overlooked the Loch, and greeted her with a warm kiss, rousing her from the deepest recesses of slumber. She stretched her arms above her head and smiled without opening her eyes.

Then suddenly, a man’s voice from somewhere to her left caused her to jerk fully awake.

“Who the hell are you?!” the man yelled at her. He was not speaking English, but rather another language that Lily did not recognize at all.

Strangely, though, she understood exactly what he was saying, and so replied, “I’m Lily! Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my room?!” To her surprise, Lily found that she spoke with the same rolling language as the man. Somehow, without being taught, she had learned a new language!

“Your room?” the stunningly handsome man answered. “I am Matthew Galbraith, second son of Maurice Galbraith, chief of the Clan Galbraith, and master of this castle! This is my room, and I want to know what you are doing in it at this early hour!”

“I rented it!”

“And who rented it to you, as I am the son of this castle’s master!”

“This castle is owned by a holding company in L.A.!”

“Wait…what?” the man asked. “What is a ‘holding company?’”

“Oh my God!” Lily exclaimed while getting to her feet, completely frustrated. “Where is Mrs. Stuart?”

“Mrs. Stuart? What is this nonsense?”

“She is the maître d'hôtel here!” Lily answered angrily, rushing toward the door and wrenching it open. The man yelled after her as she sprinted down the deserted stairs, only to see that the entire entrance hall had changed. Instead of the warm, inviting atmosphere and furnishings of a modern hotel, Lily saw gleaming suits of armor that had not been there the day before. Instead of the large, mounted deer’s head on the wall above where Mammy’s desk was supposed to be, there was a shining red shield, with what appeared to be three severed boars heads upon it, with the hilt of two swords visible at the top corners, reminding Lily of a coat of arms.

The man from the room finally caught up to Lily, and said, “I don’t know from with you come, but cover you, we must. A woman of such rare grace and beauty must carry herself accordingly.”

“What century are you from?” Lily asked sarcastically, “Nobody talks like that anymore!” She didn’t know how right she was.

“I am afraid that I don’t understand what you mean, Miss,” he answered. Look, please, come with me. You and my sister appear to be the same size. Allow me to have her give you some clothes, and we can unravel this quandary.”

Lily stood back and considered his proposal. Could it really hurt to change her clothes? Probably not, she thought to herself.  “Okay,” she answered, “But only because you asked.” When he turned to lead her up the stairs once more, she studied him.

He walked and spoke with an elegance that she has never seen or heard of from the brutes in America…clearly, he had a very high intellect, and could hold his own with the smartest of men.

He was a physically imposing man, standing nearly six and a half feet tall. Despite his obvious high class status, he was rugged, and walked not only with the grace of a wealthy man, but also with the clipped, measured steps of a soldier who had seen and survived the horrors of combat.

Lily knew the walk well, having seen many soldiers come to Daytona Beach during the summers (and “getting to know” quite a few of them too). The thing that she didn’t recognize, though, was the already filling beard, as most soldiers she knew were required to keep clean-shaven. His long, well-maintained hair perfectly matched his beard, as both were the darkest shades.

“Wait here,” he said turning to Lily, and he went down a passage that she had not yet noticed, as it was hidden behind a secret door. When he said that, she caught a glimpse of his striking eyes, which were the brightest shade of green that she had ever seen before.

Overall, he was easily the most attractive man that she had ever laid eyes on. “Okay,” she answered softly. As he walked down the hidden passageway, she began to wonder how she came to be in this situation. Clearly, she was in the same castle as yesterday, but it was completely different. How did she end up here?

A few minutes later, she heard footsteps, and the man walked out of the hidden passageway, followed by a plain but pretty young woman, who was likely only sixteen or seventeen at most.

“Hello,” the soft-spoken maiden said, “Matthew tells me that he found you in his bed this morning.”

“Well, I found him in mine.”

“He has asked me if I will provide you with clothing until we can determine how your world and ours have crossed paths.”

“What do you mean ‘my world and yours’?”

“Matthew says that you claim to have rented his bed chamber, is that right?”

“Yes, I rented it from Mrs. Stuart yesterday,” Lily answered.

“We do not know who this ‘Mrs. Stuart’ is,” but apparently in your plane we are not the rightful masters of this castle.”

“What do you mean, ‘my plane’? All this talk of ghosts and other dimensions is really making me wish that I had just stayed home! Scottish people are crazy!”

“Your home is not the home of the Scots?” Matthew asked.

“No, I’m from America.”

“Where is America?”

“My God!...It’s across the ocean.”“Which--

“Matthew,” the young woman interrupted her brother, “she clearly is not from this place. I am going to get her dressed and take her to see Alison.”

Chapter 4

An hour later, Lily found herself in an archaic dress, sitting on the back of a white mare horse, the only vestige of her former clothes being her amethyst necklace. “Where are we going?”

“To see Alison,” Matthew’s sister answered.

“I know, but who is Alison?”

“She’s an old woman, but very wise. She will be able to tell us how you came to be here, and explain how we can get you to your home.”

“Okay,” Lily answered, apprehensive. After ten minutes of further riding, they arrived at a run-down shack on the shores of the Loch. A small, hunchbacked woman sat outside, peeling potatoes.

“Alison!” Matthew’s sister said loudly, causing the hunchbacked woman to look up.

“Marion!” she called, “what brings you to this side of the loch, child?”

“Lily,” Marion answered.

“Ahh,” the wizened old woman answered, looking at Lily. “I daresay that you are not comfortable, are you, child?” the woman said in perfect American English, the first that Lily had heard that day.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand…” Lily answered, confused.

“I knew that you would be coming, Lily Rey.”

“How do you know my name?” Lily asked.

“I told you,” Marion interjected, “she would know where you came from and how you got here…and how to get you back.”

“Let me see the key,” Alison said.

“Key? What key?”

“You wear the key around your neck, my child.”

“You mean my necklace? It’s not a key!”

“Yes, child, a necklace and a key. Not to the doors you think of, but the key of time.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t your aunt tell you?”

“My aunt? Aunt Vonny? How do you know about her?”

“Yes, my dear…didn’t she tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“That the necklace you wear is a powerful talisman! It was blessed by my people to give extraordinary power…the power to control time and space. There is an incantation that will give you the ability to control the amulet.”

“Okay, can I have it?”

“Yes…but please know this: the amulet brought you here for a reason. If you do not fulfill your purpose, then it will have drastic consequences for you…and your family. And now, the incantation is this: ‘tempus imperium.’ If you grasp the amulet in both hands and say these words, a gateway will appear before you. You will need to focus on a specific date or situation, and when you walk through the gateway, you will be instantly transported to that time and place.”

“Can I tell anyone this?”

“Only the one to whom the necklace brought you, and the one from whom it sent you.”

“And who are they?” Lily asked, completely bewildered.

“Follow your heart, child…it will tell you. Now, if you are to prevent the dire consequences that I have warned you about, you need to return to Culcreuch now, or else you will have missed your opportunity. Also, you will need to stay with the one to whom you were sent, or you will fail. Never leave his sight.” Switching to the strange language once more, she turned to Marion and said, “Take her back to your home. She will know what she has to do, and when.”

“Thank you, Alison,” Marion answered, bowing before the ancient witch. “Lily, come…let us go.”

As they rode back around the Loch, Lily thought on what the old witch had told her. Who had the necklace sent her to? Who had it sent her from? The only thing that made any sense was that she was here for a reason, but even then, she didn’t know what the reason was. And it would have been great to hear some more about the consequences if she didn’t follow the instructions. What she needed was time to think, and to talk to someone she trusted. But who did she trust? Aunt Vonny was dead, and that left only Rose, but according to Alison, Rose was in another time entirely.

“What year is it?” she asked Marion, breaking the lengthy silence that had stretched between them whilst riding back to the castle.

“It is the year of our Lord, 1314. My father, Maurice Galbraith is the chief of our clan, and built our castle to be the seat of our clan twenty years ago, to keep us safe after King John was forced to abdicate his claim to the throne.”

“So who is the King now?” Lily asked as they slowed to a walk by the stable.

“King Robert I has been king for eight years.”

“Is he the one they call the Bruce?”

“Yes,” Marion answered. Lily (whose knowledge of Scottish history came only from a pamphlet she received in Glasgow when she had arrived the day before and the movie Braveheart) had a lapse in judgment, and said, “Isn’t he that cowardly traitor?”

“Traitor?!” came the booming voice of Matthew from inside the stable. “Robert the Bruce is a good man who has constantly had to fight off challenges to his kingship from pretenders to the throne! Ever since he took the throne, he has been fighting to secure our position! How dare anyone call him a traitor?!”

“I’m sorry…I was told that he had abandoned William Wallace at Falkirk, and that was how Wallace was captured…”

“No. That is not what happened. I fought side by side with Wallace, and he was certainly betrayed, but not by King Robert. The army of the king has lain siege to the royal castle at Stirling, and I will be riding to join him as a member of his personal guard.”

“I’m sorry; I must have been told wrong, please don’t be angry with me!”

“Matthew,” Marion interjected when he opened his mouth to retort, “Peace.”

“Fine,” he said, turning to his sister. “I need to get ready to ride for the ride to the field, so can you please help this young lady to find her way back to where she came from?”

“I can’t,” Lily interjected, a realization suddenly dawning upon her. “I can’t leave until I have done something.”

“What are you talking about?” Matthew asked.

“Walk with me for a few minutes,” Lily answered, turning and walking toward the water.

Matthew turned to his sister, and looked deeply into her eyes, as if asking if he should follow. “Go,” Marion answered the unspoken question.

Chapter 5

“So what you are saying is that you are from another time?” Matthew asked, flabbergasted, fifteen minutes later.

“Yes. I am not from another plane, but I am from another time. My country—”

“The one from across the ocean?”

“Yes. My country has not even been founded yet.”

“But your ancestors came from the land of the Scots?”

“Yes, so I came to learn more about the people I come from.”

“How did your family end up in your country—what did you call it?—America?”

“In a few hundred years from now, my ancestors will go to my country, and they have—or should I say, will be—there for over two hundred years before I was—will be?—born.”

“And Alison told you all this?”

“Well, she told me the necklace brought me here, because I have to do something.”

“What?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. All I know is that I am supposed to stay in your sight at all times, until I’ve done it.”

“How will you know if you’ve done it?”

“I’m not sure…but I think it is safe to say that I’ll know.”

“Well then,” Matthew said with the air of a man who had resigned himself to a conclusion. “I guess that means I won’t be going to the fields at Stirling.”

“No! Go, please! She didn’t say I was to stop you from doing what you need to do! Besides…how do we know that what I came to do isn’t at Stirling?”

“But that would be the height of dishonor for me, to endanger a woman.”

“Clearly, you missed my point about being from another time. In my time, women aren’t viewed the way that they are in your time. Women fight in the army all the time.”

“Really? Aren’t your leaders worried that one of them will get hurt?”

“Of course, but no more worried than they are about the men.”

Matthew considered his dilemma: to take a woman to battle with him would be to risk dishonoring himself if she was injured. To stay behind would be to risk dishonoring himself if her task was in the battle, which could also harm her. Left with a choice between the lesser of two evils, Matthew was forced to choose the option that risked dishonoring himself less: “How will you protect yourself if I am caught in fighting?”

“I was on the archery team at my high school, so I can join the archers.”

“High school? Is that like the upper schools in Oxford and Cambridge?”

“No, high school in my time is like a junior university: you have to go to high school before going to a university. Anyway, I can join the archers and help the fight.”

“Aye,” Matthew finally agreed. I will bring you with me…but if the fighting becomes too fierce, you are to run and save your own life. Do you understand?”

“Okay.”

They spent the rest of the morning preparing for the battle, never leaving each other’s line of sight, just in case Lily’s task presented itself. Together, they saddled horses and discussed the differences between their times. Lily  began to focus on her attraction for Matthew, all while wondering if he had any feelings of attraction for her as well.

The fact was, however, that Matthew was deeply attracted to her from the time that he first discovered her in his bed. There was something about her brash nature, making her unlike any other woman than he had ever come into contact with, that he found himself dreaming about her throughout the day. Her close proximity to him was not helping him overcome his feelings, either. Sure, she was fully clothed now, but he was unable to shake the deep-seated feelings of lust that were building inside him. Being around Lily for this extended period of time was only serving to remind him of how incredibly attractive she was, and how amazingly erotic she had seemed earlier that morning.

Lily was so amazingly beautiful and saucy that Matthew could not help but wonder if there was anything he could do to convince her to stay in the past rather than return to her own time.

Lily, too, kept looking at Matthew throughout the morning, stealing glances whenever she was able to. He was unlike the many assholes that she had dated in the past, and even her bosses at the law firm, because he was the very picture of what a gentleman should be.  The “nobility” in her time were not so worried with treating a woman with respect or dignity, because they were so blinded by desire for the area between a woman’s legs. It was almost as if a woman was a trophy to be showcased, not a partner to go through life with.

Matthew, it seemed, was so focused on trying to protect his king and his country that he didn’t appear to have an overt concern for the sweetness between her legs…but oh, how much she wanted him to crave it.

Chapter 6

As the day wore on, the tensions around the castle continued to grow into a nearly palpable density. Everyone was making preparations for the English, who were marching for the field near Stirling…everyone but Matthew and Lily, that was. Marion’s husband, David, had already left for Stirling to let the king know how many men to expect from the Castle Culcreuch, and the rest of the Clan Galbraith were ready to leave by early that afternoon. Matthew and Lily both mounted the horses they had prepared for the fifteen mile ride, and left for the battle that had started earlier that day.

When they arrived, that day’s fighting had ended, but the English (knowing the importance of Stirling’s royal castle) had not withdrawn, but chose to regroup rather than abandon the castle. The next day, Matthew took up his customary position at King Robert’s right hand, and Lily took a position with the Scottish corps of archers. Within an hour, the English army had massed on the far side of the field at Bannockburn, just outside of the village of Stirling, and proceeded to march on the Scottish positions.

“Ho’, men!” King Robert called out over the ranks of his soldiers. From her position, Lily was able to easily make out the tall, imposing figure of Matthew directly next to the King. The Bruce leaned toward him, and Matthew raised his hand, the signal for the archers to load their bows, so Lily followed suit along with the other archers in the Scottish ranks, taking aim in the direction of the English infantry that were advancing en masse across the field. When Matthew’s hand dropped, the archers all let their arrows fly, immediately cutting down most of the first line of English attackers.

Next, Matthew (at the King’s direction) lifted his massive claymore sword in the air with his right arm, and Scottish infantry fell into ranks like a well-oiled machine. When he dropped his sword, the men began to advance across the field toward the English in uniform, disciplined ranks. In the meantime, the Scots archers were commanded to fire upon the English infantry fifteen times more before the two armies met in the center of the field, substantially thinning the ranks of the well-disciplined English soldiers.

The carnage of war, however, began as soon as the two armies met in the center of the field. The Scots were able to fight without fear of the English cavalry, which had been effectively wiped out the day before. Before long, however, the drastically outnumbered Scots began to fall back in the face of the English horde, even unto the crest of the small hill where Robert, Matthew, and some others sat on the backs of their horses.

Then, from out of nowhere, an arrow (which could have come from either side) struck Robert’s horse in the eye, killing the beast instantly and pinning the King beneath his mass. Lily could see Matthew frantically attempting to dislodge his King, but having little success.

“Matthew! Watch out!” Lily screamed as the blade of an English sword was raised beside him, poised to sever his head. Lily watched in horror as Matthew turned from the defenseless king to his assailant, and engaged him in swordplay. While his chief bodyguard was busy in this fisticuffs, King Robert was left completely defenseless. Lily broke ranks with the other archers without thinking, and proceeded to run to his aid.

When she was only fifteen paces from the imperiled king, an English officer poised himself to run him through with the sword. Reflexively, Lily loaded her weapon, and the infantry officer met his end before he had the opportunity to smite the King…she had saved him.

At that moment, Matthew was successful in removing the head of his attacker, and the Scottish forces, seeing their King restored to the saddle of a horse, took heart and fought like wild men, smiting every Englishman within reach and forcing the forces of King Edward of England to fall back. Thanks to Lily, the day had been won, and King Robert’s throne was secure.

“Robert would go down in history as the man who unified Scotland, and legends would grow about him that only one person on that field knew—Lily. Lily, the one whose arrow had ensured that he would survive the day, had ensured that the legend would grow.”

Chapter 7

“And then what happened?” Rose asked a few three quarters of a century later.

“Matthew came over to me, and kissed me, thanking me for saving the King,” Lily answered simply.

“Wow…” Rose exclaimed softly.

“What?” Lily asked.

“You know that by doing that, you basically saved the U.S., right?”

“What?”

“Yeah…I don’t know if you remember or not, but King James the First of England—

“The guy with the Bible?”

“Yeah. Well, before he became King of England, he was known as King James VI of Scotland…he became King of England when Queen Elizabeth died.”

“Okay, so?”

“He was a grandson of some kind of Robert the Bruce’s.”

“I never thought of that,” Lily answered.

And she hadn’t. After Matthew had kissed her in the midst of the victorious Scotsmen who had officially earned their independence from England, too much had happened between Lily and Matthew that the implications of her arrow had not fully registered to Lily.

Together, they had ridden back to Culcreuch to much fanfare. The entirety of the Clan Galbraith celebrated the exploits of Matthew and the strange woman at a feast held in the dining hall of the Culcreuch Castle. A few days later, and edict came from King Robert, granting ownership of a large tract of land in the area of Stirling Castle, the title of Baron, and the right to include the motto “Friend of the King” on his personal coat of arms from then on.

Matthew had asked Lily if she would accompany him to his new home…and she had agreed. The tension between them was palpable when they had first arrived, and finally, Lily had had enough of waiting for the erstwhile gentleman to make a move, and like the 21st century woman that she was, she made a move for him.

“Matthew…what do you want from our relationship?”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you want to see happen between us?”

“I—I don’t know what to say, Lily,” he answered.

“Well, if you don’t know what you want, there is no way that I can know. You need to know this, however: I have a life in my own time, and I will go back to it…unless I have a damn good reason to stay here.”

Matthew considered this for a minute, and finally asked, “What would be a good reason?”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to go.”

“Well, if you don’t want me to go, then why do you want me to stay?”

“Because in the last few weeks, I have fallen in love with you.”

“That is a damn good reason, Matthew,” Lily said, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulling him in for a long kiss. At first, Matthew seemed unsure of himself, until Lily pushed him into one of the empty chairs, and began removing her clothes in front of him. When she stood there, wearing nothing but her undergarments, she turned to him and said, “Aren’t you going to take yours off?”

Matthew, finally realizing what Lily was saying, hastily began to remove his clothes as well. When he was completely naked, she instructed him to sit back down in one of the chairs. When he was seated comfortably on one of the velveteen chairs, she kneeled before him, lightly touching the tip of his lance with her tongue. When he let out a low moan that only Lily could hear, she giggled naughtily, making it plain that there was definitely more where that came from.

She continued this for a few minutes, waiting for Matthew to nearly burst from longing, and only then did she take him into her mouth. Slowly, with painstaking precision, she used her tongue to wet every inch if his large member. All the while, however, she was becoming more and more hungry as well, and after licking and sucking on his potency for a few minutes, she finally stopped and stood back up.

“Why did you stop?” Matthew asked in a voice that was pleading with her to resume.

“You’ll see,” she said, grinning mischievously. Slowly, so as to continue the process for as long as possible, Lily removed the last vestiges of clothing that hugged the firm curves of her body before finally standing completely naked before her lover. “Do you like what you see?” she asked in her most seductive voice.

“V—very much so,” Matthew answered, breathing in deeply the scent of her arousal which hung potent on the air. Lily turned around, exposing her rear to him, and sat, slowly taking in the inches of his dagger into her wet, quivering sheath. Her folds expanded and stretched as she learned to accommodate him, and when comfortable, she began to grind on him, slowly taking him in and out of her and relishing every amazing second of it.

Thanks to the large size of Matthew’s organ, it did not take long for Lily to feel the powerful waves of ecstasy that accompany a coming orgasm, and so she began to move faster, slamming Matthew into herself repeatedly.

“Oh my god!” she exclaimed, her eyes rolling in her head, “that feels so good!”

Matthew must have liked her vocal nature while in the throes of passion, because even through the clenching of the walls of her hollow, she could feel him stiffening as she rode and grinded on him. Finally, together, the two lovers both achieved release and collapsed on the chair, with Matthew holding her while they both fell into sleep.

***

“So…you slept with him?” Rose asked.

“Yes, of course!” Lily answered. “And we are going to get married!”

“How long do you think you were gone?” Rose asked.

“About five months…why?”

“Because in my time, you’ve only been gone for a week.”

“Wait, what?” Lily asked.

“Yeah, you weren’t even scheduled to be home until next week.”

“So you mean that I can use this necklace to stay there for a year if I want to, and still come back here every week?”

“Yeah, I would think so!” Rose answered. “Why?”

“Just because I’m living full time in 14th-century Scotland doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you, ho,” Lily answered. “I could come here and stay for a month, and the necklace could take me back so that I would only be gone from then for about five minutes if I want.”

“Seems like it!” Rose answered. “What’s your point?”

“My biggest fear about living in the past is that I have been worried about how hard it would be to keep in contact with you.”

“Well, with this necklace, you can come see me any time,” Rose said with a genuine smile.

“That’s great! Oh, I love this necklace!”

“Well, you may have control over time and space, but I have to get to work,” Rose said.

“Okay!” Lily said, standing to hug her friend. “When do you want me to come see you again?”

“I think once a week will be nice, so when you get a chance or just want to get away for a bit, come visit!” Rose answered, before turning to walk to her car.

The two women waved at each other, and Rose drove away. Lily, on the other hand, found a secluded spot, and whispered the words tempus imperium while grasping the necklace that she still had not taken off. When the gateway appeared before her, Lily stepped through it: back to both her past and present…to her one love.

Together, she and Matthew grew to an old age and had eleven children, the oldest of which was a girl. When Lily reached an old age and was ready to die, she gave her 14th-century daughter the necklace and started the legend of the necklace, thus continuing the loop.

THE END

The Highland’s Call

Jessica Savage

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work

Chapter 1

Andrea clutched the small stone in the palm of her hand. It felt cool and smooth and somehow strangely comforting. Her Grandmother Betty had insisted that her only granddaughter be given this small artifact on her death. That had happened over a week ago, as Andrea was driving through New York. It was almost as if she knew. An image of her beloved Gran had flitted through her mind at the exact moment she took her last breath.

Betty was her father's mother. Her dad Joe had died a few years ago and her mother Pat had remarried. She had never approved of her stepdad, Pete; he could never replace her beloved father.

Perhaps she was being unfair, but she had always sided with her dad against her mum, and now the two women seemed poles apart, no longer able to communicate with each other. Pat didn’t even attend the funeral. Not that Betty would have minded. She had never approved of the union in the first place.

Andrea had inherited her Grandma's creative talents and she had been close to Betty when she was a child, closer than to her own mother, but after college she had been offered a three-year contract with a major advertising company in New York, and it had been too good an opportunity to turn down. Betty had understood that she needed to fly the nest. She had been a young woman once, although that seemed such a long time ago.

Andrea had only seen her Gran when she flew home for Christmas and important family occasions. Then she had met Steve and her life in the US seemed to take on a more permanent footing, until the death of her Grandma had made her suddenly homesick for the English countryside. She loved the buzz and fast-paced life of New York but now longed for some peace and time to reflect and find herself again, and she certainly couldn't do that on Fifth Avenue.

Steve had stayed behind. He was in the middle of an important project but was willing to travel with her on a trip home for the funeral. For once Andrea didn't feel the need to be accompanied; this time she wanted to be alone with her thoughts and memories. Her insistence on being alone had caused a strain between them, the first serious rift since they got together almost two years ago, and it would be the first time they had spent any real time apart.

The pressure of the stone against her palm brought her back to the present. It had been almost five days since she left JFK airport, and Steve hadn't phoned her since. Not even yesterday after the funeral to see how she was coping. It saddened her to think the man she had grown to love could be so stubborn and heartless, and she began to question her commitment to the relationship. Did she really know him? He had seemed to be perfect for her, and she had enjoyed his company; yet when she looked back at the continual rounds of friends and parties, drinks and dinners, it seemed somewhat shallow. Lately she had started to feel broody; her body clock reminding her that time was ticking away. She had mentioned it to Steve once in a light-hearted way, and he had held up his hands in mock horror. That would never be the deal with him; his career was way too important, and her needs would always come second.

Did she and Steve really have anything in common?

The day was grey and coarse; the wind whipped up sharply from behind the trees and caused her to shiver. She had forgotten the English weather and hadn't prepared nor packed for it.

Opening her palm, Andrea looked down at the stone in her hand. She remembered seeing it as a child, taking prize position behind the glass in the old china cabinet in her Gran’s front room. Occasionally she had been allowed to take it out and hold it in her small palm. It was pale in color, not quite white and not quite beige. Several markings had been etched deeply into the surface, and she’d been told it once belonged to a white witch with magical powers. As a child, she had held the small token and made a secret wish that she would never grow up, that she would always remain a child. Of course, that hadn't happened. Not physically, anyway—but perhaps in her heart?

Grandma Betty had always been so full of life, her small blue eyes twinkling on the wrinkled and careworn face. There had been some sadness in her youth, but no one had talked of it and Andrea had never asked, but sometimes she saw a wistful shadow slightly dimming those sparkling eyes.

And now the stone was hers—that and an old battered leather diary from 1956. Before her death, Grandma Betty had written her a letter, the hand-writing barely legible on the expensive vellum cream paper. It had taken her a while to read the spidery hand.

Andrea,

My darling Granddaughter, I fear that I may not see you again. I do hope that is not the case, but I have to be practical. There is so much I should have told you and so much left to say, but my time is running out. Remember the wishing stone you used to ask me about as a child? I leave that to you. It's my most valued possession. You must promise that you will do something for me? The stone needs to be returned to its rightful home on the Isle of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull. You must take it into the Abbey and enter the little graveyard of St. Oran's chapel. Take the stone and place it on the third grave on the left-hand side. I can't explain everything to you in this letter. Most of it I don't understand myself. But you must promise me this, this small pilgrimage of mine. The diary may help? Call it an old woman's ramblings, but as you loved me please do this one last thing for me. The thought of you, my only remaining flesh and blood carrying out this last request, brings peace to my mind as I near my end.

I will never stop loving you even when I am far away.

Grandma Betty x

Tears trickled down her face as she imagined the dear old lady sitting up in bed, scribbling her last instructions to the world. It must have taken a lot of effort to write the letter. She had been in a very weak state in the end and therefore must have considered it extremely important to write.

Andrea had promised Steve she would be back in a few days, but what would a few more matter? It wasn't as if he was speaking to her anyhow. She would visit Iona. It was the last thing she could do for her grandmother, and although it would mean a further 1000 mile round trip, it would give her some peace of mind to follow her last wishes.

The phone vibrated in her jeans pocket, and pulling it out, she could see it was Steve calling from New York.

"Hey." His voice was deep and apologetic across the miles, and her heart thumped loudly at the sound of him.

"Hey, back." She tried to sound light as she finished their usual greeting.

"So, how are you?"

She could tell he was struggling to find the right words.

"Not too bad, under the circumstances. It was the funeral yesterday." Andrea could feel herself start to choke on the words; she had been bottling things up for too long.

There was a pause as Steve caught his breath. "Yesterday? Andrea, I'm so sorry, I would have called. I thought it was today."

Another lengthy pause ensued. Usually they had so much to talk about.

"At least you'll be home tomorrow,” he added. “I've missed you."

And now it was crunch time.

"Steve, I won't be coming home tomorrow. I've extended my stay by a week." She could hear disappointment in the silence that followed.

"I have to go up to Scotland, to Iona. It was Gran’s last wish."

"What?"

His voice sounded incredulous, as if he hadn’t quite heard her right.

"It's just something I have to do; it was her dying wish that I visit the chapel there."

"But honey, you don't have to do that now. Not right away, anyway. You haven't forgotten the opening night for my exhibition, have you? It's in four days. I want you by my side. You promised."

Andrea had forgotten, and she closed her eyes as if that would make things go away. She had tried that as a child; it hadn't worked then, and it didn't help now. It just gave her a few more seconds to think.

"Andrea?"

"It was her last wish, Steve. I've got to do it."

She could feel his exasperation as he breathed heavily into his phone.

"Are you crazy? You know how much this exhibition means to me. You're not really going to put your senile old grandmother ahead of me, ahead of us?"

"Grandma Betty wasn't senile!"

"I know, honey. I know how much she meant to you, but you've got to be reasonable."

She was three and a half thousand miles away, and “reasonable” was something she didn't have to be. The word irritated her, and she could feel the anger rising in her throat.

"Andrea?"

She pressed the end call button and put the phone back in her pocket. End of call, end of relationship, she guessed. She shouldn’t have felt angry; she knew the exhibition meant everything to him. She should be the one feeling sorry and calling him back to apologize, but Andrea didn't feel any of these things. Her grandmother dying and her trip home had sparked something inside her, some longing and need that she couldn't quite grasp. The only thing that she was certain of was that she needed to travel to Iona as soon as possible.

Chapter 2

The next day she was leaving Yorkshire, traveling by train up North to the Inner Hebrides of Scotland and would complete her journey by ferry to the tiny Island of Iona.

Although still cold outside, the sun was shining brightly in a vain attempt to warm the chill October air. Inside the carriage, Andrea was cozy, sipping a cup of coffee and watching the world race by. The scenery of the Northumberland coastline stretching its way up North was breathtaking, the sunlight dancing and glimmering on the waves as they brushed against the solitary, rocky bays.

She felt truly liberated.

It would take most of the day to reach Iona, so Andrea settled back in her seat. She had no book to read but then remembered the small pocket diary from 1956 in her bag and eagerly pulled it out.

The pages were yellowing and the diary entries didn't start until June that year. The writing was faint, but she could just about make it out.

June 13th, 1956

Arrived on Iona after a long journey. Fishing boat brought me over from the main Island of Mull. Mother still not pleased with my decision to take a few months away, but I need some time to paint and think. There is plenty of time to become a housewife.

Andrea smiled. She had married Grandpa Joe in 1958, so not too many years of being free and single.

Little pencil sketches filled the margins of the paper: a fishing boat (maybe the one she had traveled across the water in?) and a hut or shack standing alone. It looked bleak.

June 14th, 1956

Digs are basic and chilly. The walls are made of corrugated metal so very cold at night. Porridge and kippers for breakfast, which I have surprisingly enjoyed. It’s much warmer outside in the early summer air than in my poky little room. Glad to get out in fresh air and now am going to walk over to the Abbey.

19:15- Had a lovely day. The Island is truly breathtaking. The Abbey is a very special place and it felt strange yet welcoming, almost if I had come home. My great, great-grandfather’s family were Scottish—one of the Great McDonald Clan—maybe that is why? I must go back and do more sketches tomorrow in the early light. Have been told the sunrise here is spectacular.

June 15th, 1953

Up early. The sky is still dark, but I want to set up my easel in the little chapel grounds so I can start to capture the first rays of light against the Abbey, and get a feel for the colors and the peace at that time of day.

The rest of the diary entries ended there. But towards the back of the book the scribbling started once again, not in any particular date order, but just what seemed like a collection of thoughts.

I’m not sure what happened at the Chapel? I seemed to have passed out in the cemetery. I had found an ideal spot for my sketches amongst the ancient burial places, and the last thing I remember was finding a strange looking carved stone in the grass. After that, it all becomes a little bit dreamlike and it can’t have been too long after that I must have fainted or something. I can’t remember feeling ill. When I came to, which must have been only seconds later, I was seized with an awful pain within my stomach and had a bitter taste in my mouth. I was crying and wretched and was violently sick and that seemed to make things a little better, but I felt weak and tired. Maybe it was something I ate for breakfast? Perhaps the kippers don’t agree with me, after all? I have these strange images in my head—hallucinations or dreams—and the people I see are so vivid. I feel disoriented as if I have been snatched out of a deep sleep. I don't seem to have any physical injuries except a cut to my right ankle. The strange stone was still in my hand. I am very tired and feel a sense of deep loss.

My dreams are bright, and I can see HIM clearly, Alexhander McDonald, in my head. It is the same name carved into the headstone in front of me as I sat sketching, and although it is scarcely legible, it must be the same. The date reads 1644.

There was a sketch of a man’s head, a rugged and yet handsome face with long, flowing, wavy hair.

The following pages were free of writing, but there were countless doodles of swords and shields, women and men in medieval dress, some tartan clad. There was a sketch of the small stone and numerous other images that seemed from a time gone by. The words “My dreams?” were scrawled underneath.

The next entry was June 22nd, 1956.

I think I am losing my mind. Slowly parts of my dreams are returning and they feel so real. I constantly think about this man, Alexhander McDonald, and I feel almost bereft, as if I have lost somebody close to me. I don’t know what really happened to me that day at the chapel, but my emotions are really mixed up for some reason. Maybe I am ill?

On July 30th there was one last entry:

Continuing to paint but not feeling myself. Felt odd since that morning at the chapel and the dreams continue to disturb me. Perhaps I will see Doctor Smith when I return home. Just a few more weeks left on the Island.

There were no more entries. If Andrea hadn't known any better, she would have thought the writer’s life had ended there. Yet she was living proof that it hadn't. As she flicked through the final pages, a small, square, black-and-white photograph fell from the diary and onto the plastic table of the train. It was a picture of Betty around her own age. She had forgotten how much she resembled her Gran. Apart from the clothing and the haircut, it could have been a photograph of her. Those magnificent eyes stared back into her own. If only she was still alive and had told her this story before. There were a million questions she wanted to ask, but now she would never know the answers.

Andrea closed her eyes and started to doze. She felt part of something, inexplicable though it might be. It almost seemed to be her destiny, riding on the train on this bright October day. She began to drift off into a light sleep, the rhythm of wheels on the track softly lulling her eyes closed. Grandma Betty appeared in her dreams and she was smiling and content. A small boy wearing a brown fur wrapping was in her arms. Her hands reached out, holding the child towards Andrea, but as she tried to take the boy, a mist gathered around her until the two figures were lost to her.

"Oban, Miss."

The gentle lilting accent permeated her dreaming, and she slowly opened one eye and then the other.

"We've reached the final destination, Miss. We're in Oban."

Chapter 3

Mull was just an hour ferry ride over the Atlantic. Standing on the deck of the boat with the sea breeze in her hair, Andrea couldn't be further away from the girl in New York if she tried. Wearing little make-up and her old jeans and sweater, she felt relaxed. None of her chic friends would recognize her here, especially not as the partner of the up-and-coming artist Steve Dench. Here she was simply Andrea.

It was just a little after 6:00 pm as she stepped off the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry and onto the Island of Iona. A jeep from the Hotel Columba was waiting to collect her, but she preferred to walk and stretch her legs. Letting the hotel staff take her luggage, Andrea set off down the rugged road. It was only a five minute walk to the place, but the sun was starting to set and the sky was cast with ripples of purple and orange towards the west. Taking a shortcut through the nunnery ruins, peace and solitude hung on every stone, every ledge. Surely this was a glimpse of heaven? Andrea felt as if she were at the end of the world, a place where man lived in harmony with nature. It was so quiet and peaceful.

Even the hotel painted white and blue seemed part of the landscape. It was bigger than she expected and the aromas of the local menu hit her as she stepped into the small reception area. Her room was cozy, so different from the tin shack her Grandmother had described in the diary. From her window, she could just see a faint white glow from the walls of the Abbey. She would explore tomorrow, but right now she needed a bath and a change of clothes before a delicious dinner. As she unzipped her jeans, she felt the phone in her pocket. It had been switched off all day and when she switched it back on there were five missed calls from Steve.

She would meet that obstacle when she needed to, but right now there were more urgent callings.

Andrea slept remarkably well and was up just as the light started to creep through the dark material of the curtains. Her usual strict regime of a drink of warm water with a squeeze of lemon followed by a selection of fruit and soy yogurt was eagerly replaced by a good old British fry up of scrambled eggs, bacon, and home-grown tomatoes and a large coffee. Her size-zero friends would be positively sick at the thought of such a high-calorie start to the day and the thought made her laugh out loud. An old lady sitting at the table opposite glanced up from her morning newspaper. She had a kindly face and twinkling eyes, just like her grandmother. She smiled as Andrea tried to apologize, but there was no need.

Picking up a leaflet about the Abbey on the way out, she stepped into the chill morning air. The sun had risen in the east, casting a pale lemon glow across the land. Rounding the corner of the hotel, the Abbey came into full view, majestic and peaceful in the morning air. The weak sunlight lit up the stonework with a soft golden glow, making the whole thing ethereal, almost magical.

She could feel the significance of the place in the air, almost as if she were breathing in the history. From Saint Columba almost 1500 years ago to the Viking Raids, from the Reformation of the Churches to the warring of the great Scottish Clans, this place had seen it all.

It was a Sunday, so the visitor center was closed and the ticket office unmanned, but she would still be able to visit the little chapel mentioned in her grandmother’s letter.

She would see Reilig Odhráin, the little cemetery beside Sràid nam Marbh, “the street of the dead,” where legend has it many ancient Scottish kings were laid to rest.

It was a very special place indeed.

The little chapel stood apart from the main Abbey, a humble-looking, plain, stone building from the 12th century. Andrea could feel the hairs on her neck bristle against the collar of her fleece as she stepped through the entrance archway. The doorway was highly decorated with carvings in stark opposition to the rest of the building.

Two narrow windows lit the rectangular interior. Hesitating slightly before entering, she peered inside. Even in this early hour, candles had been lit on a small altar in front of what looked like an old marble stone. The stone-flagged floor contained medieval gravestones laid horizontally, so she tiptoed quietly across the floor, careful not to waken the dead.

On a small table there stood a box of yellow wax candles with a sign that read, “Light a candle for a loved one. Donations welcome.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a pound coin and 50 cents and put them both into the wooden offering box. Striking a match, she held it against one of the small wicks and soon it was flickering with a golden flame.

For Grandma Betty, she thought as she hung her head in silence to pray. Andrea wasn't religious, and she didn’t believe in any God, but there was something spiritual about the place that she could not deny.

A draft blew at the back of her neck, so she looked around to see who had entered the chapel, but apart from her it was empty. Only the candle flame flickered as if disturbed by a phantom breeze.

The darkness and the solitude were affecting her senses. Andrea quickly ran back outside into the sunlight and breathed deeply. The cemetery was adjacent to the chapel and must be the one from the letter. The third grave on left-hand side... Was that from the front of the chapel or the back? Not really sure what she was looking for, Andrea decided to take a good look at all the gravestones to see if anything of significance struck her. It would only take her half an hour to walk the entirety.

The graveyard was bordered by a low stone wall, over which she had a perfect view of the Sound of Iona, the white waves rippling against the rocks of Mull.

Towards the back of the cemetery were new graves. The Islanders were still buried here among the Scottish Kings and noblemen. Pausing by each plot, she read through the inscriptions. Most of the folk here had been “well loved” or “beloved” and seemed to have enjoyed a long life. No wonder, on this sanctuary isle. Others had been born here but had left to see the world, only returning to be buried here—the closest place they had found to heaven on earth, despite their travels.

“Home to rest after a long and weary journey,” one read. Her Grandmother had been cremated and Andrea wondered if it had been the right thing to do. It had all been arranged in such a hurry without her, yet she could hardly cause ructions at such a time. Perhaps it didn't matter in the end; she could still feel her presence.

She finally reached a line of gravestones dated much earlier. The third grave from the end was set with a simple stone with the date 1644 and the name Alexhander McDonald carved into it with the inscription “Born out of time.” There were fresh flowers laid at the foot of the headstone, peculiar for someone dead for nearly 400 years. Maybe it was a local historian or a far-removed descendent wanting to leave their mark in this special place?

The inscription was unusual to say the least, and she read it several times over in her head. This must be the place her Grandmother had wanted her to come; the name was the same as the entry in the diary. There was only one date—a date of death, she supposed, but it could also be the date of birth. Or perhaps both? The word “born” hinted at something much more tragic, and Andrea could feel a sense of sadness.

Suddenly she felt lost and alone. Up to now, she had been on a mission, following Betty's final wishes, but now she was here she felt helpless and didn't know what else to do. Perhaps she had been foolish following out such a crazy request after all, and Steve was right all along. Her heart suddenly ached at the thought of him. She needed someone to reach out and hold her. Or at least to hear his voice. She had left her phone back in her room, and hurrying down the path, she ran all the way back to the hotel, her eyes streaming with tears. Maybe it was delayed grief for her beloved Gran?

Back in the hotel room, Andrea picked up her phone. There were no missed calls. Steve must be really pissed off with her. Pressing in his number she waited impatiently for the call to connect. It went straight to voicemail, typical. Still it was the middle of the night back home and he probably wouldn't have thanked her for waking him, especially as he would be stressed out by the pending exhibition.

If she booked a flight home tomorrow, she would be back in time for the opening night. Maybe she should surprise him. Yes, that was it; she could just imagine his face as she walked through the door of the apartment they shared together. He would grab hold of her and they would have urgent sex on the leather couch, and everything would be OK.

She glanced at her watch. It was 10:30 and she needed to sort out her flights. Her Grandmas letter lay on the bed, and she quickly scanned it. She had forgotten about the stone that Betty had asked her to take back to the grave. She would do that after the flights had been confirmed. Then she could pack up and head for Glasgow airport, ready for the long journey home.

Luckily there were a few seats available on the morning flight, and she felt some relief. It took her little time to pack and she would have time for a quick coffee before returning to the chapel to carry out Grandma Betty's last wish. Slipping the stone into her jeans pocket, she picked up her fleece and headed down the stairs.

Chapter 4

The small bar area in the dining room was serving coffee, and the smell of the roasted beans gave her an instant lift. The old lady from breakfast was sitting by the window and smiled kindly at Andrea. Ordering a medium cappuccino, she sat at the only other table by the window, looking out across the water and letting her latest plans settle in her mind. She was doing the right thing, she was sure of it.

The coffee came and she stirred several sugars into the creamy white foam. The strain of the week had finally caught up with her, and she needed the extra energy. Sugar was definitely a taboo word in her circle back home. Letting out a sigh, she pushed back into her chair and stretched out her legs. She had set the wheels in motion now and would soon be back to her old life. These last few days would be as a dream. That was a sobering thought.

"How are ye liking our wee Isle?"

The soft lilting voice interrupted her quiet contemplation and she looked up to see the old lady was standing at her table, waiting to be invited to sit down.

"Do ye mind if I join ye?"

Andrea would have preferred a few moments alone but couldn't be rude to such a lovely lady.

“Not at all, though I haven't got much time before I leave."

The woman's blue eyes were steady on hers.

"That's something we have lots of on Iona. Time—it’s one of our greatest commodities."

The old lady laughed, and it made Andrea smile.

"I'm Geraldine MacDonald. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss ..."

"Andrea. I'm Andrea Taylor."

"And where be ye rushing aff to, lassie?"

"Back to New York. I live there with my partner, and he has his first art exhibition the day after tomorrow, and I need to be with him."

She didn't usually tell strangers her life history, but there was something about Geraldine that made her want to talk.

"Ye must truly love him?"

Andrea's smiled, uncertain how to answer that question.

"I came here as the last request of my grandmother Betty. She was an artist and came here in the 1950s. It's a strange request, but she wanted me to leave this on a grave by the old chapel."

Reaching into her pocket, Andrea pulled out the stone and slid it across the table.

A frail and age-spotted hand picked up the small stone between two delicate fingers and held it close up to her face, eyes sparkling as if she were holding a precious jewel.

"Ah."

Andrea frowned slightly. "Do you know what it is?"

"It's a rune from the old times."

The look on Andrea’s face must have told Geraldine that she did not understand.

"It's a powerful artifact. Ye better take care of it. The great Scottish clans would have used something like this against their enemy."

"You mean black magic?"

“There is no black magic. Just magic. But it can be used for good or evil."

Andrea was hypnotized for a few seconds, lost in the gaze of the twinkling eyes.

She laughed uneasily to break the spell the old woman was weaving. She would have to get moving soon to make it to Glasgow by nightfall. "But of course that's all silly nonsense. We know that now."

"Is it?” The old lady leaned forward. “This is such a special spot. It is said that Iona is a place where the thinnest of veils separates time and eternity."

Andrea felt uncomfortable. She knew what Geraldine was saying, but it was all a little too late for that. She had made her mind up and set the wheels in motion. There was to be no going back, and not wanting to be rude, she stood, ready to leave.

"I have to go. My flight is tomorrow."

The old lady handed back the stone and looked seriously at Andrea.

"Rushing towards the future, that's what everyone seems to be doing these days. But don't forget yesterday. We can learn a lot by reflection. Remember, as one famous author once said, “The past is a different country—they do things differently there."

It was a strange thing to say, but it had been a strange day all around. Putting the stone back in her pocket, Andrea smiled and bid farewell before quickly heading out. On the short walk back across the road and down to the chapel, she was conscious of the rune in her pocket and could almost feel it burning away against the denim of her jeans. She would be glad to get rid of it once and for all.

Chapter 5

It was almost midday by the time she had skirted the wall and walked back around to the grave of Alexhander McDonald. The place was deserted and the air seemed quieter than usual, if that could have been possible. It was as if someone had muffled the air, like the effect of thick snow in winter.

Kneeling by the side of the grave, she pulled out the stone and started to dig it into the earth with her fingers, just as the old Abbey bell began to toll noon. The sound of the ringing made her look up, and she saw that the clouds had started to gather. The sun was almost covered by a thick white cloud that seemed to be descending like a fog all around her. The air felt suddenly chill and she shivered, wrapping her arms about her body as a defense against the sudden cold.

The mist dampened the air and she could feel stray strands of hair start to stick to the nape of her neck with the moisture. As the air thickened, she started to panic, robbed of all visual reference to the world around her. It was funny how the loss of just one of the senses could bring about a sense of panic. Andrea breathed deeply to calm herself. She was just being silly and needed to stand her ground until the fog lifted, which it surely must.

Scotch mist, she laughed inwardly at the thought. In New York it was a whisky-based cocktail, quite different to the real thing. Something to tell her buddies back home, anyway.

After a few minutes, the clouds began to clear, the white fog swirling into phantom shapes before her eyes. As the looming shape of the abbey started to appear once more to her left, she thought she could hear the muffled toll of the noon bell again. It must be an auditory allusion brought on by the freak weather—or even the toll of the all clear?

Although she was certain that she had stood quite still, when the air cleared Andrea was disorientated. The little chapel was still in front of her, yet the grave she had been kneeling at only a few moments ago looked fresh and without a headstone, a hand-hewn wooden cross marking the spot. She was crying too, and the tears fell down her cheeks for the loss of something she could not quite grasp. Something was different; even the air had changed. Turning quickly, Andrea looked back towards the road. A few rocks and an expanse of wild gorse occupied the site of the St. Columba hotel. Turning all the way around, her eyes widened. Gone were the simple white houses and the road. Even the Abbey had changed. It wasn't as grand, and she didn't know much about architecture, but it seemed from a much earlier period, almost medieval. The only building she could see was the old nunnery in the near distance, now no longer a ruin but a fully functioning building. Andrea shook her head as she saw two black-draped nuns walk across the little garden to the front of the building. It was all utter madness. Maybe she had fallen and received a blow to the head, or fallen asleep and was in the middle of a most vivid dream? Incredulous, she looked down. Gone were her jeans and fleece, and in their place a long garment, some sort of smock with the arms covered. Her feet were bare and her hair fell in loose curls around her neck. Her hand was still tightly grasped around the rune, but she had no time to wonder.

At the sound of voices drifting from the chapel, Andrea started to panic. Confused and disoriented, she did the only thing she could think of and quickly ran to the far wall of the chapel and hid from view. Several men appeared, all wearing long tunics strung with belts and woolen wrappings. Some wore small black caps while others carried swords. The accents were thick and she strained her ears to hear the conversation, closing her eyes to concentrate on the foreign sounds.

"Andra?" a thick accent called out, and as Andrea opened her eyes, she was shocked to see a tall, dark man approaching her. With a sword by his side, he looked fierce as he strode towards her, and she moved closer to the wall in alarm. His face was one of both amazement and sheer joy as he took her in his arms. She felt too weak and tired to resist.

"Andra, I have just been praying for you. It is a miracle. I sat with you all last night and hoped to God that you would live and now here you are. But what are you doing out here? You have no slippers on yer feet and you are cold. We must get you back to the nunnery.”

Andrea could only look back open mouthed. She had never had so little to say.

"Come with me, you'll be catching yer death. I almost lost you once and I don’t want that to happen again. I have a little time before we join Alasdair Macolla MacDonald at Inverlochy to meet that bloody Campbell Clan.”

"Alexhander!" a voice called across to them.

He looked around in response.

"Don't forget the meeting tonight," the man smiled and nodded at Andrea as he walked past them.

Taking her gently by the arm, Alexhander led her down the small path to the gate in the wall. She walked the short way to the nunnery in a daze, convinced that at any moment she would wake up and return to reality. Her best bet for the moment was to remain silent. The name Alexhander was the same name as on the grave and in her Grandma's diary. Maybe the strain of the last few weeks had been too much, after all?

They approached a great oak wooden door in a large square building attached to the chapel of the nunnery. After banging loudly for admittance, Alexhander attempted to pull her close and she froze in his arms, eyes wide in alarm.

"Andra, I realize you have been weak and it is a sorrow that the child did not live, but there is time, and we shall have our son. There has not been one day that has gone by when I have been out with the men that I have not thought about you and what we have lost. It is not only your heart that has been broken."

Pulling her closely, Alexhander brought his face to hers. She could smell his masculinity, sweat, and long days spent amongst men and horses. Turning, she lowered her head just as the door opened before them. A woman clothed from head to foot in black stood before them and looked as shocked as Alex to see the girl, her face turning white and her eyes widening.

"Andra, my sweet child, where on earth have you been? Alex, I’m so sorry–I did not know that she had crept out. I only left her for a moment. I thought she was still unconscious. Now leave her to me and I will take care of her."

For a moment he stood there, quietly looking at her as if thinking of something more to say. For all of his strength and weaponry, he looked like a broken man.

"Go now, Alex. You can come to her later."

With a nod of his head and a final look at Andrea, he turned around and walked back in the direction of the chapel.

Abbess Helena looked quizzically at the girl. In the black cloak and wimple, she could have been any age but Andrea guessed she must be in her mid 50s. She smiled down at Andrea, but the warmth did not extend to her eyes.

The two women walked down a small and dark corridor to another room that was sparsely furnished yet comfortable with a bed and a small table and chair. There was a grate within the fireplace that contained the remnants of an old fire, grey ash and soot. Combs and ribbons were strewn around the room and a small mirror rested on an old chest. The bed linen was exquisitely embroidered with pictures of birds and flowers and red velvet curtains hung around the bed posts, giving the impression of luxury among the plain fitments.

Andrea sat down on the bed and put her head in her hands. The room seemed almost familiar. Not that she had seen anything like it before, but her skin tingled with a feeling of déjà vu. The Abbess reached out and placed her hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. The touch of her hand caused Andrea to finally buckle, and she started to weep.

"There, there, my girl. You have been through so much and you still need to rest. It is a pity that Alexhander has to go away to fight, but your husband is a good man, and he has suffered too. Perhaps you both need some time."

Her husband! Andrea stared open mouthed at the woman before her.

"I should know. I love my brother dearly."

Andrea found her voice at last. "I don't know what's happened to me."

Helena smiled sadly. "You have been very ill, my child. You lost your first born, a son, over a week ago, and we almost lost you too. Until last night, we thought that you would not recover. You had developed a terrible fever, and the physician said there was nothing else that we could do, except pray. Your recovery is truly a miracle. Now, with our care you will grow stronger each day and soon you will be able to go home."

Home! Andrea's thoughts shifted to New York and Steve. She would have surely missed her flight back home by now?

"Where is home?"

“Why Dounarwyse Castle, of course, over the waters in Mull.”

Andrea started to stand, and she could feel herself shaking. She grasped at the Abbess’ cloak. "You don't understand, I'm not who you think I am. Something has happened to me this morning. I was by the chapel, taking this to one of the graves."

Holding up the stone, her hand started to visibly shake. Everything she said or thought seemed ludicrous, and she could feel herself start to shout.

"All of this is ridiculous! This morning I woke and it was the year 2015. Now I seem to be in some BBC drama from the dark ages. What year is this, for God’s sake?" Andrea’s cheeks flushed as she became almost hysterical.

The Abbess stood watching her with a growing look of concern on her face. She had seen this all before and something was wrong. Moving slowly to the table, she picked up a small flask and poured a quantity into a silver goblet.

"It's the year of our Lord 1644, Andra."

Sitting back on the bed, she started to weep once more. "I just want to go home."

"You will be home soon, I promise. Now drink this, it will make you feel better.”

Reluctantly taking the goblet in her shaking hands, Andrea sniffed suspiciously at the liquid. It smelled bitter, of herbs and fruit.

"It will help you sleep. It will not harm you, I promise."

Putting the rim of the beaker to her lips, she paused. This was all just a strange dream, of that she was certain. What else could explain this? She was tired too, and maybe the next time she woke, she would be back in the hotel room. Knocking back the draft in one, she handed back the goblet.

The liquid, though slightly acrid, was warming with a hint of alcohol, and she felt a soft glow around her. The woman in front of her was speaking, but she could not understand the words, the face of the speaker growing hazier as her eyes grew heavier. Settling herself back on the bed, she was soon in a deep and dreamless sleep. The Abbess picked out a woven blanket from the chest and placed it over the girl to keep her warm. The small stone had fallen from her hand onto the floor. Helena picked up the small object and inspected it carefully. Then, slipping it into her pocket, she silently left the room, closing the door behind the sleeping girl.

Chapter 6

Alexhander McDonald was uneasy. His wife Andra had seemed strange, almost distant, like the first time he met her three years ago. Yet he had fallen in love with the odd young woman the moment he set eyes on her. She had been found in the chapel by Helena, lost and alone. She had been ill and talked of strange things, of a far and distant land from where she had traveled. On many occasions they found her in the early morning, slumped on the dewy grass surrounding the chapel. She had gabbled incoherently about trying to get home, and they had resorted to locking her door each evening to keep her from harm. Slowly she had gathered strength and had started to talk to him. She spoke of a magical land where metal machines carried men and women over both land and air, where people could talk to each other across the world using a small metal box. It was all so fantastical, so removed from his ken that at first he had thought she was mad. Yet there was something about this determined and strong young woman with the sparkling blue eyes that convinced him otherwise.

As the months passed by, her strange talk diminished and she seemed to settle into a peaceful routine with the nuns and the help of his sister, the Abbess Helena. He had visited her often, and she had eventually reciprocated his love. Everything had been going so well until she lost the baby and nearly died too. But now she seemed on the verge of madness again, talking strangely of things he could not understand. He would be fighting soon, and he feared for her safety should the war be lost.

She had not shared his bed for several months. He had been frightened of her delicate condition and had not wanted to force his lust onto her. Yet he loved her with a passion and ached for her until he could hardly bear it. In a few days he would be gone and who knew if and when he would return? He had hoped to give her another child, so that even though he might not return, part of him would live on. He would go to her tonight and see how she was.

Back in the room, Andrea woke with a start, wondering where the hell she was. The light had faded and long shadows fell across the bed. At first she thought she was back in the hotel bedroom and had just woken from a strange dream, but as her eyes became more accustomed to the light, she saw the shadows of the simple furniture and the outline of the embroidered birds on her quilt. For a moment she lay still, not quite knowing what to do or think, a bitter taste of herbs still lingering on her lips. Her mind raced back to the entries in her grandmother’s diary. Surely it could not be a coincidence, some grand hallucination that they were both party to – that would be ridiculous.

Yet what was the alternative? That somehow she had found herself transported back in time to be with a man that Betty had met in 1956? Now that was ludicrous. But what else could explain her position? Alexhander was an extremely attractive man and she could see why her Gran had fallen for him. The dark and brooding good looks combined with a great physique and a gentle nature... What woman wouldn’t kill to be in her position? But that, too, was a ridiculous notion. This man, this phantom, whatever he was, had been dead for nearly four centuries. Back in her own time, his bones would be rotting in their tomb. There was no sense to it all, none that she could see anyhow.

Moving quickly from the bed, she moved across the floor and made an attempt to open the door. She had been locked in. Cold and hungry, she crept back underneath the quilt. Although she was terrified, she would just have to sit it out. Either it was a terrible nightmare or a reality. But if Betty had somehow managed to live through the strange ordeal, then so could she.

At the sound of approaching footsteps and the rattle of a key in the lock, Andrea lay back on the bed and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. The sound of soft footsteps over the stone floor was soon followed by the hushed whispering voices of Helena and Alexhander.

“She’s asleep. We better not disturb her.”

“I need to be with her again Helena, before I ride to battle.”

“Do you think that would be a good thing, my brother? She is still weak and tired, and I am not sure how strong her mind is.”

A long sigh ensued as Alex looked over the figure of his sleeping wife.

“When you return, there will be time.”

“I may never return.”

There was a pause as Helena crossed to where her brother was standing and put her arms around him.

“Do not even think such a thing, Alex. God will be with you. I am certain.”

“I am worried that she is returning to her old ways. When I first met her, when you had just taken her in, she seemed convinced she was from another time, another place, just as she does now.”

“It is the fever, that is all. In a few days she will be quite herself again and well enough to go back home. Now you must go to eat with your men. Return here later and she may be awake. The draught I gave her will keep her sleeping for a few hours yet.”

Andrea felt his soft breath on her forehead before his lips brushed the skin in a tender kiss. Real or not, she had never felt so cared for by a man.

As soon as she heard the door close and the key turned, she opened her eyes and sat up. She would have to act normal, try and play her part until she could figure out a way to get back to the present time. The thought of being locked in this room and drugged for weeks was not a pleasant thought, and she needed to be strong and in her own mind to get back home. The key to getting back must be somewhere in the chapel grounds and perhaps the small rune had something to do with it. Back at the hotel, Geraldine had seemed to think it held some kind of magic. Searching in her pockets, she realized the stone was missing. The last time she had seen it was when she had shown it to Helena. She searched the room, but it was nowhere to be found. Perhaps the Abbess had taken it as she slept?

The next time the door opened, it was a younger nun carrying a tray of food, and she brought it over to Andrea and laid it on the bed. Unlike Helena, the young girl had a smile that spread across her face. Her blue eyes twinkled merrily, and she left the room as silently as she had entered it. Andrea was starving and lifted off the cloth to reveal her supper. There was a simple yet wholesome mutton stew, thickened with bread and lentils and a dish of greens that tasted of spinach. There was a goblet of fortified wine, mead she guessed, and the food seemed tastier than she had eaten in a long while. It wasn’t long before the dish was clear and the goblet drained.

As she wiped her mouth on the square of white linen, the door opened once again, and this time Helena walked into the room.

“Andra, you are awake and have eaten. You look much better.”

Andrea smiled back at the Abbess, remembering her resolve to play the game.

“I feel much better, thank you. The food was delicious. I think I was a little overwrought earlier.”

Helena smiled, although her eyes seemed more steely than friendly and she looked tired.

“Alex will be back soon. He wants to stay with you this night.” Her eyes flickered before retaining their gaze.

Andrea hadn’t prepared herself for that. Of course he was her husband. What could she expect? Maintaining her composure, she struggled to keep her voice steady.

“Of course, he is my husband, after all.”

Taking the tray, Helena bowed as she started to exit the room.

“Just one thing, before you go. Did you happen to pick up the small stone, the one I showed you earlier?”

The woman’s brow creased below her wimple. “A stone? I can’t remember such a thing.”

There was something defiant in her manner.

“I passed it to you earlier. It was etched with a series of strange markings. Surely you remember?”

Smiling, the woman shook her head. “I have seen no such thing, my dear. You must have been dreaming. Now if you are feeling agitated again, I can always mix you another draught of the sleeping potion?”

The offer came almost as a threat, but Andrea had to let it go. Something was definitely amiss, but she couldn’t afford to get on the wrong side of the Abbess. Maybe she was just being overprotective.

“You’re right. I’ll just lie here quietly and wait for Alex. Thank you, Helena.”

As soon as the Abbess had locked the door behind her, Andrea allowed herself to panic. What if Alex came to her tonight? What if he expected her to perform her wifely duties? Most of her friends would have jumped at the chance to have sex with such a gorgeous specimen. She only had a one-night stand once, and that was when she was a student and extremely drunk, so she couldn’t remember much of the event.

If she tried to explain to him, he would only think her crazy again, but what was the alternative? Could she lie back and think of England? And what about Steve? She had never been unfaithful in her life, even if these were exceptional circumstances.

It was too bad about the rune. Why had Helena lied about it? Maybe she was keeping hold of it to stop her from becoming agitated like before, but what if she needed the stone to get back home again?

Andrea took a deep breath. One thing at a time, she told herself.

Chapter 7

A knock on the door broke her thoughts. He was here so soon! She sat up quickly in bed and pulled the quilt around her, feeling like a young virgin on her wedding night.

It was only the young nun again. Smiling, she proceeded to make up the fire and light a series of candles that brought a cozy glow to the room. Stepping over to the small chest, she brought out a white cotton nightdress inset with beautiful lace work and laid it across the bed. She left the room only to return a few minutes later with a jug of hot water and a bowl, along with a piece of soap and a length of material, presumably for washing with. Pouring the water into the bowl, she set it by the fire and beckoned Andrea over before leaving her in peace to attend to her toilette. It was good to feel the heat from the fire, and stripping off her clothes, she proceeded to wash. The soap was thick and quite greasy, but it had the aroma of lavender and helped her to freshen up. Her feet were still dirty from the morning’s walk and she dipped them in the water, feeling the warmth spread to her toes. At home she spent hours in the bath, the water as hot as she could stand, and lost in the fragrance of some exotic oil or lotion. She could have done with a bath, but even the small bowl of hot water seemed like a luxury at this moment in time. Once dried, she slipped on the nightdress. It fit her perfectly, the lace just skimming her ankles. She thought about the skimpy little outfits that Steve bought her that made her feel like a French tart. Why did she let him treat her like an object? She had never really thought about it before. She just accepted it, accepted Steve for what he was—basically a male chauvinist pig.

A little knock at the door heralded the young nun once again. Walking over to the chest, she picked up a small comb and assorted ribbons, brought them to Andrea, and proceeded to brush through her long hair.

“Do you have a vow of silence?”

The young girl smiled and nodded. It was a shame; Andrea would have liked to talk to her. The face seemed so kind and trusting. Once the combing was finished, the girl tied a red ribbon into her dark locks, forming a neat bow.

Andrea held up the mirror to see the finished look. The ribbon made her look somewhat cutesy, but that was unimportant. Her own face reflected back, and yet somehow it was different. The whole hairstyle was different and made her look more like her Grandma than ever. The only difference was the small beauty spot above her lip, probably the only thing that set the two young women apart.

There was a cough from just beyond the door, and the nun made haste to tidy away the ribbons. Alex appeared in the doorway and looked even more handsome than when she had last seen him. He had changed his clothing and was wearing a softer looking tunic, less warrior like. As he stepped into the room, the young nun gave a quick courtesy and was gone, leaving the two of them alone. Andrea would have liked to call her back, but she had no cause.

Alex closed the door carefully behind him.

His bright eyes looked at her, taking her slowly in, inch by inch, as if he had never seen a woman before. She looked away from his gaze feeling bashful, almost afraid. Walking over to the bed, he sat down, taking her hand gently in his. He smelled much sweeter this evening. He had obviously made the effort for her, and the scent of rosemary and basil filled the air. His hand was trembling against hers, and his eyes softened until the tears were rolling down his cheeks.

“Oh Andra, I thought I had lost you. I really thought you were gone.” He buried his face into her breast, and her hands automatically cradled his head. Her pale fingers intertwined with his dark hair as she tried to soothe him like a child. It was as if they had always been this way and somehow he didn’t seem such a stranger.

“Forgive me, Andra; it has been a long day. There are rumors that our enemies are already gathering in the hills, and it won’t be many days hence until I have to ride out with my men. I seek comfort with you tonight, my wife. Let me share your bed.”

He was almost pleading with her.

Andrea caught her breath as Alex sat up and looked into her face. It seemed so wrong. The man obviously loved her, but she felt like a fraud. She had to make him see.

“Tell me, Alex—have I changed much over these past three years?”

“Only that you are more beautiful than ever. I have never known you as lovely.”

“Can I speak to you plainly, Alex?”

He nodded.

“I’m not who you seem to think I am—”

He brought up his hand to silence her, but she continued.

“I know you think I’m mad, but I want you to look at me, Alex, really look at me. What do you see?”

Alex looked puzzled and shrugged his shoulders.

“My name is Andrea Taylor, and I was born in 1990. For some reason I seem to have traveled from the future and landed here in the past, some 400 years back in time. I believe my Grandmother Betty came before me and that it was she you fell in love with and married. Time here seems to be different, and although she lived with you for several years, it was only a matter of seconds in our own period; in fact, no time at all. For some reason, she was able to return to her own time, whether by accident or intentionally, I don’t know, but I seem to have replaced her. I’m not sure. None of this makes any sense yet, but the death of your unborn son seems to have been a trigger?”

“Andra my love, you have spoken like this before. Your mind is unwell, that is all. Maybe I should call for my sister?”

“No.” Andrea was certain she did not want Helena to join them.

“Look at me, Alex. How well do you know my face?”

“I know it as my own. Why?”

“Well, look here, did your wife have this mark?” Andrea pointed to the beauty spot above her lip.

At first Alex looked confused. He brought up his hand and traced his finger delicately over the small mole. His brow furrowed.

“Well?”

“I cannot recall it.”

“You see, then.”

“I see nothing. What does that prove?”

“It is a birth mark, and it proves I’m not who you think I am.”

Bringing a candle near her face, he inspected her features. She was so alike to his Andra, and yet there had been some hesitation when he had first seen her. He was unsure at first. There was something about her whole bearing, the way she walked, some of the strange words she had used.

“I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“There is something else, too—a stone, a rune that my grandma left to me. I believe it has special powers. Your sister has it now and denies it. I believe I need it to return to my own time, and I need your help to get it back.”

Alex looked crestfallen, and his whole body sagged. Her heart ached to see him so sad. He had loved her so much and maybe she should have been gentler, but how else could she have told him the truth? And there was little time to spare.

Picking up her hand once more, he raised it to his lips and kissed her gently.

“I do not know what is happening or why, but I am willing to believe you. Yet in my heart you are still my Andra, and I love you so very much. If what you say is true, I will do all I can to help. I will ask my sister about the stone.”

“But will you keep the rest of my secret safe, even from Helena? Do you swear?”

“I swear.”

Standing up, he moved to the door, and with one final look behind him, he left to find his sister.

Alex was not the same man he was when he walked into the room. He had always had suspicions about his dear Andra, wondered if her ramblings about the future were true, yet his sister had always insisted that she was unwell and had looked after the girl. It had been an easier story to believe.

And now this girl was his Andra and yet not his Andra. In his heart, she was still his wife and would always be.

His sister was sitting quietly in the cloisters. Helena sensed at once that something was not right; surely he should be in bed with his wife? Even though the thought appalled her, it was what he needed, for now. In the darkness, she could not see his expression and he hid his face in the shadows, his anxiety too deeply etched to fool his sister.

“What is wrong, my brother?”

“Andra is tired, and I did not want to bother her tonight.” His voice sounded strained.

“There is something else?”

“Andra is worried about something that belongs to her, a small amulet or stone. She feels it is a good omen, and she thinks that she has lost it. I do not want her to fret about such a small matter.”

There was a pause while Helena thought.

“I have it, brother. I did not think it was healthy for her to keep.”

“Surely it is but a harmless trinket?”

“She seems to think it has mystical powers, and I did not want to encourage her thinking that way again. You know how fretful she was in the beginning.”

Alex nodded. “I think if you give it to me for safe keeping, she will be happy with that.”

Helena bowed her head and walked through the cloister with Alex following closely behind. Entering the room, she fetched out the small stone and placed it in his hand.

“Be careful with this, Alex. I have seen things like this, and they usually belong to the workings of the devil. Some say these stones have strange powers and bring only death and destruction. Perhaps that is right. Think of the child.”

“Surely you do not believe in such things? I would have thought it blasphemy to your ears?”

Helena paused and clasped her hands tightly in front of her.

“But of course I do not believe in such superstitions myself, Alex. I put my faith in God. But in the hands of the wrong person, such beliefs can damage and weaken the spirits and mind, as I fear has happened with Andra.”

“She seems much improved this evening, and a good sleep tonight will help her. I’m sure you can see to that, my sister?”

Bowing goodnight, Alex left the confines of the nunnery and stepped out into the chill night air. The crescent moon hung high in the midnight sky and a myriad of stars looked down upon him. The sky looked the same as always, but tonight he wondered about the girl’s story and its possibilities. In the early days, she had told him of a fantastic world where machines and fantastic inventions seemed to dominate men. It seemed ridiculous at the time, yet standing beneath the heavens, he realized how small and insignificant he was and how little he really understood about life and beyond.

Andra had been his world, but she was right, it was not his Andra that lay in the nunnery that night. Yet he still ached for her with a passion. With only one more day and night until he rode to battle, he had not long to reconcile himself with the past and present. The small rune was still pressed into his hand, and he opened his fingers to look at it in more detail. It was a very simple thing with a sign engraved into it, almost like the end of an arrow’s shaft. He had heard that runes were used to tell the future or carried as good luck charms. Some of the men carried them into battle, but they did not always have the luck they hoped for.

He preferred to put his trust in God and the might of his own strength.

Chapter 8

Helena was troubled by her brother’s visit. Something was wrong, and she could not quite put her finger on it. She had not wanted to relinquish the rune so easily, but she could easily get it back had she a mind. It would be safe enough for now. The Abbess had recognized the old Norse rune at once and understood its significance. It would have been no use in putting up a fight and drawing attention to it. There would be time for all things. Now she must visit the girl and try to find out the truth.

Andrea was slightly dozing as Helena entered the room, but the sound of her feet on the stone flagged floor stirred her awake. The candles had burned low, and the shadow of the Abbess loomed large across the room. She shivered and sat up, wrapping the bed clothes around her. The fire had burned down into nothing but grey ash and smoke.

“You are feeling better, I hear?”

In the darkness, Andrea felt disarmed and slightly afraid. There was something about the stealthy black figure that unnerved her, and at this hour her feelings intensified.

“Yes, I had a good talk with Alex, and I feel much better after resting.”

“Yet he did not stay?”

The question was almost a threat.

For once, Andrea was glad of the semi darkness where she could hide her expression. She felt exposed and knew she had to be careful with her words.

“I am still very tired, and Alex thought it best to leave me to lie alone tonight. I will see him in the morning.”

“He seemed troubled when he spoke to me, his mind heavy. That is not good for a man who will be riding into battle in a few days time. If he is distracted and worried about his wife, he may come to harm, even be killed. A warrior needs all his strength and focus upon the task ahead, not back at home with an ailing wife.”

The words were cold and clear in their meaning. Andrea hardly knew the man but nonetheless felt a deep empathy with him and would hate to be the cause of his downfall. Maybe she had spoken too openly with him, but she needed an ally in this strange place and he was her only hope.

“I will be feeling much better after another night’s sleep. I will speak with him tomorrow and all will be well.”

“It will need more than talk if I know my brother. He needs to find comfort in your bed.”

Andrea could feel herself blushing at the thought but nodded her head.

“He can be with me tomorrow.”

Helena did not speak, taking in the words from the girl. As long as her brother left without worries, then she would be happy. She cared little for the girl herself. Walking to the chest, she picked up the flask and poured more of the potion into the goblet and handed it across.

“Here, take this. You will rest easily.”

Reluctantly, she drank the liquid, which had the same bitter herb taste as before. Helena watched until she had taken the last drop and only when her eyes start to droop did the black figure exit the room, locking the door behind her.

Andrea’s dreams were as dark as the night. In the middle of a misty and forlorn battlefield, a distant bugle could be heard calling the fallen souls to their peace. As the sound of the horn diminished, another sound could be heard, growing steadily louder; it was the ghostly wail of a lone piper, the rasping of the pipes echoing the sound of a thousand men’s last gasping breath.

She could see the piper approaching, a long cloak covering him from head to toe. The nearer he walked, the more deafening the bagpipes, until she had to hold her hands over her ears to blot out the sound. Almost upon her, the noise stopped and an eerie silence prevailed as a thin hand rose from beneath the long cloak, pulling away the hood that shielded the face. She looked on in horror at the visage of the dead Alexhander McDonald, the maggots already eating the sallow flesh, his eyes white and glassy.

Andra was soaked with perspiration as she woke up with a start. The dream had been too real, too horrid, and her heart was beating fast. The words of Helena rang in her head; she could not let the poor man ride into battle with a heavy heart and to his probable death. It was almost as if his fate were in her hands.

Alex did not sleep well and spent most of the night wondering what to do. He needed to know more, to understand what was happening. He could no longer turn away and pretend that these strange things were not so or simply the imaginings of a feeble mind, whatever his sister might think. Tomorrow he would ask the young girl about his beloved Andra and try to find the answers.

Chapter 9

The next day was fair, and Andrea was awake and dressed early. She had found a selection of clothing in the large chest, including a long tunic dress of a beautiful red berry hue and long woolen stockings to match. A deep blue cloak would keep her warm in the early sea breeze and a pair of black leather slippers would protect her feet. They were not very practical, but perhaps women of a certain class were not expected to walk far. They were so different from her multipurpose sneakers she used to pound the streets of New York.

Andrea had to wait to be released from her bondage. She expected Helena, but when she heard the key in the lock and the door opened, she was half relieved to see the young nun from the day before with the beautiful smile. Silently, she brought in a tray containing bread, cheese, and a goblet of ale, laying it out on the bed before bowing her head and leaving the room.

As the footsteps died away down the corridor, Andrea realized that the door had been left unlocked. She was free to venture out on her own at last. Tying the bread and cheese into the large white square of material that had covered the food, she slipped silently out of the door and down the corridor to the outside door and was away.

Never had fresh air smelled so sweet, the rosemary and lavender from the garden filling the dewy air with their soft scents. It was the smell of freedom. Following a little worn path across the grass, she made her way down to the shore overlooking Mull. No ferry this time, just a few old fishing boats and the heathery purples of the distant hill of Ben More. The view was breathtaking and just the right thing to clear her head. Choosing a sheltered and secluded spot beneath a clump of apple trees, she spread her cloak across the ground to sit and eat her breakfast.

Today she would make a plan to get home. She just needed to think, to try and recall some of Grandma Betty’s words. She would convince Alex that all was well, and she would take away his worries. If that meant lying with him, then so be it; she did not want a man’s death on her conscience, whatever time or place. She had done much worse in her time and not necessarily for a noble end. There was something about Alex that drew her to him, and he seemed to be a good man. They were rare.

The sun was rising high, and the bread and cheese tasted good out in the open air. Leaning her back against the tree trunk, she closed her eyes against the warmth, still tired after her disturbed night.

“Andra.”

The voice was soft and low, and at first she wondered if she had really heard it, or if it was just the water lapping against the rocks.

“Andra!”

This time she opened her eyes to see Alex standing in front of her.

“Andra, I came out looking for you. Helena said you had gone walking?”

Helena’s prying eyes saw everything. Perhaps she had instructed the younger girl to leave the door open to see what she would do?

“I needed the fresh air and decided to eat my meal down here. It’s such a beautiful day.”

Alex sat next down next to her and the pair was silent for a few moments before Alex broke the peace.

“Andra, about last night, I—”

She interrupted before he could finish

“I said too much, Alex. I was just tired. I feel much better today.”

Picking up one of her small hands, he cradled it softly in his own much larger hands, looking her fully in the face.

“I believe you, Andra, all you said last night. I do not know how it can be true, but I believe it and I need to know more.”

His face was so trusting, yet she didn’t know where to start.

“Tell me about Andra, my Andra.”

For the next half an hour, Andrea told Alex all she knew about her grandma’s experience on the island in 1956, which was pretty patchy and scant at best. But the she told him about her marriage to Grandpa Joe, her children and grandchildren, and her happy and long life.

Her heart ached to watch his face as she talked about the woman he loved so much and her other life without him.

“And she is still well?”

Andrea had purposely left out the details of Betty’s recent death—it seemed too cruel and heartless—but she had to be honest.

“She died a few weeks ago, she was 93 years old.”

His eyes misted over as he looked across the water to the shoreline.

“I’m so sorry, Alex.”

Smiling softly, he squeezed her hand. “It is a lot to take in, to believe, but if I think my dearest one has had a good life, then I can be happy for her. From the way I look at it, if what you say is true, then she still has all of her life to live, long after I am dead. It seems that life is renewed, whether we are reborn from our ancestors or...”

Alex stopped short with a catch in his throat, and Andrea squeezed his hand for him to continue.

“Go on.”

His lips wavered and his eyes shone in the morning light. “I was just going to say that we live on in our children.” And with that, a giant sobbing sound rose from his throat as he struggled to maintain his composure, and a few heavy tears rolled from his eyes which he quickly brushed away.

“It is of no consequence.”

“You lost a son. That must have been a difficult time.”

Alex hung his head and deeply breathed in the morning air.

“It was only ten days ago that it happened. Everything had been going so well. Andra was blooming, and then suddenly she became very sick and the child was born too soon. He was perfect in every way. Andra held on to him and wouldn’t let the little body out of her arms. Her grief was almost too much to bear. So was mine, but I had to be strong. We named him after me and buried him in the grounds of the little chapel. Andra got weaker and weaker and refused to eat and eventually lay unconscious. We thought she would die, and after a long and sleepless night, I headed for the Abbey to pray for her soul, not expecting her to live, and that was when I saw you.”

Andra remembered the grave of Alexhander MacDonald; it was where she had stood that first morning, just before she found herself part of this strange experience. The death of the child had been significant.

“Maybe Andra did die, and that was the trigger for Grandma Betty to return back to her own time?”

“But what brought her here in the first place? She was found like you in the graveyard of St. Oran. Anyway, Andra did not die, not exactly, and you seem to have taken her place?”

Andrea looked at Alex. A picture was forming, but the significance still wasn’t clear.

“The ancient rune seems to have played a part, but now Helena has that.”

Reaching into his pocket, Alex brought out the small, pale stone. “I have it now. Here, take it back.”

Shaking her head, Andrea refused the offering.

“I think it’s safer with you, Alex. I have nowhere to hide it in my room, and Helena will find it.”

“Surely you are not afraid of my sister?”

His blue eyes were honest and open. She did not trust Helena, but she did not know why. Call it a hunch, but it was nothing she could verbalize, especially not to such a loyal brother.

“I just think it would be safer if you kept it for now.”

“But you do want to return to your own time?” His voice was sad.

Reaching across to him, she laid her hand softly on his. Of course she needed to return to her own time, but it would be hard to leave him. It was a tender act, and she could feel her fingers tremble with emotion. His hand brushed her arm, so delicately that it was hard to imagine those strong hands fighting and killing in battle.

Her heart began to beat wildly, and it was as if she had always loved him. Part of her had always known it, deep inside. Bringing his face towards her, his lips lightly touched hers. A ripple of electricity passed through her at his touch, as the soft, full lips met hers. She had never felt so heady.

The weight of his body pushed her against the ground, and she felt helpless against his passion, not wanting it any other way. His kisses became more fervent, his mouth hard against hers as their lips slipped together in passion.

His hands moved up her body, finding her small, pert breasts and started to fondle them gently. Never had she abandoned herself so freely to passion. She moaned gently, arching her back towards him, feeling his hardness pushing against her.

The sound of voices approaching brought their lovemaking to a sharp halt. Alex sat up quickly, his face flushed and his breathing heavy.

“Tonight is my last night before I ride away. I must come to you.”

“Yes.” Her voice was weak with longing.

“Come, we will visit the grave together.”

Taking her hand and pulling her up, he fixed the cloak around her and proceeded to brush away the pieces of twig and grass. He was so attentive, so chivalrous, so unlike the men she had met in her life so far. Steve wouldn’t have even contemplated sitting on the grass in case he ruined his designer jeans.

It was quiet in the graveyard and the pair held each other close for support. The headstone had yet to be carved, and in its place as a temporary measure was a small wooden cross.

The grave was so small and so simple that Andrea felt a wealth of grief overcome her. She, too, had wanted children and if she wasn’t careful, time would run out for her. Steve had made it clear that he didn’t want any children, and she thought she had been happy with that decision, his decision. Now she realized how deeply she longed for a child, to feel a new life warm inside her.

Alex removed the stone from his pocket and held it out to her. They were at the place where it had all started, and it could be her passage home. He gently pressed the rune into her hand as he tenderly kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes and waited. Nothing happened, and she was half relieved. As much as she wanted to return to her own time, she had unfinished business with this man, this kind and unselfish man.

Chapter 10

Andrea spent the rest of the day in the nunnery garden, sitting among the sweet smelling herbs and late roses. Alex had another meeting with his men about the preparation for the battle, but she would be seeing him later. She wished she knew more about history and this battle he was riding to.

Maybe it was better that she did not. How could you tell a man that he was riding to certain death or victory without changing the course of history?

She was confused about her feelings, too. How could she fall in love with a man from the past? She needed to return to her own time, but it would be difficult to leave him. She wondered how Grandma Betty had coped. Her relationship seemed to have lasted for several years, even though it was a blink of an eye back in her own time. The diary entries seemed to suggest that she thought it all a dream, yet slowly the details had started to emerge. Why had she kept the secret for so long?

She seemed to have stepped into her grandma’s shoes, but could she ever get back home, even if she wanted to? Andrea was convinced that the death of the child and even the death of Andra herself had been pivotal.

Tonight Alex would come to her bed chamber, and she felt apprehensive. Already she was falling for the man, and after tonight, they would be as one. Her head ached with the possible scenarios. What if Alex could return with her to 2015? Surely if she had traveled back in time, he could travel forward... Were there any rules? There was so much she didn’t know. And would a man like Alex want to live in 2015? With its noise and pollution and terrorist threats, you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy, let alone somebody you loved. It was hard enough to cope with traveling back 400 odd years, but to travel forward! The shock of the modern world would probably be too much to bear.

She managed to keep her distance from Helena. Only the silent nun with the twinkling eyes worked quietly alone in the garden. She seemed happy in her work and smiled occasionally over to Andrea.

The warmth of the sun and the sweet, quiet air made her drowsy, and she shut her eyes and tried to blot out her thoughts. Soon she drifted away and it was only the chill of the approaching evening that brought her out of her sleep.

Helena was waiting for her back in the small bed chamber, and Andrea wondered if she had been watching her throughout the day. The bed had been made and a fire was already blazing in the grate.

“You have seen my brother today?”

Andrea didn’t know if it was a statement of fact or a question. She was sure Helena already knew the answer.

“Yes, we met this morning and went down to the chapel. We had a good talk.”

“And you will allow him into your bed tonight.”

Andrea felt like telling her to mind her own bloody business, but this was not her time, and she couldn’t afford to get on the wrong side of the Abbess. Soon she would be left alone under her care, and she wasn’t sure how long it would take to get back home.

“Yes, he will be with me tonight.”

At least that seemed to satisfy the woman, and she nodded in acknowledgment.

“Geraldina will bring you hot water to wash and your supper before Alex arrives. He will be with his men until late.”

Soon the quiet nun brought in the water and laid out her supper on the bed. Once Andrea had washed and dressed in the long nightgown, she returned to have her hair brushed in preparation for her husband. As the young woman combed through the curls, Andrea was surprised to hear her humming. It was a tuneful melody and one that she had heard before, not some old medieval madrigal, but something modern from the twentieth century. Andrea was sure she knew the words, and then they came to her:

Long ago and far away

I dreamed a dream one day

And now that dream is here beside me.

It was one of her Gran’s favorite tunes, and as a child she had heard the Frank Sinatra version many times on the old gramophone.

Before she had chance to quiz the nun, there was a knock at the door and Alex stood in the doorway, awaiting her greeting.

The nun bowed out of the room, leaving the pair alone and Alex closed and locked the door behind him.

“Alex, what do you know of the little nun?”

His mind was on other things, but he humored her for a moment.

“I believe she has been at the nunnery for several years. She arrived here just after Andra came, and they soon became good friends.”

“And now she has taken a vow of silence?”

“I believe so. After we lost the baby. Somehow she seemed to think it was her fault.”

“Yet just now she was humming a tune...”

Alex walked over to her and silenced her with a kiss. There were other, more pressing things on his mind. This would be his last night with her, maybe his last night on earth. Who knew what would happen, except God himself?

Andrea responded quickly to his kisses, bending her head slightly towards him and wrapping her soft body against his firm and strong torso. He started to kiss her face, gently at first, with soft, light kisses that skimmed over the soft skin of her cheeks and made her body weaken before him, so much so that she had to lean further into his arms for support. His strong arms pulled her tightly to him, and she could taste the salt on his skin, the rosemary and lavender oils in his hair. His kisses became more ardent as he found her mouth and her soft lips yielded to his fierce passion, his tongue exploring and pressing down into the soft cushion of her mouth.

His strong hands pulled at the white cotton of her nightgown. He was eager to remove it and pulled at the material, his fingers soon finding the soft flesh beneath. Andrea moaned quietly to herself as his fingers skimmed her flat stomach, slowly stroking her skin until he reached the soft flesh of her pert breasts, the nipples hard and firm between his fingers. She had never been touched so tenderly before. Steve’s love-making had been quick and mechanical, and foreplay was just a word. Yet this was something so magical, so tender.

As he gently squeezed her yielding breasts, a quiver of delight spread throughout her body.

“Am I pleasing you?” His voice was low and lustful as he whispered softly into her ear.

Andrea nodded, her eyes closed in ecstasy as his mouth covered the soft skin of her neck. He continued kissing down towards her collar bone as his hands found the hem of her nightgown and pulled it up and over her head.

Now she was fully naked on the bed before him. Alex stood by the window, his eyes ablaze in the candlelight as he admired her naked form. She looked exactly like Andra in this light, and his heart almost stopped with sheer joy. Part of this girl was his beloved wife—that he was certain of. He could feel it deep down in his soul, and so could she.

Andrea suddenly felt shy in his gaze, like it was her very first time, and she wrapped her arms around her waist as she gazed up at the handsome lover standing before her.

“You are the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen.”

His eyes never left hers as he crossed the room to join her on the bed. Stretching out beside her, he cupped her breasts with his hands before moving his lips over the soft flesh, sucking on her small nipples until they were hard and erect. She could hardly bear the pleasure and thought she would explode with sheer delight. Andrea wanted Alex as much as he needed her. His long fingers slid up towards the soft and lean flesh of her inner thigh and instinctively she opened her legs slightly, allowing him access. As he brushed over her soft mound, she let out a small cry of delight as his fingers slid quickly within her soft, moist flesh. Andrea moaned with sheer bliss as his deft fingers pleasured her in a way she had never been pleasured before. He was an expert in his craft.

His face was a mask of desire as he sat up and started to slowly part her legs before lowering his mouth onto her, his deft tongue licking lightly over her wetness and into the soft and intimate folds. A wave of pleasure caused her to arch her back towards him, pushing herself towards his mouth and desperate for more. Alex didn’t want her pleasure to be over, not until he was inside her, so he stopped suddenly, kneeling before her on the bed.

Now it was time to remove his clothing, for them to be together, skin on skin. His hands were shaking with pent up desire as he removed his tunic and stood before her to unfasten his undergarments. His fervor was already discernible in the shape of his large and erect manhood, pushing through the thin material of his undershirt.

His physique was incredible, so much more than the muscular guys down at the gym. They were only posturing at being real men with their designer suits and cocktails whereas Alex was the real thing, from his rippling biceps to his taut, muscle-bound thighs. He was the perfect Adonis stripped naked before her, and she could not take her eyes of his magnificent body. He was well endowed too, his thick cock quivering against his belly, and she ached to have him inside her. Now undressed, he lay beside her on the bed, covering her with his lean body. She could feel his hard and muscular cock, hot and throbbing against her leg. Opening her legs, he knelt between them, and taking his thick cock in his hands, placed the end at her entrance and pushed gently. The head of his penis entered her easily; she could feel it throb against her aching walls and squeezed against him. Alex gasped and pushed even further into her. She had never taken anyone so big before, and as he pushed further inside, she caught her breath and arched her back towards him, angling herself for full penetration.

Andrea braced herself, and with one final push, he was inside her. She felt a dull ache as his girth stretched against her, and he lay there without moving, except for the beating of his heart and his cock, throbbing away inside of her. After several moments, he began to move, thrusting gently to begin with, but soon more urgently. He pummeled in and out of her, lost in the oblivion of his own lust. Andrea closed her eyes as a wave of pure pleasure ripped through her at the same time his cries reached a climax, and he exploded into her with a cry that came from the pit of his soul.

Collapsing at her side, he gathered her to him as their soft bodies molded to one another until they were one. She was soon asleep in his arms, gently sighing in the depths of night, and he hoped that her dreams were pleasant. Alex wanted to hold her forever, for the night to never end. He could not sleep but watched over her sleeping form until the day began to break and the sun rose in the heavens. The day had dawned when he would have to leave her, and perhaps it was the last time he would hold her like this. She may not be his Andra in the flesh, but they were bound by their spirits. His love had returned, of that he was certain.

All too soon it was the morning, and Andrea stirred. There was a hollow space where Alex’s warm body had been, and her arm stretched across the bed to reach out for him. The bed was empty. She sat up with a start and looked around her. There was no sign of him, only the lingering notes of basil and rosemary clinging to the pillow.

Rosemary for remembrance.

Before she had chance to get out of bed, the door opened and in stepped Helena, her eyes red and swollen as if she had been crying.

Her body was tense and she spoke in a cold and throaty whisper. “There is no need to rush, he has gone. He left early with his men this morning. You must pray for his safe return, for if he does not, I do not know what will happen here.”

She felt exposed and threatened. Andrea had not expected that Alex would leave her without saying goodbye. Perhaps their farewells would have been too much to bear?

He had to focus on the task ahead and could not allow his thoughts to wander back to her. Yet she must wait for him before she returned, that was the least she could do. Not only that, he had the rune, and she didn’t have any other options.

Her one ally seemed to be the young nun, Geraldina, but once again she seemed sworn to her silent vow. Andrea had tried to question her about the old song she had been humming, but she had only smiled and held a conspiratorial finger to her quiet lips.

Chapter 11

For the next month, Andrea sat and waited. There was little to do except visit the Abbey or the Chapel or walk along the shoreline. Wherever she went, she seemed to feel Helena’s eyes watching her every move. They barely spoke and Helena spent most of the time praying for her brother’s safe return. The seasons began to change and autumn slowly turned into winter. As the air grew chill, Andrea’s belly began to swell. She was pregnant with Alex’s child. At first she could hardly believe it, but it seemed almost atonement for the lost boy. Although she did not believe in God, she too started to pray for his safe return, for without him she would be lost and alone in this strange world.

The end of the year passed without word, until one day with the arrival of the first snow, a message came that the MacDonalds had defeated the Campbells at Inverlochy. The men would be home soon. There had been casualties on both sides, but it was difficult to tell what had happened to Alex or if he was safe. They would have to wait a few weeks more before they knew.

Late one night, Andrea was awoken from her sleep by the shouts of men and horses outside her window. Opening her curtains she could see the shadows of dozens of men, some walking, some on horseback. The warriors were returning. Slipping a cloak over her nightgown and putting on her slippers, she rushed out into the night. Helena never bothered to lock her door now; after all, there was nowhere she could go. As she ran among the men, she tried to look in their faces for Alex’s familiar features. It wasn’t easy. Some of the men held torches aloft, their features wickedly burnished in the golden light. She could see that some of them bore scars or lumps of flesh ripped from their faces in the most hideous fashion. Other men limped or wore their arms in slings. Others less fortunate were carried on makeshift stretchers made from old linen and planks. Her stomach was swollen in front of her, and as she hurried along, she felt the baby kick so she slowed her pace. It was best not to tire herself. As she approached the landing platform by the sea, the line of men had thinned until there was only one lone figure standing over the empty fishing boats. The figure was cloaked in black; it was Helena, and she was looking wistfully across the water, willing her brother to return.

“Is he here?”

She knew the answer already. If Alex had returned to Iona, then his sister would have been the first by his side.

At first the figure did not respond, and Andrea didn’t know if her voice had been heard above the crashing of the waves.

Eventually the figure turned to face her, the skin glowing pale in the moonlight. The eyes were full and stared through the girl. She had never felt so much hate in her life. Without speaking a word, the Abbess pushed roughly past, leaving her alone.

Andrea swallowed hard, sensing something must be wrong. Her stomach lurched, and she tried to remain calm for the sake of the child within her. Surely somebody must know.

She set off back down the track to catch the men, asking the first group she saw if they knew what had happened to Alex. They all shook their heads, most of them too tired to speak after their exertions. She couldn’t tell if they were sparing her the truth because of her condition or if they genuinely didn’t know.

Finally, she caught up with Helena who was engaged in conversation with a couple of older men. She hid out of sight but within earshot. The men were shaking their heads and the woman put her face into her hands, running back to the sanctuary of the nunnery.

At a much slower pace, Andrea followed in her footsteps and found her standing alone in the cloisters, half bathed in moonlight and half in shadow. An eerie halo had gathered around the moon and Andrea could feel the dread mounting in her own heart.

“What’s happened to Alex?”

The words rushed out into the darkness and then disappeared amid their breathy exhalation.

Helena could have been a statue standing there in the moonlight. She did not move for several seconds.

“He is dead. My brother is dead.”

The words almost stopped her heart. It couldn’t be true.

Andrea rushed over to the woman, hoping that they could unite in their shared grief, yet despite her condition, Helena pushed her away with such a force that she landed in the damp grass.

“Don’t you dare touch me! You are responsible for this. I knew when you first arrived that you would bring trouble.”

The woman was grief-stricken, but there was no need to treat her so unkindly. Slowly Andrea rose to her feet.

“Helena, I...”

“Do not speak to me. The damage has been done.”

“But what did I do? Alex died in battle, surely?”

Helena turned and walked towards her, a finger raised in accusation. “You bewitched my brother from the start. I don’t know where you came from, but you are not from this world. When you showed me the rune, I understood. You have been practicing the art of black magic upon us for your own ends. And now you have killed him.”

Andrea looked on in wonder. She had always thought that Helena did not like her, perhaps had been jealous of her relationship with Alex, but never thought that she hated her. The accusations were ludicrous. The woman was obviously mad.

“Helena, I am carrying your brother’s child, your nephew, his only heir.”

The Abbess scoffed in her face. “Oh, you would like to think so, wouldn’t you? I doubt the child you carry has anything to do with Alex. You have probably made a pact with the devil – there will be something unnatural about this child, like the other one. That’s why it could not live. Maybe it is even one of our enemy’s seed, a Campbell’s perhaps? I never trusted you before with your late-night wanderings. Why did you think I locked your door each night? Now I must go and pray for my brother’s soul.”

Left alone in the quiet night air, Andrea began to weep for the loss of Alex as the reality hit her. She had only known him briefly, but it seemed like years, and the grief was very real. She could understand why Helena thought she was a witch. It was 1645 for crying out loud, and people had funny ideas about the devil, but how on earth could she convince her otherwise? As she wept into her cloak, she heard footsteps approach. It was Geraldina, and taking her by the arm, she ushered Andrea back into the warmth. The young nun had lit a new fire and several of the candles. Andrea shivered. She hadn’t realized how tired and cold she was.

The tears still ran down her face as she undressed and put on her nightgown, remembering her last night here with Alex. Without him, what would become of her and the child? Without the rune, she may never return home.

Tucked up in bed, Geraldina brought her a draught of the bitter herbal medicine. She trusted the young girl and drank it straight down. She had to think about the baby now and how they could survive. It wasn’t long until she was in a deep sleep and dreaming.

She was standing in the middle of a battle zone, and there were Highlanders and English men fighting all around her, but she seemed to be a ghost and able to pass through them, unharmed. And although the battle raged fiercely on all sides of her, there was no noise except for the melancholy whine of a lone piper. A mist appeared and someone was calling her name. No, not her name—Andra’s. She recognized the voice; it was Alex calling out to her through the void. As the mist rose, she could see him, battle worn and bloody but not dead.

“Wait for me, Andra,” he was saying, over and over again.

When she awoke, she felt calmer as if Alex had really been with her. Maybe there was still hope, but she would keep it to herself.

She expected Geraldina to bring her breakfast and was surprised when Helena opened the door with her meal. She braced herself for another onslaught of venom.

Placing the tray on the bed, Helena walked over to the window.

“Andra, I am deeply sorry about last night. The news of my brother’s loss hit me strongly and I spoke out of turn. I have not been as welcoming to you as perhaps I should have, and I think that I should start to make amends, especially as you are carrying his child. After breakfast, come walking with me. The air will do us both good.”

It was a struggle for the older woman to say the words, and her face twisted with every vowel. She was trying hard to be pleasant, but her manner left Andrea cold. Still, if Helena could make the effort, then so could she.

The girl smiled and nodded. “I could do with some air and exercise too. I will come to you after I have dressed.”

Andrea ate up her breakfast. She needed to keep up her strength. Then, pulling on her layers of stockings and tunic to keep warm, she wrapped a large woolen blanket around her shoulders to keep off the chill from the sea air. Helena was already waiting for her by the door, and the two women set off into the bright winter air.

Together they walked over the brow of the Island to the northern-most point, the “Bay of the Breaking Waves,” the locals called it. The view was spectacular and the women walked on in silence, each one thinking of Alex in their own way. As they rounded the hill, Andrea began to break out into a sweat, becoming breathless before the pains started in her abdomen. Clutching her belly, she shouted out to Helena who was walking slightly ahead of her. By the time Helena had turned around, Andrea had already slipped to the stony ground, writhing in agony.

The Abbess walked over to the girl, a strange look upon her face. She was about to speak when a voice called out to them in the distance, and a small black figure approached them. It was Geraldina, who, noticing that Andrea had not taken her cloak, followed the two women to bring the garment.

“Geraldina, come quick, the young mistress is unwell, and we need to get her back to the nunnery as a matter of urgency.”

Slowly and carefully, the two women supported her back to the room. Luckily, they hadn’t walked too far and within half an hour, Andrea was tucked up in her bed with a roaring fire in the grate. The pain had subsided in her stomach, but her heart was racing and she had a fever. The physician had examined her and left another draught of bitter herbs to help her rest.

She slept for the rest of the day, and by suppertime she was feeling much better and sat up in bed to eat a small meal that Helena had brought for her. The Abbess had showed her great kindness that day, and Andrea wondered if she had been wrong to doubt her. It was only when Geraldina came to check on the fire about midnight that anyone realized the attack had happened yet again. After her meal, Andrea had slept only to wake with a raging thirst and a pounding head. As she had tried to get out of bed for a glass of water, the stabbing pains started again and she was too weak to shout for help.

The young nun wet a rag with cold water and laid it on her forehead. Andrea was almost delirious with pain but could see Geraldina smiling kindly down at her. For once the girl spoke.

“Listen to me. There is not much time. Helena is trying to poison you; she does not want you nor the child, now that her brother is dead. She is poisoning you through the food, and I cannot stop her–but I can give you an antidote for the poison. Here, drink this up and you will soon be feeling better.”

The nun went on to pour three drops of a reddish-brown liquid into a goblet and filled the rest with water.

Andrea drank down the potion; it tasted sweet and of berries, and within five minutes the fever had eased and the pains gone.

“You must take three drops of this with water before and after each meal to protect you. Now I must go, I have been here too long.” And leaving a small vial on the bed, the nun left, locking the door behind her.

She was in deadly danger. If Helena was trying to kill her, then she would stop at nothing. Geraldina’s potion would only prolong the inevitable. She had been right all along about Helena. Grandma Betty had returned back to the present on the seeming death of Andra, but then again she had the rune. What would happen if Andrea died without it in her hands?

All night she lay awake, afraid of every noise, of every footstep in case it was Helena’s. She tucked the glass vial under her pillow out of sight. Without the young nun’s help, she would have been dead already. She must keep the faith.

Chapter 12

Andrea eventually slept, for when she finally awoke the rain was lashing down at the window. She was also not alone; Helena was standing at the foot of her bed looking like death herself, dressed in a long black habit.

“I am glad to see that you have had a good night. I am surprised; the doctor thought that you might lose the child again. I have brought you some breakfast to keep up your strength. Some beef tea and bread will do you good, now let me help you.”

Her hand reached under the pillow. The little vial had gone. Her heart started to beat fast as Helena sat by her side and started to pick up the spoon.

“What is wrong, my dear? You look like you have lost something. Now drink some of this, it will do you good.”

Andrea had no choice; if she struggled, then Helena would force her. They were both playing a dangerous game, and Helena currently held the upper hand. Her only hope lay in the hands of Geraldina.

Soon the beef tea was all gone and Helena smiled as she proffered the last spoonful.

“There, all done. Now I will leave you to rest. I have told the other nuns not to disturb you today. I will lock the door and take away the key, just to make sure you rest in peace.”

The key turned in the lock and the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor until all was still. Was this to be her final fate?

After half an hour, the fever and the pains started anew and within an hour she was almost unconscious with the pain. Her mind kept blanking out, but she concentrated on the pain to keep her awake. The little song kept playing round and round in her head:

Long ago and far away

I dreamed a dream one day

And now that dream is here beside me.

The words came and went as she tried to sing them out loud, tried to remember the tune that the little nun had sung.

Her heart was beating fast, and her breath was rasping in her throat. So this was the end. She thought of Steve and New York, of her Grandma Betty, and of Alex.

Her eyes began to mist. Death was pulling her towards eternal sleep, and there was nothing she could do. As her senses began to shut down, she was aware of a commotion around her. The door had opened and a shadowy figure was in the room. Maybe it was Death paying her a personal visit? But the face was real. It was Alex; he had returned. He was shouting something out loud to another figure behind him.

“What have you done? What have you done?” His voice was desperate.

Soon she could feel a strong arm around her, sitting her up, shaking her, trying to restore life, but it was too late—she was slowly breaking down. The last thing she remembered was a small stone being thrust into her hand before all went black.

At 30,000 feet in the air, it all came flooding back to her. Geraldine MacDonald had found her that morning slumped over a grave in the little Chapel of St. Oran. She had been overdoing it lately, and the stress had taken its toll. Once she was feeling quite well again, the old woman had given her a book on the genealogy of the McDonald clan and not wanting to be rude, she had taken it along with her name and address and telephone number, just in case she happened to be in the area again.

At first she had tried to sleep. She had an aisle seat and was at least able to stretch out her legs. Yet every time she almost dozed off, vivid dreams and imaginings would wake her up. She looked in her carry-on bag. She had nothing to read except the book Geraldine had given her so she casually flicked through the pages to pass the time. On the third page she paused as she read the name of Alexhander McDonald. Her heart stopped as the memories came flooding back in every detail. Surely it had been just a terrible dream, brought on by her grieving state? Maybe she had been influenced by her grandma’s diary. She had always had an active imagination.

She looked at the family tree spread out in the middle pages of the book. There was Alexhander McDonald, married to Andra in 1642. They had a child, Alexhander (dead) in 1644, and another, a girl in 1645. There were no dates of death, only question marks against the entries. The history books couldn’t tell her everything.

Andrea put a hand against her stomach, remembering the pregnancy. Could it be that she was expecting? She had been sick that morning when she returned to the hotel, and she still felt a little queasy. Deep inside her, it all started to make sense. If it had been just a dream, then she wouldn’t be feeling so strongly. Alex had come through for her in the end, just at the right moment. She fished out the small rune from her jeans pocket and held it in her hand. This tiny object connected her past and present; it was her link to the one man she loved and would return to.

In the dark room of the nunnery, Alex McDonald held onto the still, warm body of his beloved Andra. The dawn had just started to break, and a weak sun was rising above the mist. He knew that she was safe and that she would come back to him. As long as he kept holding her, she would not die. Their love was eternal.

THE END

This exciting story continues with Highland’s Dream, available from Amazon now

Billionaire Romance

My New Holiday Billionaire

Pamela Avery

Copyright ©2016 by Pamela Avery. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

CHAPTER ONE

“I swear, Sage Tariq, if you shed one more tear over that loser… That’s it! Get up out of that bed!”

Sage looked up from puffy eyes at her friend of over ten years; Eden Carter was a force to be reckoned with. Eden was pretty, vivacious and knew her own mind with a confidence men seemed to find sexy. She was also one of Sage’s best friends, but right now, she was Sage’s least favorite person in the whole world.

Sage curled deeper into the fetal position; she wished heartily that she could disappear. She wished Eden would leave her alone; she wished everyone would just leave her alone. It wasn’t every day one’s fiancé dumped them in front of their boss and other colleagues, was it? She was dealing the best way she knew how.

Okay, so Brent Davies had dropped the bombshell over two weeks ago, but it took longer than that to get over a three-year relationship. Her friends, Eden and Beth, had rallied and taken her on a vacation to ‘get her mind off things’, but considering that tomorrow was the last day of their vacation and she was still tucked up in bed with popcorn and Kleenex, she didn’t think their plan had worked so much.

“Eden’s right, Sage, you need to get out of bed,” Beth piped up in her lilting voice. “We leave Madrid tomorrow, and so far, you haven’t taken in the sights. Eden and I have certainly had more than our fair share of fun while you’ve been lying here moping at the ceiling all week. Why, the hotel maids are beginning to look at us funny because they obviously think you’re an addled cousin we stashed out of sight in the room while we stuff our faces with lobster and sangrias every night.”

“Yeah, they probably think we’re Cinderella’s step-sisters without the step-mother,” Eden grumbled under her breath.

“I bet they think Step-mother is locked in here with you to make certain you stay put,” Beth tossed in.

It was too much, Sage burst into laughter, releasing the tension that had been binding her chest as she laughed and laughed and laughed. Beth was a jewel! She was really Elizabeth Adams, but everyone called her Beth. Sage had known her for just five years, but in all that time, she had seen Beth get angry only once; when someone had insisted on calling her Elizabeth despite her stated preference for Beth.

Beth’s platinum blond hair and big blue eyes, as well as her petite frame and tiny voice, often made people assume she could be pushed around; she usually corrected anyone foolish enough to assume that in her own inimitable style. She also had a dry sense of humor that showed itself at the most unexpected moments; like now.

Even Eden was convulsed with laughter, her heavy red hair swaying around her face as she doubled over with hilarity; tears of mirth standing in her liquid green eyes.

As their laughter died, Sage rose to a sitting position, drawing her knees up to her chest as she looked up at her friends. Her blond hair fell around her face in lumpy strings, some of it falling into her big brown eyes.

“You’re right, guys. I haven’t been much fun, have I?”  Sage asked, looking from one to the other.

“No, you haven’t,” Eden said honestly. “You’ve bawled your eyes out and memorized the ceiling for six days straight. Tonight is our last night here, since our flight back to the States is for tomorrow night. Why don’t we make it fun?”

Sage nodded, throwing off the duvet. She had dreamed of being in Spain for as long as she could remember, and now that she was, she had wasted the entire vacation. Anger roiled through her as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. She was pretty with a heart-shaped face, big brown doe eyes, long blond hair that hung to her waist, the cutest set of dimples, and huge breasts that had always driven men wild. Her eyes sparkled as she examined her figure. She was very chubby, especially with the extra flesh on her hips, thighs and arms, but she loved her figure and she wouldn’t trade it for anything. She was voluptuous and perhaps slightly over-weight for her height of five foot seven, but she had a perfect hour-glass figure and an amazing carriage, and she was damned if she was going to let any man make her question her own femininity and attractiveness. She only had to walk into a bar sometimes and half the guys went crazy; Eden called her the ‘guy magnet.’

“Brent Davies was a jerk!” she declared suddenly.

She saw her friends exchange glances in the mirror.

“Well, he was,” she insisted. “He broke up with me in the middle of the damn Christmas party, with my boss standing right at my elbow and listening to every word!”

“And with Jessamine clinging to Brent’s arm!” Eden chipped in.

Sage’s cheeks darkened with anger. Jessamine was Brent’s best friend who had never made any bones of the fact that she thought she was a better fit for Brent. She had been after the man for all the three years Sage had known him, even though Brent was too wrapped up in his research to notice. When Brent had proposed to Sage a year ago, Jessamine had almost choked on the insincere congratulations she had managed to force out of her throat.

Then she had slowly gone to work on Brent, planting seeds of doubt and dissatisfaction until nothing Sage did could ever please him anymore. He had begun to find faults with everything; her generous curves, which had driven him crazy in the past, were suddenly ‘excess fat that needed to come off in the gym’; her cooking, which he had always loved, was suddenly ‘too spicy’; her hair was suddenly too blond.

Sage’s fists clenched, now, in anger as she recalled how Brent had had the temerity to tell her at that Christmas party that her weight was a turn-off for him, with Jess and her perfect size zero hanging on his arm at the time.

It had taken all of Sage’s strength of character and maturity to keep from collapsing in an ignoble heap at his feet after he spoke those unkind words to her. She had simply kept smiling as though they were discussing the weather, offered him a distracted nod, and then excused herself to her boss before disappearing into the ladies’ room. She had remained there until everyone had left and then she had slowly crept out and staggered to the curb for a taxi to take her home, knowing she would never be able to drive in that state. The tears she had fought so hard to hold in check had immediately started falling when she’d gotten outside and seen Eden and Beth waiting patiently for her on the curb as though they had nowhere else to be. It was four hours after everyone else had left and yet, they had waited. She had been so devastated that night, she just knew she would never have gotten through it if they had not been there.

They really were the best friends in the whole wide world and she really couldn’t bear to be the reason their vacation was anything but amazing. Eden was a divorce attorney and she rarely got any time off; Beth was a psychologist and the story was much the same. She had to shake off the blues for their sake, she thought.

“If Brent can move on, so can I,” she whispered softly to her reflection.

Eden nodded approvingly and whipped out a list, waving it happily in the air.

“What’s that?” Sage asked, eyeing the paper suspiciously.

“A list of things to do before the end of the vacation,” Beth laughed, her blue eyes twinkling.

Sage shut her eyes in despair; she’d been had!

“What’s on the list?” she asked, reaching for it.

“No, no, no,” Eden sang, thrusting the paper out of her reach. “First things first, you need to take a shower and then we’ll play it by ear.”

Two hours later, she was waxed, plucked, and dressed in a leopard print, backless dress her friends had picked out. The dress clung sinfully to every last line of her body and made her feel very much like a femme fatale.

Eden’s list had fifteen crazy things to do on it and since her friends insisted they had already done all fifteen themselves without her, tonight was her night. She groaned when she saw the first item on the list; great!

Flash a handsome stranger in the lobby... then make a run for it.

CHAPTER TWO

“Okay, you’re both crazy,” Sage laughed, almost doubling over with hilarity as they stood just outside the hotel, waiting for their limousine.

She had already done six of the fifteen things on the damn list, including ordering for a limousine, drinking an entire bottle of chardonnay before dinner, going without any underwear, flirting with a bell boy, flashing the cameras in the lift, and hiding her shoes in her bag and coming downstairs barefoot.

She hadn’t done the first thing, though, and Eden insisted they would not leave the hotel until she had flashed some handsome stranger. So far, all the men she had seen had been with their wives or girlfriends, and while she was here to have fun, she didn’t want to cause trouble for some hapless man. If there was one thing she knew, her breasts were show-stoppers. They were large and round, and men tended to stare at the girls even when they were covered up, never mind when they were exposed. Why, one time, she had gone to the beach with Brent and he had gotten so jealous of all the glances men kept stealing her way that he had whipped out his sweatshirt and demanded she wear it. That was the first and last time he had ever taken her to the beach, even though he knew she loved swimming. If she flashed some man now, and he stopped to stare, she didn’t think his lady would be particularly amused.

“Don’t be a wuss, Sage. Come on, flash that elderly man and his wife,” Eden suggested, pointing at a pious-looking elderly couple sitting a few feet away.

Sage shook her head, dimples flashing as she smiled at her friends. “And what would happen if they keel over from the sheer shock of it? I can’t have that on my conscience.”

Beth laughed throatily, flinging back her blond head as she did so. “Okay, flash that super model’s boyfriend,” she suggested mischievously, pointing at a tattooed couple necking in the lobby of the hotel. They were trying so hard to appear romantic and in love, it was almost painful to watch.

“No, her breasts are the size of mosquito bites; I don’t want her to develop a complex,” Sage overruled. “Two years from now, she’d be telling Oprah how she developed a drug use problem because some blond woman flashed her guy in a hotel lobby in Spain.”

Beth snorted with laughter at that one, but Eden sighed and began to complain about the passing time. Sage rolled her eyes, opened her mouth and started to tell Eden that this had all been her idea so she could well wait until she saw whoever she was supposed to shock with her breasts and that was when she saw him.

He was tall, very tall, with a height of at least six-two; his hair was coal-black and in artful disarray around his head. It was sexily mussed, as though he had just gotten out of bed after rolling around for hours in said bed. His brows were dark, bushy and defined the sheer masculinity of his face, and even from this distance, she could see his eyes were also black as night. He had a pair of firmly chiseled lips, a firm masculine jaw, high cheekbones that strangely defined his masculinity, and a long aristocratic nose that gave his face character. His shoulders were so wide they tempted a woman to just lay her head on them and his chest strained with the promise of raw strength with every step he took.

He was so handsome he looked like a Greek god in the flesh, Sage thought dazedly as she stared openly at him. He was striding towards the hotel from the parking lot, his eyes glued to the smart-phone in his right hand while his left carried a backpack. He was dressed casually, in jeans and a shirt, but somehow, an invisible aura of power clung to him; he exuded confidence and authority. Barely restrained physical strength was also apparent in every line of movement his body made.

Eden and Beth had identical shocked expressions on their lovely faces as they stared at him, their mouths open. Sage licked her lips to keep her mouth from falling open. The man was truly delicious!

The man looked up just then as he came up to them, and his eyes met and held hers. Unable to stop herself, and without giving it a second thought, Sage reached up and slowly, very slowly, let the left sleeve of her dress fall, barring the creamy, silky skin of her full, thrusting, left breast all the way to the nipple and the fleshy, soft undersides of her breast.

The man’s eyes dropped to her large, naked breast, caressed the breast, feasted on it, before rising slowly to hers. Sage waited triumphantly to see the inevitable spark of desire in his eyes no man ever saw her breasts and didn’t go a little crazy. They were large, firm, fleshy and just begged to be caressed.

The naked revulsion and distaste that looked back at her from his black eyes were a surprise and it hit her like a splash of cold water. His lip curled in a sneer of distaste, making her feel lower than an insect.

Hastily, she scrambled to drag the sleeve of her dress into place and opened her mouth intending to apologize, but the man had already walked around her and her friends, giving them a wide berth, before disappearing into the hotel without a word or a backward glance.

“Who does he think he is?” Sage grumbled hours later as she sucked the lime from her drink.

She hadn’t been able to get the handsome stranger out of her mind, and not because of his looks, either. He had shaken her confidence in herself, which was something that had not happened since her teenage years; why, even Brent hadn’t managed that with all his unkind words. Yet, this man, with just one look, had managed to strip her of every last shred of confidence in a nanosecond. She had actually been on the verge of apologizing to the creep!

“He’s a boorish party popper, that’s who! He should have kissed the ground in gratitude that you picked him to show your jugs to,” Beth declared loyally.

“Forget him. It’s a vacation memory,” Eden said breezily. “You need to make out with a waiter,” she added in the next breath.

“What?” Sage gasped.

“Yeah, it’s the next item on the list,” Eden said earnestly, one long, manicured finger tapping the paper like it was the law of the universe itself.

“That damn list! I wanna see it!” Sage demanded, snatching it out of Eden’s hand over her friends’ protests.

Her eyes quickly scanned the rest of the list and she looked up and glared at her friends. “I may make out with the waiter in front of everyone, but that’s it. I am certainly not going to sleep with a stranger and snatch his wallet after that!”

“We’ll get there. Now make out with that waiter, he’s cute. You need to also go flirt with a group of guys when you’re done.”

“This is beginning to feel more like torture than fun,” Sage moaned, leaning her head against her hands. “I’m drunk!”

“Which makes it easier,” Beth cajoled.

“What the hell does that mean?” Sage wondered.

“Dutch courage,” Eden informed her. “Here he comes now,” she sang.

Sage looked up blearily at the waiter. He was cute, if her type ran to twelve-year-olds barely out of the schoolroom. She was just twenty-six, and yet, somehow, she felt as though she would be violating him if she planted one on him.

“Can I get you Senoras anything else?” he asked in thickly accented English.

“How old are you?” she croaked before she could think better of it.

“Twenty-two,” he said without as much as a flicker of surprise.

“Oh, you’re legal,” she breathed.

She rose to her feet in one fluid motion and before he could as much as draw another breath, she planted her lips firmly against his, drawing his lips in for a deep, deep, tongue-tangling kiss.

He gasped against her mouth and then his hands tightened around her waist.

“In your dreams, sailor,” she breathed as she pulled out of his arms.

The kid blushed, and then turned and fled towards the kitchen, his handkerchief flapping in his hands.

Beth and Eden dissolved into giggles.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Why did you have to use your tongue?” Beth whispered.

“How do you mean?” Sage whispered back.

“Come on, he’s a good-looking guy in an exotic tourist country with girls trooping in by the thousands daily; who knows where that mouth has been? He could have herpes!” Eden said.

Sage paled. “Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?” she asked, her heart hammering with fear.

Eden whooped with laughter and Beth actually slid off her seat in the booth onto the floor overcome with laughter. By now, everyone in the restaurant was looking their way and either grinning or shaking their heads.

Sage frowned suspiciously at her laughing friends, “What?”

“Did Did you see her face?” Eden laughed, one hand clenching Beth’s shoulder as they both convulsed in laughter, breathlessly struggling to regain control.

Sage glared at them. They had been kidding around, frightening her with thoughts of herpes. A sneaking suspicion entered her mind and she yanked the collar of Beth’s dress, hauling her off the floor and back onto the booth.

“Who did you kiss, Beth, during your own list thingy?” she demanded.

“Same guy. What gave me away?” Beth asked, grinning widely.

Sage shook her head in exasperation. Her friends had to be the most annoying people she had ever clapped eyes on!

She looked away angrily.

“Sage? Are you mad at us?” Beth asked, her laughter fading.

That was Beth; for all her occasional carefree attitude, she never wanted to hurt anyone. She was always the first of all three of them to apologize. Sage immediately felt like a heel when she saw the contrite expression on Beth’s pretty face.

She opened her mouth to assure Beth that she wasn’t angry but Eden forestalled her with a breezy, “Angry or not, you still have to do the next item on the list.”

Beth and Sage rolled their eyes in unison.

Sage looked at the list. Flirt with a group of guys and get them eating out of your palms.

Easy; or at least it should be. They were presently sitting in a restaurant cum bar and it was positively teeming with guys of all ages. Sage looked around, and for the first time, realized she was getting bored again; the men all looked alike for some reason. She really didn’t feel like flirting with a bunch of strangers; besides, flashing lobby guy hadn’t worked out so well. He had stared at her as though she were a bug that had crawled out from beneath his expensive loafers and strode away, perhaps to nurse his offended sensibilities.

Oh, what had she been thinking? A man like that definitely had a girlfriend. Now maybe he was laughing at her with his girlfriend.

“Earth to Sage,” Eden cried, clicking her fingers in front of Sage’s face.

“Sorry.”

“Get on with it then,” Beth said, nodding in the direction of a group of three men, sitting and laughing at a table for six. “And don’t forget the fourteenth item on the list; you can take any of them home tonight and snatch his wallet before morning,” she reminded her, eyes sparkling with mischief.

Sage leaned forward, “I am not going to bed with any of those guys!”

“Fine! All you have to do is take him into a room and drug him silly, then grab his wallet and run for it,” Eden said exasperatedly.

Sage stared at her friend’s red head as though she had grown an additional head. This was beginning to sound like something straight out of Most Wanted.

With a shake of her blond head, Sage slowly rose to her feet before striding to join the men at their table, her eyes trained on them with a deliberately predatory air that seemed to be fail-proof with guys these days.

“Hi fellas,” she purred, her voice huskier than usual.

Cougar mode; not that they were younger guys, though.

“What the hell?  Who are you?” one of them asked rudely.

Sage tried not to let her confidence falter at that one. It was already battered, thanks to lobby guy. She grinned saucily at the guy who had spoken; he was hot in a boy-next-door kind of way.

She opened her mouth to respond but she was forestalled by a shrill, “Who the hell is she?” from behind her.

She didn’t even have to turn around to know she was the ‘she’ in question.

“Sorry. My bad,” she began, casting a wry look over her shoulder at the three ladies standing behind her.

“Look at that, Lou, we turn our backs for one second and someone is panting after our guys,” one of the three ladies whispered sotto voce.

“Yeah, someone’s got some explaining to do,” the third lady said, coming forward aggressively.

Sage barely refrained from rolling her eyes at such drama.

“Listen ladies, I was not panting after your guys, I was only ”

“Waiting for me,” a deep voice interrupted with quiet assurance from somewhere behind them.

Everyone froze. Slowly, Sage turned around with everyone else to see who had spoken and she paled; it was lobby guy!

CHAPTER THREE

The man from the hotel lobby had changed into a burgundy sports coat, deep-blue shirt, and well-tailored pants that frankly put his earlier jeans and shirt to shame and his hair was even more sexily mussed than ever before. She noticed, for the first time, that he had incredibly red lips and ridiculously long lashes, the combination of which should have given him a feminine air, but, somehow, managed to make him look even sexier and more masculine. Beneath the soft play of the dim lights in the room, his features seemed more sharply chiseled, even more ruggedly handsome and an unwelcome coil of desire began to tighten in Sage’s heart. She could have sworn she also felt a spurt of wetness between her thighs.

“Sorry I took so long to bring the car around,” he said innocently, unaware of his effect on Sage as he flicked a smiling glance at her.

Her throat dried up completely and she wished heartily that he wouldn’t smile at her. That kind of grin, given its sheer potency, should be outlawed! It did strange things to a woman’s temperature, and it wasn’t just her. The three ladies had gone from being protective hens to looking like fatuous Cheshire cats with identical come-hither grins while their men were rapidly beginning to look threatened.

“Um, what?” she asked, certain she had misheard.

“Come on honey, don’t keep Cedric waiting in the limo. Who knows what mischief he could get up to,” he said, placing a firm hand beneath her elbow and pulling her gently to her feet.

Every nerve in her body went on immediate alert, sensation skittering from the point where he touched her to spread all over her body until her nipples were hardening into little points beneath her gown.

“Ladies? Gentlemen? Sorry for the interruption. Do have a good evening,” he said politely and then he inexorably escorted Sage towards the door.

“Where do you think you’re taking me to?” Sage whispered through gritted teeth.

“Out to the streets where you belong,” he informed her implacably. “I don’t need your kind on my premises,” he said quietly.

His premises?

“My kind?” she asked, voicing the more urgent question.

He had escorted her right past the table where her friends were sitting, stupidly gaping at the pair of them with their mouths hanging open like jellyfish, and then straight out onto the street in front of the restaurant.

She turned to face him, one eyebrow raised as she waited for a response.

He simply deposited her in front of the restaurant and turned to leave.

She detained him with a firm hand on his elbow. “Wait. What did you mean ‘my kind’?”

“You flashed me a boob in front of the Presidential hotel and then less than thirty minutes later, I found you making out with the waiter and then hitting up a couple of guys. You do the math. I know what you’re up to lady, but this is an exclusive restaurant and not for your type. I’m sorry, you’ll have to…ply your trade elsewhere.”

There it was again; she didn’t have to be a Brainiac to know what he meant by her type. This time, she let fly with her fist and slapped him as hard as she could, the force of the slap flinging his head back. Red welts immediately appeared on his smoothly shaven cheek and Sage determinedly squelched the surge of guilt that threatened to swamp her. She would not apologize, especially when he totally deserved it.

He stared down at her, his eyes as hard as ice chips in his angular face, and then he enunciated coolly, “I suppose some men find that a turn on, perhaps among your clientele; but I assure you, inflicting pain won’t get you anywhere with me.”

“You are just determined to be a jerk,” she cried, stamping her foot in frustration.

“I won’t ask you again, please make yourself scarce, Senorita,” he said, pinning her with a level look that told her he meant business.

Sage rolled her eyes. “I’m not a prostitute, okay? I had a dare with my friends, for crying out loud. Everyone does something crazy like that every now and then. You would know that if you were not some uptight country bumpkin without any exposure whatsoever.”

His lips twitched a little at that one and Sage glared murderously at him; she was on a roll and he thought something was funny? Was he laughing at her?

“If you so much as lay one more depraved finger on me, I’ll slam a lawsuit on you so fast, it will make your ancestors dizzy,” she promised furiously.

This time, he was definitely laughing at her. His eyes twinkled as he boldly stepped closer to her, his dark gaze searching hers. “Allow me to make amends. Please. I was obviously very wrong in my assessment of your person because I put one and one together and came up with eleven. Let me make amends, please.”

He was so earnest, sincere and eager; or at least he seemed that way, and Sage felt her anger give way, draining out slowly until she was weak with the loss of all that energy.

“What’s your name?” he asked, still fighting a grin as he watched her deflate like a balloon.

“Sage. Sage Ta  Talbot,” she supplied, watching him, amazed at the transformation in his features now that he had stopped glaring at her. She didn’t think it would be terribly wise to tell this stranger her real name.

“Will you do me the honor of having dinner with me, Sage?” he invited, his dark eyes boring into hers.

“I I’m already having dinner with my friends,” she told him. “Besides, you’re a stranger”

“I would like to change that. Please. I could never sleep with this on my conscience,” he added dramatically, splaying one large palm over his heart.

Sage giggled. He was a rogue all right. “Okay, fine. But my friends may not really enjoy one more person at our table.”

As if! Her friends would probably slobber all over him at dinner, she thought with an inward chuckle.

“Have you ever been to Spain? Taken in the sights at night? Let me give you a tour without your friends,” he cajoled softly.

Was it her imagination or did his eyes light up with that gleam men got when they wanted to have hot and heavy sex? Well, lobby guy hadn’t seemed interested in her before, so why the sudden interest, she wondered, all alarm bells ringing in her ear.

She stared at him speechlessly.

As though he had read her mind, he said softly, “I know, given how we met, you’re wondering just how safe you are with me. Smart.”

“Smart?” she asked, frowning up at him.

“Yes smart, because I can’t promise not to bite,” he told her, his dark gaze flicking from her face to her lips, stroking down her firm, rounded breasts, her waist cinched with a belt that emphasized her hourglass figure, and her generous hips before scanning her long silky legs exposed by the knee-length gown.

His meaning was as clear as the nose on her face. She waited for her affronted sensibilities to arise but all she felt was a quickening of her pulse.

“I don’t even know your name,” she protested weakly, her pulse hammering at the base of her throat so wildly that she was half-afraid he could hear it.

He grinned, a triumphant smile that was pure male and told her, without words, that he knew her protest was a mere formality. “I’m Raven. Raven Hawthorne,” he told her, watching her carefully as though he expected her to recognize the name.

He relaxed imperceptibly when she obviously didn’t.

She looked over at Eden and Sage; they had given up all pretense of eating and were almost falling out of their seats as they craned to see Sage and the stranger. He followed the direction of her gaze and hid a grin.

“I have to tell them I am going with you,” Sage whispered.

What was she doing? This was crazy! He was a stranger and 

Slowly, he reached up a hand and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I was so aggressive when I saw you earlier because, from the moment I saw you in that lobby, I wanted you with every fiber of my being,” he enunciated carefully. “I wasn’t really fighting you, I was fighting myself.”

He meant it, she realized. This was a man who said what he meant and meant what he said, no games!

“So you can tell them you’ll be back safe and sound in the morning, unless you don’t want what I’m offering.”

“Which is?” she asked. If he made the mistake of saying sex, she would run faster than a frightened rabbit, she decided.

He stared at her, his dark eyes tracing her features and then he said slowly as though in pain, “I’m offering you one night of excitement and anonymity. You’re on vacation, aren’t you? If you don’t do something absolutely crazy now, when will you?”

She bit her lip, thinking, and then nodded as she made up her mind and turned away to tell the girls and pick up her purse.

“Oh, and Sage?” he called, making her pause mid-stride and turn to look back at him. His dark eyes trailed sinuously, lingeringly down her generous curves, paused on her naked back daringly exposed by the cut-away of her leopard print dress, before rising sleepily to meet hers. “As to biting, I can’t wait!” he whispered wickedly.

Her entire body tightened and almost convulsed with pleasure right there.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Spain has got to be the most beautiful country on earth,” Sage sighed hours later, licking her fingers as she finished her winged chicken.

She had been places she never even knew existed; the man had taken her to a Tapa, a Copa and two different nightclubs, not to mention the cocktail bar where everyone had seemed determined to party the night away. The man was such a master of wild, exotic fun, he made Eden seem as tame as a tabby cat!

“It’s truly magical,” he agreed quietly.

Sage flicked him a thoughtful glance. In all the hours they had spent together tonight, he had been a perfect gentleman. He had not made any overtures, nor tried to hold or touch her inappropriately, and while she appreciated his restraint, she was beginning to wonder if he found her attractive at all or if he had just flirted with her out of guilt for his earlier nasty comments. Dawning horror swept through her; perhaps that was it! He only wanted to make amends and nothing else. Maybe he even had a wife waiting for him at home and with his looks, she was bound to be a skinny model type with perfect skin and perfect hair, and not someone with voluptuous curves and extra flesh.

“Are you married?” she blurted before she could think better of it.

He paused, gave her a weird look before he said with deliberate precision, “No, I’m not. Never have been and never will be.”

Sage didn’t have time to dwell overly-much on the last part of the statement because he was already leading her into yet another building. The words were in Spanish, but she knew a movie cinema when she saw one.

She turned to look at him, “I see enough movies to last me a lifetime in the States! This is my last night here, I want to see something foreign and exotic.”

He chuckled. “You will love this cinema. Trust me,” he added.

Resignedly, she let him lead her into the cinema which was beautiful, exotic and…empty.

“Do you think there’s a movie showing here now?”

“Who cares?” he growled in a low guttural tone.

Sage’s eyes widened. “Then why have we come here?” she asked.

“Why do you think?” he asked as he took her hand and guided her towards the very back of the theatre.

Surely he didn’t mean

Oh, he did, she thought on an inward sigh of pleasure as he turned her to face him and took her lips in a torturously slow and sensuous kiss. The kiss was leisurely, tasting, testing and then when her hands slowly rose to wind about his neck, he seemed to have gotten the response he was looking for; his hands tightened about her and he pressed her up against himself.

His tongue stroked hers slowly, surely. Then he raised his head and stared down at her. “Sage? Are you married or affianced?” he asked.

Amazingly, she didn’t even think of Brent as her fiancé anymore, she realized. Happily, she shook her head, “No. I’m not in a relationship of any sort,” she assured silkily.

She knew he had basically thrown her own words back to her, but she was glad he wasn’t the sort of man who would willingly close in on another man’s love interest.

His eyes gleamed with pleasure at her words and he leaned down again and took her lips in a more insistent and torrid kiss, his hands molding her figure, squeezing, caressing and stroking her soft skin.

“I have been in a serious sweat since I saw you in this number,” he told her now, his hand stroking the material of the gown.

“Why?” she whispered, pleased but surprised at the admission. Eden had insisted on it, claiming it was ‘divine’, but Sage had secretly thought it made her look fat.

“I can make out the entire outline of your delectable body,” he told her.

Sage blushed. Raven could be savagely blunt, she noted. It was most delightful!

He sank onto one of the cinema seats and pulled her into his lap, his hand immediately delving beneath the hem of her dress as his lips took her in a torrid, urgent kiss.

Sage eagerly parted her lips for him, her tongue meeting and melding with his as he kissed her. The kiss took on a life of its own, and soon, he was kissing her, and stroking and caressing every inch of her flesh, setting her on fire. Sage jumped a little when his hand stroked up her thigh to the juncture of her thighs and encountered naked, pulsing, wet pussy.

He jerked with surprise and pulled away from the kiss to look into her eyes. “No underwear?”

“It was a dare.”

“I’m liking your friends more and more by the minute,” he crooned.

“If I had known this was what was underneath or wasn’t underneath I would have fucked you on the Ferris Wheel hours ago.”

Sage chuckled with heady pleasure. Who knew a man’s simple, direct, sexual attention could be so empowering and intoxicating? She felt like a sex goddess; she felt as if she had captivated him with her sheer charm and prowess and all without any effort whatsoever.

“Yeah, your eyes did seem to glaze over a little one time on the Ferris Wheel.”

“Because I was wondering if you would slap my face if I solicitously grabbed your boob when it threatened to spill out of your dress.”

She threw back her head and laughed. This man was amazing and dynamic and a lot of wonderful things in between. Here she was, about to have what promised to be wild sensual sex with a perfect stranger and she was laughing her head off unselfconsciously in his arms. With Brent, she had never been this free and carefree; she realized, looking back now, that she had had to dim her light to accommodate his fragile ego. Never again, she promised herself now. She would never let herself be that person again for any human being.

She got distracted then because Raven dipped one slow finger into her pussy and began to caress the tiny nub of flesh. Unconsciously, she spread her legs wider to give him better access. His long, slim finger stroked her clitoris, gently sending sharp thrills of desire pulsing through her. Wetness pooled between her thighs, coating his fingers as she restlessly moved against him. He slowly, gently pushed one finger deep into her pussy, shoving, pushing, thrusting until he had embedded it in her tight, wet passage.

He leaned his head almost weakly against her shoulder and groaned, “Fuck, you’re tight as a virgin! Are you?”

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. “Brent was my first, though.”

“Who the hell is Brent?” he roared possessively.

Sage chuckled. His pretense at jealousy was sweet even though she knew he didn’t really mean it; maybe on some basic male level, but not really. A woman could love a man like this, she thought. Her laughter died immediately.

Don’t Sage, don’t you dare fall for the man! You will never see him again after tonight, so enjoy it for what it is, she cautioned herself.

“My ex-fiancé,” she informed him, gently stroking his huge, pulsing arousal through the jeans. He felt bigger than any man had any right to be, she noted worriedly. It was probably just the jeans, she thought.

“Oh! Brent! Bet he had a dinky one,” he said dismissively with smug pleasure.

It was so out of character for him that she laughed and laughed. She was still laughing when his finger began to thrust in and out of her and his warm wet mouth enveloped her nipple, sucking, tugging and licking in perfect rhythm with the motion of his finger in and out of her.

Sage threw back her head, writhing in his arms as he made love to her with his finger, driving the peak of pleasure higher and higher until she was spiraling out of control and shattering into a million pieces in his arms.

She drifted back to earth slowly, her long lashes lifting drowsily over her brown eyes. He gazed at her with something almost like genuine affection shining in his black eyes and then in a sudden flurry of movements, he lifted her right off his laps and flipped her onto her stomach so she was leaning over the back of the row of cinema seats in front of them.

The uniqueness of the position and the surroundings was so risqué and adventurous that she felt her blood begin a slow boil inside of her.

Sage gasped automatically when a movie suddenly came on and began to play on the projector.

“Raven. Someone could see us. It’s time for a movie,” she whispered.

He didn’t answer, just positioned himself behind her and thrust home with a grunt of satisfaction. Sage moaned against the back of the seats and her hips automatically began to undulate, twisting this way and that as he loved her.

Raven’s large hands came around her to grasp her breasts and he began to thrust into her again and again. Sage groaned with pleasure, her hips grinding back against him as he loved her from behind, the wet, slurping sound of their lovemaking sounding as loud as cannon shots in her ears. Her eyes were trained almost frantically on the entrance as she waited for people to begin to file in, but that hint of danger only served to heighten her desire.

He was so incredibly huge that he stretched her to the utmost, but it was pleasurable not painful because she was so unbelievably wet that his thrusts were smooth as he glided in and out of her.

A shout of laughter just outside the entrance announced the arrival of people and Raven immediately quickened his thrusts, his fingers determinedly kneading and squeezing her breasts as he fucked her harder, faster, more urgently. The fear of discovery tightened every muscle in her body and in one second, she was moaning softly, her vagina clenching and unclenching around him. As she squeezed his penis inside her involuntarily, he groaned audibly and then he too came in a rush, his penis twitching and jerking as he exploded inside her in wave after wave of pleasure.

By the time the first person appeared and started up the stairs, Sage and Raven were back in their seats, innocently focused on the movie lighting up the screen.

CHAPTER FIVE

It was at times like this, she heartily cursed her fair complexion, Sage thought, blushing furiously as Raven waggled his brows at her as they exited the movie theatre, two hours later.

She had watched the rest of the movie in a state of heightened awareness and helpless sensual daze because Raven’s hands had kept creeping into her dress and caressing her until she was near to fainting from sheer desire. The man was insatiable, she thought. After the explosive orgasm he had experienced, she would have thought he would not be able to have sex immediately after, but instead, he had been hard as a rock all through the movie.

Now, as he led her out, the gleam in his dark, slumberous eyes told her plainly that he hadn’t had enough of her.

“Will you come home with me tonight?” he asked, his eyes resting on hers as he watched her carefully.

Ever the gentleman, he had just had unbridled, passionate sex with her and yet, here he was, courteously asking her permission to have more sex with her. He seemed almost too good to be true, she thought, her eyes misting a little as she considered it.

She nodded almost shyly, and he grinned at her, with something almost like relief on his face. He leaned down and kissed her cheek gently, the unexpected motion making her eyes fly to his in surprise.

His eyes were so tender as he gazed back at her, and Sage swallowed nervously. Raven turned away then, to hail a cab, and she relaxed a little.

What was going on? Why had he looked at her with such emotion in his eyes? This was all just sex and fun for both of them, wasn’t it?

A cab slid to a smart halt in front of them just then and she stopped analyzing. Minutes later, the taxi pulled up to the same hotel she was lodged at and she looked at him in surprise.

“You are lodged here?”

He shook his head. “No. I am not lodged, per se. I actually own the hotel, so I have my own suite here, for whenever I’m in Spain.”

“Oh. Of course.”

He hadn’t been kidding, then, when he told her that he owned the restaurant she had been at earlier with her friends and had threatened to throw her out.

The lift took them to the highest floor and her breath caught in her throat at the plush luxury of the place. She stared around, her eyes almost falling out of her sockets in sheer wonder and amazement. The entire ninth floor of the hotel was built as a suite for his sole use. It was a veritable palace! It had to be the most luxurious room she had ever seen in real life or, indeed, in any other life.

Sage stared, mouth agape, at the ridiculously expensive furniture gracing different parts of the living room, pure gold ash trays, the thick, exotic rug that swallowed her feet, a chandelier that had to have cost an arm, a leg and a few other body parts, and several other choice furniture.

Raven turned to face her, his eyes darkening with passion as he reached for her. Sage automatically turned her face up for his kiss, her arms winding around his neck as his large hands kneaded her soft skin and molded her soft, womanly curves to the hard strength of his masculine body.

“From the moment I saw you in that lobby, I wanted you,” he whispered against her lips.

Sage rolled her eyes as she leaned back in his hands. “I sincerely doubt that. Come on, you looked so disgusted with me. I was amazed you didn’t spit on me or something. I don’t blame you,” she added with a smile to show she wasn’t angry.

His arms tightened about her, keeping her from pulling away from him. “I reacted so aggressively because I wanted you so much it was all I could do to keep my hands off you. I couldn’t get you out of my mind for a minute, and I even rushed back out to apologize, but you and your friends had disappeared,” he said. “Then, when I walked into the restaurant, minutes later, and saw you seated there, I thought my mind was playing cruel tricks on me.”

Sage frowned dubiously at him, “You didn’t seem inclined to apologize for anything when we met at the restaurant. You were going to throw me out, remember?”

Raven laughed, shook his head. “You really don’t understand men, do you? That was a jealous rage, nothing more.”

Sage stared in surprise. “You’re a very weird man, Raven Hawthorne.”

“So I’ve heard tell,” he murmured huskily as he lowered his head and took her lips in a slow drugging kiss that curled every last one of her toes and made her cling to him lustily.

“Make love to me, Raven,” she said simply.

His heart skipped a beat at the expression in her chocolate brown eyes. “Are you ready?” he asked, leaning down to lightly brush his lips against hers again.

When he lifted his head for a second, she said, staring up at him, honesty shining in her eyes, “Apparently, all you have to do is touch me and I’m wet and ready.”

Raven lifted her into his arms, his lips still joined with hers and carried her into a huge bedroom with a mighty king-size bed adorning the middle. As he lowered her onto it, Sage knew without a shadow of doubt that it was going to be a long, sensual night; very long indeed.

* * *

Sage came awake with a start, wondering what had woken her. She was so exhausted she could barely see straight and she stared around in disorientation at the strange surroundings, trying to place where she was. Her phone vibrated beside her again and she stared at it, realizing then that this was what had woken her up.

Awareness returned in seconds and she looked over at the other occupant of the bed; Raven Hawthorne. The man had to be the most passionate male of the species alive! After the movie theatre, he had made love to her five more times in one night, his appetite for her as intense as it was insatiable. A blush of pleasure stole up her cheeks as she recalled the various positions they had tried; positions she never even knew existed. They should have felt kinky and bad, but with him, everything just, somehow, felt right.

She leaned up on an elbow to stare down at him and an unexpected wave of tenderness swept through her, shocking her in its intensity.

She cared for him, she realized, her wide brown eyes widening further in shock. Heck, she loved him, she realized.

Her heart thudded in her chest with that realization and the sheer shock of it sent her moving. She scrambled out of the bed in a flurry of long limbs and tangled sheets, and her eyes widened as she realized that she had, indeed, managed to fall for a total stranger after just one night together.

She stared down at him in half-shock, half-tenderness, unconsciously memorizing his face as her eyes scanned his features. His long lashes framed his cheeks, resting against his cheekbones in a way that softened the firm, hard angles of his face. Sage slowly leaned down and caressed his cheek with the back of her hand, noting with surprise that his face was soft.

He looked so peaceful as he slept, almost like a baby, and was it her imagination or were his red lips somewhat puckered in slumber, she thought with a delighted grin.

Raven stirred in his sleep and murmured, “Sage.”

Her heart skipped a beat; how could he be murmuring her name in his sleep already?

Panicked, she edged away from the bed, moving as silently as possible. A quick glance at the alarm clock told her it was just 4:00am. Slowly, she struggled into her dress and picked up her strappy sandals in her hand. As her hands brushed against her naked breast, she blushed anew, remembering how Raven had worshipped them during their lovemaking. As she turned to leave, she subconsciously looked around for some sort of keepsake to remember him by.

Her eyes alighted on the wallet flung carelessly on the tabletop; she didn’t dare take his wallet, that would be too cheap. As though on cue, her phone beeped again, and this time, she looked at the screen. It was a message from Eden that said simply, “Don’t forget the last leg of the bet; snatch his wallet!”

She turned away, resolutely, to face the door, determined to just leave before he woke up. The rest of her life seemed to stretch emptily in front of her and with a frustrated sigh, Sage slowly turned back toward the bedside table and picked up the wallet. This was a very personal belonging and would remind her of him. Her eyes went to his gold watch resting beside the wallet. She returned the wallet to its position and picked up the watch instead; it was cold to the touch, but it was customized with his initials stenciled at the back of the watch and his picture inserted as the background on the face of the watch.

As she left the room, his watch dangling in her hand, she cast one last look over her shoulder, bidding him a silent goodbye.

Sage didn’t notice the tears streaming down her face as she went downstairs to her own room with the girls; she didn’t notice that her hair and clothes were tellingly disarrayed; she didn’t notice that other guests stared at her with curiosity as she descended; all she knew was that her heart was breaking into tiny pieces with every step that took her away from the one man that had touched her heart so profoundly in a matter of hours and left an indelible mark of his essence on her soul.

CHAPTER SIX

Raven Hawthorne steeped his fingers together in front of his face as he stared with acute displeasure at the bumbling private detective in front of him. The man was Irish with freckles on every inch of his face and eyes that seemed smart and intelligent, but so far, he wasn’t impressed.

“Are you telling me that, in two months, you have been unable to find even one of the three women?” he inquired silkily.

The man paled, his thin upper lip trembling as he croaked, “We have expended considerable resources, Sir. We can’t trace the women. They might as well have dropped off the face of the earth for all the clue they left us.”

“But I gave you the name of one of them…Sage! Sage Talbot.”

“We doubt if that is her real name, Sir, and even if it were, there are over three thousand Sage Talbots living in the States alone,” the private eye wheezed.

Raven hid his disgust behind a polite smile as he rose to his height and offered the man a parting handshake. This man was wasting his time and if he didn’t get rid of the loser in under two seconds, he would probably be tempted to strangle the man.

In the two months since he had woken up to find Sage if that was even her real first name gone, he hadn’t been himself. He had become unusually cold and ruthless, firing employees at the drop of a hat and driving bargains that were so hard that most of his business associates were openly becoming wary of him.

She’d had the unmitigated gall to screw his brains out and then steal away in the dead of night, taking his favorite wristwatch with her, like a common thief. A hitherto unrevealed and lame sentimental side tried to tell him that perhaps she had taken the wristwatch to serve as a keepsake; a memento to remember him by. He ruthlessly shoved that thought aside. There was no justification for what she had done; she had stolen from him and he would hunt her to the ends of the earth, if he had to, to take back what she stole from him.

His hotel records had not been able to yield much about the three friends because they had paid cash, but he had a friend in the FBI who might be able to help him. He recalled that he had managed to take a picture with her in one of those public photo booths. He ripped the picture out of his wallet, breathing a sigh of relief that at least she had not taken his wallet as another souvenir.

He would send the picture to a friend at Quantico; see if he could use some sort of face recognition software to help him.

He spun his chair around to stare out the huge French windows at the bubbling streets of New York. Somewhere in this world was the woman who had stolen his wristwatch, the last gift his mother had given him before she died and he would find her, or die trying.

She had stolen something else too, he admitted to himself, but he didn’t want to examine it too closely to ascertain what it was.

* * *

Sage Tariq bent over the toilet and emptied the contents of her stomach, her face twisted in a grimace as she stared at what she had thrown up.

It wasn’t every day a person learned she had gotten pregnant by a faceless stranger with the unlikely name of Raven Hawthorne. She could track him down, she knew, but she didn’t want to. She knew his hotel in Spain and his restaurant too, but he wasn’t a Spaniard; he was American. She had never tried to find out if he lived in America or Europe, but she knew one thing, she wanted this baby. It was unexpected, yes, but it would be a reminder of the most magical night of her life. She stared, with regret, at the wristwatch she had taken from him as a keepsake; if she had known he had given her something as precious as the life she carried beneath her breast, she would never have taken a mere watch. Eden and Beth had not even remembered to ask if she picked his wallet in line with the bet’s rules; they had been too involved in getting the details of their lovemaking.

She missed him, she realized. She had not been herself since she returned from her trip, and she had even quit her job because everything that used to interest her, suddenly did not.

Her friends were worried about her; according to them, she had been moping around, as though her heart had been broken, since they got back from Spain and they didn’t understand it or like it.  But try as she might, Sage could not dredge up much interest in anything. Flowers seemed dull and lifeless, work was a monotony she had to escape by resigning, even her usual evenings with the girls hardly appealed to her. Maybe because she hadn’t told them she was pregnant. It didn’t help, either, that Brent had been inundating her with calls since she returned; apparently, he had had a change of heart. Well, as far as she was concerned, he could take his changed heart and shove it!

Lately, she had taken up her one true passion; painting. She painted on large canvasses, from morning till night; bright, bold, exotic colors that reminded her of Spain and a passionate dark-haired lover with smoldering eyes as black as night.

On impulse, she ripped away a canvas she had been doodling aimlessly on for days and placed a fresh, blank, paper on the easel. She impatiently grabbed the tendrils of blond hair falling all over her face and did them up in a haphazard knot at the very top of her head, knotting it firmly and holding it securely in place with a rubber band.

Sage closed her eyes, letting her mind drift over the streets of memory. Images of Raven, lying peacefully atop the bed, his eyes shut in slumber, floated through her mind and she licked her lips slowly, almost feeling his lips on hers.

With a sigh, she let her brown eyes flicker open and with that image in her mind’s eyes, she started to paint, drawing large, bold brush strokes across the blank canvas, enjoying the feel of the brush beneath her hand as she drew him from memory. She must have sat there for hours, but it felt like mere minutes; when she looked out of the window though, night had fallen.

With a sigh, she turned away from the canvas, not stopping to admire her work as she strolled toward the kitchen for a snack. This baby would have her fat in no time, she thought. She had been eating every chance she got of late when she wasn’t puking her guts out, that is.

She grabbed a jar of peanut butter from the kitchen cabinet and used a spoon to scoop some out of the jar. She licked the spoon, shutting her eyes in bliss as the tangy flavor of the peanut butter hit her tongue.

A knock at the door drew her attention and with a weary sigh, she headed toward it. As she passed the partially open curtains of the living room, she spied Eden’s Yaris parked outside.

“Eden, you really need to get off my back,” she sighed as she opened the door.

She froze.

Eden and Beth stood on the doorstep with identical wary expressions on their faces; behind them stood Brent, sweating profusely.

Sage glared at the trio, disbelief and betrayal roiling through her. “What is this?”

“Sage, hear him out,” Beth began.

Eden was nodding vigorously, her large green eyes earnest in her pretty face. “You do need to hear him out. I chewed him out when he came to us, but he’s sincere.”

“Just as he was sincere the last time he strolled off with Jessamine on his arm after calling me fat!”

“Sage” Brent began.

“No! You don’t get to say my name,” she cut in icily, swinging her head around to glare at him. She must have moved too fast because, suddenly, she was dizzy. “I’m going in to sit down,” she declared weakly.

“Are you all right?” Beth asked, concern etched on her small face.

“You two muttonheads may come in if you want,” she declared. “But Brent, if you so much as set one foot past that door, so help me, I will chop it off!”

Brent paled, sweat standing clear on his upper lips. Then, just when she thought she would have to physically shove him out, dizzy or no, he mercifully turned around and skulked away.

As she watched him leave, Sage couldn’t help comparing the twerp to Raven and she wondered for the umpteenth time what she had ever seen in Brent Davies; the man was not in the same league as Raven. Heck, he was not even in the same stratosphere!

Another wave of dizziness assailed her and she turned away and slowly walked into her living room, sinking onto the nearest sofa and shutting her eyes.

Eden and Beth followed her worriedly, identical expressions of guilt etched on their features. They were so worried they left the front door wide open, but Sage was too busy trying not to keel over to notice.

“Sage?”

“I need to rest, please.”

“You don’t look good, honey. What’s wrong? You’ve been acting weird since we got back from Spain and you keep saying nothing’s wrong,” Beth said, biting her lip.

“The man didn’t have something you caught, did he?” Eden asked, sounding even more worried than Beth.

Sage stifled a laugh. She had caught something all right, but not the way Eden meant. “Right on the money,” she said derisively.

Her friends paled and exchanged glances.

“That bastard! He infected you with something?” Eden whispered in disbelief.

“I caught something from him all right; I caught his sperm.”

They both paused, confused.

“That doesn’t make sense, Sage,” Beth said gently, in case Sage was losing her mind.

“I’m pregnant,” she said quietly.

The shock on their faces was so comical Sage actually began to laugh. She sat up, feeling the dizziness pass as she enjoyed the expression on their faces.

Beth recovered first. “Oh my goodness, that’s amazing! It is amazing, right?” she asked cautiously, watching Sage’s face.

Sage nodded, her blond curls dancing around her face. “It’s the best thing that has happened to me in years.”

Eden was still speechless.

“And who’s the father? Brent or Raven?” Beth asked.

“Raven, of course. Brent hadn’t touched me in months before we split. You haven’t said anything,” Sage noted, looking over at Eden.

“Oh, she’s said a lot,” Beth assured her. “On the inside.”

“So have you told Raven?” Beth asked, her eyes shining.

“No, and I don’t plan to. And speaking of, what were you thinking, bringing Brent here?”

“You had been moping around since we got back and we just thought the breakup hit you harder than we realized. Little did we know, you had gone and fallen for Raven!” Beth said.

“I don’t want to talk about Raven. I don’t even want to think about him,” Sage declared, rising to her feet and pacing, unaware of the tall, silent man who had strolled in the door.

“Is that why you painted a giant picture of him?” Eden asked saucily, finally recovering her vocal cords.

“I was going to ask the exact same question myself,” someone said bitingly from the doorway.

All three friends turned in horror to see Raven Hawthorne standing just inside the living room, his face alive with wrath as he glared at the life-like painting of himself gracing the easel.

It was all too much, Sage felt herself slide helplessly onto the floor as darkness overtook her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Sage? Sage!”

Sage’s eyes slowly flickered open, but when she looked up straight into an arresting pair of midnight black eyes, she almost slid right back into a dead faint.

“Raven,” she breathed, his name like a prayer and a curse on her soft lips.

“Yes,” he affirmed as he leaned back and slowly helped her to sit up.

Sage looked around the room; Eden and Beth were gone.

“Where are my ”

“Gone,” he informed her shortly. “I had them exiled.”

“WhatWhat on earth did you do that for?” Sage sputtered furiously, looking about as though she expected the other women to somehow magically reappear.

“I needed to talk to you in private,” he said reasonably.

Sage’s tongue flickered out nervously and she licked her lips, her eyes huge in her already pale face as she stared at him and waited.

She saw his dark eyes follow the motion of her tongue and darken immediately with reaction.

“Where is it?” he demanded, his hand stretched out.

Sage stared at him. He had gone to all this trouble to track her down for a mere watch? Angry color suffused her face. She was angry at herself. When would she learn? She was nothing to him apart from a convenient receptacle for his lust during the occasional holidays.

Angrily, she struggled to her feet and marched over to her bedroom. In mere seconds, she was back, the wristwatch in hand. She slapped it into his palm and immediately stepped back out of reach.

She was too preoccupied with her own disappointment that she didn’t notice the one blazing in his dark eyes. Even though he had known she’d taken it, he had somehow held out hope that she hadn’t.

“Why?” he asked, staring at her now.

Sage shrugged, refusing to meet his eyes as she folded her hands around her mid-section to keep from doing something absolutely asinine, like reaching for him. “Keepsake, nothing more,” she said.

Her nonchalance infuriated him. For the two months since he had seen her, he had been living life on the edge, like a man with a death wish. He had become such a ruthless business man that his success had tripled, even though he had managed to at the same time destroy some competitors so completely that one of them had taken his own life. He felt dirty, unclean, as though he had become the sort of businessman his father had been.

“Why did you creep out of my bed in the dead of the night like a common doxy returning to the wharves?” he asked unkindly.

Sage’s eyes widened as she gasped in shock. Then before she thought better of it, she swung her palm in a wide arch and slapped his face as hard as she could. His head snapped back with the force of the hit and she felt a bitter surge of satisfaction sweep through her.

His eyes shut as he prayed for patience. He opened his eyes to see her glaring at him, unrepentantly, her blond hair scattered around her head like a damn halo while her lips trembled with the effort it took her to hold in her tears.

He had hurt her, he realized, and genuine sorrow swept through him. Whatever else she might be, he didn’t want to hurt her.

He reached for her, but she stumbled backwards out of reach, almost falling over in her haste to avoid his touch. “Don’t you dare lay one bleeding finger on me!”

His anger returned. “Why? Because, apparently, all I have to do is touch you and you’re wet and ready?” he asked.

Her face whitened as she recognized the words he flung so carelessly at her. She had whispered those exact words to him that night in Spain in the throes of passion.

“How dare you?” she whispered, her voice trembling with unshed tears.

“Oh, there’s nothing both of us wouldn’t dare,” he said, indicating the watch in his hands.

Her eyes lit on the now-hated piece of jewelry. “You got what you came for. Now take it and get out of here.”

“I also came to find out if you’re as delectable as I remember, Miss Talbot,” he said silkily.

“It’s Tariq,” she corrected unnecessarily. Of course he knew her surname. He wouldn’t have found her otherwise. “How did you find me?”

“The next time you decide to fleece some poor geezer you fucked out of his wits in some foreign country, you might want to remember that there’s such a thing called airport cameras.”

She swore and let fly with her fist again.

This time, he deftly caught her small palm in the air and hauled her against him, pulling her flush against his body.

Her breath whooshed out of her at the first contact of her soft, plaint body against his hard male frame and she stiffened defensively in his arms. His lips came down hard, punishingly, on hers, kissing her so brutally that tears stung her eyes.

Then he relaxed a little and softened his kiss. His tongue penetrated her mouth tenderly and tangled with hers in a wild, exotic dance. Sage moaned under the sensual onslaught he was weaving around her and her arms automatically wound around his neck, her hips already undulating in anticipation.

His large palms caressed around her back, down to stroke her ass, before gliding around to touch her breasts.

Deftly, he guided her back onto the cushions and his palm slowly began to massage her breasts.

Sage shut her eyes in ecstasy, drifting helplessly in the sensual web he had woven. She held onto him, moaning and groaning in his arms.

His hands slipped beneath the loose waistband of her shorts and he slowly inserted one finger into her wet, pulsing pussy. His eyes fastened on her face as his finger began to caress her, making her gasp and pulse in his arms. Sage groaned, her hips rising to meet his caresses as he drove her higher and higher; faster. Her hands clung to him, her eyes flying open in disbelief as she began to soar in a matter of seconds, her legs bucking as she came and came in waves of pulsating pleasure.

He made to rise, but she grabbed his arm and shamelessly pleaded, “No. I want you. I want to feel you inside me. Please.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. His fingers deftly unbuckled his belt and undid his fly. His huge, thrusting penis sprang free immediately, turgid with arousal.

“Are you sure?” he asked her one last time, ever the gentleman despite the roaring in his blood.

“Make love to me!” she ordered, almost wild with need of him.

Raven removed her shorts and panties in one deft move and positioned himself atop her, careful to bear most of his weight on his elbows. He entered her with one sure, swift stroke and Sage cried out with pleasure.

He groaned, pleased with the tight feel of her wet pussy around his hard dick. His hard masculine hands tenderly caressed her soft silken thighs as his moist tip sank to the core of her soft wetness. Then there was no more time for rational thoughts; he was moving, thrusting in and out of her repeatedly, his hips hammering away at her pussy as he drove them both closer and closer to the edge. His hands roughly kneaded her breasts, his dark eyes scanning every inch of her skin as he loved her so thoroughly that every cell in her body vibrated with need.

Sage cried out as pleasure rose higher in her and then she screamed his name, a low keening sound as she shattered in his arms. Raven watched her face, enjoying her pleasure. When she had finished, he increased his tempo, going faster and faster.

His dark eyes met and held hers, as he too began to buck and cum, spilling his seed straight into her waiting pussy.

When he was finished, he rolled away immediately and gasped, “We need to learn to use protection one of these days. There could be consequences.”

Sage shot him a wry look, battling with the urge to tell him that there were already consequences; she would say ‘consequence’, but seeing as the good doctor had confirmed that she was carrying twins, she didn’t think the singular appellation would work.

“Um, Raven? We should talk,” she began shyly, licking her lips as she struggled unselfconsciously to her feet. Somehow, Raven made her feel good about her body; he loved her breasts and he was crazy about her ass and hips and just about every part of her. She blushed anew as she recalled the way he had made wild, sultry love to her in that hotel room in Spain. She absolutely had to tell him about the babies, she decided as she watched him. Whatever else he might be, he would be a good father, she thought.

Raven buckled his pants and did up his zipper before he looked over at her, his eyes cold and lifeless. “There’s nothing to talk about, Sage. You gave me back my watch. Oh and don’t worry, I won’t be pressing charges for the theft,” he said.

“I didn’t” she began, intending to let him know she only took it to remember him by.

But he didn’t let her finish. His dark eyes flicked to the sofa where they had just made love and he said harshly, “I think this was payment enough. I won’t be pressing charges.”

And just like that, he spun on his heels and strode off with the causal unconcern of someone just leaving the beach.

As Sage watched him go, dry-eyed, inside her, what was left of her heart quietly died as all the love she felt for him hardened inexorably into hatred.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Raven flung an arm over his eyes, cursing beneath his breath as the telephone on the bedside table rang repeatedly. Since last night, he had been in a foul temper; he had called himself ten kinds of fool. He didn’t want to admit it to himself but he loved Sage, which was why her betrayal had hurt so much.

But that had been nothing compared to how he’d felt when he had seen the hurt on her pretty face when she had realized he had only made love to her out of vengeance. That was what he told himself, but a part of him knew he had made love to her because he wanted  no, he needed to have that memory with him for the rest of his life. She was like a virus in his blood; he only had to shut his eyes and she was laughing gaily up at him in his mind’s eyes, her brown eyes twinkling and sparkling with health and vitality.

She had looked a bit wan, he remembered, with a worried frown; and this was before she had even seen him, so he didn’t think that was from the shock of his appearance. Her taking his watch had made him feel used, which had hurt to no end.

“You really are ten kinds of fool, Raven old boy. She and her friends were just out for fun, flashing strangers in the street for, Pete’s sake! And you had to hand over your heart like a damn idiot.”

The phone rang again and he ignored it; whoever was calling from reception could go straight to hell; he didn’t feel like talking to anyone well anyone apart from a certain brown-eyed, sad-faced blond.

Whatever else she may be, he loved her, he realized. If nothing else, he owed her an apology for last night and he had to make it right. He was a billionaire, with holdings in almost every exotic country in the world, but for the past two months, nothing and no place excited him. If he didn’t want to live the rest of his life in dull monotony, he needed Sage.

With a muttered oath, he shoved to his feet and stalked into the bathroom. In two seconds, he had brushed and shaved and he immediately grabbed his wallet and strode out the door. He was waiting for the lift when it arrived bearing two angry women Sage’s friends!

The redhead took one look at him and aimed a blow straight at his nose. He deftly caught the tiny fist, surprised at the force she had put into the blow. That would have broken his nose and probably knocked him out!

“What the hell?”

“You have a damn nerve!” the petite blond with pretty blue eyes spat.

“I don’t follow!” he said, releasing the redhead’s hand and turning warily to face the other little dynamo.

“You made her cry! Again!” the woman spat angrily.

No prizes for guessing who ‘she’ was.

“I, um, I know. I was actually on my way to her now”

Both women immediately aligned their bodies in front of the lift, effectively blocking his path.

“Why? So you can torture her some more over some useless piece of trinket?” the redhead asked.

“It’s not useless. My mother gave it to me with her last dying breath,” he protested automatically.

Silence.

“I was actually on my way to see Sage and apologize for behaving so dreadfully,” he said, encouraged by their silence.

The redhead threw her head back and laughed harshly. “Well, good luck finding her. She left last night!”

His heart skipped a beat. “Left? For where?”

“Parts unknown! She wouldn’t talk to anyone, which is all your fault!”

Raven felt every last trace of energy drain out of his body and he slowly sank to the floor, his back against the wall. How was he going to survive losing her? Would she even be back?

As though she had read his mind, the blond said, “And she took a year’s worth of clothing with her when she left, so good luck finding her!”

“And for the record, Sage only took that useless piece of trinket because we dared her to steal all the cash in a stranger’s wallet. She took your watch instead and never sold it!” the redhead flung over her shoulder.

With a shake of their collective heads, both friends disappeared back into the lift, muttering audibly about insensitive men who deserved to be strung up, hung drawn and quartered.

She could be anywhere in the world! How would he find her, he wondered.

Well, how did you find her the last time? his mind wanted to know.

Galvanized into action, he raced for the lift and dashed downstairs to the lobby. He hailed the first cab he saw and headed straight for the airport. He would look at the cameras.

The moment the taxi pulled up at the airport curb, Raven flung a few notes at the cabman and dashed into the terminal, his head swinging around wildly. He grabbed the first security man he saw and shoved a thousand dollars into his palm as he demanded to see the cameras.

“Whatever for? Someone pick your pocket?” the man asked as he hurriedly pocketed the money.

“I need to find someone, my…wife! She left in a huff and headed here and she could be halfway around the world. I just wanna see what flight she boarded.”

“You say she was pissed?” the man asked musingly, staring off into the distance.

“Yes!” Raven affirmed impatiently. If he could just find out what plane she had boarded, he could jet on his private jet and be waiting at her destination airport by the time her plane landed.

“This…wife, she wouldn’t happen to be blond, somewhat chubby, with sad brown eyes would she?” the security man asked.

“That’s her! You saw her! What plane was she on?”

“She’s right over there,” the man said, nodding toward the waiting crowd.

Raven turned slowly and felt his stomach flip upside down; Sage sat a few feet away, weeping openly into her handkerchief as though her heart was broken.

“Now, if you had anything to do with the way that poor girl’s weeping, mate, then it’s a good thing she left you,” the security man informed him huffily before swanning off with his nose in the air.

* * *

Sage was certain this was what it felt like to be a homeless hobo. She had packed up almost her entire belongings and now she just sat at the airport confused. She had wanted to go to Spain, back to where it had all started and just put things in perspective, but now… She missed her flight and she couldn’t think of anywhere else to go.

Someone sank onto the seat beside her, but she kept her eyes focused on her palms, refusing to look up. She didn’t feel like chatting and if this idiot couldn’t tell then

“I’m sorry,” a familiar voice said quietly.

Sage’s shocked eyes flew to his face. Raven! Her stupid heart did a happy jig until she sternly calmed it down and glared at him with all the hatred in her heart.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she spat.

“I never meant to hurt you. I was hurting myself. I felt used and stupid and I lashed out. I was wrong.”

“Go to hell!” she spat and sprang to her feet to leave. He wouldn’t let her.

His hand clamped about her wrist like a manacle and then he dropped to his knees, his eyes trained on her face. Everyone turned to look at the pair of them, the waiting crowd giggling as they obviously waited for some romantic proposal.

“You’re embarrassing me!” she whispered furiously, trying to tug her arm from his grip. It was no use; it might as well be a handcuff for all the give it had.

“Then sit back down. Please, Sage.”

She slowly sank back onto her seat and he released her wrist, but he remained kneeling.

“Sit,” she ordered furiously, her face suffused with embarrassed color.

“I can’t. I don’t deserve to. I have been an ass. I shouldn’t have said what I did, especially because it wasn’t true. I was hurting, so I guess I just wanted to hurt you back.”

Sincerity blazed back at her from his eyes and she relaxed a little against her seat, feeling some of the hurt gradually seeping away just like that. The man had a scary power over her.

“I was wrong, Sage. I I love you,” he admitted quietly. “And I guess I just felt you took that watch to make some money, but you never sold it after two months. That alone told me it was a keepsake for you. My mother gave me that watch before she died and that’s all it was to me; of sentimental value. But now I realize I would cast a thousand of it away before I would lose you. I want to hear you laugh again and hear your soft cries as I ”

The elderly gentleman seating beside them cleared his throat loudly and ruffled his newspaper.

Sage giggled, unable to help herself at the look of exasperation on Raven’s handsome face.

“Why don’t we get out of here?” he suggested.

Sage shook her head, smiling happily at him, “You said you love me?”

“With all my heart.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re you, and because I can’t help myself,” he told her softly.

Tears sprang to her eyes again; this time, tears of such joy that her entire face glowed with it.

Seeing the tears, Raven held her fingers in his and asked quietly, “Will you make me the happiest man on earth, Sage, and be my wife?”

Now the tears were falling down her cheeks unchecked, her heart thumping in her throat as she stared at him in shock.

“Please,” he whispered when he thought she was hesitating.

She wasn’t hesitating; she was speechless.

“There is nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you; to have you in my arms and to have you as the mother of my children. You do want kids, right?”

Sage nodded happily, her hand going protectively to her midriff.

“Say yes, Sage. I don’t have a ring right now, but I swear the minute we get out of here, I’m going to get you the biggest, honking diamond I can find!”

Sage dissolved into laughter and threw her arms around his neck, loving him as he slowly rose to his feet, taking her with him. She leaned back in his arms and grinned at him, “Yes I love you, and yes, I’ll marry you.”

He leaned down and took her lips in a kiss so infinitely tender that it would have melted her into a puddle right there if his powerful hands hadn’t been holding her up.

When he lifted his dark head, she smiled at him, “And about those kids, how do you feel about twins?”

He grinned happily, “Well, if it’s twins you want, I hear we have to make love at least thrice a day to get twins. I’ll be happy to oblige you, ma’am,” he said, leerily.

She laughed. He really was something else. “Slow down tiger. Before you start rotating the mattress in your mind, I’m already pregnant. Twins!”

His heart skipped a beat against her chest and then he grinned, looking happier than she had ever seen him as he said, “I must be the luckiest man alive.”

No, Sage corrected inwardly as she hugged him tightly. She was the luckiest woman alive, she decided, as her eyes shut.

THE END

Badass Billionaire

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2015 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work

Chapter 1

Riiiiing! Riiiing!

Amy sat at her desk finishing a report to give to a judge when the rather annoying sound of her telephone interrupted her. She was careful to minimize the word processing program before she turned to the beat up telephone that sat on the desk in her cramped office.

“Here For You, Amy Delaney speaking,” she answered, taking the receiver off the cradle.

“Miss Delaney, this is Tabitha again,” came the static distorted voice on the other end of the line.

“Yes, Tabitha, I was just working on your report,” Amy said, placing her forehead in the palm of her left hand, elbows on the desk.

“Yes, I just wanted to make sure that you were going to recommend that he stay in jail…you can’t let him get out.”

“Tabitha, as I have told you, the contents of my report to the judge are concealed until the date of the hearing,” Amy said gently, “If I told you what I am recommending, then I would lose my job and could go to jail, myself. You don’t want me to go to jail, do you?”

“No, no…I don’t want that! I don’t know if I could keep going without you, Miss Delaney!”

“Tabitha, it’s not me that has helped you move on, you’re helping yourself. Now please, if I’m going to finish my report and have it faxed to the courthouse in time for the hearing, I’ll need to get off the phone. Can we talk some more at your appointment on Tuesday?”

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll talk to you on Tuesday, Miss Delaney,” Tabitha said, quickly disconnecting from the call.

Shaking her head as she replaced the telephone receiver on the cradle, Amy caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror that hangs on the back of the office door. She stood up, and walked over to it, examining her reflection.

She had always known she was attractive, with her long dark and hair and chestnut eyes, but she was a little insecure around the midline at times. She thought she looked great, but it was annoying when everyone seemed to be chasing the bean poles. Oh well, she thought, her ship would come in. Her sometime boyfriend, Todd, didn’t help matters. He was seeing other girls every chance he got. He had even had the audacity to come right out and tell her that her weight “kind of bugged him”, and that he didn’t know if he could see himself in a “real” relationship with her. God, what an asshole.

Sadness overwhelmed her as she thought over her last “steady” relationship she had had. That would be Justin. He had joined the Marine Corps immediately after high-school, and proposed to her on his last night in Black Rock before he shipped out for Iraq in 2005. He was dead by 2006.

This had been the trigger that led to her eating more than anything. But Amy had never been one to hide. So, rather than not fit in at all, she began to compensate for her perceived lack of physical appeal with “fat” jokes…usually at her own expense. She wasn’t even that big. She was just curvy, but she found her place making the jokes nonetheless. Sure, she had plenty of friends all through her college career at the University of California at Berkeley, but between grief over Justin’s death and her subsequent weight gain, her sex life had consisted primarily of one night stands ever since.

“Whatever,” she thought, “I am who I am, after all.” The older she got, the less she could constantly worry about it. She had a plan to start hitting the gym soon, but in the meantime, if guys didn’t appreciate her as she was, well screw ‘em…they weren’t worth her time anyhow. Of course she still had her insecurities, but she was beginning to feel better and better about herself. She was actually beginning to sort of revel in her curves. The guys didn’t know what they were missing.

“Oh my! Is that the time?” Amy said to herself, coming out of her mental wanderings. She had glanced at the clock on the bottom, right hand side of her ancient PC after typing in her password. “No wonder I’m so hungry!”

It was very nearly 1:45 p.m.

She got up from her desk, grabbed her purse, and began walking toward the door.

“Alice! I’ll be back! I’m getting lunch!” she hollered to her supervisor, the lead at the grief counseling agency that she worked in. Entering the hallway and turning to the right, she shouted out “Hey! Hold the elevator!” just in time to see the arm of a tailored suit ending in a deeply tanned hand extend itself to hold the elevator doors open.

Houston Storm was feeling hungry as well, and so decided to go to Giglio’s for lunch. He quickly placed a phone call to his valet, asking him to bring a car around.

“Which car, Mr. Storm?”

“I think I’ll take the Viper, Steven,” he answered. Hanging up the telephone hotline to his garage, he walked out of his 1,000 square foot personal office, and across the floor of offices inhabited by the rest of his staff, who handled all of the “nuts and bolts” of his company, Larger-Than-Life-Love Inc. The company controlled seven of the top ten niche dating websites in North America. Their premier website, “largerthanlifelove.com,” was deemed the most profitable web based dating site for the previous three years. Nowhere was this fact more obvious than in the lifestyle choices of the company’s founder, Houston Storm.

Having been named the “San Francisco Bay Area’s Most Eligible Bachelor” for each of the previous four years was likely a byproduct of being named one of California’s “Top Ten Richest Men” for the previous five years by The Californian magazine. Whether it was the actual rankings, or just who he was, the fact was that he found woman falling at his feet seemingly everywhere he went. He had absolutely no problem taking full advantage of this fact either. As a result, and probably coupled with the fact that he still had not even reached the tender age of thirty five, the paparazzi had already branded him as a “bad boy”. They seemed to have no more favored task than proving their label by keeping the tabloids supplied with an endless series of shots of him and his many female guests inside his Los Gatos mansion compound.

The truth was, however, that he had created his first website in his second year of junior college—Larger Than Life Love—in order to actually find that perfect woman. The only problem was, instead of drawing to him the kind of small town girl he really desired, his being rich and powerful brought all kinds of disingenuous women to his door instead.

After he walked to the elevator and punched the ground floor button, he had expected an uninterrupted journey down the seventeen floors of the Yuanfen Building, which was normally quiet by this time of day, but he was wrong. On the sixth floor, his elevator car picked up a young intern from the law offices on that floor She rode down to four before getting off. The door was just closing when Houston heard the voice of a young woman, calling for him to hold the door. Extending his expensively clothed arm through the door, he beheld the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Chapter 2

Immediately in awe of the breathtaking sight of the man wearing the suit, Amy found herself momentarily breathless. Everything about him—his custom tailored suit, his piercingly dark eyes, his deep tan, and the way his black hair carelessly waved to the right side of his perfect head—was simply … perfect. His eyes, a deep chocolate, were focused intently on her own.

His nose sat dead center of his perfect face, with a very deeply indented bridge sitting equidistant from both of his eyes. His black eyebrows, which arched down from the outside in, gave him a shrewd look, in addition to making him appear darkly mysterious. He had a very thin chin and pronounced cheekbones in addition to a black and well-groomed goatee. His neck was very muscular, with a well-defined Adam’s apple, with just the uppermost tip of a tribal style tattoo sneaking up behind his left ear.

His shoulders were broad, and betrayed a sense of careless athleticism, making it evident that he was once a formidable force in whatever athletic pursuit he participated in. The suit was made of the finest black fabric, and shined in the dim light of the elevator, betraying the presence of silk. Under the sporty suit coat, the dark man wore a simple beige button up shirt; with the top two buttons undone, the man looked as if he was intentionally displaying a tuft of his dark chest hair.

Amy was a sucker for chest hair.

For pants and shoes, the godlike man wore simple, dark blue jeans and pristine, gunmetal colored Testoni dress shoes.

Amy stepped inside, and the doors closed behind her. She immediately felt as if every molecule of air in the enclosed space had been consumed, leaving her in a vacuum, with only the well-dressed and gorgeous stranger as company. Time seemed to freeze, as she was suspended in the elevator, which seemed hell-bent on staying still. Finally, the stranger broke the thick silence, and asked,

“Which floor, darlin’?”

“Ground,” she said, sharply taking in a lungful of air.

“Where are you going this time of day?”

“I lost track of time, and didn’t get lunch,” Amy answered. Her chest was heaving with the stress of trying to swallow the suddenly thin air in the elevator.

“I am too, oddly enough. How would you feel about accompanying me to Giglio’s? It is rare that I get to have such a ravishing a meal-time guest as yourself.”

“Giglio’s?” Amy asked, shocked. The restaurant had been rated as five stars by no less than seven different renowned food critics. Tables were notoriously difficult to get, and were worth over $150 per seat. “I’d love to, but I don’t have that kind of money…”

“Baby, I don’t think I asked if you could afford Giglio’s, I asked if you would join me.”

“Uh…” Amy said, completely unsure of whether she should accompany the stranger to lunch. When she left her hometown of Black Rock, Arkansas to attend college at Berkeley, her father had warned her to be careful to avoid strange men…but this was no normal strange man.

“What?” the man asked, “Afraid to accompany a stranger to lunch?” he shrewdly asked.

“Um…yes, actually,” she answered, blushing a brilliant shade of scarlet.

“Fine,” the man said, holding out a hand, “My name is Houston Storm.”

“Amy Delaney,” she answered him as she took his hand.

“There…now we aren’t strangers,” Houston Storm told her as the elevator doors opened, displaying the magnificent marble of the Yuanfen Building’s foyer. “Now, will you accompany me? There’s my car at the door…I can drive us.”

Amy looked outside the glass façade of the building and saw a completely gorgeous, blue Dodge Viper. “Uh, yeah…I mean, yes, I’d love to.”

“Excellent!” Houston exclaimed, flashing a smile which betrayed a perfect set of completely straight and brilliantly white teeth. “Here, let me get the door for you,” Houston said, opening the passenger side door of the Viper. “Thank you, Steven,” he said to the valet, handing the young man a $50 bill in exchange for the keys.

When Houston cranked the car, and pulled away from the curb, Amy said “Wait…lunch service stops at two o’clock at Giglio’s. How are we going to eat?”

The car’s clock and Amy’s cell-phone showed it as 2:02 p.m.

“Don’t worry,” Houston said with a laugh and another smile. “I own a third of the business.”

Houston could not believe his good fortune as he pulled the Viper away from the curb in front of the Yuanfen Building. His day had been going exceedingly badly until the gorgeous Amy Delaney agreed to accompany him to lunch. To start, he had received no less than four letters attempting to blackmail him. Apparently, there had been paparazzi near his pool house the previous week, and had captured the entire business between he and rising Japanese starlet, Willow Saito. The young woman had been in a very public dating relationship with a popular minor league baseball pitcher for the local Giants affiliate. There had been a lot of talk about the boy going across the country to play AA ball for the Richmond Flying Squirrels in Virginia.

Being an opportunist, Houston had swooped in on the opportunity to get some Asian tail after seeing Willow at a San Jose Giants game. The asshole photographer managed to get some very compromising pictures of Willow as she entered the pool house alone and clothed, and came out with Houston—naked. He seemed to think that he would want their new affair kept quiet.

Houston had spent two hours on his phone that morning with the paparazzi photog, explaining that he didn’t care who saw the pictures, and that he shouldn’t expect a goddamned dime from Houston’s personal coffers…it wasn’t as if his titties had been bouncing for the camera! Why would he care if the photographer sold the pictures to some tabloid?

Houston had always been a playboy…and being filthy, stinking rich had not changed this fact. Sure, he had gone from being a bar bouncer to pay for junior college to being the San Francisco Bay area’s second richest man, valued at just over $19.8 billion. He had even used his bad boy reputation to score new bedroom trophies.

The niche dating business was certainly lucrative.

The simple fact was, however, that he was still the same kid who had grown up as the only white kid on his block in Modesto, California, surrounded by Hispanic gang members. Growing up in this rough environment taught Houston skills that, while not useful in his failed attempt to graduate college, had certainly served to keep him alive. It wasn’t as if he was scared of some prima donna baseball player who was going across the country in a week’s time.

So it was that when Houston left the Larger Than Life Love, Inc. offices, he was in a distinctly bad mood…until he reached the fourth floor, that is.

As a Web Design major at his junior college, he had started largerthanlifelove.com to find the perfect bigger girl, and instead ended up in a string of bad relationships that were punctuated by intense sexual experiences. He loved the exhilaration of having a new lover every other week…almost always with the skinny-as-hell-model types that were only interested in his fortune. The thrill of the chase was the only thing that distracted him from the demons that still haunted his dreams, but these pencil thin types were not what he truly desired.

He wanted a woman just like Amy Delaney. There was a time a “Botticellian” woman was the ideal. Of course that had been five hundred years ago, but he thought it was time for a comeback.

When the gorgeous woman to his right had hollered for him to hold the elevator, he felt something he realized he hadn’t felt in a while…genuine attraction. This goddess of a woman kindled a fire deep inside him, and forced all thoughts of Willow Saito far from his mind.

Chapter 3

When they arrived at Giglio’s, Houston had the red carpet rolled out for his lunch guest. As they sat talking over their antipasto and waiting for their entrees, Houston surveyed his prey. Amy is average height, with wavy dark hair that falls carelessly passed her shoulders. Her eyes are beautiful almond, and she had a way about her that seemed to light her entire face up.

She was dark and alluring, just as he like his woman. She had an almost exotic look about her. Her eyebrows were highly arched, creating a uniform curvature over each of her eyes. She liked the way she clearly put attention on taking care of her appearance. Her chin came to a distinct point, which gave her face a thin appearance, despite her curves.

Although she cared for her looks obviously, it was not overdone, and the result was that she was the exact type of girl-next-door that Houston had always craved to be with.

She wore a simple white dress that was decorated with large, lavish hibiscus flowers that were colored brilliant shades of red, along with a red fabric belt that gathered at her waist, visibly slimming her, and extenuating her curves all the more. Her breasts were noticeably large, and while they certainly drew the eye towards them, she was careful to keep them concealed in a valiant attempt at modesty. Her ample hips swayed sexily when she walked, and Houston spent much of the ride to Giglio’s wondering what it would be like to hold them in the heat of passion.

Finally, after they arrived and were seated for a while, their splendid meal of linguine with clam sauce arrives, and the conversation turned to their respective pasts.

“Where are you from, Houston?” Amy asked, dabbing the side of her mouth with a napkin.

“Originally? Modesto. About two and a half hours drive from here…depending on the route you take.”

“Modesto? Isn’t that the city where—?”

“Where Scott Peterson killed his wife and unborn baby? Yeah, it is,” Houston answered the common question.

“Wow…where were you at the time?” she asked.

“I was actually in town from school when Laci was killed, and my mom went to the New Year’s Eve candlelight vigil.”

“Wow.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“Me? I was a sophomore in high school at the time, so I was still in Black Rock.”

“Black Rock?” Houston asked.

“Black Rock, Arkansas. It’s a little town in Lawrence County and is about two hour’s drive northeast of Little Rock.”

“Oh, awesome,” Houston said, sincerely.

“Yeah, if you like small towns it’s awesome I guess,” Amy said, laughing.

“Well, I’ve always thought that living in a small town would be great. I’ve always lived in the city, and the idea of small town life seems really attractive to me, actually.”

“It’s really nothing that special,” Amy said between bites. “I miss my family, but I don’t miss having nothing to do on the weekends.”

“Now that sounds like Modesto!” Houston answered, laughing.

“What do you mean? Isn’t Modesto a city?”

“Yeah, it is, but there isn’t much to do for the kids…except for dodging bullets.”

“What?”

“Yeah, the gangs are starting to get big there. It’s always been a rough part of the country, but in the last few years, it’s gotten terrible.”

“Wow…I don’t know if I’d want to be in that kind of place.”

“I grew up in it. It’s made me who I am, and it affects the way I live to this day.”

One particular incident came immediately to Houston’s mind. One night, a group of gang members were hassling several of Houston’s college classmates in the bar he was working in at the time. The college kids were wearing red sweatshirts, the color of his college’s sports teams. The five gang members (who wore blue) demanded the students take the sweatshirts off. The guys in the group had complied quietly, but the young woman refused, saying that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

“Well, I guess we’re gonna see your chichotas then, eh, concha?” the gang leader said, calling the young girl a cunt and laughing. Houston, who had grown up surrounded by Hispanics, knew just how much the banger had insulted the young woman, and stepped in to end the disrespect.

“Vete a chingar a tu madre, puta!” the leader said, telling Houston to “go fuck his mother,” as well as calling him a bitch. Houston then punched the gang leader, and three of the other members drew knives, and the fourth pulled a gun. Houston had no weapon, but two of the five gang members died from gunshot wounds, another died of wounds from a knife, and the other two had extensive hospital stays before going to prison for other crimes that they were wanted for.

Houston received eleven stitches, and none of the college kids were injured.

“Wow…” Amy said, in awe after he finished recounting this story to her. “I don’t know what I would have done in that situation. That was incredibly brave of you, Houston.”

“I try not to think about it, honestly. I still dream about those fucking bangers…the cops put me in cuffs, of course, but charges were never filed. The kids told them that I was just doing my job, and that if I hadn’t been there, the girl would’ve ended up with her titties bouncing around in plain sight. Sorry,” he added, “I don’t mean to talk so vulgar in front of a lady such as you. My dear mother would be ashamed.”

Far from being disgusted by his language, Amy found herself even more attracted to this man…his dark past only served to cause her nether-lips to quiver with longing at the thought of what it would take to tame a man such as him. The fact that he used language like “fuck” and “titty” only made her wonder what it would be like to have him talk to her when in the sack.

“It’s no ‘fucking’ problem,” Amy said to him with a wink, and flashing her perfect smile at him. “I don’t ‘fucking’ mind.” This caused Houston to become even more attracted to her…not only was she physically exactly what he has always desperately wanted in a woman, but she didn’t mind him exactly as he was.

“What about you, Miss Amy Delaney? What’s your story?” he asked, taking a bite of linguine.

“Well, the usual, I guess…”

“Let me guess…cheerleader, dated the captain of the football team, homecoming queen, etc.?” Houston interjected, laughing.

“Ha ha, very funny,” she deadpanned. “Can you imagine this as homecoming queen?” she asks, indicating her body.

“If your classmates were voting for anyone else, then they were blind or stupid,” he answered.

“Well, they didn’t vote for me, or anyone else. We didn’t have homecoming…or a football team for that matter.”

“You didn’t have a football team?” Houston asked, surprised.

“Nope,” Amy answered, “We didn’t. The school was too small. I did play softball and basketball though.”

“Oh, well, there’s that,” Houston said, still trying to understand how a school could not have a football team.

“Yep…go Zebras!” she responded, pantomiming a cheerleader waving a pom-pom.

“Zebras? No wonder you didn’t have a football team!” He said, laughing once again.

“Yep, the Zebras,” she said, pensively. “I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to go to school at Walnut Ridge. They closed Black Rock down a couple of years ago, and all the students moved to Walnut Ridge, but that wasn’t an option for me.”

“Well, I’m sure you were the prettiest Zebra ever,” Houston complementing her.

“Thank you, even though I know you’re just being nice.”

“I mean it. I think you are the sexiest woman I have ever seen,” he goes on.

They sat there talking for the rest of their meal, and when all the food was gone, Amy looked at her watch and said, “Oh my god! It’s after 3:00! I really need to get back to the office!”

“Okay, let’s go,” Houston answered her, getting up to leave. They rode back to the Yuanfen building in his Dodge Viper, making quick work of the thick traffic in downtown San Jose. Houston could not help but wonder if this could be the beginning of something different and special between him and Amy Delaney after she thanked him for lunch, and he handed the Viper’s keys to Steven. Amy had to stand on tip-toe to do so, but she gave him a swift kiss on the cheek before running back inside and toward the elevator.

Chapter 4

“You certainly were gone long enough,” Alice said when Amy walked back into the office that afternoon. “What took you so long?”

“I got caught up,” Amy answered, beaming. “A man from upstairs took me to lunch at Giglio’s.”

“A man from upstairs?” Alice asked, bemused. “What man from upstairs?”

“Only the sexiest man alive!” Amy giggled, unable to contain herself from the amazing afternoon lunch that she had shared with Houston. “His name is Houston Storm, and he is a part owner of Giglio’s, and he was able to get us served for lunch there even though they were closed until dinner time! He drives a Dodge Viper, and is a real gentleman!”

“Houston Storm?” Alice asked, frowning slightly.

“Yes!”

“Houston Storm who owns Larger Than Life Love, Inc., Houston Storm?”

“Maybe…I’d say it probably is, because ‘Storm’ isn’t a very common last name, is it?”

“No…it isn’t,” Alice answered, looking positively alarmed now.

“Yeah, it’s got to be the same man,” Amy said, not noticing the look on her supervisor’s face. “Why do you ask, anyway?”

“Well,” Alice said with the air of someone who was picking her words very carefully, “Houston Storm is rich.”

“Well, duh! He owns a third of Giglio’s, and drives a Viper! Of course he’s rich.”

“No…you don’t understand. He’s not ‘oh, I hit the lottery’ rich, or ‘I own twelve cars’ rich…he’s ‘I bankroll the lottery and own twelve hundred car lots’ rich.”

“What are you talking about, Alice? Don’t you think he’d have told me all this?”

“Well, if you don’t believe me, look at this,” Alice said, handing her last month’s edition of The Californian magazine. On the cover was a black and white photo of the man who had just shown Amy a phenomenal time, right there on the cover. By contrast, the headline on the cover was in bright red, and Amy read this aloud: “Houston Storm: Most Eligible Bachelor in San Francisco Bay Area, page 24.”

Amy immediately began flipping frantically through the pages to find the article. When she did, she found a countdown of notable bachelors. She flipped quickly through the pages and was shocked at what she read.

“Houston Storm, thirty-two, has been named the ‘San Francisco Bay Area’s Most Eligible Bachelor’ yet again. The combination of his devilish good looks and fat wallet combine to make this man the single most sought after commodity out there. Valued at well over $19 billion, the San Jose playboy has his hands in every major business in the area, not least his own ‘Larger Than Life Love, Inc.,’ which controls seven of the ten largest online dating sites in the country.

He can often be found pursuing his top three interests: driving fast cars, buying stakes in notable businesses, and sleeping with the most notable women in Hollywood.

Storm has not been in a long term relationship for the entire time that he has appeared on the Forbes Billionaires List, on which he is ranked a healthy forty-fifth, above such notable names as 21st Century FOX CEO Rupert Murdoch (77th) and makeup mogul Leonard Lauder (137th). Of Californian residents, he is behind only former Oracle CEO Larry Ellison (5th), Facebook kingpin Mark Zuckerberg (16th), and Google magnates Larry Page and Sergey Brin (19th and 20th respectively). This has resulted in him also being included in this publication’s list of the ‘Top 10 Richest Californian Men’ for each of the last five years. (See the exclusive interview with Houston Storm on pg. 51)”

“Well,” Amy said when she finished reading the article, “I guess I just went on a date with a billionaire.”

“Wait, dear…there’s more,” Alice said. “He’s a playboy. He is seen every other week with a different actress from down in Hollywood.”

“I was asked out on a date by a billionaire…” Amy said, clearly not listening.

“Look!” Alice said, snapping her young colleague out of her reverie. Taking the younger woman by the shoulders, Alice said, “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. Please, please be careful, okay?”

The next day, when Amy arrived in the office, she was surprised to find twelve dozen long-stemmed red roses, and a very solemn Alice. “Morning,” her boss said to her, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a card in the other. “They’re for you,” she said, handing Amy the handwritten card.

As she took the card, Amy couldn’t help but wonder what in the world was going on. Silently, she read, Amy…I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you since we parted yesterday. If you would, please come to my office on the seventeenth floor today at noon. Your supervisor told me that you will have one hour for lunch today, and I would love for you to spend it with me. Love, Houston.

Amy did not know what to think. The day before, she had thought that she had simply caught the ardor of a notable businessman who wanted company for lunch. Afterwards, she was even more confused by the article in The Californian and the things that Alice had said. That night, she had looked up “Houston Storm playboy” on Google, and found a positive treasure trove of pictures and stories linking him to various women. Models, athletes, actresses, and the slutty daughters of hotel magnates…they were all there! The one glaring absence from the pictures was that of a woman who looked anything like she did.

And then, she came in to work, only to become more confused than ever, because Houston had given her 144 red, long-stemmed roses! Everything she could find on the man hinted that he simply did not show affection to the women he was with. Was she any different? Was he just trying to add her to his list of trophies conquered? Did he actually see a potential future with the twenty-eight year old grief counselor who hadn’t had a steady boyfriend in almost seven years?

And most importantly, would Amy be able to tame him before he burned her?

Chapter 5

Houston was sitting in his office, anxiously awaiting Amy when his direct telephone line rang. Quickly glancing at his watch, he saw that he had at least a half-hour until she was due to arrive, and so he answered.

“Houston Storm,” he said.

“Hello, Huey,” came his mother’s voice on the other end of the line.

“Hey, Mom!” he said, leaning back in his executive chair. “How’s it been?”

“It’s been fine, honey. What about you? Are you still seeing that girl you told me about? Jessica? Jennifer? What was it? And when is she going to give me grandchildren?”

“Genevieve, mom?”

“That’s the one!”

“No mom…I told you that she was a date to a fundraiser. I wasn’t ‘seeing’ her!”

“Then how is she going to give me grandchildren?”

“She isn’t mom…she was just a one-time date. We weren’t right for each other.”

“Well, I guess I’ll probably have better luck with your sister, then, won’t I?”

“Mom! I’m an only child!”

“Well! Maybe if I had another baby, they would grow up to give me grandchildren! You need to get a move on, Huey, or they’ll all be taken!”

“Believe me, mom, finding women who would have a child with me isn’t the problem. You know that I just want a good one…like you.”

“Well, you’ll never get a good one if you keep running around with the whores that I always see in pictures of you!”

“Mom!” Houston said, surprised.

“Well they are!”

“Well, I have found a good girl, I think…Mom, you would love her!” he said, and he began telling his mother all about Amy and their lunch date the day before.

“When will I get to meet her?” she asked, over twenty minutes later.

“When I am sure things are working out, Mom.”

“Well, you’d better get moving, Huey…I’m not getting any younger, and I want grandchildren!”

“Well, hopefully, we’ll have a second date today.”

“Good. Be nice…open the door, use your manners (I know you have them, because I taught them to you!), and ignore your phone!”

“Yes, Mom,” he said, sheepishly. Just after he finished saying this, Zivka, his pretty eastern European secretary, ushered Amy through the door and into a seat in the corner of his spacious office.

“Okay, I know you’re busy and need to go,” she started saying.

“Mmm…”

“Enjoy your date, I love you, Huey,” she finished.

“I love you too…bye,” he said, quickly ending the conversation and hanging up. Standing up, he walked around his desk to sit next to Amy, looking relieved. “You came!”

“How could I refuse?” she asked him.

“Did you like the roses?”

“Not as much as Alice did,” she answered him, telling him all about her boss’s disdain for having decorations in the office.

“Well, they weren’t for her,” Houston replied with a huge smile. “I’m sure you want to know why I asked you to come up here today.”

“To ‘fuck’ me?” she said, getting straight to the heart of what was bothering her.

“No!” Houston answered her, shocked. “I mean…if you wanted to, but that’s not why…I mean…what?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you own this building?” she asked him.

“It wasn’t important,” he answered.

“Fine. Why didn’t you tell me that you are one of California’s top five richest men?”

“Because I didn’t want to—”

“Look,” Amy interrupted him. “We need to make something perfectly clear…I am not Genevieve Wyndham, or Irina Leonidovna, Sasha Sasha, or Toni Webster. I ain’t an actress, professional golfer, rapper, or model. I am Amy Delaney, and I am not famous. I am not a damn groupie, and I’m not interested in you for money, just so that is clear as well.”

Houston was completely taken aback. He had not thought a bit about what he would say if Amy knew who he was, or looked him up. The truth was, he hadn’t cared about how his very well publicized affairs would affect any woman that he was seriously interested in…he could only imagine what Amy would say if she found out about Willow. After all, she had been at his mansion two nights ago! Thinking all of this over, he began to speak.

“Amy…I know that I wasn’t completely open with you yesterday, but I have my reasons, and I will gladly tell them to you. First, though, I didn’t tell you that I own the Yuanfen Building because it wasn’t important to me. I didn’t tell you that I am a billionaire because I didn’t want you to like me because of my wealth. As for those other women…I know you aren’t Genevieve or Sasha, Toni or Irina, or any of the other famous women I’ve been with over the last few years. I didn’t want them; I wanted what they could give me…a reputation, prestige, and notoriety. I didn’t even want them because of their bodies, to be honest. I mean, let’s face it…if I was just interested in getting my dick sucked, there are literally thousands of women in San Jose who would do it for free, just so they could say they sucked a billionaire’s cock. I know you aren’t a groupie, and I don’t want you to be. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. You are the one woman I have ever looked at and thought to myself, ‘I’d give my entire fortune away to have her to be mine.’ Well, maybe not my entire fortune. But anyhow, that’s why I did something I’ve never done before…asked for you to meet with me a second time.”

“So, you are saying that you were only with them once each?” Amy said, struggling to understand.

“Exactly…even the rich have one-night-stands, you know.” This resonated with Amy, because she too knew what it was like to be constantly moving from one partner to the next, never connecting on an emotional level with any of them…never seeing them again. Other than Tony, she hadn’t been with a single man twice in over five years. This, similarity between them, more than anything, led to Amy’s willingness to see what dating this billionaire would be like.

“Okay…so, are you asking me out on a date? An official date?”

“Yes…and more, if you want. I have never met a woman that made me want to sell everything and run away with. I have a great afternoon planned for us…if you’ll agree to go with me.”

Several prolonged seconds passed, when finally…“Let’s go, then.”

Chapter 6

That afternoon, Houston took Amy to the roof of the Yuanfen building, and showed her the time of her life. Something the tabloids did not know was that Houston was a certified pilot with over 500 hours at the stick of a helicopter. When Amy stepped onto the roof, it was to see a helicopter with the Larger Than Life Love, Inc. logo on the side.

“When we fly around the city to advertise, I’m usually the one behind the controls,” Houston said.

“Wow…” Amy replied, clearly impressed. They boarded the helicopter, and Houston quickly went through the pre-flight check. Within minutes, they were airborne. They flew over San Jose and up the western shores of the bay San Francisco before crossing to Oakland. As they flew down the eastern shores of the bay, Amy told him over their headsets that she wanted to see where he lived. When they reached Fremont, he changed their flight plan, and adjusted for a flight to Los Gatos rather than returning to San Jose.

When they arrived at the sprawling compound, he carefully put the helicopter down on his personal helipad. “What do you think?” he asked.

“I think your property is beautiful, Houston.”

“Thanks…look, would you like a tour? I can have my maid, Maela show you around while I write my post-flight report, and write a new flight plan to take you back to San Jose. It shouldn’t take more than an hour.”

“Sure,” Amy answered, “that would be wonderful.”

Maela proved to be a very short and plain woman who spoke fluent English. She took Amy all over the 500 acre property on a customized golf-cart, showing her the stables and racetrack where Houston rode his horses and dirt bikes, respectively. She showed Amy the private movie theater (complete with reclining chairs and popcorn maker). About the time they exited the theater, Houston walked up, wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks, and holding a woman’s bikini in his right hand. God, he’s even sexier with his shirt off! thought Amy to herself.

“There you are! What do you think?” he asked Amy, anxious that she wouldn’t find everything to be perfect.

“It’s even more beautiful than it seemed in the air!” exclaimed Amy, trying not to stare too openly at his tattoos. Both of his arms had half-sleeves that went from his elbows to his shoulders, with the left sleeve snaking up his deltoid, and finally ending in the tail that Amy had noticed the day before. Additionally, there was a tattoo of three bullet holes on his left pec, along with a date from some twenty years previously.

“Great,” Houston said, visibly relieved. “Do you want to go for a swim?” he asked, extending the bikini to Amy. After she took the bikini from him, she stood on tip-toe, and gave him a prolonged kiss on the mouth…they were quickly falling for one another.

Maybe she is the one…Houston thought to himself as she walked toward the bath house to change.

Chapter 7

Amy stood in front of the mirror, staring at her body, amazed at the transformation that had taken place in the last few moments. She had taken off her dress in Houston’s massive bedroom, and in its place she was wearing the bikini that Houston had provided her. It was pure white, and the bottom tied at her hips, and worked to make her feel even sexier than she ever has before.

The top tied behind her back and neck, and the small pieces of fabric that covered her massive breasts covered only her areola. However, she didn’t feel any awkwardness at wearing the skimpy outfit, because she knew that Houston was completely into her. While they had been on the helicopter, he had explained that his initial vision for Larger Than Life Love, Inc. had been to match up “bigger” women with the men who loved them, and he had initially wanted to be the first man to sign up. As it was, he ended up focusing more on the business side of things, and lost his insatiable desire for love. He needed to move forward from his past, and the fake women who had always thrown themselves at his feet simply didn’t help. When he thought of her, however, it made his past seem like a distant dream rather than a demon that had chased him for over thirty years.

Turning around, Amy is in awe of how sexy her ass was in the bikini. The roundness of each buttocks had always been a source of pride – now more than ever! She gave one firm smack to her rear, and with a smile, she put her large, sun glasses on and walked outside.

Houston was sitting beside the pool, sipping on a martini when he looked up and saw a goddess walking towards him. Her breasts swayed slightly with each step, and immediately he felt a stiffening in his organ. He stood up, and walked over to meet her.

“You look…amazing,” he said, in complete awe.

“You like what you see?” Amy asked playfully.

“Yeah…I do.”

“Good…let’s go for a swim,” she said, taking his hand.

“Okay,” Houston answered, being led away toward the water’s edge. Amy stepped in, and Houston felt that he was in heaven. In that moment, he knew that he had finally found the woman he had been longing for ever since his days in college. A smart, funny, gorgeous woman, who had some curves and knew how to flaunt them!

Amy dove into the water, and when she came up, her beautiful dark hair was lying flat on the back of her head. She stepped to Houston, and wrapped her hands behind his neck. She pulled him in for a deep, meaningful kiss. She told him more with that one kiss than she had to that point with all her words. Houston felt as if his legs had turned to Jell-O, and wondered if she felt the same.

She did.

As Amy slid her tongue in and out of his mouth as she began to feel wetness between her legs that had nothing to do with the water she stood in. She removed her right hand from behind his neck, and instead gently caressed the carpet of hair on his chest. Houston tenderly caressed her face, kissing her deeply. A soft moan escaped her lips, and she pressed herself against him, feeling the hardness of his tool against her leg. Slowly, she slid her hand down his chest, and down the front of his swimming trunks.

She took the enormous shaft into her hand, and Houston froze. She opened her eyes, and looked deeply into the dark chocolate of his own, and saw that he ceded all control to her in that moment. “I don’t think I want to swim, anymore,” she said seductively. “Where can we go that is private?”

“My…uh,” Houston said, clearing his throat. “My room…”

“Excellent,” she said pulling him out of the pool and into the house. When they reached his bedroom, she let go of his hand, and walked toward the bed, untying the knots that held the bikini bottom on. She heard him take a sharp intake of breath behind her when it hit the floor. Still facing away from him, she reached around and untied the knot on her back that held the top on, and finished with the knot behind her neck.

“Are you just going to stand over there, or are you going to come over here?” she asked in a low purr. Houston slowly walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her, kissing the back of her shoulders while he fondled her engorged nipples. “Mmmm,” she hummed, and she reached behind her, and started pulling down his swimming trunks. When she successfully got them to the top of his thighs, she began to pull and jerk on his massive rod in earnest while he kissed and sucked her neck and right ear.

She turned around, and sat on the bed, displaying herself to him in all of her naked glory, and began to touch herself on her lady-button as she said, “Are you going to just stand there, or are you going to take your trunks off?” Quickly, he fully removed his swimming trunks, and left them lying on the floor.

He made to position himself to enter her, but she said “No…not yet. You’ve got to earn that.”

“How, he said, eyeing her hungrily.”

“You have to get my permission.”

“How do I do that?” the massive, force of a man asked.

“You have to use your manners…”

“May I please …”

“No. You have to do something for me first.”

“Anything,” he said, a note of pleading in his voice.

“Use your tongue,” she commanded. “Use your tongue, and I may give you my permission to fuck me.” Houston quickly moved to a kneeling position, and immediately began to caress her slit with the rough wetness of his tongue, playing with her nether lips and button as she immediately began to build to a climax. “Oh my God!” she yelled two minutes later, “lick that pussy!” This had the natural consequence of making Houston lick her faster, and within seconds, she was screaming in a loud shrieks of orgasmic pleasure.

“Please, may I now come into you?” Houston asked after drinking up every drop of her juices as they came forth from her cavern.

“If you ask correctly…maybe” she said, looking at him through the slits formed by her eyelids. She was incapable of fully opening them.

“May I please fuck you, mistress?” he asked, as politely as he could muster. This was not exactly what he had envisioned, but he was harder than he had ever been and absolutely loving it.

“Yes, you may…” she said with a wicked smile. “But you may not climax until I give you my permission.” With all the nervousness of a first timer, Houston positioned himself to enter her channel, slick with the dew of arousal. Slowly and painstakingly, he pressed himself into her, the sheer enormity of his massive unit distending and stretching her slit. “Oh my, you are big!” Amy exclaimed when the full length of his root was inside her. “That feels so damn good!”

Houston began to slowly slip in and out of her, and within moments, she was once more exclaiming with loud shrieks of climax. A few minutes later, as she was moaning in pleasure once more, he began to thrust faster and faster. He knew that he would soon be filling her belly with his seed, and so began to beg her for permission to climax.

“No! Not yet, but don’t stop!” she yelled, achieving an orgasm for a third time. But her directions were for naught, as with an almighty yell of his own, the tip of his instrument exploded with his secretion, immediately filling her channel, and spilling out onto the Egyptian cotton bed-sheets. He collapsed on the bed beside her, and fought to catch his breath.

“I thought I told you to wait for permission!” Amy said, playfully.

“I know, but…but you felt so damn good!”

“I’m glad you liked it,” she said, grinning at him. “I trust that next time you’ll do better at obeying orders.”

Raising up onto one elbow, Houston tenderly looked into the bright chestnut eyes that he had so quickly fallen in love with. “Next time?” he asked, seemingly unsure of himself.

“Next time,” Amy answered, confirming her statement for him.

“Amy,” the defeated playboy said, his eyes closed once more. “I think I love you.”

Amy thought this over for a moment, and looked at the beaten and scarred body of her love—the body of a bad boy who was turning over a new leaf—and softly whispered back, “I think I love you too,” and she fell into his arms, happy that she had found a man who truly loved her for her.

THE END

My Holiday Billionaire

Pamela Avery

Copyright ©2015 by Pamela Avery. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you so much for your interest in my work!

Chapter One

Alexandra Jordan’s big blue eyes filled with unshed tears as the plane taxied down the runway, increasing its speed exponentially, before rising into the air, its powerful engines vibrating beneath her wings.

She tossed her head, deliberately hiding her face beneath her cloud of riotous blonde curls as she stared out at the rapidly diminishing landscape. Her seat mate, a batty old woman in her nineties chattered incessantly, trying to draw Alexandra into conversation. After several minutes engaged in what turned out to be a droning monologue, the woman took the hint and relaxed back against her seat.

I should be happy, Alexandra told herself. I should be ecstatic, over the moon; I should be the one talking the old woman’s ear off!

She had won a trip to freaking Hawaii and was flying first class for the first time in her entire life; plus she was going to spend two exotic weeks at a five-star resort; all expenses paid, and yet she could barely summon a smile.

She knew why, of course, her eyes filling anew as she ducked her head; she was mourning the death of her relationship of five years. It had ended just two days ago when she had borrowed Andrew’s phone to show him the email she had received about winning the trip. She had seen a text message that came in at that very second, “Hey Baby…remember, I’m serious…no more unprotected sex!. Pleeeease bring condoms! I miss you!”

Her mouth tightened now again as she recalled how her hand had shook as she looked up in shock, her disbelieving eyes zeroing in on where her fiancé was calmly sipping the bowl of soup she had made for him.

“Who is Cindy Jacobs?” she had asked in a shrill voice she barely recognized as her own.

Andrew had paused, his hand arrested half-way to his mouth and then he had blithely informed her, his eyes turning hard as he obviously braced himself and said, “She’s the woman I love.”

Alexandra shut her eyes now in remembered pain as she recalled the strange tunneling sound she had heard after that. A part of her had been afraid she might even be having a small stroke at the time.

Andrew had simply glared down at her as he rose to his feet and announced he had been dying to tell her that he had had enough, but now was as good a time as any. Then before her shell-shocked eyes, he had marched into the bedroom, grabbed a small duffel bag, and was heading towards the door before she could so much as sneeze.

The worst part was that whenever she remembered that encounter, what stood out most in her mind’s eyes was the apparent disgust etched onto his features as he looked at her. The pain was still there, but she wished she could believe it when she told herself that he didn’t deserve her. Her weight had always been a sore subject for her and he had known exactly what button to press. At the same time she knew her own self-worth and she wanted to be with a man who saw her as beautiful. She knew that she had to believe it first though. As he had left he had actually had the balls and gall to say “And lose some weight!” Thankfully, in this one instance she did not regret her temper. Before she had a chance to stop it, she had slammed her fist into his nose before shutting the door in his face. What a dick, she thought now.

At the time, she had promptly dissolved into tears but he didn’t know that, so that was alright.

She had been so devastated that she had actually considered not going on the trip at all. Her best friend and partner, Claire Davies had practically shoved her out the door insisting that Beautiful Designs, their Interior design company, could survive without her for two weeks. Beautiful Designs was her pride and joy; through sheer grit and determination, the company had risen from being a tiny corner shop to a corporation responsible for at least two hundred employees with branches in three states. The best part was, they were still growing and if she had anything to say about it in the next ten years, it would become a mega-corporation. She was the CEO but sometimes, like today, she felt about as clueless as the janitor.

In hindsight, she realized he had actually been gradually moving out on her for a while which explained why he had needed no more than a second to stroll out with just one little duffel bag containing all his belongings.

Raw pain shredded her heart anew and she leaned her head against the headrest of her seat and let the tears flow freely, unchecked as the powerful plane continued to burst through the sky. With every second she was getting further away from what was, and closer to what could be, she realized. Maybe the trip would be good for her.

***

“Sí Señor,” the hotel Manager crooned, bowing so low it was a wonder his head didn’t touch his knees as he smiled up with sycophantic worship at the tall, powerfully built man in front of him.

Alexandra tried not to roll her eyes as she watched the pair. The tall man murmured something in what was obviously meant to be a low tone. Given his very deep baritone voice, however, it carried right to her. She noted disinterestedly that he was speaking Spanish and tried not to start tapping her foot in impatience as the Manager started opening drawers and flipping ledgers in a flurry of urgent movements.

Unable to bear the wait any longer, she said waspishly, “If you two are done with your bromance moment perhaps you would be so kind as to point me in the direction of a bar. Watching the pair of you is so painful I could certainly use a big, strong ─” her voice trailed off into silence as the large man turned to look at her.

All thoughts fled as she locked eyes with what had to be one of the most amazing specimens of human being she had ever laid eyes on. He had a tawny mane of windswept hair that scattered around his head in a most becoming and arresting manner. He also had the most captivating pair of dark, dark eyes she had ever seen. They were so dark they were almost black and so intense she could have sworn she could fall into them. His features were finely chiseled with a granite jaw, a long aristocratic nose, and a firm upper lip. His lower lip was surprisingly full. His shoulders had to be at least a mile wide. There was a quality about him, something that reminded her of a big jungle cat about to spring. His tuxedo spelled class and money and was so impeccably tailored and well-fitted on his large, slim frame that she knew it had to have been custom-made. Expertly, her eyes picked out the unique Dormeuil Vanquish II cut of his tux. The man was the last word in gorgeous and very wealthy by the look of things. That tux had to have cost something in the neighborhood of a hundred thousand dollars!

Alexandra tried not to grind her teeth as it occurred to her that sometimes God did give with both hands.

The man grinned lazily, his dark eyes gleaming down at her as he said, “Big, strong what? Cup of coffee, I hope. Not much chance of you getting much else here miss.”

Alexandra bristled at that. At twenty-eight, she was curvy and voluptuous with large breasts and broad hips, a smooth, unlined face and in her opinion, healthy strong arms. She’d always resented it though, and now was no exception, especially when he made it sound like she had been going to say ‘big strong man’. So she was not the most attractive woman in the world. That did not give a total stranger the right to comment on her looks.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” she began in a low, dark, warning tone “But I don’t like the insinuation.”

Amusement glinted in his eyes as he deliberately raked his eyes down her pretty gamine features. She had wide blue eyes; full blonde curls that made him think of his little nephews and their favorite cartoon character Goldilocks; she had full, pouty lips that invited a man to lean down and taste them, a pair of delectable-looking boobs the size of small throw-pillows, and delectable hips that just made him want to wrap his hands around them. She was a complete knockout in his eyes.

He felt his blood stir as it hadn’t done in a while and he immediately squelched the unexpected surge of desire; the last thing he needed right now was to be attracted to any female of the species.

With deliberate insolence, he gave her a measuring look that swept from the top of her blonde hair, down her tee-shirt, past her shorts, past miles and miles of smooth legs and down to her flip-flops. He needed desperately to put some distance between them, he decided. Besides it was fun to rile her up like this.

He said coolly, “Whatever you say.”

Then he turned around to accept the key to his Suite from the Manager’s outstretched hand.

“I hope you at least had the decency to give him a tiny room facing an alley,” she grumbled as she gave her details to the Manager.

The man gave her a wide-toothed grin, “Very funny, Miss.”

“I don’t hear anyone laughing,” she observed sarcastically.

“He owns half the hotels on this Island including this one. He can have any room he wants,” the man informed her as he returned her documents and key to her.

A flow of rapid Spanish had her looking towards the elevators in time to see a bell boy almost trip over his own feet in his haste to relieve the Spaniard of his briefcase. Alexandra rolled her eyes once more as she headed towards her room. With the reverence everyone was paying the stupid man, you would have thought he was the President of the United States!

Chapter Two

Alexandra Jordan was feeling blue for the umpteenth time in two short days; she was miserable, for want of a better word! She had been in Hawaii for just two days and she was ready to run for the hills.

The place was every bit as exotic as she had ever imagined, true, but it was also a tourist destination which meant that everywhere she looked, people were in pairs. It was so disgusting, it was like freaking Noah’s Ark, she thought churlishly. Thank goodness that odious Spaniard had had the good sense to hide his face because with the mood she was in, if he so much as called her a child tonight, she would plant her fist in his face and leave it there to take root and grow!

“Would you like a refill?” the waiter asked, hovering solicitously at her elbow, with a faintly harassed expression on his otherwise bland face.

Alexandra shut her eyes; the man had been bending over backwards trying to please her all evening and she had not given him so much as one smile of appreciation! Nor had she even acknowledged his efforts with one word of gratitude. She was, she admitted to herself, becoming a bit of a ….well, a bitch.

“I’m sorry Tom,” she said kindly now, beaming at the waiter, her teeth flashing white in the dark and her cheeks dimpling cutely up at him. “I was a bit preoccupied just then. Please, do top off my wineglass,” she ordered mildly.

Tom grinned at her, mollified as he filled her glass to the very brim. When he made to take off though, she stopped him with a hand on his arm, “Hey Tom, leave the entire bottle behind please.”

“Uh, this is a very powerful wine ma’am. One of the finest yes, but a glass could put a grown man under and  begging pardon ma’am you are no man. Just be careful. It is very potent.”

“Oh Tom, look how funny you are,” she laughed as she knocked back half her glass in one gulp.

She saw Tom’s eyes widen before he hastily turned and walked away, leaving the bottle behind.

Twenty minutes later, Alexandra blearily made her way to the elevators, stifling her laughter as she staggered on. The other guests gave her a wide berth. She pressed the buttons for her floor and slowly sank to the floor of the elevator to wait the ten or fifteen seconds. Too soon, the elevator bell dinged right before the doors opened and Alexandra staggered towards the door of her room, trying hard not to laugh at her clumsy movements.

Her key card wouldn’t work no matter how hard she slotted it into the opening. In frustration, she kicked the door; then winced as her foot bounced off solid oak. She had probably broken every last toe on that foot, she thought hazily.

Her confusion tripled as the door swung open from inside and the Spaniard filled the doorway, his eyes as hard as ice chips as he glared disbelievingly down at her.

“Well someone’s due for an Oscar,” Alexandra noted as she brushed past him and into the room.

“What?” he asked tautly, disbelief stamped onto his features at her sheer audacity.

“I should be miffed to find you here, but I’m just too wasted to scold you right now,” she slurred cheerfully as she slumped across the big, wide bed sitting right in the middle of the room.

“You should be miffed?” he repeated, his disbelief escalating.

But she didn’t answer; she had gone straight to sleep. Her only response was a soft snore.

Leandro Alarico growled to himself as his dark eyes strayed again and again to the fairy-like figure sprawled atop his bed. He had been trying to focus on work all day to no avail; his traitorous thoughts had kept drifting to the blonde-haired minx he had seen in reception the other day. And now, just when he had been about to give up and go out for a night on the town in order to try and get her out of his mind, the very same minx had incredibly appeared right at his door, falling down drunk! And as if it couldn’t get any worse, he had just confirmed that she was the Alexandra Jordan he had actually come to Hawaii to find.

The fates could be cruel, he decided, his gaze straying once more to the delectable curve of her bottom, which was revealed by the short hem of her gown which had ridden up as she slept. No woman had affected him as strongly as this one had in...well, no one ever had; and that was why he had been fully prepared to avoid her by relocating to any other one of his hotels for the duration of her stay. He didn’t even know much besides her name, but she was already a thorn in his flesh. He only had to close his eyes for a minute and her pretty gamine face swam beneath his eyes. She had the softest, fairest, smoothest skin he had ever seen on any human being and he felt his blood rush through his veins at an alarming rate as he looked down at her.

His arousal stirred and thickened beneath his pants as his dark eyes rested once more on that tantalizing expanse of bare flesh topped off by a scrap of red lace which promised to be the sexiest pair of panties he had ever laid eyes on. In two seconds flat, he was hard as a rock!

With a muttered oath, Leandro reached over and yanked the offending garment into place. What was he to do now? How had she even known where to find his suite of rooms?

She would certainly provide all those answers once she was awake, he decided grimly but he was not going to babysit her for God knows how long! He would give her two hours to sleep it off, he decided and then he would dunk her unwelcome ass in ice-cold water! That should wake her right up!

Besides, fair was fair; he needed to have a very cold shower right now, thanks to her.

***

Alexandra yawned as she slowly came awake. Her blue eyes scanned the room as she waited for familiarity to kick in, but there was nothing familiar about the big suite she found herself in. It was amazing, and positively reeked of wealth. The room looked to be about the size of a small golf course and was furnished in such opulence and understated luxury that her breath shifted into gasp mode.

The room was done in cream and gold tones and even from the bed, she could see that most of the gold that wasn’t painted onto the walls, was actually real gold. Had she died and gone to heaven? A headache intruded, informing her that she was very much on earth. People didn’t have hangovers in heaven, or did they?

Gingerly, she slid to her feet, trying not to let her jaw drop overly-much as she looked around, turning in a complete three- hundred and sixty degrees to see the room.

How had she gotten here? A hazy memory intruded  she suddenly remembered the Spaniard god glaring down at her and looking very displeased. This had to be his room! Dear God, what had she done, she wondered wildly as bile rose in her throat. The door opened just then and Alexandra gulped as she saw six-feet, two inches of bad attitude standing in the doorway, glowering at her.

“Hi,” she croaked.

“Good thing you’re awake, Ms. Jordan. How’s your head?” he asked with surprising equanimity.

“I never told you my name,” she protested, her blue eyes wide in her face.

“Thomas did.”

“Thomas?”

“The hotel manager.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” he said in a dangerously silky voice. Had he misjudged her, he wondered as he watched her through hooded eyes. What had she hoped to gain by showing up on his doorstep?

“How did I get here?” she asked suspiciously, as she looked back at the dark, brooding man staring quietly at her from across the room.

“You staggered to my door and shoved your way in last night; right before you invited yourself to my bed and proceeded to sprawl onto it, for all the world as though you owned it,” he informed her blithely.

“I don’t like your tone,” she told him frostily.

“Nor did I care much for your intrusion,” he told her in a tone that far exceeded hers in frostiness.

Silence reigned, and then she broke it with a terse, “What’s your name anyhow?”

His upper lip curled into a sneer as he looked contemptuously at her. Now she was going to pretend she didn’t know who he was? Really?

“Leandro Alarico, at your service, Senora,” he said giving her a mocking bow whilst watching her carefully.

Her expression didn’t change; she had obviously known who he was, he decided.

“Since you’re already here Senora  and through no fault of yours of course   perhaps we should play the hand we’ve been dealt by fate? The night is still young,” he finished silkily, walking towards her until he was so close that his hard chest almost rubbed against hers.

Alexandra’s throat closed up as she stared mutely at him. What? Was he asking her on a date?

Leandro dispassionately read the eager spark of interest in her eyes and with a strange speculative smile playing about his mouth; he said slowly, “Your lips have been driving me crazy all night.”

Before she could so much as draw breath, his head dropped, melding his firm, but surprisingly soft lips with hers. Passion flared, hot and unexpected, sending frissons of electricity coursing through Alexandra’s body and automatically she clung to him.

Her hands shook a little as she wrapped them around his neck, shoving her breasts harder against his chest.

Leandro’s large, warm hands pulled her tighter against his body, holding her firmly in place as he ground his arousal against her belly. His other hand traced her soft curves. Heat rose, fierce and wild and Leandro thrust his tongue boldly into her warm, plaint mouth, reveling in the sensations coursing through his veins.

He slowly reined in his passion, reminding himself fiercely that the woman in his arms could not have wandered into his room by accident. She had designs on him. But what did she want? Did she know who he really was? She would never tell him outright, but he needed time to find out, he decided.

He raised his dark head and looked down at her, his eyes smoldering, his breathing harsh as he enunciated, “What’s your price?”

Desire fled, to be replaced by bone-chilling cold as she numbly said, “Excuse me?”

“What’s your price for a night?” he repeated with deliberate insult in his tone. He was still half-certain she knew exactly who he was. Perhaps she was just a good actress.

A red haze swam before Alexandra’s eyes and without stopping to think about it, she let fly with her open hand, slapping his face as hard as she could and leaving a satisfying welt behind. She wrenched herself from his arms, unconsciously scrubbing her lips clean with the back of her hand as she glared balefully up at him.

“You’re a pig!”

“Then I’m in excellent company aren’t I?” he taunted.

Her hand was half way to his face again before he caught her it, his hand clamping about hers like a vice. There was a biting fury in his voice as he said in an ice cold voice, “Touch me one more time and I’ll make you wish you hadn’t.”

Chapter Three

Three days later, Alexandra Jordan was still calling herself ten kinds of fool as she lazily kicked away a small stone lying on the sand along the beach. She had actually started to think she could like the guy when he had suddenly morphed into a scary monster who’d actually threatened to hit her back.

True he hadn’t said it in so many words, but a dolt could draw inference; that had been exactly what he’d meant, she insisted, silencing her protesting subconscious.

Goose bumps popped out anew on her arms as she remembered the way he had glared down at her. He had a temper she realized. Beneath that veneer of wealth and sophistication there was a great big sizzle of fire. She had felt that heat when he kissed her and then when he had gotten mad, the spark had swelled in his eyes and scared her further.

A slight breeze ruffled the leaves of a huge coconut tree and with a sigh, she sank onto the sand beneath its shade and leaned back against it, shutting her eyes.

“Hey Sexy,” someone called.

Alexandra deliberately kept her eyes shut.

“Hey, turn around so we can see your ass!” the voice now intoned, even closer.

Her eyes flew open in shock. How could anyone be so crude; she wondered, as she stared up into the laughing faces of three teenage boys who looked like they could be trouble. They were just kids true, but she had learned early in life never to underestimate the stupidity of boys in a group. Plus, it was just dawning on her that apart from an elderly couple resting under an umbrella down the beach, the place was deserted.

“Where are your parents?” she asked in a saccharine sweet voice that sounded every bit as condescending as it was meant to.

The boys dissolved into raucous laughter and she felt a fresh crop of real goosebumps appear on her arms.

“Hear that Jamie? She wants to know where our folks are,” one of the boys laughed, elbowing the thin, hungry-looking one in the middle who she suspected was also the leader of the pack.

“You come with us and we’ll be more than happy to show you where our parents are,” the leader said.

As he spoke, they converged on her, moving closer and closer. She rose shakily to her feet and in her most adult voice said, “Don’t come any closer. My husband is going to be here in a few minutes.”

That gave them pause. Their eyes wandered stupidly down to her naked stomach. In that moment, she wished passionately that she was wearing a tee-shirt and jeans and not the skimpy bikini bra and panties she had on. She was filling them out nicely.

“You can’t be married. You’re not pregnant!” Jaime observed, clearly trying to land another clumsy insult.

What? Stupid or not, these kids were trouble, and she felt panic beginning to rise like a heat up her spine.

“Yeah, and I’m not seeing any rings,” his friend chipped in, stretching a hand towards her that had her jumping back automatically.

“You’ll be seeing stars next if you lay one finger on my wife,” a familiar, deep baritone said with quiet authority from behind the boys.

They jumped comically and hastily scattered, murmuring quick apologies as they scampered for safety after taking one quick collective look at the large man who looked like he ate boys like them for breakfast.

Alexandra hesitantly lifted her eyes to Leandro’s, her pulse already pounding in her veins as she locked eyes with his dark, dark ones. Why had he rushed to her rescue, she wondered even as her ‘admirers’ beat a hasty retreat?

“Why would you help me?” she asked voicing the question foremost in her mind.

He shrugged, “I’m not a complete monster, despite what you choose to believe.”

He seemed different somehow, she noted, her blue eyes scanning him from head to toe to decipher what it was. He was every bit as dashing and sexy as ever but he did seem less... aloof somehow. She remembered how he had insulted her the last time and her spine stiffened, going straight as a poker.

“I see. Well you’ve filled your damsel in distress quota for the day, why don’t you toddle off to find your merry band of hookers. I hear you could get them a dollar per trick in these parts,” she said bitterly as she gathered up her novel and shoulder bag before flouncing off in the direction of the hotel. She was eager to put as much distance as possible between them and she assured herself that it wasn’t just because he made her pulse leap all over the place.

Leandro stood back, enjoying the furious sway of her curvy hips. God, she was a beauty!

His arm shot out like a vice and gripped her arm with surprising gentleness as he drew even with her. She drew to a halt, looking up at him, into dark, stormy eyes. His hair ruffled in the wind, standing around his head in artful disarray that irrationally made her want to run her fingers through it.

“I deserved that. I’m sorry,” he said, his black eyes boring into hers with blazing sincerity stamped into his features. “I behaved like a pompous ass and I had no right to. Plus I insulted you and if you never speak to me again, you’d be justified.”

What he didn’t tell her was that he had wanted to buy time to verify if she knew who he truly was. His investigations had revealed that she did not after all and he had relaxed accordingly.

Alexandra sighed. He sure did know how to take the wind right out of her sails.

“Why?” she asked.

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “I wanted you too much and my passions can run a little too strong at times. I just needed to take a step back and think things through. I handled it wrong, and as I said, I’m sorry.”

The apology sounded sincere and maybe even a bit awkward on his lips. She had an inkling he wasn’t a man who apologized very much. Well why would he? He was some sort of rich mogul obviously. Even now, clad in nothing but a bright tourist shirt, shorts and flip-flops, he managed to look as though he had just stepped off the pages of GQ.

“You threatened to hit me!” she reminded him waspishly.

“Are you forgetting that you had just struck me and were preparing to do it again? Interesting double standard you have. Besides, I did not hit you. I only wanted to get you to back off and perhaps open your eyes a little. Come on, we both know you have nothing to fear from me. You think I’m the sort of man to hit someone so much weaker than himself? At worst I would have had to restrain you had you continued on like that, and in hindsight, that would have been fun for both of us. Think of all the fun I would have had rubbing up against you as I strained to get the binds in place; and think of how much you would have enjoyed the contact as you pretended to resist,” he said, waggling his brows at her.

“You are a pervert,” she told him, without heat.

“Guilty,” he agreed, grinning happily.

She stared at him a beat, the ice around her heart inexorably melting as she looked up into those intense, hooded dark eyes.

“It was merely a wrong choice of words. Let me make it up to you,” he pressed. “Have dinner with me?”

She stared at him. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s a meal where two people sit down to eat, usually in the evenings,” he told her, amusement glinting in his dark gaze.

Alexandra blushed gloriously, cursing her fair complexion even as he chuckled.

“Alright.”

“I’ll come pick you up,” he promised, pressing a light kiss onto her cheeks and Alexandra sternly cautioned her nerves to stop jumping all over the place in reaction.

***

Alexandra took another look at her reflection in the mirror; she looked hot, even if she did say so herself. Her blond curls had been caught up in an intricate knot atop her head with wispy tendrils escaping to fall against her neck and bare shoulders; she was wearing a black, sheath dress that hugged her curves, making her look svelte and shapely. High heels accentuated her long shapely legs making them appear even longer and the slight tan she had acquired in three days on the Island gave her skin a golden undertone that positively made her glow. She had contoured her face expertly, giving her an instantly slimmer look; and the dark color of her gown helped too.

She knew she looked nice, and she couldn’t wait to see Leandro. There was just something about him that made her want to throw caution to the wind.

She laughed happily, twirling about with such unchecked excitement that she managed to nudge off one of her earrings.

“Oops,” she muttered, bending over to pick it up.

The earring was easy to spot, the tiny diamond twinkling on the dark rug. As her eyes fell on it, she thought of Andrew Carson, her ex-fiancé. He had bought her those earrings. They were actually the only pair she owned because she had only gotten her ears pierced after he bought them for her. She had not thought about him in days, she realized with a jolt. Ever since she had met Leandro, he had been all she could think about; aggravating man that he was.

Slowly, she sank onto her bed, examining the earring in her hands as she recalled the betrayal she had suffered. She waited for the excruciating pain to come again but all she felt was a dull throb of sadness. Suddenly, Alexandra realized that she was healing; she was getting over Andrew, and with amazing speed! She knew this new uber-wealthy guy in her life had something to do with it alright.

What did it say about their relationship though, that she was already getting over him in less than a week? And why did she care…he had been an ass! She realized happily that her heart was finally catching up with what her brain had known for some time. She deserved better.

A slight knock sounded at the door and hastily, she sprang to her feet. She took off the second earring and wrapped both of them in a bit of tissue. She would sell them or something, she decided as she picked up her little purse. She could never bear to wear them again. That chapter of her life was over. Finished. Kaput. Amen.

Besides it represented a love that had been a lie from the beginning, she recalled, with a little renewed pain.

Forcing a smile onto her lips, she opened the door and promptly forgot all about Andrew Carson. The vision standing in front of her door was enough to make any woman forget her own name.

He was wearing a black sports coat over a pale pink shirt and dark blue trousers. The ensemble was equal parts casual and elegant; there was just something about that man and the way he managed to pull off any style.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured reverently, his dark eyes scanning her face, trailing down her dress - was it her imagination or did his gaze linger on her cleavage, - before flipping back up to hold her gaze.

He made her feel beautiful, ravishing, and insanely sexy.

His right hand rose slowly to caress her cheek, his gaze boring into hers as he said, “Let’s eat.”

Alexandra stared at him in confusion. His words were innocent enough, but for some reason they sounded very dirty, as if he wasn’t talking about food at all.

“Lead the way,” she said breathlessly, taking the arm he offered her. A frisson of electricity leaped from his skin to hers at the slight contact and she clamped her jaw. It was going to be a long night.

***

Leandro was suave, witty, charming and cultured, as well as an excellent conversationalist, Alexandra decided a few hours later as she dissolved into helpless laughter at yet another one of his jokes. The man could charm a magpie off a tree if he put his mind to it.

“So, you kissed her best friend just to get back at her, and she didn’t even flinch?” she asked, laughing helplessly as he ended yet another anecdote.

“I used my teeth and all! Nothing! Not even a blip!” he affirmed in a comically outraged tone.

“Well consider the fact that your kiss was in actual fact a bite on her best friend’s nose, you earned yourself a slap, and your love interest was five at the time,” she laughed, delighted.

He chuckled, a rich warm sound that flowed over her like warm chocolate. “I still think my brother was to blame. He told me the proper way to kiss was to bite a lady’s nose and Mia Caruso wouldn’t eat my cake at lunch, which meant she didn’t like me. So I bit her best friend’s nose to make her jealous,” he concluded plaintively, sending Alexandra into delighted whoops of laugher.

They had been sharing memories of childhood stories and so far, the man had kept her in stitches.

Other diners turned around frequently to smile at the handsome couple who were obviously enjoying each other’s company; a fact which was lost on Alexandra, but not on Leandro. He loved seeing her eyes fill with humor and he enjoyed watching the comical surprise that kept flitting over her features with every outrageous story he told.

She was incredibly beautiful and sexy; he had been in a serious sweat ever since he saw her in that dress. It hugged her body in all the right places and made him want to run his hands down her soft curves. Her ass was firm, round and full. Walking in behind her at the restaurant, he had been able to think of little else. The high slit at the back of her dress hadn’t helped much either; it kept shifting and showing him flashes of her thigh before settling back into place. By the time they were seated, his blood was on a slow simmer.

“Dessert?” the waiter asked, hovering solicitously at her elbow.

“How about ice cream?” Leandro suggested grinning. “It will trigger your happy hormones,” he added winking suggestively.

“You’re kidding right? With me looking like this?” Alexandra asked, with a self-deprecating laugh.

“I don’t understand,” Leandro said as the waiter strode off.

“I’m fat,” she told him, leaning forward.

“Fat? You are a woman, and you are sexy as hell. I never liked how people throw that word around these days anyhow.” he observed.

“You should see me without my gown; I don’t know. I bet you’d change your tune if you put me next to all your size zero model friends.”

“You are nuts! You are a sexy, curvy, voluptuous woman in her prime and for your information I have wanted to tear that dress off you ever since I saw you in it! You are the most attractive woman I have ever met.”

“Yeah right!” she scoffed as she looked down at her glass of champagne. She was afraid to see sincerity in his eyes because if she started to believe him, he could end up treating her even worse than Andrew had. What if he saw her without her clothes and decided she was fat and completely unattractive?

“Listen to me Alexandra, every man in here has been cheerfully contemplating strangling me since I walked in with you on my arm,” he said earnestly, leaning forward to take her arm. “If you will believe nothing else I tell you, believe this; you are an insanely attractive woman and any man would be lucky to have you.”

Alexandra grinned slowly, “Including you?”

“Why the hell else do you think I’ve been panting after you like a dog on steroids?” he asked.

Alexandra dissolved into laughter, all her insecurities ebbing away as she let the stark honesty on his face rebuild her confidence bit by bit.

Leandro watched as she drank the last drop of champagne from her glass and he slowly took her hand in his, acknowledging the instant frisson of awareness with resignation. “What next?”

“You tell me,” she said, smiling at him, her head cocked to one side in a way that made him want to lean across the table and gently nibble on that naked expanse of neck.

Sudden inspiration struck and he grinned at her, his dark eyes gleaming hotly as he suggested, “How about a moonlight stroll down the beach?”

“Sounds like something straight out of the players’ manual,” she laughed, already rising to her feet and reaching for her purse.

“Well you would know, you seem like the kind of girl to lead men on a merry chase right before you break their hearts. Have mercy on a poor sap like me,” he said, half-seriously as he helped her into her coat.

Alexandra rolled her eyes. Why did she feel a niggling sense of unease in the middle of her back at his words? It would be very easy to fall for this man; he was so handsome, kind, charming and debonair and she was as desperate for love as a flower in the desert was for a cool drink of water.

She had to slow down before she lost her heart to Leandro, she decided.

Chapter Four

“What are you thinking?” Leandro asked, slowing his strides to look down at her. She had been quiet ever since they left the restaurant.

“Nothing,” she said with a shrug.

A woman with three children loitered under a tree, watching them with hungry eyes. She didn’t say a word but they were so dirty and unkempt and skinny it was obvious they were begging for alms. Leandro made a mental note to get Thomas to find out who she was, and if it turned out she had any skills at all, to find her a job in one of his hotels.

Alexandra followed his gaze, and then inexplicably, she brightened.

“I’ll be right back,” she told him.

In a flash, she was gone from his side. He saw her reach into her purse and hand the woman a tiny, tattered bit of tissue paper before turning back to him. Leandro was confused at the exchange and as she reached his side, he opened his mouth to ask her what she had done when the thin woman let out a cry and came running up to them, tears in her eyes.

Leandro saw then the diamond earrings in the woman’s palms and he felt something clench and then ease in his chest.

When they were alone again, he said, “That was a wonderfully generous gesture.”

Alexandra shrugged, “It was a gift from an old boyfriend. I don’t want them anymore. They are just a bad reminder of him and his drama. But perhaps she could sell them. It could make a big difference for her and her kids.”

Leandro stopped, staring down at her, his nostrils slightly flared. Then before she could guess his intent, he leaned down and took her soft lips in a hard, urgent kiss. His tongue dipped into her mouth, stroking and seeking and she sweetly received it with her own. Leandro hungrily deepened the kiss, his hands holding her curvy, voluptuous body tighter against his. Alexandra whimpered against his lips, unused to such torrid passion as he swallowed her cries. She clung tighter to him, her lips trembling sweetly beneath his. All his years of experience sent alarm bells clanging through his head. The way she responded told him something immediately; the woman in his arms was unlike any he had ever met. Disbelief froze him in place, and he noticed for the first time how she had melted against him at his first touch; worse, his own reaction was out of the ordinary. He had been hard put to keep his hands from her all through dinner!

He raised his head, holding her gaze as he deliberately said, “Alexandra? I want to make love to you. Now!”

Her blue eyes widened into twin pools of lust and embarrassment. Lust quickly gained the upper hand and she nodded her assent.

With a groan of pure triumph, he lowered his head to hers and took her lips in a deep, drugging kiss. Heat flared, immediate and hot as he held her tight against him, exploring her exquisite mouth with his.

As they parted for a moment, Alexandra innocently stroked her hand down his chest and Leandro lost every last vestige of control. “I need you now!” he groaned urgently.

“O-okay,” she stammered. “We’ll just use the elevator”

“I can’t wait,” he interrupted, as he hustled her in the direction of the parking lot.

“Where are we going?” she asked, almost running in her haste to keep up with him.

“My limo is close,” he ground out in a thickened voice.

He hustled her into a plush, butter-soft leathered limousine and as soon as he shut the door, pounced. He drew her across his lap, kissing her deep and hard as his hand urgently tugged off her coat and unzipped her dress. The gown fell open at the back and he pushed it down to her waist, allowing her full, thrusting breasts to rise creamily in front of his face.

With a deep groan, he buried his face in her soft, full cleavage, worshipping the incredibly soft folds of her breasts.

Alexandra moaned and thrust her breast higher against his face. He pushed her bra out of the way and took one enlarged, pink nipple in his warm, wet mouth. She jerked against him and then automatically clutched his head, holding him closer as she offered him herself. He licked and suckled the tender flesh, alternately biting gently as he molded her nipple with his tongue. He moved to the other breast, licking and sucking around the hardening tips with his delighted tongue. The intensity of his caress drove Alexandra wild and she clung to him as wetness pooled between her legs.

Leandro slowly dipped a hand in between her thighs and groaned as a rush of wetness met his fingers through the thin lace of her panties as she undulated against his fingers.

Sweat beaded his forehead as he struggled to restrain himself from ravaging her like an animal. Alexandra only spread her legs wider to receive him. She leaned down a little and flicked her tongue against his erect nipple, wrenching a groan from his lips.

“I can’t wait to have you inside me,” she whispered huskily. “I’m so wet for you.”

Just like that, his control broke! With a muttered oath, he tumbled her onto the long seat of the limo. He had intended to move them upstairs before they actually made love, but he could not contain himself any longer.

Leandro unbuckled his pants in record time, his hard cock springing free as he took Alexandra’s lips in another hot, urgent kiss. He pushed her lace panties to one side and gently inserted one long, slim finger into her. The roof of his head almost came off; God she was tight!

Her muscles clamped down eagerly around the intruding finger and she gasped as he began to thrust the digit slowly in and out of her. Pleasure itself was virtually dripping between her thighs as she got wetter still.

Leandro slowly guided his penis into her, inch after excruciatingly pleasurable inch. He was very large and she was tight as a fist. She wasn’t a virgin, he discovered as he pushed into her the rest of the way but she was certainly tighter than most.

He kissed her cheek, grunting as he drove in to the hilt. She gasped, then spread her legs wide and held him tighter to herself. Leandro began to move, pumping his hips up and down as he drove into her again and again and again.

Alexandra moaned, clutching him to her as he made fierce love to her. All her senses spiraled in a whirlpool of sensation coalescing at last in one huge coil of tension that grew tighter and tighter and tighter in her belly.

She bucked and gasped underneath him, moaning as the pleasure overtook her and she began to clench and unclench around him. She came hot and heavy around him as she cried out in ecstasy. Leandro held her until she rode out the last waves of sensation and he murmured against her cheeks, “My turn, Cara mia.”

He increased the tempo of his thrusts, shoving deeper into her, going faster and faster until he was groaning her name and spurting his hot seed straight into her tight, wet, wiling passage.

They both drifted slowly back to earth and Leandro kissed her cheek as he gathered her against him.

“That was amazing,” she gasped.

Leandro felt a bolt of pure masculine pride shoot through him and he kissed the top of her head.

“Ready for an encore?” he rumbled.

Alexandra chuckled, “You can’t be serious!”

For an answer, he just cleared his throat and when she looked up at him, he nodded south, meaningfully. Her wide blue eyes followed his direction slowly, widening even further as she saw his already turgid and rigidly erect penis standing proudly at ninety degrees.

Thirty minutes later, and after one more torrid session of lovemaking, Alexandra staggered into her room, her body tingling deliciously from head to toe.

Leandro followed her in, shutting the door behind them.

“Want to take a quick shower before bed?”

She looked at him in surprise, “You’re staying?”

“Just to sleep, I think you wore me out,” he said with a chuckle as he dropped a light kiss onto her nose.

He shed his clothes and strode into the bathroom. He emerged a few minutes later, looking refreshed with a tiny towel knotted around his waist.

Alexandra swallowed as her gaze trailed down that hard, beautiful body. Then she resolutely shrugged into her bathrobe and disappeared into the bathroom. When she returned minutes later, Leandro was fast asleep, his face looking sweet and almost boyish in his slumber.

She slipped into her pajamas and crept into bed with him, placing her head onto his chest. Alexandra sighed, feeling as though every last bone in her body had melted away in Leandro’s arms. She sighed contentedly, rubbing her cheek against his hard, hairy chest as she shut her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.

Chapter Five

Leandro came awake slowly, savoring the soft feel of a woman’s body pressed against his own. He could not remember waking up with a woman in his arms - ever. He had bedded several women in the past but he had never slept overnight with any one of them. He was a strange man in that regard, but he had always known it was just a matter of meeting the right woman for him.

He cuddled her closer in his arms. She made him do things he could never have imagined. Incredibly, he realized he was falling in love with her. That was something he had certainly not counted on. Suddenly the tables had turned slightly. How would she react if she found out about the true reason for their meeting? His original suspicions and subsequent manipulations were hardly the stuff of fairy tales. Would she ever forgive him if she learned that they had not just met by chance? His company, Lead Inc had bid for a very huge contract and he had managed to learn that the choice was down to his company and hers. He had come to the Island with the express purpose of convincing her to drop out of the bid. But he had met her, made her laugh, erased the sad, haunted look in her eyes when she spoke of her ex. Apparently he had even helped her to see the reality of her beauty. But now, he wasn’t sure how to come clean without putting that haunted look back in her eyes.

They had been together for eight days now and she was due to return today but he hadn’t figured out a way to let her know he had wanted something else from her. In fact, he wouldn’t even broach the subject; he would just leave it to the fates and let the best man win, he decided.

Alexandra stretched in his arms, a smile spreading across her face which was half hidden-by a mass of blond curls as she grinned up at him, “Hi handsome.”

“Hey sexy,” he responded, dropping a light kiss onto her nose.

“Why are you smiling like that?” she asked, grinning at him.

“Because I’m happy. Why are you smiling like that?”

She grinned wickedly at him. “Happy you asked,” she murmured just before she bent her head and disappeared beneath the sheets.

He jumped when her warm tongue suddenly laved the tip of his semi-erect penis. His erection immediately sprang to life as she took him completely in her mouth for a moment. Fully-erect, hard and ready, he began to pulse his cock against her ever so slightly. He groaned as she flicked her tongue over the tip again with a feather-light caress of her tongue.

Suddenly, he flung off the sheets, his eyes widening as he watched her start to take him back in her mouth again. Sensation unlike anything he had ever felt coursed through him and he began to rock his hips with more vigor, thrusting back and forth into her mouth.

Alexandra grinned enjoying his reaction to her touch as a heady sense of feminine power thrilled through her. She unselfconsciously licked him slowly from base to tip, her blue eyes holding his gaze boldly.

“You’re driving me crazy,” he grunted, grabbing her head with both hands as though to still her up and down movement.

Alexandra grinned inwardly. Well duh, that was the idea. Slowly, she released his penis. It glistened wetly and even more invitingly.

“You were asking why I was smiling?” she said innocently, her blue eyes wide.

“Yeah I think I now have a general idea. It’s because you’re a little witch,” he chuckled, tumbling her onto her back and following her down.

His dark eyes caught hers and held them in her gaze. Something glinted in his eyes; something warm and rich. Before she could ascertain what it was, he smiled and it was gone.

Leandro rubbed the tip of his penis against her opening, and her stomach immediately clenched in reaction. Slowly, he guided it in, groaning as her tight wetness enveloped him.

She shut her eyes in ecstasy but he kissed her eyelids and said, “Look at me Cara mia. I want to watch you watching me make love to you.”

He was velvety hard, pulsing with life and passion. She saw and felt herself the sublime pleasure etched into his features as he thrust into her silken sheath.

Alexandra spread her legs wider and he began to pump his hips in earnest as he made love to her. In seconds, she was hot all over, set on fire by a thousand sensations.

Panting with mounting excitement, Leandro squeezed one generous breast, kneading roughly as he pounded into her again and again.

“You’re so tight! So tight and warm,” he groaned as he fucked her. “You’re so wet!”

“Yes! Yes!” she moaned, mindlessly undulating in his arms even as she strained against him.

He slipped a hand between them and rubbed his finger against her clitoris again and again wringing new sensations from her already over-sensitized body.

Leandro grunted louder with each thrust as he increased the tempo, setting her on fire. Alexandra mindlessly raised her hips, arching upwards to match the uniform rhythm of his finger on her clitoris, and of his rapid thrusts into her body. She was helpless to stop the onslaught of feelings he had unleashed; and before she knew it, the dam burst and she was peaking and trembling with ecstasy as she sighed his name and convulsed in his arms.

Once she had finished cumming, he changed the angle of his thrusts, focusing now on his own primal desires, hammering away at her pussy and groaning as every thrust brought him closer to fulfillment.

Alexandra reached up one finger and slowly began to circle his nipple with light caresses.

Leandro threw back his head, his teeth barred as he began to peak. Her name was wrenched from his chest in a mighty groan as he rammed into her one last time before spewing his hot, wet seed straight into her warm, willing body.

He collapsed beside her, spent and sated as he drew her into the comfort of his arms to still their mutual trembling.

***

“The man is an absolute sex fiend,” Alexandra whispered, laughing into the phone as she spoke to her best friend. Leandro had gone into the bathroom for a quick shower and she had seized the opportunity to call Claire.

“He sounds positively delicious,” her friend Claire observed dryly from her end.

“I’m telling you, he is beyond delicious! He... he makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.”

“Like?”

Silence.

“Come on Alexis, you can’t leave me high and dry. My ears are almost falling off,” Claire pleaded. She was the only person in the whole world, besides her parents, who could get away with calling her Alexis.

“Um, perhaps we’ll talk about that whenever we see. Why did you call?”

“Nice dodge. Alright, first off, I’m glad you’re having fun and Andrew was over here the other day sniffing around to know where you went; I didn’t tell him zilch!”

Alexandra waited to feel the familiar pain at hearing Andrew’s name but she felt nothing; not even a dull throb.

Grinning, she said into the phone, “I hope you tossed him out on his ear.”

“Sure did, and kicked him in the butt to help him on his way. Also called security and got his ass blacklisted; he can never step foot onto the premises of Beautiful Designs again on their watch.”

Alexandra snorted with laughter; she knew Claire well enough to know she was serious and not kidding around. The mental image of her prudish partner shoving her foot at Andrew’s ass made her smile.

Her wandering attention honed in as she caught the last few words of whatever Claire was saying, “ the bid by Beautiful Designs.”

“Huh? Say that again.”

“I said I got a call this morning from our guy at Alistairs Plc; he says he thinks Lead Inc may be positioning themselves to either change their bid to a figure below ours, or to convince us to bow out.”

A cold fist of fear clenched around Alexandra’s heart, “Someone wants us out of the running for Alistairs and you’re just telling me now? You know how much we have riding on that.”

Silence.

Alistairs Plc was a company with at least two branches in each state; not to mention some foreign holdings. They had recently decided to rebrand their offices across the states and had invited bids from interior design companies. Beautiful Designs needed the kind of exposure just such a contract would give them if her dream of becoming a household name was to be a reality. Beautiful Designs had sunk months of manpower, research and effort into this bid, not to mention the series of expensive high-powered meetings they had conducted to convince the Board of Alistairs Plc that they were the right people for the job.

If she lost this deal, it would mean Beautiful Designs had sunk a lot of money down the drain which it really could not afford to lose right now. They had come too far; made it to a point where it was just down to them and some other company. They needed this deal. Besides Beautiful Designs was in debt and if it didn’t get a huge cash infusion soon, they would have to start laying off some people and that was the last thing she wanted.

“Claire?”

“I’m here?”

“Who the hell are the Lead Inc people?”

Silence reigned at the other end and then quietly, Claire asked, “Have you checked your email recently?”

“Okay I haven’t. Who’s trying to shove us out the door and why?”

“They really just want contract as an additional feather in an already heavily-decorated cap. These guys are the big league; I even heard they officially decorate the White House. Last two weeks, someone contacted me and wanted to know if we would drop out of the running but I told them we’re in it to win it. I was going to tell you that day but that was the same day you found out about Andrew and you were so torn up about it. The man was all cocky like his boss is the most persuasive man this side of the planet and when you factor in the fact that he’s the Alarico, you can understand why they have such faith in his abilities.”

Alexandra fought off a sudden wave of nausea as she digested this latest bit of information. The Alarico? “What is his name?”

“He’s a Spaniard…Leandro Alarico. He’s a big deal apparently.”

“Claire, do they know where this Alarico person is at the moment?”

“Um, I actually demanded to see him and tell the man off myself and the pissy rep assured me that he was out of reach. Something about him needing a working holiday or some such thing.”

Alexandra felt a great chill chase up her arms and straight into her bones. Her eyes swung to the briefcase lying open on the bed across the room. Wordlessly, she replaced the receiver and turned to stare around Leandro’s suite with new eyes. Who was this man?

Muffled singing from the bathroom told her he was still in the shower and she hurriedly rushed to peep into the documents lying in his open briefcase. Her heart stopped; it was a copy of a bid by Lead Inc for the same contract. The envelope beside it also revealed some pictures of her as well as some reports detailing her life and her personal habits. Tears blurred her vision. Was this why he had sought her out in Hawaii? Obviously their meeting had not been an accident at all. Everything that had happened  the lovemaking, the laughter, the companionship  it had all been nothing but a master-seducer at work!

Her sense of betrayal was absolute and complete as she stared at the document. With a flip of her hand, she flung it back into his briefcase and with quick jerky movements, picked up her clothes and fled to the sanctity of her room.

***

Leandro whistled to himself as he emerged from the bathroom. The world suddenly seemed brighter. He felt more cheerful and happier than he could remember. He was interested in finding out more about Alexandra, he wanted to know everything! That was a first for him, most women he dated, he barely knew more than their first names. There was just something unique about her. As much as he was captivated, it also that scared the hell out of him. At some level though, he thought, maybe that’s what I have needed – someone who can really see me.

He loved her, he realized. He waited to feel choked or trapped but all he felt was exhilarated.

He would tell her the truth today, he decided.

“Alexandra?” he called as he dried his hair with a towel, looking around the room. It was empty. Where had she gone? He strode into the adjourning bedroom, but she was not there either.

A niggle of unease trickled down his spine and he immediately swung about the room, searching wildly for something. He didn’t know what it was but he couldn’t shake the sudden feeling in his guts that there was something he should look out for. His eyes fell on the open briefcase and with a sense of dread, he walked closer. Instantly he knew what had happened. Dammit, he thought to himself. She had found the pictures and the bid. What a mess. He had not gone through the papers yet, but he knew, essentially what he had asked his people investigate for him. He picked up the first document and his jaw tightened as he read what was written on it; the idiot had even detailed where she shopped for lingerie!

Had she seen these? Of course she had.

Hurriedly he shoved his legs into his pants and dragged a tee-shirt over his head. He barely remembered to shove his foot into his loafers before he was barreling towards the elevator. He reached her room and shoved open the door; it was just as he had feared! All her belongings were gone.

Cursing in rapid Spanish,”Mierda, mierda, mierda” Leandro rushed downstairs, his heart in his throat as he looked over the crowd for any glimpse of her.

“Where is she?” he demanded of the receptionist.

The young woman took one look at him. All of the staff knew exactly who he was. She responded without asking who he meant, “She left Sir. She checked out.”

“When?” he bit out so furiously, that the startled receptionist drew back.

“A few minutes ago Sir. She was in quite a hurry.”

“Did you see which way she went?”

“No. But I’ll take a wild stab and say she was heading for the airport.”

Leandro didn’t wait to hear more; he left at a run, searching even as he headed for the door. But she was already gone. Weakly, he sank onto the pavement in front of the hotel. Whatever brightness had illuminated his day a scant twenty minutes ago had gone out completely.

Chapter Six

Alexandra Jordan was a mess. It had been seven weeks since she’d left Hawaii and while Lead Inc had not contacted them at all, she had been unable to get its conniving CEO out of her mind.

She had also been a nightmare to be around at work because she was so sensitive these days that the least thing set her off. In a single day, she had berated her CFO, fired a janitor and sent two new interns crying from her office after an intense scolding.

Three weeks after she had returned, the tension around her had been so palpable that Claire had pulled her aside and reminded her she was supposed to have gone on the break to relax and not to return an ogre. She had the temperament of a bear with a sore paw and she knew it.

When she had noticed that her normally stoic secretary now blanched every single time she so much as looked at the woman, and that even Claire was giving her a wide berth, she had gone home and had a good crying session just to get it all out of her system. These days she was more withdrawn and quiet which was a decided improvement from her earlier raging-bitch persona.

The past week, she had forced smiles until her cheeks hurt. She had smiled for real though when she learned that Beautiful Designs had somehow clinched the Alistairs Plc contract. Things were looking up, she had thought as she joined her colleagues for a toast in celebration.

But just when she had started to convince herself that Leandro was not worth her tears, her doctor had delivered what might have been amazing news under other circumstances, but felt pretty grim as things stood now; she was pregnant!

She had lost some weight, rather than gain some as one might expect, and the bags under her eyes were so prominent they threatened to dwarf her nose. She hadn’t been sleeping much either, she admitted but all that had to change now that she had a baby to think of. She looked around at the park; it was midday and she was pretty much alone. A few kids played in a nearby swing set while adults sat on some benches similar to hers, watching over them.

Alexandra’s hand rested both pensively as well as protectively on her stomach as she leaned back against the park bench and shut her eyes. She wasn’t showing yet but she already loved the tiny human being inside of her with all her heart. It wasn’t its fault that its father was a two-faced rat! But still, this was not how it was supposed to be!

“May I sit?” an achingly familiar voice said from right in front of her.

Alexandra’s eyes flew open disbelievingly. She couldn’t believe her eyes. The two-faced rat was standing right in front of her looking so unbearably handsome that she unconsciously started to grind her teeth. He was wearing a pair of well-washed jeans and a tee-shirt with simple sneakers and yet somehow he managed to look utterly respectable, male and delicious. He was also slimmer than she remembered; he actually looked a little gaunt.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered, her throat almost closing up. She had been torturing herself with images of his handsome, lying face since Hawaii but seeing him in the flesh was even more painful than her fevered anticipation had imagined.

“I need to talk to you Alexandra. You left the Island in a hurry and I had no chance to ”

“To seduce me further just so you could get me to reveal secrets about my business? Well you failed; we got the contract!” she cut in acidly.

“Cara mia, I’ve hurt you but you will let me make amends yes?” he said, his Spanish accent thicker as he dropped his long frame onto the bench beside her.

Alexandra felt as though the entire air around them reverberated with the very force of his presence and vitality. She edged away from him a little on the bench.

“Alexandra? Come on, don’t avoid me, Cara mia,” he pleaded, his hand grabbing hers to still her nervous movements.

“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here,” Alexandra spat jerking her arm from his light grasp. “So all you wanted was a contract and you had to sleep with me too? The humiliation couldn’t just end at me warming up to you? You could have simply asked me to withdraw as a friend and I would have considered it. You didn’t have to pretend to like me and actually fucking take me to your bed!”

Pun was really not her strong suit, she thought distractedly.

“It looks bad I know, but I swear it was nothing like that,” he said gruffly, taking her hand in his.

She sprung to her feet, flinging off his hand, her heart racing as she said frigidly, “Leave me the hell alone.”

Something glinted fleetingly in his dark eyes but was gone before she could ascertain what it was and he said, “I can’t. I have tried a thousand times to let you go but I can’t. I tried to forget you. I can’t undo what is done.”

“You’re damn right you can’t! I hate you and I curse the day I met you,” she lied.

Leandro looked weary and deflated all of a sudden and Alexandra felt her heart constrict in her chest as she looked at him. In this moment he didn’t look the part of some corporate raider as she had painted him; he looked almost like a little boy whose heart was breaking.

“I never set out to seduce you. I came to Hawaii to persuade you to withdraw Beautiful Designs from the bid. Lead Inc has been trying to take over some companies, mostly subsidiaries of Alistairs Plc and this contract would have been like a leg in the door for us. Before I met you, it was just business, but once I saw you, I had to have you. I wanted to be with you, I should say. Seducing you was never my agenda. I swear it. I tried everything I could to stay away but I just could not forget you. Now that I know you exist, nothing is the same. All that I have accomplished means nothing without you. I was going to tell you everything that last day but you found out on your own before I had the chance.”

“Yeah you should have done a better job of hiding the papers I said,” she said bitingly.

He sighed, “That was the worst day of my life.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.”

“Alexandra, I pulled Lead Inc out of the bid. That was the first thing I did when I returned. You can verify from them, I swear. I didn’t want to take it away from you; not if it meant I would lose you.”

Her heart thudded in her chest. He had pulled out of the contract when it meant so much to his company?

Alexandra took a quick step back as Leandro rose to his feet and took her hand in his once more. “I’m sorry Alexandra. Please forgive me? I feel like I know you as much as I know my own self. Can’t you see? You are a part of me and I am a part of you. Our meeting was a gift. Can’t you see that?”

“You only know so much about me because you read it up in some report!”

“I never read the report. In fact I had only just printed them out that same morning. I never read them I swear. Our connection surprised me too. You are the funniest, kindest, sweetest, most beautiful woman I know.”

His dark eyes stared into hers, open and searching and she read the blazing sincerity and remorse in his gaze. She believed him, she realized.

Her resistance melted away and she nodded, “Okay fine. No harm done.”

“There’s something else.”

“Huh?”

Before her surprised eyes, he went down on one knee and pulled a little black box from his pocket, his dark eyes gleaming as he looked up at her. Alexandra’s throat closed up as she stared at him, her hands flying to her mouth when the box opened to reveal the biggest and most amazingly cut diamond she had ever seen in her life.

“I love you Alexandra. I know I absolutely do not deserve you but will you make me the happiest man on earth and say you’ll marry me?”

“I I’m pregnant,” she blurted instead.

His eyes widened in surprise even as his gaze automatically dropped to her flat stomach before flicking up to her face.

“You’re” he began hesitantly.

Alexandra nodded, happy tears springing into her eyes as she grinned down at him. He rose to his feet immediately and gathered her into his arms, his hands encircling her waist as he crushed her to him.

“You’re perfect. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” he breathed against her lips. His kiss was tender and gentle. His tongue stroked hers sweetly sending waves of a calm and soothing peace shooting through her nerve endings as she clung to him. An almost indescribable feeling of happiness washed over her.

“You never answered my question,” he reminded her, lifting his head and looking into her eyes with all the love in the world shining from his.

“Yes Leandro, I’ll marry you. I love you too,” she told him.

As she kissed him, all the walls around her heart melted away completely leaving her free to embrace this wonderful love that was hers to savor forever.

THE END

Wealthy Famous Hot and Mine

Katrina Bliss

Copyright ©2016 by Katrina Bliss. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

Erin, to the displeasure of her family and now her best friend Alicia, never liked the beach. Even as a child, she had always been a mountain person. To arrive at a compromise with Alicia, they picked a cabin at the foot of a valley, beside a lake, as their vacation spot. Not that Alicia accepted it as much of a compromise.

They were sitting in rocking chairs on the balcony of the cabin with a view of the mossy green, serenely quiet lake before them.

“Isn’t this charming?” Erin asked and took a sip from the steaming mug of hot chocolate she had been cradling in her hands. She saw Alicia roll her eyes. “What? What now?” Erin asked, shaking her head.

“Where are the waves? The half-naked chiseled men showing off their torsos? The frozen margaritas and the sunscreen lotion? This is for middle-aged people, Erin!” Alicia drained her own hot chocolate into her mouth and sighed. Erin couldn’t help but smile, her best friend had always had a knack for drama.

“You haven’t even given it a chance yet, Alicia. We’ve been here exactly what? Ten hours? And you’re making it sound like we’ve been stuck here forever. Besides, I’m nursing a broken heart and should be made to feel warm and comforted.” Erin pouted her lips. If Alicia knew how to exaggerate her misery, Erin had a few of her own tricks up her sleeves. Alicia sprang up from her chair and lunged towards Erin to give her a tight hug.

“I’m sorry, cutie. Forget I said anything. You’re right, we need to concentrate on you.” She had crouched down beside Erin now and the two girls exchanged smiles.

“I hope you haven’t been going through the messages again, Erin?” Alicia straightened her back, stood up and tightened her wrap around her shoulders. Erin sighed and shook her head.

“No, I haven’t been doing that. I’ve taken the battery out of my phone and hidden it at the bottom of my suitcase.” She watched Alicia make her way back to her rocking chair and settle down.

“How does that help? You’ve not exactly hidden it from yourself if you know where it is.” Alicia reached for Erin’s mug of hot chocolate.

“No, but in my moment of weakness, having to take all my clothes and stuff out of the suitcase to reach the battery will give me enough time to calm myself and change my mind.” Erin allowed the mug to slip out of her hands and rubbed her palms together. If the temperature dropped any further, the caretaker of the lodge promised that the lake would freeze over. Erin secretly wished that would happen. She wanted the lake to freeze, for translucent icicles to drop down and then freeze mid-way from the pine tree leaves around them. She was hoping that the bitter cold would numb her heart and muscles and stop herself from physically aching.

She hadn’t realized when Alicia had reached out and was gently rubbing the side of her arm. She threw her friend a gentle thankful look.

“Thanks for coming, Alicia. I really do appreciate it.” Her voice squeaked as she spoke and she saw how Alicia flinched. Neither of them was accustomed to Erin being the one in need of support and comfort. They had been friends since Kindergarten and Alicia had always been the one to throw a fit, cry over the men in her life. Erin was the stoic one.

“I really hate him. I hate Steve. If I see him I’d ̶ ” Alicia was spitting the words out and Erin interrupted her.

“Forget it. Let’s just not talk about it.”

“But we need to talk about it, Erin. The guy cheated on you, had been cheating on you for several months. You can’t just pretend that you’ll be able to distract yourself from it for the rest of your life.” Alicia was still drinking Erin’s hot chocolate.

“I just don’t want to talk about it now, that’s all.” Erin couldn’t keep the annoyance out of her voice. She knew Alicia was trying to help, was trying to be a friend but she didn’t want to turn into a cranky cry baby.

“This is exactly the reason why you end up going through old messages and emails. Because you’re not venting.” Alicia handed the half empty mug of hot chocolate back to Erin and stood up from her chair.

“Where are you going?” Erin was predicting a dramatic quarrel between the two of them. A day would never be complete if they didn’t go through one of these.

“I’m going to have a long hot bath, drink some wine and then try and persuade Ms. Carter to light the fire. I’m freezing out here.” Alicia was already halfway back into the cabin. She held the door open with her other hand fixed on her hip.

“You coming in?” she asked Erin, but only got a shake of the head in response.

“Just don’t stay out here too long. Come find me soon?” She sighed as she went inside and Erin grinned and drank some of the remaining bits in her mug. Despite their differences and their quarrels, there was nobody else she was more comfortable with than Alicia. In fact, Erin had always believed that if they hadn’t met in Kindergarten and she hadn’t punched a boy in the face when they were six because he was teasing Alicia, they might have never become friends. They were the opposites in school and everybody around them wondered what kept them together. The skinny blonde Cheerleader and the geeky nerd with the braces who always aced every exam, including the surprise ones.

Erin was smiling to herself as she thought about their friendship through the years, subconsciously grateful that she had something else to think about rather than Steve.

“Sorry, is someone sitting here?” Erin was jolted out of her thoughts by the voice of a man she had not noticed had now joined her in the balcony. She looked up to find him hovering over the chair that Alicia had been sitting on, her discarded wrap was still lying on the seat of the chair.

“No, please go ahead. My friend was but she’s gone in now.” Erin spoke too quickly, slightly embarrassed to be caught in the middle of deep thoughts. How long had he been there? Had she been smiling and rocking herself like a fool this whole time?

She watched as he picked up the edge of the wrap with one hooked finger, like it was something that could infect him with a fatal viral disease. He held it away from his body as he walked the short distance with it over to Erin’s side and then gently flung it over the back of her own chair. She wanted to laugh, just the sight of him made her want to burst out laughing.

He was incredibly tall, for starters. Erin wasn’t the tallest girl she knew, but she was certain that this person was at least half a foot taller than Alicia…who was the tallest girl she knew. The lower half of his face was covered in a rough salt-pepper beard and his dark hair was scruffy and brushed back, away from his forehead. Only his temples betrayed a slight smattering of grey. She watched as he quietly settled into the rocking chair, a leather-bound book in his hands. She couldn’t quite tell his age, although he was most certainly older than her. He was in a warm plaid shirt and baggy jeans. If he wasn’t a fellow guest at the cabin, he most definitely was a local carpenter or lumberjack. Her eyes fell on his thick wrists and the way the muscles on his shoulders tensed as he started flipping through the pages of his book. She wondered if he had single- handedly built the cabin himself.

“Are you a guest here?” she asked, interrupting his flipping and he looked up at her with slanted eyes. His dark green eyes contained a flicker of annoyance which silenced her, she immediately decided she would leave him alone.

“Yes,” he replied and went back to reading his book. Erin looked away from him and out towards the lake. She didn’t want to worry about how rude and unfriendly the man was being, she had her own worries to keep at bay. They should have been taking up all her energy.

“How long are you staying here?” his voice was deep and thick. It was almost like his voice boomed as it bounced off the walls of the mountains that surrounded them. She cleared her throat before she spoke. He was glaring at her, although the question from anybody else would have been a friendly innocent one. Coming from him, it made her slightly nervous. She wanted to give him the right answer, although what would be the right answer to bring a smile on his face?

“A fortnight,” she said and only now realized that she had been nervously cracking her fingers. His gaze had fallen on her hands and she stopped doing it. In her mind, she thought that he took awfully long to respond and allowed too much silence to ensue between them.

After a few seconds, he grunted and Erin wasn’t sure what kind of a response that was.

“And yourself?” she asked him but he had gone back to reading his book again.

“A month, maybe longer. I’m undecided,” he said, without looking up at her again. Erin sat back in her chair and began rocking herself gently, for the lack of anything else to do. When the chair creaked after a few minutes of silence, he looked up sharply, as if angered by the sound. Erin stopped rocking. For a second, she felt guilty for disturbing his reading and an instant later she was furious. Why would he make her feel guilty? She was as much a guest at the cabin as he was.

“Ms. Carter must have lit the fire inside by now. It might suit your reading needs better,” she snapped at him and he looked up, their eyes met. She held his gaze, even though her heart continued to pound and she wanted to look away embarrassed. He had a knowing look on his face, she was certain that he knew she was trying to make a jab at his impolite reactions to her presence.

She was surprised when he suddenly smiled. Unrealistically white teeth peeped out from between his thin red lips and the surrounding dark beard.

“I apologize for being this wound up. It’s not easy to force yourself to relax,” he said and shut the book in his hands. He leaned back in his chair and started rocking himself. Erin smiled too. She could feel her cheeks burning up.

“I know what you mean. I’m simply trying to blank out my brain,” she said and looked away. They were both looking towards the lake now in silence.

“So you’re hiding too?” he spoke after a few minutes. Erin thought about how the silence between them had been comfortable, but she welcomed the question, this question in particular from a stranger.

“Not hiding as much as escaping,” she said. She wasn’t looking at him when she answered but she could sense that he was nodding his head.

“What’s the difference though?” he asked and they looked at each other again. Erin was the one to smile and he gave a small laugh.

“You may be right,” she said, “whatever I’m doing, I plan on going back home as a new person after this.” She was still smiling.

“Good luck with that. Believe me, I’ve tried,” he said and to her dismay, opened up his book again and started to read. Erin allowed herself to continue to look at him for a few seconds longer before she forced herself to look away. When she did, from the corner of her eye, she could sense that he had raised his head to look at her. Only for a few seconds.

Chapter 2

“That’s what I’ve always said. Beaches are just too bright and everybody is always happy. Only till the end of the vacation of course. Whereas in a place like this, one gets a chance to reflect and arrange one’s thoughts.” Erin was leaning forward, excited to finally meet somebody who agreed with her choice of a vacation spot. Xavier was laughing at her explanation. She didn’t know much about him, except that his name was Xavier, even though they had spent the past hour talking. He had drifted in and out of reading his book while Erin kept interrupting him with general questions. He didn’t seem to mind much anymore.

As Xavier laughed, Alicia opened the door to the balcony and stepped out.

“Are you seriously still sitting here? It’s freezing,” she said.

“It’s all right. I’ve had company,” Erin said with a smile and directed Alicia’s gaze to Xavier who she had only just noticed.

“Alicia, this is Xavier. Xavier, this is my best friend Alicia, whose seat you have stolen.” Erin introduced them and Xavier stood up from the chair and stepped aside. Alicia, who initially had plastered her usual pleasing smile on her face when the introductions were being made, now stood still staring at Xavier.

Erin felt a sudden pang, of a feeling she couldn’t quite identify. Judging by the look on Alicia’s face, and the fact that they had known each other for more than a decade now, Erin could tell that her friend was floored. And what Alicia wanted, she always got.

Xavier stretched out his hand towards Alicia after they had stood in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds.

“Hello,” he said, in his deep thundering voice. Alicia, who usually was great around people, always captivating everyone with her sparkling smile and cheerful personality, shook his hand in silence.

“Please, have a seat. I’m heading in for a quick shower anyway,” Xavier said and started walking towards the door. Erin could feel her heart deaden at the sight of him leaving.

“We should all have dinner together,” Erin found herself saying, suddenly and without warning. He stopped in his tracks and turned slightly to look at her. He threw Alicia a nervous quick look and smiled.

“Maybe,” he said and opened the door and slipped back into the cabin. Erin’s brows furrowed. The air between them had changed suddenly and she had no idea what had just happened to cause it. Did Alicia and Xavier know each other? The thoughts were racing through Erin’s mind and she turned to look at her friend, who was still standing.

“You’ve been sitting here, chatting with him?” Alicia asked. Erin could see that she was trying to keep her voice low, but struggling to not sound too excited or screech.

“What do you mean? Do you know each other?” Erin breathed in deeply, bracing herself to be shot at with a long winded story about how Alicia and Xavier had once dated but it went sour after she dumped in. She could feel her fingers shaking a little. The thought of the two of them together produced an actual physical reaction in her.

“I wish.” Alicia rolled her eyes and slumped into the empty rocking chair. Erin threw her another confused look, increasingly angered by the slowness of information being given to her.

“Erin! Are you serious? You don’t know who that is?” Alicia was speaking through gritted teeth. Apparently, her friend was as annoyed with her as she was with Alicia. Erin shook her head.

“Should I?”

“That’s Xavier Cowen. Umm, the Xavier Cowen.” Alicia leaned in and spoke in a near-whisper. Erin still had no idea what to make of the revelation.

“Who is he?” she asked and watched as Alicia threw up her hands, in mock surrender.

“To put it simply, he’s a movie star,” Alicia said, not happy that her best friend couldn’t share in her absolute shock and excitement. Erin was confused, then surprised and then she broke into a fit of giggles. She couldn’t help herself. The thought of Xavier, the man she had been sitting and having a heart-to-heart with for the past hour, was a movie star? It was too unbelievable, too hilarious. She nearly didn’t buy it. She couldn’t believe that he had that frivolous a profession. She hadn’t asked, but she imagined him to be a Philosophy professor or perhaps a mad scientist.

“You’re certain of it?” Erin managed to ask, through her laughs. Alicia was sitting on the chair but had her hands on her hips now, furious at Erin’s reaction.

“I wasn’t sure initially, because of the beard. But yes, now I’m certain Erin.” She had her eyes narrowed. “Stop laughing. What’s so funny?”

“I just can’t believe it. What kind of movies does he do?” Erin asked, biting down on her lips to stop herself from laughing anymore.

“He used to be the heartthrob of the rom-coms about a decade ago, but then he had a series of Superhero films that he did. I don’t think he’s been in a movie in the past few years though.” Alicia was thinking, looking away from her and her brows were crinkled. She was in deep thought, trying to mentally trace out Xavier Cowen’s Hollywood career.

Erin couldn’t believe it, Rom-Coms, Superhero flicks? She sat back in her chair and folded her arms in front of her.

“This is crazy,” she said, almost to herself, but Alicia had heard.

“Yeah, I know. I can’t believe I just met Xavier Cowen,” Alicia replied, but she was speaking to herself as well.

“I could have sworn he was a teacher or something,” Erin said and the two girls exchanged looks.

“He does look quite different than he used to, on-screen at least. But he’s still gorgeous, isn’t he?” Alicia asked and Erin absent-mindedly nodded. He most definitely was, gorgeous. The fact that she was, even remotely, attracted to a movie star was a crazy prank the Universe had played on her. Her first boyfriend, Lawrence, who she dated towards the end of college was now an award winning sculptor and Steve, her second and last boyfriend was a Physicist. She had rarely been attracted to other men and the ones she had been, were the same league. A movie star? Erin burst into another fit of laughter.

Ms. Carter interrupted them at that moment.

“I’ve served dinner at the dining table, ladies,” she said and then slipped back into the cabin.

“I’m starving,” Erin said, and stood up, stretching her arms behind her. Alicia remained sitting, still deep in thought.

“Alicia. Food!” Erin shouted a little, trying to snap her friend out of her thoughts. Alicia looked up at her, still slightly confused and dazed.

“I don’t believe it,” she said and shook her head.

“I don’t believe it either. Snap out of it Alicia. Let’s go get dinner.” Erin started walking towards the door.

“Do you think he’ll really join us?” Alicia finally stood up and Erin shrugged.

“If he’s anything like any other superstar, he won’t. Right? Do we really care?” Erin opened the door.

“You might not. But I definitely do. I’m not leaving here without a photo with him and an autograph.” Alicia had her smile back on her face as she walked through the door.

“Leave him be Alicia. He’s probably come here to escape crazy fans like you.” Erin shut the door behind her and spoke to her friend in a whisper. Alicia whipped around to face her and smiled, her eyes were glittering mischievously, which almost always, Erin knew, meant trouble.

“It’s the price he has to pay for being a movie star and being so damn hot!” Alicia winked at Erin and strutted over to the dining room. Erin breathed in deeply and tightened the cardigan around her. Suddenly, she didn’t want to be in the cabin anymore. This wasn’t an escape, this wasn’t the vacation she wanted. This was a trap, a confusion.

Through the open door of the dining room, she saw Xavier sitting at the dining table, with Ms. Carter fussing over serving him food. She heard Alicia’s high pitched laugh as Erin waited where she was, for a few more minutes. She wished she hadn’t invited him to join them for dinner.

When Erin walked in, she noticed that Ms. Carter had already served the roast to her. She took her seat, across Xavier, while Alicia sat next to him at the table. Ms. Carter soon excused herself and took a plate of her dinner out, to her own room.

Alicia was talking excitedly as Erin poured herself some wine from the open bottle beside her. Xavier had a fixed weak smile on his face as he concentrated on cutting himself a piece of chicken.

Erin cleared her throat and Alicia stopped laughing.

“So, Alicia tells me you’re a movie star,” Erin said with a sarcastic smile on her face. From the corner of her eye, she could see that her friend had thrown her a look. Xavier continued chewing the food in his mouth after which he cleared his throat as well.

“She found me out,” he said with a soft smile and proceeded to cut himself another piece. Erin took a sip of her wine and pushed the bottle towards him. Alicia had already helped herself. She watched as he poured himself a glass and took a sip.

“I apologize that I didn’t recognize you. I can’t remember the last time I saw a contemporary movie,” Erin said with another smile and he nodded.

“Please don’t apologize. It was a breath of fresh air,” he said and Alicia broke the moment with a laugh.

“The last movie Erin watched was probably Casablanca or Citizen Kane,” she said through her laughs, but Xavier didn’t join in.

“They’re both great movies.” He looked at Erin instead and they smiled at each other.

“Alicia here, obviously thinks I’m very unfashionable. However, I should definitely watch one with you in it now.” Erin finally cut herself a piece of chicken while he shook his head.

“Please don’t. That would be embarrassing. I’m not particularly proud of my filmography,” he breathed in deeply and cut off their eye contact.

“Are you kidding me?” Alicia squealed and turned towards him on her side. “The Scarlett dress? The Best Man? Little Bit of Sunshine?” she named a few more movies that Erin had never heard of and she couldn’t help herself from laughing. Xavier looked embarrassed and he turned to her with his eyes downcast.

“I loved those movies. Why don’t you like them?” Alicia continued. Xavier, as always, took a few extended seconds to respond.

“They weren’t the kind of films I had set out to do. I had to make money, so I did them.” He washed down the food in his mouth with some wine. Erin remained quiet, her suspicions were correct, he was trying to escape.

“Is that why you haven’t done a movie in a few years?” Alicia asked, leaning in towards him a little. Xavier visibly moved away and Erin smiled. This was the first time, a man was not even accepting, leave alone reciprocating Alicia’s advances.

“I want to start with a clean slate. I know now that would be impossible. My stereotype has been set in stone,” he spoke quietly and his voice seemed to silence Alicia. She was also perhaps a little offended by his reaction to her.

“Can’t you make your own movies? The kind that you have always wanted to be in?” Erin asked. He looked at her again and smacked his lips.

“I suppose I could. I want to act, though. That’s what comes naturally to me. I wouldn’t have the skill set required to produce or direct a film.” He was cradling the glass of wine in his hands. Erin poured herself some more and he grabbed the bottle from her when she was done, pouring himself some as well.

“So are you waiting then?” she asked him and their eyes met again. His green eyes bored into her own brown ones, but she didn’t look away.

“Waiting and hoping that someone casts me in a role that’ll mean something to me,” he said and kept his eyes on her while he drained his glass into his mouth. Alicia who had remained silent all this while, spoke up then.

“I think that’s selfish. You should give your fans what they want. That is what you’re good at.” She drained her glass of wine, reached for the empty bottle and then stood up to walk over to the small bar at the corner of the room.

“He should do what makes him happy. That’s not being selfish,” Erin spoke sternly, surprising even herself by the tone of her voice.

Alicia tinkered around in the bar till she found another bottle of wine that she liked and brought it to the table. Erin threw her a look.

“What? I’m sure Ms. Carter won’t mind and she’ll charge us for it anyway!” Alicia snapped and uncorked the bottle. “Anyway. All I’m saying is that Xavier is famous, rich and has women swooning over him,” she continued and touched his arm lightly. Erin saw the muscles on his shoulders tense up with the touch and he tried to delicately move his arm away.

“It’s his life, Alicia. Let it go!” Erin’s eyes had narrowed. The last thing she wanted was to have a row with Alicia in front of someone else. Especially a celebrity! Alicia was gulping down her wine and her eyes had glazed over. She had barely touched her food.

“You and your high horse Erin. I’m just telling Xavier the truth,” she said and turned to look at him. He didn’t acknowledge her but continued to eat.

“It’s not always about what other people think Alicia. It’s not all about appearances!” Erin snapped at her, clanking the cutlery down on the plate. Alicia had nearly drained the wine in her glass and was reaching for the bottle. Erin pulled the bottle away from her to her end of the table.

“Oh lighten up Erin. Seriously. This is why Steve got tired of you. Because you think of nobody else but you.” Alicia stood up from her chair with a sudden jolt and reached over for the bottle. Erin could feel her nostrils flaring. The two of them were glaring at each other.

“Erin’s right,” Xavier spoke up and they both turned to look at him. “Ms. Carter might not be happy to see that we drank all her wine without asking.” Alicia dropped her jaw, in an exaggerated dramatic way.

“So you’re on her side? Because she supports your washed-up-career choices?” Alicia laughed with a snort and poured herself some more wine.

“Whatever,” she continued, “I’m going to my room. You’re really not the charming piece of work I’d imagined you to be!” she snapped at Xavier and picked up the bottle. She left the dining room in a huff with the glass and the bottle in her hands.

Erin breathed in. She didn’t know how she was supposed to feel, furious? Embarrassed? Relieved.

“I’m sorry about that. Alicia’s been on edge ever since we arrived.” Erin tried to finish her food, but she wasn’t hungry anymore. Xavier continued with his dinner, apparently unperturbed by the scene that had just unfolded.

“Believe me, I’ve seen worse. Although, she has the personality of a movie star,” he said with a laugh and Erin smiled too.

“And the looks,” she added. They both fell into silence.

“I’m glad you agree with me. Not very many people do. My friends think I’m a fool for deserting the Hollywood scene at the peak of my career.” He was looking at his food as he spoke. Erin wasn’t entirely sure of what to say. No man had ever made himself emotionally available to her before, in fact, the only other emotions she was used to dealing with, were Alicia’s. Something told her that he needed to be handled differently.

“I’m just being honest. The only times that I’ve been happy were when I did exactly what I wanted.” She took a bite and chewed. He had finished eating and he pushed the plate away from him.

“Do you want to go look at the lake?” he asked suddenly and she smiled.

“You’ve read my mind,” she said and pushed her own plate away.

Chapter 3

Erin wasn’t sure if it had been a good idea. Xavier seemed to be warm enough in his plaid shirt and a thick woolen jacket. She had only carried Alicia’s discarded wrap along with her, over the thin cardigan she had already been wearing. Her woolen skirt and light black stockings were barely adding any warmth.

They had walked over to the lake and she was now sitting on a boulder close to the edge, while Xavier stood a little distance away from her, smoking a cigarette. They had walked in silence for the most part, and she was amazed how comfortable she was in his company. Unlike the other men who had been in her life, she didn’t feel the need to make unnecessary conversation with him.

“I didn’t think I’d meet anybody else in the cabin. I’d heard it’s usually empty this time of the year,” he said and she saw the end of his cigarette light up as he took in a drag.

“My thoughts exactly,” she said and they both laughed together.

“I’m pleasantly surprised but delighted to have met you, though,” he said and she could feel herself blushing.

“As am I,” she said and could hear her voice quivering. She wasn’t sure if it was the cold or the fact that he looked like a Greek God under the moonlight. He took a few steps towards her as he turned his head to blow the cigarette smoke away from her face.

She was smiling at him, as she remained seated on the boulder, her legs swung underneath her gently. He was smiling too and after a few seconds of holding each other’s gaze, they both laughed together again. A little awkwardly this time.

“I bet a lot of women around the world would kill to be in my position,” Erin broke the silence and watched as he flung the still-burning cigarette to the ground and pressed on the butt with his shoes. He dug his hands deep into his pockets and looked back at her.

“A lot of men are missing out on being in my position,” he said and inched closer towards her. She wasn’t really thinking anymore. Watching him, watching her, the subtle woody scent of him and the slowly freezing lake in front of them; all of it was too surreal for Erin to be thinking logically about what was going on.

“My ex-boyfriend wouldn’t agree,” she blurted out and he sat down beside her, there was hardly any space and they were squashed together. Their thighs were touching and Erin could feel the warmth of his arm through the layers of her clothes.

“He must have been a whole new level of foolish, this Steve guy,” he mumbled, almost to himself and Erin smiled. She believed him when he said it, and somehow the anger she felt towards Steve seemed to disappear. That was the explanation she needed to hear, not that he was a horrible human being, but that he had been foolish.

“I didn’t think movie stars were this perceptive,” Erin said with a laugh and he turned to look at her again. Their faces were inches away and she could smell the smoky scent of the cigarette on his breath, mixed with the fruity whiff of the wine they had been drinking.

“You clearly never thought very highly of my profession. I don’t blame you,” he said and was going to turn his face away, but Erin stopped him. She had reached out and was holding his chin between her hands. She had no idea where she had found the courage to do it.

They looked at each for a few seconds and before she could pull her hands away, he had lunged forward and enveloped her mouth with his. She had been right, he did taste of cigarettes and wine. His tongue was inside her mouth without any soft ceremony. They were kissing with a ferocity that he had not displayed for a second before this. Her hands had dropped to his shoulders and his hands were on her back, pulling her tightly towards him.

“This is insane,” he said gruffly when they pulled apart from each other for a second. Erin wanted to giggle, out of shock, but his lips were on her again. As they kissed this time, he picked her up and stood up himself. The thought of his height returned to her, as she could feel his arms maneuvering her so that her legs were now wrapped around his waist. She had no idea where the wrap was anymore.

They were both moaning as they kissed. She could feel the bristle of his beard on her cheeks as he kissed her hard. As his tongue thrust in and out of her mouth, she could feel herself growing wet and was immediately embarrassed to realize that he would be able to feel it too, against his chest.

She pulled away from him, and turned her head but instead of coaxing her face back towards him, he started to lower her down. It was only when her back touched the slightly damp and cold twig-covered ground that she realized he had laid her down. He hovered over her, their eyes fixed on each other. His hair fell in waves over his forehead now and his eyes sparkled and there was no denying it anymore, she wanted his body.

She reached out and started to push away the jacket from his shoulders. He gave her a smirk and helped, immediately turning his attention to the buttons on his shirt after. His chest was thickly covered in hair, just like his beard and Erin ran her fingers through it, involuntarily moving her hips towards him.

His hands were on her, feeling her big breasts till he reached the neck of her cardigan. He ripped it apart and she heard the buttons pop and smiled. Her body arched towards him again and she moaned. He proceeded to do the same with the blouse she was wearing, which tore and her bra-covered breasts were finally exposed. Xavier took in a sharp breath when he saw them and she could feel herself blush. His looks on her seemed hungry…like he wanted to devour her and before she could pull him towards her, his mouth was on her exposed flesh.

With his tongue, he traced moist lines from her neck to her cleavage till, with his thumb, he started pushing the fabric of her bra aside. She felt the cold chill of the air when her nipples were exposed. She watched him lick his lips and immediately after, he had started sucking on one of them. Erin moaned loudly and arched her back up towards him. She met his groin with her thighs and she could feel his dick growing.

His hands were both on the breast that his mouth was pressed to and he was squeezing it, tightly. He sucked and bit and then transferred his attention to the other one. Erin could feel her eyes rolling in her head.

“Xavier. Please. Now,” she managed to breathe out the words. He stopped and looked up at her and smiled.

“Are you begging me?” he asked her, in his usual calm but gruff voice.

“I am,” she said and moved her hips under him. He pressed himself tighter to her and now she could feel his fully grown dick against her thigh. She wanted it inside her.

“Begging me for what?” he asked with a smile on his lips. His hands were kneading her breasts, one thumb teased a nipple. She couldn’t take it anymore.

“I want you inside me,” she said and her voice quivered. That is all he needed to hear. In one quick motion, he stood up and undid his jeans. They fell down around his ankles and he stepped out of them. His big dick sprang out and he held it in his hand as he lowered himself. He grunted as he struggled to pull down her skirt and then the stockings.

Erin felt the cold air against her skin again and she could feel the goosebumps on her skin. More importantly, however, she could now feel the tip of his dick against her wetness. When she looked up at him, his eyes were boring into her face. Her face tensed up, was he not going to do it? Was this some sort of game? She was on the verge of tears, the mixture of emotions were too much to bear.

He pushed inside her with one quick thrust. Erin felt like she was going to explode. There had been no warning and he was completely inside her. He remained suspended over her and placed his hands on her belly near her hips. He held her tightly like that as he slowly positioned himself. He was preparing.

He breathed in deeply once and she did as well, and again, without warning, he was thrusting in and out of her in quick succession. Erin could feel her breasts bouncing, her head rubbing against the leaves and twigs underneath her. The pine scented mountains surrounded them and she could see the stars dotting the crystalline sky above them. When she looked back, she realized that his eyes were still fixated on her. His rhythm was fast and he grunted every time he pulled out and moaned with every push in.

It was all too much for her, she soon realized. The excitement of the moment, the adventure, the fact that he was a movie star and also, of course, that his dick was deep inside her - she was very close to passing out. She had her eyes closed for a few seconds till he suddenly grabbed her neck and arched her up toward him. He leaned in lower and their foreheads knocked. That is when she realized that he was about to come inside her. She bit down on her lip and breathed out. His body shuddered as he emptied himself and she decided to let go as well. Erin clutched his arms and her fingernails dug into the flesh. She was screaming as her body jolted for several seconds and then slowly started to relax. He was still inside her and she was going to pass out.

Chapter 4

He had carried her to the house; he had carried her up the stairs to the room that Ms. Carter had reserved for her. He had tucked her under the covers and tiptoed out of the room. Erin knew all of this because she had been awake for most of it, but had decided to allow him to carry on without interrupting and embarrassing him.

She was lying awake in bed now, with somewhat of a dull throb at the base of her skull. She knew it had to do with the wine. She heard a soft knock on the door and Alicia let herself in without waiting for a response.

“You’re never one to have a lie in,” Alicia said and plonked herself down on the bed beside Erin and slipped in under the covers herself. She was still in her usual silk nightgown and had loosely tied a dressing gown around.

“How are you feeling?” Erin asked her and Alicia groaned in response.

“I had too much to drink and now I feel like I want to die.” She pulled the cover over her head and muffled her voice. Erin laughed a little, but felt an ache in her head and stopped.

“I think I’m going to lie in bed all day,” she said and threw an arm over Alicia. She wasn’t sure, yet, if she should tell her about the previous night with Xavier. Alicia moaned again and turned to snuggle up with Erin.

“This is a good start to the vacation, though. You’ll have forgotten Steve in no time if we keep this up,” Alicia said with her eyes closed. Erin cleared her throat, Alicia knew that was always a sign that she had something important to discuss.

“C’mon, spit it out,” Alicia lifted herself on an elbow and glared at her.

“What do you really think of Xavier?” Erin asked and turned to look at her.

“What do you mean? Other than the fact that he’s delicious?” She smacked her lips and Erin flinched. It was also evident to her that, like always, Alicia did not remember the scene at dinner from the previous night. Once the wine kicked in, Alicia’s memory always started to fail. Erin’s silence provoked her and she crossed her brows.

“What else can you mean, Erin? Tell me now!” She sat up straight and flung her leg over Erin’s waist and sat pillion on her. Erin was expecting a volley of childish tickling and she held up her hands in defense.

“All right, okay. Hold your horses. So…We kinda went for a walk last night after you went to sleep,” Erin began, but Alicia already knew what the rest of the story was going to be. She had clapped her hands to her mouth and fell off Erin dramatically. Her head bouncing off the thick mattress. Erin was laughing but was also a little embarrassed.

“You had sex with Xavier Cowen?” Alicia was squealing and Erin tried to hush her up.

“Keep your voice down, Alicia.” She sat up in bed as well.

“You’ve barely slept with two nerds in your lifetime and then you go and have sex with Xavier Cowen? Are you kidding me?” Alicia couldn’t keep her voice down and Erin fell back down on her pillows, covering her face with her hands.

When she peeped through from between her fingers, Alicia had gotten off the bed and was jumping around the room. The wooden floor of the room squeaked with every thud.

“What are you doing? Stop that. We’re not fifteen anymore,” Erin tried to admonish her, but she couldn’t stop giggling.

“Are you kidding me? You slept with somebody; you slept with Xavier Cowen!” Alicia came over to her and shook her shoulders.

“Do you think he had too much to drink?” Erin asked with a frown and Alicia started pulling her by the arms.

“Come here. Get your butt over here,” Alicia pulled her to the mirror and planted her in front of it. She was towering behind Erin.

Erin peered at herself. Her curls were in complete disarray, she was still wearing the ripped blouse from the previous night and her woolen skirt. Alicia grabbed her breasts out of the blue and Erin squealed.

“What the hell, Alicia!” she shouted at her.

“Own it, Erin. You’ve gotta own it!” Alicia was still squealing from excitement. “Now get yourself cleaned up and make your way downstairs,” she pointed to the en-suite shower and Erin groaned.

“My head ̶ ” she had begun to say, but Alicia widened her eyes.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Erin. You have to make him drool,” she cut in. Erin sighed and remained standing in front of the mirror.

“What’s wrong now?” Alicia gave her an enthusiastic hug.

“I just don’t want to completely ruin it, you know?” Erin turned to look at her friend.

“Are you saying you actually like him?” Alicia’s smile dropped from her face. This meant trouble. Erin didn’t respond.

“You barely know him, Erin!” Alicia shook her head. “Don’t do this to yourself. You had a good time last night. He’s a movie star.”

Erin nodded in silence. “You’re right. I know you are, but there’s just something about him. I don’t see him as a movie star,” she tried to explain, but Alicia only rolled her eyes.

“You see him as a human being…blah blah blah.” She shoved Erin in the direction of the shower again.

She turned to look at Alicia and pouted. “I don’t want to get my heart broken again. I’m worried. We’re going to be living in close quarters for two weeks now,” she said and Alicia sighed.

“We’ll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow, Erin. Maybe there is potential. If you’re feeling it, maybe he is too. For now, get dressed!” Alicia was authoritative and Erin passed her a mock-salute before locking herself in the shower for an hour.

•••

By the time Erin made her way downstairs, Alicia had already showered, changed and was sitting out in the balcony with Xavier. Erin had changed into a pair of casual navy blue trousers and a wooly lilac sweater. She had bunched up her thick chestnut curls on the top of her head in a messy knot and stayed away from the makeup. He had already seen her in her most vulnerable.

Alicia was much quieter around Xavier this morning than she had been the previous night at dinner. Erin stepped into the balcony, greeted them both with a chirpy good morning, and sat down on the third chair that Ms. Carter had left outside for them. Steaming mugs of tea had been placed on the coffee table in front of them and a plate of a variety of biscuits.

The lake had most definitely frozen the previous night, but not entirely and as the warm sun beat down on it this morning, it was beginning to melt.

“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?” Erin asked nervously, neither of the other two had spoken and she didn’t want to make eye contact with Xavier yet.

“It’s beginning to grow on me all right,” Alicia said with a sigh and reached for her mug of tea.

“Did you sleep well last night?” Erin turned her face to Xavier but could feel her cheeks burning. He had finally looked at her; he looked drowsy and tired, like he hadn’t gotten any sleep the previous night.

Before he could answer, Alicia broke into a giggle which she immediately tried to subdue. But it was too late. Erin threw Alicia a threatening look but she had also noticed Xavier’s face fall and a certain kind of resentment build up in his eyes.

“I did, thank you for asking,” he said curtly and stood up from his chair. Within a second, he was gone from the balcony, and Erin and Alicia were left sitting by themselves.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry Erin. I didn’t mean to. I couldn’t control it,” Alicia said and leaned forward to grab Erin’s arm. She pulled it away from Alicia’s touch.

“Why do you always have to jeopardize everything? Why can’t you ever bear to see me happy?” she nearly yelled at Alicia before getting up to follow him inside.

“I’m sorry, Erin. I really am.”

She heard Alicia pleading but ignored her. She hurried inside and caught sight of Xavier’s figure disappearing in a huff up the stairs. She didn’t know exactly what to say or do, but she followed him upstairs anyway.

“Xavier, can we please talk?” she called after him, just as he was about to enter his room.

He turned to face her and then held the door of his room open for her. He did it in silence and she didn’t know what to expect but stepped into his room and he followed her. She noticed how he gently shut the door but didn’t allow it to close completely. What was he hinting at?

Chapter 5

“You told Alicia about last night.” He said it as a statement rather than asked a question. Erin immediately felt the anger he was hurling toward her. The smile she had tried to plaster on her face had disappeared.

“She’s my best friend. And she would have found out,” she said. She remained standing near the door while he walked over to the bed but didn’t sit down.

“I can’t believe I was that foolish,” he said and ran his hands through his hair. He looked even more handsome in the morning, she thought, but immediately tried to snap herself out of admiring him.

“You weren’t the only foolish one. Evidently,” she said and he looked up at her. His eyes softened, but only for a few seconds.

“You think this was a mistake, because you’re some kind of a celebrity? That it has no effect on my life? Because I’m a lay, man?” she huffed as she spoke and crossed her arms in front of her.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said softly, but Erin could see that he was still worrying about himself, so she rolled her eyes.

He saw her do it and his expression darkened again.

“In fact, Erin, it is exactly like that. My face gets splashed across cheap tabloids because of things like this. I misjudged you,” his voice was still gruff and low pitched, although it was clear to her that he was very close to entirely losing his temper.

“Misjudged me how?” she dared to ask him.

“I thought you’d be able to keep it between us,” he answered, almost immediately.

“Treat it like my own dirty secret?” She was clenching her own arm, her nails were digging into her flesh as she spoke to him. She couldn’t stand to look at him anymore.

“I did not expect you to go gossiping about it with your girlfriend immediately after, that’s all.” He had become even quieter and his prolonged silence made her feel worse.

“I wasn’t gossiping. In fact, I misjudged you too. I didn’t think it was just about the sex,” she spat out the words and whipped away from him. She had spoken her mind, she didn’t care anymore. She didn’t care that he knew she had feelings for him in such a short while. How did it matter anyway? In his attempt to keep it a secret, he wouldn’t exactly go around discussing her with his buddies.

Xavier remained silent and it made Erin more furious.

“You can come off your high horse now, Mr. Xavier Cowen. You might be a celebrity, but you’re just like every other man out there.” She turned to look at him again and she could feel the tears prickling the back of her eyelids. This was such a huge mistake. She didn’t need another man to make her feel like a complete idiot.

“Stop comparing me to your lying cheating ex-boyfriend,” he suddenly thundered and took a few steps toward her. Erin inched away from him, he hadn’t raised his voice before and for a second, it frightened her. His towering frame loomed over her, even though he was still standing a good distance away from her.

“Not just him. You’re like every other man. You saw something you liked, but you only liked it for the night. Now you can’t take responsibility for your actions.” She tried to keep her voice low, tried to frighten him away from her with the ferocity in her eyes.

“Take what responsibility? Do you want a foot massage? A scented love letter? A marriage proposal?” Xavier said with a sarcastic laugh, even though he didn’t look like he had faith in his own joke.

“That’s really rich. Yeah, it makes me laugh.” Erin tried to laugh too. “You think that is what responsibility looks like? You’re so far out. No wonder stupid rom-coms are the only movies you get cast for.” She turned away from him again and made for the door.

But he had stopped her. His hand was gripping her arm now, his fingers embedded themselves in her flesh. She tried to ignore the force with which he was pulling her away and tried to push the door open.

“Come back here,” he said gruffly and pulled her to him. She landed with a thud on his chest, her back to him.

“You can’t just throw something like that at me and try to make a smooth exit,” he spoke through gritted teeth, but softly and into her ear.

“Why, you always get the last word, is that it?” she tried to laugh, but this time she couldn’t. His hands had now traveled up from her arms toward her neck.

“Something like that,” he whispered into her ear again and with one hand, pushed the door shut in front of her.

“Let me go now. Aren’t you afraid I’m going to gossip about this too?” She tried to wriggle herself free, but his grip on her only strengthened.

“You know what? I actually don’t care anymore,” he said and without giving her a second to react, he bent her over. In order to avoid tripping, she placed her hands firmly on the closed door in front of her.

She heard the sound of him flicking open the buckle of his belt and then unzipping. Just the sound of that made her go wet between her legs. She had no idea how he could have this effect on her. She felt his hands grab her butt and give it a squeeze before he reached over to unzip her pants.

He peeled down her pants and then wrapped his arms around her torso, pulling her closer to him. Erin closed her eyes and arched her back. She felt him slide into her as he held her tightly. She could hear him breathing raggedly behind her. His beard scratched against her cheek and ear.

It was the same feeling of being taken, of being owned by him, only this time it was without any restraint. He was pumping into her from behind as she tried to keep herself steady with the door. He was big and hard inside her, and she could feel the ferocity of his thrusts increasing with every passing second. His hands eventually found her breasts underneath the sweater and he squeezed them and played with her nipples. The combination of sensations was too much for her to deal with, she didn’t want to pass out again.

They were both moaning and he eventually let her go, placing his hands on her butt. She was completely bent over, her legs wide apart and he pushed inside her in a quick rhythmic motion. This time, he reached the edge even sooner and so did she. They both came together and she didn’t care how loud they were or that the door squeaked with his every thrust.

He groaned as he emptied himself inside her again and pulled out. Her thighs were still quivering from the intensity of the orgasm, and when he was out of her, she slumped to the carpeted floor.

“Erin,” Xavier said and she turned sleepy exhausted eyes to him. He was standing, naked from the waist down, in front of her and he had his hand stretched out toward her. She took his hand and he helped her up.

“Are you planning on tucking me into bed again?” she asked him with a shy smile. He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Into my bed, you mean?” he spoke softly into her ear and she couldn’t help but giggle. He led the way and directed her to lie down on his bed. It smelled of him, she pressed her eyes closed and took in a deep breath of his scent. She opened them when she felt the mattress slump, he was getting into bed with her.

“I don’t know how you did it, but you’ve got some kind of hold on me.” His breathing was ragged as he spoke into her ear. His hands had found their way underneath her sweater and she felt a sharp tug on her nipple.

“I thought we were having a nap?” she teased him, just as he started licking her earlobe.

They exchanged looks and broke into laughter.

Chapter 6

It had been three weeks. Three weeks of bliss. Alicia had left the cabin and gone back to the city nearly ten days ago. Erin and Xavier had walked to the lake and were throwing pebbles in, watching them skid over the portions that were still frozen in the lake.

Erin watched Xavier as he laughed, collecting more pebbles from the bank. She had news to give him.

“What are you looking at?” he asked her when he caught her staring. He jiggled his butt in front of her to tease her into breaking into giggles. He came over to give her a hug, but when he started pulling away, he caught sight of a serious look on her face.

“Wanna tell me what’s going on?” he chucked one of the pebbles toward the lake but didn’t look to see where it had landed.

“I have to get back to work, Xavier. I can’t stay cooped up here with you forever.” Erin bit down on her lip as she spoke, already detecting annoyance in him. He had been trying to avoid this conversation for the past few days.

“You promised we won’t speak about it till the end of the week, Erin. Can we just enjoy the day?” Like a child, he was digging the ground with his shoes. She almost wanted to forget about the important decisions, hug him and stroke his head.

“I have to be back at work by the end of the week. I need to make arrangements now. I can’t keep postponing it.” She tried to remain as calm and collected as possible. He looked up at her sharply.

“You don’t need my permission, Erin. Leave if you want to leave. I can’t stop you.”

“It’s not a question of wanting to leave. I have to. For my work. Just like you should go back to Los Angeles and stop trying to run away. It’s time you took charge of what you want to do.” She reached for him and held onto his arm, but his muscles were tensed. Even though his voice remained steady, it was easy for her to tell that he was now upset.

“So what you’re saying is that we’ll never see each other again?” he spoke after several minutes of silence. He had turned away from her so that she could see him in profile now. His shaggy blue-black beard illuminated in outline by the orange light of the setting sun.

“What do you want, Xavier? You’re the celebrity here. I’m just a simple math teacher.” She let go of his arm and he turned to look at her. They held each other’s gaze for a few seconds till he looked away.

“I don’t want to go back to LA. I don’t want you to go back to Seattle and I most definitely don’t want us to be apart.” When he said it, she smiled. She would never have admitted it, but this is what she wanted to hear from him. Despite having spent three intimate weeks with him, Xavier Cowen was still an enigma to her. She knew he was fond of her, found her irresistible in bed, but she could never be sure what she meant to him, seriously. Now she was convinced. She could see it in his eyes, and the way he refused to look at him.

“I’m glad you say that because I have some news that I believe you should know about,” she said and he looked at her with a worried expression. Erin didn’t want too much time to elapse, to give him a chance to prepare himself. “I think I’m pregnant. In fact, I’m sure of it,” she said, keeping her gaze steady on him. She watched as his expression changed from surprise to disbelief to panic and then a struggle to calm himself.

“When did you realize?” Those were his first words. Erin wasn’t so sure if it was the right decision anymore.

“A few days ago?” She hung her head down as if embarrassed. He took a few seconds, and then came forward, hooking his forefinger under her chin. He lifted up her head gently and craned her neck backward so that she could look up at him.

“All the more reason to not go,” he said.

“What am I going to do then?” She was seriously asking him. She didn’t want a hypothetical answer.

“Quit your job. Move in with me in LA.” He was smiling now, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

“So you do want to go back? You don’t want to live in the wilderness alone forever?” she was only joking when she said it, but he answered in all seriousness.

“I’m going to be a father now. It’s time I called my agent and have him sign me up for a few casting calls.” He was serious but smiling now, almost speaking to himself.

“Are you serious? What kind of films are these?” She was excited too. She hadn’t seen him seriously consider or talk about his work.

“Some films that won’t pay much but are the kind that I’ve always wanted to do. If I’m going to be a dad, I might as well start building my legacy.”

THE END

Billionaire Yes Please

Katrina Bliss

Copyright ©2016 by Katrina Bliss. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

Jasmine knew she wanted more the moment she had finished. She sank back in her seat and pushed the bowl with the last creamy drops of her chocolate chip ice cream away from her, the spoon clattering in the bowl. It slid from her end of the table top until it reached the other end, grazing her mother’s arm.

“Jasmine!” her mother growled at her, while her eyes remained glued to the book she was reading. “Don’t you see? I’m a child pining for attention, Mom,” Jasmine responded and pouted her lips. Her mother turned a page of her cheap paperback and sighed.

“I wonder when you’ll begin to act your age. You’re a twenty-five year old woman. It must be all the kids you surround yourself with all the time,” she said, without lifting her head to look at her daughter.

She could be right, Jasmine thought. The only real conversations she had on a daily basis were with five-year-old tiny humans at the kindergarten where she worked. Her mother, Camilla Kiberd, had made it obvious that she didn’t approve. The unanimous dream of both her parents had been that their only child would grow up to become a doctor or an engineer; a profession that would reel in the money, in any case.

Jasmine had chosen teaching and she had chosen kids. Not for a second did she regret her decision, especially when she walked into the classroom to find a dozen shiny happy faces staring up at her. Her mother, on the other hand, never failed to remind her how disappointed she was with her daughter’s life choices.

“Your father would have been so disappointed!” is the line she threw at Jasmine from time to time; just to really rub it in.

Jasmine tore her exhausted gaze away from her mother and turned in her seat to catch the waitress’ eye again.

“What are you doing?” she heard her mother remark.

“I want some more ice cream,” Jasmine said, while she waved furiously to the waitress who still had not noticed her.

“Your sweet tooth will be the death of you,” Camilla admonished, her attention was diverted from the book finally. In fact, she always had time to throw caustic remarks at Jasmine.

“Relax, Mom. We’re on a holiday,” Jasmine said, and smiled broadly as the waitress finally began walking over to their table.

“Another one of those delicious cups of chocolate chip ice cream, please. And, Mom, anything for you?” Jasmine turned to her mother at the last minute.

“Just some coffee please. Black,” her mother spoke to the waitress curtly and smoothed the lapel of her grey jacket. She was every inch the properly dressed woman.

Jasmine watched her mother as she went back to concentrating on her book again. She had no idea where she had gotten her own looks from. While Camilla’s most striking features were her sky-high cheek bones, her straight and slim, somber lips, and a head of thick, straight hair which she now, like any proper sixty year old Englishwoman, chose to cut into a neat greying bob; Jasmine was an apple from a completely different tree. In fact, she was more of an orange. Her oval face barely gave away the hint of cheekbones; her lips were wide and in a perpetual pout, while her auburn curls were constantly unmanageable. Her mother was tall and slender, where Jasmine was petite with an ample chest – more than ample in most cases. Her father, too, had looked more like her mother than he did like Jasmine.

Jasmine sighed as she watched her mother read and gazed out of the smooth, cool glass panes that they were sitting next to. She could hear the seagulls in the sky and when she looked at it, it was bright blue and clear. She didn’t need to step outside to know that the sun would beat down on them, and yet, her mother was in a business suit. Well, she was always in a business suit.

“Aren’t you warm in that thing, Mom?” she asked.

“Don’t be silly, Jasmine.” That haughty tone in her mother’s voice which Jasmine knew so well had returned. “I couldn’t possibly have worn anything else,” she said while glaring at her daughter through narrowed eyes.

“Mom. It’s not a business meeting. It’s only a property viewing,” Jasmine suggested just as the waitress came back with the cup of coffee for her mother and a paper cup with two scoops of ice cream.

“Exactly. It is a business meeting. It’s a meeting between two individuals who will be embarking on a business contract,” her mother replied, as she gingerly pinched the handle of the cup with her forefinger and thumb. She even put her pinky finger out like only those who were royalty – or true snobs – did.

“He’s going to buy the house. You don’t need to impress him,” Jasmine said as she scooped a large spoon of ice cream into her mouth and relished the sensation of it melting in her throat. The feeling of it trickling down the heated skin on her lip was heavenly. Her tongue whipped out quickly to catch it before it fell down her chin.

“Well, if I don’t impress him and the house doesn’t sell, then I’m stuck with that place. And it’s falling apart with nobody else making any offers,” her mother’s voice had risen by a few decibels and Jasmine looked up with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, okay,” Jasmine said, her voice muffled by the big dollop of ice cream in her mouth.

“I just can’t afford to have the property lying around anymore. At this rate it will never sell,” Camilla added and shut her book with an audible ‘swoosh’. Jasmine had never been able to develop the skill of consoling her mother. She was always too distant, too self-aware to betray the need to be consoled or allow anybody else to comfort her. So Jasmine didn’t try anymore.

“It’ll sell, Mom. The man is the wealthiest man in this town, you said yourself that he is a billionaire. This purchase will be pocket-change for him. He is clearly interested in it, and didn’t you say he knew Grandfather?” Jasmine offered instead, avoiding eye contact with her mother since she had mentioned the grandfather she never knew. Whom her mother despised.

“Yeah, apparently my father encouraged his stamp collection when he visited here on his holidays. You know, when he was shacking up with that woman,” Jasmine’s mother said through gritted teeth, her anger being vented on her molars. “At least, that is what he says in his letters. Anyway, I suppose we’ll simply have to wait and watch,” she added and opened her book again.

Jasmine couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She still couldn’t forgive herself for agreeing to accompany her mother on this trip. At least it has the potential of being a much needed holiday, Jasmine said to herself as she looked out through the window again, her gaze settling on the sprawling golden sand and the greenish blue waves crashing gently somewhere in the distance.

Chapter 2

“This looks cozy I suppose,” Jasmine smirked as she stepped out of her mother’s car and banged the door shut.

“Careful with the door!” she heard her mother yell out to her, but she had already run up the broken steps which led to the big wooden door. This door might have been rich brown and looked polished decades ago, but definitely didn’t any longer. She craned her neck up to get a good long view at the house and to her, it was marvelous. The white paint was peeling and had gray patches of damp in the corner, the bottle green painted wooden shutters had chunks missing from them and even from outside, Jasmine could smell the musty scent of locked up spaces.

“This is pure romance,” she sighed just as her mother reached her side, joining her in staring up at the house.

“Well, if anything it’s a dead romance,” Camilla said, pulling a key from her purse.

“I can’t imagine why this hasn’t sold yet. It doesn’t take a wild imagination to know how this place could potentially look if it’s repaired and looked after,” Jasmine was chirpy and excited. Her parents had never brought her to this house before as her mother rarely ever spoke about her grandfather, but finally this dilapidated place seemed to solidify her roots.

“My father didn’t have a very respected reputation around this town. It might have something to do with that,” her mother replied as they stepped in through the door together and entered a large hallway. There was very little light inside, and the few slivers that entered through the holes in the windows illuminated the thick films of dust that had settled on everything.

Jasmine breathed in. The smell was an odd combination of old books, decaying upholstery and the scent of the nearby beach. It was heavenly and stifling at the same time.

“Somebody should have taken care of this place,” her mother said as she walked across the hall, staring up at the chandelier that had too many broken or missing pieces to count as one anymore.

“We didn’t even know it existed,” Jasmine turned to watch the older woman walking slowly along the wall, staring up quietly at the faded paintings hanging on the patchy walls.

“What does that mean?” Jasmine asked, trying to sound as casual as possible. She knew how her mother hated curiosity.

“It means that our father bought this house and lived here with his mistress any chance he could get. We didn’t know it existed until he died and left it to us.” Her mother was surprisingly talkative today and Jasmine was finding all of it very hard to believe. It was overwhelming to hear so many words coming from her mother’s mouth that didn’t include censure of anything Jasmine did.

“Are you serious?” is all Jasmine could respond with and watched as an ironic, short laugh escaped her mother’s lips.

“As if this house was going to make any difference. He drank all his money away or gave it to that woman for all we know. And this house became more of a burden than a profitable inheritance,” Camilla continued. She was turning doorknobs, opening and then shutting the doors that surrounded the circular, central hall.

Jasmine stood silently in the middle of it all. She literally had no response. She was certain that anything she could possibly say to her mother would result in a fight.

“We never met her,” her mother continued, not even noticing Jasmine didn’t respond to her earlier statement. Jasmine thought she detected a hint of despair in her mother’s voice, but then it quickly changed to anger again.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I had no idea,” Jasmine said weakly, watching as her mother stood under the chandelier.

“I just want to get rid of this house and finally begin to move on,” she continued, letting out an exhausted sigh. “As long as this house remains with me, it will serve as a constant reminder of how terrible he was as a father.”

More than being surprised at the things her mother was saying, the fact that she was so willing to talk about her father and her own feelings, was what was new to Jasmine. She decided to pat her mother gently on her shoulder, but she quickly moved away and Jasmine let her hand drop back to her side.

“The last thing I want is a pity party. Now, help me make this house somewhat presentable,” her mother said with a sudden change in her voice. Jasmine looked around her and smiled.

“When was the last time you dusted anything, Mom?”

***

Jasmine wiped her brow as she ran a wet sponge over a large glass-top coffee table in the living room for the last time. She stood up from her hunched position and looked around her. The thick curtains had been dusted down, as had the carpets; while the sofas and chairs were covered with sheets of plastic. She and her mother had spent the last four hours dusting, cleaning, and wiping as many surfaces as they possibly could. The rest had to be covered or hidden. She knew that the house still didn’t come close to what might have been its former glory, but like her mother said, at least now it looked ‘presentable’.”

“I might go down to the beach for a bit,” Jasmine said when she met her mother in the hall again.

“Why? We have to prepare for the evening, Jasmine. Don’t go running off in the middle of this,” her mother glared at her, but Jasmine had already brushed past her and opened the front door, missing the look directly but feeling it boring into her back.

“The place is as clean as it can possibly be for the moment. I’m done,” she said and walked out of the house. She could hear her mother call out to her and remind her to be back as soon as possible.

It was evening by now, but the sun was still out and bright as Jasmine walked lazily down the driveway and onto the unkempt narrow trail which she assumed would lead her to the beach. She could smell the sea and hear the accompanying seagulls, a smile creeping across her face as they swooped down on the water. The humidity had made her curls poof up and added a few inches to her otherwise slight height. If nothing else, Jasmine was grateful that she’d worn a pair of white cotton shorts and a thin printed blouse. Anything else would have been enough to roast her immediately.

Chapter 3

When the beach came into view, Jasmine took off her leather sandals and skipped over to the sand, digging her toes into the warm, rough texture. She’d forgotten her sunglasses and her tanning lotion in the house, but she wasn’t too bothered. She took in a deep breath of the scent of the sea and kept walking. She had to raise her hand to shade her eyes, but she could see a handful of people lazing around and a few kids chasing each other. This is the life, she said to herself and smiled. It wasn’t hard to see why her grandfather had picked this town as his annual getaway.

When she came closer to the water she sat down, folding her legs in front of her and placing her head on her knees, letting the sun seep into her skin and relax the tenseness in her muscles after spending so many hours cleaning. A few feet away, a man was lying on a beach towel, his face facing the sun. He had definitely come prepared for sunbathing; his dark glasses shielded his eyes from the sun, while a book lay open and forgotten on his chest. He seemed to be much older than she, although Jasmine found herself admiring his sculpted body. His tanned skin was smooth; the muscles on his shoulders and abdomen looked effortless, as though he was involved in hard physical labor on a daily basis. His bare chest was covered in a spray of dark curly hair. Jasmine jerked her head away when she saw him shifting in his spot; she wasn’t sure if he’d seen her staring at him behind his dark glasses.

She went back to admiring the view until she was uncomfortable with the silence again. Her days spent having loud and endless conversations with five-year-olds had put her in the habit of talking incessantly. She tried clearing her throat to get his attention, but he didn’t budge.

“Lovely day,” she finally said, loud enough for him to hear. She could see that he tilted his head in her direction, but he didn’t say anything in response.

“The sun never seems to set here,” she said, trying again for conversation. This time she said it directly to him and continued looking at him, forcing him into a response.

“Yup,” was his short and succinct reply. Jasmine smiled, she had her ‘in’. She dragged her bottom in the sand and wiggled over closer to him.

“Are you on a holiday as well?” she asked him, pasting a bright smile on her face. She could sense that he was studying her, even though his eyes were hidden behind his dark glasses. He didn’t respond for a few seconds, but Jasmine continued to stare and smile. He finally seemed to let out a sigh, pulling his glasses off his face. His sparkling, yet piercing blue eyes took Jasmine by surprise. They were focused directly and narrowly on her face and she couldn’t help but look away, embarrassed.

“No,” he said after what seemed like too much time. Jasmine looked back at him, gave him a weak smile and turned her face away again. She knew his eyes were still on her, making her feel naked and exposed for some reason.

“You’re clearly on one,” he said after a few moments. Jasmine looked back at him and tried to nod and smile.

“Yeah. Sort of,” she said and unconsciously licked her lips. Without the large glasses covering his face, she could now see his rugged sharp jaw lines clearly. He was clean shaven, while his thick, greying hair was neatly cut and brushed back. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her, and Jasmine was growing increasingly uncomfortable under his glare.

“So you live here? That must be lovely,” she finally said, hoping to distract him from studying her so keenly. He smiled suddenly, and her heart nearly stopped. His slim lips stretched broadly, and a boyish sparkle made his eyes shine even more brightly. Jasmine couldn’t help but smile back; even though she wasn’t entirely sure what they were smiling for.

“It is indeed,” he said eventually and in one quick motion placed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose again and picked up his book.

“What are you reading there?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Ulysses and Us,” is all he said and offered no other explanation or illuminating insight into a book, which for all he knew Jasmine might be interested in. He didn’t even look away from the page he was concentrating on.

“Ah, Joyce!” Jasmine said, trying to drag the conversation on a little further.

“About Joyce,” he corrected gruffly. She could see that his brows were scrunched above his glasses. She bit down on her lip and decided to leave him alone, even though she had no idea what she had done to offend him. She turned around to face the sea again, although she remained in the same spot, a few feet away from this man she couldn’t stop stealing glances at from the corner of her eye.

“Have you read Ulysses?” she was surprised to hear his voice and turned around. He was looking at her with a smirk on his face, his glasses were off again. For an older mature man, he sure couldn’t make up his mind.

“I tried and failed three times over; now it’s only a doorjamb,” she said, trying to make a joke. It obviously didn’t impress him, but he still smiled.

“You’ll get there. I don’t think I managed to finish it before I was thirty-five myself and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since,” this sudden softening of his tone took Jasmine by surprise, a pleasant surprise that made her heart skip a beat. The fact that he was willing to have an actual conversation with her made her self-conscious and she held her head up higher than usual.

“Do you read for pleasure or is it connected in some way to your work?” she tried to further the conversation and turned her body to face him again. He laughed at that and she liked the sound of it, it had a sort of wise and self-assured tone to it.

“I wish my avocation was my vocation. No, our family business kept me busy during my youth but now I seem to have more time on my hands for reading,” he said and smiled. Jasmine didn’t know if these references to his age were purposeful on his part or not, but she couldn’t stop herself from flicking her hair behind her shoulder. She was immediately aware that it might have been too obvious a flirtatious move on her part, but thankfully there was no change of expression on his face.

“What about you?” he asked, and she told him in brief about her life as a kindergarten teacher.

“That is very interesting,” he said immediately after she had finished. “My family, or whatever is left of it, runs a private school in Bloomingshire,” he said and Jasmine raised her eyebrow.

“Wait. You own Mornmouth House School?” Jasmine’s jaw almost dropped. She didn’t know many people personally who went to that school, but you would have to be living under a rock not to have heard of it. He only smiled in response. Jasmine licked her lips as she watched him return his attention to the book. He caught her looking when he suddenly turned his gaze to her and Jasmine dropped her eyes, embarrassed.

“What is an attractive young woman like you doing teaching kindergarten?” he asked and the word “attractive” was enough to make Jasmine blush like a school girl.

“That’s exactly what my mother says, well, not in exactly those words.” Jasmine didn’t want to meet his eyes; she could sense that they were on her.

“Not that there’s no nobility in it,” he added, and she looked at him; her cheeks were burning up, and it had nothing to do with the sun. He didn’t shy away from looking at her when their eyes met. He had a smirk on his face and he seemed to be drinking in her features. She was hoping it was more than general curiosity.

“I’m Marvin Byrne,” he said suddenly as he turned a page in the book. He didn’t look at her when he said this, but Jasmine couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m Jasmine. Jasmine Kiberd,” she said cheerily and stuck out her hand towards him. He just seemed like the kind of person who liked to shake hands. He apparently didn’t, though. He was looking at her again from behind his glasses, his book was still in his hands, not making a motion to accept the handshake at all. Instead he said, “I see,” and stood up suddenly.

Jasmine couldn’t help but look surprised as she watched him bend down and bunch up the towel from the sand and then start walking away. He didn’t look back at her or exchange parting words. She remained sitting, with her mouth hanging slightly open as she watched him walking away from her. His loose blue trunks outlined the sinews on his thighs as he took each step.

I see? I see! Who says that! Jasmine was screaming inside her head.

Chapter 4

“Where have you been?” Jasmine heard her mother yell at her just as she banged the front door shut.

“I told you I was going to the beach.” Her mind was too occupied with Marvin and his ill manners to be sweating over appeasing her mother.

“He’ll be here in an hour,” her mother said, appearing from a room within with the dusting cloth still in her hand. She had, thankfully, taken her jacket off and Jasmine could see sweat stains under her armpits on the dark blouse she was wearing.

“Exactly why you need a shower,” she couldn’t help but smirk. She had never seen her poised mother so worked up before.

“You need one as well, in fact,” she said and crossed her arms across her chest. Camilla was looking her daughter up and down with stern eyes. “Will you please wear something appropriate for the evening?” she stated rather than asked.

“I’ll wear something clean. I want to stress again how this is not a business meeting,” Jasmine said as her mother brushed past her to wipe imaginary dust off the shelf behind Jasmine.

“This is not a kindergarten, Jasmine. The appropriate thing would be to look professional,” she heard her mother add as she climbed the long spiral staircase to her makeshift room.

The room that she had chosen for her stay in the house had been dusty, but Jasmine had managed to wipe it down and find new linen for the bed. Floral patterned upholstery covered the two armchairs, and a wide oval wooden mirror rested in the corner. Jasmine stood in front of it and realized she had some sand on her face.

He must have thought I’m a silly girl. She couldn’t get Marvin out of her head. She turned on her heels and found her big bag on the floor. She rummaged around inside it and pulled out a pair of dark straight jeans and a thin, red silk blouse. “This will have to do,” she said aloud and thanked God that she’d packed her favorite pair of red pumps as well.

•••

The long shower Jasmine treated herself to seemed to have calmed her racing mind. She patted her curls dry with the old towel she found hanging in the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. The jeans fit snugly around her waist, accentuating the curves of her hips and thighs. The soft material of her blouse stretched across her voluptuous breasts and she ran a muted rose colored lipstick over her pouting lips. The warm weather dried her hair much quicker than she had anticipated. The humidity still added volumes to its mass, but now that it was fresh and clean, her auburn curls looked soft and like a different shade of her blouse.

“Jasmine, will you please come down?” Camilla’s voice boomed around the house, and she skipped over to the door, trying to slip into her shoes on her way out.

“What is it?” she asked as her heels clicked against the wood of the staircase. She never failed to be surprised by how her mother always managed to look on-point. She was in one of her black skirt-suits again, with a white, high-collared blouse sticking out from the folds of her jacket. Her bob was neatly combed back, and not a strand of hair was astray. The fact that she was wearing her pearls indicated to Jasmine that she was clearly trying very hard to impress.

“I just want you to empty out the bottle of Glenlivet into the crystal decanter in the drawing room,” she said, patting her hair down – not that it needed any more patting.

“You carried Scotch with you?” Jasmine widened her eyes as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Well, I would have liked to arrange for some hors d'oeuvres, too, but that of course would be impossible,” she replied casually.

“Wow. You’re charging ahead with guns blazing aren’t you?” Jasmine giggled and walked over to the drawing room which now looked more than presentable. Most of the light bulbs were dysfunctional, but the few that still worked added a faded charm to the room.

“Good job with the tidying up, Mom,” she said loudly as she found the unopened box of whiskey on top of the corner bar.

“It’s the best I could do in half a day,” her mother replied from the hallway, just as Jasmine heard a loud rap on the front door.

“Jasmine, he’s here. Be good,” Camilla hurriedly said, peeping into the drawing room as she began pouring the whiskey into the decanter that her mother had polished down earlier.

“Calm down, Mom,” she managed to say, just as her mother disappeared.

Jasmine remained standing by the bar as she heard the front door open and her mother’s nervous high pitched voice greeting someone.

“I trust you’ve seen the house from the outside before,” Camilla’s loud voice could probably be heard all around the house. “Let’s have a quick chat before I take you on the tour,” Jasmine heard her add a nervous laugh to that and she rolled her eyes.

She hadn’t heard the gentleman’s voice yet, but seconds later her mother entered the drawing room with her arm outstretched, directing her guest into the room.

When she saw Marvin walk in, Jasmine’s heart stopped and she didn’t even try to not look surprised. Marvin was in tan slacks now, a white Polo t-shirt covered his torso, which she had seen bare only a few hours ago. His hair was combed back as before and his piercing blue eyes were lazily taking in the drawing room until they rested on Jasmine standing in the corner. He looked his age when he was clothed. In the faded light of the room he looked much older. His hair suddenly looked more grey, and there were lines on his face that she hadn’t noticed in the sun. He looked more tired too. Marvin didn’t seem to be as surprised as she was. Instead, his eyes betrayed a mocking glimmer, and he smirked.

“Hello Jasmine,” were the first words he spoke in the house, and that voice was unmistakable. Jasmine would have recognized that tone anywhere.

Chapter 5

“You’ve met?” Jasmine’s mother broke the silence as she and Marvin stood staring at each other. That smirk on his face was devastating Jasmine, while all she could do was gape in surprise.

“At the beach,” he explained and from the corner of her eye, Jasmine could see her mother nod nervously.

“Ah, lovely! So no introductions necessary,” her mother said with a flourish and stretched her arm again, offering Marvin a seat on the couch. Marvin remained standing and finally dragged his eyes away from Jasmine and back to inspecting the room.

“Jasmine, why don’t you pour us some Scotch and we can all sit down for a chat,” her mother urged again, her polite smile not leaving her face. Jasmine turned mechanically towards the bar and began pouring out two fingers of the whiskey into three recently polished glasses.

“None for me, thank you,” Marvin said politely and took a few steps in the direction of the open window at the end of the room.

Jasmine and her mother exchanged looks.

“You’ll have to forgive us. The house has been locked up for years, as you know. We arrived only today and didn’t have much of an opportunity to clean up,” Camilla said with a nervous laugh, expecting Marvin to comment on what a good cleaning job had been done in such a short time. Marvin, again, said nothing, narrowing his eyes instead while inspecting one of the paintings hanging on the wall next to the window.

“My father didn’t really have an eye for art,” her mother nervously laughed again and walked over to where Marvin was standing. He silently turned to look at her and then slowly looked away. His face seemed expressionless. His lips closed tight while his arms were crossed behind his back. He looked more like an art critic than a potential buyer for the house. Jasmine was also growing increasingly embarrassed by her mother’s attempts to please him.

“I’m sure Mr. Byrne is aware of the house’s qualities,” Jasmine said curtly; Camilla and Marvin both turned around to look at her. She hadn’t spoken a word until then. A look of fright entered her mother’s eyes while Marvin seemed to smile sadistically. Those blue eyes were focused on Jasmine again, and she held his gaze bravely.

“Those qualities are long gone Ms. Kiberd,” Marvin finally said. Jasmine could see her mother flush a bright red as she stood beside him, barely able to meet his eye or come up with a response.

“The house has not been lived in for several years,” Jasmine said, hoping that her voice did not betray how shaken she felt by his eyes on her.

“Neither has anybody bothered to look after it,” Marvin replied immediately.

“Our family faced difficulties which, unfortunately, took our attention away from looking after the house,” Jasmine said. She was clutching one of the glasses of whiskey in her right hand, and now she swirled the liquid around for lack of something to do with her hands.

She was equally as surprised as her mother when Marvin suddenly laughed. It sounded cruel and almost inhuman when he did that.

“I’m well aware of that,” he said and looked around the room again.

“Mr. Byrne, we are certainly aware that the house requires some attention. But I’m sure you can see that it won’t require much,” Jasmine’s nervousness was now giving way to irritation. Marvin’s behavior was rude and she could see her mother panicking.

“This house will never sell in this town. Especially in this condition. You must certainly be aware of that as well,” Marvin said and both her mother and Jasmine stood staring at him in silence. She almost expected her mother to faint and fall to the floor.

“We were expecting an interested buyer Mr. Byrne. We didn’t know you were meeting with us to criticize the condition of our house,” Jasmine managed to say. She knew her eyes were wide and angry; her lips were quivering, and she couldn’t hide the shakiness from her voice any longer.

Marvin shrugged his shoulders and threw her another smile.

“Mr. Byrne,” Jasmine’s mother squeaked, after several minutes of silence. “What my daughter is trying to say is that we know that the house hasn’t been looked after, and we appreciate your interest in it,” her voice was meek and submissive, and all Jasmine wanted to do was show Marvin the door – and maybe push him out of it. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen her mother look so utterly subdued.

Marvin seemed to grunt and look around the room again.

“Why don’t we show you the rest of the house and you can sleep on it?” Jasmine could see her mother visibly struggling with keeping a polite and straight face.

“I think I’ve seen enough. I’m well acquainted with the layout of the house, thank you,” Marvin said and dug his hands into the pockets of his pants.

“Oh yes! You mentioned you’d met my father,” she said, forcing joviality into her voice. Marvin didn’t respond to that, but instead just threw Jasmine another look and began walking out of the room.

“Are you sure you won’t stay for a drink?” Camilla called after him, but he didn’t respond. Just like that evening on the beach, Marvin was walking away from the scene without a parting word.

“Jasmine, what did we do wrong?” her mother wailed the second they heard the front door bang shut. She watched as her mother collapsed onto the couch with her face in her hands.

“I don’t understand, Jasmine,” she was repeating, her voice muffled by her hands. Jasmine remained standing where she had stood throughout the entire episode. Without thinking, she gulped down all the whiskey from the glass in her hand.

“I’m going over there,” Jasmine said, almost to herself.

“What?” her mother raised her head to ask. Her eyes were puffy and her voice was screechy.

“I’m going over to his house. He has no right,” Jasmine said and banged the glass down on the bar. Her nerves as rattled as the glass against the wood.

“Are you crazy?” she heard her mother yell as she strode out of the house into the moonlit driveway of her grandfather’s house.

Chapter 6

It took her some time, but Jasmine found Marvin’s home eventually. During their drive in the morning, her mother hadn’t been able to stop talking about how the interested buyer was a billionaire with the biggest house in town. She now stood on the beach, a part that she was certain was private property, staring up at a massive colonial style home at least twice the size of her grandfather’s.

It was dark now, and Jasmine was still waiting for her eyes to adjust to the low light.

“How can I help you?” she heard Marvin’s voice in the dark and suddenly realized that he had been sitting in the patio all along. The thought that he knew and had seen her staring up at his house for several minutes, sent a shiver down her spine. For some reason it also made her angrier.

“I need an explanation,” she finally managed to say. She remained standing, her pumps digging into the sand, while she crossed her arms and tilted her head up towards him. She knew doing this caused her breasts to be thrust out even further than normal, but she felt safer in that stance while approaching this man in the dark on the beach. He was several feet away from her, but she could see the glass of whiskey in his hands and his blue eyes were shimmering in the moonlight.

“What kind of explanation do you need, Jasmine?” he asked and took a quiet sip from his glass. He sounded like a man scolding a child.

“For your behavior,” Jasmine said and hoped he couldn’t see how nervous she had suddenly started to feel. Her fingers were unconsciously rubbing the smooth silk of her shirt in an effort to calm her nerves.

“My behavior?”

“Your bad manners, yes. You came into our house on the pretext of being an interested buyer and did nothing but insult our house and family and just left,” Jasmine replied and watched as Marvin stood up from his chair and walked over to the patio railing.

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” he replied, placing one hand on the railing. The glass of whiskey remained in his other hand.

“I don’t know where you get your arrogance from Mr. Byrne, but you were unnecessarily rude to us,” Jasmine had raised her voice now. Marvin climbed down the few steps it took him to reach the beach and now was standing much closer to Jasmine. She imagined she could feel the heat he had soaked up from the sun earlier radiating from his skin.

“I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings because I refused the drinks you were pouring?” he asked sarcastically, and even in the dark Jasmine could see him grinning. Her rage had risen to impossible heights now and all Jasmine wanted to do was break things.

“You might be rich, but you have no manners Mr. Byrne!” she said through gritted teeth and turned on her heels to walk away from him, but he had lunged towards her and caught her hand.

“Now, now, Ms. Kiberd. No need to sulk,” he said with a laugh and pulled her towards him. She was taken aback by his strength and the grip he had on her wrist. He had barely moved and the glass in his hand was still steady. Now that she was only a few inches from him, she tilted her head up to look at him. She could feel her heart start to speed up in her chest at the close proximity to this obviously virile man.

“This is inappropriate. I wish you knew how to behave yourself,” Jasmine said, even though she didn’t want to say any of those things. Especially not since his eyes were focused on her face, staring at her lips and then flickering over to her eyes again.

“I am behaving myself Jasmine,” Marvin said after a few seconds of silence. She could feel his hand tightening around her wrist still, and she instinctively licked her lips. Her body was tensed and tied up in knots and her thoughts were jumbled and she couldn’t think and without a second thought, Jasmine had leaned towards him, their lips grazing and their breaths falling on each other’s faces. She felt his hand relax and fall away from her wrist, and she immediately raised her hands and placed them on his shoulders.

She had no time to judge her own actions because he bent his head further down, their lips unabashedly touching. All Jasmine had to do was lean in a little closer and they were kissing. His slim tight lips were exploring her large pouty ones. She could smell the woody masculine scent of him and it gave her a heady rush. The moment she felt his tongue frantically push apart her lips and find its way into her mouth, she clasped her hands on his shoulders and squeezed.

She heard the glass of whiskey in his hand fall with a thud on the sand and immediately after, his hands had gripped her waist and he was lifting her up. Their lips didn’t part as he smoothly maneuvered her into position; her jean-clad legs fit perfectly on either side of his waist while her arms remained encircled around his neck.

He suddenly pulled away from her and Jasmine felt a dull ache on her lips. She didn’t have to look at herself in the mirror to know that her lips were very swollen by now.

“Forgive me for my bad behavior,” he said with that same devilish smirk. Jasmine wasn’t in the mood for jokes and she surprised herself by ignoring his words and lightly biting his lower lip. His hands were clasped tightly around her bottom, propping her up against his torso. She could feel the rising heat between their bodies as she pressed herself up against his chest.

“Jasmine,” he said her name gruffly, while his mouth was muffled by her hair. She was about to pull away from him, but he instead tipped his body forward towards the sand, and for a second she thought he was throwing her off. Her back touched the soft, cool sand as he lay her down gently. She watched him as he bent over her, stretching his body over hers and kissed her again, this time more softly. She had clutched his t-shirt, unconsciously balling the fabric up in her hands. Marvin looked at her hands and accurately assumed that she wanted it to come off. In one swift motion he had pulled it off over his head and flung it away from them.

She didn’t even try and resist running her fingers through the grizzly curly hair on his chest, which now hovered over her. She could feel the muscles of his torso under her touch. His smooth, tanned skin stretched over his abdomen, and Jasmine traced it all. When she looked up at his face, his eyes were narrowed with desire, staring into her own eyes.

Their eyes meeting seemed to trigger something in him because his hands were immediately on her, fondling her breasts through the fabric of her blouse. He grunted in dissatisfaction and, without asking, lifted her blouse up to her neck and was now gently squeezing her lace covered breasts.

The sensation of his hands playing with her breasts, his fingers squeezing her erect nipples, was too much for Jasmine to bear. She wanted more. She squeezed her hand between them and over his slacks; she could feel him growing big. His penis was hard, throbbing against her thigh, and suddenly all the barriers of clothing made her claustrophobic.

It seemed like he shared this opinion about the clothing, and he grunted again while unbuttoning her jeans and peeling them off her legs in slow-motion. He hooked his finger on the elastic of her lace underwear and gave it a sharp tug. The cool sea breeze against the exposed, wet triangle between her thighs was an overwhelming sensation, and Jasmine couldn’t help but moan softly.

She hadn’t realized that he had taken his pants off as well. It was only when she felt the pressure of his strong bare thighs against her own that she sensed his rising urgency. He had to have her. She bit down hard on her lip and arched her body up towards him as she felt his hands grip her waist as he lowered himself on her.

When he entered her, he did it with a sudden force and she arched her body further up towards him, while his hands on her hips kept her in position. He was big and strong inside her, her wetness helping him slide in smoothly. With the first thrust he held her down strongly and then slowly pulled himself out. She quivered with pleasure and a loud moan escaped her lips.

He pushed himself inside her again. This time with more force. Jasmine moaned again, and he removed his hands from her hips and placed them on her breasts, squeezing them tightly in the palm of his hands. He seemed to have found his grip because he immediately increased his pace. Pulling out slowly and then thrusting himself back into her again.

She could feel her back sliding up and down against the sand with the motion he had developed. With one hand he pulled down the straps of her bra and then bent down his head to suck wildly on her left nipple and then the right. Jasmine could do nothing more than moan and arch her hips towards him, trying to take in even more of him.

His pace was strong and steady, and with each thrust, Jasmine could feel the knots in her body untying themselves. A quivering sensation was rising between her thighs and she couldn’t quell it any longer. She was teetering on the edge now, while his mouth remained stuck on her right breast. She couldn't help but scream out his name as her body shook. She shut her eyes tightly and allowed her body to react without her mind’s control. She could sense that he had let go as well. She could feel him raise himself, place his hands on her waist again and heard him grunt loudly.

The throbbing wasn’t even close to ending. Her body shook, and her toes curled while he remained inside her, still thrusting in and out in slow-motion.

When she finally opened her eyes, he was lying beside her on the sand, staring up at the stars. No smile on his face.

***

They lay on the beach, on their backs, for at least an hour, their bodies barely touching. Marvin asked her about her work and the kids she spent her days with, while Jasmine avoided the big looming question that was filling her brain - why Marvin Byrne, lived alone in a huge mansion by the beach. He spoke to her about the town’s history, but not for once raised the topic of his own family or hers.

There was a certain easy flow of conversation between them, even though they were not really talking about anything serious. Jasmine wasn’t sure if he was simply being polite or was genuinely interested in small talk after sex. At least, if nothing else, they weren’t being embarrassingly awkward after what just happened.

“I should head back,” Jasmine said finally with a sigh. She didn’t want to add that her mother might be waiting up for her. Marvin didn’t respond to that, but remained, silently gazing up at the stars as she sat up and looked around for her shoes. They had both slipped back into their clothes earlier.

Marvin eventually sat up as well. “So, I suppose that explanation is never coming my way,” Jasmine said with a laugh as she stood up and started dusting off sand from her clothes. She twisted her head in his direction to find him glaring at her, this time the sarcastic glint in his eyes was replaced by embarrassment. Jasmine felt a sudden joy of victory - she had successfully been able to make Marvin Byrne feel guilty about his actions.

“Don’t tell me now,” she interrupted him just as he was about to say something. “Come meet us when you’re in a better mood,” she said with a giggle. He remained sitting on the beach as Jasmine bent down and kissed him on his forehead, expecting him to pull her down to him again. She yearned for his touch, but he had turned to stone again. Within the matter of a minute, he had turned back into the man who had rudely huffed out of her grandfather’s house. He continued looking at the sea in front of him, ignoring Jasmine’s kiss and pretending to not notice the fact that she was standing there, glaring down at him.

She couldn’t believe it. His behavior was beyond her and she just huffed and started walking away. Every step she took away from him, she hoped he would call out to her and apologize and things would be back to the way they were an hour ago. But he didn’t.

Chapter 7

Jasmine didn’t have to sneak back into the house that night, her mother was sleeping – or  passed out – on the same couch that Jasmine had left her on, the crystal decanter at her feet.

Jasmine sat at the large dining table by herself the next morning as dusty sunlight streamed in through the windows she had thrown open. She was grateful for the bananas her mother had packed for the trip, and Jasmine sat peeling her fourth one.

“Oh good you’re up, too,” her mother said when she finally walked into the dining room. She was in the same clothes as the previous night, minus the jacket. Her makeup streaked her face, while her eyes were puffy and her short hair was in disarray.

“Morning,” Jasmine said, trying to be cheery. She knew better than to point out the fact that her mother had drunk herself to sleep the previous night.

“Is there any coffee around here or will we have to go back to the diner?” Jasmine asked as her mother slipped into the chair at the head of the table.

“You know, it wasn’t just our family he screwed over,” her mother replied instead. Clearly she hadn’t heard Jasmine’s question, and moreover, she had never her mother use profanity.

“Who?”

“Who else? My father, that’s who,” Camilla said and reached over for one of the two remaining bananas.

“What are you talking about, Mom?”

“Marvin Byrne’s family. He screwed up Marvin Byrne’s family as well,” her mother was peeling the banana now.

“I still don’t know what you’re saying, Mom. Grandfather knew the Byrne family?” Jasmine had stopped chewing on her banana.

“Well, he knew Marvin Byrne’s mother. The rest of the family, not so much,” she said and sat back in her chair.

“What are you trying to say, Mom?”

“That the woman my father was shacking up with in this house, was Marvin Byrne’s mother.” Jasmine was quiet, studying her mother’s face in silence as the news sank in.

“Is Marvin, Grandfather’s…?” Jasmine asked, her voice shaking uncontrollably.

“No, he’s not my half-brother if that’s what you’re asking,” her mother laughed dryly. “Marvin’s mother left his father and moved in with your grandfather. I’m not sure of the details, but Marvin must have only been about fifteen then.”

Jasmine felt a wave of relief, but that was short-lived. The implications of what her mother was saying were slowly seeping in, and they were jumbling up her thoughts.

“So Marvin’s mother and my grandfather…” Jasmine began.

“Yes. He broke up her marriage, forced her away from her own son.”

“How long were they together?” Jasmine could feel a dull headache coming on.

“Well, all of Marvin’s life, at least. Until she died.” Her mother was staring out of the window and Jasmine had no response. She didn’t want to think about the anger Marvin must feel towards her grandfather, towards her family.

“My brother and I were older, in our early twenties when he left my mother, so it obviously didn’t affect us the way it would have impacted a young teenager, a boy whose mother didn’t want anything to do with,” she continued. Her voice was sad, hollow, and almost unearthly. “Which is why I was so surprised and apprehensive when I got the letter from him and to read about his interest in buying the house.”

Jasmine could see the tears welling up in her mother’s eyes. She knew the right thing to do would be to get up and hug her, but she wasn’t sure how her mother would react to that.

“I knew it was too good to be true. Why would he, in his right mind, want to buy the house where his mother and her lover lived for so many years? Only a few minutes away from his own family home.”

Her mother’s voice was shaky now, but in rising anger more than sadness.

“They didn’t even have the decency to run away together to a different town, away from her ex-husband and son.” She finally wiped the angry tears that streaked her cheeks. Jasmine didn’t know what to think. Marvin’s behavior the previous night made sense now, but she didn’t want to wonder about the possibility that he seduced her as revenge. To avenge the harm her grandfather had done to his own family.

“Mom, can we leave?” Jasmine asked, and her mother turned to look at her, surprised, as if suddenly jerked out of a dream.

“Now?”

“Yes. Do we have any more reason to stay? He’s not buying the house. Nobody is buying the house,” Jasmine said and she got up hurriedly, scraping the chair noisily against the hardwood floor of the dining room.

“You’re right, I suppose. I’ve been a fool,” Camilla said, and hung her head down in shame.

“No, Mom. You’ve only tried to do what you thought needed to be done. But it’s over now. Although I wish you’d told me all this sooner,” Jasmine said and walked towards the door.

“What purpose would that have served?” It was hard for Jasmine to believe that her mother had no recollection of her proclamation the previous night that she was headed to Marvin’s home to talk to him. She didn’t want to remind her.

“I’m going to go take a shower and pack my bag. I suggest you do the same mom. Let’s just get out of here.”

***

Jasmine changed into a pair of comfortable linen pants and a thin t-shirt after her shower. She tied her damp, quickly drying hair, into a messy bun on top of her head as she packed. She was wearing bright, beach rubber slippers, and they squeaked against the floor every time she took a step. All she wanted to do was be back in her own tiny apartment in the city. She yearned to hear the squeals and laughter of a kindergarten classroom surrounding her. No matter what her mother thought of her career, she didn’t feel judged or the keeper of secrets, and most importantly, ashamed, in the midst of kids.

Jasmine didn’t think she would feel this way, and so soon, but she wanted to get away from the beautiful beach. The sound of seagulls haunted her, and the scent of the fresh air suffocated her. In twenty-four hours, this place, her grandfather’s getaway, made her feel as though she were trapped, that she was being taken advantage of, and she finally sympathized with her mother for the first time.

What she wanted to do most was get away from Marvin Byrne. Unwittingly, she had become a victim of a vicious vengeful act and her cheeks blushed in anger and embarrassment every time the memory of their having sex clouded her mind.

She couldn’t forgive herself for being so foolish, for thinking that the attraction was real, that he really wanted her. That she had met a man, and it was love at first sight; no questions asked, no strings attached, just a pure physical and inexplicable emotional bond. She had kissed him before she left, the kind of kiss you exchange with a familiar loved one. Jasmine didn’t want to think of the possibility that she was falling in love with Marvin. That she could be falling in love with a man who despised her family and probably despised her.

Jasmine felt sick with the thought that every time he touched her, he probably saw her grandfather’s face and the fact that he had ruined his family, that he had grown up without a mother. A mother who lived a few minutes away, but with another man, and who didn’t think of her son. Was he happy when she died? Was he happy when her grandfather died? A chill ran down her spine when she realized that the answer to both those questions is perhaps yes.

Jasmine sighed loudly as she zipped up her bag and flung it on the bed. She walked over to the window in silence to try and get a glimpse of the sea. What she saw instead was Marvin standing under her window. His hands in his pocket, a frown on his face, and his eyes studying the house.

Chapter 8

Their eyes had met for a second as Jasmine stared down at him, almost in horror, as he looked up and found her at the window. He threw her a smile and crossed his arms across his chest, an open invitation for her to join him downstairs. She went against all her intuition, against all her gut feelings, as she climbed down the stairs and made her way to the back of the house.

Jasmine threw open the door and stood on the small patio, which was less than half the size of the one in Marvin’s house, but she stood there proudly.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him, trying to maintain a straight face and holding her head high.

“Just looking,” he said with a smile. She refused to meet his eye.

“We’re leaving now, Marvin,” she said and watched as the smile on his face disappeared.

“I was under the impression that you’re staying for some time,” he said and took a few steps towards her.

“We have no reason to.”

“We haven’t even finalized the details yet. No papers have been signed.”

“Who are you kidding Marvin? We all know that you’re not buying the house.” Jasmine looked away from him, crossing her own arms across her chest.

“Why then did I write to your mother asking her about the house?”

“I don’t know. As some kind of sadistic vengeful joke?” Jasmine was trying hard not to burst into tears. She didn’t remember the last time she felt so used, this embarrassed, and so enamored by a man - all at the same time.

Marvin’s laugh surprised her. He was shaking his head and his shoulders shook as he laughed, almost uncontrollably.

“You can stop laughing. I know the truth now. I found out about your mother this morning. I know you have your reasons.” Jasmine rolled her eyes. She could feel her cheeks burning up, and the warm sun beating down on them wasn’t helping the whole uncomfortable situation. Marvin stopped, either out of politeness or upon hearing her words.

“You’re telling me you didn’t know?” He took a few more steps towards Jasmine and she moved back.

“Not the details. I didn’t know she was your mother.”

“Who did you think I was?”

“An interested buyer.”

Marvin had climbed up the few steps of the patio and was now standing only a few feet away from Jasmine.

“You thought I knew?” Jasmine asked him, her back was now against the door and she tried meeting his gaze, as his blue eyes bore into her. Like they were boring into her soul.

He nodded in response. “So you think now that last night was some kind of revenge?” He gave a small laugh and took a few steps towards her.

“Your behavior certainly didn’t help.”

“I admit, I was preoccupied. Being inside this house was enough to get my blood boiling.” He placed his hand on the door, next to her face.

“You thought I knew when I had sex with you?” Jasmine asked; she couldn’t keep the sound of relief from her voice.

“Undeniable attraction,” he said gruffly and brought his face even closer to hers. She could feel his breath falling on her cheeks, and it sent goosebumps down her spine. She turned her head to look at him, and their eyes met. She bit down on her lip just as he bent his head to kiss her, this time affectionately, like she had kissed him the previous night just before she left. He drew away from her and looked into her eyes again, placing his big hands on her slight shoulders.

“Tell me you’ll stay, Jasmine,” his voice was gentle, and he was stroking the skin between her neck and her shoulders.

***

Jasmine’s mother sat at the head of the table. She had showered, changed into a different suit and combed her neat bob back, as usual. Despite her manners, she couldn’t keep the look of shock and confusion from her face as she watched in silence as Jasmine and Marvin sat beside each other on one side of the table.

“So you’re telling me that you both had a meeting last evening after I went to sleep?” she finally spoke and consciously cleared her throat. She was in complete denial of her own drunken state and Jasmine couldn’t help but smirk.

“Yes, Mom, and we realized that there has been a huge misunderstanding,” Jasmine replied, looking over to Marvin for support.

“Mrs. Kiberd, I want to assure you that the fault was entirely mine. I’m afraid I wasn’t on my best behavior last evening and it might have come across as disinterest in your property,” Marvin said, his voice smooth and reassuring as he spoke to her mother, looking her directly in the eye.

“Please don’t apologize, Mr. Byrne. If there is anybody who understands, it is me. This house has that effect on us does it not?” Camilla said and looked around the dining room, as if anticipating her father’s ghost to appear out of the dusty corners.

“It does indeed,” Marvin said and looked over to Jasmine and they exchanged smiles while her mother wasn’t looking.

“The fact is, Mrs. Kiberd, that I am interested in this house if you are interested in selling it to me,” Marvin said, and her mother gave a short sarcastic laugh.

“I’d do anything to be rid of it. What I don’t understand is why you would want to own it, Mr. Byrne. I cannot imagine that you feel sentimental towards it.”

Marvin cleared his throat and glanced at Jasmine again before looking back at her mother. He took in a deep breath.

“I want to destroy it. Burn it to the ground,” he said slowly and watched as Jasmine’s mother’s expression went from shock to satisfaction. She was smiling at him.

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of it,” she said, after a minute of silence.

“He wants to use this land to build a school here,” Jasmine spoke up and looked proudly over at him.

“That is brilliant news! This place will finally come to good use, and you, of course, have experience in it,” her mother said and a wave of relief visibly flooded her body.

“And I want your daughter to help me with it,” Marvin said and Camilla’s face betrayed renewed shock.

“I accepted the offer, Mom. What can be better than running my own school in an idyllic seaside location?” Jasmine giggled, and she felt Marvin reach over and squeeze her hand under the table.

“That’s rather surprising, you’re only a kindergarten teacher, Jasmine,” Camilla said and looked from Jasmine to Marvin.

“Yes, Marvin is aware of that, but he believes I might have insight he can use,” Jasmine’s voice had changed to desperation, she didn’t want to argue with her mother in front of Marvin; God knows he didn’t need more reminders of the gap in age between them.

“Now, Mrs. Kiberd, I’ll have my lawyer send over the paperwork to you in a few days if you don’t mind, and then we can get this over and done with,” Marvin said, changing the subject. He got up from his chair and so did the others. He stretched out his arm towards Jasmine’s mother and they shook hands. She couldn’t help but notice the broad smile on her mother’s face.

“Now, how about some of that promised whiskey?” Marvin asked and Jasmine looked at her wristwatch.

“It’s only five Marvin. Too early for whiskey is it not?” she asked him while her mother happily walked out of the room and towards the drawing room.

“I thought you were on a holiday?” Marvin teased her and raised an eyebrow. Jasmine shook her head and giggled just as he reached and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and they rested their foreheads against each other’s.

“Your mother didn’t sound too pleased by the idea of your moving here,” Marvin said softly while they smiled at each other.

“She’s just taken aback by it, but we can’t help it can we? Undeniable attraction,” Jasmine said and closed her eyes for a kiss.

Chapter 9

Jasmine heard her mother’s car long before she could see it drive through the wrought-iron, front gates.

“She’s here!” Jasmine turned away from the window to face Marvin who was sitting behind his desk, signing the papers that she had placed before him a few minutes ago. He grunted in response and then looked at her over the small rectangular glasses he sometimes remembered to wear. Jasmine had now bought three extra pairs which she placed around the house so that he always had a pair handy when he needed them.

“Best of luck,” he said and smiled. That smile never failed to reassure her.

“Darling!” Camilla threw her arms around Jasmine when she greeted her mother at the front door a few minutes later. “You look older.”

“It’s only been a year, Mom!” Jasmine shook her head, but she knew what her mother meant. She felt older herself, in a good and desirable way. She still hadn’t figured out what Marvin had seen in her a year ago, to give her the responsibility of starting a school from scratch.

“But look at you!” Her mother dramatically twirled her around and admired Jasmine’s knee length black skirt and the white blouse she had tucked into it.

“You look like a lady,” her mother said and walked over hurriedly to give Marvin a hug, who had only just emerged from his study.

“Percy will show you to your room, Mom,” Jasmine said as their newly appointed butler picked up the bags that Camilla had dropped to the floor, and she followed him. Marvin had insisted on hiring a butler and a cook after Jasmine moved in; she had no idea how he lived before that.

“The last thing I want is for my mother to think I’m well-dressed. I need to change my wardrobe entirely,” Jasmine whispered to Marvin as he joined her and placed a hand on the small of her back. He laughed at that.

“Don’t let her get to you my love,” he said and Jasmine couldn’t help but feel a shiver of delight run through her body. She was his love. She looked over at him admiringly, and he looked back with a smile.

Camilla’s voice from the upstairs guest room interrupted the moment they were having. “This is beautiful Marvin! What an absolutely gorgeous bedroom,” she said as she came down the stairs.

“It looked like a dump before Jasmine worked her magic on it,” Marvin said and kept his hand steady on Jasmine’s back. Camilla’s eyes flickered in disbelief.

“Who would have known,” she said and came to a halt before them. Jasmine tried her best to not roll her eyes.

“So when do I get a tour of this school I’ve been hearing so much about?” Camilla asked and turned her attention to admiring the layout of the vestibule.

“It’s still underway mom. At least six more months of construction, and then we’ll be good to go,” Jasmine said and exchanged happy looks with Marvin.

“Jasmine has been very helpful with marketing and getting the word out,” Marvin said just as Percy joined them to announce that he had served tea in the drawing room.

“I’m sure you didn’t need much marketing Marvin. Mornmouth House is enough marketing is it not?” Camilla said with a laugh and followed Percy. Jasmine could see her mother’s awe at the grandeur of the house. If she knew her mother at all, she was certain Camilla was wondering why Marvin’s mother would ever leave all of this and run away with a married man.

“It’s a very competitive world out there, Mrs. Kiberd. An old private school name isn’t good enough any longer. This one has to stand on its own merit,” Marvin said, a serious tone had entered his voice, and Jasmine immediately regretted inviting her mother. She didn’t want the next few days to be about Marvin defending Jasmine.

They drank their tea while making small talk. Marvin and Jasmine sat very close together, her bare legs grazing Marvin’s pants. She could see Camilla notice the times Marvin reached out to squeeze her hand.

“I’m happy to see you both so well settled,” Camilla said after Percy had cleared the teacups away. Jasmine felt relieved instantly. The fact that her mother was saying this was enough.

“We are, Mrs. Kiberd,” Marvin said and stood up from the sofa. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.” He bent down to kiss Jasmine on the top of her head and then walked out of the room, whistling a tune softly under his breath.

Camilla turned to look at her daughter. “How has all this happened? You’ve given me no explanation over the telephone, Jasmine. You seem practically married”.

Jasmine laughed and stood up herself, “Relax, Mom, just be happy for us, like you said you were. Isn’t this exactly what you wanted for me?” she started walking towards the door.

“You should unwind, Mom;, Percy will serve dinner in two hours, and we can talk more then.” Jasmine felt good telling her mother what to do for a change. The pieces seemed to all have fallen together.

***

She closed the door of his study softly behind her and found Marvin sitting on his shaggy, comfortable couch, sipping from a glass of whisky.

Jasmine giggled, “I’m glad you came up with the code, Marvin. You have business to attend to, seems natural enough,” she said and hopped on to his lap, straddling him. Marvin’s hands wound themselves around her waist as he pulled her closer to him. She could immediately feel his penis harden and begin to rise underneath her.

“Well, this is the business I have to attend to. So I wasn’t lying,” he said gruffly as she pulled his glasses off his face and placed them on the side table. She clutched his head between her hands and pressed it against her breasts. He started to nibble the fabric of her blouse and she bit down on her lip.

“Do you want to go outside, to that spot?” she asked him, and he stopped. He didn’t answer but when he picked her up and started walking towards the door, she knew they were going to scandalize her mother.

THE END

My Second Chance Billionaire

Katrina Bliss

Copyright ©2016 by Katrina Bliss. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter 1

Sue had been rummaging through the desk drawer for the past hour and eventually, sank back in the leather armchair with a deep sigh. Vincent was giving her a run for her money, literally, and she was tired of trying to draw neat divides between what they had owned together as a couple for ten years. She didn’t want to have to sell the house, that is the last thing she wanted to do, but if Vincent’s lawyers got their way, she would have to do exactly that. Who was she kidding? The lawyers were working on Vincent’s biddings.

She sighed again and took a large gulp of whiskey from one of Vincent’s glasses, swirling the amber liquid around in her hand. She wasn’t being sentimental, she insisted on that to herself, but the room reminded her of him. The early days of their marriage, when they had just moved into this house, had still been good. Vincent had recently published his first novel and was working on his second, which meant that he spent nearly the whole day cooped up in this study. Sue would pop her head in around dinner time and he would look up at her, a dazed and confused expression on his face, and smile. That was until his second novel received no reviews, at least no positive ones, and it was all downhill from there.

Sue took another large swig of the whiskey and decided she needed some distraction, at least for a few minutes. Their shared computer, the one neither of them used in the past few years when laptops were purchased individually, was lying neglected and dusty on the desk. Sue ran a finger over the keyboard, collecting brownish dust on her forefinger-tip, which she then scraped off on the edge of the table.

She pressed the Power button, which brought the computer back to life from its long slumber, and waited while the system updated itself. When the screen finally awoke, an old photograph of them greeted her as the wallpaper. Sue, her fawn colored hair flying to the side, her younger triangular smile had overtaken her face and she had her long skinny arms around the man she was about to marry. Vincent, with his flamboyant beard, smiled too. His smile looked genuine enough and he seemed content and happy to have Sue’s arms around his neck. She remembered the photograph, it was taken on their first and last vacation together, a few months before they married. She struggled to recognize the two people in the picture as she stared at it longer. Those two people looked happy, he looked happy and in love. Perhaps, he was happy now. Perhaps, he was happy now with the skinny arms of his new girlfriend around his neck.

Sue clicked furiously on the browser icon. She wanted his face out of her line of vision. However, the first thing she did was log into her social media page. She hadn’t bothered looking up Vincent’s profile before, to stalk his recent activity and maybe if she was lucky, catch a glimpse of the new girlfriend. But, she was in the mood today. The whiskey was making her lightheaded all right, but it made her feel a little invincible too. She wanted to take a peek into his new life.

He had removed her from his Friends-list. In fact, he had blocked her completely. Sue typed his name in frantically over and over again, hoping it had been some kind of technical glitch the first…ten times. She finally gave up, after fifteen minutes of trying to dig up his profile. He had removed her from his social connections with a certain severity, with almost professional perfection. Surprisingly, rather than the grief she was expecting to feel to be rather rudely shown the door out of his personal life after more than ten years of sharing a life together, Sue was more angered by the fact that she hadn’t thought of it first. She should have shown him the door, blocked him out of her online presence. She banged the table with her fist in rage and immediately, picked up the glass again, to drain it of its contents.

She sank back in the chair and instinctively, started scrolling down her social media page, blankly staring at photographs of kids and smiling families, photographs of vacations, links to news articles, a few online eyesight test results that all her friends seemed to be taking these days. Sue laughed to herself, she knew she was being a maudlin bore, but there was no denying that she was pushing forty and alone all over again. The silly eyesight tests and photographs of grown up kids were proof enough that they were all getting old. She was too tired to start over again.

In the middle of her self-pitying thoughts, her attention fell on a news story that one of her old friends from college had shared. She read the title three times over, with rapt attention, her back straight as a lamp-post now, before she clicked on the link. ‘Newcastle Alumnus, Gerard Tate in this year’s Forbes Richest in America List’.  The link opened up and the smiling, older face of Gerard Tate stared back at her. Graying hair, the same sparkling brown eyes, arms crossed over his chest and Sue didn’t miss the Steel Explorer Rolex on his wrist.

The link was an updated profile of him and Sue read every word of it. While she was vacationing in Mauritius with her fiancé, Gerard wrote the code for a hacking program and set up a company from his parents’ garage. When Sue married Vincent and they invested in a house they couldn’t afford, Gerard’s new company was shaking things up in the Silicon Valley. While Sue’s husband’s failing career and their inevitably doomed marriage sent her down a dizzying spiral of depression, Gerard’s company had begun to rake in millions; no tech-company in the Silicon Valley could afford to ignore the security services that he could provide them with. Now that she was officially divorced, sitting alone in a house she was going to have to sell, Gerard Tate was, perhaps, sitting in his living room, gazing at the city skyline from his penthouse, eating caviar and champagne, smiling proudly at his children while his gorgeous supermodel wife ran her fingers through his hair.

Sue stood up suddenly; she knew she was allowing her imagination to run wild, but she couldn’t control her anger, for some reason. She felt lonely, a failure and slightly drunk, and she paced around the study with her brows crossed. Every few minutes, she returned to the computer screen to take a look at Gerard’s smiling face again. She couldn’t believe how ridiculously cruel the joke was. The boy she had dated in college, the boy who she had given up because he locked himself in his garage for days together, was now a billionaire. So many bad choices, Sue said aloud, admonishing herself as she shook her head like a disappointed school principle.

The tears came soon, hot and uncontrollable. She plonked herself down on the couch as she cried loudly, in the empty house. She had been angry with Vincent, but Gerard’s success, his happy and fulfilled life made her sad, made her regret every decision she had ever made. The memory of Gerard’s smiling face filled her mind and she burst into tears again. She could see him standing in his Khaki pants and an old striped shirt, his backpack hung loosely from his back. He was waiting for her outside her class and she ran towards him, his smile grew. She remembered it like it was yesterday. She pressed her face against his chest as they embraced tightly. He smelled of coffee and doughnuts, probably all he ate in the past twenty-four hours.

“I hadn't seen you in a day. I missed you,” she heard him say and she looked up to stare at his handsome face.

“I wish you would make your breakthrough already, so we could spend some time together, finally,” Sue said, his eyes held her gaze confidently. She could see he worshipped her.

“Soon,” he said before he bent his head down to kiss her. Even now, as she sat alone on her couch, trying hard to hold back another volley of tears, she could feel his full lips on hers. He kissed her with an intensity she hadn’t experienced after him. That thought immediately led to the memory of Vincent returning home after a book tour. Sue opened the door for him and flung her arms around her husband.

“I missed you Vincent!” she squealed and showered his face with adoring kisses. Vincent only peeled her arms off him and hurried into the house past her.

“Vincent?” she called after him as she heard the sound of the door of his study shut behind him.

Chapter 2

Sue woke up in a dark room. She had clearly fallen drunkenly asleep a while ago. She sat up on the couch and wiped the crusted dribble from her mouth. Drawing the folds of her cardigan around her, she stood up from the couch, drawn towards the bright light from the computer screen. She didn’t have to check her watch to know that it was very late, way past midnight.

She sat down on the armchair again and saw her email inbox open on the screen. She had no recollection of her actions, after she had discovered Gerard’s news article. As her eyes adjusted to the glaring brightness of the screen, her heart stopped. The first unread email in her inbox was from the username Gerard.T. Panicked thoughts raced through her mind as she tried desperately to recall what she had emailed him. She could see her hands shaking as she clicked on the email and instead of reading his response, she scrolled down directly to her initial message to him.

Dear Gerard,

I have only recently discovered your immense success and would like to congratulate you on it. We should meet up!

Best wishes,

Sue

A soft moan escaped her lips as she read the message all over again, cringing the whole time. The fact that she was embarrassed by it, was to say the least. She used her fingers to roughly massage her throbbing temples as she scrolled up to read his response. He had apparently emailed her back in half an hour’s time. Polite and punctual as ever.

Dear Sue,

Great to hear from you after ages. Thank you for your well wishes. Yes, I would love to catch up. Friday at 5PM at Queen of Tarts?

Regards,

Gerard

Regards? Regards! The word seeped into her consciousness like poison. His entire message embarrassed her; she wondered if he could tell that she had written to him in a fit of rage and loneliness. That it had been a message of spite? Then again, she couldn’t be sure what her sentiments had been when she had emailed him. She shook her head and shut her eyes tightly. This was going to be a disaster, she was convinced of it. An ex-lover flaunting his success and happiness in her face was the opposite of what she needed in these lonely times and she was the one to blame for having brought this upon herself.

She hurriedly switched the computer off and caught a quick parting glimpse of their vacation photograph. She nearly spat on Vincent’s digital face.

•••

Sue was early, thankfully. This gave her a chance to survey the place and try to grow comfortable in her surroundings before Gerard joined her. She had spent the last three days trying to distract herself from the impending meeting. She tried to coach herself in front of the mirror to deliver the most casual and nonchalant greeting when she would finally meet him, but she knew she wasn’t prepared. How could she be prepared for this? They hadn’t met in twenty years, they had parted ways on unfriendly terms and now, she had foolishly gone and invited him for a meeting during the worst phase of her life. She was convinced she would make a fool of herself.

She had chosen a simple lilac knee-length dress after much deliberation. A dark purple shawl, the color of blackcurrants, was wrapped around her shoulders as she sat at a corner table, overlooking the fountain in the square. Her hair was still fawn, but she usually pinned it up in a chignon these days, instead of letting it fall loosely around her shoulders as she used to. She sat with her legs crossed, her hands on her lap while her black strappy sandals peeped out from the sides of the tablecloth.

She had ordered a Chai Latte already, but she let it grow lukewarm as it remained untouched on the table before her. She regretted it, she regretted all of it. She wished she had replied to his email and made an excuse for not meeting him. The last thing she wanted was to feel any more feelings.

She heard someone clear his throat close to her and Sue jerked her head away from the French windows to find Gerard standing beside her. The smile on his face appeared to be despondent, rather than enthusiastic.

“Hello, Sue” His voice surprised her. It was exactly the way she remembered it; boyish and jovial. He looked the way he did in the photograph she had seen of him recently. His dark head of hair was graying, especially around his temples. His clean white shirt hung from his square shoulders and she noticed how he wasn’t as skinny as before. The same Rolex watch peeped out from the hem of his cuffs as he walked over to the chair opposite her and sat down noiselessly. She noticed how he had traded his usual Khaki pants for finely tailored trousers. She had only smiled at him weakly, without having verbally responded to his greeting earlier.

“How are you, Sue?” he asked her, the smile disappeared from his face.

“I’m well, Gerard. And you?” She smiled at him awkwardly. Surprisingly, he still smelled of coffee and it had a powerful nostalgic effect on her, which she couldn’t escape.

He nodded his head in response and turned to catch a waiter’s eye. They both sat in silence till the waiter appeared and Gerard ordered a black coffee and a Tuna sandwich for himself.

“Would you like something to eat, Sue?” He turned to her, but she shook her head at the waiter, even though she could feel her stomach rumbling with hunger.

“Long time, huh?” he laughed awkwardly and steepled his hands on the table. Sue smiled at him and dropped her gaze immediately. She knew she was blushing, but couldn’t stop herself. It reminded her of the first time they had met, at the Fresher’s party in college.  She had spilled an entire bottle of beer on his clothes by accident and when their eyes met, they were both blushing.

“Congratulations, again,” she said stupidly. She regretted saying it the moment the words left her mouth. “I mean, for making the Forbes list,” she over-explained and hated herself for it.

“Thank you, again,” he said and looked away from her. He wasn’t smiling anymore.

“What have you been up to?” he asked suddenly and caught her off guard. He didn’t seem nervous at all, even though he had been slightly awkward initially, he seemed to have regained his composure at the expense of her embarrassment.

Sue struggled with the words. “I taught ballet for years, till I gave it up recently,” she managed to say and watched as he raised his eyebrows.

“Why did you do that?” he asked her and also thanked the waiter curtly as he placed the coffee and sandwich before Gerard. Sue looked around the cafe for support, refusing to meet his eyes directly.

“I lost interest,” she said bluntly and he raised his brows again.

“I don’t buy that,” he said as he stirred a cube of sugar into his coffee and picked up the cup.

“I just didn’t want to do it anymore.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“When I knew you, ballet was your lifeblood. What the hell happened?” He took a measured sip of the coffee and looked at her directly. Sue dropped her gaze again and was now fiddling with the fabric of her dress on her lap. Whatever she did, she knew she couldn’t paint a sad and depressing picture of her life to him. She couldn’t afford him the joy of victory.

“I just lost interest,” she asserted again and decided to meet his gaze, as confidently as she could. Besides, what gave him the right to believe he knew her well, that he still knew her well? Gerard smiled suddenly, even after twenty years, she could tell the smile was put-on, too polite.

“That’s too bad,” he said and took a bite of his sandwich. “Why aren’t you eating anything? You’re as skinny as ever.” He looked at her like he was making a joke.

“I had a late lunch,” she said defensively and looked away from him. So far, their meeting after twenty years was not the way she imagined such meetings to go.

“So what do you do now? After ballet?” he asked, dabbling the corners of his mouth with the folded napkin under his plate.

“I have a few things in the pipeline, haven’t settled on one,” she said and the defensive tone in her voice was open and naked for him to hear. He raised his eyebrow again and grinned, and she was worried he thought she begrudged his success.

“I worked with my husband for several years as his PR agent, but now he’s my ex-husband.” She tried to sound chirpy and neutral.

“Vincent and you are divorced now?” he asked, his eyes widened. Sue’s heart leapt out of her chest, Gerard knows Vincent?

Chapter 3

Gerard must have noticed the look of shock on Sue’s face.

“You seem to be surprised that I’ve heard of your ex-husband,” he laughed and she relaxed a little.

“You didn’t think I read?” He was studying her face as she smiled at him politely.

“I don’t remember you picking up a single book in college,” she said and finally took a sip of her drink, which had gone cold by now. She forced herself to gulp it down.

“I didn’t have the time then, as you very well know,” he said and they fell into an awkward silence for a few seconds.

“How did you two meet, anyway?” He broke the silence and she met his eye again.

“His kid sister was one of my ballet pupils. Vincent used to come by the studio to pick her up from classes from time to time.” She tried sipping her drink again, for the distraction. “Are you married?” she asked and nearly winced at the question. She didn’t really want to hear the response.

“I avoided it like the plague, successfully,” he said and laughed. Sue joined him with an embarrassed, short laugh.

“I read Vincent’s first novel. It did quite well?” She could see an evil gleam in his eyes, his seemingly innocent question was a fatal jab at the fact that Vincent’s second and consequent novels were utter disasters.

“Yes, it did,” she replied quietly and looked away from him. Her initial instinct had been right; he was using this meeting as a show of victory. They were quiet again and Sue watched him pull out his cellphone, which he concentrated on for the next few minutes. His eyes were focused on the screen, his face held together by the same full lips which were now taut and grim as he presumably read his emails. He still had the same big hands and she noted his clean and neatly cut fingernails. The image of his former self, scruffy dark hair and unkempt nails, floated in front of her eyes as she tried to discreetly study him. She couldn’t believe it was the same man. In college, the last thing Gerard cared about was his appearance and twenty years later, she could see the flash of glittering stone cufflinks on his wrists.

“You’re wondering how I’ve changed,” Gerard said to her, without looking away from his phone. Sue blushed immediately and fidgeted around in her seat.

“Well, you’ve changed too,” he continued and carelessly flung his phone on the table to look back at her. Those scrutinizing eyes were focused on her again and Sue could feel another wave of embarrassment overtake her.

“It’s been twenty years,” she said softly, but Gerard didn’t seem to agree.

“Not simply in appearance, actually, you don’t look that different. You’re quieter now,” he said, he seemed to have his own deep thoughts in his head that he was going over. Sue smiled and sighed.

“I’ve grown up is what you mean,” she said, but he still didn’t show any signs of agreeing with her.

“You’re less confident,” he finally said, after a few seconds of silence. Sue was surprised by his words, surprised that he had seen right through her, that she was so transparent to him.

“Well, I’m not twenty anymore. The quiet comes with maturity,” She still tried to hold her ground. She didn’t want to appear weak before him.

“You’ve lost your fiery self and that’s a pity,” he said, rather harshly and Sue glared at him with angered eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said to him as he drained the coffee from his cup.

“You know what I mean. You’re less demanding. You’re more accepting,” he said and pushed his empty plate towards the center of the table. He was looking about him and snuck a few looks at his watch, while Sue continued glaring at him. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, but she was frozen in her seat.

“I can’t imagine you liked my demands,” she blurted out and he fixed his gaze on her again, slowly, almost menacingly. She inched back in her chair and dropped her gaze. She wanted him to stop, to stop staring at her like he knew who she was.

“No. But I admired you for it,” he said and stood up suddenly. Sue could feel tears stinging the back of her eyelids and she was glad he was making a move to leave. She refused to look up at his face as he remained standing for a few seconds, above her.

“I have to go, Sue. Urgent business,” he said casually, as though he had no idea the effect his words had on her. Sue kept her head hung low, she didn’t want him to see her struggling to hold her tears back.

“It was nice meeting you,” he said curtly as the waiter joined them and he handed over a few large bills without looking at the receipt.

“Sue,” she heard him say, almost like he was admonishing a naughty child. When she didn’t respond to him for a few seconds, she sensed him walking away.

Sue breathed out loudly, like she had been holding her breath the whole time that Gerard had been sitting there. It was an attempt to keep the tears in. She got up from her chair quickly and hurried out of the cafe. Outside, she could smell the balminess of the air, it was about to rain. She tightened the shawl around her shoulders as she started walking towards her house. She was going to walk home, she decided, even if it took hours.

•••

Sue peeled the wet shawl off her skin and stood in front of the long mirror in her room. Her hair was damp and messy and pasted against her forehead. Her eyeliner was running in black streams down her cheeks, while her lashes were clamped together. She had the appearance of a wild cat caught in the rain and she laughed loudly, maniacally.

She hooked a finger at the back of the strap of her shoes and prized them off her feet, one by one. The soft carpet felt warm and comforting against the damp soles of her feet. She felt miserable.

Sue looked around her bedroom and spotted the empty bottle of whiskey on her bedside table and let out a disappointed sigh. I admired you for it, Gerard’s words haunted her now. She was a joke to him now. She looked at herself in the mirror again for affirmation. Her dress stuck to the outline of her bony body and she shook her head. I need to eat. I need to stop drinking. She said it to herself aloud and walked to the kitchen, dripping rainwater all over the floor.

She made herself a salami sandwich and found an old tub of chocolate ice-cream. She took a bite and it reminded her of how depressed she was and how food was of no importance to her anymore. Why aren’t you eating anything? You’re as skinny as ever. His words came back to her and she forced herself to eat the entire sandwich. She picked up the tub of ice cream from the counter and walked back to her bedroom. The bedroom she had shared with Vincent for ten years, the man she now despised. She didn’t care anymore, so she flung herself, in her wet dress and hair, on to the bed. Her laptop was on the bedside table and she opened it up. The lid of the ice cream tub opened with a loud crack and she stuck a spoon in it and scooped some of the creamy goodness into her mouth as she checked her emails.

The first unread email was from Gerard T. Again. Sue had to blink hard a few times to reassure herself that she wasn’t dreaming or drunk.

Dear Sue,

I apologize that I had to leave so suddenly. I was hoping we would be able to continue our catch-up another time? I’m hosting a small dinner party this Sunday. I look forward to seeing you then. I’ll have my secretary send my home address and directions over to you.

Regards,

Gerard

She couldn’t believe how self-important he sounded. The fact that he simply assumed that she would accept his invitation, that she would even want to see him again, after how rude he was to her. Sue fluffed up a few pillows behind her and sat back in the bed, crossing her arms over her chest. No, she didn’t want to see him again. She didn’t want any more negativity in her life, any more men walking over her. Most of all, she didn’t want Gerard Tate, the guy she had dumped twenty years ago, to make her feel like she was a doormat.

Chapter 4

Sue sat in her car for ages, parked outside the driveway of Gerard’s mansion. She kept the windows rolled up and tried to calm herself down. She hadn’t responded to his email or his secretary’s, but on Sunday evening, she suddenly decided to crash his dinner party. The black silk jumpsuit she was wearing fell gracefully around her figure, adding the illusion of a few pounds to her slight frame. She had even taken the time out to paint her nails a light coral. She adjusted the rear-view mirror so she could see her face in it. Her cheeks looked flushed and her coral lips contrasted her pale complexion. She had meticulously brushed out her hair and it fell elegantly in waves on her shoulders.

She dabbed her lipstick on again and smacked her lips, a welcome distraction from her racing heart. The magnetic lock on her small velvet black clutch snapped shut and she shoved the door open. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she stepped out of her car and walked towards the looming wrought-iron gates. She stood outside the gates for a few moments, till she found an electronic security screen and pressed the only button on it.

“Good evening. Your name please,” she heard the voice of a man boom through.

“Sue Lawson,” she squeaked.

“Please drive through, Mr. Tate is expecting you,” the man replied and she could hear the creaking of the gates as they slowly opened up. Sue felt stupid for having walked up to the gate and she went back to her car to drive in.

The driveway was short and she reached the front door of the mansion in a matter of minutes. She could see a few expensive cars parked as she climbed out of her car again.

“You made it!” Gerard’s voice caught her off guard as she noticed him standing on top of the few steps which led to the front door. A uniformed gentleman stood beside him and he immediately reached for her trench coat when she walked up the steps and stood beside them.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t RSVP. I wasn’t sure of my schedule,” Sue said as she wriggled out of her coat and Gerard led her inside. He had placed his hand on the small of her back and his touch gave her goosebumps. He smelled of coffee still, even though he was in a three piece suit with a red handkerchief peeping out from his front pocket. Sue didn’t want to turn to look at him, the proximity to him was enough to make her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. She felt like a young teenager with a crush on a senior.

“That’s all right. We’re glad you could make it,” Gerard said politely and she couldn’t stop from throwing him an utterly confused look. His house distracted her. It was gorgeously decorated, even though a bit too modern and minimalistic for her taste, but she couldn’t have expected anything different from a tech-genius.

White, silver and black was the color palette and everything that was not one of those, was made of glass. Sue looked around her in awe, hoping that her jaw hadn’t dropped as they walked across the entrance hallway towards an inner room. She could see a glass staircase leading up to the upper levels of the house and she had an incredible urge to run up the stairs.

“What do you mean by “we”?” She finally turned to him and he simply smiled.

“Sue Lawson!” she heard the shriek of a woman and Sue froze in her spot. It was…it couldn’t be! Mary Jenkins!

Mary ran towards her with arms outstretched as they entered the sprawling living room. Mary had aged, but Sue would have recognized that high-pitched singing voice anywhere.

“Sue!” she screeched again as she flung her arms around her and they both hugged.

“Mary! How are you?” Sue was fumbling with her words, but she couldn’t stop herself from grinning like she’d won the lottery. Mary had definitely aged, but aged gracefully. She was in a sleek black maxi dress and her platinum hair had thinned but still remained curly and unkempt as she brushed a few strands away from her face.

“When Gerard said he met you, we didn’t believe him for a moment,” she said in her usual, overly dramatic fashion as she kept a strong grip on Sue’s arm. Sue looked up to see the smiling face of Jake Milton, a few feet away from them.

“Sue!” he said when she caught his eye and he took a few steps forward to give her a hug as well. She couldn’t believe it. Mary Jenkins and Jake Milton. In the flesh!

“I’m here too,” she heard a voice and Sue whipped around to find Gerard’s best friend standing behind them, a glass of wine in his hands. “Carl!” Sue was the one who nearly shrieked now and she lunged towards him to give him a hug.

It was strange for her to see them all in the same room again. She hadn’t seen any of them in twenty years, if not more, and the three years that they had spent together in college, they had spent it in each other’s company every day. Mary was her roommate, Jake was Mary’s boyfriend and the five of them were instantly drawn together as a group.

“You guys all kept in touch?” Sue was even more confused than before. What were they all doing in Gerard’s living room after all these years? The silence in the room answered her question and she could feel her heart sinking, a bitterness crawling up her skin as she eyed Mary’s embarrassed exchange of looks with Jake.

“Jake and I got married after college,” she screeched out instead and Sue gave her a forced polite smile.

“So you’ve been married for twenty years and been friends with Gerard all that time as well?” She couldn’t keep the sound of betrayal out of her voice as she said the words.

“I was the best-man at the wedding,” Gerard said as he passed her a glass of wine. Sue snatched it out of his hands and turned to glare at Carl.

“You too, Carl?” She walked towards him and he exchanged looks with Jake.

“Yeah, we all kept in touch,” he said nervously and took a sip of his wine.

“If hanging out twice a week is called keeping in touch.” Gerard came over and thumped Carl on the back. He gave Sue a winning smile and she turned away from them.

“Is this all true, Mary?” Sue asked her, her voice was shaking now.

“Why would I lie to you, Sue?” She heard Gerard’s voice behind her and she whipped around to face him. This was about enough. Her nerves were wrecked, her divorce was bitter, she was alone and lonely, and now she was finding out that her best friends had chosen her ex-boyfriend over her, and they had made that choice twenty years ago.

“I’m speaking to Mary, if you don’t mind,” she hissed at Gerard and she watched him raise an eyebrow.

“Is this true, Mary? You guys all hung out, every week, while I assumed we all went our separate ways?” Sue was the one shrieking now. Jake’s arm was on Mary’s back now and she could see the two of them exchange continuous nervous looks.

“Now, look here Sue,” Carl tried to interrupt her rage, but she would have none of it.

“Did you guys have a meeting and decide to vote me out? Did you have inside jokes and shared high-fives every time you heard some gossip about me?” She had inched closer towards Mary. She didn’t even want to begin to imagine what she looked like at that moment, but her appearance was no more her top priority.

“It wasn’t like that, Sue,” Mary finally spoke and her words broke her heart even more. She wished Mary would fight with her, yell at her and put her in her place, like all the other times she had done when they were still friends.

“You drifted away,” Jake added, only adding fuel to the fire.

“No. I broke up with Gerard. You guys chose to drift away,” Sue said and was sure she was going to break into tears.

“So what if they did?” Gerard’s voice interrupted her thoughts, but she didn’t turn to look at him. She couldn’t bear to look at him.

“You broke my heart. You deserved it,” he said quietly, in the stillness of the room. Sue turned to look at him slowly. He was standing next to an open window now, not looking at anybody in the room while he took a few sips of the wine from a glass in his hands.

“What did you say?” Sue’s anger had reached new heights. She was inches away from picking up the large Chinese vase on the floor next to her and flinging it at him.

“I said, you deserved it. You deserved to be alienated.” He met her eyes, but he didn’t look happy.

Chapter 5

“Sue, please don’t leave,” Mary implored her as she started walking out of the living room.

“I don’t understand why you invited me here tonight. You just wanted to embarrass me!” Sue screamed at Gerard instead. She stopped in her tracks to turn to him at the window again.

“I was trying to arrange a reunion. I didn’t expect you to react this way,” Gerard said quietly and his attitude angered her even more.

“You said I’ve changed. When did you turn into a selfish conniving bastard?” She said the words and could feel everyone immediately grow quiet. It was as though they were all afraid of what Gerard would do next. They turned to look at him, while Sue stood at the doorway with her lower lip trembling, clutching her small purse tightly to her chest.

“You’re blaming me for our friends feeling sorry for me?” he finally said, in a drawn out, exhausted voice.

“They weren’t sorry for you. I was the bitch they wanted to stay away from.” Sue gritted her teeth, unsure, by now, who she was really mad at.

“We didn’t think that, Sue.” Carl was the one who spoke up now.

“Why the pretense, Carl? You guys managed well without me for twenty years. Why invite me here and put me through all of this?” Sue was almost as exhausted as Gerard sounded before.

“I told them you needed support.” Gerard’s voice broke the silence again and Sue glared at him with rounded teary eyes now.

“I needed support? Why? What for, after all this time?” she asked, and even as she said the words, she knew what the reason was. “Because of Vincent? You guys think I need support because I’m going through a divorce? You told them that?” Her attention flitted around the room, from Mary, to Jake, to Carl, to Gerard again.

“You were not yourself that day, Sue. You are clearly depressed. You need your friends.” Gerard was sipping his wine again and she strode over to him with fury in each step.

“Who the hell do you think you are? You think you can simply pry my friends away from me and then fling them at me at your will?” Sue’s breath was ragged, her nostrils were flaring. She didn’t know what to do, how to control her rage.

“Sue. Stop this madness.” Mary’s voice distracted her, even though she continued glaring at Gerard.

“Sue. Look at me,” she begged and Sue turned to look at Mary, who stood a few inches away from her. “We were all genuinely worried. Gerard most of all,” she said and placed a hand on Sue’s shoulder. She felt like she was going to break down in uncontrollable sobs that very instant.

“There is no shame in being upset and needing your friends around you. No matter the time that has passed,” Carl spoke up and joined Mary by Sue’s side. Sue’s lips were trembling again, she hadn’t realized how much she had missed them all these years.

“You had no right.” Sue turned to Gerard again, but her voice had broken now and she couldn’t pretend to be angry with them anymore.

“Have a drink, Sue. Say hello to your friends,” Gerard said with a smile and patted her on her shoulder before walking away from her.

•••

“His prose is as agreeable as a sweaty armpit,” Sue said and the room broke out in loud laughter.

“No way!” Mary screeched as she passed a salad bowl over to Jake who sat beside her.

“They wrote that in The Times and Vincent broke a couple of bottles of wine that night,” Sue said, trying to suppress a giggle.

“Well, I read his third novel and I have to say, I agree,” Carl said and passed her a wink.

“I did as well, but I had to be a supportive wife to him,” Sue said and rolled her eyes. She caught Gerard’s eye, who was sitting at the other end of the table. He was grinning, but also studying her keenly. She smiled at him and turned her attention to Jake.

“So you both are bankers now?” Sue asked and Mary, as expected, nodded for the two of them.

“And we have two gorgeous kids. Carla is fifteen and was named after our pal here who drove me to the hospital when my water broke. Jake was away in London,” Mary said and rolled her eyes. They all laughed.

“And Rose is going to be nine in March,” Jake added.

“I’m dying to meet them,” Sue said, accepting the salad bowl from Carl. “What about you, Carl?” She turned to him and he shook his head vigorously.

“I was married, and that lasted for about a few seconds, approximately,” he said and everybody laughed again. “No, well, we have a four year old son, Michael. He lives with his mother.” Carl was chewing on a big chunk of salmon.

“Look at you guys! All grown up,” Sue commented and stabbed a cherry tomato with her fork before popping it into her mouth.

“If only we could convince Gerard here to settle down. He couldn’t do it after you,” Mary said, still smiling but her grin immediately dropped when she noticed the expression on Sue’s face. The room fell silent and the scraping of Gerard’s chair against the floor ended the awkward moment.

“Mary’s had too much wine for one night,” Gerard said and walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“I didn’t mean that,” Mary said and looked up at him.

“Of course you didn’t. I’ll go check on dessert,” Gerard said curtly and gave her shoulders a squeeze. Sue watched Jake, from the corner of her eye, as he slid Mary’s glass of wine away from her and towards him.

Sue cleared her throat. “I know we’ve not been friends for years, but I would like you all to be honest with me. You know me,” she said, turning her gaze from Mary to Carl. She knew she would never be able to break Jake.

“He’ll never admit it. At least not anymore, but he was devastated. He probably still is,” Mary said and Jake kicked her feet under the table.

“It’s all right, Jake. I’m not going to go to the Press with this,” Sue said, but Jake appeared unconvinced.

“It’s not our place to tell you these things, Sue. He’ll tell you himself if he wants to or if it’s required,” Jake said and stood up from his chair as well. “I don’t think I want to stay for dessert,” he said and rubbed a hand on his belly.

“Excuse him, Sue. Jake has always been a bit of a non-meddler as you know,” Mary said with a laugh.

“No, Mary is right,” Carl spoke up and Sue turned to look at him. “If you thought he was a bit of a recluse while you dated, he got even worse when you left. He couldn’t get over it,” Carl said just as Gerard entered the room.

“It’ll be ten more minutes, guys. Janine has made your favorite Meringue,” Gerard told Jake.

“I’m afraid we’re heading home. The kids and all that,” Jake said as he gently pulled Mary up from her chair.

“It was a lovely dinner, Gerard. It was so good to see you, Sue. Call me later and we’ll fix up a coffee date, just the two of us,” Mary said and Sue nodded her head with a broad smile on her face.

“I should head out as well” Carl stood up from his chair.

“None of you are staying for dessert?” Gerard seemed to be genuinely surprised. “You guys always stay for dessert.” He sounded like his old self again and Sue couldn’t help but smile as the others laughed.

“Next time,” Carl said and thumped Gerard on his back before following the other two out of the room.

Sue remained seated while Gerard stood at the door of the dining room.

“I’ll stay for dessert” she said meekly and he walked over to his seat at the end of the table.

“I hope you like Meringue,” he said and held her gaze firmly. In the dim light of the dining room, after having spent the evening in the company of their old friends, Gerard finally reminded Sue of the boy she had dated in college. The same boyish grin on his face, the inquisitive sparkling eyes, the same pink tongue darting out to moisten the same plump lips.

“I love Meringue,” Sue said and sat back comfortably in the chair upholstered with white fabric. “I absolutely love Meringue”.

Chapter 6

“You know, whatever Mary tells you, none of this would have been possible if you hadn’t broken up with me,” Gerard said and looked around the room.

“So you’re thanking me for breaking your heart?” Sue said with a laugh and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“In a way. It became a mission for me to succeed and win you back,” Gerard said and was interrupted by the same uniformed gentleman who appeared with a plate of stacked Meringues.

“Thank you Luke,” Gerard said as he placed the plate on the table. “That’ll be all, Luke. And you can tell Janine to retire as well,” he added with an authoritative but gentle voice.

“You have a butler now?” Sue raised her eyebrow after Luke left the room.

“He’s the housekeeper. I can’t have the house go to ruins while I’m busy with my work,” Gerard said and pulled himself closer to the table.

“Back up a minute. You wanted to win me back?” Sue bit down on her lip. She was trying to make a lighthearted joke, but his face darkened.

“I was young and believed true love lasts forever and all that. Until I heard you married a novelist.” Gerard was picking at the meringues, a habit with food that she well remembered. It was endearing as ever.

“I’m sorry, Gerard,” she said quietly and their eyes met. His eyes were weary and downcast, while hers were pleading with him to forgive her. Now more than ever, she knew exactly what it felt like to be discarded and abandoned.

“Why did you leave me, Sue?” he asked her. He wasn’t the same over-confident man she had met at the cafe a few days before. He was now the Gerard she had met at the Fresher’s party, awkward and fresh-faced.

“I don’t know.” Sue looked away from him and he stood up from his chair.

“Look at me. I deserve to know. It’s been twenty years and I still don’t know what I did wrong.” He had walked over to where she was sitting and was looming over her now. His big frame cast a dark shadow around her in the dim light and Sue hung her head low.

“Sue!” he raised his voice and she jerked her head up to look at him.

“I didn’t think you loved me. I thought you loved your work,” she said and this time, she couldn’t hold the tears back. They came gushing down her cheeks and to her surprise, Gerard bent down before her, kneeling with his hands on her knees.

“That wasn’t true. Why would you think that?” Gerard held her gaze, even though she was crying.

“You spent days cooped up in that garage. Towards the end of college, we barely spoke any longer. What was I supposed to think?” He pulled her towards him and she buried her face on his chest.

“I was close to writing the perfect code. I was crazy for perfection,” he whispered gruffly into her ear. Sue was sniffling into his clothes, her hands gripping his arms tightly as he held her against him.

“I’m sorry, Sue. I didn’t know I pushed you away. I thought you dumped me because I was a geek.” He almost laughed and so did she. “Sue…” he said her name and kissed her tear-streaked cheek gently. She bit down on her lip as he held her shying gaze and pulled her closer to him.

“Sue…” he said again and this time he kissed her. It was the kiss she remembered, but only more eager. Like he wanted to make up for lost time by devouring her whole. His lips massaged hers and his tongue soon found its way inside her mouth. His hands had now encircled her neck, gently stroking the base of her throat as he kissed her.

She bit his lower lip and she could feel him smiling against her face. He pulled himself away from her and she could finally breathe. His hair looked ruffled again, the way she remembered it and she ran her fingers through it and closed her eyes. She could feel his arms around her waist as he picked her up and placed her on the edge of the table. She leaned back immediately and he shoved the plate of meringues away from behind her.

“Best get that out of the way,” he said and she smiled at him. He lunged forward again and was kissing her and she couldn’t resist it any longer. She was pressed up against his chest, but she wanted more. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his jacket and he pulled away from her again, wriggling out of the jacket and lying down on top of her. The cold glass of the table-top pressed against her back and she relished the calming sensation.

The buttons on his shirt were easy to deal with and she popped them off, one by one, as they continued to kiss. His hands were busy pulling down the zipper on the side of her jumpsuit and she felt a cold tingle as her skin was exposed to the air. She remembered him being gentle, taking his time and this time too, she was the one in a hurry. His shirt came off and his pants soon followed, while he slowly began to maneuver her arms over and under the engineering of her jumpsuit.

“What on earth are you wearing, woman?!” he finally exclaimed, exasperated with it. Sue laughed and helped herself out of her clothes and lay back, in her undergarments, again.

“As ravishing as ever,” she heard him say, more to himself than to her. His hands were running all over her body, cupping her breasts, then feeling the nearly flat bump of her belly and running down the length of her legs. They finally settled between her thighs, where she was more wet than she could ever remember being, and Sue took in a sharp breath. His eyes were still darkened and he had a bewildered expression on his face, like he couldn’t believe this was happening.

He stood away from her to slip his own underwear off and his penis pointed towards her. She realized that she still remembered it well, very well. He didn’t tarry. Within seconds, he had peeled off her panties and pulled her towards him roughly. His gentleness had suddenly disappeared, he wanted her, now. Her legs dangled over the edge of the table as he thrust inside her, while staring at her shaking breasts.

Sue moaned and so did he. That moment, when he entered her, was like a continuation, like they had never stopped. His hands grabbed her breasts as he pushed and pushed inside her. They were both grimacing, and Sue knew she was going to cry. She had always loved this man, she had never stopped, she had forgotten to think about it, perhaps, but once he was inside her again, she knew she had only been fooling herself.

She gripped the table with her hands till her knuckles turned white. Neither of them cared that they were making a lot of noise. The table was creaking, her back against the glass made squeaking sounds that both Luke and Janine, no doubt, could hear. And, they were both moaning very loudly. Gerard pushed in and out with force, his hands travelled from her breasts, where he pinched both her nipples gently and then down to her waist for a better grip.

She knew he was struggling hard to control himself. She couldn’t help but think back on all those days, when they had sex on his slim single bed in his parents’ attic, how he lasted for nearly an hour every time. This night, he couldn’t control himself for very long, it was clearly too much for him to bear. She decided to come, to let go. She moaned loudly and arched her body towards him, with his penis still deep inside her she quivered against him, lifting herself upwards to fully enjoy the sensation. She could feel him coming inside her as well. Shuddering and groaning, his grip on her tightened and then relaxed.

“Oh my God, Sue,” he said, his breathing was ragged and he lay down flat on his face on the table, beside her.

“Looks like we still got it,” she said with a laugh. He lifted his head to look at her and smiled, then wrapped his arm around her belly and nuzzled his face in her hair.

“Gerard…” Sue waited a few seconds before saying. He didn’t reply, she knew he was awake.

“Gerard…” she tried again and he said Shhhh….

“We can talk about it later, if you really want to talk about it. Just enjoy the moment for what it is, Sue,” he said into her hair and she couldn’t help but smile. She couldn’t remember what she had been sad about a few hours ago.

Chapter 7

When Sue woke up, she was alone again. She stretched her arms and realized she was in somebody else’s bed and this bed was very very soft. She sat up with a start and ran her fingers over the spotlessly white bed linen, smooth like butter. She lay down again and her head sank into a pillow, which she was convinced was made from clouds or feathers.

“Rise and shine,” she heard his voice and smiled. She sat up again and fluffed up the pillows behind her to rest against. Gerard had stepped out of the bathroom and was in a blue satin robe, through which, the muscles of his thighs peeped out, from time to time. His hair was ruffled and he had a hint of a stubble on his chin. She nearly laughed.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you with a beard before,” Sue said and he walked over to her side of the bed.

“Are you implying I wasn’t man enough to grow a beard in college?” He kissed her on her lips. That kiss was enough to remind her of the number of times they’d had sex in the past twelve hours and she blushed.

“What time is it?” Sue asked, looking around the room for a watch.

“Where do you need to be?” he asked and walked over to the arrangement of armchairs and a coffee table by the balcony doors.

“It’s Monday morning…or afternoon. Don’t you have somewhere to be?” She watched him slide the glass doors open and a soft breeze blew in, billowing the white lace curtains in the room.

“I don’t remember, anymore, and I’ve ordered Luke to hold off all the messages.” He turned to look at her and Sue smiled.

“You never played hooky in college. God forbid!” she said and her hand flew to her mouth dramatically. Gerard laughed and started pouring coffee from a French press into two mugs on the table.

“I’m older now, and wiser,” he said without looking at her and Sue stepped out of bed. She found a matching blue satin robe laid out carefully on the ottoman at the end of the bed and she slipped into it while Gerard studied her naked body. She walked over to him and they both sat down facing each other. The balcony overlooked what seemed to be a forest and Sue assumed it was a part of Gerard’s property, his billionaire version of a backyard.

“What did you want to talk about last night, Sue?” He was blowing over his coffee. She smiled at him and did the same with hers. He remembered the way she liked her coffee.

“I don’t quite remember. It might have had something to do with the fact that we jumped into bed after twenty years of not seeing each other.” She raised an eyebrow and he laughed.

“Did it feel strange to you? Was it offensive?” he asked her and sat back in his chair.

“I can’t say that it did, but I still feel as though there is more conversation involved there. I don’t exactly know what,” she said and shied away from his gaze. She didn’t know how to talk about her feelings anymore. Vincent’s reaction to this would have been to storm out of the room, bang doors and stay somewhere else for the night.

“Maybe. Or maybe not,” he began and she looked up at him, surprised by the response. “It was unfortunate that we broke up, that you had to experience the pain of a failed marriage. But we’ve found each other again. Yes, we had a rough start, but look at us now,” he said and smiled widely. “Do we need to analyze it? Unless this was a one-time thing for you,” he said and his smile dropped.

Sue shook her head wildly. “No, it’s not a one-time thing, Gerard. I guess what I’ve been trying to say is that I want us to give it another try. I didn’t know if it was a one-time thing for you.” She looked away from him again, embarrassed.

“I never stopped loving you, Sue. You left, but I couldn’t forget you.” She detected a quiver in his voice and she looked at him.

“I was a fool. For not believing in you or your intentions. I love you,” Sue said and stifled a wail.

“Good. I’m glad you blame yourself because I’ve always blamed you.” She jerked her head up to look at him and he was grinning. She laughed and shook her head, wiping away tears from her cheeks. He always knew how to stop her from dissolving into a crying mess.

“Can we talk about more optimistic things now? Like when you’re moving in?” he asked casually.

“Shouldn’t we go on a few dates first? Shouldn’t you woo me and surprise me with a key to the house?”

“Why? To get to know you? I’ve known you for twenty-three years and nothing has changed. Other than the fact that I don’t live in my parents’ attic anymore, and I have a butler,” he said and they both laughed.

Sue placed the mug of coffee on the table, stood up and settled herself on Gerard’s lap. They kissed, for several minutes, and finally pulled away for air.

“I am truly sorry, Gerard,” she said while she played with a lock of his hair.

“You should be!” he admonished her like she was a small child. “So do you want to tell the others, or should I?”

“I feel like I’m getting my whole family back,” Sue said as Gerard nudged her off his lap and walked over to the cordless phone on his bedside table. He laughed while dialing Carl on speed-dial.

“I get the feeling that we’ll have to throw a dinner party again tonight,” he said, just as Carl answered the phone. Sue couldn’t stop giggling while the two men talked, they were back in college.

“You won’t believe the news I have for you!” Gerard spoke into the phone.

THE END

Time Travel Romance

Touched Through Time

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

1.

The clock on the nightstand ticked loudly in time with Ryan’s snoring. Miranda closed her eyes and tried to breathe through it, determined, somehow, no matter what, that she would relax and get to sleep. It was nearing 4:00am and this was now the sixth night in a row that she had lay awake worrying about the future and she was sick of letting it beat her. Life was really kicking her ass and now it was starting to ooze out of her pores. The stress was overpowering and she felt full of adrenaline and fear constantly.

She turned to stare at Ryan and her heart sank. Even when he was asleep and in the most vulnerable position possible, he still looked dangerous and mean. She rolled over as quietly as she could, trying to not move the mattress too much for fear of waking him. If she did, she knew what it meant. Another black eye or shouting down. She didn’t dare breathe until she was sure she had gotten away with it and then relaxed down onto her pillow and exhaled. The clock read 4:06… It had been a long night.

It hadn’t always been this way. Only months before, Miranda had been blissfully happy. She was late twenties, happy in her career and starting a relationship with a guy who was not only gorgeous, but seemed to adore her. He’d been impossible to resist when she had finally given in and accepted the opportunity to go out on a date with him, but as time passed and Ryan’s hold got stronger, the charm disappeared and made way for possessiveness, insecurity and ultimately mental abuse. Miranda was crushed, but after being the strong and confident woman she had been, she found herself slipping inside herself and becoming more and more isolated. Her friends seemed to have forgotten she existed and she found herself relying more on Ryan when really she should have been pushing him away. When he eventually turned around in the middle of an argument and socked her in the eye, it wasn’t much of a surprise. She had been expecting it and hated herself intensely for being so weak. She’d let him get away with it all and now she was stuck with him. He had moved into her apartment, and she was too scared to ask him to leave. She didn’t even know how she would broach the subject, and now, here she was tossing and turning all night, terrified of waking him  because she didn’t have to nerve to evict him and move on with her life.

The job had been the last straw. She didn’t even know how it had happened, but she was on disciplinary leave from her office for misconduct. She was an assistant at a law firm and although she knew it hadn’t been her who had spoken to the press and leaked details of a certain high profile case, she was somehow in the firing line as the secretary of the acting partner… and now she had been suspended without pay whilst the investigation was ongoing. There had been no warning. She had simply been called into the boss’s office and told that she had to take her things and go home. They didn’t even ask her if she had done it or not, they just informed her that someone had provided evidence that it had been her. She still couldn’t think of who it could be, and she began to think that she had been picked at random just to take the fall for whoever was really guilty. Maybe she was just the easiest target. The day she had come home in tears and told Ryan what had happened had been one of the worst of her life. All she wanted was some guidance, support and someone to listen to how unjustly she had been treated, but Ryan snarled at her and called her a stupid bitch. She was devastated and had gone to bed crying, just wishing she was somewhere else entirely.

She knew she wasn’t going to get out of the situation by lying awake and worrying about it, but she couldn’t help it. Miranda had always been a dreamer who thought the best in everyone, and now here she was with a boyfriend who bordered on evil and someone in her midst at work who was trying to set her up and get her fired. She had always worked so hard at doing the right thing and respecting and treating people well that she thought everyone else was like her… how wrong could she get?

Ryan let out a loud snore and Miranda jumped. As he stirred, she bit her lip in fear and clamped her eyes closed tight. The last thing she could handle when she was that sleep deprived was him waking up and yelling at her.

She peeked towards the doorway and thought about the spare bedroom down the hall. Did she dare try to climb out of bed, creep down the hallway and climb into it? Maybe she would be able to switch off easier if she was alone in there… but she knew it would only lead to an argument in the morning.

You’ve really gone and got yourself in a shitty situation, she thought. Put up and shut up. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes again. There was no point in worrying. And after thinking over the disciplinary and investigation at work again she decided that when her alarm sounded the following morning, she would get up, get dressed and make her way down there to set the record straight. She had been too timid to make a fuss before now, but she was sick of being walked all over and if it was one thing she didn’t want to mess up, it was her career.

Tomorrow, she thought, tomorrow I’ll tell them they’ve got it wrong. Tomorrow, everything will be better.

2.

Ryan woke early, dressed, and left her in peace. She was glad she didn’t have to spend the morning being pleasant with him when she really just wanted him to get out of her house. She had debated on a few occasions over just changing the locks while he was out at work, but now she didn’t have an income, and she needed him there to help pay the bills. She had squandered her savings on a series of lavish vacations with her friends a year before when she was single and with no responsibilities, but now she was regretting that decision because she was trapped. Financial freedom would have meant being able to get rid of Ryan, but she found herself dependent and it hurt her pride more than ever.

She pulled on a tight suit dress and a little black jacket, slipped her feet into her black court shoes and pinned one half of her hair back over her shoulder with a little silver clip. She looked groomed and elegant and she was sure that after spending the past three years of her life working at the firm, at least one of the partners would listen to her when she told them that none of it was true. She applied her lipstick and blotted it before making her way towards the door. “No more moping around,” she said aloud, “It’s time to take back control of your life.”

One of the downfalls of living and working in a small town was that everyone seemed to know your business. As Miranda crossed the street outside of her building and made her way down towards Main Street, she saw at least five friendly faces who all seemed to want to talk to her about what had happened at work.

“So are they clearing it all up for you, Sweetheart?” one of her neighbors, Mrs. Paver asked her, “I mean of course you didn’t do it… They must know that?”

“Well, I would hope so,” she said confidently. “I’m actually just on my way over there now to discuss a few things.”

“Terrible business,” Mrs. Paver said as she shook her head, “I’m sure they will catch whoever is responsible.”

“Well, as long as they accept that it wasn’t me,” Miranda smiled hopefully. “Have a good day Mrs. Paver.”

She trotted off down the street, hoping she wouldn’t have another run-in with a nosy neighbor. Even though most of them were harmless, after everything that had happened with her job, she couldn’t help but feel sometimes that they were more interested in the gossip surrounding her than her actual feelings.

Her heart began to beat faster as she approached the tall modern building on the corner of Main Street. Blake & Fox Law had stood tall and proud there since they had razed and rebuilt the building in 2009. Miranda started there in 2011 and had been a dedicated and valued member of the team up until the press ran a story about one of their most notorious clients. The journalist cited a source close to the firm who had provided them with the details that were not only confidential but also unknown to many people in the firm. Sure, quite a few people would have been able to view the information about the case, especially the PAs who were working on the correspondence and providing admin support, but with Miranda being the acting partners’ number one, the blame seemed to instantly fall on her.

“You viewed all of the documents more than anyone else,” Mr. Blake had said when he’d called her into his office, “We have no choice but to suspend you without pay pending an investigation.”

“But I didn’t do this,” Miranda had pleaded, “You know this isn’t me!”

“I’m sorry, but we can’t discuss this any further.” He had shown her the door, and she had left dumbfounded. That had been a week ago and now she was sick of being in the dark. She needed answers and she wasn’t going to be brushed off again.

As she approached reception, her heart seemed to catch in her throat as she saw Jessica, the cute little office girl, sat behind the welcome desk, filing her nails and gazing off into space.

“Hi, Jess,” Miranda smiled sheepishly. “I need to speak to Mr. Blake.”

“Hi,” Jess looked unsure, “Umm, okay, just give me a moment.”

She fiddled with her switchboard and held the phone receiver to her ear. “Miranda’s in reception,” she said quietly. “She needs to speak with you.”

Miranda sat down on a chair in the waiting area and stared at the floor. She didn’t want to look around and accidentally catch the eye of a colleague who may have been passing through reception. She wanted to be in and out of there as inconspicuously as possible.

“Miranda,” Jessica called over to her, “He said you can go through.”

“Thank you,” she said as she got to her feet and hurried along the corridor to the partners’ rooms.

The door creaked open and she knocked as she entered.

“Miranda,” Mr. Blake said as he rose to his feet. “Can I help you?”

“I know I’m supposed to be suspended Mr. Blake, but-“

“Sit down, dear,” he said as he gestured to the chair in front of him.

She took the seat and stared up at him.

“You know I didn’t do this, and I just want to come back to work. It’s just awful having to go through of all of this.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said genuinely, “But protocol is protocol.”

“But why?” she said, “No one else has been suspended, I don’t understand why I seem to have been chosen at random? You know I wasn’t the only person to see those files.”

“Miranda,” he said with a sigh, “Someone provided evidence it was you…”

“Who?” she snapped. “I’ll tell you who, the person who’s really guilty.”

He lowered his head and turned his eyes up to meet hers. “We are investigating it… that’s all I can say for now.”

“Am I going to be compensated when all of this comes out as being a big misunderstanding?”

“If that is indeed the outcome, then yes, of course,” he said.

“I just want to come back to work, Mr. Blake…” she said as the tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m innocent… I would never compromise one of our cases for the sake of a payoff from a journalist, and I know you know that.”

He looked up at her with sympathy in his eyes. “I’m doing everything I can to make sure this is all resolved quickly,” he assured her. “I promise to be in touch as soon as I can.”

He got to his feet and so did Miranda. She was glad she had had the opportunity to speak up after the initial shock of being told to leave the office the previous week, but she was also totally frustrated that he wasn’t just welcoming her back with open arms.

As she walked down the corridor and made her way through reception, she smiled weakly at Jessica and crossed to the elevator. She needed something to cheer her up. And fast.

3.

Ice cream was her usual go-to when she was feeling down, and she knew the exact place to find what had been affectionately dubbed “Food Porn” by her and her friends when it had opened. Sundaes was a fifties-style diner in the middle of Main Street and only served the most wicked of treats. Miranda walked there quickly, and as she opened the door a bell jingled above her head. She smiled at the boy who was serving and perused the menu.

All of them, she thought. I literally want all of them.

After she had ordered her mega, chocolate fudge and fruit-topped sundae, she sat by the window and looked out as the world walked by. She pushed the ice cream around in the glass and found it impossible to enjoy.

“God, if this isn’t working, I really am fucked,” she said aloud.

A woman at the table next to her smiled and said, “I hear you there.”

Miranda laughed and realized it was the first time she had in a whole week. Her phone vibrated on the table, and she looked down to see a text from Ryan:

R: Where are you Babe? I got out of work early.

M: I’m at Sundaes, you coming over?

R: Yup, be there in two.

Even though she didn’t really want to see him, she needed to talk to someone and really, he was all she had.

Less than ten minutes later, the door jingled and Ryan entered, his scrawny arms swinging down by his side.

“What’s happening?” he said, “How come you’re not at home?” He looked at her up and down and scrunched up his face, “You look like you’ve been to a funeral,” he snorted.

“Well, I feel like I have, too,” she said as she took a bite of the ice cream.

“What?” he said with irritation.

“My own…” she laughed. “Just… Well, I went to see Mr. Blake to try and clear all of this mess up.”

“Jeez, Miranda,” he whistled and pulled the sundae out of her hands and began to eat it himself. “Just fucking leave it… they want to set you up, you don’t need that place.”

“Well, I can’t just sit around the apartment all day, can I, Ryan?” She reached back for the ice cream, but he pulled it further away.

“Why not?” he said. “Fuck those guys,” he shook his head and laughed. “Anyway… I like having you at home… One hundred percent dedicated to me.” He looked at her and grinned with menace in his eyes.

Within an instant, an ice-cold wave washed over her. It was him. He had made the whole thing up to get her fired… The twisted bastard was getting out of control.

“Ryan…” she said slowly, “Please tell me you didn’t do this to me?”

He rested the spoon down on the side and tried to take hold of her hands, but she wriggled free and glared at him.

“Like I said, babe, fuck that place. I like you being at home looking after me, okay?”

“What the hell!” She got to her feet, and the chair screeched back on its legs. “You’re supposed to be the one person I can trust, and you’re trying to ruin my life! What is wrong with you!” She grabbed her jacket and barged out of the diner, bashing into a teenage kid as she rushed down the street.

Within seconds, Ryan was behind her, grabbing at her shoulders.

“Don’t touch me,” she spat, “Just get out of my life!”

He dug his fingers into her and pulled her down a side street before pushing her up against a wall. He had a rage in his eyes that she had only seen once before, the night he had lost control and lashed out at her.

“Don’t speak to me like that,” he said as he held his finger up in a warning. “I’m just looking out for you, babe, okay?”

She tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he held her still and whispered in her ear, “If you speak to me like that again, I’ll fucking kill you.”

Her skin prickled in terror, and she stopped struggling. She knew when she had to give in. She’d lost this battle for sure. Somehow, she had been so naïve and stupid, blinded by dumb love that she had let this psychopath in too far. He had her in his clutches, and he was already ripping her apart.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered into his neck, “I won’t do it again.”

“Good,” he said pulling back and smiling at her, “Now let’s go home and you can cook me dinner.”

4.

She watched him from the other side of the room as she stood by the stove. He had his feet up on her couch and was watching her TV. She shuddered. He was so vile and repulsive and now, after making the discovery that it was him that had caused her all this heartache and trouble with her job, she just wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

“Pass me another beer, babe,” he called over to her as he belched and scratched the back of his neck.

There was no way she was staying here with him another minute. She wracked her brain for someone she could call for help, but she couldn’t think of anyone who could take her in as quickly as she needed. She had lost touch with almost all of her local friends and her parents lived a day’s drive away.

She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer before twisting off the top and passing it to Ryan. He took it from her without saying thank you, and she returned to the stove. Her cell phone was in front of her and she quickly picked it up, opened her search browser and typed  “hotels with vacancy near me.”  The results popped up instantaneously, but they didn’t look good. She had been hoping the bigger, chain hotel would have a room, but it was fully booked and there was a conference listed on its news page.

“Shit,” she whispered.

Small town syndrome struck again and the only other option she had without needing a car was an old, dilapidated motel on the outskirts of town. She knew the place, but she had never considered going there… especially alone. Psycho sprang to mind. She knew she didn’t have a choice. It was either flee to Bates Motel or whatever it was called or stay put and deal with Ryan who was peeling back the fabric of her life one twisted layer at a time. She knew the answer was a simple one. She pressed BOOK NOW and made a reservation.

***

As she had anticipated, Ryan was passed out drunk well before 9pm. He lay on the couch with beer bottles scattered around him. His mouth flopped open and a trail of spit lolled from it as he snored and rattled. Miranda stood by the doorway, watching him. She hadn’t packed much. She was pretty certain he wouldn’t wake until the morning or at least the middle of the night, and he’d probably be too stunned to know what to do immediately. She had at least until 8am to relax, and then she would move on to the next phase of her plan…calling her parents and getting them to come for her. Mom and Dad, to the rescue. She could hide out in the hotel until they got to her. She didn’t think Ryan was smart enough to come looking for her there, and even if he did, she was going to check in using a fake name.

She walked through the dark streets clutching her purse. She’d left with the bare minimum, and she was still wearing the dress and jacket “funeral” combo from earlier in the day that she had felt so powerful in when she’d initially left the apartment. How much things could change in a matter of hours.

The streets were quiet except for a rowdy group of guys hanging around the bars as she approached Main Street. She made a left instantly and continued up the hill. It wasn’t much further, but as her heels clipped in her court shoes, they began to ache with each step. She rounded another corner, and she could see it, up high and barely lit, its old sign swinging in the warm night air. It was on the edge of the road that went out of town and by the looks of things, a couple of the rooms were occupied. Dull lights shone within them and the neon sign out front buzzed VACANCY. She was glad she wasn’t going to be there alone, but at the same time she worried who she may be sharing the building with.

***

The lady at the desk was quiet and unassuming. Miranda told her that her name was Veronica and that she was just passing through. She didn’t recognize the lady, which was strange for a town as small as hers, and she figured not many locals would be anywhere near the place with its sole purpose being to provide a rest stop for truckers and other people making their way to somewhere else. The lady passed her the key and pointed out of the main door and down to the left. The building was old and rickety with a selection of sheds that had been changed into rooms.

“You can be out there or in the house,” the lady said. “Or we have a separate building out back, quieter and further back from the road.” She eyed Miranda.

“Yes, that one,” Miranda said, “I’m a light sleeper.”

The lady took her out back and down a small, winding path. The lights to the building were already on, and when the lady stopped in front of it, Miranda found herself looking around and running her hands up the crumbling exterior walls.

“What is this?” she asked, “It looks ancient, like a coach house or something…”

“Don’t know,” the lady snapped. “It came with the house.”

She nodded to Miranda and made her way back down the path. Miranda felt creeped out. It was almost completely dark out there and she could hear bats squeaking above her. She pushed the door open and made her way inside. It was one of the strangest buildings she had ever been in… it was like stepping back in time. She quickly realized that the light she had seen from the outside was coming from candles that were lit in sconces all around the edge of the room. The floor was a thick grey stone and so were the walls. It was cold in there and the bed was old and wooden. She sat down on the edge of it and instantly regretted her decision to try and hide even further out of sight… there was no way Ryan was going to come looking at the motel… she would have been just fine in the house or up at the front in the main residential building. She sighed and lay back. She was instantly jabbed in the back by a spring from the mattress.

“Urgh,” she said, “Great.”

She got to her feet and decided to explore. She was tired and felt emotionally drained, but she didn’t think there was much chance of her sleeping in this weird place. It was like something out of a horror movie, and she could easily imagine ghosts creeping out of the dark alcoves the second her back was turned. The thought made her shudder.

As she was checking out the very odd bathroom in the corner, she turned and noticed an old wooden doorway in the main room, shielded by a screen. She squinted at first to make sure she wasn’t imagining it, but as her eyes adjusted, she knew it was really there.

She crossed the room and stared at it. It was huge and very old, and it looked like it was from another time entirely. It had a big knocker, and it looked like it weighed a ton. Miranda looked behind her, suddenly aware that she was in a strange place and she hadn’t locked the door. She looked back to the one in front of her and reached for the handle.

Just open it and see what’s inside, then you can get yourself to bed, she thought. She was frightened that a vagrant may be lurking behind it, ready to pounce out on her in the night and stab her in her sleep. She breathed in deeply and pulled down hard. The handle moved and the door began to creep open. A blast of icy air hit her and she stepped forward, peering into the darkness. She couldn’t see anything in front of her, and it was like the world had stopped existing right there in that tiny corner of the room, behind the big olden door.

“Hello?” she whispered, expecting to be able to tell where the closet began and ended, but her voice drifted off, as if carried by the wind. She took another step, her feet connecting with ice cold ground. And then another. And then all of a sudden the floor seemed to give way beneath her and she was falling through black and white flashing space. She tried to scream… But there was no sound.

5.

She could smell the crisp burning of wood, and a fire crackled near her. She wasn’t cold anymore and wherever she was, was comfortable and warm. She could hear a woman’s voice, soft and different to any she had ever heard before. She had an accent. She was talking about horses and the king. Miranda pulled the fluffy sheets around her and buried her head into the pillow.

What is happening…? she thought. Her head was pounding, and she reached up and touched a large bump on her forehead.

“She’s awake,” the woman’s voice came closer. “Look, she moves.”

She sounded British or Australian, but Miranda couldn’t decide which. The accent wasn’t a classic one that she had heard before and as she blinked and opened her eyes slowly, her blood ran cold.

“It’s alright,” the woman said, leaning towards her, “Don’t worry, dear, you’re safe here.”

Miranda jumped up and looked around the room. She was in old bedroom, stone walls and floor, covered in wolf pelt rugs, and a fire crackled and glowed in the corner, casting shadows across the room. The woman could only have been around forty, but she looked frail and strange. Her hair tumbled down her back, and she wore old robes, like something out of a strange medieval TV show. She came closer to Miranda and rested her hand on her arm and smiled. Her teeth were gammy and jet black.

“What’s happening?” Miranda shouted, as she pulled the sheet tightly around her. She realized she was dressed in a long cotton robe with frilled cuffs.

“You’ve had an accident, dear,” she said, “You were found out in the woods by the one of the King’s Knights.”

“What?” she demanded. “Is this a joke… did Ryan put you up to this?” She tried to get to her feet and stumbled as she did.

“Shh,” the woman said, crowding over her and trying to get her back into bed. “You need to rest, you’ve had a trauma to the head.”

Miranda reached up and rubbed her forehead, the lump there was swollen and sore. She winced as she touched it and the woman slapped her hand away.

“I’m one of the King’s nurses,” she said, “I’ve been instructed to look after you.”

“I… come on…” Miranda said. “You can drop the act… Just let me out and I’ll go back and see Ryan… leaving him in my apartment was silly, anyway.”

The woman looked at her as if she were insane. She shook her head and passed her some warm water.

“Close your eyes,” she whispered, “I’m going to find him.”

She left Miranda in the bed and made her way to the door, and when she opened it Miranda could see a man on the other side wearing what she thought was a full chain mail suit and brandishing a sword as if he was guarding the room. Miranda looked around again… she definitely was not in the motel… where had the door taken her? It was as if she had gone back in time.

Moments later, she heard footsteps coming up the corridor outside the room. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

“She’s very confused,” the woman’s voice drifted through. “She is saying things, strange things… Are you sure she isn’t a witch?”

A man laughed and began to speak, “No, she isn’t a witch,” he said calmly, “I remember her, she’s a good friend from my childhood. Now let me in, I must speak with her.”

The door to the room opened and a tall, handsome man with sandy blonde hair and full metal armor stepped through the doorway.

“Miranda,” he said softly, “You’re awake.”

She sat up and swallowed. She was frightened and didn’t know what to say, and she didn’t want to anger anyone with the wrong thing… And the more she was seeing of her new surroundings, the more she wasn’t sure if this was real… No hoax could be this good, especially one crafted by Ryan.

“I found you in the woods,” he said as he sat on the side of the bed and trailed a finger down the side of her face. “I never thought I’d see you again.” He smiled at her, and she felt instantly warm inside. There was something familiar about him… But she was certain she could never have seen him before.

“How do you know my name?” she whispered.

“You’re hurt,” he said as he squeezed her hand, “But don’t worry, I’m here to look after you, as is Githa,” he smiled to the lady with the black teeth, and she nodded in agreement.

“Who are you?” she asked quietly.

He smiled warmly and brushed a lone tear from the side of her eye, “I’m so glad they brought you back to me,” he whispered, “I’ve been quite lost without you.”

He rose to his feet and bowed to her before walking towards the door.

“I hope you feel much better tomorrow m’lady. We can become reacquainted then,” he said before he left the room and closing the door behind him.

Miranda’s head was spinning… What on earth was happening? Was she dreaming? She pinched her arm with her nails and jumped as she realized her French manicure was gone and her nails were now bare, ragged stumps.

“He thinks the absolute world of you,” Githa smiled. “You’re lucky to have him, even after all these years.”

Miranda sank down in the bed and found that she was shaking silently. She had no idea what was happening… But whoever the man in armor was, he was certainly making it better…

6.

Githa sat by her side all night while Miranda lay and pretended to sleep. She was sure that at some point one of the people that came in and out of the room, bringing fresh water and clothing would mess up and the whole thing would be revealed as an elaborate plan. But they didn’t. And the more time that passed, the more Miranda began to believe it. She had somehow gone back in time when she stepped through the door at the motel. However unbelievable it sounded, she just knew that she was in another time.

The man in the armor… She knew she had seen him before, but she just couldn’t place him. He was so handsome, he could have been a movie star, and the whole night, as she lay there, he was the only thing on her mind.

When dawn arrived, so did her sense of confidence. She rose from the bed, stretched and decided to play her new acquaintances at their own game.

“Good morning, Githa,” she smiled as she got to her feet. “I’m feeling so much better today,” she reached for a cup of water and took a sip. It had a strange taste to it; it didn’t seem clean. She reluctantly gulped and set the cup back down.

“You must dress and meet with Sir Caine,” Githa said as she hurried up to her and began to unlace the back of the nightgown. “I have your robes for you.”

Miranda lifted out her arms and let her do what she had to do. She was still confused, but she was looking forward to getting the hell out of that dark, smoky room and seeing Caine again.

***

As she walked through the corridors of the castle, her heart raced. She really was in some medieval world, and the people in it seemed to think she was someone important. Luxurious tapestries hung from the walls and the guards escorted her along the stone walkways as if she were some kind of queen. Githa had dressed her in ornate royal blue dress robes and her hair seemed to have grown by ten inches overnight. It hung in soft waves right down her back and skimmed her waist, and the weight under it was intense. With each minute she seemed to spend in her new surroundings, the more normal they became. She still had the overwhelming sense of familiarity, even while wandering the castle. Common sense told her that she never could have seen this place before, but there was something about it that was stuck at the back of her mind, as if she had lived there once before.

The guards came to a stop outside a high wooden door, much like the one she had seen in the corner of the motel room, and her skin prickled. They parted and another set of guards flanking the door stepped aside to let her move forward.

“Sir Caine waits inside for you m’lady,” one of the guards said before they all moved back as not to crowd her.

Miranda lifted her arm, and her wrist and hand were exposed from the long, swooping sleeves of her dress. She curled her fist and wrapped lightly on the door, once, twice.

“Enter,” the voice came from inside. It was him, she could tell, even after only seeing him once.

One of the guards opened the door for her, and Miranda stepped inside. The room was fabulous, like something out of a fantasy. Ahead of her were open doors leading out onto a balcony and long, flowing curtains were being blown in by a gentle breeze. The sunlight that shone in made the stone floor look gold and it matched the luxurious fabrics and paintings that adorned the room. Big velvet chairs flanked either side of the fireplace and gilded mirrors hung above it. She stepped further inside and jumped as she realized Sir Caine was out on the balcony and looking back in at her.

“Good morning,” he said quietly, “You look ravishing.”

Miranda felt herself blushing and she moved forward and took a seat. She hoped he would come and join her but he stayed still, silently watching her with a little amused smile.

“Sir Caine…” she began, “What year is this?”

He bit his bottom lip and studied her.

“I know,” he said, “I can’t believe it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other either. What, it must be, ten years?” He moved closer.

“Must be…” she played, “What year was the last time?”

“I believe it was 1066, I remember because it was before the great battle,” he said as he shook his head, “I don’t know how I’ve lived without you for so long.”

Her skin began to tingle… that made the year 1076…

“Tell me what happened,” she said, “When you found me in the woods?”

He shook his head and came inside, crossing the room and sitting down opposite her.

“You were just lying there… strange clothes… unconscious… as if you had just dropped from the sky,” he looked off into space. “It was… fate… for me to be there, I mean.”

“Where are those clothes?” she asked.

“My men burned them,” he said. “They feared witchcraft. Strange happenings go on in those woods, and I was scared for you.”

Miranda looked down at her feet, remembering studying something in college about how fucked up medieval times were when it came to witches. The last thing she wanted was them to accuse her of that.

“Did you think about me often?” he asked her as he stared up and looked longingly into her eyes.

“Always,” she said. And to her disbelief she realized that was true. Each second she was spending with him was making her feel like she had known him forever and he was a part of her that had been missing. She didn’t know how, but she knew that their souls had been connected before.

“I still remember the last time,” he smiled, “You were on the back of that big black horse, and your father ordered you to follow them as they left,” he looked down. “I knew you didn’t want to go and it broke my heart.” He reached out and touched her hand. “I always vowed that I would find you… And now here you are.”

Miranda smiled at him. Somewhere, there was a loose memory of what he had told her. She asked him to recall more details and with each little story he told her, a picture built up in her mind…

She had been Lady Miranda once and Sir Caine was the man she was supposed to marry. The more he spoke, the more she knew it to be true. They were madly in love and had been together since childhood, meeting secretly, planning their wedding, growing up together and being inseparable… until their families’ quarreled and Miranda’s was forced to leave York. She had been broken hearted, as had Sir Caine, torn apart by a feud over money and their fathers’ stubbornness. Caine always said he would wait… And he did…

The memories flooded back to her: In her mind’s eye, she could see herself as a child, running along the wild desolate fields with her horses and clinging onto a young Caine. She saw the townspeople in the square putting criminals into the stocks, she saw people being stoned and burned alive and the terror it had instilled in her. She saw her father putting her on that horse and telling her that they were leaving before they suffered the same fate at the hand of the king’s men. Caine’s father was an ally of the king and Miranda’s knew they wouldn’t have a future in York unless he made amends, which he wasn’t prepared to do…  She saw her parents slain in front of her while they were in the forest, making their way south. And she remembered the brute with the biggest sword she had ever seen coming at her and swiping. She had been killed in the forest back then, and that was where she had returned. She had stepped through the door and fallen back into a past life, one she had lived hundreds of years ago. And she was now reunited with the love of her life… Caine.

As the feelings filled her, she found herself jumping up to embrace him. She had never felt feelings in all of her lives since than the ones she had for Caine back in the Middle Ages. She knew it all seemed too crazy to believe, but she could feel it in her bones. Something had aligned and made it possible for her to return. She was being given a second chance at the happiest life she had ever had. She was fulfilling a destiny that had been cut short. She had escaped from Ryan and her shitty life in 2015 and she was back where she could be who she was meant to be… Lady Miranda of York.

Caine looked into her eyes and pulled her to him. Her heart raced in her ribcage and as he held her tight and kissed her, it was if nothing had ever changed.

7.

Caine lay Miranda down on the four-poster bed and began to unlace the front of her dress robes. They were heavy, the fabric layered and soft against her skin. He ran his hand up the side of her leg and parted them so he could slip between them. Miranda gasped as he nipped the side of her neck with his teeth and pinned her back against the bed. With each touch, she remembered him even more, and she knew that they had made love before, when they were in their late teens and full of hormones and lust for one another.

She leaned forward and pulled his shirt up. Beneath it were his perfect abs. His muscles were tight and solid from hours of fighting, swinging a sword and jousting on his powerful horse.

“I’m so glad I found you,” he whispered into her neck as he kissed her once more and pressed himself against her. Miranda bit her lip with ecstasy when she felt the stiffness in his trousers. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled him closer to her, needing to see into his large brown eyes. She saw everything when she looked into them; it was as if he were a mirror reflecting her own soul, and when he kissed her, he seemed to breathe life back into her. Ryan had taken so much of that away.

Caine pinned her arms back high above her head with one hand and with the other he began to pull down her robes, exposing her breasts. He sucked on them hungrily and reached between her legs to find her underwear. He pulled them down in one swift movement and plunged a finger inside of her. She moaned and thrust her hips up to meet him. She was soaking wet and desperate for him. She had missed his touch, which remembered so well now and couldn’t get enough.

I’m the luckiest woman alive, she thought. I’m getting a second chance at my perfect life.

Caine released her hands and kissed down her throat, her chest and her stomach before reaching between her legs. He pulled her to the edge of the bed and spread her as wide as he could before lightly flicking his tongue up and down her sex. Miranda screamed in ecstasy and Caine grunted as he crawled back on top of her with his rock solid manhood in his hand. He parted her legs again with his knees and positioned his helmet at her opening.

“I love you, Miranda,” he whispered before sliding himself slowly inside her. He grunted and put all of his weight on her. “And I am never going to let you go again.”

Caine thrust in and out of her slowly and pinned her back into the bed. He held her wrists against the bedframe and slammed her against it. Miranda could barely breathe as he took her, and before long, she was on the verge of the most intense release.

“Caine,” she panted, “I’ve missed you so much.”

He drove himself into her, hot and hard and hitting her spot so perfectly that her whole body shook and seemed to open to him, allowing him to penetrate her deeper than ever before.

His thighs tensed and with each stroke Miranda knew she wasn’t going to be able to hold on any longer. She unraveled beneath him in a wave of pleasure and screamed up to the ceiling as she held onto his neck. Caine wasn’t far behind her, and at nearly the exact same moment, he began to cum, shooting his hot, fierce load right up inside her. He groaned as he buried his face into her neck and shuddered on top of her. Miranda was split open and full of his love… and she never wanted to let it go.

***

They lay side by side in Caine’s huge four-poster bed, and he cradled her and kissed her head.

“This is just the beginning,” he whispered, “We have so much to look forward to.”

Miranda trailed her fingertips up the side of his arm and breathed him in. Even the scent of him was familiar. He really was the other half of her soul…

Maybe this is why nothing ever seemed to work out for me, she thought, I was always supposed to be here, with him.

She had only been back in the past for twenty-four hours, but she was already losing sight of her current life. She wasn’t leaving anything behind that she would crave as much as Caine. She no longer had to worry about Ryan… about her shitty boss who was so quick to throw her under the bus the very second something went wrong… She would miss her parents, but she knew that they would want her to be happy. And she hadn’t been in 2015. She smiled as she looked up at her amazing man. Her one and only love that after hundreds of years, she had been given another chance with. Her knight. Her savior.

Caine ran his hand through her hair and kissed her.

“You are even more beautiful than I remember,” he smiled. “But you have to tell me… Where were you all of these years?”

Miranda looked into his eyes and wished that she could have told him the truth. She wished she could have told him all about how the world is in the future, but she knew it would blow his mind… and not only that, he would probably think she was a witch, wielding black magic with her crazy talk.

She could try and explain television, the internet, electricity and cell phones, but she had realized the second that she had woken up in 1076, it was a lot more enjoyable without them. Instead of wasting time watching brain dead TV shows or surfing the web, she could cuddle up in the arms of this amazing man and let him make love to her all night. No distractions and one hundred percent dedication. She was excited for their future. Just as long as it stayed well in the past.

THE END

In the Time of the Caveman

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

1.

Melissa sat looking out across the runway and sipped her coffee slowly. She had waited for a moment like this for her entire life, and now the pressure of being on the verge of launching herself into an important discovery was starting to weigh heavy. Deep down, she knew she was ready for it, but there was still a small, nagging doubt at the back of her mind. What if she missed something? What if she did something wrong that lost some important information? What if Jake continued to distract her?

She looked down at her watch and saw that she still had three hours before their flight was due to leave. She had gotten to the airport ridiculously early so she wouldn’t find herself flapping around at the last minute and risk getting caught in traffic. Melissa was always prepared, but she didn’t feel like there would ever be enough time to prepare for this. Her whole career had been building up to it, and now she was on her way to discover something no one else in the world had ever seen. As she thought about how fortunate she was, a smile slowly unfolded across her face. She could do it. And she would do it well.

“Mel!” a voice called from a distance.

She spun around on the leather coffee house chair and scanned the crowd of fellow travelers placing orders, swimming around duty-free shops and having pre-flight drinks to calm their nerves. She saw his hand in the air before she saw his face, but nonetheless she knew it was him. Jake stood tall and proud as he marched through the crowd to reach her, and Melissa stood up reluctantly to greet him.

“How’s it going?” he asked as he slung his backpack down to the floor by her table.

“Great,” Melissa smiled, unsure of what else to say.

“So I guess this is kind of weird,” Jake shrugged. “The two of us, heading off for a fortnight of fun in France.”

He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. Melissa found herself wanting to wince.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “It is a little strange…” She looked down at the floor and decided to go back to her seat. Tension between her and Jake had been mounting since the Christmas party when they’d both gotten obscenely drunk and ended up getting to know each other a little too well in the lab’s stock cupboard. Melissa liked Jake a lot at first until she found out he had a fiancé at home. Now Melissa tried to avoid him at all costs and thought of him like the love rat that he was. She didn’t need someone like him in her life, and she was almost free until the original archaeologist planned for this expedition crashed his car and broke his leg, rendering him unable to travel. So now it was just the two of them traveling the eight-hour journey from JFK to Charles de Gaulle, and Melissa couldn’t wait to finally meet up with the rest of the crew so things weren’t so one-on-one.

“Guess I’ll get a drink then,” Jake said as he rooted for his wallet and crossed over to the counter.

Melissa watched him. Since the night they had sex in the laboratory, she knew that he had broken up with his fiancé, but she still couldn’t consider him a good choice for a boyfriend. There was something about him that made her skin crawl.

Melissa reached into her purse and pulled out her journal. She had been making notes and references ever since the cave was discovered, and she wanted to do nothing on the flight except continue recording her ideas and research theories. She had always been the type of girl to put her personal life on hold while she pursued her career, and her present situation was no exception. She would have to push Jake and their predicament to the very back of her mind while she threw herself into the excavation and investigation. This cave was still a secret to the world and what was down there no one truly knew.

She flipped open her laptop and opened a document she received the previous week. It said CONFIDENTIAL across the top and was only viewable to her by password. She still couldn’t believe what it said. She scanned the document again…

An underground cave-like structure has been discovered in the Dordogne region of Southwest France by farmers working in the area. Early reports suggest the presence of prehistoric paintings similar to those of the Lascaux Caves in the same region. The Lascaux Caves have been sealed to researchers and all visitors since the discovery of fungi which began destroying the paintings, rendering them irreparable. If this recent discovery of a new structure is what it appears to be, this may be one of the most significant pre-historic discoveries of all time…

Her heart was beating fast in her chest as she looked at the initial snapshots captured by the farmers on their cellphones as they loitered at the opening to the cave. It was an incredible sight, even for someone like Melissa who had spent her whole life studying similar images. She knew this was something big, and she couldn’t wait to get there.

2.

The flight across the Atlantic went without incident except Jake making a cringe-worthy suggestion that maybe they should join the mile-high club. Melissa had flashed him a fake smile and turned her shoulder to block him out as she read through her notes and jotted down some other things that came to mind.

Jake had never been on a serious expedition before, and it was becoming more obvious with each passing moment. His inexperience oozed from him and his questions to Melissa were both irrelevant and irritating. When he finally drank enough vodka to send him off into a soundless sleep, Melissa closed her journal and picked up the headphones. She hadn’t had the time to watch a movie for years, and she was determined to take advantage of the opportunity while she knew Jake couldn’t hassle her.

As she flipped through the endless choices of horror, action and comedies she finally settled on an innocent-looking rom-com and made herself comfortable. If she didn’t have real love in her life, she could always live it through someone else’s fictional ideal. She smiled and wrapped the airline blanket around her as she settled into her seat. By the time the movie finished, they would pretty much be there and the next phase of their journey would begin… A three-hour train ride from Paris to Bordeaux.

Charles de Gaulle was hectic and stressful as Melissa and Jake waited for their bags. Exhaustion coursed through her and all she wanted to do was climb into bed.

“Come on, Mel,” Jake chirped as he raced ahead towards the taxi rank, “I don’t want to miss this goddam train.”

Melissa cursed him under her breath as she tried to keep up with him, mentally ripping him to shreds for not helping her with the heavy backpack she had slung over her shoulder.

Some gentleman you are, she thought. Not that I would expect anything less!

She couldn’t believe her terrible luck in having her first world discovery tarnished by Jake’s presence. If only another, more experienced archaeologist were by her side, they would have had an interesting and productive time. But now Melissa was going to be stuck carrying dead-weight Jake, explaining every aspect of the excavation to him and avoiding his lustful advances. The thought of going there again made her stomach churn. She was so angry with him for lying to her and taking advantage when she was drunk but also at herself for lowering her standards. She always knew Jake had a crush on her, and she could have avoided it. She should have known better than to trust a man like him. Someone so cocky and confident, it was more than arrogance. It was pure nastiness.

They jumped into the cab and swung out into the busy French traffic. It wasn’t far to the station but Jake still sat on edge, acting like they were going to miss it even though they had over an hour to spare.

He’s overcompensating now for his lack of capability, Melissa mused. It’s going to take a hell of a lot more than this, Jake…

After they paid the driver and made their way through the bustling station to the platform, Melissa threw her backpack down on the floor and sat down on top of it. She had been qualified in her field for almost six years, and she hadn’t roughed it like this since her student days when she and her friends had gone traveling across Europe. As she waited for the train to arrive, she felt a rush of nostalgia. She remembered trekking through the Italian Alps, inter-railing across France, Italy and Austria, and all of the people they had met along the way. It had been the most free and liberating time of her life, and she had never dreamed then that one day she would be back there working on something as high profile and important as this expedition.

“Here we go,” Jake broke her train of thought.

She looked up at him and was surprised to see him holding out his hand to help her to her feet. She reluctantly accepted and they stood side by side as the train heaved to a halt and they joined the rush to board.

They were the only two in their cabin room and Melissa kicked her feet up onto the opposite seat so Jake couldn’t be in her eye line. She sat by the window and watched the intense green of the French countryside roll by. It was lovely to be back in such a beautiful country and experiencing the culture once more.

“Where are the rest of the crew meeting us?” Jake asked. This was his first relevant question since they had met at the airport.

“At the hotel in Bordeaux,” Melissa replied. “We’re meeting the excavation leader there, and he’s going to debrief us all before we head over to the site in the morning.”

“And then what?”

“What do you mean?” She looked up from her notebook and his eyes locked with hers.

“I mean, what do we just sit in our rooms and wait for morning to come?”

“That’s entirely up to you,” Melissa said sarcastically.

“Maybe we should head out and check out the town?” Jake asked with enthusiasm.

“Maybe not,” Melissa laughed. “I’m heading to bed… Don’t want to ruin tomorrow by being over tired.”

“Well then, maybe I should join you?” Jake wiggled his eyebrows.

“Shut up, Jake,” Melissa hissed. “Let’s get one thing straight: What happened with us was a terrible mistake, and I’m not going to spend the rest of the night avoiding your unwanted advances. Okay?” She said it with much more seriousness and force than she realized she had in her, and Jake sat back, completely chastised and shocked.

“Okay,” he said quietly. “I get it.”

“Good,” Melissa crossed her arms over her chest and looked back out of the window. Hopefully with that out of the way now, she would be able to enjoy the rest of the journey, both to Bordeaux and with whatever was to come after…

3.

The hotel in Bordeaux was in the center of the city’s historical square and much more exquisite than Melissa could have imagined. She had traveled away for expeditions before and had been put up in some nice places, but this was something else. It was the kind of hotel a couple would go to on their honeymoon, the sort royalty would check into while away on official business. Melissa marveled at the opulence of the décor and her mouth gaped open as she and Jake walked into the reception area. A huge hallway greeted them with gold leaf walls, six foot urns with luscious plant life and marble flooring that was ice cool on the balls of her feet as she rested her foot down and readjusted her shoe. There were some of the biggest chandeliers Melissa had ever seen, and candelabras adorned the top of every surface.

“Wow,” she said. “Looks like someone really came through for us…”

“You’re not wrong,” Jake gasped. “This place is insane.”

As they checked in, Melissa told the receptionist that they were with the Archaeologists Association and the girl behind the desk instantly changed her manner. She became overly friendly and presented them with their room keys, telling them they were on a private floor with the rest of their party.

As they followed the bell boy, who was carrying their bags on a trolley and wearing an adorable red jacket and matching cap, Melissa turned back to look at the hotel entryway… It was such a beautiful hotel. She had no idea why they had been taken there and why they were being treated so well.

Jake and Melissa’s rooms were thankfully at different ends of the same hallway so she didn’t have to worry about him pressing his ear to the wall and trying to hear her on the phone. She could imagine him doing something like that before coming and knocking on her door with blatant sexual bravado. She just hoped that after telling him off on the train, he had finally gotten the message.

As she entered her room, she stopped and stared in awe. It was a beautiful suite with rich red velvet curtains tumbling down the sides of the windows, a big separate living area with a bottle of wine on ice waiting for her and the biggest super king-sized bed she had ever seen. She tipped the bell boy, closed the door and ran straight over to it, flopped down and stretched out. She could hear the hustle and bustle from the square below through the open balcony doors, and she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. It almost seemed criminal that this would be the only real time she got to spend at the hotel, as come morning, she would be in full on work mode and heading over to the research site. As she rolled over, she noticed a large folder resting on the desk in the living area. She got to her feet and crossed over to it. It had her name embossed on the front, and when she opened it there was a welcome letter from Dr. Quattro, the leader of the expedition. It requested her to be present in the hotel’s business center at 9 pm. She checked her watch and realized it was almost eight. She put the folder down, quickly unzipped her bag and pulled out a change of clothes. She would have to shower quickly in order to get there in time, and she needed to revive herself after the past twenty-four hours of travel.

At 9 pm, she made her way down in the mirrored elevators with Jake and got off at floor three where the business center was located. There was a buzz in the hallway, and Melissa realized that there were a lot of people present for the welcoming…more than she had ever seen on expeditions before.

As she sat down in the conference room and looked around, there appeared to be people from all over the world. She tried to catch their titles on their name badges, but they weren’t clear enough, and by the time Dr. Quattro walked into the room, everyone around her erupted into applause.

“Thank you,” Dr. Quattro said as he waved out to the crowd and the lights dimmed. “First of all, I want to wish you a very warm welcome to Bordeaux… As you know, we are here for a very special reason, and I have put together a team of some of the best people in your respective fields… There has been a lot of privacy surrounding what was discovered for fear of either military or press interference, but now that we are all present, I am in a position to tell you a little more about what was found…”

The room was deadly silent as everyone hung onto his every word. Melissa’s heart was racing as she realized that this was different to anything she had done before… What had been found? And why was Dr. Quattro keeping it away from the military?

“As you know,” he continued, “a cave-like structure has been discovered at a site some miles from here. The location must remain confidential for now, so it will not be disclosed to you. Even tomorrow, you will travel in vehicles so you will not know where you are traveling.” Melissa looked at Jake and raised her eyebrows. She didn’t like the sound of this one bit…

“The Lascaux Caves and what we have found are not so dissimilar,” he continued, “except for one thing.” He paused and looked around the room seriously. “One of my men went in there and did not come out…”

A wave of whispers hissed around the room.

“Something in that cave took him,” he said as the hairs on the back of Melissa’s neck prickled. “And I do not mean an animal.” Dr. Quattro leaned forward onto his lectern. “I mean something is present in this cave… Something changed, opened and allowed our colleague to travel to another place.”

Everyone was talking now and looking around the room. No one seemed to understand what Dr. Quattro was getting at and Melissa was right there with them. She was so confused.

“What do you mean?” one man shouted from the crowd.

“Is he still alive?” another called after him.

“We don’t know,” Dr. Quattro said. “All we know is that something happened down there, something to do with the prehistoric paintings and the rock formations… Something aligned, a vortex of some kind opened, and he was swallowed whole. Something is down there and we need to find out what.”

Jake squeezed Melissa’s arm, and when she looked at him, he had panic written all over his face.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said.

The room around them was full of people shouting questions and demanding answers. All the doctor seemed able to tell them was that something terrible was lurking down there, and he had assembled so many people because he knew a lot would not want to take part in the expedition once it had been explained to them. Not all of the men and women around them were archaeologists; some were scientists, astronauts, astronomers and physics experts. For the first time in her career, Melissa felt truly intimidated. She didn’t know exactly what was happening, but she knew she wanted to be involved. Luckily, Jake looked like he was backing out. He got to his feet and walked to the end of the aisle, and Melissa watched him.

“Come on Mel,” he called after her. “This is all crackpot shit.”

She watched him as others hushed around them and waited for her reaction. There was no way she was going to miss out on something this big, and it wasn’t her fault that Jake was too stupid and inexperienced to understand the significance of this discovery.

She shook her head at him and watched as he stormed out towards the main doors. Dr. Quattro lowered his head and raised his palms high towards the sky…

“Now is the time to follow if you don’t want to be involved,” he said, motioning after Jake as the doors swung lamely behind him.

Around twenty other people got to their feet and made a dash for the exits.

“Enjoy the rest of your time here in Bordeaux,” Dr. Quattro called after them.

Melissa looked around her and realized she was one of only a handful of people who had stayed.

“Right,” Dr. Quattro continued. “Now that we have separated the men from the boys, it looks like I have a team.”

Melissa smiled at him and at the others around her.

“Tomorrow is going to be a defining moment in your careers,” he said. “I can’t wait to introduce you to the caves.”

Melissa’s blood ran cold with anticipation, and as she walked back up to her room with an official secrecy document in her hands, she knew she was on the verge of something amazing. Whatever the day ahead was going to bring, she was sure that it was going to change her life.

4.

The next morning as Melissa boarded the bus that would take her to the excavation site, she was full of so much hope, fear and anticipation she didn’t know what to do with herself. She and the other members of the team all sat in silence as Dr. Quattro led them into the French countryside and out into the hills. She didn’t know where they were going or even how long it had taken them. Quattro had taken all of their cell phones, watches and electronic equipment in case they somehow interfered with what he thought may be some sort of electromagnetic field.

Melissa found herself skeptical. She had heard of people going missing on excavations like this. The terrain was unpredictable and who knew what the architectural state of the cave would be? In the back of her mind, she just kept thinking that surely Quattro’s colleague had fallen into a break in the rocks and either became covered or fallen so far down there would be no hope for recovery. Quattro however, was adamant this wasn’t the case.

As they disembarked the bus in the middle of an open field, Melissa shivered and she looked around her, realizing how totally alone out there they were.

“This way,” Quattro said as he marched ahead.

Melissa noticed a break in the ground and what looked like it could easily be a badger sett was the ground crumbling away and opening into a hole of about three feet wide.

“We need to start from here,” Quattro said. “Travel about a hundred meters down and then the rocks open up and reveal the entrance to the cave.

Melissa couldn’t even speak. This was her last time to back out, but she knew she wasn’t going to.

“Let’s do it,” Quattro said as he strapped on his helmet and began to crawl into the tiny space before disappearing out of sight. Melissa wasn’t far behind him, and as she maneuvered her body down into the earth, she decided now was not the time to second guess her decisions. She was going for it with everything she had, and she was going to make her mark.

Underground, as they scaled the rocks, she could smell the familiar scent of damp earth which rapidly gave way to clay. It was pitch black in there apart from the light on her helmet and just when she thought the journey down to the opening of the cave was never going to end, she heard Quattro call up to her that he had gotten there.

When her feet touched down next to his, she breathed a sigh of relief. She crawled forward on her hands and knees in the tunnel that could have only been around a few feet high and suddenly it opened out into the most spectacular underground world.

“Oh my god!” Melissa exclaimed as her voice echoed around the cave. There was a lagoon down there, huge prehistoric paintings of bulls and horses adorning the walls and star maps present, too. She had never seen anything so spectacular in her entire life and she knew instantly why Quattro had wanted to keep it so secret. There was a magic to the place… It was so hidden, so concealed from the world, it was a miracle it had been found in the first place. Everything in there was perfectly preserved and the contrasting rock formations of stalagmites and stalactites were bone chilling.

“They’re amazing,” she whispered, and her voice still echoing. She stepped forward and made her way to an area that seemed to pull her there… She couldn’t explain why, but there was something about the rocks that made her determined to walk to them. She needed to touch their points and feel the moisture running along them.

It took Quattro a moment to realize where she was heading, but when he did, he spun around with a look of horror on his face and called to her. “Wait, no!”

But it was too late. Melissa had reached the rocks and had one in each hand. As she held onto their tips, a fire raged through her and what felt like lightening rocketed up and down her spine.

She was pummeled backwards, and the whole world went black. Everything was silent, and the pain in her head throbbed. She couldn’t hear Quattro anymore, and she couldn’t feel anything. With a rush of nausea, she fell unconscious before she could even process what had happened.

5.

The cold bit her skin, but she could smell the faint smoky drift of firewood. The crackling and snapping of twigs brought her more back to life as she rolled over and realized she was on ice-cold ground.

“Quattro?” she croaked as she leaned up on her elbows and looked around. She was in the cave…but it was different. No one else was there and a small fire burned around nearby. She looked down at herself and realized she was wearing the black skin of an animal. The fur was keeping her warm, but she had raggy material tied to her feet and she was dirty.

“What the hell…?” she said as she got to her feet. The pain in her head was still raging, and she was sure that someone was playing a joke on her as she looked around at the lagoon and the ancient rocks. The paintings weren’t as extensive, but they looked fresh, as if they had only just been done. The cave looked different because it wasn’t as developed or underground… She could sense something had changed with time and space… She had gone somewhere else.

Her mind raced as she thought back to what Quattro said about his colleague disappearing. He had said something about a vortex, about him being taken by something. Melissa looked around in panic… Could the same have happened to her? Could it have been the rocks? Something so strong had pulled her there and then… Nothing. Blackness. Then she had woken up there.

She trembled as she tried to piece it all together. Then with horror she threw herself back against the wall of the cave as she was sure she could hear something.

She wasn’t alone.

There was something else in there with her.

She swallowed hard as her heart pounded loudly in her chest. She could hear something snarling and moving closer. She curled into a ball, trying to make herself as small as possible so it was almost like she wasn’t there. She was so terrified, she didn’t dare move, and when she finally had the nerve to look up, her heart almost stopped beating.

There in front of her, about a hundred foot away, was a saber-toothed tiger, massive on its haunches, snarling at her and eyeing her up for its next meal. Melissa wanted to scream, she wanted to run… but she just couldn’t move.

“It can’t be,” she whispered. “This isn’t happening.”

The tiger snarled again and moved forward. Its huge paws padded across the frozen earth, and Melissa kept closing her eyes and pinching the skin on her legs.

“Wake up,” she muttered. “This isn’t real, wake up.”

When she opened her eyes, the tiger was still in front of her, its immense tusk-like teeth dripping with saliva and the taste for her. She began to wail. The tiger reared up on its hind legs before lunging towards her.

Suddenly from above, there was a flash of black fur as another creature leapt over her. It dived at the tiger with rage before it could reach Melissa and drove a long spear into its heart. The tiger collapsed onto the floor and whimpered as it let out its last breath. The creature that had saved her got to its feet and stood tall and proud.

It was with both relief and trepidation that Melissa realized it wasn’t another animal at all, but a person. A handsome man wearing a similar animal pelt to hers, all muscles and dirt, his long hair matted with mud and his chest heaving with exertion. He walked over to her and blocked out the light from the fire with his huge frame before extending a hand to her to help her up.

“Woman,” he said gruffly. “Get up.”

6.

Melissa put her hand in his and he pulled her forcefully to her feet. His eyes were bright and innocent through all of the caked mud and dirt that was covering his skin, and she had the intense urge to reach out and stroke his face.

“Go,” he said. “Now.”

Melissa looked up at him and wondered why there was so much urgency. He had killed the danger. The saber-tooth was dead. What else could be waiting for them? She noticed a look of shock on his face and turned to follow his gaze. Behind her in the darkness of the cave were small, strange-looking men with big ugly features crawling out of the shadows.

Melissa shrieked as he lifted her high up over his shoulder and began to run with her for the cave entrance. She squealed as she bobbed along, her hair trailing right down his back as he clung onto her taut thighs with his big, rough hands.

The men running after them were like something she had studied. But it couldn’t be possible. They couldn’t be what she thought they were, surely…

Neanderthals.

Her savior ran quickly out over the barren terrain, and she clung to him for fear of losing her grip and being dropped in the middle of the icy field and savaged. The sun was setting and casting an orange glow over the ice, and as they ran up an incline and he made a left around a rock, Melissa suddenly felt safe. This place felt free of danger, and it appeared they had outrun them.

He slowed his pace but still kept a rough grip on her. She could feel his muscles beneath the pelt, and she ran the tips of her fingers over them, lightly stroking each rock-hard flex. She bit her lip with excitement… Although all this seemed unbelievable, she was having the time of her life.

“Home,” the man said as he approached a cliff face.

He placed Melissa down on the ground and began to roll away a large boulder that was covering the entrance to another cave.

“In,” he said.

When Melissa hesitated, he pulled her by the arm into the cave and began to roll the boulder back over the opening.

It was dark and warm in there, with the heat and light from an embering fire casting dancing shadows along the walls. She could see paintings of the bulls and horses and wondered if he had decorated some of the caves that she discovered on her excavation with Dr. Quattro.

This man was so wild and untamed, and yet he clearly had a soft side. He barely spoke, but he was most certainly an advanced human. He wasn’t the same as the Neanderthals… He was just like her, only from the beginning of time. She was enchanted by him and he was with her. He motioned for her to sit down by the fire, and Melissa gladly accepted. She was cold and she pulled the pelt around her as she warmed her feet and legs and rubbed her hands together.

He moved closer and sat right next to her. He ran his hands through her hair and studied her face. He could tell she was from somewhere else, too… She could feel it.

“I’m Melissa,” she said as she pointed to her chest.

“Melissa,” he repeated and a smile spread across his face. He held a hand up to his heart and something inside of Melissa melted.

Finally, a real man, she thought.

He got to his feet and started to root through a pile of belongings in the corner. He had bowls which looked like they were made from clay and he had a clay jug filled with water. He offered her a bowl with water in and Melissa drank from it. Even though it was cold, she needed something. She needed to taste something, feel something… She needed to know it was all real.

“A man,” he said. “Come…”

Melissa sat up and looked at him. She knew he must have meant Quattro’s colleague, but she didn’t know if he would understand her.

“Where is he?” she asked.

“Dead,” he said and shook his head.

Melissa felt a pang of disappointment. She wondered if Quattro’s colleague had figured out a way to get back to the present. What if she was going to be stuck there forever?

“What’s your name?” she tried, not sure if he would understand.

He shook his head, “No.”

“No?” Melissa laughed.

“No name,” he said.

“Well, I’m going to give you a name,” she smiled. “I’m going to call you Saber, because you killed one and saved me.”

He shrugged and smiled.

Even though they could barely speak to one another, there was a chemistry between them that was electric. There was something running deeper than language; it was as if their souls had instantly connected and were bonding more with each passing second. Every time he looked at her and their eyes locked, Melissa’s heart beat a little faster and her nerves began to rise. He was such a man, like none she had ever met before. He was so wild and masculine, it was if he was the most original man there had ever been.

She thought about all of her studies and of how she had read about how cavemen had treat their women… This didn’t seem to be anything like it. He hadn’t clubbed her over the head and dragged her back to his cave and had his wicked way with her. He had saved her life, took her away from danger and was now looking after her in his warm, safe cave.

Their eyes met again and Melissa noticed something stirring in Saber. He had the potential to unleash his animal instinct and the tension made Melissa grow wet between the legs. He moved towards her quickly and grabbed her between both of his huge arms. As she looked into his eyes, something changed between them both. She had to have him. Right there and then.

7.

He held onto her with all the power of a God. She felt tiny in his arms and the strength radiating from him was intense and overwhelming.

“Saber,” she whispered.

She reached a hand up tenderly to his face and brushed some of the hair away from his eyes. He was so handsome, even under all of the sweat and dirt. His cheekbones and features were chiseled and prominent, jutting out in defined lines that made him look even more masculine. At her touch, he turned his mouth so it almost met her hand. She could tell her wanted to kiss her, but it was almost as if he didn’t know how.

There was a part of Melissa that felt as if she could read his mind… She knew he had been with another woman before, but he seemed to know she was different. He could tell that she needed to be touched differently, and he wanted to kiss her but wasn’t sure whether he should.

Melissa nodded and moved her lips to his. She kissed him softly and that seemed to be all Saber needed to unleash his fiery passion. He pulled her close to him and she could feel his manhood, red hot and stiff between his thighs. She moaned as he grunted and pushed her back against the cave wall. In an instant, a switch had flipped and he changed. His animalistic nature burst free, and he was ready to be the lover he had always been.

Melissa threw her head back as he trailed kisses up her neck and slipped a hand between her thighs. She was soaking wet and he grunted hard as his fingers found her moist opening and slipped a big, thick finger up inside of her. Melissa gasped. His touch was rough but so pleasurable. She had never been turned on so much in her entire life.

She spread her legs further and let him explore her body. He ripped at the pelt to expose her breasts and grunted as he pulled away his own clothing. When he stood naked in front of her, Melissa couldn’t help but smile. He was such a fine example of a man, so perfect. Even with all their differences, even with the fact they were from thousands of years apart, their pure human instincts of lust and passion pulled them together with an incredible force.

Saber took hold of her and lifted her high into the air. He carried her over to the fire and lay her down on the fur pelt in front of it. She didn’t even notice the cold as she looked down at his huge throbbing cock and ached to have it inside of her. He knelt in front of her and parted her legs with his knees. As he climbed between them and rubbed his cock up and down her slit, Melissa writhed against him in ecstasy. She was begging for him to put it in her. She needed to feel him. She bit her lip as he stopped at her opening and with one powerful thrust entered her and opened her wider than she had ever been before.

“Ohh,” Melissa whimpered as he began to thrust in and out of her with such force she was on the edge of an orgasm within seconds. She gripped onto his thick shoulders and screamed with pleasure as he fucked her hard and slow. She gripped him tight with her walls, and as they contracted around him, he began to thrust harder, faster and deeper. His cock was so powerful and strong. He was the most incredible lover she had ever had. As he grunted and emptied his thick, hot seed up inside of her, Melissa came again and trembled beneath him. Saber gripped onto her throat and thrust into her once more, as the last bursts of his release flowed from him and he was hot and damp with sweat.

As the pair collapsed on the floor of the cave in front of the fire, Melissa turned up to look at him. She couldn’t believe what had just happened, but she had never felt more free and excited. She had just been made love to by a prehistoric man… a piece of history was now a part of her. For her, it was the ultimate prize and the ultimate experience.

Saber wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her into his side. It wasn’t long before he was asleep and they dozed by the fire, cuddled underneath the fur pelts as the sounds of howling creatures roamed the icy lands outside.

Even though Melissa knew there were probably countless creatures out there that could kill her, she had never felt safer in his arms.

8.

The embers burned low on the fire, and when Melissa woke, Saber was already up, stoking it and adding more wood.

She approached him from behind, wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. She had never felt more like a woman around him. She had never felt sexier.

“A kiss,” she whispered as he turned to her and her lips met his. He ran his hand through her hair and slipped his tongue against hers.

It was all so perfect. She wished it never had to end.

But she knew she couldn’t stay there.

When they broke apart, his eyes looked sad, as if he knew it was all over, too.

“I need to go,” she said. “Can you take me back to the cave?”

Saber looked out at the fire and ignored her for a moment. She could tell he didn’t want her to leave.

Her heart ached as she was torn between her decision and the man in front of her… Could she leave him now they had met? Their connection was so pure and fierce. Could she walk away from him?

Tears stung her eyes and she wiped them away. Saber shook his head and held onto her chin. He looked at her deep in the eyes and said, “No.”

Melissa smiled and nodded.

“Come with me?” she said as a stroke of genius flooded through her. “You don’t have to stay here… Come back with me?”

She knew it was a crazy concept, but she also knew it was the only answer. She didn’t want to leave him; there was no life for him there. But she didn’t think he would let her go. If she managed to get him back to the cave and they found a way to reopen the vortex, maybe they could be back in 2015 and live happily ever after.

Saber was looking at her as if he didn’t understand anything she was saying. It was the first time he had looked confused since he found her. Melissa took his hand and smiled.

“Trust me,” she said.

He smiled back and nodded.

***

The journey back to the Neanderthals’ cave was short and frightening. Saber threw her up over his shoulder and ran with her back down the incline, past the rocks and cliff face and over a small rise. The opening was there and Saber sniffed the air. He nodded and moved forward, happy that the coast was clear.

Inside the cave, the carcass of the tiger was lying limply on the floor and the Neanderthals had already removed its tusks. Melissa shivered as she opened her mind to suggestion and hoped the rocks would call to her again.

Saber watched her as she held onto his hand and looked around. Her heart was pounding and she was about to panic when suddenly a light shone on the corner of the room and two points from two rocks, one above and one below, were almost touching.

“That’s it,” she smiled as she led him over to them.

Saber held her hand and with their other hands, they both took hold of the rock points. Just as before, Melissa felt a surge of power run through her and Saber roared like a lion as the pain hit them and the earth began to move.

The world went black, but she could still feel his hand.

And then… nothing.

***

A big arm cradled her, and as she opened her eyes, they met his.

“Melissa,” he said with a smile as he brushed the hair out of her face and kissed her gently on the lips.

She sat up and looked around in panic.

Were they back? Had she brought him back to the present?

They were in the cave and it looked similar to when she had been there with Quattro, but there was still something different.

She looked down and they were both still wearing the fur pelts and their skin was dirty.

“Dr. Quattro?” she called out, but her voice echoed around the cave. She knew there was no one there.

“If this were 2015, this cave would be crawling with archaeologists after yesterday,” she said. “Something’s changed.”

She could see the shaft they needed to climb in order to get back to the surface, and Saber led the way. He put her on his back and climbed it with his bare hands and feet with such incredible strength Melissa couldn’t believe he was actually capable of doing it.

He had lived a long time in a savage land with only himself to rely on, but now he had found her and he wanted to protect her. When he reached the top of the small cave opening, he heaved himself up and out with Melissa still clinging to him. As they rolled back onto the grass in the French field, Melissa looked around and was surprised that there was still no one there.

“Looks like we’ll have to walk,” she said.

Saber put her over his shoulder again and headed east.

They reached a road after about two hours and the first car that pulled over held an old couple who looked intrigued and confused by what they were seeing. Saber’s eyes were like saucers as he watched the car as if it were a predator. Melissa assured him it was all fine, and as they made their way back to Bordeaux, she asked the couple in basic French what the date was.

“April 10th, 1973,” the woman said as she turned to smile at her.

Melissa’s heart pounded and she didn’t know where to look. Saber wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

She wasn’t even born until 1990… She couldn’t help but laugh.

She thought back to her life in 2015 and of all she was lacking. She may have had a great career, but she could still do that in 1973. Her family were long gone and she didn’t have a boyfriend or husband to speak of. The explorer in her wanted to stay where she was, to never tell anyone what had happened to her and to integrate Saber into society without anyone being any wiser.

She looked at him, and when he looked back at her with his beautiful and innocent eyes, she knew they could make it work. They could stay in France and build a life. Now that they had each other, anything was possible.

Neither of them were from that time and that made it all the more real. It made it so much more exciting for them to be experiencing the journey together.

“Let’s do this,” she smiled and she squeezed Saber’s hand.

The archaeologist had her very own caveman, and they were about to embark on the wildest ride either of them would ever have thought possible.

“Time doesn’t exist when you’ve got love,” she whispered to him. And even though he was still learning, she was pretty sure he understood.

THE END

Into The Duke’s Arms

Katie Maddox

Copyright ©2016 by Katie Maddox. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter One

Florida, 2016

“If I see one more piece of friggin’ lace, I am simply going to hurl. And hurl good.”

Standing at the center of a lavish Victorian style sitting room, Jasmin Lawrence did have to take a moment and admire her surroundings; her bespectacled gaze perusing the room’s shining wallpaper of scarlet brocade, plush ivory carpeting, and central tables doused in reams of pure white lace and topped by a lavish setting of floral print china. Overseen by the glow of brass chandeliers and the spectacle of a hand painted mural that depicted angels in flight across a gem blue sky, the room did boast a lovely, resplendent décor was meant to promote a certain air of serenity and grace.

At this moment, however, Jasmin felt about as graceful and serene as….

Well, something that’s not very graceful or serene at all, she mused in silence with a sigh, rolling her eyes heavenward. I am in no mood to be witty or clever. I just want to clear out of here and grab a Big Mac.

At this point, however, the only edibles in her future took the form of those Victorian era delicacies that she would not be eating herself, but instead, would be serving to patrons at Chez Victoria, the elegant Florida area tea room where she had sought gainful employment for the past year.

Each day, she pushed a silver cast food cart that came complete with piping hot scones topped by clotted cream and jam, finger sandwiches, decorative iced fancy cakes, and, of course, tea.

Lots and lots of tea.

Didn’t those pesky Victorians ever drink anything else? she queried silently, continuing her tortured but nonetheless cathartic internal monologue before adding, as she winced in acute discomfort, And didn’t they ever lower themselves to the wearing of clothes that were remotely—I don’t know—wearable? Or at least comfortable?

Again, she did have to admit that her work uniform—a true to life, cream colored reproduction of a classic Victorian gown—absolutely stunned with its fitted, lace-bordered floral print bodice with a matching flowing skirt and puffed, lace-lined sleeves. The soft cotton gown served to flatter and accentuate her rubenesque curves. And when she adorned her long mane of lustrous dark hair with a smooth floral print ribbon, she did indeed feel every inch a prim and proper Victorian lady.

Cha! Got them fooled! She smirked now, rolling her eyes heavenward. I full well realize that this gown is infinitely preferable to my last work uniform, worn during my college days while toiling away as a head bun dresser at Cal’s Coney Heaven. Sorry, but it seems rather odd to wear a polyester Coney dog costume while one actually serves Coney dogs to perplexed looking customers. It seems almost fatalistic, to a point.

Yet, no more fatalistic, she presumed, than the everyday wearing of hoop skirts, pantaloons, not to mention those ancient mummification devices known as corsets.

Sheesh, no wonder those ladies were always ‘swooning,’ she reasoned as she felt her rib cage protract. Again. Who can breathe and function worth a darn while wearing a blasted corset?

As she continued to use her tortured inner thoughts as a surefire distraction from the painful—or, at the very least, irritable—truth of her everyday life, Jasmin struggled to remember the time when she loved and lost herself in Victorian lore; those blissful teen-aged years when she lost herself in the novels of Jane Austen, also in the numerous filmed adaptations of her timeless books.

I was bound and determined to marry Mr. Darcy, totally ignoring the three major obstacles standing in our way, she recalled now. Number one: Mr. Darcy is a total and complete fictional character, no joke. Number two: If he was not indeed a total and complete fictional character, he would be long dead by now. Number three: Mr. Darcy is already married. And Elizabeth Bennet is just tough enough to kick my heiny—though, I am certain that, with her velvet tongue, she would come up with a far more proper term for my defeated posterior than ‘heiny’.

It was, in fact, her great love for Victorian literature that had inspired her to pursue a degree in English literature at Clearview State University, the premiere—okay, so the only—collegiate institution located in her Florida hometown.

After working her way through school via a food service job, she graduated cum laude and immediately, scored a job—in food service.

So now I know the true and full meaning of the term ‘literary irony’, she mused, heaving a deep sigh as she wheeled her cart, with sluggish slippered steps, between endless rows of lace afflicted tables. Now instead of asking, ‘Would you like fries with that?’ I ask customers, ‘Would you like clotted cream and chutney with that?’

Her troubled meditation was disrupted by the sudden entrance of her supervisor; a tall, slender woman with distinguished silver hair and a flowing day dress of pure blue satin, adorned with lace and sleek ruffles.

Although Jessymyn O’Reilly generally had the tendency to float into a room, she, on this day, seemed to trudge a bit as she dragged a large and rather unwieldy portrait into the main dining room of Chez Victoria.

“Can I help you with that, Jessymyn?” Jasmin queried, rushing forward to grab up the right edge of the brass bordered frame that enclosed the mysterious portrait; righting the painting as she did to take a closer look at its surface.

She froze then, and gaped outright, as she beheld the image of the most beautiful man she ever had seen.

His tall muscular frame was dressed resplendent, in a long jacket of azure jacquard, a white satin shirt with a stately high collar, and tight fitting taupe pantaloons adorned with brass buttons. The subject of this portrait boasted a chiseled face featuring carved cheekbones, a cleft chin, and eyes that shone as bright and azure as the image of the bluest sky.

This face came framed with a shoulder length mane of thick ebony hair that fell free across muscled shoulders, and came adorned with a soft, subtle upturn of his full moist lips.

“Who’s the beb?” she asked Jessymyn, all the while never tearing her gaze from the captivating man captured in the frames of the ebullient oil painting.

Jessymyn let loose with an undignified snort, rolling her eyes heavenward as she considered her most unique turn of phrase.

“The beb, for your information, is Lord Nathaniel Barrett; the man who originally made his home in this very building—or, at the very least, a reasonable facsimile,” she informed her employee. Adding with a proud smile, “A local historian is writing a book about this area and he interviewed the lovely elderly couple that owns this fine establishment. And, as it turns out, the structure of this tea room is based on the floor plan of a manor house they visited while on a trip to London. They had seen the home of a stately nobleman named Nathaniel Barrett, a widower who lived the gist of his days alone and miserable in his big old house. They thought that it would be a fitting tribute to build a house, much like his, then fill it with laughter, good food, and lots of company for his lonely spirit.”

I’d be more than pleased to provide him tons of company for his lonely spirit, Jasmin mused in silence, saying aloud, “Well that sounds like a really nice story, Jessymyn; one that we will have to share with our customers. In the meantime, let me help you hang that portrait—maybe right over the fireplace, where everyone can see it? Me, especially?”

Soon, Jasmin found herself back at work on the floor at Chez Victoria, rushing from table to table as an endless line of customers made demands on her services.

“Could we have more tea over here?”

“Could we have more scones over here?”

“Could we have more raspberry jam over here?”

Could I have a life over here? Jasmin felt like barking in kind return—especially at the man who apparently considered it his mission in life to get just a little bit more of that blasted raspberry jam.

“Coming, Sir.” She smiled through gritted teeth at the balding old man who visited the tearoom at least once a week; and always on the days that she was on shift. Lucky her. And to make things worse, today, he seemed unwilling to await her apparently less than timely arrival at the side of his table.

“I’m a goin’ to that front counter myself and get my own raspberry jam,” he told his rather depressed looking wife, who looked as though she would rather be anywhere else, with anyone else, at this point in time.

Swinging his feet out from under his table, he stuck his leg out in front of Jasmin’s food cart, tripping up the cart’s motion and sending several pieces of priceless floral print china flying forward off the crystalline tray that lined its top.

The server’s eyes flew wide as she lunged forward in an impulsive attempt to catch the flying flatware; her feet leaving the floor as her body soared like a rocket across the surface of the cart.

The rocket crashed unceremonious seconds later, as Jasmin’s form flattened atop the cart; her head falling forward to hit the hard brass handle that lined its northern border.

“Fab-ulous,” she muttered, feeling her eyes cross in her head as her entire world went black.

Chapter Two

She was pretty passing sure that she was dead. Dead as a doornail, in point of fact.

And, for that matter, she was loving every minute of it.

Her body relaxed in the soft cushion provided on the surface of a plush luxurious carpet; her senses bathed in a veil of silence that soothed and coddled her addled psyche.

For once, she reasoned, she wasn’t straining her feet and stressing her knees in an endless effort to serve her customers at Chez Victoria. She wasn’t trying to fill an insistent and compelling need for more raspberry jam.

Now she could simply bask, full and free, in an air of peaceful tranquility; laying blissfully motionless as her tired limbs relaxed and luxuriated.

Things got even better, she mused, when she finally did open her eyes; witnessing firsthand what just had to be the vision of an angel.

Aside from being strikingly beautiful, the man before her seemed somehow familiar to her wide, dazed eyes. Immediately, she recognized the tall, muscular frame dressed in the long jacket of azure jacquard, a white satin shirt with a stately high collar, and oh so delightfully tight taupe pantaloons adorned with brass buttons. She also recalled the chiseled face framed by the glorious mane of long, thick ebony hair and featuring carved cheekbones, a cleft chin, and the biggest blue eyes she ever did see.

“It’s the dude in the portrait,” she mused aloud, adding as she reached a curious hand forward, “Only I wasn’t aware that the photo existed in a three dimensional version.”

Her eyes flew wider still, moments later, as her wandering fingers made startling contact with the dark silken locks of a head of hair that seemed all too real in texture.

“What the…” she squeaked out, her words echoed by a deep sonorous voice that resounded hard from the bronzed throat of the gentleman before her.

“For your information, milady, I’m a duke—not a dude,” the man informed her, folding his arms strong and firm before him. “And nobody touches the hair.”

Bolting upright on the floor, Jasmin inspected her surroundings, which seemed eerily familiar; recognizing, immediately, the splendorous interior of the Chez Victoria tea room. She nodded in recognition as she spotted the room’s shining wallpaper of scarlet brocade, and plush ivory carpeting; also noting the glow of brass chandeliers and the spectacle of a hand-painted mural that depicted angels in flight across a gem blue sky.

Yet, in place of the bank of tables that usually came filled with customers waiting to be served, was a long, lace-covered table; topped as it was by a lustrous setting of polished rose print china.

Finally, her confused gaze returned to the man who met her in turn with a quizzical look; one that seemed to question her presence in this space, if not her very sanity.

“Not to be unchivalrous, Miss,” he said finally, adding as he inclined his head in her direction, “but may I ask just what in the blazes you’re doing in my home?”

Standing to her feet, with no small degree of effort, Jasmin hoisted her chin upward as she stared her questioner straight in the eyes.

“May I ask what in the blazes you’re doing in this century?” she returned, making a broad gesture between them. “You’re supposed to be a Victorian lord, one who walked this earth centuries ago. Aren’t you supposed to be—I don’t know—dead or something?”

In lieu of making a verbal reply, the man before her shook his head in a show of blatant confusion, clearly unsure as to how to address the question posed by the evident lunatic who stood in his dining room.

For a full moment, the two just stood there staring at one another as both seemed to struggle to find the right words to address this unbelievable and generally preposterous situation.

“If Webster’s dictionary ever needs a historically preserved etching to accompany their definition of the word ‘awkward,’” she mused, “then a rendering of this here scene would pretty much suffice.”

Chapter Three

Moments later, Jasmin reclined in the lavender cushions of a chair bordering the mysterious long table that now adorned the center of the dining room; sipping hot cinnamon tea from a rose print tea cup.

For once, she reasoned, it was nice to enact the role of the served as opposed to the server.      Especially when her server just happened to be so unforgivably hawt that he really should be illegal.

Immediately deciding that his unexpected guest had been most literally knocked silly by her jolting fall, the man who introduced himself as Lord Nathaniel Barrett encouraged the woman—who introduced herself as Jasmin Lawrence—to make herself comfortable in his dining room; pouring her a cup of tea as he encouraged her to share her story.

“How is it that you think you got here, Miss?” he asked her, eyebrows arched in a show of keen curiosity as he took a seat beside her at the table.

Jasmin shrugged.

“The last thing I knew I was just minding my own business, pouring tea and serving scones right here at Chez Victoria, the premiere—well okay, the only—tearoom in Clearview, Florida,” she informed him, adding as she rolled her eyes heavenward, “The grouchy old guy in the Hawaiian shirt, who is always asking for raspberry jam, was in fine form, demanding more of that ever precious, seemingly irreplaceable condiment. Then he decided he could wait no more and invaded my aisle; basically tripping up my food cart and myself in the process. I hit the cart hard and felt myself blacking out, slowly but surely.” She paused here, making a broad gesture around her. “And apparently, during the time that I was ‘out’, so to speak, management got rid of all the customers and elected to remodel.”

Nathaniel looked at her for a long moment, his azure eyes narrowing in a show of confusion as he considered her words.

“Yes, well, I have no earthly wish to contradict a lady,” he said finally, adding with a shrug, “I must point out, however, that this is my home—not a house that belongs to a lady named Victoria. Who is she, anyway? And while your adorable accent and turn of phrase would indicate that you are indeed from the States, you and I happen to be having this conversation in London—not Florida.”

Jasmin had heard enough.

“I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous,” she insisted, setting aside her tea cup and jumping to her feet as she raced, headfirst, for the expansive bay window that fronted the dining room. “Be prepared to see a whole passel of palm trees, Dude, because your jig is up.”

With these words, she ripped open the gold jacquard curtains that lined and covered the expansive bay window, gasping outright as she revealed a vast emerald green meadow lined with towering stately oak trees that stood tall and proud above luxurious growths of scarlet red roses and lavender lilies; florals that both succored and confused her addled senses.

The greyish hue of the overhead sky cast the overall scene in something of a somber prism; one that did not seem indicative of the lush, glamorous Florida landscape to which Jasmin felt well accustomed. “Where is the parking lot and the oversized, overly ornate sign that reads ‘Chez Victoria?’” she gaped, more to herself than to her watching host. “And while we’re at it, where is the flippin’ sun?”

Nathaniel chuckled.

“Well sadly, Love, we see the sun in London about as often as you see the snow,” he informed her.

Jasmin nodded.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” she decided finally, declaring with a firm nod and in a matter of fact tone, “I just went off like the crazy gal I am and travelled through time.”

Lord Nathaniel Barrett stood as a man of great intellect and certainty. And on this day, he knew one fact to be absolutely true, without as much as a shadow of a doubt.

The woman before him was completely and totally insane. Madder than the proverbial mad hatter, as a matter of fact.

And never had he ever met anyone so out and out adorable.

Although not a classic beauty, the robust lady before him sported a winning smile and a fine flowing mane of dark curly hair; not to mention, sparkling blue eyes that peeked up at him through the prism of clear glass spectacles.

Far more important, in his mind, was the laughter and animation that she brought to his home; a house left quiet and sterile in the wake of what he feared would be an irreplaceable loss.

Two years ago, his dear wife Eugenia had been claimed by the fever; ripped from the arms of her grieving young husband, who, in the wake of her death, had closed himself off in the lonesome confines of the house he’d once called a home.

Deeming himself inconsolable, he had spent many days and nights here behind locked doors; trying to lose himself in the memories of a love that had filled and defined his earthly existence.

“My house felt more like a mausoleum—a beautiful place devoid of life,” he mused now, adding as he aimed a warm beam in the direction of the loveable madwoman, “And then along came Jasmin.”

Aloud he told her, “It seems, Ms. Lawrence, that you have come a very long way to see me today. So now that you have arrived, why not stay a while?”

Chapter Four

Okay, so maybe she wasn’t dead after all. Yet, Jasmin Lawrence was most definitely dreaming.

Riding astride a sleek ivory-coated charger through the vast expanse of an emerald leaved meadow, Jasmin threw her head back as her lovely mount trotted fast and free; making her feel as though she was flying, that somehow, and in some way, she could kiss the sky.

Riding by her side was a handsome companion who rode tall and proud in the polished English saddle of a glorious black stallion; moving as a single radiant constant with the distinguished gentleman who rode tall in the saddle.

“I haven’t been riding in ages,” she released on a bright laugh, letting loose with an uncharacteristic giggle as she bounced up and down in the depths of her smooth polish ebony saddle.

Nathaniel grinned. “I haven’t either. As a matter of fact, it’s been far too long since I did anything remotely enjoyable, and your spirit—it’s just infectious,” he admitted, gracing her with a dazzling smile. “I am so pleased that you’re feeling better. I wonder though, darling. Since we’ve been riding the estate for more than an hour now, would you care to stop for a bite to eat?”

Soon, the couple found themselves sitting at the side of a sparkling pond that sported the presence of pure ivory swans flowing free across its crystalline surface; one that formed the glittery centerpiece of his 100-acre estate.

“Nice place here,” she praised him, seated at the edge of a velvety red blanket as she feasted on the scones, pastries, biscuits and finger sandwiches that made up the menu of their picnic lunch. “I feel like a princess of the palace here.”

Her companion smiled, grabbing hold of a fresh buttered scone and slipping it teasingly between her parted lips.

“You well deserve to be treated like a princess,” he praised her, striking a low courtly bow before her on the blanket. “Consider me your loyal servant, Miss. I am at your disposal.”

Chomping down hearty on the well buttered treat, Jasmin grinned, giddy at this appealing prospect.

“I do believe that I could get used to this idea of being a princess with a way hawt man servant,” she admitted, adding as she raised an inquisitive eyebrow, “Do I get to do a royal wave and everything?”

Nathaniel guffawed outright.

“Go ahead and try love,” he encouraged her. “Give me your very best Victoria.”

Jasmin shrugged.

“Don’t get me wrong, Victoria was a tough chicksta—you gotta love her,” she acknowledged, adding with a grin, “Yet, in perfecting my own personal royal wave, I tend to aim more for the style of Elizabeth I, or—of course—Diana.”

Nathaniel nodded.

“Ah, Elizabeth was indeed a remarkable woman. I see a lot of her in you; her strength, her spirit,” he paused here, adding with a confused frown, “Yet, who, may I ask, is Diana?”

Jasmin chuckled.

“Sorry, I keep forgetting about the whole travelling through time thingy,” she apologized, adding with a warm smile, “Diana was a princess of England who lived, all too briefly, during my time. She was a truly amazing, accomplished woman—and if I can wave only half as gracefully as she did, well, then I’ll be a happy camper.”

Then, without further ado, she lifted her hand and wagged it back and forth in the most pretentious manner feasible.

“So how’s that?” she asked afterward, piercing her host with an adorable smirk.

In lieu of a verbal response, the man before her clutched his chest and rolled his blue eyes heavenward, collapsing on his back as he graced her with a dreamlike smile.

“You, Madame, are both regal and adorable,” he praised her, sitting upright and taking the hand that had delivered this downright disabling wave. “You completely and totally slay me.”

Jasmin grinned, feeling her cheeks flush bright red as she considered these words.

“How is it that a handsome sweetheart such as yourself lives here alone?” she asked him, eyebrows arched in a show of keen curiosity.

Nathaniel sighed.

“Well, at one point, Miss, I shared my estate with my wife, a wonderful woman named Eugenia who I nothing short of adored,” he admitted, his deeply accented voice softening and darkening as he added, “She fell ill two years ago, leaving me a lonesome widow here.”

Jasmin gaped.

“Oh no,” she gasped, grasping Nathaniel’s hand across the blanket as she considered these daunting words. “That’s awful. I’m so sorry, Nathaniel.”

She took in her breath as her handsome companion lifted her hand to his full soft lips and graced her skin with a tender kiss.

“It was indeed awful, Miss. Yet, while I always shall love and remember my dear wife, I feel that I must go on as well,” he revealed, adding as he inclined his head sharp in her direction, “So what about you, Miss? Why does such a bright, funny, totally charming woman remain unmarried?”

Jasmin shrugged.

“Women of my time don’t get married off the instant they clear puberty, and/or the moment that any willing and breathing gent pays their ransom, that is, dowry,” she informed him through gritted teeth. “For now, I want to focus on finding meaningful work in the profession I studied and prepared for in college.” She paused here, adding as she released a frustrated breath, “I love, more than anything, to read and write—so now I’d very much like to add my own classics to the literary canon. Or, at the very least, some stories that people will pay me to tell, so I can finally get down to the business of doing work that I have a passion for—that I know I could do so well, if someone would only give me the chance. I just want to write.”

She fell silent here as she saw his azure eyes come alight with a warm, inspired glow; squeezing his fingers between hers as that charming smile returned in full force.

“So you’re an authoress,” he affirmed, voice barely above a whisper. “A woman of letters. That is so fascinating.” He paused here, leaning forward to close all distance between them. “I will have you know, Miss, that I am a great fan of Miss Austen. And I am constantly seeking out fresh feminine voices at my own publishing house and printing press, Four Gables Press.”

Jasmin started.

“Wait, wut?” she inquired, thinking too late that her last words sounded highly awkward and decidedly less than literary. “You own a publishing company?”

Nathaniel nodded.

“Yes, among others,” he told her, adding with a ludicrous attempt at a casual shrug, “My family owns a number of companies of various sorts—with my favorite being the place that manufactures dreams and prints them on parchment. I love books, dear Jasmin, and I would love to read yours. What, in particular, do you like to write?”

Jasmin grinned, feeling her cheeks flush as she considered this question.

“Well, truth be told, I’m rather embarrassed to tell you,” she revealed, averting her gaze to the picnic blanket beneath her. “I like to write Victorian romance.”

She took in her breath as his strong sturdy fingertips lifted her rounded chin; raising her head until their gazes locked between them.

“Romance, hey?” he asked her on a whisper, his tone soft and alluring. “Well, you know Miss, before you venture to write about any subject, should you not research it first?” He paused here, adding on a sinful purr, “Thoroughly?”

With these words, he surged inward to seize her lips in a hot, passionate kiss; his full moist lips massaging hers as she herself purred with contentment.

Angling his sculpted head over hers to intensify the kiss, Nathaniel plied her lips with the sweetest affection as their tongues entangled between them.

Jasmin wrapped her arms around his muscled shoulders and leaned full and hard into his kiss; her breasts crushing the surface of his hard massive chest as the feel of crisp afternoon winds and the song of nightingales overhead seemed to christen their newfound romance.

Finally, Nathaniel broke their kiss, pulling back to stare deep into her eyes as he reached forth to stroke the whisper soft strands of her luxurious dark hair.

“So love,” he released on a whisper, “did this experience educate you on the finer points of Victorian romance?”

Jasmin thought a moment, then nodded.

“Absolutely,” she affirmed, adding as she bit her fresh kissed lip, “Somehow, though, I do believe that I need to do far more research on this particular topic.” She paused here, gracing him with a sly grin. “Care to be my research buddy?”

Nathaniel chuckled.

“I have no earthly idea as to what that is,” he admitted, crossing his eyes at her modern vernacular. “But if it happens to involve you, milady, then it should be quite a lot of fun.”

Chapter Five

Somehow extricating herself from the ever desirable company of her sinfully handsome host, Jasmin retired to a master suite designated as her guest room. This proved to be an ebullient sleeping place, distinguished by a lace canopied bed doused in ivory silk comforters, polished brass-trimmed cherry wood bureaus, plush white carpeting, and a candle-lined brass chandelier that hung low from an ivory corniced ceiling.

After receiving a romantic kiss good night that would fuel her dreams, Jasmin retreated to her private haven and slept the night away; waking only once in the very early morning, when she heard the door to her bedroom open, then close again, mysteriously, moments later.

“The dude just can’t get enough of me—even has to watch me sleeping, ala Edward in Twilight,” she pondered, finally sitting up in bed and hopping to her feet.

She gasped outright as she found the tall wooden bureau that bordered her room, beautifully transformed, filled with a luxurious plethora of dresses and formal gowns just awaiting her perusal.

Throwing herself headfirst into a luxurious mass of silk, satin, brocade and jacquard, she laughed outright as she realized that every one of these glamorous dresses was custom made to fit her size and body type, unlike the mummifying costumes she was required to wear for the purpose of work.

Lining the bottom of the bureau, she noted further, was an impressive array of corsets, pantaloons, chemises, gloves and slippers; luxurious accents that would serve to complete her glamorous new wardrobe.

After selecting and donning a lush, floor-length royal blue day dress with a shining satin and lace overdress, a flowing satiny skirt, lines of ruffled lace surrounding the prim neckline and lining the wide sleeves, and a fitted bodice that came complete with a black lace overlay that adorned the front panel, she finally took leave of her private paradise and headed down a winding brass-railed staircase to the grand dining room where she’d agreed to meet Nathaniel for a proper English breakfast.

Nathaniel praised her profusely on her choice of gown and accepted her gracious thanks for her luxurious wardrobe, which as it turned out, he had ordered direct from a London seamstress and delivered to her room early this morning. Then her doting host served her eggs, pastries, cinnamon tea, as well as biscuits topped with fresh churned butter and strawberry jam.

“I opted not to set out the raspberry jam this morn,” he told her with a wink, taking her hand across the table as he continued, “I had no earthly wish to bring back bad memories for you.”

Jasmin chuckled.

“Good move,” she praised him, adding as she inclined her head sharp in his direction, “So I take it that you finally buy my preposterous story about travelling through time to meet you?”

Nathaniel shook his head.

“Well, frankly Darling, I truly do not see as to how it’s possible,” he admitted, adding quickly, “I do not, however, accuse you of lying to me. I am passing sure that you hit your head and are suffering the after effects.”

It was Jasmin’s turn to shake her head as she reached into the pocket of her day dress, withdrawing a thin slip of crème white paper as well as a round shiny coin.

“As I undressed last night, I discovered some items that I brought with me when I crossed underneath the immortal limbo pole that separates the centuries, so to speak,” she told him, passing them into the hands of her curious looking host. “If you check the dates on this coin and this gas receipt, you will see that both hail from the year 2016. Plus, I am passing certain that nothing in Victorian England cost nearly as much as gas does in the 21st century.” She paused here, adding with a firm, sharp nod, “It is more than obvious that both of these little doo hickies came straight from 2016. And so, for that matter, do I.”

Inspecting the items presented with no small degree of interest, Nathaniel’s eyes flew wide as he seemed to focus on the dates indicated.

“So what do you think?” Jasmin pressed him, watching closely for his reaction as he took a second look at the coin and the receipt.

She took in her breath as her doting host surged across the table; searing her lips with a passionate kiss as the evidence of her origins went clattering unceremonious to the table beneath them.

Swallowing her startled breath, Nathaniel plied her lips with the sweetest kisses as his long, wet tongue entangled, tight and sweet, with hers; laving the roof of her mouth as his sumptuous lips romanced her with soothing, massaging strokes.

Fully and finally breaking their kiss, Nathaniel stared deep into her eyes and whispered, “I think, love, that you are a very special gift, sent to me through time. A beautiful wind and breath of life that has flown into my house and changed everything—brightened everything.”

Searing her with a dazzling white-toothed smile, Nathaniel leaned forward and tilted his forehead gently against hers; speaking just as much to himself as to her as he released on a whisper, “And now that this beautiful, mysterious wraith has come to my life and home at just the right time, what on earth will I do with her first?” He paused here, adding as he snapped his nimble fingers, “Ah, I have it! I do believe I shall teach her my very favorite game—one that I have enjoyed many a time in the privacy of my own estate. And it just happens to involve a great deal of physical activity.”

Moments later, Jasmin found herself on the sprawling front lawn of her host’s emerald grassed estate; stuck in a rather precarious position as her host loomed just behind her.

“Are you altogether certain that this is your idea of fun?” she asked him over her sturdy shoulder, adding as she expelled with a long, hard breath, “I, for one, am not at all accustomed to bending forward this far and this long—especially right after breakfast.”

The sound of Nathaniel’s deep melodious chuckle served to soothe her senses; as did the sudden presence of his strong sturdy hand right square on her shoulder.

“Just relax, my darling, your moves are all natural and entirely fabulous,” he reassured her, adding in a whisper, “At this point, all you have to do is push forward just a bit and give the ball a good strong knock.”

Acting immediately on this advice, a determined Jasmin took her croquet mallet firmly in hand and knocked a round, ruby red ball through the center of the little, tiny semi-circular thing that stuck obtrusively out of the ground. And she was sure that this was the technical term for the curious object that seemed to play a major role in the time honored game of croquet.

“Perfect, Love!” Nathaniel applauded her, gracing her shoulder with an affirming clap, “You have mastered the game of croquet.”

Springing upright with a triumphant whoop, his companion engaged him in a celebratory high five as she exclaimed, “Well, I mastered PlayStation and karaoke, back in my own time—so I guess that I can add croquet to my list of completely worthless things at which I happen to be quite good.”

Nathaniel guffawed outright.

“Well, if you like, Darling, I would be more than pleased to teach you another useless skill that happens to be quite enjoyable,” he offered, arching an inquisitive eyebrow to a downright regal effect. “Care to try ballroom dancing? As it turns out, one of my partners in the publishing company is hosting a cotillion this eve at his estate in Birmingham.” He paused here, adding with a hefty sigh, “Ever since I lost my dearest dance partner, I frankly have detested all manner of balls and cotillions—and, for that matter, most other social events. Yet, in your lovely company, Jasmin, I do believe that I shall thoroughly enjoy dancing the night away.”

Chapter Six

“So what is this all about? I’m standing here right smack in the middle of a friggin’ Victorian ballroom!”

Standing right smack in the middle of a friggin’ Victorian ballroom, Jasmin stared with wide eyes at her ethereal surroundings. She beheld a room bordered on all sides by crystalline mirrors and topped by an ivory corniced ceiling that came further adorned with a full bank of decorative chandeliers—sleek brass luminaries that cast the entire room in an aura of courtly romance.

Although clad in a resplendent, full-skirted satin gown that fell graceful to her feet—a dazzling effort of burgundy and gold that came complete with a lush floral print corset and bustled flowing skirt and a refined black lace trim—Jasmin felt a bit awkward and out of place in such upscale surroundings. Especially since she failed to come armed with her shield of a meal cart, demanding of everyone within earshot, ‘Would you like chutney with that?’

“So what do we do here?” she asked Nathaniel, himself adorned in a suit of royal blue silk that molded and accentuated his firm muscled body; a sharp evening suit accented by knee high black leather boots and a slick white shirt underneath.

She took in her breath as her attentive date swept her up in two muscled arms, sweeping her also onto the surface of a clean tiled dance floor.

“We dance, Love,” he informed her on a whisper, continuing as he pulled her closer to him, “That’s what we do here.”

Jasmin felt all tension fall immediately away from her as her lover swept her, in a graceful flourish, across the breadth of the polished floor; engaging her in a spirited reel that also managed to be highly intimate in spirit.

Wrapping her arms around his broad muscled shoulders as her buxom breasts crushed his broad massive chest, Jasmin thrilled as their hips also joined between them to claim a flawless rhythm. Their dance proved one that kept time with the music of a lone violinist that played his classically influenced tunes in a far corner of the room.

After learning more than her fair share of ballroom dance steps, earning praise as she did so from her ever attentive instructor, Jasmin turned the tables on an amused Nathaniel by teaching him some of her favorite moves, ripped straight from her own era.

The entire ballroom looked on with keen amusement as the vivacious newcomer to their elite social scene—often known as the Ton—engaged her date in a number of curious, if highly energetic, dance moves that seemed to know little rhyme or reason in their performance. Her movements seemed to prompt some to wonder if the woman who performed them had been possessed by some form of demonic force—if not an out and out case of the dreaded St. Vitus Dance.

Showing off some most curious moves that she identified under the equally curious names of Electric Slide, the Achy Breaky and Gangnam Style, she soon encouraged everyone in the room to form what she called a ‘dance line’, mimicking her outrageous and slightly uncoordinated steps as the poor wide eyed violinist struggled to play along.

Nathaniel, for his part, claimed the head of the line as he launched his tall, muscular body wholeheartedly into the fun of the evening. He followed the lead of his enchanting date as they frolicked to the jaunty beat of what Jasmin so adorably referred to as ‘One mean fiddle’.

He marveled as she persuaded a whole gaggle of prim and proper Victorian ladies to ‘raise the roof’; lifting their lace-gloved hands in the air like they just didn’t care.

“Isn’t she just a delight?” he inquired of everyone who would listen, doing his best to master every one of his newly acquired dance steps.

“You’re rockin’ it, babe!” Jasmin praised him at one point.

Nathaniel grinned.

“Good to know that I do indeed—um—rock,” he replied, shaking his fist in the air to an adorable effect.

Finally towards the end of the evening, the couple settled once again into a romantic dance; their bodies moving closer together as he wrapped his strong arms tight around her waist and cradled her close.

“I must say it, Jasmin. This night has been magical,” he whispered in her ear, pulling her closer still. “You’ve brought so much light and color into my life, and so much laughter. You truly are a gift to me, milady.”

Jasmin smiled.

“Well, you ain’t so bad yourself,” she praised him, hugging his hard-planed body to hers as she rested her head on his sculpted shoulder. “Seriously, Nathaniel, this night—along with every other moment we’ve spent together—has been absolutely magical. I really do feel like I’m living the dream, and have only you to thank.”

With these words, the impassioned woman erased all distance between them, searing his full sumptuous lips with a hot passionate kiss. They lingered for just a moment as their mouths merged and melded to convey the deepest passion, and Nathaniel ran his magical fingertips down the length of his lady’s spine.

Jasmin moaned, frustrated, moments later, as her besotted dance partner broke their kiss; drawing slightly away from her with an apologetic smile as he whispered, “As much as I dearly would love to continue kissing you, love, I fear that the dictates of my antiquated society command us to stop.”

Taking a quick cursory look around them, Jasmin bit her lip as she noted the exorbitant number of cold, condemning stares being shot in their direction.

“Oh, that’s right,” she deadpanned, rolling her eyes heavenward. “I forgot that we’re currently standing in the era where a kiss on the hand can send the elders of the ton reaching for their smelling salts. Even Miss Austen, in her progressive works, never dared to write as much as a kiss between her heroes and heroines.”

Nathaniel chuckled.

“As the folks of your time would say, true this,” he agreed, adding as he pulled her body flush up against his, “So what do you say that I take you somewhere more private?” He paused here, promising in a sultry purr, “In that way, we could continue our dance alone, with no prying eyes to intrude upon our privacy—or, for that matter, on our passion.”

Chapter Seven

Soon, Jasmin found herself ensconced in yet another Victorian dream; this one taking the form of a deluxe private sitting room that adjoined the main ballroom.

A lavishly decorated parlor distinguished by the presence of floral print, velvet upholstered furniture, plush lavender carpeting, and ivory corniced ceilings, the room also boasted a blazing fireplace in the corner; one that warmed and teased Jasmin as she sank, fully and finally, into her lover’s all-consuming embrace.

Their lips collided in a passionate kiss as Nathaniel led her in the direction of an exquisite rose print settee that formed the room’s centerpiece. Offering her a seat on its cushiony edge, her companion continued to kiss her senseless as he kneaded and massaged her shoulders. He licked her lips and laved the roof of her mouth as he fell to his knees before her.

Jasmin gasped outright as Nathaniel fell to her feet and freed them from her confining slippers; suckling her toes and licking her tired pads before surging daringly beneath the satiny fabrics of her soft, voluminous skirts.

Jasmin thrilled as her ardent lover stripped away the pantaloons and petticoats that served to conceal her feverish body; his gleaming white teeth laying a firm grasp on the border of her white cotton panties and pulling them down the length of her long sturdy legs.

Soon, he returned to the source of her ultimate feminine pleasure; licking open her feminine folds with a long wet tongue before gracing her with the ultimate intimate kiss.

Sealing his full moist lips around her bulging clit, he kissed and suckled her as waves of ecstatic sensation soared upward to touch and luxuriate every fiber of her being.

Bobbing his head up and down to intensify the feeling, Nathaniel continued to devour Jasmin’s throbbing nub as she moaned her incredible pleasure; his long wet tongue striking like lightning shards against the surface of her sensitive skin.

Thrusting her full hips forward to intensify the sensation, Jasmin also relished the soft brush of his luxurious dark tendrils against the surface of her buxom thighs.

Finally, and with a long resounding lick, he sent her soaring across the bounds of an incredible clitoral orgasm, eliciting lustrous waves of erotic ecstasy that coursed upward to please and satiate her from head to toe.

And still, she wanted more. Falling forward into Nathaniel’s arms with a low lusty growl, she collapsed with him in the plush softness of their own private trysting spot; their lips enjoining in another hot kiss as they immersed themselves in what seemed a binding embrace.

Freeing his lady from the fabrics of her formal gown, along with the confining corset that lie underneath, Nathaniel massaged her shoulders and back as she repaid his favor in kind; slipping his silky jacket from the surface of his broad shoulders and unbuttoning the white satin shirt that lie beneath—revealing, finally, the broad muscled chest and chiseled ab muscles that had filled her dreams.

With a dreamy smile, she ducked her head to kiss and lick his sculpted pecs, also nipping the surface of those belov’d washboard abs as he ran two adoring hands through the lengths of her luxurious dark hair.

Finally, he swept her rubenesque body in his arms and covered her form with his, lowering his head to kiss and lick her buxom breasts as her nipples arched to erect points between his full moist lips.

Stroking the strands of his silky black hair as she thrust her body against his, Jasmin delighted as her agile lover wiggled free of his sculpting trousers; freeing, as he did, a long stiff shaft that seemed to salute her arrival.

Nathaniel continued to coddle and caress her as, once again, he seized her lips in a timeless kiss; his full moist mouth massaging hers as his nurturing hands reflected their movements.

Nathaniel gyrated playful against her hips, his long hard rod kissing her feminine cleft as their tongues and fingers entwined as one.

“My lady,” he growled soft and sweet against her mouth, his hard-planed body undulating wildly against hers as he added, “Do allow me to make you my princess.”

With these words, their bodies rolled together to bask in the light of the fire that blazed hot in the hearth before them; its radiant flames illuminating their naked, joined bodies as their arms and legs entangled tighter.

Wrapping her arms around her lover’s muscled shoulders and her legs around his trim waist, Jasmin pressed herself against him as she whispered in his ear, “I want you inside of me. Now, Nathaniel.”

More than eager to heed his lady’s command, he fully and finally joined them as one; surging the length of his hard stiff shaft to the depths of her soaking wet pussy.

Their joined hips found an immediate rhythm as he probed and penetrated her; surging forth to her very core as he continued to cradle her in two loving arms.

Soon, his full soft lips touched and canvassed her mouth, her neck, her flushed cheeks; his hands all the while molding and caressing her breasts—along with the rounded stomach that other men mocked.

“You make me feel beautiful,” she released on a sigh, wriggling contentedly in his arms as she pulled him closer to her.

“You are beautiful,” he hissed out, adding as he clutched her to him, “Let me show you just how beautiful you are.”

Parting her fleshy thighs before him to invite him deeper inward, Jasmin impaled herself on his long hard shaft as passion overcame them; the flames of the fire before them heating their bodies still further as they writhed shamelessly in one another’s arms.

Finally, and with a long last stroke, he drove forth to her very core; his engorged shaft slithering and reverberating within her as it made a hard and final advance.

The couple cried out as their beings exploded in the raw heat of an incredible mutual orgasm; this divine sensation binding them together as two became one.

Chapter Eight

Moments later, the couple relaxed easy in one another’s arms; resting in the divine softness of the carpet beneath them as they shared and enjoyed the vision of a crackling fire.

“Wowsa,” Jasmin gasped out, blowing a stray tendril of hair from her cheek as she considered the events of that evening.

Nathaniel frowned.

“So sorry, my darling, but I am not overly familiar with that particular term,” he admitted, wrinkling his eyebrows with a shrug. “What does it mean, exactly?”

Jasmin laughed.

“It just means you did a really, really good job, Dude,” she assured him, laying a playful slap across his bronzed muscled chest as she added and emphasized, “A REALLY good job.”

Nathaniel chuckled, pulling her to him in an affirming hug as he pressed two warm, sweet lips against her flushed cheeks.

“I am most pleased to hear that, Love,” he affirmed, continuing through gritted teeth, “I was a bit concerned, seeing as how it’s been ages since I enjoyed the company of a lady.”

Jasmin shook her head.

“Well, it’s been ages since I got laid—that is, since I enjoyed the company of a gentleman,” she revealed, adding through gritted teeth, “And come to think of it, the last gentleman whose company I enjoyed took the form of a stocky ol’ grease monkey named Clyde.” She frowned at the recollection. “Wow, no wonder I crossed all boundaries of time and place to find a new life. All things considered, my old one kinda wreaked.”

Nathaniel guffawed outright.

“Well, before you came along, milady, my own life was passing miserable,” he assured her, raising her hand to his warm soft lips for a most gentlemanly kiss, “Oh the days passed pleasantly and productively enough, as I was able to throw myself into my work.” He paused here, adding with a grave tone and a faraway look, “The nights, however, were quite another matter. I bided my time between weeping and mourning for she who I had lost, and dreaming of the many times we had shared together—awakening the next morn to an empty bed and an empty life.”

He took in his breath as his lover swept him up in two loving arms; holding his body closer than close as she whispered low and sweet in his ear, “You aren’t alone anymore, baby. I’m here now. Together, we can dream new dreams—then we can make them all come true.”

Within an hour, the couple found themselves safe and sound in the sanctity of Nathaniel’s manor house; with Jasmin’s doting host delivering her to the distinguished drawing room that formed a beautiful, highly-elegant centerpiece to his upscale manse.

Jasmin nodded affirmingly as Nathaniel excused himself to the kitchen, where he promised to prepare some steaming hot cocoa that would bring an ideal finishing touch to their dream of an evening.

Finally alone as she perched herself on the edge of a settee of lavender velvet, she seized the opportunity to take a good look around his stylish salon. This room, she found, was distinguished by the presence of stained glass windows and lamps, lavender cushioned cherry wood furniture with matching plush carpeting, and an expansive ceiling mural that depicted angels in flight across the vast expanse of a gem blue sky.

Her admiring eyes followed the cornice bound lines of this illustrious mural, her gaze finally descending down the side of a shiny silver brocade wall to admire yet another work of art; one that portrayed yet another angelic subject.

Jasmin gaped outright at a large, brass framed oil painting that depicted the image of a golden goddess; a tall, slender woman with flowing golden hair and a chiseled flawless face.

The model came dressed in a striking ivory ensemble that well befit her celestial image. This fine example of Victorian fashion came complete with a contoured jacket of satin and lace, as well as a bustled cream-hued, lace-lined overskirt with a crisp cotton ruffled underskirt attached.

“She’s annoyingly skinny and impossibly beautiful,” she mused, biting her lip as she froze stock still on the edge of the settee. “That has to be her.”

Jasmin suddenly realized that she was staring into the wide dark eyes of the mistress of this house; a woman whose beauty and grace made her feel skeptical of her own status as a newly minted Victorian princess.

“Oh, who am I kidding?” she released on a sigh, shaking her head from side to side. “I am nothing but a pretender to her throne. I might as well forget about this high falutin’ fantasy and try to find my way back to the real world.”

“Oh, come now, Darling. However can I persuade you to stay right here? Where you belong?”

Her head snapped forward as she found that she was not alone; and, even more noticeably, that the man before her just happened to be completely and delightfully naked.

Another celestial image now bathed her vision. This one came defined by the presence of a bulging muscled chest, washboard abs, a trim waist and long legs, and—of course—a long hard shaft that saluted her in grand fashion.

“Um,” she sputtered out, all the while never tearing her rebellious gaze from the vision of his chiseled perfection. “So I take it that the cocoa pot didn’t come to boil?” She winced as she realized that she’d just said the cheesiest, most cloying thing possible.

She took in her breath as he met these cheesy words with a sexy, downright wolfish smile.

“I’d far rather bring you to boil instead,” he whispered, adding as he flexed his ever hard muscle for her pleasure, “I want you to have your way with me, Jasmin. Take me now.”

An enraptured Jasmin nodded her consent, gasping outright as her lover swept her off her feet and carried her up the winding staircase that would take them to her bedroom.

Soon, Jasmin found herself lost in the silken softness of an ivory comforter; reveling in the feeling as an attentive lover slowly stripped away her confining ball gown and the ultra-tight foundation garments that lie beneath it.

Nathaniel made it a point to kiss and compliment every part of her naked body, finally covering her bare form with his own masculine hardness.

Once again consuming her in his strong but loving embrace, he claimed her lips in an intense kiss as his worshipful hands wandered everywhere over her body. He coddled and caressed her breasts and her rounded stomach before settling his hand between her legs—rubbing and kneading her throbbing clit as she gasped and moaned her approval.

Their lips uniting in what seemed a binding kiss, the couple collapsed and writhed in one another’s arms as he continued to knead her nub; sending raw sparks of erotic energy that ran wild through every part of her body.

Their joined beings rolling wild across the soft luxuriance of a silken comforter, clinging to one another as his pulsating rod rose in grand fashion to kiss her feminine cleft.

“By the fates, Jasmin,” Nathaniel gasped out, pulling her body closer than close as they clung to one another in the heat of passion. “I can’t get enough of you.”

In lieu of a verbal response, an awestruck Jasmin sank deeper in her lover’s arms; writhing wild in his embrace as her hands roamed the breadth of his chiseled pecs and the width of his carved washboard abs—finally laying a firm hold on his hard massive cock.

The couple continued to kiss and cuddle as his sumptuous lips kissed and massaged her own; their tongues entangling as her buxom breasts crushed the surface of his hard massive chest.

Nathaniel growled his pleasure as she rubbed and kneaded his rock hard length, pulsating in her grasp as she opened herself to him.

Finally, he plunged his long hard shaft to the depths of her feminine garden, moving slow and smooth within her as his magical fingers continued to rub and stimulate her clit.

Their elated gasps mingled sweetly in the air above as ecstasy overcame them; waves of erotic pleasure invigorating and uniting them as Nathaniel continued to probe and penetrate Jasmin.

Finally, and in a last advance, he laid a firm squeeze on her throbbing femininity; at the same time, surging forth to her core as he carried them across the bounds of an incredible shared climax.

The couple collapsed together moments later as they surrendered to the warmth of an encompassing embrace; their whispers and sighs intermingling as they stared deep into one another’s eyes.

“So, my love,” Nathaniel whispered, searing her with a wolfish grin as he graced her buxom derriere with an affirming playful squeeze. “Now do you believe that you are my princess? And, if you so choose, the queen of this manor?”

Jasmin thought a moment, then nodded.

“Almost,” she revealed, gracing him with an adorable smile. “Even so, you just might have to do some more convincing to assure me of this fact—several more times tonight, in point of fact.”

Chapter Nine

The next morning found Jasmin and Nathaniel engaging in their second favorite physical activity; roaming the emerald green meadows of Nathaniel’s vast estate on horseback.

Rising side by side with their hands joined between them, the couple talked and laughed together, before finally pausing at the edge of the meadow. Nathaniel suddenly fell silent as he turned to face the woman beside him.

“Say you’ll stay here with me, Jasmin,” he implored her, taking her hand in his as he stared deep into her eyes. “Don’t go back.”

Jasmin shrugged.

“Well, I’m not entirely sure that I could go back, even if I wanted to—it’s not like I can just grab the nearest Uber and hightail it back to F-L-A,” she told him, adding more seriously, “And even if I could, Nathaniel, I wouldn’t want to go back. I mean, sure, I have some good friends and family members there.” She paused here, gracing him with an affectionate smile. “And you, darling, are here—thus my choice is made.”

Letting loose with a joyful whoop, a beaming Nathaniel brought her hand to his lips for a sweet, affirming kiss.

“I swear to you, Miss, I will spend our every moment together making sure that you do not regret your choice,” he promised her. “You can remain here as long as you like as the queen of this manor, resting, relaxing…”

“Nu-uh,” Jasmin interrupted him, holding her free hand up before them as she added, “I do spend a lot of time here, to be sure—but I also have every intention of heading into London proper and writing up a storm for your publishing company. And, while I’m at it, I think I’ll do my part to advance the rights of women in your time.” She paused here, pitching her head back and adding in a wail that sent the swans and geese around them flying for cover, “Watch out, Victorian England! Hurricane Jasmin has arrived!”

Nathaniel guffawed outright.

“Victorian England is most fortunate to have you,” he praised her, adding in a softer tone that dripped with love, “And so, for that matter, am I. I love you, Jasmin.”

THE END

Dragon Shifter Romance

A Dragon to Watch over Me

Dragons of Kaldernon 1

Leela Ash

Copyright © 2016 by Leela Ash.  All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

CHAPTER ONE

“Krista, come over here and dance!” Marcia called to her best friend, who was doing the same thing she usually did, sitting in the corner with a bored look on her face.

Krista sighed. She wasn’t in the mood for being out at the bar; she had only gone to offer her best friend some moral support. A man Marcia had a crush on was celebrating his birthday and she had been invited, but she had been too afraid to go alone and so she had begged Krista to come along. Krista wasn’t sure why she should be there anyway; not when Marcia would simply end up hanging all over the guy and leaving to give him a private gift.

“I’ve really got to be going,” Krista called back, shaking her head and pointing toward the door in case Marcia didn’t get the hint. Marcia gave her an exaggerated frown but disappeared back into the crowd, and Krista sighed in relief. She was free.

Or so she thought.

“Hey baby,” a drunk man said with a slur, blocking her way to the exit. She’d been heading toward the back door where she could sneak through the alleyway and toward the parking lot without running into any more of her friends. She didn’t recognize the drunk man and tried to push her way past him. “Feel like getting lucky tonight? I love that ass!”

She rolled her eyes in disgust and finally made her way past him. Despite being a virgin, Krista was used to men leering at her, and although she would have loved to go a night without being pestered, it appeared that tonight just wasn’t going to be her lucky night.

“Hey!” he protested as he was shoved aside and the people around him tittered with laughter. Fortunately, there were enough people between them that it didn’t matter what he said. She was able to get safely past.

Krista finally made it out into the dark, cool night and inhaled a deep breath of delicious fresh air. Sneaking out through the alley had been a good idea.

Suddenly, she felt a searing pain on her head and saw a flash of white in front of her eyes.

“Got her, tie up her hands!”

“What the hell?” she mumbled, trying to push herself to her feet. But before she was able to regain her balance, another searing flash of pain brought spots before her eyes and she collapsed again.

“Don’t move!” an angry man shouted down to her. She was surrounded and terrified, but decided not to move. They had her outnumbered.

“Finally, we’ve been waiting so long for this!”

“What…” Krista brought her hand to her head, wincing in pain and confusion.

Suddenly, she heard a growl, unlike anything she had ever heard before, and cowered into the crook of her arm.

“Don’t touch her!” a man’s voice boomed. She tried to open her eyes, but what she saw just made her want to faint. A giant black dragon was standing at the end of the alleyway. At that point, she passed out cold.

CHAPTER TWO

Clayton scowled down at the woman passed out on the ground and cast a challenging glare to the group of men who had been trying to kidnap her. He knew exactly who they were, and the knowledge infuriated him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he growled, furious that they had the nerve to come anywhere near the woman most sacred to his clan.

But Clayton knew exactly what they were doing. Krista had been the main focus of both the self-proclaimed Guardians and the Kersh clan – and for good reason. She was extremely valuable, and the last living heir young enough to guarantee the continuance of the Kersh dragon clan.

“The girl is ours!” the small group’s leader hissed, leaping at Clayton and drawing a weapon from his side. Clayton flinched and jumped away, slapping the large gun out of his hand. Only Clayton knew it wasn’t just any gun – it was fully loaded with ammunition that would bind his powers and make it impossible to shift into his dragon form. From there, he could be killed as easily as any other mortal human.

“I don’t think so,” he growled, allowing himself to shift all the way into his dragon form. He normally restrained himself when he was in human areas, only shifting enough to take advantage of his powers while unleashing his fury on his enemy. But when he was protecting the one woman alive who was capable of ensuring the continuation of his race, he couldn’t take any chances.

The men’s eyes grew large and they all fumbled for their guns as Clayton let out a mighty roar. It shook the ground they were walking on and made everybody cower in terror. The heat from his breath was enough to singe off their eyebrows and they scrambled away, worried they would not be able to survive his malice, as he began to inhale and a burst of flames flickered from his mouth.

Krista was lying on the ground between his massive legs, totally limp, and now that they were alone, Clayton returned to his human form. He put on his cape to conceal his nakedness and picked Krista up, jumping into the air and flying her back to her apartment a few blocks away. He couldn’t let anybody see them, and his cloak helped to hide them from the people who might be glancing up at the night sky. It was imbued with the powers of his own world, a place he missed dearly.

Kaldernon, his home planet, was deeply missed by everybody in the clan, in fact, but they had been unable to find their way back to their own world. After a life-altering earthquake, the world seemed to open up and several of the dragon-born members of the Kersh clan had toppled through an invisible portal, landing in a world full of commotion.

They were concealed by a growth of trees near a ravine, and were able to see Kaldernon glimmering above their heads, haunting them with their inability to find a way through the portal. If they shifted into their dragon forms and tried to fly through, but they were knocked back violently and forced to recover for days from a blow unlike any other they had ever experienced.

Kaldernon had shimmered in the sky above their heads for hundreds of years as they perfected their underground settlement to protect themselves from the humans, and the Kersh clan watched as pioneers began to settle in the wilderness and construct a civilization of their own right next door. People were always drawn to the area for some inexplicable reason. It was as if they were seeking the immense power they sensed coming from Kaldernon and the group of dragon shifters that had made their home there.

CHAPTER THREE

One day, a distant relative of Clayton’s had an encounter with one of the village girls. Her eyes were a shimmering, smoky blue, and he hadn’t been able to resist her. They had been so powerfully drawn to each other that they had ravished each other right then and there, the woman’s legs splayed out with her back against a mighty oak.

When he brought her back to the clan, the others were astounded. It was clear that she was from Kaldernon, whether by some strange twist of fate or pure chance. The Kersh clan suddenly knew that other rips in the dimensional fabric separating Earth and Kaldernon must have opened up, letting in a group of people from their world who were renowned for their ability to carry the dragon-born children; the Lonis. They were exceptionally intelligent and artistic, and had created a civilization in Kaldernon that brought great joy and culture to those who lived there.

The young maiden was completely oblivious to the importance of her bloodline, but when she looked to the sky and saw Kaldernon for the first time, her eyes widened in disbelief and they knew it must be true. Nobody but descendants of Kaldernon were able to see it shimmering in the sky, taunting them from above, almost like a vision from a dream.

But when asked what she knew of her relatives, she had grown quiet and unhappy.

“It is only my sister and I,” she had said woefully. “Everybody else died onboard the ship.”

This meant that nobody had told them about Kaldernon. She quickly became infatuated with the dragon shifter and bore many of his children. The bloodline stayed strong with her descendants after that, but then, they had begun to die out. Now, it was only her sister’s heirs who lived on, oblivious to the dragon-born, living their lives and doing their part to ensure the prosperity and culture of Earth’s civilization.

The Kersh clan was thinning out, though, and everybody had turned to Clayton for answers. He had been the descendent of the original leader of the Kersh clan, and his bloodline was not crossed with the Lonis. However, it was only a Loni that would be able to help them to ensure the continuation of their race, and he was terrified that if he couldn’t find the last woman of Loni descent, everything they had worked for would be lost. There would be no dragon-born left to ensure the survival of their beautiful lore, and all the progress they had made in researching the rift of time and space that kept them from Kaldernon was useless. Everyone who had lived before him would have died in vain.

And so the dragon-born had become extremely determined to protect the Loni descendants. They had tracked them through the ages, but had never needed their aid until now, when there was only one woman left who was capable of doing what needed to be done. But how could they approach her and ask the impossible of her? It was unfair, and odd, to approach a woman simply to ask her to be the unwitting carrier of a dragon-born child. She was coveted and precious to the Kersh clan, and had been secretly protected ever since she was a child.

Clayton had gotten his first glance of her when they were both around ten years old. She was walking down the sidewalk, secretly singing a quiet song that gave him a wistful feeling. It reminded him of the musical stories that had been shared with the Kersh clan before they had been spit out of Kaldernon. The imaginative Lonis had created many beautiful songs that still survived in his clan, and they were blessed with so many musical gifts that her little song immediately struck him as the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.

She didn’t see him and continued walking, but she dropped a little piece of paper out of her backpack. Clayton saw it and gasped. Should he retrieve it for her or should he run away and pretend he hadn’t seen anything? But what if it was important? He wasn’t supposed to interact with any of the humans, and most especially not the Lonis, just in case he roused suspicion. He was dressed in loose black pants and a red vest, but it was his eyes that would give him away. They were a true sign of the dragon-born, illuminated by green and gold specks. Sometimes his pupils would contract into slits, giving them an abnormally reptilian look that made the humans uneasy. What if she screamed?

But he couldn’t bear the thought of her missing the piece of paper, and ran behind her in his bare feet and retrieved it. He chased her down.

“Hey!” he called, panting and waving the paper in the air. “You dropped this!”

She turned around and fixed her beautiful eyes upon him, a look that had made his heart thud painfully in his chest. He quickly averted his eyes and stared down at the ground. Not only was this a safety measure, but it guaranteed that she wasn’t disturbed by his reptilian gaze.

“Thank you,” she said, turning to tuck the paper back in her bag. She had wanted to continue the conversation, but when she turned back to the sidewalk, the boy was gone.

She had no idea that he had been doing his best to keep her safe, in the background, for the majority of their lives. He tried not to learn anything much about her, but it was difficult. He knew she spent a lot of time and money at art supply stores. He knew she worked at a library and enjoyed shopping at an organic foods store. And he also knew that she was the most beautiful singer he had ever heard, and would often hum to herself as she moved throughout her day from one destination to another.

Other than that, he had hoped to get to know her naturally and did his best not to act too much like a stalker. But he had to keep an eye on her, especially with the Guardians on the move. They would stop at nothing to destroy her and learn the secrets of Kaldernon, and if they succeeded in their mission, Clayton’s people would be lost forever.

CHAPTER FOUR

“We’ve been waiting,” the handsome man’s full mouth whispered, his breath hot on her neck. Krista moaned as his broad hands roamed up and down her body, his strong fingers trailing over her every curve. It had been so long since she’d been explored like this, and she couldn’t remember a man ever taking his time to be so surprisingly intimate.

But he seemed attuned to her every spark of pleasure, and knew just what he had to do to coax more from her body. She allowed herself to experience the heights of pleasure he brought to her and found herself aroused in a raw, uncharacteristic way. He was so powerful.

She became suddenly aware of her own powerful arousal, hot and tingling as he pressed the length of his impressive manhood against her. She sighed as his mouth dropped hot kisses all over her body and he teased and tantalized her, spreading her legs apart and running his hands up and down her thighs, leaving trails of fire in his wake.

She allowed herself to stare at him; the gorgeous man who felt so familiar, who had been following her in her dreams for so long. Who she had finally seen in the flesh; whose arms she had felt shielding her when she thought that nobody could hear her cries.

But now her voice had taken on a husky, animalistic quality as he touched her. Her urgent need for him to fill her was making her feel impatient, but she relished the long, sweet fires he was stoking. She felt her own body writhing with pleasure beneath him as she gazed at his perfect body. He was fully naked, and his penis was standing straight up, erect, massive, and patient, pulsing with the same unbridled desire that she felt.

“I’ve been waiting,” he said, his eyes boring into hers. And finally, he shoved himself deep inside her hot walls. Her body exploded in pleasure and she cried out so loudly that she woke herself up.

Krista groaned and rubbed her head, immediately forgetting her dream as her mind became fuzzy with pain. There was a throbbing bump on the back of her head. She opened her eyes and sat up urgently. How had she gotten back to her bedroom? She vaguely remembered a group of men waiting outside the bar to attack her, but she didn’t know why they would want to do something like that. She was innocent, after all. What had she ever done to them?

She tried to recall anything about the night before and found herself frustrated at the blankness of it all. What had happened? Did she walk home alone? She couldn’t remember driving her car, it was probably still in the parking lot at the bar. She silently cursed Marcia for forcing her to go out with her that night. She would have been happy to stay inside and practice her guitar.

Unfortunately, she had succumbed to the social pressure that her friend had put on her and had no other option than to accept that she would feel better knowing her friend wasn’t alone in meeting her crush. Fortunately, she hadn’t make plans and was able to accompany Marcia, even though she would have preferred to stay in. Sometimes, her friend had the worst taste in people, and she was always worried whenever she said that she had an interest in some man or another.

Trying to recall the night before, all that she could remember was the dream that she had been having. A man with blazing green eyes had appeared out of nowhere, and turned into a gigantic beast. It was the most intense dream that she had had in a long time, and for some reason, it made her feel nostalgic, as if she was meeting an old friend. She would have expected to feel terrified, but that wasn’t how she felt at all.

Suddenly, memories of the night before began to flood her. She felt as if she were dreaming, and yet, it felt real, as if it were a memory. The men who had attacked her in the alleyway had run away screaming as the giant beast threatened to attack them. The huge beast had stood over her protectively and flared his nostrils, producing sparks that could have ignited a gigantic fire from the dumpster in the alleyway.

She vaguely remembered the feeling of weightlessness as she was lifted, cool air rushing over her body. She remembered a deep rumbling voice. Someone so masculine that he invoked a thrill in her body that aroused her even as she was holding on tightly to her consciousness. Her body responded deeply to the intoxicating smell of the woods on him. Her mind lingered on the man’s long black hair; it gave her the impression of someone exotic and mysterious. And yet he felt familiar, as if they had somehow already met.

Krista stood up and realized that she found it difficult to maintain her balance. Whatever injuries she had sustained had left her dizzy and made it difficult for her to properly enjoy the morning. She stumbled into her bathroom and stared into the reflection in the mirror. Her light blue eyes looked gaunt and sunken, as if she had been punched in the face. She wasn’t bruised up or anything, but she was definitely very tired. Her long, flowing blonde hair was messed up, and she found herself feeling very annoyed that she couldn’t recall the events from the night before.

What in the world had those men been thinking? Why had they wanted to attack her? As far as she knew, she hadn’t done anything wrong. So why was it that she was being targeted? Nothing about it made sense, especially not the part where the stranger mysteriously came and saved her.

Maybe that had all been just a dream, some kind of silly fantasy that she had entered into when she was going unconscious. That would make some kind of sense, it seemed more logical that she was slightly crazy than it did for dragons to exist, particularly in this day and age. Not only that, but it would explain how she had begun to dream about the man who had turned into a dragon. It must have been some kind of strange and fanciful thing that her mind had concocted to help her cope with the inexplicable events of the night before.

But she knew that sometimes even the most absurd events didn’t have a good enough explanation. Sometimes innocent people were targeted and there was no rhyme or reason to it. That part was out of her power. But what she could do was attempt to find a way to get those bastards in trouble for the problems that they had caused her and do her best to piece together the events of the night before.

She had a pounding headache, and felt annoyed. She hadn’t even gotten drunk the night before, and yet, she seemed to be suffering from the same kind of symptoms that she would have had from a hangover. She figured that the least she could have done was get drunk out of it. But it was too late for that.

She stripped slowly, examining her body for any sign of injury. She had a bruise on her left leg, and one on her arm, but other than that, she seemed all right. It was lucky that she was, but still, she didn’t feel like going into work that day. After she showered, she sat back down in her bed and reached for the phone. She was going to call her boss, and ask for an opportunity to use one of her vacation days and pretend that none of the misery she had endured had happened at all.

Suddenly, she heard a noise outside the window and jumped, startled nearly out of her skin. The phone slipped out of her hand and dropped to the floor, and she stood up quickly, heading toward the window to find the cause of the noise. There was construction happening down below, and she shuddered as she retrieved the phone.

The world no longer felt safe to her, and she was feeling rather uncomfortable with the fact that she had been attacked just hours before. What had those men wanted? They had seemed like they had a purpose. If that was the case, would they be back? Did they know where she lived? Somebody must have, because there she was. She didn’t remember putting herself to bed, and she couldn’t remember anything else that had happened. It was truly spooky, and she stared at the phone for a moment, contemplating whether or not she truly wanted to stay at home by herself and get startled by every little creak that she heard.

Ultimately, Krista decided that she would not call off work, and she would do her best to fulfill her obligations in her job. She would feel safer being around other people rather than just hanging around her apartment like a sitting duck, waiting for something terrible to happen. Maybe instead of going to work, however, she should go and file a report to the police. Maybe that would be more constructive than filing paperwork and shelve books all day long.

Her mind drifted back to the man who had saved her. Why had he felt so familiar? He might have been a figment of her imagination, but she didn’t think so. If he had, then she would have been much worse off than she was now. Who knew what those men would have done to her if the handsome stranger hadn’t saved her just in the nick of time? She wouldn’t be worried about making it to work; rather, she would have been stolen into the night. Maybe even killed.

She did call her boss then, and explained what had happened to her the night before. Her boss was horrified and insisted that she take the afternoon to talk to the police. If she felt like coming in, she could do so after she filed her report. But not a moment sooner.

Krista was grateful for her boss’s support and dressed quickly, realizing that the apartment that she lived in suddenly felt far too big for someone who might or might not be the target of a malicious group of strange and angry men at any given moment.

CHAPTER FIVE

A few hours later, Krista was talking to a kind policewoman about her terrible experience. The woman nodded seriously whenever she asked Krista a question and Krista answered it.

“I have to say, I haven’t heard about anybody else being attacked lately. If it was gang activity, you would think that we would’ve heard something else about it by now. Many people are generally targeted around the bars, but it has been a slow month. Unfortunately, it seems like you are one of the first to report any violence of this nature for quite a while. That’s good for the city as a whole, but that means that we don’t have any leads or suspects at the time. Could you try to describe your attackers and their apparel for me? That would really help us to try and make a distinction when we are coming down on the perpetrator.”

Krista tried to think back to what the men had been wearing. She frowned, thinking that the policewoman might not believe her. It seemed too unusual to be true, and to be honest, she wasn’t exactly trusting her own memories either. Not after she believed that she had seen the man who saved her turn into a dragon. That was just too out of this world to accept. So naturally, she kept that part to herself and only mentioned that a dark-haired man appeared to be the one who had saved her. But from there, she couldn’t remember anything else that had happened.

The policewoman nodded and told her that a lapse in memory was normal after a traumatic event like that. But it would be very helpful if she was able to explain what kind of outfits the attackers were wearing.

“It was like they were wearing robes or something,” Krista said reluctantly.

She didn’t want the policewoman to look at her as if she were crazy, but the woman’s piercing blue eyes fixed on her for a moment, her eyebrow raising almost unnoticeably. Krista was perceptive, though, and knew that she would have to tread lightly in order to stay on the policewoman’s good side. Otherwise, she may no longer be receptive to Krista’s experience.

“What kind of robes?” the policewoman said, scribbling a note down and not taking her eyes off of Krista.

“Not the kind of robes that you normally see or think of,” Krista said with a sigh. “It was more like the types of robes that the monks in the medieval times would have worn. I’m not saying that they were running around wearing bathrobes or anything. That would be weird. But this is also weird. It was almost like they were a cult of some sort.”

“That is quite strange,” the policewoman said with a nod. “Do you remember anything else distinguishing about their appearances? I will have to do my best to go through the city’s records and find out if there is any organization that might have that type of wardrobe.”

“Well, they were wearing trench coats over the robes, so they blended in. The trench coats were black, and they were wearing sandals. They seemed mean and dirty, and they attacked me out of nowhere. I don’t understand why they would do something like that.”

Krista waited for the policewoman to reply, but she was too busy scribbling down her notes.

“Were they carrying weapons of any sort?” the policewoman asked her.

“Yes, actually, they were. They had these weird type of guns that I had never seen before, but they weren’t using them on me. They pulled them on the man who came out to rescue me, though. I don’t know where he went. I wish he was around so that I could maybe have some help with filling out this report and finding out what’s going on.”

“You’re doing fine,” the policewoman said with a short nod. “Now, just tell me anything else that you remember about that night, and we will get this submitted and try and find the perpetrators as soon as possible.”

“Thank you,” Krista said, and set to work remembering every little detail that she possibly could. It would be nice to get herself a small amount of justice. Still, she knew that it wouldn’t be enough. She wouldn’t have any peace until she understood exactly what happened that night.

CHAPTER SIX

Clayton growled to himself as he rushed through the forest, his mind completely on Krista. She had seen him, that much was certain, but he didn’t know how much she could remember. He had lain her on her bed, covering her up and tending to her head wound as briefly and gently as he could. He knew that she would probably be very upset if she knew that he was there, and so he had left as quickly as possible and headed back to his underground lair with the rest of his clan.

They had all been curious about what had transpired that night, because it was very out of character for Clayton to be out of sorts in any way. They were used to him being cool and composed in every situation, and the fact that he was flustered seemed to spark a red flag that brought him a lot of attention from the members of his clan. The dragon-born people were very astute with perceiving emotions, and they knew that he was in distress.

“What in the world has happened to you Clayton?” they asked him, bringing him cups of water and plates of food. “Where on Earth have you been all night long? We know that the human-born does not stay out this late, she likes to go to sleep early. Something must be wrong.”

“She was attacked by the Guardians,” Clayton said, his face darkening. Hearing the words out loud only served to make him even angrier. The poor woman had no idea about her lineage, and she would not be as helpful to the Guardians as they seemed to think she would. It had taken them a long time to track her down, but now that they finally had, the Kersh clan would no longer be able to take a break from protecting her.

The dragon-born stared at Clayton, their eyes wide in disbelief and fear. They didn’t want anything to happen to him or to the woman who could potentially be the savior of their clan. This was terrible news, and they began to whisper amongst themselves, spreading a quiet panic.

“Please be quiet,” Clayton said, putting his hand to his temples. “We don’t know what will happen, but I do think that we should do our best to watch Krista and make sure that she is not in any more danger. We will have to take shifts for patrols from now on, instead of assuming that she will be okay for a few hours without any supervision. You know what the Guardians will do if they are able to catch her.

And they are not going to give up after failing just once. It’s definite that they will come back and strike again and again. I can only hope that they have not been able to trace her apartment yet. They found her seemingly by mistake in the alleyway, as they hoped to do, by posting men outside the doors of popular and crowded areas. Somehow, this inefficient strategy managed to work for them and she found herself an unlucky victim of circumstance. It was really fortunate that I was there to stop them.”

The people around him listened intently, nodding in understanding of the dire situation. They did not want to let Krista fall subject to the Guardians. They were terrible people. Many of the Lonis had been subject to immense torture by the Guardians. The Guardians came from a long ago established order of men who had discovered that the fabrics between the dimensions were torn, sometimes allowing mystical creatures and beings to fall through, giving them no choice but to make themselves comfortable on Earth.

These fundamentalists believed that it was no laughing matter and that the earth was not there for sharing. The earth was, in fact, for human beings and human beings alone, and if they were threatened by the invasion of another species, it meant that human beings might not be the top of the food chain. This is something that they could not settle for, and had quickly begun to learn as much as possible about the paranormal order of things. They clearly didn’t know as much as they hoped they did, or as much as they pretended to. This gaping hole in their knowledge brought them a profound sense of fear and panic.

They did not seem to care or understand that the beings who found themselves on Earth had no choice in the matter. In fact, they were victims of unfortunate circumstance who had found themselves lost in a world that they did not recognize, teeming with bitterness and fear. Without the Guardian’s knowledge and compassion toward the displaced peoples of other dimensions, they were subtly and slowly creating a hostile environment that was capable of procuring a devastating war; one that might transcend through the fabrics of time and space.

Clayton was familiar with the acts of the Guardians. The Lonis and the Kersh clan were not the only paranormal beings that had been able to cross through the portholes in the sky. He had traveled for a long way with his predecessor; the leader of the clan, and also his father. Together, they had seen other tears in the fabric of the Earth’s atmosphere. He was told that other beings, fairies and other mystical hidden creatures, had been thrown through the dimensions and lost on Earth.

“But how is that possible?” Clayton had asked. “What happens in these worlds that makes the creatures susceptible to being thrown into another world?”

“Just as the Guardians speculate, all I can tell you is what the previous leader told me. Your question is one the Guardians are hoping to answer. They want to safeguard this world from such invasion. They think of us all as monsters. Unfortunately, for both the people on Earth, who don’t want us here, and for us, who wouldn’t be here if given a choice, it’s impossible to change the rips in the fabric or to keep innocent creatures from falling through. Frankly, none of us truly wanted to end up on Earth, and the fact remains that many of us are more miserable here than we would be in our homeland.

“However, there seems to be nothing that we can do to prevent these occurrences. Every so often, there is a heavy vibration that pulses through the universe. Everything in creation is affected by this. For a long time, the fabrics between the dimensions had been able to hold up against the strain, but because of the corruption on Earth, and the poor intentions of the people who lived there, it has made the atmosphere very toxic and thin. It is easy for things to fall right through or be lost outside of it. There are holes all over the place that should not be there and do not exist in other places and worlds.”

Clayton had listened sullenly to his father, and his heart panged painfully at the memory. His father had died long ago, and ever since, it had been up to him to lead the clan into prosperity. But they were running out of options, and now he knew that Krista was the only one who could save them.

“Where is the girl now? I can go and look after her,” one of the dragon-born women said dutifully, standing up and preparing to launch herself out of the entrance of the underground tunnel.

“I’m not sure, I stayed and watched over her house all night, but when she left, I knew I had to come back here. It’s impossible for me to keep my eyes open any longer. It was a very long night. I’m sure she’s going to work at the library, and if not, she is going to be filing a report against the people who attacked her. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you to find her at the police station or at her work place. Just listen for the subtle vibration. She sings when she walks. She has a Loni song and it is a sound that resonates with our kind. You will not mistake it, no matter where you are. It might be loud and prominent enough that you could find it even now. I wish I could try, but I’m afraid I’m too tired.”

“No, don’t strain yourself. We will make sure that we keep a good eye on her.”

“I appreciate that,” Clayton said. “You all understand how important she is. I understand that it will be even more challenging than before, but somehow, we have to figure out how we can lead her into the clan and help her understand our ways. If she knows about her lineage, perhaps she will be able to find some peace and comfort among the members of our clan. That is the ideal, and I truly hope that you guys will consider the ways that we can bring her here and make her feel welcome.”

Everybody nodded quietly, seeing that their handsome leader was very close to falling asleep. They began to silently file out of the room, some lingering and leading him to a soft bed of feathery pillows. He sunk into it and closed his eyes, and found himself pulled into the deep comforts of a rejuvenating sleep.

CHAPTER SEVEN

As Clayton slept, he dreamt about the Guardians. He remembered his first encounter with them when he was a young man, and had never fully gotten over the repercussions of it. It was this very encounter that had led to the death of his father.

The Guardians were merciless and cruel, and believed that they were doing everybody a favor by getting rid of any interplanetary species that might be invading the Earth. It was one of the most close-minded things that Clayton had ever heard, and he had originally believed that negotiating with them and showing them that they were not truly as bad as the ignorant men believed they were could somehow make a difference and bring an end the slaughter, once and for all.

It had been this crucial mistake that had cost his father his life. Clayton dreamt of the horrific day time and time again, and this night was no different. It always began the same way.

Clayton and his father strolling through the woods, looking for food and items that they could use to make tools out of. Clayton listening to his father’s voice, the soft rumble, as it explained the secret inner workings of the world to his only son.

And then, confusion and chaos. Clayton being knocked to the ground and his father grunting in pain. The wild men with no hair and beady, angry eyes as they tied ropes around his father. His father snarling and beginning to shape shift into his mighty dragon form, being electrocuted before he was able to finish the transformation and falling limply to the ground.

Clayton stood up, with his legs shaking, and yelled to the man as he always did in his dream as he had on that fateful day, to leave his father alone. That peace was possible. He had a fantasy that he would be able to explain the plight of the celestial beings who found themselves lost on Earth. Perhaps they could work together to find a solution and get rid of the problem. His father was weak and wounded, and people were hacking away at his limbs with axes. They were trying to get through the thick dragon scales, and his armor, but it wasn’t easy and it was painful.

“What the hell does this boy think he’s doing?” one of the men said with a snarl. “We’re going to have to put him in his place, you know. That will be pretty fun to watch, won’t it?”

With that, Clayton’s father grew furious. Nobody threatened his young son and got away with it. Especially not these men. His father stood and tried to attack, but it left his underside vulnerable. A man stuck a sword through it, and Clayton watched in horror as his father began to lose great amounts of blood. He fell limply to the forest floor, gasping for breath and staring at his son with worried round eyes. There was an expression on his face that drove Clayton into this nightmare again and again. It was more than just a nightmare. It was the miserable reality of their lives. The most traumatic experience that he had ever had.

“Father…” Clayton whispered as his father drew in his dying breath. His large body quaked and shuddered as the life escaped it, and Clayton turned on his heel and ran away. His father’s attackers were too busy tying ropes around the shifter’s corpse to notice that Clayton had gone. They wanted to get it back to their headquarters as quickly as possible.

Clayton had never been more horrified in his life, and found himself running as quickly as his legs could carry him, until he was out of breath. He collapsed onto the forest floor just as his father had moments before. He stayed there, silent and unmoving, until one of the members of his clan stumbled across him. They thought that he was sick, and lifted him up and carried him back to the underground caverns. It took three days before he spoke a word, but by then, everybody had guessed that his father was gone. He had not returned with his son, and the acute state of grief that Clayton was experiencing said it all.

Now, in his dreams as an adult, Clayton was able to seek revenge. Everything happened the same way every time, right down to the lost and scared look in his father’s eyes. However, now that he was grown and he had some experience as a warrior under his belt, he found himself capable of striking back against the enemy. He would attack them, and bludgeon them all. Sometimes he would rip them apart with his bare hands and teeth. He would turn into a savage, with an aching desire to destroy everything at any cost, even if that meant he himself would be doomed. Nothing else mattered; all he wanted was to have his father back. Because that was impossible, he was forced to live without hope. Nobody thought that Clayton was going to recover from his grief, and it was true. Clayton had remained quiet and reserved ever since.

The most joy that he was able to find was in watching Krista from afar, and the memory that he treasured of her smile as he handed her the paper that she had dropped on the sidewalk. Now, she was his to protect, and he would do whatever it took. He could not fail her the same way that he had failed his father. If he had only kept his mouth shut or paid more attention to the situation at hand, maybe his father would still be alive. Maybe they would have been able to best the Guardians rather than turning the day into a tragedy.

He tossed and turned, moaning, until he sat upright in bed with hot tears streaming down his face. It always unleashed the floodgates when he had this dream, and although it felt nice to get revenge and tear apart all of the men who had harmed him and his father, Clayton found himself feeling empty every time he woke up. It would never bring his father back, and no amount of revenge would be enough.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“What makes you think that we are going to find her at the bar again?” Frederick asked. He scowled to the leader at the front of the line, and Richard smiled.

“I don’t know that we will find her there, but I do think that perhaps we will find a clue as to her whereabouts now. And anyway, since it was the last place we saw her, it wouldn’t hurt to try. Would it?”

Frederick couldn’t argue with that, and followed Richard until they made it to the bar where they had seen the dragon-born carrier. If they were able to take her back to the laboratory, it was possible that they would finally have the key. Her blood could teach them all they needed to know about opening and sealing the dimensions of the time portals and the rips in the fabric between the worlds.

Based on a lot of the research that they had been doing, the blood of the carriers was extremely special. With it came great possibilities. There was a reason that this particular type of people from the world above had been so revered. They were the builders and creators; the oracles and the artists. Without them, not only would there be no culture, but there would be very little pleasure in the lives of the people of Kaldernon. Their gifts had been utilized, time and again, to maintain balance and order within the world they lived in.

But now the Loni were in the Earth world, and that was going to have to be enough. They were not special, not the way they had been considered special before in Kaldernon. They were not fantastic creatures who were meant to carve out peace and unity, spreading peace and art worldwide. They were the overlooked and under sung citizens of the world that they thought they belonged to but were truly too good for.

To harness any of their power, particularly the power of the last Loni on Earth with the ability to carry a child for the dragon-borns, was a great opportunity. With her in their possession, they would be able to learn more and perfect the greatest weapon in their arsenal. Something that could feel a rip in the dimensional fabric and keep it sealed. Something that could tear apart a paranormal being atom by atom. If her blood was able to help them as much as they thought it could, they would stop at nothing to capture her and keep her in their laboratory.

“How long ago has it been since we were here last?” Rodney asked.

“It’s been about seventeen hours. Which means the scent would still be fresh. Maybe we can get one of the bloodhounds on the trail.”

“I can go fetch one if you want,” Rodney replied.

“That would be fantastic. You do that. In the meantime, we’re going to stay here and hope that we can catch a glimpse of the carrier.”

The group looked around at each other and nodded. Each had been told to keep their eyes on a certain area of a carrier’s body so that they could recognize her even under the most elaborate disguise. If the dragon-born were able to get to her first, that meant that all of their work would have gone to waste. And that was something that none of them wanted to see happen. They couldn’t afford that type of setback. Not when they were so close to achieving their goals.

Suddenly, Richard’s cell phone began to ring. He paused and answered it.

“Hello?” he asked. He listened intently as the voice on the other end spoke quickly. His eyebrows furrowed with concern and then relief.

“She was just at the police station,” Richard said, snapping his phone closed and stuffing it into his pocket. “She was filing a report against us for attacking her. Good thing Josie was there today. She’s so loyal to our mission. She used to attend the meetings when she was just a little girl, sitting on her father’s lap. I always tried to make sure there were coloring books there for her. What a precious and pure soul she is.”

Everybody nodded and murmured their appreciation for Josie. It was good to have friends in high places, and the guardian’s council certainly did have that. They needed to if they were truly going to shape the face of the world around them and protect it from invasive species.

“Should we go and intercept her now?” Richard asked the rest of the group. Everybody nodded and followed him toward the police station. Richard was pleased by the great stroke of luck that they had been having. It had been a long time since they’d had hope of finding the carrier, and now everything seemed to be falling into place. It was such a great stroke of luck that they had been able to discover just where the carrier was right when they needed her the most. If she provided the dragon-born clan with any more heirs, the eradication of their extremely dangerous species would be a waste. If they were reproducing and spawning, who knew whether or not they would turn against their human companions and use their power against them. It was dangerous and likely that this would happen, and everybody was terrified of the consequences of such behavior.

If she provided the dragon-born clan with any more heirs, their mission would be hopeless. They were certain that the Kersh clan had been improving their technology, and if they figured out the portal between the worlds before the guardians did, there would be hell to pay.

Josie had done her best to call as quickly as she possibly could without arousing suspicion. Krista was still finishing up with her paperwork, which gave the Guardians ample time to make it to the police station. They waited outside for her, smug smiles on their faces as they prepared themselves for another attack. Most of the police force knew of them as powerful men who worked behind the scenes, so their actions wouldn’t be questioned. They stayed concealed behind the trees, and quietly watched the front door of the police station as they hoped for Krista to emerge.

It seemed to take an extraordinarily long time, but finally, there she was. Her full lips were curved into a relieved smile as she descended the stone steps of the police station. When Richard gave a nod, everybody began to creep toward her.

Before they reached her, a female dragon-born landed out of nowhere in front of them, her eyes piercing through the group of Guardians menacingly. She had flown down from the sky and landed in half-human form, which was almost more dangerous than full-dragon form. It always depended. Sometimes, their guns didn’t work when the shifter was only half-dragon and half-human in appearance.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” the woman asked indignantly, staring at the Guardians. They were annoyed and clambered over each other to move past her, some of them reaching for their weapons, but others more concerned that they were losing sight of Krista. The direction that she was going in was soon to be lost to them.

“Get out of our way,” Richard growled, pushing his way past the shifter woman. She gave him a menacing smile before swiping her claws painfully across his cheek. He hissed in anger, and motioned for everybody to attack her. This seemed to be the action that she had been waiting for, and soon, they were engaged in a full out brawl. Krista was completely oblivious, and had already reached the parking lot. Before long, she was pulling away from the police station in her little copper-colored car.

In fact, nobody seemed to notice the battle waging between the Guardians and the single dragon shifter that had volunteered to look after Krista for the afternoon. They had learned a trick from the faeries in captivity about concealment, and had stolen some of their magic to make their own deeds easier to accomplish.

Clayton was going to be furious, the dragon-born woman thought to herself as she emitted dangerous heat waves that scolded the Guardians. They cried out in agony as their skin began to blister and they covered their faces with their hands. Backing away from the shifter, they retreated into the wooded area around the police station.

The shifter, whose name was Jasmine, followed along with Krista’s car in the air, completely concealed from everybody. She had never been more thankful for her ability to blend into the Earth’s atmosphere. Her relief was short-lived as her thoughts began to catch up with her.

It was vital that they protect Krista from the dangers of the Guardians. Now that the Guardians knew who Krista was, they probably had an idea of where she lived, or at least the general vicinity of the city that she came from. They were going to have to be extra careful. In fact, if they had people on the inside who worked at the police station, it was likely that they already had her address on file. The thought made Jasmine pause, and she shuddered as an icy panic began to overwhelm her. She had to tell Clayton, and she had to do it now.

CHAPTER NINE

“Clayton!” Jasmine exclaimed as she burst into the underground room, her eyes wide with fear. “They know who Krista is. They tried intercepting her at the police station. I need some help.”

Clayton sat up immediately, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. Krista was in danger. The one person who gave his life meaning might be in trouble right that moment. He stood up immediately and ran outside, without giving Jasmine a second thought. Everybody watched with wide eyes as Clayton shifted into his powerful dragon form and launched himself into the sky, flapping his huge wings and emitting an ominous dark energy as he flew through the sky.

Krista was oblivious to the dangers around her, and was walking cheerfully to work. She felt a little lighter after talking about what had happened during the attack, and was allowing herself to enjoy the memory of the handsome man who had saved her. She had plenty of time to let her mind wander as she meandered along her way. She had been enjoying the fresh air and cool breeze, and decided to park a couple of blocks away from the library so that she could get some exercise. She had always been athletic and it was difficult for her to stay cooped up for too long. She always enjoyed the open air much more than the constraints of her vehicle.

She was humming to herself, as she usually did when she was outside. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. Somebody was watching her. She could just feel it. She thought back to the night before, when she had been attacked, and looked around for whoever might be there. She saw nobody at first, but continued to glance around just in case. She didn’t feel like she was in danger, but she did feel a prying sense of concern.

She was shocked when a familiar pair of bright green eyes met hers. Her breath caught in her throat as the most majestic man she had ever seen became clear to her. Her savior from the night before.

The gorgeous man’s mouth curled into a kind smile when she met his eyes, and a surge of energy seemed to pulse between them, one that made her feel hyperaware of every sensation in her body. The cool breeze on her skin, the pounding of her heart in her chest. The unexpected heat of his gaze and the stirring of desire that his gaze seemed to invoke.

Krista walked toward him slowly, the tension between them higher than it had ever been between herself and another human being. She opened her mouth to call out to him, to ask why he seemed so familiar, but suddenly, she dropped her cell phone on the sidewalk. She bent down to pick it up, and when she turned around to look for him again, he was gone. She felt a devastated sense of disappointment that he was gone, and was tugged into a faraway memory from childhood. Another dark, handsome boy who had been there one second and had vanished the next, leaving only the paper in her hand to tell her that he had really been there.

The handsome man’s face stayed with her throughout the day, and she randomly found herself thinking about him. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she recognized him from somewhere, and the fact that she couldn’t remember where he knew her from really bothered her. Where would she have seen a man that attractive? Whose sheer presence could electrify her in such a way? But she still couldn’t, no matter how hard she tried.

She groaned to herself, unable to focus on her work as her thoughts wandered to the gorgeous man and replayed her attack and the prominent visual of the dragon. Everybody around her seemed to be oblivious to the fact that she was still suffering psychologically from the night before. She had never been attacked, not quite so violently, and she decided to talk to her boss and ask if she could leave early to take some personal time to recover. She felt a little bit guilty about it, knowing that part of the reason she couldn’t concentrate was because she couldn’t stop fantasizing about the mysterious stranger who had saved her life, but either way, nothing was getting done and she would rather be at home.

Her boss nodded supportively and offered the services of the counselor who could come in to visit her if she needed it. Krista was flattered and touched by the offer, but she knew that she would only feel better if she was able to spend some time by herself for a while. And so, she packed up her things and headed out of her office at the library. She decided to go home to her apartment, and was grateful, once again, for the beautiful day outside as she walked for a few blocks to where she had parked her car. She paused by the spot where she had seen the man before and peered into the foliage, her heart pounding hopefully. She felt another confusing rush of arousal as she looked for him, but there was nobody there.

She felt nervous as she drove home, but she couldn’t understand why. She decided that it was probably just because of the men in the alleyway had attacked her the night before. The police woman who had taken her statement had nodded as if she understood exactly what Krista was talking about, but when it came time to finally thank her and talk about pressing charges, the woman had seemed distant and aloof, and told her not to get her hopes up. It sounded as if she was having a hard time mentally, and if that was the case, it was unlikely that the people that Krista described were truly what she believed they were.

It had been very strange. She seemed to be trying to make Krista doubt herself and her experiences, even though she hadn’t even told the woman about the dragon shifter who had saved her. Krista had a feeling that if the woman had heard about that part, then she would have probably sent her off to the psych ward.

What Krista didn’t know was that she was lucky that the woman had no idea who Krista was. If she knew that she was the carrier, she would have put her in a cell and waited for the Guardians to take her away. However, she had simply told the Guardians that somebody had spotted them, and the Guardians knew who she was and took it from there. They were very secretive about their affairs, and were happy that Josie was still in the dark about who Krista was. It was a very complicated matter as it stood, and so they wanted to leave matters in their own hands and proceed with their pursuit secretly of the carrier of the dragon-born children.

When Jasmine had intercepted the Guardians to save Krista, she had hoped that they would take off and leave Krista alone for the rest of the day. But once they had their hands on all of her files, including her home and work address and just about everything else that they might need to know, they decided that there was no time like the present. They would go after her until she was theirs.

CHAPTER TEN

Krista sighed and tossed her car keys onto the small table by her door. She closed it heavily behind her and leaned against it, thinking to herself how nice it would be to have a frozen coffee. She felt completely drained, and had been uneasy about her attackers ever since she had left work. It almost felt as if they were right in the car with her, and that made her feel very nervous.

Fortunately for Krista, everybody at the library was independent and didn’t rely on her to be there in order for things to run smoothly. She was able to leave without feeling guilty, and decided to spend the rest of her day taking a long bath and watching some of her favorite dramas on television. She knew it would be good for her to take a break, and couldn’t allow herself to feel pressured into performing when she just felt like sinking down in her couch.

She began to pull her jacket off when a noise coming from her living room made her freeze. A cold fear gripped her heart, and she stood, paralyzed, as her worst fears became realized. The same group of men who had attacked her before crept out from the rooms in her home and began to smile at her. It had to be a nightmare. She closed her eyes and hoped that when she opened them, they would be gone. But they weren’t.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked in a shaky voice. She began to wish that she had paid more attention during the self-defense courses that she had taken a few years ago. It had been fun at the time, but she had completely forgotten most of what she had learned from her instructor.

“We are here for you, darling,” the man who fancied himself a leader said as he glided toward her. It was eerie how he did that. It looked as if he had no feet.

“What do you want from me?” she asked. “There’s nothing I have that you could possibly want.”

“I suppose not. But then again, there are things in this world that you know nothing about.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, backing away from them with her hands trembling. If she just found a way to get out the open the door and run to the elevator, maybe she would be safe. If there were people in the hallway, she wouldn’t have to worry. They would be able to help her. Maybe she could even knock on one of her neighbor’s doors and get attention that way. Nobody would be able to harm her, at least not without witnesses. If she was going to be killed, she might as well go out with a small chance of justice.

“I know what you’re thinking, but don’t even try,” Richard said with a sneer, just as three of his men ran forward and gripped her by the arms. Richard approached, heaving a heavy mallet that he had every intention of slamming her over her head with unceremoniously.

Suddenly, the entire apartment was shaking and full of heat. Everybody cringed and looked toward the gigantic window near the balcony, where a huge black dragon was flapping its tremendous wings and roaring. He lunged through the window, shattering the glass and tearing up part of the drywall. Krista was terrified, but if this was the same dragon that had saved her from these men before, she would just have to worry about her rent deposit later.

“Damn you!” Richard exclaimed, turning toward the dragon and reaching into the holster at his side. Before he had a chance to aim his weapon, Clayton smacked it away from him, using one of his gigantic talons to slice through Richard’s arm. The gun and the hand fell to the floor, and Richard shrieked.

“Kill him!” Richard said, staring at the little stub where his hand used to be. “Show no mercy. And get the girl out of here.”

Instantly, the apartment was an inferno and men were screaming and running in all directions. Most of them had their clothes scorched and on fire, and were running toward the entrance of the apartment building in hopes of escape. Krista ducked away from them, doing her best to avoid both the men and the flames. She was terrified, but she had to keep her bearings or else she could die.

Soon, all the men had vacated the apartment, and none of them dared to come back. Krista put a cloth over her face, reluctant to go out into the hallway where the evil men would surely be waiting for her. She didn’t know what to do. There seemed to be no chance for an escape. She was pretty sure she was going to die. But would she rather die in a raging fire or at the hands of the terrible men?

Before she had a chance to decide, a dark figure approached her. It wasn’t a huge dragon. It was a man, a rippling and muscular man. Krista’s eyes widened as he approached her, pushing his long black hair out of his face. She was surprised to realize that he was completely nude, and he looked exactly like the man that she had seen earlier in the day, before she had gone to work.

“I must be dreaming,” she laughed, shamelessly drinking him in from head to foot. He was even more beautiful naked than he had been fully clothed. He looked as if he spent all of his time doing strenuous physical activity. She couldn’t believe how well-sculpted he was. She had secretly envisioned the perfect man at times, when she was lying in bed late at night, letting her hands explore her sensitive, aroused body, but she was a virgin and had only been able to imagine someone half as handsome to steal that virginity away. Her eyes lingered on his exposed groin for a moment – he was impressively well-endowed – and she was blushing deeply before he spoke.

“Come with me Krista,” he said, offering his broad hand to her.

“Who are you?” she asked, but she wasn’t able to make out his reply. The smoke had become too much, and she passed out in his arms.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Clayton was able to catch Krista before she hit the ground. He lifted her up in his strong arms and knew that he had to get her out of the flames. It had been a dangerous and risky move to blow fire at the attackers, but he didn’t care how many of them he killed.  He felt a little bad about destroying her home, but, he thought glumly, it would have been even better to kill all of them rather than allow Krista to become captured by such evil men. He knew that it wasn’t the greatest solution, but if he had to make the choice, killing her would be more merciful than allowing her to become one of their experiments.

Fortunately, he had gotten there just in time. She had seen him, and now, if he didn’t get her out of there, she would die. He transformed back into his dragon form and launched himself out the window, gripping Krista tightly in his claws. He couldn’t let her escape or become more vulnerable to the attacks of the Guardians.

As he flew through the sky and Kaldernon became visible, he let himself relax a little and allowed his mind to wander back to the way Krista had stared at his body. The unmistakable hunger in her eyes had deeply aroused him, and he clutched her warm body to himself tightly, hoping that she was going to be okay.

Everybody was excited and confused when Clayton reappeared from the sky with Krista in his clutches. He lowered her down gently, handing her off to some of the other shifters that he trusted. She was still passed out, and they decided that it would be best to take her immediately to the medics. Clayton collapsed onto the ground, sighing as he shifted back into his human form. It had been very emotionally taxing to encounter the Guardians again. All he could think about once the panic was over were his terrible memories of that night that he lost his father.

Eventually, he went back into the underground tunnels and crawled up on his bed. He needed to sleep, and it. It had been far too long since he had slept well. But he was still so excited and full of adrenaline from the encounter with the Guardians that all he could do was toss and turn and worry about whether or not Krista was going to be all right. She had mostly fainted out of shock, he was sure of this, but it was still dangerous for her to have any type of smoke inhalation. And being in the underground meant that the air quality might not be as good.

With that thought, he forced himself to stand up and head out to where the medics had taken Krista. He expected to find her still asleep, and was surprised when he realized that she was wide awake and very alert. All of the shifters around her were smiling patiently and nodding as she asked impossible questions to them. One of the medics grinned and pushed Clayton toward her.

“She has been asking for you,” he said, seeming grateful for a chance to escape from Krista’s intense questioning.

Clayton suddenly felt nervous. He had never expected to be alone in a room with Krista before. But soon, everybody was backing away and leaving them alone together. Krista was staring at him, her eyes an intense shade of blue. True to Loni fashion, her eyes seemed to change with her mood. Her expression was serious, if not brazen, and she let her eyes roam him once again, taking him in with his cloak on and obviously deciding that she liked him the other way better. He had to grin; she was exactly how he had pictured she would be.

“So what in the hell is going on exactly?” she asked him, wasting no time. She excited herself and began to cough, and Clayton frowned. He poured a glass of water for her and brought it to her bedside, sitting down heavily on a stool beside her bed.

“I don’t know how much of this you would believe, or even how much of it you would like to hear.”

“Oh trust me,” Krista said with a gleam in her eye, “I want to hear everything.”

Clayton squirmed for a moment as he tried to figure out where to begin. He always thought that it would be easy to explain to her what had happened and how important she was to their clan, but now that he was being put to the test, the words seemed to fail him.

“Okay, then why don’t you let me start,” Krista said, fingering her chin. “Why is it that I recognize you? Why have you been following me? And why are those guys trying to kill me?”

“I don’t think they’re trying to kill you,” Clayton said. “But if they did catch you, I think that you would quickly be wishing for death. What they would do to you is far worse than killing you.”

“What do you mean? And who are you, anyway?”

“My name is Clayton, and I know that your name is Krista. Now, those people know your name, too. And I don’t think that is a good thing.”

“Well, obviously not, if that means that they can find me wherever I go,” Krista said with a frown.

“Yes, they probably could now. But you’re a lot safer here with us than you are in your own apartment.”

“Oh my gosh, my apartment…All of my things. They’re probably all burnt to a crisp by now,” Krista said, laying her head back into her pillow heavily. “Do you know how hard it is to find the perfect wardrobe? You guys really owe me for that.”

“I’m sorry,” Clayton said, trying to hide his smile. “I may have acted a little rashly, but I wasn’t sure how else to protect you.”

“Well, I guess it’s better than being stuck with those guys. They are pretty cruel,” Krista said.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Clayton said, his face growing hard. The change in his mood was obvious, and Krista looked up, her face bright with intrigue.

“I take it you don’t like them very much either,” Krista said with a tight smile.

“They killed my father,” Clayton said, brooding toward the doorway.

“Then what makes you think they don’t want to kill me?” Krista said, her face suddenly worried again.

“Because you are useful to them,” Clayton told her. “And actually, you are useful to us as well. But this is going to be very difficult for you to understand and for me to explain.”

“Whenever something is hard for me, I’ll just start at the beginning,” Krista said, “and plow my way through.”

“Well, in the beginning of my tale, there was Kaldernon,” Clayton said thoughtfully. “That’s where we came from. Everybody in my clan. And your ancestors as well.”

“My ancestors? All of my ancestors died on a boat, everything else from then on has been just sheer luck that my bloodline was able to last this long.”

“Well, I know something about your bloodline that you don’t, and that is, where the source of this anguish originated. I can show it to you if you’d like. But it’s a very special place that most people can’t see. However, I know that you have probably realized that you have greater senses than most other people by now. And your gift for song.”

Krista looked up at him sharply. She didn’t think she liked the fact that he knew about her singing.

“I’m nothing special,” she said edgily.

“I beg to differ,” Clayton said. Krista raised her eyebrow at him but said nothing. He was a very attractive man, and it felt nice to be complimented. But it could also just be crazy talk and flattery to keep her from guessing what was really going on. Which was what exactly? She still had no clue.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Actually, you are very special. You come from the same land that that my clan is from. We have been stuck on this planet for many generations. It was a mistake that we ever came to Earth. Only the people who are from our world can see Kaldernon. Many people can’t even see us, just because they are so convinced that nothing of the sort could exist.”

“So who are you, anyway?” Krista asked, desperate for answers.

“We are dragon shifters,” Clayton said. “I think that you saw me turn into a dragon more than once by now. So this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise.”

“I saw a little more than that,” Krista said, raising her eyebrows comically at the memory of his perfect, naked body approaching her in all its glory at her apartment. He was ridiculously handsome, and the memory was one she had a feeling she would treasure.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said, pursing his lips with an amused smile.

“I’m not,” Krista said with a grin. Clayton’s face reddened and he looked down at the floor. She laughed, finding it funny and adorable that she could make this fierce and handsome man blush.

“Anyway, your bloodline is special. My clan is waning and only people from our own world can help us to repopulate. After this generation of shifters is gone, we will be gone forever, never having found a way back to our own world.

“The Guardians who are after you know that you are able to carry dragon shifter children, and they think that your blood will help them to open and close the portals between dimensions. They are obsessed with eradicating anything remotely mystical and interplanetary. They want to keep Earth pure, they say, and will resort to ceaseless and heartless bloodshed whenever possible to get the job done.”

“Wait a minute,” Krista said as she held her hand up and looked him in the eye. “Are you trying to tell me that because of some kind of special blood I have, from some other dimension, I can make dragon babies?”

“Something like that,” Clayton said, letting a smile crease his face. He had a dimple on his left cheek and Krista gazed at the way his gorgeous face lit up when he smiled. His deep voice was calm and soothing, but Krista still found the entire situation a little bit too ludicrous for her taste.

“I think you guys are insane, and whatever holy war you think I’m in the middle of, I think it’s ridiculous. I’d like to go home,” Krista said. Whether he was handsome or not, she wanted to get the hell out of there.

“It’s not safe for you out there. You saw for yourself what they were trying to do. They aren’t going to stop until they get you.”

“Maybe they think that I died in the fire.  I know I thought I was going to,” Krista said, her face an ashy color.

“They’re going to know that you’re safe, but they don’t know where you are. They will assume that you are here, I’m sure, but they know better than to sneak up on a dragon’s den.”

“Wait, back up. Are you trying to tell me that everybody here is a dragon?” Krista said, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. “Even that doctor who helped me to breathe better?”

“Well, we are born dragons, and are able to shift into a more practical form. Can you imagine what kind of famine we would experience if we were dragons all the time? We would eat so much that nothing would be left of the planet,” Clayton said with a laugh. “I already have quite a healthy appetite.”

“So you chose to look this devastatingly handsome?” she ventured boldly.

“I – no. I favor my mother, actually.”

What a question, he thought, trying to think about anything other than his arousal. The woman was certainly brazen.

“I see. So you’re a pretty boy.”

There was an awkward silence before she allowed herself to fall into a fit of musical laughter. Clayton laughed with her, his eyes brightening. They gazed at each other for a moment and when they were quiet again, the silence between them seemed full of life. He never would have guessed how much he would love talking with Krista. She was enigmatic and intriguing. Not only that, but she was extremely beautiful. He could look at her all day long, and in fact, he had been doing just that for quite a while.

“I’m afraid you have to stay here for a while, at least until the coast is clear. We will help you find somewhere comfortable to stay once it seems safe enough. But I really hope that you will choose to stay with us. Maybe you could find happiness within our clan.”

“Yeah, right,” Krista said with a grin. “You guys just want me to make babies for you.”

“Well, that would be convenient,” Clayton said with a laugh. “But really, we realized that we can’t force you to have a child with one of us. We know how primitive that would be. You have a choice here, but I really hope that you choose to get to know us a little bit before you make up your mind.”

“All right,” Krista said, “I guess we can see how things go. I’m pretty sure I’m having some kind of nightmare anyway, so it doesn’t really matter either way.”

Clayton chuckled and stood up, curving his lips into a sexy smile. He nodded at her and headed toward the entrance of the room.

“Well, you cope with this however you need to. We’ll keep you safe until there’s another option. Maybe I can show you Kaldernon once you’re feeling better. As for now, I’m going to get some sleep. I’m long overdue.”

Krista nodded at him, watching him with curious eyes as he moved gracefully out of the room. Her eyes lingered on his taught, muscular body, and suddenly she knew what men meant when they said: I love that ass. She laughed softly to herself, shaking her head in bemusement. What in the world had she gotten herself into?

Everything that he was telling her sounded so outlandish and ridiculous. But, for some reason, she felt like he was telling her the truth. Something deep down inside resonated with him, and she decided that, at least for now, she was going to trust him. And not just because he was pretty.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

About a week later, Krista was standing up and able to breathe without any problems at all. It had felt like she had a terrible case of bronchitis, but now that her lungs and throat were feeling better, she was curious about the strange place that the handsome man had taken her to.

Clayton. The man who had been following her before she had been attacked. The man who saved her, twice, from the terrifying bald men with soulless eyes. Fundamentalists, he had called them. Men with a mission to protect the world from beautiful men like Clayton.

Krista laughed at herself. Just because he was beautiful didn’t mean that it wasn’t dangerous for him to be on her planet. Or was it her planet? The claim was that they were from the same place. How was she supposed to know whether or not these interdimensional beings were safe to coexist with?

These were the kinds of questions that she had never even thought to pose to herself. Although she had always been very interested in stories about time travel and people who could jump through different space time continuums, she had never even considered the possibility that there was any truth to them.

But now, this beautiful creature, who could turn into a dragon and save her at will, was telling her that she had better believe everything that he was saying. It was kind of terrifying, but it was also exciting.

“I think that you’re ready to join the community for dinner now,” Dr. Mason said, shuffling around in the underground medical room with a pleased smile on his face. “You have made some remarkable progress. I know our technology is advanced, which has a lot to do with it, but it also helps that Lonis heal well. I’m sure you’ve noticed that throughout your life; it probably felt like you never got sick.”

“Actually, that’s true,” Krista said, a little bit surprised. She wasn’t sure she believed that her family was from the same interdimensional world, though. Clayton had come in to visit her every so often while she was recovering, and they had grown close very quickly. Not only was he handsome, but he was kind and smart and funny. And he seemed fascinated by her. He had admitted that they had been trying to protect her for a long time, which meant that they had probably seen each other more than once. That would explain why he felt so familiar.

“Well, that doesn’t surprise me one bit,” the doctor said, interrupting her thoughts. “A lot of people would have the symptoms for longer, but you have recovered very quickly. I can even see that you had gotten burned, but it left very little mark on your skin. For most people, that would scar, but for you, it’s almost gone. It’s really remarkable, isn’t it? You should be very proud of your heritage.”

Talk of her heritage made her uneasy, and she simply looked into the distance quietly as Dr. Mason made all of the necessary adjustments in her room. She was excited to be able to leave the room and meet more of the dragon shifter people of the Kersh clan.

“Hello there,” a silky woman’s voice said, peering in at Krista. “Dr. Mason told me that you’re feeling much better now, but you’re going to need something to wear while you are here.”

Krista wasn’t sure what to say, and so she simply nodded. She was pretty depressed about how all of her clothing had probably been ruined in the fire, and what she had been wearing had been singed and ruined as well.

“My name is Jasmine,” the woman said with a smile. She had curly red hair and a kind face, and she looked as if she might be in her late thirties. “I’ve come to take some measurements; I’d like to make you some traditional attire. I thought it might help you to feel a little bit closer to your Loni ancestry.”

“All right,” Krista said uncertainly. “Thank you.”

“Oh, don’t mention it. I just wanted you to be dressed appropriately for the first time that you see Kaldernon. I have a feeling that you’re going to understand everything perfectly in that moment, and you might want to feel like you’re dressed for the occasion. I know I would feel miserable if I had that same opportunity and I squandered it wearing robes from the little hospital.”

“I appreciate your consideration,” Krista said with a laugh.

“I think it will help you feel better to look better,” Jasmine said with a wink. “Loni attire is traditionally very beautiful and elegant. It’s going to suit you spectacularly. It will be a great way to honor you when you join the clan for dinner this evening.”

“Honor me?” Krista asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Yes, honor you. We are all very excited to meet you. You’re one of the last of your kind on Earth, you know. That makes you a very coveted person to us. We have been working for a long time to protect you and keep you safe. It is the highest honor to be able to welcome you into our clan, even if it is just a brief recluse from danger. We will do our best to protect you at all costs.”

“That’s a little bit extreme,” Krista said, shifting uncomfortably. “You guys don’t even know me.”

Jasmine seemed amused by this. She laughed, and her eyes crinkled kindly as she pulled out a tape measure. She beckoned Krista toward her and began taking her measurements.

“We don’t have to know you to honor you,” Jasmine said. “You may not be used to being honored, but trust us, you have been revered from the moment you were born and so you shall remain honored by the Kersh clan.”

Krista was quiet as Jasmine finished taking her measurements, and gave her a silent nod as she left to begin work on the gown. She had doubts that it would be completed by the time dinner was ready that night, but she was surprised when a knock came at the door around five in the evening.

“Here it is,” Jasmine whispered, presenting Krista with the most beautiful gown she had ever seen. It looked a lot like the dresses worn on Earth, but it was a lot more flowing and elegant. It was made of a fabric she had never seen before, a sparkling gossamer, almost like silk, but even softer to the touch. It made her whole body glow when she put the gown on, and Jasmine helped her to tie it up in all the necessary places. There was a piece of cloth, almost like a sash, that she wore between her breasts, and Jasmine was able to talk her into letting her do her hair in the traditional Loni fashion.

“I’m sure, by now, the styles have changed on Kaldernon, but we were able to salvage the material that we needed to make this dress. Some of us took with us the last things that we were touching. It was the only way we were able to survive so long on Earth before we understood how the planet worked.”

“That must’ve been terrifying for you,” Krista said with a frown.

“It was difficult,” Jasmine said with a nod. “But things are much better now, and they’re certainly looking up. We may be able to find our way back after all. Lonis are blessed with sacred intuition.”

Krista sighed and allowed Jasmine to lead her into the dining hall. She hadn’t been out of her room in the medical ward since she arrived, and as they made their way through the halls, she found herself very saddened by the impoverished lifestyle that the Kersh people had been forced into. As soon as she walked into the dining hall, her eyes met instantly with Clayton’s. He gave her a nod of acknowledgment and motioned her toward him.

“Everybody, I would like your attention please,” he said in a loud and booming voice. “This is Krista, the last remaining Loni on Earth.”

The room was filled with quiet murmurs as Krista walked toward Clayton. There were two seats at a large banquet table on an elevated platform where Clayton was sitting. The platform was looking over everybody else. He was apparently their leader, something that she had not considered before. The look in his eyes when he gazed at her made her heart skip a beat. He was so handsome, and couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of her.

She thought back to one of the days when he had visited her in the medic’s room, and he had stumbled all over himself and his words, trying to complement her on how nice she looked, despite the fact that she was bedridden. She would never have guessed that he could speak with such ease and authority to a large group of people, when he seemed to be too nervous to look her in the eye sometimes. He was sexy and fierce, but he was also uncertain and shy.

“I hope you enjoy your meal,” he said with a private smile to her once she was sitting down beside him. She nodded, feeling more beautiful and welcomed than she had ever felt in her life. The clan was ecstatic to finally meet her, and she saw that many of them were shifting for some reason, turning into half-dragons and half-people before finally relaxing back into their human form and continuing to cheer for her.

“You bring out the dragon in us,” he said with a wink, laughing and looking down at his plate of food. A woman and a man were beginning to serve the crowd, and a large plate of steaming food was placed in front of Krista. Her stomach rumbled loudly and Clayton laughed.

“It’s been a while since you had a real meal, hasn’t it?” Clayton said.

Krista nodded, and peered down at her plate. The food smelled better than anything she had ever smelled before, but she had never seen anything like it. Clayton saw her staring at it and grinned.

“This is a specialty from Kaldernon,” he explained. He leaned close to her ear and began to quietly explain the cooking process. The deep sound of his rumbling voice brought goosebumps to her arms, and she hoped that he would never stop talking. However, of course, he had to, and soon, she was digging in to her plate, enjoying the meal with a deep relish that she hadn’t known was possible.

They chatted casually as they ate, Clayton’s deep, soothing voice seeming to pay attention only to her. She had never felt so intimate with another person before and enjoyed the meal more than she thought that she would. After dinner, Clayton announced that he was going to take her to view Kaldernon. Everybody murmured in excitement and agreement, but didn’t follow him when he took her by the hand and led her outside of the underground tunnels.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Her heart pounded in her chest as his strong hand pulled her forward, leading her through the maze and out into the sunlight. She peered up into the sky, excited to finally see the clouds and sunshine. It had been far too long, and she was starting to feel depressed. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she gasped. There was a shimmering in the sky, almost like the aurora borealis. She had never seen anything so beautiful before, and the colors seemed to match those that were in her gown.

“You look so beautiful,” Clayton said, tugging her hand toward his hot lips and pressing a soft kiss to it. “Do you see the world up there? That is where we come from. And if you’d like, that is where we will try to return. If we find a way, before the Guardians destroy us all, I could take you with us.”

Krista’s eyes filled with tears. She had never witnessed anything so beautiful, or felt so fully loved and accepted by anybody before. She felt embarrassed for being overcome with emotion, but fortunately he didn’t laugh at her. Instead, he seemed to understand exactly how she felt, and wrapped his strong arm around her shoulder.

“I met you before, after my father died. Sure, you don’t remember,” he said softly. “But I have never forgotten.”

“What are you talking about?” Krista asked, confused.

“I’ve been protecting you all this time, all these years. We were young, maybe around ten years old. You were singing that beautiful Loni song that never leaves you. I was enraptured by it, of course,” he said with a laugh.

She listened, intrigued, her heart pounding as Clayton spoke. His gentle eyes looked at her, uncertain and shy. She smiled at him and prompted him to continue.

“Well, you dropped a piece of paper, and you didn’t realize it. So I felt like I should take it to you. And I did. I wanted to stay and talk, but then I got scared. I knew that you weren’t supposed to see me. And so…”

“You left,” Krista said softly. “Actually, I do remember that, and I’ve thought about you for a long time. I can’t believe that you’re the same person. All of this seems so unbelievable.”

“I wish that we were just making it up,” Clayton said, running his hands through his black hair. His glimmering green eyes gazed upon Kaldernon, and she took the opportunity to allow her own eyes to roam up and down his body, resting on his chiseled face. “But that’s the truth, we’ve been protecting you. There is nobody else like you left here. But in the other world, you won’t be alone any longer.”

“Do you wish you didn’t have to protect me?” Krista asked.

“Of course not, it’s the only thing that gave my life any meaning after I lost my father. You have been my whole life all this time. Without ever knowing it.”

Krista turned to him, opening her mouth and closing it, unsure of what to say to him. His handsome face broke into a bright smile, and he pulled her close to his muscular body.

“Can I do something a little strange?” he asked.

She wasn’t sure what to say, but she nodded anyway. Clayton turned half-dragon then, and breathed a warm breath against her neck. He turned back to his human form and grinned.

“How did that feel?”

She swallowed hard, shocked by the unexpected rush of longing that he ignited within her.

“What the hell was that?” she whispered.

“I wanted to see if we’re a pair,” he said with a small smile. “How did it make you feel?”

She looked down at the ground, her face flushed a deep red. She’d never been with a man before, but that one seemingly innocent gesture had been more pleasurable than how she imagined sex would be. Clayton’s eyes danced. He had his answer.

Her breath was taken away as he pressed his hot lips against her mouth, and she shuddered as his tongue began to massage hers. He gripped her tightly in his strong arms, steadying her as her legs became weak.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his reptilian eyes glowing sensually. She moaned in pleasure as he lifted her up and held her tightly, pressing her back against a tree and kissing fervently down her neck. She could feel the intensity of his longing, as they continued to kiss, and roamed her hands up and down his large biceps. She had wanted to touch his muscles for a long time, and she gripped them hard, closing her eyes in bliss as she felt him grow hard against her thigh.

“I can’t believe that you’ve cared about me all this time, and I never knew who you were,” she whispered into his ear, gripping a handful of his hair. She always felt like she had been saving herself for something, but she never would have guessed that it would be anything like this.

“I always wake up and go to sleep thinking about your safety,” he said, dropping hot kisses on her clavicle and running his strong hand up and down her side. She tensed up as her body was overtaken by tendrils of pleasure. He rested his hand on her thigh, kneading it until she was gasping for more. He allowed himself to slip his hand under her skirt as he freed one of her large breasts from the confines of her gown. A deep, guttural moan escaped his lips when his fingers grazed her wet opening.

“How are you doing that?” Krista gasped, her full lips hot and breathy in his ear. He was doing his best to restrain himself and go slowly, knowing that if they were a pair, as his father and mother had been a pair, then this would be the first time for both of them. The pleasures were new and immense. There was suddenly a warm weight on his groin, fingers gripping his shaft and daring it to push the boundaries of his flesh. He moaned as his member grew swollen in her grip, throbbing with a need he had never known before.

She buckled her hips against his hand and he allowed her to drag her wet mound down his wrist while she slid her hand over the length of his shaft, exploring all of its curves and ridges with gentle, maddening strokes. Krista finally couldn’t resist her curiosity and pulled his hard cock out of his pants, pressing it against her thigh and bringing a moan to her lips. She had never wanted anybody so badly before, and he hissed as the head of his cock met the hot, inviting cavern between her legs.

His hands roamed up and down her body, caressing her every curve until his fingers brushed the hard mound of her nipple. She bit back a cry of ecstasy, tightening her grip on his shaft. He closed his eyes as a surge of pleasure jolted through him. She finally released her grasp on his cock and drug her nails down his back, giving him more room to ease himself between her legs. She leaned her head back in ecstasy as he began to introduce her to the whole of him. He went slowly, relishing every moment. Krista groaned deeply as she felt every curve of his shaft pushing the boundaries of her body, pressing hard inside of her until she was choking on a gasp that was a mixture of pleasure and pain.

“Are you all right?” he asked her.

She kept her eyes squeezed tightly closed but nodded and he began to thrust slowly, unable to hold himself back any longer.

“Fuck,” she whispered, biting onto his shoulder to keep herself from crying out any louder.

Suddenly, it happened. He pushed through the seal that had defined her as a virgin for so long. Clayton stopped, staring at her with wide, concerned eyes.

“Don’t stop,” she breathed, pulling his waist close to her middle. His green eyes shimmered darkly, unable to hide the animal lust that had was brimming just beneath his composed façade. He was overpowered by his need and slammed his cock into her as hard as he could. She cried out in ecstasy as his body began to show her just how powerful it really was. He kissed her neck and kneaded her breast, covering her mouth with his to stifle the cries of pleasure she emitted every time he pulled himself out of her and slammed hard inside of her again.

She wanted it to last forever, but her body had other plans. The mounting pleasure that they had been working toward reached its peak, and she had nowhere to go from there but up. Her body trembled beneath Clayton’s as his perfect cock shoved into her one last time. Her body shuddered powerfully, clenching him tightly as she released a flood of hot cum around his enveloped member. He closed his eyes, hissing in pleasure as her body milked his dick as she came, until he could no longer hold back the forceful eruption of his hot seed. They both moaned deeply, a need in them so fully satisfied that they both collapsed to the ground, gripping one another fervently and holding each other tightly. The feelings as the waves of pleasure crashed against her until she was all but screaming out loud.

Finally, her body shuddered powerfully as her orgasm nearly knocked her off her feet. He hissed in pleasure as her climax began to flood against his shaft, and unleashed another round of tireless jackhammering that left her breathless and aching for more. Finally, she felt him tense, and moaned in bliss as his hot seed spilled inside of her. It was like a volcanic eruption that brought her to the height of her climax.

They fell limply into each other, panting as he slowly pulled himself out of her. They were silent for a moment as they pressed their foreheads together. She suddenly felt light, as if she had become weightless. She knew, without truly knowing, exactly what that meant. She looked at Clayton, contemplating whether or not she should tell him or if she should keep it to herself.

Maybe she shouldn’t get his hopes up, and maybe she wasn’t even right. But she did know that her intuition was telling her that her body was no longer hers anymore. His seed had managed to impregnate her with just one go. The thought somehow made her grow hot again, and she took his gorgeous face in both hands and kissed him passionately.

“Want to try that again?” she whispered, and Clayton grinned.

“I’d love to.”

THE END

A Dragon to Save Me

Novella 2 Dragons of Kaldernon

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter One

Kala was cold.

She couldn’t see or hear anything except the gentle rustle of the wind dancing with the trees around her. She grasped at the cold dirt and realized that she was lying on the ground. When she tried to open her eyes, a searing pain flooded her head and she groaned. What was going on? Where was she?

As the light streamed in through the tiny slits in her eyes, she became more panicked and squeezed them closed again. She couldn’t remember anything about who she was or why she was lying in the strange smelling forest. And were the leaves on those trees really green? That seemed strange and off-putting somehow. Maybe she had seen it wrong when she’d managed to peek out from her closed eyes. She would have to let her eyes adjust to the light before she tried that again.

Kala struggled to sit up, shielding her eyes from the light so that she could gradually get used to the painful sensation of keeping her eyes open. Why couldn’t she remember who she was? A tight fear was gripping her heart, but she knew it wouldn’t be helpful to drown herself in that. She would have to do her best to stay calm.

Finally, she was ready to face the strange new world and opened her eyes slowly, lowering her protective palms from her face. It was true, the leaves on the trees were green, and the trunks seemed woefully thin for some reason. Were they diseased? She couldn’t be sure.

If they were, she should probably get out of there as quickly as possible, in case whatever had infected them was contagious. Maybe it was what had caused her to lose her memory. The thought was troubling and urged her to her feet. She would have to find her way out of here one way or another. She wasn’t sure she liked the way the forest smelled. It was so different from what she expected. Did that mean she was far from home? She couldn’t be sure, but she did know that she had to get out of there and get some help.

Chapter Two

“Zaden, why must you be so foolish?” Janes growled.

Zaden sighed. Janes really took training seriously. Zaden had always considered him a nuisance when he was bored and decided to do his own thing to liven up his training. Even more baffling and frustrating to Janes, Zaden couldn’t see the point of working so hard to strengthen his human body when he was already a dragon shifter. If he ever got himself into trouble, then all he had to do was shift into his dragon form and start causing some trouble.

“I’m done for the day,” Zaden said.

“Done? I’ll tell you when you’re done! You know that Clayton wants us all as strong as possible. The Kersh clan depends on it!”

“I’m already stronger than all the other men here!” Zaden exclaimed. “Why don’t you help them and leave me alone?”

“Zaden-“

But Zaden wasn’t listening anymore. He had already turned his back on Janes and was hurrying into the woods, his blood boiling. If he stayed there any longer, then Janes would end up getting in his face and regretting it, and then Zaden would have to face Clayton, leader of the Kersh clan. It wasn’t something he was interested in doing. And besides, he had been telling the truth. Clayton himself had been training him for a long time. He’d been orphaned at a young age and the clan leader had taken a special interest in him, saying that he saw potential in the young boy when everybody else only saw a pain in the neck.

He knew Clayton would understand, but still dreaded having ‘the ‘talk; with him again. The one about discipline and team work and learning how to follow orders. Zaden just wasn’t that kind of man. He had grown up lacking authority and didn’t need it as an adult either.

He inhaled deeply, allowing the luscious scent of the forest to lift his spirits. Nothing made him feel calmer than exploring the beautiful trees surrounding the perimeters of the clan. He looked up, peering through the canopy of the trees at the world above. Kaldernon shone above him, an aurora of colors that, as far as he knew, were only visible in the world where his people had originated. Only the dragon shifters and the creative Lonis, their female counterparts on Kaldernon, were able to see the world thinly veiled between the fabric of space-time. The dragons had a home there, one where they weren’t forced to resort to hiding from the cruelty of humanity and the ever looming threat of war on Earth.

He was about to head to his favorite spot – an area near a river where he went to be alone and mull things over – when he paused. Being part dragon meant that he was able to hear and sense things in his human form that other humans might not be able to, and far into the distance he sensed movement; rustling and sniffing. Was somebody encroaching on the Kersh clan’s territory?

The clan had been forced to double their efforts to be extra careful after the evil group of founders, who called themselves ‘The Guardians’, had tried to take away Clayton’s new wife. They were always trying to come up with new ways to wipe out the dragon clan and the Lonis, who were their counterpart in the world above. Lonis, the creative, spiritual, sensitive creatures, were able to carry shifter children and sometimes even divine the future. If the founders were coming to take away the Lonis who had fallen to earth through the rip in the space-time continuum once and for all, the dragon clan would surely die out.

Zaden glanced behind himself, wondering if he should call for help. If there was a group of Guardians, it might take more than just one man to defeat them. Unfortunately, had already put a lot of distance between himself and Janes. He would just have to handle this himself.

Chapter Three

Kala had been walking for hours and still hadn’t found her way out of the strange forest. If the noxious fumes of the strange, diseased trees were any indication, she would probably die soon and may never recover her memory. The thought dissolved her into tears. She was cold and alone, and couldn’t believe what was happening to her.

Suddenly, she heard the piercing crack of a twig snapping and looked up toward the sound, her lavender eyes wide. A man, tall, serious, and topless, was sauntering toward her. His muscles rippled with the effort of his movement, and his serious, sea green eyes stayed fixed upon her as he approached. She swallowed hard when he stopped directly in front of her, his dark blonde hair falling in front of his chiseled face as he looked down at the spot where she was resting, tears still streaming from her eyes.

“What’s going on?” he asked casually, as if they had known each other for years. He was the first person that she had seen, and it made her nervous. However, something about him was comforting and familiar. Maybe he had been her friend. The thought made her heart leap with hope, but not too high.

On the other hand, she had no idea if he might have had a hand in her lost memories. Maybe they really had known each other before she had lost her memory, but they had been enemies.

“I…do you know who I am?” she asked. He crinkled his nose and backed away. Apparently the question was off-putting.

“No, but you sound like one of those snobby humans who think their money is enough to make them famous throughout the world. What’s that about?”

He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at her.

“No, it’s just that…I’m lost,” she said quietly. She shuddered involuntarily from the cold and Zaden raised his eyebrow in alarm.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you all right?”

“It’s just…”

Before she could finish, a man in a dark brown robe leapt toward them from the trees.

“What have we here!?” he said with a cackle. “Looks like exactly the person we’ve been looking for!”

“Shit,” Zaden sighed, glancing from the girl to the man, a Guardian with an evil gap-toothed smile on his face. He turned angrily to the girl. “Did you do this to lure me in here? Was this a trap?”

“Of course she didn’t,” the Guardian cackled. “We’ve been looking for the girl.”

“Why?” Zaden asked. The girl looked frightened and confused, and shrank closer to the ground, squeezing her eyes shut in fear.

“She’s a visitor here,” he said mysteriously, and raised his weapon to fire at the girl. She was hiding her face, weak and tired it seemed; too confused to understand any of what was happening. Zaden growled and lunged at the man, knocking him far back into the trees. He landed with a painful thud, but an ominous cackle rose from the foliage where he landed.

“It’s too late,” he said. “More are coming.”

Zaden unleashed a powerful roar. It silenced the man’s laughter and the girl looked up in confusion and terror.

“We have to go. Now.”

“But –“

Zaden didn’t wait for her to finish her thought. He lifted her onto his shoulders, carrying her how he had carried lambs in the settlement for special feasts, and ran with everything he had to take the girl as far away from the approaching Guardians as possible.

Chapter Four

Zaden didn’t stop running until he could no longer smell or hear the Guardians. He had no idea how they had been able to sneak up on him like that. All he could guess was that he had been too distracted to realize that they were approaching. He had run far, further away than he had ever been from the Kersh clan before. Although it made him nervous, he wanted to stay composed in front of the beautiful, mysterious woman.

She had white-blonde hair, long and flowing to her waist. The effect made her look angelic and pure as snow. When she fixed her lavender colored eyes on him, he was startled by their intensity. He had only seen eyes like those once before, but he couldn’t place where he had seen them.

“Who are you?” she asked softly, shivering in the spot where he had put her down.

“My name is Zaden,” he said, lifting his chin at her as if she had tried to challenge him by questioning him. She wasn’t sure what the point of copping an attitude with her was, especially after he had saved her from the creepy man who had been after her. The man, who Zaden had mumbled was a Guardian as they were running, smelled awful and made her nauseated.

“Thank you for saving me, Zaden,” she said as formally as possible. She felt as if there was some kind of custom she should be performing, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember what it was and hoped a simple verbal form of gratitude would suffice.

“It’s nothing,” he said dismissively. He pretended not to look at her, but in reality he couldn’t help but stare at her from the corner of his eye. There was something strange about the woman. It gave him an odd feeling of nostalgia.

“I suppose you can leave now, right?” she asked hopefully. The man was intense and made her nervous. She wasn’t sure what to make of him.

“Not if the Guardians are after you. There’s a reason. Did you break out?”

“Break out?” she asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, imagining her body covered in hives.

“No then,” he said thoughtfully. “Hmm…”

She suddenly realized what he might mean.

“Break out from where?” she pressed.

“Nowhere,” he said. “Nowhere you want to go or know very much about. Those guys are monsters, and if they’re after you, then there has to be a good reason.”

“I see,” Kala said. She was becoming more and more alarmed, but she wasn’t sure how much of her situation to share with this man. He was extremely difficult to talk to. There was a rough edge to him that didn’t feel particularly safe or welcoming. He was certainly arrogant. And yet he had saved her.

“Who are you anyway?” he asked finally.

“I…I know my name,” she said with a shiver. “Kala.”

“You’re cold,” he observed.

She nodded and he seemed surprised. He immediately set to work, collecting combustible branches and twigs. Within fifteen minutes, he had a roaring fire going. The warmth was like an old friend she hadn’t realized she’d missed. She hadn’t felt comfortable since the time she had woken up in the strange land and now finally she was starting to edge towards relaxing her defenses at the touch of warmth on her skin.

“Shouldn’t we get away from the trees?” she asked sleepily, curling her arms around her lean body to conserve heat.

“What for?” he asked, surprised.

“They look funny,” she said. He was about to reply, but before he could, he realized that she was curled on the ground across from him, sound asleep.

Chapter Five

The next morning, Kala woke up to the sounds and smells of food cooking. She sat up excitedly, her stomach rumbling. Zaden was hard at work over the fire, his thick golden hair tied up in a bun behind his head. He had a look of intense concentration on his face, and she couldn’t help but find it cute. He was arrogant, sure, but when he was focused on something, he put his all into it. That was admirable.

“Good morning,” she said softly, unable to handle the voyeuristic feeling that watching him was giving her.

“Oh, good, you’re awake now.”

“Yeah, I am. What are you cooking? It smells amazing.”

“Oh, this is something that my mother used to make. I’ve always loved it, but a lot of people find it strange. My mother wasn’t from around here. But I wanted to give you something that would give you some strength. You seem to be really exhausted.”

“That’s true. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to tell me what you’ve gone through, but if you feel like talking about it you can.”

She was surprised by the offer. Most men, as far as she knew, wouldn’t have bothered to say something like that. He fixed his sea green eyes on her, and she felt a flutter in her chest. He was being serious. It wasn’t what she expected from him, but then, nothing was what it seemed anymore.

“Thanks,” she said uncomfortably. She still wasn’t sure whether or not she could trust him with the fact that she didn’t have any memories. She thought it might be better to keep that a secret. However, he had kept her safe and warm, and now was even making her something to eat. Maybe she could trust him. She sighed heavily, but he didn’t seem to notice. He was very focused on stirring whatever was in the pot that he had over the fire.

“Where did you get that pot?” she asked.

“Oh, I keep it in my bag. It’s retractable. I can fold it kind of and make it small. I’ll show you later.”

“What kind of magic is that?” she asked, legitimately stupefied.

He laughed heartily until he realized that she was being serious. The smile fell from his face and he shook his head, squinting at her as if she were a foreign species.

“You’re not serious?” he asked. “Are you Amish or something?”

“Amish?” she asked. Nothing that he was saying was making any sense to her.

“You know, the people who don’t believe in technology and fancy gadgets beyond buttons?”

She shook her head, genuinely clueless.

“What? Where are you from anyway?”

“I…” Her eyes filled with tears. She didn’t know.

“Look, I’m sorry that I made fun of you,” he said awkwardly, scratching himself on the chin. “You don’t have to cry about it, though. It was just a bad joke.”

“I don’t understand any of your jokes,” she said, her purple eyes dark with sadness and pain. “I don’t even know who I am. All I know is my name but I can’t remember anything else. I don’t know who you are, I don’t know who the men who were after me are, and I don’t know why these trees smell and look so funny. Nothing makes sense. And I’m sorry, but I don’t know what Amishes are either.”

He watched her seriously, and then chuckled.

“You mean you lost your memory then?” he asked.

She nodded. That was what was going on, whether she liked it or not. Maybe if he was still going to help her, it would be better if he knew the truth.

“That’s rough,” he said. “I’ve heard of things like that happening before, and it’s usually because of the Guardians. They really mess with your head. If they tortured you, sometimes you come out and don’t remember anything. We have a couple of people back home who have dealt with it before. Maybe you should talk to them. I bet they could help you figure out what’s going on.”

“Why would they tortured me?” she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

A sad look darkened Zaden’s face, and he looked down at the ground. The Guardians had been after the dragon shifters for centuries, and their only refuge had become the underground settlement led by the Kersh clan.

“No, nobody they tortured has ever done anything wrong. They’re just terrible people. They don’t always treat people who are different with a lot of respect. In fact, they usually try to kill us or dissect us like science experiments to see what they can learn.”

“That sounds awful, why would they do that?”

But here, Zaden stopped talking. She couldn’t remember anything, and he didn’t see any point in putting false memories into her head. What if she wasn’t a dragon shifter? It would be the biggest breach of trust that he could think of to the clan to unveil their secrets about shapeshifting to somebody who wouldn’t know or understand what he was talking about. Clayton would see him as a traitor, and that was something that he could not tolerate. The man had practically raised him and allowed him special treatment after the death of his parents. He would not betray their secrets, even to this beautiful woman.

“We traveled far last night, and I’m not exactly sure where we are,” Zaden admitted, avoiding the topic. “I have never been here before. And we are going to have to get back to my clan before the Guardians find you. I don’t know what they want with you or why they have chosen you. Their reasons are theirs alone. All that you need to know is that they are evil and they will hurt you if they find you unprotected. So we’re going to have to find our way back as soon as we can.”

She nodded, and he served breakfast. They ate in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts and worries about the future.

Chapter Six

“What do you mean you let her get away?” Richard exclaimed.

Peter looked down at the ground wincing. Richard was always so miserable when he was angry. Sometimes, he even turned on his own group. Several of them had not survived the man’s temper.

“I’m telling you, it wasn’t my fault. There was a shifter there. I don’t know who he was, but I think it was that little urchin that Clayton has been taking care of.”

Richard began to pace around the dingy, dungeon-like room where he had made the headquarters for the Guardians. It looked like a medieval torture chamber, and opened up into the deeper labyrinths of the laboratory where they had several specimens collected of both Dragon and Loni descent.

The people of Kaldernon were desperate to get back to their home world, but before they did so, they were making great use of the limited resources on Earth and tainting the genetic population of the humans. Whenever the Guardians found somebody even vaguely of Dragon or Loni descent, they would use all of their resources and power to collect them and maintain their care to keep them fit for experimentation. It was through these prisoners that the Guardians learned the genetic and mystical secrets of Kaldernon that threatened to disrupt the balance of wholesome life on Earth.

“If it was Zaden, as you suspect, it shouldn’t be too difficult to corrupt him. That little asshole has always been anxious to rebel. Maybe we could get him to betray the girl and give her to us,” Richard said thoughtfully.

“That is unlikely,” Peter said. “You know that he has an intense hatred of us. Maybe that would work if we hadn’t killed his parents, but because we did, I doubt there will be any chance for us to sway him one way or the other.”

“Well lucky for us, we uncovered the secrets to masking our scent from Dragon shifters. We can sneak up on their camp without him being any the wiser and take her away.”

“You know the formula is only temporary, and there is a very limited amount of it. We would have to make a new batch. We already used that trying to get to the girl.”

“Well we don’t know if she is shifter or Loni, so that was a necessary precaution. I’m actually angrier that you wasted this chance to get her even though you could have snuck up on them and made this a seamless kidnapping.”

Peter paled as Richard’s face began to turn a dark magenta. The man’s beady eyes fixed on him mercilessly and he had a feeling that he knew what was going to happen. Before Richard spoke his curse upon Peter however, another man burst into the room.

“My lord, there has been some activity reported in the city. People are beginning to claim that they have seen strange colors in the sky. I’m afraid that they are beginning to awaken to the presence of Kaldernon.”

“That’s impossible!” Richard sputtered, turning away from Peter and facing Duke, who had delivered the message.

“I’m afraid not, my lord,” Duke said with a little bow. “Apparently, anyone who has ancestors of Dragon or Loni descent are able to see the world above through the rip in the space-time continuum. They don’t understand what it is or why it’s there. They think they’re purely human and would never believe the truth. The bloodlines have become so diluted in these cases that they don’t have any access to their shifter or creative Loni powers. At least not much. That’s the only consolation in this case.”

“Were you able to get reports of the people who have claimed such a sighting?” Richard said now with an eerie calm. Peter and Duke exchanged a quick, nervous glance.

“Not yet,” Duke said. “But we can have the police officers detained them on suspicion of the consumption of hallucinogenic drugs. That will give us the time that we need to bring them here before anything strange happens.”

“All right,” Richard said. He began to pace around the floor of the room, running his hand over the bald spot on the top of his head. Peter began to back away as subtly as he could.

“Get the girl,” Richard said distractedly, lost in thought.

“Yes, my lord,” Peter said. “Right away.”

Chapter Seven

Night fell and Kala found herself tossing and turning. For some reason, she couldn’t get to sleep even though it had been very easy for her the night before. They had been walking all day long, which made her think that she would probably be too exhausted for insomnia. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. She had followed Zaden over hills and through the strange trees that she was still suspicious of. Why did they look so different than what she thought they should look like? In fact, what did she expect them to be like? She had no idea. Maybe she was just confused because of her memory loss.

In a way, she felt worse being with somebody than being alone. Everything was a lot more confusing. Not only that, but she was starting to feel as if she might become a burden on the impatient and surly man who had saved her life. Although he was rugged and handsome, he was also irritable and full of himself. He had mentioned how he was one of the most capable fighters in the clan where he was from, and that she was safe with him. But it was the impression that she had of him as a braggart they gave her a bad feeling. Who knew who she could trust here in this strange world?

The strange sounds of the forest were keeping her awake. There were animals of all varieties. Zaden had pointed a few of them out to her, but none of them summoned any kind of familiarity or memory in her mind. It was disappointing, although she did enjoy seeing the cute way the animals moved and made sound.

She fingered the white gossamer lace of her beautiful gown, her eyes resting on the way that it bounced the moonlight back at her. Wherever she was from, it was a place that was capable of creating cloth as beautiful as this. It was nothing like the weird brown fabric that the bad smelling Guardian man was wearing, or the binding leather of Zaden’s tight slacks. She knew that she didn’t belong there, but she couldn’t figure out where it was that she had come from.

As she gazed at the sky above, her lavender eyes widened when she saw a shooting star. It seemed to trail behind it colors that were familiar. Colors that seemed to be missing from the world that she was in, from the trees, the sky, and everywhere else. Why did those colors make her feel so homesick?

She hadn’t realized she was crying until she felt Zaden’s strong arms around her. She allowed him to hold her close in a tight hug, and she buried her head in his shoulders, ashamed of the emotions that were pouring out, and confused by what had caused them.

“It’s all right,” he said soothingly into her ear. She felt strange tendrils of pleasure from the vibration of his voice and stopped crying, confused by the sensation. “I’ll do my best to help you figure out where you belong. My clan is good at that kind of thing, don’t worry.”

She pulled away, breaking from his arms and looking out into the ominous darkness of the forest around them. She could sense him standing up behind her, his masculine body close to hers. She couldn’t get over how good he smelled. But she was embarrassed to admit how comforted she felt by this strange man. He put his hand on her shoulder and then let it fall, his fingertips lightly touching her long, white-blonde hair. She expected him to say something, but instead, he turned away from her and went back to his side of the fire.

“Everything will look better when the sun rises,” he said. Then he curled up on the ground and went back to sleep.

Chapter Eight

Morning came quicker than either of them expected it to. Zaden rose first, and stood looking down at Kala. Every time he saw her, he was startled by her beauty, and he found his eyes lingering on her longer than he meant to. The women in his clan all seemed to look plain to him. Something about Kala looked different. He wished that he could put his finger on it, but just as he was trying to, she stirred and met his eyes.

She jumped back, startled, and he looked away embarrassed.

“What are you doing?” she asked, sitting up and sliding away from him.

“There’s something strange about you,” he said decidedly. “The Guardians probably did something weird.”

It was easier to simplify his feelings this way. It made him feel more in control of himself.

“Weird? What do you mean?” she asked, peering angrily at him. “I’m not weird.”

“I don’t know. With your eyes or something? You just look different.”

She glared at him and he shifted uncomfortably.

“I mean, it’s not bad or anything.” His green eyes darkened and he turned away from her. He had insulted her when he had really been thinking about how beautiful she was. What kind of jerk did that?

“Has anybody ever told you before that you are very rude?” she asked, standing up huffily.

“Yes,” he said, grinning at her from over his shoulder. “Now come on. We have to get out of here before the Guardians find out where we are. They want you for some reason, and they won’t stop until they get you. You’ll be safer with my clan.”

She growled quietly to herself and followed him away from their campsite. What if she didn’t want to be with his clan? Although, she had to admit, he seemed to be the only thing about the entire situation that gave her any sense of normalcy. And he wasn’t too bad to look at either. In fact, she caught herself staring at the contours of his muscular back right that moment. The raw power of his body made her heart skip a beat.

She looked down at the ground, frustrated with herself. Why was he so handsome? She couldn’t stand the way he kept trying to take charge. But what was she going to do about it? It wasn’t like she knew anything about the place. She had no choice but to follow him. At least until she was able to remember something. Hopefully he was telling the truth and the people in his clan could help her.

Otherwise, she didn’t know what she was going to do.

Chapter Nine

Zaden sighed, glancing behind himself as Kala struggled to keep up. “You’re slow!” he exclaimed. There he went, insulting her again when he had really been thinking of ways he could help her keep up.

Her purple eyes glared darkly at him and he laughed despite his irritation. “You know the sooner we get home the sooner you can get some help right?”

“Home?” she said, raising her eyebrow at him. She was panting as Zaden’s capable, muscular body climbed quickly and impatiently over huge rock formations. He was clearly more agile than she was, and seemed to enjoy flaunting it. “Wherever you’re from, that’s not my home.”

“Well, no, but –“

“And why don’t you just slow down? Neither of us knows what kind of beating my body has taken in the past few days! Just take it easy would you?”

Zaden pursed his lips, hiding his face from her. He felt guilty for pushing her so hard, but he was afraid of what might happen to her if the Guardians caught up. Somehow they had been able to sneak up on them and it had left him shaken up. They were capable of great evil, but he didn’t want her to know that. The amount of danger she was in wasn’t something she needed to worry about. Worrying would do nothing and he wanted to protect her from the gruesome truths.

It had been his hope to get her back as quickly as possible for her own good. Working up a sweat would be nothing compared to what might happen to her if she were captured. He hadn’t been thinking about how his pace had been affecting her. He was used to trying to show off to all the other rookie cadets in Clayton’s army, proving that he was only there because he wanted to be, not because it was necessary.

“That’s better,” she grumbled, now able to keep up stride with him. Her voice so near to his back startled him, and he realized that a part of the reason he was moving so quickly and keeping such a huge distance between them was because he felt uncomfortable near her. It wasn’t that she was weird, but she stirred something within him that he had never experienced before. She was intoxicating, and it made it hard for him to trust himself with her.

“So,” he said, trying to distract himself from the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between them and the forbidden things it seemed to suggest to his mind. “Have you been able to remember anything yet?”

“No,” she said miserably. She was in a bad mood, and he wasn’t sure if it had everything to do with him or if she was just upset about her situation. Either way, she had been making for lousy company and both of them were on edge. He was eager to smooth things over.

“Has anything seemed familiar?”

Kala was quiet, and a fire crept across her cheeks as she thought about how the only familiar thing she had seen had been the shooting star. And the way that Zaden smelled and moved. She couldn’t help but watch him as they traveled, his body lithe and agile as they wandered briskly across the wooded landscape.

“No,” she lied. “But there are things that are unfamiliar.”

This seemed to capture his interest.

“Like what?” he asked, pausing briefly.

“The trees, for example. They strike me as strange. Sickly. Are you sure it’s safe to be near them?”

“Of course it is,” he said pompously, raising his chin knowingly into the air as if she were stupid. “They’re just trees! What could possibly be wrong with trees? We have one of the lushest forested areas for miles!”

“I see,” she said, pursing her lips in an effort not to laugh at him. She tried to hide it, but she was too late, and he scowled at her.

“What?” he asked, jutting his chin out. Handsome even when he pouted, Kala noted. This man was exhausting.

“You’re just so proud,” she said with a small smile.

“Haven’t you ever had anything to be proud of?” he demanded.

“I don’t know,” she said.

The answer seemed to sober him and he was quiet for a moment before turning away. “I’m sure you have,” he said. “You seem like a really capable person. There are probably a lot of great things about you.”

He continued on without waiting to see whether or not she would follow. She sighed deeply to herself and followed, trying not to let his compliment go to her head.

Chapter Ten

That night, they were too tired to go on so they made camp.

“I must have gotten us lost,” Zaden admitted as he built the fire. “I don’t have any rations left. We’re going to have to hunt.”

“I’m not sure I’d be any good at that,” Kala said. In truth, the idea of harming any of the delightful forest creatures they had met nauseated her.

“Well, I’d keep feeding you the good stuff if we had any,” Zaden said, glowering down at the ground. Maybe Clayton and Janes were right. He should have paid more attention to training.

He had always thought he would be able to smell his way back home and had completely disregarded the classes in navigation. He hadn’t realized how quickly he could lose the scent. The elements must have been working against him. Strong winds and light sprinkles of rain that hadn’t turned into anything substantial had been enough that he lost the trail. Still, he had forged on ahead, assuming that he would catch the scent sooner or later. He had only served to get them more lost.

“I know,” she said, her voice low. She had been quiet most of their time together, but the more she spoke, the more he noticed that she spoke with a musical quality in her voice. It somehow made him feel instantly at ease. Happy, even. Or as happy as he could be anyway.

“Okay. I’ll do the hunting then, your highness,” he said with a low, sarcastic bow. He wasn’t angry at all, but he did feel exasperated. He had no idea what to do with the likes of her, and it was clear that she had a hard time simply tolerating him. Her attitude made him feel resentful, particularly because for some reason, he seemed to want her to like him. She scoffed as he took off into the dark woods, leaving her alone by the campfire.

She watched him go, her face wrought with emotion. Why was it so impossible to spend time with this man? Was it his arrogance or was there something more to it than that? And why had the only people she had seen so far been a vile man who wanted to capture her for some reason and Zaden, who, for some reason, never seemed far from her thoughts. He got under her skin, but part of that was because her attraction to him made her edgy. She couldn’t let herself become vulnerable to anybody. Especially not when she couldn’t even remember who she was or where she came from. She would stick around until she had a better option, but until then she would just have to play it smart.

Her thoughts returned to the beautiful shooting star she had seen. What had happened to her? Why had she seen those colors in the sky when they were nowhere else?

The fire was dying, so she busied herself collecting firewood while Zaden was hunting. It seemed like he had been gone for too long, and she began to worry. What if he decided that taking her with him was too much trouble? It seemed to be right along with his character to leave her there instead of keeping his word. Or maybe something had happened to him.

She felt a jolt of panic. She didn’t want anything bad to happen to him. And if something did happen, what would she do then? She would be alone again, vulnerable to the men who Zaden referred to as ‘guardians’. She knew that they were bad news simply from the way they smelled. She couldn’t tell how, but her intuition was telling her to stay as far away from them as she could.

“Zaden?” she called meekly out into the woods. There was no sound except the wind rustling through the trees, and she bit her bottom lip, wandering away from the comforting glow of the campfire and into the unknown darkness of the woods.

The fire had all but disappeared when something grabbed her arm. She shrieked and struggled away.

“What are you doing here?” Zaden asked, his voice stern. “I told you I would do the hunting. It’s dangerous out here! You’re not even that strong!”

“Even if that’s true, it’s rude of you to say it,” Kala exclaimed, pulling her arm away from him. She was suddenly furious, both from being startled and by the way Zaden spoke to her.

“So what? I’m not going to lie to you about it! It would have been helpful if you would have gone in the first place, but as of now, it’s just stupid! I already got what I came for.”

He held two rabbits out in front of him, their dead bodies dangling limply in the air. Kala looked away, her stomach in knots, and she took off running toward the campfire.

“Ugh,” Zaden groaned, following her. Why was it so hard to talk to women?

When he got to the campsite, Kala was sitting on the ground facing away from him, her face hidden in her knees. He sighed and didn’t say anything as he began to skin the rabbits and set them up to cook. She didn’t budge until the smell of the rabbit meat began to waft in her nostrils.

“That smells good,” she said quietly.

“Don’t know if you’ll like the taste,” Zaden said grumpily. “But I’m trying.”

Kala sighed, secretly staring at the handsome man as he cooked the meat. His long hair was down now, and his chiseled face looked even more handsome in the golden glow of the firelight. He was pensive, giving his task his full concentration, and she realized suddenly that there was a sort of comfortable simplicity by which he lived his life. Maybe she was over thinking everything. Maybe she could trust him.

She sat down beside him when the food was finished and he handed her a skewer with the rabbit on it. She took it, examining the meat curiously. It looked nothing like the cute creatures she had seen living, which made it easier for her to stomach the idea of eating it. Her stomach rumbled loudly and Zaden chuckled.

“Sounds like you’re ready for this,” he said, nudging her playfully.

She allowed herself to smile at him. Maybe she had been too hard on him. All this time he had just been doing the only thing that he knew to do to help her. What kind of person would automatically know what to do with someone who had lost their memory? But he had saved her from men who were trying to take her, men she had a negative physical reaction to, and had simply been doing his best to take care of her, even though he was just as lost as she was.

“Go on, take a bite,” he said with a small smile playing his lips. She gazed at him for a moment, feeling embarrassed by his attention. In an effort to distract herself from her feelings, she sunk her teeth into the rabbit’s flesh and chewed, shocked by how well he had prepared it.

“This is good,” she said, eating as if she hadn’t eaten in years. In truth, it had only been a day since they had run out of rations, but that was long enough for her stomach to rumble violently.

“I know,” he said with a smirk, before he started to nibble on his own rabbit.

She was already finished by the time he made his way through a third of his, and she watched him eat, her eyes intent on the delicious rabbit flesh. She was still feeling starved, but she didn’t want to tell him that. He could tell by the way she was staring at him like a dog begging though, and smiled.

“Here,” he said, handing her the rest of his rabbit. “I feel done for the day. Don’t want to sleep on a full stomach.”

“But-“

He stood up and headed to the edge of the camp. Her eyes once again secretly roamed the defining contours of his muscular body. She felt safe enough to do it while he wasn’t looking, but she would be horrified if he suspected any of what she was thinking.

“I can’t keep watch if I’m full enough to sleep,” he said, sitting cross-legged with his back to her. He stayed poised there, his ears alert for any signs of danger. Kala sighed, looking from his silhouette to the rabbit he had left for her to eat. Being a man, she was sure he had a bigger appetite, but he had been generous enough to give her his meal. She was half tempted to join him across the campsite and give it back to him, make sure he ate it, but it felt taboo. A man and his pride shouldn’t be crossed. She had heard that somewhere.

And so she ate, her thoughts in a flurry of emotion as Zaden perched at a distance, fearless and ready to protect her at any sign of danger.

Chapter Eleven

Zaden gazed at Kala as she slept. Her cheeks finally had some color to them, he noted. The rabbit meat had done her good. It was always nice to have a good meal, and she seemed to be in higher spirits, even as she dreamed. Her gentle eyelids fluttered as she slept, and her lips curled into a smile that brought a surge of longing through his body.

He frowned. What in the world had happened to that girl? Where had she come from? If the Guardians knew who she was, that was a bad sign. But maybe he could go there to find out after he got her to safety. He could help her get her identity back.

He knew it was a dangerous move. The Guardians had weapons and technologies that the dragon clan feared more than anything. As time went on, their intelligence and malicious intent simply evolved and continued to become more and more lethal. But he would face it. And if nobody else would go with him, he would go alone.

Morning finally rolled around, and Zaden sighed to himself. He didn’t want to wake Kala up for another day of trudging through unfamiliar ground. Neither of them were any good at navigating this terrain and he didn’t want to disappoint her by being unable to get her the answers she needed as soon as possible. He would do whatever it took to get her back to the Kersh clan in one piece.

When Kala finally awoke, Zaden had breakfast ready for her once again. She seemed to notice the determined look on his face, because she looked at him inquisitively.

“We’ll get there soon,” he said simply, and her face softened. However, she said nothing and ate quietly. She wasn’t very talkative in the mornings, and chose to spare her words for when she truly needed them. It was strange to Zaden, who was used to being around the boisterous soldiers, but it was also refreshing. Still, he couldn’t help but feel that she was keeping him at a distance and wished there was some way they could get closer without having to overstep any boundaries.

They set off, and instead of trying to make empty banter this time, he remained as focused as possible. Something had changed in him during the night. He realized that he didn’t necessarily know what he was doing automatically by being a strong dragon shifter. He would have to read his environment carefully. He’d seen the sun rise and knew that he had to lead her to the east, which is what he did.

Kala, who hadn’t been expecting the grim, silent hike, fell into step beside him. He could feel her lavender eyes examining him, and wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or self-conscious. He settled for a mixture of both and pretended he didn’t see her watching him.

“Thank you,” she finally said. “For taking such good care of me.”

Zaden glanced over at her, sure she was teasing him or pulling his leg, but her eyes were serious and the ghost of a smile was on her lips. His heart hammered wildly, but he didn’t want to betray the way she made him feel. It wasn’t right. A woman like her was sure to have a husband or boyfriend in the life that happened before they had wound up together. He was sure of it. What kind of man would he be to ignore that?

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said casually. “I just know of a lot of people in your shoes. It’s not a big deal.”

It felt good to man up and stop goofing around. He felt different with a purpose. The determination and drive was exhilarating. Maybe that was the feeling that kept Clayton going, always thinking of what was best for the whole group. Putting himself last and working toward a greater purpose. He would never be Clayton, and wouldn’t choose to be, but for now he was having a good time.

“Whether I have to thank you or not, I’m grateful. Even if I don’t act like it.”

“It’s nothing.”

They continued on in a comfortable silence, until Kala spoke again.

“You remember your life, don’t you? Can you tell me about it?”

It seemed a simple request, but the thought of describing the torture of his formative years made his chest tighten painfully. He looked away from her, not sure what to do. He wanted to do whatever he could to please her, but his secrets were his own.

When he looked at her to tell her so, he was caught off-guard by the gentle nature of her lilac colored eyes and the pure beauty of her face. She didn’t look like she was capable of harming another living soul. Instead of the prying look he had expected, she seemed only to be curious to know more about him. Maybe she was beginning to trust him.

“Let’s see,” he said, searching his mind for any of the lighter moments of his life. He had a ridiculous urge to protect her from the muddied despair of his past and give her only things to smile and laugh about. If her face looked wounded on his behalf, he felt it would be too much to bear. “I was more or less brought up by the leader of the Kersh clan. He taught me how to fight better than most of the sorry sacks he calls an army.”

“That’s fortunate for me, it seems,” she said with a soft laugh.

He grinned. “It seems that way.”

He had hoped this tidbit of information would be enough to sustain her, but she pressed on.

“What of your parents?” she asked, looking down at the ground. She looked sad. She couldn’t remember anything about where she had come from. Perhaps it was giving her comfort to hear somebody else’s story when she couldn’t remember her own.

He wanted to cry then. To tell her every heart-wrenching detail about the death of his parents, but instead, he pursed his lips in a pained smile. “They died when I was little.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

She seemed horrified, even though he hadn’t told her how they had been killed by the Guardians. He decided not to tell her anything about that though. She deserved to have her peace of mind.

“It’s all right. I was raised well enough.”

He was shocked when Kala laced her arm through his and laid her head against his bare shoulder. It was as if she were agreeing without vocalizing it. Her nearness brought the thudding of his heart to his ears. He had never felt so close to anybody before, and he had half a mind to tell her so. But he was embarrassed by the way he felt. She might misunderstand and think that he was trying to seduce her. Although the thought had crossed his mind more than once, after all, she was strikingly beautiful, he would rather die than make her think he was a dishonorable man. They walked that way for a while until suddenly, Zaden smelled something familiar. His eyes widened and he looked around.

“I know where we are!” he exclaimed, beaming down at her. She seemed surprised, but pleased. “It’s this way!”

He broke off into a sprint, and this time Kala kept up, laughing this time instead of scowling.

Chapter Twelve

Kala stared at the settlement, her eyes wide. She had been expecting something glamorous when Zaden described the Kersh clan. He seemed to really revere his home, and their leader Clayton. But what she found was a dingy collection of underground tunnels that were hidden by entrances made of trees and carefully fashioned turf.

“This is where you live?” she asked, trying not to let the disappointment show through in her voice.

“Yes,” he said, standing in the entrance of one of the tunnels. “Don’t worry, you get used to it.”

She sighed inwardly, not sure that this would be true for her. He turned and began walking through the dark tunnels, and she had to run to follow him lest she lose sight of him in the dark. She was nearly ready to turn on her heel and head back into the open air when something froze her in place. A smell, full, almost musical in its goodness, wafting through the tunnels. Something like what Zaden had cooked for her on her first meal but even more intoxicating.

“What’s that?” she breathed.

“What?” he asked, barely slowing down. He was eager to get her to Clayton.

“The smell!”

“Oh, that. It’s a special recipe,” he said. “It’s made on important days. I forgot the celebration was coming up. We got back just in time.”

Soon, her eyes were shocked by a bright skylight that illuminated a huge underground burrow. There was furniture in the same beautiful, shimmering colors that she had seen in the shooting star. Was it possible that this was her home? Is it where she had come from? But if so, wouldn’t Zaden have recognized her?

“Zaden!” a booming man’s voice exclaimed.

“Clayton!”

The two men exchanged a brief embrace.

“I found someone who needs our help, Clayton.”

“Oh?”

Zaden whispered something into Clayton’s ear and then led the broad man over to where Kala was standing shyly, fingering the fabric of a beautiful sofa. She hadn’t expected to find anything beautiful in the dark, earthy tunnels. Suddenly, Clayton looked at her with intense interest.

“Come my child,” he said, though she was clearly no younger than Zaden. “You have been through quite the ordeal. It is time we get you a proper meal and some rest.”

“Thank you,” she said, feeling shy despite herself. Clayton smiled kindly at her.

“Papa!” a small child said, running toward them and gripping the ends of Clayton’s majestic, flowing robes.

“Well hello, Archer,” Clayton said, beaming down at the boy. He was adorable, and gazed at her with wide eyes.

“Who’s she?”

“Ask her yourself,” Zaden said, a little curtly. Kala studied him for a moment and noticed pain in his eyes. Before she could register it, little Archer was in front of her, peering up with wide, inquisitive eyes.

“Who are you?”

“Kala,” she said, though she wished he hadn’t asked. Her first impulse had been to say that she didn’t know and it reminded her of the terrible feeling her plight had given her.

“Where are you –“

“That’s enough, Archer,” Clayton said, gripping the small boy’s shoulder.

“But –“

“Weren’t you supposed to be doing crafts with Mother for the celebration?”

The boy’s face brightened.

“Oh yeah!” he exclaimed, and ran off down one of the long, dark tunnels.

“Please forgive my son,” Clayton said. There was a small pulse of dark energy from Zaden’s direction, and this time Kala had time to let it sink in. Could he possibly be jealous of Clayton’s biological son? Her heart ached suddenly for the man, who stood with a stony face as Clayton took her by the arm and led her through a different tunnel than the one his son had disappeared into.

Chapter Thirteen

Zaden smiled as he watched Kala eat. Her eyes were wide when Clayton summoned the cooks to serve her in a private chamber, where the three of them sat in comfortable silence as the most traditional and coveted dishes in the entire clan were served. She seemed to especially love the one that she had smelled first upon entering into the Kersh clan’s labyrinths. They were Loni specialties that most people had a hard time stomaching. The mixture of flavors was overwhelming to some, but to Lonis, it was like a symphony.

It was nice to see her enjoying herself in a safe environment. And he also loved that Clayton had immediately taken a liking to her. She was a brazen and beautiful woman, just the kind of person Zaden had always imagined himself settling down with.

But those were the kinds of thoughts that would get him into trouble. There was no way he could settle down with anyone, especially a woman who didn’t even know who she was. He politely excused himself from the table and sighed as he walked to his room. He could still hear Kala laughing with Clayton.

Suddenly, the shrill voice of Clayton’s son wafted toward him and he cringed. He didn’t mean to hate the boy, but he couldn’t help but feel replaced. He wasn’t proud of his feelings, but it was something that he didn’t have any control over. It was best not to think about it too much. Still, if Clayton suspected his true feelings, he was sure that it would put an end to their relationship.

He plopped down on his bed, staring at the dark ceiling. It was Loni magic that kept the place alight, or else none of them would be able to handle the dark. Somehow, the magic had lasted for as long as they resided in the underground burrows, and having more Lonis in the mix kept the place bustling with beauty and animation. They were the true miracle workers of Kaldernon – they could make even a hole look and feel like home.

Zaden suddenly realized just how tired he was. Perhaps laying down had been a mistake. But he had been staying up to keep watch the entire time that he was trying to guide Kala home. He had spoken privately to Clayton for a moment to let him know that the Guardians were after her and to tell him that she couldn’t remember anything. It implied that she had been captured and experimented on. Clayton would know what to do with her from there. Now he was finally free to sleep.

Chapter Fourteen

“Your room is this way,” Clayton’s wife Krista said. There was something that Kala had immediately loved about Krista, but she couldn’t place what it was. She seemed familiar somehow. Beautiful and kind, as if she couldn’t hide all the love in her heart and had no intention to. There was something peaceful about that.

Krista led her into a small room, furnished with a bed and an oak nightstand. There was a small shelf with some books leaning on it, and a notebook resting on a tiny table beside it.

“When you want to sleep, you can just clap your hands and the lights will dim. We don’t want them to go out though, or the room will seem too dark. We are underground, and it can take some time to get used to.”

“Thank you,” Kala said, sitting slowly on the edge of the bed.

“I’ll bring you some night clothes,” Krista said with a gentle smile as if reading her mind. “I know it’s all a bit disorienting at first. When I came here the first time it was very difficult to adjust. But don’t worry, you’ll feel at home before you know it.”

Krista left briefly and returned with a soft lilac colored nightgown.

“That should bring out your eyes,” she said with a wink before disappearing into the darkness of the labyrinth. The curtain covering the doorway swished behind her, and Kala slowly changed. The room was uncomfortably small, but it would do until she was able to find out more about where she had come from.

It didn’t take long before she fell into a fitful sleep. She had expected to sleep soundly after having such a wonderful meal, but instead, she was haunted by voices of people she knew but she couldn’t remember and the terrifying images of creatures that seemed impossible. More impossible even than the floppy eared rabbit that Zaden had caught for them to eat.

Her fear came to a head when the man who had tried to capture her in the forest reached out to snatch her up and take her away. The terror woke her right from a dead sleep and her wide, frightened eyes searched the room for the one familiar thing that she had found. The one person who had helped her feel safe in the dangerous and unknown world.

Zaden.

The blackened room suddenly seemed to be closing in on her, and she took off in the dark

k tunnels, running as fast as her feet could carry her. It was late and most of the people of the clan had settled in to sleep for the night. It gave the burrows a hollow, creepy feeling. Her lungs were burning by the time she reached the doorway that she knew was Zaden’s. She wasn’t sure how she knew it was his, but it was certain in her heart.

With a trembling hand, she pulled the curtain back and walked into the room. It was much larger than the one where she had been sleeping, and the lights were still bright enough to see. She looked down at Zaden on the bed, snoring heavily as he navigated what seemed to be a very action-packed dream. Just seeing him helped to reassure her, but she was desperate to interact with him.

“Zaden,” she whispered, touching his shoulder. He had showered and dressed in a comfortable black ensemble before dinner with Clayton, at the same time she’d showered and changed into a fresh gown similar to the one she’d been wearing. She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him throughout dinner, though she didn’t like to admit that, even to herself. He mumbled incoherently before looking at her through small slits in his tired eyes.

“Kala, what’s wrong?”

She climbed into the bed with him, needing to be close to the man who had saved her life, who could help to save her still.

“I had a bad dream,” she said quietly, trying to avoid his gaze. She rolled over so she didn’t have to face him. He wrapped his strong arms around her, no questions asked, and held her close against his body. She gasped softly at the warmth of it pressed against her. It was unfamiliar, and it startled her to realize that the sensuality of the act was exactly what she had been hoping for.

“You’re safe here,” Zaden whispered in her ear. The rumble of his voice caused her to close her eyes in bliss. She hadn’t expected to be taken in by the comforting, spicy scent of his bed. His strong hands caressed her body soothingly, and she pressed herself against him, her backside pressed firmly into his groin and his broad chest hard and comforting against her back.

She knew she was safe with him. She had never felt safer than she did with him holding her. Still, somehow she wanted more, and she found herself pressing more firmly against him. The friction of their bodies made Zaden groan softly, and she felt the length of him grow hard against her buttocks. A surge of intense longing coursed through Kala’s body, and she turned to Zaden.

“Kiss me,” she said quietly.

Zaden was quiet for a moment, contemplative. She almost thought he wouldn’t, but he surprised her by obliging. His lips engulfed hers and she gasped as their warmth seemed to surge through her body, awakening desire she had never known possible. Soon, he had climbed on top of her and was showering her body with hot, fervent kisses. She closed her eyes to take in the sensation, overwhelmed by how good it felt to finally succumb to her desires. He seemed to know exactly what to do, and only paused once.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. “If I start I don’t think I would be able to stop.”

“I’m sure,” she said with a soft laugh. He grinned at her, his sea-green eyes dancing in the strange lighting of his room. She pushed his shirt off and let her hands roam his impressive muscles, sighing as he lifted the lilac-colored gown over her head. Her eyes had grown dark with desire, and he growled softly in her ear as he pushed himself out of his pants. She moaned when she felt his bare flesh against her.

He dragged his shaft up and down her middle slowly, sending waves of pleasure throughout her body as the sensitive nerve endings were stimulated by his body. Suddenly, her nipple was covered by the heat of his mouth, and she moaned quietly as a wave of heat ignited in her loins. The stubble on his cheeks felt surprisingly good against her sensitive flesh, and before she knew what was happening, he plunged himself wholly inside of her, testing the limits of her body and submerging her in an ocean of pleasure she wasn’t ready for.

“Shh,” he laughed into her ear. She put her hand over her mouth, and he gently removed it, placing his thumb there instead. She clamped down as she was taken up and down a rollercoaster of unimaginable pleasure.

He closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the feeling of being enveloped in the heat of her body. He hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted her until he knew it was possible, and unleashed the full power of his body on her. She moaned into his hand as he carried her high into the realms of ecstasy.

Kala was surprised when her body began to quake, and she gripped his shoulders as she contracted tightly around Zaden’s member. He moaned deeply as the beginnings of her orgasm began to squeeze him, massaging him intimately with her body and stirring the beginnings of his own powerful climax. He held out as long as he could, but soon was unable to keep himself from the earth-shattering eruption. He pulled out of her quickly, hoping that he had been able to stop himself in time. She seemed disappointed that he had left her body, and he collapsed beside her, panting.

“You can sleep here tonight,” he said softly. And then he was asleep.

Chapter Fifteen

When Zaden awoke, Kala was already gone. He sat up quickly and fell back on his pillows with a heavy sigh. What on Earth had he done? He had taken advantage of a woman who didn’t even know who she was. She had come to him, frightened, and somehow he had managed to do the one thing that might make her think that he was dishonorable – it was the one thing he couldn’t stand to do. How was he going to live with himself?

He leapt from his bed and began to pace around the room, tapping his chin thoughtfully. He had disgraced everything that might have been her life before. How could he have been so careless? There was no way that they would be able to end up together, especially not after he had done something so disgraceful. What would Clayton say to him about this? And he couldn’t expect her to change her whole life once she had her memories back. If she had a husband or boyfriend before she met him, she should be with him. He would have to remove himself entirely. And even if she didn’t, how could they love each other when she didn’t even know who she was?

It was all a conundrum that left him feeling miserable. He hated himself for taking advantage of her. She had been feeling vulnerable and weak, and he had let it come to something that it shouldn’t have. How could he possibly face her again? There was no way she would be able to look him in the eye after the night they had shared in his bed. It was all such a mess. Maybe everybody was right about him. He would never be able to grow up, and it was his own fault that he got himself into such stupid situations.

Zaden dressed quickly, his mind spinning. If he had gotten her pregnant, that would be even worse. But how could he, unless…

A painful jolt pierced his heart. What if she was a Loni woman, lost and wandering throughout the forest after having liberated herself somehow from the Guardian’s lair? They would know who she was. They were the only people who seemed to have a clue. His future with Kala depended on her past, and the only way he could find any peace of mind about his feelings for her would be to help her discover her own identity. That way, the next time they met, she would know exactly who she was and what she had left behind. It was the only way.

He had to go face the Guardians.

***

When Kala woke up, her body was sore and she suddenly remembered sneaking out of Zaden’s quarters to fall asleep in her own oppressive little room. She would have to talk to him as soon as possible, she decided, so that they could sort out whatever their relationship was. She couldn’t commit to him without knowing who she was, and she hoped that he would be able to understand. As much as she had grown to like him and depend upon him over the days they’d known each other, the fact was that her life had to stay focused on learning her past so that she could move forward. Hopefully the clan would be able to help her work through whatever was preventing her from recovering her memory.

She expected to see him soon after rising, but was surprised when the whole day passed and she didn’t hear a word from him. She was taken around by Krista throughout the day, and the kind woman taught her all she needed to know about living underground. She was worried by the time dinner was served and Zaden hadn’t been seen by anybody. Clayton narrowed his eyes at the head of the table where she had been invited to dine with his family when Janes reported that he hadn’t shown up for training, or even the mess hall, which he never missed.

“It seems Zaden is missing,” he announced, after having a thorough search done of the grounds. “He left unannounced. I can only suspect he is doing something rash and foolish.”

The news hit Kala hard. She knew, deep in her heart, that she was the reason he had left. He had probably been so ashamed of their night together that he hadn’t wanted to face her again. Perhaps he hadn’t really liked her at all and simply wanted to get some distance between them. Was she so repulsive that he would leave his home simply to get away from her? it seemed to make sense to her that he would. He was a rash and impulsive man, and if he felt like he had made a mistake, he would probably leave without thinking twice.

“Are you all right, Kala?” Krista asked kindly.

Kala nodded, surprised to be singled out and to have her feelings noticed so quickly.

“I’m sure he’s all right,” Krista reassured her. Kala was sure he was fine too, but she smiled politely and nodded again. He was probably fine, off traipsing around in the wilderness, kicking himself for getting entangled with the weird woman who had no memory. Kala sighed and excused herself from the table. She wouldn’t be able to eat anymore knowing that Zaden had left. There was no way she hadn’t factored in to his decision, and knowing that was one of the worst feelings she had ever had.

Chapter Sixteen

“What the-“

Peter, the Guardian who had been stalking Kala and Zaden, ducked as Zaden’s fist nearly reached his face. He ducked out of the way and Zaden grabbed him by the front of his robe.

“Where did you come from?” Zaden barked at him. His grip was tight, and Peter began to quiver in fear. The rest of the Guardians were busy rounding up the people in the city who had seen the lights of Kaldernon.

“Stuff it!” Peter said, jutting his chin out defiantly. Zaden growled and punched him hard in the face. The loud crack of his nose breaking echoed in the forest and Peter fell to the ground in a heap, tears burning his eyes. Everybody was so violent these days.

“Take me to your lair,” Zaden demanded.

“What do you want to go there for? You’ll be killed,” he said, holding his nose and glaring up at Zaden.

“Maybe you can help me then,” Zaden said, reconsidering. The last thing he wanted was to go into the devil’s playground.

“Why would I help you? You broke my nose!”

“I could do much worse than that,” Zaden threatened.

“What is it?”

“Tell me what you know about the girl,” Zaden said.

“I don’t know anything about her.”

Zaden kicked him hard in the ribs.

“How about now?”

“You’re messed up!” Peter wheezed into the dirt. “I don’t know anything.”

Zaden sighed. It looked like the only way he would get information would be the worst way imaginable. But he would do what he had to do to help Kala get her life back.

“Then take me to someone who does. Before I kill you.”

Peter groaned as he got to his feet and glared at Zaden.

“All right, if you insist. Follow me.”

***

Zaden looked around nervously as they approached the small cement building where the Guardians had made their fortress. He felt sick to his stomach thinking about all of the people who had been there, Kala most likely among them, simply to be tortured for who they were. None of them had chosen to come to this pathetic planet, and yet they were suffering for it, punished by this evil group of bastards and forced into hiding.

“Here we are, you foolish little man,” Peter said, grinning evilly. He seemed convinced that Zaden would live to regret his choice to come into the wolf’s den, and although he was nervous, the presumption pissed him off. He would do whatever it took.

“Peter, take me to a back entrance, would you?” he asked, gripping the serpent-like man by the back of the neck.

“Still pretty bold are you?” Peter chuckled. Zaden began to squeeze, until Peter was coughing. “All right, all right. Calm down. Let’s go this way.”

“No funny shit or I’ll kill you,” Zaden reminded him.

“I’ve got it,” Peter sighed, leading Zaden to the laboratory’s entrance. Inside, Zaden was shocked to see a group of men and women in a small cage.

“I’ve got to get to work!” one man shouted, pointing angrily at his wrist watch. “When are we out of quarantine?”

Zaden was startled to realize they were speaking to him. No, to Peter, who was walking ahead of him with his eyes to the ground.

“I’m sorry, but you will have to be patient,” Peter said, oozing false sweetness. It made Zaden sick to his stomach.

Peter pushed past their cage, much to their dismay. Their disgruntled shouts followed them throughout the laboratory. Zaden was horrified by the state of the subjects that the Guardians had collected. Many cells full of women and men were barely guarded. And why would they have to guard them? The people were as good as vegetables. Drugged out and oblivious of the world around them.

“What did you do to them?” Zaden hissed down at Peter, jarring him a bit with a shove.

“I didn’t do any of this,” Peter said indignantly. “This is all Richard’s business. We just help rid the world of otherworldly scum. It’s no good for our planet you know.”

“Yeah right. Who were those people back there? Why aren’t they zombies like the rest of them?”

“We just brought them in,” Peter said. He seemed eager to brag and spoke casually to Zaden. And why not? He figured Zaden would be killed soon enough and turned into one of the vegetables in the laboratory. And then he would surely have his fun with him.

“Why? They don’t smell like shifters.”

“You can smell other shifters?” Peter asked, raising his eyebrow incredulously. “I’m making a note of that. Richard will surely be able to use that information.”

“Don’t tell that scum anything!” Zaden exclaimed. “Why are they here?”

“They were able to see the lights of Kaldernon,” Peter said, his thin lips pursed so that they almost disappeared.

“That’s impossible,” Zaden said dismissively.

“Is it?” Peter asked. They stopped walking now, finally reaching the door where Peter was convinced Zaden would meet his doom. “Here we are. Right into the lion’s den.”

Chapter Seventeen

Kala breathed quietly, hoping that nobody would hear her as she crept through the forest. Zaden had been missing for long enough that she knew he wasn’t going to come back. And even if he did, she wasn’t sure she would be able to face him again. She hated the way he was able to make her feel. The clan had begun to feel stifling and scary without him there. She couldn’t handle the psychological effects of being underground without anybody she knew she could trust. She tried to trust Krista, but the fact was that they barely knew each other. She had to be nice because that was what was expected of the Lady of the clan.

She felt too vulnerable in the dark little room, and there was something strange about the people there. They were preoccupied with large, frightening creatures they called dragons, and it seemed as if they were hiding something. Every time she had walked into a room, the conversations would halt and their hushed voices made her feel like an outsider. It was a terrible feeling, and she wanted to get out of there as quickly as she could. There was no way they would be able to help her get her memory back. All she could really hope to do was go out on her own. She wasn’t afraid of anything. The worst had already happened. She had no idea who she was. She could just build a new life somewhere else.

She had forgotten how miserable it was to feel cold, but soon the chill in the night brought gooseflesh to her arms and she longed to be in one of Zaden’s comfortable camps. But he had made it clear that she wasn’t going to be his priority anymore. Not since he’d gotten what he wanted from her. He wasn’t even man enough to stick around and tell her to her face that he felt that she was no longer his responsibility anymore.

She was too hurt and angry to think any more about Zaden. There was still the almost nonexistent possibility that something strange had happened to him, but she knew that he had probably just taken off. Even Clayton himself had said it. He was doing something foolish. Ignoring his clan and his duties because of Kala.

“Stupid Zaden,” she growled out loud into the darkness.

“What was that, dear heart?” a seedy voice said into her ear. She gasped as a thick pair of hands grabbed her by the arms. “Look here, boys. Turns out this was easier than we thought it would be.”

Three men appeared before her and began to clamor.

“The Loni!”

“She is here!”

“At last, we have found her!”

Kala narrowed her eyes.

“Loni?” she asked.

“Come,” the first man said, ignoring her. “Let us take her to Richard. He will be pleased.”

And with that, the men bound Kala with ropes and pushed her ahead of them, taking her deep into the forest.

***

Her legs were sore by the time they reached the Guardian’s cement building. The settlement finally appeared ahead of them and she cringed as fear began to curdle in her breast. The men burst through the entrance.

“Richard! We got her! We got the visitor!”

Richard emerged from a hidden room, shuffling quickly toward them in his long brown robe.

“Yes!” he exclaimed, his eyes wild with excitement. “At last, all the secrets shall be revealed! We will finally know –“

“Let me go!” Kala exclaimed ferociously. Her voice was so fierce that it caught all the men off-guard for a moment. She had even startled herself. Perhaps she had been tougher than she thought in her former life.

Richard recovered and a sickening smile spread across his lips.

“Listen to the spunky little girl,” he cackled. “Come, bring her here at once. I must see her for myself.”

The men pushed Kala toward Richard, who began to stretch his trembling hand toward her. It was repulsive enough that she nearly vomited right then and there. Suddenly, a door burst open and a freezing cold wind filled the room.

“If you lay one hand on her, you will die.”

It was Zaden.

Chapter Eighteen

Kala watched in awe as Zaden burst into the room, flinging the limp body of another man in a robe to the ground from in front of him. But instead of the handsome Zaden that she had known and loved, (had she loved him?) he was larger, and fiercer than anything she had ever seen.

He was still morphing, his body and muscles rearranging and transforming until he had completed his shapeshifting. A dragon. The creature his clan was obsessed with.

Zaden was a dragon shifter.

And suddenly her mission became clear in her mind once again. The beautiful streets of Kaldernon. The Loni village, where the King of Kaldernon had called upon the bravest and most adventurous soul to willingly leap through space time to bring a message of hope to those who had been abandoned for so many years on Earth, a planet long presumed to be dead by the people of Kaldernon. It had been her own choosing to undergo the dangerous and experimental Loni magic that sent her reeling through the continuum. She had known it might scramble her brain, and it might even make it impossible for her to recover her memories of home. She was willing to adapt, she’d said. And so they had proceeded and sent her hurdling to Earth.

The Guardians must have sensed her arrival somehow. They were calling her ‘the visitor’, and acting as if she were the bridge in their gap of knowledge of the people of Kaldernon.

Kala was startled out of her thoughts by a ferocious roar as Zaden bared his fangs and unleashed an icy torrent of breath. Richard’s guards were frozen where they stood, unable to penetrate through the frozen air. Somehow, Kala and Richard alone were unaffected by his breath, and Zaden stared at the man with fire in his eyes.

“I injected myself with Loni blood transfusions,” Richard bragged. “So your ice shit won’t work on me.”

He lunged toward Kala, hoping to finally lay his hands on her, but before he could, Zaden intercepted them. His huge, golden body prevented them from touching, and Zaden, thinking of nothing but avenging his parents and protecting Kala, clamped his fangs around Richard’s tiny body, ending the evil man once and for all.

***

Kala and Zaden were still for a moment before he finally felt safe enough to return to his human form. Slowly, he shrank back down to his normal size. Kala ran to him and embraced him, despite his glaring nudity. It was nothing strange to her now that she had her memory back. This was the way of the shifter.

“Kala, we have to help them before the ice wears off. I could handle one at a time, but I’m exhausted. I don’t have the energy to shift again.”

“Help who?” she asked as he pulled her toward the door where he had emerged.

She gasped as the horror of the sight became clear. A laboratory full of Loni and Dragon Shifters, who had all but had the life drained out of them. There was a commotion further down the hall. Human voices, some more musical than others. Diluted Loni and Shifter blood.

Zaden was struggling with knobs and dials, cursing in frustration as he tried to open each cage, one at a time. The people inside were no longer conscious, and stared into the air at nothing.

“Zaden,” she said, touching him gently. He was frantic with the need to help, but her intuition was telling her to move on. “Zaden, these people are gone. They have found their peace. We have to keep them from harming anybody else. Please, it’s the only way to win this fight.”

Zaden roared in pain and anger, knowing that Kala was right. He didn’t want to leave anybody behind, but now that he knew they were there, he would never stop fighting for a way to release them.

“They’re going to unthaw soon,” she said gently.

“All right,” he said reluctantly.

“I’m going to get fired!” a man was shouting. “Why is he naked?”

Zaden raised an eyebrow at the man as he struggled to open the cage. Kala gently pushed him aside. She would be able to do this. She closed her eyes and concentrated, willing herself to find the combination and release the prisoners. After a few moments of silent button pressing, there was a hiss and a click, and the door opened.

“Get home,” Zaden said sternly to them. “Now. And get help for the rest of the people here.”

The group nodded. The man’s authoritative voice was convincing enough for them, and they took off running through the back door, which Zaden and Peter had left gaping open.

“I guess we should run, too,” Zaden said to Kala. And so they went.

Chapter Nineteen

“Do you think they’ll be all right?” Kala asked Zaden over the roaring campfire. It had taken a few hours for the events of the night to sink in. Zaden nodded.

“Humans are great at making a fuss. Did you hear them squawking about being late to work? As if they were purposely oblivious to the fact that their lives were in serious danger. They probably contacted the newspapers already and have had the place raided by police.”

“Thank goodness,” Kala sighed. Her lavender eyes filled with tears, and she dropped her head in her hands.

“Hey,” Zaden said, moving close to her and putting his arm around her shoulder. “Everything’s all right. We did the best we could.”

“I know; it was just so horrible.”

“Yeah,” Zaden said, holding her face in his hands. “But we made it. Richard can’t hurt you anymore.”

Kala embraced Zaden tightly, allowing his strong, masculine body to reassure her. She looked up with a gasp, suddenly realizing that she hadn’t told him.

“I remember who I am,” she said, her purple eyes serious.

“What?” Zaden asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “Since when? Who are you?”

“I have to give a message to the leader of the Kersh clan,” she said dutifully. “I remembered back at the Guardian’s place. I’m a Loni, from Kaldernon.”

“What?” he asked, shocked. Suddenly, it made sense why she seemed so familiar. There had been a nearly pure-blooded Loni woman in the clan when he was small, but she had since been victimized by the Guardians.

“I came from Kaldernon, directly. And I need to speak with Clayton as soon as possible.”

Zaden was silent for a few moments, and pulled away from her a little bit. “So on Kaldernon…” he began. He seemed to be having some difficulty getting the words out.

“Yes?” she prompted.

“Did you have a husband?”

She laughed, a musical sound that brought a deep blush to his face. “No, Zaden. I had nobody. Nothing. I was an orphan, too.”

He looked up at her in shock.

“Really?”

“Yes,” she said gently, taking his broad hand in hers. Their thumbs stroked each other for a long, intimate moment, before Zaden finally spoke again.

“Then…does that mean that we could be together?”

“Is that what you want?” she asked, examining him closely.

“I came here to see what the Guardians knew about you. So you could be with me without having to worry any more about your identity. I don’t think it’s right to be with someone who doesn’t even know who they are.”

She laughed again, this time stroking his arm flirtatiously.

“I think sometimes it’s better to lose myself when I’m with the person I love,” she said softly, tilting her chin up to meet his lips. Zaden took them greedily, not needing any further invitation. He lifted her easily onto his lap and she could feel his manhood harden from the heat of her middle. A moan of pleasure escaped her lips and they kissed deeply, his tongue sliding sensually against hers.

He gripped her waist as she began moving gently on top of him, slowly grinding him until he had to grit his teeth to keep from groaning out loud. He slowly stripped her, admiring her body in the firelight. She was all he could have ever asked for, and he buried his face in her breasts, taking a nipple into his mouth as she lowered her on top of him, teasing the head of his cock with her clit until neither of them could stand any more foreplay. They had been beating around the bush for far too long, and she had seen exactly what Zaden was made of.

She groaned as he slid his thick shaft deep inside of her and began pumping his hips expertly, taking her on a ride of pleasure unlike anything she had ever experienced. The sex had been good the first time, but nothing compared to the exhilaration of knowing who she was and fully trusting the man she was with. Somehow, she knew he would never abandon her, and they would be together.

Soon, she was shuddering on top of him, the bliss overwhelming her completely. She had never felt so completely pleasured, and when he sensed her nearing her orgasm he picked up his pace, grunting as his cock was enveloped by her hot body. She moaned deeply as his body brought her deeper in the pools of ecstasy and he hissed in pleasure as her body contracted around his shaft.

Suddenly, her body was filled with the hot power of his explosive climax. It enhanced the bliss of her own orgasm and they both moaned as they were taken to a new height together; a plateau where neither had ever even hoped to achieve.

They fell to the ground together, panting, and Kala rested her head in the crook of Zaden’s arm.

“Is it all right if we’re together for a long time?” he asked.

“Of course,” she said with a grin. And with that, they fell asleep.

Epilogue

Clayton’s young son was the first to see the couple appear in the distance, and he ran up to them and embraced their legs.

“I’ve been so worried!”

Kala and Zaden exchanged looks. They had spoken briefly during their journey back to the settlement about Zaden’s feelings for Archer, and Kala had helped him understand that it was normal to feel jealous, and that it didn’t take away how much he loved the boy. Zaden held him tightly and grinned when they broke apart.

“We just had to go fight some bad guys,” he said with a wink. “I killed Richard.”

Archer’s eyes filled with excitement and he ran in, shouting for his father.

Clayton looked worn out when he emerged, and laid eyes on Zaden as if he had finally discovered a missing treasure.

“You had me worried sick!” he exclaimed, embracing Zaden. Zaden softened and allowed Clayton to fuss over him for a few moments before he remembered the importance of Kala’s mission.

“Could we have a word please?”

After speaking briefly with Clayton, it was decided that Kala would make her announcement to the entire clan. Clayton wasn’t sure what it was, but he trusted Zaden that it was important.

“People of Earth,” she began, once the entire clan had gathered around together in an assembly. Everybody shifted nervously, confused by the way she was speaking. “My name is Kala. I was chosen as a messenger from Kaldernon. The trials of traveling through the dimensions took its toll, as you may know. I lost my memory. But upon seeing the noble Zaden defeat Richard, I remembered my goal. People of Earth, you are not alone. Kaldernon has not forgotten you.”

Everybody was silent for a moment, before the room roared with thunderous applause. Kaldernon hadn’t forsaken them. And Kala’s very presence there could only mean one thing.

Soon, they would return to Kaldernon.

THE END

Breaking The Dragon

Novella 3 Dragons of Kaldernon

Leela Ash

Copyright ©2016 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Chapter One

Kyna lay outside the Kersh settlement, her golden eyes fixed upon the sky. The dragon shifter men had gone out on a hunt, causing the underground village to feel empty and unsafe. They were usually there to protect everyone and keep the peace, but when they left the underground tunnels were mostly filled with people whose strength dwelled within, leaving them vulnerable. She couldn’t wait for them to get back, and made herself comfortable in her favorite spot on the grass, where she could see the sky with nothing in her way.

Although the leader of the Guardians, who were hell-bent on destroying the dragon shifter people and Loni counterparts, had recently been killed, all it served to do was lend an aura of danger to the air.

Kyna was one of the few Loni women in the settlement, and believed wholeheartedly in keeping up the traditions of Kaldernon. Most of the bloodlines had been diluted after a rip in the fabric of time and space had caused several shifter and Loni people to fall to Earth from their own world, where they were promptly persecuted. The Guardians were formed; men who felt the need to protect Earth from what they considered uncivilized alien life.

But the dragon shifters from Kaldernon had never wanted war, and struggled to maintain peace. Even though it meant sacrificing their freedom of flight and enjoying the world in their dragon forms, they had quickly made a pact to do so, thus avoiding creating a disturbance in the strange new world in which they found themselves. The Lonis, women and men who shared the world of Kaldernon and were able to carry shifter children, were also persecuted. Lonis were naturally adept to the unseen forces of the universe. They were the most sacred and revered of races on Kaldernon.

The fundamentalists had a different name for them though – witches. They soon had to hide their powers to see into the past and future from those who were far less capable. Instead, they resorted to creating things of intrinsic beauty and value. They worked day and night to find a way back to Kaldernon, using their amazing creative powers to peddle a living making blankets, clothing, and music. It was enough to keep them in food and water as the shifters and Lonis sought each other after a devastating earthquake separated them from their world and each other.

When a large enough group was finally settled together, they called themselves the Kersh clan and set to work creating a society where they could uphold the traditions of Kaldernon. It became increasingly important to maintain a refuge where they were free to be themselves. However, not all shifters and Lonis had been recovered after the fall to Earth, and those who were forced to adapt often took human spouses and diluted the bloodlines. Whenever a shifter was discovered, they set to work to show him or her what they were capable of. Sometimes this backfired and got the attention of the Guardians, and sometimes, it led to a new member of the clan.

It wasn’t until the Kersh clan finally wandered through the forest in western North America and looked to the sky that they were able to see something that shocked them all. Kaldernon was glimmering in the distance, the intricate colors of home just out of reach. It was there that the clan began to dig and create the underground city where they all now dwelled.

And how did Kyna know this? She saw it. The Loni blood in her veins was almost pure, though she had been born far from the Kersh clan with a second sight. Dreams of her ancestors and their plight haunted her. Through her, their struggles stayed alive. It meant everything to protect the way of life that they were often killed for maintaining, and no matter where she ended up, she would keep those traditions in the forefront of her daily rituals.

This, of course, meant that she would never marry; never carry a shifter child in her belly and continue propagating the clan. The shifter men seemed wary of her, fearful in a way. As if they wouldn’t be comfortable being with a woman who might one day be able to tell exactly what they were thinking. It was lonely, but she was distracted enough by her job that it didn’t matter. She was there as a last resort, recovered from a small band of Lonis that were traveling toward their visions of the underground settlement just a matter of months ago.

She lay back in the grass, keeping her alert, golden eyes fixed on the lights of Kaldernon. She was waiting. Something was coming, and she was going to be the first to know it.

Chapter Two

Cain’s boots crunched heavily on the turf. Most people didn’t understand why he had taken to hunting at night. The solitude and peace of mind it gave him was unmatched.

“Isn’t it hard to see?” one man had asked.

“I’ve always had good night vision,” he replied.

That was true. He’d been adopted as a baby, and his parents had some strange stories to tell about him. He could navigate the dark like a predator, and had never broken a bone in his life, despite an inclination for dangerous situations. He seemed to spring back like it was nothing.

Cain leaned his gun over his shoulder, keeping an eye out for any movement. He had decided to try a new area this year, but so far he had been shit out of luck. There must have been other people working the vicinity.

He stumbled into a clearing and inhaled deeply. Something smelled great; almost like somebody was cooking off in the distance. He tried to place the type of meat that he felt sure was simmering, but there were too many spices to be able to pinpoint it. They were spices he didn’t recognize, but they instantly made his mouth water.

Cain dropped to the ground and rooted through the bag on his hip for his small pack of rations. He didn’t know how long he had been out there, but it certainly warranted a snack. Cain munched absently on trail mix and jerky, his eyes wandering the forest for any movement.

“Whoa, what the hell?” he breathed quietly.

Above him, the sky was shimmering in colors he had never seen before. He blinked hard and rubbed his eyes, sure that he was imagining things. Before he was able to fully recover from the lights in the sky above him, a woman who looked like she had just walked right out of a dream approached him from the distance.

“You,” she said softly, staring at him.

Cain stared back, raising his blue-green eyes in disbelief. The woman was stunning. It wasn’t necessarily the specific way she looked that struck him so powerfully, but rather the ethereal way she moved and kept her gentle, amber-colored eyes fixed upon him. Her hair was silver-blonde, almost the exact shade of the moon shimmering above their heads, and she wore a gown that reflected the same impossible colors in the sky.

“Who are you?” he asked, trying to summon all of his courage. He had been renowned for his boldness and his bravery all his life, and women had always been oddly attracted to his brazen nature. They considered him an anomaly. A rugged outdoorsman raised in the city, stubborn and a man of his own narrow vision, they surrounded him like flies. But they hadn’t interested him much. What he truly loved was solitude; chances to find himself surrounded by the natural world. No women had held his interest longer than three seconds. Until now.

“My name is Kyna,” she said, her eyes intent upon him. She came toward him, her body more gliding than walking. Was she some kind of spirit? There was something otherworldly about her.

“What are you doing out here all alone at night, Kyna?” he asked, his voice strong, as if he encountered this kind of thing regularly. In truth he was terrified. And enraptured. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous?”

“It’s all right if you’re afraid,” she said with a soft laugh. She stopped walking then and peered at him, her eyes squinted in contemplation. “I sense your fear, but you should know it is unfounded. I won’t do anything strange.”

I don’t think –“

They stared at each other. He trailed off, feeling as if it was impossible to lie to her. That was all right, he usually spoke his mind just as he saw fit. The only thing he was never completely honest about was his fear. But if he was honest about that he would have no way to fight back and face the fears head on.

“Are you hungry?” she asked suddenly.

Immediately, thoughts of the delicious smelling meat flooded his mind and he nodded, almost involuntarily. Was he under some kind of a spell? The mysterious woman smiled, a gesture that lit up her entire face and brought him from his comfortable perch on the forest floor to standing on his feet. He walked toward her, holding his hand out. If he could touch her, maybe he would be able to believe that she was real.

“Who are you again?” he whispered, lowering his hand as he approached her. He felt suddenly silly, but she didn’t laugh at him.

“Kyna. What’s your name?”

“Cain.”

“Follow me, Cain. Dinner is ready to be served.”

He looked around, raising his eyebrow at her as if she were stupid.

“There’s nothing here,” he said, staying steadfastly in his spot. In truth, he was afraid to follow this strange woman into any unknown place. But she had captivated him so fully that he wasn’t sure he wanted her to leave without him either.

“Do you really believe that?” she asked, her face creasing in a knowing smile. He was surprised to realize that he didn’t, and looked up again at the incredible colors in the sky above his head.

“What is that place?” he breathed.

“Come,” she said. And without another word, she began walking into the darkness.

Chapter Three

Kyna led Cain toward the underground tunnels, her mind reeling. She had been waiting outside for a sign when suddenly this man appeared. But he wasn’t just any man, of this she was certain. He was shockingly handsome. He wore his dark hair tied behind his head, and she could sense his power from yards away.

In fact, her entire body had been electrified upon seeing him. He moved stealthily, with grace and a dynamism, like the men from the Kersh clan. He kept her attention rapt to him as he settled in to have his meal, and it wasn’t until he was able to see the lights of Kaldernon that she knew exactly what the feeling meant.

Only Dragon Shifters and Lonis were able to see Kaldernon through the rip in the atmosphere. The man was clearly a shifter, but he wasn’t part of the clan. That much was clear. Still, it was where he belonged, and it would be through him that the shifters and the Lonis would be able to return back to their own world. Kaldernon seemed to be shouting this to her, and with the same psychic surety that had led them to the clan, so too, would this man be their salvation.

“Kyna, where have you been?” Krista asked, her voice gentle, but scolding. Kyna ducked into the hidden entrance. Krista’s eyes widened when she saw Cain walk in after her, his eyes troubled and disbelieving. “And who is this?”

“This is Cain. He will solve all our problems.”

Krista was the wife of the clan’s leader, Clayton, and looked at her incredulously. Still, Kyna knew that Krista trusted her intuition and wouldn’t doubt anything she said to her. The Loni people who had recently arrived to the Kersh clan were very closely attuned to Kaldernon and had an unsettling connection with their intuitive powers that was harder for Lonis like Krista, whose bloodline had been diluted over the centuries, to achieve.

“Are you sure?” she asked, her voice hushed. Before Kyna could answer, Cain interrupted.

“What the hell is this place?” he asked, squinting in the darkness.

“You shouldn’t have brought him here,” Krista finally whispered, taking Kyna aside. Kyna sighed, but understood. Krista was nervous that the outsider might alert the Guardians to their location somehow. Times these days were strained as the Kersh clan awaited what could surely turn out to be a violent retaliation to avenge the death of their leader. Things had been quiet for a few years, but that was a bad sign.

“He won’t harm us or reveal us,” Kyna reassured her, looking deeply into Krista’s eyes. Krista nodded and her reservations seemed to dissolve.

“Still don’t know where you brought me, lady,” Cain said loudly. Kyna sighed, turning to face him. His hands were trembling, but his handsome face was composed. She studied him for a moment. He brushed the dark hair away from his face, waiting for her to answer him. His sea-colored eyes sparkled even in the darkness.

“For dinner, of course,” she said with a composed smile. She gave a respectful nod to Krista before continuing down one of the dark tunnels. She thought he might object to walking through the dark tunnels, unable to see, but he followed her through with ease.

“Would you like some light?” she asked him, turning a corner and walking in the direction of the dining hall.

“I’ve always been able to see in the dark,” he said dismissively. She smiled to herself, wondering if he knew anything else about his unique abilities.

“Here we are,” she said, proudly waving her hand to present him with the dining hall. His eyes widened as the festive décor gleamed with the same colors of her dress. The Shifter and Loni people bustled about, getting their meals and laughing loudly. The room fell silent when people began to realize that Cain had entered.

“Is that…?”

“It looks just like…”

“Everybody, this is Cain. He will be joining us for dinner tonight,” Kyna announced.

The room was silent for a moment as everybody took the man in. Some of the older dragon born were staring at him as if they had seen a ghost, while other younger members of the clan eyed him with suspicion. Cain remained oblivious and sat down heavily at the nearest table.

“What are we having?” he asked.

Kyna smiled to herself. She liked this man. Somehow, he managed to make her smile without trying. He was certainly able to hold his own, no matter what anybody thought of him. And he wasn’t bad to look at either…

Kyna shook the thought away. She was an oracle. Her job was to help this man get in the right place at the right time to help his shifter brethren. There was nothing else to it than that. She had long ago accepted the fact that she would never be able to focus on love. Her tendency toward reveling in her own mind and powers was too consuming.

It was odd for a full-blooded Loni to exist, and she was one of the few women who had been in the group. There had been four Loni men and two women. They were about as pure bred as any of the survivors from Kaldernon, but only Kyna had the ability to divine the future. The others were gifted in other ways, which had allowed them to find mates among the Kersh clan, but most men, particularly the diluted bloodlines of shifter who were just as human as they were dragon, were put off by Kyna, just as she was put off by them. So why wasn’t she put off by Cain? Was it because she knew that he was fated to save them all?

She sat down at the table across from him. The other men had shirked away as he tried to make small talk. The official thing to do was to stay mum to newcomers about shifter blood until an official announcement by Clayton showed it was all right to go on living as normal. The men were tense, waiting for just such an announcement.

“We’re having a specialty from our native land,” Kyna said, fixing her eyes upon Cain. He gazed at her for a moment, staring into her eyes as if trying to decide what to make of her. This in itself was impressive. Most men were uncomfortable when they looked into her eyes and saw their truest selves reflected back at them. Cain was perfectly comfortable with who he was. An honest man, she decided.

“Native land? Are you foreigners? Where are you from?” Cain asked, leaning back in his chair. A woman graciously placed a plate of food in front of him and his eyes lit up. “Thank you.”

The woman bowed and moved on to continue serving the food to the others.

“That is a topic best left for after dinner,” she said. He was almost visibly longing to dig into the food and he gave her a short nod before bringing the first tantalizing bite to his lips. He closed his eyes, relishing in the mixture of flavors. Nothing like what could be found normally on Earth. It was food that had been animated and blessed with Loni magic.

“This is the best thing I’ve ever had,” he said once his plate was empty.

“Good,” she said. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”

“All right,” he said with a shrug. He looked sadly at the empty plate and she tried to hide her grin. He was cute.

“What?” he asked, catching her immediately.

“Oh, you just look so disappointed,” she said, surprised that he had been able to read her so quickly. He must have been on high alert, paying attention to this strange place and the strange people who had made their home underground.

“I wouldn’t mind seconds,” he admitted. “But honestly, I couldn’t eat another bite.”

“Nothing is more satisfying than Loni cooking.”

“Loni?”

But she didn’t answer. Instead, she led him through the tunnels once again, until they arrived at her bedroom. He ducked through the doorway and looked around. He seemed surprised by how beautiful the room was without any natural light or windows.

“Take a seat,” she said.

“On your bed?” he asked, his voice tight. She laughed quietly.

“I’ll stand.”

“Um…”

“It’s all right,” she reassured him.

He sat reluctantly, running his broad hand through his hair.

“What do you know about your heritage?” she asked him softly.

“Practically nothing,” he said with a short laugh. “I was adopted. Parents found me in the woods. About two years old, scared out of my mind. My real family must have left me there to die.”

“That’s awful,” Kyna said, furrowing her eyebrows. So he probably didn’t know anything about who he was. But judging by the way he looked and the powerful way he moved and presented himself to the world, his bloodline wasn’t very diluted. He looked almost pure shifter, but that was rare and unlikely.

“It is what it is,” he said with a shrug, though his eyes reflected his pain to her. He didn’t try to hide it, but he seemed eager to change the subject.

“What if I told you I had an idea about where you came from?” she asked, trying to select her words carefully. She could already tell that Cain was a stubborn man, and if she said anything wrong, it might make him think she was crazy.

“What could you possibly know about me?” he laughed. “To be honest, I’d think you were full of shit. We barely even knew each other’s names.”

“Does any of this feel, I don’t know, familiar to you?” she asked.

“Familiar? No, can’t say that it does,” Cain said. “In fact, I think this is about the most out of place I’ve ever felt anywhere in my life.”

“I see,” she said, disappointed. Apparently she would have to reject that route. “Well, I have something to tell you and it might be strange to hear.”

“Stranger than all of this?” he asked, quirking his eyebrow at her.

“Probably much,” she admitted. He smiled and she gazed at him from across the room. He was so approachable and kind. Would it be cruel to introduce him to his true identity when he felt so sure of everything about himself?

“Can I be honest with you?” he asked.

“Of course,” she replied.

“I’m not sure I even want to know. I’ve spent all my life trying not to think about where I came from. I’m happy with things the way they are. What difference is it going to make what I know or don’t know about my family?” he asked. “They’re as good as dead to me.”

“It could make all the difference,” Kyna said, her eyes suddenly serious. Cain looked like he wanted to say something, but he decided against it. “In fact, you’re far more special than you could ever believe.”

“I don’t know about – “

“You belong here, with us,” she said, suddenly walking toward him. She could feel her self-control slipping as the urgency of the situation consumed her. He was the only way out of this underground prison. Her people – his people – could find liberation if only he could come to terms with his identity. Their fate was in his hands, and the truth suddenly bubbled forcefully from her lips.

“You’re a dragon shifter!” she said, unable to keep the train wreck of words from coming out of her mouth. “You can help us get back home.”

Cain stared at her incredulously for a moment and then lowered his head. She couldn’t see his face as his shoulders began to quake. She worried that perhaps she had unleashed a flood of painful memories, but when he finally looked up, a cackle pierced the room. His eyes were certainly watering, but it was from the effort of holding back his laughter.

“I don’t usually want to make fun of pretty girls like you,” he said, standing up. “But that’s about the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. I don’t know what a dragon shifter is, and I’ve certainly got nothing to do with them.”

He stood up from her bed and pushed past her, into the dark tunnels.

“Thank you, though, for dinner. It really hit the spot.”

“But – “

Kyna started toward him but Cain raised his hands defensively in front of his body and backed up toward the doorway. “I can see my way out.”

Her face fell in disappointment as she watched Cain’s back disappear in the dark tunnels. What was she going to do now?

Chapter Four

Cain moved as quickly as he could through the dark tunnels without running. He didn’t want anybody to realize how freaked out he was. All of those people had seemed strange, and looked at him as if he might be some kind of a monster. What was their deal? And why in the hell were they living underground so near to the city?

He emerged into the fresh air and looked back at the entrance in disbelief. He never would have known this place was there if that woman hadn’t shown up and taken him in. What had her plan been? What was the point in trying to feed him such a ridiculous crock of shit?

He shook his head, glancing up at the sky one last time before he left. The lights were still there, shimmering and as beautiful as ever. What did all of this mean?

Cain sighed. Whatever it meant, it was crazy. It was time for him to head back to civilization, where people didn’t live in caves and lure strangers in to eat odd meals and tell them ludicrous lies. He wasn’t living in Hansel and Gretel for fuck’s sake.

But something about the woman’s eyes had troubled him. She didn’t seem capable of lying. Maybe she had deluded herself. People could believe their own lies. It happened all the time. It was a shame that someone so beautiful had turned out to be such a character. Still, it was unsettling.

Cain set off through the woods. His legs felt leaden and unsteady. Should he tell someone about the group of loons living in the forest? That would account for the lack of game in this region, that was for sure.

He walked for about an hour when he suddenly heard voices in the distance. Male voices. Masculine and capable. They sounded comforting; like-minded. He wondered if he should warn them about the crazy people living underground. He was still debating it when three tall men emerged from the brush. One stared at him, his chiseled but kind face examining him closely.

“Kalden? We thought you were – “

“That isn’t Kalden, Clayton,” the man beside him said, touching Clayton’s arm gently.

“No, an imposter.  A look-alike.”

“That’s impossible,” Clayton said, approaching Cain.

“Uh, you don’t happen to live in a freaky underground tunnel, do you?” Cain asked, backing away from Clayton’s outstretched fingers. Clayton withdrew his hand as if he had been burnt.

“You’re right,” he said. He looked profoundly disappointed. “That’s not Kalden.”

“Even if it was, he’d have aged by now,” the man to Clayton’s left said gently.

“How do you know about the tunnels?” the man on the right said gruffly. He was instantly on the alert.

“I was just there. Some woman brought me in and fed me. She was crazy man; I swear to – “

Suddenly, a blade was pressed hard into Cain’s neck and the man on the right was in his face. He had frizzy red hair and intense dark eyes.

“You tell anybody about us and we will make you live to regret it; do you understand me?”

Cain raised his hands in the air.

“Whoa man, I just think you guys need to get that girl some kind of mental help. Why the hell are you living underground anyway?”

“Just keep our secret,” Clayton said, coming forward and pushing the blade away from Cain’s neck. He put his hand firmly on Cain’s shoulder. They locked eyes, and for some reason, he wasn’t sure whether it was the grief or the kindness in the other man’s eyes, maybe it was both, but Cain felt nothing but warmth for the man.

“All right,” Cain said. Clayton held his gaze a few moments longer before turning to the men behind him.

“Let’s move.”

The men lingered, glancing nervously at each other.

“But don’t you think he’ll…”

“He is no enemy of ours,” Clayton said.

His word was steel, and the men followed him into the trees.

Cain watched them go, his head spinning. Could anything happen to make his night any weirder?

He quickly decided not to stick around to find out, and hurried through the forest, more anxious than he had ever been to return to the hustle and bustle of the city where he had been raised.

***

Kyna lay on her bed, disgruntled and angry at herself for the way she had handled the situation with Cain. How could she have been so reckless? She had always known, through both experience and wisdom, that people rejected hard truths, especially those that were unfamiliar. Why had she practically bashed him over the head with it?

“Are you all right, Kyna?” Krista asked, poking her head into the room. “You weren’t there to greet the men when they came back from the hunt.”

“I’m all right,” Kyna said glumly.

Krista was quiet for a moment.

“The men met Cain,” she said finally.

“How?” Kyna asked, sitting up quickly.

“They ran into each other in the forest as he was leaving.”

“I see…”

“Kyna…” Krista seemed to have something on her mind but was reluctant to say it.

“Yes, Krista?”

“Are you absolutely sure he won’t give us away?”

“I promise,” Kyna said, her amber colored eyes flashing with conviction. Krista seemed reassured.

“That’s what Clayton said too. You two I trust more than anyone in the world, but the rest of the clan is nervous. I hope that everything you say will come to pass, but until it does, I think it’s best we keep your revelation quiet for the time being.”

“I understand.”

Krista smiled. “I’m just worried that with the way things have been, getting their hopes up only to… It could just end up being cruel.”

“I know,” Kyna said. “I don’t plan on saying anything. Apparently, what I said to Cain was the wrong thing anyway. I just hope I can get through to him somehow.”

“If it’s fate, you will,” Krista assured her with a kind smile.

She left Kyna alone. The conversation picked her spirits up some, so she decided to dress and go out to look at the comforting lights of Kaldernon. She didn’t want to doubt her vision. Her heart had locked on Cain, and she had the familiar feeling of prophecy as he approached.

She returned to the spot where she had first seen him and lay in the grass, staring at the sky.

“Kaldernon,” she said softly. “What do I do now?”

She didn’t really expect an answer, and was soon tugged into a peaceful slumber.

Chapter Five

In her dream, Cain was standing in front of a bright blue building. The windows reached to the sky. He looked more handsome than she had ever seen anyone look before. He was looking into the distance, at a peak in the forest not too far from where the Kersh clan’s settlement was. He turned his stormy blue-green eyes onto her and smiled radiantly, a gesture that electrified every inch of her.

When she woke up, the lights of Kaldernon were shimmering oddly. Kyna peered up at them, confused. Why did they look so different? The hue was more orange than usual, and the lights seemed to be pulsing.

Suddenly, she knew, it was a message. The world above seemed to be organizing, working together to convey a message through the gap between worlds.

“What are you trying to say?” Kyna demanded, scrambling to her feet. She didn’t want to miss the chance to understand what the people of Kaldernon were trying to convey, but it didn’t make sense. There was no rhyme or reason to the way the lights were flashing. She squinted, concentrating hard on decoding the message.

“Kyna!”

A heavy hand on her shoulder broke her concentration and she gasped out loud, whipping around to see who had distracted her.

“Archer, what are you doing?”

Archer, son of the leader of the Kersh clan, was behind her. He was about ten years old, and had the same brooding dark looks as his father Clayton. But his eyes favored those of his Loni mother’s.

“What are you doing out here?” Archer asked, looking up at the sky skeptically. His eyes widened when he saw the pulsing lights of Kaldernon. “What’s going on?”

He seemed suddenly scared, and his round eyes looked to Kyna for guidance. She was already well-known around the clan for her insight and prophetic dreams, and if anybody could give Archer his answers, he seemed to know it was Kyna.

“I think that the people of Kaldernon are trying to send us a message.”

“Really? Cool!” Archer bounced beside her, barely able to contain his excitement. “What are they saying, Kyna?”

She looked back to the sky and sighed.

“I’m not sure, buddy.”

“Whatever it is, I bet it’s super important!” Archer said. “I’d better go tell my dad right away!”

“Yeah, you do that,” Kyna said as Archer turned on his heel and headed back to the settlement. “I’ll just wait here…”

Within a matter of minutes, Kyna became surrounded by the most important members of the Kersh clan’s council. Clayton had apparently kept the situation quiet and must have instructed Archer to do the same.

“What do you make of all this, Kyna?” he asked, making his way through the crowd. He stopped beside her and looked up at Kaldernon with a deep frown. “Do you think they are all right? Is it war?”

The thought hadn’t entered Kyna’s mind in the least, but it sent a jolt of panic through her. Still, she knew from years of experience to only speak the truth of her first impressions. Fear was a poison that got in the way of true progress.

“I didn’t get that impression,” she said, though she was now afraid of the worst. “I think I had a vision, and when I woke up, Kaldernon looked different.”

“Strange,” Clayton said, fingering his chin. “What was your vision.”

A beautiful man.

“The man I brought before. Cain. I think he’s involved in all of this somehow, but I can’t figure out what to do…”

“Cain?” Clayton asked, suddenly intrigued. “What do you know about him?”

“Not much…just that he’s important. I got the impression that he is going to help to liberate and help us return to Kaldernon.”

Clayton put his arm around Kyna and led her away from the bulk of the group as they stared at the strange lights of Kaldernon.

“A long time ago, I knew a man who looked just like Cain,” Clayton confided. “He was a mentor and close friend after my father had been killed.”

“Cain? But that’s impossible…”

“No, not Cain. His name was Kalden. He was a friend of my father’s who disappeared around thirty years ago. It happened when I was about Archer’s age. His disappearance has haunted me for years. I thought for sure he had been captured by the Guardians and killed, but when we raided their headquarters and found the records after Richard was killed, it said he had escaped almost immediately and taken a woman with him.”

“A woman?”

“Yes. A purebred Dragon Shifter woman.”

“Where did they go?” Kyna asked.

Clayton was equally mystified. “I guess they chose to run far from here. I can only imagine that once they stopped running, perhaps they gave birth to Cain…”

“He mentioned that he was found in the forest near here,” Kyna said, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

“Maybe they felt the coast was clear and were hoping to return back to the Kersh clan to raise their son properly. With his people,” Clayton said sadly. “Where did they end up?”

“I don’t know, but Cain has no ties to his parents. He was adopted not far from here. I think he feels abandoned.”

“I see,” Clayton sighed. “The elders of the clan, including myself, I suppose, all thought they had seen the second coming of Kalden. They look so much alike. He was one of the few pure-blooded dragon shifters in the clan. My father and his had that in common.”

Clayton seemed overcome with emotion and Kyna touched his shoulder comfortingly.

“Thank you,” he said, clearing his throat. “Anyway, if he has something to do with finding our way back to Kaldernon, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“No?”

“As the purest Loni oracle, I’m sure you understand how our genetics play a strong role in unlocking our hidden potentials. If he is a pure dragon shifter, he is one of the last. And perhaps he holds the key in unlocking whatever mystery surrounds the lights of Kaldernon. Find him and bring him back here. That’s an order.”

He said it kindly, but Clayton’s eyes were serious. Kyna nodded, understanding what she was meant to do. She would bring Cain back to the Kersh clan.

Their future depended on it.

Chapter Six

It felt good to get back to work. Cain grunted as he lifted a support beam single handedly. Normally, the construction crew required several men to move them, but Cain had always been strong. He had impressed the supervisor so much that there was a rumor he was up for promotion.

Cain smirked. He wouldn’t accept a pay raise even if they offered it. He was comfortable just where he was. There was no point in making the men he worked with even more resentful of how capable he was. He liked to make friends where he worked and had to spent his time, not enemies. Besides, it wasn’t any special skill he had worked hard to be rewarded for. He had just always been this way. It didn’t seem fair.

“Cain!” Joe called, waving his cell phone in the air. “Phone call!”

“What?”

Cain lowered the beam in confusion. Why would anybody be calling him at work? Was it his mother? Was there some kind of emergency?

He dropped his load on the ground with a loud clanging and hurried to Joe.

“Thanks,” he said, taking the phone and holding a tight, nervous breath. “Hello?”

There was a brief silence, and then a beautiful, familiar voice reached his ears. “Cain?”

“Who is this?” Cain frowned, trying to place where he had heard the voice before.

“It’s Kyna.”

“Jesus Christ!”  Cain was so startled that he nearly threw the phone away from himself. If it had been his own, he might have, but Joe was watching him like a hawk. “How did you get this number?”

“…phone book.”

“Yeah right.”

“Can we talk?”

“I’m at work!”

“It’s important. After work?”

“I really don’t know…” Cain frowned. He hadn’t told anybody about the strange incident in the woods. Not that anybody would have believed him anyway. In fact, he had almost been able to convince himself that it had all just been some kind of ridiculous dream that he’d had after eating some bad deer meat or something. It was jarring to have Kyna’s voice in his ear so unexpectedly.

“I understand that this seems strange,” she said.

“You don’t understand anything!” he exclaimed. Joe, who was standing a few feet away from Cain, raised his eyebrow. Cain lowered his voice and growled into the phone. “I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me alone.”

“…I’m sorry you feel that way.”

There was a click and he was cut off from Kyna’s voice. Cain stared at the phone in his hand, somehow feeling even more despaired that she had hung up than he was that she had called in the first place. He couldn’t get himself tangled up with someone crazy, even if she was beautiful and kind. He knew who he was, and that’s all there was to it.

He handed the phone to Joe, who knew better than to ask, and stomped back to work. Who did she think she was, anyway? Interrupting a man during a hard day’s work? He didn’t need that.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had allowed her his time. What kind of stuff would she spew out of her mouth next? But behind his anger was pure intrigue. He had really liked her at first. He’d never seen a more beautiful, enchanting woman. But the construction site wasn’t the kind of place for that kind of thinking.

He finished out the work day, his chest tight with apprehension. It was hard enough not to know who your parents were or why you were abandoned. If he got himself sucked into whatever twisted game she was playing, he would just end up getting himself hurt.

***

Kyna sighed, winding through the corridors to return Krista’s phone. Had she really thought that would work? She’d divined the phone number, thinking it would be the answer. Why was she disappointed that it didn’t work when it was clearly a stupid idea to call from the start?

After speaking with Cain, it sounded really unlikely that she would be able to get any help from him. How was she supposed to lure him back to Clayton? It wasn’t something to blow off when the leader of the clan asked you to do something. But Cain, the stubborn man that he was, wanted nothing to do with any of them. She couldn’t blame him but it was still really frustrating.

“Didn’t go well?” Krista asked, offering her a sad smile. Kyna shook her head.

“I’ll figure something out,” she said.

She refused to believe that it was hopeless. Kaldernon had called on her to send her message, and she knew there was nothing she could do once fate had her in its grip.

She could feel Krista’s eyes on her as she left the room. If he wouldn’t talk to her on the phone, she would just have to go and find him for herself. Nobody bothered her as she packed her things in a small satchel, and nobody asked questions when she left the safety of the underground burrows. She would just follow the same intuition that had told her how important Cain was and hope it would be good enough.

The cool air of the forest rushed at her when she stepped outside. It was both comforting and intimidating. She had never ventured far without the other Lonis. But if she went with anybody else, she was sure that her mission would fail. It was too sensitive to risk.

Kyna closed her eyes, centering herself. She would follow her feet instead of the other way around. That’s how they had been able to find the Kersh clan. It would have to be the same way that she found the man who was to liberate them and bring them back to Kaldernon.

Chapter Seven

Cain tossed and turned that night. Usually, he had no problem falling asleep right away, but for some reason he couldn’t seem to be able to. The phone call from Kyna had left him shaken up all day. He had even dropped a beam, nearly breaking another guy’s foot as he tried to continue on with his day like nothing had happened. The guy was fine, but it had left Cain pretty shaken up, and Joe started asking questions.

What if Kyna had been telling the truth? It was a possibility he hadn’t entertained yet, and just the thought of it made him recoil. It was impossible. Insane, even. But what else would explain the strange underground caverns he had seen, and the ethereal woman who shimmered like the bizarre lights he had seen in the sky? What was that place? Had anybody else ever seen it?

Finally, Cain gave in to the reality that it would be impossible to sleep and walked to the kitchen. He sat at the table, sipping milk and staring out the window of his condo. He had worked hard to make his way in the city, regardless of the fact that a simple country life would have been preferable, but he enjoyed the anonymity of the hustle and bustle. But what would happen the next time he went for a hunt? Would he find another woman to feed him miserable lies?

Suddenly, Cain felt furious. He had gone out for the hunt, but came back without any meat to put in his freezer. He had been depending on that to get him by for the next few weeks. Money was about to be tight. Construction was seasonal work, and winter was just a couple of months away. Somehow, he had let those insane people distract him from his cause.

Cain stood as if compelled by a force other than his own and pulled his jacket and boots on. He was going to go out and get the meat he needed, and he wasn’t going to let anything or anybody distract him from it.

***

Kyna had been walking for hours without stopping to rest. Once she found the little stream, she began following it. It felt nice to drink when she felt thirsty. She sighed, thinking about Cain. He hadn’t been far from her thoughts since they’d met.

Kyna had seen the city where Cain lived briefly when the small Loni tribe was heading toward the Kersh clan’s settlement. It was a huge, terrifying and intimidating place. How was she going to be able to navigate it to find him there?

Kyna ran her hand through her silver-blonde hair and sighed. There was no choice but to stay focused. She had no other option if she was going to help to liberate them all to Kaldernon before the Guardians retaliated. When they did it was going to be a massacre, so they had to hurry.

“Well, what have we here?” a man’s voice said from behind her. Kyna whipped around, her heart thudding in fear. The man didn’t sound particularly friendly.

“What the hell are you wearing, girl?” another man asked with a cackle.

Suddenly, Kyna found herself surrounded by five men. The first man who spoke stepped forward gripping her gown in his dirty hands. She tore it away from him and the men snorted at her.

“Are you sure that’s how you want to play it?” the man asked with a grin. “Cuz it’s looking to me a lot like you’re out numbered here.”

“I’m not playing anything,” Kyna said, glowering at the man.

“That right?”

The men chortled and suddenly she realized that there was danger. She was used to being with a group who could help to protect her, but she had gone out alone without even telling anybody where she had gone. She had put herself right in harm’s way.

“You look a little funny,” the man said.

“You’re one to talk, Ralph!”

The men cackled again and Ralph glowered at them.

“Shut up, will ya? I’m trying to have a conversation with the lady here.”

“I have nothing to say to you,” Kyna said.

“Well, that’s all right, so long as you’re a good listener. What would you say? Are you a good listener, honey? You look like one.”

Kyna’s stomach churned as the man came up in her face. She turned away and tried to hide her face in her arm, but Ralph pulled it away and gripped her by the shoulders, forcing her to face him.

“Now that’s not very nice. We just came over here to make a little friendly conversation. What crawled up your ass?”

“I told you I don’t want to be bothered,” she said.

“Well that’s just too bad,” Ralph said, pulling out a hunting knife. “Because I’ve been needing somebody to talk to.”

***

A sharp scream startled Cain as he made his way through the dark forest surrounding the city. He had gone in the opposite direction of the strange underground settlement, and yet the voice sounded like it could be coming from Kyna.

He took off running with all of his power and arrived just as a stout man shoved Kyna to the ground. Cain was instantly filled with rage as her head bounced off the ground and an expression of pain filled her face.

The man didn’t know what had hit him by the time Cain was done with him. Two had already escaped, but Cain caught the others. He blacked out as he boxed them senseless, his anger fueling his power. He nearly lost control of himself and went too far, but Kyna’s gentle hands draped over his shoulder and they locked eyes. He suddenly felt his strength dissolving as his rage fled his body, and he moved away from the limp bodies of the men.

“They won’t hurt you anymore,” he said, turning away with every intention of walking away.

Kyna nodded, and he could feel her eyes on him as he began to leave the scene. She tried to walk after him, but staggered and fell heavily to the ground. The man had caused her to hit her head pretty hard, and she was having a hard time staying conscious.

“Shit,” he mumbled, walking over to examine her. She was alive, but badly injured. “You need to get out of here until you feel better.”

She opened her mouth to try to reply, but he silenced her.

“Come on,” Cain said, lifting her to her feet. He cradled her close to his chest and headed back toward his truck. It had been a crazy idea to go hunting, anyway. And now he had found the one person he had been wanting to avoid more than anything. And, if that wasn’t outrageous enough, he was taking her back to his apartment.

Cain situated Kyna in the passenger’s seat and she opened and closed her eyes heavily as he tore out of the parking lot and headed toward his home. He didn’t want to involve the hospital in case they investigated the men and found any of them brutalized to death. Cain knew how to treat bumps and bruises anyway.

“Hey,” he said, snapping his fingers in front of Kyna’s face as he sped toward the highway. “Don’t go to sleep, now.”

Kyna’s golden eyes fixed upon him and Cain felt his heart thud despite himself. She sure was something else. He was furious that anyone might want to harm her. Cain felt responsible for her somehow. As if they had a connection that nobody should interfere with. He wanted to protect her, even if he thought she was a little bit out there.

“Where are we going?” Kyna asked quietly.

“To my apartment,” Cain said with a heavy sigh. “If that’s all right.”

“You can just take me home,” she said. She was tired of fighting. “I know you don’t want to be near me. You probably think I’m insane. Or maybe some kind of witch.”

Cain was surprised by the assumption. The idea of witchcraft hadn’t entered his mind. Though now that she mentioned it, she did have a strange, otherworldliness that being a witch would explain. Still, he couldn’t help but be drawn to it.

“Well, I don’t think I believe what you believe about me if that’s what you mean. But I don’t hate you for thinking it.”

They were quiet for a moment as Kyna considered this.

“What would it take to convince you?” she asked. “I’m kind of lost out here.”

“You’re pretty far from home,” Cain agreed.

“You have no idea,” Kyna sighed.

Cain pursed his lips as he merged into the highway leading into the city. Traffic was bad even this late at night, and they got stuck behind a bus, giving them ample time together in his truck.

“Can you answer something for me?” Cain asked.

“That depends,” she answered.

“What were those lights in the sky? I can’t stop thinking about them.”

“The lights of Kaldernon,” Kyna said softly. “They are what led me to you.”

“Ladernon?” he asked, turning down the radio. The mournful country song disappeared and they were left together in silence.

“Kaldernon,” she said, laying her head back heavily in the seat. “I don’t think you’d believe me, so don’t bother asking about that.”

“All right,” Cain shrugged. “No skin off my back.”

He could feel her glaring at him and had to force himself not to meet her eyes. They drove quietly until they finally reached the road his condo was on.

“I’ve seen that!” Kyna suddenly exclaimed, sitting straight up. The effort was taking a lot out of her, but she kept her eyes fixed on the building, rapt. “It was in my dream.”

“What, are you some kind of psychic or something?”

Kyna turned to him then, giving him a deadpan look. She didn’t answer yes or no, just stared at him as if he were stupid. It gave him the creeps a little bit, but at the same time he felt intrigued. If he would believe anybody in the world was a psychic, Kyna would be the top of the list.

“That’s my apartment building. Maybe you saw it when you were stalking me to get my phone number at work.”

“I didn’t stalk – “

Kyna fell back against the seat, overcome by another wave of sudden pain. “you…”

“Shhh, don’t worry about it right now. We’re gonna get you taken care of.”

And with that, he parked his truck and helped her to the elevator of the condo. What in the world had he had gotten himself into?

Chapter Eight

Kyna sat nervously on the couch as Cain rummaged through his bathroom for medical supplies. When she had fallen she had cut her arm pretty deeply on the jagged rocks along the edges of the stream.

“Don’t want it to get infected,” Cain had said, disappearing behind the door.

When he returned, he was surprised to find Kyna digging through the magazines he had beside the end table. She devoured them quietly, her amber-colored eyes wide.

“See anything you like?” he asked, his lips twitching in a bemused smile.

“Oh! I’m sorry,” Kyna exclaimed. He laughed at the horrified expression on her face as she slapped the magazine she was looking at closed. It was a travel issue, and she shoved it under the table.

“It’s all right, that’s why they’re there,” he said, smiling gently at her.

Kyna stared at him in a daze. Why did she always lose track of her thoughts when he looked at her?

“What’s wrong?” Cain asked.

“I…nothing,” she said, sitting up rigidly and trying to smile at him as if they were sharing the most typical experience in the world.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Cain said with a chuckle, kneeling in front of her. Kyna noticed that he had changed his shirt, stripping off the outer layer and replacing it with a tight tank top that revealed his impressively muscular arms.

“You’re going to feel this for a second,” he said apologetically, unscrewing the cap off a large clear bottle of rubbing alcohol.

“Okay,” she said, not fully understanding what he meant.

He sat the bottle down on the coffee table and held her arm gingerly in his hand, carefully lifting the sleeve of her otherworldly dress to reveal the area where it was bleeding.

“It’s pretty heavy bleeding,” he said, more to himself than to her. “Does it hurt?”

She gazed into his soulful, sea-colored eyes. He seemed sad, probably about several things, judging by the depth in them. She sighed. Did he feel guilty for not believing her?

“It’s not that bad,” she said, mustering all of her strength to help reassure him.

“Oh, that’s good. What about your head?”

She couldn’t lie about her head. She had probably gotten a concussion from falling so hard onto the ground, and she had to battle a strong surge of nausea every time she moved too quickly.

“I don’t know. I feel sick whenever I stand up too fast or move. Sometimes just sitting here.”

“So it’s kind of like being drunk?” he asked with a laugh.

“I guess so,” she said, smiling with him. She had only been tipsy once on ceremonial wine, but she knew several of the men enjoyed their ale and suffered from hangovers that made the strong, capable shifters act like surly children.

“All right, that’s not too good,” he said. “I’ll take care of you.”

Kyna’s heart thudded when she heard the words, and she watched his lithe, handsome body cross the room. “I’ve got something you should take for the swelling, all right?”

When Cain was out of the room, she felt a confusing loneliness. Kyna had spent most of her life in isolation because that was the way she was best able to keep in touch with her powers as an oracle. But she had never truly felt the absence of somebody else before. What was going on?

“Here, take this,” Cain said when he returned, handing her a little round pill. Kyna stared at it skeptically. “What, haven’t you ever taken a pill before?”

“Do you chew it? This doesn’t look like food.”

“It’s not. It’s medicine.”

“Not my kind of medicine.”

Cain smiled wryly. “I’m sure it’s not,” he said with a short laugh. “But this will help you feel better faster.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Just swallow it with the water. Like this.”

Cain demonstrated with an invisible pill before handing her the water. Kyna sighed, keeping her eye on him as she took the pill.

“Good,” he said. “Now let me finish bandaging that up. Helping your head feel better is way more important than your arm.”

She gasped when Cain’s strong fingers wrapped around her again, sending a soft jolt of pleasure through her body. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before and she pulled her arm away reflexively.

“Hey, cut it out,” Cain said with a deep frown. “I need to do this. I’m sorry if it hurt.”

Cain gripped the arm assertively and Kyna closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pounding in her chest. He dabbed the wound gently with a cool cloth.

“Brace yourself,” he said, his low voice close to her ear. “This is going to hurt.”

Kyna hissed as he poured the rubbing alcohol over the cut and the stinging traveled up her arm.

“Here,” Cain said, pushing his broad hand into hers. “Squeeze it if you want.”

Kyna opened an eye to look at him, gauging whether or not he was serious. Cain’s eyes settled upon her, no humor in them, and she squeezed as he wrapped the bandage snugly around her wound. It was oddly sensual, despite the pain. When Cain was finally finished dressing the wound, he looked up at her with a small grin.

“There,” Cain said, his beautiful eyes locked on her. “All done.”

Kyna opened and closed her mouth, unsure of what to say with his face so near to hers. She wanted to speak, but her heart was hammering in her ears and there were no words for what she really wanted.

Cain lingered there for a moment. He also seemed conflicted about something, but he stood up and grinned down at her. “Lucky for you I found you on a weekend, so you’ll get to sleep in before I take you home.”

“Yeah,” Kyna whispered. She didn’t believe in luck, but she didn’t want to tell him that. “Lucky.”

Cain set to work bringing out sheets and blankets for her, making a comfortable bed on the couch. His condo had a beautiful view overlooking the city’s skyline, and he lay the pillow on the end of the couch so she could gaze at it as she fell asleep.

“Good night,” Cain said, dimming the lights and heading into his bathroom again.

Kyna heard the rush of running water as he showered, and stared at the night sky out the window. The lights of the city reminded her of Kaldernon, and she felt a sudden pang of sadness and panic. She was a failure. There was no way she would ever be able to convince Cain that she was telling the truth. He seemed set in his ways, and nobody would ever change that about him.

In a way, Cain’s firm grasp of who he was and what he believed was sexy. Conviction had always been highly revered by the Lonis. But on the other hand, inflexibility could make Kyna feel more frustrated than she knew what to do with.

Eventually the sounds from the bathroom ceased and Cain settled down for the night in his bedroom. Kyna sighed and closed her eyes. Maybe things would change for the better in the morning.

Chapter Nine

Cain thought he would finally be able to sleep after his hunting trip, but having the strange, bizarrely beautiful woman in his house kept him wide awake. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Kyna, and now that she was so close, he wasn’t sure what to do. He had to fight away thoughts of the things he wanted to do with her, to her maybe. It was hard being a man sometimes.

But wouldn’t it be a mistake to get involved with a woman who seemed to have something wrong with her? Still, that didn’t change the fact that she seemed to know things. Things most people overlooked. The idea of Kyna being a witch had stuck in Cain’s head ever since she’d brought it up. Was that the strange impression he had of her? Kyna had managed to articulate the level of strangeness that he had experienced when dealing with her. Should Cain be concerned that she was in his home? She seemed perfectly harmless, but what if she had friends? Those weird men that had stopped him in the forest?

Nothing made sense anymore. Cain groaned softly to himself and buried his head in his pillow. What was he going to do with that girl? Now that Kyna knew where he lived, she probably wouldn’t leave him alone. Should he go to the police? And did he really want to?

Her biggest crime was believing that Cain was something that he wasn’t. And he was a sucker for the mystique; the strange and beautiful way that Kyna presented herself. There was something that drove him to feel intensely attracted to her, beyond anything that she had ever felt with another woman. That was alarming in itself.

Cain was used to being cool and aloof, his feelings never on the line. But Kyna made him feel vulnerable. Unsure of himself. Unsure, even, of his own sanity.

All Cain really knew was that of all the things he had done in the past few weeks, having her climb into his truck so that he could drive her back to the underground tunnels and out of his life was going to be the hardest. Even harder than restraining himself from going back to her in the cover of night to tell her how she made him feel. He cringed as he felt an erection begin to creep against his leg and sighed deeply. It was going to be a long night.

***

Kyna couldn’t sleep. Her mind was scattered and seemed to be jumping all over the place. It went from focusing on the deep burning that she felt in her body whenever Cain was near and the terrifying close encounter she’d had with the men in the woods. Why did he make her feel that way? She was feeling much better after taking the medicine he gave her, but she missed being near him. It was making her anxious.

Her amber eyes were wide and alert after everything that had happened, and the artificial light from the city outside hurt her eyes. It was nice to look at for a while, but it was so bright compared to the underground burrows back at the Kersh clan’s settlement. It gave her a panicked feeling of claustrophobia. She longed to be able to lay down on her preferred spot on Earth and look up at the comforting lights of Kaldernon. But ever since they had started to pulse, taking on that unearthly hue, she hadn’t been comforted so much as puzzled and concerned.

Kyna tried hiding her face from the lights underneath her pillow, but that didn’t work. Not only was it still too bright, but it smelled just like Cain. It was driving her crazy to battle her longing. What would she even do with him if she had him? Play cards? Tell him how handsome he was?

She sighed in frustration, just about the same time she heard a similar sound come from Cain’s bedroom. Were they feeling the same way? She sat up and stared into the darkness in the direction of his bedroom. What was he feeling right that moment?

Kyna put her bare feet onto the floor, startled once again by the strange padding of carpet that she felt beneath them. She swallowed hard before she crept toward the bedroom. She put her hand on the doorknob and hesitated for a moment. When she heard another frustrated groan come from inside, she quietly turned the doorknob and walked slowly inside.

“What are you doing in here?” Cain asked, his voice hushed. He didn’t sound angry, just surprised.

“I can’t sleep alone out there,” she said, looking down at the floor, embarrassed. She was surprised by how immaculately clean he kept his bedroom. It was just like the rest of his home.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, sitting up.

A gasp caught in her throat as the blanket slid down his torso, revealing his perfect body, half naked in the silver moonlight. He noticed her staring, but said nothing.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “It’s so bright. And I feel scared. Lonely.”

“Why do you feel scared? You’re safe here.”

“You wouldn’t believe me,” she said with a sad smile. He frowned.

“Maybe not, but I can help you feel safe,” he said, pulling down the corner of his blanket. “Come on.”

Kyna walked nervously to his bedside and tucked herself under the covers, holding her breath until it burnt in her chest the same way she might have done if she was going to dive into the deep end of the river. Cain smiled kindly at her.

“Now, whatever you’re worried about, just put it away from your mind. I know you think some interesting things about me, but just for now let’s say we’re both only ourselves and nothing else is going on in the world, huh?”

Kyna sighed inwardly. Cain would never be able to understand the danger her people were in. Never be willing to believe in their plight.

All thoughts of Kaldernon vanished suddenly. Kyna inhaled sharply as he wrapped his strong arms around her and her body was surrounded by his warm, masculine scent. It conjured a deep longing within her and she tried to think of anything else. She had no idea what to do with herself as Cain tugged her close to his chest, attempting to soothe her. It was both exhilarating and comforting.

“I know it’s been a long night. If you want to go to the police in the morning, I will drop you off. Could you try not to tell them I was there, though? I can’t afford to get into trouble.”

“Why would I go to the po–?”

The idea was absurd to her. Half the police force were people who had been paid off by the Guardians. The rogue officers had joined their corrupt movement. They would recognize Kyna as a Loni from a mile away and take her into custody. There were surely Guardians left in the world plotting an uprising against the Kersh clan, and there was no doubt that they would love to make an example of her.

“No, I don’t want to go to the police. I’m sure the men won’t find me again. You seem to have taught them a lesson when you started– “

She cut herself off. The last thing he would want to hear was the truth. How when Cain was angry, his eyes had turned from the beautiful human blue-green to the lethal reptilian eyes of a dragon shifter. Kyna had been shocked, just as she was sure the men he had attacked were, but he was completely oblivious. The strength Cain’s temporary shifting lent him had been more than enough to wipe out the men who had been messing with her. And yet, she couldn’t truly thank the shifter for what he had done without him thinking she was crazy.

“I’m sure they won’t do anything like that again,” Kyna said instead, shifting nervously. It felt too good to be so near his body. She wasn’t sure what to do, but Cain didn’t seem to have any expectations.

“They better hope they don’t,” he said, his voice low and serious.

“Cain?”

“Yeah?”

“Why were you out there? Right when I needed you? Like fate.”

“Fate?” Cain said with a nervous laugh. “I don’t know about that. I just couldn’t sleep so I went out for a hunt. I didn’t get anything last time I went out, if you’ll recall.”

“I’m sorry,” Kyna said sheepishly.

He stroked her back gently. “Don’t be.”

Cain wasn’t sure what to think and had no idea what was going on with Kyna, but he couldn’t deny how he had felt for her since they had met. She seemed to unleash something deep within him that he couldn’t get away from. Whether she was a little odd or not, he couldn’t lie to himself about how much he wanted her. Having her in his bed was like a dream come true, but he wouldn’t let himself go too far. He would just try to help her feel better until she could sleep.

Kyna’s back tensed up under his fingertips, and she inhaled softly as the pleasure began to course its way throughout her body. She had never experienced anything like it before and felt frozen as the warm feeling began to creep into areas she had never paid any attention to.

Kyna was dismayed when Cain pulled his hand away and curled up on the other side of the bed. She snuck a glance at him, her body buzzing in a billion different ways. He had his hands behind his head and was staring at the ceiling, his cheek pressed lightly against one of his firm biceps. His eyes flickered back to her and he smiled gently.

“It can be hard to fall asleep in an unfamiliar place. Would you like me to move to the couch instead?”

“No,” Kyna whispered. “I want to be with you.”

She crawled to his side. Cain smiled, though his face was creased with concern. As if following some unseen thread of fate, Kyna found herself climbing on top of him. She wasn’t sure what to do now that she was up there, but he raised his eyebrows and seemed just as surprised as she was.

“I guess I have no choice but to stay right here then,” Cain said quietly, his handsome face staring up into hers. They stared at each other for a moment. Soon, Cain’s eyes grew dark and he gripped her by the waist, flipping her onto her back, reversing their positions. Now he was on top of her and she stared at him, nervous but excited.

Cain didn’t speak any more, but slowly took her lips. They both moaned from the unexpected surge of ecstasy that their lips ignited. Kyna closed her eyes, savoring every sensation. This was nothing like what she had thought would happen when she set out to look for the handsome stranger. But she wasn’t disappointed.

“Are you okay?” he asked when he pulled away from her, breaking the sensual contact. He stared dubiously into her eyes and she smiled.

“Not with you all the way over there,” she said, sitting up and pulling his face close to her own. They kissed again, long and languid laps from their tongues that brought a moan from deep within her. He pulled away suddenly and looked at her, his eyes filled with worry.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. “I mean…”

“You’re not taking advantage of me,” she said, immediately understanding his reservation. Sometimes it was good to be an oracle. He thought she was some crazy woman. “Even if it’s true that I’m insane like you think I am, I’m still an adult. I can make decisions about my own body.”

“Okay,” he said, though he still didn’t seem convinced. She pulled him back down to her and kissed him again. He seemed to lose his reservation as her touch grazed his body, and they held each other tightly as he began to move himself against her, pressing the hardness of his groin against her middle.

She gasped, surprised by the unexpected pleasure that suddenly electrified her. Her dress was lifted to her waist and their bodies were separated by only thin layers of fabric.

Cain looked at Kyna again, as if looking for approval. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but she nodded. She would have given in to almost anything if it meant exploring the feeling Cain gave her.

He gingerly pulled the dress over her head and stripped himself, allowing a moment before moving again so that her eyes could roam him in the moonlight while he did the same. Kyna gasped softly when Cain took her hands in his and kissed them. The small gesture brought goosebumps to her flesh.

Suddenly, Cain was on top of her again, devouring her body with his mouth. He kissed Kyna with gentle urgency, and she gasped when she suddenly felt the length of his shaft press firmly against her. Immediately, she bucked against him as her nerve endings were electrified with pleasure, inviting him to see just how far he would go.

Kyna’s body was abruptly pried open as Cain pressed himself gently against her opening. He stayed there, finding her nipple with his hot mouth and sucking gently. A surge of pleasure jolted her and Kyna bucked her hips against him again, forcing Cain to push more of himself inside. He grunted in pleasure as he slipped in deep, and they both gasped as his shaft continued disappearing inside her.

Cain hadn’t expected anything like this to happen, and even more surprising was the fact that he wanted it so badly. He had never been so invested in a woman before. She hadn’t left his mind for more than five minutes since the moment they met. He would protect her. He would pleasure her. Even if she did turn out to be a little mentally ill, he would stand by her.

Kyna was writhing beneath him, her eyes closed as the ecstasy consumed her. Cain tried his best not to grunt in pleasure as her body constricted around him, engulfing him and sending a shot of pleasure through his cock and into his abdomen. It lit him on fire with a consuming need for release. But he wouldn’t give in to it. Not yet. She wouldn’t be able to handle his all.

“Are you a virgin?” Cain breathed as he gently rocked his hips against her.

“Yeah,” Kyna gasped. “You too, huh?”

Cain was surprised by her assumption. Most women, because they were generally so interested in him, figured he was a playboy; even when he denied them. It didn’t matter to him what they thought, but none of them had what he was looking for. Somehow, this woman did, and she could see right through him.

“I’ve done a few things,” Cain laughed. “But nobody’s held my interest long enough to get to this point.”

Still, he seemed instinctively to know exactly what to do to please her. They were both in rapture as her body enveloped him. He was losing his self-restraint, but clung to it desperately. He didn’t want to ruin the moment or make her experience difficult.

“Don’t hold back,” she said as if she could read his mind. Her amber eyes flashed at him and she grinned, challenging him. It brought a rush of adrenaline surging through him and suddenly he was no longer able to control himself.

He pushed her legs apart and rammed himself inside of her. She cried out loudly. For a moment he was worried it had hurt her, but the corners of her mouth were curled in a smile of satisfaction. He took it as a good sign and rammed powerfully into her again.

Kyna’s eyes were closed in ecstasy and Cain held her milky hips as he gave in to the power of his longing. He coaxed the head of his cock as deep inside of her as he could. She gasped with pleasure, panting hard, and he waited for her insides to constrict around him again before he released the first wave of power. Her fingernails dragged hard down his back as he hammered into her, and he could feel himself building her up to what would surely be a satisfying release.

Cain was on the edge of losing himself too, but he wouldn’t spill a drop inside her until he was ready. He liked to be in control. Kyna gasped when he slowed to a more laid back pace, dragging his shaft tantalizingly along her clit and teasing her opening with the head of his penis. She moaned deeply, squirming until Cain finally forced himself hard inside again. Kyna cried out in pleasure at the shocking contrast and held his biceps firmly as he gave in to his most animalistic urges, flipping her onto her knees to get her deep from behind.

Without any warning, Kyna uttered a low groan and she squeezed him from inside as her body began to contract with the final wave of her pleasure. Cain groaned as her orgasm finally brought him to his breaking point. He thrust his strong hips as his climax began to spill out in powerful, volcanic waves. He shoved himself inside, burying himself fully, thrusting slowly so that every last drop of his orgasm could enhance Kyna’s pleasure. Finally, they were both spent and Cain collapsed beside her.

Neither of them spoke. There was nothing to say. Cain smoothed Kyna’s silver-blonde hair from her forehead until her eyes fluttered closed and she fell into a deep, comfortable sleep. They would figure things out. For the time being, they would just have to take it one step at a time.

Chapter Ten

Kyna awoke, startled by her memories of the night before. How had she allowed herself to get so close to Cain without even being able to convince him of his true identity? And did that mean that he would be more likely to help her or less?

She groaned to herself, dismayed by how far she was from home and how badly she had failed at her mission. She gazed at Cain’s flawless, naked body wrapped up in the sheets. Kyna grew wet as she remembered the night before, and felt tempted to climb on top of him again to recreate it.

Cain let out a soft snore and she backed away, her thoughts returning to Kaldernon. She felt a sudden deep shame. Kyna’s mission had been to bring Cain back, not to sleep with him. What had she been thinking? She should have stayed back with the Kersh clan to try to unlock the secrets of the flashing lights.

Kyna didn’t need Cain to save her. The Kersh clan was full of survivors and had been long before he had come into the picture. She felt a surge of nausea as she looked at him, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of her head or because she had succumbed to sleeping with him even though he was sure that she was insane. Kyna couldn’t stand herself. She had to get back home as soon as possible.

Kyna’s body was sore and she squinted in pain as she gathered her crumpled clothes and pulled them back on as quietly as she could. She didn’t want anything else to do with Cain. He was constantly making her feel like she was some kind of an idiot when he was the one who was too stubborn to pick up the pieces of his past and embrace his destiny.

Kyna couldn’t wait for him to wake up to get back to the forest. She slipped out and headed back on her own. She knew Clayton would be disappointed, but if she told him that it was the way it had to be, he would accept it without too much protest. Kyna’s powers as an oracle were revered by the Kersh clan.

When she got to the sidewalk of the city, a group of people pushed past her. Horns were blaring on the road and she covered her ears.

“Love your outfit!” a woman with flowers stuck in her hair said. She winked and rode by on a unicycle. Kyna’s heart pounded and she turned back to the building. Maybe this had been a bad idea. She tried to push the door to the building’s lobby open, but it was locked firmly.

“Shit,” Kyna breathed, closing her eyes. If the door was locked, it was meant to be that she left and didn’t look back. She would have to go where fate took her.

Kyna squared her shoulders and turned left. The truck had approached from that direction; she was sure of it. She wandered through the city, making eye contact with all manner of people. Soon, she realized it was easier to keep to herself and kept her eyes on the ground. Everybody was confrontational and they looked cruel. She was glad they had gone around the city rather than through it when the Loni tribe had been in search of the Kersh clan.

She wandered for about an hour, and found herself in a lush park. It was comforting, a lot like a home amid the unnerving urban jungle. Kyna sat heavily on one of the swings, clutching a flower in her hand. She stared at it as memories of the night before with Cain flooded her mind. He had been so gentle. She had never realized her body could feel so good. It was a shame that things weren’t working out.

Kyna was distracted from her thoughts as a dark shadow fell over her face. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, so she looked up, frowning.

“Well hello there,” a male police officer said, peering suspiciously at her with his dark, beady eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Um, looking at a flower?”

“To your feet.”

“But – “

Kyna’s heart began to pound painfully in her chest. It was one of the Guardian sympathizers on the police force. This wasn’t going to end well.

“What do we have here?” the officer asked, dropping a bag of weed on the ground. “Drugs!”

“You know those aren’t – “

“Shut up! You’re going to have to come with me.”

He forced her hands behind her back and she lost her grip on the flower as he handcuffed her. It fell to the ground as the officer led her away, nobody there to witness what happened or help her.

***

Cain was struggling with a fitful sleep. There were images flashing in his head. Things he didn’t understand. A language he had never heard and yet, he felt it resonating deeply within him. It was an unspoken language and he knew that by being with Kyna he had unlocked it within himself.

When he woke up, he couldn’t wait to tell her what he had dreamt. Cain was startled when he pulled his boxers back on and realized that he was alone in the apartment. He ran from room to room, checking to make sure his impression was right.

The search ended with Cain despaired. Where had Kyna gone? He didn’t even have to go to work to distract himself. He showered and dressed. Maybe he could catch her before she got too far.

Cain set off on foot in the direction they had come from, knowing she was probably heading back to the underground burrows where she lived. He couldn’t tell what that dream had been. All he knew was that it had been profound.

He couldn’t deny the fact that he was nervous. It was dangerous to wander around in the city. Especially if other people realized that she might not be all there. He was starting to feel guilty for thinking that. Especially because he was beginning to believe her. Especially after the dream that he’d had after they made love. He thought he was finally beginning to understand the lights he had seen in the sky above the tunnels. Why had she disappeared on him right when he needed her the most?

Cain walked past the park, slowing his gait. There was a wrinkled flower on the ground. He furrowed his eyebrows and picked it up, squinting at it. There was something about it that made him look twice. It made him think of Kyna. Suddenly, he knew beyond a doubt that she had been there. How he knew it, he didn’t know, but he did know he had to find her.

Cain tucked the flower gingerly in his pocket and took off running, trusting his body to take him where he needed to be before it was too late.

Chapter Eleven

“Let go of me!” Kyna growled, fighting against the police officers. The man from the park had led her to a cruiser, where another man, blonde with pale blue eyes, was sitting in the driver’s seat.

“Got a Loni,” the man said, glancing back at her in the rearview mirror.

“No shit?” the driver said, grinning back at her. “She’s hot. What do you wanna do with her?”

“What do you think?” the man who framed her said, leering at her from the mirror. “The usual. Then take her to the camp.”

“Right,” the driver said. “I’ll radio it in.”

The crackle of the radio hurt Kyna’s head and the car jerked forward. She felt nauseated and furious. She had been caught by the Guardians and had failed her mission entirely. What was she going to do? Would they kill her?

“Cheer up, babe,” the driver said, grinning at her through the rearview mirror. “We’re gonna take good care of you.”

Kyna squeezed her eyes closed, sending as powerful a force from her mind as possible. A psychic call for help was her only chance. Otherwise, the Guardians would capture her and perform unspeakable tortures on her. Especially once they saw she was the last of her kind and would see her as personally responsible for the death of Richard, the leader.

The car moved slowly through the city streets until suddenly they were heading into the wooded wilderness. Kyna kept her eyes squeezed closed, silently sending pleas for help to anybody who might be able to hear them. If the Guardians had their way with her, she would never make it back to the Kersh clan, let alone to Kaldernon. She was doomed.

***

Cain made it to the border of the woods, his broad chest heaving with the effort of breathing. He knew deep down that Kyna was in trouble, more surely than he had ever known anything in his life. His body was suddenly electrified by her voice roaring in his head.

“Please. Route 198. They’re taking me away.”

Cain cursed and began running with all of his speed. Soon, the trees were blurring around him and he felt himself tapping in to a deep, dormant power. It helped him soar along the ground, eventually lifting him into the air. He didn’t question what was happening to him. He knew that Kyna was telling the truth and had been from the start. That deep down, he could shapeshift into a dragon, and now he was going to find her on Route 198 and destroy anyone who might harm her by any means necessary.

The scenery moved by in a blur, and didn’t slow down until he spotted a black and white police cruiser. He could feel Kyna close by, and landed forcibly in front of the car. It squealed to a halt and the men driving both got out of the car. Their eyes were round as saucers as Cain unleashed an ear-splitting roar. The men brought guns out, pointing them shakily at him. Cain swung his tail, throwing one of the men back with its force. The gun fell to the ground unconscious and the other man took a shot.

Cain dodged it, but barely. It grazed his leg and he unleashed a torrent of fire. The man screamed in agony as Cain head-butted him. He fell against the car with a thud.

The men were taken care of and Cain rushed to the car. The flames were going to reach the gas tank soon. Kyna was in the back seat, watching the whole thing with wide, terrified eyes. He tried pulling the door open. When it didn’t work, he pulled with all his force, ripping it off the hinges.

“Come on, we have to go,”

“Cain – “

“Now!”

Kyna stopped talking and allowed him to pull her to safety. He picked her up, much the same way he had when he’d saved her from the men in the forest, and took off running as quickly as he could. A few minutes later, a deafening explosion caused him to stumble.

“How did you –“ Kyna was breathless and confused and Cain smiled down at her.

“I had a dream. We have to get back to the tunnels. I need to see the world in the sky again.”

“Cain…”

“I’m so sorry Kyna. I shouldn’t have doubted you. I know it sounded ridiculous, but it doesn’t excuse the way I treated you for telling me the truth.”

“It’s all right,” she said. When he finally made it to the underground city, Clayton was standing outside, staring up at Kaldernon.

“Cain,” he said, moving forward to greet him. He was surprised to see Kyna in his arms.

“Is she all right?” he asked.

“She is now,” Cain said. He whipped around, setting her down gently and staring up at the pulsing lights of Kaldernon.

“They’re using an ancient language,” he said to Clayton. “They have a way to bring everybody back up there. Back home is what they’re saying.”

“You’re kidding,” Clayton breathed. “I’d heard it told that they were still trying. A Loni visitor made her way down a few years back, but nothing ever came of the message.”

“That’s because they weren’t ready yet,” Cain said, still craning his neck up at the sky. “You have to follow me. This is time sensitive. There are only a few more hours. Tell everybody!”

“Tell them what?” Clayton asked, heading for the entrance of the underground city.

“Tell them to hurry. The time to return is now.”

Clayton nodded dutifully and disappeared into the tunnels.

Chapter Twelve

Cain and Kyna stood outside quietly. Kyna was confused, and scared. Returning to Kaldernon had always been the theoretical goal, but now that they could, she was full of questions and doubts.

“It’s going to be all right,” Cain said, taking her hand.

“Are you coming with us?” she whispered. He took her close to his chest and frowned. He hadn’t thought about that yet, but he knew that this would be the only way to truly understand his heritage.

“It’s time to stop running from my past,” he said finally, pulling away from her and smiling. “If I keep doing that, what kind of future will I have?”

Suddenly, huge swarms of people began to pool from the entrances in the underground tunnels. They gathered expectantly around Cain, their faces taught with apprehension.

“We will follow Cain!” Clayton’s voice boomed as he followed the last of the Kersh clan from the burrows.

Cain grabbed Kyna’s hand and they took off running north, past the lake she had followed to find him. They ran for two hours, stopping for breaks only periodically. Finally, they arrived to a ledge overlooking the forest. Kyna gasped. It was the same peak she had seen in her first dream; the place in the distance Cain had been smiling at.

Suddenly, a shining golden light appeared above them. It fell over two people, who began to disappear. At first they were terrified, but soon they were smiling.

“It’s Kaldernon!” they shouted before they fully disappeared.

“We will keep order! Three at a time!” Clayton commanded, shouting authoritatively. The lines dwindled until it was only Kyna and Cain standing together on the cliff’s face.

“Are you sure you want to leave this world behind? You were raised as one of them.”

“It’s not safe even if I did,” he said, peering at her with his beautiful sea-green eyes. He gripped her hands and brought them to his lips, kissing gently. “Now that I have you, I can’t just let you go. Nobody has ever really felt like home. Maybe because my home is somewhere else.”

Kyna’s heart thudded in excitement when he pulled her toward the light. He squeezed her hand as it began to bathe over them.

“Are you ready?” she asked nervously.

Cain leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

“What are we waiting for?” he asked with a grin.

Suddenly, they felt the tug of the portal and together, they began their journey to their home world of Kaldernon.

THE END

Caught Between Worlds

Novella 4 Dragons of Kaldernon

Leela Ash

Copyright © 2016 by Leela Ash.  All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

CHAPTER 1

“Leika, this is huge!”

“What is?” Leika asked, turning her deep purple eyes onto her friend Cherin. Cherin had told her on more than one occasion just how unsettling her penetrating gaze was. Leika was proud of it, though. It showed that she was a Loni to be reckoned with. She had always been capable of many things. Even battle.

“There’s a rumor going around that Lopu Mansana wants to see you! How did you manage that one?” Cherin exclaimed, his handsome face alight with the possibilities. He knew how talented she was and felt sure that she was being singled out for her potential.

Leika’s jaw dropped.

“Why would she want to see me?” Leika asked, her voice high-pitched. Lopu was the leader of the people of Kaldernon, and going to meet with her meant a three-day journey north, to the capital city of Rallah. More startling than that, it meant that Lopu had somehow found out something about Leika. But was it something good or something bad? Leika had been helping a young man from the Kersh clan to get him off of drugs from Earth, but he had begged for her to keep his problem between just the two of them. She had resorted to secretive alchemy to help him, but it was powerful forces she was working with and she knew that she could get in trouble if they were caught.

Kaldernon had been in an extended state of celebration ever since the shifters and Loni on Earth had been rescued. The settlement created by the Kersh clan had provided a sanctuary for those we were able to explore their dragon shifter powers. Anybody who had become awakened to them was ultimately found, whether by the other shifters or by the fundamentalist group known as the Guardians, who had always sought to destroy all shifters because they were tainted alien life.

Fortunately, the rescue mission had been a success, and the leader of Kaldernon, Lopi Mansana, had finally succeeded.

Gleeful was the day the Kersh clan arrived through the portal in the space-time continuum that the Loni people had been able to construct after centuries of painstaking labor. But just when it seemed hopeless, Kallan Yestorval had been able to break the code and help her people return to their rightful homes.

It was shocking to the new dwellers of Kaldernon to be in a world where they didn’t have to hide any part of themselves. In the light of day, many were still modest about displaying the full encompassing powers of their shifter forms. It was sad, really, and the people of the Kersh clan were encouraged to embrace their powers and led by special instructors on how to fully encompass that power and empower themselves. They had nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud of.

Except, of course, for the man who had a drug problem. Leika did her best to help him, and with her assistance, he had been able to successfully wean himself off of them and learn better ways to cope with his stress. If Lopu had heard anything about her deviant magicks, she could be in trouble. But there was also the possibility that she had been summoned for some other reason. But what?

“Are you going to go?” Cherin asked, his dazzling blue eyes round and bright.

“Well if Lopu is asking me to, I would have no choice. But as it is, this is all just a rumor. Maybe once I’m formally invited I will make my presence known. Until then, this means nothing to me and we would all do well to ignore it.”

Leika walked away from her best friend with her head held high, but inside, she was quivering in terror. What kind of punishment would she receive from their leader if it was discovered that she had used magicks without proper authorization? It was bound to be terrible. But nobody had ever said a word about the things that happened to traitors. Even those who had been punished and returned acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. They knew the rules they were to abide and if they were broken, it was a matter settled privately.

When she arrived at her dwelling, Leika’s heart thudded in her breast. In the mailbox was an unmistakable summons to meet in the court of Lopu Mansana. Leika would have to be prepared to leave on the journey within twenty-four hours, when a team would be there to pick her up and escort her to the capital city of Rallah.

CHAPTER 2

Cherin watched Leika go, his heart constricting in pain. He wished that he could tell her how he felt about her. When people got summons to the capital city, they rarely came back. Lopu found ways to put everyone to work or punish them for whatever wrongdoing they had been caught doing.

Cherin frowned and ran his hand through his shaggy blonde hair. Leika hadn’t been particularly excited about the summons. It was more likely than not good news. Was there something she was worried about? Maybe there was something that she was hiding. But Leika was very independent, there was no way she would be willing to tell him what she was thinking. Especially if it was something that she was worried about. She would rather die than tell Cherin anything.

He grinned fondly, thinking back to their youth. The two had grown up in conjunction; diagonal huts across the street from each other. Their parents had been close friends back then, and whenever it was possible they were in one another’s back yards, telling stories and eating together.

When they were both around eight-years-old, Cherin’s parents moved and left Leika alone in the neighborhood. He had to undergo training as a Dragon Shifter warrior for Rallah, and had done everything that he could to keep in touch with her. But being pen pals and trying to dedicate his life to training took a toll, and they soon fell out of contact.

Fortunately, fate seemed to be in their favor and he never forgot Leika. When they were about thirteen-years-old, they came together again. Leika had been chosen as a Loni disciple and had moved to Rallah to undergo her own training. The ancients and mystics of Kaldernon led her in her studies as those with warrior blood led Cherin in his. The dark, tepid Leika was a force to be reckoned with, and quite a few students dropped out because they felt intimidated by her gifts.

Still, she found it impossible to make friends with the other Loni students, and had taken to having lunch with Cherin on a daily basis. Their schools were both centered in the Learning Gardens, the epicenter of Rallah’s bustling city and caddy-corner away from the Kaldernon Temples, where all legal matters were attended to and Lopu Mansana herself worked her days away.

Once they had finally graduated from their academies, Leika and Cherin had vowed to stay friends and never lose touch. But Leika was off on her own now. This time, she was leaving him behind.

He was excited for her, that much was true. With her jet black hair and unsettling purple eyes, everybody seemed to realize immediately that she wasn’t like other women. She seemed to be able to see right through you. Not only that, but Cherin and Leika had a secret. When they’d been in school together, they had shared everything they were learning with each other. Cherin was aware of Loni philosophies that most shifters weren’t allowed in on, while Leika’s physical combat skills had been honed thanks to personal training by Cherin. They learned everything together, and had kept it up well into adulthood.

Maybe Lopu had found out that they had violated the trust of the scholars by sharing the sacred knowledge with each other. Or maybe something else was going on.

Cherin sighed, stretching lazily in the late afternoon sun. He should probably head to the banquet hall to help his mother and father with the preparations for the evening’s feast. It was their turn to help prepare the meals, and if he wasn’t there, he would get an earful.

CHAPTER 3

That evening, Leika carefully braided her long, charcoal black hair and slipped on one of the impressively beautiful gowns that she had made for herself back in school. Creation was a gift that her people were particularly blessed with. How long would it be until she was able to create another dress? If she was to be punished, what would her punishment be? Would she be banished from everyone? From Cherin?

She couldn’t imagine having him out of her life again. The first time had been hell. Nobody had been her friend before Cherin, and nobody dared to be her friend after, either. Leika had always intimidated people with her fierce intelligence and quick wit. Everybody but Cherin found her to be some kind of a threat. She sang louder and more clearly than all the other neighborhood children, and she was also the most eager and willing to help in times of crisis.

It seemed natural that people were jealous of her, of course, but the resentment took a toll. People spoke ill about her behind her back and cursed her for her beauty, claiming that she tried extra hard to look nice just to get the attention of lonely shifter males who might favor her. Males like Cherin.

It did nothing to deter her or to abolish her easy confidence, but without an ally, things like that could really start to wear her down. Should she tell Cherin about what she had done for the drug addicted shifter from Earth? Or would it be in everyone’s best interest if she kept quiet?

When it came time to join the neighbors at the banquet hall, she sat heavily in her usual seat. She hadn’t put any extra effort into her appearance, but she could still feel people’s eyes on her as they passed. Many women resorted to snickering and gossip about her, but when Cherin sat across from her, his familiar, lopsided smile broadly lighting his face up, everyone else’s voices disappeared.

“So is it true?” he asked, unable to contain his curiosity. “Are you going to Rallah?”

She laughed.

“Why are you still wearing your apron?” Leika asked, her voice a quiet tease. “You look like you’re an old maid.”

“What, this? I hear it’s in fashion down on Earth,” Cherin said with an easy wink toward her. He didn’t care what he looked like and never had. He never would have had to care either. He had been born gorgeous and had never grown out of it. It was part of the reason that women gave her such a hard time. Everybody had their eye on Cherin. He was the pick of the litter, and nobody could believe that they were only just friends after all this time.

“Yes, there was a letter in my mailbox from Lopu herself. They’re sending escorts to bring me into the capital city in twenty-four hours’ time. I guess I’m supposed to prepare myself to leave before then.”

“For how long?” Cherin asked, a frown creasing his face. It was the first time Leika had seen him acting anything but happy about her opportunity to see Lopu Mansana in person. Could he sense her fear? Or did he simply fear losing a friend.

“I really don’t know. There was no indication on the letter. I have no idea what any of this could possibly be about.”

“Well, that’s a good thing,” Cherin said, laughing uncomfortably. He reached his hands behind his back and untied his apron. “That means you’re not in trouble.”

Leika looked down at the table, her purple eyes filling with tears. She was horrified by her powerlessness to stop them.

“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad!” Cherin said, taking her hand in his. She felt dwarfed by his masculine fingers, and despite herself, her heart thudded hard in her chest. She laughed at herself. If she thought too much about what everyone else thought about Cherin, she was at risk of falling under his spell too. But he was just another boy, who happened to be her best friend in the world. How could she be attracted to anybody who knew so much about her? They were practically family.

“I’m scared, Cherin. And I hate the world when I don’t have you to talk to. What if I’m in trouble?”

“What would they have reason to punish you for?” Cherin asked dismissively. “You’re probably going to receive some kind of honor or something. You should be ecstatic!”

“You know how much worse the women in Rallah are than they are here,” Leika said, looking Cherin in the eye seriously. “They’re going to remember me.”

“Don’t worry about a bunch of jealous bats,” Cherin said, his easy smile penetrating her fears and sending a sense of peace deep inside of her. “Everything is going to be fine. And if it isn’t, we’ll weather it together.”

Cherin squeezed her hand and she felt instantly better. Even if she got in trouble, she would have Cherin on her side. He would understand why she had chosen to help the drug-addled man in secret, and he would scare away anyone who tried to intimidate her after that too.

“Eat up, loves!” Cherin’s mother said, heavily setting wooden bowls full of stew in front of them. “Made with love.”

CHAPTER 4

Cherin couldn’t blame Leika for feeling afraid. He had the same feeling, and couldn’t keep himself from glancing at the clock, wondering when it was going to be that she was taken away from him. He was counting down the hours, his chest on fire any time he realized that in the near future, his best friend would be gone.

Cherin couldn’t stand the thought anymore. He had tossed and turned all night long without getting a wink of sleep, and suddenly he knew what he had to do. Carefully and quietly, so as not to waken his family, he packed a small bag and crept over the hill. He climbed a tree and decided to wait there until morning, when he would have full view of Leika being escorted to the capital city.

Cherin closed his light blue eyes for just a moment, and when he opened them again, it was daylight. The sound of horse’s hooves in the distance brought him to standing in the tree branch, and he used his extraordinary vision to watch as Leika was led from her home, clutching a bag close to her breast, her face paler than he had ever seen it, and ducked inside the carriage.

Two stout men in pretentious hats then shifted into their dragon forms and began to circle the area, making sure that it was safe of all potential predators. Sometimes, evils from other planets could be found lurking among the bushes, some harmless while others were downright evil, and they would take no chances while vulnerable and transporting precious Loni cargo.

Finally, the men determined that the coast was clear, and headed to the front of the wagon, where they ushered the horses forward. Cherin could almost physically hear Leika’s fear. He wouldn’t let anything stand in his way. He would make sure that she was okay, and even when she felt like she was the most alone she could possibly be, he would be there.

***

The journey was moving swiftly, but Leika couldn’t shake the nervous apprehension she felt in the pit of her stomach. Something bad was coming. She knew it but she couldn’t tell what it might be. She wished that she had been able to know more about what was happening to her. If Cherin was there, he would find a way to help her feel better. But he wasn’t. And she had no idea how long it would be before she saw him again.

At around noon, the carriage came to a full stop and the drivers dismounted the carriage. One of them disappeared into the woods to relieve himself while the other rummaged through a basket. When he looked at her through the curtain in the carriage, she noted with some comfort that he was of Loni descent. This meant that he might be more receptive of her feelings.

“Would you like some lunch?” he asked, pushing a wrapped sandwich through to her.

Leika nodded.

“Thank you,” she said, taking the food. It felt almost like a peace offering, but she couldn’t let her guard down. If they were investigating her, she would have to appear to be as innocent and courteous as possible, no matter what happened.

“So you’re Leika Malu?” the man asked, his pale lavender eyes lighting up. “I’ve heard a lot about your accomplishments.”

Accomplishments? Maybe this was going to be a good journey after all. Still, it didn’t feel great to be summoned so secretively. There were a lot of things she hated, and surprises were probably the biggest.

“I suppose you’ve been to my school then,” Leika said, her crisp, musical voice polite.

“Of course, I’m a graduate myself. I was chosen by Lopu personally for this job.”

“Congratulations!” Leika said graciously. The man beamed.

“My name is Tolu,” he said. “But my wife, she’s from Earth, she calls me ‘Tiger’. I’ve never seen a tiger. Do you suppose you could help me to dream one up tonight when we make camp?”

“Of course. We might not even have to dream; we could try the fireside.”

“Really?” Tolu asked, delighted and surprised. “You must be more powerful than I thought.”

“I don’t know,” Leika said with a shrug. “Maybe.”

By then, the other driver returned and rummaged through the basket.

“Dammit Tolu,” he snapped. “I told you to bring the pickled radishes! You know how my stomach is on long trips like these.”

Tolu turned sheepishly away from Leika and began to engage his friend in conversation, leaving her alone to take in the sights and sounds of the forest around them. If seeing Lopu really was going to be an honor, what did all of this mean?

CHAPTER 5

Cherin was ready to pounce when he heard the surly shifter’s voice raise when he returned to the wagon where Leika was sitting, hostage to their foul moods and banter. If he was angry about anything concerning her, he would be on the rampage in a heartbeat. Even if it got him kicked out of the army, he would do anything to defend Leika.

Soon it became clear that it was just a general dispute among friends, and Cherin relaxed. He took out his own small container of rations and ate moodily, watching the wagon for any signs that it might continue moving. He was going to trail them all the way to Rallah and make sure that nothing happened to them.

He was well aware of the things that went bump in the night. Many creatures found Kaldernon to be a hospitable place. Its environment suited many species, and the rich air and sweet water was favored by the majority of races that visited their humble planet. Many had stayed in secret, waiting for their chance to strike.

Fortunately, he was well trained for combat and had made damn sure that Leika was the same. She was too special and talented to be defenseless in a world like theirs. No matter what anybody said, it wasn’t a good idea to train only the shifters to be strong. The sensitive and artistic Lonis probably needed the training more than anybody. It took barely anything to rock their worlds right down to the foundation.

Leika had never been the sort to let things shake her up, though. It was part of what he loved about her. she took everything in and mulled it over, running every piece of information through a variety of filters in her mind. In a matter of milliseconds, she would be able to dissect, analyze, and sort any complicated data that came her way without forming too emotional an opinion about it. Cherin secretly guessed that she had an equal mixture of Loni and shifter capabilities, but he had never been brave enough to speak about such possibilities out loud. Especially not when her father was a very rigid conservative who believed in the idea that women should act as Lonis and men as shifters to protect their families.

The dogma was laughable to most, especially to broad-minded men like Cherin, but the older generations liked to stick with their mentality. The older they got the more convinced they became that the world was better when everybody had a role and knew their place in making the world go round. Simple labels were as good as personalities.

Still, Leika’s father had to admit his daughter was complex. That was part of the reason he had agreed to send her to Rallah for her studies. It worked out well for everyone involved, really, and had given her an opportunity to express herself outside the oppressive thumb of her father.

The old man had always intimidated Cherin. He was wild and well-respected for his noble efforts in physical battle. He kept the clans safe, that was undeniable. Maybe if Leika had been blessed with any other kind of father, Cherin would have felt free to explore his feelings for her in a deeper way. But the idea that her father could read his mind made him feel even more adamant about making sure his feelings and thoughts about Leika were as platonic as possible. He didn’t need a decorated hero giving him the look of death every time he wanted to come in and share a meal with his best friend. Keeping things simple this way was best. Even if it meant he would never have the chance to explore the jarring way Leika’s deep eyes made him feel, or the forbidden, sensual aspects of the dreams he had with her in them. It was all just funny and bizarre aspects of growing up. And that would be the lie he fed himself until one of two things happened. Either Leika would confess to ridiculous and secret feelings she’d had all along – which, he knew, was impossible and as laughable as saying her father would one day encourage Leika to explore her shifter lineage – or the old man would turn over a new leaf or die, leaving them both free to explore their options.

Without something along those lines happening, he would happily be the best friend and unavailable love interest of the hundreds of girls in the clan who hated Leika simply because he found her more interesting than they were.

Suddenly, the carriage began to move again and Cherin shoved the rest of his food in his mouth. He would have to keep it up as long as it took, and if she needed him, he would be there. If there was one thing Cherin wanted, it was that Leika would always know that she could count on him.

***

Night began to fall and the pull of the carriage was hypnotic and tiring. Leika had tried to fight sleep all day, but there was precious little for her to do. She had brought a few books along for the ride, but found out the hard way that reading while moving made her feel motion sick. She chose to occupy her time instead by staring out the window as the landscape passed behind her, making notes of the wild animals she saw frolicking in their habitats and the small, steady streams of water she found trickling unexpectedly along the way.

Eventually, sleep won out and she had no choice but to surrender to her heavy eyelids. They stopped for a couple other meals before finally making camp late that night. Leika was grateful for a chance to rest her legs, and couldn’t wait to try taking a walk. Unfortunately, the drivers wouldn’t let her go too far off without them, so she had to make do by walking circles around the campfire, coming up with new songs as she did so. The men were shifters, and enjoyed her musical abilities, so she hummed out loud and shared her gifts of song with them. A few times she could have sworn that she heard somebody in the distance whistling along with her, but that was common in a world full of Lonis. She was used to others joining her in song and sharing music.

Still, something about the whistle made her listen closely. It almost seemed familiar somehow. But that was impossible. Leika had never met anybody outside of her own hometown or outside of the capital city of Rallah. After dinner, she asked permission to go relieve herself. It had been a while and she had been trying to make sure the men guarding her would trust her when she asked. When Leika finished, she washed her hands in a nearby stream and was startled when a dark figure appeared before her.

“Cherin!” she exclaimed, her heart thudding hard in her chest. He looked handsome in the moonlight, his blonde hair silver and his eyes glowing kindly.

“My lady,” he said with a mock bow. She slapped him, feeling slightly hurt that he might make fun of her for her ridiculous attraction to him.

“What in the world are you doing here?” Leika demanded.

“I couldn’t just watch you leave!” Cherin exclaimed. “Not without any good reason. I’m here to protect you. Whatever the cost.”

Leika rolled her eyes. “I don’t need anybody to take care of me. You made sure of that yourself.”

“Still,” Cherin said, his eyes suddenly serious. “I would like to tag along. But don’t tell anyone that I’m here.”

“Are you crazy? They’d lynch me if they knew. What about your parents? Don’t you need to stay back and help them?”

Cherin grinned.

“They needn’t know I’m gone. I left a note saying I’m hunting for the week. I’ll be back before they know it.”

“Hurry back, miss!” one of the drivers shouted. “Dangerous out there at night.”

“See,” Cherin whispered. “Dangerous! There’s a reason I’m here!”

“You stay out of sight!” Leika hissed. “Better yet, go home!”

“Not a chance,” Cherin said stubbornly. Leika groaned in frustration and he beamed, causing her heart to flutter despite herself. This was the last thing she had expected.

When she arrived back at the camp, she stayed alert for any sign that they might have been overheard. Thankfully, the drivers seemed oblivious and soon they were all laying down beside the campfire, one man sleeping with one eye open in case of danger. But Cherin would take care of any danger that came their way during the night. Somehow, knowing that made her feel safe in a way that she hadn’t since she had been summoned by Lopu. One way or another, things would work out. And if she was going to be honest with herself, she was really glad to know that Cherin was there. It was nice to know that she wasn’t alone after all.

CHAPTER 6

The second day went by with only a few moments of sleep for Cherin. He didn’t feel comfortable leaving Leika without his protection. Fortunately, shifters were built for long, hard treks, and he was able to partially shift to harness some of the excess energy available to him in Dragon form. It was hard on his body, but it was worth it to make sure that his friend was safe. There was no telling what might happen on the road, especially to a young, beautiful Loni woman like Leika stranded by herself with two older men. Whether Lopu trusted them or not, there was always a possibility that one or both of them might stray the course of honorability.

Cherin was able to speak with Leika a couple of times throughout the day, and was warmed when she brought him some food. It helped to peak his energy levels and keep him on his guard. By the end of the night, he was exhausted, but had only one day left to go. He would do anything to keep her safe.

“Are you all right?” Leika asked him the third and final night that the drivers had set up their camp.

“Of course,” Cherin said quickly, straightening his slumping shoulders. “Aren’t you?”

“I’ve had nothing to do but sleep. You look like you haven’t rested in days.”

“I’m perfectly fine, thank you very much.”

Leika’s purple eyes grew dark and she looked down at the ground. “I wish you would take a break. Please just sleep tonight.”

“I said I’m fine!” Cherin barked. Leika flinched and he immediately felt terrible. They almost never spoke to each other in harsh tones, and he was crestfallen to see the pain in her eyes when his words reached her.

“I’m sorry,” he said, moving close to her and taking her delicate hands in his own. He brought one to his lips and she inhaled sharply. “You’re right, I haven’t been sleeping well since the journey began. I just want to see to it that you’re safe. Nothing is more important to me than that.”

Leika raised her eyes to meet his, and he was taken aback by their beauty. Before he knew what he was doing, he was pressing his lips against hers and closing his eyes. It felt so much better than he had ever anticipated, and her lips tugged at his as she pressed her hand against his chin, leaving a tingling feeling on his face when it dropped back to her side. Suddenly, she pulled away.

“Cherin, what are you thinking?” Leika asked, her purple eyes wide with horror. “You’re my best friend. That’s not what we do. Get some sleep. I’m begging you.”

Leika stared meaningfully at him as she backed out of the woods. He stood awkwardly, feeling like a child who had just been scolded. Of course he would feel that way. She had just rejected his advances. And he knew exactly why. Their relationship wasn’t like that. His sleep deprivation had simply gotten the better of him.

He sighed loudly and climbed high into a tree. Maybe Leika was right. Maybe it was best if he got some rest. The journey into the capital city was almost complete and nothing had happened. The drivers had proved to be competent enough. Still, that was partly what worried him. What if they were competent so that nobody would be able to rescue Leika from their grasp? There was really no way of knowing.

Before he could think too much about it, his body’s need for rest overpowered him. Cherin’s heavy eyelids closed warmly and soon he was tugged into the comforting abyss of sleep. He knew there would be no dreams; there never were.

Surprisingly halfway through the night, Leika’s face appeared before him. He knew it wasn’t really her, since the way she was looking at him was with pure adoration. Cherin was used to her staring at him in disdain or mild tolerance. Definitely not adoration. And yet this look softened her already beautiful features and made her purple eyes glisten with what could only be perceived as love. He liked the look on her, whether he would ever admit it to himself or not.

Soon, her voice was ringing through the air, loud and sweet. But urgent. Terrified. Cherin awoke with a start and realized that the voice was real. Leika was in trouble, and she was calling for help. Calling for him.

***

Why had she told Cherin to sleep after he had kissed her? The feeling of his lips against hers had felt too perfect for words. As if it was what she had been waiting for all along. But how could she truly believe that? Cherin had always been her friend and ally. That’s all. No man ever drove her more crazy than he did. There was no way she could like him so intimately. It didn’t make any sense.

The only reasonable thing she had done was to stop the kiss as it started. But still, she shouldn’t have demanded he go to sleep. Although sleep deprivation was the only logical reason he would have done something so ridiculous, and she knew he needed his rest, Leika would never forgive herself if this meant the end of the line for herself and the drivers. They had been ambushed during the night by two wolf shifters from another world, a couple, man and woman, who snarled menacingly at them in their wolf forms. What did they want from them?

The drivers were doing remarkably well at holding their own. They clearly had been trained by the same instruction that Cherin had. But unlike Cherin, it was clear that these were no star pupils who were able to work miracles in just the nick of time. These were normal men who had nothing to lose, and also, apparently, nothing much to gain from victory. The wolves each took on the drivers, who were too surprised even to shapeshift into their powerful dragon forms.

Suddenly, the ground quaked as a mighty roar sounded from behind them, and a sleek, silver form streaked past Leika. It was Cherin, in his dragon form. Just in time to save the drivers from being completely mutilated by the wolf shifters. A vicious fight ensued, and Leika watched helplessly as Cherin slammed the wolves around, first the female, and then the male. The female, a brindle colored woman with ferocious eyes, fell against a boulder with a yelp, and began transforming back into her human form. The male, jet black and ferocious, soon followed and crashed into a tree, shattering a bough that fell onto his limp body. He, too, returned to his human form in his weakness, giving Leika and Cherin time to help the wounded drivers back to their carriage.

“Thank goodness you were there,” the kinder one breathed, leaning heavily against the backrest. “Please, come with us to see Lopu Mansana for a reward.”

“Lopu Mansana?” Cherin asked, playing dumb as he shifted back into his human form. As always, he was nude when he completed the transformation and Leika tried to avert her eyes a little too late. She covered her face anyway, hoping to hide the deep red flush creeping across her cheeks at the sight of her friend’s impressive manhood. He would make some woman very happy one day.

“Yes, we are her couriers,” the other said. “You will be provided safe passage with us. Join us in our camp and come along with us for the ride.”

“I’m not sure I could refuse,” Cherin said, flashing a secret smile over at Leika. “I’ll go collect my belongings.”

By the time he returned, the couriers were ready to get back on the road and put the attack behind them. It was nearly sunrise, and the men insisted he join Leika in the carriage. They fed him the best of their food as they continued traveling toward the capital city. The carriage was wanting for space, and Cherin’s long, muscular legs pressed against Leika. Both of them seemed embarrassed by the closeness of their quarters, but Cherin was having fun pretending that he didn’t know her and making ridiculous conversation. She played along, though she glared mightily at him the entire time. How could he be so easygoing about everything all the time? Life wasn’t just a game and people weren’t just there to be toyed with and manipulated. Still, it was comforting to have him so close by. Every time she glared at him for saying something outlandish, like asking Leika questions he already knew the answer to, he simply laughed it off and continued with the charade, until they made it through the gates that signified their arrival to the capital city.

Leika sighed, her heart drumming in her chest. What could Lopu Mansana possibly want with her? And what was going to happen now that Cherin was going to be rewarded for his bravery at the same time she received her orders? Would she still feel safe? All she really knew was that now that Cherin was by her side, she didn’t want him to go anywhere.

CHAPTER 7

Before they knew it, Cherin and Leika were standing at the entrance of Lopu Mansana’s quarters.

“We’re all going in together to explain what happened,” the kinder courier said. Leika cast a nervous glance at Cherin. Would Lopu be able to tell that they were friends from the start? What would happen if the whole truth was discovered?

“You may enter,” Lopu’s powerful voice said.

Cherin and Leika moved forward into a room full of bookshelves. In the center was a round oak table where Lopu was pouring over some papers. She was the most elegant of the Loni women, and Leika felt immediately self-conscious in her presence. Lopu fixed her otherworldly golden eyes upon them and she knew for certain that she would be able to keep no secrets in front of this woman. Lonis were oracles and scribes; people with immense and immeasurable intuitive powers. Lying was futile.

“Welcome, my children,” Lopu said, smiling kindly and lowering her reading glasses. She stood and bowed formally, and the couriers rushed ahead of Leika and Cherin, bowing respectfully.

“My Lady, we were attacked by some particularly vicious wolf shifters while we were escorting young Leika here, and happened to pick up the man who saved us.”

“Oh?” Lopu asked, her golden eyes lighting up at the unexpected information.

“I’m very sorry, my Lady, but we brought him with us in hopes of giving him some type of reward for his trouble. We were goners without him.”

“I see,” Lopu said. “Very well. You are dismissed gentlemen. Thank you for your brave service. A hot meal has already been prepared.”

“Thank you!”

The couriers scrambled out of the room, leaving Leika and Cherin alone with Lopu.

“So it seems not everything went according to plan,” Lopu said, fixing her gaze upon Cherin, who was standing with his back straight and chin up like a true Dragon soldier.

“No ma’am,” Cherin replied, fixing his signature grin on her. She smiled warmly at him before directing her attention on Leika.

“Leika, my dear, you must be beside yourself with worry, wondering why I might have called you down here today.”

“Well…” Leika wanted to claim that no such worries had crossed her mind in case it looked like an admittance of guilt, but with Lopu’s all-knowing eyes fixed upon her it was impossible to lie. Instead of trying, she nodded weakly down at the floor without catching Lopu’s eye. The carpet was a plush red and gold. Everything about this room was exquisite. “A little worried, yes.”

“Of course you were,” Lopu said kindly.

Leika cringed, waiting for the axe to drop. She felt suddenly furious that Cherin would be there to see her ultimately get punished by the most important woman on Kaldernon.

“You need not fret, child,” Lopu said, her eyes staring kindly at Leika. “In fact, you should be rewarding yourself. You’ve done nothing but good since we released you from the academy. The same goes to our hero, here.”

Leika glanced at Cherin, whose chin was quivering in an effort not to smile. If they had been alone, she would have gone up to him and tickled the grin out of him. It was impossible to know that he was trying to contain his elation. His smile was her favorite thing in all of Kaldernon.

“The fact is that I’ve got an incredibly important mission that I need you to help me with,” Lopu said, frowning down at the papers. “According to my records there should have been far more descendants of Kaldernon living on Earth to date. When we rescued them, the numbers were shockingly low. And from what I hear, there were several accounts of new members of the Kersh clan appearing out of nowhere. Using their intuition and just finding their way to the place where Kaldernon meets Earth.”

Leika nodded, unsure of what Lopu was getting at. Cherin stood stock still, listening. He knew this information had nothing to do with himself, but he was startled by it nonetheless. He tried to keep a straight face as Lopu continued.

“The thing is, I value my people above all else, and the idea of keeping them on a hostile planet where there are people actively working to eradicate them is keeping me up at night. I need someone to go back to Earth and help me to gather up some of the descendants who were left behind. Use whatever means possible to do so. I have been informed that you are a rare type of Loni – equal parts shifter. Were you aware?”

“Aren’t we all?” Leika asked, frowning.

“Afraid not, my dear. You’re blessed with physical strength and a sort of practicality that most Lonis are not naturally gifted with. This makes you the ideal candidate for a rescue mission.”

“Alone?” Cherin blurted, his eyes wide with fear.

“Perhaps,” Lopu said, gazing steadily at him, her amber eyes glowing. “But perhaps fate has decreed that she is to have company on this journey. The pinnacle of our warriors would be worthy company on a mission this dangerous. What say you, Cherin of Jairn? Would you like to accompany my Loni warrior on this rescue mission?”

Cherin turned to face Leika, his light blue eyes wide with surprise. He wanted to jump on the opportunity to protect her, but he knew that she probably wouldn’t appreciate him tagging along on her first important mission. Leika wanted him, and everybody else, to know that she could take care of herself. Clearly, Lopu Mansana felt the same way about her capabilities, but he wouldn’t give an answer without Leika’s consent.

To Cherin’s surprise, Leika smiled broadly at him. Cherin’s heart thudded as he turned to Lopu, his voice caught in his throat. As he stammered to make his reply, nodding like an idiot as he attempted to speak, Lopu smiled graciously.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Is that all right?”

Cherin nodded dumbly and Lopu and Leika laughed in delight.

“It’s settled then,” Lopu said, looking as if a burden had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders. “First thing in the morning, the two of you will be sent to Earth and the rescue mission can begin. I’ve drawn out papers already in case there is any confusion about your task. You may go over them tonight or choose to rest yourselves now and look over the technicalities as needed during your journey.”

“Yes, my Lady,” Leika said with a courteous bow. Cherin also bowed stiffly, his whole body quaking with bottled up excitement. He had always dreamt of such a mission, Leika knew, and now he was finally being given his chance to make a real difference in Kaldernon.

“I believe in you two,” Lopu called to them as they started to leave. “You will make all the difference to the people who are still stuck on Earth. This is going to be the most important mission in their lives, and you two are fit for the challenge. I will see you both when you get back. In the meantime, feel free to treat yourself to any of the hospitalities this place has to offer. Thank you both.”

And with that, Cherin and Leika left through the heavy double doors that normally separated Lopu Mansana from the rest of Kaldernon, both with a feeling of elation deep inside their breasts. Together they had been sent to an unknown planet and together they would ensure the safety of the descendants of Kaldernon.

CHAPTER 8

Cherin could hardly sleep at all that night. He’d spent most of the carriage ride catching up on his lost slumber, but knowing he was going to embark upon such an important mission with his best friend was enough to send nervous butterflies surging through his stomach any time he opened his eyes or considered the adventures that would await them in the strange world below. Across the hall, he knew that Leika was probably sound asleep. Or, more likely, having the same feelings as he was.

Back when they had been in the academy, they used to sit outside by the fountain, just outside Lopu’s quarters, and meet there to talk. Neither of them had to ask if the other had been having a bad day. They simply went there when they felt it and would find each other when they needed it the most. Cherin suddenly got out of bed and slipped on one of the beautiful Loni-crafted robes that had been hanging on a hook on the door, clean and at the ready for whoever happened to use the room and need a breather.

Cherin crept in slipper-clad feet outside the manor and paused to get his bearings. The fountain had been to his left from the academy, but from the manor, it would be to the right. He was pleased when he heard the gentle trickle of water in the distance. His heart surged when he saw Leika sitting on the edge of the stone fountain, trailing her long fingers gracefully through the water, her purple eyes faraway and her black hair tied loosely at the back of her head.

She didn’t seem surprised to see him approach, and they smiled warmly at each other. He sat down heavily and sighed. The courtyard was empty and dark, lit only by the comforting glow of Loni magic. It was what made the place so special to them from the start. It was almost like their own private little world. Nobody had ever dared enter or bother them there, and it made the place seem sacred somehow. Almost romantic.

“I can’t believe she asked for me specifically for this,” Leika finally said, turning to face Cherin. Cherin grinned.

“Why? You’re the best.”

“Yeah, that’s what you say. But you’re biased.”

“Or maybe I just know a good thing when I see it,” Cherin chided, bringing a pout to Leika’s lips. He laughed quietly, thinking to himself how beautiful she looked in their special little world. She had always been the most beautiful person he had ever known. Nothing had ever changed his opinion on that. It seemed rather a fact of life to him at that point. Leika was the most beautiful, and he was there to protect her beauty and keep her out of trouble. Things had never changed before, so why would they now that they were no longer children; when the stakes had never been higher?

“I don’t understand you,” Leika said softly. Was she thinking about his kiss? Cherin blushed furiously, glad for the cover of night to hide his embarrassment. She could probably already tell how he was feeling, though. Her intuition was strong and pure. Far more advanced than any of the other Lonis he knew.

“There’s not much to understand,” Cherin said. “I’m a simple guy. I follow my best friend around and get in the way. When I’m not getting in the way, I’m saving her ass. And vice versa.”

This brought a smile to Leika’s lips and Cherin sighed, glad to see it there. He wondered how long it would be before she smiled at him again. She had seemed pretty irate in the carriage, though it was easy to see why. He was honing in on her summons, and more than that, his games could have gotten them both into trouble. Or they could have if Lopu was a less reasonable and compassionate person. But both of them knew she would laugh this kind of childish prank off and forget about it in minutes.

“I’m kind of nervous,” Cherin admitted. “Are you?”

Leika straightened her shoulders, always reluctant to admit her weaknesses to Cherin.

“It’ll be all right,” she said, patting him on the shoulder gruffly. Cherin laughed.

“Thanks.”

“I guess it’s pretty scary. I’ve only heard terrible things about Earth. Why not send someone from Earth to help us?”

“I think there’s been active efforts to help the survivors forget about the past and make way for a better future. Sending them back there would undo months of intensive emotional work. It’s not fair to them.”

“That makes sense,” Leika sighed. “But do you think I’m ready?”

Cherin was surprised by the question. Normally Leika would take a lot more cajoling before she opened up about what was really bothering her. It almost felt sinfully easy this time. It must really have been weighing on her. Or perhaps something else had changed.

“Of course! You’ve been ready since we were out of diapers,” Cherin exclaimed. “If anybody can do this, and do it right, it’s you.”

Leika stared into Cherin’s eyes, an expression on her face that he had never seen before. He wasn’t able to help himself. The same thing that had happened a few days back began to happen again, and he lowered his lips against hers. The warmth of her mouth against his sent a rush of heat through his body that almost made him moan out loud as he felt himself grow hard from her touch. If she knew, would she pull away again? How was she feeling? Leika pressed her lips firmly against Cherin’s. He wasn’t mistaken in thinking that she was kissing him back. Maybe she was comforted by his nearness and the strong physicality of his body so near to hers. They pulled apart mutually this time and exhaled deeply.

“I don’t know what any of this means,” Leika said, standing abruptly. “But thank you. I’m glad you’ll be going with me to Earth.”

Neither of them said anything else as Leika turned her back to him and walked calmly back toward the room where she was sleeping. In all honestly, Cherin didn’t know what was going on either. All he knew was that the most beautiful Loni in all of Kaldernon was his best friend, and he was about to follow her on a dangerous mission that might change both of their lives forever.

***

Leika shrugged off the robe she had worn outside, when she had foolishly slipped it on in the hopes that Cherin would know to meet her once more in the special place they had selected to go to when things were feeling hard. But why had they decided to make things even harder than they had to be? Complicating their bond of friendship was a miserable idea. She knew how things like this worked. It seemed like a great idea until the fickle flames of romance died down and left your once perfect friendship in shambles. She wouldn’t stand for it, and she was pissed that Cherin might be suggesting that the two of them break the sacred vow of friendship they had been nurturing for so long.

She tossed and turned that night, furious with herself and with Cherin as well. He had initiated another kiss, and this time he didn’t have sleep deprivation to blame. Not that he had really blamed it the first time. That had only been her excuse for him when she tried to justify why he might be willing to throw their friendship away after so many years of working together without any of these ridiculous feelings getting in the way. Whether they had always been there as a possibility or not, just a thought away, was meaningless. It only meant something when you acted on it. And somehow he had acted on it, and was starting to get her to act on it too. This needed to stop. Especially if they were going to be trapped on Earth; one of the most hostile planets possible for the vulnerable shifters.

Leika shivered. The fundamentalist group that called themselves the ‘Guardians’ of Earth were constantly studying the shifters, and had been for the past hundred years or more. Ever since they had discovered something strange afoot. To them, the beautiful, compassionate, and powerful shifter and Loni people were nothing but an invasive species and an alien race that had to be exterminated immediately. She was furious on behalf of all of the surviving descendants of Kaldernon, and even more horrified at the thought of the poor souls who had endured the torture that the Guardians subjected them to in an effort to learn more about the world where they were from.

As soon as daylight shone, she was to be whisked away to this dark planet, so lacking in light that they forced beautiful and colorful souls like the shifters and Lonis underground to hide their power and grace from the world at large. What was going to happen when she and Cherin were alone in the unfamiliar place? They had studied all about it during their days in the academy, but everybody knew that experience was very different than learning in books. There were going to be drastic differences and they were all just going to have to deal with it as an inevitability.

It took a long time before she finally managed to sleep. Even then, her mind was cluttered with images of war and terror on the planet where she was going to be sent. But mixed between those nightmares was a deep, wafting desire, urged by the sight of Cherin’s face and the memories of his soft lips brushing against hers, bringing them both the first taste of an unbidden pleasure yet to come.

CHAPTER 9

“Rise and shine! Time to get moving.”

Cherin recognized the voice of the courier who had been responsible for seeing to Leika’s safety. It was nice now that he knew they weren’t taking her to the capital city to punish her for whatever reason she was afraid of. Much of the time, Leika was full of anxiety about getting into invisible trouble. She so rarely worked outside the lines that it was impossible to imagine anything she might get into trouble for. The thought was laughable.

He dressed quickly and was led to a platform by the same courier, where Leika was already ready and waiting. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her, dressed in one of Kaldernon’s best outfits. It was one reserved for special forces, and had restorative powers in case of injuries. Nobody was sure if it would still work on Earth, and apparently Leika had been chosen to test out the true power of Lopu’s magic. He felt a silly twinge of jealousy and then laughed it off. Leika deserved the honor. This was her mission after all. He was just a tagalong who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“At precisely 45009 on the clock, you two will have to jump through this portal at the same time. Lopu is working right now to open it for you with the rest of the team. If one of you is just a fraction off, you will end up staying behind while the other fulfills the mission.”

Leika shot Cherin a death-look. If he messed up her chances of going on her own mission, he would owe her for the rest of their lives. Even if the mission cost him his life. There would be no forgiveness. His chest tightened and he took her arm in his, just as they had done a hundred times before.

“Just like diving into Lake Guimpo,” he said under his breath so that nobody else would hear them. She nodded subtly. If any pair of people were able to do this together, it would be them. They’d had years of practice already. Synchronicity shouldn’t be that huge of a struggle.

“Do you have your gear?”

They both nodded. Backpacks had been handed to each of them as they stepped onto the platform.

“You are expected back here at precisely 49005 in three days’ time,” the courier announced. “Bring with you as many survivors as you possibly can. We will inform your families on your whereabouts. We’re all counting on you.”

Leika inhaled sharply. She was much more nervous than she was letting on, and he tightened his grip around her arm comfortingly. They would be able to do this. Together they could do anything they set their minds to.

“Get ready to launch in three….two….”

A sudden bright light filled the platform and without thinking twice, he nudged Leika’s arm and they jumped simultaneously into the light, shrieking in pain as they were torn atom by atom into light and cast down into the darkness of the planet below.

CHAPTER 10

“Leika!”

Leika’s eyes opened and she hissed in pain as the bright light flooded her senses. Somewhere nearby, Cherin was already on his feet, calling to her. She felt him stumble over her legs and she made a strangled cry of pain.

“There you are,” Cherin said, falling to her side. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“I’m fine,” she grumbled.

“Well, I wouldn’t be fine if you were still in Kaldernon,” Cherin said rubbing his eyes. They were both apparently having trouble adjusting to the light. Having their bodies torn apart and put back together so intensely had taken a toll on each of them. “You’d never forgive me if I stole your mission.”

“Well, good thing we’re both here then,” Leika said, slapping him on the shoulder and then using it to help her get to her feet. “We don’t have much time. We should get moving.”

“Well yeah, but…”

“But what?” she asked, raising her eyebrow at him. Cherin clamped his mouth shut and hurried to his feet, immediately holding an arm out to steady himself and rubbing his head with his free hand.

“I just thought it would help to get our bearings first.”

“You know this area isn’t safe,” Leika said. Everywhere on this planet is unsafe, but especially here. This is where you can see Kaldernon.”

She looked up to demonstrate her point and gasped. In the sky there was nothing but white fluffy clouds.

“This can’t be right,” Cherin sighed, squinting into the sky. “Lopu must have harnessed enough power to send us to a safer place.”

“Well, how are we going to know where to go, then?” Leika asked, her tired purple eyes filling with frustrated tears.

“Don’t worry,” Cherin said, gripping her shoulder and smiling. He dug through his bag and pulled out a knife. “We’ll make a trail.”

He cut an “L” into the tree behind Leika and winked. “No problem.”

Leika seemed instantly placated and took charge once again.

“You’ll be in charge of making the trail markers then,” she said, her voice no longer wavering. She had always been more comfortable being in control. It was maddening when they were kids but she had grown into her bossiness. It was almost sexy.

“Right,” Cherin said, his eyes twinkling as he followed her through the forest trail. “Lead the way, boss.”

Leika smiled to herself. It was nice when he was accommodating. But that’s why they were friends. Both of them liked being in charge, and both of them didn’t mind listening to the other. It wasn’t a power game with them. It was equal.

“I’m going to have to use some magic first,” Leika said. “To see if I can sense survivors. I know a charm to help.”

“Of course. Do you need space?”

“Just keep watch. I might be a little out of body for a while.”

“Sure.”

Leika made a circle in the dirt.

“Don’t cross this, all right? Or it will interrupt the ritual. Only if it’s an emergency.”

“Got it,” Cherin said.

Soon, Leika was deep in a trance. The world appeared to her behind her eyes just as it did with her eyes closed, but with one big difference. Everything was transparent except for the hearts of the descendants of Kaldernon. She cried out in surprise when her ears picked up a drumming of several heartbeats at once. They were clustered far away from where they were. Probably far further than what three days would allow them. But that was all they had. Otherwise the power of her cloak would be waning and it would be another case of lost Loni and shifter souls being stuck on Earth.

Suddenly, she picked up on another heartbeat; a strong, fierce one coming from the direct opposite direction of the cluster to the north. She would have to make a choice which one to follow, and it wouldn’t be a difficult one. Although it was risky, she had to try her best to help those most in need. Even though it was more practical to save one descendant of Kaldernon, her mission had been to help as many as possible. She couldn’t help both at the same time, but she would at least be able to try to get the largest group together possible.

When she opened her eyes again, the sun had moved far in the sky and she had the sudden presentiment that there wasn’t enough time in the world. Cherin was perched on a tree stump not far from her circle, munching absently on a handful of berries from his rations.

“We have to go,” Leika said. “Now.”

Immediately Cherin got to his feet and soon, he was following her north.

CHAPTER 11

They traveled as far as they could before the unfamiliar planet grew dark and disturbing.

“We need to make camp,” Cherin said. He knew if he didn’t put his foot firmly down, Leika would have them go on all night. Fortunately, she seemed as spooked by the strange turf as he was, and agreed to stop without much protest. He set to work busying himself to make a fire and set up their tent. Most of the supplies had been re-gifted to them by people who once lived on the planet themselves. Accounts of Earth and its customs had been handed out to all the people of Kaldernon as soon as possible so that everybody could try and make the descendants feel as welcome and at home as possible.

As Cherin worked, Leika busied herself by whipping together some famous Loni cooking. It was unlike anything in the galaxy she’d been told, and by the time he was finished setting everything up, his stomach was rumbling loudly in anticipation of their meal. They sat side by side on a fallen tree by the fire, their shoulders touching as they ate. It was comforting to have her so near. He didn’t have to worry about where she was or what might be making her feel vulnerable.

“So what do you think of this place?” he asked.

“I don’t know. It’s scary here,” Leika said, looking around at the dark trees silhouetted by the fire. The moon was barely visible through the trees and she sighed. “I’m already anxious to get home.”

“Me too.”

Leika was too tired to be very talkative, and soon she was passed out inside the tent. Cherin managed to be lookout for a few hours, but knew he had to stay in his top shape. Sleepless nights were a terrible idea. He ducked inside and smiled fondly down at Leika, who was sprawled diagonally across their sleeping bags. Of course she was. That’s how she had always been.

He moved her carefully off his sleeping bag and was pulled immediately into a peaceful slumber. In the middle of the night, he was awakened by a powerful fire in his loins. He opened his eyes and was shocked to find Leika lying beside him, running her hand from his shoulder, down his legs. She lightly cupped his groin as she went and he grunted in surprise and pleasure.

“What are you doing?” he whispered.

“The same thing you were doing when you kissed me,” Leika said. “Twice.”

She climbed on top of him, her purple eyes dark with longing. “I was scared and moved closer to you. But once I started touching you, trying to wake you up, I…”

She didn’t need to finish. He already knew, and his body was on fire for it.

“Come here,” Cherin said, touching her cheek. He lowered her face to his own and kissed her deeply. Leika sighed in pleasure as their tongues met and their bodies bucked against each other. Cherin had never wanted anything more in his life than to be with her, and nothing was going to stop him now.

He sat up and lifted her with him, flipping Leika gently to the ground and rolling on top of her. Cherin gently stripped her of her clothes, planting hot kisses all over her body. She tensed and writhed beneath him, shuddering in pleasure as her hard nipples disappeared into his mouth and beneath his fingers.

Leika helped to pull his clothes off and stared at his lithe body, rippled with immense muscles he had gained from a lifetime of training. She gasped when he was suddenly on top of her again, and wave after wave of intense pleasure was lapped upon her as he rocked his hips against her. The friction of their bodies made them both gasp in pleasure, and he found the center of her pleasure and began pleasing her lovingly, with all the patience in the world. Finally, she could take no more and begged silently for him to enter her.

Cherin’s light blue eyes gazed into Leika’s, violet with longing, and finally submitted to her body’s requests. He hissed in pleasure as he was immediately enveloped by the heat of her. She moaned softly as he parted her, both of them receiving unbelievable pleasure from one another’s bodies. They cried out together in delight as a lifetime’s worth of lust finally culminated into their intense passion. Cherin’s firm member pressed inside of Leika, then pulled out, tantalizingly slowly. He wanted her to get used to his power, and fed it to her little by little. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he cradled her in his arms and slowly began giving in to his longing.

Leika moaned softly as Cherin’s self-control started to wane, and before they knew it, they were both ready for him to unleash all of his sensual energy on her. Leika wrapped her long legs around his bronzed body and Cherin paused for a pulse inside of her, savoring the way his cock felt buried inside the woman he loved.

Wait, loved? Of course, as friends, but…

The complication made him pause for a moment, until a gentle press of Leika’s heel reminded him that there were better things to think about. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was betraying something. Would they still be able to be friends after this?

Leika, who had grown impatient waiting for him to continue pleasuring her, grunted and pushed herself hard down the shaft of his cock. He groaned in surprise as she gasped in pleasure, finally taking what she had wanted all along. This was the final straw for Cherin, who growled from deep inside himself and unleashed a flurry of hard thrusts. Leika was paralyzed on the ground, taking all of what he could dish out to her, her milky white breasts heaving as she panted in pleasure, holding onto his strong forearm as if it were her life raft.

Suddenly, her frail body began to quake and Cherin stopped, worried he had done something wrong, or had hurt her somehow.

“Don’t stop,” Leika’s annoyed voice panted, sexy and husky. Needing.

It sent a surge of longing through him and he rammed himself into her again and again, stuffing her full of every inch of his member as her climax began to pool around it. Her body contracted powerfully around him and he moaned from somewhere deep within himself he hadn’t known he was capable of. His cock shuddered inside of her and he felt the familiar tingling in his abdomen as his own orgasm suddenly exploded from his loins, a deep thrill flooding them both as string after string of his hot semen erupted inside of Leika.

Finally, Cherin collapsed beside her and gathered her up into his strong arms. They fell asleep together, not bothering to dress. They would worry about the complications in the morning.

CHAPTER 12

Leika was the first to waken. She stared at her best friend’s naked, powerful body, sprawled beside her own and covered by the tent, shielded from the heat of the morning sun. What the hell had she done?

Leika rushed out of the tent and stoked the fire before washing up and dressing herself. She felt furious for some reason. Although the night before had been the most pleasurable she had ever had, she didn’t want that to happen with Cherin of all people. All the girls fawned over him and always acted evil and jealous toward her for his attention. She had always prided herself on the fact that they had nothing to be jealous about. They had been the ones with the problems for imagining things that weren’t there. But what the hell had just happened?

“Morning,” Cherin said, poking his head out of the tent. He was still naked, and the sight of him turned her stomach.

“Put some clothes on,” Leika grumbled.

Cherin shrugged and disappeared back into the tent, reemerging soon after fully clad.

“How many heartbeats did you hear last night? I forgot to ask.”

Leika sighed. “There’s one to the south, but a cluster up north. We can’t save them all, so I’m heading for the cluster.”

“What do you mean we can’t save them both?” Cherin asked, his face darkening.

“I have to prioritize. The group to the north is really far away. We have to get to them. They are many. One to the south is nothing compared to this.”

“I can make sure we rescue both,” Cherin said, jutting his chin out stubbornly. “We leave no descendant of Kaldernon behind.”

“How do you suggest we do that?” Leika snapped.

“We split up.”

“What? Are you mad?” Leika felt a grip of panic seize her heart and she gave Cherin the death look. What was she supposed to do without him by her side? It was so lonely by herself. And this world was terrifying and strange.

“No, just responsible,” Cherin snapped back. “Unlike you. What the hell was that stunt you pulled last night? Do you care nothing about our friendship?”

“You’re the one who kissed me first! Twice! You can’t blame me for this. You started this mess!”

They were in each other’s faces now, both of them furious.

“Nothing can be the way it was before!” Cherin continued. “I don’t think that’s what I wanted. What’s wrong with you? Why did you have to mess us up like this?”

“Me?!” Leika exclaimed. “I didn’t cross that boundary first. You did. And you know what? I’m not going to accept this from you! This is my mission, not yours. And I make the calls. You don’t get to tell me what’s right and what’s not. I’m going north. If you go south, then good luck to you! Don’t come crying to me when something goes wrong.”

Leika grabbed her backpack and stormed off, leaving Cherin staring after her in exasperation.

***

Cherin grumbled angrily to himself as he packed up the camp. Should he go after her? Of course not. Not when there was a descendant of Kaldernon who needed help. He would make sure everyone had their best chance. Besides, he wasn’t sure he could stand to look at Leika right now. She had crossed every boundary their friendship had ever had. Now, things would never be able to go back to the way they were. Kissing once or twice was one thing, but she had practically seduced him! What man in his right mind could say no to that kind of temptation?

If she wanted to go and get herself killed that was fine by him. But he wouldn’t leave any descendants behind. Not when he was the only option they had at getting rescued. Cherin groaned. He hoped that Leika remembered to make her trail markers without him there.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. It wasn’t that much different than his training. Cherin squared his shoulders and began to march south, his heart close to bursting with every step he took away from Leika. But this had been her choice, not his. And she had prioritized one group and herself over doing the logical thing to save everyone else. Besides, Lopu had believed that Leika could do this alone. Who was he to try to help her?

Wandering on foot was making Cherin restless. Before long, he was tempted to ignore one of the basic rules of navigating Earth. He wanted to save some time and transform into his dragon form. That way, he would be able to cover more ground and get to where he needed to be without any worries. Then, he could return back to Leika as if nothing had ever happened, and they would bicker and fight for a while before making it up to each other somehow.

Cherin’s agitation gradually got the best of him and he shapeshifted. It was nice to feel back in control the way he did whenever he took on his dragon form. Nobody else would ever fully understand the way it felt to shrug off your human attachments to take on the powerful magnificence of the mighty dragon. Especially not people like Leika. She always had to be so in control of everything and never once tried to bend the rules in her favor. Not that she ever knew of anyway. For some reason she wanted Cherin to think she was perfect. But she was full of flaws, and each and every one drove him mad in their own special, unique way.

He strapped his satchel to his arm and flapped his powerful wings to heighten his speed. He would find the man to the south ages before Leika even laid eyes on the cluster of descendants, and she would feel ashamed of herself for doubting him or blaming him for the strange turn that their relationship had taken. Unlike Leika, Cherin never needed anybody to help him out of trouble. She was going to regret sending him off.

Suddenly, Cherin paused. He had caught the scent of something. Something familiar. Someone maybe. But how? It wasn’t a woman’s scent. It was a man. And he didn’t smell very much like a shifter either. Somehow, it was more Loni.

Cherin inhaled deeply. Apparently he had traveled much further than he’d originally thought, because he was certain he had stumbled upon the descendant of Kaldernon that Leika would have otherwise forgotten. He shifted back into his human form and dressed quickly. If he listened hard and used what he knew about tracking, he would find whoever the man was.

Within half an hour the scent was stronger than ever and he finally emerged from the foliage, standing face to face with a man who looked nearly identical to the rescued descendants.

“Who are you?” the man asked, eyeing Cherin up and down.

“My name is Cherin,” he replied nervously. “What’s your name?”

“Archer.”

That was one of the family names of the Dragon shifters. Of course; he must have been the son of Clayton. The boy who had apparently gone missing when the descendants had been teleported back to Kaldernon. “Son of Clayton?”

“What’s it to you?” Archer asked, immediately aggressive.

“I’m… I’m here from Kaldernon,” Cherin stammered. “I have a request to bring descendants of our kind home.”

Cherin had never felt more relieved in his life. He wasn’t going to let Leika hear the end of this one. She almost turned her back on the child of one of the descendants who had been rescued. They had been hysterical for so long after the boy’s disappearance. It would be rewarding to reunite a family like this. And no thanks to Leika. Stubborn woman.

“I don’t want anything to do with Kaldernon!” Archer growled. He started menacingly toward Cherin, who backed away with his hands in the air.

“Why not?” he asked, genuinely confused. Wasn’t it better to live on Kaldernon than Earth? So many horrible things happened here.

“I was born on Earth. This is my home. I’m many parts human. And besides. I’ve got unfinished business.”

“What sorts of unfinished business?” Cherin asked, his heart thudding in his chest.

“The Guardians are still here. I won’t rest until every last one of them are destroyed. They killed everyone I love. My grandfather, aunts, friends, uncles, cousins. Everybody.”

“But not your parents. Your parents are safe on Kaldernon and they miss you.”

“I miss them, too, and you can tell them I said so. But I am needed down here. I will not betray the descendants who may fall prey to the Guardians. I won’t rest until every last one of them are as dead as my grandfather.”

Archer was a large, muscular man with serious, menacing eyes. There was no way that Cherin would be able to take him on and win, probably not even in dragon form. He had no choice but to let him go.

“If you ever change your mind….”

“I won’t,” Archer said. “There’s a group of Guardians to the north, I’ve been tracking them for a long time. I think they’ve got people trapped there. I have to help them.”

“The north?” Cherin asked, suddenly pale.

Archer nodded.

“Thank you. I’ll send your love to your parents.”

And with that, he shifted into his dragon form and sped back the way he came.

CHAPTER 13

Leika stomped angrily through the forest, trying to focus only on the energy of the descendants of Kaldernon in the distance. She was getting closer to them; she could feel that much. But why did they have to be so far away? Maybe if she could shift into a dragon like Cherin, but shifter genes were notoriously difficult for women to tap into. Their bodies were more predisposed to Loni abilities and functions.

“My, my, my,” a voice suddenly hissed from deep in the bushes. Leika stopped cold, her arms prickling in fear. This was not a friendly voice. “Look what we have here.”

Suddenly, men in robes with disgusting smiles plastered on their faces emerged from all sides, surrounding her. She would have had a fighting chance if there were only a few of them, but there had to be at least fifteen.

“Let me go!” Leika shrieked, fighting against their strong grips. They just laughed and sneered.

“She’s wearing Loni robes!” one of the men exclaimed. “I’m touching genuine fabric!”

“Get her to the truck!” the leader of the group barked. “We have work to do.”

The men piled into the back of a covered truck bed, holding her still as the leader hopped into the driver’s seat and turned the ignition. The loud rumbling of the engine began vibrating the vehicle and Leika howled in misery, calling for Cherin. But he wouldn’t be able to hear her. He had gone south to save someone she had been too cowardly to take into consideration. She had wanted so badly to look like a hero that she hadn’t been very heroic. Cherin was right to be angry. If she got killed it would be her own fault.

Leika rode for what felt like an eternity being held down by the men, who were definitely those who called themselves the ‘Guardians’ of the planet Earth. She knew not to say too much. They would assume she was simply a Loni who had gotten away with spending her life under the guise of a human. Probably somebody born on Earth. If they realized that she was truly from Kaldernon, that was when she would really get into serious trouble. Trouble that even Cherin couldn’t help her out of.

“Look who’s home!” the leader called out.

“The hell you talkin’ bout Willie?” another man shouted from somewhere outside the truck. Leika was pulled out roughly and led into the light by the wrists. “Ohh, she’s a purdy little thing, isn’t she?”

“No doubt,” Wille agreed, looking Leika up and down. She shuddered and was pushed forward. They had driven her away from the forest and into an isolated settlement. There was a dirt road that led to the trees where she had come from, and in front of her was a small white house that looked to be in ill repair. Nobody in Kaldernon would be caught dead living in something that needed so much tending to. They would have tended to it or moved on to something better.

Suddenly, Leika doubled over, searing pain almost knocking her to her feet. A lot of suffering was happening here. Suffering being endured by the descendants of Kaldernon. She had to help them. There was no other option. She would play it smart and do whatever she could to help the others.

Soon, she was in a dark cell in the basement of the house, surrounded by several other dog kennels. Inside the kennels were other people just like her. They looked hopelessly out of their wired openings, eyes gaunt and miserable. She had to do something.

Leika closed her eyes, hoping maybe some of the Loni people would be able to pick up on psychic messages. A few of them were having conversations, or playing a game that sounded like madness to anybody else. But maybe it was something they were doing to avoid madness.

How many are here? Leika asked. I’m here to help.

Yeah, right.

Last I knew there were thirteen.

You make fourteen.

I’m not a prisoner, Leika stated. I’m from Kaldernon. It’s going to be okay.

Almost as soon as she was put into her cage, she was dragged out by another Guardian.

He likes you. Better watch out. Clear your mind and we can play the pain game.

Leika’s heart thudded in fear as she was dragged up the steps and into a small room full of both sharp and blunt instruments. She started to quiver when the man lifted one and strapped her to a chair, smiling menacingly as he prepared himself to make an incision.

Before he had the chance to, an earth-shattering roar shook the compound and Cherin’s dragon form was stomping through the house. The Guardians were all shrieking in terror and shouting orders to one another. A few of them stabbed through his scales with specialized weapons that Leika had never seen before, and Cherin cried out in agony. Still, they weren’t fast enough for one of the Dragon Warriors from Kaldernon, and soon most of them were burnt to a crisp and the whole building was on fire. Cherin lashed out at the man who had Leika captive and tore him in half. Finally, when there were no guardians left standing, he reverted back to his nude human form.

“I’m sorry,” they both said in unison.

“I love you,” Leika said suddenly.

“I’ve always loved you,” Cherin replied.

“I know.”

Cherin grinned and tried to lead Leika out of the burning building.

“We can’t go yet,” she cried. “Get out of here! I have the cloak; it will be okay.”

Cherin stared at her, his eyes distrusting and afraid.

“Trust me,” she said firmly.

Finally, he turned and limped out of the flames, waiting for Leika to return.

After a few moments that seemed like an eternity, she re-emerged, with a crowd of descendants behind her. They looked around suspiciously at each other and the burning building. Many of them couldn’t believe that they were safe and seemed to think this was yet another trick.

“Get them into the truck,” Leika ordered. Cherin set to work leading them inside and Leika swallowed hard. She could probably intuit how to work the damn thing, and as soon as everybody was loaded, she took off with squealing tires down the dirt path and headed back to the forest.

CHAPTER 14

It was late by the time they made it to the same spot they had camped out at together. It had been miraculous that they’d been able to find it after everything that had happened. Cherin set up the tent, though it was obvious he was suffering immensely from his wounds from the battle.

“You guys can sleep in the tent,” he offered the shaken descendants.

We prefer the truck.

Cherin couldn’t hear it, so Leika translated for him. He nodded and climbed inside as soon as it was set up and the fire was lit. Leika followed him inside.

“You look like you’re in a lot of pain,” she whispered once everybody had fallen asleep.

“I’ll be all right,” Cherin said. His voice was strained though.

“Thank you for coming back for me,” Leika said, removing the outfit that Lopu had given her. “Put this on. The regenerative powers will help you.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

She nodded. Her body was uncovered and she stared sincerely at him until he took it.

“It’s kind of snug,” he laughed. She grinned and lay down beside him as the outfit began to work its magic. They dozed into a peaceful slumber and were both awakened at the same time by Cherin’s stirring. He was pulling the outfit off, smiling down at Leika.

“Thank you,” he said, scooping her into a hug against his bare, broad chest. She surrendered into it, her own body fully exposed beside him.

“Nothing will ever change the way I feel about you,” Cherin said seriously, looking deeply into Leika’s purple eyes.

“I know,” she whispered.

They were lost in each other’s gaze for a few moments before finally their lips met. Leika moaned softly as Cherin’s tongue made its way inside her mouth, sending a whirlwind of pleasure coursing through her body. His strong hands roamed her body intimately, until his fingers rested against the mound of her middle. He circled his fingertip experimentally around her clit and sent a jolt of ecstasy through her body. She sighed softly as she felt his cock harden against her thigh. There would be no apologies this time. No mixed feelings. This is what they had both wanted. And now that they were adults, that was perfectly fine.

Leika took his cock in her hands and gave it a long, firm stroke. Cherin moaned in delight as he shuddered in her grip, the thrill of her touch bringing more blood to his engorged member. She lowered her lips around it carefully, eliciting a cry of pleasure from Cherin. He lifted her and laid back on the ground, positioning her so that her middle, wet with longing, was in the perfect position for him to lick it as she slowly worked her tongue up and down his shaft. They pleasured each other this way until Leika could take no more and whimpered demandingly. Cherin brought her to her back and got on top of her, grinning down at her as his shaft rubbed against her clit, sending waves of ecstasy throughout her entire body.

They moaned together as he shoved himself wholly inside of her. The heat of his cock ramming inside of hers made Leika grit her teeth as a flood of bliss awakened every nerve in her body. He began thrusting himself inside of her again and again, picking up his pace, every drag of his shaft eliciting a network of explosions all throughout her insides. She had dreamed of his body for so long, so secretly and yet so devoutly. How long had she wanted this? She couldn’t say. But now that she had it, she was never going to let him go.

He caressed her tenderly as they made love, his body tuned in to her every response. He seemed intuitively to know exactly what each of her sounds and movements meant, and met her with a zest and enthusiasm that left them both panting from exertion. They had never been more in synch than they were in that moment. No inhibitions and no confusion. All they wanted was each other.

Suddenly, Leika could no longer handle the intensity of Cherin’s smooth, hard member inside of her, and her body shook as he took her to new heights, every pleasure receptor in her body indulging itself in ecstasy. She let out a low moan as she contracted around him, pushing and pulling him until he completed her climax with his own powerful eruption. They closed their eyes in bliss as he shot his load deep inside of her, and they lay still for a moment, panting quietly in the night.

“Let’s never fight again,” Leika said.

“That’s not healthy,” Cherin laughed. “Let’s always make up.”

“That’s more realistic.”

He kissed her forehead and they lay together in bliss, allowing themselves to finally be taken by the heavy blanket of sleep.

EPILOGUE

Leika and Cherin spent their last day leading the descendants of Kaldernon back to the place where the portal was going to open up to allow them to return back to their own planet. The teleportation took a lot of energy, so they tried to speed it up by sending pairs up two at a time like they had during the first rescue mission.

It was slowly becoming clear to the rescued parties that they were going to be free, and live in a world where there were no Guardians.

As Cherin and Leika oversaw their departure from Earth, they held hands and chatted, waiting for their turn.

“I saw the man we almost left behind. He wanted to stay here. He is the son of Clayton.”

“Really?” Leika asked, her eyes wide.

“Really.”

“He will be glad to know his son is okay.”

“Yes.”

Soon, they were the last people left standing.

“Are you ready?” Cherin asked, squeezing Leika’s arm.

“Are you?” she replied.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he grinned.

“Everything has changed,” Leika said, positioning herself under the teleportation beam.

“Here’s to hoping it never goes back to the way it was,” Cherin said. He stooped down to kiss her tenderly on the lips, and together they returned as heroes to the planet Kaldernon.

THE END

A Dream of Dragons

Dragons of Kaldernon Novella 5

Leela Ash

Copyright © 2016 by Leela Ash.  All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

CHAPTER ONE

I’m waiting.

The fiercely beautiful woman with flashing eyes–Purple? No, blue? He couldn’t tell–stared out at him from behind a wall of fire. Her golden hair was lifted wildly on the wind, lending her the distinct look of a warrior. Archer reached his hand out to her, his fingers wide and strained from the effort. The woman reached her hand out to him, too. It looked deceptively fragile. He knew that behind her eyes there was nothing but ferocity.

I’m waiting.

Archer was overwhelmed by an angry feeling of inferiority. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to the woman across from him; to be able to cross the flaming threshold that was keeping them apart. She was waiting for him. And he was failing her. Unable to pass through the curling flames to touch her hand. He was a coward.

Suddenly, the woman was gone, and in her place was a black silhouette that towered above him; above even the wall of flame. Archer cried out in fear and backed away. He truly was cowardly. He didn’t deserve to bridge the gap between himself and the beautiful woman. Why would she want him anyway?

The dark beast behind him unleashed a mighty roar and Archer looked up into a pair of glowing red eyes. Dragon’s eyes. He positioned himself to fight, but soon the world around him was disintegrating and he could feel himself being lifted from what he now knew with certainty to be a dream. He struggled to stay within the dream, worried that the giant monster might somehow harm the beautiful woman he had been trying to reach, but there was no use.

Archer awoke in his bed in a cold sweat. The dimness of the underground tunnels of the former Kersh clan made it difficult for his eyes to adjust, so he stayed in a dazed dream-like trance until he was fully conscious. He growled and got quickly to his feet, throwing his covers aside and walking purposefully toward the mess hall to get a drink of water.

Ever since the rest of the dragon shifters and their Loni counterparts had returned back to Kaldernon, the once bustling tunnels had been vacant and empty. He was the last of the shifters on the planet Earth, and had chosen to stay behind with a few of his close friends. They believed that Earth, being the place they were born, was their true home. Not only that, but he had unfinished business. The Guardians, a fringe group of fundamentalist assholes, had unleashed untold horrors on the dragon shifters. They were rounded up like cattle and tortured and experimented on so that the Guardians could try to learn more about the worlds beyond. Archer was convinced there were still Guardians walking the Earth, and refused to rest until every last one of them was taken out.

“Good morning, Archer,” Thom, Archer’s best friend since childhood, greeted. Archer gave a brief nod and passed him, making his way to the barrel of water in the corner. He ladled some out into his glass and drank deeply, allowing the water to wash away the dark feelings left within him by the dream.

“Good morning Thom,” Archer replied, once he cleared his throat. “Any news today?”

“Actually, yes,” Thom said, his reptilian eyes sparkling. Thom had always looked the part of a dragon. Although he was mostly humanoid, he had sharper features and never quite escaped the round, dragon-like eyes. It was part of his charm.

“Oh? What is it?”

“Guardians were spotted digging through the ruins of their old camp. It was destroyed, but they were there. We have Tanna trailing them right now.”

“Well that’s…not good news,” Archer said thoughtfully. As leader of the shifters left on earth, it was his job to keep them safe. But if Tanna was following the Guardians, it could be a trap. Maybe they knew that the old site was under constant surveillance. But maybe not.

“I thought you would be pleased,” Thom said, crestfallen. He had devoted his life to serving Clayton, Archer’s father and leader of the Kersh clan, and his family. Without Clayton there, he was Archer’s best friend and most loyal companion. But he loved to brawl and fight more than anyone Archer knew.

“It’s true, I want all the Guardians dead where they stand,” Archer agreed with a nod. “I just worry about putting Tanna in danger.”

“Tanna can take care of himself.”

“I’m sure he can,” Archer agreed. Still, it left him with an uneasy feeling.

There was a small handful of shifters left on Earth. It was surprising how many of them were reluctant to join the flight to Kaldernon. It was something they had all been told to dream about and wish for, their return ‘home’, but once it became a possibility, there were a lot of people who had second thoughts. Archer had been able to articulate them at the last minute, before his parents allowed him to ascend with them. He was standing between them when he said, “I need to stay behind with the others.”

At first he thought his father wouldn’t let him go. But the man’s face softened and he gave a nod. Before his mother could grab him to stop him, Archer jumped away from the beam and hid in the bushes as his parents ascended. He watched the rest go up in pairs, and hurried to the spot where he knew Tanna, Thom, and a few other shifters were in hiding. He would be their leader now. It was their unspoken agreement.

“Come. We have to find Tanna and see where the Guardians are leading him,” Archer said. “It may be a trap.”

Thom nodded dutifully and they rushed from the underground caverns, determined to find their friend.

CHAPTER TWO

Alana sat up in bed, a feeling of deep desolation crushing her. She’d had the dream again with the handsome stranger from the world below. Once again, they hadn’t been able to reach each other. She knew it was just a dream, but why did it have to affect her so profoundly? She felt like it was important to reach him, the most important thing in the world really, but when it came down to actually being together it seemed impossible. There was one obstacle after another.

This time it was different, though. A huge looming darkness had come in at her and she hadn’t been able to reach him at all. Her view of the man had been blocked, and he had disappeared behind a huge silhouette of oppressive black. It felt terrifying and evil; the distinct touch of the twisted types of beings who utilized others to serve their own selfish means. There were plenty of them throughout the universe, and she was concerned that this was a kind of omen. One she had to talk about right away to the leader of Kaldernon, Lopu Mansana.

Lopu was the wisest woman that Alana could think of. Alana had been taken under Lopu’s wing early on because she had shown the potential to be both a powerful Loni and a powerful Dragon shifter. It was up to fate to decide, and Lopu wanted to make sure that whichever way it went, Alana would have the resources that she needed to become the most powerful version of herself that she could possibly be. Without Lopu’s guidance after her parents had died, Alana was sure she would have been a goner. Luckily, her teachers and mentors had sent word to the capital city of Rallah, and before she knew it, Alana was being accepted into an elite school.

But it didn’t stop there. Upon meeting Alana, Lopu, a powerful Loni oracle, had a vision telling her to keep Alana and train her well. Lopu always followed her intuition–Lonis were powerful mystics and creators; they carried shifter children and were the builders and innovators of Kaldernon. Alana and Lopu immediately formed a deep connection and Lopu claimed her as a daughter, to be trained however Alana pleased. Her passions changed from day to day, but Lopu was patient with her and always sought the best teachers for her possible. Nobody disputed Lopu’s wisdom and before she knew it, Alana was on the way to being trained as both a powerful warrior and in the fine, meticulous arts of Loni craftsmanship.

“What’s the matter dear?” Lopu asked when Alana approached her after they shared breakfast together. “Something is the matter.”

“I feel a terrible evil out in the universe,” Alana said. “It’s one I can’t understand.”

“There are many evils in the universe,” Lopu said with a tolerant nod. She was the kind of woman who expected precision and detail, and this vague topic was likely to try her patience quickly.

“This one came to me in my dreams.”

“I see…”

Lopu stood and turned her back to Alana.

“What should I do?”

“Do you know where this evil resides?”

“Well…no,” Alana admitted. She had no idea if it was even real or not. She had a very active imagination, and neither of them were sure whether her Loni powers were of a clairvoyant or psychic nature or if she was just very talented in crafting because of the Loni blood in her veins.

“I know you felt it was important enough to tell me about,” Lopu said, finally turning back to Alana. “But if you don’t have any details there isn’t much I can do to help you. I will issue a warning to the people however, to keep their eyes open for anything that might seem amiss. Thank you for telling me your concerns.”

“Thank you, Lopu,” Alana said with a gracious bow. Lopu smiled warmly and nodded her head, but Alana left with knots in her stomach. She hated bothering Lopu with things that she might perceive as trivial. The woman was in charge of an entire planet, and she was impatient with trivial matters and the people who were small-minded enough to bring them to her attention.

She had done the best she was going to do, though, and Alana sighed. If only she knew what the dream meant. Why was it that she had been dreaming of the same man for so many nights? It had started when she was young, a teenager, when the people of the Kersh clan had finally made their grand return to Kaldernon. It had been incredible to see all the new faces and those who had grown and developed on another planet.

The world had changed, and somehow, after a meeting she had attended with Clayton of the Kersh clan and Lopu, she had begun having dreams of a boy about her age. He was handsome and brave, but there was no way of knowing anything else about him. They were always struggling to come closer to one another in the dreams, but they were always separated by obstacles of every nature – water, fire, cliffs. Nothing they did brought them any closer together. And now there was danger in their strange little world. Alana didn’t know what it meant, but she knew that if nothing else, she would have to do her best to be as brave as the man in her dreams.

He had grown alongside her, each of them aging at the same pace. Every year she grew stronger and more womanly, and he grew stronger and more manly. His hair grew darker, his muscles bulked, and his eyes, if possible, seemed more and more desperate for answers. Lonelier, somehow. But they had never spoken and there was no way of knowing whether or not he was anything more than just a figure in a dream. All Lonis had powerful, strong dreams, and maybe hers meant nothing at all. Or maybe it meant everything. It was unbelievably frustrating not being able to tell which was which.

As Alana left Lopu’s quarters, she couldn’t help but feel that it was a mistake to dismiss what she had seen. There was trouble somewhere out there in the universe. And somehow, she was connected to it. How, she would never be able to know.

She brushed the thoughts away. It was time for her morning lessons. It would do her good to get some strength training out of the way. But she knew, as she did every time she had one of her dreams, that she was going to feel strange throughout the day. Especially now that she had seen the unmistakable face of evil. Still, she would have to get through it and do her best not to let it bring her down and distract her from her training.

CHAPTER THREE

Archer squinted up toward the sky and sighed. It was late afternoon already and they were making horrible time. He had half a mind to shapeshift into his dragon form but he hadn’t done that since he was a small boy. It had always been difficult for him to shapeshift, which, for some reason, had been a source of endless delight for his father Clayton. His father said that it was often the most powerful shifters that waited for the very best possible time to transform. And when they did, their power was mind-blowing.

Archer never really thought that was true in his own case, though. It seemed like a silly story to help his child feel better about being inadequate. The truth was that throughout the years, Archer secretly feared that he favored his mother’s side of the family. And who cared if he was more Loni than shifter? But the truth probably would have devastated his father, who was possibly the most masculine and impressive dragon shifter that Archer had ever seen.

Still, the man had his sensitive side, but Archer didn’t want to do anything to disappoint him. Part of the reason he had chosen to stay behind was because he knew that’s what his father would have done. It had been shocking to see the handful of shifters who wanted nothing to do with the return to Kaldernon. Everybody had a grudge against the Guardians, and Archer wanted to be the one to take them out once and for all.

“Do you still have Tanna’s scent?” Archer asked. He had gone out with most of his group–three men including Thom–and the hunt had been going on for long enough.

“No,” Thom admitted, frowning down at the ground. “We lost it a little while ago.”

“Shit.”

The four men stood in silence as Archer gathered his thoughts.

“I want you guys to go back to the Kersh settlement, okay?” Archer said.

“But Archer–“ Thom began to protest.

“Do as I say. Trust me. If this is a trap, we’re going to need some people who are still able to handle the settlement. We have a pregnant woman and a young child there already. We have to make sure that they’re safe above all else. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Archer.”

The men began to move reluctantly back toward the underground tunnels. Archer stopped Thom and pulled him aside privately.

“Don’t worry,” he told his friend. “I’m going to come back with Tanna. We’ll be back before you know we’re even gone. It will probably even be more peaceful there without the two of us arguing over Lapus.”

Thom grinned.

“You’re both such sore losers. I’m about ready to pitch that game,” he said. “We’ll keep the board ready for you guys.”

Archer nodded, grinning at his friend, and watched until Thom was out of sight.

When his men were gone, Archer sighed under his breath. Where could Tanna have gone? That man better have had a plan. There were no signs of struggle while they had followed Tanna’s scent away from the site where the Guardian’s ruins had been, which seemed like a good sign. Still, he didn’t like the idea of his impulsive friend out there alone, ready to take on a group he wasn’t ready for. It made him feel sick to his stomach, and also angry. Tanna had ignored direct orders thinking that he could take care of something big himself. He was always overestimating himself and going out to pull macho stunts to impress the few women in the camp. But in a way Archer admired him and really hoped that Tanna was okay.

As Archer roamed the dense forest alone, his icy blue eyes caught a glimpse of the city’s skyline in the distance. He shivered at the thought of having to go there to find Tanna, but it seemed the most logical place to look. It was the hub of human civilization; the very thing the Guardians claimed that they wanted to uphold. There were Guardians left and right there, and if he had to wager a guess, he would say that Tanna’s scent probably disappeared when Tanna was forced into a vehicle and driven into the city.

Archer groaned. That meant it was going to be harder than he thought to get his friend back. But there was nothing he could do about that. He would just do what it took to help him survive, and if he failed, he would have yet another vendetta against the evil group that seemed bound and determined to destroy everything that he and the other dragon shifters from Kaldernon held dear. He would make them pay.

CHAPTER FOUR

You’re not alone.

Archer cringed at the powerful, melodic sound of the beautiful woman’s voice. This time they were separated by a wall of water. Fish and creatures that Archer had never seen before were swimming in between then.

Don’t act like you’re alone.

The words brought hot tears springing to Archer’s eyes, despite the fact that it was a dream.

He couldn’t help it. One of the hardest things about being the leader of the Kersh clan now was how few people there were. His childhood had been full of happy, loving people. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of shifters had roamed through the underground tunnels, each of them knowing him by name. He had been surrounded by extended family and people who may as well have been his aunts and uncles, cousins more than friends. And now, his life was desolate. He had made it through puberty without his parents, without any of the people he had taken for granted. Not just to make his father proud. But because he knew his people needed a leader. And the Guardians needed to die.

Archer looked through the water and into the flashing, magnetic eyes of the beautiful woman across from him. Today they looked more green than blue, sparkling with life and emotion. Her hand was so close, and he rose his own to bring it as close to hers as possible. He hadn’t realized how difficult it had been for him lately. He tried hard not to think about how much he missed his family, his friends and loved ones, but being alone in the forest looking for Tanna had brought the feelings to the surface. And for some reason, the beautiful woman seemed to know this. And she was offering him her sympathy.

“Who are you?” he tried to call out to her. But the roar of a wave drowned the question out. They were never able to speak to one another during these dreams. Only convey basic messages. He had seen her in his dreams since he was very young, when his parents had gone on to Kaldernon and left him behind. He thought it was a coping mechanism his brain had created so he wouldn’t feel so alone, but now he wasn’t so sure. Either she was real or he was crazy. And he wanted to believe that she was real. Still, the fact was that it was just a dream.

Suddenly, from the roaring waves emerged the same terrifying black figure that had haunted Archer’s dream the night before. This time he was still able to see the woman’s reaction to it. Her dazzling eyes grew round with fear and confusion, but she didn’t withdraw the hand that she held out to Archer. Instead, she pointed to the beast with her other hand and spoke quiet words despite its ferocious roar.

This is our struggle.

This is our destiny.

The words were like smoke; there but not there. Ethereal but immense. The weight seemed suddenly to crush him, and he thought he wouldn’t be able to bear it for a moment longer. That is, until she smiled at him. When he received the smile, Archer unexpectedly felt as light as air and somehow at peace with the unknown forces at work in the universe. Somehow, he knew they were there and felt guided and protected by them. Even though this beast signified real danger, the gorgeous woman’s defiant smile to him signified hope.

***

Alana woke from the dream, her heart racing in terror. Although she had seen the man in her dreams again, the beast was there again too. There was nothing she wouldn’t give to have the best Loni oracles examine the dream in depth, but she knew that she had bothered Lopu about it enough that her orders were final. Unless there was some serious cause for concern with physical proof or involving Lopu’s most trusted Loni advisers, there wouldn’t be an investigation this time.

That was all right. It felt too personal to discuss the dream aloud to anybody. She had seen this boy grow into a man with her, and the last thing she needed was Lopu teasing her about boys. And besides, it would be even more embarrassing to feel as if she was simply hallucinating the best imaginary boyfriend. A literal man of her dreams. It was just humiliating, especially the thought of having to tell anybody about it.

No, she would keep this to herself until she was absolutely sure she knew what she was dealing with. Still, she couldn’t get through any of her classes without her mind returning to the handsome man in her dreams.

His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail when she saw him in her latest dream, and she could swear that every time she saw him he got more and more handsome. The desperation she felt to breach the barrier keeping them apart was unbelievably strong. She had never felt that way about any man she had ever met before. In fact, Alana wasn’t interested in the least in the other men on Kaldernon. The only person who had ever held her interest, besides Lopu of course, was the man in her dreams.

They had grown up together. Emotionally supported one another. Somehow, when times were tough, he was there with his stormy face calm and comforting throughout whatever situation she found herself in. He was her rock when she was down, and somehow she felt she was able to do the same. They spoke without speaking, understood each other’s emotional states without words. They were basically connected in a way that she had only heard fabled about Loni-Shifter pairings in the distant past, when the planet of Kaldernon was first becoming the mighty place it was currently. It was terrifying to consider that this immense pull that Alana felt toward the stranger who might not be real, but it was even more difficult and scary to believe that it was all somehow real.

She didn’t think she could make up a person in such immense detail, but she couldn’t look past the possibility that she was mistaken. That’s why she had told Lopu of it when she had first moved in. Lopu had listened seriously at first, but soon dismissed it as a symptom of the despair she felt after losing her parents in a tragic accident. But Alana didn’t believe there was nothing to it and felt scorned enough not to mention her experiences again.

If Lopu, leader of Kaldernon, would blow off something that felt so immense to her, then there was nothing else she was willing to say about it. That was that.

CHAPTER FIVE

Archer paused to catch his breath, his mind reeling from his dream the night before. He had gotten goosebumps when he had stumbled upon a small creek he had never seen before. The symbolism of water was highly regarded in Loni folklore. It symbolized difficult emotions and the ability to transmit messages from long distances. Communication and turmoil. And it had been present in his dream. The symbolism was not lost on him, even in the moment as he stood staring at strange creatures swimming through the deep blue barrier that kept him from touching the hand of the beautiful woman of his dreams.

Fire, now that he thought about it, was symbolic as well to the Lonis. When a Loni dreamt of fire, that usually meant that they were going to experience great difficulties. Usually a hard task and tumultuous changes were in store. Fire purged, but it also destroyed and made way for things to be rebuilt. While it could be far worse to dream of boulders and lightning storms, the wall of fire could mean that it would be far more difficult for him to find Tanna than he had originally thought.

Archer groaned loudly. He would have to put a collar and a bell on his friend when he returned. That way it would be easier to find him if he ever got lost again. The thought was enough to give Archer the boost he needed to leap over the creek.

He was approaching the city much more quickly than he was comfortable with. He wanted nothing to do with the humans. All of them that he had encountered were selfish and oblivious to the struggles of their own people. That proved enough to him that they would not be able to be trusted with the plight of his kind. If they were too egotistical to show any compassion to their own kind, how would they ever be able to care about dragon shifters? The Guardians were proof enough that humans were incapable of selflessness.

You’re not alone.

The mysterious woman’s voice echoed in his ears and Archer sighed. Why would that come to him now? Was he being too hard on the humans? He didn’t think that was true. But he heard the woman of his dreams for a reason. He was going to be among the humans; the least he could do was make the best of it.

After another few hours of walking, Archer was in the downtown area, moving discreetly so as not to be seen. He had disguised himself as a normal human, but the clothes were uncomfortable and he couldn’t wait to get out of them. Still, he felt like he was far too out of place. He had to get to the police station. If the Guardians were anywhere, they would be there, and he would find out what had happened to Tanna.

Suddenly, the unmistakable smell of the Guardians hit Archer like a ton of bricks. His stomach dropped painfully and he became alert, ducking behind a parked car to try to get eyes on his target. The small group of shifters who were left in the Kersh clan had been trying their best to stay away from every area they knew the Guardians inhabited, particularly in the city, but now that they had made a move in the ruins, it was time for the leader to investigate.

The Guardian ducked into a blue car and Archer raised his eyebrow. The car had the scent of the forest on it. He checked the wheels and sure enough, they were caked in mud. If he followed it, there was bound to be a chance to catch up to his friend. Tanna wasn’t within smelling range, but Archer was sure that following this Guardian would be the key to his friend’s whereabouts.

It was good to finally have a lead, and Archer set to work on following the car. The Guardian was fast, but Archer was fast, too. He had to be careful not to get hurt and to make sure that no humans saw him on the run. If that happened, it could lead to unbelievable danger for the rest of the clan that had stayed behind, and it would be his own fault. Fortunately, he had always been very sneaky, and his ability to move without anybody noticing him had led to a very satisfying childhood full of the spoils of incognito adventures to the mess hall.

Soon, Archer was back in the woods where he felt he belonged and able to follow the car down one of the few dirt roads that were paved into the area. It wasn’t a spot he felt familiar with, but being out in nature felt much safer than being in the city. He relaxed and was able to follow the car leisurely through the winding country roads.

The trees began to become more and more sparse, until Archer realized it was going to be impossible for him to hide any longer. He would have to be careful. Instead of trailing the car right beside it, he ultimately hung back, hoping the driver wouldn’t be able to see him. He tried to use his heightened senses to listen to the car and keep it in range, and when he could tell that it had turned left, he followed it.

Eventually, the car arrived at a tall, creepy farmhouse that looked essentially abandoned. An ice cold chill erupted all over Archer’s body. The house looked terrifying. In the back, there was a tall, ominous barn with peeling pale red paint. It looked like the farm had been abandoned for years. And yet, that’s where the Guardian was pulling in.

Archer was ready to bound toward the building, sure he could take on just one Guardian, but a line of men immediately walked out the door to greet the man in the blue car. Archer cringed. He would have to come back with help. Otherwise, there was bound to be more trouble than he could deal with. It was time to regroup and come up with a plan.

CHAPTER SIX

“You’re aware of the shifter that trailed you here, aren’t you?” Kenneth, leader of the Guardians, asked in a low, raspy voice. He had led the council of Guardians outside the farmhouse to meet Jason, who had just come back from the base in the city. He had been sent to the police station, where the police officers who were part of the Guardians were having a meeting. The rumors that there were still more Dragon shifters near the city, even after the fact that Kaldernon had managed to rescue the majority of the Kersh clan had been confirmed after one of the members who had been left behind followed a Guardian from the site where their latest defeat had taken place.

But the Guardians weren’t going to stay down forever. They were just going to get smart. They had upheld a sacred mission ever since the introduction of the shifters into Earth’s atmosphere to protect and preserve the humans on Earth from the potential threat of interplanetary dominance. And there was nothing that would get in their way or stop them from fulfilling their duty. Having a shifter less than twenty miles away only served to reinforce that mission statement.

“Should we go get him?”

Kenneth frowned.

“No…he isn’t approaching. Which means he’s planning something. If we wait, we may be able to take all of the shifters in the area out in one fell swoop. Now that he knows where we are and how many of us there are, he will bring reinforcements.”

“But last time, we weren’t able to win against them!”

Kenneth grinned, his lips curled into a frightening smile.

“They didn’t have then what we have now,” Kenneth said. “They were foolish and rash. But under my guidance, the Guardians won’t make the same mistake twice.”

“So we let him go?” Jason asked incredulously. He felt angry that he had been trailed, and embarrassed that he hadn’t even noticed it. Somehow though, Kenneth had seen it. The security cameras that were placed throughout the hundreds of acres of land had been useful enough to catch Archer in the act.

“That man is the shifter’s leader. I recognize the tattoo on his left arm. You see that symbol? He is the son of Clayton. And somehow he has chosen to stay where he is. I know it seems like a bad idea, but trust me. He will be back. And he will bring others. Then we can release the beast.”

Jason grinned and the Guardians laughed. They were going to get those good-for-nothing shifters once and for all. And their quest for world dominance would continue unimpeded.

***

Alana woke up in a cold sweat. The man in her dreams was in danger. She felt more sure of this than she had felt of anything in her life.

“Lopu!” she cried.

A servant burst into Alana’s chambers.

“Are you all right, milady?”

“Please, wake Lopu. Let me go to her!”

“But child–she told me–“

“Nonsense,” Alder, one of the superior men on the council said, pressing his hand against Alana’s door and entering the room. “Alana is in distress and wishes to speak to the woman who is most like a mother to her. We will alert Lopu at once. Come, child.”

Alana, who usually couldn’t stand how high and mighty Alder was, felt a rush of relief. He gave her a kind smile and the servant watched helplessly as Alana was led down the long, winding hallway. When they approached Lopu’s familiar chambers, Alder stopped her before she entered.

“You know, you look quite beautiful in your bed clothes,” Alder said.

Alana cringed, her stomach in knots, and pushed into Lopu’s bedroom, leaving Alder without the satisfaction of a response. It was revolting to think that a man who was more than twice her age was leering at her. He had always given her the creeps, and now that he wasn’t able to hide the way he was looking at her, it was worse.

“Alana?”

Lopu’s sleepy, comforting voice reached Alana’s ears, and it took everything she had to keep the tears from springing to her eyes.

“What’s the matter?”

“The dreams…”

Alana choked on the lump in her throat and let the tears fall. Lopu was alert now, sitting up in her bed and motioning Alana to come to her. She draped her long arms over Alana’s shoulders.

“Dreams?”

“The one I told you about. Something awful has happened to the man in them. If it hasn’t yet, it will. I need to find him.”

“What man?”

Alana cringed. She hadn’t been completely honest with Lopu about her dream and now she was going to have to open up about that. It was going to be hard, but now there was no other choice. She knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that something was terribly wrong.

“I’m sure you don’t remember the boy I would see in my dreams…”

“Your imaginary friend?” Lopu asked, frowning in confusion. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I never stopped seeing him, Lopu,” Alana said, looking straight into Lopu’s eyes. “I thought that I was going to be able to let it go and grow out of it. That it was just an expression of grief like you said that it was. But I didn’t. He has been with me every step of the way. But there has never been a time where we were actually together. It’s like he’s from another world or something. One where I can’t reach. But he needs my help.”

Lopu was quiet for a moment, studying the bedsheet before turning her face to Alana’s. Alana was surprised by the seriousness in her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me he didn’t go away?” Lopu asked quietly. “Is it because I made you feel silly about it?”

She sounded so ashamed of herself and apologetic that Alana’s eyes filled with new tears. She didn’t want to admit that Lopu had guessed right. Not if it would hurt her. Not after everything Lopu had done for her.

“It is, then,” Lopu sighed, holding Alana’s face in her cool hands. “I’m so sorry.”

“I thought you might be right. Or you would think I’m odd and not want to love me anymore,” Alana said quietly. “But he is real. I’m sure of it now. And he’s in danger.”

“What does he look like?” Lopu asked. “Maybe it can help us to find him.”

“He’s large, muscular…”

Lopu raised her eyebrow teasingly at Alana and Alana felt a hot blush cross her face. She went on anyway.

“He has ice blue eyes. Dark, long hair. He looks a little familiar somehow now that he’s grown. But I know we’ve never met. I would have known it.”

“Does he have any distinguishing marks? Like a tattoo or something?”

“Actually, yes,” Alana said, her mind turning to the tattoo on his left arm.

“Can you draw it for me?”

Lopu rose and went to the desk across the room. It was facing the large open window. A gentle breeze fluttered in and rustled the curtains. The biggest moon of Kaldernon was full, sending a pale yellow glow into the room that made Lopu look even more beautiful and ethereal than Alana had ever seen her before.

She returned to Alana with a quill and a piece of parchment. Alana nodded and drew dutifully. The traditional Loni style, but a little more coarse and unrefined. When she finished, she handed the drawing to Lopu.

“It’s a little crude, but…”

Lopu took the drawing and gasped.

“That’s Clayton’s mark. From the Kersh clan on Earth.”

“The man in my dreams isn’t Clayton!” Alana exclaimed, rising from the bed in a huff. The last thing she needed was to be accused of dreaming of one of the most respectable men in Kaldernon. He had a wife and a young child who had been born on Kaldernon since they returned.

“Of course not,” Lopu said. “Clayton’s is slightly different.”

Lopu cut herself off, and from the way she bit back her words, Alana knew that she was hiding something.

“What is it Lopu?” Alana demanded. “What do you know about this?”

“Clayton…has a son.”

“A son? I thought his child was a little girl.”

“There is another child. But he chose to remain on Earth.”

“What?”

Alana’s stomach dropped and Lopu sighed.

“That’s right. Clayton’s son Archer is still somewhere on Earth.”

“I didn’t start dreaming of him until Clayton returned to Kaldernon. But he was alone. And never spoke of his son…I just assumed…”

“It is a painful subject for him. Everybody understandably avoids the topic. It is rude to speak of someone’s pain unless there is a remedy for it that you are seeking.”

“So you’re telling me the boy in my dreams is Clayton’s son?” Alana asked, her heart hammering.

“Perhaps,” Lopu said. “But the only way we can know for sure is to talk to Clayton.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“You found Tanna?” Thom asked eagerly when Archer returned to the underground tunnels.

The small handful of the clan that was left were gathered in the mess hall. They had five strong shifter men and two Lonis, one man, one woman, and their young child. The Loni woman was pregnant with twins, and Archer was determined to erase the Guardians before anything happened to the rest of the remaining Kersh clan. It would be on his head if they were harmed by the Guardians. He had sworn to avenge the people of Kaldernon for the humans’ blind hatred and ignorance. And he wasn’t going to stop now, especially now that he knew exactly where the Guardians were located.

“I think I must have. The Guardians have regrouped in a farmhouse to the west of here,” Archer said, drinking deeply from the wooden mug of ale before him. The small group had prepared their leader an elaborate feast when they realized he had returned. It had been a long journey for him to find any sign of Tanna and return with the news.

“Was there any sign of danger? The other Guardian ruins had a whole cellar full of shifters,” the strongest man of the clan, Kerk, asked.

“How many Guardians were there when you saw them?” Thom asked.

The group began to murmur amongst themselves and Archer sighed, taking a big bite of food and chewing until they quieted down.

“I saw at least seven men come out of the house and one man pull in with his blue car. He came from the police station just like I feared. Their stench is unmistakable. It smells like stale shifter blood. It’s completely nauseating. If I had gone in, there would have been a fight. If I shifted they would have been in trouble, but I can’t count on that to save my ass.”

The group grew quiet, seemingly embarrassed by their leader’s inability to shapeshift under pressure. They whispered about it when they thought he wasn’t listening, but he knew how they all felt about it. Still, there were some very powerful shifters in their ranks. It was too bad that Tanna was such an impulsive ass. He would have come in handy during a fight like this. But instead he had probably gotten himself captured.

“We can’t waste too much time thinking about this,” Archer cautioned. “We don’t know what they may be doing to poor Tanna. We have to get there before they break him. He will probably be subjected to at least a week of torture before they get rid of him, but once he exhausts his functionality with them they’re not going to shed any tears to get rid of him.”

The news was sobering to the group, and they grew quiet as Archer finished his meal quickly.

“I expect the Lonis to come up with the best plan of action before we move out tomorrow morning. I need two men to ready the gear. Preferably those who work even better on lack of sleep than with enough rest. If stress makes you stronger, you know who you are, get the supplies ready. The rest of you, work on packing rations and then get some good rest. We leave right after a good meal the Lonis will prepare in the morning. That’s the most efficient way to get this done. Lonis will stay behind with the children. Even if none of us make it back, there’s a high likelihood that the children to be born will be of shifter descent and can carry on our mission if you don’t find a way to return to Kaldernon. It would make sense for you to change your minds at that point.”

Nobody spoke as Archer rose and retired to his chambers. He was exhausted after his journey, and eager to close his eyes. If he was able to dream, then perhaps he would see the beautiful woman again.

***

Archer.

The place was dark and Archer’s eyes shot open. He was shocked. The woman had never said his name before. They had never known each other’s names. But somehow, now he was being summoned to her side. Slowly, a gentle orange glow began to fill the area where he stood, and a white light nearly blinded him as he moved forward. Suddenly, the woman was in front of him, a gorgeous Loni-made night dress fluttering behind her in a strange burst of wind. Her blonde hair framed her face and her stormy eyes held him still.

Archer.

He saw her full lips moving. Although he heard her in his mind, she was speaking. Her tongue was forming the sound of his name. Her voice washed over every inch of his body and he was suddenly alive with a deep, treacherous desire that nearly overwhelmed him with its intensity. How could he feel this way when there was no possible way for them to be together? In every dream there was a barrier; a wall. Even though it seemed like there was none, there would be. It would be glass this time, or electrically charged air. They wouldn’t be able to touch.

“Archer,” she said, her multi-colored eyes on him, her hand reaching out to him.

There was something different about this. The quality of her voice wasn’t echoing ominously, as if coming to him from a loudspeaker above his head. It felt like she was really speaking to him. Right in front of him. She was even moving her lips.

Archer walked dumbly forward as he had so many other times before. He knew he shouldn’t have any hope that things would work out any differently than they had before. They had never been able to speak to each other, let alone touch. But here she was, right in front of him. Nothing between them that they could see. And the longing in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. She wanted him too. Just as badly.

Tentatively, Archer’s hands raised. His trembling fingers reached out to her, waiting to feel the unbearable pain of whatever barrier was there that night. Would invisible hornets sting his hands? Would a sudden bolt of lightning divide them?

He stopped his hand just short of her fingers, flinching as he braced himself for the impact. But to his surprise, nothing happened. The woman’s round eyes stared at him. She also seemed to be bracing herself for his pain, watching him in fear and suspense as his fingers strained against his impulse to throw himself into harm’s way to reach her.

“Nothing happened,” she whispered.

Her voice was like honey. Archer closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, willing himself to believe what was happening.

“Why?” he asked.

“I know who you are now,” she whispered, coming forward. Her gown dragged behind her on the floor. Archer realized they were in an extravagant room with high ceilings and huge, open windows. It was as if they were inside a palace. A huge, golden moon was shining in through the gossamer curtains, and the woman’s voluptuous body was gliding slowly toward him, simply glowing from the moon’s rays. He had never seen anybody so beautiful in his life.

“There’s no barrier.”

Suddenly, it was as if a switch was flipped in Archer’s mind. He immediately registered what this meant. They could be together. At last. Their fingers could touch. Without giving her the chance to reach him, Archer barreled forward and laced his fingers into hers. She gasped in surprise at his strength and suddenness; the way he lifted her from her feet and held her tightly in his arms. He took her breath with a hot, passionate kiss; his entire body on fire with a longing that had been haunting him since he had first learned the power of the feminine form. Since the first day he had seen the girl of his dreams.

“Archer,” she gasped as he carried her to her bed and laid her down, climbing on top of her and dropping reverent kisses on every inch of her body that he could reach. She buckled under his touch and closed her eyes in rapture.

“Tell me your name,” Archer begged. But he didn’t give her the chance. He planted another hot kiss on her lips, lingering tenderly as their lips sent explosions of pleasure throughout their bodies. They were swept up in another surge of ecstasy as Archer lifted the gown over the beautiful woman’s head. Neither of them were very concerned with propriety. It was what they had both wanted for so long. There was no denying it any longer.

She, too, began to strip Archer, fumbling with the leather pants so common for dragon shifter men to wear. She ran her hands up and down his hard abdomen, caressing his muscles as his tongue set to work pleasuring her, drawing circles around the mound of her nipple until it was hard enough to submerge with his mouth. She gasped and gripped his strong shoulder.

Archer’s thighs were on fire. He had never been more hard in his entire life. She groaned as he rubbed the throbbing shaft across her clit. All signs were showing she was ready for him, and he wasted no time plunging deep inside of her. The beautiful woman’s lips parted in pleasure and she closed her eyes as her body enveloped him. He pulled himself out and plunged in again and again, enjoying his ability to re-live the same intensity of the first thrust’s pleasure.

His hands and eyes roamed all over the woman’s beautiful, pale body, and soon she surprised him by rolling over and using her powerful hips to roll him with her. before he knew it, Archer was beneath her, watching his cock disappear deep inside her body, only to re-emerge seconds later and slowly disappear again. He moaned deeply in pleasure as she had her way with him, dragging her hips and squeezing him with muscles he had never considered a woman might have. It was the deepest pleasure he had ever experienced and he couldn’t help but cry out in bliss, running his hands up and down her long, beautiful arms.

Soon, he remembered the power and lust that was pent up deep inside of him and he grinned at her. He was done playing games with her now. It was nice to feel her take charge, but he was restless on the bottom.

Archer gripped her wrists and flipped her on her back, getting to his knees without ever leaving the hot cavern inside of her. She cried out in surprise as he held her legs up around his waist and began to thrust powerfully, with all of his force, deep inside of her. He could feel the walls of her insides contracting tightly around him and filling with a hot, delicious liquid. The harder he plunged inside of her the wetter she got, and the more it seemed she could take.

Archer was nearly crazy with pleasure as he made love to the gorgeous woman. He thought he would never be able to get enough of it, until suddenly she unleashed a great moan. He watched in amazement as her beautiful eyes began to flutter and she lay her head back, arching so that her breasts were high in the air and she was drawing deep, labored breaths. In an instant, he knew exactly why.

The heat around his cock intensified, and began tugging and pulling at him, sending wave after wave of erotic pleasure through his body. Archer moaned, trying to stay in control of himself. His hips moved more powerfully than he knew himself to be capable of, and he begged himself to tap into something to bring her to her climax – something powerful.

Suddenly, he felt the wings sprouting up on his back and a surge of energy unlike anything he had ever felt before. The woman of his dreams began to shriek in ecstasy as her orgasm caused her to quake. His body couldn’t get enough, and it refused to stop. The friction of her gorgeous body contracting in pleasure around his cock was too much to handle and finally, with a buck of her hips, he unleashed a powerful explosion deep inside of her. She let out a cry as she felt his climax intertwine with her own, and apparently it sent her into a deeper state of ecstasy because she shuddered beneath him, her insides pulsing so violently that he thought he would never be done emptying himself inside of her.

When his load was finally exhausted, he looked into her eyes and gently brushed a blonde lock of hair out of her face.

“My name is Alana,” she whispered. “And I’m coming for you.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

When Archer awoke, he was embarrassed to find that he had cum all over his bed. His cock was still hard, and he moaned to himself, shoving his hand deep into his pants and squeezing his aching member. He pulled his hand up and down slowly, basking in the remembrance of the unbelievable pleasure of the dream from the night before. He had just about ruined his pants anyway, so what would it matter if he came just one more time in them?

He closed his eyes, trying to collect the broken fragments of his dream so that he could re-live them again. The woman’s name. he knew it at last. She was Alana. And she said that she was coming to him.

But that was impossible. How could she? Even if she knew who he was, it was probably just a trick of his mind. A way to deceive himself because he had been feeling particularly lonely lately. Everything about that dream had felt different. So he shouldn’t let himself trust it.

Still, the feeling of her hands on his body, his cock disappearing inside of her…he couldn’t get the images out of his mind. He needed relief before he set out with his men. And it was still early. He had time before breakfast.

He slowly gripped the sensitive head of his penis in his hands and used his thumb to administer long, steady strokes to himself. His erection was massive. He could see it right through the blankets. Since he had already made such a mess, he didn’t hold himself back and simply groaned as the immense pleasure overtook his body.

Before long, his palm was covered in a hot new round of cum, and he rose from the bed and kicked his clothes off. He shoved them under the bed so that nobody would find them while he was gone and attempt to launder them. That would be embarrassing for everybody involved.

Once he made it out of the shower and into the mess hall, the severity of the situation at hand once again penetrated him. He had to find Tanna and rescue him before the Guardians did anything to harm him. He would need all of the help that he could get, and it was going to take all of the manpower he had to get through the barriers that were undoubtedly blocking his free entrance into the Guardian’s new home base.

“Everybody ready to go?” he asked once they were all done with breakfast.

“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Thom said, moving forward and leading the way. “Let’s go!”

Archer felt glad that Thom was going with them, but he was worried about his friend. There was a very real possibility of danger. And he’d had a bad feeling ever since he’d seen the vicious silhouette of the beast in his dreams. Normally, they were torturous enough just because of the wall between himself and Alana, but now they had an added depth of uneasiness. And he wasn’t so sure about the trip to rescue Tanna, but there was no choice now. They couldn’t go back. Not if one of their own was going to be left behind as a result.

The group headed out without much ceremony. The remaining Lonis saw them off, staring sullenly as the group made its way further and further away from the underground tunnels that they all called home. If Archer was going to be honest with himself, he wasn’t too sad to leave the tunnels. They always felt dark and oppressive to him; heavy with the memories of the people who had left him behind and moved on to Kaldernon. He missed them more than he knew how to say. But he knew he had a job to do. And if anybody could get rid of the Guardians once and for all, it was going to be him. That’s all there was to it.

Maybe someday he would be able to find his way back to his family. He missed his father fiercely, and his mother…well, just the mere thought of her was enough to bring him close to tears. She had been horrified when she realized she was going to be leaving her son behind. He had ducked behind at the last second and she’d turned to reach out to him. But it was too late. They were in Kaldernon before he could even finish hiding himself in the brush behind the portal. How could he have done that to her? His mother had always dreamt of raising him and seeing him grow. He had ruined all of her motherly dreams. But he knew that if they could speak again, she would understand. The idea was too painful to think on for too long, though. And so he directed his thoughts to the best possible way to ambush the Guardians and bring Tanna back home.

***

“You can re-open the portal?” Alana breathed. Lopu smiled widely.

“There is very little we couldn’t do if we set our minds to it. Remember where you come from, child. We are the miracle workers of the galaxy. In our world, nearly all things are possible if only we believe them to be.”

Lopu’s words reminded Alana of the mystical hopes and flights of fancy that growing up under Lopu’s wing had subjected her to. Everybody seemed to think that the world was a restrictive little box. But those who dared to think beyond that mindset quickly found out just how much control they truly had. The ones who were able to master this became Loni mystics, capable of some of the most spine-chilling feats imaginable. Some of which could even include bringing certain people back from the dead, though the price for that was nearly insurmountable.

“We can open the portal again, but it will close of its own accord. And when you are there, it isn’t likely that you will be able to communicate regularly with us again after that. Unless you can find us in your dreams, we won’t know when to open the portal for your return. It will open again in the same place where it did to drop you off on Earth. If we don’t hear from you beforehand, the date of the portal’s opening will be three days after you are placed on Earth. If that doesn’t work, you will have to wait another ten years before we open it again on Tribute day for the millennial celebration of Rallah.”

“I understand,” Alana said.

Clayton and his wife were both in attendance during the private meeting of the council. Lopu had called it as quickly as possible, and because it possibly concerned their son, Clayton and Krista were both eager to come to the palace and share all they knew.

“Alana?” Krista asked, coming forward. She was a straightforward and respectable Loni woman, who had a shifter’s bold disposition and a Loni’s incredible talent for music. Even her voice was musical and melodic, whether she meant it to be or not.

“Yes?” Alana asked, turning to her. The woman’s eyes were downcast, and when she turned them onto Alana, she was able to clearly see the pain she was in.

“If you can…do you think you could bring Archer back with you?”

“I…I can’t make anybody do anything. But I certainly hope I will.”

Alana didn’t say what she was truly thinking. She didn’t know for sure if Archer would even make it out of whatever battle was to come alive. She couldn’t tell his mother how much she feared for his life. Only that she may know where he was and that he would need her help. Too many details could quickly put a mother into hysterics, and Alana didn’t want to leave on a negative note.

“Thank you. If what you say is true, and you’ve dreamt of each other for this long…that can only mean…”

“Mean what?” Alana asked as Krista trailed off.

“You are our fated daughter, too. You may belong together in some way none of us will ever understand. Even if Archer doesn’t want to come back, you will be a daughter to me.”

“Oh Krista, I–“

“It is time,” Lopu interrupted.

“Tell him I love him,” Krista whispered.

“Of course,” Alana said as Lopu ushered her away, impatiently leading her to the platform where the ceremony was to take place. “I would do anything to make sure he comes back to Kaldernon.”

She would do anything to make sure he stayed in one piece.

It had been a strange and elating feeling when Lopu had realized that she had made a mistake in dismissing Alana’s visions, but now that even Lopu was taking them seriously, the grim nature of her task was starting to feel overwhelming. She stood on the platform with butterflies hurling themselves against her stomach. If anything went wrong, she would never be able to forgive herself. Assuming she even survived the mission.

The powerful Loni elders gathered in a circle around her and held hands. Each bowed down to the ground and began chanting. It was quiet at first, and then reached a fever pitch that Alana hadn’t expected. She had never seen them open the portals before. It had happened during the blur of her youth when she was mourning the loss of her parents. It was nice to have Lopu on her side acting as a mother, but she was so young that she was much more like a high-maintenance big sister, who had a big heart full of unconditional love and too many responsibilities to ever fully make herself available. The idea that Archer’s family now considered her part of their small, private unit was overwhelming. She wanted so badly to belong to a family again, but if she wasn’t able to save Archer from whatever danger was going to befall him, there was only going to be that much more of an aching gap in her heart where a family should be. She would have ruined her last chance to be loved like that.

Suddenly, a white light began to raise and swirl around her. Clayton lunged forward, clearly hoping he might be able to return back to Earth and accompany Alana on the journey. Two shifter guards caught him by the arms, restraining him.

“She may need help!” Clayton bellowed. Krista dissolved into quiet tears and two Loni women from the sidelines rushed to her side to bestow as much comfort as they could to her. “Let me see my son!”

Before she could see how the situation resolved itself, the portal fully opened, and Alana began to disappear.

CHAPTER NINE

There had been no time for her people to warn her about how different it was to be on Earth, nor how difficult it would be for her to eventually get acclimated to the climate and the strange single sun in the sky. The air felt thick and heavy with smoke, and she cringed as her psychic senses began to pick up on the overwhelming feeling of fear, anger, and sadness that filled the planet around her.

The people on this planet were sick, and there was nobody out there willing to help them. Maybe the shifters and Lonis of Kaldernon would have been able to manage it, but the unfortunate fact of the matter was that she would be unable to convince anyone in the galaxy to come to Earth after what had happened to her people here. Although they were suffering immensely, they were going to have to bring themselves and each other down in a cloud of smoke and fire before they would ever change anything. And that was something she was going to have to live with.

Was it the planet in general that had been represented by the terrifying beast in her dreams? Was something going to happen with the humans? Some kind of civil war perhaps? A war to end all wars, and all of life on Earth? Probably not, she decided, fingering a wildflower that had managed to maintain a reminder of the beauty of the rest of the universe even though it was stuck in such a miserable globe. No, it was more likely that the danger was personal. Or else their last encounter wouldn’t have been so…erotic.

It had shocked her when Archer had come into her dreams again that night, after Lopu had been alerted and set off to round up the councilmen. She had fallen asleep back in her chambers, a short nap until everybody was assembled. But what started as an innocent need for sleep quickly turned hot and heavy when Archer appeared and somehow, there were no longer any boundaries between them. She had been so overtaken by his powerful body and the deep, sincere love in his eyes that nothing seemed more natural than when they made love. She had never felt anything quite so thrilling before, and doubted she would ever forget the experience. Even though they hadn’t met in person yet, she could feel every single thing that happened as if it had been going on right in the world she was sleeping in. She didn’t even consider herself a virgin anymore after that.

But now she had to find Archer, and quickly. The portal had opened in the same place it always did, and she had received brief instructions and a small map of the area where she was expected to land. From it she was able to find her way with ease to the underground settlement of the Kersh clan. Standing outside were two Lonis, a man and a woman, and a small child playing in the dirt. They seemed shocked to see her.

“Who are you?” the woman asked, rising from her crouched position on the ground with the child. She was hugely pregnant, and Alana rushed to her side to help her steady herself.

“My name is Alana. I come from Kaldernon.”

The Lonis were intrigued and mystified.

“Why have you come? We are not planning to retreat. We will not back down from the evils in this world. We are not weak-willed vermin looking for the easy way out.”

“I don’t want to take you anywhere against your will,” Alana said, smiling tentatively. She didn’t want to make any enemies. She couldn’t afford it. Her time on Earth was limited. “I’m looking for Archer. I have reason to believe he may be in grave danger.”

Saying Archer’s name out loud like that made her feel kind of silly. What if her intuition wasn’t really an intuition at all? What if it was just a bad dream as Lopu had always caused her to suspect? That meant she was chasing an imaginary friend after all. Once she finally saw Archer he would probably look nothing like the man of her dreams.

“What does a young Loni woman plan to do about that?” the man asked skeptically, crossing his hands over his chest. “You know, I’m a parent now and I don’t see the sense in sending a young woman out into the world to protect perfectly strong, bull-headed grown men. You could be risking your life.”

“I suppose you could say I’m a jack of all trades,” Alana said with a wink. “But I don’t have time to explain. I need to reach Archer before anything happens to him.”

“All right, all right. They’re heading to a farmhouse west of here. He found the new lair of the Guardians. Looks like they have a massive collection of them up there. They probably have one of our men in holding now. Tanna.”

“Would be his own fault if they did,” the woman said irritably.

“Shh,” the man said, patting her arm. “I know you’re worried, but he’ll be back. Archer won’t let us down.”

The woman sighed and waddled into the darkness of the underground tunnels.

“You just go west. Come with me to his room so you know what he smells like. If you have any shifter in you, you know what use that’ll be.”

Alana nodded and followed the man into the hidden tunnel. The small child followed them without being told, knowing it would be unsafe to mind herself out in the open.

The immediate darkness and closed off quarters of the tunnels took the breath right from Alana’s lungs. Her people had been reduced to this? It was no wonder that Archer had stayed behind for revenge. She had seen just a small amount of the psychological damage the human had done to her people. And now this? It was too much.

When they made it to Archer’s room, the man pulled back a tattered brown blanket and allowed Alana to duck inside. She was overwhelmed by the scent of the man she had made love to in her dreams. It was enough to restore the confidence in herself that she needed in order to stop second guessing whether or not her relationship with a man in another world was a dream. This was who he was. She was sure of it.

“Thank you,” Alana said.

She ducked out of the room without another word to the Loni man. All she needed to do now was head west.

***

Archer led the small group through the trees, thinking to himself about the best plan of action. Something about the Guardian’s new location made him feel particularly uneasy. Especially knowing that there were so many more Guardians than there were shifter warriors. Although it had been a nice boost of confidence to know that he could tap into his stores of power without fully shifting into dragon form, it still worried him to think that he might not be able to hold his own in a life or death fight for his life and revenge for the torture of his fellow shifters and Lonis. If he let the Kersh clan down, he wasn’t going to be able to live with himself. And that was a fact.

But he didn’t have to worry so much about that. He was going to be okay. All he had to do was figure out a way to be resourceful if he wasn’t able to shift. That was the importance of having both brains and brawn. His friends and family were not as likely to glorify having both of those things, but he knew they could get many a man out of a situation he could live to regret. He would just have to find the willpower he needed for it.

“Should we blow the house up from a distance?” Thom asked, strolling casually beside Archer. “I could shift and we could all just fly up there and let ‘er rip.”

“I’m not sure that’s safe,” Archer said thoughtfully. “It’s a big property. They may have weapons hidden somewhere that could destroy us. They know how to hurt a shifter. That’s the one thing I know for sure. They have a way of taking you by surprise, even if you think you have the upper hand. Sure, you may be stronger, bigger, and more intimidating than they are. You may be better than them at everything, in every possible way. But if they have a weapon they know how to use that we can’t fight, or people looking for us to take us by surprise, they can take us down. And I only saw seven, but that doesn’t mean that whole compound isn’t teeming with these guys. Just because most of the people of Kaldernon have been returned doesn’t mean they’ve stopped looking for us. And maybe there are others they have found who didn’t know anything about their ancestry. We can’t risk that they’re going to be underprepared. We have to think everything through a dozen and a half times before we make any choices.”

Suddenly, out of the bushes behind them, a heavy cracking of branches sounded. It almost seemed as if a tree had been split in half. The noise was that astoundingly ear-splitting.

“What in the hell?” Thom yelled, whipping around with his hands up, clenching a dagger from his waistband.

Before them the narrow face of the biggest dragon any of them had ever seen poked its way through the heavy brush. All the men yelped in fear and confusion.

“Who is that?!” Thom asked, looking wildly at Archer. He had never seen the dragon before, and clearly hoped that his leader would have the answer. Although the dragon seemed familiar to him, Archer was mystified.

“I have absolutely no idea at all,” he said, staring up at the beautiful creature. He could tell by the horns that she was a female, and the tugging of a distant memory was gnawing at him. However, nothing managed to surface. “None. Who are you?! Get back into your human form before you get us all killed! Don’t you know how dangerous that is?”

The dragon frowned, but seemed to register what Archer was saying. Before long, she was shifting back into her human form, and stood before the group of men as naked as the day she was born, staring levelly at Archer.

Archer’s eyes grew wide and he walked forward, feeling as if he was going to throw up. It was the woman from his dream. Her long, blonde hair was covering her breasts, and the rest of the men in the group were staring at her as if they had been starved of beautiful women for far too long. And probably, they had. But still, it struck Archer the wrong way.

“Stop staring at her!” he barked. The men seemed to come to their senses and turned away as Archer removed his tunic and walked toward the woman, holding it out to her with trembling hands. “This is Alana.”

Alana smiled and took the tunic, draping it over herself. It covered most of her, and she dug in a small satchel that had fallen beside her for the rest of her clothes. She dressed slowly as the rest of the men stared into space, silent as mice. Finally, she was done, and shook her hair behind her head and threw it up into a glorious ponytail.

“It’s nice to meet you all,” she said. “Thank you for giving me some privacy.”

And with that, Alana joined the group as if nothing strange had even happened.

CHAPTER TEN

The men had fallen behind as Archer and Alana led the way. It was surreal that they were finally together, especially after the night before.

“I didn’t believe you would come,” Archer admitted. He was having a hard time allowing himself to look at her. She was too beautiful, blinding almost, and it made him uncomfortable to think that he might stare too much at her and give away his true feelings. Although he couldn’t believe she was there, knowing that he hadn’t been imagining the deep emotional relationship he had developed in his dreams made him feel a lot better about it. Sometimes he had seriously wondered if he was insane. He had never been able to even consider another woman, and assumed he would die alone with nobody but the woman of his dreams to keep him company.

And now she was walking beside him. He could smell the sweetness of her skin and gaze upon the elegant beauty that she bore with an ease he had never seen in a woman. She was perfect.

“I wasn’t sure you would be here for me to find,” she replied. The men following had learned to give the two of them some space, but Archer could feel their eyes boring upon his back. He was sure that Alana probably felt the same way.

“Are you satisfied with what you found?” Archer asked with a grin.

“You’re everything I expected and more,” Alana replied, turning her intoxicating eyes upon him, her full lips curled into a tantalizing smile. Archer had half a mind to take her into the brush right then. Even with the men shortly on their trail. But she demanded more than that from him. The first time they were truly together, it should be special. She deserved much more than an uncomfortable romp on the cold ground, with all manner of sticks and bugs interrupting her pleasure.

“Where did you come from?” Archer asked, although he knew the answer. She was very clearly of Loni descent, but the strength and pride with which she carried herself made him second-guess what he thought to be true. Perhaps she was another being altogether. Something profoundly elegant that the people of Earth were not ready for. In fact, he felt a surge of rage that such impure people as the humans and Guardians were going to lay eyes upon the perfection beside him. They would never see her as she truly was. Any attention she attracted beyond his reverence was base and unworthy.

“I was born on Kaldernon,” Alana said, glancing up at the sky. She seemed disappointed when she realized that it wasn’t there. Archer knew that the beauty of the world above was shocking to those who had never seen the view before. He hoped that Alana had been able to have a profound experience looking upon her home. “I came because of the dreams. I have a terrible feeling about the beast.”

“Nothing is out there that we can’t handle,” Archer said loudly, acknowledging the group behind them. They agreed raucously. “We’re the best of the best left behind.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Alana said doubtfully. “And it isn’t you that I’m worried about. I had a premonition of danger. I was lucky to be able to beg Lopu to allow me to come to you. She still wouldn’t until she realized you’re the son of Clayton–“

“You know who my father is?” Archer asked, stopping mid-stride. He turned his eyes upon her, and she smiled kindly at him. “Is he all right?”

“Yes, he’s great. He nearly leapt into the portal with me. And your mother sends her love and hopes that once this issue is resolved, you will return to Kaldernon with me.”

Returning back to Kaldernon was something that Archer had never considered before. There was no opportunity to do so. He wanted nothing to do with the world above until the world he was born into was rid of the evil of the Guardians and their toxic influence. Only then would he feel free to come back to his parents.

But he was shocked by the profound and acute grief he felt as an indirect result of wanting to stay beside Alana every second for the rest of his life. Being away from her was no longer an option. Not now that they were together after what seemed like an impossible union, he didn’t want her to be out of his sight ever again. The thought that she would return to Kaldernon without him was devastating.

“You don’t want to come back with me?” she asked. Most other women would sound hurt, or offended, that the man of her dreams was reluctant to return back home with her, but she only seemed after the truth on his heart. Alana wasn’t like other women. She would accept him and his desires. Maybe she would even compromise and choose to stay with him on Earth. But he would never ask that of her. it was too dangerous here. If anything happened to her, such as the Guardians getting their hands on her, he would never forgive himself. And all because Alana wanted to stay with him. Archer wouldn’t let it happen. He would rather go back to Kaldernon with her than have her stay on Earth with him. Or, unfortunately, live without her if that was how it had to be.

“I have unfinished business here,” Archer said with a heavy sigh. “The Guardians…”

“Yes, I have heard of them. They are nothing but trouble and seem to cause as much grief as possible. I cannot stand the thought of them. I’ve seen the effects of their torture on those poor souls who were rescued. It has taken several years of immense emotional healing from the strongest, most compassionate Lonis in Kaldernon before they were able to begin to move forward after such torture.”

“I don’t think that you should come with us where we’re going,” Archer said suddenly, changing the subject. The idea of Alana getting hurt to help him rescue Tanna was too much. She seemed to be so vulnerable. Even though he had seen her in her Dragon form and it was impressive enough, she was still clearly soft and sensitive like a Loni. And even if she was the most capable warrior in the world, he would have wanted to protect her. He didn’t want to put her in harm’s way.

“You don’t get a say in the matter,” Alana said, fixing her bluish-purple eyes upon him. She could level him with just a look, and Archer wasn’t sure that he would ever get his way. But that wouldn’t keep him from trying.

“I’m serious. There are tricks the Guardians have. My men and I are prepared to risk our lives to take out the Guardians once and for all and try to bring Tanna back home and prevent him from any further torture. But are you? Why risk your life for a cause you have nothing to do with? This is my world, not yours. You can go back where it’s safe.”

“I don’t want to be where it’s safe,” Alana insisted. Her voice raised an octave and it was clear she was beginning to get impatient. “I want to be with you.”

“I never asked for you to come with us!” Archer shouted. He was beginning to lose his own patience, too. The idea of putting this perfect woman in a position where she might be injured was just too much. He would do whatever it took to prevent her from following him to the farm house. “I never asked you to come here to be with me!”

Alana stopped walking suddenly, and the forest suddenly fell quiet. A collective breath seemed to be held by all of the men walking idly behind Archer and Alana. They had followed what was going on the best that they could. Archer had explained briefly about communicating with Kaldernon through his dreams. He had intentionally left out the romantic implications of their dreams and how long and how often he had been having them.

Without a word, Archer watched in despair as Alana turned her back on him and walked backward into the forest, back the way that she had come.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When they finally reached the farmhouse, Archer and his men were in low spirits. They looked around, none of them entirely clear on what the plan should be. It was a difficult situation, and once Archer made a choice, he would have to defend that choice with his life and the lives of his men.

He signaled for them to follow him around back. Maybe they would be able to sneak attack the remaining Guardians.

His men followed dutifully, until they had nearly reached the back door. Archer peeked in every window he could find. The coast seemed to be clear. Maybe this would be easier than he thought.

If the Guardians were holding Tanna, maybe they would have him in a cellar or a tunnel. Maybe he would be in the huge barn behind the house. He wouldn’t know for sure until he had the upper hand.

One by one, he gave the signal for the men to transform into their dragon forms and prepared himself to bust the door open.

Before he had the chance, an earth-shattering roar nearly knocked Archer off his feet.

“What was that?” he whispered. But nobody answered him. All eyes were on the monstrous beast behind them.

When Archer turned to face it, his blood ran cold.

The ugliest dragon he had ever seen, a Frankenstein cacophony of Loni, human, and dragon shifter body parts, was looming above them, staring down at Archer and his small group with wild, frenzied eyes. It was horrific, and Archer could tell that his men were paralyzed in fear and revulsion.

Archer had to make a move, or the beast would maintain the advantage. It already seemed to have it, towering above the normal shifters by at least ten feet. Still, it would be better to be moving than to be sitting ducks, and Archer pulled the sword from his hip and charged.

***

Alana’s blood was boiling. Who was he to tell her what to do and order her around like an inconvenient little dog? Since when had she sacrificed everything she knew and loved only to be with such a stubborn, arrogant fool? Why did Archer assume that he was more powerful than she was? He was walking right into a trap and he couldn’t even see it. But Archer didn’t seem happy until he could control her and tell her where to go. He probably thought that he was protecting her, but it was he who was walking right into danger without being able to see it. She had never been so insulted.

She growled and rubbed her temples in agitation. Were all relationships like this? She had heard about bull-headed men before, but this was too much. Maybe she should just give up and go home. Archer seemed to believe he had it under control, so why shouldn’t she? It would really show him if she let him have his way. He’d get himself and everyone he was with killed.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting roar shook the ground and Alana’s heart nearly stopped. The beast in their dreams. She knew suddenly that it had been unleashed.

She had come all this way to protect the man she loved. She couldn’t turn back now, even if he was being rash and foolish. She had to save him.

Alana followed the sounds of battle, running with all her might. It didn’t take long for her to find the desolate farmhouse. From a distance, she could see the battle raging. Several dragons flying around the monstrous beast from her dreams. It swatted at them like flies and there was already one man down on the ground, struggling to live.

Alana tried to find Archer, but she had no idea what he looked like in dragon form. Suddenly, a tiny figure became clear to her, hacking away with a sword at the beast’s legs. It was Archer. The beast hissed down at him and with frightening speed, swooped down and lifted Archer into its jaws.

The world became a blur as Alana’s body shapeshifted into her impressive dragon form. Archer was being swung wildly in the creature’s mouth as the other dragons tried, to no avail, to injure the beast. Its reptilian eyes were placed in sunken pink human flesh, and its body seemed diseased, splotched with scale and flesh with no discernible pattern. So this was what the Guardians had been working on for so long. A dragon-human hybrid. Their own abomination to counter the threat of alien life.

Alana flung herself at it and soon the creature was on its back. Archer managed to scramble from its mouth and crawl to safety. Alana would have to handle this on her own. Soon, they were engaged in a life or death battle as the other dragons sat back in awe of her impressive strength. They did their best to help, but Alana did the most damage, relying on instinct to find where the beast was most vulnerable to attack. She sunk her teeth deeply in its loose flesh and cringed as a foul aroma was unleashed. This was the weapon to end the war between the Guardians and the shifters, and that meant the Guardians had played it smart.

“Run!” she exclaimed urgently to the others. The gas that the hybrid’s bloated body released was noxious; something that wasn’t found on Kaldernon because it was toxic to all life on their planet. Alana realized suddenly that she was probably going to die. But she was satisfied to know the others would be safe, and were running for their lives.

She fell limply to the ground as the poison began to overtake her body. Just a few more breaths of it would kill her. But she was prepared to die.

Suddenly, Archer was between her and the hybrid, his eyes hard and serious. He stripped his shirt off and covered her nostrils with it and started to attack. He had been studying the way the hybrid moved from a distance and realized it was stitched unartfully together. If he could hack and slash at the stitches with his brute strength–always his preferred method–it wouldn’t be able to withstand the impact. It was an imperfect creation.

Alana’s eyelids were heavy as she watched Archer take on the beast alone, standing protectively over her. The gas didn’t seem to affect him for some reason. Maybe because he had been born on Earth and was protected outside of his dragon form. Whatever the reason, Archer fearlessly fought the hybrid off, hacking at its stitches until suddenly, it crumbled to the ground.

Alana was so weak that she had reverted back to her human form, and Archer lifted her over his head as he slashed the beast apart. It would have been impossible for either of them to defeat it alone, but together, it lay in a heap on the ground. Archer held his breath and ran as far away as he could before striking a match and throwing it at the corpse. The gas ignited immediately, and the farmhouse, the barn, everything the Guardians had there, exploded.

The force of the explosion threw Archer backward. The group of shifters were waiting for them on the other side of the property, and Archer stared sadly at the scene. He had been hoping to rescue Tanna, but it seemed as though he was a goner.

“Long time no see,” a deep voice suddenly said to him.

“Tanna?” he asked in disbelief. “I thought you were–“

“While you were fighting that thing, Thom figured to look for me in the barn. Got me out quick. Never been better. Thank you guys.”

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Archer exclaimed, throwing his arms around Tanna in a big hug.

“Me too. And who is this?” he asked, raising his eyebrow approvingly at Alana, who was standing weakly beside Archer.

“The woman of my dreams,” Archer replied. “And my hero.”

Tanna nodded approvingly. “Well, thank you all.”

Together the band moved slowly through the forest and returned to the Kersh clan’s underground settlement, each of them grateful to be alive.

CHAPTER TWELVE

In the tunnels where Archer had made his lonely home, he tended to Alana until she was feeling better.

“The portal will open tomorrow,” she told him, lacing her fingers through his. “It’s going to take me home.”

“You’re going to leave me already?” he teased gently, stroking her hand with his broad thumb.

“Not necessarily,” Alana replied, pulling him close to her. Their lips lingered just centimeters apart. “I want you to come back with me. I want everyone to come back.”

A scouting party had returned to the scene of the battle from the night before and confirmed that the Guardians, at least twenty-four of them, had been slaughtered in the explosion. Archer had been smart enough to both wipe them and their hybrid creation out.

“I don’t know…”

Archer’s heart longed to be surrounded by the people from his youth. But it had been so long. How could anything be the same again? He was used to being right where he was.

His thoughts were interrupted by the luscious warmth of Alana’s lips. The sudden physical contact brought a surprised moan from Archer, and he caressed her shoulders and gently climbed over her. Alana’s breath was taken away by the abrupt sensation of Archer’s body so near to hers, and just as she had done in the dream, she bucked her hips up against him.

“Don’t leave me alone up there,” Alana warned him, gently pulling his member from his pants and guiding it to the heat of her middle. “I don’t think I can live without you now that we’re together at last.”

Archer had been thinking the same thing himself, and closed his eyes as the pleasure overwhelmed him. Alana was gently rocking her hips against him, wetting his shaft with her desire. He pushed aside her dress and slid himself fully inside of her. Alana gasped in pleasure.

“That’s not what I want either,” Archer admitted, showering her with hot, lingering kisses. He removed her blouse and fingered her breasts, in awe of the perfection of her body.

“Archer…”

Soon they were both lost in the hot rhythm of their desire. Archer made love to her gently on the small bed where she had been recovering from the battle. It had been hard for her to breathe since the gas had infected her, so he wanted to take it easy with her.

“Alana…”

He was enveloped between her thighs, and moaned as he was once again taken to heights he had never before imagined. It was much tamer than the dream, and yet it was even more intimate. This time it was real, and they were able to fully appreciate one another. They knew each other now. They were no longer strangers without a name. They were soulmates.

Alana began to shudder under Archer’s touch and soon he felt the familiar tug of her contracting muscles. His member was massaged left and right until he could no longer hold back the powerful culmination of his lust. Alana moaned deeply as she was filled with the explosive power of his climax, and he kissed her gently and held her close as they floated down together from the ceiling of their ecstasy.

“Okay,” Archer said finally. “I’ll come with you.”

EPILOGUE

Kaldernon had only seen the likes of such excitement when the people of the Kersh clan had finally been liberated from the Guardians. Now, Archer, son of Clayton, was finally returning home. His parents were beside themselves with joy. The portal had opened, and the remaining members of the Kersh clan, all but Thom, who wanted to keep an eye out for more potential shifters and protect them from danger, had chosen to come back to Kaldernon.

Alana had teleported first, and was met by an expectant crowd. At first, Clayton and Krista’s faces fell when they saw that she was alone, but then she beamed brightly out at them.

“Hold the portal,” she said. “There are many more coming.”

Nobody was able to contain their excitement, and Alana went into Lopu’s waiting arms as one by one, the shifters and Lonis who had stayed behind began to reappear.

Finally, Archer was standing in front of the crowd, his icy blue eyes in a daze.

“I’m the last,” he said, blinking hard and trying to take in the vibrant colors of Kaldernon.

Clayton and Krista rushed toward their son and he was immediately embraced.

Archer’s defenses melted immediately, and he allowed his parents to hold him until they were all crying in joy.

“I missed you,” he said.

“We missed you, too!”

That was clearly an understatement.

“Come, meet your little sister!”

“I have a sister?” Archer asked, his face brightening. “I always wanted a baby sister.”

He was led off by his family, and after a long while of playing and eating delicious Loni food, Alana found him perched on the ledge of the fountain. He stood when he saw her, his smile more broad and beautiful than anything she had ever seen. He held his hands out to her and she took them, her eyes twinkling with pleasure.

“Welcome home,” she said.

THE END

Wolf Shifter Romance

Mated to the Highland Wolf

Samantha Leal

Copyright ©2015 by Samantha Leal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

1.

Muriel looked out across the loch as the sun began to set over the mountains. Even though winter had yet to arrive around Inverness, the air was crisp and the chill seemed to rattle gently through her bones. She wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. She had always loved her home and this moment was no exception. The beauty surrounding Cawdor Castle was incredible, the mountains, the lush greens of the land and the deep loch that was laid out before her always took her breath away.

Behind her, in the distance and coming from deep within the forest, she was aware of the sounds of her brothers and father playing with their swords. They clashed their steel together and laughed as if they didn’t have a care in the world, even though Muriel knew the real reason behind why the boys were being trained was definitely not funny. Clan Calder was at risk like many other of the highland families that were scattered around Scotland. The bigger and more powerful clans were trying to claim them and take over them all. Muriel shuddered at the prospect of a war and bit her bottom lip. The cold had turned it dry and she wet it with the tip of her tongue and felt the icy chill bite at her again.

“Back to the castle,” she whispered to herself as she turned on her heel and wrapped an arm around her horse’s neck before she hoisted herself up and sat astride it. The beast had been a present for her thirteenth birthday and they had grown up side by side over the years, their love and deep bond strengthening with each passing day. She had named him Hugo after the ancestral legend of how their clan had come to be, started by a French knight who had settled there and begun the Thane of Calder. Hugo had grown into a strong and powerful beast, and was one of the finest horses within the entire castle. Muriel was honored to be able to call him hers and each time she climbed up onto his back and dug her heels into his side, she knew that he accepted her and wanted to be her steed.

She kicked her heels against him and he picked up his pace into a gallop. Muriel clutched tightly onto his mane as they approached the forest and the sound of her brothers and father came closer. As Hugo slowed and they trotted slowly into the forest and between the trees she smiled as she saw her youngest brother Hamish standing tall and proud with their father’s sword, a piece so big it dwarfed him in size.

“I think you may need one of your own, Hamish,” she smiled warmly. “Something tells me that will be hard to take into battle.”

Hamish smiled boyishly and tried to lift the huge hunk of steel high over his head, failing with his trembling arms which brought it crashing down into the soft, moist earth.

“But I’m a big lad now,” he said triumphantly. He pushed his hands sturdily into his hips and looked at her challengingly. Her father laughed with a hearty roar and slapped the lad on his back before they both made their way over to Muriel and her horse at the clearing’s edge.

“It’s late,” her father said. “You should have been back at the castle hours ago.”

Muriel nodded sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders.

“No place for women out here at night,” he father said, “It’s not safe.”

“Och, I know pa,” she said. “But I lost track of time.”

“Back now,” he emphasized sternly but without anger. “Your mother will be worried sick.”

Muriel nodded and turned Hugo around, ready to begin their walk back to the castle gates. Her brothers all let out low chuckles and she wanted to turn around, jump down and punch the lot of them, but she knew it was pointless. She could easily be just as good a warrior as them, when the time came… but because of her sex she was destined to be cast aside and married off to a worthy suitor just to keep alliances sweet.

She stuck her tongue out at her brothers before she dug her heels into Hugo’s side and they galloped back out across the valley and towards Castle Cawdor. Muriel, the only female offspring of the Calder’s, had lived a sheltered life up until this point, but she knew in her bones it was all about to change. It wasn’t just her father training the boys, or him insisting she wasn’t beyond the walls of Cawdor after nightfall, there was something hanging in the air. She could tell there was a storm coming. News reached them from the peasant boys every so often, stories of other castles that had fallen, whole families wiped out and the bloody trail that was headed in their direction. And even though her mother, father and any of the other elders would deny it… she could sense something was coming for Cawdor that none of them would be able to prevent without an army.

As Hugo’s hooves clattered across the drawbridge and the guards helped her down before leading him away to his stable for the night, Muriel vowed that she would never be as secretive with her own children. Whoever her husband turned out to be, she would insist that they were a real family, open, honest and full of love. This above all else, is what she craved. And she knew that if she wanted it enough, one day she was sure to get it.

2.

Sounds drifted through the castle of men and women feasting in the Grand Hall and even though Muriel had barely eaten anything for hours, she wasn’t tempted to join them. Her family and she had had a shaky past, and now as she was getting older and becoming a woman of her own, she had found herself disagreeing with them on many occasions.

Muriel smiled pleasantly as she passed the guards and made her way down one of the darkened corridors. She would climb the staircase at the end of it and ascend to the second floor where her bed chamber was waiting. Her nurse and confidant Elizabeth would be waiting for her, with no doubt a lecture and a warm bath. And even though a telling off was the last thing she needed, she would let Elizabeth go ahead and scold her anyway. She didn’t have the energy for a fight.

She pushed open the door to her bed chamber and the flicker of flames from the open fire danced around the room and licked an orange glow lightly up the stone walls. She closed the door silently behind her and Elizabeth startled from her resting place, a chair at the side of the hearth.

“Lady Calder,” she tutted, “The sun fell hours ago.”

Muriel nodded shyly and shrugged.

“Father’s already lectured me Elizabeth,” she said with disdain, “Please don’t make me feel any worse.”

Elizabeth got to her feet and put her hands on her hips.

“What the wild folk without clans wouldn’t do to a maiden like you if they got their hands on you out there,” she said icily, “You have no idea what lurks beyond our castle walls.”

“I know,” Muriel said, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”

She crossed the room to her bed and lay down across it. Even though Elizabeth could be as tough on her as her parents, she was still glad to have her around and looking out for her. She always returned to a warm room and a freshly made up bed and she was waited on hand and foot. Muriel stretched her arms up high above her head and then rolled onto her side, propping her head up on her hand.

“They’re preparing for something,” Muriel said suggestively, “Have you heard anything?”

Elizabeth was busy folding linens and she pretended as if she hadn’t caught what Muriel was saying.

“Elizabeth?” Muriel prompted her again, “Do you know what’s coming to Cawdor?”

The maid shook her head as if Muriel was speaking nonsense and laughed.

“There are dangers lurking in every corner of the world,” she said, “Why would you think this place is any different?”

“What do you mean?” Muriel was confused. She was just hoping that for once, someone would give her a straight answer.

“I mean, it’s always been this way,” Elizabeth smiled at her warmly, “It’s just now you are old enough to notice… don’t worry yourself about it. You father has protected this castle since the day he was born and he will continue to until the day he dies.”

Elizabeth moved to the corner of the room and began to fill the bath tub with large urns of water she had warming on the fire.

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Muriel whispered, but she was sure she was the only one to hear.

Muriel loved her mother and father, but they had never been close and their relationship had been tested many times. Muriel was a headstrong woman, she knew what she wanted out of life and she had fought for her right to live the way she pleased from a young age. After being denied at all costs, and kept amongst the confines of the castle, she had eventually accepted her fate. As the only daughter of Lord Calder, she would be wed to a rival family to strengthen bonds and forge alliances. With each passing day, Muriel could sense that her time was running out and that one morning she would wake up and her mother would sit her down and tell her that a date had been set and a suitor had been decided. Now she was nineteen, it seemed even more possible to happen at any moment. She was of an age where most girls had already been married and born several children. Her father had held out on her own marriage to ensure that Muriel was used as effectively as possible and the most powerful family was found. She hated that her only place in life was to breed with the son of another Lord and carry on a line of clans that she had been desperate to escape. Muriel knew deep in her heart that she was worth more than this, and even though she had accepted her fate… she would never give up hope that somewhere out there, there would be something or someone to save her.

“Here Lassie,” Elizabeth said as she helped Muriel to her feet and pulled her long smock dress off over her head. “You’re bitten with cold, get into the bath and get warm.”

Muriel had been so busy thinking about her future and of what her father and brothers were doing in the forest she had barely even noticed that her fingers were white with cold and she was shivering all over.

As she stepped into the bath and slid down into the warm water she breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to be safe in her own personal space and as she washed her plump legs and arms with the oil scented water she smiled and tried to banish the negative thoughts that had plagued her all day. Even though she wasn’t heading in the direction she had dreamed of, she was lucky beyond words, and she would be thankful for all she had been given in life so far.

“Maybe I should take a trip down to the Grand Hall afterwards,” she said to Elizabeth, “I should see mother and eat something before bed.”

Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head as she hurried to find her an appropriate smock to wear, and Muriel looked up at the small window high in the castle wall. In the dark night she could see the glow of stars twinkling down on them and she wished with all her heart that she could have been out there underneath them.

3.

The Grand Hall was bustling with people feasting over whole pigs and drinking tankards of wine. Big, burly, highlander men sat astride the wooden benches that flanked the main table and each and every one of them seemed to be in various degrees of a drink induced stupor. Muriel avoided catching their eyes as she passed them on her way to find her mother, but this was almost impossible considering her appearance. There was no one else in Castle Cawdor, or indeed most of the highlands, quite like her. She attracted attention whenever she entered a room due to her olive skin, her large brown eyes and her rich brown hair. This coupled with her curves made her completely different to any other woman in the whole of Inverness. She stood out, so completely beautiful compared to the pale, scrawny women that surrounded her, and men could rarely take their eyes off her ample bosom and the swell of her hips.

“It’ll be a lucky man who gains your hand,” her mother often told her when Muriel was having one of her moments and expressing her distress at being married off to a stranger. “A lucky man who will do nothing but adore you.”

But it didn’t matter how much her mother told her this, or how much she noticed the wandering eyes of the men in the castle… all she wanted was the right to choose. She wanted to fall in love more than anything else in the world, and she wanted it to be with the right man.

She crossed the hall and her mother caught her eye. Muriel raised her hand to wave and watched her mother shift down to clear a space next to her. As Muriel approached she could, as usual, feel the eyes of the room on her. And as she sat down she breathed a sigh of relief to no longer be on her feet and on show.

“Muriel,” her mother said curtly, “Your father tells me you were out of the castle walls after night fall.”

Muriel winced and rolled her eyes.

“Well I’m here now and no harm came from it,” she snapped, feeling herself instantly tense.

“Some may say we’ve let you take too many liberties over the years,” her mother said, “And as you know you are still without a husband.”

Muriel felt the tears prick her eyes. She had known that this was coming, but she hadn’t expected it to be that night.

“Your father and I have decided that you will wed the son of Lord Rose tomorrow.”

“What?” Muriel got to her feet, the anger coursing through her.

“Sit down Muriel,” her mother said angrily, “Do not make a scene here.”

Her hands were shaking. How could they do this to her with less than a day’s notice? She had never even met Lord Rose, never mind his son… and she certainly didn’t know anything about him.

“The Rose Clan will be a powerful bond for us here at Cawdor in these uncertain times,” her mother whispered out of the side of her mouth whilst looking out across the Great Hall. “You must now step up and do your bit for our family.”

Muriel felt mad with rage but she knew she had nowhere to turn and no way of resisting. This was the moment she had been preparing for her whole life… and the one she had dreaded the most.

“So, that’s it then? You are just going to send me off to a stranger?” she spat.

“Muriel,” her mother laughed and shook her head, “You should have been married off years ago, just be thankful you had this long with us all here at Cawdor… but now the time has come for you to be a woman… you will go off, you will start a beautiful family of your own, and most importantly, you will understand why marriages like this are so important.”

Her mother looked at her and reached her hand up to her cheek.

“You are going to make the most beautiful bride,” she beamed. “Your father and I are so proud of you… and you have no idea how much you are helping our clan by bonding with the Roses.”

Muriel felt a chill roll over her and she squeezed her hands together. Her destiny had finally caught up with her. She was going to be sent off to live in a strange castle with a strange man and there was nothing she could do about it.

Just as she got to her feet and was about to retire for the night with tears in her eyes and regret in her heart a commotion started towards the door of the Grand Hall. Both Muriel and her mother stood side by side and strained their eyes to be able to see over the crowds as a wailing peasant boy was carried toward them.

Muriel gasped as she caught sight of him and of how he was bloodied and covered in deep wounds. His body was limp and the gashes and slashes all across his torso looked like some kind of beast had tried to tear him limb from limb. Blood dripped down onto the floor beneath him and his chest heaved as he tried to breathe.

“What happened here lad?” Muriel’s mother asked him, her face barely cracking with any kind of emotion.

Muriel covered her mouth as the putrid stench from the wounds was almost too much to bear.

“Wolves,” the peasant boy croaked, “They’re out there… and they’re coming for all of us.”

His hands trembled and with one last labored breath he breathed his last.

Muriel gasped and she covered her eyes. Her mother wrapped a protective arm around her and the crowd carried him away from the table and out into the corridor, out of sight.

“What’s happening mother?” Muriel whispered, “What is happening here at our Castle?”

4.

The next morning Muriel awoke with a sense of dread. The scenes of the night before continued to replay over and over in her mind and she could still smell the rotting stench of torn flesh that had dripped from the boys wounds. There was no way a wolf could have injured him in that way, Muriel told herself, he must have been delirious… maybe a rival clan attacked him in the darkness of the forest…

Whilst she rehashed the events another memory surfaced and nagged away at the back of her mind, and no matter how hard she tried to suppress it, it kept coming back stronger than ever.

It was her wedding day.

She had to marry the son of Lord Rose.

Muriel shuddered and looked up at the ceiling high above her bed. She could hear Elizabeth pottering around in the side room that led off her bed chamber and she wanted to call to her, demand to know if she had heard this wicked information of how she was practically being sold into another family, no doubt in exchange for lands and allegiance. But, deep down, she knew there was no point in torturing herself. Her fate, as they say, was sealed.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes as she looked around the room and realized with a crashing sense of reality that it would be the last time she awoke there. Who knew where she would find herself the following day… she didn’t even know where the Rose Clan originated. Maybe she would be travelling on horseback with them for days and be spending her wedding night in a cold, soggy ditch, longing for the safety and familiarity of Cawdor.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said aloud.

“What’s that Lassie?” Elizabeth called to her from the side room, as she poked her nose around the door.

“This is it,” Muriel said as she swung her legs down onto the floor, “I take it you know about what’s happening today?” She felt the accusation fill her voice.

Elizabeth looked down at the ground and sighed.

“Aye,” she said solemnly, “Your mother visited me in the early hours to tell me of their plans.”

“And?” Muriel demanded.

“They’ll come for you this evening, as the sun sets,” Elizabeth said, “And you shall be wed to Lord Rose…”

“And then what?” Muriel swallowed.

“And then he’ll take you back to his land,” Elizabeth sighed, “And you will begin your true journey as a Lady and a wife.”

Muriel felt the tears prick the corners of her eyes. She was so frightened, but also so completely exhausted… the emotion that the situation was stirring for her was unbearable.

“Don’t be sad Lass,” Elizabeth assured her as she crossed the room to her and rubbed her shoulder tenderly, “We all have our own paths set out… and who knows what may come to Cawdor in the coming months… you will be safer out of the way.”

“But… my brothers?” she stammered.

“They’ll be fine,” Elizabeth smiled, “Strapping young laddies like them will thrive in any trouble, mark my words.”

Muriel had the distinct feeling Elizabeth was telling tall tales, but she had reassured her none the less. Muriel smiled and leant in for a hug. She would miss this old woman and the way she cared for her, even if at times she had driven her close to madness.

“Enjoy your last day as a Calder,” Elizabeth said, “For tomorrow you will be Lady Muriel Rose.”

Muriel felt the hairs on her arm stand on end and for the first time in her entire life she started to really think about what being a wife would mean…

Her last day at Castle Cawdor passed by like any other. Muriel tried to push to the back of her mind what would be taking place later in the day, and she sat with her brothers and watched them play fight along the hallways outside the Great Hall. None of them asked her about what would be happening that evening and she began to wonder if any of them even knew that at the same time the next day their only sister would likely be miles and miles away.

She smiled as she watched them fondly and remembered their time together as children and then, as the afternoon began to give way to the late hours of sunlight she made her way back to her bed chamber where Elizabeth and her mother were waiting.

Laying down across the bed was a white gown, full and long, with fluted sleeves and a plunging neckline. White flowers were lying in a wreath next to it, entwined with Ivy, and Muriel walked over to the bed and picked it up.

“This crown of flowers,” she smiled, “Is beautiful.”

“Ivy represents fidelity,” her mother said warmly, “Always remain faithful to your husband Muriel. We women don’t have the same rights as our men.”

She said it so seriously Muriel felt shocked into submission. She had never truly considered the actual severity of the vows she was about to take… she was going to be someone else’s possession… she was going to belong to a man and she would never be able to act how she truly pleased ever again.

“Lord Rose is a strict man,” her mother said as she wound the lacing around the back of the dress and pulled it tight to emphasize Muriel’s tiny waist and luscious curves, “You mustn’t displease him.”

Muriel gasped for air and clawed at the lacing but her mother batted her hands away. She had a smirk on her face which seemed to suggest that she was taking some kind of warped pleasure in seeing her daughter distressed.

“You look beautiful Daughter,” her mother said coldly, “Now come… it is time…”

5.

Muriel could sense the buzz in the castle as she walked along the darkened stone corridors. The sun had not long set and she was on her way to meet her husband for the first time. She was about to be joined to him for the rest of her life, and she had never even set eyes on him. As she approached the entrance to the Great Hall, her father was waiting for her. He had always been a cold man, but this day he smiled upon his daughter fondly and took her arm in his.

“Lord Rose is lucky to have you Muriel,” he beamed, “You are a treasure and a valuable asset to Clan Calder and he will know this and treat you right.”

Muriel blinked back the tears. She didn’t want reassurance, she needed to feel something, anything… she needed to feel as if this was meant to be, but everything in her entire being was screaming for her to run.

The entrance to the hall was adorned with candles and Ivy garlands, and the guards that watched her every move only made her more nervous as she stood at the threshold, about to pass down to the aisle.

Her father kept hold of her lightly and she took a deep breath as the doors fully opened and the sea of faces that were waiting all looked back at her. She was the woman of the moment… everyone had been waiting for her, and as the bard starting playing and she began to walk down the entire length of the Great Hall, men and women gasped with awe as she passed. She looked radiant and beautiful, even if inside she was dying.

The congregation at the head of the room parted and by the altar Muriel could see him standing there… her intended… Lord Rose. The instant their eyes locked her skin began to crawl and she knew instantly that she despised him.

His small, weasel-like eyes, his peppered sandy hair and thin, shallow shoulders turned her off the second he turned to face her. She could see his weedy frame beneath his armor and it was then that she couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. As they slipped freely down her cheeks her father dug his rough nails into her forearm and shot her an angry glance.

“Don’t ruin this Muriel,” he hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

She swallowed down her disgust and panic and as she reached the front of the room and stood side by side with the man that she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with, she looked up at him and knew that she would never be happy again.

He smiled and as his lip curled she felt a wave of nausea pass over her. He was the most unattractive man she had ever seen and she knew that there was no way that she could ever love him.

“We are gathered here today…” the priest began.

Muriel felt her mind close off and the ringing in her ears got louder as she tried not to hear any more of what was going on around her. She thought about her younger brothers. She would do it for them. If it meant that they had a better future, then she would wed this man and ensure just that. She had to be brave. She had to stay strong. Who knew what was waiting out there in the rest of the world. She sighed deeply and was about to pull herself together and turn to face Lord Rose when suddenly there was a loud roar and banging and crashing reverberated around the rest of the castle.

The Priest stopped speaking and an eerie silence descended on the hall. Somewhere, out in the corridors, came the curdled screams of men, alongside the growls and snarls of what could have been wolves… Muriel looked up at all of the people around her… and in a wave, the entire congregation began to panic.

“We’re being stormed!” Muriel’s father bellowed as he lunged forward and grabbed hold of her mother.

Muriel was so shocked she didn’t know where to turn. She could hear the sounds of a battle close by, somewhere in the castle, and she knew that they were surely heading for them.

Within seconds the doors to the Great Hall burst open and a clan of big, burly, red haired highlanders came bursting through. They were like no one Muriel had ever seen before, they were so tall and muscular, they almost could have been monsters, not human. At their sides were huge, red wolves… big snarling beasts with bared fangs dripping blood. Muriel couldn’t believe what she was seeing… the wolves were so big… so incredibly powerful, they surely couldn’t have been from Inverness. Her blood ran cold and she felt her breath catch as she stood frozen to the spot in blind panic.

All around her men and women were running. Her parents disappeared and she was aware of the clash of swords and the growling and sounds of ripping flesh. Her mind was spinning and she knew that although she was conscious… she was on the verge of collapsing with fright.

As the army of men and beasts that were storming the castle grew closer Muriel’s shaking hands reached out and grasped hold of the altar. She tried to keep herself upright, but she was faltering, she was so afraid and she had nowhere to turn. She shook as she reached out again to try and keep her balance before she fell in a willowy heap to the ground. As a battle raged on around her, the blackness engulfed her and swallowed her whole.

6.

She awoke in her own bed and as she rolled over and looked up at the ceiling, she thought for a few moments that it had all just been a terrible dream. None of it could surely have happened? Creatures and men like that didn’t exist…

She tried to lean up on her elbows and realized that her wrists were tied with rope to the headboard and she was indeed wearing her wedding dress, the ivy crown still placed on the top of her head.

She shook her arms and tried to shake them free, but it was pointless, the ropes were so tight she stood no chance of getting herself loose.

“Elizabeth?” she called out as she frantically looked around the room. But her maid was nowhere to be seen.

She leaned up further and strained her eyes in the darkness to look around the room. The fire burned low in the hearth, but its embers cast just enough light for her to make out the outline of a foot resting against it.

“Hello?” she whispered.

“Muriel Calder,” the voice came from next to the hearth.

It came from a man. A man with a low, gruff, deep voice that commanded attention. She held her breath, not daring to respond. Her heart was racing and her palms were sweating. Whoever this man was, he was most certainly a stranger.

Is it my new husband? She thought. Did I pass out during the ceremony? Am I now a married woman and this is my wedding night?

The man got to his feet and stood at the foot of the bed. The low orange glow from the fire silhouetting him in front of her. As soon as she saw him in full, she knew there was no way this man was the same one she had stood with at the altar.

He was tall. His shoulders were broad. His hands were big and menacing. As he breathed his chest heaved with power and his hair was rugged and unkempt. This man was a giant. A warrior. He was power personified.

“Who…are…you?” she whispered.

The man took a step forward and her breath caught in her throat. As he moved out of the darkness and came forward enough so that the light fell on his face she could see now that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her entire life.

“I’m John Campbell,” he said strongly. “And I’m here to claim this castle… and you as my wife.”

Muriel blinked and shook her head. Had she heard him correctly? His wife?

“But…” she stammered, “I was betrothed to Lord Rose… the ceremony…?”

“The ceremony wasn’t completed,” John Campbell said sternly.

Muriel began to shake with fright. This man was part of the clan that had stormed the castle and had slaughtered members of Clan Calder.

“You… you’re a murderer,” she whispered.

“We are here to take the castle,” he said. “And to do so, I will marry you and make you my wife.”

“My family….” Muriel’s voice trailed off and she felt the tears welling behind her eyes.

“Your parents fled,” he said with amusement, “And your brothers are all safe and well. Do not fear. None shall be harmed.”

Muriel breathed a sigh of relief. She had been so worried about Hamish, the smallest of the boys. He was so young, so innocent, surely no one would harm him.

“The wolves,” she suddenly remembered, her hands shaking. And in an instant her mind jumped back to the memory of the peasant boy who had been carried into the Great Hall the previous day. Could the legends be real? Was this what her parents had been fearing all of this time? Had they known that one day a pack of wild wolves and men would storm into Cawdor and take over? She shuddered at the prospect as the man sat down at the end of the bed and she felt herself recoil with nerves.

He stared at her hard and with so much fire she barely knew where to look. His eyes burned holes into her and she felt completely exposed. Even though she was fully clothed, she felt as if she could have been tied there naked and on show for him to see.

He smiled and looked down.

“I’m sorry I had to tie you,” he said. “But I didn’t know how you would react when you woke.”

Muriel’s head was scrambled. She didn’t yet know how she felt… The last thing she could remember was that she had been betrayed by her parents and promised to a man she had never even met… and not only that, the man had been hideous looking and vile. Muriel knew that she would have been miserable with him… and now she had the handsome and strong John Campbell sat on the end of her bed… saying he wanted to claim her for his wife and take over Castle Cawdor…

Which is the lesser of two evils? She thought as she looked back at him and she felt her heart began to race as their eyes met.

She would have done anything to not marry Lord Rose… but there was something about John Campbell and his rugged power that was pulling her in. The sweet scent of his sweat mixed in with the dirt he had clinging to his skin was driving her crazy. She had never met a man so unruly and wild. He was like another species and she was intrigued. His handsome features were definitely more appealing… and she could easily see herself staying put at Cawdor and getting to know him much better as the days progressed.

She shook her head and snapped herself out of her daydream. When she focused she realized that he was still staring right at her with a devilish grin on his face. She felt her whole body go weak. She was completely at his mercy, with no way of escape.

“The Great Hall is waiting,” he said as he got to his feet. “We may as well put it to good use.”

He leant over her and began to untie the ropes at her wrists. Her irrational side told her to struggle, to try and break free and run from him. But common sense told her that she didn’t stand a chance. He had told her how it was going to be. She was his now.

And as she took hold of his big, rough hand and he led her out into the corridor, she realized that that certainly wasn’t an unappealing prospect. She smiled to herself and went willingly. John Campbell was a lot of man… and she wanted to know more…

7.

John Campbell whisked her through the corridors of the castle and back to the Great Hall. Her heart pounded harder with each step they took and as she looked up at him and he looked down at her, she found herself smiling. There was something about him that was almost familiar. As if they had known each other their entire lives.

As they burst through the doorway and began back down the aisle the scenes around her were not pretty ones. She could see members of the Rose family in bloodied heaps on the ground and Lord Rose was nowhere to be seen. She covered her eyes and willed the bloodshed to disappear, but there was something appealing to her curious nature, she wanted to know what was happening. She could tell that Clan Campbell were different and she needed to know.

As John wrapped an arm around her and the priest began to read out the vows Muriel smiled and sighed with relief as she caught sight of her brothers. They looked up at her and smiled back shyly, as if they didn’t know what on earth was happening.

As she and John were declared man and wife, her head was spinning. She turned and saw wolves looking up at her with adoring eyes and John himself seemed to growl as he leant in to kiss her for the first time. As their lips met she felt like putty in his arms. He was so big, so powerful and so incredibly sexy she could barely pull herself away. She looked up into his eyes and ran her hands down his bare shoulders, feeling an intense heat that was rising from within him.

The congregation cheered and John quickly swept Muriel up in his arms before he began to charge back down the aisle with her flung over his shoulder. The only causalities she could see seemed to be people she did not know or recognize and she felt herself relax some more as John charged with her back through the castle.

In her bedroom he closed and locked the door behind her before he turned and stared. His eyes were so big and deep, it was as if she could have fallen in and never been able to climb out.

“That was… fast…” she panted.

“It was essential,” John said, “There was no time to lose.”

“But, why?” Muriel was trying not to sound too rude or overbearing. Her heart was still racing, and although she was intrigued by him, she was also nervous.

“You were being lured into a trap,” he said sternly, “Lord Rose would have harmed you if you had gone with him.”

Muriel felt her skin go cold.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“The Roses were going to destroy Clan Calder,” he began, “They have been travelling around the highlands and forging false alliances… once they have gained a way into a new clan, they overtake and destroy it.”

Muriel couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The real threat wasn’t Clan Campbell and their huge wolves… it was the sneaky and duplicitous Rose Clan.

“We got wind of this several months ago and we have been on the hunt to defeat them ever since.” He continued. “We got here just in time.”

“The hunt?” Muriel asked curiously.

“Aye,” John snarled. “The Rose’s have left a path of destruction… my pack and I have hunted them down and finally caught up with them… none of them will survive by the time we are through.”

Muriel shuddered and she remembered how all of the casualties in the Great Hall seemed to be from Clan Rose.

“You saved me?” she whispered.

“Aye,” John smiled. “And I wed you instantly so you would never be vulnerable again.”

“But why?” she gasped. “We don’t even know one another.”

John took a step forward and took hold of her by the shoulders before he looked at her deep in the eyes and spoke softly…

“Our Clans have crossed paths before… many, many years ago… and it has been written in the stars ever since that you and I should come together to start a new blood line… a new clan… one so powerful it shall rule the whole of Scotland.”

Muriel looked up at her husband. She didn’t know much, but she did know that she trusted him entirely. There was a sincerity in his words, and in his actions. She had felt something between them the second she had laid eyes on him. The complete opposite of what had happened when she had first seen Lord Rose. He had made her skin crawl and she had known there was something disloyal and evil lurking beneath his surface. Now John had come and saved her and her family from making a terrible mistake.

“My parents…” she began, “Do they know?”

John shook his head.

“No,” he said, “The Rose’s have been deceiving people for generations. But, Clan Campbell is very different to any other clan you will have ever come across before,” he smiled.

“In what way?” Muriel whispered.

“Here,” he reached out and took her hand, “Let me show you.”

8.

The night had fallen swiftly and the ground crunched underfoot as they walked together underneath a sky that glistened with the light of millions of bright stars. Muriel looked up and couldn’t believe how beautifully perfect it was, it was as if the heavens had opened up just for them to celebrate their union.

“Your parents will return safely,” he reassured her as they walked hand in hand, “News will reach them soon enough that their castle is intact and their family waits for them.”

“But then what?” Muriel asked. “We all just live here together?”

The thought was so ridiculous she almost couldn’t keep a straight face.

“Well that all depends on you,” John smiled.

Muriel wanted to ask him what he meant but she was distracted by a shooting star overhead and she stopped to look up into the sky.

“This is so incredible,” she gasped.

“It’s because it’s meant to be,” John pulled her closer to him and she felt his warmth.

They continued on past the loch and towards the forest. The moonlight glinted down on the water and lit the path ahead. It was the first time that Muriel had noticed it was a full moon and as they continued she felt a change in John’s demeanor, as if he was trying to restrain himself from saying something and holding back with each step they took.

He finally stopped on the edge of the loch and sat down on a rock. He motioned for Muriel to follow him and she sat down at his side as they looked up at the beautiful night’s sky and all of the splendor that was being opened up to them.

“Clan Campbell are very different indeed,” he continued their conversation from back in her bed chamber, “We have many secrets. Some of which have become legend and some that are just wild whispers around the highlands.”

“What sort of legends?” she asked, although she had the feeling that she already knew what he was going to answer.

“Wolves,” John said sternly, “Clan Campbell are half men… and half beast.”

Muriel felt a twinge of excitement. Even though she was confused, she had known the instant they had burst into the Great Hall that there was something distinctly different about them. The men and wolves were far too big to be anything short of supernatural.

“I’m not sure I know what you mean,” she stammered.

John reached up and took hold of her face before he kissed her passionately and deeply on the lips. She allowed her body to submit to him and for him to take her roughly in his arms as he lay her back against the rock. She was as timid as a virgin should be, and although she had never felt or known passion like it, her wedding night nerves still thumped through her and held her back from truly letting go.

“John,” she panted as she broke his kiss and looked deep into his eyes.

He was the most amazing man she had ever met… and yet there was something so otherworldly about him… and it frightened her. As his passion grew and stirred deep within him, she saw the beast rising to the surface.

His eyes turned icy blue and his whole frame seemed to vibrate with power and lust, as the intense heat raged within him.

“My Lady,” he panted before he looked up at the moon. His face cracked into something primal and wild, and Muriel finally let herself go. She rode along with him, spurred on by his intensity and the power raging within him.

As he shifted from human into wolf form, he took her breath away. The power that radiated from him was so incredible and frightening she was sure he was about to rip her limb from limb. The wolf growled and ran a hot, wet tongue up the side of her neck and cheek. His claws pawed at her and ripped at the wedding dress and he looked up and howled at the moon.

Muriel was so turned on, she couldn’t believe what was happening to her. Her body was a mess of want and need and as John shifted back into his human form, the clothes torn from his body and revealing his nakedness, he pressed down hard on her and spread her legs with his thighs.

As he slid the tip of his manhood into her dripping wet sex and claimed her properly, Muriel squealed with delight and pleasure that reverberated throughout the highlands.

As John powered himself into her, he got harder with each stroke and built up to his powerful release.

Muriel had waited for this moment her entire life and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Her husband was like nothing she had ever known or could even have dreamed of, and as he thrust into her one last time and spilled his red hot seed, she unraveled around him. As she experienced her first orgasm, it was so intense she thought that it may tear her in half.

Afterwards she lay in his arms, nuzzled into his burning hot chest and traced lines with her fingertips up his naked torso.

“You are amazing John Campbell,” she whispered. “You have no idea what you’ve just done to me…” she giggled.

“Oh I do,” he kissed her on the forehead as he pulled her closer. “I’ve deflowered you… and hopefully impregnated you with a cub.”

Muriel felt a twinge in her belly.

A cub…

A baby for them both…?

“This is the beginning,” he whispered, “This is the start of the rest of the world. Together we are going to change Scotland forever…”

Muriel looked deep into his eyes and smiled. She knew he was right and hoped that she did have a baby growing inside of her.

“The stars,” she whispered as she looked up again, “Do you really believe this was written there?”

“Most certainly,” John smiled.

The ground began to freeze around them, but Muriel barely noticed. The heat coming from her wolf husband was keeping her warm and she could still feel it pulsing throughout her.

Less than forty-eight hours earlier she had just been a normal highland lassie waiting for her life to begin… and out of nowhere she had been thrown into an almost unbearable situation with the evil Lord Rose… rescued by the handsome John Campbell and married with the possibility of a baby on the way. It had certainly been an unbelievable day, but one she wouldn’t change for a moment. She had found something with John… even if it was just the beginning, she knew it was a journey she wanted to be on.

She looked over at Cawdor Castle and smiled. She had never wanted to leave before John had burst into the Great Hall, but now she had a husband of her own, one that she wanted to be with, she knew what Elizabeth and her mother had meant. Her destiny was being fulfilled… she had been chosen by a shifter clan and together they were going to begin something legendary. John said that it would depend on her… and she wanted to go. Together they could find their own home and start their own clan… The Campbell-Calder’s would be the most powerful family in the whole of the highlands.

She nuzzled into John’s shoulder and looked up at the stars. Above them trails of silver shot across the sky and Muriel took it as a sign from the Gods that she was on the right path. She was where she was meant to be and destiny had finally found her.

“I love you John Campbell,” she whispered as she locked her fingers with his, “And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

John turned to her and kissed her deeply for one last time before they feel asleep together under the stars as wild wolves howled beneath the moon.

THE END