TWISTED FATES BOOK 1: THE FIRST TWIST

by Jacklyn Scott Rogers

  Yeah, I admit it; I am totally and inexplicably hooked.

  Quite sure, folks, that our special night will be tonight. Best Birthday present ever - Whoop-Whoop!!

  Yeah, I know, I know, counting my chickens. What can I say ... cluck, cluck my friends.

  Since I was planning on being out all night, I packed my overnight bag and was finishing my final touches before Jareth picked me up. He's always so damn punctual. My curiosity was undeniably piqued regarding what he had in store for us today because he'd been so mysterious about what these secret plans entailed. I opted to dress up in something that I believed to be a safe bet for a day outing. I donned a fun and flirty, off the shoulder, dark red sundress that showed just the right amount of cleavage. Underneath, however, I wore my sexy black lace thong with matching corset and thigh highs. Jareth wouldn't know what hit him. I felt exceptionally confident that he would definitely approve of my choice of sexy lingerie, and I planned on making him well aware that I was very eager to show it off for him. Being ready for any occasion, I made sure to wear matching red strappy wedge heels and packed my black Louboutin's as a backup. Just as I finished applying my cherry red lip stain and gloss, I heard a chime from my doorbell announcing Jareth's arrival.

  When I opened the door, I was overcome with awe and disbelief. No lie, my jaw dropped at what was in front of me. Jareth was standing in my doorway looking impeccable as ever, in his black slacks and a black button-down shirt. He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows to show off his muscular forearms. This alone was more than enough to take my breath away and turn my panties into a wet frenzy. To make things even more impressive was that several dozen long-stemmed red roses surrounded him - twenty-five to be exact. Yep, this man purchased a dozen roses for every year I've been alive.

  Fangirling dreamy-eyed pause here, please ...

  Wow, I mean ... WOW!

  Jareth gazed lovingly at me with his arms spread wide. "Happy Birthday Samantha. You approve, love?"

  It was a gesture that made my heart melt into a puddle of melted Ben & Jerry's. Without a word, I leaped into Jareth's solid muscular arms and compensated his pensiveness with a steamy, toe-curling kiss.

  If that kiss weren’t a clear indication of how incredible his gesture was, I'd have to make sure and elaborate later tonight - Wink-wink.

  "What do you think?" I teased him. With my arms still draped around his neck, I lightly ran my French-tipped fingernails along the back of his closely trimmed hair and bit my lip seductively. Jareth's lips curled with a mischievous smirk as he effortlessly hoisted me up, wrapping my legs around his firm torso, continuing our make-out session in the entryway of my Condo. His hand began slowly making its way up my thigh until he felt the garter of my stocking. He paused for a brief moment before a devilish grin formed on his lips. Underneath the sheer slip of lacy material covering my nether regions, I could feel that Jareth had become extremely aroused. That was at least until he suddenly comprehended that we were partaking in a definite PG-13, on the verge of an R rating, display of PDA in the open hallway of my building. Jareth blushed as he carefully set me back on my feet to let me catch my breath. He ran his long delicate fingers through his hair and breathed a sigh; something I noticed he did a lot whenever he appeared to be frustrated. I internally laughed, knowing that I wasn't the only one left hanging at the moment.

  Surveying the multitude of floral arrangements surrounding my entryway, Jareth groaned. I could tell that it finally dawned on him that they still needed to be transported inside. Even the greatest of gestures have a downside. In this case, it's carrying all of them inside and figuring out where the hell I was supposed to put them.

  As Jareth went to start gathering up the bouquets, I purposefully made sure to run my hand across his manhood slowly. Feeling the little twitch of his organ against my fingertips made me giggle. Yep, not so little Jareth was trying to say hello.

  "Samantha, if you keep distracting me, love, we may never leave." Jareth devilishly continued his teasing. "Despite wanting to do nothing but ravish you, I have a full special day planned for us. But-" he paused as his index finger gently traced along my collar bone, "I promise you that tonight, I plan on making every inch of this stunning body mine. I do hope you had a pleasant night's slumber, love because sleep will not be a prospect once I have your beautiful presence in my bed."

  I jutted my lower lip out and pretended to pout at the thought of waiting to be ravished. Childish, I know, but God, I wanted this man. I giggled at my silliness because I knew that Jareth was a total romantic who probably worked very hard to ensure that today's outing was picture-perfect. I lasted this long, so I should be able to handle waiting a few more hours to have my way with him finally. Besides, I'm pretty sure that whatever he had arranged for us from beginning to end, this day was going to be beyond compare.

  Unfortunately, unbeknownst to us, things were not going to go as he'd meticulously planned.

  **********************************************************

  The entire day with Jareth was indeed marvelous! He had acquired a stretch limo, which would be our primary mode of transportation for the whole day. We visited the Museum of Modern Art for our first stop, which he rented out solely for the benefit of us two. Arm in arm, we spent several hours admiring all the exquisite works of art. I even coaxed him into taking a selfie with me in front of the museum's trademark Spoon with a Cherry, located outside the building. Once we left the museum, we went and had lunch on a private yacht, where we cruised along Lake Minnetonka and admired the picturesque sunset in each other's arms.

  Could this day get any better?!

  For dinner, Jareth opted to take me to a very posh French bistro located in Uptown. As soon as we had arrived, the stocky animated host warmly greeted Jareth and swiftly guided us through the restaurant without skipping a beat. We quickly made our way through the bustling restaurant, passing several onlookers until we reached a small, elegantly decorated table that had been sectioned off for only us two. Resting conspicuously at the center of the white linen-covered table was a long-stemmed rose sitting on top of a slender oblong navy-blue velvet box. After Jareth personally pulled my chair out to be seated, he stood before me, cradling the velvet box in his hands.

  "Samantha," he began, "I know that we have only been enjoying each other's company for a short time. But, to someone who has lived as long as I have, it is truly a wonder for me when such a magnificent creature is awarded. So, I say to you, Samantha Hunter, that I have fallen madly in love with you and hope you find it in your heart to accept this small token of my devotion to you on your most special day."

  Did he just say that he ... me ... Love? What?!

  **Ladies and Gentlemen. This is your Captain speaking. It seems that we are heading into unchartered territory. If you look to your left, you may catch a brief glimpse of the island formerly known as Casual Boyfriend. As we make our descent heart first into Lover's Peak, please be sure to brace yourself for impact. ***

  As I observed through glistening lashes, I was awestruck how Jareth precariously opened the velvet box in his hand and revealed its contents. Nestled, in its silk confines, was a stunning emerald and diamond pendant, in which every single one of the sparkling emerald gems matched the exact color of my eyes. While my mouth was agape, speechless, I heard a barely audible chuckle escape Jareth's lips. He proceeded to place my stunning gift tenderly around my neck, allowing his fingers to glide along my collar bone gently.

  There were no words, people, just ... no words

  **********************************************************

  After I finally managed to gather my wits about me, I admitted to Jareth that I did indeed love him too. I know. It's crazy that we haven't been together for long, but there was something about the man that just felt so ... right. I mean, how often did someone this perfect come along? I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but yeah...nothing. Jareth was utterly impeccable. He was so easy to fall in love with and so damn ea
sy on the eyes.

  Please don't judge my bragging.

  Dinner was, of course, marvelous! I had the Salad Niçoise, and Jareth decided on the Filet Mignon, extra rare, and of course a bottle of Dom Perignon. After our meal, the wait staff brought out a slice of tiramisu, my fave treat. The decadent dessert had a lit candle on it, and as the procession of wait-staff approached, they sang Happy Birthday to me in French. Absolutely incredible. I knew I was beaming with glee as I closed my eyes and blew out my candle. I didn't even bother to make a wish. Being here with Jareth, I couldn't have wanted anything more. Everything was just as perfect as it could get. Seriously, I could like die tomorrow and would be completely OK with it. That's how magnificent this day has been.

  God, how'd I get so lucky?

  I realized that I had been lost in my own wistful thoughts when I felt Jareth's hand covering my own.

  "Everything alright, my love?"

  "Huh ... Oh my God, Yes, Jareth! I was just thinking about everything. It's perfect. You're perfect."

  "As are you, my love. So perfect. But you know what would make things even more so?"

  "Hmm?"

  Jareth arched his brown and winked at me. "I think that answer would be better explained once you finish your dessert and we move onto our next destination."

  I blushed. Oh, the devilish thoughts that just ran through my head. I looked at my desert. Tiramisu - my delicious tormentor.

  Time to teach this Tiramisu a lesson.

  I made sure to share my dessert with Jareth, who obliged my request despite him not actually having a penchant for sweets. I know it sounds silly, but I didn't want to waste my desert, nor did I intend to be food bloated for the very first time that Jareth and I made love.

  Would you?

  Once we had finished with dinner and the check was paid, I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. Not because there was anything wrong with the food by any means; it was because as we were heading out of the restaurant, someone decided to tease me. Jareth, who had been beside me with his arm on the small of my back, leaned in and seductively whispered in my ear, "I hope that you enjoyed your dinner, Samantha, because once we are inside the limo, I plan on consuming you for dessert."

  Insert me panting here.

  **********************************************************

  "Shit!" I exclaimed, probably a little loudly, considering the upscale establishment we just exited a few feet away. "I must have left my phone on the table inside."

  "Would you like me to go back and retrieve it for you?" Jareth asked me.

  With a deep sigh, I pinched the bridge between my furrowed brows. "No, don't. I'll run and grab it. You, on the other hand," I tugged at Jareth's belt then patted his chest wearing a sly grin, "better be ready for me when I return. I plan on holding you to those naughty little words you told me when we were leaving. As penance, I expect to see my sexy man wearing nothing but a smile on those gorgeous lips of yours." Despite being shocked by my bossiness, Jareth chuckled and gave me a brief peck on my nose. After a brief moment of hesitation, he reluctantly agreed to indulge me with my request to retrieve my phone on my own.

  Leave it to me to cockblock myself.

  I can't honestly say if it was the slight buzz from the alcohol or the drunkenness from my anticipation of being with Jareth, but I was suddenly lost in my own happy little world as I skipped back towards the restaurant.

  I was so preoccupied, in fact, that I paid no mind to anyone or anything around me other than the erotic fantasies that were forming in my brain.

  In fact, I was so preoccupied that I didn't even pay any mind to the jogger that was clad in all black heading in my direction. How they had their hoodie pulled forward, making it impossible for the outside observer to discern the jogger's face as they headed towards me. And definitely so preoccupied that I never even noticed the faint glint of a shiny silver dagger protruding from within their gloved tight grasp.

  I was so engrossed in my own thoughts that when they "accidentally" collided with me, I even apologized for not noticing them as they raced away from me. It wasn't until moments later that I realized I had just been stabbed in my lower abdomen.

  My mind began to slowly haze over as I placed my hand onto the wound that was starting to inflict a searing pain within my stomach. I could feel the wetness slowly soaking through the cotton fabric of my red dress. I know. What's the irony that my crimson dress seemed to blend in with my own blood perfectly? I was going into shock as I stared at my now bloodied hand that had been held against my wound. My eyesight began to blur, and I tried to blink them info focus; but try as I might, my impending indisposition was beginning to take over. I made a feeble attempt to call out for Jareth before I finally collapsed. Oddly enough, I didn't land on the hard pavement as I had expected. Jareth was somehow crouched beneath me; he had broken my fall. Or at least, I think it was him. As my hooded eyes tried to concentrate on the man cradling me in his arms, I assume my imagination must have taken over because he looked different than the Jareth I knew and loved. His once cobalt irises were now completely black. Not to mention the piercing shriek that he made when he held me to his muscular chest. That sound was anything but human. My lids were too heavy to keep open. So I decided to appease my instincts and quit fighting the urge to keep them closed. I was so tired and just needed to rest for a while.

  Sweet, peaceful sleep.

  The darkness finally came for me, and I willingly succumbed to its cold embrace.

  Is this what dying feels like?

  Chapter 14

  3rd Person POV

  One Year Ago

  As Jareth hid in the shadows, he observed in silence as two young women emerged from inside Maleyna's establishment. He recognized one of them, the witch Dasha. Her presence was why he chose not to make himself known. He'd heard of her unscrupulous character amongst others of her kind, and none of it good. He was intrigued by the human that was with her. Despite her distraught appearance, she was still impeccably beautiful with her long crimson locks and powerful, dazzling green irises. Jareth could feel her pain emanating from her every aperture. He was strangely curious as to what would make such a lovely creature appear this wounded. More importantly, why was she in the company of someone the likes of Dasha of all people?

  Curious...

  Once the two women were far enough away for him to evade the witch's senses, Jareth ventured into Maleyna's shop, not being deterred from the original purpose of visiting her humble establishment in the first place.

  Maleyna's shop was quaint enough for Jareth's liking. He appreciated that she opted to allow her décor to remain free from any of the ridiculous ornamentations that most modern establishments tend to favor. No, this witch was ancient, and as such, her preferences remained suchlike. Being several centuries old, Jareth was also inclined towards more antiquated adornments himself. Of course, he still kept with the times. How else would a vampire as old as himself manage to survive this long otherwise?

  Despite his adeptness for freely moving around undetected, Jareth always announced his arrival whenever he frequented Maleyna's shop. He was sure that she could sense his presence none the less, but Jareth was still one for proprieties and felt that announcing oneself was the courteous thing to do.

  As he made his way through the humble store, passing several shelves of old books and relics of the sort, Jareth located Maleyna still seated towards in the corner of her store. This area is where she reserved for tarot readings and preparing potions and elixirs for her patrons. The older woman, though normally rather sprite considering she was well over a century herself, appeared aged as if the worry that was draped across her pale, wrinkled face carried such a burden that she was disturbed by it. The old women hadn't even acknowledged Jareth until he had been standing directly in front of her when he cleared his throat so as not to frighten her. She looked up at him, surprised. "Oh, hello, Jareth, I deeply apologize for my absentmindedness. It appears that time must have gotten awa
y from me. I hadn't even been aware that you'd arrived." She said. "I will go and gather the ingredients you requested. Please sit, and I will return shortly."

  "Thank you, Maleyna, but if you don't mind, I would prefer to stand. I have never had much of an affinity for such leisurely comportments."

  "As you wish." The old hag expressed dismissively as she waved her hand behind her. She began rummaging through some of the many ancient oak shelves that ran along the back wall of her shop, which contained an assortment of herbs and other accoutrements required for her craft.