Krystal Clear (Shattered Book 2)

by Claire Lalique

  I threw my arms around Papa McDonald’s neck and whispered in his ear, “You are the only father I ever had, and you were the best. I hope you know I will never ever forget Donna. She was my best friend, and I miss her every day.”

  “That's enough, girl. This a happy day. Wipe your eyes and smile. We got to get you married before that baby pops out.”

  At that, I wiped under my eyes with my fingers, and he banged open the screen door, and we stepped out on the white carpet roll that sat in between the two groups of chairs. Friends from the trailer park, police officers, Blue’s friends from ATF and the FBI, even a few people from Cleveland had come.

  Up at the front on Blue’s “side” was his Mom and Dad and all his brothers. I was glad to see Blue’s parents. He loved them and admired them, but had never been particularly close to them. They had never been fond of me since the shootout at the school. Blue had almost died and they still blamed that on me, though they had mellowed a bit with the possibility of a grandchild coming.

  On my side in the front row was Mrs. McDonald and her son. He was clapping vigorously and smiling widely. Also, there was my Mom’s boyfriend. He had thanked me over and over for the invitation, but he had been one of my mom’s best boyfriends and I liked to think they would have made it, if she hadn't died.

  As I walked down the aisle, I looked up from my feet and saw smiles on everybody’s faces as they were standing and clapping. I looked further down the aisle and I saw my gorgeous Blue standing straight and tall in a silver gray tuxedo, with a daisy and yellow rose corsage. The silver gray made his blue eyes pop, and he was the handsomest man I had ever seen. Derick stood beside him as his best man in a super sharp black tuxedo. Maeve was on the other side of the aisle, waiting to take my bouquet. As I got to the end of the aisle, my Samuel Blue came forward and took my hand from Papa McDonald.

  The way Blue stared at me as he took my hand was amazing. I could see his love for me shining from his lake blue eyes. He bent down and kissed me, saying, "You are so beautiful; you take my breath away.” Then Maeve took my bouquet and Blue and I stepped forward to greet the chaplain of the County Police Force.

  As Chaplain Petersen started talking, my back spasmed again and I gripped Blue’s arm tightly. He looked at me concernedly, but I gave him a wide smile. Whether I was having this baby today or not, I WAS getting married.

  The Chaplain continued, and unfortunately, so did what I now realized were contractions. I tried breathing slowly, but that wasn't exactly working. By this point, Blue and Chaplain Petersen had realized what was happening, and the words of the marriage ceremony came faster and faster. I'm sure it was beautiful, even though both Blue and I shortened our vows to a sentence. Finally, the Chaplain said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” and “You may kiss the bride." At that moment, my water broke and I stared at Maeve in total shock.

  Then I said in a very loud whisper, “I think I have to push!”

  Blue, always my savior, scooped me up into his arms, practically ran me down the aisle, back through the kitchen and into Maeve’s bedroom. Derick had followed after him, just in time to see Blue in standard CPR training mode, point at him and bark, “You! Call 911!” Then Blue practically threw me on the bed as he pulled the covers out from under me.

  I saw Maeve bustling about getting the homebirth kit from the closet that we had first put together when I talked about having the baby at home. It had sterile scissors and clamps and gloves with some bed pads and a nasal syringe for the baby. Blue had started removing my clothes as fast as possible.

  At that point, I just wasn’t paying much attention to what was happening around me. I knew that Blue was undressing me while Maeve gave Blue one of Derick’s T-shirts and he pulled it over my head. All my attention was inward. I was aware of what my body was doing, pushing my baby out with a tidal wave of intensity.

  I heard Maeve say, “Wait for a contraction, Krystal. I need to make sure you're ten centimeters.”

  Blue had pulled off his jacket and tie and scooted behind me on the bed so I was sitting up resting on his chest. I said, “I'm going to push!” I was not waiting for anybody, and neither was our baby.

  Maeve calmly said, “Go ahead, Krystal. Blue, grab her knees and pull them back and wide. You can push Krystal.”

  Samuel

  Maeve gave me one of Derick's T-Shirts I helped Flower put it on. I saw Maeve opening the box with the home birth supplies and I gasped, “We decided we were going to the hospital!”

  Maeve said calmly,” I don't think there’s time. Sam, just get in the bed behind her so she can sit up. During a contraction, while she’s pushing, pull her legs up so the baby has room to come out.”

  I got behind Flower and pulled her legs back. She was so sexy, making these growls, when she started pushing. The sounds she made were like the sounds just before she climaxed.

  Maeve had on sterile gloves and had shoved a bed pad under Flower’s butt. Flower pushed four more times, each more intense than the last. Finally, Maeve said, “I see the head!” That must have given Flower the impetus she needed, because she took another breath and groaned this Earth Mother groan and gave such a hard push her face turned beet red.

  “The head is out." My sister considered my face, probably checking to see if I was going to faint, and then she grinned and continued, “Wait Flower, don't push. Let me check the cord and suction it’s nose.”

  Suddenly, we heard a mewling little cry. Flower gave another mighty push, and our tiny beautiful baby boy was born. Maeve put the baby on Flower’s chest under her T-shirt and I reached around her so I could rub his wet red skin under her shirt. Flower was crying and had her arms over the baby and over mine. He was so handsome with a full head of hair and bright red skin that included ten fingers and ten toes which both Flower and I kept touching in wonderment.

  Right about then the paramedics came in with their equipment and looked at Maeve. One of them who obviously knew her said, “Maeve Donahue what are you doing here?”

  “This is my nephew. His dad and mom got married about twenty minutes ago. So, I will thank you to take the best care of all three of them.” Maeve was fierce when she wanted to be.

  “Sure thing Maeve,” the medic said, grinning. They put oxygen masks on Flower and our baby and helped them both on a stretcher, then onto a bed in the ambulance. I got in the ambulance also, and we went rolling away to the hospital

  Maeve

  I cleaned up the bedroom and changed clothes. I went out to the wedding-now birthing party-and was glad to see the Chaplain and Mr. and Mrs. McDonald had things well in hand. I talked to everyone and took congratulations, all the while watching for Derick. We had left our talk at a complete standstill, neither of us agreeing with the other. We needed to settle this once and for all. I knew his lifestyle wasn't quite “normal”, but I loved him with all my heart. I was sure we could work it out. Slowly, as everyone left I realized Derick was gone and the clothes in his drawer were gone with him.

  Sick at heart, I went upstairs to clean Blue’s and Krystal’s place. On the dresser, leaning on the mirror was an envelope with my name on it, written in Derick’s elegant spiky style. I opened the letter and read the note he left.

  Dear Maeve,

  I have loved everything about you-your sexy body and deep desire, your keen intellect, your incomprehensible concern for people, your deep love for your family. I have tried to love you as much as you loved me, and I have realized that I am too broken to give you the love you deserve. I know you disagree, but I have lived with my broken, evil self for too long to be able to change. I was called to lead an old case of mine that has heated up. I accepted, and I am gone from your life. This is for the best. I will always think of you fondly. I hope you do the same for me.

  All my love,

  Derick

  P.S. Please give Sam and Krystal and their baby my love and care. DB

  I sat down on the bed and cried until my nose was stopped up and my eyes were red and swo
llen. I didn't know what I could do. During our conversation earlier today I hadn't been able to put out all my reasons for staying together and he obviously didn't want to hear them.

  He was gone.

  EPILOGUE II

  One Year Later

  Samuel

  We were in our backyard, on the weekend, having a quiet cookout with just Maeve, Flower, our baby, Skye Blue Donahue, and myself. I was manning the grill. Flower had just finished nursing our little man, so Maeve had him on her knee, bouncing him up and down.

  He had a bit of touch and go in his first few weeks. He only weighed 4 lbs. 10 oz. and had a bad case of jaundice so he ended up staying in the hospital for almost two weeks. I was so proud of Flower. She kept nursing him the every two hours that Skye insisted on doing. She practically lived at the hospital.

  When we finally got to take him home, he ended up sleeping next to our bed in a bassinet. As he gained weight and personality he started interacting with us. Mama and Papa McDonald were over frequently. They often stayed with the baby so Flower could get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

  Now, at a year, he was sleeping through the night and nursing less and less. Ziva had gone through a jealous sibling stage, but somewhere along the line she decided he was her puppy to protect. She switched her allegiance from Flower to Skye. Wherever Skye Blue was, Ziva was there as well. It helped both Flower and I feel as if Skye was safe. Considering everything that Flower had gone through, we knew more than most how much danger there was in the world. We knew from experience that Ziva would protect Skye from all danger.

  So we were sitting in the yard on a beautiful April afternoon. I had just put the steaks on a plate. The parmesan lime corn was on the table along with baked potatoes. We had fresh strawberry shortcake waiting in the fridge for dessert. This is what Krystal and I had wanted when we envisioned our family.

  However, I knew Maeve had been sad because Derick had left. She never talked about her feelings, but both Flower and I knew she missed him. She had thrown herself into finishing school, working and taking care of Skye. This was the first day she’d taken off work since our boy's first birthday party.

  The robins and mocking birds, returning for spring, were singing and courting, around us in the trees. We had put Skye in his bumper car. He was laughing and trying to grab Ziva’s tail as she waved it gently in his face. he would yell at her, 'iva, 'iva!" Occasionally, much to his excitement she would turn around to give his face several thorough licks from chin to hairline.

  We were sitting in the lawn chairs, drinking iced tea and watching the antics of Skye and Ziva. My Flower had moved over to my lap and I was kissing her up and down her soft sweet smelling neck.

  I wasn’t paying much attention to anything but my sexy Flower, when I noticed Ziva turning her head toward the gate of our privacy fence and growling. Next, I heard Maeve gasp, then she stood up, clumsily knocking her chair onto its side.

  I looked around at the gate. There stood my partner and best friend, Derick Black. He had changed in his looks quite a bit. He had lost weight. His suit hung on his body and was quite rumpled. His face was gaunt, with dark circles under his eyes. His normally well-groomed self, needed a haircut and shave.

  He locked eyes with me and I thought I saw anguish. He turned his eyes to Maeve, and took two steps towards her. His gait was not his usual cat-like graceful movement, but jerky and stilted.

  He looked at her for a long moment, their eyes meeting as if their stare was magnetic. Then he said, "No, I can't." he turned and went back out the fence almost running.

  Maeve seemed to suddenly wake up and started running after him, "Derick! Stop!" We heard Derick's Mustang's motor start up, and then drive down the hill towards the park. Maeve stopped running and came back to us. She lifted Skye from his bumper car and hugged him tightly to her. She set him back down and spoke, "I'm going to go rest for just a bit."

  The End

  SHATTERED SANCTUARY

  Deliver me from workers of iniquities and bloody men. ~Psalms

  Read on for a sneak peek of book three in the Shattered series!

  Please note: this is a first draft only and is subject to change.

  Chapter One

  Derick

  One Year Later

  I’d been back in Louisville for a week. While I had been gone I had fought ruthlessly, that tiny shattered remnant of my heart that beat shrilly for the woman I wanted. I had not gone to Sam’s house this week, until tonight, even though my thoughts traveled that way with increasing frequently.

  I had subjugated any desires I might still have for Maeve under constant work. If I kept telling myself that, it would surely become true. I had even asked Sam not to tell Maeve I was back in town.

  As I got out of my car and started walking up to the house, I heard soft voices talking and an occasional squeal of a baby. It made sense, Skye was over a year old. I had not seen him in person since his birth, though Sam had sent me pictures every month. He was beautiful with soft blonde curls and Sam's blue eyes.

  I had wanted to see him more often, but I had felt strongly that I needed to stay out of Maeve's life. Sam and I were going to be working together again, planning the take down of a huge sex slave ring whose tentacles had encompassed the highest branches of government and business internationally.

  I had been lead agent on this case until Trude died, wherein I requested a transfer. That’s when I became the Agent In Charge of the Louisville office. Then the ring resurfaced and I had spent the last year in Las Vegas, finally closing that tentacle. Now my life circled around once again, and the sex ring that I had been closing down, one tentacle at a time, had brought me back to Louisville. Rumors had been floating around that this ring was planning on opening a house in Louisville soon. With the Kentucky Derby happening, it made sense the owners would open for business in Louisville.

  I decided I needed to bite the bullet, go to Sam's house and see Maeve. I could act as if my feelings for her had died down to just friendship. So, here I was, walking to the gate to see Sam, Krystal and Maeve.

  I opened the gate and it was as if no other person was in that back yard, except for Maeve. Her creamy skin, delicate bones, her curly black hair, were exactly the same as when I left a year ago. But her eyes were different, they were still the bright blue of a summer's day; but they were shadowed by dark circles of fatigue and sorrow.

  She turned, saw me and stood up, knocking her chair over. I knew right then, that there was no way I could be around her and pretend to be just friends. I stepped away from the gate and practically ran to my car. I accelerated away from that house as fast as I could safely go. I went towards my new apartment, bland and boring, in a complex of similar apartments.

  I planned to make an appearance at Sanctuary tonight, for the first time in over a year. I had worked hard setting up my undercover persona, of an FBI agent, fallen into the dark side. Ven, my Dungeon Master, had told me there were rumors floating around the club of a place you could go, and for money, buy a girl for any sick fetish you had, including murder. That sounded like the ring we were trying to dismantle. It angered me that any of Sanctuary's club members thought it acceptable to pass that type of information around. If I ever found out who it was, their membership would be revoked for their lifetime.

  Sanctuary was just that, a safe place for people in the lifestyle to play.

  I looked at myself in the mirror and studied the dark, brooding man I saw there. My eyes were made darker by my brow framed by thick, black eyebrows. I had my facial hair kept to a scruff, though my hair was militarily short.

  I wore my standard dungeon clothes, faded ripped blue jeans, a tucked in black long sleeved Hensley held in place with a thin black leather belt with a silver buckle. If you added my scuffed, black motorcycle boots that I would put on before I left my apartment, I was a perfect picture of a BDSM club goer.

  Maeve

  I’d finally wormed the information I needed out of Krystal, who had got it ou
t of Sam, that Derick was back in town, and even more specifically, I knew he was going to be at Sanctuary tonight. I'd found out about the BDSM club because of something Sam had said, almost a year ago.

  I was not going to allow Derick, to pretend I didn’t exist anymore. I could not believe he had completely thrown away our relationship. He had intimated frequently enough, that he was bad for me, but I knew that wasn’t true. He was one of the most honorable and compassionate men I had ever met.

  Sam had said there were rumors about a woman who had died and Derick taking the blame for her death at his last post. Whether Derick took the blame or not, I didn't believe he had done anything morally wrong. It just wasn't in his nature.

  I trusted Derick with all my heart. He had taken me down some paths sexually, that while they were darker than I'd ever thought to go, they had turned me on more than I'd ever been in my life. I wasn't a virgin, but the pops of climaxes I'd had before Derick, were just that, pops. With Derick they were fireworks, hurricanes, or even nuclear explosions. He had a way of focusing his entire attention on me and what I was feeling. Most men, I'd been with sexually, were all about what would get them off. Derick was so different. That was true in general, not just in bed. It was as if his entire reason for being was to make sure I had everything I needed.

  Sometimes he was controlling, insisting he knew better than me, what I needed, but to be honest, I appreciated the not having to be in charge of everything in my life. I was constantly in charge of life and death situations at work; I'd always been Blue's big sister; then I'd taken over the role of Krystal's big sister and friend, when Blue had brought her home. Derick’s protectiveness made me feel safe and secure.