Oculus

by S. E. Akers

  Silas nodded. “I can round you up a palette of oils, a few brushes, and some glue if that will ease your conscience,” he assured. His eyes swept my white dress critically. “I’ll even rustle up a smock so you can keep the total of your daily damages down to a minimum.”

  My bottom lip twisted into a pucker. “No thank you. I think I’ve already reached my quota.” I felt horrible, absolutely horrible for ruining his cherished piece…regardless of its gruesome-looking last panel.

  The pangs of guilt tossing my insides came to a crashing halt when Tanner swaggered into the foyer donning his black tuxedo. The way it flawlessly draped his powerful build alone left me speechless. He looked so debonair and dreamy… And I was inescapably riveted, straight down to the tips of my presently curling toes. He headed towards me with such a mesmeric gate that the ceiling could have caved in all around him and his stride wouldn’t have faltered an inch. My heart ignited just from watching the track of his eyes. The way they flickered over my entire frame upon his approach, I swore the amethyst-hued stunners had left a trail of white-hot stardust icing my skin. I silently prayed to the cosmos right then & there that more of these heart-stopping moments would find their way to my doorstep.

  “You look so handsome,” I muttered, absolutely spellbound.

  “I suppose I clean up all right,” Tanner grinned.

  I pointed to the bare doorway. “I am so sorry about that,” I blurted, feeling the flush of my shame. “I didn’t know—”

  The tip of his finger fell gently on my lips, halting both my words and my breaths. “I don’t care about that painting,” he insisted. “And seeing how breathtaking you look in that gown, I’d let you hurl me through it a thousand more times if that’s what you desired.”

  My already red cheeks shot into such a feverish crimson I was practically on the verge of melting. The thought of cooling myself off with a self-issued breeze was rather tempting, if I could only keep my skirt from going indecently airborne.

  Silas glanced at my wrist. “Now where’s that ruby cuff you were practically ready to weld on your wrist this morning?”

  I flashed him an innocent grin. “I didn’t think it matched.”

  “With the dress or your date?” Silas queried.

  “The dress of course,” Tanner grinned, taking the liberty of answering. Then his hand slipped inside his tuxedo jacket. “But you do need something,” he suggested and pulled out a long black box. With a flip of his fingers, he opened it up to reveal a stunning pear-shaped amethyst pendant outlined in diamonds that was resting snugly on a bed of velvet. “I thought this might be a better complement to your gown.” He took it out and handed the empty box to Silas. “I made it myself.”

  Its hue arrested my heart instantly—a pure and peerless shade of lavender. But best of all, its color let me know precisely how he was feeling at the exact moment this soul-stirring beauty had been carved out.

  I lifted the length of my tresses as he laid the pendant against my chest. Although as spectacular as what the gemstone truly was, I liked the way his fingers gingerly trailed down my neck when he fastened the clasp even more.

  Silas’ lip twisted into a curl as he picked up my clutch. “It never ceases to amaze me. No matter what the constraints of a woman’s bag, they will habitually test its limits.” He nodded to the sizable gap. “Whether it’s the size of an envelope or a car trunk with two straps.”

  “I guess I should go and put on my holster,” I remarked and turned towards the doorway.

  Tanner took hold of my hand. “Maybe there’s another option.” He turned to Silas and held out his other hand, palm up and waiting. Suspiciously on cue, the handy house steward pulled out a curious-looking holster from behind his back and gave it to Tanner. He lifted it for my inspection.

  I stared at the new holster with a pair of doubtful eyes. Its leather strap was noticeably a lot thicker and wider than the sword holder I’d been using, and the bulkier platinum buckle that fastened it together wasn’t going to help my gait in the least, especially if I planned on sashaying around all lady-like in a pair of high-heels tonight. I kept a tight hold on my pucker. Thoughtfulness aside, having to wear this thing strapped around my leg for an evening was going to be about as much fun as wrestling with an overnight Kotex pad the size of one of the journals down in Tanner’s library.

  “The leather is really shiny,” I remarked, painfully straight-faced. I wasn’t lying about that. It actually did cast a peculiar gleam.

  “It’s a lot more comfortable than what you think,” Tanner smiled, picking up on my distress loud and clear. He led me over to a nearby chair and darted his eyes to the length of my gown. “There is a slit running up the side for a reason.”

  I pressed my lips together as my fingers sought out the divide. As soon as I’d located its edge, I gently extended my right leg, propping it on the seat of the chair, and then began delicately folding back the layers of chiffon until only my bare thigh remained.

  Tanner turned to Silas. “You can go now,” he insisted.

  “Thank heavens,” the house steward sighed, clutching his stomach, and then started his stroll down the hall. “I thought I was about to have to poof up a bottle of something to snuff out a creeping touch of nausea.”

  Tanner bent down beside me straightaway, both our eyes hypnotically engaged. He laid the holster around my leg, his fingers brushing against my skin with the soft and airy grace of a feather. A distinct quiver rocked my leg when he locked the platinum buckle into place. Regardless of the blissful wake I was presently drifting in, I sensed something a little more magical at play than simply the amped-up churn of my emotions from the teasing way he’d secured it.

  Tanner nodded to my clutch. “Now take out your hilt and slip it inside — slowly,” he stressed.

  “Slowly?” I questioned.

  “Yes, that’s important,” he grinned. “After all, it is your first time.”

  Okay… My fingers wrapped around the hilt just as he’d requested, and then I eased the platinum handle in with the gentlest of glides. I’d no sooner released my hand when both the holster and my hilt completely disappeared.

  “Where did they go?” I asked, an equal mix of bewildered and startled. That was bizarre enough, but I couldn’t feel even a trace of anything resting against my leg anymore. They weren’t just invisible; they were gone.

  The pitch of Tanner’s smile sharpened. “They’re still accessible . . . Now that your personal essence has imprinted on the holster,” he assured. “All you have to do is will your weapon to appear.”

  I focused my thoughts on my hilt and then within a second it rematerialized right there on my thigh, exactly where it had been merely a moment ago.

  “It will vanish just as easily with a simple command,” Tanner explained.

  I called for it to disappear and then watched as it obeyed my request, still just as dumbfounded. “That’s amazing.”

  “It’s the only one of its kind, made with pure Veil magic,” Tanner disclosed. “It was Adamas’ holster, and now it’s yours.”

  “Where does it go?” I asked.

  “To a small pocket inside The Veil, safely tucked away and waiting for you and you alone to release it.” He held up his bare right hand. “I have something similar.” Suddenly a platinum band magically appeared on his ring finger. He pointed to its square setting. “You can drop any stone in here, and it will fit.”

  “Convenient,” I grinned and then stroked my finger across the surface of the stone, watching its glow and sensing my own energy churning within its core. “This is the diamond I carved out for you in the cave under Shiloh Ridge.”

  “The very same,” Tanner confirmed and then took my hand in his. “Someone stole my diamond away from me once before, and I won’t let it happen again.” He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it so sensuously it sent my chest all aflutter. Then he guided my leg to the floor with a lingering glide of his fingertips. “Are you ready?” he rustled.
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br />   My only response was a nod. Apparently the racy thought that had just ripped through my head had left me incapable of sounding out a simple, one-syllable “yes” like a mindless idiot.

  As enchanting as the evening was turning out to be, I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised to see a horse-drawn carriage parked outside. But what was waiting for us turned out to be a hundred times better. A sleek black sports car that looked like a C-7 Corvette Stingray was sitting at the base of the stone steps. I’d never laid eyes on this newer version before, particularly with its treasured rear split-window. For some reason, the designers at GM had left them off their latest model coupes when they rolled off the assembly line…which I personally believed was a huge mistake.

  “It came while you were in Boston,” Tanner revealed, noting the intrigued look spinning in my eyes. “I’ve been waiting for the right time to break her in.”

  “Did you have this customized?” I asked.

  “Not the body. It’s a C-8,” Tanner confirmed. “But I did drop in a stouter engine.”

  My head whipped to him so fast my neck actually cracked. “How?” I questioned. I didn’t think these were even on the drawing board.

  “Friends in the right places,” he winked and then promptly opened the passenger door.

  “Well, it’s gorgeous,” I gushed.

  “I’m just glad they finally included the split-window,” Tanner remarked.

  I smiled. “I couldn’t agree more.” I paused for a moment, bouncing my stare between him and the other formidable package of muscle lying before my eyes. I could practically hear its engine purring my name. “Do you know what would make this evening even better?”

  “Oh, I think I have a good idea,” he laughed and nodded me inside. “Call me old-fashioned, but I’ll be the one driving on our first date.”

  I slid inside the car. “All right,” I said, making sure he saw the pout I was blatantly broadcasting.

  “You can drive the next time,” he assured, head shaking.

  My lips twitched into a smile just as soon as he closed the door. Good. And I planned on holding him to it. With iron nails if I have too…

  Tanner never revealed where we were going throughout the entire length of our hour-long drive. For someone who both loved surprises and couldn’t keep one herself for very long, his unwillingness to give me even the slightest of hints was nothing less than sheer torture. Though I knew we were headed into Boston. The route he’d taken was a no-brainer. Of course I wouldn’t have the slightest clue if I hadn’t seen the red & blue sign before he pulled onto the interstate. Our speedy chariot had over 700 horsepower under the hood, and Tanner was doing his damnedest to crank out as much of them as he could whenever traffic permitted. Invisibly too, I might add. And despite how much I equally loved punching a boss engine, I feared my right high-heel was one tap away from drilling a hole in his brand new floorboard if he zigzagged at Mach speed around any more cars. Suddenly my time spent riding a chimera bareback didn’t seem so touch-and-go.

  His wheels eventually came to rolling stop behind a line of vehicles that led to a tented pavilion just outside a cluster of buildings up ahead — The Museum of Science, to be exact. Yardley was holding a posh fundraising benefit here tonight to raise money for its School of Natural Sciences. Tanner hadn’t planned on attending but changed his mind knowing its after-hours availability was a crucial part of whatever surprise he had in store for me. The event was by far the most lavish affair I’d ever attended, certainly well beyond a high school dance or even dinner on Malachi’s luxury yacht. That was evident from just sitting here waiting in the valet parking line surrounded by countless stretch limousines and outrageously expensive sports cars. If I had been arriving at something like this with any other person, my nerves would have my frame securely glued to my seat. But not with Tanner, and assuredly not from the tender way he stroked my hand as he was helping me out of the car.

  All in all, the whole experience was pleasantly overwhelming. A ritzy gathering… Impeccable decorations… A stunning backdrop of intriguing scientific exhibits luring your eyes throughout the venue… And the attendees were quite the interesting crowd of folks as well… Some friendly, some snotty... But they were definitely a colorful and fashionably dressed group above all. I actually got to meet a few of the other faculty members in Tanner’s department. And yeah, I kind of did a little covert mental eavesdropping. Silas would be proud. Tanner suspected I was doing it too. He even asked me what they were saying. Most of them thought the world of him. However one professor looking to seek tenure thought he was a total ass. I kept the female professors’ remarks to myself. They were mostly about me anyway. “Jail-bait” being the least offensive of their catty-cracks…which technically, I was not. But despite the total and degree of their not-so-secret thoughts, I really wasn’t that insulted. Though I’ll admit, one especially touchy-feely chick had my thigh itching for my hilt to make a speedy back-from-The-Veil appearance. She wouldn’t have thought twice about coyly brushing that hand of hers past Tanner’s ass when she was leaving if she knew I was packing. Thank goodness for my good manners, my forgiving nature, and my telepathic abilities. It sure was a pity when for some reason she decided to pour an entire bottle of red wine all over her summery yellow evening dress. It just goes to show that some people can’t handle their liquor.

  After about a solid hour of mingling, Tanner made a shushing gesture with his finger and nodded for me to follow him down a roped off wing for a hush-hush jaunt somewhere. We hadn’t made it too far down the hallway before he requested that I close my eyes. I’d no sooner sealed my lids when Tanner scooped me into his arms and then pushed his back through a set of doors. I could tell we were in a much darker room now from the abrupt absence of any ghostly light striking my lids, and he was carrying me down some steps, which totally explained his chivalrous ride. Then after several more turns, Tanner set my feet back down on the ground and told me to open my eyes.

  Aside from the perfectly spaced green lights shining over the designated exits, the room was anchored in total blackness. “So why are we here?” I asked.

  “This is your surprise,” Tanner announced and began guiding me towards the center of the space. He worked his way around to my rear once we’d come to a stop. His arms enveloped my frame, and then just as soon as he had taken hold of both my hands, the entire ceiling illuminated the most heavenly celestial scene in a flash. We were in the hemispheric theatre of the museum’s planetarium, standing underneath the full-dome screen and watching the air above us dazzle our eyes with a stellar display of shifting astral scenes. Then all of a sudden, the spanning field filled with rolling clouds, and when they eventually parted, a breathtaking moon hovered over me. Brilliant… Blue… And perfectly round.

  “You told me you could never truly enjoy a full moon ever again,” Tanner whispered. “So I wanted to see if I could change your mind.”

  My smile was beaming straight from my soul when I turned to him. “I can’t believe you remembered me telling you that.” I looked up and wandered around for a moment, completely mesmerized. “I can’t tell you how touched I am by this . . . by everything you’ve done tonight.”

  “You don’t have to tell me. I can feel it,” he said with a confident sparkle in his eyes. “You know, this evening may not be a Homecoming Dance or a Prom, but you were owed a special night like this.”

  “I didn’t care about missing those,” I said. “At least I got to show-up.”

  Tanner pulled me into his arms. “Liar. Yes, you did.”

  I shied my stare to his chest. “Well, maybe a little,” I confessed. His fingers found their way to my chin, and when he lifted my gaze to his, every ounce of me felt starry-eyed and smitten. “But they didn’t feel this . . . perfect.”

  “That happens when you keep showing up with the wrong dates,” he grinned.

  Suddenly a soft melody filtered into our serenity, filling the air with a familiar song I hadn’t heard in years. And
even it was just as flawless as the enchanting evening he had planned.

  “Now, take my hand,” he requested, his voice as smooth as the glide of his arm as it extended. “I can’t have your only memory of a moonlit dance this summer be of someone else shuffling you around my courtyard.”

  The sweetest tremble rolled through me. There was nothing like a little passive-jealousy to send a girl’s heart into a flutter and paint her face with a little reassurance.

  I reached for his hand, smiling, and then he took me effortlessly into his strong arms. My eyes drifted to a close briefly, guided by the stir of my heart and the silvery chords of the melody. Tanner’s grace was undeniable. His embrace passionate… His moves suave…and the hold of his eyes everlasting.

  “Do you know this song?” he asked.

  I nodded radiantly. I’d heard it at Katie’s house several times over the years. Her mother used to listen to it. The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face… Standing here now, I finally felt the true beauty of the melody’s words.

  “It was Katie’s parents’ song,” I said.

  Tanner’s head cast a subtle shrug. “That’s impossible,” he asserted and pulled me closer. “Because it’s ours.” And in those honeyed seconds after hearing his heartfelt confession, I knew it to be true. Without a doubt, I could see an iTunes purchase in my immediate future.

  “So…” Tanner began. “If someone asked you how your summer was, what would you tell them?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Frustrating,” I grinned. “Very, very frustrating.” Then I straightened my face. “You see, I had this Professor I spent the whole summer trying to impress, and because he never truly told me how he felt or any of his fears, I assumed he didn’t have any confidence in my skills at all.” My eyes hinted my somberness. “I felt like a complete disappointment.”

  “Well, it sounds like he was a total jackass,” Tanner whispered.

  “He still is,” I assured. “But I think what bothered me most was my illusion of what I thought my summer would be like from Day-One . . . So I can’t blame him for that.”