The Connection (The Claudia Belle Series Book 3)

by C. S Luis

  “Please work!” I must have uttered. “Please work!” I was referring to the pill in my body.

  “My pet!” He hissed. “I’ve been patient. I’ve been very patient. Don’t you realize I need you?”

  “No, I don’t know. Why? Why me?” I asked, my lips quivering.

  “Because you’re mine,” he said. I trembled as he neared; his eyes were hypnotic, drawing me now to him. And I couldn’t resist any longer. I didn’t want to and wondered why I had. No, something inside me fought and couldn’t stop fighting. But why?

  It was his voice I was hearing over my own thoughts: “Why fight, my pet? Why fight when you want to be with me, and I most definitely want to be with you?”

  “Don’t you want me?” He asked grinning. God, he was so handsome.

  “Yes!” I answered, and he extended his hand to me.

  “Then come to me. Come away with me forever, for all eternity,” he hissed, and my eyes suddenly felt heavy, and I passed out once more.

  I rose to Michael opening the drapes. I saw him as I put a hand to out to block the sunlight coming into the room. I drew the bed sheet over my head. God, that pill had worked way too well.

  “You left the bedroom window open last night,” he said, closing the window up. I pulled the bed sheet away and then caught him turning as I sat up at the side of the bed. He came over and stood before me.

  “How did you sleep?” He asked. I glanced up at him, still trying to wake up.

  “Hard,” I managed, and he grinned.

  “Then it did what it was supposed to do.” He took a step towards the door. A little too good, I thought, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

  “Michael,” I again said. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry about last night. I’m sorry about…”

  “Claudia,” he said turning towards me. “It’s alright, but you’re going to have to learn to control it.” I turned away nodding, and he came to stand in front of me again.

  “I know it can be hard to control your anger. Believe me, Neil had difficulty too. At times it almost got the best of him, and he nearly lost his own mind, but he learned quickly to contain the gift.”

  His words rang true, but what had my grandfather used to control it? I felt like I couldn’t stop the anger when it was growing inside of me like that ready to explode. Was that the key, the answer? Was the answer to not to let go of myself? I’m sure this was easier said than done. And it was not easy to fight it when you felt it wanting to be released.

  “How did he?” I asked Michael. “When I can’t fight him?”

  Realizing what I had said, Michael gazed over at me; he looked uncertain. “Is there anything you want to talk to me about? Is everything okay?”

  I nervously nodded. “I meant to say how could he control it when it feels like I’m fighting something unearthly?”

  Michael thought for a moment, and then suddenly he seemed to realize something. He said, “I’m not sure, but I often found him holding a tiny spear-shaped crystal.”

  “Crystal?” I asked, blinking up at him.

  “I’m not sure where it is now, but I could see that it often brought him confront. He liked to think it held something special. I once thought so too; now I’m just not sure what if anything it did for him.”

  He blinked. He seemed to have returned to the past briefly, and it had taken him to a sad part of it. He realized it and immediately snapped out of it.

  “By the way, I hope it’s alright for Dr. Black to take you to school today.”

  I gazed up at him. Of course it was alright, I thought with a certain delight engulfing me but trying hard not to show it.

  “Oh, okay,” I simply managed, pushing a strand of my hair back.

  “Are you not coming?” I asked, looking up at him innocently and trying my best not to appear delighted by the news of Dr. Black picking me up.

  “Well, I thought I’d call someone to come check the piping just to be on the safe side. Luckily none of the pipes busted last night, but this house is very old, and I can’t risk any accidents.”

  I was happy that it had turned out that way. Dr. Black was picking me up!

  “Oh, before I forget,” Michael again said. “Would you, once you’re there, retrieve the lesson plan in my classroom? It’d be a big help. Here’s my key.” He handed me a classroom key; apparently, he had already prepared to hand it to me when he mentioned it.

  “Don’t you plan on coming in later in the day?” I asked, not that it would have mattered. This would give me a private moment to have a conversation with Dr. Black regarding our discussion last night, and perhaps time to tell him what was bothering me. Although, I was finding it very hard to speak about it to anyone else; it was as if I was restricted against talking about his existence to anyone else. It was an odd thing to think.

  “Well, that all depends I guess if the plumber comes in on time. You know how they are; they’re always keeping you waiting for them,” Michael said. Wasn’t that true?

  “But please don’t forget the lesson plan just in case I can’t make it,” he again said as I got up and walked over to the bathroom and stood by the doorway.

  “I won’t Michael…Now can I get dressed?” I asked hoping he would leave.

  He nodded. “Well, go on then and hurry down; he should be here very soon,” he again said, looking at the clock on my bookshelf.

  “What? Now? And when were you going to tell me?” I again asked.

  “Go on and get dressed,” he said, stepping to the doorway and disappearing from my bedroom door.

  I hurried into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face and then started brushing my teeth and tried washing my face at the same time. I toweled off, walked out of the bathroom, and grabbed a few things from my dresser.

  I hurried and grabbed my jeans and a blouse from the closet, getting halfway dressed in the closet. I came out and sat on the bed and starting putting on my socks. I put my shoes on and grabbed the brush on the dresser, and just as I started brushing my hair, I heard the doorbell.

  “He’s here already?” I uttered, biting my lower lip.

  “Dammit!” I put the brush down and looked at my complexion in the mirror, grabbing my lip balm from the top of the dresser. I heard Michael calling for me from downstairs.

  “I’m coming,” I yelled, putting a loose black shirt over the gray top I was wearing. I looked in the mirror again. God, it would have to do. I’m not dating the man, but God I wanted to look at least half decent.

  I grinned, putting on the lip balm. I hurried, grabbing my book bag from the side of the bed by the floor and checking for my iPod inside and a good book to read. Although I doubted I would do any reading or listening to music while at school.

  I went to the top of the stairs and saw him standing at the foyer next to Michael. I blushed long before he caught sight of me at the steps coming down to greet him. He smiled very handsomely with that same, big grin of his. God, I loved that smile. When before it made me uncomfortable, it now made me lower my eyes and blush even more than before.

  “Good morning, Miss Belle,” he politely said. I blushed yet again and lowered my eyes just as I had when I had come down the steps.

  “Good morning Dr. Black,” I softly whispered.

  “Are you ready?” Michael asked as I stepped over to the door and hurried alongside Dr. Black. I rushed to get away before Michael could say anything else to embarrass me in front of Dr. Black.

  “You listen to what Dr. Black tells you,” he said. Too late, I thought, rolling my eyes.

  “Michael,” I said, blushing and wanting to bury my face in the book bag I was carrying on my shoulder. He then proceeded to hand me a school lunch.

  He said, “Remember: don’t forget the lesson plan.” I stared up at him and rolled my eyes a bit.

  I grabbed the lunch bag from his extended hand and hurried out the door with Dr. Black walking beside me. Michael waved at both of us, but only Dr. Black turned to wave back. Dr. Black came alongside me as I stag
gered along, bummed out at how Michael had embarrassed me.

  “Sorry you had to hear that,” I mumbled, trying to sound very grown up.

  “It’s only because he loves you,” Dr. Black politely said with a tender smile on his handsome face. God, could this get any more embarrassing?

  “I guess so,” I answered him. But I guess I was just embarrassed.

  Dr. Black opened the door to his car for me, and I climbed in as he walked around the other end and climbed into the driver’s side. As he got in I noticed how compact the car was, and although Dr. Black was slightly taller, it seemed he could still fit quite well in the front seat of the vehicle without a problem. As he settled in, he looked over at me with a slight grin on his face; he turned on the engine, putting the car into gear, and we sped off from the side of the curve.

  21

  Dr. John Black

  I had just finished putting on my red tie. She liked red, I thought. The phone rang, and it was Michael. I wasn’t surprised; after last night I expected his call. He had mentioned something about having to call a plumber to come over, but what I didn’t expect was for him to ask me a favor.

  I stepped out of the bathroom after putting on some cologne, picking up the cell phone from off the side table of the bed.

  “John Black,” I answered, walking across the bedroom and grabbing my black suit jacket from the closet hanger and heading out of the room.

  “John, it’s Michael. I hope you haven’t left. I wanted to ask you for a favor.” I almost felt a laugh leaving my lips, but I only grinned.

  “As a matter of fact, I was about to leave. What can I do for you Michael?” I merely asked.

  “I hope it’s no trouble at all, but could you possibly pick up Claudia? God, I hate to ask, but I’m having the plumber come in this morning.”

  I smiled; of course I would pick her up. I’d been waiting for the call.

  “Michael, it’s no trouble at all. I’m glad you called. I can stop by in a few minutes. I’m on my way out.”

  “Are you sure it's no trouble?” Michael again asked, and my grin didn’t change. It was the opposite of a problem.

  “Michael, don't be ridiculous after what we’ve been through. I’m leaving now and will be there shortly,” I said as I walked down into the kitchen, grabbing a protein shake. I then walked out the backdoor and stepped in front of my Shelby.

  “By the way, I’ll be in late today,” Michael again said. I opened the door to my car and climbed in, dropping the protein shake on the passenger seat and hanging my suit coat on the back of the car seat.

  “I don't mind if you have to take the day off; that's perfectly fine,” I said, grinning as I turned on the car. “Especially considering the circumstances.” I pulled the car into gear and opened the garage door.

  “I just didn’t expect this plumbing issue,” Michael said with a sigh.

  “Michael,” I said. “Don’t worry. I'm in the car now. I’ll be there shortly.” I was waiting for him to hang up before I could leave. I didn’t like driving with the phone in my ear.

  “Thanks John,” he finally said, but really I was thinking, no thank you.

  “You’re very welcome,” I said as he finally hung up, and I sped out of the driveway and towards my destination. I managed to drain the protein shake before I arrived there, arriving fairly quickly. I would say that when I came to the door Michael looked surprised to see me.

  “That was fast,” was his only remark as he allowed me into the house.

  “Yeah, well I'm not far, and I didn't want to be late,” I replied, looking around for Claudia.

  “Claudia’s upstairs finishing up; she should be down in a few seconds.”

  I nodded, smiling with a folded lip. “Not a problem,” I said, and he made a motion that he’d just recalled something, and then he headed towards the kitchen, and I noticed him return with a bagged lunch in his hand. At first I thought it was for me, and I had to stifle a smirk. But then I realized it was for Claudia. He was such a devoted guardian to her.

  “Just in case,” he uttered, noticing the look on my face. “Are you sure it’s not a problem?” He asked again, regarding me being there to pick up Claudia.

  “Michael, relax,” I said, patiently waiting for the lady of the hour. I was still holding the keys to my car in one hand and playing with loose change in my pocket with the other.

  Just then Claudia appeared at the top of the stairs. I saw her only when she began to descend the steps with her school bag. She blushed right away when she saw me, and then she lowered her brown eyes.

  There was that aura again in the air. Like I was seeing her for the first time again. It could only again be described as a connection between us I couldn’t pin point, a link that was as disturbing as the link I felt with Project X. Disturbing because I couldn’t understand my connection with Project X.

  I took a deep breath; gripping the keys so hard I hurt my hand.

  “Good morning Miss Belle,” I said, feeling my heart beating hard within my chest. She blushed yet again and lowered her eyes just as she had when she was coming down the steps.

  “Good morning Dr. Black,” she replied in a soft whisper.

  “Are you ready?” Michael asked her as she stepped over to the door and hurried alongside me. She seemed to want to get out quickly; perhaps she was trying to avoid Michael. She looked embarrassed and couldn’t be bothered by the poor man. I felt for him in that moment, but he was treating her like a child much younger than her actual age. And I think it was beginning to get to her. But who could blame him? He worried about her, and he felt bonded to protect her over a promise he had made to a long-time friend.

  “You listen to what Dr. Black tells you,” Michael then said. I thought the comment was very unnecessary.

  Claudia rolled her eyes and said, “Michael.” She stared up at him like she was asking if he was serious.

  Michael didn’t stop there, of course; he simply then handed her a school lunch and said, “Remember, don’t forget the lesson plan.”

  Claudia merely stared up at him with a serious look on her face, but Michael just smiled, oblivious of what was bothering her. Claudia grabbed the lunch bag from his extended hand and hurried out the door as I hurried to follow alongside her. Michael waved at both of us, but only I turned back to wave at him. Claudia refused to look back.

  I came alongside her as she walked beside me with her head hung low.

  “Sorry you had to hear that,” she mumbled, trying to sound casual.

  “It’s only because he loves you,” I politely said with a smile on my face. But I think that made her more embarrassed.

  “I guess so,” she answered. Perhaps nothing I said could ease the embarrassment.

  I opened the door to my Shelby for her, and she climbed in as I walked around the other end. I got in, watching as she looked around again. This was the second time she was in my car. As I climbed in I looked over at her; if she trusted me, would she believe that I wanted to protect her? If I told her who I really was?

  She stared back at me, her eyes blinking innocently with their dark brown swirls, and that long mane of hers was flowing and draping the sides of her bronzed golden skin. I could think of nothing else as I stared at her.

  I smiled at her, turning on the vehicle and putting the car into gear. We sped off together towards school.

  During our drive in the car Claudia again said, “Sorry about Michael; he sometimes can get so fatherly.”

  “Well, he cares about you a lot,” I softly offered, stopping at a red light. I put the car into first gear and then released the clutch with my foot on the brake, keeping the car on neutral. The light took a little longer than usual to change.

  “I guess so,” Claudia said bashfully.

  “Thank you for picking me up Dr. Black,” Claudia then again said with a thrill in her voice. I of course was more than happy to do so.

  “It was my pleasure Miss Belle,” I said. The light finally turned green, and we sped
off once again.

  Claudia sat very quietly and then started digging into her school bag. I gazed over at her from the driver’s seat, trying to see what she was digging out of her school bag, switching lanes as we turned onto Broadway. We were now fairly close to Milton.

  I looked over at Claudia, catching sight of the CD I had lent her. “Thanks for letting me borrow your CD,” she politely said, holding it in her hand.

  “Oh, you’re done?” I asked, looking over at her and then back at the road.

  “Yeah, I copied the songs onto my computer. I hope that's okay?” Claudia very shyly asked.

  “Sure,” I said with a slight grin on my face.

  “Can I?” She asked, referring to putting the CD into the player.

  “Go ahead,” I again said, and Claudia popped in the CD.

  The music began to play Love’s Twisted Trap. It was one of my favorite songs, and it was very appropriate for us, I thought. I was offering my soul to her, and the song sang, “Do you wanna feel—Do you wanna feel—Do you wanna feel—Do you wanna steal my soul?”

  * * *

  “I love their music,” Claudia said.

  “I'm glad you do,” I said as I turned into a McDonald’s parking lot; she curiously sat up, noticing us driving into the parking lot.

  “What are we doing?” Claudia asked.

  “I thought I would get some breakfast for us,” I said while pulling up to the drive-thru.

  Her curious eyes turned into a smile. “Oh, okay, but maybe I should pay for this one since you bought last time,” she suddenly said, and I wanted to laugh. She was such a nice girl, but what kind of man would John be if he let a woman pay? I had never done that, and I wasn’t about to start. It was who I was, what defined me. I was a man who took care of the women in his company, no matter what. Sure, this wasn’t a date, but did that really make a difference?

  “Don't be ridiculous,” I said with a slight frown. I was almost slightly insulted, but of course she was young and knew nothing of what kind of man I was.