by C Zinnia
The Sun and Moon Series
Book 1: Passion Sought
By C Zinnia
Original Copyright for (The Sun and Moon Series: Passion Unleashed) ©2014 by Chesten Ponte
Copyright ©2019 by C Zinnia
All rights reserved.
Special thanks to Lois for helping me with editing the original version. You were a wise woman I had the privilege and honor to know and work with. You always encouraged my writing and celebrated my work even when it was at its most basic. I would have given up writing as a child if it wasn’t for you. You’re also the best grandma ever! You will always be in my heart!
Special thanks to Jonathan for giving me the idea of re-writing the series. If it wasn’t for you, I’m not sure I would have had the heart to work on this series again.
My sincerest apologies to my readers who read (and, perhaps, enjoyed) the previous version of this story. It was never my intention to change the story so dramatically (or to break it up the way I did), but if I hadn’t, these books never would have been completed. I decided to wait until I completed the series in its entirety before publishing to discourage any potential worries that I would change the series again. I hope you can all find it in your hearts to forgive me. Thank you for your compassion and understanding.
This is dedicated to anyone who has fallen in love deeply with a person and realized they were the wrong person for you. You are not alone. Many of us have been there. Trust me when I say, the best thing (and hardest thing) to do it walk away. You will thank yourself for it (after you go through your grief stages of course). I believe you will find the right person for you who will treat you the way you deserve. You deserve love and respect.
Chapter 1
“Oh my God!” Her car swerved as Mel slammed on her brakes and turned the steering wheel. The tires of her car unforgivingly tore up the grass on the shoulder of the road as it swerved.
“Stop! Stop! Stop!” Mel begged her car, praying it didn’t end up in the ditch as Mel turned the steering wheel again.
The world around her seemed to shift and time slowed. It felt like her energy pushed against the car in front of her. She could feel the vibration from the metal of the car in front of her as though it was rubbing against her skin. She felt her energy rebound from the car in front and collided with her car. Her energy utilized the force of the rebound to slow her car down.
Her tires cautiously moved back to the pavement as her car came to a complete stop.
Mel’s car almost touched the Hummer in front of her. The Hummer that caused her near accident. She thanked God that her brakes worked. She had immediately forgotten she had used her energy to prevent a wreck.
Gratitude was instantly replaced with fury.
“What in the world is going on up there?” Mel said angrily. She was gripping the steering wheel tightly as her heart pounded in her throat. “Are they trying to kill me?”
Since Mel had gotten on 40-West toward Ferrum, Virginia, the Hummer had been in front of her. The Hummer had moved awkwardly from the beginning, swaying from side-to-side in its lane. Mel could see hands and heads angrily jerking in the front seat from the Hummer’s side mirrors. She could feel the heat of the couples’ explosive argument, like the sun beaming on her face. And that was with Mel making a valiant effort not to sense the couple in front of her.
Just moments ago, the Hummer had jerked into the other lane, swerved back into its lane to dodge oncoming traffic, and then came to a sudden brutal halt. The Hummer’s tires had screeched like a banshee when it braked. Mel could still smell the burnt rubber. The Hummer’s carelessness was what had caused Mel’s near accident.
Thank God the car behind me also has well-functioning brakes, Mel thought. She had heard screeching tires behind her and had been convinced her vacation was over before it had begun. Mel could see in her rearview mirror the driver wildly trying to peer around her car as he mouthed his feelings on the matter.
“My thoughts exactly,” Mel said.
Mel nearly burst into tears from frustration. Her nerves were already frayed from all of the drama from the past month. She couldn’t handle much more “excitement.” Mel took a deep breath to calm herself and pushed her tears back. She had never been a crier and she wasn’t about to start now due to the inconsiderate couple in front of her.
Mel nervously bit her lip as the Hummer remained stationary. The couple continued to argue, unaware of anyone around. It was a two-lane road with double solid yellow lines, so Mel couldn’t go around the car. She also didn’t want to honk and have their anger directed at her. Mel wasn’t sure if they had guns in their car. From the looks of it, they were capable of acting irrational and dangerous.
The Hummer roared as it shot forward.
Mel sighed with relief. Hopefully, the couples’ recklessness is over, she thought. Even with her wishful thinking, Mel highly doubted it. They appeared to still be arguing. Part of her was curious as to what was so important to argue about that at least one of them was willing to die over the matter. The other part of Mel figured it was a dumb argument she didn’t want to know about. Mel was already jaded regarding relationships because of all of the relationships she had witnessed fall apart throughout her life, including her parents’ marriage.
She slowly moved forward, trying to keep a distance from the Hummer in case there was another incident.
If this had happened at the beginning of her journey, Mel would have taken it as an obvious sign that she shouldn’t go to Ferrum. She would have immediately gone back home. Mel was already four hours in on her trip, so she wasn’t willing to turn around now. As it was, she hoped the Hummer was just a coincidence and not a sign.
“Mel, sometimes shit happens and it’s not a sign. Be careful not to always read so much into things,” her sister, Janna, had once said. Mel begrudgingly agreed with her. Mel looked for signs too often and it sometimes led to her never doing anything.
Not this time, Mel thought.
Her drive from Arlington, Virginia had been smooth and filled with the beautiful landscape of the Appalachian, including the Blue Ridge Mountains. Mel was grateful she made this journey at the beginning of fall because of the natural beauty surrounding her. The shades of green that normally covered the deciduous trees across the mountains were slowly converting to yellows, reds, and oranges. It created a stunning patchwork effect. It was hard to believe that outside of the pollution, metal, and concrete were places like this. She knew her drive home would be even better because the autumn colors would be more pronounced.
Mel had never been away from the city before. Her curiosity of the country was peaked when she took an environmental class for her biology degree. Her heart had been longing to be in the midst of nature. Mel tried to deny the feeling and she was stuck feeling trapped for the last six months of her undergrad. She had worked all spring, saving money and biding her time to take this trip at the beginning of the summer.
Instead, Mel continued working through the summer to continue to save money for the trip. More like stalled, she thought. Before Mel knew it, half of the summer was over and she hadn’t booked her trip.
And then Dad died, she thought. Tears filled Mel’s eyes for a brief moment before her stoicism took over. She pushed her sadness away.
Mel didn’t regret her procrastination. She couldn’t have picked a better time to make this trip due to the beautiful colors. Even the air seemed potent with change.
Mel was amazed by how much open land and rolling hills there were in Virginia as she drove down I-81 South. The number of forests she saw during her drive stunned her. She had never seen so many trees in her life, even when she took her environmental classes in college. Roanoke was the only city she had seen on her whole trip.
By the ti
me she reached Rocky Mount, Mel was humbled by the vastness of the land, especially the towering mountains. It appeared as though the mountains enclosed Rocky Mount like a well-kept secret. There were a couple of signs she had noticed. All of the signs had a banjo and said “the crooked road Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail.” There was also a large building she had passed earlier called “The Harvester” with concert posters plastered on its large windows. She guessed the area was known for country music.
I’ll have to check it out later. Maybe they’ll have a concert while I’m here, she thought.
Mel passed a small convenient store called “Quick Stop.” She glanced at her hand-written directions. Normally, she would use GPS, but she wasn’t confident about technology working in this area.
Mel glanced at her cell phone and saw a weak signal. She didn’t mind the thought of not having a cell phone. There would be fewer distractions for her. Mel’s gut told her something grand was going to occur. She didn’t know what it was, but she prayed it was for the best.
She passed a little white building with a parking lot overflowing with cars. A modest sign announced it was “Bowling’s Hotdog Stand.” Her stomach growled loudly. Mel hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and it was almost five. She wasn’t brave enough to go into Bowling’s Hotdog Stand alone. She would ask the owners of the Countryside B&B about it first.
The Hummer was still in front of her. It started swaying again. She prayed the vehicle turned onto another road soon.
Mel reached a long strip of road with rolling hills on both sides. She smiled as she saw cows standing and lounging in the fields. On this trip, she encountered more livestock and farm lands than she ever had her whole lifetime.
Mel had heard about Ferrum through a friend of a friend. The person had gone to Ferrum College. Mel’s friend visited the area and went on and on about how beautiful the landscape was. Mel was hoping such beauty would inspire her.
And help you heal, Mel thought. She quickly pushed the thought away. She didn’t want to think about healing because she didn’t want to address what she needed to heal from.
As soon as her friend had mentioned Ferrum, Mel’s digestive tract had come alive. Her intuition told her there was something in Ferrum she needed to experience. Even with her gut feelings, Mel kept delaying her trip. Mel knew this trip would lead to a gigantic change in her life somehow and she wasn’t ready for change.
Only two weeks ago, Mel finally got the nerve to actually book the trip. It took her father passing away to motivate her to go to Ferrum. It had fueled Mel’s need to get away. She had spent all night finding the right place that called to her. As soon as she found the Countryside B&B, she booked her stay before she even realized it. She wasn’t aware of how far the Countryside B&B was in the country.
“It does say it in the name, Mel,” she told herself. “That’s why the name isn’t Townside B&B or Cityside B&B, right?”
The Hummer swerved violently as its tires squealed. It stopped again.
This time Mel was prepared for it, so it wasn’t as traumatic. She didn’t have to brake as hard, but it was still abrupt enough that she heard her luggage and equipment in the back seat move.
“What is wrong with these people?” she said sharply.
The car behind her honked.
The Hummer sped off again.
Mel pulled into Ferrum Minute Market, disgusted with the Hummer couple’s inconsideration towards others. She figured she’d wait a while for those people to get off the road. Mel wanted to make it to the Countryside B&B in one piece. She decided to take advantage of the opportunity by getting gas. She pulled up by the gas pump. She got out of the car and stretched. Her legs felt tight and stiff from sitting for so long. She filled up her gas tank.
A slight breeze gave repieve from the warm weather. The air promised that soon enough the crisp air of fall would arrive. She shivered. Her jacket was packed away and she didn’t feel like rummaging through her bag to pull it out. With her luck, her underwear would fall out of her bag and everyone would see them.
As soon as I put my jacket on, it’ll be warm again, she thought.
Mel went inside of the market and grabbed a couple of snacks. The person who rang her up was polite. Mel took it as a good sign. Everyone wasn’t like the inconsiderate Hummer couple.
Mel munched on her salt and vinegar chips as she walked outside. Even through the car fumes, she could smell the foliage. She felt like every breath she took filled her lungs with oxygen in a way back home never had.
The thought of home caused her gut to tighten. She wasn’t just here for a vacation. Even prior to her father’s passing, Mel had been restless and unhappy with where things were going. The only reason for Mel’s discomfort was her inability to be honest with herself. She knew when she went back home, there were a lot of things she would have to come to terms with. Mel wasn’t sure if she could handle being honest with herself.
You mean “if” you go back home, Mel thought. She huffed. “Don’t start that again,” she murmured to herself. Living anywhere but the city seemed unrealistic.
Mel figured the Hummer was a safe distance away by now. She got in the car and slowly started back on the road. She was in no hurry to catch up with them. Something told Mel she was going to see the Hummer couple again, but she ignored it. She didn’t want to be right about that one.
Mel maneuvered through a few roads before getting onto Ingramville Road. She drove for a couple of miles. Mel was in awe of the land. She was completely surrounded by trees and nature. It was overwhelming and humbling. She couldn’t believe people lived out here. Everyone lived so far apart and she had yet to see a large grocery or department store.
Mel saw a large mailbox with a bold sign that said “Countryside B&B” underneath it. The mailbox had birds like Northern Cardinals and Eastern Bluebirds painted on it. An arrow on the sign pointed towards a long gravel road. This is it, Mel thought. Her pulse increased from excitement.
She turned onto the gravel road. Her car bounced as rocks ricocheted off the bottom of the car. Dirt kicked up to form a cloud of dust that trailed after her. She was going to have to wash her car when she got back home.
Mel passed through a line of trees. She paused.
Looking through her rearview mirror, she could hardly see the main road. The trees made it so the house was hidden from passers-by.
Mel caught sight of her reflection. For a moment, she focused on her blue-grey eyes that appeared large against her pale skin. Her course thick honey hair was tied back in a messy bun. She had a strong nose and bow lips. She had been called pretty, but she couldn’t see it. To her, her features just weren’t enough. She noted the bluish/purple coloration under her eyes from her sleepless nights. And from not crying, her mind said.
“Be kind to yourself,” Mel said to her reflection. “You are beautiful and worthy of love. You just need to believe it.” She looked away from her reflection to admire the house before her.
The Countryside B&B was a beautiful brick three-story home with large windows. There were delicate white curtains in each window. The door was wooden with a simple screen door in front of it, which added to its elegance. There was a large porch with an inviting porch swing. There were solar panels on the roof, melding old and new together.
Mel cursed under her breath, annoyed. The Hummer was here. Parked and emptied. Damn those gut feelings, she thought. Why couldn’t those instincts help me with something more beneficial like winning the lottery?
If those people owned this place, Mel was leaving. She was already upset with her intuition for bringing her to a place with those toxic kinds of people in the environment. Why would my instincts lead me astray like this? she thought. She didn’t need hostile people in her life. Mel needed good, positive, and optimistic people around her, especially when she was trying to alter her life for the better. She almost backed out of the driveway then and there, but something told her to stay. Mel needed to give this place a chance.
“Is that my clairvoyance rearing its unwelcomed head again?” Mel asked herself. She already knew it was. Sometimes having a sixth sense was aggravating. She would learn enough to get an inkling, but not enough to know what was going to happen. Even with the Hummer couple in the picture, she knew this trip was good for her, but she didn’t know how. Mel knew better than to ignore her instincts. It would only come back to bite her in the butt.
Mel glanced around. “What the-” She blinked and rubbed her eyes. She could have sworn she had seen someone running through the woods, but the person moved too fast. No person could run at that speed. It was probably an animal. Mel focused on sensing whatever it was in the direction it had run, but it was too far away for her to sense. “Did I just imagine it? Or was it just too quick for me to sense?” she said. She had a hard time believing it had moved so quickly out of her range. “I must have imagined it. I obviously need to get some sleep. All of this driving after work has gotten to me.” She had worked a shift in the morning before leaving. She suddenly wondered if that had been the best idea.
Mel started driving again and pulled into the gravel parking lot beside the Hummer. There were two cars and a van on the other side that she hadn’t noticed before.
She turned off the car with a sigh. She hoped this was a good decision. She needed inspiration to get her creativity flowing. She had done the good daughter bit. She got a degree. Now was Mel’s time to focus solely on what she truly enjoyed even if it was for only two weeks. The one thing standing between her and her goals for this vacation was herself. She had a mental block on top of her grief. She didn’t know what was causing the block, but she knew she needed it to quickly go away before her vacation ended.
She got out of the car and took a deep breath. The smell of the woods was pleasant. She took another deep breath. Fresh air, she thought. I like it . She opened the door to the backseat.
A presence was suddenly behind Mel, catching her off guard. At the same time, the person asked; “Need a hand?” Startled, she jumped and clumsily turned around. She hadn’t realized how close the person was.