by Kallysten
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The kiss only lasted for a second, just long enough for Daisy to take a sip of wine. Alicia’s eyes remained closed when Woods pulled away. She wavered for an instant before he gently took her elbow and guided her into the iron chair just a foot behind her. He placed the other chair across from her and sat, forearms resting on his thighs as he leaned intently toward her, watching her for a few seconds. He then closed his eyes too and bowed his head as though in prayer.
“Did they start?” Lydia asked, her voice very quiet just behind Daisy.
Daisy didn’t take her eyes off Alicia and Woods, answering with a nod.
Lydia touched her arm. “Come on, let’s leave them to it.”
With reluctance, Daisy followed her back to the dining room where her friends were gathered around the table.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Mike asked. “About the kissing part?”
Daisy couldn’t quite tell if he was amused or annoyed. He had always been good at hiding behind masks. She shrugged.
“I knew. I didn’t think it’d stop anyone who truly wanted to do this.”
She let her questioning eyes glance around the group. They seemed to have settled down since the initial revelation.
“It’s just a kiss,” Rachel said. “We’re all adults here.”
Her words would have carried more weight if she had not blushed as she finished. Joan patted her back. They had been best friends since high school, and while Joan was the most daring of the two of them, Rachel was always at her side whenever they did something.
“Just a kiss? Easy for you to say!” Brett shook his head as he filled his glass, then two more when they were extended toward him. “He’s a guy. I don’t kiss guys!”
“Could be worse,” Jack said, tongue in cheek, and waited for Brett to look at him questioningly before he finished. “He could have been ugly.”
They all laughed at that, even Brett, who raised his glass to Jack before taking a long drink. “Even so, I think I’ll need a few more drinks if I’m going to do this.”
“What about you? Will you do it?” Lydia asked, looking at her boyfriend with some surprise. Jack only shrugged.
Across from them, Mike was teasing Brett, asking with the deepest serious if he wanted some practice before he stepped on that balcony. Brett groaned and covered his face with his free hand, causing the people around them to laugh. They all knew Mike was gay; he had come out to them three years earlier during a party very much like this one. The first person he had ever told, however, had been his childhood friend Brett. If that revelation had cost him Brett’s friendship, he had once confided to Daisy after a few too many drinks, he’d never have found the courage to tell anyone else.
Daisy surveyed the table as her friends continued to chat, now divided into two groups. In a moment, she would pull more food from the fridge, and maybe another bottle or two. For now, though…
She left her empty glass on the table and returned to the living room, unable to stop herself. As she stood in front of the French doors, looking out onto the balcony, she couldn’t help but wonder what Alicia was seeing. She and Woods hadn’t moved since Daisy had left them there. In the pool of light cast by the living room chandelier, however, she could see tear tracks on Alicia’s cheeks. Something tightened in her stomach, and her hand came to rest on the door handle before she knew what she was doing. She stopped when Alicia’s lips curled into a faint smile. With some difficulty, she let go of the handle. What was Alicia seeing, she wondered, that could make her both cry and smile? She doubted she’d ever find the courage to ask her friend.
She watched for a moment longer, as still as they were. Finally, Woods sat up, then stood, returning to his place against the railing with his back to Daisy. Seconds later, Alicia’s eyes opened and she took a deep breath. She remained sitting a few more seconds, then stood and briefly touched Woods’ shoulder. He turned his face to her, and nodded, smiling, when she said a few words to him. She was thanking him, Daisy supposed. Things must have gone well, then. She let out a relieved breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Turning back to the house, Alicia took a few hesitant steps toward it. Daisy opened the window for her. Alicia thanked her with a smile as she walked back in, pausing for a second to rest her trembling hand on the doorjamb as though to stabilize herself.
“Are you all right?” Daisy asked.
Alicia nodded. “Fine.” The word came out as a croak. “But I could use a drink.”
Daisy walked ahead, pouring two glasses of the white wine. When she turned, Alicia was there, her hand already reaching for one of the glasses.
“How was it?” Joan asked, sliding closer to Alicia. “What did you see?”
The others had stopped talking and turned to Alicia, their faces showing various degrees of curiosity.
Having no desire to hear this, Daisy took the second glass out onto the balcony. Woods was still against the railing, looking out at the ocean as she had earlier. The sun had fully set, but the very edge of the horizon was still glowing, like the embers of a fire only waiting to be reawakened. She stood by his side and offered him the glass. He took it with a grateful nod. Like Alicia’s, his hand was shaking a little when he brought the glass to his lips.
Clutching the railway with both hands, Daisy observed him with a critical eye. The rough wood pressed into her palms when she tightened her grip. She had never seen him do his little trick before, and she had just realized something. Her lips twisted in a grimace.
“You didn’t tell them everything,” she said, almost accusing.
Woods seemed startled by her words. He blinked as he looked at her. “What?”
“You didn’t tell them you see everything they do.”
His awkward smile assured her she was right. “I’m just trying to spare them embarrassment.”
She snorted. “You’re too kind.”
“Not really. I’m sparing myself the embarrassment, too.”
She tried not to let her eyes stray down to the bulging reason why Woods was facing away. “Right. And next you’re going to tell me you don’t enjoy what you see.”
He actually blushed at that, and took a sip of wine rather than answering.
“I knew it!” She shook a finger at him. “Pervert!”
Still looking embarrassed, he grinned. “Honestly, I like it much better when it stays PG. But whatever I see, it’s just… nice to know things work out for so many people in the end.”
Her curiosity piqued by his tone, Daisy peered at him more closely. As he continued to take slow sips from his glass, the grin faded, replaced by wistfulness. Her disbelief that he might like innocent visions more than explicit ones was shaken, and rather than mock him she said, “I guess I hadn’t thought about it that way. So… your visions… they always end well?”
“To this day.” He knocked twice on the wooden railway, the sound clear and sharp in the night.
“How many people did you… show their future to?”
“I’ve lost count. Too many, probably.”
The comment surprised Daisy, but before she could say anything, Woods looked at her sideways.
“Are you next?”
“You wish. Let me go get your next victim.”
She reached for his empty glass. He didn’t let go. “But you will let me show you?”
As she forced herself to meet his eyes, Daisy could only hope that she didn’t look as scared as she had suddenly felt. “You mean, will I let you inside my life?” she said, pushing a sardonic smile to her lips. “Why would I let you see what I think I shouldn’t see?”
He finally let go of the glass and turned back to the ocean. “Think about it, Daisy. It could change your life.”
Even though she wouldn’t admit it, at least not to him, she had thought about it. From the first time her sister had told her, beaming, that a seer had shown her a vision of her future husband to the moment she had met Woods at the wedding, she had wondered what it would be lik
e to get a glimpse of her own future. She didn’t let herself wonder anymore.
“Giving you a hard on would change my life?” she said, her voice turning more teasing than she wanted. “Don’t flatter yourself. And try to calm down before I send you the next one. They were spooked enough by the kissing part. They don’t need to know you’re getting off on it.”
He was chuckling when she left. In spite of herself, Daisy smiled.
To be continued in: Second Vision of Destiny - Lydia
About the Author:
Kallysten’s most exciting accomplishment to date was to cross a few thousand miles and an ocean to pursue (and catch!) the love of her life. She has been writing for fifteen years, and always enjoyed sharing her stories and listening to the readers' reactions. After playing with science fiction, short stories and poetry, she is now trying her hand, heart and words at paranormal romance novels.
To see her other stories, including free short stories and sample chapters, visit http://original.kallysten.net
Also available from Kallysten:
On The Edge
Brett Andrews thought he had it all.
His new club, On The Edge, catering to vampires and humans, is a smashing success, and the beautiful vampire Lisa is everything he could have dreamed of.
When an old lover of hers, Leo, shows up at the club, Brett's immediate fear is that he will lose Lisa. But if he just stops thinking long enough to follow Lisa's lead, he might gain a lover instead of losing one.
Forever Starts Now
After receiving pictures that prove her fiancé’s infidelity, Claire breaks her engagement to Jonas and throws him out of her house. As a Special Enforcer, Jonas’ job is to hunt vampires who kill humans, but while she packs his belongings, Claire discovers he might be killing innocent vampires as well. Needing to know more about vampires before she decides whether to turn Jonas in, she visits a club where vampires and humans come in close contact, On The Edge.
There, she meets the attractive and mysterious vampire Matthew. She observes him from afar for a few nights, and when he finally comes to talk to her, it is to scare her and ensure that she will not return to a place he considers dangerous for her--a view he unexpectedly shares with Jonas.
Claire does return, however, and discovers more about Matthew’s past than he wanted her to know. She also discovers he is attracted to her, just as much as she is to him. Their first night together is passionate, but, with the intervention of Matthew’s Sire, it ends in blood…
Carte Blanche
When a lobbyist opposed to vampires’ rights is found drained of her blood, Special Enforcer Grace Alkins investigates the woman’s connection to a local BDSM club and its vampire customers. It has been a long time since Grace played on this particular scene, but old habits return easily when she puts on the attire of Mistress Red.
On her first undercover visit at the club, however, she finds herself tricked into playing a scene with Ray, a submissive whose Master left town abruptly. The Dominant in her enjoys the opportunity – while the Special Enforcer is shocked to realize Ray is a vampire, and possibly a suspect for the murder she investigates.
Will Grace manage to keep a cool head and find the killer when every new meeting with Ray cranks up the heat a little more?