“I thought you were gonna stay out o’ my head,” he stated dejectedly.
“I don’t need to read your mind to know what you are thinking,” her laughter tinkled lightly. “I know you’re upset. Dante told me.”
“Yeah, like you weren’t watchin’ the whole thing,” he polished off the beverage and disposed of the cup with a flick of his wrist.
“Oh, baby,” she sighed. “Don’t be angry. Phil’s done an excellent job of taking care of Bethany. He will be a good mate for her. Did you really think she would remain alone forever?”
“No,” he sighed. “But I wouldn’a chosen him, either.”
Her gaze fixed on the location she had indicated in the cluster of stars, she exhaled loudly. “Charlie, listen to me. Phil serves his purpose, but he doesn’t have the stomach for what lays ahead of us. It’s better that he be used on such tasks; like seeing to your mother. I know that she’s important to you. That’s why I have provided for her.”
“What about Tabs?” he bit angrily. “Were you providing for her, too?”
Cutting her eyes over at him, Karma’s jaw grew tight. “I have a good deal of patience,” she informed him, “and you are wearing it thin.”
“Oh yeah?” he gave a surly reply, “Then why don’ you jus’ tell me what’s goin’ on an’ stop with all the cloak an’ dagger business?” Meeting her gaze with an furious glare, he demanded, “Haven’ I been a good servant? Always done what you asked? When do I get some real trust around here?”
Her eyes narrowed, their usual mahogany growing lighter. “I’m not sure you’re ready.”
“Oh, I’m ready,” he half grinned, his voice taunting her. “You want me on your side so damn bad, you better do some explaining,” he threatened.
Taken aback by his boldness, her mouth fell open and formed a small oh before she replied, “Don’t get cocky, Charlie. You are indeed a great asset, but you have much to learn before we’re ready to make our move.”
“Now you’re talkin’,” he grinned in earnest. “You said I had passed my final test, I thought that meant I was like graduated or somethin’,” he teased.
“No, hun,” she still appeared tense. “You were ready to begin taking assignments, but there is still much for you to learn. You must be much stronger and in control before…” her voice trailed away.
“Before,” he rolled his finger in the air, indicating for her to continue. “Don’ leave me hangin’,” he cajoled, a true feeling of serenity settling over him. “Karma, I chose to stay here. T’ be your minion an’ do your bidding. You can tell me the truth.”
“The truth is an ugly thing, Charlie,” she straightened her small frame and stepped back. Turning to the atrium, she glided away from him, “I’m not sure you can handle the truth; at least not yet.”
Following her to the new set of windows, he could feel his anger rising once more. “You’re a real bitch,” he shouted at her back. Unable to stop himself, he sent a wave of energy slamming into her, knocking her forward a step before she spun around to face him.
Her eyes bright green, her features appeared contorted in a mixture of pain and rage. “You dare attack me?” she shrieked.
Horror shot through him, the realization of his existence slapping him firmly. “I didn’ mean it like that,” he stammered, dropping to his knees before her. “I jus’ want you t’ trust me,” he begged.
Moving to stand before him, her eyes danced with green flames of rage. “Trust you,” she hissed, her fingers trembling as she reached for him. Her digits digging through his hair, she found his scalp and instantly transported him to the darkness of her quarters.
Kings and Kingdoms
Charlie remained on the floor, her hands pressing against his skull. Breathing in deep, heavy pants, he opened himself to her. Fear gripped his chest and his heart pounded, sending loud pulses of blood through his ears. “Karma,” he whispered.
“Shh,” she instructed, adjusting her grip on him. Scouring his thoughts, she riffled through everything, even more deeply than she had done a few weeks ago when he had opened himself to her. Finally satisfied, she closed his mind and stepped away. “You are quite taken with Clarisse. I had hoped that having her would satiate your desire, and you would grow bored with her.”
Blinking up at her drawn features, Charlie swallowed hard, causing his Adam’s apple to move up and down beneath his taught flesh. “I love her,” he finally stated, unable to elaborate beyond that simple explanation.
“Yes, you are deeply connected to her. I see now that it is useless to think you will ever willingly let her go,” she stated quietly, turning her back on him. Telepathically igniting the candles, she bathed the room in a soft glow.
“Please don’t take her from me,” he begged in a hoarse whisper. “I’ll do anything… whatever you want.”
“I know that you will.” One by one, she opened seven of the sets of curtains that protected her viewing screens. “I’ve never told you about my windows,” her voice shifted, picking up a lighter tone. Glancing at him over her shoulder, she stated crisply, “Get off your knees, Charlie. Join me, and let us discuss kings and kingdoms in earnest.”
“Kings an’ kingdoms,” he repeated as he got to his feet.
“Yes, the rulers of vast empires,” she indicated a scene flashing before them on the first monitor.
Watching the dirty, fur covered lot, he observed, “I don’ think this is modern.”
“It isn’t,” she agreed. “This is how this world looked when we first came here.”
Inhaling deeply, his chest rose and fell in a heavy sigh. “Thousands of years ago,” he stated flatly.
“Yes, several millennia. We were a group of travelers and settled here to watch them grow. In time, Keeper and I took on the role of guardians.” Taking a step to her right, she indicated the next screen, and he followed, watching a horse drawn carriage rolling over what hardly qualified as a road. A group of marauders rode into the scene, attacking the entourage. “Eventually, we created our children and set the magical plane as a firm division between their world and ours. Dividing this place that we might share it without discovery.”
Charlie stiffened, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling him. “I still don’ understand why you would care about us,” he admitted.
“You don’t have to understand. All you have to do is believe,” she turned to the next wall, where the third device displaying bodies strewn along cobble-stone streets. “When we were discovered, I purged the knowledge from the earth, setting things right again.”
His jaw clenched, his pulse thumped in his neck, but he remained silent. On the fourth viewer, battles raged, and he could see men fighting against one another, over and over. Pursing his lips, he turned the next corner to find that time had moved forward, with their weapons and clothing changed, but the blood and death remained.
On the sixth window, an angry mob appeared before him, and he watched a flag being burned. “This is recent,” he nodded at the demonstrators, certain the gun-wielding figures were inhabitants of the middle east. “Like, very close t’ today.”
“Yes, this only a few decades ago. And things have grown more violent since,” she said softly. “These men have grand ambitions and desire to have this entire planet under their boots. They are but the latest to harbor such desires, with ideas that would destroy this world if allowed to fester.”
His palms sweaty, Charlie rubbed his fingers across them anxiously. “What are you gonna do about them?” he whispered.
“I’ve already done it,” she replied. “Things are in motion and all that is left is to prepare.” She turned away, leaving him to stand alone before the mayhem. Moving to one of the sofas, she sank down onto the fluffy cushion. Stretching out upon it, she looked up at the ceiling above her. Watching the light of the candles flicker, she sighed, “I’ve grown tired, Charlie. Over and over, we’ve played out this cycle.”
Having moved to the last of the exposed windows, he stared at the fam
iliar landscape; a scene that had been famous even before tragedy struck it. Not able to draw his eyes away, he watched as a jet crashed into a building, the rock in the pit of his gut growing heavier. He had been in grade school when it happened and recalled the feeling of fear the event had stirred within him.
“They deserve to be punished,” he agreed through gritted teeth. “You’re going to, aren’t you… like those guys we blew up,” he thought of the war-mongers he and Dante had dealt with on their first mission together.
Not giving him a reply, Karma closed her eyes. Sliding the curtain over the window, Charlie had seen enough. Glancing at the eighth and final curtain, the one she had failed to reveal, he wondered for an instant what that screen would divulge.
Turning to her, he observed her prone figure, her round curves accentuated by the red silken dress that hung about her and draped over the front of the sofa. The back of her hand resting against her forehead, her pose reminded him of paintings he had seen of medieval damsels in distress.
“I’ll help you do this,” he stated more firmly. “Give me a job an’ I’ll see that it’s done.” Peeking at him with one deep brown orb, her face remained expressionless. He stepped towards her, taken with the idea of connecting with her intimately. He had not done so since Clarisse had joined their household, but he could feel the pull of her on his spirit.
Offering her his hand, he took her warm fingers in his. Massaging them lightly with his thumb, he tugged firmly, guiding her to her feet. Several inches shorter than him, she looked up at him, her clear honey colored eyes piercing his. Raising his left hand, he ran his fingers through her deep brown locks, the streaks of red tantalizing his digits as they searched for the firm flesh hidden beneath. Pushing his way to the back of her head and the nape of her neck, he caressed her affectionately.
“Charlie,” her bright red lips beckoned to him.
“I’m here,” he replied, pulling at her being as she had done to him on many occasions. Separating them from their bodies, their spirits mingled as a million points of light dancing around them. Holding her in place, their bodies pressed together firmly, their flesh grew numb and distant, as if it no longer existed.
“Charlie,” her voice lilted again, more forcefully, but he had gone too far to be dissuaded. The light exploded around them, flooding the space as their souls were melded into a single entity, complete with no beginning or end between them. Free of his earthly trappings, he mingled and danced with her spirit. His wife, his mother, and the world that surrounded them all slipped into oblivion.
Legacy
Charlie awoke on Karma’s bed, his clothing wrinkled and in disarray about his stiff frame. “What the hell,” he mumbled to himself as he tried to sit up before sinking back into the pliable surface; shit.
Resting for a moment, he tried to swallow, but his mouth felt dry. What the hell were you thinking? he admonished himself in the dim light. Mentally searching the room, he found nothing and confirmed that he was alone. Transporting himself to one of the bathrooms, he selected a stall and stripped himself for a cold shower.
Allowing the water to pummel the top of his head, he leaned against the wall. Guilt ate at his gut, despite his belief that sharing himself with their benefactor wasn’t really cheating. Somehow, he doubted that Clarisse would feel the same way. Cutting off the spray, he summoned a towel and pressed it to his face.
“I can’t tell her,” he said aloud. Inside his chest, his heart raced at the thought of doing so. However, making his lover angry came in second to the thought of hurting her. Her clear blue eyes filled with pain would destroy him. His mind made up, he would keep the secret if he could, and vowed he would never allow it to happen again.
Transporting to his room with the cloth around his waist, Charlie pawed through his drawers in search of clothing. Kari’s dark eyes watched for a few minutes before he asked, “You ok, mate?”
Startled by his presence, Charlie jumped slightly, but did not turn to face him. “Yeah,” he offered with a shrug, “I’ve got a lot on my mind. I had dinner with my mom last night…”
Swinging his feet to the floor, the other man stood, relieved at the reason for his roommate’s demeanor, “How’s she doing?”
“She’s doing great,” Charlie chuckled, “jus’ great. Phil’s been keeping her company.”
“Phil!” Kari coughed, “You say he is with her?”
“Yeah,” Charlie’s brown hair dripped as he nodded. “Karma set them up together. He’s going to be looking after her, I guess.”
“Oh,” Kari’s lips formed a perfect circle as he considered the situation. “It’s for the best then, mate,” he reassured his friend.
“Yeah, I’m sure it is,” Charlie selected a shirt and jeans before he disappeared. Arriving on their private beach, he donned the clothes and sank down to sit on the side of the raised platform, where their bed stood empty behind him. His heart ached, the idea of Phil taking his father’s place more than he could stand. A moment later, he sensed Clarisse’s presence and drew a deep breath before shifting into her plane of being. “Good morning, love,” he managed with a tiny smile.
Her crystal blue eyes rimmed with red, he could tell she had been crying. A stab of pain shot through his heart, but he held his tongue and allowed her to open the conversation before he admitted to anything. “What’s the matter, baby?” he asked after she gave no reply to his greeting.
“What will happen to us?” she asked in a soft voice.
“I dunno,” he shook his head, running his fingers through the waves and drying his hair instantly. “Karma’s got so many schemes, it’s hard t’ keep up with where we fit in th’ picture.”
Clarisse’s hands flew to her hips in the form of fists. “You were with her,” she voiced her suspicions tightly. “Last night. I know you came home from vising Bethany, but you weren’t here, and you weren’t in your bed.” The only place he could have been was the one place she had only seen once and would never visit again.
“Yeah,” he sighed, not bothering to deny it. “I stayed in her haven. She showed me more about how an’ why they’re here, an’ I slept there. I’m sorry it made you worry,” he offered the apology and hoped it would suffice.
Inhaling a ragged breath, she accused, “You would choose her over me.”
“No!” he shouted, twisting to face her squarely, “I would never choose anyone over you.”
Staring into his deep brown orbs, Clarisse searched for the truth. He had sworn to her many times that he loved her, but she had her doubts. “Why would you stay with her, then?”
“Because,” he blinked but didn’t look away, “It’s not like that. Bein’ connected t’ her isn’t the same as making love to you. I can’t explain how or why; it’s not sex, Clarisse. I swear to you, it’s not the same.”
Chewing her lip anxiously, she caught a hair that floated on the breeze and smoothed it. “I believe you, Charlie. I know that where Karma and magic are concerned, things are far more different and difficult to define.” Stepping forward to sit beside him, she buried her toes in the sand. “I’m ok with it, if you have to…” her voice trailed away.
“I won’t do it again; I swear it,” he huffed. “I would never do anything t’ hurt you.”
“Don’t promise me that,” her voice quivered. “I’d rather not have a promise you can’t keep standing between us.”
Staring at her, he ran his tongue over his teeth. “You think I’d break my word?”
“I think it will happen again. Karma wants you, Charlie. I’ve felt it when we are together, at the house,” her brow furrowed. “I think someday she will get rid of me so that she can have you for herself.”
“No,” he shifted to face the ocean. Watching the waves glide onto the shore, he elaborated, “She knows that I would do anything t’ keep you. She has allowed me t’ have you, an’ you are her power over me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she gasped.
“It means, she’s gonna u
se us against each other, baby,” he lifted his arm and dropped it over her shoulders. Drawing her firmly against him, he sighed, “Whatever Karma’s legacy may be, rest assured that you an’ me are meant t’ be a part of it.”
“You’re saying we will do what she wants,” she snuggled into him, her hand pressed against his chest. Rubbing him through his cotton tee, she caressed the muscles beneath it. “Can you live with that choice? I know that Dante spoke of crossing her.”
“Yeah, but if he does, he’ll do it without us,” he placed his free hand over hers. “I don’ feel right about making plans behind her back, even if I don’ agree with everything that she does.”
“Then I guess we will hold each other while we can and hope for the best,” Clarisse agreed.
Watching the couple on her office screen, Karma leaned forward and placed her elbows on her desk. Smiling, she felt relieved that her most prized minion remained tightly in her grasp. “Our circle is almost complete,” she informed them, knowing they could not hear. “When our house is full, we will be ready, and you will both serve me to the end,” she promised them, a small giggle of delight escaping her lips at the thought of what would soon come.
About the Author
Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations anywhere at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.
I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.
The Karma Set - Summer Spirit Novellas 4 - 6 Page 16