What was he talking about? What ‘job?’ Did this have something to do with their parents’ work? I doubted Sean told Killian what he’d shared with me about that. Maybe Killian was making up the ‘job’ to cover up something else. That was a possibility. He wouldn’t tell me the truth, so maybe he just made up something. I didn’t know what to believe. One thing was true though: Killian didn’t like the idea of me and Sean as a couple. That didn’t make a lot of sense either. I tried to come up with reasons for that attitude. I came up empty. I had no idea. It was just weird.
I pictured Killian’s cold face one last time before shoving it to the back of my mind with extreme prejudice. I was sick of him. I pictured another face, not cold, but very warm. Sean. He showed up uninvited in my life, messed with my head, and left me without even saying good-bye. Jerk. I wasn’t even able to stay very mad at him. I was just… just through. I was so over him.
By the time we got close to the mountain, my mind was clear again. The mountains always put things back into perspective. After all, I was just one tiny being loose in this great wilderness. I wasn’t that important to the grand scheme of things. Nature would swallow me up if was careless or unlucky. She didn’t care about fate or destiny or happy endings.
The view was beautiful here. It was pretty even in the heavy mist. The mountain was across the road; the trailhead just visible through the trees. Did I want to hike? The weather wasn’t great. Maybe I could simply sit in the car and soak up the peace and quiet. Wait a minute. Is that a lake? It was hard to tell because there was a tree branch in the way. I rolled down the window and stuck my head out. I still couldn’t tell.
“Come on, Princess. Let’s go check it out.”
I threw on my waterproof jacket and grabbed the snacks. We picked our way down a little trail and stopped to admire the view. In front of us was a tiny blue lake. It had a small sandy beach on one end, a sheer granite wall on the side, and forest bordering the far end. The lake’s surface was roiling in the rain right now and didn’t look inviting. It looked really deep, and I conjured up Nessie in my head. The wind was blowing through the trees, the clouds heavy overhead. I could imagine all kinds of mystical creatures showing up. I tried to visualize how perfect it would appear on a clear day. The sun would sparkle off the water which would be a deep rich blue. That reminded me of Sean’s eyes. Sigh. I missed him. Where was he?
There was a trail leading from the beach to the forest closest to where I was parked. It was still early, and I was still bored so it seemed like a good idea to check out the trail. It was easy to get to and the ground was flat here. We should be safe enough. Domino was daintily picking her way over the puddles, sniffing everything in sight. When we got farther into the trees I stopped to get my bearings. Wow, it was pretty in here. The foliage was vividly green and shiny with rain. The smell of wet leaves was almost overpowering. I imagined elves living here and had a Tolkien moment before moving on. It was beautiful but kind of creepy. A flash of lightning threw shadows around us and a loud rumble of thunder broke the misty silence. Uh-oh, not good. Time to find the car.
I walked a good way when I realized I should’ve hit the sandy beach by now. The rocks and trees looked the same as the heavy rain distorted everything. I couldn’t find a single landmark that stuck out. I stood still for a minute and willed myself not to panic.
“How about you use your Superdog senses to find the car?” I asked the canine.
She shook some water out of her ears. What am I, a compass? She stiffened a little and sniffed at the air. She trotted over to a brushy area across from us. She came out again and woofed at me. It turned out to be a little sheltered space under a rocky overhang. The brush had hidden the front of it. It wasn’t a cave but at least it was protected from the weather and was actually still dry. We squeezed in and sat against a rock. I was exhausted and starting to get cold. I shared some water with Domino and gave her some chips too. I figured we wouldn’t be trapped here forever and we could find our way out when the storm moved on. What time was it anyway? I pulled out my cell phone and was crushed to see it was 5:30 and that I had no signal: two very bad things.
Domino shivered against my side. I draped my jacket over her and hugged her to me. My poor baby! It was getting darker out and the storm hadn’t let up yet. Thunder echoed in the valley and there were lightning strikes close by. The air smelled like ozone. I was starting to worry now. How on earth was I going to get out of here in the dark? I couldn’t believe I didn’t grab my backpack. I had a flashlight and some other things in it. It was in the trunk of the car. How stupid was I? Ugh. My survival gear consisted of the stuff that was in my jacket pockets: Chap Stick, dead phone, keys, tissues, and a lint-covered piece of gum. I was out of ideas. It was too dark to wander around the woods hoping to find the beach. I couldn’t call anyone. No one knew where we were either… Oh, Jesus, that was bad. We would have to spend the night here and try again in the morning. We’d better hope my sense of direction is better tomorrow. If not, we were so screwed.
I fell asleep from sheer boredom. I was sitting there thinking about my life and the crazy turns it’s taken over the past year. So much had happened and most of it was not good. Sean was the one bright spot I could see. I was daydreaming about him when I dozed off.
I wandered aimlessly through the forest. It was still raining, but I was warm in my dream. Muffling the sound of the rain, the gauzy mist filled the spaces between the trees. My bare feet were scratched and bleeding. I lurched and stumbled in exhaustion. My body was too heavy to move. I wanted to lie down and sleep, but I was afraid I would die if I did that. So I kept moving. I had to keep moving. I had to find what I was looking for.
A shadow moved. Something ran past. An unholy stench surrounded me like a rank fog. Instinct took over, and I ran. The shadow kept just out of sight, spurring me forward in my panic. I ran blindly at first, crashing through trees and scratching myself, but then I saw it--a faint glow in the mist. I knew that light! I’d seen it before--it meant safety. I ran towards it. Please don’t leave! I need you! The rank smell was suddenly closer, and I could hear ragged breathing behind me. I was frantic now and running for more than just my life. I ran for my sanity or maybe my soul…
The light slowed down. For once, it didn’t move away; it didn’t drift out of sight, or vanish from my eyes. It hovered some distance in front of me. The dark shadow grew distinct in the growing light, and I saw it was a huge dark beast. It was misshapen but powerfully built with long claws on its paws, eyes glittering brilliant red. It paced me as I ran. I sprinted toward the light and the glow expanded to fill the clearing. The light was so intense that it blinded me, but I kept running directly at it. I was too afraid of the beast to stop. Its claws raked my back as I threw myself forward into the light. It closed around me, and everything else disappeared.
I woke up on the beach with my faithful pooch whimpering and nudging at my arm. I lumbered to my feet and practically ran to the car. This forest wasn’t peaceful any longer. My spidey senses were tingling on overtime. It was time to run.
The sound of the deadbolt slamming home was the sweetest sound I’d heard all day. After a long, long shower, I crawled into bed. I expected to fall asleep immediately, but my brain wouldn’t quiet down. I snuggled with Domino and thought about all the things that had happened to us that day. I had started out angry and hurt because of Sean and Killian. I felt wonder and enchantment at the discovery of the beautiful lake and the misty forest. I’d felt fear at getting lost, and then terror during the nightmare. Yet somehow, I managed to find the way back to the beach… while apparently unconscious… That’s a bit of a stretch for me on my own. I gave that some thought.
When I was lost and scared today, I did not think to pray. It didn’t occur to me to ask God to help me. I hadn’t expected His help because I didn’t believe He was there for me anymore. I was left to fend for myself. This year taught me that I was alone in my world, and I had to take care of myself. But what happened
today? What or who helped me find the way back to the beach? What was the light in my dreams? I opened my heart, and I knew the answer. It was right in front of me. I smiled at the face in my mind. And for the first time in nearly a year, I prayed to God and thanked Him for saving my life today.
Chapter 8: International Diplomacy
I DIDN'T HAVE TIME to dwell on my newfound sense of peace. Ricki was back from her family’s trip to Charleston, and she was ready to party. It was the fourth of July and we were invited to at least four cookouts. I would’ve been happy with one, but Ricki couldn’t say no.
“So will there be any cute guys at Aric’s house later?” It was a key consideration for wardrobe selection.
Ricki held up a tiny purple tank top and sighed. “God, I wish I could pull these off. You’re so lucky you’ve got little tits. My rack would break these straps.”
“At least I can still see my feet. Hurry up so we can get going. My dad’s going to bug me about staying here today. I do not want to get stuck on flag duty.”
My dad always bought a bunch of mini American flags and made someone pass them out to everyone who showed up at his cookout. He was very patriotic that way. The porch was covered in red, white, and blue ribbons and other things I couldn’t really identify. It was sort of sweet though.
Domino wanted to come with me. She was dancing around us with her leash in her mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry, pup. You can’t come today. We have to go to a lot of places, and I don’t know if they’re dog-friendly. Dad says you can hang out with them at the cookout.”
She didn’t look impressed and stood stubbornly next to the door. I gave her a hug, told her to behave, and ran out without looking back. Angry barking followed us to the car. I hoped she wouldn’t pee on my pillow.
We left the second party at about 3:00 to head to the marina. I was doing a little happy dance on the dock when Dani showed up with a strange guy. I nudged Ricki in the side. “Who’s the new eye candy?”
She squinted towards the parking lot. “Oh, he’s an exchange student. He’s from… Oh, I forget. Some place. Anyhow, he’s here until January. Wow, he looks like Heath Ledger.” Then she laughed evilly, and added, “Dani said Aric is so pissed! He’s gone ape shit over this guy staying at her house. He even complained to her mom! It makes total sense now.” She was still laughing when they got to the boat.
I hugged Dani, whispering, “Oh, my God! Who’s this guy? And why didn’t you tell me you were getting a model? I am so jealous!”
Dani, being Dani, looked chagrined and apologized for not calling sooner. “Let me introduce you guys. Stefan?”
The blond-haired eye candy ambled over with an adorable crooked smile. I resisted the urge to stand taller and push out my boobs. All drooling aside, I wasn’t interested in males at the moment. It was all Sean’s fault too. Jerk. Even so… The yummy Stefan was stare worthy at the very least.
“These are my two best friends, Mica and Ricki. This is Stefan. He’s from Switzerland,” Dani explained.
Ricki was less than enthusiastic since Kevin and Aric had joined us. She was still hoping Kevin would ask her out, but he kept dragging his feet. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that she should move on. There were just some bubbles I didn’t want to burst. I figured someone should have dreams! My days of dreaming were behind me. I was a live-in-the-moment kind of girl now. ‘Happily ever after’ could kiss my ass. Sean too.
After loading skis and snacks, we all squeezed onto the boat. Ricki maneuvered the shiny craft out of the marina. The perfectly calm air turned the lake into a giant blue mirror. Gorgeous! Once we got into the open water, Ricki pushed down the throttle until we flew. The jolt sent us all stumbling into each other. Dani fell against Aric, and he made a big deal out of catching her. Yes, Aric, you’re a stud. Good job, dude. Dani was dimpling up at him but turned around to wink at me. It was time to reel her man in. I almost felt sorry for him, poor dumb guy. She was enchanting when she wanted something. Once she made up her mind, no one said no to her. Her mother never could, I hadn’t done it yet, and Aric would give her whatever she was whispering about now. No doubt about it, the dimples were impressive.
It wasn’t long before we were out far enough to ski. Ricki slowed the boat to a stop, and I bounced into Stefan’s arm. He caught me against his bare, and very muscular, chest. I was laughing. He was laughing. Everyone else was gawking. I turned beet red all the way to my boobs.
Still chuckling, I put some space between us and turned magenta when Aric teased, “Holy shit, Kevin, look at Mica’s face! Could she get any redder?”
“By the way, Mica, where’s Sean?” Kevin asked with an evil smile.
Ricki, being the awesome best friend she is, hit the throttle a bit, and Kevin fell on his ass. I gave him the finger and grabbed the skis. I’d been waiting all week for this.
In minutes I was flying over the water, literally. My skis were barely skimming the surface, and I gave the thumbs up for more speed. I had five more minutes and was making the best of it. The boat went 60 miles an hour, and today I was maxing that out. The rush was incredible! I let myself fly. I was free!
Buuuut… not for long. Reality can be so rude. A sailboat was approaching from the starboard side. From the corner of my eye, I could make out a couple of people on the deck, but I wasn’t close enough to see faces. Aric kept the speed high, and I was showing off. I did a little hip wiggle as we passed the boat and nearly fell off my skis. I was so surprised that I stumbled and nearly lost it. Don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall. Aric slowed down, and I sank in the lake. I floated with my back to the sailboat, cursing fluently in two languages: English and girlfriend.
When Aric stopped to pick me up, I waved happily in case anyone was watching. Stefan reached over the side to help me in. Gorgeous, but clueless Stefan… with his ripped chest and curling blond hair… Perfect! I wrapped my arms around his neck and let him pull me up. Take that, you jerk on the boat.
The never-ending holiday wasn’t over yet. We had one last party to get to thanks to Ricki’s overscheduling. Since my apartment was closer to the lake, we stopped there to change clothes. Dani took forever in the shower, but that was okay. I had more than enough distractions. Stefan was lounging across my bed, leafing through my photo album from Ohio. I was sitting on the floor narrating for him. He was gorgeous in a natural, open way. His skin was smooth; his eyes were light green with thick curling lashes. Beautiful. Eyes were the most important part of a person’s face. You could see everything you needed to know by looking into them. In this case, they were trusting and honest and more than a little sexy. I dragged my eyes to his mouth and swallowed. How embarrassing to drool. He was just so damn hot. It wasn’t fair; no healthy woman could look at him this closely and not feel attracted. And I was more than healthy.
“So are you planning to kiss me now or should I do it later?” Even his accent was sexy.
Face in flames, I shoved it against the quilt. Maybe I could disappear? With a sexy grin, he unfolded himself and moved over the edge of the bed, clearly intending to try for that kiss. I jumped up, stammering some excuse or another to cover my embarrassment. That’s how Dani found us when she finally showed up. She swung her gaze knowingly between us and shook her head. “Really? Already? Geez.”
“Well, you took too long. We got bored. Can we go now?” I snapped.
So now we were at the beach for that last party of the day. Stefan was occupied with someone other than me--many someones. Everyone wanted to meet the cool guy from Switzerland. Most of those people were girls, and they all wanted to screw him. Bitches. He had so many half-naked bodies sprawled against him that I’d need a bottle of bleach to clean him up again. I growled in my throat. Stupid cows. He met my annoyed glare with a lick of his lips. Whatever. I tossed my head away and took a swig of my drink. I was not jealous. Nope.
“I’m afraid to kiss you now. You look like you’ll bite me.” Stefan came up behind me and whispered against my hair. He was standing very clos
e, and I tensed in surprise.
“If you startle me like that again, I might accidently kick your ass,” I said with a slow smile.
He laughed at that and came around to face me. He looked me up and down and sighed. I knew what he saw. I ran 50 miles a week. I followed an intense workout routine I bought from an infomercial on TV. My muscles were lean but strong. I did self-defense training twice a week too. Sure, I might look and behave like a typical girl, but I was training my body and mind to kick ass if anybody ever assaulted either of those again. I knew people talked about me sometimes. The whole thing with Scott was old news now, but people still whispered. I didn’t let it bother me, but I wanted them to know I would not go down so easy next time. And if my stronger body couldn’t save me, the stun gun I carried would help out. I was in charge now. That felt pretty good. But tonight I wanted romance not violence.
“Don’t worry. I won’t bite as long as you play nice.” I slipped my hand in his, smiling up into his eyes. They were clear and green. His hair was blowing away from his face, and the light from the fire flickered across his skin. I hoped I looked as good right now.
He ran his palm down my back, and murmured, “Let’s go for a walk. It’s crowded here.”
My heart did a little flip-flop as we left the group. We walked barefoot along the water’s edge, skipping out of range when the cold water splashed across our feet. Someone had left a lawn chair in the sand, and we wandered over to it. Stefan pulled me onto his lap and kissed me.
His lips were soft and felt nice against mine, but I didn’t see fireworks. I pulled back and peered into his eyes. They were still a beautiful green, and that was the problem. They weren’t filled with the blue fire that could ignite me with a glance. This wasn’t going to work. I sighed. Stefan misunderstood my sigh for interest and kissed me more passionately, his hands gripping my face, holding my mouth to his as he slipped his tongue inside. I tried, really, I did. I kissed him back with enthusiasm, but still no fireworks… No warmth in my belly; No tingling in my blood. Very quickly, his excitement became obvious; I should probably get up. Before I could though, the sound of voices interrupted us.
The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) Page 9