by Jamie Loeak
“I agree,” Donovan said.
“Me too,” agreed Adriana.
“I’m not completely sure,” Kate chimed in.
Adriana, Donovan, and Rico looked at Kate, perplexed.
Kate filled her friends in on what Erik revealed during their earlier conversation; Erik had been interested in Kate all along, following Kate around her whole life because of Kern’s wishes, but developing his own interest after finding out who she was and what she was to Kern. His words made it sound as if his agenda was different than whatever Kern was plotting, and Kate made sure to tell her friends the whole truth this time. It was better than lying to protect herself, especially when the lies tumbled out in the end, especially when not lying at all could lead to an advantage on their side. And if Erik brought Darkness’ magic with him when he came back, they would definitely need an advantage.
“Well, we’ll have to be ready for anything then,” Donovan muttered.
“Donovan?” Kate asked suddenly. She was eager to steer the conversation away from her imminent future.
“Yes?” he replied in that musical voice.
“Can I ask you a personal question? You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to. I don’t want to force you to, or make you feel like to have to.”
“I still owe you, Kate. I will answer anything,” he said with a smile.
“Okay,” Kate said uncertainly. “I know that you get a glimpse of eternal life after taking a human soul. I was wondering if you could tell me about it, about my father’s location, about what he’s doing.”
“Your father is living in paradise, Kate. Your soul chooses its location, but I did not obtain your father’s soul so I do not know where he is or what he is experiencing at the moment. I apologize for my inability to answer your question. I will, however, ask Light for you, if you still seek answers, Kate. Would you like me to find out?”
“No,” Kate admitted.
“Are you certain you don’t want to know?”
“Yes,” she said honestly. “I’m sure. I think I’m strong enough to wait until I see him again. I’m strong enough to say goodbye for now.” Kate turned to her mother. “I still have my mom with me. That’s all I need,” she said honestly. She took Blaire’s hand into her own and squeezed it gently, sensing Blaire’s confusion and curiosity.
Blaire had been in a daze as they discussed the future, so Rico and Adriana explained everything to her. Blaire believed everything they said, knowing that they were telling the truth. She cried, remembering her loving husband, but reminded herself that his soul was waiting for her. They would meet again one day. They would share their eternal lives together after she lived a long and beautiful life on Earth, with her daughter, Kate.
“Rico?” Kate asked after everyone had gone home.
The couple was now in Kate’s bedroom, lying together on her bed. Kate was underneath the blanket, kept warm even though Rico’s colder body lay inches from hers. Rico’s eyes were tired but full of life; Kate’s eyes shown bright with a mixture of happiness and grief. Both were eager to escape the turmoil of the fight that had just happened, but neither seemed willing to discuss the matter.
“Yes?” Rico asked softly.
“Donovan told Adriana that he loved her. He said that he realized that it was true because of me. Do you think that you could love me the way that Adriana and Donovan love each other?” Kate asked. She ran her fingers along the delicate swirling pattern that painted her blanket, afraid to look into Rico’s eyes.
Rico smiled and pulled Kate into a long and passionate kiss. Her lips were warm against his, but tense because of the loss that she had just endured. He felt her escape from the pain while in his arms, melting into him so that he shared her pain.
“Kate,” he started when they pulled apart. “I do love you. I know that I do.” Rico pulled Kate’s eyes to his, making sure that he had her full attention, making sure that she believed his next words. “When I’m with you, I feel as though I’m more than an empty, frozen shell of a man. I feel warmer, almost as if there is a soul burning deep inside of me, somewhere.”
Kate leaned forward and rested her head against Rico’s chest. “I love you too,” she whispered. “I love you, body and soul. Forever,” she added.
Rico kissed her again. This time he melted into her. He felt Kate’s warmth pulsing against him. Her soul reached out to embrace him, to love him, and when they pulled apart, breathless, her warmth lingered.
Kate sat silently after the kiss. She twisted Rico’s necklace as it hung loosely around her neck and watched the shimmers of light climb her walls. She bit her lower lip softly as she contemplated the future. “Rico?” Kate asked a moment later.
“Yes, Kate? What are you thinking about?” Rico asked in return.
“Do you think you’ll be given the opportunity to gain a soul?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “What do you think?”
“I think that it’s possible for you,” she replied. “It happened to Donovan. I think it could happen for you as well.”
“Are you asking me to obtain a soul, Kate?” Rico’s eyebrow lifted slightly in amusement, but he looked into Kate’s grey eyes seriously, and waited for her response.
“I’m begging you,” she whispered as she snuggled into his chest. Kate looked back up at Rico a moment later, taking in his endless blue eyes, raven hair, and full lips; her cheeks were flushed because of her bold response, but she managed a smile.
Rico tilted Kate’s chin up and pushed her curls behind her shoulder. He watched the blush fade before speaking.
“I will do whatever I must in order to obtain a soul for you, Kate Warren.”
Kate’s heart fluttered at Rico’s words. She leaned in to him and kissed him lightly, wondering if the story that he had revealed earlier was true. Could Rico obtain a soul and live a mortal life? Did they have a future together?
Find out more when you read the highly anticipated sequel to Body and Soul, The Key’s Keeper.
Thank you!
I send a thank you to everyone who believed in me. I truly thank you for having faith in my ability to weave a story with words, and finish it.
To Dad – Thanks for bugging me every day. Yes, the questions were annoying at the time, but now that both the manuscript and cover are finished, you can ask me any question you want. Thanks for being proud of me.
To Mom – Thanks for reading my book and telling me about my spelling errors! I promise that you’ll be a part of the editing process next time. Thanks for being proud of me, too. And thanks for leaving me at home for that one long, yet productive, week.
To Jason – Thank you for being patient with me through this entire process. I love you for being there for me. Now you just have to read it!!
To Gracie – Thank you for being my first reader. Don’t forget, we’re going to the movie premiere together! Thank you for giving me my first, honest, review.
To everyone else that has purchased or read my book, I hope that you love Kate and Rico as much as I do. I’m so thankful for all of you. I write the rest of Kate’s story every day for you. Thank you again! And keep reading!
Jamie :)
About the Author
Jamie Loeak is an aspiring YA author. She has written and published her first novel and continues to work toward finishing the trilogy, while new ideas for more novels pop into her ever changing mind. Jamie resides in Florida, where she is a middle school teacher. Finding time for writing is difficult within the world of lesson plans, assessments, and students; however, Jamie makes sure to make time for all of the things that she loves in life, including her students, pets, and loving boyfriend. When Jamie isn't writing or grading papers, she is forcing her sister into photo shoots or playing guitar. Her current goal is to finish the Body and Soul Trilogy so that she can let her other ideas escape.
Contact the Author
http://www.amazon.com/Jamie-Loeak/e/B0092HM3CA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_2
http://www.faceb
ook.com/pages/Jamie-Loeak/280066588751968
http://jamieloeak.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/jamiee005
Email: [email protected]
And now, an exciting preview from author Teresa Smith’s debut novel in the Sun and Moon Trilogy, “Pyramid of the Moon”!
1~stranger
A twig snapping in the nearby hazy woods startled Eva and caused her to abruptly lift up her head from a brief nap.
Her soft cheek was slightly chilled and damp from the soppy green moss that was growing in clusters on the base of her mother’s cold granite headstone, where she had rested it.
It seemed only moments ago that she rested her head upon that same spot, as she usually did every weekend. She mourned the tragic accident. “Accident,” There was that word again that stuck in her throat and painfully twisted in her gut. Why do people label car crashes as accidents? There is always someone to be held responsible- someone irresponsible.
The salty tears that soaked her impossibly long lashes were now absent. Eva sighed heavily and wiped away any remnants with the back of her hand. How often did she come to visit this lonely place? Has it really been eight years since the car accident claimed her devoted mother?
With the back of her slender hand, she brushed aside her long brown hair. It fell half way down her back in loose curls.
Eva casually pulled herself up from a leisurely position by placing both of her hands on the dull white memorial, and groaned. Her muscles were stiff and unresponsive. Both her feet and ankles were immediately assaulted with the sensation of a million needles. It felt as though they were prickling to the very core of her bones.
She stood up straight, flexing her right foot, and then her left. After a few long-suffering minutes, she finally felt satisfied that her slender legs could support her weight without betraying her, and consequently falling on her backside. She hesitantly let go of the cold stone.
Eva stretched out her long lean figure and rolled her aching neck in a circular motion, catching a glimpse of the sorrowful weeping angel statue that was not very far from where she now stood.
The beautiful angel was hiding her eyes, not letting anyone see what painful secrets her face may be concealing.
“I know exactly how it feels.” Eva muttered with a heavyhearted sigh.
As Eva took in a long, calming breath, the dank earthy aroma of the desolate cemetery filled her lungs. Every time she came to this place, she felt a certain tranquility that she could not find anywhere else. It seemed even more so during the evening hours, when the sun was just setting and the moon was about to make her illuminating appearance. What she really craved for now though, was to place her full lips on a mug of hot cocoa to soothe her soul.
She stepped forward to leave when she heard another branch break. A second breaking branch was no coincidence, and this break sounded more substantial.
Whoa!
A breaking branch would require weight. Like, something, or someone.
Eva stopped dead in her tracks, and with trepidation, slowly turned towards the misty woods which were approximately thirty yards or so, away from her current position.
“Wait a minute here.” She whispered to herself.
Wasn’t that the exact same noise I heard before I woke up? Oh hell!
Eva panicked. Was this thing, or person, moving closer to her, or farther into the woods? She reluctantly looked at the setting sun, and grimaced. She usually preferred the night time, but not under these circumstances.
“How stupid,” Eva whispered and bit her bottom lip. She tried to swallow past the dry lump forming in her throat. Just like the dumb chic in a B- rated horror movie, right before she gets knifed to death. Or, right before she gets eaten by the werewolf- that lunges at her from the woods.
Great!
“Hello?” Eva’s tried to sound brave, but her shaking voice betrayed her. “Uh… is someone there?”
Eva slowly retreated, just in case. Although, it would doubtfully give her a head start to escape, especially if this thing just happened to run around on all fours, devouring innocent young girls, that were stupidly alone in the woods, in the middle of nowhere, with nowhere to run. Jeez. She needed to stop this nonsensical babbling to her self- and stop thinking in such a morbid manner.
She caught a glimpse of a shadowed figure just inside the scrawny saplings. Even when she squinted her eyes, she could barely make out any identifiable details, but the silhouette was tall, like a person.
A person? Oh hell!
Eva squeaked and jumped several feet backwards, right into a tall neighboring tombstone. The rough granite bit into her back.
“Ouch! Shit!” she shrieked louder than she intended to.
Looking up, she noticed that the mysterious lurker had retreated farther into the dense part of the thickets. She rubbed her sore back and checked for any damages to her favorite pink, short-sleeved T-shirt. She was relieved to find none.
Realizing her loud outburst of profanity, she blushed. Even if nobody else was around to witness it, she was embarrassed. Well, nobody except for the stranger. And for some reason, Eva felt an odd sensation of longing, like she was being pulled in a direction that she wasn’t sure she should go. Soon after he left though, the feeling abated, leaving an aching abandonment deep in her chest.
A few things Eva knew for certain, was that her unfamiliar visitor was tall, lean, and absolutely a guy. Another thing she couldn’t grasp- was the unfamiliar lure. She shivered and scanned the woods one last time. However, the dark, ghostly shadows of the trees and thick underbrush concealed any chance for her to know for certain if he was gone.
Her recently acquired yearning was nearly absent now, leaving her lonesome, lonesome? There’s a word she was intimately acquainted with. But how could she miss someone that she didn’t even know, and what the hell was wrong with me? Eva shook her entire body to dislodge this preposterous rambling with herself.
“Sorry to disturb you.” A rather pleasant male’s voice said from directly behind her.
This time, she screamed and turned around so quickly, that she nearly tripped over her own two feet. Eva’s eyebrows shot up to the sky as she stared at a handsome young man. He was starring straight back at her with a lazy smirk, not even five feet away from her.
Eva tried to swallow around the lump in her parched throat. “Umm…”
“So, do you speak, or are you mute?”
“Of course I speak.” Eva scoffed sarcastically. “You just scared me half to death!”
“She speaks, and she’s sassy.”
Eva rolled her eyes. “So, who are you, why are you here, and how long have you been standing there?”
“Let’s see; Baret, visiting a grave, and I just got here a few minutes ago.” He chuckled. “But I must confess- I did hear you shout ‘ouch,’ and ‘shit’.”
Eva stood with her arms wrapped protectively around herself, eyeing the young man suspiciously. “Did you happen to see anyone else around here? And why are you here so late?”
“No, I didn’t see anyone else, and I could just as easily ask you the same question.” He raised his perfect brow. “And your name is…?” Baret extended his right arm towards Eva, gesturing for her to shake his proffered hand in a formal greeting.
Eva briefly glanced down at his extended right hand. It was sinewy looking, slightly calloused, but definitely the hand of someone strong. She followed the long length of his arm with her greedy brown eyes, up to his broad chest, and finally resting on his glorious face.
Whoa.
Baret had captivating blue eyes- the color of a beautiful ocean after a storm, slightly wavering dark brown hair, and the sexiest dimples, ever. Eva just realized that she was standing there- like an idiot, taking inventory on the guy- and he was smiling at her. He obviously knew what she was doing.
“Oh god, I’m so sorry.” Eva’s pale face immediately flushed. She extended her right hand to meet his and cleared her throat. “It’s Eva.”
>
His hand is so warm and strong. She sheepishly thought to herself. She retracted her hand and knotted her fingers nervously. “So, other than the obvious fact that we are in an isolated cemetery at night, by ourselves…”
“I’m not a psycho killer, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“And that’s probably what a psycho killer would say.”
“I’m just here visiting someone, like you are.”
“Oh,” Eva unleashed the power of her full pouty lips. “I’m sorry.”
Baret casually leaned against a random tombstone and crossed his arms in front of him. “Don’t be. It was a long time ago,” he shrugged.
Eva shifted her weight back and forth on her feet, randomly kicking at some small stones. “Are you new in town, then? Well, I mean, obviously.” She smiled- a little embarrassed by her abstruse behavior.
“Not new, just returning after a long time away, actually.” Baret eyed her knowingly, returning a heart- stopping grin.
She stared back at him bemused, wondering if she missed some sort of vital information. She couldn’t recall anything. “Oh, I umm…don’t remember you ever living here.” Eva stumbled over her words. “I think I would have remembered those eyes. I mean…I didn’t mean that!” Eva blanched. It was a brain to mouth filtering malfunction that she suffered from quite often. I so did not mean to blurt that out loud!
Baret snickered. “Well, I certainly remember those warm brown eyes.” He nodded towards her face.
The ground was squishing around Eva’s brown suede boots. She could feel her cotton socks becoming mushy through the thin leather material. What was she thinking when she decided to put theses on? And, what did he just say to me?!
“Eva?”
“What did you just say?” she looked at Baret with her mouth gawking and her brown eyes furrowed. Her voice was barely audible.