Blood Moon

by Rose Smith

  She and Irene were chatting away when Nalani appeared, “Ta dah!”

  They both looked up.

  “I almost didn’t recognize you!” Irene shouted.

  “Neither did I,” said Caroline. “You look terrific. Not that you don’t anyway, I mean as yourself, but that looks sexy on you!”

  “You think so?” She questioned, blushing a little. “I want to surprise my new boyfriend with it.” She patted the black afro wig she donned.

  “I’m sure Ionale will love it!”

  “Great! Let me take it off. I’ll be right back.”

  “Ionale’s Nalani’s new boyfriend, though she’s known him since high school. She’s mad about him.”

  “I’m happy for her,” said Caroline.

  “Me, too, she deserves it. Her father’s death was a real blow to her.”

  “I can’t even imagine. He was so young.”

  “He sure was,” agreed Irene.

  Everyone pitched in to help Nalani put the dishes and food away. After the evening wrapped, and they thanked Nalani for the luau and said their goodbyes to her, Makoa and Irene dropped Caroline and Wolf off at the Grand.

  Up in their suite, Caroline excused herself. “While you’re watching TV, Matthew, I think I’ll take a long, relaxing bath.”

  “Sounds good.”

  She gathered her things then went into the bathroom the draw the water into the spa tub. She submerged her body into the inviting water. She quickly washed herself, then got out, toweled off and got dressed in her titillating lingerie. The white gown had two thigh slits, showing off her long, silky legs. She refreshed her make-up and fluffed out her hair. Then she dabbed her inviting perfume behind each ear. She slipped on her sensuous feathery white lingerie pumps and wrapped a fluffy white feather boa around her slim shoulders.

  Sitting on the stool facing the mirror at the make-up counter in the suite’s sumptuously large bathroom, she clicked favorites on her phone and punched her husband’s cell number. “Hello?”

  “Hello, is this Wolf?” She purred.

  “Yes, it is,” he answered recognizing his wife’s number and voice.

  “I’m sorry it took me so long to get away from my husband, Matthew, tonight, but we had a dinner obligation.”

  “Is that right?” Wolf said, playing along.

  “Yes, I snuck away. I’m on my way to your suite. Are you ready for me to rock your world?”

  “Damn right!” Grinned Wolf.

  “Ok. Here I come.”

  She opened the bathroom door, strutted into the step down living room where Wolf sat on the couch. She moved the coffee table back—out of her way so she could dance in front of him

  “Tonight you’re not Matthew. You’re Wolf, my secret lover. I’ve been practicing this for our vacation,” she blushed. The alcohol buzz gave her the liquid courage she needed to continue.

  “I’m ready, Baby,” he encouraged her, thoroughly intrigued and already turned on by the role-playing game.

  “Here goes.” She touched her phone. Love Letter, by Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes rocked while Caroline sashayed and worked her sassy magic. She spun her seductive web with her captivating dance for her husband, who she fantasized was her ‘secret lover.’

  Clairy Browne crooned the sensuous lyrics… “I’m gonna write what I what you to do to me in a letter…” Fanning herself with an envelope to represent her Love Letter, Caroline rocked the house.

  She danced her way to the table and put down the envelope. Then she mimicked the sexy moves Clairy Browne and her Bangin’ Rackettes did in their video including their pharaoh dance. She raised her hands over her head to do their double clap on cue.

  Definitely turned on Matthew… or ‘em… Wolf, couldn’t stop smiling. She turned around, twerked, then turned back around and did the four corners, grinding her peachy-smooth hips and displaying her slinky thighs. She ended the dance by wrapping the feather boa around Wolf's neck and lifting her leg to place her lingerie slippered foot on the couch dead-center—between his legs.

  He broke out in applause. “Damn, that was hot!” He yelled. He whistled and clapped.

  She bowed. As she did her second bow, he wrapped the feather boa around her neck, pulling her onto the couch with him.

  “I’ve been practicing that for months,” she confessed and blushed. “It’s part of my conviction to start my Living Out Loud List. It’s always been a fantasy of mine to do a seductive dance for you.”

  “Living Out Loud… hmm… I like that.”

  “Yeah, I’ve always hated the thought of a Bucket List. Living Out Loud sounds so much more vibrant.”

  “It does,” agreed Matthew. “Speaking of Living Out Loud…” grabbing the boa, he pulled her to him. She felt him as she kissed him deep. He was as hard as a rock. Holy hell he was delicious! He devoured her.

  He put his hand behind the back of her head and kissed her, searching her tongue as if he wanted to envelope her body and soul.

  Their tongues danced and stroked in unison. He caressed her hard nipples with his other hand, then pulled at her shoulder strap exposing her breasts. He moaned in delight. He wrapped his hand in her hair and placed her head back, laying her down.

  “Oh, Wolf, she groaned. Still fantasizing he was her ‘secret lover.’ I’ve been thinking about this all day.”

  “I’m going to give you just what you’ve been thinking about,” he said, still playing along and loving that Caroline was completely giving in to him and sharing this new fantasy with him.

  He took complete control; he got on top of her. He loved to hear her moan in eager anticipation of him. Making love in the hotel suite, made it easy to absorb himself into her role playing game. It was as electric as the first time they made love. He buried himself deep inside her. She was so wet.

  “Holy hell—you feel so good,” she told him. He stroked slow and steady—she stroked in unison with him. They built themselves into a crescendo of pleasure.

  “Damn, Caroline. You feel so good. I love you so much.”

  Before she could echo the sentiment, he crushed his lips onto hers. She relished the taste and softness of his kiss-swollen lips.

  Nalani sat in her living room reminiscing. The spark she felt when Gage’s hand brushed hers was, well…unexpected. How’s she supposed to be getting all hot and bothered when her one and only was making it clear he wanted more from her? As if on cue, her tech watch alerted there was a call from Ionale.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, my lovely. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “No, I’m sitting here relaxing. My luau was a hit,” she told him. “I wish you could’ve come to meet a dear friend of mine and her husband. This is their first time visiting Hilo. I was their first luau.”

  “Oh,” said Ionale, his voice sounded a little distant.

  “Well, anyway—I called to see if you wanted to come over for—a little fun.”

  “You, mean like a booty call?” Nalani said, trying to sound flirtatious instead of over-excited. She was hoping he’d invite her over.

  “Ok, if that’s what you want to call it,” Ionale answered, still sounding distant.

  “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

  A booty call! She couldn’t believe her luck. She’d written that on her Bucket List. And she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather scratch that task off with than Ionale.

  She hung up the phone, straightened out her afro wig on her head and called a taxi since she still had a little buzz. She had the driver make a beeline for Ionale’s apartment.

  ~ Chapter 9 ~

  When Ionale opened his door his face went flush. He did a double-take and snatched Nalani in so fast, she almost lost her balance.

  “What is that on your head?” He demanded.

  “It’s an afro wig,” she giggled, still a little drunk.

  “I thought you’d like it. A little role-play.”

  Ionale, looked down at the floor. Then he grinned at her and sa
id, “I do, Babe, I don’t want anyone to…”

  “What?” She asked. He was acting awful strange for a booty call. She almost pressed the issue—but her need to get on with the business at hand and her drunken state overwhelmed her instincts.

  Suddenly, he pulled her close to him and kissed her. He slipped the wig off her head and pulled off the wig cap. Then he turned her around and pulled the rubber band off her long hair and ran his fingers through it.

  Nalani responded by locking lips with him again. He guided her over to his couch and did a swift half-caress of her breasts, then he removed her camisole, slipped off her shorts and underwear. He pulled off his trousers and pounced on top of her. He entered her and in a few quick thrusts, he groaned, then went limp.

  Not quite the kind of booty call I was expecting, she thought to herself, disappointed and unfulfilled. Ionale got up and went to the bathroom, leaving her to forage around in his kitchen to find a paper towel to wipe herself off.

  Once he came out, she shyly asked him for a washcloth and went into the bathroom and cleaned herself up. When she rejoined him on the couch he abruptly told her he’d take her home.

  “You don’t want to hang out a bit?”

  “I did,” he stated, “but I’ve got a real early morning.”

  He drove her home in awkward silence. When he pulled up in front of her door, she invited him in.

  “You can at least say hi to Shredder,” she almost whispered. Nalani could’ve sworn she saw a flash of I hate dogs flitter across Ionale’s face. Aghast, she thought, I hope I’m seeing things, like when I thought Shredder was nodding to me the other day.

  “I gotta go,” Ionale gathered himself and smiled. He’s so handsome, she thought, dismissing her misgivings. It must be my imagination.

  “Call me, tomorrow,” she said, trying to block her disappointment at his strange mood.

  “Wait,” he called out. “You forgot this.”

  She went back and retrieved her afro wig then walked in her house with her shoulders down. Her first booty call turned out more like a wam-bam-thank-you-ma’am. One she could’ve said no thank you to. She brushed away the thought. No, Ionale was the man she’d been fantasizing about for forever. He had to be the one.

  She took Shredder out, went to her bedroom and took a shower—by now the underwhelming events of the evening had worn off her buzz. She slipped into her most comfortable pair of cotton pajamas, instructed her smart device to turn off her master bedroom light and went out almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  Mikey kept losing focus on his math homework. Sitting on his bed, the louder Aunt Lane laughed and the more she slurred her words, the more worried he became. He knew she didn’t like him. He also realized when she was drunk, she showed her dislike for him even more. He’d begged his mother not to call him out of his room when Auntie Lane got drunk, but she called him out whenever Aunt Lane demanded.

  He wished his mom would help him—protect him. He’d made sure he’d closed his bedroom door before his mom’s sister came over, but he knew that would offer him little protection. Once she knew he was home—she’d insist on seeing him.

  “Where is he?” Aunt Lane demanded after drinking with her sister for over an hour.

  “Mikey,” yelled his mom. “Come say hi to your Auntie Lane.” Mikey dropped his small shoulders and closed his math book. He put his pencil on his homework. Dread rose inside his small stomach. He came out of his room and into the living room.

  “Oh, my little chinky baby! Get over here.”

  Mikey looked helplessly at his mom. Looking away, she got up and took some empty beer cans into the kitchen.

  “I said get over here.”

  “Hi, Aunt Lane,” he said, holding his head down. When he got close enough to her, she reached up and snatched his arm. “Sit down here, Boy! Why you actin’ like you don’t wanna see Auntie Lane.”

  “I was just doing my homework,” he said shyly.

  She pinched the fleshy part of his arm causing him to cry out. “Next time, I don’t care what you doin,’ you stop and come see me. You hear you little chink?” She slapped him.

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “Now, get out of here—I don’t wanna look at your ugly face.”

  Mikey went back to his room and cried himself to sleep.

  ~ Chapter 10 ~

  The past few days Jackson Richardson had thought of Brianna more often than any other woman. And the majority of Jackson’s thoughts concerned themselves with women. As shallow as he was about most broads, something about Brianna pulled him to her like a magnet to a refrigerator. He was stuck on her. She had bewitched him. One thing Brianna was always brimming with was life. Not anymore, he snarked. And every time he turned on the TV, he heard about the Blood Moon Murder.

  The cops would soon make the link between him and Brianna. They’d figure out he was the one sleeping with her and feeding her cocaine habit.“Banging the richest woman on the island,” he grinned slyly with his crooked tobacco stained teeth. A bad idea that went too far that night. He couldn’t take it back.

  As he rested his lanky body on the motel bed, Jackson Richardson took a drag of his cigarette while he pondered his next move. He watched as the smoke curled and traveled heaven-toward. He couldn’t help but wander if he’d end up in heaven or the other place if he was condemned to death for killing Brianna. He looked down at his ring. Slipping it off his finger, he wondered how much he could get for it at the pawn shop.

  He’d been hold up in his musty hotel room he’d been renting by the week, expecting the cops to show up at his door. Jackson knew it was only a matter of time before they’d come. Thanks to her bitchy mother-in-law, Queen Kamehameha. She was a bag of bones no one would want to shag. She was rich and powerful enough to have him found.

  He thought about his young and hot-as-hell lover. He’d miss her. He’d miss the times when he and Brianna climbed into the back seat of her Bentley after they’d both gotten high on cocaine and he’d bang her brains out.

  She loved getting naked and he loved grabbing those big breasts of hers—fake or not and relieving himself inside her. All that rich cunt, he thought. Owned by the man who probably owns this shitty motel. He wondered how long it would take the police to find out about him.

  He sat up and looked in the mirror, rubbing the stubble on his leathery, over-tanned face. His blue eyes were beginning to hide behind the crepey skin crowding his eyes. He looked older than his 35 years. He had a feeling Brianna had hung around and had sex with him cuz she wasn’t getting enough at home. And he’d supplied the drugs she loved.

  “I’m sick of the seedy side of paradise,” he told his mirror image. “Sick of selling drugs, hiding from the cops, I’m even sick of snorting coke. I can’t even believe that one,” he laughed.

  This mess with Brianna had opened his eyes to his new reality. “I hate this friggin’ island. Paradise my ass.” Maybe, just maybe luck would go his way for once and he could get away before the cops caught up with him. Richardson walked away from the mirror, over to the broken down, dusty dresser. He pulled open the draw where he kept his stash. He sat down on the bed and made a few calls to sell what he had on hand.

  “This should be enough for me to get the hell out of here. Maybe I can even stay in a decent hotel once I reach the mainland.” After Richardson made his deliveries, he called the airport to make reservations for the next flight to LA.

  “I didn’t want to ruin our risqué evening last night,” Wolf told Caroline at breakfast. “But, Detective Sheldon wants me to go in to the precinct and meet with Chief Cummings. Seems one of their informants said the ring you described may have ties to organized crime. They don’t want to take any chances. Chief Cummings is appointing me as a special envoy to the police department. My job is to look out for you.”

  “Do they think gangsters will come after me?” Caroline quizzed her husband, concerned for her safety.

  “No. But they don’t want to take any chances. Th
ere will be a plainclothes sergeant assigned to us who’ll report to me if I need any help. He’ll be around, but won’t interfere with our vacation. That’s why they want to assign me as a special envoy.”

  “Will we have to leave the Grand?”

  “No. Our vacation will go on as scheduled. But, if we need to stay on longer because they need you as a witness, I’m being cleared to remain as long as is needed. A plainclothes officer is down by the elevators to this wing of the hotel. They don’t want to signal where you are by putting him at our hotel room door. They want you to remain in the room until I get back. I won’t be gone too long.”

  “Well, your appointment will give me a chance to catch up on my reading. Good thing we already ate breakfast.”

  “If you need anything from room service, dial the officer at this number and he’ll get it for you. He’ll also call you to let you know he’s coming. Be sure to look through the peephole so you can see his badge.”

  “Got it—I’m glad you’re on the case,” she purred. “Since you’ve looked after me for as long as I’ve known you, I feel completely safe.”

  Wolf pulled her in and cocooned her in his strong arms. “Remember, you saved me first.”

  ~ Chapter 11 ~

  Concerned Detective Gage Sheldon wanted to know how Caroline took the news.

  “She’s brave. I actually met her on a plane on the way to Virginia. She saved me and my men—the entire plane for that matter from a bio-terrorist attack. We dubbed her an honorary SEAL. Her nickname is Ice. One day, I’ll tell you the whole story about how she got it. She’s tough. Still, I’m sure she’s worried about organized crime maybe being involved in Brianna Kamehameha’s murder,” Wolf stated as he rode with the lead detective to Headquarters.

  “I hope that’s not the case. But we’re not taking any chances with your wife’s safety.”