Warning: Content on Zenobia Renquist's site is intended for persons who are deemed legally mature by their country of residence: United States is 18 years old, Japan is 20 years old. For other countries, please refer to the Wiki Age of Majority article. Read/browse responsibly. Thank you.
FREE READS
Enjoy these free reads written exclusively for Changeling Press.
Right-click on desired format and choose "Save As..." to save to your computer.
|
Encounter #183 (Timeline Note: This free read takes place anytime after Chapter Three in Harley on the Rocks.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
| Or download from your All Romance eBooks account. | ||
| * * * * * * | ||
|
Encounter #219 (Timeline Note: This free read is an extension of the Eternal Lovers closing scene in Chapter Seven.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
| Or download from your All Romance eBooks account. | ||
| * * * * * * | ||
|
Encounter #222 (Timeline Note: This free read is an extension of the Eternal Lovers closing scene in Chapter Five.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
| Or download from your All Romance eBooks account. | ||
| * * * * * * | ||
|
Encounter #223 (Timeline Note: This free read takes place before the Eternal Lovers Epilogue.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
Or download from your All Romance eBooks account. |
||
| * * * * * * | ||
|
Encounter #236 (Timeline Note: This free read takes place between Chapters Four and Five of Taking It Back.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
Or download from your All Romance eBooks account. |
||
| * * * * * * | ||
|
Encounter #242 (Timeline Note: This free read takes place anytime after Chapter Three in Chamomile Nights.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
Coming soon to All Romance eBooks. |
||
| * * * * * * | ||
|
Encounter #246 (Timeline Note: This free read takes place during any point of Collar and Bell.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
Coming soon to All Romance eBooks. |
||
| * * * * * * | ||
|
Encounter #248 (Timeline Note: This Encounter takes place between Chapter Ten and the Epilogue of Overflow.) |
||
| ♦ HTML | ♦ EPUB | |
Coming soon to All Romance eBooks. |
||
| * * * * * * | ||
For more Encounters, check out A Cheeky Changeling, the Changeling Press monthly ezine.
(This free story was originally posted at Pink Chair Diaries as part of their pink chair anthologies on 17 September 2007.)
Dare or Consequences
“Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit!” the crowd in the room chanted.
Kay could barely hear it over her own mind screaming, SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!
Henry was a dead man. He’d invited her to this mixed bachelor party with the promise that she’d have fun. It was mixed because the couple was two guys. Rather than having two parties, they had one big one.
Everything started off great—music, laughter, drinking, and fun—until Henry and Trent, the happy couple, opened their bachelor gifts. One particular gift—a pink blow up chair in the shape of a hand with a thick, long dildo in the middle—had sparked a game of Dare or Consequences. The person had to do the dare or face the consequences.
In Kay’s case, it was six of one and a half dozen of the other. She had to either impale herself on the chair—that would be the dare—or go without clothes for the rest of the party—that would be the consequences and the party promised to last for another five hours.
There was no doubt in her mind that the people present would enforce the consequences of a failed dare. Casey, one of Trent’s transsexual friends, sat in all her… his glory after refusing to do body shots from a female guest’s crotch—minus her underwear.
Casey didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable with his man-made D-cups and generous package on display for the world to see. Kay knew she wasn’t that nonchalant. She also knew she didn’t want to sit on a dildo for the viewing pleasure of her companions. She’d just met some of these people a few hours ago.
Kay called over the shouted encouragement, “How long do I have to sit on it?”
She was actually entertaining it. But, a little dildo action was better than nudity. A little birdie told her the night would get wilder before it was over and she didn’t want to be naked when that happened.
“Just yank down your pants and sit on it,” Trent said.
“That’s too easy. I say she should have to ride it,” said another guest. A few of the others cheered this suggestion.
Henry called out, “All in favor?”
“Ride! Ride! Ride!”
“But… but you said sit before,” Kay argued, not believing her situation had gone from bad to worse.
Henry shrugged and replied, “You hesitated.”
Oh yes, Henry was a dead man. She just had to figure out where to hide the body and no one would ever hear from him again.
“Sit or strip. It’s up to you, Kay,” Henry said.
Sit down and be done, she yelled at herself. It’ll only be a little bit and then they’ll focus on someone else. You don’t have to strip. Pull your panties off, sit down,bounce a little bit and you’re done .
Why did it sound so much easier in her head?
She took one step towards the chair and the cheering crowd grew louder. Without thinking too much about what she was about to do, she lifted her skirt, inched her panties aside—rather than take them off—and sat down.
The crowd went wild. Howls and catcalls and whistling sounded all around her. She had her eyes closed, trying to block it all out.
“Don’t forget to move,” said an unknown person from behind Kay. He came up and shook the chair violently.
Kay gasped at the sensation and froze. Everything about her was overly sensitive.There was no way she’d be able to move and not embarrass herself in the process.
“You gonna move?” Trent asked.
“No. I think… I think I’ll just sit here,” Kay rasped. God,even talking was a trial. That little bit of movement seemed to vibrate through her and she had to stop herself from squirming.
“Like it that much, do you?” Henry asked, laughing.
She didn’t bother answering him. After the next victim had their turn, she’d get up and forget this ever happened.
Or that was her plan. The next player, a guy, didn’t even wait for the dare before stripping down. He looked happy for an excuse to get out of his clothes and even did a little strip tease for the enjoyment of most present.
Kay sighed and leaned away from the dildo. Henry got up and shoved her back down. She had to keep from crying out at the pleasure of it.
“Oh no you don’t, your dare isn’t over, Kay. You said you wanted to sit so you get to sit.”
“How long?”
Henry looked at the crowd with a raised eyebrow.
“Fifteen minutes.”
Kay looked at the man who’d answered—Devlin, Trent’s twin brother. Identical green eyes stared at her from beneath black lashes. Devlin and Trent were completely identical down to the tiny mole at the corner of their right eye. The only way anyone could tell them apart was Devlin’s thin goatee.
The man stared at her with open fascination. His gaze swept over her body and she stiffened in response. That only made her inner muscles clutch at the dildo. She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Fifteen minutes? She wouldn’t last another fifteen seconds!
Henry patted her shoulder, purposely jarring her enough for the chair to move. “Fifteen minutes it is.”
And that’s when the torture started. Every person in the room did something that made them bump the chair “accidentally”. Any illusions Kay had of sitting still until her time was up were dashed as her companions made sure she didn’t forget just what was between her legs.
“It’s your turn, Devlin,” Trent said with an evil grin. He glanced at Kay and then back to his brother. “Using only one finger, you have to get Kay off.”
“What?” Kay yelled. She looked at Devlin then Trent. “Why am I part of this?”
“Your fifteen minutes is almost up.”
“More reason to leave me the hell alone.” She looked around the room for help but there were no sympathetic gazes to be found. “That’s not fair. No one else has had to do double dares.”
“Don’t be a spoilsport, Kay. You’ll like it,” Henry said.
Double homicide would make a great wedding present. Henry and Trent could die together. She glared at each man in turn, ending with Devlin.
Trent said, “If you don’t let Devlin do his dare then you have to stay on that chair for the rest of the night.”
“That wasn’t part of the deal!”
“Those are the rules.”
“What rules?” Kay yelled. When had someone mentioned rules? “You said sit on the chair and I sat. My obligation is over.”
“Ah, but you didn’t move,” Trent said in a mock-sage voice.
“You didn’t add that until later.”
“It was still part of your dare. Since you didn’t do it, this is your consequence.”
“But—”
“Or,” Henry cut her off, “you can strip.”
After all that and she would still have to strip? That wasn’t fair and they knew it. Henry and Trent were jerking her around on purpose. She didn’t know what she had done to get their attention, but she was done playing.
Before she could get up and leave, Devlin was there standing over her. He put his face close to hers and said, “Frankly, I don’t want to be naked in this room full of drunks and neither do you. Let’s just play nice together.”
“I won’t have to do either if I leave.”
“If you do that then everyone will get all uncomfortable and the party might end prematurely. That’s not fair to Trent and Henry. It’s just a fun game between consenting adults. No harm. What do you say?”
She couldn’t say anything since Devlin slipped his hand beneath her skirt and rubbed his finger against her exposed nub.
“One finger only, Devlin!” called one of the guests.
Devlin moved to the side so those sitting directly in front of Kay could see he only used one finger. Kay couldn’t summon up the will to be embarrassed. She stared into Devlin’s eyes and fought her body’s reaction to the dildo deep inside of her and his finger.
She braced her hands on Devlin’s wrist and her breathing grew shallow as she neared her climax. Hers was a losing battle. Whether it was the few drinks she’d had, the cheering crowd, the pink dildo chair, or Devlin, she lost. A sharp gasp with her eyes squeezed shut preceded the tremors that shook her body as she came.
“Way to go, Dev. You get to keep your clothes.”
Kay shoved passed Devlin and ran upstairs to one of the empty rooms, slamming the door in her wake. It would have made more sense to leave the party all together but she didn’t think she was in any condition to drive. Drinking aside, her body wouldn’t stop shaking.
A dildo and a finger attached to one of the sexiest men she’d seen in a long time was all it took. She didn’t know if shame made her shake or the urge to beg him to do more.
“You okay?”
Kay gasped and jerked around, facing Devlin. He closed the bedroom door softly behind him then faced her. “Get out,” she rasped, taking a step back with her arms clutched over her chest.
“You’re upset and embarrassed, I get that. But, they’re just having fun. Most of them are toasted and won’t even remember this tomorrow.”
“What’s your excuse?”
Devlin smiled at her and she took another step back. He followed her—stalked her. “Oh, I’m not drunk, if that’s what you’re asking. I haven’t had a drop of alcohol all night since I planned to be sober when I put my hands on your body.”
Kay gaped at him. “You set me up.”
“That we did. I told Henry and Trent my request and they said they’d help me out. I didn’t know how, but I’m not upset with the outcome.”
“What request?”
Devlin pinned her against the wall with his hands on either side of her head. “I came to visit my dear gay brother and his new life partner when they moved in to their new home and was captivated by the luscious ebony vision who had come to help them out.” He moved closer to her. “That’d be you.”
“This isn’t funny. Please move.”
“Imagine my surprise when Henry tells me that you’re single. I’m either the luckiest son of a bitch alive or the men in these parts are blind or both.”
Kay braced her hands on Devlin’s chest and pushed at him. He didn’t move. In fact he got closer. She could feel his arousal through his jeans. A part of her ached to find out how it compared to the dildo. It didn’t matter. Real beat plastic any day of the week.
But she didn’t want Devlin, especially after what he’d done.
He said in her ear, “I asked Trent and Henry to help me out. A simple introduction wasn’t enough since you’re the shy type. I had to get passed your defenses.” He caressed her side then inched her blouse out of the waist of her skirt.
Her whole body turned into one giant nerve when his hand touched her bare skin. She struggled with herself to stay lucid and in control of the situation. “There are other ways to get laid.”
“Oh, this isn’t just about getting laid. I wouldn’t mind, but I’m thinking of something a little more long term.”
She jerked her head up and stared into his eyes. “Are you sure you’re not drunk? We just met. How could you—” She choked to a stop when his questing fingers slid under her bra and teased her nipple.
“I don’t want you for the night, Kay. I want you forever.” He kissed her neck. “Men in my family have a bad habit of falling in love at first sight. It happened to Trent, it happened to our dad and his brothers, it happened to my grandfather and his father and son. Now, it’s happened to me.”
“This is by far the best pick-up line I’ve heard in a long time.”
Devlin backed away from her, holding her gaze. “You think I’m just doing this to get into your pants?”
“Why else would you spout that line of crap? Or participate in that stupid dare?”
She gasped when he grabbed her and dragged her out of the room. He pulled her past the orgy that had broken out in the living room to his car and then shoved her into the passenger seat.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Taking you home.”
“I didn’t want to do it with you at Trent and Henry’s place and I don’t want to do it at your place either.” That was a lie, but he didn’t need to know that. She was ready to do it in the car if he asked her.
Devlin put the car in gear and drove down the street. “Not my house. Your house. I’m taking you home.”
“And then?”
“Nothing. I’m taking you home.”
She sat in silence as Devlin indeed drove her home. He stopped the car in front of her apartment building and waited. She didn’t ask how he knew where she lived and found it funny that his knowledge didn’t frighten or worry her.
“Goodnight, Kay,” he said in a final voice.
She frowned at him, trying to figure out this new game. He didn’t say anything else. He didn’t even look at her. She got out of the car, closed the door, and he drove off before she could say anything.
This night was too surreal for words. She was the one who’d been molested but he was pissed. That was rich. She went to her bed and dreamed about a green-eyed, black haired god and his magic fingers.
* * * *
“Kay, delivery for you.”
She looked up from her computer and stared at the largest bouquet of sterling roses she’d ever seen in her life. She couldn’t even see her co-worker who carried them. He set them on her desk then circled around them and smiled at her.
“Had a good weekend, I take?”
Kay ignored him and plucked out the card in the middle of the mass of flowers—there were easily three dozen if not more. They were from Devlin. In small boxy letters, Devlin had written two words and then signed his name: I’m sorry.
She flipped the card over then looked at the flowers. That was it—a huge bouquet and an apology.
Her co-worker said, “I don’t know what you did to that man, but make sure you do it again. Sterling roses aren’t cheap. I’m sure this broke that poor man’s bank account.”
Kay didn’t know what to say. She looked over her shoulder at the desk three cubicles away. Henry winked at her then went back to his typing. Somehow she got the feeling Henry, Trent and Devlin were setting her up again.
The next day another three dozen roses arrived, this time they were yellow. The note said “I’m very sorry”.
“Nice roses,” Henry said, coming over to her desk.
Kay shook her head in disbelief. “This has to stop, Henry. Call up Devlin and make him stop. This is embarrassing.”
“I’ll call him but I don’t know what good it’ll do. He said he told you about the men in his family. He wasn’t kidding. Trent didn’t do flowers but he was just as persistent until I caved.” He patted her shoulder. “I’m happier for it.”
She wouldn’t even entertain the idea of a long term commitment with someone she met while sitting on a pink dildo chair two nights ago. There was no way. What would she tell people when they asked how they met?
The next day the roses didn’t show. Kay was on pins and needles waiting for the bouquet, but it didn’t come. A part of her was a little disappointed. She needn’t have bothered with the emotion since the roses were waiting for her at home. She opened her door and was confronted with three different bushels: white, red, and pink. And, the sender waited with them.
Devlin said, “Fifteen dozen roses. One dozen as an apology for every minute you sat on that chair.”
“You didn’t have to do that, Devlin,” Kay whispered, staring at him with an emotion she knew had to be love. It was stupid. She couldn’t love a man she had just met and yet, there was no other explanation for it.
“I think I did.” He crossed the room and closed her front door.
“This is a bit much to get into my pants.”
Devlin backed her up against the door, trapping her with his body. “If I wanted to get into your pants, I would have brought a handful of roses, some cheap champagne, and taken you to dinner.” He waved at the flowers behind him. “This is a marriage proposal.”
“You’re crazy!”
He held out a small velvet box. “I may be but I’m dead serious.”
Kay didn’t take the box, just stared into his eyes.
“Well?”
“Crazy must be catching because I think I’m going to say yes.”
“Think?”
She shrugged and said, “It depends on where you take me for dinner.”
“I hear Vegas is nice this time of year.”
(This free story was originally published in All Romance eBook's newsletter Wildfire, issue 29 on 29 February 2008)
Tigers and the Twenty-Nine
“The twenty-nine g...uh...the twenty-nine born on the twenty-ninth day of February are presented to you, Great Ones, on this their sixth birthday,” the village elder announced. He bowed to the large mirror before him and backed away.
Alaine’s whole body tingled with anticipation. She’d noticed how the elder stumbled over his announcement. While there should be twenty-nine girls, there were actually twenty-eight and one boy. Everyone was a little worried about what would happen.
Without fail, every thirty-six years, twenty-nine girls would be born to the village all on February twenty-ninth. But the day of Alaine’s birth twenty-four years ago, twenty-eight daughters and one son were born and the unease started.
She, like her mother, believed there was a reason for it and they didn’t worry. They were alone in their opinion.
Alaine let very little upset her. She was destined to be with her love soon. Nothing could faze her when faced with that. Some of the other girls were nervous and frightened. They held hands, trying to give each other strength. Alaine stood ready and willing. She’d waited for this day all her life—well, most of it—since it meant she may see him again.
“Let them step forward,” said a deep voice with the hint of a growl beneath.
The girl at the far left of the line squeaked and huddled into her cloak more.
“Come forward, child,” the village elder snapped when the girl didn’t move. “Be quick.”
The girl clutched at her cloak and inched towards the mirror. She didn’t move fast enough for the village elder, who yanked her forward and ripped the cloak from her shoulders. The girl covered her nakedness with her hands.
“Stand tall and display yourself properly, Olivia,” called a woman in the crowd of onlookers. “Stop embarrassing our family before the Great Ones.”
Olivia seemed to gain some courage from the woman’s words, because she straightened and dropped her hands. She bowed her head, turned so her back faced the mirror then faced front and bowed once more.
“Good,” the village elder said.
Olivia retreated and the next girl took her turn. Each girl did the same thing, displaying themselves for the unknown multitudes of men on the other side of the mirror until it was Alaine’s turn. Unlike the other girls, who’d clutched their cloaks until they reached the mirror, she dropped hers and walked proudly forward.
Alaine bowed and gave her head a little toss as she straightened, flinging her black locks over her shoulder. She held her arms a little out from her sides as she turned then winked at the mirror once she faced it again.
“You do us proud, Alaine,” her brother yelled from the crowd.
Only two other girls and the single boy displayed Alaine’s level of confidence. The last girl presented herself to the mirror, but before she could resume her place in the line, a tiger-striped, fur-covered male hand appeared. With its orange and black palm facing upwards, it reached for the girl.
She glanced at the elder, who motioned her forward, then she looked back at the crowd.
“Do you accept me?” asked the voice that belonged to the hand.
The girl faced the mirror.With hesitant movements, she placed her hand on the one offered and said in a whispery voice, “Yes.”
“Then step through.”
Brigid leaned over and whispered to Alaine, “Doesn’t the royal family usually pick first?”
“Yes. Erica is so lucky. That must have been the crown prince or possibly even the king,” Alaine whispered back.
Erica walked through the mirror and cheers erupted from all who witnessed it.
Another fur-covered hand exited the mirror, but this one pointed. The girl the hand’s owner indicated didn’t hesitate. She took the offered hand and voiced an affirmative when he asked if she accepted him.
To everyone’s surprise, the third hand pointed at the lone boy amongst the girls. All noise stopped as he walked forward.
A decidedly deep, male voice asked, “Do you accept me?”
The boy smiled and put his hand in the offered one. “Gladly,” he said then stepped through the mirror before his suitor could tell him.
Brigid muttered, “Guess the great ones have those types amongst their ranks as well.”
“I’m glad for him,” Alaine said, nodding. He deserved happiness after the ridicule he’d suffered for being a boy born during the sacred time.
One by one, the rest of the girls were chosen. Alaine almost screamed every time the furry hands pointed at one of the other girls instead of her. There were nine girls left, counting her, before a white and black furred hand extended its finger in her direction.
White fur. That could be him, she thought as she went to the mirror.
“Accept me.”
“That didn’t sound like a question,” she said.
“It wasn’t.”
“You’re supposed to ask.”
“Alaine! Do not presume to tell the great ones what they can and cannot do,” the elder yelled.
“I didn’t,” she said. “It was a friendly reminder.”
“Hurry up and say yes. You’re holding up the line,” Brigid said.
She looked at the mirror and wished she could see the owner of the hand instead of her own reflection staring back at her. She wanted to be sure the hand belonged to the man she wanted and not another. Though she wasn’t sure she’d recognize him after all these years. He did tell her white fur was rare amongst his people.
She placed her hand in his and his fingers closed around her hand, hiding it. He pulled her forward but she hesitated. Again the feeling of wanting to be certain plagued her. This choice was final. Once she crossed the mirror, she’d be mated to whoever owned the hand, whether it was the man she wanted or not.
“Do you want me?” she asked, looking at the place on the mirror where his eyes should be.
The hand gripping hers tightened.“Yes.”
His reply was so soft she almost didn’t hear it. Something in his voice—in that one simple word—sparked a little recognition. It was him. Riovan had kept his word to her.
She crossed the mirror threshold, ready to meet the eyes of a love she’d pined after over the last twenty years.
Instead, she fainted.
* * * *
Riovan caught Alaine as the effects of crossing the mirror overwhelmed her. Like all those who had chosen before him, he carried his new mate away. He would rouse her after he reached his bedroom.
“Lord Riovan, you’re forgetting one thing.”
He turned back.
The priest smiled at him in a knowing manner.“Eager, aren’t you?”
“Hurry up,” Riovan snapped. He offered Alaine’s arm to the priest, who snapped a bracelet around her wrist.
“Simply done. Enjoy yourself, my lord.”
Riovan walked away without another word. He ignored the congratulatory remarks in favor of getting to his room before his precious burden revived.
He’d just laid her against his pillows when Alaine moaned. “You have not changed,” he said in a soft voice. “Even as a small girl, I knew you would be unafraid.”
True the creamy brown beauty before him was a far cry from the tiny little girl he’d met so long ago, but her spirit was the same.
“Riovan,” she whispered. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him.
Had he changed much from what she remembered? Of course he had. He was a tiger when she saw him the first time. It was the curse of crossing the mirror. His kind were forced to revert back to what they were if they would walk amongst those of the unaltered realm.
Only on this side of the mirror could he stand on two legs and possess a more human-like body, though he still retained his feline features—his tail, his claws, the ears atop his head instead of on the sides and his black and white striped fur.
He smoothed a single finger along her jaw. “So, you remember me then?”
“Yes. I was hoping you would choose me, like you promised.”
“Then you remember that as well. I thought your child’s mind would lose such a memory.”
Alaine gripped his hand and used it to help her move to a sitting position. She placed her face close to his and searched his eyes. “You really expected me to forget an entire week of laughter and fun?”
“No.”
“Good, because I didn’t. You’re the reason I never feared the time of crossing or the Great Ones.”
“Such a silly name you humans gave to us, but it serves its purpose and thus we do not correct you.”
“What name would you like me to call you?”
“Only my own. That is the only name that ever needs to be on your lips.” He moved forward and pressed his lips to hers. “So soft,” he whispered.
Alaine wound her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. Her eagerness only made him want her more.
He’d almost lost her during the time of choosing. Denlal and Xaf had threatened to choose her before he could only so they could keep her away from him. Their taunts had given him just the incentive he needed to ensure he won a place before them when the challenges commenced.
After going through it, Riovan was happy the challenges only took place every thirty-six years. He couldn’t imagine the turmoil amongst his people if challenges for the honor of a human mate happened more often. He’d heard the last choosing had resulted in the death of the current king’s brother.
Nothing so extreme had happened this time. He’d won his place, which was lower than he'd liked but before Denlal and Xaf, and he had his mate—a sweet human girl who had showed him no fear even when he was a giant cat.
She’d had no way of knowing he was one of the “Great Ones” but she’d approached him and spoke with him. Once she'd realized he could understand and speak with her, they’d played for hours…days.
He hadn’t known at the time that Alaine had run away from home and her destiny as one of the twenty-nine. Before she met him for the first time, she’d been scared of mating with a tiger of the other realm.
Her parents had searched for Alaine for an entire week. They’d found her in his company and were simultaneously scared and relieved—scared of him but relieved she had been safe and well cared for.
Alaine had shown great reluctance in parting with him. Only his promise that he would choose her when the time came, thus enabling her to meet him again, had gotten her to return with her family.
Now, she belonged to him and he wouldn’t have to return her. He moved forward so she lay beneath him, all without breaking their kiss.
Her lack of clothing made him thankful. His patience wouldn’t have held through undressing her. Perhaps those who’d come before him had met with such a frustration and that was why the twenty-nine came to the choosing with only a cloak.
He touched her body tentatively, not wanting to hurt her in his eagerness. A female of his race had the protection of her fur to shield against his claws, but humans were more fragile.
He coached himself to be calm and take his time. She was his and they had a lifetime.
(This story was originally posted as a free story at Red Bubble - Gaia the Living Planet on 11 March 2008.)
Forever Lovers
“What do you see?”
He gave an annoyed sigh and looked over the vast green plains spotted with trees. “Enough land for a decent sized parking lot at the world’s largest mall. Now can we go?” He turned away.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him back so he faced her. Framing his face with her hands, she whispered, “I love you. I love you with all my heart. But I’ll never be able to love you with my soul if you can’t see what I see.”
“What does that mean?” He could feel it. She was pulling away from him—emotionally. She gripped his arms and was in his face but a part of her was far away and getting farther by the second.
He grabbed her to try and hold her to him but the feeling wouldn’t leave him. “Don’t. The wedding is in a week. Both our families will be there.”
“So? What does that matter if we aren’t there?”
He looked over the plain again then back at her. “What do you want me to see? I’ll see it, I swear. Just don’t end it because of this. Please.” He wasn’t known for begging. He wasn’t known for asking for anything. People usually gave it to him. For the first time in his recollection, he wanted something so very badly and might lose it without ever knowing why.
She walked him back to the railing and turned his head so he faced the plain once again. “Look,” she whispered. “Forget everything else—forget me—and look.”
His heartbeat thundered in his ears. He knew everything rested on him seeing something, anything. He stared and stared and all he saw was his future crumbling to dust as she left him.
The despair that enveloped him made his whole world black and his eyes unfocused.
A movement in the distance caught his attention. It wasn’t an animal or any other living thing. He leaned against the railing to get a better look. The movement happened again—rhythmic… pulsing…
Heat crept over his body and he suddenly felt like a peeping tom.
She hugged his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
He looked down at her then at the lovers. Not human lovers. Nothing so mundane. The land he’d seen as a financial opportunity was open and inviting her lover into her embrace.
And her lover? The sky above.
Earth Mother Gaia and Sky Father Uranus met at the horizon… collided at the horizon. It was an intimate act and he was equal parts ashamed and awed at witnessing it.
In hushed tones, as though she didn’t want to interrupt, she said, “They can only meet like this when Gaia is bare and clean then she can have her lover.”
He took her in his arms and they stared at the mating as thoughts of enjoying the same crept over them. He said, “No one will ever touch this land. You have my word.”
Zenobia Renquist is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the All Romance eBooks affiliate program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and All Romance eBooks.
