Choosing Hearts - The Fighter's Passion (Gritty, Explicit Romance Novel) (A Lusty Stand Alone Story) (13 page)

He paused to look
at her bemused face, fearing that she may think him more than ever mad now. But
she smiled and caressed his hand, kissing it softly. Her eyes trailed down to
the glowing pendant on his chest.

“I believe every
word of it, Rogan.”She said with a deep sigh. “Especially since I remember you
saying that you were hit by an arrow last year, when I wanted to know how bad
the bullet you took for me was back in the hospital, after our first day on the
job together.”

“Aye, I realized
then that I had spoken too eagerly and hoped no one would take notice of my
error.” He smiled, peering deeply into her eyes. “It is a wonder you still
recall that.”

“I have a good
memory, Rogan.” She smiled back. “And what you’ve told me now is going to be
very hard to forget.”

“It does give me
respite to have told at least one other person what hell I have been put
through.” He gave her an appreciative nod.

“But you’re still
not telling me everything, Rogan.” She eyed his pendant again.

“What more should
I say?” He looked at her wonderingly.

“Tell me about
that glowing stone you wear around your neck.” She pointed at the pendant.
“I’ve never seen you take it off, not even in the shower. What is it? Some kind
of talisman connecting you to your past life?”

“Aye, it… it is a
gift.” He nodded somberly, feeling a little uncomfortable.

“From someone you
loved?” Julia leaned forward eagerly. “Who is she… is she your wife?”

“I do not wish you
any more pain.” He looked away, his hand reaching for the pendant.

“You won’t…  I
want to know, Rogan.” She urged him. “Tell me about her.”

“Her name is
Alicia… and I have given her my heart and soul.” He said slowly. “Yet, now I
fear that I may never see her again.”

She looked at him
with sadness, noting the pain in his voice as he took her name. She felt great
pity for him come over her. She loved him, she knew that, and every fiber in
her wanted to keep him to herself and yet her love for him could not bear to
see him suffer the fate he was imprisoned with. He was a man torn apart and
even if being with her offered him some respite, it was only that. He would
only experience true joy if he could be back in his time, she knew, in his
world and with the woman he loved.

“You were married
and she gave you that pendant as a soul bond.” Julia reached up and touched the
glowing stone. “That means she has the pair to it, back in your time.”

“How would you
know of such?” His eyes widened in surprise.

“I minored in
ancient lore and natural healing in college. Soul bonded artifacts were a rage
during the 1100s and through to the 18th century.” She said, thinking deeply.
“And if the lore and the mumbo-jumbo are even half true, there is a way you two
may still be connected.”

“Aye, I believe
so.” He nodded. ‘”Often I dream of her, and hear her voice… though it sometimes
feels like the wizard is tormenting me.”

“No, it is her…
she is reaching out to you, Rogan.” Julia grasped at his shoulders.
“Soul-bonded pendants work both ways… you can reach out to her too, but you
must be in a place where the natural energy that channels though these things
can be harnessed to make it work.”

“You amaze me,
fair Julia.” He said in awe. “Perhaps I should have told you about this
earlier.”

“Rogan, you are
the most amazing person I have known, and I love you…  I don’t know what I can
do without you.” She hugged him close. “But I know you’re a man suffering from
an evil that no one should suffer, not even a hated enemy.”

“You will help me
find a way to reach Alicia?” He asked in surprise.

“Yes, Rogan.” She
whispered. “I love you and I cannot bear you to suffer this injustice. I know
just the place where we can at least try to do this.”

“Where is this
place?” Rogan stood up eagerly.

“It’s a field
outside the city limits, a place for campers and caravans.” The policewoman
said. “Sometimes a woman who reads tarot cards and uses a crystal ball makes
camp there. She’s the one who can help you.”

“I am unsure of
this; it may bring further peril upon me.” Rogan looked at her disdainfully.

“That’s not the
adventurous Rogan I know.” Julia hissed. “You don’t have to worry about me.  I
want you to do this. At least try… if it fails, we still have each other.”

“Julia, I cannot
even express my gratitude to you.” He caressed her soft cheek. “Once more, you
have me in your debt.”

“You owe nothing
to the one you love.” She smiled, blinking back her tears.

~ ~ ~

“Many tears have
been shed, big one.” The bent old woman said with a smile on her ancient,
wrinkled face under the dark translucent veil. “Over the glowing stones of
moonshine.”

“I see you are
aware of what this is then.” Julia retrieved the pendant back from the old
woman’s gnarled hands and handed it over to Rogan.

The two police
officers stood outside the small little horse drawn four wheeled caravan of the
little tarot reading woman. She looked exactly like one would expect a woman of
her exotic persuasion should, in her long red skirt, white blouse, russet
sleeveless jacket with necklaces and bangles made of wood carvings and beads. A
large veil covered her head and was pulled low over her eyes.

“Yes, I am well
aware of the rigors of soul bonding, young woman.” She cackled. “But it is not
to you he is bonded, but to a love that is separated by a great divide.”

“I am aware of
that; tell us where and how we can make a connection?” The policewoman said
impatiently. “Where is the natural channeling node that makes the moonshine
stone work?”

“We have coin to
cross your palm with, if that’s what you require, old mother.” Rogan offered,
bowing his head.

“Ah, that’s very
generous of you, my big friend.” She smiled toothlessly at the anxious warrior.
“Come with me, to the sacred grove… just around the bend.”

“You spoke of the
best spell yet, Rogan.” Julia smiled at him as they followed the old woman.
“The lure of money; works every time.”

The flame haired
man said nothing, eager and excited at the prospect of finding a way back to
his time and to Alicia. The old woman led them down a narrow passage cut into
the surrounding rock face until it widened out into a small private garden with
a little pool of clear water in the middle.

“What is this
place?” Rogan said, almost breathless with wonder.

“Whatever you want
it to be, young lad.” Their elderly guide held out her hand.

“You’ve got to
tell us how to do this before I pay you anything.” Julia gave the woman a stern
look.

“Arrogance is not
your nature, little one.” The woman laughed. “All this troubles you much.”

“Get on with it,
grandma.” Julia hissed, her hand going instinctively for the butt of her
handgun.

“Very well, my
child, as you wish.” She nodded slowly. “You, Rogan of Kirk Falls, must stand
in the pool and hold on to the moonshine amulet, thinking only of the one who
is soul bonded to its twin and the power of the pool will unite you two once
more.”

“Will I be sent
back to my world?” He asked, looking anxiously at Julia.

“No, not yet.” The
old woman replied, coughing slowly. “First, you must communicate and then the
moonshine stones will open up the portal for you to travel through, at the
opportune moment.”

“And when is
that?” Julia asked softly, her eyes misting over as she looked at Rogan.

“At the hour of
enchantment, the stroke of midnight.” The old tarot reading gipsy exhaled
deeply, waving her hands for emphasis.

Rogan stepped up
to the old woman and emptied his pockets handing her all the money he had on
him. Then removing his boots and gun belt, he waded into the pool of crystal
clear water, firmly clasping at the pendant in both hands. A shrill wind picked
up around them making the grass and leaves blow around the pool. Rogan closed
his eyes and thought of Alicia. Her lovely face, rich dark hair, sky blue eyes,
cherry red lips filled his mind. He called out to her in his mind; he could
almost hear the silvery chime of her laughter. His heart soared and he held out
his arms as if he was embracing someone. The amulet began to glow brightly on
his chest, filling the little grove with an eerie blue light.

Julia watched the
man she loved, her mind clouded and heavy. She couldn’t understand why she was
even doing this. Losing him was her greatest fear and yet here she was helping
him slip away. Strangely she felt no sorrow, or regret, instead she experienced
a bizarre comfort in helping the man she loved find the happiness that was
stolen from him. Though she had initially thought him mad when he told her his
tale, but now, after witnessing the strange events playing out before her, she
understood with better clarity that there was more to this existence than
mortal humanity will ever know and she was glad to be an eye-witness to some of
it.

“Alicia!” Rogan
called out, his voice trembling. “I am here, my love… I am here.”

“Rogan, oh, my
Rogan.” A lilting voice echoed all around them. “Oh, you have found me at long
last… oh, Rogan, I’ve been so terrified here, all alone without you.”

“I am here, my
love.” The big warrior almost wept. “I am coming home…  I am coming back to
you.”

“Hurry, Rogan…”
The voice of Alicia pleaded. “The power of my moonshine amulet wanes, I have
almost spent it searching for you.”

“No more, my love,
for tonight at the stroke of midnight, I will break the spell and return to
you… to Kirk Falls.” He said with longing, raising his arms and holding out his
hands.

“Oh, Rogan, hurry…
hurry…” The voice began to fade away, leaving Rogan to desperately clutch at
the air around him.

“We have six hours
before its midnight.” Julia glanced at her wristwatch as Rogan stumbled out of
the pool, looking much disoriented. “What did you see, Rogan, was it her?”

“Julia… Julia…” He
gasped. “Aye, I found her… she is in great peril, I must return, there’s not a
moment to lose.”

“Yes, you will,
Rogan… you will.” She gave him some support as he slumped down on the mossy
ground. “Take it easy; it’s a while before midnight.”

“Julia, you are
the most kind… you have no reason to do this for me… your love is true…” He
kept babbling and waving his hands about.

“Hey, you took a
bullet for me, Irish… it’s the least I can do.” She gave him a shrug. “If I can
help you get back to the life that was taken from you, I’m happy.”

“Julia, how can I
say this… I cannot fathom it myself.” He sounded horribly dejected. “I love
Alicia with all my heart and my life… and yet, I love you too… almost as much.”

“Rogan, don’t make
it harder on yourself than it is already.” She ran her fingers though his thick
golden hair. “We had our time together and I am all the more better for it, now
it’s time you set things right… for yourself, and Alicia.”

“Julia, my heart
is being torn asunder… forgive me for bringing this grief upon you,” The large
man said, struggling with himself emotionally. “I have longed for this moment,
to find my way back to my beloved Alicia… and yet now, when it is within my
grasp… my heart longs for you. Is there no end to this cruelty?”

“Yes, there is,
Rogan.” She let the tears flow down her face. “Go back to your home, go back to
Alicia… she has shed far more tears for you than I… she is yours, bonded to
your soul even across the divide of time… don’t worry about me, dear Rogan… I
have played my part in this, I am happy to know you will be reunited with the
one meant for you.”

Rogan threw his
arms around her and drew her close, kissing her with more passion than he had
ever done. She kissed him back as she wept; her hands caressed his hair and
face possessively. She knew this was the last time she would be kissing him, as
the little grove grew dark and the stars began to dot the sky.

“Come sit by the
fire, younglings.” The old crone said invitingly. “The chill of the night makes
my old bones ache.”

The two uniformed
officers of the law huddled before the small fire the old woman has set up and
gratefully accepted the little sticks with bacon skewered on them. Julia smiled
at the woman, feeling some regret of being rude to her earlier. She flipped out
her wallet and handed the woman a few more twenties which the hag accepted
gleefully.

Time wore on,
Rogan and Julia grew even more impatient with anticipation. It was almost forty
five minutes past eleven. The two of them left the dimming fire and walked up
the pool. The old woman hobbled after them, carrying her crooked walking stick
and some strange looking beads.

“Is it time yet?”
Julia asked her.

“Yes, the time has
come.” She nodded, parting the veil slightly to reveal more of her wrinkled
face. “Step away from the pool, man of Vindarland, you need not enter it now…
wait for the gateway to open.”

Rogan did as she
told him, stepping back and looking around him in awe. The pool had begun to glow
along with the pendant on his neck. He glanced at Julia; she had a smile on her
face. He turned away.It made his heart break. He wanted her and yet, he wanted
Alicia too and he knew that he had to choose what was natural.

“It is time.” The
old woman cried out, holding her bony arms up high and uttering words neither
of them could understand.

A shimmering light
ejected upwards from the pool, illuminating the grove, making it as bright as
day. Rogan shielded his eyes and took a step back. He grasped his amulet
firmly, feeling its heat pulse through him. The water from the pool floated up
and formed a circular orb in the air just above it, emitting a soothing hum as
it gleamed brightly.

“Go now, Rogan of
Kirk Falls.” The old woman’s voice sounded much stronger than before. “Make
haste before the portal closes.”

“Farewell, Julia.”
Rogan called out. “I shall never forget you.”

“I love you,
Rogan… forever and ever.” She whispered, clutching her hands just below her
breasts.

“May you find what
you seek.” The old woman threw back her veil and laughed.

Rogan looked back
at her as he stepped though the portal. “Mymisa… mad Mym…?”

The water engulfed
him, making his head spin. All around him he could see was blue and a
shimmering glow. He felt his body being whisked around. His mouth opened and he
could only hear a dull gargling sound as he screamed. Night and day alternated
around him in hurried bursts, everything began to spin rapidly. He closed his
eyes and thought of home and Alicia, inviting the blissful darkness to take him
away.

~ ~ ~