The Beckoning of Beautiful Things (The Beckoning Series) (23 page)

Cloaking herself turned out to be easier than she’d expected – she simply imagined painting a cloak over her bright, light-gushing body, and just like that, the light disappeared. “Well, that plus a sturdy overcoat,” she amended. “Cool, cool, cool!” she told her dog before she left. He wagged his sparkling tail at her, creating whirls of bioluminescence. “The neighbors might wonder about you today. Tell them you put on your party best. Tell them I bought you a new superhero costume.”

She sped into the garage and hopped in her little car. She’d only been to Daniel’s once.
How’s that for funny? I don’t know the way to the house of my soul bound boyfriend or mate or whatever he is
. She tapped his address into the GPS. “Address not found,” she read. “Of course not. Well, let’s just test this soul binding business.” As usual, just thinking about him stirred the tendrils of heat into fiery longing. She backed out of the car and raced down the street.

Finding the way was easy. She only doubted herself once and turned the wrong way. The tendrils of fire flared out in a tangle, like knotted fishing line, as if confused. All she had to do was stay on track and feel the heat between them. Twenty minutes later
, she pulled up the driveway, past the stony lions, past the cavorting goddesses, whipped into the driveway in front of his home and screeched to a halt.

Daniel stood outside, wearing black shorts, a sweat-stained light orange t-shirt
, and black and gray Nike running shoes, wiping his sweaty face with an orange towel. His wet, dark hair laid slicked back from his face. The day was warm, the sky was clear, and the man was hotter than hot.
Damn you, Daniel Navid.
She took a deep breath and leapt from the car.

He beamed at her. “Hello, gorgeous. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Your father helped my aunt suppress my memories! And look!” She peeled open her jacket and searchlight-bright beams flared from her body.

“Whoa!” he said, his face crumpled into a curious expression. “I see you’ve made progress in restoring your
Light Rebel self.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“But what are you talking about with my father?”

“You know that little trip Tom said he’d take me on?”

“Yes, it was to be an ether trip. I take it you went?” He draped the towel around his neck. “How’d it go?”

Marissa’s eyes scanned up and down his body, stopping at his hips and belly. His shirt was pasted to his torso with sweat, revealing the six-pack of muscle. The fluttering birds in her pelvis combined with the galloping ponies inside.
I want you inside me, right here, right now.
Another deep breath.
Focus, Marissa. Focus.
She swallowed and clenched her hands. “I’ll tell you how it went. I got my memories back. I found my way back to my rebellious self and now am full of light.” She extended her arms and let the light issue from her palms.

“Oh, baby,” he said, his eyes glittering and feral. “That’s pretty cool. Good job. Tell me about it.”

His blues eyes bore into her and his damn tongue flicked out to touch his mouth. She wet her lips and swallowed, hard.
Focus, focus, focus. Tell him how you feel about his dad! Tell him how bizarre that whole ether meeting was!
“Maybe in a minute.”
Want.

He took a step
toward her, eyes ablaze. “A minute?”

She stepped backwards. “Or two.”
Want. All I want is you.

He moved closer. “Or two?”

His eyes landed on her chest. She glanced down and rolled her eyes.
Gah!
Good one, Engles!
“I buttoned my shirt all wrong.” She folded her arms.

“You did.” He took a step.

“I was in a hot hurry.”

“You must have been.” Step.

Damn this soul bound stuff!
“Uhhh, Daniel, we’ve got things to discuss! Things to talk about! Your father and my aunt betrayed me. Your dad showed my aunt how to tamp down the light and color that streamed out of my bedroom, and they drugged me.”

Daniel eased even closer. “It sounds like I need to have a chat with my father. And you need to get to the bottom of things with your aunt.” He fingered one of her long curls and tucked it behind her ear. “I won’t be able to do that for another hour or so, though.”

Marissa closed her eyes and breathed him in, all hot sweat, musk, and sunshine.
Want.
She opened her eyes. Electricity sparked and shot from her fingers in an erratic manner. “Because?”

“Because,” he said, leaning down toward her lips, “I might want to do something else first.”

You bound our souls together without asking. You stunned Jason. You’re capable of anything.
Daniel’s lips enveloped hers.
Thwack! I cut off heads and hands. Maybe I am, too.

His hands circled her head and worked their way around to the colorful cotton hair tie she had fastened around her silky tresses. He gently pulled it off and buried his hands in her hair. He deepened the kiss, plunging his tongue inside her mouth. He sucked greedily on her tongue.

Small stabs of pain shot through her mouth.
Pain. Pleasure. More. I want more.
Her fingernails dug into his arms and she raked them down his triceps.

He thrust her backwards. An unreadable expression colored his face. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Do what?” she panted.

“Draw blood.” His breathing came out ragged and the muscles of his neck bulged in rigid cords. His nostrils flared like a wild horse.

Her eyebrows knit together, and she stared at her fingers as if they were a stranger’s. Lightning bolts arched from her fingertips. Tiny droplets of blood seeped through small lacerations in Daniel’s skin. “Oh! I didn’t mean to…”

“Yes, you did.” His eyes flashed something cold…something deadly.

Her eyelids narrowed.

“You don’t yet know what I’m capable of.” He was back in Marine mode.

The earth beneath her feet shook in tiny tremors. A small tear split the asphalt, just like she’d seen on their first date. It opened to darkness and wisps of red and purple. In a flash, it sealed shut.

“Daniel! What’s happening?” Her fingertips flared.

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Draw blood.” He seemed to be in agony. His eyes squeezed shut tightly and he gulped deep, slow breaths. “This is a problem we’ll both have to deal with – together.” He said the statement as if it was a challenge rather than an invitation.

“What is?” She stood ready to bolt.

His breathing resumed normalcy and his eyes opened slowly. Sweat dripped along his face. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re freaking me out! What are you
, Daniel?” She pushed against his chest.

“I…I can’t tell you.” His eyes appeared wounded.

“What are you? What am I soul bound to? Tell me, Daniel, please.” Her body shook.

“I hope you never have to find out. It’s a fate I couldn’t bear.” His voice sounded both chilling and sad.

A shiver ripped up her spine. “Daniel, you’re scaring me,” she said. “Are you going to hurt me?”

Daniel’s eyes immediately softened. He shook his head side to side. “I’m sorry, c
ariño. I don’t know what came over me. You…you affect me in some pretty strange ways. I’m back. I’m here.” He pulled her tight.

Conflict riddled inside of her.
I already adore this man
.
He scares me. He arouses me. I’m doomed, soul-bound to this mysterious stranger.

Daniel clutched her to him, breathing hard.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he said, his nose nuzzled in her long hair.

His hot, damp chest pressed against her breasts, causing them to ache and tingle. She ran her hands up and down his muscular back, her sensitive fingers exploring, tracing, and memorizing the shape of him through the soft, damp fabric.

“You’re more potent than before.”

“I know. I thought I’d fry to a crisp.”

“Me, too.” He smiled. “You’re way more potent than I imagined you’d be. You’re a powerhouse. It changes things.”

“What do you mean?”

He hugged her tightly to him. “It evokes something in me as well. You need to focus on your training, Marissa. You’ve got quite a task ahead of you to catch up with ten years of lost training.”

“I can do it,” she whispered, melting into the heat and heartbeat of her lover.

“I believe you,” he whispered back. He rocked her back and forth. “Oh, Marissa.” He spoke as if no one but him could hear. “My beautiful, beautiful Marissa.” He gave her a smothering embrace. “Tell me what happened.”

“I have to go to work.” Light rays extended from her arms around the edges of Daniel’s back, competing with the rays of the sun. One of the beams highlighted the bronze goddess next to the house. Marissa blinked and pulled away from Daniel. “That goddess! She’s glaring at me!”

Daniel’s face instantly closed down. “It’s only a bronze sculpture.”

The goddess resumed an expression of frolicking gaiety. Marissa blinked. “Right.” She blinked again. “As much as I’d like to stay, I have to get to work. I don’t want to be late.”

“I wondered if you had work today or if I’d get to spend the whole day with you.” He turned her away from the bronze figure and put his arm around her shoulder. “You could call in sick.”

“No, sorry, I can’t.”

“Bummer. I can think of far more interesting things to do. We have much to discuss.” He kissed the top of her head. “Dinner tonight? At my house? I’ll give Karin the night off and prepare dinner myself.”

“Dinner sounds great.”

“Bring the dog. In case you’d like to stay over.” That wicked smile appeared.

Marissa loved that smile. “Sober sparkles, too. He had little wings when I left him.”

“Does he?” Daniel laughed. “Your Doberman is great. I could fetch him while you’re at work. He and I could do a little male bonding.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Marissa’s eyes flicked to the goddess.
Is that another glare?
A weird, prickly sensation climbed up her back. She shook her head as the gay smile reappeared, fixed in the metal of the bronze cast.
Make a note. Examine statues in Daniel’s yard. But first, get to work and remember what normalcy looks like.

Marissa pushed open the door to PS Publishing. Crazy Betty was already there, dabbing at her eyes with Kleenex. She wore a pink, green, and yellow flowered dress and had her “special occasion” pumps on her feet.

“You’re dressed up, Betty,” Marissa said. Since Crazy Betty often dabbed at her watery eyes, she thought nothing of the Kleenex. “Going somewhere today?”

“Oh, lord, child, it’s Buddy’s funeral. Me and the girls are going to give him the best funeral a dog could want.”

“I’m sorry, Betty. So he, um, crossed over?”

“Wrestled with the reaper, he did. Such a brave little champion.” She pulled another white Kleenex from the blue and gold patterned box and blew hard. “You should have seen him fight for his life. At one point I thought he was going to win. Then the reaper whispered in his ear. He got real quiet so I knew he was listening hard. Then he up and looked at me, thumped his wee tail, and that was that.” She sniffled and blew again. “He’s lying in state now, awaiting the ceremony.”

“Lying in state? Don’t you mean lying in repose?”

Betty paused and regarded Marissa over the top of her reading glasses with her old lady eyes. “You do know what lying in state is, don’t you child? That’s what they do for important individuals. I imagine the people your mother left behind needed to see her before she entered the pearly gates. A steady stream of visitors has come by to pay their respects to our dear Buddy.”

A knot cinched up in Marissa’s belly remembering her cold, lifeless dead mother lying in the coffin of the big Catholic Church over on 42nd. She’d looked like one of Madame Tussauds’ wax figurines lying in the middle of the beautiful church with light streaming through the stained glass windows. It was chilling to have seen the body of her mom absent the spirit. She’d wanted to run over to the coffin, shake her mother
, and tell her to wake up. She’d wanted to scream at all the onlookers, “That’s not my mom! That’s only a wax doll that looks like her!” Marissa had avoided churches since then. “I know what lying in state means. It’s like lying in repose only in a government building. I’ve just never heard of doing it for a dog.”

“Buddy was my beloved.
He was also an important member of the community. Best partner a girl could have. And my last husband – he was a carpenter, you know – he made a tiny coffin for Buddy before he passed. It’s the cutest little thing. It’s a big polished Cherry wood square. Buddy lies on his side, wearing his best coat, looking like the angel he is. One of his legs is bent like he’s running from the Reaper. Oh, my little champion!” She dabbed at her eyes.

Marissa squirmed. “Aren’t there laws as to how you can dispose of your pet?”

Betty ignored her, chugging down the train tracks of her own thought process. “He was so good with wood, that man. Not to mention his own wood, if you know what I mean. Man was a stallion in bed.” She fanned her face with her hand. “And I was his filly, oh, my, yes.”

Pink crept up Marissa’s cheeks. “Um, I have to get in to work, Betty.”

“He gave me a message to give to you before he crossed over.”

“Did he?” Marissa paused at the door to the back, not really interested in what the Chihuahua had to say.

“I wrote it down. Hold up a minute. It was important.” She dug around in her huge purse, dropping keys, her wallet, cards, lipstick, tissues, and other sundries on the desk in front of her. One of the items, a ping pong ball with the number N-33 written on it, dropped to the floor and bounced to a stop with a hollow pop, pop, pop. “That was my winning bingo ball,” she said with a chuckle, leaving it to lie on the floor. “Won me the whole pot of cash just last week. I knew it was a sign as I had seen three crows on the fence that morning. ‘Tres mujeres,’ I called them. I knew they were the Reaper’s communication team. I knew they were telling the Reaper, ‘That little champion lives here!’” She blew into her Kleenex. “The winnings are going to pay for Buddy’s funeral. Oh, here it is.” She pushed her glasses up her nose and squinted at her handwriting while Marissa leaned against the door. “Oh, my, can’t read my own chicken scratch. Here – see if you can make it out.” She thrust the paper in Marissa’s direction. “Then, pick up my lucky ball if you please.”

Marissa squinted and peered at the scrap of paper. “It’s really hard to read. It looks like it says ‘Beware the…’” She cocked her head right and left. “Beware the dark to seize… Yeah, I think that says ‘seize’…seize the light. Beware the light to blind the…” She looked at the old woman. “I’m not getting this last word. Something with a G, H, T at the end. Fright? Blight? Tight?”

“It’s night, I remember! Read it again.”

“Beware the dark to seize the light. Beware the light to blind the night.” A tendril of dread snaked around her throat, like one of those pea pods she’d seen in her vision, cinching down on her neck. “What the heck does that mean?” She brought her hand up to her throat and rubbed it hard.

“I don’t know, it was meant for you, not me. It probably means just because you think something is good, doesn’t mean that it is. Conversely, just because you think something is dark, doesn’t mean it is. That’s my best guess. That’s just off the top of my head.” She waved her hand airily over her gray hair. Her eyes landed on Marissa, and she stared as if she was seeing her for the first time. “My, child, you look different. Whatever happened to you this weekend?”

“Nothing. Everything.”
I watched an eagle take down a rabbit, skinned and prepared the rabbit for supper, oh and there’s that little soul binding thing that went on, too. Let’s not forget reclaiming my light self.
She shifted from foot to foot.

Crazy Betty squinted and swept her eyes up and down, up and down. “You’re in love, aren’t you?”

Hearing that, heat filled every pore in Marissa’s body.

“I told you. I told you you’d fall in love, didn’t I? Betty’s always right about these matters.” She cooled her face with her hand. “But there’s something different about you.” She narro
wed her eyes at Marissa. “I sense trouble afoot.”

A sudden chill replaced the heat in her core. “
Don’t worry, Betty, things are a little crazy right now, but I’ve got it covered.”

Ignoring
her, Crazy Betty snapped back to the present. “Get my lucky ball, will you child? Oh, you’re taking me back down memory lane. To be in love is such a wonderful thing. Dang it, I’m going to miss my little Buddy.” She grabbed another tissue and pressed it to her eyes.

Grateful for the distraction, Marissa retrieved the ball, placed it on the desk
, and made her way to the door. “Well, see you later. I’ve got to get to work.”

As she pushed the door to the back room open, she immediately spied Cara in her cubicle, moving her things about. Her stomach instantly tightened. “Can I help you find something?” she said, standing outside the enclosure.

“Oh, you’re here. Where did you put that schedule of festivals I gave you last week?” Cara was dressed in black everything. Her short dark hair was cut in severe angles, framing her gaunt, haughty face. It gave her a chiseled appearance as if she was an unfinished sculpture. She leaned against the workspace wall and folded her arms, blocking entry.

Marissa stood stiffly. “I need to get past you to get it.”

Cara moved to the side an inch or two. “Go ahead.”

Marissa squeezed into the cube, careful not to touch Cara
, and shuffled a stack of papers on her desk. “Here it is.”

“Good.” Cara snatched it out of her hand and scanned it. “Our town moves like clockwork, doesn’t it?”

Marissa didn’t bother responding.
I’ll just be ignored.

Everyone in Seattle knew that the seasons were marked by festivals. You knew the winter was coming to an end when the Boat Show happened in January and February, followed by the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
Then there was Taste Washington and something called the Moisture Festival, a relatively recent burlesque/comedy event which Jason had dragged her to. The Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off April, followed by the Northwest Folklife Festival and the University District Street Fair in May. Summer was highlighted by Seafair and Bite of Seattle and the fall was heralded by Bumbershoot, one of Seattle’s best music and arts fairs. Marissa had been designing posters, websites, and ads for the various venues ever since she’d been at PS Publishing. She’d been attending the various events ever since she was a child. Now, however, she stood awkwardly, her fingers picking at her fingernails, awaiting Cara’s command.

“Which one of these would be best for a visiting dignitary?” Cara asked without looking up.
She stabbed a couple of choices with her dark blood-red painted fingernail.

Marissa didn’t answer.

“Well?” Cara said, staring at the paper in her hands.

Marissa’s eyebrows arched upward momentarily.
Seriously? You want my opinion?
“Um, I don’t know. What kind of dignitary?”

“A Latin American dignitary. He owns coffee plantations throughout South America. He’s buying ad space – a lot, I might add – and
is coming here today to meet with me.” Cara looked up and slowly scanned Marissa’s attire up and down and back up again. “You’re dressed casually.”

“This is what I wear.” Marissa’s hands flew together
, and she resumed picking at her fingernails.

“
And you look different. New hairstyle?”

“
Yeah, that’s it.”

Cara’s eyes narrowed and she regarded Marissa coolly.

It was weird to be given Cara’s full attention.
I think I prefer being ignored.

“I’ll be showing Mr.
Díaz around the office when he arrives. Look your best.” She ran her fingers along her cheeks as if searching for flaws. A quick nod of the head suggested that none were found. “Anyway, he’ll be arriving this afternoon.” Still clutching Marissa’s schedule, she swiftly departed from the small enclosure. Her low pumps clack, clack, clacked along the linoleum until she was out of earshot.

Marissa proceeded to pour her attention into her work. The hours ticked by.
Normalcy. This is normalcy,
she reminded herself. She held her hands under her desk and let her fingers spark.
And this is so not normal.

The
clack of pricey pumps ricocheted through the office, letting her know that Cara was on the move again.

Marissa extinguished her fingers
just as Cara rounded the corner.

Without even glancing at her, Cara pitched the schedule at Marissa’s desk and continued on her way.

After hours of nose to the grindstone page layout, spell checking, and design, Marissa pushed away from her desk. She stretched and readied herself to head out the door to Daniel’s. From the other side of the office, the murmurs of men’s low tones and Cara’s “I’m so in charge here and you don’t have a chance of getting my focused attention unless you have something I want” voice made her peek over the top of her gray cubicle wall. A pleasant looking, older man in a tan business suit stood in the doorway to Cara’s office. Someone’s jean-clad knee poked into view as well. Cara stood behind her desk, gesturing and talking like she was on a Broadway stage. Marissa wondered if she actually practiced in the mirror at home. She slipped back down in her seat, her head cocked in listening mode. Her third eye started to throb and she rubbed it with her fingertips.

The voices became louder, moving in her direction. She glanced toward the bathroom, wondering if she could slip out of sight.
Too close.
She hunched down in her seat, hoping they’d pass her by.

“Hey, baby-doll.” Jason’s head popped over the top of her cubicle, causing her to jerk.

“Gah! You’re super-glued to my life, Jason. Leave me alone.”

“No can do. I’m not here to see you. I got a gig showing this coffee grower guy around town. Cool, huh? He seemed to be interested in my expertise as an advanced Tantra practitioner. I told you I was hot stuff.”

Right. Like I believe you.
“How did you get a job like that?”

“I dunno. I guess the word’s out about my skill.
Check out my benefactor. He’s a magic man.”

Marissa
erupted out of her chair like a woodchuck on high alert, peered over the top of the gray wall, and scrutinized the kindly looking gentleman two cubes over speaking with a co-worker. Cara stood to the side glancing at her watch. “He doesn’t look magic to me. More like frail.” She regarded Jason with a squint. “How did you really get this job?”

“I said I don’t know. Why can’t you be happy for me? You’re not dating me.
You’ve got your house surrounded with some voodoo witch magic and you called the Po-Po on me the other night. At least I can do
something
to occupy my time.”

Marissa
scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Poor, poor you.”

“Roger said this guy came in asking for me the other day. Said he’d heard about me and wanted to see what I knew about…about…about something. I forgot what he said.” He looked at her sharply. “We could do our mind opening technique later – just as friends – to see what’s in store for me.”
A greed-filled smile spread across his face.