A Wicked Beginning (8 page)

“Is that it?” said Manoko. “What’s the big deal?”

Jayze frowned at me, her face all lines and angles. “Do you think I’m like…you know, all lesbians want to convert hetero chicks?”

“No…it wasn’t like that…it was caring…sweet…soft…different…You had a message to convey and the message was clear – finish what you started. I just haven’t a clue what I started that I need to finish.”

Her face softened. “I do possess a pretty good kiss or so I’m told.” She paused, considering. “And I’m a bitch about finishing things. I’ll work until I’m exhausted and then keep on going to finish a sculpture.” She took a healthy swallow of her wine. “Where were we? What did the environment look like?”

I told her about the dream village, where everything trilled or cooed or sang – the creek warbled, the flowers chimed, the butterflies were melodious. I mentioned the people who walked by me, bowing and pressing their hands together. I described the stone walls of the buildings, carved and stained with elaborate designs and symbols. Showing her my ring, I said that some of the symbols looked like the dolphins cavorting around my golden surface. It was a breathtaking place that I dreamt of many times. She listened intently, captivated by the description.

When I mentioned that everyone was naked, she scoffed. “Don’t know how I feel about that part but…” She tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully. “I’ve had dreams of a place similar to that inhabited by a group or tribe called the ka’krisch…something like that.”

Cam choked on the beer he was guzzling, exploding in a coughing fit. In the gym last year, I had pushed him down, pinned his arms to the floor and insisted that he apologize for a comment he made about the ka’krisch. Only I did not know who the ka’krisch were any more than Jayze did.

Jayze gave Cam a sidelong glance. “You okay there, buddy?”

“Yup…” Cam uttered, holding back another cough. He grabbed for a glass of water and poured it down his throat. “Got this…” He squeezed the words out before leaning back in his chair in an attempt to assume his casual form.

“Anyway, like I was saying…” Jayze gave Cam another curious stare before continuing. “My dreams are not that musical, but still look similar…in fact, I’m working on a sculpture of one of the animals I see in my dream.”

“Oh,” I said eagerly. “What kind of sculpture do you do?” I adored art of every kind.

“Usually big bronze pieces…”

“What’s the piece you’re working on?”

“Well…it’s still emerging in my mind…but the part I’ve got so far is a huge lynx-like creature, with a snarling face, poised in a ferocious lunge.”

Cam’s and Manoko’s chairs thudded to the floor at the exact same time. Cam uttered a “Huh…” Now all eyes were pointed at Jayze.

“What?” She said, forking a mouthful of salmon.

The room was silent as a tomb. Finally, Manoko said, “Finish up your meal, Jayze; dessert is getting cold. It’s Pear Soufflé with Orange Thyme Custard Sauce and has to be served at just the right temp.”

“I don’t think so, Mano. I haven’t seen you warm anything since I arrived. All I’ve seen you do is put things away.” Jayze’ eyes narrowed to small slits, and she regarded each one of us carefully. “I sense a secret here, and I hate secrets. Don’t you know it’s rude to keep secrets from you dinner guests?”

Manoko and I looked at Cam, whose face was now ashen. “Ever heard of a star dreamling?” Manoko asked Jayze, still staring at Cam.

“Can’t say that I have, Mano…” She finished off her wine and extended the glass to Cam for another pour. He tipped the bottle into her glass, emptying it. I noticed that his hand trembled slightly.

“Are you going to enlighten me, or let me guess?” She wiped her mouth with her napkin and tossed the cloth on the table. “Another fine meal by…” She made a drum roll sound on the table with her fingers. “…my friend and most excellent chef Mano!” she exclaimed, grinning at him. Then she turned back to Cam and me. “Okay, spill the beans. I hate mysterious secrets.”

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to live with this one, Jayze.” Manoko muttered. “We’re still trying to figure it out ourselves. But if you are sculpting the star dreamling and you factored in the ka…in Chérie’s dream, I think it’s fair to say you play a part in this somehow.”

Jayze considered this for a moment. “Fair enough…I’ll treat it like its art…you get images, flashes of ideas, you act on them and then…” She flicked her fingers out before her and moved them in an arc towards her sides. “…and then you have a work of art. I can live with that. I’ll keep you all posted on my progress if you keep me posted on yours.”

Everyone in the room nodded solemnly. Then Manoko stood up. “Care for dessert? I think this pact calls for dessert and some fine dessert wine to go with it. I’ve got a good one in the basement – Cam, care to go get it?”

Cam stood up, rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and answered, “Sure, Mano. Care to help me, Chérie?”

It wasn’t really a question…it was a command. I followed him downstairs. When we’d reached the basement he pulled me roughly to him and held me tight. “I don’t like this shit, Chér…any of it.” He pressed his nose into my hair and inhaled. “Mmm, eau de Chérie, my favorite scent…” Then he squeezed me so hard I could not breathe.

“Cam, ease up.” I gently pushed him away.

“Sorry…I’m just feeling a bit berserk…this is way outside of my comfort zone. I just get you back in my life as my glowing super powered girlfriend, not just the human girlfriend you were before…I can deal with that. The star dreamling makes no sense whatsoever…and now this woman Jayze is sculpting something like it…and, most importantly…” He took my face between his palms. “I want you, babe.” His gaze was laced with desire. “And I…can’t…act on it… If I could, I’d take you on the floor right here and now.”

My body responded instantly, in kind. “Yeah…I hear you. Well, what are we going to do? I guess we finish what we started.”

“Which was…?” He leaned closer to me until our foreheads were touching, caressing the small of my back with his palms.

I closed my eyes and swallowed. “Which was, getting to know each other all over again…and finding out who we are to one another…this time around…” It was heady having him close to me…the feel of his defined chest against my soft breasts…the comfort of his arms wrapped around me…the warmth of his pelvis…his strong legs and back. I took a deep breath. “And figuring out a way to act on our desires without harm or pain to either of us…but especially not to you…” My heart pulsed in acknowledgement. “I’m beginning to love you in a way I can’t explain…don’t want to explain…and want to express fully and without constraint.”

We both sighed and held one another. Finally, Cam pulled away and said gruffly, “Ready for dessert? Our host is waiting…” He grabbed the wine, took my hand in his, and we both headed upstairs.

Chapter 8 – Chérie

When I awoke the next day – alone – Cam and I had thought that we best not tempt fate through more physical contact, I pondered the previous night. Until we found out Jayze was somehow in the loop with the star dreamling, we had gone about our evening as nothing was wrong. Something was way wrong. A mysterious star dreamling was after Cam. I wish I could talk to Kayden, my mystery man. I’d even consider chatting with Natalie Epic, Kayden’s frightening crone of an associate. I had made her acquaintance last year, and boy, oh boy, could she be scary. What to do? I kicked my legs to either side, disturbing the slumber of my two cats, Mac and Jack, named after my favorite Northwest beer.

Stop it,
thought Mac.

We’re exhausted,
added Jack.

“Wake up you two. Got any ideas as to how to solve this star dreamling dilemma?”

Jack stood up, arched his little back in an upside down U, and settled down to sleep.

“I’m not going to give you any raw meat this morning,” I crooned in a mocking sing song voice. They both whipped their heads in my direction.

Mac yawned.
My, my, how you threaten us…

She won’t do it,
Jack continued.
But let’s get up just in case.
They both leapt off the bed and ambled towards the kitchen, yawning.

After feeding them, I walked outside to sit on the front step, tea in hand. It was a bright, beautiful morning. My yard, just waking up after its long slumber, was bursting with life. Tiny shoots of grass were popping out of the ground. Many of the buds on the tree were beginning to blossom, giving a honeyed perfume to the air. Crocuses were poking their purple heads out around the elm trees. I gave the yard a thorough appraisal. It needed some work, a little care, to bring it back into shape. Maybe later, after I called Cam, I’d get out the shovel and start digging. My attention wandered over to the Olympic Mountain Range when two masculine hands reached around my head pressed against my eyes. I yelped and pulled against the arms attached to those potent hands. They did not budge…a bit. I knew who this immovable man was. Kayden, my beautiful man-like creature, was back. “Care to let me see you, Kayden?”

“Of course, why not? I’ve been watching
you
, ma chère.”

“This again? We’re back to you spying on me?” I huffed, eyes still pressed closed by Kayden’s formidable fingers. The guy could crush me in a heartbeat…I knew…we’d sparred in physical contact many times. He could also melt me like honey on a hot tin roof.

“Ma chère, I never stop spying on you, as you so quaintly put it.” He nuzzled the back of my neck with his nose, causing ecstatic shivers to run up and down my spine.

“Take your hands away, Kayden, so I can see you.”

In a split second he was in front of me, standing like a 6’ 4” magnificent black stallion glistening in the sun. I expected him to whinny, paw the earth with his hoof, and toss his mane. “You’ve been a naughty, naughty girl, mon amour.”

His use of French phrases still caused me to tremble with loin-stirring waves of pleasure. “Stop it, Kayden. You disappeared on me.”

He smiled an immense dazzling smile full of glistening white teeth. “Ma chère, I have never been apart from you. How quickly you forget.”

“Well, where were you?” I spat. “I sure couldn’t feel you.”

“Did you try a different frequency?”

“No, I didn’t try a different frequency. I fell madly in love with you, and then you evaporated. You just vanished. Did you run away, too, like Cam did last year?” I started to sniffle.

“Oh, the Neanderthal…you always run back to the Neanderthal. We’ve been enjoying him, haven’t we, chère?”

“What do you mean ‘we’?”

“Chère, honestly…it’s like you learned nothing last year.” He folded his arms over his chest, his glossy black hair falling down his shoulders like a cascade of nightfall, his muscular thighs pressing into his ever tight jeans – it was like his outer skin was denim.

“Your hair’s longer…” I said sulkily.

“Yours isn’t…”

“I missed you when you went away, Kayden.”

“Now you don’t have to miss me…I’m back.”

“Where did you go?” I looked up at him through tear laden lashes.

“Here and there…ma chère, it was essential that I go away, physically, but I was never…ever…away from you.”

“Who were you with? Were you ‘instructing’ someone else?”

“My, my, are you jealous? You, you have shared your heart with the Neanderthal again, ask me if I’ve been with anyone else?”

“Have you?” My face was fixed in a childish pout, I just knew it. I couldn’t seem to help myself.

Kayden’s face became gentle. “Mon amour, I could not possibly have been with another without you knowing about it and this I would not do. I would never betray you that way.”

“I don’t understand. Am I then betraying you by being with Cam?”

“How could you betray me, ma chère? The only act of betrayal would be if you fail to remember who you are.”

“I am the channel of the ka’kriyayaga…” I repeated in a drone-like voice.

“Yes, chère, you are... But you don’t yet know the extent of your abilities, as evidenced by your silly summoning of the star dreamling.”

“What are you saying? That the star dreamling is my fault?”

“No, chère…it is your boyfriend’s adventure to figure it out. You just give the dreamling easy access to him when you engage with him.”

“So now he’s my boyfriend again?”

“He seems to be…”

“And you are not jealous?”

“Why would I be? Ma chère, these questions are tedious. Use your heart.”

I frowned, but did not stop asking questions. “Am I a Galaxy Dancer?”

Kayden grabbed my hands and joyfully pulled me up to standing, a broad grin spreading across his chiseled face. “Yes, chère, you are a Galaxy Dancer. How did you remember?”

“Well, we did find ourselves dancing through the galaxy last year…when I heard the term, I just put the two together and made a lucky guess. Are you a Galaxy Dancer?”

“I am the conduit of ka’kriyayago, aren’t I?”

“I suppose…yes…that is what you are…”

“Are you guessing or knowing?”

I closed my eyes and tuned into my center. “Yes, Kayden you are the conduit of the ka’kriyayago.” I opened my eyes and squinted from the brilliance of the ascending sun. “So, how can I be with Cam, then?”