Endless Days (The Firsts) (11 page)

Both black cats preened for her as she gave them soft rubs and a bowl of their favorite food.  She’d released her hair from its tight bonds, and walked slowly toward her bedroom.  From the doorway, she began dropping her clothes, and as she became naked, the cool air nipped at her skin.  It felt delicious. 
Would be even more so outside in the crisp night air.  All she added was a huge plush robe against her skin, luscious and warm.  Didn’t even bother with shoes.  The wood deck was cool but not cold against her feet, and she pulled them up under the big robe as soon as she dropped into her rocking chair.  Ahhh.

The worst was the intense physical need for him.  Her body was in constant readiness, waiting for he that would not come.  The center of that which is woman pulsated, wanting him, needing him to enter her and make her complete.   Sex was life, and it was deep and dangerous, and couldn’t be ignored.  Cherise s
at with her hand covering the area that even now twitched in desire for release.  She would have to take care of herself…but it was not even close to satisfaction for what she needed.  It was too late to seek another for sex…only Kav would ever again satisfy the love and lust her body demanded. 

Cherise laid her head back and
gathered the robe to her as the cool air took on a damper bite.  The sky was glorious tonight.  Black liquid poured around the brilliant stars and made her smile.  When a flaming meteor shot across the perfect black with its burning trail she remembered…oh, yeah, it was a meteor shower tonight…the Geminids.  Late autumn’s dancing sky show…all the more welcome because she needed this magical celestial event.  Always before, for all her life, she never missed the fall or winter meteor showers.  This year, she nearly had.  It appeared Kav wasn’t the only one who was fractured.  She dropped the back down on the lounger beside her rocker and changed seats.  In that position, she could stay most of the night and let the universe heal her.  An hour or so of frequent shooting stars had passed when her cats jumped up and snuggled against her  to warm her up.   Then, another hour later, her eyelids dropped, and she fell into her first good sleep since Kav had gone. 

She awoke the next morning to a dusting of soft, light snow covering her just before sunrise.  The cats were gone. 
The little beasts.  Moving into the warmer house so quietly they did not wake her so they could seek warmth in her bed.  She didn’t mind.  A little snow never hurt anyone.  But she did have to work, and soon, so she stood up, stretched, and went inside.  Two young skunks were polishing off a bowl of cat food near the door and she gently urged them out.  Gorgeous white tails curled over their bodies like white clouds danced as they hurried out with their rocking gaits.  Beautiful animals with soft souls.  Well.  Time to dress for work.

When she entered the bathroom, the image of the naked woman with the unbound robe and hair stared back at her from the large mirror that covered the wall.  Cherise smiled again.  The night air had done her some good…her skin glowed and so did her aura.  She dropped the robe on the floor and stepped under the hot glistening water.  W
hile the shimmering drops caressed her cold skin, she knew.  She’d be alright.  Her heart would miss him and her body would want him.  But she’d be okay.

CHAPTER EIGHT

              Lauren rose early to some pretty awful coffee and stale toast.  Uh, uh.  Not with that bakery close by, and an overwhelming need to meet its owner.  She thanked her senior intern for his offering, but told him she was going out for a run.  She dressed the part, then threw her coat over her sweatpants and light jacket.  Snow had arrived, and while the overnight amounts were small, it was still coming down and had even increased over the past thirty minutes.  Didn’t bother her…she really
was
going to walk to the village center to get some breakfast and meet Cherise Devereaux.

It was quite enervating.  Lauren was originally from Miami, so snow was still a wonderful surprise for her.  The flakes were suddenly quite large
and falling at a steady rate gliding on air as if they were playing.  Her hands were a little cold, needed to buy some gloves, but other than that, it was the best she had felt in some time.  Stress and guilt had overwhelmed her the past several months, but now, with refreshing mountain air and the cleansing snow, she was breathing easier.  And coming home.  God, she’d needed to come home.  Suddenly she realized she was smiling ear to ear.  She felt hope again.  Like the future may yet hold good things for her.  Like maybe the universe might actually someday forgive her.

Deep stomach gurgles made her even a little giddy at the idea of a good meal in a less hostile place.  There it was up ahead just a few more yards.  The sidewalk was getting a little slippery now, so she slowed her pace and scanned the front of the bakery from the wide window. 
La Petite Patisserie
.  It was sweet, lovingly designed and decorated.  Nearly all of the little tables inside were filled as well as several people at the counter.  She didn’t see Cherise anywhere.  Well, she was hungry either way.

As she opened the little door, no chime announc
ed her, but a pretty woman of about sixty looked up and smiled at her.

“Hey, honey.  We’ll be with you in a moment. 
You eating in?”

Lauren smiled back and nodded.

“Take any table you want.  Menus are on them.”

A table
near the window was vacant, and Lauren snatched it before a crusty looking man who just came through the door grabbed it.  Once she picked up the menu, she raised her eyes to scan the room again.  Everyone just looked so…happy.  She drew a deep breath. 
Let her be happy again
. 
Please
.  This was exactly the kind of town she hoped to find after she escaped her life.

With a loud complaint, her hunger made her look finally at the menu.  Everything looked so good.

“Hard to choose, isn’t it?”  said a lovely voice with a slight French accent and musical tones from above her.  Lauren looked up to see Cherise Devereaux smiling down at her.  The second subject.

Lauen couldn’t stop herself.  She stared.  Cherise was so much more lovely than her flat two dimensional photos could convey.  Her multi-hued eyes were luminescent, her skin, literally, glowed with health.  Her hair was a deep brown, long, but twisted into a clip that allowed long curly strands to escape all around her face.  She thought she had never seen a more beautiful woman in her life. 
Thank god she looked happy and well.  What a sin to harm this lovely woman with the welcoming smile.

“Would you like a suggestion
, cherie
?  Or perhaps just more time?”

Lauren forced herself to respond.  “Uh…”  Yeah, good start.  “I’m sorry. 
My first time here.  And, please, what would you recommend?”

“My omelets are exceptional.  There is only one other who ever made them better.”  She paused.  “And he is gone.  So, if you like eggs and fresh garden ingredients, you will not be disappointed.”

“Sounds perfect.  Please, your own favorite omelet, that’s what I’ll take.”

“Ah, a smart woman.
  Knows when to take good advice.  I may be biased, of course.  I own the place.”

“You do?  Well, it’s charming.  Nice to meet you, ah…”

“Cherise.  And you as well.  You are…”

“Lauren.  Lauren Collins.”

“What brings you to this small village?”

“Business.
  Just…business.  But I love it so far.”

“Yes, well, if you stay too long, you may not be able to leave.  That is what happened to me.”

“Yeah.  I can tell you’re not originally a local.  French, by the accent?”

“Good ear.  I suppress the accent as much as possible.  I love my new home and want to fit in.  Well, I will have your breakfast in moments.  Margaret will bring you coffee or tea, if you like.”

Cherise smiled again and went behind the counter.  She seemed like she was fine.  Lauren let out a sigh.  Okay, at least she hadn’t helped them fuck up
two
lives.  Margaret did indeed bring her a mug of hot vanilla mocha as she waited, perfect for a snowy mid-morning in the foothills of the magnificent Rockies.  With closed eyes, Lauren took a sip and laid her head back.  She felt better already.  It was going to be alright.

When Cherise brought the omelet, she sat down opposite Lauren at the little table.

“I always like to see my clients take their first bite.  If you do not mind.”

Lauren matched Cherise’s warm smile. 
“Not at all.”  She cut off the corner of the large overfilled omelet.  And groaned.  The flavors exploded in her mouth, the textures fluffy and delicious.  Fresh tomatoes, onions, pepper, chopped ham and cheese.  And spices she did not recognize, both sweet and tangy.

Cherise was smiling.  “Ah, that is what I live for.”

Lauren smiled back and took a second bite.  She rolled her eyes again.  “Oh, my god…I have never had anything so amazing.”

Cherise moved her hand in a flourish.  “It is what I do.  I make food that makes love to your palette.  I will leave you to enjoy.  Let me know if you desire anything else.  My pastries are also unmatched.”

Lauren finished slowly, so she could savor every bite.  She knew Cherise’s entire background.  She’d been born to a life of managing living beings, mostly hybrid or not human.  Her body was a conduit for bridging the worlds between species.  It was a vampire-centric world.  Because it also could be one of violence, she knew the gentle woman had left the life she was expected to live and chose a simpler one within a large vampire compound in Canada.  After that compound had been attacked and utterly destroyed, several close friends murdered in the attack, she’d come here, to find a life without any of those complications.  And Project V had screwed it all up for her.

Well, it looked like she was fine.  Good.
Great.  The others could worry about the vampire.  She would leave here tomorrow and never look back.  But not before sampling at least three of Cherise’s sweets.

It looked like lunchtime was winding down.  The little restaurant had only a few diners left.  Cherise came over and sat across from her again.  Her brows were arched.

“Forgive me.  I am somewhat…intuitive.  I sense a recent break in your life.  Something bad, but you are trying to move forward.  You are very troubled.”

Lauren shouldn’t have been surprised, given what she knew about Cherise.  But she was.

“Uh…well, yeah.  I’ve been somewhere…pretty horrible for the past year or so.  It’s only the past day or two that I have felt some hope.  Wasn’t sure I ever would again.”

“Ah.  I understand.  I, too, am in a sad place.  I have lost…someone…someone responsible for my happiness, recently.  I don’t believe I’ll ever se
e him again.  It’s painful.  It always will be.  But…we must endure.”

Lauren saw it then.  A dark shadow, settled over Cherise, covering her entire image.  Something she’d never seen before.  Like Cherise’s skill unveiled something for her.   She should never have been able to see this.  Cherise’s aura.  She
had
damaged this woman.  The darkness…it was deep…it came from her soul.  God.  Lauren knew there would be no redemption for her.

Cherise leaned in and touched Lauren’s arm.  A flame licked from that point up and through both women’s bodies.  Even Cherise seemed surprised by this.

“Oh, I am sorry. I must have shocked you.  It’s the time of year.  Are you okay?”

Lauren couldn’t speak.  That was no shock.  It was beyond that, but Cherise was trying to cover it up for the civilian.  Only she was no civilian.  She couldn’t let her.  Her culpability was too great.

“Cherise, I have to speak to you.  You need to know something…”

“It’s nothing
, cherie
.  An arc of electricity.”

“Or shared
aura’s.”

Cherise’s smile faded.  She knew now.  Lauren was more than just a diner.

“Who are you?”

Lauren winced.  This would not go well.  But she felt committed. 
And knew that Cherise wouldn’t let her out of it anyway now.

“We need to talk.  I can explain, but not here. 
Or…here, but after you close.  It isn’t for the ears of other, uh, people.”

Cherise was quiet, stared into Lauren’s large brown eyes.  They were dark, but there were flecks of lighter colors in a pinwheel pattern.  It was unusual.  She finally spoke.

“Oh, yes, we will talk.  Yes, here, tonight.  Come here at eight o’clock.  The back door.   It will be unlocked.”

“Okay.  Well, I really did love my breakfast.  You are an excellent chef and host.”  Lauren paused.  “I guess I’ll go, then.”

Cherise stood.  “I guess you’d better.  Tonight, then.”  And she turned away without glancing back, then disappeared into the kitchen behind the counter.

La
uren took a deep breath as she gathered her things and walked out into a furiously quick snow.  It was beginning to pile up on the ground.  Cherise was intimidating for a petite woman.  She could sense the power in her.  But talking to her, confiding in her…it was forbidden.  The subjects could never know they were in play.  Hell would rain down if they ever did.  Lauren realized she did not care.  Whatever happened to her, she had to let Cherise know what was happening, how they had invaded her life.  Interfered with her heart.  Destroyed a man who they should not have even known existed.  And it was her own brother who has started it.  Lauren knew…
she
was going to end it.  Even if it ended her own life.