Pine Needles (Veil Realms Series)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am so thankful for all the love and support of my work, namely the Team of excellent friends. Each of you encourage and inspire me beyond words! Thank you, Janet, Patches, Steph, Heather, Mayra, Eva, Kande, Michelle, and Cat. You have heard me say it before but, You Rock!

And to Trish, my deepest gratitude for solving my last minute debacle with one word.

To all the readers, thank you for allowing me to do what I love, and you may not have heard this from me before but, You Rock Too!!!

“Deep into that darkness peering,

long I stood there wondering,

fearing,

doubting,

dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared

to dream before.”

Edgar Allen Poe,
The Raven

Chapter One

Quake

My hand skims along the once secured concrete wall, broken bits and pieces have crumbled to the floor. The
now forgotten structure was a resource full of hidden knowledge.  Ashes of incinerated books leave only dusty remnants. I suppose history has a way of repeating itself, we always succumb to destroy what we fear or do not yet understand.

Many other buildings have fallen to the same fate as this one, the reason I keep finding myself here is that one day I found a book untouched and within its resilient tome was a slip of paper, a message wri
tten in dire need of warning.

I am a survivor, our world was torn apart and the only weapon I had was my mind. Never will I lose sight of such vile and massive endings of so many. Voices still haunt my days and their detached screams echo through my every night. Heed my words, their evil is among us.

Joshua, a survivor.

Symbols, I vaguely remember, are scribbled along the note, my grandmother used to teach me that sigils were used for seals, protection, and many other purposes. I carefully fold the well-worn slip of paper and start to place it back in my pocket when two strong hands tug me backwards, struggling I land in his awaiting arms.

“They told me you were out gathering plants, not reading some old love note
.” A low chuckle escapes as he playfully flicks the paper still in my hand.

Laughing at his foolishness, I quickly drop the note into my
back pocket, “It's not a love note Rayden, I’ve told you that a thousand times already.” He releases me with a teasing grin, pushing away from him I decide to razz him, “It’s a warning you big jerk, could be the last words of a dying man, besides why are you not at work?”

Rayden takes one threatening step toward me, “What did you just call me Selene?” I know that expression and I’m in trouble so I make a run for it. Dashing through the enfeebling doorway
, I race down the vine covered steps but before I can even reach the tree-line Rayden is chasing me down like a mountain lion on the hunt. 

Before I know it, I’m lying on the ground with him on top, familiar with his kind of torture I scramble to free myself. His hands grip my sides pinning me in place and then his malevolent fingers begin tickling me with no mercy in sight.

My contagious laughter rivets throughout the simple woods as Rayden straddles over me. He taunts, “Do you give up?” Writhing beneath him, I try to speak, but it’s no use, so instead I nod confirming my submission. His controlled hands measure their way up my body, and his affectionate lips explore mine. “I love you,” he declares as I trace the features of his indomitable face. Those three small words and only from Rayden bring peace to my soul.

As a hint of a giggle slowly ebbs away
, I’m finally able to utter, “I love you too.” His arms cradle me. I dislodge a few pine needles from his auburn Caesar cut hair, wondering how he could have any attachment to the woods when I’m the one lying in a bed of it. He laughs at my baffled expression and shakes his head, brushing the remains out of his hair with a hand.

Eventually
he slumps over next to me and says, “I see you’re wearing the earrings your sister gave you for your birthday last year, they look good on you.”  Absently, I touch the tear-shaped diamond earring. It is the first time I have ever worn them. Normally, I’m not one to wear jewelry, especially anything expensive. But since my sister Bailey presented these as somewhat of a peace-offering, I decided it’s time to let the past wash away. Our family members traditionally hand down from one generation to another a small locally owned business. I was the next descendant in line. My sister, for whatever reason thought it was she that should have inherited the shop, never considering the obvious that I’m twenty-eight and she has just turned twenty-two, plus the fact she has never stepped a single foot in the place until it was turned over to me. 

So to make my long story short, she quickly married an auditor and simply travels with him shopping to her heart’s content
. This is why I now have a pair of fine tear-shaped diamond earrings.

“So, do you think next time this year you will be ready for marriage Selene?” His deep husky tone turns on every pulsating rhythm within me.  I watch him twine a tender fresh pine needle around my left ring finger.

I couldn’t help but smile as I answer, “Yes, I told you yes then, and I will always say yes to you Rayden.” He rumbles out another laugh and tosses me on top of him, “Are you going to help me, or not?” I gesture at my hair bombarded with pines, leaves, and dirt. “Everyone at the shop will think I had a little sexual encounter out here in the woods, Rayden,” I remark gently combing my fingers through my dark ringlets of hair.

He starts unbuttoning my top grinning arrogantly. “That’s fine with me, let them think what they want, we can even come back a little sweaty to confirm their theories.”

My petite fingers nimbly trail behind his more than generous hands, buttoning my top together. I giggle out, “Stop! As soon as I button one you unbutton another, quit it!”  Half-heartedly, I shove his hands away, if it was any other time he could have his way with me, but I had to get back.

Finding enough strength I jump up and bolt through the trees. I turn to see how close he is and surprisingly I have a great head start on him.  Knowing Rayden and his stamina, my odds look slim to none in making it to my car. At this point, it doesn’t matter if I was to veer off the peculiar path or not, because I know at any moment he’ll catch me. I can see my car parked through the dense thicket, and I feel his unyielding grip swing me around, we both laugh with pounding hearts. Slowly he lowers me down. With m
e laughing and breathing heavily, I have a notion to pass out, but he leans in kissing me, as if his kiss, his lips, his very breath revitalizes me somehow—with a soul kiss. It’s deep and passionate and it tells me exactly how much he wants me. How much he truly loves me.

“Did you get everything you came out here for?”
he asks as I pull out a list from my car and hand it to Rayden. I rummage in a large hand woven basket I just placed in my front seat.

“Ok
ay, go through the list for me.” I glance up to him admiring how he leans his self assured body against my car. Today he’s not in his usual work attire, jeans and a T-shirt which form perfectly to his building physique. This is clearly understandable since he owns the company as well as builds log homes throughout the area.

He clears his throat with a snicker in my direction. “Ok
ay, willow bark...?”

I shuffle through the sealed bags and find the one I marked with willows bark and answer, “Check.”

“Burdock Root, do you have that one...?” Again, I flip through and locate the correct package, “Yes, I have it.” He continues on down my list.

“Mint leaves, Dandelions, and Passion flowers...?” He peers over my shoulder as I search for the items.

A satisfied smile blossoms across my face.

“Check, check, and check. I have them all, now tomorrow
I’ll probably need to refill a few others, such as pine needles.” The last two words I stress because we were immersed in them and giving a subtle hint of an invitation for him to meet me again. His cool and charming demeanor tells me he accepts my invite, but with another proposal.

“How about I meet you back at your place later tonight and I’ll bring whatever you may need, including
pine needles
.”

I press my lips hard along his, nothing he wasn’t use to
. It’s my way of sealing our deals. “I’ll follow you back into the city. I have a new client to meet across the street from your shop today.” I nod to him as I push my things back then slamming the door shut to the Prius, but it doesn’t close. A loud clank alerts me to look for the source of the problem. The seatbelt dangles in-between the ridge of the car. I yank the belt, and allow it to zip back into its rightful place and close the passenger door. I glance back at Rayden in his truck and of course, he is shaking his head grinning, it’s apparent I easily amuse him.

I park in my normal designated spot in front of The Natural Path shop. It’s a completely organic food and natural remedy store. We have always done decent here on the west side of th
is hard to find on the map city. I have a more than fairly large sized studio apartment on the backside of the shop. Which is convenient, I suppose, but if I were to ever call in sick, I had better truly be. Knowing I’m running later than I had anticipated, I quickly collect my things.

I hear Rayden yelling from across the street to me, “I’ll see you later my tree hugger!” Juggling the basket in one hand, papers, forms to fill out, and my purse in the other, I manage to shut the door with the heel of my sandal.