Tattoo

Prologue

The music blasting through the club was assaulting to the senses. The bass so thick it pulsed into the very bones of my body. My eyes flicked over the dance floor hunting for the right one from my balcony perch. Somewhere in these tangled masses I’d find her. Every fiber of my being assured she’d be there, ripe for the picking.

The door opened releasing a cold wind around the humidity stifled dance floor gratefully. A group of giggling women entered and in the middle of the flock I saw her. The one I’d been waiting for. She was timidly tugging down a too short black dress while another woman tried to soothe her.

I leaned forward watching her move across the perimeter towards the bar. The multitude of colored lights danced across her pale skin accentuating her full high breasts. She tilted her head up and I caught those brown eyes in mine. She knew she was being watched. I smiled with pleasure feeling the excitement zing straight to my crotch. Her lips curled in a small shy smile.

Yes, she was the one. I backed away watching her look for me as I came down. The hunt was something I enjoyed with the right woman but tonight I was looking for a very special quality and she had it in spades. I rounded through the gyrating people keeping my eyes on her as she turned down a few would be drink offers and subsequently get chastised from her girlfriends.

I hated women who tried to direct someone else’s life when they clearly had no say in they’re own. I slid through a group of men coming up behind her at the bar motioning Chance over. “Smirnoff,” I called and she yipped turning into me with those wide doe eyes. “Sorry didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Huh oh it’s ok,” she said fighting for composure. It was cute. I paid Chance who gave me a knowing look. I never went right for the prey though. It was more fun when they came to me. She opened her mouth to say something and I gave her a half smirk before moving away from the bar.

Her eyes followed me to the back booth I slid into. Her girlfriends instantly went on the offensive urging her to come to me. Predictable women but what would she do? I drank slowly watching her with heavy lidded eyes.

She got up tugging at that little dress once more. She had beautiful legs, muscular not too thin and it showed them off perfectly with the high heels she clearly wasn’t quite comfortable in. She tilted her chin upward posturing herself into a false confidence. I looked towards the dance floor scanning the women blandly but kept one eye on her approach.

“Um excuse me,” she called softly almost inaudible over the pulsing music. I could hear her groan as I ignored her. She moved closer to the booth and I looked up pinning her in my gaze. Her entire body trembled. “Uh hello,” she greeted a little louder. “I don’t usually do this but would you like to dance?”

She bit at her lower lip anxiously. “Sure,” I agreed sliding out standing tall over her. “My name is Giovante,” I introduced holding out a hand to her.

Her hand curled around mine. I caressed my thumb over her soft skin smiling at her nervous laugh. “My name is Juliana,” she breathed. Her wide brown eyes were almost doe-like as I led her out to the dance floor.

My hand went up her arm and down her spine before resting at the small of her back urging her closer to me as the music went into a dark tempo. She was tense in her moves so I brought her against my body taking the lead into an intimate sway. She curled into me perfectly relaxing finally against my body. Her soft supple body thrilled my senses arousing me.

I gave in to the temptation caressing up her bare arm and shoulder before testing her silken shoulder length auburn hair. She tilted her head and I looked down into her big brown eyes. I cupped her cheek and gave her offered mouth a chaste kiss. It was a subtle power that was hidden in her. Tonight I’d claim her, mark her as mine. She’d be frightened but then she’d return to me. I couldn’t wait.

I moved to her ear and she inhaled sharply. “Would you like to go someplace quieter?” I queried scenting her neck enjoying the shudder that tore down her body brushing mine.

“I uh,” she murmured and I drew back blinking at her. She glanced back at her friends questioningly. Timid and uncertainty were pooling off of her. I didn’t bother looking at her so-called friends. I knew they were encouraging her to me. They knew nothing about me. I could be a murderer, a rapist, they didn’t care she was the weakest in their pack structure, expendable.

I stretched my hand out over the small of her back and she looked up at me nervously. I waited for her to decide, a yes or no. She gave a small nod. It was enough. I took her hand pulling her back from her watchful friends towards a door.

Lost Frost

Lost Frost

Prologue

It was the night of the winter solstice, the coldest, darkest day of the entire year. Christmas was just four days away. The snow fell in big fluffy flakes covering the already pristine ground with a fresh coat of that Winterland white everyone seemed to crave. I knew just beneath the surface the dirt lingered, it always lingers beneath the things that seem so pretty and flawless.

I sat watching the twinkling Christmas lights wondering for the umpteenth time what the point was. Did it really help keeping the creatures that lurked in the dark away, those stupid blinking colors or did it just lure them in? In my present mood I was voting for the latter.

I don’t know what it was about the holiday that made me so cynical. Sure there were lots of reasons to despise Christmas; the blatant greed in abundance was a huge hot button for me, when the season of giving became the season of getting and getting more and more. I shook away the dark thoughts staring out the bay window watching those snowflakes cascade down on a wayward breeze.

The snow didn’t care about the twinkling lights that were wrapped around the trees they covered them just the same. It brought a cynical smile to my lips watching the lights vanish beneath the white blanket.

“Are you there?” the annoyed voice of Karina demanded from my laptop speakers. I looked to the screen seeing her cross her arms petulantly.

“Yeah I’m here,” I sighed. “Where were we?”

“You were telling me why you’ve been avoiding me for the last three weeks,” she replied snidely.

“I’m not avoiding you Karina,” I muttered, “I didn’t ask to be sent to this . . .” I trailed off motioning around the log cabin.

“Your twenty minutes are almost up Chloe,” the deep voice boomed and Karina looked almost fearful.

“Who’s that?”

“Emanuel,” I grunted. “Listen Karina I’m restricted here and if I don’t sign off I won’t get to use the computer again for another three weeks so I’ll send you a chirp when I’m able to get back on.”

“You can’t be serious,” she gasped but I hit the button disconnecting her. I shut down the computer handing it out to the watchful gaze of Emanuel.

“You’ve gotten better at obeying orders,” he observed darkly tucking the laptop beneath his arm.

I ignored him staring out the window blankly.

“So you’re not even speaking to me now?” he taunted moving close enough to be reflected in the glass. His dark eyes were watching me and I didn’t like it.

“Emanuel leave Chloe alone,” Payton called appearing in the archway of the family room. Flour was streaked over her cheek absently and she was wringing her hands into the actual frilly apron she wore. Payton was Emanuel’s guardian and my mother’s sister apparently. I never even knew she had a sister, of course I didn’t know her not really, and then she up and died on me.

My father the shrink felt it was in my best interest to go up Northern Michigan and spend some time with my only living relative since I dropped my winter classes to his fury. Punishment, this place was punishment, a lesson to prove how good of a life I had so I’d get back on the track he wanted me to be on.

I was on my third year working towards my dual degrees in psychology and education just like my father planned. It was the death of my mother that derailed me. I knew it. He knew it. So here I was miles away from home over Christmas in one of the strangest social structures I’d ever encountered.

It was my aunt Payton, her live in lover master sergeant Travis Coffman, and their ward Emanuel Valade. There were strict house rules and Emanuel seemed to take a sick pleasure in enforcing them since he was home on winter break. Payton played referee to the best of her abilities.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” Payton said softly. “Travis worries that you’re not eating enough Chloe, please try to eat more tonight.” I gave a meaningless nod forcing my eyes to stay on the falling snow. “Emanuel will you come help me set the table?”

“Sure thing Payton,” he rumbled. “We’ll talk later Chloe.” I glared at his departing reflection letting the blatant threat hang between us. When he vanished from sight I breathed out again fogging the glass. The glass quivered catching my attention. I wiped away the fog stiffening when I saw a single black rose bud lying in the freshly laid snowdrift.

I stared at it in wonder as my brain tried to understand how it could be there. There weren’t any footprints disturbing the snow. Nothing disturbed its flawless surface except that beautiful rose. I stood up wrapping the shawl tighter around my shoulders opening the French doors that lead to the back yard. I stepped out into the blowing snow moving to the rose without a thought.

        I lifted it in wonder almost surprised to find out it was real. I held it to my nose sniffing the unusual scent. The wind blew sharp against my exposed skin and I glanced up seeing the approaching headlights. Travis was home and he didn’t like to wait for dinner. I slid back into the house locking the door and hiding the rose in my room before moving swiftly to the dining room before he got there.